4742

I went to a forum about migrants this morning.
4742. The number of migrants who lost their lives in the Med last year. But they are others as well:

This is not a cuckoo clock!

Wrong side of the river Rhine, aka the german border. No: this is a cock clock.
Btw, the cock is a very french (aka the occupiers) symbol. It is the only animal who sings, with both feet in the merde. Old joke, sorry for that.

VéloSoleX

As quintessentially french as the 2 CV Citroen... I'd love to have one! I would probably ride it, a beret on my head, a baguette under my arm, a bottle of red wine... Aaah, where to put the camembert???
Anyway, I was surprised to find out that many made their ways to the US.

Inquinamento

Inquinamento, pollution in italian. Seen in Genova, Italy, 2 months ago. Big port, big pollution.

Many rivers to cross...

Well, not quite Venice, but still... A few rivers in town: the mighty Rhine, the Ill, the Bruche, the Aar, and countless canals. And bridges.
Quite popular with "river people" (some even from as far as Australia! lol), some come and go, some others stay.

A monday mural

Seen in Paris, a few weeks ago
To see more Monday Murals, just click here.

Making flammekueche

Alsatian flammekueche, french tarte flambée, german Flammenkuchen, is a absolutely delicious local speciality. A then dough, covered with a mixture of cottage cheese and sour cream (some add a little white wine to the the mixture, and/or nutmeg), sprinkled with onion, bacon bits. A few minutes in a very hot oven, et voila! You can add mushrooms, cheese, and so on, or skip the onions and bacon, and replace them with fruits, Nutella, whatever tickles your fancy. I'll stick the previous, aka "traditionnelle".
And here is what it looks like (this one with cheese):

Presqu'île André Malraux

Named after a french novelist, art theorist and France's first culture minister. Formerly a shipyard, the area  hosts now a shipping mall, 31-screens cinema, the central library, many restaurants, student housing, hundreds of swans, muskrats...
Oh, and don't forget to click here for more weekend reflections!

Autumn

The seasons alter: hoary-headed frosts
Fall in the fresh lap of the crimson rose,
And on old Hiems' thin and icy crown
An odorous chaplet of sweet summer buds
Is, as in mockery, set. The spring, the summer,
The childing autumn, angry winter, change
Their wonted liveries, and the mazed world,
By their increase, now knows not which is which.

William Shakespeare

A misty morning

Autumn is back, and I love it! Can't wait see the october light!

6 AM

Early morning in Strasbourg, so quiet, so silent... Best time of the day. OK, you'll have to get up early, but it's worth it.

Imperial!

When you go to Amsterdam, forget the coffee bars, forget the red light district, forget the tulips (in september: none, nada). But go to the Imperial Museum! Better known through it's unpronounceable dutch name, de Rijks museum. Specially with the absolutely shitty weather I had last week!

Necessity!!!

Coffee and necessities???? Coffee IS a necessity!!! Just ask Mr Beans!

XXXXX.....L?

I hope I never need one of them...

There are things I just don't do.

Like taking photos in toilets... Well, until now, that is! I spent a few days in Amsterdam, where I stayed in a brand new hostel. I usually don't do hostels (anymore), but this was so conveniently close to where I wanted to go... Anyway, the public toilet. I was alone, lol.
By the way, me ladies, the thing on the side is an urinal, what we call un pissoir.

Betty is back in town!

And, boom, I'm off for a few days, going to a cheesy country full of windmills . C ya!

Francis, looking up

I don't go to the cathedral as often as I did once. You might know that France is still in a state of emergency, due do terrorist attacks. At the cathedral, you have now controls, restricted opening times, long to very long queues (tourists!). Last sunday, surprise; no queue!!! So, let's go in! Well, there was a mass, so no going around. Found my old mate (saint) Francis, just standing there, staring at something. What do you see, Francesco???

LOVE!!!

Not just in Paris! Love is everywhere!

Last of summer

Well, summer of 2017 is a thing from the past now. We skipped september to go straight to november.

Weekend in black and white

When you're like me keeping your nose always, sometimes yiu find the strangest things...
More B and W here.