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
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