Day 6 in Paris

One of the most incredible (I've used this word a lot...) things about this city is the way the past is lingering in everything around you while the future is sitting right on the horizon, rushing towards you. Paris is so progressive, you see an art exhibit of a folding chair (only one bolted to a wall) in one of the largest museums in the world and then sit in an exquisite 16th century garden just a few blocks away. Today, we did quite a lot but one of my favorite things was simply observing the people around me, which I have been doing so much this trip but documented today in a few good pictures.

We began the morning with a monument walk, seeing the most important ones that represent some great event in France that we all knew about, naturally from class. No sarcasm, we really did! It was so nice not having someone tell you something is important but just knowing about it. It gives it such a sense of...reality and truth.

Our First one was in the honor of teh Bastille, which was stormed on July 14, 1789, the year the French Revolution began and the first real act of the public outrage against the King. The people actually tore down the building over the course of a few months. It was a jail that contained an armory, although few weapons, and the people stormed it, killing the guards and setting the very few prisoners free in order to get the kings attention basically. Now all that's left is a huge place and this monument dedicated to the 1789 and the 1830 worker revolt in the city

This one commemorates the Republic and how the country went from a monarchy to a republic throgh the revolution, establishing democracy and guaranteeing human rights.

This is a church with a long, tenuous history but the short story is that it was commissioned to become a temple in honor of a Mary Magdalene, and was one, then wasn't one, the was, then wasn't, then is now a church. Pretty much everything in this country has a similar history to this.

This is where the Vendome is, but it is currently being worked on so ewe couldn't see it. Its so interesting, as it is plated with cannons that Napoleon took from the Battle of Austerlitz. So neat and so Napoleon. It's located in a square with so much money it's unbelievable. The Ritz is here as well, where Princess Diana stayed a lot so you can imagine the cash.

Everry time you turn a corner there's another massive, beautiful, lavish buliding waiting for you, and theOpera  house was one of those surprising gems. It was built about 120 years ago by Napoleon III, and is still home to the opera!

The Lucembourg Gardens (and palace which is still home to the French senate) was our next stop and I took tonsssssssss of pictures because of how beautiful they are! I could literally stay here all day, just like Ernest Heminngway, although I don't think I'll catch pigeons and eat them for dinner...but anyway, it's the perfect place to find quiet beauty and still see Parisians in their element. The romanticism just radiates from everyone, combined with their dignified air, just makes for a perfect moment in a perfect place. I loved it.

The Paris Pantheon is where we went after a lunch of pita grec (the Greek food I had on the first night which is fantastic!!!!!) and it was absolutely huge. It was originally built as a church devoted to the Paris saint, Genevieve,who helped them avoid some bad business in the 6th century. It is now devoted to her and all great french men, with rows of tombs beneath the great hall. 

This statue is devoted tto the national convention, the beginnings of the first republic who wrote their first constitution.

Sweet Voltaire, a philosopher, was in the tombs, but he had a nice statue, one of teh only ones down there.

This was especially exciting, as he was a major player in the French resistance duuring WWII, my research topic! His story is fascinating, sadly culminating in a personal nazi defeat.

Marie is the only woman to be buried here based on her own accomplishments, and not just as the wife of someone, although her husband is buried here too. In fact, we went to her museum today, small and modest, and saw all about a where she found the element radium and stuff. Pretty cool, but not my favorite.

And everyone's favorite part of the last Thursday in November, THANKSGIVING DINNER! Although, this isn't traditional, it is still duck! And snails! And chocolate cake! So....just maybe a bit unusual but still tasty, so do not fret, as I definitely had a fantastic thanksgiving. I spent it in beautiful places with incredible people...how could it not have been anything but perfect? See you Sunday unless the weather stays bad in Newark. In that case, I may just stay in Paris and eat pigeons in a park!