Allez les Bleus!

This evening in Paris was the big World Cup match against Germany.  We saw they had set up a big screen at Hôtel de Ville, the town hall, and decided we wanted to be where the action was.  We could only take the métro as far as Châtelet before they announced that the next stop, Hôtel de Ville, was closed.  We had been crammed on the métro like sardines in the heat so we didn't mind getting off and walking the rest of the way.  Everywhere people were selling flags and scarves like this guy.  Only the French want a scarf in the middle of summer.

The food vendors were also out.  They all seemed to be selling sausage sandwiches.

As we got closer, there were more and more people and plenty of gendarmes in their big blue vans.

Kate and Kelly and the Gendarme Vans

Finally we made it to the square in front of Hôtel de Ville, but we couldn't figure out how to get in.

Esplanade de la Libération refers to World War II and the liberation of Paris from the Germans.  It seemed appropriate as the French were playing Germany.  We saw a few German fans.

Still stuck on the outside of the Place de Hôtel de Ville looking in

We kept asking the gendarmes and finally found a line where they were checking bags and giving everyone a little pat down.  When we got to the front of the line, Kate and I were told to get into another, much shorter line--it was for women only.  In the other line, the pat downs were being performed by big burly women gendarmes.  I didn't dare take a picture of them.  Then we were finally in!

The windows of Hôtel de Ville were decorated with American and French flags for Independence Day.  If you look closely in the open windows, you can see the photographers taking pictures of all the people in the Place.

American and French flags in the windows

Hôtel de Ville and the big screen

Photographers in the open windows

As you can see from the guy covering his ears, it was pretty loud out there.  Lots of people were had flags draped around them and were carrying flags.  Some had French flags painted on their cheeks.

Kate and Kelly (wearing his French Soccer T-shirt)



Cheek painted with French Flag

Draped in Flags

Interesting Hat

This guy in front of us was pretty interesting.  I keep seeing guys in Paris with hair like the one draped in the flag.  The hair is shaved close down below and then long on top and put up in a bun.  What's up with that?

There was even red, white and blue smoke going off in the crowd.

Somehow we worked our way out of the crowd towards Ile de la Cité to catch the metro home.  We knew not to stay to the very end.  We just wanted to see the crowd go wild when France scored, but unfortunately, that didn't happen and they lost to Germany 1-0.

Kelly with more revelers

Kate with Ste. Chapelle in background

We had to get Nutella et banane crêpes on the rue Cler when we got home to drown our sorrows. We were hoping for more World Cup fever while we are in France. Kate says there is nobody left that she cares about in the World Cup.  She might settle for rooting for the Netherlands?