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To był niesamowity dzień. Dopisała aura, która wszystkich wprawiła w jeszcze bardziej pogodny nastrój. Jak co roku Fundacja Wrocławskie Hospicjum dla Dzieci zorganizowała naszym podopiecznym i ich rodzeństwu obchody Dnia Dziecka, które odbyły się 17 czerwca. Dziękujemy za przyjęcie zaproszenia i tak liczne przybycie.
Miejscem zabawy była gościnna Stara Garbarnia w Leśnicy a tematem przewodnim MADAGASKAR. Był oczywiście zacnie nam panujący Król Julian i mnóstwo zwierzaków. Nasi niezawodni, pomysłowi wolontariusze przeistoczyli się w lemury, zebry, lwy, żyrafy, pingwiny, tygrysy, hieny i inne madagaskarskie futrzaki... Mnóstwo radości, balonów, dobrego jedzenia i nieposkromionej zabawy towarzyszyło nam do ostatniej minuty świętowania.
Nasz wyjątkowy dzień rozpoczął się od odtańczenia tańca, który jest celebrowany zawsze na wyspie Madagaskar. Wszyscy, bez wyjątku, "wyginali śmiało ciało". Wrażenia artystyczne i muzyczne, wspaniale kreacje sceniczne w rytm kastanietów zapewniła nam szkoła tańca flamenco Dragonitas del Fuego. Furorę zrobił iluzjonista Damian Kość, który oprócz występu na scenie, zabawiał dzieci w małych grupkach zdradzając tajniki sztuk magicznych. Różnego rodzaju atrakcje przygotowały wolontariaty pracownicze firm współpracujących z Fundacją oraz uczniowie Akademii Wojsk Lądowych. Niesamowity tort a’la wyspa Madagaskar upieczony przez Mamą naszego podopiecznego zrobił furorę i był obiektem wielu zdjęć.
Nieocenieni wolontariusze przez całą imprezę troszczyli się o dzieci i angażowali w różnego rodzaju zabawy, puszczanie mydlanych baniek, dekorowanie babeczek, malowanie twarzy, dmuchanie balonów czy rysowanie zwierzaków…Cel został osiągnięty! Na twarzach dzieci widzieliśmy uśmiech i szczęście. Dzień Dziecka zwieńczony był tym, na co dzieci czekały najbardziej, czyli wręczaniem prezenty. Było ich mnóstwo a każdy z dzieciaków został nimi wręcz zarzucony. Nasze świętowanie i uczczenie Dnia Dziecka nie mogło by się odbyć bez rzeszy ludzi dobrych serc, które zadbały o to, żeby dla żadnego dziecka nie zabrakło niespodzianek.
Gorąco dziękujemy:
Pracownikom firm: Becton Dickinson, BNY Mellon, Capgemini, CH Robinson, Geoban, Gigaset Communication Service, Hoist Polska Sp. z o.o., HPE, Infor, Kaufland, KPMG, Tieto oraz UPS za przekazane prezenty i wsparcie w dniu imprezy.
Ukłony składamy również podopiecznym Hospicjum Ojców Bonifratrów obecnym na wydarzeniu, Katedrze Medycyny Sądowej Uniwersytetu Medycznego, Klubowi Rotary Cieplice, Fundacji Hasco Lek, firmie Pushek Klaudia Pokojowczyk, Zrzeszeniu Studentów przy Uniwersytecie Ekonomicznym, Starej Garbarni, Szkole Tańca Flamenco Dragonitas del Fuego Lilianny Bochenkiewicz, Wrocławskiemu Centrum Seniora, iluzjoniście Damianowi Kościowi, Akademii Wojsk Lądowych oraz firmie Toyota Dobrygowski.
Dzięki Waszemu zaangażowaniu, energii i chęciom po raz kolejny mogliśmy tak hucznie świętować Dzień Dziecka!
Dziękujemy i do zobaczenia za rok :)
Hope each and every one of you has enjoyed or is about to enjoy a wonderful, Thanksgiving dinner! For those of you who don't really celebrate, I hope you've had a relaxing day, with perhaps time to think about all the reasons why we are all so lucky.
I believe this tropical plant is Tillandsia, Pink Quill, a Bromeliad. Photographed in the ENMAX Conservatory at the Calgary Zoo on October 11th. Usually when I see these, they are half hidden behind other tropical leaves, so I was lucky to get a clear shot this time.
To reach the bottom of the Megiddo Water System, you have to descend 4 sets of stairs. This is the first set.
