This is one of the few Thanksgivings spent away from my family in Florida. No matter where I’ve lived, I usually fly back to Ft. Lauderdale or Jacksonville to spend the day with family. It was a little less frequent when I lived in California and of course when I spent six months in Kabul, Afghanistan. I love spending time with my family and will definitely be doing a video chat with them this Thursday.
Living away from the USA as I do now is a stark reminder that every country has their own holidays that are not always shared with other countries around the world. In Paris, they celebrate Halloween here and then start getting ready for Christmas. They do not have an intervening family holiday. Armistice Day is November 11 which is similar to Veteran’s Day in the USA but doesn’t have the same level of family gathering as Easter, Christmas, or New Years.
However, the French have adopted one American Thanksgiving tradition, “Black Friday.” Here in France, though, it goes for a week or two at the end of November instead of a couple of days around Thanksgiving. It feels very weird to see “Black Friday” sale signs plastered in all the stores. They use the English words, too, not a translation. In addition, I’ve also seen “Cyber-Monday,” in English, too. It is remarkable how much impact the US culture and economy has made on France.
Thankfulness in Paris: How I am celebrating Thanksgiving in Paris? I did put a Christmas tree (all IKEA components) since I often decorate for Christmas in November anyways. My family will be doing a video call this Thursday from where they are in the USA. In addition, I am very thankful for being in Paris: for those that were instrumental in getting me here; for those that sent me off to Paris with multiple going away parties; for those I have met and become friends with here; for the sights and sounds I am experiencing in this beautiful city.
My Christmas tree (all from IKEA)
I wish you all a happy Thanksgiving however you are celebrating this year.
This past Sunday, I spent the afternoon and evening at Disneyland Paris catching a few rides, getting dinner at Captain Jack’s restaurant, and enjoying the Christmas decorations. I really enjoy having an annual pass to Disneyland given it’s only about an hour away by the “A” train from Paris city center. They do most of their shows and rides in both English and French making it easy to understand most everything. My favorite time of year at any of the Disney parks is at Christmastime. They go all out to show the red and green (and blue) through lights, displays, and music. Walking around listening to Christmas music filled me with wonder and awe of the joy of Christmas.
Disneyland entrance in front of the railroadAll the buildings were decorated for ChristmasMe in front of the castle all alight for ChristmasMain Street USA
Mickey Mouse and gang Christmas sing-along: There was also a show where Mickey Mouse and the gang was on stage to sing a number of Christmas songs asking the audience to join in. It was in a combination auditorium and dinner theater. So much fun!
Mickey and Friends Christmas singalong
Ratatouille: One of the newer sections of Disneyland is the Ratatouille ride area. They had a number of winter French stands set-up selling hot drinks and Christmas pastries. There is also a restaurant in the theme of Chez Remy’s which I will visit one of these days. The Ratatouille ride is a free-moving ride where you experience being chased around the restaurant from the view of the rats. So cool – or rather, “hot,” since one of the stops is under the oven in the kitchen.
Ratatouille ride area
Captain Jack’s Restaurant: This time I ate at a restaurant at the Pirates of the Caribbean ride called “Captain Jack’s.” It’s very similar to the Blue Bayou restaurant at Disneyland in Anaheim. I enjoyed Caribbean-themed food with lots of seafood (mahi mahi and shrimp) and pineapple juice drinks. The restaurant had unique Christmas decorations that took advantage of the treasure theme while guests overlook the waterway where the Pirates of the Caribbean boats float by.
Pirates of the Caribbean boat gliding by the restaurantTreasure Christmas decorationsTreasure Christmas decorationsChristmas treesLamps lit the restaurantCaptain Jack’s restaurant
Even though I am almost 50 years ago, I still smile when I see characters in the park. Fond memories of my childhood come back at these sightings. This time I saw Geppetto, Pluto, and Tigger, in addition to the gang at the Christmas sing-along.
Geppetto!Tigger was working the till at the store
I’ll be returning at least once a month over the next year to enjoy the place over and over again.
A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you don’t need it.
