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Post by andi on Jun 6, 2007 17:43:38 GMT -5
Hi everyone,
I wasn't sure of the correct place to post this so if I am wrong do forgive me. It will be 10 years ago this August that Diana Princess of Wales was killed in the Alma tunnel. Tonight a very controversial program was shown over here on Channel 4 from the paparazzi point of view, showing some unseen photographs of the crash scene (but nothing grizzly as in Diana herself after the crash) and interviews with the pressmen that were there. Princes William and Harry have both pleaded for the program to be banned but it was not.
Anyway I found myself watching it as many will have done, but rather than be curious about the unseen photos and interviews, I found myself sighing and oohing at the scenery, tower and buildings etc! Telling the middle daughter "oh look! thats such and such" and "we walked there!". The loss of Diana has had a huge impact on our whole nation and to this day theories and debate still rage. We still go cold when we watch news footage of that night, but I feel somewhat disgusted at myself for the being more interested in the scenery of the program than the actual topic (am I so bad?). I am now convinced I am a Paris addict!!!! I would also like to know if Paris has any plans to commemorate this anniversary?
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Post by Ray(aka) tripnebraska on Jun 6, 2007 18:05:48 GMT -5
Andi,
I know what you mean. A couple of days ago our news was covering the controversy surrounding the program. There was video for her car being towed out after the crash. I immediately said, we took pictures of my son in law right above that tunnel, without knowing that it was the location of the crash.
I remember everyone here just felt bad when she died, and so sorry for her boys.
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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on Jun 6, 2007 18:06:15 GMT -5
I don't think you're "bad" and I'm guessing that Diana herself was something of a Paris addict. I do recall being there a few months later, and there still were flowers etc. in an impromptu memorial at the entrance to the tunnel from up above. She was such an icon, all over the world, and so full of life, that it was very hard to comprehend that she was gone -- many people, I think, kept feeling (irrationally, it's true) that it would turn out to be a huge mistake. I still remember seeing footage on television of the procession to Westminster Abbey, and the moment of silence as they were carrying the casket out.
I'm curious, BTW, how the Helen Miren film ("The Queen") was received in England. I was really impressed (but I've been a fan of hers since the original "Prime Suspect" broadcasts), and felt it was a pretty sympathetic portrayal of that period yet critical of HRH at the same time.
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Post by luckyluc on Jun 6, 2007 18:34:16 GMT -5
I also was impressed with the film The Queen and feel that is was a very realistic portrait of our queen. I am not for censorship, but I do find that the program being released against the princes wishes is the perfect illustration of the nightmare the princess of Wales must have lived. The medias everywhere is all about money, showbiz and without any reflection or decency.
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Post by Shoesy on Jun 6, 2007 22:22:11 GMT -5
I remember how shocked I was when I heard about Diana's death, and I had always felt so sad reading about her unhappy existence in the palace. In the years that she lived as royalty, her life in no way resembled that of a storybook princess. Aside from her failed marriage, I can truly understand how difficult it must have been for her to live in the spotlight every minute of the day. The same goes for all those glamorous Hollywood stars, who are probably too miserable to truly enjoy their wealth and fame.
I think that all of us who lead average lives and feel tremendous excitement about planning our trips and being in Paris are more fortunate by far than any of those poor paparazzi victims, who probably don't know the true meaning of the word happiness .
And back to Diana, I have often said to myself that I hope that at least her final days in Paris were good ones. However, I don't think we'll ever know for sure.
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Post by GitteK on Jun 6, 2007 23:40:15 GMT -5
And we must remember, that if it hadn't been for Lady Di's accident, Amélie would never have dropped the lid to her perfum bottle, which rolls over and hits a loose tile, behind which Amélie discovers the little cigarbox with toys belonging to the boy who used to live in her apartment many years ago - and then........
