From Madeira to Mars goes to FNAC!
FNAC and I, an old love.
I first met FNAC when I lived in Paris.
I was part of the ERASMUS program, on an internship at École Veterinaire de Maisons Alfort.One of the advantages of being ERASMUS is to have lots of free time, and get to know other professional and cultural realities. Learning to be alone in a strange country and to discover the stranger in us is perhaps the greatest advantage of all.
With free time and a roommate from Paris, Muriel, I discovered that Parisians have a delightful sense of humour which lead us to unusual places.
It was Muriel who first told me about Cirque du Soleil, who taught me how to eat macaroni with grated cheese and nutella and banana crepes. It was she, who took me to the movies to discover one of my favourite films of all time – “The Fabulous Destiny of Amélie Poulain” – yes, I was there in 2001. Walking on the streets of Paris with Muriel was like meeting a new city, running away from the tourists, perhaps as a result of having a house in the 9th arrondissement, right next to the madness of Pigalle and the Sacré Cour.
It was also in Paris that I discovered second-hand shops selling psychedelic pink lights that I hung on the curtains of my dorm room at the university residence.
It was also in Paris that I discovered that there was a guide called “Paris pas cher” that became my bible and led me to the FNAC Shop. FNAC (Fédération nationale d’achats pour cadres) was founded in an apartment in Paris in 1954 by two friends, André Essel and Max Théret. It started out as a private club and anyone who was associated could buy products with considerable discounts.
Its purpose was to make sure the pleasure of discovering new cultures and technologies was more accessible. This wonderful world of music and books where, in addition to the price (pas cher), I could spend endless hours, lying on extremely comfortable sofas, taking books off the shelves and leafing through them unashamedly. I kept waiting for the rain to stop, even if it did not rain outside. It had everything, photography, travel guides, technical books, movies, novels and horror. As for the music, they had headphones scattered around the store, with a loud and clear sound. One could just choose the last single and dance as if no one was watching.
What I liked the most about FNAC was that power and freedom of choice. The books and CDs were open, hand-sowed, waiting to be devoured, without the austerity and silence of a library. Needless to say, my Lisa Ekdahl cd purchased at FNAC from the at the time, came with me to Madeira.
Back in Portugal, CHIADO’s FNAC continues to be one of my favourite Lisbon stores. The advantages of a great city? I began to watch the concerts of FNAC, interviews and releases of singles and books. Next to the cafe, there was a sofa right next to a typical charming window, which made the perfect nook of contemplation with a coffee in hands and a book in my bag.
Oh my joy, when in 2006 the FNAC arrived in Madeira!
Oh my joy when I was invited by Bruno Olim, communication officer of FNAC Madeira, for a partnership and photography exhibition at FNAC MADEIRA!
It is with great pleasure that I invite you to visit FNAC Madeira.
Even if the sun shines outside, get lost in this world of books and music and go on a journey from Madeira to Mars, and maybe pretend to be an Erasmus in Paris 😉
The exhibition is opened on June 9 and includes some photographs of my trips and short excerpts from the blog. See you there?
