I wish you an inspiring, full of good surprises, open mind and discovers of the others and their cultures.
I sincerely hope that 2016 will be more human and more peaceful but for this, we need also to take an active part on it so to us to share common space, share stories and histories to help to understand the other and don’t forget what fury destroyed!
Summary of the trail:
Amsterdam is worldly known for its canals, its bikers (the ones who ride a bicycle… but that doesn’t do a real different regarding to their driven!), its paintings (and Rembrandt’s ones), Anne Frank, its Red light District and… its coffee shops! Be clear, you will not find here a guide of the best coffee shops available in town. Many guides still exist and if you have any doubt of your capacity to find one “coffee shop” which sell not the beverage but hemp, don’t be afraid, eyes but above all your smell will find them without any margin of error…
No, I suggest you here my 2 days experience of the Dutch capital, based on visit, food, wandering, discoveries and food!
Note: the core city of Amsterdam is really easy for pedestrians! (everything is accessible in 30min max)
Your name as author of the trail: Hélène Herniou – visicity
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Walking through Amsterdam and the Rijksmuseum
If your arrive by train, the itinerary is quite simple: the main train station “Amsterdam Centraal” is on the North of the core city centre. But if you come from the “Amsterdam Airport Schiphol” you can take a train from the airport to “Amsterdam Centraal” (around 20min). You can buy your ticket on the yellow machines (which even offer you different languages!); prices were, in February 2015, of 5,10€ by ticket. Note that you have to check in and out with this ticket.
Of course, that depends a lot of when you arrived but if, as me, you arrive an evening, you’ll prefer to wander the evening around your accommodation and starting visiting the day after, at the Morning.
* You will quickly realised that Museums prices are just overpriced! Count around 10-15€ for one visit! That is totally crazy but two solutions exist:
1) you don’t go to every museums you wish to but select one or two
2) you think that you will be not come back again and Dutch art is definitely your favorite one! A Museums card exist, that costs 54,90€ that to say 4 museums visits… To find the list of participated museums (they are quite all in) and where to buy your card, please follow this link.
The Rijksmuseum suggests to come visiting from 9 to 11am or after 2pm… As holidays are also made to rest, I took the second option and, to be sure to not have too many people, I visited a Friday afternoon.
Note: transports are expensive but also not necessary (because so many things are feet accessible) but a good tip is to take a 24 hours ticket, payable inside the tram and buses, for 7,50€.
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Summary of the trail:
Skye is an extraordinary island. During our 3 days spent there, we were really amazed by Skye: its people, its breathtaking landscapes, its Highland games (just excellent) and its good whisky too! Note that it is quite easy, during the season, to visit the island and ramble without a car. It only requires planning: sleep in Portree, wake up early (but as usual for walkers) and be careful with the bus timetable! This following trail is not enough precise to take it as a guide while walking. The idea is definitely to help you to see what could be interesting to see and where to walk from our experience.
Watch in full screen
Your name as author of the trail: Hélène Herniou – visicity
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Take the bus citylink from Glasgow or Kyle of Lochalsh (accessible by train from Inverness) towards Uig and stop in Portree. If you arrive at the end of the afternoon as we did, there are activities you can still do:
We didn’t try everything but these both deserve really a trial:
There are many hotels and B&B in Portree. We found this solution to sleep in Portree easier with the buses system but if you don’t have this kind of “problem”, you can find very fine B&B in the middle of nowhere. About our experience, we were in the best B&B that we ever have slept in until now:
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Take the bus 57a (mind the letter after the number) in the bus station (in front of the Scottish Court Service). We advice to take the bus early in the morning because it allows you to enjoy all the day and not have too many tourists on the trails. Stop at the Storr.
Take the public footpath through the forest, to the direction of the Man of Storr. The path is quite clear and the other tourists are also a good clue to know where the direction is.
2 possibilities for this trail: the complete loop (around 4 hours, 8km) and the “little” loop (around 2 hours, 3.5km). We both did only the short loop because we wanted to ramble to the Quiraing after (see below).
