Pompidou Centre

This chap, just seemed to be saying 'here it is, go feast your eyes, enjoy. I think he told me he was just doing it for the pleasure of sharing one of his city's delights / treasures.

That must be the main entrance where most of the people are gathered.

Once inside it was down a level where this spiral pattern caught the eye.

So let's turn this into a reflective selfie - and I cropped out the fire extinguisher

Barb chose to wait downstairs whilst Jeantine and I went up the various levels to explore the displays. Pigeon park. I can't recall what level this was on, an outdoor area near one of the restaurants in the complex.

Photo by Jeantine of me in the Picasso room. We obviously had purchased our French caps at this stage.

and Jeantine departing the Picasso room

Then we chanced upon a guided tour and caught some of the details (but not retained)

The children did not appear to be as interested as the adults

Back outside to view a sculpture area - and observe the people. I see the Eiffel Tower in the background and La Défense (French: [la de.fɑ̃s] a major business district just west of the city of Paris

1:09PM This must've been when Jeantine and I took a break for lunch. We managed to get a seat for drinks rather than a full lunch menu but were initially seated in the hot sun. Then one of wait staff found us a shaded spot. We had tried to get Barb to come up to join us, however she was happy to stay where was on the ground / first floor mezzanine area. After refreshments, and knowing Cody's interest in Jack Kerouac, we thought we better visit that display.

Photo by Jeantine.
Jack Kerouac was part of the 'Beat Generation' exhibition and there lots of moving images - a variety of audio visual reflecting those times And this is / was real film in an endless loop

The 'Beat Generation' poster on the outside - meanwhile, moving to the outside 'walls' of glass and steel

Great photo opportunities from being able to look down on parts of Paris

Then, after finding Barb waiting at that first level, we made our way back outside and back to the Stravinsky Fountain where we posed for photos

Notre-Dame de Paris and the Pompidou Centre

Next day we were at the Notre Dame at 10:15, with people outside looking up

Cropping in tightly

Notre-Dame de Paris meaning "Our Lady of Paris"), also known as Notre-Dame Cathedral or simply Notre-Dame, is a medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité in the fourth arrondissement of Paris, France. The cathedral is widely considered to be one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture, and is among the largest and most well-known church buildings in the world. The naturalism of its sculptures and stained glass are in contrast with earlier Romanesque architecture.
Then on April 15, 2019 came the devastating fire ...

And while peoople were busy taking photographs - behind them was a car been taken away. Was this a reflection of tighter security after the truck attack in Nice the night before?

It wasn't only a van being towed but bicycles were being checked at the barrier on the nearby street.

We had decided to opt out of going inside the Cathederal and find someplace nearby for brunch

We thought we would try crepes for brunch - and - it was OK
Le Parvis, 3, Rue D'Arcole 75004 Paris. Table 10, 16 Jul 2016
2 Cafe Creme 9.00
1 25cl Jus de fruit 4.30
1 Crepe Speciale 10.80
1 Omelette Vegetarienne 9.80
2 Crepe Citron Frais 9.60.
Total with 10% TVA = Euro 43.50

10:32am - while waiting for our crepes, there was time for street observations and it was obviously too early to be busy at the restaurants

Meantime the street was a constant flow of people heading for the Notre-Dame. After our crepes we were off walking to a special candle shop established in 1643.

This couple, her with a Yoko Ono look, caught my eye. Then I found they were right outside the candle store that Jeantine was heading - and I saw later, the sign above the couple

The same couple through the window of the candle shop, Maison Trudon

How many shades of grey

A mother looks while the daughter decides (seen in the reflection)

While the women were happily browsing in the scented store, I was just outside looking at the street

Not too many pedestrians

This store owner obviously knows the Doors songs

The new among the old and the next place Jeantine was taking us to.

What a contrast to the style of buildings of the neighbourhood

Almost there

Then we were in a public square with seating steps and off at one end the Stravinsky Fountain - to help distract the kids perhaps?


There was a story in The Guardian about the Pompidou Centre's 40th Anniversary

Sacré-Cœur Basilica

After a short break it was across town to catch the sunset at Sacré-Cœur Basilica

Lots of people milling around, there was even a guy showing his skills with a football, keeping it in the air with his head, shoulders, feet, knees etc. I can't recall if I noticed a donation bucket or not but he had people fascinated with their cameras clicking.

Reserving a spot on the grass before it got too crowded around sunset
The building catching just a little sunlight, in front of the guy in white - is that the same building as shown in this photo of mine from 1963.

Perhaps not, the windows look different.

But zooming in on the background we see ...


And in the 1963 photo - also with a lamp post in the foreground

8:13pm

8:17pm, walking to a restaurant that Jeantine had tried before on the chance we would get a table and be dined in time to return to the sunset.

8:58pm. The Grand 8. The maitre-d had personality and the meal was beautifully prepared. — with Jeantine Mankelow and Barbara Mankelow.

After dinner it was back out to the view over Paris from the Basilica 9:49pm

9:50pm and posing for a photo

9:51pm, at the going down of the sun, a gathering of people

And to get high enough to not have the railing in the foreground, you seek some elevated footing

9:58pm, no railing in the photo but, a TV aerial

10:00pm, and there is the railing

10:06pm, and the moon is up. Better go inside the Basilica

And there was a service underway. It felt like we were eavesdropping or being nosey

Light patterns and curves caught my eye

More light patterns

10:18 pm Heading outside and there is the moon. Barb and Jeantine (with iPhone) in the left foreground

10:25pm, people out enjoying the evening at Montmartre and time for us to catch the Metro back to our Montparnasse base

Just thinking I didn't see any icecream stand up at Sacré-Cœur in July 2016. Nor do I recall seeing buses up there, perhaps, as at Mt. Eden in Auckland, it has got too busy and too crowded.

Although ...

there were cars up there