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Baltimore, MD

The inner sea wall of Whitehaven harbour takes less of a pounding from the Irish Sea.

These are from May 2014, on the way back from our first visit to Marden Meadow.

Linton sits on the edge of the downs, looking down on The Weald, right by the main road into Maidstone. It is an attractive village, but the main road means there is always traffic, and half of it struggling up the long and steep hill.

I took these exterior shots, then failed to post them.

So here they are.

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LINTON HILL

TQ 75 SE LINTON

(East Side)

3/139 Church of St. Nicholas

23.5.67

GV II*

Parish church. C14 and C15. Alterations and additions of 1860 by

R.C. Hussey in a C15 style. Ragstone, with plain tile roof. Nave,

south aisle, south porch, chancel, south chancel chapel, north chancel

chapel. Nave and south aisle extended to west and north aisle and north-

west tower added in 1860. Nave: Probably C14, extended in 1860. West

End: small blocks of evenly-coursed stone. Chamfered stone plinth.

One buttress. C19 four-light window and pointed-arched doorway with

squared hoodmould and brattished canopy. South aisle: C14, extended to

west in 1860. Re-faced in 1860 with small blocks of evenly-coursed stone.

Chamfered stone plinth. Gabled. Three C19 three-light windows; one to

west and 2 flanking porch. South porch: C19, with stonework and plinth

similar to nave. Carved bargeboards. Moulded outer and plain-chamfered

inner doorway. South chancel chapel: later C14. Roughly coursed stone

on un-dressed plinth. Two C19 windows, one blocked 2-light to south,

one 3-light to east in a C15 style. Chancel: C14, re-faced, and

probably extended, in C19. Diagonal north-east and south-east buttresses.

2-light C19 windows to north and south.

Moulded pointed-arched south doorway. Vestry: C19. Low, and at right-

angles to chancel. North chancel chapel: C15 or early C16. Roughly

coursed galleted stone, with high moulded stone plinth. Gabled. C19

east window of 3 stepped lights and similar north window. North aisle:

1860. Chamfered stone plinth. Gabled. Two 3-light north windows.

North-west tower: 1860. Three stages, on moulded stone plinth, with

moulded off-sets between stages. Clasping buttresses. Recessed stone

spire. Two 2-light windows to each face of belfry. Small rectangular

north light to second stage and trefoil-headed lights to north and west

of bottom stage. Pointed-arched north doorway. West clock. South face

abuts nave. Interior: Structure: 3-bay south arcade to nave of doubly

plain-chamfered pointed arches; 2 east bays C14, west bay C19 in a C14

style. Columns with scroll-moulded capitals. 2-bay north arcade to nave

in a C14 style. Tower protrudes into north-west end bay. Tall pointed-

arched C15 chancel arch, with continuous outer moulding, and inner moulding

springing on each side from concave-sided semi-octagonal shaft with

moulded capital and base. Later C14 doubly plain-chamfered pointed arch

between chancel and south chapel, springing from attached semi-octagonal

columns with moulded capitals and bases. Pointed doubly plain-chamfered

arch dying into wall between south chapel and south aisle. 4-centred

doubly hollow-chamfered C15 or early C16 arch between chancel and north

chapel, inner order springing from attached semi-octagonal columns with

moulded capitals and high moulded bases. C19 arch between north chapel

and north aisle. Chamfered medieval rere-arch to blocked south window

of south chapel. Roof: Medieval crown-post roof to nave, with 3 moulded

octagonal crown-posts and ribbed C19 boarding under rafters. 2

medieval moulded octagonal crown-posts to south chapel. C19 boarded

wagon roof to chancel. Fittings: moulded cinquefoil-

headed niche with splayed reveals, to east wall of chancel. Small pointed-

arched plain-chamfered piscina adjacent to niche. Traceried wooden screen

with moulded, brattished cornice between chancel and south chapel.

Intricately-carved wooden screen under chancel arch, with vaulted wooden

canopy, enriched cornice and parapet, erected 1949. Monuments: hanging

monument on north wall of north aisle, to Sir Anthony Mayne, d.1627, and

2 wives. Alabaster, with convex corniced plinth. Three-quarter-length

figures between 4 Corinthian columns, with entablature arched over

centre. Achievements of Sir Anthony under arch, and heraldic shield

over each wife above entablature. Seated mourner (Faithful Gardener?)

above arch. Monuments within north chancel chapel: standing monument

against north wall, to Sir Anthony Mayne, d.1615, and wife. Alabaster.

Rectangular chest bearing inscription, surmounted by kneeling figures,

flanked by Corinthian columns bearing entablature with convex cornice.

Achievements above cornice. Vestiges of family tree carved and painted

on back panel. Gothic monument against north wall, to Galfridus Mann,

d.1756. Designed by Richard Bentley 1758: erected at expense of Horace

Walpole. Chest tomb on plain base, chest with trefoils in relief and with

plain central inscription in Latin. Above, a marble urn under crocketed

arch, soffit of arch panelled with quatrefoils. Tablet on north wall to

Eleanor Mann, d.1751. Rectangular, with foliated base plate. Inscribed

panel flanked by cupid terms. Moulded cornice, with flaming urn to each

end, surmounted by grey marble obelisk with white marble dragon rising

from urn. Tablet on south wall to Maria Isabella Mann, d.1823. Signed

E.H. Baily. Inscription on rectangular plinth beneath elderly mourner

seated in relief against gadrooned urn, with draped tapering back plate.

White marble tablet on south wall to Julia, Countess Cornwallis, d.1847,

by Baily. White marble on black ground, flanked by draped semi-octagonal

pilasters with moulded capitals linked by arch in relief. Tablet on west

wall to Edward Mann, d.1775. White marble on brown ground. Base-plate

with achievements. Oval inscription panel with moulded cornice surmounted

by urn against obelisk. Tablet on east wall to Charles James Mann,

d.1835 aged 22, and sister Jemima Isabella Wykeham Martin, d.1836, by

Baily. Rectangular consoled inscription panel surmounted by segmental-

headed white marble tablet on black marble base-plate, with 2 large

draped urns in relief. Free-standing white marble monument in north-

east corner, to the same Charles James Mann, signed by Baily. Young

man lying upon Grecian couch. Free-standing marble monument in south-

west corner, to Laura, Countess Cornwallis, d.1840, by Baily. Woman,

book in hand, turning on couch. (J. Newman, B.O.E. series, West Kent

and the Weald, 1980).

Listing NGR: TQ7538950165

britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101250235-church-of-st-nicho...

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LINTON.

SOUTHWARD from Loose, on the opposite side of Cocks heath, lies the parish of Linton, antiently written LYLLYNGTON, and in Latin, Lilintuna, which probably took its name from the old English word, lytlan, signifying little or small, and stane, a stone, the upper part of this parish abounding with the quarry stone.

THIS PARISH lies adjoining to Cocks-heath, upon the ridge of quarry hills, the summit of which is the northern boundary of the weald of Kent, consequently almost the whole of it is within that district, only a small part of the heath being beyond it. Cocks-heath is a beautiful, and for this inclosed part of the country, an extensive plain, being about three miles in length, and in some places more than a mile in width. It is esteemed a most healthy spot, and being well watered, is generally preferred, as a situation for large encampments, it being equally commodious for the troops to march from it, on an emergency, either into the county of Sussex, or into Essex. In 1778 there were fifteen thousand men encamped on it, which did not occupy more than two thirds of the whole extent of it. Over this heath the high road from Maidstone goes through this parish and village into the Weald. The village is situated about half a mile from the heath, on the declivity of the hill, having the church and place-house on the east side of it, the prospect from which southward over the Weald, like the other situations on these hills, is very beautiful, and of great extent. The air is very healthy, the soil on the hill a loam, with the quarry stone close beneath, and below the hill a stiff strong clay, in a very miry country, and thick hedgerows interspersed with quantities of spreading oaks. About a mile below the hill the road crosses the river at Style-bridge.

ON COCKS-HEATH there grows THE PLANT, called Lunaria, or small moonwort.

The greatest part of this parish is within the bounds of the manor of East Farleigh, though the manor of Loose extends over some small part of it. The free holders of the former holding their lands in free socage tenure.

This place is not mentioned in Domesday, being most probably included in the description there given of the manor of East Farleigh.

LINTON-PLACE, antiently called Capell's-court, is the only place of consequence in this parish. It took its name originally from the family of Capell, who were proprietaries of it. They were usually called according to the custom of the time at Capell, and in Latin, De Capella, their principal residence being at Capell'scourt, in Ivechurch, in Romney-marsh, though they had large estates in several other parishes in this county. (fn. 1) One of them, John de Capella, in the reign of king Henry III. held lands in Boxley, as appears by the charter of inspeximus granted by that king to the abbey there.

