21 September, 2008 | Leave a Comment
I was seriously considering taking a break from blogging. I experienced a bit of a personal crisis over the past couple weeks, since my grandmother’s death. I’m still not entirely sure what to make of it and I certainly cannot write about it. I’m in the middle of a strange, unsettled period right now. But the term starts this week and I need to focus my energies on my studies and getting back to normal everyday life. Instead of taking a break from blogging, I’ll just take a break from writing about my personal dramas.
A couple weeks ago I went to Paris. Seems like a lifetime ago now. I already published two photos from the trip, but thought I’d publish a few more. I fancied going back to Paris in October, my absolute favorite month in Paris, but upon my departure, the immigration officer saw that my visa expires on 31 October and told me I shouldn’t risk leaving the UK again because I could be denied entry back into the country. This, plus the recent Chunnel fire, means I won’t be going to Paris in October. Not that I could afford it — it costs £300 ($550) to renew my visa.
BTW, why is British immigration so uptight? A friend of a friend — a 17-year-old American coming here to study — was just this week deported because she apparently had the wrong stamp in her passport. She got off the plane and they sent her right back. Give me a break. When I go through French immigration, they barely even glance at my passport. I could be carrying the passport of someone named, I don’t know, Juan Garcia, and they’d never notice I wasn’t him. Meanwhile, the British treat everyone like a criminal and clearly this doesn’t work, given the number of terrorists living here. These immigration “safeguards” are just pointless window dressing. Urggh.
Okay, onto the photos:
Cookies in the window of Boulangerie Malineau in the Marais. I would have gone inside, but it was stroller gridlock. Much of Paris is stroller gridlock.
Of course I bought macarons from Laduree. I have a new favorite flavor — mint! I’m not sure if this is just a seasonal thing or not. I love anything mint flavored and these are simply divine. They don’t have a tacky mint flavor. They taste like fresh mint leaves. What a treat. I also got the rose flavor and the licorice one, called reglisee I think, both two of my favorite flavors:
I finally made it to La Closerie des Lilas. Despite having studied nearby at the Sorbonne, I never went inside Hemingway’s favorite bar until this trip. I met my favorite Brazilian there for a few drinks. His French is so fabulous, much better than mine (cough cough).
I spent a great deal of time in the Jardin du Lux. It was actually sunny in Paris and I was sun-starved, so I enjoyed sitting in the garden and reading Anita Brookner’s Hotel du Lac. There was such a thick, fragrant, woodsy smell in the air. It was heaven sitting there and relaxing. One day I saw a movie shoot. I didn’t recognize any of the actors:
This trip I stayed in Montmartre, off rue Lepic. Montmartre isn’t my favorite area and I would prefer to stay elsewhere next time, but it has its charms. Lots of cute shops. Being woken up by a band playing outside in the street. And deserted, winding streets. My local metro was Abbesses:
I also loved to see the Eiffel Tower peeking up from different places:
And finally, there’s a lovely church outside the Abbesses metro, which was empty and a nice place to catch my breath (which is often necessary in hilly Montmartre). St-Jean l’Evangeliste de Montmartre:
Anglofille said @ 10:42 pm | paris life, personal |
- Comments RSS | TrackBack URI
-
Greig Says:
September 21st, 2008 at 11:04 pmIt is really icky having visas, I mean you need them for the Sudan, Yemen, Somalia, & Britain, there you are, we’re a toilet.
You can’t even resign a seat in parliament without all sorts of medieval goings on. You have to eat 300 tons of chiltern cheese or something.
http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/p11.pdf
What we need is visas and tube ticket combined, from a machine, it would save money, and free up some taxis for British subjects.
-
Daniela Says:
September 22nd, 2008 at 8:19 amI don’t know, it is also this time of the year, the change of seasons after a non-summer. It is getting colder and darker. What I mean I guess transition peridos when combined to personal circumstances - like in your case, the loss of a beloved one - opens this big room for introspection. And this room sometimes can be a bit uncomfortable to inhabit. I also feel difficult inside now - well, looming dissertation deadline doesn’t help. Oh, I am Brazilian (Brazilian-Portuguese) too, before reading the caption of the photo, I thought of that - he looks Brazilian.
Anyway, great to see your pics and hear about your Paris again - it is always nice.
Take your time, things will make sense at some stage - I hope!
ps. I would love to know what Greig has for his breakfast, I want some too!
-
Cav Says:
September 22nd, 2008 at 3:03 pmI always love your photos. Thanks for sharing them.
-
Hamilton Says:
September 22nd, 2008 at 6:25 pmI understand you are jealous of my French but don’t be so harsh. Your French is not that bad.
-
Anne Says:
September 23rd, 2008 at 4:24 amNice photos.
Check your e-mail & respond
Hope to see you on Monday!
-
Grieg: I agree about the visa machine!
Daniela: What you write makes sense, as always. You know exactly how I’m feeling.
Cav: Thank you!!!
Hamilton: I can only hope that one day, my French is as good as yours!
Anne: I’ll be in touch soon!
-
I’m sorry for your sadness, Anglo.
But your shots are nice
… and I think I gonna taste the mint macaron in Ladurée !
-
Agreed about the visas, one of my friends had a ridiculously hard time trying to get one for the UK while we were studying in France. Apparently, the rules are different from the UK embassy in the US. Thanks for the pictures, as usual!
