Here’s a photo taken late autumn on Île d’Orléans. The sun shines through the cumuliform clouds, helping to create interesting contrasts of light and shadow on the mountains in the background. Towards noon, the more direct sunshine dissipates these clouds, and late in the afternoon, the new-found coolness helps to form a uniform stratocumulus ceiling over the region. The photo was taken around 10 am, at a time when there is still a mixture of clear skies and clouds, making the photo more dynamic.
Above, a photo of the Château Frontenac in autumn with a cruise ship that has just docked at the Port of Québec. The photo was taken from Île d’Orléans. Also visible in the center of the photo is the Concorde Hotel’s revolving restaurant, “Ciel! Resto-bar”.
The photo shows the Battlefields Park in early autumn, as the trees begin to change color. In the distance on the right is the revolving restaurant “Ciel! Bistro-bar” and, on the left, the turret of Saint-Dominique church.
Leg 10 of this round-the-world flight simulation trip takes place between Poland and Germany. Two very different aircraft will be used to complete the journey during this day of VFR flying: an old Junkers Ju 52/3m and a modern business helicopter, the Airbus H160.
Junkers JU 52 airborne from the Lublin airport (EPLB) in Poland.
Departure is from Lublin airport (EPLB) in Poland. The Junkers Ju 52/3m takes off without a hitch over a short distance. The big three-engine tailwheel is as predictable as the Cessna C-170B I used in real life to cross Canada in 1981. Above, one can see the cultivated fields of Poland.
Junkers JU 52 and the Moritzburg Castle in Germany in flight simulation
It’s shaping up to be a beautiful morning, weather-wise. The first leg of the trip takes us over Moritzburg Castle (Schloss Moritzburg), northwest of Dresden. Built in 1542, it was originally the hunting lodge of the Duke of Saxony.
Junkers JU 52 enroute to the Landesmuseum für Vorgeschichte Halle in Germany
On the way to Halle is a large wind farm. Germany, like Europe, is rapidly developing its green energy. Russia’s recent attitude to Europe’s natural gas supply has drastically changed energy planning in neighboring countries.
A Junkers JU 52 flying over the State Museum of Prehistory Halle in Germany in flight simulation
Above, in the center of the photo, is a partial view of the National Museum of Prehistory in Halle (Landesmuseum für Vorgeschichte Halle), not far from Leipzig. It is one of Central Europe’s leading archaeological museums.
Fly-by of the Kyffhaüser-Denkmal in Germany by a Junkers Ju 52 in flight simulation
Before reaching Calden airport to change aircraft, we gaze at the Kyffhaüser monument (Kyffhaüser Denkmal). Once in Calden, we jump into a modern Airbus-built H160 helicopter and head for Göttingen, more precisely over the Münchhausenstrasse.
We’ve obtained permission to fly over this thoroughfare at very low altitude, just long enough to say hello to an old acquaintance. This dubious authorization will probably cost Germany’s Minister of Transport his job.
Streets of Göttingen, Germany, in flight simulation
A flyover of this Göttingen street is necessary to verify the extent of the traffic.
Helicopter descending on Münchhausenstrasse, Göttingen, Germany, in flight simulation.
The descent is gradual between the buildings. We hover just above the cars. Pedestrians seem to wave at us, but we may misinterpret the gesture. Our friend is at the window and takes the time to stop his reading of an excellent comic strip to wave at us. We then continue on our way to Padderborn Lippstadt Airport (EDLP), our destination for today.
Helicopter H160 landing at the Padderborn Lippstadt (EDLP) in Germany in flight simulation.
Still, there’s a fair amount of activity at the airport. Immediately after landing, we’ll start planning leg 11 of this round-the-world flight simulation and real weather trip.
This photo was taken in autumn from the wooden tower at the eastern end of Île d’Orléans. Late in the season, there are fewer leaves left on the trees, but the sun hitting the vegetation from the side breathes new life into the landscape.
