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Week 5 Landscapes (3) (1321 – 1325) 2/26 – 3/2/2023
ID 1323
Paul Cézanne French 1839-1906
Provençal Manor, about 1885
Oil on canvas.
This large house on a plain—its outbuildings and haystacks suggesting the prosperous farming operation of its owners—has a large chimney on one of the pavilions, perhaps from a bakery oven. The fields stretch out behind, rising on the sloping hills. Although the painting looks unfinished, it may have reached a point that satisfied Cézanne and beyond which he no longer wished to carry it. His definitions of “finished” and “Unfinished” were highly personal and specific to each of his works. To the eyes of the time, this was a disturbing lapse; to artists who came after, the areas of exposed canvas and unresolved spatial relationships were a revelation.
The Henry and Rose Pearlman Foundation, on long-term loan to the Princeton University Art Museum
From the Placard: Princeton University Art Museum, NJ
During the last years of his life, Cézanne’s reputation had been steadily growing in Paris. He still kept his studio in the Villa des Arts and he was flattered that young painters had begun to admire his work, but he had no time for celebrity, preferring to return continually to Provence, where the motif that now most occupied him, the Mont Sainte Victoire, rose up before him, presenting a multitude of challenges. Cézanne remained humble in the face of his own work. As Rilke wrote, “it’s natural, after all, to love each of these things as one makes it: but if one shows this, one makes it less well; one ‘judges’ it instead of saying it.” Here, he put his finger on the paradoxical quest for impersonality on which painters and poets of the early twentieth century, each in their different way, had begun. No serious painter who attended it was unaffected by the 1907 Cézanne exhibition; Picasso was no exception. Cézanne, he told the photographer Brassaï in later years, “was my one and only master! Don’t you think I’ve looked at his paintings? I spent years studying them. Cézanne! He was like the father of us all.”
Sue Roe: In Montmarte Picasso, Matisse and the Birth of Modernist Art, Penguin Press, 2016 pg. 206
"A good reputation endures for ever; a noble duty bravely done". Indeed so. These are the First World War graves of 38533 Liu Jing-sheng and 94178 Xun Mao-rong, who lie side by side in the Nolette Chinese cemetery at Noyelles sur Mer, not far from Le Touquet, France. Quite unusual, I thought, to see war graves coupled like this.
Liu and Xun were among 140,000 Chinese men who were recruited by the British, and later French, governments to serve as non-military back-ups to their combat forces. They formed what became known as the Chinese Labour Corps (Corps de Travailleurs Chinois).
For more information about this historic but little-known place of rest, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, see here .
Scotland’s reputation when it comes to the weather is well-known…but slightly unfair when we take a look at the statistics. The weather actually tends to be quite moderate and very changeable during the day, but is rarely extreme. You might experience ‘four seasons in one day’. But travel 20 to 30 minutes in any direction and the weather is generally completely different! And even when one stays at the same place, wait for a hour, and after a big rain the sun comes out. And that’s just the moment when you can make the best shots. Not only because of the soft light and lighting conditions in the sky, but also because you normally have the scene completely for yourself…just before all those interfering, invasive, hindering, spoiling, nasty, uncooperative, blocking, disturbing, horrible, disruptive, obstructive, nasty, not getting the point, intrusive (other) tourists and vacationers have driven those 20-30 minutes I talked about!
Now, I hear you say… but you yourself are also driving…. Yes, indeed that’s true. But my strategy is different. #reversethinking I’m actually tracking the bad weather and not avoiding it. Just to create opportunities for a crisp, clean and fresh shot.
Technical stuff
This shot was taking with a Renault Captur at 40mph. The (post-)production was done with Google Maps and OpenStreetMaps on a Garmin handheld, several local insights and my lovely wife as a chauffeur (navigation is not her thing ;-). I used layers with GPS-coordinates, signs and public roads and the odd trespassing in a closed meadow (although I was told by a genuine Scotsman near Turnberry that there is no such thing as trespassing in Scotland). Finally I etched a copyright sign in the car’s windscreen. The latter is, alas, there to stay due to the fact that my photos were frequently copied. So, don't bother commenting on that.
HKG earned its reputation for being a cargo-heaven long before COVID-19 struck, with many regular freight ops at Chek Lap Kok. One such example is Asiana's 74Fs, which operate through HKG on their triangular Asian flights.
by shakalt ift.tt/213CeSb Love this bridge, but it's absolutely creepy at night 👻⚰ because of it reputation of being called "The Suicide Bridge" back in the 1920's🙏#coloradostreetbridge #rosebowl #pasadenacalifornia #abc7eyewitness #life #dontjump 😧
НИКОЛАЙ БОГДАНОВ-БЕЛЬСКИЙ - Лето
☆
Location: The Museum of Russian Impressionism, Moscow, Russia.
Source: www.rusimp.su/en/collection/object/23
The freshness of the morning, the gentle rays of the summer sun… Nikolai Bogdanov-Belsky’s "Summer" conveys a dream about the harmony of man and nature, and a boundless admiration for the world. There is an enchanting spectacle of light and colour in each fragment, in every movement of the brush, and in each colourful stroke. By 1911, Nikolai Bogdanov-Belsky was an academician and had earned fame as an artist. He travelled throughout Europe and painted portraits of the Imperial family. However, the reputation of a successful salon artist weighed heavily on Bogdanov-Belsky: he had to take on commissions, sufficient to bring in funds to allow him to spend the summer quite comfortably in the countryside. The painting "Summer" was much acclaimed – it was displayed at the 40th exhibition of the Peredvizhniki association, the artistic group also known as the Wanderers or the Society of Travelling Artists. It was reproduced in the groups’ catalogue too, which signified that the work was acknowledged as outstanding. Take a look at the unusual, multi-layered composition of the painting - how many stories in miniature can be found there? We see a girl with a book sitting on a bench at the bottom of a garden rich in greenery and full of flowers. Children were the artist's favourite characters. As Nikolai Bogdanov-Belsky himself said: “I have always been inspired by children, I have dedicated my whole life to them, and go on doing so. On the one hand, it is about the childhood memories and emotional upheavals of youth; on the other, the world of children is just so good!”
Stagecoach have a reputation for keeping a active heritage fleet and they are known to spend a considerable amount of money in restoring the vehicles.
One such vehicle, former Hampshire Bus 201 F601 MSL is seen here turning out of Edinburgh Road and into Stanhope Road in Portsmouth whilst operating a shuttle service in connection with the Southdown 100 rally. Sunday 7th June 2015.
Leyland Olympian - Alexander RL (Ex-Hampshyire Bus 201 & Stagecoach South 14951)
IMG_24172
The National Trust's Calke Abbey. Also known as the The un-stately home and country estate. It is set in 600 acres of countryside and gardens, stables and outbuildings, and of course the main historic building, Calke Abbey in the glorious Derbyshire Countryside. It's a Grade I Listed Country House. The site was an Augustinian priory from the 12th century until its dissolution by Henry VIII. It dates back to 1701. It is owned by Harpur Baronets (Harpur and Harpur Crewe Families) The National Trust.
If ever a house deserved a reputation as a time-capsule, it's Calke Abbey. A perfect example of the family's eccentric behaviour is a magnificent state bed, a gift to a family member in 1714. The bed, with embroidered Chinese silk hangings, was never erected but remained in storage. The last family residents of Calke Abbey became Charles, and then Henry and Airmyne Harpur-Crewe. None of the three children married and the National Trust took over the property in 1984/5.
How old is the old man of Calke Abbey? Now known as the Old Man of Calke, this ancient oak is over 1,000 years old, but still continues to grows healthily.
Today, the National Trust's Calke Abbey is preserved, not restored. So you get to see it as it was left by its previous owners.
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No Group Awards/Banners, thanks
© All Rights Reserved - No Usage Allowed in Any Form Without the Written Consent of Connie Lemperle/ lemperleconnie or the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
Link to Cincinnati Zoo..............
Western Lowland Gorilla ++++ Female
The gorilla is the largest living primate. A gorilla must spend most of its day eating plants to maintain its large size. Despite its massive size and ferocious reputation, the gorilla is actually a peaceful and social animal. Gorillas and humans are close relatives, and share many things in common. They are very intelligent, have emotions and personalities, and live in family groups.
•A troop of up to 20 gorillas is led and defended by a dominant male called a silverback.
•A male gorilla has the strength of up to eight men.
•Chest-beating is one way a gorilla shows that it’s excited.
•Gorillas and humans have the same number of hairs on their bodies.The Zoo is teaming up with other zoos around the world to celebrate gorillas during 2009, which has been declared the Year of the Gorilla.
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Fact File
Height: 5 to 6 ft
Weight: Male - Up to 400 lbs,
Female - Up to 200 lbs
Lifespan: Up to 35 yrs in the wild
Habitat: Tropical forest
Diet: Fruits, leaves, and small invertebrates
Status: Species at Risk (IUCN—Endangered)
Note+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Thanks everyone for your kind friendship! I appreciate it so much. Have a wonderful Thursday! Hugs!
Hermitage Castle is a semi-ruined castle in the border region of Scotland. It is under the care of Historic Scotland. The castle has a reputation, both from its history and its appearance, as one of the most sinister and atmospheric in Scotland.
It is thought that the name derives from Old French: l'armitage - guardhouse. The castle was known as the guardhouse of the bloodiest valley in Britain, and the "Strength of Liddesdale".
Hermitage Castle was supposedly built by one Nicholas de Soulis around 1240, in a typical Norman Motte and Bailey pattern. It stayed in his family until approximately 1320 when his descendant, William de Soulis, forfeited it because of suspected witchcraft and the attempted regicide of King Robert I of Scotland. Legend has it that Soulis's tenantry, having suffered unbearable depredations, arrested him, and at the nearby Ninestane Rig (a megalithic circle), had him boiled to death in molten lead. In actuality, he died, a prisoner, in Dumbarton Castle. Hermitage Castle is reputed to be haunted by Redcap Sly, de Soulis's familiar spirit.
