************************** APARTMENT AVAILABLE IN PARIS **************************
My apartment in Paris is still available to be rented from August 24 through Sept 30. It’s a great opportunity for someone to come to Paris for a late summer visit. Don’t hesitate to contact me for more information. To see some images of the apartment, CLICK HERE.
************************** APARTMENT AVAILABLE IN PARIS **************************
The big Bastille Day celebration happened this week, bringing with it the annual military parade. This year’s parade celebrated France’s ties with India (or maybe it was because they want to sell India more nuclear technology?) and was attended by many dignitaries including Carla Bruni-Sarkozy and her husband Nic, the prime ministers of India and Cambodia and the President of Germany.
French Military Jets over Place de la Concorde - Bastille Day Parade
Indian troops participated in the parade and looked pretty happy to be featured. The highlight for me was the French paratroopers landing in the Place de la Concorde.
French Paratrooper over Place de la Concorde - Bastille Day Parade
At night, the Eiffel tower celebrated it’s 120th year but there were seriously WAY too many people around the tower to watch the fireworks for me to go there. Estimates put the number at about 700,000. If you’d like to watch some video of the fireworks show, CLICK HERE. The video is almost 30 minutes long so I’d recommend watching just the last few minutes.
And of course, my favorite Bastille Day tradition took place and set a new record … for number of cars burnt throughout France. Almost 500 cars were intentionally burnt this Bastille Day. I burnt a small model car in my apartment in solidarity.
To see more images from the Bastille Day parade, including Carla and Nic, CLICK HERE.
Many Americans marvel at how the French view their work – some with admiration and some with disgust. I’ve always loved how much free time people seem to have here but at the same time, despise how few people seem to actually care about helping you as a customer. I came across a work-related story this week that really shocked me. The family that owns and runs the most famous ice cream in France – Berthillon on Ile St Louis – decided to close the place and take a 1.5 month vacation right in the middle of summer and tourist season! I can’t find the article in English to show you but the best part of the article was the quote from the daughter: “”The Parisians leave for the beach, so we do also”. Vive la France!!!
Another story caught my attention this week, this one for really being a microcosm of today’s American society as well as for its poetic justice:
Teen Girl Falls In Open Manhole While Texting, Blames DEP For Leaving Hole Unattended
It was an accident waiting to happen — an open sewer and a 15-year-old girl who was texting while she walked. Alexa Longueira, a high school sophomore, was walking along Victory Boulevard near Travis Avenue on Staten Island Wednesday evening when she felt the earth move and was plunged into smelly darkness. She said the manhole she fell in to was left open and unattended with no warning signs or orange cones. She said two workers with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection failed to secure the area as they prepared to flush the sewer.
“It was just really gross and it was shocking and scary,” she said. “Because of their careless mistake I got hurt.” Longueira has deep cuts and bruises and said she now has nightmares about falling, but she also did admit she was texting at the time.
And finally, yet another story I liked:
Duluth police search for rubber ball fetish burglar
A Duluth man with a history of burglary to satisfy a self-professed sexual fetish for slashing large rubber exercise balls has been at it again, according to a complaint made public on Thursday. Christopher Bjerkness, 31, is accused of breaking into the St. Mary’s/Duluth Clinic West building, where he allegedly slashed exercise balls. In 2005 he was convicted of slashing 70 balls after breaking into a sports facility at the University of Minnesota.
Whatever gets you through the night 🙂
Some photos of the week:
La Bellevilloise - A Cool Social Complex and Co-Op in the 20th arrondissement
"We Want the Bonus" - Love this photo - I wish I took it!
Eyes - Maison Europeenne de la Photographie
Paris Weekly 