For as long as I can remember, I was told that I was born on Bastille Day. As a child, I only heard that it was a French national holiday, similar to our Independence Day. I have studied a little more since then, and I understand better the history of the French Revolution and the part that The Bastille played in it. What an awful slice of history!The Bastille would, of course, be on the list of "must see in Paris" should I ever venture there, right? Well . . .
Some structures survive thousands of years. Tourists, natives, and pilgrims are able to stand on the very spots where the famous and infamous played their roles in the unfolding of history -- the making of it. Other structures simply and literally do not "stand the test of time." The Bastille was one of the latter.
So, what became of the fortress?
"Some undemolished remains of one tower of the fort were discovered during excavation for the Métro (rail mass-transit system) in 1899, and were moved to a park (the Square Henri-Galli) a few hundred metres away, where they are displayed today. The original outline of the fort is also marked on the pavement of streets and sidewalks that pass over its former location, in the form of special paving stones." ~Wiki
In 1859, a Paris Bastille railway station was opened
on the spot where the fortress once stood.
Check out that photo -- 19th century Paris!
One hundred twenty-five years later, the train station was demolished; and on the bicentennial of the storming of the Bastille, an opera house was erected in its place.
If you know my father, you know that this means one thing: Get dressed. We are going to see Otello by Verdi at l'Opéra-Bastille on the eve of Bastille Day. I am thankful for subtitles, as I do not understand Italian -- but what shall I do about French subtitles? ;-/Now, if only Les Miserables were playing Paris during our stay . . .
But, back to the personal connection:
Concerning the eve of our return trip home, the tour brochure reads, "Exchange memories with your new friends this evening as you glide along the River Seine during our farewell dinner cruise, bidding Paris adieu . . ."
Are you doing the math?
1. That coincides with Bastille Day in Paris.
2. Which means . . . that will be on my birthday!
[Slide to the 2:25 point for the best.]
Yeah . . . pushing fifty on the Seine! Fireworks, anyone?
