Addendum and Answers; Bastille Day

Addendum: The name of the Mexican restaurant mentioned in the last entry is, Anahua Calli, Especialdades Mexicanas, 30 rue des Bernardins, Paris 75005, Metro Maubert. On Rue Bernardins, south of Quai Montebello/Quai de la Tournelle and near the corner with Blvd. Saint-Germain.

Question: Why consider eating Mexican food rather than French food in Paris?
Answer: One, since I grew up in Texas, I’m familiar with it. Two, the use of certain spices and peppers in the cooking appeals to me. I passed a local restaurant yesterday which indicated by window sign that it served French food. An additional placard states that oignon soupe and escargot bourguignon are items on offer. I’ve noted such notifications before and wondered why it was necessary to provide them.

Question: Why mention riding buses at the exclusion of riding the metro?
Answer: One, I also use the metro; particularly if there is a time constraint. I arrived in the city by metro, using a few escalators, about three long walkways (stand to the right), and I was happy that there was only one flight of stairs to be mounted with heavy luggage. Two, you see much more of Paris above ground when heading out for a museum or dinner, or sightseeing. It is much more pleasurable; worth learning the way the system operates; and the same tickets are used for the buses (now transfers are allowed),

BASTILLE DAY PARADE
Also referred to as the Republican Day parade, as it was essentially a military parade. India’s Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, and some Indian regiments (about 400 men (women?)), were invited to participate. The French Republic wished to commemorate the participation of India’s soldiers in the two world wars.

After the parade, I had the delight of watching the Prime Minister’s motorcade pass me as I waited for a bus on Blvd. Saint-Germain. White-helmeted-and-gloved motorcycle policemen rode before and after the motorcade, one roared by at TOP speed in the bus lane to catch up. The motorcade could be identified as the Indian PM’s because the Indian flag flutteried on the front of a car. The PM must have been in one of the four black limousines which passed.

Parade: I feel I need to describe the parade as I experienced it. This was quite in a jumbled manner, sights and sounds, this and that, adding up to the whole experience. It began with the decision to go and the “metro” ride to get there (bus transportation was halted). I was soon caught up in the stream of merging people as the metro neared the site of the parade on the Champs-Élysées. An orderly, patient crowd, about 15 broad at the platform exit at CE/Clemenceau (no.1 line) narrowed to about 6 or 8 people as it proceeded up a non-functioning escalator and stairs for the exit to the street. The ubiquitous barricades hemmed in the spectators. At first, I and many others squirreled around the plaza in front of the metro exit. I had hoped to move further east down the Champs-Élysées, but had to go in the other direction, jockeying for a position as close to the front as possible.

Luckily the nicely-shaped trees provided shade from the bright sun at 10:00 a.m. At about 5 deep, I could NOT see anything. I briefly glimpsed the passage of fighter jets streaming blue-white-red colored smoke. The parade was accompanied by marshal music from speakers attached to every other tree. (An interesting selection of music, including a piece I recognized by Wagner.) Every so often, I could see the tops of caps, the rigid round-shaped brimmed ones. Then, the tops of military (and police) equipment: trucks, tanks, emergency vehicles, etc. The loud rumbling noise of these vehicles was more apparent to me, though. I sensed excitement in the spectators and listened to the cheers as certain formations of men/women passed but not who they were. They obviously could be identified; I even saw someone with what looked like a program held by a man who inquired of a policeman at the end if the parade was over.


I stood in place as long as I could before wandering through the assembled spectators. Some were piqué nicking on the grass, some let their small children frolic in a nearby fountain. Some had taken up vantage points back from the front lines, on ladders, various park equipment, where you could just see the tops of things as they passed. There was emergency first-aid available from the Croix Rouge. And, of course, plenty of uniformed men keeping watchful eyes on the crowds. Just people doing what they do in such circumstances.

At the end, several helicopters flew over the route, I imagine in some type of formation. I only heard them. A short time later, I presume as the official end of the festivities, people not under the trees spotted blue-white-red parachutes descending from high in the sky. (no, I do not know where or if they landed safely.)

I found a bench to rest and to wait for the dispersion of the crowd. Then, there was the trek back; no buses until after a certain time and the particular metro line found along the way was not convenient.

So, all and all, I’m glad I attended the parade. As for “journalistic” reviews, a photo of President Nicolas Sarkozy’s participation appeared in a International Herald Tribune, global edition, Wednesday, 15 July 2009 page 3 (World News). It shows him ironically with his left hand slightly inserted into the opening of his jacket above the button. I wonder who at the Tribune okayed this particular image from among hundreds.

Being Thursday, I’ve been in Paris a week now. I’m using the day to catch up. Weather is splendid and I will be going out later this afternoon but have no particular plan. However, I have finally re-assembled a list of things to do and see (the first list was left behind in New York), and will proceed from tomorrow in a more focused way for the next three weeks.

I’ve taken a bit more your time today -- Thank you. Comments are welcome.