Lakes

There are very few lakes in the Languedoc where rivers and streams are dry for 4 or 5 months of the year.

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…

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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.

Hiking trails

2000 feet – Col d’Uglas – Cévennes foothills

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.

Autumn in Taiwan

Autumn : central mountain regions of Taiwan. Automne, les montagnes de Taiwan.

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…

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