Paris part Deux!

So day 2 of my trip to Paris.

We got up early and walked to the Eiffel Tower, there wasnt much of a queue when we got there, especially not for the stairs so we went straight in.


There are 700 stairs from the ground to the 2nd floor and we climbed them all, when you reach that stage you have to get a lift to the summit, so after a few group photographs and some nice shots of the view we got in line for the lifts.
Here is a picture from the second floor looking up at far we still had to go in the lifts! it looked like it was swaying and makes you a bit dizzy and im not even afraid of heights!


This guy cant be afraid of heights either, he was painting!

It had started to get busier by this point so we had to wait for 10 minutes or so.
At the top theres is an enclosed viewing stage with images to help you pick out the landmarks. one of my friends asked 'but wheres the Eiffel Tower?!' it was funny, I think she was joking (I hope she was joking!)
You then climb a small staircase to the outside. It was incredibly windy up there! Again we took a few pictures and put a euro in the telescope to check out the view a little closer. here are some of the photographs

The art du Triomphe there.

We made our way down in the lift and then the stairs, it felt a bit scarier going down for some reason, I felt like I might fall forward down the stairs! We crossed the road and a bridge over the Seine and walked along the riverside, I dont think we really had any idea where we were going (i certainly didnt). We stumbled across this:


It is a replica of the Liberty flame, I definitley recognised it but it still intrigued me so I looked it up when I got home. I found out that the Liberty Flame sits above the entrance to the tunnel in which Princess Diana died during a car crash in 1997. The structure itself had no metion of this so me and my friends were quite surprised. anyway I think its beautiful.

There will have to be another wait for the next half of my Paris excursion because
Im going away for the weekend to Bristol (its only about 30mins away) but still it means no blogging for a few days and I'll probably have even more to write about when I get back.

au revoir! x

J'adore la Paris!

I'm back!

Wow! what an amazing 4 days I had in Paris, I do not know where to begin!
I guess I will start with the journey there.
I got up early Wednesday morning and got the coach with the rest of my class, we were heading to St Pancras in London to get the Euro star. For those of you who don't know, the Euro star is a train that goes from London under the English Channel and pops out the ground in France on the other side.

On the way to London I saw the Hoover Building!! I couldnt get a picture because we were moving, so I got this one off google images. I had only ever seen it on the tv before so this was a great and (unexpected) treat. Its a wonderful example of Art Deco architecture. Sady its now owned by tesco and boasts several tesco flags all along the top of the roof (not so art deco)



We got to St Pancras and boarded the Eurostar. It took us through the London suburbs then underground and when we came back into the light we were travelling through French countryside, I saw lots of wind turbines along the way (I am taking photographs of them for my final major project and am a bit obsessed) When in Paris' Gare du Nord station we regrouped and got the Metro to the place we would be staying.
We stayed in the Oops! hostel on Avenue des Gobelins. I was excited to hear this as I recognised the name of the street as a title for one of Eugene Atget's photographs. Atget was a french photographer at the end of the 19th century. He catalogued life in Paris, from the streets to its people.
The shops look a lot different now! check out the photograph I weas referring to:


The first night we just settled in and went out for a bit of an explore of the surrounding area, had a drink and a meal then went to bed so we would be fresh as a daisy for Paris Photo the next day.

Paris Photo is an event held every year in The Louvre. Galleries from all over the world come to exhibit work and collectors go to buy prints from all sorts of photographers. As a photography student it was great seeing some famous images up close, learning new names and also seeing how each photographer had fabricated their work. It has given me lots of ideas! Here are some of my pictures of our first full day starting with the stroll to the Louvre and then some of my favourite bits from Paris photo.

along the way I saw Notre Dame. :]

a beautiful Art Nouveau Metro sign, these were designed by Hector Guimard

Early American, Watermelon and Blackberries by Sharon Cole. I loved this picture its so beautiful and I love how it emulates still life oil paintings. its odd because i love this image but I'm not usually a fan of those still life paintings!

