Paris diary

Excellent news: The images are working, so no more of this cut-and-paste business. Was blind, but now I see.

A word on Hemingway:

I've fallen in love with A Moveable Feast in all its funniness and meanness and underlying pain. I'm putting down an excerpt and I'm going to feel dirty about it but I'm putting it down anyway:

"We had a drink of something and I listened while Ezra [Pound] and [Wyndham] Lewis talked about people in London and Paris. I watched Lewis carefully without seeming to look at him, as you do when you are boxing, and I do not think I had ever seen a nastier-looking man. Some people show evil as a great race horse shows breeding. They have the dignity of a hard chancre. Lewis did not show evil; he just looked nasty.

"Walking home I tried to think what he reminded me of and there were various things. They were all medical except toe-jam and that was a slang word. I tried to break his face down and describe it but I could only get the eyes. Under the black hat, when I had first seen them, the eyes had been those of an unsuccessful rapist."

Hemingway was probably writing in the throes of a depression that eventually killed him, which makes his levity seem all the sadder. In quasi-tribute (and in a feeble attempt to fill this sucker up), I've decided to post excerpts on my stay in Paris. So you get the thrill of reading real pieces of my journal without me having to actually give anything crucial away. Win-win.

Monday, February 19
Landed 1:30 pm CDG. 50's-ish man with big belly at baggage claim kept looking over at little boy next to him. Not a relation. Definitely creepy. Felt immediately disoriented. Stood outside for bus for half an hour without knowing which bus I wanted. Finally got on one that looked right; ended up at another terminal of airport. Grabbed another bus and made it to Roissy station. About to pay for train ticket to Paris and discovered wallet was missing. Had to go to hotel next door to use phone to call mom (luckily still had phone card) and had to go even further to next terminal to change more money. After racking brain, concluded that wallet was stolen at CDG while trying to call Hôtel Palace. Felt violated and sick. Hotel had cancelled my reservation and could offer me another room for 24€. Place de la République nearby. Walked around, bought panini and large cookie. At room, ate panini and promptly passed out until 3 a.m. Couldn't sleep after. Cried some.

Tuesday, February 20
Asked for shower key in the morning from concierge, call him Concierge #2. Chided me for leaving light on all night. Worried he would think me typical inconsiderate American. Needed not have feared, since all he saw was the Korean part. Kept saying stock Korean phrases whenever we met from there on out. Felt slightly ooged. Apparently gave same impression to mom when she called hotel later on. Began day by getting two stolen traveler's cheques reimbursed. AE office across from Opéra Garnier. Had first pain au chocolate--delicious. Walked down around Louvre, bought ham sandwich (with egg! but slightly mustardy so not so terrible) and picked spot in Palais Royale garden to eat. Was accosted by creepy Asian fetish guy. Tried to ply his case with scoop on Chinese buffet and Korean cultural center. Luckily lost him at crosswalk and ducked into Louvre des Antiquares as insurance. Antiquares bizarre and pretentious, individual shop rooms with no prices. Items to buy? to bid on later? merely to covet? Walked back to hotel by way of Les Halles. Clothes stores intimidating, even H & M. Spent some time in book section of fnac. Le Petit Prince only 8,50€ but slightly damaged. St. Sulpice next door, rather empty, rowdy kids rambling about just outside. Stopped by Espace Killwatch, strangest used clothes store, merchandise looked and cost same as new ones. Planned on having dinner at restaurant around hotel, but chickened out. Ordered Chinese take-out, chicken with black mushrooms. Good to have warm food and rice. Tried to write some, ended up crying again. Slept early and deep.

Wednesday, February 21
First item of the day: See Centre Pompidou. Grabbed another pain au chocolat for breakfast. Found small bookshop on the way that had Petit Prince paperback (with small red pen marking on binding) and edition of Verlaine for cheap. Didn't realize until walked out of shop that P. P. cost 12,50€. Spent next few days scouring children's sections of bookstores looking for cheaper one, but no one had same edition. Did pick up 20€ mini-hardback of Contes de H. C. Andersen with lovely illustrations. Told lady it was gift and had it gift-wrapped. Also bought two postcards + free postcard (old photo of bookstore) with gift wrap. Totally worth the lie. Also bought three postcards at Centre Pompidou. Bizarre layout (what are the middle floors for?) but interesting selection. Liked artist who painted harlequins and crucified Christs, can't remember name. Also guy who created fierce, ugly portraits of good friends. Much I didn't understand. Had lunch across street. Continued east to Place de la Bastille, then south across Place des Vosges to St.-Louis-en-Île. Decided against musées de Picasso and de Victor Hugo; latter cost money and former I'd seen enough of at Pompidou. Wandered around islands, bought mustard for Chris at L'Epicerie. Had first café sit at well-situated place in back of Notre Dame with view of Pont de St.-Louis. Le limonade disappointingly turned out to be 4€ Sprite. Had to move indoors because of wind (with smokers and Korean girls) but somehow lacked ambiance. Explored St. Michel, more bookstores, incl. Shakespeare & Co. (no Whitman descendent, just large, long-haired Americaine with boho costume). Found boulangerie called 'Paul' w/menu for sandwich + dessert + drink. Ate in hotel room while perusing the day's treasures. Sandwich no good, but flan marvelous. Stressed about making most of following day, among other things; couldn't sleep till 3:00.

Thursday, February 22
Finally got up guts to use Carte Orange on Metro night before. 0.20€ short for pictures; had to ask lady nearby. Later found 20 centime coin hiding in pouch. Then asked photoshop guy for scissors; kindly cut and pasted for me. Realized photo only necessary for bus, not metro. Determined to make most of card, use more than 20€ worth that I'd paid. Another pain au chocolat for breakfast. Late start, took metro to Latin Quarter, visited Hotel Cluny. (Always unintentionally go to places at busiest--opening--hours.) Had sandwich + drink deal for lunch. Sandwich had weird green olive paste that I wasn't fond of. Orangina in a can, but still Orangina. Ate on bench in front of Sorbonne. Homeless man kept harassing me with "chinois, chinois." Had to finish eating on steps of Panthéon. Decided not to go inside, not that interested. Continued down rue Soufflot and hit the Jardin du Luxembourge. Pretty neat. Think where 'Paris' part of "Little Women" shot. Or tried to give impression of having been shot. Tons of statues. Walked south thru Jardin Robert blah blah & Marco Polo, then back up again past Luxem. to St. Germain. "The Lives of Others" playing (or, "Les Vies des Autres"). Debated whether to watch it. Decided to go back to room and rest feet. (Later realized that German movie would have French subtitles and I wouldn't be able to understand half of it.) Took extended nap, longer than planned. Hurriedly caught metro to 7ème to see Eiffel Tower and Hôtel des Invalides. Instead ended up spending time at the esplanade, the Pont Alex. III, and the palais across the Seine. For some reason, just couldn't find Eiffel Tower though only a block away. Got creeped out in dark, fled to St. Michel. Bought prosciutto sandwich, ate in room.

Fin