It is currently crunch time for finals and a lot of work is to be done in less than a week. However, the temptations of Paris are hard to keep me locked in studio day and night. In order to escape work for a little bit, two of us decided to check out the Pere Lachaise Cemetery. I know, it sounds crazy that we would take a break to a cemetery, but a cemetery has a very different meaning in Paris than in the states. It is more of a park than than a place of mourning. The Pere Lachaise Cemetery is the biggest in Paris, and also the biggest green area in the entire city.
It was a beautiful area to escape and take a walk. Every tomb was different, some just a gravestone, others and entire mausoleum dedicated to the family. From one to the next, each grave was different and unique. And all placed together, it felt like a miny Paris. There wasn't one grave alike, you saw something new at every corner. It gave the feeling as if each and every grave was a statute, a building, a detail that wouldn't work alone; it had to be placed in this giant cemetery filled with thousands of others completely different from it to make sense. It was a strange feeling, and much different than the cemeteries back in the states, where most graves look the same other than the name placed upon it.
This cemetery wasn't only known for its size, but also for the people buried in it. There were several famous people buried here, most French, but others from around the world. The famous French singer, Edith Piaf was placed in the cemetery, with hundreds of flowers engulfing her tomb.
Probably the most famous of all is Jim Morrison, member of The Doors. You could tell you had reached it when you saw a large group of American's huddled around. It looked just like a normal tomb, situated within the thousands. The only way to really notice it was by the crowd standing around.
My favorite was probably one of the most famous composers, Chopin. He had a beautiful memorial that truly stood out in the pack, and not just because of the tourists. It was interesting in that the cemetery was again set up similarly to Paris. Each section was devoted to a certain type of person, such as classical musician, poet, singer, etc.- just like Paris was once divided by the food sold on each street, one for bread, one for milk, etc.
There were several graves that just stood out along the walk. They are all beautiful and different in their own sense. Here are a few of my favorites, however if you were to ask five different people to pick out there top, I am sure each and every single person would be completely different. The cemetery seemed to fit each person's personality and emotion, depending on where you were and who you are.
I was also able to take some beautiful pictures of flowers along the way. The cemetery gave a very serial feeling, and a very serial perspective of flowers. Again, here are some of my favorite.
So yes, this was my break from school- I know it may not sound like a blast to some, but for me, it was truly a good way to escape the mess that sat on my desk. It was a beautiful walk of Paris, one that any Parisian would feel at home taking. It truly shows the difference in cultures by one simple aspect of life.
I miss you all at home SO much and cannot wait to be home in exactly two weeks! I love you and miss you all. Thank you for reading!
