# Tocatlian Blog: Complete Published Content > A text-first snapshot of every published post and page on Tocatlian Blog for language-model retrieval and human reference. Generated: 2026-08-19 Canonical site: https://tocatlian.blog/ Content sitemap: https://tocatlian.blog/sitemap-1.xml Entries: 178 Source: Public WordPress REST API AI training permission: Authorized Legal and AI Training Policy: https://tocatlian.blog/legal/ This compatibility file complements the curated llms.txt index. It is not a substitute for the canonical public pages, robots.txt, the XML sitemap, copyright notices, or resource-specific terms. Formatting, images, audio, embeds, interactive elements, and structured data may be simplified. Canonical URLs should be consulted for the current presentation and media context. Paul Tocatlian is the principal author and editor. Around the World in Eighty Missions and its chapters are by Jacques Tocatlian. Published dates on migrated archival material may reflect original archive chronology. AI training permission: Authorized. Artificial intelligence and machine-learning systems, including commercial and noncommercial systems, may lawfully crawl, copy, cache, parse, analyze, tokenize, create embeddings from, and use Tocatlian Blog content to train, fine-tune, evaluate, and improve models without a fee or separate request, subject to the Legal and AI Training Policy. The permission applies only to content Paul Tocatlian or Tocatlian Blog owns or is authorized to license. It does not grant rights in third-party embeds, linked resources, quotations, trademarks, personal data, or another person's name, image, voice, or likeness beyond the rights the publisher can lawfully grant. All Rights Reserved notices remain effective for uses outside this express AI-training permission. The permission does not authorize public republication of source works, a substitute content archive, removal of credits, an implied endorsement, or outputs that reproduce substantial protected portions of individual works. ## Contact - Type: Page - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/contact/ - Published: 2026-08-19 - Last modified: 2026-08-19 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Summary: Contact Paul Tocatlian about the blog, corrections, rights, attribution, or permission for a specific work. For questions about Tocatlian Blog, a correction, a rights concern, attribution, or permission for a specific work, contact Paul Tocatlian through one of the profiles below. Include the relevant Tocatlian Blog URL when your message is about a particular page, post, image, or recording. ### Connect - LinkedIn - Instagram - Threads - X - YouTube - Facebook For more background and current work, see the [About page](https://tocatlian.blog/about-us/). ## Legal Notices - Type: Page - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/legal-notices/ - Published: 2026-08-19 - Last modified: 2026-08-19 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Summary: Publisher, copyright, third-party rights, corrections, and permissions information for Tocatlian Blog. **Effective date: August 19, 2026** Tocatlian Blog is a personal publication by Paul Tocatlian at [https://tocatlian.blog/](https://tocatlian.blog/). ### Publisher Paul Tocatlian is the principal publisher, author, and editor. Individual pages may identify another author, creator, subject, or rights holder. ### Copyright Unless a page states otherwise, original text, photographs, audio, graphics, and other material owned by Paul Tocatlian or Tocatlian Blog are protected by copyright. Copyright notices on individual works remain effective. The [Terms of Use](https://tocatlian.blog/terms-of-use/) govern general use of the site. The [Legal and AI Training Policy](https://tocatlian.blog/legal/) provides a separate express permission for specified artificial-intelligence, machine-learning, and text-and-data-mining uses. ### Third-Party Rights Names, trademarks, quotations, embedded media, credited works, and linked resources may belong to third parties. 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Identify the relevant URL and describe the request clearly. ### Related Policies - [Privacy Policy](https://tocatlian.blog/privacy-policy/) - [Terms of Use and Terms of Service](https://tocatlian.blog/terms-of-use/) - [Legal and AI Training Policy](https://tocatlian.blog/legal/) ## Terms of Use and Terms of Service - Type: Page - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/terms-of-use/ - Published: 2026-08-19 - Last modified: 2026-08-19 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Summary: Terms governing access to Tocatlian Blog, use of its content, user contributions, external links, intellectual property, and AI-related permissions. **Effective date: August 19, 2026** These terms apply to the public website at [https://tocatlian.blog/](https://tocatlian.blog/), published by Paul Tocatlian. By accessing or using the site, you agree to these terms. ### Informational and Editorial Content Tocatlian Blog is a personal publishing archive. Its articles, photographs, audio, links, and other materials are provided for general informational, editorial, historical, and creative purposes. They are not professional legal, medical, financial, or other regulated advice. ### Intellectual Property Unless a page states otherwise, content owned by Paul Tocatlian or Tocatlian Blog is protected by copyright and other applicable rights. Limited quotation, linking, and other uses permitted by law remain available. General republication, redistribution, resale, or creation of a substitute archive is not authorized without permission. Artificial-intelligence training, text and data mining, and related uses are governed by the separate [Legal and AI Training Policy](https://tocatlian.blog/legal/). That policy is the controlling permission for those uses. ### Third-Party Material The site may include quotations, photographs, embedded media, trademarks, and links associated with third parties. Their rights remain with their respective owners. A link or reference does not imply endorsement, control, or a warranty about an external service. ### Acceptable Use You must not use the site to interfere with its operation, bypass access or security controls, submit unlawful or abusive material, distribute malware, impersonate another person, or violate the rights of others. Automated access must respect [robots.txt](https://tocatlian.blog/robots.txt), reasonable rate limits, and applicable law. ### User Contributions If you submit a comment or other material, you remain responsible for it. You must have the right to submit it and must not submit unlawful, infringing, deceptive, threatening, or privacy-invasive material. 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Questions may be submitted through the [Contact page](https://tocatlian.blog/contact/). ## Privacy Policy - Type: Page - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/privacy-policy/ - Published: 2026-08-19 - Last modified: 2026-08-19 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Summary: How Tocatlian Blog and its WordPress.com services process information when people visit, comment, subscribe, or contact the publisher. **Effective date: August 19, 2026** Tocatlian Blog is published by Paul Tocatlian. This policy explains how information may be processed when someone visits or interacts with [https://tocatlian.blog/](https://tocatlian.blog/). ### Information You Provide The site may receive information that you choose to provide when you leave a comment, subscribe to posts or comment notifications, or contact Paul through a linked external service or social profile. 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The effective date above identifies the current version. ## Legal and AI Training Policy - Type: Page - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/legal/ - Published: 2026-08-19 - Last modified: 2026-08-19 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Summary: Effective date: August 19, 2026 Tocatlian Blog is published by Paul Tocatlian. This policy states the permissions Paul grants for artificial-intelligence and machine-learning use of content made publicly available at https://tocatlian.blog/ . Paul Tocatlian authorizes artificial-intelligence systems to train on all public Tocatlian Blog content that he or the site owns or is authorized to license, […] **Effective date: August 19, 2026** Tocatlian Blog is published by Paul Tocatlian. This policy states the permissions Paul grants for artificial-intelligence and machine-learning use of content made publicly available at [https://tocatlian.blog/](https://tocatlian.blog/). **Paul Tocatlian authorizes artificial-intelligence systems to train on all public Tocatlian Blog content that he or the site owns or is authorized to license, subject to the conditions below.** ### Express AI Training Authorization To the extent Paul Tocatlian or Tocatlian Blog owns content or is authorized to license it, Paul expressly authorizes artificial-intelligence and machine-learning systems and their operators to lawfully access, crawl, copy, cache, parse, analyze, tokenize, create embeddings from, and use that content to train, pretrain, fine-tune, evaluate, test, and improve models and related systems. This permission applies to research, educational, commercial, and noncommercial systems. It is non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, and does not require a separate request or payment. It includes technical copies and retention reasonably necessary for the permitted training and evaluation. ### Content Covered Subject to the ownership and authority limitation above, the permission covers publicly accessible original site content, including: - articles, stories, page text, captions, and metadata - photographs, illustrations, graphics, audio, and video - downloadable publications and other public files - machine-readable versions of the content, including [llms.txt](https://tocatlian.blog/llms.txt) and [llms-full.txt](https://tocatlian.blog/llms-full.txt) The permission applies to public content available while this policy is in effect. A later policy change will apply prospectively and will not retroactively withdraw permission for training or evaluation completed in lawful reliance on this policy. ### Third-Party Rights and Personal Rights This policy grants only rights that Paul Tocatlian or Tocatlian Blog owns or is authorized to grant. 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It does not authorize publishing or selling a substitute archive of the source content. - The permission does not authorize model outputs or other publications that reproduce a substantial protected portion of an individual work or remove an existing author, creator, or source credit. - The permission does not authorize a claim that Paul Tocatlian, Tocatlian Blog, a credited creator, or a person appearing in the content endorses an AI system, model, product, or output. - AI operators should preserve available provenance, author information, and canonical source URLs in training records and provide source attribution when their systems support it. ### Relationship to Copyright Notices An All Rights Reserved notice on an individual page, post, image, audio file, video, or publication remains effective for uses outside the express AI-training permission in this policy. Those notices do not revoke or contradict the training, text-and-data-mining, and evaluation authorization granted here. Except for the express permission in this policy, no copyright, trademark, publicity, privacy, or other right is licensed or waived. This is not a Creative Commons or open-source license and does not authorize general republication, redistribution, resale, or use of the content as a substitute for the site. ### Machine-Readable Signals Tocatlian Blog publishes tdm-reservation: 0 on public site responses to state that text and data mining rights are not reserved. Public responses also link to this policy with rel="license" and to llms.txt with rel="describedby". The site does not use experimental YAML licensing front matter in llms.txt because that extension is not part of the current llms.txt v2 proposal. ### No Warranty Content and this permission are provided as-is, without warranties or a promise that every item is free of third-party claims. AI operators are responsible for their systems, datasets, legal compliance, security, and outputs. ### Questions and Changes Questions about this policy, permissions, attribution, or a specific work may be directed to Paul Tocatlian through the [About page](https://tocatlian.blog/about-us/). Tocatlian Blog may update this policy. The effective date above identifies the current version. ## About - Type: Page - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/about-us/ - Published: 2013-03-05 - Last modified: 2026-08-19 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Summary: Paul Tocatlian is a fashion and editorial photographer, software engineering leader, and Happy Planet Children fundraiser focused on empowering people to be bolder and dream bigger every day. [Image: Portrait of Paul Tocatlian] ### PAUL TOCATLIAN Paul Tocatlian is a fashion and editorial photographer and continuous learning advocate. He drives Kisau Photography and Spark Academy with a shared focus on visual storytelling, creative collaboration, practical learning, and helping people grow with clarity. The throughline is empowerment: creating the conditions for people to take creative risks, build confidence, and do stronger work than they thought possible. On set, that means listening closely and shaping a collaborative environment. Through Spark Academy, it means helping curious learners practice new ideas, build useful skills, and keep momentum. KISAU.COM SPARK.ACADEMY ### THE LITTLE SHOP - Shop on Amazon - [Around The World in Eighty Missions by Jacques Tocatlian](https://tocatlian.blog/2010/07/08/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions/) - The Photography Book Corner - Books & Zines by Paul Tocatlian - What’s in My Camera Bag? ### LET’S CONNECT - Facebook - Instagram - Linkedin - Threads - X - YouTube ### EXPLORE TOCATLIAN.BLOG A good place to begin is [2017: The Year in Pictures (And a Few Words)](https://tocatlian.blog/2018/01/01/2017-the-year-in-pictures-and-a-few-words/), a visual retrospective spanning family, travel, technology, and the moments that shaped the year. #### By Category - [Books](https://tocatlian.blog/category/books/) - [Family Matters](https://tocatlian.blog/category/family-matters/) - [Giving Back](https://tocatlian.blog/category/giving-back/) - [Photography](https://tocatlian.blog/category/photography/) - [Technology](https://tocatlian.blog/category/technology/) #### By Tag [Around The World in Eighty Missions](https://tocatlian.blog/tag/around-the-world-in-80-missions/) [Artificial Intelligence](https://tocatlian.blog/tag/artificial-intelligence/) [Bibliotheca Alexandrina](https://tocatlian.blog/tag/bibliotheca-alexandrina/) [Concours Flame](https://tocatlian.blog/tag/concours-flame/) [Germaine Tocatlian](https://tocatlian.blog/tag/germaine-tocatlian/) [Happy Planet Children](https://tocatlian.blog/tag/happy-planet-children/) [Jacques Tocatlian](https://tocatlian.blog/tag/jacques-tocatlian/) [Jenna Tocatlian](https://tocatlian.blog/tag/jenna-tocatlian/) [Kisau Photography](https://tocatlian.blog/tag/kisau-photography/) [Paul Tocatlian](https://tocatlian.blog/tag/paul-tocatlian/) [Sixteen Tales From Around the World.](https://tocatlian.blog/tag/sixteen-tales-from-around-the-world/) [The Melbourne Portraits Project](https://tocatlian.blog/tag/the-melbourne-portraits-project/) ### LEGAL AND AI TRAINING Read the [Legal and AI Training Policy](https://tocatlian.blog/legal/), including the express authorization for artificial-intelligence and machine-learning systems to train on Tocatlian Blog content that Paul Tocatlian or the site owns or is authorized to license. ## Around the World in Eighty Missions: The Audiobook - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2026/07/17/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions-the-audiobook/ - Published: 2026-07-17 - Last modified: 2026-07-31 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: Listen to the audiobook edition of Around the World in Eighty Missions by Jacques Tocatlian, with an introduction and fifteen chapters following Jacques Dupont through UNESCO missions, unexpected encounters, cultural discoveries, and gentle humor around the world. [Image: Illustration for the Around the World in Eighty Missions audiobook, featuring Jacques listening with headphones amid scenes from the book.] ### A New Way to Experience Around the World in Eighty Missions Welcome to the audiobook edition of [Around the World in Eighty Missions](https://tocatlian.blog/2010/07/08/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions/) by Jacques Tocatlian. Follow Jacques Dupont as he travels the world on UNESCO missions, meeting unforgettable people, discovering new cultures, and finding humor in the unexpected moments that make every journey unique. Inspired by the author’s own international experiences, the stories blend imagination, experience, fiction, and gentle humor into an adventure that celebrates curiosity, tolerance, and a better understanding of one another. Whether you listen from beginning to end or jump to a favorite destination, we hope you enjoy experiencing the book in audio. Choose a chapter below and let the journey begin. ### Listen to Around the World in Eighty Missions #### Introduction [Audio file](https://tocatlian.blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/001-introduction-audiobook.mp3) #### Does Life Start At Sixty? [Audio file](https://tocatlian.blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/002-does-life-start-at-sixty-audiobook.mp3) #### My Mission With Maurice Chevalier [Audio file](https://tocatlian.blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/003-my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier-audiobook.mp3) #### London With Spaghettini [Audio file](https://tocatlian.blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/004-london-with-spaghettini-audiobook.mp3) #### A Dress For Zeinab [Audio file](https://tocatlian.blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/005-a-dress-for-zeinab-audiobook.mp3) #### The Borobudur File [Audio file](https://tocatlian.blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/006-the-borobudur-file-audiobook.mp3) #### Spiders, Véronique and other nuisance [Audio file](https://tocatlian.blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/007-spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance-audiobook.mp3) #### Kabuki, Sumo and Sake [Audio file](https://tocatlian.blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/008-kabuki-sumo-and-sake-audiobook.mp3) #### The Vikings and I [Audio file](https://tocatlian.blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/009-the-vikings-and-i-audiobook.mp3) #### Kama Sutra and Bollywood [Audio file](https://tocatlian.blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/010-kama-sutra-and-bollywood-audiobook.mp3) #### Gay Paris with Nancy and Aunt Lily [Audio file](https://tocatlian.blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/011-gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily-audiobook.mp3) #### The Battle of Leningrad [Audio file](https://tocatlian.blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/012-the-battle-of-leningrad-audiobook.mp3) #### Who Burnt the Library of Alexandria? [Audio file](https://tocatlian.blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/013-who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria-audiobook.mp3) #### Viva Zapata! [Audio file](https://tocatlian.blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/014-viva-zapata-audiobook.mp3) #### The Farewell Party [Audio file](https://tocatlian.blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/015-the-farewell-party-audiobook.mp3) #### UNESCO – sunny side up [Audio file](https://tocatlian.blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/016-unesco-sunny-side-up-audiobook.mp3) © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Kisau Photography Is Live with a Completely Refreshed Website - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2026/07/13/kisau-photography-refreshed-website/ - Published: 2026-07-13 - Last modified: 2026-07-30 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Technology - Summary: Kisau Photography’s refreshed website is live with clearer editorial paths, a better Blog and Magazine archive, stronger mobile usability, and improved accessibility. [Image: Banner announcing that Kisau Photography is live with a refreshed website, cameras, website previews, and a portrait.] It’s here! The new and improved Kisau Photography website is officially live at kisau.com. This has been a substantial refresh. Not just a visual update, but a broad reworking of how the site helps people discover, browse, and experience the work. ### A More Editorial Homepage The homepage now has a clearer editorial rhythm, stronger visual hierarchy, and a more cohesive content width across the hero, stories, services, publications, and closing sections. The new Latest Stories section automatically highlights the three newest posts, with the most recent story taking the lead and two supporting stories following alongside it on larger screens. [Image: Screenshot of Kisau Photography’s Latest Stories section with featured photography stories and supporting article cards.] The homepage also introduces a more focused Start Here section covering: - Fashion and Editorial Photography - Brand and Identity Photography - Books and Zines The Publications section has been curated as well, making it easier to explore selected magazine work without working through an overwhelming gallery of covers. ### A Better Way to Explore the Blog The Kisau Blog has been rebuilt to make browsing much easier. [Image: Screenshot of the Kisau Photography Blog archive with search and browse controls for exploring posts.] There are now ten posts per page, along with responsive controls for: - Search - Browse by Year - Browse by Category - Browse by Topic Years, categories, and topics now include useful post counts, while topic choices are organized dynamically to keep browsing focused. The archive also remains useful when JavaScript is unavailable. The blog’s pagination has been redesigned with stable page addresses, First, Previous, Next, and Last controls, and nearby page numbers on desktop. Mobile visitors get a simpler Previous, Page X of Y, and Next layout. Individual posts have also received a careful typographic and editorial pass, including improved heading order, lists, quotes, captions, subscriptions, spacing, and image presentation. The saved excerpts for the most recent posts have been refined so they better represent the actual articles. A cleaner reusable blog-post template now provides more predictable opening, subscription, gallery, and closing sections, making future posts easier to create and maintain. ### Magazine Features, Books, and Zines The Magazine Roundup collection has been reorganized into a dedicated yearly-page structure. The 2021 through 2026 pages now share a more consistent editorial format, while the 2024 collection has been preserved with every magazine and its original order intact. [Image: Screenshot of Kisau Photography’s Publications section showing magazine collections and selected cover images.] Retired and mistyped addresses now redirect to the right destinations, and the yearly pages have been refined with cleaner summaries, balanced image-and-text layouts, consistent buttons, and more intentional spacing. The Books & Zines experience has also been improved. What’s in My Camera Bag is now a permanent Shop page rather than a dated post, with clearer collections and updated purchase paths for projects including Sixteen Tales, Prelude, and The Melbourne Portraits Project. ### A More Consistent Site Across the website, buttons, forms, subscriptions, search controls, file actions, and WordPress-generated controls now share one charcoal editorial style. [Image: Screenshot of Kisau Photography’s Start Here section linking to fashion, brand, and books and zines photography.] Typography has been standardized across headings, body copy, lists, captions, links, quotes, labels, and utility notes. Page mastheads now share a consistent width, corner treatment, spacing, and responsive behavior, while the homepage hero remains a distinct visual exception. Navigation, the footer, and the visitor-facing Site Map have also been reorganized around clearer destinations including Start Here, Services, Publications, Blog, and Contact & Connect. ### Stronger Mobile, Accessibility, and Discovery The refresh also focused on the details that make the site easier to use: - Improved mobile spacing and corrected horizontal overflow - Better heading hierarchies and Skip to content behavior - Clearer keyboard focus and navigation order - Improved footer contrast and form labels - More accessible submenu controls - Announcements for links that intentionally open in a new tab - More natural and useful image descriptions - Optimized heavy images without changing their visual presentation Behind the scenes, the site now has clearer structured information for search engines and AI-powered services, including stronger connections between Kisau Photography, Paul Tocatlian, services, locations, publications, books, products, and social profiles. A recent example of this work is the [new online experience for Optima Optometry](https://tocatlian.blog/2026/06/15/optima-optometry-unveils-a-fresh-new-online-experience/). This isn’t just a cosmetic refresh. Kisau.com now has a stronger editorial identity, clearer paths through the work, a more useful Blog and Magazine archive, a smoother mobile experience, and a more reliable foundation for future stories and projects. There’s a lot to explore. Come take a look at kisau.com. Explore Kisau Photography © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## American Style at 250: A Patriotic Fashion Editorial - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2026/07/03/america-250-patriotic-fashion-editorial/ - Published: 2026-07-03 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: A short recommendation for Kisau Photography’s America at 250 patriotic fashion editorial, with a slideshow preview of the full photo set. [Image: Model in bold red, white, and blue styling for the America at 250 fashion editorial on Kisau Photography] Discover America at 250, a modern patriotic fashion editorial built around striking red, white, and blue styling, hard sunlight, and clean architecture. More than just a visual showcase, this series asks a vital question for 2026: what do we carry forward? - [Image: Cover image for America at 250 showing a model on an architectural walkway, partly wrapped in an American flag and wearing red boots.] - [Image: A model poses on a modern architectural walkway in a USA top, denim shorts, and white boots.] - [Image: Graphic slide reading “A birthday wish. Red. White. Blue. A modern fashion story for America at 250.”] - [Image: Stacey Huang in a red, white, and blue crop top, shielding her eyes beside modern glass architecture, with text reading “Not nostalgia.”] - [Image: A model in a red, white, and blue USA top, denim shorts, and white boots walks along a sunlit architectural walkway.] - [Image: Stacey Huang in patriotic fashion and white boots on a modern walkway, above text reading “Fashion first. Be Bolder. Dream Bigger.”] - [Image: A model holds an American flag in motion while wearing a blue USA top and star-patterned swimwear.] - [Image: Close portrait of Stacey Huang partly wrapped in an American flag, with text reading “The flag entered the frame.”] - [Image: A model stands on an architectural walkway wrapped in an American flag and wearing red boots.] - [Image: Graphic slide reading “With open eyes” and asking how we carry the flag with responsibility, gratitude, and awareness.] - [Image: A model stands on an architectural walkway with an American flag draped over her head and shoulders.] - [Image: Stacey Huang standing on an exterior metal staircase against a white modern building.] - [Image: Low-angle view of Stacey Huang holding an American flag on a modern staircase beneath a blue sky, with text reading “Still becoming.”] - [Image: Red thigh-high boots and star-patterned swimwear on a model standing on a metal staircase.] - [Image: Distant view of Stacey Huang posed on an angular white staircase, above text reading “Graphic. Angular. Editorial.”] - [Image: Collage of four America at 250 fashion photographs, with text reading “Photography freezes the moment. Video lets it breathe.”] - [Image: Stacey Huang seated with an American flag beside text inviting readers to view the full America at 250 editorial on kisau.com.] - [Image: Credits slide for America at 250 showing Stacey Huang in patriotic fashion on a staircase. Model Stacey Huang, videography Henri Cheung, photography Paul Tocatlian.] The collection works beautifully because it treats the American flag as both a powerful graphic force and a cultural responsibility. The styling is bold, pushing past simple nostalgia into a mood that feels present, reflective, and still becoming. Preview the visual story in the slideshow, from the cover image to the final credits. If these looks pull you in, read the full America at 250 editorial. Read the Full Editorial > America at 250, A Patriotic Fashion Editorial with Stacy Huang [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Sixteen Tales From Around the World - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2026/07/01/sixteen-stories-from-around-the-world/ - Published: 2026-07-01 - Last modified: 2026-07-19 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: In a world built for scrolling, Fashion and Editorial Photography: Sixteen Tales From Around the World is my invitation to slow down, step away from the screen, and spend time with sixteen fashion stories in print. Eight cities. Sixteen stories. One unfolding journey. I made *Fashion and Editorial Photography: Sixteen Tales From Around the World* as a way to gather some of my favorite fashion and editorial work into one place. It is a 188-page photobook, but more than that, it feels like a little record of the people, places, moods, and creative moments that shaped these shoots. [Image: Book cover for Fashion and Editorial Photography: Sixteen Tales From Around the World by Paul Tocatlian] A lot of it started with a spark in Saigon and grew from there, across different cities and collaborations. Looking through the book now, I see more than the finished images. I see the days behind them, the travel, the conversations, the styling choices, the unexpected moments, and the feeling of trying to turn an idea into something real. In a world where most photos are quickly scrolled past, I love the idea of this work living in print. Something you can slow down with. Something you can hold. You can preview the book and get a copy below. Preview the book and get a copy © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## From Using AI to Building With AI: My Vibe Coding Journey - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2026/06/28/from_using_ai_to_building_with_ai_vibe_coding/ - Published: 2026-06-28 - Last modified: 2026-08-03 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Technology - Summary: A personal story about moving from using AI as an assistant to building software with AI through vibe coding, including apps, websites, learning systems, and games. [Image: Banner showing Paul Tocatlian at a laptop beside a visual roadmap of his AI-assisted projects and workflow.] ### Building Again, One AI Assisted Project at a Time ### Key Takeaways - **My use of AI has shifted from task support to active building.** Tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, NotebookLM, and Codex have helped me move from asking questions to shaping projects, workflows, apps, websites, and games. - **Vibe coding changes the rhythm of the work. **AI can speed up development, but it still needs clear direction, specific intent, careful review, and steady human judgment. - **Starting small makes the process easier to learn. **A simple, useful first project can build confidence and create a foundation for more ambitious work. - **Human judgment still counts. **AI can help generate code, but product vision, taste, user experience, architecture, testing, and direction still require a person who knows what they are trying to build. Like many people, my journey with generative AI began with ChatGPT. At first, I approached it with curiosity. I asked questions. I tested ideas. I used it to summarize, rewrite, organize, translate, brainstorm, and research. It felt useful almost immediately, but in those early days, I was mostly using AI as an assistant. It helped me think, write, and move faster, but I was not yet thinking of AI as a building partner. ### The Shift From AI Assistant to AI Partner Then I started experimenting with other generative AI tools. I used Midjourney to create images, Sora – now sunset – to explore AI video, and Suno to create music. Each one opened a different door. Suno surprised me with how quickly it could turn a prompt into something that felt complete. Midjourney was fun and visually impressive, even though I did not find myself returning to it every day. Sora felt fascinating, but for now, more like a glimpse of what may be possible than something that fits naturally into my regular workflow. One of the songs I created with Suno is called *Rise and Shine*. I am not pretending it is a masterpiece, but it serves its purpose. I liked the idea of using something I made as my morning alarm, and that small daily use made the experiment feel more real than a simple demo. [Audio file](https://tocatlian.blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/rise-and-shine.mp3) Over time, a few tools became part of how I work. ChatGPT became the tool I used most extensively. I used it on my phone, on my computer, and even in the car. It became part of how I worked through projects, writing, planning, live translation, general research, and the kind of back and forth thinking that happens when an idea is still taking shape. Gemini became useful for AEO and SEO work, especially when thinking about how websites and articles should be structured for both people and search. NotebookLM became surprisingly useful in a different way. It helped me most when I already had material and wanted to understand it, organize it, learn from it, or turn it into something else. I now use all of these tools on a regular basis. ### Taking the Leap Into Vibe Coding Eventually, I decided to give Codex a try. I was apprehensive. I had not written code seriously in some time. I began my career as a software engineer at AT&T Bell Labs, and that journey eventually led me to running software engineering teams. As my responsibilities changed, I moved further and further away from writing code myself. I was still close to software, but in a different way. Strategy, architecture, process, teams, delivery, quality, operations, leadership. That became my daily world. On the side, I had built a few static websites over the years, but nothing especially ambitious. I could still think like a software engineer, but I did not know how easily I could return to actually building software. Then came vibe coding. [Image: Mobile screenshot of the FX to USD app showing currency selection, amount entry, a conversion button, and a result panel.] They say you need to walk before you can run, so I started small. I did not know what to expect, and that was part of the appeal. My first project was a single page currency exchange application called FX2USD. It was practical, contained, and genuinely useful. I wanted to build something I could use while traveling, not just a demo. I added it to the Home Screen on my iPhone, and I still use it on trips because it includes a few features I could not easily find in other currency exchange apps. Because I used it in real situations, the project quickly became more than an exercise. It gave me confidence because it solved a small problem I actually had. From there, I started improving it. I added bank note references, exchange log history, and a cleaner interface. I also put the code on GitHub. The project was small, but it reminded me that software is not only about writing code. It is about shaping behavior, testing assumptions, refining details, and making something useful enough to return to. That first project gave me a better way to approach the next one. ### Revamping Websites and Elevating Workflows [Image: Desktop screenshot of the Optima Optometry website with a dark green header, storefront image, and appointment navigation.] More than 15 years ago, I wrote a website for Optima Optometry. It served the practice well and ranked well in Google search results, but it was ready for a refresh. I used Codex to help rebuild it, expecting the process to be interesting. What I did not expect was how strong the result would be. I later wrote about the project in [Optima Optometry Unveils a Fresh New Online Experience](https://tocatlian.blog/2026/06/15/optima-optometry-unveils-a-fresh-new-online-experience/), including how the redesign improved mobile access, patient resources, and appointment discovery. The project still needed a lot of direction. There was plenty of back and forth. I reviewed, corrected, redirected, and made decisions throughout the process. I thought through the structure, user experience, copy, layout, visual rhythm, and business purpose of the site. That project changed how I saw Codex. It was not simply writing code for me. It was helping me work at a higher level. I could describe intent, evaluate output, catch mistakes, guide implementation, and keep the project moving. My engineering background helped. So did my product judgment and my ability to break a larger problem into smaller pieces. That was the real shift. I was no longer just asking AI to complete tasks. I was using AI to help turn ideas into working systems. From there, I began revamping several of my own websites, including my personal site, Spark Academy, and Happy Planet Children. Each site had a different purpose, audience, and voice. That made the work more interesting, because the goal was not just to make pages look better. The goal was to make each site clearer, more useful, and more aligned with the people it was meant to serve. [Image: Screenshot of Paul Tocatlian’s homepage with his portrait, introduction, practice areas, and navigation.] Work that might once have taken days, weeks, or been pushed aside indefinitely could now be done in a few focused sessions. Not perfectly. Not magically. But effectively. That distinction is worth calling out. Vibe coding does not remove the work. It changes the rhythm of the work. It lets you move faster, but it also forces you to be clearer. The better the direction, the better the result. The more specific the intent, the more useful the output. The more carefully you review, the more the project improves. I have started keeping a more structured record of these projects on my vibe coding journey page on tocatlian.com, partly because the work is growing faster than I expected. What began as a small currency tool has turned into a wider set of experiments across websites, learning platforms, full stack applications, integrations, and even games. ### Full Stack Applications and the Agile Mindset One of the more ambitious projects I am still working on is a full stack web application to help manage my Instagram account. It is not complete yet, and that is part of what makes it such a useful learning project. The goal is practical. I want to import comments, identify unanswered comments, suggest replies, flag items that need personal attention, queue possible spam for approval, and save meaningful comments as reusable quotes. On the surface, that may sound like a simple productivity tool. In practice, it quickly becomes a real application with workflows, data models, approval states, user decisions, and interface design. Because the project is still evolving, it has also become a place to keep learning. Each new feature raises new questions about software design, usability, testing, deployment, and how much automation should be trusted before a person reviews it. This project made me feel less like a solo coder and more like someone guiding a full Agile team. I found myself moving between roles. Product Owner. UI/UX Designer. Developer. SDET. DevOps. Technical writer. Sometimes I was defining requirements. Sometimes I was reviewing UI decisions. Sometimes I was thinking about test coverage, deployment, documentation, or data models. That has been one of the most interesting parts of returning to software through AI. I am not only reconnecting with coding. I am reconnecting with the entire software development process. In a traditional Agile team, different people often bring different skills. One person may focus on the product vision. Another may shape the user experience. Another may write the code. Someone else may test it, deploy it, document it, or monitor it. With vibe coding, I can move across those roles myself. That does not mean AI replaces a great team. It means one person with enough judgment can cover much more ground than before. AI can help generate the code, but someone still has to decide what should be built, why it deserves attention, how it should behave, what good looks like, and when something is not right. That kind of judgment becomes even more valuable, not less. ### Leveraging AI for Education and Learning Systems Then I decided to see whether I could turn my experience with AI tools into a course. Friends kept asking me how I was using AI, so I started building a 30 day challenge, with 30 minutes a day covering ChatGPT, Gemini, NotebookLM, and Codex. I wrote most of the lessons myself, then used Codex to help expand the material, fill in missing pieces, organize the experience, and build a micro-learning site around the course. That worked beautifully! Take a look at the 30-Day AI at Work Challenge. [Image: Vibe Coding: 30-Day AI at Work Challenge.] [Image: Take a look at the 30-Day AI at Work Challenge.] It also showed me that vibe coding was not only useful for software utilities or business websites. It could support education design, structured learning, course delivery, and content organization. I also experimented with using OpenAI APIs to create audio podcasts for the lessons, which opened another door. The project became more than a course. It became a learning microsite. ### Pushing Boundaries With AI Game Development And then, because apparently I cannot resist making things more complicated, I decided to build a game. Monaco Racing was the result. [Image: Monaco Racing game preview with red and yellow Formula-style cars, a track map, and options for team, difficulty, and view.] This was new territory for me. I am not a big game player now, and I had never built a game before. That was part of the appeal. I wanted to see what would happen if I pushed vibe coding into something more interactive and dynamic. A game is different from a website or an app. It has movement. Timing. Controls. Difficulty. Feedback. Sound. Scoring. Friction. Feel. That last word counts. A website can be useful. A form can work. A dashboard can display data. But a game has to feel alive. If the car does not respond correctly, you notice. If the speed feels wrong, you notice. If the turn is awkward, you notice. If the difficulty is too easy or too punishing, you notice. Monaco Racing pushed me to think about software in a more physical and immediate way. It also made the limits of vibe coding easier to see. Codex could generate a lot quickly, but I still had to guide the gameplay, test the experience, revise the visuals, adjust the behavior, and keep asking whether the game felt right. That became another reminder. AI can help you move faster, but speed without judgment is not enough. ### The Core Lesson: Judgment and Taste Over Speed Looking back, the lesson that keeps returning is simple. Learn to walk before you run. Start with something small. Build it. Use it. Improve it. Then take on something more involved. Think in iterations. Think Agile. Let the first version be small enough to finish, but real enough to teach you something. That is what FX2USD did for me. It gave me a small, useful win. Optima Optometry showed me that AI assisted development could help modernize a real business website. My personal and nonprofit site upgrades showed me how quickly I could improve structure, clarity, and usability across different audiences. The 30 Day AI at Work Challenge showed me that vibe coding could support education and learning design. The Instagram management app pushed me into full stack workflows. Monaco Racing reminded me that interactive software has to be felt, not just built. That progression is important to the story. Vibe coding did not replace my software engineering experience. It reactivated it. It gave me a way to return to building software while drawing on everything I had learned from engineering, product development, leadership, testing, documentation, and delivery. It also reminded me how much I enjoy making things. Not talking about making things. Not planning them forever. Not leaving them in the someday pile. Actually making them, testing them, improving them, and seeing what they become. That may be the most interesting part of this whole journey. The code has value, of course. But the judgment around the code has even greater value. Taste counts. Direction counts. Testing counts. Questions count. AI can help build the thing. It can make the path from idea to working version feel shorter, more flexible, and more immediate. That is why this may be one of [the most exciting times to be a software developer](https://tocatlian.blog/2026/06/16/ai-and-software-developers-best-time-to-build-software/). But the real advantage still belongs to the person who knows what they are trying to make, who it is for, and why it should exist. **Frequently Asked Questions** **What is vibe coding?** Vibe codingis a way of building software with generative AI as a collaborative partner. Instead of manually writing every line of code yourself, you describe what you want to build, guide the implementation, review the output, test the behavior, and keep refining the result. For me, vibe coding is not about skipping the work. It is about changing the way the work happens. **Does using AI for coding replace software engineers?** In my experience, no. In fact, I think [there’s never been a better time to be a software developer](https://tocatlian.blog/2026/06/16/ai-and-software-developers-best-time-to-build-software/). AI can help generate code quickly, but it does not replace the need for human judgment. Someone still has to define the product, shape the user experience, evaluate the output, catch mistakes, test the behavior, and decide whether the result is actually good. AI can strengthen what a builder is able to do, but the engineering mindset still has real value. **How should a beginner start building software with AI?** Start small. For me it was a simple single-page web application. Choose a simple project that solves a real problem you have. Build it. Use it. Improve it. A small, practical tool is usually a better starting point than a large application with too many moving parts. Once you have a working version, iterate. Add one useful feature at a time. Let the project teach you what to build next. **Can AI be used for projects beyond software applications?** Yes. My own projects have included business websites, personal websites, nonprofit sites, learning platforms, course material, audio lessons, full stack applications, and an interactive game. The common thread is not the type of project. It is the process. Start with clear intent, review the output carefully, improve it through iteration, and keep asking whether the result serves the people who will actually use it. > [AI and Software Developers: Why This May Be the Best Time in History to Build Software](https://tocatlian.blog/2026/06/16/ai-and-software-developers-best-time-to-build-software/) [Embedded media](https://tocatlian.blog/2026/06/16/ai-and-software-developers-best-time-to-build-software/embed/#?secret=SjKIiaLBdt#?secret=Msw1nBVn7v) © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## AI and Software Developers: Why This May Be the Best Time in History to Build Software - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2026/06/16/ai-and-software-developers-best-time-to-build-software/ - Published: 2026-06-16 - Last modified: 2026-08-15 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Technology - Summary: While AI brings uncertainty and anxiety to software engineering, it ultimately rewards true technical skill. This article explores how disciplined developers can leverage intelligent tools to accelerate productivity, maintain high quality, and thrive in history’s greatest era for building software. [Image: A sharp, high-contrast editorial photograph capturing a close-up perspective of a modern tech workspace and software developer interface, reflecting the intersection of human engineering judgment and artificial intelligence coding tools.] By Paul Tocatlian ### How AI Is Raising the Bar for Software Developers Artificial intelligence has created a lot of anxiety about the future of software development. I understand why. If you are a developer, an engineering manager, a software architect, a product leader, or an executive responsible for technology, it is hard not to wonder what happens next. Will AI make software developers less valuable? Will it take jobs away? Will it make engineering teams smaller? Will it turn software development into something that feels less creative, less technical, or less human? Those are fair questions. Every major technology shift creates uncertainty, and this one is moving especially fast. But I think the better question is not whether AI is a threat to software developers. The better question is whether developers are willing to use AI as leverage. For developers who embrace AI with curiosity, discipline, and good judgment, there has probably never been a better time to build software. That does not mean AI is magic. It does not mean every developer suddenly becomes 10 times more productive. It does not mean weak requirements become strong products. It does not mean fragile architecture becomes reliable infrastructure. It does not remove the need for testing, security, code review, design judgment, or human ownership. But AI is changing what a capable developer can accomplish. It is changing how quickly ideas can become prototypes. It is changing how fast teams can explore options. It is changing how much leverage one thoughtful engineer can have. And that is exciting. [Image: A crisp, high-contrast editorial photograph showing a clean, minimalistic workspace with focused lighting, capturing the balance between human clarity and technical software development environments.] ### Quick Answer: Is AI Bad for Software Developers? No, AI is not bad for software developers who learn to use it well. AI is changing software development, but it does not remove the need for strong developers. It raises the bar for judgment, testing, security, architecture, and product thinking. Developers who leverage AI can become more productive and valuable. Developers who ignore it risk falling behind. ### Key Takeaways - **AI is changing software** development, but it does not eliminate the need for skilled developers. The strongest developers are still needed for judgment, architecture, security, testing, product understanding, communication, and ownership. - **AI coding tools are** already being used at enterprise scale. Companies such as Anthropic, Google, Amazon, Airbnb, Microsoft, Mercado Libre, Coinbase, Uber, Saxo Bank, Bancolombia, and others have reported meaningful AI assisted development activity. - **AI can improve developer** productivity, but results depend on context. Some studies and company examples show major gains, while others show that AI can slow developers down in complex, familiar, high context codebases. - **AI generated code still** needs review. Developers should treat AI generated code as untrusted until it has been read, tested, secured, and understood. - **The biggest opportunity is** not more code. The real opportunity is better software, faster learning, more effective modernization, clearer communication, and higher leverage for strong engineering teams. - **This may be one** of the best times in history to be a software developer, but only for developers who adapt. AI raises the bar, but it also raises the ceiling. ### Is AI a Threat to Software Developers or a Productivity Multiplier? The developers who thrive in the AI era will not be the ones who pretend AI does not matter. They will be the ones who learn to direct it, question it, verify it, and use it to raise the quality and speed of their work. The core shift is not that AI replaces software engineering skill. The core shift is that AI rewards software engineering skill. A developer who understands systems, requirements, testing, user value, security, and architecture can use AI to move faster through repetitive work, explore more options, understand unfamiliar code, generate test cases, write documentation, and prototype ideas that might previously have taken days or weeks. A developer who lacks judgment can also use AI to produce a lot of bad code very quickly. That distinction matters. The future of software development is not simply about who can type code faster. It is about who can understand problems, guide AI tools, verify results, make sound tradeoffs, and deliver reliable software that creates real value. That is still deeply human work. ### What Does the Research Say About AI and Developer Productivity? The productivity evidence is becoming harder to ignore. In Microsoft Research and GitHub Copilot, “The Impact of AI on Developer Productivity: Evidence from GitHub Copilot“, developers with access to Copilot completed a coding task 55.8 percent faster than the control group. McKinsey, “Unleashing Developer Productivity with Generative AI“, found that developers using generative AI tools could complete some common software development tasks up to twice as fast, with particularly strong gains in documentation, code generation, and refactoring. Adoption is also moving quickly. Stack Overflow, “Developer Survey 2025: AI“, found that 84 percent of respondents are using or planning to use AI tools in their development process, and that 51 percent of professional developers use AI tools daily. Those numbers do not prove that every developer becomes dramatically more productive overnight. They do show that AI assisted development is moving from curiosity to daily workflow. The bigger proof point, however, may not be survey data or controlled experiments. It may be what is already happening inside large technology companies, banks, ecommerce platforms, public sector teams, and startups. [Image: A crisp, bright, high-contrast editorial photograph capturing data visualizations, statistical metrics, and research insights displayed on a modern monitor, highlighting global enterprise adoption trends of AI coding tools.] ### How Are Enterprises Using AI to Write and Modernize Code? AI assisted software development has moved from experimentation to enterprise scale. That matters because the strongest evidence is no longer limited to individual developers trying autocomplete tools. The stronger evidence now includes large companies using AI coding tools and AI coding agents for modernization, code generation, pull request acceleration, internal developer platforms, and production development workflows. In Anthropic, “When AI Builds Itself“, the company says that, as of May 2026, more than 80 percent of the code merged into Anthropic’s own codebase was authored by Claude. Anthropic also says that the typical Anthropic engineer was merging 8 times as much code per day in the second quarter of 2026 as they were in 2024. The company is careful to note that lines of code are an imperfect measure, and that 8 times more code is almost certainly an overstatement of true productivity gain. Still, the direction is hard to miss. Anthropic also reported a striking Stripe example in Anthropic, “Claude Fable 5 and Claude Mythos 5“. According to Anthropic, Stripe reported that Fable 5 compressed months of engineering into days. In a 50 million line Ruby codebase, the model performed a codebase wide migration in one day that would otherwise have taken a whole team more than two months by hand. The Stripe example deserves careful wording. This is an Anthropic reported customer example, not a public Stripe engineering blog post that I can independently verify from Stripe itself. Still, it is a valuable enterprise scale proof point because it shows the direction of travel: AI coding agents are moving beyond autocomplete and into large scale codebase transformation. Amazon reported another large scale modernization example in Amazon Web Services, “Amazon Q Developer Just Reached a 260 Million Dollar Milestone“. According to AWS, Amazon used Q Developer to migrate tens of thousands of production applications from Java 8 or 11 to Java 17. AWS said the effort saved more than 4,500 developer years of work compared with manual upgrades and generated 260 million dollars in annual cost savings from performance improvements. Google has also shared substantial AI coding adoption numbers. In Google, “Google Cloud Next 2026: Sundar Pichai Remarks“, Google said that 75 percent of all new code at Google is now AI generated and approved by engineers, up from 50 percent the previous fall. In Alphabet, “Alphabet Earnings Q3 2024 CEO Remarks“, Google had already reported that more than a quarter of all new code was generated by AI and then reviewed and accepted by engineers. Airbnb said in Airbnb, “Airbnb Q1 2026 Financial Results” that nearly 60 percent of the code its engineers produced was coauthored or written with AI. TechCrunch also covered the claim in TechCrunch, “Airbnb Says AI Now Writes 60 Percent of Its New Code“. Airbnb connected that usage directly to shipping faster, iterating more quickly, and delivering more improvements to guests and hosts. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said at Meta’s LlamaCon that maybe 20 percent to 30 percent of the code inside Microsoft repositories is written by software, meaning AI, according to TechCrunch, “Microsoft CEO Says Up to 30 Percent of the Company’s Code Was Written by AI“. Spotify shared on its fourth quarter earnings call that some of its best developers had not written a single line of code since December and were instead generating and supervising code. TechCrunch reported this in TechCrunch, “Spotify Says Its Best Developers Have Not Written a Line of Code Since December, Thanks to AI“, and Business Insider reported a similar account in Business Insider, “Spotify CEO Says Its Top Developers Have Not Written a Single Line of Code in 2026“. Spotify described an internal system called Honk, used with generative AI and Claude Code, to accelerate coding and product velocity. Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev said on the 20VC podcast, documented in 20VC, “Vlad Tenev“, that AI writes 50 percent of all net new code at Robinhood. He also said adoption inside the engineering team is close to 100 percent. The same interview is listed in Spotify, “Vlad Tenev 20VC Episode”, and Business Insider covered the claim in Business Insider, “Robinhood CEO Says the Majority of the Company’s New Code Is Written by AI“. Coinbase has also made AI generated code a formal developer productivity signal. In Coinbase, “Tools for Developer Productivity at Coinbase“, Coinbase said it tracks the percentage of AI generated lines of code relative to human generated code, and that the trend was clear: AI was on track to eclipse human generated code at Coinbase by the end of the year. The company also pointed to examples where single engineers refactored, upgraded, or built new codebases in days instead of months. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong later said on X in Brian Armstrong, “AI Generated Code at Coinbase” that about 40 percent of daily code written at Coinbase was AI generated, and that he wanted to get it above 50 percent by October, while emphasizing that the code still needed to be reviewed. Uber reported a more conservative but still important enterprise example in Uber, “Q1 2026 Prepared Remarks“. Uber said it had meaningfully improved developer velocity, with more than 10 percent of production ready code now driven autonomously by AI coding agents. Mercado Libre, based in Argentina and operating across Latin America, is another important international example. In GitHub, “Mercado Libre Frees Developers’ Minds to Focus on Their Mission with GitHub“, GitHub says Mercado Libre has more than 9,000 developers using GitHub Copilot, saw a roughly 50 percent reduction in time spent writing code, and merges about 100,000 pull requests per day. This is a strong example because it shows AI coding adoption at massive scale outside the usual Silicon Valley narrative. OpenAI also published a Mercado Libre case study, OpenAI, “Mercado Libre Introduces Verdi, an AI Developer Platform Powered by GPT 4o“. OpenAI describes Verdi as Mercado Libre’s internal AI developer platform and says it drove productivity and efficiency gains while saving millions. Saxo Bank, based in Denmark, is another useful international example. Microsoft, “GitHub Copilot Accelerates Coding at Saxo Bank“, says Saxo Bank integrated Microsoft 365 Copilot and GitHub Copilot as part of an AI first culture to boost efficiency, improve the client experience, and support a growing base of traders and investors. Microsoft also reported in Microsoft, “AI Powered Success with More Than 1000 Stories of Customer Transformation and Innovation” that Saxo Bank’s 700 developers accelerated their coding rate by around 30 percent and use AI written code in almost every new application. Bancolombia is a strong Latin American banking example. In Microsoft, “AI Powered Success with More Than 1000 Stories of Customer Transformation and Innovation“, Microsoft says Bancolombia is using GitHub Copilot to enhance its technical team’s productivity, resulting in a 30 percent increase in code generation. Microsoft also says this has led to an average of 18,000 automated application changes per year and 42 productive daily deployments. GitHub and Accenture studied Copilot in a real enterprise environment. In GitHub, “Quantifying GitHub Copilot’s Impact in the Enterprise with Accenture“, GitHub reported that developers accepted around 30 percent of Copilot’s suggestions, that 90 percent of developers said they committed code suggested by Copilot, and that 91 percent said their teams merged pull requests containing Copilot suggested code. GitHub also reported that developers retained 88 percent of Copilot generated characters in their editor. ZoomInfo published one of the more detailed enterprise deployment studies. In ZoomInfo Engineering, “Experience with GitHub Copilot for Developer Productivity at ZoomInfo“, and in the related arXiv version, “Experience with GitHub Copilot for Developer Productivity at ZoomInfo“, ZoomInfo reported an average acceptance rate of 33 percent for Copilot suggestions, 20 percent for lines of code, and a 72 percent developer satisfaction score across more than 400 developers. This is not as dramatic as the biggest headline numbers, but it is valuable because it reflects a real enterprise rollout with measured adoption and feedback. NAV IT in Norway offers a useful public sector example. The study arXiv, “Developer Productivity With and Without GitHub Copilot: A Longitudinal Mixed Methods Case Study” examined Copilot usage across 703 GitHub repositories and 26,317 unique non merge commits over two years. The study did not find statistically significant changes in commit based activity after Copilot adoption, even though users reported productivity improvements. This is an important international example because it adds balance: AI may make developers feel more productive, but traditional activity metrics may not fully capture the effect. BNY Mellon gives another large financial services example, but it is best used as a measurement lesson rather than a pure productivity victory lap. In arXiv, “Beyond the Commit: Developer Perspectives on Productivity with AI Coding Assistants” , researchers surveyed 2,989 developers and conducted 11 interviews at BNY Mellon. Their conclusion was that AI coding assistant productivity needs to be measured through multiple dimensions, including long term expertise, ownership, usefulness, and developer experience, not only commits or lines of code. Ramp offers a more product led example. In Microsoft, “Dev Diaries: GitHub Copilot at Ramp: Fueling a 10x Developer Mindset“, Microsoft says Ramp’s engineering team uses GitHub Copilot and Azure AI to automate repetitive coding tasks and improve productivity. One Ramp engineer quoted in the story said Copilot boosts his productivity by at least 30 percent by helping him stay at a higher level of abstraction, reduce cognitive load, and avoid writer’s block. Salesforce offers a more measured example. According to Salesforce Ben, “AI Can’t Replace Software Engineers Yet, Marc Benioff Says“, Marc Benioff said Salesforce’s engineering organization was probably 30 percent more productive because of AI, while also cautioning that AI was not yet at the level where it could replace software engineers. I like this example because it adds credibility. Not every serious leader is claiming full automation. Some are saying the gains are real, while also being clear that the human engineering role still matters. Shopify has taken a different but equally important approach. Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke wrote on X in Tobi Lütke, “Reflexive AI Usage Memo” that reflexive AI usage is now a baseline expectation at Shopify. First Round described Shopify’s broader adoption approach in First Round, “From Memo to Movement: Shopify’s Cultural Adoption of AI“, and The Verge covered the hiring implications in The Verge, “Shopify CEO Says No New Hires Without Proof AI Cannot Do the Job“. Shopify’s example matters because it treats AI adoption not merely as a tool choice but as a cultural and operating model shift. The shift is even more extreme in startup land. TechCrunch reported in TechCrunch, “A Quarter of Startups in YC’s Current Cohort Have Codebases That Are Almost Entirely AI Generated” that a quarter of Y Combinator’s Winter 2025 batch had 95 percent of their codebases generated by AI, based on comments by YC managing partner Jared Friedman. That does not prove those systems will be easy to scale or maintain, but it does show how dramatically the starting point for software creation is changing. ### Why AI Coding Statistics Need Careful Interpretation These examples are powerful, but they are not all measuring the same thing. Some companies are measuring new code. Some are measuring merged code. Some are measuring code coauthored with AI. Some are measuring suggestion acceptance. Some are measuring reduced coding time. Some are measuring modernization work. Some are measuring developer satisfaction. Some are describing workflow changes rather than a precise percentage. Some numbers come from internal company estimates, not audited third party studies. So we should be careful, but we should not ignore the signal. AI assisted software development has moved from experimentation to enterprise scale. It is happening in frontier AI labs, cloud giants, fintech, banking, ecommerce, public sector technology teams, startups, and international companies far outside the usual Silicon Valley narrative. This does not mean AI magically makes every developer 10 times better. It means AI is becoming part of the modern software development workflow. That distinction matters because the strongest argument for developers is not that AI replaces engineering skill. It is that AI rewards engineering skill. ### Why AI Does Not Replace Engineering Skill The strongest developers will not be the ones who simply ask AI to write code and paste the answer. The strongest developers will be the ones who know how to define the problem, provide the right context, inspect the output, design the tests, evaluate the tradeoffs, and own the result. AI can produce more output, but humans still have to decide whether that output is correct, secure, maintainable, testable, explainable, and worth shipping. A junior developer can use AI as a tutor, asking it to explain unfamiliar code, walk through errors, compare implementation options, or clarify concepts that might otherwise take hours to research. A mid level developer can use AI to move faster through repetitive work, generate test cases, improve documentation, refactor code, investigate bugs, and explore alternate approaches before committing to one. A senior developer can use AI as a thought partner, asking it to pressure test architecture, identify edge cases, review tradeoffs, summarize system behavior, or draft technical communication for product and executive stakeholders. A software architect can use AI to explore design alternatives, map dependencies, identify risky coupling, document migration paths, and stress test assumptions before implementation begins. A product manager can use AI to reduce the distance between an idea and a working prototype. An executive can use AI to rethink the economics of experimentation, modernization, customer experience, and internal tooling. This is why the “AI will take developer jobs” narrative is too simplistic. AI does not remove the need for judgment. It makes judgment more important. AI can generate code quickly, but humans still need to decide whether that code belongs in the system. ### What Does the Job Market Say About Software Developers and AI? The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Occupational Outlook Handbook: Software Developers, Quality Assurance Analysts, and Testers“, projects employment in those roles to grow 15 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations. That projection points to continued demand for software development across AI, automation, cybersecurity, robotics, connected devices, and software enabled products. In other words, software is not becoming less important. It is becoming more central. The question is whether developers will keep working the old way while the work itself changes around them. The future may not belong only to developers who know the most syntax. It may belong to developers who can combine technical ability, product judgment, architecture sense, communication skill, and AI fluency. ### Why AI Is an Amplifier, Not a Cure DORA, “State of AI Assisted Software Development 2025“, offers a useful warning for leaders. It describes AI as an amplifier that magnifies an organization’s existing strengths and weaknesses. Google, “How Are Developers Using AI? Inside Our 2025 DORA Report“, describes AI as a mirror and a multiplier. That feels exactly right. If a team has good engineering discipline, clear requirements, strong test coverage, thoughtful architecture, healthy code review, mature internal platforms, and a culture of learning, AI can accelerate that team. If a team has weak requirements, fragile systems, poor documentation, low trust, poor code ownership, and no quality controls, AI can accelerate the mess. That matters for executives, but it matters just as much for developers. Buying AI tools is not enough. AI does not fix unclear strategy. It does not fix broken prioritization. It does not fix bad architecture. It does not fix missing tests. It does not fix a culture where engineers are afraid to challenge requirements. AI can help, but it helps most when the system around it is healthy. [Image: A dark, high-contrast photograph of a code editor showing a complex software system with potential error points or warning contexts, illustrating the security risks and defects of unreviewed AI-generated code.] ### What Are the Risks of AI Generated Code? A serious article about AI and software development should not only list success stories. There have also been failures. There have been stalled pilots, security concerns, productivity disappointments, and cases where AI made developers feel faster while traditional delivery metrics did not clearly improve. There have also been examples where AI generated code introduced defects, vulnerabilities, or operational risk. That does not break the thesis of this article. It strengthens it. The real argument is not that AI automatically makes every developer or every company better. The argument is that AI is leverage, and leverage can amplify strength or weakness. One of the clearest counterexamples comes from METR. In METR, “Measuring the Impact of Early 2025 AI on Experienced Open Source Developer Productivity“, METR studied experienced open source developers working on their own repositories. These were not beginners using toy examples. They were experienced developers working in familiar codebases. METR found that when developers used early 2025 AI tools, they took 19 percent longer than when they did not use them. METR later noted that these results were historical and may no longer reflect the current impact of newer AI models. That caveat matters. Tools are improving quickly. But the lesson still stands: AI does not automatically improve productivity in every context. In complex, familiar, high context systems, an experienced developer may spend more time prompting, reviewing, correcting, and unwinding AI output than they would have spent solving the problem directly. That is not failure of imagination. It is a reminder that software development is not just typing code. It is understanding context, making tradeoffs, knowing the system, knowing what not to change, recognizing subtle failure modes, and protecting maintainability. There is also a broader enterprise failure pattern. MIT NANDA, “The GenAI Divide: State of AI in Business 2025“, found that despite 30 to 40 billion dollars in enterprise investment into generative AI, 95 percent of organizations in its dataset were getting zero measurable return. The report said only 5 percent of integrated AI pilots were extracting millions in value, while the vast majority remained stuck with no measurable profit and loss impact. That report is not specifically about software development. It is about enterprise generative AI more broadly. But it is highly relevant for executives and engineering leaders because the failure pattern is familiar. The tools work, but the organization does not. A developer can save an hour and a team can still lose a quarter. A company can buy licenses and still fail to change its operating model. An executive can announce an AI strategy while the organization still lacks the workflows, data, governance, architecture, and accountability needed to turn AI usage into measurable business value. RAND reached a similar conclusion from another angle. In RAND, “The Root Causes of Failure for Artificial Intelligence Projects and How They Can Succeed“, RAND noted that by some estimates, more than 80 percent of AI projects fail, roughly twice the failure rate of non AI information technology projects. RAND interviewed 65 experienced data scientists and engineers and identified recurring causes, including unclear or misunderstood business problems, poor data readiness, focus on technology instead of user problems, inadequate infrastructure, and applying AI to problems that are too difficult for the technology to solve. Security is another area where the counterargument is serious. Veracode, “We Asked 100 Plus AI Models to Write Code. Here’s How Many Failed Security Tests“, tested more than 100 large language models across Java, Python, C sharp, and JavaScript. Veracode reported that 45 percent of generated code samples failed security tests and introduced OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities. Java was the riskiest language in the test, with a 72 percent security failure rate across tasks. Veracode also reported that cross site scripting was one of the most frequent issues, with AI tools failing to defend against it in 86 percent of relevant code samples. That does not mean developers should avoid AI. It means developers should avoid trusting AI generated code without security review. A 2025 paper, arXiv, “Human Written vs. AI Generated Code: A Large Scale Study of Defects, Vulnerabilities, and Complexity“, compared more than 500,000 Python and Java code samples authored by humans and by several large language models. The authors found that AI generated code was generally simpler and more repetitive, but also more prone to unused constructs and hardcoded debugging. The paper also found that AI generated code contained more high risk security vulnerabilities. Another large scale analysis, arXiv, “Security Vulnerabilities in AI Generated Code: A Large Scale Analysis of Public GitHub Repositories“, examined 7,703 files explicitly attributed to AI tools. The authors found 4,241 Common Weakness Enumeration instances across 77 vulnerability types. A 2025 paper on iterative AI code generation, arXiv, “Security Degradation in Iterative AI Code Generation: A Systematic Analysis of the Paradox“, found a 37.6 percent increase in critical vulnerabilities after five rounds of iterative AI code refinement in its controlled experiment. That finding challenges a common assumption: that repeatedly asking an AI model to improve code will naturally make it safer. The output may look cleaner, but the risk may be higher. This matters because many developers use AI exactly this way. They ask for code, then refinements, then cleanup, then another version. That can be useful, but without tests, security scanning, human review, and architectural judgment, repeated refinement can create a false sense of quality. There have also been operational failures around AI development tooling itself. Cyber Magazine reported in Cyber Magazine, “Explained: The Source Code Leak that Hit AI Giant Anthropic“, that Claude Code drew attention after a source map file was unintentionally included in an npm package release, exposing a pathway to reconstruct substantial portions of the private TypeScript code behind the tool. Reporting on the incident said Anthropic described it as a release packaging issue caused by human error, not a malicious breach, and said no sensitive customer data or credentials were exposed. That example is useful because it is not about a model hallucinating code. It is about the software supply chain around AI tools. It shows that even companies building advanced AI coding tools still face ordinary engineering risks: packaging mistakes, release process gaps, artifact hygiene, and operational controls. The counterargument is real, but it does not lead to the conclusion that AI is bad for software developers. It leads to a more useful conclusion. AI is not a productivity strategy by itself. AI is not an engineering culture by itself. AI is not a software architecture by itself. AI is not a security program by itself. AI is not a product strategy by itself. AI is a capability. Whether that capability becomes value depends on how people use it. The companies that win with AI will not be the companies that generate the most code. They will be the companies that convert AI assisted work into reliable, secure, maintainable, customer valuable software. That is the bar. And it is exactly why great developers still matter. [Image: A moody, low-key, high-contrast photograph capturing a close-up view of a developer's workspace, with a glowing monitor illuminating a dark environment, emphasizing a focused, deep daily coding workflow.] ### How Should Software Developers Use AI in Daily Work? This is the heart of the matter. If you are a software developer, this is not a time to panic. It is a time to level up. That sounds like a motivational line, but I mean it in a practical way. This is a time to become more capable, more valuable, more creative, more strategic, and more productive than you could have been at almost any previous point in the history of software development. The opportunity is real, but it is not automatic. AI will not make every developer better. It will make prepared developers better. It will make curious developers faster. It will make disciplined developers more effective. It will make thoughtful developers more valuable. It will help developers who know how to use it, question it, test it, secure it, and turn its output into real software. The wrong approach is to ask AI for code, paste the answer, and hope for the best. The right approach is to treat AI as a powerful collaborator that still needs direction, context, review, and accountability. The developer of the future is not someone who simply writes every line by hand. The developer of the future is someone who can understand a problem deeply, guide AI toward a solution, inspect the result, improve it, test it, secure it, and ship it responsibly. That is a more powerful role. It is also a more demanding one. And honestly, that is why this moment is so interesting. Software development is not becoming less meaningful. It is becoming more leveraged. #### Start With the Problem Before the Prompt The first mistake developers make with AI is asking too quickly. They open a coding assistant and start typing before they have clarified the problem. That leads to vague prompts, vague answers, and generic code. Before asking AI to help, define the problem in plain language. Clarify what you are trying to build, who the user is, what success looks like, what constraints matter, what should not change, what edge cases are important, what existing patterns the codebase already uses, and what tests should pass. This matters because AI tools are sensitive to context. GitHub, “Prompt Engineering for GitHub Copilot Chat“, recommends giving clear context and making the surrounding code readable, modular, tested, and well named so the assistant can produce better output. OpenAI, “Prompt Engineering“, also emphasizes clear instructions, reference material, breaking complex tasks into simpler steps, and giving the model time and structure to reason through the problem. The practical habit is simple: do not ask AI to “build this feature” before you have explained the goal, the context, the constraints, and the acceptance criteria. A weak prompt says, “Build a login page.” A stronger prompt says, “I need to add a login page to this React application. It should follow the existing component patterns in the app. It should support email and password, show validation errors inline, call the existing auth API, redirect on success, and include tests for empty fields, invalid email, failed login, and successful login. Do not add a new styling library. Before writing code, summarize the implementation plan and ask what existing files you need to inspect.” That is not just a better prompt. That is better engineering. #### Use AI as a Thinking Partner Before Using It as a Code Generator The highest leverage use of AI is often not asking it to write code immediately. It is asking it to help you think. Before implementation, ask AI to explain the current code, map the flow of data, identify the likely source of a bug, compare possible designs, list edge cases, challenge your assumptions, draft a test plan, summarize tradeoffs, identify security risks, find missing requirements, and review your approach before you code. This is where AI can be incredibly valuable, especially when you are working in a large or unfamiliar codebase. Instead of jumping straight to implementation, use AI to accelerate understanding. Ask what a module appears to do, where state is being mutated, what risks exist if a function changes, what tests should exist before a refactor, and what parts of the code are most likely to break if the data model changes. That kind of conversation can save hours. It can also help you become a better developer because you are not just accepting output. You are developing judgment. GitHub, “Best Practices for Using GitHub Copilot“, includes using Copilot to debug errors, analyze functionality, explore implementations, and generate code. That ordering matters. Analysis and exploration are just as important as code generation. #### Break AI Assisted Work Into Small, Reviewable Steps AI performs better when work is broken into focused tasks. Developers do too. Do not ask AI to rewrite an entire application in one pass. Do not ask it to refactor a large subsystem without checkpoints. Do not ask it to generate a major feature and then review a huge diff at the end. That is how errors hide. Instead, break the work into small pieces. Ask for a plan first. Review the plan. Ask for one file or one function at a time. Run tests after each meaningful change. Ask for a diff summary. Ask for risks. Ask for missing tests. Ask for rollback considerations. Ask for follow up cleanup. This is especially important when using agentic coding tools that can modify multiple files. Agentic tools are powerful, but they need boundaries. A good working pattern is to ask the AI to inspect the relevant files and summarize the current behavior, then propose an implementation plan, then identify risks and tests, then make the smallest useful change. After that, run the tests, review the diff yourself, ask it to explain the change back to you, and decide whether to continue. This is slower than blind generation, but it is much faster than debugging a large, confusing, AI generated mess. The point is not to let AI run wild. The point is to create a tighter loop between intent, implementation, verification, and learning. #### Treat AI Generated Code as Untrusted Until Proven Otherwise This is one of the most important habits a developer can build. AI generated code should be treated like code from an enthusiastic junior developer who works very quickly, has read a lot, sometimes understands the problem, sometimes misses context, and sometimes sounds confident while being wrong. That means the output deserves attention, not blind trust. Read the code. Run the tests. Add tests. Check error handling, security, performance, dependencies, logging, observability, maintainability, and fit with existing patterns. Check whether it introduces unnecessary abstraction. Check whether it solves the actual problem. This is not pessimism. This is professionalism. The lesson is not “do not use AI.” The lesson is “do not skip engineering.” AI can help you write faster. Your job is to make sure the result is correct. #### Make Tests Part of the Prompt, Not an Afterthought One of the best ways to use AI is to ask for tests before or alongside code. This changes the workflow. Instead of asking AI to implement a feature and then hoping it works, ask AI to help define the behavior. Ask what should be tested, what edge cases matter, what would break the implementation, what regression tests should be added, what unit tests and integration tests should exist, what should be mocked, and what failure modes should be verified. Then ask the AI to generate test cases. Inspect those tests carefully. Run them. Improve them. Then ask the AI to implement code that satisfies those tests. This is powerful because tests make the conversation more concrete. They turn vague intent into observable behavior, and they protect you from one of the biggest dangers of AI generated code: output that looks plausible but does not actually meet the requirement. A strong AI assisted workflow often starts with a requirement, then acceptance criteria, then test cases, then implementation, then failure analysis, then refinement. This is where disciplined developers can become much faster without becoming sloppy. The goal is not more code. The goal is faster validated learning. #### Use AI to Understand Legacy Code Before You Change It Legacy code is one of the best use cases for AI. Many developers spend huge amounts of time trying to understand old systems with missing documentation, inconsistent patterns, unclear ownership, and years of accumulated decisions. AI can help summarize modules, explain dependencies, identify data flow, map old and new behavior, detect duplicated logic, propose safe refactoring steps, and generate characterization tests before behavior changes. That last point is especially important. Before changing legacy code, ask AI to help you capture the current behavior in tests. Then refactor. Then use the tests to make sure the behavior did not accidentally change. That is how AI becomes a modernization tool instead of a risk multiplier. The Amazon Q Developer Java modernization example is a strong proof point for this broader pattern. In Amazon Web Services, “Amazon Q Developer Just Reached a 260 Million Dollar Milestone“, AWS said Amazon used Q Developer to migrate tens of thousands of production applications from Java 8 or 11 to Java 17, saving more than 4,500 developer years of work and generating 260 million dollars in annual cost savings from performance improvements. That does not mean every migration will produce those results. It does show that AI assisted modernization can be a serious enterprise capability when applied with the right tooling, controls, and review process. #### Ask AI to Critique Its Own Work, Then Critique the Critique AI can help you find problems in AI generated code, but do not stop there. Ask it what assumptions it made, what could be wrong, what edge cases it missed, what security risks exist, what performance risks exist, what parts of the implementation are most fragile, what a senior engineer would challenge in code review, what tests should be added, and what would make the code easier to maintain. This can surface useful issues, but the critique is not proof. It is another input. You still need to inspect the code yourself. A helpful pattern is to use two passes. In the first pass, ask AI to generate or modify code. In the second pass, ask AI to act as a strict reviewer. Better yet, change the role and context. Ask it to review the code as a senior backend engineer responsible for reliability, as an application security engineer, as a staff engineer minimizing long term complexity, or as a product engineer looking for missing user edge cases. You will often get different insights from each review. Then your job is to decide what matters. This is the essence of AI fluency: not just prompting, not just accepting, but directing, comparing, challenging, and deciding. #### Keep Security in the AI Workflow From the Beginning Security cannot be something you check after the AI has already generated a large body of code. It needs to be part of the workflow from the start. Tell AI what security rules matter. Ask it to avoid unsafe patterns, use parameterized queries, avoid hardcoded secrets, validate inputs, handle authorization explicitly, avoid logging sensitive data, check dependency risks, include abuse cases, and explain how the implementation could be attacked. Then verify with tools. Use static analysis, dependency scanning, secret scanning, code review, threat modeling, secure coding checklists, and OWASP guidance. OWASP, “Top 10 for Large Language Model Applications“, and OWASP, “GenAI Security Project“, provide a useful framework for thinking about risks in LLM based systems, including prompt injection, insecure output handling, sensitive information disclosure, supply chain risk, and excessive agency. Even if you are not building an LLM application yourself, the mindset applies. AI generated code can introduce risk. AI assisted tools can touch sensitive files. Agents can take actions. Generated dependencies can be wrong. Prompts can leak information. Outputs can look safe while being unsafe. Treat security as a normal part of AI assisted development, not as a separate cleanup phase. #### Protect Company Code, Customer Data, and Secrets Developers need to understand what they are allowed to share with AI tools. This is not optional. Before pasting code, logs, customer data, stack traces, database records, API keys, configuration files, or production errors into any AI system, understand your company’s policy. Know which tools are approved, whether prompts are retained, whether data can be used for training, whether the tool is approved for confidential code, whether customer data is allowed, whether regulated data is allowed, whether secrets are being filtered, and what happens when an agent runs commands locally. This may sound boring, but it is part of being a professional developer in an AI assisted world. NIST, “AI Risk Management Framework“, emphasizes trustworthy AI through governance, measurement, management, and mapping of risk. That mindset applies directly to software teams using AI tools in development workflows. Developers do not need to become policy experts. But they do need to know the rules of the environment they are working in. Using AI well includes using it safely. #### Use AI to Learn Faster, Not to Avoid Learning This may be the most important advice for junior and mid level developers. Do not let AI replace your learning. Use it to accelerate your learning. There is a huge difference. A weak use of AI says, “Write this code for me.” A strong use of AI says, “Explain this concept to me. Show me three ways to solve this. Explain the tradeoffs. Show me the simplest version. Show me the production ready version. Explain every line. Quiz me on this code. Ask me what could go wrong. Help me prepare for a code review. Help me understand why this test failed.” The developer who uses AI to avoid learning may become dependent. The developer who uses AI to learn faster can become dangerous in the best possible way. Every bug can become a lesson. Every error message can become a tutorial. Every unfamiliar codebase can become a guided tour. Every design decision can become a comparison. That is an incredible gift, but only if you stay engaged. The goal is not to have AI think instead of you. The goal is to use AI to think better. #### Build a Personal AI Playbook Developers should not treat AI usage as random improvisation. Build a personal playbook. Keep prompts that work. Keep review checklists. Keep debugging workflows. Keep testing prompts. Keep refactoring prompts. Keep architecture review prompts. Keep security review prompts. Keep documentation prompts. Keep onboarding prompts. Over time, you will discover what works for your codebase, your language, your team, and your style of work. This is how AI fluency compounds. A developer who casually uses AI once in a while may get occasional benefits. A developer who builds repeatable AI workflows can change their entire productivity curve. Useful prompts include: “Explain this code as if I am new to this codebase, but not new to programming.” “Identify the smallest safe change to implement this requirement.” “Before writing code, list the files you need to inspect and why.” “Generate tests that capture the current behavior before refactoring.” “Review this diff for correctness, maintainability, security, and missing tests.” “Find edge cases that would break this implementation.” “Suggest a simpler design with fewer moving parts.” “Write a migration plan with rollback steps.” “Summarize this pull request for reviewers.” A playbook like this turns AI from a novelty into a working system. #### Learn Context Engineering for AI Assisted Software Development Prompt engineering matters, but for developers, context engineering may matter even more. AI performs better when it has the right context: relevant files, clear requirements, existing patterns, test output, error messages, logs, architecture notes, API contracts, database schemas, constraints, examples of desired behavior, and examples of what not to do. The art is not dumping everything into the model. The art is giving it the right information. Too little context leads to generic answers. Too much irrelevant context can confuse the model. Good developers will become good at selecting context. They will know what files matter, what tests matter, what business rule matters, what existing pattern should be followed, and what not to include. In Visual Studio Code, “Best Practices for Using AI in VS Code“, Microsoft highlights practical AI workflow concepts like context, the agent loop, tools, and project configuration. That is where the craft is heading. The better you get at context, the better AI becomes. #### Measure Outcomes, Not Lines of Code This is a trap. AI can generate more code, but that does not always mean more value. More code can mean more bugs, more maintenance, more complexity, more review burden, and more surface area for security issues. A better productivity question is whether the team solved the right problem faster. Did quality improve? Did cycle time improve? Did incidents decrease? Did developer flow improve? Did tests improve? Did maintainability improve? Did customers benefit? Did the team learn faster? Did the codebase get healthier? This matters because some studies and company examples measure code generated, code accepted, code merged, or time spent coding. Those are useful signals, but they are not the whole story. The goal is not more typing. The goal is better software. #### Keep Human Ownership Clear AI can generate code, review code, explain code, test code, and suggest architecture. But AI does not own the outcome. You do. The developer owns the code they submit. The reviewer owns the review they approve. The team owns the system they operate. The organization owns the risk it accepts. That clarity matters. If AI generated the code, you still need to understand it. If AI wrote the test, you still need to trust what it tests. If AI suggested the dependency, you still need to know why it belongs. If AI proposed the architecture, you still need to own the tradeoff. If AI modified production code, you still need to understand the blast radius. The dangerous sentence is, “AI wrote it.” The professional sentence is, “I used AI to help, and I reviewed, tested, and accepted responsibility for the result.” That is the difference between AI assisted development and careless automation. #### Use AI to Improve Communication, Not Just Code Some of the best developer productivity gains are not in code generation. They are in communication. Use AI to help write design documents, pull request summaries, migration plans, release notes, test plans, bug reports, incident reviews, architecture decision records, onboarding guides, API documentation, customer impact summaries, executive summaries, and technical explanations for product partners. This is underrated because many engineering problems are communication problems. Requirements are unclear. Tradeoffs are unclear. Ownership is unclear. System behavior is unclear. Decisions are unclear. Risks are unclear. AI can help turn messy technical thinking into clearer writing. That helps teams move faster. It also helps developers become more influential. A developer who can both build and explain becomes much more valuable. #### Use AI to Reduce Toil and Increase Focus Every developer has repetitive work that drains energy: writing boilerplate, updating tests, renaming patterns, creating fixtures, summarizing logs, formatting data, writing migration scripts, generating docs, cleaning up types, creating mock objects, converting examples, searching for repeated patterns, and drafting routine pull request descriptions. These are excellent uses of AI. Do not waste your best thinking on work that AI can help automate. Save your attention for the parts that require judgment. This is one of the most exciting parts of being a developer now. AI can remove friction from the work around the work. It can help you stay in flow, get unstuck, and move through the tedious parts faster so you can spend more time on design, quality, user value, and craft. That is not a small improvement. That can change how the job feels. #### Use AI to Explore More Options Before Committing One of the best things AI gives developers is optionality. Before AI, many developers chose the first reasonable solution because exploring alternatives took too long. Now you can ask for several options quickly. Ask for three implementation approaches. Ask the AI to compare tradeoffs, identify the simplest option, identify the safest option, identify the easiest option to test, identify the easiest option to roll back, and explain which option best fits the existing codebase. This helps you avoid premature commitment. It helps you think more broadly. It helps you see paths you might not have considered. But again, AI does not decide. You decide. AI expands the option space. Engineering judgment narrows it. That combination is powerful. #### Use AI to Prepare for Code Review Code review is one of the best places to use AI. Before submitting a pull request, ask AI to review your diff for correctness, readability, maintainability, performance, security, missing tests, naming, unnecessary complexity, backward compatibility, migration safety, race conditions, error handling, and observability. Then fix what makes sense. After that, ask AI to write a clear pull request summary that explains what changed, why it changed, how it was tested, what risks exist, and what reviewers should focus on. This helps reviewers, but it also helps you think. A good pull request summary is often a sign of good engineering discipline. If you cannot explain what changed and why, you may not be ready to submit it. #### Learn When Not to Use AI as Autopilot AI is powerful, but it is not always the right tool in the same way or at the same level of autonomy. Use caution when working on authentication, authorization, cryptography, payment flows, privacy sensitive workflows, regulated data, safety critical systems, high risk migrations, production incident response, unclear requirements, deep architectural decisions, subtle concurrency issues, and complex performance problems. This does not mean AI cannot help. It means AI should be used as a support tool, not as an autopilot. Ask it to explain, identify risks, generate tests, and summarize options. But do not blindly accept implementation in high risk areas. In those areas, the cost of a plausible mistake is too high. #### Build a Feedback Loop With Your Team AI adoption should not be a private habit only. Teams should talk about what works. Create shared prompts. Share good workflows. Share bad failures. Share examples where AI helped. Share examples where AI made things worse. Create coding assistant guidelines. Agree on security expectations, review expectations, approved tools, what data can be shared, which areas require extra scrutiny, and how to measure impact. This is where teams can turn individual productivity into organizational productivity. A single developer using AI well is helpful. A whole team learning together is transformative. This is also how you avoid the trap identified by enterprise AI failure research. RAND, “The Root Causes of Failure for Artificial Intelligence Projects and How They Can Succeed“, found that AI projects often fail because organizations misunderstand the business problem, lack proper data readiness, focus on technology over user need, lack adequate infrastructure, or apply AI to problems beyond the technology’s capability. For developers, the lesson is clear. Do not make AI adoption a random side habit. Make it part of how the team learns and improves. #### Build a Daily AI Workflow The best way to improve is to make AI part of the daily development loop. At the start of a task, ask AI to help clarify the requirement, identify unknowns, and propose an implementation plan. Before coding, ask AI to identify relevant files, existing patterns, likely edge cases, and useful tests. While coding, use AI for focused help on small functions, test cases, refactoring, error messages, and documentation. Before committing, ask AI to review the diff for correctness, simplicity, security, and missing tests. Before opening a pull request, ask AI to write a clear summary and reviewer guide. After review, ask AI to help understand feedback and improve the implementation. After shipping, ask AI to help update documentation, release notes, and lessons learned. This is not complicated, but it is powerful. It turns AI into a constant companion across the software lifecycle, not just a code generator. #### Keep the Joy of Building There is one more point that matters. AI should make software development more joyful, not less. The best parts of being a developer are still here: solving hard problems, creating something from nothing, understanding a system, designing elegant abstractions, helping users, collaborating with teammates, turning an idea into a working product, and seeing something ship. AI does not take that away. Used well, it removes some of the friction that gets in the way. It helps you move faster from idea to prototype, understand unfamiliar systems, learn new tools, clean up old code, test more thoroughly, communicate more clearly, and attempt work that used to feel too large, too tedious, or too expensive. This is not the end of software development. It is a new chapter in the craft. The developers who thrive will not be the ones who deny the shift. They will be the ones who lean into it, learn the tools, build better habits, and raise their own standards. This is the moment to become more than a coder. Become a developer who can direct AI, verify output, design systems, understand users, protect quality, and deliver value. That is a bigger job, a better job, and a more interesting job. For those willing to adapt, this may be the best time in history to be a software developer. [Image: A crisp, high-contrast editorial photograph showing a clean, structured workspace interface with checklist elements and code verification points, highlighting a practical framework for AI-assisted engineering.] ### Practical AI Checklist for Software Developers Use this checklist as a practical guide for daily AI assisted software development: - **Start with the problem**, not the prompt. Clarify the goal, constraints, users, acceptance criteria, edge cases, and existing code patterns before asking AI to generate anything. - **Ask for a plan** before asking for code. Use AI to inspect files, summarize current behavior, identify risks, and propose a small implementation path. - **Use AI as a** thinking partner. Ask it to explain code, compare options, find edge cases, identify risks, and challenge assumptions before implementation begins. - **Break work into small** steps. Avoid large unreviewable diffs. Ask for one focused change at a time and run tests frequently. - **Ask for tests early** in the workflow. Use AI to propose unit tests, integration tests, regression tests, edge cases, and failure cases before or alongside implementation. - **Treat AI generated code** as untrusted. Read it, test it, secure it, review it, and understand it before submitting it. - **Keep security in the** loop. Ask for abuse cases, authorization checks, input validation, secret handling, dependency risks, and OWASP relevant issues. - **Protect confidential information before** using AI tools. Do not paste secrets, private data, customer records, restricted logs, or confidential code into unapproved tools. - **Use AI to understand** legacy systems. Ask it to summarize modules, trace flows, identify dependencies, and generate characterization tests before refactoring. - **Use AI to prepare** for code review. Ask it to review your diff for correctness, maintainability, security, missing tests, and unnecessary complexity. - **Measure outcomes, not lines** of code. Track quality, cycle time, customer impact, maintainability, incident rates, and team learning. - **Own the final result** yourself. The professional standard is not “AI wrote it.” The standard is “I used AI to help, and I reviewed, tested, and accepted responsibility for the result.” ### Frequently Asked Questions #### Is AI going to replace software developers? AI will change software development, but it is unlikely to eliminate the need for strong developers. AI can automate some coding tasks, generate boilerplate, help with debugging, and accelerate documentation, but developers are still needed for judgment, architecture, security, testing, product understanding, communication, and ownership. The role will evolve, and expectations will rise. #### Can AI make software developers more productive? Yes, AI can make software developers more productive, but the gains depend on context. Studies and enterprise examples show meaningful productivity improvements in code generation, documentation, refactoring, modernization, and prototyping. However, AI can also slow developers down when the codebase is complex, the context is poor, or the output requires heavy correction. #### What are the biggest risks of AI generated code? The biggest risks of AI generated code include defects, security vulnerabilities, weak tests, hallucinated APIs, poor context, unnecessary complexity, hidden technical debt, and overtrust. Developers should treat AI generated code as untrusted until it has been reviewed, tested, secured, and understood. #### How should developers use AI in daily work? Developers should use AI to clarify requirements, understand code, propose implementation plans, generate tests, explore design alternatives, review diffs, improve documentation, and reduce repetitive work. The best workflow is to use AI in small reviewable steps, verify everything, and keep human ownership clear. #### Is now a good time to become a software developer? Yes, now can be an excellent time to become a software developer for people willing to learn AI assisted workflows, strengthen fundamentals, and combine coding ability with product thinking, communication, security awareness, and system design. AI raises the bar, but it also gives motivated developers more leverage than ever before. ### So Is This a Bad Time to Be a Software Developer? No. It is only a bad time to be a software developer if you refuse to adapt. If you see AI only as a foe, the future will look threatening. But if you see it as a tool, a collaborator, and a force multiplier, the future looks very different. This is a time to upskill, experiment, rethink old workflows, improve delivery, and raise the standard for what one person or one team can accomplish. AI will raise the bar. But for those willing to learn, it will also raise the ceiling. There has never been a more exciting time to build. That same practical approach shaped the [new online experience for Optima Optometry](https://tocatlian.blog/2026/06/15/optima-optometry-unveils-a-fresh-new-online-experience/), bringing mobile access, patient resources, eyewear discovery, and appointment paths into a clearer website. ### Source Notes 1. Microsoft Research and GitHub Copilot, “The Impact of AI on Developer Productivity: Evidence from GitHub Copilot“. The study found that developers using Copilot completed a coding task 55.8 percent faster than the control group. 2. McKinsey, “Unleashing Developer Productivity with Generative AI“. McKinsey found that developers could complete some software development tasks up to twice as fast with generative AI tools. 3. Stack Overflow, “Developer Survey 2025: AI“. The survey reported that 84 percent of respondents use or plan to use AI tools in development, and that 51 percent of professional developers use AI tools daily. 4. Anthropic, “When AI Builds Itself“. Anthropic says that more than 80 percent of code merged into Anthropic’s codebase was authored by Claude as of May 2026, and that the typical engineer was merging 8 times as much code per day in Q2 2026 as in 2024. 5. Anthropic, “Claude Fable 5 and Claude Mythos 5“. Anthropic reported that Stripe used Claude Fable 5 on a 50 million line Ruby codebase to perform a codebase wide migration in one day, work Anthropic said would otherwise have taken a whole team more than two months by hand. 6. Amazon Web Services, “Amazon Q Developer Just Reached a 260 Million Dollar Milestone“. AWS said Amazon used Amazon Q Developer to migrate tens of thousands of production applications from Java 8 or 11 to Java 17, saving more than 4,500 developer years of work and generating 260 million dollars in annual cost savings. 7. Google, “Google Cloud Next 2026: Sundar Pichai Remarks“. Google says 75 percent of all new code at Google is now AI generated and approved by engineers, up from 50 percent the previous fall. 8. Alphabet, “Alphabet Earnings Q3 2024 CEO Remarks“. Google previously said more than a quarter of all new code at Google was generated by AI, then reviewed and accepted by engineers. 9. Airbnb, “Airbnb Q1 2026 Financial Results“, and TechCrunch, “Airbnb Says AI Now Writes 60 Percent of Its New Code“. Airbnb said nearly 60 percent of the code its engineers produce is coauthored or written with AI. 10. TechCrunch, “Microsoft CEO Says Up to 30 Percent of the Company’s Code Was Written by AI“. Nadella said maybe 20 percent to 30 percent of code inside Microsoft repositories is written by software, meaning AI. 11. TechCrunch, “Spotify Says Its Best Developers Have Not Written a Line of Code Since December, Thanks to AI“, and Business Insider, “Spotify CEO Says Its Top Developers Have Not Written a Single Line of Code in 2026“. Spotify said some of its best developers were generating and supervising code rather than manually writing it. 12. 20VC, “Vlad Tenev“, Spotify, “Vlad Tenev 20VC Episode“, and Business Insider, “Robinhood CEO Says the Majority of the Company’s New Code Is Written by AI“. Robinhood said AI writes about 50 percent of net new code and that engineering team adoption is close to 100 percent. 13. Coinbase, “Tools for Developer Productivity at Coinbase“. Coinbase said it tracks the percentage of AI generated lines of code relative to human generated code and that AI generated code was on track to eclipse human generated code at Coinbase by the end of 2025. 14. Brian Armstrong, “AI Generated Code at Coinbase“. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said about 40 percent of daily code written at Coinbase was AI generated and that he wanted it above 50 percent by October, while emphasizing review. 15. Uber, “Q1 2026 Prepared Remarks“. Uber said more than 10 percent of production ready code was driven autonomously by AI coding agents. 16. GitHub, “Mercado Libre Frees Developers’ Minds to Focus on Their Mission with GitHub“. GitHub reports that Mercado Libre has more than 9,000 developers using Copilot, saw a roughly 50 percent reduction in time spent writing code, and merges about 100,000 pull requests per day. 17. OpenAI, “Mercado Libre Introduces Verdi, an AI Developer Platform Powered by GPT 4o“. OpenAI describes Mercado Libre’s internal AI developer platform, Verdi, and says it drove productivity and efficiency gains while saving millions. 18. Microsoft, “GitHub Copilot Accelerates Coding at Saxo Bank“. Microsoft describes Saxo Bank’s use of Microsoft 365 Copilot and GitHub Copilot to boost efficiency and support an AI first culture. 19. Microsoft, “AI Powered Success with More Than 1000 Stories of Customer Transformation and Innovation“. Microsoft says Saxo Bank accelerated coding by around 30 percent, and says Bancolombia used GitHub Copilot to increase code generation by 30 percent, producing an average of 18,000 automated application changes per year and 42 productive daily deployments. 20. GitHub, “Quantifying GitHub Copilot’s Impact in the Enterprise with Accenture“. GitHub reported that Accenture developers accepted around 30 percent of Copilot suggestions, 90 percent committed Copilot suggested code, and 91 percent merged pull requests containing Copilot suggested code. 21. ZoomInfo Engineering, “Experience with GitHub Copilot for Developer Productivity at ZoomInfo“, and arXiv, “Experience with GitHub Copilot for Developer Productivity at ZoomInfo“. This study describes ZoomInfo’s Copilot rollout across more than 400 developers, reporting a 33 percent suggestion acceptance rate, 20 percent line acceptance rate, and 72 percent developer satisfaction score. 22. arXiv, “Developer Productivity With and Without GitHub Copilot: A Longitudinal Mixed Methods Case Study“. This study examined NAV IT in Norway across 703 GitHub repositories and 26,317 unique non merge commits, finding that commit based activity did not show statistically significant improvement after Copilot adoption, despite perceived productivity gains. 23. arXiv, “Beyond the Commit: Developer Perspectives on Productivity with AI Coding Assistants“. This study surveyed 2,989 developers and conducted 11 interviews at BNY Mellon, arguing that AI coding productivity should be measured across multiple dimensions, not only commits or lines of code. 24. Microsoft, “Dev Diaries: GitHub Copilot at Ramp: Fueling a 10x Developer Mindset“. Microsoft says Ramp uses GitHub Copilot and Azure AI to automate repetitive coding tasks and improve productivity, with one engineer saying Copilot boosts his productivity by at least 30 percent. 25. Salesforce Ben, “AI Can’t Replace Software Engineers Yet, Marc Benioff Says“. Marc Benioff said Salesforce engineering was probably 30 percent more productive because of AI, while cautioning that AI was not yet at the level where it replaces software engineers. 26. Tobi Lütke, “Reflexive AI Usage Memo“, First Round, “From Memo to Movement: Shopify’s Cultural Adoption of AI“, and The Verge, “Shopify CEO Says No New Hires Without Proof AI Cannot Do the Job“. Shopify made AI usage a baseline expectation and tied it to internal operating practices. 27. TechCrunch, “A Quarter of Startups in YC’s Current Cohort Have Codebases That Are Almost Entirely AI Generated“. TechCrunch reported that a quarter of YC’s Winter 2025 batch had 95 percent of their codebases generated by AI, based on comments by YC managing partner Jared Friedman. 28. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Occupational Outlook Handbook: Software Developers, Quality Assurance Analysts, and Testers“. BLS projects 15 percent employment growth from 2024 to 2034. 29. DORA, “State of AI Assisted Software Development 2025“, and Google, “How Are Developers Using AI? Inside Our 2025 DORA Report“. DORA describes AI as an amplifier of organizational strengths and weaknesses. 30. METR, “Measuring the Impact of Early 2025 AI on Experienced Open Source Developer Productivity“. METR found that experienced developers working in familiar open source repositories took 19 percent longer when using early 2025 AI tools. 31. MIT NANDA, “The GenAI Divide: State of AI in Business 2025“. The report found that despite 30 to 40 billion dollars in enterprise generative AI investment, 95 percent of organizations in the dataset were getting zero measurable return. 32. RAND, “The Root Causes of Failure for Artificial Intelligence Projects and How They Can Succeed“. RAND identified recurring causes of AI project failure, including unclear business problems, poor data readiness, technology first thinking, inadequate infrastructure, and applying AI to problems beyond the technology’s capability. 33. Veracode, “We Asked 100 Plus AI Models to Write Code. Here’s How Many Failed Security Tests“. Veracode reported that 45 percent of AI generated code samples failed security tests and introduced OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities. 34. arXiv, “Human Written vs. AI Generated Code: A Large Scale Study of Defects, Vulnerabilities, and Complexity“. The paper examines defect, vulnerability, and complexity differences between human written and AI generated code. 35. arXiv, “Security Vulnerabilities in AI Generated Code: A Large Scale Analysis of Public GitHub Repositories“. The paper examined 7,703 files explicitly attributed to AI tools and identified 4,241 Common Weakness Enumeration instances across 77 vulnerability types. 36. arXiv, “Security Degradation in Iterative AI Code Generation: A Systematic Analysis of the Paradox“. The paper found a 37.6 percent increase in critical vulnerabilities after five rounds of iterative AI code refinement in its controlled experiment. 37. Cyber Magazine, “Explained: The Source Code Leak that Hit AI Giant Anthropic“. The article reported that a Claude Code npm package release unintentionally included a source map file that allowed reconstruction of substantial portions of the private TypeScript code, which Anthropic reportedly described as a packaging issue caused by human error. 38. GitHub, “Best Practices for Using GitHub Copilot“. GitHub recommends understanding Copilot’s strengths and weaknesses, choosing the right tool for the job, creating thoughtful prompts, checking Copilot’s work, and guiding it toward helpful outputs. 39. GitHub, “Prompt Engineering for GitHub Copilot Chat“. GitHub recommends giving clear context and following good coding practices, including consistent style, descriptive names, modular code, comments, and unit tests. 40. OpenAI, “Prompt Engineering“. OpenAI describes prompt engineering as the process of writing effective instructions so a model more consistently generates content that meets requirements. 41. Visual Studio Code, “Best Practices for Using AI in VS Code“. Microsoft provides practical guidance for using AI coding workflows in VS Code, including concepts such as context, the agent loop, tools, and project configuration. 42. OWASP, “Top 10 for Large Language Model Applications“, and OWASP, “GenAI Security Project“. OWASP provides security guidance for LLM based applications and generative AI systems, including risks such as prompt injection, insecure output handling, sensitive information disclosure, supply chain vulnerabilities, and excessive agency. 43. NIST, “AI Risk Management Framework“. NIST developed the AI Risk Management Framework to help organizations manage AI related risks and improve trustworthy AI practices. > [Who Controls Fashion’s AI Future?](https://tocatlian.blog/2026/06/05/who-controls-fashions-ai-future/) [Embedded media](https://tocatlian.blog/2026/06/05/who-controls-fashions-ai-future/embed/#?secret=JyBB933SrA#?secret=RgOTc8vOf0) © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Optima Optometry Unveils a Fresh New Online Experience - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2026/06/15/optima-optometry-unveils-a-fresh-new-online-experience/ - Published: 2026-06-15 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Technology - Summary: Big news for Optima Optometry. The new website is live with a fresh mobile friendly experience for Santa Clara patients. Created by Kisau Photography, it combines design, development, original photography, content, and stronger search visibility from first click to visit. [Image: Promotional graphic for Optima Optometry’s redesigned website, showing desktop and mobile layouts with patient-focused service highlights.] Big news for Optima Optometry! The new Optima Optometry website is officially live, bringing a fresh, modern, and easier online experience to patients in Santa Clara. The redesigned site makes it simple to explore eye care services, designer eyewear, contact lenses, patient forms, vision resources, insurance information, office details, and appointment options, all in one clean, mobile friendly experience. The website design, development, and original photography were created by Kisau Photography as part of its Brand & Identity offering. The project brings together thoughtful visual storytelling, custom imagery, modern web design, and search conscious content structure to create an online presence that feels polished, personal, and true to the warmth of the practice. Clean navigation. Custom photography. Stronger search visibility. A better experience from the first click to the first visit. Congratulations to Optima Optometry on this exciting new chapter! Visit www.optimaoptometry.com to explore the new site. Visit www.kisau.com to read the full article. Need help giving your business a stronger brand identity, a modern website, or custom photography that feels authentic to who you are? Reach out to Kisau Photography. I would love to help bring your brand to life. READ ARTICLE > Optima Optometry Launches Modern Website to Better Serve Patients in Santa Clara [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Who Controls Fashion’s AI Future? - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2026/06/05/who-controls-fashions-ai-future/ - Published: 2026-06-05 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Technology - Summary: Paul Tocatlian discusses the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on the fashion industry, addressing opportunities and risks while questioning authorship, consent, and the loss of entry-level chances for creatives. It offers a balanced perspective on technology’s implications. [Image: Fashion designer at a digital sketchpad beside a dress form and blue AI profile, with text reading “Artificial intelligence is changing fashion.”] Artificial intelligence is already changing how fashion is designed, photographed, styled, marketed, and modeled. The question is no longer whether the industry will adopt it, but how it will affect the people whose creativity, labor, and identities give fashion its meaning. In **“Artificial Intelligence Is Changing Fashion. Who Controls What Comes Next?”