Tag: travel

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December Solstice

104_0478{The InterContinental Le Grand Hôtel decorated for the holidays}

In the northern hemisphere the December solstice marks the first day of winter. And though I am not in the land of the midnight sun, but actually in the mid-Atlantic we have been experiencing shorter daylight hours and extremely long evening hours, with that said I am beginning to understand why we celebrate with so many lights at this time of year.

104_0480 104_0496{L’oiseau de feu [Firebird] by Niki de Saint Phalle that was at the Charles Pompidou Center and la tour Eiffel with the evening beacon}

Perusing through my photographs the other day I noticed that I have been in the “City of Light”, better known as Paris several times during the month of December and most definitely on the 21st of the month. Whether its the decorations in the lobby of the InterContinental Hôtel or the artwork of Niki de Saint Phalle this all adds up to warmth no matter what time of the day or where you are standing in the city. Going through my earliest photographs of this wondrous town I though I would share a few pictures of how I like to celebrate the beginning of winter… well in Paris of course!!

Happy Solstice!!!
K

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Christmas in the Cities

 

IMG_0294 IMG_0273{Picture of ceiling display at Saks and the drummer boy at Rockefeller Center in New York City}

What is it about Christmas in New York that transports one to wondrous time and place, akin to being in the North Pole mixed with a bit of Neverland? Everything sparkles and appears to have magical glow. Each meticulously decorated store becomes more inviting to enter than the next.

IMG_0360 IMG_0367{Ice rink and glistening trees at the Reston Town Center}

But, whether you are in a metropolis such as New York for the weekend like my dear friend Quy or a planned city like Reston, just being out and seeing people laden with packages, ice skating on rinks or viewing trees with twinkling lights pulls one into the allure of the season.

K