tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85663666384981376132024-02-19T10:55:54.247+01:00Sab's Secret ParisFriendly and informative Paris Photo Tours and Paris Curios Tours, as well as Photo Weeks and Curios Weeks for all Paris lovers everywhere from a committed Paris street photographer and curiosity hunter with 20 years' in the city and counting!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566366638498137613.post-59774306636849262282011-03-09T20:01:00.037+01:002012-03-01T16:57:22.200+01:00Welcome to 'Sab's Secret Paris' and...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqg7dyAMkFrvDmvxTjF6kK2kaGXuraC89vy7n3t3LnjwkCtyAdPbduhkK0l-NyFZeT3FcckEhGZEE0i7bGIZnmqBXsoXLWeTpOyXhMkpQgOiQWwm8m7BTU9RSfDkptTYvBgtBQPV7K6PnL/s1600/welcome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqg7dyAMkFrvDmvxTjF6kK2kaGXuraC89vy7n3t3LnjwkCtyAdPbduhkK0l-NyFZeT3FcckEhGZEE0i7bGIZnmqBXsoXLWeTpOyXhMkpQgOiQWwm8m7BTU9RSfDkptTYvBgtBQPV7K6PnL/s1600/welcome.jpg" /></a><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">D<span style="font-size: small;">ISCOVER</span> P<span style="font-size: small;">ARIS</span> W<span style="font-size: small;">ITH</span> A<span style="font-size: small;">N</span> A<span style="font-size: small;">DOPTED</span> P</span><span style="font-size: small;">ARISIAN</span><span style="font-size: large;">!</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><em>"Let me show you the city I love"</em></span></div>
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Hi, my name's Sab Will, and I've been photographing and writing about Paris for nearly 20 years!</div>
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I'm really passionate about two particular aspects of this amazing city: the incredible opportunities for street photography, and the countless historical curiosities and oddities there are all over the place, if you know where to look.</div>
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<strong><a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/curios-weeks.html"><span style="font-size: x-large;">C<span style="font-size: large;">URIOS </span>W</span><span style="font-size: large;">EEKS</span></a></strong></div>
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<strong><a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/photo-weeks.html"><span style="font-size: x-large;">P<span style="font-size: large;">HOTO</span> W</span><span style="font-size: large;">EEKS</span></a></strong></div>
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<strong><a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/curios-tours.html"><span style="font-size: x-large;">C<span style="font-size: large;">URIOS</span> T</span><span style="font-size: large;">OURS</span></a></strong></div>
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So I've put together a really great set of Paris tours, focusing either on street photography, or the quirks and curios of the city (or a combination of both) for you to choose from. Just click above for more details about the tours and weeks, prices and dates available.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><em>The Tours</em></span><br />
The <em>Photo and Curios Tours</em> are rich and totally personalised 4-hour walks around the city concentrating on the area or the photographic style you want to cover. These are private tours, with a maximum of four people, which means it's only you and your friends or family so you get precisely the experience you want..<br />
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<em><span style="font-size: large;">The Weeks</span></em></div>
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The <em>Photo and Curios Weeks</em> are a specially designed series of five days of tours, from Monday to Friday, which cover a vast array of either street photography or Paris curiosities and history, depending on which topic you choose. The group has a maximum of six people so I can give everyone plenty of personal attention.</div>
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<em><span style="font-size: large;">Customise Your Choice!</span></em></div>
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If you only have two or three days you can combine individual tours in anyway you like. And of course you can take photos on a <em>Curios Tours</em>, and discover Paris quirks on a <em>Photo Tour</em>, there's no problem about that!</div>
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I'd love you to spend a week with me photographing or just discovering this amazing city, especially the parts you wouldn't normally see on a typical tourist trip. Look around the site, and please <a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/contact-sab.html"><strong>get in touch at any time</strong></a> if you need more information. I look forward to seeing you in Paris soon!</div>
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<strong><a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/curios-weeks.html"><span style="font-size: x-large;">C<span style="font-size: large;">URIOS </span>W</span><span style="font-size: large;">EEKS</span></a></strong></div>
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<em>* Sab Will runs a variety of </em><a href="http://www.parisifyouplease.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Paris</strong></a><em> and </em><a href="http://paris-photos.parissetmefree.com/" target="_blank"><strong>photography</strong></a><em>-themed sites and blogs, reviews Paris books of all sorts, interviews interesting Paris people, writes an illustrated </em><a href="http://paris-and-i.parissetmefree.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Paris Chronicle</strong></a><em> every day, runs a </em><a href="http://www.meetup.com/Paris-If-You-Please" target="_blank"><strong>Meetup group</strong></a><em> for Paris lovers, a </em><a href="http://paris-photo-quiz.parissetmefree.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Paris photo quiz</strong></a><em> and even contributes to the </em><a href="http://infini2.com/" target="_blank"><strong>city's street art</strong></a><em> (shh), so feel free to browse some of the links below and in the right-hand column to find out more about what he gets up to out there...</em></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">©</span> 2011 <a href="mailto:sab@parissetmefree.com">Sab Will</a> / <a href="http://www.parissetmefree.com/" target="_blank">Paris Set Me Free</a> - Suggestions, comments and requests are always welcome! <span style="font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="font-size: large;">J</span></span></div>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566366638498137613.post-53553808435017187982011-01-12T14:01:00.002+01:002011-08-28T15:47:14.485+02:00400 Quirks No.12 ~ "Gas and Water - What Else?"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyaNp1VcX6dIiGSAnwuxHXFa6Sk9acp7yi8YQWaPOxaztHCyYxtyvVVEzBbsf282RxFdlyqgtFh-7RZxkhSVYujZYx7cZE1wyOW57U48jQ18qWXAri8Xprf58769HeRbUaYunTbUs7zDzD/s1600/400_paris_quirks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyaNp1VcX6dIiGSAnwuxHXFa6Sk9acp7yi8YQWaPOxaztHCyYxtyvVVEzBbsf282RxFdlyqgtFh-7RZxkhSVYujZYx7cZE1wyOW57U48jQ18qWXAri8Xprf58769HeRbUaYunTbUs7zDzD/s1600/400_paris_quirks.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div align="center"></div><div><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-left: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-right: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-top: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">J<span style="font-size: small;">OIN</span> I<span style="font-size: small;">N</span> T<span style="font-size: small;">HE</span> F<span style="font-size: small;">UN</span><span style="font-size: large;"> ~ </span>C<span style="font-size: small;">HAT</span> A<span style="font-size: small;">BOUT</span> Q</span>UIRK<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">N</span><span style="font-size: small;">O.</span><span style="font-size: large;">12!</span></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9t8Y-wQc97WEPjvJ8u04BTQQG-Ce7jvk4rTuh3qu3w9XmXOXaMnCq16OeneYfRP-HNJ8NC6E1mNxawjGhoULzqMFEG74zH-ca2hTZMwsguCeNGdcs7g2lhHxvNaG5dhgCai-EmZkUc5cG/s1600/gaz_eau1_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9t8Y-wQc97WEPjvJ8u04BTQQG-Ce7jvk4rTuh3qu3w9XmXOXaMnCq16OeneYfRP-HNJ8NC6E1mNxawjGhoULzqMFEG74zH-ca2hTZMwsguCeNGdcs7g2lhHxvNaG5dhgCai-EmZkUc5cG/s400/gaz_eau1_640.jpg" width="400" /></a><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="Sab_in_Paris" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript">
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"Gaz and Water - What Else?"</em></span></div></div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="border-bottom: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-left: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-right: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-top: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">C<span style="font-size: small;">OMMENT</span> B<span style="font-size: small;">ELOW</span>!</span></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
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Take a look at this pretty anonymous Paris façade. Nothing special here, right?<br />
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Almost. But if you look a bit more closely, just to the left of the drainpipe, you'll see a slight mark on the wall, not dissimilar to many others you'll find all over Paris. With one notable exception. The vast majority of the others say 'Gaz à tous les étages' (gas on all floors) whereas this one adds eau (water) into the bragging rights.<br />
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Because that's what they were doing, back in the days of the late 19th century, when running water and on-tap gas were just coming along with the new heavily Haussmann-influenced Parisian apartment blocks.<br />
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<tr><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>"Hey, we've got floors! And we know how to use 'em!</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>"</i></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></td></tr>
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They were shouting about the fact that their building had these modcons which were exactly that - revolutionary and highly desirable attributes - and would be used by developers to sell their investments in Paris real estate and many are happily still visible today.<br />
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For some reason, though, gas seems to have been the one to advertise or perhaps there was an enormous printing run of the 'Gaz à tous les étages' plaques and they were sold off cheap, who knows? Not me.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXkEn_FOXySSwGiJ1NwAtc3JoGfzFsbCXxgWWBQ1YP6VZrTPNBBz4O6TGx0bHO6kYp3DE0f5HOyvTHUYCiVMtX2zu8b93itBGkXjRtY9kShLF6h2-RCOYwMaoyRU2j0pNonq-vhJ3QKWMo/s1600/gaz_eau3_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXkEn_FOXySSwGiJ1NwAtc3JoGfzFsbCXxgWWBQ1YP6VZrTPNBBz4O6TGx0bHO6kYp3DE0f5HOyvTHUYCiVMtX2zu8b93itBGkXjRtY9kShLF6h2-RCOYwMaoyRU2j0pNonq-vhJ3QKWMo/s1600/gaz_eau3_640.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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The result is that there are hundreds of these gas-only plaques all over the place but very very few variations. There are variations, though, as we can see here.<br />
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This is a particularly beautiful example of the extremely rare 'Gaz et eau à tous les étages' plaque in all its blue enamelled glory. I only know of two of these as I type, and this one is in much the better condition.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhey8f2ftizYyUXTa6nePCZHyOsSd_AKPsVbWeVjcVVa2WaWv5cbRqTjke4VSHI07eYYv7mj87rNN3hXsQLFD6BEkXot6N49KKgfIMJ8akF6Y8-cz3vsZhMggt0A1QOV329_xw5_JOdNJ_/s1600/gaz_eau2_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhey8f2ftizYyUXTa6nePCZHyOsSd_AKPsVbWeVjcVVa2WaWv5cbRqTjke4VSHI07eYYv7mj87rNN3hXsQLFD6BEkXot6N49KKgfIMJ8akF6Y8-cz3vsZhMggt0A1QOV329_xw5_JOdNJ_/s400/gaz_eau2_640.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The only other variation I'm aware of in the same style is a plaque citing water only ('Eau à tous les étages'), of which I know only two or three. In fact, I found a new one in the 6th arrondissement just a couple of days ago, which I will bring to you in due course.<br />
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There is another plaque relating to the conveniences of the house which is even more exciting than this one, with three examples I'm aware of still existing in the city, the mythical 'Maison Salubre - tout à l'égout', which you may already have discovered if you've followed my <a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/20-free-paris-quirks.html" target="_blank"><i><b>20 Free Paris Quirks</b></i></a> series (and if not, why not?!), but I'll show you the others here too when I get to the relevant arrondissements.<br />
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Do let me know if you find any others - I'll buy you a coffee in your fav Paris place if you do ;~S</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="border-bottom: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-left: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-right: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-top: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">J<span style="font-size: small;">OIN</span> I<span style="font-size: small;">N</span> T<span style="font-size: small;">HE</span> F<span style="font-size: small;">UN</span><span style="font-size: large;"> ~ </span>C<span style="font-size: small;">HAT</span> A<span style="font-size: small;">BOUT</span> Q</span>UIRK<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">N</span><span style="font-size: small;">O.</span><span style="font-size: large;">11!</span></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV4dPZAIADr4J2FgVgEBwyDPi1hyH5loo5m9uaZohiQ6CIEetbo8V7XCCTh-Cb36J7r9LB7Yo5_c8Mr4xa7BwSwqzqybkq9aKPRLIGp7APidszLNbKHjPs9arIV3wJ0OLBf-_sfKCEzSBn/s400/boulangerie1_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV4dPZAIADr4J2FgVgEBwyDPi1hyH5loo5m9uaZohiQ6CIEetbo8V7XCCTh-Cb36J7r9LB7Yo5_c8Mr4xa7BwSwqzqybkq9aKPRLIGp7APidszLNbKHjPs9arIV3wJ0OLBf-_sfKCEzSBn/s400/boulangerie1_640.jpg" width="312" /></a></div><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="Sab_in_Paris" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript">
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"Single or Double Bread, Sir?"</em></span></div></div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-left: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-right: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-top: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">C<span style="font-size: small;">OMMENT</span> B<span style="font-size: small;">ELOW</span>!</span></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
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It's a bit of a trend these days, to renovate interiors and leave the outside pretty much as it was, even if the original purpose advertised on the exterior is history. Which is where all the charm lies, of course.<br />
<br />
The trick is actually in spotting these reassigned establisments as they are often quite difficult to identify with a quick glance.<br />
<br />
In this picture from the 3rd arrondissement, in the north of the Marais district, for example, we are quite clearly looking at an old baker's shop, aren't we. I mean look, they're even advertising all the different types of bread they sell and the guy's salivating at the thought of what he's going to pig out on and everything, right?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdrO6eCtzRQShuUKAwxG6RezUhbDW-3q2F93h9y1xC77MAQdrRW3E2jDKeZvWryEm_qrAxC3wY6Q73XzbG7nLcBjZtYf0Nug4Ic1SDhVhk4V7Zc1iBTdCljzzyHPwtZ2pKkQHp_8NDFsVr/s400/boulangerie5_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdrO6eCtzRQShuUKAwxG6RezUhbDW-3q2F93h9y1xC77MAQdrRW3E2jDKeZvWryEm_qrAxC3wY6Q73XzbG7nLcBjZtYf0Nug4Ic1SDhVhk4V7Zc1iBTdCljzzyHPwtZ2pKkQHp_8NDFsVr/s400/boulangerie5_640.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Wrong!<br />
<br />
This is a wonderful example of one of those buildings I was talking about in the first paragraph and is, in fact... a hotel!<br />
<br />
Not that you'd realise and it had to be pointed out to me or I'd have passed it by completely thinking, oh look, there's another cute little traditional Paris boulangerie.<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
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<tr><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>"When is a </i>boulangerie<i> not a </i>boulangerie?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>"</i></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></td></tr>
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</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I actually had to go back to my original photos and find one which actually proves it. Eventually I saw some rather subtle text on the door saying what it actually is, and there's also a small notice in the window giving the room rates, but that's it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRLmncbbIqC86SNSjaabQVKbsrwvx58RjZJD2iIlEDRE8F1huyIKUDeFh8lANe7RyqKmwpuvIz-ojbh-90BpbivSxQuk6BBd_g3S_Yax0csrl8UX62HAbvr_JGalz0BH2zILP6KetHkpc3/s320/boulangerie2_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRLmncbbIqC86SNSjaabQVKbsrwvx58RjZJD2iIlEDRE8F1huyIKUDeFh8lANe7RyqKmwpuvIz-ojbh-90BpbivSxQuk6BBd_g3S_Yax0csrl8UX62HAbvr_JGalz0BH2zILP6KetHkpc3/s320/boulangerie2_640.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj6cP2c3ZvEbv3CAU6O3V_Y7-LeFqKGhg0pT0euZCP3ox5ehrZvrmtfk8_eeuAvN04A-anHMAw9Pv_EZE-O0Mh23POYn8Bmsr_JbnLctkBJPHzyGU0Ekh5qN0iC_pEvvc9XXCljHvUSKti/s320/boulangerie3_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj6cP2c3ZvEbv3CAU6O3V_Y7-LeFqKGhg0pT0euZCP3ox5ehrZvrmtfk8_eeuAvN04A-anHMAw9Pv_EZE-O0Mh23POYn8Bmsr_JbnLctkBJPHzyGU0Ekh5qN0iC_pEvvc9XXCljHvUSKti/s320/boulangerie3_640.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3o866qHvYZtnaCCmx1Yh4n_uZD3dzWABk2lsMPOfFVaeiq7M8ocGmBVuma5BiFHaCJGOqaF03B6Dqhczi3y_9mAjs2VblWmRqjdpSLPzC-W1ta_7Hxk8gAYLSy4A06WMFX788JPsirHtW/s320/boulangerie6_318.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3o866qHvYZtnaCCmx1Yh4n_uZD3dzWABk2lsMPOfFVaeiq7M8ocGmBVuma5BiFHaCJGOqaF03B6Dqhczi3y_9mAjs2VblWmRqjdpSLPzC-W1ta_7Hxk8gAYLSy4A06WMFX788JPsirHtW/s320/boulangerie6_318.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
The effort and detail that went into what was, in the end, a simple food distribution outlet is quite breathtaking.<br />
<br />
Of course the fancy gold writing on black is dramatic and eye-catching, but as if that wasn't enough, they have intricate paintings of rural scenes, seascapes and country maidens sowing the seed which grows the wheat which no doubt ends up in these very same, err, pillowcases?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaCYF7V9qZRzkue3iGM-EFd65SA3ITGEblAg9jkdxrqpeBEK3A2pJpTci2Ll4dHZPSkGH_QFB1JJHf_rTq7OXAtWUoTvZZ_MEAcnZs2r_RlkNyeafsAzXhOvZhAFqYTUbtkY3o0tqgfuac/s400/boulangerie4_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaCYF7V9qZRzkue3iGM-EFd65SA3ITGEblAg9jkdxrqpeBEK3A2pJpTci2Ll4dHZPSkGH_QFB1JJHf_rTq7OXAtWUoTvZZ_MEAcnZs2r_RlkNyeafsAzXhOvZhAFqYTUbtkY3o0tqgfuac/s400/boulangerie4_640.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>But the charm is undeniable and it's worth comparing them with today's version, some of which have made some sort of effort, but many of which are anonymous food distribution outlets. We've lost something folks, and can only admire it these days by looking into hotel windows dreaming of times gone by and trying to conjure up the aroma of the freshly baked bread of yesteryear.<br />
<br />
Oh yes, and open sewers running down the middle of the road, rogues on every corner and urchins underfoot. But apart from that, authentic aromatic heaven. </div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="border-bottom: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-left: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-right: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-top: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">J<span style="font-size: small;">OIN</span> I<span style="font-size: small;">N</span> T<span style="font-size: small;">HE</span> F<span style="font-size: small;">UN</span><span style="font-size: large;"> ~ </span>C<span style="font-size: small;">HAT</span> A<span style="font-size: small;">BOUT</span> Q</span>UIRK<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">N</span><span style="font-size: small;">O.</span><span style="font-size: large;">10!</span></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4b4OiThLweI7s2VFJ4KoF4n5hdgI3xawJukWK_gy18PRSKNmUXnj4uSFWvM4568v24V-cNAr19JDmpqFDKsfPZ5ut3VJXVWjIl6zyt3xu1BYczBveCJjnQSmAi_FhNSZtnKi1lZLIqk70/s1600/beauce2_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4b4OiThLweI7s2VFJ4KoF4n5hdgI3xawJukWK_gy18PRSKNmUXnj4uSFWvM4568v24V-cNAr19JDmpqFDKsfPZ5ut3VJXVWjIl6zyt3xu1BYczBveCJjnQSmAi_FhNSZtnKi1lZLIqk70/s400/beauce2_640.jpg" width="267" /></a><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="Sab_in_Paris" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript">
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"I'm Sorry, Could You Spell That Again?"</em></span></div></div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-left: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-right: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-top: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">C<span style="font-size: small;">OMMENT</span> B<span style="font-size: small;">ELOW</span>!</span></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
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The Marais, which is basically the fourth arrondissement and the bottom bit of the third is one of the oldest areas in Paris.<br />
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This is clearly evident just by wandering around the district admiring all the old buildings and shops, strolling down the narrow streets and simply soaking up the undeniably otherworldly atmosphere.<br />
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But if that's still not enough for you, things are looking up. Or rather, you need to.<br />
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Here's a rather juicy case in point. A closer look at what seems to be a pretty typical Paris street corner, complete with the double street labelling at different heights, reveals something very interesting indeed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NMSTY00jY-BssBbRAww_j7TPk6wEDMKFPX6yqUEs6Qa2D3-pscBbMWHmbmXumQF4gA5b9yctnJRJQ7HtCs7mle0hFFcbAghYGz94xmlUqQfj8A0mOIXNNNa8BekMLiNH1Nt-h_ZMUOl5/s1600/beauce1_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NMSTY00jY-BssBbRAww_j7TPk6wEDMKFPX6yqUEs6Qa2D3-pscBbMWHmbmXumQF4gA5b9yctnJRJQ7HtCs7mle0hFFcbAghYGz94xmlUqQfj8A0mOIXNNNa8BekMLiNH1Nt-h_ZMUOl5/s400/beauce1_640.jpg" width="400" /></a>Check out the close-up here on the right and you'll see what I mean. Just under the highest of the <i>Rue de Beauce</i> street sign is a much older carved-in-stone version, which nonetheless indicates the same name... or does it?<br />
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Well, yes and no. As you can see it used to be <i>Rue de Beausse</i>, which isn't quite the same thing. Spelling conventions not being what they are today, no doubt some clever chappy in some official government street naming bureau must have tutted disapprovingly and said, non, non, non, this will never do, we don't spell the sound 'ohss' <i>eausse</i>, but <i>eauce</i>, and <i>eauce </i>it thence became. But we know the truth, don't we folks?!<br />
