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Montenegro is a country in Eastern Europe bordering Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, Albania and the Adriatic Sea. It used to be a part of Yugoslavia. The capital is Podgorica. The name Montenegro is Italian and means Black mountain. Montenegro was an independent princedom between 1878 and 1910 and an independent kingdom until 1918. That year Montenegro became part of Yugoslavia. In 2003 Yugoslavia was transformed into the new country of Serbia and Montenegro, but this fell apart in 2006 when both countries went their separate ways. Montenegro is therefore the youngest country in Europe. Montenegro is not a member of the European Union, but it is a member of NATO. Despite the fact that Montenegro is not yet an EU Member State, people do pay with the euro. Montenegro may be small, but this beautiful nation has a huge array of natural and man-made wonders. Once overlooked in favor of more famous Mediterranean countries, Montenegro is quickly gaining a reputation as a great place to travel. It's easy to see why. The mountainous hinterland is home to deep gorges, flowing rivers, glacial lakes and old-growth forests, popular for adventure activities. The winding coast runs along pretty blonde bays overlooking the royal blue Adriatic Sea, ancient Venetian villages and UNESCO-walled towns. You get a beautiful view of the Kotor bay from the P1 road to the top of mountain Lovćen, a somewhat steep and very narrow route. From here futher to Jezerski peak to the Njegos Mausoleum at an altitude of 1660 meters, and it officially represents the tallest mausoleum in the world.
The Njegos Mausoleum is a most impressive and very mystic destination. Petar II Petrovic Njegos was the bishop and the ruler of Montenegro. He was the most popular spiritual and military leader in 1800. The mausoleum is situated in the Jezerski peak, at a height of 1660 meters, and it officially represents the highest mausoleum in the world. The road from the beginning plateau for climbing on to the Njegos mausoleum is made of numerous stony stairway (from the foot up to the entrance into the mausoleum there are 461 staircases), and one part of the path leads through a well done and lighted marble tunnel. The area is surrounded by the beauty of beech, oak and linden forests. The fresh mountain air will welcome you compared to the muggy and summer heat, which is characteristic of the Coast. Photo taken from Jezerski peak on mount Lovćen at 1,749 m.
Montenegro is een land in Oost-Europa en grenst aan Bosnië en Herzegovina, Servië, Kosovo, Albanië en de Adriatische Zee. Vroeger was het een deel van Joegoslavië. De hoofdstad is Podgorica. De naam Montenegro is Italiaans en betekent Zwarte berg. Montenegro was tussen 1878 en 1910 een zelfstandig prinsdom en tot 1918 een zelfstandig koninkrijk. Dat jaar werd Montenegro onderdeel van Joegoslavië. In 2003 werd Joegoslavië omgevormd in het nieuwe land Servië en Montenegro, maar dit viel in 2006 uit elkaar toen beide landen een eigen weg gingen. Montenegro is misschien klein, maar deze prachtige natie heeft een enorm scala aan natuurlijke en door de mens gemaakte wonderen. Ooit over het hoofd gezien ten gunste van meer bekende mediterrane landen, krijgt Montenegro snel een reputatie als een geweldige plek om te reizen. Het is gemakkelijk te zien waarom. Het bergachtige achterland herbergt diepe kloven, stromende rivieren, gletsjermeren en oerbossen, populair voor avontuurlijke activiteiten. De kronkelige kust loopt langs mooie blonde baaien met uitzicht op de koningsblauwe Adriatische Zee. Het Njegos Mausoleum is een zeer indrukwekkende en zeer mystieke bestemming. Petar II Petrovic Njegos was de bisschop en de heerser van Montenegro. Hij was de meest populaire spirituele en militaire leider in 1800. Het mausoleum ligt op de Jezerski-piek, op een hoogte van 1660 meter, en het vertegenwoordigt officieel het hoogste mausoleum ter wereld. De weg vanaf het beginplateau om naar het Njegos-mausoleum te klimmen, bestaat uit talrijke stenen trappen vanaf de voet tot aan de ingang van het mausoleum zijn er 461 trappen, en een deel van het pad leidt door een goed uitgevoerde en verlichte marmeren tunnel. Het gebied is omgeven door de schoonheid van beuken-, eiken- en lindebossen. De frisse berglucht zal u verwelkomen in vergelijking met de zwoele en zomerse hitte die kenmerkend is voor de kust. Foto genomen vanaf Jezerski peak van berg Lovćen met een hoogte van 1749m.
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Intro - My life motto: killing & action brings me great erection
I never lost my precious time on election
In the youth I had a dream
To become a star in a Major League Baseball
Life path bring me to other direction
And now I am stacked in this crappy doll
I can still play with baseball bat and a ball
I can kick some jerks while listening
Metallica album Kill ‘Em All
I am a ballbreaker
The mean pain maker, I am a soul taker
Hey bitch throw the pitch
Let the fun begin
In this game I would always win
I would never become a movie star
Like Pierce Brosnan in a James Bond
But I can hit my enemies harder
Than a baseball player Barry Bonds
Bloody Baseball bring me so much excitement
I can already see against me new brutal indictment
P.s. Chucky recommend you a classic song Babe Ruth - Mexican.
Quiberon, France
My second rare spot spotted the first day !
Monaco are basically not common in main cities ( Exept Paris, Nice and Cannes!), so in a Britain city, it's unexpected !!
Rhopalocera nihonica
Yokohama :Printed at the Office of the "Japan mail", Published by the author,1886-1889.
Taken earlier tonight.. I was able to go out to celebrate a friend's birthday (we are both fully vaccinated). It has been a long time since I went out in the city at night..
This is my little piece of Venice.. it is actually a mall with built-in canal inside with matching gondolas traversing it and Italian music playing in the background.. posting the daytime shot in the comment section..
#sliderssunday
Spot the two birds :)
For a change, this is a new (outside!) photo, taken just a few days ago at the wonderful Britzer Garten, one of Berlin's biggest and most beautiful public parks (please check my album for more "Britz bliss", if you like).
For better dynamic range, I've used exposure bracketing (three images), pre-processed the images in DXO PhotoLab (sharpness and DeepPrime denoising only), from which I directly went into HDR Efex Pro to combine the images. I'm trying to get away from the annual Adobe subscription, and combining images from an exposure bracketing series in HDR Efex instead of Lightroom is one step into that direction. Unfortunately, whenever I think I can finally leave Adobe behind for good they come up with improvements such as the new "supersize" function (now also available in LR), a ton of new presets for LR, and other interesting stuff (and I'm still used to the LR/PS workflow, and the layers in PS). Well, maybe I'll be ready next year ;)
Extra sliding was done in Color Efex, where I added some "Brilliance and Warmth" and a tiny bit of "Contrast Color Range".
