(foreground building) Department of Electrical Engineering & Electronics, University of Liverpool, Brownlow Hill.

built : 1965

architect : YRM

style : modernist

The international style and character of buildings produced by architectural firm YRM was created by Slovakian partner Rosenberg who practised in Prague before the Second World War, and the Anglo-Finn, Mardall.

This excellent building in Liverpool, England, features their trademark use of white ceramic tile cladding of the external façades inspired by Le Corbusier’s use of the same treatment to the entrance drum of the Armée de Salut (1929) in Paris and the General Pensions Institute (1929-34) in Prague designed by Havlíček and Honzík and worked on by Rosenberg earlier in his career.

The tiles‘ uncut dimensions fix the proportions and size of the various elements of the building no doubt creating a challenge for the builders, but to great architectural effect. For example note that the external columns are two full tiles in width.

This building deserves to be given listed status by Historic England in my opinion but at present its future looks uncertain.

COPYRIGHT © Towner Images 2020

...when Postman Pat decided to take his Kodak and climb up the hill behind Chelmorton in Greendale. He had left wife Sara and son Julian asleep in the house because it was still bloody early. But Jess the cat had dutifully followed him and now was climbing through the long grass on the steep hillside. The black and white cat did her best impression of a collie sheepdog and was pleased to see some dozing sheep suddenly wake, leap to their feet in shock and leg it out of sight round the hillside.

Unfortunately Pat was chugging a bit, his mind busy, in a bit of a sulk. He didn't like being on strike but the Union of Communication Workers had called them all out. They were making a fuss about modernisation again complaining that modern machinery was doing humans out of jobs. How ludicrous. The Union bosses were happy to have modern motor cars to take them to Union HQ and luxury holidays instead of having to walk or ride a horse. Such dinosaurs they were. Anyhow, he was doing his usual thing: run....well, plod for the hills.

It wasn't a bad day, but not hot and sunny, so he was slightly embarrassed to crest the top of the hill sweating and breathing quite heavily, almost to fall over a young lady lying in the grass. It only took the briefest look at her shape to recognise her as Rosie Thompson. She was looking fine and he thought she smiled up at him.

She immediately showed a keen interest in his Kodak and he took that as a signal to sit down on the grass next to her, looking out over the beautiful valley in front of them. He felt a warm sense of companionship with her and forgetfully started to run his fingers through her long hair and stroked her neck even though he suspected some people might think this was inappropriate. He began to tell her about his best techniques, for he was quite practised in photography whereas he presumed she knew little about it. Although her eyes seemed to glaze over, she lay there in silence seemingly enjoying it as he took his time looking for a composition. Evidently it just wasn't coming to him, the stress of not finding his picture leaving him compfounded and tutting to himself. But he found comfort as his fingers combed through her hair, teasing out the tangles and small knots of interwoven heather and dead insects. Slowly he saw the triangulation of lines flow through his mind, working it up into the right formula of a structured and balanced pattern of walls in a green landscape.

Whilst loving the feel of his fingers in her hair, he decided to get down to business and reached to erect his tripod. But at that moment a roarr escaped from down below in the valley, below where they were, and suddenly a little red van shot out and up the road, screeched round the lefty bend and disappeared out of sight towards Sheldon. Pat leapt to his feet, raising a fist and yelled out across the valley after the vehicle, "That's my van ye old sh1te! Ted Glen, you're a scab!!"

Well, with all this commotion spoiling her lie-down Rosie got up, let a small fart escape, and ambled away to graze on some young thistles. She was, after all, a strange goat.

(PS Rosie Thompson is actually a character in Postman Pat......a goat)

Auch wenn der Stierkampf in einigen Teilen Spaniens schon eine Zeit lang verboten ist und landesweit schon länger keine aktive Werbung mehr für dieses tierquälende Spektakel gemacht werden darf - in València gibt es den traditionellen Stierkampf leider immer noch. Kein Ruhmesblatt für die Stadt. Doch wenn man am Platz Xàtiva steht, kommt man am Thema gar nicht vorbei, weil dort die einem Amphitheater äußerst ähnliche Stierkampfarena (Plaza de Toros) im direkten Blickfeld liegt. War aber nicht unser Thema in València; daher nur rasch ein Foto gemacht und weiter ging's.

Even though bullfighting has been banned in some parts of Spain for some time now and no active advertising for this cruel spectacle has been permitted in the country for some time, traditional bullfighting is unfortunately still practised in València. Not a glorious sight for the city. But if you're standing on Xàtiva plaza, you can't avoid the subject because the bullring (Plaza de Toros), which looks very much like an amphitheatre, is in direct view. But that wasn't our theme in València, so we just took a quick photo and carried on.

Side View of Kadri Manunatha Temple at Sunset in Mangaluru city, Karnataka, India.

The temple of Manjunatheshwara on the hills of Kadri in Mangalore was built during the 11th century and converted to a complete stone structure during the 14th century. The idol of Lord Manjunathaswamy of the temple is called as oldest of the South Indian temples.

It is believed that Parashurama who was living in Sahyadri, killed the kshathriyas who were cruel and donated the lands to Kashyapa. He prayed to Lord Shiva for a place to live. Lord Shiva assured Parashurama that if he performed a penance at Kadali kshethra, Lord Shiva would reincarnate as Manjunatha for the betterment of the world. As per Shiva's orders Parashurama threw his axe into the sea and created a place for his penance. Yielding to Parashurama's prayers Lord Shiva appeared to him as Manjunatha with Goddess Parvathi and stayed at Kadri for the betterment of the world. As per the orders of Manjunatha the sapthakoti manthras become the seven theerthas.

This temple has Hindu and Buddhist histories. Buddhism was practised here till the 10th century AD.[1] But after the decline of Buddhism, the devotion of Manjusri and Avalokiteśvara continued in this region. The Nath cult was embraced towards Buddhism and continued Tantric Shiva tradition as well. As a result, many Buddhist temples came into the Hindu vortex. According to M. Govinda Pai this temple was known as Kadri Manjunatha where Manjunatha relates to Shiva and Kadri is derived from Kadri Vihara which was Buddhist monastery of Vajrayana cult.

CC 6532 with the gorgeous looking Grand Confort coaches of IC 74 'le Capitole' from Toulouse to Paris, emerges from the Tunnel de Murel just before the station of Chasteaux. Another 513 km to go before Gare d'Austerlitz in Paris.

In 1967 'Le Capitole' became the first European train to be scheduled to run at 200 km/h on a daily basis. At that time the speed was practised north of Vierzon just till Les Aubrais.

Chasteaux, 1-8-1986.

F11418.

The Château de Puivert is a so-called Cathar castle situated in the commune of Puivert, in the Aude département of France. This building, on top of a hill overhanging the village and its lake, reaches an altitude of 605 m. The site is in the Quercob region, 60 km (37 mi) south of Carcassonne and 45 km (28 mi) east of Foix. The castle has been listed as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture since 1902.

The construction of the present chateau dates from the 13th century. The first mention is in 1170; it belonged to the Congost family before the Albigensian Crusade. These lords practised Catharism and were accused as heretics. Then, in November 1210, the castle was subjected for three days to a siege by the army of Thomas Pons de Bruyère, lieutenant of Simon de Montfort. The castle subsequently became the property of the northern barons. All that is left of this older castle is a few sections of wall to the east. A collapse of the natural dam on the lake at the foot of the site caused the destruction of part of the town of Mirepoix, 30 km to the north, in Ariège in 1279. According to legend, this was because a certain Dame Blanche wanted to daydream on the lake shores, which were inaccessible in bad weather. She asked that the water level be lowered and work undertaken to accomplish this goal led to the collapse.

The Château de Puivert is a so-called Cathar castle situated in the commune of Puivert, in the Aude département of France. This building, on top of a hill overhanging the village and its lake, reaches an altitude of 605 m. The site is in the Quercob region, 60 km (37 mi) south of Carcassonne and 45 km (28 mi) east of Foix. The castle has been listed as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture since 1902.

The construction of the present chateau dates from the 13th century. The first mention is in 1170; it belonged to the Congost family before the Albigensian Crusade. These lords practised Catharism and were accused as heretics. Then, in November 1210, the castle was subjected for three days to a siege by the army of Thomas Pons de Bruyère, lieutenant of Simon de Montfort. The castle subsequently became the property of the northern barons. All that is left of this older castle is a few sections of wall to the east. A collapse of the natural dam on the lake at the foot of the site caused the destruction of part of the town of Mirepoix, 30 km to the north, in Ariège in 1279. According to legend, this was because a certain Dame Blanche wanted to daydream on the lake shores, which were inaccessible in bad weather. She asked that the water level be lowered and work undertaken to accomplish this goal led to the collapse.

At the start of the 14th century, Thomas de Bruyère (grandson of Pons) and his wife Isabelle de Melun had the new castle built to the east of the old castle. The remains of the old castle are still visible. The coat-of-arms of Isabelle de Melun, who was the daughter of a Grand Chamberlain of France, still exists in the 'new' castle. The building was given a symbolic and picturesque character that can still be seen today.

The castle was classified as a Monument historique (Historic monument) in 1907. The castle is privately owned. Thanks to its very well preserved keep it has been a location for many films, including The Ninth Gate and Le Peuple migrateur.

Le palais de la Porte-Dorée, construit à l'occasion de l'Exposition coloniale internationale de 1931, est un édifice situé à la porte Dorée. Il abrite aujourd’hui le musée national de l'histoire de l'immigration et l’aquarium du palais de la Porte-Dorée. Ce bâtiment de 17 000 m² est considéré comme un joyau de l'Art déco.

Le palais de la Porte-Dorée a été construit en l'espace de 18 mois pour l'Exposition coloniale internationale de 1931 par l'architecte français Albert Laprade, dans le style du mouvement Art déco qui prit son essor durant les années 1920. Il réalise pour l’événement une synthèse architecturale. La façade monumentale et l’imposant péristyle évoquent l’architecture des temples grecs mais aussi le classicisme français, à l’instar de la colonnade du Louvre. Les lignes géométriques et épurées du bâtiment sont typiques du mouvement Art déco, tout comme une grande partie du décor et du mobilier du monument. Le palais n’est donc pas dominé par un unique style architectural et se présente plutôt comme une synthèse de différents styles. À cet égard, il se distinguait d’ailleurs des autres pavillons de l’Exposition coloniale.

Le bâtiment de 17 000 m2 témoigne de la double inspiration de son auteur : sa silhouette parfaitement symétrique, sa façade austère sont d'inspiration très classique alors que sa technique d'éclairage zénithal s'inspire de l’architecture du Maroc, où Albert Laprade a exercé. La façade est ornée d'un bas-relief dû à Alfred Janniot, qui veut illustrer la richesse des colonies.

The Palais de la Porte-Dorée, built for the 1931 International Colonial Exhibition, is a building located at the Porte Dorée. It now houses the National Museum of the History of Immigration and the Palais de la Porte-Dorée Aquarium. This 17,000 m² building is considered a jewel of Art Deco.

