Most people never leave the piazza. This side of the island was like something out of Homer. There is no azure blue like this anywhere else in the world..... by Rossano - Kodachrome transparency, 1965 Canon SLR

Most of the town of Veliko Tarnovo is built on a hill. That offers great views of the valley and river below as well as the housing along the hillside.

Most of the tall ships are non-profit and devoted to teaching early American history and training future sailors. Many offer passage between ports as they sail to festivals. The Festival returns to Chicago in July 2016.

 

Camera - EOS 1V

Film - Kodak TMAX ISO-400

Lens - EF 70-300 f/4-5.6L IS

 

Chicago Tall Ships Festival

Navy Pier

Chicago, IL

August 2013

My wee Grandson Charlie .Beautiful little child I love to bits .

My most seen 37 now this year! This tango Tractor has now become more common than sticky vikki in my local ffs.... still its a 37 though so counts lol

 

37405 at Chedly Humly on 0Z37 12:00 Coleham LMD - Manchester Piccadilly Route Learner 13/10/2024

A Galapagos Sealion playing in the surf of Espanola.

 

Galapagos Sea Lion

The Galápagos Sea Lion (Zalophus wollebaeki) breeds on the Galápagos Islands and – in smaller numbers – on Isla de la Plata (to Ecuador). Being fairly social, and one of the most numerous species in the Galápagos archipelago, they are often spotted sun-bathing on sandy shores or rock groups or gliding gracefully through the surf. Their loud “bark”, playful nature, and graceful agility in water make them the “welcoming party” of the islands. They are lightly smaller than their Californian relatives, Galápagos Sea Lions range from 150 to 250 cm in length and weigh between 50 to 400 kg, with the males much larger than females. Adult males also tend to have a thicker, more robust neck, chest, and shoulders in comparison to their slender abdomen. Females are somewhat opposite males with a longer, more slender neck and thick torso. Once sexually mature, a male’s sagittal crest enlarges, forming a small, characteristic bump-like projection on their forehead. Galápagos Sea Lions, compared to California sea lions, have a slightly smaller sagittal crest and a shorter muzzle. Adult females and juveniles lack this physical characteristic altogether with a nearly flat head and little or no forehead. Both male and female sea lions have a pointy, whiskered nose and somewhat long, narrow muzzle. The young pups are almost dog-like in profile. Another characteristic that defines the sea lion are their external ear-like pinnae flaps which distinguish them from their close relative in which they are often confused with, the seal. The fore-flippers have a short fur extending from the wrist to the middle of the dorsal fin surface, but other than that, the flippers are covered in black, leathery skin. Although somewhat clumsy on land with their flippers, sea lions are amazingly agile in water. With their streamline bodies and flipper-like feet, they easily propel themselves through crashing surf and dangerously sharp coastal rocks. They also have the ability to control their flippers independently and thus change directions with ease and have more control over their body on land. When wet, sea lions are a shade of dark brown, but once dry, their color varies greatly. The females tend to be a lighter shade than the males and the pups a chestnut brown. Born with a longer, brownish-black lanugo, a pup's coat gradually fades to brown within the first five months of life. At this time, they undergo their first molt resulting in their adult coat. Feeding mostly on sardines, Galápagos Sea Lions sometimes travel ten to fifteen kilometers from the coast over the span of days to hunt for their prey. This is when they come into contact with their biggest predators: sharks and killer whales. Injuries and scars from attacks are often visible. Galápagos Sea Lions are especially vulnerable to human activity. Their inquisitive and social nature makes them more likely to approach areas inhabited by humans, and thus come into contact with human waste, fishing nets, and hooks. They occupy many different shoreline types from steep, rocky cliff sides to low-lying sandy beaches. To avoid overheating during the day, sea lions will take refuge from the sun under vegetation, rocks, and cliffs, and wade into tidal pools. Not only are sea lions social, they are also quite vocal. Adult male Galápagos Sea Lions often bark in long, repeated sequences that are loud and distinctive. Females and juveniles do not produce this repetitive bark, but both sexes and the younger pups will growl. From birth, a mother sea lion recognizes her pup’s distinct bark and can pin point it from a crowd of thirty or more barking sea lions. On land, sea lions form colonies at their hauling-out areas. Adult males known as Bulls are the head of the Colony, growing up to 7 ft (2 m) long and weighing up to 800 lb (363 kg). As males grow larger, they fight to win dominance of a harem of between 5 and 25 cows and the surrounding territory. Swimming from border to border of his colony, the dominant bull jealously defends his coastline against all other adult males. While patrolling his area, he frequently rears his head out of the water and barks, as an indication of his territorial ownership. The average dominant bull holds his territory for only a few months, until he is challenged by another male. On land, these fights start by stretching out the neck and barking in attempt to test each other’s bravery. If this isn’t enough to scare the opponent off, they begin pushing each other and biting around the neck area. If males weren’t equipped with a thick, muscular neck, their vital organs would be easily damaged during these fights. Blood, is often drawn, however, and many male sea lions have battle scars due to these territorial competitions. Losers are dramatically chased far from their territory by the new dominant bull with much splashing. Because there is only one male in each harem, there is always a surplus of “bachelor” male sea lions. They usually congregate fairly peaceably on less favorable areas of the coastline in “bachelor colonies.”. Because the dominant male of the harem cannot feed while defending his colony, he eventually becomes too tired and weak, and is overpowered by the well-nourished, fresh bull. Breeding takes place from May all the way through to January. Because of this prolonged breeding season and the extensive care required by the pups from their mother, there are dependent pups in the colonies year round. Each cow in the harem has a single pup born a year after conception. After about a week of continuous attention from birth, the female returns to the ocean and begins to forage, and just a week after that, the pup will follow her and begin to develop its swimming skills. When the pup is two to three weeks old the cow will mate again. The mothers will take the young pups with them into the water while nursing until around the 11th month when the pups are weaned from their mother’s milk and become dependent on their own hunting skills. The pups have a strong bond with their mother. The cow will nurture a pup for up to three years. In that time the cow and the pup will recognize each other's bark from the rest of the colony. Within the colony sea lion pups live together in a rookery. Pups can be seen together napping, playing, and feeding. It is not uncommon to see one cow 'baby-sitting' a group of pups while the other cows go off to feed.

 

Espanola (Suarez Point)

Approximately a 10-12 hour trip from Santa Cruz, Española is the oldest and the southernmost island in the chain. The trip across open waters can be quite rough especially during August and September. Española's remote location helped make it a unique jewel with a large number of endemic creatures. Secluded from the other islands, wildlife on Española adapted to the island's environment and natural resources. The subspecies of Marine iguana from Española are the only ones that change color during breeding season. Normally, marine iguanas are black in color, a camouflage, making it difficult for predators to differentiate between the iguanas and the black lava rocks where they live. On Española adult marine iguanas are brightly colored with a reddish tint except during mating season when their color changes to more of a greenish shade. The Hood Mockingbird is also endemic to the island. These brazen birds have no fear of man and frequently land on visitors heads and shoulders searching for food. The Hood Mockingbird is slightly larger than other mockingbirds found in the Galapagos; its beak is longer and has a more curved shape. The Hood Mockingbird is the only carnivorous one of the species feeding on a variety of insects, turtle hatchlings and sea lion placentas. Wildlife is the highlight of Española and the star of the show is the waved albatross. The island's steep cliffs serve as the perfect runways for these large birds which take off for their ocean feeding grounds near the mainland of Ecuador and Peru abandoning the island between January and March. Known as endemic to the island, Española is the waved albatross's only nesting place. Each April the males return to Española followed shortly thereafter by the females. Mating for life, their ritual begins with the male's annual dance to re-attract his mate. The performance can take up to 5 days consisting of a series of strutting, honking, and beak fencing. Once the pair is reacquainted they produce a single egg and share the responsibility of incubation. The colony remains based on Española until December when the chick is fully grown. By January most of the colony leaves the island to fish along the Humboldt Current. Young albatross do not return to Española until their 4th or 5th year when they return to seek a mate. Geographically Española is a classic example of a shield volcano, created from a single caldera in the center of the island. Over the years as the island has moved further away from the hot spot, the volcano became extinct and erosion began to occur. Española's two visitor sites offer an exceptional island visit. Punta Suarez is one of the highlights of the Galapagos Islands. The variety and quantity of wildlife assures a memorable visit. Visitors find migrant, resident, and endemic wildlife including brightly colored Marine Iguanas, Española Lava Lizards, Hood Mockingbirds, Swallow Tailed Gulls, Blue Footed and Masked Boobies, Galapagos Hawks, a selection of Finch, and the Waved Albatross.Found on the western tip of Española, Punta Suarez offers great wildlife such as sea lions, sea birds and the largest marine iguanas of Galapagos. This is one of the best sites in the Galapagos. The amount of wildlife is overwhelming. Along the beach there are many sea lions and large, colorful lava lizards and marine iguanas. As you follow the trail to the cliff's edge masked boobies can be found nesting among the rock formations. After a short walk down to a beach and back up the other side blue-footed boobies are seen nesting just off the trail. The Galapagos Dove and very friendly Hood Mockingbird are commonly found in this area. The nearby bushes are frequently home to the large-cactus finch, warbler finch, small-ground finch and large-billed flycatcher. Continuing down the trail you come to the only place where waved albatross nest in the islands. Some 12,000 pairs nest on Española each year. The feeling is very dramatic and it seems like a desolate wilderness as the waves crash on the jagged cliffs below and the blowhole shoots water 50-70 feet/15-30 meters into the air. The sky above is full of sea birds including red-billed tropicbirds, American Oystercatchers, swallow-tailed gulls, and Audubon's Shearwaters.

 

Galapagos Islands

The Galápagos Islands (official name: Archipiélago de Colón; other Spanish names: Islas de Colón or Islas Galápagos) are an archipelago of volcanic islands distributed around the equator in the Pacific Ocean, some 900 km west of Ecuador. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site: wildlife is its most notable feature. Because of the only very recent arrival of man the majority of the wildlife has no fear of humans and will allow visitors to walk right up them, often having to step over Iguanas or Sea Lions.The Galápagos islands and its surrounding waters are part of a province, a national park, and a biological marine reserve. The principal language on the islands is Spanish. The islands have a population of around 40,000, which is a 40-fold expansion in 50 years. The islands are geologically young and famed for their vast number of endemic species, which were studied by Charles Darwin during the voyage of the Beagle. His observations and collections contributed to the inception of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection.

