Friday, June 10, 2011

Sur Le Canal Saint Martin

Today, Friday, I took a Canal and Seine River tour.  It poured rain and the window leaked but I learned a lot about the canals and neighborhoods.  Highlights include:
  • Napoléon ordered the construction of the Canal Saint-Martin in 1802. It was originally built to link to the Canal de l'Ourq, further north, to supply fresh water to the city.
  • In the 19th century, the area was mostly occupied by working-class laborers. Only recently has it started to attract well-to-do professionals eager to snag apartments with views of the canal.
  • The canal and its surroundings were entirely reconstructed on set for Marcel Carné's 1938 film, Hôtel du Nord.
    Gate closed and water returning to origin.
    Guys working out in the rain.
    Once the canal doors shut, the water level reduces to the next water level below.
    Canal
    
    Notre Dame

    After the canal ride, I walked home in the rain, caught a chill and thought I'd need to warm up in the shower, but as luck would have it the sun came out.  When I arrived home I thought it time to snap a couple of pictures of the Statue of Libery Paris style, as well as the proximity of the Eiffel Tower to the Grenelle apartment.  Some historical information about the Statue of Liberty is described below.



    Statue of Liberty Commentary

    "The Statue of Liberty National Monument officially celebrated her 100th birthday on October 28, 1986. The people of France gave the Statue to the people of the United States over one hundred years ago in recognition of the friendship established during the American Revolution. Over the years, the Statue of Liberty has grown to include freedom and democracy as well as this international friendship.
     
    "Sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi was commissioned to design a sculpture with the year 1876 in mind for completion, to commemorate the centennial of the American Declaration of Independence. The Statue was a joint effort between America and France and it was agreed upon that the American people were to build the pedestal, and the French people were responsible for the Statue and its assembly here in the United States. However, lack of funds was a problem on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. In France, public fees, various forms of entertainment, and a lottery were among the methods used to raise funds. In the United States, benefit theatrical events, art exhibitions, auctions and prize fights assisted in providing needed funds. Meanwhile in France, Bartholdi required the assistance of an engineer to address structural issues associated with designing such as colossal copper sculpture. Alexandre Gustave Eiffel (designer of the Eiffel Tower) was commissioned to design the massive iron pylon and secondary skeletal framework which allows the Statue's copper skin to move independently yet stand upright. Back in America, fund raising for the pedestal was going particularly slowly, so Joseph Pulitzer (noted for the Pulitzer Prize) opened up the editorial pages of his newspaper, "The World" to support the fund raising effort. Pulitzer used his newspaper to criticize both the rich who had failed to finance the pedestal construction and the middle class who were content to rely upon the wealthy to provide the funds. Pulitzer's campaign of harsh criticism was successful in motivating the people of America to donate.

    "Financing for the pedestal was completed in August 1885, and pedestal construction was finished in April of 1886. The Statue was completed in France in July, 1884 and arrived in New York Harbor in June of 1885 on board the French frigate "Isere" which transported the Statue of Liberty from France to the United States. In transit, the Statue was reduced to 350 individual pieces and packed in 214 crates. The Statue was re-assembled on her new pedestal in four months time. On October 28th 1886, the dedication of the Statue of Liberty took place in front of thousands of spectators. She was a centennial gift ten years late.

    
    Grenelle Apartment Building
    
    Proximioty of Eiffel Tower from Grenelle...three blocks!
    















Ekkehard and Mak (the cat) came over on their way to the countryside.  We discussed some metro routes for the flea market tomorrow before he tackled the traffic out of the city.  Meanwhile, Jude cooked up another one of her delicacies and here I am typing my blog sipping a glass of vin...Bon Soir! 

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