Category Archives: Architecture

Architecture, Food, France, Restaurants, Travelling

Date Night: Patisserie des Reves – Resting in the shadows of the Chartres Cathedral – How I paid just $925 for my first class airfares and railpass for Europe

August 6, 2013 Rosemary Kneipp 1 Comment

Three completely different subjects for this Wednesday’s bloggers’ round-up: Sylvia from Finding Noon invites us along for ice-cream at La Pâtisserie des Rêves; fellow Australian Jo Karnaghan from Frugal First Class Travel explains how she managed to pay only $925 for her firstclass airfares and railpass for Europe; while Heather Robinson from Lost in Arles shares the magic of Chartres Cathedral with us. As some of you may know, we have a little leadlight window in our house in Blois containing a blue cabuchon from a renovated stained glass window in Chartres Cathedral. Enjoy!

Date Night – Pâtisserie des Rêves

by Sylvie from Finding Noon, an American living in Paris who appreciates fine art, good music, succulent food, and breath taking scenery

If there is anything that Mr French loves nearly as much as me and his family, it would have to be ice cream. Every night after dinner he asks what flavours ice cream are in the house. And almost every night I have to inform him that there is an ice cream shortage chez nous, I’ve prepared strawberries. Or watermelon, or any other fruit that happens to be in season. Read more

Resting in the shadows of the Chartres Cathedral

by Heather Robinson from Lost in Arles, an American writer and photographer living in Arles who offers us meanderings through all that makes life in a small town in Provence worth while

The longevity of awe…and the quietude buried within peace. These were the two thoughts echoing in my mind with the gentleness of passing a feather from one palm to the other while I was sitting in the Chartres Cathedral. We were in town for a wedding, a new beginning but I couldn’t stop thinking about the past.

I had sat in these pews years ago. Then, I was buoyed by the weight of the beauty surrounding me but this visit I realized that something far heavier was at play. How must the cathedral have loomed above the fields to the pilgrims that spied its spiers from afar, starting in the 12th century. Read more

How I paid just $925 for my first class airfares and railpass for Europe

by Jo Karnaghan from Frugal First Class Travel, an Australian who loves to travel – especially in Europe – and who has gradually learned how to have a First Class trip on an economy budget, without missing out on anything!

I’m off to Europe in October. I’ve organised to spend 10 days in France, and then I’m heading to Istanbul for 4 nights before I come home. It’s a bit of a special trip – in celebration of a significant birthday, so I want the best possible I can afford. But I still want it to be frugalfirstclass all the way.

My itinerary includes a First Class Suite on Etihad Airways from Sydney to Europe. Then I need a four day France Railpass. I’ve done my sums and have worked out that a four day Railpass will be cheaper than individual point to point tickets, or a three day pass and a point to point for my shortest leg. Read more

Architecture, Germany, Travel photos

Monday’s Travel Photos – Regensburg, Germany

August 5, 2013 Rosemary Kneipp Leave a comment

The medieval town of Regensburg at the confluence of the Regen and Danube Rivers in Bavaria, is on the Unesco World Heritage list. Its many buildings of exceptional quality include ancient Roman, Romanesque and Gothic constructions and reflect its history as a trading centre and to its influence on the region from the 9th century. Regensburg’s 11th- to 13th-century architecture – including the market, city hall and cathedral, medieval patrician houses and towers, a large number of churches and monastic ensembles and the 12th-century Old Bridge – defines the character of the town marked by tall buildings, dark and narrow lanes, and strong fortifications. You may remember our unforgettable meal in its most famous restaurant, Historische Wurstkuchl, when we were cycling along the Danube.

Main square — Haidplatz, the Old Town market square with the Fountain of Justice

Other side of main square — The other side of the market square

mediaeval houses — A typical mediaeval street

A wedding in the xxx church — A wedding in the Alte Kapelle with participants in typical Bavarian dress

Part of the city wall — The remains of the east tower of Port Praetoria from Ancient Roman times

Regensburg Cathedral - Dom Saint Peter — Regensburg Cathedral – Dom Saint Peter

Clock towers — Everywhere you go, you see clock towers

Architecture, Germany, Travel photos

Monday’s Travel Photos – Munich

July 21, 2013 Rosemary Kneipp Leave a comment

Although we had already been to Bavaria, we hadn’t been to Munich. We prefer to visit major cities during an extended weekend rather incorporate them into a road trip as they say these days. But Munich was on our way from Andelfingen to Aschach so I insisted we have our lunch break there.

