Day 4 - Paris -> Brussels

Alethios

New Zealand2765 Posts

January 12 2010 17:58 GMT

Hello again! Day 4, my last day in Paris coming right up.

If anybody has any suggestions about what to see or do while in Europe, I have very few plans at this point and suggestions are most welcome!

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Our last day in Paris started off much like the others, dark outside and a full day ahead of us. We freshened up, packed up our things and checked out of the hotel. Kindly, the hotel again let us leave our things behind until we needed them.

Our train to Brussels was to leave at 1pm, so we had some time to kill. Despite being in Paris before, Kelly had not yet seen Sacre Coeur. I was more than happy to see the place again, this time with a larger memory card!

We had hours, so we took our time wandering through the streets in the general direction of the place. I saw a runner slip and fall on the ice, he wasn't hurt, so it was pretty funny.

When we got to the top of the steps at Sacre Coeur, there was a vintage car rally thing on the street. We arrived just as the were gathering before embarking on a drive around Paris. Certainly some lovely looking old cars.

On the steps of Sacre Coeur

After the cars had left, we went around the back of the cathedral, which I had not done previously. The place is just as amazing from behind as it is from the front.

Not a tourist in sight when I took this

We took the main steps back down, and ran into the armband folks again. They again tried to accost us and wouldn't take no for an answer. I'm afraid to say I lost my temper and some rather colourful langauge was exchanged on both sides.

I was talking with my mother in New Zealand on skype after I posted 'Day 1'. Apparently she had almost exactly the same experience with the armband people as I had when she was in Paris, 30 years ago. She tells me the people have minders watching over them, who take their earnings and pay them a pittance. They suffer, the tourists suffer and the minders continue to be slavers for over 30 years.

We slowly made our way back towards Gare Du Nord. We arrived a little early, and spent some time huddled around the vertical heaters lined up along the platforms. The train was delayed about 10 minutes, probably due to the weather, but it made no difference to us.

We took our seats on the train and not long after, the train took off. If you'll permit me to put on my engineer's hat for a second... There was such a feeling of power on that train. Most things, as they begin to move, jerk into motion as the driving force ramps up, over coming the friction force to begin accelerating the object. The train didn't seem to jerk at all, such was the power of the motor and the slickness of the rails.

Paris seemed to deteriorate as the train sped by. The grand buildings gave way to more working class neighbourhoods which eventually gave way to slums before leaving the city. I was unable to snap a picture from the train as my camera was packed away, but google has kindly borne fruit.

Slums of the outskirts of Paris

It occured to me as I passed these structures that I have no understanding of them or the people that live inside. I come from a long line of trade unionists and well understand the concept of the poverty trap. This may be arrogant and wrong of me, but I feel I have an understanding of the poor and how people become, or once born into poverty, have to struggle greatly to escape.

What I don't understand is the truly homeless and the de facto homeless people that live in such places. I've read the likes of 'Down and Out in Paris and London' by Orwell, but I don't understand how one can get into a situation like that in this day and age. How can one so truly fall through the cracks of society? It is beyond my ken, at least for the moment.

I needed a stiff drink after that, and the train had an onboard bar which was more than happy to take my money. Duvel, a popular belgian beer which I did not find to my liking at all, perhaps it was because of my mood and the plastic cup I drank it from. I'll have to try it again before I leave for completeness' sake.

The train was super quick, and the countryside flew by. We arrived in Gare Du Midi in Brussels around 2:30pm. Genevieve, who's house I am staying at, kindly picked me up from the train station. Kelly had to return to where she was staying, and hurried off to catch another train.

We took the tram back to the house. I'd never been on a functional tram before, though i've heard they used to run throughout Auckland, so it was rather fun in and of itself. There weren't many seats, so we stood, meaning I couldn't look out the window and saw very little of Brussels (until the following day at least).

Once we arrived back at the house, I met Peter, Genevieve's husband and their two kids. Peter and Genevieve are simply two of the nicest people you'd ever meet, and have made me feel very welcome here. Peter in particular, a Kiwi like myself, seems very glad to have somebody to chat to about cricket, beer, New Zealand, politics and so on and we spent hours chatting with cheese and fine Belgian beer before retiring for the night.

+ Show Spoiler [Remainder of the images from Paris] +

View from the Hotel

More streets of Paris (I can't get enough of them it seems

There a hare in this photo... somewhere?

As usual, I will tag or explain any image you like on request.

+ Show Spoiler [A few images from day 1 in Brussels] +

Mmmmmmmmm, the tastiest beer I've yet tried

The view from my room

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Click here for the next installment.

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Well, thats it for another day folks. May get the next one up tonight, might not. Not sure yet, slowly catching up to the present anyway.

Health, wealth and happiness!

Alethios

citi.zen

2509 Posts

January 12 2010 18:22 GMT

For some reason this is to me one of the best posts I've ever seen on TL. It has beauty, sadness, social issues - a real shot of life. Thanks.

Alethios

New Zealand2765 Posts

January 12 2010 18:29 GMT

Thanks man, thats a really nice thing to hear.

Glad to hear you liked it.

funKy_KroK

France101 Posts

January 12 2010 18:33 GMT

as a parisian I really like your blogs !

anyway it's true that france have a lot of problems with ghetto in the suburbs of paris
but the photo of slums is definitely NOT Paris

citi.zen

2509 Posts

January 12 2010 18:35 GMT

~~Right, that photo is actually Calcutta.~~ Err... never mind, I am not sure.

Alethios

New Zealand2765 Posts

January 12 2010 18:38 GMT

Google has failed me!

I'll have to look around for a picture actually from Paris. Thanks for picking that up.

meeple

Canada10211 Posts

January 12 2010 18:41 GMT

That looks fucking amazing... I wish I was there. Slums always fascinate me for some reason but I have had so little chance to experience them...

Alethios

New Zealand2765 Posts

January 12 2010 19:02 GMT

Here is where I got the image from:

http://forums.sakapfet.com/WBSakapfet/default.asp?action=9&boardid=8&read=9994&fid=36&FirstTopic=180&LastTopic=200

It claims the image is from Paris, it certainly looks similar to what I saw in any case.

It's hard finding pictures, but here is another slum found with google street view. It's down at the bottom under "Paris Slum"

http://www.dailystreetview.com/street-view-0-23-0.htm

I suppose it's the kind of thing few people want to see or acknowledge the existance of.

DivinO

United States4796 Posts

January 12 2010 19:16 GMT

Looks interesting. Picture of slums is...pretty cool. Despite dark. Bit fascinating though.

I've been in the projects of America around Philly, but I imagine that's nothing like the slums of Paris.

funKy_KroK

France101 Posts

January 12 2010 20:10 GMT

#10

On January 13 2010 04:02 Alethios wrote:
Here is where I got the image from:

http://forums.sakapfet.com/WBSakapfet/default.asp?action=9&boardid=8&read=9994&fid=36&FirstTopic=180&LastTopic=200

It claims the image is from Paris, it certainly looks similar to what I saw in any case.

It's hard finding pictures, but here is another slum found with google street view. It's down at the bottom under "Paris Slum"

http://www.dailystreetview.com/street-view-0-23-0.htm

I suppose it's the kind of thing few people want to see or acknowledge the existance of.

I know the place of second picture. It's a gypsies camp, which is not really better than slum I agree. I think the things you saw was gypsies camp too