Monthly Archives: September 2014

Adjusting

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It appears I need to remain a night owl, as the residents in my building come and go until the wee hours and the walls are fairly thin.  I am such a light sleeper that it is 2:00 am by the time it settles down enough for me to be able to sleep.  I’m hoping that this will improve or that I will learn to tune it out.

I decided that a quieter day was I order as I have a bit of a froggy throat and perhaps the beginnings of shin splints.  Nothing serious but all the walking and climbing all the flights of stairs takes a bit of getting used to.

I went for a short walk that somehow turned into a long one.  It is just so darn tempting to see what is around the next corner, or a bit further down the street.  I watched a boat use the locks on the Canal St. Martin, along with a large group of Japanese business men, all in suits and ties.  It sounded like they enjoyed watching it as much as I did.

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I was looking for a stationary store so I could buy a highlighter for my map and it took a bit of doing, but I saw so many other interesting stores along the way, like this little book shop.

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There are book stores on almost every street and I found a really neat one today with a lot of different art and design books.  Too bad all the ones I like are so big and heavy.

Sometimes my family teases me about packing all the little things that I think I might need on a trip, but this guy at the Gare de l’Est definitely has me beat!

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I have never seen anyone travel with a TV before!

Sorry about not putting the proper accents on words, for some reason the IPad just won’t let me do it.  Anyone know how? I tried holding the key down and the options pop up but nothing happens when I click on them.

I did pick up tickets for Giverny, Monet’s house and garden, and the train tickets to get there and back.  It is about an hour outside Paris and I will try to get there in the next couple of days while the weather is nice.

I witnessed a rather unsettling event today, just south of the Gare de l’Est. A young man wearing a backpack had collapsed on the sidewalk and he was not moving at all. He appeared to be on his own, but some people were calling for help. It took at least ten minutes for the police and the ambulance to arrive; I heard their sirens as I came out of the nearby stationary store. He did not look very well at all, and it makes me wonder what happened. Also made me think a bit more about being on my own…

Actually one thing that is difficult when travelling alone is not having someone to share things with. I guess this blog is my antidote for that. I do miss sharing things with Bob and  having him here to carry things for me!  My bag seems to grow heavier as the day progresses.

Thank you to everyone who has sent emails or left comments left on the blog. I really enjoy hearing from everyone.

Bonne Nuit, Trudy

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Cezanne, Degas, Picasso and Trudy

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So what do we all have in common?  We buy our art supplies at Senneliers, the oldest art supply store in Paris!  It was founded in 1887: Cezanne bought his oils here, Picasso liked their grey pastels, and Degas was one of the first clients for their 700 colour range of pastels. I resisted buying any more pastels (I do have a rather extensive collection…) but I wanted to buy a sketchbook for life drawing sessions here in Paris.   I ended up buying three instead of just one.  What was I to do?  They were all nice and I couldn’t make up my mind.

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The display and storage counters are original and have a lovely patina of age.  The store isn’t all that large, but it is steeped in history and packed with beautiful art supplies. This wall of dry pigment is stunning and so are these luscious giant soft pastels, but check out the price, almost $20 each!

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imageBesides spending money on art supplies, I saved lots of money at the Louvre. With my permanent teacher’s certificate I was able to purchase a yearly pass for only 35€.  The entrance fee is 15€ and I intend to visit often, so this is really quite a bargain.  I wasn’t sure that the agent was going to accept my Certificate, but after a little discussion, in French, he decided it was OK.  One of the best things about this pass is that I don’t have to wait in line to get into the Louvre.  There is a special entrance for pass holders.  This morning when I arrived the line up to get inside was wrapped around the pyramid all the way to the reflecting pond in the front of this picture and was three or four people wide.   Once inside it is necessary to line up again to buy a ticket.  I was able to go in another entrance to buy the pass, so I didn’t even need to line up today either.  Yay!

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I wandered around inside the Louvre for an hour or so and started to feel very tired and had a little cough and sore throat starting so I decided to head home early and get a bit of rest. Walking to the metro I found several streets that seem to be all Art Galleries, one after the other.  I will have to return another day.

I crossed the Seine on the Pont Neuf,  the bridge with the love locks (lovers attach a lock with their names on it onto the bridge and throw the key in the Seine).  This is being discouraged as it pollutes the Seiene and puts a strain on the bridge structure due to the weight of all the locks.  They are removed periodically, and today there were not as many as I have seen in some pictures.  Then I saw one of the things I don’t like much about Paris, a man relieving himself in plain sight on the bridge!  Not all the puddles here are from dogs…

imagePerhaps a few pictures of my apartment will give you a idea of the size of the average Paris apartments.  Mine is 12′ x10′ with a 6′ x 3.5′ kitchen nook.  It also has a little bathroom with a 2′ x3 ‘ shower that is actually quite generous by Parisian standards, for a total of about 170’ square feet. I saw an advertisement today for a similar looking apartment that was 23 square meters, or about 240 square feet for sale for 240,000€ or about $336,000 Canadian!  Remember this is also not in the heart of Paris, but in the 10th arrondissment.

