according to my pocket dictionary , that means district , and the buildings in my arrondissement blend one into another , curving around corners with the sumptuousness of wedding cakes.the sidewalks are crowded with students and tourists , and they 're lined with identical benches and ornate lampposts , bushy trees ringed in metal grates , gothic cathedrals and tiny creperies , postcard racks , and curlicue wrought iron balconies .