Under the Douglases
In 1338, the then incumbent, Englishman Sir Ralph de Neville was besieged by Sir William Douglas, The Knight of Liddesdale, known as the "Flower of Chivalry" (this sobriquet had to do with his abilities as a knight, although it is often misinterpreted by people with a rather romantic view of history). It was here that Douglas imprisoned, and had starved to death, his erstwhile comrade Sir Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie. Upon Douglas's death, brought about by a near kinsman and namesake, William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas, the Castle fell into the hands of the Dacre family for a time. Nevertheless, it soon fell back into the hands of the Earl of Douglas through inheritance, and it was he that enabled the construction of most of the present building, possibly with the help of John Lewin, master mason at Durham Cathedral. The Earl's sons provided the seed of the two famous branches of the house â the 'Black Douglases' (for the Earls of Douglas) and the 'Red Douglases' (for the Earls of Angus). By 1455, the Black Douglas line had so incensed the King that James Douglas, 9th Earl of Douglas was forfeited, never to return, and the beneficences that they had enjoyed passed to the Red Douglas line, including Hermitage Castle.
Under the Hepburns
King James IV was suspicious of the then Earl of Angus, Archibald, Bell the Cat and his relationship with Henry VII of England, and ordered him to relinquish The Hermitage to the Crown. On 6 March 1492 Patrick Hepburn, 1st Earl of Bothwell had a charter of the lands and lordship of Liddesdale, including The Hermitage Castle, etc., upon the resignation of the same by Archibald Douglas, Earl of Angus, the latter getting the lordship of Bothwell (but not the Earldom) which Patrick in turn had resigned for the exchange. The Hepburns of Bothwell, then rising in favour with the king, became keepers and lords of The Hermitage.
In time, James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell held the castle. Mary, Queen of Scots, made a famous marathon journey on horseback from Jedburgh to visit the wounded Bothwell there, only a few weeks after the birth of her son. They were to marry shortly after the murder of her 2nd husband Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, regardless of the fact that Bothwell was implicated amongst the conspirators. After Mary's forced abdication following the confrontation at Carberry Hill, Bothwell, facing charges of treason, fled to Norway and his titles and estates were forfeited by Act of Parliament. Whilst attempting to raise an army to restore Mary to the throne, he was arrested by King Frederik's men for breach of marriage contract with Anna Throndsen, and imprisoned at Dragsholm Castle in Denmark, where he died insane and in appalling conditions. His mummified body could at one time be seen at nearby Farevejle Church.
Bothwell's nephew, Francis Stewart, 1st Earl of Bothwell received a new creation as Earl of Bothwell, and Keeper of the castle. A grandson of James V, albeit through an illegitimate line, he was viewed by some as a potential replacement for James VI. In 1591, Bothwell was arrested, tried, gaoled and forfeited for his supposed involvement with the infamous North Berwick Witches. He obtained a pardon in 1593 but again became involved in intrigue and he was again attainted, by Act of Parliament, on 21 July 1593. The Hermitage once again reverted to the Crown.
Under the Scotts
The following year, James granted the castle to Sir Walter Scott of Buccleuch,("the bold Buccleuch") a notorious Border reiver, Warden of the western marches, Keeper of Liddesdale, and leader of the daring and infamous attack on Carlisle Castle to rescue Willie Armstrong of Kinmont.
The castle became obsolete after the Union of the Crowns, in 1603 and fell into disrepair, by the turn of the eighteenth century it was a ruin. Hermitage gave its name to the Viscountcy of Hermitage, conferred in 1706 on Henry, third son of the first Duke of Buccleuch as a subsidiary title of the Earldom of Deloraine. This title became extinct in 1807. Some repairs to the castle were carried out in 1820 by the fifth Duke of Buccleuch. It is interesting to note that the Scotts are descended matrilinearly from the Douglases of Drumlanrig, a cadet branch, and sometimes use the surname Montagu-Douglas-Scott, thus maintaining a continuity with earlier times.
Today
The castle remained a property of the Scotts until 1930, when it was handed over to the care of the Nation. It is now cared for by Historic Environment Scotland, an executive agency of the Scottish Government, and is open to visitors from 1 April - 31 October each year. It is closed during the winter season. The castle, together with a series of ancillary features, is protected as a scheduled monument.
The castle is said to be haunted by Mary, Queen of Scots.
© RESilU | 2015 | Please don't use this image without my explicit permission.
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Love comes with a knife, not some shy question, and not with fears for its reputation!
Rumi
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40 Rules of Love by Shams Tabrizi
Rule 12
There are more fake gurus and false teachers in this world than the number of stars in the visible universe. Don’t confuse power-driven, self-centered people with true mentors.
A genuine spiritual master will not direct your attention to himself or herself and will not expect absolute obedience or utter admiration from you, but instead will help you to appreciate and admire your inner self.
True mentors are as transparent as glass. They let the light [of God] pass through them.
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The legendary reputation of the Leica brand is based on a long tradition of excellent quality, German craftsmanship and German industrial design, combined with innovative technologies.
In 1986, the Leitz company changed its name to Leica (LEItz CAmera), due to the fame of the Leica tradename. At this time, Leica relocated its factory from Wetzlar (Germany) to the nearby town of Solms (Germany). In 1996, Leica Camera separated from the Leica Group and became a publicly owned company.
Andreas Kaufmann (ACM Projektentwicklung GmbH) initially took over 27.2 percent of the shares in Leica Camera AG from Solms He became chairman of the company's supervisory board. In 2006 he finally became the majority owner with 96.5 percent of the shares. Kaufmann invested in Leica and carried out a restructuring. He has been chairman of the supervisory board of Leica. Under his patronage, the company was able to make a profit again, bring innovations to the market and, in 2014, move into a new headquarters in Wetzlar with Leica World.
Leitz Colorplan Projection Lens (on bellows)
Badges from the Pradovit slideprojector
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© VanveenJF Photography
They say he likes a good time
(My, oh my)
He comes alive at midnight
(Every night)
My mama doesn't trust him
(My, oh my)
He's only here for one thing
But (so am I)
Yeah
A little bit older
A black leather jacket
A bad reputation
Insatiable habits
He was onto me, one look and I couldn't breathe
Yeah, I said, "If you kiss me
I might let it happen"
I swear on my life that I've been a good girl
Tonight, I don't wanna be her
They say he likes a good time
(My, oh my)
He comes alive at midnight
(Every night)
My mama doesn't trust him
(My, oh my)
He's only here for one thing (let's go)
But (so am I)
I swear on my life that I've been a good girl (good girl, good girl)
Tonight, I don't want to be her
They say he likes a good time
(My, oh my)
He comes alive at midnight (he comes alive, oh every night)
(Every night)
My mama doesn't trust him
(My, oh my)
He's only here for one thing
But (so am I)
My, my, my, my, my, oh my
My mama doesn't trust you, baby
My, my, my, my, my, oh my
And my daddy doesn't know you, no
My, my, my, my, my, oh my
Oh, my, my, my, my, my, oh my
My, my, my, my, my, oh my
They say he likes a good time
(My, oh my)
He comes alive at midnight
(Every night)
My mama doesn't trust him
(My, oh my)
He's only here for one thing
But (so am I)
---------------
Camila Cabello - My Oh My
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5X4c-AvhQts
Every time he complains about me spending ages snapping pics, I remind him he gets hot new profile pics for free :D
Star Laboratories, Central City Branch. While it's reputation has dwindled over the years, in no small part due to an exploding Particle Accelerator, the labs continue to run 24/7. A small team of dedicated scientific minds working together to make the world a brighter place, and make up for the company's past mistakes. But, something was wrong. For the past week, not one of it's employees have left. Not to get lunch. Not to go home. Rain pattered down onto it's metal roof, but... all around it the sun shone, not a cloud in the sky. Rain slid across its darkened windows, and carried down towards Thawne, and Simon. Taking a gloved finger towards the growing puddles, Thawne examines the water
Thawne- It's him alright.
*Simon nods, he clutches his gun and cautiously pulls on the door. Locked. Obviously. Why wouldn't it be? "It's ok!" he shouts out, prying open the security box, and tinkering with the electronics. In between rearranging wires, and the odd curse, Simon explains himself to Thawne*
Simon- I picked up a few things working with the Great White. There was this guy on his crew, Mr Jailor I think, taught me this kind of- And we're in.
*The doors whir open, revealing a dark hallway and the faint rumblings of conversation. Oddly... normal conversation*
-Can you pass me my mug, eh love?
-Urgh, I can't believe you drink this trash Eric. I could just pop down to Jitters, and-
-Pick up a Killer Frost frappé? No thank you. Watching my weight-
-That's a lot of weight to watch E!-
Simon- It sounds like-
Thawne- People? Were you expecting a dinosaur?
*Simon lagged behind, wondering. Chronos was indeed a time traveller*
Simon- Could he-?
Thawne- What?
*Simon closed his mouth. But, he was now fully expecting Chronos to set a T-Rex on them.*
--------
*They were in the cortex. In front of them, a group of four scientists moved around the laboratory, drinking coffee and playing football with a scrunched up piece of paper, oblivious to the two confused guests. "Hello?" calls out Simon, but he gets no response. He takes a step backwards, straight into an oncoming scientist*
Simon- Oh god, I'm sorry sir.
*The man looks right through Simon, straightens his glasses and, once he's back on his feet he suddenly calls out "Can you pass me my mug, eh love?"*
Simon- P-pardon?
*Another scientist, a young woman, walks right past Thawne, a mug of STAR labs coffee in hand*
Tina- Urgh, I can't believe you drink this trash Eric. I could just pop down to Jitters, and-
Simon- Thawne?
Eric- - frappé? No thank you. Watching my weight
Thawne- They're time looped. We can't help them.
Tom- -That's a lot of weight to watch E!
Simon- But-
Thawne- He's in the Particular Accelerator. Let's *go*
Actually, I'm right here.
*A tingling sensation gripped Simon's body, it was cold, freezing almost. From the groans to the right he knew Thawne was equally uncomfortable. But beyond that, something else- He couldn't move. He wanted to, but he'd lost control of his body. Then he realised. He couldn't feel his heartbeat.*
Thawne- -Ccccchhhroooooooonnnnos
Chronos- Oh do relax Eobard. I have no intention of hurting you. Do you like my office?
*This* was Chronos? The man who killed his mother, his uncle, his *true* family? He wore a white mask, like a clock face, complete with a single hand on his forehead. He looked quite frankly, ridiculous and yet, his eyes were as cold as the chill throughout Simon's body. Like the scientists before him, his gaze went right through Simon.
Chronos- I'll see to you later.
