Tuesday - Day 2

After class today, I went on my own to see Paris. I walked to Ile de la Cite from Bastille, seeing the Hotel de Ville along the way. Notre Dame is pretty. Very big. OUtside there is a statue of Charlemagne and Point Zero, where all measurments are taken in Paris. It is more beautiful inside. After letting my eyes adjust for a few minutes I began looking around. Even though it's still dark, my camera exposure allowed for it and gave me a nice, light picuture. The ceiling is so tall. Along side there are several saints sculptures and paintings, including Joan of Arc. The Rose windows are beautiful and colorful, but so far up there it's hard to see. I went in to the Treasury to see some of the goodies stored away. I had to pay 2 euro, but I spoke to the guy in good french. There are tokens from visiting popes and the old priests in there. Along with beautiful stained glass and a chappel. I started to hear some music, and realized I happened to be at the right place at the right time, there was about to be mass. So I came back out and saw the priest singing with a woman. Of course it was in french, so I had no idea what he was saying. I walked around the back of the alter/choir area to see a wall of reliefs of Jesus' life. The organ in there sounded amazing. It was too late to climb the tower, so I'll have to come back and do that some morning. I walked around back to see the flying buttresses and gothic architechure. I saw a lot of pieces on the ground as it slowly falls apart. I was leaving and heard an accordian player, how cliche. So I stopped and sat on the wall for the river and listened to him and looked at the cathedral for a while. I walked back up the island around the Palis of Justice (where the revolution government held its power) to see a movie being made. I wasn't sure what was going on at first. Then I saw the cameras and director and the crew. So I sat and watched the movie being made. Tres cool. Action! (think of it in a french accent, it made me laugh) After having to keep moving because they moved the shot, and didn't want us to be in the scene for some reason, haha, I asked one of the crew what film it was, les cars, i think. I realized I totally forgot to walk to sainte chapelle, but it was getting later in the evening, so I figured it would be better another day. I walked down place dauphine to the front of the island Vedettes du Pont Neuf and along side the river bank. I decided to walk down the Rive Gauge (left bank) and tour that area before we all were supposed to meet up for dinner.
I walked down the Seine to see the Institut de France and Academie Francaise. This is (among other things, Academie des Beaus Arts..) where 40 linguists meet to decide what new words should be in french and what things are considered french culture or not. Taking the Rick Steve's guide I borrowed from ACCENT, i found a lot on Rive Gauge. The statue of Voltare and la Palette Cafe. I could tell this area is a bit more upscale than most of Paris. Also there is Le Petit Prince Shop here! but it was closed, so I peaked into the windows. Really cool. I walked on down the twisty tiny streets to go over to Cafe le Procope. One of the oldest continuiously operating restaurants in Europe, dating back to 1686. I walked pas the Odeon and over to see St. Germain des Pres, dating back to the 1000s, making it the oldest church in Paris. I walked in to see the inside, but there was a concert that night. So I went in and looked and came back out. I walked pas the Luxembourg Garden area to the Patheon. I tried to go meet the others for dinner near Bastille, but I couldn't find a metro, so I skipped out. Instead I wanted to go up to see Sacre Coeur, as the sun was starting to go down. It was still a bit early to see the sunset and Paris lights at night so I detoured, out to the outer districts of Paris to see a contrast in social-economic class. Here, unlike the US, they aren't divided into race areas. There isn't a little Mexico, little Italy, etc. There is just divisions based upon money. The poorer area, which was much fewer whites, had a different feeling as soon as I got off the metro at Stalingrad stop. It wasn't all extremely happy cafes with people in high fashion. The people were either at cafes or just around in parks with close friends.
Climbing up the hill at Montmarte, I sat at a cafe had a glass of wine and watched the church atop the hill. Tres beau. There were a few americans beside me too, which we talked abit. Three women and a couple. They were all from upstate NY, and happened to live in the same town when they were young. Small world. After a while, the one lady was trying to get me to marry her daughter. She thought it was wonderful that a guy would even want to come study in Paris. I then saw some guys walking across with Purdue on one of their shirts. So we talked for a bit. They had just graduated and were touring Europe before starting their jobs. After it was completely dark I walked up the several several steps to the top of the hill to look out at the city lights at dark. This and by the Eiffel Tower is where the kids hang out at night and grab a bottle or two of wine. So it's a lively spot. Seeing that it was getting late, and the metros close at 12:30 (for some stupid reason...they mayor tries to extend the hours but they just strike because they are french and socialists...), I started going back home. Finding a good route on the metro lines, I saw that it went past Moulin Rouge. I thought I'd stop and take some pictures of the place. It's definately not like the movie at all. The place is pretty much just a high clss strip club. And the district, is well a very rouge district. I walked down a couple of blocks to the next metro station, quickly, taking pictures of the area. Lost of neon signs tell of what kind of place it is after dark. sex sex sex sex. I didn't see any prostitutes, but they are around. There is even a museum of erotic art there. But after some guy was trying to sell me some "cocain, cocain, cocain," I decided to walk faster to the metro station. On the way home at a stop I saw a sign of the Vagina Monologues and thought Whitney would like that so I took a picture.

Second Day