Sepia Saturday # 62 19 February 2011

Rolling right into another Sepia Saturday theme this 19th of February there are numerous inspirations from first glance which are still wheeling through my thoughts. Oh which path should I take? If you have something to offer by way of this week’s theme or your own Sepia Saturday thoughts just go here
http://sepiasaturday.blogspot.com/2011/02/sepia-saturday-62-saturday-19th.html

          Sepia Saturday's theme photo is in.......Ipswich, Queensland, once called, “Terra Australis-Incognita – “an unknown land of the south,” Australia awaits with Ipswich being an urban suburb southwest of the metropolitan Brisbane some 40 kilometers (25 miles) south. Ipswich is situated on the Bremer River, so they’ve had their share of flooding, and was named in 1843 after the town of Ipswich, England- the name (Ipswich) is derived from the medieval name Gippeswick, also Gipewiz or Gepeswiz probably from the river Gipping and this Australian town was first settled in 1827 when limestone was mined there.

Isn’t it amazing how something so minor as a bicycle is useful but can go unnoticed in many photographs from years ago? Then after the mention of them you can spot them almost everywhere.



I recognize my Aunt Margot on the left, and the boy on the very right is my cousin Jorg, not sure who the other boys are, surely just friends.

Today bicycling isn’t well facilitated in Ipswich with very few marked-on road lanes, making private vehicles their main transportation.


Even more interesting to me is observing places with names begging to be uncovered. In fact Sepia Saturday's photo showing a jewelry business was first opened by William James Prouds on Pitt St. in Sydney in 1903 and became the largest and most trusted jeweler’s chain in Australia.

Now to add some photos from two of my family's old time photo albums with photos or postcards depicting bicycles and shopping centers of the city...... I find bits and pieces of the shops names in these photos extremely interesting while playing Sherlock ........

"...and the bicyclist in the shadows moves to the lead.....Porte de Hal, Hal's Gate Brussels, "The only remaining part of the ancient fortification of the town from 1383 now a museum of a collection of weapons of war.



Ah yes, pedaling along Esch, Rue de l'Alzette, also known as Uelzechtstroooss-the longest shopping and pedestrian street in Luxembourg.

Now for a mix of bicycles and strolling along d'Orleans, Pithiviers is found in Loiret in the Lire Valley regions of France, and Pithiviers is also a delicious "almond cake that comes either in a puff pastry (best known) or as a fondant cake...with fruit decorations."  Perhaps they are biking to their favorite pastry shop below!

"Have to get to the Pastry Shop pronto!"

This is a postcard my grandparents must have purchased while visiting Les Petits Tableaux de Provence.  This bearded man always intrigues me.  Oh what delicious food might he have?  I can only dream of the marvelous items that can be selected along this avenue market place.

Below is a dealership for the Citroen, a vehicle I hated as a little girl on my first European trip, but today they are a favorite of mine.  Perhaps you've seen the actor Simon Baker's Citroen on the television series "The Mentalist" a favorite show of mine......and what a fascinating building too!

Pithiviers (Loiret) Avenue de la Gare and pictured here is a shop which houses the Citroen vehicles.

This last photo stood out with the man appearing like ....he was walking while chatting on his cell phone, don't you think?  The place is actually where you can take a bicycle tour in France,  Le Vieux Moulin - Loire Valley Bike Tours and you can enjoy a bicycle tour from the comfort of their secluded country estate and explore wine valleys and apparently so much more.  Are you ready to see for yourself?

Vicux moulin - old mill