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As for the 14, that would probably have been, quite obviously really, the street house number, although these rarely correspond to today's system.<br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
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<tr><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>"A monumental Place de France with majestic thoroughfares radiating out from the centre, each paying homage to a great region of the country</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>"</i></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div></div><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Beauce is actually a farming region of France and the naming of this street thus is a direct fallout from the first great urban planner, Henri IV's ambitious plans back in 1610 for a monumental <i>Place de France</i> which were sadly thwarted by a rather unfortunate yet inescapable event: his death.</div><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS4E2vq9OQjX2lcoTTuY7k8QPYmaTsg2DKGx9sOHryX7-illmwArXyf-TUjr7SksE5XPD8vwzGhmsAjjb9oWuTUj9Rxan2fTdWbyEZDMMeHnVLSlwh0QfMH78hvwW5M8UFL-wW6yZOTNQP/s1600/beauce3_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS4E2vq9OQjX2lcoTTuY7k8QPYmaTsg2DKGx9sOHryX7-illmwArXyf-TUjr7SksE5XPD8vwzGhmsAjjb9oWuTUj9Rxan2fTdWbyEZDMMeHnVLSlwh0QfMH78hvwW5M8UFL-wW6yZOTNQP/s320/beauce3_640.jpg" width="320" /></a>The plan was to have eight roads radiating out from a majestic place, each named after one of the great regions of the country such as Provence, Picardie, Bretagne and Bourgogne. These main axes would then be united by a couple of arcs similarly to those around the Arch de Triomphe and would be named after lesser regions, of which Beauce was one.<br />
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So although this grandiose project never materialised, some of the projected roads did. Indeed, about 70 new roads were opened up during his reign, and the momentum carried on without him.<br />
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Anyway, be that as it may, this corner hasn't yet given us up all its secrets. Take a yet closer look at the other side of the massive stones...<br />
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Ah hah! What do we see here but more evidence of Henri IV's grand plan to honour as many of the regions and towns of France as possible.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4eCKUIhg2q0SOcE2XY2xKcIQhXX6uWe1-P2bG3hniTWO1WoVwDaRQjg7TFc-nw7XtpJovasmgGlNjz-nEXMNw7fu1-u9alwol8ubTK5CVYSzfeGxYd-hKtoFxUeuWbkaHC5um4ud50DEK/s1600/beauce4_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4eCKUIhg2q0SOcE2XY2xKcIQhXX6uWe1-P2bG3hniTWO1WoVwDaRQjg7TFc-nw7XtpJovasmgGlNjz-nEXMNw7fu1-u9alwol8ubTK5CVYSzfeGxYd-hKtoFxUeuWbkaHC5um4ud50DEK/s400/beauce4_640.jpg" width="251" /></a>The <i>Rue d'Anjou</i> was to have been part of the second arc of streets linking the eight main routes, along with others such as Saintonge, Angoulême, Touraine and Orléans.<br />
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For some reason the name was changed to <i>Rue Pastourelle</i>, the name of a landowner from the 14th century, which although a pretty word does lose for us the history which is so fun to discover.<br />
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Except that we haven't lost it - it's still there! Look at the same block which bears the old <i>Rue de Beausse</i> inscription and we can clearly see... <i>Rue d'Anjou</i>! Very exciting. For Paris freaks like myself (and you too?) anyway.<br />
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So there you have it. History written high on the streets of the city. There will be plenty of other curiosities of this type to discover as we troll the streets of this most quirky of districts.<br />
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See you down in the Marais, looking up, always looking up..! (Now comment below ;~S )</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCTqYwbh0rm66gClcSGXvzndQsrgAkgaA4bnv2va_ZLEawegOnANLzS-1vicmVizXDp5XKQ8kl7TBLrWK5zKgYnyOyy4ThHdQ6inXZtLdXC0qwGrDnddXn0Z0hUTSR4TmN5FDLD217GM/s1600/Emilia2-big_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="195px" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCTqYwbh0rm66gClcSGXvzndQsrgAkgaA4bnv2va_ZLEawegOnANLzS-1vicmVizXDp5XKQ8kl7TBLrWK5zKgYnyOyy4ThHdQ6inXZtLdXC0qwGrDnddXn0Z0hUTSR4TmN5FDLD217GM/s200/Emilia2-big_500.jpg" title="Your friendly Paris Quirk!" width="200px" /></a>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div></div></div></div></div><div><div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td style="border-bottom: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-left: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-right: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-top: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">J<span style="font-size: small;">OIN</span> I<span style="font-size: small;">N</span> T<span style="font-size: small;">HE</span> F<span style="font-size: small;">UN</span><span style="font-size: large;"> ~ </span>C<span style="font-size: small;">HAT</span> A<span style="font-size: small;">BOUT</span> Q</span>UIRK<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">N</span><span style="font-size: small;">O.</span><span style="font-size: large;">9!</span></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkISJ16CsXYs_uEr3eWxmS2HNBXbx68QhixoVbsXhi3WbhaUxmSYfOMMdiKbP_T7ZwwlbhbqNOIAwH2Ge9KdeaUomZseRTpxnO2SrEvt41RWE5LpWVUt32fB6TgohukuN0zkfM1KLEzOgH/s1600/volta2_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkISJ16CsXYs_uEr3eWxmS2HNBXbx68QhixoVbsXhi3WbhaUxmSYfOMMdiKbP_T7ZwwlbhbqNOIAwH2Ge9KdeaUomZseRTpxnO2SrEvt41RWE5LpWVUt32fB6TgohukuN0zkfM1KLEzOgH/s400/volta2_640.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="Sab_in_Paris" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript">
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"How Old Can You Go?"</em></span></div></div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-left: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-right: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-top: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">C<span style="font-size: small;">OMMENT</span> B<span style="font-size: small;">ELOW</span>!</span></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
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And here you have it folks, I proudly give you what we've all been waiting for and as touted in Paris tourist guides up and down the kingdom for decades...<br />
<br />
...the oldest house in Paris!<br />
<br />
Ummm....<br />
<br />
Only it isn't. Don't get me wrong; people thought it was, they really did (witness the aforementioned guide books) up until the end of the 70s. Then a chap with a stubborn tendency to not believe what he reads in guide books unless he's verified it for himself... found an older one!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ8RFMdsAmCtJQtn4DGu36oiTqTvWgxLr1VgbfNRg3SgPawy-aTPiVQbpzMO6J_8r_JVoiARiXoxNOpjcMxUrfdPPQFwitflCfLy8r3JyLnMMhJQk9XNp9m0z-12JBdt3j41aw4DuT5_C1/s1600/volta1_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ8RFMdsAmCtJQtn4DGu36oiTqTvWgxLr1VgbfNRg3SgPawy-aTPiVQbpzMO6J_8r_JVoiARiXoxNOpjcMxUrfdPPQFwitflCfLy8r3JyLnMMhJQk9XNp9m0z-12JBdt3j41aw4DuT5_C1/s320/volta1_640.jpg" width="320" /></a>Of course we'll be discovering the latter later, well, two or three other contenders for the throne actually, but for now let's just enjoy this marvellously medieval-looking structure.<br />
<br />
Apparently it was reclassified from the fourteenth to seventeenth century as historians began to have more and more doubts about its authenticity. I've even seen the suspiciously precise 1644 quoted by one source, although I fail to see how they can be so sure.<br />
<br />
Most houses of the presupposed 1300s era had a cellar, and <i>3, rue Volta</i>'s singular lack of one may just have been its downfall, if that isn't a paradox too far.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1SXjW18MuoBUEiLKyxkPH1bauLjvObBkpJrAEqiqbQqVI6r31zUUGG0QAO18YS_AWs_70RX4Ty87C57km_tSLEENIzuOPw1mmW8sSPQJb3yfvhqs09g7D8UgPApylJUBuJwaeFfyXMKF/s1600/volta5_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1SXjW18MuoBUEiLKyxkPH1bauLjvObBkpJrAEqiqbQqVI6r31zUUGG0QAO18YS_AWs_70RX4Ty87C57km_tSLEENIzuOPw1mmW8sSPQJb3yfvhqs09g7D8UgPApylJUBuJwaeFfyXMKF/s400/volta5_640.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The road itself is rather curious too. For some reason, this little section of street, along with the adjoining narrow <i>Rue au Maire</i> has developed into a mini-mini-mini China town or some sort of Asian backwater anyway.<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div></div></div></div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN7OumxZuWv-XLGBoej_jJgxWlFgFOWQPRrUCcIAEop8qkKWU_3uF5BDwdhPq-BSxPEpNHutWWeiaWTYnQ8X3ahod9Lv6IXlB4vZSNV_gj2N-86k5sWp9E2gEhPaSptv3kIdURtLTh_7e3/s1600/volta4_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN7OumxZuWv-XLGBoej_jJgxWlFgFOWQPRrUCcIAEop8qkKWU_3uF5BDwdhPq-BSxPEpNHutWWeiaWTYnQ8X3ahod9Lv6IXlB4vZSNV_gj2N-86k5sWp9E2gEhPaSptv3kIdURtLTh_7e3/s400/volta4_640.jpg" width="267" /></a><br />
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<tr><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>"What would our 'middle-aged' friends have made of this - cheery Chinatown in the heart of 17th century Paris?</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>"</i></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div></div><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div></div></div></div></div>You should take a stroll down there. It's amazing, honestly, in the space of a few metres off the bustling <i>Rue Réaumur</i> I found myself with a very old medieval house on one side and a group of loud-speaking Chinese on the other, acting for all the world as if they owned the place. And looking around, you tend to think they do.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig_4ISr_0I1OW9hoO4B-swGtOk-b5S5lcBS5An1LIjBypsMOSJvX9pyqRsN9P5V3PYjyW7rb5oTb9GMXzwXZpL0GC3duNxYdkRemczi7-SjbY0UpgAu70sxpbmzYnsyp32j-H4c7XNY9Yi/s1600/volta3_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig_4ISr_0I1OW9hoO4B-swGtOk-b5S5lcBS5An1LIjBypsMOSJvX9pyqRsN9P5V3PYjyW7rb5oTb9GMXzwXZpL0GC3duNxYdkRemczi7-SjbY0UpgAu70sxpbmzYnsyp32j-H4c7XNY9Yi/s320/volta3_640.jpg" width="320" /></a>What with Asian restaurants and those unique Chinese supermarkets giving off unmistakably oriental aromas, as well as our old-house-in-question belonging to a family of Asian hairdressers, it seems like we are experiencing the third, or is it the fourth now, <i>Paris Chinatown</i> in the making.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglBEekvaV1FN4hHggcCJ0KT6g1LLcXvZpMiCGBK-MicAAyxv7WVY5h_Ja6IHvVZC-5-9j-0W1EUwpyqisXmlkvFVEw5H79DhJTcB3hCqwE9t16S_hnBC5YSPWCMuOe65tBKq80nTdQBApd/s1600/volta6_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglBEekvaV1FN4hHggcCJ0KT6g1LLcXvZpMiCGBK-MicAAyxv7WVY5h_Ja6IHvVZC-5-9j-0W1EUwpyqisXmlkvFVEw5H79DhJTcB3hCqwE9t16S_hnBC5YSPWCMuOe65tBKq80nTdQBApd/s400/volta6_640.jpg" width="400" /></a>What our 'middle-aged' friends would have made of that is anyone's guess. It just goes to show how times change, but the Wong remains the same. And having said that, I can't actually remember ever hearing the name Wong uttered in Paris or seeing it written. Maybe it's a South American export which didn't materialise on this side of the emigrating world.<br />
<br />
A nod goes to the <i>Space Invader</i> street decorator, who says he has just put his 1000th mosaic up on the walls of the city. Even our medieval Chinese hair salon isn't sacred. Oh well. Game over for <i>3 Rue Volta</i>, I guess.<br />
<br />
Intrigued as to what the current thinking on the oldest house in Paris is? Well, of course I'll tell you, just not quite yet!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCTqYwbh0rm66gClcSGXvzndQsrgAkgaA4bnv2va_ZLEawegOnANLzS-1vicmVizXDp5XKQ8kl7TBLrWK5zKgYnyOyy4ThHdQ6inXZtLdXC0qwGrDnddXn0Z0hUTSR4TmN5FDLD217GM/s1600/Emilia2-big_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="195px" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCTqYwbh0rm66gClcSGXvzndQsrgAkgaA4bnv2va_ZLEawegOnANLzS-1vicmVizXDp5XKQ8kl7TBLrWK5zKgYnyOyy4ThHdQ6inXZtLdXC0qwGrDnddXn0Z0hUTSR4TmN5FDLD217GM/s200/Emilia2-big_500.jpg" title="Your friendly Paris Quirk!" width="200px" /></a>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div></div></div></div></div><div><div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="border-bottom: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-left: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-right: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-top: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">J<span style="font-size: small;">OIN</span> I<span style="font-size: small;">N</span> T<span style="font-size: small;">HE</span> F<span style="font-size: small;">UN</span><span style="font-size: large;"> ~ </span>C<span style="font-size: small;">HAT</span> A<span style="font-size: small;">BOUT</span> Q</span>UIRK<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">N</span><span style="font-size: small;">O.</span><span style="font-size: large;">8!</span></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuIfp6GruERSx2I54XJc0mam_8Fxx6SSDkDDdjcVtmXWnhP-Uwwb34e7AbhLkKf__8nQBg08bxmLVYA8nN_lvn0PIEB9n0DLgEc3aYszLPHtUmwYYS5m2pCUnWwGVWiyJE5b1iH0xZMMVd/s1600/chedanne1_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuIfp6GruERSx2I54XJc0mam_8Fxx6SSDkDDdjcVtmXWnhP-Uwwb34e7AbhLkKf__8nQBg08bxmLVYA8nN_lvn0PIEB9n0DLgEc3aYszLPHtUmwYYS5m2pCUnWwGVWiyJE5b1iH0xZMMVd/s400/chedanne1_640.jpg" width="265" /></a><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="Sab_in_Paris" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript">
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"Well Bow Me Down"</em></span></div></div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-left: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-right: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-top: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">C<span style="font-size: small;">OMMENT</span> B<span style="font-size: small;">ELOW</span>!</span></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
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Paris is known for its uniform architecture, much of it coming from the Baron Haussmann period. Napoleon III's 'bulldog' smashed huge monumental avenues through previously crowded districts of As narrow streets often constructed pellmell and any which way, creating the typical and unmistakable French capital style we know today.<br />
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Some areas survived, now looked upon fondly as quaint reminders of a Paris long gone by, such as parts of the Latin Quarter and the Marais.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiekA6KxP2tKqXW1ioeIo6XybkGifb7ECbDjeuPaPBKKKNCO4cnESDYzqmAYotyzFjHof2E4X-wiTb3i3OQsEwha3Co2DopcqvR8JaWc-3oOYgAHuiKv1VFhTFwCUjEB1zmR-ijzXLSBlQz/s1600/chedanne2_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiekA6KxP2tKqXW1ioeIo6XybkGifb7ECbDjeuPaPBKKKNCO4cnESDYzqmAYotyzFjHof2E4X-wiTb3i3OQsEwha3Co2DopcqvR8JaWc-3oOYgAHuiKv1VFhTFwCUjEB1zmR-ijzXLSBlQz/s200/chedanne2_640.jpg" width="200" /></a>Other parts we able to create a new identity, either because they hadn't been built up yet, such as parts of the 16th, or because later architects were given the freedom to try a few things just a little different.<br />
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Rue Réamur is a case in point. Whilst it's true that it bears the hallmarks of the Haussmann era, with uniformly heighted stocky, cream-coloured buildings with the classic little black balconies up around the fifth floor, the grey slated roofs, etc. there are five or six buildings in that area which are decidedly different.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYlvgGb4YvmFikcma8uZQvGbm3bMzvAREkJUpUzu7PNcjrze8joZ9BsVD7fSGivPaW8dglUJA7nr55KAINhmWOGPQQ7DBogRIOIONDM9xqS8VPBs3ya0rfytEf6C4R-o9d1CcmoHkCvstG/s1600/chedanne3_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYlvgGb4YvmFikcma8uZQvGbm3bMzvAREkJUpUzu7PNcjrze8joZ9BsVD7fSGivPaW8dglUJA7nr55KAINhmWOGPQQ7DBogRIOIONDM9xqS8VPBs3ya0rfytEf6C4R-o9d1CcmoHkCvstG/s320/chedanne3_640.jpg" width="320" /></a>Rue Réamur was created as we know it today in the last years of the 19th century, carrying on the legacy of the Haussmann influence from the Second Empire days which lasted until 1870.<br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
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<tr><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px;">Parisian Art Nouveau meets the industrial revolution</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>"</i></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div></div><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div></div></div><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The area was heavily 'textilised' (not to mention the printing influence), as it remains today, and some of the richest cloth merchants were building, or commissioning, at least, impressive offices and prestigious HQs for their operations.</div></div></div></div></div></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6iTqjL6R4MmcQXngqc7VGQsX3F0XoFlquN_vum2-FHJf9puxkta1tGbZ13VVlgU8_2KBbktj8A3fDworZhx37Rt9WVvQUOFQz70ZfpTOzL4X8ghSCxNUR4z6Ki6wLcB5ecnI11GuyHUaI/s1600/chedanne4_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6iTqjL6R4MmcQXngqc7VGQsX3F0XoFlquN_vum2-FHJf9puxkta1tGbZ13VVlgU8_2KBbktj8A3fDworZhx37Rt9WVvQUOFQz70ZfpTOzL4X8ghSCxNUR4z6Ki6wLcB5ecnI11GuyHUaI/s320/chedanne4_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Newly relaxed construction rules meant that they could let their imaginations run wild, well, at least a little, and include highly decorative frontispieces, and bow windows and non-uniform roofs.<br />
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A strong metal skeleton structure was often used, allowing features such as huge windows to let in plenty of light for the manufacturing activities taking place within.<br />
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At was around this time (1897) that an architectural competition was launched, and some of the buildings in this street were among the early prize-winners.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg25XFJDvd0jywXlIYA8bNoYEiUkaXtv_LGzyqLwOwoKb4dKXmH4dcGIgk55DInwqkrfhtONsmBqFh3qso-PG-tEPlYTlcOg9aOiBRqUehFR8jn4_HbG2iizT-SOAzehRACSLvyhSOxIgoh/s1600/chedanne5_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg25XFJDvd0jywXlIYA8bNoYEiUkaXtv_LGzyqLwOwoKb4dKXmH4dcGIgk55DInwqkrfhtONsmBqFh3qso-PG-tEPlYTlcOg9aOiBRqUehFR8jn4_HbG2iizT-SOAzehRACSLvyhSOxIgoh/s200/chedanne5_640.jpg" width="200" /></a>Anyway, let's focus on a particularly remarkable example of this new era of freedom and innovation in Parisian architectural design, closely linked to developments in building materials and advances in thinking about how to create stronger structures.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYB_Ys0oKe7jnjS1VKC6ozHRK2kdGneOZUwBYTtiv1gGbhJs0ljXRPsv6cAdiISoPtGPnRyBERBpgewMx0GM7b_T0guqkXz8Yum8k4gqpDNu0zVhxqgWplZrCPEVXBM-5QIMNmy7Kh-DtZ/s1600/chedanne6_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYB_Ys0oKe7jnjS1VKC6ozHRK2kdGneOZUwBYTtiv1gGbhJs0ljXRPsv6cAdiISoPtGPnRyBERBpgewMx0GM7b_T0guqkXz8Yum8k4gqpDNu0zVhxqgWplZrCPEVXBM-5QIMNmy7Kh-DtZ/s320/chedanne6_640.jpg" width="320" /></a>Erected in 1905, by a certain Georges Chedanne, does anything here remind you of a certain Parisian tower, built about 15 years previously?<br />
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Having said that, with the studded iron or steel girders proudly on display, we're right in the middle of the Parisian Art Nouveau explosion, and believe it or not, this exposed metal facade, with its audacious afrontery fits right in with the rest of the curiously curvy new buildings sprouting up all over the place.<br />
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I'll mention some of the other examples later on, either in this series or elsewhere, but for now take a trip down Rue Réamur in the 2nd and see for yourself. And don't forget your camera!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCTqYwbh0rm66gClcSGXvzndQsrgAkgaA4bnv2va_ZLEawegOnANLzS-1vicmVizXDp5XKQ8kl7TBLrWK5zKgYnyOyy4ThHdQ6inXZtLdXC0qwGrDnddXn0Z0hUTSR4TmN5FDLD217GM/s1600/Emilia2-big_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="195px" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCTqYwbh0rm66gClcSGXvzndQsrgAkgaA4bnv2va_ZLEawegOnANLzS-1vicmVizXDp5XKQ8kl7TBLrWK5zKgYnyOyy4ThHdQ6inXZtLdXC0qwGrDnddXn0Z0hUTSR4TmN5FDLD217GM/s200/Emilia2-big_500.jpg" title="Your friendly Paris Quirk!" width="200px" /></a>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div></div></div></div></div><div><div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="border-bottom: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-left: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-right: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-top: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">J<span style="font-size: small;">OIN</span> I<span style="font-size: small;">N</span> T<span style="font-size: small;">HE</span> F<span style="font-size: small;">UN</span><span style="font-size: large;"> ~ </span>C<span style="font-size: small;">HAT</span> A<span style="font-size: small;">BOUT</span> Q</span>UIRK<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">N</span><span style="font-size: small;">O.</span><span style="font-size: large;">7!</span></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkCfNCasJBx-CGiAsnlCygxks1tOxvPISE4_H-wn7U4uYx078iy1YUNJcSupyWHwwW7VJv6mWuY0B0irPKsqGwXLKKey58ocvaFadqc5NS26c0TTx_MB5IQkrv3cKukk9-pJaPWx_AsIAb/s1600/egypt4_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkCfNCasJBx-CGiAsnlCygxks1tOxvPISE4_H-wn7U4uYx078iy1YUNJcSupyWHwwW7VJv6mWuY0B0irPKsqGwXLKKey58ocvaFadqc5NS26c0TTx_MB5IQkrv3cKukk9-pJaPWx_AsIAb/s400/egypt4_640.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="Sab_in_Paris" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript">
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"Walk Like An Egyptian"</em></span></div></div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-left: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-right: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-top: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">C<span style="font-size: small;">OMMENT</span> B<span style="font-size: small;">ELOW</span>!</span></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
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In a typical little Paris split in the road, somewhat off the beaten track, sit yourself down on the bench and cast your eyes around. You'll find you're being watched from above your head by some rather unusual faces.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLzbdgGOFca4X3U3KwCL6dsPC_MYqPAZzLScvlEx1Nta5nUqgDWiMyCxY1Vfh8TJDlElG2Gkxyz9VjrLuj6Pxz9MBrY1RAwJJE6N7FygEwOtos1aPEjDK4flcGLn8_0YDyjhr_ZMaqWgxp/s1600/egypt3_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLzbdgGOFca4X3U3KwCL6dsPC_MYqPAZzLScvlEx1Nta5nUqgDWiMyCxY1Vfh8TJDlElG2Gkxyz9VjrLuj6Pxz9MBrY1RAwJJE6N7FygEwOtos1aPEjDK4flcGLn8_0YDyjhr_ZMaqWgxp/s400/egypt3_640.jpg" width="400" /></a>Let's get a bit of context first. We're right next to the reputedly longest covered walkway in the city, the Passage de Caire. We're sitting in the Place du Caire. We're near the junction of Rue des Forges and... Rue du Caire. If you're getting the idea that there's a certain Egyptian feel to the area you wouldn't be wrong.<br />
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Around one corner you'll find the Rue d'Alexandrie, and around another the Rue d'Aboukir. But these exotic names are not the most exotic aspect of this area.<br />
