Back to Place de Tertre

Of course, it is also that I lived there for 23 years, the longer I lived in one place in my life, but it is also one of the most visited tourist places in Paris.

Every time I go back, I find something new, something interesting. To look, to listen to, to shoot.

This time, beside new painters and tourists, there was a great mime but also a good violonist playing before the Sacré Coeur Cathedral. And the light to look at Paris was just wanderfull with spots of sun and shadows but difficult to take a picture of the view - one must go there and see.

More easy is take a corner, like this from place de Tertre.

Mime at Sacre Coeur

There is always something happening on the stairs, under and upper them, before the Sacré Coeur cathedral on top of the Butte Montmartre.

This time, there was a great mime and also a good violoniste a bit farther away, the first kissed the girl's and women's hands, and the second played at my request something with hungarian accents.

Around the square Tertre, we found new painters and the waiters posed nicely for me.

After that, we went down with the Funiculaire and to the Moulin Rouge, where the girls posed for souvenir. They adore to danse, pose, but of course they are still children in their heart liking to play. Dont' we all?

Groupe des moyens Agora

After the great sunday spectacle, there remains hundreds of pictures to process and some great videos that I put yesterday on my Dailymotion web site.

Yesterday, I took the girls from Hunedoara to Butte Montmartre. Each time I go, there are other surpises waiting for us there1

Nice pictures, people, peinters - and this time also a really good mime.

Not only the romanian girls were invited to diner, but taught portugese popular dances: what an energy until 1 in the morning!

Dancing "in the rain" short video

Agora International danse Singing in the Rain
envoyé par julie70

Of course, if you want you may see it also in bigger size.

Dancing in the rain

There were so cute, all of them dancing with (or without) umbrellas and so much energy doing it, and preparing the different choreographies.

How much work goes behind it, to make a few minutes of dance on scene!

All those girls (and some boys) and different numbers we had sunday!

Now, it will be my work to bring all the images and show them to all wanting to remember or to look at them from far away.

But I was not alone. Each time more and more people takes pictures and videos of the spectacle!

Agora international festival

Sunday, young girls (and some boys) from different European countries danced one after other.

Here the young girls from our town.

Lots of pictures taken but also some short videosm that I'll try to send to Dailymotion tomorrow.

We are twin town with Cleybourgh in Scottland, these girls arrived from there directly (here with Agora's sponsor)

Agora international festival

Sunday, young girls (and some boys) from different European countries danced one after other.

Here the young girls from our town.

Lots of pictures taken but also some short videosm that I'll try to send to Dailymotion tomorrow.

We are twin town with Cleybourgh in Scottland, these girls arrived from there directly (here with Agora's sponsor)

Agora international festival

Sunday, young girls (and some boys) from different European countries danced one after other.

Here the young girls from our town.

Lots of pictures taken but also some short videosm that I'll try to send to Dailymotion tomorrow.

We are twin town with Cleybourgh in Scottland, these girls arrived from there directly (here with Agora's sponsor)

The roumanian girs arrived

9 girl dancers with their coreographe, the french director and teacher and a parent arrived from Hunedoara and already made good impressions

Today arrive in Argenteuil from Scottland other dancers and a girl with cornemousse, 'cabaret dancer' girls from Germany and tango dancers from Portugal - together with the children dancers from here, Sunday it will give a wonderful festival!

My PC does not open yet, but I succeded my inscription to the Weight Watchers! Next week, after the dancers return each to their home, it will be time to do something about that too.

So much difference

There can be such a big difference in children's education and comportement before what is happening to them during their life!

Let's give them the liberty to act and enjoy without being afraid to move, to speak up.

Looking at this picture, one girl with wonder on her face, speaking to the men (not visible here) showing the little animal, and the other girl, staying farther and sober, as if just chustised, I am so sorry for her.

But of course, children change so fast - I hope that was for her just a fleeting moment and not how she was obliged to stay all the time.

poppies opens before my eyes !

It was only one open when I have taken them home, a few days ago, and three yesterday evening, but today morning I found them like this: in all stages of their development!

Like magic!

Some buds just opening, some falling already down or already without petals, but also one opening before my eyes!

From the time I begin to take photos of them to the time I finished, it opened more and more!

One can learn and see new things at any age, even after 70!

I'll go, but when?

The lilacs are in buds in my garden. Soon they'll open.

I decided not to hurry, let my son's family go first, then see and decide.

That does not mean I'll not go, but without stepping on their feet, without mixing with their lives and trying to decide for them.

After all, living a few more month near Paris is not so bad!

I'll still continue this blog, once I begun to follow up what will arrive.

Butte Montmartre avec Marco

Back to Paris again, I met Marco from Rome (and flicker photographer) and showed him the places I lived for 22 years and walked often.

Not only those for turists, with people looking and letting be taken a drawing of them, admiring Paris from the hill, but also the very quiet streets around it.

"The Real Montmartre" - told me Marco, who loves three cities the most: Rome where he was born and lives, Venice and Paris.

It rained from time to time and then the sun came out again, then Marco exclamed:
"In Rome when it rains, it rains - it does not stop now and again."

I heard in London the weather is rather like in Paris, rain, sun, rain, sun again. But mostly not sun here but covert sky - Paris is grey often.

Butte Montmartre is wonderfull in all weather and I did like to live there, love to go back anytime I can.

It was cold yesterday and I was not enough dressed, but we walked up and down so I did not catch a cold.
For almost 30 years I have seen only men drawing around place de Tertre, only yesterday seeing this woman (and two others) have I realised it: something is new even on the Butte!

Second thoughts

This is a picture by Chris, who does photos of gloves for a friend, who makes collection of them. I have seen him in Farington taking it.

