sans papiers, mais pas sans droits!! - place de budapest #2 2008 05 10, originally uploaded by tintinetmilou.
The haze is gone and bright sun has returned - 27 to 28 degrees. About 8 degrees above normal and Vancouver is probably 5 degrees below normal. It is going to be a shock to return next Saturday, at least I've had my Summer!!!
Very busy day and one strange occurrence where someone tried to steal my passport!!
Started okay, off to marche aux timbres where there weren't many tables setup and no buyers. Probably not a hot summer day kind of activity.
Then to the Grand Palais to see the interior. Beautiful wrought iron and glass structure. Had to pay to get in as there was art on display by Richard Serra. This is contemporary art that consists of multiple and seemingly identical perpendicular metal slabs. Is this art? Certainly was interesting to see the effort, support staff and high level of security involved. Read more at:
http://www.monumenta.com/2008/
Then off to the Palais Royal to see the garden, etc. This is where I had my adventure. A man comes up to me with a tourist map of Paris and asks me if I speak French. I respond not very well. He then asks me where the Louvre is, which is very strange because it is right across the street. I point to where it is on the map but he doesn't seem interested. Asks me where I'm from, say from Canada. And you don't speak French? Seconds later a shorter man wearing sometype of uniform comes over and says "money exchange is illegal" and then "Passport Control"; he waits a few seconds and says "Show me your Passports!". At the same time he flashes some sort of ID that I can see has the French Flag on it but closes it before I can see anything else. Well I think to myself, what is going on here? Illegal to change money? Maybe in Russia but certainly not France (the first guy had an Eastern European accent). Secondly, why was a French government official/police speaking English; even if they can government officials refuse to speak English (they'll use hand signals though). Thirdly, if money exchange was illegal would the French government be using "Passport Control" officials in the center of Paris to control it? And do most Parisians who would be involved in such illegal practices be carrying passports with them? All that went through my heat exhausted mind in 15 seconds. Then the first guy immediately pulls out his passport (or something that looks like a passport) and hands it to the Passport Control official. Who the heck carries their passport with them and then can pull it out so quickly (not in a money belt?). That was enough for me but I asked to see his ID again and he obliged, but too quickly to see anything. I said open it up and then laughed. I told him that this must be a joke, the top said Government of France, there was a nice French Flag underneath that, and then the words Passport Control (not in French?) and then wait for it...... it said name and surname (pas nom et prenom) and guess what, his name wasn't even filled in. I just walked away rather hurriedly hoping an inept division of the Russian Mafia wasn't going to use violence to get my valuable Canadian passport. Usually everywhere you look in Paris there is some level of Police around, but not there. As I was walking from that neighbourhood I did notice alot of people with East European accents.
After that walked and walked and walked.....
Opera Garnier, will have to go back, they wouldn't let us inside as a matinee performance was about to start. Then a very large and long demonstration at Place de Budapest. Started in the 18th arrondisement and was heading south to who knows where?? Fighting for the rights of illegal aliens not to be deported, especially children that were born in France and have no right to go to school. I've even read about this in the past so this is still a big issue. Quite amazing to see the turnout, political action/protests are still going strong in France unlike at home.
Off to Parc Monceau where I encountered a group arriving to have wedding pictures taken. Then on the other side of Paris to Canal Saint-Martin; one of my favourite spots, though because of the weather looked more like a beach.
Back at my metro station encountered a Tam Tam performance (don't know if that's what they call it here, but that's what it is called in Montreal). Everyone joins in, the leader has a whistle and when he blows it, the beat/rhythm changes.
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