ROCCA DELL’ABISSO MOUNT/ROC DE L’ABISSE and FORT CENTRAL. La Rocca is on the crest of the watershed between Italy and France in the conjunction of 3 valleys: the Gesso Valley, the Roia Valley and the Vermenagna Valley, the Fort is in France. Surroundings of the Tenda Pass, Piedmont, ITALY/FRANCE.

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My website www.davidgutierrez.co.uk

The art of "floating on a cloud" - Thames Barrier, London, UK

IN ENGLISH BELOW THE LINE

La ciutat anglesa de Bath té tant el nom com la raó de ser en la seva font d'aigues termals, venerada ja des d'època pre-romana. En època imperial es coneixia com Aquae Sulis.

La font sagrada, la sorgencia de les aigues calentes i altament mineralitzades, es coneix avui en dia com King's Bath, i és una barreja d'elements romans i medievals. El nivell d'aigua actual es manté tal i com era en època romana, mostrant la vora irregular de la sorgencia arranjat pels romans. Les estructures superiors, amb ninxols, son d'època medieval, quan la font, abandonada des de la caiguda del imperi, retornà al seu nivell "salvatge", més alt. Això ha quedat marcat en la concreció mineral ataronjada. En aquests ninxols es situaven els banyistes medievals, dins l'aigua força calenta i a prop del "precipici". Coses de l'edat mitjana.

====================

The English city of Bath has both its name and its raison d'être in its source of thermal waters, revered since pre-Roman times. In imperial times it was known as Aquae Sulis.

The holy spring, the source of the hot, highly mineralized waters, is known today as King's Bath, and is a mixture of Roman and medieval elements. The current water level remains as it was in Roman times, showing the irregular edge of the spring arranged by the Romans. The upper structures, with niches, are from the medieval period, when the source, abandoned since the fall of the Empire, returned to its "wild", higher level. This has been marked by the orange mineral concretion along the walls. In these niches stod the medieval bathers, in the rather hot water and close to the hell's scalding "precipice". Going fully medieval.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Baths_(Bath)

A view from the Wittelsbacherbrücke towards northeast, with the Weideninsel in the center and the St. Maximilian church in the left background.

Listen to: Lovin' Spoonful - Summer In The City (1966)

© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.

At last the shed (on the right in the pic) is finished. As with any job, the work was broken down into individual tasks, each pretty straight forward with the right tools and skills (and a very patient Marybeth) but they seemed to go on forever! The unbearably hot days did slow progress down a bit, but in the end, it came together and even the doors came out just about perfect. The T1-11 siding just would not cooperate and lay flat, we wound up glueing and clamping just about every board in the pattern which was repeated on the inside of the door with 1 inch rough sawn pine boards. When the glue set we added screws and nails to the front and back. The wood accent on their fronts and shutters came from the old shed siding and even the slate used in the ramp has an interesting story! It's quite possible that some Nobel Prize-winning Chemists got their start or performed their studies on that slate. The slate was acquired during the remodeling of the University of Chicago Chemistry laboratory back in the 1980's, I've held on to it all these years and now it's found a second life. One remaining task is to regrow some grass but I'll need a bit of rain to do that and none forecasted until next week! Oh and just in case you're wondering, the colorful used car flags hang over the chicken coop area to ward off the hawks, they actually work!

Hopefully now I'll have some time to catch up a bit! All the best and other than the hot days, I hope your summer is going well!

TREKKING DOLOMITES HIGH WAY 1 - The cloudy sky overlooks the DIEDRO (DIHEDRAL) DALL’OGLIO at the Cima (Peak) da Lago (Lake). UNESCO, High Badia Valley, Trentino-Alto Adige/Sudtirol, ITALY. EXPLORE 04-08-2022.

Zooming in to the iconic intersection of Swanston and Flinders Streets in Melbourne, Australia. St Paul's Cathedral sits diagonally beyond Flinders Street Station, and on the other two corners are Young & Jacksons pub (L) and Federation Square (R).

HD PENTAX-DA 55-300mm f4.5-6.3 PLM

(Thank you very much everyone for your visits, comments and faves; great that you enjoyed this image.)

An early Sunday morning first light shot of the Pudong Skyline.

© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.

Taken from the Park Inn terrace.

Chers amis,

Merci à tous pour cette agréable sortie montagnarde riche en observations ! Nous sommes très heureux d'avoir pu rencontrer les nouveaux membres présents, ainsi que de revoir les anciens après tout ce temps sans sorties associatives.

Ci-dessous la liste des oiseaux observés :

3 Gypaètes barbus (Gypaetus barbatus) dont 1 immature

1 Circaète Jean-le-Blanc (Circaetus gallicus)

~21 Vautours fauves (Gyps fulvus)

1 Faucon crécerelle (Falco tinnunculus)

1 Aigle royal (Aquila chrysaetos)

1 Faucon crécerelle (Falco tinnunculus)

3 Monticoles de roche (Monticola saxatilis) dont 2 juv

1 Hirondelle de rochers (Ptyonoprogne rupestris)

× Pipits spioncelles (Anthus spinoletta) + juv

2 Bergeronnettes des ruisseaux (Motacilla cinerea)

× Accenteurs mouchets (Prunella modularis) 2 familles + juv

~5 Rougequeues noirs (Phoenicurus ochruros) + juv

× Traquets motteux (Oenanthe oenanthe) + juv

× Fauvettes à tête noire (Sylvia atricapilla)

~8 Chocards à bec jaune (Pyrrhocorax graculus)

1 Pouillot véloce (Phylloscopus collybita)

× Linottes mélodieuses (Carduelis cannabina)

× Craves à bec rouge (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax)

1 Bergeronnette des ruisseaux (Motacilla cinerea)

~3 Bergeronnettes grise (Motacilla alba)

5 Cincles plongeurs (Cinclus cinclus) dont 1 juv

Mammifères :

7 Isards des Pyrénées (Rupicapra pyrenaica pyrenaica) Dont 2 jeunes

4 Marmottes des Alpes (Marmota marmota) Dont 3 jeunes

Vous pouvez des à présent partager vos photos de la journée ci dessous : www.flickr.com/groups/1252181@N22/discuss/721577219167734...