Happy Sliders Sunday, Everyone, stay safe and have a nice week ahead!
The Matterhorn , the Dent d'Hérens the Z'mutt glacier.and "La Tête Blanche", (alt. 3.710 m ). . Zermatt . Canton Valais, Switzerland. No. 2548.
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My website www.davidgutierrez.co.uk
No.1 London Bridge is part of the London Bridge City estate, a
Bankside development located on the South side of London Bridge.
No.1 London Bridge - London, UK
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. ❤️😊
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
Europe, Netherlands, Rotterdam, Centre, Pompenburg, Luchtsingel, Schieblok, Shell gebouw (Laatbloeien) (uncut)
The Luchtsingel and the adjacent Schieblock projects are interesting strategies that counteract the detrimental effects that the combination of modernist urban planning - with its rigorous segregation of work, living and commercial functions - and chronic high levels of vacancy of office buildings have on the liveability and vitality of the city centre. The Luchtsingel was desgned by ZUS (Sister) architects.
.
Check out the previous post for more information.
Shown here is almost the whole of the Luchtsingel, consult the notes (with photo links) for the specific locations. A new element is the access to the former Shellgebouw redeveloped into ‘Laatbloeien’ . Next to it is the Shell tower, currently the HQ of Unilever (transformation: Mecanoo) .
Behind me is the access to the former Hofplein station.
Shot with the 7Artisans 7,5mm f/2,8 fisheye, check out the new album.
This is number 9 of the Luchtsingel album and 244 of
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
El santuario de 'Nosa Señora da Virxe da Barca' tiene una pintoresca localización frente al Oceáno Atlántico en plena Costa da Morte y en la bocana de la ría de Camariñas, en las proximidades de la marinera villa de Muxía. Tiene origenes remotos medievales y fue construido posiblemente para cristianizar un lugar donde se realizaban ritos paganos y, además, es punto final de la prolongación de la peregrinación jacobea al ‘finisterrae’.
En la proximidad se encuentran las piedras en las que dice la leyenda que se apareció la Virgen al Apóstol Santiago.
En la foto aparece en primer plano la ‘Pedra dos Cadrís’, a la que se atribuyen propiedades curativas para enfermedades relacionadas con los riñones, la espalda y la cabeza, para lo que hay que pasar nueve veces por debajo. ¡¡No cabe duda que si alguien pasa por debajo de la piedra no tiene problemas de espalda!!
Arriba, a la derecha, la imponente mole de 400 toneladas de la escultura conocida como "A Ferida" (La Herida). Es un monolito de granito de forma rectangular partido por el medio, que simboliza la herida que dejó el hundimiento del petrolero Prestige el 19 de noviembre de 2002.
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.
Je m'étais plaint d'avoir passé 2 semaines de travail épuisantes en mars. Eh bien la semaine dernière était encore pire ... 😥 La bonne nouvelle c'est que cette fois ça n'a duré qu'une semaine ... Et me revoilà enfin avec une nouvelle publication (il était temps) ! 😊
France. Alpes. Massif du Dévoluy. Photo prise lors d'une rando en A/R au cours de laquelle nous sommes allés avec ma femme au Col de Charnier en passant par le Vallon de Charnier et en partant du hameau de Lachaup. Je me réjouissais de faire cette rando et je n'ai pas été déçu car elle figure parmi nos randos préférées de tous les temps ! ❤️
Cette photo a été prise au début du retour, légèrement sous le Col de Charnier (2103m). On y voit de gauche à droite :
o Le Vallon de Charnier qui descend au pied de la face nord du sommet de Roche Courbe. Au fond derrière, on voit une partie de la Montagne de Faraut, avec la Brèche de Faraut tout à gauche.
o Le sommet de Roche Courbe (2259m). ❤️
o La Tête de Plate Longue (2383m).
o Le Rocher Rond (2453m), point culminant de la Drôme (26).
Sous cet angle de vue, ces 3 sommets et les arêtes qui les relient donnent l'impression de voir une forteresse naturelle avec 3 tours et 2 remparts. J'aime beaucoup cette apparence. ❤️😊
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.
..... is like the dawn of a new world
Another picture of my sunrise series from the Rhine valley above Bonn, thank you for looking.
Musik.....
..... ist wie die Morgenröte einer neuen Welt
Ein weiteres Bild meiner Sonnenaufgangsreihe vom Rheintal oberhalb von Bonn, danke euch fürs schauen
SUNRISE - Smathers Beach - Key West, Florida U.S.A.
Swaying Magical Palms - Late Fall - Dec. 5th, 2020
---------Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail----------
My favorite "Sunrise In Paradise" location on Key West.
These palms are featured on Jimmy Buffett's A1A album, and
the back cover is about 50 yards north of here. While he lived
here this was a favorite spot of his and he wrote a few songs
here. - Have been attempting to get the best shot of these
palms for many years. I'M STILL TRYING! Thanks for looking
*[left-double-click for a closer-look - Jimmy's Palms]
*[little different for me! Don't usually do black & white but this one
seemed to call for it. My first b/w silhouette of these iconic palms]
"A Pirate Looks At Forty" - Jimmy Buffett
www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0W7gXEEbqo
"Margaritaville" - Alan Jackson & Jimmy Buffett
www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4XtBiWgXLE
"It's Five-Oclock Somewhere" - Alan Jackson & Jimmy Buffett
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPCjC543llU
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smathers_Beach
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_West,_Florida
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_keys
My Key West 2020 Slideshow : flic.kr/s/aHsmTvNLb4
Last year I was invited to exhibit at the Imagine Film Festival in Amsterdam. Unfortunately the event could not take place, but I still took the chance to recreate some vehicles from iconic movies. This is one of them: The Spinner from the original Blade Runner from 1982.
The Spinner has been tackled many many times by unbelievably talented LEGO builders and there are some fantastic versions that inspired parts of the model. The front end and the proportions are largely influenced by Calin's version, while the overall colour scheme is inspired by Tyler's model.
One aspect I payed particularly close attention to was designing the back in a way that would allow the yellow and red stripes to be completely brick-built. The "44" and the small yellow warning stripes are achieved via decals, the rest is entirely made with LEGO pieces.