Richard de Capell, his successor, died in the 15th year of king Richard II. in whose descendants this place remained till the reign of king Henry VI. when it was alienated by one of them to Richard Baysden, from which name in the reign of queen Elizabeth, it was sold to Sir Anthony Maney, of Biddenden, whose ancestors had resided there many generations. He removed his seat hither, and at his death was buried in this church, as was his son Walter Maney, esq. whose son, John Maney, was a person of great loyalty to king Charles I. in his troubles, in consideration of which he was first knighted, and afterwards created a baronet. After which he suffered much for his attachment to the king, having his estate plundered and sequestered. He bore for his arms, Party per pale, argent and sable; three chevronels between as many cinquefoils counterchanged. He passed away this seat and estate in the reign of king Charles II. to Sir Francis Withens, one of the justices of the king's bench, whose only daugh ter and heir Catherine, in 1710 carried it in marriage to Sir Thomas Twysden, bart. of East Peckham, and he died in 1712, leaving by her two daughters his coheirs. On his death his widow became intitled to this estate, and soon afterwards again carried it in marriage to brigadier-general George Jocelyn, who was a younger son of Sir Robert Jocelyn, bart. of Hertfordshire, and died in 1727; leaving by lady Twysden, three sons. The family of Jocelyn bore for their arms, Azure, a wreath, argent and sable, with four hawks bells towards the corners of the escutcheon, or. He alienated it to Robert Mann, esq. who built a small but elegant seat here, partly on the scite of the old mansion of Capell'scourt, which he pulled down, and resided in it till his death, in 1751. By his will he devised Linton place, with the parsonage and the advowson of the vicarage of Linton, among his other estates in this county, to his eldest son Edward Louisa, in tail male, with divers remainders over. He resided here and died unmarried in 1775, on which, by the above entail, it came to his next brother, Sir Horatio Mann, K. B. and baronet, envoy extraordinary at Florence, where he died in 1786, and his body being next year brought over to England, was interred in this church. In his lifetime he made over this seat, with his other estates in this parish, to his nephew Sir Horace Mann, who succeeded him likewise in the title of baronet, and he is the present possessor of it, and at times resides here.

THERE were formerly some lands in this parish which belonged to a family named Welldish, who had a chapel in this church called Welldish's chapel. Their arms were, as appears by their seals to some antient deeds, Argent, three talbots passant azure on a chief, or, a fox passant gules, which coat they bore, as is reported by tradition, to perpetuate the memory of one of their ancestors having been huntsman to William the Conqueror. After this estate had been many generations in this family, the greatest part of it was alienated to Walter Maney, esq. whose son, Sir John Maney, bart. of Linton, sold it, with the rest of his estate in this parish, in the reign of king Charles II. to Sir Francis Withins, since which it has passed in like manner as Linton-place, above-mentioned, to the Mann's, and is now in the possession of Sir Horace Mann, bart.

CHARITIES.

One of the family of MANEY, owners of Capell's-court, built and endowed an alms-house here for four poor families. Robert Mann, esq. of Linton-place, in 1749, rebuilt it, and encreased the original stipends of 13s. 4d. to each family to 20s.

LINTON is within the ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION of the diocese of Canterbury, and deanry of Sutton.

The church, which is dedicated to St. Nicholas, is a small building with a spire steeple, situated on the east side of the village. The patronage of it was part of the antient possessions of the crown, and remained so till it was given to the college or hospital for poor travellers, in the west borough at Maidstone, founded by archbishop Boniface in the reign of Henry III. (fn. 2) Archbishop Walter Reynolds, about 1314, appropriated it to the use and support of the above hospital.

¶In the 19th year of king Richard II. archbishop Courtney, on his making the parish church of Maidstone collegiate, with the king's licence, gave and assigned among other estates, the advowson and patronage of this church of Lyllyngton, to that hospital appropriated, and of the king's patronage, held of the king in capite, to the master and chaplains of the abovementioned new collegiate church of Maidstone, to hold in free, pure, and perpetual alms for ever, for its better maintenance, to which appropriation Adam Mottrum, archdeacon of Canterbury, gave his assent. The collegiate church of Maidstone was dissolved by the act of the 1st year of king Edward VI. anno 1546, and was surrendered into the king's hands accordingly.

In the 8th year of king Richard II. this church was valued at 106s. 8d. per annum. In the year 1640, the vicarage of it was valued at thirty pounds per annum. In the year 1751, the clear yearly certified value of it was 61l. 7s. 8d. yearly income.

This vicarage is valued in the king's books at 7l. 13s. 4d. and the yearly tenths at 15s. 4d. The parsonage, as well as the advowson of the vicarage, were held by grant from the crown in the reign of queen Elizabeth, by Alexander Grygsby, gent. in which name they continued in 1640. In 1681, Francis Martin, gent. held them. About the year 1710, they were held by Wallace, and afterwards by Oliver, who died possessed of them in 1728; soon after which they were purchased by Robert Mann, esq. of Lintonplace. Since which they have passed in like manner as that seat to Sir Horace Mann, bart. the present owner of them.

www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol4/pp365-371

Baltimore wandering

Model: Sasha Bell

Photographer: Olivia Bell (i.e. me!)

Processing: Olivia Bell (i.e. me!)

On the Applecross peninsula back in september, looking out to Rona and the Isle of Skye's Trotternish beyond as a fisheries boat shuttles between Loch Torridon and Kyle of Lochalsh.

White Picasso Dove Tattoo on my left inner forearm - Done Spring 2004 - closer

Inner Sanctuary (Ptolemaic-Sanctuary)

The Main Sanctuary of Amun-Re is one of the best-preserved rooms of the complex. After a hiatus during which they worked in other parts of the temple, archaeologists resumed their activities in the Sanctuary, at first excavating, later restoring, and in recent years documenting it. Since work in the Sanctuary has been completed, it is now open to the public.

The opening ceremony of the Main Sanctuary of Amun-Re and the Ptolemaic Portico took place on 9th December 2017.

The Sanctuary underwent radical transformation in the reign of King Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II Physcon in the first half of the 2nd century BC. The last room of the Sanctuary then housing the cult statue of Amun-Re, was rearranged and transformed into the cult chapel of the deified Arnenhotep-son-of-Hapu and Imhotep.

A Booklet about the Main Sanctuary of Amun is available online! It can be downloaded from the Polish-Egyptian Mission in the Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari website templeofhatshepsut.uw.edu.pl/files/babajagula/MSAsmall.pdf

Con le pioggie incessanti ed un paesaggio spianato da recenti ere glaciali è facile imbttersi in innumerevoli laghi interni spesso abitati e navigati da piccole imbarcazioni a volte collegate con il mare.

If all inspiration fails to surface, look in the garden. Here I go with the lilies again.

Photoshop fun. From a series of portraits using digital collage.

Manali, (alt. 1,950 m or 6,398 ft) in the Beas River valley, is an important hill station in the Himalayan mountains of Himachal Pradesh, India, near the northern end of the Kullu Valley. Manali is administratively a part of the Kullu district. The population is approx. 30,000. The small town was the beginning of an ancient trade route to Ladakh and, from there, over the Karakoram Pass on to Yarkand and Khotan in the Tarim Basin. Manali and its surrounding areas are of great significance to the Indian culture and heritage as it was the home and abode of the Saptarshi or seven sages. The ancient cave temple, Hidimba Devi Temple, is not far from town.

Contents

[hide]

* 1 Geography

* 2 Demographics

* 3 Etymology

* 4 History

* 5 Transport

* 6 Tourism in Manali

o 6.1 Tourist Attractions

o 6.2 Places around Manali

o 6.3 Adventure Sports

* 7 Notes

* 8 References

* 9 External links

[edit] Geography

Manali is located at [show location on an interactive map] 32°10′N 77°06′E / 32.16, 77.1[1]. It has an average elevation of 2625 metres (8612 feet).

[edit] Demographics

As of 2001 India census[2], Manali had a population of 6265. Males constitute 64% of the population and females 36%. Manali has an average literacy rate of 74%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 80%, and female literacy is 63%. In Manali, 9% of the population is under 6 years of age.

[edit] Etymology

Manali is named after the Brahmin lawgiver Manu. The word Manali literally means “the abode of Manu”. Legend has it that sage Manu stepped off his ark in Manali to recreate human life after a great flood had deluged the world. Manali is known as the "Valley of the Gods". The Old Manali village has an ancient temple dedicated to sage Manu.

[edit] History

In ancient times, the valley was sparsely populated by nomadic hunters known as "rakshas". The next arrivals were the shepherds who arrived from the Kangra valley and settled to take up agriculture. Some of the earliest inhabitants of the region are the 'naur' or 'nar', which is a caste unique to the Kullu valley. Only a few naur families are known to exist now. A naur family in the village Soyal near Haripur on the west bank of Manali was famous for the vast land they owned and their practice of having 'rakshas' as their labourers.