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Looking up, you'll see, through the trees, looking down, three extremely impressive Egytian-style heads, complete with bunched tresses and pointy ears looking down on you. OK, it would be the eyes looking down on you, strictly speaking, and they in fact seem to be looking vacantly or enigmatically straight ahead...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz2W_0HS8sX3VH92SG1DIWHpmLVgvaGlUaQW_iXb72RkgPzYMSTtmfRxoUHQMKkJ7Ok6UDbqxYBR6abSH_jPVFqubkg2MHqqLtm8PacTRjRi5aNoXD8IsAhCgplppgYvStNCV59Czb6qwi/s1600/egypt1_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz2W_0HS8sX3VH92SG1DIWHpmLVgvaGlUaQW_iXb72RkgPzYMSTtmfRxoUHQMKkJ7Ok6UDbqxYBR6abSH_jPVFqubkg2MHqqLtm8PacTRjRi5aNoXD8IsAhCgplppgYvStNCV59Czb6qwi/s1600/egypt1_640.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Why are they there? Well now, that's another story, and possibly anyone's guess...<br />
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Back in 1798 the future emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was about to pop off on his Egyptian Campaign, so things middle eastern were somewhat in the air.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitSHE1Y3AvxdQgHJ1Slq-7fQcjduY6Y0QjZw8KR1AP7yNksQSsq3yeu-jd5rw5SM6ZlAxYgx5f7Use0u-5M-wbWJpzWTat7yqDzaPkIXx5H8V9SKiqiNRYqEvmO3QyGy1XlyOdz1JWiI_V/s1600/egypt2_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitSHE1Y3AvxdQgHJ1Slq-7fQcjduY6Y0QjZw8KR1AP7yNksQSsq3yeu-jd5rw5SM6ZlAxYgx5f7Use0u-5M-wbWJpzWTat7yqDzaPkIXx5H8V9SKiqiNRYqEvmO3QyGy1XlyOdz1JWiI_V/s400/egypt2_640.jpg" width="285" /></a></div>The Passage du Caire was supposed to be like a nod to the great souk of Cairo, but in the end was criticised for not being souklike one little bit. The architect of the building in these pictures, constructed around 1828, however, let his imagination run a little wilder.<br />
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Up between the windows of the second floor we are treated to three enormous heads of the goddess Hathor, I do believe. This is surmounted by a beautiful strip of chariots and horses, and the architecture is highly influence from the near-orient, with decorated columns and hieroglyphs and lotus bud motifs and the like. It's great!<br />
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We're not done with the weirdness, though.<br />
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If you look even further up, to the cornice, which is the bit just under the roof, curving in (or out, depending on which direction you're coming from), you'll see a particularly strange hieroglyph indeed.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv7eCqZ5heMNl7evqeCPkt6KPlKFkc52eT5bPgI_AhR96IEB25SYPBnDZYs68geXDS2MqTWuuUGY0mzXh9sG7JwUYiC1RQNJ2RJw47zDar42KFoq5Jgvxf39ZSM2jr9Uz_eMF5nVfRinJT/s1600/egypt5_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv7eCqZ5heMNl7evqeCPkt6KPlKFkc52eT5bPgI_AhR96IEB25SYPBnDZYs68geXDS2MqTWuuUGY0mzXh9sG7JwUYiC1RQNJ2RJw47zDar42KFoq5Jgvxf39ZSM2jr9Uz_eMF5nVfRinJT/s320/egypt5_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>While most of them are classic and typical bird-based symbols of the old Egyptian written language, the one<br />
right in the middle most certainly isn't.<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
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<tr><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px;">The walls of Paris used to be</span></i></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i></i></span></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>covered with cartoons of</i></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>this unfortunate gentleman's</i></span></span></div><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px;">oversized conk</span>"</i></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div></div><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div></div><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">What we see is a representation of a man with a huge nose pretty much the size of his actual head. It's actually a caricature of a painter called Antoine Bouginier, whose extraordinary facial features earned him the right to be joked about visually all over the city.</div></div></div></div></div><br />
This is the last remaining vestige of this unfortunate notoriety, although there is a reference to him in Les Miserables by Victor Hugo too!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><i>"...the liberating dogmas which it forges are for the generations trusty friends, and it is </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>with the soul of its thinkers and its poets that all heroes of all </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>nations have been made since 1789; this does not prevent vagabondism, </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>and that enormous genius which is called Paris, while transfiguring </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>the world by its light, sketches in charcoal Bouginier's nose on </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>the wall of the temple of Theseus and writes Credeville the thief on </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>the Pyramids. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> Paris is always showing its teeth; when it is not scolding it is laughing."</i></div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY_6j6yKwqu5Onl5lPRbuE3sLw53bNCg8k0XnLQKhwcFaGiXhpn1EOODk0c8rOo7bLQr-K7HMekSU7uRq8nCXqnCbR0HGe6fypd6kaD8Caksv5CsIfCC8e3KrRY-FZkyHqpsCESI0t40Vn/s1600/egypt6_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY_6j6yKwqu5Onl5lPRbuE3sLw53bNCg8k0XnLQKhwcFaGiXhpn1EOODk0c8rOo7bLQr-K7HMekSU7uRq8nCXqnCbR0HGe6fypd6kaD8Caksv5CsIfCC8e3KrRY-FZkyHqpsCESI0t40Vn/s400/egypt6_640.jpg" width="400" /></a>I ask myself if, given the choice, I would prefer to have a particularly unflattering personal characteristic of mine graffitied all over the capital and mentioned in a future classic of literature, or simply sink into oblivion with so many other would-be greats but with my pride in tact.<br />
<br />
Presumably it will be the latter fate which befalls me, so I'll have to try and live with it, and you can simply speculate away the wee hours wondering just how big my nose actually is...It was just recently, in fact, after many years in Paris that I eventually made it to the famous 'museum of the city of Paris', the legendary and rather poetic-sounding <i>Musée Carnavalet</i>.<br />
<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="border-bottom: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-left: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-right: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-top: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">J<span style="font-size: small;">OIN</span> I<span style="font-size: small;">N</span> T<span style="font-size: small;">HE</span> F<span style="font-size: small;">UN</span><span style="font-size: large;"> ~ </span>C<span style="font-size: small;">HAT</span> A<span style="font-size: small;">BOUT</span> Q</span>UIRK<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">N</span><span style="font-size: small;">O.</span><span style="font-size: large;">6!</span></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUniMmPbXEkIrM_Eh39dUi-p0d8qfBKw7b4UlLL-q5we3IFgaoHX0-Fc7C6Kuxp2NKxCoI8znX_SkIwJ74NC5J7fg9JpGSBDO6OeG1g-WyPTDXWSwtGZoxk5NdD2J2BEOIZtv3AkJCNbKB/s1600/liege1_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUniMmPbXEkIrM_Eh39dUi-p0d8qfBKw7b4UlLL-q5we3IFgaoHX0-Fc7C6Kuxp2NKxCoI8znX_SkIwJ74NC5J7fg9JpGSBDO6OeG1g-WyPTDXWSwtGZoxk5NdD2J2BEOIZtv3AkJCNbKB/s400/liege1_640.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="Sab_in_Paris" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript">
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"The Irish Pub That Never Was"</em></span></div></div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-left: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-right: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-top: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">C<span style="font-size: small;">OMMENT</span> B<span style="font-size: small;">ELOW</span>!</span></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
It was just recently, in fact, after many years in Paris that I eventually made it to the famous 'museum of the city of Paris', the legendary and rather poetic-sounding <i>Musée Carnavalet</i>.<br />
<br />
<br />
What a letdown!<br />
<br />
Just room after room of bloody boring old chairs and stuff. And there I had been expecting the old town to come to life before my eyes with reconstructions of I don't know what but it certainly wasn't the aforementioned sitting devices surrounded by dusty beds and crusty pictures which were going to get my imaginative juices flowing.<br />
<br />
What happened to guillotines and gallows and grisly scenes of gore and gratuitous violence and plague and fires and whatnot? I guess a childhood of visits to the <i>London Dungeon</i> must have spoilt me a bit.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh87WOV5tlbryqLWveUr1yBd8xs6vYUQ3m0o5ZaLqbas3RJzmInJmR6JMC1A4uyeJhTBmJ33HlL1RP9ViznfbL9VycViUesM8XLRxnC124dvSdby0VuFUhIZQOkisWoRWpe3x7NkRk2Yd-h/s1600/liege3_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh87WOV5tlbryqLWveUr1yBd8xs6vYUQ3m0o5ZaLqbas3RJzmInJmR6JMC1A4uyeJhTBmJ33HlL1RP9ViznfbL9VycViUesM8XLRxnC124dvSdby0VuFUhIZQOkisWoRWpe3x7NkRk2Yd-h/s320/liege3_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I must admit that I didn't see the whole museum, but what I did see didn't bode well, with one notable exception: the very first room which was dedicated to old shop signs - what a marvelous collection!<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div></div><div><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px;">Today we're not in a museum, unless you consider the streets of Paris as such!</span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">"</span></i></div></div></div></div></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div></div><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">We're not talking about some neon nightmare here; this is old Paris at its purest and finest. The famous <i>Chat Noir</i> cabaret, a hearty negro man/clock, a splendid carved goat in a vineyard from 1745, but I'm getting ahead of myself.</div></div></div></div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8BsDrKx5K-uaxal5U6tQxG6TjWWgVknF5XBH5010f-qjOAAeu-ZBQO5CDuIhp2t7evnbbK_dmcFrdp3g83br0b620Nhr4csPInzbm2BfkjndHxrNefhGH8lwunnFzrQDyYDbg4Q99R09Y/s1600/liege4_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8BsDrKx5K-uaxal5U6tQxG6TjWWgVknF5XBH5010f-qjOAAeu-ZBQO5CDuIhp2t7evnbbK_dmcFrdp3g83br0b620Nhr4csPInzbm2BfkjndHxrNefhGH8lwunnFzrQDyYDbg4Q99R09Y/s320/liege4_640.jpg" width="320" /></a>Today we're not in a museum, unless you consider the streets of Paris as such! We're out in a road with one of the most curious names in the city, <i>rue Tiquetonne</i> in the 2nd <i>arrondissement</i>.<br />
<br />
This road used to be called the <i>rue du Petit-Lion-Saint-Sauveur</i>, whatever that means, but because of a (depending on which source you want to believe) baker who lived there around 1400 called <i>Rogier de Quiquetonne</i>. The name was adopted in the 1800s, with the 'Qu' getting transformed into 'T' for sonoric reasons no doubt. It's true it's a particularly pleasant name to trip around the tongue.<br />
<br />
So anyway, here we are in <i>rue Tiquetonne</i>, which I forgot to say follows the trace of the outside of the old <i>Philippe-Auguste</i> wall faithfully. And above some sort of boutique for which the road is quite well known called <i>The Cork</i>, in reasonable English for once, is one of the very few shop signs remaining from the middle-ages, and a beautiful one it is too.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUFeL21ioR9AAFvO7A63sGtBa99jTxQfvoFjcgFGpQyP8_Sq79c3Wp1R5dTqLUxOvY4IGABG5c7jj3h30Tvg4QaP-i_KzvTR3AJ-23COWx8ukmjKsKpTxOq5E8WeUdC3_HDjTnaTsdb_Bs/s1600/liege5_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUFeL21ioR9AAFvO7A63sGtBa99jTxQfvoFjcgFGpQyP8_Sq79c3Wp1R5dTqLUxOvY4IGABG5c7jj3h30Tvg4QaP-i_KzvTR3AJ-23COWx8ukmjKsKpTxOq5E8WeUdC3_HDjTnaTsdb_Bs/s1600/liege5_640.jpg" /></a></div><br />
The shop, which is well named if not well employed (I'm convinced it should be an Irish pub) is the proud possessor of a lovely ceramic cork tree. Guess why? I mean guess why there is a cork tree on the wall? Because it used to be a cork merchant way back when.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMaC4Qz07FLP1iVzaVwlOiZpjrhvLiPxKRyhfZ4oLaqCWlQJNsFNoZojczKhjOJmcBUiQduY3IEUps5lanaz0d5whFl1HfiiZcQwmURlKd0463bBeEdGoRV_Ql4eZcGrYXxzVniC7Cap2X/s1600/liege2_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMaC4Qz07FLP1iVzaVwlOiZpjrhvLiPxKRyhfZ4oLaqCWlQJNsFNoZojczKhjOJmcBUiQduY3IEUps5lanaz0d5whFl1HfiiZcQwmURlKd0463bBeEdGoRV_Ql4eZcGrYXxzVniC7Cap2X/s320/liege2_640.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>And that's pretty much my story for today! There are others, a handful, as impressive and evocative as this one, but for that you'll have to wait a while, dear reader, until we hit the appropriate quartier and <i>arrondissement</i>, but rest assured, you'll know them all by the time we're finished. I shall leave no sign unphotographed. The fifth arrondissement will have a few, for sure...<br />
<br />
For the time being, take a stroll down this charming medieval street and imagine yourself back then when you could pop in for a few corks for your wine bottles if you had a sudden need for them, ahh, those were the days!<br />
<br />
By the way, Dumas' <i>D'Artagnan</i> lived here, he of the <i>Three Musketeers</i> fame.<br />
<br />
(Pass the <i>rouge</i>, Rogier...)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="border-bottom: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-left: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-right: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-top: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">J<span style="font-size: small;">OIN</span> I<span style="font-size: small;">N</span> T<span style="font-size: small;">HE</span> F<span style="font-size: small;">UN</span><span style="font-size: large;"> ~ </span>C<span style="font-size: small;">HAT</span> A<span style="font-size: small;">BOUT</span> Q</span>UIRK<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">N</span><span style="font-size: small;">O. </span><span style="font-size: large;">5</span><span style="font-size: large;"> !</span></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
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</div><div></div><div><div><div><div><div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgczcAo9u5jPPxRZ_WOE0BVKHvaGrE8w5qgeJwcLMlNkzxHiPzodlWdiAUlar8A6F8b2t1bHJ8daasobabl7_2xBpS2rTCfvYU6If9ICe_uX6i0epHZU3NFbcYj2RciajR7z75BIgrnfbjs/s1600/jean_sans1_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgczcAo9u5jPPxRZ_WOE0BVKHvaGrE8w5qgeJwcLMlNkzxHiPzodlWdiAUlar8A6F8b2t1bHJ8daasobabl7_2xBpS2rTCfvYU6If9ICe_uX6i0epHZU3NFbcYj2RciajR7z75BIgrnfbjs/s400/jean_sans1_640.jpg" width="400" /></a><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="Sab_in_Paris" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript">
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"A Farewell To Kings"</em></span></div></div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-left: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-right: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-top: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">C<span style="font-size: small;">OMMENT</span> B<span style="font-size: small;">ELOW</span>!</span></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
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As medieval towers go, the splendid <i>Tour Jean Sans Peur</i> is about as good as they get, in Paris at least.<br />
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There are still quite a few vestiges of the middle ages left in the city, especially in the <i>Marais </i>quarter, as we shall see later, but ones which are thoroughly visible aren't so common.<br />
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Here in the 2nd <i>arrondissement</i> then it's a pleasure to discover a fully-fledged medieval curiosity which has almost miraculously survived numerous city growing pains, including bursting through the old <i>Philippe Auguste</i> wall which the <i>Tour Jean Sans Peur</i> sneakily straddled.<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
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<tr><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">"M<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px;">ost others of its ilk have </span></span></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px;">been smashed </span></span></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px;">to</span></span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px;">smithereens </span></span></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px;">in fits of anti-royal spitefulness.</span>"</span></i></div></div></div></div></td></tr>
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</div><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">But today's quirk isn't about the tower itself, for it holds far too many curiosities to have them all lumped together as one.</div></div></div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCOALX0M40naEGNYi1bqv4YpSQJ4yQfaIweCyWwFzH55CEPc7T-A62b6O308nnEuU3TdbjVN6s8EdKiEUotlW_puOFq6_4ltwnfarROIJNZR3aNAUAamnfhojGhVQsBkmmguIbtANqiuqN/s1600/jean_sans3_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCOALX0M40naEGNYi1bqv4YpSQJ4yQfaIweCyWwFzH55CEPc7T-A62b6O308nnEuU3TdbjVN6s8EdKiEUotlW_puOFq6_4ltwnfarROIJNZR3aNAUAamnfhojGhVQsBkmmguIbtANqiuqN/s400/jean_sans3_640.jpg" width="265" /></a>Today's curiosity is about a small architectural detail skulking way up high in a difficultly accessible position, which is no doubt the reason for its continued existence today, when others of its ilk were being smashed to smithereens in a fit of anti-royal spitefulness.<br />
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I'm talking about a symbol which has represented royal dominance down through the ages. As such it also represented all that was hated about the king when things weren't going so much in his favour. This was most in evidence during the various revolutionary periods of French history when anything and everything holding any sort of reference to royal righteousness was treated with the utmost contempt; if it could be removed from public view, ideally violently, then so much the better.<br />
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But climbing up a sheer stone wall within a rather obscure and inaccessible old tower seems to have been just about beyond both the capabilities and concerns of our sans culotte revolutionaries.<br />
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The oh-so-royal little <i>fleurs de lys</i>, nestled up high under the arching ceiling of the <i>Tour Jean Sans Peur</i> have, miraculously, survived, which is more than can be said for the unfortunate creature holding the shield, who has had his (or her?) face smashed in and lost an arm into the bargain. perhaps from rocks hurled from below by those lacking a handy piece of scaffolding at short notice. Ouch!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4iW0EJgVwVtMt2o6KF0AeHWbBSZbklAMM1ymLlGa0AHWOi5saI1Uek7k63fQt5S5xnXQbJk-azZRS7jwgYbsci6n5PJkMmo8pdFSF3fS8zFmkXvjcx7WjI_AwH9nbICVI9KMfOwvMYGSw/s1600/jean_sans2_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4iW0EJgVwVtMt2o6KF0AeHWbBSZbklAMM1ymLlGa0AHWOi5saI1Uek7k63fQt5S5xnXQbJk-azZRS7jwgYbsci6n5PJkMmo8pdFSF3fS8zFmkXvjcx7WjI_AwH9nbICVI9KMfOwvMYGSw/s400/jean_sans2_640.jpg" width="312" /></a>There are plenty of other examples of revolutionary zeal around the city, most of the successful in their aim of destroying these royal symbols, so those few remaining examples are, in retrospect, to be cherished.<br />
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Historically, the <i>fleur de lys</i>, or 'lily flower', is intimately connected to the French monarchy. Having said that, it actually appears all over the place, such as parts of the US and Canada which have a strong cultural or historical link with France.<br />
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It also makes an appearance on the arms of the <i>King of Spain</i> and the <i>Grand Duke of Luxembourg</i>, who are linked to the <i>House of Bourbon</i>.<br />
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An interesting little historical quirk, and after all we're all about quirks here, <i>n'est-ce pas</i>, is that the three leaves are said to represent the three social classes of medieval France.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5NpW-XRCzEfuzPpADQoi__oXP3GdRfBfgV6eNxRptnR7uM2GXXcWEbnLQhr3MN_Zhmhf6QmTN4WOHuM28TVUO39x8bwoTYZO5m3FDb731vQbAQ8SZ_oGnzU1v1aq5rspSztwlfC7fhFEq/s1600/jean_sans4_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5NpW-XRCzEfuzPpADQoi__oXP3GdRfBfgV6eNxRptnR7uM2GXXcWEbnLQhr3MN_Zhmhf6QmTN4WOHuM28TVUO39x8bwoTYZO5m3FDb731vQbAQ8SZ_oGnzU1v1aq5rspSztwlfC7fhFEq/s400/jean_sans4_640.jpg" width="265" /></a>And what are those classes, you are expecting me to tell you, I presume! Try to guess before you read the next paragraph, and think... middle ages...<br />
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And the three medieval social classes were, arguably, the workers, the fighters and the prayers (i.e. those who prayed). Which in itself is highly revelatory of the state of things back in those days, I would say. Fascinating stuff.<br />
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If you've been privy to another signification of the three leaves in the <i>fleur de lys</i> symbol, then do share in the comments section.<br />
<br />
As an epilogue to all this, the final picture shows <i>Rémi Rivière</i>, the <i>Directeur </i>of the <i>Tour Jean Sans Peur</i>, to which we'll return in due course, along with his tower, of course. Rémi was almost single-handedly responsible for reopening it to the public as a going commercial concern, thus guaranteeing, for the time being at least, that this vitally important historical monument isn't left to disintegrate and reduce the city's heritage by more than we could imagine.<br />
<br />
My interview with Rémi will be published on <i><b><a href="http://parisifyouplease.com/">Paris If You Please</a></b></i> shortly.<br />
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<tr><td style="border-bottom: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-left: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-right: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-top: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">J<span style="font-size: small;">OIN</span> I<span style="font-size: small;">N</span> T<span style="font-size: small;">HE</span> F<span style="font-size: small;">UN</span><span style="font-size: large;"> ~ </span>C<span style="font-size: small;">HAT</span> A<span style="font-size: small;">BOUT</span> Q</span><span style="font-size: small;">UIRK<span style="font-size: large;"> N</span><span style="font-size: small;">O. 4</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> !</span></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
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</div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjef3i7ZYnsnHuMI7krwmhhBQVR_psIFSSiNOSJAgK_yU2p4Vnvk3DXnRL8NigMTaxa6UbLfPm9tyglsynQXqQhXWdK_pN8DpRgf4OmkmhVb33yo3fZh-HTFJqMbBgsuyvA2ydE5wmSDGt1/s1600/affiches3_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjef3i7ZYnsnHuMI7krwmhhBQVR_psIFSSiNOSJAgK_yU2p4Vnvk3DXnRL8NigMTaxa6UbLfPm9tyglsynQXqQhXWdK_pN8DpRgf4OmkmhVb33yo3fZh-HTFJqMbBgsuyvA2ydE5wmSDGt1/s400/affiches3_640.jpg" width="400px" /></a><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="Sab_in_Paris" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript">
