I left work at 12:30, tied up some loose ends, bought some last minute supplies and drove to the airport to get on the 7:30 pm plane to Paris, the most beautiful city in the world. Even though this is my fourth time to the city of lights I was still excited, I never get over this city.
As always, I like to give myself plenty of time to check in, get through security and relax at the gate with a glass of wine. I am always so happy knowing I am only a few hours away from escaping the day to day of working life. Dave is always nervous and I learned long ago to not attempt to distract him.
Wine at Pearson Airport in Toronto
The flight was bumpy for the first half but I settled in, finished my thriller (That Night by Chevy Stevens- excellent) and caught a few zzzz’s. But only a few.
Tired, we made our way to Paris via the train and subway. I will always remember my first trip to Paris; I was on the train passing the banlieus with the industrial buildings and the shacks by the train tracks thinking, “This is Paris???” Of course when I got off the train and saw this, I thought to myself, “Wow, this is Paris!”
This is what I woke up to.
And I am always wowed every time I come back.
As it happens, we arrived on the day of Nuit Blanche. For those who don’t know, this is a massive free public art festival that goes from 7 pm to 7 am. I have gone to the one in Toronto and couldn’t wait to see one of the original ones in Paris.
It was pretty cool. All of the sites were connected by a painted blue line on the ground. So all we had to do was follow the blue line.
We saw some weird stuff and some awe inspiring stuff, but the best part is how over a million people come out on the streets to see art. And to get drunk. By midnight the streets were filled with young, loud, drunk people and the spectacle turned to the throngs on the street instead of the art. Unless that guy puking in a garbage can was one of the exhibits.
We saw the work of a street artist who scratches portraits onto concrete walls.
Portrait scratched onto building
And some Middle Eastern inspired graffiti.
We got home at midnight, exhausted after a long day of travelling.
Today we basically spent at the Pomipdou, the major modern and contemporary public art gallery in Paris. I love art that is weird and a bit out there. We saw a retrospective of Marcel Duchamp’s paintings. He is best known for his ready made art, when in the early part of the 20th century he took a urinal, write a fake name on it and stuck it on a wall proclaiming it art. If nothing else, it made people talk.
Elsewhere in the museum we saw plates of glass lodged against a wall. Yes, this is art and not a construction site!
And my personal favourite, a nail on a board stuck on a wall.
Art is contextual
There was also lots by Matisse, Picasso, Bacon and Kandinsky so it wasn’t all weird.
I had some wine with lunch.
Wine at the Pompidou
We wandered around the city in the evening. Rather than describe it, why don’t I shut up and show you all some pictures. As they say, a picture speaks a thousand words.
Notre Dame at Dusk
Wow, does it get prettier than this
Ah, the Seine
I had some more wine with dinner. Do I detect a theme? Hey, I’m on vacation!!!
More wine to end the day
On the way home we saw a massive cotton candy in a store front window. Love this.
Cotton Candy for the Kids
Tomorrow we get on the train for… Well, you will have to tune in tomorrow to see!