Bob Hope
I wait with baited breadth. The tension is palpable as I enter the establishment. The manager asks me to come into his office. I slowly pad along with my landlady at my side. After offering us a seat, I sit down while trying to maintain a steady rhythm in my breathing. A drop of sweat slowly forms on my forehead and threatens to drip down my nose onto the desk in front of me. My palms are clammy. My head is spinning. I’m in a fog teetering between hope and despair. Will they say yes this time or will this be another in a long series of disappointments? How my emotions ebb and flow so over this potential triumph or crushing defeat. Am I being interviewed for a job? Am I in trouble over an unpaid bill, an overdraft charge? No, I am applying for a bank account in France.
It is true as everyone told me that opening a bank account in France is an illusive, but necessary step to live in France long-term. Even though not strictly legal, most companies in France request a French bank account to pay bills (like cell phone and utilities). While it is possible to use other European banks, obtaining a French bank account is one of those rights of passage.
I had heard a lot of horror stories of the extreme difficulty in obtaining a French bank account. How that many of the banks simply say “Non.” There are many reasons why this is difficult in France. French banking laws require a high degree of confidence in the bank account holder to be who they say they are and that the account will be used for the stated purposes of the account. The local bank manager is also the primary arbiter of granting accounts. This means an applicant needs to prove their identity, their income sources, their residency, their stability, and any other factors the bank manager deems important. Additionally, for Americans, the US tax law places a lot of burden on foreign banks to keep track of transactions and report them to the IRS. This induces a significant financial burden on the banks.
Due to all of these constraints, I was turned down by at least five on-line French banks and a couple of brick-and-mortar banks. I was beginning to wonder if I were ever going to be successful. Then one glorious day, my landlord offered to introduce me to their bank (CIC in this case: https://www.cic.fr/). She helped set-up the appointment with the bank and went with me for the beginning of the appointment. Thankfully, the bank manager also spoke English.
And now I have a French bank account. It’s a Christmas miracle! I will only use the bank account for depositing French income and paying French bills. And CIC provided a bank account with a minimal monthly fee (about 8 Euros/month). I will still use my US travel credit card for most of my day-to-day expenses since I have income from my US pension. But this is one major hurdle completed.
So, the moral of the story is: it’s makes such a difference for a French citizen to introduce you to a French bank manager. This gets over the biggest hurdle every bank manager has to consider: why should they trust you to bank with them. I know it sounds a bit backwards, but the French banking system is very different from other countries. I also noticed there is not really a similar credit scoring service to the FICO score (which originally stood for Fair, Isaac and Company). This makes every account someone is looking to open as if they had to prove their credit worthiness each time.
Here is what I had to provide to open this bank account:
My passport (to scan in)
My visa (to scan in)
Signature sample (yes really)
Last three months of my US bank account statements
Apartment lease rental agreement
Utility statements or attestations (internet, gas, electric)
Letters of recommendations (yes really)
US Form W-9 (IRS tax form)
Etranger registration confirmation
And now I have a bank account that will probably only process a few hundred dollars a month having provided evidence that I don’t really even need the bank account in the first place. I love France! With this and setting up my cell phone to a more permanent service, almost all of the initial big hurdles are completed. It’s now been 5 weeks in Paris. I am humbled and thankful for all those who have helped me prepare and complete these difficult tasks. I have to depend on others regularly to be successful with a smile and patience.
The greatest thing you’ll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return.
Nature Boy, Ahbez Eden
This trip was something like a subplot to the movie “Red.” I traveled to Brussels, Belgium, this week in order to pick up a “package” at a lonely US military post in the farmland just outside Brussels, Belgium. Never mind the “package” was some prescriptions needing refilling, and this is the closest US military pharmacy to Paris.
It started out like any other spy novel. It was a dark and stormy night… Or rather, it was a cold, crisp day in Paris. Before taking a bullet train to Brussels at Gare du Nord, I picked up a baguette sandwich, curry chicken, with a Coke Zero and a chocolate eclair, because it was Tuesday. Eating in the train terminal, I contemplated what had brought me to this point. A month in Paris and already I needed to return to Brussels. A city where eight years ago, a “ship passing in the night” romance still haunted my memory.
