Postlude- Leaving Paris 6/14/08

On Saturday before heading to the airport Tom, Carol, and I went down to “Carol’s bridge” to take one last look at the Paris which enchants us. Carol reminded me of a quote from Ernest Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast. “If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast”. I hope this is also true for the more middle-aged as well. I want to make it true. The city is alive with architecture, green-space, art, music, thought, discourse, romance. The pictures on the blog speak to the architectural beauty of the city. For a city the size of Paris I was happily amazed at the amount of green-space in the city. There are numerous parks, gardens, and fountains in each neighborhood-- and they are used. The rooftops are dotted with terrace gardens and container gardens fill many window boxes.
These are merely the physical elements. The people of Paris are the soul of the city. To have had the opportunity to live among them for two weeks has been a privilege. Every interaction has carried the potential opportunity to reflect on who I am, how I interact with others, and the value of making the effort to connect. I have enjoyed some service staff at the cafés who initially present as stand-offish as I butcher their language to make my order. Over the course of the meal things may warm a bit as I demonstrate that I want to learn the correct pronunciation, or graciously accept the corrections and practice. I have sincerely appreciated those who have freely offered assistance with directions, translations, and picture taking. I find, in general, life in Paris is about celebrating and honoring life’s processes and protocols. If you display a sincere interest, Parisians are happy to share and help you to appreciate their ways.
After exploring the city during the day, there were opportunities to rest at an Irish pub in the heart of Paris. This presented an opportunity to meet Parisians who are ex-patriots from the states and other countries. They also make up the soul of Paris. There is an excellent guitar/vocalist, Barry, who has been in Paris for over twenty years and has had a regular gig at the Pub for sixteen years. A very talented man who has carved out a life for himself in Paris. There is a crew of young bartenders, Marseille and Cat, who are in their twenties and have rolled the dice to try a different way of life. One can meet artists, students, football (soccer) fans, struggling musicians, poets, and even a FED EX flight crew, (who were very cheap tippers) and there was always a good conversation to be had.
While standing on that bridge saying good-bye I found myself sad to leave, but hopeful that I would return one day. Reflecting on Hemingway’s words I also realized that I always would have a little bit of Paris with me. (and not because I met the age criteria.) The hope is I can take some of what I have witnessed to be the best of that feast and incorporate it into my daily life. Now, back home, with my to-do list growing, I feel the grind beginning again. I set aside some time to write this entry. Some time to process and appreciate the process. It’s important to note, once again, that the world did not come to an end. For a planted seed there is hope!
Keith----------

Made it Home

Home at Last?

After a long day's journey we finally arrived home. Just before we left Paris we walked with Carol to her bridge (actually it is Pont Louis Phillipe which goes from the Marais to Ile St Louis). It was sad to say goodbye to Carol and to Paris. We spent every day together for the last two weeks. Here's a link to a clip on the bridge.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beDqGCLT5K0

We had an adventure getting to the airport. Thanks to the kindness of several natives we finally made it. Two people were very helpful (without us asking) to direct us. We were on the wrong train, and couldn't find the way to get to the RER. Both people that helped us spoke no English, but somehow we figured out their directions. I'm not so sure we would have received such assistance in New York City...

The plane was delayed an hour, and it was jam packed with people traveling from Mumbai to Newark. We had a woman from Morocco sit next to us who only could speak broken French and I guess Arabic. Keith was very kind in helping her fill out the paperwork to enter the States. I hope she made it to where she was headed.

Once we got into Newark we contacted the place where we parked the car. Unfortunately, I thought we were in terminal C. By the time we figured out where we were they had sent three drivers to come and get us. Must have been jet lag, or something.. The drive home was awful in the pouring rain. By the time we made it to the NY Thruway I was exhausted. Keith took over driving and we arrived home at 11:30. Unfortunately, for us it seemed like 5:30am. That's only 2o hours of travel.

Now the adjustment.... A new time and a new place. The pace is very different here, and the lawn has grown tall with weeds. Work starts tomorrow and soon Paris will be a distant memory. I can't say that I am glad to be home, but I am sure that I will adjust. Traveling is one of my favorite activities. It's hard to return to what often seems routine. If I bring anything home with me it is a lesson to enjoy every day. The French do take the time to smell the roses. It is far too easy to become caught up in the day to day activities and not appreciate the people around you and the beauty in everyday life.

This shot is a tradition that ensures that someday we will return to point zero, in front of Notre Dame. I started the blog with a similar photo from 2004. I guess it really does work.

Lastly, here is a moment that I will treasure from Paris. Each day we walked over to Carol's studio for a new adventure we found her watching out her window. It always made us feel welcome.

Last Days

The last two days in Paris have been a little sad, as tomorrow we leave. We have accomplished virtually everything that was on our list of must sees and had many other unexpected adventures. We made some new friends, had some great food, drank some good wine, saw great art, experienced great music, saw grand monuments and best of all shared wonderful times together. It has been a joy traveling with Carol. She has been easy going and undemanding. She has shared some of her special places in Paris with Keith and me, and we feel enriched by experiencing them with her. She has truly help make this trip an unforgetable adventure. I am only jealous that she gets to stay another two weeks.

Last night we had dinner with an old friend - Chantal. She was our guide on our first trip to France in 2004. It was great to see her again. She announced that she is pregnant with her second child and it will be a boy. She seemed very happy, and has moved away from Paris. She continues to run tours from time to time. Seeing her again seemed to complete the circle, connecting the begining and end of the two trips.

Earlier in the day we visited several churchs and stopped for a snack. This toast is to David, as we were drinking a Riesling wine (one of his favorites). We were not mulling over Christmas selections for APM. It was taken at a little café near St. Eustache Church.

For me the last day has been contemplative. It was a quiet day, and we each kind of went our own way. Keith went off to the park to read and I went for a walk through our neighborhood, looking for things that I may have missed. I found myself drawn to the Seine. I sat on the bank and read for a bit. The water swiftly and quietly swirled past me. The boats passed by, filled with tourists anxious to discover the city. It was just less than two weeks ago and I was in the same place. I understand their anticipation, but I no longer feel it. I came to the conclusion that I have not missed a thing. I saw all that I needed to. I feel full from the experience. It feels bittersweet to feel so satisfied and yet to know that there are so many things here that I will miss.

I left the river and walked over to Notre Dame. This church seems central to the spirit of Paris. I am not a regular church goer, and certainly have my share of problems with organized religion. Somehow this church embodies more than the politics and dogma of religion. It attracts nearly every visitor to Paris at one point or another. Despite the burdens that the institution has bestowed on countless people through tithes or small minded thinking it has great history, and somehow I feel tied to that. It reminds me about my experience at the Marie Antoinette exhibit. Most of the visitors were French and seemed intensely interested in all of the artifacts on display. There was pushing and shoving to get close and examine every detail. I expected bitterness for Marie Antoinette. The revolution was so violent. Yes, the monarchy was cruel and unjust to the people and needed to be removed, but there is still pride and connection to the historical value of the time. I guess I feel the same way about Notre Dame. Afterwards I felt that I had revisted the most important places that Paris holds for me.

This last shot is of the Seine on our walk home one night. We had been out rather late, and the lights on the river looked magical. I know that the wine helped the moment, but it still looks magical to me.

Final Day Approaching

Anniversary Day

On Wednesday Keith and I celebrated an official two years married. We had a light no pressure day starting out with breakfast and mimosas. We improvised and made pouched eggs in glass yogurt cups and found béarnaise sauce (pre-made) in the store. All we had to do was boil the béarnaise sauce and it was ready. Imagine that - pre-made sauces in the local market. We went shopping. We shopped for each other and for some gifts to bring back home.

Later in the afternoon we returned to a restaurant that we had eaten at in 2004. We had broken from the pack (we were traveling with APM and needed some time away from the group) and found an outdoor cafe. We had a leisurely lunch and really enjoyed the time alone. We felt that it was fitting to return to that place for another meal.

In our ordering somehow we ended up with a seafood appetizer that could feed six people. There had to be 36 oysters, 24 shrimp and more than 36 snails. It was really tasty, but we feared that we would not be able to eat the rest of our meal. Somehow we managed and had a wonderful meal. Here are the remains from our seafood feast...

Later that night we took a boat ride on the Seine. We were blessed with a gorgeous sunset as we left the dock. For 10 euros it was worth it for an hour long voyage up and down the Seine. The trip was narrated in French and English by a student. She was a little dry in her delivery, but very informative. It was a lovely end to a perfect day.

Marie Antoinette

The next day we started off late. We walked up to the Grand Palais to see the exhibition on Marie Antoinette. Picture were not allowed in the exhibit. The number of artifacts remaining from this period are impressive. Paintings, furniture, jewelry, letters and other written artifacts from her lifetime are presented in the exhibit. The exhibit was in French, so I could only make out small pieces of it. In the period leading up to the French revolution, Marie Antoinette blamed for many of the ills of society. She was accused of having affairs and personally bringing the country to financial ruin. The official charges included orchestrating orgies in Versailles, sending millions of livres of treasury money to Austria, plotting to kill the duc d'Orléans, declaring her son to be the new king of France, orchestrating the massacre of the Swiss Guards in 1792 and sexually abusing her son. Most of the charges are thought to be completely false, but she was and she was declared guilty of treason and executed on October 16, 1793.

