Hangzhou Global Tour: Day 25

This morning we went to a local Parisian farmers market to pick up a few things to prepare a picnic. As a foodie photography enthusiast, I was thrilled to capture some close-up shots of the vibrant produce and other edible goodness on display. Unfortunately, I learned many of the vendors are not so keen on people taking pictures of their goods. I don’t speak French, and I have no idea what was being said, but I was pretty sure I knew when unpleasant things were being said about me.

After an hour or so, we all gathered back at our bus en route to the famed Eiffel Tower where we would spread out some blankets on a grassy knoll at Champ de Mars, a large public green-space between the Eiffel Tower to the northwest, and the École Militaire to the southeast. We found a spot without hoards of people, but within sight of the iconic structure.

Throughout this Hangzhou Global Tour, we continue to find connections between the various cities and the cultures. In this particular case, Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, the designer and architect, also designed and built the Statue of Liberty in New York City, where we’ll end our epic tour in just a week or so.

After our picnic, we headed to Montmartre, another part of the city, where the famed Moulin Rouge and the Sacred Heart Basilica are located. Our bus dropped us off so we could individually explore. I immediately headed to the Basilica, which is located straight up a hill and offers the best views of Paris. The Sacred Heart Basilica was built in the 19th-century by the French government, following the Franco-Prussian War. This landmark is the highest point in the city and features a large medieval dome.

After walking around the area a bit, I noticed a group of people gathered, so I stopped to see what had garnered the attention. I discovered it was a shell game in progress. In the U.S. this is illegal, and while I’m familiar, I’d never seen it performed. I was quite surprised to see so many people observing and participating, as I believed everyone to know it’s a con game. I had been walking around with my GoPro and handheld gimbal when I came upon the shell game. As I negotiated my way closer to the action, the operator noticed my camera and was instantly perturbed. I quickly turned and walked away, but not without a level of paranoia. I swore the operator nodded to one of his cohorts, as if to follow me. I bobbed and weaved my way through the crowds just in case I was being followed. I soon made my way down Montmartre Butte to explore the lower parts of the district.

I thought I would walk to the Moulin Rouge as it’s such an iconic venue and snap a few photos. I didn’t realize it was located within the Red Light District of Paris. As I neared the area, I got a sense that it was probably not the best part of town…not for its risqué nature, but for the apparent scammers and looters. I later read a number of online posts warning people of the area—thankfully I was not there at night.

If you’re not familiar with the Moulin Rouge, it’s best known as the birthplace of the modern form of the can-can dance. Originally introduced as a seductive dance by the courtesans who operated from the site, the can-can dance revue evolved into a form of entertainment that led to the introduction of cabarets across Europe. Today, the Moulin Rouge is a tourist attraction, offering musical dance entertainment for visitors from around the world.

Tomorrow, we leave Europe for North America. Our first stop will be a Sister City of Hangzhou…Boston, Massachusetts. Please stay tuned for my next update. In the meantime, click here if you missed my last update. Or, click here to read the next one.