A pic is worth a hundred words

In a world where everyone and their six-year old can take a crystal clear photo with a smartphone, maybe a picture isn't as valuable as it used to be.  Here are a few of the ramblings in my head on the "shoot and post" age of photography. 

Too many posts spoil the shot
I am as snap happy as the next person.  I've posted pics of meals on Facebook (and I'm so resisting the urge to post one of my recent Asian meal in Belgium).  And two-legged carrots. But with the ease of digital cameras and smart phones to almost instantly capture the moment and share it with the world via FB or Instagram, does it cheapen the experience after a while?  I find myself appreciating photos less than before and not only because everyone can master the technical difficulty now with autofocus.  It's more a question of the over-exposure (no pun intended). 

When everyone puts their vacation pics online, we just scroll through quickly, maybe "like" or comment and move on.  We are less amazed and awed by photos.  We just expect them, consume them and continue.  I don't know about you, but now I find myself pausing more on FB for actual text status updates.  The content grabs my attention more than the easily-shared photo.  That said, I still share silly photos and expect a certain number of "likes." (More on that addiction another time.)

When people put the craze in the selfie craze

One of the few shots free of selfie-takers!

We recently went to the amazing zoo and gardens of Para Daiza in Belgium.  When we were in the treetop observatory for the giraffes, there was one lovely animal who came close to the wooden rail when a young teen gave her some leaves to eat.  And then it was a feeding frenzy of another type that ensued.  A gaggle of girls started turning their smartphones around to take selfies with the giraffe.  It was quite a sight to see five or six 13-year olds flashing their braces-clad grins and posing with the unassuming giraffe.  It was nearly impossible for the rest of us to get a classic shot without including their long, straightened hair.  I suppose the giraffe is used to it by now.  But I wonder if the girls even took the time to appreciate the giraffe or were more thrilled by getting selfies with an animal.  The zoo has apparently realized the danger of too many selfies because they put up this sign about no selfie sticks.  That could scare the animals and be even more annoying for fellow visitors. 

Classic amateur photograpers.

Good thing I left my drone at home.

Be here now
We've all seen the busloads of Japanese tourists clicking away at monuments before they are whisked on to their next destination.  Or that father of three at Sea World with his state-of-the-art video camera or tablet permanently glued to his hand.  But what if we were no better?  When we view the world almost exclusively through a lens, do we really see it?  Sometimes I find myself taking pics and truly looking at them or enjoying them later.  Take the shot, savor the moment after. 

It's as if I don't trust my memories anymore and rely soley on my camera to retrace my trip.  Have you ever noticed your eye can pick up so many more details than the lens of your smartphone anyway?  Unless you have a truly sophisticated camera (and the iPhone ones do come close) you are missing some of the definition and lighting that only the human eye can really capture.

Everything in moderation, including pictures
I am certainly not anti-photography and consider myself a bit of an amateur photographer.  I will still take pics and so will you.  But maybe I should think before I shoot.  And appreciate while I shoot.  Photography is still an art, and one that is more and more accessible to us all.  But, please, less silly selfies!

I'll leave you with one pic that might actually be worth more than a hundred words.  My baby doll absolutely pooped after our zoo trip. 

Things you only see in France

Thank you, smartphone, for giving me the ability to snap pictures anywhere anytime.  Otherwise you, dear readers, wouldn't believe me when I told you what I have been seeing around here.  To be honest, some of these things you might see in Belgium as well, or in Europe in general.

1. Priority on the right signs.  Truly the bane of my existence since I learned to drive in France.  When you see this sign it means you have to slow down because the side street on the right has the priority. I've had many a near-miss because of this rule.  I wish they'd just put a stop sign instead.

2. Tintin slippers.  It may have been a Steven Spielberg production, but Tintin and this captain character featured on the slippers are much more popular in Europe.  It is from a comic book series.  I don't know too many grown men in the US sporting these.  They'd probably prefer Homer Simpson.

 3. Speaking of men's apparel, French guys are not afraid to wear frilly scarves.  Just check out all these scarf and shirt/jacket pairings in the men's section in Monoprix, an upscale grocery store.  It's not just a metrosexual thing here.  I dare you to show me one Alabama boy wearing this style.

With a manly leather jacket.

I swear this was in the men's section.

Fresh summer sailor look.

4. Women of a certain age (as the French expression goes) might wear one of these smocks for cleaning.  You might see a lady cleaning her front stoop and pouring out the soapy water in this type of apron.

 5.   Here's a pun you can't make in English.  "Bio" is the abbreviation for "biologique" meaning organic.  This is an organic cotton shirt so the designers went with a punny expression.

