Page 111 of One Week in Paris
Unfortunately, my French escapes me. The only word I can make out is ‘theatre’. He’s taking me to the theatre. How fun.
I’m still speechless when we enter the stunning garden, a cozy alcove of trees, just budding, surrounded by historical whimsical buildings made of old stone. Red barn doors, carousel horses, and chandeliers hanging from ivy covered lines. Twinkling lights abound — it’s gorgeous. There are even mimes and fire artists entertaining the crowds.
“Oscar, this is beautiful,” I say.And romantic too.
His smile is precious. “I knew you would like it.”
“I do.”
“Wait till we get inside. You’re going to go crazy.”
“What is this place?” I ask, still confused. “Theatre?”
“Not quite,” he tells me. “It’s the museum of carnival arts. This place is full of old circus stuff. Antique merry-go-rounds, mechanical games, and a bunch of other weird stuff. They shot that scene fromMidnight in Parishere.”
My eyes grow wide. “No way! The bit when Gil goes back in time and he’s at that cool party with Adriana and she shows him a bicycle carousel?”
Oscar nods. “I know that’s one of your favorite movies.”
My eyes well up. This is the sweetest thing anyone’s ever done for me.
“Let’s go in,” he says, and I follow him, eager as a kid at an amusement park.
If I thoughtthe garden was amazing, I wasn’t prepared for the inside of the museum. It feels like I’ve walked into another era, like I’m Alice in Wonderland, and I’ve fallen down the rabbit hole. The place is spooky, mysterious and kind of creepy, but in a good way. It’s full of antique fairground paraphernalia, colorful and beautiful in its details — old carousel horses, jesters, strange sculptures. This place is absolutely magical.
“Did you know that I used to collect carousel horses when I was young?”
He smiles. “Yeah, you told me that. Your mom used to roam antique stores and thrift shops for them.”
“Yep… that’s my mom… quirky.”
My heart sinks at the thought of her. This fight we’re having leaves me feeling so broken. I’d forgotten about it these past few hours, too consumed with where Oscar was taking me.
“Check out the weird mermaid lady,” Oscar says, and I turn to look at the enchanting dark haired statue with the curled fish tail.
Marie, our tour leader is speaking French. Unfortunately, English speaking tours are only available in the summer, and she is speaking way too fast for me to understand what she’s saying. The six other people in our tour all appear to be French-speaking and are stuck to her words. Oscar and I are completely lost in our little world, but I don’t mind.
As I take in the overwhelming sights around me, I’m lost in a sensation I’ve never experienced before — whimsy. I feel like I’m in the pages of a storybook; a strange colorful fable, or like a small figure in an antique jewelry box, the pretty ones with the tiny mirrors and dancing ballerinas. This place is absolutely enchanting.
Oscar seems just as fascinated as I am.
First on the agenda is the antique carousel, over one hundred years old. The horses are so exquisite. I wonder about the long hours of work the artisans spent a century ago making these works of art. They take me back to my childhood bedroom. I wonder if mom has kept all my carousel horses. I sigh at the thought of her.
Oscar presses his mouth against my ear. “Remember Montmartre?”
I smile, an inconspicuous grin full of naughty memories. Of course I remember Montmartre and the Moulin Rouge. That may have been the sexiest night of my life.
We hop on, side by side, and as we turn and turn, I marvel at the lights surrounding us and the Victorian beauty of it all; golden gilding and bright colors. I study the strange sculptures, and revel in the classical music playing in the background and the joyful faces around me.
We then hop on the Venetian steel boats. They hold two people each, and Oscar and I share one. He kisses me chastely and I squeeze his hand. There are stunning painted murals of Venice surrounding us. I’ve never been, and I’m pretty sure this is the closest I’ll ever get. I close my eyes for a second as the boat rocks us back and forth.
Next, we hop on another carousel. This time we sit in a beautifully detailed ornate gold carriage. The mystical fish lady stands up high in the middle. Edith Piaf is playing in the background. I recognize her voice from the movie,La Vie en Rose.
Marie has saved the best for last. The antique bicycle powered merry-go-round dates back to 1896, and is the very one featured inMidnight in Paris. I’m excited as we all get to sit on the tricycles and pedal to make it move. Talk about a unique experience — there can’t be too many of these in the world. Oscar winks at me. “Faster,” he calls out. “Vite. Vite. Vite.”
I laugh. I didn’t know he could speak French.
Following the rides, our host leads us to discover even more amazing sights. She is still chatting away, quite attractive in that classic way stylish French women are. She has long dark hair, and wears a classic white shirt and black pants. But my attention is on all the mannequins wearing the beautiful vintage hats and dresses. God, how I wish I knew what she was saying — I’d love to know more about them.
