On the River Walk.

The San Antonio River Walk is a city park and special-case pedestrian street in San Antonio, Texas, one level down from the automobile street. The River Walk winds and loops under bridges as two parallel sidewalks lined with restaurants and shops, connecting the major tourist sites. In September 1921, a disastrous flood along the San Antonio River took 51 lives, with an additional 23 people reported missing. Plans were then developed for flood control of the river and in 1929, San Antonio native and architect Robert Hugman submitted his plans for what would become the River Walk. Although many have been involved in development of the site, the leadership of former mayor Jack White was instrumental in passage of a bond issue that raised funds to empower the 1938 "San Antonio River Beautification Project", which began the evolution of the site into the present 2.5-mile-long (4 km) River Walk. (Wikipedia)

This was built in collaboration with

Julian

who was a massive help getting things ready for a con this last July.

This build is more of an imagination piece then a model really, its confusing proportions and wacky details probably won’t speak to most but are a combination of ideas that all felt real to me and my journey through recent months of my life. A massive thanks to all those that have made my time in this community amazing and special thanks to Julian for getting this disastrous model to the finish line :)

Some of the roads through the Rockies have really steep grades. If a truck or bus develops brake problems, it could be disastrous. So there are runaway lanes created to help them stop safely. I would hope that the vehicle in trouble has enough time to get to one of these lanes if an emergency occurs!

The Cathedral of Reims was nearly destroyed by fire by German cannons at the beginning of World War I. In the years of poverty after this disastrous war it needed 20 years to build her up again.

Today it is a marvellous sign of peace, prayer and reconciliation in French-German relationship.

We have visited this cathedral several times, for example 2011 at her 800th anniversary.

And after the fire of Notre Dame de Paris in 2019 it is also a sign of hope, that Notre Dame de Paris will rise again in full splendour.

Photo Source: Gérald Garitan - , CC BY-SA 3.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=13199582

Colon Cemetery, Havana, Cuba.

Established in 1876, the Cementerio de Cristóbal Colón was named after Christopher Columbus and designed by a Madrid-educated Galician architect by the name of Calixto Arellano de Loira y Cardoso. Built around a central chapel that was loosely modeled after the Florence Cathedral (aka “Il Duomo”), the 150-acre cemetery is laid out in a grid of main central avenues and smaller side streets. As planned by Loira, the layout organizes the occupants of the cemetery according to their rank and social status, with the wealthy and well-connected occupying prominent spots on main thoroughfares while more lowly individuals (such as the condemned, victims of epidemics, and “pagans”) are relegated to the “suburbs.”

Colón Cemetery contains over 500 major mausoleums, chapels, and family vaults, with styles running from renaissance to neoclassical to art deco. In addition to the countless stunning examples of funerary architecture, unique sites include: an elaborate 75-foot-tall memorial for firefighters who died in a disastrous citywide fire in 1890. The very first occupant of Colón Cemetery was the architect Loira himself, who died before the project was finished.

For video, please visit youtu.be/FgKYcvIpLn0

After my disastrous mishap at Garsdale a few days prior of the same pairing with a similar snowplouigh move, I was relieved to capture it again tonight. Here is 47832 & 57601 making a brief crew change at Preston with two independent snowploughs bound for Fairwater having been maintained and stored at Eastriggs M.O.D.

The fog was extremely thick here so it's taken a lot of work to bring some contrast back, hence the somewhat washed appearance.

This shot was taken in the wonderful parc du Bic (www.sepaq.com/pq/bic/index.dot?language_id=1).

I arrived late at night and although I was doubting to visit it, I finally did, and I was happy to do it, despite the disastrous weather predictions for the next day.

A wonderful parc with great views! (more to come). This little plover was strolling happily around, and looking at its round shapes, it could have escaped from a Botero painting.

My whole Canada 2017 trip: From Brighton Ontario I went straight to Tadoussac that's in the heart of the marine park, and the day after I went to the camp site Les Bergeronnes, where I spent 5 days whale watching on the shore (and one boat trip), every 5 minutes or so seeing whales popping up.

On the fifth day, around sunset I took the boat from Les Escoumins to Trois Pistoles. The south and the north shore of the bay are very different. The north shore has lots of rocks, while the south part is a little more sandy, and it is a fantastic drive all along! I finally headed to PN Gaspésie, where I spent 3 very cold nights in my tent (with all my clothes in my sleeping bag), but the park is wonderful!

Back in the direction of Brighton I spent a few hours in old Quebec, and drove the 1000 islands road, along the saint Lawrence river.

I certainly can recommend everybody who loves nature doing this trip. It should take around 2 weeks!

You can find the places I have visited here www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154740238406759&set...

Two days after our near disastrous paddle on a foggy St. Lawrence, we made it out under much better conditions.

A very Merry Christmas to all my flickr contacts!

Nerja, Costa del Sol, Andalusia, Southern Spain.

Nerja Coordinates,,,,,,,: 36°44′49″N 3°52′44″W

Nerja has a long history, evidenced by the primitive paintings found in its famous Nerja caves, discovered in 1959. These caves are now believed to be just one entrance to a linked series of sinkholes[clarification needed] stretching many miles into the mountains between Nerja and Granada, and which may yet prove to be one of the most extensive unexplored systems in Europe.

The Romans built three settlements here, including Detunda, of which now large remains can be seen. The area was later taken over by the Arabs in the early 8th century. Under the Moors, the town was known as Narixa, which means "abundant spring", from which the present name derives.

The Balcón de Europa, a mirador or viewpoint which gives views across the sea, is in the centre of the old town. Its name is popularly believed to have been coined by King Alfonso XII, who visited the area in 1885 following a disastrous earthquake and was captivated by the scene. Local folklore says that he stood upon the site where the Balcón now stands, and said "This is the balcony of Europe". Local archive documents are said to show that its name predated this visit, but this has not prevented the authorities from placing a life-sized (and much photographed) statue of the king standing by the railing.

Click the pic to Explore ❤️

The Cathedral of Reims was nearly destroyed by fire by German cannons at the beginning of World War I. In the years of poverty after this disastrous war it needed 20 years to build her up again.

Today it is a marvellous sign of peace, prayer and reconciliation in French-German relationship.

We have visited this cathedral several times, for example 2011 at her 800th anniversary.

And after the fire of Notre Dame de Paris in 2019 it is also a sign of hope, that Notre Dame de Paris will rise again in full splendour.

From the iconic beast of the Old West - yesterday's post, Plains Bison - to a lesser known but equally interesting native species of grazing herd animal, the Pronghorn. Often referred to as "antelope", the Pronghorn is more closely related to - wait for it - the giraffe and the okapi. But it can easily outrun both. This is North America's fastest mammal, and it isn't even close. So you can imagine how thrilled I was to have several run past me at a full gallop!

