I'm sorry I haven't blogged in a while. Specifically, I apologise to Martin for not having blogged in a while. To make up for it, here's a round-up of everything I've done since I got back from England. Art
Matthew is a Canadian guy in one of my History classes. We met outside 199 Blv Saint-Germaine, both staring at a huge locked door behind which our first class was starting. Nothing like student-panic-mode to bring folks together :) Matt's a great oke. He sympathises with me when I complain about the cold, and he helps me order stuff in French. Even though he thought I was Australian the first time we spoke (seriously), he's a cool guy. On Thursday Matt invited Tash and I out with a casual "Oh, a friend and I are going to a museum after class, wanna come?" You see, that's the sort of thing we Parisian students can do. Just trot off to museums any afternoon we like. We heartily accepted his invitation, and along with his actual Australian friend Meg, we strolled along the Seine to the Museé Jeu de Paume. Jeu de Paume is a really cool place. It's in the Jardin des Tuileries - a beautiful park (that I'll talk about later). There are two long, tall buildings symmetrically placed at the richly ornamented park gates. I read somewhere that they used to be tennis courts for the rich aristocracy who frequented the gardens, but they've since been transformed into a photography museum (Jeu de Paume) and an impressionist painting museum (Museé de l'Orangerie). The current exhibition at the Jeu de Paume includes two incredibly famous photographers - Berenice Abbott and Ai Weiwei. Berenice Abbott was an American photographer who lived through the Great Depression and also spent a lot of time in Paris as an assistant to Man Ray, the famous Dada artist. While in Paris during the 20s (think Midnight in Paris), she shot many portraits of famous writers and painters, including James Joyce. She's done beautiful series on industrial New York and the bitter poverty of rural America during the Depression. The most interesting part of her exhibition was a selection from her commission work for a company producing science textbooks to American schools in the 50s. Using photography, she beautifully illustrated complex concepts such as magnetism, gravity, wave lengths, light refraction, and time travel (or something like that - I'm not sciencey). What a fantastic exhibition! Man. She's amazing. I'm a fan. Ai Weiwei is a contemporary photographer, blogger, twitterer, and pretty much amazing adventurer and real-life superhero. If you haven't already heard of him, you need to look this guy up, because he is bad-ass for realzies. When he's not doing crazy-ass art exhibitions (some of which include writing out tres-deep statements using actual backpacks from the kid-victims of that earthquake that struck rural China a few years back), he's sticking it to the Chinese government like it's no-ones business. Sometimes they love him (like back when he designed the famous "Birds Nest" stadium for the Beijing 2008 Olympics), and sometimes they arrest him, bang his head so badly he has to go for emergency brain surgery, confiscate all his computers, take his blog off the Internet and ban him from leaving the country. That's what's up. His exhibition was astonishing and fascinating. Wow. Works like "7 Frames" and "Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn" are so phenom - he also shot a lot of stuff while they were building the Bird's Nest, mostly highlighting the way the government devastated surrounding communities in order to build it. There was this one huge wall checkered with full-length portraits of various Chinese citizens that took part in Weiwei's exhibition in Germany called "Fairytale". For this incredible event, Weiwei found 1001 Chinese citizens, bought them plane tickets, and took them to Germany as a kind of living artwork. The whole thing was meant to highlight how difficult it is for ordinary citizens to get visas out of China, and the portraits show a selection of the participants standing outside their various local embassies before each of their visa interviews. For them, travelling anywhere outside of China is a Fairytale. It was a beautiful thing to see - and to get me thinking. I am so lucky to be where I am. I'm such a privileged person, a fortunate South African who's having an experience that very few in my country get to have. Gotta keep reminding myself of this. Ai Weiwei helps me not to forget. Included in his exhibition were excepts from his blog, along with various photos documenting his every day life, and beautiful black and white film photography from Weiwei's life in New York in the 80s. It was truly beautiful, and we seriously enjoyed wandering the tall rooms stocked with life. Thanks Matt! Man. Good good times. Fish
This won't be so drawn out. After meeting Wendy for our usual Friday lunch (this time at Subway with her daughter Jessica - OMG SUBWAY OMNOMNOM), Tash and I decided to head to Trocadero for our daily dose of Eiffel Tower. It was a beautiful day on Friday, and frankly, taking the metro to Trocadero is the flipping best way to see the Eiffel Tower, hands down. You walk out of the station, and while at first you can't see past the tall buildings in front of you, a few steps forward will reward you with an open square and one of the most phenomenal views in Paris. Gosh. It takes my breath away. I know many people think Paris is overrated, and that it's way too touristy to deserve a visit, and that they've seen the Eiffel Tower in so many movies with swaying accordion music playing in the background that it can't possibly be that amazing. But you're wrong. At least, that's what I thought until I saw it, until I actually walked towards this massive, unearthly structure. Eventually, I feel so small in comparison, that the cold air I inhale becomes cold, intimidating, self-reflection. Wow. The thing is massive. It's the tallest building for miles, and when you're under it, you can't actually encompass the entire thing in your field of vision. Wow. Oh my gosh. I love the Eiffel Tower. If it wasn't already married to someone, I would... Ok, no. I'm not that crazy.
