Day 72.83333: Karma

Listening to: "The Lady is a Tramp" from the musical Babes In Arms

So my tendency to play tricks on people may have decided to come back and haunt me today.

I was growing increasingly panicked as I stood by the Richelieu entrance to the Louvre underground, and I saw no one from my class arrive, even by 2:30 pm. 

Desperate, I moved to an upper floor to send my teacher an email. Then inspiration hit me: I knew where one of the paintings discussed in class was. I just had to hang around there. Incidentally, it was this painting of Napoleon, with its not-so-subtle Jesus imagery. What can we say? Kind Louis XIV thought he was Apollo; Napoleon thought he was Jesus. As John Green says about Roman Emperors, "[They] sure knew a thing about humility or too." 

Of course, he said that with his eyes very wide and his voice as flat as possible to squeeze out all the irony.

Anyway, sitting in front of this propaganda painting can be rather overwhelming, so I plugged myself into the Louvre app I had downloaded last time I missed my class. So I spent about an hour and a half sitting there on the bench, causing the ire of many _____ tour groups. The Louvre app has a lot of information about works of art we've visited--and, of course, others I'd never even heard of. 

I was tempted to go exploring for all of these pieces, but finally I saw my teacher enter the room. I jumped up and ran after her, and I had to explain that I had been waiting there for them. Of course, I chose the painting she basically ended class with.

At least my Art History teacher genuinely believes that I am at the Louvre when this happens. I think it's because everyone can just sense what an incredible nerd I am.

But yeah... Until they appeared, I was worried I'd been punked, even though I've never seen the show and I'm pretty sure it was sort of before my time?

This is what happens to terrible prank-pullers like me!

Anyway, she and I finally sorted out why I've always been missing the class: it turns out the class meets at the Richelieu passage aboveground. Oops. In my defense, I did test out that theory and went outside...only to discover the lines are much, much longer than downstairs. Oy. These people are fucking idiots! If they just came in underground... Anyway. I wasn't sure what the protocol for waiting in line with an Art class was, so I just scurried back downstairs. It took a lot of cajoling on my part with the guard who's probably heard every excuse under the sun, but he finally let me through without trouble.

I guess this is the advantage of discovering Paris through the Metro. I didn't realize the outside entrance was really a thing. But yes, it is, and it's always crowded. Now, I thought the downstairs entrance could be crowded, but I was very much mistaken. Once again, perspective.

 Ohhhhhhh.

Admittedly, it is more scenic outside, but I don't think waiting is worth it. I'm a very impatient person.

BONUS ROUND

So these perplexing Metro posters appear to be part of some campaign to encourage people to be better Metro citizens. Which is strange because the Metro doesn't exactly bar eating or cell phone use--besides, most importantly, nobody has actually caused a problem with it. However, one of the upsides to riding a Metro in a different country is that when a political/religious/passionate person starts making a speech, you can genuinely act as if you can't understand them--because you actually can't!

Whoa. I had been to the Montparnasse-Bienvenue Metro station before, but I'd never come in through Line 13. The Varenne station outside of the Rodin is Line 13, and surprisingly, I think it's the nicest line I've ridden on. It's the DC equivalent of the Blue Line. The Varenne Metro Stop itself has statues of Rodin's Thinker and Balzac. Then I get here, which makes me feel like I'm at Chicago's O'Hare airport, and I'm always happy whenever I'm reminded of that lovely place. :)

There's always time for pigeon photos.

Super awesome poster at Shakespeare & Co. It reminds me of a poster in one of my former English teacher's classrooms--that was the highlight of my class. And yes, that man in the bottom left is Fitzgerald--the one who kind of looks like he's wearing a bad, two-humped toupee. Oh well.

Dubliners poster obscured by a plant at Shakespeare & Co.

Now that I think of it, I completely neglected to show you any pictures of the outside of the Sainte-Chapelle. Let me rectify that...

I have this nice zoomed-in picture because when I show you the full scene...

...the presence of the cars and the crane in the background kind of makes it lose its charm.

Yeah, the Sainte-Chapelle is rather spiky. Maybe to discourage birds from sitting on it? I don't know. At least that keeps it looking cleaner than the Sacré-Cœur.

Speaking of the Sacré-Cœur, one of my future roommates--Sabrina--is coming to Paris tomorrow! Nope, we haven't met, but I hope it's the beginning of a beautiful friendship, Casablanca-style. Wish Jamie could be here--and Loren! Sabrina informed me that she wants to visit the Sacré-Cœur and the Eiffel Tower. Now, since the Sacré-Cœur area is rather sketchy and she gets in at 5 pm... We'll see. I don't want us to get attacked. That might taint her impression of Paris.

Of course, I could just put on my most foreboding face and scare off all the criminals.

Oh, and good food, she said as well... Hmmmm. So hard to choose! Sometimes it helps to be more specific, as good restaurants are in abundance, but they mostly depend on people's tastes.

If I have her permission, of course, I can't wait to talk about tomorrow! And to experience it! :D

One last picture: bright, tiled artwork outside the underground Louvre Metro entrance.