It's hot and humid in Iowa, and I'm 'jonesing' for Paris. What better place to cool off and pass a Paris afternoon than right here at Place Igor Stravinksy? Nestled between the Pompidou Center and the 8th century Eglise St. Merry, the contemporary fountain is a favorite place for school groups to eat lunch after field trips to the Pompidou and for Parisians and tourists alike to cool off in the noonday sun. I always plan my visits so I can have lunch at the creperie on the corner, grabbing an outdoor table as close to the fountain as I can. During one winter visit, I watched homeless people wander along side the church, each claiming a step or a doorway to huddle in and depositing sleeping rolls and bags of clothes to claim their spot. Last September I observed a young woman dressed in dance leotards throwing multiple colored balls in the air while jumping from a chair. A professional photographer captured image after image as she repeatedly jumped and tossed, jumped and tossed. I have no idea what that was all about, but it certainly kept me entertained while I ate as did the very well-behaved French children and their teachers eating sack lunches on the fountain steps. Ah Paris...always something to intrigue!
No comments:
Post a Comment