6. People lining up to buy lottery tickets on Friday the 13th.  This is a newsstand that sells lottery tickets in the grocery store shopping center.  In France this day is considered lucky by many.  In the US it's associated with horror movies and bad luck. Since I recently had a fender bender on Friday the 13th, I'm thinking my American side must be winning (or should I say losing) out.

 7. Micro-sidewalks.  Two people can barely walk on this.  Don't even try pushing a stroller!  The two lines of brick in the middle are actually the gutter.

8. Microcars. My sister called these "baby cars" when she first came to visit me in  2003.  I still have to stop and stare at them sometimes. These particular ones are called "voitures sans permis" which means you don't need a license to drive them.  They must be easy to park, at least!

 9. April Fool's fish?!  Juliette was busy Tuesday night cutting out and decorating paper fish to put on the back of her unwitting classmates and teachers with a little piece of scotch tape.  When people tell you a fake story on April 1st it's called a "poisson d'avril," literally an April fish.  Maybe like a "fish story"?  Bakeries will also make a sweet flaky pastry in the shape of a fish for this day.

10. Food trucks that sell "French" hamburgers.  For all their love of using English words and even opening retro-themed diners, the French always want to have the last word regarding food.  I guess that's why this "food truck" wants to specify that their burgers are "français", oui, merci!  Whatever that means exactly.

And one more for the road... probably my pet peeve as an English teacher: the misuse of apostrophes.  The French do it to seem more English.  But it just ends up looking very French.  I guess it's their revenge for us making all those "Le bag" bags in the 80s.

When I grow old

I would have said when I grow up, but I guess at 39 I already am grown up.  On the outside, at least.  Today I was in the pharmacy and heard a woman asking the pharmacist for directions.  I detected a slight accent and the way she'd say "OK" to confirm what the man said made me think she was an English speaker.  I left the store before her but waited a second or two outside to say hello as she came out (stalking, again, I know!).  In French I asked her what languages she spoke and when she said English and that she was American I told her I'd thought so! 

She had a youthful face with just a few laugh lines around the eyes, pleasant features and a nice neutral US accent.  Perhaps she was in her 50s but only her mid-length grey hair gave it away.  She was staying in France for 8 weeks and spoke nearly perfect French.  She would end up in Toulouse (the bottom of France) whereas my town is in the top.  She had a nice camera with her and was off to take pictures in our local fine arts museum.

And as I continued on my way on this nippy but sunny May morning, I had the strongest urge to follow her on her adventure or have ones like that myself.  Just calmly travelling along and snapping pictures.  It would be a nice way to retire.

And so as I continued my errands this Wednesday morning (still not much work this week), I made use of my smartphone to take some pictures around town.  My little mini-tour.

Hidden treasures: this glowing yellow courtyard behind imposing blue doors.

A closer look.

I staged this cobblestone picture with my foot.  But the dirty reality is that there is a cigarette butt in the picture.  And reality it is.  France even recently talked about tackling this problem because it's really polluting the soil and water table.

Rooftops and blue skies.

A cozy courtyard.

He's got his head in the clouds.

Now that's an inviting entry way!  Love wisteria, love blue doors.

Would love to bury my head in this flower bed of white myositis (I think) and tulips.

Hope you've enjoyed this little trip.  May you satisfy the wanderlust in your hearts today, be it on the other side of the world or in your own backyard.

Try to remember

There's a coffee commercial here where they use this song with the words, "Try to remember when life was so tender." As spring warms things up and the days are longer, I remember a bit more easily what I enjoy about France. I think of my first spring here and my first visit to Paris in April of that year with my sister and Remi. When every new sensation in this country was wondrous. Nearly nine years later I've still got some "beefs" with this country, namely about professional opportunities for foreigners and sometimes about what I'd call some French "stodgy-ness", but I'll try to focus on those tender moments.

And to help do that, here are some pictures from a Saturday stroll with Juliette that show some of my favorite things around town in this season.


Not many trees have their leaves yet. I'm a sucker for interlacing branches and the sky was just beginning to clear after an overcast morning.


A cool but scary door with those bare vine branches around it. To add to my door photo collection.


Along with this one. Love the oval window above it.


Nice crusty bread in a bakery. I do love the bakeries here.


Daffodils and white grape hyacinths in front a florist's shop.


Lovely facades.


Market day. Maybe a bit early for good tomatoes but I love looking at all the gorgeous colors.


Juliette giving me her pleading to hold the digital camera on the way home.