Graphic novel “Deux filles nues” by Luz edited by Albin Michel.
German painter Otto Mueller created the painting “Deux filles nues (Two nude girls)” in 1919. Through an artwork which survived turbulent times, the reader follows a changing Germany. He also gets to know the different art dealers.
At the beginning of the book, the author uses a great deal of imagination to introduce us to the life of the Mueller couple. The painter died in 1930 and the painting changed hands for the first time three years later. At that time, inflation was raging in Germany, and the dissatisfaction of the population led to the appointment of Adolf Hitler to the chancellorship by Hindenburg.
Between 1933 and 1946, the painting miraculously survived censorship and the destruction of works deemed degenerate by the Nazis. Thousands of works of modern German art were set on fire by the authorities.
Pogroms spread across Germany. Jewish-owned paintings were seized. When the Gestapo forced part of Ismar Littmann’s (German link, English link) collection to be auctioned off , it selected 64 works, 53 of which were immediately burned.
During the same period, a traveling exhibition entitled “Entartete Kunst” (“Degenerate Art”) was commissioned by Joseph Goebbels, and 730 works traveled between Munich and other major German cities. Ironically, this degenerate art ended up attracting three times as many visitors as acceptable German craftsmanship, whose works were displayed in nearby buildings.
A page from the graphic novel “Deux filles nues” by Luz edited by Albin Michel.
Until 1946, the painting “Deux filles nues” changed ownership several times, and continued to survive the bombings, organized destruction and art thefts carried out by the Nazis.
After the war, the painting’s name was changed from Zwei Mädchenakte (“Two Nude Girls”) to Zwei weibliche Halbakte (“Two Female Half-Nudes”) and toured Germany and the world. In 1976, it was exhibited at the Ludwig Museum in Cologne. Former owners Ruth and Chaim Haller were finally reunited with their painting in 1999. Ruth is the daughter of Ismar Littmann, mentioned at the beginning of this article.
The museum officially returned the work to the owners, but in the same year made an offer to buy it back, which was accepted by the Hallers. Today, the painting can be found in the Expressionist section of Cologne’s Ludwig Museum.
Through his considerable research and the publication of his graphic novel, the author underlines the importance of remaining alert to the political and cultural censorship that regularly resurfaces.
The book ends with a chronology of events and biographies of the main characters. The author goes to great lengths not to show us what the painting “Two Naked Girls” looks like, until we’re practically at the end of the story! A very clever way of keeping our curiosity alive.
Above, a railroad track crossing the Cap-Tourmente National Wildlife Area in Quebec. Autumn is well underway and red is no longer part of the scene. However, the colors remain attractive. At the time of our visit, only 26,000 of the 600,000 geese migrating south remained.
Trees in the Montcalm dictrict in Québec City during Autumn 2024.
The Montcalm sector of Quebec City is brimming with majestic trees that change colour in autumn. Those photographed above are located right next to the Battlefields Park, owned by the Government of Canada.
Trees of the Grande-Allée in Quebec City in Autumn.
The tree above is on Grande-Allée, in the direction of Old Quebec. I shot it using a Canon EF 11–24 mm f/4 USM wide-angle lens. All I had to do was wait until 10:00 AM for the sun to strike the foliage from the side. Earlier than that, the brightness is a little lacking, and later the sun rises too high and hits the foliage from above with a violent light that detracts from the overall effect.
Trees in a Sillery street in Québec City during Autumn 2024.
Above are a few trees in the Sillery area of Quebec City. It’s not often that red leaves cover several tree trunks. You have to be there at the right time, because the effect doesn’t last long. We also need to be able to count on the wisdom of homeowners who have seen fit to let nature do its job, rather than cleaning everything up to make it look “nicer,” as we sometimes see.
The graphic novel: La fortune de Poutine (Putin’s fortune).