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Post by mez on Jun 6, 2007 23:47:25 GMT -5
I also was impressed with the film The Queen and feel that is was a very realistic portrait of our queen. I am not for censorship, but I do find that the program being released against the princes wishes is the perfect illustration of the nightmare the princess of Wales must have lived. The medias everywhere is all about money, showbiz and without any reflection or decency. These pictures/footage were also discussed here as well. I never got to hear the debate, but someone asked what I thought was a very good question. Why is it not OK to show pics of Princess Di but it's OK to show pics of other tragedies? (think of the Boxing Day tsunami and 9/11 for example) I thought this was a good point, and one I'm still pondering..... Mez. |
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Post by Happygoin on Jun 7, 2007 6:51:12 GMT -5
I happened to have a trip to Paris planned for two weeks after Diana's death. My sister and I didn't even realize where we were when we happened on the Alma memorial. It took us a minute to get what it was. Of course, it was overflowing with flowers, notes, pictures etc. We left Paris for London a week later. Jumped into a cab at Waterloo station. The cab driver was very nice but he made it clear that the city was still in a very somber mood. It was a rather strained visit. All of London was still reeling.
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Post by andi on Jun 7, 2007 8:21:28 GMT -5
The film "The Queen" was actually received very well over here by the british public, in fact it won 2 BAFTAS (the equivallent of the US Oscars) for actress and film, also nominated for best british film, music, director and several more as well. Having watched it myself I think it reflected a true image of our nations feelings at the time but was perhaps not too flattering to the monarchy.
I always thought that the "Flame" monument was put above the Alma tunnel in commemoration of the death, but I noticed from footage that it was already there on the night in question. I tried to find out what it was there for last time we visited but couldn't really work it out, so if anyone has any further info?
On the point of wether the documentry should have been shown or not......mmmm I don't really have an opinion, morbid fascination and opening old wounds go hand in hand.
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Post by Happygoin on Jun 7, 2007 8:32:26 GMT -5
Andi, if memory serves, it has always been called the Liberty Flame. I don't know its origination. I recall there was talk, several years ago, of creating a permanent memorial site there for Diana, but nothing has come of it.
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Post by geordy on Jun 7, 2007 8:43:17 GMT -5
The Flame I believe is a replica of the flame on the Statue of Liberty's torch. Think it was put there the year the Statue re-opened after restoration in the '80's? I went to Paris a few days after Diana's crash. The taxi driver pointed out the spot as we were going through the tunnel to get to the hotel on Rue Pierre Charron. Also had a chat with a barman at the Hemingway Bar in the Ritz a few years later. He said thankfully he was on sick leave when it happened but still got hounded by the press for info. (I was being discrete of course, though copious amounts of Ginger Champagne can loosen the tongue!)  |
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Post by kasthor on Jun 7, 2007 11:36:54 GMT -5
you had "copious" amounts of ginger champagne??  I love your lifestyle!! it's a great coktail though, I loved the rasperry vodka! |
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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on Jun 7, 2007 11:59:00 GMT -5
Okay, I'll bite (or sip?), what's ginger champagne?
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Post by andi on Jun 7, 2007 12:50:02 GMT -5
Whatever it is it sounds scrumptious! ;D
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Post by Happygoin on Jun 7, 2007 14:18:23 GMT -5
Will someone please clue us in?? I'm really wondering about this ginger champagne too...
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Post by sistereurope on Jun 7, 2007 14:24:03 GMT -5
I'm guessing that it's champagne with a slice of ginger and/or ginger syrup...
Happy...that could be IT!!! ;D
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Post by geordy on Jun 7, 2007 14:57:57 GMT -5
It is a champagne drink "invented" by the barman at the Hemingway bar. Champagne infused with fresh ginger..a bit of a bite with the bubbly! The first was on the house..we had met the bar man at our hotel bar(NOT the Ritz..he was visiting his friend the bartender at our hotel!) and the rest of the "copious" was because we had just come from the ballet at the Opera House and it was our last nite!
However when I was waiting in horrible lines in Terminal one at CDG the next day all that was going thru my mind was "what a difference a day makes"!!
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Post by Happygoin on Jun 8, 2007 6:25:55 GMT -5
Geordy, that sounds wonderful! I wonder, though, if anyone other than at the Ritz would make it.
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Post by geordy on Jun 8, 2007 9:19:12 GMT -5
Yeah, don't know why many bars would have fresh ginger around. Maybe Asian places...I've had litchi tinis at vietnam/thai places?!
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Let the riot begin! LOL - 
hahahha