Thursday. Paris.
We're almost halfway through our semester, as unbelievable as that may sound. And my university, Université Paris III - Sorbonne Nouvelle, has kindly given us a week off for Toussaint, or All Saints. So, I will be heading back home to Bombay for a week, and hence will be on a brief hiatus from this blog. Be prepared for further chronicles of my Parisian adventures and experiences once I get back.
Till then, please keep on reading, commenting (and criticizing, if need be).
Score One for Cody: Obstinate Blogger Interface Vanquished Against All Odds
Wednesday. Paris.
I win.
It's 2AM here, but I've finally finished uploading pictures for my two most recent blog posts. Happy days. Go, examine my handiwork. It may intrigue you. For reference, 'City of Light and Speed' and 'Of Shoes, and Ships, and Sealing Wax' are the now powerfully visual, newly published posts on my behalf. Enjoy.
1 comments
29 October, 2008
Marseille, A Provençal Wild Child
Monday. Paris.
And so I return from a second sojourn down to the south of France. Consensus? I think you could call Marseille the bastard child of Provence - not as prim and pretty as Nice, nor as flashy and extravagant as Cannes, but wilder and meaner with a bit of a sting. Marseille is defined by the large immigrant population there, given its position as the gateway to France from North Africa, and perhaps the rest of the Mediterranean. Hence, one enounters an atmosphere vastly different from either Paris or Nice. I still can't say whether I like the city or not.
Among our stops on the tourist trail: Notre Dame de la Garde — a cathedral overlooking the city, with some stunning mosaics and views of the city (perhaps among my top five favourite churches of all time); the Calanques — grottos to the east of the city, which I thought too cold to swim in, but in which my friend Luke happily frolicked around; and the Old Port and Town — in which we saw a burnt motorcycle and some political graffitti amid the narrow streets (reminiscent of Tours, but with a Mediterranean feel).
I also had my first encounter with the flics or French police, while sitting with Luke near the Old Port at night. I was asked to produce my papers, had my bag searched and was frisked. The same happened to Luke, but he was also asked if he had any shit or hash. On the whole, they were reasonably friendly and once it was established we were clean, they bade us a bonne soirée. A charming highlight of our trip there.
Bienvenue à Marseille.
And so I return from a second sojourn down to the south of France. Consensus? I think you could call Marseille the bastard child of Provence - not as prim and pretty as Nice, nor as flashy and extravagant as Cannes, but wilder and meaner with a bit of a sting. Marseille is defined by the large immigrant population there, given its position as the gateway to France from North Africa, and perhaps the rest of the Mediterranean. Hence, one enounters an atmosphere vastly different from either Paris or Nice. I still can't say whether I like the city or not.
Among our stops on the tourist trail: Notre Dame de la Garde — a cathedral overlooking the city, with some stunning mosaics and views of the city (perhaps among my top five favourite churches of all time); the Calanques — grottos to the east of the city, which I thought too cold to swim in, but in which my friend Luke happily frolicked around; and the Old Port and Town — in which we saw a burnt motorcycle and some political graffitti amid the narrow streets (reminiscent of Tours, but with a Mediterranean feel).
I also had my first encounter with the flics or French police, while sitting with Luke near the Old Port at night. I was asked to produce my papers, had my bag searched and was frisked. The same happened to Luke, but he was also asked if he had any shit or hash. On the whole, they were reasonably friendly and once it was established we were clean, they bade us a bonne soirée. A charming highlight of our trip there.
Bienvenue à Marseille.
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20 October, 2008
City of Light and Speed
Thursday. Paris.
Lucky I am. At age 18, my host brother Etienne is about to begin four long years of law school chez l'Université Panthéon-Assas - Paris II. Having worked at TF1 (the most popular domestic television network in France) for the summer, he happened upon another job as I started my first two weeks of classes. Money being more important than vacation time for this newest breed of French professionals-to-be, he spent the ides of October alternately oggling the Lamborghini display, chatting-up the attendant "hôtesses," and guiding the clueless towards brightly labeled restrooms at the Paris Mondial de l'Auto 2008.
