tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49460852648875767582024-03-19T22:04:44.892+11:00Of Foreign Lands and PeopleLike the Schumann piece of the same title, this blog is dedicated to my love of travel, to foreign lands and the people who inhabit them.J.Spadina (MalaKretova)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14790983879580438967noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946085264887576758.post-54098123393929271382012-04-09T18:49:00.002+10:002012-04-09T21:37:23.412+10:00Cesky KrumlovOne of the highlights of my travels through eastern Europe (which comprised of spending two to three weeks traveling through Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Poland), was spending a couple of days in the serene and beautiful town of Cesky Krumlov, located in the region of Bohemian, Czech Republic. Unfortunately, like many beautiful old towns in Europe, Cesky Krumlov has become somewhat of a tourist hub, with most tours of the region making a stop here. However, I was fortunate enough to visit Cesky Krumlov during the springtime, as I could imagine that the quaint and quiet atmosphere of the town, which is what made it so appealing to me, would be spoiled by the hoards of summer tourists, flocking to marvel at the town's well preserved baroque architecture or to participate in the numerous outdoor sports available nearby, including white water rafting along the Vltava River or horse riding in the surrounding countryside.<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">As I walked down the cobble-stoned streets of Cesky Krumlov, I felt as though I was no longer in the 21st century. In the old town centre, there are no tarred roads and no modern architecture to be seen. It seemed as though little had changed in Cesky Krumlov over the past few hundred years, even the pastel coloured, medieval styled residential buildings of the town appear to be well maintained, as though time has stood still.<br />
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In the daytime, Cesky Krumlov radiates with colour and life. Locals do their daily shopping in cute little artisan grocery stores, riding bicycles home laden with fresh baguettes and seasonal fruits and vegetables. The streets are full of children playing and small tourist stores display local arts and crafts. But as night falls, the atmosphere in the town drastically changes. Not necessarily in a negative way, the town feels quite safe at night, but once the sun hides its face, there is a somewhat eerie and ghostly feeling about the town, as if it it haunted. The streets are desolate and dimly lit by street lamps. Cats scurry from one dark alley to another, trying to remain the the shadows. The only sounds that can be hear is the faint muffled music from hidden away bars and restaurant, and the rush of the swelling Vltava River. It is little wonder that there are so many ghost stories circulating about the town. <a href="http://www.ckrumlov.info/docs/en/mesto_histor_povleg.xml">http://www.ckrumlov.info/docs/en/mesto_histor_povleg.xml</a></div><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The highlight of Cesky Krumlov, and its claim to fame, is the castle. The castle tower, the most striking monument of Cesky Krumlov, dominates the town's skyscape - making it rather easy to locate the castle complex. Upon nearing the castle, I was rather intrigued by its exterior decoration. What struck me was the use of pastel colours and painted faux architectural features, which are quite graphic, three-dimensional and tactile in form. I am at a complete loss at how to categorise this style of architecture, as I haven't seen anything like it before. However, it makes for an impressive <i>piece de resistance</i> of the town.<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Entrance into the castle complex is free, although there are small charges to enter certain parts of the castle, such as the tower for example. The complex is fairly large, boasting many rooms, as well as an expanse of parkland and gardens, including a lake and outdoor theatre, so I'd recommend setting aside two to three hours to see it properly. A note of warning, animal rights activists may have something to say about the bears in the dry moat which surrounds the castle. I'm not quite sure what their purpose of being there is, if bears were kept in this moat in the past, or if its some sort of ploy to attract tourists. Either way, their sparse concrete habitat looks rather stark and depressing.</div><br />
Some interesting tales and legends about the castle, which I find rather fascinating:<br />
<a href="http://www.castle.ckrumlov.cz/docs/en/zamek_oinf_povest.xml">http://www.castle.ckrumlov.cz/docs/en/zamek_oinf_povest.xml</a><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">On my final afternoon in Cesky Krumlov, took a little walk into the farmland surrounding the town. I happened to stubble across a path and decided to follow it, passing a number of people who were also enjoying the spring sunshine. As the originally well defined path slowly faded into tuffs of grass and gravel, and then into open grassland, I spotted a little chapel on a hill, and decided to cut across the nearby meadow to reach it. Once I reach the peak, I was greeted a spectacular view onto the town below (the chapel can be see in the photograph above, in the center of the horizon line, surrounded by trees). Although it was an exhausting hike, climbing over stone walls and pushing through trees and shrubs, not to mention the incline of the hill, like most things which require a great deal of effort, the reward (the view) at the end was worth it.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ElX0P8YIZQl0CaETSSx-ZY1yU3Ijot_KKrS_Z2EtsIR4wYmdH8iH3OopbSbjbooT6yTMY3rTApBiUWDcFHCTGiO8XQ4bi5cqS79I_w6_4lGX6xGvCtXUdW-Q-7_ZWm8PTb_praoLBXCF/s1600/IMGP0669.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ElX0P8YIZQl0CaETSSx-ZY1yU3Ijot_KKrS_Z2EtsIR4wYmdH8iH3OopbSbjbooT6yTMY3rTApBiUWDcFHCTGiO8XQ4bi5cqS79I_w6_4lGX6xGvCtXUdW-Q-7_ZWm8PTb_praoLBXCF/s640/IMGP0669.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">During my stay in Cesky Krumlov, I stayed at Hostel 99, which is located at the entrance of the old town, as you cross the bridge near the main bus stop. It is a converted and beautifully preserved 14th century building, with cellar like rooms downs stair, boasting thick stone wall and beautiful arches. The attic rooms are just as impressive, with distressed timber floor and exposed timber ceiling beams. I remember the hostel owner mentioning that the building once housed a hospital and lunatic asylum, which sent a bit of a chill up the spines of a few of my fellow travellers, as well as provoking a number of ghost stories after the lights went out. However, it was one of the most comfortable, pleasant and interesting hostels I've stayed in. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdy8eUswl08TIQNZR4SWXRywmZ1mjsI1D_bxResn3IvxE3TfVPH9VilhUsiTcSL7eIAqLWZ6dTr6gSvmE0v0WUsQLdmwmYaHXoXlfVB6FNYvcgkR312QHYMz1a7BieVeHxepcXE8nC4TGd/s1600/IMGP0670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdy8eUswl08TIQNZR4SWXRywmZ1mjsI1D_bxResn3IvxE3TfVPH9VilhUsiTcSL7eIAqLWZ6dTr6gSvmE0v0WUsQLdmwmYaHXoXlfVB6FNYvcgkR312QHYMz1a7BieVeHxepcXE8nC4TGd/s640/IMGP0670.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>J.Spadina (MalaKretova)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14790983879580438967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946085264887576758.post-62074666111277892702011-09-09T08:40:00.000+10:002011-09-09T08:40:45.366+10:00Verrocchio Arts Centre, Tuscany<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8BWdvDrAiR9uFzwL1hLA8L3nVACVn5Em_89P6vA2fWzzKE0fFzea5SEjVJyUwCPUyCJywBH2zFGVLlc-RfCtZb7c3w8SIJiT4upTaGSeB-FanDAYxFDmUDUyBagxlJr7UaNlkTKcP59QM/s1600/IMGP1090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8BWdvDrAiR9uFzwL1hLA8L3nVACVn5Em_89P6vA2fWzzKE0fFzea5SEjVJyUwCPUyCJywBH2zFGVLlc-RfCtZb7c3w8SIJiT4upTaGSeB-FanDAYxFDmUDUyBagxlJr7UaNlkTKcP59QM/s640/IMGP1090.JPG" t8="true" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An amazing view from my bedroom window</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Tucked away amongst the rolling green hills of Tuscany is the little known town of Casole d'Elsa. I spent two weeks there in 2007 attending classes at Verrocchio Arts Centre. It was an unforgettable two weeks spent painting, drawing, sculpting, enjoying amazing food (thanks to our in-house chef) and idly soaking in the fresh air and undulating hills of Tuscany.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Casole d'Else is a typical Tuscan hilltop town, which overlooks the surrounding, picture-perfect countryside. Like many rural town, it isn't the easiest place to access - it look me almost 24 hours from Split, Croatia. It consisted of an overnight boat to Ancona, three trains, two buses and one long uphill walk! Despite the small size of the town, which cannot be home to more than a few hundred people if that, I even had difficulty locating Verrochio Arts Centre in the labyrinth of streets and walkways.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU7mHXlh3ebfYIBJvc0iAHctfVZEh_mSFY_EdLpsHdx5T-K3K3u7JEkGQxW4mM_2R5XYXBTMH5OVTX1WTsMcZOpV4nZpCkOuJNM9PRdf5VOCWPcMI4JjmlrcQwmPmyERcSyR9RQk0tlJcw/s640/IMGP1101.JPG" width="640" /> </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Everyday at Verrochio Arts Centre would commence in much the same way. We'd wake up to the sound of the church bells tolling seven o'clock and by eight o'clock our delicious breakfast was served on the vine-covered terrace overlooking the landscape beyond. Classes began at 9am sharp in the studio and continued until 12 noon. At 1pm an equally amazing lunch was laid out on the communal table (usually creative prepared from leftovers from the previous night) and then we took a siesta until 3pm when classes recommenced. Classes ended for the day at around 6pm, which gave us enough time to get ready for dinner at 7:30pm. Each night dinner consisted of a delicious three-course meal and the dessert was always scrumptious (I'm a self-confessed sugar addict). I almost enjoyed the food more than anything else during these two weeks. Dinner was always followed by an engaging and lively discussion about politics, philosophy, art, the state of the world in general (it was a group of about ten artists, could you expect any different?). In short, two weeks of bliss!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">We also had a few free days during which we walked throught the surrounding countryside, exploring nearby churches, farms, Etruscan archeological sites and a few of the nearby towns. I was fortunate to be there during a festival which was held one evening in the plaza beneath the Arts Centre. We joined in with some of the extremely friendly local people, for an evening of eating, drinking, singing and dancing under the stars into the early hours of the morning. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A misty morning looking over the terrace</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Julie's watercolours</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmyXf0kIkhFibYXpIqI3BSDsOxlPOaU-X2mPXt-iFEpk05oe6-bzFPk-v-a3arpbUqIpVNp_dfIViN_A7yWUxnkvqqpJKYuIilRilIXFhN4tb5UBYr3znSa4K3VXvnUvCtsrts3UxZRQAv/s1600/IMGP1210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmyXf0kIkhFibYXpIqI3BSDsOxlPOaU-X2mPXt-iFEpk05oe6-bzFPk-v-a3arpbUqIpVNp_dfIViN_A7yWUxnkvqqpJKYuIilRilIXFhN4tb5UBYr3znSa4K3VXvnUvCtsrts3UxZRQAv/s400/IMGP1210.JPG" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3544Qy92V23xwtNdEqsSJcX8BfqfPyYfWWOyGmN2blC_1Ftf1A0Cho2dxtBz2RklS9YZ3rdLFIcNiULITPjkeLJnCpnAwAK0GvFmd19a49TVN9iCf1sqMczH7zIzwPpZ_xI3O3rEEQbsh/s1600/IMGP1117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3544Qy92V23xwtNdEqsSJcX8BfqfPyYfWWOyGmN2blC_1Ftf1A0Cho2dxtBz2RklS9YZ3rdLFIcNiULITPjkeLJnCpnAwAK0GvFmd19a49TVN9iCf1sqMczH7zIzwPpZ_xI3O3rEEQbsh/s400/IMGP1117.JPG" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCb58mJ9SO0Zyv2QxW_P8qTWnYeayn_kdHvkV7-c6TdTrTjcHxNH8_seyWKQb2cx287t8Jd7T38GqJqiFtT5-yEK7twkFMTLUJwDQhfjst6VQG2csPtQgMUAh_HL5MKocP-jSYQvLkGjEg/s1600/IMGP1222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidr7qdUEcQMXxe0I-XThuifuD4P4wrHYZ_fCnngK_3wSgxju_i6YmeZSZwL5RsEGWsQ0eXzKlfp3lFJDq1W24Q3KEnEtkEcmGGyb9Cs7WbGSEsBuQ-qphwheUt7qYc4r1Nh7gLIwg_bBAE/s1600/IMGP1116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidr7qdUEcQMXxe0I-XThuifuD4P4wrHYZ_fCnngK_3wSgxju_i6YmeZSZwL5RsEGWsQ0eXzKlfp3lFJDq1W24Q3KEnEtkEcmGGyb9Cs7WbGSEsBuQ-qphwheUt7qYc4r1Nh7gLIwg_bBAE/s640/IMGP1116.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVSoUZCbFES_4RklSSNNY12nKLCBgiv86FdQw-iaCDqdBXn6Fzip2m_ZJkxhslstpSXfGTvNBPMXnPZwQR_ikUqOd1pR8GltlKL8-I_HGSjz88qrrbVLTFlg7rNMb07cKLkd7g0KZagkUj/s1600/IMGP1147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVSoUZCbFES_4RklSSNNY12nKLCBgiv86FdQw-iaCDqdBXn6Fzip2m_ZJkxhslstpSXfGTvNBPMXnPZwQR_ikUqOd1pR8GltlKL8-I_HGSjz88qrrbVLTFlg7rNMb07cKLkd7g0KZagkUj/s640/IMGP1147.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maria's House</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidr7qdUEcQMXxe0I-XThuifuD4P4wrHYZ_fCnngK_3wSgxju_i6YmeZSZwL5RsEGWsQ0eXzKlfp3lFJDq1W24Q3KEnEtkEcmGGyb9Cs7WbGSEsBuQ-qphwheUt7qYc4r1Nh7gLIwg_bBAE/s1600/IMGP1116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7J98ujvGS1i6RY8E-O02xkGWfxcf5mVpyrmxc2cvza3OUCvgzpHbg7xMc0RBRsFn4g05ODsOKLec1o1t2AMDmwhzs0SC-x8t_kl2tBFOjJLIUz5EIv-0IiTaw8jSzMEsZ5AjI0H5Ll577/s1600/IMGP1156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7J98ujvGS1i6RY8E-O02xkGWfxcf5mVpyrmxc2cvza3OUCvgzpHbg7xMc0RBRsFn4g05ODsOKLec1o1t2AMDmwhzs0SC-x8t_kl2tBFOjJLIUz5EIv-0IiTaw8jSzMEsZ5AjI0H5Ll577/s640/IMGP1156.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cats of Casole d'Elsa</td></tr>
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</div>J.Spadina (MalaKretova)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14790983879580438967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946085264887576758.post-54197755158325548342011-07-25T21:51:00.001+10:002011-07-25T21:54:33.117+10:00Monschau, Germany<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This obscure small town on the Belgium/Germany boarder is up there as one of my favourite places in Europe. Thanks to my cousin, who is incredibly knowledgeable about about places to see and things to do in Northern Europe (he would have made a great tourist guide, it's a shame he didn't take that career path), I saw many things and places in Belgium, Germany and The Netherlands which I had no intention of seeing, let alone having any knowledge of, but in the end was completely amazed by. During our little road trips, he constantly pointed out places of interest (there's so and so church, there's that cathedral, there's an amazing gallery), explaining the history of a monument or town (that is dedicated to so and so, this event happened here, so and so visited this town on this particular date), and he was excited to take me me to little-known, yet amazing and stunning towns (including Monschau, Leuve, Aachen and Maastricht), which the average tourist would have completely passed by, utterly unaware of what they had missed out on. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Monschau is situated in Germany, only 2km from the Belgium boarder. The town was originally known as Montjoie (being a French/Belgium word), as it was under French rule from 1795. The name of the town was altered in 1918, when the town was awarded to Prussia, and until today it is known as Monschau. The towns cobbled streets and timber framed houses have change very little over the last 300 years. The town was extremely lucky to escape air-raid bombings during the Second War World, and as a result, is it one of the few towns in the region to be almost completely preserved.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Driving through the Belgium countryside one morning, I was completely unaware about where we were going as we crossed the German boarder - Jean-Marie tended to just drive, as though he made the decision about where we were going on the way there. Even when we entered the hills of North Eifel and began to descend the long winding road down into the valley where Monschau is situated, I had little idea about the uniqueness of the town which we were about to visit. As you cross the bridge from the parking bays, you being to feel as though you have stepped back into time, or are living some sort of Disney fairytale. The town feels somewhat empty and eerie as you walk through the narrow grey cobblestone streets (these streets are only for pedestrians as there is no access for cars - I'm sure the town planners three centuries ago did not envisions cars zooming down these picturesque streets), almost as though you are in a movie set for a film such as Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow (that's it, Monschau has a Burton-ish feel to it - eerie, peculiar and magical, especially on a grey overcast autumn day, such as the one when we visited the town - I'm sure it would have completely different atmosphere if you visited on a warm and sunny spring day).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you take a walk up to the ruins of the 13th century Monschau castle, once the seat of the powerful Counts of Julich until it was besieged by Emperor Charles V in 1543, you are afforded with a spectacular view of the surrounding hills and the isolated town in the valley below. Once there, imagine if you were to place an empty gilded frame in front this landscape, it would be easy to mistake the pointed grey rooftops and church spires, set against the lush green foliage of the encircling forest, as an oil painting from the Danube School - it's almost that idealistic.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you're in Germany or Belgium, or any other part of Europe, or the world for that matter, take time out to diverge from the regular tourist route and you might be surprised at what hidden gems you might discover. (It also helps to have the assistance and knowledge of a local).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqbjBASVQCJ9ldRyYAtPoWDBJF_OACDmL9pSrGLKITERxdz_fWJbrEagRxK7QKta7ghL_webkebHNuPer8nvSPUg4uXNKnzShMxn_JuMZmYqdp_YsMP8YylCTFMOYnMhpJT1DfMbE5BMIi/s1600/IMG_1694.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqbjBASVQCJ9ldRyYAtPoWDBJF_OACDmL9pSrGLKITERxdz_fWJbrEagRxK7QKta7ghL_webkebHNuPer8nvSPUg4uXNKnzShMxn_JuMZmYqdp_YsMP8YylCTFMOYnMhpJT1DfMbE5BMIi/s640/IMG_1694.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>J.Spadina (MalaKretova)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14790983879580438967noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946085264887576758.post-59634535076537158662011-07-17T20:28:00.001+10:002011-07-17T20:29:07.157+10:00Belgium<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkxtvMUsLMlxKFs24ciFjkU5d525PzwOX92OIJKY_Ulhjz2wtElk8-c8785j5ng5STUfrUSH2nBQO2KNoO7uuQMdDpbk70p0x5SK-0uh1fcHpekB1yaWy8EzVq0F7RAuKzHdn1gphUUmbA/s1600/IMG_1607.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkxtvMUsLMlxKFs24ciFjkU5d525PzwOX92OIJKY_Ulhjz2wtElk8-c8785j5ng5STUfrUSH2nBQO2KNoO7uuQMdDpbk70p0x5SK-0uh1fcHpekB1yaWy8EzVq0F7RAuKzHdn1gphUUmbA/s400/IMG_1607.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luvern</td></tr>
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Beer + Waffles + Chocolate = Belgium. And it's also the headquarters of the European Union. I guess this is what usually comes to mind when someone mentions Belgium. The small northern European country that is usually forgotten about by most western European tour operators, due to its small size and lack of famous monuments and crowd eliciting festivals. People go to France for the Eiffle Tower, Cannes, the Louvre; Italy for the Colusseum, Venice, Tuscany; Germany for Octoberfest and Berlin; Spain for the running of the bulls, Gaudi...but to go to Belgium just for some chocolate and waffles? Despite its humble exterior, Belgium is a culturally and historically rich country, with amazing architecture, picture perfect towns and breathtaking scenery.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brussels</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht0sLCRqQ2u6EUDiEEXu7AZvsMg505X6ryjc6lgp4H55O4R6HGxMnHdxMBc9yQxKmb_ZsDWct_eCGY31Zf8l8DYCNXHegUjjKY1sbNRfcvY-AEHkx9lBbqApA_uafIyhYKhQyexhzTYNEb/s1600/IMG_1617.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht0sLCRqQ2u6EUDiEEXu7AZvsMg505X6ryjc6lgp4H55O4R6HGxMnHdxMBc9yQxKmb_ZsDWct_eCGY31Zf8l8DYCNXHegUjjKY1sbNRfcvY-AEHkx9lBbqApA_uafIyhYKhQyexhzTYNEb/s640/IMG_1617.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKvuQAzQOFQ4J45_Wks0hugngAEU21JFSyt-tpC950VMRuiBkZN20CN7_i8O15-Jf6CgHg3C5tjguN3gY2Mg_9ihVUF7wD_l8CFhkdezPS_Aztin6wOYXVkL-yVKXm1B9G1LfjhlQX0OMj/s1600/IMG_1619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKvuQAzQOFQ4J45_Wks0hugngAEU21JFSyt-tpC950VMRuiBkZN20CN7_i8O15-Jf6CgHg3C5tjguN3gY2Mg_9ihVUF7wD_l8CFhkdezPS_Aztin6wOYXVkL-yVKXm1B9G1LfjhlQX0OMj/s640/IMG_1619.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Originally I wasn't terribly keen/overly excited to visit Belgium, other than being eager to visit two of my grandfather's sisters and my cousin Jean-Marie, whom I had never met before. So taking the train from le Gard du Nord in Paris, with my great masses of luggage (I always have the best intentions of packing light, but I always seem to go overboard, especially this time as I had to pack for all seasons since I had planned to be in Europe for a minimum of six months), I made my way to Liege, Belgium, not having any prior conceptions of what to expect. During my travels I found that that I was usually somewhat disappointed by places which had been overly hyped-up, and pleasantly surprised when visiting places with no prior expectations - and Belgium was one of the latter.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The meeting point of Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLbyYyPbB9VVR0IB61K18Gv-_WfujE3z6Df0HK3iwH0_fkdXJpkVRsObNVmsEkgM_y9ol4FCAZ6-zVLyXIS2q7_zFtnTrvyW9UzftGUR8bEffb3pF3ZfQJOjRjpsx3M3SI0xtyC1APZoQ/s1600/IMG_1668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLbyYyPbB9VVR0IB61K18Gv-_WfujE3z6Df0HK3iwH0_fkdXJpkVRsObNVmsEkgM_y9ol4FCAZ6-zVLyXIS2q7_zFtnTrvyW9UzftGUR8bEffb3pF3ZfQJOjRjpsx3M3SI0xtyC1APZoQ/s640/IMG_1668.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First World War cemetery</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLbyYyPbB9VVR0IB61K18Gv-_WfujE3z6Df0HK3iwH0_fkdXJpkVRsObNVmsEkgM_y9ol4FCAZ6-zVLyXIS2q7_zFtnTrvyW9UzftGUR8bEffb3pF3ZfQJOjRjpsx3M3SI0xtyC1APZoQ/s1600/IMG_1668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqkyBJy3NSawNnUM84B7qHYV146iym0xWODp9WHcpJrwLlsr7szdLgx2NHUxncT7QHaFgRF9l5u91h6y3Y1LJ-iLklw15YvNPFd3R3DtodVfOvno4FsHD9QaWiNzB6YPkj5wSw59PAPMwd/s1600/IMG_1768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqkyBJy3NSawNnUM84B7qHYV146iym0xWODp9WHcpJrwLlsr7szdLgx2NHUxncT7QHaFgRF9l5u91h6y3Y1LJ-iLklw15YvNPFd3R3DtodVfOvno4FsHD9QaWiNzB6YPkj5wSw59PAPMwd/s640/IMG_1768.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I was lucky to have a private chauffeur driven service whilst in Belgium, many thanks to Jean-Marie, who took a week off work to show me around a number of towns, cities and the Belgium countryside (he was a fantastic tour guide, as he is highly knowledgeable about almost every aspect of the history and culture of Belgium - also having travelled around the country a great deal, he knew all the most worthwhile places to visit). And I was also so fortunate as to be staying just outside the unusual and intriguing city of Liege. At first sight, Liege appeared to be a very dull and grey city, due to its coal mining origins. However, its warm and inviting atmosphere quickly overrode my initial negative impressions. Sunfilled Sunday afternoons are particularly beautiful in Liege, with families leisurely strolling through the city centre whilst you're soaking in the sun in one of the many outdoor cafes.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHRMSV4UrQpauDv3GtmubfdJHvSA07c2hPSLy7Hed2z54pXThyphenhyphenGPl2pm1L8QE5ATIdNyam5DBRKvD2uBD2e4A4kLaL8nScKBJA-zoINhEqDg5trBurg2BdUX_PJ7_zeW4Dp7pD6ZymmvUX/s1600/IMG_1648.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHRMSV4UrQpauDv3GtmubfdJHvSA07c2hPSLy7Hed2z54pXThyphenhyphenGPl2pm1L8QE5ATIdNyam5DBRKvD2uBD2e4A4kLaL8nScKBJA-zoINhEqDg5trBurg2BdUX_PJ7_zeW4Dp7pD6ZymmvUX/s640/IMG_1648.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brodosplit - A Dalmatian <i>Klapa </i>performing in Brussels</td></tr>