*If he could spit, Simon would have. He didn't realise he had that kind of hate inside him, not for a man he only just met. Smirking, Chronos picked up a jam jar and thrust it in Thawne's face. Inside it, a little man shrieked unheard pleas*
Thawne- Paaaaaaalllmerrrr
*Chronos groaned and with a flick of his wrist Thawne could speak clearly again*
Thawne- *urh* Palmer.
Chronos- Oh yes. Our dear old disaster stopping pal Ray Palmer. I have him tinkering on a little formula for me. And, if he disobeys me, I can just do this-
*He shakes the jar. Palmer goes flying then falls to the bottom of the jar with a muffled crack*
Chronos- I wouldn't worry about him. He dies? I can get a new one. It would take seconds. Let me give you the tour. There's quite a few familiar faces here actually- Silas, Thomas, Anthony, Thadeus. Scientists. Experts. I was hoping you'd join us. You have the brains, I'll settle for being the brawn... We can work together. I need us to work together. My clairvoyance only reaches so far. And we're running out of time
*Chronos rolls down a whiteboard. On it, a mass of scribbled symbols and formulas*
Thawne- What is this?
Chronos- Time. Simply put. I'm mapping out all outcomes as we speak.
Thawne- For what? Until what?
*Chronos runs his finger across the whiteboard, then bows his head- "Doomsday"*
Chronos- It's inevitable. You can change time all you want, believe me, and yet that final outcome is always the same. Metahuman wars, crazed vigilantes, it's a slippery slope until Nuclear Armageddon. There will be no climatic battle here today. There will be no bad guys to punch. There is only one path. Mine, or, failing that- death.
Thawne- Doomsday.
Chronos- Doomsday.
Simon- That's a load of crap!
Chronos- Oh, I thought you were still frozen. My mistake.
Simon- You're not some guardian of time, you're a monster, a mercenary who killed my family to save Bridgets'! And you know it!
*He was looking at a shadowed figure. Bridget was hiding. Crying silently*
Chronos- Oh Simon. Simon Simon Simon. That, is *exactly* what I am.
Simon- You're lying.
*He had to be. He was the villain. Simon, the hero. Simon didn't kill *his* mom or uncle, did he?*
Chronos- This isn't the first time you know. I've altered the past before. Do you recall the circumstances of your resurrection Simon? Did you know that the mastermind was originally the Polka Dot Man? Did you know that Thawne was once fated to die by the Redeemables hand and not your step mother's? Did you realise that there was a time where Lord Death Man spent his days filming a documentary with an Elephant man, because I do. But, I'm not the villain. I'm more of an equaliser. When reality is scrambled, it is *I* who snaps it back into place. As much as you may deny it Simon, this is your time
*He was lying. He had to be*
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuttgart
Stuttgart (Swabian: Schduagert) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. Stuttgart is located on the Neckar river in a fertile valley known locally as the "Stuttgart Cauldron." It lies an hour from the Swabian Jura and the Black Forest. Its urban area has a population of 609,219, making it the sixth largest city in Germany. 2.7 million people live in the city's administrative region and another 5.3 million people in its metropolitan area, making it the fourth largest metropolitan area in Germany. The city and metropolitan area are consistently ranked among the top 20 European metropolitan areas by GDP; Mercer listed Stuttgart as 21st on its 2015 list of cities by quality of living, innovation agency 2thinknow ranked the city 24th globally out of 442 cities and the Globalization and World Cities Research Network ranked the city as a Beta-status world city in their 2014 survey.
Since the 6th millennium BC, the Stuttgart area has been an important agricultural area and has been host to a number of cultures seeking to utilize the rich soil of the Neckar valley. The Roman Empire conquered the area in 83 AD and built a massive castrum near Bad Cannstatt, making it the most important regional centre for several centuries. Stuttgart's roots were truly laid in the 10th century with its founding by Liudolf, Duke of Swabia, as a stud farm for his warhorses. Initially overshadowed by nearby Cannstatt, the town grew steadily and was granted a charter in 1320. The fortunes of Stuttgart turned with those of the House of Württemberg, and they made it the capital of their county, duchy, and kingdom from the 15th century to 1918. Stuttgart prospered despite setbacks in the Thirty Years' War and devastating air raids by the Allies on the city and its automobile production during World War II. However, by 1952, the city had bounced back and it became the major economic, industrial, tourism and publishing centre it is today.
Stuttgart is also a transport junction, and possesses the sixth-largest airport in Germany. Several major companies are headquartered in Stuttgart, including Porsche, Bosch, Mercedes-Benz, Daimler AG, and Dinkelacker.
Stuttgart is unusual in the scheme of German cities. It is spread across a variety of hills (some of them covered in vineyards), valleys (especially around the Neckar river and the Stuttgart basin) and parks. This often surprises visitors who associate the city with its reputation as the "cradle of the automobile". The city's tourism slogan is "Stuttgart offers more". Under current plans to improve transport links to the international infrastructure (as part of the Stuttgart 21 project), the city unveiled a new logo and slogan in March 2008 describing itself as "Das neue Herz Europas" ("The new Heart of Europe"). For business, it describes itself as "Where business meets the future". In July 2010, Stuttgart unveiled a new city logo, designed to entice more business people to stay in the city and enjoy breaks in the area.
Stuttgart is a city with a high number of immigrants. According to Dorling Kindersley's Eyewitness Travel Guide to Germany, "In the city of Stuttgart, every third inhabitant is a foreigner." 40% of Stuttgart's residents, and 64% of the population below the age of five, are of immigrant background.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernsehturm_Stuttgart
Fernsehturm Stuttgart (English: Stuttgart TV Tower) is a 216.61 m (710.7 ft) telecommunications tower in Stuttgart, Germany. It was the first telecommunications tower in the world constructed from reinforced concrete, and it is the prototype for many such towers worldwide. Although controversial at first, it quickly became a well known landmark of Stuttgart and a tourist attraction.
++++ from WIKIPEDIA ++++++
Abruzzo (UK: /æˈbrʊtsoʊ/,[5] US: /ɑːˈbruːtsoʊ, əˈ-/; Italian: [aˈbruttso]; Abbrùzze [abˈbruttsə], Abbrìzze [abˈbrittsə] or Abbrèzze [abˈbrɛttsə] in Neapolitan Abruzzese; Aquilano: Abbrùzzu) or Abruzzi is a region of Southern Italy with an area of 10,763 square km (4,156 sq mi) and a population of 1.3 million. It is divided into four provinces: L'Aquila, Teramo, Pescara, and Chieti. Its western border lies 80 km (50 mi) east of Rome. Abruzzo borders the region of Marche to the north, Lazio to the west and south-west, Molise to the south-east, and the Adriatic Sea to the east. Geographically, Abruzzo is divided into a mountainous area in the west, which includes the Gran Sasso d'Italia, and a coastal area in the east with beaches on the Adriatic Sea.
Abruzzo is considered a region of Southern Italy in terms of its culture, language, history and economy, although geographically it may also be considered central.[8] The Italian Statistical Authority (ISTAT) also deems it to be part of Southern Italy, partly because of Abruzzo's historic association with the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.
Abruzzo is known as "the greenest region in Europe" as almost half of its territory, the largest in Europe,[9] is set aside as national parks and protected nature reserves. There are three national parks, one regional park, and 38 protected nature reserves. These ensure the survival of 75% of Europe's living species, including rare species such as the golden eagle, the Abruzzo (or Abruzzese) chamois, the Apennine wolf and the Marsican brown bear.[10] Abruzzo is also home to Calderone, Europe's southernmost glacier.
The visiting nineteenth-century Italian diplomat and journalist Primo Levi (1853–1917) said that the adjectives "forte e gentile" (strong and kind) best describe the beauty of the region and the character of its people. "Forte e gentile" has since become the motto of the region and its inhabitants.
Provinces and politics
Abruzzo provinces
Provinces
Abruzzo is divided into four administrative provinces:
Province Area (km2) Population Density (inh./km2)
Chieti 2,588 396,190 153.1
L'Aquila 5,034 308,876 61.3
Pescara 1,225 318,701 260.1
Teramo 1,948 308,769 158.5
Politics
History
Human settlements in Abruzzo have existed since at least the Neolithic times. A skeleton from Lama dei Peligni in the province of Chieti dates back to 6,540 BC under radiometric dating.[13] The name Abruzzo appears to be derivative of the Latin word "Aprutium". In Roman times, the region was known as Picenum, Sabina et Samnium, Flaminia et Picenum, and Campania et Samnium.[14] The region was known as Aprutium in the Middle Ages, arising from four possible sources: it is a combination of Praetutium, or rather of the name of the people Praetutii, applied to their chief city, Interamnia, the old Teramo.
Many cities in Abruzzo date back to ancient times. Corfinio was known as Corfinium when it was the chief city of the Paeligni, and later was renamed Pentima by the Romans. Chieti is built on the site of the ancient city of Teate, Atri was known as Adria. Teramo, known variously in ancient times as Interamnia and Teramne, has Roman ruins which attract tourists.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, a string of invasions and rulers dominated the region, including the Lombards, Byzantines, and Hungarians. Between the 9th and 12th centuries, the region was dominated by the popes. Subsequently, the Normans took over, and Abruzzo became part of the Kingdom of Sicily, later the Kingdom of Naples. Spain ruled the kingdom from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries. The French Bourbon dynasty took over in 1815, establishing the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, and ruled until Italian unification (also known as the Risorgimento) in 1860.
Until 1963, Abruzzo was part of the combined Abruzzi e Molise region. The term Abruzzi (plural of Abruzzo) derives from the time when the region was part of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. The territory was administered as Abruzzo Citeriore (nearer Abruzzo) and Abruzzo Ulteriore I and II (farther Abruzzo I and II) from Naples, the capital of the kingdom.[14] Abruzzo Citeriore is now Chieti province. Teramo and Pescara provinces now comprise what was Abruzzo Ulteriore I. Abruzzo Ulteriore II is now the province of L'Aquila.
In the twentieth century, war had a great impact on the region. During the Second World War, Abruzzo was on the Gustav Line, part of the German's Winter Line. One of the most brutal battles was the Battle of Ortona. Abruzzo was the location of two prisoner of war camps, Campo 21 in Chieti,[18] and Campo 78 in Sulmona. The Sulmona camp also served as a POW camp in World War 1; much of the facility is still intact and attracts tourists interested in military history.
