Thursday, September 13, 2007

Hockey on the sidewalk


Yesterday evening, I went to a business party on the Porte Maillot, in the Nort/west part of Paris and when I walked out the building I came across a bunch of hockey players. This was quite unexpected and everybody was looking at them. I did too and could not help taking pictures - dozens of pictures! I ended up picking this one for today because of the "vibrating effect".

18 comments:

  1. A little abstract for the average Paris-picture hunter, maybe, but great colors for sure!

    I have a cable car picture kind of like this one and I like it a lot, too, eventhough I'm probably the only one who can tell it's a cable car. At least, on yours, you can see the general forms. I like it!

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  2. Because of the vibrating effect, it is hard for me to determine if this is taking part on the street, but if it is(I'm sure it is), my cousin used to play it and if you can believe it , it is an olympic sport! He wound up on the US street hockey olympic team in the 1980's.

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  3. Pardon me on this stereotypical judgment, but Frenchmen are lousy hockey players. I once went to a game opposing the hockey team from my hometown of Lille to some American sub-par team, and the Americans totally crushed the French.

    But take the Canadians - Ooooh, Aaaaah! They are great!

    I think, like Tomate, that this is a bit of an unusual shot for PDP, but it's cool.

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  4. On a Sunday in early May 2007, we came out of L'eglise Saint Supice after 10:00 Mass to see a rollerblade hockey game utilizing the entire plaza, with net goals at each end. It appeared to be a regular Sunday morning event.

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  5. What a surprise indeed: hockey is not exactly a national sport in France. Interesting shot: the vibrations make it look as if you were rollerblading yourself. Which would not surprise me: after overcoming your vertigo, you could be up for anything.

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  6. A "moving" photograph. Thanks for getting this DP idea started. I just completed my one-year and have decided to stop. But it was a wonderful year! I learned a lot and really enjoyed the experience.

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  7. On my very first evening in Paris I was taken aback by a noisy whooshing river of about a half million roller-bladers tooling down Boulevard de Sebastopol and turning the wide street into rushing rapids of humanity for what must have lasted 45 minutes. I can almost hear the sounds echoing in your photo.

    It's interesting how you have captured not only speed but individual movement as well. One can almost see and anticipate what each hockey player will get up to in the next few moments.

    That royal blue streak is so central to the impact of the photo (along with the red jersey) but I don't have a clue what it could be.

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  8. I'll share this photo with one of our interns here at work, who is also a goalie for the Pensacola Ice Pilots, our minor league ice hockey team.

    Prof. Parsons if you are checking in today, I join Pont Girl and Monica in wishing you healthy, happy, brighter days ahead,

    Et bonne journee a tous.
    Loraine

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  9. Eric, there is so much movement in this photo that I get a little dizzy looking at it. I feel as though the players are about to spin around my head. Good work!

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  10. Well, Eric, after seeing your picture, yesterday, I decided to post my cable car after all. Why not. I still like the colors of your photograph better, though :)

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  11. Fun photo. Did anyone see the movie "Dogma"? An immortal character likes to become corporeal to watch or play street hockey just for fun. Two bad angels are street hockey players who kidnap that one. (A very irreverent movie, but very fun.) The point is, you may have a photo of several deities here: maybe the blue streak is one of them, to answer Tall Gary's question!

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  12. The last time I was near Porte Maillot there was a Hair Show at the Congres and that area looked more like a scene from "Priscilla Queen of the Desert" than a skating rink. Lot's of characters with "big hair"!!

    Roller blades and street hockey seem to still be a big thing in Paris and Europe in general, I think it has lost a lot of it's attraction in SF and CA...not the Cable Cars though!! Your photo looks "supersonic" tomate...so kewwwwwl!!!! ;-)

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  13. Thank you Tomate. I don't do abstract very often if you noticed.

    Yes, phx-cdg, that was in the street. And yes I sure can believe it's an Olympic sport!! Why not??

    Actually Elisabeth, I am not really surprised to hear that we suck at hockey because it's not really a national sport(mind you lately we kinda suck at every sports!!!)

    Don. Thanks for sharing. Actually that makes me think I never showed any photo from that area (Saint Sulpice). Here is an idea!

    No Eliane, believe me I could not do what these guys - and girls - were doing!!!

    Coltrane. LOL

    Carol. Sorry to see you go, but I'm glad you enjoyed your year with us. Now you can still visit you old pals!

    Thanks Pont Girl, but don't overdo it LOL! It's a "different" shot, let's say...

    Tall Gary. I don't either. Can't remember. About the Roller bladers, well, imagine when you're trapped behind them and that it's late and wish you were in your bed...

    Loraine. And I echo you best wishes to Prof Parsons!

    Suzy. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ !

    Tomate. Just saw it and... commented!

    Jeff. hummmmm I'm not sure (about the angels) LOL

    Tonton. You saw hair there? I do not like this place too much for plays and musicals. I think it has NO charm at all, unlike the old little theaters that we have on the Grands Boulevards for instance. Of course, you're much better seated, but still...

    Thank you anonymous ;)

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  14. I have played and refereed ice hockey in the US and I currently coach my school's field hockey team. I couldn't imagine trying to rollerblade on the cobblestoned streets of Paris!

    Loraine, who is your Pensacola goalie now? I'm in Richmond and our minor league team has sent goalies all over the leagues. :)

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  15. Very exciting photo, Eric! Now I'm rushing right over to Tomate's to see her Cable Car. . .
    -Kim

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