Albi

Europe is a bit back to front, many cities I know (apart from Europe) have pretty places around the centre, and the city centre is something you don't visit too often. Europe is different, it is often better to close one's eyes until you hit the centre. Albi is no exception.

In the 1400's, Albi seemed to have a fair amount of wealth thanks to the pastel industry, centered in nearby Toulouse. The leaves of the pastel plant were used to dye cloth blue. The importance of pastel declined with the arrival of indigo from the west. However, it is evident that once upon a time it was a rich town - or probably a town with a rich few. A well restored city, with characteristic red brick from the era, Albi still feels full of riches.

The first treasure is the cathedral, which itself has a few treasures. After having taking in a couple of awe inspiring 'churches' in Italy last year, I was surprised to feel wowed by a huge little-known cathedral in a small town in the south. If you get a chance to pass within a hundred kilometres of Albi, do yourself a favour and take a detour. I have never seen stone filigree like it. I'm not generally big on cathedrals, but this one is also special in that the rood screen has been preserved. A common feature in cathedrals of the era, the rood screen separates the nave and chancel (I get the feeling is was to keep the plebs away from the righteous... whatever) Either way, I am glad that the local bunch decided to ignore the church's instruction to demolish the rood screen, back in the days when they tried to boost their membership by allowing masses to see the mass. The skill to create that sculpture is incredible.

Since the rood screen stayed, they nuked the wall on the opposite side to the chancel to install another altar. So, cathedral Sainte Cécile is one of the few with an altar on the west side. In trashing the centre portion of the wall, Jesus was removed from the huge fresco of 'The Last Judgement', leaving the damned and blessed both staring at not much, quite weird.

Above the two thirds fresco is a the huge organ, still in working condition, with over 3000 pipes. Quite impressive.

Another Albi treasure is the Toulouse Lautrec museum. I have always kind of liked his work; a result of a rather tormented life, I imagine, and an interesting period in Paris' history. The museum sports a collection from throughout his life, the visit is made all the more insightful by the guide.

I am sure there are a lot of other important and interesting things that we glossed over, but I will remember Albi.

The cathedral that took 200 years to build.





















Interesting mix of styles with beautiful fine stone work








































This is the better preserved back of the rood screen





















From the nave

The rather large organ, I didn't get a photo of The Last Judgement, but you can see the dammed and blessed either side of the opening to the 'new' chancel. Sorry photos in general were a bit tricky not as much light as it seems.

The red brick streets of Albi


































































The gardens behind the ToulouseLautrec museum, and below, the museum itself.





















Hope you get wowed unexpectedly.

light sabre

As photos go, this is hmmm, well ja... but there is a point. I wanted a strip of light to try take a photo of a shiny saxophone. A paper tube, made from an Orange bag, slid onto the flash did the trick. This allowed for a line of light to highlight the sax shape instead of a point source. I kind of like the outcome: Sax on flickr.

SB-600, I am your father

Around Carcassonne

We did a small loop to the north and south of Carcassonne to take in Lastours and Peyrepertuse, both medieval chateau. I will expand on the story, but for now some pictures. Firstly the four towers of Lastours.

And a view from the other side of the valley.














On the way to Peyrepertuse, we passed through a quaint town called Lagrasse.















This is Peyrepertuse.















Perched up in the middle of nowhere.















Where we were lucky enough to see a little falconry.















A beautiful place, more details to follow.

Carcassonne

Head Pyraneewards to the land of the Cathars, and one stumbles upon the medieval megapole of Carcassonne. In summary, it is a fortified town that is too small for all its tourists. That's perhaps a bit unkind, since it is charming and has many an interesting story to tell. It was so much more pleasant at night though when most the people had left.

A view of piece of the fortified castle within the fortified city... a lot of fortting going on.

It is worth the visit, but perhaps try do it out of peak holiday season; perhpas when summer arrives.

sand and gulls

Another day at the beach, the lazy Med is back.

Meditteranean

I always mock the Med; it's like swiming in a lake - must be my Cape of Good Hope roots that make me partial to waves ;) Last night it was looking all grey, so I tried a long exposure to blur out the sea movement. Not my favourite photo, but I like the monotonish greyish blue, a little watercolourlike. 'Beach at Carnon' - water colours.

Later the same night I took to the balcony again, this night shot is on my flickr.

Below, a non monochromish look at a lot of snoozing. These hammocks were piled up outside a shop in Sete I love the colous and think I prefer it to the pale one above. Maybe I just prefer the idea of lazing in one of them.

This morning I woke up to the Atlantic. Yes, during the night we had moved houses... well not really, it was just the storm was lurking and the sea had roughed up (go figure, in mid summer???). So much better, I will no longer mock the Med.

Wishing you peaceful beach scenes and lazing in a hammock.

Holidays

I am sure last year this time I said the same thing; I love Paris... in the holiday season. Oh so pleasant without all the Parisians, so many parking spots, such little traffic. The perfect city so long as you don't want to get anything done. So what did we do to take advantage of Paris in the holiday season? We left, like all the others, and headed south, where summer is more assured.

It is great to be by the seaside, sand between the toes, sun on the face... ah the life!

Yesterday was a visit to Sete; a cool little town with canals, somewhere between Montpellier and Spain, hiding from the sea behind a hill, with a monstrousity of a port just alongside. Quite rundown, but more like quaint and charming than seedyand and dirty... hmmm now I sound like an estate agent.

Sete by night, lots of places to perch out on the sidewalk and take in some lovely seafood.





















Actually this is on the way; the port of Palavas.

And back to Sete, on the way home after a great meal. I hope you like the photo, I had to lie down in the gull doodoo to get it right.

Happy holidays and if you're not lucky enough to be by the sea, I wish you at least plentiful parking.