Program 775: Reopening Notre-Dame; Rue des Martyrs; Other Religions

Author Ken Follett, who wrote a monumental series based in medieval Europe, celebrates the reopening of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on the next Travel with Rick Steves.

Also, New York Times correspondent Elaine Sciolino [show-LEEN-oh] tells us what makes her own Paris neighborhood feel like home.

And a peace activist from Jerusalem has a suggestion to help people of different religions get along better.

• Historian and author Ken Follett
• New York Times correspondent Elaine Sciolino, author of "The Only Street in Paris" (W. W. Norton)
• Peace activist Aziz Abu Sarah, co-founder of Mejdi Tours

• Ken Follett, author of "The Pillars of the Earth," wrote "Notre-Dame: A Brief History of the Meaning of Cathedrals" a few months after Notre-Dame caught fire. He dedicated proceeds from the book to La Fondation du Patrimoine, a charity focused on rebuilding and protecting ancient buildings in France. It's using his gift to help restore a gothic church in Brittany, near Saint-Malo.
• The City of Paris Tourist Office and the Secrets of Paris websites have updated information about the reopening plans for Notre-Dame.
• Elaine Sciolino writes about her neighborhood in the 9th arrondissement in "The Only Street in Paris."
• Elaine has also written about "The Seine: The River that Made Paris" and has a new title about the Louvre museum scheduled for release in April 2025.
• Elaine spoke with Rick about the Seine and the bridges of Paris on Travel with Rick Steves program #593 in February 2020, and program #607a in March 2023. She describes the flirtatious nature of social interactions in France in her book “Le Seduction,” and on program #254a in 2013.
• Aziz Abu Sarah is the author of "Crossing Boundaries: A Traveler's Guide to World Peace."
• Aziz is co-owner of Mejdi Tours, to explore "dual narratives" in the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and the Americas. He also started nonprofit Interact International to promote connections in divided societies around the world.

• "My husband and I are returning to Paris with our newborn son, who will be almost one year old when we visit. What would be a good home base for our young family to find an apartment to rent for a few days? Ideally we would want to be close to markets and parks for our son to play. For now we simply want to enjoy being temporary locals in our favorite city." (Skyler in Atlanta)
• "On a Paris trip in 2013 I stayed near Place de la République and Canal Saint-Martin. I enjoyed the eateries, shops and peacefulness of that 10th area! I also walked west to the rue des Martyrs, up to Place des Abbesses to see that artsy area, then rode the Metro back." (James in Virginia Beach)

• Les Violins du Roy, Bernard Labadie, cond., "Noëls pour les instruments (Charpentier)," Simphonies des noels / Dorian Recordings
• Marie-Claire Alain, "Litanies, JA 119 (composed in 1937 by the organist's brother Jahen Alain)," Alain: L'ouvre Pour Orge / Intrada
• Daniel Roth, "Trois Pieces, Op. 29, 'Cantilene,'" Concerts de Grand Orgue du Saint-Etienne-du-Mont / Intrada (France)
• BRU_BCC_0026_02501_Le_Roi_S_Amusi_-_Passepied_APM
• Choeur d'enfants de la Maitrise de Notre-Dame de Paris, "Noël quercynois," Musique Sacrée à Notre-Dame de Paris / RCA Victor-BMG France
• Yves Castagnet, organ, "Tambourin (Michel Corette)," Musique Sacrée à Notre-Dame de Paris / RCA Victor-BMG France
• Orquestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Yutaka Sado cond, "'Bacarolle' from 'Gaite Parisienne' (Offenbach, arr. Rosenthal)," The French Experience, disc 2 (collection) / Warner Classics
• * Orchestre de l'Opera de Lyon, Kent Nagano cond, "Le Tombeau de Couperin: Prelude (Ravel)," The French Experience, disc 2 (collection) / Warner Classics
• Orchestral intro to Nina Simone, "Il n-y a pas de amour heureux," A Single Woman / Nonesuch-Elektra
• KOS_KOS_0167_05701_Moody_Jazz_OL_APM
• Cy Coleman, "Parisian Women," A Bachelor in Paris: Ultra Lounge 10 (collection) / Capitol
• Marcel Azzola and Didi Duprat, "Rue de la Chine," The Rough Guide to Paris Café (collection) / Rough Guides-World Music Network
• Michel Legrand, Christiane Legrand, "La Terrase du Cafe," Les Parapluis de Cherbourg (soundtrack) / Sony
• OMI_OMN_0094_00301_Along_The_Seine_APM
• Lucienne Delyle, "Sur les Quaids du Vieux Paris," Paris By Night (collection) / EMI
• Orchestral outro to Nina Simone, "Il n-y a pas de amour heureux," A Single Woman / Nonesuch-Elektra
• * Jean Paques, "Petite Fleur," Piano Bar vol. 14: jazz, blues et dixieland / Seniors
• Travnicek Quartet, "String Quartet in F major, No. 35, II: assez vif (Ravel)," Impressionist Masterminds (collection) / X5 Music Group
• CEZ_CEZ_4478_01101_Tree_House_APM
• The Yuval Ron Ensemble, "Olor Molor," Tree of Life / (self-released)
• CEZ_CEZ_4060_02901_Souvenir_De_Volozhin_APM
• Osamu Kitajima, "Small Wonder," Behind The Light / Higher Octave
• CEZ_CEV_3022_01001_Dialogue_With_Gods_APM
• Felix Maria Woschek and Ustad Sultan Khan, "Halleluja - a Gregorian chant," Blessings / Woschek Spiritual

* Indicates filler music used during internal breaks on the broadcast

• The Notre-Dame fire of 2019, and the cathedral's scheduled reopening on Dec. 8, 2024, are the subject of segment A this week, and mentioned in this week's billboard and promo.
• Rick notes at the open to segment B that Elaine Sciolino's interview comes from the Travel with Rick Steves archives. Elaine explains that rue de Martyrs is closed to traffic as a pedestrian zone on Sunday mornings, starting at 25:20. Rick adds an update at 31:17 that her newest book about The Louvre "is scheduled to be released in April."
• Rick mentions at 46:44 that today's interview with Aziz was recorded prior to the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks in Israel. He directs listeners to Aziz's website to hear an interview Aziz conducted with an Israeli friend who lost his parents on that day.

Pgm 775 "Taste of Paris" Haiku

Soaring stone arches
Windows of gleaming colors
Soon to rise again

— Bruce Huang, Rockville, Maryland

Awakening the senses.
Dark, bold with foam on the rim,
a Paris cafe

— Chris Baumgartner, Ellicott City, Maryland

This beef bourguignon,
Delicious je ne sais quoi,
Paris, in a bowl

— Tom Banks, Cullowhee, North Carolina