I thoroughly enjoyed my European rail trip last year, so I decided do another one this year. This time, the destination was Germany. Berlin, followed by Dresden and finally Cologne. But my first stop was an overnight in Paris, before a long journey (very long, it turned out) to Berlin via Frankfurt the next day.
I arrived in Paris, on time, mid-afternoon. My hotel was close to Gare du Nord, so I dropped my bag and went for a wander. I had a target destination, but I was happy to take a meandering route to get there, stopping if I found something interesting. My first stop turned out to be a large Westfield shopping centre. Forum des Halles might not be everyone's first stop on a night in Paris, but there was interesting architecture, an outdoor space with people, fountains, sculptures, and an old church nearby. Besides, there was nice light, and nice light is nice light. I spent quite a while by the fountains. These were a little different from those I was used to seeing in a location like this. The kind that spit water straight up in the air. These were nebulisers, producing a mist every few minutes. With the light behind me, it made for some interesting shots. Between the mistings, the wet ground offered interesting reflections and a drinking opportunity for the birds. For a change, there were more than just pigeons on offer, and the crows made particularly good subjects. Eventually, I moved on, and followed the river for blue hour.
