Paris at night is much more the city you picture when you hear "Paris." I had been surprised at how almost un-romantic it was here, but when you go out at night, you really feel like you are in Paris. What clinched it for me was walking across a bridge over the Seine into the Ile de la Cite (the island that has Notre Dame on it) and looking out at the ships and the lights reflected on the water. It is beautiful! And all the sights by night look very different and much more imposing. But you're expecting them to be imposing, and at least at nighttime they fulfill your expectations! There really is something magical about walking around the city at night.
It doesn't feel very dangerous, either - no more than your other average big city. The only difference is the slight fear that, in essence, I don't really speak the language. It's sad - I really think I'm getting worse.
Anyway, the story is that last Friday I finally went up the Eiffel Tower. It was pretty expensive and I was indignant that they didn't have a student discount; I guess I'm too used to museums which let art students in for free or at least for a very very cheap rate. You take a diagonal elevator up to the second floor, which is where the legs of the tower end and it goes straight up. You then stand in a very long line for a very long time (but this is key: it allows for conversation with your fellow friends) and then you go up this amazingly long elevator. Tip: when coming down, don't look down the crack between the platform and the elevator or else you might very well swoon. It was very very cold at the top, but only on the side that the wind was blowing at, but we bore it because it was less crowded. It's fun to identify things from up there. And to have your friends ask you (I don't know why I am the one they always ask things, it's not like I know any more than someone else) "Sariah, what's that over there," only to have me look at say "I have no idea...?" and then they look at you accusingly for letting them down. I know everyone expects me to KNOW everything but it isn't true! It was very fun and very impressive.
Oh and since yesterday I added a few more pictures. You're up to date!
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Mathematicians are like Frenchmen: whatever you say to them they translate into their own language, and forthwith it is something entirely different. (J.W. von Goethe)
Everything ends this way in France - everything. Weddings, chistenings, duels, funerals, swindlings, diplomatic affairs - everything is a pretext for a dinner. (Jean Anouilh)
"Miranda - how very daring of you to wear that shade of yellow! It's a pity whoever tinted your slippers was unable to get a closer match. Ah well, in Paris they know about these things." (-sorcery and cecelia)
"In Paris they simply stared when I spoke to them in French; I never did succeed in making those idiots understand their language." -Mark Twain
2 comments:
Haha, get used to questions because you KNOW we'll be asking a lot when we make you be tour guide Barbie during our visit!! Oui, oui! XXOO
Oh, dear Sariah, I too expect you to know everything. Everything about the things I don't know about, which is a lot, incidentally. Let's tell each other the everythings we know when you get back and then I will be up to date on Paris, and you will be (unwillingly?) up to date on Minnesota and the joys of Organic Chemistry...hooorrrrraaaayyyyy!!!!!
I hope you're well & I'm thinking of you.
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