We got back from Istanbul just in time for heritage weekend. Today, we finally got to visit the Aître Saint Saturnin churchyard in Blois which is now a lapidary museum. This was one of my favourite pieces. Don’t you think he looks smug? Nous sommes rentrés d’Istanbul juste à temps pour les journées du patrimoine. …
Monthly Archives: September 2017
Postcard from Isbanbul – Topkapi Palace and Harem
We kept the best for our last day in Istanbul – Topkapi Palace – but we were disappointed as two of the best exhibitions were closed for renovation as well as several important rooms in the harem (sultan’s mother’s apartment below). Like many Ottoman palaces, Topkapi , built in the 16th century, consists of a …
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Postcard from Istanbul – Sunset over the Bosphorus
Today we went on a cruise along the Bosphorus with the local ferry that took one and a half hours, followed by a two and a half hour lunch break in the village of Anadolu Kadagi before taking returning to our starting point of Galata Bridge. In the evening we went to a rooftop bar to …
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Postcard from Istanbul – Rooftops
I took this phot from the terrace of the mosque of Soliman the Magnificent whose photo can be seen below. J‘ai pris cette photo depuis la terrasse de la mosqué de Soliman le Magnifique dont la photo se trouve ci-dessous.
Postcard from Istanbul – Street Art
We are staying on a hill in Istanbul and we keep going past this staircase. Notre appartement à Istanbul est sur une colline et nous passons souvent cet escalier.
Postcards from Istanbul – Dolmabahce Palace
This modern palace built in the 19th century was the home of six sultans and their harems until the republic was proclaimed in 1923. It showcases the best craftsmen of Europe at the time and occupies a prime site on the Bosphorus. Unfortunately, it is not possible to take photographs inside. It then became the …
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Postcard from Istanbul – First Impressions
You may have noticed that I missed a couple of days – I was getting ready for a trip to Istanbul. Here we are and are enthralled. What a wonderful city! Here are just a few photos. The first is taken from the edge of the Bosphorous looking towards Galata Tower, the area we are …
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Storks far from home – Cigognes loin de chez eux
You don’t usually see storks this far west, but I guess it’s nostalgia :). On ne voit pas souvent de cigognes dans le centre de la France mais je suppose que quelqu’un a le mal du pays :).
Life & Death of a Washhouse – Vie et mort d'un lavoir
This life of this wash house in nearby Coulanges was short lived -1878 to 1973. However, in 1999, it was restored to be used as a picnic spot for hikers and cyclists. La vie de ce lavoir à Coulanges, tout près de chez nous, n’a pas durée longtemps : 1878 à 1973. Mai en 1999, …
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La pompe à godets
We came across this pump today when cycling around Chaussée Saint Victoire. It was used to provide water to the surrounding farmland during periods of drought. i’m not sure what we call it in English. Nous avons vu cette pompe aux godets aujourd’hui en faisant du vélo à la Chaussée Saint Victoire. Elle était précieuse pour …