View my most interesting photos.

This is most of the camera gear (on the electronics side) I own. Check notes for details.

 

In the Pelican 1550 (center), I carry my cameras & glass--everything except the 70-200 f2.8 IS. Still trying to figure out whether to stuff it in here or not. I'll probably end up getting the padded divider kit for a little more stuffing room.

 

In the Seahorse SE520's, I carry all the miscellaneous stuff--wires, filters, spare clamps, bungees, Pocket Wizards, whatever. I usually only travel with one, so it's my "useful" case and the other is mostly for storage.

 

I throw a reusable silica pack in each box just for good measure.

 

Most of the time I pack out what I need in a Lowepro Vertex 300AW, but this is how I store everything when I won't be shooting for a while, or going on long road trips.

 

I originally got these boxes when I was the ship's photographer onboard USS LOS ANGELES (SSN 688). They were much safer being stowed in the belly of the beast, since it's near impossible to move about without banging against everything. Plus, in a submarine atmosphere (which contains multiple known carcinogens, and is a generally oily and unpleasant environment) the airtight seal protected my gear from contamination from airborne refrigerant, oil, polyamine, and paint fumes.

 

Not included is my laptop & paraphernalia, other travel options, and my light stands & modifiers. Stay tuned!

Most services in Aix-en-Provence are operated by Keolis Pays d'Aix. 41 Heuliez electric GX337 buses are in the fleet.

 

317 is seen at Les Peintres on line 5. It was new in March 2022.

Wednesday, October 3rd, 2012

 

ONE ON ONE

How to turn your customers into a community

Christine Day, CEO, lululemon athletica inc.

 

Interviewer: Jennifer Reingold, Fortune

 

Photograph by Krista Kennell/Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit

Most of the classic torture methods were unnecessarily dirty and bloody, and has become mundane for the professional torturers throughout the years.

 

It's much more fun, and just as efficient, to tickle the vitims until they confessed the truth. Or at least what we expect them to confess, truth or not.

 

But this time, the masters of the dungeon faced a greater challenge - dealing with royal jester. Day after day, they tried to break him down... With no effect. The man only seemed more entertained each time.

 

Meanwhile, his partners prepared an explosive breakout...

 

Second entry to CCC (sponsoring my sleepless December nights since 2012).

Most of the beggars in Finland have come from Rumania & Bulgaria.

More: www.facebook.com/BLOGUSZ

While most will associate the village of St. Jacobs with the famous farmer's market, the number of people drove Heather and I into the village proper being able to enjoy quiet streets, check out the historic railway and of course grab some beers from the local brewery.

 

Nikon FM - AI-S Nikkor 35mm 1:2.8 - Fomapan 100 @ ASA-100

Rollei Supergrain (1+15) 7:30 @ 20C

Scanner: Epson V700

Editor: Adobe Photoshop CC

Not the most aesthetically pleasing of designs of coachwork from East Lancs but they did gain a reputation for it! This Dominator was new to Southampton Citybus(295), in 01/1989, and was delivered in a batch of eight, 291-8, F291-8PTP. Being acquired by Capital Citybus, it is seen here at Stratford, in the east of London, on 01/11/1995. After use with Capital Citybus, it moved north to First Mainline and received a retro Doncaster Transport livery. Why choose a bus that wasn't new to the South Yorkshire area?

 

Capital Citybus was formerly known as Ensignbus and was the trading name of Frontrunner South East and Walthamstow Citybus Ltd. Ensignbus had been involved in tendered operations since 06/1986 with Fruntrunner South East being acquired from Stagecoach three years later with the LRT and commercial services becoming known as Ensign Citybus in 07/1990. Frontrunner was then sold to Hong Kong based CNT Group in 12/1990. The separate Walthamstow Citybus operation began in Autumn 1991 when some of the areas routes were taken over under LRT tendering from London Forrest. London Forrest being wound up by London Transport in 11/1991.

 

The camera being a Praktica MTL3 with the film being a Boots Colourslide.

 

I would request, as with all my photos, that they are not copied or downloaded in any way, shape or form. © Peter Steel 1995.

Most photographed birds in NJ now!

Most of the Top Deck fleet bore names, sometimes quite dubious ones, although some of the more offensive had been replaced by cleaner versions over the years! Tucked up awaiting the call to action are Plod (ex-Southern Vectis LD6G LDL737, new 1955), Rags (an FS6G registered RAG409 which I'll come back to in a moment) and Rox (ex-Western National LD6B UOD503, new 1957). I'd be interested to know whether Rox retained its Bristol power unit or if a Gardner had been substituted at some point. Certainly a bit of swapping around was the order of the day - while RAG409 might at first seem to be a 1961 ex-Western SMT bus, it was actually ex-Red & White 6EWO of 1962. Or possibly a hybrid of the two?

Most canyons here don't end so abruptly.We won't be going any farther here.

So early on this week, a lot of gorgeous Barbie Collector dolls have been revealed by Mattel for us to salivate on. I have a few ones that I’m really excited about. Now some of these still appear to be rumors but some have been confirmed.

 

William and Catherine Royal Wedding Giftset - March 2012 – I never would have believed it really but they’re officially now on the BC.com. They look like a Disney couple to me. Kate’s jewelries are worth stealing though as well as William’s shoes.

 

Twilight Breaking Dawn Edward and Bella - February 2012 – Both separate dolls are now on the BC.com to order. Not a fan, but I do like Bella’s wedding dress.

 

Hunger Games’ Katniss Everdeen – August 2012

 

Dolls of the World – India, Holland. Chile and Mexico – July 2012 – Now, some of these countries have been done before. It’s annoying already. No offense.;) I do like Chile, she’s cute. India looks pretty too.

 

Bob Mackie – November 2012

 

Kardashians Sisters – June 2012 – Are they still producing them? Now, I don’t hate them. In fact I love their styles. A description of each dolls have actually surfaced over the net. They will feature a modified voluptuous bodies, it says. If this rumor is true, I would just love to steal their clothing. That’s all.

 

The Mermaid Barbie – February 2012 – I actually just want the head. Seriously.

 

BFMC Walking Suit – February 2012

 

BFMC Afternoon Suit – Spring 2012

 

BFMC Party Dress – Spring 2012

 

BFMC Evening Gown (AA) – May 2012

 

Holiday Barbie 2012 – August 2012 – This year will be designed by the awesomest one himself, Bill Greening. I do like the Causcasian version but the African one seems to have the same face screening as last years. Not good.

 

Now unto the exciting list…These are my possible want list

 

Stephen Burrows – October 2012 – The designer will be replacing Byron Lars. That’s what I heard. Which is a good thing! We do need a line of African dolls and I cannot wait.

 

Rush of Rose Gold Barbie – June 2012 – This is the final doll to Robert Best’s precious metals themed Platinum Label dolls. I am hoping I could get her at the time of her release.

 

Nicholas Kirkwood – November 2012 – This I’m really excited. After Louboutin is another shoe designer. Just what we needed. Fierce designer shoes for Barbie!

 

CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) Closet – Fall 2012 – Now, I don’t know if this is the Barbie Ultimate Closet or a different item, but a Barbie Collector closet/carrying case would be a great idea. That would be heaven for me! The Ultimate Closet promos that were release is cool but it’s more like playline. I wish there’s a collector version.

The most ubiquitous symbol of the Inca Empire, this site has been designated in 1983 as a UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE. Since then, tourists have been flocking this site and became so popular that it became a cause of concern. The damage brought about by the influx of tourists is still debatable up to this day.

 

Machu Picchu which means "old mountain" or "ancient peak" in Quechua (pronounced as ke-chu-wa), the native language of the Inca and still is the native language of the people to the present time. It refers to the mountain overlooking this ruins.

 

Located above the Urubamba Valley in Peru, about 44 miles northwest of Cusco and a three hour train ride and a 15 minute bus ride to the base.

 

Machu Picchu is a semitropical highland forest, it gets warms in the middle of the day and the ruins provide little or no shade at all. A sunscreen, a hat and a steady supply of water are a musts. Officially, no food or drink are permitted within the ruins, but you can unobtrusively sneak in a bottle or two of water.

 

Overlooking the main plaza of Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu Peru

This seems to be one of the most prevalent scenes on the NYC subways these days (and perhaps in other subways, too, all around the world): someone sitting alone, perfectly happy in the absence of any other noise or distractions, concentrating on something on a digital smartphone. Maybe she was texting or emailing; maybe she was playing a video game; maybe she was looking up the definition of an obscure word on her dictionary.

 

During the last few months, it has become more and more common to find a free WiFi signal in many NYC subway stations -- though quite often the service is provided by a commercial vendor (and I'm looking at you, Boingo!) that insists on making you log in to their service, or displays annoying advertisements (free trips to snowy Utah!).

 

OTOH, sometimes you can avoid all of this by simply accessing the cellular signal from your service provider ... but that often works only if you're somewhere near the entrance/exit from the subway up to street level (whereas other lucky customers have service providers that miraculously prove good coverage even inside the subway cars, zooming between stations deep, deep underground. Awesome!).

 

Anyway ... I can't help wondering what a woman like this -- or any of the other of millions of solitary subway-riders I could have photographed here -- would have been doing in the days before cellphones and Kindles and iPads and all of our modern digital gadgets. Reading an old-fashioned book?

 

Maybe talking to someone? Talking?!? To a real, live, honest-to-goodness human being?!? Zounds! Is that what those old-timers did for entertainment?!? The mind boggles ...

 

Note: I chose this as my "photo of the day" for Feb 7, 2014.

 

Note: this photo was published in a Jan 13, 2015 blog titled "The Always-on customer has changed how marketing works – forever."

 

**********************

 

Whether you’re an amateur or professional photographer, it’s hard to walk around with a modern smartphone in your pocket, and not be tempted to use the built-in camera from time-to-time. Veteran photographers typically sneer at such behavior, and most will tell you that they can instantly recognize an iPhone photo, which they mentally reject as being unworthy of any serious attention.

