(41): Models in French ads are so much more attractive than models in American ones.

(41) is Tuesday, 16 February 2010

Since I didn't have class until 3:30, I decided to finally pay a visit to the Cluny museum (all about the Middle Ages) and perhaps my favorite work of art in the entire world. 'The Lady and the Unicorn' is a series of six tapestries, the last of which (commonly referred to by its in-tapestry caption "A mon seul desir"*) is featured at the Cluny. I saw it five years ago when I last visited Paris and I was simply spellbound. It's huge, it's over 500 years old, the colors are still vivid, the imagery is fantastic (not to mention fantastical), and I plan full well on going to see it again.

After all, the Cluny is closed on Tuesdays.

So, I went back outside and decided to explore this area, where I've come to spend a lot of time. I also put on my sunglasses. That's very important. I like my sunglasses. And I like when it's nice enough to wear them.

I found my way south a few blocks to the Jardins de Luxembourg, which I decided to stroll. No leaves on the trees yet, but there weren't any clouds either, so I took a few pictures and strolled anyway. I saw people playing tennis and petanque, the official sport of old French men.** It consists of throwing a little plastic ball across the gravel court and then tossing heavier metal balls to get as close as you can to the little one. Of course, you can hit other players' balls out of the way and even move the little guy.*** I bought lunch (salmon-spinach quiche and a chocolate tart) at the nearby Bread and Roses, a great little bakery and cafe at 62 Rue Madame, just a block west of the Jardins (and conveniently near Reid Hall). Sitting in the relative warmth, absolute sunshine, and leisure of watching people enjoying their spare time as I was enjoying mine was... perfect.

Did I mention the weather was gorgeous today?

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Footnotes

* "To my only desire"

** What's even funnier (or more tragic: up to you) is that I can see myself being totally into this game, as it's a distant cousin of bowling.

*** I had actually encountered this game before; my elementary school French teacher taught us to play one day. This is the only thing I've encountered in France that I can attribute to her having taught me. This is the woman who would periodically hand out simple translation worksheets, point to posters with conjugations of "to have" and "to be" and say (in French) "Remember! Remember the verbs!" to which my 7-year-old inner monologue would of course reply, "Right... What's a verb?" I also despair to remember that petanque-- the one thing I can credit her for-- came on the one day we went outside to play instead of listening to her in a classroom. Coincidence? Not a bloody chance.