Kristina – Alexandre III bridge – “La fillette à la coquille” (the girl with the shell), sculpted by Léopold Morice |
9:55 AM – Kristina lives just in front of Manhattan (New York). We ran and discovered Paris on a beautiful morning of May.
The magnificent Alexandre III bridge presents numerous groups of statues. Some evoke diverse representations of the Fame, others, France in various periods of its history.
The girl with the shell, which we can see on the photo above, is a member of numerous statues bound to the marine world (the Nereid, the child and the fantastic fish, dolphins and other shells).
It is a pity people hung on to it padlocks (look at the hands of the statue by enlarging the photo)..
Very close to the place where we started our running, Place Vendôme, we met the Embassy of Texas!
Kristina – “Embassy of Texas” |
Embassy of Texas?
Yes, read the plaque which we can see on the building behind Kristina:
It is written:
“Embassy of Texas. In 1842-1843 this building was the seat of the Embassy of the Republic of Texas in Paris. With the Franco-Texan Treaty of 29 September 1839 France became the first nation to recognize the Republic of Texas, an independant state between 1836 and 1845.”
A little farther, after having run in the magnificent Garden of the Tuileries,
Kristina – Jardin des Tuileries |
It is in front of another place of political representation that we stop:
Kristina – Palais de l’Elysée – “La Grille du Coq” |
The Palace of “Elysée”, official residence of the President of the French Republic.
Look at the railing which closes the garden of the Palace south side: it is the Railing of the Gallic cockerel. Remember, we had spoken about this cock here.
Kristina – Avenue de New-York |
In 1918, this way is named Avenue of Tokio (with one “i” as it was the custom at the beginning of the 20th century). At the end of the World War I, the avenue receives this name because Japan was an ally of France.
In 1945, the avenue of Tokio is renamed avenue of New York, the most populated city of the United States, the country which participated in the France liberation (Japan having become an enemy during the World War II).
The Palace of Tokyo, very close, built for the World Fair of 1937, kept its name.
We were lucky! By going to the Eiffel Tower, the cannons of the garden of Trocadéro throw their powerful water jets:
Kristina – Jardin du Trocadéro |
Merci Kristina !
The route of the tour: