For many people, Paris is their dream city. Personally I find it monstrously monumental and overly ornate - if drag queens designed a city it would be Paris.My last visit was 25 years ago and this time my main reason for going to Paris was to meet up with my Syrian friend Hakim, who moved to Paris last year from Dubai.
Things have changed - service and Parisians seemed more pleasant and friendly. French food has improved, eschewing the fussy for the fresh.
This was also a chance to visit the Pere Lachaise cemetery. Of course like everyone I headed for Jim Morrison's grave which now has been cleaned up and barriers erected to the protect the headstone. Right next to the grave is a tree covered with chewing gum. Originally fans made a heart shape from the gum but over time this has been simplified to just sticking gum to the tree. To protect the tree, authorities have wrapped in a light bamboo fencing.
In the same cemetery is the grave of Oscar Wilde, the Jacob Epstein headstone is also protected but in this case with perspex. Wilde's admirers used to kiss the headstone with heavy lipstick, but now they just leave their kisses on old metro tickets. 
No comments:
Post a Comment