The Flynn Recreation Complex at BC

Early in the morning (6.30 AM) the rising sun shines on the unusually built "Rec Plex" which we all love, because it has been around for 35 years and we have our habits. It opens at 6 AM and the first visitors wait already at the door. There are some students but mostly it is faculty and employees of BC - in my case 'faculty members spouse'.

What a luxury to have the Olympic sized pool quiet and almost alone until the BC swimming team starts their training at 8 AM. Then it is necessary to leave and move over to the 'machines' and the weight lifting area in the large tennis hall.


When this Rec Plex opened many years ago, there were four Squash courts which we used at least three times per week. Now two courts have been changed for Yoga classes.
Times are changing and we too - no more Squash games for us, but more Yoga. Hatha Yoga!

Back on the BC campus

Every year, end of August, the new class (now class of 2015!) of First-year-students is arriving.
They have time to get settled in their rooms and find their way around on campus before classes start on Sept. 6. Until then all are asked to read a book - this year it is "Let the Great World Spin" by Colum McCann. The author will then be the invited speaker at the Convocation Sept. 15. (2005 I heard B. Obama because the students read "Dreams from my Father")




With ca 2.300 Freshmen and the same amount of guests, the convocation has to be held in the Conte Stadium. I looked around there and saw the cheerleader team practicing for the Football season which starts next Saturday. Took only one photo and the girls excused themselves to 'just practice'. They had my full admiration in their acrobatics of jumping up in the air, just standing on the hands of the muscular boys high above their heads and then switching and balancing just on one hand.

Outside at the entrance of the stadium, part of the BC band practiced despite the rain:

Transition

There are different ways to come to Charles de Gaulles airport - RER, Roissybus, Les cars de Air France and then a Taxi. The latter is no challenge at all, RER is too much challenge and Air France buses are my preferred transport. Clean, cool and 45 minutes. Leaving from Etoile I wave to the Arc de Triomphe through the back window.


In the air for 3 hours and then 5 hours - always a short stop over to change planes on Iceland which is an occasion to walk in the corridor and drink some strong coffee in the airport Keflavik.


Smooth landing in Logan airport with the view on part of the skyline of Boston. Weather is clear and only 24 C - cool in comparison to Paris with 34 C.

Paris - Je fais la bise

Time for us to start the Fall semester in Boston and we say Good bye and Auf Wiedersehen!

For the tourists and the Parisians coming back, there is the Paris plage which may stay longer then August 21 because of the heat wave suddenly heating up the town. Fun for them lying in the sand and fun for them looking at this spectacle. We are looking forward to Wells beach!

In 10 minutes they close.....

Can you see the clock in the middle of the Luxembourg palace? 20.15 is closing time!

Three elderly tourists enjoy resting their legs for just a few more minutes and the young couple will soon be interrupted by the guards who want to close the gates.


Nobody will approach Maria de Medici about closing time - she being the reason that there even is a palace in the middle of the left bank in Paris.

The large public Luxembourg garden on the other hand exists thanks to the French Revolution!
Probably then the clock was installed.......

Paris in vacation mood (3)

Yesterday evening we took a stroll on the Left side and the Luxembourg garden. Not many visitors in the garden - the reason may have been that they close at 8.15 PM.



Around the market hall in St. Germain there are many smaller restaurants and the tables on the side board were filled and musicians gave some serenade - wanted or not. Lots of voices in English, Italian and German while they enjoyed the 'French' pizzas.


More "Parisian", the sign in the newspaper kiosk at Boulevard St. Germain, that they are closed from July 18 to August 28. Let's hope, because sadly more and more newspaper stands are closing for good. The flop side of the internet and lesser interest in the printed news.

Inspired by Charles Aubry

In the Musee d'Orsay is a special exhibition of the (b/w) photos by Charles Aubry who lived in Paris 1811 - 1877. He took photos of flowers and plants to sell them to artists and artisans to be used as inspiration. The business was not too good, but now of course we cherish these very early photos.

I was pleasantly surprised, because without knowing about him, I take many 'portraits' of flowers and plants. Showing them made me always a little defensive. Now I discovered a 'soul-brother'!

Paris in vacation mood (2)

Many stores are closed for vacation and the National Comedie Francaise of course is closed and that for more then 5 weeks. www.comedie-francaise.fr

But the Metro is open and is always the wonderful public transportation which makes it so easy to move around in Paris. Easy to use and fast - if there is not a strike. Strikes do not happen during vacation but then later in the Fall perhaps. The bus system is practical too and new is, that one can change buses once with the same ticket.

"Le Kiosque des noctambules" sculptured by Jean-Michel Othoniel and installed 2000 at the Metro entrance on Place Colette just next to Salle Richelieu of the Comedie Francaise. It is one of several entrances to the Metro station Palais Royale.

Today - Ascension day - which is always on the 15th of August, everything in France is closed and beside a Christian Holiday it is a day which marks the pinnacle of the summer vacation. Now children have to think to finish their school lessons they got for the summer and to begin classes again on September 5.

Paris in vacation mood

Wonderful ancient 'shopping mall' Palais Royale, a restful place not far from the Louvre is now, in the middle of August deserted. The shutters of the elegant boutiques are down and quickly written notes tell you that you have to wait at least another week until they return from their vacation.




A chance not to spend any money but to enjoy the trees which can not leave for vacation.

New and old fashion in Versailles

An interesting show of old and new beautiful dresses is now installed in the halls of the Grand Trianon in the Park of Versailles. The dresses of the 18th Century have the size of childrens clothes compared with the creations by Chanel, Dior etc. More:
In contrast with all these exquisite robes, the tourists (and me) looked kind of in 'shabby chic'.

Home sweet home

We stayed in 'our' hotel in Aachen again and then in the morning this headline.....
Time to drive home and to end the vacation -


and when we saw the Eiffel tower and the rainbow from the kitchen window we felt very blessed.

Germany - former East-Germany

Talk with someone who visited the former DDR and - like us - everybody admires the beautiful tree lined streets. Not only linden trees but large oak trees.
Our goal was to meet with the 'Hausherr' of Schloss Grube who we know from long time. He had bought a 'fixer upper' and restored this 'Herrenhaus' in the last four years in such a careful way that they got the Brandenburgischen Denkmalpreis 2010!



The all day festivities in Schloss Grube with sunshine and ca 1000 visitors was a moving theater performance by a few professional actors and many lay actors from the village Grube.

Sausages, fish and a grilled pig was the food and
the ladies of the village baked many cakes:


This cake was explained to me as a one known during DDR times and made with red, yellow and blue food coloring...... mmmmm.

Following our friends advices

Driving back to the ferry in Trelleborg in the South we visited all the places which were recommended to us by our Swedish friends:


Loefstad slott for lunch,

We admired Vadstena church (and lit two candles) and then visited the Wasa castle,


In Boraas we took a stroll to admire the sculptures here Paal Svensson's "slits".


After the last dinner in Skanoer we took a stroll around the harbor and admired the boats from all around the Baltic sea: Finland, Germany, Denmark, Norway and of course Sweden.

Venice of the North

Once again the boat/hostel/restaurant/landmark "Af Chapman" which is right in the middle of Stockholm - one of the Venices of the North. (St. Petersburg and Bruges are VoN too...)


As you can see - opposite from the castle and the opera.

Summer Stockholm

There is a lot to do in Stockholm and if the weather is sunny with the cool breeze, it is the best city to visit with children. All the museums - and there a many - are prepared to welcome them and make them interested. Like here in the National museum.


Of course it may be nicer to just take a stroll around the water and perhaps sit on a boat . "Af Chapman" for example which is both a restaurant and a hostel. More