Geography
Geographically, Abruzzo is located in central Italy and southern Italy, stretching from the heart of the Apennines to the Adriatic Sea, and includes mainly mountainous and wild land. The mountainous land is occupied by a vast plateau, including Gran Sasso, at 2,912 metres (9,554 ft) the highest peak of the Apennines, and Mount Majella at 2,793 metres (9,163 ft). The Adriatic coastline is characterized by long sandy beaches to the North and pebbly beaches to the South. Abruzzo is well known for its landscapes and natural environment, parks and nature reserves, characteristic hillside areas rich in vineyards and olive groves, and one of the highest densities of Blue Flag beaches.
Climate
The Abruzzo region has two types of climate that are strongly influenced by the Apennine Mountains, dividing the climate of the coastal and sub-Apennine hills from the interior's high mountain ranges. Coastal areas have a Mediterranean climate with hot dry summers and mild winters and rainy hills with a sublittoral climate where temperatures decrease progressively with increasing altitude and precipitation with altitude. Precipitation is also strongly affected by the presence of the Apennines mountain ridges of the region; it increases with the proportion being more abundant in the field and on the slopes exposed to the west, instead of decreasing towards the east and east-facing slopes. Often the Adriatic coast are sidelined rainfall from the west to the barrier effect of the Apennines undergoing the action of gentle winds descending from it (or Libeccio).[21] The minimum annual rainfall, however, is found in some inland valleys, sheltered from much disturbance to the blocking action of mountain ridges, such as the Peligna Valley, or the valley of the river Tirino, which in some places (Ofena, Capestrano) showed barely 500 millimetres (19.7 inches), and not along the coast where it never falls below 600 millimetres (23.6 inches); for if Teramo is relatively little watered by rain (Teramo less than 800 millimetres (31.5 inches)), the metre is exceeded in Chieti, reaching maximum levels in the Adriatic, while between Ortona and Vasto in Costa dei Trabocchi decrease again.[21] The highest rainfall occurs in upland areas on the border with Lazio; they are especially vulnerable to Atlantic disturbances. Around 1,500 to 2,000 millimetres (59 to 79 inches) of precipitation is typical (Pescara in 2010 showed a value close to 2,800 millimetres (110.2 inches)).
Flora and fauna
As with many Mediterranean regions, Abruzzo's vegetation is characterized by different Mediterranean ecosystems. The coast and the surrounding areas are characterized by the presence of typical plants of Mediterranean shrubland, such as myrtle, heather and mastic, while in the hilly areas other species grow, including olive, pine, willow, oak, poplar, alder, arbutus, broom, acacia, capers, rosemary, hawthorn, licorice and almond trees, interspersed with oak trees. At elevations between 600 and 1,000 metres (2,000 and 3,300 ft) there is sub-montane vegetation, mainly characterized by mixed forests of oak and turkey oak, maple and hornbeam; shrubs include dog rose and red juniper. Elevations between 1,000 and 1,900 metres (3,300 and 6,200 ft) are dominated by beech trees. In the Apennine Mountains at elevations above 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) species include alpine orchid, mountain juniper, silver fir, black cranberry and the Abruzzo edelweiss.
The fauna of Abruzzo is highly varied, including the region's symbol, the Abruzzo chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica ornata), which has recovered from near-extinction. Animals typical of this region include: marsican brown bear, along with Italian wolf, deer, lynx, roe deer, snow vole, fox, porcupine, wild cat, wild boar, badger, otter, and viper.
The natural parks of the region include the Abruzzo National Park, the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park,[24] the Maiella National Park and the Sirente-Velino Regional Park, as well as many other natural reserves and protected areas.
Economy
Until a few decades ago, Abruzzo was a region of poverty in Southern Italy; over the past decades, however, it has developed to such an extent that it has escaped from the spiral of underdevelopment to become the 'first' region of the 'Italian Mezzogiorno'. This confirms its pivotal role in the national economic system. Since the 1950s, Abruzzo has had steady economic growth. In 1951, Abruzzo per capita income or GDP was 53% of that of Northern Italy, the nation's richest region. By 1971, Abruzzo was at 65% and, by 1994, per capita income was at 76% of Northern Italy's per capita income, giving Abruzzo the highest per capita GDP of Southern Italy and surpassing the growth of every other region of Italy. The construction of autostrade (motorways) from Rome to Teramo (A24) and Rome to Pescara (A25) opened Abruzzo to easy access. State and private investment in the region increased, and Abruzzo attained higher per capita education levels and greater productivity growth than the rest of the South. As of 2003, Abruzzo's per capita GDP was €19,506 or 84% of the national average of €23,181 and well outpacing that of the South (€15,808). The region's average GDP per capita was approximately 20,100 EUR.
The 2009 L'Aquila earthquake led to a sharp economic slowdown. However, according to statistics at the end of 2010, it seems that the economy of Abruzzo is recovering, despite the negative on regarding employment.[28] In fact, at the end of 2010, Abruzzo's growth was 1.47%, which placed it fourth among the Italian regions with the highest annual growth rates after Lazio, Lombardy and Calabria.[30] In 2011 Abruzzo's economic growth was +2.3%, the highest percentage among the regions of Southern Italy.[31] The region is also the richest region of Southern Italy, with a GDP per capita of €25,700.[21]
Travel poster from the 1920s.
Abruzzo's industrial sector expanded rapidly, especially in mechanical engineering, transportation equipment and telecommunications. The structure of production in the region reflects the transformation of the economy from agriculture to industry and services. Although industry has developed strongly, it retains weak points due to the existence of only a few large businesses alongside a huge fabric of small and medium-sized businesses. Both pure and applied research are carried out in the region, where there are major institutes and factories involved in research in the fields of pharmaceutics, biomedicine, electronics, aerospace and nuclear physics. The industrial infrastructure is spread throughout the region in industrial zones. The most important of these are: Val Pescara, Val Sangro, Val Trigno, Val Vibrata and Conca del Fucino. A further activity worthy of note is seaside and mountain tourism, which is of considerable importance to the economy of the region.[33] Agriculture, involving small holdings, has succeeded in modernising and offering high-quality products. The mostly small, agricultural holdings produce: wine, cereals, sugar beet, potatoes, olives, vegetables, fruit and dairy products. Traditional products are saffron and liquorice. Most famous in the world is Abruzzo's wine Montepulciano d'Abruzzo; in the late 20th and early 21st century, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo earned a reputation as being one of the most widely exported DOC classed wine in Italy.[34]
In the past decade, tourism has increased, in particular by internal and European arrivals. Abruzzo is world-famous for its wildlife parks (Abruzzo National Park, Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park, Maiella National Park) and regional park (Sirente Velino), and 38 protected areas between oasis, regional reserves, and state reserves. The inland mountainous region contains several ski resorts, and coastal tourism is also well-developed, in particular, the Trabocchi Coast. Abruzzo's castles and medieval towns, especially around the town of L'Aquila, have earned it in some quarters the nickname of "Abruzzoshire", by analogy with the "Chiantishire", nickname sometimes used to refer to the Chianti area of Tuscany, but Abruzzo is still off the beaten path for most visitors to Italy.[35]
Chieti
Although the population density of Abruzzo has increased over recent decades, it is still well below the Italian national average: in 2008, 123.4 inhabitants per km2, compared to 198.8. In the provinces, the density varies: as of 2008 Pescara is the most densely populated with 260.1 inhabitants per km2, whereas L'Aquila is the least densely populated with 61.3 inhabitants per km2, although it has the largest area. After decades of emigration from the region, the main feature of the 1980s is immigration from third world countries. The population increase is due to the positive net migration. Since 1991 more deaths than births were registered in Abruzzo (except for 1999, when their numbers were equal).[36] In 2008, the Italian national institute of statistics ISTAT estimated that 59,749 foreign-born immigrants live in Abruzzo, equal to 4.5% of the total regional population.
The most serious demographic imbalance is between the mountainous areas of the interior and the coastal strip. The largest province, L'Aquila, is situated entirely in the interior and has the lowest population density. The movement of the population of Abruzzo from the mountains to the sea has led to the almost complete urbanization of the entire coastal strip especially in the province of Teramo and Chieti. The effects on the interior have been impoverishment and demographic aging, reflected by an activity rate in the province of L'Aquila which is the lowest among the provinces in Abruzzo – accompanied by geological degradation as a result of the absence of conservation measures. In the coastal strip, however, there is such a jumble of accommodations and activities that the environment has been negatively affected. The policy of providing incentives for development has resulted in the setting-up of industrial zones, some of which (Vasto, Avezzano, Carsoli, Gissi, Val Vibrata, Val di Sangro) have made genuine progress, while others (Val Pescara, L'Aquila) have run into trouble after their initial success. The zones of Sulmona and Guardiagrele have turned out to be more or less failures. Outside these zones, the main activities are agriculture and tourism.
Main settlements
L'Aquila is both the capital city of the Abruzzo region and of the Province of L'Aquila and second largest city (pop. 73,000). L'Aquila was hit by an earthquake on 6 April 2009, which destroyed much of the city centre. The other provincial capitals are Pescara, which is Abruzzo's largest city and major port (pop. 123,000); Teramo (pop. 55,000) and Chieti (pop. 55,000). Other large municipalities in Abruzzo include the industrial and high tech center Avezzano (pop. 41,000), as well as three important industrial and touristic centers such as Vasto (pop. 40,636), Lanciano (pop. 36,000), and Sulmona (pop. 25,000).
Transport
Airports
Abruzzo International Airport is the only international airport in the region. Open to civilian traffic since 1996, the number of passengers has increased over the years because of low-cost air carriers' use of the facility. Today, the airport has a catchment area of over 500,000 passengers annually and connects the city of Pescara and the entire region with many Italian and Europe destinations.
L'Aquila-Preturo Airport is located in the nearby village of Courts and was recently renovated and modernized to accommodate presidential flights for G8 activities.
Ports
There are four main ports in Abruzzo: Pescara, Ortona, Vasto and Giulianova.
Over the years the Port of Pescara became one of the most important tourist ports of Italy and the Adriatic Sea. Heavily damaged in World War II, it underwent some sixty years of major restoration and was reborn as a modern marina with advanced moorings and shipbuilding facilities. It has been honored with the European Union's blue flag for the quality of services offered. The port of Pescara has lost passenger traffic because of its shallowness and silting, but its fishery and aquaculture activities are thriving.[38]
Railways
There is a significant disparity between the railways of the Abruzzo coast and the inland areas, which badly need modernization to improve the service, in particular, the Rome-Pescara line.