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</div>We spent the next week visiting numerous places around Belgium, including Brussels, Luvern, Aachen (including the exact spot where Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany meet), Monschau, Ghent and Bruges (I was so amazed by the final three towns that deserve their own post on this blog). If you enjoy admiring beautiful scenery, visiting interesting towns and eating chocolate and waffles, I'd definitely take a detour through Belgium, if only for a few days, when you're next in Europe.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCgpS0EspoXWzCJSjTduSBB8_o34Sb64FMASnUCmkYQJvTXjcL1n4Vvt7hysnLLRqH_4b13JjAvSE14JdsafgK0u3cle-JcKm1s08Jdtzy1N3nkP-jW55X2Le0ZS09065xBgUXGCL3JDX/s1600/IMG_1771.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCgpS0EspoXWzCJSjTduSBB8_o34Sb64FMASnUCmkYQJvTXjcL1n4Vvt7hysnLLRqH_4b13JjAvSE14JdsafgK0u3cle-JcKm1s08Jdtzy1N3nkP-jW55X2Le0ZS09065xBgUXGCL3JDX/s640/IMG_1771.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNOML-yJVNoVM7_ldWJxnuuh0pjQz5gveqXulummreaOXEWChQfWjvf75wk0ePsQWuPYbCIZdIO2xaoKL64s8GyHVcklApnuBe7MwCIt3qH7rRlIr92fddlyEt_Wf-vxhDsJyFwPdLR0dn/s1600/IMG_1779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNOML-yJVNoVM7_ldWJxnuuh0pjQz5gveqXulummreaOXEWChQfWjvf75wk0ePsQWuPYbCIZdIO2xaoKL64s8GyHVcklApnuBe7MwCIt3qH7rRlIr92fddlyEt_Wf-vxhDsJyFwPdLR0dn/s640/IMG_1779.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Liege</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNOML-yJVNoVM7_ldWJxnuuh0pjQz5gveqXulummreaOXEWChQfWjvf75wk0ePsQWuPYbCIZdIO2xaoKL64s8GyHVcklApnuBe7MwCIt3qH7rRlIr92fddlyEt_Wf-vxhDsJyFwPdLR0dn/s1600/IMG_1779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjotKB3i3Opp7VBXfJPOind4amQ0HBeC9BV6n4XukI_8otWC5WWyUWh86j7nc2OaTl6CWUH96Dn_IxK4FREiypuRbibr4cyi5w32OF_CQ80E5BufOw2XbVG_FSeQh61ycdPHymrQo9yyxUL/s1600/IMG_1793.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjotKB3i3Opp7VBXfJPOind4amQ0HBeC9BV6n4XukI_8otWC5WWyUWh86j7nc2OaTl6CWUH96Dn_IxK4FREiypuRbibr4cyi5w32OF_CQ80E5BufOw2XbVG_FSeQh61ycdPHymrQo9yyxUL/s400/IMG_1793.JPG" width="266" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs59sVRa1x_j41kLxfEElVZZW0gdFaryElgsjmcnkaUJi8Qy5WGKRCXbpfgh1vjNDUbd5qvxyLPeNH3jkooIKJCgWIuMKAm_vkOaOa-v7v3Pw5N5UMzgcJiD8FvKm6YiTd8vxj3erGsZ9U/s1600/IMG_1655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs59sVRa1x_j41kLxfEElVZZW0gdFaryElgsjmcnkaUJi8Qy5WGKRCXbpfgh1vjNDUbd5qvxyLPeNH3jkooIKJCgWIuMKAm_vkOaOa-v7v3Pw5N5UMzgcJiD8FvKm6YiTd8vxj3erGsZ9U/s400/IMG_1655.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP8oW66xO-jgvC2eEBRj50IAH84g0bmCuMmt97EvRbIzF8nelQWHf9b2joCbXB3CLZ-S8fKOFRAmc8BNbu8svnWYHrjQHaxlFnM_DB9fo_Sq9Q2_4x-VOxVDvjO2MElUaaz6tFVe9tCn0B/s1600/IMG_1792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP8oW66xO-jgvC2eEBRj50IAH84g0bmCuMmt97EvRbIzF8nelQWHf9b2joCbXB3CLZ-S8fKOFRAmc8BNbu8svnWYHrjQHaxlFnM_DB9fo_Sq9Q2_4x-VOxVDvjO2MElUaaz6tFVe9tCn0B/s640/IMG_1792.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqTzwtJ-wB4xKDtPAvC6zM-kAxYirmNYUGWMl74ZLHcgvqJVYMW-AjEd_CGBOLi-eEWXh__t6PKYMtsgPb_yQ3qhzXpBJTCKFJl1F8bBMo8N33R6OP3ctNuKHVdHUBRcU2B_Ez9bLeoRK4/s1600/IMG_1803.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqTzwtJ-wB4xKDtPAvC6zM-kAxYirmNYUGWMl74ZLHcgvqJVYMW-AjEd_CGBOLi-eEWXh__t6PKYMtsgPb_yQ3qhzXpBJTCKFJl1F8bBMo8N33R6OP3ctNuKHVdHUBRcU2B_Ez9bLeoRK4/s640/IMG_1803.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxaAYka8viYG6TUoCsgkCSxj3JXJTIWSPo3po5rcJJVmf-8YBabccBc61sC1DvyRYXVoKZoES0J0LVA2I0xgSB2l2G8QSkxvNqdOJ5i_DkQbGk3sGdGFghAZOBVI0Zb_Dm0rrVNDgMt9UI/s1600/IMG_1806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxaAYka8viYG6TUoCsgkCSxj3JXJTIWSPo3po5rcJJVmf-8YBabccBc61sC1DvyRYXVoKZoES0J0LVA2I0xgSB2l2G8QSkxvNqdOJ5i_DkQbGk3sGdGFghAZOBVI0Zb_Dm0rrVNDgMt9UI/s640/IMG_1806.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teta Antica's little house</td></tr>
</tbody></table>J.Spadina (MalaKretova)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14790983879580438967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946085264887576758.post-59350245341327282252011-07-14T15:02:00.001+10:002011-07-14T15:05:48.964+10:00Postcards of Paris<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkNCFemIkY0r3GloTvY7TN1xTRbKkFPfF6ajaYRWugCJs0j01m__OR068T_mqG4rzEYvy6ilGNHRJERVtzfw3WnwBH7cIi6ZSRL-yqKGQRGLRgTLDV7pM01ih-y3AYBhCW6KxAYGw-XGpa/s1600/IMG_0851.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkNCFemIkY0r3GloTvY7TN1xTRbKkFPfF6ajaYRWugCJs0j01m__OR068T_mqG4rzEYvy6ilGNHRJERVtzfw3WnwBH7cIi6ZSRL-yqKGQRGLRgTLDV7pM01ih-y3AYBhCW6KxAYGw-XGpa/s640/IMG_0851.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Notre Dame de Paris</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwDh5ymLOxN1CprYW8o8TxxySAqT5ACQuQ6WvMOYG1lx-wNf6FGvzE5Xya328xlFqsg1o8b70EEGqDHEuEgefrgyNxoK_EVsk915HsL1xixOwp-8qEbyBAfHKTW434m_mu6nHcZpCqxz7J/s1600/IMG_0608.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwDh5ymLOxN1CprYW8o8TxxySAqT5ACQuQ6WvMOYG1lx-wNf6FGvzE5Xya328xlFqsg1o8b70EEGqDHEuEgefrgyNxoK_EVsk915HsL1xixOwp-8qEbyBAfHKTW434m_mu6nHcZpCqxz7J/s400/IMG_0608.jpg" width="266" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFc1aVMVJC-1vuJjQDp-U9u3LRtIycZE8GD9cNScxAw1ygTxndh3JHx0FfL-mWKemZY-YqbkRvSyGj82sKDr5sm8svjZ7dXEziDTGYYRB8PtbcCekywNa9BtCw82hwYEcFv2kfXe1etkvC/s1600/IMG_0606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFc1aVMVJC-1vuJjQDp-U9u3LRtIycZE8GD9cNScxAw1ygTxndh3JHx0FfL-mWKemZY-YqbkRvSyGj82sKDr5sm8svjZ7dXEziDTGYYRB8PtbcCekywNa9BtCw82hwYEcFv2kfXe1etkvC/s400/IMG_0606.jpg" width="266" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sacre Coeur Stairway to Sacre Coeur</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0JYIqmZJdIntsvBwpBi8JzAu3znOeM6c8uAXqIW25ahM5nDqpcopg5PP8nhyElcSJuHCwXsuspddA3BWqk3kN1D0GihwQcXgBPqUeq78HY2kBbaw4VczWr2qJv5p_E2P0bOmsx1KgE9-H/s1600/IMG_0613.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0JYIqmZJdIntsvBwpBi8JzAu3znOeM6c8uAXqIW25ahM5nDqpcopg5PP8nhyElcSJuHCwXsuspddA3BWqk3kN1D0GihwQcXgBPqUeq78HY2kBbaw4VczWr2qJv5p_E2P0bOmsx1KgE9-H/s640/IMG_0613.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">View over Paris from Sacre Coeur</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8C9t3J5k59Dvp-V6YjTF71-qoexd9ANA_EVtBlhwJhUfTbfvNeM8u8AoYDSTBR9cEI6-gitnlj64q8Z7Vdo8M8MBr5nzxU-wwdh-fQbWswb8df64rohA9kbC5dybqZF4nvmdPt61FkYH_/s1600/IMG_0621.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8C9t3J5k59Dvp-V6YjTF71-qoexd9ANA_EVtBlhwJhUfTbfvNeM8u8AoYDSTBR9cEI6-gitnlj64q8Z7Vdo8M8MBr5nzxU-wwdh-fQbWswb8df64rohA9kbC5dybqZF4nvmdPt61FkYH_/s640/IMG_0621.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Carousel and Sacre Coeur</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9-oQUZdfYnBun7rjucD5TF6bNoYkYhW2KHeJDxSWZTyllMJwdIog9_VoUKTPZlJdnr_2fhKS5WQwsm77o0wv94rt_MPtJ57IA6kqqWLr1Rgw87VdtsXlPgEP0bPkkyzNN83ss_LWh_W2b/s1600/IMG_0656.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9-oQUZdfYnBun7rjucD5TF6bNoYkYhW2KHeJDxSWZTyllMJwdIog9_VoUKTPZlJdnr_2fhKS5WQwsm77o0wv94rt_MPtJ57IA6kqqWLr1Rgw87VdtsXlPgEP0bPkkyzNN83ss_LWh_W2b/s640/IMG_0656.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Le Musee de Louvre</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht5s6ll3XzybyVkM0y946Vj0XDhvYpCHOSmC5iPs2G3xW0fa9DEoTaWqT2cYsuhccmFxKWVmEunui4IYa-t2fGSLaVnZz9N0IAdInLJ5dSEI3Sed_qPACLiQCMznWbIYpE4No3nR5BhWZ5/s1600/IMG_0874.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht5s6ll3XzybyVkM0y946Vj0XDhvYpCHOSmC5iPs2G3xW0fa9DEoTaWqT2cYsuhccmFxKWVmEunui4IYa-t2fGSLaVnZz9N0IAdInLJ5dSEI3Sed_qPACLiQCMznWbIYpE4No3nR5BhWZ5/s640/IMG_0874.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Les Halles</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyNEc13NXbB5qyCs3B5IJf31Kx2sRwGbfApxsdKl0JkwDRRM1de0i76AXAWJDpXePv5ycCvaK-i6IScntt_czw3kGSR7hKRiXOjAsexuLeIc-hQ92_NcdfHXXZWv0nQXOFFG-5dAH5T3LJ/s1600/IMG_1037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyNEc13NXbB5qyCs3B5IJf31Kx2sRwGbfApxsdKl0JkwDRRM1de0i76AXAWJDpXePv5ycCvaK-i6IScntt_czw3kGSR7hKRiXOjAsexuLeIc-hQ92_NcdfHXXZWv0nQXOFFG-5dAH5T3LJ/s640/IMG_1037.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">La Tour Eiffel</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2-fOZzy0hQ6_2e3Lk7tH9A8lnW_jpEPvvVNa1GVSch-3uBL0-aHXgCl3JqyZa57HzdEopxlLteMHIzfyTR7Io4Z3FQYuv_TQ9EeTEbkuCjtDcVv4CZXuqadJTRSlAZCHVunu0dsKBHbpo/s1600/IMG_1066.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2-fOZzy0hQ6_2e3Lk7tH9A8lnW_jpEPvvVNa1GVSch-3uBL0-aHXgCl3JqyZa57HzdEopxlLteMHIzfyTR7Io4Z3FQYuv_TQ9EeTEbkuCjtDcVv4CZXuqadJTRSlAZCHVunu0dsKBHbpo/s640/IMG_1066.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Les Galleries Lafayette</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHMXUiDoGOoDUjx2VdogmoRtcB3eJTVJM_n6vTdDUFkypk-AFGd_KDY_vIMklDDUDkpQtMLUeTmrkdgWV4v3fa7W3oDkByrBops-mqx1h-tVyn6Mh7tD9wcoLtQy9_-LPybC1y6IHVaxzV/s1600/IMG_1200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHMXUiDoGOoDUjx2VdogmoRtcB3eJTVJM_n6vTdDUFkypk-AFGd_KDY_vIMklDDUDkpQtMLUeTmrkdgWV4v3fa7W3oDkByrBops-mqx1h-tVyn6Mh7tD9wcoLtQy9_-LPybC1y6IHVaxzV/s640/IMG_1200.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Le Moulin Rouge</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXOxZti1bK3N6QId96FTwUhRuyz3G9B5v_GVzs7Y9Fs1ic6wKOUiuPazy6ZcD_wVtxdZiv5pe3PHtftWa50K1f9vQed2DnDs-prl8NmfAWztcU3C3EdoXq28MumO44CTRChg4D82H8QEjE/s1600/IMG_1217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXOxZti1bK3N6QId96FTwUhRuyz3G9B5v_GVzs7Y9Fs1ic6wKOUiuPazy6ZcD_wVtxdZiv5pe3PHtftWa50K1f9vQed2DnDs-prl8NmfAWztcU3C3EdoXq28MumO44CTRChg4D82H8QEjE/s640/IMG_1217.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">View towards Sacre Coeur from Le Musee d'Orsay</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBFOxlGR8sIFUXxcxEztHpo97ELFy6ehKCN7EqCuaJXSQ1GhC0V1B1VOdrWwJBfR20sdOyvb3yKc2NEwxEjH7ZogHJA2hS7-v5yiuA3cHsnYGZrjg9Athk8p_MhX0Hse9CiLObDYd0B8bn/s1600/IMG_0561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBFOxlGR8sIFUXxcxEztHpo97ELFy6ehKCN7EqCuaJXSQ1GhC0V1B1VOdrWwJBfR20sdOyvb3yKc2NEwxEjH7ZogHJA2hS7-v5yiuA3cHsnYGZrjg9Athk8p_MhX0Hse9CiLObDYd0B8bn/s640/IMG_0561.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Le Metropolitain</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKAdLSMFMfTRVbiSrvXJEyl0qkymsqAwP8-63mmaX7W_lG4jxxJMBUPTwXQZL-jNEQDPK2cMHMt9X_nbiRSaJ3ShT5GGbkDqP76dEjWetErp4A2ZfgKxIQJQiHZzUHsz_hn_L1rzB28aO/s1600/IMG_0604.