Feb, Week 2 - Wearing My Tourist Hat with Melissa

Just when I was starting to feel like a local, like I belonged, I became a tourist again. The timing perfect as after five months here I realized that I was already starting to take Paris for granted, the beauty, culture and amazing architecture around me were no longer part of my routine. I was no longer looking up at the buildings I was passing to admire the styles, curves and lovely detailed black iron balconies. I was no longer leaving my quartier for my weekly museum visits. Yes I was getting lazy and perhaps a bit too comfortable. I have my lovely long time friend Melissa to thank for making me look up and take in my surroundings once again.

We followed each other around Paris non stop for five days starting with walking up and down the stairs of La Tour Eiffel, with the hopes of working off Melissa’s birthday dinner that we thoroughly enjoyed at 58 Tour Eiffel on the first floor of La Tour Eiffel. With the help of the champagne and wine consumed at dinner, after we managed to get to know some of the statues at La Trocadero rather intimately, a first for me I have to say. The Palais Royale, shopping, art exhibits, more shopping, La Madeleine, Melissa’s credit card still not being turned down, Bateaux Mouches, Notre Dame, le Quartier Latin, yes more shopping and the grande finale for Melissa was a classical concert with Les Violons de France at Eglise Saint Julien le Pauvre on her last evening in Paris.

As I looked at my photos from the week I realized that I was no longer taking the normal tourist shots. It does not take long to realize that a city like Paris has layers upon layers that can take years to peel back and discover. I seem to now be somewhere in a middle layer, trying to see some of the under belly of Paris. It often makes me feel like I am living a double life, a half French part local and occasionally still part tourist but definitely still trying to figure this place out.

My double life will continue on for the next 10 days with a much-anticipated visit from George and a quick trip for the four of us to Mont Saint Michel. Merci for your visit Melissa mon amie, there is nothing like a visit from a good friend to make you realize how much you needed to laugh, the kind of laugh that makes tears run down your face. Another layer of the French I still need to grasp, their humour, a humour I am not quite used to, yet. But not sure if they would have found two Canadian women climbing statues at the Trocadero at 10pm on a Tuesday night in February very amusing.

Feb, Week 1 - Halfway Already!?

I have always had a like/dislike relationship with the French. Now after five months in Paris I am actually gaining an appreciation for the French and I like them. It has now been 19 years since I went to university here and living amongst them again is definitely a different experience than visiting regularly for a few weeks at a time. Could it be because the merchants at the local market now recognize me as a regular and have a smile on their face for me? That I now know and speak with my neighbours? And I actually have French friends (ok, maybe one or two). Yes the dislike is quietly fading away. You would not think that this would happen after a hospital visit, our first, and hopefully only, Emergency room visit to a local hospital. In short, Nathalie fainting at a friend's house, hitting her head, passing out on the bathroom floor, blood and then an ambulance ride. Three hours later we were on our way home, thanks to the super conscientious father who came in with her, friendly efficient service, and helpful nurses and doctors. The end result for Nathalie is four stitches on her right eyebrow. The end result for me, a new outlook.

Stay tuned for next week, the exciting Melissa update!