A Glorious Week in the City of Light (Part 1)

I am in the middle of a two-week break from classes, as I get the distinct impression that once classes (finally!) begin at the Sorbonne, things will get quite busy. There will be homework assignments, for example, in addition to an average of 4 hours lectures/phonetics lab a day. Last week the weather was gorgeous, so I thought I would just upload some photos, with a little bare commentary. I don't feel up to piercing commentary on French social mores just yet -- maybe later on in my stay.

On Monday, I had to check in at the building where our classes will be held, to do the mandatory level placement test. I was somewhat taken aback at the relatively young age of the others doing the test, and at their relatively low level of French (judging from their questions). But the professor who administered the oral exam was encouraging, indicating that "at your level", there will be a higher level of "mature students". I do hope she is right; nothing against twenty-somethings, but they tend to socialize when others of us are already tucking up in bed. Anyway, the building where classes will be held seems pleasant enough:

After the test, I walked all the way home, through the Jardin de Luxembourg:

As I approached this fountain, it was still turned off, but then this little guy appeared, winked at me, and vanished underground to turn it on, as if he were doing so just for me!

If I am not mistaken, this is a statue of Mary Queen of Scots. Not sure how she ended up in the Luxembourg.

Back past the Palace of Justice

and these animal guardians of the Marais

in time for an aperitif at one of my local cafés:

This iconic fountain, known as a Wallace fountain, was just feet from my table; in fact the waiter was concerned I might get splashed. They are dotted all over Paris, and have an interesting history, which you can read about here

http://www.outandaboutinparis.com/2011/04/wallace-fountains-iconic-symbols-of.html

Well, that's probably enough for one post. To be continued ...

Expat Survival Strategies : the BBC on YouTube

No matter how much fun it is exploring life in a foreign city, there are times when you yearn for the comforts of home. In my experience, Sundays can be particularly tricky -- sometimes you wake up missing home, and the day seems to stretch ahead of you interminably. But I have developed some coping strategies (as you do). One of the things that keeps me entertained, and without which my life would be distinctly poorer, is the availability of fresh episodes of some of my favorite BBC programs on YouTube. Not talking about "Doctor Who" or "Broadchurch" or "Sherlock Holmes" or "Downton Abbey" here (these last two are actually available on French TV, which is otherwise forgettable, except of course for the weekly Friday night "NCIS" marathon). No, it's the smart and often hilarious quiz and panel shows that keep me happy.

My three particular favorites are:

QI, hosted by the inimitable Stephen Fry:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8w6XbHB5W8

Only Connect, the world's toughest quiz, hosted by the delightful poker wizard, Victoria Coren Mitchell:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNcBvU6YG2Q

and the slightly more juvenile, but always funny, Mock the Week, hosted by my compatriot, Dara O' Brian:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_UeAsoddKY


On those cloudy Sunday afternoons, when I miss my friends in SF (and my kitty), these fine programs help cheer me up enormously.

Why not give them a try? You might enjoy them too.

Au Clair de la Lune (et d'autres chansons enfantines françaises)

During our sortie pédagogique on Thursday, I came across a little series of postcards illustrating common French children's songs, some of which are shown below:

That's a very aristocratic-looking shepherdess in the last picture. Shades of Marie Antoinette at the Petit Trianon.

Lazy Sunday

Let's open with an appropriately jentacular image:

Slightly blurred, but I hadn't had any coffee yet, so not unrepresentative of my state at the time.

This conjures up an image of a pleasant hour or two, spent leafing through Le Monde, re-acquainting myself with the amusing details of la vie en France, right? Sadly, this was not the case. As I have probably mentioned before on this blog, Le Monde is one of the great disappointments of daily life in France. It may not be one of the worst daily newspapers in the world (surely the San Francisco Chronicle is high in the running for that particular dubious honor), but it is certainly one of the most boring. We're talking excruciating tedium here, folks, this is a paper where it seems as if the reporters are in constant competition to see who can churn out the most unreadable, turgid, prose.

"Why should this be?", I hear you ask, "the French are not known for being particularly stupid". My theory is that it's a result of bad habits drilled into every French student during the last two years of high school. Not only are they forced to learn a style of writing that reached its apogee during the 18th century, they are also inculcated with the belief that this is the only acceptable style of writing for anyone wishing to be considered a credible intellectual. This brainwashing process is so effective that no member of the chattering classes ever seems to have the nerve to challenge it. The results are predictable and horrifying : page after page of pompous, leaden, unreadable prose in all the major newspapers and magazines, the nauseating spectacle of the same inner circle of bloviating, self-important, "public intellectuals" (predominantly male and caucasian) monopolizing the airwaves night after night .... you wonder how people stand for it.

To be fair, a few liberal and/or satirical publications ("Liberation", "Le canard enchainé") manage to break this stereotype, but these are rare beacons of light in a sea of fog and confusion.

But enough of this rant, let's move on to more pleasant topics. What is going on here?

Yesterday afternoon there was a great little "celebration of culture" along the Quai de Loire, which borders the Canal St Martin. This little origami boat was cruising around; the crew would throw these little origami boats (each with a poem written by a French child) onto the water. Each of these little boats had a hook on it, and there were people on the quay handing out fishing poles for passers-by to catch the little mini-boats. It was very sweet.

Yippi - i - yay!!!!!

Question: What can you get if you have a valid Irish passport, an advanced degree from an American university, a working credit card, and a willingness to charge roughly $2200 to that credit card?

Answer: You get to be a student at the Sorbonne!!!!

With a student ID card to prove it.

Je suis, comment le dire, un campeur heureux.

For all you art lovers out there.

Your average Whipping Cats reader is, I like to imagine, a cultured sort. All about gallery visits, long walks on the beach, and a big dollop of Merlot when all that culture gets to be too much. This link is for you, dear average Whipping Cats reader:

http://themetapicture.com/how-to-recognize-the-artists-of-paintings/


The Plain People of Ireland: Begob yes, sure we're all about the culture, provided there's none of that filth that you find all over the place these days. Didja ever see that wan picture, "Dogs Playing Poker". That's art for you right there, see?

Whipping Cats Management: For once and for all, will ye bloody well shut up? Ye know ye are not allowed in the main body of a post. Only in footnotes and comments, damn ye!

PPoI: Alright, alright, no need to lose yer calm. Just keep yer shirt on!

WCM: Le sigh gallique.

Sortie Pédagogique

This afternoon our sortie pédagogique took us on a tour of the covered arcades of Paris. Some of them are very beautiful:

But of course the best kind of sortie pédagogique is one where one gets to do a little shopping along the way:

A package from "A la Mére de Famille". Looks promising. What might be inside??

 

Delicious onion jam!

 

I will think of you, Betsy O' D., when I eat it, never fear!