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKAdLSMFMfTRVbiSrvXJEyl0qkymsqAwP8-63mmaX7W_lG4jxxJMBUPTwXQZL-jNEQDPK2cMHMt9X_nbiRSaJ3ShT5GGbkDqP76dEjWetErp4A2ZfgKxIQJQiHZzUHsz_hn_L1rzB28aO/s640/IMG_0604.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Stairway from Montmartre to Sacre Coeur</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid6Li3d4WYSRsNIjQiKrTGHvgT7IPkvDTV1kB29JiApjPl9c3CaOWgsre47zq7esjaCA6f5TQtnNmg81iS_ji1iyDUb4-dDcW179SroGWXQmh1iDpdXYiE2Jus8juxRj49h3ffCRwGi6oX/s1600/IMG_0616.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid6Li3d4WYSRsNIjQiKrTGHvgT7IPkvDTV1kB29JiApjPl9c3CaOWgsre47zq7esjaCA6f5TQtnNmg81iS_ji1iyDUb4-dDcW179SroGWXQmh1iDpdXYiE2Jus8juxRj49h3ffCRwGi6oX/s400/IMG_0616.jpg" width="266" /></a><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcwLlBpITR15_aHm2MHVRbpCV3nKK-a_s-c-_MQyiLk03uGIgZ7a7c7Vu7J4_GnW4KQVX3h9NNWiihMU3miL5d3Dz1G_Yjk-cE0LhEYyPBZu0NwDPWsnSlekvOJp0wLTlO55qUGm91mKof/s400/IMG_0845.jpg" width="266" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> View over Paris from Sacre Coeur</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ile de la Cite</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>J.Spadina (MalaKretova)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14790983879580438967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946085264887576758.post-25792619739701597072011-07-06T16:42:00.000+10:002011-07-06T16:42:06.694+10:00Les Marches de Paris<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">No wonder the French are so famous for their gastronomy! Even in the very heart of such a cosmopolitan city as Paris, fresh produce markets can be found in at least one of the many <em>quartiers </em>(neighbourhoods) just about every day of the week. Why would you shop in sterile, impersonal supermarkets when you can buy fresh fruits, vegetables, cheeses, eggs, seafood, meats, pastries, breads, sweets, just about everything for the fridge or pantry (<em>sans</em> packaging and processing), straight from the farm, from people who brighten your day with a little chit-chat or a taste of their beautiful olive sourdough bread? And you'll be helping to support local farmers who, struggling against the monopoly of supermarket chains, drive from the rural outskirts of Paris early in the morning in the hope of selling their goods to the people of this truely amazing city.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbUvYsMjPmiBEbzT6ZP_vbCLTh2GwKJHuvFB_cTTNTfpKZh9QZUnnmyh904BBZ4iEBS3INCzzyRWbtn0Rtpbry8Fr14YCiyaN2JiQQ5CVvSnxfXU_xhnAM7BL5nrTdaXWdpH-7_udYUfcN/s1600/IMG_0709.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbUvYsMjPmiBEbzT6ZP_vbCLTh2GwKJHuvFB_cTTNTfpKZh9QZUnnmyh904BBZ4iEBS3INCzzyRWbtn0Rtpbry8Fr14YCiyaN2JiQQ5CVvSnxfXU_xhnAM7BL5nrTdaXWdpH-7_udYUfcN/s640/IMG_0709.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These photos are taken amongst three markets which I visited regularly - the fresh produce markets of Auteuil, Le Boulevarde Raspail and La Rue Mouffetard. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Whilst in Paris, I lived in the Auteuil neighbourhood, which is situated in the southern part of the 16th arrondissement (not too far from the Eiffle Tower or the Bois de Vincennes). Twice weekly, possibly on Tuedays and Thursdays (I can't quite remember), there were fresh produce markets on Rue de Boulainvilliers, as well as in the square near the Michel-Ange-Auteuil metro station. I would often stop by to purchase a pastry, or two (there were some almond croissants which were to die for!), and some fresh fruit for breakfast or morning tea. I also pleasantly surprised to discover that every few weekends there was a small, yet interesting antique market at the Michel-Ange-Auteuil market site selling brick-a-brac, framed oil paintings, decorative items for the home and the odd piece of antique furniture.</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7A-5ad8-NxB3Ptufp2n1meT-CAVz6vdZhWgl0QC1KElZzjWmf6IePZ8ogLKxsITEhyphenhyphen1dlCiqli0NUV4MDTUUIrRGup44Dv9d3WjpDm45LvzsFq5NU45cIDAPW-AWKpsM2np3osDmO5rg_/s1600/IMG_0717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7A-5ad8-NxB3Ptufp2n1meT-CAVz6vdZhWgl0QC1KElZzjWmf6IePZ8ogLKxsITEhyphenhyphen1dlCiqli0NUV4MDTUUIrRGup44Dv9d3WjpDm45LvzsFq5NU45cIDAPW-AWKpsM2np3osDmO5rg_/s640/IMG_0717.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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As mentioned in a previous post, I studied at the Alliance Francaise, which is located on the Boulevarde Raspail. There is a wide medium strip in certain sections of this boulevard, on which once or twice weekly, store holders set up stands under a tarpaulin (presumably too keep the Parisian winter rain out). This market is very busy, as many pedestrians verge off the regular footpath and walk through the markets in order to see what is available. This was a perfect place to buy lunch, usually a baguette of olive sourdough bread (by far the best bread I've ever tasted) and maybe some creamy goats cheese and, if the weather permitted, I'd walk around the courner to the Jardin du Luxemburg and relax amoungst the beautiful sculptures and gardens before going to class to be be utterly confused by French tenses and verb conjucations (when do you use le imparfait, le plus-que-parfait, le subjonctif, le futur, le futur simple, le passe compose....why can't there be just one past, one present and one future tense? It was all just too confusing!)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8hEshnUoD16KOiEzvcVeALBwFOqBIScGkEugz6o3NwfKOfVvTgGMGj4ymqwvNOrHaEMzPcs-y7LiYUGRKR6lvAwvwJ2tDu5nnWJPyEU-pZzEvWDQRm0Gt9D8VIk57P6jszGKwIrnUnhsK/s1600/IMG_0721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8hEshnUoD16KOiEzvcVeALBwFOqBIScGkEugz6o3NwfKOfVvTgGMGj4ymqwvNOrHaEMzPcs-y7LiYUGRKR6lvAwvwJ2tDu5nnWJPyEU-pZzEvWDQRm0Gt9D8VIk57P6jszGKwIrnUnhsK/s640/IMG_0721.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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If you love fresh produce markets, you cannot go to Paris without visiting le Rue Mouffetard! One of the oldest streets in Paris, located in <em>le quartier latin</em> of the 5th arrondissement, it is a gourmet's dream! The street is lined with restaurants, cafes, and small boutique-style shops selling everything from wine to seafood. The store holders are very knowledgeable about their products and are more than happy to give recommendations and samples. No one could complain that there is a lack of variety. There is so much to choose from, that it is difficult to decide what cheese to buy, when there are 100 options, or what wine to drink it with, with another 200 options. Whatever you need for a Sunday lunch for the entire family, or just a quiet dinner for one, Rue Mouffetard will awaken the Masterchef in you! <br />
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For restaurant meals however, you're probably best to go off the main drag and into one of the side streets. Rue Mouffetard attracts many tourist, so meals tend to be pricey and of questionable quality. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidM9PpqIwbnBf2WxgfN2iKfV1-ZoVoNiWz3B52j5Nr7rMhQBSNnrZyheG3h-Ygq0vhgtaqZ0ZsPTzlIH-yecU0Lmt9d4_7sQAi6hius-ZVLQNLyjyaarKVHaxZVFdzNe4ihLBWPuvQhw1z/s1600/IMG_0780.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidM9PpqIwbnBf2WxgfN2iKfV1-ZoVoNiWz3B52j5Nr7rMhQBSNnrZyheG3h-Ygq0vhgtaqZ0ZsPTzlIH-yecU0Lmt9d4_7sQAi6hius-ZVLQNLyjyaarKVHaxZVFdzNe4ihLBWPuvQhw1z/s640/IMG_0780.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I'm assuming the stores on Rue Mouffetard are open everyday, but don't quote me on that - they may be closed on the weekends, or perhaps only until early afternoon Saturday, Sunday and Monday, as is the way in Paris. I remember one Sunday going to Les Galleries Lafayette, the world famous apartment store in the 15th arrondissement, only to find the doors bolted shut. It was only then that I learnt that most stores in Paris work only a half day Saturday and are usually closed Sundays and Mondays. Although this could be an annoyance at times, it enables workers and business owners have free time to relax and spend time with their friends and family. The French adore their sparetime, so much so that in recent years they have demonstrated against state discussions about the possible rise in retirement age, the lessening of their legal 6 weeks annual leave and the lengthening of the average working day (but then again, the French hold a <em>manifestation</em> for almost any reason. At least once a week we'd hear shouting and megaphone sirens from our classroom). The need to have access to stores 24/7, to work stupidly long hours and to work til we literally drop, which is becoming a painful reality in Australia and other countries, is boardering on the ridiculous if you ask me.<br />
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In order to get to Rue Mouffetard, I'd suggest that you take the metro line 7 to Place Monge, go west along Rue Lacepede until you reach Rue Mouffetard and walk down hill from there (It's alot easier to follow the crowds downhill, than strain yourself going the opposite direction). The street itself is quinessential Paris - cobblestoned street barely wide enough for one car, beautiful stone apartment buildings with boutiques on the ground floor, street lights suspended from their facades and geraniums hanging from planterboxes - as if it was straight out of a picture book.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUunavR-8Fg9R5dz3HE-ISHi9o3_beI1IRbRPGSS8yW4eCb6EMvhlvOBHS03L8j1rUaclWa803sBajGxAp55-lBzqUU-1qT2DxKpriqBzQKmHOZkNymKlLRCqp6FmILDz5dVd3RGoZIwwF/s1600/IMG_0783.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUunavR-8Fg9R5dz3HE-ISHi9o3_beI1IRbRPGSS8yW4eCb6EMvhlvOBHS03L8j1rUaclWa803sBajGxAp55-lBzqUU-1qT2DxKpriqBzQKmHOZkNymKlLRCqp6FmILDz5dVd3RGoZIwwF/s640/IMG_0783.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>J.Spadina (MalaKretova)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14790983879580438967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946085264887576758.post-13776878581599994502011-07-03T21:51:00.001+10:002011-07-06T16:45:14.975+10:00Chartres, France<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN5bYEbhZ69pzJzoA8h6zns1DcDw-cPRZKmtcFD92SIlb7F_ROD_Jn44jJwSwRGof2hvJy1MEd7DDAK1pnFo2lqBNufcjttyQ43beST8uh3hc8pKans0ZmzEZTAx3ru296i0BrTJkTfEe-/s1600/IMG_1275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN5bYEbhZ69pzJzoA8h6zns1DcDw-cPRZKmtcFD92SIlb7F_ROD_Jn44jJwSwRGof2hvJy1MEd7DDAK1pnFo2lqBNufcjttyQ43beST8uh3hc8pKans0ZmzEZTAx3ru296i0BrTJkTfEe-/s640/IMG_1275.JPG" width="640" /></a> <br />
