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After some important business in NY, I couldn't help but swing by the Finger Lakes for another GS2 chase. A 5pm departure from Solvay made for great light and a successful series of shots, rounded off by this final non-shadowed scene of the day here at Skaneateles Junction. The usual three geeps made easy work of an unusually large train of mostly empties. Thanks to those in the know for their help!
Mameda Town and its surroundings, which developed as a townspeople's land during the Tenryo period, retained a lot of land division at the time of residence, and traditional buildings remain well as a group, so the range of about 10.7 hectares was selected as a national important preservation district for groups of traditional buildings on December 10, 2004.
Mameda Town and its surroundings, which developed as a townspeople's land during the Tenryo period, retained a lot of land division at the time of residence, and traditional buildings remain well as a group, so the range of about 10.7 hectares was selected as a national important preservation district for groups of traditional buildings on December 10, 2004.
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VERY IMPORTANT:
drink responsibly
do not drink if you're behind the wheel
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“It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera…
they are made with the eye, heart and head.”
[Henry Cartier Bresson]
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Please don't use any of my images on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit written permission.
© All rights reserved
My city - Lodz, Poland. The main hall of the Łódź-Fabryczna station. A place that is both historic and modern.
The Vitthala temple is one of the most important and beautiful temples in Hampi,the ruined capital city of the erstwhile Vijayanagar Empire in the state of Karnataka .Hampi is a Unesco World Heritage site.
Like all monuments in Hampi this temple is also built from locally sourced granite.The core of the temple was in existence since the reign of Devaraya II (1422-46 AD)However later kings added to it and major additions including the stone chariot were made during the reign of Krishnadevaraya, the most powerful king of Vijayanagar in the 16th century.It is an example of the mature phase of Vijayanagar architecture and is a complex of exquisite temples and mandapas including a hundred pillared mandapa and the famous stone chariot.The main shirine is dedicated to Vitthala or Lord Vishnu.It has a massive enclosure with lofty gopuras or entrance gateways on three sides.All the structures in this complex have exquisite carving on the walls and pillars.The upper portions, made of brick and mortar have crumbled..The ruins of this magnificent temple stand testimony to the amazing talent and superior craftsmanship of the architects and sculptors of the Vijayanagar Empire.
I had to take this shot with my phone since photography with cameras is not allowed inside this temple complex.
Might be worth a look in large.
Due to some family commitments I will be off for some time. See you all soon. Take care, stay safe dear friends.
IMPORTANT: for non-pro users who read the info on a computer, just enlarge your screen to 120% (or more), then the full text will appear below the photo with a white background - which makes reading so much easier.
My best photos (mostly not on Flickr) are here: www.lacerta-bilineata.com/western-green-lizard-lacerta-bi...
THE STORY BEHIND THE PHOTO:
The fella above looks like he's about to devour me any second, but I'm happy to report that I survived the unusual encounter with him without any injuries and remain completely undigested 😄 - in fact, he didn't even threaten me.
It's a juvenile green whip snake (Hierophis viridiflavus), a non-venomous colubrid species which I photographed in my garden in Ticino (Switzerland), but as with all my pictures on Flickr, I'll try to give you a bit more context.
First of all, you have to know that I adore snakes - even though they have the nasty habit of preying on my beloved green lizards - but if you now wonder why I so far only uploaded a single snake photo here before today, the answer is that until relatively recently, I hardly had any.
The reasons for this are simple: our snakes are very shy, plus they're far from abundant. If you're lucky, you might be able to spot one, but if it also becomes aware of you, it will inevitably be gone long before you have your camera ready.
The history of human-snake interaction in Switzerland (and particularly in Ticino) has sadly not been a happy one for the reptiles, and every snake knows this. Out of ignorance, superstition and the fear they might be venomous - which most snakes in Switzerland aren't - people beat them to death wherever they found them for centuries, so you can't blame our serpentine friends for hissing "Hell, no!" and slithering to safety as fast as they can whenever they see or sense a human approaching.
There are exceptions of course; our vipers and adders sometimes rely on their camouflage and keep still rather than fleeing when you get near them - which still doesn't mean that they're inclined to pose for a selfie with you, mind - but around my village I sadly haven't come across one of those in over two decades.
So I've rarely been lucky in the snake department, but, as the famous saying goes, "luck is when preparation meets opportunity", and I took that to heart. Two years ago, I built piles of rocks and heaps of dry grass and twigs and branches all over the garden to provide basking spots and hiding places - not just for snakes but for reptiles in general - and this worked better than I could ever have hoped.
