Annecy and Paris

From Lugano we headed to Annecy (Fr) to visit some friends. It seems that beautiful bodies of water and castles are a big part of European life! Here's an early-morning view of the local castle sitting next to Lac d'Annecy.


We took a trip north to Yvoire which is on the south side of Lake Leman. Our first pic nic of the season (Geneva, Switzerland, occupies the far side of the lake):

Then off to Yvoire:

Our friends, Andre Louis and Ghislaine, are great pedagogues--we learn a great deal from them each time we visit about how to live a coherent, focused and meaningful life using as few resources as possible. Their curiosity and openness to new ideas recollects memories of childhood--in the best sense of that term. We hated to leave, but our agenda would not be denied.

Paris was next and while we love Paris, we found it, this year, to be dreary and very dirty. We had one good day of weather which did much to recoup the visit:

Sacre Coeure is beautiful in the sun and looks over the entire city.



At the Jardins du Plantes, we found a very French exhibit devoted to dragons. The French aesthetic I can't describe, but I can always recognize it--it's in the dragon; I'll let you figure it out.



My own aethetic I haven't figured out, however. Here's a picture of the Seine I just happen to like:



From here we moved on to London.