Showing posts with label Paris. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paris. Show all posts

PostHeaderIcon Picasso sketchbook stolen

6/10/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post


A priceless sketchbook by Pablo Picasso worth about 7 to 10 million euros ($10.4 million to $15 million) mysteriously disappeared in a museum in Paris, France. According to reports, the missing book contained 33 original Picasso cubistic drawings which dated from 1917 to 1924.

Pablo Picasso (25 October 1881 – 8 April 1973,) a Spanish painter, illustrator, ceramist and sculptor had been one among most famous artists in the 20th century. A gifted prolific master of the canvas, he made countless of valuable artworks----1,885 paintings; 1,228 sculptures; 2,880 ceramics, some 12,000 drawings, thousands of prints, and underdetermined number of art on cloth and rugs.

Included among his well-known masterpieces until his death at the ripe old age of 91 were: Garçon à la pipe, (Boy with a Pipe), 1905, Guernica (1937) and The Weeping Woman (1937) Close to a thousand of his artworks had been missing.

“Picasso's works, among the world's most valuable, have frequently been targeted by thieves over the years. In 1976, in one of the largest ever art robberies on French soil, 118 Picasso works were stolen from a museum in the southern french city of Avignon. Two Picasso paintings worth an estimated £33 million have been stolen from his granddaughter Diane Widmaier-Picasso’s apartment in Paris.”

In 1997, a gunman walked into a central London art gallery, ripped a Picasso worth more than a million dollars from the wall - "Tete de Femme", painted in 1939 - and fled in a taxi, but the work was later recovered." ---- Telegraph.co.uk (02/28/09)

The recent theft baffled police authorities, No indication of a forced entry in the Picasso Museum was noted. (Photo Credit: Tamer Youssef)=0=

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PostHeaderIcon 17 bodies recovered from Air France crash site

6/08/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post


After days of fruitless search, rescuers of Air France flight no. 447 which crashed last week in the Atlantic ocean reported finding at least 17 bodies floating at sea. The remains were probably part of the 229 passengers and crew who died when the plane mysteriously fell from the sky. To bodies would be brought to the mainland in the coastal city of Recife for identification.

The disaster is the worst aviation accident since 2001, and unprecedented in Air France's 75-year history. ---www.channelnewsasia.com / AFP (06/08/09)

With no hope of finding survivors, Brazilian and French authorities continue to search an area of 1,1000 kilometers in the northeast coast of Brazil to recover remnants of the aircraft whose black box is yet to be recovered. They are still investigating to determine the cause of the fatal disaster. (Photo Credit: Reuters / Brazilian Airforce) =0=

RELATED BLOG: "Air France crash mourners in Paris, France" Posted by mesiamd at 6/06/2009

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PostHeaderIcon Air France crash mourners in Paris, France

6/06/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post


Relatives and friends of those who vanished with the ill-fated Air France carrier which plunged in the Atlantic Ocean gathered outside the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France on June 3, 2009. In a solemn remembrance, they recalled the memory of the 228 passengers and crew still missing since the AF Flight 447 crashed on Monday, June 1. 2009 on the way Paris to Rio de Janeiro.

Attempts to find the exact wreckage location and the plane’s black box have so far been unsuccessful. No traces of survivors or bodies of those who might have died are recovered. Pieces of wreckage reported to be from the ill-fated aircraft turned out to be debris from other sources. The cause of the crash remains a mystery. (Photo Credit: (AFP/POOL/ Edme, B)=0=

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PostHeaderIcon Crash site of Air France flight #447 confirmed; Filipino seaman among the missing

6/03/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post


With no survivors so far reported, the tragedy could well be the worst aviation mishap of Air France through its years of operation. The crash site of the Air France jetliner was confirmed by fuel oil floating at sea, an aircraft passenger seat and pieces of metal debris seen in deep sea, a three-mile path of wreckage between the coasts of Brazil and Africa. Six hundred fifty (650) km northeast of Fernando do Noronha archipelago, the pieces of debris in the Atlantic Ocean were reported by the Brazilian Air Force.

The appearance of aircraft fragments is bolstered by a report that a pilot of TAM, a Brazilian airline saw glowing spots on the sea surface in what was thought to be site where the plane fell from the sky. Continued effort to find the plane’s black box to explain the circumstances of the crash is underway. In spite of the tragedy occurring during a supposed inclement weather, terrorism and sabotage have yet to be ruled out by investigators.

Among the 228 on board the airbus A330 are 12 crew members and Pinoy OFW Arden Jugueta counted among the missing with very little chance of surviving. On a connecting flight en route to Paris from Rio de Janeiro, Jugueta was on his way to Manila when the horrible mishap occurred. This was relayed by the French Foreign Ministry (FFM) to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA.)

