Chabeuil, France
November 2009
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
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On our drive back from Provence, we discovered this lively winter market in a small town called Saoû, perched on the highest syncline in Europe. Stalls of vendors selling foods (cheese, vegetables, jams/honey, bread, olive oil, etc.) and handmade crafts & decorations, stretched throughout the narrow streets, attracting many visitors from the neighboring towns.
Saoû, France
November 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Le Kiosque des Amoureux de Peynet
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This "Lovers' Kiosque" is a celebrated landmark of Valence, France, named after the artist Raymond Peynet. The story has it that he came to Valence for an afternoon to deliver a confidential document to a correspondent, and while waiting in Le Parc Jouvet, he started sketching the kiosque where a violinist was performing and a little woman was attentively listening. The resulting sketch became an immediate hit, and Peynet started producing works around this lovers' theme. The heart pendant hanging on the kiosque has an engraving of the celebrated couple.
This kiosque became a hot spot for the couples wanting to have a romantic wedding, the Peynet style, especially significant to have it in Valence for the Valentine's day!
Oh, and I also had the pleasure of having these kids hanging out on the steps who posed for me:) It's always a pleasure to catch some smiles.
Valence, France
November 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Provence en automne
While driving through La Drôme, I saw for the first time the apricot trees in full golden foliage, amongst the sage olive leaves.
Near Sainte Jalle, Drôme, France
November 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
The Reader(s)
On a lazy Saturday morning, while strolling in front of the Cornavin train station, I spotted these two, so absorbed into their papers.
Geneva, CH
August 2009
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Marmite de l'escalade
Marmite de l'escalade, originally uploaded by whitecoquelicot. These chocolate cauldrons, called "les marmites de l'escalade", are being prepared for the Geneva's annual celebration of its victory against the surprise attack carried out by the Duke of Savoy in the year 1602. You can read more about it here.
These chocolates are not finished yet! They usually have the fancy colorful decoration in the design of the Geneva's tricolored coat of arm, and the final "cauldron" looks like this.
Bastien and I actually had a giant Marmite for our wedding which was in December, and according to the tradition, we cracked it together with a long medieval sword hand-in-hand!
In the holiday season, Geneva's chocolateries are busy preparing these cauldrons for the festival in December, and you can often sight them being fabricated in their window displays.
Carouge, Geneva
November, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
The Globe of Science at CERN
The Globe of Science, originally uploaded by whitecoquelicot.I got to visit CERN this week and learned a bit more about the famous Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The next particle physics experiment named ATLAS is scheduled for launch this November-December, in which they will try the proton-proton collision. They say the results from this experiment will give insight into the origin of mass, dark matter, and black holes. Exciting nerdy matter. Geneva, Switzerland October 2009
Monday, October 5, 2009
Patricia's Big Day
Congrats to Patricia and Patrick for tying the knot!
Here we see dancin' Patricia on her big night.
Genève, CH
October 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Friday, September 4, 2009
faces à faces
The University of Geneva celebrates its 450th anniversary by decorating one of its buildings, Uni Dufour, with the portraits of people who have been associated with the university, either through studying or teaching. You can read more about it here.
One disturbing thing to notice is that all the blue screens portray women and the reddish-yellow screens portray men. They obviously hint at the lack of women scholars by the numerous empty blue screens. Incredibly, this idea was proposed by " le Secteur de l’égalité de l’UNIGE" (Equal rights department of the university). Swiss still has a long way to go above the gender discrimination.
Uni Dufour
Genève, CH
Août 2009
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Charlotte's web
It's amazing how the little guy managed to make such a perfect web!
Sixt, France
August 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
Rubik's cube
I was so happy to have solved my first Rubik's cube today and thought it deserved a shot before scrambling it up again.
August 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
doggie shades
Somehow these reminded me of the Taco bell chihuahua. Whatever happened to him?
Tanabata festival
Sendai, Japan
August 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
Sunday, August 16, 2009
For Timo
Bastien and I worked on this together during our stay in Japan. However, I must say that he did most of the work, especially all the conceptual sketch and the details in the landscape. I only dabbed at the sky and the borders. We are happy with the way it turned out and gladly share it with you.
August 2009
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
Timo Tree
The first place we wanted to be after returning from abroad
Haute Savoie, France
August 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
purikura
Photobooth ("purikura") galore in a pachinko station. And along with them, many teenage girls having fun with their friends.
Sendai, Japan
August 2009
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Suzuki sensei
One of my four fantastic Japanese teachers for the language course I took at Miyagi Internation Association of Sendai this summer. She will definitely be missed.
