.
Welcome to 2023, a year that starts with the war in Ukraine, worldwide skyrocketing prices, and China being hit by a sweeping wave of killer Covid pandemic. Let’s hope that the next twelve months will bring peace and at least a partial return to prosperity. In the meantime, let’s indulge in escapism. This New Year’s post proposes a trip to La Belle Époque, specifically to the turn-of-the-century Paris Expo where technology effortlessly combined with unabashed sumptuousness. Watching these moving images, we get the impression that the world of 1900 lacked nothing – that brilliance, resplendence, magnificence, pageant, and luxury were everyday words.
The video starts slowly with the traffic in Paris, so be patient. It’s worth your time.
‘
.
Related post:
A culinary world record was established at the closure of the Expo 1900 with the Banquet of Mayors. Nowadays, French taxpayers would be marching in the streets, shouting protests against such a waste of public funds. But this was Belle Époque when extravagance went unquestioned:
,
Please let me know if you encountered any difficulty trying to purchase any of these books:
Victorian Paris 
Brilliant! Really enjoyed watching this. Thanks for posting.
LikeLiked by 1 person
History in motion! Thanks for this.
“we get the impression that the world of 1900 lacked nothing” – yes, and then penicillin was invented, and the world realised just how badly we lived beforehand.
Like you, I hope this year brings some positive changes to the world; I guess all we can do is try to improve our own corner for those with whom we share it.
LikeLiked by 1 person