DianneW

Annecy is by all accounts a beautiful city, often called the prettiest in France and one of the best cities to visit in France.

Right on the lake and very close to the Alps, Annecy is one of those places just small enough to be manageable, yet big enough to offer a huge variety of activities, accommodations and restaurants.

It is often called Little Venice for its maze of picturesque canals located in the Old Town area just off the lake. You can wander along the gorgeous little waterways for hours, browsing a variety of niche shops and stopping off for drinks, snacks and desserts at the atmospheric canal-side bars, cafés and pastry shops. (Rigollot, in the Old Town, won Best Pastry Chef of France one year!)



Metz in the North of France, is filled with enchanting architecture, cozy streets and forts full of history.

Its train station is one of France's most beautiful, both inside and out. The main cathedral, Saint Stephen, is an impressive work of art, especially beautiful at night when its stained glass windows create an amazing show.

The Centre Pompidou, known in Paris for its modern urban design, has an equally delightful branch in Metz.

The Palais de Justice, or courthouse, is one of the city center's most imposing buildings; another is the castle-like structure along the river, which is in fact a Protestant church. For something offbeat, head to the museum dedicated to Paul Verlaine, a celebrated poet of the late 19th century who was born in this city.

Metz does like its festivals, especially those involving sculptures: in August, the Mirabelle Plum Festival features flower sculptures, and during the Christmas market, you can enjoy a beautiful festival of ice sculptures.

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Plankton

Sounds lovely. I'd love to visit there.

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See location...

The Batlord

By history do you mean German bullets?

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Marie Monday

Metz is indeed very lovely, and one of the French towns I have the fondest memories of. I once made an impromptu stop there on the way back from vacation, totally exhausted, and I was amazed. I hadn't realised the town would be that pretty

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Lisnaholic

I don't know, Batlord, but I expect that on the architect's drawing for the next floor up it says, "Space for big-assed arched ceiling to pub". So that just leaves two more floors.

Yeah, who knows, Plankton ? Did you catch the guy perched on the cornice playing pan pipes ?

Some great photos Diana. I really loved this one:-

Yes, very worrying that people actually planned to demolish a pub like The Blackfriar. The hero of the hour, Sir John Betjeman, later got his own memorial in St. Pancras, (the London station that owes its most recent fame to the Harry Potter movie franchise). The statue does a great job of catching the attitude that comes across in John B's poems; simple, almost bumbling, admiration:-

Attached Thumbnails

 

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"Am I enjoying this moment? I know of it and perhaps that is enough." - Sybille Bedford, 1953

DianneW

''The Archer'' outside East Finchley Station London.



Great Britain" sign in the foyer of the Daily Express building







"Empire" sign in the lobby of the Daily Express building'

Husband's Relative on his French Family Side

https://www.invaluable.com/artist/au...uction-prices/

Lisnaholic

I just love that archer statue at East Finchley Station, Dianne. Thanks for posting it.

London is just full of curiosities, but here's something from Sheffield, if anyone wants to spend 15 mins discovering how a piece of unplanned fame infiltrated some very planned social housing:-

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"Am I enjoying this moment? I know of it and perhaps that is enough." - Sybille Bedford, 1953

Lisnaholic

In architecture, it's pretty difficult to reach that iconic status of:-

(i) becoming a recognised "name" architect,
(ii) having a recognized style that is more than just redesigning the same building again and again
(iii) deserving your fame with good, attractive, functional buildings

I don't follow the architectural press enough to know who, in the industry, is in fashion or not, but I have noticed the Swiss combo of Herzog & deMeuron. They may not tick all three items on the list above, but they've come up with some cool designs.
Concert hall, Hamburg:-


a) as seen from the deck of my yacht, b) up close and personal:-


House inspired by the work of our very own Plankton:-

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Shantu Uni Medical College, China:-

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Art Gallery in Vancouver:-

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"Am I enjoying this moment? I know of it and perhaps that is enough." - Sybille Bedford, 1953

DianneW

I was particularly Interested in that as my Twin Son is needing to move to Sheffield from Tadworth ASAP...
These films are an eye opener ...

Lisnaholic

I'm glad you enjoyed the video Dianne. I imagine we've both seen plenty of flats like those in our time! Hope your son finds his feet in Sheffield.
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Here's an article that reports on the recent publication of a seven-vol book about African architecture:-

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-58855205

They've chosen 12 photos/12 buildings. As the oldest building is from 3 000 B.C., their choices represent a certain amount of narrowing down from five thousand years of construction.

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"Am I enjoying this moment? I know of it and perhaps that is enough." - Sybille Bedford, 1953