Paris: Week Five, Day One
Sunday, July 23
On Saturday evening, I received a WhatsApp message from an old French classmate, Max. Max asked that we meet up on Sunday for breakfast. Well, we took a long time to decide where to meet. That, and Max overslept. Yes, Max, I’m putting you on blast! So, breakfast turned into brunch. I chose a place about 20-30 minutes from both of us. Either way, one or both of us was going to have to travel. Unfortunately, when I stepped outside it was raining! My indecisiveness about buying an umbrella caused me to be late meeting Max. I considered it pay back since Max was late for breakfast. My tardiness was okay though because the restaurant was tiny and people were lined up outside waiting for a table.
By the time I got there, quite wet since I decided against the umbrella, the waiter was ready to seat us. The restaurant, Saint Pearl, apparently specializes in french toast. They have a lot of great reviews online. I keep thinking there must be some sort of irony in eating french toast in France.
Anyway, the inside had benches lining two walls for seating. Tables were squished together so tightly that even the skinniest person could not escape without knocking over a glass of water or bumping someone’s plate. Everyone had to shift their tables for people to get in and out of the booth seats. I chose to sit in a chair opposite of the booth since I’m a larger person. Max, being smaller, squeezed into the booth seating. We both ordered the same thing: Pain perdu, option 2 with crème de citron and noix de coco toaste.
After eating, we decided to go out for a walk in the rain. I stopped at a street stall and bought a cheap umbrella. I struggled with the decision since I only had a week left, but the forecast called for rain until the end of the week. Max and I wandered around. I grabbed some cool pictures of art by Space Invader along the way.
Here are some articles that will introduce you to Space Invader if you have never heard of him. Personally, he’s my favorite artist in the world!
Across Paris, An Invader Unleashes His Art, The New York Times
Space Invader: French Artist’s Famous Pixels Go From The Street To The Gallery, Le Monde
Invader is special because no one knows his identity! Even when doing interviews, he hides his face. It’s so cool!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/198330507@N07/53101483321/in/album-72177720310333947/
We also admired some architecture along the way. This doorway has a lot of character and we both had to stop to take a photo. I get a southwest vibe from it. What about you? Let me know in the comments.
We wandered into a manga store. They had all manner of comic books, pop culture toys, and old 90s stuff. It was like walking into my childhood! I really enjoyed it.
We found a wood carver who impressed me last year when I visited Paris. His boxes and carvings of creatures are beautiful! If I had the money and the space, I would buy them all. This year, he wowed Max and I with these wooden boxes that had secret compartments. I recorded Max during one effort to open a box. I think this was like the third box we tried.
Max was on the lookout for a market, so we wandered in the general direction of my school. I remembered a market near there. Eventually, we found a marvelously eclectic place. I just wish I had taken more photos there. People set up booths for African art, clothing, handmade jewelry, buttons, ceramics, silverware, furniture, sculptures, art, and all manner of doodads and thingamajigs! It was a delight for the eyes. I did take a picture of some plus sized women (in sculpted form). It’s rare to see this in Paris, so I wanted to grab a quick pic. It wasn’t from the best angle though. Ironically, that’s usually the case when people take photos of plus sized women! It’s all about the angle. Honestly, I wish I had bought these two ladies.
Max found some odd magnifying glasses. It was hilarious!
After that, we both went our separate ways. Honestly, it was good to see a familiar face. Max is so easygoing and fun. We have always enjoyed each other’s company from day one.
Max doesn’t know this, but I’ll share a little secret with everyone now. I was so lonely during my last days in France. I was surrounded by people who didn’t speak English and my French was not good enough to have an in-depth conversation. I can understand French, but speaking it is much more difficult for me. Additionally, I spent 3 hours every day in class, unable to truly communicate with anyone. After class, I would return to my room to study, grab food, or visit a cemetery. All of these were very solitary activities. And at the end of the day? Dinner, alone, in the general dining room of my school. I watched groups of girls gather together and have meals together, happily speaking French, while I sat alone in the corner.
I underestimated how time-consuming learning French would be. Often, 6-8 hours of my day was spent on French. And, I didn’t realize how secluded my living arrangements would be. Living 30 minutes away from the school made engaging with my classmates outside of class quite difficult. Not everyone in my class had a metro pass, which complicated things even more. It was not until last week, week 4, that I started to make friends. And it was too little, too late at that point since we were all preparing to leave.