The Palais de la Porte-Dorée was built in 18 months for the 1931 International Colonial Exhibition by the French architect Albert Laprade, in the style of the Art Deco movement that took off in the 1920s. He created an architectural synthesis for the event. The monumental façade and the imposing peristyle evoke the architecture of Greek temples but also French classicism, like the colonnade of the Louvre. The building's geometric and pure lines are typical of the Art Deco movement, as is much of the monument's décor and furniture. The palace is therefore not dominated by a single architectural style, but rather is a synthesis of different styles. In this respect, it was different from the other pavilions of the Colonial Exhibition.

The 17,000 m2 building bears witness to the dual inspiration of its author: its perfectly symmetrical silhouette and austere façade are very classically inspired, while its zenithal lighting technique is inspired by the architecture of Morocco, where Albert Laprade practised. The façade is decorated with a bas-relief by Alfred Janniot, who wanted to illustrate the wealth of the colonies.

Greater Yellowlegs GRYE (Tringa melanoleuca)

Englishman River Estuary, Parksville BC

Plummer Rd side

ebird.org/hotspot/L1632373

DSCN8105

ebird.org/checklist/S93711575

Field Mark Cues ^i^

Much of this is (for those motivated to do so) , to train your eye and mind to scour what you are seeing for clues and sometimes subtle indicators leading to confident substantiated IDs - even with challenging /similar and at times confusing fieldmarks and traits

Yeah...Just some thoughts and commentary about some of the subtleties and challenges regarding differentiators , when it comes to Shorebird I.D.s

This bird is GRYE but could be difficult for those not familiar with the "tolerance of looks" within this species

Most GRYE have

"Classic " visibly apparent upturned bill

but here we see a straight bill as per LEYE.

But there are 2 other subtle clues to continue to work on to develop one's eye.

"Heft"

The "heft " of the bill -- overall size and how thick it is at the base ...and continues to be thick VS LEYE which tapers more quickly toward a more pointed tip.

Here we see an impression of bill being comparably blunted

Guides that have drawn up comparisons on bill length vs head size , [haven't proven reliable for myself personally-- but that could be just me..] So yae the proportional difference is notabble ...but how to say where bill length sarts and stops as well as head size with variations in feather fluffiness... i even tried photos and doing measures on my computer screen... no clear reliable pattern emmerged for me. SO experience and a practised eye trumps that in my opinion

Also to look for the "heft' of the legs. GRYE have a discernibly thicker leg stock.

This is most helpful early in fall migration when there are GRYE Juveniles that seem to not be fully grown in their eventual bills size - length..and are slim -haven't quite filled out in body size and structure.

Leg thickness (and length) can provide great reference.

Size reference generally with other shorebirds will often help "seal" the ID as mentioned elsewhere here in my Flickr posts

much of this is subtle -- practice makes perfect

****

my quick Size Ref summary North American Tringa

Some General TRINGA Size X Ref.s

(including a couple others in the family)

Largest is

Willet WILL = Blue Winged Teal Size = Duckish Size = Franklin's Gull size

On the West Coast this is usually standard largest Tringa

GRYE = Bigger Than Killdeer

LEYE = Killdeer (body) or Dowitcher Sized

but longer legged

Solitary Sandpiper SOSA (Tringa solitaria) = smaller than Killdeer

bigger than peep -

Approx. Spotted Sandpiper SOSA sized - but longer legged and a bit longer bodied

***

History books are read, embroideries are done, practised playing instruments, finished daily studies and haven't been summoned by the queen. Even though it was only the early hours of the day, she threw herself onto her bed and looked up to the ceiling. The Maidenvault was decorated so well. The beams of the sun flashed inside soothingly.

One of those days, she knew she would have to cut her overgrown hair that brushed the floors when she was on her feet. However, she was too busy to spare a moment for herself to find someone to chop it. In her only spare time, she looked up to the ceiling and pondered the future. The war didn't leave her mind for a second.

If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away. - Henry David Thoreau

Tonight I had a photo, a quote and an idea, lucky for me they all sort of worked together. The photo is relatively recent, my New Year's trip down the Oregon coast with this particular shot being found at Shore Acres State Park and recorded by my Zero Image pinhole on expired film, how expired, I really have no idea. That, by the way, is where the magenta sky comes from. But expired film is the best film for cross processing, the unpredictability of it makes it even more fun. I have been trying to experiment more with self portraiture, especially with pinhole, as the long exposures allow me to trip the shutter and then run around in front of the camera.

As far as the quote, I found it just today in a hospital, Legacy Immanuel to be exact. Upon seeing it my mind immediately started churning along and before long I had an idea for a bit of a commentary I wanted to write and was just lacking the photo to accompany it. Actually in truth, it is a train of thought that I have pondered much and deals with the notion of talent.

Talent is a bit of a thorn in my side when it comes to photography, mine specifically and just in general. This is mainly because there are quite a few people, maybe even enough for it to be almost a general assumption, that some people are just talented, as in, talented in a way that others not only aren't, but cannot be. I really dislike this idea. I admit, that yes, some photographers are just plain more practised than others, not necessarily better vision, just a bit more experienced at refining it and capturing it in remarkable photographs. But I resist the idea, nay fight it, that talent is some inherent or finite trait that we either possess or do not. I believe talent can be learned, forgotten, bought, sold, borrowed, and in other ways acquired. What I do not believe, is that someone is either a good photographer or not, end of story. I think people who believe that either have forgotten their own humble beginnings, or are too humble themselves.

I do not even think talent needs to be considered in the equation. Photography is various parts imagination and technical ability. The imagination to see, the technical ability to operate a camera to make a physical remainder of what only one can see. And we all possess vision, we all are able to imagine, so all that is left is to learn how to operate a camera, which again is something we are all capable of. Sure, some learn quicker than others, some are more "apt". Because of their nature, some budding photographers certainly start with a bit of a headstart, and may progress faster than others, but they are not the sole owners of passion, dedication and determination, and if you possess any or all of those, it does not matter how apt or numb-fingered you are with a camera. Given enough determination, I believe even the biggest technophobe can learn to operate a camera proficiently enough to make wondrous images.

As this is beginning to get a bit long-winded, I just want to emphasize that we are all capable. Every person has a great photographer in them. Some of us jump into the quest to find this inner photographer. Some of us stroll along content whether we find them or not. Some shun their inner photographer to become instead great writers or musicians or whatever their hearts tugs them towards. I do feel a bit strongly on this topic, but mainly because I deal with it every day. And it can actually pain me to see those I consider to already be great photographers in effect put themselves down because they believe others are more talented or that they do not possess this necessary talent and can never acquire it. Quite simply, the notion of talent is hogwash. Just go take pictures and stop worrying about. ;-)

The Hagen Open-air Museum (LWL-Freilichtmuseum Hagen – Westfälisches Landesmuseum für Handwerk und Technik; English: "LWL Open-air Museum Hagen – Westphalian State Museum for Craft and Technics") is a museum at Hagen in the southeastern Ruhr area, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was founded, together with the Detmold Open-air Museum, in 1960, and was first opened to the public in the early 1970s. The museum is run by the Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe (LWL, regional authority for Westphalia and Lippe within North Rhine-Westphalia). It lies in the Hagen neighbourhood of Selbecke south of Eilpe in the Mäckingerbach valley.

The open-air museum brings a bit of skilled-trade history into the present, and it takes a hands-on approach. On its grounds stretching for about 42 ha, not only are urban and rural trades simply "displayed" along with their workshops and tools, but in more than twenty of the nearly sixty rebuilt workshops, they are still practised, and interested visitors can, sometimes by themselves, take part in the production.

As early as the 1920s, there were efforts by a group of engineers and historical preservationists to preserve technological monuments for posterity. The initiator, Wilhelm Claas, even suggested the Mäckingerbach valley as a good place for a museum to that end. The narrow valley was chosen, as wind, water and wood were the three most important location factors for industry in the 18th and 19th centuries.

In 1960, the Westphalian Open-Air Museum was founded, and thirteen years later, the gates opened to the public. Unlike most open-air museums, which show everyday life on the farm or in the country as it was in days gone by, the Hagen Open-Air Museum puts the history of these activities in Westphalia in the fore. From the late 18th century through the early years of the Industrial Revolution to the highly industrialized society emerging in the early 20th century, the visitor can experience the development of these trades and the industry in the region.

Crafts and trades demonstrated at the Westphalian Open-Air Museum include ropemaking, smithing, brewing, baking, tanning, printing, milling, papermaking, and much more. A favourite attraction is the triphammer workshop shown in the image above. Once the hammer is engaged, a craftsman goes to work noisily forging a scythe, passing it between the hammer and the anvil underneath in a process called peening.

The Hagen Westphalian Open-Air Museum is open from March or April until October.

The Hagen Open-air Museum (LWL-Freilichtmuseum Hagen – Westfälisches Landesmuseum für Handwerk und Technik; English: "LWL Open-air Museum Hagen – Westphalian State Museum for Craft and Technics") is a museum at Hagen in the southeastern Ruhr area, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was founded, together with the Detmold Open-air Museum, in 1960, and was first opened to the public in the early 1970s. The museum is run by the Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe (LWL, regional authority for Westphalia and Lippe within North Rhine-Westphalia). It lies in the Hagen neighbourhood of Selbecke south of Eilpe in the Mäckingerbach valley.

The open-air museum brings a bit of skilled-trade history into the present, and it takes a hands-on approach. On its grounds stretching for about 42 ha, not only are urban and rural trades simply "displayed" along with their workshops and tools, but in more than twenty of the nearly sixty rebuilt workshops, they are still practised, and interested visitors can, sometimes by themselves, take part in the production.

As early as the 1920s, there were efforts by a group of engineers and historical preservationists to preserve technological monuments for posterity. The initiator, Wilhelm Claas, even suggested the Mäckingerbach valley as a good place for a museum to that end. The narrow valley was chosen, as wind, water and wood were the three most important location factors for industry in the 18th and 19th centuries.

In 1960, the Westphalian Open-Air Museum was founded, and thirteen years later, the gates opened to the public. Unlike most open-air museums, which show everyday life on the farm or in the country as it was in days gone by, the Hagen Open-Air Museum puts the history of these activities in Westphalia in the fore. From the late 18th century through the early years of the Industrial Revolution to the highly industrialized society emerging in the early 20th century, the visitor can experience the development of these trades and the industry in the region.

Crafts and trades demonstrated at the Westphalian Open-Air Museum include ropemaking, smithing, brewing, baking, tanning, printing, milling, papermaking, and much more. A favourite attraction is the triphammer workshop shown in the image above. Once the hammer is engaged, a craftsman goes to work noisily forging a scythe, passing it between the hammer and the anvil underneath in a process called peening.

The Hagen Westphalian Open-Air Museum is open from March or April until October.

Walpurgis Night (Vallborgsafton) is a traditional spring festival on April 30 or May 1 in large parts of Central and Northern Europe.

Its celebration is associated with dancing and with bonfires.

In Southern Sweden, an older tradition, no longer practised, was for the younger people to collect greenery and branches from the woods at twilight: these were used to adorn the houses of the village. The expected reward for this task was to be paid in eggs.

Singing traditional songs of Spring is widespread throughout the country. The songs are mostly from the 19th century and were spread by students' Spring festivities. The strongest and most traditional Spring festivities are also found in the old university cities, like Lund where both undergraduates, graduates and alumni gather at events that last most of the day from early morning to late night on April 30, or "sista april" ("The last day of April") as it is called.

