New topic Photos

[scarface]

Tonight, new photos are available on the forum.

You must be wondering what Paris looks like during the curfew. Due to the terrible virus, starting Saturday January 16, 2021, a curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m is implemented in mainland France and any outing is banned.
I took some photos at 5am in the morning in Paris.

Here, on the avenue Michel Ange in Paris. you can see the empty street and the interior of my new minivan.


The arch of Triumph, illuminated during the night.


The almost empty avenue of the Champs Elysées. One may wonder why there are so many lights.


Some photos taken in Chatenay Malabry in the afternoon.

[scarface]

Today, I'm going to show you something.
Look at this little tree. humbert and Vasudev probably know what it is.



This is a Ginseng ficus bonsai tree.
This tree is native in Taiwan and Malaysia. They are hardy plants with thick trunks that are easy to grow and maintain.
These trees are native to tropical environments, and they thrive in areas where there is lots of heat and humidity. However, they can suffer if they are put in places where the temperature falls below 15 degrees.
You have to consider the weather and climate in your area because these factors will determine whether you need to place your bonsai indoors or outdoors.

[humbert]

You must be wondering what Paris looks like during the curfew. Due to the terrible virus, starting Saturday January 16, 2021, a curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m is implemented in mainland France and any outing is banned.
I took some photos at 5am in the morning in Paris.

You're not allowed in the street at all or are they just prohibiting get-togethers? As I understand it this virus can be spread any time of the day or night. Doesn't make too much sense. Why don't they just mandate wearing masks?

With respect to stats on Covid19, take a look at bing.com/covid. As of today's date 26/1/2021, globally we have 99,660,483 infections, 54,962,521 recovered and 2,138,299 fatalities. Let's see: 2,138,299 ÷ 54,962,521 ≈ 3.9%. And of course there are already vaccines available. Once mass distribution begins this number will drop dramatically. Moderna even said today they have a vaccine which will work on the more virulent South African strain.

[scarface]

You're not allowed in the street at all or are they just prohibiting get-togethers?

It's not allowed to be in the street during the curfew. As you can see I took the risk, even if I'm not usually driving at night.
The police is patrolling on the main avenues to enforce the curfew and detect any intruder.

Why don't they just mandate wearing masks?

It's mandatory too. one has to look like a surgeon everywhere.


It's extremely calm in the streets. I went for a stroll this night in Sceaux because I could not sleep. There was nobody.
In the US, such measures wouldn't be accepted so easily I guess. The mob would defy police.
Oddly enough, This is happening in the Netherlands: Dutch towns and cities have witnessed another night of rioting as groups of youths went on the rampage and confronted police defying the nation's strict COVID curfew measures.

[humbert]

I was watching the protests in the Netherlands on TV (Al Jazeera). Real weird seeing this sort of thing in Amsterdam. Such a peaceful, beautiful place. In the 3 days I spent there I didn't see a single Dutch person who didn't speak English. And I don't mean tour guides, I mean taxi drivers and people who work in markets and pizza places.

At night here the streets are relatively empty. Unlike Europeans, Americans usually don't go out at night very often. This (I believe) explains why no curfew has been imposed, or needed. To me it was bizarre in Madrid, Paris and Amsterdam seeing the streets full of cars in the middle of the night.

[scarface]

Here are a few photos taken in the area of La défense.






On the esplanade of la Défense.





In the commercial center les 4 temps.



In the Fnac of the CNIT. This shop is selling computers. But they are expensive, I don't know what makes them so special.
Usually, the suppliers of the computer market always display their models in the shop, especially the new ones in a conspicuous place.
But if you are buying the previous model, you can get it for 30% of this price. For example, You'll have a Nvidia Gtx 1080 instead of a Nvidia RTX 2080, but it's still working for most games.

[scarface]

Note that some photos and comments in this message were updated: https://www.nomaher.com/forum/index.php?topic=2283.msg29306#msg29306
I assume humbert and some users already know the Hôtel des Invalides which nowadays also houses a military museum of the Army of France and an impressive baroque church with the tomb of Napoleon.

[humbert]

I had no idea the Hôtel des Invalides even existed. Had it known I would have gone there. Regarding Napoleon I was under the impression he died in St Helena island and was buried there. Apparently his body was sent back to France.

Regarding your comments about the virus, how is the status of vaccinations in France. Here they're becoming more and more available as the days pass. I believe you can even make an appointment at one of the many vaccination centers in town. It's important to vaccinate as many people as possible. The different strains you refer to happen when Covid viruses make copies of themselves that aren't exactly the same.

[scarface]

I had no idea the Hôtel des Invalides even existed. Had it known I would have gone there. Regarding Napoleon I was under the impression he died in St Helena island and was buried there. Apparently his body was sent back to France.

Regarding your comments about the virus, how is the status of vaccinations in France. Here they're becoming more and more available as the days pass. I believe you can even make an appointment at one of the many vaccination centers in town. It's important to vaccinate as many people as possible. The different strains you refer to happen when Covid viruses make copies of themselves that aren't exactly the same.

Well, The dome des Invalides is actually not very far from the Mcdonald of the Champs Elysées, roughly 2 kms away on foot. During this visit there weren't many visitors, maybe many tourists don't know this museum. I was accompanied by my father, at this time he was pretty fine. He died a few months later of cancer. But visiting the Army museum is not very interesting unless one knows French history like you do anyway. The first tomb of Napoleon was in St Helena after he died in 1821 indeed. During the 1830's - an era we know from Les Miserables - France simmered and rioted. In 1840, to appease various political factions, King Louis-Philippe authorized the return to France of Napoleon Bonaparte's body. The French call that day Le Retour des Cendres, which translates into "the Return of the Ashes". But Napoleon Bonaparte wasn"t cremated. In fact, when he was exhumed on St Helena his body was exceptionally well-preserved.

In France only 10% of the population have been vaccinated due to the lack of doses of vaccine.

[humbert]

In France only 10% of the population have been vaccinated due to the lack of doses of vaccine.

As far as you know is this due to lack of supply? If so, would you say it's the government who's now giving this issue the importance it deserves?