French Flair...

The day started off later than I expected. I didn't want to get out of bed and rightly so after yesterday and being so overwhelmed by things. My mind is on overload right now. I knew today was going to be a busy day. The first thing I wanted to do was go into Montmartre and see the Bohemian village. After that I planned on maybe finding an internet café or renting a local bike from the city bike racks. The internet at the hotel is pretty much nonexistent. It's €5 per 30 minutes and the keyboard is all messed up for the French language. Keys are in the wrong spot and in a time crunch it takes a lot longer to type things in than I'm used to. I went down and had the breakfast in the lobby. It was okay. It's convenient for €5/day, but not the best. The croissants are really good though. I went back up to my room to get a few things, straighten up for the maids, and head out. Just as I was heading out, the maid was heading in. Good deal. I had my iPod and I was set to go. Yesterday I had thins inkling of an idea to make a music video of my adventures just like I did with the cast. Problem is the places I chose to visit are HEAVILY touristy and I am all alone so it makes it weird to leave my camera in a spot to video myself going crazy. Who knows? I still have another day in Paris to try it at all the hot spots. I certainly had my fill of hot spots today. Unfortunately none of them were for my computer, lol.


After leaving the train and going through all the transfers to get to the Anvers stop on the 2 train (I took the C train to the 13 to the 2 much like transferring in NYC) I came out near the climb to get to the Church of Sacré Coeur (Church of the Sacred Heart). The sight was beautiful this morning and I had another perfect weather day. It was cool in the shade and warm in the sun. I thought when I left this morning it might actually be too cool. I was fine. I climbed all the stairs to get the overview of the city. This was heavily populated for being a Monday morning. I walked around the area and took in the beautiful gardens and parks once again appreciating every angle and every color that crossed my view. I'm so amazed at the beauty here. My next mission was to find the famous Moulin Rouge. I was in Montmartre so it was just a matter of finding it. I came upon the Bohemian village around the church. There were artists in the streets of various kinds. Most of them were sketch artists milling about the various cafes and boutiques around the area. All the streets were stone and they were all thin and winding. Some even had steep drops or even were broken by stairs to get to the next level. I roamed all around taking it in before I stumbled on my first windmill. I thought, "Yes!" I found it, or something. It was the Moulin du Gallette. Another cabaret garden, but not THE cabaret of note. I still stumbled on some sort of Parisian l'histoire so I was happy to grab some photos. I wandered around for a bit more before I finally had to ask. I had to use and understand the French dialogue I had with the shopkeeper. I did understand his directions and I followed them all the way to the Boulevard de Clichy. The MAIN road I was on before heading up the stairs to the church and into the artist village area. It was there. I found it!! I couldn't believe what I was seeing. All this talk of crazy parties and cabarets and here I was staring at that very venue. I went up to it to see how much a show would cost and thought it might be cheaper than the ritzier Lido show. No way. It was more expensive. I debated. It looked so good from the photographs, but the advertising of the Lido was grabbing me for a show called "Bonheur" 70 performers, 23 sets, and 600 costumes. Plus the Lido male dancers!! Who could resist that? I declined the Moulin Rouge and went on my merry way. I opted for the transit system since I DID buy a 3-day pass AND I had my heavy computer with me. I made my way to the Champs Elysées again to try to purchase a ticket at the venue since I didn't find an internet place and I didn't want to make the order online. I walked up to the venue and the woman was very nice. I bought my ticket for €60 (the coupon was not valid for the bar sitting and I didn't see the savings in spending the €90 to sit at a table with half a bottle of champagne for €15 off the price). The bar price includes 2 drinks and I thought that was sufficient enough. I was going to the 9:30pm show. Task #2 complete. Next I wanted to grab something quick to eat and grab a bike. I walked down Avenue George to the bike station I saw the other day. To my