A Long Perspective

Tag: Paris

  • Francine in Paris – Day 12

    Reflection of St. Julien le Pauvre
    Notre Dame
    Street art

    “I never travel without my diary.  One should always have something sensational to read in the train.”  Oscar Wilde   (On the bags from Shakespeare and Company)

    Shakespeare and Co.

    Deanna and I went to this legendary English-language bookstore on a mission.  We wanted to buy the book of exceptional essays by David Downie called “Paris, Paris” for Deanna’s friend, Michael, for all his terrific tips on negotiating Paris.  Oops!  Sold out, they have it on order.  So we rummaged around looking for another gift in this amazing place opened in 1951 by George Whitman in an old monestery  across the Seine from Notre Dame.

    The Beat Generation poets like Ginsberg and Ferlingetti hung out here.  Well, as happens in time, George now tends the great bookstore in the sky leaving the brick and mortar to his daughter, Sylvia Beach Whitman.  She was named for the owner of the first Shakespeare and Company, Sylvia Beach, who allowed the Lost Generaton – Joyce and Hemingway  etc. to hang out there.  That bookstore was closed by the Nazi’s in 1940 and never reopened, but she bequeathed the name to George who allowed broke writers to sleep in his bookstore.  (He once guessed that 40,000 had slept under his roof. ) Still happens!  Well, we found a completely fabulous book for Michael which I will not divulge as it’s a SURPRISE!

    Shakespeare and Co. has added a little cafe since I was here last. So we sipped hot cocoa in the sun while gazing at Notre a Dame and passers-by.  Almost next door is the church St. Julien le Pauvre which is Greek Orthodox with a history back to the 5th century.  During the Revolution it was used to store animal feed.  It opens for a few services as well as concerts, but it was closed when we walked by on the way to Eglise St. Severin.

    Severin was a hermit from the 5th century.  A Romanesque church was built over his tomb.  Then St Severin church, dedicated to Mary, began in the 13th century but had a number of setbacks like  fire during the 100 years war.  Built in the flamboyant gothic style, it has a cluster of  twisted pillars which they call the palm trees.  The side chapel and stained glass windows are worth a look.  When we were there all the chairs were piled to one side and the nave completely empty save for a man on his hands and knees scrubbing the stone floor.  Outside, the wrought-iron railings  were decorated with Palm branches from Palm Sunday yesterday.

    “I wish

    I could show you

    when you are

    lonely or

    in darkness

    the astonishing

    light

    of your own

    being.”

    (Written on the risers of the steps leading to the second floor of Shakespeare and company.

     

     

     

     

  • Francine in Paris -Day 11++

    Bus #69.

    After the Palm Sunday service, we started to look for Bus #69 which is the scenic route to Pere Lechaise, the 30 acre cemetery with some quick but mostly dead folks.  The quick ones were at Jim Morrison’s tomb tying elastic bands in the security fence along with metro tickets that said things like, “I know you!!”  A crowd was there to meditate on the 27 year rock star who died in Paris in 1971.  The neighboring tomb holders wanted Jim to rock  somewhere else when the tomb renewal came up, but Jim’s family decided to keep him there.

    Tip:  If you come to Parus, bus #69 is a lovely way to orient yourself to the city for the price of a metro ticket or two.  It makes a big loop around the city.  We only knew this because of Deanna’s friends, Michael and Kerrie-Beth, who love Paris and gave us many wonderful ideas for our stay here.  The apartment that we rented here is owned by their friends.  All in all, their tips have enhanced our trip here in so many ways.  Thank you!

    After enjoying bus #69, we explored Pere Lechaise not only finding Jim Morrison but also Chopin’s grave, Abelard and Heloise’s elaborate tomb and, of course, the monument to Oscar Wilde.  (I love you, Oscar!). The tradition at Oscar’s grave is to kiss the gigantic stone Art Deco angel and leave your redlipstick kiss.  Well, that tradition was destroying the monument so the powers that be put up a plexiglass-glass barrier around it.  Did that stop folks?  No.  Now they kiss the plexi or climb up above the plexi to leave a kiss on the stone.  People used to write notes on the stone.  One I remember from an earlier visit was a note that said, “Oscar, you saved my life. Thank you.”

    Since it was cold and cloudy today, we needed a cozy place.  As we left the cemetery, we saw a modest cafe called”CDB” which turned out to have a tasty roast chicken and frites lunch for a reasonable price of 11.5 euros.  Deanna wrapped up the extra bread for our breakfast, and when we were warm and full we headed out the door.  Less than a block away was the Gambetta metro, and we were in our way home.  Amen and amen.

  • Francine in Paris – Day 9

    Macarons.  Macarons.  Walking around Paris, many of the sweets shops feature these dainty circles in many flavors.  Even Martha Stewart has a recipe:  confectioner’s sugar, almonds, egg whites, salt and, yes, more sugar.  Then, you make the filling.  Deanna and I bought chocolate macaroons from a lovely shop, deNeuville, in the Marais on rue VIelle du Temple.  (Taste?  Think yummy chocolate bar.). The streets in the Marais are narrow with many old and beautiful buildings such as the two that house Musee Carnavalet, the museum of the history of Paris.