My mind went back to eight years ago to that fateful night. Visiting Brussels for work, I met someone while in the city. We said our pleasantries, but could not avoid wondering if there was perhaps something more, a spark of romantic attraction. We began a conversation in a combination of French and English. As the evening progressed we spoke of “many things, fools and kings.” We had a wonderful evening of talking and then walking around the city. As the evening progressed, we made an unspoken choice. We did not share our names. We both knew that since I was in Brussels for a couple of days, it would have meant a long-term relationship. We both thought that might spoil the magic of this night. We took the metro to the fork in our destinations. One to work, one to the hotel. We said our goodbyes, one final embrace of our lives together.
As I sit in Gare du Nord in Paris eating my curry chicken, these memories come back to flood my mind. I often wonder what if we had shared our names and contact information. Would the long distance relationship had worked? Over these past eight years, I remember that evening fondly and smile. It was your stereotypical ships-passing-in-the-night experience which I will always cherish.
An announcement beaks into my reminiscing: the bullet train to Brussels is ready for boarding (https://www.thalys.com). We pass the countryside at breakneck speed, taking only an hour-and-a-half to get to Brussels Gare Midi.
My restaurant this evening is Le Cirio (https://www.thefork.be/restaurant/le-cirio-r201555). A quintessential Victorian-style restaurant started in 1886, the food and decor was amazing. I had the Flemish beef stew, a traditional dish that warmed by cold innards. The meal included a hot chocolate and french fries. The Belgique are all about their french fries (or rather, pommes frites). I heard a British tourist remark that Brussels might as well be Liverpool with all the french fry restaurants in the city. Apparently in Liverpool they enjoy their “chips” as much as the Belgians enjoy their “pommes frites.”
Le Cirio Restaurant
Back to my “Red” subplot. I woke up the next morning wondering If my instructions to the pick up place was going to get me there. I hadn’t ventured outside of the city of Brussels, so I was unsure how transfers and bus stops would be. Plus, I had to walk 15 minutes along a country road to the destination. I had come all this way. There was no turning back now. I picked up my courage, downloaded a bunch of Google Maps to my phone and started out to meet my contact. Thankfully the metro ticket kiosk had an English setting. The trip on the Metro started out with going in the wrong direction, quickly corrected at the next stop. The transfer to the bus was more challenging. The information in Google Maps wasn’t quite right, so I had to improvise and study the bus schedules posted on a couple of bus stops to find the right one. Fortunately, the bus stop did have a screen with updates of when each bus was arriving. I loaded the bus which indicated taking me to the right place. I realized after a while that the bus did not stop at each bus stop which threw my counting off. So, with my one good long distance eye, I read the small print on each of the bus stop signs along the way to know where I was. What I didn’t mention so far was that my phone service in France does not extend to Belgium. I did not know this until we crossed into Belgium yesterday. So, I lived from Wi-Fi to Wi-Fi to download maps and directions wherever I was going.
After about 30 minutes on the bus to the outskirts of Brussels, I stepped off at my stop. What I didn’t realize was the stop was next to farmland. Fields as far as I could see of fields laying fallow after the fall harvest. Was this the right place? How could the pick-up point be in the middle of farmland? My pulse elevated, I embarked on the road my instructions directed. After about 5 minutes, the sidewalk ended. Remembering my training, I walked on the side where the cars were coming towards me, careful to walk on the fields when I wasn’t sure the cars were giving me sufficient berth. I turned left where the instructions told me to, still going deeper into farmland. After what seemed like an unusually long time to be walking through farmland, I finally spot it. Like an oasis in the desert, the encampment appeared. After showing my credentials, they let me in like a safe house. I received the package from my contact without incident and walked back to the bus station.
After I got back to Brussels, I could finally breath easier. Needing to calm down after the pick-up, I went to Brussels Grand Place and ate in the sunshine.
Getting back to the train station was a little difficult since one of the metro lines was down due to an obstruction in the track. I did finally make it back to the train station, boarded the bullet train back to Paris, and got the package home safely. This was a wonderful adventure reliving old cherished memories and making new ones including visiting the farmland outside Brussels.
I am truly enjoying my time in Paris so far. I’ve met a lot of people, danced a lot, seen a lot of sights, and checked off a lot of those pesky things you need to do when you move to a new country. Many adventures still await.
It was in the sewers of Paris that Jean Valjean found himself.