I did not realise, at the time, what wonderfull contrast it formed and plus, the design of the image shows great knowledgeship!

It was fascinating looking at other photographers taking pictures.

While we were in Farrington, Adrian took this image in Hyde park: I wish I could be there too, but in a few days I did what I could most.
Even like it is, I came home so tired that I question myself, for the moment: do I really want to go to London? Would it not be better to remain quietly in my small Paris's suburb house? It is quiet here, I know most what it is around.

Do I have to move in another, unknown place to an unknown future?

Eric the photograph

It was fascinating observing a professional photographer taking pictures! Finally, only one photo will be published, together with the interview, one of each three women blogging.

But he spend a whole afternoon to take different images of me and my environment!

And you know what?

After I have spend five hours making order on my desk where too many things accumulated lately, after beginning to take pictures from outside the window, then inside the door to be nearer, he finished taking them from under the table!

I had to read from my journal, play with the mouse, put my head so, or even lean forward, in the evening I was exhausted, what it had been if it was me making them!

To pass the time, I did also pictures of him, you can see them HERE taking images of me, and also of what was around us.

The other side

Three years ago, I participated in a flickr group called Masterclass. The first theme and assignment its creator, Josef Stuefer gave us, was to take pictures of flowers and then inverse them. Play with the negative image, observe it, try to make something from it.

Here is an example I did yesterday. Somehow, it conveys to me more the flowers from my garden then the original.

What is the negative part of going to a wonderful and interesting town?

One always is afraid of the transition periods. Even if the change is, most of the time useful in our lives. There are so many things to decide, so many unknown before us too!

Yesterday, I decided all my photographic books are necessary but found lots of romances to give away. Some books in very good condition, to sell. Books I love without contest, to take.

just one wall... from my living room

It still remained lots of them were I was undecided. For sure, I have too many of them! For sure I do not need them all! But...

Yesterday all this took a lot of my time and it is far to be finished.

Transplanted

There are countless narcissus in Bagatelle park, and I sure also in those of London, but there were only three in my garden.

I did take different photos of them, beginning when they were only in buds, and after opening, in sun and then, after the rain with rain drops still on them.

After a while, I decided to cut one and transplant it in my bedroom, near the window, where the sun shines in afternoon. In fact, "transplanted" is not the good expression, as I just put it in a vase I bought in Romania.

The flower seems to like it here!

Why would I not feel well also living in London?

The change will not be easy, it never is, the periods between two are always difficult, but I may threave elsewhere as my flower does!

Ok, not for "always", but if not every second counts, at least every day does, so I'll just have to use them as much as possible for my age and energy.

About people and flowers

Au park de Bagatelle 1 mars (68e), par Julie70

I went to the Bagatelle botanic garden inside Bois de Boulogne, at the marge of Paris. Of course, if it were London, it would be in Greater London, but Paris do not incorporate its suburbs.

I did go there yesterday because of my group Afterclass, in which the new month did begin with a new theme The world of flowers in first thread we were asked for photos of flowers in a field. I did not have any of that, at least not as I would have liked to be able to show.

At Bagatelle park, now free to all public, unless some special exhibit is going on, I was spoiled. There were lots and lots of early spring flowers of all colors arranged 'as in a field' under trees. One part of the garden looks like an english garden and not arranged in rows as in french garden style: I went there directly.

Clic on the title of this note if you want to see some of the pictures I have taken there yesterday early afternoon in big size slide show. You may stop at any time or go to one that you like more and also download it if you desire. If not used commercially, all my pictures are free to use.

Going nearer is revarding every time, and I alternated with farther and nearer.

But as you will know me from this blog soon, you'll understand that I could not stop at flowers. I love to take portraits and through it speak with different people.

This family was happy to have a picture of all of them together, "usually only two of us are in the image" they told me.

But as with flowers, I like to go nearer, or at least zoom in to take more of the expressions. With this lady sunbathing, we speak english.

She would have liked the warm days to arrive even sooner.
— At least there is no more raining!
In the morning, it did rain. But the sun came out and dried the bench. She had anyway already a great sunburn.

I was not the only one taking photos and this gentlemen had a very sophisticated camera. Plus, he even gave me advices from what angle to take the flowers and how to enhance the depth of field.

He did like the portrait I had taken of him, but does not even have an email were I could send it. But he did also tell me to come back in a week or two, when other flowers will be all opened, he does come often.

Yes, going nearer to flowers and to people is so rewarding!

In my garden, near Paris

Spring arrives in my garden, near Paris.

It is raining and I am studying the books about London, before going to a six day trip with the Eurostar. Only 2 and half hours now! And such different words!

I am excited, and a bit frightened, to discover it!

In the begining

Everything has a beginning. The spring, a life, and this blog also.

I did begin bloging when I was 70 years old, but soon, probably by the time I arrive to live in London, I'll be 74. Neverless, anyone on the Web knows me as Julie70, so I did not change the title either. My french blog's name is Il y a de la vie après70, meaning there is life after 70! I have written every day, three years now.

There are more people leaving London after they retire, then arriving, like me after 74! Yet, everything is possible. Isn't it? I'd like to prove, it is.

I am of hungarian origin, born in Kolozsvàr, (Cluj, Klausenburg) Transylvania, but have been french for the last 40 years. For the moment, as I open this blog I live near Paris and my son with his family not far away. They are moving to London soon. So almost sure, me too!

I lived 23 years in Paris, Butte Montmartre, I am still in love with it! I did work also 3 years near Washington DC, so my English, for the moment, is more American then British.

Very active in the flickr site, I got to know people all over the world - even in UK!

This blog will follow my adventure of discovering London's life, people, places, usages. Can it be life in London for someone arriving there after she got 74?