F Train to Paris

In which a Jewish family from Brooklyn moves to Paris, France for two years of work, school, and adventures.

Tuesday night was  La Fete de la Musique, when France (and now many other countries around the world) traditionally celebrates the summer solstice with free music in public spaces.  Last year, we had a very successful evening, and this year we tried to duplicate it.  We discovered last year  that the Louvre is a great place to find musicians--especially classical ones, as you might expect. Musicans station themselves all around the central courtyard and the Cour Carre, especially the covered passageways. Ralph and I took E. (the older boys opted out) and met up with some friends near the pyramid. We heard an all-male trio singing in Latin, and an accapella  chorus singing Spanish songs. Then we left the Louvre via a doorway in the Cour Carre and crossed the river on the Pont des Arts, a pedestrian bridge that links the Louvre with the Institut de France. The Lourvre complex had been fairly calm, but the bridge was crowded with picnickers and amateur musicians, plus a more professional group of (very loud) drummers at the far end. When we reached the Institut de France we were pleased to find the same band we heard there last year, the Saints Peres Band. These are talented musicians who wear funny animal hats, as you can see in the photo on their site. The first song they played was "YMCA,"  but the rest of their set was a little more traditional. We listened for about half an hour, then decided to make our way to Bd St Germain and catch the 63 bus home.

What a mistake! The left bank was wall-to-wall people, and it took us half an hour just to walk the couple of blocks to Bd St Germain. We ducked into the nearest metro and headed home.

posted by: pariskleinmans at 11:13 | link | comments (1) |

Comments:

#1  24 June 2005 - 08:29

 

Sounds like a nice evening. Sorry I won't be able to make it Saturday evening. Will you be there for the picnic on Saturday afternoon?

Mo'nonymous

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