PARIS: THE CITY OF LIGHTS
Paris, a Beautiful City in Hues of Gray
The View from the Army Museum
It rained almost every day we were in Paris. It was never cold, but the sky felt gray and heavy, and everything was muted in subdued color. I didn't like it at first. I had expected cloudless skies and beautiful sunshine. It was September, and the leaves should be turning red and gold. They weren't. My hair grew curlier and curlier in the humidity, and I finally gave up on trying to repair it. Nabil complained about his soggy shoes.
Somewhere in the middle of the second day I realized my attitude had changed. There was a real beauty in the grayness of Paris. It was a warm backdrop for centuries of amazing art and architecture. The panorama my eyes struggled to take in was limitless. Every building and monument was unique, and we could spend hours exploring the tiniest details. I remember the gargoyles and flying buttresses of Notre Dame, the onion domes of the Sacre-Coeur Basilica, and the steel intricacies of the Eiffel Tower.
What's Inside Those Buildings?
Notre Dame
The exteriors of Paris are impressive, but the interiors are mind boggling. Great art, sculpture, and design surround you, tempting you to keep looking and looking and looking. My favorite stop was Sainte-Chappelle . Its exterior gave us no clue of what to expect, and neither of us had bothered to read about it in our guide book. We entered through a dingy security office, waved on by guards that reassured us we were in the right place. The chapel was deep blue, trimmed in red and gold fleurs-de-lis. Several arches spanned the ceiling. It was pretty, but after a few minutes, I was ready to leave. On the way out, we saw a small entryway and dimly-lighted staircase and, on a lark, we decided to see where it led. We were amazed. Glorious blue stained glass rose from floor to soaring Gothic ceiling, and vivid light engulfed the chapel. It was a spectacular surprise. We had had unwittingly stumbled upon a place of worship used by the royalty of Paris. Sometimes it is a good decision to see what's at the top of the stairs.
Street Scenes
The essence of Paris is on its streets. Every neighborhood has its own mood and culture. Our hotel was within walking distance of the Eiffel Tower, Rue Cler, and the Army Museum, so we took advantage of them all. Of course, the Eiffel Tower was our first stop, and we were lucky enough to watch it twinkle to light with the onset of dusk. Wanting to see the French icon from every angle, we strolled from the Champs de Mars to the Seine, enjoying a massive amount of people watching along the way. Our best view was across the river in the Trocadero, where we sat on the stone wall and enjoyed warm banana and Nutella stuffed crepes bought from one of the many street vendors. We returned to the Eiffel Tower many times, and were surprised that every time we saw at least one bride posing for wedding pictures. If you eat nothing else in Paris, you have to sample the pastries. The luscious, sugary macaroons were my favorites, and I sampled every exotic flavor I could find. So much for the weeks of dieting......
In contrast, the mood of Monmarte was more bohemian and artsy, filled with street vendors selling everything from silhouette cut outs to hand-painted tiles. Every side street held a surprise. Starting at Moulin Rouge, we wound our way upwards and, by accident, came across a mossy old cemetery filled with fascinating tombs and crypts dating back hundreds of years. Every one was different, and we spent almost an hour weaving through the statuary, trying to imagine the story behind each monument. A few blocks further, we discovered a small park with a garden and a large wall plaque inscribed with the word "love" in hundreds of languages. At the top of our upward climb was the Sacre-Coeur, filled with people of all nationalities. Our greatest mystery was a man with his face painted white and dressed completely in white. As he never spoke, we assumed he must be some sort of street mime.
The ultimate street indulgence was the Champs - Elysees. Couture fashion, sports cars, perfume, fine antiques, art; the list could go on and on. It was a treat for the senses. We decided to enjoy it to the max and sampled a little bit of everything with our eyes only. For a few short hours, it was fun to imagine ourselves among the rich and famous.
A Side Trip to Versailles
In contrast to the gray hues of Paris, Versailles radiated gold. Even nature contributed its bit of gilding to our day. Approaching Versailles, the heavy clouds parted, and the sun came out, almost as if it could know we were on our way to visit the Sun King's chateau. Golden trimmed walls and ceilings, lush velvet draperies, sparkling crystal chandeliers, and glorious tapestries fill the Sun King's residence with an opulence beyond comprehension. The renowned Hall of Mirrors is, on its own, worth the train ride from Paris. We sacrificed a few hours of much-needed sleep to avoid the huge crowds, but by noon it was a challenge to move without elbowing someone. We chose to cap off our tour with a leisurely stroll through the carefully manicured gardens, marveling at the beautiful statues and fountains and then opted for a cup of coffee and a fresh croissant at a local bakery.
Three Lessons Learned While Travelling in Paris
1. Don't be afraid to ask strangers questions - most are tourist friendly. Our first night in Paris, we were very excited and wandered everywhere, trying to absorb as much aura as we could. Nabil and I love to walk, but by the end of the night, we were exhausted and hopped a bus, planning to ride to the end of the line and back. Naively, we assumed the buses ran all night. Not so - at the end of the our route, we learned we were on the final run, and there would not be another until morning. The area was very remote, and were hesitant to ask strangers for help, but our hotel was miles away, and there was no other way. The streets were nearly empty, except for a group of young men clearly celebrating the weekend. They didn't hesitate when we asked for help and not only directed us to the Metro, they walked there with us and led us to a friendly ticket agent who spoke no English but was very kind and explained our route back with plenty of hand gestures and creative expressions.
2. Take advantage of the hotel breakfasts. We love to eat, but at first we were eating like we do back home - a small snack just to start the day and our big meals later on. The hotel breakfasts were amazing: fruit, yogurt, cereal, pastries, sliced meats, bread, dried fruits and nuts, and some of the best coffee you can find. We soon learned to enjoy the meal and use it to energize ourselves for the day. Not only were we ready to walk for miles, we didn't need to eat another meal until late afternoon and saved money we could apply to a nice dinner out.
3. Don't expect the hotel bathrooms to be like American bathrooms. European bathrooms are utilitarian: they serve their purpose and nothing more. If you can turn around in the shower, you're lucky. I also was glad I brought travel-sized bottles of my own shampoo and conditioner for a few places that didn't provide them.