Life of a wanderer

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Paris reloaded

Those who follow the steady stream of tourists when they visit Paris are convinced that the french capital is a noisy and overcrowded town. And I shared their feelings till a recent date. Indeed, we finally changed of DMC agency to organise our meetings in Paris, and we discovered that Paris could be a very quiet place, if you choose the right place to stay. Last week, we spent one day in the jardin des Plantes. The jardin des Plantes (officially the Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle) is an oasis of 28 hectares encompassing botanic gardens, a group of museums, and other attractions such as the ménagerie (zoo), and the maze. As well as unrivalled collections of wild and herbaceous plants, it includes a sunken alpine garden, rose and ecological gardens, tropical greenhouses. In the 13th arrondissement to the southeast, beyond Gare d’Austerlitz, are l'Hôpital de la Salpetrière and the Bibliothèque National Mitterand. Founded in 1626 under Louis XIII for the cultivation of medicinal herbs by the royal physician Guy de la Brosse, the garden was first opened to the public in 1640. Its present importance is mainly due to the eminent naturalist, biologist and mathematician, thc Comte de Buffon (1707-88), who was superintendent from 1739 and greatly enlarged the grounds. Known until 1793 as the Jardin du Roi, it was then reorganised by the Convention under its present official title and provided at that time with 12 professorships The National Museum of Natural History is a public institute with the triple role of research, conservation and dissemination of knowledge. The library owns a remarkable collection of botanical manuscripts, including the Vélins du Roi, illustrated by Nicolas Robert (1614-85) and others; also works by P-J. Redouté (1758-1840), watercolourist and botanical painter. Several of the distinguished French naturalists who taught and studied here are commemorated by monuments in or near the garden. An early 20th-century statue by Leon Fagel of the naturalist associated with early theories of evolution, J.-B. Lamarck (1744-1829), faces the Place Valhubert entrance, and another by the same artist of the chemist Eugene Chevreul (1786-1889) stands in the northern part of the gardens. Chevreul's research on the principles of harmony and colour contrasts had an important influence on the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist painters’ colour theories. When you're tired of the hustle and bustle of the capital, this is the place to be.  I should go back in France next month and I'm curious to know what the programme will be. Two months ago, this was a visit of the catacombs. This DMC agency is a little bit more creative than the others. Get more info at http://www.dmcincomingfrance.com

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Jeb between Christians and Gay

Jeb Bush said in a new interview that Christian business owners can refuse to serve gay weddings. The presumptive Republican 2016 presidential candidate told the Christian Broadcasting Network that refusing service would not count as discrimination if it went against a business owner’s religious beliefs. “A big country, a tolerant country ought to be able to figure out the difference between discriminating someone because of their sexual orientation and not forcing someone to participate in a wedding that they find goes against their moral beliefs,” Bush said. The question became a flashpoint earlier this year amid debate over an Indiana law that proponents said would protect religious freedom but critics said would sanction discrimination. Bush also said in the interview that he doesn’t believe same-sex marriage is a constitutional right.

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Saudis want the USA to stop shaling

The Middle East's oil cartel OPEC has declared war on the US's shale gas industry as new data from Saudi Arabia shows that the country is committing considerable firepower to the battle. Saudi Arabian oil exports reached their highest level in 12 years in March, while production was at record levels. The equivalent of 7.89 million barrels a day were sold overseas by the Kingdom in March, up from 7.32 million in February and 10% higher than a year earlier. The Kingdom produced 10.29 million barrels of oil per day in March, according to the Joint Organisations Data Initiative (JODI). That was more than any other nation in the world.  Saudi Arabia and other OPEC nations are trying to cripple the US's shale gas industry by flooding the market with oil and driving down prices to unsustainable levels for the many small operators. So far the tactic seems to be working, with the oil rig count in the US crashing.