First the western green lizards came back (they had previously been driven out of my garden by my neighbors' cats), and then the snakes started showing up. Particularly the species H. viridiflavus now seems to feel very much at home on my premises, and so the opportunities to photograph my serpentine friends have increased dramatically.
They still flee as soon as they become aware of me, so a good shot is rarely a given, but since I made my my garden more reptile-friendly, the odds of getting a usable photo have gotten much, much better. Which finally brings me to the fella above.
I spotted the youngster one morning in early summer, and because I (almost) always have my camera at the ready when I enter my garden, I was able to photograph him from afar before he saw me and disappeared.
As I went back into the house to check the photos, I noticed something interesting. As expected, they were pretty bad, because I hadn't been able to get close enough, but when I enlarged them, it seemed there was something in the snake's mouth.
It looked like a small rib cage, but I couldn't be sure, so I went back into the garden to investigate, hoping the snake might have left behind whatever it had been eating when I scared it away.
And indeed, when I inspected the woodpile beneath my palm tree where I had photographed the young snake, I saw a lizard carcass. It was nothing but a rib cage with some skin and hardly any meat left - plus the two quite intact seeming hind legs.
This was very strange; as far as I was aware, green whip snakes didn't eat carrion. On the contrary: they are known to be very agile hunters - they're actually the fastest European snake species - and only eat live prey. That lizard carcass was anything but that: by the look (and smell!) of it, it was at least a couple of days old, if not more, and other animals had already done a pretty good job gnawing off the meat.
As I was still contemplating the meaning of all this, I suddenly realized something even more unusual: the snake was still there! Only a foot length away from the the dead lizard it was lurking in the shadows, motionless, observing me.
Now this was really exceptional; as already mentioned, our snake species are generally very shy, but the shiest among them are definitely the green whip snakes. In my experience, they never return to the exact same spot once you've scared them away, at least not within such a short time frame.
I slowly backed away, hoping not to spook it, cursing myself for leaving the camera attached to the computer as I went back into the house to get it. When I returned, the snake thankfully hadn't disappeared, and so I very carefully set up the tripod with the camera in front of the woodpile and waited.
After a few minutes, the snake started moving. It had a length of maybe 60-70 cm, and I would have guessed its age at around 2 to 3 years (the species can grow to a length of 150 cm, in rare cases even to almost 2 meters, which makes it one of the biggest European snake species).
The little guy was clearly aware of me, but those putrid lizard ribs were just too enticing to resist. Once he had reached the smelly object of his desire, he started to swallow it while at the same time trying to drag it away from the nasty human, back into the shadows.
Both tasks proved very difficult, however, which was very comical to watch. The carcass - the remains of a pretty sizable common wall lizard - kept getting stuck between the twigs and branches of the woodpile, but it was also simply too big for the snake's tiny mouth (while a body length of around 70 cm might seem respectable, juveniles of this species still have a rather small head by comparison).
The young snake kept trying; several times it let go of its stinky treat only to attempt to swallow it again, from pretty much every angle, but it just wouldn't work. This was exhausting business, and so in between attempts the snake understandably took some breaks, basking on the woodpile for a few minutes, before it went back to work with new vigor. It also had to clear its throat from time to time and readjust its jaws, and during one such moment I took the photo above.
In the end, it managed to drag the dead lizard out of my sight into the woodpile, at which point I left the little fella (I had been photographing and filming the scene for over an hour, and by now I felt nearly as exhausted as the snake just from watching the whole ordeal; btw, the film clip is here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8x0tBpRTck ).
When I returned to the woodpile almost two hours later, the snake had come out again, still fiercely trying to devour the dead lizard. I was impressed; this time I didn't stay, because I didn't want to disturb the little guy again with my presence, but as I left I thought admiringly: "That's what I call dedication!"
As always, many thanks for reading and commenting: have a great start into the new week everyone! ❤🙏😊
P.S. @ willjatkins Did you ever encounter this species feasting on carrion or hear of such behavior, Will?
Soller — The #Mallorca Series. Two weeks on the island with beautiful light, and architecture, wonderful nature and interesting people-Tourists as Inhabitants. Some Scenes need colors, some need black and white. 😊
It doesn't matter who you are,
man, woman,
old or child,
worker or farmer,
soldier, student or merchant;
it doesn't matter what your political beliefs are
or the religious one
if they ask you what the thing is
most important for humanity,
Answers
Before
After
Always:
Peace!
