Linda's Journal
October, 2002

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October 5th

Today is the Montmartre Wine Festival. There is still a vineyard up on top of Montmartre, near Sacre Coeur. There were once vineyards everywhere around Paris and this is the only one, except for grapevines here and there, remaining, so they have a festival every year at this time and make some really rather bad wine. There is a really charming parade though the narrow streets of Montmartre made up of small bands, people in native costumes, and wine growers from all parts of France wearing what resembles, to me, robes and caps worn by graduating seniors in college.

These boys and girls led the parade.

I've seen a painting by Toulouse Lautrec of a man dressed like this.

Three on stilts making their way uphill.

I assume this man is from Haute Savoie with the cow bell.

Note the clog shoes

I love this man's happy face.

Wine must be in this container.

Japanese contingent with their wine, too.

She must be from Brittany.

The man in the tan coat is the mayor of Paris. He was stabbed at three in the morning by some nut and is all right, although still in the hospital. He doesn't have security, as you can see.

October 9th

It was such a beautiful sunny day today that I had to get outside. I decided to walk around one of my favorite places, Père Lachaise. This time I went to a few areas I hadn't seen before such as a wall where 172 men were executed, the last of the republic from the revolution. There is also an area devoted to the victims of the German concentration camps full of sad sculptures of the victims.

I assume the hands of a husband and wife reaching each other at death

I like this woman with her book and her 20's dress

One of the sculptures representing those in concentration camps

This man is visited by ladies wishing to have babies who rub a certain area.

A look at a rustic and beautiful corner of Père LaChaise

October 11th

I enjoyed Père Lachaise so much I decided to visit Montmartre Cemetery again. Once more I found that I enjoyed it more than Pere Lachaise. I guess it seems more intimate to me. I brought a sandwich and coke with me and sat in the sun on a bench enjoying the blue skies, sunshine, and the quiet of the cemetery. There are tombs here obviously from wealthy families, those that are very different and you wonder what the thought was behind them, and those decaying away which make you wonder if any family is left to visit them.

A pretty statue on top of a tomb

I guess this person liked dogs?

Degas's tomb. I had trouble finding it until I saw famille de Gas on the front.

This might be a raven on top of the tomb.

Dalida is a well known actress/singer who committed suicide.

Wild cats are everywhere in this cemetery.

October 24th

This week Chris, a friend of mine here in Paris, and I are taking a photography workshop. The weather hasn't been very good although we have had some sunshine here and there. It rained most of today and didn't get above 60 but we still got out and took photos. It's fun with a class and it helps you focus more on what you photograph. I have learned that I move along at way too fast a clip. I do look and notice a lot but I need to learn to slow down, especially when I am taking photos. Here are a few I have taken this week.

Bridge with sun shining through the arches

Cute little boy looking at his reflection, I think.

Dog driving

I like the yellow glow the leaves and light gave this lamp.