Actually I was thrilled just to see them in the park. Grasslands NP used to be home to two distinct herds of Pronghorn, numbering close to 200 animals... that is, until the disastrous winter of 2010-11. Relentless snowfalls with unbelievable accumulation meant they could not find food, and - starving - they migrated southward, which is unusual. Mortality was significant. They crossed the Missouri River on the ice, overwintered in Montana and North Dakota, and then couldn't get back to their calving grounds in Saskatchewan because of severe flooding (they aren't strong swimmers).

As a result, the Pronghorn population in my area plummeted; a moratorium was placed on hunting for several years to allow the population to rebuild. It has done so, but I have not seen herds in the park; they have kept to the agricultural lands surrounding Grasslands, feeding largely on spilled grain.

That's the back story of what these animals have gone through. Now, Pronghorn are not long-lived; lifespan in the wild is 7-10 years. That means none of today's population in my area have a memory of the park. To see a large herd of more than 60 animals in the park last month lifted my spirits enormously. I hope they stay. I've missed them.

Photographed in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2022 James R. Page - all rights reserved.

In a previous post we looked at the east side of the 300 block of N. Main St. in downtown Bloomington. This view shows the west side of the block looking south from the intersection of N. Main (left) and W. Monroe (right) streets.

All of the buildings that stood on this block in the spring of 1900 were destroyed in a disastrous fire that began just after midnight on June 19, 1900. In a matter of eight hours, the fire reduced 45 buildings and 4-1/2 blocks in the core of downtown Bloomington to little more than smoking rubble, including the 1868 McLean County Courthouse.

Bloomington was quick to begin the rebuilding process, and all of the structures shown in this photo were completed in 1901. Five of the six buildings on this block are contributing architectural properties in the Bloomington Central Business District listed in 1985 on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The district includes roughly twelve square blocks of the city and encompasses 140 buildings, 118 of which are contributing buildings to the district's historic character.

From left to right, the six buildings are:

▪ Corn Belt Bank, 1901, 306 N. Main St.

▪ The Evans Building, 1901, 308 N. Main St.

▪ Helbig Building, 1901, 312-314 N. Main St.

▪ Schroeder Building, 1901, 316 N. Main St.

▪ Sans Building, 1901, 318 N. Main St.

▪ Lyman Graham Building, 1901, 320 N. Main

The San Building, second from corner, is the only building on this block that is not a contributing property in the district. Although it was built in 1901, the building underwent an extensive remodeling of its exterior in 1983 that made it unrecognizable from the original.

In addition to the Corn Belt Bank which has been discussed in a previous post, two other buildings stand out for the architectural and historical attributes. The Schroeder Building, third from corner nearest the camera, is a three-story masonry building designed by Arthur L. Pillsbury. Built in the Romanesque Revival architectural style for Dr. Herman Schroeder, a German immigrant who was successful in many practices including land speculation, coal distribution and wine making. Union Gas and Electric Company, later Northern Illinois Gas, occupied the building from 1904 to 1966 following Schroeder's death.

And the corner building showing murals on its W. Monroe St. side is the Lyman Graham Building, a three story, Late Victorian structure designed by Arthur L. Pillsbury built to house the offices of the McLean County Coal Company. One interesting fact is Adlai Stevenson I, who served as Vice-President of the United States from 1893-1897 during President Grover Cleveland's second term, kept law offices here from the time of his retirement around 1910 until his death in 1914.

The Stevenson family has long ties to Bloomington, the State of Illinois and national politics. Stevenson's son, Lewis G. Stevenson, was Illinois secretary of state (1914–1917). Stevenson's grandson Adlai E. Stevenson II was the Democratic candidate for President of the United States in 1952 and 1956, and Governor of Illinois. His great-grandson, Adlai E. Stevenson III was a U.S. Senator from Illinois from 1970 to 1981, and an unsuccessful candidate for Governor of Illinois in 1982 and 1986.

Bloomington is the seat of McLean County. It is adjacent to Normal, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area. Bloomington is 135 miles (217 km) southwest of Chicago, and 162 miles (261 km) northeast of St. Louis. The estimated population of Bloomington in 2019 was 77,330, with a metro population of 191,067.

Oftentimes, patience pays off.

But from major calamity to econ collapse, to another tragic event, and soon circling right back to catastrophe again ... as everything disastrous seems entangled and intertwined.

What a time in history to live in!

SD40 PRR 6075 is the leader on a westbound approaching SF interlocking, east of the tunnels in Gallitzin, PA. Although the PRR keystones are proudly displayed here, dark days weren’t that far away - only about six months after this shot was taken, the Pennsy and New York Central would merge in disastrous fashion. PRR 6075 still survives today, wearing different colors, though, as Wheeling And Lake Erie’s 6986.

PRR 6075. Gallitzin, PA.

September 1967. Tom Kelcec photo.

Adam Klimchock collection.

" I think we are on earth for this unique thing : to love.

Love whatever you want , but love ! Nothing is more disastrous than infirmity of the heart. "(Radu Beligan)

Today a great romanian actor returns to God at 97 years old.

Farewell,Sir!

This time every year, I reminisce about the years I lived in one of the Snowiest Locations in the United States, Truckee, California.

Truckee is located on the Eastern Side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, near Reno, Nevada.

Didn’t have much of a camera in those days; made do with a point and shoot as it was easier to handle while cross country skiing or snow-shoeing.

Truckee (Wikipedia)

Truckee has an average of 204.3 inches (5.19 m) of snow annually, which makes it the fifth snowiest city in the United States.

Winters are extremely snowy and cold if not severe, while summers are cool-to-warm and dry, with occasional periods of intense thunderstorms. Its location near the Sierra Nevada crest at 1,798 meters (5,899 ft.) provides conditions for winter storms to commonly deposit nearly a meter of snow in a 24-hour storm event and the occasional week-long storm event can deliver 2 to 3 meters (79 to 118 in) of snow.

The Donner Party ordeal is arguably Truckee's most famous historical event.

In 1846, a group of settlers from Illinois, originally known as the Donner-Reed Party but now usually referred to as the Donner Party, became snowbound in early fall because of an early onset of winter that year.

Choosing multiple times to take shortcuts to save distance compared to the traditional Oregon Trail, coupled with infighting, a disastrous crossing of the Utah salt flats, and the attempt to use the pass near the Truckee River (now Donner Pass) all caused delays in their journey.

Finally, a large, early blizzard brought the remaining settlers to a halt at the edge of what is now Donner Lake, about 1,200 feet (370 m) below the steep granite summit of the Sierra Nevada mountains and 90 miles (140 km) east of their final destination, Sutter's Fort (near Sacramento).

