After the Fire

 [Note added 19 May 2011 -- This post was originally uploaded last Thursday, 12 May. Blogger's software accidentally deleted it. We are grateful that they have found and restored it.]

Bill and I turned the corner from our apartment this morning to have a look at the damage to the Place des Vosges after the fire of the night before. The clean-up has begun.

Firemen were hard at work on the damaged building. As we feared all the floors were damaged by the smoke and fire. The Cafe Hugo on the ground level is closed. All the windows in the rooms above were open onto empty, water-stained spaces. The smell of wood-smoke is strong.

This afternoon all the police tape was down and we were able to get a look at the damage to the roof. Terrible!