patrimoine!

So there is this very, very chouette (neat)  event in France (not just in Paris!)
where all of these buildings, monuments, famous places are open to the public.
For free.
This is the one time out of the year that you can see the president's palace,
among many other things.
I didn't actually see sarkozy's mansion, even though I was planning to.
It was at least a four hour long line.
non, merci.
Anyway, it is a big deal, and everyone gets super stoked and plans out where they want to go. This post is a small taste of what I did on that day.

SO. This is what I was talking about. It happens, I promise!
Parisians put on rollerblades. The street gets blocked off. There are ambulances.
And police. And police on bikes. And on rollerblades. I was stuck at this side of
the street while they went by. I think that I was there for at least 4-6 minutes
as they all went by. I can't wait to join in! This is the more relaxed one.
The one on sunday is more for families and people going a bit slower.
The one on friday nights is for really, really good bladers.
like flips, hills, hobble-stones, death traps....
yeah.

some really precious faces in this pic.

After we got through that horde, we (some friends from CUPA and I) waited in line for about an hour to get into the Naval Building. It was a beautiful building, and it was worth it just to see a place that is closed to the public for the rest of the year.

what's this? an anchor!

anchors everywhere! I am also seeing lots of them on shirts and as other cute details.

The view from one of the windows.

Marie Antoinette's death warrant was signed here, in this room.
I think.

I just love the dimension in this photo- all of this space, and no one could go out onto it.
Contrast this with the photo below:

where the magic happens.

Okay, I actually have no clue what this room is used for. If it is even used.
But isn't it ornate?

love,

 alexandra