Shakespeare & Company, Paris, France
Where did the American beat poets go to share cigarettes and profundities when they were in Europe? Shakespeare & Company of course – located in Paris’ Latin Quarter, a tome’s throw from Notre Dame Cathedral. George Whitman, the eccentric American bibliophile who opened the cosy store in 1951, has handed the reins to his daughter as he approaches 100.
Nonetheless, much of Shakespeare & Co’s creative, chaotic spirit remains. It’s still a prime spot to fill your rucksack with paperbacks, hang with the Left Bank literati, and admire the packed shelves, wooden beams and poetic posters.
Here’s the link to their official website especially if you’re interested in the history of this awesome place. (X)
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(via iggymogo)
Source: lonelyplanet.com
Solar powered rail connects Paris and Amsterdam
Europe’s first high-speed international trains to use solar panel generated electricity were introduced Monday. The trains link the cities of Paris and Amsterdam.
Solar power is used in a 3.6 kilometer (about 2 mile) stretch of tunnel crossing Antwerp, Belgium. 16,000 solar panels were installed on the tunnel’s roof and cover an area of 50,000 square meters (about 12 acres.)
The project costs about $22.8 million.
The panels produce 3,300 megawatts per hour of electricity, or the average annual consumption of nearly 1,000 families, reports Agence France Presse.
They will not only power the high-speed rail, but also support inter-city trains while providing enough electricity to charge the train station, according to The Daily Mail.
The electricity produced feeds into the line’s infrastructure, for lighting, signals and in-train power points, Frederic Sacre, spokesman for Infrabel, which runs the rail network, told AFP.
47.3 million kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions are expected to be eliminated by the project over the next 20 years.
From aol.com
Mike