    My musings were interrupted by the gas repairman who came up the 78 steps to the 4th floor apt. to check the problem with the hot water heater.  For the first few days here there was both hot water and heat.  Then both went off.  Now, you have to go to the hot water heater and flip a switch when you want hot water or heat.  Then in less than an hour both go off.  The repairman spoke rapid French, but I caught the gist.  Namely, the water pressure is poor, so there is nothing to be done.  A friend of the owners came by yesterday with two of her friends, one of whom was a handy man who apparently diagnosed the issue correctly.  (So in the tiny kitchen, we had an American, a Pole, an Italian and a man from Belgium all communicating in French and English to varying degrees.)  Only Krystyna, a woman from Belgium with a Polish origin, was truly bi-lingual.   C’est la vie.  Pas de problem.

    Back to Musee Carnavelet.  This townhouse, Hotel Carnavalet, was built in 1548 then revamped in the mid-17th century by arcitect, Francois Mansart.  The museum also includes the mansion next door, Hotel Le Peletier de Saint-Farageau.  Altogether the history ranges from pre-history to the late 19th century.  Unfortunately, they rotate the open rooms, so today the area covering the French Revolution was closed.  Thus, I could not show Deanna the scale model of the guillotine.  Quel domage.

    Some of the rooms have been brought from other locations and reassembled here.  For example, the early 20th century ballroom of the Hotel de Wendel was reconstructed.  An immense mural covers the walls and the high ceiling which is of the Queen of Sheba (and her court) by the Catalan designer and painter, Jose Maria Sert y Badia.  How wonderful it would have been to dance there.  Magical.

    After the museum, we wandered down the street to a creperie for lunch; it is called Page 35.  The chef greeted us at the door dressed all in white with a tall chef’s hat.  He was so delighted to see us, we felt right at home.  The crepes here are either savory or sweet.  The savory ones are made with buckwheat flour.  Mine had four kinds of cheeses. Tasty.

    After lunch, we walked around the Marais shops and came to a large memorial garden with an opening in a wall made of ancient, black beams, half-timbered.  Deanna pointed out that the beams did not rot because they do not touch the soil but have a base that must have been rock now concrete. In this lovely quiet place is a plaque with the names of some of the 500 Jewish infants taken and murdered by the Nazi’s.  Their ages are in months.  You cannot go far in Paris without a reference to one of the great wars or other tragedies.

    Paris 2010 485

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Francine in Paris – Day 7+

    If you come to Paris, if you love art and music, you must attend an evening concert at Sainte Chapelle.  Imagine sitting in a high Gothic chapel with stained glass windows on 3 sides. At dusk, the light still illiminates the stained glass in an array of red, gold, green, purple and blue colors.  Imagine “…Fifteen magnificent stained glass windows separated by the narrowest of columns that soar 50 feet to the star-studded vaulted roof.”

    The 7 member ensemble walks into the altar area, 4 violins, 1 violin-cello, 1 bass viol and 1 harpsichord.  Not one word is spoken.  Only the stage is lit.  The musicians launch into Pachelbel’s Canon, Albinoni’s Adagio and Vivaldi’s Les Quatre Saisons.  One encore.  Wow.  At times, I just closed my eyes and savored the superb music in that special place.  Paris Three 2010 291

    Sainte Chapelle was dedicated in 1248.  French King Louis IX was so devout he was later canonized.  He may be the only French King who was a saint.  He built this chapel to house Christ’s “crown of thorns” (now at Notre Dame Treasury) and for worship by the royal family (upper chapel).  The servants used the lower chapel.  Louis paid 3 times more for the relics than for the chapel.  Hmmm.

    Whatta day!

     

     

     

     

  • Francine in Paris – Days 4 et 5

    imagine dining in style at Le Caveau de l’isle, a traditional French restaurant, in a 17th century building on Isle de Sainte Louis.  Naturally, we behaved like tourists and photographed the beautiful presentation of our entrees.  Deanna was almost delirious over the apple tarte.  Delicious.  The restaurant has a large cave below for jazz until 2 AM nightly.36, rue Saint Louis en l’Isle, in case you are in town.

    We headed this morning to Notre Dame which has been a place of worship for almost 2,000 years starting with the Gallic and Roman gods.  The Romans are not far away as in the plaza in front of Notre Dame is the Crypte Archeologique.  This archeological dig  shows the ruins of the underground heating system the Romans used for their thermal baths.    Ah, the good life.

    Notre Dame began in the 13th century in the mind of the archbishop of Paris, Maurice de Sully.   It evolved over time into its present size and shape which a gazillion people visit each year.  Listening to the bells is wonderful.  Their names are Angelique-Francoise (C sharp), Antoinette-Charlotte (D sharp), Hyacinthe-Jeanne (F) and Denise-David (F sharp).  We should all have such cool names and sing on-key.  The rose windows are worth the trip.  It’s a hard-working church with many services, multi-lingual priests hearing confessions and lots of special events such as organ concerts.  I always buy and light a candle for my departed loved ones. Paul Claudel wrote, “Notre Dame is not just a building, but a living person.  Looking at it is not enough, we must live with it every day for a long time.” Amen.

    Tip:  Going to the Eiffel Tower?  Buy your ticket online a few months in advance.  Doing this means you by-pass VERY long lines. Save your sanity!   The process of  getting to the top (2 elevators) and then descending (2 elevators unless you want to walk) is slow and challenging but well-worth the views.  To see this work of art up close is a thrill.  Deanna and I read about its creation in the book, Paris, by Edward Rutherfurd.

    Paris Three 2010 205Day 4, Deanna arrived from Seattle and we went almost directly to the massive Bois de Bolougne.  In the midst of this park is the Louis Vuitton foundation which houses art galleries.  The current show is by contemporary Chinese artists.  The Really Big Show is the building itself designed by Paul Gehry as a great sailing ship on a river and basin.  Must see to believe.