Day 7: Au revoir Paris

If you ever go to Paris, make sure you're there for at least one weekend.

Friday I went to stay with Tama, the sister of my mother's colleague in Philadelphia. I was glad to move out of the 16th district - it's easy to feel out of place there unless you're rich or trying to look rich. Tama explained to me that the place I'd stayed in was fairly typical of the 16th - a small apartment that comes with an extra room elsewhere in the building, once meant for the 'bonne' (maid). Nowadays the chambres de bonne are used by the children of the families who live in the apartment. Often the families aren't rich, but have the apartment as family inheritance. I think that was the case with the place I stayed in, since Rafael had hinted at his disapproval of the 'chi-chi' lifestyle of the 16th, and seemed like a simple, down-to-earth kind of guy.

The 19th is more ethnic, with lots of arab and asian stores. It reminded me more of Montreal than anywhere else in Paris I'd seen. Tama has a nice little apart and she was very welcoming. I went to browse through the Cité des sciences, a big science museum which almost tempted me to email my old cosmology prof and ask if he was teaching any courses in general relativity... but I regained my common sense after leaving the building.

Tama and I cooked a nice dinner, got all dressed up Parisian-style, and went down to a peniche on the Seine for drinks. The peniches are stationary boats that have restaurants, bars, and dancing. We were right in front of the Notre-Dame Cathedral, such a great spot. We danced up a storm, but Tama was being 'draguée' by a guy who didn't interest her, so we headed back home.

Saturday I tried again unsuccessfully to meet up with another couch-surfer. It's been a bit of a rough start with CS, a bit hard to plan everything right. Finally I managed to meet up with a musician named Simon Carrière (I'm sure he doesn't mind the pub :) ) who is slowly taking Paris over by song, starting in the metro.

We left with the harmonica-player, Constantin, and the flutist, Anatoly, to go to a couch-surfing polyglot meeting. The idea is to share linguistic exchanges in the cafés and bars of Paris. I got to practice my German and Italian. I also taught a bit of jouale to two Parisian blokes whose goals in life were to become gym teachers. Hmmmmm. Anyway it turned out to be another great night hitting the dance floors of Paris.

Sunday the weather was finally sunny and warm. Simon took me on my final tourist's trip through Paris: the Basilique Sacré-Coeur, Montmartre, Pigalle, the Tour Eiffel (with crêpes! mmm) and an amazing raclette dinner that put to shame all the poutines and fondues I've ever eaten.

After such a fantastic weekend I left Paris literally in a cloud of fog, running at the last minute for the train to Marseille. Dare I post whether or not I paid for the train ride? You get it. The TGV train is so fast that my ears kept popping. Within just a few minutes, we were out of the fog and under blue skies in the countrisides of central France.

Marseille is eden. Warmth, sunshine, palm trees, mountains, beach, cliffs - I haven't even explored much and already it's a dream. Since it's winter, everything is deserted and peaceful. And the people seem great so far: a man strolling down the street in a top hat and suit, smoking a cigar, approached me out of the blue and asked whether I was looking for the hostel by any chance. I have a feeling he was a little drunk. But he enthusiastically pointed me to the right direction and here I am.

Tomorrow I will go find my first couchsurfing host, who lives in the outskirts of the city. New adventures in southern France await!

P.S. Photos are really slow to download to the blog, so for now you can see them on facebook.