Oui Oui Madmazel

link-age to read-age:
boyhood love of the paris metro
tunnels beneath las vegas
mole people
seattle underground

I don't know why, but I have never been interested in going to Paris. Not that I have been avoiding that place, I just have never cared to plan a trip there. I just don't think the Eiffel Tower is that big of deal, I never really liked the French language, I think the Mona Lisa is over-rated, and I heard the French are unfriendly to tourists. Really the only things I liked about France is Pepé Le Pew and the Three Musketeers.

But about four years ago my companion, Sora Shepard, told me about the catacombs in the undergrounds of Paris and I was intrigued. A place buried deep under the city with millions of human bones placed in decorative patterns by munks of the 18th century called to me. I promised myself, right then and there, to see those catacombs before I died.

So the first thing we visited in Paris (after dropping our bags off at our hostel at the bastille) was adventure down the 134 (or so) spiral steps to the maze of bones below the city. It was awesome. I loved the dark creepy tunnels so much. After ever turn I thought the catacombs would end, but they went on forever... millions and millions of human bones. Just sitting there, stacked up for us to see, some placed in shapes of crosses, others the shape of a heart... wonderful. Everything I thought it would be.. .didn't think it could get cooler than that... but, come to find out yesterday while listening to NPR, it does!

I listened to a story yesterday on the radio (and I can't find the actual transcript on NPR anywhere to post the link, but I'll keep checking back), all about the underground mines in Paris. Apparently the part I went through is just the dorky public part for tourists. The rest of the mine goes on for miles!!! Like 150 miles the radio reported! Some of the tunnels follow along with the actual roads in Paris, and actually have street signs to follow. It's illegal to go into these mines, but a huge network of people do all the time, and they have these secret maps that help them get in and out, and find their way.

The coolest part is that somewhere down there this "underground community" has a library set up, where you can check out a book and go crawl into a dark corner or cave somewhere and read, then just bring the book back. Fantastic. If I made it down there one day, I would not bring a watch - and hope they had a few books in English.. I would loose all sense of time, seems epic.

(took these with my cell phone, aren't they sucky, but cool?)

I love the idea of underground tunnels and passageways so much. I've been to Seattle a couple times, and have been super intrigued by their underground history as well, and how some sidewalks there have little windows to see down into it. Next time I am in Seattle I am doing that tour, no matter what.

I think metro's are fascinating too. The metro in Romania, the Tube in London, the T in Boston, the Subway in New York... Paris, DC, Munich... all of them blow my mind. To think those loud big tunnels with thousands of people using them are right beneath your feet as your walking down the city street, freak!, how is it all possible? Just think if I had to draft all that!

But, anyways, to wrap this up I just want to say I like Paris now. The Eiffel tower is so much bigger than I thought it was going to be, the French language is so pretty (and is there anything cooler than good looking black men who speak french?), the Mona Lisa is small- but the other art in the lourve is beautiful and inspiring, and the only people I didn't like in Paris were the gypsies (who are all mostly Romanian) - so go figure. Even when hanging out in the pub watching the England vs America match - the French loved us, gave us a great spot right in front of the tv.

and everything we had to eat there was wonderful! the crepes! the croissants! the sandwich baguette! all very lovely. This crepe place was right by our hostel, the one on the left natalie ate, the one on the right was mine: