...Paris has another Paris under herself; a Paris of sewers; which has its streets, its crossings, its squares, its blind alleys, its arteries, and its circulation, which is slime, minus the human form. (Les Miserables, Jean Valjean; Book II, ch.1) Ah yes, the beauty of the Parisian sewers, as described by Victor Hugo in 1862. I don't think much has changed since then, judging by our tour of the place over the weekend. One of the lesser known Parisian sights is in fact underground at the Musee des Egouts, or Sewer Museum. And lucky for those of you visiting us this year, it's about a 10 minute walk from our apartment! Although I probably don't recommend visiting in the summer as the odors were already quite pungent in the cold days of January. This place is legit.
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Two weeks after the attack in Paris on the Charlie Hebdo offices and the kosher grocery store, I still don't know how to express what it was like living here when it happened, or how profoundly it affected Parisians. Michael and I attended a rally at the Place de la République on the night of the Charlie shootings, which was the start of the massive public uprising in support of freedom of expression, and a chance to honor those who were killed courageously defending theirs, even with full knowledge of the danger they courted. As events on Friday unfolded, we saw the simple act of shopping for groceries turn into a nightmare for those who were targeted. We were all thinking... it could easily have been me. It was inevitable that when the Unity March was announced in Paris for the following Sunday, we were going. After living in Paris for a year, we are part of this city. And we are part of the millions of humans who believe that we can fight for a world that is better than the one we are living in. Government officials estimate that across France, around 3.7 million people took to the streets on Sunday, January 11 (up to 2 million in Paris). It was the biggest public rally in French history, and the largest since the 1944 liberation from the Nazis and the end of WW2. For me, it was one of the most important events I've ever been a part of. Today was a sad day in Paris. I can't believe we still live in a world where humans do these kinds of things to one another.
One year ago yesterday, Michael and I landed at CDG airport in Paris, grabbed a bottle of champagne and some dinner from the local grocery store, and watched the Eiffel Tower light up at midnight on a bridge by our apartment. It was magical, and the perfect way to begin our 2014 adventure. This NYE, we joined some good friends to ring in the new year. And man, did we have a good time!! I couldn't decide on only a few photos, so here's a fun gallery that well depicts our night :)
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AuthorBecause why not get married and move to Paris to really kick off your thirties? Archives
December 2016
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