Wednesday, October 30, 2013

PARIS - A Flaneur's View at Halloween

In the spirit of the haunting season, the following images are from a flaneur's walk through Paris near All Hallows' Eve, or Halloween.


Notre Dame Cathedral


A Pigeon at dusk in Notre Dame Square by DG Hudson

A looming tower of Notre Dame lends an ominous air to this photo, as does the lighting. The pigeon showing its beautiful wingspan was hotdogging it for the camera. Shortly after, a great flutter of these birds rose in the air around the statue of Charlemagne. There is much history in this one spot. Several churches have existed here before. The center of Paris is in Notre Dame Square. Roman ruins can be found beneath street level and are visible in the Crypt Archeologique.


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Montmartre Cemetery



Montmartre Cemetery, Paris, by DG Hudson



As we made our way with a walking tour group up the hill to Sacre Coeur, we stopped at the Montmartre Cemetery. In the photo above, note the design of the rounded monument on the right with the pinkish exterior. It has the look of Victoriana, but I couldn't confirm that. At one time, this cemetery would have been outside the Paris city limits.




Montmartre Cemetery corner, Paris, by DG Hudson


In certain parts of Montmartre Cemetery, Paris, our modern times encroach on the stately tombs of the past. Those lying beneath the overpass lived in times when only the sound of horses' hooves hitting the cobbled streets could be heard. A statue of a man lies in repose on that solid white block in the foreground.

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Pere Lachaise Cemetery

In Pere Lachaise Cemetery, monuments date from many different eras. Some commemorate horrific events, such as war, or disaster where many lost their lives. This is grief.



Memorial in Pere Lachaise, Paris, by DG Hudson



In a place like Pere Lachaise Cemetery, a story exists behind each portal, door or entrance shown. These are family tombs.



Pere Lachaise Cemetery, Paris by DG Hudson


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Hope you have a pleasantly creepy Halloween! Are you fond of cemeteries, and if so, do you write horror? Have you every been into a crypt or cemetery on Halloween? Would you want to?

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