... and then we went into lockdown... again!

Friday afternoon and we are heading back to Paris early after a short half-term break. We cannot ignore the heavy feeling in our stomach. 

As of today France is on highest terrorist alert and on total lockdown. The only difference is that schools remain open as do the parks. However, if you live further away than 1km of a green space you won’t be able to reach it since the max radius to walk, run or grocery shop for necessities is 1000m.

We are heading into at least four more likely six weeks of staying home 24/7 except for the kids who - until further notice - are allowed to attend classes. 

Education is probably the main reason many parents are heading back to the Hexagon's capital this weekend given that most of us have been recommended to “télétravail” whenever possible. Nevertheless, over the past two days Paris has registered over 1000km of traffic jam heading OUT of the city!!!

Expat daughter who will be turning 18 soon is not happy because according to her these are suppose to be the best years of her life. Now that she is finally old enough to go out at night and meet up with her friends for a drink, she can’t even ride her bike to enjoy a bubble tea in the Marais with her besties!!!

Whatever the situation, it too will pass and as long as we stay healthy and safe we will come out the other end eventually... in the meantime I am stocking up on bottles of Prosecco and continuing my yoga classes online to keep sane. 

Closed until further notice

As of last Tuesday all of the capital's bars have been closed as Paris upgrades the alert level to the maximum due to a surge in COVID-19 cases. Restaurants and bistros will be allowed to stay open if they put new sanitary measures in place, which include registering the contact details of customers and closing at 10 pm. 

Some of us still venture out to have lunch with our closest girlfriends or dinner with couples whom we are close to, sitting on the terrasse tucked up in woolen sweaters and winter coats as to avoid eating inside. However, the insouciance of enjoying un flûte de champagne during Happy hour has definitely disappeared and the sad thing is we don't know for how long.

If it weren't for the Eiffel tower...

As usual we hit the ground running upon returning to Paris after a long summer break... however, it all took a turn for the worse last week... tons of administrative backlog, various water leaks, annoying neighbours, schedules turned upside down, forgetful suppliers, and unexpected motoric limitations had me come to a screeching halt. 

Furthermore, the limitations due to sanitary protocol have put a big damper on French laissez-faire lifestyle. It was all hunky dory while the sun was shining but with the first rainfall and cool temperatures the mood seems to have changed. Don't get me wrong Parisians are still out and about but the city has definitely lost its sparkle... at least for the time being! 

Closed and abandoned

With the French capital in lockdown for nearly seven weeks due to the coronavirus, it feels like you could have the most visited sites in the world all to yourself... if only you were allowed out!

What a wonderful opportunity it would be to admire the city without noise and tourists. At the same time, however, it would no doubt be a sad sight, as if the city of lights were abandoned. 

The most spectacular images come from Human Rights Square at Trocadero looking out at the Eiffel Tower, a spot that is close to home and therefore accessible to me after 7pm, but many other places must look like the photos below which I have taken over the years...

One more week and we'll be allowed to venture out again and explore the beauty of this city without the crowds and tourbuses blocking the views. With a bit of patience and good behaviour the cafés and bistros might open up for the summer?!?

The photo above is the only one taken this past month.

Just look at the weather!

When the world stays home

A deserted Place de Trocadero looking onto La Tour Eiffel

Clearly I now know what classifies as "essential items” in France...

... No.1 wine retailer is open along with les boulangeries and les tabacs!

Restaurants have been closed for two weeks...

... and terrasses empty during the sunniest two consecutive weeks EVER!!!

We will miss you... Parisian spring is cancelled!

The weather was too beautiful for the Parisians to resist! Every year like clockwork, as soon as the first spring weekend hits, the residents are out in hordes. This Sunday was a little more contained than usual, but nevertheless by the afternoon hours people were picnicking along the Seine, strolling through the parcs and walking down the avenues past closed shops and bistros snapping pictures of the beauty around them....

...because Paris is beautiful in the springtime.

Yesterday, Parisians did not stay at home despite government recommendations announcing the closure of "places not essential to the life of the country" calling the French to "limit their travel" while the country officially passed the stadium 3 of the coronavirus epidemic.

Stay tuned for more directions from the government for they are not happy with their nations "insouciance".

So sadly, it looks like we will be missing our Parisian spring completely this year!?!

A splendid Bir Hakeim bridge 

First time EVER I have not spotted a newly-wed couple taking pictures on this bridge! 

Spring is in the air...

...and the water levels being a bit high

Avoiding the metro

A touch of pink always lifts my spirits

Sadly, no sipping coffee on the terrace while soaking in those sun rays today!

Stuck in Paris

It is bad enough being stuck with your arm in a cast... everything takes so much longer.... washing, dressing, cooking... but luckily my left wrist is fractured meaning I still feel in control just at a much slower pace than I am comfortable with.

What's really upsetting is when your travel plans start falling apart one by one... no university visit to Utrecht this weekend due to a medical check-up Friday afternoon!

Next weekend we were off to Lugano... doesn't look like that's happening either since we fly through Milan and Italy has just announced its shutting down all schools and universities until mid-March due to the Coronavirus!

