Theme Day : sister city

Our theme day for the 1st of September isSister City(ies) and I must say that I had no idea who Paris was the sister of until now. Wikipedia helped me discover that Paris has one and only sister: Rome, in Italy. The family ties must not be very strong though as I'm sure nobody knows that here and we do not hear much about exchanges or cross activities with Rome in the local news... One thing I discovered though: Parisians can visit city owned museums for free in Rome, providing they show their ID. Isn't that cool? Anyway, like always, pay a visit to all "sister city daily photo blogs", 148 are taking part in the game this month!

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Adelaide, Australia by Gordon, American Fork (UT), USA by Annie, Arradon, France by Alice, Aspen (CO), USA by IamMBB, Auckland, New Zealand by Lachezar, Aurora, South Africa by shelagh, Avignon, France by Nathalie, Bandung, Indonesia by Harry Makertia, Bandung, Indonesia by Eki Akhwan, Bandung, Indonesia by Bunyamin, Barrow-in-Furness, UK by Enitharmon, Belgrade, Serbia by Bibi, Bellefonte (PA), USA by Barb-n-PA, Bogor, Indonesia by Gagah, Brighton, UK by Harvey, Brookville (OH), USA by Abraham, Bucharest, Romania by Malpraxis, Budapest, Hungary by Zannnie and Zsolt, Budapest, Hungary by Isadora, Buenos Aires, Argentina by Karine, Busan, Korea South by iamnbinb, Canterbury, UK by Rose, Cavite, Philippines by Steven Que, Château-Gontier, France by Laurent, Chateaubriant, France by Bergson, Chateaubriant, France by trieulet, Cheltenham, UK by Marley, Chennai, India by Shantaram, Chennai, India by Ram N, Christchurch, New Zealand by Michelle, Coral Gables (FL), USA by Jnstropic, Darmstadt, Germany by Elsch, Edinburgh, UK by Dido, Edmonton (AL), Canada by , Evry, France by Olivier, Geneva (IL), USA by Kelly, Glasgow, Scotland by Jackie, Gothenburg, Sweden by Lo/David, Grenoble, France by Bleeding Orange, Hanoi, Vietnam by Jérôme, Helsinki, Finland by Kaa, Helsinki, Finland by PPusa, Hobart, Australia by Greg, Honningsvag, Norway by J., Hyde, UK by Old Hyde, Hyde, UK by Gerald, Istanbul, Turkey by mustafa34, Jefferson City (MO), USA by Chinamom2005, Jerusalem, Israel by Esther, Karwar, India by Yogesh, Katonah (NY), USA by Inkster1, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by Edwin, Kyoto, Japan by Tadamine, Lakewood (OH), USA by mouse, Las Vegas (NV), USA by Mo, Lisbon, Portugal by Sailor Girl, London, UK by Ham, London, UK by Mo, Madrid, Spain by Tr3nta, Mainz, Germany by JB, Manila, Philippines by Anthony, Mashhad, Iran by Meead, Menton, France by Jilly, Mexico City, Mexico by Poly, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Greg, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Mitch, Misawa, Japan by misawa mama, Monte Carlo, Monaco by Jilly, Monterrey, Mexico by rafa, Muizenberg, South Africa by Pentaxjunkie, Mumbai, India by MumbaiiteAnu, Nashville (TN), USA by Chris, Nelson, New Zealand by Meg and Ben, New Delhi, India by Delhi Photo Diary, New Orleans (LA), USA by steve buser, New York City (NY), USA by Kitty, New York City (NY), USA by Ming the Merciless, New York City (NY), USA by • Eliane •, Newport News (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Nice, France by Angelaj, Norwich, UK by Goddess888, Orlando (FL), USA by OrlFla, Palos Verdes (CA), USA by tash, Paris, France by Elsa, Paris, France by Eric, Pasadena (CA), USA by Can8ianben, Pensacola (FL), USA by P J, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia by Murphy_jay, Petoskey (MI), USA by Christie, Philadelphia (PA), USA by Andrew Foderaro, Phoenix (AZ), USA by Sharon, Pilisvörösvár, Hungary by Elise, Port Angeles (WA), USA by Jelvistar, Portland (ME), USA by Corey, Portsmouth (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Prague, Czech Republic by Honza03, Ramsey, Isle of Man by babooshka, Rancho Palos Verdes (CA), USA by Sarah Adams, Riga, Latvia by Riga Photos, Rouen, France by Bbsato, Saarbrücken, Germany by LadyDemeter, Saigon, Vietnam by Simon, Saint Louis (MO), USA by Strangetastes, Saint Paul (MN), USA by Kate, Salem (OR), USA by jill, San Diego (CA), USA by Felicia, San Francisco (CA), USA by Burd Zel Krai, Schenectady (NY), USA by Buck, Seattle (WA), USA by Kim, Seattle (WA), USA by Chuck, Selma (AL), USA by RamblingRound, Seoul, South Korea by Phil, Sesimbra, Portugal by Aldeia, Setúbal, Portugal by Maria Elisa, Sharon (CT), USA by Jenny, Singapore, Singapore by Zannnie, Singapore, Singapore by Keropok, Sofia, Bulgaria by Antonia, South Pasadena (CA), USA by Laurie, Springfield (IL), USA by Aubrey, Stanwood (WA), USA by MaryBeth, Stayton (OR), USA by Celine, Stockholm, Sweden by Stromsjo, Subang Jaya, Malaysia by JC, Sunshine Coast, Australia by bitingmidge, Sydney, Australia by Sally, Sydney, Australia by Julie, Sydney, Australia by Ann, Tamarindo, Costa Rica by David, Tel-Aviv, Israel by Olga, Telluride (CO), USA by mtsrool, Tempe (AZ), USA by angie, Terrell (TX), USA by Bstexas, Tokyo, Japan by Tadamine, Torino, Italy by Fabrizio, Torun, Poland by Glenn, Turin, Italy by Livio, Vienna, Austria by G_mirage2, Villigen, Switzerland by z, Virginia Beach (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Wailea (HI), USA by Kuanyin, Washington (DC), USA by D.C. Confidential, Wellington, New Zealand by Jeremyb, West Paris (ME), USA by crittoria, West Sacramento (CA), USA by Barbara, Weston (FL), USA by WestonDailyPhoto, Willits (CA), USA by Elaine, Yardley (PA), USA by Mrlynn,

