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Published: September 10th 2009
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Red light district
I was a bit surprised to find myself here. After more than two weeks on the road and limited ability to pack a lot of clothes, it was time to do some laundry. I really didn’t think it through when I decided to do laundry in a country where I don’t know the language. All the instructions for the machines and soaps are in French.
After picking up some powder detergent at the supermarket, I went to a laundromat near the hostel. Observing the French instructions and trying to translate as much with the help of my limited Spanish and Italian lingual backgrounds, I thought I had figured it out. Then, two girls walked in. They were speaking English and were also staying at the hostel. They confirmed I was doing it right. Problem solved. No more filthy clothes for a while.
After some computer time, doing some more hostel and train scheduling (which is a royal PITA, by the way), I headed out for a tour of the Montmartre District.
When I arrived at the meeting spot, by the Moulin Rouge, I was a bit surprised. I really had no idea what the Moulin Rouge was. I never saw the movie and don’t even remember the
Sacre Couer
The cathedral that marks the highest point in Paris. previews. I knew it was some sort of show and that’s it. It turns out that it’s the oldest remaining cabaret in Paris. Not only that, it is in the center of the red light district. Getting off the subway reminded me of The Block in Baltimore. Although that’s a place you never really want to be.
Less than two minutes out of the station, I had a madame come up to me and offer me a special price at her establishment. I tried to be nice (a real effort) and said that she should tell me where it is so I can come back later because I’m meeting some people now. She was unwilling to disclose the location of her place of business. It’s probably best I avoided that.
The tour covered the district in the northcentral part of the city known as Montmartre. It was described to me as the one remaining district that has the feel of late 19th century Paris. It was once a less pricey area that attracted many artists, including Van Gogh and Picasso.
Most of the sights along the tour were unexciting, or at least much less so than the
View from Sacre Couer
The city and people at the top of the Montmartre Steps. other major attractions. But it was nice to see and learn about a different part of the city.
The highlight was definitely the Sacre Couer - the Catholic Cathedral which sits on the hilltop. The building’s architecture is stunning. The exterior is made of white marble which has largely remained a bright white and is uniquely constructed in a combination of Gothic, Byzantine and Roman styles. I enjoyed the views of the city from the Sacre Couer the most. Just another rewarding trek to the high point for me.
At the end of the tour, we went to a small bar and had some wine. I got to talking to a couple Canadians about beer and wine.
After the glass of wine, I grabbed dinner in the area since it is known for good food at a relatively low price. I went with steak frites and ice cream for dessert. I finally got a decent piece of meat. I have been craving that. They eat way too many carbs here.
Tonight I’ve been working more on my travel planning. This whole Bordeux thing better be worth it. I’ve spent hours trying to figure out how to get to this town outside Bordeaux where I’m staying tomorrow night. It has no passenger rail system. Trying to find a bus was a nightmare. I finally found one but it leaves from a different station from the one I arrive at by train. Tomorrow is going to be a bad travel day. I hope the bed and breakfast owner has a bottle of wine waiting on my bed in lieu of a mint.
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