During the day people gather in parks, drink alcoholic beverages, barbecue and generally enjoy the weather, if it happens to be favourable.

The Hagen Open-air Museum (LWL-Freilichtmuseum Hagen – Westfälisches Landesmuseum für Handwerk und Technik; English: "LWL Open-air Museum Hagen – Westphalian State Museum for Craft and Technics") is a museum at Hagen in the southeastern Ruhr area, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was founded, together with the Detmold Open-air Museum, in 1960, and was first opened to the public in the early 1970s. The museum is run by the Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe (LWL, regional authority for Westphalia and Lippe within North Rhine-Westphalia). It lies in the Hagen neighbourhood of Selbecke south of Eilpe in the Mäckingerbach valley.

The open-air museum brings a bit of skilled-trade history into the present, and it takes a hands-on approach. On its grounds stretching for about 42 ha, not only are urban and rural trades simply "displayed" along with their workshops and tools, but in more than twenty of the nearly sixty rebuilt workshops, they are still practised, and interested visitors can, sometimes by themselves, take part in the production.

As early as the 1920s, there were efforts by a group of engineers and historical preservationists to preserve technological monuments for posterity. The initiator, Wilhelm Claas, even suggested the Mäckingerbach valley as a good place for a museum to that end. The narrow valley was chosen, as wind, water and wood were the three most important location factors for industry in the 18th and 19th centuries.

In 1960, the Westphalian Open-Air Museum was founded, and thirteen years later, the gates opened to the public. Unlike most open-air museums, which show everyday life on the farm or in the country as it was in days gone by, the Hagen Open-Air Museum puts the history of these activities in Westphalia in the fore. From the late 18th century through the early years of the Industrial Revolution to the highly industrialized society emerging in the early 20th century, the visitor can experience the development of these trades and the industry in the region.

Crafts and trades demonstrated at the Westphalian Open-Air Museum include ropemaking, smithing, brewing, baking, tanning, printing, milling, papermaking, and much more. A favourite attraction is the triphammer workshop shown in the image above. Once the hammer is engaged, a craftsman goes to work noisily forging a scythe, passing it between the hammer and the anvil underneath in a process called peening.

The Hagen Westphalian Open-Air Museum is open from March or April until October.

The Château de Puivert is a so-called Cathar castle situated in the commune of Puivert, in the Aude département of France. This building, on top of a hill overhanging the village and its lake, reaches an altitude of 605 m. The site is in the Quercob region, 60 km (37 mi) south of Carcassonne and 45 km (28 mi) east of Foix. The castle has been listed as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture since 1902.

The construction of the present chateau dates from the 13th century. The first mention is in 1170; it belonged to the Congost family before the Albigensian Crusade. These lords practised Catharism and were accused as heretics. Then, in November 1210, the castle was subjected for three days to a siege by the army of Thomas Pons de Bruyère, lieutenant of Simon de Montfort. The castle subsequently became the property of the northern barons. All that is left of this older castle is a few sections of wall to the east. A collapse of the natural dam on the lake at the foot of the site caused the destruction of part of the town of Mirepoix, 30 km to the north, in Ariège in 1279. According to legend, this was because a certain Dame Blanche wanted to daydream on the lake shores, which were inaccessible in bad weather. She asked that the water level be lowered and work undertaken to accomplish this goal led to the collapse.

At the start of the 14th century, Thomas de Bruyère (grandson of Pons) and his wife Isabelle de Melun had the new castle built to the east of the old castle. The remains of the old castle are still visible. The coat-of-arms of Isabelle de Melun, who was the daughter of a Grand Chamberlain of France, still exists in the 'new' castle. The building was given a symbolic and picturesque character that can still be seen today.

The castle was classified as a Monument historique (Historic monument) in 1907. The castle is privately owned. Thanks to its very well preserved keep it has been a location for many films, including The Ninth Gate and Le Peuple migrateur.

Well dressing (also once known as well flowering) is a summer custom practised in rural England in which wells, springs or other water sources are decorated with designs created from flower petals. The custom is most closely associated with the Peak District of Derbyshire and Staffordshire.

Well Dressing is part of a historic tradition, celebrated in towns and villages throughout the Peak District and Derbyshire. This custom occurs between the months of May and September each year.

In 1840 residents of Higher Buxton were overjoyed when fresh water became available at the Market Place Fountain. As thanks to the Duke’s workmen local people arranged a floral dressing with a tea party followed by a procession of Brass Bands and dancing children.

And so began Buxton Well Dressing and Carnival Parade, a custom that survives today as a proud part of Buxton’s great heritage.

In the middle of the forest, nature is reclaiming an entire place with numerous buildings. It is a former Soviet barracks, which is now an interesting but not entirely harmless lost place. We take a trip into the wooded area and witness a long-forgotten time.

A town in the middle of the forest

We walk carefully and cautiously, because who knows, there might still be ammunition lying around here (although I can't really imagine that). Then we see an interesting wall with colourful pictures. They are clearly Soviet symbols, really fascinating. However, most of the buildings are in ruins. Trees are growing out of the ruins and nature is slowly taking over the area again. We don't enter any buildings, but just peer carefully through the windows.

There is a tank in one of the ruins. I wonder how it got there. I can't tell from the window whether it's an original or a replica. Addendum: I later learn from a Go2Know guide that the tank is in a swimming pool. This is where we practised leaving the tank in the event of water flooding.

However, we have not yet discovered the better preserved buildings. Walking across a clearing, we see a building with high windows. We assume that it is the famous gymnasium. A kind of assembly hall amazes us. An old consumer building is also one of the highlights in the abandoned town in the forest.

Mitten im Wald erobert sich die Natur einen ganzen Ort mit zahlreichen Gebäuden zurück. Es ist eine ehemalige sowjetische Kaserne, die nun ein interessanter aber nicht ganz ungefährlicher Lost Place ist. Wir unternehmen einen Ausflug in das Waldgebiet und werden somit Zeugen einer längst vergessenen Zeit.

Eine Stadt mitten im Wald

Wir laufen vorsichtig und umsichtig, denn wer weiß, eventuell liegen hier doch noch Munitionsreste rum (wirklich vorstellen kann ich mir das allerdings nicht). Da erblicken wir eine interessante Mauer mit farbigen Bildern. Es sind eindeutig sowjetische Symbole, wirklich faszinierend. Die meisten Gebäude sind jedoch stark zerfallen. Bäume wachsen aus den Ruinen und langsam übernimmt hier die Natur wieder das Gelände. Wir betreten keine Gebäude, sondern spähen nur vorsichtig durch die Fenster.

In einer Ruine steht ein Panzer. Wie der dort wohl hingekommen ist? Ob es ein Original ist oder ein Nachbau kann ich vom Fenster aus nicht erkennen. Zusatz: Von einem Guide von Go2Know erfahre ich später, dass der Panzer in einem Schwimmbecken steht. Hier wurde damals das Verlassen des Panzers trainiert im Falle von Wasserflutung.

Bis dahin haben wir jedoch noch nicht die besser erhaltenen Bauwerke entdeckt. Über eine Lichtung laufend, sehen wir ein Gebäude mit hohen Fenstern. Wir vermuten, dass es sich um die berühmte Turnhalle handelt. Eine Art Versammlungssaal lässt uns staunen. Ein altes Konsumgebäude gehört ebenfalls zu den Highlights in der verlassenen Stadt im Wald.

Spent a happy afternoon with my daughter Justine and granddaughter Phoebe yesterday.

The weather was great and we visited Tilgate Park. It's a lovely place with lots to see and do,[ some a bit too commercialised ]plus a couple of lakes and nature centre.

It used to be a huge private Estate with a Mansion and the Campbells ,of water speed fame, practised on the lake there.

Part three of a three part photographic analysis of this attractive but dead little branch. In this third stepI took the branch apart and a simple catalogue of the branch’s components is documented. This is an approach taken in design workflows and one I practised through much of my career as a graphic designer.

When I first decided to take apart the branch I assumed I would have one branch, two flower heads and one pile of needles. However, as it was carefully disassembled I discovered that the smaller branch and flower head was a separate “system” that grew out of the flower at the end of the larger branch. I ended up with a different image of this audit process than I originally envisioned. This discovery is why you take things apart in design... only in proper research do you discover the structure of things.

Als ich dieses Thema las, dachte ich im ersten Moment, besser könnte es nicht sein, da mein Vater Hobby-Holzschnitzer war. Doch im zweiten Moment kam ich drauf, dass ich mich nun für ein Werkstück von ihm entscheiden muss !!😳 Mein Vater begann als junger Mann mit diesem Hobby, das er sein ganzes Leben ausübte und verfeinerte seine Fertigkeiten im Lauf der Jahre immer mehr. Die Stücke sind alle aus Zirbenholz geschnitzt, welches sich dafür besonders gut

eignet.👍

When I read this theme for Smile on Saturday, at first I thought it couldn't be better, as my father was a hobby woodcarver. But at the second moment it occurred to me that I now have to choose one of his workpieces !!😳 My father started this hobby as a young man and practised it all his life, refining his skills over the years. The pieces are all carved from Swiss stone pine, which is especially suitable for this purpose.👍

Smile on Saturday: CARVED ARTPIECES

The Hagen Open-air Museum (LWL-Freilichtmuseum Hagen – Westfälisches Landesmuseum für Handwerk und Technik; English: "LWL Open-air Museum Hagen – Westphalian State Museum for Craft and Technics") is a museum at Hagen in the southeastern Ruhr area, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was founded, together with the Detmold Open-air Museum, in 1960, and was first opened to the public in the early 1970s. The museum is run by the Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe (LWL, regional authority for Westphalia and Lippe within North Rhine-Westphalia). It lies in the Hagen neighbourhood of Selbecke south of Eilpe in the Mäckingerbach valley.

The open-air museum brings a bit of skilled-trade history into the present, and it takes a hands-on approach. On its grounds stretching for about 42 ha, not only are urban and rural trades simply "displayed" along with their workshops and tools, but in more than twenty of the nearly sixty rebuilt workshops, they are still practised, and interested visitors can, sometimes by themselves, take part in the production.

As early as the 1920s, there were efforts by a group of engineers and historical preservationists to preserve technological monuments for posterity. The initiator, Wilhelm Claas, even suggested the Mäckingerbach valley as a good place for a museum to that end. The narrow valley was chosen, as wind, water and wood were the three most important location factors for industry in the 18th and 19th centuries.

In 1960, the Westphalian Open-Air Museum was founded, and thirteen years later, the gates opened to the public. Unlike most open-air museums, which show everyday life on the farm or in the country as it was in days gone by, the Hagen Open-Air Museum puts the history of these activities in Westphalia in the fore. From the late 18th century through the early years of the Industrial Revolution to the highly industrialized society emerging in the early 20th century, the visitor can experience the development of these trades and the industry in the region.

Crafts and trades demonstrated at the Westphalian Open-Air Museum include ropemaking, smithing, brewing, baking, tanning, printing, milling, papermaking, and much more. A favourite attraction is the triphammer workshop shown in the image above. Once the hammer is engaged, a craftsman goes to work noisily forging a scythe, passing it between the hammer and the anvil underneath in a process called peening.

