Jul – Aug 2024

Paris Olympics 2024

Jeff fulfills his long time dream of judging diving at the Olympics! Read more

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Trip start
July 19, 2024
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- Day 1
- Friday, July 19, 2024 at 7:00 PM
- ⛅ 25 °C
- Altitude: 158 m
- United States Pālolo Valley 21.302319, -157.78372221°18’8” N 157°47’1” W
Prologue: We’re Going To The Olympics!
July 19, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
We’re on our way to the Olympics! Jeff is one of 23 individuals selected from a worldwide pool to judge diving, and we could not be more excited. It has been a long and strange journey for Jeff to get here, and we have a lot of mixed emotions - primarily joy and relief - now that we are finally on our way to France.

Here is a link to an article published in the local Hawaii newspaper: https://www.staradvertiser.com/2024/07/22/sport…

We’ll first fly into Nice where we will spend three days chilling. On Wednesday July 24th, we will take the train up to Paris for Jeff to begin his official duties as a judge.Read more
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- Day 1
- Friday, July 19, 2024 at 7:04 PM
- ☀️ 26 °C
- Altitude: 14 m
- United States Honolulu International Airport 21.329596, -157.92300421°19’47” N 157°55’23” W
Honolulu to Los Angeles
July 19, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
American Airlines AA144 | HNL/LAX
Economy Class
Airbus A321NEO | N417AN
ATD/2233 | ATA/0714+1
Lounge: Sakura Lounge
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- Day 2
- Saturday, July 20, 2024 at 9:26 AM
- ☀️ 20 °C
- Altitude: 44 m
- United States Los Angeles International Airport 33.943127, -118.40922533°56’35” N 118°24’33” W
Los Angeles to Philadelphia
July 20, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
American Airlines AA738 | AA738
Economy Class
Airbus A321NEO | N468AN
ATD/1047 | ATA/1936
Lounge: Qantas First Class Lounge

We arrived at a slightly foggy LAX in the early hours of Saturday. After disembarking, we made our way across the passageway from Terminal 4 to the Tom Bradley International Terminal to enjoy one of the best perks of OneWorld Emerald status: a visit to the Qantas First Class Lounge for a proper sit down breakfast.

I've been to the Qantas First Lounges in Sydney and Singapore, and I was struck by the common decor - hexagonal patterned carpets, red and white chairs, a dining area, and white tiled showers. Sadly, the Sofitel-trained waitstaff in this lounge weren't as attentive or polished as their counterparts in SYD or SIN.

The LAX to PHL flight was mediocre, with flight attendants who didn't seem to want to be on the job. Hopefully the ongoing contract negotiation changes things for them.Read more
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- Day 2
- Saturday, July 20, 2024 at 8:30 PM
- 🌙 25 °C
- Altitude: 17 m
- United States Philadelphia International Airport 39.872879, -75.25132839°52’22” N 75°15’5” W
Philadelphia to Nice
July 20, 2024 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 25 °C
American Airlines AA746 | HNL/NCE
Premium Economy Class
Boeing 787-9 | N825AA
ATD/2134 | ATA/1046+1
Lounge: Admirals Club Terminal A

We landed in PHL 20 minutes early, but we got to the gate 25 minutes behind schedule because of lack of gate availability. Once on the ground, we had a relatively short layover so we made a beeline for the Admirals Club at Terminal A - which turned out to be a small, dark, and crowded temporary space while AA constructs a Flagship Lounge in the terminal - for a quick visit to eat a light dinner and then dash to our next gate. Along our way to the gate, we spotted a British Airways Lounge which we could have visited as OneWorld Emerald members. We would probably have had a better experience in this lounge if I had done some research beforehand.

The Premium Economy flight to Nice was very civilized and a far cry from the mediocre LAX to PHL flight. We both got a decent rest on board. We did depart a little late, though, because there was a passenger with a leg injury who needed some persuading to disembark from the flight to seek medical attention.

