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Every castle in the world is unique in some way. No two are the same.
But this one - even though it's rather small and humble compared to some - is unique in more than one way. Probably the only one in the world, really integrated in a cave system - actually the second largest cave system in Slovenia.
It's located 9km from Postojna (where another cave is located - world-famous Postojnska jama - one of the largest in the world).
Its name Predjamski grad literally means Castle in Front of the Cave. And the village in front of it is also named Predjama.
This castle wasn't built in one go. First written records exist from 13th century, though the first part (left wing) was probably built in the first half of 12th century. Middle part was added in renaissance, and the right wing was build around 1570. Some things were added and changed later, but since 1990 renovation work is in progress, restoring it to the original 16th century look.
A medieval knight's tournament is held each summer in front of the castle and it's really worth a visit (though it's quite crowded then - as far as I heard).
Castle changed quite a few owners, but probably the best known was notorious rogue knight Erasmus Lueger, aka Erazem Predjamski. In 15th century, when he lived, only the first part of the castle existed. And it more resembled a robber's den than a castle. Wasn't very large or comfortable - but virtually impregnable.
Erazem was once a guest of Austrian emperor Friederich III. When one of emperor's friends (or relatives, as some sources state) insulted one of Erazem's good friends, Erazem drew the sword and killed him. For this, he was sentenced to death, but managed to escape and made it back to his stronghold.
Then he started attacking caravans, robbing whomever and whenever he seemed fit and generally acting as a major pain in emperor's behind. Therefore Triest's governor Ravbar was ordered to find and kill him.
Legend says that none of Ravbar's men knew where Erazem's stronghold was. So Erazem himself, cheeky as he was, put on a diguise and offered to lead them to it. Be as it may, as they found out the location, they laid the siege to the castle for months. When they froze their bums off in the middle of winter, Erazem mocked them and allegedly even catapulted a roasted ox from the castle and wished them good appetite. (Could be that the Monty Python crew borrowed this legend for their French Taunting sketch - or perhaps it's just a funny coincidence.)
When the next spring arrived, Erazem started to send them freshly picked cherries. Ravbar was thoroughly puzzled by this. There were rumours among his men, that there was a sort of paradise land in the caves behind the castle, that yields all sorts of crop throughout the year...
Little did they know, that there's a passage through the cave, which exits on the other side of the hill. Probably this passage and the elaborate cave system were the main reason why the castle was built there in the first place.
Though Ravbar received these fruity gifts from Erazem, the siege itself proved fruitless - until the summer of 1484, when Ravbar managed to bribe one of Erazem's servants. This servant told him, that though castle's walls can easily withstand cannon fire, the walls of the outhouse (see notes on the photo) are quite another matter. A well aimed cannonball could penetrate its wall and kill whomever is using it at the moment.
So, when Erazem was relieving himself, the servant gave Ravbar's men a signal and they fired at the outhouse. The cannonball passed right through and missed Erazem. But when it hit the back wall, an avalanche of rocks buried Erazem beneath it, ending his rebellion.
(That's the official version anyway. Another source (see here), states that he was killed by "sniper fire" through a window, after the treacherous servant placed the lamp so that it outlined Erasmus' silhouette in the window.)
Legend also says that Erazem is buried under a huge (and really weird looking) lime tree, beside the village church.
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Best viewed large.
Here is the night view.
And here all my pix of this place.
Oh, and BTW: On May 7th, 2009 Oddee placed this castle third among
"10 Most Fascinating Castles and Palaces" in the world.
They even borrowed the first part of my text above in their description.
LOL I'm flattered! :-)
(And since they didn't ask for permission, nor quoted the source, I'm quite grateful they didn't "borrow" my photo as well.)
* Tirada em Balneário Camboriú em 13/10/06 às 22:21hs. ISO 50, 15s de exposição, f/7,1. Um pequeno tutorial de como fazer HDR com um .jpeg apenas pode ser encontrado aqui!
* Taken on Balneário Camboriú/Santa Catarina/Brazil (13/10/06), at 22:21hs. ISO 50, 15s of exposure, f/7,1. A small tutorial of how create an HDR using 1 .jpeg can be found here!