Several attempts at carting their few remaining wagons, oxen, and supplies over the summit—sometimes by pulling them up by rope—proved impossible due to freezing conditions and a lack of any preexisting trail. The party returned, broken in spirit and short of supplies, to the edge of Donner Lake. A portion of the camp members also returned to the Alder Creek campsite a few miles to the east.

During the hard winter the travelers endured starvation and were later found to have practiced cannibalism. Fifteen members constructed makeshift snowshoes and set out for Sutter's Fort in the late fall but were thwarted by freezing weather and disorientation. Only seven survived: two were lost, and six died. Those who died were used as food by those who remained.

The Truckee camp survivors were saved by a Reed Party member who had set out ahead after having been ejected from the party months earlier, for killing another man in a violent argument. Seeing that his group never arrived at Sutter's Fort, he initiated several relief parties.

Of the original 87 settlers in the Donner-Reed party, 48 survived the ordeal. The Donner Memorial State Park is dedicated to the settlers and is located at the East End of Donner Lake.

Two images. One here: imgur.com/a/OJ0PU6f

Early in the 17th century, in the English West Country, there was talk of a king out of touch with his subjects, intent on defending the honour of the country in the disastrous Buckingham Wars, instead of attempting to undo the harm he had done to the cattle and cloth trades.

"...the decay in the cloth trade and the cattle business had created a shortage of money in the West Country and rendered the populace desperate. The Mayor of Wells, reiterating the plight of the cloth industry, the increase in the number of the poor, and the threat of riots, declared that the people were willing to spend their blood but could spend no more than a small sum."

pp. 264-5 "Vexed and Troubled Englishmen" Carl Bridenbaugh

Ambalavao (Madagascar) - 98 % des malgaches utilisent le charbon de bois quotidiennement. Il est destiné à la cuisine. Comme la majorité de la population est sous le seuil de pauvreté, les familles en achètent de petites quantités, alimentant le feu en l’associant parfois à des morceaux de bois de récupération.

Le charbon de bois est fabriqué dans les campagnes par les paysans. Théoriquement l’abattage des arbres est interdit. Une interdiction toute théorique. Officiellement, ils récoltent du bois mort et le débarrassent de ses impuretés en le faisant brûler dans des bidons en ferraille de récupération qui ont contenu des hydrocarbures ou des lubrifiants chimiques. Tout ça est néfaste pour la santé des malgaches et pour leurs forêts. Ou ce qu’il en reste.

Popular and disastrous coal

Ambalavao (Madagascar) - 98% of Madagascans use charcoal daily. It is intended for cooking. Since the majority of the population is below the poverty line, families buy small quantities, feeding the fire by sometimes combining it with pieces of salvaged wood.

Charcoal is made in the countryside by farmers. Theoretically, felling trees is prohibited. An entirely theoretical ban. Officially, they harvest dead wood and rid it of impurities by burning it in recycled scrap metal cans that have contained hydrocarbons or chemical lubricants. All of this is harmful to the health of Malagasy people and their forests. Or what is left of them.

LA DELICATEZZA E' NELL'ARTE E NELLA STATUINA.

Oggi il gruppo "Macro Mondays" propone "Miniature" e le possibilità fotografiche sono infinite. Ho scelto questa bella statuina perché credo che possa colpire la sensibilità di chi, come me, è circondato da notizie brutte e crudeli...non mi riconosco in questa società cinica e superficiale con una guerra disastrosa che condiziona pesantemente le nostre vite.

Abbiamo bisogno di leggerezza ed armonia.

-------------------------------------------

DELICACY IS IN THE ART AND IN THE STATUINE.

Today the "Macro Mondays" group offers "Miniatures" and the photographic possibilities are endless. I chose this beautiful statue because I believe it can affect the sensitivity of those who, like me, are surrounded by bad and cruel news ... I don't recognize myself in this cynical and superficial society with a disastrous war that heavily affects our lives.

We need lightness and harmony.

Immagine realizzata con lo smartphone HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro

© Leanne Boulton, All Rights Reserved

Street photography from Glasgow, Scotland.

A previously unpublished shot from September 2019 during a massive climate protest in the city.

Let's be clear about the hydraulic fracturing of shale rock for gas and oil. 'Fracking' is an ecologically disastrous practice.

Unsustainable amounts of water are needed in the process, water which is then contaminated with chemicals and further contaminated following the process. This water poisons the local water table. Water, a resource which is essential for life on earth. We then have the carbon released from using any extracted gas an oil simply adding to the damage we are doing to our atmosphere. Expensive and damaging whereas renewables are cheap and reliable. Any policies that promote Fracking are policies against humanity and life on earth.

We have already triggered some feedback loops in the looming climate crisis. Some degree of the coming catastrophe is baked in already. We can, however, limit the damage to our earth, our ecosystem, but we must act now.

Our addiction to fossil fuels is killing us and all life on earth.

Climate deniers need not reply - the accredited science is irrefutable.

Gaddesdon Place was originally built for the Halsey family in 1768-1773 by James Wyatt, who later designed Ashridge House. it had to be largely rebuilt in 1905 after a disastrous fire

For several years now, I have been trying to find and capture Fly agaric that is the home of fairies and magical creatures. Last year, when I finally found some, my attempt to take a photo ended up disastrously with a full on rolling tumble down a slippery hill covered in wet leaves and branches, glasses flying to the bush nearby, knee hitting a fallen tree trunk and me finally landing on the path below with a bang. No photo, camera survived but my knee took nearly four months to stop hurting.

This year, I went searching yet again, in a different place this time, when I spotted these hiding under a thick blanket of leaves. Luckily, this time they were on a flat ground underneath a tree with low hung branches so only some crawling was required to capture them and here is the proof I wasn't hallucinating :)

Bateman's is a Jacobean Wealden mansion constructed in 1634. There is debate as to the original builder. Historic England follows the tradition favoured by Kipling of ascribing the construction to a Sussex ironmaster, John Britten. The historian Adam Nicolson reports the tradition in the National Trust's guidebook, but notes that Britten was a dealer in iron, rather than a manufacturer. Pevsner attributes the construction to a lawyer, William Langham.

By the early twentieth century, the house had descended to the status of a farmhouse, and was in a poor state of repair. The Kiplings first saw it in 1900, on returning to England from America, following the death of their daughter Josephine in 1899 and a disastrous falling-out between them, and Carrie Kipling's brother, Beatty Balestier. Enchanted by the house, they were too slow in making an offer and it was let for two years. In 1902, they were able to purchase it, with 33 acres of land.