 

After using many earlier models of smartphones over the past several years, I was inclined to agree; after all, I always (well, almost always) had a “real” phone in my pocket (or backpack or camera-bag), and it was always capable of taking a much better photographic image than the mediocre, grainy images shot with a camera-phone.

 

But still … there were a few occasions when I desperately wanted to capture some photo-worthy event taking place right in front of me, and inevitably it turned out to be the times when I did not have the “real” camera with me. Or I did have it, but it was buried somewhere in a bag, and I knew that the “event” would have disappeared by the time I found the “real" camera and turned it on. By contrast, the smart-phone was always in my pocket (along with my keys and my wallet, it’s one of the three things I consciously grab every time I walk out the door). And I often found that I could turn it on, point it at the photographic scene, and take the picture much faster than I could do the same thing with a “traditional” camera.

 

Meanwhile, smartphone cameras have gotten substantially better in the past few years, from a mechanical/hardware perspective; and the software “intelligence” controlling the camera has become amazingly sophisticated. It’s still not on the same level as a “professional” DSLR camera, but for a large majority of the “average” photographic situations we’re likely to encounter in the unplanned moments of our lives, it’s more and more likely to be “good enough.” The old adage of “the best camera is the one you have with you” is more and more relevant these days. For me, 90% of the success in taking a good photo is simply being in the right place at the right time, being aware that the “photo opportunity” is there, and having a camera — any camera — to take advantage of that opportunity. Only 10% of the time does it matter which camera I’m using, or what technical features I’ve managed to use.

 

And now, with the recent advent of the iPhone5s, there is one more improvement — which, as far as I can tell, simply does not exist in any of the “professional” cameras. You can take an unlimited number of “burst-mode” shots with the new iPhone, simply by keeping your finger on the shutter button; instead of being limited to just six (as a few of the DSLR cameras currently offer), you can take 10, 20, or even a hundred shots. And then — almost magically — the iPhone will show you which one or two of the large burst of photos was optimally sharp and clear. With a couple of clicks, you can then delete everything else, and retain only the very best one or two from the entire burst.

 

With that in mind, I’ve begun using my iPhone5s for more and more “everyday” photo situations out on the street. Since I’m typically photographing ordinary, mundane events, even the one or two “optimal” shots that the camera-phone retains might not be worth showing anyone else … so there is still a lot of pruning and editing to be done, and I’m lucky if 10% of those “optimal” shots are good enough to justify uploading to Flickr and sharing with the rest of the world. Still, it’s an enormous benefit to know that my editing work can begin with photos that are more-or-less “technically” adequate, and that I don’t have to waste even a second reviewing dozens of technically-mediocre shots that are fuzzy, or blurred.

 

Oh, yeah, one other minor benefit of the iPhone5s (and presumably most other current brands of smartphone): it automatically geotags every photo and video, without any special effort on the photographer’s part. Only one of my other big, fat cameras (the Sony Alpha SLT A65) has that feature, and I’ve noticed that almost none of the “new” mirrorless cameras have got a built-in GPS thingy that will perform the geotagging...

 

I’ve had my iPhone5s for a couple of months now, but I’ve only been using the “burst-mode” photography feature aggressively for the past couple of weeks. As a result, the initial batch of photos that I’m uploading are all taken in the greater-NYC area. But as time goes on, and as my normal travel routine takes me to other parts of the world, I hope to add more and more “everyday” scenes in cities that I might not have the opportunity to photograph in a “serious” way.

 

Stay tuned….

[1]

 

Hidcote - the most influential English garden of the 20th century - and Lawrence Johnston, the enigmatic genius behind it. Hidcote was the first garden ever taken on by the National Trust, who spent 3.5 million pounds in a major programme of restoration. This included researching Johnston's original vision, which in turn uncovered the compelling story of how Johnston created such an iconic garden.

 

Until recently, little was known about the secretive and self-taught Johnston. He kept few, if any, records on Hidcote's construction, but current head gardener Glyn Jones made it a personal mission to discover as much about the man as possible to reveal how, in the early 20th century, Johnston set about creating a garden that has inspired designers all over the world.

 

[2]

 

Hidcote is an Arts and Crafts garden in the north Cotswolds, a stone’s throw from Stratford-upon-Avon. Created by the talented American horticulturist, Major Lawrence Johnston its colourful and intricately designed outdoor ‘rooms’ are always full of surprises. It’s a must-see if you’re on holiday in the Cotswolds.

 

Explore the maze of narrow paved pathways and discover secret gardens, magnificent vistas and plants that burst with colour. Many of the plants found growing in the garden were collected from Johnston’s many plant hunting trips to far away places. It’s the perfect place if you’re in need of gardening inspiration.

 

Find a quiet spot and sit on one of the ornate benches and watch green woodpeckers search for their lunch or listen to the calls from the buzzards circling overhead. Time it right and you might catch a glimpse of the elusive hummingbird moth.

 

Meander through the intricate gardens and into the Wilderness. This secluded stretch of tall trees is just right for a picnic. Take a glimpse beyond the boundary and see the garden blend effortlessly into the countryside beyond.

 

The Monarch’s Way path runs close-by. Follow it for a brief time from the car park and into the chocolate-box Cotswold hamlet of Hidcote Bartrim. You’ll be treated to traditionally thatched stone cottages that were once home to Johnston’s gardeners.

 

[3]

 

Hidcote Manor Garden

 

Hidcote Manor Garden is a garden in Britain, located at Hidcote Bartrim village, near Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire. It is one of the best-known and most influential Arts and Crafts gardens in Britain, with its linked "rooms" of hedges, rare trees, shrubs and herbaceous borders. Created by Lawrence Johnston, it is owned by the National Trust and is open to the public.

 

History

 

The Americans, Lawrence Johnston and his mother, settled in Britain about 1900, and Lawrence immediately became a British citizen and fought in the British army during the Boer war. In 1907 Johnston's mother, Mrs Gertrude Winthrop (she had re-married), purchased the Hidcote Manor Estate. It was situated in a part of Britain with strong connections to the then-burgeoning Arts and Crafts movement and an Anglicized American artistic expatriate community centred nearby at Broadway, Worcestershire.

 

Johnston soon became interested in turning the fields around the house into a garden. By 1910 he had begun to lay out the key features of the garden, and by the 1920s he had twelve full-time gardeners working for him.

 

After World War II Johnston spent most of his time at Jardin Serre de la Madone, his garden in the south of France; and in 1947 he entrusted Hidcote to the National Trust.

 

Character of Hidcote garden

 

Lawrence Johnston was influenced in creating his garden at Hidcote by the work of Alfred Parsons and Gertrude Jekyll, who were designing gardens of hardy plants contained within sequences of outdoor "rooms". The theme was in the air: Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicholson's Sissinghurst Castle Garden was laid out as a sequence of such spaces, without, it seems, direct connection with the reclusive and shy Major Johnston. Hidcote's outdoor "rooms" have various characters and themes, achieved by the use of box hedges, hornbeam and yew, and stone walls. These rooms, such as the 'White Garden' and 'Fuchsia Garden' are linked, some by vistas, and furnished with topiaries. Some have ponds and fountains, and all are planted with flowers in bedding schemes. They surround the 17th century manor house, and there are a number of outhouses and a kitchen garden.

 

Johnston's care in selecting the best plants is reflected in the narrow-leaved lavender, Lavandula angustifolia 'Hidcote', in the Penstemon 'Hidcote Pink' and in the hybrid Hypericum 'Hidcote Gold', acclaimed as the finest hardy St John's Wort, Alice Coats records.

Most people who see me wear this assume this is supposed to be the tree of life. It’s actually a sycamore tree which represents new beginnings... somehow very poetic

Most of the old faithful area is covered on walkways. I have no clue of how many miles of walkways there are in this geyser country. The wooden walkways snake all over the thermal features.

 

The water in the geysers and hot springs is at boiling temperature or sometimes much higher. What looks like solid ground may be only a thin crust, and there were many incidents of ground giving away on people who weren't walking on the walkways. Also going off the trails damages fragile plants and rock formations.

Most of the original Broadway songs by Leonard Bernstein and Comden and Green were dropped from the film version, and several new ones were added.

One of the best is Prehistoric Man by MGM musical renaissance man/composer Roger Edens and original Broadway lyricists Comden and Green.

 

For complete lyrics (courtesy of Dana-Man) see:

www.flickr.com/photos/39527581@N07/6972751364 /in/photostream

 

The song provides the basis for one of several great ensemble numbers in the film and the one which climaxes with the unforgettable collapse of the museum dinosaur! Note MGM's attention to detail: the pottery and other objects on display are numbered.

 

It is funny how we forget things we have done.

 

Below, I state that this was my first visit to the cathedral as a churchcrawler.

 

When I began to post shots, I looked for the album to put the shots in, only to find there wasn't one.

 

A search of my photostream showed two visits to the cathedral, complete with interior shots from 2013 and the previous years.

 

I had no memories of these visits.

 

What else have I forgotten?

 

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Norwich is a fine city. Or so the signs say on every road into it. But, and there can be no denying it, it is a jewel in the Norfolk countryside.

 

For me it is “just” Norwich Where used to go for our important shopping, for football and later for concerts. We, and I, would take for granted its cobbled streets, Norman cathedral and medieval churches by the dozen. Also it’s a pub for every day, the ramshackle market, and the Norman castle keep looking down on the city sprawled around.

 

Just Norwich.

 

Later, it also became where I bought new records from Backs in Swan Lane, and searched for punk classics in the Record and Tape Exchange.

 

Norwich is lucky that the industrial revolution passed by the city leaving few changes, the character and history intact. World War II did damage, some churches were abandoned, some rebuilt, but many survived.

 

And Norwich is a friendly city. It sees warm and colourful, and on a hot summer’s day when the locals were in shorts and t-shirts, much white flesh was on display. I also take the football club for granted. I have supported it from nearly 49 years, and being away from the city means I get my news and views largely second hand, but I also forget how central the club is to the people.

 

Other cities would have children dressed in any one of a dozen Premier League club’s replica shirts. In Norwich yellow and green was the dominant colour, even after a chastening season that saw us finish rock bottom of the league. The local sports “superstore” has a Norwich Fan’s fanzone, and a third of the window is given to the home city club.

 

I knew the city like the back of my hand, so knew the route I wanted to take to provide me with views that would refresh those in my mind. I didn’t dally, pressed on to my two targets, the Anglican Cathedral and St Peter Mancroft.