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-left: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-right: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-top: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">C<span style="font-size: small;">OMMENT</span> B<span style="font-size: small;">ELOW</span>!</span></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
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A stroll along the <i>Rue de Rivoli</i> at the moment offers a slightly ironic nod to the past with a resounding reminder that we're well and truly in the present.<br />
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<i>Le Moniteur de Seine et Marn</i>e has known better days! That's not quite true, because they have one of those new-fangled website thingies, and new offices just around the corner in <i>Rue du Louvre</i>, but this reminder of earlier days is nice and nostalgic.<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Let me respecfully point out that you're actually not looking at a sign for 'Le Moniteur' up on the wall here, but at the grime and dirt which accumulated <i>around </i>the letters which used to be there on the wall before being sent to some advertising rubbish pile up in the sky somewhere! Along with the last remains of the fastenings which used to keep them nailed to the wall. It's a very visible example of how our urban landscape never really stands still.<br />
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</div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgkKzLmQP4ouUFGojJqWaCcm7pSAo57IXYtLym4tHdwSdOA0gaFLWvMfgBa_mrAumPgtJ1ZxelAG_swbsGToS7Nmj2mBdZQplIEHi-a_yfmivxOVC09dqyTAkSLTCdHMEwdCdYC3bLWhIc/s1600/affiches2_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgkKzLmQP4ouUFGojJqWaCcm7pSAo57IXYtLym4tHdwSdOA0gaFLWvMfgBa_mrAumPgtJ1ZxelAG_swbsGToS7Nmj2mBdZQplIEHi-a_yfmivxOVC09dqyTAkSLTCdHMEwdCdYC3bLWhIc/s1600/affiches2_640.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>If you look closely you can see that there are a handful of letters still clinging on for dear life, but their days are numbered, that's for sure.<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>This newspaper group, <i>Affiches Parisiennes</i>, is actually a company which runs a group of small ads publications, of which <i>Le Moniteur de Seine et Marne</i>, one of the departments surrounding Paris, is one.<br />
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<div></div><div><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-left: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-right: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-top: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>"Imagine Napoleon checking for best routes and traffic jams on Google during his Russian campaign - why does that seem so strange..."</em></span></div></div></div></td></tr>
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<div>It's funny to think that this facade, in all its spendour of yesteryear, will have been simply part of the daily grind for so many Parisians over the decades, who wouldn't have given it a second glance, and of course, why would they?</div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGCg9wzJbZzLxOtxp1wyl5CZx1u-M-e8pCLM4AhXYwUa4W20RGs6bmQySpu-AUG_xeSoH-a-O8TEhA435rBAY1ub99GeNgn3PQpvb5FY4qe2kUfRUY-pYkeVTc_QQ92wHW23wBNwqHbp0/s1600/affiches4_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGCg9wzJbZzLxOtxp1wyl5CZx1u-M-e8pCLM4AhXYwUa4W20RGs6bmQySpu-AUG_xeSoH-a-O8TEhA435rBAY1ub99GeNgn3PQpvb5FY4qe2kUfRUY-pYkeVTc_QQ92wHW23wBNwqHbp0/s400/affiches4_640.jpg" width="400px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">But to see it in such a state of disaffection, on the point of being eradicated forever from the cityscape, does seem to me a reason for just a few moments of contemplation.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Could those little worker ants scuttling by, in 1950 say, ever have imagined a day when they could hold far more information in the palm of their hand than they could ever absorb in a million lifetimes?</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And if the <i>iPad</i>, for them, in an era before computers could do much more than add up a few numbers, would be quite simply unimaginable, what do you think this will look like in another hundred years, and what will the billboards be saying or even looking like? Holograms, maybe, which interact with us as we pass, based on our Facebook profiles and the latest things we have bought and done, which is automatically sent out to all of those around us as we go through our daily lives?</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrak60viljDsQntOjgZJJS_j6l2L_H_sWA_KYQRrucM1Fl3eBN8_rS0iEaQ1jFc3LN5hzqo9IEFbMQwvX8yhqy4JbpU8NuD3QSOi7Hawg_5nuqjN8psr2GdqdyuxC8Q5QhDkgy9DYpGUOn/s1600/affiches1_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrak60viljDsQntOjgZJJS_j6l2L_H_sWA_KYQRrucM1Fl3eBN8_rS0iEaQ1jFc3LN5hzqo9IEFbMQwvX8yhqy4JbpU8NuD3QSOi7Hawg_5nuqjN8psr2GdqdyuxC8Q5QhDkgy9DYpGUOn/s400/affiches1_640.jpg" width="400px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Sure, why not?!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I often ask myself, especially in relation to Paris, if change and 'progress' is always a good thing, or necessarily a sad one. New and better things come along but often replace things which have become dear to people for some reason or another. And yet without progress we would stand still and that wouldn't be possible. Which is great! Nothing is cast in stone, including our lives, and we can change them at any time.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Hey! A bit of uplifting philosophical musing all brought on by a grimy old sign being torn down on the <i>Rue de Rivoli</i>. As it should be. The musing brought on, that is.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCTqYwbh0rm66gClcSGXvzndQsrgAkgaA4bnv2va_ZLEawegOnANLzS-1vicmVizXDp5XKQ8kl7TBLrWK5zKgYnyOyy4ThHdQ6inXZtLdXC0qwGrDnddXn0Z0hUTSR4TmN5FDLD217GM/s1600/Emilia2-big_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: right; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="195px" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCTqYwbh0rm66gClcSGXvzndQsrgAkgaA4bnv2va_ZLEawegOnANLzS-1vicmVizXDp5XKQ8kl7TBLrWK5zKgYnyOyy4ThHdQ6inXZtLdXC0qwGrDnddXn0Z0hUTSR4TmN5FDLD217GM/s200/Emilia2-big_500.jpg" title="Your friendly Paris Quirk!" width="200px" /></a>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div></div></div><div><div><div><div><div align="justify"></div></div></div><div></div></div></div></div></div><div><div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div><div><div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em>If you've stumbled across this page by accident and like what you see, why not sign up for the entire series of </em><strong><a href="http://www.parissetmefree.com/books/400_Paris_quirks.htm" target="_blank">400 Paris Quirks</a></strong><em>, right here. And don't forget, you can get </em><a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/20-free-paris-quirks.html" target="_blank"><strong>20 FREE Paris Quirks</strong></a> <em>and a very special offer, by e-mail right now!</em><strong> See you soon in Paris!</strong></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td style="border-bottom: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-left: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-right: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-top: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">J<span style="font-size: small;">OIN</span> I<span style="font-size: small;">N</span> T<span style="font-size: small;">HE</span> F<span style="font-size: small;">UN</span><span style="font-size: large;"> ~ </span>C<span style="font-size: small;">HAT</span> A<span style="font-size: small;">BOUT</span> Q</span><span style="font-size: small;">UIRK<span style="font-size: large;"> N</span><span style="font-size: small;">O. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">3 !</span></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
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</div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJRDnlkqNdIvz9n-yXWced01svbsX36iiQHMaZFGqLF9mqp-u1nym2lPhcg6rI8KBoFzUvqj8pZvcYZZXpI5aLdmsmRh9hIy1JCDKBJ1_RDlO6cjCqLmwGTANwR559HRDKgZ2Yz-TAvzyV/s1600/chimneys1_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJRDnlkqNdIvz9n-yXWced01svbsX36iiQHMaZFGqLF9mqp-u1nym2lPhcg6rI8KBoFzUvqj8pZvcYZZXpI5aLdmsmRh9hIy1JCDKBJ1_RDlO6cjCqLmwGTANwR559HRDKgZ2Yz-TAvzyV/s400/chimneys1_640.jpg" width="263px" /></a></div><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="Sab_in_Paris" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript">
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</script> <fb:like layout="button_count" show_faces="false" width="90"></fb:like></div></div></div></div></div><div><div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><em>"Paris in Wonderland"</em></span></div></div></div><div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div><div><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<div><div><div><div>This has to be my best-ever argument for boring people to death by saying 'Remember to look up!' over and over again.<br />
<br />
<div>Of course, you should look straight ahead, and down too (expecially in Paris to avoid the poochy-poos!) but raising your eyes above, well, eye-level, will often pay handsome dividends.</div><br />
Such is the case here. What we see from eye-level is a more or less normal-looking central Parisian building.<br />
<br />
Paris, they say, is one of the most 'lived in' capitals in Europe. That is to say, there are plenty of people living their little Parisian lives right in the middle of the city, coming out of their apartments and wandering directly along the <em>Isle Saint-Louis</em>, <em>Boulevard Saint-Germain</em> or <em>rue Saint-Honoré</em>, as here.<br />
<br />
Those saints certainly got around a bit, didn't they, but they didn't always have an easy, albeit posthumous time of it, as we see in various other <em><strong>Paris Quirks</strong></em>.<br />
<br />
Anyway, back to our boring old building - on closer inspection it's not quite so banal...<br />
<br />
Raise your gaze and look what appears: the strangest set of chimneys you ever did see!<br />
<br />
<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcHgunO1kqixf5MkxGFym4myZ2uAKMzM5pRHty7goz5ktq2NBW0AFXfPjaOPP5R5zRoHyfoFOGjWayXTlMEjSQYlQpNOdCf0VffHyBK-ZX-LOEwNLVR4u7FTiE4A05FJ1sFP8KN4zg-5ga/s1600/chimneys2_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcHgunO1kqixf5MkxGFym4myZ2uAKMzM5pRHty7goz5ktq2NBW0AFXfPjaOPP5R5zRoHyfoFOGjWayXTlMEjSQYlQpNOdCf0VffHyBK-ZX-LOEwNLVR4u7FTiE4A05FJ1sFP8KN4zg-5ga/s1600/chimneys2_640.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Well what do you know - two or three of these chimney rows are completely wonky in relation to the underlying buildings... or are they? Without background knowledge it would be almost impossible to guess the reason for this seemingly mad architectural anomaly. But the chimneys aren't the only things which are totally off kilter.<br />
<br />
</div></div><div></div><div><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-left: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-right: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; border-top: rgb(255,255,255) 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-size: large;"><em>"The chimneys aren't the only things which are completely skewiff..."</em></span></div></div></td></tr>
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<div>Let's have a better look at the shop <em>Direct Or</em> ('Direct Gold' - I'll have some of that!) which we can see in the first photo.<br />
<br />
<div>See anything odd about it? Well, you might have guessed by now that it's as wonky as the chimneys it's supporting, like something out of <em>Alice in Wonderland</em>. Just beyond the door on the right you can see the wall cutting across the floor at a sharp angle. This is because the walls of <em>Cofraor</em> next door do exactly the same thing.</div><br />
<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhtTSKqvDSktxLtSLxqgEa5V5q0BZEk30efR-X7p4QIls5FNDS4-Va6fkbdr4XFlbR6Y4a3qy40mxm54DxbzWf5U3C_zE0opNsIIjGR0uyx5Wk2fublzEzFnCWymkjc8LNidZaooZml3lr/s1600/chimneys3_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="299px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhtTSKqvDSktxLtSLxqgEa5V5q0BZEk30efR-X7p4QIls5FNDS4-Va6fkbdr4XFlbR6Y4a3qy40mxm54DxbzWf5U3C_zE0opNsIIjGR0uyx5Wk2fublzEzFnCWymkjc8LNidZaooZml3lr/s320/chimneys3_640.jpg" width="320px" /></a>And if you were to take the little passageway on the left of <em>Cofraor</em> you'd immediately be heading off at a sharp north-easterly angle as opposed to the more northerly one you might have expected judging by the disposition of the <em>rue Saint-Honoré</em> itself.</div><div><br />
</div>To fully understand the underlying cause for all this tangential tomfoolery you would, indeed, have to go deep and see just what is lying under these strange architectural hiccoughs.<br />
<br />
<div>And down in the basements and cellars, lurking behing piles of old junk and possibly modern plaster or brick covering, some very old and chunky stones, all in a row (or two).</div><br />
<div>What we're looking at here is the ancient traces of the <em>Philippe Auguste</em> wall, laid down around the year 1200, designed to protect his city when he went Crusadavanting off across Europe.</div><div><br />
</div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2OKC6xk4oGlLEFCwAPvfGhI4GLvJ84c1ywEYAqC8EFVv8TVzw3UkcsgnRx-h8VDk240FY8Uyne51w7qUzcgu3_FFQGGUv8tRpPzKORQz76GMwuYGr8lvKGyCnd9slfcQ9tGX5Yo4M5lF/s1600/chimneys4_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2OKC6xk4oGlLEFCwAPvfGhI4GLvJ84c1ywEYAqC8EFVv8TVzw3UkcsgnRx-h8VDk240FY8Uyne51w7qUzcgu3_FFQGGUv8tRpPzKORQz76GMwuYGr8lvKGyCnd9slfcQ9tGX5Yo4M5lF/s200/chimneys4_640.jpg" width="200px" /></a>The (king) <em>Philippe Auguste</em> wall on the right bank passed this way, and as the city grew, some of it was torn down, but the useful parts, such as rock-solid foundations and supporting walls, were simply incorporated into the new constructions.<br />
<br />
And what's more, people had, by this time, staked claims to the land delimited by the wall, and the wall my have passed away, but the landrights remained, leading to some pretty odd design decisions to be sure.</div></div><div><br />
</div><div><div>The wall was wide, and actually consisted of two solid walls with some rubbly-type infill in the middle. To get an idea of the width of the original wall, have a look at... oh, the <em>Cofraor</em> store, for example.</div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><br />
</div><div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div></div></div><div><br />
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<div><div><div><em>If you've stumbled across this page by accident and like what you see, why not sign up for the entire series of </em><strong><a href="http://www.parissetmefree.com/books/400_Paris_quirks.htm" target="_blank">400 Paris Quirks</a></strong><em>, right here. And don't forget, you can get </em><a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/20-free-paris-quirks.html" target="_blank"><strong>20 FREE Paris Quirks</strong></a> <em>and a very special offer, by e-mail right now!</em><strong> See you soon in Paris!</strong></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/parisifyouplease" target="_blank"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwD-870O9-_ICC9hrXjinX7pZa6g6WqBdtT6gOC6uj4SyCWfaPw7IsQ2dQmrG2lJtRGgs_BlNMFauiJ1OZrhRNkYc4eQQEZe3LWqlWbYEJfrHH4_p_HO0UB8holZ4JxPmA9StTu4P8ad3W/s1600/icon_facebook_SH_40.png" /></a> <a href="http://twitter.com/Sab_in_Paris" target="_blank"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxZ7n4RFw4fkV4dKTeWOxICvlnDTACBu6izJ6tzkET96AmoNqn_N4Vy1zU628dS6LVls4150b4Is-634L_YDnKpvjLaNHF9tp2iHKu94AvDy7V2fjzf_JOMfj2naJ22BGHme8mNjFv8CjL/s1600/icon_twitterbird_SH_40.png" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/parissetmefree/" target="_blank"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxXyIS7Tmo13qDTYuV3SQYKlfkMzYk-5Wn9zUjkBSqOnFhBcod0tgf4tM9ej4LxYHY7bfaiE05dn8Otc_H8-V8EtAH7tJobonXrVghQP2fhjm24T0azyohsCZiKld_IdzFpztzFHS_sGrD/s1600/icon_flickr_SH_40.png" /></a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/parissetmefreeparis#p/u" target="_blank"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0BwoGfYX-oMd0st26yA1lCluJzSs2dMeExRANsv9frf1uJnx7_aqfpv2k8hltOd80IliM4eurRGU9l4SGuyn5Hq9lVUXlGk35WXoRjvKFFyvR1VfJ-vF7p6s34Gnja-OvZT5rjkvrsE48/s1600/icon_youtube_40.png" /></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/ParisIfYouPlease" target="_blank"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq_Hy6BNRdQT71UQpdSsTxADpg7S5AdeuVDicfXQ6m3AIm33IeBbu6q5y7R_MixJMyRGIYPGfR66yC8fxQBFjitOrbrAE5sGX4TQQY3Bk3YbNMJtNIAxHOnoeqr_B_UbKXYwKQZu9yOrr9/s1600/icon_rss_SH_40.png" /></a> <img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRy75yxvE6iZr0sbqYsPQMtAgm4M03g6dklyv7UG6lQUzIdpzpJBqsunPuMkY1Fd5iMLmcARjEzoLNX8hOU3bomtAdX5YqU41wFltQCKhTkzXf1CUDDJ2VDjqy1A5yk2bkuHHJHA9jLyuK/s1600/icon_linkedin_SH_40.png" /> <img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUWqiHCt-7U5nNQlD6UzkoPyV-Uplxt66uFxjyB23-3NwkG-AwSUtUHl9ElHOSbdzwb8gXJdxfk4tWqZzpTexbKoAND3DHhGTqSgwCPrEZft0o8TBPT8dYQOdHIjFfLt0-FhBSo3Ew1Yb1/s1600/icon_blogger_SH_40.png" /> <a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/contact-sab.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCCNAYAPJWxc8v1MKtqviq3r5zdfGrGlmRqYqdwho8jriCWMpuGW0OeChg6sosdYAZC3zQrMZDpnOlp3yO2R2ZZxyeXtzagOrnC0c13suEGBwbUtYsaYNeoN1b7k2N7XFE3k-G124LXkhv/s1600/icon_email_SH_40.png" /></a> <a href="http://paris-if-you-please.parissetmefree.com/2011/01/paris-places-arrondissements-deciphered.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ5cN6XzCqyXfYoaa2LvBpe5WJoamNmUj5uA1wKw2mgNE7Uony2ksOKO8zVXBscBHoQfN4yhgO_ztH9NM12HuZPPgNZ6-etjEuggVofg81kje_sgf3trN-BIshpa20ZGgXmxxD-wa9Vdpp/s1600/icon_smiley_SH_40.png" /></a></div><div><div><div>_______________________________________________________________________________________</div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div><span style="font-size: large;">©</span> 2011 <a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/contact-sab.html" target="_blank">Sab Will</a> / <a href="http://www.parissetmefree.com/" target="_blank">Paris Set Me Free</a> - Suggestions, requests and comments always welcome! <span style="font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="font-size: large;">J</span></span></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566366638498137613.post-86615099043317994152011-01-02T23:44:00.001+01:002011-08-28T16:46:50.603+02:00400 Quirks No.2 ~ "Spot The Church"<div style="text-align: center;"></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidQBHqvppW7fUVcH___L1N_70w81DdGrci_hDfEyezP40EyA6J-P-d3CirOeX-pfBChsP-P2d1mLBQG_l5R2_X17KR68YN_H46wDog9mWy6oA2Ot8BT981Ma5n-KOhy8Bql6AxNoSzPcRt/s1600/400_paris_quirks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidQBHqvppW7fUVcH___L1N_70w81DdGrci_hDfEyezP40EyA6J-P-d3CirOeX-pfBChsP-P2d1mLBQG_l5R2_X17KR68YN_H46wDog9mWy6oA2Ot8BT981Ma5n-KOhy8Bql6AxNoSzPcRt/s1600/400_paris_quirks.jpg" /></a> <br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" style="border-bottom: #ffffff 1px solid; border-left: #ffffff 1px solid; border-right: #ffffff 1px solid; border-top: #ffffff 1px solid;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">B<span style="font-size: small;">ECOME</span> A P<span style="font-size: small;">ARIS</span> G<span style="font-size: small;">URU</span> I<span style="font-size: small;">N<span style="font-size: large;"> 400</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"> E</span><span style="font-size: small;">ASY<span style="font-size: large;"> S</span><span style="font-size: small;">TEPS<span style="font-size: large;">!</span></span></span></span></span></span></strong></div></div></div></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTtONkAsy1nBN07l9cfpS2kTSyebEQ_RyTkeIFmKOc0lSY73J8cZl7EvkBFttpMpcn430cuWX-jqS30PpU5IylKUYhcEsAZ_ZF-csEHChpxdZnr6oCzNRgFHAVftgzw7sC557zDu-Okt8/s1600/sab_smile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: right; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTtONkAsy1nBN07l9cfpS2kTSyebEQ_RyTkeIFmKOc0lSY73J8cZl7EvkBFttpMpcn430cuWX-jqS30PpU5IylKUYhcEsAZ_ZF-csEHChpxdZnr6oCzNRgFHAVftgzw7sC557zDu-Okt8/s320/sab_smile.jpg" width="209" /></a></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em><span style="font-size: large;">Congratulations!</span></em><br />
<br />
You have just taken the first step to becoming a veritable Paris Guru!<br />
<br />
Check out this page to find out how!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: yellow; font-size: x-large;"><strong><a href="http://www.parissetmefree.com/books/400_Paris_quirks.htm">400 Paris Quirks</a></strong></span></div><br />
Every three days, week after week, for more than three years, I'm going to share everything (well, <em>almost</em> everything ;-) I know about this intriguing place full of surprises.<br />
<div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br />
