”Fight the future” is a shy cupcake who lives in her own little world. A pop culture geek, lover of languages and different cultures, and professional daydreamer, her mind usually takes her to mind-blowing places. She is fearless. If she sets her heart on something, she knows she will get it… or that’s what she likes to believe.
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My days in Paris were more or less planned out, but sometimes I would put the map back in my bag and wander the streets and the promenade along the River Seine aimlessly. I visited Notre-Dame’s Cathedral, walked away from the hottest touristic locations and decided to go to the Army’s Museum. Since a great part of French history took place in a battlefield it helped me understand what war does to a nation. Napoleon’s tomb and the Charles De Gaulle’s Museum were also in the same area so I found myself spending almost a whole day there.
I wasn’t in Paris for Bastille Day nor for the last leg of the Tour de France, but I wanted to see the decorations in Champs Elysees, so I walked and walked from the Grand Palais to the Arc de Triomphe. I imagined the allied forces marching down those same streets when they liberated the city from Nazi occupation in World War Two and it occurred to me that what is most inspirational about Paris is how past and present merge — you are constantly breathing history.
One not-so sunny day I took the train to Versailles and visited the palace and its gardens (my favorite part). Once inside, I grabbed an audioguide and began the tour at the King’s Apartments. There are no words to describe the majestic furniture and the ostentatious decorations. There was a sea of tourists making their way through the Hall of Mirrors and, surprisingly, I was more attracted to what was going on outside the window.
After visiting the Mesdames’ Apartments, I walked down the stairs into the gardens. Where to begin? I went to the Grand Canal and Little Venice, where I had lunch and relaxed as swans and ducks swam by with a threatening attitude… until I let them have some crumbs from my baguette, of course. Afterwards, I walked to the Grand and Petit Trianon, where royalty used to escape for more privacy. There was classical music playing in the gardens and if I let my imagination run wild, I could pretend I was inside a period movie. The most fun I had was getting lost there and running into so many differently decorated fountains inspired by Greek mythology. Was this place for real? I looked at my watch and realized it was almost closing time. I vowed to return — a whole day wasn’t enough time to see all there was to see.
I spent my last day in the city in “my” neighbourhood. The best view of Paris is that from Sacre Coeur, no questions asked. I bought a nutella crepe in one of those little cafes overlooking the street where the artists gather to show and sell their work. I wondered how many anecdotes we would hear if only those walls could speak! Before I left I had to visit a Dali exhibition. It was highly recommended by one of my roommates. It was worth it; it made me more interested in his work. What a brilliant and troubled mind!
Lastly, I was only a few metro stops away from a Stanley Kubrick exhibit I had read about. How could I not make it?! I almost missed my bus to London, but it was definitely one of the highlights of my trip. I’ve always admired Kubrick’s work, his creative mind and inventive spirit, yet I never knew just how devoted he was to what he did for a living. I have a newfound respect for him after learning about his work ethic and the exhausting process of making a film. I saw the original costumes and props from Spartacus, Barry Lyndon, The Orange Clockwork, 2001: Space Oddity, and The Shining, movie scripts with his annotations, and the letters he exchanged with actors, writers and producers. Even his thorough plan on making a movie about Napoleon… I wish we could have seen more of what he had to offer.
I said good-bye to Paris by savouring my last crepe near the Moulin Rouge and boarded the bus as last call was being announced.
London
I wouldn’t recommend taking a bus from Paris to London. At first I thought it would be a great way to save money. It was cheaper than the train ticket and I didn’t have to spend an extra night in Paris. However, I wasn’t able to sleep at all because in Calais, we had to talk to the people in the migrations office… at 2 a.m.! Then, we had to wait for like an hour to actually board the ferry and crossing the canal took around 90 minutes, and it wasn’t a pleasant ride. To make matters worse, there was this really annoying French guy who saw me reading a book and started to make conversation. I tried not to look interested without being rude — I was travelling alone, after all — but the guy just wouldn’t give up. After a few minutes he must have been tired of having his questions answered by monosyllables that he wished me a good time in London and walked away. Allow me one generalization; French men can be really persistent.
Tottenham Court Road was my first stop in London and from there I took the bus to Pimlico, where I was staying. This time my roommates were not as friendly as the ones in Paris. I barely knew where they were from! But, the hostel was well-located, right in front of the Thames, above a pub and close to a Tesco Express and the bus stop.
I’ve never experienced anything quite as surreal as walking down the streets of London, seeing the red telephone booths and getting on a double-decker bus. By chance, I was able to conquer another childhood dream! Due to public demand ‘Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition’ at the O2 Bubble was extended through July 31st which meant I was getting there just in time. Ever since I saw James Cameron’s Titanic, I’ve been obsessed with the real story. When I was twelve I read every newspaper article, every book dealing with the subject matter and watched every documentary that I could get my hands on. Needless to say the twelve-year old in me was over the moon.
At the entrance, we were invited to journey the building of the ship to her sinking by given a boarding pass replica. I read the stories of the most notorious passengers and respectfully examined the belongings that have been rescued from the bottom of the ocean. It’s really emotional, especially when you find, in the middle of a half lit room, the bell that was once used to announce the ship’s imminent fate.
The exhibition achieves something extraordinary by making the visitors part of the ordeal; you invest yourself with all your senses. The space began to feel hot as we walked through “the machine rooms” and it was chilly as we stepped out to the deck and saw the iceberg, which you are allowed to touch. Before stepping out of the exhibit we came to a wall with the names of all the passengers informing us who had survived and who didn’t. We were to look at the name on our boarding pass and see what our fate could have been. If you hadn’t already felt goosebumps, this proved to be enough of a trigger.
Afterwards, I needed some fresh air so I went for a walk in St. James’ Park. I made my way to Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament. It was interesting to learn about royal protocol and democracy in the UK, but the amount of tourists in those specific spots was unbearable. I skipped Westminster Abbey which was surrounded by William and Kate’s “fans” and went directly to the theatre.
… Stay tuned for more of London tomorrow!
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One Girl. Four Countries. Twenty-Five Days. is part of our Summer Series.