 

This wasn’t the original plan; that was to meet two friends I used to go to the football with, Ian and Ali, but they both caught a bug in Manchester watching the women’s Euros, so couldn’t meet with me. But I had an alternative plan, maybe with a pub stop or two.

 

The trip happened as I got a mail offering a tempting 20% off the trip that had been selling poorly, I checked with Ian and Alison, they said they were free, but had yet to fall ill. So seats were booked, as Jools liked the sound of an afternoon in Norwich and meeting my friends.

 

Up at quarter to five so we could catch the first High Speed service out of Dover, so to be in London in time to catch the railtour to Norwich.

 

Sun had yet to light up Dover Priory when we arrived, but a few people milling around, including two still at the end of their night out.

 

Folkestone was light by the warm light of the rising sun, and well worth a shot as we passed over Foord Viaduct.

 

Later, I was hoping the calm morning meant the Medway would be a mirror, but a breeze disturbed the surface ruining the reflections I had hoped for.

 

Finally, emerging into Essex, the line climbs as the go over the Dartford Crossing, just enough time to grab a shot.

 

It was already hot in London, so we stayed in the shade of the undercroft at St Pancras, had a coffee and a pasty from Greggs before walking over to Kings Cross to see if our tour was already at the buffers.

 

We walked across the road to King's Cross, and find the station packed with milling passengers, all eyes trained on the departure boards waiting for platform confirmations.

 

Ours was due to be platform 3, and the rake of carriages was indeed there, top and tailed by class 66 freight locomotives.

 

We get on the train and find we had been allocated a pair of seats nearest the vestibule. This meant that they were a few inches less wide than others, meaning Jools and I were jammed in.

 

Almost straight away, Jools's back and Achilles began to ache, and the thought of four hours of this in the morning and another four in the evening was too much, and so she decided to get off at the first stop at Potters Bar.

 

In the end, a wise choice I think.

 

The guy in the seat opposite to us talked the whole journey. I mean filling any silence with anything: how much he paid for the components of his lunch, his cameras and then his job. In great detail. He also collected train numbers. I didn't know that was really a thin in the days of EMUs, but I helped out from time to time telling him units he had missed.

 

We had a twenty minute break at Peterborough because of pathing issues, so we all got out to stretch our legs and do some extra trainspotting.

 

An Azuma left from the next platform, and another came in on the fast line. I snapped them both.

 

From Peterborough, the train reversed, and after the 20 minute wait, we went out of the station southwards, taking the line towards Ely.

 

Now that we had done our last stop, the train could open up and we cruised across the Fens at 70mph, the flat landscape botted with wind turbines and church towers slipped by.

 

Instead of going into Ely station, we took the rarely used (for passenger trains) freight avoiding line, now a single track. Emerging crossing the main line, taking the line eastwards towards Thetford.

 

Again, the regulator was opened, and we rattled along. Even so, the journey was entering its fourth hour, and with my travelling colleague and without Jools, time was dragging.

 

We were now back in Norfolk, passing the STANTA training area, all warning signs on the fences telling the trainee soldiers that that was where the area ended. I saw no soldiers or tanks. My only thought was of the rare flowers that would be growing there, unseen.

 

And so for the final run into Norwich, familiar countryside now.

 

Under the southern bypass and the main line from London, slowing down where the two lines merged at Trowse before crossing the River Wensum, before the final bend into Norwich Thorpe.

 

At last I could get off the train and stretch my legs.

 

Many others were also getting off to board coaches to take them to Wroxham for a cruise on the Broads, or a ride on the Bure Valley Railway, while the rest would head to Yarmouth for four hours at the seaside.

  

I got off the train and walked through the station, out into the forecourt and over the main road, so I could walk down Riverside Road to the Bishop’s Bridge, then from there into the Cathedral Close.

 

The hustle and bustle of the station and roadworks were soon left behind, as the only noise was from a family messing about in a rowing boat in front of Pulls Ferry and a swan chasing an Egyptian Goose, so the occasional splash of water.

 

I reached the bridge and passed by the first pub, with already many folks sitting out in the beer garden, sipping wines and/or summer beers. I was already hot and would loved to have joined them, but I was on a mission.

 

In the meantime, Jools had texted me and said if I fancied getting a regular service back home, then I should. And a seed grew in my brain. Because, on the way back, departing at just gone five, the tour had to have a 50 minute layover in a goods siding at Peterborough, and would not get back to Kings Cross until half nine, and then I had to get back to Dover.

 

I could go to the cathedral the church, walk back to the station. Or get a taxi, and get a train back to London at four and still be home by eight.

 

Yes.

 

I walked past the Great Hospital, then into the Close via the swing gate, round to the entrance where there was no charge for entry and now no charge for photography. But I would make a donation, I said. And I did, a tenner.

 

I have been to the cathedral a few times, but not as a churchcrawler. So, I made my way round, taking shots, drinking in the details. But the walk up had got me hot and bothered, I always run with a hot engine, but in summer it can be pretty damp. I struggled to keep my glasses on my nose, and as I went round I knew I was in no mood to go round again with the wide angle, that could wait for another visit.

 

The church is pretty much as built by the Normans, roof excepted which has been replaced at least twice, but is poetry in stone. And for a cathedral, not many people around also enjoying the building and its history.

 

At one, bells chimed, and I think The Lord’s Prayer was read out, we were asked to be quiet. I always am when snapping.

 

In half an hour I was done, so walked out through the west door, through the gate and into Tombland. I was heading for the Market and St Peter which site on the opposite side to the Guildhall.

 

I powered on, ignoring how warm I felt, in fact not that warm at all. The heat and sweats would come when I stopped, I found out.

 

I walk up the side of the market and into the church, and into the middle of an organ recital.

 

Should I turn round and do something else, or should I stop and listen. I stopped and listened.

 

Everyone should hear an organ recital in a large church. There is nothing quite like it. The organ can make the most beautiful sounds, but at the same time, the bass pipes making noises so deep you can only feel it in your bones.

 

Tony Pinel knew his way round the organ, and via a video link we could see his hands and feet making the noises we could hear. It was wonderful, but quite how someone can play one tune with their feet and another with their hands, and pulling and pushing knobs and stoppers, is beyond me. But glad some people can.

 

It finished at quarter to two, and I photograph the font canopy and the 15th century glass in the south chapel. Font canopies are rare, there is only four in England, and one of the others is in Trunch 20 miles to the north. Much is a restoration, but it is an impressive sight when paired with the seven-sacrament font under it.

 

The glass is no-less spectacular, panels three feet by two, five wide and stretching to the vaulted roof. I can’t photograph them all, but I do over 50%.

 

I go to the market for a lunch of chips, for old times sake. I mean that was the treat whenever we went either to Norwich or Yarmouth; chips on the market. I was told they no longer did battered sausage, so had an un-battered one, and a can of pop. I stood and ate in the alleyway between stalls, people passing by and people buying chips and mushy peas of their own.

 

Once done, I had thought of getting a taxi back to the station, but the rank that has always been rammed with black cabs was empty, and two couples were shouting at each other as to who should have the one that was there. So I walked to the station, across Gentleman’s Walk, along to Back of the Inns, then up London Street to the top of Prince of Wales Road and then an easy time to the station across the bridge.

 

I got my ticket and saw a train to Liverpool Street was due to depart at 14:32. In three minutes.

 

I went through the barrier and got on the train, it was almost empty in the new, swish electric inter-city unit. I was sweating buckets, and needed a drink, but there appeared to be no buffet, instead just electric efficiency and silence as the train slid out of the station and went round past the football ground to the river, then taking the main line south.

 

In front of me, two oriental ladies talked for the whole journey. I listened to them, no idea what they talked about to fill 105 minutes.

 

I thought it would be nearly five when the train got in, but helped by only stopping at Diss, Ipswich, Manningtree and Colchester we got in, on time, at quarter past four.

 

I walked to the main concourse and down into the Circle Line platforms, getting a train in a couple of minutes the four stops to St Pancras. I knew there was a train soon leaving, and after checking the board and my watch I saw I had five minutes to get along the length of the station and up to the Southeastern platforms.

 

I tried. I did, but I reached the steps up to the platforms and I saw I had 45 seconds, no time to go up as they would have locked the doors. So, instead I went to the nearby pub and had a large, ice-cold bottle of Weiss beer.

 

That was better.

 

I was all hot and bothered again, but would have an hour to cool down, and the beer helped.

 

At ten past five, I went up and found the Dover train already in, I went through the barriers and took a seat in a carriage I thought would stop near the exit at Dover Priory. I called Jools to let her know I would be back at quarter to seven, and she confirmed she would pick me up.

 

She was there, people got off all out on a night on the town, dressed in shiny random pieces of fabric covering boobs and bottoms. I was young once, I thought.

 

Jools was there, she started the car and drove us home via Jubilee Way. Across the Channel France was a clear as anything, and four ferries were plying between the two shores. Take us home.

 

Once home, Jools had prepared Caprese. I sliced some bread and poured wine. On the wireless, Craig spun funk and soul. We ate.

 

Tired.

 

It was going to be a hot night, but I was tired enough to sleep through it. Or so I thought.

  

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Norwich has everything. Thus, the normally dry and undemonstrative Nikolaus Pevsner began his survey of the capital of Norfolk in his 1962 volume Buildings of England: Norwich and north-east Norfolk. And there is no doubt that this is one of the best cities of its size in northern Europe. Living in Ipswich as I do, I hear plenty of grumbles about Norwich; but really, although the two places have roughly the same population, Ipswich cannot even begin to compare with regard to its townscape. The only features which the capital of Suffolk can claim to hold above its beautiful northern neighbour are a large central park (Norwich's Chapelfield gardens is not a patch on Ipswich's Christchurch Park) and a large body of water in the heart of the town, perhaps Ipswich's most endearing feature and greatest saving grace.

But Norwich has everything else - to continue Pevsner's eulogy, a cathedral, a castle on a mound right in the middle, walls and towers, a medieval centre with winding streets and alleys, thirty-five medieval parish churches and a river with steamships. It even has hills...

