Men In Boats

 Perhaps the most iconic image from Venice would be Gondolas and Gondoliers and I do have plenty of photos of those, but there is also a lot of other boat traffic that is worth a closer look too. After all without any roads the only way to get around Venice other than on foot is by boat, so taxis, refuse collection, deliveries, emergency services etc all has to be done by boat.

So here is a small selection of shots (there will undoubtedly be more) of men in boats.

These shots were taken on a very foggy morning so it is not possible to see the lagoon in the background or anything beyond the jetties quite frankly, but in spite of the fog daily routines have to carry on. The first three images show a delivery of frozen foods arriving at a jetty near to St Marks' Square. Just as we would typically see refrigerated trucks on our roads there are boats with refrigerator units in Venice, every transport problem has a solution. I like these first three images because the fog adds atmosphere to a fairly mundane scene as they tell a simple story.

The final two images are of a rather cool looking guy in a very expensive looking boat. There are many taxis that have a similar look to this boat but I think this was a private boat and the driver does not look like a typical taxi driver. he certainly has style. he even has two hats. He knew that he was being photographed but he remained focused on guiding his boat into the jetty. 

Museum

 

As promised in my previous post here are some shots of the exterior of the Museum of Liverpool which is situated on Liverpool's waterfront alongside the 3 Graces (Port of Liverpool Building, Cunard Building and Liver Building) near the Pier Head which as well as the terminal for the famous Mersey ferries is also a thriving cruise terminal.

I know that not everyone loves this style of architecture and it certainly is a stark contrast to the classical styles of the old waterfront icons. However it is in my opinion quite a stunning building and from every angle it provides some great views. 

I love the way the old Port of Liverpool Building is reflected in the windows in the first image which also shows some of the other fine modern architecture at Mann Island which houses the offices of RIBA and the Open Eye Gallery. I have cropped the final image to highlight the angles of the buildings to show the way they interact with each other, as you move around the building the angles and your line of sight changes so you are always presented with a dramatic view.

Although the exterior of the building is very angular, on the water side of the museum there is a gentle curve to the exterior wall and this is reflected to some extent on the interior where the central stairway is a beautiful spiral. (I will likely share some images of that in one of my next blogs).

About Town

There is not much to say about today's selection of photos all taken around and about Versailles.

I really like the different styles of architecture which make this such an interesting city.

The Station is one of several in Versailles, the ticket hall is a vast space and I like the imposing clock in what I think is Art Deco style. 

The shot of the market was taken quite early in the morning as I walked to the bakery for fresh bread and croissants. As you can see there were very few people about other than the traders and I had a pleasant stroll enjoying the quiet and thinking about people at home and imagining how different this place would be in just a short while.

I love France, I just need an excuse to go back soon.

Street Chic

So for today I have selected a few more shots from Paris' Left Bank and I have also tweaked a couple of them to make some of the colours pop.

The first image is of a mobile crepe stand, the guy really looks the part and he seemed to do a good trade.

The second shot was an accident as I was lining up to take a picture of something else and a bus load of tourists disembarked in front of me and they all streamed past me as if I wasn't there so I snapped a few. I picked this one and chose to highlight the girl because of her choice in bright clothing.

The third picture is another of the book vendors along the riverbank and I have introduced some colour by highlighting the painting in the foreground.

The final shot for today was taken walking from the La Durée shop on rue Bonaparte to the chocolate shop of Debauve & Gallais on Rue des Saints-Péres. I thought this couple had such style that I couldn't resist capturing the image.

From Florence

If you have been a follower of my photo-blogging efforts you will have noticed an absence of posts over the past two weeks.  This was due to the fact that my phone broke while on holiday and I had been relying on that to do my posts.  It is good to be able to get back to blogging and sharing some of the pictures I took while away.

Today I am starting with a few shots from Florence which was the next stop after Venice on my European road trip...

You may well have expected a few pictures of il Duomo or Ponte Vecchio and of course I have taken plenty of pictures of those and other landmarks however I thought the pictures above give a flavour of Florentine style and colour.

I thought the sign for the pharmacy was worth sharing because it is so classy and stylish and not something you would normally expect to see.

The lavender is of a variety not normally seen in the UK and again I really liked the colour.

The last two pictures are of the garden and entrance to the hotel I stayed in (The Monna Lisa) which was a former renaissance palace with a long history which was reflected in every part of the hotel. (Do check out the link to see more pictures of the hotel and read something of it's history)

I have had a fantastic time away although it is good to be back home and in contact with everyone once again.  I look forward to sharing more of the pictures and stories of the trip with you, the paintings on the ceiling and the stone floor in the last picture are all original dating back to the 16th century.

Parisian Chic

In January 2012 as a treat for my mum's 70th birthday the family paid for her to go Paris, I was the lucky one who got to go with her, to one of my favourite places.  A few years previously mum had come with us on our family holiday and we took a trip into Paris with the intention of visiting the Louvre, somewhere she had always wanted to visit. Unfortunately on that occasion we had visited on a day when the museum was closed and so mum said I would have to promise to take her again in the future.I never tire of Paris, it is such a beautiful city and so it was easy for me to go back with my mum for such a special occasion.

It was a fantastic couple of days, we stayed in a luxurious hotel just off the Champs Elysee and we visited lots of the sites, most importantly we got to spend a good long time at the Louvre taking in the wonderful works of art.  As the trip was about my mum I left my camera at home and just relied on my mobile phone's camera for the small number of shots that I took.

The two pictures I have chosen for today's blog showcase Parisian style from two very different eras.  The first is contemporary and was taken in the foyer of our hotel, the second was of a staircase in the Palais du Louvre and so reflects the style of a time long past. I love the golden apple, it is a fun piece and blended really well with the decor. The staircase shows that even in a compact space something functional has been made a thing of beauty and style.  That's Paris for you.