P

Commerce opposite Gare du Nord

Some do, some don't. Usually it's the guys who do and the gals who don't. But not always. I'm talking about liking having their picture taken.

Reactions here in Paris aren't too different from other places around the world. I've had complaints in Moscow and Israel and Italy and China among other places. But since we're in Paris as I write, here are a few pictures that got me into a little hot water in the City of Lights. It's almost always when I'm alone, because I take more pictures when alone and don't have Jan to hold me back. That's why this page is written in the first person, whereas most of our pages are joint efforts.

Concrete Service Truck

Three Concrete Workers

One day I was walking along the Rue Reaumur and saw some construction taking place. I don't want just the classic pictures of Paris so I stopped to see how concrete was poured and delivered. One man was running the concrete delivery truck and another a service cart that could get where the large truck couldn't. I took a picture of the cart and the man driving and he made some sign to me that I didn't understand. I supposed he was complaining but since I was behind a fence, off the work site I didn't worry too much. Each time the cart was filled the cart went away and the truck operator had a few minutes to relax. After a couple of cycles he came over to me and I asked what the cart driver wanted. The truck operator said the driver wanted me to send him the photos. Nice surprise; I said I would. So a few cycles later they stopped work to pose; the next day I sent via email a dozen photos. I got a nice thank you.

Crete, Pita, etc Stand

Crepe Maker Agains Photos

Another day I was coming home from shopping at FNAC in the Forum des Halles and was on my way to the Line 11 Rambuteau Metro station. I always try to take a different street if it is not too far out of the way. This time I went up Rue St Denis, which is actually a pedestrian zone here but not farther away. I'd already taken a few pictures of crepe makers and saw another opportunity. This time I wanted to get the sign with the various crepe fillings and prices. The guy making the crepes didn't like being in the picture and gave me the finger. Was he illegal? That's often a reason for guys to object.

Jan, Eurostar Gate, UK Border Control

Still more recently I accompanied Jan to catch a very early morning Eurostar from Gare du Nord to London. The UK border control is upstairs in the station (not in the UK) and precedes the Eurostar checking. I took a few photos of her going through the gate; as I was about to take one of her at passport control I was stopped by a woman clerk: not allowed here she said. It wasn't worth arguing as it probably really isn't allowed although there can't possibly be any harm in it.

Doorway without Tart

Is that the pimp on the left? Probably not

Having said goodbye to Jan I left to have a morning walk. It was still dark. I decided to again walk to Rambuteau, 2.2 km (1.4 miles) away according to Google maps. Rue St Denis goes most of the way and I decided to take it and explore it in the early morning. I was also trying to get a bit of breakfast, but everything was closed. But after a bit of enforced hunger at last I found a bakery just opening and got an almond croissant that was almost too hot to eat; it was delicious.

As I was about halfway along Rue Saint Denis I observed to my surprise that a few blocks of it is a red-light district. Plenty of tarts standing in door ways, none particularly attractive. I suppose the attractive ones should be known as call girls and don't wait on the street; they are probably as prompt as a taxi to arrive at your door. I was taking a picture about every 100 meters or even less. As I was aiming at a lighted front window one "young lady" disappeared into the adjacent doorway and a few minutes later peeked out to see if I and my camera were still a threat. I was just then moving on and wasn't.

Only about 50 meters farther I took another picture with what I imagined was another tart, but farther away. She didn't hide. A moment later her pimp showed up and wanted me to show him my picture. The fellow was about my size, but 25-30. He wanted to know what I was doing -- in effect, he wanted me to delete my pictures. I said little but wasn't cooperative — I didn't show or delete the picture — and tried to walk off. He made threatening noises and gestures, and you could even say he shoved me, but it wasn't much. Eventually he walked off down the street in the direction I was going, saying "Faites attention" (Watch Out!) several times. That was enough for me not to follow him along Rue St Denis as the next block was less well lit. So I changed to Rue Saint Martin (at Reaumur, near CNAM) and went on to Metro Rambuteau.

St John's with red sleeping bags under stop-sign

"Illegal" photo of St John's roof

What's worse than people who don't want their picture taken? Crazy people who don't want their nor any other picture taken. Less than a week ago I was walking past the St John the Baptist church in Belleville. Jan and I might pass that corner once in two weeks or less. This time I was alone. From a distance I could see that the squatter couple who usually occuply a mattress on the corner were not there. Their mess -- the mattress and lots of other trash was there but not them. I was taking pictures of Rue Belleville, including the church, and I got the bags as a "bonus". Then I walked around the corner and took a picture. That's when the woman member of the couple shouted at me (in French) that I couldn't take that picture. It wasn't the usual line that "the law says you can't take a picture of me or my stuff" (which isn't the law at all) but that, as if we were in old Russia, I couldn't take a picture of the church. I ignored her but she didn't ignore me. While she haranged I stared. Just behind the church was a newly installed bench. Her husband was there, bottle of wine in hand. After a while they got tired of haranging and I got tired of staring and walked off.