Only the French.....
My work finished in Brussels and I thought....why not spend the weekend in Paris? With that in mind I rented a room in a rooftop apartment through Air BNB (even though it was a little girls bunk bed, a bargain at 25
Arriving into Paris, I caught the 54 to Boulevard de Clichy and after settling in my room (and admiring the posters which to my absolute delight included a mostly naked Drake) - went straight to a bar to catch the opening Euro 2016 game of France vs. Romania - a match settled late in favor or the French and celebrated with significant boisterous enthusiasm. The fans were out in full force with the streets full of enthusiastic and from what I could see very well-behaved fans.I started the day by taking the Metro to Champs Elysees and went searching for a perfect coffee and croissant. In the picture up above - is the object of my desire!! The croissant on the outside seems like it's coated in a thin sheet of glass...and the inside, rubbery and delicious. As my good friend Gary Hochban always has said in an exaggerated and comical accent "only the Fraaaanch make da true crooooiiiiisant". It is so....
The Arc de Triomphe is no less impressive than ever and I spent the balance of the afternoon walking the streets enjoying a pleasant time resplendent with Parisian flotsam and Jetsam. I really do love this city and was not surprised by the rekindled affair I have had with the city since I first visited over 30 years ago. Of note is the "price" of this mistress....with most items costing quite a bit more than expected. A beer in the pub can be $10 or $5 if you get off the beaten track and look french :) However!.... with a little creativity - you can always find a "low cost effective" alternative.....
So lunch on this day was:
a half bottle of excellent wine - 2 Euro
a wheel of excellent Brie - 2 Euro
a warm fresh Baguette - 1 Euro
a small delicious chocolate bar - 1Euro
Total cost of the food for lunch 6 Euro, and the view and ambiance from the bench smack in the middle of the Champs Elysees .... priceless. (the joy of drinking wine from a bottle shielded by a brown paper bag.....also priceless :)I headed over to the Tour de Eiffel which you can spot sticking out above this sweet Piaggio gracing a Parisian side-street. Walking the streets all day is tough work, particularly after a couple beer stops and that half bottle of wine I had for lunch....but I pushed through exploring the many "little sights & sites" that surprise and delight from usual streets and places along the way.
Feeling very French - I tried to conduct myself only in French...ha! For the record I start lessons this Monday and no doubt the French folk I spoke with would have preferred that I started much earlier. :)
I've always been a fan of live performance (who isn't) and planned in advance to see the world famous Moulin Rouge. A fixture in Paris since 1889, and while the location may have changed (it burned down in 1915) and the acts tailored to meet a more modern taste, the 60ish female dancers still appear topless and absolutely resplendent in their fluffy colorful costumes. Like some weird exotic birds strangely misplaced and choreographed to unimaginable routines that are both erotic and delightful.
Recently adapted to the silver screen by Christina Aguilera and others, the real thing is still a far better experience in my view. And remember - the show that brought us the CanCan and similarly "naughty" fun entertainment holds a particularly important place in the history of show business. The show is worth every penny from a modern entertainment perspective and a historical reminder of an institution that brought considerable joy to those enduring the madness of Europe during the world wars.
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| The world famous Moulin Rouge |
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| The stage is actually the whole width of the curtain...this is the warm up act... |
On Sunday morning I attended mass at Notre Dame. One of the world's finest churches, the combination of stained
glass, architecture and pipe organ make it a special day in church. I'm
not so enamored with modern day organized religion but appreciate the
community it creates, the goodwill it promotes and the sense of history it evokes. I'm sure over 1000 people were in the church as the mighty Pipe organ began filling the massive space with it's dramatic mix of rich off-key tones unique to this fabulous instrument. And just when you think it can't be any better - a sea of voices rise up as the pipe organ subsides just enough for the 100 member choir to be heard. Truly spectacular in this day and certainly more so 100 years ago... and more. Imagine the poor huddled masses in 1345 as they first glimpsed the massive structure and witnessed the stained glass lit by the morning sun. It must have been truly mesmerizing.....
As I made my way to the church I saw this red-touqued man sitting quietly by the fountain. It was a site that touched my soul somehow - so peaceful and at the same time thought-provoking...what is his story?. It was my best shot I think...capturing the moment so perfectly.
In the afternoon - the Musee d'orsay. While the Louvre gets all the attention - this only slightly less exciting institution deserves a similar billing. With heeps or Monet, Van Gough and the like - it's a special place. My Mom introduced me to the concept of impressionist work when she took art history classes. At the time I suspect she didn't realize the "impression" (hehe) she was making on my young mind but it stayed with me and caused a curiosity about such things. I spent 6 hours at the museum enjoying many famous works of art and the atmosphere as people walk deep in thought from one view to the next. I worry, a bit,about the generations to come and the seeming need to have their minds stimulated and spoon fed with a constant diet of images and info. Did I leave or create the same curiosity for my children or has the business of parenting been replaced by Facebook and Insta-gram. I don't mean this in a whiny self- loathing manner :) - rather just a thought about how the world is changing in a major way and my hope is that the identified works of art of our past can maintain top billing with the works of art of today and the future.
In the spirit of masterpieces and concentration - it was cool to see the painting on the right and then the young man sketching the same on the left. Some of my favorites would be the one below...
Or a classic like Van Gough's Starry night...painted as he went mad....slowly.....
In my last blog I spoke of a friend that had died accidentally while mishandling a firearm. The evidence available now points to her being murdered. I won't comment further on this but in the case of determined guilt - justice must surely be served. I missed the funeral but that doesn't mean that Grace was not in my thoughts and continues to be. I added the picture below of Grace from a recent trek. For me it captures her playful, saucy spirit that made her unique brand of humor as engaging as it was entertaining. A true inspiration - she will indeed be missed.
Thanks for reading -Layno
