This time I have snuck into an internet cafe in the Crimee area. Not Crime; but Crimee, there is an acute sign on the first 'e'! My hostel this time is a brand new complex called St Christophers, after the saint whose medal I wear for traveller's luck. Thanks David, it is working a treat. And my travelling ring too although I have not had to switch fingers in a hurry yet, so far it has just been the little flirt from a distance from the Frenchmen... and a group of Spaniards dressed in full toreador costume at the Louvre.
Oscar Wilde's grave, Pere Lachaise
Yesterday because of the rain I decided not to go to Versailles but leave it for another trip, maybe with you Clare or Tiff? I will definitely come back to beautiful Paris while I am on this side of the world. Instead I went to Pere Lachaise armed with my umbrella. It was perfect as the rain made it cool for walking; not to mention atmospheric! People caught out sheltered amongst the tombs and under the trees. Not spooky at all strangely, but very beautiful and green you could almost have a picnic there strange to say.
I returned to Montmartre on my own this time and scoffed a pain aux raisins from Alexine; Paris's best bakery winning 3 years in a row. Delicious! More looking around on my own, then took the M to Cite to see Notre Dame. I have to ask Dad here if I was ever inside the cathedral when I was little; I had the strangest reaction to this place which I haven't had anywhere else on my trip yet... and although places of worship are beautiful to me they are not usually personal... not at Sacre Coeur or St Pauls...
I looked right around then decided to sit down. There were some babies crying and actually it was noisy (some American tourists just aren't subtle, even exclaiming loudly that churches are like Disneyland once you've seen one you've seen them all!) so I closed my eyes to just try and focus on where I was and found that I had tears on my cheeks, but a most comforting feeling over me. Maybe an old memory, or just the beauty of this place? I felt immense gratitude for this opportunity to travel here again, for my luck in having a supportive family and friends and a job where I could travel and help people and also one that I love so I lit a candle and said a quiet thank you.
I went to the Louvre and saw IM Pei's pyramides; a very Audrey Tautou day! But arrived at closing time so did not see the museum, again for another trip. Back at the hostel I struck up a conversation with a Canadian traveller. We swapped tips and I found out she was doing the same Eurorail style trip on her own, she had decided she was 27 and needed to go now instead of waiting for the 'right time', because you will never have 'enough' money or the right person to go with. She's been on the road for 2 months and Paris is her last stop, so she meets her mother here.
I also met two Korean girls travelling Europe solo, I felt for them because they only have a smattering of American English and no other foreign languages. But both of them have had so much fun and have travelled to many different places. I can't imagine, I just got comfortable enough yesterday to strike up enough decent conversation to order more than one thing at a bakery and to go into a pharmacie - they are pretty serious and specialised- to ask for bug spray today (both successful)!
I must admit I was a bit nervous about travelling on my own, but so far it has been very good because people are more likely to approach you to start a conversation and I have been able to see what I want to see quite selfishly and at a moment's notice. I love writing this here because it feels like you are all with me, I want to go and see things that interest you so I can tell you all about them! Photos definitely to come later when I have access to downloading and editing.
2 comments:
Dear Char,
Thanks for your regular postings which we follow closely everyday.No, we never went inside Notre Dame back in 83-84. Just passing through a number of times. Glad you are rediscovering all these places now and we are sharing your interesting travel experience. Be safe, and take care.
Love and Hugs, Dad.
The interior of cathedrals do give me the strange feelings, certainly not personal. With all those statues, little enclosures of various saints, tombs, etc, it gets eerie. The most eerie is St Lorenzo in Florence. It was all dark, except for some candlelight at the altar and there was a faint chanting going on. It didn't feel like a place to worship God. There are so many cathedrals throughout France and Italy, it could be a case of 'you've seen them once, you've seen them all'. We can appreciate better if they were fewer and further in between. The onces that stood out for me is the one in Ravenna (Italy) with its world famous mosaics. We went past Notre Dame umpteen times but never stopped to admire, much less enter. The other one that is outstanding, from the outside, is the famous St Julien in Le Man with its buttresses.
Enjoy yourself, absorb it all. One day, you'll look back and feel like it's all been a dream and at the same time, you feel proud of yourself for having done it.
Take care.
mm
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