<div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" style="border-bottom: #ffffff 1px solid; border-left: #ffffff 1px solid; border-right: #ffffff 1px solid; border-top: #ffffff 1px solid;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>"Let me know what you think!</em></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><em>What are </em>your<em> favourite Paris quirks!"</em></span></div></div></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I don't want this to be a one-way voyage, so please do let me know what you think, tell me your stories about your own personal Parisian adventures and discoveries, and anything else you like!</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The best way to do this is through my Paris blogs and photo blogs - you can always find the links in the right-hand column on any page, including this one.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I love hearing from people with a passion for the city, so do get in touch and leave your comments and impressions. I look forward to hearing from you!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">If you would like to meet up with me personally then feel free to book one of my exclusive <em>Paris Photo Weeks and Tours</em>, or one of my <em>Paris Curios Weeks and Tours</em>, and it will be a pleasure to see you on my favourite streets in the world - the streets of Paris.</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table border="0" cellpadding="7" cellspacing="15" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" style="border-bottom: #ffffff 1px solid; border-left: #ffffff 1px solid; border-right: #ffffff 1px solid; border-top: #ffffff 1px solid;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/curios-weeks.html"><span style="font-size: x-large;">C<span style="font-size: large;">URIOS </span>W</span><span style="font-size: large;">EEKS</span></a></strong></div></div></div></div></td><td align="left" style="border-bottom: #ffffff 1px solid; border-left: #ffffff 1px solid; border-right: #ffffff 1px solid; border-top: #ffffff 1px solid;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/photo-weeks.html"><span style="font-size: x-large;">P<span style="font-size: large;">HOTO</span> W</span><span style="font-size: large;">EEKS</span></a></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left" style="border-bottom: #ffffff 1px solid; border-left: #ffffff 1px solid; border-right: #ffffff 1px solid; border-top: #ffffff 1px solid;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/curios-tours.html"><span style="font-size: x-large;">C<span style="font-size: large;">URIOS</span> T</span><span style="font-size: large;">OURS</span></a></strong></div></div></div></td><td align="left" style="border-bottom: #ffffff 1px solid; border-left: #ffffff 1px solid; border-right: #ffffff 1px solid; border-top: #ffffff 1px solid;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/photo-tours.html"><span style="font-size: x-large;">P<span style="font-size: large;">HOTO</span> T</span><span style="font-size: large;">OURS</span></a></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Thanks once again for choosing my...</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEina48O2lN44ZXbD46wUO3VjBa6ORuxiS6W5gg7zQy1AbUSy72KMqlYKQifPPPiM6Oc2Y_uK6NsKM6Qs5EqQRxlAla2phO0cSW_KMZj9s5mk-MZVrH2qdbvSJxRVqMoEA-v-rRYBdqdwKaz/s1600/thank_you.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEina48O2lN44ZXbD46wUO3VjBa6ORuxiS6W5gg7zQy1AbUSy72KMqlYKQifPPPiM6Oc2Y_uK6NsKM6Qs5EqQRxlAla2phO0cSW_KMZj9s5mk-MZVrH2qdbvSJxRVqMoEA-v-rRYBdqdwKaz/s1600/thank_you.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">_______________________________________________________________________________________</div></div></div></div></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;">©</span> 2011 <a href="mailto:sab@parissetmefree.com">Sab Will</a> / <a href="http://www.parissetmefree.com/" target="_blank">Paris Set Me Free</a> - Suggestions, requests and comments always welcome! <span style="font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="font-size: large;">J</span></span></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566366638498137613.post-40200625594018499652011-01-01T22:54:00.000+01:002011-08-28T16:46:14.440+02:00400 Quirks No.1 ~ "Major Disrespect, or Just An Idiot?"<div style="text-align: center;"></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidQBHqvppW7fUVcH___L1N_70w81DdGrci_hDfEyezP40EyA6J-P-d3CirOeX-pfBChsP-P2d1mLBQG_l5R2_X17KR68YN_H46wDog9mWy6oA2Ot8BT981Ma5n-KOhy8Bql6AxNoSzPcRt/s1600/400_paris_quirks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidQBHqvppW7fUVcH___L1N_70w81DdGrci_hDfEyezP40EyA6J-P-d3CirOeX-pfBChsP-P2d1mLBQG_l5R2_X17KR68YN_H46wDog9mWy6oA2Ot8BT981Ma5n-KOhy8Bql6AxNoSzPcRt/s1600/400_paris_quirks.jpg" /></a> <br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" style="border-bottom: #ffffff 1px solid; border-left: #ffffff 1px solid; border-right: #ffffff 1px solid; border-top: #ffffff 1px solid;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">B<span style="font-size: small;">ECOME</span> A P<span style="font-size: small;">ARIS</span> G<span style="font-size: small;">URU</span> I<span style="font-size: small;">N<span style="font-size: large;"> 400</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"> E</span><span style="font-size: small;">ASY<span style="font-size: large;"> S</span><span style="font-size: small;">TEPS<span style="font-size: large;">!</span></span></span></span></span></span></strong></div></div></div></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTtONkAsy1nBN07l9cfpS2kTSyebEQ_RyTkeIFmKOc0lSY73J8cZl7EvkBFttpMpcn430cuWX-jqS30PpU5IylKUYhcEsAZ_ZF-csEHChpxdZnr6oCzNRgFHAVftgzw7sC557zDu-Okt8/s1600/sab_smile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: right; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTtONkAsy1nBN07l9cfpS2kTSyebEQ_RyTkeIFmKOc0lSY73J8cZl7EvkBFttpMpcn430cuWX-jqS30PpU5IylKUYhcEsAZ_ZF-csEHChpxdZnr6oCzNRgFHAVftgzw7sC557zDu-Okt8/s320/sab_smile.jpg" width="209" /></a></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em><span style="font-size: large;">Congratulations!</span></em><br />
<br />
You have just taken the first step to becoming a veritable Paris Guru!<br />
<br />
Check out this page to find out how!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: yellow; font-size: x-large;"><strong><a href="http://www.parissetmefree.com/books/400_Paris_quirks.htm">400 Paris Quirks</a></strong></span></div><br />
Every three days, week after week, for more than three years, I'm going to share everything (well, <em>almost</em> everything ;-) I know about this intriguing place full of surprises.<br />
<div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br />
<div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" style="border-bottom: #ffffff 1px solid; border-left: #ffffff 1px solid; border-right: #ffffff 1px solid; border-top: #ffffff 1px solid;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>"Let me know what you think!</em></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><em>What are </em>your<em> favourite Paris quirks!"</em></span></div></div></div></td></tr>
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I don't want this to be a one-way voyage, so please do let me know what you think, tell me your stories about your own personal Parisian adventures and discoveries, and anything else you like!</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The best way to do this is through my Paris blogs and photo blogs - you can always find the links in the right-hand column on any page, including this one.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I love hearing from people with a passion for the city, so do get in touch and leave your comments and impressions. I look forward to hearing from you!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">If you would like to meet up with me personally then feel free to book one of my exclusive <em>Paris Photo Weeks and Tours</em>, or one of my <em>Paris Curios Weeks and Tours</em>, and it will be a pleasure to see you on my favourite streets in the world - the streets of Paris.</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table border="0" cellpadding="7" cellspacing="15" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" style="border-bottom: #ffffff 1px solid; border-left: #ffffff 1px solid; border-right: #ffffff 1px solid; border-top: #ffffff 1px solid;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/curios-weeks.html"><span style="font-size: x-large;">C<span style="font-size: large;">URIOS </span>W</span><span style="font-size: large;">EEKS</span></a></strong></div></div></div></div></td><td align="left" style="border-bottom: #ffffff 1px solid; border-left: #ffffff 1px solid; border-right: #ffffff 1px solid; border-top: #ffffff 1px solid;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/photo-weeks.html"><span style="font-size: x-large;">P<span style="font-size: large;">HOTO</span> W</span><span style="font-size: large;">EEKS</span></a></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
<tr><td align="left" style="border-bottom: #ffffff 1px solid; border-left: #ffffff 1px solid; border-right: #ffffff 1px solid; border-top: #ffffff 1px solid;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/curios-tours.html"><span style="font-size: x-large;">C<span style="font-size: large;">URIOS</span> T</span><span style="font-size: large;">OURS</span></a></strong></div></div></div></td><td align="left" style="border-bottom: #ffffff 1px solid; border-left: #ffffff 1px solid; border-right: #ffffff 1px solid; border-top: #ffffff 1px solid;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/photo-tours.html"><span style="font-size: x-large;">P<span style="font-size: large;">HOTO</span> T</span><span style="font-size: large;">OURS</span></a></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Thanks once again for choosing my...</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEina48O2lN44ZXbD46wUO3VjBa6ORuxiS6W5gg7zQy1AbUSy72KMqlYKQifPPPiM6Oc2Y_uK6NsKM6Qs5EqQRxlAla2phO0cSW_KMZj9s5mk-MZVrH2qdbvSJxRVqMoEA-v-rRYBdqdwKaz/s1600/thank_you.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEina48O2lN44ZXbD46wUO3VjBa6ORuxiS6W5gg7zQy1AbUSy72KMqlYKQifPPPiM6Oc2Y_uK6NsKM6Qs5EqQRxlAla2phO0cSW_KMZj9s5mk-MZVrH2qdbvSJxRVqMoEA-v-rRYBdqdwKaz/s1600/thank_you.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">_______________________________________________________________________________________</div></div></div></div></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;">©</span> 2011 <a href="mailto:sab@parissetmefree.com">Sab Will</a> / <a href="http://www.parissetmefree.com/" target="_blank">Paris Set Me Free</a> - Suggestions, requests and comments always welcome! <span style="font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="font-size: large;">J</span></span></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566366638498137613.post-27134815788923853892010-12-17T12:33:00.000+01:002011-08-28T16:40:29.213+02:00Free Quirk No.17 ~ "Permission to Pee"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/20-free-paris-quirks.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTAuVb6g-aaTWtTlvHyJ8zSmOa1_D6-lnjmr7iHQel93cZppkjwjci7W-gbh2gNdcYffQPjgui6vKThAh5TSWz7p3fgk4lgvD9scLOduXYN5GbRm-9VCnCfiW2ol7DlE6WhhZ0MtUM-xOy/s1600/20_paris_quirks.jpg" /></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: #ffffff 1px solid; border-left: #ffffff 1px solid; border-right: #ffffff 1px solid; border-top: #ffffff 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">J<span style="font-size: small;">OIN</span> I<span style="font-size: small;">N</span> T<span style="font-size: small;">HE</span> F<span style="font-size: small;">UN</span><span style="font-size: large;"> ~ </span>C<span style="font-size: small;">HAT</span> A<span style="font-size: small;">BOUT</span> Q</span><span style="font-size: small;">UIRK<span style="font-size: large;"> N</span><span style="font-size: small;">O. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">17!</span></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrSBYbbt34V73UuCTndsYXWUXTSSrplKWP9dwvBQeNB3OT0bzqoyLF3bEULDFtUP6ebYw5aQZprx1E6tw9fVRWanTSb9KbGz27O1S0P-odU9II0bedKyGvoB4XjefsZlIVBTiRbs5YGlaI/s640/IMG_1960.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrSBYbbt34V73UuCTndsYXWUXTSSrplKWP9dwvBQeNB3OT0bzqoyLF3bEULDFtUP6ebYw5aQZprx1E6tw9fVRWanTSb9KbGz27O1S0P-odU9II0bedKyGvoB4XjefsZlIVBTiRbs5YGlaI/s400/IMG_1960.JPG" width="300" /></a><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="Sab_in_Paris" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript">
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</script> <fb:like layout="button_count" show_faces="false" width="90"></fb:like></div></div></div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>"Permission to Pee"</em></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: #ffffff 1px solid; border-left: #ffffff 1px solid; border-right: #ffffff 1px solid; border-top: #ffffff 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><a href="https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=8566366638498137613&postID=2713481578892385389&isPopup=true" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">C<span style="font-size: small;">OMMENT</span> H<span style="font-size: small;">ERE</span> & N<span style="font-size: small;">OW</span>!</span></a></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">There was a time, in this gloriously refined city of ours which is Paris, when gentlemen would quite legitimately... how can I put this... relieve themselves in the middle of the street.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And you can imagine the charming aroma which would surround these little green vestibules as you wandered along the Parisian streets on a bright spring morning. Lovely.</div><br />
Here you are looking at what is sadly the last of these peeing emporiums, and a lovely example it is too.<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It's funny to wax lyrical about what is, in fact, just an outmoded, smelly and rather repugnant open-air toilet, in the same hushed tones as we do of the most glorious examples of Guimard's art nouveau metro entrances, but for me these Vespiennes are right up there with them.</div><br />
I don't think I've ever protested about anything in my life, not officially anyway, but if there were plans to dig this thing up I think I'd be down there with a fist and a full bladder to hammer my point home. This must never disappear from the Paris streets. We're staring at the history and the fabric of the city and I recommend you go and have a look the first time you're in the area...</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: #ffffff 1px solid; border-left: #ffffff 1px solid; border-right: #ffffff 1px solid; border-top: #ffffff 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;">"I'm one of those guys who skulks around<br />
men's public toilets with a camera<br />
and a dirty raincoat (if it's raining)..."</span></div></div></div></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Is it a coincidence that it's right outside Paris' sinister Maison d'arrêt de la Santé prison? I think not. The boulevard Arago is hardly one of the main tourist axes of the city, and there's hardly ever anyone in the street; people don't seem to get out much in those parts...</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3400/4648531904_cb9cb1f0af.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3400/4648531904_cb9cb1f0af.jpg" width="317" /></a>Judging by the number of times I've seen it in use when I've skulked by with my camera (yep, I'm one of those guys - give me a wide berth if you see me...), it still has a loyal clientele who wouldn't be too pleased to see it go either.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">If I may sing the Vespienne's praises for a moment, just think about it: it's free, it's never 'out of order' (although sometimes occupied, but see below), it has two independent booths, it's open air, you have a pleasant view through those little holes and you never have to cross your legs during an interminable new-fangled 'wash cycle', of all things.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The Vespienne is also resolutely sociable - you can chat to your fellow pee-er before, during and after. Not to mention the fact that it's open all hours - far more and practical than today's sanitised, characterless peepods which shut up shop just around the time you're heading home and forgot to go in the pub.</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4030/4646654535_3abd8e46c4_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4030/4646654535_3abd8e46c4_z.jpg" width="238" /></a>And not least of course, we impatient guys don't have to hop around like idiots waiting for the nose-powdering, hair-fluffing faction to do their thing because it's proudly, unashamedly and uprightly... MEN ONLY! Well, a woman could, if she really wanted to, I suppose...</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The downside aspects are probably not suitable for a family show but suffice it to say that there's still one of these things, in just about working order, it gets a lick of paint every now and then, and it's one of a kind.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Nearby attractions include, as I mentioned, the menacing Paris prison and a couple of blocks away the fabled Sainte-Anne's hospital for people with mental problems. I'll be treating you to an exceptional curiosity relating to one of these in six days' time in <strong>Paris Quirk <em>No.19</em></strong> if you're still with me - don't miss it, it's a goodie!</div></div></div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCTqYwbh0rm66gClcSGXvzndQsrgAkgaA4bnv2va_ZLEawegOnANLzS-1vicmVizXDp5XKQ8kl7TBLrWK5zKgYnyOyy4ThHdQ6inXZtLdXC0qwGrDnddXn0Z0hUTSR4TmN5FDLD217GM/s1600/Emilia2-big_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="195" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCTqYwbh0rm66gClcSGXvzndQsrgAkgaA4bnv2va_ZLEawegOnANLzS-1vicmVizXDp5XKQ8kl7TBLrWK5zKgYnyOyy4ThHdQ6inXZtLdXC0qwGrDnddXn0Z0hUTSR4TmN5FDLD217GM/s200/Emilia2-big_500.jpg" width="200" /></a>Sign up for my <a href="http://www.parissetmefree.com/books/400_Paris_quirks.htm"><strong><em>400 Paris Quirks</em></strong></a> if you want to discover a whole bunch more of them with me. That's <strong>20 amazing quirks</strong> in <strong><em>each</em></strong> of the 20 Paris <em>arrondissements</em>! And watch out for a very special offer on this at the end of your <a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/20-free-paris-quirks.html"><em><strong>20 FREE Paris Quirks</strong></em></a> series ;-)</div></div></div></div></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: #ffffff 1px solid; border-left: #ffffff 1px solid; border-right: #ffffff 1px solid; border-top: #ffffff 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><a href="https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=8566366638498137613&postID=2713481578892385389&isPopup=true" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">C<span style="font-size: small;">OMMENT</span> H<span style="font-size: small;">ERE</span> & N<span style="font-size: small;">OW</span>!</span></a></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="font-size: large;">J</span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566366638498137613.post-76270770263543906032010-11-11T12:33:00.004+01:002011-04-28T15:55:52.276+02:00Free Quirk No.15 ~ "Watching You Watching Me..."<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/20-free-paris-quirks.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTAuVb6g-aaTWtTlvHyJ8zSmOa1_D6-lnjmr7iHQel93cZppkjwjci7W-gbh2gNdcYffQPjgui6vKThAh5TSWz7p3fgk4lgvD9scLOduXYN5GbRm-9VCnCfiW2ol7DlE6WhhZ0MtUM-xOy/s1600/20_paris_quirks.jpg" /></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: #ffffff 1px solid; border-left: #ffffff 1px solid; border-right: #ffffff 1px solid; border-top: #ffffff 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">J<span style="font-size: small;">OIN</span> I<span style="font-size: small;">N</span> T<span style="font-size: small;">HE</span> F<span style="font-size: small;">UN</span><span style="font-size: large;"> ~ </span>C<span style="font-size: small;">HAT</span> A<span style="font-size: small;">BOUT</span> Q</span><span style="font-size: small;">UIRK<span style="font-size: large;"> N</span><span style="font-size: small;">O. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">15!</span></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYHoK6Nvs0sowek7bdK6wIAmUrm4nHGuJEmZklghM8KDxk0gAN6UlF984vShIIyN6EmvSi9QiGoLDddM1kVEBVAi35WQ7U006P9sW2ryFTmhB4JRc8sbTP5dZ_qFGA1CxVmrtuij2W3qO/s1600/two-faced_400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYHoK6Nvs0sowek7bdK6wIAmUrm4nHGuJEmZklghM8KDxk0gAN6UlF984vShIIyN6EmvSi9QiGoLDddM1kVEBVAi35WQ7U006P9sW2ryFTmhB4JRc8sbTP5dZ_qFGA1CxVmrtuij2W3qO/s1600/two-faced_400.jpg" /></a><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="Sab_in_Paris" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript">
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<tr><td style="border-bottom: #ffffff 1px solid; border-left: #ffffff 1px solid; border-right: #ffffff 1px solid; border-top: #ffffff 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><a href="https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=8566366638498137613&postID=7627077026354390603&isPopup=true" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">C<span style="font-size: small;">OMMENT</span> H<span style="font-size: small;">ERE</span> & N<span style="font-size: small;">OW</span>!</span></a></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
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Paris is, for me, indeed the dead centre of my known universe; this is where it's at, and forever more shall be so.<br />
<br />
And as far as the dead are concerned, there are quite a few of them wanting too be taken into account, if not quite able to stand up and be counted any more.<br />
We remember them principally through what was created after they left, in the form of monuments, tombstones, statues, plaques and the like. Luckily, in Paris, a fair number of these testimonials to lives are worthy of attention in their own right.<br />
<br />
The fellow represented here was apparently a doctor, and resides more or less permanently in the Montmartre cemetery just a couple of graves along from my very own tomb (kind of), but that's another story...<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: #ffffff 1px solid; border-left: #ffffff 1px solid; border-right: #ffffff 1px solid; border-top: #ffffff 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>"How appropriate for a psychiatrist, that his<br />
monument should be just a little... odd" </em></span></div></div></div></td></tr>
</></></></></tbody></table></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">He was, in fact, a doctor Guy Pitchel, who died in 1989, and was a well-known psychoanalyst who worked with French celebrities, including the singer Dalida who's way over-the-top monument (think nipply bust, huge marble arch, screaming golden sun.. delusions of grandeur?) is just down the way a little.</div><br />
How appropriate then, for someone whose profession was to delve profoundly into the depths of the human condition, that his memoral should be just a little.. odd.<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5308/5609585056_60e4af0ffe_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5308/5609585056_60e4af0ffe_z.jpg" width="381" /></a>How so? Well unfortunately it's difficult to tell the whole story in a photograph. Maybe a video could do so. But as you walk past this elegant piece, the eyes seem to follow you. No, they do follow you, there's no 'seem to' about it.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">This series is about the curiosities of Paris and not biographies so I won't go into the Docteur's life history, even if I could find it; it's all about the face!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The effect is not new. The face has actually been created as though the person actually stuck their head into the plaster, took it out and we are now looking at the result.</div><br />
In other words the face image we are looking at now is actually concave, i.e. it goes into the stone as opposed to coming out. It's hollow. Sorry, I guess you've got it by now.<br />
<br />
And what happens is that as you pass by, the light changes and gives the uncanny impression that the face turns to follow your progress. I'm understating this a bit too much I think. Let me say that the effect is absolutely astounding, and you can spend many amusing minutes walking to and fro watching the good Doctor watching you doing your thing like a yo-yo!<br />
<br />
What's funny too is that as you do this people will wander up, not aware of the effect, and think you are completely mad. They sense there is something going on, but until they see for themselves, and some of them never do spot it, they couldn't possibly imagine and just start looking around for a doct.. - oh, that's kinda funny...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5030/5609004217_8d05b7fa94.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5030/5609004217_8d05b7fa94.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Some paintings are said to possess this characteristic too, and maybe it's also due to tricks of the light, but in this case it's perfectly executed, fun to experience and works every time. So forget Euro Disney and get the kids down to the Montmartre Cemetery today - there's fun for all the family in the dead centre of town (well, one of them).</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCTqYwbh0rm66gClcSGXvzndQsrgAkgaA4bnv2va_ZLEawegOnANLzS-1vicmVizXDp5XKQ8kl7TBLrWK5zKgYnyOyy4ThHdQ6inXZtLdXC0qwGrDnddXn0Z0hUTSR4TmN5FDLD217GM/s1600/Emilia2-big_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="195" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCTqYwbh0rm66gClcSGXvzndQsrgAkgaA4bnv2va_ZLEawegOnANLzS-1vicmVizXDp5XKQ8kl7TBLrWK5zKgYnyOyy4ThHdQ6inXZtLdXC0qwGrDnddXn0Z0hUTSR4TmN5FDLD217GM/s200/Emilia2-big_500.jpg" width="200" /></a>Sign up for my <a href="http://www.parissetmefree.com/books/400_Paris_quirks.htm"><strong><em>400 Paris Quirks</em></strong></a> if you want to discover a whole bunch more of them with me. That's <strong>20 amazing quirks</strong> in <strong><em>each</em></strong> of the 20 Paris <em>arrondissements</em>! And watch out for a very special offer on this at the end of your <a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/20-free-paris-quirks.html"><em><strong>20 FREE Paris Quirks</strong></em></a> series ;-)</div></div></div></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: #ffffff 1px solid; border-left: #ffffff 1px solid; border-right: #ffffff 1px solid; border-top: #ffffff 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><a href="https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=8566366638498137613&postID=7627077026354390603&isPopup=true" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">C<span style="font-size: small;">OMMENT</span> H<span style="font-size: small;">ERE</span> & N<span style="font-size: small;">OW</span>!</span></a></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
