For those of you who have never visited George Washington’s home, Mount Vernon, there is something special hanging in a place of honor on the first floor: one of the keys to the hated prison in France, la Bastille. It was presented to our first president by the people of France. The Bastille was stormed and captured on this day during France’s own revolution in 1789. This was in the minds of many, the central action in the war. It is a national holiday in France.
Having lived around the corner from the old farmhouse that was the French General Marquis de Lafayette’s headquarters in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, I am mindful of France’s many contributions and sacrifices to our continued welfare and to our friendship.
There have been many other times too numerous to mention when both countries have come to the rescue of the other. But you have only to see the French gift of the statue of Liberty (a small replica of which is in Paris) in New York harbor to remember the ongoing friendship between our two countries – in most ways.
If you are an American tourist – if you are any tourist, really - in France, you MAY run up against it from the locals but do not be deterred. That is the way some people are everywhere. But as in all other things such as fine wine and cheeses, the French have raised it to an art form.
Love you, France
“SamHenri”
Note: Other posts later today. Please check back.
blackwatertown
July 14, 2010
Yup – all those main streets named after American heroes – JFK, Eisenhower, Roosevelt.
And Napoleon sold you that huge tract of continent in the Louisiana Purchase.
samhenry
July 14, 2010
Roo – Know anyone over there that want’s to buy the tract back at reduced prices
whatigotsofar
July 14, 2010
Guide the future by the past
Long ago the mould was cast
I dislike the French.
samhenry
July 14, 2010
I said I liked France! LOL You can go to Paris in August – enjoy the sights and most of them are out of town.
I like Italy even through there are too many dead bodies in the Vatican to make me wanto to go back soon. Their socks are all rolled up because like the wicked witch of the west in Wizard of Oz, they were not burried with shoes. Loved studying all of Italian art and Music at Eastman School (played a very bad cello). OK. You don’t have to like the French. You are excused and absolved this day and all others. I shouldn’t like them since in Monty Python’s Grail, they farted upon us from the ramparts. Ah, but then I think, puff pastry….
samhenry
July 14, 2010
Where did the quote come from?
whatigotsofar
July 14, 2010
You couldn’t pay me to go to Italy. It’s full of Italians. If I wanna see Italians, I’ll stay home. And France, Quebec is closer and I won’t even go there.
The quote is from Bastille Day by Rush.
samhenry
July 14, 2010
I guess home grown Italian has benefits. I liked Quebec even though they don’t like yanks. I don’t let people anywhere make me stay home. You will not keep me out of Niagara-on-the-Lake, for example.
whatigotsofar
July 14, 2010
Les Quebecois don’t like anybody.
samhenry
July 15, 2010
Good to know. I’ll take them off my Christmas List.
DarcsFalcon
July 15, 2010
Oddly I suppose, France was never one of those places I wanted to visit, but I did have a love affair with reading about Marie Antoinette. I would enjoy seeing many sights in France, and maybe eating some French pastries, but I don’t think I’d get along very well with many of the French people.
And my high school French is abysmal.
samhenry
July 15, 2010
Regardless if Quebecois differs from Parisian French, we could use some of their TV programming. US TV programs filmed in Canada are not the same as
Canadian programming here.
I love the language – it is beautiful but my high school French is abysmal as well.