Random Closing Thoughts

I always include the following quote in my photo albums upon returning from a trip: “The fool who traveled is better off than the wise man who stayed home.” - Rashi, an 11th-century scholar. Ahead of his time, I think.

I really miss Paris and ending this blog, two months (already!) after I returned to the US, is like saying goodbye all over again. Fortunately, every day provides opportunities to relive my experiences and my memories. Both the laptop and desk top computers on my desk scroll through the thousands of photos I took; and each time I catch a glimpse of them, it puts a smile on my face. I continually marvel about my good fortune and the opportunity I had to take this little sabbatical, shall we say…

I’m still not sure why Paris “grabs” me so much but I am even more intrigued after my many trips and all the exploring I’ve done, especially during this one. I’ve always been more of a student than a “do-er” so as well as the sightseeing, I loved the reading and studying and the research I did in order to document my memories. Paris, like many, many places (obviously), has history hiding around every corner and most of it goes unnoticed by the general public. The blog became more meaningful to me because it was a great excuse to spend time as a true “student” of the city—connecting the dots. Just one example—Abelard and Heloise’s love story (2/12/07 blog); the home on Ile de la Cite with their sculptures and a plaque to their memory; their burial site at Pere Lachaise (2/13/07 blog). When I discover history like this and then see it with my own eyes, I say “ah HA!” And then I want to share it with everyone who cares to listen…

I am currently reading a series of mysteries set in Paris: “Murder in the Marais,” “Murder in the Bastille,” “Murder in Montmartre,” etc. by Cara Black. The author’s writing is getting better (in other words, I’ve read better literature) but what I really enjoy are her descriptions of the city, the streets she’s navigating, the neighborhoods, sights she’s passing—places I’ve walked by or been. More importantly, she’s reminding me of things I missed…so many places I didn’t get to and so many rues I didn’t walk along. But disappearing in these books and others is another way to relive the adventures I had…and add more things to my list for the next visit.

Soooo, that said...all good things (they say) must end. And thus ends my “This is Paris!” blog. Oscar Wilde said, “When they die, all good Americans go to Paris.” I was lucky—I got to spend time there before that “date.” And pay my respects, by the way, to Mr. Wilde—also in Pere Lachaise Cimetiere (another interesting story).

The two photos of me were taken by Suz.

Signs of Spring?

This photo was taken on a very sunny day on a ledge in Montmartre. The church in the background is Saint-Pierre de Montmartre, the lesser known church on the butte. The main one is the Basilica of Sacre Coeur (2/5/07 post), which sits right next door. The church, attributed by legend to Saint Denis in approximately 250 AD, is one of the oldest in Paris (1147)—some say Dante prayed here. According to Catholic tradition, it was an abbey of Benedictine monks and nuns and the location at which the Jesuits were founded. Of interest in the church—two original pillars of Roman origin used within the nave.

Colonnes de Buren

Mentioned in passing in a January post—the Colonnes de Buren, a monument created by the artist Daniel Buren, appears to be nothing more than striped pillars in various heights perfectly aligned in a building’s courtyard. Actually, the original installation of 260 marble pillars is named Les Deux Plateaux (the two levels) because it has an underground level covered by metal grilles. On this level, water is supposed to flow and at night the pillars are meant to be illuminated by floodlights. The upper columns are on the street level in the courtyard which used to be a parking lot.

Buren is known for using the stripe—a popular French fabric motif—in his artistic work and is often referred to as “the stripe guy.” He started by setting up hundreds of striped posters around Paris and later in 100+ Metro stations, finally blocking a gallery entrance with stripes at his first solo exhibition. Obviously, he has objected to traditional ways of presenting art through the museum and gallery system. Buren has drawn a lot of public attention and it hasn’t all been positive!

A dispute erupted in 1986 when Monsieur Buren began the installation of this artwork in the courtyard of the Palais Royal. Just like the Eiffel Tower (1889), the Louvre Pyramid ((1989) and the Pompidou Center (1977), the integration of the contemporary with the historic caused a public outcry. The Minister of Culture and Communication relaunched the project, finally completed in 1995, and Buren eventually attained leading artist status under President Francois Mitterrand. I really like them, along with the large reflective balls (created by the Belgian sculpture Pol Bury) and fountains scattered throughout the columns. The city has also installed small striped awnings above the windows around the square, which seem to pull everything together in this setting.