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<em>If you've stumbled across this page by accident and like what you see, why not get the other 19 </em><a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/20-free-paris-quirks.html"><strong>FREE Paris Quirks</strong></a><em>? There are 20, you see...</em><br />
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Monsieur?"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/20-free-paris-quirks.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTAuVb6g-aaTWtTlvHyJ8zSmOa1_D6-lnjmr7iHQel93cZppkjwjci7W-gbh2gNdcYffQPjgui6vKThAh5TSWz7p3fgk4lgvD9scLOduXYN5GbRm-9VCnCfiW2ol7DlE6WhhZ0MtUM-xOy/s1600/20_paris_quirks.jpg" /></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: #ffffff 1px solid; border-left: #ffffff 1px solid; border-right: #ffffff 1px solid; border-top: #ffffff 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">J<span style="font-size: small;">OIN</span> I<span style="font-size: small;">N</span> T<span style="font-size: small;">HE</span> F<span style="font-size: small;">UN</span><span style="font-size: large;"> ~ </span>C<span style="font-size: small;">HAT</span> A<span style="font-size: small;">BOUT</span> Q</span><span style="font-size: small;">UIRK<span style="font-size: large;"> N</span><span style="font-size: small;">O. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">16!</span></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggfer9LcvrVc4g7IGVFFN6MKM7Rt89V65z1YafnpRmv04Quq2M-P_MFnL90SqA5zlBfjAMU-ZriJvMfRfBgV8iVwrURxwqml7ltmxCnWOaInoW3sip5mBEQZposDZk-N0U6BVKXdVLO_u-/s1600/negre1_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggfer9LcvrVc4g7IGVFFN6MKM7Rt89V65z1YafnpRmv04Quq2M-P_MFnL90SqA5zlBfjAMU-ZriJvMfRfBgV8iVwrURxwqml7ltmxCnWOaInoW3sip5mBEQZposDZk-N0U6BVKXdVLO_u-/s400/negre1_640.jpg" width="400" /></a><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="Sab_in_Paris" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript">
</script><script src="http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1">
</script> <fb:like layout="button_count" show_faces="false" width="90"></fb:like></div></div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>"More Chocolate... Monsieur?"</em></span><br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: #ffffff 1px solid; border-left: #ffffff 1px solid; border-right: #ffffff 1px solid; border-top: #ffffff 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><a href="https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=8566366638498137613&postID=4267551698830282659&isPopup=true" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">C<span style="font-size: small;">OMMENT</span> H<span style="font-size: small;">ERE</span> & N<span style="font-size: small;">OW</span>!</span></a></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
</></></></></tbody></table></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
Yep, you read that right. Welcome to the <em><strong>The Happy Nigger</strong></em>. Slap bang in the middle of <em>Place de la Contrescarpe</em> on the über-trendy Rue Mouffetard is a large panel announcing the presence of.. what?<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
Is it the <em>Latin Quarter's</em> latest theme pub, maybe, with rollerskating Africans serving pale aristocratic ladies, as the picture below the sign might suggest (minus the rollerskates)?<br />
<br />
Or perhaps a fun leap back in history to the old colonial days a bit like those medieval pagents only this time celebrating the good old days of French dominance when la traite des nègres was a simple fact of life and nothing to be ashamed of?<br />
<br />
It's neither of these, but it's not that far off because it comes from a time when this indicated the presence of a chocolate shop, where one could presumably drink or eat chocolate, according to what I've been able to uncover. I'm not saying it's true, I'm just saying that's what other people are saying, and who am I to argue.<br />
<br />
I've seen a handful of postings about this on blogs where observant bloggers have actually spotted the sign, and not everyone does, as you have to raise your eyes a floor above the garish mini-market which is squatting the ground floor, and as that's where most people are heading it's often missed. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__fGvC00K2JAFksTzRBlbzN-A_64MPdmYdgpb9HUqX-UR12lEwKEzgGcajUcuqYzAZvOKXWFJWwBDZeq8CXfQXTfeSFSUjEHuEoYDcSorRI7fNRsuBfLuUG7ZW8SAduxoSXbnLQEE_s1w/s1600/negre3_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__fGvC00K2JAFksTzRBlbzN-A_64MPdmYdgpb9HUqX-UR12lEwKEzgGcajUcuqYzAZvOKXWFJWwBDZeq8CXfQXTfeSFSUjEHuEoYDcSorRI7fNRsuBfLuUG7ZW8SAduxoSXbnLQEE_s1w/s400/negre3_640.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">A lot of the blog posters satisfy themselves with a picture or a throwaway comment like 'Hey, look at this!', but a few exhibit varying degrees of approbation, from a cocked eyebrow to outright condemnation and incredulity that such a distasteful symbol is still being displayed in a modern city like Paris. Which begs a thousand questions.</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">For a start, would those who would like to see it taken down (at gentlest) or destroyed by burning or stamping upon (at most outraged) agree then that <em>Notre Dame</em> and all other religious edifices should therefore also be destroyed as penance for all the sins their followers perpetrated on lowly heretics and Believers of Other Things?<br />
<br />
And what about things like the deeply moving <em>Mémorial de la Déportation</em>? Maybe that should go too, as it also reminds us of times, not so long ago, when horrors were committed... or is that taking things too far?<br />
<br />
Perhaps we would need to know whether the sign is actually protected by law, and what the official position on it is before jumping to any conclusions. Personally, I don't tend to condemn if I can help it, and certainly not before not knowing a few facts.<br />
<br />
Personally, I like it, because it makes Paris more interesting. I like the fact that it reminds me of the past, because I think the past is important, whatever that past is. In this case it reminds me that not so long ago our society believed that we could buy and sell people like we do dogfood, just as long as they were unable to stop us....</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: #ffffff 1px solid; border-left: #ffffff 1px solid; border-right: #ffffff 1px solid; border-top: #ffffff 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>"Only black rappers seem to be allowed to call </em></span><span style="font-size: large;"><em>each other</em></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><em>'niggers' these days with utter impunity...</em></span><span style="font-size: large;"><em>" </em></span></div></div></div></td></tr>
</></></></></tbody></table></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It also reminds me that the way in which these people were treated, and indeed traded, should remain one of our greatest causes for shame, which I don't want to forget, in the same way that I don't want to forget that people did similar things to Jews, blacks (again), homosexuals, gypsies, passificts etc, only one lifetime ago, which is nothing really.<br />
<br />
If we destroyed this past we would lose something powerful and important. Here we can see a black beginning to be integrated into white society which is all part of the story. Problems in today's suburbs prove that the integration is still far from complete, but understanding some of the roots can sometimes help find solutions.<br />
<br />
You could also argue that 'nègre' can be translated by the less derogatory 'negro', although I think the perceived condescension would stay pretty much the same. As for 'nigger', only black rappers seem to be allowed to use this with impunity, having quite rightly reappropriated it and made it their own.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO9ZrbO1rXlelsM_dUBA_ydKCgC6UPKadP7n7gYjgk5VwTFrYDp9-7cMtO3Yq-BLnO4vDW0ukQeDvkFLixd0y65eba985VOSylWNk7zld81Wr1yMtZX3NdUQsinVu8YNPs5qFNxySmw188/s1600/negre2_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO9ZrbO1rXlelsM_dUBA_ydKCgC6UPKadP7n7gYjgk5VwTFrYDp9-7cMtO3Yq-BLnO4vDW0ukQeDvkFLixd0y65eba985VOSylWNk7zld81Wr1yMtZX3NdUQsinVu8YNPs5qFNxySmw188/s1600/negre2_640.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
But there's another, even more surprising thing about this sign which hardly anyone seems to have noticed. And that's that if you look very carefully at the picture, you can see that in fact it looks like the black man, although standing, is in fact being served chocolate by the white woman, who seems, on closer examination, to be dressed like a maid and holding a tray. This is quite remarkable if you think about it, and we can only wonder what the story behind it is. Perhaps that's why he's so 'joyful' in the end... </div></div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCTqYwbh0rm66gClcSGXvzndQsrgAkgaA4bnv2va_ZLEawegOnANLzS-1vicmVizXDp5XKQ8kl7TBLrWK5zKgYnyOyy4ThHdQ6inXZtLdXC0qwGrDnddXn0Z0hUTSR4TmN5FDLD217GM/s1600/Emilia2-big_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="195" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCTqYwbh0rm66gClcSGXvzndQsrgAkgaA4bnv2va_ZLEawegOnANLzS-1vicmVizXDp5XKQ8kl7TBLrWK5zKgYnyOyy4ThHdQ6inXZtLdXC0qwGrDnddXn0Z0hUTSR4TmN5FDLD217GM/s200/Emilia2-big_500.jpg" width="200" /></a>Sign up for my <a href="http://www.parissetmefree.com/books/400_Paris_quirks.htm"><strong><em>400 Paris Quirks</em></strong></a> if you want to discover a whole bunch more of them with me. That's <strong>20 amazing quirks</strong> in <strong><em>each</em></strong> of the 20 Paris <em>arrondissements</em>! And watch out for a very special offer on this at the end of your <a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/20-free-paris-quirks.html"><em><strong>20 FREE Paris Quirks</strong></em></a> series ;-)</div></div></div></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: #ffffff 1px solid; border-left: #ffffff 1px solid; border-right: #ffffff 1px solid; border-top: #ffffff 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><a href="https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=8566366638498137613&postID=4267551698830282659&isPopup=true" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">C<span style="font-size: small;">OMMENT</span> H<span style="font-size: small;">ERE</span> & N<span style="font-size: small;">OW</span>!</span></a></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em>If you've stumbled across this page by accident and like what you see, why not get the other 19 </em><a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/20-free-paris-quirks.html"><strong>FREE Paris Quirks</strong></a><em>? There are 20, you see...</em></div><br />
Just sign up now for <strong>Sab's Secret Paris: <em>20 Quarters / 20 Quirks</em></strong> in the box above on the right, and make sure to let me know what you think, or <strong><em><a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/20-free-paris-quirks.html">go here</a></em></strong> for more details! <em>See you soon in Paris!</em></div></div></div></div></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="font-size: large; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566366638498137613.post-8925863587596556482010-07-22T15:57:00.017+02:002011-04-22T16:13:32.672+02:00Free Quirk No.18 ~ "Infinitely Yours"<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/20-free-paris-quirks.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTAuVb6g-aaTWtTlvHyJ8zSmOa1_D6-lnjmr7iHQel93cZppkjwjci7W-gbh2gNdcYffQPjgui6vKThAh5TSWz7p3fgk4lgvD9scLOduXYN5GbRm-9VCnCfiW2ol7DlE6WhhZ0MtUM-xOy/s1600/20_paris_quirks.jpg" /></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: #ffffff 1px solid; border-left: #ffffff 1px solid; border-right: #ffffff 1px solid; border-top: #ffffff 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">J<span style="font-size: small;">OIN</span> I<span style="font-size: small;">N</span> T<span style="font-size: small;">HE</span> F<span style="font-size: small;">UN</span><span style="font-size: large;"> ~ </span>C<span style="font-size: small;">HAT</span> A<span style="font-size: small;">BOUT</span> Q</span><span style="font-size: small;">UIRK<span style="font-size: large;"> N</span><span style="font-size: small;">O. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">18!</span></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5024/5643480652_c8bb27fb3b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" i8="true" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5024/5643480652_c8bb27fb3b.jpg" /></a><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="Sab_in_Paris" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript">
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</script> <like layout="button_count" show_faces="false" width="90"></like></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>"Infinitely Yours"</em></span></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: #ffffff 1px solid; border-left: #ffffff 1px solid; border-right: #ffffff 1px solid; border-top: #ffffff 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><a href="https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=8566366638498137613&postID=892586358759655648&isPopup=true" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">C<span style="font-size: small;">OMMENT</span> H<span style="font-size: small;">ERE</span> & N<span style="font-size: small;">OW</span>!</span></a></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
</></></></></tbody></table></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Once upon a time, there weren't such things as aerosol paints and graffiti crews and midnight raids on innocent buildings, trains and white delivery vans. The city walls were at peace.</div><br />
Those times are long gone though, and here in Paris street art, to give it its most respectable label, is thriving.<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Indeed, a walk though certain areas of the city resemble more an open air art exhibition than the streets of a modern capital where image is almost everything.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>But there is a certain tolerance, perhaps precisely because 'image is almost everything'. And so a huge variety of street art is allowed at least its 15 days of glory or so, and sometimes much longer, before it is either added to, modified, defaced, degraded, damaged or simply removed.<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The good new for street artists is that their creations will probably have been captured by a good few lenses for posterity, and will be jollifying blogs around the planet for years to come.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqyM_J4slThyQY1AcywAbnA2BbaNC6FhoaggDEsXv2fSfIQejQmqYu0xp8Xj0jN7vsd0DrVytMyjjFemhGokj8SBt1Cjksz2a__050p2hzKiS4GPyw6oiPo8qk6qKUCEDdf7NYZHNOPTIJ/s1600/metro_weepy_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqyM_J4slThyQY1AcywAbnA2BbaNC6FhoaggDEsXv2fSfIQejQmqYu0xp8Xj0jN7vsd0DrVytMyjjFemhGokj8SBt1Cjksz2a__050p2hzKiS4GPyw6oiPo8qk6qKUCEDdf7NYZHNOPTIJ/s320/metro_weepy_500.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I started adapting my art for the street a while ago now, and although I was going to say that I had 'joined the movement', that's not really true, because for a start you don't meet many people at 4 o'clock in the morning, (and those you do you'd often rather not), and secondly, a lot of street artists aren't necessarily the cute and cuddly type. Art is intensely personal, and it's often best to let the images do the talking, I reckon.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Having said that, I'll completely contradict myself and admit that I am in the process of interviewing and getting to know a few of them, and it's an enriching process.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The image at the top of this section is a collaboration between myself and Gregos , who paints plaster casts of his own face, smiling, kissing or sticking his tongue out, and sticks them up around the city. He's into collaborations in a big way and I thought it would be pretty cool to get involved. His idea is that people from around the world paint his perfectly white face any way they see fit and stick it up somewhere in their home town. Or you send it back to him and he does it for you in Paris.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41lFg_qbdM6m_9nWYwr9XM_IFuuyQm3yqJ7Qlfk4Yev4XIPXU9qvsJZXxzOekQhOI5hSOzzfd69gB0DcoH99JUnALbYL4tN121q6dQskOmUnXY9jylJhqS0IfGkFjxiQf1tUgGnt8jLR4/s320/best_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41lFg_qbdM6m_9nWYwr9XM_IFuuyQm3yqJ7Qlfk4Yev4XIPXU9qvsJZXxzOekQhOI5hSOzzfd69gB0DcoH99JUnALbYL4tN121q6dQskOmUnXY9jylJhqS0IfGkFjxiQf1tUgGnt8jLR4/s320/best_500.jpg" /></a>I chose the second option, and actually went out with him as he did so, and an illustrated article and interview will appear on Paris If You Please when it does. </div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: #ffffff 1px solid; border-left: #ffffff 1px solid; border-right: #ffffff 1px solid; border-top: #ffffff 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;">"<em>There are hundreds and thousands of<br />
walls in Paris serving no good aesthetic<br />
or historical purpose whatsoever..."</em></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></td></tr>
</></></></></tbody></table></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It was interesting to try and apply my infini2 concept to a face, but I think I managed to remain true to it. You could imagine the purple and green stripes wrapping around the back of his head, and the missing part of the sun rising high on his forehead can be found setting slowly into his chin (or is it the other way around..?). See the last image below for my inspiration for the face painting.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So my 18th quirk is my Paris street art, which is starting to well and truly invade the city streets - go have a look for yourself.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIGMwy47w11HNqTd2PuPJv7IXRnCEjjbLOlpbIPcwnhP6e7kfSLDQCHt_VsurjxHASnIppj-DqEPWDKs5e7YUJKpOUC01Z-gEYKLYUlp_iNtvKPI_oDBm_RDqnUyQIUm4f2Em2nExFm7T4/s320/best1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIGMwy47w11HNqTd2PuPJv7IXRnCEjjbLOlpbIPcwnhP6e7kfSLDQCHt_VsurjxHASnIppj-DqEPWDKs5e7YUJKpOUC01Z-gEYKLYUlp_iNtvKPI_oDBm_RDqnUyQIUm4f2Em2nExFm7T4/s320/best1_500.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">A note to those, who like myself, love the old and authentic Paris, or any other city for that matter: there are hundreds and thousands of walls in Paris serving no good aesthetic or historical purpose than stopping you from seeing into people's bathrooms and bedrooms, and these are fair game to the average street artist.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">What I don't appreciate is those who put their work on any historical monument, property which is clearly not theirs, churches, other people's art and so on. On the other hand, a cheekily placed piece which is a visual reference to something famous nearby or across the way is cool. And we all make mistakes; that's as far as I'll go.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The 'quirk', to justify calling my street art a Paris Quirk, is certainly there.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Look at any of the square pictures on this page or in the street when you find them. You can ALWAYS imagine taking the left-hand column and putting it over on the right and the picture will continue right along without the slightest break. You can do the same with the top or bottom row: put the top row down to the bottom, or vice versa, and the picture continues perfectly.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZrDN8TAqBC13UhxRq5NFqy94oqdEFVHXrOnH9UYvIR5B7poFgvkI6hvUJfQ7ISdCfoFZkd9q5frx_PkXPDZG_41gD3sWXJVQqNc41Jgt4NVZqm51UM83PTsB2mbkOM3wGX6rgj_TWRlJi/s320/ss_best_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZrDN8TAqBC13UhxRq5NFqy94oqdEFVHXrOnH9UYvIR5B7poFgvkI6hvUJfQ7ISdCfoFZkd9q5frx_PkXPDZG_41gD3sWXJVQqNc41Jgt4NVZqm51UM83PTsB2mbkOM3wGX6rgj_TWRlJi/s320/ss_best_500.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Which is why I call them infini2, because there is no beginning and no end to my paintings. I sell the big ones on canvas without a pre-set configuration and leave it up to the purchaser to decide which of the literally billions of possibilities they like best.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">You can click on the above images if you are interested to go to a larger version and some sort of explanation of them, although I understand that many people prefer just to let the images do the 'talking', and that's fine too. I do welcome comments - there's no need to like them, but no need to be rude either ;-) - and invite you to leave your thoughts on the blog page for this quirk by clicking one of the 'Join In The Fun' boxes above or below. And thanks for looking... and seeing?</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCTqYwbh0rm66gClcSGXvzndQsrgAkgaA4bnv2va_ZLEawegOnANLzS-1vicmVizXDp5XKQ8kl7TBLrWK5zKgYnyOyy4ThHdQ6inXZtLdXC0qwGrDnddXn0Z0hUTSR4TmN5FDLD217GM/s1600/Emilia2-big_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="195" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCTqYwbh0rm66gClcSGXvzndQsrgAkgaA4bnv2va_ZLEawegOnANLzS-1vicmVizXDp5XKQ8kl7TBLrWK5zKgYnyOyy4ThHdQ6inXZtLdXC0qwGrDnddXn0Z0hUTSR4TmN5FDLD217GM/s200/Emilia2-big_500.jpg" width="200" /></a>Sign up for my <a href="http://www.parissetmefree.com/books/400_Paris_quirks.htm"><strong><em>400 Paris Quirks</em></strong></a> if you want to discover a whole bunch more of them with me. That's <strong>20 amazing quirks</strong> in <strong><em>each</em></strong> of the 20 Paris <em>arrondissements</em>! And watch out for a very special offer on this at the end of your <a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/20-free-paris-quirks.html"><em><strong>20 FREE Paris Quirks</strong></em></a> series ;-)</div></div></div></div></div></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: #ffffff 1px solid; border-left: #ffffff 1px solid; border-right: #ffffff 1px solid; border-top: #ffffff 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><a href="https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=8566366638498137613&postID=892586358759655648&isPopup=true" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">C<span style="font-size: small;">OMMENT</span> H<span style="font-size: small;">ERE</span> & N<span style="font-size: small;">OW</span>!</span></a></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em>If you've stumbled across this page by accident and like what you see, why not get the other 19 </em><a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/20-free-paris-quirks.html"><strong>FREE Paris Quirks</strong></a><em>? There are 20, you see...</em></div></div><br />
