FRANCE 2009 - (RO/EN) Nancy, Strasbourg, Luxemburg, Reims

Nancy Place Stanislas spectaculos de våzut atît luminat foarte artistic pe noapte, cît si revenit a doua zi de dimineatå re-admirat pe zi prilej de fotografii dintre care cel putin una numai bunå de inclus în expozitia online. In tren de (En train de.. :):) a face poza cam pe aceeasi directie era un domn care îsi tortura sotia så tinå un ziar deasupra camerei foto ca så blocheze lumina directå în obiectiv, i-am sugerat så se aseze sub planta decorativå pe care tocmai o folosisem drept abri si mi-a multumit cålduros.

Place Stanislas is just as spectacular flooded by great lighting during the night as it is during the day, we actually got back the next morning to enjoy it in full daylight as well and loved it. Got one of the great pictures of this trip on this occasion just right for the online exhibition. Nice story is that while taking the photo here above I had noticed a gentleman torturing his other half to hold a newspaper on top of his camera so that full sun wouldn't directly hit his lens. After suggesting him to use the same plant I just did for blocking direct sun, he was absolutely delighted and thanked me for the idea.

Nancy a fost în mod special foarte plåcut cu întîlnirea cu amicii cu care ne våzusem cu un an înainte si cu care petrecuseråm un week-end memorabil la chalet up north spre Mont-Tremblant. Experimentat împreunå Nancy pe noapte inclusiv resto alsacien excelent cu diverse combinatii bazate pe choucroute si deserturi decadente dintre care Coupe Lorraine ramîne în top acompaniat perfect de Gewurtztraminer "moisson tardive", care e undeva spre icewine, dar nu atît de dulce.

Nancy had especially been extremely enjoyable since we had reconnected with friends that we hadn't seen from great week-end we spent last year up north in the Mont-Tremblant area back in Canada. Great stroll around Place Stanislas ended up in a very cosy "resto alsacien" with all flavorful combinations based on sauerkraut and all kinds of great pork specialties. To top it all up some decadent deserts out of which "Coupe Lorraine" takes the grand prize perfectly assorted with the Gewurtztraminer "moisson tardive", sort of a icewine but less sweet and with more personality.

Place Stanislas - numele i se trage de la regele Stanislas Leszczyński debarcat de pe tronul Poloniei dar recuperat Duc de Lorraine în calitate de socrul regelui Frantei. Fonduri generoase obviously au dus la ridicarea complexului admirabil care-i poartå numele.

Place Stanislas - getting its name from ousted from Poland's trone king Stanislas Leszczyński who got back in business as Duc de Lorraine and in-law of the king of France, which emphasises the importance of networking if you had any doubts about that. Obviously very generous funding available made possible setting up the beautiful complex named in his honor.

Strasbourg

Petite France - partea veche (reconstruitå în stil vechi de fapt fiindcå originalul a fost distrus în WWII) a orasului de explorat pe jos sau pe canale sau în tur de "titicar". Contrar denumirii fancy, istoria zonei se leagå de la ospiciul deschis în zonå pt. izolarea si îngrijirea bolnavilor de sifilis, boalå supranumitå pe vremea aceea "le mal français".

Petite France - the old and very picturesque part of town is actually rebuilt sticking up to the original style since most of it had been destroyed during WWII. To be enjoyed walking, boating or by the small touristcar guided tour. While the name sounds very posh, its origins are linked to the numerous prostitutes working there in the Middle Ages as well as their victims (siphylis patients) who were isolated and taken care of in some of the buildings around here. Syphilis often contracted in that specific area was then known as Franzosenkrankheit ("French disease").

Dacå ar fi så aleg singura catedralå de våzut din toatå cålåtoria în Franta, Notre-Dame de Strasbourg ar fi alegerea. Cu cele 334 de trepte de urcat pînå sus pe terasa de pe care poti admira o vedere "imprenable" pînå spre munti cu zåpadå si spre Parlamentul European.

If I were to single out the only cathedral to see from all the ones crossed along the Northern France tour, Notre-Dame de Strasbourg would be the one. With its 334 steps to climb up to the top where you get a great bird's eye view towards the European Parliament and the snow-covered mountains among others.

Luxemburg

Dacå tii neapårat så vizitezi singura altå tarå în afarå de Olanda conduså de aceeasi familie regalå de Oraanje-Nassau, så scapi un pic (a little break from) de regula 50% musique française pe toate posturile de radio, culminînd cu admiratul sediului lui Arcelor Mittal si a unei statui moderne tare urîte dar celebrå din centrul orasului, visul se poate îndeplini foarte usor la numai 100 si ceva de km nord de Nancy. Altfel nimic iesit din comun chiar dacå fotografiile par a indica contrariul.

In case you got the urge to take a tour around the only other place ruled by the Oraanje-Nassau dynasty aside from The Netherlands, get a little break from the mandatory 50% French music on the radio and see 2 of the main attractions - the Arcelor Mittal head office and the ugly statue downtown, well you're in the right spot a bit over 100km up north from Nancy. Other than that nothing to write home about, even if pictures might mislead you into thinking otherwise.

Reims

91 203 de sticle de Champagne Taittinger asteaptå så fie admirate în pivnitele Maison Taittinger numai într-una din grote care totalizeazå 4km si degustarea de încheiere e incluså în pretul turului.

91 203 bottles of Taittinger Champagne shown here are going thru the traditional champagne maturing cycle and ready to be admired while taking the tour to a part of the 4km long cave maze. A part of the caves date back to 4th century and sampling at the end of the tour is included.

Catedrala din Reims e echivalentul lui Westminster Abbey de peste canal, adicå locul de încoronare al regilor cu 3 exceptii doar în toatå istoria monarhiei franceze, dacå ati råspuns Louis de Funès ca fiind una din cele 3 mai încercati o datå.

Reims cathedral is to the French what the Westminster Abbey accross the water is to the brits - the place where most of the kings have been crowned. 3 exceptions though only throughout the whole French monarchy history and no, Louis de Funès is not one of these exceptions.