I left Italy and went to Paris a day before Mike was to arrive. This was my seventh trip so I figured it would be smooth sailing and had no worries about getting to Paris on my own. These good feelings quickly disappeared when I couldn’t get in touch with Britton once I arrived. I managed to navigate the subway and arrived at his address but did not have his apartment number so I didn’t know which bell to ring. I called my mom to tell her everything was OK and that I made it to Paris and needed here to reread Britton’s Parisian phone number from my email. With the correct number I called Britton but the phone just rang and rang. For my last ditch effort I resorted to the old fashioned yell at the outside of an apartment building and to my delight was greeted by yells from the freshly showered head of Mr. Britton Upchurch. After a cup of coffee and baguette with butter Britton and I headed out on the town. We started our tour near the city center just blocks from Notre Dame. We popped up from the metro and instead of being overwhelmed by the beauty of the city we found ourselves in the middle of a Gay pride parade. This thing was absolutely huge and every float was nothing more than a massive truck with gigantic speakers blaring house music. It was less of a parade and more like a mile long conga line. After marveling at the spectacle we walked through the narrow streets stopping at little cafés and grabbing crepes from sidewalk vendors. Britton gave me a great introduction to the downtown by weaving across the Seine and through some of the busy little neighborhoods in the shadow of the great bell towers of Notre Dame.
For dinner we met up with some of Britton’s friends and went to a bar that served a free meal of roast chicken and vegetables over couscous. The native Parisians are not known for extravagant nightlife but Britton knew of a place not too far away that stayed lively at night but was not overrun with tourists. It was an out of the way place with a tiny front room and then a narrow hallway that lead to the back where there were multiple levels and a dance floor in the basement. After a night of dancing like extraterrestrial robots we were ready for bed as we had to wake up early to meet Mike at the airport.
The morning began with the screeching of an alarm clock and then the excitement of realizing that a full day in Paris lay ahead. Britton and I ate a quick breakfast consisting of a baguette and coffee and then headed to the airport to pick up Mike. The trip to Charles de Gaulle was short and smooth and we actually arrived before his plane landed. This was quite an accomplishment seeing as the last time I had to meet someone at the airport I left Rachael waiting for 45 minutes while I got lost in Milan heading to an airport I had already been to five times. Mike came off the plane with huge smile and was ready to hit the city. He obviously had been doing his pretrip homework because he had a lot of things in mind for the trip and the least amount of luggage that I have ever seen. Mike looked like a professional eurotripper with only one small backpack for an entire week of travelling. After some chest bumps, high fives, and other manly greetings we headed back to Britton’s apartment. We stayed just long enough to drop off Mike’s stuff before heading to one of Britton’s favorite cafés for lunch. The Parisian cuisine did not disappoint and for just 7 Euros we got a three course meal of pork tenderloin, quiche, and a strawberry parfait for dessert. After lunch Britton had to go to work so Mike and I finished our only order of business before hitting the city, checking into our hotel.
The hotel was just a short walk from Britton’s apartment and when we arrived we were shocked at how nice it was. We walked up to the front desk and it was obvious that the man at check in was shocked to see the two of us in the lobby. I gave him my name and reservation confirmation number to which he replied “We have no such record of this transaction.” After a short debate we were informed that we were at the wrong Hotel Magenta on Boulevard de Magenta. He let us use the free computers in the lobby and get the address for our actual hotel. After a fairly long walk we arrived at the other Hotel Magenta on Boulevard de Magenta which was a much less attractive hotel and located in a much less attractive neighborhood. We got our keys and headed up the elevator to our cramped attic room where the temperature was easily 100 degrees. We had a sink in our room but had to share a toilet with the rest of the floor and showers with the rest of the hotel. Needless to say the room left much to be desired but it was a private room near the city center with a lock and two beds. We decided not to dwell on our unfortunate accommodations and instead went to see the most famous Parisian landmark, the Eiffel Tower.
