So ... we've finished a little walking tour that ended in front of Notre Dame. Three of us say goodbye to our group to take photos of the garden behind the famed cathedral. We then head back to the hotel, picking and choosing which street to go down based less on a map but more on our newly found sense of direction around the city. After popping in a shop to get stamps, we continue along our way only to notice crowds forming, Paris police on guard, and the pulsing beat of the ensuing Techno Parade. Suddenly, we are in the thick of it, and I bounce and bop to the rhythm. It feels good to shake it loose after a long plane ride, not much sleep and lots of walking.
I'll save the photos from the garden behind Notre Dame for later. Here's some YouTube video from the parade ...
Upon my return here to the states, I learned that there was ethnic violence during this parade, and something similar happened last year when the parade was also held in Paris. While in Paris, the Eiffel Tower was shut down and the US is issuing a warning to Americans (as have the British to their citizens) to be cautious when traveling to Europe right now. I don't wish to write about the negative, but I do want to reiterate that we must all be careful and vigilant, at home and away, for our safety and the safety of others.