Les Gobelins

On Saturday afternoon, in order to take a break from bad news, we walked the 20 minutes or so to the Gobelins museum to see the tapestries.

We had a guided tour by a young woman who spoke at a rate of knots and non-stop.  Peter attempted to listen and then hovered politely in the background.  The guide seemed very knowledgeable and I learned a lot about the various kings who had commissioned tapestries for palaces, the changes in the fashion for subject matter, the use of dyes and the transference of the design from paintings done to order.   I've always thought it was a shame that tapestries became so faded and it turns out that they were made in muted colours on purpose in the first place and were never brightly coloured.   Tapestries aren't something we particularly like but at least one of us knows something more about them now!

Je suis Charlie Police Juif

It's been very thought provoking being here in Paris during the events of the last week.  Around our flat and travelling back and forth across Paris things seem pretty normal but looking at the non-stop BBC News channel coverage we hear of the terrible events that have taken place and see the reactions of people in selected areas  - at the Place de la République and outside the kosher supermarket.  It's hard to comprehend the depths of religious bigotry and the minds of people who commit violence in the name of religion and very difficult to think clearly about what we can do about it.  Current events have also thrown light on the rise of anti-semitism in France which makes us feel even more miserable.

Je suis Charlie

I was at the club on Wednesday having lunch when the news came through about the shootings at the offices of Charlie Hebdo in Paris.   It made us all rather quiet and thoughtful, thinking about the families of the victims and wondering what the fall out might be for relations between religious and ethnic groups.  So far the response has been respectful of the victims but I wonder how long it will take before right wing groups make capital out of it.   The shootings occurred on the day that Michel Houellebecq's book 'Submission' was published.  We discussed the book briefly at the French conversation group at the club which was held in the afternoon.  It imagines what life in France would be like under Sharia law. Opinion seems to be divided about whether 'Submission' deals honestly and approriately with sensitive issues or is merely provoking right wing sentiments and stirring hatred.  I don't know.

I went home by bus after the conversation class and everything seemed calm and normal.  Today, despite reports that Paris was 'in lock-down' I went by bus again along the busy rue de Rivoli where the sales are in full swing and met a friend near the Pompidou Centre.  We had coffee and then lunch nearby and walking back across the Seine to catch my bus there was no sense of tension.   Watching the BBC news this evening it seems that every key BBC reporter is in Paris or northern France.   Away from the cameras life carries on as normal, as it must.

No more Meetup

Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time, getting people together for tea or coffee, but it never quite got off the ground.  Forty-five people joined but only 6 people turned up to the two meetups we held and although several others sent friendly messages saying how sorry they were they couldn't make it, there was a resounding silence from the others and a bit of moaning about the dates and the venues.   I still think the group meets a need but as the organiser fees are due again for the next three months and we're only here for the next two, I've appealed for someone to take over.  No takers yet!  Surprise!   At the end of the week, I'll pull the plug.  But just by way of showing that it was a viable way to meet people, I've had an invitation for coffee from someone I met once at the last meet up - an American retired art dealer - and an invitation to meet for lunch from a German  married to a Frenchman who I met at the first meetup.  So, had the BCWA not met a lot of my social 'needs' this would have been an interesting way of meeting people if I had been here longer and worked at it a bit harder.  I would certainly recommend anyone starting out in a new place with no support systems to give it a try.

www.meetup.com

Musée d'Orsay

At last we made it to the Musée d'Orsay on the first Sunday of the month - the free day - and joined the queues to go in.  Actually they were fast moving and despite numbers, the galleries didn't feel too crowded especially as we spent a lot of time in the art deco section which doesn't draw such crowds.

But first we had lunch! Then we 'did' the impressionists on the top floor and are saving the other floors for another day rather than go past one great painting after another in a kind of glazed dream.

Very nice mushroom soup.
Note the clean bowl!

View from the top

Théâtre de l'Ȋle Saint-Louis

The courtyard

Situated by the Pont Marie on l'ile Saint-Louis is a tiny theatre.  It doesn't announce itself on the street and for a moment as we crossed the bridge and looked across to where the theatre should be according to Google maps, it didn't look promising.  It's the second of those dark doorways to the left of the picture.   As we approached we saw a small poster on the door, with details of the piano recital we had come to hear,  and then realised that the door code for the theatre was posted up under the door code panel.  Once inside the heavy street door we ventured up the attractive interior courtyard to the theatre at the top.  There was no one in sight but we could hear a piano being played vigorously.  I gently opened the door and instantly realised that the theatre was minute and we had interrupted the rehearsal!  The owner/caretaker (I thought owner, but Peter thought caretaker prejudiced by his 5 o'clock shadow and rumpled appearance) told us to come back in 10 minutes and assured us there were still tickets available.   We went and had a glass of wine.

Back inside we entered the tiny, red velvet lined space.  35 seats in all and a little 'box office' at the side with a cupboard under the stairs for the phone.  About 30 seats were taken for the concert, Beethoven, Schubert and Chopin played by handsome floppy haired young Georgian called Georges Bériachvili.

The pianist

The box office

We were in the 4th and back row

It was quite an intimate experience!   We came away with the programme which looks very promising.  

Happy New Year!

We welcomed the new year with nasty colds!  I was too ill go to a party and Peter went and came home early and we were asleep as the new year came in.   Never mind, I don't think it will bring bad luck...

We had a great Christmas.  Every bedroom in the house was used and for several days there were nine of us,  with everyone helping with the cooking and with amusing the Abe and Saul.  We hadn't had the chance to do any preparation so the catering was something of a marathon.  The dishwasher worked overtime!  It was all such a whirl that I kept forgetting to take photographs - for example of the magnificent Black Norfolk turkey and of the boys opening their presents and the smartie covered birthday cake for Nancy that the boys helped to make.  But here are some reminders of the good time that we had.

Simon and Eliot teach Abe and Saul a few moves

The calm before the storm

Abe hands out champagne while Saul prepares to 'tidy' the presents

Peter waiting for the right moment

The gang at the Norwich FC game

Saul helps, Abe tunes out...

Computers galore

All hands on deck! Eliot and Nancy prepare brunch
Rupert searches for a beer

Saul gives Tania and Simon some cooking advice...

Abe tunes out completely!

Saul enjoying himself

Good old uncle Simon

Off we go...

Enjoying Mexican brunch

This was before the turkey!

And now we're back in Paris.  Phew!