On arrival into Nice, we took the tram to Alsace-Lorraine station, and from there we walked 10 minutes to our Mister B&B accommodation. Our host was not in town, and he left instructions on how to get our key. Unfortunately, we had trouble opening the door, so we messaged him via WhatsApp (he was in the US and likely still asleep) and went to a local boulangerie for baguettes with cheese, which was the beginning of our love affair with the beloved French bread. While eating, we decided to call our host when we hadn't heard from him. Even though we woke him up, he immediately sprung into action by contacting a neighbor to come out and show us how to open the door. With that, we were nicely settled in for our three nights on the Cote d'Azur.Read more
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- Day 3
- Sunday, July 21, 2024 at 3:39 AM
- ⛅ 23 °C
- Altitude: 4 m
- France Nice 43.694679, 7.27822243°41’41” N 7°16’42” E
Tour de France
July 21, 2024 in France ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
By sheer dumb luck, our arrival coincided with the final stage of the Tour de France. We decided that visiting the Tour de France spectator area would be a great way to stay awake on this first day of travel, and so we made our way there after a quick freshening up at our Mister B&B accommodation.

This was the first Tour de France to conclude in Nice; the race usually ends in Paris but the route was changed this year due to the Olympics. Our research indicated that the race would end at the Plaza Messena area, so we made our way there on foot. At Plaza Messena, there was plenty of evidence of Tour de France activity, but none of the expected crowds. We then deduced that Plaza Messena would be the venue for the celebrations after the conclusion of the race, and that the race route itself was along the Promenade des Anglais, which made more sense as that was the scenic route along the coastline. We made our way to Promenade des Anglais via the old city, and sure enough, the crowds were there.

I was expecting to see several waves of riders come in at the same time, but it turned out that this final stage was a time trial from Monaco to Nice, so we got to see individual riders instead of them all arriving together. Each rider was accompanied by a police escort ahead of them, and they were in turn followed by two or three support vehicles. We watched several competitors ride in.

This was a great experience and I am so happy our arrival coincided with it. It certainly helped us stay awake in our quest to manage jetlag.

At the Promenade des Anglais, we caught our first glimpse of the Mediterranean Sea, and we were both surprised to discover that the famed beach at this part of the French Riviera was rocky. There was also a stark contrast between the public beach and the private beach. The private beaches were fenced in and their customers enjoyed deck chairs, umbrellas and bar service.Read more
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- Day 3
- Sunday, July 21, 2024 at 4:06 AM
- 🌙 23 °C
- Altitude: 81 m
- France Nice 43.695992, 7.28055543°41’46” N 7°16’50” E
Parc du Chateau
July 21, 2024 in France ⋅ 🌙 23 °C
From our viewpoint at the Tour de France, we spied a rotunda up on the hill above the town. Our research indicated that this was Parc du Chateau, which is situated on the top of the 93 meter tall Castle Hill.

This park had once been the site of an opulent palace and cathedral until its destruction on the orders of Louis XIV in 1706. In 1826, it was turned into a park that is still enjoyed by the populace today. On the grounds are playgrounds, ruins of the old castle, and observation decks with views of the Mediterranean Sea, the old port, and the old town section of Nice.

We were running on fumes by the time we were done with the park, so we headed back to our apartment via the old town, purchased microwave dinners from the local Carrefour, and settled in for a restful sleep.Read more
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- Day 4
- Monday, July 22, 2024 at 8:50 AM
- ☀️ 25 °C
- Altitude: 29 m
- France Nice Ville 43.705105, 7.26206343°42’18” N 7°15’43” E
Nice to Monaco
July 22, 2024 in France ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
I am somewhat obsessed with the European micro states, and so I just had to do a day trip to Monaco. We started our day by making our way to the nearby Nice Ville station, where we bought a return ticket to Monaco. The train journey took about 30 minutes. It was crowded with standing room only.Read more
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- Day 4
- Monday, July 22, 2024 at 9:51 AM
- ☀️ 27 °C
- Altitude: 25 m
- Monaco Monaco 43.736137, 7.4213843°44’10” N 7°25’17” E
Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous
July 22, 2024 in Monaco ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
Monaco's train station is located underground inside the mountains above the town, and the station itself is somewhat unassuming, which wasn't aligned with Monaco's reputation for extreme wealth and opulence. In fact, we emerged from the train station to street level via escalator into a rather nondescript exit. However, we soon spotted evidence of extreme wealth on display as we walked down the hill into the commercial heart of the principality. Along the way, we were greeted with the sight of sports cars, luxury cars, superyachts, and art galleries, including one selling a Botero statue with an asking price of €1.4 million.