It was a Sunday, which meant no traffic problems but unfortunately for us, the annual Stadtlauf München or Munich City Run was on and the main square, Marianplatz was absolutely crowded. We were able to visit the main sites, however, and had an enjoyable visit. We’ll have to go back again on a different date!

Marianplatz in Munich — Marianplatz, the main square in Munich with the new town hall

Detail on the new town hall built between 1867 and 1908 in Gothic Revival architecture style.

Old Townhall in Munich — Old Town Hall or Altes Rathaus built between 1470 and 1480

Musicians waiting their turn at the Victuals Market — Musicians waiting their turn at the very popular Victuals Market

Alter Hof — The old town hall from the other side, opposite the Victuals Market

Statues on a façade — Statues on a Renaissance façade

Beerhall square — Platzl with the Hofbraühaus on the right

Musicians in Munich's most famous beerhall, the Hofbraühaus — Musicians in Munich’s most famous beerhall, the Hofbraühaus

Signs in the beerhall — Signs inside the beerhall

Frauenkirche - Notre Dame Cathedral - late Gothic church, taken from the side - there are actually two towers — Frauenkirche – Notre Dame Cathedral – late Gothic church, taken from the side – there are actually two towers

Alter Hof or Old Court, the former imperial palace of former imperial residence of Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor

Architecture, Germany, Travel photos

Monday’s Travel Photos – Passau, Germany

July 7, 2013 Rosemary Kneipp

Passau, built on the Danube, is almost on the Austrian border. It’s also known as the Dreiflüssestadt or “City of Three Rivers” because the Danube is joined by the Inn from the south (as in Innsbruck) and the Ilz from the north. It’s a pretty town and a very popular stop for river cruises along the Danube. It suffered badly during the recent floods in June 2013 but most of the city has been cleaned up. It could also be called the City of Clock Towers – there seems to be one at the end of every street.

Nearly every street seems to have a clock tower or steeple at the end

View of Veste Oberhaus fortress built in 1219, seen from the banks of the Danube

Looking at the Danube, you can see the Ils on the far side

Architecture, History, Hungary, Sightseeing

Budapest – Beautiful Buda

June 30, 2013 Rosemary Kneipp 5 Comments

Pest has not prepared me for Buda. Although we can see it from the other side of the Danube, I have no idea of what is awaiting us.

Unidentified church — Buda Calvinist Church

We park the car next to an unidentified red brick church with colourful varnished tiles, put our remaining coins in the parking metre and go off to find a café to get some more change. The Corvin Café on Corvin Ter is just opening and the lady is unstacking chairs and tables in one corner of a deserted square. She is obviously very taken with Jean Michel so I let him deal with getting the change.

We walk up a couple of quiet streets and a flight of stone steps and suddenly, Buda’s Castle District is before us, like something out of the Knights Templar. It is quite stunning.

As we climb, each step gives us an even better view of Pest.

View of Pest from the Fishermen's Bastion — View of Pest from the Fishermen’s Bastion

On the other side of the ramparts known as the Fishermen’s bastion, built in the early 1900s as a homage to the mediaeval fishermen in charge of defending this side of the ramparts, stands a white church with people milling around. There is something quite magical about the whole scene.

The inside of the church is something entirely new to us. Not the rococco style we’ve seen up until now. The colours are muted with intricately painted walls and ceilings of Arabic influence though very different from the Moorish art in Spain. Although the church dates back to the 13th century, it has been remodelled and restored over the ages.

When we come outside there are two men in mediaeval costume, one with dreadlocks, with hawks. There is Hungarian music playing somewhere.

One building stands out like a sore thumb – the Hilton Hotel, an entirely new construction whose presence is totally incomprehensible, despite the “integration” of a few mediaeval ruins. You really do wonder how it was every allowed.

We wander through the streets, delighting in the painted façades on some of the oldest buildings in the capital. By then we have left the tourists behind.

We loop back to the other side of the church, past Holy Trinity Column, was built to celebrate the end of the plague in the hope that it would provide protection from another epidemic.

Then we go back down to the Danube by the same route as before. I see a family with a little girl and boy looking at something on the ground. It turns out to be a hedgehog which, suprisingly, is not rolled up in a ball, and is coming towards us!

By then it is after one, so we feed the metre again and go to look for a fish restaurant with an impossible name indicated by the trusty Routard. We both order pike-perch (zander) prepared in two different ways. We’re not convinced it is the same fish on both plates.

Jean Michel has read that Hungarian tokay wine is worth tasting but the waiter says we can’t buy it by the glass and that the half bottles are too expensive so we order another Hungarian dry white instead which is very pleasant.

