A visit to Dover, its Castle, and the famous White Cliffs.
We decided to spend the day visiting Dover, a seaside city to the east along the English Channel. Famous for its chalky white cliffs, and for its history. Because it is the closest point in the United Kingdom to France and the continent, it has been strategically important for centuries. We spent most of our time at the Dover Castle atop the cliffs, where we toured the underground tunnels cut for military use in the 1790s and used extensively during World War II.
Three days in the French Alps.
When I was invited to attend an academic conference in the mountains near Lyons and Grenoble, I did not hesitate. Especially when I learned that this small workshop (about two dozen experts in cyber-privacy research) is located in the tiny ski village of Correçon-en-Vercors at the base of the French Alps – and structures the program to retain the afternoons for skiing. This week’s forecast was not promising, however: rain every day. Nonetheless, we were able to find some rain-free time for outdoor activities on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning.
around the girdled earth we roamed…
Flashback to our visit to Paris in January: As I emerged from the boulangerie into dim, pre-dawn light, it began to snow lightly. I reached behind my back, where my hand slid instinctively into the side pocket of my camera’s sling bag, reaching for my trusty Dartmouth cap. This faded cap, which has been blessed by an elephant in India, which had beaten back the sun from Japan to Cyprus to New Zealand, which the wind once tossed into a puddle of penguin poop in the Antarctic, was just what I needed as I headed for the Bois de Vincennes for a sunrise hike. No luck. My cap was missing!
Good food, good weather, favorite places.
I wrote yesterday about my lovely hike through Bois de Vincennes, in central Paris. We had arrived in Paris on Friday afternoon after a quick ride through the Channel Tunnel; only two and a half hours from London to Paris!
A lovely hike through Paris woodland.
As I sat over my tea and croissant in an unremarkable Paris boulangerie, looking out into the pre-dawn darkness, snow began to fall. Large, fluffy flakes quickly dusted the sidewalk. Traffic was light on this Saturday morning, although it was nearly 8am. Sunrise wasn’t due for nearly another hour, but I bundled up and headed out, across the street and into the Bois de Vincennes, a sprawling, forested park sometimes called the “lungs of Paris”. I was determined to continue my unbroken sequence of weekend hiking – today was my fifteenth consecutive weekend hike, now spanning five countries.
All the Alps in one view.
Zürich woke to yet another cloudy morning, as the sun rose on winter solstice. On this, the shortest day of the year, we hopped on a plane to Washington, DC, following the sun to the west. Flying high above the clouds, we enjoyed daylight for 15+ hours, though inside the plane we never really got to enjoy the sunshine. When I checked out the window, soon after we reached cruising altitude, I was blessed with a grand panoramic view of the Alps – the French, Swiss, and Italian Alps – spread out beyond a sea of clouds.
Less than 24h in Paris – but still a photographic opportunity.
After a few days in Provence, I needed to travel to Paris for my flight home. The timing did not work to connect from train to plane, so I was forced to overnight in central Paris (darn!). On Saturday evening I took the opportunity to enjoy a full French meal in a delightful brasserie, then ambled back to the hotel among the throngs of summer tourists and Saturday-night revelers. I woke at sunrise on Sunday morning to stroll around the city while it was cooler and quieter. Read on and check out the photo gallery.
Continue reading “Paris”
A short week in Provence during a record-setting heat wave.
I joined the family for a three-day visit to Provence, outside Avignon. We rented a villa in a tiny village surrounded by pastoral beauty, giving us a good base for exploring the area and plentiful opportunities for early-morning bike rides through the countryside. It quickly became my habit to hop on a bike shortly before sunrise, cruise randomly along narrow lanes through ancient fields of lavender, sunflowers, wheat, apricots, and more. I concluded each of my outings with a stop at the Boulangerie in the village, arriving home with fresh-baked pastries and bread. Not a bad way to start the day. Read on for more – and don’t miss the photo gallery.
Continue reading “Provence”
A few days in Avignon and some of the surrounding areas, under sunny skies and in fantastic weather.
I had a chance to spend a long weekend in Avignon, one of the most beautiful old cities of Provence. Read on!
David Kotz 