Paris Pics Part 1

Blogging time it is....I know I should be out exploring but am to worn out and in need of a rest!  What gruelling exercise have I been doing I hear you ask?  Well, on Thurs I walked up and down 669 steps on the Eiffel Tower, Friday wandered around 60,000 square metres of the Lourve, and today walked 5.5 kms from Notre Dame up the Champs-Elysees to Arc de Triomphe.  I know, poor me!  Definitely in need of sympathy...hehe

I'm not really so excited by big cities, but there is something special about being in Paris and seeing so many places that I've known about but never experienced for myself.  On the other hand, taking interesting photos of famous places is quite difficult...every shot looks like just another postcard!  Anyway, here are some pics of the places I've visited so far....

Eiffel Tower

It was really wow to walk around the corner and suddenly see the Eiffel Tower looking oh so typically French (not sure how else it is supposed to look!).  The whole experience was made better by the lack of tourists...can't imagine it in summer!



My bad-hair-day self portrait





 




A proper selfy pic.....

Random photo but I like the effect...






















The Lourve

The Lourve was quite a daunting experience.  It is so huge that it's impossible to see everything...yet how to choose?  Each piece of work is beautiful and deserves more than a 2-second glance..I almost feel guilty that I didn't spend more time.  The building itself is amazing though, and I did explore it as much as I could in a day! 



Hanging out with Mona Me

Statue of a guy trying
to take a selfy photo

BIG!!!

Looking outside at the rainy day...










Photo in the mirror..the sad
reality of travelling solo :)



 

Notre Dame

 It was raining this morning, so not too many outside pictures at  Notre Dame.  For that matter, I didn't take too many inside either because I am one of the few tourists who bothered to follow the rules of no flash photography, remaining silent and taking off hats...seriously not asking much! 




Photos of candles don't need 'flash photography'....take
that you disobedient tourists!



Scary gargoyles...one without a head :(

The best of a whole series of failed selfy pics.....

 











I came across this bridge by accident near Notre Dame.
It's entirely covered in padlocks inscribed with couple's names...
how incredibly lovely-dovey and sweet ;)

Arc de Triomphe

After the Notre Dame, I made my way slowly to the Arc de Triomphe, hoping the sun would come out at some point....and as soon as I went to take the first photo it did...hooray!  The Champs-Elysees is a huge avenue leading up to the Arc de Triomphe and at the moment has a great Christmas market.  I'm hoping to get back and take some night pics too.

Another boot selfy pic...not a bad hair day,
but it was cold and I had a rudolph  nose :(

So now I am planning adventures for the next 2 days before flying home to Inverness.  The hostel I'm staying in is pretty good....comfy beds, hot showers, good heating and quiet..all the things a granny traveller like me needs :)  It's such a blessing to go to bed excited about what the next day brings....good night from Paris xx

There's still more exploring to be done :)

It's starting to get quite cold now, so I'm in need of extra motivation to get out and explore.  Bed, hot cup of tea, or cosy armchair are so tempting when it's minus something outside!  Also, the weeks seem to be busier than expected with a mixture of teaching, church admin and general 'life' stuff.   But this weekend I did find some extra motivation....to celebrate St Andrew's Day, Historic Scotland gave away free tickets to some of the historic sites.  Hooray for freebies! 

First up was a visit to Fort George, an army barracks built in the 18th Century and still used today.  By the time it was finished in 1769 all was peaceful so it's pretty much the same as when it was built.  It's pretty huge and impressive and has amazing views across the Moray Firth.  I took these photos between 2:30 and 3:30...and already the sun is setting! 



Today I took advantage of another freebie and went to Elgin to see the Cathedral. I didn't know
much about it and didn't have high expectations really.  Somehow I find the fact that it's a ruin much more exciting than if it had been preserved.  It's nice to just wander and see it for what it really is, rather than wondering what was added later, and if it really looks how it did back then.  Here are some favourite pics:

At the top!!!

