PARIS PAPERS VOLUME IV ~ FEBRUARY 20, 2006

Dear Everyone,

I can hardly believe that it is time for another edition of everyone’s favorite bi-monthly periodical. I have been busy this past two weeks (does that surprise anyone?). I got a new stamp in my passport, tried some new foods, upped my total photo count to over 2,000 (no lie), and if you would rather have the long version of events, read on dear subscribers:

I have begun planning a great adventure of epic proportions with Dominic, my best friend from High School (currently studying abroad in Wolverhampton, Great Britain). We will be racing around Europe for Spring break. Our spring breaks happen to coincide (April 7-23). In those two weeks we hope to visit Wolverhampton, London, Paris, Florence, Rome (Pompeii), and Nice. It is going to be quite an adventure.

I spent a free day roaming around Les Hales (the former site of the huge market of Paris). I visited Saint Eustache Church and Hotel de Ville. On this day of wandering, I found new sneakers that fit. They are men’s, but you really can’t tell. So finally the holey ones can be laid to rest. I also discovered one of the best views in Paris. You can see the whole city from the roof of the Galeries Lafayette department store, and if you are ever in Paris on a budget, it’s free to go up there, unlike most places of similar viewing pleasure.

My host family has been out of town, so you know what that means: PARTY! Ok, not so much, but with Mme’s permission I invited the girls in my program over to dinner. We had fajita’s and celebrated our “One Month Anniversary” in Paris. It is still incredible to believe that I have been here for so long, going on 7 weeks now. I still am adjusting to the idea that I am here until June.

The Catacombs

Close Up of the Bones

I spent an afternoon underground in the catacombs. The catacombs were originally quarries where gypsum was mined. However, in 1785 these tunnels began to serve a new purpose. The catacombs are an immense mass-grave. It is estimated that there are over 6 million bodies laid to rest in these tunnels. It has the potential to be quite frightening, but it is quite interesting to visit. The bones are all stacked very neatly and methodically, sometimes in patterns. It is sort of morbidly cool. The tunnel accessible to visitors runs more than a mile under the city and the bones are stacked shoulder high on each side and probably about three feet deep to the walls. For the first time in my life I actually came to understand the meaning of “millions.” I now have a new appreciation for the use of the word “million.” Perhaps the most interesting thing about the catacombs is that they were where the French Resistance held meetings during WWII. As if the thought of being killed by the Nazis for resisting was not frightening enough, you attended secret meetings amongst the bones of your ancestors. *Shudder*

Shakespeare & Co.

Truly a Reader's Paradise

I discovered an amazing book shop near Notre Dame, it is called Shakespeare and Company. It is everything a bookstore should be: wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling books. Piles of them, double-stacked on shelves. Book of every size, color and age: Harry Potter next to Plato. Hand-written signs inviting you to stay and be comfortable. There is a tiny wooden staircase to get to the second floor, and ladders, and a cat. There are mattresses for reading, and you are welcome to stay and read for hours without being bothered. There are messages from readers past all over the walls. It smells of old paper and is so incredibly welcoming that I could have stayed for years. Interestingly enough, it is an English book shop run by a British family. They are incredibly nice, and the book shop is amazing. Their filing system is a little lacking (or nonexistent) but it is truly a wondrous place for a life-long reading enthusiast. Forget Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com!

These 2 Photographs of Notre Dame were taken within 15 Minutes of Eachother; Look at the difference in the lighting!!!!

Pretty Cool, or I think so...

I also visited the relics at Notre Dame, well the one relic that is accessible, the rest are in a vault. It is possible to view one of the alleged thorns of THE crown of thorns. This relic was housed in the Sainte Chapelle (see Volume III) until all the relics where consolidated to be better safeguarded at Notre Dame.

