
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/bastille-winged-monument-paris-felipe-adan-lerma.html?newartwork=true
Today, Tuesday, July 14th, celebrates the taking of the Bastille by the French people in 1789!
Rather than give a rundown of the events back then, other than provide a few links I liked, Iād like to simply present some pics and thoughts about visiting the Bastille circle and surrounding area, back in 2012, when Sheila and I stayed there for awhile (traveling from Vermont back to Texas).

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/bastille-monument-and-traffic-circle-paris-felipe-adan-lerma.html?newartwork=true
Though I knew the Bastille had had a massive breakout and eruption against that periodāsā tyranny, I was still a little surprised none of the original structure remained. Heroes of the period and uprising are I believe interned in the base (or below) of the monument. Plus a fairly busy traffic circle kept us from daring approach it much closer.

Still, knowing some of the history, and that bodiesād been buried there, and the beauty of the winged figure atop, were stirring.
Sheila and I had taken a bus from where we stayed our 5 1/2 weeks, and weād seen on a map we were relatively close, and one bus (no transfers) got us there fairly quickly.
From there weād already planned something that maybeās kinda counterintuitive, but I suspect is something many tourists all over the world end up doing, even if just a tiny bit – we located and walked from the monument to the only Bar-b-q spot we could find in Paris – Blues Bar-b-q.

Sadly the shop is apparently now gone, replaced by someone else whoās taken Texas Bar-b-q to heart, and opened a new shop, The Beast, in Paris š The owner even traveled to spots here in and near Austin to get tips on creating an authentic Texas version. If/when Sheila and I get to return to Paris, thatāll be one of our stops, lol! Hereās their Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/thebeastparis .
The owner of the original shop was from Texas, and was his partner, Dallas or Fort Worth I think.

Hereās Sheila and him, feel terrible I canāt remember his name right now. Great guy.
I of course never thought itād be this long before weād return to Paris again, but, thatās what happens. Very much hope to remedy that eventually ā¤ļø
The streets away from the monument, and off the smaller boulevard leading to Blues Bar-b-q, were very narrow and old. Sheila and I walked them, and eventually returned to a small cafe one evening to eat and hear the piano player. It was quite a little throng of us pressed up to the door before opening time, being November and – for us – very chilly. But everyone was festive, and we had a great time there too!

It was all very casual-elegant. Except round past the piano player to the clubās more very casual section where folks sat at huge wooden table and pounded the wood with their beers along with the music there – it was quite a shock seeing it, so wish I had a picture, but I remember I didnāt get the impression itād be okay to take a pic right then š
Sheila did, on her trek to the ladies room down a hall, ārun intoā the piano player, which she was very excited to tell me about, and I tease her about to this day ā¤ļø

Sheila and I eventually took the same bus back weād taken to the Bastille monument, back to our tiny upper floor loft in a nice apartment building, rented through an early European version of what Airbnb later came into being as.

So the question is, how does this all come back to also being about Bastille Day?
Well, Iāve decided itās about freedom!
There was, and imagine there still is, an undeniable flow of freedom in the air that pervades Paris.
We felt it, we walked it, and I photographed it, much as I could with the camera & phone (iPhone 3) I had then, lol! But they did a remarkable job, considering š
Next time āround, I want to also paint it š Much like my remembrance paintings of Paris are shaping up now!
Stay free – stay creative!
Happy Bastille Day!
Adan
Paris PhotoPoems related search here on my site – https://felipeadanlerma.com/?s=Paris+PhotoPoem
My Paris Images at Fine Art America – https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/felipeadan-lerma?tab=artworkgalleries&artworkgalleryid=642805
Bastille Google search results – https://www.google.com/search?q=bastille+day&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari (videos, history, popular postings)

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Thanks again, everyone! š
Adan

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What a wonderful trip down memory lane, thanks for sharing your photos and lovely memories, I will get there someday!
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You would LOVE it, Tiffany ā¤ļø Can just imagine the art it would inspire in you! š
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Looks like a great place to visit! Have a great day!! Lori
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Paris is its own unique world, we hope to eventually make it back š Thanks, Lori!
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Happy Bastille day, Adan.
Always lovely to revisit old, happy memories š
Thank you for sharing!
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Youāre very welcome, Patricia! Itās been a long time since I delves deep into our trip to Paris, and yes, really wonderful for Sheila & I to the pics of that neat French restaurant and Bastille area š
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