York & Rachel Semlyen

My trip to York was wonderful and very full, but even more important then discovering a great old and still vibrating city or understanding, finally familly and its history, was to discover a great lady.

I did met her already for an hour at King Cross station's Paul, but now, I had the occasion to discover more and more about her and her life and familly.

She is ten years younger then me and so full of life!

Not long time ago had she only stopped her walks on a horse! Very active, and so many interesting different things she had done!

A Jane Austin "pride and prejudice" ball in costumes for the York Hospice: I watched the video. It was as if I were there!

Founding a museum at Elvington Airfield, where French aviators stationed during the second war. We met first the English Association members showing old military vehicles and arms, dressed up like in the old times, then two days later, five of the French Veterans who were actually stationed there during World War 2.

The base is not far from the house she still lives, an old Mansion with wonderful chestnut trees on the way in, and she used to go with her husband, my second cousin I never met, there and listen to the birds. We set down there together, holding hands.

She was also for seven years guide to Travel Writers, showing them York: one can imagine, I could not have a better guide to show me the city. Through her, I discovered the city and its surrounding, with her and her familly personal history, and almost through her eyes, too.

First evening, we visited Chantal, a charming half French young lady and her teenager daughter, who prepared us a great dinner and entertained us with her stories: she arrived in UK a year ago. Last evening, we went to the theater and enjoyed a great performance.

So much to write about, so much happened in just a few days! More to come tomorrow. Meanwhile, you may see the first images uploaded to the Flickr image site, of York visit and of the Veteran's meeting, about which I'll have to write a whole story, it was so full with real life anecdotes.

She showed me a lot: old photos and the city and familly, but she also has a great gift of listening.

What I find even more enchanting, is the contact I opened with Rachel and her son that I feel will not break now but go on and on. Through them, I feel already: we are not alone in England: we do have familly!

Is there life after 70 ?

I did forget to tell part of the end, when I have seen the green light, so I told it in less then 5 minutes instead of six, here is all of it, to listen if you want.

I did tell it at the Lewisham Toastmasters meeting, last Wednesday.

Singing as in old times

the 1st of May in Argenteuil, near the Seine - short part of the song, just for the mood, perhaps

Le Marais, one of oldest quaters in Paris

I did not find french song, but perhaps this goes with this kind of presentation: you can always make it stop the sound, or make the slide go slower or faster...

Painter and her models, Place de Tertre

I did live for 23 years on the Butte Montmartre, near Place de Tertre, where the painters draw or paint the turist's.

I love the mood, and this time I found an original woman making a drawing where she put the couple, taking their image one after the other. Happy with my prize, she let me take one with her, and them.

He was not their, but sat back so I can take it like this.

After that, she went on, drawing her, and him to take photos.

The set "place de Tertre and around" is Here.

Argenteuil in Spring - first images

Argenteuil would be "the greater Paris" if it would be something like that in France, on the board of the Seine, where in the times, the Impressionist peinter Monet (or was it Manet) and Renoir went to visit too. And paint.


Each 1st of May, we remember them, by dressing as in their times... painting, singing. I went this year to Argenteuil just in time for the spring and the festival.

Here the first images from there. Starting with people on the streets and flowers and followed by some pictures from the festival.

Paris in spring

First of May in Paris were demonstrations, but in Argenteuil, near the Seine, it was just the Joy of the Seine, as more then hundred years ago, the time of the impressionists, who used to paint there.

Women and men, dressed like in old times. Music of the begining of last century.

It is 4 in the morning, more, later.

A few images until then.