Montparnasse

On the Montparnasse walk I was placed in an area that I believe I have visited, only in passing. I was not entirely associated with the area, although I may live nearby it.  It is a little bit below from where I live.

Something that I did when I first moved here was walk everywhere instead of hailing a cab, using Uber or even taking the metro. It was so tempting at times just to click the little application button on my phone just to avoid the cold. I was freezing. I dressed in countless amounts of thermal clothing, but the cold humidity was still freezing my legs and arms. However, I remember the cold from back home, in New York, and I remember that it could be entirely worse, because the lack of snow.

My reasoning for the wandering strolls, was that first it came highly recommended. Everyone always told me when I make my move over to Paris, is that I should just walk, because it is “so beautiful.” The second reasoning is that, I feel like the only way to learn and truly understand a new home or city is to simply get lost in it and later find your way.

When I was walking through the instructions on the Montparnasse walk, I found myself in a lot of the areas that I lost myself in from my earlier days in Paris. I recognized the name and the areas of Montparnasse, Rue de Rennes, Saint-Michel, and obviously Saint-Germain.

Rue de Rennes had all the objects and belongings that all my errands eventually led me to. It had shops and meals some that I recognized from home. The most excited things I spotted was, Chipotle.

I know I sound terribly American when I say it, but it was the one thing I missed and craved the most and when I was told by my Parisian friends that three opened up here I got, embarrassingly, overly excited over the possibility of having my chips, guacamole and burritos with the beautiful Paris as my cafeteria or background.

As I continued my walk up, I became instantly recognized and familiar with the location I was sent to. The final destination was Shakespeare and Company. I place I have walked by and ran by everyday since my arrival.

I learned that a little bit past it is a nice little playground with grass, which is where I run to from my apartment with my dog.

Living with my dog in Paris I have learned of a flaw that this city has. There are no dog parks and no general area of where they are allowed, which is why the streets are filled with there excrements. It would not be as outlandish if they would collected and toss it in the nearest trash with a dog bag, but that notion is apparently a very American one also because it is usually just left everywhere around the streets.

My running trail usually consists of me beginning my run going under all the bridges, passing the Notre Dames, and then my return is mostly where I go up the stairs and I pass the famed bookstore Shakespeare and Company. So I can say with certainty, which is rare in this case, that I am familiar with this area.

When I went to Shakespeare and Company for this assignment, I had already bought my books, but I did look in and with no surprise I see that it is once again packed. There was the girl from the previous time I visited there guiding all the people and lining them up for who gets to go next.

Last time I went, she was really kind. She brought me to all my books and figured I was a new student in Paris. We chatted a little bit outside and she even played with my dog while I went inside, because although they are allowed it was too cramped inside and I didn’t want anyone to step or hurt her. So she offered her assistance and aided me in more than just book retrieval. The people in Shakespeare and Company were probably the only kind people I have met in Paris. Even the cashiers when they were on there break spoke to me outside and asked me about my classes when they saw my books. It was a nice break from the regular grumpy and snappy cashiers I am usually greeted with at the other stores.

My visits at Shakespeare and Company actually reminds me of our reading that was assigned a few weeks ago, which is from when Ernest Hemingway had a similar interaction with the owner of Shakespeare and Company herself, Sylvia Beach. When he had no money for the purchase of a book, but was still given the opportunity to read.

It was nice to finally be greeted with kindness, which is why I find myself very comfortable in Shakespeare and Company and visiting it.