Avenue de Breteuil

Avenue de Breteuil

Walking home on a cold winters evening.  The mix of pollution and fog made everything look nice and soft.

  • DateTime: 2011:01:01 18:22:52
  • ApertureValue: f/9.9
  • FocalLength: 105 mm
  • ExposureTime: 1/6 sec
  • ExposureBiasValue: 0 EV
  • ISO: Auto

Reims Cathedral

Inside Reims Cathedral looking down a side isle with beautiful vaulted roof
Reims Cathedral has a beautiful vaulted roof.

The Notre-Dame de Reims Cathedral has a very long history of damage, rebuilding and growth. Most recently it was shelled by Germans at the beginning of the First World War and the resulting fire damaged or destroyed important parts of the Cathedral.   Reconstruction began in 1919 and continues today.   Some of the stained glass is exceptional, I particularly liked the work by Chagall designed in 1974.

Chagall Stained Glass Reims Cathedral
Chagall Stained Glass Reims Cathedral

Epernay, Champagne

Shoes tied by the laces hanging on a tree over a skate park in Epernay
Hanging out to skate

 

We headed for Epernay on Monday to visit Moet-Chandon but the wait was too much and Max was fed up of sitting in his baby chair.  The local skate park is next to the cathedral in the town center. The tradition of lobbing shoes seems to be alive and well with the skaters of Champagne.

 

Champagne region, near Sainte-Gemme

Champagne Forest near Sainte Gemme
Lost in Champagne

A quick weekend away in Champagne didn’t yield much in the way of photos, mostly because I was driving on winding roads in rain and heavy fog. I had to stop in this lost bit of forest because it struck me as beautiful, silent and freezing.

The Eiffel Tower in rose

The Eiffel Tower in rose

Mostly the Eiffel Tower is the large grey-brown iron structure at the end of the street but occasionally it puts on a show. Taken on ave Saxe near ave de Breteiul, Paris 7eme.
  • DateTime: 2011:01:01 18:24:19
  • ApertureValue: f/4
  • FocalLength: 105 mm
  • ExposureTime: 1/30 sec
  • ExposureBiasValue: 0 EV
  • ISO: Auto

Otowa-san Kiyomizu-dera Temple

Otowa-san Kiyomizu-dera Temple where the famous jumping stage can be found.  During the Edo period it was believed that jumping and surviving from the 13m high stage would grant you a wish.   According to Wikipedia, 85.4% of the of the 230 people who jumped actually survived.

Otowa-san Kiyomizu-dera Temple Couple in Traditional Dress
Couple in Traditional Dress
Otowa-san Kiyomizu-dera Temple Snail
Out on a limb