Bastille Day in Paris: the 14th as a decent substitute for the 4th

This year we didn't celebrate the 4th of July, but we did celebrate France's Bastille Day--their version of independence from monarchy.  On this day the French celebrate one of the early and most dramatic moments in the French Revolution when they stormed the prison of Bastille, setting free all of its prisoners.  To perpetuate the romance, we'll pretend that all of the prisoners were good guys, unjustly imprisoned by the awful King Louis XVI.  Most see this as the seminal event that sparked the flames of the revolution that would only truly end after the installation of another monarch or two and the Napoleons who were despots in their own right. 

Our Fourth of July was spent traveling from England to France, and for the most part was completely forgotten.  Sad but that's how it worked our this year.  So we were looking forward to watching the fireworks and participating in the Fourth of July vicariously through the French.

As I type this on my phone we sit at the Champs du Mars, the huge lawn that runs in front of the Eiffel Tower, listening to the Paris Orchestra and some high-powered  choir with exceptional soloists.  Very cool atmosphere.  The sound is projected by a superb sound system that lines the Champs du Mars.  We are joined by 100,000 people.  A massive French flag waves in the breeze, suspended between the first and second platform of the tower .  The crowd claps as the choir and orchestra crescendo, and joins in as the French national anthem is sung by a brilliant tenor.  I'm getting chills because I can appreciate what it means to love a country (absence has made my heart grown fonder).

Sam, on the Champs du Mars, with 100,000 others.

Hanging out before the show, playing cards.

Its 11:00 pm and the fireworks are supposed to happen any minute.  We all wait in eager anticipation for what is sure to be a spectacle of fireworks that will ignite behind the tower, just over the river.  Here it comes.  

The show is over.  Fantastic.  Sorry, Stadium of Fire.  That was the best fireworks display I've seen.  Throw in the flaming Eiffel Tower as a backdrop and Stadium of Fire looks like the fireworks show in my driveway, complete with snaps and fountains. 

Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité. These words, a French moto that you see on many government buildings, and which defined the purpose of the revolution, was repeated again and again throughout the performance.  It means: "Libety. Equality. Brotherhood." In addition, other voices of freedom were played over the excellent sound system, including Martin Luther King's "I have a dream," and even James Brown's "Living in America."  The image of the Statue of Liberty, France's gift to America, was framed beneath the tower. This was not only a celebration of free, democratic France, but of freedom everywhere.  We'll chalk up this experience as one of our most memorable on the trip.  Good night.

You may have noticed that I skipped about 8 days of our trip.  I was tired of living in the past :).  I'll catch up on that soon!