Really? Undocumented immigrants? Quelle surprise! It turns out the French police conducted a large raid in late September before our visit: “French police have seized 20 tonnes of miniature Eiffel Towers in a crackdown on the illegal souvenir trade in Paris. But those selling the miniature Eiffel Towers are often migrants forced to flee from police checks.” The Guardian, September 20, 2018. Yup, there are easer things to do than to sell Eiffel Towers under the Eiffel Tower. And after the police are gone, out the plastic Eiffel Towers come again.Ī tough gig selling trinkets under the Eiffel Tower with one eye always cocked for the police and the other scanning the crowd to make a sale. The blankets are a necessity because they allow the trinkets to be folded up and tucked out of sight when the police patrol by. And hundreds of plastic Eiffel Towers blink and wink and dance in enticement as young men hawk their wares. Rows of blankets are spread out on the asphalt path. My oh my.Īfter a while, I look below the Eiffel Tower into the dark. My wife and sister-in-law embrace in joy. A shared wonder comes from the crowd and echoes around the grassy fields. Although the darkness pushes us all to the light like the draw of a campfire.

My wife and sister-in-law and I wait patiently for the Eiffel Tower to light up and sparkle as it does on the hour. OL1375072W Page_number_confidence 84.94 Pages 168 Partner Innodata Pdf_module_version 0.0.17 Ppi 360 Rcs_key 24143 Republisher_date 20211129100030 Republisher_operator Republisher_time 378 Scandate 20211127204816 Scanner Scanningcenter cebu Scribe3_search_catalog isbn Scribe3_search_id 0809041154 Tts_version 4.Paris is warm on the autumn night we visit. Access-restricted-item true Addeddate 04:16:24 Bookplateleaf 0004 Boxid IA40298820 Camera USB PTP Class Camera Collection_set printdisabled External-identifier

The eiffel tower and other mythologies