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The Monostor Fortress - the largest modern fortress in Central Europe - was built between 1850 and 1871. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the neoclassical military monument is a fascinating sight with its huge walls of precisely hewn stone, the 3-4 metre thick earthen ramparts covering the defences and its network of underground passages (kazamata) several kilometres long.
Its monumental dimensions are evidenced by the following figures: The fortress covers 25 hectares, the total area including the firing ranges is 70 hectares, the floor area of the buildings is 25 680 m2 and the number of rooms is 640.
After the fortress was built, it served generations of soldiers of the Hungarian Defence Forces. Its tasks included the defence of the central fortress (North - Komárom) and the control of shipping on the Danube. It was never used in combat and served mainly as a training centre and weapons depot. During the First World War it was used as a conscription and training centre. During the Second World War, the 22nd Infantry Regiment had its headquarters at Fort Monostor, and the soldiers of the 1st and 2nd Infantry Regiments were stationed there. After the Second World War.
Between 1945 and 1990, the Red Army's Army Group South set up the largest ammunition depot in Central Europe in the fort. With their withdrawal, the military function of the fortress ended forever.
Today the fort is a popular destination with a military history exhibition, Cold War vehicles, a bread museum, a boat exhibition and numerous events.
An Immature Harris's Hawk lets me know precisely how it feels about being photographed 😉
©R.C. Clark: Dancing Snake Nature Photography
All rights reserved - Pinal County, AZ
#PeaceLoveConservation
While driving dirt roads east of Winnipeg looking for Connecticut Warblers, we also saw a number of first successional White Birch Forests which reminded me precisely of the initial habitat that Gene and I found our first Golden Wings in Michigan.
So, I suggested we simply stop the SUV, get out and listen (Gene, not me--I cannot hear them) for any GWWA's.
Sure enough , a number of those young birch forests contained
breeding GWWA's. This is one shot I got on one of those stops.
That is actually an alder in the foreground with the birches further in the background that you cannot see in this photo.
This is a version for Retina cameras but not named Retina-Xenon. It has short MFD of 0.5m compared to 0.9 of more common Retina-Xenon. Obviously it has longer barel but other than that it is the same lens optically. Her it is put on focusing helicoid which was almost fully extended.
As all Xenons it is a beautiful and precisely made. It is similar optical design to Biotar so it is not surprise that it swirl in right conditions. But it is also capable of creating very smooth aquarelish bokeh too.
If I do not want to exaggerate a bit bokeh affect, no post processing is really needed. Colors are rich and natural.
A 13th century marvel.... was framed at the Konark sun temple, associated with twelve pairs of gigantic wheels. This chariot wheel is actually a clock. Yes, you can precisely calculate the exact time of the day from the shadow of your finger only, using the sundial. It's difficult explaining this amazing technique here but still pretty interesting and accurate.
In effect, it functions in anti-clockwise direction. Major spokes, minor spokes along with small beads in between, all are the part of this whole technique.
Brilliant architecture !!!!
the freedom machine
La bicicleta en el siglo XIX se convirtió en todo un símbolo de libertad para el sector femenino y muchas veces estuvo asociada a movimientos sufragistas.
"Cada vez que veo una mujer sobre una bicicleta me alegro, porque es la imagen de la libertad" , afirmaba Susan Anthony, en una entrevista realizada en 1896. Precisamente así es como las mujeres empezaron a llamar al vehículo de dos ruedas: “la máquina de la libertad”.
**
The bicycle in the XIX century became a symbol of freedom for the female sector and was often associated with suffrage movements.
"Every time I see a woman on a bicycle I am glad, because it is the image of freedom", said Susan Anthony in an interview in 1896. Precisely this is how women began to call the two-wheeled vehicle: “ the freedom machine "
*
Not precisely sure what this is, a juvenile hawk, Swainson's I'm thinking. But there were four or five along this stretch of road in Saskatchewan, likely feasting on the gophers being hit by vehicles.
Mon petit bout de paradis en Provence, plus précisément dans le Var sur la commune du Castellet à proximité du circuit Paul Ricard. Et j’ai vraiment hâte de le retrouver et de profiter d’un moment de calme dans un cadre comme vous pouvez le constater sur les photos qui ressemble au paradis !