To commemorate the ``International Year of Sanitation – 2008’’, WES-Net India, and some of its constituent member organizations, UNICEF, Water Aid and Plan India worked to promote mass awareness and also raise the profile of sanitation among the general public, professionals and policy makers through the mainstream media by inviting photographers to the "Clean India Photo Contest - 2008" The pictures are from the competition.
Photo taken by Rajesh K R, for more information and usage permission contact WES Net India , desk@wesnetindia.org, www.wesnetindia.org .
Access the Press Release and more information here: www.wesnetindia.org/index.php?id=165
“Clean India Photo Contest" 2008 – Rajesh K R
Hindu devotees take dip in River Ganges at Sangam, ahead of World Water Day to be observed on March 22, in Allahabad, India, Thursday, March 20, 2008. This year, World Water Day coincides with the International Year of Sanitation.
Title: Overture To Death.
Artist: Ngaio Marsh.
Publisher: Fontana Books.
Date: 1967.
Artist: Renato Fratini.
to all my flickr friends... I hope you will have wonderful holidays with your loved ones.....please see large size for detail:
On Monday evening I got a message from a contact on Flickr saying she worked near to the Flatiron Building, and would we like to meet? We would, but it turned out that technical issues with Jools’ new mobile, and whatever meant that once we left the hotel room, we could not make contact with her, so we said we would be out front of the Flatiron at three, hope to see her there.
She had recommended that we visit the Oculus at the World Trade Center, a huge white egg-shaped building, which is a transport hub, and is very photogenic.
We left the hotel and walked down to the 24hour diner, had breakfast; then walked to the subway station and boarded a southbound train to the new WTC station.
Turns out Diane was right, the building is huge, pure white and supported by ribs like some kind of monster’s skeleton. I am trying to describe it, but really, words fail me on this. At either end there were ergonomically designed stairways that looked amazing.
We went outside, and were dazzled by the ring of huge buildings, including the new Freedom Tower. On the ground in front of us was an artisan market, that we did not look at.
We walked round the building, back inside to look for the subway station to take us to Midtown, but the signs took us on a long route, coming to another new part of the interchange, and another stunning piece of building design.
We stopped to take more pictures, obviously.
(Feb. 18, 2009: It's not at all surprising to me that the most viewed picture on my photostream isn't one that I took, but instead one by some unknown photographer of a hundred years ago. For as long as I can remember, I've known that this was a compelling image.)
Me, me, me!
I've been tagged! This photo restoration is as good an occasion as any for my listing 16 things about me. I'm given to understand that I could probably get away with "9 for '09" but my friend yourwillingskin (AKA Northstar) wanted 16, so here goes:
1. I am the only son of an only son of an only son. In connection with this, the man in the centre of the picture is Joseph Reid, a schooner captain and my great grandfather. The little boy tucked into his arm is Eldred Reid, my grandfather.
2. I lived in the house in the picture for two years in the early 70s, when I was around four or five years old. I also spent many months and weeks during the summers of my childhood with my grandparents in Heart's Delight. Much time was spent catching frogs and crabs, as well as drawing comic books in scrap books. In my memories and imagination, the town of Heart's Delight will always have an association with sunshine and an easy state of being.
3. Although I've spent a lot of time trying to figure it out, I have no firsthand idea of how non-creative people can put up with their own company.
4. I don't count myself as having produced anything of any real merit for more than six years, since I moved out of a place I was renting as a painting studio on my 34th birthday. Subsequently, I sometimes have trouble putting up with my own company.
5. I sing. Nothing all the way through, of course. Just bits and pieces of songs. I got in quite a bit of practice while I was alone in my painting studio. Some people are gracious enough to tell me that I'm half-decent.
6. Or maybe it's impressions of singers that I do. Anything from the plaintive rant of Roger Waters of Pink Floyd to the plaintive swoon of Fran Healy of Travis. Sometimes I even do Elvis Presley.
7. For 15 years of my life I wanted to be a comic book artist. I was a teenager at just the right time to see Frank Miller and Alan Moore start to do their stuff. Although I got bored of comics when I was 17, the ambition continued until I was 22, when I decided I wanted to paint instead.
8. Watchmen, which was first published during my first year of university, was the last comic that I bought regularly. Alan Moore really had the golden touch.
9. My childhood was ruled by a boundlessly expansive imagination. The things that caught my attention -- comic books, chapter books, drawing, and later pop music -- seemed more wonderful than I will ever be able to express. Pretty girls should be listed there too. Pretty girls really had me in a bad way.