Once we were at the harbor, we turned right and walked along the waterfront. Before long, we saw directional signs to the Oceanographic Museum and the Prince's Palace. Following those signs, we headed uphill again.

Along the way, we encountered one Atlas Obscura site: a statue of Argentinian Formula One champion Juan Manuel Fangio at the famous curve in the Monaco Grand Prix. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/juan-manuel…Read more
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- Day 4
- Monday, July 22, 2024 at 10:34 AM
- ☀️ 28 °C
- Altitude: 15 m
- Monaco Saint-Martin Gardens 43.729778, 7.42285843°43’47” N 7°25’22” E
Jardins Saint-Martin
July 22, 2024 in Monaco ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
We spent some time exploring the sculptures and enjoying the views from the St Martin Gardens before and after viewing the changing of the guard at the palace.
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- Day 4
- Monday, July 22, 2024 at 10:46 AM
- ☀️ 28 °C
- Altitude: 64 m
- Monaco Prince's Palace of Monaco 43.730913, 7.42070543°43’51” N 7°25’15” E
Prince's Palace of Monaco
July 22, 2024 in Monaco ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
After exiting Jardins Saint-Martin, we wandered around the Prince's Palace and the rabbit warren of shops in the vicinity. We stayed until 11.55am to watch the changing of the guards. This was the first time I had viewed a changing of the guards.

After the changing of the guards, we purchased sandwiches from a nearby shop and retired to a quiet nook at Jardins Saint-Martin to consume them.Read more
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- Day 4
- Monday, July 22, 2024 at 1:24 PM
- ☀️ 30 °C
- Altitude: 33 m
- Monaco Musée Océanographique de Monaco 43.730553, 7.42489243°43’50” N 7°25’30” E
Musee Oceanographique de Monaco
July 22, 2024 in Monaco ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C
After the palace, we visited the Oceanographic Museum, which is also an Atlas Obscura site. We mostly focused on the aquarium. After we left, we realized we had not visited the top floor, which houses early scuba equipment and natural history items such as whale skeletons and a giant squid. I suspect I would have felt more of a Jacque Cousteau vibe had we visited that exhibit!
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/oceanograph…Read more
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- Day 4
- Monday, July 22, 2024 at 3:04 PM
- ☀️ 30 °C
- Altitude: 11 m
- Monaco Monaco 43.734928, 7.42187843°44’6” N 7°25’19” E
Jeff Dives in a New Country!
July 22, 2024 in Monaco ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C
While we first arrived in Monaco and we were making our way downhill from the train station, Jeff's eyes were drawn to a pool with diving boards - the Stade Nautique Rainier III - so we walked towards it. When we reached the pool, he approached the staff there who told him that the diving boards open to the public at 2pm. I rolled my eyes and accepted that we would have to budget time for him to dive there, which we did so after visiting the Oceanographic Museum.

As much as he denies it, I am sure Jeff just wants to impress a new international audience. Listen for the applause in the first video!

After some pool time, we made our way back to the train station for our return trip to Nice.Read more
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- Day 5
- Tuesday, July 23, 2024 at 9:03 AM
- ☀️ 27 °C
- Altitude: 12 m
- France Nice 43.698162, 7.2570343°41’53” N 7°15’25” E
Jardin Alsace-Lorraine
July 23, 2024 in France ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
Our sightseeing goal today was to check out the Promenade de Anglais and take a dip in the Mediterranean Sea, scout out some Atlas Obscura sights, and explore the old town and port.

