Shutters

Posted by Stephen - July 19 2009

Shutters

Many of you know that my degree is in History. I actually enjoy the subject, still read a lot of biographies, historical novels. One of the things I enjoy about my travel, is I get to see parts of the world where history took place, and for me, part of that enjoyment is seeing places that have not changed over the centuries. I often wonder what it was like "way back then". However, cities and places do change, one persons view of quaint is another persons nuisance. Times move on, technology makes everyones life easier, even if they live in a lovely 100 year old apartment in Paris (By the way, I do not live in a lovely 100 year old apartment) . One of the traditional attractions of European cities is of course the classic architecture, and a very strong feature we recall is the way homes have large windows with shutters. The first photo below is everyones image of France houses and shutters n'est ce pas ?

How it should be....

Or streets like this...
This is the way Paris is supposed to look. Alas, the reality is different.

This is my street, rue Amelot on a Sunday morning.

The local "scooter store"

I guess the reality of crime and security demands that the window displays we used to see at night to entice future shoppers have disappeared for the security and peace of mind of roll down metal shutters. Started in the hood, now is mainstreet across the world.

Even where there are traditional shutters, the combination of white paint and Paris air makes for a strange look to the place when shutters are closed.

I tell you this because my apartment has shutters. Every apartment in Paris has these covering most windows and it is a bit jarring when you first arrive. Genya and I experienced this in Florence when we arrived at our apartment at about 11:00 pm our first night...really felt like a deserted ally. I am now bit more used to it, but on occasion I look up and it seems as if every window is shuttered. I guess with the holiday and vacation period upon us, and many Parisiens out of town, this will get more prevalent. While the picture below is NOT my apartment, the photo is pretty similar. I have a larger balcony, but the same large window and gray metal shutters...or so I thought.

I tell you this shutter story for a reason...

While I am generally a pretty neat person, like everyone I clean up for company. So, this Sunday I was doing a minor clean up, getting ready for Genya's arrival, I was cleaning the inside stoop in front of my window, cleaning the windows and looking at my shutters. For some reason I touched it...to my surprise, it was not grey metal. In fact it was neither gray nor metal, it is white plastic. Very very dirty white plastic...and I am talking about the part facing INSIDE the apartment. I started with Windex and a paper towel, that lasted about 6 paper towels and a third of my Windex. It took about an hour, sponges, pail, strong cleaner. I rinsed the pail about 7 times. As I have a new carpet in the apartment I had to be very careful not to get any of the black water on the carpet. And, as the lock on my sliding door is broken and I can only open 1/2 half the door( This is temporary I am told). So I only cleaned 1/2 the shutter. See below.

I am tired and I am going for a nap... Sunday in Paris, gotta love the excitement.