The Hagen Westphalian Open-Air Museum is open from March or April until October.

The Hagen Open-air Museum (LWL-Freilichtmuseum Hagen – Westfälisches Landesmuseum für Handwerk und Technik; English: "LWL Open-air Museum Hagen – Westphalian State Museum for Craft and Technics") is a museum at Hagen in the southeastern Ruhr area, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was founded, together with the Detmold Open-air Museum, in 1960, and was first opened to the public in the early 1970s. The museum is run by the Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe (LWL, regional authority for Westphalia and Lippe within North Rhine-Westphalia). It lies in the Hagen neighbourhood of Selbecke south of Eilpe in the Mäckingerbach valley.

The open-air museum brings a bit of skilled-trade history into the present, and it takes a hands-on approach. On its grounds stretching for about 42 ha, not only are urban and rural trades simply "displayed" along with their workshops and tools, but in more than twenty of the nearly sixty rebuilt workshops, they are still practised, and interested visitors can, sometimes by themselves, take part in the production.

As early as the 1920s, there were efforts by a group of engineers and historical preservationists to preserve technological monuments for posterity. The initiator, Wilhelm Claas, even suggested the Mäckingerbach valley as a good place for a museum to that end. The narrow valley was chosen, as wind, water and wood were the three most important location factors for industry in the 18th and 19th centuries.

In 1960, the Westphalian Open-Air Museum was founded, and thirteen years later, the gates opened to the public. Unlike most open-air museums, which show everyday life on the farm or in the country as it was in days gone by, the Hagen Open-Air Museum puts the history of these activities in Westphalia in the fore. From the late 18th century through the early years of the Industrial Revolution to the highly industrialized society emerging in the early 20th century, the visitor can experience the development of these trades and the industry in the region.

Crafts and trades demonstrated at the Westphalian Open-Air Museum include ropemaking, smithing, brewing, baking, tanning, printing, milling, papermaking, and much more. A favourite attraction is the triphammer workshop shown in the image above. Once the hammer is engaged, a craftsman goes to work noisily forging a scythe, passing it between the hammer and the anvil underneath in a process called peening.

The Hagen Westphalian Open-Air Museum is open from March or April until October.

La "chaine" du Gobnangou se situe dans la partie sud de la Province de la Tapoa dans l'Est du Burkina Faso. Il s'agit de collines dont la limite nord est marquée par un escarpement plus ou moins important et qui s'étendent sur une distance d'environ 50km entre les communes de Logobou, Tambaga et Tansarga. Le paysage est marqué par des zones rocheuses comme le montre la photo mais également un intéressant réseau hydrographique avec quelques sources d'eau et cascades dans des zones de verdure. Le Gobnangou renferme quelques villages où est pratiqué l'élevage ainsi que de campements d'éleveurs. Il s'agit également d'un passage pour la transhumance.

The Gobnangou "range" is located in the southern part of the Tapoa Province in eastern Burkina Faso. These hills, whose northern limit is marked by a more or less significant escarpment, extend over a distance of approximately 50km between the communes of Logobou, Tambaga and Tansarga. The landscape is marked by rocky areas, as shown in the photo, but also an interesting hydrographic network with some water sources and waterfalls in green areas. Gobnangou contains a few villages where livestock farming is practised and breeder camps. It is also a passage for transhumance.

Cima da Conegliano (Giovanni Battista Cima 1469/70 - 1517/18) - Saint Peter enthroned with Saint John the Baptist and Saint Paul (1515-1516) - dimensions 155 x 146 cm - Pinacoteca di Brera Milan

La tavola giunse a Brera dal refettorio del convento francescano di Santa Maria Mater Domini a Conegliano, anche se doveva esser stata eseguita per la chiesa annessa al convento. Risulta che un parziale pagamento fu effettuato nel 1516 dalla priora del convento; la tavola a quel tempo era probabilmente terminata e attendeva solo di essere collocata sull’altare della chiesa.

Quest’opera tarda raffigura san Pietro, il primo papa della Chiesa cattolica. È rappresentato in trono con in mano il pastorale, ha in testa la tiara papale e indossa un ricco piviale. Son ben visibili anche gli altri attributi: l’anello piscatorio, che prende il nome dalla professione esercitata da Pietro prima della vocazione, e le chiavi deposte ai suoi piedi. I colori saturi e raffinati, il chiaroscuro mobile definiscono espressioni insolitamente intense e fanno del dipinto un capolavoro.

This late work depicts St. Peter, the Catholic >Church’s first pope, enthroned with his crozier, the papal tiara on his head and a rich cope about his shoulders. We can also clearly make out his other attributes: the fisherman’s ring, named after the trade he practised before his calling, and the keys lying at his feet. The saturated, sophisticated palette and shifting chiaroscuro conveying unusually intense expressions make this painting a true masterpieceCima da Conegliano (Giovanni Battista Cima 1469/70 - 1517/18) - San Pietro in trono con San Giovanni Battista e San Paolo (1515-1516) - dimensioni cm 155 x 146 - Pinacoteca di Brera Milano

Cima da Conegliano (Giovanni Battista Cima 1469/70 - 1517/18) - Saint Peter enthroned with Saint John the Baptist and Saint Paul (1515-1516) - dimensions 155 x 146 cm - Pinacoteca di Brera Milan

La tavola giunse a Brera dal refettorio del convento francescano di Santa Maria Mater Domini a Conegliano, anche se doveva esser stata eseguita per la chiesa annessa al convento. Risulta che un parziale pagamento fu effettuato nel 1516 dalla priora del convento; la tavola a quel tempo era probabilmente terminata e attendeva solo di essere collocata sull’altare della chiesa.

Quest’opera tarda raffigura san Pietro, il primo papa della Chiesa cattolica. È rappresentato in trono con in mano il pastorale, ha in testa la tiara papale e indossa un ricco piviale. Son ben visibili anche gli altri attributi: l’anello piscatorio, che prende il nome dalla professione esercitata da Pietro prima della vocazione, e le chiavi deposte ai suoi piedi. I colori saturi e raffinati, il chiaroscuro mobile definiscono espressioni insolitamente intense e fanno del dipinto un capolavoro.

This late work depicts St. Peter, the Catholic >Church’s first pope, enthroned with his crozier, the papal tiara on his head and a rich cope about his shoulders. We can also clearly make out his other attributes: the fisherman’s ring, named after the trade he practised before his calling, and the keys lying at his feet. The saturated, sophisticated palette and shifting chiaroscuro conveying unusually intense expressions make this painting a true masterpiece

Another shot taken during the recent #Nikon100 London #Nikonmeetups.

Having been selected as one of 100 photographers to take part in the Nikon Centenary celebrations the day involved five seperate themed shoots around different locations in London. All in all it was a superbly organised event and I captured a wide variety of shots, my favourite of which I'll upload over the new few days.

This shot is one of my favourites from the Action Photography workshop with Tom Miles ( www.tmphoto.co.uk/ ) and three parkour experts.

Click here to see my other shots from the days workshops : www.flickr.com/photos/darrellg/albums/72157686756184653

From Wikipedia : "Parkour (French pronunciation: ​[paʁkuʁ]) is a training discipline using movement that developed from military obstacle course training. Practitioners aim to get from one point to another in a complex environment, without assistive equipment and in the fastest and most efficient way possible. Parkour includes running, climbing, swinging, vaulting, jumping, rolling, quadrupedal movement, and other movements as deemed most suitable for the situation. Parkour's development from military training gives it some aspects of a non-combative martial art.

Parkour is an activity that can be practised alone or with others and is usually—but not exclusively—carried out in urban spaces. Parkour involves seeing one's environment in a new way, and imagining the potential for navigating it by movement around, across, through, over and under its features.

Parkour was developed in France, primarily by Raymond Belle, and further by his son David and the latter's group of friends, the self-styled Yamakasi, during the late 1980s. The discipline was popularised in the late 1990s and 2000s through films, documentaries, and advertisements featuring the Yamakasi."

My Website : Twitter : Facebook : Instagram : Photocrowd

© D.Godliman

The Hagen Open-air Museum (LWL-Freilichtmuseum Hagen – Westfälisches Landesmuseum für Handwerk und Technik; English: "LWL Open-air Museum Hagen – Westphalian State Museum for Craft and Technics") is a museum at Hagen in the southeastern Ruhr area, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was founded, together with the Detmold Open-air Museum, in 1960, and was first opened to the public in the early 1970s. The museum is run by the Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe (LWL, regional authority for Westphalia and Lippe within North Rhine-Westphalia). It lies in the Hagen neighbourhood of Selbecke south of Eilpe in the Mäckingerbach valley.

The open-air museum brings a bit of skilled-trade history into the present, and it takes a hands-on approach. On its grounds stretching for about 42 ha, not only are urban and rural trades simply "displayed" along with their workshops and tools, but in more than twenty of the nearly sixty rebuilt workshops, they are still practised, and interested visitors can, sometimes by themselves, take part in the production.

As early as the 1920s, there were efforts by a group of engineers and historical preservationists to preserve technological monuments for posterity. The initiator, Wilhelm Claas, even suggested the Mäckingerbach valley as a good place for a museum to that end. The narrow valley was chosen, as wind, water and wood were the three most important location factors for industry in the 18th and 19th centuries.

In 1960, the Westphalian Open-Air Museum was founded, and thirteen years later, the gates opened to the public. Unlike most open-air museums, which show everyday life on the farm or in the country as it was in days gone by, the Hagen Open-Air Museum puts the history of these activities in Westphalia in the fore. From the late 18th century through the early years of the Industrial Revolution to the highly industrialized society emerging in the early 20th century, the visitor can experience the development of these trades and the industry in the region.

Crafts and trades demonstrated at the Westphalian Open-Air Museum include ropemaking, smithing, brewing, baking, tanning, printing, milling, papermaking, and much more. A favourite attraction is the triphammer workshop shown in the image above. Once the hammer is engaged, a craftsman goes to work noisily forging a scythe, passing it between the hammer and the anvil underneath in a process called peening.

The Hagen Westphalian Open-Air Museum is open from March or April until October.

Der Fischbrunnen am Marienplatz gehört zu den sogenannten Schöpf- oder Ziehbrunnen, das Brunnenwasser ist zwar nicht zum Trinken da, aber an heißen Tagen kann man sich damit herrlich erfrischen. Der Brunnen selbst besteht heute aus einem türkisfarbenen Becken aus Nagelfluh (Konglomerat-Gestein aus dem nördlichen Alpenvorland), welches das Wasser so hell leuchten lässt. Um die Mittelsäule stehen drei bronzene Metzgerburschen, die aus Eimern Wasser in das Becken gießen.

Oben auf der Säule sitzt ein von Bildhauer Otto Kallenbach erschaffener bronzener Fisch. Er soll an die Zeit erinnern, als der Marienplatz unter anderem noch einen Fischmarkt beherbergte. Heute entdeckt man bei einem Blick auf den Boden des Fischbrunnens schon mal das eine oder andere Cent-Stück, das dem Spender Glück bringen soll.