Non importa chi tu sia,
uomo, donna,
vecchio o fanciullo,
operaio o contadino,
soldato, studente o commerciante;
non importa quale sia il tuo credo politico
o quello religioso
se ti chiedono qual è la cosa
più importante per l’umanità,
rispondi
prima
dopo
sempre:
La pace!
Li Tien Min
DSC_1961
Palau Güell 's lamp.
Palau Güell was one of the first important commissions Antoni Gaudí received at the start of his career. Eusebi Güell (industrialist, politician and patron of the arts) wanted Gaudí to build him this peculiar urban palace as an extension of the family home on La Rambla. It was the home of the Güell i López family until they moved to Park Güell.
Important to know: Iguanas are capable of severely injuring people, other animals and themselves when their body language messages are not recognized. Most iguanas clearly sign that trouble is ahead. They nod their head and wave their dewlap side to side.
The dewlap is a fold of loose skin hanging from the neck or throat of an animal, like a cow. Iguanas use their dewlap to communicate. First, an extended dewlap can simply be a greeting. An extended dewlap is often used to say hello to another creature during mating and most generally as a territorial sign. Second, it can be a form of protection. A threatened iguana may extend its dewlap to intimidate a predator into thinking it is much larger than it is. Third, an extended dewlap may be a sign that the iguana is trying to adjust its temperature. An extended dewlap on an iguana basking in the sun is quite normal. It may be catching sun to warm up or catching a breeze to cool off. So it's important to consider "the big picture" when reading an Iguana's body language.
Parts of an iguana... www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=Up3IVbC...
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami FL
This photograph was taken at twilight from the East bank of Vltava (Moldau) River. Charles Bridge, as seen on the right, is the most important connection across Vltava River between Prague Castle and the city's Old Town. St Vitus Cathedral, together with other structures around Prague Castle and Charles Bridge, are reflected in the river.
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Ver el silencio y darle un beso en los labios: los tejados de la ciudad serán lindos pájaros melancólicos con alas descarnadas.
Paul Eluard
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Photo : A Campan (750 m sur le niveau de la mer), les grandes chutes de neige sont de plus en plus rares. Mais des averses de neige tombent encore trois quatre fois l’an. Elles apportent de la gaité blanche sur les toits et quelques glissades dans les rues. Peu d’enfants désormais construisent des bonshommes de neige ; elle ne reste pas longtemps. Comme chaque année, la question est : la neige, tombera-t-elle pour Noël ?
Foto: En Campan (Pirineo central francés, 750 m sobre el nivel del mar), las nevadas importantes son cada vez más raras. Pero todavía caen chubascos de nieve tres o cuatro veces al año. Aportan alegría blanca a los tejados y algunos resbalones en las calles. Ya son pocos los niños que construyen muñecos de nieve; ella no se queda mucho tiempo. Como cada año, la pregunta de cada habitante es: ¿habrá nieve en Navidad?
Labelita Store
[LABELITA] Passion Outfit Fatpack
Passion Outfit (Legacy - Perky - Reborn - Waifu - Lara X)
all info in the blog
Merry Christmas and a very happy, prosperous New Year for you and your beloved ones!
May you be happy and share your happiness with others.
Don't forget the little things in life, as they are the most important one.
Marvellous Christmas Holidays!
Frohe Weihnachten und ein glückliches, erfolgreiches Neues Jahr für Dich und Deine Lieben!
Mögest du glücklich sein und Deine Freude mit anderen teilen.
Vergiss nicht die kleinen Dinge im Leben, denn sie sind das Wichtigste.
Wundervolle Weihnachtsfeiertage!
Sugar
Mameda Town and its surroundings, which developed as a townspeople's land during the Tenryo period, retained a lot of land division at the time of residence, and traditional buildings remain well as a group, so the range of about 10.7 hectares was selected as a national important preservation district for groups of traditional buildings on December 10, 2004.
This Turkey Vulture was seen carefully preening itself at the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve - it also kept its eye trained on me (just in case I collapsed and became a meal)
Relationship in space is important to impose 'characterization' to the various elements. To infuse believability to an item. In other words; it comes forth from the background and becomes something. They are no longer alone, but present themselves in concert, each enhancing one another's presence.
In such a structure the cloud and even grassy field become involved entities in the picture.
Riding Rocky Mountaineer from Banff to Kamloops, Canada.
Travel through Canada’s stunning Rocky Mountains, alongside the powerful Kicking Horse River, and pass by monumental landmarks from the early days of the National Railway. This legendary route along the Canadian Pacific track is famous for uniting the country and connecting British Columbia to Canada over 125 years ago.
