Travel Tips

When talking about architecture in Paris, many artsy fartsy types bemoan the contrast between this pyramid and the Louvre museum. However I thought the pyramid was just as impressive as the paintings and sculptures inside the Louvre. It's particularly brilliant on a sunny day when you can move around and capture the sun's reflection at one of the pyramid's corners.

If flash photography doesn't work for you inside the Louvre, (as seen in my photo) then you'll just have to copy your favorite painting by hand.

You can find these fellows on the sidewalks near Notre Dame.

I was surprised to discover that many of the sketch artists plying their trade in front of Notre Dame are in fact from China. On the day I was there it seemed there were more Chinese artisits than locals at the square in front of the cathedral.
In my photo an artist from Lanzhou, China sketches a tourist from Lind, Austria.

I saw a place called "Palais de Tokyo" on my Paris map and it turned out to be a museum of modern art. This sign advertises a temporary exhibition that was being held there and I thought it was appropriate as I was in the midst of gathering more photos for my "Nude Tour de Paris" travelogue.

This souvenir kiosk near Trocadero sells sketches of the Eiffel Tower not far from the real "Tour Eiffel". The young Frenchman in yellow pants kept talking on the phone and would not get out of my picture, but he looks like one of those artsy fartsy types so I gave up on waiting for him to leave and snapped the photo anyway.

You see them all over Paris; the ubiquitous crowded outdoor cafe. Somehow I managed to spot this young woman sketching a picture at one and I wanted to take a photo without interrupting her concentration.

I walked by her with my digital camera and held it at chest level (uh...my chest) to photograph what she was drawing. Unfortunately her coffee cup got in the way of her sketchbook and you can't really see what she's sketching but I believe it was something round. (Well, you can draw your own conclusion!)

From behind Notre Dame you can cross the bridge at Pont de L'archeveche. This brings you to the south bank of the Seine where there is a long row of stalls selling sketches and books. Here you'll also find old movie posters, Moulin Rouge prints, and plenty of painters.

The painter in my photo has the envious position occupying the first stall one passes after crossing the bridge. When she sees tourists approaching she'll immediately pick up one of her paintings and begin polishing it with a small cloth. At least that's the amusing behavior I observed while changing the batteries in my camera. (It's very easy to take a hundred photos at Notre Dame!)