Greatest Hits

Saturday, 22 December 2007

Today began with most of us feeling refreshed from a good night's sleep after the previous day's extended exertions. With all the troops rallied, we headed towards the Place de la Concorde to eat breakfast at a popular bakery, called Ladurée Royale. The large crowd waiting outside was a testament to its popularity, though luckily for us, they were happy to seat the 12 of us upstairs in a bit more private setting, meaning we did not have to wait in line like the rest. There were some drawbacks to this however as some amongst us, my mom most especially, would have been happy to wait in line to get up to the front and simply point to whichever pastry delight she most desired to succour herself with. As it was, I think we were all content enough to sit down and look over a menu and as a result I do not believe anybody was found wanting for a good breakfast.

After breakfast, we headed back towards the Place de la Concorde, where most everybody got on a metro to head towards the Louvre. Being the 'loner' that I was reputed to be throughout this trip, I was determined not to take the Metro for just a couple of stops when I could enjoy a short walk through Paris instead. Susan and Alex also joined me as we walked from the Place de la Concorde towards the Louvre.

First, a few words about the Place de la Concorde. We hardly spent any time there, but it is worth mentioning what it has to offer. In a word...history. It was here over 200 years ago that prominent historical figures such as King Louis XVI, Queen Marie Antoinette, and Robespierre, amongst others, met their end via the guillotine as the bourgeoisie roared on with approval. Governments should be afraid of their people, indeed. Another historical feature of the Place de la Concorde is the 3,300-year-old Egyptian Obelisk that stands prominently in the centre of the square. And centrality is a good theme to explain the significance of this square as it stands at the centre of the city and acts as a good launching point to a number of Paris's most popular attractions. To the west lies the beginning of the Champs-Élysées. Just a little bit south as you cross the Seine you will run into Les Invalides where you can involuntarily pay proper respect to Napoloen in his final resting place. Look to the south and the west and you will see the Eiffel Tower prominently featured.

If you head east from the Place de la Concorde, as me and the Crabtree's did, you can walk leisurely through the splendid Jardin des Tuileries towards the Louvre with its meticulously lined trees. I do not presume to say that those who took the Metro to the Louvre missed out on a wholly grand experience, but quite often, the best times in Paris are spent walking somewhat aimlessly around. Not that our wondering was aimless, mind you, as our course was set for the Louvre as we walked down the Tuileries.

Part of the reason that I wanted to walk from the Place de la Concorde to begin with was to approach the Louvre from the west and take in the grand view as the trees of the Tuileries begin to disappear with the park opening up right in front of you with its very manicured look as the edge of the Louvre and Arc de Triomphe du carrousel show themselves for the first time in the distance.

Soon after, we were standing in front of Mitterand's pyramid that marks the main entrance into the Louvre. Another of Paris's architectural controversies, it is hard for those of us culturally uninitiated to imagine the Louvre without the pyramid though it is not even 20 years old, but like the Eiffel Tower before it, it drew much consternation, this time for not keeping with the classical tradition of the Louvre. I admit that it seems like the most random thing on earth to have a big pyramid as the main entrance to a huge museum with only a touch of Egyptian history wrapped around it, but I think it does serve a purpose of romanticising the Louvre right from the off.

If you approach the Louvre from the east as me, Ryan, and Will did the last time, the first thing you notice is how huge the complex is, though admittedly we were not even sure it was the Louvre the first time we saw it. We just saw an enormous complex of buildings that had some soldiers with automatic weapons patrolling the area. After walking passed them without getting shot, we eventually came to the open square with the pyramid, and for lack of a better word, it was just cool to see this random pyramid sitting in the middle. The first time we came to the Louvre, we actually did not know it was the main entrance, so after taking some pictures around they pyramid, we walked around elsewhere looking for a way in before somebody finally told us that you actually enter through the pyramid and we probably thought that was just the coolest thing ever. All of that is a way of saying that I like the Louvre Pyramid just fine, no matter the circumstances that put it there.

