Magical Monday - Elephant Funambule

Imagine my surprise when I saw an elephant tightrope walking on a giant chain.

(Elephant drawn by my daughter when she was about seven).

I seem to be collecting funambules. Here is a Winged Angel Funambule and here is an Invisible Funambule.

Every Monday, Magical Monday, I post a photo that is hopefully puzzling, fantastical or unexpected.

More photos from the Magical Mondays series can be found here.

Paper Fruit

My new teaching job is over on the rive Gauche, in the 6th arrondissement. I usually go to work by metro and then walk home part of the way before getting on a Vélib, the Parisian 'Boris Bike', to cycle home. It helps me unwind and it gives me an excuse to walk across the river so I can enjoy long majestic views of Paris...like so.

Last week I passed by St Germain des Prés and was admiring the blossom of a tree on the other side of the road. As I looked more closely I saw that 'things' were hanging from the tree. 

How strange, if I didn't know any better I'd say those things hanging from the tree were books. I crossed the road to get a closer look. Yes. Books!

I zoomed in.

It was only when I got home that I was able to establish the title of the book, 'On n'est jamais mieux que chez les autres.'* (home away from home) by Bakir Zieg. A novel that recounts the funny, joyful and crazy adventures of a young Tunisian man who comes to live in Paris having fled from his home country. The author Bakir Zieg can apparently often be found selling his poems à la sauvette, on the pavements of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, which leads me to think that it was probably Zieg who put those books up in that tree.

On a sunny day they looked lovely in that tree.

* I haven't read this book...yet.

Magical Monday - Shadow Monsters

I've been playing with buttons and shadows.

A surprised and ghostly Shadow Monster.


A flying pink-eyed pterodactyl.



Every Monday, Magical Monday, I post a photo that is hopefully puzzling, fantastical or unexpected.

More photos from the Magical Mondays series can be found here.

Reflecting Art - the Stravinsky Fountain

I was at the Pompidou Centre last week. I approached the museum from the Hotel de Ville passing by the Stravinsky Fountain, a fountain built in 1983 and ornamented with sixteen sculptures by Swiss sculptor Tinguely and his wife French sculptor Niki de Saint Phalle, (married in 1971).

Tinguely's sculptures are dark grey and move continually, spraying water jets in all directions. In contrast, Niki de Saint Phalle's sculptures are brightly coloured and much less mobile. When I passed the fountain last week the sculptures were perfectly still. It turns out that when the fountains don't run the visual spectacle is still very impressive. The sculptures and their reflections were beautiful, creating an additional work of art on the water's surface.

La Sirène (the mermaid), from behind.

From the front.

This Tinguely's sculpture, Ragtime, and its' reflection made me think of a bicycle doing a wheely.

Le Cœur, heart.


La vie (Life).

Le Chapeau de Clown (the clown's hat).


And finally, a watery tableau.

Magical Monday - Gilded Traffic Lights

They have some very fancy traffic lights by the Opera Garnier.

Every Monday, Magical Monday, I post a photo that is hopefully puzzling, fantastical or unexpected.

More photos from the Magical Mondays series can be found here.

Yellow is for sun

Yellow is for sun, and sun is something we're seriously lacking at the moment. Sun with a bit of warmth that is. Spring sun that falls on your face and kisses it gently leaving a warm glow.

In an attempt to lure the weather gods into sending us some warm sun I have gathered together a collection of yellow.

This is what spring is meant to look like. Lots of these please!

A few light rain showers are allowed.


Here are some non-flower yellows. Beads at the Place des Abbesses brocante.


Yellow against a blue sky at the Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen.


I even found some yellow in one of the tunnels on the Paris Périphérique


Yellow in the restaurant Georges on the top floor of the Centre Pompidou.


Yellow street art.
.


Eggs.


Pencils.


The fence around the famous Caberet in Montmartre, the Lapin Agile.


Autumnal yellows.



I guess I'm asking for trouble from the weather gods by writing this post.

Danger!

Magical Monday - A Parisian Show Jumper

Jeanne d'Arc riding her horse over the apartment buildings on Place des Pyramides by the Louvre.


Every Monday, Magical Monday, I post a photo that is hopefully puzzling, fantastical or unexpected.

More photos from the Magical Mondays series can be found here.

Magical Monday - The Eiffel Tower Under Guard

Every Monday, Magical Monday, I post a photo that is hopefully puzzling, fantastical or unexpected.

More photos from the Magical Mondays series can be found here.