10. Off the top of my head, my favorite movies this past year were Superbad and... wait a bit, I'll get back to you.
11. Off the top of my head, my favourite music this past year was Bon Iver. (I enjoy mimicing Justin Vernon's falsetto, too.)
12. Way out ahead of the pack, my favourite author is Kurt Vonnegut. He offers me complicency, I guess, just as any friend would. I've also been deeply moved by the writings John Steinbeck. Saroyan has brought me to tears, but that was years ago. The best I read this past year was Cormac McCarthy.
13. Fortunately for me, I can't play first-person shooters. They all give me a terrible headache. Unfortunately for me, if I actually can see an avatar on the screen, then I can play computer games without getting a headache for quite a while. But I don't bother with them very much.
14. I work as a graphic designer at a small town printer's. I've known since the mid-90s that I found graphic design to be truly soul-sucking work. Maybe if my life hadn't had certain difficulties, I would have been able to work my way into an interesting graphic designer postion, like, say, art director for an interesting magazine.
15. When I wasn't painting or graphic designing during the past decade, I was driving ambulances, pumping gas, or working as a clerk. Like I say, if my life hadn't had certain difficulties...
16. If you've reached Number 16, then you're probably a friend of mine.
60 Ways to reach Highwavys Mountain, Meghamalai, Theni, Tamil Nadu, India
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Meghamalai,(மேகமலை) popularly called High Wavy Mountains, is a cool and misty mountain range situated in the Western Ghats in Theni district, Tamil Nadu, near Kumaly Idukki District, South India. It is a place of natural beauty dotted with cardamom plantations and tea estates. The place is situated at an elevation of 1,500 m above sea level and it is rich in flora and fauna. This area, now mostly planted with tea, includes Cloudlands, Highwavys and Manalaar estates, the access to which is now largely restricted. It still includes large untouched remnants of evergreen forest.
Meghamalai mountain range can be approached two ways—from Theni via Chinnamanur and from Andipatti via Kandamanayakkanur. Both Theni and Andipatti can be easily accessed by road from Madurai and Dindigul. Theni, which is 76 km from Madurai. The approach via Chinnamannur is more scenic. Only forest lodges and panchayath rest house are available at the hill top. Prior reservation and permission is an absolute must. If looking for a night stay here, you can make room reservation from the forest check-post located 3 km from Chinnamannur on way to Meghamalai. Must reach the check-post at least before 5 PM, if you are looking for a night stay in Meghamalai. Day-trippers may stay in a number of moderately priced hotels in Theni, Chinnamanur and Andipatti. Distance from Madurai 130 km.Of late guest houses and coffee estate home-stays are available in Meghamalai and can be booked on the internet.
Dr. Anurag Batra is a serial Entrepreneur and mentor to many successful entrepreneurs. He also an author, TV show host and an angel investor and the founder of the iconic exchange4media group and chairman BW Businessworld group. According to him, India needs more sportsmanship. As Indians we do not support failure, we only celebrate success and the beauty about sports is that it helps you celebrate failure.
Addressing India's sports Congress held 6 years ago, Anurag Batra the chairman of BW Businessworld stressed 2 things. One is the fact, that he believes that India has been media core. It’s a debatable topic and one can either agree or disagree with his statement. It’s because India does not have a sports culture. According to Anurag Batra, India’s media core is everything. India hasn’t produced a lifesaving drug or we haven’t done an invention that changes life. We are doing the Flipkart for the world which is great but they are cheap imitations of what happens in the West and he believes the reason we haven’t got a product or service that is world-class out of India, in the way Silicon Valley does it, is because we do not have a sports culture.
As Indians we do not support failure, we only celebrate success and the beauty about sports is that it helps you celebrate failure. Because there is nothing like a failure, there’s another game tomorrow. you can extend like that so there is no failure. He thinks sports as a culture glue, as a game-changer in the real sense of the nation’s destiny can play a big role. And he is particularly happy that BW has been doing conferences like this in exchange for media for the last 10 years and we’ve been talking about how non-cricket sports should come to the forefront. when this conference is conducted in the last 3 years, for the first time we can say that non-cricket sports are finally coming to the Fort. He means tomorrow we are the protesting league starting who imagine 5 years back there. Be it a pro wrestling league and you know every possible sport is getting more attention more money and more mind space which occurs well for this country.
Anurag Batra has 2 young children and if there is a choice on their career, he would want them to be sportspeople for the reason that I told him explained above. He also mentioned the event conducted by his team may act as a catalyst to the development of sports in the country.
