Osselle Grotto, Besancon, France (Besançon) 102_1119
This very unplanned visit to the Osselle Grotto near Besancon in France was one of the most rewarding parts of our journey. The cave system is quite large spans many kilometers and although it has been known now for many years is still not fully explored. The grotto apparently contains bones from over 3000 bears, which must have lived there over the time. The colors and formations within the caves are fantastic.
The tour there takes over an hour and if you plan to visit make sure you remember the cave system maintains constant 11C, so dress appropriately.
The owners of the grotto also have an amazing mineral exhibit, which they open to the public just before the cave tour.
Explore my Oselle Grotto photographic gallery.
November 7th, 2007
Luzerne, Switzerland 102_0762.jpg
helvetiorum fidei ac virtuti
As I look at this moving photograph of a sculpture of dying lion in Luzerne all I can think of is a scene from a gift shop I witnessed, where an American tourist was purchasing a T-shirt. She liked one particular design but was really annoyed with the wording underneath, which did not say Swiss or Switzerland but only had letters CH. She was arguing with the shop attendant that since they are Swiss that is what they should put on these T-Shirts and not something totally unrelated.
To everyone’s amusement the national pride took better of the sales person, who politely but very decisively said the letters CH stand for Confoederatio Helvetica (Swiss Confederation), which has existed since 13th century, long before any one from USA could come and ask for silly T-shirts. Remorseful and ashamed tourist bought the T-shirt and left quietly.
“Bertel Thorvaldsen’s famous carving of a dying lion (the Lion Monument, or Löwendenkmal) is found in a small park just off Lowenplatz. The carving commemorates the hundreds of Swiss Guards who were massacred in 1792 during the French Revolution, when the mob stormed the Tuileries Palace in Paris.” - source: Wikipedia
November 7th, 2007