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</div><div style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">"Not another church!" They saying is true, wherever to travel in Europe you're bound to visit more than a handful of churches. They're everywhere! In every city, town or hamlet there is a church to be visited. And you do get a little tired of them too. It becomes increasingly difficult to remember and distinguish which one was which - in the end they all turn into one mental collage of stained glass windows, vaults, buttresses, spires and altars.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Although, being an art history student studying in Paris (who loves architecture - from Ming China to Romanesque to Baroque to Le Corbusier), I could not miss the opportunity of being so close to Notre Dame de Chartres and not visit one of the most amazing high Gothic cathedrals in the world. So one Saturday morning I jumped onto the train and headed towards the small town of Chartres. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The town of Chartres is located south-west of Paris - the easiest way to get there is to take a SNCF train from Le Gare de Montparnasse to Chartres station - it takes about 1 hour to get there. Being a small town, it's difficult to get lost between the train station and the cathedral, especially once you spot those tall Gothic spires framed against the sky.</span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The cathedral is breathtaking - the grand proportions of the stone columns and archways, the intricately colourful stained glass windows, the impressive and tactile sculptural work... Just walking down the nave, one is awestruck by the shear size and magnitude of the structure - the space is enormous. I once wrote an essay on Gothic and Romanesque religious architecture at university, arguing that one of the original purposes of these buildings was to subdue the populous by highlighting the power and might of the church. Being within the building, you surely get a feeling of the power and influence that the church once had over society. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">To think that work on the present cathedral began in 1020 and after a number of additions and setbacks, it was finally consecrated in 1260. How amazing it is that such buildings were designed and constructed over 800 years ago! We think of the middle ages as being a period of simplicity, but we can see from buildings such as Chartres Cathedral, that they were quite technically advanced in some aspects. The building even impresses present day visitors.</span></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">The town of Chartres is also a lovely place to visit. Being set on the banks of the Eure River, parts of the town are connected by little bridges. It's a typical French rural town - with interesting little side streets, cobbled stone footpaths, beautifully designed and quaint houses and has a serene atmosphere. Chartres also has a great shopping precinct with an array of shops, cafes and fresh produce markets (if you want fresh produce however, be sure to be there before midday)!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>J.Spadina (MalaKretova)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14790983879580438967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946085264887576758.post-36674716438766856462011-06-29T12:57:00.004+10:002011-06-30T06:19:33.402+10:00Mont Saint Michel<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Yes, another grey and drizzly day in the north of France. People always complain about the weather in London - but I don't think the weather in the north of France is much better! I was only ever once in London, and that was only for a day, and it happened to be a beautiful and sunny summer's day - that same year I was in Paris for four days and we only had one sunny day out of four. And then I spent two and a half months in Paris during January, February and March. A good three quarters of the days I spent there were overcast for at least part of the day, often accompanied with light drizzle, and on the rare occasion heavy rain or snow. No wonder Parisians constantly talk about summer holiday plans to<em> l'Espagne</em> or <em>La Cote d'Azur </em>- or even <em>La Croatie</em>. Whilst I was in Paris, there was even a huge marketing campaign run by the Croatian National Tourist Bord - metro stations were covered in images of Dubrovnik, Split, Hvar, Brac...urging people to visit the beautiful Dalmatian coast.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">I had gone to Paris this year to study French at the Alliance Francaise on Le Boulevard Raspail, right near Le Jardin du Luxemburg (a beautiful garden to spend lunch with classmates). My French language skills amazingly improved during this stay, however much has been forgotten as chances to speak in Australia are unfortunately, extremely rare. Adjacent to the school was the Alliance Francaise travel agency. They offered great weekend and day trips to Alliance students at greatly discounted rates. So on a dark and freezing Saturday morning, I made my way to the Alliance for a 7am set off to Mont Saint Michel (unfortunately not Spain, the French Riviera or Croatia this time). With a coach load of people - I was surprised at the number of people the showed up for the trip - we started our 4 hour journey to the coast of Normandy. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The scenery through Normandy (a section of two departments (administrative districts in the north of France) known as Basse-Normandie and Haute-Normandie - Lower and Upper Normandy) was a sight in itself (once you got off the Motorway, that is) - all the green pastures, quaint little houses, farmers tending to their sheep and crops - it was like a scene out of a coffee table book. Perfect! A great time-out from Paris - as much as I love Paris, living in the heart of it does become tiring and claustrophobic after time.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Mont Saint Michel (the Mount of St. Michael the Archangel) is situated on an 'island', one kilometre from the coast of France, accessible only by a single narrow road in and out. The road connecting the island to the mainland has now been modernised, thus access is no longer affected by the tides. In the past however, Mont Saint Michel was inaccessible by land during high tide, which served to increase its isolation from the outside world.</div><br />
The land mass on which Mont Saint Michel is build was originally a military stronghold in the 6th and 7th centuries. In the 8th century construction of the abbey began after St. Aubert's vision of St. Michael the Archangel. The site was fortified in latter centuries and when the site lost popularity as a pilgrimage site in after the Reformation and the French Revolution, the abbey was abandoned and it became a prison. Moves were made to preserve the site, so in 1874 it was declared a historic monument and in 1979 became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_TWW9qEda7gdwXs3RIEPATCgPuE2rJZFQMogC-RFtautDxlryXCzOTWnvQPYtTD2Q46RW4A4YkHACq5znj2jPtSZP1Vaa7-AsVa0PwP_DfpZyNRLq0BSi4sAeQ4Clwj6pFzuDHpNjPtE1/s1600/MSM1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_TWW9qEda7gdwXs3RIEPATCgPuE2rJZFQMogC-RFtautDxlryXCzOTWnvQPYtTD2Q46RW4A4YkHACq5znj2jPtSZP1Vaa7-AsVa0PwP_DfpZyNRLq0BSi4sAeQ4Clwj6pFzuDHpNjPtE1/s320/MSM1.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Above are models of the evolution of the site from the 10th century, 11th-12th century, 17th-18th century and then finally in its present 20th century state. I find it fascinating to see how Mont Saint Michel was transformed over the centuries to accommodate different purposes - from a reclusive monastery, to a military fortification, finally to a world heritage site, welcoming visitors from around the globe. [Images and historical information thanks to Wikipedia]</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">According to the 2006 census, Mont Saint Michel has 41 permanent residence. It's amazing to think that these people actually live on this tiny island, which cannot be more than one square kilometre in size (half a day walking around is more than long enough to see every nook and cranny of it), where time, it seems, has stood still. There are no supermarkets, no fashion stores, no cinemas, no cars, no hint of modern day civilization (even on the mainland, the nearest town is still a fair distance away) - just cobbled stone paths, a small graveyard, a church, quaint little stone houses and of course a handful of tourist-focused shops and eateries. How do the inhabitants of this little oasis live in their day-to-day lives? Mont-Saint-Michel is so isolated, highlighted by the great expanse of coastal flats which around it, no wonder it was once a monastery and a prison, as it seems to be the perfect site for either. But there is something magical, unusual and interesting about Mont Saint Michel.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSX352tLtWnYWXRui30YIgwqO5iVh_blwJrG3OXbtGYycbIoaUNBygh-SX_8KdDU6JVvPCQtSg0rPn0XjsdarAkO_D2LzmBlZ-3B271qVbf6v3TgqX1PM_kOwII8YGAZZkLN0P1wOHp7y3/s1600/IMG_1005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSX352tLtWnYWXRui30YIgwqO5iVh_blwJrG3OXbtGYycbIoaUNBygh-SX_8KdDU6JVvPCQtSg0rPn0XjsdarAkO_D2LzmBlZ-3B271qVbf6v3TgqX1PM_kOwII8YGAZZkLN0P1wOHp7y3/s640/IMG_1005.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999; font-size: x-small;">Photos from my personal collection</span></div>J.Spadina (MalaKretova)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14790983879580438967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946085264887576758.post-64113661848481802202011-06-21T21:46:00.001+10:002011-06-29T13:17:51.253+10:00Le Centre Georges Pompidou<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When people talk about art galleries in Paris, <em>Le Louvre</em> is always mentioned, followed closely by <em>Le Musee d'Orsay</em>. These two galleries attract millions of international tourists wanting to see Mona Lisa's smile, Gauguin's Tahitian Women, works by van Gogh, Degas, Caravaggio, Delacroix, Ingres, Renoir, Monet, Vermeer, just to name a few. However, where do you go to see celebrated modern art (art of the 20th century, post WWI) in Paris? Where can you see the works of Kandinsky, Matisse, Picasso, Braque, etc.? Hidden amoungst the Haussman-styled apartment buildings in the 4th arrondissement of Paris (Paris is broken up into 20 administrative districts know as arrondissements, each with their own mayor and council) is <em>Le Centre Georges Pompidou</em>. (The forecourt of the centre is also a fantastic place to see street performers of all shapes and sizes - musicians, actors, mimists, people trying to make a few extra euros by exhibiting some unusual talent of theirs). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The exterior of the building appears to be somewhat of an eye-sore in contrast with the neighbourhood which surrounds it. In a very 'un-Parisian' manner, the original buildings on the site were demolished in the 1960s to make way for this 'hideous' structure (Paris usually has a great reputation for retaining and transforming existing structures, which as allowed to city to retain its old-world charm - the <i>Louvre Museum</i> was originally a royal palace and the <i>Musee d'Orsay</i> is a converted railway station. I also applaud the decision of the Parisian government to create a new suburb on the outskirts of Paris, known as <i>Le Defense</i>, to accommodate the Parisian business district, rather than demolishing existing buildings, as has occurred in many capitals around the world, to make way for corporate high-rises). Steering away from tradition, is <i>Le Centre Georges Pompidou</i>. The steel frame, the glass facades, the coloured pipes and the <em>tres moderne</em> look of the site ensures that no passerby misses it (and has also become a topic of heated criticisms with many Parisians).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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As you can see from the photos above, the view from the top floors of <i>Le Centre Georges Pompidou</i> is amazing. Seeing the rooftops of Paris is truly a unique experience. The colours, the textures, the design of the structures, just thinking about all those hundreds of thousands of people who inhabit this unique city. All those individuals who glance through those little windows to see life in Paris unfolding day by day.<br />
