Paris - Aug 21

Alas, today was the second last day of my Paris adventure.  It has gone by so fast.  But it was another good day.  It was cool and rainy.  The temp only got to 64 (18C) with a good stiff wind.  It was a test for days to come, I hope not...  I rode the rental bike into a stiff wind which proved to be a challenge as the bike weighs a ton.  But exercise I did get.😓

I am biking today extensively as I have finally found my threshold for pain.  I think that I need some new parts.  It started with the knee then evolved with the ankle (it has been a problem for some time) since I was favoring the knee.  Now it is the foot.  I think I have pushed it to hard.  Ya think?!  Now walking is a new experience in pain...  So biking I go with only short stints of walking.  Gotta let it heal.

I visited two sites today.  The first was exquisite and the other rather stunk (I will explain more shortly).

The first was the Musee de Cluny which was a classic Middle Ages home that was built on the ruins of the largest Roman Bath site.

It had a mix of wonderful treasures from the Middle Ages that were part of the estate itself and many that had been uncovered over the ages.  As you went from room to room life in those times unfolded.  It was a wonderful experience.

The towers of the castle.  It really couldn't be called a castle as its function was not of a royal nature.  It was the home of a high ranking noble.

The most interesting part of the museum was the Roman bath ruins.  It is one of the most complete sites in Western Europe.  The above is the fridgidarium.  It is the cold water pool that is the last step of the bathing process.  The bather would start by disrobing, then spreading oils over the body, then exercise to open the pores in rooms heated from the floors.  For those that weren't into exercise there were sauna, hot air, type rooms.  Then they would scrape the skin with utensils designed for the task.  And lastly rinse in the cold water pools.  They would do this daily.

The architecture was exquisite and evident as you looked at the walls.  You can seen alternating rows of stones and then rocks.  You can now only see the structural aspects of the walls, ceilings and floors.  They would have been covered with decorative tile, plaster and intricate paintings or stone tablets with carved details.

Around the arches you can see the use of brick as a structural element to allow the round lines.

This is the bath tub circa first century.  It was used by Romans who did not want to go in the collective cold water pool.

The next visit was to the Publique des Egouts de Paris, the Paris public sewers. Yes this was the part that stunk, literally!  But it was interesting as long as you could get past the smell.

This was one of the waste tunnels that was carrying stuff.  Yes, stuff...

This was one of many mechanisms that are used to keep the tunnels and pipes free of clogging material.  They put one of these balls, iron or wood depending on the tunnel, into the area that needs to be cleaned out.  The ball is slightly smaller than the diameter of the pipe.  The water builds up behind it with great pressure pushing it forward.  And an amount of water flows around it to help clean up the  sand, silt and stuff that accumulates.  This aids in keeping the sewer piping free flowing with the maximum capacity.  There are several other types of instruments but they all operate on the same principle.  

There were plaques that described the evolution of Paris and the system for moving drinking water and waste through the city.   It was only until crisis occurred that the sewer system really evolved with conviction.  For instance the plague of 1832 had its origins in the open sewer that flowed through the streets.  It was after that did a concerted sewer system evolve.

Water for drinking in the city came from the fountains that we now see as strictly decorative.  The fountains were fed from the Seine and in some cases springs.  There was a burgeoning business for water bearers/delivery people to get the water from the fountains to the homes.  One of the 20,000 water delivery people was the Perrier Brothers.  Hence the origins of a familiar name of today...

I finished the day with a wonderful French meal...  Quiche Lorraine with a salad, Blanquette du Veau Facon Grand-Mere, and Tatre aux pommes.  Delicious...

And lastly, I think I am getting the hang of Paris.  Today I was asked in two separate occasions for directions.  And guess what... I knew what to tell them and where to go!  😊