 

I think it would be possible to visit Norwich and not even know this cathedral was there. The centre of the city is dominated by the castle, and the most familiar feature to visitors is the great market square widened by the clearances of the 1930s, and the fine City Hall built at that time which towers above it. In comparison, Norwich Cathedral sits down in a dip beside the river, walled in by its close, and is visible best from outside the city walls, especially from the east on the riverside, and to the north from Mousehold Heath. If you arrive by road from the south or west, you may not even catch a glimpse of it. The great spire is hidden by those winding streets and alleys, and many of the city's churches are more visible, especially St Giles, St Peter Mancroft in the Market Place, and the vast Catholic Cathedral of St John the Baptist, on Grapes Hill. It is said that the nave floor of St John the Baptist is at the same height above sea level as the top of the crossing of the Anglican cathedral.

 

With the possible exception of Lincoln Cathedral, I think that Norwich Cathedral is my favourite cathedral in all England. Call this East of England chauvinism if you like, But Norwich Cathedral has everything you could possible want from a great medieval building. But there is more to it than that. It is also one of the most welcoming cathedrals in England. There is no charge for admission, and they positively encourage you to wander around through the daily business of the cathedral, in the continental manner. No boards saying Silence Please - Service in Progress here. Because of this, the Cathedral becomes an act of witness in itself, and you step into what feels like it probably really is the house of God on Earth. They even used to say the Lord's Prayer over the PA system once an hour, and invite you to stop and join in - I wish they'd go back to doing that. The three pounds you pay for a photography permit must be one of the bargains of the century so far.

 

Norwich Cathedral is unusual, in that this is the original building. It has been augmented over the centuries of course, but this is still essentially the very first cathedral on this site. This is because the see was only moved to Norwich after the Norman invasion. The Normans saw the wisdom of drawing together ecclesiastical and civil power, and one way in which this might be achieved was by siting the cathedrals in the hearts of important towns. At the time of the conquest, Bishop Herfast had his seat at Thetford, and it was decided to move the see to Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk. It had moved several times during the previous four centuries, from Walton in Suffolk to North Elmham in Norfolk before Thetford, where the first proper but simple stone building had been raised. But as well as an eye for efficient administration, the Normans brought the idea that Cathedrals should be glorified; already, vast edifices were being raised in Durham, London and Ely. and Bury St Edmunds, with its famous Abbey, was the obvious place for the Diocese of East Anglia to sit.

 

However, such a move would have removed the Abbey's independent direct line with Rome, and placed it under the jurisdiction of the Province of Canterbury. The Abbey community was determined that this would not happen, and Abbot Baldwin sent representations to the Pope that ensured the survival of St Edmundsbury Abbey's independence. Bishop Herfast would not be allowed to glorify his position in East Anglia in the way his colleagues were doing elsewhere. But his successor, Herbert de Losinga, was more determined - and, perhaps, steeled by his conscience. A Norman, he had bought the Bishopric from the King in 1091, an act of simony that required penance. Building a great cathedral could be seen as that act of penance. But where? Bury was a lost cause; instead, he chose to move the see to a thriving market town in the north-east of his Diocese; a smaller, more remote place than Bury, to be sure, but proximity to the Abbey of St Edmund was perhaps not such a good thing anyway. It tended to cast a rather heavy shadow. And so it was that the great medieval cathedral of the East Anglian bishops came to be built, instead, at Norwich.

 

Work began in 1094, and seems to have been complete by 1145. It is one of the great Romanesque buildings of northern Europe, its special character a result of responses to fires and collapses over the course of the next few centuries. At the Reformation in the sixteenth century, it became a protestant cathedral of the new Church of England, losing its role as a setting for ancient sacraments and devotions, but being maintained as the administrative seat of a Diocese which covered all of Norfolk and Suffolk, and the ceremonial church of its great city. In the 19th Century, the western part of the Norwich Diocese was transferred into that of Ely, and at the start of the 20th Century the southern parishes became part of the new Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich. Today, the Diocese of Norwich consists of north, south and east Norfolk, and the north-eastern tip of Suffolk.

 

The absence of this great church from the Norfolk Churches site has long been the elephant in the room, so to speak. And having it here at last is, I feel, a mark of how things have changed. When I first started the Norfolk and Suffolk sites back in 1999, I did not have a decent camera, and the earliest entries did not have any photographs at all. How the wheel has turned. Now, the photographs have become the sites, and with no apologies I don't intend to make this a wordy entry.

 

The perfection of Norwich is of distant views, the cloisters, and the interior. The exterior is hemmed in, and the most familiar part of the building, the west front, is a poor thing, the victim of barbarous restorations in the 18th and 19th centuries. It is almost a surprise to step through its mundanity into the soaring glory of the nave. Above, the famous vaulting is home to one of the largest collections of medieval bosses in the world. There are more in the beautiful cloisters.

 

The view to the east is of the great organ, looking very 17th Century but actually the work of Stephen Dykes Bower in the 1950s. Beyond is the intimacy of the quire and ambulatory with its radial chapels, the best of which is St Luke's chapel, containing the Despenser retable. Bishop Despenser is one of history's villains, putting down the Peasants Revolt in East Anglia with some enthusiasm. It is likely that this retable was made for the cathedral's high altar, possibly even to give thanks for the end of the Revolt. It was discovered upside down in use as a table in the 1840s. This chapel is, unusually, also a parish church; the parish of St Mary in the Marsh, the church of which was demolished at the Reformation, moved into the cathedral. They brought their seven sacrament font with them, and here it remains.

 

In the ambulatory there are many traces of medieval paint, almost certainly from the original building of the Cathedral. Two curiosities: at the back of the apse is the original Bishop's chair, and rising across the north side of the ambulatory like a bridge is a relic screen.

 

There is a good range of glass dating from the 14th to the 21st centuries. Highlights include the medieval panels in the north side of the ambulatory, Edward Burne-Jones's bold figures in the north transept, Moira Forsyth's spectacular Benedictine window of 1964 in a south chapel, and the millennium glass high in the north transept, which I think will in time become one of the defining features of the Cathedral. The figure of the Blessed Virgin with the Christ Child seated on her lap is the work of Norfolk-based artist John Hayward, who died recently, but the glass above is Hayward's reworking of Keith New's 1960s glass for St Stephen Walbrook in London, removed from there in the 1980s, and now reset here. Towards the west end of the nave are two sets of Stuart royal arms in glass, a rare survival.

 

I grew up in a city some sixty miles away from Norwich, but I didn't come here until I was in my mid-teens. I remember wandering around this building and being blown away by it, and I still get that feeling today. There is always something new to find here. My favourite time here is first thing in the morning on a winter Saturday. Often, I can be the only visitor, which only increases the awe. Another time I like to be here in winter is on a Saturday afternoon for choral evensong. Perhaps best of all, though, is to wander and wonder in the cloisters on a bright sunny day, gazing at fabulous bosses almost within arm's reach.

Several English cathedrals have good closes, but Norwich's is the only one in a major city, I think. It creates the sense of an ecclesiastical village at the heart of the city; and then, beyond, the lanes and alleys spread out, still hanging on despite German bombing and asinine redevelopment. And now I think perhaps it is part of the beauty of this building that it is tucked away by the river, a place to seek out and explore. Norwich has everything, says Pevsner. But really, I think this is the very best thing of all.

 

www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/norwichcathedral/norwichcathedr...

The most magnificent of monumental buildings were built in Shakhrisabz in the time of the Temurids is Ak-Saray Palace. Its fantastic ruins can be seen from afar and make a deep impression. Amir Temur meant to make Shakhrisabz the second capital of his empire, no less sumptuous than Shakhrisabz. The construction of the palace was started in 1380 and lasted more than 25 years. It is known that architects and handicraftsmen from Khorezm, shortly before subjugated by Temur, took part in the construction of the palace. Several legends are connected with the history of this grandiose structure. As one of them says, some gold sand was put into the clay intended for making the first bricks for the royal structure.

 

The construction works were carried out on a ‘kingly scale’ indeed. The great ruler begrudged no money. His buildings were supposed to be the biggest and the very best in the world. It was not without purpose that on the portal of his palace there was made an inscription that says: “Those who doubt my power and munificence should look at my buildings” On the basis of descriptions made by Temur’s contemporaries, as well as archeological research materials, the scientists managed to reconstruct the layout and artistic design of the palace. Though “Ak-Saray” means “White Palace” in Uzbek, in the context of a name for a palace the word ‘white’ can be interpreted as “ noble, regal”. What amazes a visitor first is the magnitude of the building. The inner courtyard alone was 250 metres in length and 125 metres in width. The height of the main portal crowned with arched battlement, was 70 metres – the size of a 20-storey building. Corner towers were no less than 80 metres high whereas the entrance arch span exceeded 22 metres.

The palace took on several functions: it was the place for recreation and entertainment of the royal family, as well as administration building for running state affairs. On the axis of the courtyard there were domed quarters for holding sessions of divan – council of state. The smaller halls on both sides were used for sessions of royal advisers – tavajibeks and divanbeks. The palace also accommodated richly decorated and sumptuously finished premises for harem. In front of the harem premises there was laid out a shady garden with pools faced with patterned tiles. One of the pools was intended for holy fish. The pools were fed by the water flowing in the lead conduit from the nearby mountains.

 

The resplendent exterior decoration covering the walls and domes of the Ak-Saray palace still arouses admiration. Large scale geometrical ornamental patterns on its facades are made of dark and light blue glazed bricks. Glittering against the polished brick background they impart a particular picturesqueness and grandeur to the building. The portal niche is decorated with elegant mosaics and carved majolica as well as quotations from Koran executed in sulus script. The walls of the palace, as well as the palace square, were decorated with tiled mosaics presenting combination of blue, green, yellow, and red colours. The colossal corner tower was girdled by a dictum made in Kufic script: “Sultan is the shadow of Allah”. Among the decorative tiles one can find the inscription with the name of the craftsman Makhmud Yusuf Tebrizi and the date the decorative works were completed – 798 (1395).