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
Having been to Paris many times, I’ve been to almost all of the usual sightseeing locations. About 15 years ago or so, I started visiting the secondary list of sights that gets into the less well-known, secret, or local-frequented spots. This post talks about two extremes of this list: the Louvre Museum and the Sewers of Paris. I spent about an hour in Louvre to see two areas that I find very interesting to me. One is the displays of the original walls of the city below the Louvre and another is a painting that has always intrigued me from one of my first visits. Then I spent a little time taking a tour of the Parisian sewers – a fun-filled, informative journey into the underside of Paris which channels all the water waste from Paris to water treatment plants.
Louvre Museum: In the basement of the Louvre Museum (https://louvre.fr), in the exhibit “Pavillon de l’Horlage (Clock Pavilion),” the museum displays the changes and growth of the Louvre complex over time from its initial start in 1190 AD to today. The Louvre’s initial purpose was to protect the city of Paris from English and Norman invasions as a defensive fort and walls with a moat. In this basement exhibit, many of the original fort, walls, and moat are rebuilt to show what the fort looked like at the beginning. This part of the Louvre fascinates me the most in the museum because of its size and history.
Requisite selfie in front of the Louvre Museum
Walls and the moat
Looking at two sides of the fort in the moat
Musée Louvre, Exhibit, “Pavillon de l’Horlage” (Clock Pavilion)
One painting within the Louvre caught my attention on my first trip when I was a mere lad of 13. While I did go see the Mona Lisa, this painting, though, intrigued me much more. I think it reminded me of myself as a contemplative, intense boy. Every one of my visits to the Louvre includes a stop at this painting.
“Portrait of a young man holding a statuette” by Bronzino
Underneath the Louvre Museum, is a mall, The Carrousel du Louvre (https://www.carrouseldulouvre.com). Here displays an impressive assortment of high end shops, American stores, Starbucks, and a food court. I stopped here to get some lunch and some delicious macaroons from Laduree, one of the premier macaroon shops in Paris. My favorite macaroon flavor is lavender (not always available, unfortunately) with a silky smooth consistency after an initial subtle crunch. Average macaroons tend to be a little gritty and chalky. This is one of the indications to me how good a macaroon is. In this shopping center is the bottom part of the glass pyramid from of the Louvre as well as a number of shops you would see in any major shopping center in the United States. There is a lot more in common between Paris and the US today then when I first started visiting Paris in the 1980s. In this shopping center is Fragonard (https://www.fragonard.com). A few years ago, I discovered a cologne from the perfumerie, Fragonard, called Diamant (Diamond). It’s my everyday cologne. Many of you have remarked how well it smells.
The Carrousel du Louvre Shopping Center
Musée des Égouts: The final stop was to the Sewers of Paris (https://musee-egouts.paris.fr). These miles of underground tunnels channel the waste water of Paris to water treatment plants. Paris is a very large city with large amounts of water flowing from storm drains, buildings, and apartments all over the city. This is one of those places where you learn about the civil engineering marvel of these sewers and how the city was able to prosper as a result. The smell is unique but not that bad once you get used to it after being down there a few minutes. The museum exhibits the history and function of the sewers. There are guided tours as well.
The entrance to the museum
A stone walled tunnel in the sewers
A paining within the sewer tunnel
The network of sewers is extensive throughout and around Paris
Musée des Égouts de Paris
A clip of waste water flowing through the sewers
Well, onto new adventures as I move into my apartment this weekend and start the journey of setting up utilities, a French bank account, and registering my business with the French authorities.
The passages are a peaceful form of the crowd. It controls itself better there, it stretches out; it warms itself up by rubbing against the walls. The pace of the pedestrians no longer slows down humbly, winding around the line of cars like ivy on oak trees. They no longer wade through the mud or the elements. The passage shelters them and envelops them in an almost domestic gentleness. It is a street that gathers itself together, or an interior that constantly undoes itself.
JULES ROMAINS « Puissances de Paris » – 1911
One of the most interesting places to go for shopping and eating are in the covered passages of Paris. In these privately owned covered walkways between two streets, shops and restaurants line the tight pathway with apartments and hotels rising above them. These passages are also known as arcades. While there were about 60 of these passages built during the 19th century, only about 15 of these still exist to this day. The city government of Paris produced a pamphlet which explains their history and which ones are still open today (https://web.archive.org/web/20150216013205/http://www.paris.fr/viewmultimediadocument?multimediadocument-id=120848).
