<--- Do I need to say anything? :DThis is Paris' Inutshuk. Cough cough. :D
Yow... Talk about a cultural clash... and yet, at 10,000km away from each other and also being about 100 years apart (I'm referring to Vancouver's *true* Inukshuk on English Bay Beach, they both mean the same.
Inukshuk, they can be found in Western Canada and they mean "I was here".
Now, if you're a tourist and you come to Paris... what is the symbol you're looking for, the most striking one, of all... even it's been taken in photos a million of times?
[i]La Tour Eiffel[/i]. The Eiffel Tower. Probably close in second rank... [i]L'Arc de Triomphe[/i]. But I'm allowed one photo here.
Why the Eiffel Tower?
*I* was there. That's why! You have to be there, to feel its weight (well figuratively, of course! :) ).
To feel the distance from where I come from.
To me, to feel the boomerang effect. I'm back to my origins, in a way. Home in Montréal. Home is also Paris.
So, for that one mighty photo that FC allows me to put... What photo represents Paris? Yup, _that_ tower.
It's interesting, like many modern buildings, its art wasn't appreciated.
You probably know, without even visiting Paris, that when the tower was built, many people said that it was the most ugliest "pile of metal" sitting in Paris... and it was a very close call that The Eiffel Tower got demolished.
Imagine today! Paris without its Eiffel Tower? That tickles the imagination, a little bit.
So like many things... that defy orders, rules, conventional wisdoms... things that were deemed... ugly, provocative, shocking...
... are valuable, nice... are fully appreciate... *later*.
I was thinking of CongueroSeattle... and about the Seattle Library downtown, and things he said about that new building...
... Yet, it's a construction that recalls a bit the Montreal's biosphere (Expo'67) or even Vancouver's Science World (on a smaller scale for Expo '86). A simple geometric design, repeated millions of times.
And the sharp criticism all these buildings have gathered during their construction.
A pile of metals, people said. Ugly! Get rid of that junk!
And yet later... how we treasure them.
La Veille Dame, The Old Lady... is going well. Very well for her 100th year. :D
(Not showing on the photo, there was quite a light show to observe).
Cheers,
-E
PS: It was a balmy day today in Paris, after a rather damp and rainy morning. The sun came out, and it was a mix of clouds and sun all afternoon long... along with a nice +12C (mid 50s). No complaints.
Oh my feet!!! Walk and walk and walk, and grateful for Martine to show me Paris, with her own eyes!
It would have taken many days, along a tour of the museum... but what could be done in a day, from dawn to dusk... has been done.
Oh... enjoying bistrots while on our way.
It felt good, very good.
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1 comment:
I've lived in Paris a good part of my childhood but amazingly I dont think I've been on the top of la tour eiffel mor than 2 times lol,
that show how much people don't really appreciate those monuments from their country but would travel miles to admire others loll.
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