{"id":25461,"date":"2015-11-19T09:00:23","date_gmt":"2015-11-19T08:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sodwee.com\/blog\/?p=25461"},"modified":"2025-11-10T20:53:04","modified_gmt":"2025-11-10T19:53:04","slug":"like-no-other-city-period-tossed-but-not-sunk-cloud-droppings-from-paris","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sodwee.com\/blog\/2015\/11\/like-no-other-city-period-tossed-but-not-sunk-cloud-droppings-from-paris\/","title":{"rendered":"Like No Other City. Period. Tossed But Not Sunk | Cloud Droppings from #Paris"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
http:\/\/sodwee.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/cropped-Paris-Panorama.jpg<\/p>\n\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/sodwee.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/cropped-Paris-Panorama-940x273.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 940px) 100vw, 940px\" src=\"https:\/\/sodwee.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/cropped-Paris-Panorama-940x273.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14099\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sodwee.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/cropped-Paris-Panorama-940x273.jpg 940w, https:\/\/sodwee.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/cropped-Paris-Panorama-300x87.jpg 300w, https:\/\/sodwee.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/cropped-Paris-Panorama-620x180.jpg 620w, https:\/\/sodwee.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/cropped-Paris-Panorama-330x96.jpg 330w, https:\/\/sodwee.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/cropped-Paris-Panorama-690x201.jpg 690w, https:\/\/sodwee.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/cropped-Paris-Panorama.jpg 985w\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Tossed But Not Sunk<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"12196087_10153349292805958_5995207679638139750_n\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

It\u2019s mild out there. Blue skies gracing our daily afternoon routine. The sun sets, breaking away in an absolute beautiful pink delight. It\u2019s around 7pm, I get ready to head out and meet a friend for a drink or two. We meet up behind the ever busy district of\u00a0Bastille\/Roquette. At Le\u00a0Motel<\/em> more precisely, quieter, less of a tourist trap. A tiny place, known for it\u2019s chilled atmosphere and cheap Happy Hours drinks along with its infamous after-show parties. It is\u00a0around half-eight. We chat our minds away for a good two hours. Order drinks along the way.\u00a0It\u2019s your typical Friday evening \u2018Ap\u00e9ro\u2019 session, celebrating the end of the work week with friends, colleagues or family, and of course setting the tone for the weekend ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the time we pulled ourselves\u00a0out of the\u00a0watering hole. Something struck me : The outside air wasn\u2019t as thick as it was prior to going in. The usually busy neighborhood we were in, was oddly silent, like trapped in its own time, drifting\u00a0along\u00a0on the river, moon shining over our heads and reflecting below in the ripple.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"11169925_10152943297800958_2811790745137853713_n\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

I had some time ahead of me. I thought I would leg it to the R\u00e9publique square and from there,\u00a0walk back up the Canal St-Martin towards my home in the\u00a019th district. I also had my headphones on. Joy-walking\u00a0to the pot-pourri of new tracks gathered that same afternoon. Like I always do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just before reaching R\u00e9publique, I really notice something visually odd for any urban living souls. The eery, empty streets. No cars. It really marks your mind instantly as if you took a polaroid picture and pinned it on your board. To the point you feel very uncomfortable with your surroundings, even if you\u2019ve been living here for the last three\u00a0decades. You keep looking both ways before you cross any street. And all you see are the traffic\u00a0lights flicker from\u00a0green, to orange in the moisture left on the\u00a0tarmac. You hesitate, you double take. You\u00a0finally take the decision to cross. Well, the same false impression you get when\u00a0you candidly\u00a0hop-on\u00a0some random out-of-order mechanical stairs\u2026 It topples\u00a0you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I keep walking. By that time, I finally came across some silhouette in the distance, looking round the corner. From where I was, the figure in the shadow of that street-lamp was abnormally large. I walk up to him. I ask what is going on. He orders\u00a0: \u201cGo home. Do not stay out here.\u201d And points in the direction I just came from. He\u2019s a fully decked out police officer. Suited from head-to-toe in bullet-proof attire, helmet and gun pointing down the street from Filles Du Calvaire towards Oberkampf metro station, a few metres from the Bataclan concert venue.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"11880486_10153212846130958_8188063994527771474_n\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

This is when I get the text from a long time friend of mine: \u201cAttacks on Paris, Bataclan,\u00a0turn\u00a0the radio on dude.<\/em>\u201d\u00a0Authorities\u00a0had already cordoned off the whole district, and there was no way I was going to get through the R\u00e9publique with this crazy shit going on. I\u2019m used to walking around in Paris, I eventually found a side street leading to Richard Lenoir \/ St-Ambroise where I could cut across and start climbing up the Belleville district and from there head back down to where I live\u2026 I came to the decision to stop by a another friends for a cup of water. And found out there that Le Petit Cambodge \/ Carillon had also been targeted\u2026 As well as \u201cLa Belle Equipe\u201d. A bar located in the vicinity of the Motel bar where I was earlier that evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I ended staying in Rue St-Maur for some time, before once again, legging it back to my flat. Trying to figure out what was happening along the way. I crossed path with no one that night. It was very dark, sharp skies, and beautiful moon above.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"12118722_10153301743005958_806913558149361612_n\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

I went straight to bed not realizing what had occurred in the very streets I roam every day. The very same bars I like to hang out with friends. In the very same venue I like to see gigs,\u00a0like many others, I\u2019m sure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You will have read plenty of literature on the\u00a0terror\u00a0attacks\u00a0by now. I won\u2019t bore you with any more of my selfish\u00a0rant. This is only\u00a0a personal account on these abominable, disgusting and unfathomable events. Something I had to write for myself. I\u2019m safe, sound and alive. I\u2019m just a lucky bastard. I could of been part of the count, easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One Last Thing Paris:<\/strong> Keep making music, playing it live, and wonderful people of Paris, keep on track. Go out, sit at your favourite terrasse. Get together and plan for future concerts\u00a0in our brilliant venues\u2026<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

Cue HDR\u2019s (Housse De Racket) \u2013 \u201cThe Tourist\u201d :<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n