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Ok, so the main reason people go to the Centre Georges Pompidou isn't to criticised the bad town planning/architectural decisions of the then French President Georges Pompidou, nor to be bewildered by the beauty of the panoramic views, but rather to appreciate the amazing art which is on display in the light-filled, warehouse inspired, gallery spaces. The Centre hosts many temporary exhibitions throughout the year, but it's their permanent collect of Fauvist, Cubist, Expressionist, Surrealist (to name a few) works which I found absolutely amazing, especially in comparison to the collections of many of the large, state-run galleries in Sydney. Le Musee d'Arte Moderne in the 16 arrodissement - just up the road from where I was living and which I frequented regularly - also has a great collection of modern art, it is no where near as impressive, in quality and quantity, as the exhibits at the Pompidou Centre. All the big names of 20th century art are there - everywhere you turn you see art works you've read about and the closest you came to seeing them was on the pages of a poorly printed high school textbook (or a better printed and much more pricey university textbook).<br />
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As you gather, if you're an art-buff, an admirer of modern art, or a art history student seeking cultural gratification in such a culturally rich city as Paris (I put my hand up here), then <i>Le Centre Georges Pompidou</i> is a must on your next visit to Paris.<br />
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- The Centre is located on the opposite side of <i>Les Halles</i> to <i>Le Louvre</i>, and take one of the many metro lines which intersect at Les Halles/Chatelet and exit here.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSHU702xd5y9tFvPJ7zMo8JRof6OKMHgq3LgMrMlzU7skgPSEWBIFZe9UEq8xYUYUh0LGtkCq7F9Oi31pO3xj17lyJoVf9325_Q71u-nW7BYIYiFUUHJm-aKReiCd_1Hf2pdnTPTAxM8We/s1600/IMG_1255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSHU702xd5y9tFvPJ7zMo8JRof6OKMHgq3LgMrMlzU7skgPSEWBIFZe9UEq8xYUYUh0LGtkCq7F9Oi31pO3xj17lyJoVf9325_Q71u-nW7BYIYiFUUHJm-aKReiCd_1Hf2pdnTPTAxM8We/s640/IMG_1255.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;">Photographs from my personal collection</span></span></div>J.Spadina (MalaKretova)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14790983879580438967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946085264887576758.post-47734921201388856822011-06-15T20:50:00.004+10:002011-06-29T13:18:07.818+10:00Le cimetière du Père-Lachaise<div style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I know this sounds macabre, but one of my favourite places in Paris is Pere-Lachaise Cemetery. The place is beautiful, in an unconventional way. The old moss covered headstones, the uneven cobbled stone paths, the life-like sculptures, the eerie quietness...it has a bit of an other-worldly, magical atmosphere. I definitely recommend a visit to Pere-Lachaise - maybe after taking lunch in one of the alternative cafes in Montmartre, jump on the metro and spend an hour or two strolling though the grounds. Grap a map of the cemetery and play a game of treasure hunt - see how many of the famous tombs you can located before the autumn sun sets behind the buildings of Paris...</div><div style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6_OXy-QgWplJO7kKp3WnySL-rW6924ABNzqESpRNbhxT-Ws9EcpnPCCIZrLYky4VXMvHC-plhvm2x7aDp0NnC8PwRbWnsRwgrNQ0nLqyc_V3KT6yS2sRltXDLSr6BM77xYteuFEudmOPl/s1600/IMG_0801.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixDsSHzzAMNlnB4k2mcdr7A0dxVSWA_t1PB-tmGxpXA795SOE2M0aeGCTyojUctjCFhYuy-IydKhzpkMKOetA8gHZSDwwO5J8xZAwK8itAOeD7YrZ8V0DIHiga6Wx1yymGnhCn-zUx4n0X/s1600/IMG_0809.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixDsSHzzAMNlnB4k2mcdr7A0dxVSWA_t1PB-tmGxpXA795SOE2M0aeGCTyojUctjCFhYuy-IydKhzpkMKOetA8gHZSDwwO5J8xZAwK8itAOeD7YrZ8V0DIHiga6Wx1yymGnhCn-zUx4n0X/s640/IMG_0809.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Le cimetière du Père-Lachaise is the resting place of a large number of French and world famous actors, politicians, artists, writers, musicians, including Balzac (one of the best loved French novelists and playwrights), Eugene Delacroix (world-renown French romantic painter, I'd say his most famous work would be <em>La Liberté guidant le peuple</em>), Georges Haussmann (the architect and town planner responsible for the 'modernisation' of Paris, making Paris the Paris we all know and love today), Yves Montard (the famous French actor, I especially loved him in the role of Papet in the film <em>Jean de Florette</em>), Jim Morrison (one of the main reasons why many visit this cemetery, to see the grave of this famous rock star and lead singer of <em>The Doors</em>), Nadar (one of the most talented French portrait photographers of the mid to late 19th century - many probably do not know him, but after writing an essay on French photography of the 19th century, I was eager to go and see his grave), Edith Piaf (just think <em>La Vie en Rose</em>), Camille Pissaro (a well-know Impressionist and Neo-Impressionist painter and advocate for the avant-garde pointillism method of representing colour), Marcel Proust (writer of the magnificent work <i>A la recherche de temps perdu)</i>, and Oscar Wilde (author and playwright, know for the following famous works <i>The Picture of Dorian Gray</i>, <i>The Importance of Being Earnest</i>, <i>Lady Windermere's Fan</i>, etc).<br />
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Located in the 20th arrondissement, on one of the seven mounds/hills of Paris known as Champ-l'Eveque, which overlooks Paris towards the south-west (there are spectacular views of the roof-tops of Paris from the cemetery). It is located near three metro stations. Depending on where you would like to enter the cemetery - it's very large covering almost 120 acres - select your metro line and station accordingly - you can take line 2 and exit at Philippe Auguste or line 3 and exit at Pere Lachaise or at Gambetta. There is no entry fee to enter the cemetery, however if you would like a map, which is very helpful as it highlights the grave sites of about 100 famous people, you'll have to pay a few euros (even with a map it can be difficult to find certain graves as many graves almost topple over each other and although part of the cemetery is laid out in a grid formation, the remainder is a collection of interwoven paths and lanes).<br />
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The cemetery is named after Pere Francois de la Chaise, who was the confessor of King Louis XIV and who lived in the Jesuit house on the site of the cemetery chapel. The cemetery, and another two in what was then greater Paris, but now central Paris, were established by Napoleon in order to relieve the smaller cemeteries in the centre of the city. It was officially opened in 1804. Originally people considered the cemetery to be too far from the centre of Paris and thus inconvenient for funerals. In response, the state organised a marketing plan and with great pomp and ceremony transferred the remains of Moliere and La Fontaine to the cemetery, which was followed by that of other famous personalities. Since then, the people of Paris have wanted to be buried in the cemetery of Pere-Lachaise - if they were unable to be close to their idols in life, they were able to in death - and to date over 300,000 bodies have been interned on the grounds.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_FJY1uPckTXE1ddU78ia6S0Uu4LlFlg4NwPQD_v4kCZR9kcIQvD3RzMZlf7YIkfActZWvsvjnbqUa-XiLoTHenadffdFZFi37Z8MNL64gs3Vxec-1ueqjYHdC9MfT_FP6upOBs67qPKa-/s1600/IMG_0834.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNuKdy1NZv-ndRXExraqbPaaLcwZds2Fi9pio2KDb2cINA49r-wc5yQD8i9TJg_46fk9XAw0SUZxu4MhO5-ecvP7TjImzRuWDidFRJaOIpQtPYiNg0J0uapJdKS1GMK430PTcnayRWWDGX/s1600/IMG_0831.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNuKdy1NZv-ndRXExraqbPaaLcwZds2Fi9pio2KDb2cINA49r-wc5yQD8i9TJg_46fk9XAw0SUZxu4MhO5-ecvP7TjImzRuWDidFRJaOIpQtPYiNg0J0uapJdKS1GMK430PTcnayRWWDGX/s640/IMG_0831.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Photographs from my personal collection</span></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">Reference: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cimetière_du_Père-Lachaise<br />
Virtual Tour of the cemetery: <a href="http://www.pere-lachaise.com/">http://www.pere-lachaise.com/</a></div></div>J.Spadina (MalaKretova)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14790983879580438967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946085264887576758.post-50752314414480690902011-06-13T13:17:00.003+10:002011-06-29T13:18:24.568+10:00Fontainbleu<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Although it may not be as grand and well-known as <i>Le Chateau de Versailles</i> (which I visited in 2005 and wasn't too keen to see on this trip, especially after writing a 10,000 word university essay on the chateau and its gardens - how Louis XIV, the sun king, commissioned sculptures and paintings for the chateau complex which presented him in the guise of Apollo - the Greek and Roman god of the Sun, etc, etc, - the essay 'did my head in', I over-analysed every piece of sculpture in the gardens, looking at them again, wasn't high on my agenda), <i>Le Chateau de Fontainbleu</i> has its own charm. And I think I like it more for its somewhat humble simplicity and elegance, as well as its lack of tourist hoards - which allows you to see the chateau without dodging people's cameras. It's proportions, its rooms and its ground are not as awe-inspiring and impressive as that of much more regal Versailles, but it is an impressive piece of architecture and example of interior and landscape design of the middle-ages, Renaissance and up until the 19th century all the same.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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The town of Fontainbleu is located about 60km south-east of Paris. The easiest way to get there is by train - it's a directed 40 minute trip. Take the SNCF train from the <i>Gare de Lyon</i> to the <i>Gare de Fontainbleu Avon</i>. From the station at Fontainbleu, there are many signs directing you to the tourist office and the chateau, or simply take the bus.<br />
Fontainbleu is a quaint little town of about 16,000 inhabitant surrounded by the forest of Fontainbleu. In contrast to the incessant noise of Paris - masses cars, buses, the metro, people, demonstrations, etc - the town of Fontainbleu is almost serene - I only saw a handful of people and a few cars & buses as I made my way from the station to the chateau - although, I think this was greatly due to the weather. It was a drizzly and overcast February day. But there was a charm to seeing the old stone buildings and cobbled paths under these weather conditions - it gave the place a somewhat interesting and perhaps even an eerie and foreboding atmosphere.<br />
