La Fete de La Musique, an annual event during which free live music is played from various Parisian venues, took place last Tuesday 21st June. The genre of music ranges from classical to electro pop to rock, hip hop, R&B and jazz. Somewhat spoilt for choice (initially we planned to head to Pigalle to see a band intriguingly called "Sexy Cat's Fuckers") we decided to meet at Chatelet and walk to the Marais. On the way we stopped off at Hotel de Ville and got drinks from Anglified yet hip bar The Lizard Lounge (see photo).
As most of the music took place outside (to celebrate the official commencement of summer) we hunted down the Monoprix near Notre Dame in order to save on some money and get cheap drinks. Walking past Notre Dame in a jampacked but jubilant crowd with live music blasting in the background was fun aplenty. The events by the St Michel fountain also proved entertaining, particularly later on in the night when a group of guys (no doubt non-Frenchies) executed the brilliant plan of stripping and jumping in the fountain itself. Due to various reasons we actually only spent a limited amount of time in the Marais which is a shame but it was still fun to spend some time in the crowded streets of Paris at night time. I've never seen so many people out at the same time enoying themselves. Apart from keeping an eye out for a pickpocket (or two) there was no danger or malicious feeling. I may have said it before, but I'll say it again: Paris is an amazing city. I'm totally and irrevocably in love with her.
Wednesday was as always challenging (12 hours with children), even more so with a slightly sore head and minimal sleep but it wasn't too bad. As my French school has now finished - I achieved the grade I was hoping for and am inspired to continue advancing my French until I am completely fluent - I am free during the day. Today I made use of this by hanging out at a friend's in Les Sablons and then going for a swim at Neuilly sur Seine. It struck me as odd that wearing a swim cap is obligatory (as though they want to make you look silly, somehow) but the pool was much more serious than the ones I'm used to, although it's fair to say Warwick Campus is my most recent comparison. By serious I mean there were several lanes dedicated to serious swimming, not just the half a pool I'm used to. After half an hour of dedicated serious swimming, we relaxed in the sunshine in the outdoor pool and gossipped in the jacuzzi.
That's all for now. A bientot xxx
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