Well we started this week in Edinburgh and am now in Paris. Edinburgh continues to surprise with weather and enjoyed having a week to catch up on not so exciting things like washing and all these English/UK serials we have got addicted to. Some very depressing Irish Catholic series called Cardinal that Stars Sean Bean. Apparently he always dies in the shows he features in so not expecting a happy ending. Also watching an American series called Blacklist- only 78 episodes to go. Continuing to enjoy their comedic current affairs shows- they are very funny and clever. Also saw very interesting show on the issue of immigrants. One reporter basically called them some not very nice names and was called out on it for lacking any humanity. Her take was that the elite press were Dr Frankenstein and she was the monster they created. Similar issues to home but the UK seem about 6-12 months ahead of us in the way the media deals with issues. Bit unsettling how some parts of the media are appealing to people's baser instincts and enjoy stirring up trouble.
Arrived via metro to hotel in Paris. Easy trip as no large bags to carry. Large metro near hotel and armed guards in army uniform and Syrian refugees holding up signs asking for help. Also saw families sitting in street- with signs saying they are Syrian refugees. If they are this far north can just imagine what other European countries must be like. Very sad.
Large number of tourists here, especially Americans. I gather the US dollar is doing well so no surprise. We are in the 8th arrondisement. Nice area. Walked into a local park this morning- Parc Monceau. Full of Parisians enjoying the sunshine. The park was established by a cousin of Louis XVI- very wealthy and even though said he was a republican, no one believed him and he lost his head in 1793. The park is full of these follys-an Egyptian pyramid, Roman collanade etc. and of course being Europe, at one stage the park was the site of a massacre of Communards when the Paris Communards was crushed in the 1870's. It's unusual as was based on the style of an English garden. Was not so keen to be here but it still is quite a beautiful city. Walked back from the left bank last night after dinner with family and people everywhere. Difficult to resist not taking many photos. People here seem defiant- they are going to keep going out and enjoying themselves, regardless of resident lunatics and random acts of violence. Out to opera this afternoon but lunch first with family.
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