La Vie en Rose

This is my last journal entry from Paris. For those of you who know me well, you know that it has been a life long dream to live in New York, that has now changed. Paris has become my “new” New York. On our way back to Paris I began to fear that perhaps the city’s impressions were mostly impressions of my first great European city and that it wasn’t Paris per se that I was in love with but the idea of finally being back in Europe. When we arrived and I found myself walking again on Parisian soil, I realized that it is the city I am in love with and not just the idea.

On our first day back we took a stroll down to the Cimitère du Père Lachaise and paid our respects to some it’s famous residence. Unfortunately the sickness that had begun to take hold our last night in Florence was in full swing and I wasn’t able to do much more than that for the morning. My throat had swollen up and I could barely swallow anything plus, I could barely walk without pain or discomfort somewhere in my body and the mile walk to the cemetery had pretty much taken its toll so Val brought me home and let me sleep of the morning with a refreshing nap and when I awoke, we went off to explore the city again.

Over the course of the next couple of days, we were able to pay our respects to some of our other favorite people and heroes. We visited the Paris Catacombs and spent a little over an hour walking amongst the dead relocated to the abandoned quarries below the city. However, perhaps the greatest highlight of our return to Paris was finally getting to meet one of our true mentors, Angès Varda. In spite of the fact that she was busy putting together the finishing touches on a new show, she took a few moments to meet with two humble admirers. The visit was absolutely just wonderful.

On our last night, in our last few waking hours in Paris, I wanted so desperately to capture as much as I could every angle and image that I had experienced. I want to package all of this up and take it home with me and the tools I have to do it just aren’t enough. I can’t wait to come back, not in a few years but months. My last trip to New York I left loving the city but not missing a piece of myself. When we leave Paris tomorrow, a part of me will forever be here and, I won’t be complete until I come back to find it.

Is Paris paradise? Of course not, but it is as close as any city can get. The city has it’s problems but what city doesn’t. Today the temperature was in the mid 70s and the humidity was just perfect. I didn’t feel as though I was going to roast to death in my pants and long sleeve shirt, will the weather change in the high summer heat? Sure but you know what, it was over 90 degrees in Denver today and the heat hasn’t even started. I don’t like Denver’s weather. The sun is way to intense and I hate the fact that it never seems to rain or snow anymore. My body craves moisture and the dryness of Colorado just feels like an oven where I am being baked at a nice 450 degrees until golden brown.

Is there poverty? Of course there is, but there is in Denver too. We live a block from Colfax avenue in Downtown Denver. On my way to campus every morning I pass at least 15 homeless people, many of which are incapacitated in one way or another. Is there violence? Naturally but I have not felt this safe in any city in my life. Paris is a major world city and with that distinction come challenges. Find me a city that has over two million people and doesn’t suffer from these problems and I’ll explore that, until then Paris is just fine for me.

So what is it about this city that has grabbed my heart?

Aside from the deep connection that could only be described using metaphysical terms that would no doubt bore you all, there are a few concrete things that I can point to.

This city is built on cinema and photography. Both forms of artistic expression have their roots here and arguably flourished from this city either directly or by artists coming here to find their inspiration. The city loves cinema, French and American alike. There are a whole series of film festivals and film celebrations that happen year round in the city and the surrounding areas. There are cinemas all over and more than one research center and library dedicated to the study, production and preservation of film. I have never been in a city where over half the audience stayed to watch the credits of a major Hollywood production. Their cinemas are amazing temples to a form of artistic expression they hold dear.

It is a city that values the arts and culture to the point that electronic billboards throughout the city that list various activities taking place many of which are free to the public. (One of these billboards is how we found out about the free Cinema of Paris exhibit.)

Paris forced me to slow down, in everything I did. I ate slower (and less) and enjoyed every bite of it. Even my walking pace slowed in Paris to the point where I was telling Val to slow down a bit because he was walking too fast.

Paris is a city where new and old exist in a symbiotic relationship. Everything new looks back and references the old; from furniture to shoes, there is a clear understanding of where Paris has been and how that influences where Paris is going.

My only real complaint is how Americanized the city has become. It was disheartening to see so many Starbucks and McDonalds not to mention the Pizza Huts and KFCs. We avoided them all (except McDonalds to get a coke) and found that there were scores of other options for inexpensive food.

Perhaps one day soon, we will get the chance to return to Paris and study and maybe even live. However for now we must say good-bye to the city and look forward to our next adventure in London. So for the last time,

Salut!

Shaych