Ein beliebter Brauch ist das Geldbeutelwaschen. Es soll der Legende nach dafür sorgen, dass man den Rest des Jahres ohne finanzielle Sorgen verbringt. Diese Tradition stammt aus dem Jahr 1426 und wurde damals wie heute am Aschermittwoch praktiziert. Damit wollten die einfachen Leute ihre Dienstherren darauf aufmerksam machen, dass nach rauschenden Festen oder dem närrischen Treiben im Fasching die Geldbeutel leer waren und eine Lohnerhöhung nötig sei. In München lebt das Spektakel auch heute noch jedes Jahr neu auf, mit dabei ist der Oberbürgermeister oder eine*r seiner Stellvertreter*innen.

www.muenchen.de/sehenswuerdigkeiten/fischbrunnen

The fish fountain on Marienplatz is one of the so-called scoop or draw wells. Although the fountain water is not drinkable, it is wonderfully refreshing on hot days. Today, the fountain itself consists of a turquoise basin made of Nagelfluh (conglomerate rock from the northern Alpine foothills), which makes the water shine so brightly. Around the central column stand three bronze butcher's apprentices pouring water from buckets into the basin.

On top of the column sits a bronze fish created by sculptor Otto Kallenbach. It is intended to commemorate the time when Marienplatz was home to a fish market, among other things. Today, if you look at the bottom of the fish fountain, you may find a penny or two, which is supposed to bring luck to the donor.

A popular custom is to wash your purse. According to legend, this ensures that you will spend the rest of the year without financial worries. This tradition dates back to 1426 and was practised then, as it is today, on Ash Wednesday. In this way, ordinary people wanted to draw their employers' attention to the fact that after lavish celebrations or the revelry of carnival, their purses were empty and a pay rise was necessary. In Munich, the spectacle is still revived every year, with the mayor or one of his deputies taking part.

www.muenchen.de/sehenswuerdigkeiten/fischbrunnen

Der Fischbrunnen am Marienplatz gehört zu den sogenannten Schöpf- oder Ziehbrunnen, das Brunnenwasser ist zwar nicht zum Trinken da, aber an heißen Tagen kann man sich damit herrlich erfrischen. Der Brunnen selbst besteht heute aus einem türkisfarbenen Becken aus Nagelfluh (Konglomerat-Gestein aus dem nördlichen Alpenvorland), welches das Wasser so hell leuchten lässt. Um die Mittelsäule stehen drei bronzene Metzgerburschen, die aus Eimern Wasser in das Becken gießen.

Oben auf der Säule sitzt ein von Bildhauer Otto Kallenbach erschaffener bronzener Fisch. Er soll an die Zeit erinnern, als der Marienplatz unter anderem noch einen Fischmarkt beherbergte. Heute entdeckt man bei einem Blick auf den Boden des Fischbrunnens schon mal das eine oder andere Cent-Stück, das dem Spender Glück bringen soll.

Ein beliebter Brauch ist das Geldbeutelwaschen. Es soll der Legende nach dafür sorgen, dass man den Rest des Jahres ohne finanzielle Sorgen verbringt. Diese Tradition stammt aus dem Jahr 1426 und wurde damals wie heute am Aschermittwoch praktiziert. Damit wollten die einfachen Leute ihre Dienstherren darauf aufmerksam machen, dass nach rauschenden Festen oder dem närrischen Treiben im Fasching die Geldbeutel leer waren und eine Lohnerhöhung nötig sei. In München lebt das Spektakel auch heute noch jedes Jahr neu auf, mit dabei ist der Oberbürgermeister oder eine*r seiner Stellvertreter*innen.

www.muenchen.de/sehenswuerdigkeiten/fischbrunnen

The fish fountain on Marienplatz is one of the so-called scoop or draw wells. Although the fountain water is not drinkable, it is wonderfully refreshing on hot days. Today, the fountain itself consists of a turquoise basin made of Nagelfluh (conglomerate rock from the northern Alpine foothills), which makes the water shine so brightly. Around the central column stand three bronze butcher's apprentices pouring water from buckets into the basin.

On top of the column sits a bronze fish created by sculptor Otto Kallenbach. It is intended to commemorate the time when Marienplatz was home to a fish market, among other things. Today, if you look at the bottom of the fish fountain, you may find a penny or two, which is supposed to bring luck to the donor.

A popular custom is to wash your purse. According to legend, this ensures that you will spend the rest of the year without financial worries. This tradition dates back to 1426 and was practised then, as it is today, on Ash Wednesday. In this way, ordinary people wanted to draw their employers' attention to the fact that after lavish celebrations or the revelry of carnival, their purses were empty and a pay rise was necessary. In Munich, the spectacle is still revived every year, with the mayor or one of his deputies taking part.

www.muenchen.de/sehenswuerdigkeiten/fischbrunnen

Runkel is a town on the Lahn River in Limburg-Weilburg district in Hesse, Germany.

The town’s first documentary mention came in 1159 in an enfeoffment document in which a nobleman named Siegfried von Runkel had his name appear as a witness. It is believed that this Siegfried was the one who built Runkel Castle.

In 1191 Siegfried married a countess of Katzenelnbogen. This high noble family forced Dietrich of Runkel to open his castles Runkel and Dehrn. No later than 1230, the castle had a chapel, thereby giving Runkel its first church building. In 1288, after years of family disputes, the Lords of Runkel and those of Westerburg sundered into two lines. In 1440, building work began on the Lahn bridge, but owing to the rift between the Runkels and the Westerburgs, the work took until 1448. In 1447 Count Philipp of Katzenelnbogen was the liege lord.

In 1543, Count Johann IV of Wied had Philipp Melanchthon as a guest at Runkel Castle. In 1568, the Reformation was introduced. In 1622, there was yet another family rift when Count Hermann II at Wied drove his younger brother Philipp Ludwig out of the leadership and indeed from the castle. In 1634, the town and the castle were largely destroyed by Count Johann Ludwig Hektor von Isolani’s troops in the Thirty Years' War. In 1649, the castle’s dwelling buildings were newly built as a residential castle.

In the early 18th century, continued French invasions combined with a record cold winter led many people from the Palatinate, including Runkel an Lahn, to emigrate down the Rhine River, then to England in 1709. There were so many refugees from the German Palatine region that the English government set up a tent city for the winter outside the London walls. In 1710 ten English ships carried nearly 3,000 Germans to the colony of New York. The people worked off their passage in camps on the Hudson River. In 1723 and later they were finally allowed to acquire land in New York's Mohawk Valley, where they established towns such as German Flatts and Palatine Bridge, New York.

In 1791, Friedrich Ludwig, the last of the Wied-Runkel line, was made a prince. In 1796, fighting in Runkel’s streets broke out as troops of the Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt drove French revolutionary occupying soldiers out of town.

In 1806, the Runkel holdings on the Lahn’s right bank, and thereby the part of the town of Runkel lying there, passed to the Duchy of Berg. In 1824, the Wied-Runkel line died out with Prince Friedrich Ludwig’s death, putting the lordly domain, along with the town of Runkel, in Wied-Neuwied’s hands.

Winegrowing is known to have been practised in Runkel by 1270. In 1929, however, it was given up after the phylloxera infestation and a cold winter. In the end, the vinicultural area amounted to 35 hectares.

In 1860, the first savings and loan association (Sparkasse) in Runkel was founded under the name Vorschuss-Verein (“Credit Club”). Since 1914 there has been a central water supply in the town.

In the course of administrative reform in Hesse, the formerly autonomous communities of Steeden, Ennerich and Schadeck merged on 1 December 1970, as did likewise Arfurt, Eschenau, Hofen and Wirbelau on 31 December 1970, with the town of Runkel. The community of Dehrn was only amalgamated on 1 July 1974 by state law.

The outlying centre with the earliest documentary mention is Ennerich, which can prove its existence in 790.

Like many other castles, there is also a legend about Runkel Castle.

One of the knights of Charlemagne is said to have decided to build a castle on the rock ridge in 778. Now, of course, a name had to come up. So he named it after the area of Roncesvalles (Roncevaux) in the Pyrenees, in memory of the struggle against the Moors that took place there. The name Ronkeval later became Runkel. Therefore, the name has nothing to do with the (ger. Runkel) turnip.

Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia and, as of 2010, the world's most recent nation to become a republic. It is bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India. With an area of 147,181 square kilometres (56,827 sq mi) and a population of approximately 30 million, Nepal is the world's 93rd largest country by land mass and the 41st most populous country. Kathmandu is the nation's capital and the country's largest metropolitan city.

Nepal is a country of highly diverse and rich geography, culture, and religions. The mountainous north has eight of the world's ten highest mountains, including the highest, Sagarmatha, known in English as Mount Everest. The fertile and humid south is heavily urbanized. It contains over 240 peaks more than 6,096 metres (20,000 ft) above sea level.

By some measures, Hinduism is practised by a larger majority of people in Nepal than in any other nation. Buddhism, though a minority faith in the country, is linked historically with Nepal as the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama, who as the Gautam Buddha gave birth to the Buddhist tradition.

A monarchy throughout most of its history, Nepal was ruled by the Shah dynasty of kings from 1768, when Prithvi Narayan Shah unified its many small kingdoms. In 2006, however, decade-long People's Revolution by the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) along with several weeks of mass protests by all major political parties of Nepal culminated in a peace accord, and the ensuing elections for the constituent assembly voted overwhelmingly in favor of the abdication of the last Nepali monarch Gyanendra Shah and the establishment of a federal democratic republic in May 28, 2008. The first President of Nepal, Ram Baran Yadav, was sworn in on 23 July 2008.

The word "Nepal" is believed by scholars to be derived from the word "Nepa:" which refers to the Newar Kingdom, the present day Kathmandu Valley. With Sanskritization, the Newar word Nepa became Nepal. The Newars of present day Nepal, refer to all the inhabitants of Kathmandu valley and its peripheries (called "Nepa:") before the advent of Shah dynasty.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nepal

Thai kick boxing being practised in a local park yesterday. I hope they live in the same house or it's not exactly social distancing.

The Hagen Open-air Museum (LWL-Freilichtmuseum Hagen – Westfälisches Landesmuseum für Handwerk und Technik; English: "LWL Open-air Museum Hagen – Westphalian State Museum for Craft and Technics") is a museum at Hagen in the southeastern Ruhr area, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was founded, together with the Detmold Open-air Museum, in 1960, and was first opened to the public in the early 1970s. The museum is run by the Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe (LWL, regional authority for Westphalia and Lippe within North Rhine-Westphalia). It lies in the Hagen neighbourhood of Selbecke south of Eilpe in the Mäckingerbach valley.

The open-air museum brings a bit of skilled-trade history into the present, and it takes a hands-on approach. On its grounds stretching for about 42 ha, not only are urban and rural trades simply "displayed" along with their workshops and tools, but in more than twenty of the nearly sixty rebuilt workshops, they are still practised, and interested visitors can, sometimes by themselves, take part in the production.

As early as the 1920s, there were efforts by a group of engineers and historical preservationists to preserve technological monuments for posterity. The initiator, Wilhelm Claas, even suggested the Mäckingerbach valley as a good place for a museum to that end. The narrow valley was chosen, as wind, water and wood were the three most important location factors for industry in the 18th and 19th centuries.

