New Old

The Louvre is one of the most famous museums in the world (Mona Lisa). It is housed in a gigantic palace built in the 16th Century. To handle the huge museum crowds, a new entrance was built in the courtyard, both above ground and below. The "Pyramid" was designed by Japanese architect I.M. Pei and was completed in 1989. Like everything in France, it set off a controversy because critics felt the modern glass and steel of the Pyramid contrasted with the 16th Century architecture of the palace.

                                      

Fireworks

For your Indepedence Day viewing pleasure, check out this YouTube video of the "grand finale" at the Isle Of Wight Music Festival on June 24th:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNAG0yrViy8I&feature=youtube_gdata_player

4th Of July, Asbury Park

Happy 4th Of  July to all of you! It's very strange being out of the country on such a fun holiday. I'll miss the camaraderie, the smell of barbecue, and the beautiful fireworks. But don't feel too sorry for me. Tonight I will be celebrating with a great American. Bruce Springsteen in Paris! No doubt he will play an old favorite from 1973, a song called "4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)." I got me a little American flag to wave at the concert to remind the French who the Boss is!

            
  

Gee, What A Relief

I met these youngsters on the Champs-Elysees. They are college students from Cairo on a one month tour of Europe. We joked around and talked politics. They are very happy Hosni Mubarak was ousted. When I talked about American and Israeli security concerns in light of their new president's affiliation with the Muslim Brotherhood, one of them said, "Don't worry. The Muslim Brotherhood are not a bunch of extremists like in Iran. Islam is just their religion. You have Christians in your Republican Party. It's the same thing."

La Dame de Fer (The Iron Lady)

The Eiffel Tower has changed colors several times since it was built in 1889. Currently it is painted three slightly different shades of brown to accentuate its height. At sunset it resembles the International Orange color of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Notre Dame Cathedral

Please don't read anything into the fact that photos of a Catholic church directly follow photos of a gay pride parade.

Not That There's Anything Wrong With That

These photos depict some of the more subdued participants in the annual Paris Gay Pride Parade.