We popped out of the metro and headed straight for the base of the tower. Walking to the tower our eyes were focused skyward admiring the steel work and dizzying height of this amazing landmark. By the time we looked down to survey our surroundings we were under the tower and in the middle of a huge Michael Jackson memorial celebration. There were hundreds of people dressed like MJ with boom boxes blasting his greatest hits and dancers flawlessly performing all of his iconic moves. It was not exactly the scene we expected at the base of the tower but it was welcome none the less. It was actually pretty cool to see that the tower is not just a tourist destination but also a place for Parisians to gather. We walked out from under the tower and away from the large crowd to better admire the amazing sight. We spent a while just sitting in the grass in the large field near the tower soaking in the moment. Then like the engineers we are we broke out a map and planed our journey for the rest of the afternoon.
We didn’t have a lot of time left in the day and we knew that most of the museums would be closing so we decided to get a quick look at some of the more famous outdoor attractions. From the Eiffel Tower we thought it fitting to hop on the metro and go to the Arc de Triomphe. The arch is huge and in the middle of the busiest roundabout I have ever seen. There were cars weaving in and out of scooters and bikes as they all raced around the unmarked circle that must have had room for 12 lanes. I am sorry to say but NASCAR has nothing on this amazing spectacle. The only way to get a head on picture of the arch is to stand in the concrete island in the middle of the largest street feeding the circle so Mike and I braved the traffic to get that perfect shot. In order to get to the arch we needed to cross the circle and fortunately there was a tunnel so we didn’t have to test our luck with the traffic any further. We found out that the top of the arch was closed because it was Sunday so we could only walk around the bottom but it was still an amazing sight.
Under the arch we noticed that at the end of the Champes Elysees was an outcropping of skyscrapers and another arch as tall as a thirty storey building. On the map this area of the city is called La Defense which Mike and I found to be quite menacing and yet fitting for this part of town. The metro station was teaming with soldiers in full uniform with submachine guns at their sides. The escalators took us up through the stainless steel passages that lead to the outside and by the time we surfaced we felt as though we had been transported into another place in time. The grand arch stood directly in front of us and is definitely one of the most breath taking buildings I have ever seen. The whole area was absolutely amazing and there were huge domes, glass towers, and sculptures everywhere. We arrived at the perfect time of day as La Defense is on the western side of the city and the sun was just beginning to set. We wandered around beneath the arch for who knows how long marveling at the amazing feat of engineering. When we finally broke out of our civil engineering trance we realized we were getting tired and decided to find a place a little more comfortable for a late afternoon rest.
We headed away from the futuristic concrete jungle of La Defense and to the beautiful gardens at the Louvre. The trimmed hedges and manicured lawns were a welcome change and we took full advantage. Mike decided to lounge like the locals so he wouldn’t stick out so much as a tourist. I am not sure that it worked.
As night was falling we headed away from the gardens in search of food and sleep. During our wanderings we came across a rather ritzy side of the city and passed by countless high priced boutiques and the national opera house. We waited for the sun to set to get dinner and unfortunately for us this doesn’t happen in the summer in Paris until around 10 and most of the restaurants were closed. We finally found an open restaurant near the train station and ordered roast duck with sautéed potatoes. Normally a 24 hour restaurant is not an exciting proposition but in Paris things are a little different and everything was absolutely delicious. After such a long day including, for Mike, a trip across the Atlantic we were completely worn out and jumped into the lumpy beds in our hot hotel room and fell right asleep. It was a fantastic introduction to the city and I could tell the next few days were going to be absolutely amazing!
We awoke the next morning well rested and ready to get out of our cheap accommodations and back to the city. We walked over to Britton’s apartment where we took showers and enjoyed another delicious breakfast of fresh baguettes and coffee. Britton decided that it would be a perfect day to take us to the Sacre Coeur Cathedral and explore the Monte Marte area of Paris. The Cathedral is sparkling white and sits high on a hill overlooking the entire city. There is a large park surrounding the Cathedral that is full of tourists taking advantage of its excellent views and conmen taking advantage of the tourists.
The most common scam in this area is one in which a guy will come up to you holding some string and start to tell you about how he recently came from Africa, is so happy to be in Paris, and wants to share a piece of his native culture with you. Meanwhile he is tying a bracelet around your wrist and at the end of his speech demands “Give me five euros!” Having been in many other touristy areas I had seen this scam before and kept my distance because I knew that if they grabbed my hand I would have no time to say no before the bracelet was done. As we walked up the hill toward the cathedral Mike was approached by one of these guys and Britton like a mama bear protecting her cubs jumped in between them and yelled “NO!” while sweeping his arms to shield Mike from the onslaught. Then out of the bushes beside us jumped another bracelet bandit who uttered the only English phrase he knew “I AM FROM AFRICA!” and shoved Britton. Needless to say we were all stunned; first by Britton’s act of heroism and then by the ambushing African. Before we had time to process what had happened, the bracleteers were off scamming some other people farther down the hill. We were lucky that the situation did not escalate further but also lucky to have been a part of such a hilarious exchange.
We made it to the top of the hill without any further incidents and decided to walk inside to take advantage of the serenity of the sanctuary. The architecture of this cathedral is different from many other cathedrals due its “recent” construction which began in the 1870’s. It is basically just one room dominated by an enormous dome hovering over head. There are four 30 foot tall angels with wings spread wide which appear to be holding up the dome. While the angels are impressive the most striking parts of the interior are the enormous murals illuminated by the light flooding in from above.
After touring the cathedral Britton lead us down the hill through the winding cobbled streets to a tiny little café for another delicious meal. We found a table on the sidewalk where we could take advantage of the perfect weather and Parisian atmosphere. The tables next to us were filled with Parisian girls smoking cigarettes and there was a crew across the street filming scenes for what must have been an incredibly artsy and one day noteworthy film. After having our fill of salmon, soup, and quiche it was time for Britton to go to work and Mike and I to visit more Parisian attractions.
Our first stop for the afternoon was the Cathedral of Notre Dame. Following the crowds from the metro station we arrived at the cathedral. The square in front was filled with people, statues, and even the rare Parisian Sasquatch. We scouted out the line to go up the bell towers but the wait was too long so we decided to save that adventure for the next day and we headed inside. The interior was absolutely enormous and filled with exquisite stained glass windows. The walls were fairly unadorned and this simplicity allowed us to better admire the amazing stonework and intricate windows. The apse however, was brilliantly painted and stood in stark contrast to the cold stone work in the rest of the building.
After exploring the cathedral we headed across the Seine to get a better look at the Parisian City Hall. Mike and I admired the building and its large fountains from the square in front. It is amazing but this building seems tucked away and untouched. In any other city this would be one of the main attractions, but in Paris it blends into the background. Just up the street from the city hall is the Pompidou Center. This is easily one of the most interesting buildings I have ever seen because it is literally inside out. All of the structural and mechanical components are on the outside of building and when I say everything I mean everything. The electrical ducts are in bright yellow, the water pipes in blue, the air vents in green, and the escalators are surrounded by windows so you can see the people as they move between floors. The inside of the building is completely open and the transition from the busy exterior to the tranquil interior is pretty amazing. While the walls and ceilings are completely bare the building is completely full including a library, a movie theater, acoustic research center, and the largest modern art museum in Europe. Fully exploring the Pompidou center is a daunting task and we were getting tired just thinking about it so we decided to go back to the gardens outside of the Louvre for some rest.
After walking all over the city for the second straight day our feet were killing us so we took off our shoes and cooled them in the fountains outside the galleries. The fountains were the perfect spot for us to fully admire the beauty and scale of the enormous palace as we recharged.