Cet hôtel de charme situé au cœur de la Provence permet au chef Christophe Bacquie meilleur ouvrier de France et triplement étoilé et à son second le chef Fabien Ferré de nous régaler avec une cuisine méditerranéenne dans un cadre clair et épuré avec une vue verdoyante.
Le Castellet Hotel & Spa
My little piece of paradise in Provence, more precisely in the Var in the town of Le Castellet near the Paul Ricard circuit.
This charming hotel located in the heart of Provence allows the Chef Meilleur Ouvrier de France and three-star chef to delight us with Mediterranean cuisine in a clear and uncluttered setting with a green view.
@hotelducastellet @christophe_bacquie @alexbacquie @fabien.ferre
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Portrait found in Rome, in the Licinian tomb, dated to around 30-50 A.D. It is not known precisely who she is, but it might be a portrait of Antonia, daughter of emperor Claudius.
Now on display at Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen.
Solomon's seal is an old cottage garden plant that appears early in spring, producing graceful, arching stems with precisely paired, oval leaves along their length. These are quickly joined by dangling, green-tipped, white bells that persist throughout late spring and early summer. Stems and foliage remain eye-catching even after the flowers are over.
The Maya had few domestic animals; dogs were domesticated by 3000 BC, and the Muscovy duck by the Late Postclassic.
Its characteristic is precisely that of the red muzzle which I find very nice!
Today I bring you in India!
Just kidding! I'll go to India sooner or later, but for now, this amazing temple is situated in London, more precisely in Neasden (that's why it's known as Neasden Temple).
The official name is BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir and its architecture + the attention for details is truly breathtaking.
This Mandir has also been awarded for being the largest Indian Temple of the world, outside of India.
It's made of Italian marble, Indian Ambaji marble and Bulgarian limestone. It was terminated in 1995: handcarved in India and then assembled here in London.
Truly a gem to visit!
You can follow me on Instagram if you want! I'll follow you back :) you can find me as gggiuliac (www.instagram.com/gggiuliac/?hl=it)
AMUN DUIN is a fictive Elven realm, inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien's incredibly beautiful saga Lord Of The Rings. It is situated in Middle Earth, more precisely in Lindon, the Elvish region between the Ered Luin (Blue Mountains) and Belegaer, the western sea. From its harbor ships embark into the West, to Aman (Quenya: "The blessed realm"), the continent where Valinor lies, the "Undying Lands" of the Elves.
Taken at *80Days* AMON DUIN ~ An Elven Realm
Winter Hazel, Corylopsis spicata, hails from east Asia, especially China and Japan. Spicata was introduced to Europe and more precisely The Netherlands in the nineteenth century by Von Siebold, whom I've often mentioned in these pages: e.g. www.flickr.com/photos/87453322@N00/8714836253/in/photolis....
Look at the tightly packed pollen on the leg of this Spring Bee!
The Monostor Fortress - the largest modern fortress in Central Europe - was built between 1850 and 1871. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the neoclassical military monument is a fascinating sight with its huge walls of precisely hewn stone, the 3-4 metre thick earthen ramparts covering the defences and its network of underground passages (kazamata) several kilometres long.
Its monumental dimensions are evidenced by the following figures: The fortress covers 25 hectares, the total area including the firing ranges is 70 hectares, the floor area of the buildings is 25 680 m2 and the number of rooms is 640.
After the fortress was built, it served generations of soldiers of the Hungarian Defence Forces. Its tasks included the defence of the central fortress (North - Komárom) and the control of shipping on the Danube. It was never used in combat and served mainly as a training centre and weapons depot. During the First World War it was used as a conscription and training centre. During the Second World War, the 22nd Infantry Regiment had its headquarters at Fort Monostor, and the soldiers of the 1st and 2nd Infantry Regiments were stationed there. After the Second World War.
Between 1945 and 1990, the Red Army's Army Group South set up the largest ammunition depot in Central Europe in the fort. With their withdrawal, the military function of the fortress ended forever.
Today the fort is a popular destination with a military history exhibition, Cold War vehicles, a bread museum, a boat exhibition and numerous events.
NGC 7023 (sometimes known as the Iris Nebula or with the abbreviation C 4) is a diffuse nebula visible in the boreal constellation of Cepheus. It was discovered by William Herschel in 1794.
