Day Zero
All of Gaul is divided into three parts and Paris is divided into twenty. Starting from the center and spiraling outward, the arrondissements can be considered like boroughs of the city. My hostel is in Belleville which straddles the 19th and 20th arrondissement. Described as “more lively”, it’s a more working class neighborhood of the city, a lil grimier a lil rougher on the edges. It reminds me of Allston in a way with its fair share of Asian markets and cuisine - but more African influence.
A pro-Algerian protest I watched on my walk home today
After arriving around 7:30am, I struck out for the heart of the city, a goldilocks 35 min walk where you can immerse in the life of the city without it being a hike. Today’s plan was no plan. I’m running on 2-3 hrs of sleep so whatever happens happens. I grabbed a cwoissant from a baker whose demeanor instantly changed when I butchered my French, and an espresso from a much friendlier barista working a 1-man, closet-sized cafe. The theme of the day happened to be Medieval Paris. Looked at the Notre Dame (still under renovation btw - news to me). Started walking around the Latin Quarter. Navigated my way to a famous fountain (also under renovation - also news to me). And just when I thought I was a little too aimless, I found myself sitting in front of a Musée de Cluny - a museum of medieval art - and I figured why not. I’ve never been too intrigued in medieval artwork. The art always seemed odd in a bad way and bland. But this place was fucking awesome. The building itself was a combination of pre-Roman constructs, Roman baths, a medieval abbey, and extensions from the 18th century onwards turning it to a mansion and then a museum. So I found myself standing in a 13m tall Roman frigidarium quite literally surrounded by Roman and Celtic artifacts presented without a barrier - so close I could breathe on them. I’ve seen ancient stonework before, of course, but the proximity made the profoundness strike harder.
I took a pilgrimage to a holy site and all I got was this stupid dick badge
What I liked most about the exhibits was the walk through of the history of Paris at the time of the artworks. From the Merovingian dynasty, to the Franks with the Carolingian dynasty (shout out Zach), the Capetian and Valois dynasties. Throw in the Hundred Years’ War, consolidation of state and church power, the Black Death, and the crusades - Paris, and most urban centers, was changing tremendously at this time. Changes still self-evident today - like the Notre Dame (under renovation btw).
As I sip on my beer post shower post sweaty walk back, being perfumed by the cigarette smoke of the French family up wind of me, my takeaways are so:
- Always walk, there is more to see than the destination
- Be aimless but not too aimless
- I must be social. This I know will be the hardest part for me, this trip will be a sad affair if I go through it without talking with anyone. And I’m not just talking about my vacation.