Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Like mustard after the meal

I know it's been two weeks now since we dashed over to Paris to see MargieCM and her wonderful bunch. Two weeks can look like an eternity, especially after VallyP posted her report the moment we got off the train in Rotterdam (next time wait until we're home safe and sound, ok?).

As usual I got distracted by all sorts of things, but at last here are some pictures I took in Paris.
So now that the meal is over, here is my mustard.
Val's posted the pictures with wonderful people on them, so I am free to do the views of buildings and -of course- canals.

Let's begin with a panoramic view from the window of the appartement they'd rented not too far from the Place des Vosges.

Paris

Then 4 images from the Canal St-Martin, a real navigable canal through the city. This area is something I discovered when I was 17. Since then, others have discovered it as well - to my regret, but then I can't blame them. The area is just magical, especially the parts you don't see, because over a distance of 2.2km / 1.4M, the canal is invisible from above. On top there is a boulevard where people from the neighbourhood go for a stroll, meet acquaintances and play pétanque.

As it is hard to produce images of the invisible, here are a few from the canal where it is visible to the naked eye.

Paris, Canal St-Martin

Paris, Canal St-Martin

Paris, Canal St-Martin

Paris, Canal St-Martin

19 comments:

Anne-Marie said...

But I like mustard! (actually, no, not in real life)

These are stunningly beautiful photos, Koos. Next trip to Paris, I am planning to see this canal for myself. Isn't there also a St Martin's canal in London? (and is St Martin the patron saint of canals, I wonder?)

xx
AM

Koos F said...

Thank you, Anne-Marie.

Being a protestant by birth (like Arie, the skipper's child) I don't know much about saints.
I do know that London has its own beautiful canal called Regents Canal. I don't think I have ever heard of a St-Martin's canal there.

bookworm said...

Hi Koos,

what beautiful pics. I love them. It's a long time ago I stood in Paris. I can't speak the french language. Ha, ha, I get nothing to eat in France.

Hope you feel good.

Love Stefan

Anonymous said...

Really incredibly beautiful, Koosje. There's nothing more to be said. xxx

Maureen said...

These pics are breathtaking.
I wanna go there!

Koos F said...

Three birds, one loving stone: thanks Stefan, Val and Maureen.
If my pictures give people wanderlust, then that's a huge compliment.

Tip: if you click on the picture you are taken to Flickr.com where
- you can view them on the size of your choice, and
- click on 'see where tis photo was taken' to give you an areal view of the exact spot.

Have fun!

Dale said...

Those photos simply took my breath away!

Thank you so much.

Dale said...

You are a wonderful composer, by the way.

Music, through the windows to our soul...

Anne-Marie said...

Koos,
I think you're right- no such canal in London.

I checked out the patron saints- there are 2 St Martins recognised, one being the patron saint of hairdressers, innkeepers and social justice, while the other is linked to beggars, soldiers, tailors and wine growers. St Brendan is the protector of sailors.

* cultural catholic curtsy *

xx
AM

Koos F said...

Thanks for explaining, Anne-Marie. Just goes to show there is a lot to be learned (especially) if you are a protestant ;-)

Koos F said...

I have the framework for a love song dedicated to Dale here. Bear with me, it might take a week or so.

MargieCM said...

Oh wow, Koos, how fabulous! You have really captured the quality of the light, and it makes me quite emotional. i must sit Colin in front of the pooter tonight and show him too.

I'm sorry not to have visited earlier. Been AWOL (body and soul) in a fairly major way of late I'm afraid, and the next three weeks will also be pretty awful as I'm working full time from 8 til around 6, so I'll take this opportunity to say again ...

... that was SOOOOO fantastic to spend that special day with you and Vally, and I really hope that somehow we can all meet up again in the not too distant. (Remember Koos - Australia is VERY PHOTOGENIC.)

M x

boogaloo dude said...

stunning pictures.
(love, Elizabeth)

Koos F said...

Thanks Elizabeth, glad you like them.

MargieCM said...

Koos, a P.S. for you: Maria has a really good post up at the moment about photography, equipment, and "snappers" vs artists. As I put both you and Maria firmly in the latter category, I think you might be interested in what she has to say.

Oh, and I did show your pics to Colin. He loved them, and he too remarked on the light you'd captured. Please tell Vally he loved her tractor too!

Stevie said...

Koos these are so wonderful! you and Ian share a talent for scenic photography... I am hopeless and stick to shooting people... erm... PHOTOGRAPHING people I mean!

grace said...

these pictures are beautiful Koos.
wow!

Koos F said...

First of course a big thank you for so much appreciation.

@Margie. Post Holiday Blues can have many guises - if it's that, and how understandable that would be. As for the photos, they represent so much more than above-average snapshots of Paris. To me they represent a very unexpected super experience with people we had never seen before.

The 'dark side' of me is drawn to Siberia, you know that, but there is a 'light side' too, that can fully appreciate subjects like sunny South-Africa and of course Australia. A matter of time and money, so the journey to Australia will probably happen.

I have read Maria's post about photography and of course I am slightly in awe about it: the ideas, the wording, great.
I see so many things I recognise from my own experience. Enough said for the moment, I think I need to do my own post about the subject of photography.

@Stephanie: maybe there is a link to Ian's photos? I'd like to see.

@Grace: no wonder we are all so fond of you.

Fleur de Bee said...

Hi Koos! Thanks for the email- found you! Those pictures are amazing!! You have always been such a talented photographer. I recall my first look at your blog I was mezmerized by the scenery you took...HA that was wayyyy back. How time flies!

I think YOU need to be the patron saint of canals LOL!

xx-Molly