I hope you like this new interpretation!
© all rights reserved by B℮n
It will be k-k-cold this weekend. The temperature can drop to -8 degrees and that means of course only one thing: skating! After a few nights of good frost we could skate on February 13, 2021 at the Loosdrechtse Plassen. Every effort was made to ensure that we could skate. Plassenschap Loosdrecht has issued a sailing ban for the Loosdrechtse Plassen. After an extra night of frost, the ice is perfect. Beautiful black smooth ice without weak spots. Finally perfect ice to tie up the irons for skating enthusiasts. There can be wonderful kilometers of skating between the peat area and vast frozen lakes. You experience nature in places where you normally can not come. The northwestern part of the Loenderveense Plas is also referred to as Terra Nova. In this part of the Loenderveense Plas, experiments have been carried out in recent years to improve water quality by removing the bream fish. This fish accumulates the sludge layer that is formed at the bottom of the ponds by over-fertilization. Only a few plants and animals can live in this muddy water. Although already impressive results can be seen from the bream removal - the whole lake has turned from muddy to clear water, which also means that the water is freezing faster than other puddles. The peatland is a paradise for skaters from the west of the Netherlands, because it is usually the first large-scale area where you can skate on natural ice. Dutch also love Kite ice skating. This is the sport of sailing is popular in the Netherlands.
Today 13th of February 2021 we got the opportunity to go ice skating on real ice instead of going to an ice rink. A good freeze only comes from a win in the climatic lottery. Thus the chance for our Dutch to be wild adventurers on their own land comes only every few years. We glide across solidified, frosted lakes with fish frozen into the ice. Besides skating on the Loosdrechtse Plassen there is also Ice surfing, ice sailing and kite skating. The Loosdrechtseplassen in the winter are a real skater’s paradise. Kite ice skating is very popular in the Netherlands. Photo of Casper taken a photo of Samantha and other skaters on the Loenderveensche plassen.
Het wordt k-k-koud dit weekend. De temperatuur kan dalen tot wel -8 graden en dat betekent natuurlijk maar één ding: schaatsennn! Na een paar nachten goede vorst konden we op 13 februari 2021 schaatsen op de Loosdrechtseplassen. Er werd alles aan gedaan om te zorgen dat we konden schaatsen. Plassenschap Loosdrecht heeft een vaarverbod afgegeven voor de Loosdrechtse Plassen. Na een extra nacht van vorst ligt het ijs er perfect bij. Prachtig zwart glad ijs en nergens wakken. Eindelijk weer heerlijk ijs om voor schaatsliefhebbers de ijzers onder te binden. Er kan heerlijk kilometers geschaats worden tussen het veengebied. Je beleeft de natuur op plekken waar je normaal niet kan komen.
De Loosdrechtseplassen zijn afgegraven veengebieden, gelegen in het Gooi. Het noordwestelijke deel van de Loenderveense Plas wordt ook wel aangeduid als Terra Nova. Terra Nova is een aan de Vecht gelegen landgoed en natuurgebied met veenplassen. In dit deel van de Loenderveense Plas is de afgelopen jaren geëxperimenteerd met het verbeteren van de waterkwaliteit door het wegvangen van brasem. Deze vis woelt de sliblaag op die op de bodem van de plassen is ontstaan door overbemesting. In dit troebele water kunnen slechts weinig planten en dieren leven waardoor de soortenrijkdom van de plassen sterk is teruggelopen. Hoewel nu al aansprekende resultaten te zien zijn van het wegvangen van de brasem – het hele meer is omgeklapt van troebel naar helder water wat ook weer betekend dat het water eerder bevriest dan andere plassen. Het veengebied is een paradijs voor schaatsers uit het westen van Nederland, omdat het meestal het eerste grootschalige gebied is waar men goed kan schaatsen op natuurijs. Naast het schaatsen op de Loosdrechtse Plassen is er ook Kite schaatsen, ijssurfen, ijszeilen en kite schaatsen. Ook zijn er weer ijszeilers te zien.
photo rights reserved by B℮n
It will be k-k-cold this weekend. The temperature can drop to -15 degrees celcius and that means of course only one thing: skating! After a few nights of good frost we could skate on February 11, 2021 at the Gouwsea. Waterland in the winter is a real skater’s paradise. As temperatures plunge across Europe, many are cursing the cold. But not in the Netherlands. Many are hoping for further frigid conditions. Today my daughter Samantha and friend Casper are joying me skating. A historical moment since crossing the Gouwsea by skates is such a rare occurrence. Today we skate 12km from Uitdam, de Nes to Marken and back, such a beautiful sea of ice to enjoy. An infinitely beautiful sight on this icy sea in 2021. It was a pleasure. The meadows here are white, the Gouwzee completely frozen and the breath comes out of my mouth in small gray puffs. Put your hands behind your back. Breathe calmly. I enjoy the sound of the irons over the ice and the beautiful view of the snowy landscape . The ice surface is great here. Besides ice skating Dutch also love Ice yachting. This is the sport of sailing and racing iceboats and is very popular in the Netherlands. Ice boats are racing at a speed of 100 km an hour over the ice of the Gouwsea. The centre of ice yachting is in Monnickendam.
Today 11th of February 2021 we got the opportunity to go ice skating on real ice instead of going to an ice rink. A good freeze only comes from a win in the climatic lottery. Thus the chance for our Dutch to be wild adventurers on their own land comes only every few years. We glide across solidified, frosted lakes with fish frozen into the ice. The Gouwsea in the winter are a real skater’s paradise. In Monnickendam the ice is only suitable for ice yachting. From here the ice yachtings are crossing the Gouwzee to Marken. We visit Monnickendam. Photo of two explorers on the vast frozen Gouwsea taken from the Waterlandse Zeedijk. From Monnickendam to Marken island is about 4km of disctance. It is not often that the Gouwsea is completely frozen. Stratocumulus clouds producing snow are hanging above Marken.
