Europe 85, Part VI

Mercredi, le 18 Septembre, 1985, 1921h, Hôtel Elysa, Paris

Comme est mon habitude maintenant, je suis assis sur mon balcon écrivant et regardent le gens dans las rue. Le ciel est claire et le temps parfait. Je suis un peu fatigué après marchant dans une autre direction aujourd’hui. Je marchait a l’Odéon et prenait le Métro à la Motte Picquet.  (I had better not try to do this if I ever expect to finish.) [Translation: As is my habit now, I am sitting on my balcony writing and watching the people in the street. The sky is clear and the temperature is perfect. I am a little tired after walking in another direction today. I walked to l’Odéon and took the Metro to la Motte Picquet.]

A short walk toward l’Ecole Militaire put me right at the end of le Champs de Mars with a perfect view of la Tour Eiffel. I strolled along the champs and paid the 37F ($4.32) to go to the top. It is almost twice as high as the Washington Monument (900 ft)and the view was superb. Sacre Coeur stands out in all its glory. One can see nearly 40 miles. I took pictures in every direction.

After the Eiffel Tower I walked across the Seine past the Trocadero Palace and up to the Arc de Triomphe.  I thought about going to the top (about 20F) but decided not to. I walked down the Champs Elyseés instead. The Champs Elyseés is very money and tourist oriented. Banks, chic stores, major airline offices, expensive car dealerships etc line the avenue. I bought a hot dog and ice cream for lunch and ate while I strolled.

I crossed over the Seine to the Left bank over the Pont Alexandre III between the Grand Palais and le Petit Palais (both museums now, I think). The street was lined with gendarmes and I knew something was up. Helicopters landed at Les Invalides and the street was cleared. I asked someone who it was but didn’t quite understand. (The paper later said it was President Alfonsin of Argentina.) I took pictures, of course. I should have stopped at Les Invalides and the Dome for a look at Napoleon’s tomb, but by then I was tired.  I 
thought of taking the Metro home, but decided to walk instead.

A stroll along the Blvd. St. Germain found me stopping at a café for an afternoon pick me up. It was nice just resting and watching the world go by.  I was stopped by a French (I think) passerby who was looking for a particular metro stop. After consulting his map briefly I was able to direct him to it exactly. Already I am becoming a Parisien! ( I bought some cigarettes – nothing special except to compare the price. In London £1.33=$1.86, here 6.95F=$0.81!! What a difference and cheaper than DC by a third.) I angled into the Luxembourg Gardens again because I like the place, and I didn’t have any film left yesterday. I took several pictures which I hope come out.

It is now 8:30pm. I am going to go get something to eat then come back here to the hotel and plan the rest of my time here. I thought I would be gone by tomorrow since I had not planned on being in London and had only planned on being in Paris 4 or 5 days, not 8! Oh well, I have only been here in Paris 48 hours and already I feel like I have been here longer. I have not even been gone a week from work and already I am refreshed. What an antidote to work! I am not feeling that depressing loneliness either!