Things I DID see in Paris by Vonnie Davis

I've already shared things I didn't see while in Paris. So, it's only fair I show some of what I did see and, of course, with my odd take on life, strange things caught my eye. As I've said so often, Paris is a feast for the senses.

CAFE TABLES ~ They're everywhere! Some are so small they barely hold two cups of coffee or two glasses of wine. The one pictured is one of the larger café tables at a sidewalk café at the corner of our street. This was our first cappuccino after our arrival. My journal is there, waiting for me to fill with thoughts and impressions.

TINY ELEVATORS ~ We rented a small apartment this time around instead of staying at a hotel. Much of Europe is known for small elevators installed in centuries old buildings. Here's the elevator in "our" apartment building on rue Bertholett. By counting the tiles on the floor, the elevator was 1.5 feet wide by 2 feet deep. We carried our luggage up in multiple trips. When I pushed our largest suitcase into the elevator, there was no room left for me to stand. So I sat on it, pulled my knees to my chest and reached for the button. Folks, I hadn't been in that position since giving birth to my youngest child. As the elevator slowly ascended, I prayed no poor schmuck would be waiting at the other end and get an eyeful of American ass. Calvin and I both tried squeezing into it once and I quipped, "Is that your flashlight or are you glad to see me?" We'd been shopping for some groceries and were holding the bags over our heads at the time. The door to the elevator is here.

 

SCARVES ~ I saw them on men and women everywhere. The French have a love affair with scarves, wrapping them artfully around their necks. Just to blend, I bought a few and practiced my scarf swing.

 

 

OPEN WINDOWS ~ Lots of open windows with no screens. And why not? There are no flies or bugs to buzz in. Don't ask me why. There just aren't.

 

COUPLES KISSING ~ The French are not afraid of PDA's (public displays of affection). Kissing--long, involved kissing--is done on the sidewalks, in the cafes and in the parks. We watched this couple in a little park across the Seine from the Notre Dame Cathedral while we sat on a bench, chatting with two women from Alberta, Canada.

COUPLES ARGUING ~ Oddly enough, I have a photo of another young couple arguing, taken on the same corner when we were there five years ago. Tears running down this girl's cheeks snagged the attention of this romance writer, my creative mind writing various scenarios of what made her cry.

MULTIPLE JAPANESE NUPTUALS ~ There were six Japanese couples married in front of the Louvre on a Sunday afternoon. I don't know why they chose that spot, but their exuberance and happiness charmed me. I stopped and watched their last minute preparations, at a distance, of course.

GORGEOUS ARCHITECTURE ~ I've always been a nut for pretty buildings. I found this one along the Champs Elysee.

 

 

ONE OF THE LOCATIONS FOR MY FUTURE BOOK ~ This plaque marks the location of the original Shakespeare and Company run by Sylvia Beach from 1920 until the Nazi's approached Paris. This narrow shop, painted red now, was the happening place for writers, poets, artists and musicians of The Lost Generation. I have an American jazz musician, a saxophone player, who meets a lovely French writer in this shop...ohhhh, the possibilities....

 

 

THE STRANGE DREAMS OF A WRITER --

I'm working on a book set in Paris, one of
my favorite cities. When one hears the word, Paris, one thinks of beauty, art galleries, stunning architecture, museums and, of course, romance.

Calvin first took me to Paris five years ago. He wanted to introduce me to the city he adored and where he lived for a year, writing at sidewalk cafes. There I discovered a different culture, a different way of thinking and, frankly, I fell in love.

My novel, Mona Lisa's Room, is a selfish endeavor, for in writing it I get to revisit all the places I so enjoyed. The story begins with my heroine standing in front of the Mona Lisa in the Louvre. There she unwittingly foils a terrorist's bombing attempt. She is put into protective custody with Niko as her reluctant guardian. Sparks fly as soon as they meet, but they're certainly not sparks of attraction--or are they?

Niko is a native Parisian, devoted to his job in the counter-terrorism unit. He'd rather be in the thick of things than guarding her. He is arrogant and opinionated, not only with my heroine, but with me. Yes, my character bosses me around. Not when I'm awake, mind you, but when I'm asleep. He invades my dreams in that know-it-all, demanding way he has.

I suppose a bit of explanation is necessary or you'll think me mad. The first dream invasion happened the night after writing a scene outside a famed bookstore in Paris, Shakespeare and Company. I'd made it a romantic scene between the two of them. But in my dream, Niko and Alyson played the scene out for me not once, but three times until Niko yelled, "Now do you see why this scene won't work?" I crawled out of bed and powered up my laptop. I was not pleased. Still I had to admit the scene was better his way. Drats!

Then, last Thursday night while I was sleeping, Niko stormed into a room and slammed the door. The sound woke me and, bleary-eyed, I looked around our bedroom. What was that noise? Nothing seemed amiss so I rolled over and went back to sleep. Bamm! went the door again. This time Niko looked at me with his one eye-brow cocked as if to say, "Are you getting this, woman?" Frankly I wasn't. I snuggled against Calvin and was almost asleep when Niko whispered, "Don't go there. You know I'll slam the door again. Pay attention!"

I flopped onto my back, muttering, "If I could get my hands on you, you little rat-fink, I'd choke you. What is it you want to show me?"

Then he played it out. He stormed into an interrogation room and slammed the door (I wanted to tell him I already HAD that part). Sitting in a chair, her hands tied behind her back and wearing a blindfold, was my heroine. Then the vision faded...

That's all? That's all you're going to give me? Why is Alyson tied up? Why are you so angry? Are you angry with her or her situation? You woke me up for this???

I had to write four scenes to set up the door slamming scene, finally writing it yesterday. I can hardly wait to see what else Niko has in store for me. What about you writers? Do your characters invade your dreams? Tell me I'm not the only weird one out there!! Please!!!