Just sign up now for <strong>Sab's Secret Paris: <em>20 Quarters / 20 Quirks</em></strong> in the box above on the right, and make sure to let me know what you think, or <strong><em><a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/20-free-paris-quirks.html">go here</a></em></strong> for more details! <em>See you soon in Paris!</em></div></div></div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="font-size: large; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566366638498137613.post-48318826041431975982010-04-04T23:44:00.006+02:002011-04-05T01:37:13.308+02:00Free Quirk No.13 ~ "How Slow Can You Go?"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTAuVb6g-aaTWtTlvHyJ8zSmOa1_D6-lnjmr7iHQel93cZppkjwjci7W-gbh2gNdcYffQPjgui6vKThAh5TSWz7p3fgk4lgvD9scLOduXYN5GbRm-9VCnCfiW2ol7DlE6WhhZ0MtUM-xOy/s1600/20_paris_quirks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTAuVb6g-aaTWtTlvHyJ8zSmOa1_D6-lnjmr7iHQel93cZppkjwjci7W-gbh2gNdcYffQPjgui6vKThAh5TSWz7p3fgk4lgvD9scLOduXYN5GbRm-9VCnCfiW2ol7DlE6WhhZ0MtUM-xOy/s1600/20_paris_quirks.jpg" /></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: #ffffff 1px solid; border-left: #ffffff 1px solid; border-right: #ffffff 1px solid; border-top: #ffffff 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">J<span style="font-size: small;">OIN</span> I<span style="font-size: small;">N</span> T<span style="font-size: small;">HE</span> F<span style="font-size: small;">UN</span><span style="font-size: large;"> ~ </span>C<span style="font-size: small;">HAT</span> A<span style="font-size: small;">BOUT</span> Q</span><span style="font-size: small;">UIRK<span style="font-size: large;"> N</span><span style="font-size: small;">O. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">13!</span></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
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<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: #ffffff 1px solid; border-left: #ffffff 1px solid; border-right: #ffffff 1px solid; border-top: #ffffff 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><a href="https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=8566366638498137613&postID=4831882604143197598&isPopup=true" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">C<span style="font-size: small;">OMMENT</span> H<span style="font-size: small;">ERE</span> & N<span style="font-size: small;">OW</span>!</span></a></strong></div></div></div></td></tr>
</></></></></tbody></table></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
What a splendid sight, just across from the Grand Palais on Cours La Reine, this lone horseman, drawn sword thrusting skyward, saluting the passing pigeons with a nostalgic eye on more exotic birds perhaps.<br />
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For this is Lafayette, err, Général Lafayette, scusi, a member of parliament, head of the Guarde Nationale during the French Revolution and a hero of the American war of independence in the late 1770s no less.<br />
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It's for this latter role that in 1899 the recently hatched United States of America wanted to pay hommage to France for his role in the affair.<br />
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By way of a statue.<br />
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Apparently it was supposed to be 'the most beautiful statue ever created in in honour of a man'! With the only problem that the sculptor, a certain American called Paul Bartlett, was given precisely a year to complete it because it was to be unveiled with great ceremony for the International Exposition of 1900.<br />
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He didn't finish the real statue on time, but he did manage to complete a plaster model which was used instead, to the apparent approval of those present, including two school boys, one from each side of the Atlantic, with the French one being a descendent of Lafayette himself.<br />
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Once the fuss and fervour of the Exposition was over, Bartlett still had to produce a proper, bronze version of the general of course. Only he wasn't satisfied with the model any more and decided to completely redesign in. In his own time. His own eight years of time.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5051/5585810793_a816188840_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" r6="true" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5051/5585810793_a816188840_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Eventually, he installed the proper statue in the place of the plaster one, still in the middle of Cour Napoléon, a place of high prestige, evidently. Only a couple of things had changed.<br />
<br />
Due to a certain ambiguity of allegeances concerning the general, there probably wasn't much said when the final version had lost its Louis XVI style regalia - coat, wig, three-cornered hat - and had him bare-headed wearing a more revolutionary outfit! The originally down-facing sword was now being brandished aloft as I mentioned earlier.<br />
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But this is all just preamble for today's Paris Quirk folks - I hope you managed to make it this far!</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: #ffffff 1px solid; border-left: #ffffff 1px solid; border-right: #ffffff 1px solid; border-top: #ffffff 1px solid; text-align: left;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>"I spy, with my little eye,<br />
something beginning with 'T'!"</em></span></div></div></div></td></tr>
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Back in the 80s someone decided that an enormous glass pyramid would be better than a statue of some old general in the middle of the Louvre courtyard, and Lafayette was unceremoneously (he'd already had one in 1900, remember?) carted across the Tuileries to where he now sits between the Grand Palais and the river Seine.<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5267/5585811161_a883be1056_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5267/5585811161_a883be1056_o.jpg" width="263" /></a>Just him and his horse, way up high. Well... not quite.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">You see, as they were moving him, they noticed something very curious indeed. In between his horses back legs was a little slow-moving friend, insignificant indeed, under the stride of such a magnificent beast, just about the size of a... well, have a look at the side-on picture of the statue above, which was taken just as spring was sprouting and the leaves were rapidly covering up this curiosity for another year (until next winter anyway). Can you see the little guy hiding there in amongst the branches?</div><br />
A tortoise! A little, green and highly symbolic tortoise keeping the soldier and his mount company across the decades, and only visible for the leafless months of winter and early spring.<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCTqYwbh0rm66gClcSGXvzndQsrgAkgaA4bnv2va_ZLEawegOnANLzS-1vicmVizXDp5XKQ8kl7TBLrWK5zKgYnyOyy4ThHdQ6inXZtLdXC0qwGrDnddXn0Z0hUTSR4TmN5FDLD217GM/s1600/Emilia2-big_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="195" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCTqYwbh0rm66gClcSGXvzndQsrgAkgaA4bnv2va_ZLEawegOnANLzS-1vicmVizXDp5XKQ8kl7TBLrWK5zKgYnyOyy4ThHdQ6inXZtLdXC0qwGrDnddXn0Z0hUTSR4TmN5FDLD217GM/s200/Emilia2-big_500.jpg" width="200" /></a>And what was he doing there? Well we can't be certain as I haven't come across an authentic report of the sculptor mentioning this, but the general opintion is that Bartlett had a fairly ironic sense of humour and this was his way of saying to whoever might discover him one day... boy-oh-boy, did that take some time to finish!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Although we, the statue appreciating public, seem to have been even slower to discover his funny furtive little fellow than it took his master to create him - but what a pleasure it is to do so now that we have.</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<em>If you've stumbled across this page by accident and like what you see, why not get the other 19? There are 20, you see...</em><br />
<br />
Just sign up now for <strong>Sab's Secret Paris: <em>20 Quarters / 20 Quirks</em></strong> in the box above on the right, and make sure to let me know what you think, or <strong><em><a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/20-free-paris-quirks.html">go here</a></em></strong> for more details! <em>See you soon in Paris!</em></div></div></div></div></div><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">J<span style="font-size: small;">OIN</span> I<span style="font-size: small;">N</span> T<span style="font-size: small;">HE</span> F<span style="font-size: small;">UN</span><span style="font-size: large;"> ~ </span>C<span style="font-size: small;">HAT</span> A<span style="font-size: small;">BOUT</span> Q</span><span style="font-size: small;">UIRK<span style="font-size: large;"> N</span><span style="font-size: small;">O. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">12 !</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><em>"Way On Down, Way On Doowwnnn..."</em></span></div>
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Forget the metro; forget statues and sidewalks; let's forget even Paris for a while and leave the city far above; let's go way down for a change.<br />
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Deep under the flowing boulevards and hustle and bustle of the city streets and even the incessant criss-crossing of the trains lies a much quieter place.<br />
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The phreatic layer. The phreatic wot? The phreatic layer; the water table.<br />
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Paris is sitting on a liquid legacy, to such an extent that certain monumental buildings like the Opéra-Bastille and the new Quai Branly museum need to have hundreds of square metres of H2O pumped out of their basements and into the Seine every day.<br />
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Or they'd break their moorings and simply float away down the river and across the English channel and end up at Dover or even half-way up the Thames if the wind was blowing in the right direction. No, honestly, they would!<br />
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The impression I had looking down into this surreal pit was unsettling, and it was difficult to decide if this really was water, or just a greeny-blue gauze that had been placed over the hole for aesthetic effect..<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>"How long does it take for pixels to wear out, anyone?"</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilbN7LRhj09sLcs4xb8qqGre9w9XDoVxXbTvf2bhHNAZO5jy31Dp64XK7SGY0u671vmDUL5sFbT6u6blKpOQ0i-5-YZ1Zxp8aHfJ1FUcLXH0I_A51QDWE35IB5xSzNchOo1acUDzlBqOnJ/s1600/phreatic1_96dpi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilbN7LRhj09sLcs4xb8qqGre9w9XDoVxXbTvf2bhHNAZO5jy31Dp64XK7SGY0u671vmDUL5sFbT6u6blKpOQ0i-5-YZ1Zxp8aHfJ1FUcLXH0I_A51QDWE35IB5xSzNchOo1acUDzlBqOnJ/s320/phreatic1_96dpi.jpg" width="320" /></a>The picture above is my spooky atmospheric <i>iPhone</i>-treated version, but here is a more straightforward one (with more realistic colours) which shows quite clearly that......my 10c piece made an reasonably realistic splash as it hit the water surface and is now resting, peacefully I trust, at the true bottom of Paris for posterity. Not any old water surface, I'll have you know, but the actual, honest-to-goodness, scout's honour Paris water phreatic table layer surface, I kid you not! And you can't get much deeper than that, now can you?<br />
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I guess I should have scratched my name into that little coin really, just to intrigue excavators from the year 3011 who would have asked themselves who this strange 'Sab' character with his name engraved on his very own metal discs was.<br />
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'Probably some sort of pharaoh or something', they'd probably conclude. But I didn't. I'll have to find some other form of imagined immortality I guess. How long does it take for pixels to wear out, anyone?</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">©</span> 2011 <a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/contact-sab.html" target="_blank">Sab Will</a> / <a href="http://www.parissetmefree.com/" target="_blank">Paris Set Me Free</a> - Suggestions, requests and comments always welcome! <span style="font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="font-size: large;">J</span></span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566366638498137613.post-59025935450655647692010-04-02T00:56:00.000+02:002012-03-10T00:56:41.394+01:00Free Quirk No.11 ~ "Good Morning Madam, Good Morning Sir"<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">J<span style="font-size: small;">OIN</span> I<span style="font-size: small;">N</span> T<span style="font-size: small;">HE</span> F<span style="font-size: small;">UN</span><span style="font-size: large;"> ~ </span>C<span style="font-size: small;">HAT</span> A<span style="font-size: small;">BOUT</span> Q</span><span style="font-size: small;">UIRK<span style="font-size: large;"> N</span><span style="font-size: small;">O. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">11 !</span></strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiURQkX9ARafzX49UGMa-QrS0jsl987TUmEhBOxzGD9rgLODdrGGXC-Wc2m4S3OEgu35B911Bu4HmnRLnRqWr4XXkMyknZofKyuDHXE7UdTqytBQA3dsjPuKLQWXNU21Y8LPsrs0LIwpPjp/s1600/phreatic2_96dpi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiURQkX9ARafzX49UGMa-QrS0jsl987TUmEhBOxzGD9rgLODdrGGXC-Wc2m4S3OEgu35B911Bu4HmnRLnRqWr4XXkMyknZofKyuDHXE7UdTqytBQA3dsjPuKLQWXNU21Y8LPsrs0LIwpPjp/s400/phreatic2_96dpi.jpg" width="305" /></a><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="Sab_in_Paris" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><em>"Good Morning Madam, Good Morning Sir"</em></span></div>
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THIS QUIRK COMING SOOOOON!<br />
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Forget the metro; forget statues and sidewalks; let's forget even Paris for a while and leave the city far above; let's go way down for a change.<br />
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Deep under the flowing boulevards and hustle and bustle of the city streets and even the incessant criss-crossing of the trains lies a much quieter place.<br />
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The phreatic layer. The phreatic wot? The phreatic layer; the water table.<br />
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Paris is sitting on a liquid legacy, to such an extent that certain monumental buildings like the Opéra-Bastille and the new Quai Branly museum need to have hundreds of square metres of H2O pumped out of their basements and into the Seine every day.<br />
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Or they'd break their moorings and simply float away down the river and across the English channel and end up at Dover or even half-way up the Thames if the wind was blowing in the right direction. No, honestly, they would!<br />
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The impression I had looking down into this surreal pit was unsettling, and it was difficult to decide if this really was water, or just a greeny-blue gauze that had been placed over the hole for aesthetic effect..<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>"How long does it take for pixels to wear out, anyone?"</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilbN7LRhj09sLcs4xb8qqGre9w9XDoVxXbTvf2bhHNAZO5jy31Dp64XK7SGY0u671vmDUL5sFbT6u6blKpOQ0i-5-YZ1Zxp8aHfJ1FUcLXH0I_A51QDWE35IB5xSzNchOo1acUDzlBqOnJ/s1600/phreatic1_96dpi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilbN7LRhj09sLcs4xb8qqGre9w9XDoVxXbTvf2bhHNAZO5jy31Dp64XK7SGY0u671vmDUL5sFbT6u6blKpOQ0i-5-YZ1Zxp8aHfJ1FUcLXH0I_A51QDWE35IB5xSzNchOo1acUDzlBqOnJ/s320/phreatic1_96dpi.jpg" width="320" /></a>The picture above is my spooky atmospheric <i>iPhone</i>-treated version, but here is a more straightforward one (with more realistic colours) which shows quite clearly that......my 10c piece made an reasonably realistic splash as it hit the water surface and is now resting, peacefully I trust, at the true bottom of Paris for posterity. Not any old water surface, I'll have you know, but the actual, honest-to-goodness, scout's honour Paris water phreatic table layer surface, I kid you not! And you can't get much deeper than that, now can you?<br />
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I guess I should have scratched my name into that little coin really, just to intrigue excavators from the year 3011 who would have asked themselves who this strange 'Sab' character with his name engraved on his very own metal discs was.<br />
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'Probably some sort of pharaoh or something', they'd probably conclude. But I didn't. I'll have to find some other form of imagined immortality I guess. How long does it take for pixels to wear out, anyone?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCTqYwbh0rm66gClcSGXvzndQsrgAkgaA4bnv2va_ZLEawegOnANLzS-1vicmVizXDp5XKQ8kl7TBLrWK5zKgYnyOyy4ThHdQ6inXZtLdXC0qwGrDnddXn0Z0hUTSR4TmN5FDLD217GM/s1600/Emilia2-big_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="195px" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCTqYwbh0rm66gClcSGXvzndQsrgAkgaA4bnv2va_ZLEawegOnANLzS-1vicmVizXDp5XKQ8kl7TBLrWK5zKgYnyOyy4ThHdQ6inXZtLdXC0qwGrDnddXn0Z0hUTSR4TmN5FDLD217GM/s200/Emilia2-big_500.jpg" title="Your friendly Paris Quirk!" width="200px" /></a></div>
Sign up for my <a href="http://www.parissetmefree.com/books/400_Paris_quirks.htm"><strong><em>400 Paris Quirks</em></strong></a> if you want to discover a whole bunch more of them with me. That's <strong>20 amazing quirks</strong> in <strong><em>each</em></strong> of the 20 Paris <em>arrondissements</em>! And watch out for a very special offer on this at the end of your <a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/20-free-paris-quirks.html"><em><strong>20 FREE Paris Quirks</strong></em></a> series ;-)</div>
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<em>If you've stumbled across this page by accident and like what you see, why not get the other 19 </em><a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/20-free-paris-quirks.html"><strong>FREE Paris Quirks</strong></a><em>? There are 20, you see...</em></div>
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Just sign up now for <strong>Sab's Secret Paris: <em>20 Quarters / 20 Quirks</em></strong> in the box above on the right, and make sure to let me know what you think, or <strong><em><a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/20-free-paris-quirks.html">go here</a></em></strong> for more details! <em>See you soon in Paris!</em></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">©</span> 2011 <a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/contact-sab.html" target="_blank">Sab Will</a> / <a href="http://www.parissetmefree.com/" target="_blank">Paris Set Me Free</a> - Suggestions, requests and comments always welcome! <span style="font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="font-size: large;">J</span></span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566366638498137613.post-27501844455464126062010-04-01T01:26:00.000+02:002012-03-10T01:27:03.970+01:00Free Quirk No.9 ~ "Flushing Paris Down The Drain"<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">J<span style="font-size: small;">OIN</span> I<span style="font-size: small;">N</span> T<span style="font-size: small;">HE</span> F<span style="font-size: small;">UN</span><span style="font-size: large;"> ~ </span>C<span style="font-size: small;">HAT</span> A<span style="font-size: small;">BOUT</span> Q</span><span style="font-size: small;">UIRK<span style="font-size: large;"> N</span><span style="font-size: small;">O. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">9 !</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><em>"Flushing Paris Down The Drain"</em></span></div>
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THIS QUIRK COMING SOOOOON!<br />
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Forget the metro; forget statues and sidewalks; let's forget even Paris for a while and leave the city far above; let's go way down for a change.<br />
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Deep under the flowing boulevards and hustle and bustle of the city streets and even the incessant criss-crossing of the trains lies a much quieter place.<br />
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The phreatic layer. The phreatic wot? The phreatic layer; the water table.<br />
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Paris is sitting on a liquid legacy, to such an extent that certain monumental buildings like the Opéra-Bastille and the new Quai Branly museum need to have hundreds of square metres of H2O pumped out of their basements and into the Seine every day.<br />
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Or they'd break their moorings and simply float away down the river and across the English channel and end up at Dover or even half-way up the Thames if the wind was blowing in the right direction. No, honestly, they would!<br />
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The impression I had looking down into this surreal pit was unsettling, and it was difficult to decide if this really was water, or just a greeny-blue gauze that had been placed over the hole for aesthetic effect..<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>"How long does it take for pixels to wear out, anyone?"</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilbN7LRhj09sLcs4xb8qqGre9w9XDoVxXbTvf2bhHNAZO5jy31Dp64XK7SGY0u671vmDUL5sFbT6u6blKpOQ0i-5-YZ1Zxp8aHfJ1FUcLXH0I_A51QDWE35IB5xSzNchOo1acUDzlBqOnJ/s1600/phreatic1_96dpi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilbN7LRhj09sLcs4xb8qqGre9w9XDoVxXbTvf2bhHNAZO5jy31Dp64XK7SGY0u671vmDUL5sFbT6u6blKpOQ0i-5-YZ1Zxp8aHfJ1FUcLXH0I_A51QDWE35IB5xSzNchOo1acUDzlBqOnJ/s320/phreatic1_96dpi.jpg" width="320" /></a>The picture above is my spooky atmospheric <i>iPhone</i>-treated version, but here is a more straightforward one (with more realistic colours) which shows quite clearly that......my 10c piece made an reasonably realistic splash as it hit the water surface and is now resting, peacefully I trust, at the true bottom of Paris for posterity. Not any old water surface, I'll have you know, but the actual, honest-to-goodness, scout's honour Paris water phreatic table layer surface, I kid you not! And you can't get much deeper than that, now can you?<br />
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I guess I should have scratched my name into that little coin really, just to intrigue excavators from the year 3011 who would have asked themselves who this strange 'Sab' character with his name engraved on his very own metal discs was.<br />
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'Probably some sort of pharaoh or something', they'd probably conclude. But I didn't. I'll have to find some other form of imagined immortality I guess. How long does it take for pixels to wear out, anyone?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCTqYwbh0rm66gClcSGXvzndQsrgAkgaA4bnv2va_ZLEawegOnANLzS-1vicmVizXDp5XKQ8kl7TBLrWK5zKgYnyOyy4ThHdQ6inXZtLdXC0qwGrDnddXn0Z0hUTSR4TmN5FDLD217GM/s1600/Emilia2-big_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="195px" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCTqYwbh0rm66gClcSGXvzndQsrgAkgaA4bnv2va_ZLEawegOnANLzS-1vicmVizXDp5XKQ8kl7TBLrWK5zKgYnyOyy4ThHdQ6inXZtLdXC0qwGrDnddXn0Z0hUTSR4TmN5FDLD217GM/s200/Emilia2-big_500.jpg" title="Your friendly Paris Quirk!" width="200px" /></a></div>
