It was Sunny on Wednesday with double-digit temps.
We began the day with breakfast in a small cafe on Avenue de Ternes. It was comprised of a crossiant, jam,
warm Tuscan bread, a fruit bowl- bananas, apples and strawberries in some sort of sweet sauce
and coffee with lait chaud.
After breakfast, we walked to the Montmartre secton of Paris. It was a beautiful day and although the
walk was long it was enjoyable every step of the way.We looked in shop windows, browsed
in stores and had coffee at a Starbucks. My first cup of Canadian Style Coffee since leaving Canada a week ago. The Starbucks was located in the square opposite the famous Moulin Rouge.
Funny.
Once you see the huge windmill and the name Moulin Ruge you think-
"So this is it. This is the Moulin Rouge, the home of the French Can-Can known the world over."
It can be a little disappointing. sitting there in the Parisienne sunshine, sipping on a hot, tasty coffee and nibbling on a chocolate muffin- le Muffin en Francais. However, at night with the lights flashing and the windmill blades rotating, it was a tres, tres agreable.
The Montmartre area of Paris is on the highest point overlooking the city.
I think it's where one should live in Paris- if not Place de Victor Hugo, which is very appealing too and closer to La Tour Eiffel.
Montmartre has fabulous shops, many Gay couples strolling about and a cafe every few feet. Just like Tim Horton's in Canada. You could spend many dollars- I mean Euros, in this area. The famous church Sacre Coeur is at the top. Of all the churches we visited- including Notre Dame, this was the only one where we were not allowed to take photos.
Too bad.
It is beautiful inside with high vaulted celings and an incredible, colourful fresco above the high
altar. From his vaulted position, Christ peers down on us puney little humans. All white-skinned with blue eyes twinkling. He looks like he could be a male model over at Abercrombie and Fitch on the Champs Elysees. I didn't see Jesus in the flesh in that Eglise (church en Francais) but if he appeared, even he would be impressed with the artwork- especially all that gold! He might be a little pissed off however, since this church was built to the glory of his mother- Mary, not him. He does have a larger picture on the ceiling than Mary but maybe not as many sculptures scattered around the side altars.
You know, come to think of it Tom and I toured about a half dozen religious structures during our stay in Paree- purley as an architectural curiosity you understand- and none of them crumbled to the ground. So, this religious thing...I dunno.
God had a chance to strike me down and she didn't. (If I believed in God, I would like to think of God as being a gentle woman not a "worship me on your knees" kind of guy.
You know, everything inside these churches takes on such an aura of ancient times- right down to the monks in tawdry, brown robes and sandals, that it's hard to believe that anyone has faith in this modern world of ours. These churches also have electric spotlights, video screens and religious medal-dispensing machines- that look similar to the slot machines out a Casino Rama, scattered in the small enclaves and side altars encircling the main sanctuaries.
As I said in another, e-mail if I had the cash I'd build one "To the Glory of Me!"
Imagine my face in a fresco several stories high with gold and gilt with money boxes placed along the side altars where folks could make donations to my cause...which would be to become even wealthier.
So My Dears, our time in Germany and France is about to end. This time tomorrow- Thursday December 1st, I'll find myself back home in Orillia with Paris just a distant memory.
Would I come back?
Let's see.
I was first here in May. Now in November.
Yes. Definitely.
I wanted to be in Paris during the holiday season to see the lights and that's been accomplished.
Up next?
Springtime in Paris- of course.
Au revouir. A demain.