NGC 7023 is a reflection nebula, ie it reflects the light of some nearby stars; probably the main star responsible for its illumination is precisely the seventh magnitude star, cataloged as HD 200775, which would be enveloped by the nebula, together with other less bright stars born from its dust and which form the open cluster. The nebula is probably about 1400 light years from us and measures about 6 al. It is probably part of the vast Cepheus Molecular Cloud Complex.
Distance from Earth: 1,300 light years
Another old raw. I was probably annoyed by the low sharpness at the time and didn't do anything to it despite the arrangement with the branch. This was shot with a mirror lens and a Speedbooster. The focus, such as it is, is slighly off and is more on the wing than the eye. That makes sense. It's a fool's errand to try to focus this lens precisely on something as quick moving as a starling's head, so I probably went for the wing. Anyhow, it is what it is, since I don't smoke anymore shooting starlings from my smoking balcony is no longer a thing. If it were to become a thing, though, I now have better EVF stabilization and possibly usable focus peaking to do it with.
Always liked how the towers in the downtown core reflect first light at sunrise.
This is a blend of two frames, one taken precisely at sunrise at 8am and earlier at 7:26am. I wanted to add a little more contrast behind the Ice District towers.
This photo was taken on perennial glacier of Mount Cevedale, in the Italian Alps at 3300 meters. A historical place fact, precisely in these mountains was fought the First World War, are still visible the ruins of the trenches and cannons of the era.
You know a trip was worthwhile when you're leaving with lump in your throat :) And so it was in this case leaving the incredible Australian continent. I remember the moment precisely and even have it captured :) :) May you all have only happy and memorable trips and safe travels :)
... feather it be
Bestial oblivion, or some craven scruple
Of thinking too precisely on the event,
A thought which, quarter'd, hath but one part wisdom
And ever three parts coward
(Hamlet... almost...)
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Bueno... creo que está bien construir aviones "jumbo" o dar un paseo en un tren cósmico. Enciende el verano desde una máquina tragamonedas... sí... consigue lo que quieras si quieres, porque puedes conseguir cualquier cosa.
Sé que hemos avanzado mucho, estamos cambiando día a día, pero dime... ¿dónde juegan los niños?
Where Do The Children Play? - Cat Stevens
.....
Dear Stevens: Decades later, the problem remains unchanged. But perhaps the reality is a little sadder. Today, when children leave school, they don't stay in the squares, in public parks, or on the streets, playing, for example, soccer. They go straight home and shut themselves away in a world of surround sound and a giant screen. They play at killing soldiers, at commanding armies, they play soccer... they know how to dribble and control a digital soccer ball, very skillfully, with their index finger guiding a mouse. They do it infinitely better than when they dribble or pass a leather ball with their leg during recess at school. Today, when a child leaves school, they go straight home to immerse themselves inside the silicon chips of Silicon Valley, to play on a smartphone, an Alienware computer, or a PlayStation. If you suggest a game to a child, for example, playing "Hopscotch," they will most likely ask if there is an app for their smartphone or computer. If you tell him there's no app for this game, something might surprise you... if there's no app where you can play this game... he simply won't be interested in your game proposal... he won't be interested.
Bueno... has resquebrajado el cielo, los rascacielos llenan el aire ¿Pero seguirás construyendo más alto hasta que no haya más espacio ahí arriba? ¿Nos harás reír? ¿Nos harás llorar? ¿Nos dirás cuándo vivir? ¿Nos dirás cuándo morir?
Sé que hemos avanzado mucho, estamos cambiando día a día, pero dime... ¿dónde juegan los niños?
.....
Tea For The Tillerman - Cat Stevens (1970)
.....