Travel through the legendary Spiral Tunnels and pass by the spot where the last spike on the Canadian Pacific Railway was driven. This is the only passenger rail service on this historic route, and its construction is one of the most important in Canadian history as it united Canada from east to west.
For video, please visit youtu.be/OD5nACw5AEA
Market Street is an important thoroughfare in San Francisco, California. It begins at The Embarcadero in front of the Ferry Building at the northeastern edge of the city and runs southwest through downtown, passing the Civic Center and the Castro District, to the intersection with Corbett Avenue in the Twin Peaks neighborhood. Beyond this point, the roadway continues as Portola Drive into the southwestern quadrant of San Francisco. Portola Drive extends south to the intersection of St. Francis Boulevard and Sloat Boulevard, where it continues as Junipero Serra Boulevard.
Market Street is the boundary of two street grids. Streets on its southeast side are parallel or perpendicular to Market Street, while those on the northwest are nine degrees off from the cardinal directions.
Market Street is a major transit artery for the city of San Francisco, and has carried in turn horse-drawn streetcars, cable cars, electric streetcars, electric trolleybuses, and diesel buses. Today Muni's buses, trolleybuses, and heritage streetcars (on the F Market line) share the street, while below the street the two-level Market Street Subway carries Muni Metro and BART. While cable cars no longer operate on Market Street, the surviving cable car lines terminate to the side of the street at its intersections with California Street and Powell Street.
Construction
Market Street cuts across the city for three miles (5 km) from the waterfront to the hills of Twin Peaks. It was laid out originally by Jasper O'Farrell, a 26-year old trained civil engineer who emigrated to Yerba Buena, as the town was then known. The town was renamed San Francisco in 1847 after it was captured by Americans during the Mexican-American War. O'Farrell first repaired the original layout of the settlement around Portsmouth Square and then established Market Street as the widest street in town, 120 feet between property lines. (Van Ness now beats it with 125 feet.) It was described at the time as an arrow aimed straight at "Los Pechos de la Chola" (the Breasts of the Maiden), now called Twin Peaks. Writing in Forgotten Pioneers.
© Important 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
CSX's Hanover and Hagerstown locals were exchanging traffic in Highfield, once an important Western Maryland location in 2003.
A trio of SD50s had things well in hand on a dreary day as another SD50 and a GE stand by.
El Sukiennice (« Llotja de teixits ») és un dels monuments històrics més emblemàtics de la ciutat de Cracòvia. Aquesta imponent llotja comercial de dos pisos, aixecada el segle xiii i després adaptada a l'època del Renaixement, ocupa el lloc central de la gran Plaça del Mercat i forma part del Patrimoni de la Humanitat de la UNESCO.[1]
A la planta baixa, la Llotja acull avui comerços d'artesania, mentre que el primer pis acull la Galeria d'art polonès del segle xix, una filial del Museu nacional de Cracòvia amb la més important col·lecció d'obres poloneses del món. Entre elles, la famosa tela Les Torxes de Neró, oferta a l'obertura del museu pel seu pintor, Henryk Siemiradzki i el quadre gegant Homenatge prussià de Jan Matejko.
Història
Posicionada segons l'eix nord-sud de la plaça, amb les seves façanes oest i est simètriques respecte als eixos de les entrades, la Llotja de teixits de Cracòvia reuneix elements arquitectònics d'èpoques molt diferents, i constitueix una síntesi global de l'arquitectura de la ciutat.
El nom Sukiennice ve de la paraula polonesa sukno que vol dir teixit, roba. En efecte, els drapers disposaven les seves parades al centre de la plaça del Mercat per a la venda a l'engròs de teixits.
La primera llotja, aixecada al segle xiii, després de la concessió a la ciutat d'una carta de Drets de Magdeburg, es limitava a dues fileres de botigues de pedra que formaven un carrer al mig de la Plaça del Mercat. El comerç als Sukiennice era una font important d'ingressos per a la ciutat: segons el privilegi reial, els venedors vinguts de l'exterior només podien vendre la seva pròpia mercaderia, i només en aquest lloc.
L'any 1358, el Casimir III fa construir el primer edifici de 100 m de longitud amb dos portals ogivals situats al centre de les façanes principals. Després d'un incendi que va consumir l'edifici l'any 1555, es va cridar als italians que havien vingut amb la reina Bona Sforza (esposa italiana del rei Segimon el Vell). La Llotja de teixits renovada a l'estil Renaixement llavors es va dotar d'un àtic decorat amb una cresta amb gàrgoles, estilitzades amb caps humans, realitzades probablement segons els projectes de Santi Gucci. Giovanni Maria Mosca divideix l'edifici en dos pisos i està connectat per escales cobertes per lògies situats sobre els costats més curts.