This walk is the most popular walk on Skye thanks to its iconic pinnacle, the Man of Storr. The path crosses a “synthetic” forest that travel you through the Vosges to a Mediterranean landscape, from a lunar scenery to a path like in the Lord of the Rings; by this diversity of views, we can say that this ramble is a very good introduction to the magic walks available on Skye.
After the walk to the Storr, you can take again the 57a bus toward the Quiraing (stop in Flodigarry).
The path is sometimes a little bit hard to find, especially at the end (to ramble down Loch Leum na Luirginn/Sartle). But this walk is so amazing! The Storr was great, the Quiraing is super duper! Each side of mountains and vales are so different; each time you have the impression to enter in another world! You see the sea, the mountain, the rocks, the meadows, bog,… Just incredible 7 km (around 3 or 5 hours) of walk and amazed!
For the return to Portree, we finished the loop of the Trotternish peninsula by bus: first because it was easier to catch the bus in this direction, secondly because we needed this time without walk to restore my feet and finally because it is a way to see this wonderful part of Skye, quickly (interesting if you don’t have enough days to spend on the island!)
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From Portree, you can take the bus 608 toward Fiskavaig. In Fiskavaig, a road (then a path) can be used to walk to the Talisker Bay, on the beach. After it, another path is available toward Carbost, where the Talisker Distillery is (!)
The first part of this walk is really bucolic (with cows, farms,…). You arrive after on a wonderful large beach with a “salt and pepper” sand. It is really impressive because two rivers finish their run on the sea: River Talisker and Sleadale Burn.
The rest of the walk is really agreeable because we walk, alone, in the green vale. The walk is really easy and takes around 5 hours but that is definitely worth it… especially when you end with a visit in the Talisker Distilery, really interesting! (Mind to book before).
Interesting story: Samuel Johnson and James Boswell stayed in the Talisker House (that belonged at this time to the heir to the chief of the MacLeods) during their tour of the Highlands in 1773 but… didn’t really share the same feeling about their stay!
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After Skye, our next stage was Fort William; that’s why we decided to drive away by the south-west of the island (part that we didn’t have enough time to visit). For this, we took the bus 52 to Armadale then a ferry from Armadale to Mallaig (quite impressive!) and the train to Fort William.
On the train line, there’s also the “Harry Potter train”, a steam train with wood interiors. We strongly recommend to use the “regular” train because first there are more trains, then this one is comfortable (large windows, really interesting to see the wonderful landscapes) and an “acceptable” level of children and grand-parents in regard of the “old” train (of course, I’m joking but it’s sure that the noise level and the number of free seats are definitely not the same).
Summary of the trail:
Paris has never stopped developing, changing, building and being a witness to its times, from the Roman period until the end of the 20th century. The left bank is a particularly good example of this running history thanks its so many vestiges still standing. With this trail, I recommend you discover with fun and games 18 centuries of History! (this walk is family friendly)
Your name as author of the trail: Hélène Herniou – visicity
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From the line 10 underground station “Cluny-La Sorbonne”, continue straight ahead toward the boulevard Saint-Michel and take on your left hand at the corner. Walk a few metres until you see three walls in bricks and white stones.
Have you seen that the grounds of these three different areas (on the left and on the right of the space in front of you with the arches) are not at the same level? Do you know why?
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[__/su_spoiler] [_/su_spoiler]Walk around the Museum (if you have time, walk through the medieval garden that is really nice) and reach the Cluny street (rue de Cluny) then the Boulevard saint-Germain, then the rue saint-Jacques, straight ahead toward the chevet of Saint-Severin church (extraordinary choir and ambulatory, a must see if you have time!). Then turn to your right hand toward the rue Galande then, left hand, on the rue saint-Julien-le-Pauvre. You are in front of the church; if it is open, enter to visit it. If not, go behind, in the square René Viviani.
Why this square is famous for?
We are here in an area with very old stuff. Yes, this place is often the best area to see quietly Notre-Dame but it is also where the oldest tree of Paris is supposed to be: It is said to have been planted in 1601 by the botanist Jean Robin.
Near this tree, you can see a sculpture by Georges Jeanclos dedicated to local children dead during the deportation.
