Senator Jeem visits the French Senate

Within Jardin du Luxembourg rests the old Palais du Luxembourg, a majestic edifice to be sure, almost palace-like. It is here that one of Canada's newest senators recently attempted to visit.

The truth is, after a lengthy career attacking and vilifying the Canadian Senate as unrepresentative, unelected and certainly ineffective in every possible way, Jeem now finds himself a member of that august body, and ready to ring up all kinds of expenses as is the appropriate custom of senators in Canada.

To be clear, possibly more honest and certainly less deceptive, Jeem has been elected to the University Senate of Kwantlen Polytechnic University, his term beginning in September. And to further clarify the previous statement, which might be slightly misleading, though not in any way by intention, Jeem wasn't actually elected, instead he was declared "elected by acclamation." Jeem would argue that acclamation is a higher, purer form of democracy. The bothersome spectacle of campaigning for votes is, somehow, an ugly side of democracy and unworthy of true democrats. Like Jeem. Better to be appointed. By acclamation if at all possible. According to Jeem.

Having wasted no time getting on the gravy train, Jeem has journeyed to Paris, and in the true spirit of international goodwill, made his way to le Sénat. His goal, and the reason for the expense to KPU and to the taxpayers of British Columbia, is to research ways the Senate at KPU might benefit from improved relations with le Sénat of France. And of course Jeem hopes to confer with like-minded members of the Senate accustomed to even larger expense accounts than those of any senator in Canada.






All of this might have seemed a good idea in the morning when Jeem et Sherry caught the 95 bus from the 18e arrondissement.  Now, in the afternoon, the enterprise is complicated by the fact that the Palais du Luxembourg is guarded by large, burly men carrying sub-machine guns. They aren't all that keen on letting some guy with an ID badge from some unknown École polytechnique in Canada into the halls of serious second thought, or whatever the hell they do in there.

Maybe raising his voice didn't help either. Claiming diplomatic immunity when the guard asked for proper identification might not have been the right choice to make at the time. In the end, much later that night in fact, Jeem was released. He has promised never to return to le Sénat.

His claim for expenses, including legal costs, and a personal trainer while in custody, will be submitted. Of course. It's the Canadian way.

Photos by Jim Murray. Copyright 2015.

Jardin du Luxembourg

Our walking adventures continue with a walk through the 23 hectares of beautifully arranged trees, lawns and flowers that is the Jardin du Luxembourg.




The Jardin du Luxembourg's history goes back to the 1620s when it was designed as a backdrop to the Palais du Luxembourg. The palais was built for the consort of Henri IV, Marie de Medici. The palais is now home to the French Senate.

The garden is another example of the French fascination with wide boulevards, highly manicured trees and lawns, and ultimate control over people. Here, all the elegantly trimmed lawns are off-limits, to citizens, save one small wedge on the south of the park. Some lawns are clearly signed, though many are not, yet somehow people know they are forbidden to rest in these grassy areas. The official area allowed for use by common folk is usually crowded.
















Napoleon dedicated the gardens to the children of Paris so it is filled with puppet shows, a carousel and general fun. It can become a busy place indeed, and everyone is welcome, provided they know enough to stay off the grass.





The gardens are home to over one hundred sculptures and to the smallish la liberté éclairant le monde. It looks oddly familiar for some reason.














Photos by Jim Murray. Copyright 2015.

Grande Mosquée de Paris ~ The Paris Mosque

After our walk through the Latin Quarter, and a stop at a café for a glass of wine, we continued our walk through the 5e arrondissement, ending up at the Grande Mosquée de Paris. No wine here I'm afraid.

As is the case at Jewish sites, there was a police presence with sub-machine gun toting patrols walking the sidewalks around the mosque.











The mosque was built in 1926 in gratitude to Islamic members of France's colonial empire, of whom over 100,000 died fighting for France in the First World War.








The mosque, and its 26 metre high minaret, was built in a art deco Moorish sort of style. There was a sense of calm and openness as we strolled through the mosque and I can imagine it being an oasis from the heat and humidity of Paris in the summertime.









During World War II, when France was occupied by Nazi Germany, the rector of the day provided the mosque as secret refuge for Algerian and European Jews. The rector, and his congregants, provided shelter, safe passage and Muslim birth certificates to the Jews to protect them from persecution.

