Grey.

When I was wee, the term "black and white" was kind of confusing to me.

As in, this would be black and white:

But why are the old movies you see on TV called black and white...they were decidedly "Grey" when you come to literal color translations. I did not understand why the Marx Brothers were described as being in black and white when they just look kind of grey to me.

As I was flipping through some pictures I took on a recent walk, I said out loud, "I don't remember shooting these in black and white". Confusion set in. I didn't! It's just so goddamned gray in this town, things always look like they were shot in black and white! Ha!

If those women wasn't wearing their brilliant scarlet coats, you would be fooled as well. Also, a note about fashion: women in Paris do this thing where they wear all black, but have one item that pops in bright red (or yellow or green), and then they match their lipstick to it (only if it is red or pink, but I'm sure others have tried orange or blue). I saw the most mesmerizing woman prancing down Rue St Honore wearing all black- sweater, thick tights, coat, scarf...but she was wearing a pair of those dressy "business shorts" over her tights in brilliant red, which happened to match her shoes AND her lipstick. It was stunning.

So I did what I do when I have gray skies (and sometimes when I have sunny).

I shot in black and white. Don't get me wrong, I've always loved the medium, and I will still shoot in it from time to time. But right now, it feels like defeat. It's my way of giving up on the lighting situation that I have been dealt. Pearly-gray to moody sooty gray, and lots of in-between shades. It makes it hard to get contrasty prints without the sun, but it's better than dull colors. Also, shadows. I miss plays on shadows. I have not seen one of those in ages.

Anyway. Here we go.

One thing that I did see that deserved a bit of color:

I know nothing about cars, but a vintage Lambo is sure to catch anyone's eyes.

In the back seat: A pillow, a gas canister, and a pair of gentleman's loafers, in case you are curious.

Tiptoeing Quietly Through Marrakech

While Marrakech is one of the biggest cities in North Africa, if you have a few dirhams in your pocket, you can find quiet. While parks and trees are non-existant in the medina, you can find some peace in the inward-facing courtyards of former palaces and mansions of the well-to-do.

The architecture and the decorative aspects of the palaces were stunning. Many of them were hundreds of years old. Morocco has the distinction of being very close to Europe- it's only 10 miles of water between Spain and Tangier. Because of that small separation, this became a bit of a cultural crossroads. Arabic, Spanish, Berber and Jewish influences are seen in the art and architecture. The French occupied most of the country for 100 years, so after Arabic, everyone speaks French and almost all the signs and documents were in French.

The Marrakech Museum was housed in a former palace. The size and grandeur of the chandelier rivals that of the Paris Opera House.

My favorite was the Ben Youssef Madrasa. A former Islamic college started in the 14th century, it was almost completely empty and open for exploring. It was denuded of furniture, but a quiet spot by the pool in the courtyard was completely peacefull, with the occasional tourist taking breaks and naps in the bright sunshine.

Watching the light move across the courtyard in the late afternoon...

I was in love with the zillij tile work, and the flowery Arabic script that lined the entire courtyard, interrupted only by a grand door.

The keyhole-shaped doors. Everywhere in Morocco, this was the standard shape of the door frame, with huge ceder, oak and brass doors fitted in them. I could see myself ganking this design element for future, personal use.

Despite it being fairly hot in the sun, the moment you moved into the shadows or the thick walls of the building, it became almost unbearably cold.

Back to the streets, to play a game of dodgebike.

Champs-Élysées

The Avenue des Champs-Élysées is a must-see in the city of lights. Kind of sadly, it holds none of its former glory. What used to be a chic fashion district is now a whole lot of mall shops. There doesn't seem to be anything particularly French about it any more, and a handfull of overpriced tourist restaurants and chains like MacDonalds make it a culinary wasteland. It's not a place I frequent, but it does make for a nice walk if you have guest in town and want to see a lot in an afternoon.

Starting at the Arc d'Triomphe is a good idea since you get a nice gradual downhill walk.

There was beacoup huffing and puffing on the way up, as there are a lot of steep, narrow stairs to navigate to get to the top.

The Avenue connects a bunch of landmarks, so it's ideal way to get them all in.

A good tip: The Petit Palace is free to get in, and they have a really nice bathroom. A rarity in a city where most people (ahem, men) just tend to pee where they stand rather than be bothered with finding one.

The fountains at Concorde...

The Avenue ends at Concorde (where the infamous beheadings of Louis and Marie happened) and then you can take a stroll through the relative quiet of the Tulleries until you reach the Louvre.

If you've ever had the urge or need to by dozens of miniature eiffel towers, you are in the right place.