A Week in Paris

Despite reports that violent student demonstrations were wrecking havoc in the French capital, we went ahead with our plans to visit our friends who now live in the Paris suburb of Sceaux (pronounced So) with their eight-year-old son, for a week. The protests were only taking place on weekends, so we were pretty safe from any potential danger as long as we stayed away from the city on Saturday. We arrived on a Tuesday morning and got the train from the Charles De Gaulle airport. Note: customs and immigration were much easier than getting into American airports. All we had to do was scan our passports, stand still for a photo and we were in. 

With James and Russell at
Disneyland Paris.

After a three-hour nap from jet lag our hosts served us dinner and I had trouble sleeping that night. But I somehow felt alert enough to get up at 7AM the next morning for a trip to Disneyland Paris with our host Russell and his son James. It was a 90-minute journey on two trains to the last stop in time to arrive at 930AM just as the park was opening. Smaller than Disney World in Florida, the Paris edition of the park is more manageable. Right away, we got on line for Hyperspace Mountain which was like being shot out of a canon in the dark. This was followed by Star Tours with C3P0 and Darth Vader speaking in French as we boarded a space craft, erratically piloted by the nervous droid. I had been on this ride in Disney World in Florida. After a quick lunch we did Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast which involves shooting aliens and scoring points. We left Discoveryland and headed for Frontierland where we waited in a long line for the Haunted Mansion. I think there were variations on the iteration I rode on in Florida with haunted Wild West town amid the spooks. Same with our next attraction Mickey's Phil-harmonic, a 3-D cartoon featuring Donald Duck slipping into various Disney pictures while chasing a magic conductor's baton. Coco and The Little Mermaid may be new additions.

I had paid for a two-park ticket while Russell and James opted to go for just the main park since they could come back at a later date. While they waited in line for the Indiana Jones ride, I went over to Disney Adventure World (separate admission) and went single rider on three attractions in 90 minutes. I was able to get right on Ratatouille. When my brother and I visited Disney World in Florida in 2020, this ride was under construction, so it was great to finally get on it. The premise you are in cars while video projections put you on the floor of a French restaurant--as in the film--as is you are the protagonist rodent fending off chefs, customers and cats. Next were two Marvel Super Hero adventures--Avengers Assemble Flight Force and Spider-Man WEB Adventure. I took single rider again and did not have to wait long. Interestingly, several families cheated and took this route with little children separated from the parents for the sake of saving some time. The Avengers roller coaster was much like Hyperspace Mountain with added animation of Iron Man and Capt. Marvel saving the universe as you rocket past them, turning upside down twice. Spider-Man WEB Adventure was similar to Buzz Lightyear with riders having to vanquish pesky spider-bots by pretending to shoot webs at them. It was not as fun and exciting as the Spider-Man ride at Universal Studios, but exhilarating nonetheless. 

I rejoined Russell and James for dinner at the main park. We went to a cheesy Jack Sparrow pirate-themed place with mediocre food and saucy waitresses. The trip back home to Sceaux was exhausting and I fell into bed.

Singin' in the Rain at Theatre du Lido

Thursday we explored the suburb of Sceaux, a quaint little town with pedestrian thoroughfares, tiny shops and bistros, and rolling parks. In the evening we had tickets for a stage production of Singin' in the Rain at Theatre du Lido on the Champs Elysees, performed in English by a mostly British cast with French Sur-titles. We took an Uber into the city and had dinner at the very touristy Cafe George V on the Champs Elysees right next to the Lido. I had a hanger steak and Jerry had pizza. Delicious. The waiter complimented me on my rudimentary French. I suspect they're used to most Americans not speaking any French at all. So if you can say "merci," they praise your language skills.

Ashley Day (center) in
Singin' in the Rain.

The theater was laid out like a cruise ship or casino with tables and banquets. This is a splashy (literally) and fun stage version of the classic 1951 Hollywood musical. (I had not seen the 1980s Broadway version staged by Twyla Tharp.) The dance numbers by choreographer Rebecca Howell were expert and intricate, but the acting was overly broad. Director Robert Carsen is from the opera world and you coudl tell. The pacing was slow. If this production were to come to Broadway, it would need some trimming and tightening. The standout number was not the title song, featuring gallons of water falling on marvelous leading man Ashley Day in the Gene Kelly role, but the "Moses Supposes" novelty song. Day, Charlie Waddell as Cosmo (the Donald O'Connor part) and Danielle Coombe as the elocution teacher (she also doubles as the gossip columnist played by Aunt Harriet from Batman in the movie) played off each other beautifully and had fun with the material. In the movie the teacher is pushed around by Kelly and O'Connor as they dazzle him with their fancy footwork. Here the teacher gradually joins them and erupts into a trio of tappers. I loved when she said "C'mon, boys."

Another interesting observation: there was no standing ovation though the audience clearly loved the show. On and Off-Broadway every production sends the theatergoers to their feet. I only stand up because everyone in front of me is bounding out of their seats and I want to see the actors take their bows.

Friday I decided to take the train into Paris alone and ride one of those double-decker buses as I had done in Athens, Rome, Madrid, London and just about every other city I've been to. Starting at the Arc de Triomphe, the bus went to all the major spots including the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Latin Quarter, Grand Palais, etc. The weather was gorgeous and the trees were golden and brown. The city was overwhelmingly beautiful. I got back in time for dinner with our hosts at a Vietnamese restaurant by their house.

Saturday was Halloween and massive demonstrations were scheduled in Paris, so we remained in Sceaux, visiting a luscious local park with a lovely castle which was inhabited by Louis XIV's finance minister in the 17th century. (I could picture horse drawn carriages driving up the front entrance and the servants coming out to tend the guests.) The town had a Halloween parade and we took James to collect candy from the local businesses. I had thought of bringing my Superman costume but decided not to, now I regret it.

The next day we attended the Paris Opera production of the Barber of Seville, with French and English supertitles. Damiano Michieletto's production is set in the 1950s on a giant revolving three-story set with Count Almaviva riding a sports car and a motorcycle. Funny and frothy, enjoyable for an opera. Then a great dinner in a nearby cafe. All the restaurants and cafes in Paris are intimate and crowded, but warm and inviting.

Monday almost all the museums were closed and I caught a little cold, probably from going out on chilly Halloween with no scarf. I was inclined just to rest at Ed and Russell's house, but Ed persuaded me to go

into the city since this was my last full day and who knows when I would be in Paris again. So after a nice lunch, I took the train to the St. Michel stop. Right outside was the famous Shakespeare and Company bookstore where Baldwin, Hemingway and Joyce hung out. There was a line to get in. It was lovely and warm inside, the walls covered with pictures of the greats. I browsed and soaked in all the literary history, bought two paperbacks. Then I went to the newly renovated Notre Dame cathedral. Overwhelming and restored to its glory since the fire. It was free but you also had to wait in a long line to go through security. It was drizzling and I bought an umbrella for 7 Euros at a souvenir stand and wandered through the Latin Quarter and the Marais gay district.

The following day was our last and we arrived home at JFK just in time to soak in the Democratic tsunami which has drowned the MAGA movement (we hope). It was lovely to get away and enjoy the world's most beautiful city and return to a renewed America.