In 1960, the Westphalian Open-Air Museum was founded, and thirteen years later, the gates opened to the public. Unlike most open-air museums, which show everyday life on the farm or in the country as it was in days gone by, the Hagen Open-Air Museum puts the history of these activities in Westphalia in the fore. From the late 18th century through the early years of the Industrial Revolution to the highly industrialized society emerging in the early 20th century, the visitor can experience the development of these trades and the industry in the region.

Crafts and trades demonstrated at the Westphalian Open-Air Museum include ropemaking, smithing, brewing, baking, tanning, printing, milling, papermaking, and much more. A favourite attraction is the triphammer workshop shown in the image above. Once the hammer is engaged, a craftsman goes to work noisily forging a scythe, passing it between the hammer and the anvil underneath in a process called peening.

The Hagen Westphalian Open-Air Museum is open from March or April until October.

"The World of James Herriot" museum

Situated in the Vetinary surgery where Alf Wight (James Herriot) practised.

The Hagen Open-air Museum (LWL-Freilichtmuseum Hagen – Westfälisches Landesmuseum für Handwerk und Technik; English: "LWL Open-air Museum Hagen – Westphalian State Museum for Craft and Technics") is a museum at Hagen in the southeastern Ruhr area, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was founded, together with the Detmold Open-air Museum, in 1960, and was first opened to the public in the early 1970s. The museum is run by the Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe (LWL, regional authority for Westphalia and Lippe within North Rhine-Westphalia). It lies in the Hagen neighbourhood of Selbecke south of Eilpe in the Mäckingerbach valley.

The open-air museum brings a bit of skilled-trade history into the present, and it takes a hands-on approach. On its grounds stretching for about 42 ha, not only are urban and rural trades simply "displayed" along with their workshops and tools, but in more than twenty of the nearly sixty rebuilt workshops, they are still practised, and interested visitors can, sometimes by themselves, take part in the production.

As early as the 1920s, there were efforts by a group of engineers and historical preservationists to preserve technological monuments for posterity. The initiator, Wilhelm Claas, even suggested the Mäckingerbach valley as a good place for a museum to that end. The narrow valley was chosen, as wind, water and wood were the three most important location factors for industry in the 18th and 19th centuries.

In 1960, the Westphalian Open-Air Museum was founded, and thirteen years later, the gates opened to the public. Unlike most open-air museums, which show everyday life on the farm or in the country as it was in days gone by, the Hagen Open-Air Museum puts the history of these activities in Westphalia in the fore. From the late 18th century through the early years of the Industrial Revolution to the highly industrialized society emerging in the early 20th century, the visitor can experience the development of these trades and the industry in the region.

Crafts and trades demonstrated at the Westphalian Open-Air Museum include ropemaking, smithing, brewing, baking, tanning, printing, milling, papermaking, and much more. A favourite attraction is the triphammer workshop shown in the image above. Once the hammer is engaged, a craftsman goes to work noisily forging a scythe, passing it between the hammer and the anvil underneath in a process called peening.

The Hagen Westphalian Open-Air Museum is open from March or April until October.

I had piano lessons today. I was fearful that I had not practised enough and would have to humiliate myself for 30 minus..but no! I pleaded : "Francis, please don't make me play for you today!" and he said, "No worries, we'll do theory today!" Ha.....fun fun fun...........I will never fear another lesson, ever again (plenty of theory to be learnt). Yippiee.... cause piano lessons for me, are suppose to be for "my personal pleasure" Volia!! nothing but fun fun fun. I just have to say Yippiieee on more time!

The Hagen Open-air Museum (LWL-Freilichtmuseum Hagen – Westfälisches Landesmuseum für Handwerk und Technik; English: "LWL Open-air Museum Hagen – Westphalian State Museum for Craft and Technics") is a museum at Hagen in the southeastern Ruhr area, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was founded, together with the Detmold Open-air Museum, in 1960, and was first opened to the public in the early 1970s. The museum is run by the Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe (LWL, regional authority for Westphalia and Lippe within North Rhine-Westphalia). It lies in the Hagen neighbourhood of Selbecke south of Eilpe in the Mäckingerbach valley.

The open-air museum brings a bit of skilled-trade history into the present, and it takes a hands-on approach. On its grounds stretching for about 42 ha, not only are urban and rural trades simply "displayed" along with their workshops and tools, but in more than twenty of the nearly sixty rebuilt workshops, they are still practised, and interested visitors can, sometimes by themselves, take part in the production.

As early as the 1920s, there were efforts by a group of engineers and historical preservationists to preserve technological monuments for posterity. The initiator, Wilhelm Claas, even suggested the Mäckingerbach valley as a good place for a museum to that end. The narrow valley was chosen, as wind, water and wood were the three most important location factors for industry in the 18th and 19th centuries.

In 1960, the Westphalian Open-Air Museum was founded, and thirteen years later, the gates opened to the public. Unlike most open-air museums, which show everyday life on the farm or in the country as it was in days gone by, the Hagen Open-Air Museum puts the history of these activities in Westphalia in the fore. From the late 18th century through the early years of the Industrial Revolution to the highly industrialized society emerging in the early 20th century, the visitor can experience the development of these trades and the industry in the region.

Crafts and trades demonstrated at the Westphalian Open-Air Museum include ropemaking, smithing, brewing, baking, tanning, printing, milling, papermaking, and much more. A favourite attraction is the triphammer workshop shown in the image above. Once the hammer is engaged, a craftsman goes to work noisily forging a scythe, passing it between the hammer and the anvil underneath in a process called peening.

The Hagen Westphalian Open-Air Museum is open from March or April until October.

The Hagen Open-air Museum (LWL-Freilichtmuseum Hagen – Westfälisches Landesmuseum für Handwerk und Technik; English: "LWL Open-air Museum Hagen – Westphalian State Museum for Craft and Technics") is a museum at Hagen in the southeastern Ruhr area, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was founded, together with the Detmold Open-air Museum, in 1960, and was first opened to the public in the early 1970s. The museum is run by the Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe (LWL, regional authority for Westphalia and Lippe within North Rhine-Westphalia). It lies in the Hagen neighbourhood of Selbecke south of Eilpe in the Mäckingerbach valley.

The open-air museum brings a bit of skilled-trade history into the present, and it takes a hands-on approach. On its grounds stretching for about 42 ha, not only are urban and rural trades simply "displayed" along with their workshops and tools, but in more than twenty of the nearly sixty rebuilt workshops, they are still practised, and interested visitors can, sometimes by themselves, take part in the production.

As early as the 1920s, there were efforts by a group of engineers and historical preservationists to preserve technological monuments for posterity. The initiator, Wilhelm Claas, even suggested the Mäckingerbach valley as a good place for a museum to that end. The narrow valley was chosen, as wind, water and wood were the three most important location factors for industry in the 18th and 19th centuries.

In 1960, the Westphalian Open-Air Museum was founded, and thirteen years later, the gates opened to the public. Unlike most open-air museums, which show everyday life on the farm or in the country as it was in days gone by, the Hagen Open-Air Museum puts the history of these activities in Westphalia in the fore. From the late 18th century through the early years of the Industrial Revolution to the highly industrialized society emerging in the early 20th century, the visitor can experience the development of these trades and the industry in the region.

Crafts and trades demonstrated at the Westphalian Open-Air Museum include ropemaking, smithing, brewing, baking, tanning, printing, milling, papermaking, and much more. A favourite attraction is the triphammer workshop shown in the image above. Once the hammer is engaged, a craftsman goes to work noisily forging a scythe, passing it between the hammer and the anvil underneath in a process called peening.

The Hagen Westphalian Open-Air Museum is open from March or April until October.

The Hagen Open-air Museum (LWL-Freilichtmuseum Hagen – Westfälisches Landesmuseum für Handwerk und Technik; English: "LWL Open-air Museum Hagen – Westphalian State Museum for Craft and Technics") is a museum at Hagen in the southeastern Ruhr area, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was founded, together with the Detmold Open-air Museum, in 1960, and was first opened to the public in the early 1970s. The museum is run by the Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe (LWL, regional authority for Westphalia and Lippe within North Rhine-Westphalia). It lies in the Hagen neighbourhood of Selbecke south of Eilpe in the Mäckingerbach valley.

The open-air museum brings a bit of skilled-trade history into the present, and it takes a hands-on approach. On its grounds stretching for about 42 ha, not only are urban and rural trades simply "displayed" along with their workshops and tools, but in more than twenty of the nearly sixty rebuilt workshops, they are still practised, and interested visitors can, sometimes by themselves, take part in the production.

As early as the 1920s, there were efforts by a group of engineers and historical preservationists to preserve technological monuments for posterity. The initiator, Wilhelm Claas, even suggested the Mäckingerbach valley as a good place for a museum to that end. The narrow valley was chosen, as wind, water and wood were the three most important location factors for industry in the 18th and 19th centuries.

In 1960, the Westphalian Open-Air Museum was founded, and thirteen years later, the gates opened to the public. Unlike most open-air museums, which show everyday life on the farm or in the country as it was in days gone by, the Hagen Open-Air Museum puts the history of these activities in Westphalia in the fore. From the late 18th century through the early years of the Industrial Revolution to the highly industrialized society emerging in the early 20th century, the visitor can experience the development of these trades and the industry in the region.

Crafts and trades demonstrated at the Westphalian Open-Air Museum include ropemaking, smithing, brewing, baking, tanning, printing, milling, papermaking, and much more. A favourite attraction is the triphammer workshop shown in the image above. Once the hammer is engaged, a craftsman goes to work noisily forging a scythe, passing it between the hammer and the anvil underneath in a process called peening.

The Hagen Westphalian Open-Air Museum is open from March or April until October.

My Portfolio links Instagram | Behance | Facebook

Jallikattu also known as eru thazhuvuthal and manju virattu, is a traditional spectacle in which a Bos indicus bull, such as the Pulikulam breed,Kangayam breed is released into a crowd of people, and multiple human participants attempt to grab the large hump on the bull's back with both arms and hang on to it while the bull attempts to escape. Participants hold the hump for as long as possible, attempting to bring the bull to a stop. In some cases, participants must ride long enough to remove flags on the bull's horns.

Jallikattu is typically practised in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu as a part of Pongal celebrations on Mattu Pongal day.

You can follow me also on Getty | 500 px | Deviant Art

"In Japan, it is called the angel's stairs."

Thanks for the comment, Gleybird!!

Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia and, as of 2010, the world's most recent nation to become a republic. It is bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India. With an area of 147,181 square kilometres (56,827 sq mi) and a population of approximately 30 million, Nepal is the world's 93rd largest country by land mass and the 41st most populous country. Kathmandu is the nation's capital and the country's largest metropolitan city.

Nepal is a country of highly diverse and rich geography, culture, and religions. The mountainous north has eight of the world's ten highest mountains, including the highest, Sagarmatha, known in English as Mount Everest. The fertile and humid south is heavily urbanized. It contains over 240 peaks more than 6,096 metres (20,000 ft) above sea level.

By some measures, Hinduism is practised by a larger majority of people in Nepal than in any other nation. Buddhism, though a minority faith in the country, is linked historically with Nepal as the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama, who as the Gautam Buddha gave birth to the Buddhist tradition.