As we headed out towards the coastline, we made a stop at Alsace-Lorraine Park, which is also where we disembarked from the tram when we first arrived in Nice.Read more
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- Day 5
- Tuesday, July 23, 2024 at 9:24 AM
- ☀️ 28 °C
- Altitude: Sea level
- France Nice 43.694416, 7.26123843°41’40” N 7°15’40” E
Promenade des Anglais
July 23, 2024 in France ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
We reached the shoreline soon after we departed from Jardin Alsace-Lorraine, at which point we turned left and walked eastwards towards the old city. Along the way, we did some people watching and we also watched the various Tour de France stands being dismantled.

When we hit the old town, we veered off course to do some Atlas Obscura explorations before we returned to the shoreline to take a dip in the Mediterranean Sea. The entire shoreline was rocky and it wasn't particularly memorable (or comfortable on the feet) but it was a good experience nonetheless. I especially enjoyed listening to the sounds of the rocks and stones hitting one another when the waves hit.Read more
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- Day 5
- Tuesday, July 23, 2024 at 10:21 AM
- ☀️ 29 °C
- Altitude: 21 m
- France Nice 43.702724, 7.27964743°42’10” N 7°16’47” E
Atlas Obscura Explorations in Nice
July 23, 2024 in France ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C
We diverted from our walk along the Promenade des Anglais to seek out three Atlas Obscura sites which were situated alongside a long green space that led from the promenade inland towards the old city.

The first site was along the promenade itself just before we veered inland. Named L'Ange de la Baie, it is a memorial in honor of the people killed in an attack on Bastille Day in 2016.
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/lange-de-la…

The second site was Fontaine du Soleil or Sun Fountain. Sculpted in 1956, the statue of a naked Apollo at the center of the fountain caused controversy. The sculptor had to reduce the size of Apollo's genitals.
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/fontaine-du…

The last site was the coolest of all. Located at the end of the green space, the administrative offices of the La Tete Au Carree Library is housed in a cube situated atop a human head. The architect also described his work as "Thinking Inside the Box". Ouch.
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/la-tete-au-…

While looking for these three sites, we enjoyed the park, which featured interesting play areas shaped like a whale skeleton and octopi, as well as a reproduction of the David statue.Read more
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- Day 5
- Tuesday, July 23, 2024 at 1:24 PM
- ☀️ 31 °C
- Altitude: 17 m
- France Port Lympia 43.696342, 7.28347243°41’47” N 7°17’0” E
Port Lympia
July 23, 2024 in France ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C
After our dip in the Mediterranean Sea, we continued walking along the seafront until we hit the old port area. Along the way, we saw an impressive war memorial carved into the cliff, lots of well maintained old buildings, and some superyachts moored in the harbor.Read more
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- Day 5
- Tuesday, July 23, 2024 at 1:43 PM
- ☀️ 31 °C
- Altitude: 26 m
- France Nice 43.700853, 7.28008743°42’3” N 7°16’48” E
Old Town Nice
July 23, 2024 in France ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C
After exploring the old port, we veered back inland into the old city in search of lunch. We first walked through Place Garibaldi and then into Place Messena where we ate lunch at So Green. I had to have the Aloha Poke Bowl just for the heck of it. I'll give them an A for effort given that most of the people spreading the worldwide poke bowl craze likely have never set foot on Hawaii.

