Today is our second full day with Casey here in Paris, and it was forecast to rain ALL day. What better day to hit the Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay, and pretend to be art??
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After months of anticipation, Casey has landed!!! And we have absolutely made the most of our first 24 hours together in Paris. Last night, we visited the Eiffel Tower (and a faux tower made of cafe chairs): Today, we managed to pay homage to Napoleon himself; visit the Rodin museum, the Museum of the Middle Ages, the Pantheon, and the Archaeological Crypt at the Notre Dame; indulge in some croissants and macarons from Ladurée (raspberry, lemon, pistachio and salted caramel, if you're curious) a crêpe for Michael; and crash the Pride parade in a torrential downpour. All in all, an exhausting but fantastic first day. We had nationally-themed lunch options in the cafeteria today. How did I support the US team? I ate a burger.
This past weekend, the northern hemisphere officially welcomed summer. As excited as I had been for the arrival of spring, I am even more thrilled for summer. The long months ahead mean drinking chilled rosé outside, listening to music in the streets, and welcoming Lady Casey to Paris on Friday for two weeks of fun and adventures in Italy. Yes, I am ready for summer! Here's a quick recap of how we spent this past weekend welcoming summer in Paris. Friday: Fête de l'été OECD summer party I had heard about the annual OECD summer party since joining in December. On one night every year, families and staff are invited to a summer party in the garden of the Château, complete with live music, food, and of course, wine and champagne. The party lived up to the hype. By the time we left around 11:30pm, the crowd was still hopping, even though the food and alcohol had run out and the reserve boxes of champagne had been consumed. Maybe next year we'll close it down with the rest of the gang. Saturday: Fête de la musique Not to be outdone by the OECD party, Saturday evening was the annual Fête de la Musique. Every year on the summer solstice (June 21), the French Ministry of Culture organizes a world music festival, which is now held in over 100 European cities, including Paris. The website for the Fête notes that "the musicians are asked to perform for free, and all the concerts are free for the public. It’s the reason why they are used to play in open air areas as streets and parks or in public buildings like museums, train stations, castles..." Haha, castles. Only in Europe. While we didn't visit any castles, we did find a nice group singing in Rue Cler (below) by our apartment, followed by a group of French Army Parachutists in uniform rocking out on the Champs de Mars. Seriously. Let's just say it was a cultural experience. When we first arrived in Paris, we were given a book called the Paris Insider's Guide. We have found it to be invaluable in adjusting to life in this new city of ours; it offers advice on everyday things like banking, shopping, tipping, schooling, etc.
It also pointed us in the direction of the Paris Greeters program, which is an organization comprised of volunteers who take visitors on a 2-3 hour guided walk of their neighborhood. The official mission of the program is to "change the traditional view that tourists have of Parisians and their city." In other words, a major Paris PR campaign to show a kinder side of the city that is often deeply associated with snobbery. And I'll tell you what - it works! We booked a tour a few weeks ago by telling them a little bit about ourselves and some dates we would be available for a walk. A volunteer proposed a walk last Saturday through the neighborhood he grew up in, which included the Luxembourg gardens and the area around the Sorbonne. We had an absolutely fantastic time, and learned a lot more about Paris than we ever could have from a guide book or walking around on our own. A few highlights included an impromptu visit to the Sainte-Genvieve library, were the students were furiously studying for the Bac (end of high school exam, with a lot more pressure than SATs) and the Lycée Henri IV, one of the three most prestigious high schools in Paris. I didn't take a whole lot of pictures, as we were really just cruising around while talking about life in Paris, but here are a few pics below. And for those of you planning trips to Paris, and have a free afternoon to spend with a local (we do not count), it's completely free and a really great way to see a different side of the city. Today, I had the pleasure of seeing one of my favorite professors from my undergraduate university, Concordia.
