Eiffel Tower Moments

Today was my last day in Paris. It's been an incredible week, and today was the organic blueberry on top of my sorbet.

An "Eiffel Tower" moment. Loved that I just happened to sit in front of a picture of a writer sitting at the same table writing. 

It would be too easy to write about the Eiffel Tower here, instead I want to remember why writing this morning in the Les Deux Magots cafe was a pinnacle experience for me. The point of my trip to Paris is to have my own personal Black Renaissance. Paris has been a sanctuary for Black artists since World War I, and I learned from my Black Paris tour since the French Revolution. I wanted to write in one of the places where a Black writer who sought sanctuary here has written. There were a lot of cafes to choose from, but I chose Les Deux Magots because it is one of the places where James Baldwin wrote, among many other African-American writers.

I really could get used to writing in Paris cafes. The wait staff seems to just know to leave you alone. I spent three hours here writing today, without feeling like I was being rushed away, even though this is a restaurant-like cafe with some pricey items on the menu. I have spent equally long writing sessions in coffee shops in the US...somewhat in cafes...but it's something about the way our waiters keep coming back to ask if you need anything that makes it seems like it's code for "this table is yours as long as you keep ordering food." Here, I had a modest breakfast that I ate pretty quickly and didn't feel like I needed to order anything else for the rest of the time that I was there. I read in my tourist guide that the unspoken rule is that the table is yours through whatever hours they have for the respective dining periods: a whole breakfast period, for example. Though I couldn't figure out what period I was eating in, since I had a pretty late morning that spilled into the lunch period. Either way it goes, I can see how so many writers get lost in Parisian cafes. It's a welcoming atmosphere for starving artists who want to hold a table for a minute without ordering much.

My first last day in Paris stop.

After I left the cafe, I did go to the Eiffel Tower though. My plan was just to go the Eiffel Tower and take a few pics, since I've already been to the top when I came here as an undergrad. Plus, as far as I was concerned, I'd had my mountaintop moment. Yet, something about the lure of being there in the hustle and bustle of the excited tourists buzz beckoned me to the top. Of course, being Sunday afternoon, the lines were long, but I didn't care; it beat running around looking for a voucher redemption point. Though I did learn that you can buy direct tickets online, if you plan a month in advance. My time in line went by quickly, as I'd struck up conversation with two friends also traveling from US who happened to be teachers, too. We talked the time away sharing teachery tidbits and about our journeys in Paris thus far. 

Julie, Me, Krystal

View from top of Eiffel Tower.

Started from the bottom. Made new friends on my way to top of Eiffel Tower. These ladies, also teachers from US, kept me company throughout the journey to the top (long. lines. for days.). Our adventure is a whole notha blog post.

After I did my thing, I finally met back up with my ride or die at Luxembourg Gardens. It was beautiful there. One of the things I've really enjoyed about being in Paris this summer are the long days. It didn't get dark until 10 p.m. the whole time I was here. So even though I'd spent all day at Eiffel Tower, there was still some light left to enjoy the gardens. Luxembourg Gardens also has a rich African-American history connection. It's where Richard Wright and other Black writers visited often. 

Last day in Paris. Hanging out at Luxembourg Gardens on Sunday "night" 

I said goodbye to my new friend Cleo (who gave us the idea for this pose) here, and met Alicia's sister, who joined her today for the next leg of her trip to Brussels. Me? I'm on my way to Harlem to let the Renaissance continue.