Els últims treballs importants són duts a terme al segle xix per Tomasz Prylińeski. L'arquitecte transforma la llotja a la planta baixa, instal·lant-hi al llarg dels murs botigues de fusta. El sostre serà adornat més tard amb l'escut de les ciutats poloneses, els emblemes dels gremis i els segells. Prylińeski afegeix també arcades neogòtiques de pedra per tal de donar l'elegància a l'edifici,[1] així com dels mascarons representant caricatures dels presidents de l'època de la ciutat de Cracòvia, realitzats segons un dibuix de Jan Matejko. La llotja superior és adaptada a les necessitats del museu.
The Kraków Cloth Hall (Polish: Sukiennice, pronounced [sukʲɛˈɲːit͡sɛ]), in Lesser Poland, dates to the Renaissance and is one of the city's most recognizable icons. It is the central feature of the main market square in the Kraków Old Town (the historic center of Kraków), which since 1978 has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site).
t was once a major centre of international trade. Travelling merchants met there to discuss business and to barter. During its golden age in the 15th century, the hall was the source of a variety of exotic imports from the east – spices, silk, leather and wax – while Kraków itself exported textiles, lead, and salt from the Wieliczka Salt Mine.
In the immediate vicinity of the hall, the Great Weigh House and the Small Weigh House existed until the 19th century. Other, similar cloth halls have existed in other Polish as well as other European cities such as in Ypres, Belgium; Braunschweig, and in Leeds, EnglandKraków was Poland's capital city and was among the largest cities in Europe already from before the time of the Renaissance. However, its decline started with the move of the capital to Warsaw at the end of the 16th century. The city's decline was hastened by wars and politics leading to the Partitions of Poland at the end of the 18th century. By the time of the architectural restoration proposed for the cloth hall in 1870 under Austrian rule, much of the historic city center was decrepit. A change in political and economic fortunes for the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria ushered in a revival due to newly established Legislative Assembly or Sejm of the Land. The successful renovation of the Cloth Hall, based on a design by Tomasz Pryliński and supervised by Mayor Mikołaj Zyblikiewicz, Sejm Marshal, was one of the most notable achievements of this period.[1]
The hall has hosted many distinguished guests over the centuries and is still used to entertain monarchs and dignitaries, such as King Charles III, then Prince of Wales, and Emperor Akihito of Japan, who was welcomed here in 2002. In the past, balls were held here, most notably after Prince Józef Poniatowski had briefly liberated the city from the Austrians in 1809. Aside from its history and cultural value, the hall is still used as a center of commerce.
History
The Sacra of San Michele is a fascinating abbey located on Mount Pirchiriano in front of the city of Turin. It was founded between 983 and 987. It became an important Benedectine monasticism in the Middle Age. There are several legends connected to this beautiful and unique place. It is believed that Umberto Eco was inspired by this building for his famous novel "The name of the rose".
Although it is not in the city of Turin, the abbey is considered in the metropolitan area of the city. So I took the liberty to add it to the project
"Turin in monochrome"
www.flickr.com/photos/mborgare/albums/72177720315271078
La Sacra di San Michele e' un'abbazia medioevale costruita sulla cima del monte Pirchiriano che domina la citta' di Torino. Fu costruita tra il 983 e il 987 e divenne un importante centro culturale dei Benedettini. Ci sono diverse leggende che circondano questa affascinante struttura. Si pensa che Umberto Eco si sia inspirato a questa struttura per il suo romanzo "Il nome della rosa".
Sebbene non sia nella municipalita' di Torino, l'abbazia e' considerata facente parte dell'area metropolitana della citta' e per questo motivo l'ho inserita nel progetto "Turin in monochrome"
© Important 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.
IMPORTANT: for non-pro users who read the info on a computer, just enlarge your screen to 120% (or more), then the full text will appear below the photo with a white background - which makes reading so much easier.
The color version of the photo above is here: www.lacerta-bilineata.com/ticino-best-photos-of-southern-...
THE STORY BEHIND THE PHOTO:
So far there's only been one photo in my gallery that hasn't been taken in my garden ('The Flame Rider', captured in the Maggia Valley: www.flickr.com/photos/191055893@N07/53563448847/in/datepo... ) - which makes the image above the second time I've "strayed from the path" (although not very far, since the photo was taken only approximately 500 meters from my house).
Overall, I'll stick to my "only-garden rule", but every once in a while I'll show you a little bit of the landscape around my village, because I think it will give you a better sense of just how fascinating this region is, and also of its history.
