As is usual, today was a slow typical Sunday with church and then a peaceful day at home finished by a crêpes dinner with our host family. Monday, May 27th
Monday was the last day of our vacation and I was anxious to make the most of it. So I planned a route around the city so that I could see as many things as I could. I started off at the mètro St. Michel and walked by Notre Dame and through the Quartier Latin. I was expecting a little more out of the Quartier Latin but all I found was restaurant after restaurant of owners trying to coax tourists into their establishment. From there I walked to the Jardin du Luxembourg, which is incredibly beautiful. Monday happened to be on of the first sunny/warm days in the past two weeks so the park was packed. There were hundreds of people tanning, relaxing, chatting and reading in the chairs or on the lawn. Kids were running around chasing each other or playing soccer. Old men were playing pétanque in a corner covered by trees. And there was a lively game of tennis going on the courts. The whole scene was perfected by a mini jazz concert being performed under the main gazebo near the entrance by a middle school group. The group certainly wasn't professional - or possibly even amateur, but the struggling notes wafted out from the white gazebo covered by shade spreading itself around the rest of the park - so even the faint notes could be heard by those reclining by the fountains. With the warm sun beaming down, it was a lovely day.
After I had spent enough time wandering and strolling through the park, I walked up the street to the Panthéon. The Panthéon started out as a monument to the great men (and women) of France and later became their final resting places. Some of the most notable residents include Voltaire, Balzac, Victor Hugo and Marie Curie. This tradition continues in France today - they continue to bury those who they consider great within the impressive building built of marble and stone. It was neat to see the tombs held underneath the Panthéon but also...pretty spooky. The warm of the day was completely sucked out and replaced with a chill dampness that seems to radiate from the stone itself. And you walk past door after door to rooms that hold the tombs of the residents. Needless to say I was happy to return back to the world of the living.
I grabbed a bite to eat and then began to head towards La Place de la Bastille. Typically I would ride the mètro to each destination but I figured since it was such a nice day, it would be a great time for me to really see the city - on foot. It took a bit of time since it was farther away but it was nice to walk the streets of Paris and try and soak up the atmosphere and the moment. I had dreamed of this moment for years. Quite literally, years. To be strolling in Paris with the sun shining down on me was a dream at least six years in the making. And it had come true. Proof that although life is not a fairytale and there aren't always "happily ever afters" in this life that end in a beautiful sunset and no worries for the rest of your life - there are fairytale moments - and this was one of them to me. No fairy godmother had been involved and no prince was here to sweep me off my feet - but that was no matter. I had worked really hard and being in Paris I had everything I needed for my fairytale moment.
The thing about Place de la Bastille is that "the Bastille" does not exist anymore. Once it was destroyed back in 1789, it was never re-built. However, there is a monument to recognize the spot. I walked to the monument took some pictures and then tried to plan out my next move. I noticed that I wasn't too far from the Nationale de France which is the national library. Being the big fan of libraries and books that I am, I was totally fascinated to see a national library of another country! It was too far to walk so I took the mètro again to the outskirts of Paris. On the mètro I learned a valuable lesson - don't talk on the phone in the mètro! A friend called me up to say they were busy for the day and talk about other plans but I couldn't hear a word they were saying. Then of course I was speaking in loud english trying to carry on a conversation... it was just a mistake. Once I got off the mètro I was a little confused what direction to walk towards but luckily a kind Frenchman saw my confusion and helped me out. It was another short walk up to the national library and then nearly the same distance to walk across the library to the entrance. The majority of the library is underground except for four tall towers that jut from the four corners of the library. I finally made it to the library entrance after a couple of turn-arounds and through the security check only to be told by the security officers that most of the library was closed down for the day - simply because it was a Monday. In France nearly everything, stores, sometimes even restaurants, are closed on either Monday or Tuesday. I suppose the average work week is considered 5 days long (a lot of things are closed on Sunday too). So it was possible to be in the library and study at some of the open tables but you couldn't peruse the aisles for books like I planned on or checkout or search for anything. I was super disappointed. At least I still got to see and be in the building. 
Monday night means Family Home evening with the jeunes adultes but I had an hour or so left before it started. I went on the mètro and wasted some time looking at shops in the Quartier Marais that was near the church. We all had a good FHE - and an even better dinner! And most of the girls were back from their vacation so we were able to catch up and hear all their exciting stories and sometimes swap one for our own. It had only been a weekend (ok an extended weekend because of Thursday, Friday and Monday) but still it was surprising how much we had missed each other and how great it felt to have everyone back together! You spend nearly all day together for weeks so then even a short break feels odd and you notice how everyone is missing. After we had chatted long enough and FHE was over, I went and stopped by my friend's house to talk. Seeing so many friends was the perfect ending to my day in Paris.
No comments:
Post a Comment