In 1900, Kipling was the most famous author in England, and was earning £5,000 per year; the cost of Bateman's, £9,300, was thus entirely affordable. Kipling wrote some of his finest works at the house including: "If—", "The Glory of the Garden", and Puck of Pook's Hill, named after the hill visible from the house. The house's setting and the wider local area features in many of his stories. Kipling's poem "The Land" is inspired by the Bateman's estate.

Kipling's only son, John, was killed at the Battle of Loos on 29 September 1915. Kipling died on 18 January 1936, of peritonitis. Carrie died three years later, in 1939. Under the terms of her will the house passed to the National Trust.

Source: Wikipedia

One of two railroad bridges still intact along the Nicola River, British Columbia. This bridge can be seen from the adjacent highway, but it's sort of hidden by trees and other vegetation. I tried photographing it from the road but there are so many obstacles in the way not to mention a steep ditch making it hard to even walk closer. It's about 250 metres away from the road, so I carefully threaded my drone through the trees to get closer and took a few shots. The burnt area in the background was caused by a wildfire in the summer of 2022.

In November 2021 Nicola Valley experienced a disastrous triple atmospheric event that caused dangerous flooding of the Coldwater and Nicola Rivers. The torrential waters overflowed the river banks causing 150 million dollars of damage to private, municipal, First Nations and government properties. When the Canadian Pacific Railroad abandoned the rail line in 1991 from Merritt to Spences Bridge, it left all the bridges that crossed the Nicola River in Place. The rail line became a bicycle and walking path. Unfortunately, after the storm very little was left, the trail got washed away as it followed the Nicola river. Originally there were 7 (my count) railroad bridges, and now there are two still standing. The bridges were knocked off their supports and fell into the river and had to be removed as the damage was beyond repair. During the same storm 7 kilometres and 4 highway bridges were completely lost of the adjoining Highway 8. The temporary repairs to the road took a year to complete.

This is a link to one of the bridges I photographed in 2020.

www.flickr.com/photos/joeinpenticton/49851284966/in/photo....

Statue of Collie and MacKenzie (one sitting in front of the other) facing some peaks of the Black Cuillin mountain range, Isle of Skye, Highland council area, Scotland

Some background information:

John Norman Collie and John Morton MacKenzie were two British mountaineers, who were active at the turn of the 19th to the 20th century. MacKenzie was born in 1856, while Collie was born in 1859. They met each other in 1886 and thereafter regularly climbed as a climbing team. MacKenzie was a local crofter from the Isle of Skye and later Britain’s first professional mountain guide, while Collie was a chemist from a little town in Cheshire near Manchester. A strong bond of friendship developed between them. They shared an urge to climb and explore and, as they grew older, their mutual love of fishing became increasingly important. Collie seems to have been the partner who could envisage the climbing line, while MacKenzie was normally the lead climber.

Friendships across class boundaries were relatively uncommon at this time and it may have helped that both men were possessed of a deep sense of humanity. The list of their achievements together is impressive. They accomplished a lot of pioneering climbs and made many first ascents on the Cuillin mountain range. MacKenzie was deeply ingrained in his home area and stayed there for his whole life. However, Collie also climbed in the Alps, the Caucasus, the Canadian Rockies and the Himalaya range. Together with Albert Mummery and Geoffrey Hastings, he made the world's first attempt at a Himalayan 8,000-metre peak, Nanga Parbat. It was a disastrous expedition, as Mummery and two Gurkhas were killed by an avalanche and never seen again.

Both mountaineers were never married. John MacKenzie died in 1933 at the age of 76. He was buried in the graveyard of Bracadale Free Church on the west side of the island. Collie died in 1942 and, in keeping with his wishes, was buried beside his great friend. A project to raise £ 320,000 of funding to erect a bronze statue and memorial to John MacKenzie and Norman Collie on Skye was finally realised in 2020. It was designed by the sculptor Stephen Tinney and positioned on a rocky knoll opposite the Sligachan Hotel, overlooking the Cuillin mountains.

The Isle of Skye, or simply Skye, is the largest and northernmost of the major islands in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island's peninsulas radiate from a mountainous hub dominated by the the Black Cuillin and Red Cuillin mountain ranges, which provide some of the most dramatic mountain sceneries in the country. At 1,656 square kilometres (639 square miles), Skye is the second-largest island in Scotland after Lewis and Harris.

The most powerful clans on Skye in the post–Norse period were Clan MacLeod, originally based in Trotternish, and Clan Macdonald of Sleat. Following the disintegration of the Lordship of the Isles in the late 15th century, Clan Mackinnon also emerged as an independent clan, whose substantial landholdings in Skye were centred on Strathaird.

Skye is linked to the mainland by the Skye Bridge, which opened in 1995, while ferries sail from Armadale on the island to Mallaig, and from Kylerhea to Glenelg. The island is 40 kilometres wide at its thickest point and 80 kilometres long. But many inlets reach inland, resulting in a coastline of over 500 kilometres. This includes some sandy beaches, but particularly several enchanting bays such as Talisker Bay, and steep cliffs such as Waterstein Head at Neist Point or Kilt Rock at the island’s northeastern coast. By the way, the inlets also divide Skye into its various peninsulas, of which Minginish, Duirnish, Waternish, Trotternish and Sleat are the largest.

The largest employer on the island is the public sector, which accounts for about a third of the total workforce and the second-largest employer is the tourism industry, but there is also a number of small firms like the Talisker Distillery. However, commercial fishing remains important too, including fish farming of salmon and crustaceans such as scampi.

Due to its dramatic land- and seascape, Skye has been used as a location for several feature films, such as "Flash Gordon“, "Stardust" starring Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer, or Ridley Scott's "Prometheus" from 2012. And the Justin Kurzel adaption of Macbeth starring Michael Fassbender was also filmed on the Isle of Skye.

Next time this comes around will be 2049...".What can we gain by sailing to the moon if we are not able to cross the abyss that separates us from ourselves? This is the most important of all voyages of discovery, and without it, all the rest are not only useless, but disastrous."

Thomas Merton

Another disastrous day out. I was on my way to Ashley for the 73s, but with RTT throwing a wobbly and nothing allocated on TOPS, I sacked it off and got off the train at Stockport instead in the hope I could manage something before my train home again as a sort of consolation prize.

Anyway, thankfully 66709 was out to play on the 6H56 Hope St Peakstone P.Sdgs-Peak Forest Cemex Gbrf, so I ventured to the end of the platform, banged the zoom on and did the classic viaduct shot. Despite going all the way there and not getting any of my intended targets, it was nice to finally bag 709 after many many years of chasing it.

This was my first time ever seeing the loco and my last one to finish off the original GB sheds to cop for sight. And since I'm known for having exceptionally bad luck with celeb sheds, it felt somewhat rewarding to get this even if it's not the cleanest shot.

