Thursday, February 26, 2009

NOT


NOT The Eiffel Tower
I ought to list this as.. the "awful" tower, because it stands in the centre of Paris. An accolade, scratch that....
( At this point I really wanted to humiliate the French, but I will stop, by saying, 2 world wars, Agincourt, Crecy, Waterloo, Trafalgar & a language that no one speaks... just exactly what is the French for "Internet Service Provider" ??)

The Tower itself dominates the skyline of Paris, however, if you really take the opportunity to climb the "Arc de triumphe " ( What Triumph ? ) then you get to see the real jewel of Paris, not that stupid tower, not that Arch that celebrates glorious retreats. But the beautiful basilisk of Sacre Couer.


I would give every single piece of Paris for that glorious building to be built in Leeds...
It is wonderful, it towers over the sky line & from the centre of Paris it looks like the land that time forgot. It is the coast of Morocco,shimmering in a haze of afternoon heat, it suggests the taste of exotic herbs & passion.
It has the flavour of Moorish spices, yet so European, or should I say..so French.

We saw it from the top of the Arc ...Then instantly wanted to see it.

When we arrived, we were not disappointed. To walk within, then listen to the echoed sounds of footsteps, to look at the glorious Angels that support the pillars holding the dome.... The best experience of La Francais ever...By the way...Your language is still is incomprehensible....but your cuisine, I would hire you for a dinner party ( But not a battle).


The only other sonic experience I could equate to it, is sitting in York minster looking at the Rose window.

Listening to:

Kate Rusby
The Kings of Leon
Varese
Holst's Planet suite
An Ambient recording of Paris I made in 1985

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