photos courtesy of the Mairies d'Arrondissement websites, inspired by a trip to the Barbes market with only a camera phone and no way of getting any decent shots...
Saturday, April 8
Markets
photos courtesy of the Mairies d'Arrondissement websites, inspired by a trip to the Barbes market with only a camera phone and no way of getting any decent shots...
Thursday, March 16
Friday, March 10
Champs Elysées Clémenceau metro station
This morning in the Metro station, there was an old man busking. He was playing the violin. He wasn’t playing from memory, nor did he have a stand with sheet music in front of him, a woman (his wife?) was standing near him, holding the sheet music up to his eyes, turning the pages as he played.
Who are they ? Is this a hobby, something a retired musician does to pass the time, or do they live off the coins thrown in the violin case by commuters in a hurry ? What was the woman thinking as the crowd swirled around them, was she content to be there, standing by her man, watching him, listening to him ? Did she wish she could get on one of the passing trains and go somewhere, anywhere else and do something different with her morning ? Her face gave nothing away.
Who are they ? Is this a hobby, something a retired musician does to pass the time, or do they live off the coins thrown in the violin case by commuters in a hurry ? What was the woman thinking as the crowd swirled around them, was she content to be there, standing by her man, watching him, listening to him ? Did she wish she could get on one of the passing trains and go somewhere, anywhere else and do something different with her morning ? Her face gave nothing away.
Friday, March 3
Hôtel de Ville
Sunday, January 15
Avenue de Clichy
My favorite tree. It's in a little garden just off avenue de Clichy. It's tiny, but there is grass and a playground. And this tree. I find it very graceful.
Saturday, January 14
Rue de Rivoli
This is a very long street, and it has several personalities. One section is rather posh, with fancy old hotels and tea rooms opposite the Tuileries. Another is full of tacky souvenir shops.
And yet another is Paris' answer to the ubiquitous English High Street, teaming with shoppers on their way to and from the Gap, Body Shop, H & M, Zara, Foot Locker, etc etc...
Today, the first Saturday of the winter sales, that section of rue de Rivoli was overflowing with people. Walking on the sidewalks required patience, speed, and fast reflexes.
Two RATP (public transportation) bus drivers idled their engines side by side, bemused, as the crowd surged on and off the sidewalk in an effort to get somewhere, anywhere, quickly ! in search of a bargain. The buses were halted, not by cars but by bargain hunters. One driver opened the door of his bus to talk to the other driver through his open window.
- It's crazy today, isn't it ?
- Yes, all these people have left their brains at home.
Gallic shrugs all 'round. The buses start up again and we're off.
And yet another is Paris' answer to the ubiquitous English High Street, teaming with shoppers on their way to and from the Gap, Body Shop, H & M, Zara, Foot Locker, etc etc...
Today, the first Saturday of the winter sales, that section of rue de Rivoli was overflowing with people. Walking on the sidewalks required patience, speed, and fast reflexes.
Two RATP (public transportation) bus drivers idled their engines side by side, bemused, as the crowd surged on and off the sidewalk in an effort to get somewhere, anywhere, quickly ! in search of a bargain. The buses were halted, not by cars but by bargain hunters. One driver opened the door of his bus to talk to the other driver through his open window.
- It's crazy today, isn't it ?
- Yes, all these people have left their brains at home.
Gallic shrugs all 'round. The buses start up again and we're off.
Friday, January 13
New Year's resolution...
.... update this poor blog which never really got off the ground.
Was toying with the idea of getting a digital camera as a Christmas gift to myself, in order to upload photos of 5 Streets (and more !) but did not.
Since then have been paralyzed by writer's block (to be honest, indecision and feelings of mediocrity). Because, after all, it's not as if writing about Paris has not been done before, in great detail, by some of the truly Greats.
Enough dithering. There will be updates, I promise.
Watch this space !
Was toying with the idea of getting a digital camera as a Christmas gift to myself, in order to upload photos of 5 Streets (and more !) but did not.
Since then have been paralyzed by writer's block (to be honest, indecision and feelings of mediocrity). Because, after all, it's not as if writing about Paris has not been done before, in great detail, by some of the truly Greats.
Enough dithering. There will be updates, I promise.
Watch this space !
Saturday, November 26
Snow !
It's been snowing on and off since yesterday. Hardly groundbreaking news perhaps but rare enough in Paris and very rare at this time of the year. Nothing is sticking to the ground but the rooftops I can see from my kitchen window are all white.
Introduction
This is inspired by Julia, author of the 5 Streets Sydney blog, which I will link to in the sidebar as soon as I can figure out how to do so.
The basic premise is to blog about 5 streets in your hometown, which I think is a fantastic idea. I'll try to make this as interesting as possible (!) but in particular I'll try to post about things that don't usually get mentionned about Paris. After all there is a plethora of information available about this city on the net and my goal is not to write about stuff anyone can find out easily, but to try to give an idea of what day to day living is like here.
The basic premise is to blog about 5 streets in your hometown, which I think is a fantastic idea. I'll try to make this as interesting as possible (!) but in particular I'll try to post about things that don't usually get mentionned about Paris. After all there is a plethora of information available about this city on the net and my goal is not to write about stuff anyone can find out easily, but to try to give an idea of what day to day living is like here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
