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Wow! Tower Eiffel! What it means to you?! I’m standing right now is near the Jardin du Trocadéro, Av des Nations in front of the Pont d’léna, one of the best viewing angle to Tower Eiffel. Why am I here instead of up up on the tower?...It’s not in my itinerary, besides, if you still remember, I’ve finished my apple there, at the foot of the tower, good enough this time :P
Back to the question and what is your answer? An icon of France? A romantic spot for lovers? A must go in a life time tourist spot?....you name it. One of my friend told me that when she traveled to Paris with her husband years ago, in her memory after returned to Hong Kong, Eiffel, Eiffel, Eiffel...almost every corner in Paris could see...a bit “tired” of it’s existing, everywhere, every minute.
She was right, you’ll never miss Eiffel, day or night, there is always a trace to discover it in my photos. But it’s also amazing when you see how it “interact” to the surrounding, a lot more rather than simply an icon.
When I took this picture, just because of a very straight forward desire to capture the chaotic elements all appear in the same frame. I didn't recognize there was a man somewhere “resting? or...”at the bottom of the bridge, another element in the photo, that’s all.
But when I’ve
returned Hong Kong, to zoom in each photos as my usual practice to explore
more, the contrast of “flourishing” above
vs the “hollowness “ below in this photo, I was engaged. It reminds me the
other day early in the morning, a “yellow spot” drawn my attention...
He was working silently, full of concentration without any facial expression, as usual without being aware by any passengers who were hurrying to work. I stared at this scenario for a while, splash of rain falling onto my face...the exact feeling on the bridge...
When I arrived Paris on the first day, I asked my hotel driver wasn't she happy to live here, so she could visit the Louvre, Tower Eiffel, Jardins...,etc at any time she want? She told me, it’s because you are a tourist, I am not, I’ve never visited the Louvre, too much to do for a living, for my family...the exact feeling at the fountain...
Tower Eiffel, what it really means to us?!
Rotunda is very common in Paris, some are in the park, on the square or around the corner of the street; most of them are near the famous tourist spot, such as Hôtel de Ville, Tower Eiffel...,etc. You can imagine how wonderful the scenery will be under star night, blossom of cherry in Spring, Autumn burst golden leaves or in the soft white snow of Christmas...post card shot, right?
It’s also enjoyable to watch those lovely kids riding with interesting facial expressions, some are excited, a little bit scare while the turn is moving away from their parents, but a sudden burst of smile when they are once appear in front of them; they all become prince & princess within minutes living happily ever after...
I still remember when I was some where at Saint-Paul, after a long walk without having any lunch, I quickly grab a lemon pie & espresso from a boulangerie, eating in front of a rotunda at the street corner; the weather is cloudy & cold, but with it’s vintage colour decorative light bulb, pinkish apple like smiling faces on pastel wooden horses, I feel so warm, what an unforgettable moment.
Merry-go-round,
a more familiar name in my childhood, time flies...
There are numerous messages delivered from graffiti, poster or sticker found on the street here, in Paris. I am sure there will be some trace of the “yellow vest” - mouvement des gilets jaunes; a chaos agitated by the increase of fuel tax. My new friend Li, who studied & working here for over 18 years, she told me that actually the amount increased was minimal, but demonstration/ protest/ strike whatever we call are frequently happen in France, i.e.: they get used to & nothing to be afraid of.
Liberté (Freedom),
Égalité (Equality), Fraternité (fraternity / brotherhood), ou la mort (or
death*) - is the “national motto” of France. There may be still argument of
whether the Declaration of the Rights of Man & of the Citizen on 26 August
1789 should include all of them in exact wordings, especially the last one; but no matter how, it’s
originated in the French Revolution. The Tricolor flag of France are embodying
all the principle of the Revolution- Liberté (Blue), Égalité (white) and
Fraternité (Red).
So, who is
Komitas? A statue that I’ve seen in Jardin d’Erevan. I don’t know who he was? But the
form of statue clearly tells me it is not a display of an art piece, something
serious,... to remember.
“ en Hommage a
Komitas
Comositeur, musicologue
et aus
1500000 victimes
du génocide arménien de 1915
perpetre dans L‘empire ottoman“
If we are thinking of the War Crime, Holocaust- Jewish was the first comes into our mind; but there is another one, Genocide- Armenian.
Komitas was the survivor in this genocide, he was an Armenian priest, composer, a super talented musicologist, founder of the Armenian national school of music. If he didn’t collected & transcribed over 3000 pieces of Armenian folk music during his work in life time, the cultural heritage of Armenia will be vanished together with the genocide, no one will even remember the existing of this history.
To Komitas, although he could survive after released from concentrate camp, the shadow of death together with his fear of losing his lifetime work in Armenian music that finally drove him nuts, he was transferred to stay in Paris where his friend was there... but weakness & insane were the only melody left in his last years, who died in 1935.
I have to
admit that I am quite lost & depress while preparing this post, when I’ve
watched the film online “Music to Madness (The Story of Komitas)” , in order to
find who he was? The unfold of history was intolerable, up to this moment, I can’t
find an “excuse” for “human” to expel/ destroy a nation and I am not intend to
find one.
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Hi, Hi!
What a super hot summer in Hong Kong right now, let's have some reading under the sun...or in your comfy air conditioned corner with a smoothie or ice coffee :P
The sixth book of Petit Paris series was released yesterday, you can say it do has some relationship with book 4 Jardins Secret & book 5 Point Zéro . You may aware there is an arrangement, not intentionally at the very beginning, but developed as time goes by:-
Book 1 - Pont Neuf......explore Paris
Book 2 - Entrée Sortie......explore Museums
Book 3 - Chat Noir......explore Belle épogue
Book 4- Jardins Secret......explore Gardens......reminding Friends & Families
Book 5- Point Zéro......breathtaking Churches......reminding Faith & People
Book 6- Hear me......"listen" to graffiti & the silent voices......reminding the Be-forgotten
Book 7....?
I've always has some difficulties to tell my friends what the genre of my book should be, because it consist of photograph, painting, song like text, a mixture of three but not quite definite as Photography, Arts or Poetry; so I will usually say it is my "sketch book" 公仔書 as I will describe in Cantonese - a sketch book of all my experience and thoughts to express through these three "channels".
It's always enjoyable while writing, to recap a lot of my pleasure during the trip, the amazing moment of different hours in a long day, them - peoples that flash into my mind! By the end of the book, I may be lost or sad somehow, but never give up Hope!
Two more books to finish in the year of 2021, I wish you can continue to walk through this journey with me, until the end of next year. Let's see what would Petit Paris lead us to...?!
I love walking, street, alley, riverside, local stalls...although it will drain off all my energy at the end, almost every night when I’ve returned to the hotel; but walking is really the most enjoyable activity in Paris, I can adjust my momentum wherever I like, “freeze” ......when attractions like this.
Texture & colour are the highlights which draw me close, all of the unknown fonts are transform into beautiful graphics; but in fact they do mean something for the specific group of persons or individuals in a specific moment.
Sometimes it’s sad to find them being painted on the public facilities, especially onto the heritage architectures which did shock me in the first place because I thought the citizens here do treasure them more than balustrade, mansion doors, pavement, post box...,etc. But when I walk along to discover more & more of them, I start to understand a bit more of their anger, the only way to express their accusation of being ignored by the government? the empowered? for months...years...?