The British were responsible for introducing apples and trout which were not native to Manali. It is said that when apple trees were first planted the fruits were so plentiful that often branches, unable to bear the weight would collapse. To this day apple along with plum and pear remains the best source of income for the majority of its inhabitants.

Tourism in Manali received a real boost after the rise of militancy in Kashmir in the late 1980s. This once quiet village was transformed into a bustling town with hundreds of hotels and restaurants.

[edit] Transport

Mall street, Manali

Manali is well connected by road to Delhi through NH-21 which goes on the Leh and is the world's highest motorable road.[citation needed] Leading up to Manali from New Delhi are the towns of Panipat and Ambala in Haryana, Chandigarh(Union Territory), Ropar in Punjab, and Bilaspur, Sundernagar, and Mandi in Himachal.

Manali is not easily approachable by rail. The nearest broad gauge railheads are at Chandigarh (315 km), Pathankot (325 km) and Kalka (310 km). The nearest narrow gauge railhead is at Joginder Nagar (135 km)

The nearest airport is at Bhuntar, which is about 50 km from Manali. The only private airline in the region is Jagson Airlines. Offlate services have been started by Air Deccan as well as Indian Airlines who fly daily to Bhuntar Airport.

[edit] Tourism in Manali

Traditional home, Manali, 2004

River Beas and mountains as seen from Van Vihar

A view of Rohtang Pass in Manali

Mountain ranges in Manali

Bridge in the middle of town with prayer flags

Buddha Statue at Buddhist monastery

Image:Snowfallinmanali.JPG

A view of Circuit House Road covered in snow

[edit] Tourist Attractions

Manali is a popular Himalayan tourist destination and accounts for nearly a quarter of all tourist arrivals in Himachal Pradesh. It is visited by many trekkers who follow the hashish trail. Manali's charas is considered to be the best in India. The valleys provide natural U.V lights as fields are high up the mountain and high grade grows directly from the sunlight.ala. Manali's cool atmosphere provides a perfect haven for the ones afflicted by the hot Indian summers. It is famous for adventure sports like skiing, hiking, mountaineering, para gliding, rafting, trekking, kayaking, and mountain biking. It also offers hot springs, spectacular religious shrines and temples, Tibetan Buddhist temples, and trekking in the surrounding mountains.

Naggar Fort south of Manali is a reminder of the 1500 year old Pal Dynasty. Made from rocks, stones, and elaborate wood carvings, it is an ensemble of the rich and elegant artworks of Himachal. The castle was later converted to a rest house and luxury hotel. Tourists often stop at the castle to see the small shrine located in the building's courtyard, a fine example of architecture and design from the Pal Dynasty.

The often visited site in Manali is the Dhungri or Hadimba Temple. Erected in 1533, this temple is dedicated to the local deity Hadimba, wife of the Pandava prince, Bhim. A major festival is held here in the month of May. The temple is noted for its four-storeyed pagoda and exquisite wooden carvings.

Manali is known for its shiny gompas or Buddhist monasteries. With the highest concentration of Tibetan refugees in the entire Kullu valley, it is famous for its Gadhan Thekchhokling Gompa, built in 1969. The monastery is maintained by donations from the local community and through the sale of hand-woven carpets in the temple workshop

The smaller and more modern Himalayan Nyingamapa Gompa stands nearer the bazaar, in a garden blooming with sunflowers. Its main shrine, lit by dozens of electric bulbs and fragrant with Tibetan incense, houses a colossal gold-faced Buddha, best viewed from the small room on the first floor.

The Museum of Traditional Himachal Culture, near the Hadimba temple, is worth a visit, which houses artifacts of folk art of the entire Kullu valley.

[edit] Places around Manali

Rohtang Pass, at an altitude of 13,050 feet above sea level, is another adventure tourist site where it can be cold even on a summer day. It is the highest point on the Manali-Keylong road and provides a wide panoramic view of mountains rising far above clouds, which is truly breath taking. Close by is a small lake called Dassaur Lake. Beas Kund, the source of river Beas, is also nearby. In winter, the road of Rothang Pass is closed.

Rahala waterfalls: About 16 km from Manali at the start of the climb to the Rohtang Pass, are the beautiful Rahalla Falls at an altitude of 2,501 m.

Monasteries: Manali is known for its shiny gompas or Buddhist monasteries. It is maintained by donations from the local community and by sale of hand-woven carpets in the temple workshop.

Rani Nala - 46 km from Manali, it is the glacier point where snow is available throughout the year.

Vashist Hot Water Springs and Temple: Around 3 km from Manali, across the Beas river is Vashist, a small village with natural sulphur springs. Modern bathhouses,now closed, due to a conflict with the elders of the village and Manali council. Vasistha [3] a sage narrated Yoga Vasishtha an ancient scripture to Rama. A unique and an extremely profound discourse, that provides innumerable insights and secrets to the inner world of consciousness. This extremely huge scripture covers all the topics that relate to the spiritual study of a seeker. Vaishisht, also boasts a pair of old stone temples, opposite each other above the main square. Dedicated to the local patron saint Vashista, the smaller of the two opens on to a partially covered courtyard, and is adorned with elaborate woodcarvings those lining the interior of the shrine, blackened by years of oil-lamp and incense smoke, are particularly fine. In this ornate quadrangle is the resting place of the local and transient sadhus, drinking chai, and smoking chillums with whoever will join them in reverence to The Lord Shiva and Guru Vashshist. The temple baths are separated into male and female and the water is often unbearably hot.

Solang valley, popularly known as Snow Point, is 13 km northwest of Manali and famous for its 300-meter ski lift. It is a picturesque spot and offers splendid views of glaciers and the snow-capped mountains. Jagatsukh, the former capital of Manali, is also an important spot.

At a distance of 3 km northwest of Manali is Old Manali, famous for its orchards and old guesthouses. There is ruined fort here by the name of Manaligarh. There is also the Manu Maharishi Temple, dedicated to sage Manu.

Manikaran: 85 km from Manali and 45 km from Kullu, lies in the Parvati Valley. Here icy cold waters of the Parvati river co-exist with hot-water springs side-by-side. The springs are known for their healing properties.

[edit] Adventure Sports

Skiing is a major pastime in Manali. Facilities for skiing are available at Solang Nullah (January-March) and Rohtang La (during summer). The Mountaineering Institute at Solang Nullah is a good training institute. Heli skiing is possible at the deep snowfields.

Skiing at Solang

The Mountaineering Institute and Allied Sports is about 3 km from the Mall and offers mountaineering and kayaking courses. Kayaking is possible on the Beas River.

There are several good hikes from Manali. The 12 km hike up the western banks of the Beas to the Solang Valley is noteworthy. Lama Dugh meadow is a 6 km hike up to the Manalsu Nala, west of Manali town.

For the best trekking expedition, take a trek from Solang Valley, on to Dhundhi and from there to Dussar lake and then onwards to Manali. This stretch will take you to places you would have only dreamt of. Pure, unadulterated adventure and fun. Be sure to have a good guide at your disposal who knows this area otherwise you would be lost forever. The trek would typically last for 5 days.

In the summers, several travel agencies organize paragliding on the slopes of the Solang Nullah. The charges generally include accommodation, food, equipment, and a guide, but not transport.

From May to July and, depending on the monsoons, from mid-September to mid-October, some basic rafting is possible on the Beas. The trips generally begin at Pirdi and continue 16 km down to Jhiri.

The HPTDC provides day permits for fishing. Permits can be obtained also at Patlikhul. Angling in the Kullu valley is possible at Larji, Katrain and Kasol.

Beas Kund is the lake from which the River Beas originates. It is considered holy and sacred. Besides being a holy pilgrimage place, it is a popular destination for trekking.

River Crossing over Beas is a popular sport in Manali

Manali is among the most popular adventure sports destinations in India. Manali offers opportunities for mountaineering, skiing, trekking, paragliding, white water rafting, river crossing and mountain biking. Yak skiing is a sport unique to this area.[4]. Manali also featured in Time magazine's "Best of Asia" for its "Extreme Yak Sports".[4]

The rabbits on Inner Farne seem much more russet coloured than our native species, and very long in the body.

Sunset from Tomaree Head towards the Inner Lighthouse

At the backside of Opera House

Inner Farne, Northumberland

Model and style: @anto_freja

Inner Basin of the San Francisco Peaks.