As previously stated, it was a beautiful day. Having seen a tiny bit of the Jardin des Tuileries the day before, we decided to walk the 3km or so along the river from the Eiffel Tower to Place de la Concord, and on to the park. It was a great decision - man, Paris is beautiful and tourist-deficient in the beginning months of the year. We walked past Pont Neuf - and the famous road tunnel where Princess Diana had her car accident. We waved at tourists on Seine cruises (they didn't wave back... bloody tourists). We walked all the way to Concord, the beautifully decorated square that now showcases a great Obelisk, but used to showcase a bitching guillotine where Marie Antoinette and the like were beheaded. Just beside this is the park, where Parisians sit and people-watch around the circular fountains. The sun set behind the Eiffel Tower as we slowly walked towards the Louvre. Picture perfect. I'm sorry I keep saying that. But it is :) I can't wait to show you this place, blog reader! Come and visit me in Paris, and together this city will wrought memories and culture into our very beings. The more time I spend ambling along, not checking my watch, the less and less I feel like a tourist. The ache for home and familiar arms is still here, but the pulse this city induces is stronger.
Matthew is a Canadian guy in one of my History classes. We met outside 199 Blv Saint-Germaine, both staring at a huge locked door behind which our first class was starting. Nothing like student-panic-mode to bring folks together :) Matt's a great oke. He sympathises with me when I complain about the cold, and he helps me order stuff in French. Even though he thought I was Australian the first time we spoke (seriously), he's a cool guy. On Thursday Matt invited Tash and I out with a casual "Oh, a friend and I are going to a museum after class, wanna come?" You see, that's the sort of thing we Parisian students can do. Just trot off to museums any afternoon we like. We heartily accepted his invitation, and along with his actual Australian friend Meg, we strolled along the Seine to the Museé Jeu de Paume. Jeu de Paume is a really cool place. It's in the Jardin des Tuileries - a beautiful park (that I'll talk about later). There are two long, tall buildings symmetrically placed at the richly ornamented park gates. I read somewhere that they used to be tennis courts for the rich aristocracy who frequented the gardens, but they've since been transformed into a photography museum (Jeu de Paume) and an impressionist painting museum (Museé de l'Orangerie). The current exhibition at the Jeu de Paume includes two incredibly famous photographers - Berenice Abbott and Ai Weiwei. Berenice Abbott was an American photographer who lived through the Great Depression and also spent a lot of time in Paris as an assistant to Man Ray, the famous Dada artist. While in Paris during the 20s (think Midnight in Paris), she shot many portraits of famous writers and painters, including James Joyce. She's done beautiful series on industrial New York and the bitter poverty of rural America during the Depression. The most interesting part of her exhibition was a selection from her commission work for a company producing science textbooks to American schools in the 50s. Using photography, she beautifully illustrated complex concepts such as magnetism, gravity, wave lengths, light refraction, and time travel (or something like that - I'm not sciencey). What a fantastic exhibition! Man. She's amazing. I'm a fan. Ai Weiwei is a contemporary photographer, blogger, twitterer, and pretty much amazing adventurer and real-life superhero. If you haven't already heard of him, you need to look this guy up, because he is bad-ass for realzies. When he's not doing crazy-ass art exhibitions (some of which include writing out tres-deep statements using actual backpacks from the kid-victims of that earthquake that struck rural China a few years back), he's sticking it to the Chinese government like it's no-ones business. Sometimes they love him (like back when he designed the famous "Birds Nest" stadium for the Beijing 2008 Olympics), and sometimes they arrest him, bang his head so badly he has to go for emergency brain surgery, confiscate all his computers, take his blog off the Internet and ban him from leaving the country. That's what's up. His exhibition was astonishing and fascinating. Wow. Works like "7 Frames" and "Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn" are so phenom - he also shot a lot of stuff while they were building the Bird's Nest, mostly highlighting the way the government devastated surrounding communities in order to build it. There was this