Bastille Day 2009

Bastille Day is a national holiday that commemorates the anniversary the uprising of a modern nation. On that morning, we met up with Professor Brockman and his wife Betsy (who just flew into Paris the day before) at Jardin du Luxembourg, a garden famed for its tranquil environment and striking collection of statues. The entrance of the garden took us all by surprise: the Senate Palace was surrounded by a kept collection of botanical vegetation. From the fountain of rented sailboats to the ice cream vendors to the pits of lawn bowling, we explored the massive park from a child’s perspective. The place was so huge that we lost P-Jo for over half an hour (she was originally found at the “point of origin”)! 🪴 

We left Pam, Mike, and Betsy at the French Panthéon (a burial place for national heroes like Voltaire, Rousseau, Victor Hugo, etc.) to head toward Trocadéro for the celebration of Bastille Day. Aside from the military parades that we briefly saw, the area was closed, so we had to follow the masses to walk closer to the Eiffel Tower to see the spectacular fireworks show. After miles of walking with the supersaturated crowd and Sarah’s altercation with the French police, we finally found a grassy spot and covered it with a blanket. After minutes of rest and relaxation, the French authorities had everyone in the vicinity move to a different location. This pattern continued for quite some time throughout the evening. The night ended up in a frenzied, garble state with unwanted headaches and drained emotions. 😭