Sunshine and Swamps

Don’t you just love blue sky and warm weather?  It’s almost impossible to have a bad day when it’s like that!  And today was a perfect example. Even though we stood on the train platform for over 30 minutes this morning (average wait is about 3 minutes) waiting for our train to pick us up for school, and then had to stand-up all the way into town in an over-crowded car, just so we could be very late to class, that still could not dampen the spirit on an otherwise glorious day!  Maybe this is what it’s like to live in Seattle, but I have really learned to love the sun!

As always, the day started with our French Literature class and it was up hill from there.  To start the day’s activities we had FFA, aka French Family Afternoon, aka FHE. 

First things first, a cup of hot chocolate!

Where are you having FHE today?  This is where I had it!

We had a little excitement though; this is my friend Chloe walking off with a police man who caught some young boys, one maybe 14, the other more like 9, who pick-pocketed her while we were sitting eating lunch.  She and I were sitting right by each other and these two boys came up waving a paper right in her face and saying something.  We frequently have people do that who want money and we've learned to just ignore them, which is essentially what we did today.  But this time the scheme was, one boy waves the paper and talks at you, and the other one grabs stuff out of your purse.  They took her smart phone out, and we never knew it.  About 3 minutes later while I was taking the above picture, a policeman walked up bringing her her phone (you can actually see the policeman coming in the picture above).  And in this picture you can see another policeman at the right, farther back, with the two boys on the ground.  Chloe had to go with them to file a complaint and I haven't talked to her yet, so I don't know how that went.  A little creepy though, I literally was bumping into these boys!

Our cultural food treat for the day, un-delicious, but interesting.

Just want to make sure you know I'm working really hard here!

Okay, now get comfortable, we did a giant walk today because we couldn't let the good weather go to waste!  It was a long walk around the Marais District.  Marais means swamp, so as you might guess, centuries ago this was swamp land that was drained.  Some of the oldest things I've seen in Paris were here and I found it all very charming.

The Hotel de Sens-in french the word hotel can refer to several kinds of building, public or private-and this home built in 1475 was originally the Paris home for the archbishop when he came to visit Paris, and then from 1605-1607, Queen Margo lived here.  Now it houses the Fine Arts Library of Paris.  Check out those gardens too!

Another view of the house and little street.  As you can see this architecture is a little different then some we've been looking at. It has turrets, not so much wrought iron and fortress like bricks.  This is typical of construction in the Middle Ages.

Cool huh?  This carving of a knife sharpener is to honor the many medieval tradesmen who roamed these streets to sharpen knives and do other menial, low-paying tasks.

Apparently I love flower boxes, I think this love is left over from Slovenia!

This wall was built around the time of Philippe Auguste (whoever he is) to inclose Paris around c.e. 1200.  Obviously Paris is much bigger now, but the garden between the the wall and street was typical in ancient times and served as part of the protection to the city within.

I love how they just incorporate the current construction to accommodate history.  We could take a lesson from them.

I always have to laugh at us visitors; old fountains and statues are everywhere in this city, and those of us  from the United States are always taking pictures of them because we find them so charming, but to the locals, they are no big deal!

I bought a little gravy boat from this lady today.  She had them outside under an umbrella and I didn't even see her store till I was paying.  It was so cute, it's a good thing Kelli and Brittany were waiting for me, because I could have continued to spend money!

Here's the outside of the store which was just in a small court-yard off the main street.  I have no idea how she gets business, she has no sign, no street from presence at all, I literally just tripped over her when exploring a back ally.  

Next adventure, this small ancient passage which our book said would lead to a mysterious side entrance of a church built in 1534...

....and voila!  There it was!

I loved this church.  As we walked in we could here musical chanting which kept up the whole time we were there, and I just found the stone carving to be so stately and beautiful. It also had some beautiful artwork. The painting to the left of the alter is a picture of Christ on the Mt. of Olives, and was painted by Delacroix.

I know, you've seen these before!  But I'm fascinated that every single cathedral has a majestic organ.  No wonder Bach and others wrote so much organ music, organs have been common accessible instruments for centuries.

Very interesting painting.  Painted in 1842, it gives a very different version of the baptism of Christ.  We have all the characters here, even the dove, just a different method.

I loved this!

Look carefully on the railing--this church even had birds!

Back on the busy street, these bowls made me wonder if Carli's friend Adrien had been here!  For some reason they totally reminded me of the bowls she gave you for your wedding, or Christmas or something!

 Inside it was Tai Pan Trading Co. à la Paris!  I bought something for Jim here

l'Hotel de Sully

A new favorite place...Place des Vosges.

This little bit of early 1605 urban planning was so cozy.  King Henri IV wanted to create a place where people could stroll and where the royal court could hold public and private celebrations etc.  The apartments around this square were sold to nobility as long as the agreed to the steep slate roofs, dormer window and the uniform facades.  Over the centuries many famous people have lived here, Victor Hugo being the person American's are most likely to know.  He lived in this corner you can see.

Locked to the fence outside the park, I think it's been here for a while, check out the tires etc.  I guess BYU security isn't in charge here.

A Parisian High School after school

This Bibliothèque (Historical Library of Paris) sports these Corinthian pilasters, which were the first ones done in Paris, but would show up later on famous buildings like the Louvre.

We've now entered the Jewish Quarter which is an area of town I really liked. This Neo-classic synagogue was built to echo the feel of an open Torah.  

  This street, Rue de Rosiers, was originally just a foot path along the ancient 11th century wall I showed you above.  It got it's name from the rose bushes that grew along the wall, and has had the same name since c.e. 1233! 

It still has a few roses growing....

...and is the heart of the Jewish district.

A Jewish Elementary School

This sobering plaque is on the wall by the front door:  "260 Jewish Children from this school were deported to Germany during WWII and were exterminated in the Nazi camps.  Do not forget"

This area has also been the site of several anti-Semitic protests, some quite violent and as recent as 1982.

But, we move on.  

Now we are in l'Hotel de Soubise, the home of the Archives Nationales.

And in a change of mood, this room really made me feel like I had walked into "The Scarlet Pimpernel!"  This pictures doesn't do it justice

Close up of the wood carving.  Incredible!

And what's a day without a poorly made, but very 3'D movie of a french wedding ceremony.

Luckily the Archives got more interesting.  This is a book, and it dates back to 1532!  

And these are marriage records from the 1800's. It makes me wish I had legitimate french family history to do!  Can you imagine looking through this stuff!!

As we left the neighborhood, this turret poking out between these buildings caught my eye.  Paris is a city of layers, and corners, and alley ways, with things tucked behind other things, and hidden behind walls and doors.  For all you can see, this city retains a certain aura of mystery!