VE DAY

Today is May 8, 2016.  In the United States we are celebrating Mothers Day.  In some other parts of the world the people are celebrating VE (Victory in Europe) Day.  It was on May 8, 1945, that the Allies formally accepted the surrender of Nazi Germany, ending World War II in Europe.

One year ago today I was in Paris.  All the streets around the Champs-Élysées were closed and watched by heavily armed security forces while President Hollande proceeded down the Champs-Élysées to place a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe.  I was in the crowd standing on the sidewalk to see the president go past.  Here is a photo:

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

And this is the wreath he left:

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

I see that this year the Champs-Élysées was closed to motor vehicles and became a pedestrian zone for VE Day.  This is a picture I found on the internet (Japan Times, of all places) showing the celebration of what is supposed to now be a monthly no-car day:

Paris Pedestrians

It looks like a good time.

Speaking of good times, here is another picture I found on the internet.  I’m not certain, but I think this may be some Donald Trump supporters celebrating his recent primary victories:

Ferris wheel Canon  City

3 thoughts on “VE DAY

  1. P.S. I know that has nothing to do with this post, but you probably know where that’s coming from. You are a very talented writer and you pour it all into this blog. The world should see it. Maybe not your 65 in 65 memoir per se, but all you’ve learned in life has certainly been very fun for me to read and would be fun for others as well. Just sayin’.

    • That is kind of you. I think that memoirs qua memoirs are more interesting when the person remembering has accomplished things through a life that is somehow different from that of the average person. I am more a representative of what Buddhists call the householder’s way, and that makes me pretty much like most other average, everyday people. I hope that some of my thoughts and memories, like those in my various posts, might be helpful to whomever might stumble across them; that is why they are here, and available in small doses that are better tolerated than in a so-called memoir.

Leave a Reply to Amy Putkonen Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *