Spring Break 2018, Day 5: Paris

Tuesday, April 3

Today I slept in because I woke up every hour all night long.  I do that when my body clock is messed up.  But then I got up, took a shower (I have my own shower which is in a room that is separate from the room where the toilet is, which is in another area of the apartment), and ate breakfast.  Antoine provided a big body sheet, so that was nice to dry off with from my shower.

Trees with green leaves!  (Minneapolis got 2-5 inches of snow today)

After muesli and an orange, I was ready to go!  I was thinking of possibly going to the catacombs, which I've never seen.  I got them mixed up with the crypt, which is at Notre Dame, so I headed there.  I knew that Notre Dame was south of where I was, so (using my compass app) I headed south and eventually ended up there.  I realized my mistake, then walked around the Île de la Cité (the island that Notre Dame is on) for awhile.  The city itself was founded on the island.  I have been reading a book series and part of it talks about Paris in the late 1500s and how residential it was.  It even mentioned barns in addition to the two-story shop/apartment combos (shop downstairs, shop owners live upstairs) and small houses.  I didn't know if it was still residential, so I set out to check it out and did, indeed, find some tall buildings with apartments (alas, no barns, though).  Wikipedia says that the population of the island is 981 (2013).   Heretofore, the only parts of the island I had seen were Notre Dame, the Jewish WWII memorial, and Sainte-Chapelle (and a little playground behind Notre Dame).  And I learned in the afternoon that Notre Dame is built of high-quality limestone (called Parisian Stone--"pierre de Paris")  that was quarried in Paris.  Lots of photos today, just to warn you (making an already blog post longer).

Saint-Eustache, near Des Halles.

Detail photo of Saint-Eustache

Detail photo of Saint-Eustache

Des Halles with flowering crabapple trees.

Looking across the gardens of Les Halles.

Les Halles with those beautiful trees!

Saint-Eustache again.

Les Halles (which currently disappointingly appears to be a large shopping mall)

A band playing.

They had CDs for sale and the sign said that they were medical students!

Some choreography.  The drummer wearing orange in the front was super intense!

St. Jacques Tower

Flowers in the tower gardens.

Details from the tower.

Details from the tower.

The pigeons walked right under those little garden wickets like they were archways for them!

The tower

Île de la Cité

The Seine

The palace on the island

People place locks on the railings of the bridges.  They were all removed, but now are returning.

I love the Art Nouveau entrances to most of the older Metro stations!

Notre Dame

The Palace of Justice

I then google mapped Catacombs and it was only about 45 minutes away, so I walked there too.  (I had been continuously walking by this time for about 4 hours.  I got to where the Catacombs where and saw a long line.  I went to the front to make sure that it was the line for what I wanted, then walked and walked to find the end.  It wound around the block and up a pathway in the park.  So, I got in, hoping it was like the security line from a few days ago, only to find that it was waaaaaay worse than any other line I've been in.  A few steps at a time with long stops (about 10 minutes) in between.  The line became much longer after I joined it.  Up until now, the day had been cloudy, but pleasant, in the 50s.  It began to mist, so I put my rain jacket on (it had been tied around my waist for just this eventuality).  Then it began to sprinkle, so I put my hood up.  Then it began to rain, then pour.  This rainy line lasted for three hours.  Yes, 3 hours!  My jacket kept most of me dry and my little knit mittens kept my hands warm, but my bag isn't rainproof and I hadn't thought to put it under my rain jacket when it first started raining. It funneled water onto my leg, so one leg was soaked and the bag and it's contents: my camera, phone, extra battery charger, headphones, money, credit cards, passport, metro and NY subway cards, and a map were soaked.  I pulled out my camera and was going to dry it off with my hankie, but that had been in my pocked and was also soaked.  So I used my sweatshirt sleeve, pulled out of my jacket sleeve, and dried it.  I turned it on to take a picture of the entrance to the catacombs--yes, we were finally there--but it did not work.   It told me that the lens wasn't attached right.  I tried to remove it and reattach it, but that didn't work either.  So, since I was buying my ticket by this point, I used my phone camera.  But more about my camera later.

In the distance is the University of Paris (the one with the tower)

Each of the windows of the original building are labeled with an area taught in the university.
This one says Geometry.

University of Paris

I found more of the University in another area (it must have spread, like many urban universities
in the US whose buildings can be found spread all over the city)

Forsythia is growing everywhere!

Along my walk.  It was a military hospital of some sort.

The words on this building say "School Primary for Young Boys and Young Girls", no guesswork there!

The area under Paris is filled with limestone formed during the Lutetia stage (Lutetia was the Roman name for Paris).  It is a high-quality cut stone.  The areas around what was then Paris were mined and the stone was used to build many buildings of Paris including Notre Dame.  Eventually the quarry tunnels began to collapse as they were built and lived upon.  The city of Paris had another problem as well, the cemeteries were affecting the health of the people around them (that was never expounded upon).  So, in the interest of public safety, the bones from the worst of the cemeteries were dug up (some of them pits with hundreds of people from plagues, etc).  But there was no where to put them.   So in the 1700s, to solve both of the problems, they began to house the bones from eventually all of the cemeteries in central Paris in the catacombs--those old quarry tunnels.  And as they began to dig for housing projects, roads, and subways, they found more bones from those cemetaries that had shifted (or not been found the first time) and those were added to the ossuary in the tunnels.   The catacombs were opened to the public beginning in the early 19th century.  (The old cemetaries were used to build upon).

A lion across the street from the entrance to the catacombs.

You begin by walking down 130 spiral steps then enter the first of the tunnels.  Many of them are marked to tell when and who started this area.  Some are marked with the streets they are under (some of which do not exist anymore), and some are marked for the aquaduct that was built through there in the 1600s to bring fresh water into Paris, but collapsed in 1781.   Eventually, you enter the lower catacombs which contains the ossuary.  Above the doorway it states (in French), "Stop, this is death's empire!".  It wasn't creepy at all.  There is a sign to not touch the bones and I didn't see anyone do that.  People took pictures, but the overall tone was respect.  Some of the bones form shapes and some surround plaques with sayings.

Scientists are examining the bones for signs about the person--sex, age, disease, cause of death, etc.   The walls of bones are very deep, though and they don't want to go past the front layer.  They discovered that the climate of the catacombs was causing the bones to deteriorate, so some walls (hagues) had a stone base and did not contain mortar because that was also found to be harmful to the bones.

Well, 1.5 km later, you emerge near a gift shop and in another area of Paris.  I checked out my camera --no change, but I decided to wear it around my neck to possibly dry it out.  I found the correct metro station and 25 minutes plus a 5 minute walk later, I was in my neighborhood.  I wanted to get home soon to dry myself and my belongings out, but I hadn't eaten anything since my breakfast that morning (it was now after 9:00).  The only cafes that were open were also bars and I didn't want to go into that, so I checked out the one grocery store I found open but would have had to buy too many ingredients just to make a simple meal (and they didn't even have all of the ingredients).  So, I saw a pizza hut.  Yeah, I know, another American chain, but it was the best choice and I was hungry.  So, I had a personal pan pizza (they call it a Junior) and tried my camera again.  Still, no luck.  I tried removing the SD card and battery and replacing them, still no luck, so I texted Randy.  He suggested doing what I had planned to do:  taking it apart and letting it dry.  He said to see if the apartment had a hair dryer to help the process.

So, I took it apart, looked for a hair dryer (no luck), changed into dry pants, and went to the kitchen to do yesterday's blog.  Antoine came home after I started today's blog and said that he didn't have a hair dryer either. We joked about the hair dryer and some wine glasses he bought, then he went to bed.  After I add photos and publish this, I'm going to do the same.

Spring Break 2018, Day 4: The big airplane and Paris

Monday, April 2

Crabapple trees in blossom!

I am writing this a day late because of my extreme jet lag yesterday!  I normally don't sleep in airplanes, but this time I was exhausted because of staying up late with my daughter in New York (which I did love!).  So I was super tired, read for a bit, then turned off my light.  Most overnight planes turn out the lights so that you can try to change your body clock.  Norwegian Air doesn't.  The lights were on and I didn't bring a mask because I have never needed one.  The woman next to me took off her shoes and covered her head with a blanket, and now I knew why.  I had taken off my sandals and put cozy socks on when I first got on, but it was too bright and I had not pillow.  I tried different configurations with my sweatshirt and put the air vent on me because it was too hot.  The wall below the window, however, was icy cold, so my arm got cold leaning against the window with my sweatshirt as a pillow.  And the airplane noise was so loud and my space so small and I was so tired.  Well, after awhile I was almost frantic and began to feel nauseous.  It was awful.  Watching a movie or reading were out of the question because I was too tired.  Finally, I pulled out my phone and some earbuds and turned on some tunes.  I put my sweatshirt covering my face and arm and turned off the vent.  I laid back in my seat (I had already reclined it) and stretched my legs out and finally, slept for a few hours.  I arrived in Paris tired, but calm and better than before.  