Dr Cheryl Williams can be credited with propelling my love for travel and adventure to a whole new level, when I joined her on a trip in 2001 to the Amazon rainforest in Suriname. She is one of those professors who changes your life and perspective, and has been doing so for hundreds of students over the years. Cheryl is currently in Paris with a group of students and faculty members for a 2 week cultural course, and I was lucky enough to have her visit me today at the OECD, along with several students and the Director of Concordia's career services. It was SO lovely to see Cheryl again (after 11 years!). And on top of that, I got to talk with two smart young ladies who are just setting out on their professional journeys, and who have so much life ahead of them. I haven't reflected very often on how I got to this point in my career, to be honest; but it was so rewarding to share a small part my story with them - both the ups and the downs - along with a few things I wish someone had told me when I was their age. Let's face it. The professional world is still tough for women. Today reminded me how much we need to support one another, and encourage younger generations of women to passionately pursue their dreams. Nothing is handed to us. One of my favorite things about living in Paris over the past few months has honestly been how many people from home we have gotten to see. Last night our friend Marik was in town, after having spent a week in the South of France - rough life, but somebody's gotta do it. We worked together at the Commerce Department on APEC in 2010 and 2011, and had some crazy adventures in Yokohama, Japan and Big Sky, Montana - which on reflection, couldn't have been two different cities. Anyhoo, we had a lovely time catching up over a bottle of wine on the banks of the Seine at sunset.
We even managed to stay up WAY past bedtime on a school night, and headed to a local "pub" to see the first half of the US-Ghana World Cup match, which began at midnight. When the US scored a goal within the first 30 seconds of the game, all three of us cheered from the shock and excitement. This only made us stand out even more as the Americans at the bar, as absolutely nobody else was there to watch the game. Go team. This marvelous contraption below will be your best friend during your next trip to Paris. Meet the "Sanisette." It was invented by a French company a few years back to replace the public urinals that were once ubiquitous throughout Paris. Yes, public urinals actually existed, and believe it or not were called Pissoirs. Apparently, public urination is a problem that has plagued Paris for a while. In the 1840s, the pissoir was designed to offer Parisian gents an alternative to relieving themselves on the first building they found after leaving the bar. It was really a win-win solution if you ask me.
Not having grown up in Europe, the whole concept of a public urinal is entirely new to me, but apparently these things took off like wild fire throughout Europe. At their peak in the 1930s, there were over 1,200 pissoirs in Paris alone. Anyway, back to our modern Parisian public toilet - which is free to use, by the way! Each Sanisette contains a toilet and a sink, and completely self-cleans after every use. Once sanitized, the next customer pushes a button and steps right in. The door cannot be opened from the outside when occupied, but will automatically open after 15 minutes to discourage vagrants from moving in. Today, there are 400+ of these toilettes publiques sprinkled throughout the city. So the next time you are in Paris and mother nature calls while you're touring around, don't head back to your hotel - look for a Sanisette and thank the gods of modern sanitation that the spirit of public service has survived the centuries. I was guilted into attending a retirement party tonight for a colleague who had worked at the OECD for 38 years.
