Music in Paris
Pompidou, Musee d’Orsay, Louvre – done, done and done. Thanks to a professional card I borrowed I was able to zip into each for free and avoid the lines. The Louvre has all the ambience of a Westfield shopping centre these days but those Italian painters and the outside square are still spectacular.
After exiting the Louvre late in the evening a few police on rollerblades sped past. Yes, police on rollerblades. If only I’d been quick enough to get a photo. I soon realised they would be heading to the massive Friday night cityskate that happens in Paris. I didn’t have my rollerblades with me so we headed to a French-ish restaurant on Rue de Berger across from the park which surrounds St Eustace church.
Another day brings another Sydney friend who has relocated to Paris. Oli moved over to play with the band Nouvelle Vague amongst other things. He explained the intricacies of French social security as we ate pizza from a Saturday market at the end of our street. Yes, he’s thoroughly enjoying the French lifestyle in case you were wondering.
Saturday evening was our last in Paris and it also happened to be Fete de la Musique. Hundreds and hundreds of bands play for free in the streets and cafes of Paris all night. Fifty metres from our place in one direction was hardcore doof music outside of a Thai restaurant, and fifty metres in the other direction that was drowned out by a rock band, and then further down the street was some traditional music. It’d never happen in Sydney without being interupted by laminated signs, public service ads in the paper, security staff, noise complaints etc etc.
We were heading out to the 20th to see some US folky bands at La Fleche d’Or. It’s a way cool grungey venue that was probably once a train station. You can sit in the back eating and looking down through broken windows onto the end of an abandoned train line with kids picnicing on it. I passed on the 7 euro mojito but damn those Parisiens do a good Rose.
At 6am on Sunday morning we were on our way to the airport for our flight to Budapest and the Fete de la Musique crowds were still heading home.