Une semaine à Paris

~ de mercredi 16-02 à mercredi 23-02-00
- de mon journal intime

English

Mercredi 16-02
   Je suis parti pour Paris! ma voiture est entre 4-E et 6-E et elle est la huitième voiture à la gauche du bout.

Jeudi 17-02
   Je suis arrivé à Paris! Après nous sommes arrivé au hôtel, je suis allé à les Champs-Élysées, par le Metro, et à la Place de Concorde. J'ai mangé à un restaurant en le coin de rue de Battignolles et le boulevarde de Battignolles près de le gare, "pl. de Clichy". Ensuite, je suis allé a Abbesses et la basilique Sacre Coeur.

Vendredi 18-02
   Après un petite dejeuner, je suis allé au Louvre. Là, j'ai vu les collections de l'Egypte ancienne et de la Grèce anciennne et du Rome ancien. L'Orangèrie a fermé, mais que je n'ai pas savoir. Après un dejeuner, je suis allé à Musée d'Orsay. J'ai fait un tour en la "Roue de Paris" avec deux femmes anglaises, et un homme anglaise, et une jeune fille anglaise.

Samedi 19-02

   Aujourd'hui, j'ai eu le demi-jour "Discovery Tour" avec Olivier. Nous avons vu le Jardin Tuileries (à côté du Louvre), le Tour Eiffel, Champs-Élysées, chez Fouquet ("Fouquet's"), Arc de Triomphe, une croisière ("Parisien"), la maison du President de la France, la bain romains, Notre Dame, l'Ile-St-Louise, Pont Neuf (le plus vieux pont de Paris), Pont Alexandre, la Seine - tout de la fenêtre du minibus et de la bateau. J'ai acheté un fois encore un "Paris Visite" billet pour 3 jours à pl. d. Clichy guichet pour 120 FF, et, ensuite, j'ai eu mon dîner à un restaurant italien. Plus Tôt, j'ai mangé mon dejeuner chez "Bateaux Parisiens".

Dimanche 20-02

   Je suis allé à la messe à Sacre Coeur. Ensuite, je suis allé à Cathrédral de Notre Dame et j'ai mangé une crépe avec abricot et un "sub-mixe" (il ne pas a me rendu assez à moi). Je suis allé à la adoration de Saint-Sacrement - avant j'ai mangé la crépe et sandwich. Ce soir, je suis allé à la station "Invalides" voir le tour Eiffel à nuit.
Adendum: J'ai me fait du souci parce que je ne vois pas tout que j'ai voulu ou que il y a été les retards. Ensuite, voila, tout sont pièces de l'expérience de Paris!

Lundi 21-02
   Aujourd'hui, je suis allé à Rouen en le S.N.C.F. à, j'ai vu le Tour de Sainte Jeanne D'Arc. Aussi, j'ai vu les arbres qui ont blessé a cours du orage janvier dernier. À Paris, j'ai vu le pl. du Centre du Pompidou et le cimetière du Père Lachaise et la tombe de Jim Morrison.

Mardi 22-02
   C'est mon jour dernier en Paris. :-( J'ai a voulu aller chez Printemps et chez Galerie Lafayette et, aussi, Musée D'Orsay et les Hôtel des Invalides (voir le tombe de Napoleon). J'ai reussi fair les cours dans les grands magasins et je suis me revenu à D'Orsay, mais, quand je arrivé aux Invalides, un soldat a me dit que le Musée de la Resistance et Les Armées et le Tombe de Napoleon ils ont fermés. Le temps prochaine que je écrirai ici, je serai aux États-Unis. Au revoir, Paris!

Mercred 23-02
   Hélas, aujourd'hui, je part de Paris! L'autobus pour notre transport à aéroport a été 1 heure (plus) tard. Nous sommes arrivé à Charles De Gaulle à bonne heure. En en l'avion, dans la place càcté du moi, a été un homme qui vient de l'Ukraine (un ukrainien-américain) - Alexander. Je suis arriv´à 14h 45, temps américain ou 20h 45 à le temps de Paris, et je suis arrivé chez moi vers 17h 00. Mon chat, Marge, a semblé bonheure me voir. J'ai essayé téléphoner à Susan, mais elle a ne répondu pas. Ensuite, j'ai appelé à Katrina et j'ai la dit de ma voyage. J'ai dormi vers 24h 00 du temps de Paris ou 18h, notre temps. J'ai été très fatigué. Hélas, c'est ma voyage à Paris et Normandie. Il faut que je reviendrai à Paris!

English translation

Translation into English:

One week in Paris ~ From Wednesday 16-02 to Wednesday 23-02-00 - from my private diary

Wednesday 16-02
   I left for Paris! my car is between 4TH and 6TH (rows) and it is the eighth car to the left from the end.

Thursday 17-02
   I arrived in Paris! After we arrived at the hotel, I went to the Champs-Élysées, by the Subway, and in the Place de Concorde. I ate at a restaurant on the corner of Rue Battignolles and Battignolles Boulevarde close to the (Metro) station, " pl. of Clichy ". Then, I went to Abbesses and the Sacre Coeur (Sacred Heart) Basilica.