Claude Monet is probably the best loved of all the Impressionist painters, and he was certainly the most influential. His paintings attempting to capture the fleeting effects of sunlight at different times of the day and in various environments are still captivating nearly 100 years after his death. If anything, in our era of visual overload, the freshness of how Monet saw the world is even more striking.

..

But ...it is no so easy, to do that, and sometimes the results are invariably disastrous...)).

Clouds and wildfire smoke lent the morning a disastrous beauty.

— Theodore Tollefson

The Seventeen Arch Bridge is an iconic symbol of Beijing. It sits at the heart of the Summer Palace complex, and connects the eastern shore of Kunming Lake with Nanhu Island. It is another fine example of architecture from the 18th Century Qianlong Period.

The tower in the distance, left of shot, is the Yufeng Pagoda on Jade Spring Hill. Most of China's top political and military leaders, including Xi Jinping, live on villas on its slopes, having long since abandoned the more spartan Central Party Compound near the forbidden city.

The Summer Palace is the best place to explore both the finery of China’s Golden Age and its rapid decay in the 19th Century. The Summer Palace isn’t just one palace, but in fact a vast complex covering more than a square mile, containing more than 3,000 buildings, and the famous Seventeen Hole Bridge as iconic a symbol of Beijing as the Palace of Westminster is of London.

Beijing was booming in the 1700s, with the population growing rapidly and along with it much light industry. Around 1749, the Qianlong Emperor decided to build a palace eight miles from the smoky downtown, on a beautiful site overlooking a lake that was being used for stables, to celebrate the 60th birthday of his mother, Empress Dowager Chongqing. He had the lake dredged and expanded to create what is now Kunming Lake, and the earth excavated to do so was used to raise the height of what is now Longevity Hill. What would become the Summer Palace was still called the Gardens of Clear Ripples.

Designed in the style of the gardens of South China, and drawing on motifs from Chinese mythology, the hill was soon graced by the Great Temple of Gratitude and Longevity, later renamed the Hall of Dispelling Clouds, which was overlooked by the Tower of Buddhist Incense, and graced by other wonderfully named buildings like Hall of Benevolence and Longevity the Hall for Listening to Orioles.

Encapsulating China’s Qianglong Golden age, it also encapsulates its subsequent disastrous decline. While the Qianlong Emperor lavished support on the arts and expanded China’s borders to their greatest ever extent, years of exhausting campaigns weakened the military, while in the Empire’s prosperous core, decadence set in, with endemic corruption, wastefulness at the court and a stagnating civil society. These problems would accelerate after the Qianlong Emperor died in 1799. In the heyday of intercontinental sailing ships, Chinese had already successfully managed direct trading relations with Europe for several centuries by this point, exporting porcelain to Europe and the Americas at scale. So when some arrogantly uncouth emissaries arrived at court in the 1830s from an upstart country named Britain, they were initially dismissed as a particularly unpleasant of self-deluding barbarians.

But a sign of the rotten state of the Chinese Empire as the 19th Century wore on was the increasingly dilapidated state of the Summer Palace. During the Second Opium War, British and French forces sacked and burned the Summer Palace as part of an invasion of Northern China which forced the Qing government to sign a trade treaty on unwelcome terms. The Place was further damaged in 1900, by an alliance of Western and Japanese troops who were putting down the Boxer Rebellion. Yet the Chinese Imperial system which stretched unbroken back to Qin ended in 1912, when Puyi, the last Emperor abdicated. Two years later, the Summer Palace was turned into a public park, and so it has remained ever since, barring a few years after the Communist takeover of 1949, when it briefly housed the Central Party School.

Restoration work has taken place at some pace since the 1980s, and continues to the present day.

This magnificent site can be very crowded, especially if you visit, as I did, on the second day of China’s weeklong early October holiday. More than ten million visitors come here every year, averaging nearly 30,000 per day. You can see why. Despite the crowds, this is one of the world’s great historic sights.

The Summer Palace is a half-hour ride on a new subway line from the city centre. The surrounding are suburbs are wealthy, and house Xi Jinping and most of the party bigwigs – but they don’t take the subway!

What a riveting, imaginative name for a waterfall. I guess it's hard to have a unique name if you're on a trial with 9 other waterfalls, and I guess from a geographic point of view it fits, however, it could've been Banana Slug Falls.

So this was another case of a shot going wrong and instead doing plan b. I was out here till almost midnight waiting to get more select nighttime shots of this waterfall. Reason being I needed one closer to a parking lot that wasn't the ever popular south falls. The nighttime shots proved disastrous and will likely never see the light of day on this site. Fortunately when I still had natural light I was moving around looking for other compositions. I didn't really have an exact spot or composition in mind when coming out here, all I knew was I needed this waterfall.

Starting to get the hang of this slow shutter business, I was a bit patchy with it at times when in Japan but now I feel like it lands exactly where it's needed. Thinking like this warrants a lot more creative thinking and I have more ideas for the future, so stay tuned.

Lijiang is a World Heritage site in Yunnan Provice of China.

It is an old town inhabited by Naxi people who speak a Tibeto-Burmese language. They have their own script to write their language.

Lijiang suffered from a disastrous earthquake in 1996. This photo was taken just before the earthquake.

Nella notte tra il 29 e il 30 Ottobre del 2018, una forte perturbazione ha colpito parte dell'Austria, Friuli Venezia Giulia e in maniera disastrosa le zone montane di Trentino e Veneto. In Italia gli fu dato il nome di "Tempesta Vaia". A causa delle forte raffiche di vento che hanno toccato i 200 km/h e delle piogge incessanti da alcuni giorni, si sono registrate frane in molte zone facendo rallentare fortemente anche il traffico ferroviario Transfrontaliero. In foto la E.402a.030 di Trenitalia traina l'Euronight 295 da München Hbf. (Germania) a Roma Termini, limitato però a Bologna Centrale per il ritardo di 12 ore, qui in transito presso Arquà Polesine (RO) sotto un cielo molto cupo.

In the night between 29 and 30 October 2018, a strong disturbance hit part of Austria, Friuli Venezia Giulia and in a disastrous way the mountain areas of Trentino and Veneto. In Italy it was given the name of "Tempest Vaia". Due to the strong gusts of wind that reached 200 km/h and the incessant rains for a few days, landslides were recorded in many areas, causing the cross-border rail traffic to slow down considerably. In the photo the E.402a.030 of Trenitalia towing the Euronight 295 from München Hbf. (Germany) to Roma Termini, limited however to Bologna Centrale due to the 12-hour delay, here in transit at Arquà Polesine (RO) under a very dark sky.

youtu.be/CiIrqJnNKYE

Codex Caioni (17th cent): Dances (arr. by Z. Majó).

