Thursday, February 07, 2008

Resting in the sun


Yes, it's possible to rest in the sun, in the middle of a big city like Paris, providing you find a quiet place to take your nap! This man did find one... And I found him today in the Jardin Montsouris, in the 14th arrondissement. The weather is pretty mild at the moment and, as you can see, the sun was shining today. Just for your info, the sun shines 1700 hours per year in Paris. It's not a lot, but not too bad considering the country average is 1850.

51 comments:

  1. Eric, I am convinced you are playing around with your posting times to keep us jumping! Today was really early!!
    I could never comfortably sleep on a bench like that in NYC, I would be afraid someone would steal my purse.

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  2. Are you kidding Eric? You sound like it's difficult to find a place to rest in Paris... with the high number of parks and jardins that there are in Paris all you have to do is pick your favourite spot.
    Mine is Jardin du Luxembourg, followed by Place Dauphine.

    Now, finding a place to rest here in Rio would be a real challenge. I can't even get a good rest inside my house, since the street noise is so loud 24/7.

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  3. Eric, I have been cruising your site for about four months and have followed the links to many other fascinating photo blogs around the world. First, thanks for YOUR wonderful daily photographs. I love 98% of them and can't remember the other 2%. Second, thanks for the helpful links to others. Maybe someday I will start posting my own photos.

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  4. This is what I feel like every day after work--go home, eat, and I just want two glasses of wine and relax for a couple hours. Then, of course, I want to go out and party! I need some Argyle socks!

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  5. But I wish I could go outside and nap. It's too cold here.

    Great photo, Eric. It makes me think of le Jardin du Luxembourg, as Monica said.

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  6. Nice picture...
    I'd love to go back to Paris, but in winter this time, here in my city, we always dream of cold and snow and coats and gloves. Same weather all through the year gets too boring...

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  7. It would be nice to be able to take nap sitting on a bench by the street. I am not there yet!

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  8. Sometimes wish I could find time to sit in the spring sun, and a nap would be a bonus!

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  9. Winter sun - my favourite!
    Seeps into your bones.

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  10. He is so cute and definitely has the style, what with the way his cap matches his pants and his gloves match his rockin' argyle socks! The French always have the style!!

    Monica: I didn't order a mug (blast!) because I was already on the verge of bankruptcy ;) Someday...

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  11. Pont girl: I am shaking with delight at the thought of owning stamps that say New York with the Eiffel T. in the backround. What great presents they will make for my other Flight attendant friends.And, I can pay in $.

    Stuart: I thought the man in yesterday's collage was JFK(?).

    Future CDG travelers: I think it rains more in CDG than LHR. Bring an umbrella!

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  12. I forgot to add, is that dog poop in the green plastic?

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  13. {sigh} He looks so peaceful with his hat, gloves and argyle socks. How nice is that, to take a nap in the park in February? No one ever naps outside...here in cow country. Time for this girl to find some city life. ;)

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  14. That's a GREAT shot for your "typical Paris" collection. I love the benches, the park. It looks to me like there were more benches in Paris, years ago, but still, you can still go hang out in a park and forget everything while you're there, which is kind of amazing considering the density of other areas of the city.

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  15. I know, PHX-CDG - the gift giving possibilities make me sigh...

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  16. Hey Eric, you caught me napping. What if my boss sees me? Now I'm going to have to find another spot!

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  17. By the way Monica, how is Carnival going in Rio? If you had your blog still going I'm sure you'd show us the sights!

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  18. How do you do it, Eric?

    Do you sneak around in circles on tiptoe, trying not to wake him, until you find the right angle--perfect balance, with your green benches and your green lamp post?

    Or do you see him, trust your instincts and SNAP! before he wakes up and catches you?

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  19. This could be the beginning of a spy movie.
    Eric takes a photo of a guy dozing off in bench in a park in Paris and innocently publishes the photo on his worldwide loved blog.
    It turns out that the man is a retired spy who is wanted by many international agencies...
    You can fill in the rest yourselves...