The lines we see on a map that demarcate one country from another, one region from another, are merely fictitious. If, according to the map, you are in China, for example, and you walk a few meters to where the map indicates you are in Mongolia, little will have changed. These are transitional zones where their richness lies precisely in their mixture of languages, customs, religions, ethnicities, and facial features. In the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, the Uyghur ethnic group is the majority in this region of northwest China, and they also inhabit border areas such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. The Uyghurs are the sum of a rich and complex mix of Turkic, Persian, and Indo-European cultures. The Uyghurs are, fundamentally, a Turkic-speaking people, meaning that their language belongs to the same language family as Turkish. They share a common ancestor with the Turks who migrated to Western Asia. The ancestors of the Uyghurs established a powerful empire, the Uyghur Khanate, in what is now Mongolia. After the fall of this empire, they migrated to the Tarim Basin, in present-day Xinjiang. However, it is perhaps the Persian influence that is most evident in their culture and in the modern Uyghur language. This influence is found in the names of people and, above all, in the names of places of Persian origin or with Persian influence in Xinjiang, as is the case with many historical oasis cities in the region, such as Kumul (Hami in Chinese). The border with Mongolia is located about 300 kilometers northwest of Kumul. It is important to note that the Uyghurs are predominantly Muslim, so you will not find Buddhist monks in most of the region; there is no significant Buddhist influence. Similarly, Mongolia is a deeply Buddhist country (Tibetan Buddhism), where you'll find little Muslim influence, only a few ethnic minorities like the Kazakhs. But it's in these border areas where you can find nomadic Buddhists or Buddhist monks. This mix is visible in people's faces and perhaps even more so in something common to Uyghurs and Mongolians: the presence of yurts. Very common among the nomadic Uyghurs, these dwellings vary slightly in Mongolia, not so much in their construction but in their name. They aren't called yurts, but rather "gers," a Latinization of the Mongolian word. And another thing they have in common is that you still see children playing football. Perhaps the bond uniting humanity isn't religion, political ideas, art, or culture. Perhaps the most widespread bond among humans is... football. Marx, in a context that must be understood, coined the phrase that "religion is the opium of the people." You may agree or disagree with this idea or with his ideas, but you must understand the context in which Marx wrote his ideological theses and his phrase... it was a context where football didn't exist. Perhaps, if Marx were alive today, he would change the content of his phrase and instead of saying that "religion is the opium of the people," he would change it to... "football is the opium of the people."
PS: Image edited exclusively in "blue and garnet" (FC Barcelona) and players in red kits, like the Reds at Anfield (Liverpool), my two "opiates" teams from my childhood.
.....
Dalantule, Xinjiang Uygur Zizhiqu, China. Border with Mongolia. March 2022
Abstract of an Aloe plant by focusing on its shadow instead of its leaves. It is lit by 4 precisely positioned halogen bulbs, equally separated. I heard it is also called sometime a kitchen light fixture, but hey, that doesn't sound as cool... I really like the repetition and the pattern created by the different amount of shadows intersecting simultaneously ( 4,3,2,1 in order)
Normally you see a church only from the outside.
But I have shown you the church from the inside first.
"San Margherita di Antiochia" (1318), the church of Vernazza directlly located right on the harbor.
Over the years and centuries wind and weather have attacked the colors of the facades.
Nevertheless or precisely for this reason Vernazza is so beautiful.
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The 046 Д Lysychansk - Uzhhorod train, consisting of 15 cars, has already been on its way for 28 hours and will shortly reach the 42nd scheduled stop Lawotschne with a total of 48 stops. The starting point is in Eastern Ukraine - more precisely in the Luhansk oblast - not far from the front. On the picture the train is located on the Carpathian pass line Lviv-Stryj-Tchop and is at an altitude of 650 m.
Bereits seit 28 Stunden ist der aus 15 Wagen bestehende Zug 046 Д Lyssytschansk - Uschhorod unterwegs und erreicht in Kürze den 42en planmäßigen Halt Lawotschne von insgesamt 48 Halten. Der Startpunkt liegt in der Ostukraine - genauer gesagt im Oblast Luhansk - unweit der dortigen Front. Auf dem Bild befindet sich der Zug gerade auf der Karpatenpassstrecke Lwiw–Stryj–Tschop und befindet sich hier auf ca. 650 m Höhe.
1936 Delage D6-70 Milord Cabriolet (3 position Drop Head Coupe') by Figoni et Falaschi.
After merging with Delahaye in 1935, Louis Delage, with access to the Delahaye bank of parts, set about precisely preparing his new model, the D6-70. He started with modifying the Delahaye 135 engine by decreasing it to 2,729 cc. This gave the engine a shorter stroke, which when combined with a revised cylinder head, provided the new Delage’s engine with much more gusto than its sister Delahaye 135.
Most of the D6-70s were equipped with the optional Cotal electromagnetic gearbox, a quasi automatic transmission with four speeds plus reverse. In a time when most car transmissions were borrowed from trucks and shifted as such, the silky-smooth Cotal was lightyears ahead of its time.
