A Photographer in Paris

Today was the first mild or dry day in the month and I took advantage of it to take a walk and some photos (sorry, no tripod!).

Lights on Champs Elysees are supposedly more economical than previous years as Paris is trying to save 80% of the electrical bill this year.

On Avenue Montaigne, lights are red and more Xmasy looking.

The most interesting thing IMO is the Ferris wheel that has been there since the Rugby cup or ealier than other years.

On the way from Udaipur to Jaipur, we stopped for Chai at one of those ”stores” you see along the way. The woman making tea told us that she had 2 sons who were going to be married within a few weeks.  Here they are!

We stayed for a while, getting acquainted, sharing biscuits and woman had tea with us.

Spending a little time together gave me more opportunities for photos.

Kids from the neighborhood joined us, after all I look a bit “different” to them as well. When we parted, we were friends!

While walking in Paris, I am always looking for different angles to create new images. It is a good exercise to look up, down, from a cat’s eye level etc.

Today was a “looking up” day.

And this is how it is sometimes done!

While traveling in Rajasthan at the end of September, I met this family that my traveling companion knew. We stopped in for tea.

I was invited to admire all the animals and the baby goats were actually quite cute.

Milk for our delicious chai tea was taken right at the source. Could not have been fresher!

Kids and grandparents seemed to have a good simple relationship.

I really like this photo and the conversation that was going on (could not understand it of course but everybody was listening with attention).

At first the mother did not want to be photographed. But then she came back after making herself beautiful and gracefully obliged.

Men and children were sitting in the main room. I did not see any women join them while I was there. 

When I am in Chartier’s neighborhood, often after a walk in the Passages of the right bank, I like to stop for a bite.

Chartier is one of the surviving “Bouillon” where food was served at cheap prices to working class people. Bouillon Racine on rue Racine is an other example of a surviving Bouillon (I am not aware of any other one in central Paris).

This was very late (2:45 or so) and there were just a few customers finishing their meal. I like this place for its authentic 1900s decor.

Food at Chartier is among the cheapest in Paris and of the most predictable kind. It ressembles cafetaria food or a home cooked meal on a low inspiration day.

I order the same type of food every time: assiette de crudites, or pate and crudites or a salad, or an oeuf dur appetizer with some wine, bread, cheese and a slice of their tarte/pie du jour. I have never tasted any main course but I have seen people happy with roasted chicken and fries. Waiters wear the tradional Parisian outfit and like to act rushed and unfriendly which of course they are not.

Every time I go to Montmartre, I try to photograph empty stairs. A test of patience!

Visiting them at different times of year will bring different images.

Madeleine is a church in Paris that looks like a Greek temple. You can google it, read the history related to it  and at the same time discover a lot of facts about that area/arrondissement. 8th arrondissement or huitième arrondissement, bordering the 9th and the 2nd. My neighborhood.

Madeleine is a “gourmet” area. Fauchon, Hediard, Maille, Maison de la Truffe, Caviar Kaspia, Marquise de Sévigné chocolates are there.

Madeleine is an old fashion biscuit that has  not gone out of style.  Les Madeleines de Marcel Proust are famous in French literature.

Madeleine is a song by Jacques Brel. A classic.

Madeleine is also a California girl I met last summer.  We walked and cooked together.

Here she is after pitting a bowl of cherries to make clafoutis aux cerises. Madeleine loves to cook and is quite talented at it. We made crepes and she commented “these are very similar to the quesadillas I make at home”!. We also made ratatouille in honour of the movie.

Here are some of the vegetables we bought at the market to make our ratatouille. Madeleine and I had a good fun day and I am very pleased to have added a new dimension to the name “Madeleine”.

This little girl is caught in the middle of 2 different worlds: head cover and Harvard Tshirt probably given to her by some NGO.

Kids love to have their photo taken. I preferred the days before digital cameras because now they grab your camera, put their fingers everywhere, accidently change one setting or two, and do not quite understand that you cannot give them a copy if the image right there.

On a hot day in the Hadramaout, streets are empty. Everybody stays in but when they see tourists with a camera, they quickly come out and wave.

These guys are not very old and already -like most men in Yemen - carry guns that make them look proud if nothing else.

One of the most challenging monuments to photograph in Paris is the Eiffel Tower. I have tried it from many angles and places. Here are two of my favorites.

 This is the photo I take every time I go to the Market at Avenue du President Wilson. It is on the back of crepe vendor.

If you end your market walk at metro Alma-Marceau, you can see the replica of Statue of liberty flame.