After our late lunch, we made our way back to our accommodation by way of an upmarket shopping district.Read more
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- Day 6
- Wednesday, July 24, 2024 at 9:28 AM
- ☀️ 26 °C
- Altitude: 23 m
- France Cathédrale Saint-Nicolas 43.70382, 7.25349243°42’14” N 7°15’13” E
Cathedrale Saint-Nicolas de Nice
July 24, 2024 in France ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
Our Mister B&B studio was located next to the Cathedrale Saint-Nicholas de Nice. Per Atlas Obscura, the French Riviera was popular with the Russian ruling class in the 1800s. In 1865, the son of Alexander II, Tsesarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich, died of meningitis on the site of where the cathedral now stands. After their son's death, the Tsar and the Empress purchased the land and ordered a chapel built on the site.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/st-nicholas…Read more
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- Day 6
- Wednesday, July 24, 2024 at 11:45 AM
- ⛅ 28 °C
- Altitude: 17 m
- France Nice Ville 43.705608, 7.2626343°42’20” N 7°15’45” E
Nice to Paris by Train
July 24, 2024 in France ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C
And now for the main event... we're off to Paris!

Setting off from Nice Ville station, the SNCF train first travelled west for 2.5 hours on a normal cruising speed along the coast to Antibes, then Cannes (the beach was sandy there!), then Toulon, and finally Marseille. After Marseille, we turned north, picked up speed, and made our way to Paris Gare de Lyon in a little over three hours.

During the train ride, as I drifted in and out of sleep, I replayed my favorite album, Simple Minds' Empires and Dance, in my head. Released in 1980, Empires and Dance is a dark, brooding Cold War era album written while the band was traveling around Europe, well before they descended into commercial, bombastic irrelevance in the mid-1980s. The Guardian described the album as “A Mitteleuropean Psychodrama"; as a Cold War child, I cannot think of a more appropriate album to revisit on such a journey through Europe. Here is a link to the aforementioned Guardian article. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/jun/27/a…

Arriving at Gare de Lyon, we transferred to the RER Line A to La Defense, from which we walked to our accommodation at the Mercure Paris La Defense. After checking in and freshening up, we wandered out for an Italian dinner.Read more
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- Day 7
- Thursday, July 25, 2024 at 9:04 AM
- ☁️ 20 °C
- Altitude: 67 m
- France La Défense 48.894119, 2.24886748°53’39” N 2°14’56” E
La Defense
July 25, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C
On Thursday morning, Jeff began his official duties. His first order of duty was to get his accreditation and his competition kit. While he was doing those tasks, I ventured out for my initial explorations. I have been to Paris several times before in the 1990s, so for this trip, I utilized Atlas Obscura as my guide for finding weird and wonderful things in the city.

To get to the city, I first had to return to La Defense, which is a ten minute walk from the hotel. At La Defense, I marveled at the modernist architecture, including the iconic Grande Arche, and the expansive public space. While exploring the area, I thought of the video for a 1997 song called Stay by German DJ Sash! which was filmed at this site. Here is the clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrwi79HxaOw

La Defense also features one Atlas Obscura site: a sculpture of a giant thumb. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/le-pouce-gi…

We visited La Defense many times on this trip because we had to walk there and back to get to and from the Metro. On one occasion, we mixed things up a little by exiting the Metro one stop earlier. At that earlier stop, we found a giant chair next to a pool. We also took an alternative route back to the hotel, and we came across some unoccupied buildings and an artificial waterfall.Read more
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- Day 7
- Thursday, July 25, 2024 at 11:09 AM
- ☁️ 24 °C
- Altitude: 46 m
- France Marais 48.853378, 2.35945848°51’12” N 2°21’34” E
Atlas Obscura Explorations in Le Marais
July 25, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C
I began my Atlas Obscura-inspired explorations in the Le Marais area. Emerging from the Saint Paul metro station, I saw my first stop: a church called the Eglise St Paul-St Louis. Within the church is an inscription translating to "French Republic of Death", likely inscribed by a communard during the 1871 insurrection. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/saint-paul-…

My next target was a building around the corner. Now housing a museum of magic, the building was once home to the Marquis de Sade, who reportedly developed his sexual appetites there. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/musee-de-la…

