Shared Illusions

2 days running, we haven’t left the apartment til noon. However, we still manage to walk 11-12miles. Warming up for the Chemin. Speaking of, it already thre2 us our first curve ball. For some unexplained reason,  Malle Postale informed me that they couldn’t deliver our packs to the Gîte we selected. I’d call them, but they’re closed on Sunday. Too late to try and coordinate another Gîte and Malle Postale. So. We’ll take it slow and easy.

Lovely weather yesterday as we began our day in the Parc Butte Chaumont again. The aroma of mock orange flowers perfumed the air.

If I were to live in Paris, it would have to be near a park such as this. Preferably in a building such as this:

Or a park like La Villette, along the Quai Marne (which yesterday I mis-identified as the Seine).

Paris can be surprisingly quiet. A turn off the main drag and down a few side streets and voilà! Even though you’re surrounded by huge apartment complexes. Some seem stylish and quite nice. Others are huge blocks and scary to contemplate living in.

Made it to Père Lachaise Cementary for the first time. At 110 acres, it’s both the largest park and largest cemetery in Paris. There are thousands of gravesites. Some of which date back to 1804 when it opened. So many trees still standing, some over 100 years old.

We found the tombs of Isadora Duncan, Jim Morrison,  Marcel Proust, and Edith Piaf. Someone had placed a small stuffed sparrow on her tomb,  as her nickname was the Little Sparrow. Couldn’t find Collette. Should have looked for Chopin. Oh, and as we happened upon a group standing around a grave. Much laughter. Turns out it was a journalist, Victor Noir. He had been challenged to a duel by Napoleon’s cousin, who killed him. Riots ensued. A famous sculpture was commissioned and elected to fashion him lying down, as though just shot.

What really made him famous was the prominent bulge (you know where) the sculptor included. Thus, an urban legend arose. Expand the photo, if necessary, to see shiny bulge, shiny toe tips, and shiny lips. It’s said that for enhanced fertility, rub the bulge; for a perfect lover, kiss the lips; to get pregnant, touch the tight toes; and if you want (!?) twins, the left foot. At one time a fence was placed around the site to stop the “indecent rubbing”, but the hew and cry forced its removal!

Enfin, the much anticipated Nuit des Musées was a bust. Figuring that museums closer to the heart of Paris and tourists would be packed, we decided to go to La Cité des Sciences et l’industrie. As we approached,  throngs of people could be seen. But closer, we saw a short line. I asked a guard if it were special. He said no, the same. So we got into the museum in about 15 minutes! It seems that most people were coming to the museum from the other side and didn’t realize there was more than one line, so it stretched so far!

Why a bust, then? It wasn’t a very good museum. Lots of wasted space. Uninspired exhibits. Maybe we were tiring by then. Nothing compared to the one in Chicago, though. But it is in La Villette park and I’d return there!

Lots of brass scallop shells along the Quai du Marne. You can begin the Chemin here in Paris.

Today we are going to Figeac, making our way to Conques. It’s a trek. Tomorrow we take the Malle Postale van to Conques and begin the Chemin on Tuesday!

À bientôt!