A view towards southwest from the Fröttmaninger Müllberg - a former landfill converted to a recreational area.

Featured in the photo are the Olympiaberg, the BMW Headquarters building and the Olympiaturm TV tower.

© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.

The dome sits directly above the debating chamber. A mirrored cone at its centre directs light into the Reichstag, increasing the building’s energy efficiency and affording visitors a view of the parliamentary proceedings below. The dome itself can be visited by prior registration and is reached by two large steel ramps that curve up towards it in the form of a double helix.

Unfortunately, on my penultimate visit to Berlin, I was not able to visit the Reichstag dome because I had not registered online in good time. This time I was better prepared and so I was there at 7 p.m. - together with many visitors. The last entry is usually just before 10 p.m., but by 9 p.m. I was all alone in the dome. For whatever reason, nobody was allowed in after 8 p.m. and so I was alone with the security guards and was able to take photos undisturbed for two hours - what a coincidence and luck :-)

If you look closely, you can spot me in the reflection...

Die Kuppel sitzt direkt über dem Plenarsaal. Ein verspiegelter Kegel in seiner Mitte lenkt Licht in den Reichstag, erhöht die Energieeffizienz des Gebäudes und ermöglicht den Besuchern den Blick auf das darunter liegende parlamentarische Geschehen. Die Kuppel selbst kann nach vorheriger Anmeldung besichtigt werden und ist über zwei große Stahlrampen zu erreichen, die sich in Form einer Doppelhelix aufwärts wölben.

Beim vorletzten Besuch in Berlin konnte ich die Reichstagskuppel leider nicht besichtigen, da ich mich nicht rechtzeitig online angemeldet hatte. Dieses Mal war ich besser präpariert und so war ich um 19 Uhr dort - zusammen mit vielen Besuchern. Der letzte Eintritt ist normalerweise kurz vor 22 Uhr, aber bereits um 21 Uhr war ich mutterseelenalleine in der Kuppel. Warum auch immer wurde niemand mehr ab 20 Uhr eingelassen und so war ich dann mit dem Wachpersonal alleine und konnte zwei Stunden lang ungestört Fotos machen - was für ein Zufall und Glück :-)

Wer genau hinschaut, kann mich mich in der Spiegelung entdecken...

photo rights reserved by B℮n

Alicante is a Spanish coastal city located on the Costa Blanca in the Valencian Community. The city is an important port for the export of central Spain and the region with its beautiful sandy beaches attracts many tourists. In Alicante we can find art, culture, seafood and beautiful beaches. Alicante has a beautiful old town with a beautiful boulevard along the coast Explanada de España and lively terraces. The most beautiful sight is the castle of Santa Barbara on Monte Benacantil a hill of 166 meters high. The history of Alicante dates back to 230 BC, when the city was founded under the name Akra Leuk. After that, the city became part of the Roman Empire and in 711 the Moors occupied the city, who also gave the city its current name 'Alicante'. The Moors also laid the foundation for the fortress on top of the Benacantil hill, but after the conquest by the Spaniards this grew into the castle Castillo de Santa Bárbara.

Castillo de Santa Bárbara is located on the 166 meter high mountain Benacantil. Bronze Age, Iberian and Roman artifacts have been found on the slopes of this mountain, but the castle's origins date back to the 9th century at the time of the Muslim rulers, from 711 to 1296. After that time, the castle was taken over by Castilian troops led of Alfonso of Castile. The castle is named after Saint Barbara, on whose feast day the castle was recaptured from the Arabs. From the 18th century, the castle's military role diminished and it was sometimes used as a prison. From 1939, with the end of the Spanish Civil War, it was used as a Francoist concentration camp for Republican prisoners until the end of that year. Castillo de Santa Bárbara remained abandoned until 1963, when it was opened to the public. Plaza de Toros can be seen from the Santa Barbara Castle. The Alicante Bullring is one of the oldest active bullrings in the province of Valencia. Inside you will find the Bullfighting Museum of Alicante. Built in 1847, it had to be renovated in 1884 due to its deterioration. The grandeur of the square and its large capacity give an idea of the importance of bullfighting in Alicante in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Alicante is een Spaanse kuststad gelegen aan de

Costa Blanca in de regio Valencia. De stad is een belangrijke haven voor de export van midden-Spanje en de regio met de mooie zandstranden trekt vele toeristen aan. In Alicante kunnen we kunst, cultuur, seafood en prachtige stranden vinden. Alicante heeft een mooi oude stad met een prachtige boulevard langs de kust Explanada de España en levendige terrasjes. De mooiste bezienswaardigheid is het kasteel van Santa Barbara op de Monte Benacantil heuvel van 166 meter hoogte. De geschiedenis van Alicante gaat terug tot 230 voor Christus, toen de stad werd gesticht onder de naam Akra Leuke. Daarna werd de stad onderdeel van het Romeinse Rijk en in 711 bezetten de Moren de stad, die ook de huidige naam ‘Alicante’ aan de stad gaven. De Moren hebben ook de basis gelegd voor de vesting bovenop de Benacantil-heuvel. Bronstijd, Iberische en Romeinse artefacten zijn gevonden op de hellingen van deze berg, maar de oorsprong van het kasteel dateert uit de 9e eeuw ten tijde van de islamitische overheersers, van 711 tot 1296. Na die tijd werd het kasteel ingenomen door Castiliaanse troepen onder leiding van Alfonso van Castilië. Het kasteel is vernoemd naar de heilige Barbara, op wiens feestdag het kasteel werd heroverd op de Arabieren. Vanaf de 18e eeuw is de militaire rol van het kasteel afgenomen en werd het soms als gevangenis gebruikt. Vanaf 1939, met het einde van de Spaanse Burgeroorlog, werd het tot het einde van dat jaar gebruikt als een Franco-concentratiekamp voor Republikeinse gevangenen. Castillo de Santa Bárbara bleef verlaten tot 1963, toen het voor het publiek werd geopend. Plaza de Toros is te zien vanaf het kasteel van Santa Barbara. De arena van Alicante is een van de oudste actieve arena's in de provencie Valencia. Binnen vind je het Stierenvechtmuseum van Alicante. Gebouwd in 1847, moest het in 1884 worden gerenoveerd vanwege zijn verslechtering. De grootsheid van het plein en zijn grote capaciteit geven een idee van het belang van het stierenvechten in Alicante in de 19e en 20e eeuw.

