PARIS

A new year, and a new post. It's been some time now. Fall's been full of more or less lost time it seems. Me running here and there, doing God knows what with my time. Now 2011 is gone for good, except for what I've been recording from my stay in Paris and Dourdan over the Christmas holiday. I've taken more pictures than I care to admit, and even though my charger got a good kiss of current on the fast train to Paris, I've managed to take pictures with my trusted Coolpix, and also to borrow a Lumix from my employer. Everything's not in the computer yet, but from the more than 150 pics already edited I'm trying to make series to show here. Not all at once, the year's just started!
I will however start with some classic views from my speedy and long walk through a very small part of Paris. I got on the commuter-train from Dourdan south of the city, and managed to get on to the Métro to the "deuxième arrondissement". I had great but cold weather, and with my hat-clad head a-swiweling I started out westwards towards; The Eiffel Tower, I mean it's a must, n'est pas?



So, trudging along with the wind against me, I happened to look to my right; and voilà, Le Sacré Coeur, the fairytale-church on top of the Montmartre! Just what I needed to start my stay in the pretty city of Paris.



Looking right again a little later, I came upon the Church of...oh well, here my map had the Galerie Lafayette all over the name. Too bad.

A detail from l'Opéra de Paris aka Théatre Garnier. It was just to huge to fit into my tiny camera!

I spied the Eiffel Tower early on, but it was far away and I trekked for a long while, passing the Jardin de Tuileries and crossing over the Seine, and then onwards westward. No I did not take the Champs Elysées down to the Arc, just too windy, and too much traffic to be any fun.

Again with the small camera! Had to fit the tower in on a bias...

So, now I've started my two-day visit of this beautiful city. More is to follow ofcourse. Next I went on the Seine, teary-eyed from the chill breeze, but still, the views! A bien-tôt...

Magic Journey

Autumn is slowly coming our way. It's still sunny and nice, but the days are getting shorter, with chill in the air in the mornings and evenings. We managed to get a way for a last fling with summer. We headed west, into the Cathar-country of Languedoc-Rousillion passing through the marshy, salty Camargue on our way...



We passed my favourite mountain; Mont Saint Victoire.



Into the flatlands of Camargue we found a surprise...

The Chateau d'Avignon

It seems this was once a factory powered by water, producing what I don't know.

On the saltflats we arrived at Aigues-Mortes. The cité where the first crusade was launched in the 11th century.

Apart from being pretty and old, the town is also known for the black bulls, white horses (none on picture alas!) and its salt. Around the salines one can go by these boats to watch the wildlife.







We pushed on towards Carcasonne. Leaving Camargue behind to the amazing Canal du Midi...

This is how it looked by the beautiful town of Béziers. Heading further south we came upon it as an aqueduc...

Béziers, fairytale-pretty!

And we continued South...

CARCASONNE!
Words aren't important here.

*

* 

A perfect ending to our second day on the road!

More is to follow...















Summer re-captured II

It's best ofcourse to finish what I've started. This isn't something that comes very easily to me, but... a girl's gotta.....
I continue my re-cap. of the summer, to be able to move on to new and who knows, greener pastures. Here goes:

Some mixed things; views from the cottage, and some of all the mushrooms Mixie and I found late in August.

We finally, after years of talking about it, managed to go on a picnic to one of the island in the southern archipleago.
Beautiful! It will happen again, so help me!

Bliss Revisited

Having moved even further South, and towards the Eastern coast, I can only confirm what I already knew; this part of Sweden is truly wonderfully pretty! It's still day one, and the camera haven't been up and running very much yet, but I'll start with some morning and forest-pictures, for now.


Darling Dog in the sunny forest



The sky's more vast here... not like Wyoming, but still.