lost cat

Poster for lost cat named "Mikado". Funny, I never seen any single cat on the street.

one of the best

Au Levain du Marais, one of the best boulangeries in Paris. One baguette for dinner. Luckily it was fresh. I wonder who can bring the whole, entire, complete, perfect, one baguestte to home. Me? No, of course no :)

modern in ancien

Very sunny Saturday in Paris. Everything was bright, even too bright. You know how we can't see anything but white at the piste under the sun. The same thing was happening to all these gray toned buildings. For me, this isn't a great condition to take a photos. Anyway, surrounded by all monotoned same looking buildings, there are some modern designs such as this "ministere de la culture et de la communication" , no choice but catch my eyes by one second. In Tokyo, like I wrote a little bit before, as for a total city view, it is a mess of every styles as you can imagine. European, Western, Asian, old, new, high, low, big and small...everything. But here, everything is "organized". I know some Frenches think Tokyo is more interesting than Paris. I think this is one of the reasons why these people find Tokyo is more variety. And I also think that is one of the reasons why so many people find that Paris is beautiful...

red tents besides le canal st martine

Yesterday's night after the concert, we went to have a dinner at "le cambodge" which serves amazing Cambodian cuisines with reasonable price. When we were heading to the restraunt, we realized the view of the canal st martine is different from our own memories. Both of us knew what is happening there by news but seeing that on TV and being there and "feeling" that atmosphere doesn't have a same impact on our minds. I was surprised and shocked. How it is changed. I remember, very hot summer day, I was there for picnic, lots of people sitting along the canal, having some beers, snacks, fruits, lovely trees. But now, instead of all pretty things, there are red tents which is a demonstration by "Enfants de Don Quichotte" for SDF (People living on the street).This is like I saw a dream in summer and now a real world.
My teacher was astonished when I told her a lot of "SDF" do exist in Japan. She'd never imagined that in such a "rich" country, she said.
There is always a reality beside a dream like a pretty canal and red tents.

Gustav Mahler Symphonie n° 6 "Tragique"

Today was the concert of Orchestra de Paris and they played Mahler's Symphonie n° 6 "Tragique" at salle pleyel. What is good to live here is of course there are more chance to see so called "arts". We don't have much occasion to listen to gigantic pieces of classic music such as Mahler at the concert in Japan. Personally I love Mahler but I am not one of these snobby classic fans. So, Of course, the seat wasn't the premier but the troisiem, which was my first and turned out to be very interesting experience to sit down behind the orchestra!The sound wasn't very balanced, especially because I was sitting right behind the 8 horns! (If you know this piece, you could imagine how they were loud!) Besides that, it is very interesting to feel their breathes, moves and human touch.
P.S. If you are interested to see more photos from today's concert, please visit my other blog, Bebe Log.

boulangerie?

It says "boulangerie" but they don't sell coroissant. This clothe shop uses old boulangerie (bakery)building as it was. I found the other shops like this before but so far just in the marais (le marais). I wonder if they are just too lazy or they want to keep this pretty old building for the good sake. There are a lot of new thing for me in Paris. That is what makes me wants to keep living as "etranger".

Please visit my other blog. You'll find more photos there! Bebe Log

flower shop

I don't like very much to be here in Paris in winter. No green but absoletely gray. Only flower shops, boulangeries and clothes shops are colourful.
Yes, I am a completely stranger here. I was born in Japan and had been living in Tokyo for long enough to get used to bright lights and messe. Sometime I miss it, especially when the weather isn't beautiful, like today.