photo rights reserved by B℮n

Alicante is a Spanish coastal city located on the Costa Blanca in the Valencian Community. The city is an important port for the export of central Spain and the region with its beautiful sandy beaches attracts many tourists. In Alicante we can find art, culture, seafood and beautiful beaches. Alicante has a beautiful old town with a beautiful boulevard along the coast Explanada de España and lively terraces. The most beautiful sight is the castle of Santa Barbara on Monte Benacantil a hill of 166 meters high. The history of Alicante dates back to 230 BC, when the city was founded under the name Akra Leuk. After that, the city became part of the Roman Empire and in 711 the Moors occupied the city, who also gave the city its current name 'Alicante'. The Moors also laid the foundation for the fortress on top of the Benacantil hill, but after the conquest by the Spaniards this grew into the castle Castillo de Santa Bárbara.

The old quarter Casco Antiguo – Santa Cruz of the city of Alicante is located below the castle. The district has retained the charm of a seaside village, with its steep, narrow, winding streets, with its white facades, its wrought iron bars and its colorful balconies thanks to the pots full of flowers. Today you can still see part of the walls that served to protect the former city. Being such a fortress, and given its location so close to the sea, the castle of Santa Bárbara made it possible to protect the city effectively while promoting maritime trade, which is why the first houses swirled around it logically, under its guard and guardianship. Locals take great pride in their homes, decorating their balconies and doorsteps with fresh flowers, and painting their shutters in blues and greens. When you need to catch your breath, you can always relax in one of the many cafes and restaurants in this part of the city.

Alicante is een Spaanse kuststad gelegen aan de

Costa Blanca in de regio Valencia. De stad is een belangrijke haven voor de export van midden-Spanje en de regio met de mooie zandstranden trekt vele toeristen aan. In Alicante kunnen we kunst, cultuur, seafood en prachtige stranden vinden. Alicante heeft een mooi oude stad met een prachtige boulevard langs de kust Explanada de España en levendige terrasjes. De mooiste bezienswaardigheid is het kasteel van Santa Barbara op de Monte Benacantil heuvel van 166 meter hoogte. De oude wijk Casco Antiguo – Santa Cruz van de stad Alicante ligt onder het kasteel. De wijk heeft de charme van een kustdorp behouden, met zijn steile, smalle, kronkelende straatjes, met zijn witte gevels, zijn smeedijzeren tralies en zijn kleurrijke balkons dankzij de potten vol met bloemen. Vandaag de dag kun je nog steeds een deel van de muren zien die dienden om de toenmalige stad te beschermen. Als zo'n fort, en gezien de ligging zo dicht bij de zee, maakte het kasteel van Santa Bárbara het mogelijk om de stad effectief te beschermen en tegelijkertijd de maritieme handel te bevorderen, vandaar dat de eerste huizen er logischerwijs omheen wervelden, onder zijn hoede en voogdij. Als je even op adem wilt komen, kun je altijd even bijkomen in een van de vele cafés en restaurants in dit deel van de stad.

photo rights reserved by B℮n

Alicante is a Spanish coastal city located on the Costa Blanca in the Valencian Community. The city is an important port for the export of central Spain and the region with its beautiful sandy beaches attracts many tourists. In Alicante we can find art, culture, seafood and beautiful beaches. Alicante has a beautiful old town with a beautiful boulevard along the coast Explanada de España and lively terraces. The most beautiful sight is the castle of Santa Barbara on Monte Benacantil a hill of 166 meters high. The history of Alicante dates back to 230 BC, when the city was founded under the name Akra Leuk. After that, the city became part of the Roman Empire and in 711 the Moors occupied the city, who also gave the city its current name 'Alicante'. The Moors also laid the foundation for the fortress on top of the Benacantil hill, but after the conquest by the Spaniards this grew into the castle Castillo de Santa Bárbara.

Castillo de Santa Bárbara is located on the 166 meter high mountain Benacantil. Bronze Age, Iberian and Roman artifacts have been found on the slopes of this mountain, but the castle's origins date back to the 9th century at the time of the Muslim rulers, from 711 to 1296. After that time, the castle was taken over by Castilian troops led of Alfonso of Castile. The castle is named after Saint Barbara, on whose feast day the castle was recaptured from the Arabs. From the 18th century, the castle's military role diminished and it was sometimes used as a prison. From 1939, with the end of the Spanish Civil War, it was used as a Francoist concentration camp for Republican prisoners until the end of that year. Castillo de Santa Bárbara remained abandoned until 1963, when it was opened to the public. Photo of the city of Alicante seen from Mount Benacantil.