The title I chose for the photo may seem cheesy, and it's certainly not very original, but I couldn't think of another one, because it's an honest reflection of what I felt when I took it: a profound sense of peace - although if you make it to the end of this text you'll realize my relationship with that word is a bit more complicated.
I got up early that day; it was a beautiful spring morning, and there was still a bit of mist in the valley below my village which I hoped would make for a few nice mood shots, so I quickly grabbed my camera and went down there before the rising sun could dissolve the magical layer on the scenery.
Most human activity hadn't started yet, and I was engulfed in the sounds of the forest as I was walking the narrow trail along the horse pasture; it seemed every little creature around me wanted to make its presence known to potential mates (or rivals) in a myriad of sounds and voices and noises (in case you're interested, here's a taste of what I usually wake up to in spring, but you best use headphones: www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfoCTqdAVCE )
Strolling through such an idyllic landscape next to grazing horses and surrounded by birdsong and beautiful trees, I guess it's kind of obvious one would feel the way I described above and choose the title I did, but as I looked at the old stone buildings - the cattle shelter you can see in the foreground and the stable further up ahead on the right - I also realized how fortunate I was.
It's hard to imagine now, because Switzerland is one of the wealthiest countries in the world today, but the men and women who had carried these stones and constructed the walls of these buildings were among the poorest in Europe. The hardships the people in some of the remote and little developed valleys in Ticino endured only a few generations ago are unimaginable to most folks living in my country today.
It wasn't uncommon that people had to sell their own kids as child slaves - the girls had to work in factories or in rice fields, the boys as "living chimney brushes" in northern Italy - just because there wasn't enough food to support the whole family through the harsh Ticino winters.
If you wonder why contemporary Swiss historians speak of "slaves" as opposed to child laborers, it's because that's what many of them actually were: auctioned off for a negotiable prize at the local market, once sold, these kids were not payed and in many cases not even fed by their masters (they had to beg for food in the streets or steal it).
Translated from German Wikipedia: ...The Piazza grande in Locarno, where the Locarno Film Festival is held today, was one of the places where orphans, foundlings and children from poor families were auctioned off. The boys were sold as chimney sweeps, the girls ended up in the textile industry, in tobacco processing in Brissago or in the rice fields of Novara, which was also extremely hard work: the girls had to stand bent over in the water for twelve to fourteen hours in all weathers. The last verse of the Italian folk song 'Amore mio non piangere' reads: “Mamma, papà, non piangere, se sono consumata, è stata la risaia che mi ha rovinata” (Mom, dad, don't cry when I'm used up, it was the rice field that destroyed me.)... de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaminfegerkinder
The conditions for the chimney sweeps - usually boys between the age of 8 and 12 (or younger, because they had to be small enough to be able to crawl into the chimneys) - were so catastrophic that many of them didn't survive; they died of starvation, cold or soot in their lungs - as well as of work-related accidents like breaking their necks when they fell, or suffocatig if they got stuck in inside a chimney. This practice of "child slavery" went on as late as the 1950s (there's a very short article in English on the topic here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spazzacamini and a more in depth account for German speakers in this brief clip: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gda8vZp_zsc ).
Now I don't know if the people who built the old stone houses along my path had to sell any of their kids, but looking at the remnants of their (not so distant) era I felt an immense sense of gratitude that I was born at a time of prosperity - and peace - in my region, my country and my home. Because none of it was my doing: it was simple luck that decided when and where I came into this world.
It also made me think of my own family. Both of my grandparents on my father's side grew up in Ticino (they were both born in 1900), but while they eventually left Switzerland's poorest region to live in its richest, the Kanton of Zurich, my grandfather's parents relocated to northern Italy in the 1920s and unfortunately were still there when WWII broke out.
They lost everything during the war, and it was their youngest daughter - whom I only knew as "Zia" which means "aunt" in Italian - who earned a little money to support herself and my great-grandparents by giving piano lessons to high-ranking Nazi officers and their kids (this was towards the end of the war when German forces had occupied Italy).
I never knew that about her; Zia only very rarely spoke of the war, but one time when I visited her when she was already over a 100 years old (she died at close to 104), I asked her how they had managed to survive, and she told me that she went to the local prefecture nearly every day to teach piano. "And on the way there would be the dangling ones" she said, with a shudder.
I didn't get what she meant, so she explained. Visiting the city center where the high ranking military resided meant she had to walk underneath the executed men and women who were hanging from the lantern posts along the road (these executions - often of civilians - were the Germans' retaliations for attacks by the Italian partisans).
