What a week! Paris, the City of Lights, certainly lived up to its name! In this post, I'll tell you about the whirlwind that was my two and a half days in Paris. I'll also walk you through the stages of culture shock that I'm (supposedly) going through, even if it doesn't feel like it.
Song of the week: Lost in Paris by Tom Misch feat. Goldlink
The whole time the seemed like a dream, one of those soft and pleasant ones that leaves a pleasant tingle in the back of your mind when you wake up. From the time we entered the city to the time we left, I had a really hard time comprehending that I was actually in Paris. We even watched Midnight In Paris with Owen Wilson (the script and the acting was terrible) to help us prepare for the magic that Paris is known for. As soon as we got settled in the hostel, I decided to take a stroll around the block with Siyu to get a feel for the city. The hostel was situated in the 8th Arrondissement (neighborhood), and is known for its hipster scene. Just across the bridge was a nice market district, with small shops lining each side of the narrow street. At night, the hipsters and the street artists come out with their portable speakers and music can be heard on every corner. On our way back from the ballet, we ran into a group that was jamming and freestyling to a pre-recorded track. As we watched them, several other people came off the metro and joined in without missing a beat.
The ballet in the Paris Garnier Opera House was one of the highlights of the trip. From the second I climbed the stairs and entered the building I was in awe. I had to stop my jaw from dropping as I took in the ornate architecture, the mosaics on the wall, and the incredible amount of ornamentation evident in every corner and every feature of the room. And that was just outside of the theatre. The inside of the theatre was perfectly crafted to give the audience the highest quality of entertainment. Our entertainment for the evening was the Martha Graham Ballet Troupe, one of the most distinguished dance troupes in America. I thought it was kind of ironic how we had to travel all the way to Paris just to see an American dance trope, but they most definitely did not disappoint. The troupe preformed four different pieces, including Appalachian Spring and the Rite of Spring, both of which were choreographed by Martha Graham herself. Although I have never been one to enjoy ballet that much, I was thoroughly enraptured by this performance. The dancers deftly tied their own emotions and stories to their movements, creating a passionate and heart-wrenching performance. Their incredible skill was evident in their graceful movements and the way they commanded the entire space of the stage. Several people in the audience were moved to tears by the end of the performance, and I was surprised to realized how emotional I was as well.
While the monuments and attractions of Paris are ubiquitous, it is a bit of a challenge to make your way to them. To put it simply, finding the place or the building is the easy part; getting there is the hard part. Paris, for all its beauty and charm, is not a walkable city. It's slightly misleading, because the monument or attraction will appear to be only a short distance away, maybe a mile or so. However, due to the layout of the city, it takes close to an hour to walk that far. So instead of walking, we took the metro, the underground subway system that connects all of Paris and offers the most direct path to all of its major sites. Thanks to the metro, we were able to visit the the Catacombs, the Louvre Museum, Notre Dame, and the Eiffel Tower all in one day. It would take much more time than I have to describe all of these places in detail, so I'll just give you a brief overview and my general impressions of each.
The Catacombs:
Being in the ground with 6 million dead people is not how I pictured my time in Paris. On the right, you can see the entrance to the Catacombs and the sign that reads "Stop! For here is the Empire of the Dead." Despite the spooky vibe, I found the catacombs to be an amazing architectural feat and very telling of the history of Paris. Originally constructed as a way for rebels to get around the city, the Catacombs became a mass grave after the cemeteries in the city became health risks due to the inadequate burial practices in the mid 19th century. As they are deeper than both the sewer system, the metro system, and the train system, this effectively solved the health problem but increased the morbid factor by hundred fold. I was very surprised at the methodical organization of the skulls and femurs that comprised the walls. I had expected a pile of bones, not bones as building blocks that supported the mile-long tunnels.
The Louvre:
Someone stuffed all the Classical and Renaissance paintings they could find into a 652,000 square foot palace and decided to make the floor plan as difficult as possible to figure out. With 380,000 pieces on display and an average of around 22,000 visitors a day, the Louvre is overwhelming both in terms of art and the people. It's extremely easy to get lost without a map (thankfully someone had the foresight for that) and after spending two and a half hours there I was ready to get out of the maze-like palace. While I was happy I got to see several famous works of art (the Mona Lisa, Liberty Leading the People), I think I would choose to visit the Musee D'Orsay if I were to return.