It seems that the adventures don't stop anytime soon....there are only 3 more weeks of school left so I'm taking an early holiday to Paris!  I got some amazingly cheap tickets so am off next Wednesday for 5 days.  After that, it will be a matter of weeks until the big trip back to Aus....but I'm not ready to think about that yet.  Time for one more pic of lovely Inverness with snowy Ben Wyvis in the background.  Until next week, au revoir!

It's beginning to look a lot like......

....CHRISTMAS!  Even though the calendar still insists it's autumn, I'm thinking the weather has decided it's time for winter.  All the trees have simultaneously sneezed off their leaves and are looking rather bare :(

Last night was the official Christmas lights switch on in Inverness  - an event and performances to count down to the turning on of all the Christmas lights in the city.  City hall was all lit up and there was even a visit from Bjorn the Polar Bear and of course the man in the red suit.  

 


City Hall looking like a fairytale castle

 



This is his 'official' photo...I'm sure
some of the children were convinced!



Bjorn the Polar Bear...hard to get a good pic of him!





I've never really thought about it, but Christmas lights make sense in winter...it's dark at 4-5pm, and having sparkly lights is a great way to brighten up dull winter days.  Unlike in Aus where the lights get switched on at 9:30 when it's finally dark and off at 11 when it's bedtime...oh well at least we try!  Here are some bits of Inverness pretty-ness:

Such a beautiful city! 

Thank you random couple for holding hands
and making my photo look all romantic!

The Castle being guarded by reindeer :)

Other than looking at pretty lights, things have been surprisingly busy...I actually worked 5 days last week (3 were half days but that still counts I think)!  Tuesday and Wednesday are the days I do admin at the church...it's supposed to be 16 hours but there is never so much to do so I'm home by lunchtime :)  I'm also teaching PE every Thursday at Farr Primary School, a little 2-class school just outside Inverness.  I love doing this, except that they have no inside space so it's freezing! Last week we spent the first hour or so crunching frost and trying to get warm :(   That leaves Monday and Friday which either end up being rest days (like today) or teaching days if I'm called in.  Not a bad routine I think!

That's enough from me...thanks for reading (that is of course if you didn't just skip the text and look at the pics....shame on you!).  God's blessings on your week :)

Autumn-ness

Autumn is such a beautiful time of year!  There is something special about driving through an archway of orange-leaved trees and having all the beautiful leaves rain down on the car.  Last week I took a day to drive around in search of lovely autumn scenery.  This year is such a blessing...I can't think of another time in life where I've had the time or inclination to devote a day to pretty leaves!  I ended up in beautiful Glen Affric National Park.  Here are some favourite snaps:



Loch Ness looking very misty....no chance of spotting Nessie!
 



One day of autumn photography juist wasn't enough, so on the next blue-sky day I went for a walk to the cemetery...a bit morbid, but it's a very pretty cemetery with a lovely hill in the middle and lots of autumn trees!

Aside from autumn leaves, a lot of other exciting things happen this time of year as well.  One of those is halloween!  I can't say I'm a fan of celebrating halloween, but over here it is much bigger than in Aus, and since it originally comes from Scotland, i decided to make an exception this year!  Besides, there were so many pumpkins just waiting to be carved.....



Pumpkin carving is quite gruesome...

My cute pumpkin lantern :)

Bregtje's pumkin, Emma's pumpkin and my pumpkin :)

And finally, to end a rather full blog post, some pics from Guy Fawkes bonfire night!  We just drove down to Bught Park to watch the fireworks and poor Guy go up in flames :(




Poor little Guy....I could almost hear his cries for help...

I'm really enjoying this time of year, not only for it's lovely colours but also because I know my time here is nearly up and I want to make the most of every moment!  I'm doing some supply teaching and admin work at the church but also enjoying the fact that it's ok for now to sleep in, get up go for a walk and just see what comes for the day.  I never want to take this for granted....it's such a time of blessing!