Day Two – Arrival in Paris

One of the things I enjoy about international flights is that they are very much how air travel used to be, even if you were only going to Cleveland. Pillows, blankets, and headphones all provided. Two full meals, and not one that was a snack box which required payment on the spot. It sometimes seems hard to imagine that was once the standard for air travel. As I arrived in Paris early Tuesday morning after a red eye flight, I was certainly sleep deprived, but I had been comfortable in my seat and my belly was full. I was ready to go.

On my taxi ride from the airport, I was driven by an enthusiastic cabbie who spoke no English but seemed to mostly speak Italian. He was very excited when I agreed to let him play music and spent much of the drive bopping his head and drumming the steering wheel to his beloved French pop music. Not to worry–we were mostly sitting in stop and go traffic, so at no point did his antics seem unsafe. He got very excited when Celine Dion came on the radio–I don’t think he would have been more excited if he picked her up as a hitchhiker along the way. Throughout the ride, he offered me sparkling water, still water and an apple. Each time I accepted his generosity, he shouted, “Good taxi!” whilst pointing at himself. I could only laugh and shout, “Oui, good taxi!” right back. At the end of that eventful ride, my new best friend dropped me off at my hotel.

I stored my luggage at the hotel and headed into the heart of Paris. I only had one day, so I had four items on my agenda, the first of which being my first trip the Rodin museum. It was an enjoyable museum, the highlight being the gardens that decorate the great sculptor’s work.

After the museum, it was time to head deeper into the left bank–my favorite Parisian neighborhood. I hopped on the Metro and headed towards the legendary bookstore Shakespeare and Company. I had visited the store when I was last here thirteen years ago, and no trip to Paris is complete for me without it. Those of you know me might be surprised to discover I only purchased one book–Anthony Horowitz’ new Susan Ryland mystery. There was a line to enter, and patrons are not allowed to photograph inside the store, so I only have an exterior photo:

After this, I noticed my phone power was getting low–and the phone had become central to my travel day. My museum entry tickets were on it, my taxi app, my Metro ticket app, my dinner reservation info, not to mention the GPS needed to get around the city. I stopped at the Shakespeare and Company cafe, which served a lovely ginger lemonade, but had no clear interest in allowing patrons to charge their phones. A quick Google search sent me to the Bibliotheque Sainte-Genevieve. Paris libraries are open to all, and I was able to sit and relax whilst charging my phone. However, in order to enter, the library had to create a temporary library card for me:

Even though I was there largely to charge my phone, I was impressed with the library’s design. I was also not allowed to take photos, but I managed to sneak this one:

After my literal and figurative recharging, it was time to head to Luxembourg Gardens, one of my favorite places in the city. And while it was 95 degrees in Paris that day, the gardens were beautiful. In spite of the heat, I am very glad I showed up.

Before I headed off to Marais for dinner, I wanted to check out the nearby St. Sulpice Church. It was my understanding that this was a stunning church, but given its proximity to Notre Dame cathedral, very few people visited it. Best of all–it was just a short walk from the gardens. I was a bit surprised to pass this one the way, as I didn’t think this was actually a French company:

The church did not disappoint. It was a gorgeous example of 17th and 18th century design and artwork. As expected, I was among a very small number in attendance.

After visiting the church, I crossed the Seine and hopped back on the Metro and headed off to dinner.

I met four of my fellow residents at an Algerian restaurant called Salon Marais. I was joined by Ambrose, another writer from Vermont, and three visual artists: Joe from New Jersey and Cate and Deanne, both from Melbourne, Australia. It was great to finally meet some of the people I would be joining me for this experience over the next three weeks. The food was very good (the hummus and falafel were delicious) and the company was excellent.

After dinner, I headed back to the hotel for a shower and some rest. Our adventure at Chateau D’Orquevaux would begin in earnest tomorrow.