We decide not to visit the Royal Palace, which has been completely gutted and rebuilt over the years and now contains two museums.

Instead we move onto the next item on the day’s programme – one of Budapest’s famous baths which I shall tell you about in my next post.

Architecture, Hungary, Sightseeing

Budapest – Pictures of Pest

June 29, 2013 Rosemary Kneipp 11 Comments

Once our accommodation and washing were sorted out, we were able to forget the hassles and get on with our holiday. Szentendre, the village where we are staying, is only a half an hour’s drive from Budapest – not a very scenic route admittedly, but a very convenient location if you don’t want to stay in the city.

Margit Bridge or the yellow bridge as i prefer to call it — Margit Bridge or the yellow bridge as I dubbed it

Parking in Budapest is more problematic as we have only found one underground parking lot so far and our GPS had a hard time finding the entrance. However, street parking is quite easy to find, mainly because it’s relatively expensive at 440 florints (1.50 euros) an hour and limited to 3 hours.

Budapest, as you may know, is the unification of two towns, one on either side of the Danube – Buda on the west bank and Pest on the east – connected by Széchenyi Chain Bridge. Not that I know how to pronounce it. In fact, the Hungarian language is a great difficulty for me. I can’t remember simple things such as hello, goodbye, please and thank you because they won’t stay in my head. So I nod and smile a lot.

Interior of Saint Stephen's Basilica — Interior of Saint Stephen’s Basilica

We started our visit of Budapest in Pest, simply because that is where the guide book began. We walked halfway across the yellow bridge (actually the Margit Bridge) and looked across at the iconic Gothic Revival Parliament building which, like a lot of Budapest, is undergoing renovation.

We visited Saint Stephen’s Basilica (also called Cathedral), the largest church in the city which can hold up to 8,500 people and was completed in 1906.

This was the saddest thing we saw in Budapest. The Shoes on the Danube Promenade is a memorial concept by film director Can Togay and was created by him and the sculptor Gyula Pauer on the bank of the Danube River in Budapest. It honors the Jews who were killed by fascist Arrow Cross militiamen in Budapest during World War II. They were ordered to take off their shoes, and were shot at the edge of the water so that their bodies fell into the river and were carried away.

Another Jewish memorial in front of the main synogogue decicated to the 600,000 Hungarian Jews who perished under the Nazis.

One of the many large ornate buildings in Budapest that have been renovated, on Szabadsag Ter, the largest and most representative square in downtown Budapest.

I thought this was a wonderful example of recycling in the Jewish quarter of Budapest which still has many dilapidated buildings.

The Michael Jackson tree in Vorosmarty Ter just behind Saint Stephen’s Basilica

An example of art deco architecture — Gresham Palace

Gresham Palace, a beautiful example of art nouveau architecture in the manner of the Vienna Seessionists, now the Four Seasons Hotel.

The Széchenyi Chain Bridge, inaugurated in 1849 and the first bridge to connect up Buda and Pest. The architect is said to have committed suicide when he discovered the two lions had no tongues.

An amazing security check on vehicles entering the Bank of Hungary. The security guard walked around the car with a large mirror on a stick so he could look underneath!

2013 is not the only time that the Danube has overflowed its banks and flooded the city. This plaque commemorates a previous flood in 1838!

Architecture, Cycling, Germany

Cycling along the Danube – Ehingen to Ulm

June 24, 2013 Rosemary Kneipp 39 Comments

It’s funny how you can go to the same place twice and have a totally different experience each time. When we saw Ulm the first time, it didn’t seem at all attractive. Its famous Minster might be the tallest church in the world but it was dark and ugly in my books, particularly after all the beautiful rococco churches we’ve been seeing.

The minster in Ulm, the tallest church in the world

We couldn’t visit the inside because there was a concert on. Jean Michel was ready to leave without seeing anything else but I encouraged him to at least take a walk through the pedestrian streets nearby. There were a few old houses but nothing outstanding so we drove to Erlingen to start cycling.

Next day, which was Saturday, we drove to Ehingen and took the train to Ulm. It was as though we were in a completely different town! There was a fresh produce market in front of the cathedral, which was open this time. Then we went to the Fishermen’s Quarter along the Danube and discovered the real soul of Ulm.

Fishermens' quarter in Ulm — Fishermens’ quarter in Ulm

We had lunch at an old mill with a water wheel and cycled through quaint little streets with pretty little houses.