Het wordt k-k-koud dit weekend. De temperatuur kan dalen tot wel -15 graden en dat betekent natuurlijk maar één ding: schaatsennn! Na een paar nachten goede vorst konden we op 11 februari 2021 schaatsen op de Gouwzee. Na een extra nacht van vorst ligt het ijs er redelijk goed bij. Eindelijk weer heerlijk ijs om voor schaatsliefhebbers de ijzers onder te binden. Er kan heerlijk kilometers geschaatst worden tussen Uitdam, De Nes en Marken. Vandaag gaat mijn dochter Samantha mij met vriend Casper. Je beleeft de natuur op plekken waar je normaal niet kan komen. De Gouwzee is een paradijs voor schaatsers uit het westen van Nederland, omdat het meestal het eerste grootschalige gebied is waar men goed kan schaatsen op natuurijs. Maar het blijft een historische gebeurtenis. Vele schaatsenrijders zoeken vandaag de bevroren oppervlakte van de Gouwzee op voor een schaatsrit langs de dijk van Uitdam, De Nes naar Marken. Een mooie rit van zo'n 12km. Een oneindig mooi gezicht op deze ijszee anno 2021. Het was genieten. De weilanden zijn hier wit, de Gouwzee totaal bevroren en de adem komt in kleine grijze pufjes uit mijn mond. Handen op de rug. Rustig ademen. Ik geniet van het geluid van de ijzers over het ijs en het prachtige uitzicht over de besneeuwde landschap. Het ijs is geweldig hier. De ijszeilers hebben hun plek in Monnickendam. Hier is het ijs te slecht om te schaatsen, maar voor de ijszeilers geen probleem. Vanaf hier steken ze de Gouwzee over naar Marken. Een oneindig mooi gezicht op deze ijszee anno 2021. Het was genieten. Jong en oud staan op het ijs, zelfs koek en zopie is present bij de zeilclub van Monnickendam. Met spectaculaire snelheden van wel 80 tot 100 kilometer per uur razen de ijszeilers over bevroren meren en plassen: ijszeilers hebben deze dagen de tijd van hun leven. Foto van twee wandelaars op de ijszee genomen vanaf de Waterlandse Zeedijk. Vanaf Monnickendam naar Marken is ongeveer een afstand van 4 km. Het komt niet vaak voor dat de Gouwzee helemaal bevroren is.
So the big white ducks didn't do well in cramped, snowed in, winter conditions and killed one of the Silkie chickens (we think) after which, they were exiled from chickenland and now take up residence in outside world spending their nights in the main part of the barn (oh joy!) This one chicken knows how to escape and routinely hops out for a romp in the leaf litter of nearby woods. Its a risky affair and to make matters worse, she first has to negotiate safe passage with the ducks who guard the gate. When she's done with her walk she hops back in with the other chickens. Oh and if you are wondering, the used car lot flags are strung about chickenland to keep the hawks out, they seem to work. Some need fixing from the ravages of winter.
From the heights of Galway with Monkey Morgan to the rocks of south Galway/north Clare with the Aran Islands in the background, in a typical Robert French image. Dongore which French assigns to Galway, or Doonagore which the cataloguer assigns to Clare, looks like a grand place for a walk. But would you want to live there?
+++ UPDATE +++
The Lawrence glass plate negative may well say Galway, but Doonagore Castle is absolutely, without a doubt, indubitably in Co. Clare. The castle looks a little down-at-heel in this photo, but was fully restored in the 1970s, and is a private home. Thanks to Niall McAuley’s work on another Clare photo, we can narrow the date of this one from around 1865-1914, right down to around 1905-1910.
Photographer: Robert French
Collection: Lawrence Photograph Collection
Date: Circa 1865-1914 1905-1910
NLI Ref: L_ROY_04127
You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie
Idole cycladique de la collection Paul et Alexandra Canellopoulos
Musée de Canellopoulos, Athènes
Le Musée de Kanellopoulos, inauguré en 1976, retrace l'évolution de l'art grec à travers une collection variée de pièces d'art archéologique appartenant à différentes périodes.
www.athenes.fr/musee-kanellopoulos
pacf.gr/en/collection/themuseum/
La collection, rassemblée par Paul et Alexandra Kanellopoulos, constitue l'une des collections d'antiquités privées les plus importantes de Grèce.
C'est dans les Cyclades que l'art primitif issu du néolithique a connu l'évolution la plus caractéristique. Ces objets caractéristiques de la civilisation précoce des Cyclades datent des années 3200 à 2O00 avant J.C.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycladic_culture
Les figurines miniatures en marbre aux épaules larges et aux hanches étroites représentent en général des femmes nues que les archéologues supposent être des symboles de Fertilité ou des amulettes funéraires.
Site de l'auteur
perso.numericable.fr/dalbera4/mobius_web/musee_canellopou...
Early Cycladic period (3200 – 2000 BC)
This period was mainly characterized by the development of metallurgy, maritime navigation and communication. A multitude and wide range of bronze tools and weapons, swift-moving ships impelled by oars depicted on clay (frying pans) or metal (lead boat models) attest to the heyday of this early period of the Cyclades which played a pivotal role in the trade of materials and goods as well as the exchange of ideas, being in the centre of maritime communication routes. Metals, obsidian and marble, unique raw materials found on the Cyclades, were spread throughout the Aegean Sea. The marble vases and figurines, the kraters -known as “”kandiles”” (votive lamps)- and the violin-shaped figurines became initially synonymous with the Cycladic culture. Later, the kylikes and the “”palettes””, but chiefly the figurines with folded arms, with their widespread dispersal, turned into the symbol of the Cycladic achievement, whereas simultaneously, the creation of statues, namely life-size figures, and certain three-dimensional figurines (e.g. musicians) manifests the progress and innovation of the Cycladic art. Extrait du site du musée d'archéologie nationale, Athènes
Formerly: The "Strand Theatre" - 5:51 AM
Duval Street - Key West, Florida U.S.A.
*[left-double-click for a closer-look - now it is a Walgreens]
*[at one time; Strand Theatre was the only Key West movie theatre]
The Strand Theater in Key West opened in the mid-1920s as a
single screen movie house that sat around 800 people. The
theater closed sometime in the early 1980s and reopened as
a nightclub. It remained open as a few other nightclubs until it
became a Ripley's Believe It Or Not museum in 1993.
The theater was sold in December 2001 and closed in April 2002.
It has since become another location of Walgreens drug store. Based on research, over the past 20 years the marquee had become damaged with parts even missing. Walgreens restored the marquee to its original status, with the exception of adding their own advertising. All of the interior has been removed and/or covered over with the exception of the balcony.