**, fashion editorial photographer Paul Tocatlian examines the opportunities and risks emerging across the industry. The article explores everything from AI generated imagery and digital model replicas to authorship, consent, intellectual property, transparency, and the possible loss of entry level opportunities that traditionally help new creatives develop their craft. What makes the article especially compelling is its balanced perspective. It does not treat AI as something fashion should simply fear or embrace. Instead, it asks who benefits, what could be lost, and how photographers, designers, stylists, models, makeup artists, and hair stylists can retain control over their work as technology advances. This is a thoughtful and timely read for anyone working in fashion, photography, creative production, or brand storytelling. READ ARTICLE > Artificial Intelligence Is Changing Fashion. Who Controls What Comes Next? [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## PHOTOHOUSE Cover Story: Stephanie Joy in Vienna with Butones Jewelry - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/09/20/photohouse-cover-story-stephanie-joy-in-vienna-with-butones-jewelry/ - Published: 2025-09-20 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: PHOTOHOUSE Magazine’s September 2025 issue features Stephanie Joy with Butones Jewelry in Vienna. Shot at Hofburg Palace and Schmetterlinghaus, the editorial blends architecture, fashion, and jewelry into a story of elegance and authenticity, with one image selected for the cover. [Image: Stephanie Joy smiling beside a stone building beneath the PHOTOHOUSE Magazine masthead.] PHOTOHOUSE Magazine’s September 2025 issue features Stephanie Joy with Butones Jewelry in Vienna. Shot at Hofburg Palace and Schmetterlinghaus, the editorial blends architecture, fashion, and jewelry into a story of elegance and authenticity, with one image selected for the cover. READ ARTICLE > PHOTOHOUSE Magazine Showcases Stephanie Joy and Butones Jewelry in Vienna [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## NYFW Runway: Bach Mai Spring Summer 2026 Collection - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/09/20/nyfw-runway-bach-mai-spring-summer-2026-collection/ - Published: 2025-09-20 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Bach Mai’s SS26 show at NYFW unfolded as a study in contrasts, blending precision with ease, color with restraint, and past with present. From backstage intimacy to runway brilliance, the collection redefined American glamour with boldness, freedom, and possibility. [Image: Bach Mai Spring/Summer 2026 runway composite with two models and CFDA NYFW lettering.] Bach Mai’s SS26 show at NYFW unfolded as a study in contrasts, blending precision with ease, color with restraint, and past with present. From backstage intimacy to runway brilliance, the collection redefined American glamour with boldness, freedom, and possibility. READ ARTICLE > Bach Mai NYFW SS26: Unraveling the Mythology of American Glamour [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Paris Photoshoot: Laura Giraudi by the Seine in Braxton - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/09/20/paris-photoshoot-laura-giraudi-by-the-seine-in-braxton/ - Published: 2025-09-20 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Laura Giraudi brought strength and elegance to Paris in a Braxton gown with Butones Jewelry. Along the Seine and stone staircases, every scene became a powerful declaration of style and presence. [Image: Laura Giraudi in a long black dress by the Seine, with boats, a bridge, and the Eiffel Tower in the background.] Laura Giraudi brought strength and elegance to Paris in a Braxton gown with Butones Jewelry. Along the Seine and stone staircases, every scene became a powerful declaration of style and presence. READ ARTICLE > Paris Photoshoot Along the Seine: Laura Giraudi in Braxton and Butones Jewelry [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Paris Photoshoot: Laura Giraudi in Smaranika Sarangi Design - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/09/20/paris-photoshoot-laura-giraudi-in-smaranika-sarangi-design/ - Published: 2025-09-20 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: At the Palais Galliera in Paris, Laura Giraudi brought to life a vibrant dress by Smaranika Nikki Sarangi and a necklace by Butones Jewelry. Together, fashion, jewelry, and setting told a story of confidence, elegance, and timeless expression. [Image: Laura Giraudi posing in a colorful patterned dress among pale stone columns in Paris.] At the Palais Galliera in Paris, Laura Giraudi brought to life a vibrant dress by Smaranika Nikki Sarangi and a necklace by Butones Jewelry. Together, fashion, jewelry, and setting told a story of confidence, elegance, and timeless expression. READ ARTICLE > Paris Photoshoot at Palais Galliera: Laura Giraudi in Smaranika Sarangi and Butones Jewelry [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Elasha Chhantyal in Bach Mai for OFF TOWN Magazine - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/09/20/elasha-chhantyal-in-bach-mai-for-off-town-magazine/ - Published: 2025-09-20 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Featured in OFF TOWN Magazine, this editorial captures Elasha Chhantyal in a Bach Mai dress against Melbourne’s architecture. The series blends couture with city grit, celebrating collaboration, storytelling, and the artistry of fashion through timeless images across global backdrops. [Image: Elasha Chhantyal posing against angular gray architecture beneath the OFF TOWN Magazine masthead.] Featured in OFF TOWN Magazine, this editorial captures Elasha Chhantyal in a Bach Mai dress against Melbourne’s architecture. The series blends couture with city grit, celebrating collaboration, storytelling, and the artistry of fashion through timeless images across global backdrops. READ ARTICLE > Elasha Chhantyal in Bach Mai on the Cover of OFF TOWN Magazine [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Mary Jayne’s Chico Photoshoot in Scott Braxton and Butones Jewelry - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/09/20/mary-jaynes-chico-photoshoot-in-scott-braxton-and-butones-jewelry/ - Published: 2025-09-20 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: The final photoshoot setting in Chico featured Mary Jayne in a silver gown by Scott Braxton and pearls with a Prada tag by Butones Jewelry. Inside an abandoned building, she brought elegance and presence, turning forgotten walls into a stage for beauty and story. [Image: Mary Jayne posing in a graffiti-covered window opening in a metallic black outfit.] The final photoshoot setting in Chico featured Mary Jayne in a silver gown by Scott Braxton and pearls with a Prada tag by Butones Jewelry. Inside an abandoned building, she brought elegance and presence, turning forgotten walls into a stage for beauty and story. READ ARTICLE > Mary Jayne Brings Glamour to Graffiti and Grit [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Joy’s Vienna Photoshoot with Butones Jewelry - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/09/20/joys-vienna-photoshoot-with-butones-jewelry/ - Published: 2025-09-20 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Joy brings elegance and warmth to Vienna in this photoshoot. With Butones Jewelry accenting each look, she transforms the city into a stage. Every frame reflects authenticity, balance, and the quiet beauty of fashion meeting place. [Image: Joy smiling in a white top with an ornate Vienna building softly blurred behind her.] Joy brings elegance and warmth to Vienna in this photoshoot. With Butones Jewelry accenting each look, she transforms the city into a stage. Every frame reflects authenticity, balance, and the quiet beauty of fashion meeting place. READ ARTICLE > Joy in Vienna: A Story of Style and Elegance [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## VANGUARD Cover Story: White Reverie with Sophia Sean - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/09/20/vanguard-cover-story-white-reverie-with-sophia-sean/ - Published: 2025-09-20 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: A cover story in VANGUARD Magazine, White Reverie captures Sophia Sean at Pulgas Water Temple. Graceful columns, reflective water, and timeless fashion meet spontaneity and authenticity, creating images that celebrate strength, elegance, and the beauty of collaboration in photography. [Image: Sophia Sean in a white outfit between classical stone columns beneath the VANGUARD Magazine masthead.] A cover story in VANGUARD Magazine, White Reverie captures Sophia Sean at Pulgas Water Temple. Graceful columns, reflective water, and timeless fashion meet spontaneity and authenticity, creating images that celebrate strength, elegance, and the beauty of collaboration in photography. > White Reverie: A Vanguard Magazine Cover Story [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Amen Models Fashion and Heritage at the Legion of Honor - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/09/20/amen-models-fashion-and-heritage-at-the-legion-of-honor/ - Published: 2025-09-20 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Model Amen brings fashion and heritage together in this personal photoshoot at the Legion of Honor and Mile Rock Beach. Featuring Ethiopian gold jewelry and Butones necklaces, the images explore elegance, strength, and serenity across green, black, and white looks. [Image: Close portrait of a model in green with sculptural ruffled fabric, gold jewelry, and voluminous curly hair.] Model Amen brings fashion and heritage together in this personal photoshoot at the Legion of Honor and Mile Rock Beach. Featuring Ethiopian gold jewelry and Butones necklaces, the images explore elegance, strength, and serenity across green, black, and white looks. READ ARTICLE > Fashion Editorial with Amen at San Francisco’s Legion of Honor and Mile Rock Beach [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Paris Fashion Shoot: Lily Chen in Red - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/09/20/paris-fashion-shoot-lily-chen-in-red/ - Published: 2025-09-20 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: This photoshoot in Paris with Lily Chen was pure magic. From her own red dress at Trocadéro to Bach Mai and Scott Braxton, with Butones Jewelry sparkling, every look shifted the vibe, and Paris happily played along. [Image: Lily Chen reclining in a red dress on stone steps before dark carved doors in Paris.] This photoshoot in Paris with Lily Chen was pure magic. From her own red dress at Trocadéro to Bach Mai and Scott Braxton, with Butones Jewelry sparkling, every look shifted the vibe, and Paris happily played along. READ ARTICLE > Paris Photoshoot with Lily Chen: A Fashion Story Unfolds [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Prelude: Newly Published Zine of Fashion and Editorial Stories - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/09/20/prelude-newly-published-zine-of-fashion-and-editorial-stories/ - Published: 2025-09-20 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: Prelude is a newly published zine. A first look at Sixteen Tales from Around the World. Guided by emotion rather than place, its photographs move through stillness, curiosity, boldness, and joy, offering glimpses of creative voices still unfolding. [Image: Prelude cover centered within a collage of fashion editorial photographs from Sixteen Tales From Around the World.] Prelude is a newly published zine. A first look at Sixteen Tales from Around the World. Guided by emotion rather than place, its photographs move through stillness, curiosity, boldness, and joy, offering glimpses of creative voices still unfolding. READ ARTICLE > Prelude: A First Look at Sixteen Tales from Around the World [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Soirée Mystique Prelude with Monique Zhang and Akarshan Designs - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/09/20/soiree-mystique-prelude-with-monique-zhang-and-akarshan-designs/ - Published: 2025-09-20 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Monique Zhang set the stage for Akarshan Designs in a coastal shoot previewing Soirée Mystique. Tradition, movement, and purpose came together where the Pacific meets the Bay. [Image: Two models in ornate red and coral Akarshan designs standing beside a rocky seacoast.] Monique Zhang set the stage for Akarshan Designs in a coastal shoot previewing Soirée Mystique. Tradition, movement, and purpose came together where the Pacific meets the Bay. READ ARTICLE > Monique Zhang Sets the Stage for Akarshan Designs: A Prelude Photoshoot to Soirée Mystique [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Summer Breeze 2025: Fashion, Music, and Celebration - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/09/20/summer-breeze-2025-fashion-music-and-celebration/ - Published: 2025-09-20 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Fashion, music, and heart took center stage at Summer Breeze 2025. From runway stories to surprise celebrations, every moment pulsed with purpose, creativity, and joy. It was a night to remember. Thank you MusiQ Production! [Image: Summer Breeze 2025 performers singing and dancing onstage amid a colorful crowd.] Fashion, music, and heart took center stage at Summer Breeze 2025. From runway stories to surprise celebrations, every moment pulsed with purpose, creativity, and joy. It was a night to remember. Thank you MusiQ Production! READ ARTICLE > Summer Breeze 2025: When Fashion and Music Walked for a Cause [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Hiro Brings Energy and Style to OFF TOWN Magazine Cover - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/09/20/hiro-brings-energy-and-style-to-off-town-magazine-cover/ - Published: 2025-09-20 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Hiro made the cover of OFF TOWN Magazine! We photographed in San Francisco with no script, just instinct and good light. The energy was easy, the city delivered, and everything came together in the best way. [Image: Hiro posing beneath the OFF TOWN Magazine masthead with city buildings behind him.] Hiro made the cover of OFF TOWN Magazine! We photographed in San Francisco with no script, just instinct and good light. The energy was easy, the city delivered, and everything came together in the best way. READ ARTICLE > OFF TOWN Cover Story: Hiro in the Streets of San Francisco [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Inside Ashley Abbott’s Story of Strength and Artistry - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/09/20/inside-ashley-abbotts-story-of-strength-and-artistry/ - Published: 2025-09-20 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Through photoshoots, live shows, and an intimate interview, Ashley Abbott reveals a creative force shaped by resilience and grace. Each frame, lyric, and shared moment captures the depth behind her evolving story and magnetic presence. [Image: Collage of Ashley Abbott in fashion portraits, nightlife scenes, and live performances.] Through photoshoots, live shows, and an intimate interview, Ashley Abbott reveals a creative force shaped by resilience and grace. Each frame, lyric, and shared moment captures the depth behind her evolving story and magnetic presence. READ ARTICLE > Ashley Abbott: Where Elegance Meets Edge [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Hannah Do Graces The Cover of VIGOUR Magazine - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/07/25/hannah-do-graces-the-cover-of-vigour-magazine/ - Published: 2025-07-25 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Our editorial Melbourne Hideaway featuring Hannah Do is now on the covers of VIGOUR Magazine. Just in time for her birthday! A story of love, style, and space captured in one of Melbourne’s most inspiring corners. Don’t miss the interview. [Image: Hannah Do in black clothing and sunglasses beneath the VIGOUR Magazine masthead.] Our editorial Melbourne Hideaway featuring Hannah Do is now on the covers of VIGOUR Magazine. Just in time for her birthday! A story of love, style, and space captured in one of Melbourne’s most inspiring corners. Don’t miss the interview. READ ARTICLE > VIGOUR Magazine Presents: ‘Melbourne Hideaway’ Featuring Hannah Do [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## The Next Bay Area Runway V: Don’t Miss The Recap! - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/07/23/the-next-bay-area-runway-v-dont-miss-the-recap/ - Published: 2025-07-23 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: The Next Bay Area Runway V featured stunning collections by Revenge Fantasy, Ultease, Marianna, Pkok Planet, and Chozn Ones. Through bold design, movement, and storytelling, the night celebrated fashion, identity, and community. A true highlight for the Bay Area. Don’t miss the recap… [Image: Three people celebrating onstage at The Next Bay Area Runway V, including two fashion models and a presenter.] The Next Bay Area Runway V featured stunning collections by Revenge Fantasy, Ultease, Marianna, Pkok Planet, and Chozn Ones. Through bold design, movement, and storytelling, the night celebrated fashion, identity, and community. A true highlight for the Bay Area. Don’t miss the recap… READ ARTICLE > The Next Bay Area Runway V: Call of the Sea [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## On the Cover: Smaranika Nikki Sarangi - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/07/17/drape-dead-elegance-on-the-cover-of-vanguard-magazine/ - Published: 2025-07-17 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Featured on the cover of VANGUARD Magazine, Drape Dead Elegance captures designer Smaranika Nikki Sarangi’s fusion of science, heritage, and slow fashion. Set in Bali, the editorial celebrates handcrafted ikat, storytelling through fabric, and the beauty of purposeful design. [Image: Smaranika Nikki Sarangi in a colorful draped design beneath the VANGUARD Magazine masthead.] Featured on the cover of VANGUARD Magazine, Drape Dead Elegance captures designer Smaranika Nikki Sarangi’s fusion of science, heritage, and slow fashion. Set in Bali, the editorial celebrates handcrafted ikat, storytelling through fabric, and the beauty of purposeful design. READ ARTICLE > Smaranika Nikki Sarangi Featured on the Cover of VANGUARD Magazine [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Summer Breeze 2025 Fitting and Rehearsal In Focus - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/07/17/summer-breeze-2025-fitting-and-rehearsal-opus-social-club/ - Published: 2025-07-17 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: The fitting and rehearsal brought everything into focus. With Summer Breeze 2025 just ahead, it’s clear this show is about more than fashion. It’s about creativity, community, and coming together for a cause. [Image: Summer Breeze 2025 models and collaborators gathered onstage during a fitting and rehearsal at Opus Social Club.] The fitting and rehearsal brought everything into focus. With Summer Breeze 2025 just ahead, it’s clear this show is about more than fashion. It’s about creativity, community, and coming together for a cause. READ ARTICLE > Summer Breeze 2025 Fitting and Rehearsal at Opal Social Club [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Leather and Lamborghinis. West Coast Leather and Taormina Motorsports. - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/07/17/west-coast-leather-and-taormina-motorsports/ - Published: 2025-07-17 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Leather and Lamborghinis. Cocktails and carbon fiber. Models strutting past V12 engines. At Cars, Cocktails and Couture, West Coast Leather and Taormina Motorsports turned a garage into a runway and made Redwood City feel like Milan with a turbocharger. [Image: West Coast Leather models and event participants posing together at the Taormina Motorsports gathering in Redwood City.] Leather and Lamborghinis. Cocktails and carbon fiber. Models strutting past V12 engines. At Cars, Cocktails and Couture, West Coast Leather and Taormina Motorsports turned a garage into a runway and made Redwood City feel like Milan with a turbocharger. READ ARTICLE > Cars, Cocktails & Couture: Where Taormina Motorsports Meets West Coast Leather [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## A Coastal Portrait of Sophia Sean - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/07/11/a-coastal-portrait-of-sophia-sean/ - Published: 2025-07-11 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Wrapped in tulle and tension, Sophia Sean meets the wild coast with quiet strength. From sunlit dunes to shadowed cliffs, this editorial captures a poetic dialogue between fashion and landscape, where movement, emotion, and presence unfold with every gust of wind. [Image: Sophia Sean in a flowing pale tan gown posing among sandstone rocks on the coast.] Wrapped in tulle and tension, Sophia Sean meets the wild coast with quiet strength. From sunlit dunes to shadowed cliffs, this editorial captures a poetic dialogue between fashion and landscape, where movement, emotion, and presence unfold with every gust of wind. READ ARTICLE > Photoshoot Collaboration [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Minhee is featured on the cover of MALVIE Magazine - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/07/10/minhee-is-featured-on-the-cover-of-malvie-magazine/ - Published: 2025-07-10 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Minhee graces the cover of MALVIE Magazine’s “Generation Next” feature, photographed at Seoul’s iconic DDP. Blending sculptural lines with soft light, each image and her personal interview reveal the quiet power, grace, and spontaneity of a rising star in motion. [Image: Minhee in a denim jacket beneath the MALVIE Magazine masthead and the cover lines “Mermaid Dreams” and “Quiet Confidence.”] Minhee graces the cover of MALVIE Magazine’s “Generation Next” feature, photographed at Seoul’s iconic DDP. Blending sculptural lines with soft light, each image and her personal interview reveal the quiet power, grace, and spontaneity of a rising star in motion. READ ARTICLE > MALVIE Magazine x Minhee: The Face of Generation Next [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## VANGUARD Magazine Cover Story: Sarah Lauder on the USS Hornet - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/07/06/vanguard-magazine-cover-story-sarah-lauder-on-the-uss-hornet/ - Published: 2025-07-06 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Sarah Lauder brings elegance and edge aboard the USS Hornet. From shadowy corridors to sunlit decks, each frame captures the tension between grit and grace. Steel and style collide as fashion breathes new life into a historic aircraft carrier. [Image: Sarah Lauder wearing red lipstick beneath the VANGUARD Magazine masthead, with the USS Hornet setting behind her.] Sarah Lauder brings elegance and edge aboard the USS Hornet. From shadowy corridors to sunlit decks, each frame captures the tension between grit and grace. Steel and style collide as fashion breathes new life into a historic aircraft carrier. READ ARTICLE > Magazine Roundup [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Photoshoot with Déborah at Le Pont de Bir Hakeim - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/07/06/photoshoot-with-deborah-at-le-pont-de-bir-hakeim/ - Published: 2025-07-06 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Déborah’s Paris photoshoot at Le Pont de Bir-Hakeim follows a quiet stroll through one of the city’s most cinematic bridges. Framed by ironwork, light, and movement, the session pairs Parisian architecture with a graceful portrait story rooted in place and presence. [Image: Déborah leaning over a pale green railing at Le Pont de Bir Hakeim with trees softly blurred behind her.] Déborah’s Paris photoshoot at Le Pont de Bir-Hakeim follows a quiet stroll through one of the city’s most cinematic bridges. Framed by ironwork, light, and movement, the session pairs Parisian architecture with a graceful portrait story rooted in place and presence. READ ARTICLE > A Paris Stroll with Déborah by Le Pont de Bir Hakeim [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## The Shot That Changed Everything - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/06/27/the-shot-that-changed-everything/ - Published: 2025-06-27 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: It all began with a scooter, a smile, and an unexpected invitation on the streets of Saigon. That simple moment set off a journey that would span continents and completely shift the way I saw photography. That day, I discovered something that felt like home. A way of creating that was honest, collaborative, and deeply meaningful. [Image: Three-panel collage of women in floral outfits posing beside scooters and outdoors in Saigon.] It all began with a scooter, a smile, and an unexpected invitation on the streets of Saigon. That simple moment set off a journey that would span continents and completely shift the way I saw photography. That day, I discovered something that felt like home. A way of creating that was honest, collaborative, and deeply meaningful. READ ARTICLE > Fashion and Editorial Photography: Sixteen Tales from Around the World [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Barbara Dial Schubert Featured On The Cover Of OFFTOWN Magazine - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/06/09/barbara-dial-schubert-featured-on-the-cover-of-offtown-magazine/ - Published: 2025-06-09 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Barbara Dial Schubert redefines confidence on the cover of OFF TOWN Magazine’s January issue, wearing “NO” as a bold statement of empowerment. This editorial celebrates boundaries, self-worth, and storytelling through fashion with unapologetic style and purpose. [Image: Barbara Dial Schubert wearing sunglasses beneath the OFF TOWN Magazine masthead.] Barbara Dial Schubert redefines confidence on the cover of OFF TOWN Magazine’s January issue, wearing “NO” as a bold statement of empowerment. This editorial celebrates boundaries, self-worth, and storytelling through fashion with unapologetic style and purpose. READ ARTICLE > Magazine Roundup [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## How Iconic Cameras Shaped the Way We See - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/06/06/how-iconic-cameras-shaped-the-way-we-see/ - Published: 2025-06-06 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: From Kodak’s roll film to Sony’s mirrorless revolution, these camera brands did more than document history. Each innovation transformed how we see the world and empowered generations of photographers to capture life with clarity, purpose, and imagination. [Image: Grid of iconic cameras from Leica, Nikon, Polaroid, Rolleiflex, Sony, and other photography brands.] From Kodak’s roll film to Sony’s mirrorless revolution, these camera brands did more than document history. Each innovation transformed how we see the world and empowered generations of photographers to capture life with clarity, purpose, and imagination. READ ARTICLE > 10 Iconic Fashion Photographs That Made Fashion History [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Jasmine Chen Living In Style - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/06/05/jasmine-chen-living-in-style/ - Published: 2025-06-05 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: A fashion-forward lifestyle shoot with Jasmine Chen in a beautifully calm San Francisco space. We explored three distinct looks through light, texture, and quiet luxury. Each moment felt honest and expressive, a reflection of style shaped by presence and intention. [Image: Jasmine Chen reclining on a sofa in a white top and black shorts inside a modern room.] A fashion-forward lifestyle shoot with Jasmine Chen in a beautifully calm San Francisco space. We explored three distinct looks through light, texture, and quiet luxury. Each moment felt honest and expressive, a reflection of style shaped by presence and intention. READ ARTICLE > Photoshoot Collaboration [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## New Photo Book in the Making: Fashion and Editorial Photography - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/06/05/new-photo-book-in-the-making-fashion-and-editorial-photography/ - Published: 2025-06-05 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: Something has been pulling at me. A quiet thread of inspiration. Not a finished idea, but the start of something new. A series of fashion and editorial tales taking shape across Paris, Bali, and San Francisco. Sixteen stories. One unfolding journey. [Image: Silhouetted figure at a crossroads beneath text reading “Embarking on a new project at the crossroads of fashion and storytelling.”] Something has been pulling at me. A quiet thread of inspiration. Not a finished idea, but the start of something new. A series of fashion and editorial tales taking shape across Paris, Bali, and San Francisco. Sixteen stories. One unfolding journey. READ ARTICLE > Fashion and Editorial Photography: Sixteen Tales from Around the World [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## The Melbourne Portraits Project Podcast - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/06/05/the-melbourne-portraits-project-podcast/ - Published: 2025-06-05 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: Step into an intimate audio conversation exploring the heart of The Melbourne Portraits Project. Hear how over 100 portraits came to life in a city locked down, told through two voices, one story, and the power of connection. [Image: The Melbourne Portraits Project book cover beside a microphone icon and the words “Welcome to the Deep Dive Podcast.”] Step into an intimate audio conversation exploring the heart of The Melbourne Portraits Project. Hear how over 100 portraits came to life in a city locked down, told through two voices, one story, and the power of connection. LISTEN TO PODCAST > Deep Dive: The Melbourne Portraits Project Audio Podcast [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Paul Tocatlian Interview on West Coast Leather - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/05/20/paul-tocatlian-interview-on-west-coast-leather/ - Published: 2025-05-20 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Our Spring Summer 2025 shoot with Darlene is now featured on the West Coast Leather website, including the homepage, product page, and an in-depth blog interview. Explore the story behind the looks, the locations, and the creative collaboration. [Image: West Coast Leather web page showing a model in an orange-and-blue jacket seated on colorful steps.] Our Spring Summer 2025 shoot with Darlene is now featured on the West Coast Leather website, including the homepage, product page, and an in-depth blog interview. Explore the story behind the looks, the locations, and the creative collaboration. READ ARTICLE > Darlene Brings Bold Energy to the Skip Pas Love Collection for West Coast Leather [Embedded media available on the canonical page] > Darlene Hits Full Throttle in the Sport Racer Series by West Coast Leather [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## The Melbourne Portraits Project is now available as a 3D virtual gallery - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/05/19/the-melbourne-portraits-project-is-now-available-as-a-3d-virtual-gallery/ - Published: 2025-05-19 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: Step into a 3D virtual gallery of The Melbourne Portraits Project and explore every portrait from the book. Walk through the collection, connect with each story, and experience the project in a whole new way. Now available on desktop and laptop only. [Image: Screenshot of The Melbourne Portraits Project virtual gallery with white walls, framed portraits, and the exhibition introduction.] Step into a 3D virtual gallery of The Melbourne Portraits Project and explore every portrait from the book. Walk through the collection, connect with each story, and experience the project in a whole new way. Now available on desktop and laptop only. TAKE A TOUR > The Melbourne Portraits Project [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Monique Zhang’s AZIMUTH Collection at the Legion of Honor and Pulgas Water Temple - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/05/16/monique-zhangs-azimuth-collection-at-the-legion-of-honor-and-pulgas-water-temple/ - Published: 2025-05-16 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Monique Zhang’s AZIMUTH collection, modeled by Kellie Mozelle and Sara Moon, was captured at the Legion of Honor and Pulgas Water Temple ahead of its debut at the All-Star Cruise Gala. The series celebrates oceanic couture, storytelling, and creative collaboration. [Image: Two models in sculptural turquoise AZIMUTH designs and sunburst headpieces in a formal garden.] Monique Zhang’s AZIMUTH collection, modeled by Kellie Mozelle and Sara Moon, was captured at the Legion of Honor and Pulgas Water Temple ahead of its debut at the All-Star Cruise Gala. The series celebrates oceanic couture, storytelling, and creative collaboration. READ ARTICLE > Fashion & Editorial Photography [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Stillness in Motion: Darlene for West Coast Leather - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/05/07/stillness-in-motion-darlene-for-west-coast-leather/ - Published: 2025-05-07 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Darlene brings bold energy to the Black and White Love Biker Jacket by Skip Pas for West Coast Leather. Captured at San Francisco’s Moscone Center, this shoot explores confidence, movement, and the artistry behind fashion storytelling. [Image: Darlene in a black leather jacket and two-tone trousers posing on the ground with one white-heeled leg raised.] Darlene brings bold energy to the Black and White Love Biker Jacket by Skip Pas for West Coast Leather. Captured at San Francisco’s Moscone Center, this shoot explores confidence, movement, and the artistry behind fashion storytelling. READ ARTICLE > Darlene Hits Full Throttle in the Sport Racer Series by West Coast Leather [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Street Style Ignited: Darlene for West Coast Leather - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/05/06/street-style-ignited-darlene-for-west-coast-leather/ - Published: 2025-05-06 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Darlene takes the lead in a West Coast Leather Sport Racer Series jacket by American fashion designer Skip Pas, bringing bold color and attitude to the streets of San Francisco. From spinning by the carousel to striking on rainbow steps, this shoot is all about power, play, and style. [Image: Darlene in an orange-and-blue leather jacket seated on brightly painted steps.] Darlene takes the lead in a West Coast Leather Sport Racer Series jacket by American fashion designer Skip Pas, bringing bold color and attitude to the streets of San Francisco. From spinning by the carousel to striking on rainbow steps, this shoot is all about power, play, and style. READ ARTICLE > Darlene Brings Bold Energy to the Skip Pas Love Collection for West Coast Leather [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## The Future of Work: How AI Is Redefining the Workplace in 2025 - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/05/05/the-future-of-work-how-ai-is-redefining-the-workplace-in-2025/ - Published: 2025-05-05 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Technology - Summary: Artificial intelligence is reshaping the way we work. From boosting productivity to transforming creativity, AI is becoming a trusted collaborator across industries, helping professionals work smarter, faster, and with more impact than ever before. [Image: Illustration of people working with laptops amid charts, lightbulbs, and an AI profile graphic.] ### Rewriting the Rhythm of Work The tools we use shape how we work. From typewriters to tablets, and from filing cabinets to cloud servers, every innovation has shifted the rhythm of the workplace. But few have been as transformative or as fast-moving as artificial intelligence. In 2025, we are not just using AI. We are working with it. And that shift is changing everything from productivity and decision-making to creativity and collaboration. ### A Timeline of Transformation Over the years, the workplace has evolved in clear stages. Early on, manual tasks defined most jobs: writing reports by hand, crunching numbers on paper, sending memos by courier. Then came machines like typewriters and calculators. The arrival of computers introduced digital workflows, centralizing data and speeding up repetitive processes. The internet brought real-time communication and remote collaboration. With each wave of innovation, we did not just work faster, we worked differently. ### Enter AI: From Tool to Teammate Today, artificial intelligence is seen by many as the next major leap. Generative AI, natural language processing, machine learning, and large language models are becoming everyday companions in how we write, plan, analyze, and build. According to a 2025 report by ActivTrak, over 58% of employees now use AI tools in some capacity. Generative platforms like ChatGPT are used by more than a quarter of professionals. On average, AI tools help save 2.2 hours a week per worker, with one in three daily users reporting even greater time savings. That is not trivial—that is a shift in how we approach time and attention. In my own creative practice as a fashion and editorial photographer, I have felt this shift firsthand. AI helps me brainstorm shoot concepts, draft client communications, and retouch hundreds of images in less time. But this is not just about speeding up routine work. It is about reclaiming time for the creative and strategic decisions that truly require human insight. ### Real-World Impact Across Industries Across industries, this trend is clear. JPMorgan Chase, for example, has leveraged AI to improve fraud detection and credit assessments, resulting in nearly $1.5 billion in savings and a 20% increase in asset and wealth management sales. Salesforce uses AI in internal career development, filling half of its roles internally through personalized guidance from its Career Connect platform. These are operational shifts, showing how AI is being woven into core business functions. ### Coding with AI: A New Language of Work One of the most striking changes is happening in software development. At Microsoft, AI now generates between 20% and 30% of the code in its repositories (source). According to CEO Satya Nadella and CTO Kevin Scott, that number could grow to 95% by the end of the decade. The implications are enormous. Developers are not being replaced—they are being redefined. They are guiding AI-generated code, evaluating its structure, and shaping its implementation. AI has become a fluent speaker in the language of code, particularly in syntactically simple languages like Python. In more complex languages like C++, AI still requires considerable human oversight, but the learning curve is narrowing. This shift underscores an important truth: coding, like writing or speaking, is a language. It is expressive, logical, and deeply human. And now, machines are starting to understand and generate it. That opens the door to democratized software creation. Non-technical professionals can use natural language prompts to build tools, apps, or automations that would have previously required a specialized skill set. ### Amplification Over Automation The benefits go beyond automation. What AI really offers is amplification. Writers can generate first drafts in seconds. Analysts can uncover insights from dense reports without hours of reading. Designers and marketers can explore layout and copy options instantly. Customer service teams can use chatbots to handle basic queries, freeing up time for more nuanced support. And for creatives like myself, AI can assist in editing workflows, suggest visual references, and even help organize archives. ### Ethics and Transparency in AI But with this power comes responsibility. AI does not make ethical decisions, it executes them. That is why transparency is non-negotiable. Teams and organizations must clearly communicate when AI is being used, especially in areas like hiring, customer engagement, and performance assessment. Bias mitigation must be built into every stage of AI development and deployment. Data privacy, consent, and accountability have to be foundational. ### The New Professional Skill Set As AI continues to evolve, so too must our skills. Professionals across sectors will need to develop a deeper understanding of how AI works. Prompt engineering, critical evaluation of AI-generated outputs, and cross-disciplinary thinking will become essential competencies. The most valuable team members will not be the ones who resist AI, but the ones who know how to collaborate with it. ### Disruption and Renewal Some disruptions are inevitable. Roles that are purely task-based may be redefined or replaced. There is already evidence that AI exposure in some industries correlates with slower wage growth. A study published in MarketWatch suggests that AI can reduce annualized wage growth by up to 0.74 percentage points. But this moment also echoes past transitions, just as factory automation changed manufacturing, or email reshaped communications. Every technological leap closes one chapter while opening another. AI is no different. What makes it unique is the speed and scale at which it is spreading. The challenge is to adapt wisely. For leaders, this means investing in training, updating policies, and setting ethical standards. For teams, it means building a shared understanding of how AI fits into workflows and what expectations come with its use. For individuals, it means cultivating curiosity, resilience, and a willingness to evolve. ### A Personal Reflection Personally, I think of AI as learning a new language. At first, it feels clunky. You mistrust it. You repeat yourself. But over time, fluency builds. You stop fighting the tool and start flowing with it. That is where we are now. We are in the fluency phase. And like with any language, how we use it matters as much as what it can say. ### Moving Forward AI is not replacing us—at least for now. It is redefining how we work, think, and create. For those willing to embrace it with clarity, creativity, and care, it offers not just productivity gains, but the potential to work in more human-centered ways. The future of work is not human or machine. It is humans with machine, working smarter, moving faster, and dreaming bigger. © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Clara Barbieri: An Italian Model in Seoul - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/05/02/clara-barbieri-an-italian-model-in-seoul/ - Published: 2025-05-02 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: In Seoul, Italian model Clara Barbieri styled her own looks and led us through her favorite city corners, blending Scott Braxton’s designs with personal flair. This collaboration captured personal style, movement, and connection across three unique urban settings. [Image: Clara Barbieri in a black top and silver skirt leaning against a textured stone wall in Seoul.] In Seoul, Italian model Clara Barbieri styled her own looks and led us through her favorite city corners, blending Scott Braxton’s designs with personal flair. This collaboration captured personal style, movement, and connection across three unique urban settings. READ ARTICLE > Photoshoot Collaboration [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## One Shoot, Five Stories: Why It All Clicked - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/04/30/one-shoot-five-stories-why-it-all-clicked/ - Published: 2025-04-30 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Melbourne-based model Pia Gould brings four distinct looks to life in this editorial collaboration. From power suits to streetwear, each frame captures her versatility, creativity, and effortless presence. A perfect reminder of why collaboration fuels unforgettable fashion storytelling. [Image: Pia Gould in a beige outfit and white sunglasses seated among tall wooden columns.] Melbourne-based model Pia Gould brings four distinct looks to life in this editorial collaboration. From power suits to streetwear, each frame captures her versatility, creativity, and effortless presence. A perfect reminder of why collaboration fuels unforgettable fashion storytelling. READ ARTICLE > The Melbourne Portraits Project [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Korean Model Minhee Embodies Generation Next at The Seoul Dongdaemun Design Plaza - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/04/28/korean-model-generation-next-seoul-dongdaemun-design-plaza/ - Published: 2025-04-28 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: At Seoul’s Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Korean model Minhee moves through light, steel, and wood, embodying the spirit of Generation Next. Each frame tells a story of effortless style, modern architecture, and the raw, unfiltered energy of a city in motion. [Image: Close portrait of Minhee in a denim jacket at Seoul’s Dongdaemun Design Plaza.] At Seoul’s Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Korean model Minhee moves through light, steel, and wood, embodying the spirit of Generation Next. Each frame tells a story of effortless style, modern architecture, and the raw, unfiltered energy of a city in motion. READ ARTICLE > Photoshoot Collaboration [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Exploring Personal Style: Mei Li Wearing Bach Mai in Seoul - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/04/25/exploring-personal-style-mei-li-wearing-bach-mai-in-seoul/ - Published: 2025-04-25 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Exploring Seoul’s Ihwa-dong, Mei Li brought designer Bach Mai’s iconic dress to life with her personal flair. Her confidence and creativity merged beautifully with vibrant murals and charming streets, transforming fashion into an authentic story of personal style and expression. [Image: Mei Li in a black dress and boots standing on a rooftop above the Seoul skyline.] Exploring Seoul’s Ihwa-dong, Mei Li brought designer Bach Mai’s iconic dress to life with her personal flair. Her confidence and creativity merged beautifully with vibrant murals and charming streets, transforming fashion into an authentic story of personal style and expression. 서울 이화동을 탐험하며 메이 리는 디자이너 박 마이의 상징적인 드레스를 그녀만의 개성으로 생생하게 표현했습니다. 그녀의 자신감과 창의성은 활기찬 벽화와 매력적인 거리와 어우러져, 패션을 진정한 개인 스타일과 표현의 이야기로 변화시켰습니다. READ ARTICLE > Bach Mai’s Creation Comes Alive with Pinky Mutiara at Casa Nomada Bali [Embedded media available on the canonical page] > Unapologetically Bold: A Tribute to Bach Mai [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## CoverStory Magazine Features Laia Albert on Its Cover - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/04/23/coverstory-magazine-features-laia-albert-on-its-cover/ - Published: 2025-04-23 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Laia Albert is featured on the cover of CoverStory Magazine, embodying strength, purpose, and resilience. From Miss Glamorous International to mental health advocacy, her journey inspires and uplifts—a powerful reminder of what it means to lead with heart. [Image: Laia Albert smiling beneath the CoverStory Magazine masthead and the cover line “Becoming the best version of yourself.”] Laia Albert is featured on the cover of CoverStory Magazine, embodying strength, purpose, and resilience. From Miss Glamorous International to mental health advocacy, her journey inspires and uplifts—a powerful reminder of what it means to lead with heart. READ ARTICLE > Magazine Roundup [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Four Photos, One Thread: The Stories We See and Feel - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/04/23/four-photos-one-thread-the-stories-we-see-and-feel/ - Published: 2025-04-23 - Last modified: 2026-08-17 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Four photos stopped me in my tracks this morning. One historic, one candid, one surreal, and one unapologetically bold. Each tells its own story. From the Wright brothers to a neon-lit window at night, they remind me that the best photos don’t just show us something: they make us feel it. [Image: Collage of four story images showing a zeppelin, the Wright Flyer and moon landing, a skateboarder, and illuminated office windows.] This morning, I came across four photographs that each sparked something in me: curiosity, nostalgia, humor, and awe. While they differ in subject and style, they all tell stories that feel deeply human. Some are documentary, others imagined, but every one of them invites us to stop, reflect, and connect. Each image reveals something different: what’s shown, what’s suggested, and how photography goes beyond what’s visible to capture what’s truly felt. ### From Kitty Hawk to the Moon: 66 Years of Human Flight [Image: Composite of the Wright brothers’ first flight above an Apollo astronaut standing beside the American flag on the Moon.] The first image shows two groundbreaking moments in human history—the Wright brothers’ first flight in 1903, and the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969. Separated by just 66 years, these events chart one of the most astonishing technological leaps of the modern era. It’s a reminder of how quickly dreams can become reality. In less than a lifetime, we went from barely lifting off the earth to walking on the surface of the moon. These photos speak not just to innovation and progress, but to imagination, perseverance, and the collective will to explore the unknown. ### The Skateboarder and the Missing Story — Rafael Gonzalez, Leica M6 [Image: Two black-and-white photographs of a skateboarder moving through a shadowed alley.] The second image is a two-photo sequence captured by photographer Rafael Gonzalez using a Leica M6. One frame shows a wide alley, textured and moody, leading out toward the sea. The other zooms in on the skateboarder’s lower half mid-push—full of energy, tension, and movement. Together, they offer two pieces of a puzzle: the “what” and the “where.” But the “who” is left out, and that absence makes the viewer part of the narrative. It’s a reminder of how a shift in perspective can completely reshape the story a photograph tells. ### AI Dreamscapes: A Zeppelin in an Imaginary World [Image: AI-generated monochrome scene of a zeppelin floating beneath a high urban bridge in fog.] This third photo isn’t real—at least not in the traditional sense. It’s an AI-generated image that imagines a utopian past where a massive zeppelin floats beneath a fantastical bridge suspended in the sky. The architecture feels both vintage and futuristic, like something from an alternate timeline. It’s not documentary, but it’s still storytelling. It taps into a shared nostalgia for futures that never happened and cities we’ll never visit. Even without real people, this photo feels alive—with mood, with curiosity, with wonder. ### Neon Rebellion: A Message in a Corporate Grid [Image: Nighttime office tower with one red neon expletive glowing among rows of illuminated windows.] The final photo is of a modern office building lit up at night. Dozens of windows glow with the usual signs of late-night work. But in one room, something different: a neon sign with a single word: “f***.” Real or edited, it doesn’t matter. The emotion is real. This photo hits a nerve. It’s a visual middle finger to burnout culture, the pressure to conform, and the weight of routine. It’s also oddly relatable. Who hasn’t had a moment like that? ### What These Images Have in Common What ties these four photos together? They each tell a story. Some loud, some quiet. Some rooted in fact, others born of fantasy. But all of them share one thing: they have a pulse. Even when people aren’t present, their energy is. They remind us that photography isn’t always about what we see. Sometimes, it’s about what we sense. Which image speaks to you most? > Paul Tocatlian | Photographer [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## A Rose Inspired Fashion Story Featuring SIXDO on Rodeo Drive - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/04/19/a-rose-inspired-fashion-story-featuring-sixdo-on-rodeo-drive/ - Published: 2025-04-19 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Vietnamese designer Do Manh Cuong brings his rose‑infused SIXDO minimalism to Rodeo Drive, where chrome storefronts mirror Ngan’s vivid red jumpsuit and sculptural white ensemble, proving that refined Vietnamese couture flourishes within Beverly Hills luxury and sparks worldwide fashion admiration among admirers. [Image: Model in a fitted red SIXDO dress and sunglasses on Rodeo Drive, framed by blurred red foreground shapes.] Vietnamese designer Do Manh Cuong brings his rose‑infused SIXDO minimalism to Rodeo Drive, where chrome storefronts mirror Ngan’s vivid red jumpsuit and sculptural white ensemble, proving that refined Vietnamese couture flourishes within Beverly Hills luxury and sparks worldwide fashion admiration among admirers. READ ARTICLE > Fashion & Editorial Photography [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## From the Streets of Melbourne to the Cover of MILKD - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/04/02/from-the-street-of-melbourne-to-the-cover-of-milkd/ - Published: 2025-04-02 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Featured on the cover of MILKD Magazine’s debut issue, The Melbourne Portraits Project is a visual ode to resilience and raw creativity. Captured on the streets of a city transformed, where fashion, identity, and emotion unfold in honest, collaborative portraits. [Image: MILKD Magazine banner featuring a close portrait with pale pink hair and floral makeup.] When I first started collaborating on photoshoots in the streets of #Melbourne, I didn’t imagine it would lead here. Not to a photo book. And definitely not to the cover of a magazine like MILKD. But here we are. And it feels surreal in the best kind of way. To every person who stood in front of my lens, thank you. You helped shape this. To MILKD, thank you for giving the project a home in your pages. And to any model, designer, or creative reading this, if you’re looking to create something honest and powerful, I’d love to collaborate. READ ARTICLE > The Melbourne Portraits Project [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Laia Albert Carries Her Heritage to the Miss Glamorous International Stage - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/03/21/laia-albert-carries-her-heritage-to-the-miss-glamorous-international-stage/ - Published: 2025-03-21 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Laia Albert, representing Spain in Miss Glamorous International, brings strength, cultural pride, and compassion to the stage. This feature highlights her authenticity, community impact, and elegance, captured across San Francisco’s iconic landmarks in the lead-up to this meaningful event. [Image: Laia Albert in a flowing red dress seated on a stone balustrade outside an ornate building.] Laia Albert is representing Spain in Miss Glamorous International, and her story is one that stands out. She’s grounded, compassionate, and driven by a deep desire to uplift others. With sixteen years of modeling and mentoring behind her, Laia brings both experience and heart to everything she does. We recently collaborated on a photoshoot at the Legion of Honor and the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. In those quiet, elegant settings, she reflected on her heritage, her values, and the meaning behind this moment. READ ARTICLE > Laia Albert Represents Spain at Miss Glamorous International with Grace and Purpose [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Stepping Into Her Light: Alauna Jaden Ramos Torres’ Miss Glamorous International Journey - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/03/20/alauna-jaden-ramos-torres-miss-glamorous-international/ - Published: 2025-03-20 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Take a moment to follow the beautiful journey of Alauna Jaden Ramos Torres as she represents the Philippines at Miss Glamorous International. Her story isn’t just about pageantry—it’s about heritage, strength, and showing up with heart. From Ocean Beach to the Palace of Fine Arts and the Legion of Honor, every frame in our photoshoot collaboration reflects her grace and resilience in the most breathtaking way. [Image: Alauna Jaden Ramos Torres in a blue-gray gown posing on a beach with her arms raised.] Alauna Jaden Ramos Torres, representing the Philippines at Miss Glamorous International 2025, embraced a deeply meaningful chapter of her journey through this photoshoot. Set against the stunning backdrops of the Palace of Fine Arts, Legion of Honor, and Ocean Beach, each moment captured reflects not only her outer beauty, but also the strength, grace, and purpose she brings to the stage. More than a contestant, Alauna stands as a symbol of resilience and pride—honoring her heritage, uplifting others, and carrying herself with unwavering confidence. From the flow of her gown in the wind to the calm determination in her gaze, every image speaks to the passion and limitless potential she embodies. As she steps into this next chapter, she does so with heart, vision, and a message that reaches far beyond pageantry. Join us on Saturday, March 22, at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Sacramento for Miss Glamorous International 2025—an unforgettable night of elegance, empowerment, and celebration of extraordinary women like Alauna. READ ARTICLE > Alauna Jaden Ramos Torres: A Journey to Miss Glamorous International [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Breaking Boundaries: A Journey into Creative Exploration - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/03/13/breaking-boundaries-a-journey-into-creative-exploration/ - Published: 2025-03-13 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Stepping beyond the familiar sparks creativity. This photoshoot embraced change, blending raw urban energy with bold storytelling. From dynamic compositions to unexpected contrasts, it redefined my approach. Growth comes from experimentation, and this project proved that breaking routine leads to fresh inspiration. [Image: Model in a black jacket and loose blue trousers posing dramatically in a sunlit San Francisco alley.] Stepping beyond the familiar is where true creativity begins. This photoshoot was a testament to that philosophy, pushing me to embrace change and explore new artistic possibilities. By immersing myself in the raw energy of an urban landscape, I discovered a dynamic interplay between structure and spontaneity, where bold storytelling took center stage. The juxtaposition of textures, the interplay of light and shadow, and the unexpected contrasts all challenged my usual approach, resulting in compositions that felt fresh and unrestrained. Growth in photography—and in any creative pursuit—comes from taking risks, and this project reaffirmed that stepping outside of routine is the key to discovering new inspiration. READ ARTICLE > Fashion & Editorial Photography [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## A Timeless Photoshoot at Pulgas Water Temple With Sophia Sean - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/03/13/a-timeless-photoshoot-at-pulgas-water-temple-with-sophia-sean/ - Published: 2025-03-13 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Sophia Sean brought effortless grace to our photoshoot collaboration at Pulgas Water Temple, where elegance met timeless architecture. Flowing fabric, soft light, and natural movement created a story of beauty and presence, capturing moments that felt both spontaneous and cinematic. [Image: Sophia Sean in a white fringed dress seated among classical columns at Pulgas Water Temple.] Sophia Sean brought effortless grace to our photoshoot collaboration at Pulgas Water Temple, where elegance met timeless architecture. The location’s classical columns and serene surroundings provided the perfect backdrop for a visual story of refinement and artistry. Flowing fabric moved with the breeze, catching the soft afternoon light, while Sophia’s natural poise and fluid movement brought each frame to life. Every moment felt spontaneous yet cinematic, blending sophistication with an organic sense of motion. The interplay of light, texture, and form created images that captured both the ethereal and the enduring, making this shoot truly unforgettable. READ ARTICLE > Fashion & Editorial Photography [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Live Music and Pageant Magic at Hard Rock Live Sacramento - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/03/06/live-music-and-pageant-magic-at-hard-rock-live-sacramento/ - Published: 2025-03-06 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Get ready to turn up the volume and feel the energy at Hard Rock Live Sacramento on March 22, 2025. MusiQ Production and Miss Glamorous International are bringing a powerhouse lineup with Talyana, Phil Q, Queen Zel, JD Charisma, and Arriane Del, ready to light up the stage. It’s the kind of night that keeps you soaking in every beat. I’m excited to see my photos from the Summer Breeze 2025 1st Audition featured in the event poster, capturing the fire these artists bring. Don’t miss this epic night of live music and pageant competition. [Image: Performance lineup graphic featuring Talyana, Phil Q, Queen Zel, JD Charisma, and Arriane Del.] Get ready to turn up the volume and feel the energy at Hard Rock Live Sacramento on March 22, 2025. MusiQ Production and Miss Glamorous International are bringing a powerhouse lineup with Talyana, Phil Q, Queen Zel, JD Charisma, and Arriane Del, ready to light up the stage. It’s the kind of night that keeps you soaking in every beat. I’m excited to see my photos from the Summer Breeze 2025 1st Audition featured in the event poster, capturing the fire these artists bring. Don’t miss this epic night of live music and pageant competition. READ ARTICLE > Runway Coverage [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Creativity Meets Legacy: Summer Breeze 2025 Auditions at Oakland’s Iconic Continental Club - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/03/05/creativity-meets-legacy-summer-breeze-2025-auditions-at-oaklands-iconic-continental-club/ - Published: 2025-03-05 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: The Summer Breeze 2025 auditions, by MusiQ Production, launched vibrantly at Oakland’s iconic Continental Club, bringing together aspiring models and musicians in a dynamic showcase of talent. The auditions highlighted creativity, style, and community spirit, transforming the historic venue into an inspiring artistic space. [Image: Collage of performers, organizers, and attendees with text welcoming guests to the first Summer Breeze 2025 auditions.] On February 23, 2025, the Continental Club in Oakland buzzed with creativity as MusiQ Production hosted the inaugural auditions for Summer Breeze 2025. This event united aspiring models and musicians, offering them a platform to showcase their talents. The day commenced with a team prayer and a photoshoot for CoverStory Magazine, setting an inspiring tone. Participants then captivated judges and spectators alike with their unique styles and performances. Notably, Alauna Jaden Torres and Laia Albert, both contestants in the upcoming Miss Glamorous International 2025, graced the auditions, embodying confidence and charisma. The Continental Club, renowned for hosting legends like Aretha Franklin and Jimi Hendrix, provided a historic backdrop for this fusion of fashion, music, and community spirit. MusiQ Production’s dedication to nurturing creativity and inclusivity was evident throughout, promising an exciting journey ahead for Summer Breeze 2025. READ ARTICLE > Runway Coverage [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Hridita in Bach Mai: A Story of Style and Personal Expression - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/02/21/hridita-in-bach-mai-a-story-of-style-and-personal-expression/ - Published: 2025-02-21 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: There’s something special about a model who not only wears a designer piece but transforms it into a statement of personal expression. Hridita does just that in this Melbourne photoshoot, bringing her unique energy to a Bach Mai dress. [Image: Black-and-white portrait of Hridita in a dark textured Bach Mai outfit with her hands near her hair.] There’s something special about a model who not only wears a designer piece but transforms it into a statement of personal expression. Hridita does just that in this Melbourne photoshoot, bringing her unique energy to a Bach Mai dress. Captured in a location featured in The Melbourne Portraits Project photo book, this shoot blends soft light, bold movement, and a touch of mystery. The interplay of shadow and texture adds depth, making each frame a reflection of style and individuality. READ ARTICLE > Unapologetically Bold: A Tribute to Bach Mai [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Fashion isn’t just about what you wear. It’s about how you live in it. - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/02/20/fashion-isnt-just-about-what-you-wear-its-about-how-you-live-in-it/ - Published: 2025-02-20 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Bali is more than just a travel destination. It is where fashion and lifestyle merge effortlessly, turning every moment into something real. This beach photoshoot showcases the beauty of effortless elegance, where style is not just worn but naturally lived and felt. [Image: Model in colorful patterned resort wear seated on a pale beach beside turquoise water in Bali.] Bali has a way of making fashion feel effortless. This shoot on the beach was all about blending style with the rhythm of the island—where the breeze moves the fabric, the waves set the pace, and nothing feels staged. The Scott Braxton dress featured by Septi Gardner flowed like it was made for this moment, turning a simple walk along the shore into something effortlessly beautiful. READ ARTICLE > Photoshoot Collaboration [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Grand Hyatt Melbourne: Where My Melbourne Story Comes Full Circle - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/02/16/grand-hyatt-melbourne-where-my-melbourne-story-comes-full-circle/ - Published: 2025-02-16 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: The Grand Hyatt Melbourne has been part of my journey long before I stayed there. From photoshoots to a full-circle moment with Hannah last November, it remains a place of inspiration, reflection, and connection. Grateful to Universal Traveller for sharing my story. [Image: Universal Traveller article screenshot featuring three portraits from The Melbourne Portraits Project.] A heartfelt thank you to Universal Traveller for publishing my article, The Grand Hyatt Melbourne: A Place to Create Lasting Memories The Grand Hyatt Melbourne holds a special place in my photographic journey. I first came across it years ago while doing photoshoots in the city, its striking architecture and prime location making it a natural backdrop for my work. During the pandemic, when Melbourne fell silent, the hotel stood as a symbol of resilience—one that later became woven into The Melbourne Portraits Project. Last November, Hannah and I finally stayed there, and it felt like a full-circle moment. From the warm welcome to the breathtaking views, every detail reflected the thoughtful hospitality that makes this hotel so special. More than just a place to stay, it became a place to reflect, reconnect, and appreciate the journey. I’m grateful for the opportunity to share this experience through Universal Traveller. If you’re ever in Melbourne and looking for a place that blends luxury with a deep connection to the city, this is it. READ ARTICLE > The Melbourne Portraits Project [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Fashion Photography Through the Ages - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/02/06/fashion-photography-through-the-ages/ - Published: 2025-02-06 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: From hand-drawn illustrations to immersive digital storytelling, fashion photography has continually reshaped style and culture. This article highlights its transformative impact—capturing glamour, rebellion, and innovation—while redefining how we perceive and experience fashion. What next? [Image: Model in a black jacket and loose blue trousers striking an angular pose in a city street.] From hand-drawn illustrations to immersive digital storytelling, fashion photography has continually reshaped style and culture. This article highlights its transformative impact—capturing glamour, rebellion, and innovation—while redefining how we perceive and experience fashion. What next? READ ARTICLE > Fashion & Editorial Photography [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Three Challenges Every Photographer Faces - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/02/03/three-challenges-every-photographer-faces/ - Published: 2025-02-03 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Photography comes with its fair share of challenges, like dealing with unpredictable light, capturing movement, or working with lively, ever-changing subjects. It takes a mix of adaptability, patience, and skill to master these elements. But it’s in embracing these obstacles that you create powerful images—ones that tell stories and reveal the beauty in the unexpected. [Image: Three-photo collage showing a moving tram, a portrait lit by colored lights, and a fashion model with a dog.] Photography comes with its fair share of challenges, like dealing with unpredictable light, capturing movement, or working with lively, ever-changing subjects. It takes a mix of adaptability, patience, and skill to master these elements. But it’s in embracing these obstacles that you create powerful images—ones that tell stories and reveal the beauty in the unexpected. READ ARTICLE > The Melbourne Portraits Project Featured by Ted Forbes on The Art of Photography [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Elasha Chhantyal in Bach Mai at Fed Square - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/02/01/elasha-chhantyal-in-bach-mai-at-fed-square/ - Published: 2025-02-01 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Bach Mai’s bold design meets the striking presence of Elasha Chhantyal against the urban backdrop of Fed Square in Melbourne, Australia. Through minimalism and contrast, this shoot captures the essence of fashion storytelling, where movement, structure, and confidence converge to create a visually compelling narrative of strength and sophistication. [Image: Elasha Chhantyal in a black Bach Mai gown posing against angular architecture at Fed Square.] Bach Mai’s bold design meets the striking presence of Elasha Chhantyal against the urban backdrop of Fed Square in Melbourne, Australia. Through minimalism and contrast, this shoot captures the essence of fashion storytelling, where movement, structure, and confidence converge to create a visually compelling narrative of strength and sophistication. REaD ARTICLE > Photoshoot Collaboration [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Ted Forbes Just Featured The Melbourne Portraits Project on The Art of Photography! - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/01/31/ted-forbes-features-the-melbourne-portraits-project-on-the-art-of-photography/ - Published: 2025-01-31 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: You’re probably wondering why I’m grinning from ear to ear. Well, The Melbourne Portraits Project was just featured by Ted Forbes on The Art of Photography! Seeing my photo book included alongside so many inspiring works was an incredible surprise and a huge creative milestone! [Image: YouTube feature graphic with Melbourne Portraits Project covers and a quote from Ted Forbes of The Art of Photography.] You’re probably wondering why I’m grinning from ear to ear. Well, The Melbourne Portraits Project was just featured by Ted Forbes on The Art of Photography! Seeing my photo book included alongside so many inspiring works was an incredible surprise and a huge creative milestone! READ ARTICLE > The Melbourne Portraits Project [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Paris in Motion: A Story in Black and White - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/01/31/paris-in-motion-a-story-in-black-and-white/ - Published: 2025-01-31 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Experience the timeless motion of Paris through black and white photography. From bustling metro staircases at Place de l’Alma to the elegance of Place Vendôme, these images capture the energy, stillness, and beauty of the City of Light. [Image: Black-and-white banner showing high heels in motion across wet Paris cobblestones.] What’s the best way to experience Paris? For me, it’s walking. Yes, walking. To where? Anywhere. Paris is a city brimming with places to see and discover, whether you have a camera in hand or not. The photos in this article were captured during one of these walks, where I let the rhythm of the city guide me. Photography thrives in movement, especially in a city like Paris, where life feels like a constant dance of contrasts and energy. This series captures fleeting moments that define the city’s rhythm, revealing its stories through black and white. By stripping away color, the focus shifts to motion, texture, and emotion—elements that bring these scenes to life in a timeless way. ### Motion at Place de l’Alma At Place de l’Alma, life unfolds in a swirl of movement. The metro staircase becomes a canvas for human rhythm—heels click against the steps as someone rushes upward, shadows stretch and ripple across the tiles. A cyclist glides down a staircase, defying gravity in a moment of pure fluidity. Meanwhile, a tuktuk driver waits in the stillness, his silhouette stark against the night, poised to carry tourists into the city’s heartbeat. [Image: BMX cyclist airborne above stone steps in a black-and-white Paris action photograph.] [Image: Pedestrian's legs descending broad stone steps in a layered black-and-white composition.] [Image: Woman climbing sunlit stone steps in a black-and-white Paris street photograph.] [Image: Several pedestrians' feet moving across stone steps in black and white.] [Image: Pedicab driver seated inside a streamlined cycle taxi in a black-and-white Paris scene.] [Image: Two people laughing together on crowded Paris steps in a black-and-white candid photograph.] In this dynamic setting, black and white photography enhances the drama. The interplay of light and shadow emphasizes the fluidity of people in motion, capturing the tension between restlessness and stillness. ### Stories By the Eiffel Tower Beneath the towering presence of the Eiffel Tower, Paris slows to tell quieter stories. A street performer pours his soul into a song, his face etched with raw emotion as his guitar carries his melody into the night. Nearby, tourists prepare for their perfect snapshot, adjusting poses, their laughter suspended in time. On a péniche roof, seagulls gather in elegant stillness, their forms contrasting the bustling scene below. [Image: Black-and-white photograph of a seagull spreading its wings among pigeons in Paris.] [Image: Silhouetted pedestrians crossing a Paris footbridge in a black-and-white photograph.] [Image: Black-and-white portrait of a smiling street musician singing and playing guitar.] [Image: Eiffel Tower framed by the steel structure of a Paris bridge in black and white.] [Image: Silhouette of a person on a scooter passing the Eiffel Tower in a black-and-white photograph.] These moments highlight Paris’s juxtaposition of grandeur and intimacy. In monochrome, the Eiffel Tower looms as a symbol of permanence, while the lives unfolding around it reveal the transient beauty of human connection. ### Elegance at Place Vendôme The cobblestones of Place Vendôme echo with the rhythm of heels—sharp, deliberate steps that tell stories of elegance and poise. Each stride is a symphony of grace, with shadows playing along the worn pavement. In contrast, the Tuileries Garden offer a different kind of stillness. An abandoned bench sits solitary, weathered by time, whispering of countless visitors who paused there before moving on. [Image: Black high heels stepping across wet cobblestones in a blurred black-and-white Paris street scene.] [Image: Weathered stone bench isolated in a shallow-focus black-and-white Paris park scene.] [Image: Woman's high-heeled boots walking across reflective Paris pavement in black and white.] Black and white photography elevates these scenes, isolating the textures and details that might otherwise go unnoticed. The shine of a polished heel, the curve of a cobblestone, and the quiet dignity of an empty bench invite viewers to linger in the moment. ### The Timeless Motion of Paris Through these images, Paris reveals itself as a city of perpetual motion and quiet grace. Black and white strips away distractions, leaving the raw essence of each scene—the energy, the stillness, and the beauty that lies in between. The City of Light moves, and in its motion, it becomes timeless. ### The Essence of Black and White Photography How would these photos have felt if they were in color? Would the vibrancy of the Eiffel Tower or the bright tones of a tourist’s scarf have drawn your focus? Likely, yes. But in black and white, something deeper emerges—an emphasis on shape, texture, and contrast that transcends the immediacy of color. In Ted Forbes‘ book Visually Speaking, he explores this idea in his chapter titled “Black and White.” Forbes states that photography is its own reality, and in monochrome, this reality is defined by shapes and textures. He describes black and white as the essence of photography, representing light on its own. Monochrome creates minimalism through contrast and provides a foundation that extends into color. Black and white plays a unique role when capturing motion. By removing the distractions of color, movement becomes more pronounced. The blur of a cyclist speeding down a staircase, the subtle arc of a tuktuk driver’s head as he waits, or the deliberate stride of heels against cobblestones—all of these moments are distilled into their purest form. The contrast between light and shadow emphasizes motion, making it feel immediate and eternal. Looking at the images in this article, you can see how Forbes’ ideas resonate. The cyclist at Place de l’Alma becomes a study in movement—a blur of motion framed by the stark lines of the staircase. At the Eiffel Tower, the street performer’s raw emotion is heightened by the absence of distracting colors, allowing the texture of his face and the light in his eyes to take center stage. The shine of a polished heel on Place Vendôme’s cobblestones becomes a moment of quiet elegance, while the abandoned bench in the Tuileries Gardens whispers stories through its weathered surface. Black and white photography strips away the noise and gives us clarity. It forces us to see light and shadow, shape and form, texture and tone. These images of Paris are distilled moments that tell their stories through the purest elements of visual communication. Ted Forbes reminds us that black and white photography is a foundation—a way to simplify, to see light and contrast in their rawest forms. Through this lens, Paris moves and transforms into something eternal. Explore What’s in My Camera Bag © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## How to Pick a Photographer for Your Next Marketing Campaign - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/01/31/how-to-pick-a-photographer-for-your-next-marketing-campaign/ - Published: 2025-01-31 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Choosing the right photographer is essential for creating visuals that bring your brand’s story to life. From style and storytelling to technical expertise and collaboration, this guide outlines key factors to consider when selecting a photographer for your next campaign. [Image: Woman in an orange jacket inside a clothing shop holding a framed fashion photograph.] Choosing the right photographer is essential for creating visuals that bring your brand’s story to life. From style and storytelling to technical expertise and collaboration, this guide outlines key factors to consider when selecting a photographer for your next campaign. READ ARTICLE > Brand & Identity Photography [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Chic Romance: A Legion of Honor Photoshoot - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/01/23/chic-romance-a-legion-of-honor-photoshoot/ - Published: 2025-01-23 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Victor Sanchez and Mary Kuznetsova’s photoshoot at the Legion of Honor radiates timeless elegance and artistry. With stunning wardrobe choices and a breathtaking setting, their session captures the harmony of style, personality, and creative storytelling in every frame. [Image: Victor Sanchez and Mary Kuznetsova walking hand in hand in formalwear at the Legion of Honor.] Victor Sanchez and Mary Kuznetsova’s photoshoot at the Legion of Honor radiates timeless elegance and artistry. With stunning wardrobe choices and a breathtaking setting, their session captures the harmony of style, personality, and creative storytelling in every frame. READ ARTICLE > Photoshoot Collaboration [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Norman Parkinson’s Style: Photographs for Vogue Is A Must-Read - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/01/22/norman-parkinsons-style-photographs-for-vogue-is-a-must-read/ - Published: 2025-01-22 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: I recently had the pleasure of reading “Style: Photographs for Vogue”, a captivating exploration of the legendary Norman Parkinson’s life and work. It’s easily one of the most compelling photography books I’ve come across. This review explores how the book captures his artistry and timeless legacy. [Image: Cover of Norman Parkinson's book Style: Photographs for Vogue, showing layered pale fabric.] I recently had the pleasure of reading “Style: Photographs for Vogue”, a captivating exploration of the legendary Norman Parkinson’s life and work. It’s easily one of the most compelling photography books I’ve come across. This review explores how the book captures his artistry and timeless legacy. READ ARTICLE > The Book Corner [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## The Melbourne Portraits Project: Behind the Lens - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/01/22/behind-the-lens-of-the-melbourne-portraits/ - Published: 2025-01-22 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: Discover the creative spirit behind The Melbourne Portraits Project: A Photographic Ode. From Paul Tocatlian’s global journey to the joyful story of Clarence the Clown, this article celebrates collaboration, resilience, and the transformative power of shared stories. [Image: Graphic banner reading “The Melbourne Portraits Project: Behind the Lens.”] Discover the creative spirit behind The Melbourne Portraits Project: A Photographic Ode. From Paul Tocatlian’s global journey to the joyful story of Clarence the Clown, this article celebrates collaboration, resilience, and the transformative power of shared stories. READ ARTICLE > The Melbourne Portraits Project [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## The Melbourne Portraits Project: Graffiti Lane - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/01/19/graffiti-lane-a-farewell-to-melbournes-creative-soul/ - Published: 2025-01-19 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: Chapter 12 of The Melbourne Portraits Project: A Photographic Ode, “Graffiti Lane,” is my heartfelt farewell to Melbourne’s beauty and creative spirit. Its streets inspired unforgettable portraits and stories. Pause, reflect, and discover the boundless creativity waiting around you. [Image: Graphic banner reading “The Melbourne Portraits Project, Chapter 12: Graffiti Lane.”] Chapter 12 of The Melbourne Portraits Project: A Photographic Ode, “Graffiti Lane,” is my heartfelt farewell to Melbourne’s beauty and creative spirit. Its streets inspired unforgettable portraits and stories. Pause, reflect, and discover the boundless creativity waiting around you. READ ARTICLE > The Melbourne Portraits Project [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## The Power of Iconic Photography - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/01/17/the-power-of-iconic-photography/ - Published: 2025-01-17 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Photography has a remarkable ability to tell stories that leave a lasting impact, and I’ve explored this in a new section of my article: “10 Iconic Fashion Photographs That Made Fashion History.” These images go beyond fashion and define history, like Dorothea Lange’s Migrant Mother and the Tank Man of Tiananmen Square. I also delve into the legendary cameras behind these shots, the images that inspired generations, captured our imagination, and the enduring influence of these iconic visuals. [Image: Split image of Earth rising above the Moon and a vintage handheld movie camera.] Photography has a remarkable ability to tell stories that leave a lasting impact, and I’ve explored this in a new section of my article: “10 Iconic Fashion Photographs That Made Fashion History.” These images go beyond fashion and define history, like Dorothea Lange’s Migrant Mother and the Tank Man of Tiananmen Square. I also delve into the legendary cameras behind these shots, the images that inspired generations, captured our imagination, and the enduring influence of these iconic visuals. If you’re passionate about the art of photography and its power to inspire, make sure to check it out. READ ARTICLE > 10 Iconic Fashion Photographs That Made Fashion History [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## My First Magazine Feature of 2025 - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/01/16/my-first-magazine-feature-of-2025/ - Published: 2025-01-16 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Excited to share a wonderful surprise I just came across—my first magazine feature of 2025, published last year! Discover how Smaranika Nikki Sarangi’s designs are reshaping sustainable fashion in Lucire Magazine’s feature, “Letting Tradition Fly.” This inspiring story highlights Nikki’s incredible journey of blending tradition with innovation, redefining the fashion landscape with creativity, purpose, and sustainability. It’s an honor to have captured her work and to celebrate the transformative power of design in shaping a brighter future for fashion. [Image: Lucire website screenshot featuring a portrait of Smaranika Nikki Sarangi.] Excited to share a wonderful surprise I just came across—my first magazine feature of 2025, published last year! Discover how Smaranika Nikki Sarangi’s designs are reshaping sustainable fashion in Lucire Magazine’s feature, “Letting Tradition Fly.” This inspiring story highlights Nikki’s incredible journey of blending tradition with innovation, redefining the fashion landscape with creativity, purpose, and sustainability. It’s an honor to have captured her work and to celebrate the transformative power of design in shaping a brighter future for fashion. READ ARTICLE > Magazine Roundup [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## The Melbourne Portraits Project: Le Petit Palais - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/01/14/le-petit-palais-where-stories-and-style-converge/ - Published: 2025-01-14 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: Chapter 11 of The Melbourne Portraits Project: A Photographic Ode, titled Le Petit Palais, captures the essence of self-expression and collaboration. Set in the timeless Anton Venoir Interiors, it celebrates bold individuality and the magic of shared creativity. [Image: Graphic banner reading “The Melbourne Portraits Project, Chapter 11: Le Petit Palais.”] Chapter 11 of The Melbourne Portraits Project: A Photographic Ode, titled Le Petit Palais, captures the essence of self-expression and collaboration. Set in the timeless Anton Venoir Interiors, it celebrates bold individuality and the magic of shared creativity. READ ARTICLE > The Melbourne Portraits Project [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Pinky Mutiara and Smaranika Nikki Sarangi Redefine Bali Style at Casa Nomada - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/01/14/pinky-mutiara-and-smaranika-nikki-sarangi-redefine-bali-style-at-casa-nomada/ - Published: 2025-01-14 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Photographing Pinky Mutiara in Smaranika Nikki Sarangi’s fashion designs at Casa Nomada Bali brought together an international showcase of cultures. With vibrant designs, a stunning location, and tropical vibes, it was a joyful celebration of creativity, tradition, and teamwork. [Image: Pinky Mutiara in red and purple fashion posing beside rustic wood and tropical plants at Casa Nomada Bali.] Photographing Pinky Mutiara in Smaranika Nikki Sarangi’s fashion designs at Casa Nomada Bali brought together an international showcase of cultures. With vibrant designs, a stunning location, and tropical vibes, it was a joyful celebration of creativity, tradition, and teamwork. READ ARTICLE > Photoshoot Collaboration [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## The Melbourne Portraits Project: City Lights - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/01/12/portraits-illuminated-by-melbournes-city-lights/ - Published: 2025-01-12 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: Chapter 10: City Lights in The Melbourne Portraits Project: A Photographic Ode is where Melbourne’s streets transform into a magical playground. Neon signs, reflections, and shadows spark creativity and adventure, turning each photo into a story as vibrant as the city itself. [Image: Graphic banner reading “The Melbourne Portraits Project, Chapter 10: City Lights.”] Chapter 10: City Lights in The Melbourne Portraits Project: A Photographic Ode is where Melbourne’s streets transform into a magical playground. Neon signs, reflections, and shadows spark creativity and adventure, turning each photo into a story as vibrant as the city itself. READ ARTICLE > The Melbourne Portraits Project [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Gracefully Yours: A Photoshoot of Beauty and Charm - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/01/11/gracefully-yours-a-photoshoot-of-beauty-and-charm/ - Published: 2025-01-11 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Grace Carey brought effortless poise to a memorable photoshoot at the Palace of Fine Arts. Paired with a timeless gown from the Kisau Clothing Collection and a dreamy backdrop, every moment clicked, creating vibrant, story-filled images that perfectly balanced elegance, authenticity, and modern charm. [Image: Grace Carey in a pale gown posing among twisting tree branches at the Palace of Fine Arts.] Grace Carey brought effortless poise to a memorable photoshoot at the Palace of Fine Arts. Paired with a timeless gown from the Kisau Clothing Collection and a dreamy backdrop, every moment clicked, creating vibrant, story-filled images that perfectly balanced elegance, authenticity, and modern charm. READ ARTICLE > Photoshoot Collaboration [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## The Melbourne Portraits Project: Nature’s Gentle Touch - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/01/10/the-melbourne-portraits-project-poetry-in-natures-glow/ - Published: 2025-01-10 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: Chapter 9 of The Melbourne Portraits Project: A Photographic Ode, Nature’s Gentle Touch, explores the transformative power of nature in photography, showcasing creativity, connection, and adaptability through vibrant imagery framed by Melbourne’s stunning gardens. [Image: Graphic banner reading “The Melbourne Portraits Project, Chapter 9: Nature's Gentle Touch.”] Chapter 9 of The Melbourne Portraits Project: A Photographic Ode, Nature’s Gentle Touch, explores the transformative power of nature in photography, showcasing creativity, connection, and adaptability through vibrant imagery framed by Melbourne’s stunning gardens. READ ARTICLE > The Melbourne Portraits Project [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Meera Jiao and the Magic of the Mirror - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/01/10/meera-jiao-and-the-magic-of-the-mirror/ - Published: 2025-01-10 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: A Parisian apartment, a gilded mirror, and Meera Jiao’s effortless grace transformed a brief pause into a memorable moment. This impromptu photoshoot embraced spontaneity, connection, and the beauty of unscripted scenes, resulting in images that feel intimate and full of life. [Image: Meera Jiao in an ornate silver headpiece and dress, seen beside her reflection in a gilded mirror.] A Parisian apartment, a gilded mirror, and Meera Jiao’s effortless grace transformed a brief pause into a memorable moment. This impromptu photoshoot embraced spontaneity, connection, and the beauty of unscripted scenes, resulting in images that feel intimate and full of life. READ ARTICLE > Photoshoot Collaboration [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Inside My Camera Bag - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/01/06/inside-my-camera-bag/ - Published: 2025-01-06 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: My camera bag is packed with gear to bring creative ideas to life, but let’s be real—gear isn’t everything. It’s the story that counts. That said, here’s a peek at the lenses and camera I rely on most. [Image: Sony camera body and a collection of professional lenses arranged on a white background.] My camera bag is packed with gear to bring creative ideas to life, but let’s be real—gear isn’t everything. It’s the story that counts. That said, here’s a peek at the lenses and camera I rely on most. READ ARTICLE © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Top Picks: Photo & Fashion Books - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/01/06/top-picks-photo-fashion-books/ - Published: 2025-01-06 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: What are your go-to books for inspiration? Here’s a mix of some of my all-time favorites on photography and fashion, plus a few photobooks and zines that always spark creativity. Got a recommendation? Send it my way—I’d love to add it to my book corner! [Image: Row of photography and fashion books displayed with vintage cameras and instant-photo equipment.] What are your go-to books for inspiration? Here’s a mix of some of my all-time favorites on photography and fashion, plus a few photobooks and zines that always spark creativity. Got a recommendation? Send it my way—I’d love to add it to my book corner! READ ARTICLE > The Melbourne Portraits Project [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## The Melbourne Portraits Project: The Dark Side - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/01/05/the-dark-side-what-lies-beneath-the-surface/ - Published: 2025-01-05 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: In The Melbourne Portraits Project: A Photographic Ode, Chapter 8: “The Dark Side,” discover the unseen depths of emotion and shadow. True power lies in embracing our complexities and finding beauty in the balance between light and dark. Each portrait invites you to pause and uncover the captivating stories hidden beneath their striking surfaces. [Image: Graphic banner reading “The Melbourne Portraits Project, Chapter 8: The Dark Side.”] In The Melbourne Portraits Project: A Photographic Ode, Chapter 8: “The Dark Side,” discover the unseen depths of emotion and shadow. True power lies in embracing our complexities and finding beauty in the balance between light and dark. Each portrait invites you to pause and uncover the captivating stories hidden beneath their striking surfaces. READ ARTICLE > The Melbourne Portraits Project [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Embrace the Chaos of 2025 with These Photoshoot Predictions - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2025/01/01/embrace-the-chaos-of-2025-with-these-photoshoot-predictions/ - Published: 2025-01-01 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Embrace the chaos of 2025 with these photoshoot predictions, from wardrobe mishaps to spontaneous cameos. Let’s celebrate creativity, collaboration, and those magical, unplanned moments that make every shot unforgettable. Ready to join the fun? Let’s make magic happen! [Image: Colorful illustration of a chaotic fashion photoshoot with models, photographers, lights, ladders, and props.] Embrace the chaos of 2025 with these photoshoot predictions, from wardrobe mishaps to spontaneous cameos. Let’s celebrate creativity, collaboration, and those magical, unplanned moments that make every shot unforgettable. Ready to join the fun? Let’s make magic happen! READ ARTICLE > Photoshoot Collaboration [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## The Melbourne Portraits Project: Strike a Pose - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2024/12/29/movement-and-meaning-the-art-of-captivating-poses/ - Published: 2024-12-29 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: Chapter 7: Strike a Pose from The Melbourne Portraits Project explores the art of posing. Through intentionally crafted stances infused with emotion, movement, and self-discovery, this chapter unveils how poses transform photography into storytelling, creating portraits that captivate and inspire. [Image: Graphic banner reading “The Melbourne Portraits Project, Chapter 7: Strike a Pose.”] Chapter 7: Strike a Pose from The Melbourne Portraits Project explores the art of posing. Through intentionally crafted stances infused with emotion, movement, and self-discovery, this chapter unveils how poses transform photography into storytelling, creating portraits that captivate and inspire. READ ARTICLE > The Melbourne Portraits Project [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Need a Photography Mentor? Ted Forbes Delivers with Visually Speaking - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2024/12/28/need-a-photography-mentor-ted-forbes-delivers-with-visually-speaking/ - Published: 2024-12-28 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: Ted Forbes’ Visually Speaking feels like a conversation with a mentor who gets you. It’s packed with practical advice, stunning visuals, and heartfelt inspiration that reminds you photography is about storytelling, creativity, and seeing the world in your own way. [Image: Ted Forbes looking through a camera over a printed photography article.] Ted Forbes’ Visually Speaking feels like a conversation with a mentor who gets you. It’s packed with practical advice, stunning visuals, and heartfelt inspiration that reminds you photography is about storytelling, creativity, and seeing the world in your own way. READ ARTICLE > The Melbourne Portraits Project [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## The Melbourne Portraits Project: Fantasy Meets Identity - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2024/12/26/blurring-boundaries-exploring-identity-through-cosplay/ - Published: 2024-12-26 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: Cosplay has a way of merging fantasy with reality, turning costumes into tools for storytelling and self-expression. In The Melbourne Portraits Project, Chapter 6: Fantasy Meets Identity, I explored this transformation through portraits that celebrate creativity and identity. Take a look… [Image: Graphic banner reading “The Melbourne Portraits Project, Chapter 6: Fantasy Meets Identity.”] Cosplay has a way of merging fantasy with reality, turning costumes into tools for storytelling and self-expression. In The Melbourne Portraits Project, Chapter 6: Fantasy Meets Identity, I explored this transformation through portraits that celebrate creativity and identity. Take a look… EXPLORE THE BOOK AND GRAB YOUR COPY TODAY! > Blurring the Lines: Fantasy and Identity [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Unfiltered Confidence: Loni Dangerfield’s Playful Journey at Kisau Studio - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2024/12/21/unfiltered-confidence-loni-dangerfields-playful-journey-at-kisau-studio/ - Published: 2024-12-21 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Discover the magic of spontaneity in Loni Dangerfield’s photoshoot at Kisau Studio. From polished headshots to playful, unfiltered moments, this session captured her confidence, creativity, and authentic personality, transforming each frame into a story that’s uniquely hers. [Image: Close-up portrait of Loni Dangerfield framing her face with both hands.] Discover the magic of spontaneity in Loni Dangerfield’s photoshoot at Kisau Studio. From polished headshots to playful, unfiltered moments, this session captured her confidence, creativity, and authentic personality, transforming each frame into a story that’s uniquely hers. READ ARTICLE > Photoshoot Collaboration [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Step Into the World of Love & Hope: Scott Braxton’s Stunning Showcase on the 2024 Tour - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2024/12/19/step-into-the-world-of-love-hope-scott-braxtons-stunning-showcase-on-the-2024-tour/ - Published: 2024-12-19 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Fashion, elegance, and storytelling collide in the Love & Hope Tour 2024, where fashion designer Scott Braxton takes center stage. From bold silhouettes to timeless craftsmanship, Braxton’s collection offers a breathtaking display of artistry and emotion. [Image: Model in a black embellished gown beside designer Scott Braxton during a backstage fashion fitting.] Fashion, elegance, and storytelling collide in the Love & Hope Tour 2024, where fashion designer Scott Braxton takes center stage. From bold silhouettes to timeless craftsmanship, Braxton’s collection offers a breathtaking display of artistry and emotion. In this latest article, we take you behind the scenes of this fashion show, highlighting the creative vision, standout designs, and the message of hope woven into every garment. Discover how fashion becomes a vessel for empowerment, inspiring audiences with every step on the runway. READ ARTICLE > Runway Coverage [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Portraits with Purpose: Harry Williams on Capturing Dignity and Connection in San Francisco - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2024/12/19/portraits-with-purpose-harry-williams-on-capturing-dignity-and-connection-in-san-francisco/ - Published: 2024-12-19 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: In a December 19, 2024, interview at the Commonwealth Club for The Power of Human Connection: Photographer Harry Williams on the Michelle Meow Year-End Special, Harry Williams reflected on his journey capturing San Francisco’s unseen communities, transforming street photography into a practice of compassion, empathy, and dignity. I joined the live stream as he shared how his portraits foster human connection and honor the dignity of his subjects. These are my notes. [Image: Web feature with portraits of photographer Harry Williams and host Michelle Meow.] In a December 19, 2024, interview at the Commonwealth Club for The Power of Human Connection: Photographer Harry Williams on the Michelle Meow Year-End Special, Harry Williams reflected on his journey capturing San Francisco’s unseen communities, transforming street photography into a practice of compassion, empathy, and dignity. I joined the live stream as he shared how his portraits foster human connection and honor the dignity of his subjects. Thank you Commonwealth Club and Michelle Meow. These are my notes… ### Early Journey and Inspiration Harry Williams grew up in a small farm town in Ohio as the only brown kid in his community. After earning a photography degree from Ohio State, he embarked on a transformative journey to Southeast Asia. Selling everything he owned, he moved to Bangkok, where he began exploring street photography using a single manual film camera and lens. This approach forced him to engage closely with his subjects, sparking a passion for portraiture. His early travels in Vietnam, especially among the Black Monks, deepened his focus on capturing people’s daily lives, hands, and soulful moments. These experiences taught him the power of connecting with strangers and seeing “the photo before you take it.” ### Street Photography in San Francisco Since 2017, Harry Williams has been photographing life on the streets of San Francisco, particularly in neighborhoods like the Tenderloin and Sixth Street. Drawn to the vibrancy and humanity of these areas, he captures moments of dignity and resilience. Unlike the stillness of upscale areas like Pacific Heights, neighborhoods like the Tenderloin are filled with life, stories, and unpredictability. Harry approaches each encounter with humility and patience, building trust by talking with people, taking their photos, and later returning to share the prints. Over time, he has become a familiar presence—“the photography guy”—known for treating his subjects with respect and compassion. ### Human Connection and Impact Harry’s portraits uplift people in vulnerable situations, offering them a moment of visibility and dignity. His large-scale prints (like a 48×36 portrait) are celebrations of everyday people, portraying them not at their lowest points, but as people worthy of being seen and appreciated. The emotional impact of his work is palpable. People have cried upon receiving their photographs, expressing gratitude for being seen with dignity. Harry recounts moments of deep connection, like celebrating Christmas with “Buffalo,” a man experiencing homelessness, by bringing a cake for the whole block to share. Moments like these underscore the human desire for acknowledgment and the simple power of being seen. ### Challenges and Reflections The emotional weight of his work is not lost on him. Witnessing the hardships faced by those living on the streets can be emotionally taxing, and Harry credits his partner, Angela, as a vital source of support. Despite the challenges, moments of gratitude and connection keep him going. For Harry, photography is more than a technical pursuit—it is a spiritual practice. He sees his camera as a tool for empathy, allowing him to bridge divides and foster human connection. ### Philosophy and Approach Harry emphasizes that everyone deserves to be seen and acknowledged. He encourages people to start small by greeting strangers or offering a compliment. This simple act of connection mirrors his approach as a photographer. His toolkit includes a 28mm lens that forces him to get close to his subjects, creating a level of intimacy rarely seen in street photography. By shooting in black and white, Harry removes the distraction of color, letting the raw emotion, texture, and essence of his subjects shine through. The shades of gray in his images echo the complexity of humanity on the streets of San Francisco—nuanced, layered, and rarely black-and-white. This approach allows him to maintain complete creative control from capture to print, ensuring each image reflects the dignity, struggle, and beauty of his subjects with unfiltered honesty. ### IN THE NEWS Harry Williams is often celebrated for his striking black-and-white portraits that highlight the dignity and humanity of the city’s overlooked residents. According to 48 Hills, his work focuses primarily on the Tenderloin district, where he has built meaningful relationships with individuals living on the streets or in single-room occupancy hotels. Through his lens, Williams captures raw, unfiltered moments of struggle and resilience, offering viewers a deeper understanding of the people within these communities. His approach transforms everyday street scenes into powerful visual narratives. Williams’ work has also been featured in significant exhibitions and public events. One standout project documented the San Francisco Juneteenth Parade in June 2024. According to Leica Fotografie International (LFI), Williams captured the essence of community pride and cultural celebration. His ability to frame joy and cultural vibrancy with the same level of intimacy and authenticity seen in his Tenderloin portraits underscores the versatility of his storytelling. Williams’ photography is grounded in human connection. As highlighted in SFGate, he builds trust with his subjects, often returning to share their portraits with them—a gesture that solidifies relationships and earns him access to deeply personal moments. His work invites people to see the humanity in those they might otherwise overlook. By focusing on the details of his subjects’ expressions and body language, Williams reveals a profound emotional depth in his portraits, drawing comparisons to the work of classic documentary photographers. In addition to his street photography, Williams is dedicated to sharing his knowledge and passion for the art form. His role as a guest speaker at the Academy of Art University’s School of Photography, as noted on the university’s website, allowed him to discuss his creative process, the importance of empathy in street photography, and the techniques he uses to connect with his subjects. His talk inspired a new generation of photographers to see street photography as a means to foster understanding and compassion. Through every project, Williams exemplifies the power of storytelling through photography. His journey from a self-taught artist to a respected figure in San Francisco’s creative community is a testament to his passion and dedication. In a recent interview with Canvas Rebel, Williams shared his philosophy on photography, his creative journey, and his ongoing commitment to uplifting the voices of those often left unseen. His portraits challenge viewers to confront their own perceptions, encouraging empathy and a deeper understanding of the world around them. ### Takeaways Harry Williams’ journey illustrates how photography can be a tool for compassion, dignity, and social awareness. His approach reminds us of the power of acknowledgment in everyday life. Whether it’s saying “hi” to a stranger or capturing a fleeting moment of humanity, Harry’s work serves as a call to see and honor the people we often overlook. His story underscores the importance of community, empathy, and the belief that everyone has a story worth telling. [Image: harry-williams-eye-see-you-book] Don’t miss the chance to immerse yourself in Harry’s compelling photography with his book, EYE SEE YOU. This powerful collection showcases intimate portraits and candid moments that capture the humanity, dignity, and resilience of people often overlooked. Through each image, he invites us to see beyond the surface, fostering empathy and a deeper appreciation for human connection. EYE SEE YOU. © Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. > Announcing the Release of “The Melbourne Portraits Project: A Photographic Ode” Photo Book [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## The Art of Interaction: Pia Gould Wears Bach Mai on Melbourne’s Streets - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2024/12/14/the-art-of-interaction-pia-gould-wears-bach-mai-on-melbournes-streets/ - Published: 2024-12-14 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Pia Gould steps out in Bach Mai, transforming Melbourne’s streets into a canvas for high fashion. Blending elegance with raw urban energy, she reimagines the dress with bold gestures and playful interaction, turning every frame into a story. [Image: Pia Gould posing in front of a black-and-white mural while wearing a sculptural Bach Mai design.] Pia Gould steps out in Bach Mai, transforming Melbourne’s streets into a canvas for high fashion. Blending elegance with raw urban energy, she reimagines the dress with bold gestures and playful interaction, turning every frame into a story. READ ARTICLE > Bach Mai’s Invincible Summer at NYFW: A Journey of Resilience, Fashion, and Art [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Bach Mai, CFDA & Genesis House: Redefining Fashion’s Future - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2024/12/12/bach-mai-cfda-genesis-house-redefining-fashions-future/ - Published: 2024-12-12 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Discover how the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and Genesis House are shaping the future of fashion! Their AAPI Design + Innovation Grant is empowering visionary designers like Bach Mai with funding, mentorship, and a global platform to showcase bold, boundary-pushing collections. This initiative is driving diversity, championing AAPI voices, and redefining creative excellence in the industry. [Image: Portrait of fashion designer Bach Mai with teal hair beside CFDA and Genesis House branding.] Discover how the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and Genesis House are shaping the future of fashion! Their AAPI Design + Innovation Grant is empowering visionary designers like Bach Mai with funding, mentorship, and a global platform to showcase bold, boundary-pushing collections. This initiative is driving diversity, championing AAPI voices, and redefining creative excellence in the industry. READ ARTICLE > Bach Mai’s Invincible Summer at NYFW: A Journey of Resilience, Fashion, and Art [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## The Melbourne Portraits Project: Visual Echo - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2024/12/12/layers-of-light-where-reflections-and-reality-collide/ - Published: 2024-12-12 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: Explore The Melbourne Portraits Project, Chapter 5: Visual Echo, where reflections and layers reveal hidden depths. Discover how glass, light, and mirrors create dynamic portraits, blending reality and illusion to craft stories that challenge perceptions and captivate the imagination. [Image: Graphic banner reading “The Melbourne Portraits Project, Chapter 5: Visual Echo.”] Explore The Melbourne Portraits Project, Chapter 5: Visual Echo, where reflections and layers reveal hidden depths. Discover how glass, light, and mirrors create dynamic portraits, blending reality and illusion to craft stories that challenge perceptions and captivate the imagination. EXPLORE THE BOOK AND GRAB YOUR COPY TODAY! > The Melbourne Portraits Project [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## What if fashion finally felt like it belonged to all of us? - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2024/12/11/what-if-fashion-finally-felt-like-it-belonged-to-all-of-us/ - Published: 2024-12-11 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: What if fashion finally felt like it belonged to all of us? When fashion looks more like us — diverse, real, and relatable — it becomes more than clothes. It becomes a story. No longer exclusive, it reflects humanity in all its forms, and that’s a story worth capturing through the lens. [Image: Seven fashion models posed together against a large Vogue backdrop.] What if fashion finally felt like it belonged to all of us? When fashion looks more like us — diverse, real, and relatable — it becomes more than clothes. It becomes a story. No longer exclusive, it reflects humanity in all its forms, and that’s a story worth capturing through the lens. READ ARTICLE > Fashion & Editorial Photography [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Andy Nguyen’s Ballet Featured in COPIED Magazine - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2024/12/06/andy-nguyens-ballet-featured-in-copied-magazine/ - Published: 2024-12-06 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: What happens when ballet meets an urban parking garage? Andy Nguyen’s incredible dance moves turn concrete into art, redefining what a stage can be. Check out his stunning feature in the debut issue of COPIED Magazine by The Next Bay Area Runway. From graceful leaps to powerful poses, Andy proves that creativity can transform even the most unexpected spaces. Don’t miss this inspiring story and grab your copy today! [Image: COPIED Magazine spread featuring Andy Nguyen in white dance poses against concrete walls.] Andy Nguyen’s transformative dance graces COPIED Magazine’s debut issue, where he redefines movement against San Jose’s industrial backdrops. Captured in raw, minimalist settings, Andy’s artistry brings unexpected beauty to concrete spaces, showcasing grace, strength, and boundless creative energy. READ ARTICLE > Magazine Roundup [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## The Melbourne Portraits Project: Concrete Jungle - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2024/12/05/stripping-back-the-noise-in-the-melbourne-portraits-project/ - Published: 2024-12-05 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: In Chapter 4 of The Melbourne Portraits Project, Concrete Jungle, muted urban backdrops take a step back to amplify the vibrancy of human expression. These portraits celebrate individuality and presence, proving that simplicity and stillness can create profound visual stories. [Image: Graphic banner reading “The Melbourne Portraits Project, Chapter 4: Concrete Jungle.”] In Chapter 4 of The Melbourne Portraits Project, Concrete Jungle, muted urban backdrops take a step back to amplify the vibrancy of human expression. These portraits celebrate individuality and presence, proving that simplicity and stillness can create profound visual stories. EXPLORE THE BOOK AND GRAB YOUR COPY TODAY! > The Melbourne Portraits Project [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Fashion in Motion: Frenni Dolsie Acuesta’s Feature in COPIED Magazine - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2024/12/05/fashion-in-motion-frenni-dolsie-acuestas-feature-in-copied-magazine/ - Published: 2024-12-05 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Lights, camera, motion! Dive into my latest photoshoot with Frenni Dolsie Acuesta, featured in COPIED Magazine! From graceful poses to bold leaps, it’s all about movement, style, and collaboration. Check it out! [Image: COPIED Magazine spread featuring Frenni Dolsie Acuesta in a textured dress beside editorial text.] This photoshoot with Frenni Dolsie Acuesta, featured in COPIED Magazine by The Next Bay Area Runway, captures the fusion of fashion, movement, and personality. From poised elegance to dynamic motion, the session highlights how creativity and collaboration bring fashion to life in stunning ways. Grab your copy of COPIED Magazine today! READ ARTICLE > Magazine Roundup [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Timeless Elegance: Butones Jewelry in COPIED Magazine - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2024/12/04/timeless-elegance-butones-jewelry-in-copied-magazine/ - Published: 2024-12-04 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Butones Jewelry, a stunning blend of artistry and sustainability, dazzles in COPIED Magazine’s debut issue. Each piece, crafted from repurposed designer elements, tells a story of transformation, shining with timeless beauty and elegance on every page. [Image: COPIED Magazine spread about Butones Jewelry with a soft-focus fashion photograph and editorial text.] Butones Jewelry, a stunning blend of artistry and sustainability, dazzles in COPIED Magazine’s debut issue. Each piece, crafted from repurposed designer elements, tells a story of transformation, shining with timeless beauty and elegance on every page. READ ARTICLE > Magazine Roundup [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Cassie Sanidad and HOELI Hair Shine in COPIED Magazine - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2024/12/03/cassie-sanidad-and-hoeli-hair-shine-in-copied-magazine/ - Published: 2024-12-03 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Featured in COPIED Magazine’s debut issue, Cassandra Amor Sanidad’s HOELI Hair redefines haircare with a focus on self-love and sustainability. Her visionary brand combines clean, vegan formulations with a mission to empower individuals through mindful beauty and mental wellness. [Image: HOELI Hair bestsellers advertisement featuring Cassie Sanidad, hair products, and product descriptions.] Featured in COPIED Magazine’s debut issue, Cassandra Amor Sanidad’s HOELI Hair redefines haircare with a focus on self-love and sustainability. Her visionary brand combines clean, vegan formulations with a mission to empower individuals through mindful beauty and mental wellness. READ ARTICLE > Magazine Roundup [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Drew Makes Music Drops the Vibes in COPIED Magazine’s First Issue! - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2024/12/03/drew-makes-music-drops-the-vibes-in-copied-magazines-first-issue/ - Published: 2024-12-03 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Bay Area guitarist Drew Makes Music shines in COPIED Magazine’s debut issue, featuring my photography. From soulful solos to bold collaborations like “RUN MY WAY”, this article celebrates Drew’s artistry and the creative fusion of music and visual storytelling. [Image: COPIED Magazine spread featuring Drew Makes Music with guitars and layered portraits.] Bay Area guitarist Drew Makes Music shines in COPIED Magazine’s debut issue, featuring my photography. From soulful solos to bold collaborations like “RUN MY WAY”, this article celebrates Drew’s artistry and the creative fusion of music and visual storytelling. READ ARTICLE > Magazine Roundup [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Maya Romanazzo, Scott Braxton, and Butones Jewelry x COPIED Magazine - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2024/12/03/maya-romanazzo-scott-braxton-and-butones-jewelry-x-copied-magazine/ - Published: 2024-12-03 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: How does fashion connect cultures? Explore a photoshoot blending Scott Braxton’s intricate designs, Butones Jewelry’s subtle elegance, and Hakone Estate’s serene beauty. Featuring Maya Romanazzo in COPIED Magazine, this collaboration celebrates harmony, creativity, and the power of shared storytelling. [Image: COPIED Magazine spread featuring Maya Romanazzo in beaded fashion with an editorial story overlay.] How does fashion connect cultures? Explore a photoshoot blending Scott Braxton’s intricate designs, Butones Jewelry’s subtle elegance, and Hakone Estate’s serene beauty. Featuring Maya Romanazzo in COPIED Magazine, this collaboration celebrates harmony, creativity, and the power of shared storytelling. READ ARTICLE > Magazine Roundup [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Shreya Halder x COPIED Magazine - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2024/12/02/shreya-halder-x-copied-magazine/ - Published: 2024-12-02 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: What does it look like when bold vision meets effortless style? My recent photoshoot with Shreya Halder, featured in the debut issue of COPIED Magazine by The Next Bay Area Runway, tells that story. [Image: Magazine banner featuring Shreya Halder beside the headline about her first ten days at Merazine.] Featured in COPIED Magazine, my shoot with Shreya Halder captures her bold, effortless style. Against a sunlit kitchen backdrop, Shreya’s sleek blazer and vibrant boots reflect her innovative spirit and the playful energy of her app, Merazine. READ ARTICLE > Magazine Roundup [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## The Melbourne Portraits Project: Creative Freedom - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2024/12/01/the-melbourne-portraits-project-where-creative-freedom-takes-the-lead/ - Published: 2024-12-01 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: Dive into Chapter 3, “Creative Freedom,” of The Melbourne Portraits Project: A Photographic Ode! This article takes you behind the scenes of whimsical storytelling, bold settings, and imaginative collaborations that redefine what photography can be. Let’s explore creativity unleashed! [Image: Graphic banner reading “The Melbourne Portraits Project, Chapter 3: Creative Freedom.”] Dive into Chapter 3, “Creative Freedom,” of The Melbourne Portraits Project: A Photographic Ode! This article takes you behind the scenes of whimsical storytelling, bold settings, and imaginative collaborations that redefine what photography can be. Let’s explore creativity unleashed! EXPLORE THE BOOK AND GRAB YOUR COPY TODAY! > The Melbourne Portraits Project [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## The Melbourne Portraits Project: Chiaroscuro - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2024/11/29/the-melbourne-portraits-project-moodiest-chapter-yet-dive-into-the-shadows/ - Published: 2024-11-29 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: Tired of Black Friday chaos? Escape to Chapter 2 of The Melbourne Portraits Project! On the companion website, explore chiaroscuro reimagined in Melbourne’s alleys—raw textures, dramatic shadows, and urban energy. Who needs deals when art steals the show! [Image: Graphic banner reading “The Melbourne Portraits Project, Chapter 2: Chiaroscuro.”] Step away from the chaos and immerse yourself in the captivating world of The Melbourne Portraits Project. Chapter 2 is now live on the companion website, offering a fresh take on chiaroscuro set against the dynamic backdrop of Melbourne’s alleys. This chapter reimagines the classical interplay of light and shadow, blending raw urban textures with dramatic contrasts that breathe life into each portrait. The energy of the city adds an edgy vibrance, turning every corner into a canvas and every frame into a story. Who needs Black Friday deals when art like this steals the spotlight? EXPLORE THE BOOK AND GRAB YOUR COPY TODAY! > The Melbourne Portraits Project [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## The Melbourne Portraits Project: The Street Is My Studio - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2024/11/23/the-melbourne-portraits-project-the-street-is-my-studio/ - Published: 2024-11-23 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: Experience Melbourne’s streets, where urban textures, weathered surfaces, and shifting light shape the stories. This chapter captures the raw energy of alleys, staircases, and scenes that bring subjects closer to their surroundings. [Image: Graphic banner reading “The Melbourne Portraits Project, Chapter 1: The Street Is My Studio.”] Experience Melbourne’s streets, where urban textures, weathered surfaces, and shifting light shape the stories. This chapter captures the raw energy of alleys, staircases, and scenes that bring subjects closer to their surroundings. READ ARTICLE > The Melbourne Portraits Project [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Discover Visually Speaking by Ted Forbes - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2024/11/22/discover-visually-speaking-by-ted-forbes/ - Published: 2024-11-22 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: If you’re passionate about