The building enclosing the artwork has its own interesting history. Cardinal Richelieu built this home, the Palais Cardinal, in 1629 and then bequeathed it to the French Crown. The vast, splendid building with an adjoining garden, which was renamed the Palais Royal, did not last long as a royal palace. It became the headquarters of the Dukes of Orleans and was off-limits to the police. During the minority of Louis XV, Louis Philip II (known as Philippe-Egalite, one of the Dukes) opened the gardens to all Parisians and enlarged the building with beautiful arcaded facades lined with shops and famous restaurants on three sides of the garden and a theatre at each end—one was the Comedie-Francaise, which is still there. It became a center of Parisian social and political intrigue and in fact was the site of a rebellion two days before the Bastille fell, signifying the start of the Revolution. “Let them eat cake…” Philippe-Egalite actually voted in favor of beheading his own cousin, Louis XVI. The complex now houses the Ministry of Culture and the Constitutional Council.

Back to the beautiful artwork. They say if you make a wish while launching a coin onto a column and succeed, your wish will come true. I read about that after I returned to the US so I didn’t get a chance to try it. My wish would’ve been to return to Paris—which will come true even though I didn’t toss a coin!

PS - In Feburary 2008, I read that because the lights don't work now and the water stopped flowing nearly seven years ago (only trash beneath the grilles), the "Stripe Guy" isn't happy! He's accused the French government of vandalizing his work with neglect; plus the pillars are dingy which makes the contrast between the black and white less striking. Monsieur Buren would like Les Deux Plateaux dismantled as it's really only half an art piece with the working half in a state of disrepair. Dismantling it would cost about the same as restoring it (about 3 million euros) but if restored, it would need regular maintenance. I love it and think it should be maintained.

Musee de l'Orangerie

In 1922, Monet donated a panoramic series of HUGE water lily paintings to France; and he chose l’Orangerie in the Tuileries Garden to house them. L’Orangerie, tucked in one corner overlooking the place de la Concorde, is a stone and glass building originally conceived as a hothouse to protect potted orange trees in the winter. The paintings were finally put in place there after Monet’s death in 1926.

L’Orangerie closed in 2000 for a $36 million renovation (to better present Monet's series) but didn’t reopen for six years because portions of an ancient city wall were found. These once surrounded the old city and had to be preserved. One portion of the ancient wall is visible—if my memory serves me correctly, it is on the lower level and around the corner to the left as you descend the stairs.

My sister and I were finally able to visit l'Orangerie during our 2006 trip. It is a WOW venue. Besides special exhibits and canvases by Renoir, Matisse, Picasso, Cezanne, etc., Monet’s eight beautiful panels of water lilies are shown in two oval-shaped rooms under skylights that re-create the natural light conditions Monet knew in the 1920s. As your eyes travel from one panel to another, you can see how he painted them in different light—something he did with cathedrals and other scenes in his Giverny gardens as well.

Since I didn't visit the museum on this trip, these are my sister's photos. It was hard to get them focused but this makes sense. Monet was struggling with cataracts at the time and was nearly blind. I wonder if this is how they looked to him. I loved them—there were lines of people waiting to visit the museum every time I walked by.

Invalides

I didn’t visit l’Hotel des Invalides this trip but want to document the stunning monument in such a beautiful setting on the Left Bank. My favorite bridge, Pont Alexandre III, leads across the Seine from the Right Bank, pass the impressive Air France building, and then across the vast Esplanade des Invalides before crossing an old moat and entering the grounds.
Louis XIV built the complex in the 1670’s to offer aid to old soldiers who were either begging in the streets or living off church charity. It soon became the main accommodations for all disabled and impoverished war veterans, housing up to 4,000 of them when it opened in 1676. It was immediately completed by by a chapel known as Eglise Saint-Louis des Invalides. The golden dome (added along with the Royal Chapel in 1708), which makes the structure the second-tallest monument in Paris, is a perfect symbol of the Sun King’s reign.
Napoleon was interred here in 1861, 19 years after his burial on St. Helena. He lies in a huge tomb designed by Visconti made out of Finnish woods (which holds six separate coffins before you get to his body) under the golden dome. His son, two brothers, and other military leaders also have tombs in this monument. There are several army museums in the old veterans’ hospital and also a church whose dome was inspired by St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. I’ve visited the museum twice but I wasn’t that interested in swords, Napoleon’s stuffed and mounted horse, musketoons, suits of armor, cannons, General Daumesnil’s wooden leg, etc. There’s still a retirement home and medical center for disabled war veterans in the complex; and on any sunny day, you’ll notice old men in wheelchairs on the lawn enjoying the fresh air.

