Evening in Rome
It is hard to imagine what is going on nowadays in Rome. But in October 2018 it was as always beautiful, pleasant and hospitable place for tourists. The following pictures showing one evening promenade around the city. Days in October are not so long this is why in just three or so hours the sunlight faded away.
Ancient Rome Ruins
Evening Shadows
Domes of Rome
Piazza Venezia
Unione Militare
Piazza di Spagna
Trattoria Romana, Piazza di Spagna
Evening Sky in Rome
Lion Fountain, Piazza del Popolo
Sofia, Piazza Napoletana
Street Fruit Market
Benso Restaurant patio
Fountain Trevi in the Evening
Ancient Aqueduct
Piazza Navona, Rome
Piazza Navona
Piazza Navona is the beautiful tourist place – square of three fountains.
Fountain of Neptune
Fiumi Fountain
Fontana del Moro
Piazza del Popolo, Rome
Piazza del Popolo, Rome
Piazza dela Republica, Florence
Piazza della Repubblica is one of the main squares in Florence and marks the center of the city since Roman times. The Colonna della Dovizia or also known as the Column of Abundance marks the point where the cardus and decumanus maximi met and where the Roman forum stood.
Column of Abundance
Le Grand Colbert
While being in Paris the restaurant Le Grand Colbert was chosen for the fortieth anniversary lunch. It is located on a quiet small street Rue Vivienne right behind Palais-Royal. To avoid crowd we decided to come there a little bit later than regular lunch hours. What a surprise was waiting for us? The entrance door did not have a handle to come in. I tried to knock, and then made a signs through the window to waitress to open the door, but no reaction followed. We were about to leave with a huge frustration. Suddenly the car stopped in front of an entrance and a young man with a bouquet of flowers came to the door. Somebody from inside opened the door for him. I asked this person if they are opened and work and had the positive answer. Then I told him they are in trouble because there is no handle that means no customers. 🙂 He was really surprised, apologized and invited us inside. From this point the rest of visit was amazing.
The restaurant is really inviting and homey. Soft light, comfortable couches and chairs, and nice staff made environment friendly and cozy. But the real pleasure came with wine and meals. Food was delicious. Desert impressed us totally. The restaurant is not pricy at all – reasonable money for the delicious food.
Now I understand why the movie “Something’s Gotta Give” used to make one scene in here.
Sweet November in Paris
The beginning of November in Paris this year is awesome. Warm and sunny days were much appreciated by local people and tourists. It does not look like there is a slow season in Paris. Although November is the last autumn month there are plenty of tourists in the city. Anyway, Paris is beautiful in any season and you can enjoy walking around lovely attractions, beautiful streets full of shops, cafe, restaurants, souvenir boutiques and many other interesting places. It is for sure Moveable Feast as it was said long time ago by Ernest Hemingway.
April in Baden-Baden
Baden-Baden is a spa town in southwestern Germany’s Black Forest, near the border with France. Its thermal baths led to fame as a fashionable 19th-century resort. Alongside the Oos River, park-lined Lichtentaler Allee is the town’s central promenade.
Sacré-Cœur, Paris
Church “Holy Heart” (Sacré-Coeur) – one of the many iconic places in Paris. Everyone who has visited once this city, of course, have their own preferences, favorite places and their priorities among the most famous monuments of architecture and art. Therefore, to evaluate and build all of Paris attractions in some sequence is not necessary. Let everyone decide for themselves what is the most attractive and valuable in this city.
However, the Sacré Coeur is one of the most outstanding monuments of Paris. First, its location on the heights of Montmartre attracts and intrigues tourists, makes you want to see it up close and examine in detail. Secondly, this church still has its own unique character and history. It really deserves the attention and visits.
The Petit Trianon, Versailles
The Petit Trianon is hidden but important part of Versailles. This small Palace is simple and cozy and looks prettier unlike the main Palace of Versailles. Basically this place is associated with Marie Antoinette who breathed new life into it and gave a special charm.
Paris, Ontario
In front and behind the Paris window
If you missed one of the World’s famous city just look around. For sure you can find city, town, or village with the same name in your own country. Visit it and try to find there what you missed. I think there is something special almost in every replica that remind you the original one.
There is a small cute town Paris in the province of Ontario, Canada. If you turn on your imagination you can definitely feel here the rhythm of Big Paris. At least crowd of tourists will bring you there.
Rainy day in Paris
Rainy Day in Paris
Ten days of the last Paris visit have been passing with no any evidence of rain. There was a risk to miss it. However at the last day we were gifted with the lovely warm and quiet one.
It was a good chance to walk around the Rue Mouffetard street Market with its numerous patisseries, cheese, seafood, butcheries, fruit, flowers, wine shops and brasseries.
Market spreads along Rue Mouffetard from Place de la Contrescarpe to the Square Saint-Medard. It is the lovely place where you can loose feeling of time.
