In March Connie and I took a photography excursion to Europe to capture the art, the culture and the history of the old world. When we planned this trip, we had a few criteria.  One, we wanted to travel on our own time, and two, do as the locals do.  With that in mind, we avoided any guided tours and we focused on immersing ourselves in the cultures of the places we visited.  So, we took our time, we wore off the soles of our shoes, and enjoyed the many foods they have to offer.  We stayed in apartments equipped with kitchenettes and close to town squares so we were central to everything.  We shopped at local markets and prepared our own meals.  Sometimes we splurged and had an authentic dining experience.  We spent a week with our friend, Madeleine, in Besançon, a city south-east of Paris, and got a true taste of French living.  And everywhere we went, we captured everything with our cameras.
In our 19-day journey we walked on century-old cobble stones, witnessed serene countrysides, sipped strong coffee, tasted fresh pastries, sampled beautiful macarons, enjoyed pungent yet delicious cheeses, visited quaint villages, and drank fantastic wine! Â In the next few posts, we will share our photos and our experiences. Â Join us, as we travel to our European destinations and see what you normally won’t see in a guided tour.
Antwerp train station, Belgium.
Anwerpt train station, Belgium.
Brussels, Belgium.
Brussels, Belgium.
Brussels, Belgium.
Brugge, Belgium.
Brugge, Belgium.
Brugge, Belgium.
Brugge, Belgium.
Panorama of a center square. Brugge, Belgium.
Our friend Madeleine in her kitchen. She is an amazing cook who introduced us to simple and elegant French cuisine. Besançon, France.
Madeleine’s jardin (garden). Soon these trees will bear fruit which will be made into preserves. Just like the ones Madeleine served us for breakfast. Besançon, France.
On top is the Citadel and down below is the entrance to the city of Besançon, France.
A panoramic view of the city of Besançon, France.
A roundabout. Besançon, France.
Farm house near Besançon, France.
Mr. Emile Brutillot, a farmer and artisan sausage maker. La Chaux de Gilley, France.
Bourguignon, France.
Niedermorschwihr, France.
On Route Des Vins D’Alsace near Colmar, France. A region know for their white wines.
Village along Route Des Vins D’Alsace near Colmar, France.
Village along Route Des Vins D’Alsace near Colmar, France.
Eyeing delicious French baguette in Colmar, France.
View from the top of Chateauneuf. Burgundy, France.
Near Chateauneuf. Burgundy, France.
Near Chateauneuf. Burgundy, France.
Canal of Burgundy near Chateauneuf. Burgundy, France.
Cows amused by tourists. Burgundy, France.
I am also plannig a trip to Belgium and France next year with my wife. What camera & lenses did you use? i have a canon t2i with tamron 18-270 lens. Do you think that’s all i need?
For the photos on this page I used a Canon 5D MkII. Lenses: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L, Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L, and Canon EF 135mm f/2L.
The T2i is an excellent camera. My recommendation for lenses: Canon EFS 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 or equivalent for the extra wide shots. Canon EFS 17-55mm f/2.8 or equivalent for street and portrait photography. By equivalent I mean Sigma, Tamron, and Tokina lenses who make similar specs to Canon’s.
thats soooo beautiful!!!!