Shakespeare and Company - Paris France

Shakespeare and Company is a book store that is located in Paris. It's not anything that most people would look at and stop at unless they are aware that it's there. When I went to Paris I had heard of this bookstore and was thinking that I would check it out, however one of the other people that I took the trip with was familiar with it, and told me that it was a must see. Because of that we took a special trip just to see the bookstore, and I have to admit that it was well worth the trip.

The store has a great amount of history behind it, in fact most people are not aware that the current store that is open was not the first one that was opened. The first store with this name was opened in 1919 by Sylvia Beach, then in 1922, the store closed and moved to a larger location. During it's peak in the 20s many writers would use this store as a place to gather, writers such as Hemmingway, Jame Joyce, and Ford Madox Ford, where among a few of the patrons. When the Germans occupied France in 1941, the store was closed, and did not reopen.

In 1951, a store called Le Mistral was opened by George Whitman, but in 1964, Whitman renamed the store to Shakespeare and Company as a tribute to the store that was opened by Beach. When visitors see the store today it serves as both a reading library and store. The store also has beds for writers to stay in, Whitman allowed writers to stay there for free if they did chores and worked in the shop. When George Whitman passed away his daughter took over control of the store and continues to run it in the same way that her father did.



When I visited the store I have to admit I wasn't expecting much, but they actually have many different books, old and new. I could have spent all day in the store but my time was short, when I go back to Paris I plan to spend a lot more time at the store. It can seem a little small and almost cluttered, but don't let that keep you from exploring the store and missing out on this great experience. It's a fun place to just wander and look around, and you might even find some treasures if you are interested in reading, or collecting old books. There are many days in which you can find events such as readings, workshops, and other special events at the store. If you are interested in learning what is going on during your trip you can visit their website and look at the upcoming events.

The store is located at:
37 rue de la Bûcherie
75005 Paris
Phone: 00 33 (0) 1 43 25 40 93

Hours: Monday-Friday 10am-11pm
Saturday and Sunday 11am-11pm

Website: http://www.shakespeareandcompany.com/

Sacre Coeur - Paris France



The Basilica

 When I took my trip to Paris the very first night we took a trip up to Sacre Coeur, which I have to admit was a nice place, but by the time that we got there we were all so tired that we couldn't enjoy it all that much. We had just spent all night on a plane and walking in the rain. So my very first piece of advice when visiting this landmark is to make sure that you don't go when you are tired or right after you get to Paris if you are flying a long overnight flight.

The first thing that I did when I had some free time was go back to this place on my own so that I could view it on a beautiful day when I wasn't so tired. Therefore the next thing that I would tell any visitor is to make sure that you visit on a nice day. There are many things that you can see but The Basilica is what most people picture in their minds when they think of Sacre Coeur. And while most people will see The Basilica and then leave it's important to know that you can see some wonderful views of the city while at the top of the hill.

View of Paris

Be prepared to walk a good bit, when you are at the top of the hill you will do a lot of walking if you wish to see all the views that this place has to offer. Not only will you walk once you get to the top but you will also walk to get to the top, in fact there are a lot of stairs that you will have to climb to see the Basilica and to see the view of Paris. Make sure that you wear comfortable shoes that you can walk in. I did not get to explore the area as well as I would have liked but I did have a wonderful time walking and just enjoying the view of Paris and the fresh air. I have to admit it was one of my favorite views of the city that I experienced while I was in Paris.

Make sure to plan your trip in advance as there are opening and closing hours that you need to make sure that you know. The last thing that you want to do is get all the way there and then find out that the top of the dome is closed. Another thing that you need to make sure of is that you show respect, while this is a landmark and something that many people visit each year, it's also a place of worship and a place that should be respected.

Hours of operation:
The Basilica is open every day 6am-10:30pm (last entry at about 10:15)
Climb to the top of the Dome 9am-7pm (in the winter 6pm)
The crypt can also be viewed but opening times will vary
The shop is open every day except Mondays from 9:15-5:45

The address is:
BASILIQUE DU SACRE-CŒUR DE MONTMARTRE
ADORATION EUCHARISTIQUE JOUR ET NUIT
35, RUE DU CHEVALIER-DE-LA-BARRE
75018 PARIS

The Loss of a Childhood Memory in the Magic Kingdom - Orlando Florida

Just as the post says, the loss of a childhood memory for many people that have come to the Magic Kingdom in Orlando Florida. It's with a sad face that I have to announce that Disney World has closed Snow White's Scary Adventure for good. Theme parks have always changed and gotten rid of rides and shows to update and make sure that they stay the most popular (or at least try to stay the most popular), however from time to time theme parks will make decisions that take away a favorite or a classic in a massive "miss". For instance when Universal Studios replaced Back to the Future with The Simpsons it was almost enough to make me never go there again. But then again Universal has a habit of getting rid of rides instead of adding on.

