by Ric Erickson

Number 1.39:- Metropole Paris - Monday, 18. November 1996:- I see by the date that there are not many shopping days until Christmas. I'm trying to decide whether to go out and get Christmas cards right now, or look around this mess here for the ones I failed to send last year.

In France, if French people send cards at all, they wisely send them for New Year's and if they arrive by the end of January it is perfectly okay. But being 12 months late is a bit extreme.

Last year, during the 'strikes!' I took a pre-dawn 5:00 run into Paris and took the opportunity to shoot some Christmas windows as well as the really huge traffic jams I'd gone to capture. Although I can not claim to be a Christmas display-window connoisseur, I didn't think there had been a great deal of thought and attention lavished on the Parisian windows - and department stores were practically invented here.

While riding the train to town last Friday, I forgot to worry about the strike that day and I was thinking about the windows instead (probably because I've got subconscious non-sent-in-1995-Christmas-card guilt).

How about this: as soon as I see this year's Christmas display-windows, I will photograph them and you can vote for the best one. They won't run all at once in Metropole, but they'll get a page of their own featuring the new ones each week, plus thumbnails of the ones featured in previous issues - and there will be some sort of 'vote' ballot-gizmo to make it easy for you to let us know your favorite choice.

As it happens I have some brand-new never-used before original prizes with which I will reward the winners, who will be chosen by a method that I will figure out when I have time. Since I already have the unique prizes - they are small - there will be more than one winner, so everybody has a real chance.

I know this means that you'll have to read Metropole for a few weeks in a row, but I am a bit unorganized and I can't help it. Otherwise, about the contest: 'the usual legal argle-bargle' and I hope everybody who enters it wins!

And before I forget; as much as it is somewhere nearly in heaven to live as close to Paris as I do, it still makes me feel good to get all those cards and letters you've been sending, so keep it up. In order to conserve world resources, please use handy, cheap and fast e-mail. Feel free to use the form included in every issue of this magazine.

The Russians are Coming

Last Friday afternoon I was headed west under the arcades on the rue de Rivoli, walking along with not too many other people about and I had a chance to actually see more than usual. As I was about to pass Le Welcome Café at the corner of the rue du 29. Juillet, I caught sight of one of those hand-written tablets that are outside cafés, with menus written on them, or the day's specials.

Along here, you see these in multi-languages, but Le Welcome was trying to live up to its name by having one of theirs - written in Russian, with a tiny Russian flag in the bottom-right corner - the wrong-way around I think. It was as good an excuse as the chill to go inside and have a café, and although I asked about the sign, I don't remember the answer now. What I do remember, is that there were no prices on the tablet - and I remember the Russians I ran into last summer in front of Beaubourg. I don't think our Web accent code machine will handle Russian characters, so I'll just add 'Welcome' here the way I usually write it. The sign itself is on the poster page in this issue.

Coming Events - End of November :

Salon Nautique - 36th Annual Paris Boat Show

Sailboats, motorboats, water sports, marine sport activities, stand for the Musée de la Marine, and lots of water. Parc des Expositions - Porte de Versailles From Saturday, 30. November to Monday, 9. December Daily from 10:30 to 20:00; to 23:00 Friday, 6. December Tel.: 01 41 90 47 10

Horse Show - 25th Edition Salon du Cheval Poney et de l'Ane

Horses, riders, riding competitions, judgement of animals and equipment displays. Parc des Expositions - Porte de Versailles From Saturday, 30. November to Sunday, 8. December Daily from 10:00 to 19:00; to 23:00 Friday, 6. December Tel.: 01 41 09 60 00