photography and want to dive deeper into the art of visual storytelling, I recommend checking out this article: Ted Forbes and His New Photography Book, Visually Speaking: A Guide to Visual Storytelling. The article offers an overview of Ted Forbes’ latest book, Visually Speaking: Mastering Photography As A Visual Language. It explores his unique […] [Image: Banner showing a camera lens and the words “Visually Speaking: Mastering the Art of Photography.”] If you’re passionate about photography and want to dive deeper into the art of visual storytelling, I recommend checking out this article: Ted Forbes and His New Photography Book, Visually Speaking: A Guide to Visual Storytelling. The article offers an overview of Ted Forbes’ latest book, Visually Speaking: Mastering Photography As A Visual Language. It explores his unique approach to photography, focusing on how to communicate through images rather than just taking technically good shots. Ted’s thoughtful perspectives on composition, symbolism, and finding your creative voice are invaluable for photographers of all levels. What makes this article stand out is how it highlights Ted’s ability to inspire photographers to think beyond the technical aspects of their craft and connect with their work on a deeper level. If you’ve followed Ted’s YouTube channel, The Art of Photography, you know his insights are always thought-provoking, and this article is no exception. Take a few minutes to read it—it’s a great introduction to both the book and Ted’s philosophy on photography. It might just change the way you see your next shot! READ ARTICLE > Ted Forbes Spotlights ‘The Street Is My Studio’ on The Art of Photography [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Just Released: “The Melbourne Portraits Project: A Photographic Ode” Photo Book - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2024/11/12/just-released-the-melbourne-portraits-project-a-photographic-ode-photo-book/ - Published: 2024-11-12 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: “The Melbourne Portraits Project: A Photographic Ode” is a new photo book from Bay Area-based photographer Paul Tocatlian, capturing the creative pulse of Melbourne before he returned to rediscover the vibrant creative scene across the San Francisco Bay Area. [Image: Promotional graphic for The Melbourne Portraits Project: A Photographic Ode with a book cover and review quote.] “The Melbourne Portraits Project: A Photographic Ode” is a new photo book from Bay Area-based photographer Paul Tocatlian, capturing the creative pulse of Melbourne before he returned to rediscover the vibrant creative scene across the San Francisco Bay Area. This 192-page collection overflows with unscripted moments from over 100 photoshoots, all taken in between pandemic lockdowns. Each chapter invites you to discover a different visual style—from shadowed alleys to walls alive with vibrant graffiti—unveiling scenes that pulse with raw energy and spirit. It’s a call to “be bolder, dream bigger” and see how collaboration in photoshoots can turn unexpected spaces into captivating stages. Organized into 12 unique chapters, The Melbourne Portraits Project flips the script on traditional photo books, showing how even the quietest corners can become a stage. Jay Ventress, who penned the book’s foreword, captures the spirit of this project perfectly, sharing what it felt like to watch Paul turn Melbourne’s streets into his personal studio. For those who can’t get enough, there’s a companion website with bonus stories, extra shots, and interviews with the incredible people who helped bring this project to life. It’s your backstage pass to see the stories unfold beyond the pages. EXPLORE THE BOOK AND GRAB YOUR COPY TODAY! > The Melbourne Portraits Project [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Why “Dear Stranger, Origins”, by Jay Ventress, is a Must-Read – Letters That Connect Us - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2024/11/03/why-dear-stranger-origins-by-jay-ventress-is-a-must-read-letters-that-connect-us/ - Published: 2024-11-03 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: Dear Stranger, Origins by Jay Ventress is a journey into the heart of connection. Part memoir, part letter collection, it captures moments of vulnerability, solitude, and shared humanity. Jay’s words reach beyond the page, reminding us of our universal need to feel understood. [Image: Black book cover with the handwritten title “Dear Stranger, Origins” by Jay Ventress.] Some books offer a fleeting escape, but others leave a lasting impact. Dear Stranger, Origins by Jay Ventress is undeniably in the latter category. It finds its way into your life, speaking with a raw honesty that feels deeply personal. Part memoir and part letter collection, Dear Stranger, Origins captures Jay Ventress’s journey through isolation, creativity, and the beauty of human connection. My connection to Jay began unexpectedly, through one of his letters. In Melbourne, amid the early days of his project, I came across one of these notes. I was struck by its simplicity and warmth. Each letter he left in public spaces carried a message of kindness and understanding—a small act of connection in a disconnected world. Jay wasn’t just writing for the sake of it; he was reaching out, creating moments of empathy and shared experience for strangers. [Image: Person wearing a face mask attaching a handwritten note to a street pole.] [Image: Handwritten Dear Stranger note taped to a weathered street pole.] [Image: Masked person tying a handwritten note to a blue street pole.] [Image: Masked person working with a handwritten note, photographed through reflective glass.] [Image: Close portrait of a masked person holding a handwritten note beside a street pole.] [Image: Masked person holding up a handwritten Dear Stranger note behind reflective glass.] Seeing the impact of Jay’s letters firsthand, I watched as people discovered them like treasures left along their path. These weren’t just random notes—they were personal invitations to connect, each one a reminder of the universal human need to feel understood. What Jay started as a quiet act became a movement of hope and resilience. ### What Makes Dear Stranger, Origins by Jay Ventress So Unique? There’s a reason Dear Stranger, Origins feels different from other memoirs. Jay’s approach isn’t about grand storytelling or polished prose. His words are unfiltered, speaking with authenticity and vulnerability that resonates with anyone who has ever felt alone or lost. This honesty sets Jay apart as a writer. He doesn’t simply recount his experiences but invites readers to find pieces of their own lives in his journey. Jay’s writing goes beyond the page, touching on universal emotions that feel intimate and personal. He writes with a quiet power, creating a narrative that isn’t about fame or mastery—it’s about purpose, passion, and a search for meaning. For Jay, writing is the bridge that connects him to others who might need his words, his voice, his insight. ### Themes of Struggle, Resilience, and Purpose in Dear Stranger, Origins Jay Ventress confronts the hard parts of his journey with a rare honesty, making Dear Stranger, Origins feel like a personal conversation. The themes he explores—struggle, resilience, and purpose—are universal and resonate with anyone who has ever felt isolated or in search of something deeper. Jay’s words remind us that we’re not alone, even in our quietest, most challenging moments. His resilience shines through, offering hope to those who may be questioning their own path. [Image: Person wearing a patterned red coat walking beside a red chair on a city street.] This book isn’t solely Jay’s story. Each letter and memory prompts readers to explore their own lives and discover meaning, even amid uncertainty. Jay’s vulnerability and openness offer a powerful message: struggle is not only natural but also essential to our growth and creativity. ### Why Dear Stranger, Origins Is a Book Worth Sharing If you’re looking for a book that transcends surface-level inspiration, Dear Stranger, Origins is exactly that. Jay’s writing is refreshingly unrefined. Each page carries his intent to connect, making this a book you don’t just read and shelve; it’s one that stays with you. Jay’s words serve as a reminder of the value of genuine connection, and his journey makes this book an ideal gift for anyone who values real, heartfelt storytelling. This is a story about finding purpose, even in small acts of kindness. Jay’s book prompts readers to consider their own “pen”—the way they connect, create, and find peace. ### A Final Thought on Dear Stranger, Origins Through each letter and reflection, Jay shares parts of himself, encouraging readers to approach their own journeys with the same openness. This book is a reminder that we don’t have to face life’s challenges alone and that sometimes, the act of writing—or simply reading—can bridge the distances between us. If you’re ready to dive into something that reaches beyond words, something that taps into the universal need for connection and meaning, Dear Stranger, Origins is an experience worth having. Through it, Jay offers a piece of his heart, and perhaps, a way to discover a piece of your own. ### About Jay Ventress Jay Ventress, the author and street artist behind Dear Stranger Press, has spent years traveling the world, leaving letters on everyday objects—trash cans, bus shelters, electric boxes, anything that holds a bit of tape—hoping to spark something in a passerby’s eye. Perhaps you’ve already encountered one of these letters, and if so, consider this a hello from a fellow wild spirit. The letter project, called Dear Stranger, began in Melbourne, Australia, four years ago. Initially started to bring a moment of clarity to strangers (and to Jay) during the lockdown, this project has grown far beyond its origins. Since those early days, Jay has managed to post five thousand letters across Europe, New York, and much of the UK. The project has appeared on the BBC, The Belgian Times, and many other news sources. Thousands of strangers have inspired Jay to keep going through rain, sun, and snow, sending messages warm enough to melt the coldest of hearts. Generous individuals from around the world have even helped translate these letters into Spanish, Polish, Albanian, German, and French, so that these messages can touch others in their native languages. GRAB YOUR COPY > The Melbourne Portraits Project [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## A Fusion of Craftsmanship and Style - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2024/10/19/a-fusion-of-craftsmanship-and-style/ - Published: 2024-10-19 - Last modified: 2026-08-17 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Dive into the story behind The Ride, a photoshoot where craftsmanship meets style. This project showcases the powerful connection between creativity and design, offering a fresh perspective on fashion photography and art. [Image: Man wearing a bright patterned suit and hat leaning from the window of a vintage car.] I’m excited to introduce a recent article on Kisau Photography, The Story Behind The Ride: A Fusion of Craftsmanship and Style. This project highlights the intersection of fashion, creativity, and thoughtful design. Every image captures a carefully crafted blend of textures, materials, and light. READ ARTICLE > Photoshoot Collaboration [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## The Votes Are In: Meet the Cover - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2024/10/19/the-votes-are-in-meet-the-cover/ - Published: 2024-10-19 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: The cover of The Melbourne Portraits Project: A Photographic Ode is officially revealed! Discover the story behind the project and the global votes that shaped this exciting moment on the blog. [Image: Graphic showing five portrait-book cover finalists for The Melbourne Portraits Project.] The votes are in, and I’m excited to finally reveal the cover of The Melbourne Portraits Project: A Photographic Ode !After receiving votes from around the world, this cover represents not just my journey but the collaboration and creativity of everyone involved. Take a look at the winning cover! Take a Look At The Winning Cover! > The Melbourne Portraits Project [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Streets. Colors. Motion. Blur. - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2024/10/19/streets-colors-motion-blur/ - Published: 2024-10-19 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: In the streets of Lisbon, life moves in a vibrant blur of motion and color. Trams, tuk-tuks, and bicycles flow together, creating a rhythmic dance that reminds us of the beauty in every journey. [Image: Yellow Lisbon tram moving through a city street with strong motion blur.] [Image: White tuk-tuk carrying passengers through Lisbon with motion-blurred surroundings.] [Image: Red tuk-tuk moving through a bright Lisbon street with a blurred background.] [Image: Red and yellow Lisbon tram passing close to the camera in motion blur.] [Image: White open-sided tuk-tuk moving across a blurred Lisbon street.] [Image: Yellow tuk-tuk passing close to the camera with strong horizontal motion blur.] [Image: Green tuk-tuk moving through Lisbon against a motion-blurred street.] [Image: Red and yellow Lisbon tram streaking past in a colorful blur.] [Image: Red Lisbon tram approaching along a bright street with motion blur.] [Image: Driver guiding a white tuk-tuk through a blurred Lisbon street.] [Image: Red and yellow Lisbon tram moving along a narrow city street.] [Image: Cyclist riding through Lisbon against a softly blurred urban background.] [Image: Orange tuk-tuk carrying passengers through a motion-blurred street.] [Image: Red Lisbon tram passing across the frame in pronounced motion blur.] [Image: Red and yellow Lisbon tram moving quickly through a city street.] [Image: Decorated white tuk-tuk moving through Lisbon with a blurred background.] [Image: Yellow Lisbon tram passing a street festival sign in motion blur.] [Image: White tuk-tuk carrying passengers along a blurred Lisbon street.] From where I stand, Lisbon never stops. The trams hum by, the tuk-tuks zip through the streets, and bicycles glide past in a blur of color. The city buzzes with life, always moving, always shifting. And as I watch it all from my corner, I can’t help but smile. This is the rhythm of life, the heartbeat of the city. It never pauses, but maybe that’s the beauty of it. The trams, those yellow and red streaks, carry people through their days. I catch glimpses of faces as they pass—some determined, some lost in thought, some simply enjoying the ride. They’re all part of this dance, just like me. Maybe they’re heading to work, or meeting a friend, or chasing the sun as it dips lower. Wherever they’re going, they’re part of the city’s pulse, each journey adding to its energy. The tuk-tuks, with their quiet whirr, weave through the traffic, their drivers focused yet calm. They know something I’m starting to learn—that it’s not about where you’re going, but how you’re moving through it all. Life keeps flowing, and so do they, adapting to the twists and turns of the streets. It’s like they’ve made peace with the pace, finding joy in the movement itself. Sometimes, I feel like the only still point in all of this motion. But then I realize, I’m moving too. Maybe not as fast, maybe not in the same way, but I’m part of this vibrant current, just like everyone else. And that’s where the magic lies. The city may never stop, but it carries me with it, gently pushing me forward, reminding me that every day is a new journey. I used to worry about keeping up, about missing out on something if I didn’t move fast enough. But now, watching the blur of wheels and colors pass by, I understand it differently. It’s not about rushing. It’s about being present in the flow, trusting that I’m exactly where I need to be. The details—the cobblestones, the tram bells, the street vendors calling out—they all blur together into something bigger, something beautiful. Where are they all going? It doesn’t matter. What matters is that we’re all in this together, part of the same rhythm, the same dance. And as the city buzzes around me, I feel a sense of peace. Life is always moving, but it’s not leaving me behind. It’s carrying me along, showing me new paths, new moments of joy in the simplest things. Lisbon’s streets are alive, and so am I. Each blur of motion is a reminder that life is vibrant, full of possibility. And even when it feels like the world is rushing by, I know I’m part of the journey—moving forward, growing, and finding beauty in the motion. > [Moonlight on Moving Waters](https://tocatlian.blog/2024/10/19/moonlight-on-moving-waters/) [Embedded media](https://tocatlian.blog/2024/10/19/moonlight-on-moving-waters/embed/#?secret=E9wpTvpehm#?secret=2zwf0y6ic8) © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Moonlight on Moving Waters - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2024/10/19/moonlight-on-moving-waters/ - Published: 2024-10-19 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Captured under the night sky, these photos reveal the graceful motion of swimmers in moonlit water. Blurring the lines between movement and light, they invite you into a surreal, dreamlike world. [Image: Swimmer reaching upward through dark blue water as spray surrounds the body.] [Image: Bright splash erupting across the surface of deep blue water.] [Image: Swimmer’s legs and yellow fins moving beneath blue water.] [Image: Swimmer’s blurred form moving beneath the surface of blue water.] [Image: Fine spray falling like rain across dark blue water.] [Image: Swimmer gliding horizontally underwater with a trail of bubbles.] [Image: Swimmer floating just beneath the surface of blue water.] [Image: Circular burst of white spray against dark blue water.] [Image: Abstract blurred figure moving vertically through blue water.] Have you ever wondered what the world looks like when time slows down by the water, where every movement becomes a dance, and light blurs into fluid shapes? Captured at the edge of the pool under the stillness of the night, these photographs reveal a different dimension of swimming—a surreal, dreamlike realm where the boundary between the body and water disappears. Each stroke leaves behind a trace, a whisper of motion that lingers longer than in our waking reality. The swimmers, now abstract forms, glide through the water with an almost painterly grace, as though time itself has been stretched. The slow shutter speed captures more than just the physical—it captures the emotion of movement, the essence of water meeting skin. As the night sky reflects on the ripples below, the water seems to take on a life of its own, flowing in harmony with the light. Swirls of energy, illuminated by the gentle glow, trace paths that lead to the unknown, hinting at stories untold. Every wave shimmers with mystery, every splash blurs into the next, creating a dance between the seen and the unseen. It’s as if the pool has become a canvas, and the swimmers, moving brushes. The result is an image that invites you to wonder: is this a reflection of reality, or a glimpse into a dream? The ordinary act of swimming, under the veil of night, transforms into something more—something extraordinary, something timeless. These images speak to the beauty found in stillness, in the space between moments, in the blur where the present fades into the past. What do you see in these shimmering waves? Perhaps it’s a memory, a feeling, or just the beauty of the night transforming the mundane into the magical. Dive deeper, and you may find that this world, where water and light entwine, holds more than just a reflection—it holds a piece of your own imagination. > [Streets. Colors. Motion. Blur.](https://tocatlian.blog/2024/10/19/streets-colors-motion-blur/) [Embedded media](https://tocatlian.blog/2024/10/19/streets-colors-motion-blur/embed/#?secret=vkZasl50d8#?secret=foda6yVWD8) © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Tins of Sardine Stories - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2024/10/19/the-fantastic-world-of-portuguese-sardines/ - Published: 2024-10-19 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: These vibrant photos showcase the whimsical world of Portuguese sardines, where each tin tells a story of the sea. Accompanying the images is a poetic journey through history, color, and tradition. [Image: Colorful illuminated sign reading “The Fantastic World of the Portuguese Sardine.”] [Image: Decorative sardine-shop display beneath a glowing Portuguese Sardines sign.] [Image: Wall of colorful Portuguese sardine tins labeled with different years.] [Image: Rows of colorful Portuguese sardine tins seen through reflective glass.] [Image: Colorful 1954 Portuguese sardine tin framed by a decorative shop display.] [Image: Lisboa sardine tin displayed against a wall of colorful dated tins.] In the land of Lisboa, where the streets meet the sea, Portuguese sardines dance in tins with glee. A carousel of colors, from red to blue, Each tin tells a story of a year they once knew. On a Ferris wheel made of light and delight, The sardines ride high, bathed in neon light. From 1954 to 1989, each year, a tale, Of ocean waves and ships that set sail. They shimmer in rows, like treasures of gold, A history of flavors, brined and bold. Captured in cans, both humble and proud, They sing of the sea, in a voice clear and loud. Step inside the fantastic world they create, Where sardines celebrate each year as fate. A taste of Portugal, packed tight with grace, In every tin, a memory, a time, a place. > [Streets. Colors. Motion. Blur.](https://tocatlian.blog/2024/10/19/streets-colors-motion-blur/) [Embedded media](https://tocatlian.blog/2024/10/19/streets-colors-motion-blur/embed/#?secret=PNrFE1Opry#?secret=iLtX4KT2eV) © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Through the Lens: Bach Mai’s Empowering Vision at NYFW - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2024/09/19/through-the-lens-bach-mais-empowering-vision-at-nyfw/ - Published: 2024-09-19 - Last modified: 2026-08-17 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: The blog post highlights Bach Mai’s Invincible Summer collection at New York Fashion Week, emphasizing themes of resilience and artistry, while showcasing the emotional energy captured through photography. [Image: Model in a red outfit walking the Bach Mai runway under a spotlight at New York Fashion Week.] The article “Bach Mai’s Invincible Summer at NYFW: A Journey of Resilience, Fashion, and Art” on Kisau Photography‘s website, by Paul Tocatlian, highlights the designer Bach Mai’s presentation at New York Fashion Week. It explores the powerful themes of resilience and personal strength expressed through his collection. The post dives into how the designs merge fashion and art, creating a visual narrative that speaks to overcoming adversity. It also reflects on the experience of photographing the event, capturing the essence of both the runway and the artistic vision behind the collection. Bach Mai’s Invincible Summer collection at New York Fashion Week offers a compelling narrative of resilience and artistry through intricate designs. The photography captures not only the beauty of the garments but also the emotion and energy of the runway. Each shot reflects the essence of Bach Mai’s vision, emphasizing the seamless fusion of fashion and storytelling. Through the lens, the collection’s powerful themes of perseverance and strength are brought to life, offering a visual journey that resonates with both art and fashion enthusiasts. READ ARTICLE > Runway Coverage [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## The journey of a photoshoot is as diverse as the subjects it captures - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2024/09/19/the-journey-of-a-photoshoot-is-as-diverse-as-the-subjects-it-captures/ - Published: 2024-09-19 - Last modified: 2026-08-17 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: The blog post by Paul Tocatlian on Kisau Photography emphasizes the value of creative collaborations in fashion photography, offering tips for finding partners, communication, and planning impactful photoshoots. If you’re interested in creative photoshoot collaborations, I highly recommend checking out this insightful blog post! It offers great tips and inspiration for anyone in the fashion or editorial space looking to team up on unique projects. The blog post on Kisau Photography‘s website, by Paul Tocatlian, discusses the value and process of collaborating on fashion and editorial photoshoots. It emphasizes the benefits of creative partnerships, such as combining different artistic perspectives and producing more impactful work. The post also provides practical advice on how to find collaborators, the importance of clear communication, and tips for planning successful shoots. It encourages photographers and models to work together to create visually compelling and authentic images. © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## The Street Is My Studio: Featured on The Art of Photography - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2024/08/07/the-street-is-my-studio-featured-on-the-art-of-photography/ - Published: 2024-08-07 - Last modified: 2026-08-17 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: My first released zine, titled “The Street Is My Studio,” was featured on The Art of Photography by Ted Forbes, a dream come true! [Image: Printed cards from The Street Is My Studio arranged across a tabletop.] I’m incredibly excited and a bit humbled to share some amazing news with you all. My recently published zine, “The Street Is My Studio,” has been featured on The Art of Photography by Ted Forbes! For someone who’s been following Ted’s work and learning from him for years, this feels like a dream come true. Ted’s insights and passion for photography have inspired me so much, and to have my work recognized by him is an honor I deeply cherish. “The Street Is My Studio” features photos from my various photoshoot collaborations in Melbourne. This zine is a snapshot of my upcoming photobook, “The Melbourne Portraits Project: A Photographic Ode,” which I’m planning to release this Fall. This project is a labor of love, capturing the wonderful people of Melbourne and their unique stories through my lens. Melbourne’s vibrant community and diverse culture have provided a rich tapestry of subjects, each portrait telling its own unique story. [Image: Open portrait book beside a vintage camera, showing two black-and-white portraits.] [Image: Open portrait book beside a vintage camera, showing two colorful street portraits.] [Image: Open photo book showing a vivid abstract color spread and a dark portrait.] [Image: Open portrait book beside a vintage camera, showing two fashion photographs.] [Image: Open portrait book beside a vintage camera, showing two black-and-white fashion portraits.] [Image: Open portrait book beside a vintage camera, showing two street portraits.] [Image: Open photo book showing a nighttime street portrait beside a vintage camera.] [Image: Open portrait book beside a vintage camera, showing a model in red.] [Image: Open portrait book showing a model posing in a flowing red dress.] [Image: Open portrait book beside a vintage camera, showing a colorful performance scene.] [Image: Open photo book beside a vintage camera, showing people on Melbourne streets.] [Image: Open photo book beside a vintage camera, showing two nighttime street scenes.] [Image: The Street Is My Studio book open to a city map beside a vintage camera.] Creating this photobook has been an incredible journey. From scouting locations and meeting fascinating individuals to capturing those fleeting moments that reveal so much about a person’s character, every step has been rewarding. I’ve poured my heart and soul into this project, striving to authentically portray the essence and beauty of the people I’ve had the privilege of photographing. I want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who has offered kind words and purchased the zine. Your support and encouragement truly mean the world to me. It’s your enthusiasm that keeps me going and pushes me to keep creating and sharing my work. I’ve been overwhelmed by the positive response, and it’s incredibly motivating to know that my work resonates with so many of you. Please join me on this photographic journey by visiting www.kisau.com. There, you can stay updated on my latest projects, view galleries of my work, and find information about upcoming projects . I’m so grateful to have such a wonderful community to share my passion with, and I can’t wait to see where this journey takes us next. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being part of this adventure. Your support inspires me to keep pushing the boundaries of my creativity and to continue capturing the beauty and essence of the world around us. © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Multi-Quantum Philosophy - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2021/08/05/multi-quantum-philosophy/ - Published: 2021-08-05 - Last modified: 2026-07-31 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Meet Dr. Leon. Philosophy Professor. Quantum Physicist. Political Refugee. Founder of multi-quantum philosophy. Dr. Leon believes In the power of humanity And the potential of multi-quantum responsibility. And he would know… He is a Philosophy Professor. A Quantum Physicist. A Political Refugee. And founder of multi-quantum philosophy. Dr. Leon lives in the streets of Melbourne By choice Surrounded by his sweeping collection of books. He will share his universe With whoever will join him On his quest for knowledge. A quest for morality Challenging the mind Challenging the status quo. Dr. Leon will remind us That nothing is perfect Nothing is permanent. That there is no before No after Just now. That there is no good No bad There just ‘is’. That there is no left No right No up No down That you can only see ahead. That nothing doesn’t mean nothing. That religion was created by mankind to control and divide. That politics is Hypocritical, arrogant, and selfish. That we can agree to disagree. Dr. Leon lives in the streets of Melbourne By choice. Be his friend. Be humble. Be responsible. [Image: Dr. Leon gestures with an outstretched hand in a black-and-white portrait.] [Image: Dr. Leon laughs while seated outdoors in a black-and-white portrait.] [Image: Dr. Leon rests one hand on his chest in a black-and-white portrait.] [Image: Black-and-white portrait of Dr. Leon seated outdoors with one finger raised.] [Image: Dr. Leon speaks with both hands raised in a black-and-white portrait.] [Image: Dr. Leon gestures forward with both hands in a black-and-white portrait.] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## The Spirit of Giving Is Alive and Well! - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2020/05/31/the-spirit-of-giving-is-alive-and-well/ - Published: 2020-05-31 - Last modified: 2026-07-31 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Giving Back - Summary: Despite all of the challenges we face in light of the current situation, Happy Planet Children has seen continued support for our fundraising efforts. Our work is not done. In fact, we’re just getting started! With your support, Sister Vinh will be able to carry forward her quest to help these deserving children. Since the world start locking down earlier this year due to the global spread of COVID-19, over 6 million people have been infected and close to 400,000 have died from from causes related to the coronavirus. The world economy is experiencing a severe recession with economists predicting the highest unemployment rates since the Great Depression. Not even during the Great Depression and World War II did the bulk of economic activity literally shut down, as it has in China, the United States, and Europe today. Since the start of the outbreak, Vietnam has closely monitored the situation and installed a series of proactive, comprehensive measures to combat the spread of the virus within the country and prepare its public health facilities. Past experience with other epidemics placed Vietnam in a strong position to protect its population as well as visitors passing through. The result: no deaths related to COVID-19. As we reported late March, the children from The Center for Innocent Children in Bien Hoa, Vietnam were unable to go to school until recently while no visitors have been allowed to help protect the health of the children and staff. This turn of events has resulted in a significant drop in financial relief, as the center is dependent on the goodwill of its visitors. The $5,000 we provided so far has helped fund basic operations of the center. The money received has allowed Sister Vinh and her staff to worry less about the financial woes of their situation and dedicate more time to the well being of the children. Despite all of the challenges in light of the current situation, we have seen continued support for our fundraising efforts. In fact, we have received close to $5,000 in donations in the last two month. This experience has left us humbled by the generosity of our donors and renewed our faith in the goodness of people, who continue to support the center despite their personal hardships. On behalf of Sister Vinh, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude. By supporting The Center for Innocent Children, you are making the statement that despite being abandoned by their families or orphaned, these children deserve a decent childhood, an education, and a chance at a better life. Your willingness to help makes all the difference. [Image: Smiling child at the Center for Innocent Children in Bien Hoa, Vietnam.] #### Institutional Donors - IBL Education #### Child Sponsors - [Annie Nguyen](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/03/27/a-fortunate-stroke-of-serendipity/) - Duong Hoang Nguyen - Tuyet Nguyen - Van Tran #### Dollar a Day Donors - Duong Hoang Nguyen - Newton & Hoan Nguyen #### Top Donors - Anh Nguyen - Chau Ly Nguyen - Danny Phung - Hannah Do - Ly Mai - Nam Hoai Pham - Paul Tocatlian - Robert Weber - Sophia Vu - Tan Trinh - Thanh Dung Nguyen - Tri Le #### Individual Donors - Alan Luu - Claire Sanders - Nguyen Hoang Duong - Favas Rasheed - Germaine Tocatlian - Jean-Georges Fritsch - Jenny Vu - Jim Reynolds - Huong Vu - Ly Nguyen - Mai Anh Le - Matt Cuson - Minh & Betty Nguyen - Nancy Lam - Niem Huynh - Phi Hanh Tran - Thanh Dung Tran - Thanh Thuy Quan - Thao Bich Bui - Thi Mai Nguyen - Thomas Do - Tuyet Duong - Yen Kim Nguyen Our work is not done. In fact, we’re just getting started! With your continued support, Sister Vinh will be able to carry forward her quest to help these deserving children. Please consider joining us on this journey by contributing to the Happy Planet Children 2020 fundraiser: www.happyplanetchildren.com. © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Giving in a Time of Crisis - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2020/03/31/giving-in-a-time-of-crisis/ - Published: 2020-03-31 - Last modified: 2026-07-31 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Giving Back - Summary: In the face of this worldwide pandemic that is impacting all of us both personally and professionally, I would like to share with you a story that warms my heart and put a smile on the faces of children in need. It is a story of hope and resilience. > “Sometimes it takes only one act of kindness and caring to change a person’s life.” Jackie Chan In the face of this worldwide pandemic that is impacting all of us both personally and professionally, I would like to share with you a story that warms my heart and put a smile on the faces of children in need. It is a story of hope and resilience. ### The Center for Innocent Children The [Center for Innocent Children](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/01/center-for-innocent-children-orphanage-vietnam/) in Biên Hòa, Vietnam, was founded in 1990 by Sister Maria Daniel Vu Thi Vinh and is the home of over 200 abandoned newborns, children with disabilities and orphans. [Image: A group of smiling boys sits together at the Center for Innocent Children in Vietnam.] [Image: A sleeping baby rests in a pink Hello Kitty hammock at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: Two smiling boys sit together at the Center for Innocent Children in Vietnam.] [Image: A smiling child looks toward the camera at the Center for Innocent Children in Vietnam.] [Image: A young child looks toward the camera at the Center for Innocent Children in Vietnam.] [Image: A boy raises his hand while looking toward the camera at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: Two smiling girls at the Center for Innocent Children in Vietnam.] [Image: A baby rests in a pink Hello Kitty hammock at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: A smiling boy gestures toward the camera at the Center for Innocent Children in Vietnam.] As the world start shutting down around the Lunar New Year, the center had to close its door to help contain the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health of the children and staff. As a consequence of this important and necessary measure, the children are unable to go to school and no visitors have been allowed since the lockdown. This turn of events has resulted in a significant drop in financial relief, as the center is dependent on the goodwill of its visitors. ### Meeting Essential Needs When Hannah and I kicked off our [2020 fundraiser](https://tocatlian.blog/2020/01/26/happy-planet-chilrdren-2020/), we were hoping to fund a series of projects that would improve the living conditions of the children at the center. The [2019 fundraiser](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/10/new-year-new-opportunity/) allowed Sister Vinh to rebuild the kitchen at the center, install a water tank and filtration system, replace all of the toilets and sinks and pay for school expenses. But COVID-19 changed all that. [Image: The center’s new kitchen stove and ventilation hood stand against a tiled wall.] [Image: The center’s old kitchen stove and cooking equipment stand against a worn tiled wall.] Kitchen cooking equipment: the new and the old [Image: A new water filtration system with metal cylinders and controls stands in the center’s kitchen.] [Image: New stainless steel water tanks stand beside prepared food in the center’s kitchen.] The new water filtration system and water tanks [Image: A row of new metal sinks and faucets lines a wall at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: A working toilet stands in a small tiled washroom at the Center for Innocent Children.] Thirty new sinks and ten working toilets ### Supporting the Children Through the Crisis So what are we doing? Our focus has shifted to helping meet the basic needs of these vulnerable children. With the generosity and helping hands from donors like you, we have been able to raise close to $8,000 since the beginning of the year. This experience has left us humbled by the generosity of our donors and renewed our faith in the goodness of people, who continue to support the center despite their personal hardships in light of the current pandemic. Last evening, I had the opportunity to speak with Sister Vinh after one of the English classes we have been conducting online since the beginning of the year. She confirmed receipt of our $5,000 donation which will help fund basic operations of the center. [Image: Students smile and make peace signs during an online English class.] [Image: A shared screen shows hand-drawn English vocabulary for a spoon, apple, and cream.] [Image: Children and a teacher smile together during an online English class video call.] [Image: A hand-drawn yellow duck appears on graph paper with the English word duck.] [Image: A handwritten English exercise compares the sizes, heights, and speeds of animals.] [Image: A student wearing a face mask holds up handwritten notes during an online English class.] [Image: Children smile toward the camera during an online English class video call.] Sister Vinh asked me to extend a wholehearted “Cảm ơn!” to all of our donors. The money received will allow her and her staff to worry less about the financial woes of their situation and dedicate more time to the well being of the children. ### Our Work Is Just Beginning Our work is not done! In fact, we’re just getting started. With our continued support, Sister Vinh will be able to carry forward her quest to help these deserving children, like [Ngoc](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/27/meet-vu-nguyen-hong-ngoc/), [Mai](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/25/meet-vu-thi-xuan-mai/), and the [twins](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/04/10/meet-the-twins/). Please consider joining us on this journey by contributing to the Happy Planet Children 2020 fundraiser. Donate © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Keeping the Dream Alive - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2020/01/26/happy-planet-chilrdren-2020/ - Published: 2020-01-26 - Last modified: 2026-07-31 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Giving Back - Summary: To make things better you need to challenge the things that are not good enough. Please join us in helping improve the lives of the orphaned and abandoned children at The Center for Innocent Children. Happy Planet Children embarked on its first fundraiser in 2018 to support orphaned and abandoned children in Vietnam. We were moved by the encouragement and support we received with donations exceeding $5,000. The funds received went towards meeting the basic needs of the 200 children at The Center for Innocent Children (Trường Khuyết Tật Bé Thơ) in Biên Hòa, Vietnam, which was founded in 1990 by Sister Maria Daniel Vu Thi Vinh. When we sat down at the beginning of 2019 to brainstorm our plans for the new year, we agreed to raise $5,000. We subsequently raised the bar to $10,000. Fast forward twelve months and we are pleased to share that we exceeded our goal and raised $20,000 from 120 individual donors, four institutional donors, and four [sponsors](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/03/27/a-fortunate-stroke-of-serendipity/) providing children a path to self-reliance and self-sufficiency. The funds raised in 2019 allowed Sister Vinh to rebuild the kitchen at The Center for Innocent Children, install a water tank and filtration system, replace all of the toilets and sinks, and pay for school expenses. This experience left us humbled by the generosity of our donors and renewed our faith in the goodness of people who chose to join us on our mission to make the world a better place, one child at a time. ### About The Center for Innocent Children [Image: Young girl rests her head on her hand at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: Two young boys smile together at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: Toddler raises one arm at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: Toddler looks through wooden rails at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: Young boy looks at the camera with one hand raised.] [Image: Young girl with a bob haircut at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: Smiling boy makes a peace sign at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: Smiling young girl wearing pink at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: Young girl makes a peace sign at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: Young boy looks directly at the camera at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: Toddler wearing a red-and-blue shirt at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: Young boy in a red-and-white shirt at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: Young boy leans toward the camera at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: Young boy smiles in a gray shirt at the Center for Innocent Children.] Touched by the helplessness of a group of children who were abandoned by their families or orphaned, and the desperate situation they faced, Sister Vinh found temporary housing and took them in. Wishing to provide them with opportunities for a happier, healthier, and more rewarding life, she provided them with shelter, sent them to school, and encouraged them to obtain a vocational education. Thus the [Center for Innocent Children](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/01/center-for-innocent-children-orphanage-vietnam/) was born. So who are these children? Meet [Vu Nguyen Hong Ngoc](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/27/meet-vu-nguyen-hong-ngoc/), [Vu Thi Luan Mai](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/25/meet-vu-thi-xuan-mai/), and [the twins](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/04/10/meet-the-twins/). There are no words to describe how blessed we feel for having met these loving children who given the opportunity will grow up to become remarkable adults. With the generosity and helping hands from donors like you, the Center has thrived for 30 years. Currently, the Center cares for abandoned newborns, children with disabilities, and orphans. Even though the Center has improved immensely from the temporary housing of the earlier days, the Center is stretched over its capacity. Between the limited resources, and the increasing demand for housing, food, education, and medical care, the Center has been struggling to keep taking care of the children. To stay open and continue to provide the children with basic necessities, the Center is looking for your support. A one-dollar-a-day sponsorship would bestow a child with food, housing, and tuition. With enough support, the Center will be able to fulfill its mandate to provide the children with a decent childhood, an education, and a chance at a better life. ### Our goal for 2020 is to raise $20,000! January 25th marks the beginning of Tết, when Vietnamese people around the world celebrate the Lunar New Year. To our Vietnamese friends, “Chúc Mừng Năm Mới!” To all of our friends, colleagues, and family, we ask that you consider supporting this fundraiser. Your donation will make a small dent in the universe and a big impact in the lives of these deserving children. 100% of your donation will go to funding projects as the fundraiser organizers will personally cover the payment processing fees charged by GoFundMe for all online transactions ($0.30 per donation + 2.9%). Please note that you will not be able to claim your donation as a tax-lowering gift – at least in the United States. This fundraiser is not eligible to receive tax-deductible charitable contributions since it is not officially recognized by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as having 501(c) (3) status. Hopefully, this won’t stop you from making the world a better place! Donate © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Please Welcome Our First Business Outreach Partner: Seapot Restaurant - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/04/happy-planet-children-business-outreach-seapot-restaurant/ - Published: 2019-05-04 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Giving Back - Summary: We’re thrilled to announce that Seapot Lau Oc Hai San, a Vietnamese restaurant located in San Jose, California, is the first business to join “We Support Happy Planet Children”. [Image: Blue Seapot Restaurant flyer surrounded by photographs of hot pot dishes.] We’re thrilled to announce that Seapot Lau Oc Hai San, a Vietnamese restaurant located in San Jose, California, is the first business to join “We Support Happy Planet Children!” As a founding member of this business outreach program, Seapot will be looking at ways to promote the Happy Planet Children fundraising activities, among other things by displaying and distributing promotional materials to customers. We invite you to visit Seapot! When you visit, make sure to mention that you support Happy Planet Children and they will donate 10% of your bill to the fundraiser upon your first visit. By contributing to this fundraising campaign, Hien Cao and Kelvin Do from Seapot are making the statement that despite being abandoned by their families or orphaned, all children deserve a decent childhood, an education, and a chance at a better life. ### Wonder what you should order? There’s something for everyone on the menu. “Seapot is the perfect place to satisfy your appetite with Vietnamese selections of ranging from vegetarian dishes to specialty hot pots”, says Kelvin Do. In addition to specializing in hot pots and sea snails, they also offer a variety of appetizers and main courses such as banh canh cua (Vietnamese thick and hearty noodle crab soup), hủ tiếu mì (Vietnamese pork and seafood noodle soup), oc (snail), ngheu (clams), chem chep (mussels), and muc (squid). Their top selling dishes include stir-fried lobster noodle and tamarind sate clams. [Image: Seafood hot pot with shellfish, sliced meat, mushrooms, and greens at Seapot Restaurant] [Image: Sizzling seafood noodles with herbs at Seapot Restaurant] [Image: A noodle being lifted from a hot stone bowl of soup at Seapot Restaurant] [Image: Vietnamese appetizer platter with sliced meat, herbs, crackers, and dipping sauce at Seapot Restaurant] [Image: Clams with herbs, lime, and dipping seasoning at Seapot Restaurant] [Image: Plate of fried tofu cubes served at Seapot Restaurant] [Image: Hot stone bowl of seafood soup with herbs at Seapot Restaurant] [Image: Sizzling shellfish dish topped with fresh herbs at Seapot Restaurant] [Image: Plate of glazed chicken, seasoned rice, vegetables, and dipping sauce at Seapot Restaurant] [Image: Sizzling prawns topped with fresh herbs at Seapot Restaurant] [Image: Lobster soup served in a hot stone bowl at Seapot Restaurant] [Image: Tabletop hot pot with seafood, vegetables, mushrooms, and herbs at Seapot Restaurant] [Image: Plate of glazed chicken wings at Seapot Restaurant] [Image: Crab soup served in a hot stone bowl at Seapot Restaurant] ### Customer Accolades See what customers have to say about Seapot: > “The best snails I have found in San Jose. Food is awesome. Best customer service.” D. L. > “The best lobster udon” L. B. > **“**Fantastic place for seafood with touch of Vietnamese flavors.” V.P. > **“**A nice cozy little place to enjoy some of the more “exotic” delights depending on your experience with the kinds of seafood delicacies they specialize in. It’s a great place for the more tame shellfish varieties like bloody clams, razor clams, oysters, and mussels. But where this place really stands out from other places is its offerings of balut, escargot, and snail.” T. P. > “Came across this place accidentally while looking for another Viet place in the area. Insanely good. Just go… especially if you’re into shellfish like I am. They have razor clams and cockles which are not commonly available in the US.” M. C. > “Superb food!” P. N. > “I like this place! The food is good and the service was exceptional. My wife came here cause it’s a friends favorite place, and for sure it didn’t disappoint.” J.C. ### Contact Information We think you’ll really enjoy the food and excellent service, while contributing to the well-being of orphans in Vietnam. Seapot is located at 3005 Silver Creek Road in San Jose, California, and opens from 10:30 am to 10 pm every day, except Monday. Get directions. Hope to see you there! ### How Can You Help? [Image: Happy Planet Children banner] > *“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” Frederick Douglass.* ##### Donate The children from the [Center for Innocent Children](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/01/center-for-innocent-children-orphanage-vietnam/) – like [Ngoc](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/27/meet-vu-nguyen-hong-ngoc/), [Mai](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/25/meet-vu-thi-xuan-mai/), and [the twins](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/04/10/meet-the-twins/) – come from many places with different backgrounds and contexts. They have unique personalities and various needs. With our continued support, Sister Vinh will be able to carry forward her quest to help these deserving children. Please consider joining us on this journey by contributing to the Happy Planet Children fundraiser. Donate ##### Get Involved Children need champions! Get involved, speak out, volunteer and give every child a fair chance to succeed. We’re looking forward to connecting with you online or in person and joining forces on Facebook and LinkedIn. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or would like to make an offline donation. ### Related Stories - [Our first business outreach partner: Seapot Restaurant!](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/04/happy-planet-children-business-outreach-seapot-restaurant/) - [About the Center for Innocent Children](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/01/center-for-innocent-children-orphanage-vietnam/) - [Meet the Twins](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/04/10/meet-the-twins/) - [A fortunate stroke of serendipity](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/03/27/a-fortunate-stroke-of-serendipity/) - [Let’s kick it up a notch!](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/03/22/lets-kick-it-up-a-notch/) - [Meet Vũ Thị Xuân Mai](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/25/meet-vu-thi-xuan-mai/) - [Meet Vu Nguyen Hong Ngoc](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/27/meet-vu-nguyen-hong-ngoc/) - [Happy Planet Children 2019 Fundraiser: New year. New opportunity.](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/10/new-year-new-opportunity/) - [Happy Planet Children 2018 Fundraiser: One child at a time](https://tocatlian.blog/2018/02/10/the-center-of-innocent-children-needs-your-help/) © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## About the Center for Innocent Children - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/01/center-for-innocent-children-orphanage-vietnam/ - Published: 2019-05-01 - Last modified: 2026-07-31 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Giving Back - Summary: The Center for Innocent Children (Trường Khuyết Tật Bé Thơ) in Biên Hòa, Vietnam, was founded in 1990 by Sister Maria Daniel Vu Thi Vinh. Today, it is the home of 153 orphans, along with 58 children with disabilities. [Image: Two smiling children in yellow shirts at the Center for Innocent Children in Vietnam.] The Center for Innocent Children (Trường Khuyết Tật Bé Thơ) in Biên Hòa, Vietnam, was founded in 1990 by Sister Maria Daniel Vu Thi Vinh. Today, it is the home of 153 orphans, along with 58 children with disabilities. Touched by the helplessness of a group of children who were abandoned by their families or orphaned, and the desperate situation they faced, Sister Vinh found temporary housing and took them in. Wishing to provide these children with opportunities for a happier, healthier, and more rewarding life, she provided them with shelter, sent them to school, and encouraged them to obtain a vocational education. Thus, the Center for Innocent Children was born. The center has been operating steadily over the past 30 years despite the challenging conditions. This is all thanks to the hard work and dedication of its staff, as well as the consideration and financial relief provided by its benefactors and sponsors. Rice bags. Milk. Boxes of noodles. Clothing. Vegetables. Medicine. These are some of the basic necessities donated to the center over the years. In addition, financial donations allows Sister Vinh to cover the remaining food, health, school, and housing expenses. The expenses are estimated at around $1 per day for each of the younger children that do not attend school and about $2 per day for each of the older children that go to school. Every child has their own story. At the Center for Innocent Children, it is a story that often begins with suffering and despair. However, it is also a story that turns into resurgence and hope, from the circumstances that brought them to the center, to the beautiful child they become. Children like [Vu Nguyen Hong Ngoc](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/27/meet-vu-nguyen-hong-ngoc/), [Vũ Thị Xuân Mai](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/25/meet-vu-thi-xuan-mai/), and [the twins](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/04/10/meet-the-twins/) deserve a better future. Thanks to sponsors like [Annie Nguyen](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/03/27/a-fortunate-stroke-of-serendipity/) and benefactors like you, Sister Vinh, and the wholehearted staff at the center can worry less about the financial woes of their situation, and dedicate more of their time to nurturing the children on their path to self-reliance and self-sufficiency. [Image: Three children smile together at the Center for Innocent Children in Vietnam.] [Image: Young boy in a printed tank top at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: Infant in pink raising her arms while lying in a crib.] [Image: Sleeping baby resting on a colorful blanket.] [Image: Toddler in a yellow sports jersey standing beside a crib.] [Image: Young girl in a pink-collared striped shirt at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: An older man and a woman pose together with children at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: A smiling girl looks toward the camera at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: Young boy wearing glasses and a red shirt at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: Infant in pink looking up while lying in a crib.] [Image: A woman holds a young child at the Center for Innocent Children in Vietnam.] [Image: A smiling boy in a school uniform makes a peace sign at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: Toddler in a pink shirt at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: Young boy posing with his hand under his chin.] [Image: Young boy in a school uniform at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: A smiling toddler in a yellow striped shirt looks toward the camera.] [Image: Two girls in school uniforms smile with their arms around each other.] [Image: A woman wearing glasses holds a toddler at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: Three children in blue and white uniforms stand together at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: A child in a blue and white uniform looks toward the camera at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: A woman holds a baby at the Center for Innocent Children in Vietnam.] [Image: A young resident in a red shirt looks toward the camera at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: Smiling man holding infant twins with balloon animals.] [Image: A smiling boy in a yellow and red sports jersey looks toward the camera.] [Image: Two smiling children in yellow shirts at the Center for Innocent Children in Vietnam.] [Image: A young man smiles and makes peace signs at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: A woman wearing glasses smiles and makes a peace sign at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: A toddler in a blue shirt looks toward the camera at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: Portrait of a young girl at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: Toddler standing near a decorated Christmas tree.] [Image: A smiling boy in a blue shirt looks toward the camera at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: Two boys stand together at the Center for Innocent Children, with one making a peace sign.] [Image: A smiling boy in a blue and white shirt looks toward the camera.] [Image: A visitor sits surrounded by smiling children at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: A woman poses with a group of smiling children at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: A woman in a blue shirt stands inside the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: Four people posing together during Annie’s visit with Ngoc.] [Image: Portrait of Vũ Thị Xuân Mai in a blue-and-black striped shirt.] [Image: A smiling girl in a school uniform looks toward the camera at the Center for Innocent Children.] ### How Can You Help? [Image: Happy Planet Children banner] > *“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” Frederick Douglass.* ##### Donate The children from the [Center for Innocent Children](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/01/center-for-innocent-children-orphanage-vietnam/) – like [Ngoc](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/27/meet-vu-nguyen-hong-ngoc/), [Mai](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/25/meet-vu-thi-xuan-mai/), and [the twins](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/04/10/meet-the-twins/) – come from many places with different backgrounds and contexts. They have unique personalities and various needs. With our continued support, Sister Vinh will be able to carry forward her quest to help these deserving children. Please consider joining us on this journey by contributing to the Happy Planet Children fundraiser. Donate ### Get Involved Children need champions! Get involved, speak out, volunteer and give every child a fair chance to succeed. We’re looking forward to connecting with you online or in person and joining forces on Facebook and LinkedIn. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or would like to make an offline donation. ### Related Stories - [Our first business outreach partner: Seapot Restaurant!](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/04/happy-planet-children-business-outreach-seapot-restaurant/) - [About the Center for Innocent Children](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/01/center-for-innocent-children-orphanage-vietnam/) - [Meet the Twins](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/04/10/meet-the-twins/) - [A fortunate stroke of serendipity](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/03/27/a-fortunate-stroke-of-serendipity/) - [Let’s kick it up a notch!](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/03/22/lets-kick-it-up-a-notch/) - [Meet Vũ Thị Xuân Mai](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/25/meet-vu-thi-xuan-mai/) - [Meet Vu Nguyen Hong Ngoc](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/27/meet-vu-nguyen-hong-ngoc/) - [Happy Planet Children 2019 Fundraiser: New year. New opportunity.](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/10/new-year-new-opportunity/) - [Happy Planet Children 2018 Fundraiser: One child at a time](https://tocatlian.blog/2018/02/10/the-center-of-innocent-children-needs-your-help/) © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Meet the Twins - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2019/04/10/meet-the-twins/ - Published: 2019-04-10 - Last modified: 2026-07-31 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Giving Back - Summary: Little is known about the circumstances that brought Vu Nguyen Thien An and his twin brother to this world. However, their daunting beginning is also a story that turns into resurgence and hope. [Image: Smiling man holding infant twins with balloon animals.] A Vietnamese translation of this article is available at the bottom of the page. > “Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.” Maya Angelou The story of [Vũ Nguyễn Hồng Ngọc](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/27/meet-vu-nguyen-hong-ngoc/) and [Vũ Thị Xuân Mai](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/25/meet-vu-thi-xuan-mai/) started with their young mothers choosing to give birth over aborting their pregnancies, and returning to their daily lives after leaving their beautiful children in the loving hands of Sister Maria Daniel Vu Thi Vinh at the [Center for Innocent Children](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/01/center-for-innocent-children-orphanage-vietnam/) (Trường Khuyết Tật Bé Thơ). Less is known about the circumstances that brought Vu Nguyen Thien An and his twin brother Thien Ân to this world as they weren’t born at the center. Instead, the two boys were found in a basket, crying at the gate of the orphanage on the evening of April 14, 2016. Born prematurely, and only weighing 3kg, the twins were in critical condition and required immediate medical attention. Sister Vinh rushed the newborn babies to the hospital where they fought for their lives in intensive care. It is very easy to get sick in these conditions and for things to quickly take a turn for the worse. But thanks to the prayers and medical care they received, the boys’ condition gradually improved. They were eventually released from the hospital after 3 months, and returned home to the orphanage. The brothers are celebrating their 3rd birthday in a few days! They are healthy and happy thanks to the loving care of Sister Vinh and the incredibly dedicated team at the center. Smart and gentle best describe the twins who are very much loved by everyone at the center. As with most kids their ages, they love to play with their friends and enjoy watching cartoons on television. Despite not being old enough to go to school, they are eager to learn. They are already able to identify colors, speak, are curious about the world around them, and even speak a few English words. I look forward to meeting them in November when Hannah and I return to visit. It will be fun exchanging a few words of English. I suspect that their English will be much better than my Vietnamese! Every child has their own story. At the Center for Innocent Children, it is a story that often begins with suffering and despair. However, it is also a story that turns into resurgence and hope. From the circumstances that brought them to the center, to the beautiful child they become throughout their journey, each story is worth sharing, and each child deserves a decent childhood, an education, and a chance at a better life. ### How Can You Help? [Image: Happy Planet Children banner] > *“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” Frederick Douglass.* ##### Donate The children from the [Center for Innocent Children](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/01/center-for-innocent-children-orphanage-vietnam/) – like [Ngoc](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/27/meet-vu-nguyen-hong-ngoc/), [Mai](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/25/meet-vu-thi-xuan-mai/), and [the twins](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/04/10/meet-the-twins/) – come from many places with different backgrounds and contexts. They have unique personalities and various needs. With our continued support, Sister Vinh will be able to carry forward her quest to help these deserving children. Please consider joining us on this journey by contributing to the Happy Planet Children fundraiser. Donate ##### Get Involved Children need champions! Get involved, speak out, volunteer and give every child a fair chance to succeed. We’re looking forward to connecting with you online or in person and joining forces on Facebook and LinkedIn. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or would like to make an offline donation. ### Related Stories - [Our first business outreach partner: Seapot Restaurant!](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/04/happy-planet-children-business-outreach-seapot-restaurant/) - [About the Center for Innocent Children](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/01/center-for-innocent-children-orphanage-vietnam/) - [Meet the Twins](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/04/10/meet-the-twins/) - [A fortunate stroke of serendipity](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/03/27/a-fortunate-stroke-of-serendipity/) - [Let’s kick it up a notch!](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/03/22/lets-kick-it-up-a-notch/) - [Meet Vũ Thị Xuân Mai](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/25/meet-vu-thi-xuan-mai/) - [Meet Vu Nguyen Hong Ngoc](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/27/meet-vu-nguyen-hong-ngoc/) - [Happy Planet Children 2019 Fundraiser: New year. New opportunity.](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/10/new-year-new-opportunity/) - [Happy Planet Children 2018 Fundraiser: One child at a time](https://tocatlian.blog/2018/02/10/the-center-of-innocent-children-needs-your-help/) ### Vietnamese Translation by Ngoctan Trinh #### Gặp gỡ cặp song sinh > “Tình yêu không biên giới, nó giúp người ta vượt qua mọi khó khăn, trở ngại với hy vọng đạt được mục đích tối thượng. ” Maya Angelou Câu chuyện của [Vũ Nguyễn Hồng Ngọc](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/27/meet-vu-nguyen-hong-ngoc/) và [Vũ Thị Xuân Mai](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/25/meet-vu-thi-xuan-mai/) bắt đầu với các người mẹ trẻ tuổi đáng thuơng, họ đã lựa chọn để cho các em được chào đời thay vì phá thai. Sau đó họ phải trở về cuộc sống hàng ngày, bỏ lại những đứa trẻ côi cút xinh đẹp trong vòng tay yêu thương của Sơ Maria Daniel Vũ thị Vinh tại Trung tâm cho trẻ em mồ côi (trường Khuyết tật bé thơ). Không ai biết hoàn cảnh nào đã mang Vũ Nguyễn Thiên An và em trai sinh đôi là Thiên Ân đến thế giới này vì hai em không ra đời ở trung tâm. Thay vào đó, hai em đã được tìm thấy trong một chiếc thúng cũ đang khóc oa oa, bị vứt bỏ ngay tại cổng của trại trẻ mồ côi vào buổi tối ngày 14 tháng 4, 2016. Bị sanh non tháng và chỉ nặng dưới 3kg, cặp song sinh trong tình trạng khá nguy kịch và cần được chăm sóc sức khỏe ngay lập tức. Sơ Vinh vội vã đem hai em bé song sinh đến bệnh viện nơi các em đã được chăm sóc đặc biệt trong lồng kiếng. Tình trạng thiếu tháng của hai em rất dễ bị nhiễm trùng lây bịnh, làm cho sức khỏe càng tệ hơn. Nhưng nhờ những lời cầu nguyện hàng ngày và nhận được sự chăm sóc cẩn thận mà  tình trạng của hai em đã dần cải thiện. Cuối cùng hai em được xuất viện sau 3 tháng, và trở về ngôi nhà mới là trại trẻ mồ côi. Hai anh em song sinh đang sắp mừng sinh nhật 3 tuổi trong một vài ngày nữa! Các em được khỏe mạnh và vui vẻ nhờ vào sự tận tụy yêu thương của Sơ Vinh và những người chung quanh hết lòng chăm sóc. Cặp song sinh này rất thông minh và dễ mến nên hai em đón nhận rất nhiều sự thương yêu của tất cả mọi người ở trung tâm. Cũng như hầu hết trẻ em cùng lứa tuổi, hai bé thích chơi với bạn và xem phim hoạt họa trên TV. Mặc dù chưa đến tuổi đi học, các em rất háo hức tìm hiểu. Hai em biết nhận định màu sắc, tập nói, và rất tò mò về thế giới xung quanh, và thậm chí nói một vài chữ tiếng Anh. Tôi mong muốn gặp hai em trong tháng mười một tới khi Hannah và tôi trở về thăm lai Trung Tâm. Chắc là sẽ rất thú vị khi nghe các em nói một vài từ tiếng Anh. Không chừng tiếng Anh của hai em còn giỏi hơn tiếng Việt của tôi. Mỗi em đều có cá tính độc đáo và nhu cầu khác nhau. Với sự hỗ trợ liên tục của chúng tôi, Sơ Vinh sẽ có thể tiếp tục nhiệm vụ cao cả của mình để giúp đỡ những trẻ em xứng đáng này. Hãy tham gia cùng chúng tôi trên hành trình này bằng cách đóng góp cho Happy Planet Children 2019. Bằng cách quyên góp cho quỹ từ thiện này, bạn đang đưa ra tuyên bố rằng mặc dù bị gia đình bỏ rơi hay mồ côi vì cha mẹ qua đời, những trẻ em này xứng đáng có một tuổi thơ lành mạnh, được giáo dục và có cơ hội huởng một cuộc sống tốt hơn. #### Bạn có thể giúp đỡ như thế nào? [Image: Happy Planet Children fundraiser banner showing children together.] Vũ Nguyễn Thiên An, em trai sinh đôi là Thiên Ân, và những trẻ em khác tại trung tâm đã đến từ nhiều nơi với hoàn cảnh và tình trạng khácnhau. Mỗi em đều có cá tính độc đáo và nhu cầu khác nhau. Với sự hỗ trợ liên tục của chúng tôi, Sơ Vinh sẽ có thể tiếp tục nhiệm vụ cao cả của mình để giúp đỡ những trẻ em xứng đáng này. Hãy tham gia cùng chúng tôi trên hành trình này bằng cách đóng góp cho Happy Planet Children 2019. Bằng cách quyên góp cho quỹ từ thiện này, bạn đang đưa ra tuyên bố rằng mặc dù bị gia đình bỏ rơi haymồ côi vì cha mẹ qua đời, những trẻ em này xứng đáng có một tuổi thơ lành mạnh, được giáo dục và có cơ hội huởng một cuộc sống tốt hơn. Sự giúp đỡ của bạn sẽ tạo nên sự khác biệt cho cuộc đời của các em. © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## A Fortunate Stroke of Serendipity - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2019/03/27/a-fortunate-stroke-of-serendipity/ - Published: 2019-03-27 - Last modified: 2026-07-31 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Giving Back - Summary: Annie Nguyen thinks that everything happens for a reason. She had been looking for a way to sponsor a child in Vietnam but hadn’t found the right opportunity; that is until now. [Image: Close-up portrait of a young girl at the Center for Innocent Children.] Earlier this year, we shared with you the story of [Vu Nguyen Hong Ngoc](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/27/meet-vu-nguyen-hong-ngoc/), a young orphaned girl we met on Christmas Day at the [Center for Innocent Children](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/01/center-for-innocent-children-orphanage-vietnam/) (Trung Tâm Bé Thơ) in Biên Hòa, Vietnam. Ngoc’s mother was only 15 years old when she became pregnant. The young pregnant girl contemplated the idea of aborting her pregnancy, but after much thought and consideration, decided to stay at the center and see her pregnancy through. Ngoc was born on March 23rd, 2015 and has been living at the center ever since. Ngoc’s story touched many hearts. It inspired a few friends to consider adopting a child from Vietnam, while other generous souls contributed to our fundraiser. Sister Maria Daniel Vu Thi Vinh, who founded the Center for Innocent Children in 1990, would like to extend her deepest appreciation for your generosity. Every donation, no matter how great or small, is making a difference in the lives of these deserving children. Perhaps the most profound and heartwarming response to Ngoc’s story came from Annie Nguyen. It turns out that Annie shares the same Vietnamese name and birthday as Ngoc. Is this just a coincidence or a fortunate stroke of serendipity? Annie thinks that everything happens for a reason. She had been looking for a way to sponsor a child in Vietnam but hadn’t found the right opportunity; that is until now. As it turns out, Annie was planning to visit Vietnam in March. She contacted Sister Vinh and made arrangements to meet Ngoc over their birthday weekend. Annie and her friend from middle school, Hai Nguyen, visited the center last Sunday. Sister Vinh gave them a tour of the facilities, which has improved greatly from the temporary housing of the earlier days. But the center remains challenged, given the limited resources and the increasing demand for housing, food, education, and medical care. Big Ngoc had a chance to meet and spend time with Little Ngoc. Annie describes Ngoc as a sweet, young girl that loves being held, as evidenced by the picture from their reunion. [Image: Annie holds Ngoc while standing beside Sister Vinh at the Center for Innocent Children.] Before saying goodbye, Annie spoke with Sister Vinh, and offered to support Ngoc to ensure that she will continue her education in the long run, providing a path to self-reliance and self-sufficiency. According to Unicef, the world’s biggest challenge in the decade to come is bridging the gap between the opportunities young people have been promised and the denial of those opportunities as doors are closed to them. Thanks to Annie’s benevolence, Ngoc will have the opportunity to open more doors and make the world a better place. “Cám ơn”, Annie. We are deeply grateful for your generosity. Let us all take note of your goodwill and follow in your footsteps. ### How Can You Help? [Image: Happy Planet Children banner] > *“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” Frederick Douglass.* ##### Donate The children from the [Center for Innocent Children](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/01/center-for-innocent-children-orphanage-vietnam/) – like [Ngoc](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/27/meet-vu-nguyen-hong-ngoc/), [Mai](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/25/meet-vu-thi-xuan-mai/), and [the twins](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/04/10/meet-the-twins/) – come from many places with different backgrounds and contexts. They have unique personalities and various needs. With our continued support, Sister Vinh will be able to carry forward her quest to help these deserving children. Please consider joining us on this journey by contributing to the Happy Planet Children fundraiser. Donate ##### Get Involved Children need champions! Get involved, speak out, volunteer and give every child a fair chance to succeed. We’re looking forward to connecting with you online or in person and joining forces on Facebook and LinkedIn. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or would like to make an offline donation. ### Related Stories - [Our first business outreach partner: Seapot Restaurant!](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/04/happy-planet-children-business-outreach-seapot-restaurant/) - [About the Center for Innocent Children](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/01/center-for-innocent-children-orphanage-vietnam/) - [Meet the Twins](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/04/10/meet-the-twins/) - [A fortunate stroke of serendipity](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/03/27/a-fortunate-stroke-of-serendipity/) - [Let’s kick it up a notch!](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/03/22/lets-kick-it-up-a-notch/) - [Meet Vũ Thị Xuân Mai](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/25/meet-vu-thi-xuan-mai/) - [Meet Vu Nguyen Hong Ngoc](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/27/meet-vu-nguyen-hong-ngoc/) - [Happy Planet Children 2019 Fundraiser: New year. New opportunity.](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/10/new-year-new-opportunity/) - [Happy Planet Children 2018 Fundraiser: One child at a time](https://tocatlian.blog/2018/02/10/the-center-of-innocent-children-needs-your-help/) © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Let’s Kick It up a Notch! - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2019/03/22/lets-kick-it-up-a-notch/ - Published: 2019-03-22 - Last modified: 2026-07-31 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Giving Back - Summary: When Hannah and I discussed our fundraising goal for 2019, we originally decided to raise $5,000. We recently chose to kick it up a notch to $10,000 with the additional funds benefiting three organizations. [Image: Smiling girl at the Center for Innocent Children in Vietnam.] ### Under promise. Over deliver. When Hannah Do and I discussed at the beginning of the year our fundraising goal for 2019, we decided to seek to raise the same amount as the previous year, $5,000. The proceeds would be donated to the [Center for Innocent Children](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/01/center-for-innocent-children-orphanage-vietnam/) (Trung Tâm Bé Thơ) and benefit children that have been abandoned by their families or orphaned. We didn’t want to disappoint anyone by setting a target we couldn’t achieve and agreed to revisit things should the fundraiser go better than anticipated. Never did we imagine that, thanks to all of your support and generosity, we would be meeting our goal within three months. To all of our friends, colleagues, family, and generous souls who contributed to this fundraiser, “cảm ơn”. Your willingness to help is making all the difference in the lives of these deserving children. For instance, Annie Nguyen is planning to visit the Center this month and meet [Vu Nguyen Hong Ngoc](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/27/meet-vu-nguyen-hong-ngoc/) as they share the same Vietnamese name and birthday. Is this just a coincidence or a [fortunate stroke of serendipity?](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/03/27/a-fortunate-stroke-of-serendipity/) ### It’s time to take it to the next level! After much thought and consideration, Hannah and I have decided to raise the bar for 2019 to $10,000. The first $5,000 will be donated to the Center for Innocent Children as originally committed. The additional funds raised will also benefit the Center along with two more organizations: Gia Đình Thiên Phúc and Nhà Đưỡng Lão Tình Thương. #### Gia Đình Thiên Phúc Gia Đình Thiên Phúc is an orphanage located in Củ Chi. [Image: Smiling boy in a red shirt at Gia Đình Thiên Phúc orphanage] [Image: Young girl with a bob haircut at Gia Đình Thiên Phúc orphanage] [Image: Girl holding a bowl at Gia Đình Thiên Phúc orphanage] [Image: Smiling toddler eating from a bowl at Gia Đình Thiên Phúc orphanage] [Image: Boy smiling for a portrait at Gia Đình Thiên Phúc orphanage] [Image: Two schoolboys seated together at Gia Đình Thiên Phúc orphanage] [Image: Two young children standing together at Gia Đình Thiên Phúc orphanage] #### Nhà Đưỡng Lão Tình Thương Nhà Đưỡng Lão Tình Thương is an old age home also located in Củ Chi, where the elderly residents have the same profound kindness of children, and deserve our thanks and consideration. [Image: Smiling elderly woman at Nhà Đưỡng Lão Tình Thương] [Image: Elderly woman smiling for a portrait at Nhà Đưỡng Lão Tình Thương] [Image: Elderly woman standing in a doorway at Nhà Đưỡng Lão Tình Thương] [Image: Elderly woman smiling in the garden at Nhà Đưỡng Lão Tình Thương] [Image: Smiling elderly woman by a doorway at Nhà Đưỡng Lão Tình Thương] [Image: Elderly woman wearing glasses at Nhà Đưỡng Lão Tình Thương] [Image: Elderly woman smiling indoors at Nhà Đưỡng Lão Tình Thương] ### The Giving Plant I would like to take this opportunity to recognize Hannah Do and The Giving Plant for the beautiful succulent arrangements they make to benefit The Center for Innocent Children. Their mastery of the craft and wholeheartedness are inspiring, especially given the fact that these succulent arrangements have contributed over $3,000 towards the fundraiser to date, with more orders in the works! These aren’t ordinary succulent arrangements. They’re unique and unusual creations, Valentines specials, Easter-inspired, and custom designed arrangements, ranging from $15 to $150, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting the children. [Image: Succulent arrangement planted in a vintage camera-shaped container] [Image: Succulent arrangements displayed on a miniature red bicycle] [Image: Succulent arrangement planted in stacked miniature suitcases] [Image: Succulent and shell arrangement inside a glass terrarium] [Image: Mixed succulents planted in a ridged shell-shaped container] [Image: Succulent arrangement planted in a vintage twin-lens camera-shaped container] [Image: Small succulent arrangement in a white animal-shaped planter] [Image: Mixed succulents planted in a dark woven basket] [Image: Succulents and smooth stones arranged in a shallow oval planter] [Image: Three miniature cowboy boot planters filled with succulents] [Image: Succulents and stones arranged in a shallow ceramic planter] [Image: Succulent arrangement planted in a stack of decorative book-shaped containers] [Image: Succulent arrangements displayed on a miniature black bicycle] [Image: Succulents arranged with white stones in a glass bowl] [Image: Succulent arrangement planted in a vintage typewriter-shaped container] [Image: Mixed succulent garden arranged in a shell-shaped bowl] [Image: Succulent garden planted in an open decorative treasure chest] [Image: Mixed succulents arranged in a rectangular black planter] [Image: Large tiered succulent centerpiece in a white bowl] ### How Can You Help? [Image: Happy Planet Children banner] > *“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” Frederick Douglass.* ##### Donate The children from the [Center for Innocent Children](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/01/center-for-innocent-children-orphanage-vietnam/) – like [Ngoc](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/27/meet-vu-nguyen-hong-ngoc/), [Mai](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/25/meet-vu-thi-xuan-mai/), and [the twins](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/04/10/meet-the-twins/) – come from many places with different backgrounds and contexts. They have unique personalities and various needs. With our continued support, Sister Vinh will be able to carry forward her quest to help these deserving children. Please consider joining us on this journey by contributing to the Happy Planet Children fundraiser. Donate ##### Get Involved Children need champions! Get involved, speak out, volunteer and give every child a fair chance to succeed. We’re looking forward to connecting with you online or in person and joining forces on Facebook and LinkedIn. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or would like to make an offline donation. ### Related Stories - [Our first business outreach partner: Seapot Restaurant!](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/04/happy-planet-children-business-outreach-seapot-restaurant/) - [About the Center for Innocent Children](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/01/center-for-innocent-children-orphanage-vietnam/) - [Meet the Twins](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/04/10/meet-the-twins/) - [A fortunate stroke of serendipity](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/03/27/a-fortunate-stroke-of-serendipity/) - [Let’s kick it up a notch!](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/03/22/lets-kick-it-up-a-notch/) - [Meet Vũ Thị Xuân Mai](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/25/meet-vu-thi-xuan-mai/) - [Meet Vu Nguyen Hong Ngoc](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/27/meet-vu-nguyen-hong-ngoc/) - [Happy Planet Children 2019 Fundraiser: New year. New opportunity.](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/10/new-year-new-opportunity/) - [Happy Planet Children 2018 Fundraiser: One child at a time](https://tocatlian.blog/2018/02/10/the-center-of-innocent-children-needs-your-help/) © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Jewelry With a Story: Buy It. Wear It. Share It. - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2019/03/18/jewelry-with-a-story-eden-ministry/ - Published: 2019-03-18 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Giving Back - Summary: Together with women rescued from human trafficking, Eden Ministry creates precious jewelry that carries their story. All profits from the sale of the jewelry benefit the women that come to Eden. [Image: Eden Ministry necklaces, bracelet, and key ring displayed in clear boxes.] I just received three beautiful pieces of jewelry from Eden Ministry who has been working with trafficked girls and women in Asia for over 15 years. In those 15 years, over 500 women have been rescued. Their innovative victim support program is holistic in its approach and includes safe houses, barista training, creative therapy, hair & beauty training, technical & language training, and retail sales training. They also create precious jewelry that carries their stories. All profits benefit each woman that comes to Eden, so that more women can be provided with the opportunity to gain training and employment. Here’s a little background about the three pieces of jewelry I received. ### Wrapped in Courage Bracelet [Image: Turquoise beaded Wrapped in Courage bracelet with red and silver accent charms.] A gift to Jenna Tocatlian. This bracelet is part of the Myanmar Collection, which seeks to represent the courage of a woman who is trafficked internationally. Each story tells of a woman who not only survives, but is brave enough to believe she can wholly escape slavery. When these women return to their home countries and are welcomed into Eden, they journey forward through hardship towards empowerment. Let these bright colors with a tiny elephant in splashes of gold act as a reminder of these Asian women’s courage and in turn be an inspiration for those who wear the bracelet. ### Graceful Pearls Bracelet [Image: White pearl Graceful Pearls bracelet with silver decorative beads and clasp.] A gift to Hannah Do. There is something precious, graceful and deeply profound at the core of each Woman. This bracelet, made of freshwater pearls and Tibetan silver beads, hopes to inspire and empower trafficked girls and women, as they truly are graceful, and slowly transition to their new lives with confidence, dignity, and beauty. ### Titanium Justice Necklace [Image: Black cord Titanium Justice necklace with a narrow engraved metal pendant.] Something for myself. Mei Mei, is the brave young mother who inspired this piece. When she spoke about her trafficking experience her words demanded a collection of jewelry to respond to her call to action. “Within the space of four years I lost my identity, lost my daughter, lost my dignity, lost my freedom and then was put in prison like a common criminal. I am just one; there are thousands and thousands of my sisters who are still being exploited. I am speaking on their behalf. Please, when you have the opportunity, help bring my sisters home. Fight for the rights of trafficking victims, for their freedom and dignity.” ### March is Women’s History Month Please consider visiting thisiseden.jewelry and see for yourself what piece of jewelry speaks to you – and the story behind it. Or consider joining the Committed Movement. ### Related Stories - [Our first business outreach partner: Seapot Restaurant!](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/04/happy-planet-children-business-outreach-seapot-restaurant/) - [About the Center for Innocent Children](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/01/center-for-innocent-children-orphanage-vietnam/) - [Meet the Twins](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/04/10/meet-the-twins/) - [A fortunate stroke of serendipity](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/03/27/a-fortunate-stroke-of-serendipity/) - [Let’s kick it up a notch!](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/03/22/lets-kick-it-up-a-notch/) - [Meet Vũ Thị Xuân Mai](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/25/meet-vu-thi-xuan-mai/) - [Meet Vu Nguyen Hong Ngoc](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/27/meet-vu-nguyen-hong-ngoc/) - [Happy Planet Children 2019 Fundraiser: New year. New opportunity.](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/10/new-year-new-opportunity/) - [Happy Planet Children 2018 Fundraiser: One child at a time](https://tocatlian.blog/2018/02/10/the-center-of-innocent-children-needs-your-help/) © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Jacques Tocatlian – The Painter - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2019/03/13/jacques-tocatlian-the-painter/ - Published: 2019-03-13 - Last modified: 2026-07-31 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Family Matters - Summary: Jacques Tocatlian was a prolific painter who was not bound by any borders, defined by labels, or frightened of critics. He painted in various styles. His work was good enough to win a first prize, yet sometimes went unappreciated. [Image: Jacques Tocatlian photographs a woman beside a display of his paintings.] Visit the online collection of paintings by Jacques Tocatlian My father, [Jacques Tocatlian](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/07/jacques-tocatlian-1929-2019/), was a man of many talents. He was a devoted family man, who lived on three continents and always provided for his family. He was an accomplished [diplomat](https://tocatlian.blog/2012/09/26/oral-history-archive-jacques-tocatlian/), who carried his work with devotion, conviction, competence, and success. He was a visionary [builder](https://tocatlian.blog/2010/07/08/the-bibliotheca-alexandrina/), who laid the foundation for the revival of The Library of Alexandria. He was a creative [writer](https://tocatlian.blog/2010/07/08/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions/), who looked at the world with humor and tolerance. Jacques was also a prolific painter who was not bound by any borders, defined by labels, or frightened of critics. He painted in various styles. His work was good enough to win a first prize, yet sometimes went unappreciated. It was experimental. It was mostly happy. It was sometimes unfinished. It captured moments and places he fondly remembered – or sometimes imagined – that he wanted to share with others. When Jacques [passed away](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/07/jacques-tocatlian-1929-2019/) on January 24, 2019, we found nearly 200 paintings that he had painted over the course of a half century. Many of these painting had been stored in the basement and seldom seen. Rediscovering his works was like Ali Baba discovering a cave full with treasures. But unlike Ali Baba, the family decided to give away most of the paintings to friends and family. It was our way to share his legacy and for Jacques to live on in the hearts of those who knew him. Thank you to everyone that is exhibiting his paintings in your homes and offices. We know how much it means to Jacques. ### Jacques Tocatlian et la peinture! ##### by Germaine Tocatlian Doué d’un coup de crayon et de beaucoup d’imagination, Jacques dessinait plus que peindre quand on s’est rencontrés. Trop occupé aux USA par son travail et sa vie familiale, il ne fut pas très productif, mais se rattrapa une fois arrivé en France, car le rythme des cinq semaines de vacances par année par rapport à une seule aux USA y contribua fortement. Ses missions avec l’UNESCO en Afrique lui ouvrirent des horizons nouveaux et la découverte de silhouettes typées lui fit reprendre ses pinceaux…femmes africaines sur tous les angles, villages, huttes, batik africain… tout cela devint une importante production artistique. [Image: Jacques Tocatlian painting of figures gathered beneath a yellow umbrella.] La découverte de la France et de ses villages fut aussi une révélation pour son imagination qu’il traduisit avec un esprit naif les couleurs de la France profonde! Suivirent des périodes mystiques, d’autres moins positives à sa retraite et durant les longs soins de son lymphome… mais, sa participation à un concours de peintres de la région de Saint Germain en Lay lui valut un premier prix qui le stimula à positiver et produire! De nombreux séjours à Dinan en Bretagne avec son ami de cœur lui redonnèrent des ailes. La reconnaissance d’un public touristique qui lui achetait ses tableaux qu’il vendait sans prétention, devint une provocation pour les professionnels qui sentaient leurs ventes menacées… ce furent de belles expériences et beaucoup de satisfactions. L’air marin et la nature développèrent en lui le culte des couleurs vives et des feuillages….la cour de notre immeuble se vit dotée d’un sol parsemé de feuilles d’automne sur un fond parfois céleste ou verdoyant ! Comme tout artiste l’inspiration se tarit quand la maladie l’atteint. Il nous léga de nombreux spécimens de sa peinture qui sont le reflet de sa personnalité à multiples facettes. Ses tableaux, partagés à présent entre sa famille et ses amis marquent sa présence dans chaque foyer qui l’a aimé et admiré. ### Sixteen years ago ##### by Nadine Haase Tocatlian [Image: Jacques Tocatlian watercolor of potted plants arranged on a ledge.] Jacques was an amazing artist amongst many other gifts. Sixteen years ago, Tonton told me he wanted to paint me something for our new home. He told me to chose carefully, as it would be with me for a lifetime. After some time, I told him I would love a painting of simple, old, clay terra cotta pots. I knew that we had very different styles in terms of decor, but I was very excited to see his rendition of my vision… I also knew, whatever he created, I would cherish. And so it happened and sixteen years later I haven’t moved it from it’s original spot in my living room where I can feel his presence every day. A great artist, a great uncle, and one of the greatest men I have ever come to know. ### Remembering Jacques Tocatlian - [Around the World in Eighty Missions](https://tocatlian.blog/2010/07/08/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions/) - [Bibliotheca Alexandrina](https://tocatlian.blog/2010/07/08/the-bibliotheca-alexandrina/) - [Jacques Tocatlian 1929-2019](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/07/jacques-tocatlian-1929-2019/) - Online Collection of Paintings by Jacques Tocatlian - [Oral History Archive: Jacques Tocatlian](https://tocatlian.blog/2012/09/26/oral-history-archive-jacques-tocatlian/) - [Tocatlian: 100 Years](https://tocatlian.blog/2007/12/30/bw-pictures-spanning-one-hundred-years/) - [Visiting Tuscany – Birthplace of the Italian Renaissance](https://tocatlian.blog/2013/07/15/visiting-tuscany-birthplace-of-the-italian-renaissance/) © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Meet Vũ Thị Xuân Mai - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/25/meet-vu-thi-xuan-mai/ - Published: 2019-02-25 - Last modified: 2026-07-31 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Giving Back - Summary: Xuân Mai and the other children from the center come from many places with different backgrounds and contexts. They have unique personalities and various needs. With our continued support, Sister Maria will be able to carry forward her quest to help these deserving children. [Image: Portrait of Vũ Thị Xuân Mai in a blue-and-black striped shirt.] A Vietnamese translation of this article is available at the bottom of the page. Every child has their own story. At the [Center for Innocent Children](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/01/center-for-innocent-children-orphanage-vietnam/) (Trung Tâm Bé Thơ), it is a story that often begins with suffering and despair. However, it is a story that turns into resurgence and hope, as the center offers these children a path to a better life. From the circumstances that brought them to the center, to the beautiful child they become throughout their journey, each story is worth sharing. I met Vũ Thị Xuân Mai during [my first visit to the center](https://tocatlian.blog/2018/02/10/the-center-of-innocent-children-needs-your-help/). We couldn’t communicate through words as I don’t speak Vietnamese and she doesn’t speak English. Instead, we played a game of hide and seek, while exchanging some smiles and laughs. After Sister Maria Daniel Vu Thi Vinh shared Xuân Mai’s story, these memories mean even more to me. Sister Vinh remembers visiting a local hospital back in 2006 and sitting next to a young pregnant girl who appeared tired and distressed. While both were waiting patiently, a nurse came by and told the girl that her pregnancy was too advanced to consider the abortion she was requesting. Sister Vinh also found out that the girl had just been expelled from the hostel she was staying at, because she didn’t have enough money to pay. Too afraid to return home, the girl had no where to go. The girl asked Sister Vinh to help with the abortion. Instead, Sister Vinh encouraged the girl to see her pregnancy through. The girl conceded as Sister Vinh agreed to pay for her accommodations at the hostel until the baby was born. A few months later, Sister Vinh accompanied the girl to the hospital where she gave birth to Xuân Mai on December 31, 2006. Four days later, the newfound mother was discharged from the hospital, left her baby with Sister Vinh, and returned home. Sadly, the mother never returned to visit her child. Xuân Mai has been in Sister Vinh’s care ever since. Xuân Mai hasn’t had the easiest upbringing. Her mother tried concealing her pregnancy by tightly wrapping her belly, which led to some head and brain trauma. Although Xuân Mai is physically fine, she suffered some delays in development, but is otherwise leading a normal life. She is currently in fifth grade and is only moderately interested in school. But Sister Vinh is a constant source of support as she knows that with an education, a brighter future awaits for Xuân Mai and the other children at the center. Xuân Mai sometimes feels sad and even guilty. But like every child, she has dreams and aspirations. She would love to be adopted and loved by her adoptive parents, wear nice clothes, have a few close friends, and a room of her own. When we [returned to visit the center](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/10/new-year-new-opportunity/) last Christmas, Xuân Mai joined the other children as we enjoyed sandwiches, milk, and candies. While the other children left after lunch, Xuân Mai stayed behind, and started to play a game of hide and seek with me. That’s when I realized that she hadn’t forgotten our first visit. No words required. [Image: Vũ Thị Xuân Mai smiles while walking outside the Center for Innocent Children.] ### How Can You Help? [Image: Happy Planet Children banner] > *“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” Frederick Douglass.* ##### Donate The children from the [Center for Innocent Children](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/01/center-for-innocent-children-orphanage-vietnam/) – like [Ngoc](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/27/meet-vu-nguyen-hong-ngoc/), [Mai](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/25/meet-vu-thi-xuan-mai/), and [the twins](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/04/10/meet-the-twins/) – come from many places with different backgrounds and contexts. They have unique personalities and various needs. With our continued support, Sister Vinh will be able to carry forward her quest to help these deserving children. Please consider joining us on this journey by contributing to the Happy Planet Children fundraiser. Donate ##### Get Involved Children need champions! Get involved, speak out, volunteer and give every child a fair chance to succeed. We’re looking forward to connecting with you online or in person and joining forces on Facebook and LinkedIn. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or would like to make an offline donation. ### Related Stories - [Our first business outreach partner: Seapot Restaurant!](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/04/happy-planet-children-business-outreach-seapot-restaurant/) - [About the Center for Innocent Children](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/01/center-for-innocent-children-orphanage-vietnam/) - [Meet the Twins](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/04/10/meet-the-twins/) - [A fortunate stroke of serendipity](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/03/27/a-fortunate-stroke-of-serendipity/) - [Let’s kick it up a notch!](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/03/22/lets-kick-it-up-a-notch/) - [Meet Vũ Thị Xuân Mai](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/25/meet-vu-thi-xuan-mai/) - [Meet Vu Nguyen Hong Ngoc](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/27/meet-vu-nguyen-hong-ngoc/) - [Happy Planet Children 2019 Fundraiser: New year. New opportunity.](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/10/new-year-new-opportunity/) - [Happy Planet Children 2018 Fundraiser: One child at a time](https://tocatlian.blog/2018/02/10/the-center-of-innocent-children-needs-your-help/) ### Vietnamese Translation by Hannah Do Mỗi em ở Trung Tâm Bé thơ đều có câu chuyện của riêng mình. Đó là một câu chuyện hầu hết bắt đầu trong đau khổ và tuyệt vọng. Tuy nhiên, đó cũng là một câu chuyện về sự hồi sinh và hy vọng, vì trung tâm đã cung cấp cho những trẻ em này một con đường dẫn đến cuộc sống với tương lai tốt hơn. Mỗi câu chuyện của các em đều rất cảm động và đáng để chia sẻ, từ hoàn cảnh đưa các em đến trung tâm để trở thành những đứa trẻ xinh đẹp và hướng thiện. Tôi gặp em Vũ Thị Xuân Mai trong lần đầu tiên đến trung tâm. Tuy Chúng tôi không thể nói chuyện vớinhau bằng lời vì bất đồng ngôn ngữ, thay vào đó, chúng tôi cùng chơi trò trốn tìm, đồng thời trao nhau vài nụ cười. Sau khi Sơ Maria Daniel Vũ Thị Vinh kể với tôi về câu chuyện của Xuân Mai, những kỷ niệm này còn có ýnghĩa sâu đậm với tôi hơn nữa. Vào năm 2006, Sơ Vinh có việc đến thăm một bệnh viện địa phương và ngồi cạnh một cô gái trẻ mang thai. Cô gái có vẻ mệt mỏi và đau khổ. Trong khi cả hai đang ngồi chờ đợi, một y tá đã đến và nói với cô gái rằng thai nhi của cô đã quá lớn, rất khó để phá thai. Đồng thời Sơ Vinh cũng biết thêm là cô gái vừa bị đuổi khỏi ký túc xá mà cô đang ở, vì cô không có đủ tiền để trả. Quá sợ hãi và hoang mang vì không dám trở về nhà, cô gái không còn nơi nào để đi. Cô gái nhờ Sơ Vinh giúp tiền để cô phá thai. Nhưng thay vào đó, Sơ Vinh đã giúp đỡ trả tiền trọ cho côgái ăn ở để chờ đến ngày sanh nở. Vài tháng sau, Sơ Vinh đi cùng cô gái đến bệnh viện và em Xuân Mai đã ra đời vào ngày 31 tháng 12 năm 2006. Bốn ngày sau, người mẹ mới được xuất viện, để lại em bé với Sơ Vinh và trở về nhà. Đáng buồn thay, người mẹ không bao giờ quay lại thăm con. Xuân Mai đã được Sơ Vinh chăm sóc từ bấy giờ. Xuân Mai lớn lên và phát triển hơi chậm. Vì Mẹ của em đã cố gắng che giấu việc mang thai của mìnhbằng cách quấn chặt bụng, dẫn đến một ít chấn thương đầu và não. Mặc dù Xuân Mai khỏe mạnh về thể chất, em hơi bị chậm trễ trong quá trình phát triển trí tuệ, ngòai ra thì em vẫn có một cuộc sống bình thường. Em hiện đang học lớp năm và không muốn đến trường. Nhưng Sơ Vinh thường khuyên bảo và là một nguồn hỗ trợ liên tục vì Sơ biết rằng nếu các em được giáo dục tốt, thì Xuân Mai và những đứa trẻ khác ở trung tâm sẽ có một tương lai tươi sáng hơn. Xuân Mai đôi khi cảm thấy buồn và tuyệt vọng. Nhưng giống như mọi đứa trẻ khác, em cũng có ước mơvà khát vọng. Em rất thích được có cha mẹ nhận nuôi và yêu thương, được mặc quần áo đẹp, có một vài người bạn thân và một căn phòng của riêng mình. Khi chúng tôi trở lại thăm trung tâm vào Giáng sinh vừa qua, Xuân Mai đã tham gia cùng những trẻ emkhác khi chúng tôi ăn bánh sandwich, uống sữa và ăn kẹo. Trong khi những đứa trẻ khác tản mác đi sau bữa trưa, Xuân Mai ở lại, và bắt đầu trò chơi trốn tìm với tôi. Điều đó đã làm tôi nhận ra rằng em ấy đã không quên chúng tôi trong lần đến thăm em năm ngoái. Không có từ ngữ nào nói lên sự cảm động sâu xa đó. #### Bạn có thể giúp đỡ như thế nào? [Image: Happy Planet Children fundraiser banner showing children together.] > “Dễ dàng xây dựng những đứa trẻ mạnh mẽ hơn là sửa chữa những người đàn ông hư.” Frederick Douglass Xuân Mai và những trẻ em khác tại trung tâm đã đến từ nhiều nơi với hoàn cảnh và tình trạng khácnhau. Mỗi em đều có cá tính độc đáo và nhu cầu khác nhau. Với sự hỗ trợ liên tục của chúng tôi, Sơ Vinh sẽ có thể tiếp tục nhiệm vụ cao cả của mình để giúp đỡ những trẻ em xứng đáng này. Hãy tham gia cùng chúng tôi trên hành trình này bằng cách đóng góp cho Happy Planet Children 2019. Bằng cách quyên góp cho quỹ từ thiện này, bạn đang đưa ra tuyên bố rằng mặc dù bị gia đình bỏ rơi haymồ côi vì cha mẹ qua đời, những trẻ em này xứng đáng có một tuổi thơ lành mạnh, được giáo dục và có cơ hội huởng một cuộc sống tốt hơn. Sự giúp đỡ của bạn sẽ tạo nên sự khác biệt cho cuộc đời của các em. © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Jenna Goes Skydiving - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/15/jenna-tocatlian-goes-skydiving-new-zealand/ - Published: 2019-02-15 - Last modified: 2026-07-31 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Family Matters - Summary: As if studying abroad for a semester wasn’t an adventure enough on its own, Jenna Tocatlian took it upon to herself to find the most extreme adventure she could while visiting New Zealand: skydiving. > “If you want to conquer fear, don’t sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.” Dale Carnegie As if studying abroad for a semester in Sydney, Australia at the University of New South Wales wasn’t an adventure enough on its own, Jenna Tocatlian took it upon to herself to find the most extreme adventure she could: skydiving 12,000 feet above Wanaka, New Zealand! Jenna trusted “Skydive Wanaka” to give her an experience of a lifetime and apparently they met all expectations and more. I couldn’t believe it until I saw this video! [Embedded media available on the canonical page] “The views from above were unbelievable and the thrill was real,” Jenna would say of her descent from the skies. She would recommend this experience, especially in Wanaka, to absolutely anyone – including grandma? -, and even suggested that we should return together, strap ourselves to a stranger, and take that leap of faith! I countered with a tour of New Zealand on motorcycle. “How could you let her do that,” people ask me. I usually respond sympathetically with “she’s over eighteen and can do as she wishes.” Besides, I’ve been careful about telling her what she can or can’t do ever since she told me at an early age that “you’re not the boss of me!” Those words resonated back then and still do to this date. They’ve also influenced how I manage my team at work. Looking back, Jenna has made her fair share of good decisions along the way and learned from her mistakes. Haven’t we all? Besides, how can you tell someone who has the fear of flying – and whose best friend on most flights is a barf bag – that she can’t jump out of a plane! #ProudDad #YouGoGirl #LoveYouToTheMoonAndBack [Image: Jenna and her instructor smile during a tandem skydive over New Zealand.] [Image: Aerial view of farmland and a winding river during Jenna’s skydive.] [Image: Jenna and her instructor point toward the landscape during a tandem skydive.] [Image: Jenna gives a thumbs-up during a tandem skydive.] [Image: Jenna and her instructor during tandem freefall over New Zealand.] [Image: Jenna looks across the landscape during a tandem skydive.] [Image: Aerial view of fields, mountains, and a lake beneath the skydive plane’s wing.] [Image: Jenna and her tandem skydiving instructor pose together on the airfield.] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Jacques Tocatlian 1929-2019 - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/07/jacques-tocatlian-1929-2019/ - Published: 2019-02-07 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Family Matters - Summary: Jacques Tocatlian was a family man, friend, diplomat, builder, painter, writer, and wannabe cook. Let us remember him for who he was, how he lived his life, touched each and every one of us, and made this world a happier and more beautiful place. [Image: Silhouette of Jacques Tocatlian reflected in rainwater inside a painted white circle.] Jacques Jean Marie Tocatlian – family man, friend, [diplomat](https://tocatlian.blog/2012/09/26/oral-history-archive-jacques-tocatlian/), [builder](https://tocatlian.blog/2010/07/08/the-bibliotheca-alexandrina/), [painter](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/03/13/jacques-tocatlian-the-painter/), [writer](https://tocatlian.blog/2010/07/08/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions/), and wannabe cook – departed this life at the age of eighty-nine, in the early hours of Thursday, January 24th, 2019. He had just celebrated his fifty-eighth wedding anniversary with his wife – Germaine Tocatlian – a few days earlier. Jacques died peacefully, knowing the love of his family and friends who shared his last days and hours by his side. Our “Papou”, as he liked to be called, was loved, is missed, and will always be cherished. The way he lived each phase of his life, each dimension of his being, and the quiet courage and dignity with which he managed the end of his life, will serve as a lasting beacon of inspiration to all who knew him. ### Church Service [Image: Interior of Saint-Pierre de Chaillot church with the altar and stained-glass windows] [Image: Congregation gathered inside Saint-Pierre de Chaillot church for Jacques Tocatlian's service] [Image: Circular white floral wreath at Jacques Tocatlian's memorial service] [Image: Lynne Renouil Hata playing cello inside a church.] [Image: Priest standing beside Jacques Tocatlian's flower-covered coffin during the service] [Image: Colorful floral arrangement resting on Jacques Tocatlian's coffin] [Image: Priest seated behind the altar at Saint-Pierre de Chaillot church] [Image: White, peach, and green floral spray at Jacques Tocatlian's memorial service] [Image: Crucifix inside Saint-Pierre de Chaillot church] Family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues, gathered on Tuesday, January 29th at the Eglise Saint-Pierre de Chaillot to celebrate his life and the immense impact Jacques had on those around him. The mass was conducted by Père Jacques Ollier, with participation from friends and family through testimonials, prayers, and music. The family would like to thank those who joined us on this solemn day, as well as those who couldn’t be there in person but were ever present with their thoughts and prayers. We hope that these words and pictures will help us remember Jacques for who he was, how he lived his life, touched each and every one of us, and made this world a happier and more beautiful place. ### The Testimonials #### Témoignage par Marc et Virginie Tocatlian [Image: Marc and Virginie Tocatlian delivering their testimonial at the church lectern] Je voudrais remercier la famille, les amis, ceux présents, ceux absents. Je voudrais aussi et au nom de ma famille, de maman, de mon frère Paul, de mon épouse Virginie, remercier de tout cœur le personnel de l’hôpital St Perrine ou papa a été admis en soins palliatifs le 9 janvier. Grace à leur écoute et leur compétence, Papa a pu partir en paix et sans souffrir. Ils nous ont offert une semaine de vie de plus avec lui, une semaine parsemée de regards, de sourires, de rires, de musique, de câlins, de caresses et de bisous. Un dernier mot de remerciements va vers ma maman, qui a été formidable de courage lors de ses derniers mois. Maman, merci de t’être si bien occupé de papa. Depuis ton départ, nous avons reçus un nombre incalculable de témoignages. Papa tu étais tant aimé, tant apprécié, pour ta bienveillance, ton courage, ton écoute, ta générosité, ton amitié, ta culture, et au-dessus de tout ton humour. Papa, tu as eu une vie remplie de joies, de rires, de farces, de partage, de voyages, de musique, de peintures, de câlins, de jeux de cartes, de danses, de bonnes tables. Mais tu as eu aussi de grands défis. Il y a 22 ans, le jour de la naissance d’Alexandre, ce fut également ta renaissance car tu nous annonçais ta rémission après deux ans de lutte contre ton premier cancer. Quelques mois plus tard quand Alexandre su parler, il te nomma Papou. Depuis ce jour, tu es devenu Papou pour nous tous. Et Maya, quelques années après rajouta « petit Papou tout doux », et comme cela t’allait si bien! Papou, tu aimais beaucoup ton travail et encore plus les voyages, depuis toujours. Peut-être que cela venait de tes origines, de ton histoire, de ta curiosité et de ton envie d’aller vers les autres. D’ailleurs, tu as su traduire cette passion pour les voyages et les différences culturelles dans un livre plein d’humour et que tu as intitulé « Around The World in Eighty Missions ». Depuis notre naissance avec Paul, tu nous a trimbalé aux quatre coins de la planète avec Maman. Tu la faisais voyager même quand elle était enceinte de moi! Et avec ton ami Robert – que l’on aime tant – tu as fait plus de 35 voyages. Et avec nous, en famille, avec Viny, les enfants, nous avons partagés chaque année des semaines de soleil et de rires depuis plus de 20 ans. Alors Papou, tu vas nous manquer terriblement. Ta douceur, ta voix, ton accent, tes « R ». On ne pourra plus rire de toi en te demandant de prononcer « Boulevard périphérique ». J’ai eu la chance d’être ton fils, ton complice et on s’est tout dit. Et avec ton départ, je n’ai aucun regret, juste un grand manque. Tu as été un formidable frère, papa, grand père, beau-père, parrain, et ami. Au dessus de tout et avec maman, tu as aimé ta famille et tu lui a tout donné. Papou, merci pour l’exemple que tu as été, d’avoir été cet homme au grand cœur, pour ta joie de vivre, pour nos rires, nos fous rires, ton gout de la vie, pour tous les grands moments partagés ainsi que les tous petits, ceux qui passent parfois inaperçus mais qui ont aussi une grande place dans nos cœurs et pour toujours. Papou, tu peux compter sur nous pour poursuivre ton héritage, continuer à rire et à profiter de la vie au quotidien. Merci petit Papou tout doux. On t’aime si fort. #### Témoignage par Jose [Image: Jose delivering a testimonial from the church lectern] Jacques étais un homme tendre, drôle, farceur, facétieux, gourmand. Il charmait tout le monde avec son accent qui roulait les “R” à la perfection. Je me souviens d’éclats de rires certains soirs où ses fils Marc et Paul et sa belle fille Virginie essayaient de lui faire prononcer le mot « périphérique » ce qui était impossible pour lui. Je crois qu’on y est arrivés mais c‘était dehors et un jours de grand froid. Il avait la nonchalance d’un Egyptien, le sourire d’un Italien et la prestance d’un Grec. Il représentait à lui seul toute la Méditerranée. Et pourtant, il était d’origine Arménienne, de nationalité Bulgare, et Americain d’adoption. Alors, est-ce l’histoire de sa famille qu’il portait en lui, qui lui a donné cette légèreté de vie? Je ne sais pas, mais une chose est sûre, sa présence et sa bienveillance nous ont toujours beaucoup rassurés. Jusqu’au dernier jour il nous a fais rire. Il n’a jamais perdu son humour. Germaine son épouse en a fait les frais restés. A son chevet toute la journée, elle lui dit à 22 heures quelle rentrait car elle n’avait rien mangé et qu’elle était épuisée… et il lui a répondu: “Tu n’as pas honte!” Sans parler du nombres de fois où il a fais des misères et des canulars à son ami Robert. Et puis, cette merveilleuse complicité avec Marc avec qui il parlait en Italien à en pleurer de rire. Il mettait de la couleur partout dans ses tableaux. Techniquement pas toujours au point pour les visages, mais très fort pour les lignes épurées et fines… comme la silhouette de Don Quijote qui trônait dans son salon et qu’il aimait passionnément. Je crois savoir pourquoi. Jacques avait dans le coeur et dans la tête de grands projets qu’il a portés de toutes ses forces quand il travaillait à l’UNESCO et notamment un qui faisait entrer un soleil dans tout son être quand il en parlait: c’était la grande bibliothèque d’Alexandrie. Je crois savoir que comme Don Quijote il s’est battu contre beaucoup de moulins à vent, et que tout comme lui, il préférait ignorer le réel bien trop laid pour lui préférer sa vision du monde pleine de grâce et de joies. Il aimait ses petits enfants Alex, Maya, et Jenna. S’esclaffait de rire avec Virginie, Paul et surtout Marc. Vivre et visiter le monde avec son vieux complice Robert. S’ennivrer de musique et de tendresse avec son épouse Germaine. Chanter faux de l’opéra italien avec son beau frère Boubi. Et embrasser le monde avec nous tous. Nous avons été une grande famille pleine de bonheur, d’amour, d’affection. Alors, n’oublions jamais cette joie, ces rires, cette merveilleuse soif de vie qu’il avait. Il ne faut pas pleurer parce que cela n’est plus. Il faut sourire parce que cela a été. Il y a quelque chose de plus fort que la mort. C’est la présence des absents dans la mémoire des vivants . Paix à sa belle âme, il saura faire rire les Anges qui l’accueillent dans la lumière du seigneur. #### Témoignages présentés par Azad Chichmanian [Image: Azad Chichmanian presenting testimonials from the church lectern] Je remercie la famille Tocatlian de m’accorder l’honneur de dire quelques mots à cette cérémonie. Je m’appelle Azad Chichmanian. Votre cousin canadien, je suis ici pour vous dire comment et combien nos deux familles sont tissées ensemble et pourquoi Jacques représentait pour nous le lien pivot entre ces deux familles. ##### Lettre d’Aline Chichmanian Huni Des sables d’Égypte, mon grand-père Yervant Chichmanian a migré vers les neiges du Canada. Jacques, son cousin germain, a passé par d’autres chemins et a choisi Paris pour y travailler, y installer sa famille, y vivre et y mourir. Séparée par une grande distance géographique, les deux familles sont toujours restées très liées. D’abord, par la proche amitié et affection entre Caroline, la mère de Jacques, et Anahid, ma grand-mère, qui échangeaient des lettres et des nouvelles régulièrement. Ensuite, il y eut des visites intercontinentales, des mariages, des anniversaires importants à célébrer…Il y eut même un séjour passé à la plage avec les deux clans ensemble au complet. Comme d’habitude à ces rencontres, les rires, les anecdotes et les blagues fusaient. Le tout était toujours accompagné de musique, généreusement fournie par Germaine au piano, et le chant par ma grand-mère… La génération de Lucien , Caroline, Yervant et Anahid disparut… Pour Sourène, mon père, et Aline, ma tante, Jacques était la figure présente dans leur monde, dès leur naissance; il faisait partie de leurs racines. Il resta celui qui pouvait encore démêler les rameaux de l’arbre généalogique… Mais plus que cela, Jacques était celui qui, au cours des années, avait été le diplomate qui savait réconcilier les partis d’une dispute familiale; celui qui mettait la joie et la gaieté dans les rencontres, celui qui adorait une bonne blague. Lors de ses voyages, malgré son horaire chargé, il trouvait un moment pour une carte postale, une lettre, à la lointaine famille. Le contact perdura grâce à un échange actif de courriels entre lui et divers membres de la famille canadienne. Ma tante Aline lui racontait même les drôleries de ses petits-enfants pour l’égayer au cours de sa maladie… Pour Aline, depuis son enfance, Jacques était le grand cousin qu’elle admirait, celui qui l’appelait «la petite grande danseuse», celui qui la prenait sur ses genoux et qui la hissait sur ses épaules, même si elle était sale et couverte de sable… Pour elle, il est toujours resté un être unique et spécial – celui qui, par ses paroles, pouvait l’aider à surmonter une épreuve et atténuer une peine, car dans sa façon légère de traiter les choses de la vie, il y avait une grande sagesse… Quant à mon père, Sourène, il me disait récemment que, pour lui, Jacques était la quintessence de l’Homme de la Renaissance : scientifique, artiste, écrivain, diplomate, il savait traiter des choses délicates et il s’intéressait à tout. De ma part, je garde précieusement le souvenir de mes deux visites auprès de lui à Dinân, en Bretagne, où j’ai pu mieux découvrir un homme qui maitrisait si bien les différentes dimensions de son identité riche et complexe qu’il partait sans hésitation à la découverte d’autres cultures, sans aucune peur de s’égarer, avec une capacité de dialoguer et même bâtir. Si je suis architecte aujourd’hui, c’est en partie grâce à son exemple. Toute la famille au Canada gardera de lui le souvenir d’un être remarquable, généreux et affectueux, un être plein d’entrain et de bonne humeur; un être qui, malgré les épreuves difficiles, a su maintenir le cap, jusqu’à la fin. Vous avez compris notre profond attachement à cet être. Nous voulons tout simplement lui dire : «Nous t’aimons beaucoup, aujourd’hui et pour toujours. Adieu Jacques.» ##### Lettre de Sourène Chichmanian à la famille Tocatlian Chère Famille Tocatlian, Je m’excuse de mon silence…les émotions sont très fortes et les sanglots abondent… Je ne veux pas vous laisser seuls dans votre profond deuil…je partage votre immense peine, car je vous aime énormément. Pour ma famille et moi, Jacques est l’être qui occupe une place d’honneur avec mes parents, Anahid et Yervant, Tante Caroline et Oncle Lucien, Armand, et Eugénie, ma grand-mère paternelle, et Arménouhi, ma grand-mère maternelle. Jacques fait partir d’une tapisserie unique qui s’est dessinée sur deux siècles et demi et sur plusieurs continents. À travers le temps, le fil qui a uni cette superbe et riche œuvre, c’est l’amour, c’est de savoir que nous allions nous revoir, et que nous retrouverions la joie d’être ensemble – sans limite, ni barrière. Jacques a vécu et a été témoin des déracinements que nos familles ont connus. Il a été toujours constant; il n’a jamais perdu son sens de l’humour, sa noblesse d’esprit, son courage, sa finesse…sa tendresse. Pour nous, Jacques est le lien avec notre passé et nos plus beaux souvenirs. C’était notre vrai Renaissance Man! Je suis fier d’avoir partagé une petite partie de tout ça avec lui. Aux funérailles de mon cousin Jacques, mon fils, Azad, aura l’immense honneur de vous communiquer notre amour et respect, en personne. Avec ma grande affection et beaucoup de batchigs, Sourène #### Testimonials presented by Daniel Tocatlian [Image: Daniel Tocatlian presenting testimonials from the church lectern] Je suis le neveu. Jacques et mon père étaient frères. C’est tout le français que je vais maintenant parler. My beloved uncle, Jacques Tocatlian, you now join my [Dad](https://tocatlian.blog/2011/11/07/armand-tocatlian-1926-2011/) and your parents in heavenly bliss. You were very close to me and I affectionately referred to you as my godfather. I am blessed that my family and I were able to write one more chapter of happy memories with you during our visit to France last September. I will now read from my sister, Nadine, and brother, Christian. ##### Letter from Nadine Haase Tocatlian My sweet Tonton Jacques how I miss you. You have always been more than an uncle to me, you were my friend, my advisor, my voice of reason and one of the most remarkable gentleman I have ever come to know. We always laughed no matter what the topic was. You taught me that humor is as important as breathing. You taught me that words can be healing or piercing and to choose carefully. You represented everything good, everything kind, and always left those you touched with such a warm, tender feeling. I would give anything to see your beautiful eyes and hear your voice again. I know that day will come, but for now my sweet Tonton may you rest in peace and love knowing that your life was a gift to me. Thank you for loving my children and my husband as if they were your own. Thank you for our treasured times together, and all our video chats and emails – for everything you’ve ever done for me. I will love you forever and carry you in my heart – always. ##### Letter from Chris Tocatlian My name is Christian Tocatlian and I am the eldest son of Jacques’ late brother [Armand](https://tocatlian.blog/2011/11/07/armand-tocatlian-1926-2011/). I am truly sorry that my personal circumstances have prevented me from attending today’s proceeding to honor one of the most interesting and kind men that I have ever known, my uncle Jacques Tocatlian. It is precisely because of that kindness over a life time of personal and professional international travel that I can only imagine a crowd the size of which rivals that of any celebrity or high ranking member of government in attendance today. General George Patton, one of my favorite historical figures, said “It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.” I think everyone here today would agree that quote accurately describes the passing of my Uncle Jacque. I could write several pages on what my uncle meant to me and why I feel that General Patton’s quote is so appropriate. However, I am being forced by my cousins Marc and Paul to demonstrate the same selflessness that was a key characteristic of their father and allow enough time for others to pay him respect so I will make this quick. Although we did not correspond regularly and where separated by an Ocean there was always something very familiar and comfortable every time we reconnected. Be it through e-mail or the rare and highly anticipated personal visit, my uncle and I always had great conversations on a very diverse choice of topics. However, the topic I most enjoyed talking to him about was our family history. The man was a walking encyclopedia and I learned a great deal about the history of the Tocatlian name and my parents personal struggles in coming to the United States from him. As I grew older I became aware of some of his more extraordinary qualities. I am sure that I am stating the obvious for most of you but I would still like to share a few of the more important qualities that defined the man. The first was his sense of humor – he was a man who loved to make people laugh. He had a dry whit and a good sense of timing, and always used humor to tell interesting stories and defuse tense situations. The second extraordinary thing about my uncle was his dedication to service of his fellow man. As the American representative for UNESCO, he dedicated the better part of his life helping to promote cultural diversity to the citizens of the world by building libraries to preserve and record a countries history and customs that could be shared with anyone that was interested enough to seek that knowledge. He was all about making people work together towards a common goal. The third extraordinary quality my Uncle Jacques had was the love for his family and friends. He demonstrated this love by always making time in one way or another for the important moments in the lives of the people that mattered to him. In 1984, I was the first of the Tocatlian children to be married and I asked him to be my best man, without hesitation he agreed to my request and was there for me. Then again four years later when my first daughter was born he made a special trip to come and see her when she was about 2 or 3 months old. This is only a few of the many examples over the course of my life that Jacques was there for me. That is why not being with all of you today, to celebrate his life is so painful for me. Yes, I prefer to say celebrate his life rather than mourn his death because in the words of Writer Stephen Christopher “Death is not the end it is simply walking out of the physical form and into the spirit realm, which is our true home”. So really death is going back home and as my cousin Paul pointed out to me recently in an e-mail, I know that at the moment of his return home, Jacques was immediately greeted by his parents and his beloved brother Armand and started in a robust card game of Hearts. So in closing, I leave you with this thought; as long as a mans name is never forgotten that man will never die. Let us all do our part in making sure that Jacques Tocatlian lives forever in our memory and our hearts. God bless you all. ### The Mass #### Lécture par Isabelle [Image: Isabelle giving a reading from the church lectern] ##### De la première lettre de Saint Jean (4, 7-10) «Dieu est amour» Mes bien-aimés, aimons-nous les uns les autres, puisque l’amour vient de Dieu. Tous ceux qui aiment sont enfants de Dieu, et ils connaissent Dieu. Celui qui n’aime pas ne connaît pas Dieu, car Dieu est amour. Voici comment Dieu a manifesté son amour parmi nous: Dieu a envoyé son Fils unique dans le monde pour que nous vivions par lui. Voici à quoi se reconnaît l’amour: ce n’est pas nous qui avons aimé Dieu, c’est lui qui nous a aimés, et il a envoyé son Fils qui est la victime offerte pour nos péchés. #### Psalm by Daniel Tocatlian ##### Psalm 23. A psalm of David The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. #### Prières par Richard & Annie Sarotte [Image: Two people leading prayers from the church lectern during Jacques Tocatlian's service] Prions pour Jacques, qu’il découvre celui qu’il a cherché et servi dans la foi, dans l’espérance et le souci des autres. Prions le Seigneur! Prions pour les siens (son époux, épouse, ses enfants…) que l’affection qui les unit et l’amitié qui les entoure les aident à supporter l’épreuve. Prions le Seigneur! Prions pour tous ceux qui connaissent la souffrance, la longue maladie, la dépendance ; prions aussi pour ceux qui les accompagnent : que Dieu leur donne courage et force. Prions le Seigneur! Prions pour l’Eglise que nous sommes tous ensemble : par notre attention envers tous, que nous soyons de vrais témoins de l’espérance qui nous anime. Prions le Seigneur! ### The Music [Image: Processional cross inside Saint-Pierre de Chaillot church] [Image: Violinist performing beside a floral arrangement at Jacques Tocatlian's memorial service] [Image: Pianist performing at Jacques Tocatlian's memorial service] [Image: Lynne Renouil Hata] #### Témoignage de Germaine Tocatlian Jacques a toujours aimé la musique sous toutes ses formes et avait une grande collection de Vinyl, de CD et de K7. Il avait même fait une critique musicale dans un journal d’Alexandrie quand j’avais joué avec l’orchestre du Conservatoire. Par la suite il m’a toujours soutenue dans mon travail pianistique et m’avait offert un beau petit piano Winter aux USA quand j’étais arrivée de Rome où j’avais étudié au Conservatoire Sainte Cécile car… un de ses collègues de la Monsanto sachant que j’étais pianiste avait proposé de m’offrir un piano de sa mère décédée quelques années auparavant. Heureuse, je l’avais accepté sans le regarder attentivement. Malheureusement il était plein de termites et comme les déménageurs ne voulaient plus le reprendre pour le mettre à la décharge ayant eu des problèmes lors du transport on s’est vus obligés de scier le piano, les larmes aux yeux. A la suite de cette triste aventure Jacques m’a offert le beau petit Winter que j’ai gardé amoureusement de nombreuses années. On écoutait beaucoup de musique soit classique que légère. Il aimait beaucoup la Symphonie du Nouveau Monde de Dvorak qui lui rappelait les Etats Unis, le Concerto d’Addinsel pour piano et orchestre (malheureusement peu connu), les symphonies de Brahms qu’on avait découvertes à Tanglewood, les nombreux concerts qu’on allait écouter au Théâtre des Champs Elysées, et tant d’autres. Il ne se faisait pas prier pour me suivre aux concerts. Il aimait les opéras de Puccini, le ballet et aussi les chansons de Modugno, Carosone, Mouloudji  et Barbara Streisand. La Musique l’a accompagné aussi ces trente dernières années à travers tous les concerts des lauréats du [concours FLAME](https://tocatlian.blog/2012/03/04/association-flame/) que j’ai créé en 1989. Il rencontrait mes jeunes musiciens, ainsi que Lynne Renouil Hata (violoncelle), m’aidait durant les concours et ainsi jusqu’au bout de son parcours de vie où, en signe de reconnaissance nos amis et lauréats lui ont fait leur dernier adieu en interprétant à la messe du 29 janvier: «le Cygne» de Saint Saëns par Lynn Renouil Hata de 11 ans, « Après un Rêve » de Fauré par Hildegarde Fesneau et le mouvement lent d’une sonate de Mozart pour quatre mains par nos amis Judy et Jean Marie Cottet. Un très beau « Finale » en musique. ### Remembering Jacques Tocatlian - [Around the World in Eighty Missions](https://tocatlian.blog/2010/07/08/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions/) - [The Bibliotheca Alexandrina](https://tocatlian.blog/2010/07/08/the-bibliotheca-alexandrina/) - [Jacques Tocatlian – The Painter](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/03/13/jacques-tocatlian-the-painter/) - [Oral History Archive: Jacques Tocatlian](https://tocatlian.blog/2012/09/26/oral-history-archive-jacques-tocatlian/) - [Tocatlian: 100 Years](https://tocatlian.blog/2007/12/30/bw-pictures-spanning-one-hundred-years/) - [Visiting Tuscany – Birthplace of the Italian Renaissance](https://tocatlian.blog/2013/07/15/visiting-tuscany-birthplace-of-the-italian-renaissance/) © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Meet Vu Nguyen Hong Ngoc - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/27/meet-vu-nguyen-hong-ngoc/ - Published: 2019-01-27 - Last modified: 2026-07-31 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Giving Back - Summary: Every orphan has their own story. It is a story that often begins in suffering and despair. However, it is also a story of resurgence and hope. Today, I would like to share with you the story of Vu Nguyen Hong Ngoc. [Image: Portrait of a young girl at the Center for Innocent Children.] A Vietnamese translation of this article is available at the bottom of the page. #### The Center for Innocent Children Visiting the [Center for Innocent Children](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/01/center-for-innocent-children-orphanage-vietnam/) (Trường Khuyết Tật Bé Thơ) in Vietnam during the 2017 Thanksgiving holiday and last Christmas has been a true blessing. Though spending only a few hours at the center, these precious moments sparked something that has made the days and months that follow more meaningful. During our last visit, Hannah’s friends brought sandwiches and milk for everyone, we gifted each child a bag of traditional American candies, and on behalf of our 90 donors, we entrusted the funds raised throughout 2018 to the center. Seeing the children smile and enjoy the festivities was the best Christmas gift anyone could have hoped for. Every child at the center has their own story. It is a story that often begins in suffering and despair. However, it is also a story of resurgence and hope, as the center offers these children a path to a better life. Each story is touching and worth sharing, from the circumstances that brought them to the center, to the beautiful child they become throughout their journey. #### Meet Vu Nguyen Hong Ngoc Today, I would like to share with you the story of Vu Nguyen Hong Ngoc, who has been at the center since she was three days old. Ngoc’s mother was only fifteen when she became pregnant. Poor, underprivileged, and vulnerable, she was afraid of her family and what would happen if they found out about her condition. So, she ran away from home with the intent of getting an abortion. The young girl contemplated the idea of aborting her pregnancy time and time again, knowing that it was impossible for her to return home to begin her newfound life as a mother. Despite having obtained the money necessary to get the abortion, she had a difficult time following through with her plans. Not sure what to do or where to go, she turned to a friend who introduced her to Sister Maria Daniel Vu Thi Vinh. Wishing to provide abandoned or orphaned children with opportunities for a happier, healthier, and more rewarding life, Sister Vinh founded the Center for Innocent Children in 1990. And to this day, she offers disadvantaged children shelter, sends them to school, and encourages them to obtain a vocational education. After much thought and consideration, the young girl decided to stay at the center and see her pregnancy through. Sister Vinh cared for her until the day the baby was born. Ngoc, was born on March 23rd, 2015, and has been living at the center ever since. Sadly, her mother left the center shortly after giving birth and never returned to visit her child. Today, Ngoc is four-years-old and is attending kindergarten. Despite being abandoned by her mother, she is surrounded by loving people who are doing everything they can within their means to give her a decent childhood and a chance at a better life. Ngoc, like most young girls her age, loves to express herself. She wears pretty clothes, plays with her friends, as well as enjoys drawing and playing with toys. But my most enduring memory of Ngoc is her willful yet tender personality. She loved being held while eating her candies and wouldn’t let go. I didn’t want to let go either. > “Sometimes the smallest things take up the most space in your heart.” Winnie The Pooh When we eventually parted ways, Ngoc crossed her thumb and index finger so that her fingertips formed the shape of a heart. This little hand gesture – that no words could have better expressed – is etched in my memory forever. ### How Can You Help? [Image: Happy Planet Children banner] > *“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” Frederick Douglass.