a mid-week musical interlude (sans photo)…
Posted in music, paris, soundscapes August 19th, 2009 by pia

I don’t know about you, but my week has been rather chaotic. Not so much on the outside, but on the inside. My head is full of stuff. It is filled with to-do lists, demands, commitments, negotiations to be made, responsibilities weighing heavy, and emotions riding high. On the outside I may be cool, calm and collected but on the inside, it’s a wild and crazy ride. Rarely does my exterior expose what is going on behind the scenes. But every now and then it will bubble up, and reveal itself to those I am closest to by either snapping a sharp remark, or dismissing their needs. As much as I want to eradicate this behaviour, I am told it is called “human nature”.

What I have learnt though, over the years, is that beautiful sound and music is a wonderful, gentle technique of subjugation. It calms the soul, breathes life into the deepest, darkest commotions of the mind, and warms the heart. When you take the time to listen – just listen – then a sense of renewal is found.

I had no intention of writing all of the above as an introduction to this soundscape but somehow, it happened. And I see it is not without purpose, because what I am about to share with you is a continual, flowing moment of musical interlude that does just that: breathes life and love into a place where commotion is writhe. A moment that almost everyone who visits this special place will experience at some point. It’s a moment when one goes below the cool, calm and magnificent exterior and experiences life under the skin, below the surface, and deep in the veins of this celebrated city. The sound echoes through this labyrinthine nerve center, and penetrates through to its darkest corners.

I speak of the metro Chatelet in Paris. And today, I take you with me as I walk from one of the cavernous tunnels passing by a 12-piece orchestra that plays in this underground mecca, up the stairs and back out to the grandness above. This metro of Paris is very much like one’s mid-week mind. And this music is the strong and gentle breath it needs.

Please press the play button below and enjoy…

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invaded by nature…
Posted in amsterdam, nature August 18th, 2009 by pia

PJB_invadedbynaturethis is one of my favourite sights outside my kitchen window.

Is there anything more glorious than seeing nature run wild in a city? It brings a smile to my face – the raw truth that no matter how much man tries to control his surroundings, nature will always be the ruler of this Earth.

a poster from Paris: Made By Hand…
Posted in paris: made by hand August 15th, 2009 by pia

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…hanging in the window at whsmith in paris.

Am I allowed to have favourite photos from my own book? If I can, this would be one of them. I think really its the space that makes the image, and I just happened to be there to take the photo.
And that person on their bike just happened to ride past looking fabulously french. I remember seeing them coming and snap snap snapping to ensure I got them in the shot.

It’s Saturday. I don’t usually post on a Saturday but sometimes I like to. This week went so fast – my head is still a few days behind.

Have you been clicking around the (blog)house this week? There is actually all sorts of things happening. My guest has posted another wonderful travel adventure, check it out right here. And if you go and take a wander to the (blog)library you will see I paid a visit in there too this week, click here to read my post. Yvette, our (blog)house kitchen guest is away right now in sunny France, but she will be back soon to post another delicious recipe. Oooh, I do hope it’s inspired by her holiday destination.

Have a lovely weekend everyone. I plan to relax as much as possible, I hope you can do so too.

xx

a paris weekend: dernier jour
Posted in paris, pia's photos August 14th, 2009 by pia

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Moments enjoyed…

  • seeing the fruits of my labour (and breathing a sigh of relief at it’s completion).
  • buying a copy of The Secret Garden to send to my mum.
  • being interviewed like a star.
  • lunch at Louis Philippe (and seeing French Boy’s eyes sparkle at first bite of his boeuf bourguignon).
  • parler avec “le pere” en francais dans un petit cafe.
  • wandering the streets and finding new-to-me old quiet streets.
  • flying through the racks at Free’p’star and scoring 4 great vintage numbers for 10euro a piece (including a little french jumpsuit. If you ask nicely I might be brave and show + tell).

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Oh Paris! I look forward to spending the weekend with you again sometime.  ne m’oublie pas…

“much more up and down than sideways”
Posted in guest quarters August 13th, 2009 by zoe

I couldn’t have put it better than Hemmingway.

It’s certainly difficult to see much of Switzerland without travelling as much vertically as you do horizontally! Growing up in Queensland, I’m not particularly well acquainted with mountainous terrain, and my last visit to the Alps was many, many years ago. So I was completely enchanted with the excursion planned by some seriously alpine-minded friends of mine. Luckily, they didn’t expect me to climb anything more than a few stairs!

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As our journey progressed from train, to rack-and-pinion rail, to cable car, the scenery changed too. From rolling green hills and jewel-like aquamarine lakes to narrow valleys and jagged, vertical cliff-faces, eventually the snow-capped peaks rose in front of us, and behind, row after row, disappearing as far as the eye could see.

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Words deserted me at the top. The true impact of the magnificent views from the top of the Schilthorn (the quieter, less touristy cousin to the famous Jungfraujoch), nestled in the centre of the Alps, with the majesty of the Jungfrau, Mönch and Eiger spread before you in all their glory, must be experienced to be believed.

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With mind reeling from the dizzying heights and thin air, my delightful tour guide had yet another hidden jem to share, nestled in the valley below the mountains. On the hillside above the Brienzer See (another of those eye-wateringly blue lakes) is an open air museum, the Ballenberg, which showcases the history of rural living and traditional customs, including more than 100 authentic buildings from all the different regions of Switzerland.

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The architectural styles differ quite dramatically from canton to canton, and most of the buildings are furnished or in working condition. While the buildings have been brought in from other regions of the country, they are all old (some date back many hundreds of years), and are carefully dismantled and reassembled in much their original state. Nestled into the hillside they create an idyllic village atmosphere.

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Rare indigenous breeds of goat, sheep, cattle and horses are also kept, and small plantations of traditional crops, vegetables, herbs and nut trees, including medicinal plants, are grown. Many of the buildings host demonstrations of traditional crafts, including wood carving, lace-making, pottery and weaving, agricultural techniques and cheese-making.

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And in such a small country, who would have thought that the architectural styles could differ so widely?! From Germanic half-timbered dairies to the large Tuscan-style farmsteads based around a central courtyard, each canton is identified by its unique architectural style, perfectly designed for both function and environment. The tiny, basic alpine huts sheltered the cowherds and functioned as cheeseries while the cows spent the summer high in the alpine pastures, while wood-shingled grain stores were raised on posts and stone disks to keep out the mice.

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This fabulous, beautifully executed museum is a wonderful day out – a true slice of Switzerland in a manageable space. There are spaces for picnics, activities for the children, great cafes and several giftshops selling the craft items and produce from the museum. While we did a lot of walking, and the park stretches to over 66 hectares, it is not strenuous (though there are horse-driven carriage rides for the weary) and there were plenty of rest stops (a.k.a. photo opportunities for me!). The entire day was a magical glimpse into the life and history of a country that has seduced me in no uncertain terms. Yes, the scenery is stunning, but the people are also lovely – polite, and friendly, and very welcoming. I can see more of Switzerland in my future – and maybe in yours as well!

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all photographs and words by zoë yule.