Early music from Transylvania

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photo:

Hunyad Castle - Corvin Castle - Hunedoara Castle

Romanian: Castelul Huniazilor - Castelul Corvinilor

Hungarian: Vajdahunyad vára

German: Schloss Hunedoara

Mainly a 15th century castle, with many later additions

The current castle is the result of a fanciful restoration campaign undertaken after a disastrous fire and many decades of total neglect. It has been noted that modern "architects projected to it their own wistful interpretations of how a great Gothic castle should look"

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corvin_Castle

www.monumenteromania.ro/index.php/monumente/detalii/en/Ca...

John Hunyadi

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hunyadi

Transylvania

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transylvania

Hold your mouth for the war

Use it for what it's for

Speak the truth about me

DETERMINED

POSSESSED

I feel a conquering will down inside me

STRENGTH

The strength of many to crush who might stop me

My strength is in number

And my soul lies in every one

The releasing of anger

Can better any medicine under the sun

By: PANTERA (Mouth For War from the Album "Vulgar Display of Power" 1992 )

AVALON

REBORN

DOUX Cyanna Hair

SKIN ENFER SOMBRE Lizbeth-Mannequin Tone

Cosmetics from the Lizbeth Skin package

Lilithe'// Cerridwen Tattoos [FLOWERS+MOTHS]

SWALLOW Guaged Ears PIXIE

EARRINGS [Litten] Avdol Earrings - [FATPACK]

Ear TATTOO: inKdependent - jewel ears FATPACK

/Vae Victis\ - "Perchten" - Curled Horns - Madpea

Advent V2

/Vae Victis\ - "Barbatos" - Executioner Axe

+ { Kingslayer Armor Set } + {aii} Midnight Order 1/20/24:

Mana. // Pandora Eyes Midnight Order 1/20/24

K&S - // Eternal Veil. Backdrop COPY/MOD

*Phototools- Broomstick Sepia Windlight

90 mile beach NZ, note you can drive on this ....for ever....

want to see more images or read the blog?

www.holiday2007-8.co.uk/northislandnz

🚙 Driving on Ninety Mile Beach (New Zealand) is a bucket-list experience—but it’s not without its risks. Here’s everything you need to know before hitting the sand:

️ Is It Legal?

- Yes, Ninety Mile Beach is officially a public highway, but only for private vehicles—not rentals unless explicitly permitted.

- Speed limits apply: 30–60 km/h depending on the area.

- It’s best tackled with a 4WD vehicle—soft sand and stream crossings make it risky for sedans or 2WDs.

🌊 Timing Is Everything

- Low tide is the safest time to drive. Aim for a window of 2 hours before and after low tide.

- - Driving at high tide can be disastrous—waves have claimed vehicles that got stuck too close to the waterline.

⚠️ Common Dangers

- Soft sand near the top of the beach or dunes can trap vehicles quickly.

- Te Paki Stream, the northern exit, is notorious for bogging down cars—especially after rain.

- Saltwater damage is real: wash your vehicle thoroughly afterward to avoid corrosion.

- Wildlife and dunes are protected—driving over them can damage ecosystems and lead to fines.

Safety Tips

- Stick to the hard-packed sand between the high tide mark and the waterline.

- Scout your entry and exit ramps—some are only passable with local knowledge.

- Let someone know your route and ETA in case you need help.

- Carry recovery gear: tow ropes, traction mats, and a shovel.

- Watch for hazards like driftwood, hidden dips, and stream crossings.

️ Alternatives

- If you're unsure, consider a guided bus tour—they’re designed for the terrain and include stops at Cape Reinga and sandboarding at Te Paki dunes.

We have been to those dunes a couple of times BUT never driven on 90 mile beach we did get stuck elsewhere in NZ and had to be rescued, never again, scary!!!!

see more in my doubles album, the same images in both COLOUR & B&W / Monochrome

www.flickr.com/photos/keefhwebdesigns/albums/721777203247...

Spring on the market place of Doebeln (near Dresden), rebuilded nicely after the disastrous flood 2002.

- - -

Frühling auf dem Döbelner Marktplatz (nahe Dresden), liebevoll rekonstruiert nach der verheerenden Jahrhundertflut im Jahre 2002.

The museum displays military equipments, accessories, weapons, clothes, photos etc. of Japanese Army which entered Amphoe Khun Yuam during World War II. different from the museum in Kanchanaburi which shows cruelty of Japanese troops. In this area, it’s said that local people took good care of tens of thousands of soldiers who retreated from their disastrous defeat at the Battle of Imphal. The relationship between the local people and Japanese soldiers were very good.

Partially ruined Dunstaffanage Castle lies 3 miles NNE of Oban and was built around 1220 by Duncan MacDougall, the son of Earl Somerled, known also as the ‘King of the Isles’, Dunstaffnage Castle was built at the height of the battle between Scotland and Norway for control of the Hebrides and was even once besieged by Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Independence. Inside there are 18th century residential compartments, where Flora MacDonald is believed to have been held prisoner having helped Bonnie Prince Charlie evade capture by the Redcoats following his disastrous defeat at Culloden in 1746.

Les œuvres photographiques d’André Boto, notamment ses créations conceptuelles et manipulées, offrent une perspective saisissante sur notre environnement et les défis auxquels notre planète est confrontée. À travers des compositions visuelles marquées par une créativité unique, il met en lumière les tensions entre la nature et l’impact des activités humaines.

Ces photographies interpellent sur les conséquences désastreuses de la surexploitation des ressources naturelles, du changement climatique et de l’urbanisation galopante. Elles nous rappellent que la survie de notre petite planète dépend de notre capacité à rétablir un équilibre entre développement et préservation.

En observant ces images, le spectateur est invité à réfléchir sur son rôle dans la protection d’un écosystème fragile, souvent mis en péril par des choix humains irréfléchis ...

°°°°°°°°°°°

André Boto's photographic works, particularly his conceptual and manipulated creations, offer a powerful perspective on our environment and the challenges facing our planet. His uniquely creative visual compositions highlight the tensions between nature and the impact of human activity.

These photographs draw attention to the disastrous consequences of over-exploitation of natural resources, climate change and rampant urbanisation. They remind us that the survival of our small planet depends on our ability to restore a balance between development and conservation.

By looking at these images, viewers are invited to reflect on their role in protecting a fragile ecosystem that is often endangered by thoughtless human choices ...

