I'll let you in on a secret: I actually keep a Note page on my phone titled "Blog Topics," in which I jot down what I'd like to remember for the blog. I have so many good ones from today, but since there are so many pictures and my life can't be exciting every day, I'll just spread out the good stuff.
Yeah, so I've been walking by the Sewers about, oh, every day for the past two months without realizing they were here. Oops.
It was especially important today for me to walk this path because THIS is where I got hopelessly lost on my first day. Well, now I'm armed with Google Maps and much more Paris-savvy, so I was like:
I'm sorry; I'm a Chinese-American girl who was born right before Mulan came out. We can't help it.
You know, this stroll is much more enjoyable when it's warm out. And when you know where you're going.
The presence of this bridge is precisely what got me lost that first day. Because the directions told me to walk away from the bridge. Except there were two bridges! Which bridge was I walking away from? Oh, the inner turmoil! My problem was, I thought we had to go parallel to the Seine. Oops.
Green grass! :O
The four pictures above are all of a memorial on this walkway dedicated to the combatants of the Algerian War. As an uninformed American, I know absolutely nothing about this war, which is devastating for me, looking at all the names above and not knowing what they died for, if they even died for anything. It's very sobering. All I know is that Albert Camus--author of The Stranger, one of my favorite books--lived in Algeria during his childhood.
Everyone was getting on a Seine cruise. I wasn't into the idea, but now I am. It's amazing how good weather can change your mind about everything!
This had to be one of the oddest placements of a "Je suis Charlie" sign I've ever seen. And I've been here for three months, and these signs are not everywhere anymore.
This spot right here has perfect views of nearly everything...
Exhibit A
Exhibit B
Exhibit C
Just wow.
Oh, I snapped a photo of someone in front of the Eiffel Tower. I guess I look trustworthy enough to handle someone's phone. And to show off my new French knowledge, I told him that there are stands in front of the Eiffel Tower, and that it's much easier to get a good shot of yourself and the Eiffel on one of those. God, I felt so cool. :D
It's just funny because I see the analogous street in New York City all the time.
Now here comes a great "oh, duh, Willard" moment: the building ahead? I thought that was the National assembly, given that it had French flags and crowds and looked very grand. Nope. It's the Maritime Museum, joined alongside the Trocadero Aquarium. Time to smack myself on the forehead!
I couldn't stop taking pictures of the greenery because I've missed it!
"Willard, why are you taking a picture of a dumb tree?" Well, this tree, according to the plaque, was donated by America. It's from California. So a little bit of home (the United States, not CA) right here. :)
Everyone was sprawled out lazily, reading or sunbathing. It was so perfect.
And then I got here and was like, "Ohhhhh, this is where that place Jamie told me about is." She did a lot more research before coming here; she asked me about this place and I was like, Uhhhhhhh.
Now, this is why I need friends: I NEED to get a jumping picture like that one. Maybe I'll recruit Carly Martino. By the way, Mrs. Martino, if you're reading this, tell your granddaughter to contact me! I love showing people around Paris, mostly because it makes me feel way cooler than I really am.
Also, I'm 99% sure that this place is in a scene in Sabrina--the Harrison Ford remake, as that's the only one my mother watches. You know, the scene where they're looking for the model's contact lenses and Sabrina steps on them? No? Someone please vouch for me.
This is just a great people spot.
I know I am a lame tourist when I'm taking a picture of a little fountain. But come on! It's so much cuter than in the United States.
The three shots above feature a Bubble Man and kids running after them. I probably looked totally creepy taking those photos, but it was such a cool sight.
A grandmotherly woman with a baby was kind enough to take this picture of me.
So this area looked rife with potential exploration opportunities! There wasn't a sign saying "no," and in the absence of that, I just go where I want until someone (usually) yells at me.
Trust me, it looks cool in the photos. But I got about halfway up, and, well, here's my stream of consciousness narration:
Oh, shit. I think that was a beer bottle? OH, SHIT. Those are clothes. And a sleeping bag. Did some high school kids have fun up here? Wait, no. This place just got shadowy and hobo-murder-y. I better scram.
Unfortunately, I am not as delightfully incomprehensible as James Joyce, but oh well. We can't all be like you, Jim.
Sorry, I just love street signs.
I loved these steps; they felt a lot less creepy and murder-y. But then I realized I was getting tired. So I headed off. Really, I was in search of the museum entrance, and then I got sidetracked trying to find the cemetery where Manet is apparently buried. Did I find either? Nope. Oh well. Next time.
By the way, the reason Oscar Wilde and Jim Morrison are buried in the giant cemetery here in Paris? (This is a different cemetery than the one I mentioned above.) All because they happened to die here. Well, I guess there are worse places to be buried. But mentioning Oscar Wilde reminds me of his awesome last words.
To quote John Green, "Oscar Wilde, dying in a garishly decorated hotel room, famously said, 'Either that wallpaper goes, or I do.'" What a guy.
It's amazing who they'll name these streets after. Wait, did someone draw a heart on this? Oh, no. Well, if I'm recalling APUSH correctly (which I'm sure Mr. A is hoping I am), Ben Franklin was a very good friend to Paris. So was Thomas Jefferson. And I'm pretty sure the French loved Ben Franklin back. Yes, here's the confirmation: he was ambassador to France. (By the way, if you Google "Ben Franklin in Paris," you actually get results for a musical titled Ben Franklin in Paris. Oh, I need to see that!)
I'm guessing this is the elusive cemetery I couldn't find, but at that point, since it looked like there was no entrance (except maybe that ladder?), I decided to go home. Phew.
By the way, the Metro was free today. That's the second time I've experienced that; it's great. Would the same thing ever happen in America? I snorted while thinking about that because the answer is definitely "hell no." I don't even think celebrating America's 300th birthday would warrant such a celebration as free Metro rides. We can get Bruce Springsteen to perform on the Mall but no metro gratuit. Sigh.
I hope this makes up for my days of sloth. :)
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