Author: kenritley
Pope Leos – or is it Popes Leo?
This is Pope Leo IX, or at least a statute of him, in downtown Eguisheim in Alsace, France:
And thirteen popes later we have Pope Leo XIV,
Clearly, both of them are wielding big sceptors – call a ferula. The one on the statute has three bars – which differentiates itself from those from archbishops (two bars) or bishops (1 bar). But . . . it raises an interesting question: when did popes stop sporting beards?
Saint-Gilles-du-Gard on the Via Tolosana
Arc-en-ciel au-dessus de Bienne
Saint-Gilles-du-Gard on the Via Tolosana
Grebes on a roof
The city of Biel/Bienne in Switzerland is a strange place – more so, because it has a lake. You see, in any normal city with a nice lake you’d find grebes like this doing what grebes like to do, namely, floating around on the nice lake, diving, and eating some tasty fish. What inspired these grebes to park themselves on a roof – I have no idea.
Saint-Gilles-du-Gard on the Via Tolosana
Aire remarquable Caissargues
Aire remarquable Caissargues
Aire remarquable Caissargues
Aire remarquable Caissargues
Sculpture dans le jardin – Uzés
Tour Fenestrelle of the Uzès – the only round bell tower in France!
Routes en allée, near Nimes
You find these all over France, and I’ve read they were ordered by Napoleon to provide shade for marching troops – but I’ve also read that this is an urban legend – so I guess this is still a big mystery for me to clear up one day!
Aire remarquable Caissargues
Saint-Gilles-du-Gard on the Via Tolosana
The Via Tolosana goes through the sleepy Provence town of Saint-Gilles-du-Gard – but at one time, it was the fourth major stop on the Via Tolosana pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela in Spain.
The entire village is filled with hidden and not-so-hidden references to this route!
Rolex Flowers – 3
Fontaine de Niobe, in Jardin d’été park, in Arles
You can see the Arles Amphitheater in the background. Very interestingly, the fountain is dry – they shut off the water. One wonders if this is due to global warming?
Park in Arles
Pont du Gard
Another breathtaking view of Pont du Gard
Park in Arles
Vénasque in Provence
One of the oldest and pretties villages in Provence – but sadly I did not stop.
Rolex Flowers – 2
Continuing the series,
Distribution in Provence
Rolex flowers
Flowers growing on one of the middle ages walls next to the Rolex building in Biel,
Yes, a bit overexposed. I am still trying to learn the ins and outs of my new Fuji XM-5, and in this case the Tamron 18-300mm lense that allowed me to take a near macro-like snap like this!