Strasbourg and the light of autumn

November 25, 2019.Reading time less than 1 minute.

The autumn light enters from the south east at breakfast time through the old panes at Cafe Brant in Strasbourg. Later it warms its dwellers in their Saturday morning shopping forays. It too baths the sandstone facade with textures and comes through the high steel glass panes of the cathedral of Strasbourg to reflect on the rows of idle chairs that await the believers.

The tram line running between Germany and France through the streets and over the Rhine passes along views of steel and sandstone lit on halogen light in Strasbourg under the autumn cold rain.

Pont du Gard museum. It was added to UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 1985 because of its historical importance.

abundance of water and decadent rome

July 27, 2019.Reading time 1 minute.

A 50 Km aqueduct with 35Km of tunnels ground in rock and several bridges made of limestone with rudimentary tools and cranes is not a project to be taken lightly. Pont du Gard being the best preserved bridge, stands proud under the heat of the sun of June in the Provence.

One would think that such huge enterprise was meant to secure the all so important supply of basic water needs of Nimes. However this wasn’t the real purpose of the Roman politicians; The water from this aqueduct was only meant to supply the pools and baths of Nimes, and ultimately a work of Roman Empire propaganda, financed with a temporary levy of imperial taxes over the region, for the enlightening of the savages of Europe.

Pont du Gard the best preserved bridge of a 50 Km aqueduct with 35Km of tunnels ground in rock and several bridges made of limestone with rudimentary tools and cranes. It stands proud under the heat of the sun of June in the Provence.

An empty view of the Pont du Gard is not an all too common chance, but of being early underway. What in the summer days this far south is not a bad idea anyway. In the early hour, the light still has a yellowish cast, an angle that remarks the inscriptions in the old stones, and the sky is not totally whited out.

Later the riverbanks will slowly fill with visitors looking for refreshment, canoes will pass under the bridge on their way downstream, and shadowy tables at the coffee terraces along the site will be attentively watched for vacancies.

Balcony view at the Guesthouse at the town center, Montalba-le-Chateau, Languedoc

heading to the pyrenees and a morning in the languedoc

July 10, 2019.Reading time less than 1 minute.

A logistic night over on a trip from Munich to the Pyrenees becomes an immersive slow down experience in the Languedoc. Waking up in the silence of Montalba-le-Chateau, a little town away from everything, sitting for breakfast in the rooftop terrace of our B&B with a view to the “Canigou”, stopping by the singular erosion-sculpted formations in Ille-Sur-Têt, and walking up the church at the top of Eus. Not more than half a day that feels in retrospective like if it would have lasted a week.

View of the Canigou, Montalba-le-Chateau, Languedoc

Guesthouse at the towns center, Montalba-le-Chateau, Languedoc

Blue door and window shades in the town of Malaucene at the foot of the Mont Ventoux

the old town and the mountain of musings

January 28, 2019.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Malaucène, the old provence town at the footsteps of the Mont-Ventoux; the mount of the philosophical musings and the strong winds.

Weathered stones on the path to the hilltop garden with memorial of the Cruzifixion of Christ in the town of Malaucene at the foot of the Mont Ventoux

Hilltop garden with memorial of the Cruzifixion of Christ in the town of Malaucene at the foot of the Mont Ventoux

citadel and shadows

January 3, 2019.Reading time less than 1 minute.

a late arrival to Carcassone, south France. And a night walk with the shadows over the backdrop of the middle age streets and walls of the citadel. Over resounding wet coblestones in the silent and omniusly empty streets.

Night view of the fortress city of Carcassone in south France

Night view of the walls of the fortress city of Carcassone in south France

Night view of the small entrance through the walls of the fortress city of Carcassone in south France

Night street view of the cathedral in the fortress city of Carcassone in south France

Night street view with wet coblestones after the rain in the fortress city of Carcassone in south France

Night street view of the theater in the lower city under the fortress city of Carcassone in south France