After nearly four decades working for one organization, I figured it was worth showing up to drink a glass of champagne and show some respect for a serious commitment to one's career. About 10 minutes after I arrived, the speeches started, which is an awkward time to try and sneak out for dinner. So I hung in there for a good 30 minutes of 1) a good speech; followed by 2) a long but thoughtful speech and PPT, complete with embarrassing childhood photos; to finish with 3) a truly terrible speech that we could barely hear by the retiree himself, including photos of deceased colleagues who he worked with once upon a time. Not fantastic. And just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, it did. As it turns out, our retiree fancied himself a bit of a music man. He sang in a choir in Paris, and had recruited a few friends to join him on this lovely evening to pay tribute to his life and career through song. First out of the gate was a barbershop quartet version of When I'm 64. Ok, some polite chuckles and uncomfortable glances were exchanged, but whatever - maybe the guy was 64 and the song had particular meaning. But then an MC took the mic, and we all realized that the show was just beginning. A pianist joined the group on "stage" for a duet with our intrepid retiree, performing what I can only describe as a song that morphed from a shrill musical number into spoken poetry about the life and aspirations of our man of the hour. A few of us went straight back to the bar and ordered another round of champagne. I honestly stopped paying close attention after a while because it was so awful. Watching it all unfold from the back, we heard a rousing rendition of the Banana Boat Song that was again performed in the timeless style of the barbershop quartet - only this time, a photo was projected behind the singers of a large bunch of bananas with a giant tarantula on top. Not kidding. Next came Je Ne Veux Pas Travailler, the classic French ditty that made sense for the occasion, followed by a less-appropriate romantic Portuguese ballad, performed in duet with a young lady. There simply were no words. I snuck out after probably eight consecutively horrible songs. Why would someone do this at their retirement party!?! My guess is that it was retribution for years of being a grumpy old man who had stayed in the same job for way too long, and this was one final eff you. For all I know, the concert is still raging. It was one of the most unbelievable moments I have ever witnessed in a professional environment - I'm glad I saw it all go down, but I'll definitely ask around before I attend the next OECD retirement party. We got up bright and early on Saturday morning to take a walk along the Promenade Plantée, which Michael discovered earlier in the week to his great surprise and excitement. As it turns out, there is a fantastic garden pathway right in the middle of Paris that stretches for a few kilometers through gardens and forest to provide a respite for the weary city dwellers who need a breath of fresh air. What was once an elevated railway system has now become a place for residents and visitors alike to escape the urban jungle... similar in fact to the High Line in New York. Sure, we hit a patch of rain and cloudy skies. But it was still a wonderful walk on a Saturday morning, and will be a place we plan to explore further throughout the seasons.
Guess who went to the French Open this week? Not me. But Michael did! Here are a few of his photos - the one on the left is from his seat, with a convenient view of the Eiffel Tower in the back (I know, it was rough for him. He suffered greatly for the cause of good tennis). And the one on the right is of Mary Joe Fernandez and Lindsay Davenport. While we didn't have tickets to the men's finals this afternoon - because we haven't yet won the lottery - we did make a valiant attempt to watch the game on a jumbotron at the Champ de Mars under the Eiffel Tower. Unfortunately, a million other people decided that it was also a good idea, and there wasn't a free patch of grass left that didn't have a spectator attached.
So, back we headed home to "picnic" in our living room while watching the match. Not a bad second best. On the bus ride home last night, the traffic was so bad I actually got out to walk. Turns out, both Obama and Putin are in town and having (separate) dinner with Holland prior to the 70th anniversary of the D-Day invasion today. Which basically means that half of the city is blocked off at any given time for a mega motorcade. And the gift just kept right on giving this morning. When I got to my bus stop, there were a few cars on the main street, but it was eerily sparse for that time of day. Which was odd until I saw the lead motorcycles of a motorcade of a size that could only be a head of state - but was it going to be Obama or Putin!? It didn't' take long to see the Lead vehicle with the all-too-familar markings of a USG motorcade. And when the Presidential limo passed by, I absolutely couldn't help myself from smiling and waving madly like an idiot. Having worked and lived in DC for many years, it wasn't uncommon to see Obama's motorcade flying down the streets on Pennsylvania avenue; but it's something altogether different to see the US President in Paris on the street where I wait for my bus every morning. It was fantastic. Had it been Putin's motorcade, my greeting may have been a bit different ;)
For our last evening with the NC crew, we met for a sunset boat cruise on the Seine. After a long day at work, it was perfectly timed, and a fantastic way to bid farewell (for now) to our friends. There are few things quite as beautiful as Paris on a warm spring night on the Seine. It makes all of the hard work worth it.