After snapping a number of photographs of the beautiful exterior of the Louvre, me, Susan, and Alex finally made the descent down into this behemoth to meet up with the rest of the group and start our tour of this most famous of museums. We essentially dedicated our time here to the greatest of hits of the Louvre. I regret that I may never get a chance to show this museum the proper respect it is due, but we are on a budget in this tour group and such luxuries as time are not always afforded to those of us who wish to do all we can in a short time. Regardless, the Louvre is simply not a place that you can comb over in a day. Earlier, I purposely used the word 'behemoth' to describe it. I feel you would need to spend at least a week here to gain real perspective of what you were looking at.

We had a couple of hours so we whisked through only a small portion, taking in some ancient artifacts and sculptures of Roman emperors as we headed first towards the 'Winged Victory of Samothrace' and then to the 'Venus de Milo'. Both are impressive, but what makes them famous when compared to other sculptures is beyond me, though I admit that I am no art aficionado, so I do not wish to debase claims of praise made on their behalf. Therein lies the problem for many like us who visit the Louvre. It is wholly impressive to be sure and certainly worth multiple visits, but few among us can fully appreciate it, I think, which is fine as long we can admit that. When I look at the 'Venus de Milo', I heed the title more than the sculpture itself and think of Melos, where in ancient times Thucydides tells us that the Athenians held a dialogue with the city's council before eventually destroying it systematically. That is what I think of, but then again, I am a dork.

After viewing these sculptures, we then made our way towards the 'Mona Lisa', admiring all the Renaissance splendor along the way. Again, the paintings were beautiful, but you are almost more awestruck when you see names like da Vinci, Raphael, and Botticelli attributed to them. Shortly thereafter, we did come to Leonardo's masterpiece. It is surreal to look upon her, whether it be the first time for everyone else or the second time for me, Ryan, and Will. Again, the magnificence of the contours of the painting are beyond us. The subject matter is certainly mesmerizing with her devious smile and piercing eyes. I think that is what is most striking about the painting to the untrained eye. Art aficionados can no doubt pick out the finer details that make it an absolute masterpiece, but mere mortals such as myself are struck more by the weight of the moment when you realize you are looking at probably the most famous painting in the world.

After a while, we decided that for the rest of our time in the Louvre, we would split up into groups depending on who wanted to do what. My parents and I just wondered down the hall of French painters before taking in some works of Italian sculptures below. I am not quite sure where everyone else went, however. Ryan, Beth, Alex, and Susan I think went to inspect the remains of Egyptian antiquity while Danny and Lisa wondered off somewhere else. As for the Robertson's, this would mark the beginning of a frustrating couple of days for them. Christine had not been feeling well most of our time in Paris thus far, and after the Louvre, she actually had to call it a day, even at such an early hour which did not bode well. Will and Kevin, being the diligent sons that they are, retired with her and that was unfortunately the last that we really saw of them for the day, and indeed, for a couple of days, but more on that later.

For now, the rest of us met back up and headed towards the connecting mall to the Louvre to grab a snack and have a quick look around. Beth headed to a candy shop, my Mom looked around any shop that caught her fancy, and me and my Dad took in La Pyramide Inversée. With faultless, deadpan delivery, my Dad remarked that Mary Magdalene was buried underneath as he showed his unabashed reverence for the work of Tom Hanks and insisted on a picture. I too was caught up in the Hollywood appeal of the moment and happily acquiesced.

