I was going to wrap up this week’s Paris posts with more design-oriented things I looked at, but it didn’t feel right. I may save that for later.
When looking back on this trip, I think of our last day: I was trying to make the most of the time we had left, and feeling overwhelmed by the choices (more shopping? for what? more sights? museums? where to eat?) After a week of taking in so much (work, the conference, sights, shops, deciding. where. to. go), I needed my brain to stop for once. Anything involving the indoors seemed a waste at this point. The weather was gorgeous, so we decided to go to the Jardin du Luxembourg, where we’d gone earlier in the week.
On the way there, we passed the David Hicks gallery, which had this canvas in the window. The quote is by Diane Arbus, though sadly I don’t know who the artist is. I think it inspired us, on some subconscious level, to do just that. We wandered. We grabbed tea for me and macarons to share and sat in the park for a while, with no particular goal in mind.
By the way, I’m pretty convinced that the French have perfected some sort of weed killer that leaves only perfect grass and daisies behind. That, or they hand-tend these lawns.
The park was quite busy since it was a warm, sunny Saturday afternoon. The one section of the lawns where you are allowed to sit reminded me of Dolores Park on a hot day. People seemed to really be into the togetherness, and apparent novelty of sitting on grass, here. (Everywhere else there are little chairs to sit upon.)
And then we wandered outside of the park, in pursuit of a fountain we spied off in the distance. It was much quieter on the way there. People were strolling, playing petanque, playing table tennis, even setting up a slack-line between a statue and a tree. I love how Parisians enjoy their parks and public spaces so very thoroughly. That walk was my favourite part of our visit. Don’t you find that this sort of thing always happens on the last day of a trip?
It’s not entirely clear from the picture, but on the left, with the number 10 t-shirt, is a young girl who was playing an accordian. Strains of the Amelie soundtrack if I’m not mistaken. I kid you not. Only in Paris.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this excursion with me. Maybe I’ll go wandering somewhere this weekend.
Where will you go that you’ve never been?
2 Comments
I LOVED the little peek into your Paris trip last week. And it clearly made an impression – when talking with Vivian about our ‘one day’ England trip, I veered our dreaming and scheming to the chunnel – that leads to Paris – and you’ve got it, Paris is now on the itinerary of our England trip. 😉
I think sitting in parks and people watching are some of my very dearest and treasured moments from traveling. I’m so happy you and Dave had a lovely, healthy trip! xo
Oh Hannah, now I want to go to England too! I was actually toying with the idea of trying the chunnel while we were in Paris. Next time. I am certain you and Viv will have a most excellent, absolutely fabulous trip when the day comes – you both deserve it.