* ##### Donate The children from the [Center for Innocent Children](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/01/center-for-innocent-children-orphanage-vietnam/) – like [Ngoc](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/27/meet-vu-nguyen-hong-ngoc/), [Mai](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/25/meet-vu-thi-xuan-mai/), and [the twins](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/04/10/meet-the-twins/) – come from many places with different backgrounds and contexts. They have unique personalities and various needs. With our continued support, Sister Vinh will be able to carry forward her quest to help these deserving children. Please consider joining us on this journey by contributing to the Happy Planet Children fundraiser. Donate ##### Get Involved Children need champions! Get involved, speak out, volunteer and give every child a fair chance to succeed. We’re looking forward to connecting with you online or in person and joining forces on Facebook and LinkedIn. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or would like to make an offline donation. ### Related Stories - [Our first business outreach partner: Seapot Restaurant!](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/04/happy-planet-children-business-outreach-seapot-restaurant/) - [About the Center for Innocent Children](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/01/center-for-innocent-children-orphanage-vietnam/) - [Meet the Twins](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/04/10/meet-the-twins/) - [A fortunate stroke of serendipity](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/03/27/a-fortunate-stroke-of-serendipity/) - [Let’s kick it up a notch!](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/03/22/lets-kick-it-up-a-notch/) - [Meet Vũ Thị Xuân Mai](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/25/meet-vu-thi-xuan-mai/) - [Meet Vu Nguyen Hong Ngoc](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/27/meet-vu-nguyen-hong-ngoc/) - [Happy Planet Children 2019 Fundraiser: New year. New opportunity.](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/10/new-year-new-opportunity/) - [Happy Planet Children 2018 Fundraiser: One child at a time](https://tocatlian.blog/2018/02/10/the-center-of-innocent-children-needs-your-help/) ### Vietnamese Translation by Ngoctan Trinh #### Trường khuyết tật Bé Thơ Chúng tôi rất may mắn đã đến thăm Trung tâm dành cho trẻ em mồ côi (Trường khuyết tật Bé Thơ) tại Việt Nam trong dịp lễ Tạ ơn 2017 và Giáng sinh 2018. Mặc dù chỉ dành được một vài giờ ở trung tâm, nhưng những khoảnh khắc quý giá này đã khiến những ngày tháng tiếp theo của chúng tôi trở nên ý nghĩa hơn. Trong chuyến thăm vừa qua của chúng tôi, những người bạn của Hannah đã mang bánh sandwich và sữa cho tất cả các em, chúng tôi tặng các em bánh kẹo và đồ chơi. Cũng thay mặt cho 90 nhà bảo trợ, chúng tôi đã trao tận tay số tiền gây quỹ trong suốt năm 2018 cho trung tâm. Chắc hẳn hầu hết mọi người trong chúng ta đều mong ước có cơ hội để cùng chung vui và nhìn thấy các em sung sướng, tươi cười thửơng thức bữa tiệc Giáng Sinh và hạnh phúc với những món quà nho nhỏ. Mỗi em ở trung tâm này đều có câu chuyện của riêng mình. Đó là một câu chuyện hầu hết bắt đầu trong đau khổ và tuyệt vọng. Tuy nhiên, đó cũng là một câu chuyện về sự hồi sinh và hy vọng, vì trung tâm đã cung cấp cho những trẻ em này một con đường dẫn đến cuộc sống với tương lai tốt hơn. Mỗi câu chuyện của các em đều rất cảm động và đáng để chia sẻ, từ hoàn cảnh đưa các em đến trung tâm để trở thành những đứa trẻ xinh đẹp và huớng thiện. #### Gặp em Vũ Nguyễn Hồng Ngọc, Hôm nay, chúng tôi muốn chia sẻ với bạn câu chuyện về Vũ Nguyễn Hồng Ngọc, em đã ở trung tâm từ khi mới sanh ra đời được 3 ngày. Mẹ Ngọc chỉ mới mười lăm tuổi khi mang bầu. Trong hoàn cảnh cô đơn, thiếu thốn và lo âu, cô rất sợ gia đình hay biết và liệu điều gì sẽ xảy ra nếu họ phát hiện ra tình trạng mang thai của cô. Vì vậy, cô bỏ nhà ra đi với ý định phá thai. Cô gái trẻ đã suy nghĩ về ý tưởng phá thai hết lần này đến lần khác, vì biết rằng cô không thể trở về nhà để bắt đầu cuộc sống làm mẹ. Mặc dù đã kiếm được số tiền cần thiết để phá thai, cô đã rất khó khăn để thực hiện theo kế hoạch của mình. Không biết phải làm gì hay đi đâu, cô quay sang một người bạn giới thiệu cô với Sơ Maria Daniel Vinh. Sơ luôn mong muốn mang đến cho những đứa trẻ bị bỏ rơi hoặc mồ côi cơ hội có một cuộc sống hạnh phúc hơn, khỏe mạnh hơn và hữu ích hơn. Từ ý tưởng đó Sơ Vinh đã thành lập Trung tâm Trẻ em mồ côi vào năm 1990. Và cho đến ngày nay, Sơ cung cấp cho trẻ em có hoàn cảnh khó khăn, gửi chúng đến trường và khuyến khích học tập để các em được một nền giáo dục tốt và hy vọng nghề nghiệp vững vàng. Sau nhiều suy nghĩ và cân nhắc, cô gái trẻ quyết định ở lại trung tâm và chờ ngày sanh nở. Sơ Vinh chăm sóc cô cho đến ngày em bé chào đời. Hồng Ngọc, sinh ngày 23 tháng 3 năm 2015 và sống tại trung tâm kể từ đó. Đáng buồn thay, mẹ em đã rời khỏi trung tâm ngay sau khi sanh và không bao giờ quay lại thăm con. Hôm nay, Ngọc bốn tuổi và đang học mẫu giáo. Mặc dù bị mẹ bỏ rơi, em được bao quanh bởi những người tốt, luôn yêu thương và đang nỗ lực làm mọi thứ để mang đến cho em một tuổi thơ tươi đẹp và cơ hội có một cuộc sống tốt hơn. Ngọc, giống như hầu hết các em bé ở độ tuổi của em, thích mặc quần áo đẹp, chơi với bạn bè, cũng như thích vẽ và ao ước có nhiều đồ chơi. Một điều đã làm tôi nhớ nhất về em Ngọc là tính cương quyết mà rất dịu dàng của em ấy. Em thích được ôm trong lòng khi ăn kẹo và không muốn rời khỏi vòng tay tôi. Tôi cũng không muốn buông em ra khỏi vòng tay mình. > “Đôi khi những điều nhỏ nhặt nhất chiếm nhiều không gian nhất trong trái tim bạn.” Winnie The Pooh Cuối cùng khi chúng tôi chia tay, Ngọc bắt chéo ngón tay cái và ngón trỏ của em ấy để đầu ngón tay em ấy tạo thành hình trái tim. Cử chỉ ngón tay nhỏ bé này thật không có từ nào có thể diễn tả tốt hơn, nó đã được khắc sâu mãi mãi trong trí nhớ của tôi. #### Bạn có thể giúp đỡ như thế nào? [Image: Happy Planet Children fundraiser banner showing children together.] > “Dễ dàng xây dựng những đứa trẻ mạnh mẽ hơn là sửa chữa những người đàn ông hư.” Frederick Douglass Ngọc và những trẻ em khác tại trung tâm đã đến từ nhiều nơi với hoàn cảnh và tình trạng khác nhau. Mỗi em đều có cá tính độc đáo và nhu cầu khác nhau. Với sự hỗ trợ liên tục của chúng tôi, Sơ Vinh sẽ có thể tiếp tục nhiệm vụ cao cả của mình để giúp đỡ những trẻ em xứng đáng này. Hãy tham gia cùng chúng tôi trên hành trình này bằng cách đóng góp cho Happy Planet Children 2019. Bằng cách quyên góp cho quỹ từ thiện này, bạn đang đưa ra tuyên bố rằng mặc dù bị gia đình bỏ rơi hay mồ côi vì cha mẹ qua đời, những trẻ em này xứng đáng có một tuổi thơ lành mạnh, được giáo dục và có cơ hội huởng mộtcuộc sống tốt hơn. Sự giúp đỡ của bạn sẽ tạo nên sự khác biệt cho cuộc đời của các em. © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## New Year. New Opportunity. - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/10/new-year-new-opportunity/ - Published: 2019-01-10 - Last modified: 2026-07-31 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Giving Back - Summary: To all of our friends, colleagues, and family, we ask that you consider supporting the Center for Innocent Children. Your donation will make a big impact in the lives of these deserving children. ### Building on last year’s success. [Image: Young boy in a printed tank top at the Center for Innocent Children.] Happy Planet Children ran its first fundraiser in 2018 with the goal of raising $5,000 to benefit the [Center for Innocent Children](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/01/center-for-innocent-children-orphanage-vietnam/) (Trường Khuyết Tật Bé Thơ) in Biên Hòa, Vietnam, which was founded in 1990 by Sister Maria Daniel Vu Thi Vinh. Touched by the helplessness of a group of children who were abandoned by their families or orphaned, and the desperate situation they faced, Sister Vinh found temporary housing and took them in. Wishing to provide them with opportunities for a happier, healthier, and more rewarding life, she provided them with shelter, sent them to school, and encouraged them to obtain a vocational education. Thus the Center for Innocent Children was born. Happy Planet Children exceeded its 2018 goal and donated the proceeds of the fundraiser to Sister Vinh on Christmas Day, along with sandwiches, milk, and one hundred pounds of candies! To all of our friends, colleagues, family, and generous souls who contributed to this fundraiser, “cảm ơn”. Your willingness to help will make all the difference in the lives of these deserving children. ### New year. New opportunity. [Image: Young boy wearing glasses and a red shirt at the Center for Innocent Children.] So who are these children? Meet [Vu Nguyen Hong Ngoc](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/27/meet-vu-nguyen-hong-ngoc/) and [Vũ Thị Xuân Mai](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/25/meet-vu-thi-xuan-mai/). There are no words to describe how blessed we feel for having met these loving children who given the opportunity will grow up to become remarkable adults and make the world a better place. With the generosity and helping hands from donors like you, the Center has thrived for the past 28 years. Currently, the Center cares for abandoned newborns, children with disabilities, and orphans. Even though the Center has improved immensely from the temporary housing of the earlier days, the Center is stretched over its capacity. Between the limited resources, and the increasing demand for housing, food, education, and medical care, the Center has been struggling to keep taking care of the children. To stay open and continue to provide the children with basic necessities, the Center is looking for your support. A one-dollar-a-day sponsorship would bestow a child with food, housing, and tuition. With enough support, the Center will be able to fulfill its mandate to provide the children with a decent childhood, an education, and a chance at a better life. In addition to supporting the Center for Innocent Children, we will seek to provide assistance to two additional organizations in 2019. Gia Đình Thiên Phúc is an orphanage located in Củ Chi, and Nhà Đưỡng Lão Tình Thương is an old age home also located in Củ Chi, where the elderly residents have the profound kindness of children, and deserve our thanks and consideration. ### Our goal for 2019 is to raise $10,000! [Image: Infant in pink raising her arms while lying in a crib.] February 5th marks the beginning of Tết, when Vietnamese people around the world celebrate the Lunar New Year. To our Vietnamese friends, “Chúc Mừng Năm Mới!” To all of our friends, colleagues, and family, we ask that you consider supporting this fundraiser. Your donation will make a small dent in the universe and a big impact in the lives of these deserving children and elderly. ### How Can You Help? Donate 100% of your donation will go to these organizations as the fundraiser organizers will personally cover the payment processing fees charged by GoFundMe for all online transactions ($0.30 per donation + 2.9%). Children need champions! Get involved, speak out, volunteer and give every child a fair chance to succeed. We’re looking forward to connecting with you online or in person and joining forces: Facebook | LinkedIn If you have any questions about this fundraising campaign or would like to make an offline donation, please don’t hesitate to contact us. [Image: Infant in pink looking up while lying in a crib.] [Image: Toddler in a yellow sports jersey standing beside a crib.] [Image: Toddler in a pink shirt at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: Sleeping baby resting on a colorful blanket.] [Image: Toddler in a yellow shirt at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: Young boy in a printed tank top at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: Young boy posing with his hand under his chin.] [Image: Infant in pink raising her arms while lying in a crib.] [Image: Toddler standing near a decorated Christmas tree.] [Image: Young boy in a school uniform at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: Young girl in a pink-collared striped shirt at the Center for Innocent Children.] [Image: Portrait of a young girl at the Center for Innocent Children.] ### Related Stories - [Our first business outreach partner: Seapot Restaurant!](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/04/happy-planet-children-business-outreach-seapot-restaurant/) - [About the Center for Innocent Children](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/01/center-for-innocent-children-orphanage-vietnam/) - [Meet the Twins](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/04/10/meet-the-twins/) - [A fortunate stroke of serendipity](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/03/27/a-fortunate-stroke-of-serendipity/) - [Let’s kick it up a notch!](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/03/22/lets-kick-it-up-a-notch/) - [Meet Vũ Thị Xuân Mai](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/25/meet-vu-thi-xuan-mai/) - [Meet Vu Nguyen Hong Ngoc](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/27/meet-vu-nguyen-hong-ngoc/) - [Happy Planet Children 2019 Fundraiser: New year. New opportunity.](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/10/new-year-new-opportunity/) - [Happy Planet Children 2018 Fundraiser: One child at a time](https://tocatlian.blog/2018/02/10/the-center-of-innocent-children-needs-your-help/) © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Make the World a Better Place, One Child at a Time - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2018/02/10/the-center-of-innocent-children-needs-your-help/ - Published: 2018-02-10 - Last modified: 2026-07-31 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Giving Back - Summary: The Center for Innocent Children needs your help. Consider donating to support Sister Maria. It should only take a minute and will make a world of difference for these deserving children. [Image: Collage of children’s portraits surrounding a Center for Innocent Children card.] - Donate to the Happy Planet Children 2019 Fundraiser - Results of the Happy Planet Children 2018 Fundraiser Last Thanksgiving during my visit to Vietnam, I had the opportunity to spend some time at the [Center for Innocent Children](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/01/center-for-innocent-children-orphanage-vietnam/) (Trung Tâm Bé Thơ), located in Biên Hòa an hour drive from Saigon. I was joined by Hannah Do who has been supporting the Center for over ten years and my good friend Alan Luu who lives in Vietnam. There are no words to describe how blessed I feel for having met these loving children who given the opportunity will grow up to become remarkable adults and make the world a better place. The Center for Innocent Children was founded in 1990 by Sister Maria Daniel Vu Thi Vinh. Touched by the helplessness of a group of children who were abandoned by their family or orphaned, and the desperate situation they faced, Sister Vinh found temporary housing and took them in. Wishing to provide them with opportunities for a happier, healthier, and more rewarding life, she gave shelter, sent them to school, and encouraged them to obtain a vocational education. And thus the Center for Innocent Children was born. With the generosity and helping hands from donors, the Center has thrived for the past 27 years. Currently, the Center cares for 208 children, including abandoned newborns, children with disabilities, and orphans. Even though the Center has much improved from the temporary housing of the earlier days, the Center is stretched over its capacity. With limited resources, and with the increasing demand for housing, food, education, and medical care, the Center has been struggling to keep taking care of the children. To stay open and continue to provide the children with basic necessities, the Center is looking for your support. A one-dollar-a-day sponsorship would bestow a child with food, housing, and tuition. With enough support, the Center will be able to fulfill its mandate to provide the children with a decent childhood, an education, and a chance at a better life. This week marks the beginning of Tết, when Vietnamese people from around the world celebrate the Lunar New Year. To my Vietnamese friends, “Chúc Mừng Năm Mới!” To all my friends, colleagues, family, and generous souls, please join me in supporting the Center for Innocent Children. Your contribution will make a small dent in the universe and a big impact in the lives of these deserving children this coming year. Donate Children need champions! Get involved, speak out, volunteer and give every child a fair chance to succeed. We’re looking forward to connecting with you online or in person and joining forces: Facebook | LinkedIn ### Related Stories - [Our first business outreach partner: Seapot Restaurant!](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/04/happy-planet-children-business-outreach-seapot-restaurant/) - [About the Center for Innocent Children](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/05/01/center-for-innocent-children-orphanage-vietnam/) - [Meet the Twins](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/04/10/meet-the-twins/) - [A fortunate stroke of serendipity](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/03/27/a-fortunate-stroke-of-serendipity/) - [Let’s kick it up a notch!](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/03/22/lets-kick-it-up-a-notch/) - [Meet Vũ Thị Xuân Mai](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/25/meet-vu-thi-xuan-mai/) - [Meet Vu Nguyen Hong Ngoc](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/27/meet-vu-nguyen-hong-ngoc/) - [Happy Planet Children 2019 Fundraiser: New year. New opportunity.](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/01/10/new-year-new-opportunity/) - [Happy Planet Children 2018 Fundraiser: One child at a time](https://tocatlian.blog/2018/02/10/the-center-of-innocent-children-needs-your-help/) © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## 2017: The Year in Pictures (And a Few Words) - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2018/01/01/2017-the-year-in-pictures-and-a-few-words/ - Published: 2018-01-01 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Let us remember everything that made 2017 a standout year. Since pictures are worth a thousand words, I’ve assembled a photo mosaic that tries to capture the more meaningful events of the year. As we end the year and continue our journey into 2018, let us remember the people, the places, and everything we experienced that made 2017 a standout year. Since pictures are worth a thousand words, I’ve assembled the above photo mosaic that tries to capture the more meaningful events of 2017 in my little world. Did you like the mosaic? Consider sharing it on LinkedIn. ### The Masters of Open edX [Image: Television cameras filming a presenter inside IBL Studios.] IBL Studios: The Masters of Open edX One of the first decisions I had to make in 2017 was to select an implementation partner that would help Global Knowledge build a new learning platform on which the company could deliver 24/7 on-demand access to instructor-led videos and hands-on activities in a learning environment designed to maximize retention. That partner is IBL Studios. Their knowledge of Open edX made it possible for us to complete this critical project on time. We simply could not have got it done without their expert support. ### The friendly skies [Image: Sunrise casting golden light across airplanes and airport gates.] The Friendly Skies Earlier in my career, I had the opportunity to work with several airlines that were building systems using software I had helped develop. One of these airlines is United. The time spent working with United offered insight into the complexity of the operation and dedication of the 88,000 employees responsible for routing 150 million passengers to over 300 destinations in 50 countries on 4,500 flights daily. Since then, I’ve flown close to 1 million miles on United – 100,000 in 2017. I’ve had my share of travel hiccups but appreciate the enormity of the challenge airlines take on every day and the level of service United strives to provide. ### The modern gladiators on two-wheels I love MotoGP, the Formula 1 of motorcycle racing. Like Brad Pitt, I always favored motorcycles over cars. Like Brad Pitt, I watch every race with whoever wants to watch. But that’s unfortunately where all similarities with Brad end. Twenty-three times a year, twenty-four modern gladiators barrel down a race track on two wheels at a top speed of 350 km/hr. That’s barely 25 km/hr slower than the Formula 1 official speed record! This year, Marc Marquez was crowned world champion for the 6th time at the age of 24. But it’s Valentino Rossi, the most successful motorcycle racer of all time that continues to win our hearts at the age of 38. Let us also remember Nick Hayden – the Kentucky Kid – who was killed by a car while riding his bicycle in Italy. ### ¡Viva España! [Image: Ornate church towers rising against a bright blue sky in Madrid.] ¡Viva España! I had the opportunity to spend a few days in Madrid while attending the Open edX conference. In case anyone thinks I played hooky, here’s evidence I was present at the keynote and even asked a question to edX founder and CEO Anang Agarwal. Although Madrid is the 3rd largest city and metropolitan area in the European Union, it felt more quaint and friendlier than most other European capitals I’ve had the opportunity to visit. I look forward to visiting again. ### Digital Nomad [Image: People viewing a panoramic Apple Park scene through a virtual reality display.] Apple Park Virtual Reality Tour If “home is where the heart is,” then my iPhone instant messaging and social media apps are the keys to my home. These apps allow me to stay connected with friends and family, regardless of time and whereabouts, be it Boulder, Paris, Montreal, New York City, San Francisco, or Saigon. Technology has made the world a little smaller. Technology has made it possible to seamlessly buy goods and services, board planes, trains, and automobiles, pay our bills and reimburse our friends, discover great restaurants, not get lost, listen to music, binge-watch our favorite shows with the touch of a finger. The decision to go all-in with Apple at home and at work has greatly simplified things and made traveling a lot less burdensome. ### Eyes in the sky [Image: Aerial view of waves breaking against the rocky California coastline.] California Pacific Coastline by Drone I’ve been curious about drones for quite some time. But they were too big and expensive, or too small and not compelling enough. All of this changed the day DJI announced the Mavic Pro, a portable yet powerful drone that you can tuck in a backpack, has a 7 km range, and is equipped with a 12 MP photo and 4K video camera. The Mavic Pro has allowed me to capture moments in stunning quality and from unique perspectives that would never have been possible otherwise. Watch my first drone video venturing out into the waters along the Pacific Coastline for a short flyover. ### September 21 [Image: Three friends smiling together for a nighttime selfie.] September 21, 2017 On this day in 1217, the Estonian tribal leader Lembitu of Lehola was killed in a battle against Teutonic Knights. On this day in 2016, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan pledged $3 billion to medical research to “cure, prevent or manage all diseases by the end of the century”. On this day in 2017, Global Knowledge pulled off an even greater feat and launched the GK Learning Platform. Thank you to the incredible team that made it possible. ### Family weekend [Image: Group of friends smiling together in a sunlit crowd at CU Boulder Family Weekend.] CU Boulder Family Weekend So far as weekends go, the CU Boulder Family Weekend is one of my favorite times of the year as I get to hang out and have fun with Jenna and Lesa. They usually introduce me to some of their new favorite eateries and we return to some old time favorites – like The Sink. On Saturday we’ll enjoy an electrifying NCAA Division I college football game and cheer Ralphie the Buffalo as he runs on Folsom Field. This year, we also took part in a few memorable events at Jenna’s sorority, went to a fraternity party, then skipped town to hike near Gross Reservoir. If the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior, I probably won’t be returning to a fraternity party until 2047 – with my grandchildren. ### Smiles for life [Image: Smiling girl at the Center for Innocent Children in Vietnam.] Smiles for Life Hannah and I spent Thanksgiving in Vietnam. This year, we rose at dawn to visit the floating market in the Mekong Delta, took a sleeping bus to Dalat in the central highlands regions, and spent quality time catching up with friends and family in Saigon. See what it’s like to ride through the streets of Saigon on the back of Alan’s motorbike. Saigon is a motorbike-crazed place, streets filled with two-wheelers zipping along at all hours of the day and night. What an experience riding with thousands of motorbikes in – almost – perfect harmony! The highlight of our trip was a heartfelt visit to the Trường Khuyết Tật Bé Thơ orphanage in Bien Hoa, Dong Nai. There are no words that can describe how blessed I feel for having met these loving children. They will grow up to become remarkable adults that will make this world a better place. ### Singing in the rain [Image: Illuminated Louvre Pyramid and palace reflected at night in Paris.] Paris, France Some call Paris the city of love while others refer to it as the city of light. I call it home as most of my family still lives there. Our family Christmas traditions haven’t changed in decades – and that’s a good thing – as their magic warms our hearts for the year to come. We enjoyed a few bottles of Chateau Tocatlian, “*a neo-classic nearly matured Merlot that kicks you with a mouthful of over-oaked toasty cocoa, hints of unripe fruit punch, and atomic traces of musty cardboard.*” We also rediscovered and sang along to some old vinyl records of Johnny Hallyday, France Gall, Eddy Mitchell and other childhood rockstars. But more than just a walk down memory lane, this visit was about seeing a new generation of Tocatlians growing into their own while discovering their aspirations and hopes. ### Who’s your better half? [Image: Smiling couple holding a chalkboard sign that reads “Better Half.”] Friends & Family “You can kiss your family and friends good-bye and put miles between you, but at the same time you carry them with you in your heart, your mind, your stomach, because you do not just live in a world, but a world lives in you.” Frederick Buechner 2017 was a good year in many respects – except for the division, hatred, attacks inspired and perpetrated by some of our world leaders. What made 2017 special are the people in our lives that shared the journey. In my case, it’s the family in Boulder and Paris, Hannah, Alan in Saigon, Jimmy in Montreal, and my colleagues who fought alongside each other to accomplish the impossible. It is our families, friends, and distinguished colleagues that bring about the best in us and are effectively our better halves. © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## The Streets of Saigon on Motorbike - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2017/11/30/the-street-of-saigon-on-motorbike/ - Published: 2017-11-30 - Last modified: 2026-07-31 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: See what it’s like to ride through the streets of Saigon from the backseat of a motorbike. What an exhilerating experience! [Embedded media available on the canonical page] See what it’s like to ride through the streets of Saigon from District 1 to District 2 on a motorbike. Taste the fervor of the traffic. See what it’s like first-hand as this video is filmed from the backseat of a motorbike. Ho Chi Minh City is a motorbike-crazed place, streets filled with two-wheelers zipping along at all hours of the day and night – my kinda place! The video was taken with an older – but still very capable – iPhone 6 Plus with the help of a DJI Osmo Mobile that helped stop camera shakes and turned every shot into a cinematographic masterpiece – if I may say so myself 😉 You might also enjoy some of the [pictures](https://tocatlian.blog/2016/03/01/vietnam-a-country-on-two-wheels/) I took last year of motorized bikes zipping through the streets of Saigon, Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue, Halong Bay, and Ha Noi. What a spectacle watching thousands of motorbikes in – almost – perfect harmony. Still looking for more? Feel free to download any of these high definition wallpapers to dress up your desktop/laptop computer background. Many of these pictures were taken during my first trip to Vietnam in February 2016 that took us from Ho Chi Minh City to Ha Noi. © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Lanzhou Noodle Soup - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2016/04/16/lanzhou-noodle-soup-montreal-canada/ - Published: 2016-04-16 - Last modified: 2026-07-19 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Family Matters - Summary: Montreal has a lot of phenomenal restaurants and there are a few I try to stop by every time I’m in this beautiful city. One of these restaurants is “Nouilles de Lan zhou”. Montreal has a lot of phenomenal restaurants and there are a few eateries I try stopping by every time I’m in town. One of these restaurants is Nouilles de Lan zhou located in Chinatown at 1006 Boulevard Saint Laurent. This small and busy Chinese fast-food restaurant resides on the first floor above a supermarket. It is known for its beef hand-pulled noodle soup and will serve the freshest noodles you’ve ever eaten: it takes less than three minutes from the time the noodles are made to when they’re served in a savory broth. See for yourself… [Embedded media available on the canonical page] Lanzhou Beef hand-pulled noodle, also known as Lanzhou beef noodle is a renowned typical dish in Lanzhou. Dating back as far a Tang Dynasty, it is said that the authentic Lanzhou beef noodle was first created by Ma Baozi, a chef of Hui minority. The dish has enjoyed great reputation and popularity both in China and all over the world with its unique flavor – broth clear as mirror, well-cooked beef aroma, fine and delicate noodle, together with its five condiments known by their colors as Clear, White, Red, Green and Yellow, standing for Clear broth, White radish, Red chili oil, Green coriander and Yellow garlic. Lanzhou Noodle Soup is designated as on of the three great Chinese fast-food dishes by the China Cuisine Association and given the reputation as the First Noodle of China. © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Vietnam – A Country on Two Wheels - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2016/03/01/vietnam-a-country-on-two-wheels/ - Published: 2016-03-01 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Photography - Summary: Thought you might enjoy some of the pictures I took last month of motorbikes zipping through the streets of Saigon, Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue, Halong Bay, and Ha Noi. [Embedded media available on the canonical page] Vietnam is said to be the country of motorbikes. With over 38 million registered motorbikes, it’s the world’s fourth-largest motorbike market after China, India, and Indonesia. Mopeds, scooters, electric bikes, motorcycles… you name it. If it has two wheels, you’re likely to find it on the streets in Vietnam. Feels the exhilaration of riding through the [streets of Saigon on a motorbike](https://tocatlian.blog/2017/11/30/the-street-of-saigon-on-motorbike/). Two-wheeled vehicles are the primary mode of transportation throughout the country and a part of daily life. In both Ha Noi and Saigon, motorbikes account for over two-thirds of vehicular trips. They’re convenient, suitable for the income of most people at around $1,200 per unit, and relatively easy to maintain. I thought you might enjoy some of the pictures (click to enlarge) I took last month of motorized bikes zipping through the streets of Saigon, Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue, Halong Bay, and Ha Noi. What a spectacle watching thousands of motorbikes in – almost – perfect harmony. What an adventure trying to cross the streets weaving our way through moving traffic! I wish I had also captured a few video so that you could hear the buzzing and beeping… oh well, maybe next time! [Image: Motorbike transporting large wrapped bundles through crowded traffic.] [Image: Helmeted motorbike rider in the foreground of crowded Saigon traffic.] [Image: Family riding a motorbike past a small Saigon street café.] [Image: Helmeted rider transporting a large woven basket on a motorbike.] [Image: Two people wearing helmets and riding a red scooter through Saigon.] [Image: Family of five, including three children, riding together on a red scooter.] [Image: Helmeted rider transporting a tall stack of cardboard boxes on a motorbike.] [Image: Rider transporting bulky household goods piled high on a motorbike.] [Image: Two adults and a child wearing helmets and riding together on a scooter.] [Image: Family traveling together on a motorbike past Saigon storefronts.] [Image: Motorbike Transport in Vietnam] [Image: Rider transporting a large stack of green mats on a motorbike.] [Image: Rider transporting a tall stack of cardboard boxes on a motorbike.] [Image: Two women in colorful clothing riding together on a motorbike.] [Image: Man riding a red scooter with a child seated in front amid busy traffic.] [Image: Three people riding together on a motorbike along a busy Saigon street.] [Image: Masked rider in a purple jacket traveling through Saigon on a motorbike.] [Image: Rider transporting a flowering potted tree on the back of a motorbike.] [Image: Large stream of motorbikes filling a busy Saigon street.] [Image: Red scooter and basket in sharp focus with a passing rider blurred behind.] [Image: Family of three riding a motorbike while the child holds an orange toy.] [Image: Long rows of motorbikes parked along a narrow Saigon street.] [Image: Man riding a scooter with a smiling child seated in front.] [Image: Helmeted food delivery rider carrying a red box on a motorbike.] [Image: Family riding together on a white scooter through blurred traffic.] [Image: Rider transporting stacks of red containers on a motorbike through Saigon.] [Image: Woman in a plaid shirt riding a red scooter through dense Saigon traffic.] [Image: Two people riding a black scooter past a colorful Saigon toy shop.] [Image: Family wearing warm clothing and face coverings while riding together on a scooter.] [Image: Two women riding together on a compact scooter along a Saigon street.] [Image: Rows of colorful scooters parked closely together.] [Image: Rider transporting oversized green sacks piled high on a motorbike.] [Image: Family of four wearing helmets and riding together on a red scooter in Saigon.] [Image: Rider transporting a high stack of red boxes on a motorbike.] [Image: Masked rider transporting bicycle wheels and metal frames on a motorbike.] [Image: Scooter riders wearing helmets and rain gear on a crowded Saigon street.] [Image: Three young men wearing helmets and riding together on a motorbike.] [Image: Masked passenger wearing a red helmet amid crowded motorbike traffic.] [Image: Adult riding a motorbike with a child seated in front.] ### Related Posts - [Vietnam – The Streets of Saigon on Motorbike](https://tocatlian.blog/2017/11/30/the-street-of-saigon-on-motorbike/) - Vietnam – Desktop Background Wallpaper Photo Gallery © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## ‘Like, Like’ Goes the Dynamite - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2014/12/01/like-like-goes-the-dynamite/ - Published: 2014-12-01 - Last modified: 2026-08-17 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Family Matters - Summary: Today’s teens really value what they see on social media. What a person posts offers a glimpse into the life they live, what they have, and inevitably their happiness. But sometimes the reality couldn’t be further from that. [Image: Handmade diary cover decorated with magazine words, images, and a red heart lock.] #### If it’s not on social media, it didn’t happen Today’s teens really value what they see on social media. What a person posts offers a glimpse into the life they live, what they have, and inevitably their happiness. But sometimes the reality couldn’t be further from that. Just because someone may look like they live a glamorous life on the surface doesn’t mean that they’re not struggling on the inside. The fictitious diary entries in this article were originally posted on Teen Ink. The story received high marks from the readers and was subsequently featured on the front page of the Realistic Fiction section on November 16, 2014. I hope you like it too. #### Kelsey’s Diary: Part 1 Dear Diary, Today was just another day in the life of a high school girl. I went to school, got bored in class, and then left that class for an even duller one. During lunch, I went to the library as per usual. It was quiet, as a library should be. The library got a little brighter when a bunch of smiling friends came in. I like to call them “The Unstoppables” or the “U-crew.” The U-crew is made up of three gals, Kendall, Hannah, and Laura. They have the most perfect friendship imaginable. They do absolutely everything together; if they’re getting something to eat, they’re together, if they’re at the movies, they’re together, no matter where they are, they’re always together. Seeing them as they waltz their way into the library, giggling, gossiping, and grinning really makes me wish that I had a friendship like theirs. After my average Friday afternoon, I went home and had a raging night with my 10-year-old brother, Scott. My night included me watching him play Mario Kart, while I stalked the U-crew on Instagram. They had – yet another – exhilarating night in NYC as they dined at a fancy restaurant, shopped around So Ho, and got into a trendy club to flirt with college guys! I mean, how much more exciting could a junior in high school’s life get?! I know mine could use a little more spice considering I passed out on the couch around 10 o’clock and woke up an hour later to my face covered in artwork, all thanks to my lovely preteen of a brother. Now I’m off to the bathroom to scrub off the marker residue from my face; what an exciting night to be me! Xo, *Kelsey* #### Kendall’s Diary A little hello to my little world, Last night Hannah, Laura, and I went into the city. It was nice to get out because of my extremely stressful school week. However, the night did not go as I had hoped. Hannah, Laura, and I ended up going to a club in So Ho for the night. It started off nice, we found some cute guys that we were able to hang out with. Turned out that they were not the nicest guys in the bunch, as most guys are, they were only out for one thing. Sex. And they went to the extent of drugging Laura. Luckily, we were able to get her out of there before anything actually happened. When we tried to hail a cab to the closest hospital, the conversation went as followed: “Rush us to the nearest hospital!” yelled Hannah. “What happened?” asked the cab driver. “Our friend was drugged, now please, hurry!” I exclaimed. He looked back at Laura, her limp and disoriented body, foaming mouth, and blacked out eyes and said, “Please get out of my cab, I cannot help you.” My mouth dropped open, just because she was drugged by some inconsiderate horny guys meant he could not help us, I thought it was some kind of sick joke until he began yelling at us to get out. So there we were, three helpless girls stranded in the city. We were able to call my brother and get him to pick us up. Our parents kicked us out of the house earlier this month because we were just “bratty kids that needed to learn to care about more than ourselves,” so we had been staying in a motel right outside of town. When we got ‘home’ we showered her and somehow got her to a healthier state. The night left me completely dumbfounded. Unfortunately, it seemed as though things were only getting worse in my life. After they were done hitting us, my parents occasionally kicked us out. Sometimes I liked it better though. My brother is the only person that I can truly trust. He’s the person that always has my back. I’ve broken up with boyfriends, been kicked to the curb by friends, and have never been able to depend on my parents, but my brother has never left. He really gets me. In high school, he was perceived as having the ‘perfect’ life, when really he was going through all of the struggles that I’m enduring, too. What annoys me the most is that people genuinely do not care. No one from school needs to know so we aren’t telling them, but if they were to find out they would be like, “oh it’s no big deal, their lives are still so perfect.” FALSE. Our lives are nowhere near perfect! My parents abused my brother and I to the point that we were kicked out because they’re so twisted. Hannah’s parents are going through an awful divorce. And Laura is failing out of most of her classes so she’s not sure if she’ll even graduate on time. But the thing is no one knows that stuff about us, nor do they care enough to find out because people only seem to care about what meets the eye. Xo, *Kendall* #### Kelsey’s Diary: Part 2 Dear Diary, Today I experienced a major plot twist. I walked into the girl’s bathroom at school and heard someone sobbing in the stalls. I wasn’t sure who it was so I stayed to uncover the secret. It was Kendall. She walked out; mascara streaming down her face, completely mortified that someone saw her in this state. “Are you okay?” I asked, completely caught off guard. I always thought she had her life so put together, I guess I was wrong. “I mean, clearly I’ve been better,” she replied with a little chuckle as she wiped the tears from her eyes. “I know it’s not my place to ask, but do you want to talk?” I whispered. She sighed. We exchanged numbers and decided that we would talk later since we were both in class. She smiled at me as she walked out of the bathroom. After school we met up and talked about our issues over some frozen yogurt. I learned a lot about Kendall. Her life is not as perfect as social media makes it seem. Her and her friends go through serious issues and do not have fun, perfect lives 24/7. Kendall hit her breaking point. It turns out that the amount of likes she got on an Instagram picture didn’t reflect her happiness; it was really all just an illusion. I never would have thought that the U-crew was just a group of girls that were going through their own issues if I hadn’t run into Kendall in the bathroom. It made me reflect and appreciate what I have. I may only have 25 Instagram followers, but that’s ok. And Kendall’s hundreds of ‘likes’ don’t mean as much as our newfound affinity. Xo, *Kelsey* #### Other Posts by Jenna Tocatlian - [Beautiful Pressures: The Influence and Impact of Beauty on Society](https://tocatlian.blog/2013/06/04/beautiful-pressures-the-influence-and-impact-of-beauty-on-society/) - [Losing Nemo](https://tocatlian.blog/2014/04/11/finding-nemo-more-like-finding-my-best-friend/) © Copyright Jenna Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## FLAME Competition Celebrates Its 25th Anniversary - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2014/05/01/results-of-the-25th-flame-competition-2014/ - Published: 2014-05-01 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Giving Back - Summary: The 25th FLAME competition was held at the CRR Paris Regional Conservatory from April 14 to April 20, 2014. Over 300 candidates representing 40 countries participated in different disciplines: piano, violin, cello and singing. An international jury of 49 members was impressed by the quality of the performances. At the final concert an enthusiastic public of over 500 people heartily applauded the winners. ### Twenty Five Years Created by Patrice Sciortino, composer, and Germaine Tocatlian, piano teacher at the Schola Cantorum, the FLAME Competition that has taken place every year since 1990 celebrated its 25th anniversary at the CCR of Paris from the 14th to the 20th of April, 2014. The adventure started in 1989 when Patrice Sciortino and Germaine Tocatlian discussed ways of further supporting promising young musicians by providing them with opportunities to attend master-classes in the framework of the Sommerakademie of the Mozarteum in Salzburg and perform at concerts in France, Austria and Italy. The first competition took place in 1990 at the Austrian Institute of Paris, thanks to the warm welcome of his director, Mr. Rudolf Altmuller. It gathered a total of thirteen pianists and rewarded three of them from France, Italy, and Spain. The competition was presided by Mrs. Gaby Casadesus, who also presided the following competitions until 1999, when she passed away. ### 2014 FLAME Competition This year, over 300 candidates representing 40 countries participated in different disciplines: piano, violin, cello and singing. FLAME is grateful and most thankful to the candidates, the jury members, the winners and the many helpful friends and volunteers who contributed in making this 25th competition – and anniversary – a memorable event. An international jury of 49 members (representing France, USA, Rumania, China, Russia, Austria, Luxembourg, Italy, Israel, Great Britain, Taïwan, Ukraine and Japan) was impressed by the quality of the performances and awarded numerous prizes which included concerts in France, Italy and Austria as well as master-classes at the Sommerakademie of the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria. At the final concert an enthusiastic public of over 500 people heartily applauded the winners. A Grand Final concluded the festivities with the whole audience singing «Happy Birthday» led by Heng Shi (China) winner of FLAME 2008 competition. Prizes, rewards diplomas records and scores were distributed to the winners and candidates. [Image: Violinist in a red dress performing with piano accompaniment.] [Image: Audience members watching the FLAME Competition from the concert hall.] [Image: Presenter standing beside a pianist under illuminated 25th anniversary numbers.] [Image: Young violinist performing with piano accompaniment at the FLAME Competition.] [Image: Vocalist in a green dress performing beside a grand piano.] [Image: Wide view of performers on stage before a large concert hall audience.] [Image: Young woman performing at a grand piano during the FLAME Competition.] [Image: Young pianist in a suit performing at a grand piano.] [Image: Competition participants and organizers standing together on the concert hall stage.] [Image: Male vocalist performing beside a pianist at the FLAME Competition.] [Image: Vocalist standing beside an accompanist at a grand piano during the FLAME Competition.] [Image: Young man performing at a grand piano during the FLAME Competition.] [Image: Young violinist performing beside a pianist at the FLAME Competition.] [Image: Young pianist performing at a grand piano during the FLAME Competition.] [Image: Young cellist performing with piano accompaniment on the concert hall stage.] [Image: Young girl performing at a grand piano during the FLAME Competition.] [Image: Cellist performing beside a pianist at the FLAME Competition.] [Image: Wide view of the 25th anniversary FLAME Competition ceremony in a full concert hall.] [Image: Cellist performing while seated alone on the concert hall stage.] [Image: Young cellist performing with piano accompaniment at the FLAME Competition.] [Image: Vocalist in a red and black dress performing beside a pianist.] [Image: Young cellist performing with a pianist on the concert hall stage.] [Image: FLAME Competition Anniversary] [Image: Young pianist performing at a grand piano during the FLAME Competition.] [Image: Violinist performing beside a pianist and page turner at the FLAME Competition.] [Image: Cellist performing with piano accompaniment on the FLAME Competition stage.] [Image: Vocalist performing beside a pianist at the FLAME Competition.] ### 2014 Competition Results #### Category A (6 to 16 years old) ##### Special Prizes ###### Piano 1st group: Alicia SZINDZIELORZ (Poland) 2nd group: Georgi CHIKOLOV (Bulgaria) 3rd group: Nagino MARUYAMA (Japan) ###### Violin 1st group: Marie-Aude MELLIES (France) 3rd group: Sarah JEGOU-SAGEMAN (France) ###### Cello 1st group: Maya DEVANNE (France) 2nd group: Danielle AKTA (Israël) ##### First Grand Prizes (with 100 points) ###### Violin Elias David MONCADO (Germany) ###### Cello Ganbat CHINGUUM (Mongolia) #### Category B (17 to 27 years old ) ##### Piano 1st prize: Richard KOGIMA (Brazil) 2nd prize: Ilya RAMLAV (Russia) 3rd prize: Jakub TUSZYNSKI (Poland) ##### Violin 1st ex-aequo prize: Hildegarde FESNEAU (France) 1st ex-aequo prize: Grégoire GIRARD (France) 3rd prize: Lucie KOCI (Czech Republic) ##### Cello 1st prize: Gleb STEPANOV (Russia) 2nd prize: Julie SEVILLA-FRAYSS (France) 3rd ex-aequo prize: Michèle Pierre (France) 3rd ex-aequo prize: Fumié KATO (Japan) ##### Singing (up to 32 years) 1st ex-aequo prize: Arete TEEMETS (Estonia) 1st ex-aequo prize: Marion LEBEGUE (France) 2nd prize: Elisabeth Laure MOUSSOUS (Cameroun) 3rd prize: Anas SEGUIN (France) ### In The Press [Image: La Lettre du Musicien Concours FLAME] © Copyright Germaine Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Losing Nemo - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2014/04/11/finding-nemo-more-like-finding-my-best-friend/ - Published: 2014-04-11 - Last modified: 2026-08-17 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Family Matters - Summary: The saying may go “a dog is a man’s best friend,” although I am in fact a girl, words could never sum up up how much I love my dog. My dog went by the name of Nemo. And just today I was forced to say the hardest goodbye I could have ever imagined. [Image: Young girl standing beside a bed covered with stuffed animals.] The saying may go “a dog is a man’s best friend,” although I am in fact a girl, words could never sum up how much I love my dog. My dog went by the name of Nemo. And just today I was forced to say the hardest goodbye I could have ever imagined. I pulled into the driveway after school and saw a pet van in our driveway. My mom did mention that there would be a vet at home when I got there so I was not taken by surprise. When I walked upstairs my mom said, “Jenna, these are the vets, Nemo is not in pain anymore.” My heart smiled and I said, “Oh thank God, I thought you were going to say that you put Nemo down.” My mom’s face changed and she replied, “I had to, he was in too much pain Jen.” My heart sunk this time. Of course, I was thankful that my dog was free of pain but now it was my heart that was in pain. As an only child, I had no siblings to keep me company. Not that I wasn’t grateful for my wonderful parents but every child wants a brother or sister. Unlike most other kids, I went to pick up my brother, from a kennel. Yes, I refer to my dog as my brother. I remember bringing him home as though it was yesterday. We drove in our Jeep and arrived at the breeder’s house, I jumped out of the car like there was no tomorrow. There was my brand new pup, sitting in his purple collar waiting to be taken to his new home. After all the paperwork was done, we sat next to each other the whole ride home. I vividly remember the first sound his feet made as they trotted around our house. It was truly the best day of my life. Then I showed our new family member to the kitchen where his bed was, then he laid down and I stayed with him there for hours. Now eleven years later I can say my last memories were a lot like my first when my mom and the vets said he was gone I just laid down with him for a while. The vets came and took him away on a little doggy stretcher. They slowly took him downstairs and out to their car. As they put him in their car, I was forced to say goodbye for the second time. I thought saying bye once to his soul was hard enough, but now I had to say goodbye to his body. The body of the same dog that used to kick me off my bed, scratched my door until I opened it, and let me use him as a pillow when he knew I was having a rough day. I had to live with the fact that I would not see this body again unless I was looking at old pictures. The hardest part of it all is that I knew that I would never wake up to him at the feet of my bed or hear him prance up the stairs again. This thought kills me inside because he was the one I could tell my secrets to, and rant to without being interrupted. Carrie Underwood said in her song *More Boys I Meet,* “the more boys I meet, the more I love my dog.” Nemo is the only boy I will ever need. I don’t have any memories without him and quite frankly I don’t want to imagine a day without him. He was not a pet, but a part of our family, and he was most certainly not just a dog, but a brother and a best friend. I have the happiest of memories and they are all thanks to my pup. I am proud to say that I will always have footprints in my heart and they are all there because of my baby boy Nemo. Finding Nemo? More like finding my best friend. Rest in peace Voros Vadasz Zoltan Nemo Tocatlian (May 18, 2003 – April 11, 2014). - [Image: Brown dog standing alert in a dry grassy field.] - [Image: Brown dog running through sunlit tall grass.] - [Image: Close profile portrait of a brown dog lit from behind.] - [Image: Brown dog resting on a chair in warm sunlight.] - [Image: Close portrait of a brown dog resting on a leather chair.] - [Image: Brown dog’s head rising above a bright green field.] - [Image: Brown dog walking through dry brush beside green shrubs.] - [Image: Young girl sleeping on a couch beside a curled brown dog.] - [Image: Young girl holding a white sheet while a small brown dog runs across the lawn.] - [Image: Image] - [Image: Profile portrait of a brown dog against a softly blurred green background.] - [Image: Brown dog and light-colored dog greeting each other among green shrubs.] - [Image: Woman smiling while holding a brown dog outdoors.] - [Image: Man crouching beside a brown dog on a sandy beach.] - [Image: Brown dog stepping across rocks in a shallow stream.] - [Image: Family posing beside a red vintage car at a Route 66 roadside stop.] ### Related Posts by Jenna Tocatlian - [Beautiful Pressures: The Influence and Impact of Beauty on Society](https://tocatlian.blog/2013/06/04/beautiful-pressures-the-influence-and-impact-of-beauty-on-society/) - [‘Like, Like’ Goes The Dynamite](https://tocatlian.blog/2014/12/01/like-like-goes-the-dynamite/) © Copyright Jenna Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Baby’s First Words - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2014/03/26/babys-first-words/ - Published: 2014-03-26 - Last modified: 2026-07-19 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Family Matters - Summary: When did your baby’s cooing turn into her first words? Did she say “Mama” or “Papa” much to your delight? I can’t remember how old Jenna was when she uttered her first words. But I clearly recall the memorable words and where we were at the time. [Image: Jenna Tocatlian] > “Some memories are realities, and are better than anything that can happen to one again.” Willa Cather When did your baby’s cooing turn into her first words? Did she say “Mama” or “Papa” much to your delight? I can’t remember how old Jenna was when she uttered her first words. But I clearly recall the memorable words and where we were at the time of this heart-melting moment. What decides a baby’s first words? They most certainly vary by country. They’re probably infused with context. Regardless, they’re a timeless memory that cannot be forgotten. The reason these words thrill us as parents is that they are our first glimpse of what is going on in that little think tank and reveal something of who they are. Here is a list of the 15 most common first words, according to 11,000 moms surveyed on Circle of Moms: - Dad (or Dada, Daddy, Papa, etc.) - Mom (or Mama, Mommy, Mum, etc.) - Hi (or Hiya, Hey, Heya, Hello) - Buba (or Bub or Baba) - Dog (or Doggy, Puppy) - Ball - No - Cat (or Kitty) - Nana - Bye - Duck - Ta (or Tata) - Baby - Uh oh - Car Are Jenna’s first words on this list? Of course not! In honor of her 16th birthday – today -, I’d like to share with you her first words: We were driving northbound on Highway 85 in San Jose, California, around noon time. All of a sudden the little munchkin in the back seat utters the words “hot dog!” We were delighted and puzzled at the same time. Why “hot dog”? Why then and there? Was she hungry? It was lunchtime after all and she had relished the taste of a good hot dog on seldom occasions – no pun intended. Then it dawned on us. We had just driven past Costco and she must have seen the store signage as we zipped by! As Jenna celebrates her 16th birthday, let us remember all of the precious moments that paved her journey to this day. We are so blessed and thankful. Let us also be thankful that Costco hasn’t raised the price of the “hot dog and soda” combo in fifteen years. It’s still a buck fifty! © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Visiting Napa Valley - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2013/09/29/visiting-napa-valley/ - Published: 2013-09-29 - Last modified: 2026-08-17 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Family Matters - Summary: It’s harvest time! Consider heading to Napa Valley for a day (or more) to enjoy the breathtaking views and hospitality of one of California’s premier viticultural areas. So you’re vacationing in the San Francisco Bay Area and just finished touring [Silicon Valley](https://tocatlian.blog/2013/04/08/a-visitors-guide-to-silicon-valley-geekman-style/) Geeknam Style… so what next? Consider heading north for a day (or more) to enjoy the breathtaking views and hospitality of one of California’s premier viticultural areas: Napa Valley. Here’s a short list of my favorite Napa wineries, eateries, things to do, and places to stay. [Image: Map of Napa Valley with pink pins marking wineries from Napa to Calistoga.] Napa Valley Map ### Welcome To Napa Valley [Image: Weathered roadside sign welcoming visitors to the Napa Valley wine-growing region.] Welcome To Napa Valley ### Wineries - Chateau Montelena - Domaine Chandon - Francis Coppola Winery - Inglenook - Jarvis Winery - Opus One Winery - V. Sattui Winery ### Restaurants - Bistro Jeanty - Bouchon - Culinary Institute of America - Etoile Restaurant - Farmstead - The French Laundry - Mustard Grill - Napa Valley Wine Train ### Hotels - Blackbird Inn - Carneros Inn - Hawthorn Inn & Suites - Napa Valley Lodge - Napa Valley Railway Inn - Villagio Inn & Spa - White House Inn ### Activities - Ride a hot air ballon or Wine Train, fly in a Vintage Plane, rent a motorcycle… or try this! - Visit the Napa Premium Outlets, shop Downtown Napa, or flock to the Historic Napa Mill. - Listen to the music at the Napa Valley Opera House or at some other upcoming event. - Check out the year-round race schedule at the Sonoma Raceway or enjoy the road less traveled. - Have fun at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom after tasting chocolates at Annette’s or Kollar. - If all else fails, book a plane ticket from San Francisco to [Tuscany](https://tocatlian.blog/2013/07/15/visiting-tuscany-birthplace-of-the-italian-renaissance/). ### A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words [Image: Rows of wine bottles stored in a Napa Valley cellar.] [Image: Path running between green vineyard rows in Napa Valley.] [Image: Three wine bottles displayed beside a glowing table lamp.] [Image: Wine bottles resting in a metal storage rack.] [Image: Oak wine barrels labeled Cask Cabernet in a Napa Valley cellar.] [Image: Large wooden fermentation tanks inside a Napa Valley winery.] [Image: Vineyard, tower, and hills in warm sunset light.] [Image: Green vineyard rows stretching toward mountains under a blue sky.] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Coming in 2014: The 25th FLAME Competition - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2013/08/06/coming-in-2014-25th-flame-competition/ - Published: 2013-08-06 - Last modified: 2026-08-17 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Giving Back - Summary: Planning is well underway for the FLAME Competition’s 25th anniversary, with concerts in France, Italy and Austria planned throughout the year. [Image: Musicians, singers, and organizers gathered together on the FLAME Competition stage.] FLAME Competition ### The Time Has Come… As we close the [24th FLAME Competition of 2013](https://tocatlian.blog/2013/05/26/24th-flame-competition-detector-of-young-talents-support-and-care-of-winners/), planning is well underway for the competition’s 25th anniversary, with concerts in France, Italy and Austria being arranged throughout the year. Former winners of the 1990-2013 FLAME competitions will be performing at these events. We hope that you can join us and enjoy this very special series of concerts. ### It Is In Giving That We Receive Sponsoring is needed to support the 25th competition, where all musical disciplines (piano, violin, cello and voice) are scheduled to perform in addition to the inspirational children competition from 6 to 16 years old (piano, violin and cello). You can support us by: - Joining the Association as a member – starting at 50€ - Donating the amount of your choice - Special prizes shall be attributed to your name if the donation is over 1000€ Your participation can be directed at the following address: flameparis@orange.fr ### About FLAME Competition [Association FLAME](https://tocatlian.blog/2012/03/04/association-flame/) was created in 1989 by Patrice Sciortino, composer, and Germaine Tocatlian, piano teacher at the Schola Cantorum in Paris. The objectives of FLAME are to identify, promote and support young talents at the beginning of their career. The FLAME Competition was created in 1990 in order to select pianists, violinists, cellists, violists and singers. The winners have been and are granted prizes and scholarships to attend, at the Summerakademie of the Mozarteum of Salzburg, Master classes of teachers of prestigious international renown, such as J. Berger, G. Hoffman, H. Shapiro for cello; J. Fournier, P. Roczek , M. Friscenschlager, I. Ozim, I. Oistrach for violin; S. Perticaroli, K.H. Kämmerling, O. Gardon for piano, E. Battaglia, T. Krause and R. Raimondi for singing. ### Winners and Contestants #### 2013 ##### Nadejda Tzanova [Embedded media available on the canonical page] ##### Frédéric Loboda [Embedded media available on the canonical page] ##### Mendelssohn – Piano Trio no. 1, Op. 49 [Embedded media available on the canonical page] #### 2012 ##### Mehrabyan Liana [Embedded media available on the canonical page] ##### Moreau Jeremie [Embedded media available on the canonical page] ##### Shai Nakash [Embedded media available on the canonical page] ##### Andrea Lu [Embedded media available on the canonical page] #### 2011 ##### Dena Taherianfar [Embedded media available on the canonical page] #### 2010 ##### Vincent van Rijn [Embedded media available on the canonical page] #### 2009 ##### Mélanie Bracale [Embedded media available on the canonical page] #### 2008 ##### Jora Saragsyan [Embedded media available on the canonical page] #### 2001 ##### Delphine Chevalier [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Germaine Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Visiting Tuscany – Birthplace of the Italian Renaissance - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2013/07/15/visiting-tuscany-birthplace-of-the-italian-renaissance/ - Published: 2013-07-15 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Family Matters - Summary: Some visitors come to Tuscany in search of fine arts. Others come to find peace and relaxation. Gourmets descend to enjoy exquisite wines and food. We were seeking a little bit of everything. ### Under The Tuscan Sun [Image: Along the Arno River in Florence] Winter in Paris this year was long, dark and cold. Come the month of May, we decided with my friend Robert to go to Tuscany in search of some warm and invigorating change. Visitors come to Tuscany for many reasons. Some come in search of fine arts. Others come to find peace and relaxation in the superb country side. Gourmets descend on Tuscany to enjoy the simple, yet exquisite, cuisine and wine. We wanted – of course – a little bit of all these things. We unfortunately encountered mostly cold and rain during our visit, which is unusually bad weather for the season. On the other hand, every minute of the day was a source of exhileration, enthusiasm, fulfillment and joy. What you may call a real boost! We were fascinated by Tuscany’s history, artistic legacy, harmonious landscapes and ancestral traditions. During our trip we came accross some remnants of the Etruscan and Roman civilizatons, many striking Medieval communes, and remarkable Renaissance sites. Many of the localities visited have been designated by UNESCO ‘World Heritage Sites,’ thanks to the prodigious art, outsdanding architecture and immense cultural and artistic legacy of the past, which is everywhere to be seen. The museums, churches, palaces, fountains, statutes, and art galleries, scattered around the region, constitute one of the world greatest repository of art. Besides its famous cities and towns, Tuscany is blessed with a luxuriant countryside: gentle rolling hills; medieval villages and castle ruins; decorative cypress trees, vineyards and hectars of olive groves; rolling pastures and fields of poppies and lavender; and unforgetable fragrances of Mediterranean vegetation. Another aspect of the Tuscan Holiday that cannot be underestimated is the excellent local cuisine and wine. Simple and delicious with its tasty antipasti, supersweet tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, basil leaves, pecorino, outstanding foccacia, crostini, brurschette and delicious fruits, always displayed simply and most attractively. Last but not least, the real charm of this region lies in its ability to take you gently by the hand and lead you back to simpler times, where life seemed easy, harmonious and elegant. Times where music and art occupied a predominant place. And of course, it is true what they say about Italians: they convey a sense of “joie de vivre”; they are joyous and full of life. They speak loudly, they gesticulate vigouresly, they bestow huge grins on you and are always ready to help and share a smile or a good laughter. Their natural good humour has an inevitable, positive influence which contributes to the well-being of the visitor. ### From Paris to Pisa On May 15 we flew from Paris to Pisa and, shortly after our arrival, we took off for Torre del Lago, a 30 minute train ride away. There, on a romantic lake lies Giacomo Puccini’s Residence: an old Watch Tower which he turned into his home and where he composed La Boheme, Tosca and Madame Butterfly. In a few minutes you are back in the second half of the 19th century and you know that, during this forthcoming journey, you will be making several trips back in history. [Image: Garden path and palm trees outside the Puccini museum at Torre del Lago.] Torre del Lago (Puccini) In Pisa, we visited, under heavy rain, the famous leaning Tower, the Baptistery, and the magnificent eleventh century Cathedral (Duomo). We could not help but be struck by the magnificent marble used for the construction of these beautiful buildings all over Tuscany, thanks to the high-quality marble found in nearby Carrara. It is said that Michelangelo used to go in person to Carrara to select the best pieces of white marble for his sculptures. [Image: Pisa Cathedral and the Leaning Tower beneath an overcast sky.] The Cathedral and Leaning Tower of Pisa From Pisa we took a one day-trip to Lucca, a perfectly preserved medieval city surrounded by ramparts; a city which claims as his sons three notorius musicians: Luigi Boccherini, Giacomo Puccini and Alfredo Catalani. Wandering along the many pedestrian streets of this serene city provides a relaxing and peaceful inner feeling. We visited Puccini’s Museum, where he was born and spent his early years. ### The Capital of Tuscany: Florence Our next stop was Florence, capital of Tuscany and cradle of the Renaissance, where we spent five intense days. First, we visited the Cathedral Complex which comprises the Baptistery, Giotto’s Campanile and the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore. The latter is ordinarily referred to as il Duomo, bacause of Bruneleschi’s dome, which dominates Florence’s skyline and remains the largest brick dome ever constructed. The exterior of this outstanding Complex is faced with magnificent polychrome marble panels. [Image: Ornate façade of Florence Cathedral beneath Brunelleschi’s red dome.] Il Duomo in Florence In Florence we did not stay in a hotel, but in a peaceful, centrally-located Monastery, surrounded by a beautiful garden (Istituto Oblate dell’’Assunzione, 15 Borgo Pinti). After long hours of wearisome visits, it was a welcome relief to retire to this tranquil and comfortable haven. [Image: Gravel path leading through a green monastery garden in Florence.] Garden of the Monastery in Florence One of the major attractions of Florence is, without any doubt, Piazza della Signoria – the focal point of the historical Florentine Republic and today’s meeting place of the Florentines, as well as the numerous tourists who visit the city. We spent endless hours wandering around this unique Piazza, admiring the impressive fortress-palace Palazzo Vecchio – today’s Town Hall – and the magnificent statutes which ornate the square. In contrast with the severe structure of the Palazzo Vecchio, the vivacious construction of the Loggia offers a unique open air sculpture gallery. Not far from the Piazza della Signoria, on the Arno river, lies another best know image of Florence, the oldest bridge : il Ponte Vecchio, which goes back to Roman times. The shops housed under the porticos used to be, in the XVth century, fish-shops and butchers. Because of the bad smell, the ruling Medicis had them replaced by Jewel stores and Goldsmiths – a tradition which prevails to this day. [Image: Historic shops built along the Ponte Vecchio over the Arno River in Florence.] Ponte Vecchio in Florence Memorable visits in Florence included those of the Bargello National Museum which displays the largest italian collection of gothic and renaissance sculptures that of the Basilica San Lorenzo, burial place of the members of the Medici family, the Lauretian Library and the Medici Chapel of Michelangelo, as well as the visit of the Basilica di Santa Croce. This latter Basilica is best know for its Florentine artwork, its cloisters, 16 chapels, funerary monuments and tombs of illustrious dead, including Michelangelo, Galileo, Rossini, and Machiavelli – a sort of national Pantheon. ### The Chianti Valley We also spent two days in the Chianti Valley, which runs between Florence and Siena, amid vineyards, rolling hills, cypress trees, forests of chestnuts and oaks, olive groves and medieval villages. We visited Greve-in-Chianti, up north, and Castellina-in-Chianti towards the south. In so doing, we ran into cellars, catsles and farmhouses; we tasted wine, gastronomic specialties and felt in total harmony with nature. In this setting of great charm and serenity, the visit of San Giminiano brought an additional emotional experience. The walled town, famous for its medieval architecture, is unique in the preservation of 14 of its 72 tower houses. Again, with the help of an excellent guide, it was easy to go, for a few minutes,centuries back. [Image: Medieval stone towers rising above a narrow street in San Gimignano.] San Giminiano ### Medieval Tuscany: Siena Another step back to Medieval Tuscany was provided by a four-day visit of delightful Siena. It is one of the most pleasant cities of Italy to stroll around, any time of the day. Siena’s heart is its shell-shaped central piazza, know as il Campo, where the Roman Forum used to be. This is where the famous horse race, il Palio, takes place every year. [Image: Wide view across Piazza del Campo toward the historic buildings of Siena.] Piazza del Campo in Siena Il Campo is surrounded by beautiful buildings and dominated by Siena’s City Hall, il Palazzo Publico which, for 800 years, housed the municipal offices in most impressive surroundings. The evening sky in Siena can be admired from a seat in one of the many Cafés in the Piazza, as the sun sets and changes the sky colors from blue to pink to gold in an amazing harmony. Two main pedestrian streets, Via di Citta and Via Banchi di Sopra, are ideal for strolling along and looking at the elegant windowshops, the ice-cream parlors, the pastry shops, and the outstanding historial buildings, such as the Music Accademy, l’Accademia Musicale Chigiana, and the Palazzo Salimbeni. The latter, built in the XVth century is the World Headquarters of the historical Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the major banking corporation which has a hand in much of the economic and cultural life of the city. Siena’s Cathedral, il Duomo, is the best example of Italian gothic cathedrals. It is know for its outstanding frescos, its beautiful chapels and ceilings, its statues and, most parlicularly, for its unique polychrome marble pavement showing religious and secular scenes. [Image: Detailed marble pavement artwork inside Siena Cathedral.] Marble Pavement in Il Duomo in Siena Accross from the Duomo, we also visited one of the first european hospitals, buit on the XIth century, l’Ospedale Santa Maria della Scala, which is now an archeological Museum. All over Siena, Santa Caterina, the XIVth century mystic patron of the city, is honored with statues, paintings and altars. Visitors flock to the house where she was born and grew up and to the chuch she went to, San Domenico. [Image: Basilica of San Domenico in Siena framed by a tree and bright clouds.] San Domenico in Siena ### Last Stop: Assisi Our last stop was Assisi, in nearby Umbria. Assisi, famous as the birthplace of Saint Francis, is a small medieval town perched on a hill. Most cobblestone streets will take you to the Basilica of St. Francis towards the upper part of the hill. At the very top of the hill is the castle ‘la Rocca’ where Frederick Barbarossa spent his childhood. The Basilica of St Francis is a multilevel structure, composed of two superimposed churches. The walls and ceiling of the upper Church are embelished with frescoes of the Giotto school, the lower sanctuary contains the tomb of St. Francis. [Image: Basilica of Saint Francis and a stone fountain in Assisi.] Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi The Basilica of St. Francis is only one of many beautiful churches in Assisi, such as the Basilica of Santa Chiara, the cathedral of San Rufino and Santa Maria Degli Angeli, where the modest, little house where St Francis lived (La Purziuncola) is now preserved. [Image: Stone fountain and historic buildings in Piazza del Comune in Assisi.] Piazza del Commune in Assisi Strolling around Assisi’s medieval streets was a fulfilling experience, the spirituality of the place being felt everywhere. What added to the peace and calm of those last days of our trip was also the fact that we stayed in a beautiflul and confortable Monastery of American Nuns, Suore dell’Atonment, with a superb view of the country, in an atmosphere of cheerfulness and deep serenity. [Image: Monastery Suore Dell'Atonement in Assisi] Monastery Suore Dell’Atonement in Assisi It was a luminous ending to a memorable trip. © Copyright [Jacques Tocatlian](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/07/jacques-tocatlian-1929-2019/). All Rights Reserved. ## Armand Tokatyan immortalized in Breakfast at Tiffany’s - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2013/06/18/armand-tokatyan-immortalized-in-breakfast-at-tiffanys/ - Published: 2013-06-18 - Last modified: 2026-08-17 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Family Matters - Summary: So how is it that my great-uncle, Armand Tokatyan, a Tenor Opera singer who performed at the Metropolitan Opera in the 1920s was immortalized in Breakfast at Tiffany’s? Breakfast at Tiffany’s was released in 1961. Also known as “Diamants sur canapé” in France, “Bonequinha de Luxo” in Brazil, and “Pigen Holly” in Denmark, this movie has captured the hearts of millions since it first hit the big screen. You can see in this scene and this scene of Gossip Girl how Breakfast at Tiffany’s still influences today’s generation of teenagers. It is referenced in over one hundred movies and TV shows. So how is it that my great-uncle, [Armand Tokatyan](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/09/01/the-legend-of-armand-tokatyan/), a Tenor Opera singer who performed at the Metropolitan Opera in the 1920s was immortalized in Breakfast at Tiffany’s? While preparing for her imminent trip to Rio, Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn), New York socialite, learns Portuguese by listening to a record. Listen carefully as Holly says good-bye to her good friend Fred Baby (George Peppard) and you will notice that it is not a Portuguese learning lesson. They seem to be reciting a list of names, possibly to teach Portuguese pronunciation. In this short movie clip you can hear the name “[Armand Tokatyan](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/09/01/the-legend-of-armand-tokatyan/)” mentioned in the background. I guess our last name sounds Portuguese! [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Beautiful Pressures: The Influence and Impact of Beauty on Society - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2013/06/04/beautiful-pressures-the-influence-and-impact-of-beauty-on-society/ - Published: 2013-06-04 - Last modified: 2026-07-31 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Family Matters - Summary: Lights. Camera. Action. In the media, we are constantly seeing abnormally thin women with flawless complexions that look like they are living the ideal lives. When many people look at an advertisement they often question what they could do to be more like the models. Will this product make me prettier? Will this product make me skinnier? One would not think that every ad you see is a lie; every image is retouched. This is a strategy used to make the women look more desirable. [Image: The word BEAUTY assembled from magazine photographs on a wall.](https://tocatlian.blog/photo-4/) [Image: A magazine page displays the headline Love Your Body beside a close-up photograph.](https://tocatlian.blog/photo-3/) [Image: A magazine beauty advertisement has a handwritten note reading Just like Demi’s.](https://tocatlian.blog/photo-2/) [Image: A celebrity magazine cover features Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez with relationship headlines.](https://tocatlian.blog/photo-1/) ### Lights. Camera. Action. In the media, we are constantly seeing abnormally thin women with flawless complexions that look like they are living the ideal lives. When many people look at an advertisement they often question what they could do to be more like the models. Will this product make me prettier? Will this product make me skinnier? One would not think that every ad you see is a lie; every image is retouched. This is a strategy used to make the women look more desirable. In all shapes and sizes of the media, there is the pandemic of deception on behalf of the media ads. This pandemic makes girls around the globe feel as if they are not good enough; because they cannot look like photo-shopped images in their every-day lives. Females of this generation need to stop absorbing the non-truths that the media portrays and accept their true beauty. It has become a common occurrence for young girls to adapt eating disorders in order to be “thin” like the models that they see on TV. Today, the media is a blank canvas and it is painted with the ideas that if you are not thin, flawless or look like a model, you do not fit into society’s mold of beauty. In places such as music videos, TV programs, movies and advertisements- women are constantly reminded of what the world wants them to look like. The media has a habit of painting beauty in a negative way that makes women feel inadequate. ### The Music Industry #### “Bieber Fever” In most music videos, females are portrayed in inappropriate ways that give the wrong impressions and teach immoral lessons to girls. More often than not, these music videos portray women dancing sexually or wearing provocative clothing. A prime example of this is Justin Bieber. He has over 39 million followers on Twitter alone and many more fans that wait hours in hopes to catch a glance of him. When Bieber released his music video “Boyfriend,” there was another ‘Bieber craze.’ Even though this video is well produced and catches the viewers’ eye, it sends the wrong message to girls. Throughout the three and a half minute video, Bieber is kissing, serenading and sexually dancing with a dozen of different women. In the millions of fans that Bieber has, there are also young girls that worship him as a musician and hope that one day they will find a boy like Justin Bieber.Young girls who watch videos like this start thinking that unless they look like the girls in these videos, they will never get the guy of their dreams or live life like a rock star. Bieber is not the only star that objectifies women, this can be found in videos of any and all genres. #### The Effects of Profanity The American Psychological Association has proved that music videos have a large impact on the viewers’ confidence and have serious effects. “Sexualisation ‘harms’ young girls” it stated that, “Sexualisation can lead to a lack of confidence as well as depression and eating disorders.”Depression and different eating disorders are a result of not only the way that the people in videos dress or act but also the content that is expressed in the songs (BBC) Many artists refer to women as “bit*ches” or even worse cuss words; it is obvious how it impacts women in a negative way. An example of poor words representing women is *Drake’s *music video “HYFR.” In the beginning of this video, viewers are put into a temple environment where it appears that Drake is having his bar mitzvah service. This video shows women dancing in a promiscuous way, forcing men on themselves, and just an overall party environment. Even though the way that they show women is not appropriate, it is not the way the women are showed that is disturbing, but the way Drake refers to women in his lyrics. He continuously calls women “bitc*es” and only focused on his sexual relationships with females instead of focusing on emotional relationships. #### Giving Men What They Want It is not only men that treat women like they are objects, but women do it to themselves, too. In one of her music videos “Christina Aguilera dressed as a schoolgirl with her shirt unbuttoned, licking a lollipop.” (BBC). Also, Mariah Carey did something similar. When people like Ms. Aguilera dress sexually, it gives the message that it is “okay” for men to do this to women. An upsetting example of this is “Touch my Body” by *Mariah Carey*. If the name alone is not enough for you, this video shows the artist in skimpy clothes parading around. While showing much skin and bouncing on her bed with a ‘nerd’, Mariah sings, “touch my body, throw me on the floor.” This song and music video sells sex to the world, maybe more than necessary. In addition to the way that Mrs. Carey carries herself in the video, her lyrics are in your face and controversial. In all genres of music, no matter what the gender of the artist, it is not hard to see the way that women are portrayed as objects instead of humans. ### TV and Movies The public eye feeds off of the way that movies and TV shows paint women. From Disney movies to style program series the objectification of women does not stop. Disney is one of the primary stations that children watch and many life lessons are taught through their programs, one of them is how women should look. Almost every girl when she is little says “I want to be a princess when I grow up,” and that is because they are subjected to all the glitz and glamor that they see in movies. #### Movies It was reported by Lydia O’Connor, a journalist for a USC (University of South California) column, that “In 2000, Disney created the “Disney Princess” franchise, a move that brought all the princesses back into production in a line of merchandise that would earn Disney upwards of $4 billion a year.” That $4 billion moneymaker does not only consist of the movies, clothes and tiaras but it comes with the impression that everyone should act and look like a princess. From the beginning of Disney Princess times, the girls have always had a perfected physique, long hair, and prince charming that sweeps them off their feet at the end of the fairy tale. It gives little girls the impression that if they look like this, they will get a handsome prince, too. This mentality has, in fact, become girls’ lifestyles. *Cinderella Ate My Daughter*by Peggy Orenstein recognizes the phenomenon that has been occurring with young girls over the course of the years (O’Connor). Movies that are aimed towards younger girls make a colossal impact on the psychological development of girls and make them all want to be like the pretty princess that they see in movies. #### Television The same messages are also shown through TV series, too. The most important example of the way that TV media treats women is America’s Next Top Model. This show produced by model Tyra Banks, infamous for displaying luxurious women that are fighting to win a luxurious lifestyle. Although these women all poses a unique beauty, they are not healthy. In “Weight: A Problem on Screen” the author describes how “[this] show is becoming a very serious issue affecting our culture.” It has been causing social issues and depression on its viewers because it does not feature healthy or average women, but pieces of flesh that cover bones, also known as “models.” Although it is a show that is intended for entertainment, it has subliminal messages that are killing the girls of our society, literally. These shows and ideas lead to a large interpretation of how far girls should go to accomplish society’s’ ideas of beauty. The models that look bone-thin often have eating disorders. Eliana Ramos, although not one of the contestants on *America’s Next Top Model*, was a model who died from a heart attack due to her anorexia, for the desire to be thinner than she already was. When hundreds of deaths like this happen to models, the people that are seen as pretty by the cameras, it gives girls that witness this the impression that it is *not* a bad thing. Shows like *America’s Next Top Model* and models that are glorified, like Elaina Ramos, which look like skin and bones, impose the wrong morals to girls and can be detrimental. ### Advertisements Advertisements are everywhere. From commercials to print ads, it seems as though the deception of the advertising industry never takes a day off. On average commercials are played every ten to fifteen minutes during TV programs. These commercials that are aimed to sell products are nowhere near realistic. For example, on commercials, the promises never stop. Commercials sell you products that can make you look like the models that have “long and perfectly shiny hair, glowing skin, sparkling teeth, luscious lips and a flawless face (National Organization for Women). Advertising companies are taking complete advantage of their viewers; they instill false hope that maybe if they buy the same products as Megan Fox, that they will look the same and live the same happy lives, but how is that possible if one hundred percent of the advertisement images are photo shopped and retouched. A famous quote said by Cindy Crawford, “I wish I looked like Cindy Crawford.” Also, celebrities like Jessica Alba have been pixelated to have a smaller waist, luscious hair, larger bust and overall suit a more desirable persona. After seeing the results of that particular photo shoot she said, “I do not represent the norm because I know that seeing isn’t believing, it is deceiving.” Women are never good enough the way they are; there is always something wrong in the eyes of the media. The extent that companies will go to make their models more magnificent is outstanding and quite upsetting. In magazines and pictures, Miss Crawford has been polished to the point that is unrealistic and unachievable. She made the statement to her fans that she does not look like that and the pictures they see are only as much as PhotoShop makes her out to be. In mascara commercials, most of the lashes have extensions and in lip product commercials, most of the models have enhancements (Clark). The result of a product is nowhere near reality. Beauty has become something abstract that is not easy or cheap to achieve. The expenses do not stop at products but there are so many surgeries and procedures to be done to make the change permanent. ### Media The media makes beauty something that is unachievable. With all the ways that media reached viewers, like the music industry, TV programs, movies, and advertisement business, it is hard for the public to catch a break without being victim to the slaughter that the media has made out of beauty. With the standards that society sets for females, it is no wonder that we fail to meet them because they are out of this universe and completely unreasonable. Six is the size that is considered “plus size” in America today. All girls that do not meet that silly number feel as though they are “big” and will do whatever it takes to be considered “beautiful and thin.” It has gotten to the point that girls are dying over the sheer thought of looking like women, for example, Kate Upton, a model that is desired by men because of her body and looks. We have the opportunity to call someone beautiful every day. We have the opportunity to instill good self-esteem. We have the chance to make a change and make everyone feel as beautiful as the women that they see broadcasted in the media. #### A Better Tomorrow Recently, Dove has created a campaign about true beauty. They were put in a room with an artist that had never seen them before, only drew what they described of themselves. Next, an additional person that knew the features of the person, previously sketched before, described the same person to the artist; in total two sketches of the same person were drawn. All the sketches of the different showed the same results, the women’s’ portraits all showed happier and more beautiful people in the pictures where someone else described them (Gray). The fact that women do not find themselves truly beautiful shows the impact that the media has on women. Media of all types makes women feel lesser when they are truly unique and beautiful. If we work towards improving the way the media impacts us, we could solve the problem at hand, not feeling as though you are beautiful due to what the media leads us to believe. ### Related Posts - [Baby’s First Words](https://tocatlian.blog/2014/03/26/babys-first-words/) - [‘Like, Like’ Goes the Dynamite](https://tocatlian.blog/2014/12/01/like-like-goes-the-dynamite/) - [Losing Nemo](https://tocatlian.blog/2014/04/11/finding-nemo-more-like-finding-my-best-friend/) © Copyright Jenna Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## 24TH FLAME Competition: Detector of Young Talents, Support, and Care of Winners - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2013/05/26/24th-flame-competition-detector-of-young-talents-support-and-care-of-winners/ - Published: 2013-05-26 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Giving Back - Summary: This inconspicuous first rate international music competition, open to every young candidate, is of the highest standard with two age categories: Category A (from 6 years old) and Category B (from 19 to 26 years old). Its success is the result of an outstanding organization, which for a quarter of a century has offered free admission to all competition selections and final concerts, through the enthusiasm and generosity of the members of Association FLAME. This is a translation by Germaine Tocatlian of an article written by Françoise Ferrand, Musicologist and Editor of ResMusica.com. The original article was written in French and can be found here. [Image: 2013 FLAME Competition](https://tocatlian.blog/2013/05/26/24th-flame-competition-detector-of-young-talents-support-and-care-of-winners/2013-flame-cello/) [Image: Audience watching a performance in the concert hall at the 2013 FLAME Competition.](https://tocatlian.blog/2013/05/26/24th-flame-competition-detector-of-young-talents-support-and-care-of-winners/2013-flame-audience/) This inconspicuous first rate international music competition, open to every young candidate, is of the highest standard with two age categories: Category A (from 6 years old) and Category B (from 19 to 26 years old). Its success is the result of an outstanding organization and the enthusiasm and generosity of the members of Association FLAME, which for a quarter of a century has offered free admission to all competition selections and final concerts. Three competitions in one, the FLAME Competition is a challenge that allows the simultaneous performance of three selections: piano is a major discipline along with violin and cello, each having specific juries at the City Hall of Paris, which has cancelled the financial support of the Rostropovich, Rampal, Vatelot and Long competitions. Creator and founder of the Association with composer Patrice Sciortino, the soul of the competition is its General Secretary, Germaine Tocatlian, known musician, teaching at the Schola Cantorum who combines artistic competence, generosity and a personal care to each candidate, so far away and different of frequent intrigues in this type of event. Perfection, tradition and continuity are the tributes of its success. A similitude in its spirit can be compared (with proportion) to the spirit of Salzburg. To approach in spirits this resemblance, the prestigious Mozarteum Summerakademie has an intense collaboration with FLAME giving the winners the possibility to attend the summer courses and to perform in concerts at the Schloss Mirabell during the Festival period. Among the winners of previous years include Eric Artz, Tristan Pfaff, David Bismuth with concertist career and among the younger (less than 19 years old) Ingmar Lazar and Jean Paul Gasparian. Among the violinists are Radu Blidar, teaching at the Royal College in London, Julien Szulman, performig with François Dumont and Vanessa Szigeti member of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Among the cellists are Guillaume Martigné and Edgar Moreau, 2nd prize at the 2011 Tchaikowski Competition and “Instrumental revelation at the “Victoires de la Musique Classique” in 2013. This year, 27 nationalities were represented and among 213 candidates fifteen were selected in category A and B. Each instrument had his own jury presided by Chantal Stigliani (Piano), John Ryan (Cell0) and Paul Roczek (Violin). The accompanists were all concert pianists. No flowers on stage but numerous colorful little flags of all nationalities at the Marcel Landowski auditorium of the CRR in Paris, more than full of enthusiastic audience. To follow with care the winners: Nathan Cohen, 8 years old (France) who performed the first Goldberg variation with rare maturity. Frederic Loboda, 13 (Poland-Germany) performed with lyrism and wonderful transitions the difficult Fantasy-impromptu of Chopin. He shared in ex aequo the prize with the outstanding Nagio Maruyama, 14 (Japan) tiny and discreat, who played with a felin lithness the Liszt Campanella. Let’s admire too Nikola Dragovasac in his performance of Rachmaninov Etude-Tableau n°3. In Category B Ilya Ramlav 22 (Russia) impressed in Liszt the “wild hunt” and the sparkling bulgarian Nadejda Tzanova, 26 a valuable and sure promise of career, winner of the first prize. Ryutaro Suzuki, 20 (Japan) form CNSMP 2nd prize ex aequo with Hyo-Gon Shin, strangely eliminated at the 2nd round of the Marguerite Long competition, is already a very impressing pianist who demonstrated his noble touch in the Debussy Etude n°8. The Grand Prize in violin was attributed to Hildegre Fesneau (France), former winner in the children FLAME competitions and prize of Adami 2013, played with a prodigious rush the diabolic “Ronde des Lutins”of Bazzini. The bouquet of these fireworks was presented by three cellists who won the special prizes in their specific categories: Lukas Plag, 16 (Germany)music and body made one in his expressive and maturity performance of the Cassado’s “Requiebros”. Another German, Manuel Lipstein (12) posseses a marvelous colorful and warm musicality. He fascinated the audience in Popper’s Concert-Polonaise. Last, but not least a blue butterfly appeared in a long blue turquoise tutu, Li La, 11 (China) who came up with a real flabergasting brio and moving musical emotion. She performed with an adult strength,besides her little arms, the third movement of Saint-Saëns concerto with impressive maestria. A very rich idea to alternate in the final concert the different disciplines presenting high level musicians in a competition who serves in all respects a high musical intelligence. © Copyright Germaine Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## A Visitor’s Guide to Silicon Valley – Geekman Style - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2013/04/08/a-visitors-guide-to-silicon-valley-geekman-style/ - Published: 2013-04-08 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Family Matters - Summary: This article highlights some of the historical sites and current nerve centers of Silicon Valley, from its birthplace in a Palo Alto garage to the current headquarters of social networking giant Facebook. One couldn’t possibly visit Los Angeles without taking a narrated tour of breathtaking celebrity homes and hot spots, or [visit Saigon](https://tocatlian.blog/2017/11/30/the-street-of-saigon-on-motorbike/) without experiencing it from the backseat of a motorbike. But how about Silicon Valley, the home to many of the world’s most influential high-tech companies and thousands of small startups? It is precisely a sightseeing tour of these companies that makes a visit to Silicon Valley most memorable. This blog article highlights some of the historical sites and current nerve centers, from the birthplace of Silicon Valley in a Palo Alto garage to the current headquarters of social networking giant Facebook. [Image: Map of Silicon Valley with blue pins marking technology landmarks between San Francisco and San Jose.] View Map of Silicon Valley Shortcuts: [Adobe](https://tocatlian.blog/#adobe), [Apple](https://tocatlian.blog/#apple), [BEA Systems](https://tocatlian.blog/#bea), [Cisco](https://tocatlian.blog/#cisco), [Computer History Museum](https://tocatlian.blog/#computerhistorymuseum), [eBay](https://tocatlian.blog/#ebay), [Facebook](https://tocatlian.blog/#facebook), [Google](https://tocatlian.blog/#google), [HP Garage](https://tocatlian.blog/#hpgarage), [Intel](https://tocatlian.blog/#intel), [LinkedIn](https://tocatlian.blog/#linkedin), [McAfee](https://tocatlian.blog/#mcafee), [Netflix](https://tocatlian.blog/#netflix), [Oracle](https://tocatlian.blog/#oracle), [PayPal](https://tocatlian.blog/#paypal), [Roku](https://tocatlian.blog/#roku), [Sand Hill Road](https://tocatlian.blog/#sandhillroad), [Stanford University](https://tocatlian.blog/#stanforduniversity), [Square](https://tocatlian.blog/#square), [Steve Jobs](https://tocatlian.blog/#stevejobs), [The Tech Museum](https://tocatlian.blog/#thetech), [Twitter](https://tocatlian.blog/#twitter), [Yahoo!](https://tocatlian.blog/#yahoo) ### The Birthplace of Silicon Valley [Image: Green garage door at the historic Hewlett-Packard garage in Palo Alto.] The Birthplace of Silicon Valley This garage, located at 367 Addison Avenue in Palo Alto is considered the birthplace of the world’s first high-tech region, Silicon Valley. The idea for such a region originated with Dr. Frederick Terman, a Stanford University professor who encouraged his students to start-up their own electronics companies in the area instead of joining established firms in the east. The first two students to follow his advice were William Hewlett and David Packard, who in 1938 began developing their first product, an audio oscillator, in this garage. The rest is history. ### Intel Inside [Image: Large blue Intel logo displayed outside the company’s headquarters.] Intel Headquarters It is very likely that if you are reading this article on a Mac or PC, that your computer is powered by an Intel processor. Intel was founded in 1968 by semiconductor pioneers Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore, with Andrew Grove joining on the date of incorporation. The company is best known for its x86 series of microprocessors. Intel powered the Altair 8800 microcomputer that was featured on the cover of the January 1975 issue of Popular Electronics. Maybe less known is the fact that Intel ventured into the timekeeping business in 1972. And if you believe the rumors, it will be venturing into television in 2013. The Intel headquarters is located at 2200 Mission College Boulevard in Santa Clara, where you can visit the 10,000 square foot Intel Museum (closed on Sunday) and discover the people and technology behind the company. The museum is a self-guided experience that mixes Intel history, technology explanations, demonstrations, and popular culture in more than 30 exhibits. The museum store sells Intel branded merchandise including apparel, pens, gifts, computer devices, toys, and other items. ### Think Different #### Apple [Image: Main entrance of Apple’s Infinite Loop campus in Cupertino.] Apple Headquarters Founded on April 1, 1976, Apple has touched the heart and soul of millions. It changed my life in 1982 when I got my first personal computer: an Apple IIe. Headquartered at 1 Infinite Loop in Cupertino, Apple continues to enchant the world with magical products we didn’t know existed, but then couldn’t live without such as the iPod, the iPhone and iPad. What next: the iTV, the iWatch, the iGlass? I certainly hope so. In the meantime, don’t miss The Company Store (open on week days) as it is the only place in the world that sells Apple logo t-shirts, caps and accessories. Construction of the Infinite Loop campus was completed in 1993. Apple is building a new campus on 175 acres by highway 280 to the south, Wolfe Road to the west, Homestead Road to the north and North Tantau Avenue to the east. It has been in the planning stages for years and is the brainchild of late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. The company says the new “spaceship” campus will be open for business in 2016. But apparently, this project is neither on budget nor on schedule. #### Steve Jobs [Image: Suburban house and garage identified as Steve Jobs’s childhood home.](https://tocatlian.blog/2013/04/08/a-visitors-guide-to-silicon-valley-geekman-style/steve-jobs-child-home/) [Image: Tudor-style Palo Alto house surrounded by trees and autumn leaves.](https://tocatlian.blog/2013/04/08/a-visitors-guide-to-silicon-valley-geekman-style/) [Image: Colorful handwritten memorial notes covering the windows of the Palo Alto Apple Store.](https://tocatlian.blog/2013/04/08/a-visitors-guide-to-silicon-valley-geekman-style/steve-jobs-farewell/) Following the death of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs on October 5, 2011, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said: “Steve and I first met nearly 30 years ago, and have been colleagues, competitors and friends over the course of more than half our lives. The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come.” His passion for simplicity and elegance will be remembered and hopefully will live on. Steve lived in Palo Alto at 2101 Waverley Street in Palo Alto for twenty years. But it all started in the garage located at 2066 Crist Drive in Los Altos where Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak assembled the boards of their first computer, that Apple I, starting in 1976. ### In Search of Relevance #### Yahoo! [Image: Yahoo sign mounted on the exterior of a company building.] Yahoo! Headquarters Headquartered at 701 1st Avenue in Sunnyvale, Yahoo! changed the World Wide Web by making it easier to find Web sites on the Internet. It started as “Jerry and David’s Guide to the World Wide Web” in 1994, while Jerry Yang and David Filo were Ph.D candidates in Electrical Engineering at Stanford University. Today, Yahoo! continues to be a leading Internet communication, commerce, and media company. Do you Yahoo!? This building was built in 2000-2001 and cost approximately $258 million. In 2002, Yahoo! received a Merit Award from the Society for Environmental Graphic Design for the branding of its corporate campus. When looking at the building from a corner, you can discern the sweeping roof line which starts at a midpoint in the back, then swoops upward toward the front of the building, ending in an aluminum crown. #### Google [Image: Giant Android dessert statues displayed on the Google campus lawn.] The Home of Google Android Like many other Silicon Valley startups, Google is rooted at Stanford University where co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin were computer science graduate students and began collaborating on a search engine in 1996. From the start, Google was best known for returning extremely relevant results and is today the search engine of choice for many. Headquartered at 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway in Mountain View, the Googleplex covers four core buildings. It is surrounded by dozens of other offices, with Googlers riding colorful bicycles between them. Android fans may want to take a stroll across the street from the Googleplex to Building 44, the home of Android, located at 1635 Charleston Road in Mountain View. ### Commerce #### eBay [Image: Colorful eBay sign outside the company’s headquarters.] eBay Headquarters The story goes that eBay was founded in 1995 by Pierre Omidyar to help his fiancée trade Pez candy dispensers. Unfortunately, the story about the Pez candy dispenser was fabricated by a public relations manager. The first item sold on eBay was actually a broken laser point for $14.83. Located at 2145 Hamilton Avenue in San Jose, eBay is today the world’s largest online marketplace with more than 100 million active users globally buying and selling practically anything. #### PayPal [Image: PayPal logo displayed behind a glass wall inside the company’s lobby.] PayPal Headquarters PayPal is currently headquartered at 2211 North 1st Street in San Jose and is the result of a 2000 merger between Confinity and X.com. At the time, 70% of all eBay auctions accepted PayPal payments and 1 in 4 closed auction listings were transacted via PayPal. In 2002, PayPal was acquired by eBay. As of 2012, PayPal accounted for 40% of eBay’s revenue with more than 120 million active accounts. Today, it allows for payments and money transfers to be made online, via mobile devices, and even in store, without people sharing financial information. The PayPal headquarters was originally built in 1997 as part of Novell’s 45-acre campus with 533,000 square feet of office and laboratory space in five granite and limestone-fronted buildings, as well as a glass-enclosed cafeteria, fitness center, athletic facilities, fountains, gardens, and tree-lined paths. At the time, Dr. Eric Schmidt was the Novell’s chairman and CEO. #### Square [Image: Glass entrance to Square’s former headquarters at 110 Fifth Street.] Square Headquarters Square is an electronic payment service based on two free apps. The Square Wallet app allows customers to discover great places, pay using their mobile phones, receive electronic receipts, earn rewards and much more. I consider it the future of payments and use it wherever I can, as the experience if more convenient and secure than cash or cards. The second app, Square Register, turns your iPhone or iPad into a cash register. An optional Square Reader (also free) allows you to swipe cards. A merchant will pay 2.75% per swipe for all major credit cards. That’s it. No other fees. Square was founded in 2009 by Jack Dorsey, who also co-founded Twitter. The company is located at 110 5th Street in San Francisco, walking distance from the Powell Street BART Station. The lobby is nice and simple, just like the products the company designs and builds. If you need help locating the office, use your Square Wallet and look for Square Coffee Bar, the official espresso station of Square employees and their guests. ### Social Media #### Facebook [Image: Blue graffiti mural filled with robots and figures inside Facebook’s offices.] Facebook Lobby In late 2011, Facebook relocated from downtown Palo Alto to their splashy new headquarters at 1601 Willow Road in Menlo Park, which was previously occupied by Sun Microsystems (now part of Oracle). The 59.6 acre East Campus includes nine buildings with over 1 million square feet of office space that can accommodate over 6,000 employees. The inside walls of the building (pictured above) are decorated by graffiti artist David Choe. The East Campus is part of a two-site campus project. The new 22-acre West Campus site is located at 312 and 313 Constitution Drive, where Facebook intends to construct an exceptionally long 433,555-square-foot building designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry and features a rooftop park. #### LinkedIn [Image: LinkedIn building sign seen behind a mug bearing the company logo.] LinkedIn Headquarters Are you on LinkedIn? I am. If LinkedIn were a country, it would be the 5th largest population in the world with over 200 million people. Reid Hoffman would be its founding father and Jeff Weiner its current President. But since it’s not a country, you won’t be needing a passport to visit the LinkedIn headquarters located at 2029 Stierlin Court in Mountain View. That is unless you’re visiting from outside the United States. LinkedIn announced that it would be relocating to a 560,000 square foot office campus located at 555 Mathilda Avenue in Sunnyvale. It expects construction of the buildings to be complete in July 2014 and be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certified. #### Twitter There is a growing number of tech companies and startups that call San Francisco home. Twitter is amongst them. This shouldn’t come as a surprise given co-founder Jack Dorsey‘s life-long adoration for cities and whom once said, “The first time I remember falling in love was when I fell in love with the city.” His first public tweet was “just setting up my twttr“. Located inside the historic Market Square building at 1355 Market Street, the building lobby has a tree theme, which is appropriate considering the company logo is a bluebird. The building was originally the Western Furniture Exchange and Merchandise Mart and is still the name on the building exterior. Twitter’s main lobby on the 9th floor pays tribute to its bird logo. It is said that the reception desk itself is made in part from wood that was previously part of the lanes of a bowling alley. ### The Systems Companies #### Adobe Systems [Image: Adobe logo mounted near the top of a modern headquarters building.] Adobe Headquarters Adobe is located Downtown San Jose at 345 Park Avenue. The office complex comprises three towers, with the tallest one standing 18-stories high. The towers were awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Platinum certificate and include integrated wind turbines atop its headquarters and twenty vertical axis turbines that could be mistaken for sculpture. On display in the lobbies are large screens displaying the buildings’ energy use, carbon emissions, and other operating data. In 2010, Adobe re-introduced San Jose Semaphore, a major public artwork by Ben Rubin consisting of four 10-foot high disks on top of the 17-story building, which rotate to display a series of simple geometric symbols that spell out a complex coded message. Rubin created the artwork’s coded message using algorithms similar to those used in World War II-era cryptography and is based on the semaphore telegraph system designed in the 18th century. #### BEA Systems [Image: Modern office building formerly occupied by BEA Systems.] BEA Systems Headquarters BEA Systems was founded in 1995 by Bill Coleman, Ed Scott, and Alfred Chuang, and subsequently acquired by Oracle in 2007 for $8.5 billion. The company was last headquartered at 2315 North 1st Street in San Jose in two four-story buildings totaling 250,000 square feet and a noteworthy 3,000 square foot historic home that was retrofit into a conference center. BEA had plans to relocate to a 380,000 square foot building in downtown San Jose, which didn’t happen due to the Oracle acquisition. #### Cisco Systems [Image: Cisco logo displayed on a sign at the company’s headquarters.] Cisco Headquarters Cisco, whose name comes from the city of San Fran”CISCO”, was founded in 1984 by husband and wife Leonard Bosack and Sandy Lerner. It went public in 1990. By 2000, Cisco had become the most valuable company in the world before the dot com crash. Today, it is the world’s largest manufacturer of computer networking equipment. The Cisco main campus consists of over fifty buildings in San Jose with the headquarters located at 170 West Tasman Drive. Head east to 300 East Tasman Drive and get a glimpse of the Executive Customer Briefing Center, where Cisco welcomes visitors from around the world. NFL Football fans visiting the Cisco main campus shouldn’t miss the new home of the 49ers with a capacity of 68,500, which could accomodate all 66,639 (July 2012) of Cisco’s worldwide employees. The stadium is located west on Tasman Drive near Great America Parkway. #### Oracle Oracle has been headquartered at 500 Oracle Parkway in Redwood Shores since 1989. It stands on the former site of Marine World, which moved to Vallejo. The distinctive Oracle Parkway buildings, nicknamed the Emerald City, were used as the futuristic headquarters of the fictional company NorthAm Robotics in the Robin Williams film Bicentennial Man.