My romantic get-away to Ibiza end of the month with Expat hubby has just been stricken from the calendar due to Vueling (not EasyJet this time!?!) flight cancellations. They did propose to switch our tickets to a departure on March 15th returning the 27th, hmmmm... how does a weekend break turn into a two week escapade?

So, until further notice I am stuck in Paris and I cannot even say it's due to my cast!

You are thinking there are worse places to be stuck in... true... but try taking the metro or mingle with the tourists hailing from all over the globe... waiting for another collapse of the system after having succumbed to the "gilets jaunes" for months followed by weeks of transportation strikes and now the threat of French workers walking off their jobs... because under French law, an employer cannot fire an employee or dock their pay as long as the staff member gives notice that they are stepping back from their job because of a serious and imminent danger to their health.

Therefore, I am bracing myself with a new weapon: mindfulness!

Demanding Action On Climate Change

When my 15 year old daughter comes to me asking for permission to join the student protest for climate change my first reaction is NO! Not only because I believe she is too young to demonstrate but also for the obvious reason of security. Safety has become the worry of every parent when there is talk about a crowd gathering in Paris. You just never know how it will end.

Another reason against protesting is the timing. The "Gilets Jaunes" isn't the only movement going on. Last weekend alone we had three major protests in Paris, one of which ended in violence. In my eyes, now just isn’t a good time to raise awareness for anything through demonstrations. The city is tired of manifestations and their disruptiveness.

My daughter doesn’t see it that way. She is determined to join her group of fellow students in voicing her concern about the climate change. She tells me it is not about Paris but being part of something bigger, notably saving our planet and calling for action to curb climate change. It is not about walking out of school but rather bringing attention to what her generation see as an existential threat!

Expat girl is a firm believer in saving the environment and has proven her point by taking action in various petitions and initiatives in past years. My husband and I are raising her to be caring, independent and dedicated to excellence. She has done an extraordinary job for her young age. How can we deny her desire to take action when it is this spirit in her that her family and her education have encouraged from the word go. So, you go girl, go! #Fridays for future!

Gilets Jaunes: the party is over!

It has been 18 weeks... 18! Seriously "gilets jaunes"... get over it and get on with it! I am in no way a political person but a simple Parisian resident and it seems to me that we are now overkilling it!

Since France’s "Yellow Vest" protests started in October of last year, each Saturday we need to check on the local TV station BFMTV or Twitter before heading out to run the usual weekend errands. It is depressing and unsettling. Hopefully any "action" taking place around town is far from our path and we won't find metro or bus stations closed or need to evacuate from the department store in a hurry!

By now, nobody really cares about your protests. Of course, the claims to a dignified life in one of the world's most powerful nations is a just cause, HOWEVER...

a) the media all over the globe is taking advantage of you
b) there have been more people posting, publishing or airing about the protesters than there are protesters.
c) local and foreign platforms are playing a critical role in diffusing propaganda and misleading information
c) the hooligans are having a field day
d) the government cannot negotiate with you because they don't know who to contact
e) family businesses are going bankrupt due to loss of turnover
f) tourism is suffering and down 10%
g) people are loosing their jobs due to forced unemployment
h) million of Euros worth of damages have been reported
... and last but not least people are getting injured!!!

We are tired of this charade! Cinderella left the ball at the height of her admiration for a reason. If you stay until the very end of the party no one will even care when you leave!

So please, please can we bring this to an end? We are at week 18 and this needs to be the Ultimatum and then maybe we can start focussing on Brexit!!!

Gilets Jaunes near the Champs Elysées

The media is all over it

The day after: city cleaners wearing their standard uniform of yellow vests!

When fools provoke...

It is sad and infuriating at the same time watching our part of the city being destroyed for the whole world to see. I am disgusted by the pictures of this violent movement that has absolutely nothing to do with the “gilets jaunes” social manifestation. It’s a provocation that is hijacking part of the city and the world-wide media!!!!

It hits home all the more since we lived right next to the Arc de Triomphe for five years. I would open the window to hear "La Marseillaise" begin played on Victory Day or try to get a zoom shot of the Queen when she came to visit in her pink outfit.

Walking down the avenue the day after the riots is disheartening and utterly sad. How can people do this? Destruction for the sake of what?!?

I understand the "gilets jaunes" protesting against Marcon and his politics, we do live in a democracy after all but this is taking liberty one step too far!

She's still standing: Fluctuat nec mergitur!

Stepping over a piece of office equipment!

Nothing has ben saved.

Shocking!

An encouraging note along the way.

Bravo to all those street cleaners.

Local wine shop

Sickened by the hate!

Outraged by the violence!

Leftovers!

What used to be a newspaper kiosk.

Our bus stop where we used to catch the public bus to school.

No words for the sadness.

Signs of despondency.

The firefighters caught the fire before it could spread! 

More cleaning!

Inconceivable!

Why?

Leftover munition

Burned pedestrian traffic sign

Société Générale's newly refurbished affiliate  

BNP took a hit as well.

This is not part of the window decor!

In awe of all the city cleaners!