I never forgot her words - nor could I shake the look on her face as she re-lived this memory. And I still can't grasp it; my house in Ticino is only 60 meters from the Italian border, and the idea that there was a brutal war going on three houses down the road from where I live now in Zia's lifetime strikes me as completely surreal.
So, back to my title for the photo above. "Peace". It's such a simple, short word, isn't it? And we use it - or its cousin "peaceful" - quite often when we mean nice and quiet or stress-free. But if I'm honest I don't think I know what it means. My grandaunt Zia did, but I can't know. And I honestly hope I never will.
I'm sorry I led you down such a dark road; I usually intend to make people smile with the anecdotes that go with my photos, but this one demanded a different approach (I guess with this latest image I've strayed from the path in more than one sense, and I hope you'll forgive me).
Ticino today is the region with the second highest average life expectancy in Europe (85.2 years), and "The Human Development Index" of 0.961 in 2021 was one of the highest found anywhere in the world, and northern Italy isn't far behind. But my neighbors, many of whom are now in their 90s, remember well it wasn't always so.
That a region so poor it must have felt like purgatory to many of its inhabitants could turn into something as close to paradise on Earth as I can imagine in a person's lifetime should make us all very hopeful. But, and this is the sad part, it also works the other way 'round. And I believe we'd do well to remember that, too.
To all of you - with my usual tardiness but from the bottom of my heart - a happy, healthy, hopeful 2025 and beyond.
La vila occitana de Concas (Conques, en francès) és una de les més boniques de França. Es tracta d'una important població medieval, afavorida per ser un punt important de pas del Camí de Sant Jaume. I ella mateixa tenia el seu propi peregrinatge, en les reliquies de Santa Fe.
Recordo com el meu pare volia anar-hi en alguna ocasió que varem estar per Occitania, però no va poguer ser. Ara com a minim m'he tret aquesta espina.
ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concas_(Avairon)
ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Fe_de_Concas
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Concas (Conques in French) is one of the most beautiful and well-preserved medieval towns in France. It owes it's fame and richness to the church of Ste. Foy, and above all, being an important stage in the Way of St. James.
My late father always wanted to visit this place, so at least now I've been there.
important , very big file
you have to click on the photo, otherwise, we don't see the details
spherical pano
Újezd is an important traffic junction as it serves both automotive and tramway traffic. Here you will also find the funicular to the famous Petřín Hill and many cool pubs and bars that are worth a visit. More importantly, there is a memorial to the victims of Communism located at the base of Petřín Hill - it is a rather disturbing series of statues dedicated to the victims of the Communist era between 1948-1989.
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Saint Louis des Invalides– Eglise du dôme - Paris 7°
Mille mercis à mon adorable ami Guyscoop qui a gentiment et magnifiquement post-traité ma petite photo. On forme une association fructueuse, Guy, tu ne trouves pas ? ;-))
J’essaie de répondre à tous les commentaires que j’ai reçus depuis deux mois et de visiter les streams de mes amis. Ca va prendre « un peu » (lol) de temps et j’espère que vous comprendrez :-)
Thousands of thanks to my sweet friend Guyscoop who kindly and greatly processed my little shot. We have a very fruitful partnership Guy, don’t you think so ;-))
I’m now trying to answer all the comments I received since two months, and to visit my friends streams. It will take a “little” (lol) time and I hope you’ll understand :-)
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Please dont use my images without my permission.
In Yangshuo, the Li River is probably the most important thing. It provides them with huge income from tourists, provides them sea food, and provides work for many.
This wooden rafts travel through one specific portion of the river which is surrounded by many mountains.
It was one of the finest travelling experiences in my five years of living in China.
Li River, Yangshuo,Guangxi.
The lookout.....
The UK hosts a small, but important, breeding population of ruff. The ruff is a large sandpiper that is so-called due to the large ruff of feathers around the males' neck. This is used in a showy display to attract a mate.
Most ruff you will see are fairly plain-looking waders, with a longish neck and small head. Non-breeding birds are pale fawn-brown all over, with a paler belly. Breeding males, however, have a ruff of brightly coloured feathers around the neck, head tufts and a bare, orange face. Ruff have a short, slightly down-curved bill and orangey-yellow legs.
It will soon be time for the males to start transforming.
Los orígenes de Ronda se remontan a los celtas que la llamaron Arunda. Los romanos se situaron en Arunda y en Acinipo (también conocida como Ronda La Vieja). Plinio y Ptolomeo nos dan noticias de Acinipo como una de las ciudades más importantes de la Bética. Hay que destacar de sus ruinas el teatro, uno de los más importantes de la España romana. En Arunda los romanos levantaron el castillo de Laurus (o del Laurel) y sobre el que debió construirse posteriormente la fortaleza musulmana.
