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Writer's pictureKate Woodman

La fin de la canicule (the heatwave ends)

Updated: Feb 16, 2020


Pont Alexandre III, named after Tsar Alexander III, who concluded the Franco-Russian Alliance in 1892. It's the most sumptuously decorated bridge in Paris and my favorite!

La canicule en France a fini hier, du moins pour l’instant. Le ciel ètait bleu vif avec nuages blancs duveteux et il faisait chaud mais pas brûlant. C’était un jour parfait pour faire une promenade longue. Comme d’habitude, j’ai pris beaucoup de photos en marchant et il me plaît de les partager ici avec vous.

The scorching heatwave in France ended yesterday, at least for the moment. The sky was bright blue and filled with white fluffy clouds. It was pleasantly warm…a beautiful day for a long walk. As I am wont to do, I took many pictures along the way and I’m pleased to share some of them with you here.

Cherubs circle the base of elaborate lampposts on both ends of the bridge

En marchant sous le pont, j'ai entendu le son de tambourinage au dessus. Je suis montée l'escalier et j'ai trouvé un groupe de batteurs coréens de tous âges, habillé en couleurs vives. C'était Korean Association for Traditional Drumming, un groupe et un art inconnu à moi. C'était une genre de la musique qui s'appelle "samul nori." Samul nori est effectué avec quatre instruments...deux types de tambours et deux types de gongs. Ce que je trouve le plus intéressant était comment les batteurs ont déplacé leurs têtes.....comme ça ci-dessous.....c'était hypnotisant.

As I was walking under the Alexander Bridge, I heard the sound of drumming. At first I ignored it, but it was so insistant, I decided to investigate. At the top of the stairs, I found a group of colorfully dressed people of all ages, playing drums and gongs, dancing. Their banner announced them as the Korean Association for Traditional Drumming, a group and art form with which I am not acquainted. My research and their banner indicates that they were performing a genre of traditional Korean music called "samul nori," which is performed with four instruments....two types of drums and two types of gongs. What interested me most, however, was the way they moved their heads to make the long white strips of cloth on their hats dance in circles. It was mesmerizing!

The littlest drummer and my favorite!

The performance over, I continued my walk along the quai, past the barge homes, most unoccupied, as it's August and their owners are on vacation.

Not this one though...

Passerellle Leopold Sedar Senghor Footbridge connects Musée d'Orsay with Jardin des Tuileries

Country pastorale at les Halles

Historic bistrot on rue Montorgueil....only took me about 3 months to master pronunciation of Montorgueil!

Add the flowers and voila.....it works!

After-dinner walk to catch the sunset....it did not disappoint.

Lone saxophonist....

Doesn't get much better than this!

Perfect end to a spectacular day....

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