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Post by htmb on Aug 16, 2016 13:57:57 GMT
I have been fascinated by aqueducts even since visiting the one in Segovia, Spain in 1974. It's span could be seen from my hotel window, as modern day people went about their days, walking back and forth underneath something so magnificent, built in the 1st century. Needless to say, I was very excited to now have the opportunity to visit the Pont du Gard. Over the years I'd enjoyed looking at photos taken by others, but I never really expected to be able to take pictures of my own. Our drive started at the train station in Montpellier where we were met by our expert and well-travelled driver. Having someone who knew the area well navigate the roads was quite the treat, but hearing his stories of visiting the Pont du Gard when the area was open to traffic during his childhood made the experience even richer. It was interesting to see how different the terrain was from Toulouse to the west. Lots of white rock and certainly less trees. We pulled into the very accommodating entrance where there was ample parking and began the walk to the pont. It wasn't long before we got our first glimpse. A magnificent sight!
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Post by mossie on Aug 16, 2016 14:35:01 GMT
Now I am jealous, that is a sight I have always wanted to visit.
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Post by htmb on Aug 16, 2016 18:17:59 GMT
You still could, Mossie. The area is very accessible, though I'd recommend you not go in the middle of the summer in the scorching sun.
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Post by htmb on Aug 16, 2016 18:59:34 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2016 22:22:17 GMT
Lovely! I am still eagerly awaiting the actors part, the popes, not so much.
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Post by htmb on Aug 16, 2016 23:37:21 GMT
What if the actors and the popes happen to be in the same place?
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 16, 2016 23:40:54 GMT
Oh ~ someone was inspired! You took so many more aqueduct pictures than I did and they are beautiful. The guy climbing up onto the rocks out of the water: wow. And the two swimmers, with just the man's head reflected: double-dog-dang! The roomba kayakers are a great capture and the color & composition make for a great photo as well. I ate under the aqueduct in Segovia with my family when I was a kid. We had the famous suckling pig. <-- note roast pork theme now running through my comments.Thoroughly enjoying this & can't wait to see what else you've got.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2016 0:25:53 GMT
Avignon, I know.
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Post by htmb on Aug 17, 2016 3:04:57 GMT
How did you ever guess.
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Post by htmb on Aug 17, 2016 3:17:40 GMT
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Post by htmb on Aug 17, 2016 3:36:54 GMT
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Post by htmb on Aug 17, 2016 11:09:37 GMT
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Post by htmb on Aug 17, 2016 11:45:33 GMT
As night descended, and the streets became more and more crowded, I gave up on taking pictures and put my camera away. It was a fun evening, but the French fans were very sad in the end. A couple of days later, in a light rain, the opportunity to walk the streets in the early morning, with few people about, presented itself. It was nice to be able to see architectural details and festival signs more clearly. Other than a few delivery trucks, scattered workers, and street cleaning machines, it felt like we had the whole city to ourselves. I loved the busy atmosphere of wide-awake Avignon, and can certainly see the appeal of festival crowds, but the quiet, early morning streets were just as full of intrigue and interest.
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Post by htmb on Aug 17, 2016 11:56:42 GMT
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Post by htmb on Aug 17, 2016 12:47:55 GMT
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Post by breeze on Aug 17, 2016 15:49:18 GMT
Those umbrellas lying on the street--what a great sequence. A mystery posed and then explained.
We didn't like Avignon our first time either, but we never went back. Only through kerouac's photos of previous festivals did I begin to see what we had missed, and now your photos are making me regret our decision.
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Post by htmb on Aug 17, 2016 17:05:51 GMT
Oh ~ someone was inspired! You took so many more aqueduct pictures than I did and they are beautiful. The guy climbing up onto the rocks out of the water: wow. And the two swimmers, with just the man's head reflected: double-dog-dang! The roomba kayakers are a great capture and the color & composition make for a great photo as well. I ate under the aqueduct in Segovia with my family when I was a kid. We had the famous suckling pig. <-- note roast pork theme now running through my comments.Thoroughly enjoying this & can't wait to see what else you've got. Thanks, Bixa. Inspired, yes! I've honestly had a hard time thinking how to do this thread at first. In my mind it was/is a jumble of time and space: rocks, ravines, and colors. All coming together to complete several interesting days. I finally decided to just go with it. Som people may notice the next several sets of photos are a little mixed up, and perhaps a little out of order, but that's how this part of our trip is playing out in my mind. I'm usually very linear in my thought, but not this time. Plus, I used two different cameras and the date/time settings are playing tricks on my brain. As for Segovia, somewhere I have a picture I took of that aqueduct from the window of my hotel room. I wish I could find it. I thought I'd posted it in the little thread I made about Spain and Portugal, but it's not there. I was 22 years old and I can still see it in my minds eye.
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Post by fumobici on Aug 17, 2016 18:50:36 GMT
Excellent report, it screams "summer!". It looks like it would make a pleasant place to visit on the off-season.
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Post by htmb on Aug 17, 2016 22:10:24 GMT
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Post by htmb on Aug 17, 2016 22:21:26 GMT
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Post by htmb on Aug 17, 2016 22:33:20 GMT
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Post by htmb on Aug 17, 2016 22:44:36 GMT
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Post by htmb on Aug 17, 2016 23:34:08 GMT
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 18, 2016 2:02:04 GMT
Just wonderful! Gad, your pictures of the river and the parc and the square and its goings-ons ... it really makes me feel the beauty and the excitement. Then lavender and cyclists and flowers and mellow buildings and vineyards -- wow, wow, wow.
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Post by htmb on Aug 18, 2016 3:19:16 GMT
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Post by htmb on Aug 18, 2016 3:35:22 GMT
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Post by htmb on Aug 18, 2016 3:44:05 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2016 4:59:14 GMT
Absolutely stunning, htmb! Your photos prove you'd be a great travel companion.
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Post by htmb on Aug 18, 2016 10:34:50 GMT
Thanks, Lizzy. The next stop, in terms of this thread... A ruined medieval fortress and a bauxite mine. That's the fortress, way up there. We went first to the mine to see the show, Les Carrières des Lumières, featuring the more beautiful works of Chagall. I had been preparing for this for months. Not only am I visually challenged, but I occasionally suffer from vertigo. Heights are tricky, so you can imagine what visiting this part of France was like for me. Now, in a dark cave with flashing lights, it took my brain awhile to adjust. But, oh it was worth it!
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Post by htmb on Aug 18, 2016 10:53:07 GMT
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