The complex includes a tearoom and a restaurant, where we had a late lunch of generous portions at reasonable prices. We both had tajines, lamb for Sherry and a chicken-olive concoction for Jeem. (tajine is a North African stew dish named after the earthenware pot in which it is cooked).







Another feature of the mosque is the hamman, a traditional Turkish-style bathhouse, where one can bathe, obviously, and have various scrubs and massages (men and women on different days of course). In hindsight, a better idea might have been to come here for the hamman and then a visit to the tearoom for tea and pastries. After all this walking, a hamman might be just the right thing. Then again, there is that minor problem of different days for different people. Maybe I'm missing something?

Photos by Jim Murray. Copyright 2015.

Notre-Dame en route to Shakespeare & Company

We were on our way to the Latin Quarter and walked through the island that is Île de la Cité in the 4e arrondissement and home to one of the most well-known church buildings on the planet. Iconic, yes. Crowded with visitors, yes. Notre-Dame de Paris. Little more needs saying.









Except perhaps that construction began in 1163, which seems a long time ago indeed. It has been modified throughout its history by various religious leaders looking to make a lasting mark. It has seen its share of troubles too. In the 1790s Notre-Dame suffered much desecration during the more radical phase of the French Revolution. Then, much of its religious imagery was damaged or destroyed and for a brief time Lady Liberty replaced the Virgin Mary figure on some of the altars. For a time during the Revolution the church was used as a warehouse for food. Restoration efforts took place in 1845 and then again beginning in the 1990s.





Interesting too is the fact that by law, passed in 1905, Notre-Dame is among seventy churches in Paris, all built before that year, that are owned by the French State. The Church is the designated beneficiary, having exclusive right to use it, for religious purposes, forever. Or until another revolution comes along I suppose.









Within sight of Notre-Dame, across a bridge into the Latin Quarter, on the Left Bank of the Seine, and centred around the Sorbonne, is an English-language bookstore called Shakespeare and Company.



Originally the store was opened by Sylvia Beach on 19 November 1919 in a different location entirely. During the 1920s, it was a gathering place for writers such as Ezra Pound, Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce and others. It closed in 1940 during the German occupation of Paris and never re-opened.











The second incarnation is located here, at 37 rue de la Bûcherie, in the 5e arrondissement. Opened in 1951 by George Whitman, it was originally named Le Mistral but renamed Shakespeare and Company in 1964 in tribute to Sylvia Beach's bookstore.




Whitman's store became a centre for readers and writers too. Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs, Anaïs Nin, Richard Wright, William Styron, Henry Miller, Lawrence Durrell, James Jones, and James Baldwin were among early visitors to the store. In those days Whitman would allow aspiring writers to live in the apartments above the store, if they put in some time working in the shop. That policy remains in place to this day.



















Today Shakespeare and Company is a popular store with tourists and readers too. The store is crowded and somewhat cluttered, to say the least. It is difficult to browse and find books; the space is limited, books are literally everywhere and the lighting is difficult at best. Still... it's worth the visit, and you're here now anyway.






After our encounter with the store we ventured out into the narrow streets of the quartier latin in search of a cafe or bistro. No books in hand.

Photos by Jim Murray. Copyright 2015.

Getting around Paris: Metro or Bus?

Walking in Paris is easy, and within the confines of the city itself, one could almost walk the entire city without much difficulty. True, drivers think they have the right of way at all times, but for the most part, if you look both ways and close your eyes, you will be fine. Time can be a factor, and a person's level of mobility too of course. For most visitors using the bus or the métro will be useful, fun and indispensable.


















Travelling by bus is great because you can actually see where you are going, or see the stop you've missed in error. The subway is much faster but involves stairs which can be a drag if you are tired or carrying bags. Coming out of a métro station can be disorienting too and often raises the question: which direction am I facing? Both the bus and the métro will be crowded at times and standing for much of the trip will be commonplace. As in Vancouver, young people are often reluctant to give up their seats, even to older citizens or to people who obviously need to sit down.