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  20. I love the idea of a mouse mountain.

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  21. Monica last time I went to Rio, we fed the monkeys in the Corcovado and it was very peaceful...
    I m going to Brazil in July/August and I probably will be stopping in Rio for a couple of days to do some research on the Ilha do Bananal, another very quiet place too.

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  22. I love that bit of red-brown in his argyles and in his gloves and his sport coat. Soaking up his vitamin D for the day! Now I'm going to have to look up how many hours per year the sun shines in Seattle, just out of curiosity.
    -Kim
    Seattle Daily Photo

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  23. Michael and Rose, carnival here is over now.
    Thank God!
    I know it must a big disappointment for you Michael to hear a brazilian say she hates carnival. But I do! Always have actually. I never enjoyed samba and it gets more and more boring every year. Every year the same songs, same old parades with the streets so crowded and confusing one can barely step out of the house.
    Plus, it's been raining here for a month now. No sun, no beach. So, there, carnival is finally over!

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  24. Great shot, Eric. Some day you're going to have to explain what are the "rules" for taking photos of people on the street. I know France has some laws regarding this in order to protect against the papparazi.

    phx-cdg, take a look at Lenny Bruce's photo on wikipedia and see what you think. Also, it is actually true (I looked it up) that Paris does have a slightly higher average rainfall than London. However, like Seattle, London suffers from many, many more overcast days and hence their rep for rain.

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  25. Nice shoot! He's cute with his Burlington socks.
    The weather is so good today too in Paris. I had a walk with a friend on the 6th arrondissement, Quai Saint Michel and rue des Grands Augustins (to buy some Mariage Frères Tea!), no coat and no scarf. Like a early spring day.

    It's easy to find a place to take a rest, I like the fact that there is hundreds of public gardens here.

    Hope your day was sunny too all.

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  26. Gotta love those Argyle Socks!! Frenchmen love their zany socks don't they???

    Does he have some sort of gadget in his hand?? A cellphone..or maybe an IPod??? LOL!! Maybe it's an alarm clock?? ;-) Cou-cou from SFO!!

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  27. Stuart: My unoffical doctoral dissertation(layovers) on the rain in Paris is true!! Thanks for the backup statistics.
    I'm stumped over yesterday's collage. I think Lenny Bruce had bulging eyes, and JFK had droopy lids. I think Obey may have painted over the photo a bit.
    YET, he used Banksy's art work( the one with Kim Phuc, Ronald and Mickey) in the collage. Banksey is another subversive, and MORE famous street artist, based in England( so this was a partial homage to him). There was no more subversive comic than Lenny Bruce. Yet the theme is anti war and JFK got us into Vietnam. My head hurts.

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  28. Monica, it's hard to live in a festival city. I wonder if New Orleanians like Mardi Gras. Many Pasadena locals have been to only one Rose Parade, and that's enough. (I've never been to one--I don't want to camp out all night in the cold.)

    As to the Obey art, I don't know who the man in the collage is. I know who it is definitely not: it's not JFK.

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  29. Hey, superb photo! He just knew if he sat there someone would want to snap those natty Argyl socks. I could do with some winter sun i might just try it myself next time the sun's out.

    My laptop has died, i'm borrowing a quick usage of my son's so i won't be around to spat and spar so much and the 'first' position will be one less in the race. Good luck fellow excitables!

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  30. Please, why do you call it "argyl" socks? Is it about the pattern or is it a brand? I know Burlington socks coz it's famous in France but nothing about Argyl.
    Sorry for this comment without any interest!!

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  31. Hi Guille:

    Argyle socks are based upon the diamond pattern on the socks; they also make argyle sweaters. Very popular in the U.S. in the 1950's

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  32. Guille I was wondering the same thing as you. See, there's always some else interested in one's comment, no matter what it's about.

