The welfare state is grinding down in EU. When militants sabotaged a TGV fast-train line, we cancelled our tickets & h ired a car&driver to escape (don’t like flying).

But in-betw’n arrival & departure, Paris was its usual wonderful self. Have a restaurant to recom: Le Grand Colbert, 2 rue Vivienne. If I had ½ million subscribers I wouldn’t mention it, but I don’t so no risk of spoiling the place. Great chef, service, ambiance, prices, esprit de corps staff. Try it. •••• Went to West Side Story, its 50th yr road show performance. Audience loved it. •••• “If U tire of London, U are tired of life” said Samuel Johnson. It applies equally to Paris, if not more so because, tho I love London, Paris has beauty & a magic atmosphere. It’s perhaps the best walking-city there is. Every street is a di fferent Renoir painting.

Prior to Paris we zipped to Zurich for a week of meetings & rendezvous with old friend Ed Lee, who flew in from Thailand. He told me how the really rare coins have skyrocketed, far higher than the gold price. Went to the Zur zoo with Ed. It’s a shock as it’s a zoo for half-hidden animal’s comfort & privacy(!), not humans. U suffer steep paths. Natural surroundings, Those opposed to exzoos would like this one, where the animals are virtually in charge. •• Now back to the bulls&bears & the mega & Central Bank skunks (who aren’t in charge anymore).

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