church service in paris

The churches have so much history here in Paris.  The sculptures and artwork are just breathtaking.  Here, I had unknowingly entered a church during an elegant wedding ceremony.

Père Lachaise Cemetery (Paris, France)

Here is a Oscar Wilde's tomb covered with lipstick kisses, hearts and love letters to Mr. Wilde.

paris

I could never get tired of photographing the streets of Paris.

Charles de Gaulle Airport - Paris

The Charles de Gaulle airport is one hectic and busy airport, especially at the AirFrance terminal. When I first arrived at the airport, I couldn't even check in because someone left an unattended luggage there and the whole terminal had to be evacuated.

The CDG airport can get very chaotic and intense at times, but once we passed security, it was a quiet haven. 

 

And of course, being in Paris, the fashion capital of the world, they didn't hesitate in displaying large billboards at the airport.

Exploring the different arrondisements of Paris

What's great about Paris is that there's a little something different in all of the arrondisements (divisions) of Paris.  I can never get bored of photographing these areas since all have their own charm, history, and uniqueness.  Some of the places I wandered around are Montparnasse, Le Marais, Opera, etc.

 This was taken atop the Tour Montparnasse (689 ft tall office skyscraper)

Roissy en France

Traveling in Europe in the summer months of July and August should be avoided.  I flew standby but the CDG airport was crowded and flights were overbooked. But the good thing was since I couldn't get on a flight that day, I shuttled to the Roissy, a very small and quaint town 5 minutes away. This city has a real old city charm to it with its cobblestone streets and old street lights. My experience with airport cities is that they're usually not the greatest cities to stay, but Roissy was definitely a nice haven from the busy airport.

St-Germain-des-Prés (Paris, France)

St-Germain-des-Prés is the oldest church in Paris and is a beautiful sight for its Romanesque and Gothic architecture. Though it's much visited by tourists, walking through the church gave an solitude impression to reflect, worship, and pray. 

Sidewalk Cafes in Paris!

Between all the sightseeing, one must take an hour or two to chat with a friend or stranger or just people watch while sipping an espresso at the sidewalk cafes.  I noticed that at many of the cafes, the chairs all face out toward the streets. I think we should all learn from Paris's favorite pastime - to stop for a moment to sit and enjoy an espresso, enjoy some good company, and enjoy life.

Linear Perspective - Paris

Straight lines can stir up some dramatic perspectives.  This is at the Père Lachaise, one of the most famous cemeteries in the world with graves of famous people such as Chopin, La Fontaine, Moliere, Edith Piaf, Jim Morrison, and Oscar Wilde.

 A Parisian couple strolling at the Palais Royal with their dog.

P.A.R.I.S. from the Galeries Lafayette

I recently just returned from a Paris/Spain trip a month ago and enjoyed every minute of it.  Last time I was in Paris, I went to the rooftop of the Printemps.  This time, I made a trip up to the Galeries Lafayette.  Here is the view of the enchanting city.  A bit rainy that day, but it was still nice as some light shone through the clouds.

 

another look of the streets of Paris at night

Another look of the homeless on the steps of Paris' Printemps shopping mall.  In one of my previous posts, I wrote how ironic it is that these homeless people are separated by just a thin glass from a world of luxury and lavishness.

Romance is in the air!

It's 3:00 am. Still jetlagged from my flight from the states, I wandered the Parisian streets in the middle of the night and on my way back to the hotel, I ran into this affectionate couple. Romance is all around this beautiful city.

streets of paris

I was extremely hungry in the middle of the night (I was still jet lag) so I wandered the streets looking for a late night restaurant. As I was walking back home, I saw this image that struck a chord in me and had to photograph it.  There on the steps of the Printemps shopping center, lay a homeless couple with their arms around each other. This is their home...this is all they have.  And separated by just glass is a completely different world consisting of the riches of Chanel, Givenchy, Hermes.

And above this homeless couple is a blowup advertisement of a model looking onward. Funny how we sometimes look past these homeless people, walking away quickly, ignoring them and avoiding eye contact to quickly pass this moment of awkwardness and live our own lives. I felt a bit of guilt as I did walk away to get to my warm hotel room, and my hunger satisfied.

classic..vintage..paris

Here I'm soaking in the breathtaking views atop the panoramic terrace of the Printempts department store. Using what I learned from the Photoshop classes here, I wanted to give these photographs a fresh classic vintage feel.

emilie et adrien

One of my favorite memories while traveling in Paris is meeting a lovely couple who are aspiring artists at the Le Troquet cafe.  Emilie is a comedian and her boyfriend Adrien (in the background) is a DJ.  They were so friendly and open to have their picture taken.  After photographing them for awhile, they brought me to the Montmartre area to meet their fellow artist friends for a few drinks.  I didn't really partake in the drinking, but I did share a crepe with Adrien, my new Parisian friend.  
There's nothing more Parisian than drinking a glass of red wine while enjoying a smoke at an outdoor cafe. And having a boyfriend stealing a glance at his beautiful lady.

Solemness

Only a handful of members in attendance here in a church in Paris.

je t'aime paris!

I recently returned from my second trip to France this year. This time, I mainly focused on taking photographs for my own personal enjoyment. Je t'aime Paris!

Taken from the Sacre Coeur

Here is the view of the magnificent Sacre Coeur taken from the top floor terrace of the Printemps (department store). No need to pay the extra euros to get a breathtaking view of the city.