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Post by bixaorellana on Jun 2, 2020 22:22:35 GMT
Stupid question, but are the chairs in the café placed in that odd way so that people won't sit across from each other and accidentally spray on their table companions?
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Post by kerouac2 on Jun 3, 2020 3:12:14 GMT
Actually, that is the way that most Parisians want to sit. People watching is at least 50% of the attraction of going to a café and people together want to be able to comment on the same things.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jun 3, 2020 3:40:00 GMT
! -- I learn something new every day!
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Post by tod2 on Jun 3, 2020 17:45:23 GMT
Super update in photos Kerouac. I wonder how. many Anyporters know that from the Nelson Mandela gardens the domed building in the background was the Bourse de Commerce with the column of the Astrologer's Tower next to it. This tower is one of the monuments of Paris most surrounded by mystery. At the base , an inscription in Latin states that it is the sole relic of the Manor House built in 1572 by Catherine de Medici on the site of one of Louis d"Orleans residences. She had the tower 31m high built for her astrologer Cosimo Ruggoeri who had considerable influence over her. He always dressed in black , regularly climbed to the top of the tower with his patron in order to mutter magic formulae and read the future in the stars. But, when he died in 1615 the column fell into disuse and the legend has it that on stormy nights, a tall black silhouette appears in the metal cage at the top as lightening dances across the sky…… Could it be ol' Nelson….?
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Post by kerouac2 on Jun 3, 2020 18:06:54 GMT
In any case, the total renovation of the building is complete, and the "Collection Pinault" museum was supposed to open this month, but a certain world situation has delayed the inauguration until spring 2021.
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Post by lugg on Jun 4, 2020 8:34:52 GMT
Great photos and reporting thank you.Its fascinating to see that the people in such a large city are still being cautious. Here the roads are almost back to normal, indeed yesterday there was a complete log jam - all because the drive thru McDonalds had re-opened.
Enjoy it while you can K2 must be so nice to enjoy Paris without all the hoards of pesky tourists.
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Post by lagatta on Jun 4, 2020 10:57:28 GMT
Mandela might have had a chuckle seeing a veld in Paris...
The chairs look strange as they are usually placed like that in front of a café or other building, so both patrons could people-watch.
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Post by kerouac2 on Jun 4, 2020 11:18:54 GMT
Meanwhile, the government has announced that there will be no military parade for the Fête Nationale this year, just a ceremony at Place de la Concorde for medical workers.
No firemen's balls this year either.
There have been no announcements about the fireworks.
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Post by bjd on Jun 4, 2020 11:20:22 GMT
Meanwhile, the government has announced that there will be no military parade for the Fête Nationale this year, just a ceremony at Place de la Concorde for medical workers. No firemen's balls this year either. There have been no announcements about the fireworks. Since there will be such a huge budget deficit this year, they may as well save the money rather than having it go up in smoke.
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Post by kerouac2 on Jun 4, 2020 11:22:30 GMT
Don't forget that the public everywhere in the world need "bread and circuses" to reduce the risk of revolutions.
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Post by bjd on Jun 4, 2020 11:24:48 GMT
Well, there was no diplomat revolt when Hollande got rid of the 14th of July Elysée garden party.
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Post by kerouac2 on Jun 4, 2020 11:32:17 GMT
Actually, that was Sarkozy in 2010. And it had only existed since 1978 (Giscard d'Estaing) anyway. At least I was invited in 1989.
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Post by casimira on Jun 4, 2020 11:54:34 GMT
The re-opening of the cafes there was one of the lead stories on NPR this morning.
It must be nice to not have so many tourists everywhere but, one can't help wondering how many establishments will be able to survive without them. I know that will certainly be the case here.
The municipal gardeners really have their work cut out for them. A lot of annoying mowers will soon be in evidence. They never stopped maintaining the green spaces here.
How delightful that a pair of foxes used the opportunity to mate and have pups. I love that story.
Thanks Kerouac for getting out there and sharing this with us.
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Post by kerouac2 on Jun 9, 2020 10:09:56 GMT
Bicycle traffic has become intense. On the news they said that a lot of bicycle shops are sold out until September. Covid-19 is helping to make people healthier!
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Post by bjd on Jun 9, 2020 11:29:14 GMT
The government is offering 50€ towards bike repairs so bike shops are not only selling out, but the repairers are busy too.
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Post by casimira on Jun 9, 2020 12:25:06 GMT
The same is happening here too.
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Post by fumobici on Jun 9, 2020 14:26:32 GMT
An Italian acquaintance of mine has a bike shop near the Gare de Lyon. He reports doing very good business. I also know an American who bugged out of the US and bought a little bike shop in Vicenza, Italy. Haven't heard from him in a while.
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Post by tod2 on Jun 9, 2020 14:33:07 GMT
So different here. If you see someone on a bike it's bound to be a delivery of some kind - office papers, homemade food, not much else. A few younger guys might use it as a transport medium like our watchman/parking attendant at the shop, but the bike has to be stowed away out of sight and heavily chained to some immovable object. Most people do not even consider riding a bike anywhere as the possibility of being accosted and the bike taken off your hands at knife point are very real. The majority of bike riders are in groups belonging to a cycle club, but riding in our traffic is dangerous to say the least.
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Post by kerouac2 on Jun 10, 2020 16:10:09 GMT
I made a little video today to show what Paris is like as it deconfines. For those of you familiar with Paris, most of the scenes are from Gare de l'Est, the left bank along the Seine, the Luxembourg gardens, Gare du Nord and Rosa Parks.
There will be some still pictures before long.
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Post by htmb on Jun 10, 2020 19:19:34 GMT
Nice video, but strange to see the various areas so empty of people. Congratulations on catching the woman forgetting her mask before trying to bite into her pastry. I’m guessing that same thing will happen to many!
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Post by bixaorellana on Jun 10, 2020 22:37:58 GMT
Great video, although initially upsetting because it's hard to assimilate how empty everything is. You did get some wonderful shots -- I particularly love the b&w of the older man in a homburg. It was a relief to see "crowds" towards the end of the video.
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Post by lugg on Jun 11, 2020 9:12:06 GMT
Enjoyed seeing this video, thanks K2.
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Post by kerouac2 on Jun 11, 2020 11:08:51 GMT
Notre Dame swallowed by the wilds. This is the same flower bed that I showed earlier in the report, now replanted. two weeks ago The gardeners have been hard at work, but it won't look like much for another few weeks.
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Post by tod2 on Jun 11, 2020 12:45:50 GMT
Lovely video Kerouac! I did not miss the South African flag flying from the back of one of the little boats!
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Post by kerouac2 on Jun 11, 2020 14:09:48 GMT
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Post by kerouac2 on Jul 4, 2020 17:38:02 GMT
a vending machine for masks and sanitizer the fate of used masks
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Post by htmb on Jul 4, 2020 18:30:42 GMT
How clever it is to have that machine. Well spotted! I’m guessing that is Châtelet? Are there similar machines at other stations? Using disposable masks is problematic, to be sure, but I suppose they’re necessary at the moment. I wish it was as easy to get hand sanitizer here in my hometown. I haven’t been able to buy any in months.
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Post by kerouac2 on Jul 11, 2020 13:42:47 GMT
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Post by Biddy on Jul 12, 2020 14:00:30 GMT
Thanks for the lovely photos of current day Paris. Just love the pictorial tribute to healthcare workers at the Opera house. I so need a trip to Paris.
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Post by kerouac2 on Aug 15, 2020 16:20:11 GMT
Here are the rather dinky notices that have been put up in all areas where masks are required.
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