Friday 18-02
   After breakfast, I went to the Louvre. There, I saw the collections of ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. The Orangèrie was closed, but that I did not know. After a lunch, I went to Musée D'Orsay. I rode on the "Roue de Paris (Wheel of Paris)" with two English women, and an English man, and an English girl.

Saturday 19-02
   Today, I had the half-day "Discovery Tour" with Olivier. We saw the Garden Tuileries (beside the Louvre), the Eiffel Tower, Champs-Élysées, "Fouquet's ", Arch of Triumph, a cruise ("Parisien"), the house of the President of France, the Roman bath, Notre Dame, the Island-St-Louise, Pont Neuf (the oldest bridge of Paris), Pont Alexandre, the Seine - all from the window of the minibus and boat. I bought another 3 days "Paris Visite" ticket at pl. D. Clichy counter for 120 FF, and, then, I had my dinner at an Italian restaurant. Earlier, I ate my lunch at "Parisian Boats".

Sunday 20-02
   I went to the mass to Sacre Coeur. Then, I went to Cathrédral of Our Lady and I ate a crépe with apricot and a "sub-mixed" (it not did not return correct change to me to me). I went to the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament - before I ate the crépe and sandwich. That evening, I went to the station "Invalides" to see it Eiffel Tower at night.
Adendum: I was worried because I do not see every thing that I wanted or that there are delays. Then, it dawned, all are parts of the experience of Paris!

Monday 21-02
   Today, I went to Rouen in S.N.C.F. , I saw the Tower of Saint Joan of Arc. Also, I saw the trees which were wounded in the course of the storm of last January. In Paris, I saw the Pompidou Center and the Father Lachaise Cemetery and the grave of Jim Morrison.

Tuesday 22-02
   It is my last day in Paris. : - ( I have wanted to go to Printemps, Galerie Lafayette and, also, Orsay Museum and the Hotel of the Invalids (to see the tomb of Napoleon). I have succeeded in shopping in the department stores and I did return to the Orsay, but, when I arrived at the Invalids, a soldier said to me that the Museum of Resistance, Museum of the Armies and the Tomb of Napoleon were closed. The time next that I will write here, I will be in the United States. Goodbye, Paris!

Mercred 23-02
   Alas, today, I leave Paris! The bus for our transport to the airport was 1 hour (more) late. We arrived at Charles Of Gaulle on time. On the plane, in the place next to mine, was a man who comes from the Ukraine (Ukrainien-American) - Alexander. I am arrived at 2:45 PM, American time or 20:45 (8:45 PM) Paris time, and I arrived at home at about 17:00. My cat, Marge, seemed happy to see me. I tried to telephone Susan, but she did not answer. Then, I called Katrina and told her about my trip. I slept from around 24h 00 of Paris time or 6:00 PM, our time. I was very tired. Alas, that is my trip to Paris and Normandy. It is necessary that I will return to Paris!

Comments:

   The first significant difference that I noticed, upon my arrival in France, is their love of liberté. In the airport's baggage claim area, I noticed a No Smoking (Fumer Interdit) sign. Below that sign was row of seats occupied by a group of young people who were smoking. Don't get me wrong, the French are considerate of others (eg. non-smokers), as revealed by the fact that they did not smoke in confined areas, churches, on the Metro itself, but they did not let the Puritans take their liberty in places where such prohibitions were unreasonable, eg. train platforms, stations, large public rooms, etc.
   It was as if the signs had never been posted, and the French smokers had retained the same freedom and manners that they had observed before smokiing was, supposedly, outlawed in public buildings. Maybe, Americans could learn something from the French about liberty.
   Paris, a major world city, is much safer to walk about than even small American towns (at least in the Northeast). I don't think that guns are the difference, as unarmed Amercian hoodlums can be more threatening than the French variety. The French seem to have a more give and take attitude toward each other than we do. It seems that here, unlike the America into which I was born, if one does not expressly refuse to give, another will gladly take. This attitude starts with the top leaders (our corporations) who set the example for the citizens. How are the youth going to learn better when they see that power is the determinant of success in our society? If a bank can use its power to fleece the public, then why can't they (the youth) take from those who are weaker than them.
   As a matter of fact, some of the safer places in America are in what was the fronteer of the 1870's - maybe the trashier elements there got planted in the Boot Hills of Dodge City, Tombstone, etc., before they could raise more of their kind. Some social scientists once speculalted that the reason for the Scandinavian countries being more or less pacifist is due their Viking past. The conclusion was the more "testosterone enhanced" went out and got themselves killed while those less "gifted" stayed back in Norway and Denmark and raised less bellicose children.
   As a side note, I can't see why liberals and feminists, who are supposed to be for the weaker people (women, generally being weaker physically than men, are included here) are so against guns. I remember reading that the old Colt .44 was considered to be the "great equalizer" of the 19th Century West. Why? - because a frail man, or a woman, could bring down the biggest and strongest of men with that great equalizer. I personally would like to see rape, robbery, etc. again become hazardous occupations. Maybe we should, as a society, find ways in which the so-called tough can increase the rate at which they kill each other. Until then, arm the masses - make every non-felon a militia member, complete with his, or her, military own assault weapon. By the way, that is another feature of French society - universal military service.

rev. 21 septembre 2013