______________________________________PdF_________

The Tower of Sepphoris was a fortification built by the Christian Crusaders after the establishment of the Kingdom of Jerusalem in the 12th century. It was located on a hill overlooking the ancient town of Sepphoris. The town itself was located near the ancient city of Tiberias. The tower was built on an old Byzantine structure and with other material the crusaders could find in the area. It was most well known for hosting a Latin field army that would be defeated at the disastrous Battle of Hattin in 1187 by the Ayyubid Sultan, Saladin. The town would be in Muslim hands until 1255 when the Crusaders took it back, but this occupation would not last very long. The Mamluk Sultan, Baybars would capture the area and destroy the tower sometime between 1263 and 1266.

The tower would lay in ruins for the next 650 years until it was partially rebuilt and turned into a school by the Ottomans in the 20th century. Today the tower, along with the various ruins in Sepphoris is part of the Zippori National Park.

During my time in Israel, I saw the tower myself and went up to the top. I had a pretty nice view of the town of Sepphoris, the city of Tiberias, the Sea of Galilee, and the "Horns of Hattin" and the Golan heights. The tower itself looked nothing like this today, but I built it in the image of what it would have looked like in its prime using my knowledge of Crusader architecture. Also it was never confirmed which Crusader order occupied the tower so I decided to go with the Teutonic Knights since they look cool (and they're the only ones I have atm). They also had a presence in the region at the time so it's possible.

The Teutonic Knights were made by Ktownbricks

Giardini Naxos (Sicilian: Giaddini; English translation: Naxos Gardens) is a comune in the Metropolitan City of Messina on the island of Sicily in southern Italy. It is situated on the coast of the Ionian Sea on a bay which lies between Cape Taormina and Cape Schisò. Since the 1970s it has become a seaside-resort, a popular tourist destination and cruise ship stop.

Founded by Thucles the Chalcidian in 734 BC, Naxos was never a powerful city, but its temple of Apollo Archegetes, protecting deity of all the Greek colonies, gave it prominence in religious affairs. Leontini and Catania were both colonized from here. Hippocrates, tyrant of Gela, captured it in 494 BC. Its opposition to Syracuse ultimately led to its capture and destruction in 403 BC at the hands of Dionysius the tyrant, after it had supported Athens during that city's disastrous Sicilian Expedition. Though the site continued to be inhabited, most activity shifted to neighbouring Tauromenium.

In 1544, following the raids by corsair, Kheir-ed-Din, several military buildings were constructed to protect Cape Schisò from the Barbary pirates who continued to attack and plunder the coastal villages. These were Schisò Castle, which was rebuilt from an earlier 13th-century castle, Schisò fort, and Vignazza Tower. The latter is a quadrangular watchtower which served to patrol the coast south of Port Schisò; if any pirate boats were sighted, the observers inside the tower could alert the villagers and neighbouring watchtowers by sending out smoke signals. Vignazza Tower is located in the Recanati area of Giardini Naxos.

The piece is to hang in the history block of the school with a plaque mentioning all of the students involved .

The design depicts three of the allies, standing side by side facing out to sea. They arrived by sea and retreated back the same way as their campaign proved disastrous.

The largest soldier has angel wings and the sun frames his head like a halo.

The Poppies are vibrant symbols of remembrance and the foreground of grasses was created using shaped ceramic of greens and greys, to create directional flow and an impression of burnt earth.

A poignant tribute and a reminder of the unacceptable face of war that we're still facing today.

A song for all the Putins of this world ........................

Damaged Man

The blue hour between night and day, a wonderful and seldom moment for me!

Castel dell'Ovo (in Italian, Egg Castle) is a seaside castle located on the former island of Megaride, now a peninsula, on the Gulf of Naples in Italy. The castle's name comes from a legend about the Roman poet Virgil, who had a reputation in medieval times as a great sorcerer and predictor of the future. In the legend, Virgil put a magical egg into the foundations to support the fortifications. Had this egg been broken, the castle would have been destroyed and a series of disastrous events would have involved the city of Naples.

The Castel dell'Ovo is the oldest standing fortification in Naples. The island of Megaride was where Greek colonists from Cumae founded the original nucleus of the city in the 6th century BC. Its location affords it an excellent view of the Naples waterfront and the surrounding area. In the 1st century BC the Romans built the magnificent villa Castellum Lucullanum on the site. Fortified by Valentinian III in the mid-5th century, it was the site to which the last western Roman emperor, Romulus Augustulus, was exiled in 476.Eugippius founded a monastery on the site after 492.

Source: Wikipedia

All rights reserved - Copyright © Martin Zurek

All images are exclusive property and may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, transmitted, manipulated or used in any way without expressed, written permission of the photographer.

Claude Monet is probably the best loved of all the Impressionist painters, and he was certainly the most influential. His paintings attempting to capture the fleeting effects of sunlight at different times of the day and in various environments are still captivating nearly 100 years after his death. If anything, in our era of visual overload, the freshness of how Monet saw the world is even more striking.

..

But ...it is no so easy, to do that, and sometimes the results are invariably disastrous...)).

The basilica of Santi Cosma e Damiano is a titular church in Rome, Italy. The lower portion of the building is accessible through the Roman Forum and incorporates original Roman buildings, but the entrance to the upper level is outside the Forum. The circular building located at the entrance of the Forum, which now houses a small archeological exhibit, was built in the early 4th century as a Roman temple. It is thought to have been dedicated to Valerius Romulus, deified son of the emperor Maxentius. The main building was perhaps the library of an imperial forum.

It became a church in 527 and contains important but much restored early Christian art, especially in its mosaics.

Today it is one of the ancient churches called tituli, of which cardinals are patrons as cardinal-deacons. Since 28 November 2020 the title has been held by Cardinal Mario Grech. The basilica, devoted to the two Arabian Christian brothers, doctors, martyrs and saints Cosmas and Damian, is located in the Forum of Vespasian, also known as the Forum of Peace.

The Temple is traditionally held to have been dedicated by Emperor Maxentius to his son and co-consul Valerius Romulus, who died in 309 and was given divine honours. The temple building was probably part of a rebuilding program of "incredible intensity" undertaken by Maxentius in the area, following a disastrous fire in 306; the project was only part-complete at his death. The temple's identification with Valerius Romulus is tentative, based on the spot-find of a coin dated to 307 AD showing the distinctive shape of the building, and a nearby dedication to Valerius Romulus as a divinised mortal. The temple has also been speculated as a rebuilding of the original temple of "Jupiter Stator", or one dedicated to Penates, restored by Maxentius.

