Day 12 - 9/26/2012
I wake to another cold and rainy day. Perfect weather to experience the Roman baths and treasures from the Middle Ages at Musée National du Moyen Âge. I also want to see the Arènes de Lutèce - a Roman amphitheatre from the 1st century AD. Lastly, as it is Anna's birthday, I need a present.
I start at the cafe down the road and eat the hardest croissant in the world. Truly lousy. I ride the metro along with all the commuters going to work. At Odéon, I walk to the museum, which is housed in an old abbey. I am not really in the mood to for more religious art. The ivory and wood carvings are magnificent but it is the the frigidarium, the cold baths of Thermes de Cluny, that capture my attention. The room is immense, stone and brick-vaulted, from the 3rd century AD. Next to it, in the old Roman gymnasium, stand the marble heads of French Kings, statues decapitated by the zealots of the French Revolution. They are creepy.
After experiencing the baths, I really want to go to the Roman arena on the Rue Monge. It is about a mile away. I buy another croissant en route. This time it is delicious, light and airy. I walk through a covered alley into the heart of the arena, as if I am a participant in the games. The sound of the streets can't be heard and every noise is focused within the circle. It is acoustically beautiful. The design enhances your hearing. On a platform opposite the entrance, people are practicing Tai Chi. I sit and dream of the games, including the mock naval battles, which were held here.
I figured it would take most of the afternoon to go through the sights of the morning. But I am done by 11:00 am. Since I am near the Pantheon I will go there. What a waste. It is a gorgeous building but boring. A few open tombs, otherwise, self-serving, congratulatory art. The only artifact of interest to me is Foucault's pendulum, oh, and the view of the Eiffel tower from the steps.
Along the north side of the Pantheon is Saint-Étienne-du-Mont. St. Geneviève, patron saint of France, who prayed Attila's Huns away from Paris, has a shrine here. Maurice Duruflé was the church's Titular Organist. I want to get close to St. Geneviève's shrine but there are people praying there.
The church is atop a hill. I go north, down-hill, and stop at Les Pipos, across from the École Polytechnique. The hills and stones feel Italian, not French. The belltower of Saint Étienne's dominates. As I eat my sausage sandwich and drink my espresso, the bells chime noon. They ring 9 times: 3 x 3 x 3. Then quiet for 5 minutes. At 12:05 they peal endlessly, echoing among the buildings of this twisted neighborhood. It is delightful.
I stay until 12:30 watching a painter paint the street. It is time to go shopping and the way wends through Saint Germain des Pres. I pass a taxidermy shop, pausing to marvel at the mounted stag beetles and butterflies. I ford the Seine at Pont des Sully and enter La Maison de la Mouche - Dubos, a fly-fishing store on the stern end of Île Saint-Louis. I explain that I want to buy 2 flies for my father: a crane and a midge. My brother sent pictures and we spend 20 minutes trying to match them. Eventually, success! As she packs my purchase, I tell her of my fishing in the canal. She laughs and says I can fish right outside their store. Just yesterday, on her lunch hour, she caught a large perch in the Seine. I want her job!
I have 1 more gift to buy and find it in a Tibetan jewelry shop just down the street. I talk with the young girl and her father about Paris. They exclaim about the gardens of Versailles, which I will be missing this trip. When I exit the shop, the sky is black with rain. I run over towards the Centre Pompidou looking for last minute postcards.
I return home. I am soggy from the rain and have Anna's party tonight. I need to rest a bit before-hand. I watch a storm envelop the city. For a while all is black. Then the sun breaks through and leaves a rainbow. I read about long-ago days and watch night descend. I leave for Sèvres - Lecourbe and arrive first. The guests enter. A happy time is had by all and I am back home early, a little drunk. My last day is tomorrow. I have 3 goals and a plan. I pass out - content.
I start at the cafe down the road and eat the hardest croissant in the world. Truly lousy. I ride the metro along with all the commuters going to work. At Odéon, I walk to the museum, which is housed in an old abbey. I am not really in the mood to for more religious art. The ivory and wood carvings are magnificent but it is the the frigidarium, the cold baths of Thermes de Cluny, that capture my attention. The room is immense, stone and brick-vaulted, from the 3rd century AD. Next to it, in the old Roman gymnasium, stand the marble heads of French Kings, statues decapitated by the zealots of the French Revolution. They are creepy.
After experiencing the baths, I really want to go to the Roman arena on the Rue Monge. It is about a mile away. I buy another croissant en route. This time it is delicious, light and airy. I walk through a covered alley into the heart of the arena, as if I am a participant in the games. The sound of the streets can't be heard and every noise is focused within the circle. It is acoustically beautiful. The design enhances your hearing. On a platform opposite the entrance, people are practicing Tai Chi. I sit and dream of the games, including the mock naval battles, which were held here.
I figured it would take most of the afternoon to go through the sights of the morning. But I am done by 11:00 am. Since I am near the Pantheon I will go there. What a waste. It is a gorgeous building but boring. A few open tombs, otherwise, self-serving, congratulatory art. The only artifact of interest to me is Foucault's pendulum, oh, and the view of the Eiffel tower from the steps.
Along the north side of the Pantheon is Saint-Étienne-du-Mont. St. Geneviève, patron saint of France, who prayed Attila's Huns away from Paris, has a shrine here. Maurice Duruflé was the church's Titular Organist. I want to get close to St. Geneviève's shrine but there are people praying there.
The church is atop a hill. I go north, down-hill, and stop at Les Pipos, across from the École Polytechnique. The hills and stones feel Italian, not French. The belltower of Saint Étienne's dominates. As I eat my sausage sandwich and drink my espresso, the bells chime noon. They ring 9 times: 3 x 3 x 3. Then quiet for 5 minutes. At 12:05 they peal endlessly, echoing among the buildings of this twisted neighborhood. It is delightful.
I stay until 12:30 watching a painter paint the street. It is time to go shopping and the way wends through Saint Germain des Pres. I pass a taxidermy shop, pausing to marvel at the mounted stag beetles and butterflies. I ford the Seine at Pont des Sully and enter La Maison de la Mouche - Dubos, a fly-fishing store on the stern end of Île Saint-Louis. I explain that I want to buy 2 flies for my father: a crane and a midge. My brother sent pictures and we spend 20 minutes trying to match them. Eventually, success! As she packs my purchase, I tell her of my fishing in the canal. She laughs and says I can fish right outside their store. Just yesterday, on her lunch hour, she caught a large perch in the Seine. I want her job!
I have 1 more gift to buy and find it in a Tibetan jewelry shop just down the street. I talk with the young girl and her father about Paris. They exclaim about the gardens of Versailles, which I will be missing this trip. When I exit the shop, the sky is black with rain. I run over towards the Centre Pompidou looking for last minute postcards.
I return home. I am soggy from the rain and have Anna's party tonight. I need to rest a bit before-hand. I watch a storm envelop the city. For a while all is black. Then the sun breaks through and leaves a rainbow. I read about long-ago days and watch night descend. I leave for Sèvres - Lecourbe and arrive first. The guests enter. A happy time is had by all and I am back home early, a little drunk. My last day is tomorrow. I have 3 goals and a plan. I pass out - content.
The Frigidarium
Heads of State!
Ivory Carving
The Arènes de Lutèce
Foucault's Pendulum Demonstrating the Rotation of the Earth
Saint-Étienne-du-Mont
The Bells of Saint-Étienne-du-Mont