Alicante is een Spaanse kuststad gelegen aan de

Costa Blanca in de regio Valencia. De stad is een belangrijke haven voor de export van midden-Spanje en de regio met de mooie zandstranden trekt vele toeristen aan. In Alicante kunnen we kunst, cultuur, seafood en prachtige stranden vinden. Alicante heeft een mooi oude stad met een prachtige boulevard langs de kust Explanada de España en levendige terrasjes. De mooiste bezienswaardigheid is het kasteel van Santa Barbara op de Monte Benacantil heuvel van 166 meter hoogte. De geschiedenis van Alicante gaat terug tot 230 voor Christus, toen de stad werd gesticht onder de naam Akra Leuke. Daarna werd de stad onderdeel van het Romeinse Rijk en in 711 bezetten de Moren de stad, die ook de huidige naam ‘Alicante’ aan de stad gaven. De Moren hebben ook de basis gelegd voor de vesting bovenop de Benacantil-heuvel. Bronstijd, Iberische en Romeinse artefacten zijn gevonden op de hellingen van deze berg, maar de oorsprong van het kasteel dateert uit de 9e eeuw ten tijde van de islamitische overheersers, van 711 tot 1296. Na die tijd werd het kasteel ingenomen door Castiliaanse troepen onder leiding van Alfonso van Castilië. Het kasteel is vernoemd naar de heilige Barbara, op wiens feestdag het kasteel werd heroverd op de Arabieren. Vanaf de 18e eeuw is de militaire rol van het kasteel afgenomen en werd het soms als gevangenis gebruikt. Vanaf 1939, met het einde van de Spaanse Burgeroorlog, werd het tot het einde van dat jaar gebruikt als een Franco-concentratiekamp voor Republikeinse gevangenen. Castillo de Santa Bárbara bleef verlaten tot 1963, toen het voor het publiek werd geopend. Foto van de stad Alicante gezien vanaf de berg Benacanti.

All rights reserved - Copyright © Pantchoa 2022

Schon seit einigen Jahren versuche ich den Sonnenuntergang hinter dieser Baumgruppe einzufangen: richtiger Zeitpunkt (das gelingt nur zweimal im Jahr, ein paar Tage lang), richtiger Ort (nur 50 m "daneben" und schon ist die Sonne untergegangen, bis man zur richtigen Position kommt) und dann natürlich das Wetter... Sonne überhaupt zu sehen, sie ist zwar zu sehen, aber leider zu hell, die Bäumen sind nicht zu erkennen, Sonne geht am Horizont hinter einer Wolkenwand unter, etc. pp. ...

ja, und nun ist es gelungen (22.04.2022, 20:11)... die Bildqualität könnte zwar besser sein (das Licht flimmerte in Bodennähe), aber dafür sind sogar noch einige Sonnenfleckengruppen erkennbar: AR2993, 2994, 2995 - das war nur möglich, weil sich der Wolkenschleier über die Sonne gelegt hatte.

Diese gigantischen Sonnenfleckengruppen könnten in den nächsten Tagen zu Sonneneruptionen, Sonnenstürmen und weiters zu Polarlichter führen. Durch Sonnenstürme können z.B. Satelliten- und Funkausfälle ausgelöst werden.

www.vulkane.net/blogmobil/sonnensturm-loeste-radioausfael...

www.news.de/panorama/856237725/sonnensturm-warnung-aktuel...

Hier noch eine Vergrößerung der Sonnenfleckengruppen in meinem Stream:

www.flickr.com/photos/c-s-n/52022690141

Nikon Coolpix P950: Brennweite 800 mm, Blende 5,6, Belichtung 1/400 Sek., ISO 100 - kein FIlter

The Japanese Tower was built in 1904 nearby the Royal Park of Laeken for King Léopold II. It is now part of the ''Museums of the Far East''.

Azimuth 337.5°, 3.37 km away (2.09 mi), height 40 m (131 ft).

Address: avenue Van Praet 44, 1020 Laeken (Brussels)

Photo shot in 2011 from the top of the Brusilia Residence.

FR : Tour Japonaise à Laeken, et Eglise Notre Dame et Maison communale de Temse

Photo prise en 2011 du haut de la Résidence Brusilia.

NL: Japanse Toren in Laken, en Onze-lieve-Vrouw kerk en stadhuis in Temse

De Japanse Toren werd in 1904 gebouwd in de buurt van het Koninklijk Park van Laken voor Koning Leopold II. Het maakt nu deel uit van de ''Musea van het Verre Oosten''.

Azimut 337.5°, 3.37 km ver, 40 m hoog.

Adres: avenue Van Praet 44, 1020 Laeken (Brussels)

In de verte rechts staat de Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van Temse, een gotische en neogotische kerk met een barokke toren uit 1721, gebouwd op een fundering uit omstreeks 770, gedeeltelijk herbouwd in 1886-1888 en gerestaureerd tussen 1978 en 1994. In 1983 op de monumentenlijst geplaatst.

Verder naar rechts is het stadhuis van Temse gebouwd in 1905 in eclectische stijl met een 31 m hoog belfort.

Azimut 338.0°, 31.9 km ver.

Adres: Markt 17, 9140 Temse (Antwerp)

Foto genomen in 2011 vanaf de top van de Brusilia Residentie.

Copyright © Jacques de Selliers 2022 – All rights reserved.

Reproduction prohibited without my written consent.

Reproduction interdite sans mon accord écrit.

Reproductie verboden zonder mijn schriftelijke toestemming.

Ref.: j73_1229-psc6

El Torreón del Monje es uno de los íconos de la ciudad balnearia Argentina de Mar del Plata. Se trata de un edificio de influencias góticas , construido sobre las rocas de la Punta Piedras en 1904, donde funciona actualmente una confitería.

Verano Porteno -9- ASTOR PIAZZOLLA y su Quinteto Tango Nuevo -live in Utrecht (1984)

youtu.be/IaP0P8YDIsQ

Ástor Pantaleón Piazzolla (Mar del Plata, 11 de marzo de 1921 – Buenos Aires, 4 de julio de 1992) fue un bandoneonista y compositor argentino considerado uno de los músicos más importantes del siglo XX y uno de los compositores más importantes de tango en todo el mundo.

Orgullo de Mar del plata , mi ciudad natal .

That's the East River, the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, and I'm sure you recognize the United Nations Headquarters.

Growing up, I used to know all the famous skyscrapers of New York - there weren't that many.

Now, there are so many new buildings! I am so outdated, like I don't even know what that building with a long antenna is.

Eͤxͯрⷬloͦrͬeͤdͩ ⍟ Jun 16, 2022 ⍟ 22

How did it get so late so soon? It’s night before it’s afternoon. December is here before it’s June. My goodness, how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?

~ Dr. Seuss

PRESS L

View over the upper Engadin valley with Lake Sils, Switzerland

Hope you like it!

