The Flame of Liberty and Memorial to Princess Diana, Pont de l'Alma
Parler Paris Nouvellettre®
Your taste of life in Paris and France
ParlerParis.com
Monday, August 9, 2010 • Paris, France
Dear Parler Paris Reader,
1. Pre and Post Post Office
Can someone explain to me why you can't post a letter INSIDE a post office in France (except for at the main post office on rue du Louvre)?
European post offices have always been a marvel to me, ever since the early days of backpacking through France, Italy and the like. In those days (let's not say how many years ago), it was all so antiquated that standing in line at a "guichet" (clerk's window) in a centuries-old building to purchase "timbres" (stamps) was a new and strange experience in itself -- a place where one could do their banking, mail their letters and make long distance phone calls.
In the last couple of years, the post offices in Paris have taken on a new persona. For many years, one chose a line in which to stand hoping that it would move more quickly than the others -- like in a supermarket. Seems I always choose the wrong line and the person in front of me has a long transaction while the others move quickly. (Just my luck.)
Then they changed that and created one queue that fed all the windows. At least that seemed more efficient, but the lines were always long and one could count on being at the post office for at least 30 minutes, even if all one needed were stamps.
About that same time, they installed automatic stamp machines. Hooray! Rarely was anyone using them, so I could march right up, buy stamps, use a French debit card to pay for it all and head out the door within minutes. Still, one couldn't drop the letters INSIDE the post office and in some cases, the mail slots are around the corner from the post office itself.
The latest change in the French postal system is no guichet at all. Now there are various 'stations' or desks scattered about that each serve some different purpose, but unmarked as to what each actually does and not always manned with a clerk. One must know instinctively that one serves the banking and the others service postal transactions. Purchasing stamps is now relegated mostly to the machines, of which there are more along with change-making machines in case you'd rather pay by cash then debit card.
There are fewer postal employees and fewer customers in the post office. It's hard to tell if the system has really improved so that the wait is shorter and therefore there are less idle customers, or if the system is so bad now that everyone is using the Internet instead of the traditional post office.
One thing for sure. You still have to post your letters OUTSIDE the post office. Strange, but true.
2. Seeing Clearly
This is not a sales pitch, but I have discovered the best optical shop in the world. It's not very noticeable -- in fact, it's only about 20 square meters with a narrow front on rue Saint-Antoine near La Bastille that you might never notice except for the Day-Glo colored wigs and flying butterflies among the eyeglass frames in the window.
My first encounter there was about five years ago when Sabine, one of the owners (a sister and brother team), told me to sit down -- she was going to choose the frames for me. It was a shock to be told so bluntly that I wasn't to look myself first. The selection was a mixture of very chic and very classic designs, but she wouldn't even let me try any on until she had narrowed down about five out of 20 that she liked best.
The first pair of glasses she tried were perfect (the red frames you know) and I agreed to them within seconds. With progressive lenses and sunglass clips they were a small fortune, but she offered a few incentives to ease the financial shock and pain, to which I succumbed and 'lived happily ever after.'
The French make the finest lenses, perhaps in the world. The moment the glasses were ready and installed on my face, I saw the world clearly and perfectly with no time needed with which to become accustomed. They had managed three visions in the tiniest of frames and for five years, including replacing them when they were stolen in Barcelona, they served me well.
Then recently my vision degenerated and I stopped in to see Sabine again with a new "ordinance" (prescription). I didn't even bother looking at the possible choices, letting her choose for me as she once did. The magic happened again and the first pair she tried were a success. She and her brother (who wears asymmetrical glasses that are round on one side and square on the other) design and make many of the frames they sell, including these new ones. Again, they provided extraordinary service and within a week, they were ready for wearing and absolutely perfect.
Expect to spend about double the price on eyeglasses here as you would in the U.S., but you'll get double the pleasure out of seeing so clearly. And since you can't see a thing while you're trying on glasses, wouldn't you rather Sabine make the choice for you?
Optique des Vosges
12 Rue St Antoine, 75004 Paris
+33 (0) 1.42.72.66.17
(Tell them I sent you.)
3. Diana, Princess or Goddess or Both?
Wikipedia.org will tell you that "on Sunday, August 31st, 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales, died as a result of injuries sustained in a car accident in the Pont de l'Alma road tunnel in Paris, France. Her companion, Dodi Fayed, and the driver of the Mercedes-Benz W140, Henri Paul, were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident."
The first French investigation concluded that the crash was caused by Paul, who lost control of the car at high speed while intoxicated and under the influence of antidepressants. Dodi's father, Mohamed Al-Fayed (the owner of the Hôtel Ritz, for which Paul worked) set out to prove that the crash was orchestrated by MI6 (the home of secret agent James Bond) on the instructions of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. The jury of a following inquest released an official statement that Diana and Dodi were "unlawfully killed by the grossly negligent driving of chauffeur Henri Paul and the paparazzi photographers."
On the site of their accident, stands the Flame of Liberty, above the entrance to the tunnel. It is a full-sized, gold-leaf-covered, replica of the torch carried in the hand of the Statue of Liberty in New York City, given to the city of Paris in 1989 by the International Herald Tribune to represent the 100th anniversary of publishing an English-language daily newspaper in Paris. The flame became an unofficial memorial for Diana and has become such an attraction that most people think this was built for her.
There is still much controversy by many who believe that she was purposely killed for a number of embarrassments she could cause to the throne of England and occultists believe that there was specific meaning to her death and the memorial. Brian McCormick (aka Bryan Michaels) wholehearted agrees and is giving tours and lectures to support his theories. With a group of fascinated followers on Saturday afternoon, we stood at the flame and learned why.
Brian is the author of "Kiss My Royal Arthur" volumes I and II and an internationally recognized art theorist. He uses his preternatural ability to "run through verbal permutations to solve dozens of literary puzzles," including the mysticism behind the death of Princess Di.
To occultists, Diana wasn't simply a princess, she represented the Sacred Feminine -- a female goddess, giver of life and filled with compassion. The Pont de L'Alma Tunnel, during a medieval dynasty which ruled France for numerous generations (the Merovingians), was a sacred site dedicated to the Moon Goddess Diana, where they used to practice ritual sacrifices. During those ceremonies, it was of an utmost importance that the sacrificed victim died inside the underground temple. In addition, in occult symbolism, a torch mounted on a black pentagram is the ultimate symbol of the illuminated (the people that have acquired the secret knowledge of the occult order).
This is just the beginning of Brian's story. In fact, the amount of symbolism surrounding Di's death is overwhelming. For two hours we listened and learned. If you'd like to learn more and take Bryan's guided tour into the land of mysticism, contact Bryan Michaels at bryanmichaels63@yahoo.fr and tell him Adrian sent you.
A la prochaine...
Adrian Leeds
Editor, Parler Paris
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P.S. Reminder to all writers!: August 20th is the deadline to register for Writing from the Heart -- a writers' workshop in the heart of Champagne this coming October 12-18. Visit frenchproperty/conference/ or email janet.hulstrand
P.P.S. We've added Los Angeles to our "Living the Dream to Live in France" 2010 Speaking Tour. Come see me the evening of Tuesday, September 28th at "Fraiche" in Santa Monica for a 2-hour presentation including a Q &A and cocktail reception. See frenchproperty/conference/ for more information and to reserve your spot.