Chassis number 50607, presented here, was the first cabriolet out of a small batch of Delage D6s bodied by Figoni et Falaschi in 1936. The design is sheer elegance in any of its three different configurations: with the top up, top down in cabriolet dress, and then with the “Milord,” or half-cabriolet appointment (rolling back the front of the top), which gives this example a touch of class made famous by the French school of the 1930s. Figoni et Falaschi are said to have been particularly proud of their work and believed to have displayed this car on their stand at the 1936 Salon de Paris.
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These flowers are popularly but erroneously known as Amaryllis, a monotypic African genus in the same family....
The Hippeastrum (Amaryllis) has very prominent attractions, for bees.
The name Hippeastrum, given to it by William Herbert, means "Knight's-star-lily", although precisely what Herbert meant by the name is not certain.
For many years there was confusion among botanists over the generic names Amaryllis and Hippeastrum, one result of which is that the common name "amaryllis" is mainly used for cultivars of this genus, often sold as indoor flowering bulbs particularly at Christmas in the northern hemisphere.
By contrast the generic name Amaryllis applies to bulbs from South Africa, usually grown outdoors. The flowers not quite as showy and a tad smaller!
The genus is native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas from Argentina north to Mexico and the Caribbean.
Thank you for your visit and time, M, (*_*)
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La primera excursió per "caçar" aurores del 2025 (la tercera en total per a mí) fou llarga i gairebé fallida. Però al final la aurora va recompensar l'esforç.
Tot i que entorn la posta de sol (a quarts de dues de la tarda!) el cel semblava parcialment serè, aviat es va anar tapant completament tot al entorn de Tromsø. Per això el nostre guia Vidar ens va recollir a quarts de 6 per a fer molts quilometres en una excursió nocturna i gelada per les carreteres norueges. La primera parada fou més d'una hora després, en una benzinera de Nordkjosbotn.
Allà va recollir informació per al seguent tram de la ruta, en busca d'una zona sense nuvols. Ens dirigirem vers el nord-est, cap al interior, buscant posar muntanyes (els Alps de Lyngen) entre nosaltres i les nuvolades que venien de l'oceà. Després d'una parada a Hatteng per a posar-nos més capes de roba per al fred intens, ens endinsarem a la vall de Skibotn, famosa precisament pels seus cels clars. Varem parar entorn Bulldosarveien i Lulledalen, però res. Teniem estrelles i el cel serè, però encara no es veien aurores. Varem fer un darrer tram (ja a més de 2 hores / 150 km. de distancia de Tromsø), com a darrera oportunitat, fins un punt molt proxim a la frontera amb Finlandia. I allà, per fi, es veia la aurora!
Molt fina al començament, lentament es va anar animant moderadament. L'entorn era ple bosc sub-artic de Laponia, prop del llac Gálggojávri. Allà varem fer una petita foguera per escalfar-nos i menjar sopa calenta.
Imatges d'un petit però concentrat viatge per Tromsø i el seu entorn gelat, el novembre de 2025.
================================
The first aurora "hunting" excursion of 2025 (the third in total for me) was long and almost a failure. But in the end the aurora rewarded the effort.
Although around sunset (at 1:30 pm!) the sky seemed partially serene, it soon completely covered all around Tromsø. That's why our guide Vidar picked us up at 5:30 pm to do many kilometers on a night and icy excursion along the Norwegian roads. The first stop was more than an hour later, at a gas station in Nordkjosbotn.
There he collected information for the next section of the route, in search of a cloudless area. We will head northeast, inland, looking for mountains (the Lyngen Alps) between us and the clouds coming from the ocean. After a stop in Hatteng to put on more layers of clothing for the intense cold, we entered the Skibotn valley, famous precisely for its clear skies. We stopped around Bulldosarveien and Lulledalen, but nothing. We had stars and the sky was clear, but still no auroras were visible. We did one last stretch (already more than 2 hours / 150 km. away from Tromsø), as a last chance. When we finally stopped a short distance from the Finland border, we finally saw the Northern Lights!
Modest at first, they slowly gained momentum. We where in the middle of the Lappland forest, by the lake Gálggojávri. There we lit a little campfire to eat some hot soup.
Images of a short but intense trip to Tromsø and it's frozen surroundings, in november 2025.