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When you walk through the chateau and it's grounds, it's difficult to comprehend how much money was lavishly spent on the place, when the vast majority of the French population were either starving or dying from common illnesses and lack of sanitary living conditions. The chateau and it's decorative elements are excessive, to say the least - gold leaf detailing, fine embroidered tapestry, crystal chandeliers, velvet upholstery, parquetry, masses of french glass windows, paintings, sculptures - not to mention the shear size of the chateau - the myriad rooms and hallways never seem to end - and the entire chateau complex itself with all its courtyards and landscaped gardens.<br />
The first reference of the chateau was made in 1137 and from that date it was the principle residence of a number of French monarchs and was visited by many foreign dignitaries. Like many other royal residences, the chateau was not originally built to completion of its present state - it is the result of a number of different building works, under a number of different patronages, with a number of different architects and artist being employed, working within a number of different aesthetic tastes.<br />
Only a small section of the chateau complex is open to the public - including some of the royal apartments, the chapel of the Holy Trinity, the library, and the very impressive ballroom, who's proportions are overwhelming and walls are decorated with an impressive collection of paintings.<br />
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I visited Fontainbleu in the winter, so the gardens were bleak and lifeless - I can imaging that in the spring and summer they would be green, inviting and full of birds and flowers. However, there is also a beauty in seeing the bear trees, the still ponds and lush green lawns. There were a few people, who seemed to be Fontainbleu locals, all rugged-up in their jackets, beanies and boots, braving the cold and taking their dogs for a walk through the grounds, or leisurely pushing a pram along the lakes to get some fresh air from their stifling, centrally-heated homes.<br />
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The French version of Wikipedia has a fantastic run-down of the history and design of the chateau, with accompanying images: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Château_de_Fontainebleau<br />
Also, the official website of the chateau, in both French & English : http://www.musee-chateau-fontainebleau.fr/<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span id="goog_741018934"></span><span id="goog_741018935"></span>J.Spadina (MalaKretova)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14790983879580438967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946085264887576758.post-22057455847851712492011-06-08T18:58:00.002+10:002011-06-29T13:18:40.504+10:00Le Musee de Rodin, Paris<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: x-large;"><u>The Rodin Museum</u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Before I left for Paris in 2007 my aunt told me, "If you can only see one museum/gallery while you're in Paris, make sure you visit the Rodin Museum." I was in Paris for over 2 months, so I had plenty of time to visit galleries and museums (and I did visit many, and a few more than once!), but the Rodin Museum was one of my favourites, and as my aunt said, it's a place not to be missed on a visit to Paris.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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Located in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, not far from La Tour Eiffle and right next to La Place des Invalides, the peace and serenity of the museum and its garden sit in stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of the surroundings. It sits on the corner of Le Boulevard des Invalides, a wide, busy, congested Parisian boulevard, and rue de Varenne, a cute little side street, around which people queue to enter the museum. I went on a busy day, the first Sunday of the month, when all the galleries and museums in Paris wave their entry fees. This is such a fantastic idea, one of many of the French government regarding the cultural life of the city, as it allows the museums and galleries of Paris to be accessible to everyone, even tempting those who would not usually visit them to explore their wonders.<br />
One the opposite corner is the Cafe du Musee, a typical Parisian <em>brasserie</em> serving drinks, snacks and light meals. Even on a cold winter's day people sat outside, drank their <em>cafe</em>, smoked their cigarettes and read <em>le</em> <em>journal</em>. Being in Paris in the winter, meant that I escaped the hoards of tourists and was able to experience all those wondrous things that make Paris, Paris, not matter how great or insignificant, as if I was just another Parisian.<br />
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The Hotel Biron (above) which now houses a collection of Auguste Rodin's amazing sculptures, was built between 1728 and 1730 by the architect Jean Aubert, under the commission of Abraham Peyrenc de Moras. The '<i>chateau</i>' went through a number of different ownerships until the early twentieth century. There were plans to have the building demolished, and in the interim, a number of artists, including Rodin, took up residency in the then almost dilapidated site. In 1911, the state bought the building. Rodin, wanting to convert the building into a museum of his works, with the support of his peers, made a deal with the Parisian government to dedicate the Hotel Brion as a museum devoted to his sculpture in return for his entire collection. The deal was sealed on 24th December, 1916, and the museum opened in 1919, allowing the public to appreciate the work of such a fantastic artist in a breath-takingly beautiful space.<br />
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Auguste Rodin, is one of France's and the world's most celebrated sculptors. Although he was traditionally trained, he turned his back on mythical and allegorical subject matter, which were the traditionally accepted forms at the turn of the 20th century, favouring a realistic depiction of the human body in his clay and bronze sculptures. He was not afraid to explore human emotions such as passion, distress and weakness, allowing his works to accurately represent the psyche of his subjects.<br />
Many of his well known sculptures, including<i> Le Penseur</i> (The Thinker) and <i>Le Baiser</i> (The Kiss), can be found in the museum and its gardens. He also created a number of amazing sculptures of his contemporaries, including Blazac and Victor Hugo, which are not to be missed. Seeing photographs of these sculptures do them no justice what so ever - the expressions on their faces, the formation of their poses, the expression and feeling Rodin was able to render from a piece of clay or bronze is phenomenal. You have to see these sculptures close up in order to get any idea of the true genius of the artist.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.musee-rodin.fr/">http://www.musee-rodin.fr/</a></div>J.Spadina (MalaKretova)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14790983879580438967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946085264887576758.post-36978144980326990552011-06-04T18:54:00.005+10:002011-06-29T13:19:00.209+10:00Le Bois de Vincennes et Le Bois de Boulogne<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The Forest of Vincennes and The Forest of Boulogne</span></span></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Just outside Paris, on the outskirts of <i>Le Peripherique</i>, are two magnificently beautiful parks - </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Le Bois de Vincennes</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> on the eastern side and </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Le Bois de Boulogne</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> on the western. After the cold, grey, drizzly days of winter (Unlike most people, I don’t think Parisians are arrogant - they’re just depressed. In winter, the weather in Paris is constantly overcast and drizzly - if I had to live through it every year, I think I’d be depressed too!), the warm and sunny days of spring are very much welcomed by the people of Paris. During these spring days, particularly on the weekends, many Parisians flee the city in favour of spending the day in one of these two beautiful parks. (</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Unless you happen to be well off, like the family I was living with in Paris, who spent their spring weekends horse-riding at their country estate, just a 90 minute drive from Paris.) </span><br />
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<div style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Both</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Le Bois de Vincennes</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> and </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Le Bois de Boulogne <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">were originally </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">hunting grounds for the French kings and their courtiers, Vincennes since the 11th century and Boulogne as early as the 7th century, when Dagobert, the king of the Franks, hunted bears on the grounds. The parks were utilised solely by the aristocracy (with the exception of Vincennes which was used as a military exercise area during the French Revolution) until they were given to the city of Paris by Napoleon III, Boulogne in 1852 and Vincennes in 1860. Under the direction of the baron Haussmann (the man responsible for the 'modernisation' of Paris in mid-19th century), the parks underwent a drastic aesthetic transformation and became sites of leisure and enjoyment and an escape from the grey and depressive concrete jungle. </span></div><div style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGW5HzHTv_QTxFmSUY5V7eHBQ2OcR3QNAnQajkSZTEI5dJz_kodkJ0aWxIemr2qXA3PXxjh7I-7E-R3mp66tlp4qf12V7wczDhrj3_CUhh_wRVhoAqpyYwQp0LhhjSk_UjDdR6YnAI9i68/s1600/IMG_1161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGW5HzHTv_QTxFmSUY5V7eHBQ2OcR3QNAnQajkSZTEI5dJz_kodkJ0aWxIemr2qXA3PXxjh7I-7E-R3mp66tlp4qf12V7wczDhrj3_CUhh_wRVhoAqpyYwQp0LhhjSk_UjDdR6YnAI9i68/s640/IMG_1161.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Today, both parks offer a vast array of activities, including canoeing, horse-riding, cycling paths, running tacks, bush-walking and fishing, as well as zoological parks and children's playgrounds. The parks also have a number of ‘specialty’ gardens, including tropical plant and bonsai gardens, as well as open parkland and floral displays. Both Vincennes and Boulogne are extremely large - both cover a nine to ten square kilometre area each. I'd suggest taking a map with you on your first visit - it's relatively easy to get lost in the myriad of pathways, lakes and areas of thick bush.