I was simply walking down la rue, looking at my carte and trying to find the right directions to get to the AUP library. When I turned off the main rue, onto the side rue, there was the tour - huge, beautiful, and towering above me. This happens often in Paris- you are somewhere and do not even realize the tour is near, and then you turn et volia! Moments like this - les moments magie de la tour, make your heart stop. Something prohibits your eyes from looking away, and you simpy have to stop and stare as an enormous smile takes over your face and tears of joy begin to form because you are reminded that you are in Paris. And somehow, your day is suddenly better! Your fatigue has subsided, your worries vanished, and everything and everyone couldn't be
more bon. To celebrate my love for the tour, I went to the Gustave Eiffel exposition at l'Hotel de Ville called "Magicien de Fer" all about the wonderful man who created the tour and it's history! An entire exhibit devoted to the tour? What could be better! Photos were strictly "interdit" - but I snuck a few when the guards weren't looking. The exhibit was really interesting, and I learned alot - despite all the information being in French. I knew that when the tour was built, it was not liked. But, I did not know that the following year several architects proposed ideas to transform it into something else, by adding things to it! Thank Dieu it didn't happen! But it was very cool to see all the drawings and the history of my monument favori!
I love the Eiffel Tower so much, that I feel bad that our relationship is so one-sided. The tour gives, and I just take, take, take! Sure I picnic there often, and admire its magic, but for awhile now I have wished there was something that I could do for the tour to thank it for being so wonderful. So, c'est decide! When I get my blonde french bulldog, I am going to name him Gustave, after Gustave Eiffel. Could there be a more perfect name for my French bulldog? Je pense que non!
Another wonderful thing happened today as I was picking up my leather jacket from le retouche after ripping the sleve on a rude gate the other day. Monsieur et moi were talking about how they had fixed the rip, and the words were coming out of my mouth without me even thinking about them! It is so wonderful and fun when that happens! Usually I have to think about what I want to say and how to say it, but sometimes, the words just come out naturally, and it is the best feeling! You feel so accomplished and French! I biked home afterwards, in the perfect weather, around perfect St. Germain, past perfect Notre Dame and to our perfect apartment. It was a perfect jour parisienne!
No comments:
Post a Comment