In a world where Trump and his like make a good fist of scaring people the best they can, it’s good to know that surreal, kindly lunatics are still alive and well. I just got back from a biannual festival of puppets, the Festival Mondial de Marionnettes de Charleville-Mézières, The Ardennes, France and thought I’d share a few photos of the event.
However, before anything else I should explain that I make no claim to be a photographer – although you’ve probably worked that out for yourselves. What I’ve tried to do when taking these shots was to avoid the generic stuff and go just for things that caught my eye.
This pic above is of one particularly swoony type lady who was trying to balance a regular ladder in order to be able to climb it. She failed of course, but I was told it was all part of her act. What she was trying to do was climb up to the ‘things’ in the header image and become ‘at one’ with them. In fairness, I think the bloke who told me that might have had too much wine. I should have run with my Plan A and had a word in her ear, recommending she go to a DIY store and buy herself a regular stepladder. The world would be her oyster then.
Here she is again, still having a good swoon and harming no one.
Also, she made this out of sand during a swoon break. I think she’s a pretty good artist even if she is on the cusp of innocent madness.
Here’s a half decent piece of graffiti. I’m guessing that whoever’s house this was painted on has gone up in value a good few euro’s. If I could have remembered what Banksy’s signature looked like and had a black paint spray can on me I might have increased the property value some more.
It’s a shame I never got to see the person who lives in this caravan. By the size of the entry door I’m guessing that whoever it is doesn’t eat too often at Subway or McDonalds
I’ve no idea why I took this shot. Someone had set it up in a back alleyway for no apparent purpose. The world is a safer place when people do things like that.
The girl on the right had a face like thunder. I guess every picture tells a story – even one of mine!
One market trader discussing the merits of the glove puppet when compared with the string version?
Last but not least, another shot away from the main event. I took this as the border collie in the pic is a dead-ringer for my old dog, now deceased ‘Skipper’. I wrote a song about him once. It appears on my Dream Rescuer album. The song is called ‘Pain’. I’ve always preferred animals over most people. I hope you enjoy it.
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Great post, I wish I’d been there myself, and your photos fit perfectly. The song is lovely and I partiularly like the build up at the end followed by the soft fall of notes. Touching.
– Esme upon the Cloud
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Thank you. It was a great festival and the plus is you listened to my song. Thanks again.
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Oh ! Thank you , Lord Zoolon. I am going to read it again. You know , I don’t want the journey or the pics to end.
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Thank you, Lady Yasmin.
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Your welcome, Lord Zoolon.
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Absolutely amazing xxxx
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Thank you, Shey
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Your song really touched me George, it is beautiful, such a beautiful voice. Being a animal lover whose pet is a big part of my days, I can relate to these words. I have to admit I teared up. Thank you you for the wonderful pics, I love France architecture and the photos are delightful.
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Thank you. It has been 3 years since Skipper died. I desperately want another dog. Sadly, right now it wouldn’t be fair on the dog as work gets in the way.
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Wise man, I am anchored but love this little guy. He will probably be my last dog because I won’t leave him in a kennel and when I am away he won’t eat or drink…it’s a problem 🙂
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I bet one day when the time is right you’ll get another dog. Hopefully a long time with your current one, of course. I know I will.
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My little Boston (well he weights 33 pounds) is ten now. I hope we have a lot more time together. Thank you George.
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I prefer animals too and that’s why I will never eat them 🙂
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That’s the way the world should be, Lana.
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I voted for President Trump, but I enjoyed your new photos very much ^_^ Many surreal, happy scenes
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Thank you.
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It’s good to know that there are still places where surreal, kindly lunatics are still alive and well. Wonderful photos! I absolutely adore the first photos and really like the third, they have a very ‘Big Fish’ dreamlike quality to them. Indeed, every picture does tell a story, what a great line, ‘a face like thunder’. ‘Pain’ is a beautiful tribute to Skipper, such a gorgeous dog. Welcome home, I hope you had a marvelous time, and the trip lent itself to great creativity and inspiration.
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So very cool! Thank you for the excursion. The graffiti is magnificent, and I like all sorts of puppets, probably because they might have a double life 😉
Beautiful tribute to Skipper xx
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Thank you. He was quite a dog. Mad but so loyal.
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I love your photos and I also love your attitude about the necessity of some bright lunacy to counteract the dark lunacy that we are seeing too much of.
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Thank you, Anne. You’re right, some powerful people out there are giving lunacy a bad name.
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Sounds like a good bit of insanity to me!
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Womderful experiences of journy.enjoy dear!!each trip inpires us to feel something new,to create some new song and to write lovely poems.
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Wonderful!
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Thank you, Resa
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Yes, we live in a surreal world with a madman at the Whitehouse who loves to cause division and rife.
I enjoyed your photos and words. Beautiful song for Skipper.
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Thank you. You are correct in what you say. Not just Trump, the world has gone mad.
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Seems like a wonderful and truly creative event!… Thank you for sharing it with us… have a great day! 😀
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Thank you for reading, Aquileana
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So you’ve got a talent with words, music, and a camera, George. These captures a beautiful! I especially like the color you’ve got with that market. And terrific light balance! You lucky bloke, if I may say so. x
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Thanks, but I’m not a photographer. All I do is take a pic of the odd things. It’s easier when the town your in is as beautiful as this place was. Like you, I’ve got so projects on the boil that I didn’t really need the one who arrived yesterday. I’m thinking a 3 hour piece of living sound art. Now it’s thought of it has to be done!
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Now *that* sounds exciting!
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You had me at the first sentence 🤓😉
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Thank you, Andrea. It sounds to me like the world needs more of ‘you’ and less of ‘them’.
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Aww that’s very nice of you to say! Thank you, you wonderful person! 🙂
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Oh wow, such great photos! Thank you.
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Thank you for reading, Zoolon aka George
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Hey zoolon amico mia!!why have you not responsed on my comments.?have i done too some error..plz reply.
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You done nothing wrong at all Aruna. I have to apologize for not replying. It’s been so busy with my mum’s 60th birthday, plus I’ve had tons of work on, I’ve forgotten to do loads of things. Sorry about that. Regards, George
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Plz don’t say-sorry.i understand your coz of being busy.
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Wonderful biannual festival of puppets n other amazing things in USA.
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Aruna, the festival was in France, where truly wonderful things happen.
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Oh.in France.wonderful experience.zoolon!!
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I live just 20 miles away from France across the sea. I go there all the time.
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Hey zoom in!! What is the name of that iseland where you lives.?
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For not a photographer the pictures are pretty awesome and your song is palying as I type and it is lovely..My song for my pet which was playing as we left Newmarket vets was Puff Daddy..Missing you….A long time a go but we still miss him…Thank you for the follow 🙂
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Thank you. It really is horrible when pets die. Writing a song helped a bit.
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I am sure it did and maybe one day you will replace him..a rescue maybe there are plenty of those 🙂
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