dismay it was still inoperable. I was led to another bike station that was inoperable and I finally stumbled on one that worked. I followed the steps, but again to my dismay it wouldn't accept my card. I guess I need that global chip. Oh well. No worries. I walked across the bridge to the metro station, hopped on the C train and went to the Notre Dame. Here I knew I could find the Latin Quarter and lots of bistros, cafes, and take away places to have a bite. Sure enough I got out there, walked down one of the narrow and bustling cobblestone streets, and boom. I found a place with a huge baguette sandwich for just €3.50. I chowed down on that until I made my way over to the Notre Dame du Paris. I saw this on one of my last trips to Paris, but this time I had all the time in the world to take it in and absorb it all. I sat down for a spell to finish my treat and made my way inside to the Cathedral. Yes, I have seen SO MANY cathedrals on my travels in Europe and around the globe, but this was THE Notre Dame du Paris. The place where the story Hunchback of Notre Dame was set. "Sanctuary!!" I went inside and just wandered through the catacombs, arched ceilings, and marveled at the light peering through the large stained glass windows. When I had my fill of it all I left the monument and got a 360° view of it from the outside. I walked all the way around and got it from many angles. My historic journey continued over the Seine River and into the St. Louis Quarter that was simply French. Everything about it reeked country French. I got a crêpe here and wandered through the ones street area to the Bastille. This monument was erected to commemorate the French Independence and the day the Bastille Prison was stormed by the people. I walked along this area for a while soaking up all the people in the various cafés and shops lining the streets. There were so many people out this afternoon. Work must let out early or something. I came to La Place des Vosges in the Bastille area. This place was happening. There was a huge green square surrounded by this palace structure that resembled some of the shops and places in La Rochelle in Bréton, France. All these people were out in the sun just laying and tanning. It was their beach, just like they do by the library in NYC. This place feels like NYC except for the constant French language. More likely than not I will here the occasional English and especially on the subway and then I for a moment think I am in NYC. Then I see the Eiffel Tower, and phew, I know I'm not. Lol. One interesting thing here is you CAN see Lady Liberty perched up in the Seine River. I have yet to see that, but I'm sure it's interesting with the Eiffel Tower in the background. I eventually ended up at the Hotel De Ville. This was a massive structure and looked like it should be some sort of city hall. Especially with the Notre Dame in the background from where I was viewing. I was taken aback by the sudden opening of the streets in the Bastille area to this plaza. I turned my head to look up the street and what should I find but the famous modern art structure of the Centre Pompidou. This building was built with thinking outside the box. Literally. All the structures you normally find inside of a building are on the outside of the building. Pipe work, elevator shafts, emergency stairs, electrical, etc. All of it brightly colored and on the outside of the building. I figure if I had lots of time on my hands, it's raining, or for whatever reason in my last day, I might check it out. It's a museum and a very large one. It looks like it would take forever to go through. There were tons of artists around this area as well. I was definitely around all the Bohemians today. I was exhausted at this point and knew I had to start making it back in order to get ready for the evening. I wandered through the Notre Dame area again and made my way into the subway station.

On my way there I found an info stand and just out of curiosity asked where the Beauvais Airport might be. I hadn't seen it on any of the maps or train routes since getting here and I know my Ryan Air flight is out of there at 9:30am in 2 days time to Rome. I know Ciampino Airport in Rome is a good distance away from the city center as is the airport in Venice. She said there was a shuttle that took people to the airport 3 hours and 15 minutes before flight time. This would mean my transfer comes at 6:15am. Yikes. I don't think the trains start running out here until 8:00am. Should be interesting. I'm going to ask the front desk people how far it might be. I hope it goes smooth.