2009-05-30: Saturday evening, we were sitting on the front porch after our evening walk, enjoying a cup of chai and watching the sun set. There had been rain during the late afternoon, and heavy clouds had descended over the Peaks, hiding the mountain from view. The clouds had lifted in time for our evening ritual, and we noticed there was new snow on the upper tips of the Peaks. As we sipped our tea, we joked “If we were really motivated, we’d get up early, hit the Inner Basin Trail at dawn, and get some good photos before the snow melts off…”

2009-05-31: …so, at 4:00AM we stumbled out of bed, grabbed some coffee, got dressed, grabbed more coffee and rolled out the door around 4:30AM. We drove up the mountain, and hit the trail around 5:15AM. There was a bit of a breeze making the hike rather chilly. Everything was wet and green, and the aspens created a delectable aroma. Past Jack Spring (1.5 miles from the trailhead) we hit the frost line, and the vegetation sparkled (and the air was noticeably chillier). We arrived at the Inner Basin (the point where there’s a shelter and pumphouse, and all the Peaks are visible) around 6:45AM. We’d expected some shade still at that hour, and were delighted to discover the sun was shining right up through the low point in the Peaks (the north-eastern side, where the wall was blown out during an eruption), lighting up the entire Inner Basin for us. We wandered around a bit capturing various shots, then headed back to attend to our day’s activities.

Hiking report

View all the photos from this hike

Fall colors on the Inner Basin Trail, September 23, 2016.

The Inner Basin Trail ascends from Lockett Meadow into the caldera of the San Francisco Peaks, an extinct volcano and home of the tallest peaks in Arizona. The first 1.7 miles of the trail winds through the extensive aspen forest flanking the upper reaches of the Peaks, joining the Waterline Trail briefly before following a jeep road into the caldera. The trail starts at an elevation of 8665 feet, gaining approximately 1200 feet over 2 miles on its way into the Inner Basin. The trail continues another 2 miles, gaining an additional 600 feet or so to join up with the Weatherford Trail.

Photo by George Jozens, September 23, 2016. Source: U.S. Forest Service, Coconino National Forest. See Lockett Meadow Campground and Inner Basin No. 29 for information about this area of the Peaks on the Coconino National Forest website.

Inner tubes stacked up at the water park. You could use them to go down the lazy river or down one of the big waterslides.

....in a background of chaos

Pondicherry Beach, India

From the autumn 2016 trip to Vietnam:

I’ll do my best to avoid channeling my inner Robin Williams here, though I did deplane in Saigon around 7:00 in the morning local time. So, this – and all subsequent sets – will be (almost) devoid of reference to hanging in Danang, a certain less-than-savory woman from the north (though, ironically, Hanoi Hannah just passed away in Saigon last Friday while I was still in the country), or other clichéd references to…Good Morning, Vietnam.

This particular trip (my first to VN) started around midnight Chinese time on 27 September 2016. After a very quick layover in Kuala Lumpur – Malaysia being another country that would be nice to photograph sometime, especially the beaches – I landed in Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City early on the 28th. It’s a tossup what they call it, by the way. I’d say the majority still call it by its original name – Saigon – though there are some who call it Ho Chi Minh City. I’ll go with the majority of folks who live there and refer to it as Saigon.

I had two full days there, the 28th and 29th, before flying out on the morning of the 30th. Choosing a random hotel from Lonely Planet (I tend to go budget & find the best available option; usually works out pretty well), I ended up at the Cat Huy Hotel, where I went directly after clearing customs.

This is a hotel in the Pham Ngu Lao area near District 1. It’s down an alley, which was interesting in and of itself. Coming from the airport, the taxi drops you off and send you walking. Each morning (or at least the 3 mornings there), this alley transforms into a very crowded fresh food market, which was outstanding to me. Sadly, though, none of the mornings afforded time to slowly wander and photograph it.

The hotel itself (and its staff) are fantastic. It’s a small hotel with only ten rooms, and the service is top notch. It’s one of the kind of hotels where guests leave books when they finish, so there’s always something interesting to read. One of them (Vietnam: Rising Dragon by Bill Hayton) caught my attention. It’s a non-fiction account of contemporary Vietnam and, while I haven’t started to read it yet, I’m quite interested in it and they let me take it. I hadn’t finished any books so didn’t leave any behind, but was still quite grateful that they let me have it.

In addition to that, they can (and did) help arrange a few tours. These can be anything from day trips to the Mekong Delta – which I would have loved, had we stayed an extra day – to day/night tours in Saigon. (Not to tout this hotel over others; I’m sure almost any, if not every, hotel in cities like these are glad to help arrange such things. I can only say that I was happy here and, if I were to return to Saigon, I’d gladly stay here again.)

The first day I was in Saigon I spent quietly. The only exploration I did was just wandered around the hotel a little, then had lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe. (Yes, I know this isn’t Vietnamese food, but it’s a bit of a quirky thing; I think I’ve been to 30-40 HRCs around the world now with shot glasses from all but one that I’ve been to.) That being said, lunch was good, as were the six shots I had, fruity though they were.

The HRC is in the heart of downtown near the U.S. Consulate, in addition to being near Notre Dame Cathedral, the Old Post Office, and the Reunification Palace. However, these would all be for the 29th. Today, I was alone, and waiting for my friend Junyu to arrive from Hong Kong, since she missed her morning flight.

The evening was quiet; we just ate around the hotel and arranged tours for the following day. For $11, we had a day tour with Bao and the driver, Mr. Mao. It started around 8:30, I think? I forget, but it was late enough that I was glad to have pho for breakfast.

On a full stomach, we hopped on one of those small vans that can hold about 10 people and started around the city. The first (and most depressing, by far) stop was the War Remnants Museum. This is, in my opinion, a “must see” – especially for folks from the U.S. It’s pretty much a testimonial of the war from the Vietnamese point of view and, at times, is pretty graphic. The pictures simply show the effects of the bombing, in addition to the use of agent orange, etc. Though it’s completely one-sided in its telling, it does have photographs – and many of them – that show the destruction from the war. (I won’t offer my personal thoughts on how accurate the Vietnamese or U.S. version of history is here.)

The next stop after the hour at the museum was one of the obligatory stops that seem to come on these package tours. It was to a coffee shop/store. Free samples of coffee for all (and for those of you who know me, you know how I feel about that) and stories of Vietnamese coffee.

As an aside, I think I saw that Vietnam is now the largest exporter of coffee in the world (not sure if that’s true; it surprised me all the same). They are very, very proud of their coffee and you can’t walk two meters in the country without passing a coffee shop. Their most famous coffee is “weasel coffee.” It’s pretty much the same as Indonesian Kopi Luwak. The beans are digested by animals – weasels in this case, and only then are they most fit for human consumption. So…coffee lovers, enjoy.

After the 15 minute rest stop, we hopped back in the van and went off to Chinatown in Cholon (District 5). If I recall, I think Bao said the Chinese made up about 4% of the population, though accounted for 25% of the economy. (I don’t know if that’s a current figure or a historical one.) At any rate, the first stop was at a temple that I found rather unimpressive. The Thien Hau Pagoda didn’t seem like a pagoda at all. It just felt like a cramped temple in the middle of a neighborhood. I don’t even think I got a single picture here that impressed me too much.

From there, we went to the Binh Tay Market, also in Cholon. This is a wholesale market that supposedly has a central courtyard with gardens. It may have that, but I wasn’t aware of it at the time, and didn’t see anything that mentioned it. The clock tower is nice, but the inside basically feels like a flea market or an oversized garage sale. I enjoyed walking around the exterior of the market much more as this is where the food vendors were. Munching on some cashews, I managed to get quite a few pictures of various vendors selling various food. I enjoyed that quite a bit.

After the 1-1.5 hours total in District 5, we hopped back on the van then followed along the riverside to a restaurant for lunch. We then went across the river to District 2 – currently almost completely undeveloped and on low/swampy land. (For Shanghainese, think Pudong around 1990. District 1, on the other hand, is like Puxi.) Had we stopped, I may have gotten a few interesting panoramas of District 1 from this side of the river and the emergence of District 2. However, we were on our way to the second (and, thankfully, last) obligatory stop…a lacquer production facility. Though the pieces were nice, I bought none, and politely bided my 30 minutes here.

Next up was the Reunification Palace. This is a peculiar place. Originally, it was the site of a palace built for the French leader of Cochinchina (Indochina). It was called Norodom Palace. Norodom, coincidentally, was the ruler of Cambodia. Later, it became the palace/residence for Ngo Dinh Diem, who ruled South Vietnam. He was so unpopular that his own air force bombed the palace hoping to kill him. (He was eventually assassinated by disgruntled South Vietnamese in 1963. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.)

Before he was assassinated, Diem had the palace rebuilt (with underground bunkers). Successive South Vietnamese used it as the main government building, so on the main floor are the cabinet rooms. The upper floors have reception rooms.

This is a building that is stuck in time – in the 1960s – with the interior decorations to match. It’s not the most attractive place, but definitely worth a visit. The Vietnam War ended here (symbolically, anyway) on 30 April 1975 when Viet Cong tanks crashed through the wrought iron gates. The tanks are currently on display to the right of the main lawn.

An hour at the palace – more than enough time to casually look around – and then we were off for a short drive to our last two stops: Notre Dame Cathedral & the Old Post Office, which are right next door to each other. That was the end of the $11 day trip, right around 4:00. (I forgot to mention, the $11 included admission ticket prices.)

