Arrival and Election

Things have been incredibly busy so far, but wanted to get started before time slips away.  I arrived in Paris this past Sunday and as soon as I landed I was walking everywhere and trying to get situated. I scoped out a place in the Luxembourg Gardens before trying to meet up with my friend Mary Beth who is visiting this week to paint with me. After multiple attempts I found her in a crowd of about 1,000 people at the gardens.  We scoped out where to paint the following morning.

Perhaps the most exciting event has been election night where Francois Hollande defeated Sarkozy.  The Bastille, Champs-Elysees and Tuileries were so crazy.  There was such chaos and excitement in a way I had never experienced before.  Even through St. Germaine des Pres there were thousands of people cheering, marching and celebrating.  All over the Latin Quarter, bars and cafes were televising Hollande's acceptance speech and everyone was glued to the tv.

 

I walked around a little more that evening across the Pont Neuf, through the Latin Quarter back to St. Germaine des Pres to finally get some sleep after being up for so long.