Fête protestante

Dear Mother,

Today is our third Sunday in Paris.  This Sunday, I attended Protestants en fête, a gathering of Protestants from across France to celebrate Protestantism, with most people coming from Paris and beyond.  Many Protestant denominations took part, with about 15,000 attending this worship service (according to France 2, the TV station).

I left the Centre at 9:00 a.m., walking to the métro, taking the number 8 and then number 5 train to Bercy.  My hunch proved right:  the métro was filled with Protestants heading to the same place I was going.  I put my mind in neutral and followed the crowd as it walked toward the Palais Omnisport de Paris-Bercy, a covered stadium used for professional basketball and tennis games, and also for rock concerts appealing to enormous audiences.  Going there felt as though I was simply going to another big game.

First, one has to get by security men who were interested in seeing our tickets and backpacks.
 

Then we entered the complex itself which includes this fascinating stadium built along the River Seine.  There is a spacious area covered with paving stones before you reach the main entrance doors.  The building's sides are covered with grass, which I hope to see someone mow someday.  The complex windows admit light into the massive hallways, but the stadium proper gets no outside light.

The Protestant Federation of France had a booth where registrants could get information, programmes and a light green scarf. 

The massive windows look great, whether looking at them from the inside or outside.  Parisians take pride in its architecture, always have.

I decided to go to the uppermost the seating (seats were not assigned), but on my way, enjoyed looking at the back of this TV camera.  FR2 broadcast 60 of the 150-minute event.

Knowing that nobody would be admitted into the stadium after 10:00 for the 10:30 service, people arrived well ahead of time.  Going 60 minutes early must have sounded like a nice option to the 1,000 singers who were required to be in places by 7:30--three hours ahead of time for still more rehearsing and sound checks for the TV technicians.

Before the service began, friends waved at each other, or showed where seating could still be found.

This family of eight had asked me to take their photo with their camera.  Then I took a photo with my camera.  They are seated in the highest row in the stadium.  I gathered they are of Reformed background, because they knew and sang the Psalms very lustily but did not seem to know the evangelical songs.

The stadium filled, slowly but surely.  The seat beside me was the only empty seat I could spot.  Most people wanted two seats, and I had already volunteered to move twice so that families could sit together.  Possibly, seeing my telephoto lens gave people pause?

As in a hockey or basketball game, you could see the action on the screens above centre court.  The lighting  reminded me of rock concert lighting (not that I ever attended one!), with varying colours, strong spot lights sweeping over the ceiling and banks of lights from the stage and pointed toward the stage.  It was fun to watch, though there was no discernible connection between the lighting patterns and what was happening.

This is as close as I could focus on the stage.  I knew I was a considerable distance from it, but I felt that my location gave me a sense of 'the whole', a chance to observe from the edge. And I think the sound is best at the top (an idea I first gleaned from Eugene Ormandy).

The cross outlined in lights was a bit much, but likely made an effective scene for the TV cameras.  The singers on stage formed the elite choir, meaning that they could read music, attend all rehearsals, and--stand for the entire event (except the sermon).  Janie and Neal opted to sit!  There were quite a few Mennonites from the congregation in Chatenay in this choir, their number being out of proportion to the number of Mennonites in central France.  This was an excellent experience for them.  Next Sunday, they will be wearing their all-white outfits and green scarfs to church.

The green scarfs were occasionally held high (as in soccer games).  It was fun seeing a sea of green undulating in rhythm to the music.  Of course I also saw more staid elderly people who decided that scarfs were best left around necks.

The next photo shows half of the choir of 1,000.  On my computer screen, using photo software, Neal and I were able to find Neal in this photo.  There is an aisle separating the left third of the choir from the rest.  Neal is in the next-to-last row and is three tenors to the left of the aisle.  You'll never spot him in this small version!  We also found Janie in the same section, but much closer to the front (about row 2 or 3) and about 2 or 3 to the right of the left-most aisle, just under the beam of light.  Janie was shown singing during the TV broadcast.

At one point, as the reading of the Gospel approached, a very large (and possibly old) Bible was slowly passed from the back of the main floor to the table serving as the altar.  It was first held by elderly people, who then passed it on to middle-aged people, who then passed it on to teenagers.  This symbolized one generation passing its understanding to the next generation.  While this was happening, a Psalm was sung telling of revering scripture and telling its ideas to the younger people. 

This gal was enjoying herself, so I finally took her photo.  After the event was over and as the crowd spilled outside, her little group of friends kept singing Je louerai l'Éternel de tout mon cœur (I will praise the Eternal One with all my heart).

The TV technicians were hard at work, operating multiple cameras, sound mixers, etc.  There were likely even more people working behind the scenes.  Janice stayed at the Centre to welcome a Mission Network worker whose plane to Paris was delayed several hours.  This let Neal and Janie sing in the choir.  It was nice that she could watch an hour of the service live on TV.

Afterward, people tended to leave in a leisurely sort of way, meeting and chatting with friends, or even posing for photos.

After the celebration, I was thankful for my French SIM card which enables my Canadian mobile phone to work like a local French phone while we are in France (it was easy to insert and inexpensive, but of course I don't use it much).  Neal phoned when they were excused from the choir and we, like hundreds of other people, contacted each other by our mobiles so that we could meet and go home together. 

It was a great celebration.  The music went well, the pacing and choreography held my attention (which surprised me), I actually knew some of the songs, and I am glad that I just happened to be in Paris when this fête was held.