***Please peek 'Harmonious and antagonistic simultaneously?' On Black!
@Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium
this tank is the biggest tank in the world. there are 3 whale sharks in the tank.
i LOVE the aquariums..
But now in September the garden has cooled, and with it my possessiveness. The sun warms my back instead of beating on my head ... The harvest has dwindled, and I have grown apart from the intense midsummer relationship that brought it on."
- Robert Finch
Digital illustration for D&R Music and Book Store.
Agency: Publicis Yorum
2006
(D&R is biggest entertainment chain store in Turkey.)
Sütel-Strand, Baltic Sea, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
View this picture large on black (must)
Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission. © 2006 Dietrich Bojko, All rights reserved.
Zhuhai Panorama, taken from the roof of the highrise building I was living in at that time. View in XXL
Featured:
- Left foreground: Haiwan Garden
- Just right of center: Jiuzhou Port
- South China Sea
Explore #234 on Saturday, August 30, 2008
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
This is Khaju Bridge in Isfahan, which was made about 400 years ago!
Check the Google satellite imagery of this amazing bridge here:
maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=isfahan,+iran&am...
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I've uploaded this photo to inform all my friends of 3rd Iranian flickr gathering in Hamedan.
Please review the invitation here:
www.flickr.com/groups/iranian/discuss/72157594224071390/
Added to flickr Explore (interestingness) page of 5 August 2006.
(8th rank in 06/08/16)
Da lassù si gode un panorama stupendo dello Stretto di Messima, si può vedere lo Ionio che si incontra con il Tirreno....
© Copyright notice: Do not use my images without my written permission, even for a non commercial use. If you're interested in any of my photos you must contact me first. All my images are under full copyright.
© All rights reserved worldwide.
Zoo de Bordeaux-Pessac - Gironde - Aquitaine - France
Je n'ai pas besoin de me marier. J'ai trois animaux à la maison qui remplissent le même rôle qu'un mari. J'ai un chien qui grogne le matin, un perroquet qui jure l'après-midi et un chat qui rentre tard dans la nuit.
Marie Corelli
I don't need to get married. Three animals at home fulfill that husband role. My dog who growls in the morning, my parrot who swears in the afternoon, and my cat who comes back late into the night.
Marie Corelli
With the kind help from Andre in NYC
www.flickr.com/photos/nycandre/
Depuis l'invention du phonographe et du gramophone, le perroquet est devenu un volatile dont le besoin ne se fait plus aucunement sentir.
Alphonse Allais
Since the invention of the gramophone, the parrot became a bird which is not needed any more.
Alphonse Allais
Ara ararauna (Blue and Gold Macaw, Blue and Yellow Macaw)
Longueur totale : 85 cm. Envergure des ailes : 50 cm. Poids adulte : 850 g
Distribution : Amérique centrale et du Sud: du Panama au nord du Paraguay.
Ils sont encore assez commun dans certaines régions : forêts tropicales, savanes, zones découvertes, marais et abords de l'eau. Ils nichent dans des trous de palmiers secs.
Ils vivent toujours en couple ou en bande. Les couples restent formés à l'intérieur des bandes, même en vol. Le mâle est dominant. Il peut se montrer extrêmement protecteur et donc agressif pendant la reproduction. L'Ara Ararauna est un perroquet monogame, très fidèle. Lorsque le couple s'est formé, il demeure très uni jusqu'à ce qu'un des deux disparaisse. Ils passent leur temps à se becqueter comme pour témoigner de leur affection l'un envers l'autre.
Ils sont granivores, herbivores et frugivores. L' Ara n'a pas d'odorat. Il est gaucher ou droitier. Pour manger, il développe une préférence pour l'une ou l'autre de ses pattes.
Ce sont des oiseaux très affectueux et très intelligents qui apprennent extraordinairement bien à imiter et à parler.
L' Ara n'a pas beaucoup de prédateurs mis à part quelques félins et rapaces diurnes (Aigle huppé, Harpie féroce, Spizaète orné) mais son principal ennemi est sans aucun doute l'homme qui détruit la forêt tropicale.
L'exportation du perroquet est illégale. Pour chaque Ara exporté qui arrive vivant, cinq vont mourir.