In these glass-covered passages, you can find old fashioned bookstores, nick-knack shops, traditional french restaurants, and many international restaurants as well. I recently spent a day exploring a number of these passages to look at the shops and restaurants that have a lot of character and charm.
I went to Passage Jouffroy (9th), Passage Verdeau (3rd), Passage des Panoramas (2nd), and Passage Molière (3rd). The passages made me feel like I was walking through 19th century Paris. Cafe tables lined the tight pathways. Bookstores displayed hundreds of books on tables as well as inside the stores. Nick-knack shops invited shoppers to explore old Paris with exotic home decor. It was a good thing I haven’t moved into my long-term apartment yet, or I would have been sorely tempted to pick up a few items.
Passage Jouffroy
Each passage had it’s own unique character and various shapes of the pathways. Usually the passages zigzagged between buildings and often made a little maze with interesting finds in out-of-the way corners.
Passage Verdeau
Even though cafes throughout Paris usually have tables lined up outside the restaurants along the sidewalks, the passages seem even more cramped as the pathways are already only a few people wide. With tables on both sides of some passages, there was a lot of waiting for others to pass. In order to rest my traveled feet, I ended up getting a good appetizer of croquette de cheddar, a burger, and fries at One&One restaurant (https://www.oneandonerestaurants.com/), 7 Passage des Panoramas, 75002 Paris France.
Many shops and restaurants were decorated for Holloween (One&One restaurant)
Passage des Panoramas
The passages, though, have felt the effect of COVID with some shops and restaurants now closed. Passage Molière, for instance, only had one place open, a hotel. The rest of the passage was a series of empty shops.
Passage Molière
It has been fun looking for the more unique or fascinating corners of Paris. I will continue to explore this city and share with you these adventures.
Found an Apartment! This week I found an apartment and signed the lease. It’s a two-bedroom, one-bath flat on the second floor (called the first floor in Europe). Move in date is November 5th. I’m very excited to have a long-term place to live which allows a lot of other tasks to start like registering for the French health system. The flat is in an older building (Haussmann style). It also comes with a “cave” or basement. I look forward to hosting my visiting friends in my place when you visit Paris. The flat is located in the eighth arrondissement, about a 5 minute walk to Champs Elysees and the Arc de Triomphe.
In order to be selected for the apartment, I had to prove my financial worthiness through my income, savings statement, last three months of apartment statements, letters of recommendation, and a guarantee insurance. Renters insurance is required, of course, but it had to be with a French insurance company. I went with ECA Assurances (https://eca-assurances.com/) because it was recommended by a number of expatriates in Paris and one of the least expensive renters insurance. I also needed to be able to pay in Euros. I am using Wise bank (https://wise.com) where I can transfer funds from US Dollars to Euros and then pay in Euros. The fees and exchange rates are about the best I’ve seen so far. Many companies in France really want you to be using French businesses and French bank accounts. So, I’ll probably need to get a French bank account one of these days, too. I’m looking into Hello Bank (https://www.hellobank.fr) since it’s an online French bank and inexpensive.
My Flat in Paris
Eiffel Tower and Seine River Cruise: This past week, I spent a day visiting the Eiffel Tower and taking a boat ride on the Seine River. The Eiffel Tower is one of the more recognized sights of Paris. It can be seen from most rooftops throughout the city giving a good help for direction around the city. I took a boat cruise (Bateaux Parisiens) along the Seine River that gives a guided tour of the sights with a little bit of history for each. I listened to some of the commentary, but ended up spending most of the time just looking at the sights. The guided tour works through either your phone (Wi-Fi onboard) or via handsets inside the boat in about 14 different languages. I always enjoy a leisurely boat ride along the Seine to calm my nerves and take in the larger view of the city.
View of the boat and Paris
The Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower up close
Gorgeous buildings along the river
Notre Dame under construction
The city from the Seine River
Views of Paris from the Seine River
Mini-Statue of Liberty: In 1986, the United States gifted a smaller version of the Statue of Liberty to the city of Paris to commemorate the centennial of the statue in New York City harbor. The statue is on a long skinny island in the Seine River with a beautiful promenade along the island. The leaves have started to change colors, becoming shades of yellow at this time.
