Gathering of men by the Invalides
By les Invalides this morning there were at least half a dozen CRS vans. (I noticed that the national police were wearing wool 'beanies' to keep warm and to throw their helmets over.) When we made it around the block we discovered that one road was partly blocked off by a huge truck and there were police officers ready to direct traffic at several intersections.
A group of men was gathering by les Invalides but we have no idea what was going on. Someone visiting from out of the country? (We have learned in the past few months that a lot of heads of state or lesser officials want to visit Napoleon's tomb). Higher alert because of the shooting deaths of 16 people in Ivory Coast? A demonstration or protest but no signs yet?
It was amazing to us to see how lacking in any kind of security there was in Berlin. Two police men were standing outside the US embassy and anyone could just drive a car up to the main doorway and explode it. Security here is everywhere. Not usually the CRS outside the war museum though. That was a surprise.
Joseph Gallieni is anther one of those First World War generals who had at least one
dark moment in his past. He spent most of his life in the French colonies. While governor
of Madagascar, he illegally exiled the queen and abolished the 350 year old monarchy.
His forte seems to have been building the infrastructure of cities in the colonies. Not a
bad pursuit.
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