I was amazed at the intense interest that most of the French had in the exhibit. They all seemed to each have a romantic relationship to this historic figure. Despite her excesses, she seems a victim of the radicalism of the revolution.

La Madeleine

After the exhibit we set off for lunch and a visit to la Madeleine. We found a restaurant that Carol had eaten at in a prior year behind la Madeleine. We all had pizza (one of the specialties of the place). It was really filling and good.

La Madeleine is dedicated to Mary Magdalene and has a Roman look to it. It is surrounded by tall Corinthian columns with a large pediment sculpture of the last judgment. It has a different look and feel from most churches.

There was a rehearsal for what looked like a first communion going on so we could not get close to the altar.

Stepping It Up

Memorial to the Martyrs of Deportation

Tucked behind Notre Dame is a less know memorial dedicated to the victims deported by Adolf Hitler’s campaign from 1933 to 1945. The memorial has it's own slant and mentions the victims in this order - political opponents, members of the Resistance, social misfits, homosexuals, Jehovah witnesses, and anyone that did not meet the criteria of the Aryan race (Jews, Slavs, Gypsies and the handicapped). It clearly recognizes the persecution inflicted on the Jewish race during Hitler’s reign, but also focuses on how that regime affected Paris specifically.

The role of the Resistance and France's efforts in World War II, have been a disputed topic for years. Some feel that the country did not put every effort in fighting the Germans. Others feel that France was so wounded by World War I that many people did not have the appetite for mass death and destruction. France was defeated by Hitler in 1940, and Paris was not liberated until August, 25 1944. Clearly, the Resistance contributed significantly to the efforts of the eventual liberation of France from the tight grip of Hitler through sabotage, intelligence and guerilla warfare.

The tiny lights in the underground memorial represent the many lives that were extinguished during the deportation of great numbers during the occupation.

Montmartre

Today we visited several of the sites originally planned. Sacré-Cœur is visible from most parts of Paris. The name translates sacred heart (of Jesus). The basilica sits on the mount of Montmartre. The view from the basilica is breathtaking. Paris does have its share of air pollution, so haze is common even on a clear day. This was one of the best weather days that we have had so far. The sun came out and shone brightly. It couldn't be a better day for picture taking. We took the metro as close as we could, because we knew that there would be many steps to the top.

Two statues face the basilica; Joan of Arc and King Saint Louis IX.

The surrounding neighborhoods are equally interesting, with many famous sites. In its day many artists congregated and lived in the surrounding hills. Pablo Picasso lived in a commune for a period near the top of the hill.

The Lapin Agile was a favorite spot for struggling artists and writers. Its name has changed many times, but was originally called "Cabaret des Assassins". It was a seedy joint at best.


After our visit to Montmartre, we ambled back down the hill and had a nice lunch in a cafe. There was a group of American's next to us discussing world affairs. The talked on high platitudes and seemed less than informed. Can you say "ugly American". I guess that reputation is sometimes deserved.

Champs-Élysées

We decided there was sufficient time to hit another site. We hopped in the metro and were at the Arc de Triomphe in no time flat. The metro is very efficient and trains are very frequent. We found them to be very safe. The arc honors those who fought for France, and is in the center of Place de l'Étoile (star square), where 12 avenues meet in a star pattern. One of the major avenues originating from this point is the Champs-Élysées. It is lined with high end stores similar to Fifth Avenue in New York City.

Place de la Concorde

We walked down the avenue to Place de la Concorde. During the French revolution this square was renamed "Place de la Révolution". This is where the guillotine was erected and several famous people were executed including Marie Antoinette. In the center of the square is a giant Egyptian obelisk which was giving to the French in the XIX century. Some wonder how freely it was given.








Just beyond the Place de la Concorde are the Jardin des Tuileries. There are several fountains and many people just hang out around them sunning. It was one of the first days in a long time for that type of activity so many were partaking. We stopped in the gardens for some Glace and wine. It was lovely to watch the ducks frolic in the pond and feel a nice cool breeze.



Just beyond the gardens is the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel. It stands in front of the Louvre. The original horses on top of the Arc were taken from Saint Mark's Cathedral in Venice by Napoleon. They were returned to Venice and have been replaced. We saw the original horses just a few months ago on an APM trip to Italy.







