Things you might see on the street #18 (buskers)

You know, I never really expected this to become a regular feature because when I started, I didn't realize how much crazy, quirky stuff I would see on the streets of Paris.  But it's out there and I keep running across it, so I'm going to start being more specific with the titles so that I can keep track of which is which (I suppose that means I will have to go back and re-title the previous posts as well, but that's a task for a rainy day when I have nothing better to do).  

Anyway, here is the latest:  I have seen a lot of buskers in my day - singers, guitarists, sax and trumpet players, you name it.  But a pianist?  It's a new one for me...

It started with nudity...

So this is how things went the other day - I was out on my postcard-sized balcony, drinking a cup of tea (as is my habit of a morning), when I noticed that in the building across the street, there was a woman sitting in the window one floor lower than me.  She was bent over, painting her toenails and all I could see was her back - I assumed she was wearing a halter top because it was a hot day, but noooooo.  When she sat up, there she was in all her nakedness, and I do mean all.  I nearly choked on my Earl Grey - Miss K is not what you'd call a prude, gentle readers, but if I'm going to see that much unclothed flesh that early in the morning, I'd really prefer it to be in male form and look like Hugh Jackman, if it wouldn't be too much to ask?

Anyway, after that, I thought I'd go for a little stroll around Paris, which somehow turned into a rather long hike from where I live in the Marais over to the Eiffel Tower and back again.  And along the way, there were some moments (nice ones, odd ones, and just plain perplexing ones) I thought I'd share with you:

Sweet elderly couple snuggled up together in the Tuileries.

Another "Paris being ridiculously picturesque" moment.

Why is there a large statue of South American revolutionary hero Simon Bolivar in Paris?  I'm rather intrigued -  am going to have to look that up...

A brass band playing a somewhat unexpected choice of music:

And not far away,  a French dixieland band - who even knew that there is such a thing as French dixieland??  It was news to me...

Then a whole skip full of books being thrown away, and people swarming in like sharks to get them:

Yeah, because you just never know when a French book on cardiology or a German book about make-up techniques will come in handy...

Some rather awesome street art:

A bridge which I am always nervous about walking beneath, because it looks like it's held together with spit and baling wire:

A guy practicing his tightrope walking skills:

And a large display of power tools.  I don't know, I never really pictured Parisian guys being that interested in the relative merits of different types of band saws and drill presses, but apparently power tools are a universal thing for guys...

 

And that was my day...

Why not?

It was a perfectly average Wednesday - I worked in the morning and had the afternoon off, so I went to the movies and picked up some groceries.  And then, walking home from the store, I run into this:

A big old brass band, playing their little hearts out.  On a totally random street.  For no apparent reason whatsoever.  And why not?  C'est Paris!