The Artists Of Mont Matre

Selling their work

As People Browse

Right Beside Sacre Coeur

I spent another afternoon on Mont Matre wandering the narrow streets and browsing the artists. That is truly one of my favorite spots in Paris. Life just seems slower and more peaceful. I just love sitting in a café sipping a hot drink and watching the people pass. I won’t bore you with details of my people watching, but if you are ever in Paris, just go for an hour, to me, the experience IS Paris.

I personally would not mind a gold-plated casket...

I also made use of my Louvre Pass and spend an evening wandering the Egyptian collection. Truly an amazing civilization. I had forgotten how vast the Louvre’s collection of Egyptian artifacts is. One thing I found amazing was the jewelry, the detail is incredible considering when they were made. It also amazes me that there still exist intact pieces of papyrus with legible hieroglyphics on them. The fact that something so delicate can endure for millennia is beyond belief.

Speaking of history, I recently discovered that I am living in the same apartment building that Captain Dreyfus lived in. For those who are historically inclined, I am referring to THE Captain Dreyfus of the infamous Dreyfus Affair. He lived in this building from 1928 until his death in 1935. There is a plaque just above the entry door and I never noticed it until recently.

My friends and I attempted to explore Père Lachaise cemetery (the final resting place of Jim Morrison of the Doors, and of some prominent figures in French culture). The cemetery is sort of neat, there are some incredibly elaborate tombs, and it is a very peaceful place. I was a nice adventure to start with, but we were turned away by a sudden hail storm. So we ended up cold and wet, and thoroughly beaten by the tiny beads of ice. We settled for coffee instead.

The Acqueduct in Segovia

Me with the Acqueduct

Rachel, my fabulous host, tour guide, and translator

In Volume III I made mention about visiting Barcelona, Spain, well that didn’t happen. However, Madrid did. I spend a weekend with my ex-RA from Hart Hall, Rachel. She is currently on exchange in Madrid. We had a Fantastic weekend touring Madrid, Segovia, and Toledo. We saw castles, cathedrals, aqueducts, and parks, and ate some delicious food. Spanish coffee is everything it is cracked up to be. And did you know that Madrid is most famous for its Ham? I didn’t know that, but I will attest that it is delicious! And there is nothing like fresh churros. I had a great time in Madrid. I would have been completely lost without Rachel, as my Spanish is right on par with my German and Chinese, which means to say that I speak none of them. :o)

Segivoa

Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on your point of view, I do not have much of a historical dissertation on the Madrid area because most of the materials and signs were in Spanish (see above paragraph). I do have some general observations.

The Cathedral of Segovia

Segovia was by far my favorite part of my trip to Spain. I was amazed at how different SpainFrance. was from I think that before this adventure I sort of lumped Europe into one category, assuming it would all be somewhat similar. Very dumb. Lumping Spain and France together is like lumping Texas and Maine into the same category under that justification that they are in the same country. Oops. My mistake. The architecture in Spain is very different. It reminds me a lot of the south-west with the orange roofs and yellow walls. Spain is very sunny, not that ParisSpain was night time. does not have some sunny days, but they only time there was no sun while I was in The weather was much warmer than Paris, and it was absolutely beautiful the whole weekend. Spain is also very hilly. VERY hilly. I got quite the work-out while I was there. Siesta is a real event. Every afternoon, things shut down for about two hours and people do in fact, return home and sleep.

The Castle in Segovia from the Front

And the back (it is literally build right to the edge of the cliff)

Madrid at Sunset

Rotiro Park at Sunset

If you ever find yourself in Madrid Rotiro Park is well worth a visit. On a Sunday afternoon it is full of life and activity, jugglers, musicians, acrobats, families, and games. It was a really neat spot. You can rent a boat for an hour and paddle around on the little man-made lake and pass the afternoon. Bull fighting had not started yet, that begins later in the spring, but I did visit the Plaza del Toros. I was sad to leave because Madrid is truly a lovely spot, however, it was not too torturous to return to Paris. :o)

