there is an upside

So, we officially entered depression last weekend with the shift in the clocks. No more afternoon, straight into the night. At least with all the trees around we have an upside.

Crazy horse

The weekend is normally time for the menage... for a change it's been turned upside down, this one has seen some manège.

just because

As Europe slides into its season of depression, lead in by the cold and the dark, it is nice to think of those sunnier places in our memories.

So, instead of grey from Paris, here's a more pleasant thought; sea spray in Cape Point Nature Reserve, near the tip of the Cape peninsula. I'm surprised the Portuguese didn't stay when they first saw this, but they planted their cross and moved on.

Wishing you sunny memories.

La Seine à Bougival le soir

OK, so it's about as far from a Claude Monet as one can get, and it's not even evening. I didn't really realise, until last weekend, that Monet did many series, like his haystacks, the cathedral and even the famous bridge over the lily pond. What I did know, is that he lived nearish Bougival, where this photo was taken of the Seine.

Unlike fiddling with Aperture 3 settings, his interest in the series was obviously to capture the varying light, and in so doing render the subject quite differently, apparently working on several canvases in short succession as the light changed.

The Monet exhibition at the Grand Palais is quite something, it was a push trying to squeeze it into 2 hours. You must see it.  Of the many works on show, my favourite is perhaps La pie, although I could also spend ages just soaking up Les Nymphéas, especially those in L'Orangerie museum.

Sometimes it isn't too schabby living in Paris.

stroll in the park

Albeit grey, it was quite a pleasant day to stroll in the park.

Just because

It's fig season.

Industrial art

Perhaps there are even interesting pictures in the port of Rotterdam.

One often finds a couple of giraffe standing around while another drinks.

You and me

I was alone, strolling down Copacabana beach. Late afternoon, wet from a quick swim. The sun was setting over the city, but one could still feel its warmth. The seasoned beach goers had mostly left, it was the now the runners and strollers’ shift.

I thought to myself, ‘this is paradise, what a perfect evening, what a perfect place’. Far from it. 

yes, that's garden furniture...

When in Rio you could go to the touristy restaurants, where it's expensive, you hang out with tourists and the food is mediocre, or, you can find a little bar on the street where the locals are entertaining and the food is mediocre...

Mais um chopp por favor.

Worse ways to spend a Sunday...

The day started off with me feeling very sorry for myself. Long haul flights are OK, you can stroll around, hang out in the galley or choose your film. Well you can if it's in one of the big planes. Last night, was 7,5 hours in a 737, with a back bulkhead seat that didn't recline, spaced for the legs of a little Panama girl. So, I had some guys head up my nose (consolation was my knees were in his kidneys), no individual screen and stuck next to the can. Although, being next to the toilet does allow you to fart with impunity.

Needless to say at 6am when our plane touched down I wasn't the happiest camper.

But then there was a nice shower, a fresh pineapple and coconut juice squeezed before my eyes and this stroll on Copacabana:

A midday nap, followed by a Skol and Chicken fillet lunch (in amongst the locals who were making a noise - they were even talking to each other at neighbouring tables - it felt so un-paris), then a fresh coconut juice alongside beach. An evening run on the beach to Ipanema to finish off.

What was that story about the flight again? There are worse ways to spend a Sunday. It just became great.

Smokin'

Top of Sicily at 3340 m

Steaming crater at about 2940 m, the Etna eruption of 2002.

View from Taormina towards the mainland.

Piazza Armerina to Taormina

The Romans invent the bikini? One of the girls from the mosaics to be seen at Casa Romana del Casale.

After dinner in Piazza Armerina

Getting the chop in Siracusa

Ahoy the mainland... looking from Taormina towards Calabria

Almond wine with roasted almonds

Palermo to Marsala...

Palermo, just before the Mercato Vucciria gets going. The cat (Wally the cat) drew me to this picture.

The view from Erice castle is worth the motion sickness from the hairpins.

Marsala, yes, where the wine comes from.

Les Champignons

Ahh holidays are good, a little stroll in the undergrowth to look for some cépe mushrooms. A little garlic, some parsley.... yum!

Not this one, he stayed in the forest for the slugs.

These little guys came home with us... mmmmm

lac blanc

It was a beautiful weather Sunday, and holidays season. So needless to say, every man and his dog had the same idea as us... lets stroll up to Lac Blanc. The best part about 'walking' to Lac Blanc is getting a fair bit of the ascent taken care of by the téléphérique de la Flégère. The fresh air is also so much more welcoming after cuddling up to someone's armpit in the cable car cabin. From the top station it's uphill for about an hour and a half. Then, instead of abusing our knees for the hell of it, we traversed to l'index and caught the télésiège down. We still had the same folks around us as up at the lake, so not much gain in time, but I'm sure our legs felt happier.

Rewarded by beautiful views during a hard walk in the hot sun, summer's here!

Not much white about lac blanc right now...

font III - just because

more 'fonts

on a mission

'Fonts

Just because you have to like Elephants...

Bon weekend

La Défense II

Etoile

He who hesitates is lost. No truer expression for taking on l'étoile by car. Simple rule; he who is coming from the right is king, even if 'he' is just a piddly Smart. Above all, don't hesitate, just gooi!

Speaking of étoile, I like the 15 odd little étoiles surrounding the Arc de Triomphe in the photo below (click for a larger view). All starry thanks to the small aperture used to get the long exposure.

Always a little surreal driving around l'étoile and down the cobbles of the Champs Elysées that leads out into another free-for-all in the Place de la Concorde. Never imagined it as an everyday thing.

Just gooi.