Café Life and Other Observations

It is true what you’ve heard about sitting in a Paris café, on their patio or sidewalk. One cup of café, a beer, a glass of wine can “buy” you a table for as many hours as you want. This is especially wonderful on a sunny day—which means that on those days, it’s very hard to find a seat in the outside dining area. After the waiter delivers your treat, you may never see the monsieur again. When you’re finally ready to leave, you’ll have to catch his eye to get your l’addition (bill). (All of the above is especially true in a non-tourist café or restaurant—you may sense a little more “encouragement” to leave an establishment in a tourist area; i.e., the bill delivered with your drink or food. This still doesn't mean you have to leave however..)

Waiters in Paris are professionals and respected in their role; they are not working part-time while going to school, waiting for their Hollywood break, etc. They do not appreciate being summoned using the word “Garcon” (boy); they are addressed as “Monsieur,” "Madame," or “Mademoiselle.” They definitely know their business, take pride in what they serve, and are knowledgeable about ingredients and methods of preparation.

This also reminds me of some tips I learned about choosing a good place to eat. Because Americans traveling in Europe are usually intimidated by the language, guidebooks recommend restaurants with menus in English and ones with English menus in the windows. In those restaurants, you will find waiters who always speak English (most of them do anyway) and other readers (tourists) of guidebooks. These restaurants are not necessarily better and are, more often than not, more expensive.

Clues to discovering the neighborhood spots—there’s usually a hand-written menu en francais in the window or on a slate (l’ardoise), which means that the menu changes daily to highlight the fresh ingredients (above photo). A board that displays a permanent menu (below)—just the opposite.

If the restaurant is empty at 1:00 or 9:00 PM, then it probably doesn’t have very good food, according to the locals. Another valuable hint: lace curtains are a sign of the little mom and pop spots, which are famous for good and less expensive food. When you’re on a budget, eat your biggest meal at lunch, which is always less expensive, and go light or cook at dinner (if you stay in an apartment). And the language? You can solve this issue by carrying a pocket menu decoder.

There is little that is truly cheap in Paris (except the .95 Euro cheeseburger at McDonald’s and I’m not above eating there) but prices are more reasonable in the neighborhood bistros (a Russian word meaning “hurry”) or brasseries, which serve food all day (fancy restaurants and many bistros open for lunch and then close during the afternoon before opening again for dinner). Food served in a bistro or brasserie may not be as beautifully presented but it can be delicious. Ordering a la carte or from the standard carte (menu) results in the highest bill. Most places offer a prix fixe or fixed-priced plat du jour (plate of the day) which is a suggested combination of courses and makes use of the food currently in season. Lucky you if it also includes a glass of house wine.

By the way, the cost of an average meal, which is usually two or three courses with at least one glass of wine—or two—and coffee is $25-30. This includes tax and tip (usually 15%); the menu will say service compris (service included). Even if it says service non compris (or not included), you will still see a service charge on the bill. So don’t get caught doing the American thing—leaving another 15% tip on the table. But it is customary to leave a Euro or two depending upon the quality of service. Bon appetit!

PS – The café photo at the top was taken by Suz in the Left Bank area.

More about Les Chiens

According to the Mairie de Paris (city hall), there are about 150,000 Parisian dogs depositing about 16 tons of—you know what—on the sidewalks annually. (Some sources say there are 550,000 canines in the city!) Mayor Delanoe’s edict in 2002 about cleaning up after your pets hasn’t exactly been followed (1/25/07 post); although 97% of dog owners claim that they do.... So the Mairie is launching a new ad campaign this week trying to persuade Parisians into keeping their city clean.

They are using humor as posted on this sign instead of the threat of fines as posted on the 2002 signs (183 euros which was largely ignored). The message is designed to be “neither moralizing nor repressive.” Its official goal is to recognize and highlight a positive evolution in current behaviors. The loose translation is, "All the left feet say: more and more dog owners pick up their pet droppings in Paris."

Frankly, I’ll be surprised if the clean-soled, talking left shoe really convinces many dog owners to tidy up after their cheries. The French just don’t seem to be receptive to all the "feel good" babble Americans are used to.