Concrete and sunlight

I have visited Leiden in almost all seasons, now, I think, except the dead of winter--unless March counts as such. There is something about the way the summer sun hits everything that is special. On the same walk, here are some of the buildings I walked around, some for the first time.

Returning to the garden that is Leiden, Summer 2014

The sun shone through this short walk on gardens in full bloom with a variety of flowers. I felt like a poacher, taking some of these photos of private yards, but then the impulse to acquire one image, just one image, of that beauty was irresistible. These images come from a very small stretch of about a dozen small homes with pocket-sized yards, but full of flowers, they illustrate why I associate Holland with flowers in every season! 

To catch up... or just to share?

For two turns now, I have traveled to Leiden without my laptop and consequently, I have not got around to blogging my various excursions and (mostly guided) explorations. Unlike the 2007 trip when I set up this blog, I now visit so often that sometimes I forget to notice things. I carry now the weariness of the traveler rather than the eagerness of the tourist. I photograph what catches my eye even more than before, but with less pretence each time of documentation. So I would say to you, just enjoy the photographs. I will share with you the things that remain with me, and let you discover the factual details by yourself!

Weekend in Bonn: The Dom

I went to Bonn to visit my cousin. Nothing prepared me for the vision right outside Cologne station: Cologne's absolutely awe-inspiring cathedral. Coming within a day of my last rapturous visit to the Strasbourg Cathedral, it still managed to be impressively magnificent.

Check out the Cathedral's own website for the photos I did not take.

And look at the beautiful sky! It was a lovely day to be visiting, and a completely uplifting experience. Really, you understand why height is an important feature of religious architecture when you look up at the Dom. 

Upon my return, I found a postcard my father had bought at the Cathedral almost fifty years ago, and I finally realised that the small metal cathedral replica was from this place. A nice sentimental postscript!

Dinner in Luxembourg

Sounds like an Audrey Hepburn movie. The idea of stopping for tea in Luxembourg had no particular rationale. It just seemed like a nice thing to say to those imaginary people who would ask about our trip: Oh, we stopped in Luxembourg for tea. Well, it was dinnertime when we reached Luxembourg, and so here are some photos of this very beautiful city just before sunset.

Leaving Alsace

Wherever you go, there I am

From the Strasbourg Modern Art Museum...

As a postscript to this, I have to say: Note HOW clean the glass is.