Our project group of Nicole from NY, Jisbam from Tampa, and I worked so hard last night and made major progress on our project. We are glad to have a break from school and the project for the weekend.
After being with the same 24 people almost 24/7 for the last 2 ½ weeks, I was excited to set out on my own to see Paris. That may sound a little crazy (I don’t speak any French and have never been to the city before), but I was eager to see all I could see without what we have all come to call the “accordion” walking that happens with a large group that walks very slow, stops to take many pictures, while engaged in conversation and socializing. Everyone on the group has been so great to accommodate each other and be patient, but we all need a break now and again. My mission was to make the most of the day and be back at the hotel by 5pm to get ready for our evening outing to Moulin Rouge.
I hopped on the Metro and headed for my first museum visit, to Musee d’Orsay. My travel book mentioned a museum pass that would pay for itself with visits to four attractions, and allow you to skip waiting in line. I purchased one immediately, and as promised, walked right by the line of about 75-100 people and straight into the museum. The Orsay was magnificent with three floors of exhibits, specifically art from the 1848 to 1914. It houses the best general collection anywhere of Edouard Manet, Monet, Renoir, Edgar Degas, Van Gogh, Cezanne, and Gaughin, all impressionists, which is the art period that I love. The art begins with very conservative pieces on the ground floor and works up to the third floor where those considered the “rebels” were housed. I spent a couple of hours on the third floor only.
Most of the art of this period is so beautiful and picturesque. I find the techniques used very soothing to the eye, a mixture of texture and easy colors that add dimension to the works, while awarding freedom from hard lines and precision. It is an escape from exactness and minute detail, which I especially enjoyed as a relief and departure from my nature to be detail oriented and calculated. It was extra special to be in the city where many of these paintings were painted, walking the same streets as these talented artists, and seeing the views firsthand that all my life I have only seen depicted on canvas. The rented audio tours are worth every cent, and touring the museum solo provided a setting for complete immersion in the art….. I loved every minute!
After the Orsay, I crossed from the left bank to the right bank of the Seine and got on to the Metro heading north toward Champs Elysees, to walk up a bit of the famous boulevard to the Arc de Triomphe. Upon exiting the Metro on Champs Elysees, I felt like I was in New York, with crazy hustle bustle of pedestrians and vehicles going in all directions simultaneously. This famous boulevard is the backbone of Paris with the greatest concentration of traffic. The Place de la Concorde on the boulevard is where all of Paris’ traffic seems to converge, and is where the Tour de France ends as well. In the 1600’s, this boulevard was “the place” to cruise in your carriage, it was also where the guillotine took the lives of thousands, including King Louis XVI (referenced in information about my earlier visit to Versailles) and Marie-Antoinette. In the early 1900’s, the boulevard was pure elegance, and in 1963 the government pumped money into the commercial metabolism of the boulevard when the Metro was routed to include the area. The Champs Elysees is full of sidewalk cafés, benches, beautiful landscaping and lamps, all adding to the experience of shopping on one of the world’s most famous streets. Gucci, Aston Martin, Louis Vuitton, and many other high end designer stores can be found here, in addition to boutiques. The shopping is definitely “to die for”- and again… it is the sale season in Paris!
At the top of the Champs Elysees boulevard is the famous Arc de Triomphe, the next on my list to see. It sits at the center of where 12 boulevard meet, and the roundabout that surrounds it is maddening, as there are no traffic lights, and no crosswalks or pedestrians to get to its center, the base of the Arc. I had to walk to the other side to an underground crossing to reach the entrance. We have been blessed with perfect June weather in Paris, which means hot and sunny, not always the best for walking, but much better than the alternative!
The Arc de Triomphe was commissioned by Napolean to commemorate his victory at the battle of Austerlitz. It is 165 feet high and 130 feet wide, the biggest “arch” in the world. Both Napolean’s funeral and the arrival of the Nazis took place at the foot of the arch, and the tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I there as well.
Once again, my museum pass allowed me to bypass all lines and go straight to the entrance for the staircase to go to the top for a magnificent view of Paris. The 284 step spiral staircase led to a museum and then a second short set of stairs on up to the top….. and WOW – what a view!
The breeze was refreshing, the sky so blue, and I could see to Montmartre on the north side of the city. All the people and vehicles zooming around were quite amusing from that vantage point; the city’s grid layout itself was stylish… but of course… it is Paris – fashion capital of the world!
After the Arc, I did some shopping on Champs Elyees while exploring some side streets with great boutiques and shoe shops, picking up a few special purchases along the way. I stopped for some refreshment at a sidewalk café, and enjoyed some people watching for a bit. New York is a melting pot, but there is a different air about Paris. There are all kinds, every style and fashion you can imagine and not imagine that someone would wear. There is a sense of expressionism in most all things, and a clear picture that the French love living life. When you cannot understand verbal language, one observes body language, which is often so simple and communicative of underlying feelings. There seems to be less stress and more emphasis on relationships and enjoying the moment… which is something we can all learn from.
I made it back on the Metro at 5pm as planned and got changed for an evening out that included dinner and the Moulin Rouge. Keri from Tampa, Brittney from NY, and Ronald from Honduras, and I set out for the Montmartre region of the city to find a spot for dinner before the show. Navigating the Metro was a bit challenging, and the trains were all crowded and hot, but we made it to Montmartre, which is Paris’ highest hilltop. Historically, this area was inhabited by monks, farmers, gypsum miners, Parisian liberals, modernist painters, and struggling artists, poets, dreamers, and more who sought cheap rent, rustic landscape, untaxed booze, and cabaret nightlife.
We saw the Sacre’-Coueur from the outside, a five-domed, Roman-Byzantine basilica that took 44 years to build, and stands on a foundation of 83 pillars sunk 130 feet deep, necessary because the ground beneath was honeycombed with gypsum mines.
A couple of blocks up from the Moulin Rouge, our final destination for the evening, we came upon a café, La Chat Noir (The Black Cat),that had live jazz music and an appealing menu. Our group took a table on the sidewalk and enjoyed jazz in Paris during our dinner. We noticed several tourists stopping to take photos of the restaurant building, and further discovered that it’s been a famous jazz spot for many years. In fact, there is a copycat jazz club with the same name in New Orleans… we stumbled upon a unique find!
Moulin Rouge was phenomenal! I have seen many Broadway shows in both New York and Vegas, but the participants in this show gave 150% through the entire performance and the program lasted more than two hours. Our group had the best seat in the theatre, right in the center, literally at the edge of the stage. Cameras were not allowed in the theatre, so my attempt at a description will have to do. It was was adorned with red velvet, feathers, dramatic lighting and chandeliers, tiers of tables and a sold out, enthuseastic crowd. Each ticket included champagne (apropos to accompany such a Paris tradition), and each in our group loved every minute!
For 120 years the Moulin Rouge has been the most legendary cabaret in the world. The costumes and performers were amazing, the music fun and festive, and there was a number dedicated to a USA theme, in appreciation for assistance in World War II. Many international stars have performed on the stage at the Moulin Rouge including Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Elton John, and more. It was definitely a highlight of my visit to Paris!
Unfortunately, when we got out of the show, we only made it half way back to the hotel before the Metro trains stopped running. Luckily, there was a nice French couple who rerouted us (we barely made the alternate train) and directed us how and where to transfer to a city bus to take us back to the hotel. (Remember that I referenced before about are “not so premium” location on the outskirts of Paris). Regardless, we made it back safely, though after 3am, but all enjoyed a fun night of Paris legends!
No comments:
Post a Comment