These past few days have been very eventful: Sunday, there was said to be “an act of aggression” on the metro so there were absolutely no trains going into Paris in the early afternoon. Of course I was in Versailles trying to get from church to a conference in the heart of Paris. Unfortunately, I missed it-the Nobel Peace Prize winner of ’06, Mohammad Yunus was speaking. I’m jumping ahead of myself: Last weekend we visited the chateau Vaux le Vicomte – where Fouquet lived and hosted the party of the century! Moliere performed a play before dinner, there were fireworks, the take-home gift was a diamond tiara for the women and a stallion for the men – anyone who was anyone was invited. Well, King Louis 14th attended and became do ins
anely jealous that he decided he must outdo Fouquet, so he built Versailles as we know it today. Vaux le Vicomte was beautiful; we toured it golf-cart style. Saturday I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see a play at L’académie Française. Le Misanthrope was the piece we saw since we just finished reading it, and unfortunately it was the most tragic of Moliere’s works, but the acting was the best I have ever witnessed. That is to be expected at L’Académie Française of course, but I was still quite stunned. Grimaces, pleas, and expressions of love were so intense; I for one felt a little emotionally spent after the three hour performance. The theater was historically and beautifully decorated in red velvet, dark wood, and old lights. Yesterday I ventured over to the Madeleine, which is deceivingly ornate. The outside looks so austere, but the inside is full of frescos, gold leaf décor and a statue of Mary’s ascension. Today, I coughed up the 6 euros to try Paris’ famous Angelina’s hot chocolate, and now can be a witness that it is the best out there. I also bought a copy of Notre Dame de Paris (The Hunchback of Notre Dame). I am looking so forward to reading it! Well, tomorrow is a day entirely crammed with things to do, so I’d better get some shut eye…
These past few days have been very eventful: Sunday, there was said to be “an act of aggression” on the metro so there were absolutely no trains going into Paris in the early afternoon. Of course I was in Versailles trying to get from church to a conference in the heart of Paris. Unfortunately, I missed it-the Nobel Peace Prize winner of ’06, Mohammad Yunus was speaking. I’m jumping ahead of myself: Last weekend we visited the chateau Vaux le Vicomte – where Fouquet lived and hosted the party of the century! Moliere performed a play before dinner, there were fireworks, the take-home gift was a diamond tiara for the women and a stallion for the men – anyone who was anyone was invited. Well, King Louis 14th attended and became do ins
anely jealous that he decided he must outdo Fouquet, so he built Versailles as we know it today. Vaux le Vicomte was beautiful; we toured it golf-cart style. Saturday I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see a play at L’académie Française. Le Misanthrope was the piece we saw since we just finished reading it, and unfortunately it was the most tragic of Moliere’s works, but the acting was the best I have ever witnessed. That is to be expected at L’Académie Française of course, but I was still quite stunned. Grimaces, pleas, and expressions of love were so intense; I for one felt a little emotionally spent after the three hour performance. The theater was historically and beautifully decorated in red velvet, dark wood, and old lights. Yesterday I ventured over to the Madeleine, which is deceivingly ornate. The outside looks so austere, but the inside is full of frescos, gold leaf décor and a statue of Mary’s ascension. Today, I coughed up the 6 euros to try Paris’ famous Angelina’s hot chocolate, and now can be a witness that it is the best out there. I also bought a copy of Notre Dame de Paris (The Hunchback of Notre Dame). I am looking so forward to reading it! Well, tomorrow is a day entirely crammed with things to do, so I’d better get some shut eye…
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