Ulm minster from the other side of the Danube

We then rode along the old ramparts overlooking the Danube and went across the bridge to the other side where the Minister looked much more attractive! What a pity it would have been had we not gone back.

Baroque library in Wiblinger Abbey — Baroque library in Wiblingen Abbey

Not far from Ulm, we visited Wiblingen Abbey, another astonishing piece of baroque architecture including the abbey church, where a wedding was taking place, and a very beautiful library completed in 1744.

The balcony of the baroque church in Erbach

Another baroque church awaited us at Erbach, built on the top of a hill and commanding an extensive view of the surrounding area. Since Jean Michel has the map, I had no idea how steep the climb was and started too fast, spurred on by a car waiting at the top. To my dismay, we turned a corner and the road kept going. My legs were like jelly by the time I finally reached the church.

French cyclists carrying 40 kilos on their bikes, including a tent

We stopped at a roadside Gasthaus in the little village of Ersingen for a cold drink and were surprised to hear the couple at the next table speaking French. It turned out they were camping at the Gasthaus that night and had just ridden 90 kilometers lugging 40 kilos on their bikes. Not really my scene, I must say!

The spring in Erbach — The asure spring in Blaubeuren

On another circuit along the Blau River north of the Danube, we visited the delightful little of town of Blaubeuren where the river comes out from under the ground in an azure blue pool.

Ceiling of the abbey church in Blaubeuren

It was no surprise that the Cistercian monks built a very large abbey there including a baroque church with a beautiful painted ceiling and a cloister.

On the way back, Jean Michel spied another storks nest.

One of our last views of the Danube near Andelfingen in Germany

The weather on both days was not as hot as the first three days, often cloudy and overcast, but we didn’t get any rain. The weather forecast for the next stage of our trip near Linz in Austria does not look promising though.

Cycling along the Danube – from its source to Ehingen

June 23, 2013 Rosemary Kneipp

A total of 110 km, but it actually took two days. We’ve definitively adopted the train-in-one-direction system which means we can see more and not have to cycle up all those hills again on the way back. Jean Michel thought we should start with the source in Donau-Eshingen so we began day 2 by driving an hour to Tuttlingen and getting the train to Donau-Eshingen.

Donau-Eschingen, where the Danube begins

Although it was as sunny and hot as the day before (over 30°C in the afternoon), it was not nearly as pretty. Our first disappointment was that the source is undergoing renovation so is not open to the public. So after having lunch in Donau-Eshingen, we set out for Tuttlingen.

The cycle route doesn’t always run along the Danube and we often rode through hay fields interspersed with flowers, which did, of course, have the advantage of mostly being flat. There were lots of irrigation canals, water irises, storks and covered bridges, but I missed the wonderful surprises of the day before. We didn’t see a single rococco church.

One of the many wooden bridges over the Danube — One of the many covewooden bridges over the Danube

On the way home from Tuttlingen, whose main attraction is its modern covered bridges, Jean Michel suggested we go to the lookout at Knopfmacherfelsen which is about 750 metres above the Danube.

View of Beuron Monastery from Knopfmacherfelsen

The view is absolutely breathtaking with the monastery in Beuron in the distance. We then drove down to Beuron to see the monastery up close. Access was through a covered bridge. It was a truly wonderful way to finish off the day.

Fortunately, day 3 was not as hot (only 23° at 9 am), because was lucky because it was VERY hilly (and also an intermittent fast day). We drove to nearby Riedlingen and parked at the train station since we intended taking the train back from Ehingen. It’s a pretty little town, with lots of colourful half-timbered houses and painted façades.

Before cycling along the Danube, we looped back to Altheim which our Gasthof owner had told us about. We found another beautiful rococco church with a painted balcony featuring bas-relief musical instruments. There was also a stunning vase of peonies which are very prevalent here and grow taller than they do in the Loire Valley.

Back on the Danube we crossed a couple more wooden bridges and stopped for coffee in Riedlingen. We then passed several fields full of storks which obviously explains why there are so many shop signs and sculptures of storks in the villages.

Obermarchtal Abbey Church from the Danube

Our next stop was the Monastery Cathedral of Obermarchtel with more wonderful rococco and a balcony, but not as rich as Zwiefalter. As we came out, it was starting to spit which was a bit annoying as I had taken the rain capes out of the paniers. Fortunately, there were a few rumbles of thunder and nothing more.

The balcony at Obermarchtal Abbey Church

More hills and dales before we stopped at Munderkingen for a surprisingly good coffee. The sky was not looking very encouraging and we feared the worse. By the time we got to Rottenacker, about 7 or 8 K from our destination of Ehingen, fat drops were started to fall. We got a bit wet, but not soaked, and just made the train station in time.

