Paris pour deux nuits

(and yes, I had to look up the title!)

Paris, two nights in a row. Wasn't planning on that.

I have never been very drawn to the idea of traveling through Europe, at least the Europe that (it feels like) most people travel through: London, Paris, Berlin...all those countries in that area of the world. Austria, Switzerland, The Netherlands.

Perhaps this is the part my habit to avoid things that everyone else seems to love. I wonder if a lot of American's feel like that. It seems like a very American thing to say and do. Which is ironic; that a whole people would be drawn to what each other's neighbor is not.

Yet I found myself steeped in Paris France this weekend via two great movies: Moulin Rouge! and Midnight in Paris. I will do my best to not spoil them...but beware.

                                                   I was reminded how amazing this movie is. Not only are the songs well done and acting great but the story has a way of gripping you. It follows the Bohemian love story of Christian and Satine; and the returning theme of the Bohemian ideals, "Truth! Beauty! Freedom!  Above everything else, Love!" It is pretty fantastic overall. 

I appreciate the most that the story doesn't end simply, as you might expect (I will attempt to not spoil the movie!). It really tests the main character's idealism of his line, "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love, and be loved in return."

The other movie I saw with my wife this weekend was Midnight in Paris. I am not a big Woody Allen fan, but I heard so many good things about this movie that I wanted to see it (in the $2 theater...spending $8 - $12 on this would be just criminal). There were some parts that I didn't like (such as the casual way marriage was treated; and the fact that despite the movie poster he doesn't meet Van Gough at all!) and there were some great aspects of this film. Gil Pender is a flourishing hollywood screenwriter who aspires to be novelist. He and his fiance go on vacation in Paris with his future in-laws. He discovers the world of Paris in the 1920's at midnight as he wanders the streets. I loved how in the end Gil actually comes to some great realizations about life and about himself. 

So...I'm open to Paris. It really is amazing that the people of the French culture have had a tremendously large impact on the world. And their country is relatively tiny! There are many things, if you give it a bit of thought, that are distinctly "French". I couldn't name them for you, but if I say, "think of a French person, town, experience, person of influence on history" you could. That is intriguing to me.