Existing railway lines:
Adriatic railway runs through the whole of Italy from north to south, along the Adriatic Sea.
Train Rome – Sulmona – Pescara
Sulmona – Carpinone
Sulmona–Terni railway
Avezzano railroad – Roccasecca
Giulianova – Teramo
Sangritana (Lanciano – Castel di Sangro)
Highways
There are three highways that serve the region:
Highway A24 Rome – L'Aquila – Teramo, was built in the 1970s and connects Rome with Lazio and more specifically to the Abruzzo Teramo via L'Aquila. It performs an important liaison function of the region, both Tyrrhenian to the Adriatic, due to the presence of several interchanges of connecting roads and highways. The Gran Sasso tunnel, the longest road tunnel entirely on Italian territory, was opened in 1984. It connects L'Aquila and Teramo on the A24 making the northern Abruzzo coast reachable within two hours from Rome.
Highway A25 Turin – Avezzano – Pescara makes the connection between Rome and Pescara. The road running out of Turin begins its journey where it branches off the A24, runs into the Conca del Fucino, crosses the Abruzzo Apennines, comes to the valley of Peligna, and ends at the exit for Pescara-Villanova to join the A14.
Motorway A14 Bologna – Taranto known as the A14 "Adriatica", includes 743 km (461.68 mi) of road, including lengths in the cities of Bologna and Taranto. Opened to traffic in 1965, it is now a major tourist road, running through the coastal towns of Emilia Romagna, Marche, Abruzzo, Molise, and Apulia.
Culture
Castel del Monte, one of Abruzzo's little-known hill towns
Gabriele d'Annunzio from Pescara
Abbazia di San Liberatore a Majella (Serramonacesca)
Ovid from Sulmona
Cathedral of San Giustino (Chieti)
Fishing trabucco of San Vito Chietino
The museum Museo Archeologico Nazionale d'Abruzzo in Chieti houses the famed warrior statue Warrior of Capestrano which was found in a necropolis from 6th century B.C. Of cultural importance are: Teramo Cathedral, its archeological museum and Roman theater, the Castello della Monica, the Collurania-Teramo Observatory, the famous L'Aquila Basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio (which holds the remains of Pope Celestine V), the Museo Nazionale d'Abruzzo, Santa Maria del Suffragio, the Forte Spagnolo, the Fountain of 99 Spouts, Gabriele D'Annunzio's house in Pescara, Campli's Scala Sancta and its church, the church of Santissima Annunziata in Sulmona, the cathedrals of Chieti, Lanciano, Guardiagrele, Atri and Pescara along with the castles of Ortona, Celano and Ortucchio.
Every 28–29 August, L'Aquila's Santa Maria di Collemaggio commemorates the Perdonanza Celestiniana, the indulgence issued by Pope Celestine V to any who, "truly repentant and confessed" would visit that Church from the Vespers of the vigil to the vespers of 29 August.[39] Sulmona's Holy Week is commemorated with traditional celebrations and rituals, such as 'La Madonna che Scappa in Piazza', where a large statue of the Madonna, carried by a group of Sulmonesi part of Confraternities, is taken through the square towards her resurrected Son.[40] Cocullo, in the province of L'Aquila, holds the annual 'Festa dei serpari' (festival of snake handlers) in which a statue of St. Dominic, covered with live snakes, is carried in a procession through the town; it attracts thousands of Italian and foreign visitors. In many Abruzzo villages, Anthony the Great's feast is celebrated in January with massive and scenic bonfires.[41] In the past, the region of Abruzzo was well known for the transumanza, the migratory movement of sheep principally south to the region of Puglia during the cold winter months.[42] The Feast of St. Biagio, protector of wool dealers, is the most widespread in Abruzzo. On the third of February in Taranta Peligna every year since the sixteenth century an evocative ritual is carried out, entailing the distribution of panicelle, which are small loaves made of flour and water, in the shape of a blessing hand, which are distributed to the faithful.
Historical figures include: the Roman orator Asinius Pollio; Latin poets Sallust and Ovid, who were born in L'Aquila and Sulmona respectively, Gaius Cassius Longinus, Roman senator and leading instigator of the plot to kill Julius Caesar; and Pontius Pilate, who was born in the province of Teramo and is best known for authorizing the crucifixion of Jesus. Abruzzo's religious personalities include Saint Berardo; John of Capistrano, who led a crusade against the Ottoman Empire; Thomas of Celano, author of three hagiographies about Saint Francis of Assisi; and Alessandro Valignano, who introduced Catholicism to the Far East and Japan. The Polish Pope John Paul II loved the mountains of Abruzzo, where he would retire often and pray in the church of San Pietro della Ienca. When he died, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, gave the local Abruzzo community some of the late pontiff's blood as a token of the love he had felt for the mountainous area.[43] The greatest Italian poet of the 20th century Gabriele D'Annunzio was from Pescara; other notable Abruzzo personalities in the field of humanities include: poet Ignazio Silone, director Ennio Flaiano who co-wrote La dolce vita, philosopher Benedetto Croce, composer Sir Paolo Tosti and the sculptor Venanzo Crocetti.
American artists and celebrities such as: Madonna, Dean Martin, Bradley Cooper, Perry Como, Henry Mancini, Nancy Pelosi, Rocky Marciano, Rocky Mattioli, Bruno Sammartino, Mario Batali, John and Dan Fante, Tommy Lasorda, Dan Marino, Mario Lanza, Garry Marshall, Penny Marshall, Al Martino, Ariana Grande and Canadian Michael Bublé have Abruzzo origins.
Some international movies shot in Abruzzo include The American, Jean-Jacques Annaud's The Name of the Rose, Fellini's La Strada and I Vitelloni, Schwarzenegger's Red Sonja, Ladyhawke, King David, Francesco, Keoma, The Barbarians, The Fox and the Child and Krull.
Medieval and Renaissance hill towns
The fortress of Civitella is the most visited monument in Abruzzo
For most of its history, a large number of the Abruzzese people have been hill people, often working as shepherds in mountainous areas, or establishing hill towns, especially in the parts of Abruzzo further from the Adriatic coast.[citation needed] Before the 2009 earthquake, Abruzzo was the region with the highest number of castles and hill towns in Italy, but it still holds many of Italy's best-preserved medieval and Renaissance hill towns, twenty-three of which are among The Most Beautiful Villages in Italy.[44] These awards are not only for aesthetic beauty but also for art and culture, historical importance and livability.
The abrupt decline of Abruzzo's agricultural economy in the early to mid-20th-century saved some of the region's historic hill towns from modern development. Many lie entirely within regional and national parks. Among the most well preserved are Castel del Monte and Santo Stefano di Sessanio, which lie in the Gran Sasso National Park on the edge of the high plain of Campo Imperatore and nestled beneath the Apennines' highest peaks. Both hill towns, which were ruled by the Medicis for over a century-and-a-half, have relatively little tourism. Between the two towns sits Rocca Calascio, the ruin of an ancient fortress popular with filmmakers. Both Monteferrante and Roccascalegna are two of the most representative Abruzzo villages in the province of Chieti. Within the Gran Sasso National Park is also found Castelli, an ancient pottery center whose artisans produced ceramics for most of the royal houses of Europe.
Civitella del Tronto played a crucial role in the history of the unification of Italy. The fortress of Civitella is the most visited monument in the Abruzzo region today.[45] Other medieval hill towns located fully within Abruzzo's park system are Pacentro in the Maiella National Park and Pescasseroli in the Abruzzo National Park. Pacentro, which features a 14th-century castle with two intact towers, has been little touched by modernisation. The Shrine of Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows, in the province of Teramo, which attracts some two million visitors per year, is one of the 15 most-visited sanctuaries in the world.[46] Capestrano, a small town in the province of L'Aquila, is the hometown of Saint John of Capistrano, Franciscan friar and Catholic priest, as well as the namesake of the Franciscan missions San Juan Capistrano in Southern California, the mission Mission San Juan Capistrano (Texas) and the city of San Juan Capistrano in Orange County. Giulianova is a notable example of a Renaissance "ideal city."
The proximity to Rome, the protected natural reserves and landscapes which make the region one of the greenest in Europe, the presence of some of the most beautiful Italian villages, its rich and heterogeneous gastronomy, along with a long history of deep-rooted local tradition and authentic Italian culture, make Abruzzo fifth among Italian regions for tourist visits after Calabria, Marche, Sardinia and Trentino. In 2010, visitors included 6,381,067 Italians and 925,884 foreign tourists.
In 2015, the American organization Live and Invest Overseas included Abruzzo on its list of World's Top 21 Overseas Retirement Havens. The study was based on such factors as climate, infrastructure, health care, safety, taxes, cost of living and more. In 2017 the Chamber of Commerce of Pescara presented Abruzzo region to the Annual conference of Live and Invest Overseas in Orlando (USA). One year later, in October 2018, Live and Invest Overseas held its first conference in Abruzzo.
Universities
There are three universities in the Abruzzo region:
University of L'Aquila
D'Annunzio University of Chieti–Pescara
University of Teramo
Harvard University bases an intensive summer Italian language and culture program in Vasto, a resort town on Abruzzo's southern coast.
Science
Between the province of Teramo and L'Aquila, under the Gran Sasso Tunnel, is the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS) of the INFN, one of the three underground astroparticle laboratories in Europe.
The Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise "Giuseppe Caporale", which conducts research in veterinary and environmental public health, is located in Teramo.
The Gran Sasso Science Institute, located in L'Aquila, is an advanced research institute which offers doctorates in astroparticle physics, computer science, and mathematics as well as urban studies and regional science, and which also conducts scientific research.
Sports
Interamnia World Cup, the largest international youth handball competition worldwide, takes place yearly in Teramo.[51]
There are several football clubs in Abruzzo. Delfino Pescara 1936 is a Serie B club; based in Pescara, its home stadium is Stadio Adriatico – Giovanni Cornacchia.
