The Idiot celebrated American Independence Day on July 4th by taking a swim in the Seine River in Paris to insure it will be safe for triathletes during the upcoming Summer Olympics.
Why?
Because French President Emmanuel Macron and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo have so far failed to deliver on their promise to take the plunge and guarantee that a much-touted river clean-up has made the Seine safe for swimmers.
The Idiot returned to the exact spot where he last swam in the Seine 48 years ago for a cover story in “The Paris Metro” magazine.
The Idiot prepared to jump in the Seine for his July 4th swim to determine if the water is clean enough for Olympics competition later this month. (Photo: Luke Stratte-McClure)
The Idiot discussed his swim with journalists prior to taking the plunge. (Photo: Luke Stratte-McClure)
The idiot observed Independence Day in the Seine River in Paris. (Photo: Luke Stratte-McClure)
The Idiot swam past the Notre-Dame Cathedral. (Photo: Luke Stratte-McClure)
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The Idiot was still stranding following his Independence Day swim. (Photo: Henri Moisan)
The Idiot thanked his supporters for sticking with him during his swim.
The Idiot had studied the river and his swimming route when he arrived in Paris on July 2.
The Idiot swam at the same spot where he took a dive to find a holy gargoyle in 1976.
The Idiot came up with a boot when he dived in the Seine off Ile Saint-Louis behind the Notre-Dame Cathedral in 1976. What did he find today?
About Joel
Joel Stratte-McClure has been a global trekker since the 1970s. He lived in France for over 30 years, working as a journalist, before he turned his attention to a unique life-time-project of walking the shores of the Mediterranean. The first 4,401 kilometers are explored in his inspirational and entertaining first book "The Idiot and the Odyssey: Walking the Mediterranean." The next 4,401 kilometers are covered in the gods-filled sequel, "The Idiot and the Odyssey II: Myth, Madness and Magic on the Mediterranean,” published on Valentine's Day 2013. The last 4,401 kilometers will be discussed in the last book of the trilogy currently entitled "The Idiot and the Odyssey III: Alexander the Great Walks the Mediterranean."