The city of romance; the city of lights; haute culture; shopping; monuments. That’s the sort of association most people make with Paris. To me, it’s a real place, with real people living their lives like you and me. That doesn’t mean that it’s not a beautiful or magical place. If anyone is stunned by its beauty and ambience, it’s me.
Furthermore, what adds to the magic is that Paris is never the same no matter how many times you visit it. Maybe it’s partly because you can never visit all the little areas that make up this city as well as the famous monuments, but also because of the the tendency to forget their existence all together. I can testify to the lure of the Eiffel Tower and the wide long stretch of the Champs-Elysees. However, like people say, it’s the everyday things that you’ve experienced that makes a place memorial. Sadly, I don’t have this secret key to the city yet. So, for what it’s worth (it’s a treasure to me) here’s what my travels to Paris have revealed to me.
On my first trip to Paris, everything was rather un-real. At an age of 14, I had the flexibility of being able to settle anywhere and the shelter of the adults so it was like I was still at home. The buildings did seem bigger, the food different, and there were also Mickey and the rest of Disneyland to dream over. Magic. But it wasn’t the gripping kind that freeze you to the spot, hoping for an ounce more. It was the pulling-coin-from-behind-the-ear kind. The magic wears out because you are so familiar with the trick. The people seemed no different from kiwis, the streets, the shopping, common things that you can do anywhere.
My second trip to Paris was definitely the most memorable. It was from this journey that I gained most of my insights into the life of a Parisian rather than that of a tourist. Firstly after the build up from years of studying French at school, Paris no longer corresponded to the place I had visited all those years ago. From the books we studied I realised there were still so many places I’d never got around to seeing, all the language that I’d never noticed people spoke, all the walks I’d never taken, all the day-to-day things I’d never experienced. Well my second trip was an attempt to rectify all of the above.
In 1998, I was mesmerised by Paris. I could appreciate its beauty and its tight hold on me made me itch to go back the moment I got home again. I was almost living and breathing like a Parisian despite all the touristy things I did, like standing in front of "every stone buildings" all over town and taking a tourist-type photo. However, it felt like I was living there thanks to my routine of French Class every morning. It’s hard to feel like a vacationing tourist when you have to get up at 7am to gobble down breakfast of croissants and fruit salad. Hurrying along in the cold to get to the local metro station, crowd with all the other people trying to get somewhere and hurrying up the stairs so you’re not late for class. The long walk along the moving walkway from Montparnasse to change to the metro line heading for Porte Orleans, huddling in your coat, even baguettes for lunch became an everyday occurrence.
Next stop, "Porte D’Italie". I would always remember the "Poulet Frites" there (a hot baguette stuffed with chicken, chips and sauce). When I told everyone what I was having for dinner every night, they were shocked and thought I was starving myself or something, but far from it, it was one of the nicest and most fulfilling sandwich I’ve ever tasted. And we went so often, the man selling there knew our orders before we’d spoken a word and even asked us to write. Try a "sandwich grec" when you go past a sandwich shop, too bad I can’t recommend my shop to you, the last time I went back the shop was sadly closed or moved. So, how can you still feel like a tourist through all this? I’m not complaining about the days I’ve spent like this, in fact I’m thankful for the eyes to Paris it gave me.
After all the hustle and bustle of routine classes, there would be time to see and experience all those things we’d only read about in the textbooks in the classroom. What’s a trip without some play time? The sights were simply magnificent to the point of being indescribable. How would you describe colours to someone who has never seen it? How would you tell someone what music sounds like to someone who’s always been deaf? It’s the same with travel anywhere, I think, no matter how hard I try describe what I’d seen and done, I can’t retell the same "ambience" and exhilaration I felt at the time.
For someone who is not a fan of walking to track along the streets of Paris from 12-7pm every day without any sign of sore-feet or passing of the time, that would perhaps tell you how captivating Paris really is. What I wrote back home about my trip, and what I missed most on coming back to Palmerston North, was the view. Not only the historic places like the Louvre and the ultra-modern architecture of the Centre Pompidou, but the "ordinary" apartment building that lines the street and even the different metro station decorations. I loved that so much about Paris, nothing is really "ordinary".
But of course, you can’t just go to Paris and not do any touristy things. Paris is Eden for art lovers. My French teacher told us that the Musee de Louvre was once a palace. The countless halls, golden doors, and painted ceilings certainly didn’t hide any of the former glamour of the place. Room after room of art, sculptures, and artifacts from every corners of the globe. The paintings were not Monet or Van Gogh but of a more classical era where the painting stretched along the entire wall. Imagine your room, times it by at least 10 to get the size of one of the show room in the Louvre, then times it by several hundred to really comprehend how big this place was. Of the two times that I went there, it took an hour just to find my way out of the labrinth of artworks.
If you want to see the more contemporary and famous pieces, let me save you the time of searching, they’re mostly in the Musee D’Orsay. Maybe that’s why the security was so much stricter than that of the Louvre. Every three steps there would be a sign about not using flash, at every observation point there would be an "assistant" and in every room a camera strategically placed in a at least 2 of the 4 corners. All the same the visit was worth it; the old train station, characterised by a large gold gilted clock, housed a remarkably large collection of famous paintings.