Ara ararauna (Blue and Gold Macaw, Blue and Yellow Macaw)
Overall length: 85 cm. Span of the wings: 50 cm. Adult weight: 850 G
Distribution: Central America and South America: from Panama to the north of Paraguay. They are still rather common in certain areas: tropical forests, savannas, discovered zones, marsh and accesses of water. They nest in holes of dry palm trees.
They always live in couple or band. The couples remain formed inside the bands, even in flight. The male is dominating. It can thus be shown extremely protective and aggressive during the reproduction. The Macaw Ararauna is a parrot monogamist, very faithful. When the couple is formed, it remains very plain until one of both disappears. They spend their time caress each other with the beak to testify their affection one towards the other.
They are granivorous, herbivorous and frugivorous. The Macaw does not have sense of smell. It is left-handed or right-handed . To eat, it develops a preference for one or the other of its legs.
They are very affectionate and very intelligent birds wich learn extraordinarily well how to imitate and how to speak.
The Macaw has not many predatory besides some cat-like and diurnal raptors (crested Eagle, wild Harpy, decorated Spizaète) but its principal enemy is without any doubt the man who destroys the tropical forest.
The export of the parrot is illegal. For each exported Macaw which arrives alive, five will die.
Seems everyone wanted to catch the last little bit of sun before it set completely tonight! The blue heron, the duck family, and I didn't even realize the neighbor's cat was in the picture until I uploaded the pics from the camera, as I was concentrating on waiting for the heron to lift his head so I could get his whole body in the photo.
Backyard pond - Kent, WA
Smooth landing... with back-sidelight
Can you imagine that the great egret came perilously close to extinction? At the beginning of the twentieth century, egret plumes were deemed in the fashion of that epoch as a main accessory and they were at the hands of the hat traders for the modern world.
photography taken in Nusa Dua
Bali – Indonesia
Better view at… / Um close melhor no... Large Size
Aterrissagem estável… com contra-luz lateral
Você pode imaginar que a garça branca-grande chegaram perigosamente perto da extinção? No começo do século vinte, as plumagens da garça eram consideradas na moda da época como um acessório primordial, e elas estavam às mãos dos comerciantes de chapéus para o mundo moderno.
fotografado em Nusa Dua
Bali – Indonesia
Haussee, 16356 Seefeld, Brandenburg, Germany
Larger Version (recommended) | Explore position history
Just the rising sun and a Dandelion seed head.
The simple things are good enough.
See the pearls On Black or better LARGE On Black with F11.
So today there I was minding my own business shooting 45 Fremont in downtown San Francisco when all of a sudden a Shorenstein Company employee security guard decides to give me the finger in my photographs of the building. Next thing you know I get the typical hassle. Except normally when the guards come out all polite like and all this guy instead comes out middle finger a blazing and telling me that I'm not allowed to photograph the building from the public space.
He goes on to tell me how he doesn't like to have his photograph taken, etc. (hint, if you don't like your photograph taken, probably best not to come swaggering out of a public building middle finger a blazin', remember any old asshole can have a blog these days). And insists on telling me how if I want to photograph the building I'm going to need to get approval from building management. blah, blah, blah.
Well, this guy got off on the wrong foot with me in the first place so I politely inform him that despite his objections that I'm on public property and as such have every right to photograph whatever I want and if he'd like he can feel free to call the police and the three of us can have a conversation. Of course he asks me why I need to be such an asshole and I remind him that he was the one giving me the bird, etc. etc. All I am is a lowly photography hobbyist but that since he was being so nice and all that he could look forward to his photo being on the internet.
He asks me if I *really* want him to call the police. Again, I answer nicely, yes.
Click through for the rest of the story... thomashawk.com/2006/04/photographing-architecture-is-not....
Sometimes if you use a polarizing filter optimally it looks to me like you're poking straight through the atmosphere. Definitely best viewed large.