A monarchy throughout most of its history, Nepal was ruled by the Shah dynasty of kings from 1768, when Prithvi Narayan Shah unified its many small kingdoms. In 2006, however, decade-long People's Revolution by the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) along with several weeks of mass protests by all major political parties of Nepal culminated in a peace accord, and the ensuing elections for the constituent assembly voted overwhelmingly in favor of the abdication of the last Nepali monarch Gyanendra Shah and the establishment of a federal democratic republic in May 28, 2008. The first President of Nepal, Ram Baran Yadav, was sworn in on 23 July 2008.

The word "Nepal" is believed by scholars to be derived from the word "Nepa:" which refers to the Newar Kingdom, the present day Kathmandu Valley. With Sanskritization, the Newar word Nepa became Nepal. The Newars of present day Nepal, refer to all the inhabitants of Kathmandu valley and its peripheries (called "Nepa:") before the advent of Shah dynasty.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nepal

Early life

Ziaur Rahman was born in the village of Bagbari in the Bogra District of the province of Bengal (now in northwest Bangladesh), although by some other accounts he was born in the city of Calcutta. His father, Mansur Rahman, was a chemist working for a government department in Kolkata. Zia's childhood was divided between living in the village and the city. He was later enrolled into the Hare School in Kolkata. With the partition of India in 1947, Mansur Rahman opted to join the new Muslim state of Pakistan, moving his family to East Pakistan. The family later moved to Karachi, the national capital located in West Pakistan, where Mansur Rahman had been transferred to work for the Government of Pakistan. Zia was enrolled in the Academy School in Karachi. Zia spent his adolescent years in Karachi and enrolled in the D. J. College there in 1953. In the same year, he entered the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul as an officer cadet. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Pakistan Army in 1955. After serving for two years in Karachi, he was transferred to the East Bengal Regiment in 1957. From 1959 to 1964 he worked in the department of military intelligence. In 1960, his marriage was arranged to Khaleda Zia, a young Bengali girl from the Dinajpur District who was 15 years old. Khaleda Zia remained with her parents in East Pakistan to complete her studies and joined her husband in Karachi in 1965. During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, Zia served in the Khemkaran sector in Punjab as the commander of a company unit of 300–500 soldiers. The sector was the scene of the most intense battles between the rival armies. Zia's unit won one of the highest numbers of gallantry awards for heroic performances. Ziaur Rahman himself won the distinguished and prestigious Hilal-e-Jurat medal , and his unit won 7 Sitara-e-Jurat medals and 12 Tamgha-e-Jurat medals for their brave roles in the 1965 War with India. In 1966, Zia was appointed military instructor at the Pakistan Military Academy, later going on to attend the prestigious Command and Staff College in Quetta, where he completed a course in command and tactical warfare. Advocating that the Pakistan Army make greater efforts to recruit and encourage Bengali military officers, Zia helped raise two Bengali battalions during his stint as instructor. Trained for high-ranking command posts, Zia joined the 2nd East Bengal regiment as its second-in-command at Joydevpur in 1969. Although sectarian tensions between East and West Pakistan were intensifying, Zia travelled to West Germany to receive advanced military and command training with the German Army. Zia returned to Pakistan the following year, and witnessed political turmoil and regional division. East Pakistan had been devastated by the 1970 Bhola cyclone, and the population had been embittered by the slow response of the central government. The political conflict between Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's Awami League, which had won a majority in the 1970 elections, the President Yahya Khan and West Pakistani politician Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had brought sectarian tensions to a climax. Sheikh Mujib laid claim to form a government, but Yahya Khan postponed the convening of the legislature under pressure from West Pakistani politicians. Bengali civil and military officers had alleged institutional discrimination through the 1960s, and now distrust had divided the Pakistani Army. Upon his return, Zia attained the rank of Major and was transferred to the 8th East Bengal regiment stationed in Chittagong to serve as its second-in-command.

Sector Commander of Bangladesh Liberation Forces

Following the failure of last-ditch talks, Yahya Khan declared martial law and ordered the army to crack down on Bengali political activities. Before his arrest, Sheikh Mujib declared the independence of Bangladesh on March 26, 1971 and exhorted the people of East Pakistan to resist the army. One of the highest-ranking Bengali officers, Zia led his unit in mutiny of the Pakistan Army, killing the West Pakistani officers and capturing a radio station in Kalurghat near Chittagong and calling it the Shadhin Bangla Betar Kendro. On March 27, addressing the people via radio, Zia delivered Sheikh Mujib's address and declared independence on his behalf and pronounced himself "Head of the Republic": This is Shadhin Bangla Betar Kendro. I, Major Ziaur Rahman, at the direction of Bangobondhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, hereby declare that the independent People's Republic of Bangladesh has been established. At his direction, I have taken command as the temporary Head of the Republic. In the name of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, I call upon all Bengalis to rise against the attack by the West Pakistani Army. We shall fight to the last to free our Motherland. By the grace of Allah, victory is ours. Joy Bangla Zia was appointed commander of Mukti Bahini (Liberation Army) forces in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, working under General M. A. G. Osmani, the supreme commander. He worked to provide support and resources to the Mukti Bahini guerilla force and coordinate attacks against the West Pakistani army. At a later phase of the war, Zia travelled across the border into India to receive military resources and training for his troops. Zia also helped coordinate the work of Bangladesh's government-in-exile of Mujibnagar. On June 1, 1971 Zia became the commander of the first conventional brigade of the Mukti Bahini, which was named "Z Force," after the first initial of his name. This brigade consisted of 1st, 3rd and 8th East Bengali regiments, enabling Zia to launch major attacks on Pakistani forces. During the war his family was placed under house arrest. The guerrilla war continued until the direct intervention of the Indian Army, which captured Dhaka and forced the surrender of Pakistani forces on December 16, 1971. Upon his release, Sheikh Mujib assumed charge of the new state's government, and the Indian Army transferred control to the newly-formed Bangladesh Army on March 17, 1972. Having earned a reputation for courageous leadership during the war, Zia was awarded the Bir Uttom, the second-highest military honour. He was given command of a brigade stationed in Comilla, and in June he was appointed deputy chief of army staff. He was later promoted to the rank of Major General by the end of 1973. As a high-ranking commander, Zia oversaw the training and development of the army.

Coup of 1975 and its aftermath

By 1975, Sheikh Mujib's assumption of dictatorial powers had disillusioned and angered many Bangladeshis, including army officers. On August 15, 1975 Sheikh Mujib and his family were murdered by a group of military officers. One Sheikh Mujib's cabinet ministers Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad was appointed the president and, subsequently, Major General Ziaur Rahman was appointed as the chief of army staff after removal of Major General Shafiullah. It is not known if Zia had himself helped plot the coup against Sheikh Mujib, but he had now become one of the most powerful men in the nation. However, the coup caused a period of instability and unrest in Bangladesh. Brigadier Khaled Mosharraf and the Dhaka Brigade under Colonel Shafat Jamil made a counter-coup on November 3, 1975, and Ziaur Rahman was forced to resign and was put under house arrest. A third coup was staged under Colonel Abu Taher and a group of socialist military officers and supporters of the left-wing Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal on November 7, called the Sipoy-Janata Biplob (Soldiers and People's Coup). Brigadier Mosharraf was killed and Colonel Jamil arrested, while Colonel Taher freed Ziaur Rahman and re-appointed him as army chief. Following a major meeting at the army headquarters, an interim government was formed with Justice Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem as chief martial law administrator and Zia, Air Vice Marshal M. G. Tawab and Rear Admiral M. H. Khan as his deputies. Zia also took on the portfolios of finance, home affairs, industry and information along with becoming the army chief of staff. Fearing that Abu Taher, a well-known socialist, would attempt to organise another revolt, Zia ordered his arrest. Following a secret trial in a military court, Zia authorised the execution of Colonel Taher on July 21, 1976. Zia became the chief martial law administrator (CMLA) following Justice Sayem's elevation to the presidency on November 19, 1976. He tried to integrate the armed forces, giving repatriates a status appropriate to their qualifications and seniority. While this angered some veterans of the Mukti Bahini, who had rapidly reached high positions, Zia defused potential threats from discontented officers by sending them on diplomatic missions abroad.

President of Bangladesh

Major General Ziaur Rahman became the 6th President of Bangladesh on April 21, 1977 following Justice Sayem's resignation on grounds of "ill health," which many believed was simply a pretext for Zia's rise to power with the army's backing. Although Sayem had held the title of president, historians believe it was Zia who exercised real power. Sayem had promised early elections, but Zia postponed the plans. The years of disorder had left most of Bangladesh's state institutions in disarray, with constant threats of military coups amidst strikes and protests. Assuming full control of the state, Zia banned political parties, censored the media, re-imposed martial law and ordered the army to arrest dissidents. Martial law restored order across the country to a large measure, although Zia crushed several attempted uprisings with ruthless measures. In late September 1977, a group of Japanese Red Army terrorists hijacked an airplane and forced it to land in Dhaka. On September 30, while the attention of the government was riveted on this event, a mutiny broke out in Bogra. Although the mutiny was quickly quelled on the night of October 2, a second mutiny occurred in Dhaka. The mutineers unsuccessfully attacked Zia's residence, captured Dhaka Radio for a short time and killed a number of air force officers at Dhaka international airport, where they were gathered for negotiations with the hijackers. The army quickly put down the rebellion, but the government was severely shaken. Government intelligence had failed and Zia promptly dismissed both the military and the civilian intelligence chiefs. Special tribunals dealt harshly with the large groups of bandits, smugglers and guerrilla bands operating across the country. The size of Bangladeshi police forces was doubled and the strength of the army increased from 50,000 to 90,000 soldiers.

Domestic and foreign policies

Zia had taken charge of a nation suffering from severe poverty, chronic unemployment, shortages and economic stagnation. Muting the state's commitment to socialism, Zia announced a "19-point programme" which emphasised self-reliance, rural development, decentralisation and population control. Zia worked energetically and spent much of his time traveling throughout the country, preaching the "politics of hope" by continually urging all Bangladeshis to work harder and to produce more. Zia focused on boosting agricultural and industrial production, especially in food and grains, and to integrate rural development through a variety of programs, of which population planning was the most important. Working with the proposals of international lending agencies, he launched an ambitious rural development program in 1977, which included a highly visible and popular food-for-work program. He promoted private sector development, exports growth and the reversing of the collectivisation of farms. His government reduced quotas and restrictions on agriculture and industrial activities. Zia launched major projects to construct irrigation canals, power stations, dams, roads and other public works. Directing his campaign to mobilise rural support and development, Zia established Gram Sarkar (Village Councils) system of self-government and the "Village Defence Party" system of security and crime prevention. Programmes to promote primary and adult education on a mass scale were initiated and focused mainly across rural Bangladesh. During this period, Bangladesh's economy achieved fast economic and industrial growth. Zia began reorienting Bangladesh's foreign policy, addressing the concerns of nationalists who believed that Bangladesh was reliant on Indian economic and military aid. Zia withdrew from his predecessors' affinity with the Soviet bloc, developing closer relations with the United States and Western Europe. Zia also moved to harmonise ties with Saudi Arabia and the People's Republic of China, who had opposed Bangladesh's creation and had not recognised it till 1975. Zia also dropped the demands of reparations and an official apology demanded by Sheikh Mujib and moved to normalise relations with Pakistan. While distancing Bangladesh from India, Zia sought to improve ties with other Islamic nations. Zia's move towards Islamic state policies improved the nation's standing in the Middle East. Zia also proposed an organisation of the nations of South Asia to bolster economic and political co-operation at a regional level. This proposal materialised in 1985 with the creation of the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation in Dhaka.