What does this have to do with anything, you ask? Why, none other than free entrance for yours truly. Ah, I love it when fortune smiles in my favor. Anyways, once inside I found an assortment of vehicles (looking like a colorful pack of dinosaurs) and their respective makers (whose advertising campaigns suggested they'd just glimpsed an earthbound comet) situated comfortably in a space similar to that of the L.A. Convention Center. Everything was "green." Sarkozy came and spoke about alternative fuels, and each of the French automakers had some sort of solution to the impending fuel dilemma. The new Mini concept made its world debut, the aforementioned Lamborghini showed off a four-door, and David Guetta was supposed to show up at the Seat stand but his wife showed up in his place. Dommage.
Lastly, there was one bicycle present at the show (see below, fixed-gear no less..) Now that's foresight.
Lucky I am. At age 18, my host brother Etienne is about to begin four long years of law school chez l'Université Panthéon-Assas - Paris II. Having worked at TF1 (the most popular domestic television network in France) for the summer, he happened upon another job as I started my first two weeks of classes. Money being more important than vacation time for this newest breed of French professionals-to-be, he spent the ides of October alternately oggling the Lamborghini display, chatting-up the attendant "hôtesses," and guiding the clueless towards brightly labeled restrooms at the Paris Mondial de l'Auto 2008.
What does this have to do with anything, you ask? Why, none other than free entrance for yours truly. Ah, I love it when fortune smiles in my favor. Anyways, once inside I found an assortment of vehicles (looking like a colorful pack of dinosaurs) and their respective makers (whose advertising campaigns suggested they'd just glimpsed an earthbound comet) situated comfortably in a space similar to that of the L.A. Convention Center. Everything was "green." Sarkozy came and spoke about alternative fuels, and each of the French automakers had some sort of solution to the impending fuel dilemma. The new Mini concept made its world debut, the aforementioned Lamborghini showed off a four-door, and David Guetta was supposed to show up at the Seat stand but his wife showed up in his place. Dommage.
Lastly, there was one bicycle present at the show (see below, fixed-gear no less..) Now that's foresight.
1 comments
17 October, 2008
White Nights
Tuesday. Paris.
Imagine around one million people on the streets of Paris from dusk till dawn, trying to catch a glimpse of a several dozen art installations, sound and light shows, concerts and performances. That's Nuit Blanche 2008 for you ("nuit blanche" being "all nighter" in French).
I was among those hordes darting all over Paris on foot, by Métro and eventually, by vélib'. While some of the items on my itinerary made for interesting viewing (pictures below), others definitely looked far more enticing in the brochure than they actually were; or they had absurdly long lines to get in, so I didn't even bother. By the end of it all, I was tired, hungry, thirsty and wondering whether all that running around was worth it.
Places in pictures below:
Écho: An electrochorale performance (75012)
Monnaie de Paris: A sound and light installation (75006)
Tour Montparnasse: Ryoji Ikeda light installation (75014)
Église Saint-Roch: Meditative art installation (75001)
Tour Saint-Jacques: Gu Dexin projection (75001)
Église Saint-Merri: Exhibition and mini-concert (75004)
Imagine around one million people on the streets of Paris from dusk till dawn, trying to catch a glimpse of a several dozen art installations, sound and light shows, concerts and performances. That's Nuit Blanche 2008 for you ("nuit blanche" being "all nighter" in French).
I was among those hordes darting all over Paris on foot, by Métro and eventually, by vélib'. While some of the items on my itinerary made for interesting viewing (pictures below), others definitely looked far more enticing in the brochure than they actually were; or they had absurdly long lines to get in, so I didn't even bother. By the end of it all, I was tired, hungry, thirsty and wondering whether all that running around was worth it.
Places in pictures below:
Écho: An electrochorale performance (75012)
Monnaie de Paris: A sound and light installation (75006)
Tour Montparnasse: Ryoji Ikeda light installation (75014)
Église Saint-Roch: Meditative art installation (75001)
Tour Saint-Jacques: Gu Dexin projection (75001)
Église Saint-Merri: Exhibition and mini-concert (75004)
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07 October, 2008
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