Scene

The Opera Bastille, behind tree. You cancel me, I cancel you.

On my way to the Bastille Opera house, I searched Twitter for "#Parsifal" just to see what the anticipatory buzz last night was for the five-hour Wagner opus and learned from a performer that it had been canceled. This was stunning news to me; I had purchased a front-row seat in the middle lower balcony months ago. The Opera de Paris app confirmed the cancellation, blaming it on a "technical problem" with a fire door. Some Twitterati reported that a cable had broken and props had plunged to the stage. Saturday's Le Figaro reported that cables attached to an 18-ton counterweight used to operate the stage's "iron door" had snapped, noting with understatement that "the production had been eagerly awaited."

All irrelevant. I stood in line briefly, got my refund and did what I like best: meander the streets on a lengthening spring day (it doesn't get dark till 10), stopping for a drink here, a bite to eat there. With apologies to the composer and cast, there's no better show in the world.

Eglise Saint Paul-Saint Louis.

Eglise Saint Antoine des Quinze-Vignts. This place has a "sister parish" in Beirut.

Grand Mosque of Paris, 5th arrondissement.

Jardin des Plantes.

The Cuvier Fountain (1840) at Linnee and Cuvier streets.

Some church. :)

Rue des Ecoles.

Stopped in for a late showing of Robert Altman's crowning work, "McCabe and Mrs. Miller." The clerk didn't understand what movie I wanted to see. Here they call it "John McCabe."

Saw all the drunk Jussieu students lining up for a 1 a.m. snack at this place, so I followed suit. It was like being back in Istanbul. The trains run till 2 a.m. on le weekend.