Islam and nationalism

Zia moved to lead the nation in a new direction, significantly different from the ideology and agenda of Sheikh Mujib. He issued a proclamation order amending the constitution, increasing the direct influence and role of Islam on the government. In the preamble, he inserted the salutation "Bismillahir-Rahmaanir-Rahim" (In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful). In Article 8(1) and 8(1A) the statement "absolute trust and faith in Almighty Allah" was added, replacing the commitment to secularism. Socialism was redefined as "economic and social justice." Zia further introduced provisions to allow Muslims to practice the social and legal injunctions of the Shariat and Sunnah. In Article 25(2), Zia introduced the principle that "the state shall endeavour to consolidate, preserve and strengthen fraternal relations among Muslim countries based on Islamic solidarity." Zia's edits to the constitution redefined the nature of the republic from the secularism laid out by Sheikh Mujib and his supporters. Islamic religious education was introduced as a compulsory subject in Bangladeshi schools, with provisions for non-Muslim students to learn of their own religions. In public speeches and policies that he formulated, Zia began expounding "Bangladeshi nationalism," as opposed to Mujib's assertion of a Bengali national identity. Zia emphasised the national role of Islam (as practised by the majority of Bangladeshis). Claiming to promote an inclusive national identity, Zia reached out to non-Bengali minorities such as the Santals, Garos, Manipuris and Chakmas, as well as the Urdu-speaking peoples of Bihari origin. However, many of these groups were predominantly Hindu and Buddhist and were alienated by Zia's promotion of political Islam. In an effort to promote cultural assimilation and economic development, Zia appointed a Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Commission in 1976, but resisted holding a political dialogue with the representatives of the hill tribes on the issue of autonomy and cultural self-preservation. On July 2, 1977 Ziaur Rahman organised a tribal convention to promote a dialogue between the government and tribal groups. However, most cultural and political issues would remain unresolved and intermittent incidents of inter-community violence and militancy occurred throughout Zia's rule.

A traditional Chinese ritual for married couple to pray for children. Also for businesses to have great fortune. It's customary to hang these lanterns as high as possible and longer period of time as they could last. Widely practised during the Ming Dynasty.

These lanterns are usually made of waxed paper and bamboo tied firmly with only paper string. All characters must he in red and written in Traditional language that is read from left to right.

財近 available fortunes

添丁 abundant procreation

haunted tour around some of the most haunted locations in Warwickshire.

Down dark lanes, along the canals or through the medieval streets, listen carefully to the tales of the dead, where they were hung and witches often practised their craft.

macabre tales and fascinating facts and where the dead still linger.........

Scottish Games in Boone Hall Plantation 2013

The caber toss is a traditional Scottish athletic event in which competitors toss a large wooden pole called a "caber" and it is practised at the Scottish Highland Games. In Scotland the caber is usually made from a Larch tree.

www.facebook.com/DanieldevadPhotography

.

Texture: the wonderful princess of shadows

Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way around or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves.

Empty your mind, be formless.

Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or can crash. Be water, my friend.

- Bruce Lee

Kalaripayattu is an Indian martial art and fighting system that originated in Kerala and was practised by warriors of Kerala. These warriors belonged to all castes and religions. It is considered by some to be the oldest martial art still in existence, with its origin dating back to the 3rd century BCE.

Sony a7r3 | FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM

The Hagen Open-air Museum (LWL-Freilichtmuseum Hagen – Westfälisches Landesmuseum für Handwerk und Technik; English: "LWL Open-air Museum Hagen – Westphalian State Museum for Craft and Technics") is a museum at Hagen in the southeastern Ruhr area, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was founded, together with the Detmold Open-air Museum, in 1960, and was first opened to the public in the early 1970s. The museum is run by the Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe (LWL, regional authority for Westphalia and Lippe within North Rhine-Westphalia). It lies in the Hagen neighbourhood of Selbecke south of Eilpe in the Mäckingerbach valley.

The open-air museum brings a bit of skilled-trade history into the present, and it takes a hands-on approach. On its grounds stretching for about 42 ha, not only are urban and rural trades simply "displayed" along with their workshops and tools, but in more than twenty of the nearly sixty rebuilt workshops, they are still practised, and interested visitors can, sometimes by themselves, take part in the production.

As early as the 1920s, there were efforts by a group of engineers and historical preservationists to preserve technological monuments for posterity. The initiator, Wilhelm Claas, even suggested the Mäckingerbach valley as a good place for a museum to that end. The narrow valley was chosen, as wind, water and wood were the three most important location factors for industry in the 18th and 19th centuries.

In 1960, the Westphalian Open-Air Museum was founded, and thirteen years later, the gates opened to the public. Unlike most open-air museums, which show everyday life on the farm or in the country as it was in days gone by, the Hagen Open-Air Museum puts the history of these activities in Westphalia in the fore. From the late 18th century through the early years of the Industrial Revolution to the highly industrialized society emerging in the early 20th century, the visitor can experience the development of these trades and the industry in the region.

Crafts and trades demonstrated at the Westphalian Open-Air Museum include ropemaking, smithing, brewing, baking, tanning, printing, milling, papermaking, and much more. A favourite attraction is the triphammer workshop shown in the image above. Once the hammer is engaged, a craftsman goes to work noisily forging a scythe, passing it between the hammer and the anvil underneath in a process called peening.

The Hagen Westphalian Open-Air Museum is open from March or April until October.

The Hagen Open-air Museum (LWL-Freilichtmuseum Hagen – Westfälisches Landesmuseum für Handwerk und Technik; English: "LWL Open-air Museum Hagen – Westphalian State Museum for Craft and Technics") is a museum at Hagen in the southeastern Ruhr area, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was founded, together with the Detmold Open-air Museum, in 1960, and was first opened to the public in the early 1970s. The museum is run by the Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe (LWL, regional authority for Westphalia and Lippe within North Rhine-Westphalia). It lies in the Hagen neighbourhood of Selbecke south of Eilpe in the Mäckingerbach valley.

The open-air museum brings a bit of skilled-trade history into the present, and it takes a hands-on approach. On its grounds stretching for about 42 ha, not only are urban and rural trades simply "displayed" along with their workshops and tools, but in more than twenty of the nearly sixty rebuilt workshops, they are still practised, and interested visitors can, sometimes by themselves, take part in the production.

As early as the 1920s, there were efforts by a group of engineers and historical preservationists to preserve technological monuments for posterity. The initiator, Wilhelm Claas, even suggested the Mäckingerbach valley as a good place for a museum to that end. The narrow valley was chosen, as wind, water and wood were the three most important location factors for industry in the 18th and 19th centuries.

In 1960, the Westphalian Open-Air Museum was founded, and thirteen years later, the gates opened to the public. Unlike most open-air museums, which show everyday life on the farm or in the country as it was in days gone by, the Hagen Open-Air Museum puts the history of these activities in Westphalia in the fore. From the late 18th century through the early years of the Industrial Revolution to the highly industrialized society emerging in the early 20th century, the visitor can experience the development of these trades and the industry in the region.

Crafts and trades demonstrated at the Westphalian Open-Air Museum include ropemaking, smithing, brewing, baking, tanning, printing, milling, papermaking, and much more. A favourite attraction is the triphammer workshop shown in the image above. Once the hammer is engaged, a craftsman goes to work noisily forging a scythe, passing it between the hammer and the anvil underneath in a process called peening.

The Hagen Westphalian Open-Air Museum is open from March or April until October.

Cima da Conegliano (Giovanni Battista Cima 1469/70 - 1517/18) - Saint Peter enthroned with Saint John the Baptist and Saint Paul (1515-1516) - dimensions 155 x 146 cm - Pinacoteca di Brera Milan

La tavola giunse a Brera dal refettorio del convento francescano di Santa Maria Mater Domini a Conegliano, anche se doveva esser stata eseguita per la chiesa annessa al convento. Risulta che un parziale pagamento fu effettuato nel 1516 dalla priora del convento; la tavola a quel tempo era probabilmente terminata e attendeva solo di essere collocata sull’altare della chiesa.

Quest’opera tarda raffigura san Pietro, il primo papa della Chiesa cattolica. È rappresentato in trono con in mano il pastorale, ha in testa la tiara papale e indossa un ricco piviale. Son ben visibili anche gli altri attributi: l’anello piscatorio, che prende il nome dalla professione esercitata da Pietro prima della vocazione, e le chiavi deposte ai suoi piedi. I colori saturi e raffinati, il chiaroscuro mobile definiscono espressioni insolitamente intense e fanno del dipinto un capolavoro.

This late work depicts St. Peter, the Catholic >Church’s first pope, enthroned with his crozier, the papal tiara on his head and a rich cope about his shoulders. We can also clearly make out his other attributes: the fisherman’s ring, named after the trade he practised before his calling, and the keys lying at his feet. The saturated, sophisticated palette and shifting chiaroscuro conveying unusually intense expressions make this painting a true masterpieceCima da Conegliano (Giovanni Battista Cima 1469/70 - 1517/18) - San Pietro in trono con San Giovanni Battista e San Paolo (1515-1516) - dimensioni cm 155 x 146 - Pinacoteca di Brera Milano

Cima da Conegliano (Giovanni Battista Cima 1469/70 - 1517/18) - Saint Peter enthroned with Saint John the Baptist and Saint Paul (1515-1516) - dimensions 155 x 146 cm - Pinacoteca di Brera Milan

La tavola giunse a Brera dal refettorio del convento francescano di Santa Maria Mater Domini a Conegliano, anche se doveva esser stata eseguita per la chiesa annessa al convento. Risulta che un parziale pagamento fu effettuato nel 1516 dalla priora del convento; la tavola a quel tempo era probabilmente terminata e attendeva solo di essere collocata sull’altare della chiesa.

Quest’opera tarda raffigura san Pietro, il primo papa della Chiesa cattolica. È rappresentato in trono con in mano il pastorale, ha in testa la tiara papale e indossa un ricco piviale. Son ben visibili anche gli altri attributi: l’anello piscatorio, che prende il nome dalla professione esercitata da Pietro prima della vocazione, e le chiavi deposte ai suoi piedi. I colori saturi e raffinati, il chiaroscuro mobile definiscono espressioni insolitamente intense e fanno del dipinto un capolavoro.

This late work depicts St. Peter, the Catholic >Church’s first pope, enthroned with his crozier, the papal tiara on his head and a rich cope about his shoulders. We can also clearly make out his other attributes: the fisherman’s ring, named after the trade he practised before his calling, and the keys lying at his feet. The saturated, sophisticated palette and shifting chiaroscuro conveying unusually intense expressions make this painting a true masterpiece