But if you are in this square it is also because of the Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre church, the oldest church of Paris, built in the 12th century. At this time, you have to imagine that you were outside Paris; around you: only fields, monasteries, fishermen. In front of you, Notre-Dame has just started its current construction as you know it today and –so strange for us to imagine– several islands on the river Seine: not only the Cité island as we know it today, but three shorter ones.
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[__/su_spoiler] [_/su_spoiler]Now, go toward Notre-Dame by the bridge just in front of you.
During the French Revoluion, Parisians destroyed many church portals but on the Notre-Dame portals, one sculpture was left untouched, the one of sainte Geneviève (to see it, go to the left portal, left door, look at the right side of doorway, on the lower third). Why?
Sainte Genevieve is the patron saint of the city of Paris and it seems that she was closely involved in the construction of the first church of Notre-Dame. She is also present in another part of Paris: on the saint Genevieve “mountain” where stands the Pantheon. During the French Revolution there was a lot of destruction but with the aim of breaking the hierarchy made of noble(wo)men (including, for the more extreme revolutionaries, the King) and clergy but not religion itself (it will be later and elsewhere). Saint Genevieve is not a symbol of the clergy but of the protection of the city and its independence (the mythological tale said that she threw on the besieging enemies a pig to tell them that the siege of the city can last longer as Parisians have more than enough to live, which was highly wrong of course. Certainly this tale is wrong but it is quite funny!).--------------
[__/su_spoiler] [_/su_spoiler]Walk around the cathedral and take the bridge, at the end of the island, Quai de l’Archevêché. Walk on the Seine River bank, in the opposite direction of the traffic and take the first double stairs you find on your left. Walk down the dock until the Arab World Institute (huge white rectangle building with pattern of musharabie) is above you and the park with several stairs in front of you.
Alternative route: in the square behind the cathedral, continue to the saint-Louis island, in front of you and wander through short streets and docks and finish by a Berthillon ice cream (31 rue Saint-Louis-en-l’Île) to give you energy for the end of this trail. Then take the Boulevard Henri IV (at the opposite end of the island from where you entered it) on your right hand and go down to the docks.
How many sculptures are standing in this square?
You are here in the open-air sculpture museum of the Paris Council with its 37 sculptures, made between the 1950’s and the end of the 20th century. (for more detail, see the links below)--------------
[__/su_spoiler] [_/su_spoiler]Follow the dock then walk up until the Jardin des Plantes (Plants Garden) gate. Enter. Wander through the park in the direction of the huge sculpture makes you back, in the middle lane, in front of the Museum façade.
Who is represented by this statue?
Get higher in this garden and keep following Buffon by finding the gloriette, after the greenhouses on the right side when facing the museum. A spiral footpath is waiting for you to bring you in this pavillon where it said that Buffon watched the sky. You will read “Horas non numero nisi serenas” on the fronton because it was used as sundial; you understand now why “I count only the hours without clouds”.
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[__/su_spoiler] [_/su_spoiler]Walk out of the Jardin des Plantes by the Museum entrance and take on your left the Rue Daubenton then right, the Rue Georges Desplas. You are turning around the Mosque of Paris, our last step of this trail –the main gate is in front of you, 2bis Place du Puits de l’Ermite.
Which year was inaugurated the Mosque of Paris?
In 1895, a first Mosque project was planned on the Quai d’Orsay (where are the National Assembly or the Invalides) but the current Mosque was decided after the First World War in honour of the Muslim soldiers who fought for France. In 1922, the construction (wholly financed by the French government) began and finished by the inauguration on the 16th July 1926. Architectural styles used are Tunisian (for the minaret) and Moroccan. The mosque comprises the large hall for prayers, one madrassa (school), a library, a conference hall, Arabic gardens and annex areas turned towards tourists and visitors. Because today, you can visit the mosque (except the Friday), bathe in the hammam or taste one of their Oriental pastries or Mint tee in the nice patio, like a jaunt in Morocco in the heart of Paris.Summary of the trail: We know Paris as the City of Lights but not as city of waterways. However, Paris is built around the Seine River and “cut” by many canals. Strong communication ways, these canals belong to the Parisian landscape as romantic or picturesque ribbons and no longer as highways. Let’s scratch this idea and go to the past, to discover a city quite different as the one we know!
