A souvenir of times gone!



What about waking up with the sound of an "orgue de Barbarie". Well, that's what happened to me this morning! An Orgue de Barbarie, a barrel organ, is a mechanic music instrument that plays tunes of scores "written" on perforated paper. The musician cranks it with his hand as he moves on the streets of the city, stopping here and there, wherever people open windows to listen and reward!

There are only about 20 people in Paris who still walk around pushing an Orgue de Barbarie on wheels.
When I heard the sound of music, I opened the kitchen window - people from neighboring buildings had done so as well - to listen and watch the now almost forgotten spectacle.
Typically people throw money through the window, but since I am not of French culture, I walked down and gave the man a few Euros for his art in his hand.
He was confused: "Oh, Madame, you could have thrown it through the window!", and he kindly volonteerd for yet another picture!

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