The sky was ominously dark, the rain was coming down thick and fast and the roar of thunder filled the carriage as our train pulled out of Antwerpen Centraal on Friday morning. Just another typical Belgian summer’s day!
We didn’t care – we were off to Paris!!
Very excited travellers.
Richard and I have always spoken positively of Paris whenever we’ve mentioned it to the girls. Olive has also been interested in the French capital because she knows that she visited Paris when she was growing in mummy’s tummy. Much as I hate to admit this however, it’s really Barbie that we have to thank for the high level of enthusiasm that the girls have shown towards Paris since we moved to Belgium. In no less than three of her movies, Barbie makes a visit to Paris. And if Barbie thinks it’s cool well, who are we to argue? Just think what she could do for Palmerston North!
Me in Paris - oh wait no - that's Barbie.
We arrived at Gare du Nord shortly after 9:30am and were soon on the Metro heading to our hotel.
Becoming very accustomed to using public transport.
We were staying in a part of Paris I’d never been in before – the 15th arrondissement – and our hotel was only a ten minute walk from La Tour Eiffel. As we approached our hotel and the iron lattice tower loomed into view the shrieks were deafening.
"It's the Eiffel Tower!!"
After a quick check in we hopped on the RER train and made for Musee d’Orsay. It’s a place Richard and I both love and as we’ve seen a great deal of modern art on our European travels we decided it was time to immerse ourselves in some old classics. (We will also always remember Musee d’Orsay because last time we were there we literally bumped into Judy Bailey. It was just after that big scandal when it was revealed how much she was being paid to read the news and she’d obviously headed to Europe to get away from all the negative press. I just couldn’t resist saying “oh look, Judy Bailey” in a loud kiwi accent – the poor woman visibly squirmed and dropped her glasses!)
Olive outside Musee d'Orsay.
One of the things I love about this museum, apart from all the amazing art, is how open the exhibition spaces are. Musee d’Orsay used to be a railway station and when you stand in the great hall you can see so much all at once.
Inside Musee d'Orsay.
Monet, Van Gogh, Cezanne, Renoir, Rodin, Degas… I could go on and on. It was wonderful. Olive was particularly taken with Degas’ ballerinas. She loved the sculpture La Petite Danseuse and admired all the tutus in his Paris Ballet paintings.
Marie - la petite danseuse.
Although we could have spent all afternoon in the museum we pulled ourselves away, crossed the road and hopped on board a BatoBus for a quick cruise along the Seine. It was pretty cold and rainy but Paris still looked beautiful as ever.
Playing around with another Paris icon on the BatoBus.
La Tour Eiffel from the Seine.
We hopped off the BatoBus at the Eiffel Tower stop and lo and behold…another carousel! They are somewhat unavoidable in Europe in the summertime.
It was very much enjoyed - as you can see!
When the ride had finished we strolled back to our hotel for a short rest and a freshen up. Edie was checking out the view from our window when we heard her call out very excitedly, “look! It’s Michael’s statue!” Upon further investigation we realised that we were looking down on the Parisian Statue of Liberty. (The NYC statue makes an appearance in one of Michael Jackson’s videos, hence “Michael’s statue”!)
The Paris version sits near the Grenelle Bridge on the Ile des Cygnes or Island of Swans. Our hotel was located on the Quai de Grenelle which later that night was to reveal, most unexpectedly, another Parisian monument that I’m so glad I got to see – more on that later.
We ventured out into the 15th arrondisement in search of dinner. We walked in the direction of the Eiffel Tower as we’d promised the girls the chance to see it by night. It was great to be in a new part of Paris and the neighbourhood had a relaxed and almost laid back feel to it.
Soon we reached several streets lined with bistros and cafes. One was very busy which we took as a good sign and so ventured inside. It was a good decision – the food was good, the service was friendly and there were…..snails!!!
Mmmmmm...escargots.
No surprises as to who ordered them!
For a brief moment we thought Olive was going to give them a try but she really just wanted to try using all the interesting spoons that came with them.
After the girls got over the shock of Dad eating garden friends we headed back to the Eiffel Tower. We’d missed out on tickets to the top via the elevator but as we drew closer we noticed the queues to climb to the second level were very short. The girls were desperate to climb the tower and once we’d paid our money and got onto the stairwell they didn’t stop until they’d reached the second level – that’s a climb of 1,652 stairs!
Climbing into the tower.
Looking over to Sacre Coeur.
Such a beautiful city.
We made our descent on jelly like legs and headed across to the Trocadero to catch the hourly light show, when the Eiffel Tower is transformed into a glittering spectacle. Olive and Edie were entranced. Mum and Dad too!
Just like a Christmas tree.
By this time we were all starting to fade and we turned our heads towards home. Richard wanted to see if we could get onto the Ile de Cygnes so we took an alternative route home. As we crossed one bridge and made to turn right onto what we thought was the Island of Swans, I noticed a sign bearing the inscription “Monument du Vel d’Hiv” and an arrow pointing in the direction we were headed.
A few months ago I read a book that had been recommended to me by someone I met here in Antwerp and which I soon discovered had been read by several of my book loving friends in New Zealand. Her Name Was Sarah by Tatiana de Rosnay recounts the events of the 16th and 17th of July 1942, when the French Authorities rounded up thousands of Jewish families, forcibly kept them in the Velodrome d’Hiver in appaling conditions and then ultimately deported them to Auschwitz. It’s a deeply moving story which I couldn’t put down, and there is also a film version starring Kristin Scott Thomas.
Prior to our Paris trip I had thought about trying to locate the monument to the Vel d’Hiv but as we only had such a short time in the city I resigned myself to just not being able to have the time to see it. You can imagine how thrilled I was when I saw that sign.
As the photo I took was taken at night, it didn't come out very well so here is a better one. The curved sides of the monument are meant to represent the curved walls of the velodrome.
The inscription reads: “The French Republic pays homage to the victims of racist and anti-semitic persecution and crimes against humanity committed under the authority of the French Government. We will never forget.”
I think seeing those statues by night made it all the more poignant. Olive and Edie wanted to know what it was all about, why I was so interested and though I was somewhat stumped as to how to begin that conversation I know that we will talk about it. It’s important that we do so that we will never forget.
My hopes of being able to fit all of our trip to Paris into one post are fading fast! Bear with me and I’ll have part two for you in the next couple of days.
Jusque-la, au revoir ma chere famille et amis.
hetbelgischekoekje 