Thursday was the first day I was able to explore Paris on my own. Consequently, it was also the first day I really fell in love with this city. Walking around in a big group just isn’t my style…I like to be able to walk fast (apparently I’m the world’s fastest walker and everybody feels the need to point this out! Lol), I can do things in the order I want, stop for lunch when and where I want, speed through one museum or take all day at another…it may sound super selfish, and maybe it is, but I really wanted to make this trip a personal experience, and this was my first real opportunity to do that!
I started out by heading to the Holocaust Memorial. As expected, it was very sobering. The courtyard was lined with stone walls, etched with all the names of the French casualties of the Holocaust. It’s always so sickening to be faced with such a visual display of the waste of life that was the Holocaust.
Inside the memorial, down below, you could see all the original police files used by the government to help the Nazis round up the Jews. There was also a large, marble Star of David, with an eternal flame in the center, a collective gravestone for victims’ ashes from Auschwitz that are buried under the star. It was very sad and eerie to know that so many people were buried there and had died so horribly.
I was thinking about the comparisons between this grave and the American Cemetery at Normandy…why was I having more of an emotional experience here?
I talked to my parents about it, and I think this might be why…while I might not have felt sad or felt like crying at the American Cemetery, I did feel proud…these were men, most of them my age or younger, who chose to fight for their country, to fight for the freedoms of other countries…they did a brave thing, no doubt about it, more brave than I could ever be…but they were active participants…there is a big difference between an armed soldier and an innocent Jewish family, living quietly in a clock-shop in Poland, being ripped from their homes and tortured to death. Ugh, it just disgusts me. Thanks to those soldiers, though, some of those innocent people were saved…
After the sobering trip through the Holocaust Memorial, I headed to the Place des Vosges, a beautiful park, boxed in by previously royal mansions and some of the best (and most expensive) art galleries in the city. Victor Hugo’s house was also nearby, but I didn’t make it in…I’ll head back and check it out another day.
Just off the park was the Hôtel de Sully, complete with a beautiful garden courtyard. That was pretty much the only thing open to the public, so I made my way from there to the main boutique shopping district, the Rues de Francs Bourgeois. There were so many cool clothes stores (all out of my price range) as I headed to the Carnavalet Museum.
The museum was mostly focused on Revolution-era art and furniture, not really my cup of tea. There were a few really intriguing statues, a great bust of Napoleon and a beautifully manicured courtyard garden, but other than that, nothing really caught my eye.
Leaving the museum, I entered the Jewish Quarter. It was lively and exciting, yarmulkes bobbing through the crowd, the smell of falafel boiling in oil wafting through the streets, mezuzahs nailed to doorposts. I grabbed some falafel at a nearby stand, the best falafel I’d ever had, and walked past a really interesting looking synagogue, designed by a famous Art Nouveau architect. I bought a woolen, navy jacket from a small vintage thrift store, then turned onto the Rue Saint-Merri Croix de la Bretonnerie…the gay street!
The entrance to the street was marked with a massive rainbow flag and the energy of the place was immediately apparent. Cafés, bookstores, shops…it was so fun! Even though I don’t speak French that well, even though I’m a foreigner, it was cool to have something in common with so many people. As a side note, I think it’s perfect that the Jewish and the gay district (both located in the Marais District) is one of the safest places in the city!
At a small little shop, I paid more than I should have for a really great trench coat! It was worth it, though, it looks great!
After my purchase I went to the Picasso Museum. It was pretty interesting, I saw a lot more of his sculptures and 3-D art than I’d ever seen before; I wasn’t aware he had done so many other things besides painting. There were a few captivating pieces, but apparently the art was all donated to the state to cover his tax debt, so it’s not the best collection. The building was really cool…I liked the juxtaposition between the old looking architecture and statues with crazy, multi-colored glass paned windows…very different and Picasso-esque!
Overall, it was a great day! I was able to have a day to myself to learn more about the city and learn some fun things on my own. I have a feeling there will be many more days of solo exploration in my future!
Thursday night a group of us got all gussied up and headed out in search of a dance club. The first one we went to didn’t exist (I found out later, it was actually on a boat! Ha!), so he headed back toward our hotel and found a bar that was playing some sweet tunes. I paid 9€ for drinks (AH!) and danced the night away…it was a blast! There will definitely be more dancing in my future!
My next post will tell a bit about the fun weekend I had with my parents…wine tasting, rabbit casserole and shopping!
An American in Paris... 