The bus dropped us off close enough to the hotel that we had a short walk and roughly an hour to rest before the night tour (which cost $40). The night tour was drinking/eating and well worth it. Two girls on their scooters, Ha & Nga, came to the hotel to pick us up.

First evening stop, a rooftop bar. I forget the name of the bar, but it was downtown in District 1 and up on the 26th or 28th floor. (Saigon doesn’t have too many super skyscrapers like China.) It wasn’t an amazing sunset, but beautiful all the same with random lightning. I tried a number of times to catch lightning in pictures, but had no luck. However, I think the night panoramas turned out fine. Thirty minutes and two Saigon Specials down the hatch and we were back out on the streets.

Ha took me to the intersection of Phan Dinh Pung Street and Le Van Duyet Street. There’s not much memorable about this intersection except for one thing: in 1963, the Buddhist monk Thanh Quang Duc drove here in a blue Austin, got out of his car, then immediately sat in the middle of the intersection in a lotus position and lit himself on fire, killing himself in protest of Ngo Dinh Diem’s persecution of Buddhists. Nga started to explain the story to us, but when I connected the dots about who it was (I never knew his name), I stopped her. You can find the famous picture online of his self-immolation. It’s one of the iconic pictures of the entire decade of the 1960s.

Next up for us was dinner, though I don’t know the name of what we ate. We had a quick “cooking lesson” on how to make rice paper (kind of a pancake, really) that was part of dinner with vegetables. This was in the flower market, a small street where they sell – you guessed it – flowers.

Between dinner and dessert, we stopped for banh mi (or, up north, banh my) which is street food: a small baguette slathered with mayonnaise, a pepper sauce, and vegetables, and meat…or something that resembles meat, a la Spam. Whatever was in it, it was a delicious little sandwich on French bread.

The last place to stop and eat was another little side street for dessert. We had four bowls of…I don’t know what to call it. In common was that they all had crushed ice on top and were in a cream sauce. The differences was in the jelly. One was mango, one was kiwi, one was coffee, and the other was caramel/flan.

On a full stomach, Ha & Nga drove us back to the hotel where we passed out in anticipation of a morning flight to Phu Quoc Island.

As always, thanks for dropping by and viewing these pictures. Please feel free to leave any questions or comments and I’ll answer as I have time.

Bhavnath - Junagadh (Gujarat)

This is looking inside the balloon while it's being inflated. The man is the balloon's pilot.

A Harbour Air De Havilland DHC-3 Turbo Otter in the inner harbour at Victoria, B.C.

View On Black

Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, August 2013, Fuji GS645, Provia 400

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based historical facts. BEWARE!

Some background:

The Tornado ADV had its origins in an RAF Air Staff Requirement 395 (or ASR.395), which called for a long-range interceptor to replace the Lightning F6 and Phantom FGR2. The requirement for a modern interceptor was driven by the threat posed by the large Soviet long-range bomber fleet, in particular the supersonic Tupolev Tu-22M. From the beginning of the Tornado IDS's development in 1968, the possibility of a variant dedicated to air defence had been quietly considered; several American aircraft had been evaluated, but found to be unsuitable. However, the concept proved unattractive to the other European partners on the Tornado project, thus the UK elected to proceed in its development alone. On 4 March 1976, the development of the Tornado ADV was formally approved.

A total of 36 Tornado F.3 airframes with relatively low flying hours were brought to F.6 standard in the course of 2006-8 and gradually replaced older F.3s in RAF fighter units until 2009. The Tornado F.3 itself was retired in March 2011 when No. 111 Squadron RAF, located at RAF Leuchars, was disbanded. Both the F.5 and F.6 will at least keep on serving until the Eurofighter Typhoon is in full service, probably until 2020.

General characteristics:

Crew: 2

Length: 18.68 m (61 ft 3½ in)

Wingspan: 13.91 m (45 ft 7½ in) at 25° wing position

8.60 m (28 ft 2½ in) at 67° wing position

Height: 5.95 m (19 ft 6½ in)

Wing area: 27.55 m² (295.5 sq ft)

Empty weight: 14,750 kg (32,490 lb)

Max. takeoff weight: 28,450 kg (62,655 lb)

Powerplant:

2× Eurojet EJ200 afterburning turbofans with 60 kN (13,500 lbf) dry thrust and

90 kN (20,230 lbf) thrust with afterburner each

Performance:

Maximum speed: Mach 2.3 (2,500 km/h, 1,550 mph) at 9,000 m (30,000 ft)

921 mph (800 knots, 1,482 km/h) indicated airspeed limit near sea level

Combat radius: more than 1,990 km (1.100 nmi, 1,236 mi) subsonic,

more than 556 km (300 nmi, 345 mi) supersonic

Ferry range: 4,265 km (2,300 nmi, 2,650 mi) with four external tanks

Endurance: 2 hr combat air patrol at 560-740 km (300-400 nmi, 345-460 mi) from base

Service ceiling: 15,240 m (50,000 ft)

Armament:

1× 27 mm (1.063 in) Mauser BK-27 revolver cannon with 180 RPG under starboard fuselage side

A total of 10 hardpoints (4× semi-recessed under-fuselage, 2× under-fuselage, 4× swivelling

under-wing) holding up to 9000 kg (19,800 lb) of payload; the two inner wing pylons have shoulder

launch rails for 2× Short-Range AAM (SRAAM) each (AIM-9 Sidewinder or AIM-132 ASRAAM)

4× MBDO Meteor or AIM-120 AMRAAM, mounted under the fuselage

The kit and its assembly:

The eight entry for the RAF Centenary Group Build at whatifmodelers.com, and after 100 years of RAF what-if models we have now arrived at the present. This modified Tornado ADV was spawned through the discussions surrounding another modeler’s build of a modified F.3 (and examples of other Tornado conversions, e. g. with fixed wings or twin fins), and I spontaneously wondered what a change of the air intakes would do to the aircraft’s overall impression? Most conversions I have seen so far retain this original detail. An idea was born, and a pair of leftover Academy MiG-23 air intakes, complete with splitter plates, were the suitable conversion basis.

The basic kit is the Italeri Tornado ADV, even though in a later Revell re-boxing. It’s IMHO the kit with the best price-performance ration, and it goes together well. The kit was mostly built OOB, with some cosmetic additions. The biggest changes came through the integration of the completely different air intakes. These were finished at first and, using them as templates, openings were cut into the lower fuselage flanks in front of the landing gear well. Since the MiG-23 intakes have a relatively short upper side, styrene sheet fillers had to be added and blended with the rest of the fuselage via PSR. The gap between the wing root gloves and the intakes had to be bridged, too, with 2C putty. Messier affair than it sounds, but it went well.

In order to make the engine change plausible I modified the Tornado exhaust and added a pair of orifices from an F-18 – they look very similar to those on the Eurofighter Typhoon, and their diameter is perfect for this change. This and the different air intakes stretch the Tonka visually, it looks IMHO even more slender than the F.3.

Another issue was the canopy: the 2nd hand kit came without clear parts, but I was lucky to still have a Tornado F.3 canopy in the spares box – but only the windscreen from a Tornado IDS, which does not fit well onto the ADV variant. A 2mm gap at the front end had to be bridged, and the angles on the side as well as the internal space to the HUD does not match too well. But, somehow, I got it into place, even though it looks a bit shaggy.

The IRST in front of the windscreen is a piece of clear styrene sprue (instead of an opaque piece, painted glossy black), placed on a black background. The depth effect is very good!

More changes pertained to the ordnance: the complete weaponry was exchanged. The OOB Sidewinders were replaced with specimen from a Hasegawa F-4 Phantom (these look just better than the AIM-9 that come with the kit), and I originally planned to mount four AIM-120 from the same source under the fuselage – until I found a Revell Eurofighter kit in my stash that came with four Meteor AAMs, a suitable and more modern as well as British alternative!

All in all, just subtle modifications.

Painting and markings:

Well, the RAF was the creative direction, so I stuck to a classic/conservative livery. However, I did not want a 100% copy of the typical “real world” RAF Tornado F.3, so I sought inspiration in earlier low-visibility schemes. Esp. the Phantom and the Lightning carried in their late days a wide variety of grey-in-grey schemes, and one of the most interesting of them (IMHO) was carried by XS 933: like some other Lightnings, the upper surfaces were painted in Dark Sea Grey (instead of the standard Medium Sea Grey), a considerably murkier tone, but XS933 had a mid-height waterline. I found that scheme to be quite plausible for an aircraft that would mostly operate above open water and in heavier weather, so I adapted it to the Tonka. The fact that XS 933 was operated by RAF 5 Squadron, the same unit as my build depicts with its markings, is just a weird coincidence!

An alternative would have been the same colors, but with a low waterline (e.g. like Lightning XR728) – but I rejected this, because the result would have looked IMHO much too similar to the late Tornado GR.4 fighter bombers, or like a Royal Navy aircraft.

