Sunday and Monday in Le Marais

Sunday, May 10th and Monday May 11th
I was out partying last night and got home late – thus no blog for a day. Will catch up here for yesterday and today since I’ve now begun working again which will make for much shorter blogs during the week!

Sunday:
I began the day yesterday by visiting the beautiful cathedral of Notre Dame. I’ve visited previously on other trips to Paris, but it’s difficult to imagine tiring of these beautiful ancient cathedrals. The architecture is beyond belief, and how they managed to build such structures in the year 1100 just completely boggles the mind. Construction began in 1163 but was not completed until 1345. Per my historic sources [the internet], it was built during an age of illiteracy, thus the cathedral retells the stories of the Bible in its portals, paintings, and stained glass. There is an entrance to the left of the front doors of the cathedral where one can enter to climb up into the towers of Notre Dame. The cost is €7 and the view is reported to be breath-taking. You’ll notice, however, that there are no pictures from the top of Notre Dame in my blog – not because of the €7 fee, but because there are 400 steps to climb to see that particular view! I know that would be great practice for my trip to Yosemite in August, but hey, that’s 3 months away.

Whilst taking pictures at Notre Dame, I noticed construction being done on a nearby building. Couldn’t quite figure out why it looked so strange at first, then realized that part of the building was fake. Apparently it’s quite normal to build a temporary wall at a construction site to protect passersby from falling debris, bricks and other harmful objects. However, this one was painted to look just like the other half of the building. The phrase “only in France” comes to mind here.... [see picture above]

Around 6:30 Sunday evening, I was off to a soirée here in Paris given by an ex-pat from Atlanta who has lived here for a number of years. Patricia makes a living by giving these soirées every Wednesday and Sunday evening. The cost includes wines, appetizers and dinner, but the main reason for going is (1) networking to promote your own business here in Paris, and (2) to meet and socialize with other ex-pats who are either visiting or living in Paris.

Well, it was an interesting evening to say the least! When I arrived and punched in the door code [you have to have a door code to get into almost any residence in Paris], the door was opened by a well-dressed French gentleman who asked if I was going to Patricia’s party? Of course I answered affirmatively at which time he handed me a printed sheet of paper saying that I should read that first. Assuming that it was directions to the apartment upstairs, I leaned again the stairway railing and began to read. Far from being anything to do with directions to the upstairs gathering, it was a notice that this woman was operating illegally in this building and had been [allegedly] ordered to “cease and desist” operating her business immediately by the courts. The document ended by saying, if you wish to participate in illegal activities, by all means go to the party and have a good time. Again, “only in France”!
Of course up the stairs I went, not wanting to be preached to by disconsolate neighbors. And of course I related the whole episode to Patricia. She said some of the others had told her about it as well, and says she is moving within the month – but apparently not quite soon enough for the neighbors. Even with that dreadful start to the evening, it turned out to be a pleasurable affair after all. There were about 20 people there [obviously no one was turned off by the neighbors!] – Americans [Wisconsin, NY, and California of course], French, Polish, Dutch, British and who knows what else. A young woman singer from Alaska, Tamara Coleman, provided the entertainment for the evening. She sang a capella and had one of the most beautiful voices I’ve ever heard. Her specialties are gospel and soul music, and her rendition of Summertime was simply incredible. When asked if she would be singing soon in an establishment in Paris, to my amazement, she said that she had decided to sing on the metro! All the French agreed she would probably make more money doing that than singing in one of the nearby bars. I asked a young Frenchwoman sitting beside me if this could possibly be true? She said yes, one has to audition and then be licensed in order to sing on the metro! Someone else mentioned that there seems to be fewer musicians on the metro these days than in previous years which I had also noted. But there was a young man playing some type of instrument I’ve never seen before that hopped on my train the other day. They play from one station to the next, pass the hat, so to speak, and as soon as the train stops, they leap off and jump into the next train compartment and begin the process all over again. Imagine musicians leaping on and off Bart! These French have learned to make a living in all sorts of ways it seems.

Monday:
I did very little today having gotten up late – about 10 am which I thought must be 8 am until I glanced at the clock! Since my French housekeeper was due at noon, and I had to begin work at 2 pm, I decided to limit today’s activities to the supermarché out at La Défense – at the end of the line 1 metro. La Défense is best known for La Grande Arche. This project was initiated by the French president Mitterrand who reportedly wanted a 20th century version of the Arc de Triomphe. It’s a white building with the middle part left open. The sides of the cube contain offices. You can take an elevator to the top of the Arche de la Défense where there is a great view of the city center. I’ve been to the top and the elevator ride itself leaves one breathless -- literally. Needless to say, I saw no reason to repeat this experience today.

Instead I entered the mall and had a wonderful frommage and jambon sandwich [ham and cheese on a baguette instead of rye]. While eating lunch, I heard some people yelling, marching and singing La Marseillaise – the French national anthem. Wondering what that was all about, I got up to go and see of course, and noticed many people standing around staring at something on a large platform in the center of the mall. It turned out to be a group of young men and women dressed in business attire performing as mimes! They were obviously protesting something but my French was definitely not up to the task of figuring out just what that was.
Au revoir from Paris

Mimes at the Mall

(sorry about the intruder)