Linda's Journal
August, 2003

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August 10th

Europe has been having the hottest summer on record since 1942. It must happen every 50 years or so. I must say it is really awful. I never thought I would be in Paris and have the temperature be the same here as it is in Texas. Being in a city makes it seem hotter with all of the asphalt and none of the metros are air conditioned and I've only been on 2 or 3 buses so far with it. I tried to do a tour for 2 days with a couple and we just about died. The mornings were bearable, but not the afternoons. I'm just hoping it all passes soon. I am sure I will be complaining of the cold this winter but I sure am looking forward to a cooler autumn.

I haven't done much specifically this month-so far-but did take some photos as I went here and there.

An unusual view of Concorde early in the morning without traffic

A high crane for some men checking something on top of this church

Cats clinging to the side of this building

Joan of Arc near the site of an old city gate

I liked this mural looking very life like near Bastille

August 26th

I went on a guided walk today with an elderly French man, a long time resident of Montmartre. Fortunately, my friend, Chris, was there to translate for me. I had long wanted to get inside the little cemetery that lies along side Eglise St Pierre de Montmartre, one of the oldest churches in Paris, started in 1133. We were able to access this cemetery while on the tour, and found it to be minute and old, barely holding together. Pigalle is buried here. What I most wanted to see was the tomb of the family Debray, one of which was the first mayor of Montmartre. It has a little metal windmill on top that I was obsessed with getting a photo of. I had read, in some guidebook that a Debray had been murdered by some Russian and his drawn and quartered body had been hung on his own windmill. The guide said this was not true. But, I did get the photo, anyway.

The long awaited windmill

The guide showing us a chain that the tree had swallowed as it grew.

A view of the tiny cemetery with the Debray tomb in the middle.

A nice view of Sacre Coeur. I like the trees in front.

The guide also took us into the church. There are murals on the front of the church represented the history of wine making and bread making with the many mills that were once on Montmartre. There are even lead sculptures, one of bread, one of grapes, on each door as one enters that should be touched for a year of good luck. The old chapel in the back was once, during a battle used as an oven for making bread.

The chapel with the sun coming through windows made by a student of Lalique.

We slowly made our way down the hill to another old cemetery where a long time was spent talking about various artists, famous in their time and in Paris, but not to me.

Statue there with flowers in hand-it had been in the garden of the person buried in the tomb.