Deb's scattered comments

***Warren kindly took a picture of yet another Paris coat of arms, this one is from a small customs officer's house down by "our" canal. It's got all the basics - the ship with billowing sails and oars out, and the fleurs de lys topped by the crown. Yet it's still a different interpretation. Vive la difference! (in a different context.)  The most unusual one so far has been this blue ship above the front door to this school.


An additional note, we've mentioned the 'Histoire de Paris' signs that one sees all over town, they
were designed by Phillipe Starck before.  They were designed as an homage to the Paris coat of arms and represent the oars of the boats.

***In addition to the coats of arms, I've been noticing little mosaic street art pieces all over town, usually high up on the corners of buildings. I didn't even know what to call them to try to do a bit of research, but finally found that they are called pixel art. They were pioneered in the 1990's by a street artist who chooses to be known by the name of Invader, and who now  has done pieces all over the world. Others grabbed the idea and there are hundreds of mosaics all over the city. Some have been pockmarked by erosion but they're still adorning or disfiguring, depending on your view of street art, buildings throughout town. Apparently, the pieces are designed on computer, then realized with mosaic tiles, either small or large. And the idea has further morphed into mosaics done with shaped tiles. The subjects range from computer game related themes to sexual and scatological, to witty political commentary. It's fun noticing the various little artworks, and they give me an additional reason to look up at architecture (when I'm not keeping a wary eye out for various street hazards.)

*** Speaking of political topics, we were out flaneuring again yesterday (sounds so much better than "wandering around aimlessly") and I sat down on a bench to watch a canal cruise boat go through a lock. There were two particularly nicely dressed ladies sitting on the bench as well, and I couldn't help overhearing their conversation. Admittedly, I can only catch phrases and the overall gist of conversations (and often not even that) but these ladies were speaking clearly and with lovely "belles accents" so I got more than usual. I expected in my bigoted way that they might be discussing fashion or
grandchildren or travel plans. Instead they were having a spirited discussion of the various merits of the last several leaders of France and the implications of the Greek crisis on the banking system and on social issues like the migration crises. They had a lively discourse, agreed to disagree, and went of amiably to have coffee at a café across the street. The French love animated conversations but manage to tolerate disparate opinions.

***On an ongoing conversation, back to the question of "why we're doing this." We've been asked repeatedly why we're spending this year in Paris. I find that my answers keep evolving. One of my first answers was that Warren has dreamed of travel for as long as he can remember, and that both of us have talked of living abroad since we were first married. Our various stints working abroad and doing house exchanges just confirmed our wish. But I guess that saying that it's an old dream evades the issue of why. So, trying to peel a bit of the why-onion, I'd say that for me living in another culture helps me to open my mind to different possibilities and points of view. Even watching news reporting from a different media source presents new ways of seeing my own culture, and the chance to do more evaluating of my own ideas. The values I don't even realize I have are the ones I most want to examine, and being somewhere new and challenging helps me do that. I guess I want the mental stimulation.

***And to be a bit morbid, or at the very least, realistic, we're here because time is growing short. Whatever time is left to us, it's still growing short and our physical and mental capabilities aren't going to be getting better. Various little nagging incapacities just confirm to us that we'd better make hay, even it the sun does shine for amazingly long hours here (~16.25 hours today versus Denver's ~15). In any case, I'll keep thinking out why I'm here, and let you know what I decide.

***Our friend, Don Dalby, will be arriving in the next few days from Ireland. We're looking forward to seeing some museums and sites with him, and hope we can be good hosts. He's been visiting friends in Ireland since the end of May, and has already visited Mallorca and Edinburgh. He's having a busy trip! We'll try to smooth out some of the Paris tourist hassles, having bought advance tickets for him to Louvre and Musee D'Orsay to minimize time wasted standing in line.

***We'll also caution him about the pickpocket hazard. We've seen several arrests, and interestingly for me, the suspects didn't fit my preconceived notions. They have all been attractive, young women! So much for my expectations of slimy, suspicious-looking characters. We're just keeping our fingers crosses that we'll stay low-profile and lucky.