Sign up for my <a href="http://www.parissetmefree.com/books/400_Paris_quirks.htm"><strong><em>400 Paris Quirks</em></strong></a> if you want to discover a whole bunch more of them with me. That's <strong>20 amazing quirks</strong> in <strong><em>each</em></strong> of the 20 Paris <em>arrondissements</em>! And watch out for a very special offer on this at the end of your <a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/20-free-paris-quirks.html"><em><strong>20 FREE Paris Quirks</strong></em></a> series ;-)</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">©</span> 2011 <a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/contact-sab.html" target="_blank">Sab Will</a> / <a href="http://www.parissetmefree.com/" target="_blank">Paris Set Me Free</a> - Suggestions, requests and comments always welcome! <span style="font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="font-size: large;">J</span></span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566366638498137613.post-54606460418735102232010-04-01T01:10:00.000+02:002012-03-10T01:10:30.246+01:00Free Quirk No.10 ~ "Pray Your Train Doesn't Stop Here"<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">J<span style="font-size: small;">OIN</span> I<span style="font-size: small;">N</span> T<span style="font-size: small;">HE</span> F<span style="font-size: small;">UN</span><span style="font-size: large;"> ~ </span>C<span style="font-size: small;">HAT</span> A<span style="font-size: small;">BOUT</span> Q</span><span style="font-size: small;">UIRK<span style="font-size: large;"> N</span><span style="font-size: small;">O. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">10 !</span></strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiURQkX9ARafzX49UGMa-QrS0jsl987TUmEhBOxzGD9rgLODdrGGXC-Wc2m4S3OEgu35B911Bu4HmnRLnRqWr4XXkMyknZofKyuDHXE7UdTqytBQA3dsjPuKLQWXNU21Y8LPsrs0LIwpPjp/s1600/phreatic2_96dpi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiURQkX9ARafzX49UGMa-QrS0jsl987TUmEhBOxzGD9rgLODdrGGXC-Wc2m4S3OEgu35B911Bu4HmnRLnRqWr4XXkMyknZofKyuDHXE7UdTqytBQA3dsjPuKLQWXNU21Y8LPsrs0LIwpPjp/s400/phreatic2_96dpi.jpg" width="305" /></a><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="Sab_in_Paris" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><em>"Pray Your Train Doesn't Stop Here"</em></span></div>
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THIS QUIRK COMING SOOOOON!<br />
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Forget the metro; forget statues and sidewalks; let's forget even Paris for a while and leave the city far above; let's go way down for a change.<br />
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Deep under the flowing boulevards and hustle and bustle of the city streets and even the incessant criss-crossing of the trains lies a much quieter place.<br />
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The phreatic layer. The phreatic wot? The phreatic layer; the water table.<br />
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Paris is sitting on a liquid legacy, to such an extent that certain monumental buildings like the Opéra-Bastille and the new Quai Branly museum need to have hundreds of square metres of H2O pumped out of their basements and into the Seine every day.<br />
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Or they'd break their moorings and simply float away down the river and across the English channel and end up at Dover or even half-way up the Thames if the wind was blowing in the right direction. No, honestly, they would!<br />
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The impression I had looking down into this surreal pit was unsettling, and it was difficult to decide if this really was water, or just a greeny-blue gauze that had been placed over the hole for aesthetic effect..<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>"How long does it take for pixels to wear out, anyone?"</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilbN7LRhj09sLcs4xb8qqGre9w9XDoVxXbTvf2bhHNAZO5jy31Dp64XK7SGY0u671vmDUL5sFbT6u6blKpOQ0i-5-YZ1Zxp8aHfJ1FUcLXH0I_A51QDWE35IB5xSzNchOo1acUDzlBqOnJ/s1600/phreatic1_96dpi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilbN7LRhj09sLcs4xb8qqGre9w9XDoVxXbTvf2bhHNAZO5jy31Dp64XK7SGY0u671vmDUL5sFbT6u6blKpOQ0i-5-YZ1Zxp8aHfJ1FUcLXH0I_A51QDWE35IB5xSzNchOo1acUDzlBqOnJ/s320/phreatic1_96dpi.jpg" width="320" /></a>The picture above is my spooky atmospheric <i>iPhone</i>-treated version, but here is a more straightforward one (with more realistic colours) which shows quite clearly that......my 10c piece made an reasonably realistic splash as it hit the water surface and is now resting, peacefully I trust, at the true bottom of Paris for posterity. Not any old water surface, I'll have you know, but the actual, honest-to-goodness, scout's honour Paris water phreatic table layer surface, I kid you not! And you can't get much deeper than that, now can you?<br />
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I guess I should have scratched my name into that little coin really, just to intrigue excavators from the year 3011 who would have asked themselves who this strange 'Sab' character with his name engraved on his very own metal discs was.<br />
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'Probably some sort of pharaoh or something', they'd probably conclude. But I didn't. I'll have to find some other form of imagined immortality I guess. How long does it take for pixels to wear out, anyone?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCTqYwbh0rm66gClcSGXvzndQsrgAkgaA4bnv2va_ZLEawegOnANLzS-1vicmVizXDp5XKQ8kl7TBLrWK5zKgYnyOyy4ThHdQ6inXZtLdXC0qwGrDnddXn0Z0hUTSR4TmN5FDLD217GM/s1600/Emilia2-big_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="195px" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCTqYwbh0rm66gClcSGXvzndQsrgAkgaA4bnv2va_ZLEawegOnANLzS-1vicmVizXDp5XKQ8kl7TBLrWK5zKgYnyOyy4ThHdQ6inXZtLdXC0qwGrDnddXn0Z0hUTSR4TmN5FDLD217GM/s200/Emilia2-big_500.jpg" title="Your friendly Paris Quirk!" width="200px" /></a></div>
Sign up for my <a href="http://www.parissetmefree.com/books/400_Paris_quirks.htm"><strong><em>400 Paris Quirks</em></strong></a> if you want to discover a whole bunch more of them with me. That's <strong>20 amazing quirks</strong> in <strong><em>each</em></strong> of the 20 Paris <em>arrondissements</em>! And watch out for a very special offer on this at the end of your <a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/20-free-paris-quirks.html"><em><strong>20 FREE Paris Quirks</strong></em></a> series ;-)</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">©</span> 2011 <a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/contact-sab.html" target="_blank">Sab Will</a> / <a href="http://www.parissetmefree.com/" target="_blank">Paris Set Me Free</a> - Suggestions, requests and comments always welcome! <span style="font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="font-size: large;">J</span></span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566366638498137613.post-3564557052924299332010-03-31T01:34:00.000+02:002012-03-10T02:11:51.494+01:00Free Quirk No.8 ~ "At Sundown, Paris Lights Up"<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">J<span style="font-size: small;">OIN</span> I<span style="font-size: small;">N</span> T<span style="font-size: small;">HE</span> F<span style="font-size: small;">UN</span><span style="font-size: large;"> ~ </span>C<span style="font-size: small;">HAT</span> A<span style="font-size: small;">BOUT</span> Q</span><span style="font-size: small;">UIRK<span style="font-size: large;"> N</span><span style="font-size: small;">O. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">8 !</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><em>"At Sundown, Paris Lights Up"</em></span></div>
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THIS QUIRK COMING SOOOOON!<br />
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Forget the metro; forget statues and sidewalks; let's forget even Paris for a while and leave the city far above; let's go way down for a change.<br />
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Deep under the flowing boulevards and hustle and bustle of the city streets and even the incessant criss-crossing of the trains lies a much quieter place.<br />
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The phreatic layer. The phreatic wot? The phreatic layer; the water table.<br />
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Paris is sitting on a liquid legacy, to such an extent that certain monumental buildings like the Opéra-Bastille and the new Quai Branly museum need to have hundreds of square metres of H2O pumped out of their basements and into the Seine every day.<br />
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Or they'd break their moorings and simply float away down the river and across the English channel and end up at Dover or even half-way up the Thames if the wind was blowing in the right direction. No, honestly, they would!<br />
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The impression I had looking down into this surreal pit was unsettling, and it was difficult to decide if this really was water, or just a greeny-blue gauze that had been placed over the hole for aesthetic effect..<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>"How long does it take for pixels to wear out, anyone?"</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilbN7LRhj09sLcs4xb8qqGre9w9XDoVxXbTvf2bhHNAZO5jy31Dp64XK7SGY0u671vmDUL5sFbT6u6blKpOQ0i-5-YZ1Zxp8aHfJ1FUcLXH0I_A51QDWE35IB5xSzNchOo1acUDzlBqOnJ/s1600/phreatic1_96dpi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilbN7LRhj09sLcs4xb8qqGre9w9XDoVxXbTvf2bhHNAZO5jy31Dp64XK7SGY0u671vmDUL5sFbT6u6blKpOQ0i-5-YZ1Zxp8aHfJ1FUcLXH0I_A51QDWE35IB5xSzNchOo1acUDzlBqOnJ/s320/phreatic1_96dpi.jpg" width="320" /></a>The picture above is my spooky atmospheric <i>iPhone</i>-treated version, but here is a more straightforward one (with more realistic colours) which shows quite clearly that......my 10c piece made an reasonably realistic splash as it hit the water surface and is now resting, peacefully I trust, at the true bottom of Paris for posterity. Not any old water surface, I'll have you know, but the actual, honest-to-goodness, scout's honour Paris water phreatic table layer surface, I kid you not! And you can't get much deeper than that, now can you?<br />
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I guess I should have scratched my name into that little coin really, just to intrigue excavators from the year 3011 who would have asked themselves who this strange 'Sab' character with his name engraved on his very own metal discs was.<br />
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'Probably some sort of pharaoh or something', they'd probably conclude. But I didn't. I'll have to find some other form of imagined immortality I guess. How long does it take for pixels to wear out, anyone?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCTqYwbh0rm66gClcSGXvzndQsrgAkgaA4bnv2va_ZLEawegOnANLzS-1vicmVizXDp5XKQ8kl7TBLrWK5zKgYnyOyy4ThHdQ6inXZtLdXC0qwGrDnddXn0Z0hUTSR4TmN5FDLD217GM/s1600/Emilia2-big_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="195px" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCTqYwbh0rm66gClcSGXvzndQsrgAkgaA4bnv2va_ZLEawegOnANLzS-1vicmVizXDp5XKQ8kl7TBLrWK5zKgYnyOyy4ThHdQ6inXZtLdXC0qwGrDnddXn0Z0hUTSR4TmN5FDLD217GM/s200/Emilia2-big_500.jpg" title="Your friendly Paris Quirk!" width="200px" /></a></div>
Sign up for my <a href="http://www.parissetmefree.com/books/400_Paris_quirks.htm"><strong><em>400 Paris Quirks</em></strong></a> if you want to discover a whole bunch more of them with me. That's <strong>20 amazing quirks</strong> in <strong><em>each</em></strong> of the 20 Paris <em>arrondissements</em>! And watch out for a very special offer on this at the end of your <a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/20-free-paris-quirks.html"><em><strong>20 FREE Paris Quirks</strong></em></a> series ;-)</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">©</span> 2011 <a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/contact-sab.html" target="_blank">Sab Will</a> / <a href="http://www.parissetmefree.com/" target="_blank">Paris Set Me Free</a> - Suggestions, requests and comments always welcome! <span style="font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="font-size: large;">J</span></span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566366638498137613.post-498814142731687402010-03-27T02:21:00.000+01:002012-03-10T02:23:45.132+01:00Free Quirk No.7 ~ "Facilis Descensus Taverno"<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">J<span style="font-size: small;">OIN</span> I<span style="font-size: small;">N</span> T<span style="font-size: small;">HE</span> F<span style="font-size: small;">UN</span><span style="font-size: large;"> ~ </span>C<span style="font-size: small;">HAT</span> A<span style="font-size: small;">BOUT</span> Q</span><span style="font-size: small;">UIRK<span style="font-size: large;"> N</span><span style="font-size: small;">O. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">7 !</span></strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiURQkX9ARafzX49UGMa-QrS0jsl987TUmEhBOxzGD9rgLODdrGGXC-Wc2m4S3OEgu35B911Bu4HmnRLnRqWr4XXkMyknZofKyuDHXE7UdTqytBQA3dsjPuKLQWXNU21Y8LPsrs0LIwpPjp/s1600/phreatic2_96dpi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiURQkX9ARafzX49UGMa-QrS0jsl987TUmEhBOxzGD9rgLODdrGGXC-Wc2m4S3OEgu35B911Bu4HmnRLnRqWr4XXkMyknZofKyuDHXE7UdTqytBQA3dsjPuKLQWXNU21Y8LPsrs0LIwpPjp/s400/phreatic2_96dpi.jpg" width="305" /></a><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="Sab_in_Paris" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><em>"Facilis Descensus Taverno"</em></span></div>
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THIS QUIRK COMING SOOOOON!<br />
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Forget the metro; forget statues and sidewalks; let's forget even Paris for a while and leave the city far above; let's go way down for a change.<br />
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Deep under the flowing boulevards and hustle and bustle of the city streets and even the incessant criss-crossing of the trains lies a much quieter place.<br />
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The phreatic layer. The phreatic wot? The phreatic layer; the water table.<br />
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Paris is sitting on a liquid legacy, to such an extent that certain monumental buildings like the Opéra-Bastille and the new Quai Branly museum need to have hundreds of square metres of H2O pumped out of their basements and into the Seine every day.<br />
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Or they'd break their moorings and simply float away down the river and across the English channel and end up at Dover or even half-way up the Thames if the wind was blowing in the right direction. No, honestly, they would!<br />
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The impression I had looking down into this surreal pit was unsettling, and it was difficult to decide if this really was water, or just a greeny-blue gauze that had been placed over the hole for aesthetic effect..<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>"How long does it take for pixels to wear out, anyone?"</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilbN7LRhj09sLcs4xb8qqGre9w9XDoVxXbTvf2bhHNAZO5jy31Dp64XK7SGY0u671vmDUL5sFbT6u6blKpOQ0i-5-YZ1Zxp8aHfJ1FUcLXH0I_A51QDWE35IB5xSzNchOo1acUDzlBqOnJ/s1600/phreatic1_96dpi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilbN7LRhj09sLcs4xb8qqGre9w9XDoVxXbTvf2bhHNAZO5jy31Dp64XK7SGY0u671vmDUL5sFbT6u6blKpOQ0i-5-YZ1Zxp8aHfJ1FUcLXH0I_A51QDWE35IB5xSzNchOo1acUDzlBqOnJ/s320/phreatic1_96dpi.jpg" width="320" /></a>The picture above is my spooky atmospheric <i>iPhone</i>-treated version, but here is a more straightforward one (with more realistic colours) which shows quite clearly that......my 10c piece made an reasonably realistic splash as it hit the water surface and is now resting, peacefully I trust, at the true bottom of Paris for posterity. Not any old water surface, I'll have you know, but the actual, honest-to-goodness, scout's honour Paris water phreatic table layer surface, I kid you not! And you can't get much deeper than that, now can you?<br />
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I guess I should have scratched my name into that little coin really, just to intrigue excavators from the year 3011 who would have asked themselves who this strange 'Sab' character with his name engraved on his very own metal discs was.<br />
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'Probably some sort of pharaoh or something', they'd probably conclude. But I didn't. I'll have to find some other form of imagined immortality I guess. How long does it take for pixels to wear out, anyone?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCTqYwbh0rm66gClcSGXvzndQsrgAkgaA4bnv2va_ZLEawegOnANLzS-1vicmVizXDp5XKQ8kl7TBLrWK5zKgYnyOyy4ThHdQ6inXZtLdXC0qwGrDnddXn0Z0hUTSR4TmN5FDLD217GM/s1600/Emilia2-big_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="195px" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCTqYwbh0rm66gClcSGXvzndQsrgAkgaA4bnv2va_ZLEawegOnANLzS-1vicmVizXDp5XKQ8kl7TBLrWK5zKgYnyOyy4ThHdQ6inXZtLdXC0qwGrDnddXn0Z0hUTSR4TmN5FDLD217GM/s200/Emilia2-big_500.jpg" title="Your friendly Paris Quirk!" width="200px" /></a></div>
Sign up for my <a href="http://www.parissetmefree.com/books/400_Paris_quirks.htm"><strong><em>400 Paris Quirks</em></strong></a> if you want to discover a whole bunch more of them with me. That's <strong>20 amazing quirks</strong> in <strong><em>each</em></strong> of the 20 Paris <em>arrondissements</em>! And watch out for a very special offer on this at the end of your <a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/20-free-paris-quirks.html"><em><strong>20 FREE Paris Quirks</strong></em></a> series ;-)</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">©</span> 2011 <a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/contact-sab.html" target="_blank">Sab Will</a> / <a href="http://www.parissetmefree.com/" target="_blank">Paris Set Me Free</a> - Suggestions, requests and comments always welcome! <span style="font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="font-size: large;">J</span></span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566366638498137613.post-56173657223658961962010-03-24T02:31:00.000+01:002012-03-10T02:31:41.179+01:00Free Quirk No.6 ~ "Come On Doon, Jimmie!"<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">J<span style="font-size: small;">OIN</span> I<span style="font-size: small;">N</span> T<span style="font-size: small;">HE</span> F<span style="font-size: small;">UN</span><span style="font-size: large;"> ~ </span>C<span style="font-size: small;">HAT</span> A<span style="font-size: small;">BOUT</span> Q</span><span style="font-size: small;">UIRK<span style="font-size: large;"> N</span><span style="font-size: small;">O. 6</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> !</span></strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiURQkX9ARafzX49UGMa-QrS0jsl987TUmEhBOxzGD9rgLODdrGGXC-Wc2m4S3OEgu35B911Bu4HmnRLnRqWr4XXkMyknZofKyuDHXE7UdTqytBQA3dsjPuKLQWXNU21Y8LPsrs0LIwpPjp/s1600/phreatic2_96dpi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiURQkX9ARafzX49UGMa-QrS0jsl987TUmEhBOxzGD9rgLODdrGGXC-Wc2m4S3OEgu35B911Bu4HmnRLnRqWr4XXkMyknZofKyuDHXE7UdTqytBQA3dsjPuKLQWXNU21Y8LPsrs0LIwpPjp/s400/phreatic2_96dpi.jpg" width="305" /></a><a class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="Sab_in_Paris" href="http://twitter.com/share">Tweet</a><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><em>"Come On Doon, Jimmie!"</em></span></div>
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THIS QUIRK COMING SOOOOON!<br />
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Forget the metro; forget statues and sidewalks; let's forget even Paris for a while and leave the city far above; let's go way down for a change.<br />
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Deep under the flowing boulevards and hustle and bustle of the city streets and even the incessant criss-crossing of the trains lies a much quieter place.<br />
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The phreatic layer. The phreatic wot? The phreatic layer; the water table.<br />
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Paris is sitting on a liquid legacy, to such an extent that certain monumental buildings like the Opéra-Bastille and the new Quai Branly museum need to have hundreds of square metres of H2O pumped out of their basements and into the Seine every day.<br />
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Or they'd break their moorings and simply float away down the river and across the English channel and end up at Dover or even half-way up the Thames if the wind was blowing in the right direction. No, honestly, they would!<br />
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The impression I had looking down into this surreal pit was unsettling, and it was difficult to decide if this really was water, or just a greeny-blue gauze that had been placed over the hole for aesthetic effect..<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>"How long does it take for pixels to wear out, anyone?"</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilbN7LRhj09sLcs4xb8qqGre9w9XDoVxXbTvf2bhHNAZO5jy31Dp64XK7SGY0u671vmDUL5sFbT6u6blKpOQ0i-5-YZ1Zxp8aHfJ1FUcLXH0I_A51QDWE35IB5xSzNchOo1acUDzlBqOnJ/s1600/phreatic1_96dpi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilbN7LRhj09sLcs4xb8qqGre9w9XDoVxXbTvf2bhHNAZO5jy31Dp64XK7SGY0u671vmDUL5sFbT6u6blKpOQ0i-5-YZ1Zxp8aHfJ1FUcLXH0I_A51QDWE35IB5xSzNchOo1acUDzlBqOnJ/s320/phreatic1_96dpi.jpg" width="320" /></a>The picture above is my spooky atmospheric <i>iPhone</i>-treated version, but here is a more straightforward one (with more realistic colours) which shows quite clearly that......my 10c piece made an reasonably realistic splash as it hit the water surface and is now resting, peacefully I trust, at the true bottom of Paris for posterity. Not any old water surface, I'll have you know, but the actual, honest-to-goodness, scout's honour Paris water phreatic table layer surface, I kid you not! And you can't get much deeper than that, now can you?<br />
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I guess I should have scratched my name into that little coin really, just to intrigue excavators from the year 3011 who would have asked themselves who this strange 'Sab' character with his name engraved on his very own metal discs was.<br />
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'Probably some sort of pharaoh or something', they'd probably conclude. But I didn't. I'll have to find some other form of imagined immortality I guess. How long does it take for pixels to wear out, anyone?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCTqYwbh0rm66gClcSGXvzndQsrgAkgaA4bnv2va_ZLEawegOnANLzS-1vicmVizXDp5XKQ8kl7TBLrWK5zKgYnyOyy4ThHdQ6inXZtLdXC0qwGrDnddXn0Z0hUTSR4TmN5FDLD217GM/s1600/Emilia2-big_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="195px" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCTqYwbh0rm66gClcSGXvzndQsrgAkgaA4bnv2va_ZLEawegOnANLzS-1vicmVizXDp5XKQ8kl7TBLrWK5zKgYnyOyy4ThHdQ6inXZtLdXC0qwGrDnddXn0Z0hUTSR4TmN5FDLD217GM/s200/Emilia2-big_500.jpg" title="Your friendly Paris Quirk!" width="200px" /></a></div>
Sign up for my <a href="http://www.parissetmefree.com/books/400_Paris_quirks.htm"><strong><em>400 Paris Quirks</em></strong></a> if you want to discover a whole bunch more of them with me. That's <strong>20 amazing quirks</strong> in <strong><em>each</em></strong> of the 20 Paris <em>arrondissements</em>! And watch out for a very special offer on this at the end of your <a href="http://sabs-secret-paris.parissetmefree.com/p/20-free-paris-quirks.html"><em><strong>20 FREE Paris Quirks</strong></em></a> series ;-)</div>
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