I guess if you want to talk about history, nothing brings back the past quite like the catacomes. Imagine being surrounded by skeletons after skeletons for endless kilometres underground. The entrance was something out of an Indiana Jones movies: two pillars standing guard either sides of the gateway, dimly lit lights, warning for those who dare enter and a low-ceiling path disappearing into the darkness. The air of sombreness was hardly surprising and yet it did not dissolve the touristic nature of my visit. It was unnerving, sure. But, the feeling, that each one of those set of skeletons couldn’t have belong to a living person, removed the apprehension I had. Amazingly, after a while, the skeletons became less and less real. How else was I supposed to interpret the fact that all the skeletons were sorted and arranged in such perfect interior design? I certainly couldn’t see living people in all the skulls stacked in perfect cylinder columns. The most memorable feature to me was the many plaques of philosophy lining the walls. I wished I had the time to read all of them and record each one. And be advised to bring a torch, the light there are not 100Watts
Another sombre place is the Cathedrale de Notre Dame. Standing proudly by the river side, each view of the cathedral is unique. The front façade is carved up with hundreds of saintly figures. Unfortunately, the first time I was there, most of this was under-restoration, and the second time too for that matter. One thing you have to accept about Paris is that, although its beauty is immersed in age, it means that no matter when you visit Paris at least 1/4 of its monuments will be under-restoration. Anyway, the interior of the Notre Dame, beyond the big heavy doors, was made up of tall rose glass windows, racks of wish candles, strong columns straddled the main block of seats for prayer and a deep altar towards the far end. The atmosphere was one for prayers, and be warn if you are a softy like me, you would end up almost wishing you were religious enough to stand where you were.
Disneyland. Need I say more? The freedom to be a kid again is heavenly and I couldn’t help but smile at the adults lining up for ride and the crowd scrambling for the best position to see the parade. There is a child in all of us and this place gives the rare chance to forget about all the rules of growing up. All the time that I went to Paris I would visit Disneyland and though most of the rides were the same, no two visits were alike. The first time, it was autumn and the weather was delightfully sunny. The second time, it poured cats and dogs the minute we got to the gates. The third, the fog was so thick and cold you could freeze on the spot. And yet, through all weather, there were always queues and other people in the same boat, and all having so much fun that they can’t bare to leave. Sure I knew the characters roaming Disneyland weren’t real but seeing the looks on little kids’ face, whoever cares? Even big kids chase after characters for their mindless scribbled "signatures". But hey, how well can Mickey right when his hand so so bloated? The souvenirs were like nothing you would see in the proper light of day. Hat with Pooh’s ears and Chipmunk faces, and Mickey mouse hands. When you’re a big kid and fan of Disney like me, it’s a dream.
I guess shopping is an integral part of any visit, especially for those over-priced items they call souvenirs. Shopping in Paris in much more than that, but can you afford it. Other shopping was great too, from the sumptuous LaFayette to Sephora on the Champs-Elysees, it was glamour all the way. But only best for "la leche-vitrine" (window shopping) if you are a broke student like me. It never hurt to look.
For me, it’s sad to admit this but, I’m a souvenir freak. One thing I learnt is although most souvenir shops are the same, there is always a best place to buy depending on what you’re after. I know this for a fact, because I have walked into so many shops in most of the tourist areas are Paris. I guess that’s one benefit of being an indecisive person. All in all, shopping for souvenir is like an expedition in itself. . Postcards at 10 for 10F are not cheap, Eiffel tower keyrings at 10F aren’t either. A hint to all the souvenir-shop-aholic out there, there’s a little shop next to the Louvre that overall has the best prices I’ve seen. It’s runned by a little old lady and has most of your souvenirs need. If you want more unique souvenirs than you have to work for them. There are things like 3-D models of all the monuments that you can build, or monuments coins to collect by visiting all the places. Of course I’m up to my ears with little collections like these.
Maybe one more monuments before I leave my escapades. The Eiffel Tower, most people says you can’t miss it, if it’s the only thing you actually do in Paris. The lights at night makes it looks like gold at in year 2000, at 6pm each night, the remnant of white lights used in the New Year’s display will be turned on for a fraction of a moment. For the lazy and those who can afford it, take the lift (on the left side of the tower). It’s a much easier ascent but at 45F a ride to the 2nd platform, not something you would want to do too often. For the more athletic, willing to put in the effort people, try the climb on the right. I’ve done both and on a wet freezing day, you don’t want to walk up the stairs but otherwise, it’s really recommended. I loved walking up the stairs. It was pretty high and not to mention endless, but one step at a time and I eventually made it. You can appreciate more of the view and it’s quite safe with all the metal railing and fencing. Looking down over the city is quite wonderful, but if you just want the view from the tope, it’s properly cheaper to climb other towers that are not so well known like the Sacre-Coeurs (all stairs I’m afraid). If you’re fortunate enough to be on the tower towards night time when the lights are on, the intricate details of the railing highlighted by golden light, the walk down the stairs is a sight to behold.
Definitely worth a visit, and the more you try to emerse in the culture and everyday life, the more you will enjoy it.
TDT – 2nd Generation Mitchong
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