Our partying started on Monday night, when we went to le bal des pompiers. This would be the traditional party hosted by each arrondissement's fire station. This was pretty much amazing. We went to one in the 6th with our friends Chris and Brittney. There was food, dancing, a lot of Michael Jackson, and a huge brawl right when we left. Luckily, the firemen here are part of the army, and they threw down. I wish I'd gotten a picture but I was so afraid of being trampled. Luckily, brawls here will never end in a gunfight, which one might be afraid of anywhere else, since the gun ban is SO strict here. Thank you, France.
Oh duh. Another highlight of the party was hearing the crowd sing along with "YMCA" while the firemen did a choreographed dance under the French and American flags. Check it out:
I finally realized that the theme of the party must have been some kind of country theme, since the firefighters were wearing really tight plaid shirts and cowboy hats, and everything looked like it was supposed to be a barn thing. It was interesting. Traditionally, the firemen also perform a striptease at the end of the night, but I think it depends on the arrondissement. Luckily, this did not happen at the party we chose.
After "YMCA" I didn't think it could get any better, but they played "Cotton Eye Joe" right after that. (See? Country theme.) It felt just like home. Home, but at a stake dance. Hearing the French singing along with THAT was also a real treat. "Ihnadbeenaconajoe, imamarrilongamago." Or something like that. If Chris hadn't joked about all Mormons knowing the dance to "Cotton Eye Joe" while we were waiting to get in the party, it probably wouldn't have been as funny. Okay, it would have still been funny. (Just for the record, I do not know said dance.)
We really enjoyed this couple behind us.
Everyone should experience the bal. It's pretty much awesome.
5 comments:
Can't get the one video to work. Loved the YMCA one though.
The French seem to have it right - maybe it's all those years of revolution!!
wow! you know i've been in europe on bastille day 3 times but missed it in paris by a day every single time. i am missing out! i saw that you are headed to biarritz! i looooove biarritz. if you stay at the hostel there is a pizza place up the hill (toward the beach on the bus route) that has the greatest pizza called the "vulcane" - oh man, it's so cool. great surfing there, too! (or go to the beaches north to hossegor, henadaye, etc. or to the south at st jean de luz). at hossegor, they have rad crepes on the beach and tom curren lives there so you may catch a glimpse of him at rock food (next to dicks sand bar). i just love that area!!! can't wait for pics!
Your life is cool.
I love your outfit. Where is it from?
sweater=h&m, flower=michaels, dress=downeast basics (utah company)!
haha re: Cottoneye Joe - the first time I went to France, when I didn't know any French, I went to a wedding where they played Cottoneye Joe, and all the French boys were clamoring to dance with me because I supposedly knew how to dance to it (I definitely didn't.) And then the one I chose proceeded to stalk me for the rest of the evening even though I couldn't understand a word he was saying. Bringin' me back to the good times, Hannah.
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