Dialects
The regional dialects of Abruzzo include Teramano, Abruzzese Orientale Adriatico and Abruzzese Occidentale. The first two form part of the dialect of southern Italy also known simply as "Neapolitan" since the region has been part of the Kingdom of Naples and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, while Aquilano is related to the Central Italian dialects including Romanesco. The dialects spoken in the Abruzzo region can be divided into three main groups:
Sabine dialect, in the province of L'Aquila (central Italian dialects)
Abruzzo Adriatic dialect, in the province of Teramo, Pescara and Chieti, that is virtually abandoned in the province of Ascoli Piceno (southern Italian dialects)
Abruzzo western dialect, in the province of L'Aquila (southern Italian dialects)
Cuisine
Renowned for its variety and richness due to the heterogeneity of its territory, Abruzzo's cuisine is among the best in Italy. In 2013 an Italian organization Confesercenti survey of foreign tourists showed that Abruzzo is the best Italian region to eat in. Both the agricultural and coastal aspects of Abruzzo have contributed to its cuisine. Due to the mountains, much of Abruzzo was isolated from international influence until the 20th century. As a result, the region's cuisine remained unique.
Popular dishes
One of the most popular regional dishes is spaghetti alla chitarra which is made by pressing or cutting pasta through a chitarra, an implement to form long thin noodles similar to spaghetti. The pasta is served with a tomato-based sauce, often flavored with peppers, pork, goose, or lamb. This dish is complemented by regional side dishes, such as the bean and noodle soup, sagne e fagioli. This soup is traditionally flavored with tomatoes, garlic, oil, and peperoncini. In terms of common ingredients, cuisine in Abruzzo often includes:
Lamb and mutton, primarily in the mountains.[54] Sheep's milk (or ricotta) is an important source of Abruzzese cheese, and lamb intestines are used as sausage casing or for stuffed meat rolls.[54][55] Mountain goat meat is also common in Abruzzo.
Truffles and mushrooms, particularly wild mushrooms from the forests and hills
Garlic, especially red garlic
Rosemary
Hot chili pepper or peperoncini, regionally known as diavolilli or diavoletti, is common in Abruzzese cuisine and often used to add spice to dishes. Abruzzo residents are well known for frequently adding peperoncini, or hot peppers, to their meals.
Vegetables such as lentils, grasspeas and other legumes, artichoke, eggplant, and cauliflower[54][55][56][57]
Other popular dishes include:
Gnocchi carrati, flavored with bacon, eggs and pecorino cheese
Scrippelle, a rustic French-style crêpe served either mbusse (a type of soup) or used to form a sort of soufflé with some ragù and stuffed with chicken liver, meatballs, hard-boiled eggs, and cheese
Pastuccia, a polenta stew with sausage, eggs, and cheese
Across the region, roast lamb is enjoyed in several variations. Some of these variations include:
Arrosticini, a skewered lamb dish
Pecora al cotturo, lamb stuffed with a variety of mountain herbs and cooked in a copper pot
Lamb cooked whole in a bread oven
Agnello cacio e ovo, a lamb-based fricassee
Mazzerella: lamb intestines stuffed with lamb, garlic, marjoram, lettuce, and spices
Le virtù: a soup from Teramo filled with legumes, vegetables and pork, usually eaten in the spring at celebrations
Timballo abruzzese: lasagna-like dish with pasta sheets (scrippelle) layered with meat, vegetables and rice; often served for Christmas and Easter[58]
Porchetta abruzzese: moist boneless-pork roast, slow-roasted with rosemary, garlic, and pepper[58]
Seafood is also popular, especially in coastal areas. The variety of fish available to the area has resulted in several fish-based Brodetti (broths), coming from such places as Vasto, Giulianova, and Pescara. These broths are often made by cooking fish, flavored with tomatoes, herbs, and peperoncino, in an earthenware pot. Rustic pizzas are also very common. Some of these are:
Easter Pizza, a rustic cake with cheese and pepper from the Teramo area
Fiadoni from Chieti, a dough of eggs and cheese well risen, cooked in the oven in a thin casing of pastry
A rustic tart pastry filled with everything imaginable: eggs, fresh cheeses, ricotta, vegetables, and all sorts of flavorings and spices.
Also from Teramo are the spreadable sausages flavored with nutmeg, and liver sausages tasting of garlic and spices. The ventricina from the Vasto area is made with large pieces of fat and lean pork, pressed and seasoned with powdered sweet peppers and fennel all encased in the dehydrated stomach of the pig itself. Atri and Rivisondoli are famous for cheeses. Mozzarella, either fresh or seasoned, is made from ewe's milk, although a great number of lesser known varieties of these cheeses can be found all over Abruzzo and Molise.
Sweets
The Abruzzo's sweets are world-famous and include:
Confetti, sugar-coated almonds, from Sulmona
Torrone Nurzia, a chocolate nougat from L'Aquila
Parrozzo , a cake-like treat made from a mixture of crushed almonds, and coated in chocolate.
Ferratelle (also known as Pizzelle). A wafer cookie, often flavored with anise
Croccante, a type of nougat made from almonds and caramelized suger, often flavored with lemon[59]
A Montepulciano d'Abruzzo wine labelled as being made from old vines.
Olive oil
The extra-virgin olive oil produced in Colline Teramane (Teramo hills) is marked by the DOP.[60]
The region has several cultivars that includes Carboncella, Dritta (Dritta Francavillese and Dritta di Moscufo), Gentile del Chieti, Nostrana (Nostrana di Brisighella), and Sargano olive cultivars.[61]
Wines and liquors
Renowned wines like Montepulciano DOCG and Trebbiano d'Abruzzo DOC are judged to be amongst the world's finest.[62] In 2012, a bottle of Trebbiano d'Abruzzo ranked No. 1 in the top 50 Italian wine awards.[63] In recent decades these wines have been joined, particularly, by wines from lesser known (heritage) white grapes, such as, Pecorino, Cococciola, Passerina, Montonico Bianco and Fiano.[64]
The region is also well known for the production of liquors such as Centerbe, Limoncello, Ratafia and Genziana.
Photographed October 25, 2018 at Greenfield Village, Henry Ford's outdoor living history museum in Dearborn, Michigan. Suwanee Lagoon is one of the scenic highlights of the Village, thoroughly living up to its reputation on this gorgeous autumn day.
View my collections on flickr here: Collections
Press L for a larger image on black.
The English Electric Lightning was Britain's first and only supersonic homegrown fighter interceptor. Capable of Mach 2 and climb rates of a staggering 50,000 feet per minute, it was the mainstay of the RAF response to Soviet nuclear bombers of the cold war. This model is an F.3, which has the reputation of being the 'hottest' lightning model, capable of the highest speeds but limited in endurance due to the extremely fast fuel burn. The livery is of No.56 squadron, the Firebirds, out of RAF Wattisham. XR718 (XR713) is still maintained in complete condition by the Lightning Preservation Group at Bruntingthorpe. If you like lightnings be sure to check them out! Model made in 1/55 scale to match my WWII warbirds (though significantly larger!) Action photos to follow throughout the week.
Basilica of San Domenico
5 of 5
The square at Basilica of San Domenico hosts these columns in marble, bricks and copper of the Madonna of the Rosary, after a design by Guido Reni (1632), commemorating the end of the plague in the city.
In the centre lays the tomb of Rolandino de' Passeggeri built by Giovanni (1305).
Rolandino dei Passeggeri had a renowned reputation for being an ‘intransigent guelph’ who became the main chief in Bologna around the 1300s.
Up until his death he supposedly led a regime of tyranny and violence not unlike most modern dictatorships.
The tall column in the rear supports a bronze statue of St. Dominic (1627).
Bronzino's Galloper Guns are a famous band of Dogs of War mercenaries that hail from the rich city-state of Remas. First employed during the Battle of Pattio, this band of mercenaries has been rewarded with fame and fortune throughout their career, first serving under the leadership of the Tilean Merchant Prince Borgio "the Besieger". The Galloper Guns were in fact, lightweight cannons removed from their mountings on the galleys of Remnas and fixed onto specially made carriages, allowing for rapid deployment during the heat of battle.
This was done under the instructions of Master Gunner Bronzino, who had been hired by Borgio the Besieger to be the captain of this new artillery company. This innovation contributed to many great battles over the coming years, and as a way of commemoration, Bronizo gathered a battery of specially designed guns forged in the very same foundry as that used by the legendary engineer Leonardo da Miragliano to be melted down to forge a colossal brass statues of himself.
Soon this artillery band became infamous in their strategy of hit and run tactics, earning it an immense reputation and wealth throughout Tilea. As a result, many other Mercenary companies began to think twice before coming up against Bronzino and his arsenal of cannons.
www.magd.ox.ac.uk/discover-magdalen/
To celebrate its 550th anniversary Magdalen College, Oxford has commissioned the Turner Prize-winning artist Mark Wallinger to create his first-ever dedicated permanent artwork.
Two years in development, the sculpture Y was unveiled on St Mary Magdalen Day 2008. William Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester founded Magdalen College in 1458. It is one of the best-known colleges in the University of Oxford and is known internationally for its high academic standing.
The College has many fine buildings. The Cloisters, Chapel, Founder’s Tower and Hall were built in the Gothic style in the later part of the 15th century. The Great Tower, a pictorial symbol of Oxford, is famous for the May Day event when the College choir sings an ancient hymn at dawn. The Georgian New Buildings, which blend into the College Gardens and grounds, were completed in 1733. The buildings sit amid a hundred acres of lawns, woodlands and riverside walks, which are publicly accessible, and there is a deer herd that has been in existence for over 300 years.
Addison’s Walk, named after the great essayist of the 18th century and father of English journalism, is about a mile in length and goes by the River Cherwell around a great water meadow. Beyond the end of Addison’s Walk is a tranquil field known as Bat Willow Meadow, which is where the new commission is sited. Maps of the grounds of Magdalen College are available from the Porters’ Lodge or they can be downloaded from the Magdalen website.
Over the past twenty years Mark Wallinger has established an international reputation with major solo exhibitions in London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Val-de-Marne, Frankfurt, Aarau, Basel, Milan, New York and Chicago.
His work encompasses a wide range of media, including painting, photography, sculpture, video and installation, and it takes art history, mythology, religion, politics, national identity and popular culture as its subject matter. Wallinger studied at Chelsea School of Art in 2001, and in Goldsmiths' College. He exhibited in Young British Artists II at the Saatchi Collection in 1993 and at the Royal Academy of Art's Sensation exhibition in 1997.
