Small Buildings Need Not Apply: La Defense

I have two scenarios to run by you. Scenario number one: for the last two months I have been living in the past. Time had paused and there was nothing to pull me out of the history I was living in. And then today I was somehow torn from that life and thrown into the present, this modern, fast pace, bizarre world that had moved on while I was stuck in the 16th century. Scenario number two: I happened to step into a black hole that transported me years and years into the future, and this is what I saw. Please give me a full analysis on my condition at the end of this strange experience. Welcome to La Defense.

Present or future? Notice l'Arc de Triomphe waaaaay out there at the end of the Champs Elysee

La Grande Arche, modern twin to l'Arc de Triomphe, which is directly opposite it as you just saw

Giant.........pencil holders?

Strange...

Beautiful Spring!

No this is not a trick of the light. This building is made up of multi-colored pipes.

U.S.S. Enterprise?

No matter how hard they try, the French cannot leave their history out of anything.

Or their carousels, no matter how out of place they may look.

Please take the time to notice the giant thumb...

Can you see the little ant of a person walking by the thumb? This was no little finger.

View of La Defense from the top of the stairs of La Grande Arche. I went down those circular stairs you see into the metro at the end of the walk.


OK, thoughts? Who knew that such a place existed? I can't decide if I loved it, or if was just strangely intriguing. Was I sucked into the future, or is this the modern world that I have been purposefully avoiding for the last two months? I would like to thank whoever decided to keep New Paris and Old Paris separated. Bravo.