Paris that you haven’t seen

 Hello beautiful world, a world of wonder and magical discoveries. Today my article will be unusual (most likely) as I am writing it in a cemetery now. Yes, yes, near “the people” who have left this world and will probably not be able to read my blog. I believe it is the right place for writing such a happy and positive blog like mine, isn’t it?  In my opinion, it is all very logical. Especially considering the fact that this cemetery is a famous landmark in Paris. I’m talking about Père Lachaise. It’s a land where rest Oscar Wilde, Honore de Balzac, Edith Piaf, Frederic Chopin, all the people I somehow love and admire)))

The grave of Honore de Balzac (French writer)

The grave of Oscar Wilde (an Irish writer and poet)

The grave of Jim Morrison (an American singer, songwriter and poet)

So today, my article will dazzle with different photographs which I hope will help me to show you MY PARIS, not the one that is usually represented in films, music, the Internet and so on. Paris – the way I feel it and I see it…

I began to create this fairy tale of love and light, on the 19th of March, the day of my arrival in Paris. Since that time I have visited several museums, parks, gardens, streets, stores and even a music conservatory (while being extremely lucky. Thanks to my new French friend!). Since I prefer walking around the city, rather than travelling with a metro, I think I managed to walk about a hundred miles while observing the capital of France. Here I would like to present to you, my lovelies, a photo report I made, various unrelated logically or historically photos, that I would call “A walk in Paris”.

It’s an amazing magical spring time here and someone still having Merry Christmas design. Perhaps this velo-taxi belongs to a descendant of Ernest Hemingway, who stated that “Paris is a moveable feast” Apparently, this feast was Christmas. (Although the image of a polar bear on this truck reminded me of home, where there are wild bears walking on the streets, ahaha). Home, sweet home.

My favorite place in the city is The Pyramid of Cheops. What do you mean it is in Egypt? Well then, my favorite place in Paris would be The Louvre Pyramid, as easy as that. Even before our long-awaited meeting, I knew that it meant a lot to me. It’s the fault of the film “The Da Vinci Code” (a 2003 mystery-detective novel written by Dan Brown), not the movie itself but more the final scene with a very powerful music and Tom Hanks, who reveals the truth and realizes that the Holy Grail is under it, under a glass construction (this is it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcfNpfaGejA). Apparently, I am also waiting for some discovery in this magical place. And here is the bird in the photo, heading away. It’s like a good symbol, sign to myself… soaring next to a place that is really special for me.

A little art, graffiti, creativity on the walls/fences of Paris

Here are some pigeons. I was a bit shocked to see such a feast here. And they had a few more of these large loaves probably just in case, for a rainy day. I made a conclusion that Parisian pigeons live way better than Russian ones. Their standard of living surprises me)))

A parade of the European flags. It was an entrance to one of the local schools I believe.

St. Petersburg store and Moscow Street (Rue de Moscou) – it warmed my heart a lot. However, it’s time  to find Rue De Omsk now)))

And here I came to an incomparable, charming, fantastic “Moulin Rouge”. I just really love the eponymous musical, starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor. I watched this bright, full of colors extravaganza 5 or 6 times and always cried my eyes out while watching. Therefore, it was the first time I saw “Moulin Rouge” and did not cry at all, but was just … really happy! Of course, I would like to see the show itself inside the building, but for this dream comes truth I will probably need to take all the pigeons’ loaves, sell them and maybe … someday … well, in any case, I think, the musical won’t disappear anywhere. Besides, if you wait for something for quite a long time, when it finally comes to you, you appreciate it even more. Everything has its pros and positive moments, I believe.

On the road to The Sacré-Cœur Basilica I saw the following sign on the pavement. I found this picture interesting. A sort of remodeling of Disney’s logo.

The Sacré-Cœur Basilica itself

And the view from the Sacré-Cœur (it’s really good that the blog does not convey my breath as I hardly could breath after a large number of stages that Cinderella passed… in this case I would not lose the shoe, but probably myself)))

A Lantern as a main hero of the photo.

