One Man's Trash is Another Man's Treasure

A return to the Paris series...

Clignancourt is home to the world's largest antiques market but to get there, you'll need to hold your breath and clutch your valuables close to you. This area is really quite iffy to the typical middle class North American traveller. It's on the outskirts of the romantic idealized Paris and most people would probably not even head out this way but we wanted to see the antiques market that attracts some of the wealthiest and most eclectic collectors in the world.

Some very strange and unusual things

It is exactly what you think it is. This store specializes in these!

First, you'll ride the metro out to the end of the line at Porte de Clignancourt. As preparation, should you decide to venture out this way, I would suggest you pack your cash in a cash belt for travelling and keep it close to your body and not let on where your funds are. I'd also suggest you not dress too fancy. We got out to meet a tour guide (which is highly recommended) to take us around. When you exit the station, you are greeted very enthusiastically by peddlers of (likely stolen) iPhones and other expensive smart phones and counterfeit (or stolen) high end watches/goods. Our guide provides us some background about the history of how these markets came into fruition and a little about the neighbourhood. There are many immigrants who live here in coop/government subsidized housing and you can tell it's not quite the same beautiful old architecture of the downtown Paris. The governments are trying to gentrify things but you know how thing like that are...

Many non-Parisians shop and ship things home!

We are initially led through a small temporary market of tents and tarps where people are selling cheap trinkets that are probably made overseas. Apparently many tourists don't get further (probably because they were nervous like I was!) and get sucked into these markets, thinking they're the real deal. Unfortunately for them, they are so ever wrong. The actual antique markets are further away and you need to keep going. There are several complexes of markets that have many vendors who carry things from Louis Vuitton travel trunks to vintage clothes and posters to antique furniture or old street lights or even small vehicles! I tell you, it's a sight to behold!!

One of the many complexes of vendors

We are led around a variety of markets and realize that we probably should have come out the first time to get acquainted and then return to see which places we wanted to narrow our searches down. Unfortunately for us, our planning wasn't as good as we wanted and we only had the opportunity to be introduced to the area.

All sorts of things!

In addition to the antiques market, this is the area where the French gypsy jazz, Jazz Manouche was born. Jazz Manouche is characterized by the lack of percusion instruments, brass or wood. The most common instruments are 2 guitars (one to keep the beat), bass and violin. It's a very eclectic sound that is unique and has the ability to bring you to a old time of Europe that I can't put my finger on. We visited a restaurant called La Chope de Puce where they had a live trio of 2 guitars and a violin play. For those music enthusiasts, you might know that this is the place the instigator of this music made it big... Django Reinhardt. It's most definitely worth checking out if you make your way out to the antiques market or even just to head out.

Learn Jazz Manouche

A Review: The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared

This book was not originally on my list and I haven't heard of it either. It came as a recommendation from my former manager as she said it is "light hearded, whimsical and funny". The only other information available to me was the back cover of the book that read "A reluctant centenarian with a life much like Forrest Gump's (if Gump were an explosives expert with a fondness for vodka) decides it not too late to start over...".

The author Jonas Jonasson is a Swede with a twisted and creative sense of humour. The plot he doctors up is twisted and ridiculous all while inserting itself in actual world history very nicely. This isn't a novel that has an overarching theme throughout the book, imbedded in the characters and plot; it's simply a book that requires some knowledge of historical events, an imagination and a sense of humour. Our story is centered around the main character Allan Karlsson--a centenarian who's as alert as you or I but bored of his life in the old folk's home. So, he decides to leave. He doesn't have a plan or a specific desire to go anywhere. But, when in his life has he ever?

As the reader follows Allan's journey of a series of unfortunate events, for others; we are also taken back to the days when he dined with Mao and Truman. For someone who is well versed in basic modern world history, this is either a sheer delight with the unusual story that unfolds, or is a blasphemous piece of prose that doesn't take history seriously. I think it's fun to see how Jonasson takes some liberties with what might have actually transpired between these historical figures and Allan Karlsson while maintaining the actual historical outcome.

The story itself doesn't have any specific purpose other than to entertain. I'd say if you're looking for something of a light and fun read with no real objective or outcome, this is one of those books. It's amusing and will, at times, make you laugh out loud or stare in disbelief at the absurdity of the events unfolding before you.

A Review: The World According to Garp

I'm not a heavy fiction reader. In fact, my requirements for a good fiction are generally high and typically, I bore quickly from a fictional read that doesn't catch my attention right away. This was my initial thought about The World According to Garp. I received the book (along with others) from ADW 5 years back when we first met. I suspect it was his way of trying to impress me with his bookworminess; frankly, he had a better chance of wooing me just by donning his glasses. The pile of books sat on my desk until I decided that I need to read more.

I didn't know what to expect from The World According to Garp; the cover gives nothing away and I've never heard of the author, John Irving. Wikipedia summarizes the major themes: death, gender roles, and sexuality. I was skeptical considering the dark subjects it focuses upon and wonder what Mr. Irving would do, to draw his reader in. The Wiki article goes on, to mention that this book is Mr. Irving's best selling title: I decided it was worthy of a chance.

Like much of our media now, there is a lot of sex in The World According to Garp; used as both a noun and a verb. The act of sex, getting it, wanting it, forcing it and the implications or expectations associated with being a specific sex. You could say that Irving sold the book like most marketers do now... with sex; a whole lot of it. But, he doesn't glamorize it like those CK billboards. He makes no attempts to hide anything about the "real deal". The implications of the act of sex as well as what it means to be associated with a specific sex. Irving really messes with the reader's socially conditioned version of sex as both a verb and noun. We're made to feel uncomfortable and out of our natural comfort zone of understanding and what's "normal".

Complimenting this theme of sex, he displays the dualities in virtually everything. Where there is life, there is a moment where death becomes the dominant leader. Or where there is bliss, there is great sorrow and sadness to contrast. The reader is never allowed the opportunity to just be happy for Garp and his family/friends. There is always momentary happiness which is usually followed by a great deal of sadness. But, isn't that the way life sort of is? I found the book's subjects to be very real. Surprisingly, several of the people in my life have read the book and have generally provided a somber or dire perspective on the plot. They have even gone as far as to tell me that the book is "heavy" and "they wouldn't read it again".

Although the story is thoroughly speckled with unusual (and uncomfortable) situations and characters that the average reader might consider to be too crude or even offensive, the reader is always reminded that the world isn't a pretty place and that the theme of sex seems to seep into everything somehow. I find myself not the least bit offended by Garp's actions as I keep a similar realistic (?) view on the world and its people. None of the bizarre cirucmstances seem too far fetched in my mind. So when I finished reading The World According to Garp, I was neither strongly opposed to the subjects he talks about or the characters Irving creates. I felt like Irving represented people with  experiences of disappointment, sadness, disappointment, anger/rage, jealousy, joy, desire, anxiety and happiness. I'd say he got well into the minds of people in general and just decided to make up an interesting story to "put it out there", if you will.

I know Irving has written some other books--not only this one has been adapted to the silver screen--and they all seem to address unconventional themes and issues; so certainly a "heavy read", but one that is real enough to keep us grounded in the reality of the world and its people.