Trocadero

It is hard not to love Paris anytime but a day like today - impossible. It is autumnal and warm so the city is out and about sunning themselves or whatever. I meet a friend at Carette on the Trocadero in the 14th, famous for its views of the Eiffel Tower and green neighborhoods. The Parisiennes are a beautiful lot or I am at an especially cool cafe - probably a bit of both since it is Romain's choice of venue. Anyway I am here for work and Hans and I have meetings lined up for the next three days. He's over from California so I hope it will be good use of his time.

Eitan and I play football yesterday and the little squeeker is good. I can push him around for the ball, but he can out maneuvre me. And he is fast.

On the Eiffel Tower: did you know that maintenance includes 50 to 60 tonnes of paint every seven years to protect it from rust? (the Golden Gate, counter to popular believe, is only touched-up following the 1995 completion of a zinc silicate primer and acrylic topcoats). The tower maintains a uniform appearance to an observer on the ground by using three separate colors of paint, with the darkest on the bottom and the lightest at the top. On occasion the colour of the paint is changed; the tower is currently painted a shade of brownish-grey. On the first floor there are interactive consoles hosting a poll for the colour to use for a future session of painting. The co-architects of the Eiffel Tower are Emile Nouguier, Maurice Koechline and Stephen Sauvestre.

"When good Americans die they go to Paris."
Oscar Wilde