It is hard to pinpoint exactly all the things I want to do and experience while in Paris. The realization that I will be in France itself is mind-boggling to me. Paris and France overall has the reputation of quality and taste in a variety of expertise, whether that be the general category of food (which can be further subcategorized into cheese, wine, desserts and the like), its legendary fashion houses, a hub for intellect from great art to legendary writers, France is in a league of its own.
For HON 194 I chose on five specific things I would like to see while in Paris. I have researched and reflected, concluding with these places in particular:
1. Rodin Museum: I’m interested in visiting the Rodin Museum because Rodin is one of my favorite artists (specifically, The Thinker). Besides his works, I think that his life was extremely interesting and the museum covers both aspects.
2. Dali Museum: I would like to visit the Dali Museum because he is one of my favorite Surrealist artists and this museum boasts the largest collection of Dali’s works in one area.
3. Orangerie Museum: I would like to visit this museum because it holds the great artworks from the Impressionist period. It is also located within the Tuileries Garden which would be convenient to see as well.
4. Cluny Museum: I would like to visit the Cluny Museum because of it contains figments of France’s rich history of Roman influence through to the French Medieval period.
5. Arc de Triomphe: I would like to see and go up the stairs within the Arc de Triomphe because I think that it’s fascinating how such a strong piece of French history sits right in the middle of a busy Parisian boulevard.
Although I would like to hit up all of these places in depth, I realize that I should not get in over my head, least I become the “Taking Rick Steves to another level” traveler (see Activity 2).
For other, more leisurely things I’d like to accomplish, I need to impress the “Beginner” traveler mind. Little things count the most, and I plan to walk everywhere as much as possible, even if there is the option of public transportation (exception: unless it is really – and I mean really – far away). This way, not only will I be effortlessly burning calories from all the wonderful food I will be eating (Mireille would approve), but I will continuously have the chance occurrences of experiencing the everyday whims of the French lifestyle off the street.
Food is its own category itself. I could be close-minded and say that my French cuisine options are limited since I am a vegetarian. Not true in the least! I plan to try and learn of as many cheeses as possible, know what freshly real fruits and vegetables taste like and be a dessert fiend. I have mentioned before how I seem to view food as a unnecessary (but, really necessary) annoyance in my on-the-go American lifestyle. I like to think of myself as “healthy” when compared to my fellow Americans and prudent with healthful food choices, but I never, not ever, do I sit down and enjoy and savor a meal to its fullest. With all due respect to the French, I aim to break myself of this horrid habit of depriving myself one of life’s most basic, rewarding pleasures. I think that this will be hard to execute at first, since I am so used to being as efficient as possible with everything in life, that including food. Regardless, I have the desire and will to follow through. Trying new foods and being able to purchase them and critique their freshness will add to the value of my appreciation for the amazing food I will eat.
Finally, I am greatly looking forward to experiencing firsthand some of the world’s greatest artistic masterpieces within the museums we are scheduled to see (The Louvre, Musee d’Orsay, etc.). I’ve had a slight obsessive hobby with art history since high school and appreciate art for all of its creative, cultural and historical contexts. Along with this, I consider fashion to be an art and it is one in which the French have truly mastered. Beyond witnessing the splendor of the Champs Elysees, I plan to research and visit smaller specialty boutiques, and observe the unique stylistic French designs.
With a few goals in mind, I still attempt to be as open and abstract as possible with the weeks in France ahead of me. It is a perfect balance I think to find your interests within the visited country, but let the foreign take over and decide what you will do when you are in its presence.
Phase 2:
Rodin Museum ticket stub, front
Rodin Museum ticket stub, back
Beautiful Parisian fashion - Minelli shoes.
Sunday morning market; buying fresh food for the apartment.
Arc de Triomphe.