All for now, with love from us both,

Evan

P.S.  We are able to see the TV broadcast for one week by going to:
http://www.france2.fr/emissions/les-chemins-de-la-foi/emissions/presence-protestante_137161  
However, it may not be possible to see it from a foreign country.

Last Day in Strasbourg

Dear Mother,

Our three days (2.5 actually) have gone by quickly.  The weather held, temperatures were so warm that I only needed to wear a camera vest and camera backpack to be comfortable. 

Here are a few photos.  The first shows where we stopped for lunch yesterday after visiting the Tomi Ungerer museum.  Photos were not allowed.  He is a brilliant cartoonist from Alsace who is able, with a few strokes, to poke fun at or uncover human foibles, whether in high society, government, or ordinary life.  We had a great platter that was loaded with fresh veggies and Alsatian cold cuts.

We then went our separate ways for the afternoon, as usual.  I headed to an interesting Protestant Church, but in spite of signs to the contrary, it was closed.  The granite stones in from the of the church had patterns which incorporated crosses.

These students were on break between lycée classes.  What a treat, to be able to sit, chat, possibly pretend to review notes--all by the River Ill.

Janice is interested in French lace curtains, and this was a nice one.

The bow tie made the photo for me.  It was a tiny shop with a single barber chair--busy.

Two school boys were laughing as their bike wove all over the place while the first lad struggled to go uphill.

I still remember how heavy our children's backpacks were just taking homework home from school every day in Paris some 25 years ago.

I walked a bit along the lower level of one of the river's branches.  It was very peaceful.

Two days ago, we ate in this restaurant (mostly covered by the white truck).  It was clearly a place business people gathered for lunch.  We were the last to leave, since there was no pressing work calling us.

Another in my sandwich-sign series (sable = sand).

Last night's sky suddenly brightened just a bit and I realized how beautiful the evening would look to a camera.  This is in the old part of the city now known as La Petite France (Little France).  Formerly housing water-powered mills, tanneries and the like, the area was recently renovated and is now fascinating everywhere you look.

Two nights ago, we ate outside under this tree.  The building along the river is La Corde à Blanche (Laundry Line, in other words, a former laundry).  It was not cheap, but being outside on one of the final warm nights of the year was special.

I like the classy street lights in the old part of Strasbourg.  They emit a white light rather than the ubiquitous orange seen in too many villages and cities, and they are maintained--no broken glass or burnt bulbs.

It's time for breakfast.  Then we pack our two backpacks and take the 10:45 a.m. train back to Paris, where we are to have one last hot day.  Janice will be at her library chair for the rest of the day, wondering how in the world she can ever get through all those books.

With love from us both,

Evan

Strasbourg Street Photography, Day One

Dear Mother,

We took the train from Gare de l'Est directly to Strasbourg.  The TGV (train of great speed) continues to fascinate me.  It is relatively clean, on time, fast, smooth and everybody is polite.  We were in second class, as usual, with ample room for our two backpacks.  We read and then I started listening to another audiobook, and before we knew it, 2.5 hours had passed and we were in Strasbourg.  We are staying in the Ibis Hotel very near the train station.  It is one occasionally used by Neal and Janie, handy, quiet and a German-like breakfast (which means we will have a very light lunch).  We had a lunch at the hotel (it was after 2:00 p.m.), I rested and then at about 3:30 we went on a 4-hour walk to see and photograph things.  Initially, the sun was much too bright, but by 7:00 the light was changing.  We finished dinner at about 10 p.m. and wandered slowly through the lit streets, finally taking the tram back to the train station and our hotel.

Janice enjoyed seeing the word "sandwicherie".

She wanted her friends to photograph her artistic creation (catchup on white plate) and later they all gave me a big smile when I also took a photo.  We all laughed because as she held the plate in a vertical position, the eyes began to slip down the plate, creating tears.

This is one of the lovely trams that crisscross the city.  They are quiet and seem to be rather new. We bought enough tickets for our entire stay, and given my foot, the ride can feel pretty good.

We couldn't resist the used book market.  We wanted to buy books, but they are heavy to lug around and I have an impressive stack of unread French books as it is (plus there is a very large used book market awaiting me in Paris).

We enjoy the half-timbered houses and hope to see more, particularly in the 'old village' section along one of the numerous rivers.  I was fascinated by the dark thin house (middle of this photo) which is two windows wide. Add a staircase and there isn't much room.

I hate Vancouver's flat roofs because they inevitably leak.  These roofs promise to work and last.

There are students and adults riding bikes everywhere, not quite like Holland, but it was nice to see.

By 7:00 p.m., it was too late to enter the cathedral, but I enjoyed seeing some of the outside as dusk was falling.

The northern entrance had an unusual number of stone crosses calling attention to the doorway.

We ate in this dark half-timbered restaurant.  Food was fine and my fish was special, but the service . . . well, they were seriously understaffed and trying to teach two young people the intricacies of serving.  My ice cream stood, unattended, for nearly 10 minutes.  A group of Americans (two women were simply loud when talking and very very loud when laughing) stood out by their brash manners and total inability to understand anything in French, even on the menu.  They had never heard of fennel (an anise tasting veggie) and their translator/guide struggled to describe it to them.  To top it off, several in the group drank several cokes with their Alsatian food! 

All for now.  As I write (Wednesday morning after breakfast), I see the morning fog is slowly lifting.  The day promises to be sunny and in the mid-to-upper 70s.  Janice is going to visit an Alsatian museum and I will wander aimlessly, as usual.

With love from us both,

Evan