Parc de la Villette

I went to Parc de la Villette with the kids yesterday. Our plan had been to go to the Jardin de vent et des dunes, a great play area with a wide range of things to leap off...and on...and around. Despite getting there reasonably early (13h30) the place was heaving with approximately 5 gazillion centre loisirs (school holiday centres) with the same idea as us. Pretty quickly the kids said "can we leave, there are too many children." So we did. The Parc de la Villette is huge with big expanses of grass and lots of different 'sub-parks' with plenty of things to leap off...and on...and around.

The most striking building for me in La Villette Cité des Sciences complex is the mirrored Géode omnimax theatre made up from 6433 triangular mirrored panels. It always looks fantastic, whatever the weather. 

The main museum, built in a former abattoir looks stunning as well, especially when the sun is shining.

There are of course the 26 red follies designed by Swiss architect Bernard Tschumi, that lie in a grid across the whole park area.

Yesterday when we were at the park I tried to take some photos that captured some atypical view points and scenes.

Here is the Géode looming with intent.

Here is the globe peeking through a red folly.

We saw some cows.

I saw some lovely light patterns.

The follies through the trees looking intriguing.

I'm not sure what this building is for, but I liked the stripes.

The Grande halle de la Villette is a huge iron and glazed structure, built between 1865 and 1867. It was the former covered market where cattle was sold. It has been completely restored now and houses exhibitions. From the outside.

The park seems to generate mysterious forces every time we go.

You can find more photos of Parc de la Villette on my Flickr account here.

Beautiful light patterns

The other day I was in the Cimetière de Montmartre gathering shadows. At the same time I also gathered some beautiful light patterns. It was late afternoon, but the sun was high enough to get over the trees and through the coloured stained glass windows that can be found in many of the tombs, creating patterns like this.

Here is a stained glass window with light patterns projected alongside it.

Carved writing and light stripes.

Projected light, a stained glass window and a view beyond.

This one is my favourites, light through a stained glass window projected onto an upside down metal bucket. I'd like to have a 'vase' just like this.

This photo does not show projected light I know, but I love the effect of seeing near and far views, flattened together in a single plane.

When there is sun, there are shadows

"If we shadows have offended, 

Think but this, and all is mended, 

That you have but slumber'd here 

While these visions did appear."

-- William Shakespeare

More glorious weather for us Parisians. Perfect, clear fresh cloudless days. With sun, comes warmth, blue skies, bright light and shadows. Lots of shadows. I've been collecting them. I love this stone vase, it looks like it has roots.

Here are some simple but crisp shadows I saw in the park yesterday.

Here's a window grill casting a lovely shadow, up by the Place de Tertre.

This afternoon I was wondering where I could find some more interesting shadows and decided to go to the Cimetière de Montmartre. I figured that with all the elaborate wrought iron and stone details on the tomb stones I would find good shadows. I was not disappointed.

Here, have some roses.

In a city like Paris, you also get shadows at night.

And in the playground, if you look carefully, you can find some odd little monsters.

Le Bois de Boulogne

We had gorgeous weather this Saturday, temperatures went up to a heady 23°C. In honour of this delight we went to the Bois de Boulogne to try and make the most of it. I learnt recently that it's pretty easy to get there by metro to Porte Dauphine, line 2. From there it's just a short walk to get into the Bois, admittedly crossing a few busy roads, but it's really not so bad. Once your in, you get the feeling you're in the country side, especially if you manage to edit out the distant hum of traffic. My daughter suggested brightly "I know, we just need to imagine that the hum of cars is actually the roar of a nearby river...et voila!" So that's what we did. Here's the first part of our walk before you get to the lake. The leaves are just opening and there is an intense green glow wherever you look.

Green, with extra green, and added portions of green.

The trees are still flowering. These flowers smell of honey.

Once we got to the lake we enjoyed the reflections. And more green.

Occasionally we saw a burst of pink.

If you want to feed the ducks this is the way to do it, rather than bread give them little patches of seeded grass.

And in case you get nostalgic for Paris, don't worry, you can still get your fix.