To get to know my neighborhood better, I walked around on Sunday afternoon after I arrived. Even though everything was closed, I still enjoyed getting to know what was near where I am staying. I was tired after my long walk around town, but on Monday morning I was happy that I stayed out so much because it was raining when I woke up for my first day of work. The other way I enjoy getting to know my area is by running early in the morning.
I decided to run an easy loop: down rue de Grenelle toward the Invalides and then back up rue de Varenne. I enjoyed looking around during my run at the tall apartment buildings and garden at the back of the Invalides with its cone-shaped trees. The sky was so dark that I thought the sun hadn’t come up yet. It wasn’t until I was on the south side of the Invalides that I saw a bright orange sliver in the sky.
The cool rain on my face was refreshing even though it wasn’t warm outside.
What made me the happiest on that first run was right before I reached the corner of rue de Varenne, I was next to the Rodin Museum. When I was on the rue de Varenne, I peeked inside the garden through the tall windows in the cement wall.
I didn’t know why there were so many policemen in the area until I ran past the Hotel de Matignon which is the Prime Minister’s main residence in Paris.
On Tuesday morning, the sun was shining without a cloud in the sky. The same run seemed so much different because I could see everything a lot clearer. What’s great is that between my run in the morning and my walk to the métro station, the streets fill up with people. When I’m running, I feel almost alone in the city, but when I walk down the same streets later on in the morning, people are walking by me.
Each time I’ve come to Paris, I have gone to a slightly different area. I am still in the 7th, but in an area that’s closer to Boulevard Saint-Germain. The feel of this part of Paris, even though it’s not far from where I was the last few times, is very different. I’m enjoying it even though I mostly see it only in the morning and early evening.
I still enjoy the runs because it’s my time to get to know the city better. Recognizing streets and shops always makes me feel more comfortable in a new place.
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