The Loire Valley and especially Blois
Roskilde Cathedral, a Unesco world heritage site, consecrated in the 12th century, is a wonderful combination of Romanesque and Gothic. A total of 37 sovereigns have been crowned here. I particularly liked the 1580 triptych from Antwerp. La cathédrale de Roskilde, inscrite au patrimoine de l’humanité par l’UNESCO et consacré au XIIe siècle, allie avec …
Continue reading “Day #13 Postcard from Denmark – Roskilde Cathedral”
This is the castle in Helsingør on the tip of Sjaelland where Hamlet is said to have been set. It’s certainly in a choice spot and having Yorrick and Polonius interacting in the main courtyard was rather fun! Below are some photos of the inside of the castle followed by some delightful thatched cottages in …
Continue reading “Day #12 Postcard from Denmark – Elsinore Castle”
We were going to wait for a sunny day to see the Little Mermaid but we decided to visit her on the way to the Glyptotek Museum which turned out to be closed on Mondays! We had lunch at the very popular tourist area around the Nyhavn Canal. We cycled home in constant drizzle (40 …
Continue reading “Day #11 Postcard from Copenhagen – The Little Mermaid”
Today we cycled 55 k return from where we are staying in Ziethen near Ratzeburg to Lübeck in the very north of Germany. Brick is the main construction material and some of the buildings are impressively high. The difference between former east and west Germany is obvious – the bike paths are not always paved …
As we sat down before our well-deserved ice-creams (we had ridden 57 km and had another 19 km to go!) despite the fact that it was only 18°C, we looked up and saw this incredible fortified church that wasn’t even in our guide books. All we know is that it is an excellent example of German pre-Romanesque …
Continue reading “Day #5 Postcard from Germany – Freckenhost & Vornholz”
Münster means cathedral and this one in the city of Münster certainly deserves its name with its impressive double-nave facade. Inside is an astronomical clock made in 1540. We then cycled to Burg Hülshoff a traditional “water castle” built on two islands and surrounded by a beautiful park. Le mot Münster veut dire cathédrale et …
Continue reading “Day #4 Postcard from Germany – Münster & Burg Hülshoff”
On our way to Münster by car today, we stopped off for lunch at Aachen, better known as Aix la Chapelle. For those who have read Browning’s poem, “How They Brought the Good News from Ghent to Aix”, it is a well-known name. Charlemagne decided to set up a permanent court there in 800 and started building the …
Continue reading “Day #3 – Postcard from Germany: Aachen or Aix la Chapelle”
This beautiful building in Blois with its masses of roses certainly cheers up a grey day. Ce beau bâtiment à Blois avec sa multitude de roses donne de la couleur à une journée bien grise.
We had a wonderful day today with Maisons Paysannes de France, an association that protects rural buildings, which organised an outing on the theme of dovecotes. This was my favourite setting – Manor of the Motte, first mentioned in the 13th century. Nous avons passé une très belle journée en compagnie de Maisons paysannes de …