Twins Genius: Two CEOs
Seine river
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Francisco continued to drive his car until he found a forked road. The man turned and Aphrodite could see a pedestrian bridge there.
"Where are we?" Ask Aphrodite again, I don't know how many times today.
"We'll go across, there I'll take you to a better place."
"really? What kind of place is there?"
"You'll know later."
Francisco drove his car across a beautiful bridge that is now passed by several people who pass around it. There were pedestrians, and there were also some cars that drove in different directions with them.
"Oh yeah, by the way what bridge is this?"
"This is the Pont Neuf bridge."
"The Pont Neuf Bridge?" Aphrodite.
"Yes. And the river we're currently passing through is the Seine."
"O-oh... The bridge is beautiful huh?"
"Yes, that is," said Francisco as he continued to drive his car across the street. Pass the Seine by using the Pont Neuf bridge.
The Pont Neuf Bridge is an old bridge that began in 1578 and ended in 1607.
The bridge consists of two separate spans, one of five arches connecting the left bank to le de la Cite, one of the other seven joining the island on the right bank.
Despite its name, it is now the oldest bridge in Paris crossing the Seine River. It has been listed since 1889 as a historical monument by the French Ministry of Culture.
In the early 1550s, Henry II was asked to build a bridge here because the existing Pont Notre-Dame, was overloaded. But the cost was too great at the time.
In February 1578, the decision to build the bridge was made by Henry III who laid his first stone on 31 May 1578, the same year when the foundation of four pillars and one support was completed. Pierre des Isles, one of the builders, assured the supervisory commission that the bridge, originally planned to be straight, would be more resistant to river currents if its two parts were built slightly sloping. The change was adopted in May 1578.
Further design changes were made during the summer of 1579. The remaining piers were built over the next nine years. After a long delay began in 1588, due to political unrest and the Wars of Religion, construction resumed in 1599 under the rule of Henry IV. The bridge opened to traffic in 1604 and was completed in July 1606. Inaugurated by Henry IV in 1607.
Like most bridges of its time, the Pont Neuf was built as a series of many short arch bridges, following Roman precedents. It was the first stone bridge in Paris that did not support houses other than highways, and was also equipped with sidewalks that protected pedestrians from mud and horses; it was also equipped with paving; pedestrians can also get out of their way to the fort to let a large train pass by. The decision not to include the house on the bridge can be traced back directly to Henry IV, who decided not to include it on the grounds that the house would obstruct the clear view of the Louvre, which was not the case, the newly built galerie du bord de l'eau is linked to the Tuileries Palace.
The bridge had heavy traffic since its inception; it was for a long time the widest bridge in Paris. It has undergone numerous repair and renovation works, including the rebuilding of seven spans across long sleeves and the descent of the road by changing the arch from a nearly semicircular shape to an ellipse (1848–1855), drop sidewalks and dock faces, spandrels, cornices and replace crushed corbels as close to the original as possible. In 1885, one of the short-sleeved pillars was vandalized, removing two adjacent arches, requiring them to be rebuilt and all foundations reinforced.
The major refurbishment of Pont Neuf began in 1994 and was completed in 2007, the year of the 400th anniversary.
Arriving across, Francisco drove his car down a highway that showed the Seine river very clearly.
The Seine River is a major river in northwestern France. This river is one of the commercial water traffic routes and also a tourist destination, especially the part located in Paris. Its name is derived from the Latin word Sequanus.
This river divides the city of Paris into two parts which in French is called by the term la rive droite which means ‘tepi right’ and la rive gauche or which means ‘tepi left’. The right bank is North Paris and the left bank is South Paris. Northern Paris is more prosperous than Southern Paris.
Francisco then stopped his car abruptly in one of the parking lots located very close to the Seine river. The man parked his car there and then came out along with Aphrodite who was now responding to her questioning attitude.
"Woah," Aphrodite was blown away as she took a closer look at the vast Seine before her. He stepped over to the riverbank, he then pulled out his phone to take a picture.
"This is the river that we passed through, right?"
"Yes" said Francisco who then approached him.
"The river is beautiful. It seems very well maintained, plus see the streets again. Absolutely clean," Aphrodite circulated her gaze. The road made of flat stone looks clean and beautiful, in some parts of the road there are trees that add beauty. Not only are their cars parked there, but there are also several other cars parked not far from where their cars are located. Not only that, there were also some people who seemed to pass around, some were on foot, some were passing by bicycle.
On the other corner of the street, Aphrodite could see a seat, some of which were sat by lovers enjoying their company.
"By the way this road is often passed? Where's this road?" Aphrodite asked who then turned her head towards where some people were moving past the direction they were coming from.
"There's a cafe nearby."
"uh? Really true?"
"Yes. The cafe has a unique theme. We can enjoy food with different sensations."
"meaning?"
"The cafe is on a ship."
"Well? Really true?"
"Yes. You wanna try to stop by there?"
"Can. But we just ate."
"Is it okay to just enjoy a dessert or maybe a cup of drinks?"
"All right, let's go."
"Come on," said Francisco. He grabbed Aphrodite's hand, grabbed her and then pulled her to where Francisco had originally intended. They enjoy dessert.
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