I followed the directions to the baggage carousel, got my bag right away, stopped in a bathroom (I hadn't been since the New York airport--I was that dehydrated and hated to bother/step over the other people in my row).  In the bathroom, I washed my face, brushed my teeth, and put deodorant on--I felt so much better then!  

Google Maps told me to take the Roissybus to Opéra, then bought a week-long pass and took the Metro to the Bonne Nouvelle stop, where I walked to my AirB&B.  Despite landing early, I was only 10 minutes early to meet Antoine, so I used the door code and pressed the right buzzer (very secure building) to go up.  I couldn't figure out the elevator, so carried my bags up two flights of stairs.  It had started sprinkling out when I got off the Metro, so I had stopped to put on my rain jacket.  

After meeting Antoine (he was already there) and getting the intro of what was where, I laid down and slept for an hour.  That little nap felt so good!  Then I got my travel bag ready and went out.  I just wandered around the neighborhood and found a grocery store to get food for breakfast for tomorrow.  Here are some photos that I took as I walked around:

I love how this store with many fabric flowers on it (including poinsettias)
 is right next to an obviously burned out entrance!

This is only a few blocks from my apartment.

Then, still feeling tired and wanting some comfort food, I'm embarrassed to say that I went to McDonald's.  I try to eat at local places when traveling, but sometimes you just gotta do it.  Plus, I had only eaten a handful of trail mix since dinner the night before, so I was starving (something like 17 hours) and a gut bomb filled the bill.  Then I went back to my apartment and went to bed!  It was like 8:30.  I read for over an hour, but then went right to sleep.  In Paris.

This is the ceiling above my bed.

Spring Break 2018, Day 3: NYC and a big airplane

Sunday, April 1

Happy Easter, though it doesn't feel like Easter.  I asked Anneliese where my ham dinner was--she laughed.  No colored eggs either.  Joshua and Randy went to his mom's to celebrate Easter and they colored eggs there.

Signs of spring!

Anneliese and I slept in a bit--10:00, then went to the Tenement Museum.  We had reserved tickets to "Irish Outsiders."  I think the Tenement Museum is one of the best museums around.  Not for small children, necessarily, but I have been on two different tours and loved them both.  They make the diverse history of the Lower East side (and New York City itself) much more vivid and alive.  They research the real people that lived in the area, especially in the building that they own (they just bought another one, so there will be new tours coming up).  You walk around the buildings and they give you the history of the actual people and what life was like for them and for the rest of the community.  They relate it to local, national, and international politics to give it context.  I highly recommend it on your next trip to New York.   Reserve a tour online--weekends fill up fast.

After the museum, we walked around the Lower East side for a few hours, stopping at a Starbucks for refreshment, and, as usual, talking nonstop the whole time.  The weather was beautiful--sunny and warm.  I was able to wear short pants and sandals.  Then we returned to Anneliese's apartment, stopping at the bodega for pasta sauce, because I asked her to make some pasta for me before my flight.  I repacked my belongings, we had spaghetti, and I tried to nap (I can't sleep on airplanes and I was already tired).  I laid there for about an hour and slept for maybe 10 minutes, then got up and talked to Anneliese until it was time for me to leave.

Tiny little stone building in the middle of taller and more modern buildings.

An old synagogue that doesn't seem to still be used.

Right a across the street from the synagogue!

I made my way to the subway and went to the track that Anneliese told me to go to.  However, there were signs up about weekend closures and some sort of train car (maintenance maybe?) was blocking the track my train should have been on.  The electronic sign kept pointing to that track, so I asked an employee and he said that the train I wanted would be on the track on the other side.  There are two tracks on each side of the Broadway Junction station.  So, I went to the other side, but those tracks were being used for the trains that were usually there.  Eventually, my train was supposed to be there--and it pulled up on the opposite side of the station!  So, as soon as I saw it, I ran for the stairs, ran up, then across, then down (dodging all of the people who had just gotten off my train).  I really wanted this one, because the next wouldn't be there for another 25 minutes.  I ran for the train, and jumped on with the doors closing right behind me!  Very close call!  At Howard Beach I had to wait awhile for  the Air Train, then was at Terminal 1 of JFK.  It is the international terminal and is huge!

