I didn't really want to, but i relented and allowed myself to be talked into going out last night.

France came alive, for one evening, to celebrate the 'Fête de la musique'.

I could feasibly have gone anywhere and after a quick mooch around the quartier république, where not much was going on, i hopped over to la Bastille.
The place was absolutely heaving with young people enjoying themselves and just over from the middle of the main square, two huge and loudly booming sound stages had been set up.
Being the old grouch that i am, i didn't spend too much time mingling with the unwashed dope smoking young kiddies and instead opted to go for a few beers just off from the main drag.

I must have been sitting down for about ten minutes when an accordionist and a guitarist came bounding in and treated everyone to an impromptu swing manouche jazz set.It was absolutely brilliant fun with people dancing sing and having a whale of a time - i think that, that for me sums up what the night should really be about ... I stayed way too long and left at 'closing time' (bars only close here when the last client falls from his stool and goes home).It was then that i discovered that the police, fearing trouble no doubt, had closed down the metro station ...

By the time that i'd made my way to a main line station and found a taxi to take me home, it was way past three in the morning - three hours or so later i had to get up to go to work :@/