Alice was not feeling well and Cinderella replaced her in the “Through the Looking-Glass”.

The shops in France are working up to a certain time here, usually they closed early evenings and on Sundays almost everything is closed… I think one of the romantic men was late to buy the flowers for his darling and found another, a very creative way of solving the problem)))

Simply lovely

People meet, fall in love and after…they buy the lockers))) (by the way, it is the famous Notre Dame de Paris in the photo’s background)

On the day I read the book by Victor Hugo “Notre Dame de Paris” I started to dream about seeing the Cathedral one day in real life! The wish came true.

And here is one of my fans. It is easy to prove since she has a bag with my name written on it. Yes, my name is very often written as «NataCHa» in France. Still cannot get used to it. But my love to the French language is really strong, and therefore, it’s not a big problem to be called differently as long as I’m in this incredible city – Paris!

While shopping at the grocery store (which, of course, does not work on Sundays and evenings))) I saw HIM! It is an incomparable feeling. For those who have not read one of my previous articles – (https://westminsterscinderella.wordpress.com/2014/02/13/when-i-met-such-a-wonderful-werewolf/). I’m just very impressionable and I rejoice even little things in my life.

A view from the 5th floor (I think) at the Centre Georges Pompidou.

I do not consider this street-art beautiful and worthy of Paris, but nevertheless, it seemed unusual

A funny story about the treasure and Natasha)). There is a Ukrainian TV program “Heads and Tails” (“Oryol&Ryeshka”) in which a man and a woman traveling together (when tossing a coin in the air, they decide their fate for the upcoming weekend: one of them will live like a king with a gold bank card, while the other one will make an economy on everything). And at the end of their journey, they leave $100 hidden in the form of treasure. So, seeing their adventures in Paris, I decided to find this cherished green piece of paper that they put in a bottle of wine and the bottle itself hung on the bridge near the Tour Eiffel, behind the red/white sign. It was such a fun to look for the money, walk around the bridge and so on. The people near were probably thinking I was mad. Unfortunately, I found nothing. The Parisian voyage was filmed and uploaded to Youtube about 2 years ago from now, so surely there were people before me, but my hope never left me until the very end and, in addition to that, it was some kind of adventures for me too.

Unusual perspective – UNDER the Eiffel Tower. And a rather unusual story.

I was enjoying the view but what others forgot there… (It’s like a joke: “Grandma was really surprised by the number of people at the railway station and asked herself a question: “How many people? Well, I came here to meet my son but what all those people doing here?”) and so I was staying, looking at this well-known sightseeing of Paris when a strange man reached me. He began by asking me to take a photo of him on his phone and afterwards asked where I was from (In English).

I said I was from Russia.

He: I do not understand. Russia ? Where is it? (and he looked like he really didn’t know this country)

Myself: I am Russian! It is the largest country in the world. And after Russia the USA goes (I think we would make a good couple with this man since I was also confused and mentioned the USA even though Canada is bigger by its territory)

He: Ah, from America? So you’re from Chile?

Indeed, where else I could be from, if not from Chile.

Just as I knew that I was going to meet HIM! (Curly hair, make-up) keep reading and you’ll understand who I met…