The transit system in Paris is world class and inexpensive; about 1.30 euros per ride if you purchase a set of ten tickets. The publicly-owned system, RATP, or Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens, operates 64 bus lines with the city itself and over 200 in the suburbs. Over a billion journeys are made every year on the bus lines of Paris. Their routes are easy to decipher and stops are often located at, or near, metro stations. Maps are present at nearly all transit stops and are useful when walking too.

The Métropolitain, or Métro de Paris, is the underground transit system operated by RATP. Its 16 lines cover over 200 kilometres with over 300 stations, many connecting to bus, train and regional train lines. The Paris Métro is the busiest system in the EU and carries over 1.5 billion passengers every year.










Métro lines are identified by number and colour but most important is to know the direction you are travelling. In other words, what is the terminus of the line on which you want to travel? You're not likely to go to the end of the line, but, and this is true of the bus system too, the line's direction is determined by the terminus station.

Electronic signs at most stations, indicate the time of the next two buses or trains.

Tickets are the same for both the Bus and the Métro (and for the regional trains called RER). For most travel within Paris proper, one ticket will be sufficient and can be used to transfer to other métro or bus lines, but not both. You can buy tickets from machines with your credit or debit card at almost all Métro stations, or from the convenience stores usually displaying the Tabac sign. For most of us, buying a packet of 10 tickets is the simplest and cheapest way to travel on the RATP. There are smart cards and tourist passes available, but they aren't for everyone.




Don't expect to get into friendly discussions with people on transit, or anywhere else for that matter. Parisians tend to be a reserved group and not likely to make eye-contact on the bus or métro, or on the street either. They are respectful and polite but at times riding transit here is a great deal like riding the Canada Line at home. Only quieter.

On a variety of lines in the métro system you will be riding on trains with a distinct Canadian connection, as many are produced, in whole or in part, by Bombardier, the large Canadian train company, with a major presence throughout Europe.

So... bus or métro? Both are safe, clean, often crowded and always fun. Combined with a good pair of walking shoes, using the services of the RATP will be easy and pleasant and leave you smiling. Well, most of the time.

Photos by Jim Murray. Copyright 2015.

May Day ~ Fête du Travail

Since 1947, the Fête du Travail, on 1 May, has been a paid public holiday in France. It is a legal requirement that on this day, all employees are entitled to a paid holiday. Traditionally a day on which trade unions protest across the country, it is also la fête du muguet, or the Lily of the Valley Day, on which it is customary to exchange lily-of-the-valley flowers for good luck.



May Day has its origins in 1886, when on that day, 200,000 American workers won the right to work an eight-hour day. The battle for an eight-hour day was not won by all workers, and riots broke out in Chicago. The Haymarket Square event was a turning point for the labour movement of the time. Three years later, the International Socialist Congress, meeting in Paris, adopted 1 May as International Workers Day and began an international campaign for the eight-hour working day. On 23 April 1919, the French senate sanctioned the eight-hour day and remarkably made 1 May a public holiday.

After having been officially named the Fête du Travail et de la Concorde sociale (day to celebrate work and social harmony) on 27 April 1941 the post-liberation government of 1947 legislated to make 1 May a paid public holiday, without actually officially naming it the Fête du Travail.





Members of the Socialist Party sometimes distribute their symbol, a red rose, on this day. Most public offices and buildings are closed on May 1st in France, as are many smaller businesses. Many, if not most restaurants and cafes, remain open as usual. While in years past, the day was often a day for protest, today union members and citizens gather, listen to music and speeches, and probably more speeches, and then march through the streets in a family-friendly festive atmosphere.

It's been a difficult year for workers in France. The Charlie Hebdo and HyperCacher attacks have created a national concern for security. The pressure to implement measures that will ultimately curtail free expression and movement, is significant. As well, the French economy continues to struggle, and nearly 10 percent of the workforce is without employment. Unemployment numbers among young males is much higher of course, especially in the usual ethnic communities. This adds pressure to the impressive social structure that makes France enviable in the eyes of many.




Since our last visit five years ago, there appears to be a significant increase in the number of homeless people and of beggars. They appear on street corners, at transit stations, and in churchyards. As they do in Canada.

May Day is a celebration to be sure. In France, and elsewhere too, it is a day to consider all that needs to be done to create the society described in their national motto. Liberté, égalité, fraternité. We're all in this together.

Copyright 2015 by Jim Murray.