Day 1_Paris

There is a pro to traveling alone:  you travel light and get to see what you want.  Parc de la Villette designed by landscape architect Bernard Tschumi is an avant-garde design using Deconstructionist theory.  Thirty-five follies are spread across the park in a grid organization.  Tschumi's intent was to design  a park that was interactive and each of the cherry red follies has a different way to interact.  The follies are all grid in architectural design, with some having added  features like water for the users to decide how they want to interact with the spaces.

Paris reminds me of San Francisco with its strong diagonals as well as the urban vibe of the people here.  Clothes are subdued in blacks and other neutrals, and everyone (men and women alike) wear scarves.  Kisses are exchanged frequently in this City of Love with old and young lovers oblivious to everyone around them.  There are loads of motorscooters:  saw two grannies jump on one last night which was interesting.

Visited the Pere Lachaise Cemetery and checked out several graves including Jim Morrison and Oscar Wilde.  Oscar Wilde's grave was covered with lipstick kisses.  I decided not to add to the grave a la Gum Wall style as it is probably not hygienic.  I've decided that it is easiest to be found in a graveyard if you are on the aisles as this is one crowded place.  Many of the mapped gravesites are for artists:  singers, writers, painters.  How does one choose the grave marker of an artist?  Does it represent their work?  the family's idea of their work?  their essence?

Made a trek through the Cathedral of Notre Dame which was exquisite.  You are supposed to be silent and prayerful, but the many other non-French readers around me were carrying on quite loudly.  The cathedral started construction in the 1100s...Amazing, when everything formally built in California is less than 200 years old.   A walk along the Seine included an exterior visit to the Louvre and looking at the I.M. Pei glass addition, which I have taught, but never seen in person.  It is aligned with the Arc de Triomphe as well as a stolen oblisque.  The route along the Champs Elysees was elegant, but crowded.

Today have mastered how to use the Metro (as all instructions are in French) and am gaining confidence in speaking French.  I can read it, but I have to hope others can understand me....