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the Canberra and the MiG-21

Those who know me in real life know it: I a jet fighter-lover. Last year, I even made a jet fighter ride on a Fouga Magister in France. An unique experience whom I still dream now.  This is a very old passion. It comes from my childhood, with my father who often offered me airplane models. Two planes marked me more than the others, and I wanted to introduce you them today. The first is a national success: the Canberra. The RAF retired its last three English Electric Canberras on 28 July 2006 after more than 55 years’ service ! No wonder the Canberra is regarded as one of the most successful of all Britain’s military aircraft. Designed by EW Petter, the Canberra was the Royal Air Force’s (RAF’s) first jet bomber.  In concept it resembled the famous World War II Mosquito, for it was expected to survive by its speed alone and had no defensive armament. Like the Mosquito, it also had a streamlined shape, lightweight construction, and two powerful engines. Wheni it entered service with the RAF in 1951 , the Canberra was deployed as a strategic bomber. It clocked several notable “firsts” during the 1950s, including the first non-stop transatlantic flight by a jet and the first flight at an altitude of over 70,000 ft. The Canberra served with US air forces as the Martin B-57 and was also sold to many other countries around the world.  Its combination of speed and altitude made it an excellent photo-reconnaissance platform. It was extensively used as a “spyplane”, overflying the Soviet Union and various other communist states in the 1950s and 60s. In its role as a bomber, it was used by the RAF to raid Egyptian airfields during the 1956 Suez Crisis and by the Americans and Australians during the Vietnam War. My other favourite is a classic dogfighter and interceptor, the MiG-21. This one has probably seen more combat than any other modern fighter, having taken part in at least 30 shooting wars. It was the first Soviet aircraft capable of Mach 2 in level flight, and became ubiquitous in the air forces of the Soviet Union and its allies throughout the 1960s and 70s. Its encounters with American F-4s in Vietnam revealed a fascinating contrast of design concepts. While the United States opted for a complex, heavy two-seater packed with electronic equipment, the Soviet MiG was a stripped-down, single-seat, single-engine fighter, armed with just a couple of missiles, a cannon, and a basic radar. However, its exceptional agility frequently allowed it to outmanoeuvre its more powerful and sophisticated opponent. It generally handled well, despite being prone to mild snaking that could cause stalls and surges in the compressor of its Tumanskii turbojet. Cheap to produce and easy to maintain, the MiG-21 found ready markets throughout the world. The aircraft evolved over time, acquiring a more powerful engine, more advanced radar, increased fuel capacity, and more missile armament. But it remained a reliable, affordable high-performance fighter. MiG-21s served with no fewer than 56 air forces worldwide, and many were still operational in the early 21st century. Wow. When I'm writing these lines, I suddenly want to make an other jet fighter ride. This is the problem of this ride: this is an addictive experience, and you can get more info there: http://www.flyajetfighter.com

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Cleaner flights

Solar Impulse 2 leads the way for cleaner flights in the future, and i am so pleased with what is currently going on. We are at the irst generation of solar aircrafts, and that's great. They hope that the plane will be able to provide new forms of cleaner, low-carbon air travel. Hybrid engines — which are gaining popularity in cars — combine a battery and a petrol engine. Doing so uses 30 per cent less fuel than a plane with a petrol-only engine. The petrol engine works with the battery-powered one at take-off and climb, when the plane needs extra power, but the electric motor can then switch into generator mode and recharges the batteries, or help the motor in minimising fuel consumption. The same technology is used in hybrid cars. “Although hybrid cars have been available for more than a decade, what’s been holding back the development of hybrid or fully-electric aircraft until now is battery technology,” said Dr Paul Robertson of Cambridge’s Department of Engineering, who led the project. “Until recently, they have been too heavy and didn’t have enough energy capacity. But with the advent of improved lithium-polymer batteries, similar to what you’d find in a laptop computer, hybrid aircraft – albeit at a small scale – are now starting to become viable.” The technology is still far from able to be put on commercial airliners, but the move is an important step, researchers said. The test flights took place at Sywell Aerodrome near Northampton. The plane did a series of small hopes along the runway before taking off for evaluation flights at over 1,500 feet. Aviation is thought to be responsible for about 2 per cent of man-made carbon emissions.

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Going on a cruise

Cruises are getting cheaper these days. And especially with a little push. Royal Caribbean International is promoting short cruises as gifts this Christmas. The concept of a gifting a 'taster cruise' is part of the business’ strategy for attracting new to cruise consumers, for whom cruising is an untested holiday concept. The short cruise itineraries are three nights to Paris or Bruges from £499 per person, sailing direct from Southampton, with Anthem of the Seas, the next of Royal Caribbean’s Quantum class ships, due for delivery in April 2015. The taster cruises are all-inclusive, with free select drinks packages, and gratuities for a limited period. The brand is also supporting the trade audience with marketing collateral which has partner overbranding, and a competition giving away one short cruise, where they’ll film the reactions of the winner. Stuart Leven, the line's managing director, said: “By 2016 Royal Caribbean International will be the largest global cruise line brand in terms of fleet capacity, and these 'taster' cruises form a core part of attracting new to cruise customers with the ultimate Christmas gift idea. With a taster, those who might be wary of investing in a week or ten day long cruise are able to get a sense of the amazing array of activities, facilities and technology onboard – and come back wanting more."