April 6th, 2010
Another Eiffel Tower run today. My pace was slightly slower than yesterday and my legs are worn out from all the running, walking, jogging and climbing (stairs) we have done recently. When we returned from our run we set our sights for the Montparnasse area of Paris. We have never explored there before and decided to take the long walk there, which I'm sure most Parisians haven't even done. The day was warm and unfortunately, I over dressed for it. The walk uphill on the long Boulevard was a labored one for me. I walked in the shade of the buildings every chance I was given. There were a lot of shoe and lingerie stores on this street and the smell of leather and perfume drifted through the air; stilettos and sex. At the top of the street we found a Starbucks and decided to go in for a cold drink, air conditioning and a shot of caffeine (which was much needed). The 30 minute break at Starbucks was relaxing and fun; our conversation was light and jovial. My head was positioned directly below the neon Starbucks sign and of course, the sign and my head came in contact with each other twice, which made both of us laugh. We reviewed our map, located the nearby cemetery and left Starbucks.
The cemetery was only a 10 minute walk away from our previous caffeinated dreamland. Upon entering the grounds, our conversation went from light and cheery to quiet and ponderous. What happens to us when we die? I refuse to believe that we just rot in the ground and become food for flowers. Yet, the idea of dancing down a street of gold to the sounds of trumpets in heaven seems far fetched too. Or is heaven just an eternal peace of mind? We will never know until our day comes. As I walked the streets of dirt in between memories made of stone, I tried to remember the people I've never met. Behind every tombstone is a life I've never know and a story I've never heard. One day I'll possess the knowledge of where exactly these people went but until that day, this quiet, peaceful refuge will serve as my silent reminder of how brief and precious our time on this earth is.
The sound of laughter immediately snapped me back to present time. Across from our bench were two children and their mother, eating lunch out of a paper bag. The small boy and his older sister noticed us watching and decided to ham it up a bit. The young boy began dancing around holding his sandwich in his hand while the older sister taunted him slightly. They didn't know but we took photographs of the kids dancing and playing. What a strange contrast between the innocence of youth dancing and the somber feel of the cemetery.
We left the cemetery and slowly walked towards the Jardin du Luxembourg. Our stroll took a while but was lovely. The birds were chirping and from the sounds of children playing in the distance, we knew we were heading in the right direction towards the park. Initially, the park was extremely crowded and families were everywhere but as we strolled further, the family park turned into the lover/ student park. The chairs near the fountain were filled with young couples kissing and young adults reading books; everyone was out today soaking up the Parisian sun.
Our relaxing day ended with a relaxing Italian meal at a restaurant across the street from our apartment. I ordered a glass of Bordeaux and a meat stuffed tortellini with a light creme sauce, while he ordered a beer and seafood pasta with red sauce. And for desert, we split a banana split. The meal was an amazing way to end our great day. Life is good.
BONNE CHANCE FELLOW TRAVELERS
Lindsay
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Running and Endless Walking
April 5th, 2010
The morning began with a simple question. “Do you want to run to the Eiffel Tower?” I usually don’t like to say no to a challenge, so naturally my response was, “Sure, let’s do it.” We put on our running shoes, stretched and within minutes were outside in the brisk morning air. We crossed Rue de Rivoli and ran through the Louvre; the building is overwhelming and makes a person feel so small in comparison. In less than 5 minutes we were running along the River Seine with the Eiffel Tower in the distance. The wind was cold across my face but the beauty of the sun creating sparkles in the water distracted me. My lungs breathed in and out calmly, despite the morning traffic and cars honking. Il fait beau, it was beautiful weather. The run passed by quickly and before I knew it we were crossing the bridge towards to the Eiffel Tower on the left bank. Tourists were already waiting in line to ride the attraction, men were trying to sell rows of Eiffel Tower keychains and postcards on their arms, and big red buses with open tops were letting passengers off to visit the national monument. I was relieved to find that he wanted to walk back home instead of running. As we walked, the Parisian sun warmed my face and we practiced French vocabulary words all the way home.
After freshening up and having lunch in the apartment, we decided to explore the 5th and 6th arrondissements. We walked to the Tuileries garden and took many photos of the garden and the Louvre before crossing the river to the rive gauche (left bank). The small streets on the left bank were full of antique shops and real estate offices then the smalls streets gave way to a big street, Rue Saint Germain with famous shops like Cartier and Armani. We turned a corner and found an Irish pub called Corcorans and decided to go in for a pint. We talked to the bartender over a Magners and a Guinness and learned he was from Australia and married a French woman. He said his wife was constantly trying to teach him proper French but he still hadn't come close to mastering the language, even after living in Paris for two years. We finished our pints and continued on our way. Down the street from the pub, I found a great teal colored hat for 15 Euros. We explored Saint Germain a while longer before returning to our apartment. We ate a light dinner at home, curled up on the sofa and watched French television for a while before retiring early. Another beautiful day exploring the world's most majestic city.
BONNE CHANCE FELLOW TRAVELERS,
Lindsay
The morning began with a simple question. “Do you want to run to the Eiffel Tower?” I usually don’t like to say no to a challenge, so naturally my response was, “Sure, let’s do it.” We put on our running shoes, stretched and within minutes were outside in the brisk morning air. We crossed Rue de Rivoli and ran through the Louvre; the building is overwhelming and makes a person feel so small in comparison. In less than 5 minutes we were running along the River Seine with the Eiffel Tower in the distance. The wind was cold across my face but the beauty of the sun creating sparkles in the water distracted me. My lungs breathed in and out calmly, despite the morning traffic and cars honking. Il fait beau, it was beautiful weather. The run passed by quickly and before I knew it we were crossing the bridge towards to the Eiffel Tower on the left bank. Tourists were already waiting in line to ride the attraction, men were trying to sell rows of Eiffel Tower keychains and postcards on their arms, and big red buses with open tops were letting passengers off to visit the national monument. I was relieved to find that he wanted to walk back home instead of running. As we walked, the Parisian sun warmed my face and we practiced French vocabulary words all the way home.
After freshening up and having lunch in the apartment, we decided to explore the 5th and 6th arrondissements. We walked to the Tuileries garden and took many photos of the garden and the Louvre before crossing the river to the rive gauche (left bank). The small streets on the left bank were full of antique shops and real estate offices then the smalls streets gave way to a big street, Rue Saint Germain with famous shops like Cartier and Armani. We turned a corner and found an Irish pub called Corcorans and decided to go in for a pint. We talked to the bartender over a Magners and a Guinness and learned he was from Australia and married a French woman. He said his wife was constantly trying to teach him proper French but he still hadn't come close to mastering the language, even after living in Paris for two years. We finished our pints and continued on our way. Down the street from the pub, I found a great teal colored hat for 15 Euros. We explored Saint Germain a while longer before returning to our apartment. We ate a light dinner at home, curled up on the sofa and watched French television for a while before retiring early. Another beautiful day exploring the world's most majestic city.
BONNE CHANCE FELLOW TRAVELERS,
Lindsay
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