One of the chief obstacles to this perfection of selfless charity, is the selfish anxiety to get the most out of everything, to be a brilliant success in our own eyes and in the eyes of other men. We can only get rid of this anxiety by being content to miss something in almost everything we do. We cannot master everything, taste everything, understand everything, drain every experience to its last dregs. But if we have the courage to let almost everything else go, we will probably be able to retain the one thing necessary for us -whatever it may be. If we are too eager to have everything, we will almost certainly miss even the one thing we need.
Happiness consists in finding out precisely what the ‘one thing necessary’ may be, in our lives, and in gladly relinquishing all the rest. For then, by a divine paradox, we find that everything else is given us together with the one thing we needed.
-Thomas Merton, No Man is an Island
Made my annual pilgrimage to see the Northern Metalmarks in the Maryland mountains.
This small and seemingly unremarkable butterfly is classified as threatened and rare with a state ranking of S2 and declining.
A strict habitat and host plant specialist, the Northern Metalmark flies in the unforgiving shale barrens and limestone outcrops where one would normally not look for a butterfly.
Finding a Metalmark is like finding a gemstone amid the crumbling rubble of the shale slopes. The beauty of this diminutive butterfly is hidden in the details of its delicate metallic bands that sparkle in the sun and look especially gorgeous when viewed thru good binoculars. This butterfly has beautiful emerald colored eyes that stand out against the chocolate brown open wings and harmonize perfectly with the bright orange on the underside of its wings. (see next two shots)
This butterfly has a very short life of only about two weeks. Adults love to nectar on yellow composites, especially the Woodland Sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus) that grows on shale barrens and blooms precisely during the short adult life of this precious butterfly.
The larval host plant is the Roundleaf Ragwort (Packera obovata). Females lay their eggs on the underside of the leaves. The caterpillars hatch in August and begin to feed on the leaves. Half-grown they burrow into the soil around the leaf rosette where they sleep until spring. When they emerge next June they crawl back to the host plant and begin to feed again. By month's end they form a chrysalis on the soil around the ragwort. Winged adults emerge in late June and begin to adorn their nectar plants as in this photo.
This is the only Metalmark (Riodinidae) species in Maryland.
A small terrace on the mezzanine from the second to the first floor.
First floor view - Ceiling of the 'Salone dei Cinquecento' (Hall of the Five Hundred)
The ceiling, made up of 39 panels, was built and painted by Vasari and his workshop. It represents 'Important episodes of Cosme I's life', the city's neighborhoods and the city itself. In the center is apotheosis the 'Scene of glorification as Grand Duke of Florence and Tuscany'.
It is one of the largest salons in Italy.
This imposing room has a length of 54 meters and a width of 23. It was built in 1494 by Simone del Pollaiolo, called il Cronaca, commissioned by Savonarola who, replacing the Medici in the direction of Florence, conceived it as seat of the Major Council (Consiglio Maggiore), precisely with 500 members.
It was then enlarged by Vasari so that Cosme I could assemble the Court in this hall.
Despite the presence of yellow and black designs, which at first glance resemble a wasp, this animal is a bee and more precisely a Megachile of the genus Anthidium.
The Megachiles are called solitary bees, since they do not live in swarms with a queen who ensures the reproduction of the swarm; each female Megachile reproduces individually, and to do this, digs a burrow which she lines with cut leaves and where she will lay her eggs.
Malgré la présence de dessins jaune et noir, qui font penser de prime abord à une guêpe, cet animal est une abeille et plus précisément une Mégachile de genre Anthidium.
Les Mégachile sont appelées abeilles solitaires, vu qu’elles ne vivent pas en essaim avec une reine qui assure la reproduction de l’essaim ; chaque femelle Mégachile assure individuellement sa reproduction, et pour ce faire, creuse un terrier qu’elle tapisse avec des feuilles découpées et où elle déposera ses œufs.
At 80 meters long and only 1.50 meters wide, it is considered one of the longest suspension bridges in Galicia.
A peculiar metal structure that is suspended over the waters of the Ulla River and that connects the provinces of A Coruña and Pontevedra, by uniting the municipalities of Teo and A Estrada respectively.
Erected in 1964 under the direction of engineer José Darque, it was rehabilitated in 2012 by the Xunta de Galicia.
