Great to have now seen the excellent posts from my sadly missed colleagues, who have brought our adventure up to date. Ewan – the perfect update, topped and tailed with the ‘continuation’ in Bristol with Molly and Tony (The ‘Mayor-to-be’?!) – thanks, mate: lovely.
Getting reliable and durable internet connection here is frustrating – but I seem to be in – and hopefully, might even affix some photos this time. There is SO much stuff on-line streaming out of Le Bourget – as Ewan alludes and as the EGP updates confirm, there are some fantastic speeches coming our way. I refuse to even think it’s ‘Greenwash’ ……… yet! But this time, the whole world really is watching – there will not be another hidey-hole for the US and China (and India?) to bolt into like in ’09. The venue itself is ‘temporary’, near the old airport. Thought you’d like this ‘confirmation:
So just for today’s Blog, I’ll digress to the title. It started yesterday morn, just before Euan had to leave and we were trying to gate-crash the party (er, unsuccessfully). We chatted to the ‘Climate Angels’, the only ones seemingly demonstrating at the actual venue; they did catch Al Gore’s eye tho’ – he came in via the ‘plebs’ entrance. Google them – FoE, Aussie-based – delightful. One of them just so happened to be the daughter of the best friends of my German teaching colleague from my sabbatical in Victoria in 1999. You can see how chuffed we are! 19 yrs old and utterly committed to saving the planet.
Later, at the ‘Place 2B’ near the Gare du Nord (Euan – you’ll be pleased to know I found it at last), I was just drinking a glass of water (as you do) when who should I spot but Ruth and two mates who had cycled with 13 others all the way from Bristol (hey, they had carbon-support with all their bags! Cheating!) – Ruth had joined us last year on our Brussels minibus trip to see Molly. Great. They were awaiting the arrival of the red-trousered philanthropist, the Mayor of Bristol, here to cavort with the Mayor of Paris and join in with the ‘Covenant de Maires’ (sounds vaguely black magic). I must ingratiate myself with them and try and get a CV report to Hidalgo! Wow!
So off we go, there to meet up with the others including Darren Hall and partner Charlie – and there already with the BBC crew was Paul Barltrop. George walks up – SURPRISE! And with him was our own Daniella. Not even remotely staged – no way! (sorry about the orange tint and my Hi-vis ‘halo’ – which has slipped a bit):
I’ll lave it at that fro the time being – although there was one more really weird thing that happened at Gare St Lazare, as Euan and I bade good-bye. I know I’m here to report on the talks – yeah, right – but, as said, it’s everywhere – I’m just blogging some stuff ………
you teaser…so what was the one more weird thing at St.Lazare?
When Ewan and I were watching the ever increasing delay on the departure board for our train at St.Lazare Euan turned up with news of his successful visit to the Elysee Palace to deliver the Letter from Looe to President Hollande.
What happened when you parted?
Since you’re the only one to ask – and since Euan hasn’t said anything (I think he reckons it was irrelevant to the trip!) – it was simply a big advert on the station entrance wall, showing the big roadway dam across the Zyder Zee in Holland, an aerial shot looking down on the scene, with a few cars parked by the water. One of the cars was HIS CAMPER VAN! They had briefly parked there last year on one of their trips – and it clearly coincided with the ad-shot being taken. Now, come on – what are the chances of that?!