This graphic novel in French on Putin’s fortune recounts the events surrounding Vladimir Putin‘s rise to power and the establishment of his personal fortune. The latter is built through the exfiltration of colossal sums belonging to the Russian people, which are redirected to shell companies and tax havens.
As the story spans several decades, the reader becomes familiar with a multitude of company names and key political and economic figures.
As in the case of other major powers, there are also political and economic wheeling and dealing.
Russia’s power structure differs from that of the West. Relationships with the president play a much more important role than in the West. Benefits are granted in exchange for unwavering loyalty. The links between Silvio Berlusconi and Putin are just one example.
The scale of outflows of money from Russia for discreet purposes is astonishing. To cite just one example, the author notes the creation of Operation Luch (a capital flight estimated at $50 billion) in 1990 to counter the changes brought about by Gorbachev. This involved dipping into secret KGB funds abroad to enrich a fund that could be used to ensure the survival of the party and other vested interests.
“Since Putin came to power, the total amount of dirty money taken out of Russia and laundered through Western banks has been at least $1,000,000,000 (one thousand billion dollars)!
So, the West’s hands are not clean when it comes to what’s going on in Russia. When there’s quick money to be made and shareholders expect an unreasonable balance sheet, virtue takes a back seat to practicality. European accomplices include Danske Bank (Denmark), SEB and Swedbank (Sweden), Crédit Suisse, Banca Intesa (Italy), Deutsche Bank Russia, Appleby-Estera (offshore services firm), Cyprus (financial services firms), Price Waterhouse Coopers.
The reader also notes the accumulation of suicides by all kinds of officials over the years. For example, the author notes the disguised suicides of Nikolai Kruchina, Georgy Pavlov and Dimitri Lissovolik. These men, with their precarious balance, all had the annoying habit of taking the air on a balcony too high for their capacity. The KGB doubted the reliability of these men, who managed the party’s secret funds in the West.
Poisoning (with the poison Novitchok) is also a favored method for ironing out political differences. But this state of affairs is already well known to Westerners, as most failed or successful operations are the subject of numerous articles in the media. For example, this was the case for Navalny and Skripal. For Yushchenko, the winner of the Ukrainian presidential elections, dioxin was used but the source was not confirmed.
Under Putin, the oligarchs can keep the fortunes acquired through the many privatizations, but there is no longer any question of them interfering in political affairs. The book also looks at the deteriorating relationship between Putin and oligarchs such as Berezovsky (found hanged in his London bathroom) and Khodorkovsky.
If a devoted collaborator changes sides, at best he can survive by leaving the country and remaining apolitical. Otherwise, his plane may explode in flight, as in the case of Prigozhin.
The book shows how Ivan Rybkyn, a political opponent of Putin’s in 2004, withdrew after an impromptu van ride. It seems that he was seized and forced into the vehicle. This experience and the likely discussions that took place during the ride were enough to convince the candidate that he wasn’t really cut out for politics.
A page from the graphic novel “La fortune de Poutine”.
In the 90s, the Tambov mafia clan protected Putin and Sobchak and helped run the port of St. Petersburg. This did not prevent a “road accident” involving Vladimir Putin’s daughters and wife. Those dissatisfied with their share of the cake raised the stakes, and Putin had to bring the families together to work things out between them. Pragmatically, he sent his daughters to Germany for their safety. The legal guardian was Matthias Warnig, a former STASI officer.
The author points out that Russian money was used to influence the Brexit result (51.89%), this with the aim of weakening Europe. Then, as we already know, Russia influenced the voting result in key US states to help elect Donald Trump.
The graphic novel ends with a documentary dossier, with photos, drawings and references for those who want more information.
What about Putin’s fortune? According to the authors’ research, it’s between 150 and 250 billion euros.
Umbrellas cover part of Rue du Cul-de-Sac in Quebec City. Most tourists are unaware of this installation when they set foot in the Petit Champlain area. Surprised, they whip out their cell phones and capture the moment as best they can. Since they’re just passing through, most don’t have the luxury of choosing the most appropriate light for their multiple shots.
