Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Sounds of Paris

I have big news.  Drum roll, please... 

This week, three individuals approached me, thinking I was French.  Ta-da!  On Monday morning, I was walking past the Stravinsky fountain, looking quite sour-faced, for that's the easiest way to blend in.  A college student, probably my same age, ran up to me waving a metro map.  In very broken French, she said, "Bon-jer.  Je che... cherche metro... Rombuh... Romb..."  I began pointing my arms and speaking in very rapid French (because I wanted to have some fun) and she looked absolutely mortified.  Then I laughed and said, "I speak English.  The metro is right behind you.  Good luck!"  The second story involved a French girl, who approached me.  Her accent was heavy and her words shot out of her mouth like bullets, but I could tell that she was also looking for the metro.  I told her that it was a block away.  When she heard me speak, she cocked her head to one side, probably wondering where I could have come from.  She thanked me and sped on.  The third story involved an older gentleman who needed help getting to the Trocadero station.  I was able to tell him (in French, of course) exactly which line to take, in which direction, and how many stops there are before Trocadero… That made me feel pretty accomplished.

Now, to the good stuff.  Every time I walk through the Franklin D. Roosevelt station, there is always a musician or group performing deep in the tunnels of the metro.  And as you walk through that station, you can hear their music echoing off the walls.  Today, I found the source of the music.  If you try to watch the video, you'll get dizzy.  I was trying to be discrete, because I didn't want my camera to get snatched.  But at the end of the footage, you can see what the underground walking tunnels look like. 


My roommate and I visited Notre Dame today.  There had to have been thousands of tourists flooding the cathedral.  You know, it's such a beautiful place.  It's no wonder that everyone wants to see it.  But as I sat down in the cathedral to admire the stained glass windows, I began to feel weird.  There were audio tours.  Money changers.  Vending machines spitting out trinkets and collector medallions.  Cameras flashing.  Post card stands.  Loud conversations.  I immediately thought of the story in John (and Luke, too?) about Jesus clearing out the temple where men were doing business.  It is sad that visitors can't appreciate Notre Dame as a reverent place.  Instead, it's a stop on the map.  It's not meant for worship.  

Then, I saw this and took a picture (without flash).  A small demonstration of faith.  After lighting a candle, this girl said a brief prayer, collected her things, and left the cathedral.  It's nice that some people still recognize why Notre Dame was built in the first place.

In our wandering, we also found another cathedral behind l'Hotel de Ville.  We didn't stay long, but I'll return another day.  I could sit in that cathedral for hours.  When we walked through the doors, I could hear singing.  I took a couple videos, because I wanted to preserve the music.  I was, again, trying to be discrete.  Enjoy! 

4 comments:

  1. I absolutely love cathedrals. I swear, if the National Cathedral hadn't been so difficult to get to, I would have gone up there constantly to read, light a candle, and just enjoy the ambiance.

    Even more than that, I love that you had fun with the first girl...that's what the experience is all about. =)

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  2. Way to go! It sounds like you have nailed the role of the French Coed. Congratulations on a fantastic performance! I am giving you a standing ovation accompanied by vigorous clapping and that "whoop, whoop" sound that carries so well. (Can you hear it?)
    XXXX OOOO !!!!

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  3. Oh I love it! The sights and sounds! It's all so beautiful!

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  4. When I was in Paris I totally heard those same guys in the metro!

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