This famed street is a beautiful confluence of art and culture,
history and heritage, exuberant celebrations, and a dash of
debauchery. Hey, their bars jam until 4 a.m. and there are
more than 100 bars in 15 blocks! There are more 'bars' per-
capita on Key West than in any other city in the United States!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_West,_Florida
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_keys
My Key West 2020 Slideshow : flic.kr/s/aHsmTvNLb4
Third Place Competition Winner - Sin City Group
Theme: Storefronts - 1/8/22
photo rights reserved by B℮n
In winter, Amsterdammers watch the falling thermometer readings with the same focus as people in Aspen and Chamonix. When the temperature drops low enough for long enough, the lakes and the canals in Amsterdam become sparkling highways for the skaters. Little kiosks are set up on the ice to dispense heart-warming liqueurs. I really love this part of our culture. Almost everyone, young or old, likes to skate and is smiling and friendly. The last days the cold was enough for the canals to freeze over a rare occasion. Amsterdammers sharpen their blades and hit the ice. On the 14th of Februari 2021, the first people started skating on the canals of Amsterdam. A lovely view of people skating on the Prinsengracht canal. Who knows times of Hendrick Avercamp are coming back this year. Avercamp was the first Dutch artist to specialize in paintings of winter landscapes featuring people enjoying the ice. Some 400 years on, our image of life in the harsh winters of the Golden Age is still dominated by Avercamp’s ice scenes with their splendid narrative details of couples skating, children pelting each other with snowballs and unwary individuals falling through the ice.
Portrait of my daughter Samantha and her friend Casper skating on the Keizersgracht canal in Amsterdam near the Wester church. As temperatures plunge across Europe, many are cursing the cold. But not in the Netherlands. There, many are hoping for further frigid conditions. This weekend we could ice skate even on some canals of Amsterdam. We had three fantastic days of skating.
Na 3 jaar konden de Jordanezen eindelijk weer de ijzers onderbinden. Op 14 februari 2021 nog geen ideale condities want je kon nog niet onder alle bruggen schaatsen. Op de Prinsengracht is het ijs net dik genoeg, er kan best aardig geschaatst worden, maar ook op de Keizersgracht. De grachten eindelijk bevroren en de adem komt in kleine grijze pufjes uit mijn mond. Handen op de rug. Rustig ademen. Ik geniet van het geluid van de ijzers over het ijs, sneeuw en een prachtige gezicht op de Amsterdamse grachtenpanden. Wie had dat nu gedacht, schaatsen in februari in Amsterdam. Wie even wegdenkt kan zich vandaag in Hendrick Avercamps wereld wanen. Als eerste Amsterdamse kunstenaar uit de 17de eeuw specialiseerde hij zich in het schilderen van winterlandschappen met ijspret. Ons beeld van het leven in de strenge winters in de Gouden Eeuw wordt na 400 jaar nog altijd bepaald door Avercamps ijsgezichten met prachtige verhalende details van schaatsende paartjes, kinderen die elkaar bekogelen met sneeuwballen of een man die door het ijs zakt. In de middag is er inderdaad Anno 2021 iemand door het ijs gezakt. Morgen gaat het helaas weer dooien. Het waren drie fantastische schaatsdagen in 2021. Portret van Samantha en vriend Casper al schaatsend op de Keizersgracht in hartje Amsterdam.
Magdeburg on the Elbe river
Magdalenenkapelle , Sankt-Petri-Kirche , Wallonerkirche
(Sankt-Augustini-Kirche)
Magdalenen chapel, Sankt Petri church, Walloon church
(Saint Augustini Church)
Olympus Camedia Digital 2001
My wife and I were reminiscing this afternoon. We don't do that often, but today it started with a discussion, "Which year, which western national park?"
Well, memory does fade - save for the images taken, and we ended up going over 20 years of photos from various trips. In the 20th Century, with and without kids, we managed seven national parks and, in those days, the parrs were in 35mm. I'm still digging.
Our first trip after moving to northern California was to Yosemite on Nov. 11, 1973. The other seven or eight visits are a bit of a blur until we come to 2001. We went to the back country, over Tioga Pass to Devil's Postpile, and back. We hiked to the edge of Sentinel Peak and then did the other three leading to Glacier Point. And we went to five waterfalls. All and all, I think we hiked more than 25 miles. We saw some wildlife, some deer, a couple of chipmunks or maybe they were ground squirrels, some wildflowers...and we had a blast. The park wasn't at all crowded. We even became tourists for a couple of hours and bought two walking sticks from Ansel Adams Gallery in the valley.
We determined to return, and we did. Four times where we spent at least four days, and three times on one-day round trips. I cannot describe the place to you. I can show you images, but I can't describe it. Is it our favorite park? I'm not sure ... which of the NPs is our favorite. Banff, Jasper, Denali, Lassen, Bryce, Zion, Death Valley, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Mt. Rainier, Olympic, Crater Lake (nine times) ... and another seven or eight I don't remember or that weren't national parks like Redwoods in 1964 when it was a national monument. We spent two nights there one the way back from our "honeymoon" (in quotes because we had to find an apartment in Eugene, register for classes, get my teaching assignment, and marvel are what a quaint little town it was then).
No decision. But you all know what the top three are. Whichever one comes out on top depends on the year(s), the wildlife, the weather (108 at Rainier was not pleasant, but my first Black Bear), the clouds, air and sky quality... They were so memorable that, other than the year(s) we made the visit(s), I can tell you what we did, what we saw, the circumstances on getting certain shots... Ah, there's the key: Nature photography! It made the years go by, and any negative happenings, blur behind such positive memories.
Note to Alfred, Jen, Jen, Jenn, Jan, Jeffer, James, and Bernie: Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow. Don't put off a visit too long. You may want to return. Ask Tom.
No, this has not been sharpened. And yes, that is the color of the Valley and its trees on a clear day. On a clear day, you CAN see forever.
An old fence post slowly is losing its battle to the erosion of salt and water. Reflected sunset light across the water provides a colorful backdrop.
The Great Salt Lake - GPS is not the exact spot of the shot.
Merry Christmas and the best wishes to all my Flickr friends
Bond Street in the West End of London links Piccadilly in the south to Oxford Street in the north.