Chairman of BW Businessworld Mr Anurag Batra believes India is struggling to get one of the top positions. Being a developing nation from more than 5 decades, India is still on the path of development. He concluded by saying we should worship sports as a religion, study as a science and play with enthusiasm as it accepts failures and encourages and inspires to win the next.
An excursion to the south of the island of Mauritius.
Pieter Both, sometimes referred to as Peter Botte Mountain, is the second highest mountain of Mauritius, at 820 metres (2,690 ft) tall. The mountain is slightly shorter than Piton de la Petite Rivière Noire by eight metres. It is named after Pieter Both, the first Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies. It is located in the Moka Range.
The notable feature of this mountain is the gigantic rock formation at the very top of it, which resembles a human head.
The palm species Hyophorbe amaricaulis, famous for being the world's rarest palm today, was once a common sight on this mountain.
To climb the mountain following the main ridge takes about an hour, and is mildly difficult. It is mainly a scramble, and being exposed, a rope is advised. The dramatic boulder on the pinnacle is about 9 metres in diameter, and has several iron spikes fixed to it to aid climbing to the top. The top is flat and about six feet across.
Over 500 trekkers took on the non-stop, 30 hour, walking challenge from London to Brighton on 22nd and 23rd June to raise vital funds for the fight against heart disease
I can't sleep at night
Staring at the phone
Knowing you are not alone
She is right there by your side
I'm trying just to hide
All the things I feel inside
I can sense the chemistry
When you are standing close to me
I feel like a ship that's lost at sea
It's getting harder to ignore
It's not like anything before
I know it's crazy baby but I want more
I wish i could be close to you
And feel your every move
Neva meant to feel this way
Maybe you would come around one day
I wish i could be close to you
To feel your every touch
Becoz the sky won't heal the way I feel
Heaven knows I've wanted it so much
(Wanted it so much)
(wanted it so much)
I am the one to blame
Trying to explain
But I will cause myself such pain
Your heart not your heart
I trying to turn the time
But time is never on my side
I can sense the chemistry
When your standing close to me
I feel like a ship that's lost at sea
It's getting harder to ignore
It's not like anything before
I know it's crazy baby but I want more
(I wish that I could be so close to you)
I wish that I could be close to you
And feel your every move
Neva meant to feel this way
Maybe you would come around one day
I wish I could be close to you
To feel you every touch
Becoz the sky won't heal the way i feel
Heaven knows I've wanted it so much
Some bystander watching the parisian Gay Pride party on Place de la Bastille. Paris, June 2007.
(Tamron Adaptall 28mm/f2.5 @ f5.6 + polarizer)
The past week had been rough. I don’t tend to cry over spilt milk, but typically when it matters. As usual, I try to outsource the negative by finding something that raises the adrenaline level in my body. One thing I’ve realized that does that best is being outdoors. Finding a new remote place amongst my busy city generates this feeling inside of me that nothing else can match. When I come across somewhere that I don’t know by heart, my senses heighten and I can nearly feel the dopamine rushing through me. I came across this part of our local arboretum that I had yet to discover. I set out with my backpack and a light spring jacket, and began to walk. I found trails that turned into forks in the road and tunnels that led to who knows where. Somehow I felt lighter, like the part of me that was dragging along was somehow revitalized. The seclusion and busyness of the forest helps me sort out the important stuff and turning to anything else seems less than constructive.
Go here to see the rest of this mini-series.
The Pan-American Highway Southern Peru from inside the bus, at this point in the journey, the road clings precariously to the clifftop and the bus as precariously to the road!. Fear of the bus falling off the road however, is generally overcome by fear of missing out on the visual feast this amazing coastal road provides for mile after mile!!!
Atlanta, Georgia, based AerOceaNetwork member Express Air Freight Unlimited
Inc. (EAF) worked overtime to get a Boeing 727 charter to Haiti recently.
"Nearly this whole (past) weekend Kim Duke and her office at EAF in Atlanta
worked on putting together an aircraft charter which consisted of assembling
various equipment from the Southeast area of the USA destined to the
devastated capital city of Port au Prince in Haiti," said David Marx,
Managing Director of Express Air Freight Unlimited Inc.
"Our first charter departed this morning from Miami to Port au Prince,"
added David Marx, "A few other charters are planned in the next week that
will consist of port a potties as well as tents."
David Marx had only good messages for his team, which he relayed to his
Atlanta based EAF Regional Manager, Mrs. Kim Duke:
"Once again - well done on making this happen Kim!!! Kudos to you and your
EAF ATL team!! Thank you!!!"
We at AerOceaNetwork echo the same sentiments!