 

At the end of the 16th century Shakhrisabz rebelled against the rule of Sheibanid dynasty. After the siege of the disobedient city, Abdullakhan II ordered to destroy Ak-Saray as well as other Timurid’s constructions. In the 1760s the ruins of Amir Temur’s palace were within the residential quarters of Shakhrisabz bek. At that time Ak-Saray portal decorated the inner courtyard of the residence with its throne hall and treasury. The territory of former royal gardens and pools was build up with so called Tashkari – backyard with premises for bodyguards, servants and sentry. By the eastern entrance to Ak-Saray palace there was arranged Gun Yard – tupkhona. Only huge abutments of portal arch have survived, yet until now these remains of the former splendeur symbolize the might of Amir Temur’s state.

 

As most of you know, I've FINALLY finished setting up my newly refurbished Dolly Room, so here is a video of the grand tour! (Yes, a longer video than usual from me.) Thanks for watching and please like, comment, share and subscribe, if you haven’t already! Here's the link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNtL6nUilsc

Most folks think that the Harvest Moon only happens in September. In the Northern Hemisphere, the harvest moon is the closest full moon to the fall equinox, which usually happens on or around September 22. That means the harvest moon usually occurs in September. But this year, the September full moon appeared on the 6th, separating it from the fall equinox by 16 days. The October 5 full moon arrives only 13 days after the fall equinox, making it the closer pairing.

 

Since we have an evening forecast here of Thunderstorms I will post this image which was taken on October 3rd, 2009, the last time we had a Harvest Moon in October.

 

Most of what I wanted to do this weekend failed to work. I went to Cefn Ila on Saturday and was trapped in the car by an enormous downpour, with a prolonged spell of hail thrown in. I resorted to taking pictures in the car out of frustration, including this selfie in the mirror of the sun visor.

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago

 

Chicago, officially the City of Chicago, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and the third-most-populous city in the United States. With an estimated population of 2,705,994 (2018), it is also the most populous city in the Midwestern United States. Chicago is the county seat of Cook County, the second-most-populous county in the US, with a small portion of the northwest side of the city extending into DuPage County near O'Hare Airport. Chicago is the principal city of the Chicago metropolitan area, often referred to as Chicagoland. At nearly 10 million people, the metropolitan area is the third most populous in the United States.

 

Located on the shores of freshwater Lake Michigan, Chicago was incorporated as a city in 1837 near a portage between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River watershed and grew rapidly in the mid-19th century. After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which destroyed several square miles and left more than 100,000 homeless, the city made a concerted effort to rebuild. The construction boom accelerated population growth throughout the following decades, and by 1900, less than 30 years after the great fire, Chicago was the fifth-largest city in the world. Chicago made noted contributions to urban planning and zoning standards, including new construction styles (including the Chicago School of architecture), the development of the City Beautiful Movement, and the steel-framed skyscraper.

 

Chicago is an international hub for finance, culture, commerce, industry, education, technology, telecommunications, and transportation. It is the site of the creation of the first standardized futures contracts, issued by the Chicago Board of Trade, which today is the largest and most diverse derivatives market in the world, generating 20% of all volume in commodities and financial futures alone. Depending on the particular year, the city's O'Hare International Airport is routinely ranked as the world's fifth or sixth busiest airport according to tracked data by the Airports Council International. The region also has the largest number of federal highways and is the nation's railroad hub. Chicago was listed as an alpha global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network, and it ranked seventh in the entire world in the 2017 Global Cities Index. The Chicago area has one of the highest gross domestic products (GDP) in the world, generating $689 billion in 2018. In addition, the city has one of the world's most diversified and balanced economies, with no single industry employing more than 14% of the workforce. Chicago is home to several Fortune 500 companies, including Allstate, Boeing, Caterpillar, Exelon, Kraft Heinz, McDonald's, Mondelez International, Sears, United Airlines Holdings, and Walgreens.

 

Chicago's 58 million domestic and international visitors in 2018 made it the second most visited city in the nation, as compared with New York City's 65 million visitors in 2018. The city was ranked first in the 2018 Time Out City Life Index, a global quality of life survey of 15,000 people in 32 cities. Landmarks in the city include Millennium Park, Navy Pier, the Magnificent Mile, the Art Institute of Chicago, Museum Campus, the Willis (Sears) Tower, Grant Park, the Museum of Science and Industry, and Lincoln Park Zoo. Chicago's culture includes the visual arts, literature, film, theatre, comedy (especially improvisational comedy), food, and music, particularly jazz, blues, soul, hip-hop, gospel, and electronic dance music including house music. Of the area's many colleges and universities, the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, and the University of Illinois at Chicago are classified as "highest research" doctoral universities. Chicago has professional sports teams in each of the major professional leagues, including two Major League Baseball teams.

 

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hancock_Center

 

875 North Michigan Avenue, formerly the John Hancock Center, is a 100-story, 1,128-foot supertall skyscraper located in Chicago, Illinois. Located in the Magnificent Mile district, its name was changed to 875 North Michigan Avenue on February 12, 2018.

 

It was constructed under the supervision of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, with Peruvian-American chief designer Bruce Graham and Bangladeshi structural engineer Fazlur Rahman Khan. When the building topped out on May 6, 1968, it was the second-tallest building in the world and the tallest outside New York City. It is currently the fourth-tallest building in Chicago and the ninth-tallest in the United States, after One World Trade Center, the Willis Tower, 432 Park Avenue, the Trump Tower Chicago, the Empire State Building, the Bank of America Tower, 30 Hudson Yards and the Aon Center. When measured to the top of its antenna masts, it stands at 1,500 feet (457 m). The building is home to several offices and restaurants, as well as about 700 condominiums. It also contains the third-highest residence in the world, after the Burj Khalifa in Dubai and the Trump Tower in Chicago. The building was named for John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company, a developer and original tenant of the building. In 2018, John Hancock Insurance requested that its name be removed and the owner is seeking another naming rights deal.

 

From the 95th floor restaurant, diners can look out at Chicago and Lake Michigan. The observatory (360 Chicago), which competes with the Willis Tower's Skydeck, has a 360° view of the city, up to four states, and a distance of over 80 miles (130 km). 360 Chicago is home to TILT, a moving platform that leans visitors over the edge of the skyscraper to a 30-degree angle, a full bar with local selections, Chicago's only open-air SkyWalk, and also features free interactive high definition touch screens in six languages. The 44th-floor sky lobby features America's highest indoor swimming pool.

The most beautiful women in TV and Movie History now become Barbie Collector Dolls created by acclaimed re-paint Artist Donna Brinkley.

 

Kate Jackson (born October 29, 1948) is an American actress, director, and producer, perhaps best known for her role as Sabrina Duncan in the popular 1970s television series Charlie's Angels. Jackson is a three-time Emmy Award nominee in the Best Actress category, has been nominated for several Golden Globe Awards, and has won the titles of Favorite Television Actress in England, and Favorite Television Star in Germany—several times—for her work in the television series Scarecrow and Mrs. King. She co-produced that series through her production company, Shoot the Moon Enterprises Ltd., with Warner Brothers Television. Jackson has starred in a number of theatrical and TV films, and played the lead role on the short-lived television adaptation of the film Baby Boom.

 

Lucy Kate Jackson was born in Birmingham, Alabama, the daughter of Ruth (née Shepherd) and Hogan Jackson, a business executive. She attended The Brooke Hill School for Girls and then went on to the University of Mississippi, where she was a member of the Delta Rho chapter of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, but during her sophomore year at the University of Mississippi, she moved to New York City to study acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

 

Jackson worked as an NBC page at the network's Rockefeller Center studios and did summer stock in Vermont before landing a small role as the mysterious, silent ghost Daphne Harridge on the 1960s supernatural daytime quasi-soap opera Dark Shadows. In 1971, Jackson had a starring role as Tracy Collins in Night of Dark Shadows, the second feature film based on the daytime serial. She was joined by her Dark Shadows castmates Lara Parker, David Selby, Grayson Hall, Nancy Barrett, John Karlen, and Thayer David. This movie was more loosely based on the series than House of Dark Shadows was, and it did not fare as well at the box office as the first film did. The same year, she worked with James Stewart in two episodes of the short-lived sitcom, The Jimmy Stewart Show.

 

She then appeared as nurse Jill Danko, wife of a character played by Sam Melville, for four seasons on the 1970s crime drama The Rookies. A supporting cast member, Jackson filled her free time by studying directing and editing. She also appeared in several TV films during this period. Jackson's performance was well received in the 1972 independent film Limbo, one of the first theatrical films to address the Vietnam War and the wives of soldiers who were POWs, MIA or killed in action (KIA).[6] She also appeared in an all-star ensemble cast in Death Scream, a 1975 television dramatization of the circumstances surrounding a real-life 1964 murder as reported in a sensational article in the New York Times.

  

In 1975, she met with Rookies producers Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg to discuss her contractual obligation to star in another television series for Spelling/Goldberg Productions upon that show's cancellation. Goldberg told her of a series that was available—because every network has passed on it. The Alley Cats. Spelling said that when he told Jackson the title of the series had to be changed and asked her what she would like to call it, she replied, Charlie's Angels, pointing to a picture of three female angels on the wall behind Spelling.

 

At the beginning of the third season of Charlie's Angels, Jackson was offered the Meryl Streep role in the feature film Kramer vs Kramer (1979), but was forced to turn it down because Spelling told her that they were unable to rearrange the hit show's shooting schedule to give her time off to do the film. At the end of the third season, Jackson left the show saying, I served it well and it served me well, now it's time to go.

 

In 1982, Jackson starred opposite her Rookies co-star, Michael Ontkean, and Harry Hamlin in the feature film Making Love, directed by Arthur Hiller. It was a movie some considered to be ahead of its time, and attempted to deal sensitively with the issue of homosexuality. However, it received tepid reviews and did poorly at the box office.

 

Jackson made what was for the time a whopping $6,000,000 deal with CBS to star in a comedy series. She elected instead to accept the starring role in Scarecrow and Mrs. King, a one-hour action drama in which she played housewife Amanda King opposite Bruce Boxleitner's spy, code-named Scarecrow. Jackson also co-produced the series with Warner Brothers Television through her production company, Shoot the Moon Enterprises. It was during this series that she developed a keen interest in directing. When asked on the set one afternoon What do you do tomorrow? Jackson replied, I don't work, I just direct. Scarecrow and Mrs. King was on the air from 1983–1987, The series was strong enough in the ratings that it beat its NBC competition, Boone.