The situation is different for someone who has easy and frequent access to the location. They can wait for the “blue hour” on a fine summer evening, and at the same time capture the golden hue of the lights in front of the many restaurants lining the alleyway.
The main challenge in taking the above shot, however, is the sharp contrasts in light.
For example, the tourists in the foreground are standing in the half-light, but the viewer still wants to see the details. Just above the people, the lighting contrasts sharply with the shaded area at the bottom of the photo. It’s hard for the camera to decide which brightness to prefer.
To top it all off, the soft blue light of late evening illuminates the umbrellas from above, while the restaurant lights illuminate the installation from below.
Image processing software is used to optimize the information contained in the RAW file of the photo, helping to highlight the different areas of brightness in the scene while avoiding areas that are too light or too dark.
The Antonov 225 taking-off from the Antonov airport (UKKM) in Ukraine heading to Sochi, Russia.
Today, the Antonov 225 is reborn for another leg of this world tour of flight simulation. In reality, this aircraft was destroyed by Russia during its invasion of Ukraine. At the time of writing, war is still raging between the two nations. But in virtual mode, we have more latitude to alter the course of events and simulate peace.
So, we leave Ukraine’s Antonov airport (UKKM), fly over Crimea and then stop off in Sochi, Russia (airport code USSR). Our destination is Lublin airport (EPLB) in Poland.
The weather is looking good, with clear skies for the arrival in Sochi. The scenery around Sochi is splendid, and it’s best to land in good weather.
Take-off is a breeze, but the Antonov 225’s heaviness takes some getting used to. The weight of the aircraft means that every time the pilot makes a maneuver with the flight controls, initially nothing happens. Then, the aircraft slowly begins to obey. So, you have to expect delays and anticipate the outcome of maneuvers.
Navigraph is used for navigation. Of course, I plan to deviate from the initial route to fly over Crimea and then on to Sochi.
The pink triangle indicates the position of the Antonov 225 entering Crimea on its flight to Sochi in Russia and then Poland.
Below, the ploughed fields of the Ukraine. Ukraine is considered the breadbasket of the world.
The Antonov 225 over the cultivated fields of Ukraine.
Crimea is a beautiful region from the air, but fiercely contested on the ground. A pilot would say that today, it’s more turbulent down there than up.
The Antonov 225 entering Crimea on its flight to Russia then Poland
A few minutes later, the flight over the Sea of Azov begins in the direction of Sochi.
The approach is spectacular, with the surrounding mountains. As with all large aircraft, the Antonov has to be stabilized well in advance to avoid overcorrecting on final.
Antonov 225 on long final for runway 06 in Sochi (USSR), Russia.
The cargo plane stops in an extremely short distance for such a heavy aircraft. When the thrust is reversed on six engines, there’s no need to set the brakes to maximum, especially in Sochi. We make a short stopover.
Antonov 225 parked for a short stopover at Sochi (USSR), Russia.
Just after our arrival, a Russian Sukhoi 27 military jet makes a low pass near the tower. The fighter jet was created at the time in response to the construction of the American F-15.
A Sukhoi Su-27 makes a low pass at the Sochi Airport (USSR), Russia.
The flight resumes in the late afternoon. Below, the Antonov 225 is on final approach to runway 25 at Lublin airport in Poland.
Antonov 225 on final for rwy 25 at Lublin airport, Poland
The thrust reversers allow the aircraft to exit onto the taxiway in the middle of the runway.
Antonov 225 with thrust reversers after landing at Lublin (EPLB) airport in Poland.
We get a little help with parking.
Antonov 225 with some help for the parking at Lublin airport, Poland
The next stage of this round-the-world flight simulation will be with a smaller aircraft, heading for Germany. A flight over Göttingen is planned with a helicopter (D-JORG). The trip will end at Paderborn Lippstadt Airport (EDLP).