Thanks for all visits and comments (:

PRESS L

View from the mountain Hochalp at sunset, 1529m, Switzerland

Hope you like it!

Thanks for all visits and comments (:

I wish you all HAPPY YEAR END celebrations, with PEACE, LOVE and GOOD HEALTH ! 🙏😊

I'm sorry for my delay which is greater than ever but I was hiking all last weekend, to enjoy the sun, the sea of clouds and the rest of snow in the Vosges. And despite this delay, I wanted to publish a last shot in 2021, just before Christmas Day.

Je vous souhaite à toutes et tous de JOYEUSES FÊTES de fin d'année, dans la paix, l'amour et la bonne santé ! 🙏😊

Je suis désolé pour mon retard qui est plus grand que jamais mais j'étais en randonnée pendant tout le week-end dernier, pour profiter du soleil, de la mer de nuages et du reste de neige dans les Vosges. Et malgré ce retard, je tenais à publier un ultime cliché en 2021, juste avant le jour de Noël.

France. Alpes. Département des Hautes Alpes (05). Massif des Ecrins. Photo prise lors d'une randonnée en famille, en aller-retour, sur le Sentier des Crevasses, au départ d'un parking situé tout près du Col du Lautaret. Nos filles avaient moins de 2 et 4 ans. Je portais la plus petite dans mon dos et on essayait de faire marcher la plus grande au maximum, comme sur cette photo. Juin 2009, c'était nos premières vacances dans les Alpes avec un appareil photo numérique. Nos vacances précédentes dans les Alpes remontaient à 2001, quand nous avions encore des appareils argentiques.

Le Sentier des Crevasses nous a offert de magnifiques vues dans 3 directions :

- Au début sur le Massif de Combeynot et la Pyramide de Laurichard (en direction du Sud), comme sur ce cliché

- Sur la Reine Meije et ses voisins (direction Ouest-Sud-Ouest)

- Sur le Galibier et ses voisins (direction Nord-Nord-Est)

Mais quand le sentier est humide (et c'était le cas), la traversée des nombreuses ravines est compliquée si on veut éviter de mettre les pieds dans l'eau ou dans la boue. 😂

NB : La photo étant de qualité médiocre en zoomant, je l'ai publiée avec une résolution plus faible que d'habitude, pour limiter le zoom.

A1A - #266 in Explore 12/21/21

Saint Augustine, Florida U.S.A.

The Night After Halloween - 11/1/21

*[left-double-click for a closer-look - local-architecture}

*[Saint Augustine is the oldest city in the United States - 1513]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._augustine_florida

2 Live Composite exposures - see first comment below - comprising a total of 43 1sec exposures, combined in Photoshop (see tags for more processing hints). Portland, Oregon OM1314,16LC - Happy Sliders Sunday!

Phasianus colchicus - Trĩ đỏ

I took an afternoon stroll in the spring sunshine yesterday, and I walked past this beautiful pink rose which is thriving on neglect in the original garden of a stylish 1930s Art Deco clinker brick villa. Bathed in spring light the pink blooms were too beautiful not to photograph.

Spring has finally come to Melbourne, and everywhere, gardens are bursting forth with beautiful coloured blooms in a profusion of colours after a wetter than usual winter.

Stony Batter on Waiheke Island offers a good view to the outer limits of the Hauraki Gulf, a semi enclosed part of the Pacific that is Auckland's maritime playground. It is largely protected from the Pacific by Great Barrier Island and Little Barrier Island to the north, and by the Coromandel Peninsula to the east. Cape Rodney on the left and the Coromandel Peninsula on the right are part of the mainland. A line connecting them with Little Barrier Island and Great Barrier Island (left and right centre) forms the limit between the Hauraki Gulf and the Pacific Ocean beyond. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hauraki_Gulf_/_Tīkapa_Moana#/map/0 The environmental integrity of the gulf has suffered through the introduction of industrialised fishing peaking in the 1970s. This severe overfishing, which unbalanced the marine environment by the removal of a main predator in the food chain, led to a widespread disappearance of kelp beds and their substitution by kina barrens. Kinas are sea urchins which flourish in the absence of the New Zealand snapper and lobsters, their main predators. Dredging of the mussel beds of the Firth of Thames reached a peak in 1961 shortly before collapse of the industry. Particularly damaging are the results of nitrogen carried into the gulf from surrounding agricultural land, with almost 90% coming from the dairy-farming runoff into the Firth of Thames. In 2000 New Zealand established the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. So far the park has failed to prevent overfishing and reverse the ecosystem collapse. Much more needs to be done to clean up the environmental degradation created by commercial interests in the past and present.

Trying to catch up my delay ... (which has become very big) ... but I need to post a new photo from time to time ...

Thank you in advance for all your faves and comments. I might answer several WEEKS/MONTHS later. And I might post several photos in the meantime.

Merci d'avance pour tous vos faves et commentaires. Je vous répondrai peut-être dans plusieurs SEMAINES/MOIS. Et je posterai peut-être plusieurs photos entre temps.

France. Alpes. Département des Hautes Alpes (05). Massif des Cerces. Photo prise lors d'une randonnée en boucle effectuée en famille au fond de la Vallée de la Clarée. Nous sommes partis du parking de Fontcouverte. Nous avons rejoint successivement le Lac Laramon (sur la photo), le Lac de la Cula, le Pont du Moutet et le Refuge de Laval. Puis nous sommes revenus en longeant la Clarée. C'était mon 5ème jour de rando sur les 17 jours où j'ai pu randonner lors de notre séjour alpin de 3 semaines pendant l'été 2021.

La photo a été prise depuis le Lac Laramon, situé sur la rive gauche de la Clarée (au-dessus du Refuge de Ricou). Les sommets qui se reflètent dans le lac sont situés sur la rive opposée de la Clarée (donc sur la rive droite). Sur la moitié gauche de la photo, on peut voir la Crête du Queyrellin (2935m). Pour les sommets que l'on peut voir sur la moitié droite de la photo, je vous laisse survoler la photo pour voir les légendes que j'ai apposées.

