Sartre and Beauvoir's Grave, Montparnasse Cemetery.
I'm 30 today. I hiked out this morning to Montparnasse Cemetery, the second-most famous cemetery in Paris (after Pere Lachaise), and walked around taking pictures. I stumbled across all kind of interesting stuff, including the graves of the guy who seized the Ivory Coast for France and Susan Sontag* (pics on my flickr site, as always.) I finally tracked down Sartre and Beauvoir's grave, which is, as a matter of fact, right by the main entrance. If I had walked to my right upon entry, I would have found it in about 10 seconds. I preferred wandering around, anyway.
The cemetery was probably my favorite place in Paris so far. It was quiet and beautiful and profoundly peaceful. Montparnasse itself was immediately my favorite neighborhood, as well. So much of Paris is pure liquid insanity, and Montparnasse struck me as a place you could actually live.
I'm happy to be 30. I remember telling people when I was 16 or 17 that I was looking forward to 30, that I thought I'd be good at it. Whether or not that latter point is true, as much fun as I had, I'm glad I don't have to relive my 20s and I'm happy to be where I'm at now.
Since I can't party it up with B and my friends back home, I'm having the other grads in my program over for some wine and cheese tonight, along with a couple of other American grads who happen to be in Paris. Predictably, tomorrow is my first official workday at the center, so I'll have to restrain myself from drinking all the wine.
Anyway, like the greeting cards say, wish you were here.
* Please note that Susan Sontag and the Ivory Coast seizer were not, in fact, buried together.
The cemetery was probably my favorite place in Paris so far. It was quiet and beautiful and profoundly peaceful. Montparnasse itself was immediately my favorite neighborhood, as well. So much of Paris is pure liquid insanity, and Montparnasse struck me as a place you could actually live.
I'm happy to be 30. I remember telling people when I was 16 or 17 that I was looking forward to 30, that I thought I'd be good at it. Whether or not that latter point is true, as much fun as I had, I'm glad I don't have to relive my 20s and I'm happy to be where I'm at now.
Since I can't party it up with B and my friends back home, I'm having the other grads in my program over for some wine and cheese tonight, along with a couple of other American grads who happen to be in Paris. Predictably, tomorrow is my first official workday at the center, so I'll have to restrain myself from drinking all the wine.
Anyway, like the greeting cards say, wish you were here.
* Please note that Susan Sontag and the Ivory Coast seizer were not, in fact, buried together.
13 comments:
Happy Birthday!!!!
Happy Birthday!
(Welcome to the 30s.)
Welcome to the other side.
I think this is the most common birthday since I know 6 people with the same special day! Have a great one!
Bon anniversaire, indeed! I suppose I should've said so last night, as by now you're into whatever quantity of wine you decide upon, and will be at work next... Ah well.
All I can really tell you is that if there were actually any temporal click track transferable between lives, that the next six years or so are pretty good!
Happy Birthday! I've found my thirties to be far less traumatic and stressful so far. I hope you find them to be similar.
I wish we were there.
Happy B-day!
a big happy birthday to you! I think you definitely have the right style to be good at being 30. :)
Happy birthday!!!
Happy Birthday, friend! You could also just reschedule your birthday like someone else we know. I suggested October 31st, but you might prefer another date. There's no harm in celebrating you twice in one year. ;-)
Happy Birthday!! I'm glad you're bravely pioneering the 30's and making them totally hip for people like me who will be following you in the not too distant future.
Happy Birthday a little bit late--love the photo of Sartre and Beauvoir grave. Totally hear you on the Montparnasse thing. That's why they put the best bakeries, creperies , and hidden books in all of Paris right there. (We stayed in an apartment/studio there in 2002... a half block from the metro stop Raspail, a tiny alley across from the g20 with a courtyard, flowers, old shuttered big windows on the second floor. I could live there any day: shoebox studio with necessities only)
Happy birthday my friend! Hope all is well.
Xo
Happy birthday (a bit late)! The thirties are the new awesome. Enjoy!
Post a Comment