I have had a slight change of schedule, I swapped French classes. The one I was in was not concentrating enough on grammar, and now as a result of the swap, I am in a more grammar-oriented class, and have Mondays free, how dreadful, 3-day weekends every weekend. Speaking of classes, they are going well. I have an oral presentation this week (*Gulp!*). I am working with two French students, Vanessa and Pauline, and they have really been kind and have been nursing me though and helping me loads. I have never been so nervous about an oral presentation in my life! Of course, I have never had to give one in French in front of French students before. Who would have ever imagined Monica not wanting to talk! The presentation is called an exposé, and it is basically a commentary on a primary source. Our text is the 25 Points of the Nazi-party (it is a 20^th century history course, and we are just starting WWII). Here is hoping I don’t goof things up too badly.

I have discovered that French students are quite politically active, or perhaps their interest is just issue-related. One of my classes was commandeered by protesting students last week. Apparently there is a law that exists or that has been proposed that has them quite upset. My understanding is (from what my French friends tell me) that this law basically allows any employer to fire someone in their first two years of work without any justification. This has the students all riled up because it affects them the most as they will be soon entering the working world. The students who took over my class were trying to have a General Assembly and the University faculty and staff had locked them out of every other lecture hall, and in order to have one for their meeting, they needed to steal one that was in use before it could be locked. Luckily, my professor supported the commandeering. So I got the rest of the afternoon off, I would have stayed to hear the issues, but I would rather stay out of trouble while I am 3,000 miles away from home.

I have been able to watch a little bit of the Olympics in TV. It is very interesting watching the games in French. It is quite obvious that the focus is on the French Athletes, especially when the commentators get caught up in the moment and are screaming along with the spectators. I watched the French pick up gold medals in the Men’s and Women’s biathlon. I also watched very sadly as Bode Miller of the US failed to complete the Super G, and Johnny Weir of the US was unfairly judged in figure skating. I also caught a tiny bit of a luge competition and some snowboarding. One thing I LOVE about French TV: there are no commercial breaks! All of the commercials are at the end of the time slot. So basically you have 50 continuous minutes of coverage, and then 10 minutes of commercials. Maybe that is special for the Olympics, but I think American television should take notes!

In the trying new things category: I have eaten falafel. I was sort of forced into doing it by my housemate. I like it. It is very different. We went to a little restaurant in the Maurais (one of the Jewish neighborhoods). I also found bagels there (I am very tempted). I am also on a kiwi kick. I had not eaten kiwi since elementary school and one of the girls in my group brought it to one of our little dinner events and I have been hooked ever since. In Spain I drank coffee, my first full cup ever, and I liked it, but I probably will not be a total convert. I have also found the most amazing Crêperie in the world in the Latin Quarter. It is divine all sorts of flavors and interesting combinations.

Speaking of the Latin Quarter, it is lovely. The streets are tiny and flooded with people. There are tiny little restaurants with people standing outside enticing you to come in and eat. There are several Greek restaurants, and it is alarming the first time you pass and they are breaking dishes on the sidewalk (if anyone can explain this, please post it in the comments, because I am curious as to why they do this). Also there are the roman ruins, Les Thermes, they are called, the Baths. They were built when the Romans inhabited Gaul (as conquered by Julius Caesar). There is also Saint Severin Church to visit.

Looking ahead to the future: Next weekend I will be in Burgundy with my API group, and then I have a succession of visitors to Paris: Kayleigh from Angers (I stayed with her a few weeks ago), and MY SISTER! Andrea is coming from the states to stay with me and I am VERY EXCITED. The poor girl probably is not going to know what hit her I have so much to show her. Then I am hoping to venture to Belgium for a long weekend. And then of course the Epic Adventure with Dominic creeps ever closer. I am truly having a blast, and keeping up with my school work. If anyone thinking about studying abroad or traveling to Europe is reading this, I have but two little words:

DO IT!

Until next time, I remain your ever-busy, ever-verbose,

~Monica

Me rowing on the pond in Rotiro Park in Madrid