ExplorerB

Greetings,

Today's a good day to enjoy photos of my summer 2008 trip to France and Italy, specifically Paris, Normandy, Florence, Verona, Ravenna, Lake Como, and the Cinque Terre.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brendanbear/

My accompanying blog can be found at www.explorerbear.blogspot.com

basingstoke2

Nice!!!

bobthenavigator

Very nice !!!

Loved the Bellagio shots

ExplorerB

bob & basing,

Thanks for your replies. I'm so glad you enjoyed the photos.

ComfyShoes

Very nice shots. The ones from Venice and Como area (and others) are perhaps the best "I" have seen. Couple of your beach photos reminded me of a Richard Misrach exhibit on beaches (visit http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2008/misrach/ and keep clicking until you hit the ones where people are on beaches).

May I ask you what camera do you use?

Thanks for sharing!

ExplorerB

Comfyshoes,
Thank you for viewing my photos and for the kind words. I will make a point of checking out the exhibit.

As for my camera, I use an Olympus C-7070 digital camera with a wide angle lens and 7.1 megapixels. I've used this camera on three trips to Europe and I've been very pleased with it. While touring Europe, I charge the battery every night and the camera battery provides me with a full day of shooting capability.

ComfyShoes

Thanks! That is a very nice and compact camera (I have had an Olympus Evolt 500 for couple years and love it too).

Challiman

Very nice photos, many places I've been and appreciate seeing them from a different eye, though some are very similar to ones I took. Of course, I took about 800, and don't have the good sense to share only a few with friends!
Normandy will forever be a special place for me. I just started crying and couldn't stop for quite a while. My husband also got choked up, and the guide we'd had for the invasion sights said many people react that way. My dad was in WWII but not Normandy, so it wasn't a personal connection, but it FELT like a personal connection. Anyway, thanks for the photos, very nice.

ExplorerB

Challiman,
Thank you for your kind words. I too were very moved by the WWII sites I saw in Normandy. I think some of the most poignant scenes I saw were families of all nationalities telling the story of what happened there to their children.

hiplederhosen

Nice pics, ExplorerB! I really enjoyed the ones of the Cinque Terre. They reminded me of my trip there last year.

A quick question: I like your pictures of Mont Sainte Michel. Did you spring for the 30 Euro omelet at La Mere Poulard?

ExplorerB

hip,

Thanks for your response. I'm afraid the closest we got to sampling a Poulard omelet was observing a few of their chefs preparing those pricey and fluffy treats. Curiously enough, the sight of those chefs made for a swell photo op for quite a few tourists.

Thanks again for writing.

Samsaf

ExplorerB, I loved your pictures! I've been sitting here looking through all of them. And now I'm off to read your blog. Thanks for posting this.

ExplorerB

Samsaf,

Thanks for replying and your kind words. Are there a particular set of pictures that resonate with you? Perhaps there's something in the blog that reminds you of a France and/or Italy visit.

Bailey

Explorer,
What wonderful images....can't wait to spend some time really going through all of them....and your blog too!!

How long were you away? I'm sure I'll figure it out when I read your blog!!

Thanks for taking the time to post!
Cheers,
Bailey

http://baileyzimmerman.blogspot.com

Samsaf

ExplorerB,

Well, I liked all the pictures. We took some pictures in Florence in almost the exact same places as yours, so I loved those.

And the Cinque Terre pictures were great, too. The closest place to there I have visited is Portofino, and my husband and I still say that it is one of our favorite places in the world. We hope to go back and spend several days in the Cinque Terre.

ExplorerB

Bailey,

Thanks for taking time to respond and for sending along your blog. It's plain to see you're a "visual junkie." What an appealing site you have, and I look forward to taking a closer look at it.

As to the length of my trip, it was 19 days.

Samsaf,

I've not yet visited Portofino, but I've read that it's quite upmarket relative to the Cinque Terre. Of the villages that make up the CT, I'm especially fond of Monterosso as it features a good diversity of eateries and accommodations. Plus, I like the fact that it's really two towns in one: the salty, colorful charm of the Old Town, and the attractive seaside promenade that's part of the New Town. These two parts are separated by a pedestrian-friendly tunnel.

Thanks for writing.

ComfyShoes

Wow, Bailey, that is an absolutely gorgeous blog with fantastic shots!