Sendai, Japan
July 2009
Monday, August 3, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
The Great Wall of China
What's a visit to China without the Great Wall?
I jumped at my first chance to walk on this magnificent piece of history. We hired a taxi driver for the day, to take us to two different sections of the wall: Simatai and Jinshaling, which are about 130km northeast from the center of Beijing. With our taxi driver skilled at passing every car that was on his way, be it windy and narrow, we could fit the visit in one day, despite having had to hold onto our lives with the broken seat belts.
Pictured here is the Jinshaling section of the Great Wall which was surprisingly deserted of tourists. There was one local who seemed to be collecting plastic bottles from the trashcans in each watch tower. Who knows how many miles he has been walking all day?
Looking at what seems to be a never-ending stretches of the wall across ranges of mountains really does make one feel so small, awed at the work of human hands that have built it thousands of years ago.
Beijing, China
July 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Cycling peacock
We attended this amazing acrobatic show at the Chaoyang theater in Beijing. It's really a must if any of you head out there. I couldn't believe my eyes for some of the things they could do, like picking up five noodle bowls and a spoon on their head, all in order, launched from the end of a plank, while standing on five levels of rolling cylinders! Even here, can you count the number of girls on this bicycle? I'm not even sure how the "driver" could see the way. Quite impressive!
Pékin, Chine
Juillet 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
DaDaph
From the temple situated on the hill across from our apartment in Komegafukuro.
Sendai, Japan
Juin 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
giant cocktail umbrellas
Colorful parasols for sale, for the wonderful 37°C weather! Seen on the way to the Summer Palace
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Beijing, China
Juillet 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
Japanese doll
Here's a bit of dabbing to commemorate my summer in Japan. It turns out that with all the traveling and Japanese studying I've been doing, I haven't had much chance for more.
We saw this doll in a glass display case of a hotel lobby while waiting for our bus in Sakunami mountain village where we enjoyed some great Japanese outdoor onsen. There was the picturesque setting of a quiet brook spotted with playful fishes, flowing next to the bath which was well kept hidden by a crowd of tall pine trees. The doll was about the size of Barbie, carrying a blue cocktail umbrella, and dressed in a lovely silk kimono.
We don't have access to a proper scanner here, so I don't think the color is true to the painting 100%, but you get the idea.
Sendai, Japan
Juillet 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Olympic Stadium
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We spent the last few days visiting Beijing, China. Of course one of our first stops was the Olympic Stadium, specifically the Bird's Nest and the Cube. The lighting of each structure in the evening was pretty, and I was surprised to get some decent shots without a tripod.
The weather was so hot (over 36°C with 70% humidity) that day that we hibernated indoors during the day and slowly sneaked out upon the dusk. It turns out that we were not alone with this idea. The entire square was full of people, just hanging out, licking ice creams, taking pictures, flying "panda" kites, and enjoying the little cooling down one could feel after the sunset.
Being in this city, I could still feel the Olympic spirit almost everywhere, or rather be harshly reminded of what I've missed last summer. The 5-color ringed banners still linger in the streets and the flat screens in the subway cars continuously replay the emotional game scenes.
The number of visitors on this Olympic square definitely showed that the pride of the 2008 Olympic still lives on, and a tinge of nostalgic amber still glows.
Beijing, China.
Juillet 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
my ferrari
We very much enjoyed the bike ride along this beautiful lake of Toya.
Toyako, Japan
Juin 2009
world under my head
Colin's awesome headstand on the stone bridge along the lake.
Toyako, Japan
June 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Sendai at night
After days of pouring rain, when we finally had a clear evening, we couldn't resist to check out the city at night. This is the view from the 30th floor (the top) of 仙台SS30店 building in town.
Sendai, Japan
Juin 2009
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Neko & friends
We hijacked these little kitties at the museum store after visiting the Keisuke Serizawa museum in Tohoku Fukushi University campus. From the taste, I would guess some type of gingerbread cookie with a hint of green tea. It was a good combination with the Van Houten chocolate drink!
And did I say that I loved the Serizawa textile designs?
Sendai, Japan
Juin 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
Sushi! おすし
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Last weekend, we braved the torrential rain to try some very fresh seafood in the nearest fishing village named Shiogama 塩竈. The city is inundated with sushi restaurants, and the one where we had our lunch (I cannot remember the name) proved well worth visiting despite our rain-soaked clothes.
There, thanks to Miki, we even got to try the very special shrimp which lives in the local delta area where the cold and the warm streams meet. I did not know a raw shrimp could taste so sweet! We were instructed to eat EVERYTHING, including the head which was lightly flamed and crunchy like chips!
Shiogama, Japan
Juin 2009
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