Starting Challenges

4/10/2024

The first day in Paris was a success. Paris is even more beautiful than I imagined, and I’m thrilled by the local ukulele community. I’m glad I made the trip. The first night at the hostel was restless because others in the room came back late and were talking. I don’t think it’s okay, especially after midnight. Nevertheless, I’m in a good mood and head to the hostel’s rooftop bar. I write about the experiences of the past few days in my journal, which takes more time than I thought. Then I write to Carine, Mathias, and Helene, thanking them for the lovely ukulele evening the day before. Helene invites me to join her for a ukulele club in southern France on Friday. After some research, I have to decline. The trip is too expensive, and there are no affordable hostels in the area. So, I decide to continue my journey to Toulouse, then onward to Spain.

Stroll in the Cemetery

I spend a total of 5 hours in the bar, writing and planning until I lean back, exhausted. I’m not used to all this planning anymore. It will take some time to get used to the travel routine. I open Carine’s message with tips for my stay in Paris. She suggests visiting the Père Lachaise Cemetery and the viewpoint at Parc de Belleville. After a short nap in the room, I set out. The weather is very changeable, but I decide to walk. The cemetery is the largest in Paris and very impressive. About a million people have been buried here. The graves vary greatly. Some are large and magnificent, while others are modest and small. Among the tombstones are those of very prominent figures, such as Oscar Wilde, Frédéric Chopin, or Jim Morrison! Their graves are quite small, especially compared to much larger ones of people I don’t recognize. I get the feeling that certain people wanted to appear bigger after death than they were in real life.

At some point, I’ve had enough of the cemetery and continue to Parc de Belleville, where I enjoy the beautiful view. Carine tells me that the area is good for Asian food, so I find a Chinese restaurant and have some soup. The journey is only two days old, and I’ve already experienced so much more than I would have at home in two weeks. Afterwards, I call a close friend from Ukraine, and we talk for an hour. Lately, I’ve been talking to friends on the phone more often. Messaging is always so drawn-out, tiring, and above all, impersonal. Later, I return to the hostel, read about minimalism, and go to bed.

With the Ukulele to the Eiffel Tower

I start the next morning with 20 minutes of sitting meditation in bed. It’s difficult to find a quiet moment in hostels. Then I head up to the bar and work on my blog. This time, I don’t have as much time because I have to check out at 11 a.m. Although I’m staying in the hostel until tomorrow, my room is booked for tonight, so I have to move. At the reception, they give me a new room key, and I store my backpack in the locker in my room. I buy a sandwich from the bakery outside and take the metro towards the Eiffel Tower - with my ukulele, of course!

I get off a few stations early. On the way to the Eiffel Tower, I see the Invalides Palace and decide to take a detour. I call my friend Moritz, who is at the North Sea beach with his family and toddler. Moritz loves France. “You absolutely have to see Napoleon’s crypt. It’s really interesting, but the French have a strange relationship with Napoleon.” So, I visit another tomb. Moritz is right. The sarcophagus in the basement is massive and contains five nested coffins. 12 Victories, representing Napoleon’s military victories, protect him even in death. It all seems a bit too pompous. Napoleon, however, is also very controversial in French society. Especially criticized are the high human losses in war and the reintroduction of slavery. On the other hand, there are the introduction of the Civil Code and the creation of important institutions and reforms.

Ultimately, he was exiled to an island and died alone, I think, and leave the crypt. The museum doesn’t offer much, so I soon continue on to the Eiffel Tower. Even from a distance, the sight of the Parisian landmark amazes me. Due to the early season, it’s not too crowded. Nevertheless, I decide against going up. The price is just too high for me. Instead, I take a selfie with my ukulele and record a video for my ukulele teachers in Hawaii - with the Eiffel Tower in the background.

I go to the Arc de Triomphe to get a nice view of the city. I almost don’t get past security. Taking musical instruments is usually prohibited. But they make an exception for my travel ukulele today. They just don’t want me to play it! The view from up there is truly breathtaking. A big advantage is that you can see the Eiffel Tower well from there. You can’t see it from the Eiffel Tower itself - logically. A friend from Vienna gave me this tip. The Arc de Triomphe was commissioned by Napoleon I to celebrate his victories. Nowadays, under the Triumphal Arch, is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, commemorating those who were never identified.

Welcome to Ukulele Paradise

Tonight, the Rendev’uke ukulele club is meeting. Since I have some time, I decide to take a detour to a guitar shop. Mathias gave me the tip. This time, I take the metro a few stops to the “Europe” station, where the shop is located. It should have a wide selection of ukuleles. At first, I enter the store somewhat shyly. But then I start chatting with a salesman who is a big ukulele enthusiast. I tell him about the ukulele clubs in the city, and he’s amazed at everything Paris has to offer. He then hands me the best and most expensive ukuleles the store has to offer. These include Japanese variants from Kiwaya and a Kawaka ukulele from Hawaii. Importing from the island takes at least 6 months. I pluck away on the instruments, which cost over €2,000, for about 1.5 hours. As a farewell, I buy a guitar tuner and say goodbye.

Now I have to hurry a bit to make it to my Rendev’uke on time!