The musings of a man who is coming up to the next stage in life.
This week’s photo is of the Venus de Milo which is displayed at the Louvre in Paris.
You can see that it is a popular attraction. I have recently rediscovered a lot of photos from my trip to Paris taken in 2005. Hopefully I will be sharing more with you.
Until the next post stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.
Steve
One of the most surprising delights of Paris is the Musée Rodin. Set in the outskirts of Paris the museum is based at the Villa des Brilliants which was Rodin’s old home.
When you enter the grounds you are confronted by Rodin’s sculpture of the ‘Gates of Hell’ based on Dante’s inferno. What struck me was the magnificence of the piece. There is so much detail going on and sitting at the top is a figure who I will come back to later.
Inside the museum you are given the life story of Rodin. More importantly there are on display some of Rodin’s sculptures. The most popular would be ‘The Kiss’. However, every time I view it I cannot stop thinking of Monty Python and Terry Gilliam’s animation.
An added bonus to the museum is a walk around the gardens. It was place that allowed me to contemplate about my visit to Paris. To be in the heart of the city yet find a spot that was so tranquil was something to enjoy.
Finally the highlight of the visit is the giant statue of ‘The Thinker’. This is probably Rodin’s most famous work. It is the perfect photo opportunity.
I believe that any visit to Paris should include a visit to the Musée Rodin. If only to escape the bustle of the main sights of Paris.
Musée Rodin, 79, rue de Varenne – 75007 Paris
Nearest Metro Stops : Varenne (Line 13) or Invalides (Line 13 or Line 8)
Admission €9, 18-25 years (Non EU) €5, 18-25 years (EU Citizens) Free
Until the next post, stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.
Steve
This week’s photo was taken from the top of the Arc de Triomphe.
As you can see it is of the most famous structure in Paris, the Eiffel Tower. This photo was taken during my visit to Paris in September 2005. It acts as a reminder that I need to visit Paris again, even if it is only for 24 hours.
Until the next post, stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.
Steve
One of the hidden treasures that is close to where I live is the city of Lichfield and one of my favourite places to visit is Erasmus Darwin’s House.
Erasmus Darwin was renowned 18th century physician, inventor and poet. He was also the grandfather of Charles Darwin. He lived in the house from 1758 – 1781.
The house contains two exhibition rooms. These contain audio and visual exhibits. These can be hired out for private functions. One of the most popular features is the herb garden. This is a restoration of a Georgian herb garden using plants from the period.
Costing £3.00 entrance fee this is an ideal introduction to Erasmus Darwin and the life he lived in Lichfield.
Until the next post, stay safe, stay healthy and keep on smiling.
Steve
As this year I have decided to devote more of my spare time to travel I need to ensure that my tech is up to speed. There are five items that I will be taking with me on my travels.
1. iPad 4 64GB Wi-fi
This is my latest piece of tech. I am not a full time travel blogger so the iPad gives me all that I need. There are plenty of apps available and I can make hardware changes such as adding a Bluetooth keyboard if required. I am using Blogsy for updating my blog. If I were to become a full time blogger then of course I would look to invest in a MacBook or MacBook Air. I have tried to a Windows 8 laptop but I found it to be a frustrating experience. I am back to what I know and love.
2. iPhone 4S 16GB
This is my third iPhone and I have never suffered any problems with them apart from battery life. It is a device that can do almost everything. Take photos, play music, be a GPS and you can make calls too. My favourite apps are Spotify and Instagram. With iCloud it links to the iPad. As for battery life I take a power pack as back up. I never leave home without it.
3.Panasonic Lumix LZ20 Bridge Camera
I am not the world's greatest photographer as these photos show. This is a area that I wish to improve on. While I am not ready to move to a DSLR this is the next step up. Hopefully in the coming months you will notice the results.
4. Amazon Kindle
Old faithful, this has been with me on a lot of my travels. Lasts a long time on one charge it allows me to have all the music I need. Even better when shuffle is on.
These devices should keep me happy. Until the next post, stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.
Steve
The Charles Bridge or Karluv Most lies at the heart of Prague. It connects the old city to the castle and is considered to be the most important bridge in Prague.
The bridge itself measures 621 metres long with its width coming in at 10 metres wide. It stands on 16 arches. There are three bridge towers that stand at either end of the bridge. One of which stands on the Old Town side. The other two stand on what is known as the Lesser Quarter. The bridge tower that stands on the Old Town is considered to be one of greatest examples of gothic style buildings in Europe.
Lining the bridge there are thirty baroque style statues. These are now mostly replicas. Also lining the bridge you will find plenty of artists and arts and crafts traders trying to tempt you to part with your money. Also there will also be beggars though they ply their trade quietly.
It has been said the best time to see the bridge is at night time when there are less crowds. I must admit my favourite was early morning as the traders were setting up for the day. Whenever you visit Charles Bridge is a must experience when you visit Prague.
Until the next post, stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.
Steve
This week’s photo is of the Liszt Memorial Tablet in Bratislava.
This tablet celebrates the concert that took place at the Leopold de Pauli Palace in 1820 when Liszt was just 9 years old. At that time Bratislava was known as Pressburg. This concert led to offers of sponsorship to help finance Liszt’s education.
Until the next post stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.
Steve
This week’s photo was taken in Prague. It is of the view along Charles Bridge.
This was taken from one of the towers at the end of the bridge. I was lucky that the photo was taken around 10am and I avoided the crowds that can plague the cit. The surrounding buildings along with the bridge sum up for me the beauty of Prague.
Until the next post stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.
Steve
This week’s photo is of Sutton Park on New Year’s Day. A good walk is always a good way of starting the new year. I am lucky to have this park close to where I live. As you can see it was a beautiful day. I was not the only person to be walking.
Until the next post stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.
Steve
As the new year approaches thoughts turn to what I would like to achieve in 2013. On the whole 2012 was a good year for me, now it is time for me to look forward.
Over the previous years experience I have found New Year’s resolutions are pointless. They put too much pressure on you and are usually broken before the end of the first week in January. So instead I am going to set myself some achievable tasks for 2013. This time next year we can look at how well I have done or not.
There you go my list of ten things that I want to do in 2013. If I achieve 50% of this I will be happy.
Finally I want to wish everybody a safe, healthy and Happy New Year.
Steve
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