    Petrea I know exactly what you mean. I'm reading a book by Elizabeth Gilbert in which she says every town has a specific word that characterizes it (let's say, the word for NY is power) and if your personal word, the word that leads your life is different from the word of the place you live in, then most likely you don't fit in this place. My word is definetely not carnival, so maybe I'm in the wrong city!

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  33. Oh yes guille...I agree with Monica. No matter what the question, there's probably someone else out there asking the same.

    And yes Monica, I'm going to Bali. I WAS going to come to Rio, but you convinced me not to now. Oh well...

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  34. Michael
    Brazil is a beautiful place to go...Bali is nice but nowhere near...besides Balinese girls are not as nice as Brazilian, neither is the food or the beaches.
    Monica.
    I hated Carnival too when I lived in Brazil...there was nothing else on TV and there is only so many times we cna hear the same samba!

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  35. Rose and Tonton: Yes, Eric has implicated himself into a chapter of international intrigue. This man is indeed more than he appears. He pretends to be a retired boulanger from rue Mouffetard, taking a gentle nap. However, he holds in his hand a homing device that looks like an innocent cell phone. The woman with the children is guarding him (they actually are midgets). Soon, a Libyan woman on a bicycle will drop some "trash" into the green bag and ride on. The device will beep, he will awaken, retrieve the package. If anything goes wrong, Eric's photo will be the target of several agencies...

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  36. Jeff: will we also be targets? Those of us who aren't from the United States and aren't already targeted that is!!!!

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  37. I could adoringly stare at this scene for hours. Brilliant photo Eric!

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  38. Michael I KNEW you were going to Bali!!! That's why the other day I thought you were there already.
    Hey I don't blame you, I'd go to Bali in a sec if I could.

    Besides, I know you eventually will come back to Rio for some of that caipirinha you like so much!


    Rose, I'm glad you know what I mean... por eu não gostar de samba muitas vezes aqui me olham como se eu fosse um ET!!!! ;-)

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  39. Jeff, you watch too much television LOL!

    To all: I'm glad you liked this photo, because I do. I so rarely take people - for right reasons Stuart - that when I do, I really enjoy it.

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  40. You know, I think I'll leave a second comment because I really, really like this shot, for some reason! This is like a "classic" of Paris or something. Brilliant shot!

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  41. Monica, you're right, I had a feeling you knew. I'm going to have to pop over to the Singapore Daily Photo blogs as well to say "hi" as I'm heading their way first.

    As for Brazil, you KNOW I love it there. I'm back in Sao Paulo in March so will drop you a line. Who knows, maybe I'll make a short hop over to Rio to see you and my other girlfriend, Mll. Caip I. Rinha ! And YOU of course!

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  42. Your OTHER girlfriend, Michael? Well what about me? Don't i count AT ALL? I weep at your words.... ;)

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  43. You DID notice her name now Lynn didn't you? Nothing to be jealous about. After a date with Mll. Caip I. Rinha I'm usually open to just about anything!

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  44. Michael me too. After 2 or 3 caipirinhas I mean. Anything can happen...

    Have you also tried caipivodka? Even more delicious and there´s lots of fruit flavors to choose from. Morango (my fav), tangerina, maracujá... but maybe you are a faithful man and will stick to Mll.

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  45. Precious photo. He just couldn't keep his eyes open.

    Mari-Nanci

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  46. I didn't understand about the drinks, being such an innocent myself.

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  47. Lynn caipirinha is a typical drink in Brazil. I know you don´t drink so you probably woudn´t enjoy it. Michael is crazy about it though.

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  48. oh thanks, i do drink an occasional wine with a meal but generally not so much. I'd give it a go though!

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  49. ROTFLOL. . . This reminds me of my husband. He can sleep anywhere! When we were in Bruges last fall, we stopped at an outdoor cafe for beer, and within 10 minutes, he was asleep. :-)

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  50. Reading the comments always add another dimension to reading this blog and looking at the photos. I love the photo but I also love "listening in" on the conversation/s between the regulars. :) I comment too seldom, hehe.

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