Showing posts with label bastille day 2012. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bastille day 2012. Show all posts

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Fete de la Federation

Photo by Cedric

A visual reminder of Bastille Prison remains on the streets of Paris, marked in the cobblestones of Place de le Bastille. The lighter stones show the outlines of the prison, the symbol of a despot's tyranny which was attacked on this date 1789, freeing its 7 prisoners and marking the beginning of the French Revolution.

I proudly admit to being a lifelong Francophile. While mutually wary of each other, our two countries have a long history of mutual dependence. Both the US and France are free nations due to the others intervention. The world however, owes a debt to France, for it is from the French, including her later kings that our notion of the good life, which includes fashion, fine food and wine, chic cafe society, style, sophistication and glamour descend. French style began to lead the world in the late 1600's and they have led the way since.

Happy Independence Day, friends, from a grateful nation.

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