There are very few lakes in the Languedoc where rivers and streams are dry for 4 or 5 months of the year.
Category: Europe
Notre Dame de Gattigues
In Gattigues there is an old church with foundations dating from the first millennium. It was a way station on the Regordane highway during the middle ages at a time when the traffic from Paris to the Mediterranean sea had to be routed via the Cévennes for military security. The church is built in the…
Lavoirs
Public washbasins are a common sight in the Languedoc. Some were built as late as the 19th century, some earlier. Most were no longer in use by 1960. Today many are dry but some still have running water.
Iron Cross
Everywhere you look in this countryside there are crosses of iron and stone. Legend says that travellers in the middle ages were protected from highway robbery if they took sanctuary next to a cross.
L’Oustanaou
… still frosty in the shade
Hiking trails
2000 feet – Col d’Uglas – Cévennes foothills
Ski season coming up soon
No fear – skiing towards the edge.
Winter scene / Scène d’hiver
The snow-topped hills are in the Cévennes range. Picture taken from a hillside about 40 km east of the ridge. Les Cévennes enneigées. Image prise depuis un point de vue à 40 km à l’est des crêtes.
More landscapes
Towers of Uzés in the foreground and Mont Ventoux on the horizon. Ventoux is about 2000m high and about 80 km away from the camera in this shot. Unusually good visibility in this case.
Hiking on a frosty morning
December-Cèze river valley-Village of Cornillon. Freezing fog and minus 4 degrees C, but all the hikers are ready to go.
Montaigu Landscapes
Month : November. Weather : sunny. Hiking around some local villages gave a chance to take these 2 pictures. Randonnée en novembre ; météo : ensoleillée. Paysages sous le ciel méditerranéen.
Domes!!
Nothing but domes. Istanbul is the city of domes. Des coupoles, encore et encore.
The Bosphorus
Bosphorus cruise. European and Asian shores. Mansions and fishing villages. And heavy cargo ships moving through the channel. Une croisière sur le Bosphore entre l’Europe et l’Asie. Sur les rivages – des palais, des villages de pecheurs. Sur l’eau – des porte-conteneurs, des remorqueurs et … des navires de guerre.
Saint Saviour in Chora
An incredible set of mosaics of Byzantine vintage in this former Byzantine church somewhat off the beaten track in Istanbul.
The Ishtar gate,
Several brick and tile images of lions, aurochs, etc taken from the Ishtar Gate in Babylon are to be found in the Museum of the Ancient Orient in Istanbul. A small and superb museum -just the right size for a comfortable visit – no sensory overload and very interesting artefacts. More about the Ishtar gate…
The grand bazaar
How many stores – maybe 4000. How easy to get lost? Very!!
Dolmabahce Palace
A late Ottoman period palace on the shores of the Bosphorus. Almost looks like a European palace from outside. Too bad about the crane.
Haghia Sophia and the Underground Palace
Aya Sofya, Haghia Sofia. Saint Sophie. All the same place. Once the great church of the Byzantine Emperor, then the mosque of the Ottoman Empire, now a museum. Still impressive. And an underground cistern dating from Byzantine times – i.e. about 1500 years ago.
