A week in Byron Bay

The first week of our trip was at Simon's parents in Byron Bay.
Here are some landscapes:

I discover the local fauna;

Some sort of Eastern Water Dragon
(head to tail length is about 60 cm long)

Some spider big enough that I don't want to know the details

This one I am more familiar with!

The host cooks us a feast of traditional local delicacies using an Australian icon
- The Barbecue -

Merry Christmas from Australia!

>> Go to following week <<

Going traveling!

For the french speaking people, this comic strip from Marion Montaigne gives a good introduction of where I am headed to:

Yes, I am going there:

Mushrooming in Norfolk

Visiting Norfolk, we went to look for mushrooms in a forest around Norwich.

The purple "Amethyst Deceiver"
standing out on the fresh moss

The blue Lepista
(not so blue at this time of the year)

...but still tasty!

I also had a surprising encounter...

It's behind me!!

Dr Who's spacecraft :-D

Green Moleskine

A new page and for once, no collage!

Of course everyone sees what he/she wants... for me there is a cell membrane, Golgi apparatus, vesicles, proteins and ligands. 

What do you see? :-)

Mary Poppins - 50 years Anniversary

Dessine-moi un mouton

Inspired by Philae's landing and xkcd's Little Planet, my new Moleskine page is deeply influenced by Le Petit Prince 's world. 

Dessine-moi un mouton (Draw me a sheep)

Moleskine

Still inspired by Teesha Moore's work (on the left), my version is below (and lighter):

Back on Paint

With the cold already here, it is a good time for me to spend some time at home and progress on my Moleskine. To warm up into it (as it has been a while), I shamelessly copied Teesha Moore's style.

She often uses big heads on small bodies, ridiculously huge eyes and extravagant headgear 

Quote from The Wheel of Time, my book of the year!
(The lady on the right is coming straight from her art journal)

Dinner @ The Fat Duck

Going to The Fat Duck is an amazing culinary experience, a show. I am really glad I was invited for a special occasion :-) I was surprised by the intensity and the power of the flavors (like if they were condensed or distilled in a tiny portion). Needless to say everything was perfect, they obviously care for details. We learnt that for 40 guests, they have 40 people working (kitchen + service) (plus people doing research during the day)! 

We had more than 14 courses including;

A Vodka & lime cocktail poached in liquid nitrogen at the table served without face shield nor specialised gloves (!!!!!): Interesting texture but very cold

Red cabbage gaspacho with mustard ice cream

Multilayers of quail's jelly, crayfish cream, a chicken liver parfait accompanied by an excellent truffle toast: Intense flavors balancing each other when combined

Snail porridge: I could not handle this one...

Roasted foie gras: Haaa, I was delighted!

Mad hatter's tea party with 'mock turtle soup' made of a golden pocket watch infused broth and Toast Sandwich

"Sound of the sea": A dish from the sea that you eat listening to the sea (but too fishy for me)

Salmon poached in a liquorice gel

Anjou pigeon: Excellent!

Hot & iced Tea: A surprising drink half-cold half-hot at every sip!

Caramelised Blackberries with a wonderful biscuit

Botrytis Cinerea: An amazing composition of numerous round elements looking like a grape

Whisky wine gums from all over Scotland

Like a kid in a sweet shop including a queen of hearts tart: Delicious!

Multilayers of crayfish, chicken liver parfait, quail jelly and truffle toast 
(note the cute little radishes)

The table was set according to this plate

Roasted Foie Gras

Tea Party with mock turtle soup
(note the tiny mushrooms on to of the egg yolk)

Sound of the sea...

... with the sound

Salmon in a licorice gel

Blackberries etc

Botrytis cinerea

Each grape has its own texture, temperature and taste

Tiny Tart in the Queen of Hearts

Four days in Jordan

Even with this small amount of time, we managed to:
- Experience diving in the Red Sea
- Visit the impressive Petra
- Have fun floating on the Dead Sea

Here are some pictures:

Our lovely hotel: Bedouin Garden Village

I enjoyed the relaxing and colourful atmosphere

The beach in front of the hotel, from which we dived and admired reefs and tropical fish

Petra's outskirt - the Obelisk tomb combining Egyptian and Greco-Roman influences

The Siq - Narrow gorge formed from a deep split
 in the sandstone rocks

That's the way!

The first glimpse of the Treasury

The Treasury - called so because the Bedouins believed the urn sculpted at the top contained great treasures; 
its original purpose is still unclear

The sandstone has stunning natural colours and patterns 

Rock-cut chambers (excavating solid rock)

With a view over the facing mountain 

Palace Tomb with its four rooms (for burial)

View over the Great Temple and valley

The Street of Facades (burial rooms)

First of 800 steps leading to the Monastery

View over the neighbouring cliffs on our way up

The Monastery - 50 meters high (see the people by the doorway for size reference)

View over the canyon, looking South

View over the canyon, looking West

The Great Temple was one of the largest buildings (not dug from the mountain)

Approaching the Dead Sea

Our modern interpretation of the famous picture with a magazine (Kindle)

Salt crystallization on the shore

---\\\ All pictures here ///---
(Maman c'est là que tu cliques pour les photos)