Orchids Orchids every where

I had thought of mum who taught me how to spell fuchsia. She got it from Ron. But I forgot which flower it was at the time and assumed it was an orchid. The spelling aid she gave me was no use in this case, but as the word was in front of me I was unconcerned. It is only as I write this that I recall my error.

So what!

Here is a photo from the centre of Paris of a covered market-like shop that sells only 1 thing.

Orchids.

La Maison de l'Orchidée

Smog on the Horizon

The weather was doing its best to live up to the forecast. It was drizzling with mist and fog and cold in abundance. In its enthusiasm it appeared to have followed a thesaurus. All the forecast had promised was "light rain".

Sometimes, even on a route taken frequently over the years, you see something new. Today it was the picture above.

Paris is struggling with a smog problem and today seamed to emphasise the point. The "bête noir" has been the diesel car (even before the German effect), but here in the photo is another culprit I have noticed often here. There are very many chimneys like these and they all smoke like these too.

Why I have never noticed these before I don't know. They can been seen on the horizon from the corner of the road beside where I am working. Today they appear to stand out adding, as you can see, to the meteorological entertainment.

Whilst cars, perhaps especially diesel cars, are very likely far worse than chimneys, I would have thought that a multi-fronted attack could be even better.

Terry
Envoyé de mon iPhone Thu. 15 Oct.

Pedestrian Paris

St Jacques Park

Midday, and I am sitting in a park in the centre of Paris and it is relatively quiet. Not silent, but quieter than normal.

It would be a very pleasant autumn day but for the slightly chill wild that accompanies the sunshine.

Today is traffic-free day in the Paris centre. The trouble is that I appear to be on the edge of the free zone. Still, I have already walked through some quiet streets where the major hazards are bicycles.

It is not "no traffic" as busses, taxis, and delivery vans are still present. All these are supposed to go at 20kph max but by my assessment they are doing more than 12mph. Still, it is a big reduction in cars and quite an explosion in bikes (with children on scooters too).

So where is the park? It is a little one associated with the Tour St. Jacques (click for map).

Tour St, Jacques

Empty road (of cars) 

Hardly ever noticed this clock before, always too busy
trying to cross the street, but not today!

Even the police are on bikes

The new garden by the town hall. 360 degree view.

Originally sent by iPhone using WiFi in the park.
Updated with camera snaps.

Early Bastille

Just why aircraft should be associated with Bastille day I am not sure. At the time of the Bastille event, as far as I know, no-one had yet taken to the air (except Icarus), but the much anticipated fireworks could be symbolic of the combat.

Be that as it may, there was a practice run today over Paris. I counted 5 pairs of fighters, 3 cargo planes, a tanker with pursuit fighter, and even an AWACS which came close overhead and quite low. Most impressive with its rear-mounted disc radar slowly rotating as it passed.

But I had my camera out only for a few shots, of which these are the best. No zoom, just as good as you can get with your phone.

We will see more on the 14th I'm sure.

Bastille day official website in English

Ps. there are celebrations in London too.

Fast learning

Some of you may recognise this type of car. The low one in the front, coloured red of course.

On reflection, I have never seen them any other colour.

Ready to roll

This one was snapped from my balcony. And there is nothing particularly remarkable about it you may think. But I know that there are other cars often parked where this one is, and they all have only one purpose. Driving lessons!

You see, the car is parked outside the driving school. And if all goes to form, a student will soon come out for some on-the-road lessons. Usually it is a Micra or similar, but not today.

Time to sign up for some lessons......

Goodbye Tapas

Thursday night, and that is Martos' night for going out. On Friday people go home, like me.

And for the foreseeable future, this will be the last time. So I went out by invitation to sample some Tapas in the way only the Spanish know how.

The 9pm start was a special early concession for me. And a very pleasant evening still ended at half past midnight.

Now I know that Tapas is standard stuff in Spain, but when I try to order it I find it difficult to chose good dishes. On a night out with the "team" the dishes come fast and frequently. "Do you order all these or do they just come?" I asked. It appears that some are ordered, and others just arrive with the drinks. There was certainly a good verity.

The photo attached is missing one guest and has less Tapas on show, but it is the one where we were all smiling! And, of course, I was the wrong side of the camera.

When I arrived at the hotel, the door was locked. I rang the bell. Juan is on duty all night and he soon arrived and let me in. What time is this? He asked pointing to his watch. The ladies (wife & daughter) were wondering where you were.

I explained as he steered me through to the bar. He presented me with a wrapped memento of my 2 years of staying there. And he made me unwrap it so that he could show it to me. It was a presentation clock with my name and nice things written in Spanish on it.

It certainly will be a good reminder of the hotel, but also, as he put it, my adopted Spanish family in Martos.

It was more "leaving" than I felt able to cope with.

Terry
Envoyé de mon iPhone

Orange

Here is a photo if some oranges on a tree. In fact there are 4 trees, all heavily covered in large oranges.

And nobody has picked them.

Indeed, they fall to the ground and are left there. I commented on this, and there is a secret that the Spanish know that I did not.

The oranges are inedible.

Why anyone would grow inedible oranges I cannot guess, but from the looks of things, these fruit are totally useless. No one ever gathers them.

For the trivial persuiters, did you know that the colour orange did NOT give the name to the fruit? In fact it was the other way round. The fruit defined the colour orange and so distinguished that hue of "red"! The word orange was a fruit first.

Perhaps the first fruits were all inedible and in this way they made the word more useful?

Terry
Envoyé de mon iPhone