The temple was Christianized and dedicated to Sancti Cosma et Damianus in 527, when Theodoric the Great, king of the Ostrogoths, and his daughter Amalasuntha donated the library of the Forum of Peace (Bibliotheca Pacis) and a portion of the Temple of Romulus to Pope Felix IV. The pope united the two buildings to create a basilica devoted to two Arabian Christian brothers and saints, Cosmas and Damian, in contrast with the ancient pagan cult of the two brothers Castor and Pollux, who had been worshipped in the nearby Temple of Castor and Pollux. The apse was decorated with a Roman-Byzantine mosaic, representing a parousia, the Second Coming of Christ at the end of time. The bodies of Saints Mark and Marcellian were translated, perhaps in the ninth century, to this church, where they were rediscovered in 1583 during the reign of Pope Gregory XIII.

In 1632, Pope Urban VIII ordered the restoration of the basilica. The works, projected by Orazio Torriani and directed by Luigi Arrigucci, raised the floor level seven metres, bringing it equal with the Campo Vaccino, thus avoiding the infiltration of water. Also, a cloister was added. The old floor of the basilica is still visible in the lower church, which is actually the lower part of the first church.

In 1947, the restorations of the Imperial Forums gave a new structure to the church. The old entrance, through the Temple of Romulus, was closed, and the temple restored to its original forms; with the Pantheon, the Temple of Romulus is the best preserved pagan temple in Rome. A new entrance was opened on the opposite side (on via dei Fori Imperiali), whose arch gives access to the cloister, and through this to the side of the basilica.

Big snow here in the Vancouver area today, kids are off school, traffic is disastrous, but everyone is happy :)

Duke of Cambridge, formerly The Bakers Arms, on East Road.

"A pub which has been through some interesting times, including a disastrous spell as the Noble Art, a boxing-themed bar. It's most recent incarnation as the Duke of Cambridge is perhaps appropriate, the Duke having visited East Road in Feb 2013. and Prince Edward was banned from here in his student days though it was hushed up at the time. Bright modern decor, popular with work groups." Source - whatpub.com - duke of cambridge

"Ride a White Swan"

Fluffy squirrel jumps and plays the fool, hiding nuts for ron,

bushy tail bouncing fur, hope he gets it on, then; "Oh' my God" now he's riding upon a swan,

swan resisted nutty and flicked him in the drink,

that-a teach old fluffy ball to next time take a think,

up a tree he scurried, think he's met his match,

up to his dray for 40 winks to catch,

later ron he's down and dry but really just as cocky,

saying no more swanning around for I ain't a flipping jockey.

.......... The end .........

Original poetry by Sean.

A little fun poem to accompany my squirrel image, well it's really good to laugh sometimes, especially in these worrying times. 😂

Key:

Ron » Later on.

Forty winks » Sleep.

Cocky» Bold or cheeky.

Nutty» Squirrel.

Drink» Water.

Old fluffy ball» Squirrel.

Swanning around» messing.

That-a» That will.

Dray» Squirrel nest.

Shoots off» Runs away.

This gray squirrel is a recent visitor to my garden here in Bristol, he is very shy and "shoots off" if disturbed, so I managed to creep up on him without being spotted and took a few images .... Ha' ha'.

These are quite rare around here in a housing estate setting, although my neighbours and I have plenty of large fur trees.

I've only seen four before over the years.

These gray squirrels are regarded as pests, because they strip off bark, eventually killing some trees.

They also carry a disease that kills off indigenous red squirrels, and that's not very good, in fact it's disastrous.

Originally native to North America .... that's where these little fluffy chaps originated.

Marc Bolan had a big hit in the 1970's with Trex with the same Title, "Ride a White Swan", it's a great song!

ENGLISH

Agerola is known as "little Switzerland" for its beautiful mountain landscape, cool air, and alpine-like streets and cleanliness. This quaint village lets you spend your vacation in a relaxing mountain-like setting without forgoing the coastal pleasures, like boat trips around the divine Amalfi Coast. It includes a few hamlets under its domain, including Bomerano, Pianillo, and Camporra.

It has early Roman origins from the 3rd century BC, settled by refugees coming from San Cipriano Picentino, later conquered by the Romans, as witnessed in the numerous finds, like money dated back to the Age of the Caesars. The Romans stayed in Agerola even after the disastrous eruption of 79 AC that destroyed Herculaneum and Pompeii; the catastrophe did not stop the local development and it continued to thrive with activities like the milk production, extolled by Galen (prominent Roman physician and philosopher of Greek origin) in the 2nd century AC. Agerola became a major manufacturer of brickwork and cutlery; the locals were also considered the best ceramists of the coast.

Before the year 1000 the village got rich and famous for breeding silkworms, a trade learned during the long trips in the East. A great Jewish colony promoted the silk manufacture, which continued until the Italian unification in 1821, when sadly it came to a definitive end.

During the Middle Ages, Agerola was famous for the cultivation of a special type of rose: the white "rosaria", used to make refined perfume essences, a flourishing industry until the end of seventeenth-century. In 1844 Agerola passed to the municipality of Naples. The local breed of cattle, called "mucca agerolese", was used in the production of milk, a symbol of Agerola. The gradual impoverishment of the local population and general discontent following the Italian unification caused a backlash with popular uprisings, called brigantaggio, and Agerola became the area's headquarters.

Located just between the glittering coast with a crystalline sea and the uncontaminated lush green of the Park of Lattari Mountains, Agerola offers exceptional outdoors attractions, in the heart of the Amalfi Coast. The lovely mountain landscape, rich in chestnut woods, meadows and orchards, creates a special atmosphere, where the climate is mitigated by the nearby coast. The particular geographical position, gives to Agerola magic places to enjoy stunning views of the Amalfi Coast and the numerous path immersed into the green belt around the village, crossing the slopes where Agerola lies.

Within the municipality of Agerola is Bomerano, the Path of the Gods gateway.

Once there do not miss:

the Park "Colonia Montana": in the area of San Lazzaro with 1.5 hectares of natural beauty. During the fascism era, the natural environment was embellished with a huge central palace, used as summer camp for youths (a "colonia"). The area boasts many arboreal species, too!

Grotta del Biscotto: typical grotto with a special geological rocky conformation that recalls the famous toasted bread (pane biscottato di Agerola). The grotto is part of the lovely Path of the Gods, where you will be able to admire incredible panoramas.

If you are staying in Agerola during Holy Week just before Easter, have a look at the local procession, something intriguing. The so-called 'processione dei Battenti' is celebrated during the Holy Friday: the Battenti were special friars, so called because in ancient times they used to beat their own back with a double hemp rope and dressed a white hood to cover their faces. The locals do perform this ancient tradition, walking all around the village's narrow streets, accompanied with popular and liturgical chants.

Summer In Italy

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NOTICE

Thank you Flicker friends for visiting my gallery, for your comments and favorites. Wish you wonderful day.

COMPTE!

Gràcies amics Flickers per visitar la meva galeria, pels vostres comentaris i favorits. Tingueu un dia estupend.

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