The promenade to the statue
Mini Statue of Liberty
Inscription on the statue
The beginning of the path to the statue
The Mini-Statue of Liberty
Another Mouse: I see mice everywhere! Well, at least two real mice so far and the Disney ones at Disneyland. On the island to see the Statue of Liberty, I saw my second real-life mouse. He was hanging out where I rested for a few minutes searching for food around the benches. He spent about 10 minutes with me, enjoying the sunshine and 60-degree weather. I was able to get a few pictures and videos of this little guy. He was so cute.
A little mouse (not in a restaurant this time…)
Bastille: I also spent some time at the Place de la Bastille where the infamous Bastille prison used to stand. Now it’s a large square with a tall statue in the middle. There also happens to be a canal that runs under the street and plaza. In the open areas, there where lots of boats anchored to the shore. A very peaceful place in the late evening.
Statue in Place de la Bastille
Engraving on the statue
The canal that exits from underneath the Place de la Bastille
Place de la Bastille
My life is filled here with meeting new people, swing dancing, sightseeing, and setting up all the things needed to live in Paris. More adventures await!
Well, I did it. I accomplished one of my major bucket list items – an annual pass to Disneyland Paris! It’s only about 45 minutes away by train to the outskirts of Paris. Disneyland Paris is made of two park plus a downtown area. I spent the day at Disneyland (Magic Kingdom) exploring the park and riding a number of old favorites like Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, and Snow White. When I lived in Los Angeles, Disneyland was only about 45 minutes away there, too. I really do like living in a large city with a Disneyland that close.
Disneyland Paris!
Disneyland decorated for Halloween
The Old Mill – a wonderful iconic cartoon location
The Haunted Mansion (Phantom Manor)
The Haunted Mansion (Phantom Manor)
The Mark Twain Boat
Disneyland Paris00
More Swing Dancing: I also went to a swing dance on Friday evening at a new location for me. The dancing styles, music, and attire was very similar to swing dances in the USA. Another example of friendly, welcoming swing dancers in Paris.
Wonder Follow 2021: This weekend I attended Wonder Follow 2021 (https://www.wonderfollow.com/). On Saturday, the guest instructor was from Brazil and spoke English which was very helpful for me. On Sunday, the instructor spoke in French, so my partner translated for me. The weekend primarily was for follows, and the follows were responsible for bringing their own lead. I met my partner by answering a post on Facebook. It was a lot of fun and did include some instruction of being a better lead by paying closer attention to the follow and incorporating her style and personality into each dance.
Apartment hunt update: I am still on the hunt for a long term apartment in Paris. I took a tour of another one today. Here’s hoping it works out.
Now onto more swing dancing and becoming familiar with the city I now call home (that’s Paris if you were wondering).
Bonjour from Paris! A major milestone happened today. I had an entire conversation in French and almost understood every word. It was with my doctor’s office here in Paris, over the phone nonetheless. This gives me hope that once I take French conversation classes and spend some time here, I should become fluent. I do already dream in French occasionally, but my vocabulary in those dreams is limited to simple words and phrases.
First Doctor’s Appointment: This week I did go to my first Doctor’s appointment in France. The hospital, Hôpital Cochin in the 15th arrondissement, hosts the eye doctor my USA eye doctor referred me to. Even with a mix up with the appointment, he saw me that morning in between his other patients. He explained the four doctors I will see regularly in Paris: a general practitioner (or primary care physician), an optometrist (for regular eye checkups), his specialist office (for annual check-ups), and an internal medicine doctor. I definitely appreciate his time in explaining this all to me since the French medical system is very different from the USA system.
Cool door to the hospital
Cool exterior facade to the hospital
Exterior of Hôpital Cochin
Musée Rodin: One of my favorite gardens to visit is located at the Musée Rodin (https://www.musee-rodin.fr/). It contains a beautiful garden encased in high walls so it’s generally quiet. The artist, Auguste Rodin, produced many bronze sculptures including “The Thinker.” Most of my trips to Paris included some time in these gardens. Since I will be going there a lot, I bought their annual pass for 30 euros: well worth it for the tranquil gardens.
