When My Special Plans Went Awry, Ordinary Paris Scenes Saved The Day

Sometimes things don’t go the way you want, despite what I thought was careful planning.  T’was the case a Sunday two weeks ago when I stood in line waiting patiently to get into the Institue National d’Histoire de l’Art.

Les Journées Patrimoine, (heritage days) is something I look forward to each September.  It is when just about every museum, historical monument or special building in France opens its doors to visitors for free.

I was really looking forward to seeing the beautiful Library Labroost at the National Art History Institute generally closed to the public, that was opening especially for this event

It looked beautiful in the photos and promised that there would be Ph.D. finalists giving a ten-minute talk about their theses.  I had envisioned learning all these marvelous new things surrounded by beauty.

I felt I was really on top of things by finishing my somewhat elaborate Sunday pastry before I left, knowing I would probably return too late to start or even finish it.

I got out at Les Halles metro and walked up Rue Montmartre strewn with wooden boxes and colorful fallen fruit and vegetables here and there that the pigeons were happily pecking after the Sunday Marché. I then turned west onto  Étienne Marcel passing Place Victoires onto Rue des Petits Champs.

While waiting to get in, I thought I was really lucky to have chosen to see the National Institute Of Art History, as this line wasn’t as long as others, like the one for La Banque de France.    Lol, little did I know!

 

 

 

 

 

 

After 20 minutes, I finally made it to the entrance.  The long corridor gave way to a very pretty filigree glass coupole.

I took a few photos and asked in which direction was this luminous spectacular library I wanted to see.

I found her reply strange when she said go out the exit and up Rue Viviane and turn left on Rue Colbert.  Yes, it was strange that the library I had come to see was apparently in another building on another street!

Oh well, I am used to French disorganization and goose chases, so I plodded on as told only to find another long line snaking around the corner of Rue Richelieu.

After standing a while, an agent came to tell us unlucky ones, that the wait would be at least 3 hours and that we would unlikely make it in before closing!

With that disappointing announcement, I wasn’t going to waste my time for a gamble, and decided to head elsewhere.  Apparently, I had gotten in the wrong line in the first place.

The elsewhere was a problem though because, after over 20 years of living here, I had seen just about every other grand institution in this area on Patrimoine days.

Forget any long lines and spectacular visits today!  Meandering around Paris is good enough for me!

I decided to head towards Palais Royale.   It was a sunny day and at least could I take in the “singing trees”.

Before I turned on Rue du Beaujolais,  bordering the northern entrance to the gardens, I heard a lovely voice singing operettas.  This street artist was as enjoyable to look at with his graceful animated gestures as was his singing!

Decked out in his adorable hat,  his singing was enchanting enough to make this little video.  Take a listen!

Notice his really fabulous leather money bag too, with Merci carved into the top!  Obviously a real pro in not only in street performing but in gathering donations!

He was good enough to linger around longer but I felt propelled towards the singing trees that I had read about.

I was surprised somewhat to find so many many people seated in the outdoor cafés alongside the arcades.  But, why not? It’s a lovely setting to have tea and pastries on a sunny day despite the rather inflated prices.

The singing trees turned out to be rather dismal to my ears. Sound boxes tucked under the branches were belting out poetic words in a low melancholy voice that made me want to flee rather than stick around.

The statue you see here always has a resident pigeon sitting on the head.  This time there were two more birds perched on the hands but difficult to see due to being camouflaged with the trees in the background.

Since pigeons are territorial, I wonder if there is some sort of hierarchy to who gets to sit on the head?  Maybe they like the majestic view of Palais Royale as much as I do!

Off to one of the columned archways, a crowd had collected around a troop of musicians, costumed in period dress.  I join in just before they proceeded further down to play another musical piece.

There was an old car display quite visible enough through pillars in the lower part of the gardens, yet I wasn’t about to get in another line for a closer look!

 

It was getting late when I headed back towards Les Halles to return home. The fabulous Le Grand Vefour restaurant on the northwest corner has attracted gourmets from all over the world since 1774!

Before I turned onto Rue du Louvre, the view of the newly renovated old Paris Bourse seen below was splendid!

I sat in front of Saint Eustache cathedral before hopping on the metro to just savour the remaining day, watching youngsters sail by on their skateboards maneuvering daring jumps here and there.

Today was another reminder that when your plans go awry, seeking joy and beauty elsewhere can be just as rewarding!

Pleasant moments can be found for the looking, just around the corner in your own community wherever you live!

Spectacular events are fine, as long as you remember that there is much beauty to behold as well in the ordinary scenes we cross every day!

I arrived back home just in time for some sparkling before starting dinner.  At least my lovely Carpathian pastry cake was done and only waiting to be enjoyed later on.

Ordinary Paris scenes had saved the day! Not at all surprising when you consider that Paris is pretty spectacularly adorned just about everywhere!

Making your own cakes and pastries can make any ordinary day special too, as I do regularly on Sundays.  The Polish  Carpathian cake was really pretty to look and super delicious!

It tasted like one huge sugar-dusted vanilla cream puff or éclaire filled with loads of buttery creme mousseline.   A sweet finale to what turned out to be a spectacular ordinary Sunday in Paris!