His Time and relative dimensions in space derived from a residency and was shown at Oxford University Museum of Natural History in 2001 and in the same year he represented Britain in the 49th Venice Biennale. The artist is best known for Ecce Homo, a life-size sculpture of Jesus Christ which inaugurated the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square in 1999, and State Britain, his 2007 re-creation at Tate Britain of Brian Haw's protest display outside parliament. He was a Turner Prize nominee in 1995 and won the award in 2007, and he is one of five internationally acclaimed artists who have been commissioned to produce proposals for the Ebbsfleet Landmark Project, which will be one of the biggest artworks in the United Kingdom.
They stayed out all night, and they liked their meat rare. They didn't go to church. Wilber could not believe his luck. It must be that Aramis bath water, he thought.
"We're not the kind of girls you'd take home to meet your mother," Tabitha cooed in Wilber's ear.
"But if you do, we won't mind," Tamakia assured him.
We're Here! : Witches, Vampires and Aliens
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♫ Joan Jett ~ Bad Reputation ♫
Strobist: AB1600 with gridded 60X30 softbox overhead. Reflector at 6:00. Triggered by Cybersync.
Phase one and two of the backyard project are complete. Managable aesthetics and delicious produce. And sharing with the squirrels wasn't so bad. Thank you to Soiled Reputation for the seeds and seedlings. Grow.
I seem to have acquired the reputation of being a sunset photographer (and have even been derogatorily called the sunset queen!) so I thought I should try to uphold that reputation!
Although I love a good sunset photo, I'm not really sure yet what kind of photographer I am. I know that portraits and macros are not my style, but I don't feel as though I have found my niche. However, I'm having a lot of fun figuring out what I want to be when I grow up!
Another version can be found in comments.
Iznik Lake, Iznik, Turkey
P:Peter
K:Kaine(Alternate universe)
M:Madame Web
I saved many lives today.And people saw it.They believed i was a hero.It's really good for my reputation.I need to go see MJ now.I websling through streets.Then suddenly i'm in the middle of some...webs?
P:What's going on?
M:(speaks very calm and slow) Calm down Spiderman.
P:Madame Web.Something tells me you didn't bring me here to say "Hi"
M:You are correct.You are needed in another universe.
P:Can't you just use your Ultimate powers and defeat all the bad guys.
M:I am only here to observe.I can't interfere.
P:Sounds a lot like the Watcher.Can you at least me what's going on?
M:Your brother will need you.That's all i can say.
P:Ben Reilly? He is kinda dead now.Maybe he is alive in the universe i am headed or maybe i have a brother in that universe.I will call him "Spider-Bro".
M:No time for jokes Spider-man.It's time for you to go.
P:Wait before you send me.I should tell Mj i'm going.She will get worried.
M:Don't worry Spider-man.Time works differently in other dimensions.You will be home in time.
She opens a portal.Looks very sci-fi.I open my eyes in the middle of the streets.It looks very similar to my dimension.A guy in red and black comes swinging by.His costume looks like a mixture of mine and Deadpools.I need to warn him.No need for a fight.It is a waste of time.
P:Don't freak out.I can expIain it.I am not a Clone....
K:But i am.
To be continued in Mr.Begote's issue.
------------------------
Guys i said i will end the volume this issue but this collab thing just came out and i will end the volume one issue after collab.Hope you like.
Much needed investment....
Under previous owners, National Express, the Xplore Dundee fleet had a reputation as a bit of a Cinderella fleet and tended to have to make do with hand me downs from the parent West Midlands fleet. However over the past few years it’s received some new vehicles painted in a lighter green version of the company’s new livery, which the company has christened as ‘emerald’. This is 8915 (SK68LZX) which is branded for the 22 service. Although National Express has now sold the company McGill’s, propelling that company to one of the largest independent operators in the United Kingdom, the newer buses still passed to McGill’s rather than be spirited away down south, giving the company a modern image.
Suula is one of the few female glatorians to have earned herself a reputation. She was once the second Glatorian of the Jungle Tribe. She fights with her bare hands and her barbed braid in a fast paced martial art style. Her thin armor covers her legs and forearms with poisonned needles akin to some deadly plants of Bara Magna desert.
This MOC was made for the #Bionicle20ans collaborative project.
As Bionicle turns 20 this year, the Bionifigs community will celebrate these two decades of biological chronicles through all of 2021.
Each month will be dedicated to a year in the history of Bionicle - in September we focus on 2009.
THE ARENA
Participants enjoy some relaxing yoga with instructor Anna at the Dowd YMCA's Taylor Swift: Reputation Party.
During the Terrastralian Civil War, there was one group that the People's Army of Terrastralia feared above all others; the Terrastralian Army Special Forces.
(L-R) Lance Corporal Rogers. Although not as big a practical joker as Bung, Rogers - the 2IC (Second-in-Command) of Patrol 2-2 - has established himself as someone who keeps a cool head when the first odd angry shot flies out.
Trooper Bill. Since the death of Trooper Scott, the 21-year-old Bill has been saddled with the reputation of being the youngest in Patrol 2-2. Naive and unfamiliar to combat, operations in the Templeton Forest will test him like never before. Bill's got a girl back home, but the lack of any letters since he shipped out has him suspecting that he's already old news.
Corporal Harry. The old man, the leader of Patrol 2-2, whose leadership has already saved the men from several hairy encounters with the PAT. Before the army, Harry was a painter, with several of his works featured in exhibitions. But that, along with his ex-wife, was in a past life. His priorities now consist of doing what he can to keep his boys alive, and his ongoing feuds with the army cooks. By all accounts, he's quite good at getting a reaction from them.
Lance Corporal Bung. Formerly a native of Patrol 2-4, Bung is easily the biggest...Personality in the Company. A renowned prankster, Bung has recently suffered a painful loss with his girlfriend and mother being killed in a car accident. Although Bung was a few cards short of a full sanity deck before the accident, since then...Well, let's just say some soldiers are wondering when the housewarming party will be held at the madhouse...
Trooper Dawson. Known to his friends at Smoky, Dawson - the Patrol's radioman - is known and respected for his matter-of-fact opinions and input wherever it's needed. Dawson, by far receives the most mail of anyone in the Company, though Harry believes that he writes them to himself. Rumour has it, Dawson is quite popular with women back home, but nobody has yet found definitive proof. Perhaps he doesn't write letters to himself after all...
In a completely unrelated note, it's Anzac Day on the 25th, and I thought I'd do something related in the form of some soldiers inspired by the 1979 Australian film the Odd Angry Shot. Set during the Vietnam War, the film follows a Squadron of the Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) during their tour of Vietnam. It can best be summarised as 70% Aussie humour, 15% sadness and 15% combat. If you get the chance, check it out; it's a great watch!
Volvo has long had a reputation for cars that are at the apex of safety innovation. For decades though, this safety was wrapped up in a brick. Enough so, that you’d be forgiven for thinking that Volvos could never have been sexy. If there is one car though, that can dispel that myth on its own, it would be the P1800 Coupe of 1961.
The shape could easily be forgiven as a classic Italian GT, and indeed, Swede Pelle Petterson, designer of the P1800 was mentored by Pietro Frua of Ghia.
The P1800 had a relatively long life, production ceasing in 1973. Nearing the end of its production cycle, it received a additional body style, the ES, which was configured as a Shooting-Brake (a 2-door wagon). The variant had its origins in two concepts by Coggiola and Frua, though they were each considered to be too futuristic, and in-house designer Jan Wilsgaard’s proposal, known as the Beach Car was put into production.
Though quirky, the P1800 ES lines would be strongly echoed on both the Volvo 480 of 1986 and the C30 of 2006. The featured glass tailgate being particularly prominent.
Participants enjoy some relaxing yoga with instructor Anna at the Dowd YMCA's Taylor Swift: Reputation Party.
“Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and angels know of us.”
-Thomas Paine
This is the main hall of the hotel. Oh I just love the paintaings. You feel like there are countless angels watching over you..
Participants enjoy some relaxing yoga with instructor Anna at the Dowd YMCA's Taylor Swift: Reputation Party.
The first line of the Praktica L models (L, LTL, LLC, VLC) looked the best in my opinion, as they carried many cosmetic details from the earlier series (nova, Super-TL, etc.). Some early copies had the "Pentacon Tower" logo etched reversely on the prism housing, the rewind lever base was striped to match the series of "zebra" Zeiss and Pentacon lenses that came with the camera, the shutter button was smaller than the later models and could be locked, the self-timer lever is more elegant than its successors.
My interest in L Prakticas was renewed lately, so I got this pristine and fully functional (incl. the meter) LTL with the full-metal "aus Jena" 2.8/50 Tessar lens from the german eBay site for very few euros to complete the DDR quartet (LTL, L2, VLC2, PLC3). The slow speeds and self-timer were a bit reluctant at first, but I worked them all back to fully functional status, confirming the good reputation of the vertical metal shutter that is the hallmark of all "L" Prakticas. Other than that, the usual dim viewfinder is present, as well as the awkwardly placed stop-down metering switch.
China, Beijing, Dashanzi 798 Art Zone.
The Art Zone 798 is located in the Chaoyang District. The three digit number "798" which stands for much more than the numbers for this once booming compound for the State's pre-reform electronic industries, in Beijing these numbers symbolize country's cutting edge art movement by the Chinese vanguard, untied artistic personalities with alternative life goals.
China's artist vanguard has turned an industrial graveyard into an artistic paradise wild & unconquered attitudes breeze inside 798's free & inconsequential atmosphere.
The large area was once a booming compound for the State’s pre-reform electronic industries, the buildings, designed by the former East German Republic & constructed with help from the now former Soviet Union, were vital for China's old industrial development projects & they're just as key to the art scene at 798.
Old Maoist slogans are visible on the ceiling arches. The Dashanzi factory complex began 1951, production in 1957, as an extension of the "Socialist Unification Plan" of military-industrial cooperation between the Soviet Union & the newly formed People's Republic of China.
Attracted by the Bauhaus Style buildings, around 2002 an amazing reincarnation process began when artists' studios started cheerily popping up like daisies over graves.
This area feels an affinity to what can be discovered & sensed along the Left Bank in Paris or around Greenwich Village, NYC. 798 has become the biggest arts area in China & earned great international reputation acclaim in just two years.
📌 …Artists began to gather to re-make the factory spaces, gradually developing them into swanky galleries, hip art centres, artists' studios, design companies, fashion stores, cosy coffeehouses, bistros, restaurant, bars etc. …..& one of my favoured paces in Beijing.