We ended our tour early so as not to repeat our mistake of the previous night, and instead of wandering around aimlessly looking for a restaurant we decided to get the fastest food we could find, McDonalds. True to the classic film Pulp Fiction the Parisian Quarter Pounder with cheese is actually called a Royale with cheese and I knew that I had to get one. When we got back to our hotel room I started eating my Royale with cheese and distinctly heard the movie Pulp Fiction playing from an open window nearby. It was quite an amazing coincidence and I felt as though I was embraced by the city. After dinner we went to meet Britton at the hostel where he worked. The hostel is located on one of the large canals that leads into the city. The canal is surrounded by a large park where there were many groups of people just hanging out on its banks. Every group seemed to be doing something different from playing bocce ball to music. It was a really neat scene and it was great to finally get to hang out with Britton at night.
The next day we woke up and headed straight for Notre Dame. When we got to the cathedral we wasted no time in getting in the line to scale the bell tower. Standing in line is not normally a fun experience but leave it to Paris to turn this into something enjoyable. It would be hard to recapture the entire moment so let’s just say that it was something you would only see in a movie and involved a stylish Parisian woman, a little American boy, a large German woman, and a broccoli quiche. Let your imagination run wild! The ascent up the tower was long and steep but the scene once we popped out of the cramped stairwell was amazing. All of the city’s landmarks were easily visible from high atop the towers in the center of the city. Not only were the views amazing but the bell towers were magnificent as well. The exterior was covered in gargoyles and other beautiful stonework. The bells hanging inside were the biggest I have ever seen and I was completely amazed that it was even possible to get them up into the towers. I guess I got a little carried away with the whole scene and Mike caught me doing my best hunchback impersonation.
After climbing down from the towers we walked to the Luxembourg gardens which were pristine and packed. There was a jazz band playing and people everywhere enjoying the beautiful weather. Mike and I decided to take a hint from the Parisian youths and lay down in the shade on one of the lawns for a quick nap. Feeling plenty relaxed we decided to leave the park and go see some of the famous works in the Musee d’Orsay.
The museum is located in the huge open space of an old train station giving it a unique atmosphere. The collection is amazing and we were able to see works by Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Monet, and basically every other famous painter.
When the museum closed and the security guards herded us out we were immediately stopped in our tracks by the amazing spectacle in front of us. There in the middle of the street was a guy on roller skates doing tricks around an obstacle course of plastic cups to live jazz clarinet improvisations. Needless to say it was quite the show and Mike decided we must have stumbled on “le hot spot”.
Being that we had now been in the city for a few days we were really getting into the swing of things and decided that the best thing to do was to take a rest in the sculpture garden outside of the Louvre, so that is exactly what we did. In this section of the garden there were as many people as chairs which in my mind is the perfect ratio for a restful afternoon and also the preferred habitat for the urban Sasquatch. The city must have been having a lot of problems with these magnificent creatures as we made more than a few sightings of the beast and the signs warning them to stay out.
With our batteries fully recharged we decided to walk up the Champs Elysees in search of food and high fashion. Our walk took us through Place de la Concorde where they were setting up the podium for the finale of the Tour du France. We walked past many boutiques and through the crowds flocking to the famous stores. We found a little café on a side street and sat down for another delicious meal. When we finished eating we continued up the street until we reached its terminus at the Arc de Triomphe. We rushed up the stairs and arrived at the top just as the sun was setting. The views were spectacular! You could see the entire city, both the historic monuments and the towers of La Defense. The sun set directly behind La Defense and was one of the most colorful I have ever seen. It was the perfect ending to the day and to our Parisian experience.
Our last morning began like every other with a walk over to Britton’s for breakfast. After our baguette and coffee we said farewell and headed to the train station. Like most of my journeys we ended up running late and had to make a mad dash to catch our train for Amsterdam. We ran through the train station and boarded the last car just as the doors shut. I am glad that we made our train but have to say that another day in Paris would not have been a hard pill to swallow. I had a great time in this amazing city and will never forget the beauty and the amazing cuisine offered on every corner.
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