Three views of Marseilles yesterday. What a glorious day it's been.
Trois vues de Marseille hier dimanche. Mes photos apparaissent dans l'ordre inverse duquel elles ont été prises : Les Goudes vers midi, plages de Vieille Chapelle l'après-midi, promenade du Prado au coucher du soleil. Une journée magnifique.
A typical autumn scene by the river.
Seasonal shot. The weather was bad yesterday.
An unusual view of the famous Pont d'Avignon: my windscreen was scruffy, dusty, filthy but I like this shot just the way it is. shot is my participation to Skywatch Friday: click to see more skies around the world. And to see the Pont d'Avignon under many more angles and lights, click here.
By the water's edge, waiting for a boat passage across the Rhône. In France it is no longer unusual to see a man wearing a pink shirt or sweater. I personally love it. Do men wear pink in your country? Would you?
Red curtains ? There's a theatre below, Les Ateliers d'Amphoux. The large terrace upstairs could almost be a stage. I wouldn't be all that surprised to see an actor appear at the balcony in Commedia dell'arte robe and mask!
Parlez-vous oriental franglais ? I'm not sure what Lounge Orientale food is but I never would have expected hamburgers. This place is located just around the block from a 1500-strong high school (lycée Aubanel) and most patrons are teenagers. World food is on its way.
From my window I saw this lady getting out of her car after she'd parked it. I saw the scene as a graphic composition. Would it have been nicer without the phone lines across ? I believe so but in fact perhaps they're the driving force.
A teenage boy comes out of a posh town house in rue Joseph Vernet and leaves the heavy door ajar - I quickly take a peek inside - what a gorgeous courtyard and staircase ! The father comes out behind, kind to me but chastisising his son for leaving the door open : "The world needs not know what lies behind the facades of our houses, he says! There are ill intentioned people out there you know..." I thank him profusely for the two quick snapshots I was able to take and decide I will refrain from giving the exact address.
Last Sunday you could have thought it was summer. It's so hard to imagine today. Sigh.
Dimanche dernier on se serait presque cru en été. Comme c'est difficile à imaginer aujourd'hui !
Last Sunday, a leisurely afternoon by the water's edge.
Place du Palais, Avignon
Flashback on the big medieval fete that took place on 8 & 9 October. On the Saturday, seven hundred people walked through the streets of Avignon all dressed up in medieval costumes. On the Sunday they ran a full medieval day including a chivalry tournament, a medieval wedding with a large banquet, archery, dances, children's games as weel as workshops where people can practice leather work, medieval cuisine and medecine. I was impressed by the number of participants. I imagine they spend a large part of their free time working on their costumes and practising their roles, trying to stay true to history. Is that a passion that you could share ?
Toujours dans le Parcours de l'Art j'ai adoré les personnages en fil de fer d'Anne Duval. 
Still within the Parcours de l'Art contemporary art exhibition, I truly enjoyed Anne Duval's wire sculptures. This dancing couple was really sweet... but see above, the lover was only a broomstick dressed in a white cloth - the dancing lady's lover is nothing but a dream. Duval's scenes and characters are always sweet, humorous and full of life. See her wonderful 'swimming lesson' and 'precious load' (cycling mum) below ! You'll fin many more of her wire sculptures here on Anne Duval's website.
Do I have a misplaced sense of humour ? When a visitor walked in front of a video installation at Maison Jean Vilar I couldn't help but think of a blowgun shoot in the neck. Thanks to my good friend jb for coming up with "Pain in the neck", the perfect title for this shot. My original title was "sharp attack", not half as good!
Seven hundred people in costumes for the Golden Rose medieval fete last weekend!
Just before dawn, moon setting over the roofs of Avignon.
Same subject as yesterday, same advice given to photographers : "when you think you're close enough, get closer." The child appears to be inside the water tank...
The cube you see below is part of Parcours de l'Art, a contemporary art exhibition which takes places in Avignon each year in October and which I love. Inside the tank is a short red hose with water pouring out. As you've no doubt experienced yourself in your garden or bath tub, water pressure brings a hose to go wild. These random moves are what artist Francis Derussy gives us to contemplate. My approach to this piece has been an advice often given to photographers: "when you think you're close enough, get closer". The result is above : art gives birth to more art.
Seized just before the wind blew the leaf away. Our mistral has been blowing strong for the past three days. Marble pavement, dirty.
Yesterday's underground walkway lead to... a beach!
Le passage souterrain d'hier conduisait... à la plage ! Nous sommes à Bordighera en Italie, tout près de la frontière française. J'y ai retrouvé mon amie Jilly de Menton Daily Photo, nous avons eu grand plaisir toutes les deux à explorer la vieille ville. Profitant des très beaux jours, j'ai aussi pu me baigner deux fois longuement, samedi et dimanche. Un délicieux week-end !
In the haze in the background are Menton, France and Monte Carlo.
How many people can you see in this underground passage ? The answer requires a closer look, doesn't it? Tomorrow I'll show you where this passage leads. In the meantime you can try to guess but the answer comes as quite a surprise, especially since this isn't Avignon but the place I visited last weekend - somewhere down south. Click here for the answer.
Going back in time, we're back on Popes Palace square on the night the big banquet for 500 took place (23 September, see this post). A band playing French songs provided entertainment to guests while they trickled in, found their seats and settled in. I enjoyed their joyful spirit and sense of fun. Worth sharing I think!
Retour en arrière : nous sommes revenus au soir de la Fête de la Gastronomie du 23 septembre dernier, lors du grand banquet sur la place du palais des papes (voir ce billet). Un groupe de musiciens était présent pour animer la soirée, j'ai aimé leur joyeuse énergie. A partager sans modération ! (grâce à MB je sais maintenant que le groupe s'appelle Manu & Co. Vous pouvez les retrouver ici. Merci Michel !)
I congratulated the guitarist on the colour of his shirt matching that of his eyes,
Who says hedgehogs are prickly? See how this one curls up cute and cosy! He was found in a garden in Nice when he was only a baby and rescued by a caring family. His name is Luca.
Continuing on yesterday's post, more photos from inside the former Prison Sainte Anne, soon to become a five star Marriot hotel. Here's the inner courtyard. The jail was closed in 2003 ; I find interesting to see how nature has begun to take over.
En poursuite de mon billet d'hier, d'autres images de l'intérieur de la prison Sainte Anne, maintenant fermée et promise à une transformation en hôtel 5 étoiles de la chaîne Marriot. Voici une des cours intérieures. La prison a fermé en 2003 ; intéressant de voir comment la nature a commencé à reprendre ses droits.
