Islamic Art Museum - Qatar

I have just returned from taking students to a Model United Nations Conference in Doha, Qatar - my first visit to this region of the world. We had a very busy schedule at the conference organised by Georgetown University, but did manage to squeeze in a visit to this stunning art gallery - the Islamic Art Museum designed by architect I.M.Pei.....Feast your eyes on the beauty of the architecture and the exhibits....

The Museum exhibits a vast array of ceramics, calligraphy, textiles, carpets, miniatures from throughout the Islamic world - notably Turkey and Iran, and each piece is carefully chosen and artfully displayed over four floors including temporary exhibitions. I always hone in on the ceramics and there are gorgeous examples -especially Iznik tiles from Turkey, but, this time I fell for the charming naive scenes depicted on tiles from Iran, the like of which  I had not seen before...

Qatar is currently a boom-town construction site forested by cranes as more futuristic skyscrapers are added to the skyline boosted by its natural gas and oil resources, and it is rapidly developing in all arenas - business,  health, commerce, shopping, education, and of course sport as it heads towards hosting the World Cup in 2022.....but I really enjoyed this oasis of cultural calm at the end of the Corniche - Enjoy!!

Shadow Shot Sunday 179 - Nice

Here on the Riviera you can go to the beach any time of year - this is mid-morning before opening for the lunch-time rush in January - when the tables are all set up and inviting, and the shadows are long and waiting - all is poised..........

For more shadow shots this week, click HERE and enjoy!!

Eglise St Jeanne D'Arc....

This is the Eglise St Jeanne d'Arc just 15 minutes' walk from where I live in Nice in the neighbourhood of Liberation....I just stumbled across it one day when I was out exploring the area...

I just liked that combination of a dramatic dappled sky with the cool, smooth whites of the architecture and felt it was worth a few photographs....

What have you discovered recently in your neighbourhood that brought out the camera??

Shadow Shot Sunday 178 - Antibes

A shady, shadowy little green corner tucked away in the back streets of old Antibes.....

A contrast to the showy, striking blues which are usually on offer here....

For more shadow shots this week click HERE for SHADOW SHOT SUNDAY - Enjoy!

From the battlements......

We were just about to enter the castle at Haut-de-Cagnes to look around the various museums it contains, when we spotted this rather lovely restaurant from the entrance, and decided we had other priorities, namely lunch......

With a delightful embowered courtyard Les Baux is run by two guys who serve up freshly cooked fish - red snapper and sardines here, plus an absolutely heavenly dessert of some squidgy caramel confection, all washed down with a chilled rose and a bill for 50 euros for us both...

Eventually, we did make it all around the museums and art galleries inside the castle, as well as taking in these lovely vistas from the battlements, and the narrow, cobbled streets of the Medieval village itself...

But I am glad that we got our priorities right by getting sidetracked and starting off with the best fortifications of them all - an exquisitely tasty lunch in beautiful surroundings - something which is really not hard to find here in France....Cheers!

To reach Haut-de-Cagnes take a ten minute train ride from Nice-Ville to Cagnes-sur-mer - walk into the centre of town and take the free shuttle bus up the hill (La Navette - which runs up every 15 minutes) Enjoy!!

Shadow Shot Sunday 177 - Nice

This week's shadow shots in the heart of Nice clearly show the winter attractions of the city which made the French Riviera such a hit with those escaping harsh winters elsewhere in the world...

For more shadow shots this week, click HERE for SHADOW SHOT SUNDAY - Enjoy!!