Welcome to On•the•Move Musings: a weekly-update-series where I reflect on my time exploring the globe; a place to record all the little details from travel that, despite being so special, my pigeon brain could likely forget; a space to show gratitude for where life’s daydreams have taken me; a few moments to stop and write during the chaos of long term travel. I’ll be posting every Friday to share some good vibes and wanderlust before we head into the weekend!
Musings
I left the US on Monday bound for London, a city I lived in (and fell in love with) for 2 months back in the summer of 2014. I can’t believe it’s taken me over 5 years to return. Flying into Heathrow at night while the city sparkled below was absolutely breathtaking, stirring excitement in me for this trip. That was a welcome surprise considering I’ve never traveled solo before, so I didn’t know how nervous I’d feel. Seeing a familiar city look so beautiful was just the start I needed! I’ll be spending a good chunk of time in London later this month, so as soon as I landed, I got on a bus to Paris.
Currently Loving: Art History
It is so gorgeous, romantic, and artistic here. I’ve especially enjoyed learning about Montmartre, the district I’m staying in, home of the Moulin Rouge. The best time to be an artist in Montmarte was between 1860 and WWI when housing prices were low and parties were plenty (as were absinthe and opium). Anyone else slightly curious about what kind of art they’d make after hallucinating? Haha. It was amazing to get stories of how these streets inspired some of the most famous artists of all time, including Picasso, Matisse, and van Gogh.
I learned about Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, a popular French artist whose posters for the Moulin Rouge are considered some of the earliest forms of advertising. Pablo Picasso was living in Montmarte as well when he painted Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, a controversial piece originally deemed immoral and hideous, now recognized as one of the first cubist and modern works of art. (Images via Wikipedia)
Challenges
France is in the midst of a transport strike, which has been going on for over a month, so getting around has been difficult. Many metro lines are completely closed down, and the ones that are open have reduced service. I’ve found that the routes that are running would take me out of the way, with multiple changes, before getting me to my destination, so I’ve been walking everywhere. I’m grateful that the weather’s been in the upper 40s! Here’s how many steps I did on Wednesday when I went on a walking tour of Montmartre then ventured to Arc de Triumph, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and finally back to my hostel.
What’s Next
This weekend I head to Brussels, making Belgium my 12th country. I can’t wait to eat all the chocolate and drink all the beer!
Words
Adriana: I can never decide whether Paris is more beautiful by day or by night.
Gil: No, you can’t, you couldn’t pick one. I mean I can give you a checkmate argument for each side. You know, I sometimes think, how is anyone ever gonna come up with a book, or a painting, or a symphony, or a sculpture that can compete with a great city. You can’t. Because you look around and every street, every boulevard, is its own special art form and when you think that in the cold, violent, meaningless universe that Paris exists, these lights, I mean come on, there’s nothing happening on Jupiter or Neptune, but from way out in space you can see these lights, the cafés, people drinking and singing. For all we know, Paris is the hottest spot in the universe.
–Midnight in Paris
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