Saturday, April 2, 2011

Paris in Springtime


At Easter 2002, I journeyed to Paris for the first time, and was sucked into the tourist-vortex never to see the real Paris. This time is so totally different. Yes, I am tourist, but one trying not to think like a tourist. I am trying not to do anything that I have to pay to enter. And I spend half my day either at home or within 100m.

Top left, cunningly disguised, Tour Eiffel lurks behind that central tree. This next image is right at the foot of Tour Eiffel, beside a concrete wasteland. I love the eye with which they create their massed plantings - must use a bristle rather than a trowel.


Flower shops flood out onto the footpath, such is the spring growth. I think one could assess the socio-economic standing of a city block by peeking at the number and verdancy of its flower shotps. If I want to smell the metaphorical roses, I sit down and sniff 'til my heart's content. The lucky thing is that, as I don't have a garden, the potted colour loses its temptation.


I took these shots on the way down Rue de Grenelles, through Champs de Mar, up Jardins de Trocadero and into Passy Cimitere yesterday. The statue of Benjamin Franklin, with which I complete this post, is just outside the cemetery.

I have just skyped with my girls ... so everything is coming up roses!

6 comments:

diane b said...

You sound like you are in heaven. Enjoy! Enjoy! Enjoy!
Shots are great and the spring flowers beautiful.

Joan Elizabeth said...

Yes that is exactly the style or garden beds I saw in Switzerland. I love the way they do window boxes and hanging baskets over in Britain and Europe ... just been thinking is must have been late spring rather than summer when I was in Paris.

Julie said...

Ooo ... yes, the hanging flowers are everywhere too. Shall find some just for you.

Joan Elizabeth said...

I love that fact that you are posting from Paris while there. All this skyping, blogging, emailing etc make overseas travel such as different thing. I have not been OS for 5 years or so and things have changed heaps even in that time.

Ann said...

Part of me misses the total lack of contact. Travelling for months writing a letter every other week and the odd reverse charge phone call. Its all so easy now.

Julie said...

I could not do that: be in irregular contact. But it is now hypothetical. Yesterday I had another skype with my girls just as the sun was coming up and hitting the roof-tops. I took the laptop and 'hung out' the window and showed Kirsten up and down the street and the early morning sky.

Remember too, that I am over here just to live, not to travel. I am sorting family tree stuff, I am writing and I am reading. Not madly queueing in galleries. Finding it hard to move my sleeping from 730pm-230am though.