Follow me on Instagram I Twitter
My website www.davidgutierrez.co.uk
Cartier - New Bond Street, London, UK
photo rights reserved by B℮n
Montenegro is a country in Eastern Europe bordering Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, Albania and the Adriatic Sea. It used to be a part of Yugoslavia. The capital is Podgorica. The name Montenegro is Italian and means Black mountain. Montenegro was an independent princedom between 1878 and 1910 and an independent kingdom until 1918. That year Montenegro became part of Yugoslavia. In 2003 Yugoslavia was transformed into the new country of Serbia and Montenegro, but this fell apart in 2006 when both countries went their separate ways. Montenegro is therefore the youngest country in Europe. Montenegro is not a member of the European Union, but it is a member of NATO. Despite the fact that Montenegro is not yet an EU Member State, people do pay with the euro. Montenegro may be small, but this beautiful nation has a huge array of natural and man-made wonders. Once overlooked in favor of more famous Mediterranean countries, Montenegro is quickly gaining a reputation as a great place to travel. It's easy to see why. The mountainous hinterland is home to deep gorges, flowing rivers, glacial lakes and old-growth forests, popular for adventure activities. The winding coast runs along pretty blonde bays overlooking the royal blue Adriatic Sea, ancient Venetian villages and UNESCO-walled towns. Our Lady of the Rocks is one of the two islets off the coast of Perast in Bay of Kotor. According to legend, the islet was made over the centuries by local seamen who kept an ancient oath after finding the icon of Madonna and Child on the rock in the sea.
Perast is an old town on the Boka Kotorska - Bay of Kotor in Montenegro. It is situated a few kilometres northwest of Kotor and is noted for its proximity to the islets of St. George and Our Lady of the Rocks. the Lady was built upon a rock after two Venetian sailors from Perast found a picture of the Virgin Mary on it in 1452. The first memories of Perast refer to 1336—at that time there was a small fishing village, which had a shipyard, and there were always several commercial and fishing boats in the harbor. But since the strategically important island of St. George, which belonged to Kotor, is in the immediate vicinity, the development of Perast was going very slowly. Perast also had free trade with the Republic of Venice and was granted the forgiveness of the Venetian authorities in the ruthless fight against pirates on the Adriatic. Photo of little Catholic Chapel on one of the islets Our lady of the Rocks next to Saint George and the little town Perast on the right side.
Montenegro is een land in Oost-Europa en grenst aan Bosnië en Herzegovina, Servië, Kosovo, Albanië en de Adriatische Zee. Vroeger was het een deel van Joegoslavië. De hoofdstad is Podgorica. De naam Montenegro is Italiaans en betekent Zwarte berg. Montenegro was tussen 1878 en 1910 een zelfstandig prinsdom en tot 1918 een zelfstandig koninkrijk. Dat jaar werd Montenegro onderdeel van Joegoslavië. In 2003 werd Joegoslavië omgevormd in het nieuwe land Servië en Montenegro, maar dit viel in 2006 uit elkaar toen beide landen een eigen weg gingen. Montenegro is misschien klein, maar deze prachtige natie heeft een enorm scala aan natuurlijke en door de mens gemaakte wonderen. Ooit over het hoofd gezien ten gunste van meer bekende mediterrane landen, krijgt Montenegro snel een reputatie als een geweldige plek om te reizen. Het is gemakkelijk te zien waarom. Het bergachtige achterland herbergt diepe kloven, stromende rivieren, gletsjermeren en oerbossen, populair voor avontuurlijke activiteiten. De kronkelige kust loopt langs mooie blonde baaien met uitzicht op de koningsblauwe Adriatische Zee, antieke Venetiaanse dorpjes en door UNESCO ommuurde steden. Perast, is een oude stad aan de baai van Kotor in Montenegro. Het ligt een paar kilometer ten noordwesten van Kotor en staat bekend om de nabijheid van de eilandjes St. George en Our Lady of the Rocks. De Lady werd op een rots gebouwd nadat twee Venetiaanse zeelieden uit Perast er in 1452 een afbeelding van de Maagd Maria vonden. De eerste herinneringen aan Perast verwijzen naar 1336 - in die tijd was er een klein vissersdorp met een scheepswerf, en er waren altijd meerdere commerciële en vissersboten in de haven. Maar aangezien het strategisch belangrijke eiland St. George, dat tot Kotor behoorde, in de directe omgeving ligt, ging de ontwikkeling van Perast erg traag. Perast had ook vrijhandel met de Republiek Venetië en kreeg de vergiffenis van de Venetiaanse autoriteiten in de meedogenloze strijd tegen piraten aan de Adriatische Zee. Foto van een Katholieke kapel op het eilandje Our Lady of the Rocks naast Saint George eilandje met aan de rechterkant het stadje Perast.
....don't forget to zoom in photo!!
There is nothing more beautiful than untouched freshly fallen snow - only comparable to untouched sand dunes in the desert ...
Unberührter sinnlicher Schnee
Es gibt nichts Schöneres als unberührten frisch gefallenen Schnee - nur vergleichbar mit unberührten Sanddünen in der Wüste...
Trying to catch up my delay ... (which becomes bigger and bigger) ... 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 later. And I might post other photos in the meantime.
Merci d'avance pour tous vos faves et commentaires. J'y répondrai peut-être plusieurs SEMAINES après. Et je posterai peut-être d'autres photos entre temps.
France. Alpes. Isère. Massif de la Chartreuse. Photo prise lors d'une rando en aller-retour depuis le Col de Marcieu jusqu'au Col de Bellefont, en passant par le Passage de l'Aulp du Seuil et le Vallon de Marcieu. C'est une des randos qui m'a procuré le plus d'émotions et de joie. Je suis profondément reconnaissant d'avoir pu vivre une aventure aussi belle et mémorable ! 🙏❤️😊
Sans faire offense au Vallon de Marcieu et au Col de Bellefont que j'ai trouvés très beaux, le clou du spectacle était sans conteste la montée en lacets au cœur des falaises de l'amphithéâtre de l'Aulp du Seuil. Et je conseille vivement à tous ceux qui ont une bonne condition physique et qui sont de passage vers Chambéry ou Grenoble, d'effectuer cette montée au Passage de l'Aulp du Seuil à partir du Col de Marcieu. La montée en forêt est raide (sur 550m de dénivelé, avec un passage à 40%) mais les efforts consentis valent la peine. Dès qu'on atteint le pied du cirque, la magie des lieux opère et elle dure tout au long des lacets, jusqu'à atteindre le dernier gradin et sa vire, qui nous fait quitter le cirque et longer les falaises sommitales jusqu'au Passage de l'Aulp du Seuil. L'alchimie entre les sculptures calcaires et la végétation est magnifique et les 2 composantes (minérale et végétale) de cet univers son fascinantes et impressionnantes. Qui plus est, on a de fortes chances d'y apercevoir des chamois (j'ai eu cette chance à la montée et à la descente).