Obermarchtal Abbey Church from the outside

When we got back to Andelfingen, where we’re not staying at Gasthof Sonne (that’s the next one!) but at Gasthof Swanen, Frau Smidt told us they had had golf-ball size hailstones! That was a lucky miss. Tomorrow I’m putting the rain capes back in the paniers.

And just for the record, despite our fast day (500 calories for me, 600 for Jean Michel), we cycled 61 kilometers including lots of hills. Tomorrow, we can have ice-cream and riesling again.

Cycling on the Danube in Germany – Binzwangen to Mengen including Zwiefalten

June 19, 2013 Rosemary Kneipp 40 Comments

There’s thunder and lightning and pouring rain when we leave Paris at 9 am but after 3 hours driving east, the weather improves immensely and by the time we reach Germany, it’s an incredible 31°C and the sky is an intense blue. Now, that’s what I call holiday weather!

We come round a bend and see a shining white bulb that turns out to be the cathdral of Zwiefalten completed in 1750. We have a cold drink at the bar opposite and visit the beautiful baroque interior just before it closes at 6 pm. It reminds us of the first time we saw a rococco interior in Germany. It was the Pilgrimage Church of Wies at the foothill of the Alps and we walked for hours up a hill. It was very plain from the outside, but the inside was extraordinary.

Baroque interior of Zwiefalden cathedral

The village itself is very pretty and peaceful, especially with its little stream.

Little stream running through Zwiefalden

After checking into Gasthof Sonne (sonne means sun) in Andelfingen, we change into cycling clothes and head for the Danube by car. We picnic before setting off on our bikes. We’re delighted to be in holiday mode so soon.

We pass several villages with their clean white houses and church spires along the path.

We’re amazed at the number of crosses along the way as well, often next to picnic tables.

Fifteen kilometers later, we arrive at Mengen, a quaint little town with a tall spire, many colourful half-timbered houses, one of which was built in 1596.

They have a number of very large storks on the buildings which intrigues us. Many of the shop windows also have dummies dressed as soldiers in traditional garb, including a a surprising Beefeater but I stupidly forget to take a photo.

By the time we start on our way back, the light is waning and we reach the car just before it gets dark. As soon as we open the door to Gastof Sonne, we are greeted by welcome coolness. One thing I did not worry about when booking our accommodation was air conditioning and I was afraid we were in for a sleepless night! We need to be fit for tomorrow’s 40 K!

Monday’s Travel Photos – Château de Villesavin

June 10, 2013 Rosemary Kneipp 3 Comments

Château de Villesavin, which isn’t really a castle, is an hour’s ride on horseback from Château de Chambord and was actually a glorified worksite hut built at the beginning of the 16th century by Jean Le Breton who was François I’s minister of finance and in charge of construction of his “hunting lodge“. The inside of the building isn’t particularly interesting, except for the “try-out” for the monumental staircase at Chambord and the kitchen, which has a few original features. Photographs of the interior are not allowed, unfortunately. More interesting is the 19th century wedding museum with its large collection of wedding dresses, headdresses and globes!

Chapel on left of Villesavin with Florentine vasque made of Carrare marble in the centre

Aussie in France

Category Archives: Architecture

Date Night: Patisserie des Reves – Resting in the shadows of the Chartres Cathedral – How I paid just $925 for my first class airfares and railpass for Europe

Date Night – Pâtisserie des Rêves

by Sylvie from Finding Noon, an American living in Paris who appreciates fine art, good music, succulent food, and breath taking scenery

Resting in the shadows of the Chartres Cathedral

by Heather Robinson from Lost in Arles, an American writer and photographer living in Arles who offers us meanderings through all that makes life in a small town in Provence worth while

How I paid just $925 for my first class airfares and railpass for Europe

Monday’s Travel Photos – Regensburg, Germany

Monday’s Travel Photos – Munich

Monday’s Travel Photos – Passau, Germany

Budapest – Beautiful Buda

Budapest – Pictures of Pest

Cycling along the Danube – Ehingen to Ulm

OTHER POSTS ABOUT CYCLING IN GERMANY

Cycling along the Danube – from its source to Ehingen

OTHER POSTS ABOUT CYCLING IN GERMANY

Cycling on the Danube in Germany – Binzwangen to Mengen including Zwiefalten

OTHER POSTS ABOUT CYCLING IN GERMANY

Monday’s Travel Photos – Château de Villesavin

from the Tropics to the City of Light