A sunny and casually cultural day in Paris.

We're both feeling well today, however we decided to spend

the morning catching up with a few domestic duties 

(washing and ironing mostly) and made quite a few 

skype calls home. We went to the supermarket and stocked up on

 fruit, salad items and also found some chicken noodle soup!

I know Andrew is feeling much better because we also

bought bacon and eggs.

After lunch we went for a walk around the local area

and worked out where two of the local metro stations are.

We also found this amazing arch just around the corner...

We've spent the afternoon working out which days we're going

to do visit places and purchased tickets online.

Ever since we arrived here, at intervals, we've been hearing 
beautiful music, a piano and singing floating in through our open
 windows. There is a window at a right angle to ours and at times

we can see a person playing the piano with a singer

beside them...we've heard quite a few Beatles song.

Our theory is that a music/singing teacher lives next door.

The student we gave the best score sang 
'The Long and Winding Road'.

Another theory we have is that the owner of the apartment is a

fan of the American photographer Richard Avedon (1923-2004).

A long time ago we saw a documentary about him that explored

his iconic portrait making practice. At the heart of his artistic work

was a profound concern with the emotional and social freedom

of the individual in society. There are three large

portraits around the place including this one in the toilet!

A certain someone at home (who is very much like his father)

will see that I have accepted his challenge of including a

toilet photo in todays blog!

James Kimberlin, drifter

State Road 18, Hobbs, New Mexico, 10/7/80

It probably won't surprise you to hear that I did some research

and found that all three portraits are from his book

'In The Amercian West: Richard Avedon 1979 -1978'.

It's a collection of photographs taken over a five ear period in,

as the title suggests – the American West.

With a couple of assistants, a view camera and a tripod,

Avedon roamed theWestern States,

avoiding the cities, searching for people willing

to have their portraits taken. He stopped at carnivals and oil fields,

coal mines, ranches and slaughterhouses. He chose men and

women who work at hard, uncelebrated jobs, the people who

are often, ignored or overlooked.

In each setting Avedon persuaded people to stand without

rehearsal, in shade or beneath an even overcast, before a white sheet

of paper that makes every picture look like a studio shot.

Today we haven't walked enough k's to mention,

tomorrow will be another story.