Your name as author of the trail: Hélène Herniou – visicity
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Go out of the underground station “Stalingrad” and go to the fountain, on the left side of the canal (with the Stalingrad gate-rotunda in your back)
I was really astonished when I discovered this fountain: in the middle of buildings, large streets, shouts and an environment full of life, this so calm sculpture, on the top of a fountain without water clashes with everything that surrounds it. This sculpture shows a shaved seating male figure wearing a Buddhist priest toga, in a meaningful position by the mudras (Sanskrit term to define these specific meaningful hands position). The message here given is protection (fingers joined are the symbol of absence of fear because of the protection given by Buddha and the lifted palm is also a protection symbol). I didn’t find sure information about it, but it seems that, as Gearges Jeanclos has designed (with architect Bernard Huet) the squared fountain in the middle of the Stalingrad square and he created the Kamakura sculptures series (c. 1988) that look like this fountain sculpture, it is likely that we are in front of one of his works. Kamakura is a Japanese city and defines a history period (1185-1333).
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[_/su_spoiler]Turn to your right hand and come to this huge round building
This building is known as the Villette rotunda. This rotunda is actually one of the last three gates erected in Paris by Ledoux still in place. Villette was, before to be a part of the current Paris, a village at the fringe of Paris and at that time, the goods coming and going in or out Paris were taxed. Yet, this gate was an aesthetic ornament for collector of customs taxes, controllers and horse guards desks. You are maybe feeling in front of a strict building with more stones than openings but if you detail precisely the building, yet you are seeing different aperture sizes, a different work of stone surface to play with the light, a fight between vertical columns and pillars versus horizontal lines, … If it open, please enter in this building and let Claude Nicolas Ledoux surprise you again!
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[_/su_spoiler]After you’ve spent time time of admiring the rotunda, walk around the Villette pool, especially on the right side. There you will find graffiti, an elevated bridge above the lock (that communicates directly with the Saint-Martin Canal); now you are living an Amelie effect! Walk along the right side of the canal (Quai de la Loire), straight away toward the long red brick building. After the building, turn on your left hand and cross the bridge.
This bridge was built in 1885 to let pedestrians cross the bridge even of this one was open to let a ship navigate on the canal. This bridge is the last lift bridge in Paris but also an evidence of the capital city’s fluvial activity until the beginning of the 20th century. The little place surrounded by trees, in front of a church is the Bitche Place (it’s also the name of a Lorraine village and of a battle); subject of a Jules Romains poem (in Lovers journey).
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[_/su_spoiler]
?Walk back some steps toward the right bank of the canal and then straight ahead along the canal. Play the video underneath when you reach the huge metal bridge covered by graffiti (among them one by Jérôme Mesnager, the white human silhouette)
Lys Gauty, Le bassin de la Villette
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[_/su_spoiler]Walk past the canals roundabout (meeting point between the Saint-Martin canal and Ourcq canal) to go straight ahead toward the red structures. You are entering in the Villette “territory” with this first red “folie” (these structures can be only a pedestrian signal or a restaurant, …). Go up the stairs then turn on left to reach the underground line 7 (Porte de la Villette) or walk on the bridge and down on your right for the underground line 5 (Porte de Pantin)
These red structures are a good clue to understand where you are (numbers on every folie) inside this huge park. It was designed during the 1980’s on the former area of Parisian abattoirs. This area is designed as an open space (whatever the hour of the night or the day) to everyone, to every kind of wandering and as an educational, artistic and scientific place (Science and industrial city, Music city, cinema, fair hall, zenith, (black) submarine, …). Materials and shapes used are thoroughly thought by its architect, Robert Tschumi, because, if you feel lost in this huge park, see the ground materials: two different colours, one for the quick circulation (go from a place to another, for pedestrians, cyclists, rollers) and another which zigzag through all the park and offer you different atmospheres during your wondering. Our trail is finished but this great park is really worth a walk through both banks of the Ourcq canal.
Jaimi Faulkner, In the morning light she goes
