I didn’t expect to be so angered by the mobs of tourists that flock every single monument, museum, and alleyway. I didn’t quite travel hundreds and hundreds of miles away to hear English spoken all around me. It makes the surroundings seem artificial, fake. Like everything beautiful exists to create money and nothing more. Like the Paris I am starting to fall in love with is a fish in a fish bowl, something pretty to be stared at. But I promise, my pessimistic monologue is ending.
The day started out early with a visit to the Orsay museum. I will admit that I am not much of an art connoisseur, but what I saw was living history. We started with the impressionist paintings on the top floor and worked our way down to the sculptures and furniture that peppered the rest of the museum. It was all incredible. My appreciation for art is much greater than my knowledge on the topic, yet I was mesmerized from the moment I stepped foot into the converted train station. The sheer talent in any single room is enough to break out and applaud humanity. Don’t even get me started on the “Salle des fêtes”, the ballroom on the second floor. I was absolutely mesmerized by the ornate molding, the chandeliers, the mirrors. My mouth gaped open for a good five minutes, and I wished in that moment that I could waltz for hours beneath the crystal chandeliers. We then had lunch at the museum’s gorgeous restaurant – creamed carrots and chicken pieces in a puffed pastry – très français. And absolutely delicious.
A group of us went to the Rodin museum next, and although it was absolutely beautiful, it felt polluted by the amount of tourists that crowded the small, winding paths around the monuments in the outdoor garden. Hypocritical, I know, since I am a tourist myself for the week. But my new goal in life is to somehow gain access to the garden after hours, and stroll the flower-lined paths at sunset. I tend to prefer peace and quiet, I suppose. At least when I am surrounded by beautiful things.
Afterwards, the entire group went on a boat tour on the Seine in central Paris. It was cold and a bit drizzly, but it was a boat tour nonetheless and we were riding along the Seine at sunset with our new wonderful friends, so we were somewhat immune to the cold and the drizzle. Although we were not as immune to our hunger, so dinner afterwards was spectacular – a small restaurant in the Latin Quarter, and we didn’t get back to the hotel till around midnight. My group talked about friends, and school, and boys, and a myriad of other things that seemed important at the time, if only because we were young and weightless and living in Paris.
Afterwards, the entire group went on a boat tour on the Seine in central Paris. It was cold and a bit drizzly, but it was a boat tour nonetheless and we were riding along the Seine at sunset with our new wonderful friends, so we were somewhat immune to the cold and the drizzle. Although we were not as immune to our hunger, so dinner afterwards was spectacular – a small restaurant in the Latin Quarter, and we didn’t get back to the hotel till around midnight. My group talked about friends, and school, and boys, and a myriad of other things that seemed important at the time, if only because we were young and weightless and living in Paris.