New Year's Day

Having not gotten to bed until about 3 last night, I planned to stay in today to clean up my notes, do some writing, and just relax. By early afternoon, though, I found myself antsy, so I went for an aimless walk as a flaneur through Paris. Ended up at the Monde Arabe, the museum of the Arab world. The building itself is fascinating: a series of irises that mechanically open and close to let in light. Here's a picture of the outside of the building as one enters: 

There's currently an exhibition on Napoleon's Egyptian campaign. I wasn't really in a museum mood, but I'll head back there in a few days. After having some sweet Turkish tea in the tea room, I headed through the Musee de Plein Aire--a sculpture garden that runs down along the Seine. Eventually ended up in the Jardin des Plantes, Paris' botanical garden. I came across a picture of a mandrake root as a female figure (above), which really brings to light John Donne's poems "Go and Catch a Falling Star": 

Go and catch a falling star,

Get with child a mandrake root,

Tell me where all past years are,

Or who cleft the Devil's foot,

Teach me to hear mermaids singing....

At any rate, it was quite a large garden, with a zoo and several museums attached, as well as a fascinating collection of trees. The historic ones had labels, noting when they'd been planted--the earliest I noticed was 1782. On the final walk home I noticed the ornate door above. That's it for now...ciao.

Happy New Year!

I started off by taking the metro to the Arc de Triomphe, but realized that I was there two hours early with nothing to do but shiver, so I walked down the Champs and took a metro to Trocadero. Very pretty but cold way to ring in the New Year. 

The ride home was quite an adventure. I walked down to the Bir Hakeim stop, thinking it might be easier to get on, but instead stood on a crush in a platform watching one or two people get shoved into the cars each time one arrived. I couldn't even back up for about 45 minutes. It was madness, and I kept waiting for either someone to fall onto the tracks or the platform to collapse. On young man passed out briefly, and it was quite a problem just getting him off to the side. I eventually made my way out of the station and walked home. Other than the ride home, though, a good day. I think I'll take tomorrow off and concentrate on writing up my notes.

Happy New Year's Eve

Just to prove I'm in Paris:

Last night I felt the need to deviate from my self imposed routine, which is to follow one Metro line, stop-by-stop, until finished--even if it took several days. After dinner last night (Cassoulet from a can, actually very good), I went for a non-scheduled ramble, and ended up walking from Pont St. Michel to the Eiffel Tower. After a week in the city, I still hadn't seen it at night, having begun the project in lines that run primarily through the right bank. If felt good just to explore. Even though it was around ten at night, I never felt worried in even the darkest, smallest streets. I think that one of the reasons I prefer Paris is that it, in general, feels so much safer than most major cities. So far I've been extensively researching through areas with reputations for trouble, like Barbes-Roucheouart, Belleville, St. Denis, etc., and the only time I've felt a twinge of worry was when I found myself on a metro with about ten English skinheads. They seemed to be trying awfully hard to appear threatening, which only served to make them look like boisterous frat boys--with bad haircuts. I know that the banlieus are another matter, and violence can break out anywhere, but so far, pas de probleme.

PS--for Karin and Larry: I've searched everywhere for the gnome store. Here is the closest I could find:

If you notice on this last video, the store wishes all a "scary christmas"--thought you'd enjoy:

OK--I just watched the videos. The gnomes really are there, in the background (unless they're hiding from you, which gnomes tend to do).

Tuesday

Just finished shopping at the Monoprix for the next four days (four days because I bought four bananas and four yogurts). Having the Monoprix just up by the Cluny is so much easier that two years ago, when we had to go by Metro. Here's a Video of what I bought:

On the way to Monoprix I passed a band playing in front of Davioud's statue in Place St. Michel. Loved the little girl dancing:

That's all for tonight. Adieu.

Day ?--it's Monday

Just continuing to work my way through the Metro. I'm just about finished line 3 after today. It's going well, although I think I'm getting sick. The temperature "feels like" 17 degrees, according to weatherchannel.com, and I've had to wear my fur trader hat out lately. I think my inner clock has finally adjusted--no more need for naps during the day. Just a couple of quick photos of two oddly disturbing ads from Orangina machines.