I never thought I would love a hotel room so much but I adore our little place, a narrow building shoved between a butcher and outdoor cafe. Every day when we return home from walking Paris, I am relieved to see our narrow twin beds, long floral drapes and miniature bathroom.
If I open the French doors I can see across into apartments. This afternoon I watched a woman iron and hang her fresh laundry out to dry on her little patio. Below her, a family sat outside talking.
I was content just to watch them.
Today was a long day and I think every part of my foot is hurting from Paris' cobblestone streets. We walked to the Metro, (side note: I love the Metro and think it is genius), we walked to the Musée d'Orsay and then walked all around the museum. At this point, my feet were still sore from the Louvre the day before. After the Louvre, we went to the base of Montmarte in search of a shop suggested to us by a friend (we couldn't find it) and then went over near Bastille to try and find another shop suggested by a different friend (we also couldn't find it.) From there, we took the Metro to Notre Dame and walked around the Île de la Cité until I could hobble no more. I decided I know why the Parisians have the reputation for being so thin.
Despite the long day, I wouldn't trade my blistered feet for any part of it, especially the Musée d'Orsay. Again, the place was over-crowded and I stood shoulder to backpack to shoulder to another shoulder in a massive groups in front of many pieces of art. The crowds made it impossible to linger in front of pieces that required time to absorb.
Just wandering around the museum made me want to paint and I can barely doodle. Something about the brush strokes of Van Gogh and Manet and the colors of Cézzane, Pizarro, and Seurat make it seem like creating a masterpiece would be a simple task.
Tomorrow we leave Paris. Sitting outside the Notre Dame earlier this evening, my mom and I basked in the sun, watching the tourists walk in front of us. It seems like all of Europe is visiting Paris this week and we usually try and guess the nationality of each person passing before they speak.
Today we were just content to sit and sip our limonade without speaking. After sitting in comfortable silence for a bit my mom announced that she wouldn't mind living in Paris. I agreed.
Things I love about Paris:
-limonade
-the convenience of the Metro
-the incredible history and age of the city
-the narrow streets and apartments with flower boxes on their terraces
-the variety of people and languages
Despite the long day, I wouldn't trade my blistered feet for any part of it, especially the Musée d'Orsay. Again, the place was over-crowded and I stood shoulder to backpack to shoulder to another shoulder in a massive groups in front of many pieces of art. The crowds made it impossible to linger in front of pieces that required time to absorb.
Just wandering around the museum made me want to paint and I can barely doodle. Something about the brush strokes of Van Gogh and Manet and the colors of Cézzane, Pizarro, and Seurat make it seem like creating a masterpiece would be a simple task.
Tomorrow we leave Paris. Sitting outside the Notre Dame earlier this evening, my mom and I basked in the sun, watching the tourists walk in front of us. It seems like all of Europe is visiting Paris this week and we usually try and guess the nationality of each person passing before they speak.
Today we were just content to sit and sip our limonade without speaking. After sitting in comfortable silence for a bit my mom announced that she wouldn't mind living in Paris. I agreed.
Things I love about Paris:
-limonade
-the convenience of the Metro
-the incredible history and age of the city
-the narrow streets and apartments with flower boxes on their terraces
-the variety of people and languages
Posts
This is my favorite post yet :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the beautiful images you have painted in my mind.....
ReplyDeleteWow I can smell feel and almost taste Paris. My feet even hurt. Thanks for your posts.
ReplyDeleteI just went to Paris for the first time last April-reading this brings it alive for me all over again. :)Musee D'Orsay was my favorite too.
ReplyDelete