one huge wall checkered with full-length portraits of various Chinese citizens that took part in Weiwei's exhibition in Germany called "Fairytale". For this incredible event, Weiwei found 1001 Chinese citizens, bought them plane tickets, and took them to Germany as a kind of living artwork. The whole thing was meant to highlight how difficult it is for ordinary citizens to get visas out of China, and the portraits show a selection of the participants standing outside their various local embassies before each of their visa interviews. For them, travelling anywhere outside of China is a Fairytale. It was a beautiful thing to see - and to get me thinking. I am so lucky to be where I am. I'm such a privileged person, a fortunate South African who's having an experience that very few in my country get to have. Gotta keep reminding myself of this. Ai Weiwei helps me not to forget. Included in his exhibition were excepts from his blog, along with various photos documenting his every day life, and beautiful black and white film photography from Weiwei's life in New York in the 80s. It was truly beautiful, and we seriously enjoyed wandering the tall rooms stocked with life. Thanks Matt! Man. Good good times. Fish
This won't be so drawn out. After meeting Wendy for our usual Friday lunch (this time at Subway with her daughter Jessica - OMG SUBWAY OMNOMNOM), Tash and I decided to head to Trocadero for our daily dose of Eiffel Tower. It was a beautiful day on Friday, and frankly, taking the metro to Trocadero is the flipping best way to see the Eiffel Tower, hands down. You walk out of the station, and while at first you can't see past the tall buildings in front of you, a few steps forward will reward you with an open square and one of the most phenomenal views in Paris. Gosh. It takes my breath away. I know many people think Paris is overrated, and that it's way too touristy to deserve a visit, and that they've seen the Eiffel Tower in so many movies with swaying accordion music playing in the background that it can't possibly be that amazing. But you're wrong. At least, that's what I thought until I saw it, until I actually walked towards this massive, unearthly structure. Eventually, I feel so small in comparison, that the cold air I inhale becomes cold, intimidating, self-reflection. Wow. The thing is massive. It's the tallest building for miles, and when you're under it, you can't actually encompass the entire thing in your field of vision. Wow. Oh my gosh. I love the Eiffel Tower. If it wasn't already married to someone, I would... Ok, no. I'm not that crazy.
Anyway. This section is entitled Fish, and that's because, on the way to the tower, Tash and I passed the Paris Aquarium and thought, hey, we love fish. So we went. We even got student discounts (score!).
I think if I ever become a parent, when I take my band of kids to the aquarium, they will wear glow-in-the-dark clothing. It's seriously the easiest place to lose your offspring. There were tiny people everywhere. Plus it's dark. Plus there are sharks. But despite being a veritable hotspot for child-snatching maniacs, the Paris Aquarium was so cool. Super kid (and young-at-heart teen) friendly, with loads of great interactive games & activities (they even have a green screen... Yes please). We had a lovely time! SunshineAs previously stated, it was a beautiful day. Having seen a tiny bit of the Jardin des Tuileries the day before, we decided to walk the 3km or so along the river from the Eiffel Tower to Place de la Concord, and on to the park. It was a great decision - man, Paris is beautiful and tourist-deficient in the beginning months of the year. We walked past Pont Neuf - and the famous road tunnel where Princess Diana had her car accident. We waved at tourists on Seine cruises (they didn't wave back... bloody tourists). We walked all the way to Concord, the beautifully decorated square that now showcases a great Obelisk, but used to showcase a bitching guillotine where Marie Antoinette and the like were beheaded. Just beside this is the park, where Parisians sit and people-watch around the circular fountains. The sun set behind the Eiffel Tower as we slowly walked towards the Louvre. Picture perfect. I'm sorry I keep saying that. But it is :) I can't wait to show you this place, blog reader! Come and visit me in Paris, and together this city will wrought memories and culture into our very beings. The more time I spend ambling along, not checking my watch, the less and less I feel like a tourist. The ache for home and familiar arms is still here, but the pulse this city induces is stronger.
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