De tous les lacs où je me suis rendu jusqu'à présent, je crois que ce lac est celui qui m'a offert les plus beaux reflets. Et d'ailleurs, cette vue est vraiment la vue classique que les gens prennent en photo quand ils passent au Lac Laramon.

Sinon, comme vous pouvez le constater sur la photo, nous avons été très gâtés par les conditions météo, avec un grand ciel bleu ! Et cerise sur le gâteau, nous avons eu la chance que la lune s'invite dans le décor. 🙏😊

If you want to get to know the oldest living creatures in the world, you have to make your way to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. This is a grannen pine. It grows in the Inyo National Forest at an altitude of over 3000 m. It's in the White Mountains between Nevada and Death Valley. The oldest trees were determined to be 4723 years old and are therefore probably the oldest living things on our planet. The sight of these trees does not suggest that they are actually living plants. With their bizarre shapes, they look more like dead trees that have been marked by wind and weather.

Die ältesten Lebewesen des Planeten - Ancient Bristlecone Pines

Wer die ältesten Lebewesen der Welt kennen lernen möchte, der muss sich auf den Weg zum Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest machen. Hierbei handelt es sich um eine Grannen Kiefer. Sie wächst im Inyo National Forest in einer Höhe von über 3000 m. Das liegt in den White Mountains zwischen Nevada und dem Death Valley. Die ältesten Bäume wurden auf 4723 Jahre bestimmt und sind damit wohl die ältesten Lebewesen unseres Planeten. Dabei läßt der Anblick dieser Bäume nicht vermuten, dass es sich tatsächlich um lebendige Pflanzen handelt. Sie wirken durch ihre bizarren Formen eher wie abgestorbene Bäume, die von Wind und Wetter gezeichnet wurden.

#FlickrFriday

#Water

Huge waves rage at the shoreline near Bermagui on the NSW Far South Coast, Australia.

HD PENTAX-DA 55-300mm f4.5-6.3 PLM

Woohoo! Thank you very much everyone for your visits, faves and comments.

After a year and a half, I finally crossed the international border - I went to visit my friend Goran D in Bihać, Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Once there, we went to the abandoned Željava Air Base, specifically, to Runway 32L, the one on the Bosnian side.

Željava Air Base is quite an interesting location, I hope to visit it again soon. Read more about the base on Wikipedia.

Taken with Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital full-frame camera, with old Tamron AF 24‍–‍70mm F3.3–‍5.6 Aspherical autofocus wide-to-normal zoom lens.

✨ Thank you all for pushing this photo into Explore at #176 at one point in time. Yay!

Shortly after 6 a.m. on the Hintersee - I took a day off and got up with a friend in the middle of the night to photograph the sunrise on the Hintersee - as always a very nice and lonely experience this morning. We were already there at 5 a.m. and around 6 a.m. only one other photographer appeared ... very rarely at this location ...

I have put together 5 high-resolution 18mm portrait format photos to create this panorama photo.

Wunderschöner Sonnenaufgang am Hintersee, Ramsau - Bayern

Kurz nach 6 Uhr am Hintersee - ich hate mir einen Tag freigenommen und war zusammen mit einem Freund mitten in der Nacht aufgestanden, um den Sonnenaufgang am Hintersee zu fotografieren - wie immer ein sehr schönes und an diesem Morgen auch einsames Erlebnis. Wir waren schon um 5 Uhr dort und so gegen 6 Uhr erschien nur noch ein weiterer Fotograf...sehr selten an dieser Lokation...

Ich habe 5 hochauflösende 18mm Portraitformatfotos zu diesem Panoramafoto zusammengesetzt.

Jupiter & Saturn and two of Perseids

Puente, Frías, Burgos, Castilla y León, España.

WEST-AFRICA. -- COSTA D' AVORIO. -- AREA GRAND. LAHOU

And tomorrow I go back to the clinic for two days to finish the checks and we hope that the malaria is gone!

Vedere meglio in FORMATO LARGO

See better with ENLARGEMENT

Traum in Rot

and there is no shadow without light

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Single shot in 16:9 crop.

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Please read below if you are curious about how this shot was taken:

These are silhouette within light bubbles (light bokeh). To create this effect, the prerequisite is that you have a (macro-) zoom lens allowing you to create bokeh effect.

The condition of light source is very important. One light bubble is formed by one light source, and the light source has to be strong and condensed so that you can form a clear light bubble together with a clear silhouette. In this image, these multiple bubbles are formed by dazzling lights on the surface of a lotus pond around noon time when the sky was clear and the sun was high.

The choice of object as the motif is also very important. Imagine about the size of dazzling light laying on the lens toward the sensor of the camera, the object should be something thin, small and delicate, so that you can get a nice silhouette within the bubble.

For making this photograph, you need to put the object in the focal range and aim the camera toward the direction of the light source (so that you are literally shooting a macro silhouette within a bokeh), and then manually adjust the focus, moving the camera as needed, until you get the composition you like in the frame. The angle toward the light source is important. If your light source is the reflective sunlight (such as the dazzling lights in my example), you really need to direct the camera to the point where you have those light coming toward your frame, in order to create the silhouette.

You can also follow my work on Instagram シ

www.instagram.com/yasha_jakovsky/?hl=hr

* Kalmetina is the name of a road in city Zadar.

Hello everybody. What do you think about follow & unfollow method on Instagram? Let’s find out what Cookie Monster think about it lol.

Cookie Monster from Sesame Street rarely do interview but he did it via Skype exclusively for Yasha Jakovsky シ.

Yasha Jakovsky: "What do you think about Instagram people who use follow & unfollow method"?

Cookie Monster: "I personally think it is annoying. There are so many Instagram imposters who want to become stars over the night, we must to unite and fight for better fair play internet social society to stop notoriety. Impostor followed then unfollowed me after day or two, they will try same method on you too. I know that this dirty game would never ends but be careful my friend, follow & unfollow strategy became huge underhand trend".