👉 One World one Dream,
🙏...Danke, Xièxie 谢谢, Thanks, Gracias, Merci, Grazie, Obrigado, Arigatô, Dhanyavad, Chokrane to you & over
16 million visits in my photostream with countless motivating comments
Bab Ejdid | Avenue de la Liberté 26/06/2022 19h26
The new gate to the Medina of Fez on the Avenue de la Liberté and Avenue du Batha. Photo from the car in motion trying to find Riad Salam Fes.
Fez
Fez or Fes (Arabic: فاس, romanized: fās, Berber languages: ⴼⴰⵙ, romanized: fas, French: Fès) is a city in northern inland Morocco and the capital of the Fès-Meknès administrative region. It is the second largest city in Morocco, with a population of 1.11 million according to the 2014 census.
Fez was founded under Idrisid rule during the 8th-9th centuries CE. It initially consisted of two autonomous and competing settlements. Successive waves of mainly Arab immigrants from Ifriqiya (Tunisia) and al-Andalus (Spain/Portugal) in the early 9th century gave the nascent city its Arab character. After the downfall of the Idrisid dynasty, other empires came and went until the 11th century when the Almoravid Sultan Yusuf ibn Tashfin united the two settlements into what is today's Fes el-Bali quarter. Under Almoravid rule, the city gained a reputation for religious scholarship and mercantile activity.
Today, the city consists of two old medina quarters, Fes el-Bali and Fes Jdid, and the much larger modern urban Ville Nouvelle area founded during the French colonial era. The medina of Fez is listed as a World Heritage Site and is believed to be one of the world's largest urban pedestrian zones (car-free areas). It has the University of Al-Qarawiyyin which was founded in 857 and is considered by some to be the oldest continuously functioning institute of higher education in the world. It also has Chouara Tannery from the 11th century, one of the oldest tanneries in the world. The city has been called the "Mecca of the West" and the "Athens of Africa." It is also considered the spiritual and cultural capital of Morocco.
[ Wikipedia - Fès ]
A rare survivor! Sole surviving Clayton Type 1 D8568 basks in the sunshine at Old Oak Common open day in Aug 1991.
Clayton Type 1s The entire fleet of 117 locomotives was withdrawn and scrapped. Although just a few years old, withdrawals began in July 1968 and the final locomotives were withdrawn in December 1971. The Class 17s had by far the shortest lives of any significant BR diesel-electric locomotive design, with many examples having a working life of less than five years. Most had been scrapped by the end of 1975. Whilst the possibility of converting nine of the remaining locos to battery operation was considered, this came to nothing, and although D8512, D8521 and D8598 enjoyed a brief reprieve by being sent to Derby Research Centre all were later withdrawn and subsequently scrapped. After withdrawal in 1971, D8568 went on to see industrial use at Hemelite, Hemel Hempstead and at Ribblesdale Cement, Clitheroe, and so was lucky enough to be secured for preservation.
The Clayton Type 1's were to have been the 'new' standard BR Type 1 diesel locomotives. There were 117 built, construction split between The Clayton Equipment Company at Hatton (D8500-D8587) and Beyer-Peacock of Manchester (D8588-D8616). The first loco (D8500) was completed in September 1962 and the last (D8616) in April 1965. 115 of them had Paxman engines, with the last two having Rolls-Royce engines, the class gained a reputation for unreliability and no further examples were ordered. The production of English Electric Type 1 (Class 20) locomotives was restarted in 1966 to 'fill the gap', with an additional 100 locomotives being ordered.
They were initially delivered to the Scottish Region depots at Polmadie and Haymarket, although some later migrated to Kingmoor on the London Midland Region. The Beyer Peacock locomotives were new to the North Eastern Region at Thornaby (4) and Gateshead (12) and to the Eastern Region at Tinsley (12) and Barrow Hill (1). In September 1963 numbers D8501 and D8536 moved to the Tyne Dock area where they were tested in multiple on Consett iron ore trains. They proved far too underpowered for this work, and so were moved to Ardsley shed a few months later where they undertook a variety of freight work both individually and in multiple. Subsequently all of the locomotives allocated to the Eastern Region were transferred to Haymarket where they were employed on freight traffic in southern Scotland and northern England. The first of the Clayton's were withdrawn in July 1968, and the last in December 1971. [Wiki]
Taken with a Nikon F-501 SLR camera. Scanned from the original slide transparency with no digital restoration
You can see a random selection of my railway photos here on Flickriver: www.flickriver.com/photos/themightyhood/random/
The reputation of the blue jay could use some building up. So far, the ones coming to our yard have been cooperative. They tolerate other birds and share the feeders. Plus, I think they are most handsome.
♫ Joan Jett & the Blackhearts ~ Bad Reputation ♫
♫ Joan Jett & the Blackhearts ~ I Love Rock N Roll ♫
Strobist: AB1600 with gridded 60X30 softbox camera rightt. AB800 with Softlighter II camera left. Triggered by Cybersync.
A little bit older
A black leather jacket
A bad reputation
Insatiable habits
He was onto me, one look and I couldn't breathe
Yeah, I said, "If you kiss me
I might let it happen"
I swear on my life that I've been a good girl
Tonight, I don't wanna be her
They say he likes a good time
(My, oh my)
He comes alive at midnight
(Every night)
My mama doesn't trust him
(My, oh my)
He's only here for one thing (let's go)
But (so am I)
- My Oh My, Camila Cabello
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St Martin, Nacton, Suffolk
Nacton is one of a number of lovely villages in close proximity to Ipswich. And it really is close to town - I live near the centre of Ipswich and I can cycle out to Nacton church in twenty minutes. The village is scattered in a valley, with two great houses, Broke Hall and Orwell Park.
There are a couple of exciting 1960s modernist buildings as well, although the village does have the unenviable reputation of not having had a pub for a couple of centuries, thanks to the temperance tendencies of not just one but two major landowning families in the parish. Technically, the vast Shepherd and Dog on Felixstowe Road is within the bounds of Nacton parish, but it is not the kind of pub I expect many villagers would make the effort to get to when the smashing Ship Inn at neighbouring Levington is closer and more convivial.
The two great families were the Vernons and the Brokes. St Martin is in the grounds of Orwell Park, and a gateway in the wall shows where the Vernons used to come to divine service, but the Brokes must have arrived by road. Orwell Park today is a private school, and Broke Hall has been divided into flats, but St Martin still retains the memory of the great and the good of both families.
Externally, St Martin gives no indication of the early 20th Century treasures in store within. It only takes the sun to go in, and that rendered tower ends up looking like a grain silo, the colour of cold porridge. This is a pity, because on a sunny day there is something grand and imposing about it, especially with that pretty dormer window halfway along the nave roof. It gives a pleasing Arts and Crafts touch to the austerity of a building which was almost entirely rebuilt between 1906 and 1908 by Charles Hodgson Fowler. They'd actually been two dormers, and Fowler retained that on the south side. They had been installed in the 1870s by a budding medievalist, but there had been an earlier going-over by Diocesan architect Richard Phipson in 1859. Mortlock tells us that Fowler added the aisle, the organ chamber and vestry, the porch and the east window. The roofs and floors were also replaced. The small south transept survived from the earlier restoration, largely because it forms a memorial chapel to the Broke family of Broke Hall. Grand memorials record their miltary deeds, including captaining the Shannon when it captured the Chespeake during the American War of Independence.
The medieval font also survives, and is a good one, although perhaps a bit recut. Around the bowl, angels bearing carved shields alternate with symbols of the four evangelists.The wild men are striking, and the smiling lions are reminiscent of those you often find on Norfolk fonts of this type.
There are two image niches in one of the window embrasures, but otherwise this is almost entirely a Victorian and Edwardian interior, full of Brokes and Vernons. Their greatest legacy to St Martin has been the large range of stained glass which ultimately gives St Martin its character. It is interesting to compare the church to St Peter at Levington, a mile or so off. There, the church is simple and rustic; the difference that the money spent here has made is accentuated by a visit to both. But St Martin has been given a sober gravitas, a self-confidence that falls short of triumphalism.
There are some fragments of medieval glass surviving, including a fine shield of the Instruments of the Passion which may or may not have come from this church originally, But the glass in Fowler's north aisle is the star of the show. At the west end is a finely drawn 1913 Adoration of the Shepherds and Magi by Burlison & Grylls. The shepherds are lifted directly from the late 15th Century Portinari altarpiece by Hugo van der Goes, today in the Uffizi gallery in Florence. The use of images from Northern European old masters was common practice for the workshop. To the east of it is a rather less successful window by By Christopher Powell, and believed to be his only work in Suffolk, depicting the three figures of the Sower, the Good Shepherd and St Martin. It is interesting to compare it with his similar window at Dersingham in Norfolk.
Next along is a memorial to the Pretyman family. Herbert Pretyman died in 1891, and when Fowler's aisle was complete in 1906 his widow installed the central light, a typically predestrian image of St George by Clayton & Bell. However, the two figures that flank it, St Michael as Victory and St Raphaeil (but actually St Gabriel, surely?) as Peace are something else again, tremendous images installed in 1920 to give thanks for the safe return of two Pretyman sons from the horror of the First World War. The angels are wise and triumphant, their feathered wings flamboyant. No one seems to know who they are by (it certainly isn't Clayton & Bell) and it would be interesting to know.
To the east again is a lancet of the Blessed Virgin and child by Kempe under the guiding hand of Walter Tower, and the Kempe/Tower partnership was also responsible for the east window, a not entirely successful collection of workshop cartoons of the crucifixion and Old Testament prophets. Beside it on the south side of the chancel is the earliest modern glass in the church, two post-resurrection scenes by William Wailes. The only other 19th Century window is on the south side of the nave, a chaotic assemblage of heraldic symbols from Broke family marriages, showing arms and crests over the generations. It dates from the 1860s, and is by Clayton & Bell.
When the church reopened in 1908, people were said to be delighted by the Anglo-catholic mood of the time which had been injected into the building. Outside, their ancestors lie beneath headstones that have been eroded and smoothed clean by the salty air that comes from the great river beyond the school. Hardly any of the 18th and early 19th century inscriptions are legible now. One exception is to a man who died in the middle years of the 19th century who fought at Traffalgar. This is as clearly read now as it was when Arthur Mee came this way in the 1930s.