Tuesday, December 1, 2009

City of Lights

yep, you guessed it -- More Catch Up. September, a gorgeous month over here, brought us a second visit from the grandparents and with it a five-day, grown up only adventure to Paris. Admittedly, I felt a bit guilty leaving Grandma and GP to fend for themselves in a foreign country where they couldn't speak the language with two high-energy grandsons, but with the closest hospital programmed into the GPS and the names and contact numbers of every neighbor within shouting distance, well, I went anyway, figuring they'd have plenty of time to regroup once they got back stateside. I'm still not sure I got all the stories of what happened those few days we were away, but everyone was in good spirits with all limbs and digits attached when D and I got home, so the rest we'll chalk up to my boys and the old folks making memories together.

As you might recall, we tried to go to Paris earlier in the year and were foiled by illness. I had been as a highschooler and had already seen the highpoints: the Eiffel tower -- before you had to wait in line for two hours, the Mona Lisa -- before she was behind a thick pane of glass, MonteMarte -- before it was completely tourist trappy, Notre Dame, etc, etc, etc. But Paris was the top of D's gotta go list and as we'd already done so many of the things at the top of mine (and it's only a 5 hour drive) off we went. I didn't expect to love Paris, but love it I did, and we're already planning a quick trip back with the kids so that C can see the Eiffel tower and eat the best street-side crepes known to man.

We tried to take advantage of the fact that we were traveling light (no kids and no kid gear)and ride the train, but as we planned this trip last minute, it cost several hundred euro more for round trip train tickets than it did to pay for gas, tolls, and parking. We parked at the Charles De Gaul Airport and took the Metro into the city. We stayed in the Latin quarter, and I loved the Latin Quarter. Most of the tourist sites we wanted to visit were in other sections of the city, so we got a taste of those quarters as we were sightseeing, but the energy in the Latin Quarter is fun. Markets, bakeries, eateries aplenty, grocery stores, even a Starbucks or two within a short walk of our hotel, so when we were done for the day and wanted to grab a late dinner, we didn't have to puzzle over where, we simply had to grab the Metro back to our hotel and then wander for a block or two until we found something we liked.

Paris was fun for us for an altogether unexpected reason: we felt more at "home" in Paris than we have since we got here last year. D had taken enough French that his language skills were passable, but as September is still a busy tourist month, we heard more English around us than anything else. Parisians have a reputation for being pushy and rude, and not at all friendly, but let me tell you, compared to the austere personality that is de-facto around these parts, those Parisians, at least the ones we encountered, are down right vivacious and congenial.

Each evening one museum stayed open late, so we tended to get going by 10 or 11 AM, grabbing a pastry and coffee as we walked to the train, sightsee until 4 or 5 (snacking from street vendors when we needed to refuel), zipping back to the hotel to rest/shower/change and then go to a late attraction: a museum, a seine river cruise, etc, then back to the Latin quarter to eat a real dinner.

The first evening we climbed the Eiffel tower.

The next day we started at Notre Dame, buying our Museum pass (a MUST for any sightseeing visit) and then after marveling at the cathedral, ducked into the small Archaeological museum next door. Each trip we take, there's a surprise--something we happen upon that isn't in all the books, but turns out to be a really cool experience. In Paris it was the Archaeological Crypt museum. The museum is 1 story underground, and is built over an existing archaeological dig of Roman-era ruins. The larger "story" behind the museum is to trace Paris's growth and development from Roman times through the age of the Cathedral next door (a long time, mind you, as it took close two 2 centuries to build that Cathedral next door). I'm not schooled in artifact discovery/preservation and maybe the whole museum is nothing more than a good show, you know like Disney World or Vegas--a Baudrillard-esque simulation of the "real thing" manipulated to be more real than the thing itslef, but still....what a cool idea. Bring the museum to the artifacts, rather than the artifacts to the museum.

Then, we meandered more of the area around Notre Dame, and stopped into avery famous English-language bookstore. Funny Story: I had been trying to get a copy of the book my book club was reading that month. I didn't know much about the book, hadn't looked it up, had heard it was rather controversial, but whatever. So I asked in Shakespeare and Company if they had the book, lo and behold they did. So I bought it. As the man's ringing me up, he asks if I want him to stamp the book. Sure, I say, thinking to myself -- oh cool, what an awesome souvenir. Fast forward to the next week when we're home and I start reading said book....It is hands down, the most horrid, awful, book I've ever encountered (now think about who I am and my background and all the varied things I've read over my life) and that's no small feat. Puke in my mouth, kind of disgusting. Couldn't even bring myself to finish it, even using my survive grad school technique reading the first and last sentences of each paragraph. It's the type of book I'd be horrified if C plucked it off the bookshelf one day and started thumbing through it. But yep I bought it and had it stamped at the famous Shakespeare and Company so now I feel compelled to keep it. That'll teach me to pay more attention (**Note, I"m purposefully not naming the book, because it's so not worth it, but I also don't want search engine hits on it either. Said book, however, was a European bestseller, which leads to whole'nother, rather interesting line of inquiry, but I won't go there now). Anyhow, after my quick duck into the bookstore, we toured palaceSainte Chapelle.