Our starry gaze momentarily halted, we eventually all reconvened at the centre of the Louvre, minus the Robertson's, and prepared to head towards the Île de la Cité and Notre Dame, but not before we took in the famous pyramid entrance once more. Actually, up to this point, only Susan, Alex, and I had seen it as those that came to the Louvre via the Metro entered underground through the mall, so this was their first time seeing the iconic building, and I dare say they were not disappointed by what they saw. Again, Tom Hanks and Dan Brown might have added to the magnificence of the building for them, but that is okay, and I cannot help myself but to have Hans Zimmer's prescient soundtrack running through my head knowing what history is concealed beneath its doors. The feeling amongst us was of a quite lighter nature, however, as we all took numerous pictures of the beautiful square, which is beautiful regardless of whether you conjure up images impressed upon you by Hollywood. With Will sidelined by his mother's illness, me and Ryan led the way as we walked leisurely down the Seine towards the Île de la Cité, enjoying the afternoon sun as we approached the Pont Neuf, the 'New Bridge' which is actually the oldest in Paris. The Île de la Cité is a natural island in the middle of the River Seine, and it is actually the oldest part of Paris. After the Gauls were conquered, Roman troops used it briefly as a camp and medieval Paris was founded here. As with most places that we visited during our time in Europe, there was some in depth history here.

But the objective of our visit to the ancient island was to see Notre Dame, though once on the island I had Ryan lead the rest of the group on while I took another 'loner' detour to view the Gothic chapel of Sainte-Chapelle with its magnificent spire. It was built in the middle of the 13th century to house the Crown of Thorns and a piece of the True Cross, along with other relics of Christ that had been pawned away by the Byzantines to Louis IX to save their crumbling empire, though pieces of the True Cross had already been taken from Constantinople following its sack by the Latins during the Fourth Crusade, which was actually a crusade against Byzantium and its Christian Church. Just another example of the excessive 'holy' deeds of the Catholic Church, I suppose.

I did not linger long before making the short walk to Notre Dame, which like Sacré-Cœur the night before, was much more grand and breathtaking than I remembered. It is very imposing too when you stand at its doors, feeling like it is about to swallow you up. Hard to believe that city planners had thought about tearing it down in the 19th century. Thank goodness for Victor Hugo and his novel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which helped save the Gothic cathedral from such a fate.

Soon, I was inside and caught up with the rest of the group. I did not spend too much time wandering around inside the cathedral since I had been here two years before. I sat down instead and took in the cathedral's intimate setting. My Mom called it 'the most beautiful cathedral (she) had ever been in.' Other cathedrals may seem more impressive. St Peter's in Rome and St Paul's in London certainly come to mind, but Notre Dame, while still catering to tourists, seems to come across as a place of worship first, a tourist attraction second, and I have always held great reverence for Notre Dame for that reason. Those who know me know I am not the most religious person, much to my family's chagrin, but I could more easily connect with God in such a setting as is offered there on the banks of the Seine, though I confess that Sacré-Cœur did not leave me wanting for spirituality the night before, either.

Soon, my family and the Crabtree's were waiting in line to go to the top of the cathedral while the Grant's decided to pass on climbing the stairs and instead headed to the impressionist mecca of the Musée d'Orsay, with a plan to meet back up early in the evening at the Arc de Triomphe. In the meantime, our group would enjoy the panoramic views from atop Notre Dame, which were only enhanced by the fading sun. It is always a popular spot up here as the city unfolds before you. You look to the northwest and instantly spot Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur rising above the city. To the west in the distance is La Defense, but you hardly notice it with your focus drawn to the Eiffel Tower, with the towering spire of Sainte-Chapelle featuring prominently as well while you look over Notre Dame's square with the Seine running along side it.

Then there are the gargoyles, whose company is always welcomed. Ever since I came back with pictures of them two years before, Beth had anxiously been awaiting her chance to see them herself. On my first visit, it had been a gray, cloudy day, but as the pictures will show, the weather was much more accommodating this time, and I was thankful. So too was Susan. By the end of the trip, she still remarked that her time atop Notre Dame was one of her favourite experiences from her time in Europe.

We soon descended the stairs of Notre Dame, where we then proceeded to walk around behind the cathedral at my bidding because I always think that one of the most beautiful views of Notre Dame is from behind where the Seine breaks up along the Île de la Cité. It was here that I soon realized that I could have those with me marching to whichever beat I desired. As we walked along the Seine, I would stop briefly to take some photos, and when I turned to catch up with the rest of the group I noticed that they had stopped as well, unwilling to proceed without me.

