A Short Trip to Europe – Work Holiday – John McRae Photography & Studio

Paris, City of Lights – looking towards the Concergerie. ©johnmcrae

Because I had been booked to shoot a wedding in Belgium late February, I decided to stay on for another 10 days in Europe to work and catch up with friends I hadn’t seen for quite some time.

Of course the trip was overshadowed by the pandemic that was quickly gaining momentum around the globe. Given the situation, I was relieved to be able to arrive back in Sydney by early March

Here are a few shots, taken during my time away…….

Paris rooftops, overlooking the Marais. ©johnmcrae

View across Paris from Sacre Coeur ©johnmcrae

La Tour Saint Jacques – I love this weird Gothic tower in the middle of Paris. All that’s left of a 16th century church that once dominated the site. ©johnmcrae

La Grande Cathedrale Notre Dame de Paris, after the fire. ©johnmcrae

Munich, Germany

After Paris I spent a few days visiting a friend in Munich. It was the first time I had been here. I was impressed. Impeccably ordered and clean and so, so European. I was completely enthralled by the Pinakothek der Moderne. I’ve never seen so many paintings by Max Beckmann in one place. I spent the entire afternoon in this magnificent building and lost myself completely.

Pinakothek der Moderne cieling ©johnmcrae

The French Countryside

Next stop was the French countryside in Burgundy (La Bourgogne). A friend recently moved back to France after 19 years living in Australia where he has purchased a delightful, picture-card-perfect farm house near a small village called, La Clayette.

This village is dominated by the impressive chateau, Chateau de La Clayette, that was built in the 14th and 19th Century as a fortress, surrounded by a moat. It has had a long and illustrious history and it remains in private hands.

Meanwhile here are some shots of the farm……

Morning view from the front door of the farmhouse

These are a few images of my new Burgundy friends…..the Charolais cows. They are a local breed of cattle renowned for their meat (although I wouldn’t mention that to them). They are a creamy, milky white colour and have a amicable nature. They are part of the local landscape.

The French obsession with Protest

I returned to Paris from the south of France before returning to Australia. However, no trip to Paris would be complete without experiencing what the French call, “Manifestation”, or protest. The French are famous for going out on the streets to protest their displeasure with the powers that be. For many centuries, this has been a well known French past-time. The protest on World Woman’s Day was a healthy display of active feminism, accompanied by a rather heavy police presence.