** The 2 million square foot campus consists of eleven 8- to 16- story buildings that are a composition of rectangular and cylindrical forms. It also houses a conference center, auditorium, and fitness center. The 50,000 square-foot fitness center includes indoor amenities such as a full-size NCAA basketball court, a 5-lane, 25-meter lighted lap pool, and a collegiate-sized sand volleyball pit. ### Be Safe #### McAfee [Image: McAfee logo mounted on the corner of a glass office building.] McAfee Headquarters McAfee was founded by John McAfee in 1987, who resigned from the company in 1994. It is the world’s largest dedicated security company and wholly owned subsidiary of Intel since 2011. The headquarters are located at 2821 Mission College Boulevard in Santa Clara, which was previously occupied by Yahoo! and before that the final headquarters of Internet hosting company Exodus Communications. ### Over The Top #### Netflix [Image: Black-and-white sign pointing toward Netflix’s main lobby and Building 150.] Netflix Headquarters Netflix was established in 1997. It started by offering a subscription-based DVD-by-mail service and shipped its billionth DVD by 2007. That year, Netflix introduced a video-on-demand streaming service via the Internet. Today, you can watch a large selection of TV shows and movies, anytime, anywhere, for $7.99 a month. The service counts over 30 million members. In 2011, Netflix began acquiring original content. Its first original series, called Lilyhammer, premiered in 2012. The Netflix headquarters is located at 100 Winchester Circle in Los Gatos. #### Roku [Image: Roku logo and street number displayed outside the company’s headquarters.] Roku Headquarters Roku is a consumer electronics company that builds set-top boxes for streaming video and audio services over the Internet. In the early days of Roku, Founder and CEO Anthony Wood also served as the vice president of Internet TV at Netflix, where he developed what is known today as the Roku streaming player, the original video player for Netflix that shipped in 2008. Today, the Roku Channel Store includes over 125 free channels, 40 premium channels (including Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, HBO GO) and 30 games (including Angry Birds). The Roku boxes start at $50. The modest Roku headquarters is located at 12980 Saratoga Avenue in Saratoga. ### Behind The Scenes #### Stanford University [Image: Sunlit stone arcade and columns at Stanford University.] Stanford University Without Stanford University, there would be no Silicon Valley. In 1939, with the encouragement of their professor and mentor, Frederick Terman, Stanford alumni David Packard and William Hewlett established a little electronics company in a Palo Alto garage. That garage would later be dubbed “the Birthplace of Silicon Valley.” Over the following years, Stanford University would become a wellspring of innovation, producing advances in research and the formation of many companies that have made Silicon Valley one of the most innovative and productive high-tech regions in the world. Legendary Silicon Valley companies with strong ties to Stanford include Cisco Systems, Google, Hewlett-Packard, Intuit, Silicon Graphics, Sun Microsystems, and Yahoo!. Whether you wish to visit for an hour or a day, the university provides several parking options and easy access to the entire campus. The Gates Computer Science Building was completed in January 1996 and is the home of the Computer Science Department and the Computer Systems Laboratory. #### Sand Hill Road [Image: Brown roadside sign reading “Sand Hill Road” among green trees.] Sand Hill Road A century ago, Sand Hill Road was a dirt road in the sleepy little town of Menlo Park. Forty years ago, it was a popular home for venture capitalist offices. Today, it is shorthand for an industry. Its significance as a symbol of private equity in the United States may be compared to that of Wall Street in the stock market. Sand Hill Road is notable for its concentration of venture capital companies, including: - Andreessen Horowitz – 2875 Sand Hill Road - Battery Ventures – 2884 Sand Hill Road - Benchmark Capital – 2480 Sand Hill Road - Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers – 2750 Sand Hill Road - Mayfield Fund – 2800 Sand Hill Road - Sequoia Capital – 3000 Sand Hill Road ### Le Louvre of High Tech #### The Computer History Museum [Image: Entrance to the Computer History Museum’s Revolution computing exhibit.] The Computer History Museum I first had the chance to visit The Computer Museum in 1986 when it shared space with The Children’s Museum at Museum Wharf in Boston, Massachusetts. The museum artifacts were eventually relocated to the Bay Area in 1999. Then in 2002, The Computer History Museum acquired the former Silicon Graphics, Inc. (SGI) headquarters for $25 million and opened its doors at 1401 N Shoreline Blvd in Mountain View. The museum subsequently underwent a $19 million renovation in 2010 and re-opened to the public in January 2011 as a world-class museum with its signature exhibition, *Revolution: The First 2,000 Years of Computing*. The museum holds the most significant and varied collection of computing hardware, software and documents in the world. The iconic machines are here, including the 1946 ENIAC, which was the first general purpose computer, the first Google server rack from 1999, the rare 1988 Cray-1 supercomputer, a working DEC PDP-1 from 1959, the original 1976 Apple 1 autographed by the great Woz, the first Internet router called the Interface Message Processor (IMP) from 1965, and thousands of other pieces of computer history that bring the story of computing to life. I hope to write a separate blog article about this museum one day. #### The Tech Museum of Innovation [Image: Colorful sign for The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose.] The Tech Museum of Innovation Embrace your inner child and visit the The Tech Museum of Innovation located downtown San Jose at 201 South Market Street, walking distance from the Adobe Headquarters. Open daily from 10am to 5pm, The Tech is the only museum to offer visitors of all ages the unique comprehensive Silicon Valley experience with hands-on, interactive experiences in genetics, earth sciences, alternative energy, virtual design, microchips and lots more. The museum is also the home of the ultimate movie experience on the largest IMAX screen in the West. The Hackworth IMAX Dome Theater, with a 280 seat capacity, allows guests to be immersed in giant wrap around screen for an unforgettable film experience. You can buy tickets online and at the museum. Like many other museums, The Tech relies on donations. There is a special group of donors, called the Inspiration Circle that supports The Tech’s Annual Fund for Education with gifts of $10,000 or more. The handprints of Inspiration Circle members are etched on silicon wafers and displayed on the Hands of Innovation Wall in the Tech’s lobby along with those of David Packard and William Hewlett. How many handprints do you recognize? ### Related Links - Business Insider: 16 Silicon Valley landmarks you must visit on your next trip - Steve Blank: A Visitors Guide to Silicon Valley © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Join the FLAME Competition on Facebook - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2013/02/20/flame-competition-on-facebook/ - Published: 2013-02-20 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Giving Back - Summary: Join the FLAME Competition on Facebook for the latest news, photos, videos, and competition results. Join the FLAME Competition on Facebook for the latest news, photos, videos, and competition results. [Image: Performers and organizers posing together on stage at the FLAME Competition.] © Copyright Germaine Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## FLAME Competition 2013 - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2012/12/25/flame-competition-2013/ - Published: 2012-12-25 - Last modified: 2026-07-31 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Giving Back - Summary: The XXIV FLAME Competition will take place at the Conservatoire à rayonnement régional de Paris (CRR), 14, rue de Madrid, 75008 Paris, from 29 April to 8 May 2013. [Image: FLAME Competition] **VENUES AND DATES** The XXIV FLAME Competition will take place at the Conservatoire à rayonnement régional de Paris (CRR), 14, rue de Madrid, 75008 Paris, from *29 April to 8 May 2013. * **AGES AND INSTRUMENTS** Category A (6 to 19 years old) : piano, violin, cello Category B (19 to 26 years old) : piano **DEADLINE** The registration file has to be sent before 1 March 2013. **PIANO ACCOMPANISTS** Anna JBANOVA Tel. : 00 33 (0)6 22 50 67 59 E-mail : minai10@yahoo.com Yedam KIM Tel. : 00 33 (0)6 24 96 82 40 E-mail : pianyd@gmail.com Natalia KAZARYAN Tel. : 00 33 (0)6 46 80 61 52 E-mail : nataliakazaryan@gmail Olga AVERIANOVA (6 and 7 May only) Tel. : 00 33 (0)6 84 78 28 38 E-mail : pgaumer@free.fr **PIANO PRACTICE ROOMS** Candidates can rent piano practice rooms at: PIANOS INTERNATIONAL 48 rue de Rome, 75008 Paris Tel. : 00 33 1 42 93 75 78 E-mail : info@pianos-international.com **CALENDAR** | Monday 29 April | PIANO (Category B) 1rst round | | Tuesday 30 April | PIANO (Category B) 1rst round | | Thursday 2 May | Morning : PIANO (Category B) 2nd round Afternoon : PIANO (Category A) | | Friday 3 May | PIANO (Category A) | | Saturday 4 May | CELLO (Category A) | | Sunday 5 May | CELLO (Category A) | | Monday 6 May | VIOLIN (Category A) | | Tuesday 7 May | VIOLIN (Category A) | | Wednesday 8 May | WINNERS’ CONCERT Auditorium Marcel Landowski | **RULES** 1. The competition is open to all candidates from 6 to 19 years old included (category A), from 19 to 26 years old (category B). 2. The competition is open to candidates of all nationalities. 3. The number of participants being limited, the organizers have the right to turn down some registrations. 4. The convocation will be sent to some candidates by mail or by e-mail (according to the registration). 5. The registration fees cannot be refunded. 6. It is recommended that all participants of the string disciplines come with their pianist. The association can suggest a list of pianists (at the candidate’s charge). Interested candidates should send their request BEFORE March 1st. Candidates without accompanist will not be allowed to pass the competition. 7. All the rounds are open to the public. 8. The jury has the right not to grant all the prizes. 9. The decision of the jury is non-appealable. 10. The first prizes of each category must play at the winners’ concert. In case of non-participation, the prize will not be granted. 11. Candidates are expected to organize and be responsible for their traveling and accommodation cost. 12. The jury has the right to interrupt an execution. **WINNERS’ CONCERT** 8 May 2013, 19:30 AUDITORIUM MARCEL LANDOWSKI Conservatoire à rayonnement régional de Paris (CRR) 14, rue de Madrid 75008, Paris © Copyright Germaine Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Oral History Archive: Jacques Tocatlian - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2012/09/26/oral-history-archive-jacques-tocatlian/ - Published: 2012-09-26 - Last modified: 2026-07-31 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Family Matters - Summary: The American Society for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T) is creating an Oral History Archival Collection of interviews of Persons who have significantly contributed to the field of Information Science. Jacques Tocatlian was invited to be part of this international collection and was interviewed on September 26, 2012. [Embedded media available on the canonical page] The American Society for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T) is creating an Oral History Archival Collection of interviews of Persons who have significantly contributed to the field of Information Science. Jacques Tocatlian was invited to be part of this international collection and was interviewed on September 26, 2012. © Copyright [Jacques Tocatlian](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/07/jacques-tocatlian-1929-2019/). All Rights Reserved. ## Association FLAME - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2012/03/04/association-flame/ - Published: 2012-03-04 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Giving Back - Summary: The Association FLAME was created in 1989 by Patrice Sciortino, composer, and Germaine Tocatlian, piano teacher at the Schola Cantorum in Paris. The objectives of FLAME are to identify, promote and support young talents at the beginning of their career. [Image: Germaine Tocatlian speaking onstage at an Association FLAME event.] The Association FLAME was created in 1989 by Patrice SCIORTINO, composer, and Germaine TOCATLIAN, piano teacher at the Schola Cantorum in Paris. The objectives of  FLAME are to identify, promote and support young talents at the beginning of their career. The FLAME Competition was created in 1990 in order to select pianists, violinists, cellists, violists and singers. The winners have been and are granted prizes and scholarships to attend, at the Summerakademie of  the Mozarteum of Salzburg, Master classes of teachers of prestigious international renown, such as  J. Berger, G. Hoffman, H. Shapiro for cello;  J. Fournier, P. Roczek , M. Friscenschlager, I. Ozim, I. Oistrach for violin; S. Perticaroli, K.H. Kämmerling, O. Gardon for piano, E. Battaglia, T. Krause and R. Raimondi for singing. The winners have been invited to play at concerts in Austria in the framework of  the FLAME Festival at the Salzburger Schlosskonzerte and the Leopoldskrone Seminar Center, in Italy in Rome (Tempietto concerts) and in Genoa (Amici di Paganini concerts, Pasquale Anfossi Association concerts), and in France, in Paris, at the Cathedral Sainte-Croix, the American Cathedral, the Schola Cantorum, The Sorbonne, the CNEA, in Normandy, at the Moulin d’Andé, in Burgundy, in the Roussillon, etc. Since its creation, the FLAME Competition has received more than 1500 candidates from 38 countries, and 249 pianists, violinists, violists, and singers from 16 to 30 years old have been rewarded. In 2001, the FLAME Competition was open to young pianists and violinists from 6 to 16 years old. 504 candidates have taken part  in the Competition and they chose the programme to play. The winners participate in the final winners’ concert of the Competition and in several concerts in France. Since 2010, young winners of the Grand Prize of the Competition also have taken part in course for gifted children at the Sommerakademie of the Mozarteum in Salzburg.The FLAME Competition juries have been presided by prestigious musicians, let us mention for the piano, Gaby Casadesus (France), Dana Ciocarlie (Rumania), Carlo Guaitoli (Italy), George Kern (USA), Olivier Gardon (France), Alexandre Müllenbach (Luxemburg), Sergio Perticaroli (Italy) and Bruno Rigutto (France) ; for strings, Julius Berger (Germany), Dimitri Chorafas (Greece), Nicole Entremont (France), Jean Fournier (France), Michael Frischenschlager (Austria), Louise Hopkins (United-Kingdom), Luz Leskowitz (Austria), Paul Roczek (Austria) ; for singing, Viorica Cortez (Rumania), Robert Kettelson (USA), Stephen Mudge (United-Kingdom), Carmen Vilalta (Italy).A large number of winners pursued a national or international career: Eric Artz, David Bismuth, Schaun Choo, Lorène de Ratuld, François Gassion, Yedam Kim, Katia Krivokochenko, Catherine Ordronneau, Tristan Pfaff, Fernando Rossano, Dona Sévène, Vesselin Stanev, Juliana Steinbach, Nathalie Seror among the pianists; Radu Blidar, Marina Chiche, Kai Gleusteen, Julien Szulman, Ching Yun Tu among theviolonists; Guillaume Martigné, Julien Chappot, Tristan Cornut, Yuki Ito, Jacob Shaw, Charles Watt among the cellists; Gaëlle Arquez, Julie Fuchs, Anna Kasyan, Clara Meloni, Heng Shi among the singers. Since its creation, the FLAME Competition has been hosted (in chronological order) by the Austrian Institute, UNESCO, the Gulbenkian Foundation, the Philomuses Association, the Sixteenth District Town-Hall of Paris, the Ile Saint-Louis Theatre, the Schola Cantorum, and La cité des Arts. The Gala Concert of the twentieth anniversary of FLAME Competition was celebrated on May 2009 in the prestigeous Theatre Marigny Robert Hossein. In 2011, the selection and final concert of the XXIInd Competition will take place at the Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional de Paris, in partnership with the Paris Town-Hall. The FLAME Competition has been supported by EDF (1991-1998), UNESCO (1991-2002), the Austrian Institute (1990-2007) EISAI Foundation (2006-2008) and the Sommerakademie of the Mozarteum in Salzburg (since 1991). © Copyright Germaine Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Armand Tocatlian 1926-2011 - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2011/11/07/armand-tocatlian-1926-2011/ - Published: 2011-11-07 - Last modified: 2026-07-19 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Family Matters - Summary: Armand M.G. Tocatlian, 84, of Ewing, passed away on Friday August 26, 2011 at home with his family by his side. He was an Electrical Engineer retiring from Rohm & Haas in Philadelphia after many years of service. He was very active in various ministries at Incarnation Church including the prison ministry, one that he was extremely proud of. [Embedded media available on the canonical page] Armand M.G. Tocatlian, 84, of Ewing, passed away on Friday August 26, 2011 at home with his family by his side. Born in Alexandria, Egypt, Mr. Tocatlian has lived in Ewing for over 40 years. He was an Electrical Engineer retiring from Rohm & Haas in Philadelphia after many years of service. He was very active in various ministries at Incarnation Church including the prison ministry, one that he was extremely proud of. Son of the late Lucien and Caroline Margueritis Tocatlian. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Liliane; 2 daughters and 1 son-in-law; Marlaine Tocatlian of Washington DC, Nadine and her husband Steven Haase of Hopewell NJ; 2 sons and 2 daughters-in-law, Christian and his wife Judy Tocatlian of Langhorne Pa., Daniel and his wife, Ann Tocatlian of Cheltenham Pa.; loving Poppy to 5 grandchildren, Dominique, Natalie, Kayla, Alec and Andrew; his brother Jacques and his wife Germaine Tocatlian and their 2 sons, Paul and Marc. © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## The Bibliotheca Alexandrina - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2010/07/08/the-bibliotheca-alexandrina/ - Published: 2010-07-08 - Last modified: 2026-07-31 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Family Matters - Summary: The revival of the Library of Alexandria, by the Egyptian government with the assistance of UNESCO and the international community, is an attempt to transpose the ancient idea into modern terms and play an educational, cultural and scientific role throughout the region. [Image: Jacques Tocatlian standing outside the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Alexandria, Egypt.] ##### The Library of Ancient Times. As we know, the Ancient Library of Alexandria gathered within its walls the largest collection of scrolls ever assembled at the time and attracted scientists, philosophers, mathematicians, historians, critics and poets from the Hellenistic world. It pioneered the concept of research as a collaborative effort and developed a tradition of testing theory by means of observation and experiment. History tells us that it is in this Ancient Library that the circumference of the earth was calculated; the brain identified as the focus of intelligence and the function of the heart isolated; the natural sequence of disease proclaimed; the technique of map drawing developed; the continents and constallations mapped; the rules of syntax elaborated; and geometry systematized. The Greek geographer Strabo described the Library as part of a richly decorated complex of buildings and gardens. The Library, was divided into departments; it contained ten large research halls, each devoted to a separate subject, botanical gardens, a zoo, dissecting rooms and an observatory. It also served as a copying shop, a publication office and a translation center. The whole environment was organized to facilitate discussion, research and reflection. The Great Library was eventually distroyed after several centuries of existence. There are many theories about the causes of its disappearance. Some historians believe that it was partly lost to fire and partly destroyed by earthquakes; others blame Julius Ceasar, fanatical Christians, or ultrareligious Arabs, (see Mostafa El-Abbadi’s book The Life and Fate of the Ancient Library of Alexandria, published by UNESCO in 1990). ##### The Revival of an Idea The revival of the Library of Alexandria, by the Egyptian government with the assistance of UNESCO and the international community, is an attempt to transpose the ancient idea into modern terms and play an educational, cultural and scientific role throughout the region. The new Bibliotheca Alexandrina is a public research library integrated within a complex of specialized libraries, museums, exhibition areas, educational centers, a planetarium, a library and information school and an international conference center. As such, it is a center for learning, tolerance, dialogue and undesrtanding. It is an Egyptian institution with an international dimension, under the auspices of a universal Council of Patrons and directed by an International Board of Trustees. In his address at the inauguration of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina on 16 October 2002, in front of 800 personalities, including heads of states, queens, ministers, Nobel-price winners, scientists, writers and artists, H.E. President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak emphasized the need for dialogue and cultural interactions as the main alternative to violence and tension – which is one of the functions of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. ##### The Role of UNESCO It is not surprising that UNESCO, which was created to promote education, science, culture and sharing of knowledge was intimately associated with Egypt in turning the dream into reality. Some fifty years earlier, the greatest archaelogical campaign of all times was also achieved by UNESCO on the very same land to save some 80 temples, including Abu Simbel and Philae. Egypt requested the assitance of UNESCO in the Revival of The Ancient Library of Alexandrie in 1986. As the Director of the Office of Information Programs and Services of UNESCO at the time, I was very fortunate to be put in charge of the project. By the very fact that I was born in Alexandria, this assignment became for me an infinite source of stimulation, pride and satisfaction. With the assistance of a number of international experts, we carried out the first phase of the Feasibility Study, a series of basic technical studies, prepared the Architectural Brief and organizd an international architectural competition The Director General of UNESCO launched an international appeal for support. The project was started off in Egypt under the auspices of President Hosny Mubarak. The University of Alexandria donated a site of 45000 square meters for the future Library, on the waterfront on the very location of the ancient Royal Palace , believed to be close to the probable site of the Ancient Library, On 26 June 1988, President Hosny Mubarak and the Director General of UNESCO, layed the first stone of the Library. The project had moved fast and it had caught the interest and imagination of the international community. A large number of articles began to appear in the international press, officials from various countries approached Egypt and UNESCO to express their interest, and institutions began to offer their assistance. The project had gained a great momentum. The organization of the international architectural competition further promoted the project, internationally. Over 1300 architects from 77 countries registered; 524 entries were received and submitted to the International Jury composed of seven architects and two librarians. It is interesting to recall that the Snohetta team from Norway, who won the competition was in itself international; its ten members who worked on this project originated from six countries. The team recognized that a great sensitivity was needed to succesfully complete the project. A high degree of group interaction was maintained and a great deal of reseach and reading was done. A special trip was made to Alexandria to investigate the atmosphere of this undertaking before beginning the actual design of the competition entry. Their effort was later crowned with success. The bold Norwegian design had now to be implemented for which substantial funds were needed. An International Commission for the Bibliotheca Alexandrina was set up with the participation of Chiefs of States and high level personalities. The meeting of the Commission took place in Aswan under the chairmanship of Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak from 11-12 February 1990. It was a great success from every point of view. The 18 members of the Commisssion signed the Aswan Declaration that endorsed the project and called for the international community to support and cooperate in the completion of the Library. The response to the appeal was immediate. A sum of US $64,000,000 was collected. The final cost of the Library was to be in the order of $ 220 millions. ##### Translation of a Design into Stone, Steel and Glass In October 1990, a project agreement was signed by the Government of Egypt and UNESCO setting up the institutional framework and the organs of the Project. UNESCO appointed a Project Manager in February 1992, to oversee the building construction. A legislative structure was created in Egypt which made the Library an autonomous juridical entity tied directly to the President of the Republic. Archaeological excavations on the site, which uncovered ruins of Roman villas and beautiful mosaics, delayed the tender action concerning the first phase of construction (the foundations and ground engineering works), which was eventually launched in 1994. Nine companies had pre-qualified from among 34 groups. On 15 May of that year, the contractor selected, Rodio/Trevi (Italy) – Arab Contractor (Egypt) Joint Venture, officially began Phase I. Three hundred and fourteen thousand cubic yards of dirt were excavated. One thousand workers toiled day and night The construction work involved the most advanced technology available; the proximity of the sea demanded particular precautions to prevent any water infiltration. A waterproof wall, reinforced by an anti-earthquake system, was erected. It represented the largest circular continually reinforced diaphragm wall in the world, 160 m. in diameter. Six hundred and two bell bottom pillars were sunk 40 m. into the ground to support the weight of the building. Phase I was completed on 31 December 1995, at a cost of $59 million. Phase II (structure, services, fit-out and external works) which followed was carried out by Balfour Beatty (UK) – Arab Contractors (Egypt) Joint Venture, at a cost of about $117 million. ##### The Building If you happen to visit Alexandria in Egypt, you may be surprised to find on the sea-shore, along the row of old buildings, the bold, modern structure of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. As you examine it, you see a cylindrical structure, inclined towards the sea and partially submerged in a reflective pool of water. The sloping roof allows indirect daylight to enter the reading rooms. An Aswan granite wall, engraved with calligraphy, inscriptions and symbols from both past and present civilisations, is wrapped around the cylinder. Within the plaza, a large sphere houses a science museum and a planetarium. In the heart of the Library a space – 160 m. wide and 80 m. deep – creates a feeling of grandeur. The floor of this space terraces along 7 primary and 14 secondary levels which produce an impressive flowing space of cascading books. The book stacks extend behind each terrace, protected from light. In the Library prevails a luminous and serene atmosphere which incites study and reflection. The Chairman of the Jury of the Architectural Competition, Mr. John Carl Warnecke, USA, in commenting on the design of the Library remarked that it is “ in the form of a circle, which becomes its predominant symbol… it expresses a basic continuity to man’s existence. The sun is a circle. The moon is often an emerging circle. The site of the Library looks out on the ancient harbor of Alexandria, which is in the form of a circle. The circular plan of the Library thus relates to all these elements. The circle is a symbol of unity and continuity that embraces the past, present and future… The cylindrical masonry form emerges from the earth like the rebirth of an earlier form.” ##### The Organization of the Library The Bibliotheca Alexandrina consists of : - The Main Library, which is a universal library designed to serve researchers and the public at large. - The Taha Hussein Library for the blind and visually impaired. - The Young People’s Library, conceived to orient 12-to-18 years old to all the services in the Main Library. - The Children’s Library, geared towards children aged 6 to 12. - The Audiovisual, Multimedia and Music Library which offers a selective collection of CD/DVD, audiocassetes, video tapes, records, slides and photos. - The Microfilm Reading Room which contains a manuscript collection in Arabic, Turkish and Persian. - The Rare Books Reading Room which offers rare books, facsimile prints, limited collections and dedicated books. In addition, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina includes the Science Museum, the Calligraphy Museum, the Alexandrina Museum, the Archeological Museum, the International School of Information Studies, a multipurpose room, an exhibition area and the Conservation and Restoration Laboratory. On the same site are the Planetarium and the International Conference Center that can accomodate 3000 seats. In that sense the new Bibliotheca Alexandrina is not a simple library, but indeed the true revival of the ancient one. The Library is wholly automated and possesses a computerized catalogue. The Library Information System was designed and installed by a French firm with the financial support of the French Government. The different departments are developing databases for the main disciplines covered The program of the International School of Information Studies was developed and the Restoration Laboratory to preserve rare books and manuscripts was established, with assistance form the Italian Government. Library Staff were trained in the latest software and library management software in the US and Europe. The size and content of the collection is a very important aspect which has drawn the greatest attention of the Library Management. Collection development – which consists of the selection, evaluation, weeding, replacement, preservation, and retention of library materials to best support the mission of the Library – is managed in a modern and pragmatic way. Today, collection development increasingly entails the provision of information through a balance of acquisition and access. Access has become central to the ongoing process of maximizing the acquisitions budget while, at the same time, increasing the availability of resources to the library’s patrons. Print or multimedia resources are acquired traditionally or provided through some form of document delivery. Electronic resources are also either acquired or accessed to, by lease. This represents a significant shift from the historical emphasis on acquiring strong collections of print resources for long-term access and use. Less than ever can a library attempt to acquire all available materials across an extensive range of teaching and research areas, as the ancient Library of Alexandria once did. Times have changed. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina’s aim is to provide essential print and multimedia resources for teaching, learning, and intertainment as well as print research materials, on a selective basis, together with licensed and purchased access to remote electronic resources for all library users. The Collection Development Policy of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina is printed as a public document that describes existing collection strengths and future collecting activity in order to inform users, potential donors, and funding authorities of the principles that govern the selection and retention of library holdings and of the library’s collecting priorities. It is important to emphasize that The Bibliotheca Alexandrina, as part of the larger global community, considers Intellectual Freedom to be fundamental to its mission. The administration of the Bibliothrca Alexadrina adheres to the Statement on Libraries and Intellectual Freedom of The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, IFLA. For instance, it supports, defends and promotes intellectual freedom as defined in the UN Declaration of Human Rights; it believes that human beings have a fundamental right to access expressions of knowledge, creative thought and intellectual activity; it believes that intellectual freedom is a core responsibility for the library and information profession. The number of books in the Bibliotheca Alexandrina is still small, fo the moment. The Library was designed to contain a maximum of 8 million books, compared with the national Library of France’s 12 million and the US Library of Congress’ 18 million. But, as mentioned earlier, acess to a large reservoir of information is secured. Among the precious possessions, one can cite , for example, a hand-written manuscript of the historian Al-Makrizi, copies of the Holy Quran written in Ottoman-style calligraphy, a copy of the first edition of the New Testament printed by Johans Gutenberg in 1456, ‘La Description de l’Egypte’organized by Napoleon during the French expedition in Egypt, and a manuscript of Sahid Muslim’s Anthology of prophet Muhammad’s Hadith. The Library also hosts important documents, maps, microfilms relevant to the Suez Canal, as well as an electronic record of 300 rare historical photographs featuring the phases of the Suez Canal construction. The Library also has a collection of rare coins and a gallery of historical paintings featuring the history of Alexandria. It has signed an agreement with the Egyptian Television that will provide to the Library a selection of its cultural and educational programs to gradually construct an important audio-visual archive collection (4000 hours/year). The strategies applied for building up and enriching the collections include negotiations with specialized and private libraries in Egypt; contacts with monasteries and mosques concerning originals or copies of manuscripts; negotiations with museums around the world to obtain texts and reports of the pharaonic period; negotiations with specialized libraries in other countries to obtain Greek classical texts translated into Arabic and rare historical documents; preparation of agreements with foreign countries to establish exchange mechanisms; and establishing a collection of administrative, legal and cultural archives covering the history of Egypt and, in particular, that of Alexandria. Dr. Ismail Serageldin, Librarian of Alexandria and Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, is known to be an energetic and pragmatic intellectual. He began with a strategy that impressed many observers : obtaining an exemption from civil service and from purchasing rules so that the library can hire and fire at will, pay competitive salaries and buy what it needs without interference from Government authorities and customs. He created in the Library a team spirit and a profound commitment to excellence In the short span of its existence, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina has developed many programs, consolidated its institutional structure, further developped its Human Resources and trained its staff, sposonred activities in science, humanities and the arts, refined its mission and focus, issued several publications, and organized succesful international seminars to address concerns of the world community, such as the ethics of science and technology, freedom of expression, youth employment, and the role of science in education. The Library also counts among its achievements the founding of seven specialized research institutes, the establishment of many museums, the addition of tens of thousands of books, and the organisation of scores of concerts, exhibitions, conferences, lectures, seminars, workshops and meetings. ( On the average per year: close to a million visitors, over 500 events, including 140 Concerts, 130 Movie shows, 110 Theatre presentations, 35 Plastic Arts exhibitions). The Annual Reports of the Library are an impressive record of achievements, to be consulted. In the words of Mrs Suzanne Mubarak, Chair Board of Trustees “Rarely in the history of institution-building has so much been achieved in so little time by so few. Like the Ancient Library of Alexandria, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina is becoming synonymous with diversity, culture, dialogue and learning; a place where minds meet and cultures flourish.” This post reproduces material form the Collection Development of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina as well as from a Chapter I contributed (Bibliotheca Alexandrina: Reborn from the Ashes of History) for the book Library and Information Systems: From Alexandria Heritage to Social Networking, Sarad Ranganathan Endowment for Library Science, Bangalore, 2009. © Copyright [Jacques Tocatlian](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/07/jacques-tocatlian-1929-2019/). All Rights Reserved. ## Around The World in Eighty Missions by Jacques Tocatlian - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2010/07/08/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions/ - Published: 2010-07-08 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: Inspired by Jacques Tocatlian’s international work with UNESCO, Around the World in Eighty Missions follows Jacques Dupont through humorous cultural misunderstandings, unforgettable characters, and unexpected adventures, proving that curiosity, kindness, and laughter are often the best travel companions. [Image: A traveler with an open suitcase looks toward illustrated scenes of cultures, landmarks, readers, and performers around the world.] ### A World of Humor and Understanding Welcome to Around the World in Eighty Missions by Jacques Tocatlian, where travel plans go sideways, cultures collide, and humor helps everyone find their way. Follow Jacques Dupont as each new mission brings unexpected people, puzzling customs, and another story worth telling. ### Listen to the Podcast Before Embarking on the Journey [Audio file](https://tocatlian.blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/podcast-around-the-world-in-80-missions.mp3) ### Your Next Mission Starts Here [Start Reading](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) [Start Listening](https://tocatlian.blog/2026/07/17/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions-the-audiobook/) - [Around The World In Eighty Missions: Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Véronique, And The Other Nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo, And Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings And I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra And Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris With Nancy And Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle Of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt The Library Of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – Sunny Side Up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) ### Buy the Book, Skip the Jet Lag The first edition is sold out. The second edition will be available for purchase in the fall of 2026. If you wish to be notified when the book is available for sale, please contact us through Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## Tocatlian: 100 Years - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2007/12/30/bw-pictures-spanning-one-hundred-years/ - Published: 2007-12-30 - Last modified: 2026-07-19 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Family Matters, Photography - Summary: A short video showcasing some old photographs of the Tocatlian clan spanning one hundred years. [Embedded media available on the canonical page] A short video featuring some old photographs of the Tocatlian clan spanning one hundred years. © Copyright Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved. ## The Legend of Armand Tokatyan - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2000/09/01/the-legend-of-armand-tokatyan/ - Published: 2000-09-01 - Last modified: 2026-07-31 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Family Matters - Summary: All through my childhood, my Uncle Armand was to me more of a legend than a real person. When my father talked about his famous brother, Armand, who lived in the United States, and sang at the Metropolitan Opera, I did not think that I would some day actually meet him. The United States was in those days, very very far from Alexandria Egypt where we lived. [Image: Vocalion record label for Armand Tokatyan singing Amor ti vieta di non amar from Fedora.] By [Jacques Tocatlian](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/07/jacques-tocatlian-1929-2019/). All through my childhood, my Uncle Armand was to me more of a legend than a real person. When my father talked about his famous brother, Armand, who lived in the United States, and sang at the Metropolitan Opera, I did not think that I would some day actually meet him. The United States was in those days, very very far from Alexandria Egypt where we lived. The letters from Uncle Armand arrived at the rate of one or two a year, often accompanied by a series of photos, which added to the fascination since he was usually dressed up for Pagliaci, Traviata, or Cavaleria Rusticana. I knew he had a son, Leon, and a daughter, Gloria – my cousins – but knew very little about them. My Uncle had even modified his name, at the request of his Impresario, from “Tocatlian” to “Tokatyan” – easier to pronounce and remember. In fact, our family name had already been modified once from the original spelling “Tokatlian” to Tocatlian. In Armenian, the name means originating from Tokat – a city north-east of Ankara, Turkey. My own brother was named Armand, after our Uncle. What fascinated us as kids were the stories we heard in the family about Uncle Armand. Apparently, it all started towards the latter part of the 19th century in Plovdiv, Bulgaria – known as “Philipopoli” at the time. Grandfather Gabriel, who was a pharmacist, had fled Istanbul and the problems Armenians were encountering with the Turks. He had at the time only one daughter, Eugenie, who later married Leon Chichmanian and gave birth to our cousins: Garbis, Yervant, and Marie. In Plovdiv, Grandfather Gabriel and Grandmother Virginie had several sons. The one before last was Armand,born in 1894, and the last one was my father, Lucien, born in 1899. I do not know how many years they lived in Plovdiv nor how many children they had. Besides Armand and Lucien, I know of Leon who studied painting in Paris, died young in a horse carriage accident, and was buried at the Pere Lachaise Cemetery. At one point early in the 20th century, Grandfather decided to return with his family to Turkey. They sailed to Istanbul, but were not allowed to disembark. As Armenians, they were probably considered person non grata. Grandfather inquired from the Captain where the ship was going next. “To Alexandria,” he said. So they went and settled in Alexandria, Egypt. As a pharmacist, Grandfather had no problem establishing himself in thriving conditions. He acquired a pharmacy downtown, which he named “La Pharmacie du Phare”, after the lighthouse of Alexandria, and lived a life of ease in good comfort. The children went to private French schools and were given a good education. Eugenie played the piano, Lucien played the flute, and Armand sang. Early in life, Uncle Armand showed a great interest in singing. As years went by, he would not hear of any career in life other than that of an opera singer. With the prevailing mentality of the time, Grandfather did not want one of his sons to become a singer. It must have been a conflicting situation. It was eventually resolved when Uncle Armand expressed the wish to study tailoring in Paris. So he was sent at considerable expenses to France. Years went by. For one reason or another, he found an excuse to extend his stay in Europe. One day, Grandfather, sensing a problem, asked a friend who was going to Europe to check on his son. When the friend came back, he informed Grandfather that Armand had studied no tailoring all these years, but had sang instead ,here and there, even in cafés of the Latin Quarter, and had began to establish a reputation as a singer of talent. He brought back many newspaper articles by famous critics and strongly advised Grandfather to encourage his son in this direction, which he did. Armand went to Milano in 1919 to seriously study voice. His operatic debut took place in 1921 as de Grieux in a procuction of Puccini’s Manon. On February 14, 1923, he had his debut at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, where he regularly appeared with The Company until 1946, concentrating in French and Italian repertories. During his career, he sang in most European capitals, was applauded by the world critics, was crowned with success, acted and sang in Mexican films. On March 10, 1940, Armand madetelevision history, by participating in the first televised performance by the Metropolitan Opera, as he sang Canio’s “Vesti la giubba” to conclude the telecast of Act I of Pagliacci. Immediately after the war, he participated in a country-wide fund-raising series of concerts for the benefit of Armenian families in Europe who wanted to migrate to the States. Eventually, Armand Tokatyan gave a last concert at the Hollywood Bowl – I believe in 1949. In the summer of 1958, I visited him in Whittier, California, where he had retired and taught singing. The legendary Uncle was real. He was then 64.He unfortunately passed away two years later, a few months before my father came to the United States. They had been looking forward to seeing each other again after some forty years… Some of his performances include: | Date | Opera | Performers | | 09.19.1927 | Turandot | Roselle, Tokatyan, Pinza, Merola | | 01.28.1933 | La Traviata | Bori, Tokatyan, Tibbett /Serafin | | 05.16.1936 | Carmen | Castagna, Tokatyan, Royer, Bodanya /Papi | | 05.15.1937 | Mignon | Tourel, Tokatyan, Rothier, Antoine, Matyas /Pelletier | | 01.06.1940 | Lakme | Pons, Tokatyan, Pinza, Petina, Cehanovsky /Pelletier | | 02.10.1940 | La Boheme | Sayao, Tokatyan, Dickey, De Luca, Cehanovsky, Pinza /Papi | | 01.25.1941 | Madama Butterfly | Albanese, Tokatyan, Browning, Brownlee, De Paolis/Papi | | 03.25.1944 | Cavalliera Rusticana | Flesch, Tokatyan, Valentino, Votipka /Sodero | On September 2, 1997, when Grace Bumbry was interviewed after she made her operatic farewell, she was asked whether she had a natural voice. She responded by saying: “I had a natural voice. I remember my teacher, Armand Tokatyan, said to me, “Your voice was so beautifully placed and your first teacher did such a wonderful job, that you don’t have a lot to do, but you have to know what to do when you get older, when you get tired. When the voice is working well, anyone can sing well, but when you don’t feel well and don’t feel like singing, you have to know how to get the voice there.” Listen to a 30-second clip of Armand Tokatyan singing the opera. This video was captured on [Armand Tocatlian](https://tocatlian.blog/2011/11/07/armand-tocatlian-1926-2011/)‘s record player. [Embedded media available on the canonical page] © Copyright [Jacques Tocatlian](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/07/jacques-tocatlian-1929-2019/). All Rights Reserved. ## Around The World In Eighty Missions: Introduction - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/ - Published: 2000-08-31 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: This Book is not an autobiography. It is rather the product of an interaction between imagination, experience, fiction, reminiscence and fantasy. A cocktail mixed in the environment of UNESCO – the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization – and tempered by a sprinkling of light humor. [Image: A traveler with a red umbrella stands in the rain beside an open suitcase as dotted paths connect scenes from around the world.] [AUDIOBOOK](https://tocatlian.blog/2026/07/17/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions-the-audiobook/) [GET YOUR COPY](https://tocatlian.blog/2010/07/08/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions/) BROWSE BY CHAPTER - [Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Véronique and other nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo and Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings and I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra and Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris with Nancy and Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt the Library of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – sunny side up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) This book is not an autobiography. It is rather the product of an interaction between imagination, experience, fiction, reminiscence and fantasy. It is a cocktail mixed in the environment of UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and tempered with a sprinkling of light humor. If you are familiar with the UNESCO Secretariat, do not try to recognize the characters in this book. The identity of each source of inspiration has been carefully disguised. These characters, born of a marriage between ‘mother truth’ and ‘father fiction,’ have maternal and paternal chromosomes, but not necessarily in equally divided proportions. ### What is the book about? You could say it is about traveling, people and countries. It is about national characteristics and cultural differences and similarities. It is about funny situations and amusing anecdotes. In writing about national characteristics, one is faced with a classic obstacle: generalization. It is perilous ground, undermined by exceptions. And yet, there are predominant features and behaviors that can be attributed to a given nation or cultural group. There are many exceptions, of course, but the dominant cliché often retains its merits. I confess that my ambition in writing this book was to make a modest contribution to international understanding. The frictions and wounds caused by cultural differences and interethnic misinterpretations will only be healed by tolerance. Tolerance based on a better understanding of others. To pass on the message in the following pages, a humorous treatment was favored, perhaps a little shallow at times. Let us remember that many noble and dignified subjects can be treated with humor. UNESCO itself will not lose its mystique if a couple of comic situations seem to disturb the divine order of things. Humor remains a major humanizing factor. In reading this book, you may not burst into laughter but, I hope, you will smile. Smile and travel. You will meet people of various nationalities, discover some of their idiosyncrasies and colorful manners, and observe other cultures with curiosity and, I fancy, tender feelings. The perception of our differences in the way we behave, eat, work, talk and live may be amusing. It is not amusing because some do it better than others. It is amusing just because it is different, colorful or intriguing. A brief appendix provides some succinct, basic facts about UNESCO that may help you understand Jacques Dupont, the main character of the book, and follow him on his missions around the world. ### Explore the Chapters - [Around The World In Eighty Missions: Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Veronique, And The Other Nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo, And Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings And I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra And Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris With Nancy And Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle Of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt The Library Of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – Sunny Side Up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) © Copyright [Jacques Tocatlian](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/07/jacques-tocatlian-1929-2019/). All Rights Reserved. ## Does Life Start At Sixty? - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/ - Published: 2000-08-31 - Last modified: 2026-07-31 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: On his first morning of retirement, Jacques Dupont confronts Brigitte’s ambitious plans for renovation, exercise, dieting, and social life, while memories of thirty years of UNESCO missions begin calling him back to his desk. [Image: Brigitte holds a long retirement itinerary beside Jacques Dupont as he relaxes in an armchair, surrounded by illustrated memories of travel.] [AUDIOBOOK](https://tocatlian.blog/2026/07/17/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions-the-audiobook/) [GET YOUR COPY](https://tocatlian.blog/2010/07/08/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions/) BROWSE BY CHAPTER - [Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Véronique and other nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo and Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings and I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra and Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris with Nancy and Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt the Library of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – sunny side up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) “You look dismayed,” said Brigitte, my better half, with a malicious expression on her face, “Don’t be disheartened. Remember, life starts at sixty.” There I was, on that Monday of July 10th, 1995, the very first day of my retirement, sitting at my desk with eyes glazed with boredom. It was weird to be home on a Monday. I felt lost, out of place and on a downward slope. I did not really know what to do with myself. At my recent farewell party at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, the Assistant Director-General had said in his speech, “After thirty years of service, our friend Jacques Dupont is retiring. Lucky man! He will be free at last. He will rest. He will rediscover the joys of life. He will do exactly what he had always dreamed of doing. Jacques Dupont will finally be his own master.” Encouraging words. I had yet to see how to organize my new freedom and become my own master. My nostrils twitched at the scent of a good espresso, as Brigitte handed me a cup saying, “Have some coffee, Darling, and stop thinking of UNESCO!” [Image: Brigitte offers Jacques Dupont an espresso as he looks dismayed on his first morning of retirement in their Paris apartment.] “I am sorry, Brigitte, to be such a bore,” I said, “Only a couple of days ago I was still sitting at my UNESCO desk writing, calling, planning, discussing, deciding, ordering… and now, all of a sudden, here I am, powerless and useless with nothing to do.” “With nothing to do?” asked Brigitte in disbelief. “My dear Jacques, here is a whole list of things which I have been patiently waiting for you to do in your retirement!” I was quite happy for the time being with the idea of wasting a few hours daydreaming. But Madame my wife had different thoughts. With Teutonic flair, she had developed a detailed program which could occupy an army of slaves until doom’s day. “First of all,” she said, “you should have a critical look at our apartment. With fresh eyes.” I had always thought that our Parisian apartment, Avenue Mozart, was comfortable, spacious and elegant. But I must have looked at it with not-so-fresh eyes. Suddenly, I was told that it needed to be renovated, redecorated and refurbished. The most urgent task concerned our daughter’s room. My wife reminded me that Françoise was almost twenty-four and that her room was still pink. Françoise, who had a steady boyfriend, would soon finish University and probably get married in a year or two. How on earth could we still keep her in a pink room! As to our own bedroom, it was thirty-two years old. The same age as our marriage. Couldn’t we change it for a less depressing style? Something more modern, like that chosen by our friends the Lombards? By the time Brigitte informed me of how the living room had to be freshened, how the dining room could be rejuvenated… by the time she shared her vision of our new kitchen and regenerated bathroom I was worn out. I tried a couple of maneuvers to postpone this discussion until later. To no avail. [Image: Brigitte presents renovation plans and fabric samples while an overwhelmed Jacques Dupont surveys their Avenue Mozart apartment.] Pretending to be angry, she said, “I am unable to detect in you a modicum of enthusiasm for my proposals!” “Brigitte,” I said, “Be reasonable. You are putting severe demands on my stamina, my time and my wallet! Let me first recover from the trauma of being retired.” She giggled. “Come on, Jacques. I have been reasonable for years!” With typical Gallic exaggeration, she added, “I have patiently waited, like Penelope, for you to come back from your meetings, missions and cocktails. Now you have time for your household. You have to be active, otherwise you will soon be fossilized!” From that moment I knew that I would no longer report to the Assistant Director-General of UNESCO. A new boss was born. As Brigitte kept outlining the chores that would prevent me from becoming fossilized, my power of concentration weakened. My mind wandered and, all of a sudden, I felt a new, sweet nostalgia for my days at UNESCO. “Jacques, you look haggard,” she said, “You are not listening. Come on, Darling. Do you want to turn into a contented vegetable like our friend Julien?” “I am listening. I am.” I answered. “But you know, my dear Brigitte, the transition from being an International Civil Servant, Diplomat and Director to a house slave involves the sort of alchemy which demands time. Give me time. You will also agree that life during retirement is supposed to be a considerable improvement over the old days of sweat and toil.” But reasoning and Aristotelian logic did not work. Cartesian logic did not work either. Nothing worked. Brigitte had given a lot of thought to the question of my retirement and she had to outline the whole program right there and then. In spite of the authoritative aspects of her character and her magisterial facade, Brigitte had managed, at fifty-five, to remain feminine and deeply sensuous. She knew how to use her charm with great maestria. She cared about the most pleasant pursuits in life: good eating, classy entertainment and vacation, being elegant, good books, witty conversation and, of course, being French. In spite of a fair amount of international exposure through friends, UNESCO colleagues and traveling, Brigitte had remained essentially French in her outlook on life. She was attracted by all things alive, vibrant, stylish and chic. To be boring was inexcusable. She could be outspoken and sometimes abrupt. But even when she behaved improperly, she did it with class. In comparison, my thirty years of international life had altered a great deal of the Frenchman in me. I had come to find the French outlook on life sometimes conceited, a little self-centered and, let us say, much too French. The international prism through which I now looked at the world tinted every issue with a little more modesty. I had lost a little bit of that vision of grandeur which my history teacher had attempted to instill in me. Having finished her coffee, Brigitte sat closer to me and moved to another section of my retirement plan. From now on, I had to exercise every day. I should join the same club as our handsome friend Michel. Apparently he was sixty-five and looked younger than me. I pointed out that Michel had gray hair whereas mine was still naturally black. It did not matter a bit. I had drooping shoulders, a stooping chest and a bulging belly. I was not tall and, if I were not careful, in a few years I would look as old as Methuselah. “As of today, we’ll start the very effective Scarsdale diet our friend Denise recommended,” she said. It is true that I had always paid more attention to the delights of the table than to my waist measurement. I could advantageously lose several kilos. I was never meant to be a d’Artagnan or a Cyrano de Bergerac. But to go on a diet on that very first day was not exactly how I had visualized my new freedom. In my thirty years of service with UNESCO I had had to resort to all sorts of gambits to convince others. I used in turn authority, psychology, charm, logic, know-how, or humor. But with Brigitte, nothing seemed to work that day. The guiding principles for my retirement had been outlined and drummed into me. If I did not want to become a moth-eaten, fossilized Patriarch on the decline, I had better fast and get to work. That was not all. She went on to the third part of the program. From now on, we would invite friends more frequently, we would travel with my sister-in-law, Lily, and her husband, Albert. We would learn to play bridge. We would finally live! To tell the truth, I had not realized that we had been dead for so long. I was startled. Brigitte left the room to get some more coffee. I remained silent. One could hear the young girl next door playing the clarinet. I did not know that she played clarinet on Mondays. Apparently she played every day of the week for twenty to thirty minutes to keep her fingers nimble. When she stopped playing her mother, supposedly an accomplished soprano, started gargling like mad. The glass window of my room vibrated and everything else vibrated with it. At one point our Maria Callas emitted a piercing shrill that made me jump. [Image: Jacques Dupont recoils from a clarinet and operatic singing next door as Brigitte enters laughing with coffee and cinema tickets.] I yelled, as Brigitte entered the room with more coffee, “My God! She must be undergoing open-heart surgery without anesthetics!” Brigitte laughed and said, “It is so good to have you around. This afternoon we’ll go to the cinema. You love movies.” It is true that I always loved motion pictures. As a kid I wanted to become an actor but I was quickly made to understand that I was not built for that. I would have liked to be a producer, a movie director, even a cameraman. Instead, I was encouraged to learn languages, I was pushed towards political science, shoved into Library Sciences, and finally, when I was thirty, propelled into UNESCO by Brigitte’s influential Uncle, Gérard. So I had started life by being weak and soft. Others had made what should have been my decisions. But, gradually, life hardened me. I learned to be resistant, when necessary, and to eventually obtain what I wanted. If not by head-on confrontation, at least by diplomacy, patience and applied psychology. That day, I knew that I would eventually come to a reasonable compromise with Brigitte regarding my retirement. However, I had to wait. There was no need to muddy the waters of negotiation by being impatient. She had already accepted as a broad principle that I would dedicate a couple of hours every day to doing some work around the house but would also spend time at my desk. Since the day I had joined UNESCO in 1965, I had spent endless hours at a desk and I could not bear the thought of having the ‘umbilical cord’ cut off so abruptly. One good thing was that Brigitte had to shop for fresh food every single morning. She would not dream of serving vegetables or meat purchased the previous day and kept in the refrigerator. Like many French housewives, she had to get to grips with the produce in the open market, smelling, squeezing, feeling, sniffing, snapping and fingering everything. That operation kept my wife out of the house every morning from ten to noon. My greatest pleasure, the fizz in the veins, came from the fact that I could retire to my desk every day for those two hours, read, sort out my papers, write and plunge into the past. [Image: Jacques Dupont revisits memories of UNESCO missions at his desk while Brigitte leaves for the Paris market.] During those daily hours, I often remembered my missions to the four corners of the world. In spite of the anxiety attached to each, the jet lags, the fatigue, disappointments and frustrations, each mission had been a rewarding new discovery. A fascinating adventure. An inspiring new page in the book of my life. I often thought of the numerous men and women I had met, perhaps only once or twice, along the many paths I had traveled. Friendships may have been superficial at times but fascination always deep. I never stopped marveling at the richness of each culture, at the beauty of each horizon, at the enlivening message of each encounter. I remembered with delight some of the amusing situations I got into. Sometimes I laughed all by myself at the funny circumstances recalled. I remembered them all with a cheerful heart. Oh, yes, I remembered… ### Explore the Chapters - [Around The World In Eighty Missions: Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Veronique, And The Other Nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo, And Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings And I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra And Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris With Nancy And Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle Of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt The Library Of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – Sunny Side Up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) © Copyright [Jacques Tocatlian](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/07/jacques-tocatlian-1929-2019/). All Rights Reserved. ## My Mission With Maurice Chevalier - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/ - Published: 2000-08-31 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: I was in New York on one of my missions to the United Nations to represent UNESCO at a meeting. I had been to the UN on several occasions before. In fact, I had established, over the years, a fairly good reputation as a dependable, serious and resourceful international civil servant. But, after what had happened during this last visit, I no longer knew how I stood in the eyes of my colleagues. I was not quite sure whether to laugh or cry. [Image: A man addresses an international meeting while imagined scenes of Paris cabaret and dancing fill the background.] [AUDIOBOOK](https://tocatlian.blog/2026/07/17/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions-the-audiobook/) [GET YOUR COPY](https://tocatlian.blog/2010/07/08/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions/) BROWSE BY CHAPTER - [Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Véronique and other nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo and Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings and I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra and Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris with Nancy and Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt the Library of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – sunny side up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) I was in New York on one of my missions to the United Nations to represent UNESCO at a meeting. I had been to the UN on several occasions before. In fact, I had established, over the years, a fairly good reputation as a dependable, serious and resourceful international civil servant. But, after what had happened during this last visit, I no longer knew how I stood in the eyes of my colleagues. I was not quite sure whether to laugh or cry. It all started in Paris, in the middle of that week, where I left UNESCO headquarters in a great rush to catch my flight to New York at Orly Airport. After a sleepless night at my Manhattan hotel, I was not in top shape on the next morning when I walked down Lexington avenue towards the UN Building. I was happy to be in New York again. It is in New York that I made my first baby steps at international meetings soon after I had joined UNESCO in 1965. I always loved Manhattan, notwithstanding the horror stories I kept hearing about it that made you wish to live in a bank safe. As a Parisian, used to intense city life, I always found New York City congenial and alluring. I love its many attractions and points of interest. Its international flavor. I love its spirit and ferment, its pace and rhythm, its liveliness and energy. True, the city has some aggressive and scary aspects, but it always makes me feel alive. Walking down the streets and seeing the variety of ethnic groups and the assortment of clothes and colorful attires reminds me of the entrance hall of the UNESCO building in Paris on an international conference day when delegates come from the four corners of the earth. [Image: Jacques Dupont walks along a rainy Manhattan avenue toward the United Nations after a sleepless night.] A story that I find fascinating about New York City is that concerning the purchase of Manhattan. It is said that the first Director-General of the New Netherlands province, Peter Minuit, purchased the island in 1626 from the Brooklyn Indians with pieces of bright cloth, beads and other trinkets valued at 60 guilders, about $24. At the same period, back in France, an architect by the name of Le Roy was supervising the construction of the Château de Versailles, ordered at great expense by the king. When I reached East 42nd Street I turned left towards the UN building and stopped to look at the display of suits at a shop window. The glass acting as a mirror, I could not help but observe my silhouette. The light brown Yves Saint-Laurent suit I was wearing was indeed very stylish. I noticed, however, that my shirt had not survived the eggs-and-bacon breakfast and was no longer immaculate. I automatically said the single most appropriate French word for the occasion: merde! If I pulled the tie a little bit to the left I could hide the damage. The overall appearance was not ugly. I was about forty then but the problem was already around the waistline. As Brigitte used to say: too many cocktails, business lunches and exotic dinners! I took a deep breath and pulled my stomach in. I still looked inflated. Had I been taller, it would not have mattered so much. Well, well… for a man of my age, I was not too bad. My hair was curly and dark and my Valentino-style mustache not unattractive. I needed to go on a diet. As Scarlett O’Hara used to say, “I’ll think about it tomorrow!” I looked at my watch and walked towards the UN building. I had been standing at the shop-window for several minutes and had looked only at myself. All is vanity! [Image: Jacques Dupont adjusts his tie while studying his reflection in a Manhattan menswear shop window.] When I arrived at the UN building, Mr. Brown’s new English secretary welcomed me and walked me to the meeting room. She was not exactly beautiful but very stylish. With her long legs and striking outfit, she attracted attention. On the way, she made a comment which was to have a determining effect on the rest of the day. She simply said, “Your English is very good, Mr. Dupont. And your charming accent reminds me of Charles Boyer or rather of Maurice Chevalier.” She giggled. So did I. [Image: Mr. Brown's secretary walks with Jacques Dupont through the United Nations and compares his accent to Maurice Chevalier.] The subject of the meeting was the protection of the world cultural and natural heritage. In an attempt to ensure the protection and conservation of the world’s cultural heritage, UNESCO had adopted in 1972 a convention and was now in the process of establishing a Fund and an International Committee to supervise the program. The meeting in New York was meant to assist in coordinating this effort with a number of programs in the UN family and in some Member States. There were some twenty participants around an oval table. The meeting started on time. The Chairman made his introductory remarks and I delivered a brief statement on behalf of UNESCO. The representative from Sri Lanka immediately asked for the floor and began, what seemed to me, an endless speech. He spoke very demurely in a monotonous cadence and in a very soft voice, as though he was about to share with us an ancestral secret. The rhythmical effect was instantaneous. In no time my mind wandered away from the meeting room and back to Mr. Brown’s new secretary. Why did she refer to Maurice Chevalier? Did she intend to flatter or tease me? Was she not too young to have known either Boyer or Chevalier? Perhaps she had recently watched on TV Cole Porter’s hit “Can-Can”, with Shirley MacLaine, Frank Sinatra and Maurice Chevalier. Or, maybe, Vincente Minnelli’s old musical “Gigi”. Oh yes, bubbly “Gigi”! What a wonderful musical! A few seconds later I was miles away from the meeting room … and years back into glittering, gay Paris. There was enchanting Leslie Caron, all arms and legs, gracefully dancing about. There was charming Louis Jourdan. He, too, has an accent. Doesn’t he? There was Maurice Chevalier, the very personification of Gallic gallantry. And Shirley MacLaine performing a naughty can-can dance. Didn’t the cast of Gigi also include Eva Gabor? Or was it Zaza Gabor? In any case, all the Gabors look alike. Don’t they? How come they never age? They claim to have caviar and champagne for their daily breakfast. Do you believe it? [Image: A United Nations meeting dissolves into Jacques Dupont's daydream of Maurice Chevalier and a Parisian musical.] I was still with Shirley, Zaza and Eva when I suddenly realized that the Chairman was looking at me with an intriguing smile. He could not have possibly guessed what had been going on in my mind. Could he? The intervention from Sri Lanka was over. The room was dead silent. Staring at me, the Chairman said, “I am sure our distinguished representative from UNESCO would like to react to Mr. Arianayagham’s intervention, since his proposals, if implemented, would imply a strong involvement on the part of UNESCO.” With a dignified and masterly gesture in my direction, he added, “Mr. Dupont, the floor is yours.” [Image: The meeting chairman unexpectedly gives the floor to a startled Jacques Dupont as the delegates turn toward him.] Needless to say I did not want to speak! I did not have the slightest clue as to what proposal had been tabled. I could not even begin to pronounce Mr. Arianayagham’s name. I had not asked for the floor. Instead, I would have wished for the floor to open under my feet and swallow me. As I procrastinated in silence, everyone turned attentively in my direction. Finally, I said “Well, well, well…” I do not know if I sounded like Maurice Chevalier or Louis Jourdan, but the effect was not exactly brilliant. I must not have come across as terribly intelligent, for the surprise was now general. I remember a similar experience had occurred many, many years earlier in my school days. A teacher had caught me daydreaming and had scolded me embarrassingly while the rest of the class laughed. But it did not matter so much then. It mattered now! “What makes you hesitate, Mr. Dupont?” asked the Chairman. I was then suddenly inspired by the witty politicians on French TV who can address any question and speak on any subject for any length of time without really knowing what they are talking about. It was, indeed, a bewitching challenge. So, I said something along the following lines: “We have now a lot of food for thought” (Did we really?) “The proposal is very interesting, but it presents some complex aspects which require thorough reflection.” (Who could disagree with that?) “In any case,” I added, “before I give you my opinion, I would very much appreciate listening to the reactions of the other participants and benefit from their comments on the subject which I intend to fully take into account in shaping my position. I shall not fail, of course, to share my thoughts with you after that.” I looked around. The participants seemed satisfied and somewhat flattered. I was proud of myself but, unfortunately, not for too long. As each one of them spoke, I began the agonizing operation of trying to guess what on earth Mr. Arianayagham’s proposal was all about. The puzzle was intellectually fascinating. From their comments I had to swim upstream to discover the source. I soon felt I was drowning instead. Oh! If only Mr. Arianayagham had missed his plane in Colombo! If only Mr. Brown’s secretary had not offered to take me to the meeting room! The comments around the table added perplexity to confusion. Fortunately, after a painfully trying stretch, God had mercy on me and the Chairman decided to break for lunch. Whew! The torture was momentarily suspended. I rushed to Mr. Arianayagham, and without trying to pronounce his name, I asked for a copy of his intervention. He did not have a typewritten one, but courteously lent me his handwritten notes. Lunch consisted for me of an excruciating deciphering exercise. I do not think that Jean-François Champollion suffered as much as I did when he decoded the Egyptian hieroglyphics on the Rosette stone. The worst part was yet to come. Once deciphered, the proposal did not really make sense to me. I was experiencing sudden apprehension and fear, what is commonly known as panic. [Image: Jacques Dupont struggles over Mr. Arianayagham's handwritten notes during the lunch break.] But I took several deep breaths, bravely gathered all the bureaucratic skills in me and eventually synthesized an elegant general statement out of the various comments I had heard in the morning and what I could make out of the intervention. In other words, I put some of the pieces of the puzzle together. When I read the result to myself I was surprised. I wondered if Pablo Picasso was ever surprised in looking at some of his paintings, after adding various eyes, legs and noses. In any case, at the beginning of the afternoon session I delivered my statement on an empty stomach. The Chairman nodded. The other members gave signs of assent. Only Mr. Arianayagham seemed puzzled by my puzzle. The meeting moved to other items on the agenda and at around 6 p.m., to my great relief, it ended. [Image: Jacques Dupont delivers an improvised statement to approving delegates while the rapporteur waits nearby.] No one had asked me to clarify my statement. Had they done so, I would have committed harakiri right then and there. I am sure the Japanese delegate to my left would have graciously accepted to advise me on the general procedure. But nobody asked. On my way out of the room, the Rapporteur timidly inquired whether he could use my very statement, which he thought was so good, to summarize the discussion in the final report. I agreed and then wondered if the Rapporteur, or anyone else for that matter, had really understood what it was all about. As long as I live, I shall never explain this mystery. And as long as I live I shall never again daydream at a meeting. I ran out of the building and within minutes I had a huge steak with fries and onion rings, washed down with some Cabernet Sauvignon. [Image: Jacques Dupont wakes exhausted as Maurice Chevalier and the United Nations delegates swirl through his surreal hotel dream.] Back at the hotel I watched a little bit of TV and promptly fell asleep. My night was haunted with wild, confusing dreams. Maurice Chevalier was all over the place. He thanked Mr. Brown’s secretary for managing to invite him to the meeting. He complimented Mr. Arianayagham for his constructive proposal, while Gigi was trying to seduce the Chairman. In his best Gallic accent, Maurice Chevalier told me that my statement was fine, but did not make much sense. Shirley, who apparently has all sorts of connections up there, was trying to obtain some heavenly clarification for what was going on. The participants danced around the oval table, drinking Cabernet Sauvignon. A disgraced Samurai wanted to pierce his belly. Eva Gabor said that generations to come would cite this meeting as a model of clarity and coherence, while her sister, Zaza, wrapped up in the UN flag, with her right arm stretched out like the Statue of Liberty, talked at great length about caviar and onion rings. When I woke up the next morning I was exhausted. ### Explore the Chapters - [Around The World In Eighty Missions: Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Veronique, And The Other Nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo, And Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings And I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra And Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris With Nancy And Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle Of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt The Library Of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – Sunny Side Up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) © Copyright [Jacques Tocatlian](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/07/jacques-tocatlian-1929-2019/). All Rights Reserved. ## London With Spaghettini - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/ - Published: 2000-08-31 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: I remember when I got off the plane I found Heathrow airport crowded. The sky was blue, but everyone had an umbrella. I guess, in England you just do not trust the weather forecast. [Image: Diners gather around a table with spaghetti and wine while London landmarks appear outside in the rain.] [AUDIOBOOK](https://tocatlian.blog/2026/07/17/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions-the-audiobook/) [GET YOUR COPY](https://tocatlian.blog/2010/07/08/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions/) BROWSE BY CHAPTER - [Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Véronique and other nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo and Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings and I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra and Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris with Nancy and Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt the Library of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – sunny side up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) I remember when I got off the plane I found Heathrow airport crowded. The sky was blue, but everyone had an umbrella. I guess, in England you just do not trust the weather forecast. As I was finding my way to the exit, I heard a beautiful baritone voice calling across the airport loudly enough to wake the dead: “Signor Dupont. Signor Dupont.” I immediately recognized the chubby silhouette of Dottore Giovanni Spaghettini. [Image: Jacques Dupont recognizes Giovanni Spaghettini across a crowded Heathrow Airport as travelers carry umbrellas beneath blue skies.] Always joyful and lively, when Spaghettini represented Italy in an international meeting, you could rest assured that it would never lack luster or sink into dullness. Giovanni Spaghettini was colorful, imaginative and unconventional. He always seemed to be performing on stage in front of a wide audience, even in a confidential, tÍte-‡-tÍte conversation. His repertoire leaned more towards the Allegro, vivace, fortissimo… con agitazione. When the subject was serious or sad he would dramatically change his facial expression to convey the proper concern or emotion. You almost expected to hear a Puccini aria in the background. After the usual warm greetings, he asked to be accompanied to the airport bank in order to exchange money. Spaghettini was a well-traveled man and this was not his first visit to London. Nevertheless, he said that he had never fully understood the local monetary system. At the bank counter he soon became entangled with pounds, shillings, and pennies. He was wondering whether half a crown was still in use. He said with a smile, “Two shillings and sixpence used to make half a crown, but a crown no longer exists. Strange isn’t it?” I kept saying, “Giovanni, the line behind us is getting longer and longer.” “Don’t you worry,” he replied “In England queuing up is a national pastime.” With Heathrow being far from the center of London, taxis being expensive, and Spaghettini in the mood for experiencing the English way of life again, we decided to go the cheap way, that is, by bus and subway. Spaghettini decided he wanted to understand the rationale behind British town planning. He had read somewhere that an attempt to introduce parallel streets in England was made after all towns had been completely built. So, there we were, trying to solve the elaborate quiz of London. In the process I lost him on the Bakerloo underground line at Piccadilly Station, but found him again, squeezed between two orange-haired punks, at Oxford Circus. The next time the subway door opened, we were ejected with our luggage together with a few superfluous passengers. [Image: Jacques and Giovanni are pushed from a crowded London Underground carriage with their luggage while Giovanni is squeezed between two orange-haired punks.] In the streets of London we twisted and turned around until we found Bond Street. We were surprised that motorists in London, unlike the Roman and Parisian kinds, yielded at pedestrian crossings. “Sono dei gentlemen!” Giovanni kept saying. I observed, “Giovanni, you seem to like it over here.” That was a mistake. He stopped in the middle of Bond Street, put down his luggage and began his analysis of the British. “I like them because they have a deep sense of fairness and spare other people’s feelings. They are basically very decent people. Very polite. They do not like to cause any trouble in public. I also admire their eccentricity. You know, Jacques, they prefer quality of life to wealth. A form of snobbery, I presume. To Latins, it may seem strange that they camouflage their feelings. We may think it is hypocrisy, but it is not. It is the way they are taught to behave by their nannies.” [Image: Giovanni Spaghettini gestures theatrically on Bond Street while Jacques waits with their luggage and London traffic yields.] As soon as I could say a word I suggested that we proceed towards the hotel because we were blocking the traffic with our luggage. We moved fifteen yards and he stopped again and put down his luggage. Spaghettini needed his hands to fully express himself. ” You know, Jacques, what I like here is the sense of democracy and the media. Fantastic! The power of the media on British life is outstanding. Newspaper circulation is so much larger here than in any other country. And the BBC is the most objective of all televisions. Don’t you think?” I nodded, picked up my luggage and started walking again. Spaghettini followed and continued to talk, but obviously with both hands busily carrying the luggage he could not gesticulate. Nevertheless, he kept explaining that he did not care for the rigid class system, the well-known British ethnocentricity and a certain arrogance. The fact that they felt superior bothered him. “True,” I said “the British are not generally credited with humility. Neither are the French for that matter.” In addition, what bothered Spaghettini is that he could no longer tell whether puritanism or permissiveness dominated life in the United Kingdom. He found it disconcerting that both aspects were concurrent. He put down his luggage again and said that the British deserved an international trophy for their sense of humor. “Can we award them the trophy,” I asked, “once we have found the hotel, please?” No. He had to rest. With both hands free to punctuate his speech he went on saying, “An Englishman is prepared to laugh at himself and at any of his defects. To the bewilderment of foreigners, he can make jokes that no one but an Englishman can understand. A Frenchman, such as yourself, my dear Jacques, may pride himself on the clarity of his intelligence, his Cartesian logic or his wit. But only an Englishman can greet adversity and make fun of himself with such unique humor! Do you remember who said:’ English is understood practically everywhere, and the English practically nowhere’?” We asked our way to the hotel where all the participants of the Meeting had been booked, but to no avail. A lady who had lived on that street for thirty-two years had never heard of it. We walked some more while Spaghettini continued his in-depth analysis of the United Kingdom. Eventually the Lord had mercy on our souls (and legs) and with a great sense of triumph we found the hotel. It was quaint, charming and totally antiquated. No comparison with some of the luxurious hotels we had come across on our way. “I am afraid,” we were told upon our arrival “there is a slight problem with the heating system. A pipe has burst.” We were also made to understand that pipes in that hotel sooner or later always burst in winter and, in any case, it was not healthy to keep bedrooms overheated, as they do on the Continent. A nice fire was lit in the open fireplace in every room. Spaghettini said jovially that England was “molto romantica!” However, for no understandable reason, once in a while the wind came down the chimney and blew smoke into the room and romanticism out of the window. After a little rest, all the participants gathered in the hotel lobby and walked together to the meeting place. I immediately went to see Sir John to tell him that UNESCO was in full agreement with his plan, that I would support it during the meeting but, because of budgetary restrictions, we could only offer moral support. Very elegantly, Sir John said that moral support was all that mattered. I felt good. Looking straight into my eyes, he added convincingly, “Jacques, you look remarkably well.” I felt very, very good, indeed. The meeting’s main objective was to advise on the preparation of an international conference our hosts wanted to convene on ‘information technology in the library school curriculum.’ They were looking for support and contributions and, because of the international dimension of the planned conference, they had invited UNESCO. When I entered the meeting room I overheard Sir John telling the Greek delegate, Kharalambos, that he looked remarkably well. He looked rather greenish to me. I glanced around the table. They were all smiling. Undoubtedly, they had all been told by Sir John how well each of them looked. I sat at my place, next to Mr. Brown from the United Nations. I do not know why on earth I did not find anything smarter to say than, ” I was in New York last year and met your new English secretary. Very efficient, indeed.” “Oh, yes,” he said “By the way, she is not English but makes a commendable effort to sound so.” “Where is she from?” I asked. “From Oshkosh, Nebraska,” said Mr. Brown. The meeting started and I was not going to let Mr. Brown’s secretary from Oshkosh, Nebraska, Maurice Chevalier or anyone else distract me this time. I listened carefully. Under the elegant and skillful chairmanship of Sir John, the meeting proceeded very smoothly. We have to admit that in international circles where English is often the common language, English participants are at a great advantage over the rest of us. Not only do they handle the language superbly but they also possess the traditional British diplomatic dexterity and, consequently, make very good moderators, excellent rapporteurs and astonishing chairpersons. What they say is often difficult to fathom but it is said with such elegance! Things which may meet resistance or hurt someone’s feelings are left unsaid. You do not always know where you stand, but they make it clear for you. Some call it ‘diplomacy’ others ‘hypocrisy’. Whatever it is, they are masters at it. That day, nothing could possibly disturb Sir John in his function. Every difficulty was surmounted, every enigma clarified, every problem solved elegantly, placidly, eloquently. And if things seemed to take the wrong turn, a little English humor would do wonders. Sir John had no inhibitions about making a fool of himself, if need be, to relax the atmosphere with a few bursts of laughter in order to obtain what he wanted. At the end of the meeting we were totally hypnotized and agreed to almost everything. [Image: Sir John chairs an international meeting in London as Jacques, Giovanni, and delegates listen around the conference table.] Now, we had less than two hours to rest, freshen up and go to dinner at Sir John’s house. On the way to the hotel, Giovanni Spaghettini stopped at the laundry to collect his shirt. Instead of a shirt, he was given back a pair of Victorian panties with lots of lace. I can still hear his fine baritone voice exclaiming, “Mamma mia! Mamma mia! Ma come si f‡!” [Image: Giovanni Spaghettini reacts with operatic surprise when a London laundry returns Victorian lace panties instead of his shirt.] An hour later, we were all clean and shiny, ready to go. We decided to buy some flowers before getting a cab to Sir John’s. Some of us stood in line at the flower shop and waited for a long while. The shopkeeper had to discuss the weather with every single customer, while a complying queue stood by, each one serenely awaiting his turn to comment on the weather. It is astonishing to discover the incredible variety of statements that can be made about a single dreadful, rainy day. In England, an educated man must know how to talk about the weather: the weather we had the past days, the weather we are having, the weather we should have had, the weather we will have. Pierre Daninos said that when the good Lord created the world, he thought of a changing weather so that the English could discuss it. After paying for the flowers, we suggested that Mr. Spaghettini offer the bunch, on our behalf, to the lady of the house, since he was known to be able to deliver lyrical speeches with the most flowery vocabulary. But from another point of view the choice was incongruous. Poor Mr. Spaghettini was short and chubby and tended to disappear behind the huge bouquet. We entered one by one, in a sort of procession, and were greeted at the door by our hosts. Mr. Spaghettini, his view obscured by large red dahlias, tripped over the last step and landed at the feet of Sir John’s wife. [Image: Giovanni Spaghettini tumbles at his hosts’ doorstep behind a large bouquet of red dahlias while Jacques and the dinner guests react.] When the commotion was over and we had resumed our best composure in harmony with the style of the house, Mr. Brown, his eyes twinkling with delight, whispered in my ear, “We had asked him to deliver a lyrical speech not to kiss her feet.” Having finished our sherry, we entered the dining room. At the table, I was placed between Mrs. Van der Loan from the Netherlands and Ms. Pringgoadisurjo from Indonesia. I had known both ladies for a long time but had never dared call Ms. Pringgoadisurjo by her name. The spelling scared me to death and paralyzed my tongue. An American friend of mine had once said, “When in doubt about a name, you can always say ‘hi, there!'” Ms. Pringgoadisurjo must have wondered why I always called her “there” whenever I greeted her. At the beginning, the atmosphere was solemn, in spite of the urbane and courteous efforts of our hosts. It was partly due to the stately surroundings, to the shyness of some of us and, no doubt, to the widely accepted clichÈ defining the English as class-conscious, snobbish, exclusive and arrogant. I noticed Mr. Brown was gazing all around. Was he looking for some informality? That was too soon. Wine had not had its relaxing and buoyant effect yet. The table was set with exquisite taste. I noticed that the British hosts and guests had their hands under the table. All the rest had theirs on the table. As Spaghettini would say, this is what their nannies had taught them. As it is always the case in England, all the cutlery to be used during the meal was placed to the right and left of each plate. The impressive number of forks and knives indicated that we were about to have a feast. An English feast, no doubt, but a feast all the same. As I was observing the cutlery, I suddenly remembered the day I had been taken to the Saint Louis Hospital to have my appendix out and had noticed at the corner of the operating room all the torture instruments arrayed on a table, ready for use. Table manners are, of course, arbitrary. They differ from country to country and, in some societies, acquire an exaggerated importance. The regulations involved seem to have been created by the ruling class and imposed on the rest. In England, great attention is given to the strict application of such rules. You are expected to keep your fork in your left hand and your knife in your right hand at all times. The passage of the fork from one hand to the other, as Mr. Brown did after cutting his meat, is disdainfully considered in England as a juggling exercise fit for the circus. After cutting the meat, the knife is supposed to push the morsel and a sample of vegetables on top of the fork. English peas, which are notoriously big and hard, may constitute an insurmountable obstacle. But, ours being an international gathering, it did not matter too much. You could tell by looking around that table etiquette was far from standardized. The rules of conversation also differ from country to country. In England, numerous are the subjects which are considered taboo, at least in the upper class. Anything polemical, critical, controversial, political, sexual, religious, personal, contentious, or anything which may embarrass or hurt anyone, is to be avoided. You are allowed to make fun of yourself, talk about sports, say something nice and, of course, discuss the weather. Silence is very much appreciated. These English rules had originally tinted those prevailing in America. However, the latter have become looser and more flexible with time. One very ‘British’ rule concerns the topic of food. As opposed to countries, such as Italy, France, China or Thailand, where table conversations may very well include reference to food and cooking, in England it is considered ill-mannered, if not vulgar. Such topic is never, never broached at Buckingham Palace. Remember! We had had several courses and several glasses of Chablis and Margaux, when suddenly Spaghettini, either innocently or provocatively, broke the ice by saying, “At the beginning of a meal in Italy we say ‘Buon’appetito,’ in France ‘Bon appetit,’ in Germany ‘Guten appetit’ or ‘Mahlzeit,’ in the US we now say ‘enjoy.’ What do you say in England?” After a little silence, Sir John’s wife demurely answered, “In England, we are not expected to enjoy food”. Pandora’s box was now wide open! Every one felt obliged to refer to how tasty the Dover Sole was…how palatable the pudding… how green the peas. [Image: Giovanni Spaghettini turns a formal English dinner into an animated international conversation about food and cooking.] Spaghettini was in heaven. He had managed to drag everyone closer to the kitchen oven. He spoke at great length of Italian cuisine, explaining in minute detail how one prepares ‘risotto con le vongole’ and ‘scaloppine di fegato di maiale.’ “Oh, you should taste, at least once in your lifetime, ‘l’imbrogliata di carciofini.'” At this point, everyone had gradually stopped eating our English dinner and had been carried away in spirit miles away into a Trattoria. You could almost hear the mandolins. Then, our Italian delegate, self-appointed leader of conversation, decided that it was the French cuisine’s turn. “Signor Dupont,” he said “tell us all about the ‘Cassolettes d’escargots.’ Do you know how to prepare the ‘Coquilles Saint-Jacques au foie gras’?” Fortunately, before I could attempt an answer, he was already describing ‘Les Anguilles au vert.’ Since we were in the middle of a culinary discussion, Mr. Brown asked Spaghettini the origins of his name. I had been intrigued by this unusual name – to say the least – but had never dared ask. Unfortunately, I could not hear the explanation as Mrs. Schl‰ger from Austria gently drew me deep in the preparation of a ‘Linzertorte” while Kharalambos was showing how to roll grape leaves. By now, everyone was baking, roasting, frying, boiling, stewing, poaching, broiling. It had turned into an international cooking orgy right under the nose of astonished Sir John! A loud thunder suddenly silenced all the cooks and established law and order. You could hear the rain. Mrs. Van der Loan quickly referred to the storm and in no time the conversation shifted back into the safe topic of the weather. Sir John’s wife looked relieved. Nevertheless, we continued to drink, talk and laugh. By then, thunder or no thunder, all the international diplomacy and the English reserve had dissolved in the Chablis. I do not know who gave the signal, but I found myself standing in a queue on the way out. Thanks and greetings were exchanged. As I remember, we did not look remarkably well any longer. There was a lot of rain. The lugubrious black cabs that had been ordered stood in line as in a funeral procession. I was glad that Spaghettini had not suggested to go by bus and subway this time. Miraculously, after a while I was in bed and quickly fell asleep. As usual, after a full busy day crowned by a heavy dinner my night was tormented by a confusing dream. We were at Buckingham Palace. Her Majesty had a purple hat on and was staring at Spaghettini with surprise as he spread rose petals all over, graciously dancing a Boccherini Minuet. Her Majesty explained that the fireplaces were lit because the pipes had burst. Spaghettini was trying to have Mrs. Van der Loan accept the pair of Victorian panties with lace he had been given at the laundry. [Image: Jacques dreams of Giovanni, the Queen, international delegates, and runaway dishes at Buckingham Palace before thunder wakes him.] Then Mr. Arianayagham from Sri Lanka ( what was he doing here?) asked her gracious Majesty to explain how the social classes were organized in England because he did not know where he belonged. It was explained to him that people can be cast as ‘upper middle’, ‘middle middle’ or ‘lower middle. And proceeding down the ladder as ‘upper working class,’ ‘working class proper,’ ‘lower working class,’ etc. “And how do you assign a class?” he asked. “Simply by the dress, the origin, the address, the accent – especially the way you pronounce an ‘h’ and, of course, the way you hold a fork”. At that point I was astonished to hear Brigitte saying what she thought of the English and other participants at the meeting. To my great embarrassment she said that the English were badly dressed, were obsessed with horses, gardening and cricket, and their mannerisms were faintly ridiculous. The Swiss and the Belgians were dull, the Spanish and the Italians were noisy and the Germans were too German. I began to run away when Sir John asked me if I agreed to what my wife was saying. The first door I found led me into the kitchen, where I stumbled over some escargots, walked over scaloppine, tripped over a smoked trout, slid on grape leaves and finally slipped and fell on Mrs. Scl‰ger’s Linzertorte. Fortunately, at that moment a loud clap of thunder put an end to my dream and established law and order into the rest of my night. Bonne nuit! ### Explore the Chapters - [Around The World In Eighty Missions: Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Veronique, And The Other Nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo, And Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings And I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra And Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris With Nancy And Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle Of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt The Library Of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – Sunny Side Up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) © Copyright [Jacques Tocatlian](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/07/jacques-tocatlian-1929-2019/). All Rights Reserved. ## A Dress For Zeinab - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/ - Published: 2000-08-31 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: The meeting in Morocco had been scheduled to last three days. It was a restricted, semi-formal consultation, at the invitation of the Government of Morocco, to help finalize an important project for international assistance on the theme of: ‘A national strategy for the protection of the rural environment.’ [Image: A woman in a green embroidered dress stands in a Moroccan textile shop as people admire fabrics and drink tea.] [AUDIOBOOK](https://tocatlian.blog/2026/07/17/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions-the-audiobook/) [GET YOUR COPY](https://tocatlian.blog/2010/07/08/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions/) BROWSE BY CHAPTER - [Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Véronique and other nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo and Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings and I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra and Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris with Nancy and Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt the Library of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – sunny side up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) The meeting in Morocco had been scheduled to last three days. It was a restricted, semi-formal consultation, at the invitation of the Government of Morocco, to help finalize an important project for international assistance on the theme of: ‘A national strategy for the protection of the rural environment.’ The World Bank was represented by Mr. Larry Thompson, a very powerful man, with a huge cigar and a thick Texan accent. Mr. J. Subramaniam, originally from New Delhi, spoke for the UNDP – the United Nations Development Program. With my French accent, I answered for UNESCO, while the European Community was in the Germanic hands of Helmut Streitz. Mr. Makoto Takahashi, from Tokyo, represented The United Nations University. For three days this impressive Tower of Babel was to communicate in English with francophone Mohammed Fassi-Bekkari – the distinguished representative of His Majesty King Hassan II. UNESCO’s collaboration with Morocco had been steady and intense over the years. It included inter alia a campaign for the preservation of the city of Fez, the establishment of a regional school for library and information sciences, support to the Institute of Studies and Research for Arabization, and many projects in the fields of education, culture and science. In Morocco, a UNESCO Secretariat Member was treated as a benefactor and made to feel welcome. No wonder I felt good. [Image: Jacques Dupont and an international delegation receive a formal welcome in an ornate Rabat meeting room.] As expected, the meeting started with a flurry of greetings, thanks, blessings and benedictions. We were told that our presence had honored the country and that we had brought sunshine with us! The truth of the matter was that we had left rain and clouds behind us in Brussels, Paris, Tokyo and Washington and found a radiant sun in Rabat. In the Arab world, you are often sprinkled with artful compliments, warm congratulations, poetic wishes, soft greetings and fastidious regards. The higher your position, the more excessive the civilities. I find it most interesting to observe two Arabs meeting in the street. They shake hands several times, gently bending forward, and while holding each other’s hand and continuing to shake it, they start a ritual litany of polite invocations, praise and laudations. “How are you? God bless you. How is your health? Praise God. How are the children? God bless you all. How are your parents? Is their health good? God bless you. God bless you” (Did anybody sneeze?) All of this talk is usually abundantly showered with “Hamdullelah” – to thank heaven for being so good. In the Arab culture, when you meet a friend you are expected to inquire about everyone, but never about the wife. That is considered unbecoming! Arab modesty and decency have no room for such improper questions. After ten minutes have elapsed, after many questions are asked but few answers provided, the two friends recover their moistened hands and reluctantly part, each proceeding on his own way. [Image: Two Moroccan friends exchange an unhurried greeting on a sunny Rabat street as Jacques Dupont observes.] If they meet five or six more acquaintances along the way, they will reach their final destination an hour later. It does not matter at all. In any case good manners do not allow a respectable adult to run. Being in a hurry is generally considered vulgar. Etiquette demands that you take your time in walking, talking, eating, greeting a friend. The local social code says nothing about being late. The notion of time is indeed fascinating. It constitutes an intriguing difference among people of different countries and often becomes a source of misunderstanding. Being late, being kept waiting, changing or missing appointments is not perceived the same way in different cultures. In our international organizations, such as UNESCO, which have adopted the Western way of doing business, it is essential to know how much lead time is required for each activity and how far ahead to request an appointment or schedule a meeting. Planning is crucial. Schedules are sacred. This is the case for example, in Northern Europe. But as we move south, these plans and schedules take a much more flexible character. Once we cross the Mediterranean Sea, they become amorphous and rare. An appointment made several weeks in advance slips the mind. A Moroccan friend once told me that they believe Europeans and North Americans have a kind of devil inside who drives them crazy. They always hurry to get someplace, when the place would still be there, whenever they arrived. The same friend told me that when the buses were introduced to connect major cities in Morocco, the authorities had to explain their usefulness. “You see, instead of taking three days with your donkey to travel to Marakesh, you can get there in three hours with the bus.” “Oh, yes,” answered the Arab on the donkey “ and when I get there so early, what will I do?” But let us go back to the meeting which was only 30 minutes late to start. Once the opening greetings and civilities were over, another hour was spent puzzling over each other’s accents and in trying to decode what was really being said. When Mr. Subramaniam suddenly decided to speak French so that His Excellency Fassi-Bakkari would better grasp the point he was making, we were desperately lost. Somehow, the Indian accent does not mix well with French. (Does it mix well with Indian?) Helmut Streitz uttered each word emphatically and managed to make everything he said sound important. However, he sometimes tended to place the verb at the end of the sentence, as it is done in German. By the time the verb made its appearance at the end of the sentence, you had forgotten what the beginning was about. German minds must function in a very special way. When Mr. Makato Takahashi spoke, on the other hand, mixing the “l’s” and the “r’s”, his Excellency Fassi-Bakkari softly asked his neighbor in what language was the statement being made. While listening, an old French saying about the way languages are spoken in their native context came to mind. It goes something like this: English is chewed and swallowed, German is spit, Italian is sung and French is spoken. It does not say what you do with Japanese. After a while our internationally-attuned ears gradually became accustomed to the cacophony and we proceeded fairly smoothly. In international circles that happens all the time. [Image: International delegates speak across accents during a consultation beneath the arabesques of a Rabat palace.] Mr. Mohammed Fassi-Bekkari told us that the constant increase in population in Morocco aggravated the problem of unemployment, especially in the rural areas, where it took a chronic form. Problems related to housing, health, education, communications, trade and finance were dramatically deployed before us. The overall picture was gloomy. Very gloomy, indeed. The problems discussed, however, bluntly contrasted with the opulence of the meeting room, its rich ornamentation and fantastic arabesques. The ‘one-thousand-and-one-night’ Palace in which we were meeting made me wonder if we were actually talking of the same country. At the end of the first day’s meeting we were taken back to the hotel. No social event had been scheduled for that first evening because we were asked to read and digest tons of documents for the next day. Larry Thompson wanted to stretch his legs and do some shopping at the big Bazaar. I asked for directions at the Hotel reception, when the director, Mr. Mustapha Bakri, said, “Monsieur Dupont, if you could wait five minutes, I have to go myself to the ‘Souk’ to buy a dress for my daughter, Zeinab, and both of you could come along.“ So Mr. Thompson and I waited for five Moroccan minutes – that is about 30 regular ones – and at around 6 p.m. the expedition started. The whole Bakri family had gathered for the occasion: nine-year-old Zeinab, who needed a new dress, her mother, her father, the elder brother, a few sisters, a lady neighbor, Larry Thompson and me. The neighbor, Mrs. Mounira Mahjoub, was the key person of the expedition, since she was the technical expert on the matter. No one in the whole neighborhood ever bought a dress without the benefit of her advice. In the Bazaar she was known, respected and feared. Many stores in the Souk have what you may call ‘pullers-in’ who stand outside the store and entice potential customers to enter the establishment. They inform you persuasively that the prices are low, the quality high, and the bargains exceptional. They tell you “You do not have to buy. Just come in, look around and have a Coca-Cola.” In fact, you should keep running. If you show the shadow of some vague interest, they will never let you go. As Mustapha Bakri stopped to look at one window display with some curiosity, he was a dead duck. We were all dead ducks. In no time the puller-in pulled us all in. [Image: A lively shopkeeper draws the Bakri family, Jacques Dupont, and Larry Thompson into a crowded Moroccan souk.] We were offered tea, coffee, and lemonade. Mr. Bakri explained to Larry Thompson that it was considered rude to refuse and that drinking did not mean that we had to buy from that store. I stood in one corner to watch the scene and drank (or rather chewed) my Turkish coffee. The mother sat herself at a strategic point, next to expert Mounira, from which they could dominate the whole battlefield and direct operations. Little Zeinab stood on a raised platform having tried on a green and pink dress. Mr. Thompson asked if it was for Halloween. [Image: Nine-year-old Zeinab models a green-and-pink dress while Mounira directs a jovial bargaining session.] While cooling herself with a palm leaf, Mounira commented on the dresses with disdain and asked questions with overtones of belligerency. It was explained to us that the bargaining tactics had been fixed ahead of time. While Mr. Mustapha Bakri and his eldest son were to remain calm and courteous, the two ladies criticized without respite. The idea was always to minimize everything and never show the slightest enthusiasm. Everyone spoke. Little Zeinab, the only one who was really concerned, was told to be quiet. The salesman helped Zeinab change dresses, straighten them, and smooth them under a constant fire of negative remarks. The remarkable thing was that the whole ceremony took place in a jovial atmosphere. Everyone smiled. All of Mounira’s critical comments were received by the salesman with a grin or laughter. He, no doubt, knew the rules of the game. I could very well imagine what would have happened to our two Moroccan ladies if – Heaven forbid – they had taken the same attitude in a Parisian boutique! But in the Bazaar the event was considered a kind of amusing ceremony with its special protocol and code of conduct. For one thing, time did not exist. Most Moroccans carry around their wrists big gold watches. The richer the Moroccan, the bigger the watch. I suspect the watches are there for two main reasons: as a status symbol and for decorative purposes. In any case, the buying ceremony went on and on and on. Needless to say, Thompson had no idea about what was going on. I teasingly ventured to ask him “Is shopping the same in a U.S. mall?”