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Luxembourg Gardens and St. Sulpice

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Today was lovely, 22° and sunny with a light breeze.  A great day for exploring and wandering about Paris.

I took the metro all the way to rue de la Grande Chaumiere which is where the life drawing sessions I want to attend are held. Turns out it is just around the corner from a metro station and it is very easy to get to, just one train all the way from the Gare de l’Est, which is about a ten minute walk from my apartment. I love the metro, it is easy and fast and offers such great people watching.  The Academie was closed so I didn’t get any more information, but I will try to attend one of their sessions soon.

I decided to walk back and see what I could see, only there is so much to see that I barely knew where to look next.image

I stopped to take a picture of of some brushes in a shop window that does art restoration along Boulevard Montparnasse and then headed towards the Luxembourg Gardens.

imageFountain at Place Ernest Denis

Oops, a bit blurry.

At Place Ernest Denis I found a great fountain with horse sculptures that caught my attention.  I decided to draw, and settled down in a quiet corner, but soon the park was full of children playing after school.  They were curious but didn’t approach until one brave little boy came over to see what I was drawing.  I was then very quickly surrounded with about twenty children who wanted to see my sketch and asked questions and told me things, not all of which I understood.  One little girl very knowingly said, “ah, vous etes Anglaise”, after I said something in French.

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After finishing my drawing I strolled through Luxembourg gardens, remembering the last time I was here with Bob.  We had a picnic on the grass just as so many people were doing today. Picnicking, reading, talking, playing cards, I even saw one man repeatedly lick his girlfriend’s foot!  Not something you see everyday.

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imageParisians love their gardens and green spaces, I can’t believe how many people are out in them everyday, and the flowers are amazing.

I stopped to visit St. Sulpice, a very grand cathedral, and there was a little white heart on the ground just outside the door that seemed very welcoming,

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I am truly in a state of awe when I visit these cathedrals.  I touch the stone and wonder about all the people who have been here before me, perhaps touching this exact spot.

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Then I turned around and saw this….

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It was in a little side chapel called the Chapel of Holy Angels, that had three large Delacroix paintings, painted between 1855 and 1861.  Just below one of these huge paintings there was a chair, illuminated by the late afternoon sun and it felt as though, just perhaps, an angel was present.

 

Taking Care of Business

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I had a productive day, but not without it’s difficulties.  After lunch I headed to the Gare de l’Est and managed to get my Navigo pass, but not at the office I was directed to yesterday. They sent me someplace else, but I was successful, and it was only the fifth place that I tried!

Pass in hand I boarded the Metro and headed towards Notre Dame area where the office to get my phone SIM card was located.  I was pleasantly surprised at how easily I found my way on the metro, and soon I was standing in front of the correct address, but the office was closed.  I did have a backup plan in place (I am starting to figure out how things operate here) so back on the Metro and I headed to the next address I had for a SIM card dealer.  I found that one without too much difficulty, but they no longer sold the cards, so I set out for the third address, a place called Fat Tires Bike Tours.  It seemed a strange place to buy a SIM card, and I was starting to feel a little bit desperate.  My apartment is in the north east corner of Paris, and I was now in the south west part of the city.Geraniums in Flower box

One of the many windows with geraniums on my walk.

I was having a bit of trouble finding this place in spite of fairly good directions from the lady at the second store.  I decided to try to buy a map as backup, just in case I got really lost.  A car rental place sold me a Michelin map called Paris par Arrondissement but the street I needed was not in the index.  The man selling the maps tried to help, and then another fellow looked up the address on his cell phone, so I at least had an idea of it’s vicinity.

After a long walk and retracing my steps a couple of times I actually found the place, and yes, they sell SIM cards and yes! they speak English!  That was a relief, as I was running out of options.

Turns out the process is not an easy one. It took two very nice young clerks more than an hour to get me set up and they needed to use the chat line with someone at the online site. They were so kind, I don’t think I would have managed this on my own, especially with a brand new phone that I really don’t know much about.  I gave them a generous tip for all their help, it was well worth it.

Carvings on Paris Building

This building had beautiful tree carvings under the balcony, and then I looked up!  This is one of the many things I love about Paris.  Every street and every corner turned offers surprises.Carvings on Paris BuildingAll this took over six hours!  I was exhausted and finally stopped for a pot of tea and something to eat, only to discover that the kitchen was closed until 7:00, so I had a Lara bar with my tea and then headed home.  I was too tired to try to get my pass for the Louvre, that will have to wait.

The street I turned onto after my tea break offered this view.

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I stopped at three more stores looking for distilled water for my CPAP machine, but no luck.  It takes a while to find out where to buy things in a city in another country,  using another language.  I must say that the Parisians that I have dealt with have been very kind, friendly and helpful.  I am not sure if it is because I am speaking as much French as I can but I have yet to   meet one rude or unkind person.

I have been a bit too busy and too tired to do any drawing in spite of carrying my sketch book with me, but today I chanced upon an art studio and they offer life drawing once a month on Sunday.  The artist I spoke to said there are not many studios open to tourists, that the schools require you to be a resident to attend their life drawing session, so I was fortunate to find this one.

 

 

Vous Etes Magnifique!

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This morning I woke with a smile on my face.  Yes I thought, I really am in Paris.  Sometimes dreams do come true, and this trip is certainly a dream come true for me.  When Bob and I were in Paris several years ago I kept an art journal. I wrote in it that I wondered if I would ever be able to return to Paris and spend as much time as I wanted looking at my favourite paintings in the Louvre.  I will be able to do that and more on this trip.  It is a lovely indulgence to only think about and do those things that interest me.

Closing both windows and their curtains and pulling down the blinds all helped to muffle the street noise so I had a fairly good sleep.

I went out for a walk this afternoon and headed over to the Gare de l’Est to purchase a Navigo Card, only to discover that the booth had just closed   This card gives unlimited travel on the metro and bus lines for about 60 Euros per month.  I like the idea of being able to hop on and off the bus or metro whenever I like all for one easy price. I will do that tomorrow.

I spent the next couple of hours wandering the streets, watching children playing, skateboarders skating and people strolling everywhere.  Parisians love to enjoy their city on Sundays. The streets and green spaces were teeming with people of all ages, which offered some great people watching!

Sunday afternoon in ParisOn my trip to New Zealand I took lots of tree pictures and in Paris I think it will be lots of building and church pictures.  They are all so old and have such beautiful ornamentation.  I find them fascinating, there is so much to see here that it is hard to know where to look sometimes.  I visited  the Church of St. Laurent today.  Construction of this church began in1429 and was not completed until 1667.  By the way, if you tap or click on a photo it will load a larger version, for a closer look.

St-Laurent Church

There was a very interesting lady inside, who was dressed all in white, from head to toe.  I wondered if there was some significance to this or if she just liked the colour white!

Lady in White

On the way home, a young man passed me and  as he walked by he turned and said “Vous etes magnifique”. I didn’t say anything as the guide books I had read said not to smile at men on the street or it might be misinterpreted as an invitation to something more.  He turned and said “Vous devriez dire Merci.” (You should say thank you) so I rather sheepishly replied “Merci” and he nodded his head and walked on.  Perhaps a compliment can just be a compliment.  In any case, I walked home feeling rather special.

Belgium StrawberriesBelgium strawberries and dark chocolate for dessert.

 

I’m In Paris!

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I am in Paris and it feels as though I am exactly where I should be.  Interestingly, I never felt really excited before I left home.  I thought it was because I was so busy getting ready for the trip and still dealing with all the things that needed taking care of before I left, but even on the plane I just felt very relaxed, almost as though I were going home instead of just starting a trip.

The flights were good, almost no turbulence and three movies helped the time pass.  Iceland is part do the Schengen Co-operation and Canada is not, so we needed to go through security before being allowed to enter into the airport area with other passengers.  Going through security made the one hour connection between flights a bit tight.  There was just enough time to find a washroom and it was the  final call for boarding.

At the Charles de Gaulle Airport my suitcase was the first one to arrive on the baggage conveyor belt.  I thought that must be a good omen.  I headed for the taxi stands and was able to walk straight out and get a taxi.  My driver, Jean Paul, didn’t speak English but we had a nice conversation all the same.  I am doing quite well speaking French, even surprising myself with what I remember.

Getting into my apartment was not so easy.  I hauled my suitcases up three flight of very narrow winding stairs.  The entrance to the building, the stairs and the hallways were very old and very dirty.  This was rather discouraging.  I rather nervously waited a half hour and then a neighbour kindly let me use his phone to call my host.  Turns out he was just outside the apartment so he arrived a couple of minutes later.  The apartment looked exactly like it did in the posting on Airbnb .  Matthiew spent a few minutes  giving me an orientation and then I am on my own.

The street outside my windows is quite busy, so it is noisier than I had anticipated, but after all, I am in the heart of a city, so I guess that is to be expected.  The windows are double glazed so when they are closed it does cut out much of the traffic noise.

I went for a little walk about 7:00 pm and felt quite comfortable.  There is a grocery store right across the street and a lovely little fruit and vegetable shop right next door.  I even found a health food store just a couple blocks away but it was already closed for the day.  I will check it out on Monday.  I bought a roasted chicken for my supper and a few other groceries, and finally went to bed about 9:00, only a 29 hour day!

My first meal in Paris.

My first meal in Paris.

 

 

 

To blog or not to blog?

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Well, here I am, blogging!  It is a bit of an intimidating proposition as I am still learning my way around my Apple computer, however I have decided that it was time for an online presence and a blog seemed like the easiest way to begin.

Why blog?  In just two days I am going to Paris for a month and I want a way to share my experiences, and record my adventures.  I have rented a lovely little apartment in the 10th arrondissement near the Canal St. Martin.  My days will be filled exploring Paris, visiting museums and art galleries, attending life drawing classes, sketching whenever possible.  I am looking forward to lazy afternoons sitting at sidewalk cafés watching the world go by, living the life of an artist in Paris.