Since the upper color would be wrapped around the wings’ leading edges, I used the lower wing leading edge level as reference for the high waterline on the forward fuselage, Behind the wings’ trailing edge I lowered the waterline down to the stabilizers’ level.

All upper surfaces, including the tall fin, were painted with Tamiya XF-54, a relatively light interpretation of RAF Dark Sea Grey (because I did not want a harsh contrast with the lower colors), while the fuselage undersides and flanks were painted in Medium Sea Grey (Humbrol 165). The same tone was also used for the underwing pylons and the “Hindenburger” drop tanks. The undersides of the wings and the stabilizers were painted in Camouflage Grey (formerly known as Barley Grey, Humbrol 167).

Disaster struck when I applied the Tamiya paint, though. I am not certain why (age of the paint, I guess), but the finish developed a kind of “pigment pelt” which turned out to be VERY sensitive to touch. Even the slightest handling would leave dark, shiny spots!

My initial attempt was to hide most of this problem under post-shading (with Humbrol 126, FS 36270), but that turned the Tonka visually into a Tiger Meet participant – the whole thing looked as if it wore low-viz stripes! Aaargh!

In a desperate move (since more and more paint piled up on the upper surfaces, and I did not want to strip the kit off of all paint right now) I applied another thin coat of highly diluted XF-54 on top of the tiger stripe mess, and that toned everything done enough to call it a day. While the finish is not perfect and still quite shaggy (even streaky here and there…), it looks O.K., just like a worn and bleached Dark Sea Grey.

A little more rescue came with the decals. The markings are naturally low-viz variants and the RAF 5 Sq. markings come from an Xtradecal BAC Lightning sheet (so they differ from the markings applied to the real world Tornado F.3s of this unit). The zillion of stencils come from the OOB sheet, but the walking area warnings came from a Model Decal Tornado F.3 sheet (OOB, Revell only provides you a bunch of generic, thin white lines, printed on a single carrier film, and tells you “Good luck”! WTF?). Took a whole afternoon to apply them, but I used as many of them as possible in order to hide the paint finish problems… Some things, like the tactical letter code or the red bar under the fuselage roundel, had to be improvised.

With many troubles involved (the paint job, but furthermore the wing pylons as well as one stabilizer broke off during the building and painting process…), I must say that the modified Tonka turned out better than expected while I was still working on it. In the end, I am happy with it – it’s very subtle, I wonder how many people actually notice the change of air intakes and jet exhausts, and the Meteor AAMs are, while not overtly visible, a nice update, too.

The paint scheme looks basically also good (if you overlook the not-so-good finish due to the problems with the Tamiya paint), and the darker tones suit the Tonka well, as well as the fake RAF 5 Squadron markings.

Jour 48, 6/6

Nous terminons cette journée de focus avec Inner Collection ! ^^

Vous pourrez retrouver leurs Angel Philia et Pink Drop dolls au salon ainsi que sur leur site web ! ;)

____

Day 48, 6/6

We conclude this focus on exhibitors' day with Inner Collection ! ^^

You will be able to see their Angel Philia and Pink Drop dolls at the festival and on their website ! ;)

innercollection.com/fr/

Festival Maloka - Dijon - 2018

Pentax MZ50

Film : Lomography 800

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When was the last time you spent a day without a worry?

Pool player at Inner Town Pub in Chicago

We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open. ~Jawaharlal Nehru ~

The inner light on the North Pier in St. Joseph, Michigan.

Inner Farne

Press "L" to view in Lightbox.

The Gudong (故宫), or the Imperial Palace, better known by its unofficial title the 'Forbbiden City', was the home to 24 Emperors of China, during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and from where the Emperors issued their commands, with absolute authority, over their millions of subjects. During these reigns the palace was closed off to the outside world, with regular Chinese not even allowed to approach the walls. The Palace is a venerable maze of over 800 buildings containing supposedly over 9000 chambers.

Although the commencement building of the palace was issued by Kublai Khan, the palace was really built by the Ming Emperor Yongle when he switched the Imperial capital to Beijing in 1403, and construction lasted from 1406-1420, and the majority of buildings are in Ming style. The buildings are laid out in accordance with geomantic theories; the balance of yin and yang, negative and positive. As such the palace stood at the centre of Beijing, which was also considered the centre of the universe, and as such was the essence of supreme harmony.

After being the home of 24 emperors the Forbidden City ceased being the political centre of China in 1912 with the abdication of Puyi, the last Emperor of China. Under an agreement with the new Republic of China government, Puyi remained in the Inner Court, while the Outer Court was given over to public use,until he was evicted after a coup in 1924.The Palace Museum was then established in the Forbidden City in 1925.In 1933, the Japanese invasion of China forced the evacuation of the national treasures in the Forbidden City. Part of the collection was returned at the end of World War II, but the other part was evacuated to Taiwan in 1948 under orders by Chiang Kai-shek, whose Kuomintang was losing the Chinese Civil War.

After the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, some damage was done to the Forbidden City as the country was swept up in revolutionary zeal. During the Cultural Revolution, however, further destruction was prevented when Premier Zhou Enlai sent an army battalion to guard the city.

The Forbidden City was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987 by UNESCO as the "Imperial Palace of the Ming and Qing Dynasties", due to its significant place in the development of Chinese architecture and culture. It is currently administered by the Palace Museum, which is carrying out a sixteen-year restoration project to repair and restore all buildings in the Forbidden City to their pre-1912 state

Angkor Wat or "Capital Temple" is a temple complex in Cambodia and the largest religious monument in the world. It was first a Hindu and later a Buddhist temple. It was built by the Khmer King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century in Yaśodharapura, present-day Angkor, the capital of the Khmer Empire, as his state temple and eventual mausoleum.

Breaking from the Shiva tradition of previous kings, Angkor Wat was instead dedicated to Vishnu. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious center since its foundation. The temple is at the top of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. It has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag, and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors. Angkor Wat combines two basic plans of Khmer temple architecture: the temple-mountain and the later galleried temple, based on early Dravidian architecture, with key features such as the Jagati. It is designed to represent Mount Meru, home of the devas in Hindu mythology: within a moat and an outer wall 3.6 kilometres long are three rectangular galleries, each raised above the next. At the centre of the temple stands a quincunx of towers. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Angkor Wat is oriented to the west; scholars are divided as to the significance of this. The temple is admired for the grandeur and harmony of the architecture, its extensive bas-reliefs, and for the numerous devatas adorning its walls.

The modern name, Angkor Wat, means "Temple City" or "City of Temples" in Khmer; Angkor, meaning "city" or "capital city", is a vernacular form of the word nokor (នគរ), which comes from the Sanskrit word nagara (नगर). Wat is the Khmer word for "temple grounds" (Sanskrit: वाट vāṭa ""enclosure").

HISTORY

Angkor Wat lies 5.5 kilometres north of the modern town of Siem Reap, and a short distance south and slightly east of the previous capital, which was centred at Baphuon. It is in an area of Cambodia where there is an important group of ancient structures. It is the southernmost of Angkor's main sites.

According to one legend, the construction of Angkor Wat was ordered by Indra to act as a palace for his son Precha Ket Mealea.

According to the 13th century Chinese traveler Daguan Zhou, it was believed by some that the temple was constructed in a single night by a divine architect. The initial design and construction of the temple took place in the first half of the 12th century, during the reign of Suryavarman II (ruled 1113-C. 1150). Dedicated to Vishnu, it was built as the king's state temple and capital city. As neither the foundation stela nor any contemporary inscriptions referring to the temple have been found, its original name is unknown, but it may have been known as "Varah Vishnu-lok" after the presiding deity. Work seems to have ended shortly after the king's death, leaving some of the bas-relief decoration unfinished.

In 1177, approximately 27 years after the death of Suryavarman II, Angkor was sacked by the Chams, the traditional enemies of the Khmer. Thereafter the empire was restored by a new king, Jayavarman VII, who established a new capital and state temple (Angkor Thom and the Bayon respectively) a few kilometers to the north.

In the late 13th century, Angkor Wat gradually moved from Hindu to Theravada Buddhist use, which continues to the present day. Angkor Wat is unusual among the Angkor temples in that although it was somewhat neglected after the 16th century it was never completely abandoned, its preservation being due in part to the fact that its moat also provided some protection from encroachment by the jungle.

One of the first Western visitors to the temple was António da Madalena, a Portuguese monk who visited in 1586 and said that it "is of such extraordinary construction that it is not possible to describe it with a pen, particularly since it is like no other building in the world. It has towers and decoration and all the refinements which the human genius can conceive of."

In the mid-19th century, the temple was visited by the French naturalist and explorer, Henri Mouhot, who popularised the site in the West through the publication of travel notes, in which he wrote:

"One of these temples - a rival to that of Solomon, and erected by some ancient Michelangelo - might take an honorable place beside our most beautiful buildings. It is grander than anything left to us by Greece or Rome, and presents a sad contrast to the state of barbarism in which the nation is now plunged."

