The Loire Valley and especially Blois
This castle inspired by Chambord in the Loire Valley was built between 1847 and 1857 by Grand Duke Friedrich Franz II of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. There is no ressemblance inside as you can see from the throne room. What I really loved was the sunken orangery at the back of the castle. Ce château inspiré de Chambord …
Continue reading “Day #6 Postcard from Germany – Schwerin Castle”
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”
Our second day in Belgium was a little less successful. We cycled from Namur along the Meuse in the other direction to Huy and on to Jehay Castle. The route was less scenic with many industrial sites and we were caught in three downpours but our rain gear – capes, pants, overshoes and gloves – …
Continue reading “Day #2 – Postcard from Belgium: Jehay Castle”
This is day one of our summer cycling holiday culminating in Denmark via Belgium and Germany. We are staying in Namur and cycled today to Dinant which is 25 km south along the Meuse and the birthplace of Adolphe Sax inventor of the saxophone in the 1840s. There are brightly colored saxophones on the bridge …
Continue reading “Day #1 – Postcard from Belgium – Dinant & the Saxophone”
Each of the capitals on top of the 228 columns of the Monreale Cloisters, built on a hill overlooking Palermo, is intricately sculpted with motifs influenced by Provençal, Burgundian, Arab and Salerno medieval art. Chacun des chapiteaux des 228 colonnes du cloître de Monreale construit sur une hauteur surplombant Palerme est superbement sculpté avec des …
There is no mistaking the Norman, Moorish, Gothic and Baroque influences of this Unesco heritage cathedral in Palermo. Les influences normandes, mauresques, gothiques et baroques sont toutes évidentes dans cette cathédrale classée au patrimoine mondiale de l’Unesco.
When we were leaving Taormina this morning Etna was bright and clear. Unfortunately we didn’t have time to go back to the amphitheatre for another photo. En quittant Taormina ce matin on voyait très distinctement Etna mais in n’avait pas le temps de retourner à l’amphithéâtre prendre une autre photo.
We waited all day to see it and we finally did! The snow capped peak of Etna is in the middle of that opening at the Ancient Greek/Roman amphitheatre of Taormina. Nous avons attendu toute la journée pour la voir et on a enfin réussi! Le somment enneigé d’Etna se trouve au milieu de l’ouverture …