iCON 2003 REPORT - page 2 of 4

FRIDAY: MAY 23, 2024

This morning, the official programme offered of choice of three different museum tours or to have the time at leisure. David and I opted out of the tours. Instead, we went by ourselves to the Isle de la Cite (an island located on the River Seine) to admire the glories of Notre Dame Cathedral and the Sainte Chapelle. Truly awe-inspiring!

When we met up with the guys at the bottom of the Eiffel tower, where we were to have lunch in one of the restaurants, we discovered that two of the three museum tours had to be called off due to French industrial action. Just as well, we went off on our own!

(L to R): Eiffel Tower; Lunch on the Tower with Paris and Atlanta friends, More iCON 2003 folks enjoying lunch at the Altitude 95 Restaurant

(L to R): Georges, LYC Paris Secretary chatting to iCON 2003 diners; Karaoke Singer strutting his stuff; Richard and Brian, friends from Down Under.

We were quite excited taking the lift up the tower. Altitude 95, the restaurant in which we lunched was 300 feet above seal level and it commanded a spectacular view of Paris. What a wonderful way to have lunch and the meal, was of course, delicious!

After lunch, David went off to the higher levels of the Eiffel Tower to take photographs but I had to return to the Holiday Inn to attend the Long Yang Club International (LYCI) Annual General Assembly. Last year's executive officers, the President (Le Nguyen), the Secretary (Jimmy Eggleston) and the Treasurer (George S.) were all re-elected. The Vice-President's position was vacant as Bernard W. of LYC Paris chose not to stand. We intend to co-opt someone to that position later in the year.

After an hour's break, all of us met up again at the Holiday Inn to walk to nearby Belleville Chinatown (there are two Chinatowns in Paris) for an Oriental dinner and Karaoke Contest. There was no shortage of singing talent and I was specially impressed by Sherman from Key West, Florida who, though not Chinese, sang in perfect Mandarin! This was lost on David who allowed himself to be captivated by the beautiful smile of the handsome young guy who sang "Dancing Queen".

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