Sports in Paris (Part 1 of 3)

We enjoy attending sporting events wherever we are.  During Year 4 in Paris, we have attended several different sporting events.  You already saw our post about about attending some Women's World Cup Soccer games.  We have also attended matches in three other sports.  

First up, basketball.  Paris is home to two professional basketball teams.  We attended two home games of "Paris Basketball," which plays in the second tier of the French basketball league.  

The games are held in an arena in the 13th arrondissement, in a economically challenged part of the city.  The arena is a bit larger than a high school gymnasium and was only about a third full each time we attended.

Despite the relatively small size of the arena, the crowd was loud, the game was fast-paced and we enjoyed the experience.  Marie-Chantal, like Jean-Claude, is a long-time basketball fan.  So, she was happy to see a sport she loves played well.  The teams are mix of French and foreign players, including some from elsewhere in Europe, from the U.S. and even Australia.    

The games we saw included all of the usual theatrics of an NBA game in the U.S.--dramatic lighting, energetic music, player introductions and half-time events.

During one halftime, we were treated to a fashion show of a Parisian designer's African-inspired apparel. 

The fans for both teams cheered loudly throughout the game.

One out of the ordinary feature was the drum section, a group of fans who yelled and beat drums non-stop throughout the game, adding to the excitement of the event.  Non-stop!

The game action was always high-speed--fast breaks, quick shots and tenacious defense, from the opening tip to the last shot and every play in between.

The Paris team won both of the games that we attended, which makes for a happy time for hometown fans like us.  

Thanks for joining us to watch Paris Basketball.  The selfie above proves we had a good time.  It also proves we are bad at selfies.

Next Up:  Hockey sur glace

Autumn in Paris #4

We are enjoying Autumn in Paris.  

In addition to seeing all of the Autumn flora, we like the sunsets at this time of year, especially while strolling in the nearby Jardin de Tuileries.

Below, the garden and the Louvre change color as the sun sets .

The lights in the garden turn on.

Including the lights on the Carrousel.

The Autumn sky is lovely, colored with orange and pink pastels.

The setting sun changes color to a warm yellow and lights up Paris' best known monument.

Thanks for sharing a Parisian sunset with us.

Parks in Paris: Jardin du Luxembourg #1

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jardin_du_Luxembourg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luxembourg_Palace

Earlier during Year 4, we visited the Jardin du Luxembourg, the public, formal garden of the Palais du Luxembourg.  The palace and garden were built for the Marie de' Medici, the widow of French King Henri IV and mother of future King Louis XIII.  

Today, the palace is home to French Senate and an art museum under the direction of the Senate, the Musee du Luxembourg.  

The Palais du Luxembroug:  The French Senate

Here is a brief history of the garden and palace.

When we first visited the Luxembourg Garden, it was early Spring.  So, the first signs of life were starting to appear.

The garden is well-tended with beautifully arranged seasonal plantings.

The garden is also home to a verger, or orchard.

The garden many sculptures throughout.  Below are two examples.

The Pantheon appears in the distance.

Hommage to Delacroix by Jules Dalou (1890)

Signs of life in the garden were everywhere, including the many games of Petanque in progress (below).  Petanque is like Italy's Bocce, except the smaller balls are thrown backhanded in an arc, rather than bowled.  

Thanks for visiting the Jardin du Luxembourg with us.

Street Art in Paris #8

Since first arriving in Paris, we have enjoyed viewing a variety of street art.  One frequent image is the alien creature from the 1970's video game Space Invaders, like the examples below.  

The anonymous artist is known as "Invader", of course.  The artist has been active for a couple of decades, in Paris, elsewhere in France and all over the world.  The ceramic tile mosaics are usually placed high on corners of buildings, where they are easy to spot but difficult to reach.  One estimate is that Invader has placed about 2,700 mosaics in Paris and around the world, including cities like Amsterdam, Hong Kong and New York.     

We learned from a tour guide that Invader has an app.  You can create an account, snap a photo of the image and learn whether it is genuine.  You receive symbolic points for each genuine image that is captured.  The points are added to your account and you can see how your tally measures up against thousand of others players.  (There are about 20,000 players currently.)  

Over the years, Invader's street art has become quite popular and pricey.  At an auction house here in Paris, we spotted a large Invader mosaic that eventually sold for nearly $400,000 (photo below).  No joke.

The images often relate to their location.  The mosaic below, a dove with olive branch, is located near the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris.

The Invader mosaic below is located near the luxury watch shops of the Place Vendôme.

The mosaic below, located in Versailles, depicts French King Louis XIV who became king on May 14 in 1643.

Because of Invader's popularity and the high prices that the images fetch, a band of thieves two years ago attempted to remove some genuine Invaders from the sides of buildings in Paris.  Posing as city workers and armed with ladders and chisels, the thieves chipped away.  If you have ever removed tile, you know what happened--the tiles broke into small pieces.  The thieves were unable to remove any of the images intact.  Many of the images were damaged, like the two below.  

There are many authentic Invaders in Paris, plus many similar mosaics, like the ones pictured below.  

This mosaic seems to be an homage to Banksy's "Flower Thrower"

Below is a collection of more Invader mosaics that we have spotted during our ramblings around Paris.  

A replica of a Paris street sign

When stared at, this mosaic creates a strange optical effect. 

Spidey and friend hang out above the street where we live. 

Thanks for viewing Invader street art with us.  Jean-Claude has spotted 61 mosaics so far (plus a few fakes that do not count).  Only 2,500+ to go.