Magical Monday - The Eiffel Tower glows in the night

MM: Week 3
The Eiffel Tower glows in the night

Every Monday, Magical Monday, I post a photo that is hopefully puzzling, fantastical and unexpected. No Photoshop allowed!

More photos from the Magical Mondays series can be found here

Magical Monday - La Dame de Fer in a vase

MM: Week 2
La Dame de Fer in a vase
Imagine my surprise when I saw the Eiffel Tower carefully placed in a vase.

For more photos from the 'Magical Mondays' series click here.

Barcelona Pavilion 'less is more'

'Less is more' Mies van der Rohe

Back in April my Other Half and I went to Barcelona for three days. As we were there without the children we did some intensive sightseeing in a way that wouldn't have been advisable with the kids in tow. On one of our days there we went to visit the Barcelona Pavilion, situated near the Barcelona National Palace of Montjuic.

Designed by the German architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, the Pavilion was built in less than a year for the 1929 International Exhibition held in Barcelona. With its' simple steel frame structure, glazed partitions and polished stone, marble and travertine walls, it became a very important early example of modern architecture.

It was dismantled only a year after it was built in 1930 but thanks to a group of Spanish architects it was re-constructed between 1983-1986. The original plans, as well as black and white photographs were carefully studied to ensure that the replica Pavilion would be as similar as possible to the original.

The Barcelona Pavilion never actually contained any exhibits but became an exhibit in itself, a space through which people could pass and enjoy the unfamiliar sharp clear lines of modern architecture. It was only 1929 after all! The Pavilion also housed examples of modern furniture design, notably the famous Barcelona chair also designed by Mies van der Rohe.

The travertine, marble and onyx have weathered beautifully.


I love this travertine bench lying low in front of the travertine wall.


There are two pools that beautifully reflect the clear sharp lines of the building.

Standing in one of the pools is a bronze sculpture by Georg Kolbe entitled 'Dawn' that is reflected not only in the water, but against the marble and glass. 

Here she is as seen through glass from a distance.


From closer up.

As I look at these photos again I can't help thinking of dancing...and raves. Ahem. Here she is reflected in the marble wall.

And here she's reflected in the water.

Reaching down for the sky.

We were in Barcelona as guests of the budget Spanish airline Vueling and the award-winning Indie Internet radio station ScannerFM for the #MyVuelingCity bloggers meet.

Muchas gracias!

Magical Monday - The Eiffel Tower takes a shower

I suspect I've probably photographed nearly every square centimetre of our neighbourhood: drainpipes, gutters, gardens, flowers, parks, graffiti, bollards, peeling paint, the odd Church, you name it, I've photographed it.

With a view to coming up with a new theme I've set my self a challenge. I'm going to try and take a series of photos that are puzzling, fantastical and unexpected. No Photoshop allowed!

I will post a photo every Monday, Magical Monday. I hope you enjoy them!

MM: Week 1 

The Eiffel Tower takes a shower.

I have created a 'Magical Mondays' catergory in the sidebar.

Locking your love in Paris

The Love-locks of Paris have become a bit of a phenomena. Actually, people seem to have gone quite barmy with these symboles of eternal love. It's not quite clear when this custom started but anecdotal evidence suggests that locks were being attached to bridges in cities around Europe back in 2000. Attaching padlocks onto bridges or fences is seen as a romantic gesture, carried out by couples as testimonies of love. 

Hundreds of locks together look rather lovely.

I can't remember exactly when I last crossed the Pont des Arts but it can't be that long ago. As I remember there were groups of Love-locks clustered quite densely around the middle of the bridge and then a few dotted around at the edges. Over the past couple of years, however, things have gone a little...ahem...crazy in the world of Parisian Love-locks!

It's fascinating to think that behind each of these locks is a story. I'm not sure what this grey sock has to do with eternal love but hey, I'm sure the couple in question had their reasons.


Some of the Love-locks have been 'tagged'.

The locks are not just found on the Pont des Arts. There are plenty on other bridges in Paris. Here is a photo I took on the Pont de l'Archevêché. I think they look amazing in the foreground of Notre Dame.

Here is a single Love-lock I found last year, attached to the fins of a giant fish on the Pont Alexandre III. 

I think I need to go back and visit this surfing cherub to see how many locks are on this fish now.

The day in the life of a poppy

We've been back in Paris for a while now but I just wanted to share some of the poppy photos I took while we were in the Loire.

Waking up.


Watching breakfast television.

Going to work.

Coming home from work.


Eyeing up an elder.


Caught in a rain storm (once the rain stopped it bounced back to life again).


Dressed up and ready to paint the town red.


The end.

Here is another post I wrote back in May 'Paris Poppies'