Hôtel Apollon Montparnasse, Jour de 83. Un Jour de Triomphe (Day of Triumph): 7 Spectacular Sites
The night was late, the morning too. We finally rolled out of the hotel and despite really starting the day at noon, we had seven destinations for the day mapped out and we succeeded in visiting each one:
1. Jardin du Luxembourg
2. Quartier Latin
3. Cathédral Notre-Dame de Paris
4. The Louvre
5. Tuileries Garden
6. Avenue des Champs-Elyéese
7. Arc de Triomphe
1. The Luxembourg Gardens were the best way to begin the day, despite my disagreement with Katya that seeing a park first didn’t seem productive. In fact, once we were there, seeing the centre fountain and the people in chairs that lined the pond, all under the noontime glaze of a beautiful sunny day, it was definitely worthy of being our first stop. As happened in most of these places, the atmosphere affected the topic of our conversation—as we rested in chairs with a view of an ordinary tennis match in a court amidst the trees and shrubbery, we discussed how Paris does not have the touristy feel that London has in its landmark area near the London Eye. Here, Paris is spread out in its famous sites, and most are incorporated into Parisian life, like this garden. I also expressed how she has gotten me into wanting to play tennis and watching it. |
| The Pantheon |
Our way to the Latin Quarter took us up to the steps of the Pantheon, a building emboldened by its marble pillars, triangular top, and its sheer epic height. After quick pictures, we decided against paying to go in and we walked on.
2. The Latin Quarter was lost on us, in the sense that we never knew if we were in it or just around it. But our streetside baguette sandwiches were tear-droppingly amazing. We strolled with them across a bridge and into the park area beside the Cathédral de Notre-Dame de Paris, resting on the edge of what seemed like a sandbox. I was tempted but we did not play in the sand.
3. Once inside the Cathédral Notre-Dame, I found the colour-changing modes on my new camera, taking a black-and-white photo of the crucified Jesus on the wall to our right walking in. Katya and I both lit a votive candle for loved ones and continued through the devotional mansion, talking in hushed tones of my past and the Catholic faith I was brought up in. It is not truly a point of clash between us, neither of us devoutly religious, but she wanted to know more, if Catholicism still influenced me, etc. In some ways, I replied. We walked over another bridge, since the cathedral is located on essentially an island, and in the middle was a street musician. As we rested on a bench watching him, I wrote this down:
The bridges are veins, circulating cars across cement. A man in a brown hat plays a one-man band, acoustic guitar of metal, twang on the bar chords, combined cymbal-tambourine percussion with his foot, harmonica resting on his neck. The song was from ‘Brother, Where Art Thou’, in English, making me forget I was in Paris for a moment.
Deaf petitioners pass, we shake our heads—sad to say no, but tight on money. Finally, we head on to the Louvre.’ On our way, I called out to Katya to stop, and she thanked me for it. There was a pet store full of puppies and bunnies and guinea pigs, and she gleefully looked at them, though her glee mixed in with sadness at seeing their caged state. She would rather they go free. But still be around to pet.
Katya and I ended with Mona, or La Gioconda, while we started with Greek and Roman statues. I got a picture of Katya doing a fish face (after at least ten takes) in front of a random stone bowl. I don’t know why I was so fixed on this. She took a picture of Poseidon, and later on, she commented on the way kings seemed to pose lying down in such a seductive fashion (a playboy pose, if you will). She mocked the pose in mimicry, as I went on to imitate another statue.
We made it onto the Egyptians, in which this great dialogue took place: (>> = me, << = she)
>> I think I need a nap.
<< Aww.
>> Wait, slap me.
<< *confused look* What?
>> It will wake me up.
<< I’ve never actually slapped anyone before… *pats my cheek*
>> No, harder.
<< You want me to really slap you?
*I nod.* *She slaps me.*
>> That was good.
*I hold up my hand.* * Katya cowers in fear.*
>> No, high five.
<< Oh! *high five*
>> I’m awake now.
….The Egyptians were cool too. And the painted ceilings in the European painting exhibits. And good old Mona.
5. I had never known of a gallery of shops within the Louvre until today, where Katya and I decided to share tea and a croissant. After this, we walked into the Tularies Gardens. Just like the Luxembourg garden, there was a fountain surrounded by chairs. This time, at the late hour of 6:30, they were empty. Katya told me how there are mini-sail boats that one poked around the pond with a stick and in the middle of the afternoon, there are all these boats floating across the water. We were sad to miss it, but we both had to pee horrendously at this point. Even running a little made it worse.
6. We finally walked into the famous shopping street Avenue des Champs Elyéese, where we browsed around without buying and then ate a proper restaurant. We clinked wine glasses, full of rosé, and treated ourselves to a starter and main course each, with the occasional plate-swapping.
Before making it to the Arc, we got a picture of us a little away from the Arc, and I remember one of us saying: ‘Yes! We just asked a French person to take our picture! In English!’
7. We danced under the Arc de Triomphe at the close of the evening. At first I was embarrassed but I quickly got over my self-consciousness and enjoyed the waltzing to the song or two Katya sang to me. We talked of how we would remember this for a long time. There is something about dancing under the Arc that transformed the site into a romantic haven under the starlight.
Our second night in Paris: breathtakingly beautiful.
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