Expressive bucharest strays. They never fail to give me their best fierce looks

Charming miniatural courtyard and house entrance near the Cismigiu Park in Bucharest. In the background you can see the dome of the near-by church.

Metallic horn added to a modernist house undergoing renovation.

One must look at the top of the fence and observe the startling choice of using broken glass pieces as a means of protection. Ridiculous details lurch out of so many hidden corners that it makes you ask youself how sick the contemporary society actually is…

Unreasonable extension of a house in the vicinity of the Northern Train Station in Bucharest. This built was started and dropped prior to the violent urban planning actions that have been changing the face of this neighbourhood in the last years, leaving the inhabitants with a sour taste of uncertainty. 

This modernist building is undergoing renovation during the winter-time. The work schedule is thought so as dwelling is not completely removed from the site during the work period, certain apartments being inhabited while others are opened up and the structure is being rebuilt.
Seeing the building opened up like this reminded me of the cross-sections that are made when constructions are designed, and gave me the impression of a cyclical state of the architectural object.

These sheets were drying up in the cold winter wind, their lively patterns bringing a dash of colour to the monotony of the season.

Changing the scenery is not very easy when you get used to beautiful Paris, but returning home does have it’s advantages.

Bucharest is one of the places that mesmerises you by showing you it’s beauty where you expect it less. The best thing you can do is hope for nothing, and be amazed by it’s unique strangeness and unexpected details.

Stray cats guarding their teritory in a historical Bucharest neighbourhood.

One of the things that impressed me about Parisians is their love for animals. Even though most of them live in rather small spaces, there are few homes that don’t have at least one pet in them.

And not to mention the fact that one of the most pleasant visits you can take during the weekends is to the petshop where you can endulge yourselfs with the view of all kinds of addorable beasts, everything from the customary cats and dogs to rather exotic hens.

This saltimbanque was making his flying balls act in front of Saint Suplice. I walked to him slowly, taking photographs from the distance while he was finishing his number. I then asked if he would let me take a close-up of him. Instead of an answer he asked me if I wanted him to do a special number, a question to which I replyed affirmative without putting to much thought into it.

That’s when he picked up this shockingly long sword and started swallowing it whilst continuing his flying balls number. I couldn’t believe what my eyes were seeing! I was so mesmerized by the act itself that for some moments I totally forgot what any of the buttons of my camera knows to do, and I just shut these pictures of him, being mostly unaware and transported to some crazy Diane Arbus thoughts…

Two months later I saw him again strolling down on a crowded street :)

A loner in Place Dauphine.

With it’s shield placement this was one of the few places where you could actually take a rest in silence. The only exception was during weekend time, when the place suddenly got filled up with young people, probably seeking for a more peaceful green spot themselves.

Window with Evy at Rue des Augustins, pictures taken a couple of weeks apart. The autumn rested till late in Paris, lingering with warm and sunny days, but when winter did decide to come, the scenery changed in a glimpse and the city started looking a little gloomy.

This little Peter-Pan boy was playing with skillfulness with his wind driven toy-boat as these two women in monumental trenches were watching over him joyfully.

I don’t know how far back the custom of renting wind driven toy-boats in Jardin du Louxembourg goes, but I did find a photo taken by Atget in 1899, portraying a boat merchant with the toys by her side. 

http://arttattler.com/Images/Europe/Netherlands/Amsterdam/Netherlands%20Photomuseum/Eugene%20Atget/08-atget_botenverkoopster.jpg

The many layers of a view in Jardin du Luxembourg. Also, a very good reading place as the few winter sun-rays lit up this corner of the park till late in the afternoon.

Jardin du Louxembourg was my favourite Parisian park. Munching baked ”marons” (chestnuts) while loosing myself through the white trunk trees, sinking my feet in the fallen leaves seemed almost as an anachronism.

La Fontaine des Medicis was one of the places where you felt just like you were reliving Atget’s photographs taken there in the XIXth century.