Maurizio Anzeri this work has become majorly popular recently, all of the pictures on display by this artist had been sold. They are beautiful. You might want to check out the website because my photograph is a bit poor! If you can't tell he has taken old images and embroidered over them.


This is by Richard Avedon antoher celebrated photographer. This image was 56,700 Euros!! I think its a cobination of the work being an Avedon and the fact Marilyn is the subject.

SWEETIES! by Hong Hao it said it was a scanned photograph. I might give it a try myself!
this is to give you an idea of the size (by no means the largest photograph at the exhibition)
There was so much going on there and so many galleries I can't put up all the images. If you want to see more look at the Paris Photo website

http://www.parisphoto.fr/


after a long day at the Louvre we went to a local supermarche to get some food for dinner, we went for proper french inspired baguettes with a selection of cheeses and cold meats. We ate then headed to the Eiffel Tower to see it lit up at night. On the hour it glitters, it looks beutiful. We came back with a few souvenirs (including a I heart Paris tee each) and with the plan to climb the tower early the next morning.


This will be a horribly long blog if I keep writing so I will leave you with this and post the rest in installments too :)

au revoir!

Paris!

I am off to Paris for 4 days with my Photography course. I am SO excited.
This will be a short post as I have a million things to do.

when I am back I will write a full review of my trip, expect:
photographs (obviously)
maybe a few vintage inspired outfits
a review of Paris photo (world famous photography fair)
and some touristy bits


http://www.parisphoto.fr/?lg=en


Im off to finish packing

au revoir! x

The best day ever!

So I'm having the best day today! (despite the horrendous weather).
I woke up this morning to a job offer, which is great because ive been job hunting in vain for about 3 months now!

I got dressed and put on my lovely yellow hat. Yellow is my favourite colour and it certainly cheers me up wearing it. I dont normally do the whole 'myspace pose' and take pictures of myself but I felt like it today, ignore my stupid face.



I then made my way into town to buy essential underwear. I picked up a set of 2 bras for £10 and when i got to the till the shop assisstant said that was in the sale for£3.00!! 3 quid for 2 bras! thats £1.50 each!! (easy maths sorry, im not patronising you)

I then got a phonecall for ANOTHER job interview! So ive got 2 at the end of the week *fingers crossed* I get one of them.

And later on I am going to a pub quiz with my housemates. lots of fun today :)

Remember Remember the 5th of November!

So it was Bonfire night on Thursday. Since being at uni I have neglected to celebrate it so this year I made sure I went home to enjoy the fun, food and festivities.

There was no guy this year, I dont think many people do that anymore. I find it fascinating that 404 years later we still remember the day that Guy Fawkes and a few other men tried to blow up the hosues of Parliament in London and kill James I. Obviously we now celebrate more for traditions sake than anything else.

Me and my family went to my Cousins house in the country where her village has a giant bonfire and fireworks display every year. Then we had hot dogs and jacket potatoes with chilli yum yum! There was quite a crowd there.



I love fireworks, I guess they are part of the celebration because they emulate explosions? here are my best firework photographs from the night





We also had sparklers :D
my sister took this photo of me, isnt it great! she should be studying photography not me haha


anyway so we stayed over their house and I went back to uni on saturday. So glad I got to see sonme fireworks this year and as always Its was really lovely seeing my family again. I really miss them when I'm away.

Hope you had a good bonfire night if you had one!

Halloween part 2

Firstly here is a slightly better picture of my costume, taken by a friend, at least you can see some of the bones on my tights.


Last night I carved a pumpkin and made some more fairy cakes for trick or treaters :)


here is my pumpkin:

he looks a bit like the man off the pringle tins hehe what a fabulous moustache. Its the first time ive ever carved a pumpkin and I didnt know how much effort it takes to gut the things!(inside my pumpkins head)

here he is all glowy!!


I am really excited for Bonfire night now!!