Gayle Brennan Spencer – sending random thoughts to and from South Austin
Above: Pont Vieux (1335) spanning the Tarn River
A short, half-hour train ride from Toulouse, the ancient city of Montauban was chartered in 1144. The population is more than 60,000, but the narrow streets in the historic center certainly contribute to its small-town feeling.
Continue reading “Postcard from Montauban, France: Day-trip to the birthplace of Ingres”
Above, detail of mural by Mister Kern
After so many words about museums in the most recent post, decided to let street art encountered on our ramblings speak for itself because that’s what it’s supposed to do.
Continue reading “Postcard from Bordeaux, France: Street art sampler”
With the installation of a new bridge across the Garonne on the horizon, in 2008 the city of Bordeaux purchased a large compound of old military barracks on the right bank of the river with an eye toward tearing them down to stimulate economic development. The timing proved fortuitous for a young man, Philippe Barre, growing restless with his tech business, Inoxia, in a small town in Bordeaux.
Barre presented the concept for a green business center in the barracks to the ambitious mayor of Bordeaux, Alain Juppe, who was jockeying for a shot at the Best European City Award. The proposal appeared to have sparked the interest of one of the judges, so it received a green light.
Continue reading “Postcard from Bordeaux, France: A revolutionary evolution of responsible development”
Postcards from Barton Springs 