Mouhot, like other early Western visitors, found it difficult to believe that the Khmers could have built the temple, and mistakenly dated it to around the same era as Rome. The true history of Angkor Wat was pieced together only from stylistic and epigraphic evidence accumulated during the subsequent clearing and restoration work carried out across the whole Angkor site. There were no ordinary dwellings or houses or other signs of settlement including cooking utensils, weapons, or items of clothing usually found at ancient sites. Instead there is the evidence of the monuments themselves.

Angkor Wat required considerable restoration in the 20th century, mainly the removal of accumulated earth and vegetation. Work was interrupted by the civil war and Khmer Rouge control of the country during the 1970s and 1980s, but relatively little damage was done during this period other than the theft and destruction of mostly post-Angkorian statues.The temple is a powerful symbol of Cambodia, and is a source of great national pride that has factored into Cambodia's diplomatic relations with France, the United States and its neighbor Thailand. A depiction of Angkor Wat has been a part of Cambodian national flags since the introduction of the first version circa 1863. From a larger historical and even transcultural perspective, however, the temple of Angkor Wat did not become a symbol of national pride sui generis but had been inscribed into a larger politico-cultural process of French-colonial heritage production in which the original temple site was presented in French colonial and universal exhibitions in Paris and Marseille between 1889 and 1937. Angkor Wat's aesthetics were also on display in the plaster cast museum of Louis Delaporte called musée Indo-chinois which existed in the Parisian Trocadero Palace from C. 1880 to the mid-1920s. The splendid artistic legacy of Angkor Wat and other Khmer monuments in the Angkor region led directly to France adopting Cambodia as a protectorate on 11 August 1863 and invading Siam to take control of the ruins. This quickly led to Cambodia reclaiming lands in the northwestern corner of the country that had been under Siamese (Thai) control since 1351 AD (Manich Jumsai 2001), or by some accounts, 1431 AD. Cambodia gained independence from France on 9 November 1953 and has controlled Angkor Wat since that time.

ARCHITECTURE

SITE AND PLAN

Angkor Wat, located at 13°24′45″N 103°52′0″E, is a unique combination of the temple mountain, the standard design for the empire's state temples and the later plan of concentric galleries. The temple is a representation of Mount Meru, the home of the gods: the central quincunx of towers symbolises the five peaks of the mountain, and the walls and moat the surrounding mountain ranges and ocean. Access to the upper areas of the temple was progressively more exclusive, with the laity being admitted only to the lowest level. Unlike most Khmer temples, Angkor Wat is oriented to the west rather than the east. This has led many (including Maurice Glaize and George Coedès) to conclude that Suryavarman intended it to serve as his funerary temple.Further evidence for this view is provided by the bas-reliefs, which proceed in a counter-clockwise direction - prasavya in Hindu terminology - as this is the reverse of the normal order. Rituals take place in reverse order during Brahminic funeral services. The archaeologist Charles Higham also describes a container which may have been a funerary jar which was recovered from the central tower. It has been nominated by some as the greatest expenditure of energy on the disposal of a corpse. Freeman and Jacques, however, note that several other temples of Angkor depart from the typical eastern orientation, and suggest that Angkor Wat's alignment was due to its dedication to Vishnu, who was associated with the west.

A further interpretation of Angkor Wat has been proposed by Eleanor Mannikka. Drawing on the temple's alignment and dimensions, and on the content and arrangement of the bas-reliefs, she argues that the structure represents a claimed new era of peace under King Suryavarman II: "as the measurements of solar and lunar time cycles were built into the sacred space of Angkor Wat, this divine mandate to rule was anchored to consecrated chambers and corridors meant to perpetuate the king's power and to honor and placate the deities manifest in the heavens above." Mannikka's suggestions have been received with a mixture of interest and scepticism in academic circles. She distances herself from the speculations of others, such as Graham Hancock, that Angkor Wat is part of a representation of the constellation Draco.

STYLE

Angkor Wat is the prime example of the classical style of Khmer architecture - the Angkor Wat style - to which it has given its name. By the 12th century Khmer architects had become skilled and confident in the use of sandstone (rather than brick or laterite) as the main building material. Most of the visible areas are of sandstone blocks, while laterite was used for the outer wall and for hidden structural parts. The binding agent used to join the blocks is yet to be identified, although natural resins or slaked lime has been suggested. The temple has drawn praise above all for the harmony of its design. According to Maurice Glaize, a mid-20th-century conservator of Angkor, the temple "attains a classic perfection by the restrained monumentality of its finely balanced elements and the precise arrangement of its proportions. It is a work of power, unity and style." Architecturally, the elements characteristic of the style include: the ogival, redented towers shaped like lotus buds; half-galleries to broaden passageways; axial galleries connecting enclosures; and the cruciform terraces which appear along the main axis of the temple. Typical decorative elements are devatas (or apsaras), bas-reliefs, and on pediments extensive garlands and narrative scenes. The statuary of Angkor Wat is considered conservative, being more static and less graceful than earlier work. Other elements of the design have been destroyed by looting and the passage of time, including gilded stucco on the towers, gilding on some figures on the bas-reliefs, and wooden ceiling panels and doors.

FEATURES

OUTER ENCLOSURE

The outer wall, 1024 by 802 m and 4.5 m high, is surrounded by a 30 m apron of open ground and a moat 190 m wide. Access to the temple is by an earth bank to the east and a sandstone causeway to the west; the latter, the main entrance, is a later addition, possibly replacing a wooden bridge. There are gopuras at each of the cardinal points; the western is by far the largest and has three ruined towers. Glaize notes that this gopura both hides and echoes the form of the temple proper. Under the southern tower is a statue of Vishnu, known as Ta Reach, which may originally have occupied the temple's central shrine.Galleries run between the towers and as far as two further entrances on either side of the gopura often referred to as "elephant gates", as they are large enough to admit those animals. These galleries have square pillars on the outer (west) side and a closed wall on the inner (east) side. The ceiling between the pillars is decorated with lotus rosettes; the west face of the wall with dancing figures; and the east face of the wall with balustered windows, dancing male figures on prancing animals, and devatas, including (south of the entrance) the only one in the temple to be showing her teeth. The outer wall encloses a space of 820,000 square metres, which besides the temple proper was originally occupied by the city and, to the north of the temple, the royal palace. Like all secular buildings of Angkor, these were built of perishable materials rather than of stone, so nothing remains of them except the outlines of some of the streets. Most of the area is now covered by forest. A 350 m causeway connects the western gopura to the temple proper, with naga balustrades and six sets of steps leading down to the city on either side. Each side also features a library with entrances at each cardinal point, in front of the third set of stairs from the entrance, and a pond between the library and the temple itself. The ponds are later additions to the design, as is the cruciform terrace guarded by lions connecting the causeway to the central structure.

CENTRAL STRUCTURE

The temple stands on a terrace raised higher than the city. It is made of three rectangular galleries rising to a central tower, each level higher than the last. Mannikka interprets these galleries as being dedicated to the king, Brahma, the moon, and Vishnu.

Each gallery has a gopura at each of the points, and the two inner galleries each have towers at their corners, forming a quincunx with the central tower. Because the temple faces west, the features are all set back towards the east, leaving more space to be filled in each enclosure and gallery on the west side; for the same reason the west-facing steps are shallower than those on the other sides.

The outer gallery measures 187 by 215 m, with pavilions rather than towers at the corners. The gallery is open to the outside of the temple, with columned half-galleries extending and buttressing the structure. Connecting the outer gallery to the second enclosure on the west side is a cruciform cloister called Preah Poan (the "Hall of a Thousand Gods"). Buddha images were left in the cloister by pilgrims over the centuries, although most have now been removed. This area has many inscriptions relating the good deeds of pilgrims, most written in Khmer but others in Burmese and Japanese. The four small courtyards marked out by the cloister may originally have been filled with water.

North and south of the cloister are libraries.

Beyond, the second and inner galleries are connected to each other and to two flanking libraries by another cruciform terrace, again a later addition. From the second level upwards, devatas abound on the walls, singly or in groups of up to four. The second-level enclosure is 100 by 115 m, and may originally have been flooded to represent the ocean around Mount Meru.

Three sets of steps on each side lead up to the corner towers and gopuras of the inner gallery. The very steep stairways represent the difficulty of ascending to the kingdom of the gods. This inner gallery, called the Bakan, is a 60 m square with axial galleries connecting each gopura with the central shrine, and subsidiary shrines located below the corner towers. The roofings of the galleries are decorated with the motif of the body of a snake ending in the heads of lions or garudas. Carved lintels and pediments decorate the entrances to the galleries and to the shrines. The tower above the central shrine rises 43 m to a height of 65 m above the ground; unlike those of previous temple mountains, the central tower is raised above the surrounding four. The shrine itself, originally occupied by a statue of Vishnu and open on each side, was walled in when the temple was converted to Theravada Buddhism, the new walls featuring standing Buddhas. In 1934, the conservator George Trouvé excavated the pit beneath the central shrine: filled with sand and water it had already been robbed of its treasure, but he did find a sacred foundation deposit of gold leaf two metres above ground level.

