Today in Paris

 

 

Above: out and about in the Latin Quarter; a flower vendeuse on a lively market street corner; café-ing in Montmartre

 Below: dancing to accordion music

 

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For awhile now I've been receiving concerned texts and messages with "Are you ok?" or "Paris is burning!" in the subject line and each time, my reply is the same: manifs here are accepted as a part of life and while this one is particularly passionate for many reasons - it's not just about waiting two more years to retire - many Parisians, if it were not brought to our attention that these upheavals were going on, would not even know. The fact is, many of the social benefits enjoyed by workers in France today - whether an appropriate living wage for waiters with benefits or paid vacations for all workers, much more - are the result of this sort of relentless pushback. C'est vrai.

Paris is a large and spread out metropolis with many diverse neighborhoods. And though it is anyone's guess if these protests will eventually engulf the entire city, you can rest assured dear readers that right now, and in spite of what the media is blaring, Paris is teeming with hordes of tourists. Except for the usual blips of grèves such as delayed trains or the recent garbage strike in support of the current protests, ended for now (10 of the 20 arrondissements or just half of the city was affected, without a mention in international news), life goes on. As it should. - BPJ

 

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Motto of Paris:

Fluctuat nec mergitur!

 Il est battu par les flots, mais ne sombre pas!

 "Tossed by the waves, but does not sink!"