14th of July Fireworks

14th of July 1st Fireworks (link, enlace, lien)

So finally comes the best part of the day, the FIREWORKS!
I must say that they were gorgeous. Enjoy

14th of July 1st Fireworks (link, enlace, lien)

Lady Eiffel's tower dressed elegantly for the 14th of July

Lady Eiffel Tower (link, enlace, lien)

The 14^th of July coming again, Lady Eiffel tower on July 13^th decided to dress elegantly to show the world that she was still a modern grande dame. There goes few of those dresses. Enjoy

Lady Eiffel Tower (link, enlace, lien)

14th of July Military Aircraft Parade

14th of July 1st part (link, enlace, lien)

So comes the 14^th of July celebration day! Going to the Champs Elysées where the crowd gather very early in the morning is not anymore for me. Hey! you see much better on TV and more comfortably. But luckily from our window's flat we can enjoy, life, the military aircraft parade; so again here goes few pics. Enjoy.

14th of July 1st part (link, enlace, lien)

The Atomium

Atomium (link, enlace, lien)

The Atomium is a building in Brussels originally constructed for Expo '58, the 1958 Brussels World's Fair. Designed by the engineer André Waterkeyn and architects André and Jean Polak, it stands 102 m (335 ft) tall. Its nine 18 m (59 ft) diameter stainless steel clad spheres are connected so that the whole forms the shape of a unit cell of an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times!

The Atomium renovation began in March 2004 and was finished in February 18, 2006. The renovations included replacing the faded aluminium sheets on the spheres with stainless steel. Three of the four uppermost spheres lack vertical support and hence are not open to the public for safety reasons, although the sphere at the pinnacle is open to the public. The original design called for no supports; the structure was simply to rest on the spheres.

Atomium (link, enlace, lien)

Un paseo por la capital del país vasco

Vitoria (enlace, link, lien)

If you ever go the basque country Vitoria-Gasteiz is a must stop either on your way to the Rioja region or back or on your way to Santiago de Compostela. Vitoria-Gasteiz is the capital city of the province of Álava and of the autonomous community of the Basque Country in northern Spain. Within the city Santa María Cathedral is the visit not to be missed. Santa María de Vitoria Cathedral was built by King Alfonso VIII of Castile after the conquest of Vitoria in the second half of the 12th century. Alfonso X was responsible for expanding and modifying the structure with Gothic details in the 13th century.

Due to a lack of funds and political unrest, the cathedral had been poorly maintained for years, and suffered from structural and conservation problems, including the destabilization of the foundation and walls, which had shifted over time. In 2002, a conservation master plan was developed and its implementation was carried out as funds became available by the Ayuntamiento (Municipality) of Vitoria-Gastéiz. The site Excavations during the restoration of the cathedral revealed layers of history dating back to the eighth century, including countless pottery fragments and almost 2,000 graves. The original settlement of Gasteiz was built around A.D. 800. In the eleventh century, the first city wall was erected and the first church was later built against it.

I could go on but this isn't the purpose of this blog.

Enjoy those snap shots taken along my visit. 

(photos taken with my Fujitsu XE-1 18-55mm lens)

Vitoria (enlace, link, lien)

The Royal Greenhouses of Laeken

Royal Greenhouses of Laeken (link, enlace, lien)

The Royal Greenhouses are a vast complex of monumental heated greenhouses in the park of the Royal Palace of Laeken in the north of Brussels. It is one of the major tourist attractions of the city.

Every spring, the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken are open to the public for 3 weeks. It is an excellent opportunity to see the wonderful architecture of Alphonse Balat, the mentor of Victor Horta, and the many plants in the greenhouses.

Royal Greenhouses of Laeken (link, enlace, lien)

Early Pictures from Bir - Hakeim bridge

Early Pictures (link, enlace, lien)

One more early morning. The first pic was taken at 6:20 am. To my surprise 3 other photographers had already their tripods set up and shooting. The sun was supposed to rise at 6:50 am, supposed because the horizon was very cloudy like the rest of the day has been. Anyway I enjoyed my early morning and I believe those few shots were worth it.

Enjoy.

Early Pictures (link, enlace, lien)