We continued home and were off shopping, as tomorrow is our second anniversary. We wanted to get some things to prepare for the day. On our shopping adventures we went into a famous department store here called BHV. We were amazed at this vertical garden that is on the outside of the store. The picture is deceptive; the garden is vertical and goes up almost three floors.

A Weekend in Paris

The longer we stay in Paris the more I focus on feeling the city. The city is a visual feast of nature, architecture, sculpture, and painting. Touring the cemetery Pere-Lachaise combined those elements. The trees were old, grand, broadly wrinkled. They are a welcome natural canopy for the many visitors. The leaves and branches provided us shelter against a light sprinkle of rain. I imagine the trees also provide shelter from the hot sun as well. Under these trees are the many markers and monuments. At times it seemed as if we were on a treasure hunt to find the gravesite of one historical figure or other. Once one was found, we would share knowledge of the persons work or contributions to art or literature. I felt as if we were celebrating their lives again. At Oscar Wilde's grave I was trying to remember more of what he had written. I was touched by some of the graffiti on stone, overlooking the act of defacing, but noticing how his work still touched others and that they felt that and expressed. At Chopin’s grave, I heard piano etudes in my head. At Jim Morrison's grave, I was amazed at the dedication people felt to visit him. It is also interesting to note there is a guard posted there to limit the amount of expression that occurs. Those who are not as well known to the world also receive tribute by virtue of the lavish sculpture and stone work on the mausoleums. Brilliant arrangements of flowers, unique and fitting expressions for each grave, break through the marble and stone landscape. Vigil candles, notes and sentimental keepsakes adorn other sites. I was touched by these personal expressions. It was gratifying to see those physical extensions of memory and emotion. Remembering individuals after they are gone matters to many people here. That seems to have touched me here, maybe more than other places. Another feeling worthwhile to note is the magic of a Paris Sunday. As we left the apartment on Sunday morning I could feel a difference in the tempo of the city. This day was quite different from the rest. Tom and I were out on what would be a failed excursion to rent some bikes. On Sundays the highway along the Seine is closed to traffic for general public use. Many people run, bike and walk along the river with room and freedom from the intense traffic. The Parisians have recently installed a bike rental system in which one can purchase a subscription and with a swipe card, unlock a bike from a secured bike stand and ride around the city. It really is a brilliant idea! Its just that the terminal would not recognize our credit cards. After seeing that the French tourists were having as much trouble with the automated system as we were, I felt disappointed but not discriminated against. Fueled with disappointment --I did what any visitor would do and went to the bakery. What I noticed, but wasn't in the mood to appreciate, was the quieter atmosphere of the big city. A city resting, at peace with itself. That was more apparent in the afternoon when we walked to lunch. I noticed people moving leisurely, enjoying the day, enjoying the food in the cafe, enjoying each other’s company, the sun, the shade, a book on a bench in the park. People took the time and took their time. It is also helpful to note the world did not fall apart. I'm not a great travel planner, but I can make this one recommendation. If you are in Paris on a Sunday, do not plan to be a tourist, plan to be a Parisian for one day. Then go and enjoy a simple walk, a simple meal, a lovely free concert, and some time watching the masters of leisure. Keith (my first blog posting-ever!)

Final Resting Places

At the end of our walking tour we took a leisurely lunch and then headed out for the Panthéon. We were right in the neighborhood, so it was a quick walk. Originally, the Panthéon was designed to be a church dedicated to St. Geneviève. It was not finished and the French revolution broke out. The new revolutionary government ordered it to be changed from a church to a mausoleum for the interment of great Frenchmen.

It is situated on top of hill in the Latin Quarter and can be seen from most parts of Paris. Many famous French citizens rest in it's tombs, including Voltaire, Rousseau, Victor Hugo and Marie Curie.

In the center of the building there is a huge pendulum, know as Foucault's pendulum. It was created to demonstrate the Earth's rotation.

Père-Lachaise

The next day we took a trip to Père-Lachaise, another final resting place for many famous people. Of course, one of the better know residents is Jim Morrison. As we neared his grave stone there seemed to be a strange scent in the air. We came upon a group of guys with sun glasses on (it was completely overcast, so the sun glasses weren't for the sun).

It's a hunt to find many of the famous graves with all the winding roads throughout the cemetary.

This is the grave of Oscar Wilde. It is the most defaced monument in the place, with kisses and sentiments written all over it.

Flowers and notes are left at many of the monuments. The monument for Chopin, who died more than 150 years ago, was covered with plants and flowers.