Phase 3:
My Plan for Paris was shaped by Paris itself. Completely vulnerable to the whims of the city, I ended up successfully completing some of my original plan from Phase 1, while other points were not meant to be for this trip. I comfort myself in the futuristic fact that one day I will return to France; this was just an introductory for something so great to continually discover. I will never forget the accordion-accompanied first ride of the metro to the FIAP, the arcadia of the countryside, the early morning group gatherings in the lobby and the perpetual amazement of both the natural and shaped beauty of the country.
I feel that I discovered and developed a part of myself in France that I never knew before. This newfound aspect of my being was completely adaptable and open-minded in a foreign environment. Never once did I doubt why I had made the journey, or wanted to go home. Once we had settled into our Paris apartments at the Citadines, I could see myself quickly adapting to my new way of life; market shopping down the street Sunday and Thursday mornings, picking up French words and recognizing them in both print and speech, forming acquaintances with one of the local patisserie workers and the barista at Les Artistes on the corner where I would get my morning take-away coffee.
Nevertheless, I am proud to say that I can check off my HON 194 list of five things I’d like to do in Paris with the Rodin Museum, the Orangerie Museum and the Arc de Triomphe. Though I did not make it to the Dali Museum or the Cluny Museum this time, it is not an unfortunate case, for again, I will return to Paris one day with the chance to see things I have not seen before and would like to see and revisit those place I love most!
Though it was hard in the beginning, I was soon fully able to enjoy a Parisian meal; whether it be hand-picked from the market in my apartment or at a picnic or at a restaurant, I was able to mentally calm myself from all other distractions and focus solely on my sensory responses to the food and the conversation at hand. Mealtime became a ritual of escape from the busy parts of the day for me. I looked forward to not thinking about time and simply enjoying the scenery, food and friends.
Being able to visit some of the most renowned museums in the world would have been enough to satisfy me. As I’ve noted in my blog, the Rodin Musum was my absolute favorite if I had to pick a favorite of these elite museums. Each museum experience was different for me. For instance, not being allowed to take pictures within the Musee d’Orsay, I was forced to completely concentrate on the art, without the distraction that I could take a picture knocking in the back of my mind. In the Louvre, I moved past the initial feeling of being overwhelmed by the vastness of the museum and enjoyed choosing specific time periods to focus upon.
On the day of our first Eiffel Tower picnic as a group, my subgroup was sent to find the Arc de Triomphe. Along our search I not only achieved one of my five places I’d like to see from the above, but also had the chance to walk up and down the Champs Elysees. My fashion spin-off went further as a group of us would meander the streets if we saw shopping areas with little boutiques around places we had to meet as a group in the mornings. One of my most favorite days in Paris was when a few of us met up with Alison’s friend – a French girl our age living in the city who met up with us to take us shopping to unique, local boutiques after she got out of university for the day. Beyond being such a sweet girl who wanted to practice her English, I was baffled by all the small, discrete shops aligning major streets close to our apartments that I had never seen before. I was able to get beautiful one-of-a-kind gifts for my family including a handmade scarf, stationary and a dyed leather agenda planner from select specialty shops.
If I were to do it all over again this summer, my experienced self would be ready for what to generally expect. Of course, not matter how many times you go to a place, your experience is always different. Upon traveling to France, I was intimidated to travel internationally completely alone and find my way about the city by myself. Just after the first week of being in Paris (second week of the program), I noticed a marked difference: I had figured out the metro, turned the unfamiliar streets to familiar strolls, discovered shortcuts and most importantly, didn’t think twice about making the journey back home alone.
I find myself to be so fortunate to have had this experience. Sure, I could have gone to France sometime later in my life, but the experience would never have been the same. I think that this was a perfect way of being introduced to France with a guided program, passionate and knowledgeable professors and fellow peers who share a passion for travel. I often think of Paris nostalgically and wonder when I will someday return. As the often-cited epigraph of Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast states:
“If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.”
My own version of the moveable feast of Paris is the spark of casual remembrance, maintaining relationships with my fellow peers who were on the trip, finding French aspects here, and learning to enjoy a slow, contented dinner.
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