Random Musings

Here are some perspective pictures from today. I had more, but it's taking a year and half to upload these pictures. Not much existential thought process behind these. I just enjoyed viewing the different attractions of the day from varied vantage points.

When visiting Montmartre, I was skeptical about entering the famous bohemian neighborhood, probably augmented by Katerie's numerous misgivings about Morgan and I venturing into the region. However, I found the locale to be very tourist friendly and well-populated. Walking the boulevards of Montmartre, I was struck by how intently the French advertised their wares in ways that appeal to American tourists. Toulouse Lautrec prints, most notably Le Chat Noir, were featured on dozens of items, from rain jackets to boxers. Miniature Eiffel Tower statuettes could be purchased from any number of venues. There were even posters for MTV and American rappers adorning the walls of several cafes. They knew their customers, and they knew how to appeal to their customers. As Morgan pointed out, this wasn't really Montmartre we were experiencing. We were experiencing the glossy, tourist-centered version of Montmartre that the French know Americans will buy into. But the truly amazing thing was that we had little more than to turn down a side road, walk about 5o yards away from the main streets, and we had escaped the tourist haven entirely. Suddenly, we found ourselves in cramped streets with buildings in various states of disrepair and covered in all forms of grafitti. But to me, this was far more appealing and engaging than the flashy main streets that we as American tourists are supposed to see. These back roads gave me a glimpse into the true Montmartre, where I was able to observe the imprint left behind by humanity, whether for good or bad, upon the landscape. It was here that I felt that bohemian spirit that makes Montmartre famous. And here we found the hidden treasures of the locale; La Moulin de la Goulette, for example, one of two of the original 15 windmills from the area still standing and the inspiration for one of Renoir's most renowned paintings. What we were offered on the main streets was what I can assume the French expect us to want; postcards, souvenirs, and as little disrepair and dirt as possible. But it is the disrepair and the dirt that reveals the history of place, which to me is what makes it worthwhile in the first place.