DECORATION

Integrated with the architecture of the building, and one of the causes for its fame is Angkor Wat's extensive decoration, which predominantly takes the form of bas-relief friezes. The inner walls of the outer gallery bear a series of large-scale scenes mainly depicting episodes from the Hindu epics the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Higham has called these, "the greatest known linear arrangement of stone carving".

From the north-west corner anti-clockwise, the western gallery shows the Battle of Lanka (from the Ramayana, in which Rama defeats Ravana) and the Battle of Kurukshetra (from the Mahabharata, showing the mutual annihilation of the Kaurava and Pandava clans). On the southern gallery follow the only historical scene, a procession of Suryavarman II, then the 32 hells and 37 heavens of Hindu mythology.

On the eastern gallery is one of the most celebrated scenes, the Churning of the Sea of Milk, showing 92 asuras and 88 devas using the serpent Vasuki to churn the sea under Vishnu's direction (Mannikka counts only 91 asuras, and explains the asymmetrical numbers as representing the number of days from the winter solstice to the spring equinox, and from the equinox to the summer solstice). It is followed by Vishnu defeating asuras (a 16th-century addition). The northern gallery shows Krishna's victory over Bana (where according to Glaize, "The workmanship is at its worst"). and a battle between the Hindu gods and asuras. The north-west and south-west corner pavilions both feature much smaller-scale scenes, some unidentified but most from the Ramayana or the life of Krishna. Angkor Wat is decorated with depictions of apsaras and devata; there are more than 1,796 depictions of devata in the present research inventory. Angkor Wat architects employed small apsara images (30–40 cm) as decorative motifs on pillars and walls. They incorporated larger devata images (all full-body portraits measuring approximately 95–110 cm) more prominently at every level of the temple from the entry pavilion to the tops of the high towers. In 1927, Sappho Marchal published a study cataloging the remarkable diversity of their hair, headdresses, garments, stance, jewelry and decorative flowers, which Marchal concluded were based on actual practices of the Angkor period.

CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES

The stones, as smooth as polished marble, were laid without mortar with very tight joints that are sometimes hard to find. The blocks were held together by mortise and tenon joints in some cases, while in others they used dovetails and gravity. The blocks were presumably put in place by a combination of elephants, coir ropes, pulleys and bamboo scaffolding. Henri Mouhot noted that most of the blocks had holes 2.5 cm in diameter and 3 cm deep, with more holes on the larger blocks. Some scholars have suggested that these were used to join them together with iron rods, but others claim they were used to hold temporary pegs to help manoeuvre them into place. The monument was made out of millions of tonnes of sandstone and it has a greater volume as well as mass than the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt. The Angkor Wat Temple consumes about 6 million to 10 million blocks of sandstone with an average weight of 1.5 tons each. In fact, the entire city of Angkor used up far greater amounts of stone than all the Egyptian pyramids combined, and occupied an area significantly greater than modern-day Paris. Moreover, unlike the Egyptian pyramids which use limestone quarried barely half a km away all the time, the entire city of Angkor was built with sandstone quarried 40 km (or more) away. This sandstone had to be transported from Mount Kulen, a quarry approximately 40 km to the northeast. The route has been suggested to span 35 kilometres along a canal towards Tonlé Sap lake, another 35 kilometres crossing the lake, and finally 15 kilometres upstream and against the current along Siem Reap River, making a total journey of 90 kilometres. However, Etsuo Uchida and Ichita Shimoda of Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan have discovered in 2012 a shorter 35-kilometre canal connecting Mount Kulen and Angkor Wat using satellite imagery. The two believe that the Khmer used this route instead.

Virtually all of its surfaces, columns, lintels even roofs are carved. There are miles of reliefs illustrating scenes from Indian literature including unicorns, griffins, winged dragons pulling chariots as well as warriors following an elephant-mounted leader and celestial dancing girls with elaborate hair styles. The gallery wall alone is decorated with almost 1000 square metres of bas reliefs. Holes on some of the Angkor walls indicate that they may have been decorated with bronze sheets. These were highly prized in ancient times and were a prime target for robbers. While excavating Khajuraho, Alex Evans, a stonemason and sculptor, recreated a stone sculpture under 1.2 m, this took about 60 days to carve. Roger Hopkins and Mark Lehner also conducted experiments to quarry limestone which took 12 quarrymen 22 days to quarry about 400 tons of stone. The labor force to quarry, transport, carve and install so much sandstone must have run into the thousands including many highly skilled artisans. The skills required to carve these sculptures were developed hundreds of years earlier, as demonstrated by some artifacts that have been dated to the seventh century, before the Khmer came to power.

ANGKOR WAT TODAY

The Archaeological Survey of India carried out restoration work on the temple between 1986 and 1992. Since the 1990s, Angkor Wat has seen continued conservation efforts and a massive increase in tourism. The temple is part of the Angkor World Heritage Site, established in 1992, which has provided some funding and has encouraged the Cambodian government to protect the site. The German Apsara Conservation Project (GACP) is working to protect the devatas and other bas-reliefs which decorate the temple from damage. The organisation's survey found that around 20% of the devatas were in very poor condition, mainly because of natural erosion and deterioration of the stone but in part also due to earlier restoration efforts. Other work involves the repair of collapsed sections of the structure, and prevention of further collapse: the west facade of the upper level, for example, has been buttressed by scaffolding since 2002, while a Japanese team completed restoration of the north library of the outer enclosure in 2005. World Monuments Fund began conservation work on the Churning of the Sea of Milk Gallery in 2008 after several years of conditions studies. The project restored the traditional Khmer roofing system and removed cement used in earlier restoration attempts that had resulted in salts entering the structure behind the bas-relief, discoloring and damaging the sculpted surfaces. The main phase of work ended in 2012, and the final component will be the installation of finials on the roof of the gallery in 2013. Microbial biofilms have been found degrading sandstone at Angkor Wat, Preah Khan, and the Bayon and West Prasat in Angkor. The dehydration and radiation resistant filamentous cyanobacteria can produce organic acids that degrade the stone. A dark filamentous fungus was found in internal and external Preah Khan samples, while the alga Trentepohlia was found only in samples taken from external, pink-stained stone at Preah Khan. Angkor Wat has become a major tourist destination. In 2004 and 2005, government figures suggest that, respectively, 561.000 and 677.000 foreign visitors arrived in Siem Reap province, approximately 50% of all foreign tourists in Cambodia for both years. The site has been managed by the private SOKIMEX group since 1990, which rented it from the Cambodian government. The influx of tourists has so far caused relatively little damage, other than some graffiti; ropes and wooden steps have been introduced to protect the bas-reliefs and floors, respectively. Tourism has also provided some additional funds for maintenance - as of 2000 approximately 28% of ticket revenues across the whole Angkor site was spent on the temples - although most work is carried out by foreign government-sponsored teams rather than by the Cambodian authorities. Since Angkor Wat has seen significant growth in tourism throughout the years UNESCO and its International Co-ordinating Committee for the Safeguarding and Development of the Historic Site of Angkor (ICC), in association with representatives from the Royal Government and APSARA, organized seminars to discuss the concept of "cultural tourism". Wanting to avoid commercial and mass tourism, the seminars emphasized the importance of providing high quality accommodation and services in order for the Cambodian government to benefit economically, while also incorporating the richness of Cambodian culture. In 2001, this incentive resulted in the concept of the "Angkor Tourist City" which would be developed with regard to traditional Khmer architecture, contain leisure and tourist facilities, and provide luxurious hotels capable of accommodating large amounts of tourists. The prospect of developing such large tourist accommodations has encountered concerns from both APSARA and the ICC, claiming that previous tourism developments in the area have neglected construction regulations and more of these projects have the potential to damage landscape features. Also, the large scale of these projects have begun to threaten the quality of the nearby town's water, sewage, and electricity systems. It has been noted that such high frequency of tourism and growing demand for quality accommodations in the area, such as the development of a large highway, has had a direct effect on the underground water table, subsequently straining the structural stability of the temples at Angkor Wat. Locals of Siem Reap have also voiced concern over the charming nature and atmosphere of their town being compromised in order to entertain tourism. Since this charming local atmosphere is the key component to projects like Angkor Tourist City, local officials continue to discuss how to successfully incorporate future tourism without sacrificing local values and culture. At the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2012, both parties have agreed Borobudur and Angkor Wat to become sister sites and the provinces will become sister provinces. Two Indonesian airlines are considering the opportunity to open a direct flight from Yogyakarta, Indonesia to Siem Reap.

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