In accordance to the rules of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA,) the family of Jugueta is entitled an accident insurance benefit of P200,000 plus a burial compensation of P20,000 once the seaman’s death is ascertained. OWWA promises to bring back the victim’s body to the Philippines if found.--- AP (06/03/09 Pia Lee-Brago)

As the personal heart-rending details of the disaster are disclosed, the magnitude of human suffering becomes more obvious. People learn that the missing passengers are human beings with jobs, children and social roles to play in society. Their families and friends are from more than 30 countries in disbelief, waiting for the news of the search teams---- rushed to rescue their loved ones from the coldness of the ocean. (Photo Credit: AFP/ Vanderlei Almeida) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Air France jetliner with 228 passengers vanished on the way to Paris

6/02/2009 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post


The search of the missing Air France jetliner with 228 passengers is on. The aifcraft lost communication on its way from Rio Janeiro, Brazil to Paris, France last night. The plane reported the loss of pressure and some electrical problem before it vanished in the radar screen.

It is believed that the twin engine airbus AF Flight number 447 was somewhere between Natal on the Brazilian shore and Cape Verde, off the coast of Senegal when it encountered bad weather and crashed in the Atlantic Ocean.

So far the search has not yielded the location of the missing plane. French President Nicolas Sarkozy told worried relatives that the chance of having survivors in the vast plane crash area is nil.

Most of the victims are French and Brazilian nationals, but there are passengers from about 30 countries including American, Filipino, Chinese, Spanish, Italian, Belgian, German, and Moroccan. A French doctor and his wife narrowly escaped the tragedy when they were refused to board because the aircraft was full. (Photo Credit: caribb) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon "Merci" Goes a Long Way in Paris

6/18/2008 | Posted by Anonymous | Edit Post
At boarding time in New York’s JFK airport, they called an airport assistant to push me on a wheelchair right at the plane’s door. To avoid explaining my physical disability, I brandished a steel cane which was earlier cleared of explosives by the Homeland Security.

I wasn’t too old to strut with that walking stick, but without it, people wouldn’t believe I wasn't in good health. My pallor, a result of long-standing severe anemia, was deceptively masked by my dark skin.

I was the first to board the plane. The crew members of Air France escorted me to my seat close to the aisle, a spot I chose so I could stretch my legs and walk in-flight to avoid blood clots in my legs during a six-hour transatlantic trip. They spoke French, but I insisted on English to which they cordially responded in a heavy accent.

On my arrival at Charles de Gaulle Airport, I had Benoit Geiger, a Frenchman and his Filipina wife eagerly waiting. Having friends like them was a big treat. In their small, fuel-efficient car, off we went to tour the city. I discovered a lot about Paris---a bit of its history, its genteel charm, and the pleasures it could offer its visitors.

There are many tourist attractions at center of the city. Among the most popular is the Arc de Triomphe which is a grand traffic stone landmark beside an awesome tree-lined garden commissioned by Napoleon Bonaparte, honoring the military achievements of the French people.
The Eiffel Tower, one of the most imposing landmarks in Europe, stands prominently in the skyline, a favorite sight which draws people to muse on the splendor of steel: a broad-based needle tapering out in the wind, hovering high, close to the clouds.

The Cathedral of Notre Dame, a magnificent 14th century ornate gothic cathedral reminds visitors of the city’s vibrant religious past. The Louvre Museum is among the countless cultural gems which show Paris’ exquisite aesthetic sensibilities---mostly pre-20th century artworks which date back before the days of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. The Seine River, a picturesque waterway with beautiful arched bridges offers a romantic boat ride (Bateaux Parisiens,) giving a fascinating view of the city.

Many buildings in the center of Paris are historic. Though they’re old, the mostly beige-colored edifices are religiously maintained, giving the locale its ambience of elegance, character, and beauty. Even their shopping centers are housed in stunning old stone buildings. Not as tall as I find the refractive glass towers of New York, the Paris constructions exude a more relaxed, earth-bound feel of the metropolis.

The most exciting part of my visit is the food. The Parisians are known for their culinary delights and wonders. Their veggies are carefully presented; their meat dishes well-seasoned and yummy. A mixture of aroma and flavor goes well with French food and its famous wine and bread. Not as greasy as the American fastfood, the French meal is a true epicurean treat.

The Parisians speak their language with palpable pride. That’s why I carried a handy survival book of words to ease communication. Monsieur (mister,) mademoiselle (miss,) and merci (thank you) are some words which go a long way with bonjour (good morning) or bonsoir (good evening.) Like divine mantras, the words are quite helpful in every conversation. They are almost indispensable at the end of every dinner when it's time to pay and give away appreciation for some food and service. An average service charge of 15% is usual, but tips of 1 to 3 Euros are appreciated.

Because there are countless wonderful things one can spend for in the heart of Paris, staying there can be captivating, if not addicting. Certainly, there are less pricey places in the world than the French capital city, but visiting the place is worth the “thank you’s,” the memory, and the cost. I didn’t even think so much that I was physically handicapped the last time I was there. =0=
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