Tuesday 23 March 2010

Dreaming of France


The Colours
of Lyon

in the early morning hours

Shades of Red
from Burgundy

to Purple
from Phoenician Shores

A carousel
in slumber still,
dreaming of
the merry rounds
the day will bring

12 March 2010
France

© 2010 by Merisi

17 comments:

  1. Very very beautiful post, as always, Merisi! I missed your posts so when you were away - thanks for posting two today!

    Your puns are very delightfully clever - "Red in Burgundy" & "Merry rounds" - and they directly mirror the charming early morning sights captured here. I can't wait for tomorrow's post(s)! :)

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  2. Great pictures, did you take anymore pictures of teh carousel? now that would be a fun post.

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  3. Lovely colors, despite what seems like an overcast sky. The text for the carousel is very evocative, I like it.

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  4. great colors with spring just coming here in the USA. looks so quaint and charming !!!




    http://nycstylecannoli.blogspot.com/

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  5. These photos remind me of Strasbourg, alway love that city of France :-)

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  6. Thank you for letting us see through your discerning eyes! Always so fine!

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  7. Dear Renate, Cathy, Al, Rosemary, Eugenia, Vicki,
    all readers:

    Creating the posts is a delightful diversion from my duties and it is of immense pleasure when my readers enjoy them too!

    These are pictures from a six day - six countries - 9 cities tour de force of 2,700 km I undertook two weeks ago:

    Austria
    Germany
    Liechtenstein
    Switzerland
    France
    Italy

    Cities:
    Innsbruck A
    Feldkirch A
    Vaduz FL
    Gstaad CH
    Evian F ("the" Evian at Lake Geneva)
    Geneva F
    Lyon F
    Aosta I
    Venice I

    I had to drive to Geneve, Switzerland, but only six days to spare. I wished I had had more time, but I am happy that I could sneak in those little rest stops, like on my first travel day leaving the Autobahn and having lunch in that lovely Innsbruck, which to my surprise has so much southern charm it almost denies the location at the foot of high Alpine mountains. On to the Arlberg Pass I went and the evening was spent in Feldkirch, a charming little town that has still medieval character in many corners. Breakfast after that was in Vaduz, Liechtenstein, coffee break later in the morning in Lucerne and Gstaad, Switzerland. Lunch in the charming old resort town of Interlaken,, by the lakes Brienz and Thun, with a panoramic view of the Eiger, Jungfrau and Mönch mountains. From Interlaken I took highway # 11, a road winding from one mountain valley more beautiful than the next - I remember places like Zweisimmen and Emmental - and then winds down in one spectacular descent, the almost vertical hills inexpectantly turning into vineyards, bend after bend more vineyards, until you reach the valley with an enormous castle growing magically out the plain by Lake Geneva. I stayed overnight in the charming little spa town of Évian-les-Bains (yes, where that famous mineral water comes from), and reached my destination, Geneva, the next morning. After lunch, I drove to Lyon, a place that I found so grand, yet utterly enchanting. I checked into my hotel at 10.30pm. Luckily, it was located next to Lyon's oldest brasserie, Brasserie George, on Cours de Verdun Perrache, where I spent a few magical hours before falling into bed. Back to Geneva the next afternoon where I spent the night. I left for Venice, Italy, the next morning, driving up to Mont Blanc, through the tunnel to Aosta, Italy. A few hours walk (and several cappuccinos - so many bars to taste Italian coffee, all excellent!) in the historic center and on to Venice I went. Reached Piazzale Roma at 10pm, took my backpack, where I had packed all I needed overnight, and my camera bag (I wanted to be able to walk, without having to shlep a suitcase, and have the hands free) and walked to my hotel near SS. Giovanni e Paolo (the bargain of those six days on the road: 50 Euros for a suite, while parking overnight was 30), checked in and hurried over to a small restaurant owned by friends. Bed shortly after midnight, up at 5.30am, walking dozens of calles and piazzas, until finally returning to my car at about noon, and at least half a dozen coffee tastings later. It took me six hours of driving time to reached Vienna around 7.30pm. On the road, I had stopped in Austria's Carinthia region, at the Wörthersee rest stop, which offers a splendid panoramic view of Lake Wörthersee from high above.

    Can you see how I did not have the time to blog? *giggles*

    As soon as I came home, I had to start studying, homework had been left undone while on the road, intense school days waited and there is my family too (yes!). I have been downtown only once, meeting a friend at the Prückel, to study (yes, I did!). Easter break now, but over the next few days I am expecting four different visitors, a gallery opening, a theater performance of a play a friend is working with, but hopefully a few good excuses to be about town and take pictures! I am looking forward to share them with you.

    My heartfelt thanks and best wishes to all of you,
    Merisi

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  8. Cathy:
    I took a few more pictures of that merry-go-round, but none really good. See, I was hurrying from one corner of downtown to another one, hardly time to stop. I used my little Lumix to be faster, but certainly Lyon would merit more than a few hours on the run!
    This was my first visit to France, ever, and I fell head over heel for the country and its people. I shall be back! :-)

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  9. Wow! What an adventure you had! Thank your for sharing it with us :-)

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  10. I would love to come with you on your travels, some places I have been to but it's always nice to see them again - in person or through the lens of another person.

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  11. Merisi, I hope you will come to Marseilles soon. I love your first picture as you can imagine ...

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  12. was für ein wunderbarer Kurztrip, sicher anstrengend, aber man ist dann so voller Eindrücke, dass es hätten auch drei Wochen sein können. Wir machen es auch öfter so und man kann hinter noch Wochen von dem Erlebten und Gesehenen zehren.

    Diese Farben von Lyon, was für eine grandiose Idee. Überhaupt liebe ich diese besondere Merisi-Zartheit der Bilder - es ist ein ganz besonderer Blick auf die Welt.

    Danke Dir von Herzen für das Teilen dieser Ansichten.

    Hugs
    Isabella

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  13. How much you catch the beauty!Welcome in my country!

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  14. That was a nice little trip! I remember Lyon, it's got space and calmness that Paris lacks. I went there once, we stayed in the centre and had to cycle up that hill behind the church in your photo. And then ride another 150km in a race!

    Nice to read about you to, you are very busy!

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  15. What a beautiful, colourful post. You always find the very best.

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  16. I wonder if I am the only person who has the urge to put swatches of beautiful fabrics in a frame and hang them on the wall. To cover entire walls with framed swatches of different fabrics. The ceiling, even.

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  17. Marcheline,
    I am dreaming of buying fabrics and sewing pillows. I can see myself sitting on a sofa on a tall stack of them. ;-) Maybe framing them is a better idea. ;-)

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