Musique On My Mind

Paris is a city that deserves its titles as world-class and cosmopolitan. The Parisian people are of many nationalities, religions, and lifestyles, but they all share a vibrancy and vigor that I have only seen alike in NYC. There is an energy about the streets that is playfully stimulating, especially in the gorgeous days of spring when everyone takes to the squares, cafes, and parks with the excitement of a fresh season. The people's sharp fashion and ambitious hustle is complimented nicely with casual enjoyment of daily pleasures and an awareness of quality of life. Business meetings are often held at outdoor cafe tables over leisurely lunch and wine. The wardrobe of the Parisian businessman includes dark jeans, vests, scarves, leather jackets, and shoes suitable for pedaling the bicycle around town all day. Ladies can be seen pedaling faster than car traffic with high heels pumping and sundresses blowing in the wind. Beautiful! The mainly flat city is totally accessible by way of the Velib city bike system. With over 1000 stations around town to pick up and drop off a bike, it's a no-brainer way to get around. I was able to reach nearly every corner of the city for the equivalent of $2 per day. Getting lost in the back streets of Paris on a bicycle is timeless...

I was treated as a guest of honor by my host, Mauro, whom I contacted on warmshowers.org (like a couch surfing community specifically for cyclists hosting other touring cyclists). Mauro is an Italian gentleman living in Paris for his work at an international bank, and his passion for the city proved contagious. Between nights of Mauro's Italian cooking and a special dinner party invite to his friend's luxurious apartment, the culinary arts tour continued with full steam! Delicious recipes from southern France including white fish smothered in buttery garlic gravy, and an after dinner drink made from apples called Calvados that rivals Italian grappa for octane fuel content. The guests at this party were artists, ballet dancers, world bank executives, Middle East war journalists, and me... Ha! I truly felt like an Iowa boy, and was proud to tell of my home to these genuinely interested high rollers. Mauro's recollections of his 1.5 year VW van tour from Italy to Nepal via eastern Europe and the Middle East were captivating and inspiring. He seems to understand the balance between physical risk and intellectual reward in travel. His bold strike into the unknown proved to be enlightening, as he learned how to be both self-sufficient and how to receive gracious acts of kindness in foreign lands.

Without a musical instrument on hand, I was beginning to snap, toe-tap, whistle, and hum almost constantly throughout the day. I was itching for a funky beat, perfectly primed to be blown away by the top-notch grooves of the Paris nightlife. I followed signs to a blues jam to find a piano-guitar duo in a chic bar where no seats were open. Standing room only?? Sounds like dancing is the only option... I made a few friends who were also obliged to two-step in the ten by ten open space, and Marc (the only guy to bring his own mini maraca egg shaker to the show, the first sign of a trustworthy music critic) told me "You ain't see nothin yet! " With that, we were zipping through the streets on Marc's motorcycle to the best live music joint in Paris. You know such a lofty honor is rightfully earned when 1. The place doesn't advertise 2. The jazz professors from the Sorbonne jam there 3. Gigs are played in the stone cellar where prisoners were tortured during the French revolution. Talk about old school soul... I ended up returning for back-to-back nights of jazz-funk jams where dozens of different musicians would jump in and out of 15 minute improv sets. These were truly some of the best musicians I have ever seen firsthand. They were so tight, playing together perfectly with no rehearsal or previous acquaintances on stage...purely ears and soul. Aside from one-time spontaneous tunes, we heard jazzy renditions of classics like Billy Jean (MJ), and Use Me (Bill Withers).

Some of my best spent euros in Paris went toward supporting the arts in the form of street music. Something as simple as a saxophone soloist in the subway can totally change the mood of a public space. I awoke one morning to a tuba-trumpet duo outside my window, playing some funny ragtime tune, and I just burst out laughing. I arrived at the window to see a Mario & Luigi -esque tandem; a short and stout tuba man and a long and lanky trumpet player...classic! They noticed me at the second floor balcony giving a thumbs up, and "Mario" ran over with his cup in hand (maintaining his bass line in stride), and we made the simple two-story transaction with the flick of a coin. This absolutely made their day, and mine too! The mutual gift of music.

The grand finale of a week in Paris was the chance to interview for a dream job as a Trip Leader with Backroads. This was no normal interview, as I was one of 65 candidates gathered in a cultural arts center for an intensive full day hiring event. While the idea seemed kind of intimidating at first, it turned out to be a blast! One day I will surely remember forever. So with that, am now preparing for Trip Leader training in Pernes-les-Fontaines, France. The two weeks of training will be non-stop learning and excitement, I cant wait!

Travel if you can, support the arts, and jam on! Thanks to everyone for constant love and support.

CM