Fountains of Versailles
The gardens of Versailles were planned by André Le Nôtre, perhaps the most famous and influential landscape architect in French history. Behind the palace, the ground falls away on every side from a terrace adorned with ornamental basins, statues, and bronze groups. Directly west of the terrace is the Latona Fountain, designed by Le Nôtre and sculpted by Gaspard and Balthazard Marsy. The fountain depicts the events of Ovid’s Metamorphoses. The Royal Walk extends westward from the palace. A broad avenue centred on the grass of the Green Carpet, it is flanked by rows of large trees and ends at the spectacular Fountain of Apollo.
Louvre, Museum, Impressions.
Long time ago, about 40-45 years, when the world was more closed to travel, the visits to museums and hanging there were fundamentally different. Museums were not so crowded and visitors were presented as two different categories. The first category included the tourist groups, who quietly followed the guide and did not stay long at the individual exhibits. The second one was not so numerous and presented individual art lovers. At that time, you can safely stand at a particular exhibit whether painting, sculpture or some other work of art. There were benches in the halls of museums where you could sit down and review the picture for a long time in details. Silence and a special atmosphere reigned in these halls.
Visit to Museum for a full day long with the aim to go and see as much as possible usually was tedious and blurred impressions. By that time my visits to museums were short enough to watch several rooms with particular works of art, where you can stay for some time and enjoy. Nowadays every museum in the world looks like an anthill. There are huge number of tourists which coming just to put a mark of the visit. And of course, the first thing for them is to rush to the most famous exhibits. Flashes of cameras, multiple shooting individually and in groups with these objects on background, Selfie, the noise and crush distracting mostly make it impossible to enjoy the piece of Art.
If you’ll have the chance to visit Louvre, for example, do not even look at the map to get to Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, you just have to follow the largest procession. It will bring you to the place. And there you might be lucky to get close to the Painting. But mostly you will see and be blinded by flashes and variety of the tourist crowd.
However there are a lot of precious things you can see there. Just click on any picture in gallery to watch and enjoy some of them.
Rue Laffitte, Paris
Lovely view on Sacre-Coeur Basilique.
Luxembourg
In 60th and 70th when the world was divided by the Wall the only source of information about America and Western Europe life behind the Wall was radio. Young people at that time in the Eastern side of the Wall were cut off from the world of music and desperately tried to get some information and listen the latest music hits through the noise interference and static.
Among the numerous of radio stations “Radio Luxembourg” was the most innocuous in terms of criticism of the closed socialist paradise. The musical program was punctuated with the innocuous news, which is sometimes provided the domestic issues. Once in the late 60th it rose the topic of only unemployed person, suddenly appeared in the country, which led to much discussion and concerns about the state of his employment. That was one of a kind amazing problem discussed at “Radio Luxembourg.”
But the greatest thing was on Friday nights the two-hour special program with wonderful music.
Since then, much time has passed, and the desire to look at this tiny country where so tenderly cared for one survived unemployed.
What is appeared before the eyes of a tourist, who happen to live at the both sides of the Wall for long time enough, to observe the Luxembourg life?
From the country, where the main source of income was the production of unique steel, Luxembourg became one of the capitals of the European Union. Three capitals perform their specific functions: Brussels – is the Parliament, Strasbourg – is the European Court of Justice, and Luxembourg – is the Finances. However, the parliamentary sessions held periodically, not only in Brussels but also in the other two capitals. The new part of the State/City of Luxembourg presents all the existing major global banks. Driving in this part of town you will definitely admire the modern architecture, urban sculpture, public gardens and thoughtfully and well-organized modern urban life.
Old Town holds a rich history since Roman Empire times and is represented by the remains of the fortress and the catacombs, built by the Romans. Beautiful squares and streets have retained their original appearance.
The daily life of Luxembourg goes slowly and methodically. There is no typical urban hustle of the big city. Even the shops and cafes here have their lunch break. Many of them are closed at 5-6 pm. However, this calm appearance does not imply a lack of business life. On our way from Luxembourg early in the morning, we saw a huge stream of oncoming traffic, delivering the residents of neighbouring France to the countless offices of banks, businesses and other organizations. From the country of single unemployed person Luxembourg became a huge employer for a neighbouring state.
Luxembourg has three official languages: Luxembourgish, French and German. French language for the foreign visitors sounds like prevailing, but in the places for leisure activities German and Luxembourgish languages can be heard as well. Once in a restaurant from the nearest table we heard a strange language, which sounded to our ears like spoiled French. The waiter explained to us that this is Luxembourgish language and it has been almost forgotten under the influence of the more powerful neighbouring languages. But twenty years ago, the government adopted the native language recovery program, and during this short period of time the population speaking in their mother tongue increased by 40%.
Luxembourg as a tiny state is rich in cultural treasures, museums, theatre and musical traditions. And “Radio Luxembourg” is still broadcasting here!
Niagara Falls Mist
The falling water of Niagara crashing on the rocks at the foot of the falls and flies high up in a misty cloud. It is almost always hides the base of the falls from the eyes of observers. In the summer time its mist creates a pleasant sensation of freshness, although sometimes it can be so thick that turns into a light rain. However, in the cool autumn weather it is very inconvenient, and here the mood depends on the right clothing. Nevertheless, Niagara Falls is beautiful in any season and in any weather.
