Two Roman gladiators enter the arena, their swords raised. With each step of their boots, they kick up a cloud of dust. In between them, tall and ferocious, struts Michael Jackson.
The girls celebrate Mi-Carême today, and the easiest way to describe it is Halloween in March. In reality, it is a celebration of the half-way point of Lent, much as Carnaval is a way to blow off steam at the beginning of Lent. Mi-Carême is not only uniquely a Catholic holiday, it is uniquely a French Catholic holiday, which makes perfect sense, since the French never go more than six weeks without a major school break, or even more than two days in a row for elementary school (Wednesday is a day off). I wonder what would happen if the thing that a French person gave up for Lent was taking so many vacation days? It's like contemplating the beginning of time or the end of space.
The children dress up and parade through the fifth arrondissement up to the Arène de Lutèce, an honest-to-goodness two-thousand year old Roman arena in the heart of Paris. What I love most about this arena is that it's practically hidden from the street and that it had been lost and covered for centuries before being rediscovered in the 1860s. Every time I walk in, I feel like I'm making an important archeological discovery. Me and the old guys playing pétanque (French bocce), that is.
I had hoped that the choice of Mi-Carême costumes would be more culturally enlightening, but, in fact, it is very similar to what a group of American children would be wearing. Nearly all of the girls are princesses of some sort, though admittedly there is a higher percentage of flamenco dresses here than I'm used to seeing. There are boys dressed as gladiators, pirates, Indians, and of course Star Wars characters. There are a few girls -- bless their hearts -- dressed in non-princess clothing: one Zorro in G's class, a firefighter in P's class, and one mini Queen of England (at least it's not a princess). And then we have P and G themselves. P is a cheetah, accessorized thanks to a certain Ubisoft holiday party that I inadvertently crashed. G is dressed in -- if you've been reading the blog regularly, this will not come as a shock to you -- her Indian sari. It looks fabulous, and by God, I'm beginning to think there is no occasion at which you can't wear a sari.
Instead of Trick-or-Treating, they simply parade around town to show off their costumes, then return to school for a table laden with -- if you've been reading the blog regularly, this will also not come as a shock to you -- sugar, sugar, chocolate, chocolate, and more sugary chocolate and chocolaty sugar. There is also a drink provided for thirsty children: It is the color of a Smurf and appears to made of two ingredients -- sugar and artificial FD&C dye Blue No. 1, E133.
The girls celebrate Mi-Carême today, and the easiest way to describe it is Halloween in March. In reality, it is a celebration of the half-way point of Lent, much as Carnaval is a way to blow off steam at the beginning of Lent. Mi-Carême is not only uniquely a Catholic holiday, it is uniquely a French Catholic holiday, which makes perfect sense, since the French never go more than six weeks without a major school break, or even more than two days in a row for elementary school (Wednesday is a day off). I wonder what would happen if the thing that a French person gave up for Lent was taking so many vacation days? It's like contemplating the beginning of time or the end of space.
The children dress up and parade through the fifth arrondissement up to the Arène de Lutèce, an honest-to-goodness two-thousand year old Roman arena in the heart of Paris. What I love most about this arena is that it's practically hidden from the street and that it had been lost and covered for centuries before being rediscovered in the 1860s. Every time I walk in, I feel like I'm making an important archeological discovery. Me and the old guys playing pétanque (French bocce), that is.
I had hoped that the choice of Mi-Carême costumes would be more culturally enlightening, but, in fact, it is very similar to what a group of American children would be wearing. Nearly all of the girls are princesses of some sort, though admittedly there is a higher percentage of flamenco dresses here than I'm used to seeing. There are boys dressed as gladiators, pirates, Indians, and of course Star Wars characters. There are a few girls -- bless their hearts -- dressed in non-princess clothing: one Zorro in G's class, a firefighter in P's class, and one mini Queen of England (at least it's not a princess). And then we have P and G themselves. P is a cheetah, accessorized thanks to a certain Ubisoft holiday party that I inadvertently crashed. G is dressed in -- if you've been reading the blog regularly, this will not come as a shock to you -- her Indian sari. It looks fabulous, and by God, I'm beginning to think there is no occasion at which you can't wear a sari.
Instead of Trick-or-Treating, they simply parade around town to show off their costumes, then return to school for a table laden with -- if you've been reading the blog regularly, this will also not come as a shock to you -- sugar, sugar, chocolate, chocolate, and more sugary chocolate and chocolaty sugar. There is also a drink provided for thirsty children: It is the color of a Smurf and appears to made of two ingredients -- sugar and artificial FD&C dye Blue No. 1, E133.
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