.That evening we tackled the Louvre -- Rick Steves tells you about a way you can use your museum pass to avoid the crowded security lines at the Louvre, but in doing so, you sacrifice your chance to walk through the famous glass pyramid. However, the lines were close to nonexistent at night, so we went through the grand entrance, rather than through servants quarter. We're not big museum people. We want to see the things we need to see. And although you could spend a whole day in the Louvre, we're the type happy enough with a couple hours. We dutifully made the rounds, seeing the couple of Michaelangelo sculptures, the Delacroix paintings (which we'd funny enough already seen at a traveling exhibit in Philly), Winged Victory, Venus de Milo,and of course, Mona Lisa, the grand dame herself. Then we wandered the bustling evening square outside the Louvre and back towards "home" where we ate the best Sushi I've ever had. Maybe it's just 'cause we haven't had sushi in a while --absence makes the heart grow fonder at all -- but still.

Day Three was our Museum day: We began the day atop the Arc de Triomph, wandered the length of Avenue des Champs-Élysées to the Place de la Concorde. Then we, almost unknowingly, wandered into my favorite museum and favorite "artsy" moment of the trip. We popped into the Orangerie Museum, only because it was covered by our Museum pass, it was right in front of us, and I needed to use the facilities. Yes, I knew the Waterlilies were there, but I've already spent over an hour of my life in the impressionist wing of the Met in New York with a monet-obsessed buddy, so really, how many Monets does one need to see in one lifetime.

I stand corrected. The waterlilies are breathtaking. Not sure I realized they were mural size (admittedly, art appreciation wasn't my favorite class in college). The entire museum probably had only ten people in it and the Waterlilies are its only major work, but definitely one of Paris's gems, hidden in plain sight. Then we mosied a few blocks to the Orsay, home of the late 18th century artwork. To me, the building was more impressive than the art, converted train station and all, but again, not the artsy type.

That evening, a thoroughly enjoyable dinner at Cafe Du Marche and a lovely stroll through the famous Rue Cler neighborhood back to the Seine for an evening boat ride, one of the highlights of the weekend.

Day Four: We caught the train out to Versailles. I've spent the last twenty years wanting to go to Versailles. Mythologized as the place is I expected..... well, more. The Gardens were impressive and the fountains were running so that was nice, but the palace itself, a tad underwhelming. Again, it was great to see it in a "put a name with a face" kind of way but..... We spent the first three hours, exploring the gardens and the Queen's private residence, and I felt badly we didn't save more time for the palace, but turns out I needn't have worried. We spent thirty minutes in line at security and ,maybe, 45 minutees walking the palace and we had seen enough. If you go: Buy tickets ahead of time. The palace is include in the popular museum pass and you buy garden tickets at the garden gates, and that way you don't have to wait in the ginormous Versaille ticket line.

That evening we braved the craziness and went to Montemart. Some Paris visitors say they don't like the atmosphere in the Latin Quarter because it's just too touristy at every turn. Well, I think Montmarte is the most touristy place in all of Paris. Don't get me wrong, 2o years back it was still touristy, but I remember it as festival/artsy touristy. Now, it's just South of the Border touristy or Panama City Beach at Spring Break touristy with tacky souvenir shop after tacky souvenir shop. Maybe the difference is just me, but I'd be willing to bet it's not all me. But, Montmarte is grand for its stunning views of the city and the church is lovely, so go see them at least.

. Day Five: We spent the last morning in Paris in the Paris sewers. The sidebar picture is me doing my best Jean Valjean carrying Marius impression. D, having worked before in a sewer plant, was rather fascinated by it. Me, not so much. Too stinky. I've always been disappointed that I didn't buy a copy of Canterbury Tales the day I ended up at the Cantebury Cathedral (and I'm not sure we'll make a trip back to Canterbury simply for me to buy said book), but I certainly wouldn't make the same mistake in the Paris Sewers. I hustled through to the gift shop at the end, ready to plunk down my euro for an overpriced copy of Les Miserables but alas, they weren't selling one. Inconceivable. After our sewer tour, strolled the Marais neighborhood (home to the 18th century Parisian intelligentsia, lingered in Place des Vosges, and then walked through the adjoining Jewish quarter to the Holocaust memorial. Then we hopped the train back to the Latin quarter, quick ducked into the Pantheon to see Foucault's Pendulum and then back to the hotel to collect our luggage and out to the airport to collect the car.

In the end, my impression of Paris is that it's a friendly, beautiful city with architectural treasures hidden on every street corner. Beautiful churches and facades that in other cities would become centerpieces, pass without comment, simply because they find themselves in Paris, home to so many more famous monuments. We're already planning a trip back, as close as it is. So stay tuned for Paris, part deux.