However Disney is usually pretty good about making sure that all the classics are maintained and new areas are simply added instead of getting rid of a classic. While Disney has done some things in the past that I was not in favor of they usually make me happy. For instance I was not a fan of changing Pirates of the Caribbean to have characters from the movie in it, and change the dialogue  to appear more like the movie (to all you that thought the ride was based off the movie, no that's not true). The changes to the Haunted Mansion are kind of good, but at least they didn't get rid of any of the classic parts. The got rid of Mr. Toad's Wilde Ride to replace it with Winnie the Pooh, but they do have Mr. Toad at Disneyland, and Winnie the Pooh has become a classic on its own. This new development however has made mad.

The first thing that Disney decided to do was expand Fantasyland by way to getting rid of everything that was in Toon Town except the Barnstormer, okay, I can get on board with that. Two new rides, two new castles and the seven dwarf's mine. However, the first stupid thing they did was move and update Dumbo. At least they are keeping it, but there was something special about riding Dumbo and being over Fantasyland and seeing Cinderella's Castle while you were riding. Now you see the back of trees, the Tomorrowland Speedway and the Barnstormer, and it looks like a circus. I still love Dumbo, but it took away some the magic.

But not only did they do this, they also decided that since they were building a seven dwarf's mine ride they no longer need Snow White's Scary Adventure. This is one of the orginial rides in Fantasyland and classic. They logic, so I was told that was Walt Disney said that they would always be updating and adding, but what they left out was that Walt Disney also said that he wanted a park for an entire family to enjoy. Snow White's Scary Adventure, aside from being a classic, was one that there were no limits as to who could ride, any size, and age. The new seven dwarf's mine ride has a height requirement. Not only are they closing Snow White, because they are adding a ride that not everyone can ride, but they are adding a meet and greet for princesses in it's place. I was told this was because they never fit in toon town, well duh! I think everyone can go with that. However given that they are building two castle and have a lot construction going on, wouldn't it seem a better fit to place them there instead of next to Peter Pan and Winnie the Pooh? And will you be moving the Fairie meet and greet out of Adventureland, I'm sorry but that doesn't make sense either. And by doing that they could keep a classic that all ages can ride. I mean you have the ride, why not just keep it? I'm sorry Disney I look forward to your update, but you missed on these two.

The good news is that most people never know the different or miss the magic of the orginal Dumbo or miss Snow White, but for those that have childhood memories of these, it's a sad day.

Pere Lachaise - Paris France

Alfred Chopin's Grave

When I went to Paris one of the things that I was most excited to see while there was Pere-Lachaise Cemetery. Most people might not really think of a cemetery as a must see when visiting a new place. But this cemetery is really a must see. Not only does the cemetery itself have a lot of history but you can see graves from famous people. The cemetery itself houses over 300,000 graves, making it the largest cemetery in Paris, and one of the most visited cemeteries worldwide. When you visit this cemetery there are a few things that you need to remember to help make your trip a lot easier.

The first thing that I would tell someone is that you can get free guide maps. When I went we didn't know that you could get these maps so we were wandering around the cemetery and losing our way everytime we took a step. It's still a good idea to make sure that you have an idea of the layout of the cemetery before you go, you can find maps online. Its also not a bad idea to make sure that you know what graves you would like to see before arriving. This will help to make your trip more enjoyable and you can map out where the graves that you want to see are, and then take a stroll and see who else you can find amid the gravestones. If you find that you simply don't want to bother finding your way around you can get guided tours of the cemetery, but you must call in advance and book them.

Oscar Wilde's Grave

While Pere-Lachaise is the final resting place for many famous people many of the headstones and gravesites that are throughout the cemetery are interesting and in a way beautiful to see. So while walking along the paths make sure that you take a look along the way as you can see some very interesting things. If you are looking to make sure that you see some of the famous graves then make sure that you take note of certain ones. Jim Morrison, Chopin, Victor Hugo, and Oscar Wilde are just a few that you will want to make sure that you see. While you are at Oscar Wilde's grave you will notice that there is a wall that seperates the grave from visitors, this is because admirers were leaving their lipstick marks on the grave, in a tribute to the author, by leaving an "admirer's kiss", however since my visit the grave has been cleaned and a glass wall placed in front of the grave.

Victor Noir's Grave

If you are interested in a little bit of a strange but fun tradition then you will want to visit Victor Noir's grave. Victor Noir was a French journalist who was shot to death in a duel at the age of 22. The grave portrays him laying flat on his back, (life size), clothed with a hate having fallen to his feet, and a bulge in his pants, exactly the way that he fell to ground after he was shot. Victor Noir was known to be womanizer and a sex symbol. Today, people visit the grave and touch the crotch of the statue, its said to help with infertility and other sexual ailments and some even believe if will help them find a husband.

Jim Morrison's Grave

The cemetery is open

Mid-March through early November: 7:30 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Mon.-Friday; 8:30 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Saturday; 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Sunday and bank holidays.

Mid-November through early March: 8:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mon.-Friday; 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Saturday; 9:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Sunday and bank holidays.