Paris, always special, is especially so in the spring. One witnesses tiny buds bursting into splashes of reds, yellows, pinks. Trees that, just a few days past, were gray now sprout their leafy green crowns in a matter of a week! The many bridges that cross the Seine glisten under the cloud-free, blue skies. Truly a feast for the eyes and the heart!
The Cultural Season 2017 showcases exciting art shows, concerts, fairs, and activities to keep Parisians and visitors alike entertained. (www.saisonculturelle.fr)
The Rodin show in the Grand Palais marks 100 years since his death and features more than 200 of Rodin’s works. The show cites that each generation reacts to his work differently and his fame is always renewed, because he brought his sculptures to life and never shied away from “exaggeration, deformation, or amplification of the form.”
Balenciaga’s “L’Oeuvre au Noir” (Working in Black) dramatically juxtaposes the Spanish designer’s work beside the powerful sculptures of Antoine Bourdelle (Musée Bourdelle), a student of Rodin. Balenciaga, an extraordinarily skillful tailor, made the barrel line (1947), the balloon (1950), the semi-fitted (1951), the tunic dress (1955) and the sack dress (1957) — and they all look quite wearable even today. According to Christian Dior, Balenciaga’s “clothes were his religion,” his work incorporating the folklore and traditions of his childhood.
An out-of-town trip
It is a wonderful experience to leave Paris and visit nearby Normandy. Only two and a half hours away, Honfleur is a delightful community on the Seine’s estuary. It was built specifically for maritime trade. From the 16th to the 18th centuries, wealthy French families built their homes around the Vieux Bassin (Old Harbor). In the center of town is Saint Catherine Church, the largest timber-built church in France. Made by shipbuilders, its ceiling looks like an upside-down boat. Soft, nutty nougats and buttery gallettes are proudly displayed in charming shops.
Mont Saint-Michel is a dramatic Benedictine abbey that singularly rises from the Couesnon River. It used to be one of the most popular medieval pilgrim sites. The neighboring towns of Deauville and Trouville, then seaside favorites of royalty and American movie stars, are today still places near enough for those who want a change of scenery. The Basilica of Saint Therese in Lisieux, a serene and prayerful place, displays Baldemor’s painting on the upper side of the church.
Classmates for more than half a century
Also, to celebrate 60 years of friendship as Ateneans and 37 years since we, as couples, traveled as a group, Boyboy and Cater Reyes, Dong and Joy Arguelles, and my husband, Mitto and I went to Barcelona, San Sebastian, Bordeaux and Lourdes. Six seniors embarked on an energized trip, filled with tapas and laughter, an almost-missed train ride, mishaps, Uber rides (and less walking).
Montserrat (near Barcelona, Spain) was an impressive side trip. The name literally means “serrated mountains,” and the view of these dramatic mountains formed underwater eons ago was breathtaking. The Benedictine abbey is perched upon a choice mountain spot. Pilgrims, both local and foreign, venerate the miraculous 12th-century image of Our Lady of Montserrat, known as La Moreneta (the Dark One), declared in 1881 as the patron saint of Catalonia. During Franco’s dictatorship, the monastery spoke Catalan despite the ban and sheltered hundreds of people in the resistance movement. More than 20 monks were executed.
Today, the monastery has 60 monks. They run the Escolania de Montserrat that trains a choir of Catalan-speaking boys, aged nine to 14. Only the best voices are allowed to sing Gregorian chants to honor Our Lady.
A visit to Lourdes in the Haut Pyrenees is always a touching experience. Of course, the devotion to our Lady of Lourdes, most dramatically expressed in the candle-lit procession at 9 p.m., is significant. But even more admirable are the volunteers who assist those who are physically impaired. We saw groups of young people who accompanied kids of similar ages who were in wheelchairs. These teens took care of their buddies who were not as healthy or strong or mentally well as they. With their songs and upbeat whoops, their motto on their T-shirts was: “We Are In This Together.”
The business of wine in Bordeaux seems to border on the religious. La Cité du Vin is a museum where the history and experience of wine through time and throughout the world is presented in an interactive and sensorial style. The curvaceous building itself jumps up from behind warehouses. Its bold design by architects Anouk Legendre and Nicolas Desmazières prepares the visitor to be enlightened with history’s most beloved liquid. And yes, the price of a ticket includes a glass of wine with a panoramic view of Bordeaux at the top floor.
We were lucky with the weather during this trip: cold, but sunny everywhere we went; and we enjoyed the time together with friends of many years, hoping we could still do a few more trips together, but sooner than the next 37 years.
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