Heads Down for H2O

Paris iPhone Photo Chronicles ~ Heads Down For H2O ~

Heads Down for H2O, originally uploaded by Paris Set Me Free.

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Since I know you just LOVE IT when I post pictures and stories about weird old drain covers here on Paris & I, I'm sure you'll be delighted with my latest find.

Check it out; for connoisseurs you'll recognise the good old PAM bridge logo. PAM stands for Pont-à-Mousson, which is an old steel-working community which saw very heavy fighting during the two world wars. That's not what were talking about it here for though, not the fighting, that is.

If you look around you, or more accurately below you as you wander the Paris streets you'll see hundred of draincovers with Pont à Mousson or simply PAM cast into them along with the famously coveted bridge.

What we see above though is interesting for about one and a half reasons. The half reason is that it's dispensed with any mention of the company, acronym or otherwise. But the real reason I find this little disc, embedded in the ground of the Tuileries gardens as any Parisian dirt afficionado would have told you, interesting is the word that is written upon it: agua.

Which would be Castilian for water if I'm not mistaken. Intriguing. In such a patriotic, if not chauvinistic country as France (listen to any recent election speech if you don't believe me) it's surprising to see a French company using Spanish on material destined for the erstwhile playground of kings and queens.

Anyway, that's my story, for what it is. I can only suppose they did a job lot on some access covers destined for the Spanish market and these were the castovers which they had to do something with, so here they are.

Unless it was all part of a much more sinister underground takeover plot by the Spanish starting with a poisoning of the city's water supply. Being useless at French their local conspirators are helping them out in their own language.

No, you're right, it's probably not that at all, but as I always say: it's amazing what you find in this place if you keep your head down.

And why not...

J è  GRAB MY 20 AMAZING PARIS CURIOSITIES FREE NOW!  ç J

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© 2012 Sab Will / Paris Set Me Free - Contact me directly for photo tours, interviews, exhibitions, etc.

Got My Eiffel Mojo Workin'

Paris iPhone Photo Chronicles ~ Got My Eiffel Mojo Working ~

Got My Eiffel Mojo Workin', originally uploaded by Paris Set Me Free.

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Guess which bridge? Did you get it? Pont des Arts. My photo client was fascinated to hear the story of these things, the locks, the vows, the flying keys and associated paraphernalic tryst trash, err, I mean tokens.

Forgive my cynicism, I'm getting old, and deep down I still love the idea. And I still love Lady Eiffel too. In fact, bizarrely, this photo above actually sums up my relationship with Paris pretty well: chained to the city's romantic centre through the heart of its iconic symbol. Not bad.

I heard somewhere recently that after a certain number of failed relationships ending in great pain, the part of our brain which deals with these feelings eventually says 'Sod this!' or chemical reactions to that effect and shuts down our 'soppy relationship feelings' nerve centre.

We effectively become less able to feel or express deep love through our own brains - err, that's us, right - protecting us from ourselves and our own painful emotions. Which is goooooddd, kind of, but it also makes a bit colder as well as older, which is kind of a shame.

Anyway, I don't know where I'm going with this, other, perhaps, than to say that I'm trying to become aware of this and get a bit more expressive in my relationships again, after a certain chilly bitterness has set in. Which isn't much pleasant for anyone. Love ya Paris. Love ya friends and family. Love ya readers, love sloppy romantic tryst weavers, love y'all, y'hear!

And why not...

J è  GRAB MY 20 AMAZING PARIS CURIOSITIES FREE NOW!  ç J

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© 2012 Sab Will / Paris Set Me Free - Contact me directly for photo tours, interviews, exhibitions, etc.

Everything Must Go

Paris iPhone Photo Chronicles ~ Everything Must Go ~

Everything Must Go, originally uploaded by Paris Set Me Free.

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In these days of austerity and frugality and threats of a domino effect bail/kick out of the eurozone, one wonders what you can actually buy for the base unit of several hundred million people's currency these days, that humble little coin: the euro itself.

As you can see here, it'll get you a small bottle of water from a Romanian on the Pont des Arts which probably cost him around 15 centimes or less from one of the cheapo supermarkets all over town.

It can still get you a croissant, and a baguette of course, from most, but not all boulangeries as the trend for going up market and up budget continues despite the recession.

