Is it Boston or Paris? You be the judge.

Statue of Benjamin Franklin

After seeing all of the Halloween decorations in the United States, it's time for trick or treating. Take a look at these photos and see which ones you think were taken in Boston and which ones you think were taken in Paris. The pictures may or may not be deliberately misleading.

Children in costumes. Photo credit: Sara.
Yummy chocolate!    
A store that only sells things made out of plastic
A man in a French dandy costume
A card in a storefront window
A beautiful stained glass window
Men playing chess and smoking cigarettes

Answers:
  • Paris. As Anne commented, Ben is seated just off the Place du Trocadero. I took the picture yesterday during a walking tour of the upper 16th. We also saw the apartment house where Ben lived when he carried out his experiments on the lightening rod. Electrifying!
  • Paris. The Marais. The costumed cuties were taking part in a parade for Purim, a Jewish holiday.
  • Boston. Burdick's Cafe and Chocolate Shop in Harvard Square.
  • Paris. This emporium for all things plastic is appropriately called, "plastiques" located at 103 Rue de Rennes in the 6th arrondissement.
  • Boston. The Garment District. More to come about this place in a future post.
  • Paris. A fabulous stationary store near the Luxembourg Gardens. I just hope that I can find it again because I didn't write down the name of it! Anne, any ideas? 
  • Boston. Memorial Hall, memorializes the Harvard alumni who were killed while fighting for the Union during the Civil War.
  • Boston. Harvard Square.

Comments

  1. "Pave glace" leads me to say Paris, but the red brick behind BF says Boston. I wish I could identify the stained glass, but alas I cannot. The plastic store displays without prices leads me back to Boston, as do the chess playing gentlemen.

    I'm sticking with Boston.

    Nope, back to Paris--the patina on the sculpture just looks out of place in the US, it's much more European.
    Paris it is.

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  2. Sorry Joseph! My jet lagged brain isn't functioning yet. Some of the photos were taken in Boston and some were taken in Paris. Now I'll have to figure out a way to clarify that in the post.

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  3. okay, maybe I misread the directions the first time. Any hoot, here goes:

    Ben Franklin-Paris because of the patina.
    children-Paris because of the plastic bag
    Pave Glace--Paris because it's in French
    Plastic--Boston
    costume--Boston, Halloween isn't as popular for adults in France as it is here
    card--Boston, but I think it's a complete red herring
    stained glass--Boston, because of the words in Latin and the size of the glass pieces
    chess--I think Boston, cause I don't know a place like that in Paris, unless it's in your lovely 16th.

    oh this was tough.

    but fun.
    how'd I do?

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  4. I agree with Joseph - quite hard!

    I would say:

    1. Paris
    2. Paris
    3. Paris
    4. Boston
    5. Boston
    6. Boston
    7. Paris
    8. Boston

    When do we get the answers - tomorrow?

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  5. I'll play!

    1. Ben Franklin seated just off the Place du Trocadero in Paris.

    2. I'm guessing by the design of the ironwork and the fact that Halloween is still 10 days away that those costumed cuties were in Paris (where they don't get Halloween anyway.)

    3. Chocolates in Boston?

    4. Plastiques in the 6th?

    5. No clue

    6. Paris? Why else would you take a picture.

    7. Boston

    8. Boston.


    Can't wait for the answers.

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  6. Thanks for trick or treating!

    Joseph, Good point about the patina. It's not something that I've thought about before. And yes, the card was a complete red herring!

    Sara, It looks like you need to go to Burdick's and get better acquainted with their chocolate!

    Anne, Well done on BF and plastiques. If I had some candy corn, you would get a big handful!

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  7. good fun. Anne makes a good point about no. 6. It's as much the psychology of the choices as the image themselves.

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  8. Somehow missed this quiz....good thing as I see from your answers that I would have been shamefully wrong on most of them!! BTW...there is plenty of patina to be found in Boston.
    nancyb

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  9. Mary Kay: No clue about the stationery store. Just a little correction on the costumes on the little girls. Although Purim is a time when kids dress up, it falls in early spring, not fall.

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  10. Anne, Sorry - I should have explained that a couple of the photos were taken earlier in the year. The ones of the children in costumes were taken by my daughter during her Spring break last March.

    Looks as if I'll have to go for another stroll near the Luxembourg Gardens. I have a general idea of where the stationary store is so it shouldn't be too hard to find. I just thought that I would check with you first since you're more familiar with Paris than me.

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