My third Atlas Obscura site was around yet another corner. This was the Hotel de Sens, which features a cannonball embedded in one of its wall. The cannonball was likely from the 1871 insurrection. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/cannonball-…Read more
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- Day 7
- Thursday, July 25, 2024 at 12:01 PM
- ☁️ 24 °C
- Altitude: 48 m
- France Centre Georges Pompidou 48.859749, 2.35148848°51’35” N 2°21’5” E
Center Georges Pompidou
July 25, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C
My next sightseeing target was the Centre Georges Pompidou, a colorful "inside out" building housing a modern art museum. The building features pipes and vents on the exterior of the building. When I visited, I watched sports themed images projected on the exterior.
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/centre-pomp…

Located next to the Centre Pompidou is the Stravinsky Fountain, a fountain with silly figures spouting water that was supposedly inspired by the composer Igor Stravinsky. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-stravin…Read more
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- Day 7
- Thursday, July 25, 2024 at 6:20 PM
- ☁️ 28 °C
- Altitude: 51 m
- France Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville - Esplanade de la Libération 48.85693, 2.35099748°51’25” N 2°21’4” E
Hotel de Ville
July 25, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C
Later in the afternoon, I ventured back out to the same area with Jeff and two of his judge friends - Barb from Canada and Gianluca from Italy - to dine at his favorite vegetarian restaurant. While there, we explored the Tour Saint Jacques, a tall bell tower.

We also explored the area for possible spots to watch the Opening Ceremony. Jeff had access to a ticket for the Opening Ceremony, but he declined it because the organizers would not add spouses to officials' tickets, and he wanted to watch the ceremony with me. Besides, before we departed for France, we read that the general public could watch the opening ceremony along the Seine. However, when we set foot on the actual site, we found that the area around the Seine was mostly blocked off for people with paid tickets. However, we were allowed to cross one of the bridges, and so we naively thought we could watch from one of the bridges. We decided to look at the various bridges tomorrow and find our vantage point.

I'll expand on this on a later entry.

While we were in the vicinity, we encountered one more Atlas Obscura site, the Fountain of Innocents. It is the site of an old cemetery, and it has a rather gruesome history, which you can read here: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/25092Read more
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- Day 7
- Thursday, July 25, 2024 at 7:09 PM
- ☁️ 28 °C
- Altitude: 50 m
- France Les Halles 48.859436, 2.34562848°51’34” N 2°20’44” E
59 Rivoli
July 25, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C
Along our route to dinner was 59 Rivoli, which was a one time artist squatter commune turned legit. We took a few minutes to explore the various nooks featuring works from different artists.
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/59-rivoliRead more
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- Day 8
- Friday, July 26, 2024 at 11:27 AM
- ☁️ 19 °C
- Altitude: 100 m
- France Père Lachaise Cemetery 48.85965, 2.39894548°51’35” N 2°23’56” E
Riders on the Storm
July 26, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
I set off on a rainy morning to get to the Pere Lachaise Cemetery. My goal for this outing was to visit the graves of two of the most famous people buried there: Jim Morrison and Oscar Wilde.
More info here: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/pere-lachai…

Arriving at the cemetery, an usher at the gate gave me a map of the cemetery, which I gladly used to find the two graves, along with Edith Piaf's and Marcel Proust's.

Not surprisingly, both Jim Morrison's and Oscar Wilde's graves were cordoned off. At Oscar Wilde's grave, I eavesdropped on a tour guide telling her clients that Oscar Wilde's grave was controversial because it featured male nudity. She also noted that the genitalia had been broken off and stolen, and that the culprit has never been caught.

Apart from the above graves, I also sought out Atlas Obscura-listed graves of Victor Noir, which is listed because of the generous appendage on his effigy, and Etienne-Gaspard Robertson, who is known for necromancy. I was amused to see that Victor Noir's junk and lips were a different color from the rest of the effigy because they had been rubbed by many people.

Their Atlas Obscura listings:
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/erotic-eros…
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/etienne-gas…

While exploring the cemetery, I also saw several depressing Holocaust memorials, and an Atlas Obscura-listed lawn with cremated human remains strewn on lines across the lawn.
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