21 thoughts on “Today’s #Photograph 20/May/21”

  2. Pingback: Today’s #Photograph 20/May/21 | In the Net! – Pictures and Stories of Life

    1. The views of Paris from on high are spectacular, Joni. The city is interesting, as cities go. The Louvre holds some real treasures. And a boat trip on the Seine is lovely. We were disappointed not to find any French bistros in the city centre, there appeared to be every other type of food, but French!

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      1. That is really interesting. I bet you were disappointed about the food. I would love to go to the Louvre. We went to the Prado in Spain. I think it is wonderful that you have traveled so much. Sending hugs and hoping for a lovely day there. 🤗❤️🙏

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        1. We spent a fortnight in France, Joni. Just three nights in Paris, as we were there to visit the War Memorial in Arras, where my paternal grandfather’s name is listed, as his body was never found following the battle in which he died. My Aunt Vera, his daughter, was too old to attend and we went over on her behalf to sign the visitor book and acknowledge his passing so many years ago. On our way back to the railway station to get back to Paris, we were caught in a rain storm and followed a local woman running from her parked car to a genuine French Bistro in Arras. The owners spoke no English. Valerie’s French got our food ordered, and I had some local red wine to go with mine. It was the best meal we had while in France, and the people were lovely.
          The rest of our stay was in self-catering accommodation in the south of France at a place called St Maxime. Interesting, but again no bistros. But there was a genuine boulangerie just outside the entrance to the complex. Their bread and sandwiches and coffee were wonderful!

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          1. Oh Stuart that sounds like something you two would do. How lovely. I am so glad you found a couple of places to go where the food meet your expectations and that Valerie knew some French. I bet your Aunt Vera really appreciated so much that you did such a kind and thoughtful thing. Such a sadness when there is not closure for people when a loved one is lost. I bet the trip was splendid. If you haven’t seen the movie Somethings Got to Give you should. There are some beautiful scenes in a restaurant. Also I just love Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton. This is one of the truly funniest movies I have ever seen. I think you and Valerie will like it.
            Thanks for sharing that story Stuart you are a good man. Sending love. ❤️🤗😘🥰

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  5. I am not sure I would venture up to the top, but the fact it is in an elevator is not as much a deterrent as it would have been a few years ago. I used to hold my breath when enclosed in one, and breathe when the doors opened. The construction looks so complicated, but not as strong as my breath could take. Thanks for posting.

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    1. See my response to Lynette’s comment, Brenda. I have no problem with lifts, but Valerie avoids them when possible, even climbing 13 floors in a hospital to visit my stepmother. It was a very unpleasant experience for her to take this lift, but the rest of our visit to Paris was fine.

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  6. I’ve never been a big fan of the Eiffel Tower. It is iconic, but after having gone to the top with my mother when I was 12, I have resisted going again on all my subsequent Paris visits. But its construction is a marvel and I like how you have captured that essence. It’s like a giant meccano set.

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    1. I took this as we were waiting in a small group to take the lift to the restaurant as part of a walking day trip around Paris, Lynette. We finally got to the point where the lift was ready for us to board. Valerie is seriously claustrophobic so we suggested we should climb the stairs instead. But our guide said it only took a minute or two to ascend and we could be at the front. We decided to risk it. Big mistake. People were more or less pushed and shoved into the small space until it was full enough that we couldn’t move. When we reached the stopping place, I and the tour guide had to physically help Valerie out of the space as her legs had given way from the trauma. It took a while for her to recover.
      We eventually joined the others in the restaurant and had a lovely meal. But the rest of our visit we did on foot, enjoying the views from higher up and then walking down the long stairway to the bottom.

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      1. Wow, what an awful experience. I’m glad to hear that she was able to shake it off relatively quickly. That can really cause terrible symptoms. I have a similar issue with spiral staircases. They tend to produce some sort of vertigo. I discovered it when I was walking to the top of St Paul’s at age 14. I only got there through sheer will-force. I have never out-grown it, and I still have to avoid them.

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        1. It wasn’t pleasant, certainly. Valerie has developed strategies for coping on the short flights we make from UK to various European destinations; it helps that I always order a half bottle of bubbly for her to drink on the flight! But she manages remarkably well by immersing herself in word puzzles and sudoku grids.
          I sympathise with your vertigo problems, Lynette. I have a fear of falling and usually avoid such places. But before we were married, Valerie and I arrived in London for a break together. We walked up the stairs in St Paul’s, and ended up on that small balcony that circles the exterior. I wanted a shot of Valerie with London in the background, so climbed up and rested one foot on the iron railings, the other against the wall and got the shot. Only afterwards did I let her know about my fear of heights! Surprisingly, she told me off. No idea why!

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          1. She didn’t want you to experience that fear just to take a photo of her – that would be my guess. 🙂

            The vertigo I experience is very specific to spiral staircases, especially the very tight ones in old buildings. I always feel like I’m about to lose my balance and go rolling backwards. So strange. I can spin an aircraft or do a spiral dive, but staircases? Nope!
            Some bubbly seems like the right approach!

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            1. Irony doesn’t do well on social media, I guess.
              Your specific fear is something I sometimes experience, Lynette. I wonder if it’s the combination of the narrow space and the inability to see the way forward and back?
              Bubbly definitely helps! Mind you, might not be such a good idea when you’re the pilot!

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              1. Hahaha. I get it now. Nothing like a well-crafted example going over the head of your reader … 😉
                No bubbly for the pilot. Only for the passengers and the ones trying to get up the staircase. (I get I won’t be getting into heaven if I have to climb one of those. 😉 )

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                1. Humour in word form is one of the most difficult things to do well on social media, Lynette. There are so few clues about tone, and different nationalities interpret language so variously. Sometime the ubiquitous emoticon is the only clue we can provide.

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                  1. I try not to use them, but they do help when, as you point out, we are communicating across nationalities. Canadian humour can generally be very snarky (we find it funny), but I understand that that may not go over with other nationalities, so I try to be cautious. Here’s an emoticon: 🙂

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