Musique...

Playlist

Allan Holdsworth – Against the Clock

Sky blue sky...

Out to the nearby market and bought a couple of croissants for breakfast...

...then the Metro to Sacre Couer where we enjoyed a coffee in a bar at the bottom of the steps before ascending for the spectacular views of the city...

...and of the church in question...

A walk through the artists’ square...

...and then back down the steps to the Pigalle – it was on this street, now seemingly comprising nothing but Sex Shops, where we stayed when we were here in 1982 –these days only the Moulin Rouge is worthy of a second look...

Back onto the Metro and down to the Pompidou Centre...

....then on to the Hotel du Ville...

...where we bought a couple of tasty sandwiches for lunch in the 28 degrees heat – too hot for me...

We crossed back over the river to the bookshop Shakespeare and Co...

...where I found an edition of Jacques Prevert’s “Paroles”, a book I studied for my 6th Year Studies French exam....

...amazing to think of all the years Anne and I have spent studying French and we didn’t even know how to ask for a knife yesterday at breakfast...

For some much needed refreshment, we revisited the first bar we’d found upon our arrival, then back to the hotel where we slept for a couple of hours before heading out in search of Fete de la Musique...

Our first stop was the nearby Museum of the Middle Ages, where we’d just missed a performance...

So we headed down to the river bank...

...where we saw a troupe of drummers and a saxophone quartet before heading back to Shakespeare and Co where two bands played simultaneously on different corners of the square while more performers struggled to be heard further up the street...

Then back over the river to find the National Archive...

...where we enjoyed some beautiful classical piano music in the equally beautiful courtyard of this palace (the themes being improvised based on suggestions from the crowd), followed by a soprano recital...

We found a small restaurant in the same area for dinner...

...then headed back towards St Germain, stopping on the way to listen to an excellent jazz trio who were captivating a small crowd – along with the piano improv, best of the day...

As we walked back to the hotel, we passed more bands, all fully amplified with PA systems, on almost every street corner...

Opposite the hotel we watched a death metal band with a charismatic female singer and drummer who were playing for what turned out to be the first of several times tonight...

In our room we caught some of the football and the third surprise in a row as Russia beat Holland after extra time, Turkey having beaten Croatia last night...

We ventured out one last time for some promised jazz at the end of the street – which never materialised...

The scenes were mad, the streets were packed with people drinking and carousing – like Hogmanay in the middle of the year – and rock bands in every feasible performance space...

We eventually found ourselves a place for a quiet drink, just round the corner from the hotel...

Then, as we made our way home, I stopped in at the grocery store opposite the hotel for some juice and witnessed a young man collapse forwards helplessly due to his excess alcohol intake tonight and clatter off the refrigerator workings, slicing his forehead open and spilling blood everywhere...

He'll probably have a lifelong reminder of this year’s Fete de la Musique......

Highlight of the Day : Fete de la Musique en France