blossom
•October 5, 2010 • Leave a CommentOn all journeys there comes a time for rest and contemplation before moving forward again. All around me I see the signs of growth and renewal and hopeful potential for the future, nothing shows that more emphatically than the fragile spring blossoms, bravely blooming in the wild winds and rain of spring weather only to be torn from the tree to carpet the grass in pink and white. Yet even though the beauty of the blossom is lost so quickly the fruit continues to grow.
Another taste of Paris
•September 20, 2010 • 2 CommentsHow could a foodie like me not mention one of my favorite tastes of Paris – the food and the shops, tiny specialist cheese shops, chocolate shops, puppet shops – the shops in Paris are small, unique and wonderful, I could explore them for hours, window shopping is such a delight. Oh Paris! I will be back…soon…
A Walk in Paris
•September 19, 2010 • Leave a CommentMy good friend Jose took me on a walk to give me a taste of Paris from a local’s perspective – the photo’s speak for themselves.
Sacre Coeur and Monmartre
•September 15, 2010 • Leave a CommentThis was my first real excursion into the true tourist zone and quite a shock, it was crowded, noisy and every second shop sold tacky souvenirs, the sidewalks were filled with slick hawkers selling chanel number 5 and watches. The interesting part came when I got off the tourist track and explored the narrow back streets of Monmartre.
La Dorat, Bellac and Limoges
•September 10, 2010 • 1 CommentThis is a compilation from these three towns, a taste of the countryside.
Sannat
•September 9, 2010 • 1 Comment
On the outskirts of St Junien Les Combes is a century old chateau still the family home of the Count and Countess de Sainte Croix and open as a boutique bed and breakfast. I was lucky enough to take some photos of the grounds and buildings. The location is superb with a commanding view of the town and valley, and the chateau itself has the air of a historic yet well loved home. The kitchen garden would delight any gardener with its array of heritage plants and the layers of colour, you can tell its been created with love.
St Junien
•September 7, 2010 • Leave a CommentOnly three and half hours from Paris but a world away is the tiny village of St Junien Les Combes. My dear friend Michelle welcomed me to her delightful home – nestled in part of an ancient barn on the estate of the Sannat Chateau. It was like stepping into another life, each view was a picture inside and out. I felt like I could live there forever. How to describe the french countryside?…I don’t know, each turn of the road on the rolling hills was charming, the villages, the towns, the oak tree lined roads, the hedgerows, the copper colored Limosin cattle, the gorgeous vistas, sunsets across the orangrey, starlit evenings with the sky so full of stars you could keep looking at layer after layer forever. So quiet, so peaceful, so friendly, I felt at home, almost as if I would fall alsleep and wake up speaking french.
Journey Of Rediscovery
•September 6, 2010 • 2 CommentsJourney of Rediscovery
Where do you go when you are trying to find yourself, where does a journey of rediscovery take you? What would be on the ticket? Is it an express or a slow train with many stops, is there a destination or does the journey never end? I have no idea, I just know that the journey has already started and its time I got onboard with it. My last two months of hibernation on Bainbridge have allowed me to build the courage and energy to step out into the unknown. For now the ticket reads France with a small detour to Vancouver Canada on the way. It is a bittersweet start, part of my heart stays in Seattle and Bainbridge with my dear friends and those I consider family, yet the excitement and promise of the journey pulls me forward.
So on to Paris, just stopping to change planes in London I arrived on Friday afternoon to a lovely welcome from a very old friend Jose who I have not seen for 26 years. My dream for many years now has been to come to Paris with my camera and just explore and allow myself to absorb the ambiance without an agenda or plan. To get the chance to see France from the perspective of a local and to connect with people is just perfect. These photos are from my first days in Paris.
The Traveling Kiwi 