Paris, Kentucky

Ile-de-la-Cite, 1952 (Henri Cartier-Bresson)

So this post may appear to have nothing at all to do with Buenos Aires, but let me explain to you how it in fact does: for one, Buenos Aires, my current home, is often referred to as the Paris of the South, due to the European sensibility of the population as well as to the abundance of excellent architectural imitation. Additionally, I compiled these photographs for an assignment--"Bring in an image of Paris"--given in one of the classes I am taking in Buenos Aires. More importantly, they are really fantastic photos and my dad suggested I share them on my blog. Kind of futile, as my readership has fallen to, I think, him and my mom and Sloan, who must get bored sometimes in Rwanda (?), but nice to have all the images on one page, for future reference.

As a side note: I've always wondered whether the subjects of famous photographs ever recognize themselves. I was talking about it with a friend the other day--specifically about the Weegee photos of Coney Island, which feature so MANY subjects: I wondered if anyone who had frequented the beach at that time ever pored over the images searching for their own face, or actually remembered Weegee taking the pictures. Then, funnily enough, today when I was looking for the titles of some of the photos below, I found this. Satisfying answer! Amazing that she didn't find out about it until 51 years later.



Children at a Puppet Theatre, 1963 (Alfred Eisenstaedt)

This is the first photograph I ever really loved. Should anyone care to purchase the enlarged negative strip for my next birthday or just because you love me, it is available here.

Also H.C.B., date and title unknown (by me)--perhaps Uncle Eugene could chime in?

Rue Mouffetard, 1954 (H.C.B.)

Sidewalk Cafe, Boulevard Diderot, 1969 (H.C.B.) [According to the public comments on article linked above, this Romeo is an American!]

Notre Dame, 1953 (H.C.B.)

Brassiere Lipp, 1969 (H.C.B.)

Courtyard, 19?? (H.C.B.)


Plaza de Europa, Estación de tren de San Lázaro, 1932 (H.C.B.)

And, finally:

I wasn't able to illegally copy any of the images to post but here's the link if you care to virtually flip through Robert Frank's book Paris, recently published by Steidl. My personal favorite is No. 18.

Still Alive

I'm still here! And still intending to use this blog to record my entire experience abroad--although having just read and cringed at all my posts from Brazil, I want to rethink how I'll go about it for the remainder of my stay.

I've been in Buenos Aires for five and a half weeks now, but feel like I'm still early in the process of settling in. I am a slow adjuster.

The food is fantastic, although I'm perturbed by my inability to resist ham and cheese, in any form. I drink coffee now, sometimes twice a day, and also Fernet Branca with Diet-Coke--or Coca Lite, as they call it here. The bus system is a marvelous wonder. The women are thin and beautiful. The men are great-looking and know it. The dogs are great-looking but probably don't know it.