The tale of our journey to Epinal this past weekend with our North Carolina crew is really best told in two parts. To provide a bit of context, our day trip out of Paris on Saturday was organized by our visitors from NC, who planned to visit the grave of a relative who had fought and died in WWII, and was buried at the Epinal American Cemetery in France. None of the family had ever had a chance to visit the grave, so this was a very special occasion. They graciously invited us to join, which we were of course thrilled and honored to do. As a point of reference, here's where we were headed: Part 1 : Fancy Nancy France-y It's always fun to show up to a place you know nothing about. We had a bit over an hour layover in Nancy on our train ride to Epinal on Saturday morning, when Michael suggested we take a walk to pass the time. Without so much as an iota of a sliver of a clue about Nancy, we headed out for a stroll. Ducking through a promising looking archway, we were soon lured by the siren song of a 1,000+ voice choir into a magnificent square that was ridiculously, and opulently gilded. With mouths agape, we wandered into the Place Stanislas and then onto one of the most beautiful churches I've ever seen. And while it's not every day that you wonder in to UNESCO world heritage site without any idea where you're going (sound familiar, Jo? ;), we managed to do it this weekend in Nancy. Michael and I are already scheming a return visit. Part 2 : Epinal American Cemetery For as much as we didn't know what we were getting into at Nancy, we had a good idea of what to expect in Epinal - and were still blown away. After arriving in Epinal by train and enjoying lunch al fresco, we loaded into a few taxis to travel the remaining four miles to the cemetery. The grounds are incredibly peaceful, in such stark contrast to how the men buried there lived their final days. Both of my grandfathers fought in WWII - one in Europe and one in the Pacific - and I couldn't help but think of them both when we arrived, and how different our lives would have been had things turned out differently. As we were walking over to the grave to place flowers, the cemetery's superintendent came over to greet us. Instead of a quick "hello and thanks for coming", he proceeded to give us a 3+ hour tour of the cemetery. So in addition to a brief history of what was going in the war on during the time when many of the men buried there had died (in early 1945), we got to hear personal stories about many of the men who were brothers, friends, husbands, sons and fathers when they made the ultimate sacrifice.
It was a totally unexpected highlight of our trip, and one that made the place come alive with people in the place of marble. With the upcoming anniversary of the D-Day invasion on Friday, it was a perfect moment to pause and reflect on what happened in this country 70 years ago. Over the past week, we have had the pleasure of seeing Paris through the eyes of four lovely visitors from North Carolina. Michael's friend from college, Justin, had been planning a trip to Europe with his parents (Ron and Cindy) and his girlfriend, Angela, for about a year. We just happened to move to Paris and move into an apartment right around the corner from their hotel - it was fate :) These four brave travelers arrived last Thursday morning, fresh off a red-eye from the East Coast to hit the ground running. Lucky for me, it was also a French holiday (Ascension), so I got to join Michael and the gang for their first day in Paris. I will break up their visit into separate posts, because each of our adventures deserves its own place in the sun. Day one included a few highlights, including a visit to Napoleon's tomb in the morning, followed by a visit to the Rodin museum gardens in the afternoon. Michael and I had last visited the Rodin museum in February, but were totally unprepared for incredible change we saw in the gardens. The most impressive (shocking!) aspect was that a seriously beautiful rose garden lay dormant until recently surrounding The Thinker. I had no idea that many colors and varieties of roses existed! Absolutely worth a repeat visit. And of course, this happened. This photo was taken further into the gardens of the Rodin museum, and perfectly captures my lovely husband.... a head above the rest! We capped off the evening with an open-air bus tour of the city. I had always wanted to do one when we lived in DC, and finally got to enjoy one in Paris. Although we had the option to hop on and hop off, we rode the bus for the duration of 2.5 hours, and got to see a lot of the city that we had not yet experienced. And we now have the collective experience of hearing Aux Champs Elysées on massive repeat over a good stretch of the audio guide narration. The French love this song... we didn't' so much.
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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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