Saturday, November 06, 2010

Camping on the Pont des Arts


We were almost done with the retirement protests when a new one just started! This time on the Pont des Arts, where a bunch of associations installed tents, like they did by the Canal Saint Martin in 2006 (check this photo, if you don't remember). I went there last night around 7 pm and took this photo. Had I waited one more hour, I would have not been able to take the same shot...  I just read the Police kicked them out around 8 pm. I'm not surprised, it's one of the most touristy bridges in Paris and the government surely does not want a repeat of what happened at Canal Saint Martin in 2006, where they remained months...

15 comments:

  1. That is an great photo and story to go with it.. yvonne

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  2. That would be prime real estate for camping! I'm glad you were in the right place at the right time to snap this, Eric. Have a beautiful weekend!

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  3. As Shell alludes, this is a 'prime' spot for camping and no doubt is why THE ASSOCIATIONS are there. I can almost hear "Windy" and "Along Comes Mary" drifting across the Seine. ;-) Oh, you were not talking about THE ASSOCIATION? Fooled again.

    BTW Eric, it was indeed interesting reading some of the blog comments from the 2006 photo. Quite a fiery discussion surfaced from that one. With this one, the tents already seem to be flying away before they could land.

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  4. Coltrane -- so good to see you back on the scene (and you always give me a chuckle).
    Shell and I feel the same way about actual camping, but I'm sure we're both grateful not to be in this situation! You captured this beautifully (and your timing was great too), Eric! Bon weekend, mon capitain.

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  5. Funny we should be talking about camping here and on Shell's blog today, too (though not exactly the same kind of camping).

    Eric, always in the right place at the right time. What a great picture.

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  6. It's a great attention grabber for a good cause. Some might agree, but others might be con tent to call it campy. (Hey, it's 1:42 a.m., it's the best I can do.)

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  7. I just have to say how much I always CHERISH Coltrane's comments. Make me laugh. Besides this being a serious subject, the lighting on the bridge is fantastic Eric.

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  8. What a shot, Eric! And after reading Coltrane's comments I will have "Cherish" running in my mind all day (I may even follow Michael's link to hear the real thing).

    I am struck that all the tents are the same color. What planning, I guess. And they look like they are buzzing inches above ground like small UFOs. Ha!

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  9. You know what, Eric? When I saw a report on the TV news yesterday evening, I was pretty sure I would find a photo here this morning ;-)

    But yes, you were lucky to be there before the police...

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  10. FOR SALE
    Central Paris: Compact low maintenance property in prime location with stunning views over the Seine.
    But be quick, could be gone tomorrow!

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  11. LOL This is a great photo, and the comments make me laugh! I'm not a camping kind of girl, no, not at all. Even if it were Paris? Ummmm....nope, not even then. But Eric, you are a master of being in the right place at the right time. Bravo!

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  12. You're always on the scene and capturing things we don't see or hear about on the "pretty" blogs that show photos of macarons and the usual Paris "stuff."

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  13. Last time I was there, they were cutting the locks off the fence as well. I'm not sure how I felt about the locks....clever idea, but possibly out of control.

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  14. wow they are really brave...it doesn;t look like messy camping it looks nice

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