Earth from the air

What you may not know about me is I LOVE to fly. Put me in any kind of a plane and I am over the moon. I love to see the world become a miniature picture with patchwork fields and matchbox houses passing by.

The flight yesterday was one of the most awesome ones I have been on. We flew from Gerona over the Pyrenees. It was more beautiful than I could ever describe. I had my little camera with me so I was able to capture these. Please remember that they are taken through the window so some of the photos  are not clear. I love them all. They are a memory of a beautiful experience.

The first view of the mountains had Borneo scrambling for my camera. He really is an angel.

The mists cleared and snow appeared.

There was a completely frozen lake.

Then we were over the mountains and they disappeared off into the mists again.

A river glistening like a jewel in the sunlight.

We encountered the huge cloud bank that is sitting over France and the UK and all I saw was the twinkling lights when we landed at the airport.

This week so far..

Here I am playing with photographs again when I could be finishing off knitting projects but there is so much beauty here every day.

On Sunday we walked along the quays at St Cyprien. It was a grey day and cold but still beautiful out.

On Monday, Trudi bought me yellow roses, my favourites.

and we went yarn shopping in Perpignan.

On Tuesday morning we walked into town to have Bears Paws and coffee at the boulangerie. We had a walk around town where I saw this beautiful door.

and Canigou was wearing a halo.

We drove up to Montbolo where the mountains were just spectacular.

This is Amelie Les Bains in the valley. It is a spa town.

It is quite a pretty little town along the River Tech

These are the mountains behind it.

Montbolo has a picturesque little church.

Today we were in Elne for the sunset.

It does not get much better than this.

But it did as the moon rose over the Mediterranean.

In Ceret market today.

Trudi and I ambled down to have Grand Creme and Patte d'ours (bear's paw pastry - I love bears so had to try it) in town this morning. Saturday is market day. We ate in this beautiful boulangerie.

I could not believe the variety of wonderful decadence available

then still more.

In the road outside was a decorated camper van, not to my taste, but it shows how people are the same the whole world round.

This is one of the beautiful tile paintings of Ceret that are scattered about the town walls.

Next to the bakery is a studio that makes chain link door screens. One can give them a photo and they will make it into a screen. I think the locals here use them to keep the flies out. These ones are their advertisement up on the wall above the door. They are beautifully made.

At last, suitably fortified we went off into the market. You may recognise it from last year's post.

The market is full of delightful things. Fewer tourists mean it is easier to photograph. 

These are scissors for cutting herbs. I had never seen them before. They have multiple blades.

Then there were these paper hanging decorations made out of magazine pages.

My favourite stall is the pottery stall, just for the wonderful colours.

This was delicious dried fruit which we sampled.

Beads, beads, beads!

I loved this painting. It made me think of the miles I used to cycled and Queen's Bicycle songs. I nearly broke into chorus but then remembered where I was and hummed quietly under my breath. Trudi tells me she still has to live here when I leave.

In the centre of town other music distracted me. A man was playing an accordion surrounded by the Catalonian colours of red and yellow everywhere.

Canigou is dressed beautifully clearly today

after being all coy and mysterious yesterday.

Happy Weekend Everyone!

Sea, Lakes and Mountains.

This morning we decided that to introduce some restorative action after a few days of lurgy, we would head to the sea at Collioure. This is one of my favourite places.

As we drove out of Ceret, we discovered that a flesh batch of snow had blanketed Canigou and it was sparkling like a diamond in the morning light.

In Collioure, Trudi and I both chuckled when we saw Santa's Hat perched on the castle turret.

It is a spectacularly beautiful day at the sea side.

As we walked along, we saw this shoal of baby fish hiding in the shadow of one of the boats in the harbour.

On the rocks next to the wall, a boat has been carved into the rock. I had not seen it before.

There are no tourist about and all is quiet and serene.

Across the bay, the view is just as stunning.

The light on the mountains was beautiful.

Beware, photographer lurking.

We sat in a seaside cafe drinking hot chocolate embracing the wonderful view!

Knitting at the seaside is to be highly recommended.

Afterwards Trudi indulged my delight in the snow on Canigou and took me back to the lakes to get some more beautiful pictures.

Yes, another one.