Montmartre: Trick or Treat?

   So, Montmartre has gotten a bad rap for being the place of prostitutes, muggings, thieving, assertive sales people who trap your wrist in those dang bracelet things and try to make your buy them, and basically the biggest tourist trap ever.

   While this isn't necessarily untrue, I'd like to say that it also is a really fun place...if you've got a bit of "street-saviness"...and you don't go there late at night.

 Street-saviness= Don't act like a unintelligent tourist. Instead act like a smart tourist.

Smart tourist:

1. Don't let your personal belongings out of your sight/ off of your person--EVER.

2. Always be aware of your surroundings and belongings.

3. Look at what the locals do (this will help you lots on the metro, crossing the street, etc.)

4. Yes, you are a tourist, so it's impossible to not act like a tourist. However, if you just soften your voice a teeny bit and try not to attract attention you will immediately reduce the chance of being a target for 1. pickpockets 2. weirdos  and 3. tourist haters. 

tip: if any of the above approach you A. secure your belongings B. ignore them--don't make eye contact and look grumpy/indifferent. If they continue to try to interact with you be a bit rude and say "no thanks", ignore them, and get out of Dodge (3:10). 

I feel like all of those should be fairly obvious, but it never fails to surprise me when I see someone not being very clever about being in a strange land. 

   Anyway, now you remember how to be all street-savy-- go to Montmartre and enjoy the view! 

  There are always people busking! It's super to sit on the steps to Sacre Coeur, look at the view and be serenaded while the sun is setting.

They also have cobble stones and:

Art nouveau!

   Many artists frequented/lived by the Montmartre area, so if you look around you may stumble upon one of their old haunts.

Remember all of the paintings of this?

Also, there's lots of street art!

This isn't street art. It's a banana on some stairs.

This is a fantastic movie (erm, somewhat edited...):

A herding of narwhales!

This will be me one day.

Yo! E=mc^2.

Also, there's a carousel...several actually.

So, there's proof that Montmartre can be fun! Also, it's got some pretty great discount shops as well as the pay-400$-for-custom-shoelaces shops, along with the usual tourist tat. So if you're in a hurry to pick up some souvenirs for Aunt Bertha, this is the place.

And of course for you Moulin Rouge fans:

  I had vowed to never go by this place ever because I don't think the stuff that happens along this street is cool, nope, not one bit. However, I did like the movie (as far as chick-flicks go)...and was hoping that *Ewan McGregor had remembered that he was in love with me and was hanging around...he wasn't. So I did walk down to the Moulin Rouge, quickly glanced at the obviously naughty bit of Montmartre-- and upon finding no Ewan, went back to watch the sunset at Sacre Coeur.

  I like how bohemian this little hill (butte) is, even all of the touristy things don't completely take away the charm of the old city. 

*(if you watch this clip, ignore the first bit with Satine-- she has issues.)