Post by jazz on Dec 29, 2008 8:36:21 GMT -5
I love the feeling of this beautiful photographic essay by Kerouac. I once walked this in early morning, but had no camera.
He has authorized me to copy it here.
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I'm always out early on Saturday morning, so what better time to go to a movie in Paris than when the weather is frosty? It was 0°C and the sun wasn't up yet. They had not filled the bike station overnight as they usually do, but there were enough bikes in the rack for my needs. Just one would be sufficient, as long as it is in working order.
I just have to wave my metro pass over the hitching post to release a bike. It releases the electromagnetic lock.
People who don't have a pass can buy a one day subscription for 1€ or one week for 5€. After that, the bikes are free 24/7 as long as you never keep a bike more than 30 minutes. Since there are 1540 bike stations in Paris (one every 400 meters on the average), switiching bikes is not a problem if you have a long ride to make. Just about every station has an electronic screen for getting a subscription. Unfortunately about the only people in the world who cannot use these machines are Americans, since they still have antiquated chipless Visa and Master Cards.
It is really a joy to ride a bike in Paris on the weekend before 8 a.m. because Parisians are really lazy and there are practically no cars on the street. The street I take going to the center passes the side of the platforms of the Gare de l'Est.
Not much going on in the station, but looking through the side entrance as I go by, I can see people huddled around the vertical electric radiators spread throughout the station.
The next thing I pass is the town hall for the 10th arrondissement. Each of the 20 arrondissements has its own town hall in Paris, and it is pretty obvious that there is some sort of unofficial competition among them to see who does the best decorating job for the holidays.
Just after that is the Porte Saint Martin. It was built in 1674 by Louis XIV where the old walls of the city had been torn down. Once you pass it, you can consider that you have left the northern part of Paris and are getting into the center.
Once I get past the Porte Saint Martin, I go over two blocks to rue Saint Denis, which is in a restricted access area for motor vehicles and therefore much better for riding a bike.
The street is lined with hookers with gigantic silicone breasts, even in the winter pre-dawn chill. Perhaps some of you know whether implants make one's breasts less sensitive to the cold or if it's just a matter of getting used to it, but most of the breasts on this streets are about 80% exposed.
No, you can't see any in this photo, because I made a point of having no hookers in the picture, because they say it is very unpleasant to get beaten up by irate hookers and/or their pimps.
After a few blocks, the area becomes an even more restricted pedestrian zone, and it is a real joy to ride a bike through the narrow streets before the pedestrians become moving hazards.
He has authorized me to copy it here.
----------
I'm always out early on Saturday morning, so what better time to go to a movie in Paris than when the weather is frosty? It was 0°C and the sun wasn't up yet. They had not filled the bike station overnight as they usually do, but there were enough bikes in the rack for my needs. Just one would be sufficient, as long as it is in working order.
I just have to wave my metro pass over the hitching post to release a bike. It releases the electromagnetic lock.
People who don't have a pass can buy a one day subscription for 1€ or one week for 5€. After that, the bikes are free 24/7 as long as you never keep a bike more than 30 minutes. Since there are 1540 bike stations in Paris (one every 400 meters on the average), switiching bikes is not a problem if you have a long ride to make. Just about every station has an electronic screen for getting a subscription. Unfortunately about the only people in the world who cannot use these machines are Americans, since they still have antiquated chipless Visa and Master Cards.
It is really a joy to ride a bike in Paris on the weekend before 8 a.m. because Parisians are really lazy and there are practically no cars on the street. The street I take going to the center passes the side of the platforms of the Gare de l'Est.
Not much going on in the station, but looking through the side entrance as I go by, I can see people huddled around the vertical electric radiators spread throughout the station.
The next thing I pass is the town hall for the 10th arrondissement. Each of the 20 arrondissements has its own town hall in Paris, and it is pretty obvious that there is some sort of unofficial competition among them to see who does the best decorating job for the holidays.
Just after that is the Porte Saint Martin. It was built in 1674 by Louis XIV where the old walls of the city had been torn down. Once you pass it, you can consider that you have left the northern part of Paris and are getting into the center.
Once I get past the Porte Saint Martin, I go over two blocks to rue Saint Denis, which is in a restricted access area for motor vehicles and therefore much better for riding a bike.
The street is lined with hookers with gigantic silicone breasts, even in the winter pre-dawn chill. Perhaps some of you know whether implants make one's breasts less sensitive to the cold or if it's just a matter of getting used to it, but most of the breasts on this streets are about 80% exposed.
No, you can't see any in this photo, because I made a point of having no hookers in the picture, because they say it is very unpleasant to get beaten up by irate hookers and/or their pimps.
After a few blocks, the area becomes an even more restricted pedestrian zone, and it is a real joy to ride a bike through the narrow streets before the pedestrians become moving hazards.
Let the riot begin! LOL - 
hahahha