La photo a été prise pendant la montée en lacets dans le cirque de l'Aulp du Seuil et on peut y voir :
- En haut à gauche, les piquets qui bordent la vire finale ;
- En bas à droite, le Grésivaudan (environ 1500m plus bas !...).
photo rights reserved by B℮n
Montenegro is a country in Eastern Europe bordering Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, Albania and the Adriatic Sea. It used to be a part of Yugoslavia. The capital is Podgorica. The name Montenegro is Italian and means Black mountain. Montenegro was an independent princedom between 1878 and 1910 and an independent kingdom until 1918. That year Montenegro became part of Yugoslavia. In 2003 Yugoslavia was transformed into the new country of Serbia and Montenegro, but this fell apart in 2006 when both countries went their separate ways. Montenegro is therefore the youngest country in Europe. Montenegro is not a member of the European Union, but it is a member of NATO. Despite the fact that Montenegro is not yet an EU Member State, people do pay with the euro. Montenegro may be small, but this beautiful nation has a huge array of natural and man-made wonders. Once overlooked in favor of more famous Mediterranean countries, Montenegro is quickly gaining a reputation as a great place to travel. It's easy to see why. The mountainous hinterland is home to deep gorges, flowing rivers, glacial lakes and old-growth forests, popular for adventure activities. The winding coast runs along pretty blonde bays overlooking the royal blue Adriatic Sea, ancient Venetian villages and UNESCO-walled towns.
Montenegro's panoramic roads will take you on a journey through the varied landscape, culture and nature of this small, lovable country. On the four different routes between the beautiful Adriatic coast and the wild and romantic mountains of the north there is a lot to discover. The real treat comes in when you drive all the way to the top. On the way from Donji Morinj at the P11 road we went partially around the Bay of Kotor. A beautiful mountain road with many tunnels. It’s a great place to stop for a photo. The Bay of Kotor is a picturesque inland sea scattered with little islets. Perast is an old town it is situated a few kilometres northwest of Kotor and is noted for its proximity to the islets of St. George and Our Lady of the Rocks, which can be seen from this viewpoint.
Montenegro is een land in Oost-Europa en grenst aan Bosnië en Herzegovina, Servië, Kosovo, Albanië en de Adriatische Zee. Vroeger was het een deel van Joegoslavië. De hoofdstad is Podgorica. De naam Montenegro is Italiaans en betekent Zwarte berg. Montenegro was tussen 1878 en 1910 een zelfstandig prinsdom en tot 1918 een zelfstandig koninkrijk. Dat jaar werd Montenegro onderdeel van Joegoslavië. In 2003 werd Joegoslavië omgevormd in het nieuwe land Servië en Montenegro, maar dit viel in 2006 uit elkaar toen beide landen een eigen weg gingen. Montenegro is misschien klein, maar deze prachtige natie heeft een enorm scala aan natuurlijke en door de mens gemaakte wonderen. Ooit over het hoofd gezien ten gunste van meer bekende mediterrane landen, krijgt Montenegro snel een reputatie als een geweldige plek om te reizen. Het is gemakkelijk te zien waarom. Het bergachtige achterland herbergt diepe kloven, stromende rivieren, gletsjermeren en oerbossen, populair voor avontuurlijke activiteiten. De kronkelige kust loopt langs mooie blonde baaien met uitzicht op de koningsblauwe Adriatische Zee, antieke Venetiaanse dorpjes en door UNESCO ommuurde steden. De panoramische wegen van Montenegro nemen je mee op een reis door het gevarieerde landschap, de cultuur en de natuur van dit kleine, lieftallige land. Op de vier verschillende routes tussen de prachtige Adriatische kust en de wilde en romantische bergen van het noorden valt er veel te ontdekken. Onderweg van Donji Morinj op de P11 weg reden we gedeeltelijk rond de baai van Kotor. Een prachtige bergweg met veel tunnels. Het is een geweldige plek om te stoppen voor een foto. De baai van Kotor is een schilderachtige binnenzee met kleine eilandjes. Perast is een oude stad die een paar kilometer ten noordwesten van Kotor ligt en staat bekend om de nabijheid van de eilandjes St. George en Our Lady of the Rocks zo ook te zien vanaf dit uitzicht.
....don't forget to zoom in photo!!
photo rights reserved by B℮n
Montenegro is a country in Eastern Europe bordering Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, Albania and the Adriatic Sea. It used to be a part of Yugoslavia. The capital is Podgorica. The name Montenegro is Italian and means Black mountain. Montenegro was an independent princedom between 1878 and 1910 and an independent kingdom until 1918. That year Montenegro became part of Yugoslavia. In 2003 Yugoslavia was transformed into the new country of Serbia and Montenegro, but this fell apart in 2006 when both countries went their separate ways. Montenegro is therefore the youngest country in Europe. Montenegro is not a member of the European Union, but it is a member of NATO. Despite the fact that Montenegro is not yet an EU Member State, people do pay with the euro. Montenegro may be small, but this beautiful nation has a huge array of natural and man-made wonders. Once overlooked in favor of more famous Mediterranean countries, Montenegro is quickly gaining a reputation as a great place to travel. It's easy to see why. The mountainous hinterland is home to deep gorges, flowing rivers, glacial lakes and old-growth forests, popular for adventure activities. The winding coast runs along pretty blonde bays overlooking the royal blue Adriatic Sea, ancient Venetian villages and UNESCO-walled towns.
Secluded in the first bend of the inner bay of Kotor is the fishing village of Donji Morinj divided into the upper part Gornji and the lower part Donji, like many coastal villages here. The lovely dome of St. Petka Church shines above, but the main attraction here is the lovely beach. It is a secluded corner where the water is calm and clear and the view over the bay is great. We stayed in the Sunshine of Montenegro Apartment. The place is complete serenity. The pool with mountains backdrop looks like a beautiful postcard. Kanitha enjoying the view from the pool on the Bay of Kotor.