</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">During spring weekends, both parks are teaming with people eager to take advantage of the fresh air and natural surroundings. And no wonder, it’s a little piece of paradise, only a short metro trip from the heart of Paris (to Vincennes, take metro line 1 to </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Chateau de Vincennes</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> and to Boulogne, take metro line 10 to </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Boulogne, Pont de St-Cloud <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">- the Paris metro is a fantastic public transport network - it runs frequently, all lines connect reasonable well to one another and it's relatively cheap - definitely the best way to get around Paris. I utilised it so much during my stay there, that I can still hear the screech of the alarm, people running through the station so not to miss the train, and then the bang and click of the doors shutting</span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">). </span></span></span></div><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">On the outskirts of <i>Le Bois de Vincennes</i>, is <i>Le Chateau de Vincennes</i> (above). The site has been a royal residence since the late 12th century but was fortified by King John II The Good during the hundred years war. It became the principle residence of Charles V and his son Charles VI and was renovated accordingly. Besides being a royal residence, the castle has a colourful history - it was utilised as a military school, it's workshops were used as factories for the fabrication of weaponry, it served as a prison (even housing the Marquis de Sade) and also a military stronghold in defence of the capital. Unfortunately, much of the original castle complex no longer exist (like many architectural structures in Europe which have witness many wars or deemed unsuitable by various poliltical leaders, thus leading to their decay), but what remains is an impressive piece of French architecture of the middle ages, still as imposing and forboding a structure as ever. Today it houses a military museum detailing the history of French land, sea and air warfare.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So next time you're in Paris, particularly if you happen to visit in the springtime, I recommend you take half a day out to explore one of these two pieces of paradise. Stroll along the lakeside promenades or hire a canoe; hire a bike and take advantage of the well constructed bike paths; or simply take a book, find a peaceful spot and read amongst some of the most beautiful landscapes in Europe.</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For more information, see the following websites:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="color: #1423a7; font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.paris.fr/loisirs/paris-au-vert/bois-de-boulogne/p6567"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">http://www.paris.fr/loisirs/paris-au-vert/bois-de-boulogne/p6567</span></span></a></span></div><div style="color: #1423a7; font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.paris.fr/loisirs/paris-au-vert/bois-de-vincennes/p6566"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">http://www.paris.fr/loisirs/paris-au-vert/bois-de-vincennes/p6566</span></span></a></span><br />
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</div>J.Spadina (MalaKretova)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14790983879580438967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946085264887576758.post-79088877918359034572011-05-31T10:04:00.005+10:002011-06-29T13:19:17.781+10:00Marche aux Puces de Saint-Ouen, Paris<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The flea markets of Saint-Ouen!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Located in the north of Paris, or as the Parisiens would say, outside of Paris, as it is located on the other side of </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Le Peripherique</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> - the circular highway which encapsulates the city. This highway also acts as a type of barrier between 'Paris' and </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">le bonlieu</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> (the 'down-market' suburbs, as opposed to the upmarket </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">arrondissements </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">of Paris. Funny the word bonlieu - bon meaning good and lieu meaning place - the Parisiens who live within the confines of Le Peripherique certainly do not look upon the bonlieu as a good place - in recent years it has been the site of social disorder and unrest). Many visitors to Paris do not venture out to the 'other side', however, there are some interesting and beautiful things to see....The Marche aux Puces de Saint-Ouen is one of them (I should also mention the Bois de Vincennes and the Bois de Boulogne, which I hope to discuss in a future post). </span><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span">When you first exit the metro station at the Porte de </span><span class="Apple-style-span">Clignancourt and follow hoards of people you enter a crazy world of mad bargainers and store holders selling everything from handicrafts and CDs, imitation Louis Vuitton bags to clothing, used household appliances to books. As you walk by, people yell out to you 'Buy this, I'll give it to you for a good price' or 'Genuine leather jackets at only a fraction of the price you'd buy them in Le Bon Marche'. It's a bit chaotic, people everywhere, with French rap music playing in the background.....</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But once you wade through this madness you enter a new world of beauty and serenity - the antique markets! Here classical music plays as you leisurely meander through the streets of amazing antique furniture and homewares. The images below cannot do it justice - the labyrinth streets seem to be endless and there are antique stores as far as the eye can see - I spent a good few hours strolling through these markets, stopping every now and then to admire the treasures (I find French antiques absolutely amazing, beautiful, breathtaking - there is an awe inspiriny store in Sydney called The County Trader <a href="http://www.thecountrytrader.com.au/">http://www.thecountrytrader.com.au/</a> were I can get a regular fix without having to spend a few thousand dollars on an airfare to Paris.) However, being in Paris and seeing these amazing pieces, the feeling and the experience cannot be faithfully re-created in Sydney.</span><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">As the sun set behinds the buildings of Paris (I was here in February, so the days were incredibly short - it was dark by 4pm) and the day drew to a close, the store holders slowly packed up their wares - there is no rush for these people - I even came across a few of them sitting together having a chat over some hot coffee and pastries (true to form, the French love their pastries). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Compared to prices in Australia, I found the antique markets quite reasonable. But even if you are not in the market to make a purchase or two (I would have loved to buy a few things, however the practicality of shipping it to Australia made me reconsider) it is a lovely way to spend a day in Paris.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Photos from my personal collection</span></span></div>J.Spadina (MalaKretova)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14790983879580438967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946085264887576758.post-90348147723097210112011-05-30T19:49:00.005+10:002011-06-04T18:55:51.326+10:00Photobooks<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Photobooks! What a fantastic idea. I'm not surprised by their popularity. In a age of digital photography what a perfect way to publish all those memorable snapshots, document amazing travel experiences, being creative with art photography....</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I've recently started putting together a photobook of my 2007 trip to Europe through blurb.com (Ok, not really that recently - I started it a few months ago - it's a work in progress, I've change the format one too many times, I'm a well-rehersed procrastinator, I originally thought is was going to be a small project - maybe 50 pages, but that has expanded to about 120 and it's still growing - I forgot just how many photos I took that year...Eeeek!). Check out the website </span><a href="http://www.blurb.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">http://www.blurb.com/</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> - it has some amazing examples of photobooks which people have created. Anyway, 'my photobook' has me reminiscing about this fantastic trip I took in 2007 which comprised of a period of study in Paris, visits to family in Belgium and Belgrade, attending an art school in the hills of Tuscany, a tour of Eastern Europe, a summer in Croatia, as well as bits and pieces in between.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I guess the idea of a blog is usually to write about something 'as it's happening', but I think I might just break away from this constructed idea a bit (I'm always diverging from various pre-conceived 'paths') and will be writing a bit about past events and experiences - things I remember, things that made an impression on me, things that inspired...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To start with, I'm hoping to write about my time in Paris and give an insight into a few places the average visitor to Paris often misses - Paris is such an amazing, interesting and unusual city, which you cannot completely appreciate in just a short visit. People tend to do the usual tourist route - the Eiffle Tower, Notre Dame, the Louvre...and often miss out on the little things which made Paris memorable to me. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I also anticipate to add some of the many photos I took during my few months in Paris, which will hopefully appear in my completed photobook.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Enjoy!</span></div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV3P1UWOgjyX23qqq9uD0Degj0N6i1d_F_zLqeKaHDc-1F-uZMIU_KIAEupAaGh4jin5ejiYQRyCugsx2W74bOrPFMyWAPJHC49s3Hl7CfYvZMXci2bFCgzDyR6GrwqrAD4gDf4D8l9EkJ/s1600/IMG_1260.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV3P1UWOgjyX23qqq9uD0Degj0N6i1d_F_zLqeKaHDc-1F-uZMIU_KIAEupAaGh4jin5ejiYQRyCugsx2W74bOrPFMyWAPJHC49s3Hl7CfYvZMXci2bFCgzDyR6GrwqrAD4gDf4D8l9EkJ/s640/IMG_1260.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">View towards Sacre Coeur from the Centre Georges Pompidou</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-63uoE0r8r4gVUP63Sjay1CODLyLCYDFxotoDhATOVJCITSrQUQ65EGlf1dBYMFXT3wJ4VctnQIlpYDPIoKFWhhtK4q87DPjeDsrkGRlli73HMQTd0XcAA5DTt5tyuSfwL4x183sbzc30/s1600/IMG_1262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-63uoE0r8r4gVUP63Sjay1CODLyLCYDFxotoDhATOVJCITSrQUQ65EGlf1dBYMFXT3wJ4VctnQIlpYDPIoKFWhhtK4q87DPjeDsrkGRlli73HMQTd0XcAA5DTt5tyuSfwL4x183sbzc30/s640/IMG_1262.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;">View towards La Tour Eiffle from the Centre Georges Pompidou</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj08GY3B8jNl8lC0DI0yQztQqk0-xHk9vvN4xZZHt0BrYc0kHwTGttowXetgjWShMMilVpN57dak-cSrKYUZsgssM8lcK62Q0bvVbugXZZEm1KfOJ-5WgIlk1ZRkG39xI3qd8bnNnBLWQp2/s1600/IMG_1263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj08GY3B8jNl8lC0DI0yQztQqk0-xHk9vvN4xZZHt0BrYc0kHwTGttowXetgjWShMMilVpN57dak-cSrKYUZsgssM8lcK62Q0bvVbugXZZEm1KfOJ-5WgIlk1ZRkG39xI3qd8bnNnBLWQp2/s640/IMG_1263.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;">View towards the Cathedrale de Notre Dame from the Centre Georges Pompidou</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;">Photos from my personal collection</span></span></div><div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/0yE12-7E51w?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">'Paris' by Camille</span></div>J.Spadina (MalaKretova)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14790983879580438967noreply@blogger.com1