| On the previous page, I mentioned that there used to be a warehouse that was used for artists' studios, until it burned in 1986. Here is the vacant lot where it once stood next to the bridge at Crimée and across from the church and Place de la Bitche. But it was not really vacant. It is occupied by some people who have set up a makeshift farm. There is a sign, at right, that says to Remember the Farm of Tiligolo. |  |
| This
was not mentioned in the guidebooks, and so I don't know the significance unless this is a
protest against the government for demolishing rather than rebuilding the artist studio
building. The people are living in a truck and and a rather comfortable looking
tent. [2003: Tiligolo is a clown who has a farm that he moves around from place to place.] |
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| It was quite a surprise to find this in the middle of the 19th arrondissement. |  |
| There are animals, including a goat, a couple sheep, a goose, a cock, and some chickens. The goat is entertained by boats passing in the canal. |  |
| A little farther down the canal, we were met by another surprise. An unoccupied pirate ship, complete with crow's nest (platform at top of mast). |  |
| This also was not in the guidebooks. |  |
| Another little surprise: on the other side of the canal is a modern sculptural depiction of the Eiffel Tower, on its side. Because of the barricades in front of it, I think they are in the process of setting it upright, into place. If the 19th were to have an Eiffel Tower, this is just the kind of Eiffel Tower it would have. And so it does. |  |
| And farther down the canal, is Canauxrama, a place to rent canoes and kayaks. There was a group of kids just getting started in their kayaks. They were having great fun. |  |
| Just like the day we walked along the Canal St. Martin, we passed along through parks where men were playing boules. |  |
| Late afternoon and early evening seems to be the favorite time for this activity. I think that is because these guys don't help to make dinner. They leave the house, play boules while their wives are slaving over a hot stove, and then they come home to sit down and eat. At least they aren't out getting drunk . . . . |  |
| And then we were back at the Rotonde at Place de la Bataille de Stalingrad, where we had started off the other day when we walked along the Canal St. Martin. We decided to take the Métro from there down to Bastille so that we could see the Viaduc des Arts -- something Tom's editor, Clark, at U. Mass. Press, had told us about when he and his wife visited weeks ago. |
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