So after my freshen up shower I headed back into the city to catch dinner and a show. I'm making good use of that metro card as I always do no matter what city. I headed into the Latin Quarter again since I knew it might be a night of take out and I knew I could find it good and cheap there. I was roaming around and stumbled on a falafel stand. I grabbed one of those and just walked around the area. I stumbled on many a place offering a prix fixe menu for €10 and under. This is good! I can use this info for tomorrow. I think I'll be eating in the Latin Quarter again. It's populated with mostly tourists, but there's still a nice vibe there. It's better than the snooty Champs Elysées area, which I got from tonight. After I finished my pita I grabbed a cheese crêpe from a local stand and headed for the subway station. I was far from it and needed that extra boost to get there on time. After winding down and around through many tunnels, which I didn't expect, I finally got on my train. Whoa. I thought NYC had catacombs. These subway tunnels and their connections put NYC to shame. I made it to L'Arc de Triomphe and hiked it to the Lido. I went inside and I was blown away at the presentation. I felt like I walked into a ritzy cruise ship show lounge or Vegas. It was glitzed out. Gaudy chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and some on poles coming up from the ground. People were DRESSED to the nines. Wow. It was dinner and a show for some. I just didn't feel like shelling out the €250 to do that and after seeing all of the show, I'm glad I didn't do that even though I would've gotten treated better. I showed up in what I could bring on a backpack adventure, which doesn't include your flashiest clothing. I had my jeans, a nice shirt, and my dressy sneakers. I looked good and ready to go out no mistake, but it wasn't the tux suits, flashy suits, or shirt and ties the other gentlemen were wearing. I guess that explains the waiter's reaction to my order of a glass of wine. I guess he was expecting me to say champagne. I should've. That was the faire for the night. The band was playing on stage and there was a girl singing while people were tearing up the dance floor. I waited anxiously for the show to begin once the curtains closed on them so the tech crew could get the stage ready for the show. Finally it was time. The chandeliers went up into the ceiling and the ones on poles shrunk down into the floor. Fashion that. I saw the chandeliers going up into the ceiling as a possibility, but only hoped the ones on poles in front of me would go down. Wha-la!! The lights went out and the dramatic music started. From the right a bundle of feathers came in on a track above the audience and appearing from below them being lowered to the stage was the lead female singer. She had this sleek white dress on with white wings as she sang about Bonheur and what it was. The curtains opened and there were the dancers in all their glory. The colors were fashioned on their bodies like they had been painted there 'cause there wasn't much color. The huge feathers on their back covered their cheeks that their thong was not covering. Some women had color on their breasts and some didn't. That was the them running through the whole show with the dancers. Some had a piece of costume over their chest and some didn't. All I saw of the guys were an occasional thong. They were pretty covered. The show was a spectacle for about 90 minutes. There was only 1 singer and she was the star. There were also two "Cirque du Soleil"-like acts. One was a clown of some sorts who did this magical thing with a head that looked completely real. Another was a strong man/balancing act. At least their style and costume was reflective of "Cirque du Soleil." Another act was the web act by this beautiful man and he wasn't wearing much. The show had lavish sets and costumes. There was one section where the women came out a la Paris chic in these costumes that looked straight off a fashionable runway, although some were missing the crucial part of the clothing that covered their chest. Always. It is the Lido. Lol. Even the lead singer strutted her clothes off or lack of at several moments. Her midriff seemed to always show and there were two costumes where she was pretty bare. One that came just across her breasts and another where the part of her pants from the side cut to the back was missing, and she was only covered by a thong. She had tails, but she swaggered up the stage purposefully so you could see her bottom. At one point in the show a plane came on stage and the lead singer got out. She sang as the plane moved on its track back into place. There was one scene leading into the Asian section where the stage dropped away and soon up came this Egyptian temple with girls surrounding it a la Nile fashion and some even came out of it. The whole piece dipped back down, cleared away, and the stage was back up in moments. That must be some tech crew down there. Another point in the show was when the fountains came up. Yes, I said fountains. No one swam, but there were feathers involved. This was the introduction to the silk web artist. Later on in the show and near the end an ice rink came out of that pit with he stage to present to figure skaters. It had EVERYTHING!! I was blown away at moments and definitely in the first 20 minutes and by the specialty acts. The show lost it's "it" factor midway through though. The dancers weren't all that clean in their steps nor were they doing much because of all the costuming. The lead singer was okay, but I know a few ladies that could do better. She really had to dance though, so I can understand. Some of the boys weren't really cut and reminded me of a skit where Will Farrell wanted to be a "Chip-n-Dales" dancer. All the girls were gorgeous. The show definitely lost its steam though and needed to be pepped up a bit with some hard core dancing and more singers. I still enjoyed it thoroughly and was amazed at what could be done on that stage. I walked around the Champs Elysées afterward before heading back to the hotel. Last train was at midnight and I didn't want to miss it. I know now not to book hotels or hostels too far from the city centre. I was too tired to go out after today's activities, but it would've been nice to have that option. I could stay out and catch the 3:00AM train back, but I wasn't feeling it tonight. Speaking of bed, this might be my last good night's sleep and that's what I wanted to take advantage of before getting to Rome. I can't believe I'm here in Paris!! Wow!!