The Thinker (and me)
Musée Rodin main building
Musée Rodin gardens
Musée Rodin
Wonder Follow 2021: This weekend is the Wonder Follow 2021 (https://www.wonderfollow.com/) swing dance workshop in Paris. I will be a leader for one of the followers for a couple of classes. I’m excited to be participating in the swing scene in Paris which appears to be alive and well this fall.
Paris Fashion: As I’ve observed every-day men’s Parisian fashion, one of the characteristics is they tend to use solid colors, rather than stripes or prints. I found a men’s store that is filled with brilliant, yet solid, colored outfits including bow ties (https://www.thenines.fr/). So, it looks like a subset of my American clothes will fit in nicely until I need to buy more clothes here.
The Nines – Paris
So, moving right along with my integration into the Parisian life.
One of my favorite French singers is Navii. One of his songs is “Éblouie par la Nuit” where he bikes around Paris singing how much he is dazzled by the nighttime views of Paris (while singing about a love in his life, of course).
“Éblouie par la Nuit” by Navii
When I walk around Paris, I, too, am dazzled by the city lights, the people walking by, the cars, the sights. I spent an evening on Champs-Élysées walking up and down the avenue enjoying the sights and sounds of the city. This is where Arc de Triomphe is located. I visit this area almost every time I’ve been to Paris. It’s so lively with lots of people shopping, eating, and taking selfies in front of the Arc de Triomphe.
Avenue de Champs-Élysées
On this avenue is a large selection of stores and restaurants with high end shops like Louis Vuitton and Dior. But, it is egalitarian in that there is a McDonalds, Quick, and Five Guys along side La Duree (a high end pastry restaurant – Macaroons!). I find that when walking among the neighborhoods of Paris, my personal cares and concerns fade as I focus on the spectacle and the stories of those around me. Who are these families walking along the Champs-Élysées? Where do they come from? I listen to a little of their conversations and some are in French, some in English, and many other languages – Italian, Arabic. And each has an entire story to tell, and they are all in this moment enjoying an evening in Paris trying to get the best selfie angle.
The requisite selfie in front of the Arc de Triomphe
Louis Vuitton and Dior next door to each other
Dior’s amazing temporary facade
Dior Store temporary facade, better than most building’s permanent facade.
Louis Vuitton and its Art Deco style building
La Duree Restaurant with the most amazing Macaroons
Where I ate dinner – a great Parmesan crusted ravioli dish and yellow chicken (with fries, of course)
Outdoor seating for Bistro des Champs
Even McDonalds has a charming outdoor seating area while being decorated for Halloween
Five Guys in Paris with a long line out the door
And of course, no shopping district is complete without a Disney Store
Avenue Champs-Élysées Stores and Restaurants
I ate dinner at Bistro des Champs where I enjoyed Parmesan-encrusted ravioli and yellow chicken with french fries. A lot of the menu items in Paris come with french fries. I have always found that a little odd that the French like french fries so much. But, “C’est la vie.” Maybe they do that to cater to tourists, although a very basic dish in France is peppered steak with french fries.
Ratatouille! Did I tell you I like the dish, Ratatouille? Well, I do, and you’ll probably hear it again in these posts. While in the movie by the same name it’s called a peasant’s dish, I’ve found it be a savory combination of red sauce and vegetables. I’ve sauteed fish with Ratatouille on the side twice now since I’ve been in Paris. It will probably be a weekly dish for me in Paris.
Le Metro! I love the metro in Paris. I did get a Navigo monthly pass which lets me get on all over the city included in the cost. I love taking the metro and RER trains all over Paris to get around. I read a lot on the metro to pass the time. Many of the signs and stations are in Art Nouveau style. I read up on the differences between art nouveau, art deco, and Arts and Crafts, because it’s important to know these things in Paris (https://canvas.saatchiart.com/lifestyle/inspiration/art-deco-art-nouveau-arts-and-crafts-whats-the-difference). I enjoy looking at the architecture to see the artistry that went into the stations in Paris. One of the metro stops on Champs-Élysées is Franklin D. Roosevelt. The train platform is in Art Deco style.
A metro entrance (FDR station)
FDR station platform
Franklin D. Roosevelt Metro Station
Tomorrow I visit my Parisian eye doctor and tour a flat to potentially rent long-term. Talk to you in a few days.
Talenton 