 

During filming of the show's fourth season, in January 1987, Jackson elected to receive a mammogram for the first time, a test which led to the diagnosis of a small malignant tumor. This time, her series' producer—the only person she told about the diagnosis—worked with her to reschedule her work on the show. Checking into a hospital under an alias, her course of action was to undergo a lumpectomy. Jackson returned to the series a week later, working with the aid of painkillers through five weeks of radiation treatments.

 

Receiving a clean bill of health Jackson followed up the cancelled Scarecrow and Mrs. King by taking on the main role in Baby Boom, a 1988 TV sitcom version of the original movie starring Diane Keaton, but it lasted only one season.

 

In 1989, she starred in the film Loverboy playing Patrick Dempsey's mother. She had taken the job in order to work with the director, Joan Micklin Silver, having admired the work Silver had done on the film Hester Street.

 

In September 1989, another mammogram indicated residual breast cancer which the previous operation had missed. This time the course of action was a partial mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. “The range of emotions you go through is amazing”, she says. “But I made a conscious decision to be positive.” Jaclyn Smith cancelled a trip to New York City, meeting Jackson at her doctor’s office before she checked into the hospital. “I’d been crying before I got there,” says Smith. “Then I saw Kate, and she had a smile on her face. She said, 'We've gotten through other things, like divorces, and we'll get through this.' And we did.” When Jackson awoke after surgery, “The first thing I heard was good news. My lymph nodes were clean.” Back at home she read medical journals, switched to a macrobiotic diet and came to terms with her reconstructive surgery. “I'm never going to have the perfect body”, she says. “I'm not into facelifts and lip poufs. But I can wear a strapless evening gown, a bustier or whatever is required for a part.”

 

Jackson starred in several TV movies over the next several years, while working for breast cancer awareness. In 1995, on the heels of a night filming schedule on location, she checked herself into an Alabama hospital for tests due to a feeling of malaise and an inability to sleep. After several tests, Dr. Gerald Pohost, now head of cardiology at U.S.C., diagnosed that Jackson had been born with an atrial septal defect, a tiny hole in her heart which had previously gone undetected despite Jackson's active lifestyle. She underwent open heart surgery to correct the defect, although as cardiologist Dr. P. K. Shah related in a February 3, 2006, appearance with Jackson on Larry King Live, the current treatment no longer involves surgery.

 

She has appeared in TV movies and has made numerous guest appearances on TV. She dialed down her professional pursuits when her son, Charles Taylor Jackson, was adopted in 1995. She stated at the time, I don't see how I can go about a directing career and be a good mom at the same time. And if I'm not a good mom, I don't think it matters much what else I do well.

 

She has dedicated herself to speaking out on the subjects of breast cancer and heart health and in 2003, was awarded the Power of Love award by the American Heart Association for her work.

 

In 2004, the television film Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Charlie's Angels aired, with actress Lauren Stamile portraying Jackson. In August 2006, Jackson, Farrah Fawcett and Jaclyn Smith, the three original Angels, appeared together in a surprise appearance at the Emmy Awards in a tribute to the recently-deceased Spelling at the Shrine Auditorium.

 

Jackson played Elizabeth Prentiss, the mother of FBI Agent Emily Prentiss (played by Paget Brewster) on Criminal Minds. In August 2008, she was a guest judge on an episode of Jaclyn Smith's Bravo reality series Shear Genius, presiding over a hairdressing competition to update the original trio's signature hairdos.

 

On August 3, 2010, it was announced that Jackson would be writing a memoir, to be published by Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon and Schuster. Titled The Smart One, the book was originally scheduled be released on October 11, 2011 but has since been delayed to April 1st, 2014.

most of my summer

Smoked turkey & sweet potato hash with two eggs sunny-side-up, a fresh baked biscuit with preserves and tea. Incredible. At the Northstar Cafe in Columbus Ohio.

I had a most remarkable experience yesterday, both as a photographer, and as a human being.

 

I first met this vixen a few days ago. She lives in a small ravine near a bunch of garbage dumpsters. She is the mother of 3 kits, maybe 4.

 

One of my photography students, Richard, turned me on to her. I got a few okay shots the first time I visited her, but I decided to visit again today (yesterday).

 

I am so glad I did.

 

I arrived with another student in tow, Denise. Richard arrived a bit later. But no sign of foxes, mother or babies. So, I gave Denise and Richard some tutoring in macro work.

 

We were about to pack it in when we noticed the mother fox off in the distance. We became instantly alarmed because she was on the other side of a major city street, and she was trying to cross. We held our breaths.

 

Why the concern? This little vixen is crippled. Damage to her front paw makes her run-hop on three legs. She made it across the road, but only after half a dozen cars slowed for her.

 

We breathed sighs of relief and raised our cameras. As she moved into zoom range, we snapped. But instead of continuing on to her den, she turned, and ran back across the street, and into the woods.

 

We decided it was time to leave and packed up. Richard returned to work, but Denise and I lingered.

 

I was photographing an old No Trespassing sign hung on the wire fence just up from the fox den. That’s when movement off to my right caught my eye. The vixen had returned, and she was run-hopping straight to us.

 

I motioned to Denise, and we both settled down, cameras ready. I began to fire the shutter. And the strangest thing happened.

 

The vixen moved closer and closer to us, and then she stopped, not more than a few feet away, and gazed into my eyes. She was so close, that my zoom was useless. I lowered my camera and returned her stare. And something passed between us. My imagination? Sure. But something was passed between us, and something was understood. I know this because of what happened next.

 

She ran-hopped down the hillside in front of us, and in seconds she came back up. But she was not alone. She had brought three roly-poly kits with her.

 

The kits, upon catching a glimpse of us up so close, immediately turned and high-tailed it back down the hill. But the mother fox sort of motioned them back up. They came up, caught sight of us, lingered a moment, and ran down again.

 

They continued this behavior, but each time they remained up longer. The fifth time, they decided we were no threat, and they stayed, and even ventured closer to us, but the sound of the shutter made them nervous. And they stopped dead in their tracks, about 10 feet from us.

 

Denise and I suppressed squeals of surprise and delight, and continued to shoot. And then we watched nature unfold before us.

 

The mother fox began to nurse them. She closed her eyes as though in ecstasy (having nursed babies, I could relate). The babies ran, and tumbled, and nursed, and nipped at each other, and their mother. One even took a pee. Denise and I could do nothing more than watch in awe. We didn’t move. We didn’t speak. We just watched in silence, except for the click of our shutters.

 

I truly believe this majestic, courageous mother fox sensed that she was in the presence of two other mothers, who meant her and her babies no harm. I believe she brought her babies up to meet us. Unafraid. Trusting. Sharing. An act I will hold dear in my heart, forever.

 

Alice (for that is what I have named her, since I found her while down my rabbit hole), looks to be a wonderful mother, in spite of her afflicted paw.

 

Bird feathers litter the ground on the hillside, attesting to the fact that she is able to capture and kill prey. And the health and bounce of the kits, their bright eyes, and their chubby bodies attest to the fact that they are being well cared for.

 

In spite of the obstacles that life has handed her, Alice, has found a way. In spite of a damaged leg, heavy traffic, and a sprawling city that has encroached upon her habitat, she has survived.

 

But I suspect that her days may be numbered. And I don’t want to see the day that she takes those kits across the road.

 

When I got home, I called the zoo, the wildlife protection people, and finally our province’s Fish and Wildlife division. I discovered that there is nothing anyone can do, or will do so long as that fearless vixen continues to show she is able to care for her babies.

 

A very nice wildlife officer indicated that the only way they’ll interfere is if something happens to Alice, and the kits are abandoned. Otherwise, they will leave well enough alone. So, I was asked to keep tabs on her. But, of course!

 

Here’s to a little red fox named, Alice. To her amazing fortitude. Her strength. Her devotion. And for the tender moment she chose to share with two human mothers.

 

And thank you to a God who made moments like this possible. For loving his children so much, especially the ones carrying cameras.

 

I trust you enjoy this encounter, too.

 

Blessings,

Sheree

We spent our most recent girls' trip at The Hen House in Townsend, TN. Laughter and good times filled the house as we remembered past experiences and made new memories! Cheers to Mama! She brings our busy lives together like no one else can!

 

Textures by SkeletalMess

The château of Chambord is one of the most unique constructions left to us by the Renaissance. Its architecture is a carefully balanced blend of traditional elements of Medieval French architecture and other elements borrowed from the Italian Renaissance. The massive keep, enclosed by four towers with their corbelled walkway and the rampart path are so similar to medieval fortresses. Similarly, the walls, moats and gothic look of the rooftop constructions. But the central placement of the keep, the position of the double helix staircase, the geometric lightness of the facades and their decoration, the symmetry of the buildings, how openings are included to provide a flow through the building and the presence of vaulted ceilings on the second storey are the many innovative parts of the chateau that make the monument unique.

With its dual inspiration, the château was the perfect instrument to sing the praises of the king and the perfect reflection of the personality of the man who had it built – a knightly king, heir to French traditions but at the same time a modern man who was fascinated by culture and the arts, inspired by the greatest artists of his time.

www.chambord.org/en/decouvrir-chambord/the-chateau/throug...

 

The mystery of the architect and the shadow of Leonardo da Vinci

 

The château of Chambord is an exceptional architectural creation that draws its inspiration from the French tradition as much as from the new ideas of the Italian Renaissance. The genius behind the project remains a mystery. Some art historians attribute it to an Italian while others maintain that it is a purely French creation and still others say it is a result of collaboration between artists from the two lands. At the beginning of the 20th century, the name of Leonardo da Vinci was first put forward. While the multi-talented genius may have had a hand in the initial design of the keep, his death in 1519 means he could not have directed any of the construction. However, the central placement of the keep, the presence of the double helix staircase, latrines with a double tank system and air vents or the water-tightness of the terraces are many hints that mean he could have been the inspiration behind François I’s masterpiece.

www.chambord.org/en/decouvrir-chambord/the-chateau/throug...

 

Most Wolności (Szabadság híd), widok z Góry Gellerta (Gellért-hegy), Budapeszt, 14 lipca 2010 r.