Yasha Jakovsky: "Do you have message for Instagram imposters"?

Cookie Monster: "Sure kiddo. Instagram imposter, yes you that you are reading, take off your lazy fat Instagram ass from a couch and maybe you will lose some kilogram".

Yasha Jakovsky: "My friend it is so pity that our interview ends. I wish you to have a great day with nice chocolate and rice cookies (I know how much cookies are important for you). Thank you so much for your time and this cool rhymes that you used".

Cookie Monster: "No problem mister Jakovsky, have a nice day, greetings from Bombay (I am there on a holiday). Oh I almost forgot, I will send you via post honey cookies the best money can buy, bye bye".

P.s. I listened Metallica's album Reload in high school. I rarely listen Metallica, I recommend you their song The Memory Remains from Reload album.

P.P.S. Special thanks to Chucky who climbed so high and put those flashlights :D.

Photo was explored on Flickr, place 156 / 500.

...when a treasure that we've forgotten is right under our noses?

Indiana Dunes National Park

Watching Indiana's city lights of Gary and Illinois' high rises of Chicago in the distance, a couple strolls at dusk on a sandy beach at Indiana Dunes National Park. A cool evening breeze flows from Lake Michigan after a hot late spring day.

Philip Harding Klimanek (1883-1965) was born in the Czech Republic, at the time his place of birth was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire. In ca. 1905 he started to work for Holland-China Trading Company, in Hong Kong.

In 1939, when Charles Gesner van der Voort arrived in Shanghai to work for the company, he was Charles' senior manager. In a letter home he wrote: "Played chess with Klimanek in the French Club" [translation Pieter Lommerse, the French Club was Le Cercle Sportif Français, a fashionable place to be in the 1930s and it still exists today].

Philip Harding Klimanek was also a juror for the Hong Kong judicial system, which can be found in gwulo.com, for the last time in 1941.

His grandson wrote to me: "Though he had been based in Shanghai before the war we know he was captured in Hongkong on 24th Dec 1941 during the “Battle of Hongkong”. He had been a volunteer with the “isolated Tytan [this should probably be Tai Tam, or Tytam at the time] Godows of the Food Control from November to the end of December 1941” We assume he was involved with food conservation as the Japanese were approaching."

"He was beaten up on capture and needed medical treatment. He was in and out of Stanley camp until the Japanese surrender in 1945. As he was of Austro-Hungarian descent after the war his nationality was hard to determine as his papers and all his possessions had been lost, his health was very poor as a result of how he had been treated during the war. Eventually he managed to get a temporary Czechoslovakian passport in 1948 issued in Nanking China. After a short period in the UK looking for work he returned to the HCTC and was traveling between Shanghai and Hongkong. He retired in Hongkong and returned to England 31st Dec 1950."

Gwulo.com administrator David added a comment about the Tai Tam godown shelters: "I guess he spent that time at Godowns (warehouses) that stored food for emergency use. You can see other examples of this type of godown listed at gwulo.com/hong-kong-shelter-area;

Philip Harding Klimanek was a close friend of Willem Kien, another early HCHC-employee, later to become director of the company. Willem Kien's daughter in law recalls seeing him during visits in The Netherlands, together with his wife Zoia and daughter Sylvia. Also Anneke Knüppe-de Jongh, daughter of former HCHC-employee and director Frans de Jongh, has warm memories of the family, which her family stayed closely in touch with.

This photo shows (from left to right) Reginald, Zoia's sister, Zoia, Sylvia and Philip Harding Klimanek at the family home at Lane 1355 House No 20 Yue Yuen Road, "West Park Mansions", dressed for winter or early spring. Reginald ('Reggie') wears a cap similar to J.G. Ballard on the cover photo of his autobiography "Miracles of Life: Shanghai to Shepperton : an Autobiography". J.G. Ballard was about the same age as Sylvia, and author of "Empire of the Sun".

Courtesy Harding-Klimanek family archives

The Matterhorn , the Dent d'Hérens the Z'mutt glacier.and "La Tête Blanche", (alt. 3.710 m ). . Zermatt . Canton Valais, Switzerland. No. 2548.

Taken at a crossing of Zhongqxiao W. Road and Zhongshan N Road near Taipei Main Station in Taipei, Taiwan.

Trying to catch up my delay ... (which has become very big) ... but I need to post a new photo from time to time ...

Thank you in advance for all your faves and comments. I might answer several WEEKS/MONTHS later. And I might post several photos in the meantime.

Merci d'avance pour tous vos faves et commentaires. Je vous répondrai peut-être dans plusieurs SEMAINES/MOIS. Et je posterai peut-être plusieurs photos entre temps.

France. Alpes. Savoie. Haute Tarentaise. Massif des Alpes Grées. Photo prise lors d'un aller-retour au Lac de la Bailletta, au départ du parking du Saut. Nous avons effectué cette rando en famille, merveilleusement guidés par notre ami de Haute Tarentaise.

Cette photo a été prise depuis le parking du Saut.

Je me suis dépêché d'immortaliser la scène peu après que l'on se soit garé sur le parking car le brouillard s'est dissipé très vite !!!... Notre ami de Haute Tarentaise nous avait donné rendez-vous vers 9H car le parking du Saut est rapidement complet en été. C'est clairement grâce à cet horaire matinal par rapport à nos habitudes qu'on a pu admirer ce magnifique spectacle éphémère. Le paysage est déjà superbe en temps normal. Mais avec ce brouillard en plus, c'était juste un pur régal. ❤️😊

Charles Gesner van der Voort (1916-1991) was part of a group of Dutch bachelors in pre-war Shanghai. Another member of this group was David van Gelderen (1908-1990), originally from Rotterdam. He arrived in Shanghai in 1933, working for Unilever, a merger of the operations of Dutch Margarine Unie and British soap maker Lever Brothers.

The photo albums of his China years contain many photos of the bachelor life in those days: travel, work, parties, trips within China and to Japan. They also include photos of the bombing of the Unilever factory during the 1937 Japanese attack of Shanghai, membership of the French Special Police and other unique photos.