Notre Dame:
It's gigantic. No, really. Its goal is to make you feel small and inspire feelings of awe (and it certainly succeeded). I stood there for a good minute, just taking it in. While several Hunchback of Notre Dame jokes were made on our way inside, all six of us fell silent when we entered. The arched ceilings and stained glass created a beautiful and humbling experience that was only enhanced by the Mass service that was taking place. Incense wafted through the church and the priest led a hymn in old Latin verse. Light danced along the floor, and people prayed in the pews, caught up in a deeply spiritual experience.
Eiffel Tower:
The best way to see the Eiffel Tower is on a boat, cruising down the Seine at night. The boat tour gives you one of the best views of the Tower, and best of all, there are no crowds. The golden glow of the the Tower reflected off the water, dazzling us as we sailed by. It's one of those monuments that just keeps getting better the more you look at it, like it was always meant to be there. Surprisingly, the Tower was meant to be taken down after the 1889 World's Fair, but Paris's most iconic feature was saved by being used as a radio tower until it became synonymous with Paris itself. Every hour, it sparkles with little lights strategically placed inside and around the tower, adding to the magic of the experience.
L'Arc De Triomphe:
It's just sitting there in the middle of the biggest (and probably most dangerous) roundabout you've ever seen. The view from the top was wonderful, offering a 360 degree panorama of the city. I think I ran back and forth across the top from corner to corner a few times before settling down. Seeing the layout of the city from above made me realize just how immense it is, and how many people live there. The Arc itself is a massive structure that is also one of Paris's most famous icons, and standing on top made me feel like I was in the center of it all.
"Paris is always a good idea." -- Audrey Hepburn
Paris wouldn't be Paris without the food, and I am happy to report that I ate every kind of French food I could get my hands on. From baguettes to crepes to escargot, the food of Paris had me falling in love with the city. For most of our meals, we ate a typical "brasseries" or restaurant/cafes that are characteristic of Paris. To complete the experience, one of the waiters even told me I was beautiful (in French, of course). The presentation of the food is relatively simple, but the quality is incredible. If you want to see some pictures, I encourage you to check out my "Good Eats" page.
Coming back to Luxembourg from Paris was like waking up from a dream, and I'm still wondering whether or not last weekend was real. As much as I enjoyed Paris, I am glad that I can come back to the quiet town of Differdange. I think I definitely have those rose-colored glasses on, because I am really loving everything about Europe right now. According to the culture shock curve, I should be due to crash emotionally at any moment and realize that I am very, very far away from home. But I don't feel that way right now. While I do miss everyone back home, my excitement and curiosity are keeping me from feeling the ache of homesickness, at least for the moment. After this stage of homesickness, I am supposedly going to feel more and more comfortable with the culture, until I feel like one of the locals. I already feel pretty comfortable here, so think that the problem for me may be reverse culture-shock, or readjusting to life in the US. But that's a story for later in the semester.
Next weekend is Killarney, Ireland, and I believe it will be a very different kind of trip from Paris. For one thing, I planned most if it myself, and as far as I can tell, Killarney is not that big. I look forward to spending some time natural areas surrounding the town and some evenings in classic Irish pubs.
Is there anything else you want to know about Paris? Suggestions for avoiding homesickness or riding the culture shock curve? Let me know in the comments!
Until then, I'll keep wandering.
Late to reading this one... but wow sounds like you got the most of Paris in such a short trip! Sounds amazing
Let me start by saying "Once Upon A Time" You are our fairy tale come true. I am so happy I get to see your adventures through the awesome pictures and the words, just flow off the screen. Keep the adventure going and I can not wait for t he next reading of the Enchanted Princess Journey to Ireland. Love Dad.
Ash, I am so impressed with your website. I'm so glad you are getting to see all of these things! My only wish is if you could include the phrase "what could go wrong" more in each and every text. Then, I will know that you are thinking of me! Have fun! Stay Safe! Stay Healthy!