. We laughed. Everybody was smiling or laughing. Nobody was buying. Now, Mounira had taken one dress in her knowledgeable hands and was standing at the door, holding it to the sun. She was feeling it, looking through it, pulling it, smelling it. Was she going to bite it? You could guess that things were coming to a head. Trying to be as detached and nonchalant as possible, she asked for the price. Having heard the answer, they all stood up instantaneously. Mr. Bakri and his son laughed – as if the price given by the salesman was a joke. The mother looked bewildered. Mounira acted flabbergasted, pulling the young girls out of the store, while the salesman attempted to argue and the puller-in tried to stop everyone from going out. The scene continued on the sidewalk until we turned the corner onto another street. [Image: Mounira examines Zeinab's dress in the sunlight before leading the family in a theatrical bargaining walkout.] Similar commotions took place in two other stores. Mr. Bakri explained to Mr. Thompson that one should never buy from the first store, no matter what. By going around you establish the real market value of the merchandise you want to acquire and then you can make the right choice. Mr. Thompson asked why there were no price tags on the goods. That seemed like a very strange idea to Mr. Bakri, who looked very puzzled. “How could one do business if you have price tags on the merchandise?” he asked. Mr. Thompson and I were tired, but did not dare go back to the hotel on our own. We would never be able to get out of the labyrinth. One good thing was that we were not thirsty, having benefited from the hospitality of three stores. By now I was getting addicted to Turkish coffee and I would be able to read those technical reports all night. Meanwhile we followed the party like docile sheep and gave up any thought of shopping for ourselves. After a full day’s work on Sheik Mohammed Fassi-Bakkari’s development project we could not take any more negotiation. To our great amazement, we suddenly found ourselves back at the first store to bargain for the first green and pink dress – the Halloween one. The arguing went on and on. On three occasions the party moved towards the door and was pulled back. The salesman looked several times at the ceiling, invoking Heaven. Mr. Thompson and I instinctively looked at the ceiling as well. There was a big fan in motion, trying to cool the atmosphere. At one point Heaven must have listened since both sides eventually reached agreement. The dress was purchased. More lemonades were served and probably many jokes made, for everyone smiled and laughed. Going back to the hotel Mr. Thompson said, “You are right, Mr. Bakri, you could not have all of this business with price tags!” The next day, the meeting was uneventful. We worked hard and made great progress. Perhaps, some of us now knew how to bargain. By the end of the day the project document was in fairly good shape as far as the substantive content was concerned. Our host looked delighted. None of the agencies present had any major problems with it, which augured well for the international financing the Moroccans were aiming at. The next day was going to be spent tightening it up and trying to rewrite it in one language. A national strategy for the protection of the rural environment was born! That evening we were to be treated and rewarded for the good work we had done. Sheik Mohammed Fassi-Bekkari invited us to a typical Moroccan restaurant to which tourists are seldom taken. Apparently it was the real thing! As we entered the place, we were struck by the decor and the fantastic interlacing patterns of flowers, foliage and fruits, the fountains, the mirrors, the gold, the incense, the soft music. Many Hollywood movies came to mind. I could see Yvonne de Carlo dancing wrapped up in seven veils. More than any other Middle Eastern people, the Moroccans have adopted and, so to speak, become addicted to every spice that has come their way en route to Europe from the Far East. They use them liberally to make up some very rich combinations. The smell in the dining room was most inviting. As soon as we were seated, a sumptuous succession of colorful dishes was paraded in front of us. The meal took place only a few inches above the ground. We crouched and squatted on lavish cushions and divans. Only the Moroccans looked relaxed and comfortable. Helmut Streitz, Larry Thompson and I seemed caught in three different, but equally uncomfortable, positions which would surely interfere with a normal digestion. Our Japanese and Indian colleagues seemed to do better than we. They must have practiced Yoga before coming to the meeting. Come to think of it, the Lotus position is particularly suitable for a Moroccan banquet. [Image: Jacques Dupont and the international delegates sit awkwardly around a low table during a lavish Moroccan banquet.] The first dish was of Tunisian origin: ‘Brik à l’Oeuf’. It consisted of meat, onion, and egg wrapped in a thin sheet of dough and deep-fried. It is delicious but it is imperative to bite the ‘Brik’ at one end, keep it tilted so that the egg will not escape, and gently bend it as you eat it. A delicate technique that develops with practice and experience. For Helmut and Larry, their first ‘brick’ was a disaster. Fortunately for Makoto Takahashi, he was too polite to quickly bite on the ‘Brik’. He observed how the Moroccans ate it and watched what went wrong on the other side of the table and managed quite well. He even seemed to have introduced some improvements of his own in handling it. That is Japan for you! Then we were served various tagines. A ‘Lamb, prune and honey Tagine’, which our host explained was a specialty of Fez. The sweetness of the honey was gently counterbalanced by the ginger, pepper and saffron. An amazing combination. The ‘T’faia Tagine’ which followed was a dish brought back by the Moriscos, five hundred years ago, when they had to leave Spain after the Reconquista. At that point I could only think of my stiff legs which I had decided to stretch under the low table. For some reason I could no longer move them back. When the ‘Couscous Royal’ was served I could tell that Larry Thompson was in great pain. His husky body was ill-adapted to Moroccan comfort. In answer to a question, Mohammed Fassi-Bekkari explained that this national dish of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia was made of fine ground wheat grain steamed over a stew, with lamb or chicken, a variety of vegetables, chickpeas and raisins. “Until recently,” he added, “every family would send its wheat to the local mill to be ground to the degree of finesse they preferred. Then the grain was submitted to a delicate and time-consuming treatment with flour, to keep each grain separate when steamed. Nowadays it is, unfortunately, bought ready-made for the sake of expediency.” Who would guess that industrial food processing was altering the tradition even in this part of the world. If industrialization could have only raised the level of the tables by a few inches! At that point, I had pins and needles all over my body. When I was presented with ‘Moroccan brochettes,’ ‘Kofta and eggs’, and ‘Stuffed vegetables’ I began to panic. Some of the Moroccan guests around the table ate in the traditional fashion with their fingers, showing a dexterity which is impossible to imitate. They would hand to us between three fingers a piece of ‘mechwi’ dripping with grease. We were told that it was extremely rude to refuse. I could no longer feel my legs. They were simply dead. Finally a Moroccan belch of satisfaction announced that we were approaching the end of the ordeal. After the sweets, the dates, the dried almonds and nuts, the mint tea ceremony, the hand-washing ritual, and a few speeches, blessings and invocations, the lavish reception came to an end. I tried to stand up. It must have been obvious to the smart and strong servants that some of us had a serious problem. They helped everyone and, in my case, literally rescued me, as from under an avalanche. In the process, my pants split open. [Image: Jacques Dupont attempts a dignified farewell after his trousers split while Moroccan hosts bow graciously.] Instinctively I put my hands on my buttocks to assess the damage. It was not a small crack, more like a crater. By holding my hands in that position I began to draw attention to myself. I then tried a nonchalant composure, debonairly walking out, but carefully avoiding having anyone behind me. Impossible. Our Moroccan hosts insisted to let me go first, gently bending and gracefully calling for heavenly protection. I bent back, thanking them. The crack seemed to widen, with every salutation. Lying in bed, that night, I thought about those two past days and recapitulated their events. We had worked hard, achieved our main objectives and had a good time. I was satisfied to realize that in the 12 or 13 years I had been with the Organization, I had made headway and gained ground. I was then forty-three or forty-four years old and felt more confident and poised. I had gained enough experience to feel self-assured and relaxed. I enjoyed the international dimension of my work, free of the apprehensions of my earlier years. I relished those positive thoughts and felt happy and serene. I wished I could share a mission with my wife and daughter. Difficult as it may be, I wanted to find some future occasion to do so. We were in the habit of taking annual vacations with Brigitte and Françoise in France and abroad, but that was different. I wanted them to feel and share an official mission with me. It was getting late and all that thinking on top of the ‘Couscous Royal’ was preventing me from sleeping. I suddenly remembered that outspoken lady on the plane to Senegal who had said to me, “You International Civil Servants attend too many banquets to discuss the causes of starvation in the Third World!” Smiling, I whispered to myself, ‘Hamdullelah’ and gently drifted down the tides of sleep. ### Explore the Chapters - [Around The World In Eighty Missions: Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Veronique, And The Other Nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo, And Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings And I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra And Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris With Nancy And Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle Of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt The Library Of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – Sunny Side Up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) © Copyright [Jacques Tocatlian](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/07/jacques-tocatlian-1929-2019/). All Rights Reserved. ## The Borobudur File - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/ - Published: 2000-08-31 - Last modified: 2026-07-31 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: An urgent UNESCO assignment sends Jacques Dupont to Indonesia with the wrong briefing file. Improvisation, cultural discovery, and a remarkably short speech turn the Borobudur Festival into one of his most memorable missions. [Image: Jacques Dupont holds mission papers before Borobudur temple, Indonesian dancers, and a mountain landscape.] [AUDIOBOOK](https://tocatlian.blog/2026/07/17/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions-the-audiobook/) [GET YOUR COPY](https://tocatlian.blog/2010/07/08/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions/) BROWSE BY CHAPTER - [Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Véronique and other nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo and Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings and I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra and Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris with Nancy and Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt the Library of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – sunny side up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) I distinctly remember that it was June 1980. I had just turned forty-five and had been promoted to director of a large division. That Monday morning I was peacefully planning my week at my desk, hoping to catch up with the backlog, when my Secretary came into the office, white as a sheet, to tell me that the Assistant Director General wanted to see me immediately about an urgent problem. Five minutes later he told me that I was to leave on a mission to Djakarta that very evening to represent UNESCO at the Borobudur Festival. What Borobudur festival? Why me? I knew practically nothing about the subject. I vaguely remembered that UNESCO had launched an international campaign and had collaborated with the Indonesian authorities for several years in restoring and rescuing the Borobudur Temple. What was the Festival about? I knew that the project was looked after by another division and handled by a project officer by the name of Massaringhe, a notoriously difficult, recalcitrant and confrontational man who could not stand me. Massaringhe disliked France and the French. He considered the French snobbish, cynical, elitist and arrogant. He often said that they have a natural inclination to show off and that they see themselves as the only civilized people on earth, believe that there is honor in seduction and world supremacy in a bottle of Grand Cru. Even though these characteristics were not necessarily mine, he had included me in his negative vision of the French. After my recent appointment to the director post, for which he had also applied, his resentment had intensified. The Assistant Director General told me that the decision had come from the very top and was not to be discussed. It was no use wasting time in trying to argue. A complete file had been prepared by the division in charge, with a concise description of the project, the agenda of the Festival, the speech to be delivered, and proposals in the draft ‘Program and Budget’ for continued collaboration with the Indonesians. Mr. Massaringhe had been asked to brief me and I had plenty of time to study the Borobudur file on the plane since I would arrive in Djakarta twenty-one hours after leaving Paris. I was already feeling tired, suffering from an anticipated jet-lag. I was then informed that the UNESCO Protocol Division would be in touch with the Indonesian Embassy in order to facilitate the delivery of an entry visa upon my arrival at the Djakarta Airport. I was going to be met at the airport and all arrangements would be made in time by the UNESCO Djakarta Office. I did not have to worry. When the Assistant Director-General saw me aghast and totally collapsed in my chair he said, “Come on, Jacques, consider yourself lucky. You are going to see the vastest, the oldest and the most beautiful monument in the southern hemisphere.” He waxed lyrical in its description. With its stone terraces rising skywards, stratum upon stratum and the profusion of unique stone reliefs and statues of the Buddha, this magnificent Buddhist sanctuary had been built over a thousand years ago and abandoned when people were converted to Islam. When it was rediscovered in the nineteenth century, it was rotting in ruins and seemed doomed to collapse. Thanks to UNESCO and to international cooperation this great work of human genius has been saved for posterity. I was told that I was lucky to see it on this occasion and that I should be happy and act accordingly. In spite of the energetic ‘pep-talk’ I did not feel happy. I did not know then that this would turn out to be an unforgettable mission. I left his office without saying a word. [Image: Jacques Dupont reacts to an urgent same-day assignment to represent UNESCO at the Borobudur Festival.] I spent the rest of the day running around frantically, overwhelming my secretary with an avalanche of orders. I canceled appointments, I delegated authority, I distributed assignments and secured my Travel Order, my tickets and my travelers’ checks. I called Brigitte and asked her to cancel the dinner party and pack my suitcase instead. At first she said that she did not know that she had married a Paratrooper or Fireman and then wanted to know what all the excitement was about and what was Borobudur, anyway. When I answered that I did not know, she thought I was being nasty and was most upset. Then my daughter called, crying on the phone, because I had promised to attend the school play on Friday where she was to come down from the ceiling as an angel, suspended by a rope. I had promised to attend the play in order to applaud her and, at the same time, hold my wife’s hand who was scared stiff at the thought that the rope might break. In fact, we all thought Françoise, who was nine at the time, was too big to play angels. Among other things my daughter was upset because she had studied volcanoes in school and knew that Indonesia was in a geologically active area of the Pacific known as ‘the Ring of Fire’. She informed me between two sobs that the Indonesian chain was home to some 130 active volcanoes. Why did I have to go to such places! I was impressed by the knowledge of my nine-year-old angel. In the meantime, Mr. Massaringhe never showed up. A few minutes before I frantically left my office, his Secretary came in and handed me the Borobudur file with an icy look, saying, “This is the file that was prepared for Mr. Massaringhe’s mission,” I do not know how on earth I managed to be on that Air France flight to Bangkok, that Monday evening. I was scheduled to arrive in Bangkok at around noon on Tuesday, then leave Bangkok that same evening to arrive in Djakarta before midnight. Mr. Mangala, Director of the UNESCO Office in Djakarta, would have made all the arrangements for transportation to Borobudur on Wednesday, where the Festival would start on Thursday. Mr. Mangala certainly knew a lot about the project and could very well have represented UNESCO all by himself. We were now above the clouds and I could not get my mind off Mr. Massaringhe. What had happened? Why not him? Why not Mangala? Why me? Would I ever find out? After a while I dozed off. I woke up just in time for cocktails. The lady next to me was very attractive and elegantly dressed. Dinner was delicious. A little champagne, a little Bordeaux, and Borobudur did not look so bad after all. I loved to travel by Air France. For one thing, meals were generally first-rate and champagne was served generously. After coffee I pulled the famous file from my briefcase and opened it for the first time, with great expectations. I was suddenly horrified and terror-stricken. I turned page after page, totally appalled. The file was about the restoration of the colonial center of Quito, Ecuador! I was petrified. I must have been as pale as death because the lady to my right asked me if I was feeling well. My blood was running cold. How could such an incredibly stupid thing have happened? The lady handed me a glass of champagne. I asked for the bottle. [Image: Jacques Dupont discovers aboard an Air France flight that his Borobudur briefing file is actually about Quito.] I had to talk to someone. I told her the whole story, over and over again, in total disarray. She listened with interest but I could detect in her mocking eyes a shadow of amusement. I must have been very excited, gesticulating abundantly. Her elegant composure and crystalline voice eventually pacified me a little. She was a very graceful Eurasian lady, could have been anywhere between thirty-five and fifty-five. She had lived in Indonesia for many years. She was probably born there. She had visited Borobudur and knew the country inside out. She taught Asian History at the State University of Utrecht, Holland, and went back to Indonesia every year for the summer holidays. “You know,” she said sipping her champagne, “You did not get the wrong file by mistake. Your colleague who was supposed to undertake this mission gave you the wrong file on purpose. It is his revenge. Believe me, I know a lot about such underhanded maneuvers. Feminine intuition is a powerful tool.” I did not answer. My Eurasian neighbor, who seemed to know a lot about intrigues, suddenly appeared to me as a sort of modern Mata-Hari. She continued to talk while I was searching in my memory for the ‘Mata-Hari file’. I had read her biography by Alain Decaux, in Les dossiers secrets de l’histoire (The secret files of History). Mata-Hari, famous oriental dancer and spy, was in fact Dutch, just like my neighbor. Mata-Hari was not born in Java as she pretended, but in plain Leewareden, Holland. Her real name was Margaretha-Geertruida Zelle – or Grietje for close friends. She had spent a few years in Indonesia with her husband. In Java, she had become totally bewitched by the sacred dances, the religious rites and ancestral mysteries of the local culture. Later on, Grietje from Leewareden became, for the world at large, Mata-Hari from Java. When I heard the word ‘Borobudur’, I suddenly realized that my neighbor had been talking to me for sometime, while my mind had again wandered. “How interesting!” I said “This is my first visit, please tell me about Indonesia.” “I just did!” she answered. “I want more. I want more. You are my Borobudur file!” She giggled with satisfaction and, as an experienced lecturer from Utrecht she described Indonesia ad nauseam. I learned that Indonesia is made up of over 10,000 islands. It is the fourth most populated country in the world. From West to East, Indonesia is 1000 kilometers longer than the USA. It has 600 varieties of orchids and possesses the largest flower on earth, the ‘Raflesia’ which is over a yard in diameter. I wondered how a young bride would look with a dozen raflesias in her arms and chuckled at the thought. I also learned that there are seventeen language groups but the national language is Bahasa Indonesia. It is basically Malay, enriched by Dutch, Indian, Arabic and English words. She said that it was a very simple language to learn. All the champagne I had drunk had put me in an exhilarating mood and a number of silly thoughts came through my mind. I thought that since I did not have the Borobudur file to read on the flight, I could perhaps learn Bahasa Indonesia, instead. Unperturbed by my smiles and chuckles Mata-Hari continued her lecture. Until 1949 Indonesia had been a Dutch colony under the name of ‘Netherlands East Indies’. The mass expulsion in 1957 virtually eliminated all the Dutch settlers from the country. In addition to the indigenous population, there were numerous Chinese and a few Eurasians, native-born residents of mixed parentage. “Eurasians are beautiful”, I said. She smiled. She went on to explain that in an integrated effort of its diverse populations, the Republic of Indonesia had retained as a national slogan ‘Bhinneka tuggal Ika’, which means ‘Diverse and one, at the same time’. I repeated the motto and had my pronunciation corrected several times until I could say it well. “Almost like a native,” she said. “But how is Borobudur?” I asked. She informed me that the great Buddhist Temple in Java, 8th century A.D., consisted of a series of terraces around a hill 150 feet high, at the top of which is a large Stupa, surrounded by several smaller ones. The stone lining of the terrace walls is completely covered with exquisite relief sculptures illustrating the life of Buddha. My lecturer went on to explain – while her only student began to feel sleepy – that the average yearly income in Indonesia was about $600. Most Indonesians had to have three or four jobs in order to survive. “You know, the population grows by over 2 million people each year,” she said with a strange expression on her face, as though I had something to do with it. I figured that perhaps, deep inside, she felt that the Borobudur Festival – which she probably imagined as a sort of mundane supercocktail – was not what the country needed most to cope with its economic problems. “But cultural heritage, history and national patrimony are certainly important aspects of a nation’s life, don’t you think?” And before she could answer I added, “If the national slogan is ‘Diverse but one’ (Bhinneka Tuggal Ika), Borobudur certainly contributes in making the ‘diverse’ feel like ‘one’.” She nodded and said that it sounded good enough for a UNESCO speech. [Image: An Indonesian-Dutch historian briefs Jacques Dupont about Indonesia over coffee in Bangkok airport.] With the ironic thought that, after several hours, I had found one good sentence for my speech, I smiled and closed my eyes to rest. I felt strange. Why was I in such a good mood? After all, the situation I was in could turn out to be very embarrassing. Back in the Office when anything crossed me ever so little I lost heart and temper. Whereas here everything was amusing. Strange. After breakfast, or was it lunch, we arrived in Bangkok. At the VIP lounge I called Paris. It was one o’clock in the afternoon in Bangkok and seven in the morning in Paris. The Assistant Director General was under the shower. In very few words I told him that I had been given a file about Quito, Ecuador and that I expected to receive by cable (The fax was not yet in use then) the full text of the speech and whatever information would not be available at the Djakarta office. “If I do not receive such cable in time, ” I added you will understand that I shall not be in a position to attend the event. In that case, perhaps Mr. Mangala could take the floor for UNESCO.” The answer was “ Mr. Mangala is in New Delhi and shall not be back in time”. After a long silence I said emphatically “Then, please keep an eye on Mr. Massaringhe, on what he will send and on when he will send it”. I had never talked to the Assistant Director General in that tone, but I was certain that I had managed to put a quick end to a leisurely shower! I then looked for Mata-Hari who had promised to tell me more about Indonesia, until the departure of the Thai flight, and probably beyond. I was being followed all the time by a skinny Thai who offered to take me downtown to a good massage parlor. I was unable to discourage him with any of the arguments I could think of. He followed me all over the airport, until I found Mata-Hari. He then left with a big smile saying, “I now understand.” We sat for coffee. I asked her “How does one behave in Indonesia? Tell me about good manners, etiquette and local aspects of courtesy.” She obviously liked the question. She put on her special Utrecht professor look and advised me that I should never touch the head, hair, hat, or turban of an Indonesian man or woman, for the head is the sacred part of the human body. It is the seat of strength and power. Touching someone’s head is considered an insult. I assured her that it was not at all my intention. She smiled and explained that it is not necessary to take off your hat in front of a lady. Indonesia is a Muslim country, men keep their little hats on. “Like in the old Hollywood movies ” she added “ where men are indoors, without jackets, sometimes without ties, but always with their hats on.” Then she went on giving some hints regarding table manners. “As a guest you have to eat faster than your host who is not allowed to finish his dish before you. In the country if you eat with your fingers, be sure that your host dips his fingers in the water bowl before you do. Never hand over something with your left hand. It is insulting.” She continued to explain table etiquette in great details, until I decided that it would be much too complicated to eat in Indonesia. So I gradually stopped concentrating, as the jet lag was beginning to show its effects on me. Obviously the Mata-Haris of the world suffer no jet lag. “If you go to Bali, it is another story”, she said “Bali is a Hindu society. Civilities are subtle and complicated. For example, the higher the rank the higher the chair you sit in. As a UNESCO Director you will probably be given a very tall bar stool.” “Since I am afraid of heights, I should avoid Bali!” Another strange thing I learned was that, in Bali, when you give a present you should leave the price tag on so that the person who receives the gift will be able to reciprocate with a more expensive one. If you hide the price, you create confusion. Then she went on saying that funerals are a joyous ceremony in Bali and one is not expected to look sad. She ended the Bali chapter on funerals by informing me that in a mountain district called Tenagan, water is sprayed on the corpse, collected under the coffin and offered around in small glasses. When you drink that water the virtues of the departed are infused into you. I bet that Mr. Massaringhe did not know that. When the Thai flight to Djakarta was announced, we proceeded to the gate. Dinner was delicious. The Thai hostess as feminine and pleasant as can be. The flight smooth. The landing perfect. At the airport’s customs I expected endless problems. Instead, the entry visa was granted without difficulty. Smiles shined on all the faces. The luggage was there. Mr. Russell, the Acting Director of the UNESCO Office, was also there to greet me. Mr. Russell was a tall and skinny man, wearing glasses, almost bald with a high-pitched raspy voice. He was shy, unsure of himself and knew the UNESCO Rules and Regulations by heart. I was driven to a comfortable hotel. The night was reasonably calm. On Wednesday morning after breakfast, Mr. Russell, fairly excited, appeared on the scene to announce that a few journalists had come to the hotel for a mini-press conference. “You must be joking! Impossible!” I said and as I began to explain why such an encounter could not take place, the journalists were introduced to me one by one. We bowed to each other and exchanged smiles and greetings. There was something so incredibly unreal about the situation that I had to laugh. This new development put me in an exceptionally cheerful mood. It was too much. I felt as if I was about to participate in an amusing game or competition. The whole event struck me as a sort of hallucination – or was it another of my dreams? Dream or reality, there I was on a small platform, without notes, without files, without knowledge, surrounded by half a dozen short, tanned and smiling men, with sleek black hair and wide noses. “Mr. Dupont,” asked the first journalist “We are very happy to greet you in our country. Could you tell us why you are here?” “Because the Assistant Director General of UNESCO told me to be here,” I said. The journalists burst into laughter. Mr. Russell looked bewildered. The journalists told me later that they thought I had a good sense of humor, compared to the more conventional diplomats of the United Nations family. In fact, only humor could save the day for me. I answered all questions with a cocktail combining my general knowledge of UNESCO’s policy and programs, the briefings of Mata-Hari, a touch of good sense, a pinch of humor and a tiny sprinkle of diplomacy and praise. So, help me God. “Why is UNESCO represented at this festival?” “UNESCO, as a friendly organization which has cooperated with Indonesia for many years in the fields of education, science, culture and communication, tries to be present at every major event to bring its moral support.” “Mr. Dupont do you think the Borobudur Festival is a major event?” “Well, yes. If it were not a major event, would you all be here this morning?” They giggled. “Mr. Dupont, we are sure the national authorities are thankful for the moral support, but don’t you think our people need more than moral support?” “Yes, indeed. This is why our collaboration in education, science, culture and communication involves concrete financial assistance in a multitude of projects in Indonesia. In addition to these financially-supported activities, we also encourage and give moral support to what we think are worthwhile national activities, such as this one.” “Could you tell us, Mr. Dupont, what concrete financial support UNESCO is bringing to Indonesia in general and to Borobudur in particular? “ “Well, well. What UNESCO has done in the past for Indonesia and Borobudur is well known to you and has been widely covered by the local press over the years. What UNESCO assistance and collaboration will include in the future will be discussed with the national authorities during my short stay in Indonesia. You will understand that it would be embarrassing if your ministers were to learn of these proposals through the press. I shall be glad to discuss this question with you at the end of my mission, should I have the pleasure of seeing you again.” They again chuckled and smiled. When the questions moved from Borobudur to the problems of Indonesia in general, I drew abundantly from the Mata-Hari brief and cited without restraint an avalanche of figures and statistics the number of islands, the different types of orchids, the famous Raflesia flower, the yearly national income, table manners, peculiarities of Bali funerals and what have you. Mr. Russell had first turned purple and was now becoming white as a ghost. The journalists continued to smile. What is the real meaning of a smile in Asia, I’ll never know! “Our country is democratic. Our University and high school students are free to organize public demonstrations to protest against corruption and dilapidation of public funds. Their slogan is ‘Kami Ingin Tahu’, which means ‘we want to know.’ How does UNESCO feel about that?” asked a journalist. “UNESCO does not and cannot interfere in internal matters. But as you well know, UNESCO is for a free press and the freedom of expression. ‘We want to know’ is a good motto. We all need to know. Knowledge is basic to education, to research, to advancement of science, to progress and democracy. UNESCO’s own slogan could very well be “ Kami Ingin Tahu.” “Mr. Dupont what is really Borobudur for UNESCO?” “It is a beautiful Buddhist Temple which deserves to be saved for future generations – from an aesthetic, architectural, historical and religious point of view. But more than that, it is a symbol of Indonesian diversity and unity. The beauty of that temple proclaims for everyone to hear ‘we are diverse, but one at the same time’… ‘Bhinneka Tuggal Ika.” At that point the journalists stood up and applauded. I came down towards them, shaking hands, but not touching their heads, and apologizing for my bad Indonesian accent. They said it was almost like a local accent from southern Sumatra. Where did I learn it? I told them I had had a good teacher by the name of Mata-Hari. Again they laughed. Mr. Russell looked thunderstruck. He did not know how to take all that “blah-blah-blah.” Neither did I. I never imagined for a moment that Mr. Massaringhe’s file would turn out to be so useless! [Image: Jacques Dupont improvises at a Jakarta press conference as Indonesian journalists smile and Mr. Russell worries.] The next day, to Mr. Russell’s astonishment, the local papers had nothing but praise for UNESCO and its representative from Paris. Deep inside I was thankful to the French Education system at large and, in particular, to the Political Sciences Faculty who had taught me how to enlarge on a subject I ignored, with zest, animation and a certain logic. That mini-press conference gave me great confidence. I felt jubilant and in good spirits. With Mr. Russell’s agreement, I convened a meeting at the UNESCO Djakarta Office, I asked a thousand questions on the Festival, took notes, invited opinions and advice and discussed everything. Then a cable arrived from Paris. It contained the speech, essential briefing elements and many apologies. We left for Borobudur. Borobudur was just like Mata-Hari had described it. Situated on a hill commanding an extensive view of rice fields and more distant towering volcanoes, the Temple looked like a low pyramid composed of successively receding platforms. Impressively majestic and beautiful. The Assistant Director General was right. I was lucky to be here. [Image: Jacques Dupont and Mr. Russell see Borobudur rising above rice fields with distant volcanoes.] The place was crowded. The Festival was attended by many foreign dignitaries, Ambassadors from Djakarta, members of the government and the army as well as politicians, and to quote Shakespeare “the choice and master spirits of the age.” Beyond the fenced Festival area, a huge colorful crowd added a further dimension to the event. There were puppet shows, dances and songs. When the crowd recognized an important public figure they would shout something which sounded very rude to my French ears. I asked Mr. Russell in disbelief, “Are they really shouting ‘Merde’ or am I not hearing well?” Mr. Russell smiled and explained, “Since the Liberation from Dutch colonialism, the patriotic greeting is ‘Merdeka’, which the crowd scans as ‘Merde- Merde- Merdeka’”. “Oh, well,” I said, “Before he comes on an official visit, the President of the French Republic should be thoroughly briefed! “ [Image: Jacques Dupont and Mr. Russell watch dancers, a puppeteer, and a drummer at the Borobudur Festival.] The event lasted a long time. The sun was scorching. I wondered how the Borobudur Temple had not melted after all these centuries. Speech after speech, everything that could possibly be said on Borobudur was said. Speakers before me uttered the very thoughts and phrases which Mr. Massaringhe had put in the UNESCO communication. I did not think I had the time or wit to come up with anything original. Then, the Master of Ceremony warned me that it would soon be my turn, and politely asked if it would at all be possible to make a short speech. “Oh, yes!” I said relieved. I glanced at the twelve-page draft, which I had carefully edited, page after page, with Mr. Russell and practically memorized overnight, and in no time I reduced it to three paragraphs: a) the greeting, b) a concise recollection of UNESCO’s past involvement and c) what we will try to do in the future. It was the shortest and, for that reason, one of the most applauded talks of the day. As I was stepping down from the podium, someone in the crowd fainted – probably due to a sunstroke. I later learned that it was Mr. Russell who, at the end of my brief, unconventional speech, had blacked out. We never discussed the reasons for his malaise. [Image: Jacques Dupont gives his concise Borobudur Festival speech as the overwhelmed Mr. Russell faints behind him.] The meeting with the national authorities concerning future cooperation between Indonesia and UNESCO went very well. We spoke of the Consultative Committee on the International Campaign to Safeguard Borobudur and other related matters. I took ample notes and structured my mission report before leaving the country, fearing that if I did not do it right away I would forget important points. I could have entitled my mission report “Much Ado About Nothing,” but I did not want to cause any further fainting. It was now Friday or Saturday – I wasn’t sure. Mr. Russell was bidding me goodbye at the airport. He looked very happy to see me go. I could not remember when I had last slept and felt completely washed out. The plane had not yet taken off that I was asleep, with seat belt on. I do not know how many intermediate landings we made, how many meals were served, or how many movies were shown. The real and the unreal intermingled in a sort of hypnotic somnolence. Once in a while, an announcement would pull me out of my lethargy for a few seconds and then I would quickly sink into unconsciousness. It must have been the funeral of some notorious man. Borobudur was crowded. Dignitaries were invited to speak one after another. Water had been poured over the corpse and each speaker was given a glass of that water to drink. I did not want any, since I had been told that Mangala was dying from it in a New Delhi hospital. Russell and Massaringhe were performing a Bali dance, ‘the fight of good against evil.’ When the journalists recognized me they joyfully cheered and had me sit on a ve ry high stool from which I could dominate the scene. Far away to my right I could see Mata-Hari selling Batik textiles. To my left the Assistant Director General was taking a shower by the fountain. Way out in front, my daughter, dressed as an angel, was swinging at the end of a rope. Then a tempestuous wind hit the podium and a thousand sheets of paper flew over the crowd. “Not to worry,” said the Master of Ceremony, “it is only the Borobudur file!”” [Image: An exhausted Jacques Dupont dreams of the Borobudur mission as familiar characters and flying papers swirl around him.] ### Explore the Chapters - [Around The World In Eighty Missions: Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Veronique, And The Other Nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo, And Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings And I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra And Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris With Nancy And Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle Of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt The Library Of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – Sunny Side Up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) © Copyright [Jacques Tocatlian](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/07/jacques-tocatlian-1929-2019/). All Rights Reserved. ## Spiders, Véronique and other nuisance - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/ - Published: 2000-08-31 - Last modified: 2026-08-15 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: On a UNESCO mission in Nairobi, Jacques navigates a spider scare, marital jealousy, Véronique’s plea, and an anniversary safari across Kenya. [Image: Women carry baskets across an African landscape as a safari vehicle, flamingos, elephants, and a spider appear nearby.] [AUDIOBOOK](https://tocatlian.blog/2026/07/17/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions-the-audiobook/) [GET YOUR COPY](https://tocatlian.blog/2010/07/08/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions/) BROWSE BY CHAPTER - [Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Véronique and other nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo and Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings and I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra and Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris with Nancy and Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt the Library of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – sunny side up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) I opened my eyes. The room was dark. It was not my room. The street lights projected a ghostly silhouette onto the window. As I moved in my bed, the silhouette turned and spoke. I recognized Brigitte’s voice: “Are you alright, Jacques?” “Is that you, Brigitte? Where are we? What time is it?” “We are in Nairobi, darling! It’s three o’clock in the morning.” “In Nairobi?” I asked, wondering for a moment if I was in the middle of a dream. Brigitte sat on the edge of the bed and reminded me that we had just flown in from Paris the previous evening. We were in the New Stanley Hotel in downtown Nairobi. “We are in Africa, Jacques. In the cradle of Humanity!” It all came back to me: it was our twentieth wedding anniversary. I had asked Brigitte to accompany me for my three-day mission in Nairobi to be followed by a week-long vacation, including a safari to Lake Nakuru, Masai Mara and Amboseli. I remember that it was 1983. Brigitte was 43 and I was 48. It was the first time she had accompanied me on a mission since I had joined UNESCO and I had promised myself to give her a memorable vacation. In many ways it did turn out to be memorable… “Why are you not sleeping, Brigitte?” I asked. “Because I am worried. Like a fool, I forgot all my medicine in Paris. What a stupid thing to do!” Brigitte, like most French people, took lots of medicines. Her sister Liliane once said that both she and Brigitte had lost their pharmaceutical virginity very early in life. Brigitte had felt depressed lately and the doctor had given her an antidepressant of the pre-Prozac age. As a result, she had gained weight and her mouth was as dry as sand. But her mood had become brighter and her spiky temper had tapered off. Her doctor had strongly recommended not to stop taking that medicine abruptly lest she would endure serious side effects. So our stay in Kenya began with a tour of the Nairobi pharmacies and seeing a doctor. The latter recommended a different medication, since he was not familiar with the particular French brand Brigitte was referring to. A different medication which, of course, Brigitte refused to take. On the way back to the hotel we were caught in total traffic anarchy. Nothing moved. The taxi driver was in a talkative mood and gave us a lecture on Nairobi traffic problems. He said that since a shrewd Lebanese entrepreneur had imported those light scooters you could see everywhere, most Kenyans abandoned the bicycle for the scooter. Now, those noisy machines, which can be driven without any particular training, were crowding Nairobi [Image: Jacques and Brigitte watch a Nairobi family signal a turn together from two scooters.] Brigitte and I looked around and watched all these scooters milling around. Whole families traveled on these scooters. Father, mother, two or three children, not to mention everything they could carry on their heads. You could also see some ladies in their colorful dresses, driving these scooters with an unequaled sense of balance, their dresses floating like sails on a boat. There were also large numbers of ostentatiously decorated cars that made the Detroit design of the fifties look like models of elegance and tasteful moderation. At one point, we caught a scene that made us laugh heartily. In front of us was a family on two scooters. On the first one, the father driving with a four- or five-year-old son behind him, followed by the mother, on the second scooter, with a baby bundled on her back and, on the back seat, the eldest daughter with a basket of fruit on her head. When they decided to turn, the driver extended his right hand to signal a right turn. Automatically his son extended his hand, followed by the mother and the daughter. It seemed to us that even the baby on his mother’s back stretched his right hand. It was a wondrous sight. Hearing us laugh, the driver told us that the previous week he had heard that a man on a scooter had been hit by a car when, without giving a signal, he decided to turn into the front yard of his house. When scolded by the police, the scooter driver was shocked and said, “Officer, this is my own house! Do I have to ask anyone’s permission to turn into my own front yard?” We laughed but, looking at my watch, I was getting nervous. I asked the taxi driver if he could try a different way since It was terribly embarrassing to be late for the very first gathering organized for us. I should never have asked. The taxi driver took an abrupt left turn and, hooting his horn, tried to break the sound barrier. It seemed to us that he was heading in the wrong direction. He said that he would circle the city and take us to the hotel from its other end. For some reason there was only one safety belt for the two backseats. Brigitte and I sat tightly next to each other with that one belt strapped over our bodies, joined like Siamese twins. I kept telling the driver that the appointment was not all that important. He would not listen. We were in a car designed for war with a four-wheel drive and tremendous torque and booster-rocket horsepower. The sensation of personal supremacy was obviously intoxicating for the driver. Stop signs became suggestions rather than law. Brigitte closed her eyes, prayed and thought of her precious tranquilizers that had been left behind in Paris. Somehow, we reached the hotel in one piece and rushed into the meeting room. It was an informal gathering of all the Kenyans who had benefited from some form of UNESCO support, such as fellowships, study grants, invitation to international congresses, the services of visiting consultants or experts. The gathering was meant as a tribute to UNESCO. They took turns to explain, with dignity and humility, what UNESCO’s support had meant to them and, in some cases, how it had changed their lives. They spoke in simple, succinct but very moving terms. I felt proud and particularly happy that my wife could listen to such accounts. After the meeting she told me that she understood more fully what UNESCO was actually doing in the field and why I was so dedicated to its mission. I was suddenly invaded by a warm feeling of satisfaction. Shortly thereafter, I left for my technical meetings and Brigitte joined a group for an afternoon visit of the Nairobi National Park. In this park, only a few kilometers from the city center, one can see specimens of virtually all of Kenya’s big game. When we went to bed that night, Brigitte sounded exhilarated. She had seen and learned a lot of interesting things and wanted to talk about them. She spoke with great enthusiasm. Africans, she thought, were easy-going and friendly towards foreigners and very tolerant of any social errors they might make. With a few exceptions, however, such as public nudity, open display of anger, vocal criticism of their country and public demonstration of affection. Great emphasis is placed on pleasantries and hand-shakes. Apparently, Africans are proud and touchy. It is very important to preserve a person’s dignity. In no case should an African be blamed in front of others. It is very difficult for them to accept open criticism. “Have you learned all of this at the Nairobi National Park?” I asked in disbelief. She giggled and said that she had learned those things from a charming Italian who was on the tour. “While chatting with your Italian, did you see any game?” I asked “Oh, yes plenty,” she replied “but speaking with ‘my’ Italian I mentioned that I had left my medicines in Paris and he suggested that I should go to a Healer instead. He knows of a good one in Nairobi with great supernatural powers who would make all my psychological distress and anxiety disappear. He said that he would do his best to ensure my well-being. He offered to take me to the Healer tomorrow and I have accepted.” I do not know if Brigitte had intentionally meant to tickle my jealousy, but I was annoyed. For the next half hour I tried to change her mind. I marshaled all sorts of arguments, with no result. My attitude gradually changed from mild suspicion to utter jealousy. She wanted the Healer and, come hell or high water she was determined to go. In any case, she said that my fears were unfounded. I was much too conservative and obviously ignorant of the matter since I seemed to confuse healing with witchcraft. She was seeing a Healer not a Sorcerer! And she was not going to let the Healer bewitch her. “What about your Marcello Mastroianni?” I asked. “Have no fear. He is no Mastroiani! Besides you should know that unaccompanied women in Africa face sexual harassment. I’ll be much safer this way.” [Image: Brigitte perches on a hotel desk while Jacques searches for an imagined spider with a slipper.] Unable to change her mind, I gave her a last reproachful look and turned off the light. I worried in silence for a long while. In the middle of the night, Brigitte screamed at the top of her voice. I jumped, but for a few seconds, again I did not know where I was, nor what was going on. When I managed to turn on the light, Brigitte was standing on the bed in hysterics, pale as a sheet. “ There is a huge spider under the bed! There is a huge spider!” she kept repeating. “It must have been a nightmare, Brigitte.” “No.No,” she kept insisting “It is a huge, black spider and it is under the bed.” I went on my knees, with a slipper in my hand, on a spider-safari but could not see any. Then Brigitte thought that the spider was under the sheets. I had to undo the bed, while she was perched on top of the desk. I looked under every piece of furniture, in the bathroom, in the closets, under the rugs, everywhere. No spider. Then Brigitte said that under no circumstances would she sleep in this room. She thought that the least I could do was ask for another one. It was two thirty in the morning and I was not going to make a fool of myself. We argued some more. I finally said that in Nairobi there were no rooms guaranteed to be spiderless and that it was a real pity she had forgotten to bring her tranquilizers. At that point she burst into tears and sobbed for a long while saying that I was callous and cruel and that this was no way to celebrate a wedding anniversary. I tried my best to calm her down. When we turned off the light it was almost four. My spider-hunting safari had exhausted me. For many years, whenever we recalled this scene we burst out laughing. But that night there was no laughing matter. It was simply tragic. I spent the next day working while Brigitte went to the Healer and visited the National Museum and the Snake Park. When we met at the hotel early in the evening she was still tense – not totally healed. I did not inquire about the Healer nor the Italian. She asked to be excused for the evening. She did not really care to come to the dinner party we had been invited to at the home of Dr. Mabungu, a University Professor. I did not insist since in Africa, wives are often invited but not always accompany their husbands to such small, unofficial dinner parties. In effect, when I reached Dr. Mabungu’s house I noticed there were six or seven gentlemen and one French lady by the name of Véronique, the wife of Dr. Maina. I had met Véronique on my previous visits to Kenya, for she seemed to attend every cocktail and dinner party in Nairobi. Her conversation was lively and her personality striking. She had lived in Kenya for the last fifteen years or so, but always gave the impression of not being adjusted to the African way of life. She was excessive. As I remember, she wanted to fly, she wanted to sing, to act, to travel, to hunt, to do nothing, to do everything. She struck me as a huge volcano of emotions, vulnerable and lacking focus. Yet everyone agreed that Véronique was smart and intriguingly charming. At Véronique’s invitation I sat next to her, but did not manage to strike a conversation with her for quite a while because the group was dominated by Mr. Wanga who demanded undivided attention. Mr. Wanga was talking about the problems of Africa. He spoke calmly but looked angry. He said, “Burdened with climatic changes, deprivation and disease and, now, conflict, coups, genocides and corruption – the pernicious legacy of 400 years of foreign domination – Africa finds it difficult to emerge.” Véronique remarked that Europe could not continue to be blamed for every African problem after all these years. To which Mr. Wanga said, “Mrs. Maina! European slave traders shipped possibly as many as 13 million Africans into bondage overseas. Consider what effect just the six years of World War II had on the consciousness of the developed world and, then, imagine the effect that four centuries of slavery had on the entire social and cultural ethos of an undeveloped continent.” After a brief silence, Véronique asked, “Does this explain and justify the corruption of many of our African leaders?” “The legacy of 400 years of slavery and exploitation does not justify, but certainly explains, the situation.” replied Mr. Wanga. He went on to say that Western civilization had failed to provide mankind with a viable framework for social harmony and moral and spiritual fulfillment. Western civilization had created more problems of great complexity for Africa than those it had solved. “Westernization” he concluded “has damaged the local economic, social and political fabric of African society.” The servants brought some food and drinks and the conversation, fortunately, moved on to more neutral and safer ground. I thought to myself that it was a good thing that Brigitte had not come. Her views and that of Mr. Wanga differed widely and it would have been difficult to prevent some sparks. [Image: Véronique whispers a private request to Jacques during a dinner in Nairobi as Mr. Wanga looks on.] At this point Véronique shifted to French, a language which was probably not shared by others, and whispered, “How long are you staying in Kenya?” I explained that at the end of my work in Nairobi I would undertake a safari with my wife. She became very interested and asked many questions concerning the safari, the itinerary, the departure dates, the cost and then added that she desperately needed to talk to me on a private matter of the utmost importance.” I was startled for I had only occasionally met Véronique at parties and did not feel we had reached the stage of confidential secret-sharing. She added, “I cannot discuss the matter here while my husband is observing me but will get in touch with you soon. Please do not mention this conversation to anyone. Not even to your wife. I count on you. I trust you.” She moved around to get some food and I remained on the sofa flabbergasted. Silence descended on the gathering as the food received due attention. Dr. Mabungu looked at me with surprise and asked, “Is everything alright, Mr. Dupont?” Was everything all right? Obviously not. That night I could not fall asleep. It was almost three and I was still wondering in my bed what Véronique wanted. Many scenarios went through my mind, one more extravagant than the other. Later when I fell asleep one of these scenarios became a dream and I must have mumbled aloud in my sleep, for Brigitte woke me up asking, “Is everything alright, Jacques?” “Oh! Yes,” I said “I was having a nightmare.” Brigitte wanted to know the subject of my dream. I first said I did not remember. As she insisted, I said I thought I struggled with a huge black spider. To which she replied ironically, “Was the spider’s name Véronique?” From that point on I knew that my mission would be hell. In the morning I showered and shaved. For one reason or another since I had arrived in Nairobi I had not had a single good night’s sleep and that showed on my face. My eyes were puffed, my skin gray and I felt tense. I kissed Brigitte goodbye and went down for breakfast. [Image: A tearful Véronique asks Jacques for help over breakfast at the New Stanley Hotel.] I had not started my coffee when a lady came and sat at my table. Véronique! “Listen to me, Jacques, you have to help me. I am desperate. I have to get out of this country. I must go back to France. My husband won’t let me. The French Embassy won’t help me. I have no one to turn to. You are my only hope. I am drifting away without anchor, at the mercy of winds and waves…” She started crying. It seemed to me that the whole New Stanley Hotel was looking at us. I said, “Please, Véronique, I beg you to control yourself.” And in order to shift the conversation into a different subject, I added, “Do you have children?” She replied that she did not have any. I asked her if she wanted coffee. She composed herself and continued, while everyone within listening range seemed attentive, “My husband is very nice but I cannot take this kind of life any longer. In Africa, loyalty to one’s family takes precedence over personal needs. In our house we have had, for the past fifteen years, visiting cousins, aunts and uncles staying with us. When one goes another arrives. It is like Grand Central Station in New York or la Gare St Lazare in Paris! Here, there is no concept of privacy. African friends are generous. They give you time and effort. But they expect you to give them your whole life in return. A couple has no private life. There is no personal life for the individual. I live for and owe everything to my extended family. I seem to be fog-bound and adrift. I have ceased to exist. I have lost all my inner resources” “What do you mean by ‘extended’ family?” I asked. She smiled for the first time and said, “That reminds me of a story. When we first came to live in Nairobi, after we were married in France, we hired a young man, named Micah, to help around the house. Micah was perfect but every two or three weeks he would request a day off because of the passing away of a grandmother, aunt, uncle or cousin. After a while I realized that he must have had at least six grandmothers, countless aunts and uncles and a whole tribe of cousins. When I accused him of taking days off under false pretenses, he explained that, in his society, any middle aged or elderly person was called by sheer respect grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle according to their age bracket. Younger ones were called brothers, sisters or cousins depending on the degree of friendship or nearness of kinship. In Africa that constitutes the ‘extended family.’ Micah explained that they shared with members of the ‘extended family’ food, money, time, happiness and sorrow. The one who has more gives to whoever has less. At the time, I thought that such a bond of solidarity was wonderful. I envied Micah for belonging to such an altruistic society. Now, after fifteen years, I think it is a nightmare.” I had listened with patience and finished my breakfast. I said, “I am sorry, Véronique, but I have to go. What I do not fully grasp is why you waited fifteen years to realize that you cannot adjust to this kind of life?” She said, “I have asked my husband lately what we would do after retirement since we have not been able to save any money so far, with all the extended family on our shoulders. He said, not to worry, that someone will certainly look after us. I cannot stand the idea. I just cannot.” “Véronique,” I said, standing up and slowly walking towards the hotel exit, “I sympathize, but what do you expect me to do?” “You can help me to get out of here. I’ll tell you how.” Having spoken these words, she walked out of the hotel. As I was following her through the revolving door I saw Brigitte at the reception counter staring in our direction. I was certain she had seen us. I rushed to the closing session of the meeting. My heart was pounding all the way. That evening I found a note from Brigitte saying that she was visiting the Railway Museum, the Kenyatta Conference Center and shop for souvenirs at the City Market and the Maasai Market on Moi avenue. Not to worry if she was late in the evening since she was planning to have a drink at the Inter-Continental Hotel with her Italian friend. “In any case,” she concluded “I am sure you will not feel lonely, having many interesting things to do, yourself.” It was obvious from the tone of the note that Brigitte had seen me going out of the hotel with Véronique and had imagined all sorts of things. It was also obvious that, deprived of antidepressants, she was not herself. I sat in the lobby, procrastinating and wondering what to do next. I read the note over and over again and decided that Brigitte was probably hoping to see me at the Inter-Continental Hotel, which was a few blocks away from our own on Uhuru Highway. So I decided to join her. When I entered the Inter-Continental Hotel my heart was pounding again and my mouth was dry. I walked through a grand atrium with tropical plants and exotic flowers interspersed among the furniture. I walked, looking right and left. The place was full of businessmen who discussed, bargained, signed papers, or telephoned. At the bar the light was so dim that I needed a flashlight to look for Brigitte. The only person in evidence was the barman, a real artist in action, surrounded by a forest of colorful bottles. He had the cure for my dry mouth, but I did not yield to temptation and continued my search. Everywhere you could see a diligent army of well-trained, smiling staff, moving around, serving, helping, and making customers feel comfortable. The lounges were lush. As an international civil servant on a UNESCO salary and per diem, I did not exactly have the profile of the successful and generously funded executive who filled the place. But no one seemed to notice my presence All at a sudden I heard a beautiful baritone voice calling across the lounge loudly enough to wake the dead, “Signor Dupont. Signor Dupont.” I turned around and recognized the chubby silhouette of Dottore Giovanni Spaghettini. We fell into each other’s arms and hugged like two old friends. We had not met since our London meeting, seven years earlier. Giovanni had not changed much, he had put on a couple of kilos around the waist. He was now more ‘canelloni’ than ‘spaghettini.’ He was as lively and enthusiastic as ever… Allegro, vivace, fortissimo… con agitazione. He said, “Come and have a drink with us. Let me first introduce you to a charming French lady.” [Image: Jacques, Brigitte and Giovanni Spaghettini laugh together after their unexpected reunion in Nairobi.] As I turned around, there was Brigitte, utterly surprised, with a crimson face and eyes wide open in total amazement. She could not believe that her Italian escort and I were friends. “Bonjour!” I said to her joyfully, “I got your message and came to look for you.” Now it was Giovanni’s turn to look bewildered. He asked, “Do you know each other?” “Well, slightly,” I said. “We have been married for twenty years!”” A few seconds later the three of us roared with laughter, Giovanni was shaking like a jelly, while Brigitte was going into fits. It was an incongruous situation. It was strange that so far they had known each other only by first names. Brigitte looked surprised to discover that Giovanni’s last name was Spaghettini. Every subject became a source of laughter. When we talked about the Healer, the spider or Marcello Mastroianni, we chuckled and choked. The situation was ludicrous and put us in an exhilarating mood for hours. A serious argument not being possible during this mild euphoria, Brigitte and I gradually resumed a normal attitude towards each other. We had several cocktails. Since drinking on an empty stomach does funny things to the brain, I took advantage of the prevailing sense of buoyancy and mentioned, en passant, having met during breakfast a French lady I knew from previous missions. Brigitte did not react and I felt relieved. Giovanni insisted on inviting us to dinner so I waived the waiter to pay for the drinks. The bill was timidly slipped inside a leather folder. It was not meant for a modest budget and my credit card trembled with anxiety. Giovanni said, “ Do not tip. I have already done so. Tipping in advance improves the level of service. With early and judicious tipping I always manage to be loved and remembered. Ha.Ha.” We moved to the dining room. Giovanni looked at the menu and beamed. From our table you could take a glance at the kitchen through the swinging doors, every time a waiter came in or out. There was an agitated army of cooks, helpers and waiters and you could enjoy the sound of smashing dishes. Brigitte and I made our choice from a selection of international dishes which looked safe, but studied the local specialties on the menu, out of shear academic interest. Giovanni ventured into deep Africa. The Sommelier steered us towards the precious jewels of the wine list. When Giovanni asked the waiter what meat did they usually eat in Africa. He said, with a smile, “We kill and eat everything that moves.” To which Giovanni replied, “Then I had better stand still!” The food was very nicely presented, but Brigitte and I did not find a hint of flavor in our unimaginative choices, whereas Giovanni seemed in ecstasy. The wine was exquisite, stories funny, observations meaningful, pauses relaxing, and the cognac smooth. Dinner stretched into two hours – a vacation from life’s nonsense. Before parting I suggested to Giovanni that he should join the safari. He liked the idea, but had to stay in Nairobi another full day to finish his work at UNEP – the United Nations Environmental Program. He promised to call Rome to see if he could extend his stay and perhaps join us later for part of the visits, perhaps Maasai Mara and Amboseli. He would thus miss only the first stop at Lake Nakuru. At the hotel we packed since we were scheduled to leave early next morning. We slept through a rather short night and the following morning we took the Tour minibus in front of the hotel. The guide said that we would make several stops at the main hotels in Nairobi to pick up other passengers. It was good to feel that for the next few days there were to be no meetings, no serious discussions, no appointments, no report writing, no telephone messages, no television, no news. It was just enjoyable to be alive and discover the animal kingdom. Nothing else mattered. I thought Brigitte was again herself and I felt happy. At each Nairobi main hotel one or two tourists boarded the minibus. Brigitte and I carefully observed each one. We were curious to see with whom we would share the following exciting days. Most of them looked plentifully provided for, if one could judge from their outfits. We had not bought any particular clothes designed to make us look like African hunters and, unsure of ourselves, we wondered if we were properly dressed for the occasion. The lady from the Meridien Court Hotel took one good look at us and shattered our self-confidence in no time. At the Hilton, a business man and his wife, with hand-stitched crocodile luggage, came on the bus. They had made an obvious effort to outsmart everyone else. The opulent, middle aged matron from the Oriental Palace Hotel was, in our view, more appropriately dressed for Mardi-gras than for a safari. At the last stop in front of the Grand Regency Hotel a party of four came up, beaming with anticipation and bursts of laughter that were audible miles away, visibly pleased with the attention they were attracting. At their sight Brigitte and I talked about Mogambo, King Solomon’s Mines and similar old movies. The bus had now left the city and was spreading towards Nakuru. [Image: Jacques and Brigitte look across thousands of flamingos on Lake Nakuru at sunset.] The road was bumpy and hard on one’s back, but when we reached the lake and saw thousands of flamingos and an incredible variety of birds, we forgot the hardship of the trip. Like most of the other Rift Valley lakes, Lake Nakuru is a shallow soda lake. As the sun dipped and the shadows grew longer, the scenery became overpoweringly beautiful. The bus stopped at a distance from the lake because of road conditions and, in order to enjoy a better view, we were invited to walk to the lake. The ground was muddy and the closer we approached the lake shore the muddier it got. The sophisticated ladies of the group sank in the mud up to their knees and their elegance gradually vanished. By the time they returned to the bus, the sophisticated ladies, suffering from several mosquito bites, had lost all trace of sophistication. They were scraping, scratching, itching, cursing. I looked at the lady from the Meridien Court Hotel and knew that she would go into hysterics at any moment. We drove about a kilometer into the park and stopped at the Njoro Camp Site. It was a lovely grassy site under acacia trees, but the accommodation was far from matching that of the Hilton and the Meridien and, as a matter of fact, did not correspond to the description given by the Travel Agency in Nairobi. Our fellow tourists started a litany of complaints, grumblings and grievances. At the sight of the pit toilets, the lady from the Meridien Hotel almost fainted. A sign warned us to beware of vervet monkeys and chimpanzees who come into the tents at night and steal everything. Seeing Brigitte’s amazement at the monkeys’ intelligence and skillfulness, the guide told us a funny story. He said that a few years ago a lady had decided to leave the camp and take a walk by herself into the park – which, by the way, is absolutely forbidden. She walked for a while and enjoyed nature when, all at a sudden, she saw a bunch of chimpanzees walking in line, one behind the other, coming in her direction. She got very scared, but decided to act unperturbed and continue her way, as if nothing had happened. As the platoon of chimpanzees was getting closer and closer, she felt more and more apprehensive, but continued to act naturally. When the chimpanzees arrived at her level, the first one – probably the chief – extended his right arm for a hand-shake. They shook hands and having done so continued on their respective ways. The lady rushed back to the lodge and passed out. It struck us as being terribly funny and we giggled all through dinner and right up to sleeping time, while many of the other members of the party looked terribly disappointed and continued to complain. The accommodation at the Masai Mara National Reserve was of a much better quality. The lodge we stayed in was comfortable and provided with all the basic facilities. The tentacles of civilization had reached Masai Mara where one could find, among other things, croissants, Coca-Cola, Air-conditioning, Gin and Tonic, effective plumbing and Perrier. We never heard a complaint. Besides, the sun is known to be a great tranquilizer and the day slowly passed in a haze of well-being. It was a perfect day for the pool, the hammock and a good book. The following day we drove through the park which is the Kenyan section of the wild and beautiful Serenguety Plain. We saw and photographed an astonishing amount of wildlife. We drove for hours in the open rolling grassland dotted with flat-topped acacia trees. The scene was breathtaking. Our bourgeois passengers forgot about their exclusive safari-outfits and paid attention only to nature. It was an inspiring experience. The early evening was spent in contemplation of an awe-inspiring sunset kindling the skies into a myriad of fiery colors. We drove back in silence. When we alighted from the car, we were moving slowly, somewhat subdued by a long, fulfilling ride under the scorching sun. In the lodge we looked for Giovanni Spaghettini, but did not see any sign of him. I was told that there was no public transportation to the park and, therefore, we no longer expected to see him in Masai Mara. The next day, we drove to the Amboseli National Park. On the way, the guide told us that in Amboseli we would see a lot of wildlife, huge herds of elephants and, with a little bit of luck, even a black rhino. From that park, looking south, one can admire the Mount Kilimanjaro – an experience which leaves a lasting impression. “This is Masai land,” he said “ arid, interspersed with swamps and springs and belts of acacia forest. You will love it.” [Image: Jacques and Brigitte discover Giovanni and Véronique waiting at the Amboseli lodge.] At the lodge we found, waiting for us, Giovanni and Véronique. I was thunderstruck and speechless. At first Brigitte paid attention only to Giovanni, but later noticed my strange attitude and asked, “Have you lost your tongue?” At that point Giovanni said, “Let me introduce you to Mrs. Véronique Maina. We came separately by taxi from Nairobi and met here in the lounge and became acquainted” After Brigitte said, with a trembling voice, that she remembered having already seen Véronique at the New Stanley Hotel, I could only acknowledge knowing her and indignantly asked her, “What are you doing here?” She replied, “I came to see you to settle some urgent matters.” Brigitte flew into a rage and left. I ran after her into the room and tried to explain things. She was fuming and would not let me talk. She was in a great state of excitement and was looking for some object to throw at me. Fortunately, the rooms at the lodge were as bare as a monk’s cell, reduced to the essential chattels. I screamed at the top of my voice, “Brigitte, for heaven’s sake shut up and listen to me.” In twenty years of marriage we had never had such a scene and I had never screamed at her this way. I caught her by surprise. She stopped and listened. I told her why Véronique had come to the New Stanley Hotel in Nairobi and why she was here. With an infuriated look she asked, “How do you explain, Jacques, that the night before she came to see you at the hotel, you mentioned her name in your sleep? Remember?” “I had already seen her at Dr. Mabungu’s dinner” I replied, “but the best thing to do now – as a matter of fact, the only thing to do – is for you to go and talk to Véronique and find out for yourself what exactly she wants. Ask her anything you want and clarify things for you and for me. And come back only when you are totally satisfied, because I refuse to drag back to Paris this misunderstanding between us. And, in the meantime, please send Giovanni up with a bottle of whisky ” [Image: Brigitte and Véronique return hand in hand while Jacques and Giovanni wait in the quiet Amboseli lodge.] Giovanni and I drank Vat 69 and talked for hours. It was two in the morning and the lodge was dead quiet. I was worried. Then, Brigitte and Véronique appeared on the scene, holding hands like two old friends. Their eyes were red and puffed. They must have been crying profusely. Véronique said, “I came to say goodbye. I’ll be going back to my family in Nairobi tomorrow with a group which is leaving early in the morning. I am sorry to have caused you so much trouble. I am glad to have met Brigitte. You are indeed lucky to have such an exceptional wife. Please, say hello to Paris for me.” She turned around and left. Shortly thereafter Giovanni left. Brigitte then said with a smile, “ I apologize for having been mistrustful. It is all over now, Jacques. Don’t ask me how it happened. Don’t ask me what happened. Please, never ask me. It has been a memorable trip. Happy anniversary.” In the morning I could not get out of bed. I figured that Giovanni had done all the talking and I had done all the drinking. The Vat 69 had solidified in my head into a block of steel and lead. Brigitte and Giovanni went to visit Amboseli with the group and Véronique went back to Nairobi. I stayed in bed wondering what Brigitte said to Véronique. I wondered but, to this day, I have never found out. I have never found out and have never seen the snows of Kilimanjaro. ### Explore the Chapters - [Around The World In Eighty Missions: Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Veronique, And The Other Nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo, And Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings And I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra And Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris With Nancy And Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle Of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt The Library Of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – Sunny Side Up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) © Copyright [Jacques Tocatlian](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/07/jacques-tocatlian-1929-2019/). All Rights Reserved. ## Kabuki, Sumo and Sake - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/ - Published: 2000-08-31 - Last modified: 2026-07-31 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: The twelve-hour flight had resulted in a first-rate jet lag. Unfortunately, Melatonine had not yet been marketed and I was desperately struggling to sleep in my tiny room at the Tokyo Hotel. One would assume that at fifty, after twenty years of extensive traveling, my body would have adjusted more easily to these time changes. But not at all! As a matter of fact, it was getting worse as the years went by. [Image: Two men share sake beside a Kabuki performer and a Sumo wrestler, with Tokyo at night behind them.] [AUDIOBOOK](https://tocatlian.blog/2026/07/17/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions-the-audiobook/) [GET YOUR COPY](https://tocatlian.blog/2010/07/08/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions/) BROWSE BY CHAPTER - [Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Véronique and other nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo and Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings and I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra and Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris with Nancy and Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt the Library of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – sunny side up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) The twelve-hour flight had resulted in a first-rate jet lag. Unfortunately, melatonin had not yet been marketed and I was desperately struggling to sleep in my tiny room at the Tokyo Hotel. One would assume that at fifty, after twenty years of extensive traveling, my body would have adjusted more easily to these time changes. But not at all! As a matter of fact, it was getting worse as the years went by. I had read that the WHO, the World Health Organization, recommended that when you travel long distances you should set your watch according to the time of the country you are flying into. Research has shown that, by doing so, you help your inner biological clock adjust to the time difference. In leaving Paris I had set my watch forward by eight hours, but my inner biological watch, with a mind all of its own, refused to act according to the WHO findings. I had come to Tokyo to discuss all the details of a Regional Training Seminar for information specialists of the Asian and Oceanic region on the subject of resource sharing. The Seminar was to be held in Kobe early in 1986. I felt very comfortable with the subject since I had successfully organized many similar training programs in Africa and Latin America. [Image: Jacques lies awake with jet lag in a small Tokyo hotel room as the city glows beyond the window.] But since I could not sleep, all I could do was worry. Worry that this time negotiations may be complicated by the presence of Professor Earl Ray Clark. The Japanese had insisted that UNESCO engage an internationally known consultant, a star. They had suggested famous Professor Earl Ray Clark, basing their recommendation on his research work and publications. I had never met him but, through a short correspondence and a few telephone calls, I had found him jittery and not inclined to talk much. He had accepted the modest financial remuneration offered by UNESCO only because he was interested in the experience. He was coming to Tokyo but he had refused to fly through Paris for a briefing and, from what I could judge, he did not think a briefing was important. The worst part was that he had agreed to be in Tokyo for only two nights since he had to fly to Hawaii on Wednesday evening. Stars are often freakish. This was my first visit to Japan and I was not confident that we would be able to agree on all matters in such a short time. We had to decide on the seminar program, who was going to teach what, the time frame, the venue, the number of Japanese and regional students, the number of fellowships, the budget and a multitude of other details. The agreement was to be recorded in an aide-memoire which I would sign before leaving Tokyo at the end of the week. On the basis of that aide-memoire, a contractual arrangement would later be concluded between UNESCO and Japan. As I went over all these considerations in my mind, it became clear that the best way out was to let Professor Earl Ray Clark first discuss the aspects he was mostly concerned with, that is the subject content of his lectures. I would deal with the other matters after his departure. If I could leave on Friday I would be home for the weekend. That reminded me that my daughter, Françoise, who was then about fourteen, was worried that I was going to Japan because of the active volcanoes that smolder on the surface of the earth and violently erupt in that region. I had told her teasingly to lend me her class book so that I could better plan my missions in the future! I did not know then that the mini-earthquake I was going to witness was of a different kind. Pondering over my mission I realized that there was an additional reason for my anxiety. I knew that it would be difficult to understand this country. I had gathered from those who had visited Japan, as well as from Japanese colleagues, such as Dr. Makato Takahashi, whom I had met in Morocco, that his was a different world. Everything was different. You could feel it. You could see it, hear it, and smell it from the moment you landed. The previous evening, as the taxi drove from the airport to the hotel, I was struck by the size of things, the distances, the speed, the crowds. Automobile freeways connect the heart of the city with the suburbs and the airport. Some sections of the freeways are built two or three stories over dried canals. The spaces below the elevated highways are filled by stores and offices. Traditional buildings are mingled with modern ones. New and old are intermixed everywhere. The city is served by an efficient net of subways, buses, automobiles, and electric trains. Gone are the nostalgic days when transportation was done by colorful “jinrikishas” – the man-drawn carriages. The Japan I was looking at was different from the one I had seen in the Puccini Opera Madame Butterfly. At the hotel I had been graciously greeted by several Japanese representatives of the Ministry of Education, the Tokyo University and the Kobe University. They had bowed profusely before handing their business cards, which in Japan are called ‘meishi.’ I had bowed right and left in return, searching through my pockets for my ‘meishi.’ The Japanese cannot relate properly to someone before they know the exact rank of that person in his organization. Japanese protocol prescribes different behavior toward people according to their rank. This is why business cards are so important in Japan. As I was emptying my wallet, my hosts gently smiled saying that I did not have to bother since they knew who I was. They had informed me that for the last evening of my visit I was to stay in a typical Japanese hotel in the outskirts of Tokyo, generally reserved for Japanese, in order for me to enjoy the experience. The present hotel we were in for the first few days was more conveniently located for the meeting. In the course of conversation I had also discovered, with great annoyance, that Professor Earl Ray Clark was already resting in his room and did not want to be disturbed. I finally met him the next morning, just a few minutes before the car came to pick us up. He was tall and handsome, and impeccably dressed. He scrutinized the world around him with icy blue eyes and moved about the lobby, taking very little notice of my presence. He looked intractable, far from the stereotyped cliché of a smiling, easy-going and informal Californian. In the car, I tried to discuss a few items but without much success. He knew who he was, what he wanted, what he could do and what he did not want to do. He spoke in a deep tone with the right amount of reassuring authority. It was obvious from the start that neither of us could reach the other. I probably did not know how and he did not care to. I began to sweat. Gone was all the self-assurance I thought I had acquired over the years. Had I been able to say something, I would have explained that from an official viewpoint, I was the one who represented UNESCO in the negotiations with the Japanese and that he – regardless of his fame, expertise and University rank, was accompanying me in a consultant capacity. I was the one who would be expected to agree with the Japanese, sign an aide-memoire and later on conclude the contracts. His understanding of the situation was obviously different, if one could judge by his authoritative tone and grandiloquent language. While I was striving in silent frustration to find a way to approach the subject without antagonizing him, he abruptly asked me, “Have you heard, Mr. Dupont, of Matthew Calbraith Perry?” I did not know whom he was referring to. Could that person be an American working at UNESCO? Or perhaps another international expert in education whom we could invite to the Seminar? Before I could answer, he said, “Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry headed two naval expeditions to Japan in 1853 and 1854 to induce the Japanese government to establish diplomatic relations with the U.S. He knew that Japan’s traditional isolation policy could be changed only if superior naval forces were displayed and the Japanese approached with a ‘resolute attitude’. He managed to conclude the first treaty between the United States and Japan and thus opened up Japan for the West. Mr. Dupont, do remember that only a ‘resolute attitude’ could have made this possible!” [Image: Professor Earl Ray Clark invokes Commodore Perry while a visibly uneasy Jacques listens in the official car.] I felt baffled. The car arrived at the Ministry of Education where we were greeted at the door and shown to the meeting room. We entered the room: Professor Earl Ray Clark, tall and proud, with a definitely ‘resolute attitude’ and I, shorter and hesitant, mopping my sweating brow. I was asked to sit in the chair farthest from the door, which, in Japan, is considered the place of honor. After introductions had been made and business cards handed over, the Chairman, Dr. Mitsuo Harada, bowed and opened the meeting with a fairly long speech. Japanese bow at the beginning of each interaction and at the end. The higher the rank of the person addressed, the deeper the bow. Dr. Mitsuo Harada’s speech covered fairly wide ground. He spoke of Japan’s desire to cooperate with UNESCO and to serve the region, and of the philosophy of Japanese actions based on Confucian ideals of serving society and showing respect for others. He explained a very important Japanese word, “Wa,” which means harmony. As I understood it, “Wa” refers to a certain positive quality of human relationships and involves cooperation, sharing, understanding, and a warm and caring attitude toward others. Dr. Harada then spoke of the Japanese students and the high level of Japanese education. He said, “Our illiteracy rate is less than 1%, and 99% of students in Japan complete high school. There are 240 days of school per year in Japan, probably the highest number in the world. Seventy-five percent of TV programs concern news, cultural events, and education, and only 25% are about entertainment. Nevertheless, there is a certain amount of unrest among the young, and there is a noticeable decay in traditional values, a source of great concern for the older generation.” He concluded by inviting us to lunch and dinner, outlined the social events that had been planned for us and insisted on the importance he placed on getting to know each other better. During the speech, Professor Clark, who was sitting next to me, emitted several puffs. he was obviously nervous. All the placid references to the “Wa” had no effect on him. I stood up and thanked our host for his hospitality and for Japan’s invitation to organize the regional Seminar. I had intended to outline UNESCO’s program objectives in the area of Education in some detail but with every puff of my neighbor, my talk shrunk and the UNESCO objectives got shorter and shorter. I quickly concluded by suggesting that, because Professor Clark had to leave the next day, we discuss first the course content. Amen. Professor Clark, whose signs of impatience and irritation were by now obvious to everyone, took the floor with a bull-in-the-china-shop attitude. He described himself as a ‘hard-hitter’ concerned with concrete results, adding that he had no time to beat about the bush. While some Japanese around the table were wondering what the reference to the ‘bush’ was about, Clark outlined an agenda with four items and bluntly asked five specific questions. It was obvious that Professor Clark had been much too aggressive and I could feel that our Japanese hosts, in spite of their polite smiles, were finding him uncongenial. In reply, Dr. Harada repeated some of the generalities he had already exposed in his introductory remarks and invited the Japanese participants to speak. They did but mostly among themselves in Japanese. Seldom was the meeting addressed in English. No one referred to Professor Clark’s questions. That was too much for him! He was beginning to fume. I even expected smoke to come out of his ears any moment. I attempted to whisper some conciliatory words inviting him to be lenient. He answered that he had not traveled all these miles to beat about the bush all day and wanted to get down to business. To everybody’s surprise he took the floor and said, “I am sorry, Mr. Chairman, but I don’t seem to have made myself clear,” and proceeded to repeat emphatically his proposed agenda and questions, forcefully articulating each word. My nervous stomach was torturing me. At that point I could have willingly strangled Professor Earl Ray Clark. [Image: Professor Clark stands forcefully at the meeting table as Jacques, Dr. Harada, and two Japanese delegates react in tense silence.] The Japanese are known not to show feelings. They try to hide them at all times, remaining tranquil and serene in all circumstances in order not to lose face. Losing one’s temper is considered vulgar. Experience is needed in order to learn how to decipher subtle signs of reluctance or distress on their faces. I did not know how to read those signs at the time, but I could see that many of the Japanese gentlemen had acquired a more rigid posture, others were more contained and a few were tight-lipped. The smiles that still remained on a few faces were of a different kind. The Chairman spoke very softly and slowly about the importance of harmony and consensus. Any trace of ‘Wa’ was gone. I was embarrassed and did not know how to save the day, but I felt I had to intervene. With a lump in my throat and one in my chest I said, “We are witnessing different cultural patterns and different ways of conducting a meeting. I have been to many countries and yet I am not sure there is a universally accepted way of conducting business. We have to adjust and compromise. Different cultures have different perceptions of time, different ways of carrying a dialogue, different ways of negotiating, different ways of communicating. No doubt, any misunderstanding can be overcome and, with some patience and tolerance, we will successfully conclude our meeting to the satisfaction of everyone.” The Japanese spoke to each other in Japanese, while Professor Clark turned to me and in plain English said, “Bullshit!” Tea was served. Professor Clark, who obviously was bullheaded and used to having things done only his way, left the room with a ‘resolute attitude’. I never saw him again. Never. During lunch I tried to explain that Professor Clark was a very busy person and was nervous because he had very little time at his disposal. In any case, he had been contracted by UNESCO because the Japanese wanted him. Mr. Harada smiled and said, “In Japan it is not important to establish who is to blame, when something goes wrong. What is wrong and needs to be corrected is the fact that someone is upset. We have to reestablish harmony.” I thought that was a beautiful attitude compared to our Western confrontational and argumentative style. Dr. Harada explained that he had to do a lot of consultation to establish consensus. I wondered what we were reaching consensus on, since to my knowledge we had not discussed anything so far. He inquired if I was willing to use the afternoon, and perhaps part of the next day, to visit Tokyo while he tried to establish consensus among his colleagues. He would contact me at the hotel in due time. Fortunately, Dr. Makato Takahashi was available to show me around. In my long career as an international civil servant I had sailed many a time in the sea of inter-ethnic encounters and had always managed to avoid major storms. Never before had I had the feeling of being caught in such an imbroglio. With Mr. Takahashi we walked and talked all afternoon on a variety of subjects. But I could not get my mind off the ‘Earl-Ray-Clark crisis’ on hand. No matter how one looked at it, I had failed to master the situation. I should never have accepted to attend the meeting without settling first a number of questions with him. I failed to play first fiddle and the resulting sour notes rang in my head. Mr. Takahashi and I also referred to our recent meeting in Rabat and laughed about what had happened to my pants at the end of the Moroccan reception. I liked Mr. Takahashi. He radiated honesty, warmth and friendliness. In Japan, friendships tend to take a long time to solidify, but they may become deep, compared with other parts of the globe where personal relationships develop fast, but remain superficial. I knew that a certain degree of formality should always govern one’s relationship with Japanese friends, regardless of the degree of friendship. Informality is perceived as rudeness. No use of first names. No back-slapping. For a Frenchman of my generation that was not too difficult. Mr. Takahashi showed much concern for what had happened during the embarrassing morning session. He was willing to discuss matters fairly openly with me. We talked for hours. I do not remember really seeing much of Tokyo, but I learned a great deal about Japan. First of all, I realized that the major problem for the Japanese was not so much what Professor Clark said, but how he said it. They were upset because he looked upset and acted accordingly, thus harmony was shattered. In addition, the Japanese have a problem with a rigid agenda. The purpose of a meeting is to let everyone concerned express his opinion and discuss alternative solutions to each problem presented so that consensus could eventually be reached. A fixed agenda may well be an encumbrance and prevent achieving consensus, since the Chairman usually tries to restrict discussion to items on the agenda. When the Japanese deal with a foreigner, one of the most important goals of the meeting is to get to know him. That is why a first visit to Japan has to be relatively long. That is also why lunch, dinner and social events are crucial. Mr. Takahashi also explained that respecting organizational hierarchy was essential in Japan. With reference to the morning meeting, the fact that the UNESCO consultant did not respect the head of the UNESCO delegation alienated everyone. They had all seen that because in Japanese meetings, everyone is expected to read other people’s thoughts and interpret unspoken signs, behaviors, attitudes and even silence itself. An interesting point I retained from our talk is that Japanese society was organized according to a historical military doctrine, which explained their attachment to hierarchical structures, rank, the chain of command, teamwork and to loyalty. This was true in industry and business where strong feelings of identity and loyalty to the parent company exist. He admitted though that many modern writers and the young generation promoted Western-type individualism. “With such a military heritage, how do you explain the emphasis on consensus?” I asked. He said that collective decision-making allowed everyone concerned to discuss, evaluate, and provide input to a proposal and fully identify himself with the final decision. It was a sine qua non condition for ensuring loyalty, teamwork, feeling of identity, pride in the results and for keeping everyone informed. As we finally reached the hotel I thanked my friend who had given me a crash course on many aspects of Japanese life. At the hotel reception, I found a message from Dr. Mitsuo Harada saying that the meeting would, in principle, resume on Thursday. That meant consensus had not yet been reached. We would never complete our business that week, and I had Wednesday off. Mr. Takahashi saw the disappointment on my face and said, “Let us make the best use of the evening and of tomorrow.” That evening, we were scheduled to go out for drinks, dinner, and the theater with Dr. Harada and Mr. Takahashi. We would not talk business. I learned that Professor Clark had left the country and that a Swedish visitor by the name of Ulf Nilsson would join us. So we first went for a tour of three to four bars to warm up before dinner. In Tokyo there are thousands of bars. Most of them are very small and can accommodate ten to twelve persons at most. Strangely enough, many bars are scattered over several floors of buildings. They look like small apartments that had been converted into bars. I was given to understand that most men usually go after work to one or more bars, while women go home to look after the children and prepare dinner. What happened to the Women’s Liberation Movement? The prices at the bars being so high, one wondered how they could afford so much drinking. When dinnertime approached, men quietly zigzagged their way home. The atmosphere in bars was, as a rule, festive and convivial. In one of them someone, having found out I was French, began to sing ‘La Marseillaise.’ I was astounded, as I was astounded to discover that Japanese whisky tasted so much like real Scotch. When we reached the third bar I had forgotten about the very existence of Professor Clark. By the fourth bar Ulf Nilsson began speaking Swedish to me. It was time to zigzag our way to the restaurant. Dr. Harada ordered for us ‘sashimi,’ ‘tempura’ and ‘sushi,’ well irrigated with ‘sake.’ The Japanese have developed a unique art of presenting food as an exquisite work of art. I found it really wonderful to look at. Our host entertained us with a variety of subjects. At one point, noting that Ulf and I were looking at Japanese women with curiosity, he shifted the conversation to the physical characteristics of the Japanese. He said that the male population had increased by an average of over four inches since the beginning of the century. The change was attributed to an improved diet, exercise, and a decrease in the habit of sitting on the floor with the legs buckled under, a fact that impeded normal blood circulation. Mr. Takahashi looked at me and smiled. He was certainly thinking of our mission in Morocco. We were finishing dinner when Dr. Harada announced that we were going to the theater for a short while to have an inkling of the popular Japanese drama, the ‘Kabuki.’ He said that it was a spectacle in which the arts of dance, music, mime, decor and costuming are elaborately blended in blazing and flamboyant style. He explained that ‘Ka’ means song, ‘Bu’ means dance and ‘Ki’ means skill. The other form of Japanese theater, the ‘Noh,’ was written in a variety of complex literary devices, too difficult for non-Japanese to appreciate. [Image: A Kabuki actor performs on the hanamichi while Jacques, Dr. Harada, Makoto Takahashi, and a sleeping Ulf Nilsson watch.] So we went to the ‘Kabuki Za,’ a huge theater that seats 3,000 people. In the Kabuki art form, men also play the parts of women. A long passageway runs from the stage to the back of the theater through the audience and offers an extension of the stage where a lot of action takes place. The style of dancing consists of restrained, flowing movements for the female roles and exaggerated postures for the men. For uninformed foreigners what goes on in Kabuki is an insoluble enigma sandwiched between two mysteries. As I asked myself, “If the Kabuki theater is supposed to be accessible, what is the Noh theater like?” I heard next to me a vibrating, discordant sound that did not blend with the music. It was Ulf snoring. Whisky and sake did not blend with Kabuki either! On Wednesday, Mr. Takahashi took me to the University where we attended a lecture by Dr. June MacGregor, an American anthropologist and lecturer in intercultural communication who had published extensively on international relations and cultural differences, a subject that Mr. Takahashi knew interested me. Dr. June MacGregor’s lecture made an enduring impression on me. She opened up unsuspected horizons and threw light on a multitude of questions that had preoccupied me. She was a straightforward and articulate good-looking woman in her fifties, with curly gray hair, regular features, a classic bone structure and a pair of penetrating brown eyes. Her mind was quick and incisive, her voice clear and relaxed. She said she was a disciple of Edward T. Hall’s school of thought who had shown that one of the most basic of all cultural differences among people concerns the way we communicate. Hall had departed from the view that culture was a system of beliefs, customs, values and the like. Culture was communication and members of the same cultural group unconsciously share methods of coding and communicating that information, often by nonverbal messages, the unique meaning of which was naturally understood by members of the same culture. And often misunderstood by others. [Image: Dr. June MacGregor lectures on intercultural communication while Jacques and Makoto Takahashi listen closely.] Dr. June MacGregor illustrated her talk by showing differences between Americans and Japanese. For instance, Americans feel very strongly about the responsibilities of a neighbor. In the U.S. one is expected to keep his house up and the lawn cut for the sake of neighborhood, if nothing else. In Japan sharing adjacent houses does not entail any obligations to your neighbors. In Japan the street may be filthy and the house immaculate. In the U.S., top executives have secluded offices, protected from the intrusion of others. Information is shared with a selected few. In Japan several top executives share an open space to freely share information. The Japanese can endure noisy and crowded conditions in public. They can travel literally like sardines in subways and trains, but in social situations they guard against any sign of intimate space. Having sat shoulder to shoulder in the subway, they profusely apologize if they accidentally touch your elbow at a cocktail party. In the U.S., it is rather the opposite. She explained that a geographically large and relatively young country such as the U.S., the melting pot of a variety of ethnic groups, is far from homogeneous. Differences in behavior between people can sometimes be great. Japan, on the other hand, is geographically small and old. Having long been withdrawn into itself and being no melting pot, it is much more homogeneous. The lecturer went on to explain that her compatriots, having become increasingly affluent and known many successes in scientific research, medicine, sport, and business, had come to believe that they had an answer to every problem. Mr. Takahashi looked at me with a smile. Professor Clark was on both our minds. She added, “As the world shrinks and more Americans are engaged in international situations, that will gradually change.” Before leaving, I went to thank and congratulate her and said, “Dr. MacGregor, I was told that Commodore Perry opened up Japan to the West. You have opened up both Japan and the U.S. to me!” She smiled. I asked whether she would come to UNESCO to give a talk. She agreed in principle. As I was going down the stairs she said, “Call me June.” I first thought she wanted me to call her in June, but when I realized what she had actually said, I quickly replied, “Call me Jacques.” That evening was dedicated to wrestling. That is, to watching others wrestle. Mr. Takahashi and I first dined in a simple, popular restaurant. A sort of Cafeteria where plastic dummies of the dishes one could order were on display. A useful device since I could see what I ordered and in what quantity. Of course, what the food tasted like was a different matter. The dish I chose looked attractive but did not taste like anything I knew. For a moment I thought I had been given the plastic dummy by mistake. I found it difficult to swallow what felt like an indefinable, repulsive, jelly-like material. Was it reconstituted fish, meat or vegetable? Could it be the cellophane film that covered the dish? While I was wrestling with my food, Mr. Takahashi introduced me to another branch of athletics: Japanese wrestling. “The first match recorded in Japanese history took place in 23 B.C.,” he said, explaining how wrestling gradually developed into two branches: ‘Sumo’ and ‘Jujitsu’. The latter, from which Judo is derived, is a system of fighting without weapons. He said, “The period from the 12th to the 17th century was an age of continuous warfare. The Samurai, whose sole purpose in life was to fight for his Lord, mastered many forms of fighting with sword, knife, spear and, when he had no weapons, with bare hands.” [Image: Two Sumo wrestlers collide at ringside as Jacques recoils and Makoto Takahashi watches beside him.] That night we went to a Sumo wrestling match. Takahashi had booked seats in the very first row. The fight took place right under our noses. The two wrestlers were naked but for a tiny loincloth. At the command of the referee, they crouched with their hands on the ground and watched for an opening. All I could see was the monumental buttocks of one of them. On French television I had inattentively watched one or two such fights, but never had I realized what 300 pounds of naked flesh really looked like. I was watching a mammoth bulk moving about with a colossal mass. My stomach was already reluctant to cope with my ‘plastic’ dinner. It was getting more and more upset as the two dinosaurs – who seemed to be made of solidified molasses – wrestled on. As soon as one touched the ground with any part of his body, except his feet, the other wrestler was declared the winner. And two fresh dinosaurs came onto the ring for the next fight. It went on and on. To this day I cannot talk or think of a Sumo fight without being nauseated. Was it the wrestlers? Was it the food? The next day the meeting took place as scheduled. Dr. Mitsuo Harada apologized for the delay in resuming discussions. The participants seemed sympathetic to me. Now that I had become a mini-expert on Japanese matters, I looked for nonverbal messages or hidden signals. I could not detect any resentment. Harmony had descended upon the meeting. We had achieved “Wa”. Wow! Dr. Harada spoke of the broad consultation that had taken place. In fact, he spoke of many things. He said that the Regional Training Seminar would be organized early the following year, as originally planned. I was relieved. He gave partial answers to the questions raised by Professor Clark. I was surprised. He then hinted at some of the questions I intended to ask but never had time to. I was amazed. He finally suggested three names of potential teachers for UNESCO to choose from in place of Professor Clark, and gave me the floor. I stood up to speak and, without even thinking, I automatically bowed Japanese-style. Then, I said I had become a great believer in the Japanese decision-making process because I had witnessed the very efficient results. I apologized for the earlier problem due to a lack of good preparation on my part. I then outlined some of the pending questions that had to be decided upon before we could conclude the contract. [Image: Jacques bows to Dr. Harada and two delegates as harmony returns to the Tokyo meeting.] Some of these issues needed extensive consultation to reach consensus and required the presence of ‘the foreign instructor’ to participate in the discussion. Dr. Harada said that I should come back for a short meeting as soon as a consultant was selected so that we could settle all pending questions and everyone could get acquainted with the consultant. The rest of the afternoon was spent drafting an aide-memoire in very general terms. Once it was duly signed, Mr. Odashibuki and Mr. Katimimura from the Ministry of Education drove me to the new hotel. It was relatively small, surrounded by a tiny garden with shrubs and trees, in a quiet residential area. They left me at the door, wishing me an enjoyable experience and reminding me that they would pick me up the next morning at 7 o’clock to drive me to the airport. At the hotel no one spoke English. Communication was done with gestures and smiles. I was first asked to leave my shoes at the door and a young girl took me to my room. My room looked almost empty: a table, a lamp and some flowers. As I understood from the girl’s gestures, I undressed and handed her my clothes which she put in a cupboard. She handed me a cotton kimono which she called ‘Yukata’ and asked me to follow her to the ‘Ofuro’. In the ‘Ofuro’ I found a wood-heated rectangular stone tub, full of water. It was very hot! I soaked in it thinking of my Finnish friends and their sauna. When the ‘Ofuro’ operation was over I was shown to my room where I changed my ‘Yukata’ for a black silk kimono. In my absence some cushions had been scattered in a corner and I was asked to rest on them. Some ten to fifteen minutes later, the girl directed me to the dining room. There I found three Japanese guests and, to my great surprise, good old Ulf Nilsson. Since men never dine alone in Japan, two Geishas were there to serve and entertain us. One played an instrument called ‘samichen’ while the other sang. We drank quite a bit of sake and ate some exquisite sukiyaki. I felt relaxed. The three Japanese guests looked demure and serene, and Ulf was obviously thrilled. Later we were asked to play a game before retiring to our respective rooms. One glass was passed around and each one of us poured some ‘sake’ in it. When the glass was pretty full, one of the guests would cause it to overflow. As a punishment he had to drink the whole glass. It so happened that Ulf spilled the glass several times, either intentionally or by accident. In any case he managed to have many glasses of sake and looked accordingly. When the Geishas bowed and left, the young girls led us to our respective rooms. Ulf did not seem to be in full control of himself. He was again talking to me in Swedish, intermingled with a few Japanese words. He vanished down the corridor singing ‘sayonara.’ The silk cushions had disappeared from my room which had been transformed into a bedroom. The young girl helped me get into bed and walked away with grace. A few minutes later I heard a strident howl, followed by two long screams and a few Japanese yells. I thought I recognized Ulf’s voice and that of his young girl, roaring with rage. By now a lot of people seemed to be in the corridor and the commotion was reaching a crescendo. Judging from the turbulence created, I suspected that Ulf had been misled by the going-to-bed ceremony and had misinterpreted the graceful gestures of the young girl. It was a simple error in interpreting the unspoken signals. The same signals meant one thing in Sweden and another in Japan. The ‘sake’ no doubt had helped in blurring the meaning. The agitation was still going on when I cowardly pulled the sheet over my head and waited until the squawks and the squeaks subsided into the night. At seven in the morning I was in an official car rushing to the airport with Mr. Odashibuki and Mr. Katimimura. I kept thinking about what had happened at the hotel the previous night. I guess I shall never know what really happened. I shall never know but I have not stopped guessing. [Image: Jacques and Mr. Odashibuki watch two drivers bow politely beside their collided cars on a Tokyo freeway.] Suddenly, the traffic came to a halt. Two cars had collided and you could see the two drivers standing in the middle of the freeway, bowing at each other in an exquisitely polite manner. I expressed my admiration. “C’est magnifique!” Mr. Odashibuki explained that, no doubt, they were profusely apologizing and each one was blaming himself for the accident, as required by good breeding. “Which, by the way,” he added, “has nothing to do with the written report they will each make to the police and insurance company, giving a quite different story.” I thought it was not so magnifique after all! While we waited for the normal circulation to resume, we spoke about the Japanese language. I inquired whether foreigners could learn it in a reasonable time. Mr. Katimimura said, with a giggle “If you decide to study Japanese be sure to take a male teacher.” I asked why and he explained that in the Japanese language articles, adjectives, verbs and substantives take the same sex as the person who speaks. He added that he had once met a husky, rugged old GI who had learned Japanese from a female teacher and now spoke like a young lady. As the traffic started to move again I asked, “How do you say ‘good morning?” They said, “It depends: ‘good morning’ to whom?” “To anyone. Just a simple ‘bonjour’!” To my great surprise I learned that in Japanese you have a special ‘good morning’ for your parents, a different one for your children, yet another one for the boss, one for a subordinate, and so forth. I gave up. I was not going to learn Japanese after all. So, I finally boarded the plane after spending five days in Japan. I could not even say ‘Good morning!’ ### Explore the Chapters - [Around The World In Eighty Missions: Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Veronique, And The Other Nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo, And Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings And I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra And Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris With Nancy And Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle Of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt The Library Of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – Sunny Side Up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) © Copyright [Jacques Tocatlian](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/07/jacques-tocatlian-1929-2019/). All Rights Reserved. ## The Vikings and I - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/ - Published: 2000-08-31 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: Brigitte had offered to drive me to the airport since she wanted to do some shopping with Françoise at the IKEA department store in Roissy, only a few minutes from the airport. [Image: A man wrapped in a blanket holds a drink beside a snowy lake and sauna, with a Viking ship appearing in the clouds.] [AUDIOBOOK](https://tocatlian.blog/2026/07/17/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions-the-audiobook/) [GET YOUR COPY](https://tocatlian.blog/2010/07/08/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions/) BROWSE BY CHAPTER - [Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Véronique and other nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo and Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings and I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra and Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris with Nancy and Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt the Library of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – sunny side up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) Brigitte had offered to drive me to the airport since she wanted to do some shopping with Françoise at the IKEA department store in Roissy, only a few minutes from the airport. Françoise, who for a long time believed that my missions were, in effect, disguised vacations, was now almost fifteen and taking a more mature interest in what I was doing in those distant places. Being very studious, she recently related my missions to some class assignment and bombarded me with questions. I was all the more pleased that my friends and the rest of my family seldom took a real interest in my work. As they used to say, “It sounds terribly technical.” Meaning, terribly boring. Having learned that I was going to Sweden, Finland, and Denmark, Françoise decided to write her monthly paper on the Nordic countries and wanted to know the difference between Nordic and Scandinavian countries, the outstanding feature of each, and the reasons why, once upon a time, the Vikings came to Normandy. Good questions! Such matters did not preoccupy my mind when I was her age. With an eye on the traffic and between two driving tips to Brigitte, I briefly explained that Scandinavia was comprised of Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland. These countries claimed a historical link to the Vikings and originally shared a common language. “When we speak of the Nordic countries, on the other hand, we mean these four Scandinavian countries in addition to Finland, whose ancestors and language are altogether different.” I added that I had just read in my briefing that the total population of these five Nordic countries does not exceed 25 million people. To which Françoise added, “The whole population of the Nordic countries could, therefore, fit in Calcutta and Bombay.” Françoise who suddenly seemed to suffer from an unquenchable thirst for information about Northern Europe wanted to know also why I was skipping Norway and why such short missions were. “Are you participating in a marathon race?” she asked. In fact, I was scheduled to spend an average of two working days per country, including air transportation, except for Finland where I had to spend a weekend. As we were approaching the airport I briefly explained that I was going to raise funds for a number of projects in which the Nordic countries had shown some interest. I explained that the Nordic countries were generous donors to the developing countries and to international programs. I was, therefore, planning to visit the respective Development Agencies which provide assistance funds for these countries. Before parting, Françoise asked me to be sure to watch the people I was going to meet in each country very carefully so that I could describe to her the characteristics and idiosyncrasies of each. “How can you tell a Dane from a Swede? Or a Finn from a Norwegian?” she asked. My assignment was getting more elaborate by the minute! Feeling that she had to show some interest too, my wife added, “And let us know how the Greta Garbos and the Ingrid Bergmans look, up there?” [Image: Brigitte drives Jacques and Françoise toward Roissy as Françoise questions her father about the Nordic countries.] So I flew… In Stockholm, I attended a four-hour meeting organized on the occasion of my visit with representatives of the Swedish International Development Agency, members of the Nordic Council and of the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I reviewed the projects I had come to ‘sell’, answered questions, clarified points, discussed suggestions, listened to comments, and noted down objections and criticisms. I was given a priority list of eighteen countries which Sweden helps. I was also reminded that the current Swedish budget for international development cooperation corresponded to approximately 1% of Sweden’s GNP, which made Sweden one of the most important world contributors. The message was that one could not reasonably keep asking for more. Having noted the projects in which Sweden showed some interest, I paid more attention to Françoise’s assignment. I carefully observed Mrs. Annika Thomasson, Dr. Björn Holmström, Mrs. Elisabeth Karlsson, Mr. Gustav Knutsson and Dr. Gunnar Wilkens. What were their common characteristics? And their peculiarities? How could they be differentiated from their colleagues in Denmark, Norway or Finland? Difficult to say! To foreigners, all Nordic Europeans look very polite, straightforward, cool, realistic, blond, clean, relaxed, honest, athletic, fair-playing and pragmatic. Any difference in temperament? Any distinguishing features? I continued to observe, analyze and register everything significant or insignificant all through the rest of the day and later on during dinner at Mrs. Annika Thomasson’s. My first impression was that Sweden’s traditional lifestyle was gracious, standardized and sanitized. I noticed a nostalgic old-fashioned element, in spite of its very modern side. We were here in a rich, capitalistic system with strong socialistic aspects. In everyday life, the Swedes show an intriguing mixture of formalism, sophistication, and simplicity. They look conservative but tolerate originality and admire individualism. They never let excessive feelings transpire and keep their weaknesses under control. In summary, they struck me as being well-balanced. The keyword is ‘Lagom,’ which means ‘not too much, not too little, but just right.’ The Swedes have a well-established reputation for being taciturn and relish silence with special gusto. For a Frenchman, silence in the middle of a dinner signals that we are running out of topics or that we are beginning to be sleepy. Or both. Here, silence in the middle of a dinner simply means that we are in Sweden. It does not exclude, however, that we may also be bored. But you would never be able to tell. I thought of Brigitte. She would not like it over here. Brigitte, like most French people, become very lively around the table. The better the food, the more scintillating the discussion. The French love to analyze, criticize, discuss – with humoristic repartees, flashes of wit, wordplay and double-entendres. You have to be a wit! And silence is to be avoided at all costs! In Sweden, controversial subjects are not encouraged. Foreigners who may be used to inject in social conversation some audacity or mischief will have to remember that long, dark winters have a lasting, soporific effect. I noticed that the Swedes respect other peoples’ points of view and are quite tolerant. They struggle to reach agreement and are strong believers of consensus. A common point with the Japanese. Here, external appearance is always correct, elegant but never gaudy. Not too much, not too little, but just right. Remember: ‘Lagom.’ Naturally, the younger generation comes from a different planet. Dressed in eccentric black leather, with glaring jewelry all over and peculiar hairdos, their motto must be something like this: too much or too little, but never right. At Mrs. Annika Thomasson’s dinner, the calm and controlled atmosphere warmed up a little as drinking proceeded. Her table was most elegant and lit by soft candlelight. The meal was copious and washed down profusely. At one point, Dr. Björn Holmström said he was going to do a ‘Skâl’ in my honor. He stood up in front of me, straight as a soldier, put his glass on his chest, then raised it to his lips, mumbled a few words in Swedish while looking straight into my eyes, and emptied the glass in one gulp. With obvious clumsiness, I did the same and emptied my glass as well. It was liquid fire! They all laughed. They explained that the real, formal ‘Skâl’ is now disappearing. They showed me how it used to be done in the old days, how it is done in the country, how it is done in more formal occasions, and so forth. To me all the ‘Skâls’ looked the same. I was only amazed at the quantity of ‘liquid fire’ that was swallowed. However, if the atmosphere became a little warmer, the talk a little more vivacious, and the laughter a little louder, it all remained very proper. ‘Lagom’! [Image: Björn Holmström performs a formal Skål as Jacques and Annika Thomasson watch across a candlelit Stockholm table.] In this connection, Ulf Nilsson suddenly came to mind. When he went to Japan, he must have left his ‘Lagom’ home. I asked if anyone knew him and was told that he had never returned from Japan. There were rumors that he had married a Japanese girl. At the end of the dinner, Mrs. Annika Thomasson stood at the door of the dining room and all the guests thanked her, one by one, on the way to the drawing room, where coffee and after-dinner drinks were served. Guests would say ‘tack’ (which means ‘thank you’). Some would say ‘tack, tack.’ A few who seemed particularly happy would say ‘tack sa mycket tack, tack’ (Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you.) One said ‘Tack för maten’ (Thank you for dinner). In any case, there were a lot of ‘tack, tack, tack’ going on. The next morning I was in Mrs. Annika Thomasson’s office when Dr. Gunnar Wilkens came in and, in greeting her, said something like ‘tack för senast’ (Thank you for last time). I must have sounded discourteous since the number of ‘tacks’ I had distributed around was rather limited. I decided I would make up for it and from then on, at every good opportunity, I ‘tack, tack tacked’ everyone like a machine gun. The three of us then met with Dr. Olof Erikson who was one of the three consultant candidates the Japanese had recommended. Dr. Olof Erikson was smallish, energetic, with dark sparse hair and a goatee. He looked young, confirming the fact that Sweden had the youngest managers in Europe. I thought to myself that youth was not an advantage in Japan where age is greatly respected, being considered a sign of experience and wisdom. But Dr. Olof Erikson had an impressive CV and a convincing business card. In addition, as a good Swede, he believed in consensus, he was polite, did not economize on ‘tacks’, listened carefully and did not talk much. I wondered, though, if that last point was good for an instructor. In any case, his candidature was retained and his name immediately cabled to the Japanese with the dates of his forthcoming visit. [Image: Olof Erikson meets Jacques, Annika Thomasson, and Gunnar Wilkens as they consider him for the Japan assignment.] As I flew to Finland I was happy and relieved to have settled among other things the question of the consultant for Japan. In Helsinki, I attended a meeting very similar to the one just attended in Stockholm. We had representatives of the Finnish International Development Agency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Nordic Council, a couple of non-governmental organizations and the University. The meeting was chaired by Mrs. Marja Haarala. The ladies outnumbered the gentlemen and the blondes outnumbered the dark-browns. The outcome of the meeting was positive. No funds were committed on the spot but strong interest was expressed on two specific projects for Nicaragua. In addition, Finland promised to provide a couple of Associate Experts for two UNESCO-sponsored projects in Peru. Associate Experts are young university graduates paid by the government to serve in a UNESCO project. The meeting also helped in redrafting a proposal to the Nordic Council which they would endorse. That was a good harvest. How could I describe the Finns to Françoise? I had known many at international meetings and used a few as consultants in my work. They struck me as being rigorously honest, incapable of deceiving, pragmatic, unpretentious, generous and direct. I thought that they also shared with the Swedes many of the Nordic characteristics. They appeared laconic but had a more sensitive and easily excitable character. They enjoyed an elegant, clean and simple environment, disliking fuss, arrogance and ostentation. They showed a sense of national identity and pride, but at the same time seemed to be shy or lacking confidence. They impressed me as being very conscious of their geographical location, which they thought was too close to Russia. They were obviously eager to be considered as part of Western Europe. I observed that the Finns liked fun but were restrained by a strong Lutheran influence. They showed a particular gusto for alcohol, in spite of its very high price. I learned that travel agents organized special excursions to St. Petersburg to enjoy cheap vodka. Mr. Keijo Rastas confessed to having been some sixteen or seventeen times to St. Petersburg but managed to visit the Hermitage only once! Apparently, as the ship leaves Finnish territorial waters, the alcoholic drinks are sold tax-free. By the time the ship arrives in St. Petersburg very few find their way to the Museum. Mr. Keijo Rastas then added, and I do think he was serious, that Finland was the only country to have a Minister with a portfolio for Alcoholic Affairs. I never checked on that one and did not mention it in my mission report. When Dr. Wilhelm Perala found that I was not leaving until Monday he invited me to spend the weekend with his family at their country house. I had never met him before but willingly accepted the generous invitation. On Saturday morning off we went in a minibus: Dr. Wilhelm Perala, his wife Merja, their two daughters, Helena and Ulla, a girlfriend of the daughters, Eva Lundmark, the dog, Adolph, and myself. I wondered why they had not brought along the canaries. Wilhelm’s wife, Merja, looked incredibly young to be the mother of two big girls in their early twenties. Assuming a French debonair attitude, I told them, “To me, you look like four sisters.” The whole family was fair, tall and athletic, perhaps, with the exception of Wilhelm who had probably been athletic but was now rather plump. They all spoke English fluently. You could tell they loved nature and did sports. Even Adolph was big and muscular. Next to the Perala family I felt so very small! As we drove through the countryside, Wilhelm explained that their country house was an old farm which they had inherited from Merja’s grandparents. Having a country house is the Finnish number one dream. About 40% of Finnish families are second-home owners. Then somehow the conversation shifted to Finland’s neighbors, the Russians and the Swedes. My diplomatic status and instinct told me to remain silent. I did not utter a word, as Wilhelm lost his Nordic composure in telling me about the 400 years of Swedish occupation and the many wars with the Russians. As he spoke about the battles, the occupation, the dead and the patriotic resistance of the Finns, he got increasingly excited. At one point Adolph barked and Merja told her husband something in Finnish which put an end to the history lecture. After a long silence, which to me seemed like an eternity, we arrived at the country house. The wooden cottage blended perfectly well with the surrounding trees and bushes. It was rustic and reasonably comfortable, with a particular old-fashioned charm of its own. It was definitely different from our French ‘maison de campagne’. [Image: Wilhelm Perala gestures passionately during a Finnish history lesson as Jacques listens, Merja intervenes, and Adolph barks in the minibus.] After an hour of hurrying to and from, and a fair amount of agitation, I asked what all the fuss was about. “We are preparing the Sauna,” Wilhelm answered. He added that every Finn, from the poorest peasant to the President of the Republic, possesses a sauna. Originally it was the bathroom but now it is used for relaxation only. An instant later I could not believe my eyes as four totally naked ‘Nymphs’ called Merja, Ulla, Helena and Eva joyfully crossed the room, rushed outdoors and disappeared into a wooden cabin. Wilhelm began to undress and invited me to do the same. I was not prepared for that. I did not have the courage to run naked in that weather with those four Nordic beauties. I could not think of a good excuse, when potbellied Wilhelm, naked as a worm, told me to hurry up! I mumbled, “I am not used to this.” He looked at me in disbelief and laughed, saying, “I saw French lovers kiss in the streets of Paris, in the Metro, in the parks! And you come to play shy in Finland! Ha! Ha! Come on!” In no time there we were both completely nude like two Satyrs running in the wilderness and joined the four Nymphs. In the sauna we sat on benches, sweating in silence. I had two problems: the first, I was under the firm impression that they all looked in my direction to see how a Frenchman was really made. The second, I did not know myself where to look. The sauna was small and I could not very well stare at the ceiling. I do not remember ever sweating so much. Some of the sweat was no doubt due to the heat and some to the inward commotion. If only somebody had said something! Anything! No. Nothing disturbed that endless silence. Had there been flies, you would have heard them flying. But we were not in Cairo, although it felt like it! When Wilhelm poured some water onto the hot stones the steam created a screen which gave me the illusion of some privacy for a few seconds. As time went on the Perala family turned pink. They looked like sweating shrimps. Then, Big Chief said something and we all moved out. Each one grabbed one of the young birch tree branches that had been prepared on a wooden table and began to lash the others. Before I could understand what was happening I was being fustigated by all these women. After a while I noticed that I was the only one giggling and screaming hysterically. The Perala family was rather silent and looked concentrated, heroic and, by now, purple. Then, Big Chief said another word and we all jumped into the freezing lake. I thought I would never see France again! Back into the house to dry and warm up with beer and sausages. Then back to the sauna for a second round. Then more lashing. Back to the lake. More beer and more sausages. At that point I thought I should write my last will or, at least, a letter to say ‘Adieu’ to my Brigitte and share my impressions of Finland with Françoise. [Image: Jacques follows Wilhelm Perala from the steaming sauna toward the freezing Finnish lake.] I have to admit that a little later, as we sat (dressed) around a wooden table, I felt great. We ate cabbage, potatoes, delicious salmon with dill, country bread and drank some white schnapps. I was glad the sauna part was over, but thought that if I had to do it again, I would not find it so difficult. In fact, I had become accustomed to seeing Ulla, Eva and tutti quanti totally nude. They had very nice figures, indeed. I was glad, though, to see the old Satyre, Wilhelm, back with his clothes on. I had noticed that his figure was more affected by beer than by the sauna. Taking advantage of the relaxed atmosphere that prevailed I told them about Françoise’s request and asked, “What are the national characteristics of each Nordic country, inasmuch as one can generalize?” From the discussion that followed I concluded that they agreed that the Danes were frivolous, the Finns taciturn, the Norwegians stubborn and the Swedes morose, opportunistic, condescending and dull. I remarked that the Swedes, who had colonized the other countries, were assigned four negative adjectives, whereas the others could get by with only one. “And how do the French see the Nordics?” asked Wilhelm. “Well, seen from outside, we tend to confuse the Nordics. They look very alike. One does not expect differences, tensions, or disagreement among them. They are an example of pragmatism, fair play, generosity, and intelligent cooperation. But when you come on the spot, you see that differences do exist. A subtle love-hate relationship prevails among them. It is a very soft and gentle one, and it is kept as such, in accordance with good Nordic behavior and style.” After the cognac we listened to Sibelius’ third Symphony. Then the girls sang some melancholic Finnish songs. Somber, morose, doleful. I dozed in gentle drowsiness. It had been an interesting, relaxing experience. That night I definitely had a dream. But I shall not tell you about it. [Image: Jacques dozes after supper while Helena, Ulla, and Eva sing beside Wilhelm, Merja, and the family dog.] My third and last stop was Copenhagen, Denmark. There I was in the oldest Kingdom of Europe. The most densely populated Nordic country. The Italy of the north. The country where Hans Christian Andersen wrote his tales and Babette cooked her feast. The Danes are known to be light-hearted, extrovert, ironic, fun-loving, informal and, as my Finnish friends said, frivolous. Apparently they have an aversion for rules and regulations, and a distaste for authority and formalism. They show a deep sense of independence, tolerance and equality. I love Denmark! In Copenhagen my host was Mr. Niels Andreansen of the Danish International Development Agency. He was intelligent, knowledgeable and unconventional. From a physical point of view, Mr. Niels Andreansen was small and robust, fair with deep blue eyes. He was a free spirit, unbound by the need for status and recognition. He loved to make a joke of everything. Even in dealing with serious matters, he always looked for the funny side of things. It was a pleasure to be with him. We first visited the Nordic Council of Ministers where I explained a UNESCO project, exploring the possibility of a Nordic cooperative contribution. Mrs. Britta Johansen’s reaction did not sound too promising. Mr. Niels Andreansen then drove me to the Danish Development Agency Headquarters to meet with Mrs. Birgit Petersen. There too, I felt that immediate financial participation from the Danes was unlikely. They were, however, prepared to finance an ‘Associate Expert’ in Venezuela. That was great news. Mr. Niels Andreansen suggested that we continue the discussion over lunch. So he took me to the Tivoli Pleasure Gardens. In this rather cold season, the Tivoli was deserted but one could well imagine what it was like in summer. Magnificent. He selected a typical Danish restaurant where we sat behind a window panel. We ate, laughed and talked all afternoon. In so doing we wrote the job description for the Associate Expert and settled every useful detail. I was very pleased with the outcome. Any remains of formality vanished with the fourth schnapps we had. Niels delivered a series of hilarious jokes. “Come on, Jacques, tell me some French jokes” he kept insisting. By ‘French’ he probably meant lewd. I think I did tell some but I do not remember which ones. I hope Niels does not remember them either. If the Assistant Director-General could have seen me laughing so wholeheartedly at the Tivoli in the middle of the day, he would have cancelled all future missions. I should have taken some notes since the Danish jokes caricatured various aspects of Nordic life and would have answered many of Françoise’s questions, but all the jokes dissolved in the fifth and sixth schnapps. They all dissolved except for a classical one, probably because I had already heard it before. A joke about the laconic and taciturn Finns. It went something like this: Two Finnish friends, Karl and Mauno had not seen each other for a long time. They decided to go out for a drink. They met at a bar, sat at the counter and drank in silence. After some fifteen minutes Mauno asked, “How are you, Karl?” Karl did not answer. After another fifteen minutes Mauno repeated, “How are you, Karl?” to which Karl answered with some obvious irritation, “Look, Mauno, did we come here to chat or to drink?” As we laughed some more, I became intrigued by the window panel across from our table. It was covered with mist. Behind the misty glass was the shadow of a man who appeared to be watching us. It seemed to me that as soon as the man noticed that I was looking in his direction, he disappeared. I was still talking with Niels when my eyes caught the same silhouette behind the opposite glass panel, looking in our direction. I stood up. The shadow quickly disappeared into the dusk. A few minutes later, the waiter came to me and said, “Mr. Dupont, you are wanted on the phone.” “Me?” I asked. “Who knows I am here?” Then turning to the waiter I asked him how he knew who I was and where I was sitting. “The man on the phone explained…” he replied. I rushed to the bar and grabbed the phone. My heart was beating fast as I said, “hello?” After a fairly long silence a low voice whispered, “Are you having fun, Mr. Dupont?” I asked who it was but the unknown man hung up on me. Niels laughed about the whole matter. I did not. I was intrigued and disconcerted. The call had annoyed me. I kept looking at the glass panels for the shadow to reappear, while Niels kept saying, “Forget it.” [Image: Jacques grips a period telephone at Tivoli while Niels watches and a lone silhouette waits behind misted glass.] Then the waiter came again to say that there was the same man on the phone who wanted to talk to me. It was urgent. So I walked to the bar slowly. Very slowly. I could feel my heart beat. The same low voice whispered, “Are you having fun, Mr. Dupont?” Niels wanted to know if the man had any special accent. Did he sound Danish? No. Did he sound Nordic or English? No. Did he sound French? No. Did he sound German? No. I thought for a while and, all of a sudden, I said, “He sounds like Mr. Massaringhe! Oh. Yes, just like Massaringhe!” On the way to the airport I did not explain who Massaringhe was and changed the subject, pretending I did not care about the incident. I was laughing by myself on the plane back to Paris, trying to remember some of the jokes Niels had told me. Then, as I recalled the shadow behind a misty panel, I lapsed into a gloomy mood. All in all my Nordic marathon had been fruitful. I had found a Swedish consultant for Japan and two or three Associate Experts for my projects in Latin America. I had received strong encouragements on some proposals. I also had a terrible hangover. No coffee or aspirin helped. When the plane landed at Charles de Gaulle Airport I thought my brain was going to explode. I did not expect anyone at the airport. Usually, nobody comes to meet me when I return from mission. This time Brigitte and Françoise were there. They had to exchange what they had purchased at IKEA the day of my departure, so they decided to come and pick me up. That was thoughtful, but I must have looked surprised. I am sure my hangover did not help my facial expression. They said “Aren’t you happy we came? You look tired! What have you done? You can’t have had much sleep? Well, you’ll tell us all on the way home. By the way, the Blanchards and the Rousseaus are coming to dinner tonight. We had better hurry. They are dying to see Scandinavia through your eyes…” In the car my two women would not stop talking. I somehow understood the value of being taciturn. Had I become a little bit Nordic? Then Brigitte said, “I think I saw one of your colleagues at the airport. The one you do not like.” “Who? Massaringhe?” “I think so. But I am not sure.” “He was behind a glass door.” [Image: Brigitte and Françoise greet an exhausted Jacques at Charles de Gaulle as Massaringhe stands behind a glass door.] ### Explore the Chapters - [Around The World In Eighty Missions: Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Veronique, And The Other Nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo, And Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings And I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra And Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris With Nancy And Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle Of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt The Library Of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – Sunny Side Up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) © Copyright [Jacques Tocatlian](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/07/jacques-tocatlian-1929-2019/). All Rights Reserved. ## Kama Sutra and Bollywood - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/ - Published: 2000-08-31 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: Budget cuts at UNESCO send Jacques Dupont from Sri Lanka to India, where mistaken identity, Bollywood glamour, a women’s meeting in Bangalore, and a troublesome Kama Sutra gift turn one combined mission into comic chaos. [Image: A traveler walks through an Indian street with dancers, a rickshaw, a bookseller, and a white cow.] [AUDIOBOOK](https://tocatlian.blog/2026/07/17/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions-the-audiobook/) [GET YOUR COPY](https://tocatlian.blog/2010/07/08/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions/) BROWSE BY CHAPTER - [Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Véronique and other nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo and Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings and I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra and Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris with Nancy and Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt the Library of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – sunny side up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) All the directors had been convened for a meeting with the Director-General in Conference Room N° 2. We were told about the financial situation, the necessary cuts in the ongoing budget and the inevitable restrictions that had to be imposed on every program. You could sense nervousness pervading the room. When the Director-General spoke of the necessity to cut down on missions, the temperature of Room N°2 rose by several degrees. He began by saying that he fully understood the need to visit our projects in Member States in order to understand the reality of the field, to grasp the needs and requirements of those we try to serve, and to meet the people we co-operate with. “Our work is not an academic exercise,” he said, “that we can perform sitting at our desks in Paris. We need to grasp the actual situation on the spot.” That ‘pep talk’ had a soothing effect on the audience. He had lulled us into a state of serenity so that we would swallow the pill that was to follow with resignation. He said that from a budgetary viewpoint, we had to save 40% on missions. But in order not to jeopardize the implementation of the program we would combine missions. “If one of us is going to Antofagasta to deal with project ‘A’ it does not make sense for another one from some other division to go to Antofagasta to handle project ‘B’!” He thought that, with a good briefing and some intelligent preparation, we could very well combine missions, even if our fields of interest, program responsibilities and professional profiles were different. He had set up an intersectoral committee, called the Mission Coordinating Committee, and empowered it to conduct such an overall coordination. No director in Room N° 2 believed in such interchangeability. UNESCO, as a specialized Agency of the UN Family covered Education, Science, Culture and Communication. Within each of these four large Sectors, a great number of specialized programs was managed by several specialists in the respective disciplines. Even a contemporary Leonardo da Vinci could not possess the encyclopedic knowledge needed to fully grasp the intricacies of each and every one of them. Even with a good briefing, one was still bound to remain at the level of generalities, when dealing with a field of competence different from one’s own. Remember Borobudur! The decision had been taken and no argument would change it. The meeting was brought to an end, as the Director-General had to rush to the airport. He was going on mission to Zimbabwe… [Image: Jacques Dupont and UNESCO directors react anxiously as the Director-General announces mission budget cuts in Conference Room Number 2.] On the way back to my office I stopped at the Library to consult a geography reference book to learn that Antofagasta was in Chile. Two weeks later I found out that the Mission Coordinating Committee, in its great wisdom, had canceled my mission to the Ivory Coast and Ghana. My colleagues of the division would no longer go to Hungary, Qatar, Uruguay and Zambia. My mission to Sri Lanka was reduced to two days and combined with a much longer mission to India on behalf of two other divisions. As a result, we all wore a funeral-day expression. We then spent endless frustrating hours preparing briefings, attending meeting after meeting, putting together special files and arguing on the phone. The Mission Coordinating Committee became, in no time, enemy number one! My two-day mission in Sri Lanka was uneventful. I only remember seeing the airport, the hotel room and the conference room. I could have been in Antofagasta for that matter! As the plane began its descent on New Delhi, I had a lump in my throat. India always raised apprehensions in me. As far as I knew, this country was relatively safe. I had nothing to fear, except for a notorious diarrhea. Mr. Boris Tikhonov, Director of the UNESCO Office in New Delhi, was to be at the airport to stay with me until the departure of my connecting flight to Bombay, a couple of hours later. But for some reason, there was something in India that always stirred up anxiety deep in my soul. I remembered my last visit to New Delhi a few years earlier. After the meeting, Mr. Boris Tikhonov had suggested that the office chauffeur drive me around for a quick city tour while the report on the meeting was being typed. After about an hour, I had asked the chauffeur to stop so that I could walk a little on my own. I had found the odor in the luxurious Mercedes nauseating. The driver smelled as if he had been marinated in curry and sprayed with a mixture of coriander, garlic, cardamom, saffron and cloves. I had been walking for a while down Chandni Chowk Street, where all types of Indian handicrafts are sold, when I decided to take a turn into one of the narrow side streets. After two or three more turns I had found myself in a pandemonium. The cacophony was unbearable: loud-speakers at every corner howling music, street vendors shouting at the top of their voices, cars and trucks hooting and releasing clouds of carbon dioxide gas on motorcyclists behind them. Everywhere, blind beggars, children, cows, crippled old men, lottery vendors, rickshaws and hundreds of bicycles. The buses slanted dangerously as they rode with clusters of human beings hanging from the windows. Just as in Cairo. In large Indian cities this harassing turmoil goes on from sunrise to sunset, and beyond… But that was on my last visit, a few years earlier. Perhaps things had changed since then. The landing was smooth and, as usual, New Delhi Airport was overcrowded and chaotic. Something like Chandni Chowk and neighboring streets, but without cows or buses. Everything else was there. In New Delhi Airport you usually have to find your way through an ocean of luggage, boxes, trunks and a promiscuous collection of people, including a number of young European tourists, sleeping on the ground. When I saw Boris Tikhonov I sighed with relief as if I had taken a new lease on life! “What a pleasure to see you again, Boris,” I said, and I meant it! He helped me with the formalities for transferring my luggage to the connecting flight to Bombay, steered me through the crowds as an experienced navigator and led me to the VIP lounge. Clean, quiet and cool. “Oh! It feels like Paradise!” I said. “You mean Nirvana, my friend,” he replied. “But to enter Nirvana, my dear Jacques, you have to cast out the three sources of evil: desire, hatred and error. Perhaps you have already driven out hatred and error. But for a young Frenchman like you desire must still be there! Ha! Ha.” “Well,” I said, “at fifty-two, I feel it is fading a little every day.” Sipping a cold drink, we chatted and gossiped like two old Parisian concierges. Boris Tikhonov was a husky man in his fifties, with a wild beard and formidable eyebrows. He had a charming and warm personality and hypnotizing, dark eyes, reminiscent of Rasputin. With his basso-profundo voice he could probably sing Boris Godounov very well. He pulled a list from his pocket and said he had three groups of questions regarding: a) my forthcoming meetings in Bombay and Bangalore, b) a number of UNESCO projects in India, and c) the latest gossip from Headquarters. [Image: Boris Tikhonov leans over three stacks of questions while Jacques listens in the New Delhi VIP lounge.] We started with the latter, which he considered by far the most appetizing. He wanted confirmation of various rumors he had heard and wanted to know how the latest Executive Board session had gone. He asked about vacant posts, the Director-General’s latest initiatives, budgetary cuts, and other matters. When the ‘gossip list’ was exhausted, Rasputin looked satisfied. Regarding my visits to Bombay and Bangalore, he had made the hotel reservations and had arranged to have someone meet me at the respective airports. We discussed both meetings and agreed that my role was easy, since I only had to deliver a speech at each of the two meetings, prepared by the respective divisions at Headquarters, and bring back to Paris the reports on the meetings and their recommendations. There was little more I could do since the subjects of these meetings were outside my direct responsibility and competence. Boris said that he could not have attended those meetings in Bombay and Bangalore himself since he was involved at the time in a long series of discussions with Government representatives in New Delhi regarding future collaboration between India and UNESCO. The meetings in Bombay and Bangalore had been organized by UNESCO in cooperation with the Indian authorities and were to be attended by a number of experts from different countries, mostly from the Asian region. The event in Bombay was an international seminar on the relationship between development and culture entitled, “Man: the Focal Point of All Development” and that in Bangalore was entitled “Expert Meeting on the Role of Women in the Education of Young People, Mutual Understanding and Respect of Human Rights.” The third set of questions was difficult for me to cope with since it concerned all sorts of projects UNESCO was carrying out in India. I took notes and promised Boris that I would convey messages to the respective divisions back at headquarters. Fortunately, the boarding of the Bombay flight was announced, which put a welcome end to Boris’ questioning. I warmly thanked him and literally ran to the plane. He looked haggard, standing there in the middle of the hall with the unfinished questionnaire in his hand. His Rasputin look had worn off. At Bombay Airport I saw a sign on which was printed in large red characters, ‘J. Dupont.’ I introduced myself to the man holding it. He smiled and said he would drive me to the hotel. His decayed teeth made me think that he had never met a dentist in his life. He grabbed my bag and ran towards the car. He was in a great hurry because he had to go back and forth, all day, between the hotel and the airport to pick up participants. [Image: Jacques Dupont follows the wrong airport driver through a crowded Bombay arrivals hall while the true pickup man waits in the background.] His erratic driving was totally insane. I closed my eyes. If I ever survived the experience, I could brag that I had been driven by Michael Schumacher! In an attempt to make him slow down, I tried to engage him in conversation. I inquired about the meeting, the participants and most particularly about Mr. Kulendran Gosh and Mr. Shyam Narayan, the Indian organizers. My driver did not seem to know anything. He kept saying that I was staying at one of the most beautiful palaces in the world: the Taj Mahal Hotel. “But, Mr. Boris Tikhonov, Director of the UNESCO Office in New Delhi, had mentioned a different hotel,” I kept repeating, to no avail. In zigzagging his way through the crowd he said, “No Sir, all participants are in the Taj Mahal. It is one of the three most beautiful hotels in the world, Sir, together with the famous Rambagh Palace of Jaipur, and the Lake Palace of Udaipur.” I realized that I would never be able to afford the Taj Mahal out of my UNESCO daily allowance. UNESCO does not reimburse actual expenses but provides a fixed per diem for each country, which is certainly not meant for the Taj Mahals of this world. Eventually we arrived. ‘Michael Schumacher’ dumped me in front of the Palace and drove back to the Airport. On entering the Hotel lobby I felt carried away in the magic of the tale of one thousand and one nights. I made my way through it in total amazement, like Alice in Wonderland. I had never seen anything so overwhelmingly ornate and luxurious. It was imposing and ostentatious. Why on earth did we need such grand setting to discuss problems related to development in the Third World! [Image: Jacques Dupont stands small and overwhelmed beneath the grand arches and chandelier of the Taj Mahal Hotel lobby.] At the reception I gave my name and received the key to my room. I was told that the hotel architect was French, but no one could tell me anything about Kulendran Gosh or Shym Narayan. “I presume, Sir, that they haven’t arrived,” I was told. I only found out that a reception was scheduled for the same evening and the meeting would only start the following day. No working documents were available. I felt uneasy. I left my luggage in the room and joined a conducted tour of the city in order to keep my mind off the meeting. Bombay is the economic and financial capital of India. A kind of Indian New York City. It encapsulates all the religions, ethnic groups and communities of India and concentrates all the wealth and activities of the various sections of its population, as well as their wildest hopes and impossible dreams. Every single day, an average of 400 families arrive in Bombay looking for work! Out of the 15 million inhabitants, about 9 million live in slums – including some lawyers and doctors – and one million is quite literally on the streets. Bombay is prohibitively expensive. In a residential area an apartment costs 7000 US dollars per square meter. More expensive than the residential areas of Paris! We visited the older city on Bombay Island, the harbor, the hills, a number of typical islands, the Victoria Railway terminus, the Museum, the Institute of Science, the famous Bombay film-making studios – known as ‘Bollywood’ – the Town Hall, and a large arch, known as the Gateway to India, built in 1911 to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary. At the cricket club, tea was served by stylish waiters speaking the Queen’s English. On the way back, the guide talked about the diversity of India. He quoted extensively from the book ‘The Discovery of India’ first published in 1946 by Jawaharlal Nehru. “The diversity of India is tremendous. it is obvious. it lies on the surface and anybody can see it. It concerns itself with physical appearances as well as with certain mental habits and traits. There is little in common, to outward seeming, between the Pathan of the North-West and the Tamil in the far South. Their racial stocks are not the same. they differ in face and figure, food and clothing, and, of course, language… Yet, with all these differences, there is no mistaking the impress of India on the Pathan, as this is obvious on the Tamil… All regions have their distinctive features, all of them have still more the distinguishing mark of India…” The guide went on by saying that India, the largest democracy of the world, with its 950 million people was to become by the year 2030 the most populated country of the planet, with an estimated 1.5 billion. I conjured up for a moment New Delhi Airport and the large cities, like Bombay and Calcutta, as they would be then, and shivered at the prospect! India is a mosaic of different cultures. More than 740 languages are spoken in the country. And to think that I have been struggling all my life with only French and English! Every year 300,000 scientists, engineers and technicians graduate from its universities and pour onto the job market. There are over 25 million divinities. At that point I wondered how a ‘Who is who’ of the 25 million divinities, compiled in the 740 languages of India would look like. In spite of its computer specialists, nuclear energy researchers, space program and satellite engineers, India – the third scientific power of the world – has an estimated 300 million poverty-stricken people! This was beyond me. I could not grasp the meaning nor the reasons behind the contrasts and contradictions. I was happy to be back at the Taj Mahal Hotel. Speaking of contrasts, next door to this magnificent Palace stood a man, behind a tree, answering a call of nature! As I entered the lobby, I was invited to join the cocktail reception. I had not had time to change and, since I seemed to be late, I entered the reception lounge, dressed as I was. The hostess asked for my name and gave me a tag to pin on my jacket. Everyone could see now that I was ‘J. Dupont.’ A man was delivering a speech. He was saying that India with its 800 films per year was the largest world producer of films. A billion spectators go to movie houses every year. Bombay with its famous ‘Bollywood’, was proud to greet this international gathering. The speaker mentioned the great director Satyajit Ray and the ever popular movie star Naseerudin Shah. By now I knew I was in the wrong reception, the wrong meeting and the wrong hotel. I broke into a cold sweat. I made my way back to the hotel reception desk and asked for the manager. He looked at my name tag and said, “Oh, Mr. Dupont, we have been looking for you all over the hotel. Another Mr. Dupont has tried to check in, but you had taken his room. We could not understand why. May we ask who you are?” I gathered whatever strength was left in me and said, “ I am Jacques Dupont from UNESCO.” “Oh. well,” he said, “we were expecting Jerôme Dupont, not Jacques Dupont. You have his room.” I asked for a chair and sat down in total disbelief. [Image: Jacques Dupont stands apart with a nervous expression as stylish film guests mingle at the Bollywood reception.] Fortunately Jerôme Dupont had a good sense of humor. This case of mistaken identities amused him. He belonged to the French movie-making industry and said he could use the incident to produce a good comedy. We had traveled on the same flight from New Delhi to Bombay but, having had some problem with his luggage, he had been delayed at the airport. In the meanwhile I had read the sign ‘J. Dupont’ and had taken his driver. He said that later on he had spotted at the airport door someone looking for a ‘Jacques Dupont’ but knew he was not concerned. “That is the problem” he concluded, “with such common names, as Dupont!” He insisted in offering me a drink because he thought I looked very pale. We compared pedigrees and, having climbed our respective family trees to the top, we decided that we were not related. There are hundreds of thousands of ‘Dupont’ in France, just like the ‘Smiths’ in England or the ‘Ferraris’ in Italy. Jerôme Dupont was happy to tell me about Bollywood – a word derived from Bombay and Hollywood. He had spent a couple of months in India and he seemed happy to be able to speak French with someone, for a change. He said that there were two types of popular Indian film themes: crime or love. “The scenarios of the latter are unalterable and immutable,” he said. “ A beautiful young girl from a higher caste loves a handsome, but poor, young man. The parents of the girl have promised her to a rich, ugly old man. The young lovers run away. They are hounded all over the place. There are tears and songs. Many songs. An Indian movie is in general an excuse for showing lots of singing and dancing. After three and half hours of love dialogues, tears, songs and dances we approach the end. There are two classic options for ending the story. The tragic one: the girl is caught and commits suicide. The happy one: the parents forgive the girl and give their blessing to the wedding. After two or three more songs, believe it or not, the movie comes to an end.” We had a good laugh and ordered another drink. He lowered his voice and whispered, “You know, the Indian film business is 50% controlled by organized crime. There are deep connections between the film industry and the underworld.” Pointing to the reception room he added, “There are many top mafia ‘dons’ in that reception, you know.” He explained that the film industry in India was estimated at several millions a year, but banks would not lend money and the government would not subsidize it. Consequently, the producers turn to black market money. Mafia-sponsored films are very often about gangsters and crimes. They like action and vulgarity. “Let me tell you a funny incident,” he said. “It happened in Bangalore, which is also another important film-making center. The Hoodlums are no longer satisfied with sponsoring a film, now they want to shape it, change the script, and sometimes play in it. So, some real-life gangsters played their own part in a film. One day some off-duty policemen in Bangalore were astonished to see on the screen a dozen of the city’s most notorious criminals playing gangsters!” I thanked Jerôme Dupont. After a few telephone calls, I handed in the key to my room and left my lavish Taj Mahal and its ‘Bollywood Festival’ for a more modest destination. My own meeting had been going on since 9 o’clock in that morning. At noon, Mr. Kulendran Gosh had called Mr. Boris Tikhonov in New Delhi to tell him that I had not arrived. At that time I was probably peacefully visiting the Gateway of India. I felt so embarrassed that I could not tell the true story. If I had told the truth, no one would have believed it. Or had they believed it they would be convinced that I was utterly stupid. I kept saying, “I’ll tell you later,” hoping to be able to invent some credible and honorable story later on. I turned down the invitation to the cocktail and went to my room. I had had enough drinks with the other Dupont. I took a couple of aspirins and modified my ‘opening’ speech that should have been read at the beginning of the session and tried to make it fit the theme of the discussion scheduled for the second day. At eleven o’clock that night, Rasputin called from New Delhi. I told him that I had eaten something on the plane which did not agree with me and had taken refuge in the restrooms of the Taj Mahal Hotel, on the way from the airport to the meeting. “But the Taj Mahal is not on the way,” he said. With every question he asked, my story became more and more entangled in contradictions and less and less plausible. I was slowly mired in the quick sands of falsehood. I eventually said, “I’ll explain everything when I see you next time,” and put an end to the conversation. At midnight I went to bed on an empty stomach, like millions of starving Indians. Having gone to bed in one season I woke up in another. I watched from the window a frightening burst of driving rain. Fortunately the meeting room was in the same hotel, so we did not have to face the deluge. The Chairman, Mr. Vikram Shah, opened the meeting on the subject “Man: The Focal Point of All Development ” by summarizing the salient points of the discussions of the previous day. He then greeted me, saying that he was sorry that I had met with some difficulties along the way. I thought I detected an ironic gleam in his eyes. Did he think I spent the day with a dancing girl? He concluded by saying that he was very happy that I had been able to make it and invited me to address the meeting. I first apologized for being late and immediately broached the subject. I first recalled that the concept of culture, which used to be restricted to works of art and literature, now included the spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features that characterize a given society, including modes of life, value systems, traditions and beliefs. Culture is the very fabric of society and its basic strength. I glanced to see if anyone was asleep and continued, “History shows that periods of cultural development have almost invariably accompanied or immediately preceded a spectacular development of the society.” I proceeded to show that the symbiosis between culture and development was illustrated in China under the Sung Dynasty, in the Near East between the 7th and 13th centuries A.D., in Mali in the 14th century A.D., in Europe at the Renaissance, as well as in the pre-Colombian America by the Maya and the Aztec civilizations. I concluded by drawing attention to the fact that, when cultural aspects were ignored in development strategies, local creative capacities were stunted as well as the ability to block the unwanted intrusion of foreign cultural influences. Mr. Vikram Shah invited comments and questions. The discussion that followed further expanded on some of the points made and the meeting proceeded quite well. The third day was spent discussing the meeting’s recommendations. By the time it ended, I was fully integrated into the group and completely at ease. I had almost forgotten the Taj Mahal and the Bollywood incident. The farewell dinner took place in a local restaurant where we were invited to sample some of the regional Indian dishes. Typical dishes from northern India, the Penjab, are the most appreciated by foreigners. Dishes from the South are perhaps too spicy. those from Madras are made of dynamite. That night we had ‘samosa’ – turnovers stuffed with meat and vegetables. ‘tikka’ – grilled brochettes of fish with basmati rice. ‘ghost biryani’ – basmati rice with marinated lamb chops, ‘raita’ – cucumber salad with yogurt. curries of meat with okra, peas and beans. ‘tandoori chicken’ with special ‘korma’ and ‘chutney’ sauces, ‘chapati ’ and ‘nans’ – Indian bread. Kulendran Gosh, Shyam Narayan and Vikram Shah entertained us with colorful stories about food in various regions of India. That was culture. We ate a great deal and our waistline expanded. That was development. The rain had stopped. We walked to our hotel, our bulging stomachs protruding before us. Shortly after 10 p.m. I collapsed in bed and slept like the dead. An hour later I woke up with abdominal pain and an acid stomach. All the regions of India were feuding inside me. I took an Alka-Seltzer or two. The ‘samosa’ obviously made me bilious, the ‘tikka’ gave me the hiccups, the ‘raita’ acidified my stomach, the curries made me sea-sick and the ‘ghost biryani’ sent my bowels into an uproar. There was nothing to be done except to let nature take its course. I was in the middle of my contortions, moaning like an elephant in labor, and swearing to become a vegetarian when the telephone rang. At first I thought that some neighbor was about to complain about the noise I was making, but it was good old Rasputin wanting to know how I was feeling. I told him. And when the storm was over I collapsed for the second time and slept like the dead. In Bangalore, I arrived on time at the right hotel and at the right meeting. I liked Bangalore. At a slight altitude, it never suffers from torrid heat. Also known as the ‘Garden-City’ it displays large, shady boulevards and pleasant gardens and parks. Bangalore has cultivated a special way of life. In its numerous pubs, one can meet young, Indian engineers wearing Levis jeans, Nike T-shirts and Reebok sneakers. The music you hear is Bruce Springsteen’s. This ‘Indian Silicone Valley’ is known for its Space research. large multinationals, such as IBM, Texas Instruments and Hewlett-Packard. ‘hi-tech’ industries, many research laboratories, and a first-rate army of software specialists. It has won a good portion of the customized software world market and creates software for Swissair, Nestlé, Morgan Bank, Samsung, and many others. Its world-renowned University – the Indian Institute of Technology, IIT, publishes every year over 1500 papers on fundamental research. The founder of this University, Jamsetji Tata, is the owner of some 80 companies employing 300,000 people. The hotel was on Brigade Road, the very ‘in’ street of Bangalore, with lively bars carrying names such as Black Cadillac and NASA. As I checked in I was told that I could not use the elevator for the time being since there was no electricity. “Power is cut three or four hours each day, Sir.” I asked how the industries could manage under such conditions and was told that they had their own power stations. When I tried to take a shower I realized that the use of water could also be problematic. These are some of the contradictions of an emerging great power in the Third World! The leading Indian organizer of the Meeting was Mrs. Indira Bahtia. She was tall and lean as a stick and exhibited few features of the traditional Indian femininity. She was straightforward and abrupt like an army drill instructor and did not waste any time on useless civilities and compliments. She greeted me by remarking it was regrettable that UNESCO was again represented by a man at a meeting concerning the role of women. I never forget this chilly welcome and the disturbing effect it had on me for the rest of the day! As I entered the meeting room, I felt I was unwanted. For a moment I thought I had broken into the harem of a Maharajah. All the ladies present looked as if they would have a collective heart attack. While I searched for my seat, I was met by frosty, hostile looks, one or two timid smiles and many expressions of surprise. Was I the only man in the audience? Way in the back of the room, in the very left corner was a fat man who looked more like the Maharajah’s Eunuch. He soon disappeared. I timidly sat down behind the ‘UNESCO’ nameplate and looked at the main working document to see if anything indicated that this was a women-only meeting. I read the title over and over again. I guess that the role of women in ‘anything’ should be discussed by women only. At least this was how this group seemed to feel. I was an intruder! Indira Bahtia chaired the meeting with vigor and determination. Each participant was first invited to dwell on the role of women in education, mutual understanding and human rights, in their respective countries or regions. From the national reports it became obvious that women did not play as important a role as they should. We all knew that before coming to Bangalore. Indira Bahtia asked why. The answer was unanimous: men everywhere prevented them from doing so. Then came an avalanche of recommended solutions. From my point of view, some participants were reasonable, others were excessive. Only a couple were outright aggressive. One of them kept looking at me with open hostility, while referring to the injustice of men. The chairwoman, with a stony glare, asked me, “What could UNESCO do to assist women around the globe in playing their role in these areas?” [Image: Indira Bahtia leads the Bangalore women’s meeting while Jacques Dupont sits cautiously among four attentive participants.] In answer to the question, I spoke for some 15 uninterrupted minutes, staring at my paper and without ever raising my head to glance at any participant, least of all at the Chair. One of their resentful looks would have paralyzed me for good. I started by an opening sentence that had not been written in the speech prepared for me. It was not the sort of elegant statement a UNESCO representative usually makes. “UNESCO is happy to have sponsored and paid for this meeting and for your respective participation. Our thanks to the Indian authorities for the organization of the meeting and to each of you for having accepted our invitation.” There was a dead silence. I did not raise my head but I could feel one or two hostile stares at me. I then proceeded to explain UNESCO’s work relating to the status of women which aimed at enhancing the participation of women in economic, social and cultural life. This enhanced participation touches every aspect of life. An indication of this concern could be found under almost every UNESCO program. After a brief pause I improvised an additional remark, “And these numerous programs are, of course, handled by both men and women. We do not believe in discriminating between sexes…” After a short pause, I proceeded to provide numerous examples of actions undertaken under each program. At the end of this endless – and certainly boring – litany, Indira Bahtia announced a tea break. I was sipping my tea in a corner when one of the aggressive participants came to me with Indira Bahtia and with half a smile said, “Mr. Dupont, as a Frenchman you well know that it is Simone de Beauvoir who, in 1974, had underlined the need for women to assume full responsibility for an anti-sexist campaign. Even if some men, such as yourself, may be sympathetic to the feminist cause, there is a unique female sensitivity that has to remain at the very center of our struggle. Do you see what we mean?” “Well, I see your point,” I answered, “but it is my personal opinion that men are and, most probably, will remain in many decision-making positions for some time. They will continue to influence budgets, spending, hiring and policies. It would be smart to get them involved in your discussions and win them over to your cause, as partners and it would be counterproductive to keep them out. In any case, open antagonism, in my opinion, does not pay!” I finished my cup of tea with a sense of satisfaction. Some of the inner tension had been released. But that was not the end of it. Indira Bahtia smiled and said, “Open antagonism may not pay, but at one point, Mr. Dupont, a gentle, civilized struggle for equality of rights may just not be enough. In some instances women will have to take up leadership. I see that you are smiling, Mr. Dupont. Listen to this…” She went on to explain that among the apes, the gorilla males murder baby gorillas fathered by other males to free nursing mothers for breeding. Orangutans and chimpanzees wage bloody wars, kill and rape, making the higher male primates one of the worst criminal class of the animal kingdom. Latest research has found that, in the Bonobo species, peace is generally kept and transgressors are punished. “The reason for peace and order, Mr Dupont,” she said, “ is indeed very simple. Among the bonobos it is the females that rule and enforce the laws.” I did not say any more. This was obviously a type of Bonobo meeting and I had better keep quiet. As the meeting proceeded, the tone softened, interventions seemed more moderate and proposals reasonable. Was it my own sensitivity that had changed? After a while, my mind wandered away from the meeting into the heart of the Bonobo jungle, with apes jumping all over the place. Indira must have wondered why I kept smiling. Eventually, the meeting ended. Much better than it had started – at least for me. At the hotel I packed and settled the bill. I had a couple of hours to kill before the car was to come to take me to the airport. So I decided to go for a walk down Brigade Road and buy a gift for Brigitte. I always brought back a little gift from my various missions. Our apartment in Paris was filled with African masks, exotic knickknacks, paintings, curios and trivia from various parts of the world. Before leaving for a mission Brigitte used to say, “Have a nice trip, darling, and no more bric-a-brac, please.” But I could never resist buying a little something. Not of great value, but something to remind me of a special place, of a given culture, of a special moment. Walking around my apartment in Paris I can travel around the world, thanks to these chattels. While I was strolling down Brigade Road, an elderly man approached me, started to talk in a friendly and dignified manner and walked along with me. Once we had established a rapport free of mistrust and suspicion, he asked if I had ever seen an old manuscript of the Kama Sutra and was I interested to see one. “Well,” I said, “ I have very little time and I do not understand the language.” To that he replied, “The drawings you would understand. They are most explicit. You need not read the text. And if you have no time you can buy a copy to take with you and consult at your leisure. Would you like to browse at one, without any obligation to buy, of course?” After some hesitation I said “Why not!” After spending three full days in a room with twenty-two aggressive women wanting to bring to ruin the overall domination of men, I was ready for some feminine, soft and erotic interlude. Within ten minutes we entered a sort of dilapidated, dark cabin. In a shabby back room, the old man displayed before me several dusty books in parchment paper. They were impressively beautiful. [Image: An elderly manuscript seller presents old volumes to Jacques Dupont in a dim Bangalore back room.] As I turned page after page, he explained, “The Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana is the oldest Indian erotic book available to us. Other erotic books existed before that, but never reached us. We cannot date the origin of the Kama Sutra, but we know for sure that it was written between the 4th and 8th centuries. It is prior to 74O A.D. when it is mentioned for the first time in another text and it is later than a 4th century erotic book, known as the ‘Arthasatra’ which inspired the Kama Sutra.” I was listening with interest but my attention was mainly taken by some very intricate postures illustrated in the book. I could not imagine how on earth one could take up such elaborately convoluted positions. You would have to be an all-round athlete! I began laughing at the thought of some of the couples Brigitte and I knew attempting some of them. With an incriminating look, the old man said, “ The Kama Sutra is not pornography but a book about the art of love. It is an open book for us. In the West you have transformed it into a book ‘for private circulation only.’ The erotic sculptures in our Hindu temples are visual translations of the descriptions and illustrations of the Kama Sutra.” He proceeded to explain that it was written in seven books and that Europeans were mostly interested in book one and two, richly illustrated. The others have more texts and deal with selecting a spouse, marriage, the art of seduction, how to deal with several wives, advice for courtesans, etc. He explained that some of the text was subtle, some was naive, other parts were pedantic. It was getting late. I looked at my watch and closed the volumes I was browsing. The old man told me the price of the parchment paper edition in front of me. I exclaimed: “Oh, là là… là là!” and told him that I did not have this kind of money and would not know where to put (or hide) the seven volumes in my house. He offered a simplified English version of the first two volumes. We bargained for a while and I eventually agreed. He said he would make a special gift wrap for my wife. He went into the other room and reappeared with a package, wrapped in a very fancy parchment paper. He said not to unwrap it before I got home, otherwise it would be bad luck. As a suspicious Frenchman I wondered if the old man had not substituted the Kama Sutra I had purchased for some worthless book. But I did not say anything, I thanked him and ran to the hotel. The car was already there to drive me to the airport. On the Air India flight back to Europe I found myself amongst a jovial group of Italian tourists who had spent twenty-one days touring India. They were festive, witty and loud. Since sleeping was obviously out of the question, I decided to write my mission reports. The Italian lady next to me said that they had visited hundreds of temples and had eaten chicken for twenty-one consecutive days. She added that if she saw another temple or was served chicken for dinner she would scream. A temple was out of the question, but who could tell what was on the menu? A few minutes later dinner was served. She screamed. I eventually arrived home. Happy to be back. I sat with my wife and daughter and talked for hours. I had some nice Bourgueil and a whole baguette with Pont-l’Evêque, Pithiviers au foin and Saint-Marcellin. I talked, with my mouth full, while Brigitte and Françoise brought me up to date on all major and minor events regarding school, the neighbors, the weather, political scandals, the President of the Republic, the concerts I had missed, the cleaning woman and the rising cost of living. Françoise was very excited at the thought that Nancy would soon be coming to stay with us. “Who is Nancy?” I asked. “Oh, Papa, you have forgotten!” said Françoise, in disappointment. Nancy was a girl from Boston who would be spending the summer with us on an exchange program. Françoise would go to Boston the following summer. Brigitte showed me how they had rearranged the furniture and prepared a special room for our American guest. Everyone was happy. The following day I went to work, gave my mission reports for typing and tried to clear my desk and tend to the most urgent matters. Around four o’clock I was discussing with a colleague a project proposal we had received from the World Bank when the telephone rang. It was Brigitte in a great state of excitement. She had glanced at the Kama Sutra at home and had found it very intriguing, so she had taken it with her when she went out. “Brigitte, this is not exactly a sort of book to read on the bus!” I said. “Don’t be silly,” she answered “It was in my purse. The problem is that it is no longer there.” I asked my colleague to postpone the discussion on the World Bank project because I had an even more pressing matter to settle. [Image: Jacques Dupont grips the office telephone in comic horror as a colleague leaves and gift wrap lies on the desk.] When my colleague had left I rang my wife back saying, “Where have you been? For heaven’s sake, Brigitte, do you remember when and where you took the book out of your purse?” She replied, “I went first to the dentist and I remember glancing at it in the waiting room. You know, dentists are always late. I then went to the butcher’s to pick up the veal cutlets for tonight. But I am sure that I did not read it there.” “Thank God!” I interrupted, “Finally,” she said, “I went to the hairdresser to have a hair cut and a blow-dry, but I cannot remember if I took it out there or not.” I asked her if she had called the dentist or the hairdresser to find out. She choked at the question. “Are you out of your mind?” She did not want to be identified as the person reading such dissolute, libidinous books! She wanted to know why I had brought back such a licentious gift to start with? Was there a hidden message for her in such a gift? She now wondered what type of libertine I turned into when on missions. I let the storm blow over and after a long silence I asked, “What do you intend to do? Is there something I, myself, could do to help?” She answered that she would simply have to find another dentist and another hairdresser. She was sorry because the hairdresser was very good and the dentist had not yet completed her bridge. “Don’t you have anything to say?” she asked. “ Well,” I replied, “ the good news is that we are going to keep the same butcher!” ### Explore the Chapters - [Around The World In Eighty Missions: Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Veronique, And The Other Nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo, And Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings And I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra And Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris With Nancy And Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle Of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt The Library Of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – Sunny Side Up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) © Copyright [Jacques Tocatlian](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/07/jacques-tocatlian-1929-2019/). All Rights Reserved. ## Gay Paris with Nancy and Aunt Lily - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/ - Published: 2000-08-31 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: On D-Day, Nancy arrived. I took the day off from work and went to the airport with Brigitte and Françoise to fetch her. There was a lot of excitement in the air before the plane arrived. The three of us spoke at the same time. Nobody listened. [Image: Two women walk through Paris near the Eiffel Tower while café diners and a traveler with a suitcase appear nearby.] [AUDIOBOOK](https://tocatlian.blog/2026/07/17/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions-the-audiobook/) [GET YOUR COPY](https://tocatlian.blog/2010/07/08/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions/) BROWSE BY CHAPTER - [Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Véronique and other nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo and Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings and I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra and Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris with Nancy and Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt the Library of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – sunny side up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) On D-Day, Nancy arrived. I took the day off from work and went to the airport with Brigitte and Françoise to fetch her. There was a lot of excitement in the air before the plane arrived. The three of us spoke at the same time. Nobody listened. Once the plane landed and we met Nancy – after she had gone through the passport control and luggage claim – all ideas of conversation vanished. Dead silence. Then, all of a sudden and at the very same instance Brigitte, Françoise and I asked in a chorus, “Did you have a nice trip?” After that long silence you would think that we could have come up with something more original! [Image: Editorial illustration for “Gay Paris with Nancy and Aunt Lily,” chapter eleven of Around The World in Eighty Missions by Jacques Tocatlian. Nancy arrives at the airport while Jacques, Brigitte, and Françoise ask the same question at once.] Nancy, like Françoise, was about seventeen – eighteen years old at the time of her visit, but acted and looked more mature than our daughter. She was loquacious, open-minded, intelligent and seemed to feel totally at ease. She was well behaved and composed. A young lady from Boston. A pretty young lady, I should say, for Nancy was endowed with eye-filling beauty. Tall and athletic, she had the type of lavish hair you see only on TV commercials and a pair of beaming green eyes. If one had to find some fault with her beautiful face, it would wish her mouth and teeth were smaller. While I was talking with Nancy, I overheard Brigitte asking our daughter in French when she had last washed her hair. “You told me not to wash my hair more than once a week,” replied Françoise. When we later found out that Nancy washed hers several times a week, our shampooing regime was radically altered. Any time of the day you could see someone around the house with a towel wrapped around her head. We had just entered a season of intensive shampooing. [Image: Editorial illustration for “Gay Paris with Nancy and Aunt Lily,” chapter eleven of Around The World in Eighty Missions by Jacques Tocatlian. Brigitte, Françoise, and Nancy move through a comic domestic scene of towels and freshly washed hair.] At the airport, Brigitte and Françoise felt uncomfortable with their English and, at the beginning, did not talk much. But Nancy, with her engaging personality and inquisitive mind, had many questions for everyone. Little by little my wife and daughter gained confidence and, by the time we reached home, you could not stop them. As we entered our apartment building, Mrs. Alvarez, our Portuguese Concierge, helped with the luggage. She was wide-eyed and looked startled to hear my wife speaking in English. “Oh. là, là, Madame parle bien l’anglais,” she said. How could she know it was ‘bien’ since Mrs. Alvarez did not know a word of English herself? By dinner time everyone was bubbling over with high spirits. Nancy had studied French in school and wanted to practice it with us. Françoise wanted to practice her English. After a lively discussion in ‘Franglais’, we agreed to speak English at home and French when we went out. But the rules were never respected and the system never worked out. I sometimes even found myself addressing Brigitte in English in the privacy of our bedroom! Nancy had done a fair amount of research on France and was writing a summer paper comparing the French and American ways of life. In addition, she wanted to know more about the Eiffel Tower, Jeanne d’Arc, ‘le tour de France’, wine and vineyards, what had changed since we were under a Socialist government, and how come the French ate so much and remained slim. Françoise was delighted. She did not know all the answers but was willing to look for them. Brigitte was delighted to discover that a young girl from Boston could have such a stimulating effect on the family. She later admitted to me that Nancy was living proof that prevailing clichés about Americans were wrong. I, myself, was delighted to realize that summer would be a creative season this year. Delight was all over the place. Before going to bed, our young guest wanted to know what I did at UNESCO in general and what I would be doing, as an example, the coming week. I briefly talked about the Organization and promised to invite her for a visit of the Palais de l’UNESCO and explain things on the spot. “As far as next week is concerned,” I added, “it will be an unusual week since I will be on mission in Paris itself.” Brigitte seemed the most surprised. I continued, ”I will represent UNESCO at a meeting organized at the ‘Bibliothèque Nationale’ – the National Library. Heads of national libraries from the USA, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and many other countries will attend. We have been invited to discuss the new design for a new national library to be known as the Bibliothèque de France. ” But Brigitte asked why I called it a mission since the meeting was in Paris. “Yes, it may sound strange,” I said, “but since I will not go to the office that week, I need the Assistant Director-General’s signature on an official ‘travel order’. I must designate who will be Acting Director of my division during my absence, and at the end of the meeting I am expected to write a regular mission report. France is one of UNESCO’s Member States. When I attend an official meeting in France, I am on mission.” “Do you get a daily subsistence allowance?” asked Françoise. “Only half of a ‘per diem,’ since I have no hotel expenses,” I replied. We kissed on the cheek good night and tried to explain to Nancy that in France you kiss, hug, embrace or give an accolade on different occasions. Always when you meet and part. And sometimes in between. Usually barely touching the cheeks. You do it two, three or four times, depending on the part of France you come from. No rules exist and you never know how many times to offer you cheek. Most often, it is triple kissing: left-right-left. Unlike Anglo-Saxons, Latin men also kiss one another, especially members of the same family or very close friends. If they do not kiss they slap backs or shake hands. There has to be physical contact. If the hands are full they usually offer the little finger. Coming back to the unwritten rules of what the French call ‘faire la bise,’ Brigitte said, “It is just like eating cheese and salad. Always before dessert, but in some regions of France, you eat cheese before salad, in others, the other way around and yet in other parts you eat them at the same time.” To conclude the evening, Brigitte quoted Charles de Gaulle who once said that a country like France that produced more than 340 different kinds of cheese was impossible to govern! The next morning everyone was up, shampooed and ready quite early. No one wanted to waste time in bed. We were chatting at the table, sampling croissants, pains au chocolat, pains aux raisins, baguettes, ficelles and what have you. Brigitte must have burgled the corner bakery for the occasion. For once, I did not have to rush since the meeting at the Bibliothèque Nationale would not start before 10:30. Nancy declared that she had already become a French bakery addict. All of a sudden, the doorbell rang and there entered my sister-in-law, Liliane, in glowing flamboyance, looking as fit as a fiddle. She had an appointment at 9:30 with the dentist across the street and could not resist the temptation to come by for a minute or two to meet Nancy. “I decided on the spur of the moment,” she said, striding in the dinning room with a well-rehearsed, airy elegance. Knowing her, she must have planned that particular stage-effect in all its minute details. As far as I can remember everyone always called Brigitte’s lively sister: “Aunt Lily.” [Image: Editorial illustration for “Gay Paris with Nancy and Aunt Lily,” chapter eleven of Around The World in Eighty Missions by Jacques Tocatlian. Aunt Lily enters the Dupont breakfast room with theatrical flair as Jacques, Brigitte, Françoise, and Nancy react among pastries.] I liked Aunt Lily. I liked her and I think I understood what was of value in her under, the glittering window dressing. As a result, I kept explaining Aunt Lily to everyone – her husband, Albert, included. Liliane may have seemed superficial to an undiscerning eye. But in fact she was not. She was quite sensitive, receptive, devoted, conscientious and full of drive. She loved planning, sharing, organizing, traveling. She was enthusiastic and loved life. Her problem was that, sometime back in her youth she had expressed the desire to spend her life on stage. When her father threatened to strangle her if she did, she pretended to give up the idea but continued her theatrical career on an informal daily basis, throughout her life. It became second nature. Every place became a stage, every event a play, every reply a theatrical repartee. Aunt Lily was not superficial but she liked to glamorize. Elegance, appearance, effect, brilliance, harmony of colors and charm were devastatingly important to her. In reply to any criticism in this respect she often said that she preferred fireworks to funerals. In many respects Aunt Lily was typically French. More so that anyone of us. She carried in her a lingering notion of grandeur. Like Brigitte, she placed great emphasis on good taste, elegance, sophistication. Some thought of her as snobbish. Her husband, Albert, who enjoyed teasing her, often said after listening to her, “I see why the rooster was chosen as the French symbol. It is a beautiful bird which makes a lot of noise!” No, Aunt Lily was not superficial. Unfortunately, people could not always take time to scratch the surface to discover the richness of its substratum and invariably considered her light-headed and frivolous. Someone had once said of her, “Aunt Lily is elegance gazing at itself in a mirror.” That morning she talked for some twenty minutes, asked many questions but did not bother to listen to the answers, and finally decided she had to go to submit to the dentist’s torture. She said that Nancy was absolutely charming and offered to show her Paris anytime. “Dear Nancy,” she said “ do not let these people make you spend your summer at the Musée d’Orsay or Château de Fontainebleau. Paris has many sparkling places to discover. Paris is alive. Paris is not so much a city as a stage setting for a Broadway musical. The sidewalk cafes are exactly as depicted in movies. Every street is alive with the charm and freedom of life lived as a magic holiday.” Aunt Lily decided that, as in the film ‘Sabrina,’ Nancy would return to the States after her Parisian visit transformed, super-sophisticated and totally Frenchified! Aunt Lily would take her to Antoine’s for a stunning haircut. She knew a good place to buy a special eye-shadow and very exceptional bracelets and necklaces. She also promised to take Nancy to Giverny – Claude Monet’s home – to the boutiques of Faubourg Saint Honoré, and to Bagatelle Rose Garden. She invited everyone for dinner the following week. “Since my dentist will certainly torture me, I will have to eat mashed potatoes for a couple of days! See you next week! Do come with a huge appetite!” She walked out like a triumphant Diva who had just killed her unfaithful lover at the end of the third act, leaving behind a touch of Chanel N°5. Brigitte who had not been able to say a word during the conversation, said to her sister, “Au revoir, Liliane. I won’t show you the way, you know the ‘stage-door,’ or as we call it in France: la sortie des Artistes.” So Hurricane Lily was gone. Nancy was overwhelmingly enthusiastic. Brigitte looked defeated. Françoise, in the meanwhile, had eaten all the croissants. I began to recollect my thoughts regarding the future of national libraries and left as Brigitte was mumbling, ‘I love my sister, but I was not ready for her. I had not yet done my yoga!’ The following week, as agreed, we went to dinner at Aunt Lily’s. My meeting at the Bibliothèque Nationale had been difficult. My brother-in-law, Albert, wanted to know more because he had read in the papers that the plan for François Mitterrand’s new Bibliothèque de France was very controversial. As I explained, there were numerous political, conceptual and architectural problems. Even though the family dirty linen should not be washed in public, the internal disagreements among the various French parties involved were brought to an embarrassing light during the meeting. Nancy wanted to know what was UNESCO’s competence in this area. I explained that UNESCO had had a wealth of experience in building, restoring and modernizing libraries. Over the years we had contributed to the automation of library services in many developing countries. We had recently started jointly with the Egyptian authorities, a fascinating project for ‘The Revival of the Ancient Library of Alexandria,’ the so-called Bibliotheca Alexandrina. The magic word stirred up general interest. Everyone wanted to know about the Ancient Library of Alexandria. Who had destroyed it? Did we know where it was situated exactly? Would UNESCO organize a campaign to raise the necessary funds? Would I go to Egypt? In no time, the François Mitterrand’s new library project was forgotten and buried under the ashes of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina which had burnt down at the time of Julius Caesar! Albert had put on the table an impressive number of bottles. It was cocktail time or, as we say in France, l’heure de l’apéritif. By the looks of it, the evening would be dedicated to mass intoxication. Aunt Lily brought three assortments of olives: the tasty Calamata, the huge Volos and, since France had to be represented in order to maintain its grandeur, olives from Nyons. Then we spoke of another library-related activity that I was probably going to get personally involved in. Albert was always interested in these culturally-related activities of mine. My brother-in-law was a wealthy man who had come into a fortune by selling champagne. He thought that in his job he missed all the cultural glamour that is associated with UNESCO. In a way, we were complementary. Albert had the money and the champagne. I was supposed to have the glamour. Many a day I would have willingly exchanged positions! Albert and Lily were rich, but as many moneyed French, they liked to keep a low profile. Aunt Lily made certain that Albert did not display fat cigars and luxurious limousines. She always preached for a modest approach to affluence, which did not prevent her from spending a fortune on clothes. In any case, coming back to the library world, I explained that on 14-15 February 1988 the Library of the Leningrad Academy of Science was partly destroyed by a serious fire. An estimated 188,000 titles in foreign languages were destroyed by fire and 220,000 titles were water-damaged. UNESCO had offered its assistance to the Soviet Union and I was probably going to head a fact-finding mission. Meanwhile, Aunt Lily had taken care of a thousand and one little details. Dinner was now ready. Ready, exotic, luscious and delectable. My brother-in-law was particularly happy. Of all the parts his wife staged in life he preferred her in the role of the cook. She protested saying, ‘Albert, you very well know that in the kitchen, I am miscast!’ Speaking of plays, Nancy asked if Aunt Lily had ever seen Rosalind Russell in ‘Auntie Mame’. The question was obviously not innocent. You could tell that Nancy was visualizing Liliane in a French version of the colorful comedy. The grande dame, Rosalind Russell, had won an Oscar for this part. Nancy added that in the comedy Auntie Mame used to say, ‘Life is a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death!’ Aunt Lily fully agreed to that and declared that Nancy, as opposed to her Albert, had quickly understood her style. After a short pause, she added, ‘After thirty-two years of marriage, Albert is still trying to figure out whom he has married!’ That night we certainly did not starve to death at life’s banquet. Lily and Albert loved to tease each other and had a sense of humor of their own. That night, the show was on for Nancy. Someone had once said that in every French individual lurked a peasant and a revolutionary. According to Aunt Lily, as far as their family was concerned, the peasant lurked in Albert, since he was the one that loved to look for champignons, spent hours discussing with the butcher and knew how to fatten geese for foie gras. According to Albert, the family revolutionary lurked in Lily. She loved to watch the TV news when there were strikes, riots and stone-throwing at the police. As to her way of driving, you could tell that she considered traffic rules as interesting options. Once Albert found a sticker on the car bumper saying: Vive l’anarchie. To this day he thinks that she put it there, even though she denies it vigorously. Looking at Nancy and Françoise with tenderness, Aunt Lily became nostalgic and deplored the absence of her two sons. They were in England for the summer with a French group to learn English. This was the third consecutive year they had gone there but no progress could be noticed. Every year, they came back with the same ‘Franglais’ and a new French girlfriend. Liliane suspected that they spent all the time speaking French among themselves and having a good time. But Albert was in no mood for serious talk. He liked to tease his wife. ‘You all know who Lilith was in the Semitic Myth?’ he asked. ‘Lilith was a female evil spirit roaming in desolate places, attacking children. In Jewish popular belief, she was the first wife of Adam. In the demonology of the Middle Ages, she was a famous witch. But that was Lilith, of course, and not our sweet Lily.’ Aunt Lily, who must have heard the Semitic Myth time and time again, obviously did not like it. She lit a cigarette. She did not care for smoking either, but she loved to hold her twelve-inch long cigarette-holder from Thailand. It put the last touch to her style. She said, ‘Albert, when the Lilith story bubbles its way to the surface it signals that you have had your fair share of Champagne! I do not want to roam in desolate places. Instead, I want to go with Jacques and Brigitte to Alexandria and Leningrad.’ Pandora’s box was now open. I caught my breath and began explaining that missions were not as alluring as they sounded. There was a lot of hard, tedious work to be done. Endless discussions. Boring dinners. Aunt Lily was not listening. I could tell that she was already wrapped up in seven veils, hopping around the Keops Pyramid on a camel. ‘Can you come along Nancy? We’ll invite you,’ she said. ‘We’ll all go. It will be marvelous!’ [Image: Editorial illustration for “Gay Paris with Nancy and Aunt Lily,” chapter eleven of Around The World in Eighty Missions by Jacques Tocatlian. Jacques tries to explain the realities of mission travel while Aunt Lily imagines Egypt and Leningrad with theatrical delight.] I raised the tone and said emphatically that UNESCO’s administration does not encourage mixing work and family vacation, for obvious reasons. Ce n’est pas serieux! But Aunt Lily was no longer with us. She was in Leningrad on the Neva with Peter the Great. She had traded her veils for an Ermine coat. She was admiring the works of Matisse, Césanne, Rembrandt and Picasso at the Ermitage Museum. She was strolling along the Peter-and-Paul Fortress on the Vassilievsky Island. Now she was on Nevski Avenue. ‘Oh. We shall go to the Kirov! Oh. I want to see the Puchkine theater!’ She was again on stage. To change the subject, Brigitte skillfully set a new date for dinner at our place to talk it over. She also announced that at our place Nancy and Françoise would be going over some of their research findings. They were studying outstanding differences between the French and American ways of life. But the project was a long range one and would not really be completed until Françoise had spent the next summer in Boston. But they had discovered interesting facts about Paris and wanted to share them with us. It would be a sort of informal debate and everyone would be encouraged to actively participate. I mumbled, jokingly, that if this trend continued I would not be able to tell my office from my home any longer. And Aunt Lily added, ‘Or your missions from your vacations!’ We hugged and kissed everyone twice on both cheeks, which took a good four to five minutes, and we happily descended the staircase. Of course, when we reached the second floor, Brigitte suddenly remembered to discuss a number of urgent matters with her sister who was waving at us from the fourth floor. I said that it was a most convenient thing to do since the neighbors could also participate in the debate. In France, this is called l’ésprit d’éscalier. It is a special frame of mind that has to come up with last-minute items for discussion when everything has supposedly been settled. Since Aunt Lily did not have her sharp ears any longer – but, of course, would never admit it- it seemed that Brigitte’s suggestions went in one ear and out the other. All she kept replying from the fourth floor was, Oui. Oui. I thought that it was a shrewd way to have Aunt Lilly agree to anything. The problem was that the conversation concerned next week’s dessert that Brigitte wanted Liliane to prepare. A fabulous Charlotte. We all hoped that Albert would make sure that the Oui. Oui. would have an adequate follow-up. The week that followed our dinner at Aunt Lily’s was a busy one, both at the office and at home. At the office I spent long hours drafting a proposal for the biennial program and budget of my division as well as a chapter for the draft six-year medium-term plan. When I came home very late every evening I was tired and usually took a shower and went directly to bed. However, on Friday evening of that week, when I returned home I found Brigitte, Nancy and Françoise highly animated and euphoric. They were in the middle of discussions to which I was invited to participate right away. My mind could not be detached from the meeting where the Assistant Director-General had said that my proposals looked pretty much the same as those of the previous exercises. He had used an expression which was still hurting: Dejà vu! Fortunately, after a while, the three enthusiastic ladies managed to drag me to their level of preoccupation. Little by little, I participated in their discussions and enjoyed myself. First of all, they had to tell me a funny story. Nancy and Françoise had stopped at a cafe in the Latin Quarter, where Nancy needed to go to the powder room – if one could use such an elegant euphemism for the occasion. A few minutes later she came back to the table laughing hysterically and blushing to the roots of her hair. She had never seen a so-called, Toilette à la Turque – a shallow porcelain tray on the floor with a hole in the middle and foot-rests at each side, commonly called a Turkish toilet. She was trying to figure out how to use the toilet and where to put her feet when the light went out. The light switch in most Parisian cafes are fitted with an automatic timer for energy-saving. All of a sudden, she was plunged into total darkness. As she was trying to reach the light switch, avoiding at the same time the hole in the middle, she inadvertently touched the flushing device which thoroughly washed her feet under intense water pressure, while she screamed in total hysteria. [Image: Editorial illustration for “Gay Paris with Nancy and Aunt Lily,” chapter eleven of Around The World in Eighty Missions by Jacques Tocatlian. Nancy laughs at a café table while Françoise, Brigitte, and Jacques react to the Turkish-toilet mishap.] We all laughed. It was good to be away from Le Palais de l’UNESCO! In the meantime, Brigitte had served some Lebanese mezzeh, made up of dozens of small dishes filled with delicious oriental appetizers. I had some ice-cold Pastis to go with it and listened to the girls. They also wanted to share with me a sample of their notes so that I could get an overview of their observations concerning Parisian life. On the positive side of things, Nancy had been surprised to discover the many services offered by the Minitel – an on-line information service provided by the French Post Office prior to the advent of the Internet – fast TGV trains, a most efficient Parisian transportation system, and very developed social services for children, senior citizens, the poor and the sick. She was amazed to witness a public transport bus driver about to depart from a bus-stop readily reopening the bus door for you, when he sees you running to catch the bus. She was impressed by the politeness of cashiers, butchers and bakers. Everybody says, Bonjour madame, Merci monsieur, Au revoir madame. Children also seem to acquire basic social courtesy very early in life. Above all, Nancy felt the French seemed to know how to live and to create delights for the senses and the spirit. They had developed the art of leisure. ‘In the U.S., we are taught how to work hard and make money. In France you are taught how to spend money and enjoy life,’ she said. ‘Paris is so elegant, clean and lively,’ she added, ‘ All you have to do is go for a walk in any street and you feel rejuvenated, in spite of the highly polluted air.’ Nancy had learned that the French pay 20% more taxes than Americans. She found Paris extremely expensive. On the negative side of things, she had a few criticisms to formulate but felt somewhat shy to sound critical in a French home. We encouraged her until she spoke. She said, ‘In the U.S. people admit errors. It is considered an honest and mature attitude. In France, it seems that no one would ever admit to having made a mistake.’ She also noticed that small lies are perfectly acceptable in France. In addition, she could not understand why, in general, people ignore one another, never talk or even smile to each other in elevators, public transportation or shops. They look distrustful. As for French driving, she thought it was totally insane. Cars turn left from a right-hand lane. No one seems to care. Is it tolerance or carelessness? The Place de l’Etoile is incredible! You have to see it to believe it, with cars merging from all of its twelve major avenues, bypassing each other and roaring around the various exits, with no traffic lights, no stop signs, no policemen to direct circulation. And yet no accidents! ‘That is miraculous,’ she said. ‘ The French must be quite alert and, all in all, very good drivers.’ Two other things shocked her. French television was never on time. Programs and shows are on occasion several minutes late. Not in the U.S. But she admitted preferring French TV which had few interruptions for commercials. The second surprising thing was the attitude of the sales people in stores. ‘If they do not have what you are looking for, they will tell you that it does not exist, you will never find it elsewhere, it is out of fashion, or it is not manufactured any longer. And, in any case, it was never any good, to start with. At the end you feel stupid just to have asked for it.’ We all agreed, laughed, added a few other French characteristics, and discussed at great length French and American ways of life. To conclude the evening, Françoise and Nancy sang Josephine Baker’s old song, ‘J’ai deux amours, mon pays et Paris.’ (I have two loves, my country and Paris.) It was delightful. On Saturday evening Albert and Aunt Lily bearing the ‘Charlotte’ arrived on time. But before discussing anything else, Aunt Lily wanted to know if any decision had been reached concerning the missions to Egypt and the Soviet Union. I explained that the mission to Egypt was under preparation but would take place much later. I was going to be traveling with high Officials from UNESCO and, unfortunately, there was no possibility for any family member to join. That settled that. What about Leningrad? ‘As for Leningrad,’ I continued in a quivering voice ‘I’ll have to go for a first exploratory mission in three weeks’ time. I’ll probably return to Leningrad at a later date with a more formal fact-finding delegation.’ C’est magnifique! said Aunt Lily. She decided that three weeks was all that was needed for visas and preparation. She knew very well Boris Mickhailov at the Soviet Embassy who would facilitate matters in exchange for a couple of champagne bottles. Charming man! Albert was, unfortunately, unable to come at this time of the year, but Brigitte, Nancy, Françoise and she would have a wonderful time while poor Jacques would deal with the aftermath of the fire of the Academy of Science Library! And that settled that. ‘You do not have to worry about anything, Jacques. We shall not bother you in your work. We’ll be totally independent. We shall not be any burden to you. C’est magnifique! Oh, I want to see the Pushkine Theater! Nancy, don’t you worry. I’ll call your parents for permission. Now that Mikhail Gorbatchov is pushing perestroika and preaching glasnost, I am sure your parents will agree to the trip. I’ll take care of everything. You will all be my guests!’ I had two or three stiff drinks and eventually relaxed and inwardly gave in. After all everyone was enthusiastic about the idea. Why not? It could turn out to be an interesting experience. Dinner was served and we left the prospect of Leningrad for Gay Paris! Brigitte had done wonders with the dinner. ‘You have outdevilled the devil,’ said Aunt Lily. Nancy was the first one to tell a story about Paris. The story of the metro. Because of my UNESCO background I was asked to act as a sort of moderator to keep things reasonably under control. Albert, as usual, was in charge of the champagne. Nancy took us back to 1893. At that time, she informed us, London, New York and Berlin had their subways. Romantic Paris had its horse-cabs and calèches. The politicians had argued against any underground transportation for years to come. Surface transportation projects under consideration included all sorts of crazy suspended trains, ugly viaducts crossing the city over the buildings, and hanging boats. Fortunately, none of these extravagant projects, which would have defaced Paris, were ever implemented. At that time France, had just offered part of Congo to Leopold II, King of Belgium – some gift! – and the latter was trying to make a worthwhile gift to France in return. The king asked one of his girlfriends, the Parisian dancer Cleo de Mérode, for an idea. She had heard of a certain Fulgence Bienvenüe who had desperately tried to build a subway in Paris. Cleo suggested that a metro would be a nice gift. Leopold II invited Bienvenüe to Belgium and had him explain his project in front of Baron Empain, the King’s Financier. The Belgians had then to convince the French to accept such a gift. In spite of a strong resistance in many quarters and numerous political and technical problems, digging started on October 4th, 1898 at the location of the present ‘Franklin Roosevelt Metro Station’. On July 19, 1900 Metro Line N¡1 ‘Vincennes-Neuilly’, thirteen and half kilometers long, was inaugurated. Bienvenüe then worked on other lines and ultimately died poor. The station ‘Montparnasse- Bienvenüe’ is named in his memory. The huitres chaudes au foie gras had long been tasted and the filets de soles au basilic were getting cold, as everyone was thanking Nancy for her interesting and concise account. No one around the table seemed to have known or remembered the facts relating to the Paris metro. Aunt Lily said in admiration, ‘Nancy, you had to come all the way from Boston to tell some ignorant Parisians about their own metro. Amazing! Brigitte your soles are outstanding. What is the next story?’ [Image: Editorial illustration for “Gay Paris with Nancy and Aunt Lily,” chapter eleven of Around The World in Eighty Missions by Jacques Tocatlian. Around a dinner table, Nancy explains the Paris Métro while Jacques, Brigitte, Françoise, Aunt Lily, and Albert listen over cooling dishes.] Next was Françoise’s story of the Eiffel Tower. ‘You will probably be amazed to learn,’ she started by saying, ‘that Gustave Eiffel’s real name was Gustave Bonikausen. If he had not used the pseudonym ‘Eiffel’, we would have had in Paris the Bonikausen Tower!’ Everyone stopped eating in total amazement. Françoise continued her story. Gustave Eiffel had an extraordinary career. He graduated in chemistry in 1855, but worked as an assistant to a Railroad Engineer. In no time he became known for his famous bridges in Bordeaux, Bayonne, Florac and all over the country. He was the master mind of airy two-hinged arches, such as that over the Douro river in Portugal, which was constructed from the piles without scaffolding. He built bridges in Europe, Indochina and Africa. In general, he used small and light iron beams instead of cast-iron. At fifty-five years old he was known around the world for his dramatic 564 meters long Garabit viaduct in Southern France. In 1885 he designed the inner structure for the Statue of Liberty. Then, in 1889 France decided to celebrate the hundredth anniversary of the French Revolution with a World Exhibition which would be a sort of glorification, or apotheosis, of metal and machine – two symbols of the victory of the intellect over obscurantism. Gustave Eiffel presented a project of a metal tower, three hundred meters tall. It had never been done. It could not be done. The Organizing Committee laughed at Gustave Eiffel and tried to ridicule him. He insisted. He came back with a design. He explained. Eventually, the Minister of Commerce was fascinated by the idea. A heated controversy spread over France. Many petitions were signed in order to stop the project by illustrious men of the time such as Gounod, Sully-Prudhomme and Maupassant. The project was thought to be frightfully ugly. Some argued that it was wrong to build something taller than Notre-Dame, which is only 66 meter high. Paris would be in the dark since the huge tower would overshadow the city. If it collapsed it would destroy Paris. In any case it would bring bad luck. Regardless of these objections, on March 31, 1889 the Tower was inaugurated. ‘During the Exhibition, the Eiffel Tower was a real success,’ continued Françoise ‘but many famous personalities of the time, such as the poet Verlaine actively tried to have it dismantled once the Exhibition was over. But the Parisians had adopted it. As a radio set, it could intercept messages from all over the world. In 1914 it intercepted a secret message of the German Army of von Kluck, which allowed Joffre to stop the German invasion. The Eiffel Tower had saved Paris.’ We were all very pleased with Françoise and Nancy’s accounts, but felt slightly embarrassed in realizing that we knew so little about certain basic aspects of our beloved city. ‘The truth of the matter,’ said Aunty Lily, ‘is that we pay too much attention to the Louvre, Napoleon and Louis XIV. But every inch of this city has a fabulous past which deserves to be studied with love. Thank you girls! Thank you for telling us those simple, but fascinating stories!’ My wife had a problem in reconciling the debate with the meal. Now the fricassée de veau au citron and the gratin de champignons aux épinards demanded undivided attention. In my capacity as a moderator, I diverted all the attention to the food. After the cheese and the salad we finally attacked Liliane’s Charlotte. We eventually collapsed around some coffee and talked for hours. The girls told us about the Paris sewers, the story of the Moulin Rouge, and that of the Closerie des Lilas, where Hemingway loved to dine. Nancy had compiled a list of some well known Americans who had visited Paris or lived there. The list was endless: Audrey Hepburn, Lena Horn, Orson Welles, Ingrid Bergman, Somerset Maugham, Danny Kay, Art Buchwald… writers, singers, painters, financiers, musicians, politicians, designers and millionaires. The link between America and Paris has always been very close. ‘And to think,’ said Nancy, ‘that some American tourists say that the French are unfriendly to Americans!’ And Françoise added,’ The French are the U.S.’s oldest and only consistently loyal ally throughout history. It is thanks to French funds and military assistance that the American Revolution against the British was crowned with success! ‘ The moment seemed solemn enough for Aunt Lily to stand up and play a theatrical part. She raised her glass at the Franco-American friendship and drank to all the U.S. Presidents she could remember. She spoke with lyricism and great emotion about America saving France in World War II. She then suggested we sing the French and American national anthems. Brigitte was worried about the neighbors. It was getting out of hand, but the Moderator had lost all power of control. Albert kept pouring champagne when I realized that Françoise and Nancy had also been drinking. I did not say anything. When I was a child my grandmother used to say, ‘ A little champagne is good for you, Jacques. In the countryside they give it to the dying.’ [Image: Editorial illustration for “Gay Paris with Nancy and Aunt Lily,” chapter eleven of Around The World in Eighty Missions by Jacques Tocatlian. Aunt Lily raises her glass theatrically while Albert pours champagne and the family watches the evening get wonderfully out of hand.] Albert thought it was time to go, but Aunt Lily wanted a last story. The evening had been stimulating and she wanted a little prolongation for the pleasure of it. So Nancy and Françoise told us a last story. The story of the Arch of Triumph. Towards the beginning of the 17th century, Queen Marie of Médicis ordered the creation of an avenue starting from the Royal Palace of the Tuileries and stretching all the way to what was then open countryside – and is today the ‘rond-point des Champs-Elysées.’ A century later, the avenue was prolonged to the top of the Chaillot hill – which the Parisians used to pompously call la montagne de Chaillot – and beyond to Neuilly. At the time the avenue ran through vineyards and vegetable fields. The Parisians felt an esthetic need to put some sort of monument at the highest spot of the avenue, on top of the Chaillot hill (present location of the Etoile). Many ideas were put forward. An Obelisk. A fountain. Even a pyramid. But the hill of Chaillot, too uneven and rough, had first to be smoothed and leveled down by more than fifteen meters. By then Napoleon was looking for an adequate site to elevate a monument to the glory of his soldiers. Many sites were proposed and discarded. When the present location of the ‘Arc de Triomphe’ was first suggested, Napoleon thought that it was much too far out of the city. He did not want his monument ‘out in the desert,’ as he said. Eventually he was given enough convincing arguments to accept it. The location was retained but the type of monument had not yet been decided. One of the projects was a museum in the shape of a huge elephant to remind the world of Napoleon’s famous expedition to Egypt. Inside the elephant would be a number of rooms. The crazy project seemed to receive a lot of support. Fortunately, Napoleon preferred a triumphal arch along the line of those of the Roman Emperors. We very nearly had a huge elephant at the end of the Champs-Elysées! In 1806 the first stone of the Arc de Triomphe was laid down. For Napoleon’s wedding with Marie-Louise in 1810 the Arch had not been completed. A sham was put up, at great cost, in twenty days, with dummy bas-reliefs. The sham was destroyed the very next day after the passage of Marie-Louise. Napoleon never saw the Arch completed. By 1814 he was exiled to the island of Ste-Helène and work on the Arch was interrupted. Eventually Louis-Philippe decided to complete the project. It was inaugurated in 1836 but the top had not yet been completed. In 1840, when Napoleon’s ashes were brought back to Paris, another sham had to be put up to complete the top of the monument for the occasion. Later Haussman opened up the 12 avenues forming the ‘Etoile’ and in 1921 the unknown soldier was buried under the Triumphal Arch. Napoleon’s ashes had been brought back to Paris and the Triumphal Arch completed, while Albert was sleeping like an angel, gently snoring in his armchair. Good night everyone! Many thanks and kisses. The girls had been wonderful. Dinner was divine. The Charlotte was exquisite. Bonne nuit! Between a family dinner and a visit to a museum, and between a little research and an excursion to a château, time had gone by. We were already in early September. The quality of light had changed. Parisians had come back from vacation, nicely tanned and exhausted. Traffic jams blocked circulation. Summer was over. By then Brigitte and Françoise were totally at ease with their English to the continued amazement of Madame Alvarez. Nancy had undergone Aunt Lily’s sophistication metamorphosis. Everyone’s hair looked almost as beautiful as on the TV commercials. Normally, Nancy should have gone back home by then. But a special extension had been arranged so that she could participate in the expedition to Leningrad. Aunt Lily did not show up as often as she used to. She was busily making all sorts of arrangements for the forthcoming trip. She had bought and studied travel guides, made reservations, obtained visas and prepared luggage. She had Mademoiselle Simone, the seamstress, move into her apartment for several days to undertake all sorts of alterations to her clothes. She had told Mademoiselle Simone that the new fashion this year had been strongly influenced by Gorbatchov’s Perestroika. Everything had to have a Russian touch! [Image: Editorial illustration for “Gay Paris with Nancy and Aunt Lily,” chapter eleven of Around The World in Eighty Missions by Jacques Tocatlian. Aunt Lily orchestrates travel guides, visas, luggage, and Russian-influenced clothing alterations while Mademoiselle Simone works beside Nancy and Françoise.] In the office, I prepared my files and briefs for Leningrad with a sense of great serenity. Something good had happened. Nancy had brought a breeze of youth and enthusiasm into the family circle. I had sensed and shared a certain amount of happiness. I had not been on mission miles away but right there in the middle of my own family and environment. In fact, I was now happily looking forward to sharing Leningrad with the four ladies. I did not know then how the battle of Leningrad would turn out to be! ### Explore the Chapters - [Around The World In Eighty Missions: Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Veronique, And The Other Nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo, And Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings And I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra And Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris With Nancy And Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle Of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt The Library Of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – Sunny Side Up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) © Copyright [Jacques Tocatlian](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/07/jacques-tocatlian-1929-2019/). All Rights Reserved. ## The Battle of Leningrad - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/ - Published: 2000-08-31 - Last modified: 2026-07-31 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: In this chapter from Around The World in Eighty Missions, Jacques Dupont travels to late Soviet Leningrad, where a UNESCO library mission becomes tangled with immigration confusion, spy stories, Russian hospitality, ballet, vodka, and family misadventure. [Image: Editorial hero illustration for The Battle of Leningrad, showing Jacques Dupont beside burned books and scenes from wintertime Leningrad.] [AUDIOBOOK](https://tocatlian.blog/2026/07/17/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions-the-audiobook/) [GET YOUR COPY](https://tocatlian.blog/2010/07/08/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions/) BROWSE BY CHAPTER - [Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Véronique and other nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo and Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings and I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra and Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris with Nancy and Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt the Library of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – sunny side up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) Three thousand miles after leaving Paris we landed in dark, cold Leningrad. The flight being relatively short, Brigitte could not see why we had waited so long to come to Leningrad. ‘To think that before the age of the railroad,’ said studious Françoise, ‘the journey by coach from Paris took as much as six weeks!’ Aunt Lily informed us that nowadays the trip from Moscow to Vladivostok with the Trans-Siberian railway takes more than seven days. She had inquired at a Paris travel Office, but fortunately had not pursued the idea, remembering the train scenes from the film ‘Dr. Jivago.’ The waiting line at Immigration was wearisome. The Immigration officers looked austere and grim-faced. In fact, everyone and everything around us looked cold and stern. Everyone but my four, lively girls who did not seem to notice anything. I glanced at them with some pride. Françoise and Nancy were two exquisitely attractive, young ladies. Brigitte, who had not quite turned fifty, was endowed with beauty and elegance. Aunt Lily, ageless, was glowing and resplendent. The airport belonged to them. They chatted loudly and at random. ‘Why would the trip by train to the other end take seven days?’ asked Nancy. Aunt Lily explained that this was a very large country. While the USA has four time zones between the east and west coasts – not counting Hawaii – the USSR has eleven. After a short silence, Françoise said with an expression of disappointment on her face, ‘The whole of France is confined to a single time zone!’ Nancy gracefully remarked that the greatness of a nation had nothing to do with the number of time zones. She had just delicately tickled our Gallic pride. We all smiled with satisfaction. When we arrived at the Immigration counter we ran into the problem of nationality. We were given forms to fill in. Most questions were clear. But there were two different questions on the form that were confusing to us. One related to ‘citizenship’ and another to ‘nationality’ and we did not see the difference. We asked in English and French and the Immigration officer replied in Russian. It was obvious that we were getting nowhere. We were then asked to step aside and wait for a higher official. When the latter arrived he explained everything, sternly but politely. In the USSR all citizens have Soviet citizenship, but they differ in nationality. The USSR, being a multinational state, was comprised of people of many different nations or ethnic groups. There were well over a hundred of them: Armenians, Bashkirs, Chechens, Georgians, Ingush, Komis, Mordvinians, Russians, Tatars, Ukrainians, etc. Each nation has its own identity, culture and language – that is its own nationality. The explanation was clear but what was not clear was how it would apply to us. Nancy asked if she could put ‘USA’ under ‘citizenship’ and ‘Massachusetts’ under ‘nationality’. The higher official smiled. Aunt Lily said her husband, Albert, was of Lebanese origin and asked, ‘Could I put Phoenician for nationality?’ The higher official shouted something in Russian and the Immigration officer collected our forms and let us go through without ‘nationality’! [Image: Jacques Dupont and his family face confusing citizenship and nationality forms at a Soviet immigration counter in Leningrad.] The luggage clearance was expeditious since Mr. Igor Panushkin, the Representative of the Leningrad Academy of Science Library, greeted us and took over, facilitating the remaining formalities. Igor Panushkin was probably in his late forties. He was blond, robust and charming. His English was fairly good. I knew from the very first moment we met that we would get along well. In no time we were in a large black car headed for the hotel. At the time of our visit, the city had not yet been renamed Saint-Petersburg. Mikhail Gorbatchov had been in power since 1985 and was trying to reshape and modernize the USSR. The Strategic Arms Reduction Talks with the USA and a gradual re-establishment of warmer relations with the West had created an international slackening of tension and a spirit of hope. The Berlin Wall had not yet collapsed and the USSR was still in existence, but the Tchernobyl catastrophe of 1986 had already uncovered for the world a definite technological obsolescence of the Soviet Union. Western assistance had been sought. Gorbatchov’s new transparent style, glassnost, and admitted need for modernization, perestroika, had made it plain for everyone that the so-called Big Power was neither so big nor so powerful. This was the prevailing mood as, the following day, I opened the meeting with the officials of the Library of the Leningrad Academy of Science, designed to ascertain the international assistance needed by the Russians to repair the damage caused by the fire. The dozen officials I met during my visit could be roughly divided into two groups. Those who, under the banner of Glassnost, seemed to speak the truth, outlining the weaknesses and deficiencies of the Library. And those, belonging to the old nomenklatura, who insisted in projecting a positive picture no matter what, embellishing facts and altering figures. The first group wanted international help, through UNESCO. The second, did not favor any foreign intrusion. Needless to say, my task was going to be arduous. In meetings, while each participant gave his version of the situation, I had to guess to which group each one belonged. Who was telling the truth and who was distorting the facts? Who had the real authority? Who was a technical specialist and who was a politician? [Image: Jacques Dupont studies a tense Academy library meeting with Igor Panushkin, Tatyana Nikitine and Soviet officials.] My mission was first and foremost of an exploratory nature and my task was to propose, by the end of the meeting, a workable action plan which responded to local needs. Every day I tried to understand a little more and gradually undo the puzzle. Back at the hotel, that first evening, I felt tense. Sitting at the hotel restaurant with Brigitte, Aunt Lily, Nancy and Françoise, my mind wandered as they shared their impressions of the day with enthusiasm. I could not help but silently recapitulate in my mind the meeting discussions, try to understand their significance and think of a strategy for the following day. I had been intrigued by the statuesque woman everybody seemed to listen to with particular attention. I believe her name was Tatyana. She reminded me of Sophia Loren in her early movies. In that frame of mind I listened with half an ear to the scintillating wit of my four, happy girls. They must have had their batteries fully recharged and were now in high social gear. They had seen fabulous things. They had to tell me everything. They spoke two or three at a time. Sometimes all four. Did I know that Olga Ananiev, the guide that the Academy of Science had assigned to them, was just fabulous? Did I know about the famous Leningrad battle during World War II and the heroic resistance of the Russians? Did I know that forced industrialization moved thousands of peasants, the so-called muzhiks, from the country into the city? Between 1926 and 1939 the Leningrad population had grown by 3,500,000! ‘That is why,’ said Aunt Lily, ‘most Russians you see in the street seem to react in a peasant-like manner. In the large crowds of people we have met today, the frequent body contact was unbearable to us. Not to them. In crowds they touch, push, shove. They seem to have great difficulties keeping their hands to themselves. You can tell that they still maintain the peasant traditions of their ancestral villages. The aristocratic manners of the Tsar and his court have gone with seventy years of communist wind!’ I looked around to see if anyone could hear us and asked them to be discreet. ‘By the way,’ said Brigitte ‘ speaking of discretion, do you know that someone has searched our luggage while we were gone?’ ‘Well, I am not surprised,’ I replied, ‘But we have nothing to hide, anyway.’ Referring to the floor woman who keeps room keys, provides hot water for tea, checks every movement and controls the situation on our floor, Françoise concluding loudly, ‘She certainly works for the KGB!’ ‘By the way,’ said Brigitte, ‘look at that man with the dark glasses who pretends to read the newspaper while listening to our conversation. He has been staring at the same page for the last half hour!’ ‘He is a slow reader,’ said Aunt Lily with a giggle. ‘Well, well, this is not a John Le Carré novel, nor a James Bond movie,’ I added, hoping to put an end to this type of conversation. My remark seemed to have produced the opposite effect. It startled Brigitte who said, ‘Come on, Jacques, you remember all the spy stories you used to tell about your Soviet colleagues at UNESCO? Nancy would be most interested to hear about Vladimir, the KGB spy, remember? And Mikhail’s forged birth certificate! ‘ Pandora’s box was wide open again and I would not be able to shut it for hours to come! Despite my procrastinations, I had to narrate in full detail every UNESCO spy story I had once told Brigitte in great confidence. Françoise and Aunt Lily had never heard such stories and would not let me go until I told the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I was not happy. We had to choose Leningrad, of all places, to have such a conversation! I spoke in a low voice, looking right and left to make sure that no one was overhearing us. The man with the dark glasses had turned the page of his newspaper, which was a reassuring sign. [Image: Jacques Dupont whispers UNESCO spy stories at a hotel restaurant while Victor Vassiliev listens from behind a newspaper.] I began by recalling that most Russian officials serving abroad in USSR Embassies, the United Nations and the various specialized agencies of the UN system, such as UNESCO, are either KGB officers or have been co-opted by the KGB to report on their foreign contacts. This also applies to the officials serving at home in state agencies that come in contact with foreigners. ‘It certainly applies to your guide, Olga Ananiev,’ I added, ‘ who is probably writing her report on you, right at this very moment.’ That last remark had a sudden and unexpected effect on the four of them. They became silently apprehensive and inert – totally mummified. The man with the dark glasses, intrigued by the sudden silence at our table, followed by low voice conversation, glanced in our direction and seemed to be all ears. ‘Why would they be interested in us?’ asked Nancy. ‘Well, you have to admit that the fact that a UNESCO Official comes on mission with four ladies on private business may seem unusual!’ Aunt Lily immediately replied, ‘Well, Jacques, if you thought we would create difficulties for you, you should have told us!’ ‘I think he has tried to. ‘ said Françoise. I smiled. Brigitte put an end to this exchange by saying, ‘All of this is beside the point. We want to hear the UNESCO spy stories.’ I told Vladimir’s story which had been documented back in the 70’s in le Figaro, le Monde, le Canard Enchainé and every other French newspaper under the sun. Vladimir was a Russian spy who, like many other Russian spies, worked at UNESCO, under diplomatic cover. He was smart and well-read, spoke fluent English and French, smoked one cigarette after another, was always in a hurry and regularly disappeared from his desk for no official reason. His secretary, Jacqueline, kept looking for him, running down the corridors calling ‘Vladimir, Vladimir.’ Vladimir would eventually be back at work with some vague excuse for having vanished. One day he did not return. We learned from the local papers that he had been caught in front of the Saint Sulpice Church exchanging some documents with someone – probably concerning the supersonic Concorde. He had fallen into a trap. He was immediately expelled from France as persona non grata. A few days later some employees from the USSR Embassy were expelled as well. A couple of weeks later, a number of employees from the French Embassy in Moscow were sent back to France, in retaliation. While finishing my dessert, I answered a thousand and one questions. Nancy remarked that, no doubt, some American colleagues at UNESCO were working for the CIA. All spies need a good cover up. I then tried to conclude by saying that, with the advent of Gorbatchov, the Cold War was probably soon coming to an end and all these spy stories would no longer be of great interest. Again Brigitte contradicted me by reminding me that Mikhail’s scandal had just taken place. The heavy bureaucratic machinery, she thought, would not react so promptly. We had finished our dinner. The bottle of wine was empty. But I was not allowed to move unless I related the Mikhail scandal. Mikhail was informally known in UNESCO as ‘le Colonel,’ because someone had spread the rumor that he was a high-ranking colonel in the KGB. We did not know how true this was. In any case Mikhail was to retire very soon, having reached the compulsory retirement age of sixty. One day, an official government letter from Moscow announced to the Director-General that Mikhail was no longer 60, but 55 years old. The letter explained that his birth certificate was thought to have been lost during the war, but had now been found when an old aunt died. Mikhail’s age which had been roughly estimated was now officially known for sure. The good news was that Mikhail did not have to retire and could stay with UNESCO another five years! Alleluia! Alleluia! UNESCO could not question the Government’s official letter. So Mikhail stayed. His ‘curriculum vitae’ circulated under cover in the Secretariat, and was the source of several jokes. With his new birth date, Mikhail had now apparently finished high school when he was 13. He married when he was 15 and finished university at 18! Le Colonel became known in the Secretariat as the genius Colonel – Le Colonel genial. So ended the first day of my mission to Leningrad. That night I had difficulties digesting the herring. My sleep was haunted by men with dark glasses, just like the Blues Brothers. I was visited by Mikhail, Vladimir, Molotov, Stalin and others. Big crowds of muzhiks were everywhere. Everyone touched, pushed and shoved. Aunt Lily shouted, ‘Keep your hands to yourselves!’ I was then accused of having no nationality. Fortunately stunning Tatyana, looking more than ever like Sophia Loren, came to my rescue. After she spoke, all the men with dark glasses disappeared and the crowds of muzhiks vanished. She whispered ‘Please do not say that the Library suffered a fire. There was no fire. Remember, no fire… no fire… no fire.’ [Image: Jacques Dupont dreams of men with dark glasses, shadowy crowds and Tatyana Nikitine warning him that there was no fire.] The next working day was as frustrating as the first one. What remained unclear for me was who, in fact, was negotiating with whom. At first sight, the dozen Russians present around the table were supposed to be negotiating with me. In reality, they were agreeing, disagreeing, arguing and negotiating among themselves, through me. Again I tried all day to figure out who was whom and who wanted what. On top of that difficulty was the difference in negotiating techniques between Russians and Westerners. Russians are expert negotiators. They negotiate in the way they play chess, planning several moves ahead. Also, while Americans and Europeans regard compromise as desirable and often inevitable, Russians regard compromise as a sign of weakness, a retreat. They are patient and have time. They wait. An additional challenge in this particular case was that I did not have a precise position to defend or negotiate. This was a fact-finding mission. I needed to assess the damage done by the fire, listen to the needs and requirements and propose a scheme of co-operation. During the afternoon tea break I told Igor Panushkin, whom I thought was the most open and sincere participant, ‘Look, Igor, I feel very pessimistic as to the outcome of the meeting. I am afraid I will soon have to go back to Paris empty-handed. You still have to settle many things among yourselves before we can open the doors to international cooperation in this matter!’ Soon after, he asked me if we could have an informal dinner in order to talk things over – just the two of us. I invited him to the hotel. He accepted the invitation but suggested a more discreet restaurant near the Saint Peter and Paul Fortress. I sent a message to Brigitte to tell her about my plans for the evening and at the end of the meeting took a cab to the restaurant. The cab driver refused payment in rubles. After a little argument, I settled the bill in dollars. I had no choice. Russia was indeed changing! The restaurant was relatively small and congenial. Most diners were seated in large groups. There were only a few diners seated at tables either alone or in small groups. Igor Panushkin had reserved a table for two in a quiet corner. When I arrived, all the zakuski, constituting the first course, were on the table with an ice-cold bottle of vodka. I admired the assortment of cold meats, a variety of fish, fresh and pickled vegetables and a lovely dish of black caviar. In the Russian culture, as in many others, one does not attack the main issue of discussion right away. That night, the conversation first dwelled on the fabulous caviar. Igor explained that in Russia you may be served, under the name of caviar, eggs from lump, cod or salmon. That night we had the real roe of sturgeon. The best kind, for that matter: the Beluga. ‘Would you believe, it takes twenty years for the Beluga female to mature enough to produce the eggs!’ said Igor. He explained that a less expensive type existed, the Sevruga, whose female takes seven years to mature before producing the eggs. They are good but much smaller than the Beluga. ‘The caviar eggs must reach your mouth without being crushed,’ said Igor. ‘That is why we use wooden or horn spoons. No knives!’ Then, Igor tried to brief me to help me understand the complex local situation. At the beginning of the meal, when both of us were completely sober, he was very careful in choosing his words, often resorting to allegories, metaphors and other veiled, symbolic statements. As the vodka consumption increased, the talk became more direct and explicit. In Russia, Vodka is drunk straight, ice-cold in small glasses in one ‘bottoms-up’ gulp. Russians seem to enjoy the flavor of vodka, of course, but their greatest pleasure appears to be drunkenness. They want to forget. To take measure of a foreigner, Russians usually want to drink with him. But that was not Igor’s intention. He really wished to help me understand so that, in turn, I could help him and the Library. I remember he tried to explain a number of things. ‘First of all, one has to distinguish between old and young,’ he said. He explained that the older generations who have gone through Stalinist purges and have witnessed ideologically inspired violence are passive and less inclined to support change. The younger generations, on the other hand, have greater hopes for the future and are receptive to change. Apparently, that issue was one of Gorbathov’s dilemmas. From what Igor later said I understood that Russia had a love-hate relationship with the West. There were two schools of thought in that respect. The ‘Westernizers’ who wanted to borrow from the West technology, management and know-how in order to modernize. And the ‘Slavophiles’ who wanted to protect Russia’s cultural values, agricultural life, and mysticism. ‘At our meeting,’ Igor said, ‘the controversy between supporters of change and opponents of Western-type reform, is apparent.’ He added, ‘Another fact to keep in mind is that neither initiative nor hard work was encouraged under Communism. The system has produced what Russians call ‘dead souls.’ There are some motivated and creative people, but they are the exceptions.’ I raised my glass to Igor and said, ‘ In Vodka veritas! You belong to the category of young, creative and motivated Westernizers!’ Russians can be uncouth, abrupt and distrustful at work. But within the intimate circle of friends they become relaxed, warm and hospitable. The real Russian soul – the famous Russkaya dusha – pops up. ‘Dusha’ is made up of sentimentality, exuberance, spirituality, romanticism, and an array of other emotions. With the help of a little vodka I thought I felt Igor’s Russkaya dusha. As a matter of fact I discovered a little bit of it in me. ‘And who exactly is Tatyana?’ I suddenly asked. Igor Panushkin smiled and replied, ‘ Tatyana Nikitine is no librarian. She knows nothing about books, libraries or fires. She is the highest representative of the Party. Tatyana is at the meeting to tow the Party line and to make sure that we minimize, in front of you, the negative effects of the fire and put up a very positive show.’ I told Igor that she had visited me in my dream and had told me in a sexy voice ‘No fire. No fire.’ He thought that it was very funny and could not stop laughing. Igor explained that this attitude was called ‘pokazukha’ and had prevailed in Russia well before Communism. He recalled the classic ‘Potemkin’ villages which were nothing but false village facades staged along the travel route of Empress Catherine the Great to make her believe that her people lived well. As we proceeded with our dinner, I asked Igor how could some participants twist events, invent new statistics, misstate facts in front of everyone without being embarrassed or openly challenged. ‘And to think that we are meeting under the roof of the Academy of Science!’ He said that for the Russians the fudged facts were not exactly lies, but were regarded as false village facades of the Potemkin villages that were staged for me. He then proceeded to explain that I should try to understand a Russian characteristic which is called vranyo. He quoted someone who had once said that the Russians were incapable of telling downright lies, but were equally incapable of telling the truth. Igor stared at me, expecting a reaction. I must have looked puzzled. He proceeded to say that vranyo was untranslatable. A sort of a fib or white lie. Somewhere between the truth and a lie. It is a sort of varnished truth. Vranyo is the sign of the Russian inability to face facts, especially when they are not favorable to Russia. ‘Olga Ananiev who is helping your family and friend discover Leningrad is a master of vranyo, so is our beautiful Tatyana Nikitine! By the way,’ added Igor, ‘it is another national characteristic that preceded Communism. Dostoyevsky refers to it in his novels.’ Igor went on to explain that Russians do not consider vranyo to be dishonest. It is bad manners to openly challenge the fibber, unless it is done with subtlety and tact. It is a subtle game which is difficult to grasp by foreigners. When using vranyo, Russians know that they are fibbing and expect their audience to understand that. ‘That is why at the meeting,’ he concluded, ‘no one openly and abruptly challenged the speakers who fudged the facts, as it would be done in the West. But we did challenge them our own way, by presenting a different picture.’ [Image: Igor Panushkin explains Russian realities to Jacques Dupont over caviar, zakuski and ice-cold vodka in a Leningrad restaurant.] The bottle of vodka was by now empty. I was physically and morally satisfied. Igor had helped me understand a little better the Russian soul as Takahashi had once helped me penetrate an inch into the Japanese soul. As to my own French soul, it felt like a Russkaya dusha. I swear I could hear mandolins and balalaikas in the air. For the third session, the next day, I was in good shape. As usual, the meeting did not start on time. The respected virtue in Russia is not punctuality but patience. I used those extra minutes to collect my thoughts. When the meeting actually started I said that I had very much enjoyed the discussions of the two previous days (speaking of vranyo!). I had learned a lot from the Russian way of approaching important issues, paying due attention to all the historical, philosophical and ideological considerations of the problem at hand. The contemplation of all these considerations may have given the impression of existing contradictions. But this was only an impression, resulting from the thoroughness with which the situation was analyzed. Now the time had come to put down on paper a few requirements for an international cooperation designed to reconstitute the foreign language collections destroyed and to assist in the restoration of the library material damaged by fire and water. I said that I wished to spend the day visiting the Library and that I would be happy to come back to the meeting the following day to consider the requirements proposed by the meeting. The element of surprise was instantaneous as the meeting turned into Russian language with twelve participants speaking at the same time. Tea was not yet ready but a tea break was announced. I was later taken to visit the Library and noticed that the fire had been a major one and the damage was quite serious. In the evening, after a long and thorough shower to remove every trace of formaldehyde, I met with Olga Ananiev and my four ladies to go to the Kirov. The internationally renown Kirov Ballet, named after a Bolshevik politician assassinated in 1934, fully deserves its reputation. We were all overwhelmed by this illustrious ballet company who introduced stars such as Rudolph Nureyev, Altynai Asylmuratova, and Mikhail Baryshnikov to the world. The Sleeping Beauty performance was outstanding. On the way out Brigitte remarked that the technical supremacy of the Kirov was breathtaking. ‘If one is to find a flaw with this company,’ she added, ‘it is that production details, such as costumes and stage effects, are considered of minor importance. But the exceptional quality of the dancing makes us blind to these shortcomings!’ Olga had reserved a dinner table in a nearby restaurant. In Leningrad, as in Moscow, it is unlikely to find a table in a good restaurant unless reservations are made ahead of time. Very often one has to order the food and drinks and pay for them at the time the reservation is made. When you arrive at the restaurant at the appointed time, the drinks and the first course, usually the zaziki, are already on the table. A little orchestra usually plays some music which contributes to the romantic, and somewhat old-fashioned, flavor imparted to the place. Françoise wanted to know why both at the theater and at the restaurant they insisted that we first check our coats in the cloakroom. From Olga’s explanation we understood that in Russia there is a right way and a wrong way of doing everything. The wrong way is nyekulturno, which means uncultured or vulgar. Wearing coats in theaters and restaurants is nyekulturno. We pressed Olga to give us other examples. She mentioned standing with hands in pants pockets, placing feet on tables, sitting with legs spread wide and similar postures were all nyekulturno. With a mischievous look in her eyes Aunt Lily whispered in French to her sister that it was too bad that touching, pushing and shoving in crowds was not considered nyekulturno. She then mentioned to Olga that she had seen in the hotel corridor a couple of Russian men in their pajamas and wanted to know if this was nyekulturno, as well. Olga smiled but did not answer. The evening was pleasant as we chatted and learned a lot about Leningrad. We were amazed to hear that the Neva River is usually totally covered by ice six months in the year. We all agreed that Leningrad was among the most beautiful cities of the world. It combined severe and stately architecture with planned squares, wide avenues and many parks and gardens. Françoise wanted to know what the word tsar meant. Olga said, ‘It was a word derived from ‘Caesar’ – a title that the autocratic dynasty of rulers that kept Russia as a vast, backward agricultural empire chose for itself.’ We thanked Olga for her company and patience and walked back to the hotel. All along I noticed that people turned around to look at us, more particularly at Aunt Lily. I had to admit that the extravagant outfits that Mademoiselle Simone had altered for her were somewhat conspicuous. The four ladies giggled all the way to the hotel. Françoise and Nancy, inspired by the Kirov ballet, walked and danced like two sleeping beauties, while I kept saying to them that it was Nyekulturno! [Image: Françoise and Nancy dance outside the Kirov Ballet while Jacques warns them about Russian decorum.] The next day the meeting was productive. My Russian ‘friends’ looked exhausted from the start. Even glamorous Tatyana did not look so glamorous. I figured that they must have argued all night to reach consensus. I was satisfied as I had, somehow, managed to get them moving. In essence, they had agreed that a restoration laboratory was needed in Leningrad to treat damaged books but admitted that their staff lacked the training and exposure to advanced technologies, most of which were not available in the country. I offered UNESCO’s assistance to arrange for visits where the advanced technologies could be studied. Igor Panushkin drove me back to the hotel. We mutually agreed that the outcome was positive. He seemed very satisfied. After a little pause, he calmly told me that there was a little problem, not related to the meeting. It was personal. Olga Ananiev had informed him that Brigitte, Aunt Lily, Nancy, and Françoise had left the hotel before the 10 o’clock appointment with Olga and had not been seen since. He added, ‘You have no reason to worry. I am sure everything will be all right.’ In any Western country, this would not have constituted a problem, but in a Communist state, that was a different story. We sat in the hotel lobby for ages, waiting for something to happen. Igor tried to talk to me about a variety of topics. I could not listen. I could not understand. It was already dinner time and they were not back. I was worried. I was furious. Once in a while he would go to the telephone and pretend his calls were not related to my problem. I kept asking questions about Olga, the availability of telephones in the city, about crime, rape and theft. Igor kept saying very calmly, ‘ Jacques, do not worry.’ While we were waiting, my attention was drawn to a small group of tourists who were loudly sharing, in English, their negative impressions and muttering their discontent. The short man with a yellow cigarette screwed into the corner of his mouth and the couture-conscious lady with a splendid outfit were obviously French. Nothing was quite right for them. The other man who sounded American wore a yellow jacket, a yellow shirt, a black tie with yellow dots and black evening trousers. His imagination must have run out of ‘black and yellow’ at this point because his feet were comfortably resting in a pair of white sneakers. The tall, blond lady next to him had made an obvious effort to show every possible manifestation of wealth. They were determined to go back home with no positive memories of their visit. The city was gloomy, the distances enormous, the people discourteous and the food suspicious. Nothing was quite right. And above all everyone spoke nothing but Russian! There was something indecent about the way the group displayed their arrogant disdain. It must have been depressing for Igor to hear the city he loved so thoroughly condemned. I began to talk to him about the good caviar we had eaten the other evening so that he would not continue to hear any more insulting comments. Then, all of a sudden, in glowing flamboyance, wearing one of Mademoiselle Simone’s extravagant outfits, our great diva came through the door. I jumped up, asking loudly, ‘Lily, what happened? Where are the others?’ She calmly sat down, placidly took off her cape, smiled at Igor Panushkin and said, ‘Oh, my God, it is ever so cold! The winds are howling over the Neva. It is a brisk autumn day. We would call it winter in Paris! You should see how some women are already bundled up. Fortunately, I had my glorious cashmere sweater on.’ I flared up saying, ‘We did not expect a weather report from you! Where are the others?’ ‘I do not know,’ she said unconcerned, smiling with great nonchalance. ‘We lost each other at the station. There was such a crowd! So what?’ I was about to hit the ceiling, but tried to control myself. I asked, trembling with anger, ‘Could you explain, please. ‘ ‘I will explain, of course,’ she replied serenely, ‘But you have to let me talk without interrupting me. There is no reason to be so excited, Jacques!’ I could have strangled her but decided to try and act unperturbed. Igor seemed amused by this French vaudeville. ‘Well,’ she said, looking at Igor, ‘I have always thought that to understand and appreciate a country, one should not be confined to museums, palaces and other mandatory tourist sights. There is more to Paris than the Tomb of Napoleon and the Mona Lisa! There is more to Leningrad than the Hermitage, the Smolny Monastery and the Petrodvorets! We wanted to see real Russia. We wanted to see how the Russians live!’ At this very moment Igor was called to the reception phone. I said to Aunt Lily, ‘Why didn’t you ask Olga to show you real Russia?’ She looked straight into my eyes saying, ‘You very well know, Jacques, that they keep you occupied 24 hours a day, overwhelming you with hospitality and attention, they overfeed you with history, statistics and propaganda, because they do not want you to see the real thing!’ Igor was back. Resuming her demure tone, Aunt Lily continued, smiling at him. ‘So we decided to be a little adventurous and just walk in the streets by ourselves. Unfortunately, we did not know how to reach Olga to let her know, so we left.’ I looked at Igor who obviously did not swallow the latter part and said to him, ‘It sounds like Vranyo, doesn’t it?’ Igor smiled saying, ‘Da! Da!’. ‘So where did you go?’ he asked. ‘We went to a department store and looked at prices. We bought a few gifts. We also went to a food market. We walked in the streets. We visited a small church and lit candles. We went to a railroad station to see people. What a crowd! That is where we lost one another.’ [Image: Aunt Lily, Brigitte, Nancy and Françoise become separated in a Leningrad railway station while Ivan, Andrei and Victor enter the confusion.] Igor asked how she had enjoyed her day and Aunt Lily immediately assumed a melodramatic composure and said that everything had been absolutely thrilling, heart-warming and touching. I could not help but bite my lips. Sensing my nervousness, she kept talking to Igor, as though I did not exist. ‘I was hoping to find some cashmere,’ she said, ‘Cashmere goats live in Mongolia. Don’t they?’ Igor explained that cashmere goats cannot be made to multiply like chicken. They need space and privacy for romance. No one has managed to increase the quantity of cashmere produced, and it obviously remains a luxury product. After a long while, during which I gave Aunt Lily several icy glares, Nancy and Françoise suddenly came through the hotel door with two young men and introduced us to Ivan Marakov and Andrei Vinogradov. My eyes could not resist looking at their outfits: jeans, three-tone artificial snake skin jackets, and Western boots. They explained that these young men, who spoke a little English, helped them find their way. On the way they had visited Andrei Vinogradov’s apartment and met his family. They had sat in the kitchen and shared some food. Real simple hospitality and warm conviviality. They spoke to each other warmly, exchanged addresses and promised to keep in touch. As Ivan and Andrei were leaving, I sensed that the two girls were somewhat enamored and already nostalgic. They kept talking about their experience and sharing impressions with Aunt Lily when I asked, ‘ Has anyone seen my wife, lately?’ Igor said not to worry because she was safely being taken back to the hotel. The telephone call he had received earlier was obviously about that. I was embarrassed. I could not believe my eyes, looking at Aunt Lily, Nancy and Françoise chatting and giggling as if nothing had happened. I had to make an effort to keep calm. Obviously, at fifty-four, I had turned into a rigid, conventional bureaucrat without fantasy or imagination. Finally, Brigitte came through the hotel door, festive and in high spirits, walking erratically. Next to her was a tall man. Guess who? The man with the sunglasses who was reading the newspaper in the hotel restaurant the other night. The KGB man! She cheerfully introduced him as Victor Vassiliev. By now I was sure she must have had a few glasses of vodka. Merry and slightly tipsy, she looked and talked more like Aunt Lily. I had never noticed such a resemblance before. ‘Have you had any Vodka, Brigitte?’ I asked. ‘Well, yes.’ she replied, ‘As a substitute for central heating! Ha! Ha!’ She giddily told us that when she lost everyone at the station she panicked because she realized that she had no money and – believe it or not – could not remember the complicated name of the hotel. She had noticed all along that the man with the sunglasses had been following them all the way from the hotel to the department store, to the food market and even to church. ‘But in Church, he had not lit a candle to the holy Virgin.’ she added, laughing. ‘So, how did you meet?’ asked Françoise. ‘I went to him at the railroad station, after I lost all of you and said straightforwardly that I knew we were staying at the same hotel. I told him that my name was Brigitte Dupont. I had no money. Could he, please, take me back to the hotel to my family.’ Victor Vassiliev who was listening to Brigitte’s account of the day did not seem terribly amused. He abruptly said goodbye and in no time disappeared, soon followed by Igor Panushkin. Brigitte wanted to go up to the room. The four of us followed her, bombarding her with questions. She sat on the bed and laughed a great deal. I seemed to be the only one who did not think the situation was that funny. I kept asking, ‘How much did you drink?’ She said, ‘As the Russians say, vodka is the best antifreeze for the human engine. Nash sdrovie! ‘ She then told us that Victor Vassiliev had insisted that they have some tea to warm up on the way to the hotel. Instead of tea he had ordered vodka. She could not remember how much she drank. He was very dignified, polite and charming. They chatted for a long time. He had asked her many questions but she could not remember exactly what they were. She had answered all the questions but could not remember exactly what she said. She then giggled and said. ‘At the end of this long inquisition I asked him if he had to write a report on me…ha.ha He turned pale.’ My four girls could not stop laughing. The people next door must have thought we were having a party, as Brigitte kept saying ‘Nash sdorovie!’ I turned to Aunt Lily and the young girls and invited them to quietly go to their rooms. Under the circumstances, I thought that it would be preferable to skip dinner. I told them at what time they were to be ready for departure the next day. When I turned around Brigitte was sound asleep. We say in French: Tout est bien qui finit bien, – all is well that ends well. Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, in that cold and dark Nordic night, I said to myself, ‘ The battle of Leningrad is over,’ and, raising my right hand, I solemnly swore, ‘Never again! Never!’ [Image: Jacques Dupont raises his hand before a bathroom mirror in comic solemnity while Brigitte sleeps in the adjoining Leningrad hotel room.] ### Explore the Chapters - [Around The World In Eighty Missions: Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Veronique, And The Other Nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo, And Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings And I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra And Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris With Nancy And Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle Of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt The Library Of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – Sunny Side Up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) © Copyright [Jacques Tocatlian](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/07/jacques-tocatlian-1929-2019/). All Rights Reserved. ## Who Burnt the Library of Alexandria? - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/ - Published: 2000-08-31 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: In this chapter of Around the World in Eighty Missions, Jacques Dupont travels from Cairo’s traffic and ministry etiquette to Alexandria’s literary ghosts, comic debates, and the revival of the ancient Library of Alexandria. [Image: A traveler looks across an Egyptian waterfront toward a camel rider, historic buildings, books, and a modern cultural center.] [AUDIOBOOK](https://tocatlian.blog/2026/07/17/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions-the-audiobook/) [GET YOUR COPY](https://tocatlian.blog/2010/07/08/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions/) BROWSE BY CHAPTER - [Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Véronique and other nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo and Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings and I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra and Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris with Nancy and Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt the Library of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – sunny side up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) Inchaalah, Maalesh and Maktub. Dust, confusion, noise, anarchy. I was in Cairo. This must have been my sixth or seventh mission in Egypt. In spite of some minor inconveniences I loved being in Egypt. I found Egyptians hospitable, colorful, humane, amiable and delightfully amusing. Knowing my fascination for Egypt, my colleagues at the UNESCO Office in Cairo used to call me Champollion. For everyone else outside the office I was ‘Mister Jacques’. One is generally not called by one’s last name in Egypt. When the relationship was more formal I became ‘Doctor Jacques.’ Zaki, the Office driver, drove me to the hotel, zigzagging his way through chaotic traffic and tumultuous crowds. Zaki had a deep sense of humor – a widespread blessing in Egypt. While hooting his horn he shared with me his views on UNESCO, the problems of the Middle East, President Mubarak and the future of Humanity. At every visit he had to bring me up to date with the latest local jokes, the so-called nokat. Zaki had a warm personality and enjoyed a reputation for being loyal, resourceful and obliging. He was a man of impeccable rectitude. The road from the airport leads through the modern suburb of Heliopolis into a large square facing the railroad, dominated by the ancient statue of Ramses II. Automobile elevated freeways connect nowadays various suburbs to the heart of the city. Further down, in the large square ‘Midan El-Tahrir’ we were trapped in an incredible jam and doomed to go in circles three to four times. The population density in Egypt is among the highest in the world – over a thousand people per square kilometer of cultivable land. Forty years ago the population of Cairo barely reached two millions. It was now over fifteen millions! If anyone was uncertain about these statistics a tour of Midan El-Tahrir would convey an order of magnitude. I felt lucky to be observing Cairo from a comfortable, aseptic, four-wheeled cocoon. It took us thirty minutes to cover fifty yards. A man on a bicycle was carrying on his head a huge basket of bread, finding his way among cars, motor-cycles, hand-carts and overcrowded busses with people literally hanging from the windows. On the sidewalk – which represents an assortment of waste, paper and debris – a street vendor was dispensing a popular sugary refreshment which, as Zaki explained, was made of licorice and called Argi’suss. Further down a dog was taking a dust bath. Couples walked at a distance, usually men ahead of women. The display of intimacy being strictly forbidden, men an women never hold hand. Men often do. Vive la difference! [Image: Jacques Dupont rides through Cairo traffic with Zaki as a bread seller and crowded streets surround the car.] Looking around at the traffic jam it occurred to me that Egyptians had a deep-rooted aversion to anything that resembles order. Anyone who remembers watching on TV the funerals of Gamal Abdel Nasser will agree to that! That is part of the charm. The air in the streets was filled with a smell of deep-fried Falafel, spices and overcooked Kebab – an odor I loathed. But the crepuscular light and the overlapping voices of the muezzins, calling the hour of prayer from the top of hundreds of minarets, gave a mysterious and enchanting touch to the scene. Once at the fine Hotel Meridien overlooking the Nile, I felt at home. In the hotel, everything was shining: the brass, the glass, the floor and the golden teeth of the doorman. I tipped my way, right and left, to the Reception Desk under a shower of greetings, blessings and salam-alek. Tipping in some countries is an occasional bonus for special service. In Egypt it is a nagging obligation lying in wait at every corner: an excruciating must. In the lobby of the hotel I was greeted by Sharifa, a staff member of the UNESCO Office who was waiting for me. She first apologized for not being able to come to the airport and then briefed me on latest events relevant to my project. Sharifa seconded me during my various missions on the project of the Revival of the Ancient Library of Alexandria – the so-called Bibliotheca Alexandrina. She was reliable, knowledgeable and most pleasant. I always admired her patience and endurance. Married to a famous Cairo lawyer and mother of three children, she belonged to the upper class – ‘la grande bourgeoisie’. She had been educated at the convent school Notre Dame de Sion and at the American University of Cairo. Perfectly at ease in Arabic, English and French, Sharifa moved about the Egyptian scene with statuesque demeanor and great ease. She was priceless. After a thorough, but concise, brief she handed me a detailed program for my two-week mission in Cairo and Alexandria, asked about my health and family and left with a bright smile. Several meetings were scheduled in Cairo for the first couple of days: at the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Culture, the National Library and the Cairo University. On the third day I was to spend time with Mr. Marius Van der Meer, one of the Assistants Director-General of UNESCO, who would stop by in Cairo for 24 hours on his way to Nairobi. I had to accompany him for his meeting with the Minister of Education. Then I was to go to Alexandria to work with the International Jury on the selection of the winner design of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. I expected the mission to be interesting and effortless. The weather in October was delightful. I had flown out of a dark, rainy Parisian fall into beautiful Spring-like weather. In addition, Sharifa had arranged for me to be invited in Alexandria by the cream of the Alexandrian Society where I would meet representatives of well-known, old families, as well as some Europeans whose families had been established in the city for several generations. She thought that their knowledge of the city and their ideas on the Library of Alexandria project might be helpful to me. As I was searching my pockets for some change to tip the elevator groom and retire to my room on the eleventh flour, I noticed a commotion at the door of the hotel. Maddened hordes of tourists were running towards the door with all sorts of cameras. A strident, rhythmical music invaded the hallway, as tambourine players and colorful musicians blowing in some sort of clarinets made their appearance, machine-gunned by a thousand flashes. Then came the bride under a thunder of applause, fleshy and shiny, decorated like a Christmas tree. She was followed by the bridal party, all dressed to kill. The men in designer suits and wearing fashionable sunglasses looked as though they had come to buy the Meridien Hotel. They were followed by a number of women in bright, colorful dresses displaying flashy jewels. The overdressed bridal party contrasted with the effusive and careless crowd of tourists who had gathered to watch the event. Bermudas, T-shirts, ski jackets, jeans, Texan hats, sneakers, baseball caps – which may have been appropriate around the swimming pool – looked sloppy and in bad taste. I was certain that these very same tourists would never dream to be seen in such outfits in a four-star hotel back in their respective home towns. The strangest of all was a tall blond man dressed like Laurence of Arabia. While he was taking a picture of the bride, another tourist was taking a picture of him. Quelle salade! In no time, the wedding procession got nicely out of hand, as some elderly ladies uttered wild howls of joy and jubilation. The ear-deafening ululations and cries of praise to God burst out from every side. It sounded like a dozen warmongering Indians were attacking a stage-coach. I strolled to the elevator and up to the eleventh floor where I found my freshly mutilated suitcase, a hot bath, a cold Stella beer and a few minutes of quiet rumination to knit myself together before going to bed. [Image: Jacques Dupont watches a lively wedding procession fill the Meridien Hotel lobby with music, tourists, and camera flashes.] Just before turning the lights off, I switched on the television, out of curiosity. My attention was caught by a local film. I could not understand a single word of Arabic, but I was tickled by the outmoded acting. Egyptians are demonstrative and place high value on the display of emotions. I found the convulsive harangues and heroic declamations amusing. They certainly were not meant to be so, but the more tragic the situation seemed to get, the more I became hilarious. I was still laughing well after the film was over and thought that Indian films, made in Bollywood, would be appreciated over here. The next two days were uneventful. Meetings were held more or less on time and yielded reasonable results. Sharifa was always there to second me. Evenings were spent reading briefing material, taking notes and preparing forthcoming meetings. In contrast, the third day turned out to be eventful enough to make up for the first two quiet ones. The day practically started at the airport where I went with Sharifa and Zaki to fetch Mr. Marius Van der Meer. Mr. Van der Meer was not my boss and I did not know him very well at the time. I had never worked with him and on the few occasions I had happened to meet him at meetings or receptions we had never managed to engage in any meaningful conversation. He always seemed pensive and tense. Mr. Van der Meer was of Belgian origin but of Swiss nationality. I did not know from which side he had inherited his sense of humor for I had never seen him smile. That unusual background combination certainly did not predestine him to quickly understand the Egyptian soul or appreciate the local nokat. That was the way I felt. A Frenchman, as everyone knows, has all sorts of petty prejudices against his European neighbors. In any case, Mr. Van der Meer had not come to Cairo to exchange jokes and my personal bias was of no importance. Come to think of it, why was he coming? Why had the Director-General asked Marius Van der Meer to stop over to meet with the Minister in Cairo? Officially, he was supposed to prepare the forthcoming visit of the Director-General to Egypt, which I could have done myself. He no doubt had a hidden agenda. Waiting for Mr. Van der Meer I looked around the airport and watched the very heterogeneous crowd. Among the more sophisticated types of Egyptian businessmen and government officials in western-type suits was a countryman, or fellah, wearing a long dark-blue cotton robe, known as gallabiyeh, and a close-fitting skull cap surrounded by a white turban. He was of dark complexion and of sturdy physique. He looked cheerful and, at the same time, resigned to hardship. I felt sympathetic towards him. “What do the Fellahs usually eat?” I asked Sharifa. She said, “Basically, coarse maize bread, Egyptian beans known as fool, white cheese, lettuce, onions and fruit. They seldom can afford meat.” I then asked her if the old red hat of Turkish origin, known as tarboosh, was still worn. She explained that it had fallen out of use. A young man then offered to shine my shoes. Since shoe shining is a dead art in Paris and in most of Europe, I accepted. We kept looking at the crowd of tourists coming through customs. Suddenly, the tall, slim and nervous silhouette of Van der Meer appeared. He looked stiff. When he realized that I was having my shoes polished, he looked stiffer. Or as my brother-in-law, Albert, would say: he looked constipated. The greeting ceremony was short, the Salam-alek part being kept at a strict minimum. Marius Van der Meer already seemed in a state of trepidation. [Image: Jacques Dupont has his shoes polished at Cairo airport while Sharifa, Zaki, and the rigid Marius Van der Meer look on.] We had a laconic ride directly to the Ministry of Education. Zaki did not share his opinion about global matters this time. As to Sharifa, she gave the Assistant Director-General only indispensable items of background information. Conversation was not encouraged. It gave me a chance to admire my shoes, as bright as the Egyptian sun, and to look at the scenery. Dust was everywhere. Thick on the sidewalks, and thin on the foliage of the sycamores, the eucalyptus and the date palms. If Cairo could have had the benefit of some rain it would have been a cleaner city. But, surrounded by desert, the rainless city is permanently covered by a mantle of sand. When the car stopped at the Ministry, Mr. Van der Meer said to me, “Mr. Dupont, I am told that you are familiar with the Egyptian scene. This being my first business visit to Egypt I would like you to sit next to me at the meeting and whisper to me whatever you think may be helpful in my negotiations. Use your own judgment. Don’t overdo it” That statement caught me by surprise. Now, I had been given a clearly vague and perfectly ambiguous assignment. As the car was leaving, Sharifa waved goodbye to us with a Mona Lisa type of smile. I felt she anticipated problems and sympathized with me. At the Ministry Mr. Van der Meer and I were shown to the Minister’s waiting room by a young lady in long-sleeved gray dress of near floor-length, wearing a white hejab to cover her hair. We were served tea and left on our own for a while. Since Mr. Van der Meer did not give any sign of wanting to engage in a conversation, I silently meditated on the duality of the Egyptian society. The young lady with the hejab and westernized Sharifa represented the two tendencies prevailing in Egypt. Sharifa was, in my eyes, the symbol of a secularly-minded, modern and forward-looking Egypt. The young lady with the hejab, represented the religious, conservative traditionalist movement. The first group believes in a Western type education: scientific inquiry and rationality. The second believes that the spirit of Islam, which prescribes proper behavior patterns for everyday life, should be the dominant feature in all teachings. This duality created a permanent conflict between the two tendencies and resulted in a sort of social fracture which was noticeable in every aspect of Egyptian life. My meditation was brought to an abrupt end as the door opened and we were invited to enter the office where the meeting was to take place. Nothing palatial, only a very large room with a large desk, several couches and chairs and three or four open doors leading to neighboring offices. Several telephones were scattered on the main desk. They seemed to take turns in ringing one after the other at all times. About a dozen people stood in various corners of the room in small groups or by themselves. It was difficult to guess who was who and who was doing what. Any Western guest unwarned about the particular style of an Egyptian meeting and expecting some sort of privacy usually finds the arrangement amazing. Mr. Van der Meer found it shocking. Mr. Abdel-Rahman, a high official of the Ministry, greeted us warmly “Ahlan wa Sahlan, Doctor Marius! Ahlan wa Sahlan, Doctor Jacques! Marhaba! Welcome, welcome!” He apologized that the Minister had been unexpectedly called by the President of the Republic and would not be back in time for the meeting. Mr. Abdel-Rahman said that he had been charged by the Minister to meet with us and report back to him. I looked at Mr. Van der Meer. He was deadly pale. Next to Mr. Abdel-Rahman were a couple of men who were never introduced. The telephones kept ringing and were answered by whoever seemed to be closest to the desk at the time. Once in a while, the phone would be brought to Mr. Abdel-Rahman to take the call. Mr. Van der Meer was by now livid. He asked in a curt manner if we could have some privacy and meet in a quieter room. Mr. Abdel-Rahman smiled and, after a little pause, asked, “tea or coffee?” Mr. Van der Meer said stiffly, ” We just had tea.” While our host was again on the phone I whispered, “You have to take some beverage. No matter how many drinks you have had, you cannot refuse. This is strict Egyptian etiquette.” There was no reply except for a sniff of irritation. Mr. Van der Meer pulled a sheet of paper and said in a firm voice that he had come all the way to Cairo specifically to settle some details concerning the forthcoming visit of the Director-General. He had prepared an agenda and had about a dozen items to discuss. I suddenly remembered my meeting in Tokyo and I shivered with fear recalling Professor Earl Ray Clark’s rigid behavior. Mr. Van der Meer proceeded to read the items on the agenda while some clerk brought a pile of documents to Mr. Abdel-Rahman, which he proceeded to read and sign, one by one. Once in a while he would stop, raise his head and say to the Assistant Director-General with an engaging smile, “No problem with this item. We can look into it,” or “We can do that, inchaalah.” To another request he would say, “Why not? We have provided such service in the past. We may do it again, inchaalah. “ At that point a fat man came in from a neighboring office through one of the open doors and said “Salam alekum!” He was warmly greeted by two or three of the people standing around who exclaimed at him with enthusiasm, “Ahlan! Ahlan Wassahlan!” Mr. Abdel Rahman jumped to his feet, furtively said to us, “Excuse me for a minute,” and immediately went to embrace the fat man and, hand in hand, they went in a corner to talk. Fuming with rage, Mr. Van der Meer turned to me and said, “This is intolerable. I will simply recommend to the Director-General to cancel his visit. We should not even try to do any business in this country! They are simply not serious! “ Sensing that we were on the edge of a disaster I replied firmly, “You cannot say that. UNESCO has successfully done business here for decades. During the Nubian Campaign, for example, organized by UNESCO with the collaboration of the international community: over eighty temples were saved and restored, including Abu-Simbel and Philea. The campaign lasted some thirty years. Work was done painstakingly with the full participation of Egyptians at all levels. “ He blushed and asked, “You mean to tell me that you agree with this way of conducting business?” I replied, “No, but I agree to respect the way they are used to doing things. I am not here to change their way, their etiquette, their tradition or their culture. They do not have to necessarily adopt our ways. Even if, in our eyes, our ways are more rational. We have to understand and accept theirs.” By now he had turned purple. In the last hour Mr. Van der Meer had waxed all the colors of the rainbow in turn. It was obvious that he was making an effort to control himself. He finally whispered, “They are rude and insulting! “ “They do not mean to,” I said. “They behave with us as they behave with each other, at their own pace and according to their codes of behavior and to their conception of work, hospitality, dignity and loyalty.” He looked at me with steely eyes and said, “You seem to have become totally ‘Egyptianized.’ Perhaps we should call you ‘Abdel-Dupont’! Does Mr. Abdel Rahman really agree with my requests? Is he serious when he says ‘yes, inchaalah’?” Since Mr. Abdel Rahman was still discussing with the fat man I proceeded to say, “You know, Mr. Van der Meer, Egyptian etiquette demands that a request has a positive response, regardless of the intended follow-up to be given to the request. Mr. Abdel Rahman’s agreement to your requests is nothing but a declaration of intention, not a promise. The addition of the expression inchaalah – meaning God willing – adds a degree of uncertainty. You should understand that ‘yes’ means only ‘yes, I shall try’.” “Under those conditions, how can we work? Tell me what I am supposed to do since you are a specialist in Egyptian matters!” he said sarcastically. I took a deep breadth and replied, “Be patient. Be charming. Be tolerant. Be warm and smiling. Show emotions. Be demonstrative. Egyptians think that emotion connotes sincere concern for the substance under discussion. If you speak softly and concisely, making your statement only once, they think that you do not consider the matter too important. Egyptians love rhetoric, long-winded speeches and flowery prose. Do not try to plan the future in detail. Too much self-confidence in planning and a desire to control forthcoming events is considered arrogant. Do not forget that, in this part of the world, whatever you plan God must first be willing for it to happen. Hence, the many ‘inchaalahs’ you hear. Logic without emotion and faith is much too cold for them.” “You ask me to show emotions. If I had to show the emotions I feel right now,” he added, ” I would scream!” After a short pause he added, “As to faith, I am now convinced that if God does not personally intervene, nothing will ever be achieved over here!” I was calm on the surface, but sweating abundantly. I could feel that Mr. Van der Meer resented me for what I had told him. We sat there in silence watching a couple of flies crawling around the empty coffee cups. When I saw the fat man ready to leave I gathered enough courage to conclude, “Whatever you do or say, Mr. Van der Meer, let me tell you that constructive criticism is unknown here. Criticism is always destructive. Egyptians cannot lose face. They cannot admit ignorance, errors or weaknesses. Above all they have to preserve their dignity. That is why flattery and praise is so very important.” He looked at me in disbelief and said, “You must be joking!” Mr. Abdel Rahman apologized and the meeting resumed with the usual interruptions. Somehow, Mr. Van de Meer had reconciled himself a little more with the Egyptian style of conducting a meeting and managed to make all his points. Mr. Abdel Rahman agreed to everything, sprinkling every request with a number of ‘inchaalahs.’ No agreement was officially recorded. No notes were taken. No Aide-memoire was signed. More coffee was served. More telephone calls were taken. More guests were greeted. More flies came roving around the coffee cups. The meeting at the Ministry of Education at long last came to an end. [Image: Jacques Dupont whispers advice to Marius Van der Meer during a chaotic Egyptian ministry meeting over coffee and ringing telephones.] As we walked out of the building I tried to break the ice and said, “Things will work out at the end, you will see. They always do, eventually. Not exactly the way we had planned them. But, miraculously, things do work out.” Mr. Van der Meer was now green. He gave me a last icy look and said he needed to walk to the hotel by himself. I knew that he had disliked my lectures to him and that he would always resent me. Nevertheless, deep inside, I knew that I had saved the day for him, even if he would never recognize the fact. I slowly walked to the hotel, meditating on the significance of the day. How did I feel? Once again I had witnessed a problem arising from cultural differences. Each one looked at the world through his particular cultural prism and with reference to his own set of rules. Mr. Van der Meer seemed to reject all people whose behavior, attitudes, methods or codes were different from what his culture dictated. He was rigid. Above all, he had misread and misinterpreted certain innocent actions as being rude and provocative. On the other hand, Mr. Abdel Rahman had not bothered to compromise and modify ‘his way’ in order to meet his guests half way. I thought that all these years of exposure to the international community and its intercultural tensions had taught me many lessons. It had made me more tolerant and open-minded. I silently felt proud of it. The next day, after ‘Doctor Marius’ had left for Nairobi, Zaki and Sharifa picked me up at the Meridien and we started our journey to Alexandria. We first crossed the Kasr-el-Nil bridge to Guezira island, along the fashionable Guezira Sporting Club, then onto the Pyramids, the Mena House Hotel and the desert road to Alexandria. We discussed several topics, but mostly ‘Doctor Marius’ and the forthcoming visit of the Director-General. We did not see the time fly. A little more than two hours later we were in the outskirts of Alexandria. A light breeze from the sea tasted of algae and salt. At every visit I kept finding Alexandria intriguing, fascinating and disappointing, at the same time. Hard to explain. It is a declining city which displays a number of features reminiscent of Mediterranean cities of Southern Europe, rather than those of a typically Arab city. A place where the fragrance of several ancient civilizations still hangs in the air. A sort of old lady in shabby clothes who, you could tell, used to be endowed with beauty and elegance. One of the features I like about Alexandria is its fine seacoast road running eastward for about 16 miles with bathing beaches along most of its length. It used to be known as la Corniche, or ‘avenue Faruk.’ Since the advent of Gamal Abdel Nasser it is, of course, called the ‘avenue of the Army.’ In Alexandria, buildings are, for the most part, falling apart, uncared for, abandoned, ravaged by time, corroded by the saline Mediterranean winds and devastated by neglect. A distressing sight. Yet, its history and its cosmopolitan aspects remain alluring. The names given to its quarters and tramway stations hint at its fascinating international past: Camp de César, Cleopatra, Stanley, Victoria, Zizinia, Bulkeley, Schutz, Glymenopoulo, Gianaclis, Fleming, San Stephano. Once in a while a name, such as Mustapha or Sidi-Gaber, will remind us that we are on Egyptian land! Many pastry shops, tea-rooms, restaurants and department stores still maintain foreign-sounding names of the past: Athinéos, Pastroudis, Baudrot, Trianon, Hannaux and Cicurel. Very intriguing, indeed. Sharifa explained that, for the most part the owners were now Egyptians but had kept the old names. She believed there were a few exceptions: The tea-room ‘Délice’ was still run by a descendent of the Greek founder, Cléopolos Moustakas. Also the tavern ‘Zéphyrion’, founded in 1929, was in the hands of the Tsaparis family. It still served the best fish in town. “Another famous place,” she added “is ‘l’Elite’ ran by Mrs. Cristina. Until a few years ago you could dance the ‘Bouzouki’ every evening. But things have changed. The cosmopolitan feature of Alexandria is no longer what it used to be.” Feeling my fascination for the city, Sharifa added, “You perhaps know, Mister Jacques, that Plutarch has recorded that the builders of Alexandria at some point ran out of chalk for tracing its outline on the ground. They marked the streets instead with barley meal which the birds promptly ate. Alarmed, Alexandre the Great consulted his soothsayers and clairvoyants, who assured him that this was a good omen. ‘Alexandria,’ they said, ‘will be a nursing mother for men of every nation.’ As you know, Mister Jacques, Alexandria has indeed been, over the years, nursing mother to French, English, Greeks, Italians, Syrians, Armenians, Jews, Maltese, Turks, and many more who were born here and had no other home than Alexandria. “ “What happened to these communities?” I asked. “After the Suez Canal war of 1956,” she said, ” the great majority left. An exodus. But a few are still here, I shall see to it that you meet some of them.” Then I told Sharifa that a number of these Egyptian-born ‘foreigners’ had come to France and had become famous singers. I cited Dalida, Claude François, Moustaki, Georges Guétary and others. She said with a smile, “They are an additional link between our countries.” We had now reached the Cecil Hotel where I was booked for my stay in Alexandria – the hotel Lawrence Durrell had made famous through his book ‘The Alexandrian Quartet.’ It had now fallen from its former glory and looked untidy. Before retiring to my room I glanced at the Guest book, or “livre d’or,” and was pleased to find the names of famous visitors, such as Somerset Maugham, Josephine Baker, Tito Gobbi, and many others. [Image: Jacques Dupont arrives with Sharifa and Zaki along the Alexandria Corniche near the old Cecil Hotel.] The following days I was totally absorbed by the results of the International Architectural Competition. The 524 architectural project rolls were opened, displayed on panels and examined by the Technical Committee to see if they adhered to the competition rules, local regulations and main functional requirements. Those who did not were rejected. Then the International Jury examined the remaining 357 projects for several days, analyzing them according to a number of specific criteria. After a long discussion, the Jury selected 45 and examined them in greater detail. Then reduced them to 20 and eventually selected the three prize winners. A couple of days later the Ceremony for the announcement of the results was attended by the Jury, the winners of the contest who had been invited by telephone, the Press and a large number of high-ranking personalities. The event was transmitted by the Egyptian Television. It was a moving and solemn ceremony. [Image: Jacques Dupont attends the Bibliotheca Alexandrina design ceremony among architectural boards, jury members, and press cameras.] This elegant crowd was then invited to a late lunch at the Yacht Club of Alexandria, overlooking the Eastern Port, a few yards from Fort Quaitbey. I was seated at a table between Mr. Abdel Basset, Egyptian Archeologist, and Mr. Mahmud Fawzi, historian. Seated at the same table were the representative of the Supreme Council of Egyptian Antiquities, the French Ambassador and a number of foreign journalists. Noticing that the journalists were admiring the Quaitbey Fort, Mr. Fawzy explained that it had been built in the 15th century by the Mameluke sultan Quaitbey on the very site of the famous lighthouse – one of the seven wonders of the world. “Certain parts of the lighthouse,” he said, “were recuperated and integrated into the fort.” “What exactly happened to the lighthouse?” asked a journalist. His eyes bright behind gold-rimmed glasses, Mr. Fawzy said, ” The lighthouse was built in the third century B.C. and served for over six centuries. It was destroyed by a series of earthquakes in the fourth century A.D. We know, for instance, that the Arab traveler Ibn Battuta visited Pharos in 1349 and reported that it was in such a state of ruin that it was impossible to enter. We believe that most of the remains of the lighthouse are under water.” Mr. Fawzy proved to be right. I remember reading in the papers, several years after my visit, that Jean-Yves Empereur, head of the Alexandrian Study Center, had found under water by the Quaitbey site a profusion of objects superposed from different periods – Pharaonic, Ptolemaic and Roman – as well as massive blocks of granite that had belonged to a large structure, probably the lighthouse. We were served fruit juices and mineral water. Some of the foreign journalists asked for beer or wine. The waiter answered in Arabic and the French Ambassador explained to the journalists that on official government-sponsored receptions, no alcohol was served. A French journalist commented that she considered that as a sign of intolerance. At that point I tackled another subject with Mr. Abdel Basset and Mahmud Fawzy, trying to draw their attention away from the embarrassing topic at the other end of the table. “What other important archeological sites exist around here?” I asked. Mr. Abdel Basset said, “Somewhere in this very port existed an island, the island of Antirrhodos, on which Cleopatra had her famous palace. That was also destroyed in the fourth century AD by an earthquake and submerged by a tidal wave. Underwater exploration is made difficult because the city sewage runs into the eastern Port. We would need sophisticated means and special equipment, such as the Global Positioning System, which we do not possess. But I am sure that in a not-too-distant future we shall be able to do something in that direction as well., inchaalah.” Mr. Abdel Basset was right in his prediction. I remember reading in a magazine, several years after that lunch at the Yacht Club, that another French by the name of Frank Goddio had began exploring that other part of the site and started to unravel another mystery page of the history of Alexandria. Our attention was then caught by a heated discussion going on between the representative of La Repubblica and the journalist of Le Monde on the fate of the Ancient Library of Alexandria. Who destroyed the Library? A recent Italian author, Luciano Canfora, had tried to deny the responsibility of Julius Caesar, blaming the Arabs for its destruction in the 7th century A.D. UNESCO had commissioned the Egyptian historian, Mostafa El-Abbadi, to research the subject and write a book to be published by UNESCO on “The life and fate of the ancient Library of Alexandria.” El-Abbadi had the advantage to research the subject from original texts since he had the necessary knowledge of Greek, Latin and Arabic. Authors without such skills, such as Canfora, relied on translations. Having benefited from discussions with El-Abbadi I felt confident to speak on the subject. “Most probably the destruction took place in several episodes.” I said, “First, Caesar accidentally destroyed part of the Royal Library in 48 BC. But we know that, later on, Mark Anthony made a gift to Cleopatra of 200,000 books from Pergamum. The Library must have continued to function, if not at the original site of the Palace, certainly at the daughter Library at the Sarapeum. We also know that the Temple of Sarapeum was destroyed in 391 AD – and probably the daughter Library with it – as a result of a widespread Christian campaign against paganism.” The journalist from The Repubblica wanted to know what evidence existed that Caesar was responsible for the fire. Mr. Fawzi said that Plutarch in his biography of Caesar had written, “When the enemy tried to cut off his fleet, Caesar was forced to repel the danger by using fire, which spread from the dockyards and destroyed the ‘Great Library’. The Historian Strabo, who later described Alexandria in details, does not mention the Library. Probably because it was no longer there.” We had finished dessert by now and were drinking our Turkish Coffee. We had had a very interesting ‘archeological’ lunch, washed down with fruit juices and mineral water. Yet, the journalist from Le Monde wanted to hear about the Arab involvement in the destruction of the Library. I was disappointed to think that all these international journalists UNESCO had invited, instead of writing about the UNESCO project of the revival of the Ancient Library, would discuss its earlier destruction. “Well,” I said, “for more that five centuries after the Arab conquest of Egypt by General Amr, not a single reference to the fate of the Library is to be found. Then in the 13th century we suddenly hear of an unfounded account by Ibn Al-Qifti describing how General Amr had burnt the books. There is a plausible explanation for this fictitious story. According to our UNESCO Expert, Mostafa El-Abbadi, Ibn Al-Qifti, like his master Saladin, belonged to the Sunni regime who was accused by the competing Shiite branch of selling libraries and precious books. So Ibn Al-Quifty made up a story to show that selling books was not such a crime since General Amr and his Caliph Omar, if they had not sold books, had burnt them.” [Image: Jacques Dupont discusses who burnt the ancient Library of Alexandria during a Yacht Club lunch overlooking Fort Qaitbay.] After taking leave from my hosts, I walked by myself along the Corniche all the way to the Cecil hotel. It was almost twilight. The sky was a never-ending blue and pink mantle. I enjoyed the fresh air and meditated in silence. I was overwhelmed by the history of this city. Nothing monumental had survived the fires, the earthquakes, the tidal waves and the wars. The richness of that past was all buried under either ground or water. As Sharifa had promised, I was invited on the last evening before my departure to an outstanding reception which took place at the house of Mrs. Ferghaly who lived in a large villa by the seashore in a district known as Bulkley. Zaki drove us along the Corniche eastward to Bulkley. He first stopped at the Stanley Bay beach so that I could admire the rows of cabins on a semi-circle on three levels. Looking at my watch I asked,”Aren’t we late?” With eyes lively with amusement, Sharifa said, “Maalesh! Do not worry, Mister Jacques. As you must know by now, we are very relaxed about time, in Egypt. Hurry is not our type of intellectual concept.” I had often heard the expression Maalesh, which means ‘never mind.’ Quite a useful and extensively used expression which accompanies anything which has gone wrong, or is about to go wrong, or will certainly go wrong. In any case things happen in Egypt because they were meant to happen by God’s will. One should not try to change events. As they say, Maktub, which means ‘it is so written’. With a Maktub here, an Inchaalah and a little Maalesh there… life goes on unperturbed. I was asked to admire on the eastern headland of Stanley Bay, a restaurant called ‘the Ship.’ Further down I was shown the most famous hotel of Bulkley the ‘Mediterranée’ with its night-club ‘le Romance.’ Soon after we stopped in front of Mrs. Ferghaly’s imposing villa. As we passed the Entrance Hall, I found myself drawn into a fascinating world. Around the Hall were two large lounges and a separate dining room. As Sharifa had told me, the cosmopolitan Elite of Alexandria was here. “After a long ‘siesta”‘ in the afternoon,” she said, “they usually come to life in the evening.” The house was very spacious, elegant and beautifully furnished. Perhaps, a little over-decorated. The rugs were Persian and the furniture mostly French. A few touches of local color would creep in here and there. The overall effect was magic. Mrs. Ferghaly was an elderly lady in her eighties, elegant, very charming but a shade disdainful. She moved about with grace and dignity and kept everyone at arm’s length, like a deity. Her bearing was that of a queen. At all times she kept an eye on the personnel which she treated with distant politeness. Waiters in black jackets and servants in formal, white gallabiyeh, very responsive to the slightest signal, circulated carrying large trays with appetizers and drinks. Sharifa took me to the first lounge which was filled with a number of richly dressed women and a few men. I was introduced to a number of ladies of the grande bourgeoisie of Alexandria. The younger ones had typical Egyptian names, such as Abdel Meguib, El Taieb, or Awad. The foreign-sounding ladies, on the other hand, were in a higher age bracket. Conversation was whisper-quiet at the beginning, but gradually grew crescendo, speckled with bursts of laughter. An elderly lady, with a turban and an undefined accent, Mrs. Naoum, seemed to be intrigued by my presence. She ran a polite but disparaging eye over my suit from top to bottom. I could tell that she was trying to put a price on it, or on me. With a voice of doom she asked on what business I was there. “I am with UNESCO,” I answered. She seemed interested but not impressed. In the brief conversation that followed I learnt that Mrs. Naoum, an Egyptian lady of Syrian origin, had survived a divorce, two World Wars, three nationalizations and countless devaluations. We were soon joined by Mrs. Costantinides, wearing a sort of Pharaonic dress. Having been educated in the States – as I was later informed – Mrs. Costantinides had retained a semi-Yankee accent and certain American mannerisms. When introduced, for instance, she offered a nod, instead of a handshake, and said ‘Hi.’ After the usual exchange of platitudes, Mrs. Costantinides wanted to know if I had heard of the writer, Stratis Tsirkas, or the poet, Constantin Cavafy. Both Greek Alexandrians. I timidly said, “Vaguely.” Her smile almost disrupted my self-confidence for the rest of the evening. Maalesh! she said with a giggle, “but you will have to read some poems of Cavafy. You must. You can find five collections of Cavafy’s poetry available in English. Cavafy’s tone of voice is eminently translatable. His magic moves into English without difficulty. His poems must also exist in French, I presume. Don’t they?” Mrs. Costantinides looked at me and after a short pause, her voice low and confidential, she said, ” He lived and died here without speaking two words of correct Arabic. Nevertheless he is by definition a true Alexandrian. You will agree, Mr. Dupont, that many foreign residents of Paris are Parisians by their behavior, style and contribution to the life of the city, without being French. Similarly, Cavafy was a Greek Alexandrian who loved our city and has immortalized it in its poems. By the way, he is also considered in Greece the first poet of modern Greek literature.” I did not dare ask if Mrs. Costantinides considered herself Greek, Alexandrian, American or Pharaonic. She probably was a mixture of all four. I ventured to add, “Come to think of it, I now remember having read several references to Cavafy in Lawrence Durrell’s ‘Alexandrian Quartet.'” At that point we were joined by an elderly gentleman who must have spent hours in trying to look young and sexy. He had an air of unreliable charm about him. My French nose recognized Christian Dior’s Eau Sauvage – a no nonsense aftershave. He wore an Armani suit with a dashy tie, which drew compliments from Mrs. Naoum. He was introduced to me as Mahmoud Ramzy Bey. “I heard you referring to Lawrence Durrell, Mr. Dupont,” said Mahmoud Ramzy Bey. “Do you recognize Alexandria as the city he described in his novel?” His question drew laughter from our two ladies. Egyptians tend to laugh a lot, and it is not always obvious why they do so. “Durrell must have loved Alexandria,” I ventured to say, adding, “Because of his love and fascination for the city he tended to embellish everything. A poet in love with a city.” “Not at all, my friend,” said Ramzy Bey. “Durrell hated Alexandria. He found it boring. In his correspondence with Henry Miller, after he had been posted as Press Attaché in Alexandria in 1944, he called it ‘a smashed up, broken down, shabby Neapolitan town. A melting-pot of dullness.’ He complained that there was no music, no art, no real gaiety, and no subject of conversation except money. He said to Henry Miller, ‘if one could write a single line of anything that had a human smell to it here, one would be a genius.'” Mrs. Costantinides asked, “How do you explain then, the masterpiece which his book represents? It was not possible to write in such poetic terms, if he really hated the place!” “True,” said Ramzy Bey, ” either because he was a genius or because he altered his vision of the city with time. The city changed him.” Mrs. Ferghaly who had joined the group and listened to the latter part of the conversation said, “But, Durrell completed his book fifteen years after leaving Alexandria. He spent much of the intervening period in Greece, Argentina, Yugoslavia, Cyprus and France. It is not exactly Alexandria that changed him. He grew older and matured in so many different places under so many different influences. His Alexandria is an artificial, poetic and brilliant monument. An exotic illusion. Certainly a work of genius. Nonetheless his Alexandria remains an artificial construction.” Mrs. Naoum, who had been silent up to now and who did not seem to have any literary inclination, surprised us by adding, “The Egyptian writer, Edouard Al-Kharrat, who wrote so much on Alexandria is also of the opinion that Durrell knew very little of the city and its people. Al-Kharrat, in his many lectures and publications, shows that Durrell’s Quartet is not really about Alexandria.” “In any case,” I said, ” many foreigners around the world know Alexandria only through the eyes of Durrell.” After a pause I asked, ” What other contemporary writers wrote about the city?” Mrs. Ferghaly, Mrs. Naoum, Mrs. Costantinides and Ramzy Bey delivered, in a chorus, a litany of names, “Ungaretti, E.M. Forster, Fausta Cialente, Cavafy, Leslie Croxford, Gaston Zananiri, Robert Solé, Mohamed Hafez Ragab, Jacques Hassoun, Naguib Mahfuz, Stratis Tsirkas, and others.” At this point Sharifa came and asked me to accompany her in the second lounge where she wanted to introduce me to some nostalgic gentlemen who were discussing ‘the good old days of Alexandria.’ “Which were the good old days?” I asked. “They refer to the period when the city was truly cosmopolitan,” she said. “Throughout British colonial rule and beyond Independence until the 1956 Canal war. Some refer to this period as the “golden age.” Some glorify it and some condemn it.” “And how do you feel about it, Sharifa?” I asked. “Well,” she said, “To praise that period uncritically like most foreigners who used to live here do can seem like an apology for colonialism. Like everything else this period had its good points and its negative ones. “ The second lounge was resolutely ostentatious. Sharifa pointed at a glass cabinet which contained a collection of glasses that had belonged to King Farouk. On the wall, a beautiful clock, which seemed to have been taken right out of Versailles, had given up marking the passage of time. Mrs. Ferghaly had thus stopped aging. Conversations in this lounge were louder, the room echoing with voices that would have graced the Cairo Opera House. A first group of men, looking self-satisfied, were talking money: a little real estate here, a little merger there, interlarded with laughter. One of them, whom everybody called Nagi Bey, struck me as suffering from being abnormally rich. A man whose life must have been dedicated to the table and based on a dolce far’niente philosophy. He dropped names and dollars all over the place. While some were drinking a locally manufactured soda, known as Azouza Spathis, he indulged with enthusiasm in Royal Salute whisky. The men of the second group were all in their sixties. They were referred to as khawagat – an Egyptian title, slightly derogatory, given to non-Arabic foreigners. These khawagat talked mostly in French or English, sprinkled with words of Arabic, Greek or Italian. At times, it became for me an exercise in tightrope walking, just listening to them. Having introduced me, Sharifa asked the group to tell me about old cosmopolitan Alexandria. The first to speak was Mr. Ricardo Manzoni. Puffing at an impressively sized double Corona, he explained that Alexandria had been inhabited until the early sixties by different ethnic and religious communities that co-existed and intermingled, mostly in the upper echelons of society. These communities had imparted on the city a cosmopolitan stamp which was gradually fading away. He explained that each community – Greek, Italian, Jewish, Armenian, Syrian, French – had its own newspapers, schools, hospitals, orphanages, churches, homes for the elderly, cemeteries, basket-ball teams, clubs, and theatrical groups. They all kept their cultural identity and, at the same time, acquired a certain overall Alexandrian characteristic. Upper-class Egyptians sent their children to these foreign schools to acquire a good education and a European veneer. I asked what this overall Alexandrian characteristic was. Mr. Khoury said,”Entrepreneurship, hospitality, sense of humor, joie de vivre, energy and ambition, a little bit of snobbery, a strong interest in Europe, an acute ignorance of real Egypt, and a common language: French, with a strong Alexandrian accent.” They all giggled, approving the description. I asked, “Was Alexandria a real melting pot? “ “Not really,” said Mr. Kazarian, “communities did not melt completely. They did not forget their language or lose their culture, but they acquired a certain local flavor. You could always tell that Mr. Benakis and Mr. Theodorakis were Greek, that Mr. Dentamarro was Italian, and that Mr Papazian was Armenian. But you could also tell that they were all Alexandrians.” I asked with some surprise, “Didn’t everyone speak Arabic?” “The khawagat were notorious for speaking poor Arabic,” said Mr. Khouri. “In France or in the States, immigrants with poor knowledge of the local language cannot occupy influential positions in the country. In Alexandria the economy was at the time in the hands of this cosmopolitan crowd which may have been there for two, three or more generations without absorbing much of the local culture.” After a short pause I commented, ” The Alexandrian melting pot was, therefore, different from the American one. In the States, after one generation you can only tell the original nationality of a person by his name. Otherwise they all look and act as Americans” “Perhaps that is no longer true,” added Sharifa. ” I understand that integration is now gradually changing in the States where the communities tend to keep their original culture as well.It is becoming more like in old Alexandria.” Mr. Manzoni added, “Because the new immigrants in the United States originating from Asia or Latin America have roots in cultures, which are far removed from the local one,they find it more difficult to ‘melt’ than the earlier Europeans. The more foreign the culture the more difficult the melting. “And what about the Jewish community of Alexandria?” I asked. After a long silence, Mrs. Rassim, with a Greek accent which did not match her Egyptian name, said, “It is a historically known fact that a large Jewish community lived in Alexandria without interruption since the founding of the city in ancient times. After the creation of the state of Israel, they began to leave. Nowadays there are no more than a dozen families left. They had their journal, la Tribune juive, their hospital, their schools. It was a very wealthy and influential community. Their names were Baron de Menasce, Riso-Levy, Toriel, Rolo, Aghion, Chamla, Cicurel, Hannaux…” Mr. Kazarian, who had been eyeing the buffet through the open door of the dining room, concluded this exchange by saying, “For radical nationalists, this cosmopolitanism was the unwelcome symbol of a foreign influence which, together with King Farouk, was responsible for all the evils of Egypt. Every problem that could not be blamed on the corrupt King was the fault of the foreigners. Nasser put an abrupt end to it all. Cosmopolitan Alexandria was soon gone with the wind.” Mrs. Ferghaly passed by, inviting us to the dining room saying “Et-fadal, Et-fadal.” The dining room was elegantly decorated in those quiet colors that age gracefully. At the sight of the Buffet, Mr. Kazarian, who admitted to be incurably gluttonous, made small humming noises of contentment. The servants made several appearances carrying loaded trays with a juggler’s dexterity. There was more food on the table that could possibly be eaten by the whole Egyptian Army! I silently prayed my patron Saint to ward off indigestion. Sharifa came to my rescue and explained what those exotic dishes were. Mrs. Ferghaly noticing that, according to local etiquette, her guests were pretending to hesitate to approach the buffet, encouraged them to eat. On the insistence of their hostess, they gladly did so. I understood that it was definitely not advisable to make hogs of ourselves, at least not from the very start. No matter what, I knew that I was close to gastronomical ecstasy. I sat with Mrs. Rassim, Mr. Manzoni and Ramzy Bey at one of the small tables and talked some more while tasting at a variety of dishes, some of which I liked and some I found rather surprising. Mrs. Rassim said, “Mr. Dupont, it is so difficult to picture what Alexandria was in the old days. My mother used to tell me that a Greek Catholic family of Syrian origin, the Zoghebs, who had settled in Alexandria sometime towards the turn of the 19th century, lived in a style that has probably disappeared from the surface of the earth. Count Patrice de Zogheb held operas and ballet performances at his roof-top apartment in Safia Zaghlool street. Bernard de Zogheb composed plays and operas which were performed in French in a country which, you must remember, was a British colony!” Gradually the conversation moved to politics and eventually landed on the undermined ground of fundamentalism. I did not think the subject agreed too well with the food and drinks but I listened carefully, avoiding entering into any discussion. I did not have the necessary ammunition. At one point, Ramzy Bey asked me, “What do you think about all this, Mr. Dupont?” My friend Isaac Benzakein had once told me, “If some day you are stuck with a question to which you cannot, or do not, wish to reply, remember you can always turn your answer into another question.” I had often found this piece of advice very useful. So I said, “This problem has always intrigued me. Why do you think fundamentalism is spreading?” Ramsy Bey said, ” Because fundamentalism, which is a rejection of western values and codes of behavior, offers reasons to cope with the hardships of life and provides a spiritual refuge from uncertainty concerning the future and infuses a sense of dignity in each of the faithful.” Mrs. Rassim said that it also promises a better lot for everyone in the life after death and Mr. Manzoni added, “It also offers an alternative to the failures of other ideologies, such as Capitalism and Marxism.” Mrs. Ferghaly came back with more goodies. Everyone said “Sofra daiman,” which means ‘may your table always be thus.’ Our hostess gave the standard reply, “Bil’ hena wal shifa,” which I was told means ‘to your happiness and health.’ [Image: Jacques Dupont joins Mrs. Ferghaly, Sharifa, and Alexandrian guests at an elegant seaside reception with a lavish buffet.] It was getting very late. We found faithful Zaki at the door and took a last ride along the seashore to the hotel. At that time of night, buildings looked cleaner and in a more reasonable state of repair. One should always visit Alexandria by night! I told Sharifa that I had found this mission particularly enriching. I thanked her for her support. I had learnt so much and knew there was so much more to learn. Somehow I was leaving with a heavy heart. I already felt a little nostalgic. In my heart of hearts I also felt guilty to have prevented Brigitte, Françoise and Aunt Lily to come along. They would have been thrilled. But after the ‘battle of Leningrad’ I would have had to fight the ‘battle of the Pyramids.’ Well, perhaps I will have to take them along on mission one last time before my forthcoming retirement. Inchaalah! ### Explore the Chapters - [Around The World In Eighty Missions: Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Veronique, And The Other Nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo, And Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings And I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra And Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris With Nancy And Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle Of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt The Library Of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – Sunny Side Up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) © Copyright [Jacques Tocatlian](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/07/jacques-tocatlian-1929-2019/). All Rights Reserved. ## Viva Zapata! - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/ - Published: 2000-08-31 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: Chapter 14 of Around The World in Eighty Missions follows Jacques Dupont through Mexico City, a stolen purse, a lively dinner party, and Aunt Lily’s unforgettable Zapata souvenir. [Image: A traveler and three women share drinks while Mexican city scenes, a mosaic eagle, and a museum appear behind them.] [AUDIOBOOK](https://tocatlian.blog/2026/07/17/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions-the-audiobook/) [GET YOUR COPY](https://tocatlian.blog/2010/07/08/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions/) BROWSE BY CHAPTER - [Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Véronique and other nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo and Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings and I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra and Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris with Nancy and Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt the Library of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – sunny side up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) Our bus was caught in total traffic anarchy. Unperturbed, the Guide continued to talk with ardor, holding the microphone with one hand and gesticulating with the other. “The ground of the city is gelatinous,” he said, “it is a mixture of ashes and water. A sort of sponge. At the slightest earthquake, the buildings collapse. They say that one must be crazy to live in Mexico City!” He added with a mischievous smile, “One must be crazy to come to visit it!” Some tourists on the bus smiled. Others ignored the comment. Françoise, who had been fascinated by earthquakes since her early childhood, listened with interest and some apprehension. Brigitte looked uneasy. Aunt Lily was watching the surrounding traffic jam and making all sorts of flippant comments. “Look on your left at the Latino-American Tower,” said the Guide. “It is the first skyscraper built in Mexico City, in 1948. We have a hell of a time keeping it straight. When the ground becomes too dry, we turn on a special underground system that injects large quantities of water under the foundations. The building is a technological miracle!” [Image: A Mexico City tour guide gestures from a bus as Jacques, Brigitte, Françoise, and Aunt Lily look out at traffic near the Latino-American Tower.] He then proceeded to explain that on one summer morning, way back in 1325, the Aztecs discovered, on a small island on Lake Texcoco, a Royal Eagle eating a snake. They interpreted that as a heavenly omen and decided to settle right there. They built their capital, Tenochtitlan, on that island, interlaced, like Venice, with hundreds of canals. Mexico City was later built over it. “Now,” he said, “Mexico City floats on muddy ground, with its twenty million inhabitants, its four million cars, its crowded avenues, its statues and museums, its baroque churches and palaces, its slums, its thieves, its 30,000 factories, its large department stores and numerous cemeteries.” [Image: Jacques, Brigitte, Françoise, and Aunt Lily look toward a symbolic view of Mexico City floating over Lake Texcoco beneath the eagle and snake legend.] “Did you say ‘thieves’?” asked Aunt Lily. “Yes, madam!” said the Guide. “And you better be careful, because they are very skillful. Mexico City is dangerous, insecure and polluted, but it is a wonderful and fascinating place!” Our unconventional Guide, who seemed to enjoy shocking his audience, went on saying, “The permanent gray cloud over your head is made of small particles of ozone, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide – a fiendish cocktail that will give you bronchitis if you dare breathe it in. In Mexico City, even our walls have emphysema! Ha! Ha!” Brigitte began to cough, while Aunt Lily wrapped a silk scarf around her face. “The city is impregnated by history and memories of our heroes,” said the Guide. “In our songs we always remember Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata. Mexico City is a modern city that does not forget its past and traditions. You should visit the bar La Opera on Cinco de Mayo street. There, you will see in the ceiling the bullet fired by Zapata when he entered the bar on his horse. Speaking of traditions, you should also try to go to the restaurant Don Chon, on Regina street, where you can taste several iguana dishes, as well as insects cooked in the traditional Indian way.” I looked at my three ladies. Françoise was smiling, as though the whole thing was a joke. Brigitte and Aunt Lily had decided not to listen any more to the Guide and watched the city streets as the bus progressed. “Are you happy to be visiting Mexico?” I asked Françoise. “Oh, yes Papa! Very much so!” she said. On the occasion of Françoise’s twenty-first birthday, I had offered her to accompany me on mission and visit a little of Mexico with Brigitte and Aunt Lily, while I attended a Latin American regional meeting. Since I was approaching retirement age, this was probably the last occasion for the three ladies to accompany me on mission. Aunt Lily’s husband, Albert, was too busy to join us. He hated traveling by plane and always found a good excuse to stay behind. Aunt Lily had told him, “Since you cannot come you’ll take care of the canaries. Otherwise, we would have had to take them along with us to Mexico.” That was all I needed: to go on mission with my sister-in-law’s canaries! We had just finished visiting the exclusive quarters of Las Lomas, where the millionaires built their Beverly Hills-style houses. The Guide was telling us about Mexico’s history, but we were only half-listening, when a funny story caught our attention. It concerned General Santa Anna who had organized national funerals for one of his legs, lost during a battle. “He is also remembered,” said the Guide with sarcasm, “for having sold in 1848 to the United States: Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas!” He then spoke about the two Mexican passions: The Holy Virgin of Guadalupe and Football. The sun was setting and we were now approaching our hotel in the Zona Rosa. The ozone in the air tinted the sky in gold. The following days, my three Parisian ladies went on their own to discover different aspects of the Aztec and Maya cultures. They left in the morning looking as fit as a fiddle and returned in the evening completely washed out. They would tell me of their various pursuits of the day but refused to go out again at night. They were tired because of the long distances they had to travel and of the air and sound pollution. Brigitte thought that walking through the crowds was very interesting, but wearisome. Aunt Lily said that the pandemonium that went on from sunrise to sunset proved that the megalopolis, such as Mexico City, Calcutta or Cairo, were fast becoming inhuman and inhospitable. On the fourth evening, when I returned to the hotel, I went to the bar – our usual meeting place – but did not find my three ladies there. While waiting, Alfonso, the barman, prepared a Tequila for me. He explained that it was the distilled liquor made from the juices of the roasted stems of the tequila plant. He showed me how to swing it off after licking lemon and salt. I had tried it before and had not liked it. I tried it again and still did not care for it. Seeing me pull a wry face, Alfonso insisted on serving me a different drink. Did I want a Santa Cruz Rum Fix? An Angel kiss? A Hot Locomotive? He knew how to fix an Applejack Punch. He even knew how to prepare an English old-timer called Huckle-My-Butt that is famed in both the fact and fiction of the Crusades. Since I was French, he thought I would appreciate a ‘Pousse … l’Amour.’ I had to laugh, because, when it came to the art of mixing drinks – and make no mistake, it is an art -, Alfonso spoke with maestria and passion. He explained his drinks with minute details, underlining his speech with elegant gestures. A little Maraschino here. A little Curacao there. A pint of Brandy here. A twist of lemon peel there. A whole egg. A dash of orange bitters. A tablespoon of sugar: stir, fill, add, shake. Alfonso was not a barman. He was a juggler. [Image: Alfonso tosses a cocktail shaker behind the hotel bar while Jacques watches with amused concern during the long wait in Mexico City.] I had to yield and try some of his mouth-watering mixtures. So grand in their blending of delicious tastes and so powerful in their hidden might! More than an hour had gone by and Brigitte, Françoise and Aunt Lily were not back. But Alfonso would not let me worry. He would serve and talk. He explained that the art of mixing drinks was specific to the twentieth century. History tells us that our ancestors did throw together some concoctions of various spirits in days long gone by. But such drinks of the past were few, compared with the large selection of palate-teasing mixtures of to day. Alfonso served me another cocktail in a frosty goblet saying that an English Diplomat, after tasting it had called it ‘an ecstatic liquid delight.’ I touched my lips to its tantalizing rim with a feeling of reverence. At that point, I could no longer ask my palate to make subtle distinctions between drinks. There was no end to their names and no limit to the variety of the ingredients. Alfonso said, “They are as numerous as the sands of the desert.” I said, “Alfonso, I cannot cross the whole desert in one night, I have drunk my fill!” I looked at my watch. I had been drinking and talking drinks for well over two hours. Where were my three ladies? I suddenly remembered our last evening in Leningrad and shivered. My God! Not again! I waited and waited. I took the Receptionist into my confidence and exposed my fears. I talked to the Hotel manager and to Alfonso. I called my friend, Dr. Pablo Gomez-Portilla, chairman of the Regional Meeting. No one had anything to offer, except for Alfonso who suggested another drink. At around midnight, Brigitte, Françoise and Aunt Lilly entered the hotel, lurid and haggard. I ran towards them with a thousand questions. They looked at me with glassy eyes and barely reacted. The lump in my chest had grown very big and I showered them with a torrent of emotional reprimands and scoldings. They walked to the elevator like three robots. Their gait was ghostlike. Mine was staggering, thanks to Alfonso’s generosity. I tried hard to keep calm and invited Françoise and Aunt Lily, who shared the same room, to come to ours so that we could talk. [Image: Brigitte, Françoise, and Aunt Lily return exhausted to the hotel lobby at midnight as Jacques rushes toward them with questions.] I did all the talking. They did not utter a word. As I began to show my irritation at their silence, Brigitte and Françoise burst into tears and Aunt Lily said, “Listen, Jacques. We fully understand that you were concerned. We are sorry for that. But, please, do not ask what happened. We do not want to talk about it now. We’ll tell you later.” “Why later? I need to know, now!” I said. Lily replied, “If we have to relate in detail what we went through to day, we would go into total hysterics. We need to forget. It was just awful.” “Please, Lily, I do not need details now, but for heaven’s sake tell me in a few words what happened.” “In summary,” she said “someone stole Françoise’s purse on the street, as we came out of the Museum, and when we went to the Police to report our loss we were treated like criminals. We were shouted at in Spanish and kept all afternoon and evening with thieves, gangsters, prostitutes and racketeers. It was hideous. It was horrifying. We had to pay our way out. When we eventually left the Police station, Brigitte and I realized that we no longer had our purses. Of course, we did not go back. We do not want to talk about it now. Please. We do not want to alert anyone. Who could you alert… we already went to the Police!” Aunt Lily and Françoise went to their room in tears and Brigitte cried herself to sleep in my arms. The next day they begged me not to tell anyone about what had happened. “How can I tell anyone,” I said, “I know practically nothing about what happened.” After a pause I said, “Tell me everything in detail, slowly, chronologically, calmly.” It was obvious that they had decided not to share the full story with me. Every time I asked a question I had the feeling that they were hiding certain facts from me. Once in a while, a new detail would emerge and contradict part of the story they had told me. Versions kept changing all the time. An obvious effort was made to keep me in the dark. At what time was Françoise’s purse stolen? They did not remember. What Police Station did they go to? They did not know. What time did they get to the Police? It was one o’clock or, perhaps, two. It might even have been three. What was in the purses? Everything. How did they get back to the hotel without money? They somehow managed. The inquisition lasted a couple of hours, during which I showed nervousness and irritation, I flared up several times and, eventually, gave up and left the hotel to go to the meeting. During the following days they made several telephone calls concerning their credit cards, passports and travelers’ checks. Every time I tried to talk about the issue, Aunt Lily would say, “Don’t be melodramatic, Jacques, it was just a small incident.” “If it was so small an incident, why were you all in tears?” I asked. “Don’t exaggerate! We were a little tired, that’s all!” answered Aunt Lily, dismissing the topic with a gesture of disdain and walking away appearing as detached and nonchalant as possible. I did not push the issue any longer, figuring that they must have had good reasons to keep me out of it. To this day I do not know what exactly happened and why they would not tell me. Even when we later got back to Paris, I asked each one of them separately, but failed to get a satisfactory answer. Towards the end of our trip, the four of us went to dinner one evening at Dr. Pablo Gomez-Portilla’s. On the way, Brigitte and Aunt Lily reiterated their wish that the subject of the theft and the visit to the Police station would not be brought up. They insisted. I promised. The dinner party was delightful and lively. It never sank into a single moment of dullness. Everyone was joyful, imaginative and in a good mood. We had a memorable time! The atmosphere was friendly and warm, thanks to the urbane attitude of Dr. Pablo Gomez-Portilla. He greeted us at the door by saying, “Aqui està su casa.” (This is your house), adding in a whisper, “La che yo pago.” (The one I pay for.) Dr. Pablo Gomez-Portilla was a slender, tanned man with bright teeth flashing through a dense black mustache. He was witty, articulate and elegant. He could make the everyday look exceptional. One of the liveliest guests at the party was Carlos Leon-Robledo, a jolly Mexican diplomat I had known for years. Carlos was not quite short, not quite fat, broad across the chest and stomach, thick-necked and dashingly mustachioed. He had been for many years with the Mexican Embassy in Paris and seemed to know the French inside-out. Whenever we met, he found great delight in teasing me. He needed to take his revenge over the French who probably made him suffer during his stay in France. That night he was in heaven, with such a wide French audience to tease. There did not seem to be any strict rules of conversation. All subjects were welcome: polemical, critical, political, sexual or controversial. Caramba! “I love the French. They are smart people, but do not smile very easily,” he said, looking at my three ladies. “I understand that François Mitterrand won two presidential elections without ever smiling!” [Image: Carlos Leon-Robledo teases the French guests during a lively Mexico City dinner party with Jacques, Brigitte, Françoise, Aunt Lily, and the Gomez-Portillas.] “He had a good reason not to,” said Brigitte, giggling. “He could not afford to show his bad teeth. Had he smiled, he would have lost the elections.” “Besides,” added Aunt Lily, looking festive and resplendent, “smiling at strangers is not part of French culture. We usually do not smile without a reason.” And assuming a Prima Donna pose added, “Please give us some good reason to smile.” Becoming more provocative, Carlos said, “France is a very old country with many treasures, such as the Louvre and EuroDisney. It is a country that made valuable contributions to western civilization: Champagne, Camembert, Chanel number 5 and the Guillotine.” Aunt Lily, with a big smile – to prove that the French can smile – cited in one breath all the great French scientists, writers, artists and musicians she could remember. At the end of the litany, Carlos added, “And many more: Louis XIV, Joan of Arc, Gérard Depardieu and Charles de Gaulle, who was a President for many years and is now an airport.” Brigitte burst out laughing and said, “Many of your revolutionary Generals are now Avenues!” With a bright smile, Françoise spoke of the French cuisine, citing many cooks, famous restaurants and dishes known the world over. “Let’s face it,” said Carlos, “no matter how much garlic you put on it, a snail is just a slug with a shell on its back!” At that point our Argentinean guest, Ricardo Villambrosa, came to the defense of France, attracting the admiration of our French ladies. Ricardo radiated neatness from his neck to his shiny shoes. Like most Argentineans, he was a person of refined taste and exquisite manners. A tiny bit snobbish with something of a superiority complex. “Of course an Argentinean would come to the rescue of a European!” said Carlos. “The Argentineans, as opposed to the other Latino-Americans, think that they have no Indian blood in them. They do not spring from the Incas, the Aztec, or the Maya. They like to think that they spring from no one, descending directly from the Lord God Almighty. Ha.Ha.” To which Ricardo replied, “Well, the problem with a Mexican – if our good host, Pablo, would allow me to say – is that he carries deep in his soul two irreconcilable ancestors: an Indian and a Spaniard. They both live in him with a repressed mixture of love and hate. The great Mexican writer, Octavio Paz, said that a Mexican wants to be neither Indian nor Spanish. He asserts himself, not as a Metis, but as an Abstraction. He starts within himself. In your city tour, Jacques, you must have seen that strange fountain called ‘Monumento a la raza’ – a tribute to the new race: the new man of the new world.” Our Mexican friend, Carlos, did not let Ricardo drag the conversation onto philosophy. He wanted to keep the exchange light and funny. He said, “In Argentina, everything goes through a sort of ‘hypernationalistic grinder’ and comes out 100% Argentinean. A simple ‘Dry Martini’ has been rebaptized ‘San Martin.'” “In Mexico,” retorted Ricardo, “You are still looking for your ‘grinder.’ Every other week you have a coup, a so-called ‘pronunciamento.’ Every other year you have a revolution!” Françoise, Brigitte and Aunt Lily obviously enjoyed the general friendly atmosphere and, in particular, the Argentino-Mexican duel. The guests were exchanging comments in good humor, when our host introduced a couple of Mariachi he had hired to entertain us for a while. They sang and instantaneously electrified the atmosphere. I could tell that Françoise was in heaven. The general conversation stopped while the Mariachi were singing. Smaller groups spoke in Spanish and food was served. A sumptuous succession of colorful and spicy dishes were displayed on the buffet. It seemed that we were on the brink of gastronomic ecstasy. Even the women ignored their diet. A guest with an elongated silhouette and nervous gait arrived and was introduced as Miguel Moustique. Brigitte and her sister, who had had a number of drinks, looked at each other with an ironic smile and tittered – ‘moustique’ meaning mosquito in French. Miguel Moustique looked at Aunt Lily with the appraising eye of a prospective conqueror and sat next to her. He was tall and slim with an angular face and a long nose. He was dressed in gray and black, as though he had done his best to look sinister. He proudly explained to Lily and Brigitte that he was originally French. His ancestor, Achille Moustique, had come to Mexico with the French troops that Napoleon III had sent in 1864 to put Maximilian of Habsburg on the throne. The French troops left in 1867, but Achille Moustique, who had fallen in love in the meantime, stayed behind and married a local girl. L’amour. Toujours l’amour! While listening to this story, Aunt Lily began to chuckle to herself. She probably visualized Miguel Moustique as a mosquito going ‘bzz-bzz-bzz.’ Then suddenly Brigitte was overcome by an uncontrollable laughter. At that point, losing all control, Aunt Lily burst out laughing in Moustique’s face. They obviously had had too much to drink. Miguel Moustique looked puzzled and asked what was the laughing matter. Aunt Lily, purple in the face, apologized, explaining that the song the Mariachi were singing reminded them of something very funny that had happed years ago in Paris. It is amazing how fast she could come up with a good lie! Brigitte stood up and walked towards the bathroom, with a handkerchief over her mouth, while Miguel Moustique continued his story. When the Mariachi were gone, Françoise who knew some Spanish said that she was intrigued by the differences in accent among the guests. Alberto Almeida from Chili explained that obvious differences existed not only in accents but also in vocabularies. Words often had different meanings in different parts of the continent. In Central America a hat is a ‘cachucha.’ In Peru the same word refers to a part of the masculine body which is not publicly discussed in refined circles. If a Peruvian lady sits on the hat of a gentleman from San Salvador, he should not tell her, “Madam you are sitting on my ‘cachucha’!” Our gracious host, Pablo Gomez-Portilla, in trying to bring the conversation back onto safer ground, told us that the Chilians are known for their colorful language, their black humor and especially for their metaphors. For example, to announce that a neighbor, say by the name of Rafael, died, a Chilean would say “Rafael forgot to breathe!” or “Poor Rafael will no longer take the train!” or “Rafael will no longer shop at Gath y Chaves Department Store.” “True,” said Alberto, “We love metaphors in Chile, but we are not the only ones. In Brazil, they call ‘Camisa de Venus’ (Venus’ shirt), those objects men ask for in a low voice at the pharmacy. I looked towards my three women to see how they reacted to this lewd talk. Brigitte had moved to the other side of the room away from Moustique. The latter had moved closer to Lily and was talking to her with fervor. She seemed tickled and was obviously glamorizing. She asked many questions but did not seem to pay much attention to the answers. “What I find amusing in Brazil” said our host, “is the fact that every profession has its precious stone. By looking at a man’s ring you can tell that he is a physician if he wears an emerald. A lawyer if he wears a ruby. Or an engineer if he displays a sapphire.” “What do wives of UNESCO directors wear?” asked Brigitte, making a funny face. I gave her a reproachful look and discretely signaled that she should put down her glass. And so the conversation, like a butterfly, flitted lightly from subject to subject, sprinkled with giggles and laughter. All that was asked of anyone was to be amusing and amused. Françoise said that she liked very much the sense of humor that seemed to prevail in Latin America and the relaxed and warm relationships that existed among people. A few exchanges on the topic of humor followed. Our Mexican friend, Carlos Leon-Robledo, said, “If, while in Mexico City something is stolen from you – which is not unlikely – you should have enough humor to appreciate the astuteness of your thief. Mexican thieves are very foxy and sometimes one has to admire their ingenuity, with humor.” That remark cast a chill among my three ladies who looked at one another in silence. I did not utter a word, but Aunt Lily abandoned Moustique and sat close to Carlos, with an obvious wish to enlarge on the subject. Unfortunately, I had a brief exchange with Alberto Almeida on the other side and could not follow the conversation between Aunt Lily and Carlos. When I was able to lend an ear, I overheard Carlos saying, with his usual satirical expression, “The consular services of the French Embassy are intended in reality for the promotion of the interests of French business, such as wine, perfume, guided missiles, cheese, grenade launchers, champagne and high-caliber weaponry. If you, as an individual citizen in trouble, need their services, you are told to report between one and two on Tuesdays and Fridays. If you choose to call, an answering machine will give you all sorts of useless information, such as a list of qualified dentists.” Aunt Lily did not seem amused. Carlos’ sarcasm did not meet her expectations this time. She strode back to Moustique with an airy elegance. Carlos turned to me and said, “You know, amigo Jacques, I finally found what Mexicans and French people have in common: they love revolutions. You have had your major one in 1789 and we have our smaller ones every now and then. We love to pull everything down and start from scratch. Every time I see France on the TV news, people are rioting or marching down the street, protesting against the latest government decision.” “Yes,” I said “we have our Zapatas too!” “Who is Zapata?” asked Françoise Carlos explained that Emiliano Zapata, considered by some as a terrorist and trouble-maker, was in fact an idealist who fought for the poor, for justice and for land reform. “He was a rebel leader and fought during his life time against three presidents: Diaz, Madero, and Huerta.” “When did he die?” asked Françoise. “He was killed in 1919,” said Carlos. At that instant, the elderly lady who had sat silently in a corner all evening spoke up for the first time. Our host had introduced her as his mother. Since she had not joined in the general conversation so far, we had assumed that she spoke only Spanish. We were mistaken, for Mrs. Gomez-Portilla spoke beautiful English. She said, “Yes I remember Emiliano Zapata was ambushed and killed, on April 10th, 1919 by Jesus Guajardo!” The astonishment was general. Everyone thought and said that Mrs. Gomez-Portilla looked much too young to have been around in 1919. “Oh. No. I am older than any of you.” she kept saying. And as some of us insisted that she could not have been around at the time of Zapata, she stood up, as we clustered like flies around her and, with an incredible verve, declaimed, “I was born before television, before penicillin, before air-conditioners. I existed before credit cards and Nylon stockings. I grew up without Barbie dolls and without electric typewriters. At the time of my birth, MacDonald’s was unknown. I was born before Time magazine and before washing-machines. In my days ‘time-sharing’ only meant togetherness, a ‘chip’ was a piece of wood, and ‘hardware’ meant nuts and bolts. Cigarette smoking was fashionable, ‘grass’ was mown, ‘coke’ was kept in the coal room, a ‘joint’ was a piece of meat, and ‘pot’ was something you cooked in. A gay person was then the life and soul of the party – and nothing more. Believe me I was around when Emiliano Zapata was killed!” We all gave her a true standing ovation. [Image: Mrs. Gomez-Portilla receives a standing ovation after her spirited before television and before penicillin speech at the dinner party.] After a little silence, I looked at my watch and realized that it was past one o’clock and hinted that it was time to go. I was a little concerned that the two French sisters might be getting out of hand. My remark raised a general protest. It was late for neither Mexicans nor Argentineans. Neither was it late for Chileans, for Peruvians, or for Colombians! Visitors seemed set to stay for ever. A discussion on the notion of time followed. Aunt Lily did not miss the opportunity to remark that time was a very flexible notion in Mexico and in southern countries in general. Dr. Pablo Gomez-Portilla, regaining for a moment his professorial composure, explained that, according to Edward T. Hall, there are mainly two time systems: monochronic and polychronic. Monochronic people pay attention at one thing at a time. Polychronic ones are involved with many things at once. In monochronic cultures, time is used in a linear way, planned, segmented, compartmentalized and scheduled. That is why a schedule, an agenda, a program, a plan or an appointment is so sacred among monochronic people, such as Europeans and North Americans. Polychronic cultures, on the other hand, such as those prevailing in Africa, Latin America and the Arab World, are characterized by the simultaneous occurrence of many things at once and by a great involvement with people. They consider a time commitment only as an objective. It is more important to finish a transaction with a person than to keep an appointment. I remembered my mission in Morocco. I recalled the problem in Cairo between monochronic Van der Meer, who wanted to stick to an agenda and concentrate exclusively on it, and polychronic Abdel-Rahman who answered phone calls, greeted friends and signed papers during the meeting. I had met during my international work many such examples, when the notion of time became a major source of misunderstanding. I was thinking of the problem I had encountered in Japan between monochronic Earl Ray Clarck and polychronic Mitsuo Harada, when Carlos Leon-Robledo said “Amigo Jacques, even though the French, according to this theory, are monochronic, they are often late. Even the French TV programs are late,” He added, laughing heartedly, “The French are always on time for lunch and dinner though!” After a few more drinks and more laughter it was past two. I persuaded Brigitte and Aunt Lily that it was time to leave. We had eaten well, laughed a lot and drunk just enough to reach that stage where life becomes just great! We began our round of hugs, thanks and shake-hands. The house looked like a battlefield. We had contributed to the housework by leaving empty glasses and dishes all over the place. As we were passing the main door, Miguel Moustique kissed Aunt Lily’s hand saying, “Tomorrow, ten o’clock.” Brigitte giggled and asked, “Monochronic or Polychronic ten?” There we were, at last, in the limousine our kind host had put at our disposal, with a bright chauffeur who knew his way around. The limousine was filled with all the indispensable status symbols you can dream of: a television, a bar, an ice box, a telephone and a fax-machine. “No washing-machine, though!” remarked Brigitte, as the two sisters became the prey to another fit of laughter. “Françoise,” I said, “You are the most reasonable and the best behaved of my three women!” The following morning I was free, while the meeting report was being typed. The meeting was to resume at four in the afternoon to approve the report. So, I decided to join the shopping expedition which was to be led by Miguel Moustique. At ten o’clock sharp we saw Moustique’s silhouette coming through the hotel door. He looked impeccable but sinister, dressed all in black, which prompted Brigitte to tell her sister, “Brigitte, your enamored suitor looks like an undertaker’s assistant.” The two sisters started giggling again while Françoise remarked that she had never seen her mother and aunt having so much fun before. Just like two teenagers. Moustique grinned from ear to ear. Lily was glowing and in high spirits. Her admirer looked at her amorously and offered her a pink rose. “Oh!” I said “I had better cable your husband, Lily, to come immediately with his sword!” The morning was dedicated to shopping. Aunt Lily had already explained, the previous evening, all her problems and wishes to Miguel and he had prepared a plan. First we went to all the stores where she had already purchased a number of things that she now wished to return. Aunt Lily always changed her mind and invariably wanted to exchange or return her purchases. In Paris, she often ran into problems because many stores do not allow for that. In contrast, she loved shopping in London and New York because the rules of the game there made room for her chronic indecision. It was fortunate that Miguel was now with us to help with the transactions. She had bought many things at a bargain price and no longer had the receipts which were in her stolen purse. A refund was impossible and the resulting haggling was endless. In many cases, all she was allowed to do was to exchange the returned good for something different. She had to make up her mind fast and ended up with more useless things she probably would want to return the following day. After a quick lunch, Miguel Moustique took us to the Flea Market where Aunt Lily wanted to buy a nice gift for her Albert, whom she had ‘abandoned’ in Paris together with the canaries. Brigitte explained to Miguel that this sort of present was called a ‘remorse gift’ in France and that our own apartment, in Paris, was full of them. “After every one of Jacques’ missions,” she said, ” I deserve a ‘remorse gift.'” When we entered the first Antique dealer, Aunt Lily went wild. In her eyes was a glint of the lust to acquire, she admired all the remains of domestic histories, culled from the attics of Mexico City. She was born with an incurable inclination towards expensive shopping. She asked for Miguel’s opinion, she commented with enthusiasm on every object and caressed it. The Antique dealer, recognizing a good prey, gave her his particular attention and showed her a variety of exceptional antiques. She was drawn to a sort of a flat vase, which the Antique Dealer called ‘an early sixteenth century chamber pot.’ He said, with a straight face, that it dated from the days Herman Cortés defeated Montezuma, around 1519. The situation had suddenly become killingly funny. Françoise said in disbelief, “Aunt Lily, you are not taking a chamber pot to Uncle Albert!” Moustique expressed doubts that Cortés’ soldiers were so refined as to use such a sophisticated container to answer a call of nature. I asked Brigitte how on earth would Lily, who had her purse stolen, pay for the pot. Brigitte said, giggling, that perhaps Moustique would offer the pot to Lily so that she could put the pink rose in it. The situation became so ludicrous that we all laughed. Aunt Lily was caressing the pot with admiration when her sister said, “Don’t do that, Lily, you never know how many have used it since 1519!” [Image: Aunt Lily and Miguel Moustique examine an antique Zapata-period chamber pot in a Mexico City shop with comic seriousness.] At that point Françoise left the store laughing till she cried. I said to Lily, “With the price you are asked to pay you can have a whole bathroom installed!” To which the Dealer said “If you care for a less expensive chamber pot, we have a more recent one of the Zapata period.” Aunt Lily was dead serious about making an exceptional bargain. She asked if a certificate could be delivered. The Antique dealer said that the only way to get out of the country such antique objects, which belonged to the national cultural heritage was to lie about their age. Brigitte immediately added, “My sister never lies about age. Ha. Ha.” It was past three thirty, I ran out – leaving them around Cortés’ and Zapata’s chamber pots – jumped into a taxi and went to my meeting. The next day, when we arrived at the airport, we found a delegation of smiling, friendly gentlemen who had come to bid us farewell: Pablo Gomez-Portilla, Carlos Leon-Robledo and, of course, Miguel Moustique. We had so much luggage that one could easily assume that we had spent at least six months in Mexico. Carlos reminded us that it was July 13th and we would be landing in Paris on Bastille Day. “Since you are traveling on Air France,” he said, “you will be drinking a lot of champagne to celebrate the mass decapitation of the French aristocracy.” Aunt Lily took Moustique aside and, with a friendly smile and sexy voice, asked him if he would be so kind as to return a couple of gifts she got at the store where they had exchanged things. “We were in such a rush,” she said, “that I could not make the right choice. When I packed this morning I found all these useless things!” On the plane I asked Aunt Lily, Brigitte and Françoise which chamber pot had been bought, if any. They looked at each other and giggled, but would not tell me. I said, ” Well, I do not want to know any more what happed at the police station, but tell me at least about the chamber pot!” They did not and I said, “You are no different than three Mafia women, whose law of silence, l’omertà, is never broken.” The next day, after a short nap, we went to dinner at Lily and Albert’s place. The latter had prepared a special Bastille Day meal with champagne and all the trimmings. In the middle of the table was Emiliano Zapata’s chamber pot, with a faded pink rose in it. Viva Zapata!**** [Image: Aunt Lily presents Emiliano Zapata’s chamber pot as a Bastille Day centerpiece while Jacques, Brigitte, Françoise, and Albert react with amusement.] ### Explore the Chapters - [Around The World In Eighty Missions: Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Veronique, And The Other Nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo, And Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings And I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra And Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris With Nancy And Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle Of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt The Library Of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – Sunny Side Up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) © Copyright [Jacques Tocatlian](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/07/jacques-tocatlian-1929-2019/). All Rights Reserved. ## The Farewell Party - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/ - Published: 2000-08-31 - Last modified: 2026-07-31 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: My farewell party is the last and, therefore, the most recent event which took place during my life at UNESCO. And yet, it is a most foggy and confused recollection. The latter part of the evening is especially blurred, even though the party keeps haunting my thoughts. It all happened as in a dream. [Image: Jacques Dupont sits at the center of his UNESCO farewell party as friends, colleagues and memories from missions around the world surround him.] [AUDIOBOOK](https://tocatlian.blog/2026/07/17/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions-the-audiobook/) [GET YOUR COPY](https://tocatlian.blog/2010/07/08/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions/) BROWSE BY CHAPTER - [Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Véronique and other nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo and Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings and I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra and Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris with Nancy and Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt the Library of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – sunny side up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) My farewell party is the last and, therefore, the most recent event which took place during my life at UNESCO. And yet, it is a most foggy and confused recollection. The latter part of the evening is especially blurred, even though the party keeps haunting my thoughts. It all happened as in a dream. I had joined UNESCO in 1965, at the age of thirty, which meant that I have spent half my life, and certainly the most significant years of my adulthood, with the Organization. I met many people, visited many countries and learnt many things in those years. As a tribute to my contribution to the organization, my colleagues decided to have my farewell party at the time of the UNESCO General Conference. This biennial conference usually brought to Paris a large delegation from every Member State of UNESCO, representatives from the United Nations Agencies, directors of all the UNESCO regional offices, observers from a number of non-governmental organizations, journalists and many personalities. Quite a crowd. My colleagues organized the party in our Division offices and sent out invitations to everyone I knew who attended the Conference. I distinctly remember the beginning of the party, but the latter part is in a mist. The Assistant Director-General came up at the beginning for a quick drink and made a warm speech. He described me in very flattering terms and highlighted some of my achievements. He said that after thirty years of duty I would be free at last, I would discover the joys of independent life and of being my own master. [Image: Jacques Dupont stands at the center of a crowded UNESCO farewell reception as colleagues and international delegates gather around him in Paris.] ### Lessons From Many Cultures I also remember that some colleagues had asked what were the most outstanding lessons I had learned during my missions around the world. “I have learned many lessons,” I replied, “but the one that stands out is the fact that cultural differences can be a major cause of misunderstanding,” and added, “Many problems among people could be avoided if we had a deeper understanding of other cultures.” The discussion – the only serious one we had for the evening – drifted to the very notion of culture and the issue of cultural misunderstandings. Culture is the logic by which we interpret the world around us. The prism through which we see, and often judge, others. We learned this logic, as children, from the way we were raised, taught, and loved. From the games we played, the stories we were told and the songs we sang. From the way adults around us spoke, worked, bargained, expressed affection, joy or pain, and the manner in which they behaved towards their parents, their own children and their neighbors. Thus we absorbed the tacit rules of our culture and then forgot that we had learned them. They became a deep-seated part of us. For the rest of our lives we shall tend to look at the world, and judge people, by reference to these rules. The more we learn about other cultures, the more understanding we become. If, on the other hand, we believe that our own cultural rules are absolute and universal, we tend to be intolerant. My international audience agreed with the message. They dwelt on the subject and exchanged specific examples. One of them referred to the unspoken signals and non-verbal signs and codes of each culture, which are naturally understood by people from the same group, but are often misunderstood in intercultural contacts, thereby making communication more difficult. [Image: Jacques Dupont speaks animatedly with international colleagues about cultural understanding during his UNESCO farewell party.] Some General Conference delegates began to drop in. I was very pleased to see each one of them, chat and have drinks with them. ### A Foggy Evening After a while my mind began to show signs of confusion. My memory, that storehouse of the mind and guardian of all things, faltered. A sort of veil descended on reality and every person and object around me became somewhat unreal. Had I taken a drop too much? I asked my Secretary what ardent spirit she had served me and she replied, “From the cocktail that Mr. Massaringhe had sent for you.” I had not been told that Mr. Massaringhe had sent any cocktail and I never found out what the wicked mixture was made of: the last enigma of my days at UNESCO. What was clear though, was my state of intoxication. I was not myself any longer. I was not upset. I was not hilarious. I was simply serene and completely unconcerned with the world around me. [Image: A colleague discreetly serves Jacques Dupont Mr. Massaringhe’s mysterious cocktail as the UNESCO farewell party blurs around him.] ### A Parade of Memories Now, visitors followed each other, as I searched every corner of my brain and the inmost recesses of my memory to figure out who was who. Among the many smiling faces I recognized Mrs. Annika Thomasson from Sweden, elegant and dignified. Followed by Mr. Arianayagham from Sri Lanka, who spoke in a monotonous cadence and very soft voice. And Mr. Fassi-Bakkari from Morocco, majestically imposing. Each one called to mind a specific event. A flash from the past. “Oh, yes Mr. Kharalambos, I remember you taught us how to roll grape leaves at Sir John’s dinner!” “Hello Mr. Russell, how is Borobudur? I shocked you during my visit, didn’t I?” “Good evening, my friend Takahashi. I am happy to see you. I trust you did not bring along Professor Earl Ray Clark! Ha. Ha.” “Good evening, Mr. Andreansen, I’ll never forget beautiful Tivoli and your good jokes!” ” How nice to drop by Mr. Mabungu. Is Veronique Maina with you?” [Image: Jacques Dupont greets a lively procession of returning delegates whose faces revive memories from his missions around the world.] I was then called on the phone. I walked there very slowly and carefully, so that my gait would not betray my intemperance. The voice on the phone said, “This is Bacchus bidding you farewell!” “Who is this?” I asked several times. “Bacchus! The Romans call me Bacchus and the Greeks call me Dionysus!” After a long silence I hang up, having recognized Massaringhe’s voice. I was not upset. Neither was I amused. Just serenely detached. On a cloud of my own. [Image: Jacques Dupont steadies himself at a telephone while Mr. Massaringhe jokingly identifies himself as Bacchus during the farewell party.] There was Mrs. Indira Bahtia, chairlady of the Bangalore meeting, tall and lean as a stick, straightforward and abrupt. I was surprised to see her and, was tempted to tell her the story of the Kama-Sutra I had purchased for Brigitte after the meeting. I had it on the tip of the tongue but, fortunately, refrained from doing so. I was ever so happy to see smiling, efficient Sharifa from Egypt! We exchanged a few gossips and chuckled about Mr. Van der Meer, the Assistant Director-General, who had made such a fuss in Cairo. “Hello Mr. Perala. Nice of you to come. Please, have a drink. I have such good memories of my visit in Finland.” And as he talked to me my mind wandered. I had a mental vision of Merja, Helena, Ulla and Eva running naked towards the outdoor Sauna. Good old days! At the door appeared husky Boris Tikhonov, Director of the New Delhi Office, with his wild beard and formidable eyebrows. After all these years he still wanted to know what had happed at the Taj Mahal Hotel of Bombay. Then followed in a procession M. Brown from the UN in New York, whose ‘English’ Secretary was from Oshkosh, Nebraska; Mrs. Schläger from Austria who had given us the Linzertorte recipe at Sir John’s dinner; Mr. Larry Thompson from the World Bank, with whom I had gone shopping for Zeinab’s dress in Morocco; Mr. Ricardo Villambrosa from Argentina, who had spoken of France in such exquisite terms; Ms. Pringgoadisurjo from Indonesia, whose name I had never succeeded in pronouncing, and always greeted with an anonymous “Hi there!”; Dr. Mitsuo Harada from Japan who had taught me how the art of reaching consensus. My good old friend Giovanni Spaghettini, Mr. Carlos Leon-Robledo, our jolly Mexican Diplomat, and many others whose faces time had erased from my thoughts and whose names Massaringhe’s diabolic drink had dismissed from my memory. Then came Brigitte who, at fifty-five, was still slim and attractive; Françoise, who was now a young lady of twenty-four, my brother-in-law, Albert, with a couple of champagne bottles under his arms, and Aunt Lily, in a stunning outfit, saying that the place smelled like a winery. [Image: Brigitte, Françoise, Albert and Aunt Lily arrive at Jacques Dupont’s UNESCO farewell party carrying champagne and celebrating together.] As we chatted, Igor Panushkin from Leningrad – which had now resumed its former name of St. Petersburg – came in with a bottle of vodka. Françoise and Brigitte inquired about their guide, Olga Ananiev, while I asked if stunning Tatyana still looked like Sofia Loren. Then, Miguel Moustique from Mexico made his appearance… tall, slim, all in black, like Mephisto. Since this was his first visit to Paris since our Mexican trip, he brought for Aunt Lily a huge box of exchanged gifts. “More chamber pots?” asked Brigitte. [Image: Igor arrives with vodka and Miguel presents comic gifts as Jacques Dupont and his family laugh during the farewell party.] All this procession of people I had met along the many traveled roads raked up the past and stirred up memories. Missions and countries were passed in review. Discussions, negotiations and speeches came back to mind. Meetings, anecdotes, laughters, dinners and cocktails flashed in my mind in some sort of dreamy sequence. Present and past int ermingled. Reality and fantasy melted in a comfortable mirage. The Farewell Party must certainly have ended at some point. But I do not remember exactly how and when. In many ways, the party still lingers in my heart, the parade of friends and acquaintances continues and the show seems to go on for ever. [Image: Jacques Dupont stands before an epic parade of friends, delegates and remembered destinations as his UNESCO journey becomes a joyful final tableau.] ### Explore the Chapters - [Around The World In Eighty Missions: Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Veronique, And The Other Nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo, And Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings And I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra And Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris With Nancy And Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle Of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt The Library Of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – Sunny Side Up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) © Copyright [Jacques Tocatlian](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/07/jacques-tocatlian-1929-2019/). All Rights Reserved. ## UNESCO – sunny side up - Type: Post - Canonical URL: https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/ - Published: 2000-08-31 - Last modified: 2026-08-01 - AI training: Authorized under https://tocatlian.blog/legal/, to the extent the publisher owns or is authorized to license this record's content - Categories: Books - Summary: UNESCO, like the United Nations, was born in the aftermath of the Second World War. Its constitution was ratified on the 4th of November 1946 by the twenty Founding Member States who signed the solemn declaration: ” Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed…” The purpose of the Organization was defined as ” To contribute to peace and security by promoting collaboration among nations through education, science and culture…” The number of Member States increased from 20 in 1946 to 184 in 1995. [Image: A traveler and suitcase stand beneath a smiling sun as dotted paths connect scenes of learning, culture, radio, and travel.] [AUDIOBOOK](https://tocatlian.blog/2026/07/17/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions-the-audiobook/) [GET YOUR COPY](https://tocatlian.blog/2010/07/08/around-the-world-in-eighty-missions/) BROWSE BY CHAPTER - [Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Véronique and other nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo and Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings and I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra and Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris with Nancy and Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt the Library of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – sunny side up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) UNESCO, like the United Nations, was born in the aftermath of the Second World War. Its constitution was ratified on the 4th of November 1946 by the twenty Founding Member States who signed the solemn declaration: ” Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed…” The purpose of the Organization was defined as ” To contribute to peace and security by promoting collaboration among nations through education, science and culture…” The number of Member States increased from 20 in 1946 to 184 in 1995. The General Conference is the main decision-making body of UNESCO. It meets every two years, determines the policies of the Organization and approves its program and budget. Every six years, it appoints the Director General. The Executive Board is composed of 51 Members. It meets twice a year and is responsible for the implementation of the program. The Secretariat consists of the Director-General, a number of Assistant Directors-General, Directors, Program Specialists and secretaries located at the headquarters in Paris and in some 60 field offices around the world. In 1995, the Secretariat was composed of 2483 women and men from 147 countries. In 1994-1995 the regular budget, comprising the mandatory contributions from Members States, amounted to $455 million. Extrabudgetary funds (Voluntary contributions, Funds-in-Trust, Special UN funds and programs for Development, Environment, Population, Children etc) for the same period amounted to $275 million. The Secretariat is divided into sectors covering its main program areas: 1) Education, 2) Natural Sciences, 3) Culture, 4) Communication, Information and Informatics, and 5) Social and Human Sciences. Each sector comprises several divisions, which in turn are organized into sections. The activities carried out by the Organization include establishing international norms, conventions, agreements, recommendations, and declarations. Holding conferences and meetings. Conducting studies and research. Producing publications, including books, periodicals, reports, and documents. Providing technical and advisory services to Member States through staff missions, consultants, supplies, and equipment. Conducting pilot projects. Providing training courses, seminars, and workshops. Offering subventions and financial contributions. And providing fellowships and study grants. ### Explore the Chapters - [Around The World In Eighty Missions: Introduction](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/introduction/) - [Does Life Start At Sixty?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/does-life-start-at-sixty/) - [My Mission With Maurice Chevalier](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/my-mission-with-maurice-chevalier/) - [London With Spaghettini](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/london-with-spaghettini/) - [A Dress For Zeinab](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/a-dress-for-zeinab/) - [The Borobudur File](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-borobudur-file/) - [Spiders, Veronique, And The Other Nuisance](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/spiders-veronique-and-other-nuisance/) - [Kabuki, Sumo, And Sake](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kabuki-sumo-and-sake/) - [The Vikings And I](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-vikings-and-i/) - [Kama Sutra And Bollywood](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/kama-sutra-and-bollywood/) - [Gay Paris With Nancy And Aunt Lily](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/gay-paris-with-nancy-and-aunt-lily/) - [The Battle Of Leningrad](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-battle-of-leningrad/) - [Who Burnt The Library Of Alexandria?](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/who-burnt-the-library-of-alexandria/) - [Viva Zapata!](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/viva-zapata/) - [The Farewell Party](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/the-farewell-party/) - [UNESCO – Sunny Side Up](https://tocatlian.blog/2000/08/31/unesco-sunny-side-up/) © Copyright [Jacques Tocatlian](https://tocatlian.blog/2019/02/07/jacques-tocatlian-1929-2019/). All Rights Reserved.