**

Liberty Bridge (Szabadság híd), view from the Gellért Hill (Gellért-hegy), Budapest, July 14, 2010

Unfortunately neither a new casting nor new derivative to be included in one of the brand new Majorette five vehicle sets now appearing at ASDA but one which does highlight their ability to produce good quality diecasts at pocket money prices. At the equivalent of 2.00 each this Mercedes-Benz Zetros is cheaper than most basic Mainline Hot Wheels yet offers a lot of detailing and working features.

Mint and boxed.

most used material:

cardboard

two marker pens

two safety pins

few aluminum cans

super glue

Most of the musical performers. They appeared on stage at various times for the different acts but not all together. This was part of the closing act where the different performers come out for a final bow.

 

For a shot taken on my iPhone 7, this looks damned decent!

Amsterdam is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands. Its status as the Dutch capital is mandated by the Constitution of the Netherlands, although Amsterdam is not the seat of the Dutch government which is The Hague. Amsterdam has a population of 802,938 within city limits, 1,560,414 in the urban region and 2,332,839 in the greater metropolitan area. The city is located in the province of North Holland in the west of the country. It comprises much of the northern part of the Randstad, one of the larger conurbations in Europe, with a population of approximately 7 million.

 

Amsterdam's name derives from Amstelredamme, indicative of the city's origin: a dam in the river Amstel. Originating as a small fishing village in the late 12th century, Amsterdam became one of the most important ports in the world during the Dutch Golden Age, a result of its innovative developments in trade. During that time, the city was the leading center for finance and diamonds. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the city expanded, and many new neighborhoods and suburbs were planned and built. The 17th-century canals of Amsterdam and the 19–20th century Defence Line of Amsterdam are on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

 

As the commercial capital of the Netherlands and one of the top financial centres in Europe, Amsterdam is considered an alpha world city by the Globalization and World Cities (GaWC) study group. The city is also the cultural capital of the Netherlands.] Many large Dutch institutions have their headquarters there, and 7 of the world's top 500 companies, including Philips and ING, are based in the city. In 2012, Amsterdam was ranked 2nd best city to live by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) and 12th globally on quality of living by Mercer. The city was previously ranked 3rd in innovation by 2thinknow in the Innovation Cities Index 2009.

 

The Amsterdam Stock Exchange, the oldest stock exchange in the world, is located in the city center. Amsterdam's main attractions, including its historic canals, the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, Stedelijk Museum, Hermitage Amsterdam, Anne Frank House, Amsterdam Museum, its red-light district, and its many cannabis coffee shops draw more than 3.66 million international visitors annually.

 

The earliest recorded use of the name "Amsterdam" is from a certificate dated 27 October 1275, when the inhabitants, who had built a bridge with a dam across the Amstel, were exempted from paying a bridge toll by Count Floris V. The certificate describes the inhabitants as homines manentes apud Amestelledamme (people living near Amestelledamme). By 1327, the name had developed into Aemsterdam

 

Amsterdam's founding is relatively recent compared with much older Dutch cities such as Nijmegen, Rotterdam, and Utrecht. In October 2008, historical geographer Chris de Bont suggested that the land around Amsterdam was being reclaimed as early as the late 10th century. This does not necessarily mean that there was already a settlement then since reclamation of land may not have been for farming—it may have been for peat, used as fuel.

 

Amsterdam was granted city rights in either 1300 or 1306. From the 14th century on, Amsterdam flourished, largely because of trade with the Hanseatic League. In 1345, an alleged Eucharistic miracle in the Kalverstraat rendered the city an important place of pilgrimage until the adoption of the Protestant faith. The Stille Omgang—a silent procession in civil attire—is today a remnant of the rich pilgrimage history

 

In the 16th century, the Dutch rebelled against Philip II of Spain and his successors. The main reasons for the uprising were the imposition of new taxes, the tenth penny, and the religious persecution of Protestants by the Spanish Inquisition. The revolt escalated into the Eighty Years' War, which ultimately led to Dutch independence. Strongly pushed by Dutch Revolt leader William the Silent, the Dutch Republic became known for its relative religious tolerance. Jews from the Iberian Peninsula, Huguenots from France, prosperous merchants and printers from Flanders, and economic and religious refugees from the Spanish-controlled parts of the Low Countries found safety in Amsterdam. The influx of Flemish printers and the city's intellectual tolerance made Amsterdam a centre for the European free press

 

The 17th century is considered Amsterdam's Golden Age, during which it became the wealthiest city in the world. Ships sailed from Amsterdam to the Baltic Sea, North America, and Africa, as well as present-day Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, and Brazil, forming the basis of a worldwide trading network. Amsterdam's merchants had the largest share in both the Dutch East India Company and the Dutch West India Company. These companies acquired overseas possessions that later became Dutch colonies. Amsterdam was Europe's most important point for the shipment of goods and was the leading Financial Centre of the world. In 1602, the Amsterdam office of the Dutch East India Company became the world's first stock exchange by trading in its own shares.

 

Amsterdam lost over 10% of its population to plague in 1623–1625, and again in 1635–1636, 1655, and 1664. Nevertheless, the population of Amsterdam rose in the 17th century (largely through immigration) from 50,000 to 200,000

 

Amsterdam's prosperity declined during the 18th and early 19th centuries. The wars of the Dutch Republic with England and France took their toll on Amsterdam. During the Napoleonic Wars, Amsterdam's significance reached its lowest point, with Holland being absorbed into the French Empire. However, the later establishment of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1815 marked a turning point.

 

The end of the 19th century is sometimes called Amsterdam's second Golden Age. New museums, a train station, and the Concertgebouw were built; in this same time, the Industrial Revolution reached the city. The Amsterdam-Rhine Canal was dug to give Amsterdam a direct connection to the Rhine, and the North Sea Canal was dug to give the port a shorter connection to the North Sea. Both projects dramatically improved commerce with the rest of Europe and the world. In 1906, Joseph Conrad gave a brief description of Amsterdam as seen from the seaside, in The Mirror of the Sea.

 

Shortly before the First World War, the city began expanding, and new suburbs were built. Even though the Netherlands remained neutral in this war, Amsterdam suffered a food shortage, and heating fuel became scarce. The shortages sparked riots in which several people were killed. These riots are known as the Aardappeloproer (Potato rebellion). People started looting stores and warehouses in order to get supplies, mainly food.

 

Germany invaded the Netherlands on 10 May 1940 and took control of the country. Some Amsterdam citizens sheltered Jews, thereby exposing themselves and their families to the high risk of being imprisoned or sent to concentration camps. More than 100,000 Dutch Jews were deported to Nazi concentration camps of which some 60.000 lived in Amsterdam. Perhaps the most famous deportee was the young Jewish girl Anne Frank, who died in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. At the end of the Second World War, communication with the rest of the country broke down, and food and fuel became scarce. Many citizens traveled to the countryside to forage. Dogs, cats, raw sugar beets, and Tulip bulbs—cooked to a pulp—were consumed to stay alive. Most of the trees in Amsterdam were cut down for fuel, and all the wood was taken from the apartments of deported Jews.

 

The (reconstructed) bookcase that covered the entrance to the "Secret Annex" where Anne Frank hid from Germans occupying Amsterdam during World War II.

Many new suburbs, such as Osdorp, Slotervaart, Slotermeer, and Geuzenveld, were built in the years after the Second World War These suburbs contained many public parks and wide, open spaces, and the new buildings provided improved housing conditions with larger and brighter rooms, gardens, and balconies. Because of the war and other incidents of the 20th century, almost the entire city centre had fallen into disrepair. As society was changing, politicians and other influential figures made plans to redesign large parts of it. There was an increasing demand for office buildings and new roads as the automobile became available to most common people. A metro started operating in 1977 between the new suburb of Bijlmer and the centre of Amsterdam. Further plans were to build a new highway above the metro to connect the Central Station and city centre with other parts of the city.

 

The incorporated large-scale demolitions began in Amsterdam's formerly Jewish neighbourhood. Smaller streets, such as the Jodenbreestraat, were widened and saw almost all of their houses demolished. During the destruction's peak, the Nieuwmarktrellen (Nieuwmarkt riots) broke out, where people expressed their fury about the demolition caused by the restructuring of the city.

 

As a result, the demolition was stopped, and the highway was never built, with only the metro being finished. Only a few streets remained widened. The new city hall was built on the almost completely demolished Waterlooplein. Meanwhile, large private organisations, such as Stadsherstel Amsterdam, were founded with the aim of restoring the entire city centre. Although the success of this struggle is visible today, efforts for further restoration are still ongoing The entire city centre has reattained its former splendor and, as a whole, is now a protected area. Many of its buildings have become monuments, and in July 2010 the Grachtengordel (Herengracht, Keizersgracht, and Prinsengracht) was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List

 

Mostar: Ciudad medioeval a orillas del río Neretva, declarada Patrimonio de la Humanidad por Unesco

Mostar, Bosnia y Herzegovina

Most likely gone by now

3 of 2015's Most Googled Celebrity Haircuts

 

One of the many nuggets of wisdom the folks at Google were able to drop on the Internet this week with the release of their 2015 Beauty Trends Report was that men are now using the Internet more than women to search for hairstyle advice. But...

 

tsceleb.com/3-of-2015s-most-googled-celebrity-haircuts.html

  

I lost most of my photographic equipment, I have I have been stolen all my work over the last three years saved on hard drives and also the PC, my tool.

So now I'll be something missing, I have some photográphy "projects" .but now I need to get material to work ,anyway when I can I will upload something .

It's so sad lost the sowing and harvesting, that with love and dedication you are working for years, but these sticks learn to think things to be more cautious and at the same time learn essential things, like that of no use complaining.

But everything I've learned in this time is in my head.

 

He perdido gran parte de mi material fotográfico , me han robado todo mi trabajo de los últimos tres años guardado en discos duros y tambien el PC , mi herramienta de trabajo.

Asique por un tiempo estaré algo ausente, tengo algunos "proyect

os" fotográficos en mente pero ahora necesito conseguir material para trabajar, de todas formas en cuanto pueda iré subiendo alguna cosa de lo que vaya haciendo.

Es un palo gordo asumir que has perdido todo lo que llevas sembrando y cosechando, con cariño y dedicación, durante años, pero de estos palos aprendes a pensar mejor las cosas a ser más cauta y al mismo tiempo aprendes cosas más esenciales, como que de nada sirve lamentarse.

Eso sí todo lo que he aprendido en este tiempo sigue en mi cabeza.