Cool Graffiti

OK, after yesterday's story, I think we all need to come back down to earth! Down to earth is exactly where this boy is actually sitting, - or more accurately, on the sidewalk, right at the bottom of an apartment building located in the northern part of the 17th arrondissement (rue La Condamine). I thought this graffiti was really cool. It was made by a pretty famous street artist called Jeff Aerosol (Aerosol means spray paint in French). BTW: I'll keep you posted if I hear from Manu and Smitha ;~)

Rings a bell?

In France, on the day of Easter around noon, kids are told to search for eggs (generally made of chocolate) in the garden of their house (or on the balcony if they live in an apartment!). These eggs are supposed to have been brought back by bells that just returned from a short trip to Rome (home of the Vatican) to be blessed by the Pope... Yeah, right! Anyway, I don't know if kids buy it, but they certainly love this little treasure hunt! These bells belong to Saint Ferdinand's church, located off the avenue des Ternes, in the 17th arrondissement. First time I noticed these bells actually... Today (Monday) is still a holiday here by the way ;)

Higher and higher

How about a little jump into the sky? These skate boarders never cease to amaze me, I must say. I would love to do this! I took this photo in the same park where I took the windmill photo - the one called Paris Texas. They installed several skate board facilities there and teenagers love them. Hope your Easter week-end goes well, here it's freezing cold...

Paris Texas?

I know this does not really look like Paris France, but I swear I did take this photo here! This windmill actually belongs to new gardens, located in the northern part of the 17th arrondissement, on former premises of the SNCF (the national train company). These new gardens are very environment friendly, hence the presence of this windmill used to drain water. If you're interested in visiting them, the access to these gardens is located by the rue Cardinet.

Tit for tat!

I also took this photo Saturday, a little before the anti Scientology demonstration started. I was sitting at a restaurant terrace enjoying a Caesar salad (yes, some French restaurant have Caesar salad on their menu!) when I saw the clown you can see in the background of the photo. I grabbed my camera, zoomed in and discovered that this guy was actually taking a photo towards my direction. We exchanged glances through our lenses and could not help smiling. I bet he has a photo of me in his camera!

Science Defiance

On Friday, a colleague of mine sent me a note saying: "check this, they're having an anti Scientology demonstration on Saturday, isn't that a good photo opportunity for PDP?" I was a bit doubtful, but today the weather was nice, it was in my old neighborhood (Les Batignolles), so I decided to give it a shot. And I did! Let's face it, I don't think the Church of Scientology may be threatened in any way by these people, but it still makes a cool photo!

George who?

When it comes to home made coffee in Europe you can be sure that a Nespresso machine is not very far. Nespresso (a brand of Nestlé) is a huge success here: almost 1.5 million machines and 2,3 billion capsules sold and18% of the capsule machine market. All this success is due to the good quality of the coffee of course, but also the advertising campaign which stars George Clooney. From what I read though, Americans will never see this campaign as George refuses to "spoil" his image "at home"! Click here to see the television and movie theater version.

Girls talk!

When I saw these two ladies, I could not help thinking of my childhood, when my mother used to chat for 5 minutes with some ladies of the neighborhood on her way to her daily grocery shopping ;) I photographed them in the middle of Parc Monceau, a park located in the richest part of the 17th arrondissement (the 17th arrondissement is broken into a rich part and a poorer one). On its western and eastern sides there are two of the most exclusive avenues of Paris (Avenue Velasquez and Van Dyck) where the price of real estate has no limit!

Giant Rugby Players!

Odd isn't? How did they manage to stick these players on this building? Is that come kind of projection? Or a mock up, the size of a doll house? Nothing of the kind... In fact the whole scene , including the building behind the players, is fake! That is painted on a giant plastic canvas. They do that a lot in Paris when they need to redo a building and don't want the people to see the work. I love them.

Hockey on the sidewalk

Yesterday evening, I went to a business party on the Porte Maillot, in the Nort/west part of Paris and when I walked out the building I came across a bunch of hockey players. This was quite unexpected and everybody was looking at them. I did too and could not help taking pictures - dozens of pictures! I ended up picking this one for today because of the "vibrating effect".