Montenegro is een land in Oost-Europa en grenst aan Bosnië en Herzegovina, Servië, Kosovo, Albanië en de Adriatische Zee. Vroeger was het een deel van Joegoslavië. De hoofdstad is Podgorica. De naam Montenegro is Italiaans en betekent Zwarte berg. Montenegro was tussen 1878 en 1910 een zelfstandig prinsdom en tot 1918 een zelfstandig koninkrijk. Dat jaar werd Montenegro onderdeel van Joegoslavië. In 2003 werd Joegoslavië omgevormd in het nieuwe land Servië en Montenegro, maar dit viel in 2006 uit elkaar toen beide landen een eigen weg gingen. Montenegro is misschien klein, maar deze prachtige natie heeft een enorm scala aan natuurlijke en door de mens gemaakte wonderen. Ooit over het hoofd gezien ten gunste van meer bekende mediterrane landen, krijgt Montenegro snel een reputatie als een geweldige plek om te reizen. Het is gemakkelijk te zien waarom. Het bergachtige achterland herbergt diepe kloven, stromende rivieren, gletsjermeren en oerbossen, populair voor avontuurlijke activiteiten. De kronkelige kust loopt langs mooie blonde baaien met uitzicht op de koningsblauwe Adriatische Zee, antieke Venetiaanse dorpjes en door UNESCO ommuurde steden. Afgezonderd in de eerste bocht van de binnenbaai van Kotor ligt het vissersdorp Donji Morinj verdeeld in het bovenste deel Gornji en het onderste deel Donji, zoals vele kustdorpen hier. De mooie koepel van de St. Petka-kerk schittert boven, maar de belangrijkste attractie hier is het mooie strand. Het is een beschut hoekje waar het water rustig en helder is en het uitzicht over de baai is geweldig. We verbleven in de Sunshine of Montenegro Apartment. De plaats is een droomplek. Het zwembad met bergen op de achtergrond ziet eruit als een prachtige ansichtkaart. Vanuit het zwembad geniet Kanitha van het uitzicht over de baai van Kotor.
I wish you a wonderful weekend, my friends!
The Eureka Dunes lie in the remote Eureka Valley, an enclosed basin at 3000 foot elevation located northwest of Death Valley. The dunes cover an area only 3 miles long and 1 mile wide, yet they are the tallest sand dunes in California, possibly the tallest in all of North America. They rise more than 680 feet above the dry lakebed at their western base. As tall as these dunes are, they are dwarfed by the impressive limestone wall of the Last Chance Mountains which rises another 4000 feet above the valley floor.
It was my first time in this remote part of Death Valley National Park and the drive to these dunes was a little adventure in itself ... sometimes you can only drive at walking pace ... and the grooves in the "road" are a real shock absorber and tire test and after around 2.5 hours you are happy to have reached your destination. You can see the Eureka Dunes from afar and you are quite impressed when you stand in front of it ... the way up to the dunes with a heavy photo backpack and tripod was a bit of a challenge - it took us almost 1.5 hours to get there on top ofthe highest dunes ... always under the motto two steps up and one step back - sometimes really steep, but it was worth it - the view was fantastic ... just the sun disappeared behind increasingly thick clouds before setting ... .
Die Eureka-Dünen liegen im abgelegenen Eureka-Tal, einem geschlossenen Becken auf 900 Meter Höhe nordwestlich des Death Valley. Die Dünen erstrecken sich über ein Gebiet von nur 3 Meilen Länge und 1 Meile Breite, sind jedoch die höchsten Sanddünen in Kalifornien, möglicherweise die höchsten in ganz Nordamerika. Sie erheben sich mehr als 200 Meter über dem trockenen Seeufer an ihrer westlichen Basis. So hoch diese Dünen auch sind, sie werden von der beeindruckenden Kalksteinmauer der Last Chance Mountains in den Schatten gestellt, die sich weitere 1200 Meter über den Talboden erhebt.
Ich war zum ersten Mal in diesem abgelegenen Teil des Death Valley National Parks und die Fahrt zu diesen Dünen war schon ein kleines Abenteuer für sich...teilweise kann man nur mit Schrittgeschwindigkeit fahren...und die Rillen in der "Straße" sind ein richtiger Stoßdämpfer- und Reifentest und nach rund 2,5 Stunden ist man froh, das Ziel erreicht zu haben. Man sieht die Eureka Dunes schon von Weitem und man ist schon ziemlich beeindruckt, wenn man dann davor steht...der Weg hoch auf die Dünen mit schwerem Fotorucksack und Stativ war dann auch eine kleine Herausforderung - wir brauchten fast 1,5 Stunden bis wir auf den höchsten Dünen standen...immer unter dem Motto zwei Schritte hoch und einen zurück - zum Teil richtig steil, aber es hat sich gelohnt - die Aussicht war fantastisch...alleine die Sonne verschwand vor dem Untergang hinter zunehmend dichteren Wolken...
Bachalpsee at Autumn 2020. no. 270 1 2 ., Grindelwald, Canton of Bern, Switzerland.
Thank You for your big inspiration, take care and keep on doing please ...!
"It's impossible to imagine the Swiss mountain world as more idyllic than the area surrounding Lake Bachalpsee. The snow-covered peaks of the Alps are reflected in the crystal clear blue water.
First is the starting point for hikes and it offers action: An adrenaline rush and speed thrills are guaranteed on the First Flyer, trottibike scooters or bikes. Children can have fun on the 700-m² playground at the Bort intermediate station."
Trois étapes vous seront nécessaires pour débarquer en toute tranquillité dans cet écrin de nature montagnarde paradisiaque. A 2200 mètres d'altitude, le First offre des panoramas étourdissants, notamment une vue imprenable sur sept 4000 des Alpes bernoises.
En une petite heure de marche à travers pâturages et chemins pédestres bucoliques, vous atteignez le superbe lac Bachalpsee et ses eaux cristallines. De tous les côtés, des points de vue pittoresques. Inoubliable ascension. Pour un peu de culture, passez donc la nuit au Berghotel Faulhorn, le plus ancien hôtel de montagne de Suisse!
Der First ist eine Verflachung des Südwest-Rückens zum Widderfeldgrätli (2'632 m ü. M.) im Berner Oberland nördlich oberhalb von Grindelwald. Er ist über eine Gondelbahn oder zu Fuss erreichbar. Die obere Bergstation heisst ebenfalls First (2'167 m ü. M.) und steht den Besuchern im Winter und im Sommer mit einem gut ausgebauten Ski- und Wandergebiet zur Verfügung.
Besonders beliebt ist die Wanderung zum Bachalpsee und weiter zum Faulhorn, die ein spektakuläres Panorama mit Blick auf den oberen Grindelwaldgletscher sowie Eiger, Mönch und Jungfrau bietet. Eine weitere interessante Wanderung führt auf das Schwarzhorn. Östlich von First liegt 5,6 Kilometer zu Fuss entfernt die Grosse Scheidegg."
This information was found in Swiss tourism and Wikipédia.