Travel photo blog

Paris

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Paris stimulates the senses, demanding to be seen, heard, touched, tasted and smelt. From romance along the Seine to landscapes on bus-sized canvases to the pick-an-ism types in cafes monologuing on the use of garlic or the finer points of Jerry Lewis, Paris is the essence of all things French.

Gaze rapturously at its breezy boulevards, impressive monuments, great works of art and magic lights. Savour its gourmet selection of cheese, chocolate, wine and seafood. Feel the wind in your face as you rollerblade through Bastille, or a frisson of fear and pleasure atop the Eiffel Tower.

Prague

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Formerly part of Czechoslovakia and landlocked in the middle of Europe, the Czech Republic is about the size of the U.S. State of New York.

It gained total independence in 1993 (splitting from Slovakia), with each forming a separate country.

Tourism is a major industry here, especially in the beautiful city of Prague, with its art nouveau architecture, castle, historic bridges, cobblestone streets, and much, much more.

Alma-Ata, Chimbulak, Medeo

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Carcassonne

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France is about 80% the size of Texas. In the Alps near the Italian and Swiss borders is western Europe’s highest point—Mont Blanc (15,781 ft; 4,810 m). The forest-covered Vosges Mountains are in the northeast, and the Pyrénées are along the Spanish border. Except for extreme northern France, the country may be described as four river basins and a plateau. Three of the streams flow west—the Seine into the English Channel, the Loire into the Atlantic, and the Garonne into the Bay of Biscay. The Rhône flows south into the Mediterranean. For about 100 mi (161 km), the Rhine is France’s eastern border. In the Mediterranean, about 115 mi (185 km) east-southeast of Nice, is the island of Corsica (3,367 sq mi; 8,721 sq km).