It might get you a macaroon of some sort, and there are packets of crisps and chocolate bars which still fall below the €1 mark although a diminishing number of them. The cheapest of the cheap beers can be had for this, again from a supermarket though, and a petit noir, i.e. the smallest of the small coffees you can buy from a café or tabac, can still just about be had at this symbolic price point. You'd better not try sitting down and getting someone to bring it to you though; that could almost double the price of your concentrated tar in a blink!

Magnetic numbers, two of each from 0 to 9, plus the arithmetic operators, in incredibly low quality plastic were among the myriad items of, on the whole, utter crap populating an 'Everything-A-Euro' market stall I passed the other day.

And, joy of joys, if you want to be a despicable unpatriotic traitor you could frequent the fleet-footed young African gentlemen who hover around the Eiffel Tower and Sacré Coeur touting keyrings of my favourite French icon at 4 for a €1 or 13 for €3 - a bargain if you ask me, considering the inflated prices asked by the 'official' souvenir shops and stalls preying on tourists' unsuspecting wallets. Kitch postcards and other knick-knacks fall into the same category.

A US dollar could still be on the shopping list, although a British pound certainly couldn't, nor could a litre of petrol - those were the days... I could go on, but you get the idea.

It doesn't look like we'll be the first to leave the Eurozone here in France, Marine Le Pen not having quite as much influence as she'd like despite her impressive showing in the first round of the presidential elections at nearly 20% of the votes cast.

So I still think fondly of the good old euro which came into play just as I was moving to Greece to get married and divorced, and boy were they proud of their adoption and membership of the common currency then. Unfortunately, some of the things which makes the country and its people so alluring and quaint, such as smoking in government offices and bureaucratic entanglements to make French fonctionnaires weep and chilling in clubs until 5 in the morning and priests in parliament and driving like lunatics also hurts its efficiency and competitiveness, and we're seeing the results of that now.

That'll do. I considered putting a Paypal button here asking for a nominal contribution of... did you guess... as a symbol of your recognition for the efforts I put into writing these pieces for you, but with a minimum commission of over a euro per transaction, well, you do the math and watch me get kicked out of the blogosphere faster than a scruffy Sassenach being booted out of ethereal Ellatha ;~S

And why not...

J è  GRAB MY 20 AMAZING PARIS CURIOSITIES FREE NOW!  ç J

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© 2012 Sab Will / Paris Set Me Free - Contact me directly for photo tours, interviews, exhibitions, etc.

Of Stones & Smiles

Paris iPhone Photo Chronicles ~ Of Stones & Smiles ~

Of Smiles And Statues, originally uploaded by Paris Set Me Free.

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A lot of people make a lot, and often not such a lot, of money doing a lot of weird and wild and woeful things. Like actors and dancers and surfers and soldiers and waiters and cleaners and stock brokers and surgeons, not in any particular order...

This guy doughs his face, dons white and sits there doing absolutely nothing at all. With aplomb. Until someone gives him money, at which point... he smiles. This financial contribution to someone doing nothing, followed by his reaction, which is the HUGE reward of a smile because of your modest donation... makes you smile, and hence feel you've got your money's worth.

Not bad work if you can get it. The only problem is... you have to do nothing, and I'm not sure I could manage that.

I suppose you could say that he is doing, or has at least done something a little out of the ordinary, by getting dressed up as a statue and sitting preternaturally still, otherwise why on earth give him money in the first place? And the anticipation of something enjoyable happening must also be a motivating factor. And apparently something enjoyable does happen.

I got a dog recently and some say we should model ourselves on dogs. Why? Because they are one of the very few animals which earn their living by doing nothing much at all, or at least not much productive, like this guy above. But not quite nothing, that's the thing. They do actually give us excitement and woofs and wagging tails each time they see us, which for some reason makes us want to give them shelter and food and strokes and cuddles and rabies shots and the very best doggie treats.

Err, so I think the moral of this piece is 'smile more', and even if it isn't, that sounds pretty good to me. Just watch out for glazed-over-eye guys in white coats bearing bones in one hand and big needles in the other...

And why not...

J è  GRAB MY 20 AMAZING PARIS CURIOSITIES FREE NOW!  ç J

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© 2012 Sab Will / Paris Set Me Free - Contact me directly for photo tours, interviews, exhibitions, etc.

Baguette Bingo

Paris iPhone Photo Chronicles ~ Baguette Bingo ~

Baguette Bingo, originally uploaded by Paris Set Me Free.