In fact, it is said that the construction of the bridge was motivated precisely to unite both fishing reserves.
A necessary work in a historical context in which the Dictator Franco enjoyed fishing in this area.
The Ardid Palace, in the "Calle Mayor", is a 16th century building that follows the typology of Aragonese palaces.
This century can be considered as the Golden Age of Alcañiz. A true reflection of this is precisely the large number of palatial houses that were built.
At present it has undergone a deep restoration and is home to the Municipal Library and Archive.
El Palacio Ardid, en la Calle Mayor, es un edificio del siglo XVI que sigue la tipología de los palacios aragoneses.
Este siglo puede ser considerado como el Siglo de Oro de Alcañiz. Fiel reflejo de esto es, precisamente, el gran número de casas palaciegas que se construyeron.
En la actualidad ha sufrido una profunda restauración y es sede de la Biblioteca y Archivo Municipal.
Comarca del Bajo Aragón
Alcañiz (Teruel/ Comunidad autónoma de Aragón/ Spain).
Seen on C Level Cirque Trail, Alberta, Canada
Elevation gain: 455 m (1,500 ft)
Maximum elevation: 1920 m (6,300 ft)
Cirque is a French word, used by geologists to describe a semicircular, bowl-shaped depression created by an alpine glacier. C Level Cirque is a miniature example of the phenomenon.
I can't remember who said this "Romance is the glamour which turns the dust of daily life into a golden haze". It precisely reflects how I felt at the moment of photo shooting this view.
"In this moment, you are precisely as you should be. In this moment, there is infinite possibility."
The inner self is precisely that self which cannot be tricked or manipulated by anyone, even by the devil. He is like a very shy wild animal that never appears at all whenever an alien presence is at hand, and comes out only when all is perfectly peaceful,12 in silence, when he is untroubled and alone. He cannot be lured by anyone or anything, because he responds to no lure except that of the divine freedom.
-The Inner Experience Notes on Contemplation THOMAS MERTON
The tawny fish owl is a species of owl. It used to be placed in Ketupa with the other fish owls, but that group is tentatively included with the eagle-owls in Bubo, until the affiliations of the fish owls and fishing owls can be resolved more precisely. It is clear from several shared characteristics that the more typical Bubo and fish owls are indeed related, including the structure of the talons, prominent ear tufts and plumage characteristics, unlike the superficially dissimilar fishing owls of Africa
“Humility consists in being precisely the person you actually are before God...humility brings with it a deep refinement of spirit, a peacefulness, a tact, and a common sense without which there is no sane morality. How do you expect to arrive at the end of your own journey if you take the road to another man’s city? Heroic humility is to be yourself and to be nobody but the man, or the artist, that God intended you to be.”
-Thomas Merton from New Seeds of Contemplation
The city of Petra, capital of the Nabataean Arabs, is one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world.
t is not known precisely when Petra was built, but the city began to prosper as the capital of the Nabataean Empire from the 1st century BC, which grew rich through trade in frankincense, myrrh, and spices.
Petra was later annexed to the Roman Empire and continued to thrive until a large earthquake in 363 AD destroyed much of the city in the 4th century AD.
The earthquake combined with changes in trade routes, eventually led to the downfall of the city which was ultimately abandoned.
Petra is also known as the rose-red city, a name it gets from the wonderful colour of the rock from which many of the city’s structures were carved.
The Nabataeans buried their dead in intricate tombs that were cut out of the mountain sides and the city also had temples, a theater, and following the Roman annexation and later the Byzantine influence, a colonnaded street and churches.
In addition to the magnificent remains of the Nabataean city, human settlement and land use for over 10,000 years can be traced in Petra, where great natural, cultural, archaeological and geological features merge.
On December 6, 1985, Petra was designated a World Heritage Site.
Lake Orta, a dominant nature surrounding, between mountains and hills gives a romantic and relaxing setting, typical of lake atmospheres.
The Ligurians were in all probability the first inhabitants of the San Giulio Riviera. In time Celtic influences took over. Towards the end of the fourth century, Christianity arrived on the Riviera thanks to the brothers Julius and Julian, who to escape persecution against Christians abandoned the Greek island of Aegina.
With the approval of Emperor Theodosius, they demolished the pagan temples and built churches sacred to Christ in their place. Julius and Julian built ninety-nine churches. Thinking that their lives were coming to an end, they hastened to erect the hundredth and prepare a tomb where they could rest forever.
