Summer Solstice in Paris

Dear Reader,

I am reminded of the time that I had ten wonderful peaceful days alone in Paris due to a misunderstanding with some people who had hired me as their tour guide but who really had wanted a slave. That story is for another day.

I didn't mind being alone in Paris. I know the city well having stayed there at least 15 times before and was looking forward to wandering the back streets and relaxing in the Luxembourg gardens and the Tuilleries, gazing at my favorite Monets as long as I liked, and even taking a nap in the gardens at the Rodin Museum. It was an ideal visit and my husband would be joining me for our vacation around France soon.

The only drawback was that I had one of the worst colds I've ever had. It really had me down and I was suffering. This only made me walk more slowly and enjoy sitting in the sun and people watching even more than usual. The wine is cheap and excellent and also good for a sore throat and so is the fresh squeezed orange juice I got every morning at my favorite tabac bar.

The worst part was trying to sleep. This was when I couldn't breathe and that and the street noise made sleeping hard to come by. My room was one floor up directly facing the street and right over the hotel lobby. The street is very narrow and often pedestrianized and at night really comes alive with people of all walks dining and drinking and eating crepes and other snacks. It's a wonderful street, the Rue St. Andre des Arts in the 6th Arrondisement on the left bank.

I've stayed in the same wonderful ancient hotel, the Hotel St. Andre des Arts, many times before and had always had to climb 5 or 6 flights up to our room, often with a skylight and a view of Notre Dame in the distance. Way up there it's quiet and the cityscape magical.

It was June 21st, the summer solstice, my sister's birthday and the longest day of the year, and also evidently one of the biggest celebrations of the year for Paris, or at least it seemed so. When I arrived at my metro stop, Odeon, after a long day of walking and napping I was surprised by a large crowd of people barbequing various different types of cuisines and drinking and playing music right on the tiny traffic island. As I escaped the crowd and made my way back to my hotel I noticed musicians setting up their instruments directly across from the front door. In fact, there were bands setting up all up and down the street. I wondered what was going to happen and watched it begin from my bedroom window. The crowds came, drinking and laughing and snacking and dancing to the cacophony of competing bands playing everything from Oom Pa music to Led Zepplin to string quartets to rap music. The noise of all those bands playing at once was more than I could handle. So I decided to duck out and find a quiet place to relax before attempting to find a restaurant through the mobs.

Just down the street is one of my favorite Cathedrals, St. Severin, and I often pop in there for some cool and quiet. I fought my way down the street, around the corner and headed for the church. I could see the lights were on and heard music from inside. Choir music. It sounded nice so I went in. Inside it was quite crowded but I carefully made my way towards the front until I found a vacant seat where I gratefully sat down to recover my breath.

The choir was from a college in Arizona and sounded good. I was enjoying myself when I heard a very loud voice from the back of the church. He yelled something undeciferable and several of us couldn't resist taking a look. Yes, he was a homeless drunk, and he was really reeling around the isles. He was very disheviled and even I could smell him approach, blocked nasal passages and all.  I just hoped he would realize where he was and go away but he didn't. I could tell that the other people were all concerned about where he might decide to sit down, and where do you think he did sit down? Right next to me. Of course.

What could I do? If I got up and moved it would look like I am prejudiced against the homeless. Also, they had a sign asking people not to leave during a song so I was stuck. Almost instantly the guy fell asleep and started snoring and snorting loudly. He also talked loudly in his sleep. I knew I was going to have to leave the concert as soon as the song ended. Why did they have to perform such a long song anyway? It was killing me.

Finally the joyous moment arrived when the song suddenly and seemingly inexplicably ended. The audience stunned for a few seconds did not applaud but then we all realized it was over so we applauded loudly waking up the drunk who yelled over everyone "YEAH!" and started clapping. This brought the eyes of everyone in the cathedral including the choir members and their conductor straight at me. As I sat there trying to shrink into a tiny invisible mouse I was plotting my escape, I was trying to shake my head in his direction and indicate that I never saw him before in my life. Then I jumped up very proudly and slunk out of the church.

Outside the streets were crazier than ever. There was broken glass everywhere and good food smells too. The nightclubs were roaring loud and loads of young 20s were running around shouting and getting into trouble. This party went on for at least 6 blocks and under different circumstances would have been a blast. But I was sick and hungry and tired so I found a quiet restaurant, had a nice hot meal and went to bed.

Oh yeah, I put my earplugs in so I could sleep. The competing bands were still playing after 4:00AM. But sleep I did. And the next morning the streets were cleaned and swept and there was no sign at all of what happened the night before. This I love about Paris. Au Revoir