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More hygienic, doubtless; more impersonal also. Here in a Montmartre bakery the human touch is no more, literally speaking in any case.

The idea is that having ordered your baguettes, sandwiches or fancy cakes you put your money into this machine indicating the amount due and out pops your change: bingo!

It only accepts coins, so there's still the chance of a slight finger brush as you had over a note. Nor have they installed an automated distribution system or conveyor belt rotating the goods like in a trendy sushi or tapas bar so the order still has to be passed over what's left of the counter manually...

Whether all this represents progress really depends on your definition of good service. The aim must be increased throughput without the usual fiddling around with grubby coins, and improved hygiene into the bargain. But what's lost is a certain feeling of proximity and amicality which is such a treasured commodity these austere and automated days.

Of course this particular boulangerie has more than its fair share of tourists and perhaps the personal touch is less of a consideration than in some, but still, must that be an excuse?

Given the choice, I think, when all's said and done, I'd rather wait a little longer, watch the shop girl 'doing the math', possibly exchange a friendly word and then savour the precious moment when the deal is done, the bounty collected and the sordid financial aspect of it all softened by a fleeting fleshy touch.

And why not...

J è  GRAB MY 20 AMAZING PARIS CURIOSITIES FREE NOW!  ç J

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© 2012 Sab Will / Paris Set Me Free - Contact me directly for photo tours, interviews, exhibitions, etc.

Traces Of Love, Obviously

Paris iPhone Photo Chronicles ~ Traces Of Love, Obviously ~

Traces Of Love, Obviously, originally uploaded by Paris Set Me Free.

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Probably already posted a similar image here - as the months turn into years they're all starting to meeuurrggeee into one... - but not recently I think.

And anyway, it's always been one of my favourites. This from a photo tour I did yesterday on the slopes of Montmartre.

Always surprising how few people know about the 'I love you' wall, where this simple phrase is written in a huge number of languages, and visitors amuse themselves by rooting out their own and having their photos taken pointing at it and giggling... lovely, evidently.

You can check out my in-depth interview with the great guy (Jean Marc Paumier ~ Rue Meurt d'Art) who did the artwork you see above the 'official' wall which has now become an integral part of the experience, which would be immeasurably poorer without it.

Just for the record, there used to be another piece before Rita Hayworth - Ava Gardner I think - and you can see evidence of her passing in the picture above. She was leaning on a small table if that helps you work out the antishadow.

Funny how nothing lasts but often leaves traces nevertheless, at least for a season or two...

And why not...

J è  GRAB MY 20 AMAZING PARIS CURIOSITIES FREE NOW!  ç J

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© 2012 Sab Will / Paris Set Me Free - Contact me directly for photo tours, interviews, exhibitions, etc.

Ding Ding, Round One

Paris iPhone Photo Chronicles ~ Ding Ding; Round One ~

Ding Ding, Round One, originally uploaded by Paris Set Me Free.

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Ancient and modern, classic and contemporary sit pretty well fore and aft in this city of tradition and seemingly ever-seething turmoil.

Take one of those several cute little Paris churches which look like they should be in some sleepy forgotten village somewhere and contrast it with a sculpture of a woman whose face suggests she's recently been in a very bad car accident, or simply has a penchant for boxing, and the scene is set for a typically Parisian paradoxical perspective.

Audacity on a far smaller scale than the pyramid affronting the Louvre or Buren giving the column to the Palais Royal of course, but still striking.

Modern sculpture seems to work particularly well when backdropped by something, well, old. The juxtaposition serves it well and Paris is adept at spotting these opportunities and exploiting them to the full.

I have a dream. And that dream is to create a sculpture consisting of intermingling cubes of some sort or other, huge and heavy, material undecided, and place it somewhere significant in this city of ours. Obviously you simply need to follow this blog to find out if I ever do, although it may be a few years down the line yet.

I've seen weirder ideas, like that guy wheeling a crude cardboard and sticky tape version of the statue of liberty through Saint Germain des Prés. And if he can do that, my cubes needn't be far behind. That's my dream, and it ain't square...

And why not...

J è  GRAB MY 20 AMAZING PARIS CURIOSITIES FREE NOW!  ç J

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© 2012 Sab Will / Paris Set Me Free - Contact me directly for photo tours, interviews, exhibitions, etc.