Supposed Christmas Lights

Katie and I were pretty excited about the lighting of the local roundabout near our apartment. The city had sent us a postcard inviting the immediate neighborhood to watch. Excellent... our first community event! For the week or so leading up to the event, the city had been putting up Christmas decorations and lights above the main roads around town. I assumed that the lighting ceremony would mark the lighting of all of these lights so I was pretty excited (btw, these things are put up well before Thanksgiving... America has nothing on the French in terms of buildup to Christmas). Anyway, we go there and there's a podium for the mayor and a little swing band playing. Very festive. The mayor then comes out and talks about all of the various spots around town where there'll be lights... the main squares, cathedrals, the banks of the Garonne River, etc. Or at least that's what I think he said. I even believe he said the Garonne with all of its lights would give the Seine a run for its money. By that point I was really pumped up. After the speech, the mayor brought up a few kids (of course) to push this big switch that would turn on the lights. 3-2-1.... voila! The switch apparently turned on an astonishing 60 or 500W (depending on mine or Katie's translation) of power. Either way, that's not much electricity--which explains why the sculputure in the roundabout only had a very faint blue glow (as did the doorway of the church facing the sculpture). Perhaps it's that subtle European sophistication. Regardless, the switch didn't turn on any of the Christmas lights either; frankly, the store signs around us were far brighter. HOWEVER, and this seems very French to me, there was a small reception in a nearby courtyard for all in attendance where they served pastries, chocolates, appetizers, wine, and champagne. In Seattle, the city would never hand out free alcohol. Craziness! They clearly spent far more on the food than the lights. I thought it was really cool to drink champagne in a little plastic cup with the city's logo on it. I'm still hoping they turn on the other Christmas lights soon... will have to keep you updated.