Tras el oscuro período visigodo, Ronda volvió a tener verdadera importancia bajo el dominio musulmán, Arunda se convierte en Izna Rand Onda. Desde el siglo VIII al XV va a ser una de las fortalezas más importantes de Andalucía.
Ya en el siglo XIII, Abenamar, el célebre caudillo fundador de la dinastía nazarí, lo cedió a los meriníes de Marruecos, dependiendo hasta 1439 del gobierno norte-africano; a partir de esta fecha pasaría a integrarse en el reino nazarí de Granada.
La presencia árabe se manifiesta aún claramente en la fisonomía de la ciudad de Ronda, quizás la mejor conservada de toda Andalucía.
Tras una larga contienda fue conquistada por los Reyes Católicos en 1485. Como consecuencia de la dura resistencia de los musulmanes, que no llegaron a claudicar sino que fueron vencidos por las tropas cristianas, la ciudad se repartió entre la nobleza castellana.
En el siglo XVIII, Ronda conoce un notable auge económico. En 1751 se construyó el famoso Puente Nuevo que une la ciudad partida por el Tajo.
Durante la invasión francesa, en la Serranía se formó un activo foco de resistencia. A su salida, los franceses destruyeron parte del castillo y otras defensas de la ciudad.
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Origins of Ronda go back to the Celts who called La Arunda. The Romans were at La Arunda and Acinipo (also known as round the Old). Pliny and Ptolemy give us news of Acinipo as one of the most important cities of the Baetica. It should be noted from its ruins the theater, one of the most important in Roman Spain. In La Arunda the Romans erected the castle of Laurus (or Laurel) and on the point that should be built then the Muslim fortress.
After dark the Visigothic period, Round returned to have real significance under Muslim rule, La Arunda becomes Izna Rand Wave. Since the VIII to the XV century is going to be one of the most important fortresses of Andalusia.
Already in the thirteenth century, Abenamar, the famous founder of the Nasrid dynasty, ceded it to the Marinids of Morocco, depending on the government until 1439 north-african; after this date would be integrated in the Nasrid kingdom of Granada.
The Arab presence clearly manifests itself even in the face of the city of Ronda, perhaps the best preserved of all Andalusia.
After a long struggle was conquered by the Catholic Monarchs in 1485. As a result of the stiff resistance of the Muslims, who came not to waver but were defeated by the Christian troops, the city was divided between the Castilian nobility.
In the eighteenth century, Round knows a remarkable economic boom. In 1751 built the famous New Bridge that joins the city heading by the Tajo. During the French invasion, in the mountainous area is formed an active focus of resistance. With his departure, the French destroyed part of the castle and other defenses of the city.
Although Cley-next-the-Sea was once an important medieval port, the North Norfolk coast has silted up to form marshland, and the sea is now a little distance away. The iconic windmill dates from the early 1800s and is a five storey tower mill with a stage at second floor level, twenty feet above ground. It has a dome shaped cap with a gallery which was winded by an eight-bladed fantail, ten feet six inches in diameter. The cap is now fixed and unable to turn to wind. There are four double Patent sails with a span of 70 feet, carried on stocks 56 feet long. The inner pair have eight bays of three shutters and the outer pair have nine bays of two shutters and one of three shutters. In 1819 the sails powered two pairs of French burr millstones, a flour mill and jumper but by 1876 this had been increased to 3 pairs of stones and a smut machine had been added.
The windmill was only in operation for around a hundred years, and as long ago as 1921 it was sold to become a holiday home. In the East Coast floods of 1953 it was flooded to a depth of eight feet. In 1983 the mill and its complex was turned into a guesthouse with self-catering units. It also has various visitor facilities.
To go out of your mind once a day is tremendously important, because by going out of your mind you come to your senses.
-- Alan Watts
OBSERVE Collective
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I stood on the shore at Brighton,UK and watched the skeletal frame of the West Pier rise out of the calm water as the sun dropped behind it. The long exposure softened the sea and let the metal structure stand clearly against the warm gradient of the sky. I took this photo during a beautiful sunset at the end of an important day for me in Brighton, which made the scene feel especially meaningful.
“I actually believe games are important. The whole world thinks the only true, real reward is getting paid. But games know the only real reward is just feeling good. Enjoying yourself. Play is for serious.” ― Dash Shaw
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