Photo taken in Argentina / This photo was selected as "Most Interesting" in EXPLORE FLICKR!! (http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/2006/02/01/page2/)
Belgian Kinetic artist Pol Bury, shot taken in Paris
Added to the Cream of the Crop pool as Most "interesting" (according to flickr)
ele quer mesmo é ficar atrás das nuvens, esse safado! =P
obrigado a todos MESMO pelos comentários, visitas e faves! =D
valeu mesmo! =)
Of the countless frolicking children competing for my attention, these two are just those whom you could not refuse. They may have little in life but are rich in energy and hope. Pure in spirit and boundless with charm, they appreciate their beach like no other.
the children of Ramena Beach, the Emerald Sea, Antsiranana (Diego Suarez), NE Madagascar
blogged in 48 Hours in Diego Suarez at colloidfarl.blogspot.com/ , and
on being featured in The Glimpse ( part 1 and 2), a 5-man photo exhibit (blogged in colloidfarl.blogspot.com/ )
Foto feita ontem (20/09) , por volta do meio-dia.
Esta coisa de poser pode ser muiiiito divertida...
NEGO DO CABELO BOM
Max de Castro
(cantando junto com a minha xará, Paula Lima, que adoro !!!)
Muita gente implica com meu pixaim
Mas o que implica é que o cabelo é bom
E quando isso me irrita vai ter briga sim
Porque não aceito discriminação
E quando vou a praia alguém sempre diz
Teu cabelo é duro, entra água não
Se é impermeável isso é problema meu
Na verdade o que é duro é o seu coração
Alisa ele não
É o que minha nega sempre diz prá mim
Alisa ele não
Você é meu nego do cabelo bom
Alisa ele não
É você quem dita a moda em Paris
Não sou vaselina
Não vacile não
Não sou vaselina
Não vacile não
Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders
"Miami has the Dolphins,
The greatest football team!
We take the ball from goal to goal,
Like no one's ever seen!
We're in the air,
We're on the ground,
We're always in control.
So when you say Miami,
You're talking Super Bowl!
Cause we're the Miami Dolphins,
Miami Dolphins,
Miami Dolphins Number 1
Yes we're the Miami Dolphins,
Miami Dolphins,
Miami Dolphins Number 1."
Dolphins Fight Song
This is for brighten up your day, J!
September,5,2006 9.07 am
I feel like doing the same!:)))
This lonely King series remembers me...
" Hakuna matata, pole, pole. Hakuna matata"
-There is not problem, calm, calm. There is not problem-
He was really enjoying the last warm sunrays of a cold winter’s day.
Estou com vontade de fazer a mesma coisa!:)))
Esta série do Rei solitário lembra-me...
" Hakuna matata, pole, pole. Hakuna matata"
-Não há problema, tranqüilo, tranqüilo. Não há problema-
realmente, ele estava à apreciar os últimos raios de sol morninhos de um dia frio de inverno.
MASAI MARA – KENYA
Camera: Nikon F5
Film Type: Ektachrome Color Reversal Film E100
Lens: AF-S Zoom Nikkor 500mm- with 2x converter=1000mm
Weather Conditions: Clear - Winter + 10°C or 50F
Time of Day: Noon around 05:00 pm
Lighting Techniques: Natural light
She looked so shy!
Thank you barbfi for nominating us!!
If you like our pics, you can vote for us here:
www.flickr.com/groups_topic.gne?id=63698&search=pet
Thank you for everybody that already voted!
And thank you Ana Valeria for telling me abouit it!
Meet Inuk, upclose and personal.
Inuk is the Mystic Aquarium's male Beluga whale. He is an amazing creature who shows a great deal of curiosity and intelligence. When the crowds are thin at the Aquarium and there are only a few people in front of the glass he will sometimes stay and watch those people closely. Especially children who are more calm.
Some people ask if whales have ears at the aquarium...here you can see the small opening behind the eye, that's Inuk's ear.
Status: Vulnerable, growing risk; mostly from pollution of native waters but also hunting.
IUCN Redlist: Vulnerable
Cook Inlet Alaska Population: Critically Endangered.
CITES: Appendix 2
Wow! Featured as the #2 most interesting photo for July 4th!
Unfortunately Inuk died on the 20th of February 2010 from kidney failure. He was 28 years old and will be missed.
"Suppose I were to tell you that the meaning of dreams
is not all that it seems and the ultimate truth is a lie.
Looking at me you see yourself
I am a mirror.Every face is someone else.
Look at me smile and you're the clown. And if I dance you turn around.
Look in my eyes and see your tears until the music disappears.
And the meaning of life is a mystery though we live it from day to day.
But the music of live should be harmony so that anyone here can play."
"I am a mirror"
Alan Parsons Project