|
By
Arnie Greenberg Life is a voyage of discovery, and travel is the way we learn about others. I only got back to Paris on Saturday morning, already I've discovered a few new things. First of all, I discovered that special feeling looking down the street at our apartment after a long absence. The street was deserted at 8 in the morning. Half an hour earlier it was still dark, which is disconcerting for someone who is rarely here in winter. Summer nights arrive late, and the sun comes up early when the winter disappears. Wearing Woolen Pajamas at Night I also realized that with single pane windows, it was lucky that we had someone turn the electric heater on before we arrived. The last time I was here was in summer it was well over 90 degrees on most days. We slept with the windows open at that time, waiting for that elusive breeze we had been promised. Last night I wore woolen pajamas and kept groping for a heavy blanket. Could this be the same city? You bet it is. One walk out the door and all the sounds, smells and sights come flooding back. All the beautiful people are still out on the streets, but now they are hiding behind layers of warm clothing. Being so fashion conscious, they are still beautiful. I walked through narrow streets I hadn't seen in some time. I was encompassed by the same feeling I have whenever I return. People were in a rush, the cars were bumper to bumper along the streets, and "front men" called to the crowds from the doorways of their restaurants along rue de La Huchette. We, too, were caught by a promise of a delicious complete dinner for 10 Euros each. It turned out to be a bargain even though we added wine and gave up 30 Euros with the tip. The Cluny Museum...Finally Today we finally got to the famous Cluny Museum. It is only five minutes from where we are staying and we've been thinking of going for many years. Well, today we did it. I discovered that I should have done it years ago. This old abbey was purchased by the government and turned into the Museum of the Middle Ages. And what a museum it is. I saw the ruins of the old Gallo-Roman Thermal Baths, statues, jewelry, manuscripts, tapestries and objects of silver, gold, leather and wood. The building has a wonderful courtyard with dormer windows, an old bucket-water well, and a garden worth lazing in. But not today in the 36-degree rain. We stayed longer than usual and enjoyed every minute. For only 4 euros on any Sunday, it's a real bargain. The last room housed the Unicorn Tapestries, depicting, taste, hearing, sight, smell, touch and desire. They also depict the unicorn, which historians have interpreted as a religious figure, Christ himself, or perhaps a lover. George Sand Popularized the Tapestries They were first discovered by Prosper Merriman, but written about and popularized by George Sand. Even the children looking at the tapestries seemed rapt in their father's explanation. Here it was mid-afternoon and I thought my day was already made. But there is more. As I said, there are always new things to do and learn in this city on the Seine. We had a purely French lunch in Restaurant Des Tartines. To the uninitiated with a dictionary that translates as 'bread, spread with something'. True but not true. Today we had delicious open-face sandwiches with roasted mushrooms and melted cheese. On the side was a fresh green salad with carrots added, and the coffee crème is what we refer to as American coffee. It was fresh, delicious and probably nutritious. The cost was a fraction of last night's dinner. Surprise: A Galette des Rois Then another surprise: on the way home we stopped to buy some fruit. There, my wife spotted something I had never heard of. "Look, she cried, a Galette des Rois." I had no idea what that was. But here in France it was the thing to eat at this time of the year or specifically for January 6th, the epiphany or Little Christmas. People argue that they should be made specifically for this one day, but lately they can be seen in large stores starting in October. And what is the big deal? you ask. Well, this special thin cake is normally filled with a sweet filling called frangipani. The one we purchased was filled with apple. We came home, heated it up and each sampled a slice. I cut into mine and my knife hit something hard like a stone. "What plot is this?" I asked. My wife's eyes widened. "Wow! Lucky you. You got the piece with the Santon, the little ceramic figure." She fished it out with a fork -- and there on my plate was a white clad man who looked like a baker. "There is a santon in every gallette," she announced. "The one who gets it is considered 'king for the day.' We all vied for the right slice when I was young. You are now the king." Well, in truth, I always suspected I was, but now it was official. Another discovery and we've only been here a little over 24 hours. Had I not slept so long last night, I might have had time to discover even more. But, of course, we'll be here for another month. (Click
below for more travel).
| ||
 |