Giulio, therefore, left his brother in Cozzano and walked towards the shores of the lake, precisely towards the small uncontaminated island infested by dragons and snakes. Not finding a boat, he decided to spread his cloak on the calm waters of the lake, climbed on top of it and helped himself with a pilgrim's staff he reached the island of San Giulio. He chased away the snakes and dragons with the sign of the Cross and began the construction of his last church on the top of the fortress.
Since ancient times, the lake has also attracted writers and poets, being considered a place and a source of strong inspiration and feeling.
Ich liebe diese Naturholzglocke . Sie hat sogar einige Löcher im Holz und das ist gut so. Gerade an diesen Stellen unterscheidet sie sich von allen anderen und macht sie einzigartig.
I love this natural wood bell. It even has a few holes in the wood and that's a good thing. It is precisely in these areas that it differs from all others and makes it unique.
Is not precisely the whole course of centuries needed in order for our gaze to accustom itself to the light?… I am prepared to press on to the end along a path on which each step makes me more certain, toward horizons that are ever more shrouded in mist. (CE, 132)
-Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
Only he who has fought bravely and been victorious in the struggle against the spurious security and strength and attraction of the past can attain to the firm and blissful experiential certainty that the more we lose all foothold in the darkness and instability of the future, the more deeply we penetrate into God. (HU, 136)
-Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
The more I prayed, the more deeply did God materialize for me in a reality that was at once spiritual and tangible. In that reality, the great synthesis was beginning to be effected in which my life would be summed up: the synthesis of the above with the ahead. (HM, 44)
-Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
The tradition of the Fathers has never admitted the existence of a material world apart from a larger creation, from a spiritual universe. To speak more precisely, for them the world, a whole and a unity, is inseparably matter and spirit. What we call the material world is only the reflection of a reflection. . . . It is, as it were, the fringe of their garment: the waves of its light are like the scintillating robe with which the Creator has been pleased to adorn his invisible creation.
-Louis Bouyer, The Meaning of the Monastic Life (London: Burnes & Oates, 1955), 28.
To see a brown bear as it pursues its dinner of any variety is amazing. To see them in pursuit of a running salmon is especially thrilling due to the beauty and nature, as well as skill, of the catch. The big bear patiently waits on its target, lunges for it and often chases it down ... all the while racing through the river, water splashes erupting with its every move ... and then if lucky, it successfully secures the fish. At that point it usually shakes it around for some time and you can almost see the look of "oh no" in the salmon's eyes. It's all about the circle of life, right? However, the thrill doesn't stop there ... to see a brown bear tackle the task of filleting the salmon, precisely and efficiently, as it goes after prized sections first, it quite amazing as well. I think that most fishermen can learn a thing or two about their technique. As many of you know already, I LOVE bears!
Sorry for my absence recently. I have a good reason ... trust me. I'll share it on tomorrow's post. :-)
Thanks for stopping by to view and appreciate any comments that you might wish to share.
© 2019. Debbie Tubridy Photography / TNWA Photography
Another Monday morning at precisely 7:05 AM. Looking down Market Street with the Ferry Building announcing the time to the world. I thought I was pretty brave standing in the middle of one of the City's busiest streets to get this picture. I'm just glad that 7:05 AM wasn't the final toll for me.
San Francisco CA
The carnival (rather, the many carnivals) in Galicia has its own rituals and calendars, whose origins date back, in some cases, to time immemorial, long before even Roman domination. Some authors speak of Celtic origins or Druidic rituals in many of the Galician carnivals, but the truth is that they have been celebrated "forever".
Banned during the Franco regime due to the "public disorders" that it involved, the carnival in Galicia never stopped being celebrated, having maintained its own cultural tradition that is transmitted from generation to generation. Carnival is the party of excess, provocation and mockery, as in many other carnivals in various parts of the world, but in Galicia it is also a party full of color, traditional costumes and masks and, of course, deeply linked to the gastronomy.
Known in Galician as entroido or antroido (depending on the area), each town and village has its specific variants of the carnival. Of the hundreds of different carnivals that are celebrated in Galicia, eight of them have been declared as festivals of international tourist interest, precisely the most colorful and deeply rooted in the Galician cultural tradition.