Like Charles, David was interned in Chapei Civil Assembly Centre by the Japanese from 1943 to 1945.

Being Jewish, internment in Shanghai probably saved David’s life; since all of his family members in the Netherlands were killed by the Nazis.

David married, had two children and continued to work for Unilever. He became member of Nederlandse Reünisten Vereniging China (NRVC, Dutch Reunists Association China).

This photo shows a birthday party held at the Paramount Ballroom at Yue Yuen Road in Shanghai. The party was for the occasion of Frans' and Henk's birthdays, no last names are mentioned. The Paramount Ballroom was a famous venue in Shanghai at the time. Paul French wrote a book about the owner, with a criminal background, Joe Farren, "City of Devils".

Courtesy Van Gelderen family archives

Vista al norte del cráter de 1960 con vista a la colada de lava de la erupción de 2011.

Parque Nacional Puyehue, Región de los Ríos, Chile central.

                  A very belated tribute to my long-lost father

I chose his ship as a header because it was his last resting place.

After the worst of the Blitz¹ came the Dreaded Telegram. Although

I can't remember my father, I do vividly remember being terrified

at seeing my mother break down in tears before even opening the message; "... missing presumed killed". It was everybody's worst nightmare. My father's ship, HMS Dunedin, had gone down² with most of her crew on the 24th November 1941.

                                   Exactly 80 years ago today

★  If you are wondering why I waited so long, please read on.

My mother had been devastated but had never given up hope that my father was still alive as a prisoner of war and that one day he would come back to us. My uncle, for his part, had never been satisfied with just a telegram and a simple citation (see below). He had never ceased to pester the Admiralty for more information till long after the war was over. But nothing was ever forthcoming. Both my mother and my uncle died long before the truth was out and I remained in the dark³, until...

In 2019 (only 2 years ago) I read a book called: BLOOD IN THE SEA - HMS DUNEDIN AND THE ENIGMA CODE: A must-read, written by Stuart Gill son of one of the very few survivors of the ill-fated ship.

As I read it, I discovered - to my horror - the tragic events that took place all those years ago. In my mind’s eye, I witnessed the tragedy as it unfolded. I came to know the various characters, their hopes and finally their despairs. I also discovered the extent to which the Enigma code was involved which no doubt explains why the Admiralty had remained silent for so long.

There was even a passage in the book about my father who was described as being brave and even jovial right up till the end despite the excruciating pain he must have been suffering from his wounds. He had been carried to a raft and died a few hours later. The passage ended with the touching words: "Poor Horace".

My father must also have known that he was about to die without ever seeing his loved ones again and knowing that they too were in the thick of it⁴. I suddenly realised that I was one of his loved ones.

I had known my father but I'd been a toddler at the time too young to be able to remember him later; something I deeply regret. All I want to do now is wipe away the tears and keep his memory alive.

The cracking of the Enigma code at Bletchley Park in July 1941 was one of the closest guarded secrets of the Second World War. Indeed, the very fact was not made public till the 1970s and the full story till the 1990s but even then, I was unaware of any connection between the code and my father’s ship - until I read the book!

On the 15th June 1941, Dunedin captured the German tanker Lothringen along with vital Enigma material for Bletchley Park. A month later the Enigma code was cracked.

Four months later, Dunedin was directed to her doom by orders emanating from a decoded Enigma message. She had been sent to intercept another tanker before rendezvousing with four U-boats.

It was like throwing a cat into a lion’s den: A light cruiser was no match for a U-boat let alone four.

But Dunedin was the only ship within range and, of course, we were at war. It had been thought that Dunedin could intercept the tanker well before the rendezvous would take place; a high-risk gamble. But with the benefit of hindsight, it would seem that the U-boats were already deployed around the tanker to protect it and its precious cargo. This measure would probably have been standard procedure and therefore never mentioned in any message.

Tankers played a major role in the Battle of the Atlantic keeping the Wolfpack U-boats fully replenished at sea where they were required to remain for very long periods!

Although it all happened a long time ago, for me, reading the book and following up on the web has been like hearing the news of what happened yesterday. I was able to share some of the grief that my poor mother must have been overcome with at the time. She had spared me the pain that she had been suffering alone and in silence.

We had never talked about my father or the war after it was over; everybody had wanted to put it all behind them. It hadn’t been easy; loved ones lost forever, widows in black everywhere, the blind and the crippled walking the streets as best they could, with rubble all over the place, and rationing for years to come. The post war years in Britain had been difficult but at least the killing and destruction had ceased, and we had survived - while so many others hadn't.

                                      __________________

★ Read more about the book and buy it if you so wish (new tab)

★ HMS Dunedin - Wikipedia (new tab)

★ How Alan Turing cracked the Enigma code (new tab)

¹ The Blitz – The air raids on Britain in 1940-41; Portsmouth being

  one of the closest and main targets. Along with the fall of France,

  they were, for us, the darkest hours of the war. We were all alone

  and on our knees preparing for invasion.

² to go down = sombrer / couler

³ to remain in the dark = rester dans l'ignorance

⁴ to be in the thick of it = être en plein dedans

They gave their lives so that we might live in peace and freedom.

                                           Lest we forget!

Fate : That supposed force that predetermines major events that come our way. It can be kind or cruel. It can bring people together or tear them apart. It strikes without warning and there's nothing we can do about it!

Take great care, my friends, and many, many thanks for calling,

Colin …

P.S. The picture has notes. If you can't see them, going to lightbox and back again should do the trick. It's simply a Flickr quirk.

         More photos and details below, including colourization

So word got around that I was photographing the wood chunks and overnight this motley crew assembled on my studio table requesting that they have their picture taken. It's pretty amazing because while some of the objects share space on the living room shelf, others had to climb down from the top drawer of my dresser and roll their way to the table. In case you're wondering, the objects with holes in them are...well I'll let you guess, the answer is in the tabs. Also, I identified the woods with notes.