Paris, France

I can't believe that when we were planning our trip i wanted to bypass Paris.

Paris is magical. It is truly worthy of all the hoopla about it. It's like New York in that it has it all, beauty, excitement, tons of stuff to do, charm, character, wildness and rawness around the edges, but it has more of all that and is cooler and more artistic.

And Parisians aren't as bad as they are made out to be. i think living in DC, another touristy big city, gave us that insight.

Ofcourse we had a great meal our first nite there. Sue and Jimmie (Jammie's parents) met us here and would continue with us to Greece . Awesome food, and Sue knows the places to eat. Great food at locals' prices...right on.

We were lucky to have a small balcony in our hotel room, so Jimmie, Jammie and i sat there and drank some very good wine. At around 11pm, i decided to go walking by myself around the Tour Eiffel. I found this mini temple in the garden around the tower that was definitely a masonic shrine. It had interesting statues that tried to give clues on what the shrine was all about. It was very interesting and seemed to be telling stories, but you had to know how to decifer it. With no one around i was able to imagine it as a secret entrance. If you solved the story it was telling, it explained where to meet the others...

There were so many incredible buildings and streets in Paris. Too many to mention. If you've been here, you know what i mean, if you haven't, you should come see. Photos will follow when we get to Jordan or Oman....Inshallah.

Our last nite in Paris we went to Montmarte to seethe Sacre Coeur. That is one of the most beautiful churches anywhere...inside and out. i had seen pictures of it, but it is amazing in person, sitting on top of a hill overlooking Paris. The interior was so moving, so humbling, it gave me the chills. What passion, what faith, energy and love went into creating it.

It is amazing what beauty the human spirit is capable of.

After that we walked in the early evening to the actual small town of Montmarte, just behind the Sacre Coeur. We ate a mediocre meal at a touristy restaurant. BUT Sue and i started talking a bit with the old gentleman who owned or ran the restaurant. He liked us, so he started telling us stories about this place. How Marlon Brando when he comes here, he drinks a fifth of scoth quicker than should be possible.
How 40 years ago, the restaurant was a night club where Edith Piaf and Charles Aznavour, among others performed.

As we finished our meals, I went and thanked him for the stories and meal. He stood up and asked if we had ten minutes. We said 'sure'. He decided to show us the other side of Montmarte, off the toursit track. So we went walking into the neighborhood. So beautiful. So quiet and classy. He showed us where John Mcenroe's house is, where Johnny Depp's house is, and other artists...

But the best part was when he took us to this gated huge house and garden which you had to know the code to get in (4238). It was a beautiful old house that was converted into an artist commune, paid for by the government. It was so cool walking by the open windows and seeing film hanging in the rooms, or the smell of tarpentine and paint, and music oozing out....artists at work. Art is placed very high in France.

Merci Paris, et merci beaucoup Mr. Raymond.

Sami 09-15-05