It was a sunny day when I went to meet my very good friend – a French girl who was travelling by Eurostar train from London. By a happy coincidence, and also my abnormal punctuality I came 10 minutes before the actual time, and surprisingly the train arrived earlier as well! Everything was at just right timing. I was one of the first in the crowd meeting the passengers. So…here I am staying, a girl from Chile (as you already know)), again not bothering anyone … and then I see HIM – Nicolas Sarkozy, himself. He goes straight in my direction. In the few seconds that I have time to see him and meet his gaze, I have so many thoughts (like my annual norm, ahaha). I was almost taking my phone as I really wanted to take a picture of the ex-president of France, but then I realized how exhausted he was (from his face expression or maybe he just wasn’t that much excited to see another Russian in Paris))). Then I was thinking about how strange it was that he was accompanied by only two policemen. I  was just waiting for my friend, and accidently meet Nicolas Sarkozy. Oh, I love those kind of accidents)) And this is after 3 weeks of me staying in Paris! Then some of my French friends complained:  “How is it possible?! I  have lived here, in Paris, all my life, I am French and never met Nicolas Sarkozy! And you… How is it possible?” And some of my friends who knew about this story, asked me the next day: ” So, have you seen  François Hollande today? No, you haven’t? Why Natasha, it’s not normal!” I think that those few seconds at Gare du Nord in Paris, I will remember for the rest of my life. Well, only If it doesn’t become a good tradition or a habit to meet with Nicolas Sarkozy))

And why not just to cross out the name of the street? Indeed, why not …

When historic Paris meets the modern one (advertising, poster, the century of the consumers)

I  get used to check different things on the internet with my phone and therefore, wherever I am, I try to connect to the internet in parks, museums… I try to find wi-fi anywhere. The museum D’Orsay wasn’t an exception. It was funny when the only available wi-fi that popped up at the museum was named “Barbara”.

This building seemed kind of unusual in terms of design and construction (especially for me, for a tourist from Omsk)

I was walking somewhere or simply wandering around when I saw this bright graffiti and decided to take a picture. I especially liked the eyes painted on the wall. I stood on the opposite side and the guy passing the wall saw me taking the photo…I think he became curious what I found interesting there. It’s funny he passed the wall and then turned his head to see what was there that made me taking a photo. It shows how a modern person runs, moves somewhere while not taking some time to see the surroundings, to be HERE and NOW, to LIVE…we are all running and thinking it’s life while not feeling the moment (at least I think it happens often with people of our century). Or, perhaps, I am analyzing it too much and exaggerating therefore.

Some kind of elections going on, campaigning, etc…where amount of the posters are more important than anything)))

On my way I met a group of roller skaters )))

Palais de la Porte Doree (Museum of immigration’s history). I think it is a very interesting building. It’s unusual and beautiful, creatively made. Also you can visit the aquarium inside it, which can be interesting if you have never bee in large aquariums because this one is kind of small.

A bit of sea theme or my visit in the aquarium mentioned above.

When wandering around the city, I discovered a park with a lake in the eastern part of Paris. It was Sunday, a lot of tourists and locals were having fun in the park: some guys were enjoying a picnic on the lawn, some boating, some people engaged in sports, having fun in the amusement park and so on. I found this place fabulous and alluring…and then I saw a man selling balloons. I felt sorry for him. On the one hand, it’s a great job to bring joy and happiness to the kids, to see their smiling faces! It’s like a magician work. But imagine that this man stands for days (and it’s often sunny in the park), sells the same product and see the happy faces of people having fun, relaxing, spending time with their families! His hunched back and lowered head just illustrates that it is not the most joyful work in the world…Well, I know there are much harder jobs. I really wish him a very good profit this season and a lot of interesting customers at least.

I noticed that each boat on the lake had its own name! Jules, Sarho, Carole, Cedric …

A lady is working while her man probably gives the instructions)))

The car was parked))

Unusual fountain

When I was (again) walking around the city I witnessed an interesting scene as Juliet appeared on the balcony waiting for her Romeo. Hopefully, they ‘ll be happier than two lovers in the book written by the great William Shakespeare.

The linear Paris

An unusual metro’s entrance (toy).

A shopwindow: The Three Little Pigs and the books they read) )

A road sign

For today my album of adventures, emotions and discoveries closes its “doors”. But I certainly will be back, dear friends! I think I’ll be very busy in the coming days and do not know when I can “contact” you again, therefore I just wish you beautiful weather, great mood and fabulous happenings! See you, dears!