I had some mixed feelings taking Baxter's shoe to Paris, but in the end if the shoe fits into the only carry on bag you take to Paris, then run with it. As I reflect on the trip, I am very glad to have the opportunity to explore my thoughts and take some time for myself during this trip. Alli was very gracious and didn't provide me with any resistance, just the opposite she supported my time of contemplation and craziness.
I know for sure that he would have loved visiting Jim Morrison's grave at the the Paux pere Lachaise cemetery in Paris. I think he would have skipped the graves of Chopin and Oscar Wilde, however.
I imagined him playing Ultimate in the shadow of the Eiffel tower. I decided to take a walk on Saturday morning to take some pictures and reflect.
One of the jobs of a parent is to embarrass your child every now and again. It keeps them humble and helps them appreciate the humour in the world. These following pictures were taken at the colonial exhibit AKA the human zoo. For more information you can read this ... http://en.rfi.fr/france/20110216-paris-s-forgotten-human-zoo-shows-crude-workings-colonial-propaganda
The colonial exhibit is now referred to as Jardin tropical and you have to know where you are going if you want to find it. Most of the exhibits and buildings are slowly crumbling to the ground. As the above reference suggests, the grounds continue to exist in a political hot zone, too controversial to bulldoze down and not enough political will and funds to restore properly. Time will tell if the Parisian's can find a balance between acknowledging their participation in its racist colonial past and use the exhibit as a learning opportunity to explore our past and look at ways to move forward. It is important to note that this is the only colonial exhibit that survived of the 9 that were originally built.
Here is one of the pavilions that have been kept up and or restored.
I thought this was fitting (although apologize to my Catholic friends for placing it so close to the holy water) The full inscription reads "I am the way which seeks Travelers"
This was taken in a hamlet on the grounds of Versailles where Marie Antoinette escaped from prying eyes and the gossip and the pomp and rigors of court life. Although this was a faux village, I appreciated the architecture more than the expansive castle.
One last shot taken from Erika's balcony overlooking the 6th district.
