'Missing Paris Day'~Pont Alexandre

~Taken

from

the

Pont

Alexandre

(a historical

monument

bridge)

built

between

1896

and

1900.

It is

named

after

Tsar

Alexandre III

and

was

inaugurated

in

1900

during the

Universal

Exhibition

which

was

attended

by some

50 million

visitors.~

So the Paris "Soldes" have begun again. According to one source, this year's second round of state-regulated sales began last Wednesday on June 24th and run until Tuesday July 28th. The last of this year's twice-yearly (allowed) sales hits just before the usual August vacations when much of Paris shuts down and tout la monde hits the autoroute (usually at the same time). Since so many of the French head down South for 'vacance', my guess is bikinis and beachware are gracing hordes of department store and boutique windows.

Of course, one could also parade bikini-wear during the annual Paris Plage: the one month period each summer when the Pompidou Expressway becomes one long beach along the Seine, complete with (literally) tons of sand trucked in.

I also just read that in June is held the "Garcons de Cafe" (waiters) Race. Sorry to have missed that. Wonder if any of our favorite waiters at Le Suffren participate!

So much to see and do in Paris in the summer! Sigh.

(Photography copyright: Kirsten Steen