It was at this point that I felt that maybe I abused this role, however. We still had about an hour before we were to meet up with the Grant's and I had endeavoured to go on another 'loner' detour to see La Defense and its Grand Arche, but assumed everyone else would do what they wanted for a little while since the Arc de Triomphe was an easy spot to meet up at. Alex had wanted to visit the famous ferris wheel around the Place de la Concorde, and I still rue that everyone decided to head to La Defense with me as opposed to splitting up, especially given our short time at the spot.

Not that La Defense and its Grand Arche were disappointing. Far from it. It is quite amazing, actually. It was erected as a 20th century Arc De Triomphe, but it was dedicated to humanity and humanitarian ideals rather than military victories. It doubles as an office building and pictures do not really do it justice. When looking at it for the first time on my camera, someone asked me if it was about 5 stories tall. It is actually 25 stories tall, big enough to fly a plane through. A local Christmas market also added to the atmosphere of the area and my Mom would have quite liked to have been able to see what all it had to offer, but my Dad's credit card was quite relieved that we were to meet the Grant's at the Arc de Triomphe in just a little while.

We were a little late, but as it turns out, so were they. We spent a short time taking in the Arc de Triomphe, which was a gift from Napoleon to his troops in honour of their victory at Austerlitz against the Russian and Austrian empires. Today, it acts as more of a monument to all those who have fought for France. Its surrounding roundabout also acts as a gauntlet to any fool who wishes to test the driving acumen of the French. The Champs-Élysées comes barreling right into the square to form a basic free for all for anyone who wishes to take up the challenge. The driving down the Champs-Élysées is not as dangerous, but no less hectic really as this area has succumbed fully to the trappings of tourism.

The Champs-Élysées is still worth seeing, however. It can be overwhelming, but there were no complaints from our reunited group as we walked down the famous boulevard, well lit for Christmas, determined to find a good brasserie or something to stop in and eat at. Occasionally, the ladies stopped in to have a look at the department stores, and I think Alex may have gotten something for herself while the Grant's called up Valerie, Ryan's sister, to entrigue her with some outfit selections, even sending her pictures with Ryan's phone, but she was not buying.

All that was left to do for the night was to get something to eat. This turned out to be a somewhat tricky task, but this was mainly due to everyone's indecisiveness in choosing a place. Despite the fact that the Champs-Élysées screams 'tourist trap', it is quite easy to simply walk off on a side street and find a decent place to eat with good food and reasonable prices. Two years before, Ryan, Will, and I had veered ever so slightly off the avenue and quickly found a local brasserie geared more towards locals with impeccable food and maybe the best dessert we had ever tasted.

This time, as touched on already, we did not quite as easily stumble onto an accomodating eatery, but when we did finally find one that appeased everyone, it turned out to be a gem of a place. It was somewhat disconcerting when they placed in the basement by ourselves, but after a while, we were joined by other customers who no doubt took interest in our presence there as we screamed American Imperialism. Our waitress did not speak much English, but our parents did not let that infringe upon their desire to pretend that she spoke perfect English since they spoke to her as though hand signals combined with speaking slowly and annunciating clearly would bridge the comprehension gap. Luckily, our waitress was good-natured and savy enough to somehow let our whole meal go off without a hitch. I cannot for the life of me remember what everyone had, but in general there were no complaints, only compliments on the meal and the service.

It had been a hectic day for our 'greatest hits' type tour of Paris, but our time in France was drawing to a close with everyone in pretty good spirits as well as having a good impression of France and its people, perhaps debunking the myth of grumpy Parisians and their Gallic insensibilities. The hour was getting late and we had an early wake-up call the next morning for our first train ride around Europe and we wanted to make sure that it went off without a hitch. Well, it did not. But that was for tomorrow. Tonight, we went to bed content with the manner of our trip thus far, not worried about what tomorrow would bring.