Happiness

By Chris Sarcletti

City: Paris

‘What a gorgeous day’ was the only thought going through my mind as we came up from the underground Metro station and approached the street. In regards to the weather, you never know if fall will come early in September and bring rain or if the clutches of summer will keep the sun in the sky. It appears that summer won on this day. We looked at our target and then looked at each other, wondering how we would actually get to the Arc. The convergence of who knows how many streets looked like some kind of puzzle we would have to solve. And it didn’t look like an easy puzzle. Surely, there was a defined route. After walking around for 20 minutes like the 2 lost green tourists we were, we finally figured it out. Being in the center of what I believe are 16 converging streets that surround a tremendous monument is quite amazing. You could actually see many near accidents happen and we even were ‘lucky’ enough to see one come to fruition. The climb to the top of the Arc was a bit more challenging than either Steve or I had anticipated. However, once we reached the top and got a glimpse of the view it provided, we knew that every step was well worth it. What an incredible view. With the Eiffel Tower in the distance and the Champs Elysees in front of us, there wasn’t much that words could do to describe the perspective we had at this point in time. We didn’t know what to stare at longer. It was hard to lose either way. However, I was particularly taken by the Champs Elysees and the view down the street. Stores, buildings, and monuments in the distance that I knew we would walk past in the very near future. In addition to the Champs, I was also focused on the 16 streets that converge at the Arc. The possibility for an accident in this area is truly amazing. What is even more amazing is the fact that there seems to be no real defined driving path on these streets. I mean, I am not sure at all what constitutes a lane in this area. It seems to me that it is more just a matter of looking over your shoulder and doing your very best to make sure you weren’t going to collide with the car next to you. All I can say is that I’m glad I didn’t have to attempt to drive in this mess. After taking in what seemed to be an hour’s worth of views, we eventually began our walk down the grandest of streets. I had a warm feeling in my stomach. Not too many days come around that are as perfect as this one and I wanted to treasure every moment of it. As we began to walk, I quickly felt my stomach grumble as we passed by one street side café after another. Steve and I decided that Vesuvio, an Italian Bistro that was actually recommended in our Rick Steves’ travel guide, was worth giving a try. As much as I wanted to settle into a dish in a typical Parisian café, hunger won out and we decided there would be more than enough time for French café cuisine later. Our pizzas and Cokes were nothing glamorous, but the view from our sidewalk table was. We enjoyed an hour and a half lunch and most of that time was spent watching the many people who passed by on this gorgeous day. With such a beautiful day upon us in such a special place, I really couldn’t have named a spot I would rather be at this particular time. We took the time in and didn’t want to let it go. A smile was brought to my face when a Parisian gentleman holding his two daughters hands passed me. I can honestly say that if a world is a book waiting to be opened, this may be page one. And if it’s not page one, it’s definitely in the Table of Contents somewhere. After lunch, we began our walk towards the monuments and buildings we saw earlier from the Arc. What a wonderful walk it was. We saw some magnificent shops, and took a minute or two to peer into one of Paris’s most famous cabaret clubs, Lido. I felt like a child in a candy store during this walk as I crossed the street time and time again. A few times, I stopped in the middle of a median separating the two lanes of traffic to absorb the view and snap a photograph in one direction and then the next. As we walked, I gazed into the windows of seemingly every store and, despite my full stomach, checked every menu I saw studiously as you never know when a craving will come calling. Laughing at myself, it occurred to me that the average Parisian would have found my behavior to be pretty strange. I can’t imagine working in an office building on this street. Even the most serious businessman during his busiest time would have to find it tough to turn down the prospect of a lunchtime stroll on the Champs. As we continued to stroll along, Steve and I found ourselves among all things, a perfume store. Sephora it was called and I must say, it was impressive as hell. Wall to wall perfume for every taste and desire no matter what it may be. After browsing around for some time for perfume for my Mom and my sister, I decided 15 different sprays of various scents on my arm were samples enough, so I gave up and picked 2. Impressed as I was, it was time to move on. I didn’t come to Paris to waste a beautiful day like today in a perfume store, no matter how special it was. The stroll down the grandest of avenues continued and the people watching did also until we eventually found ourselves firmly planted in a sunny café with a nice coffee in hand. This was not only a relaxing break but a scenic one as well. Being that we were nearing the end of the tree lined portion of this street before the garden area begins; the view of the Arc was overwhelming at this point. The way the Arc stands, with its presence, at the end of the street amongst gorgeous trees in full bloom is unbelievable. It exhibits power, stature, elegance and the satisfaction of being a Parisian. The garden area we continued into next was no less impressive. A park area was welcome after our endeavor down such a busy street. We needed this refreshing break. Hundreds upon hundreds of Parisians were enjoying the sun and atmosphere that this gorgeous afternoon had to offer. Reading the paper, enjoying a cappuccino or some gelato or playing with their dogs or children, these people looked calm and relaxed. We decided that we needed to blend in. With a chocolate gelato in one hand and a bottle of cold water in the other, we did just that. The book I was reading didn’t warrant taking my attention away from the atmosphere around me, so I set it down and went to work on my new hobby of amateur voyeurism as I continued to watch the many different people I was among. So relaxed was I, my eyes slowly began to shut. A 15 minute nap was all I had time for but our 45 minute break was well needed. It gave us the energy to push on and, more importantly, gave us a good perspective of what loitering on a beautifully manicured and landscaped Parisian park felt like. On we went. It had been several hours since we began our trek. We passed the many tour buses that reside in the area where the Obelisk stands and were a bit disappointed to find that the Musée de l'Orangerie (which holds Claude Monet’s Waterlilies) was closed for over a year. Although I’d be lying if I said Steve was bothered, this was one of the things I wanted to see. Moving on, we saw a pyramid in the distance. Yes, a pyramid. It was the famous pyramid entrance to the Louvre. After the tremendous walk that we made, we were presented with the opportunity to enter the preeminent house of art in the entire world. What an option. One we decided to somehow pass on. That would happen on another day as we decided that this beautiful day was not meant to be spent inside. Even inside the Louvre. Maybe we would head to the Marais. Or maybe to St. Germain. It didn’t really matter because we were amongst buildings, parks, avenues and monuments that had a wealth of historical significance. And most importantly, we were happy. Genuinely happy. Happy to be alive and happy to be blessed enough to see the things we saw on this magnificent day.