I waited in line for over half an hour to check in, then when I did was told that all of my carry-ons had to meet the one weight requirement weighed together, and my big one was over on it's own.  So I had to check the big bag (probably those hiking boots I packed instead of wearing!).  So next I was sent to another line to pay for the bag.  This was another long line (many other people like me surprised by their very restrictive weight policy).  That took another 15 minutes.  Then I moved on to security--oh my goodness!  The line snaked out of the security area, across the terminal and along that wall!  This line, however, kept moving--not move and wait like the others.  About 20 minutes later, I was through there.  We were able to keep everything in our bags, even liquids, and keep our shoes on!  It was very fast and I sailed through. Then to the gate--at the very end of the concourse--and it was packed!  I was there at about 9:20 for my 10:30 flight.  Good thing I got to the airport earlier than the recommended two hours!  

We took off on time on a very packed flight.  I had a window seat.  I prefer aisle seats so that it's easier to get up to stretch and use the bathroom.  Norwegian Air has very discounted flights.  That is because you get a seat and nothing else.  No pillow, no blanket, no meals, no snacks, no beverage service.  And definitely not the little bags with eye masks and mini toothbrushes.  Or the little snack bags to eat during the night.  You could order food, starting at $3 for a bottle of water and $5 for a little airplane blanket.  Luckily I had filled my water bottle about 2/3 with water before boarding and had snacks.  So I was able to eat a handful of trail mix and sip at my water.  I did ask one of the flight attendants for a glass of water and they brought that to me without charge.  Not a great customer service airline.  We've found Qantas to be the best at long flights.  Take care of your customers and there won't be any problems.

Spring Break 2018, day 2, still NYC

Saturday, March 31

Well, I read when I went to bed last night and was quite late in getting to sleep.  Awake this morning at 9 am and just starting to fall back asleep when Anneliese's alarm in the next room went off.  So, up and into the shower.  I had to ask the roommate the trick of the shower since all I was getting was icy cold water.  The hot is on the opposite side (right side) than normal.

Signs of spring--crocus everywhere!

It was over 50 degrees already (!) so all I had to wear was a sweatshirt.  In Minneapolis, their temps are in the 20s today--I got out just in time!  We went to a bagel shop that Anneliese likes in Chinatown.  We got everything bagels, toasted with cream cheese and tea for me, latte for Anneliese.  Yum!!  Love New York bagels!  Then, since it was so warm (prediction was 56 degrees!), we walked for hours around Chinatown, Little Italy, and the lower East side.

You can see the bagel shop behind me--Kossar's (since 1936)

Subway station with stained glass--note the beautiful colors
on the floor from the sun shining in!

classic building

building view

In Little Italy, we went into a deli--great Italian gourmet foods--yum! And a canoli cart--had to try one!  (again--yum!).

Anneliese eating her cannoli

Inside the shop

Outside the shop

In Chinatown, we found a window with stereotypic dead chickens in the window.  We loved all of the green grocers with vegetables out that we've never seen before.

Chinese signs

A bird garden in Chinatown (we could hear the birds as we stood there).

In New York, there is of course Central Park.  But people feel better when they have a connection with nature, so there are many what I call "pocket parks."  Little parks tucked in corners with trees and flowers growing and benches to sit and enjoy it.  We found a few of those as well as traditional parks with soccer games, playgrounds, and gardens.  I even saw one that was only about ten feet by 10 feet .

Little park in Little Italy

Enjoying the sunshine and warm weather!

Anneliese in the garden

A tree sculpture in the bird garden

A soccer game

A park

Then we went back to the apartment since Anneliese had an application due tomorrow for a position with NPR that she had to finish.  I wrote on yesterday's blog and started today's.  We are planning to go out tonight for dinner and to a piano bar.

Well, we went for dinner to a little Italian place that Anneliese had been to before, Villa Mosconi.  It was very nice--tablecloths, cloth napkins, etc (and I was dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt).  The service was nice, an old woman at a table near us had a birthday and we all sang happy birthday to her.  The food was, eh.  I've had better many times.  Anneliese said that hers was the same, but that she's had better on previous visits.

After that, we went to Marie's Crisis Cafe and bar with a piano in the middle of the floor.  We had to stand in line around 15 or 20 minutes to get in.  The piano player plays show tunes and every one there crowds around the piano and sings along at the top of their lungs!  It was really fun!  He played from musicals back in the 50s to present day.  I told Anneliese that my guess was that 90% of the people there had been in high school theater!  I think the wait staff were all would-be broadway stars that didn't make it; they take turns (one each set) doing a solo--and their voices are fabulous!  Some are a bit overly dramatic, but sound wonderful!   Even though we went to bed as soon as we got home, it was another very late night, but worth it!

Me at Marie's Crisis Cafe

The piano player

Anneliese during the piano player's break