AerOceaNetwork (AON)
AerOceaNetwork is a non-exclusive network for professional logistics
companies and international freight forwarders. We focus on our members
having more time and opportunities to develop business with each other,
cutting out the red tape that normally comes with freight networks.
AerOceaNetwork Website:
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Welcome to the orthodontic henderson of Dr. Carlos Bordador and Dr. Sean Truong in Henderson and Las Vegas, Nevada. Our top priority is to provide our patients with the highest quality orthodontic care in a gentle and comfortable environment. Our doctors and staff create beautiful smiles and functional bites by utilizing the most efficient and innovative orthodontic appliances and techniques currently available.
The period 1559 to 1829 is referred to as the 'Penal Times' when considering the history of Roman Catholicism in England and Wales. It was during this period that Roman Catholicism was subject to legal restrictions. The Mass was banned in 1559. Priests were often passed off as Servants or Tutors. Being a Priest or hiding one in your home could result in your death by being hung, drawn and quartered.
Roman Catholicism in England and Wales largely retreated into country houses and well to do households. Known Catholic households were subject to being raided by the local militia in the search for the illegal celebration of the Mass and the harbouring of Priests. Until 1700 these laws were periodically actively enforced.
In the event of a raid it was necessary for any Priests to be hidden in "Priest Holes" such as this one. It is not possible to stand up in here. It might have been necessary for up to four men to hide in this space for up to four days. The holes at Baddesley Clinton are believed to have been built by St Nicholas Owen. He was considered to be a skilled carpenter in that he could make the Priest Holes difficult to find. It is likely that some of his Priest Holes have as yet not been discovered. St Nicholas Owen refused to divulge details of the houses where he had work despite being tortured on the rack.
Prior to 1778 it was not possible for a Roman Catholic to to inherit or own land unless an oath of loyalty was taken. Life Imprisonment for keeping a Catholic School was also removed. In 1791 it was possible to hear Mass, operate a Catholic School, join the military and the legal professions provided that an oath of loyalty was taken. In 1829 most of the remaining legal restrictions were removed. Catholics were permitted to sit in the British Parliament and to vote at elections.
Kartikeya, also known as Skanda, Murugan and Subramaniyan, is the Hindu god of war. He is the commander-in-chief of the army of the devas (gods) and the son of Shiva and Parvati.
Murugan is often referred to as "Tamil Kadavul" (meaning "God of Tamils") and is worshiped primarily in areas with Tamil influences, especially South India, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Malaysia, Singapore and Reunion Island. His six most important shrines in India are the Arupadaiveedu temples, located in Tamil Nadu. In Sri Lanka, Hindus as well as Buddhists revere the sacred historical Nallur Kandaswamy temple in Jaffna and Katirkāmam Temple situated deep south.[1] Hindus in Malaysia also pray to Lord Murugan at the Batu Caves and various temples where Thaipusam is celebrated with grandeur.
In Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, Kartikeya is known as Subrahmanya with a temple at Kukke Subramanya known for Sarpa shanti rites dedicated to Him and another famous temple at Ghati Subramanya also in Karnataka. In Bengal and Odisha, he is popularly known as Kartikeya (meaning 'son of Krittika').[2]
Other names[edit]
Like most Hindu deities, Subrahmanya is known by many other names, including Senthil, Vēlaṇ, Kumāran (meaning 'prince or child or young one'), Swaminatha (meaning 'smart' or 'clever'), Saravaṇa, Arumugam or Shanmuga (meaning 'one with six faces'), Dhandapani (meaning God with a Club), Guhan or Guruguha (meaning 'cave-dweller'), Subrahmanya, Kartikeya and Skanda (meaning 'that which is spilled or oozed).[3][4] He was also known as Mahasena and the Kadamba Dynasty kings worshiped him by this name.[5]
Vedas[edit]
The Atharva Veda describes Kumaran as 'Agnibhuh' because he is form of 'Agni' (Fire God) & Agni hold in his hand when kumaran born. The Satapatha Brahmana refers to him as the son of Rudra and the six faces of Rudra. The Taittiriya Aranyaka contains the Gayatri mantra for Shanmukha. The Chandogya Upanishad refers to Skanda as the "way that leads to wisdom". The Baudhayana Dharmasutra mentions Skanda as 'Mahasena' and 'Subrahmanya.' The Aranya Parva canto of the Mahabharata relates the legend of Kartikeya Skanda in considerable detail. The Skanda Purana is devoted to the narrative of Kartikeya.[6] The Upanishads also constantly make a reference to a Supreme Being called Guha, the indweller.
The first elaborate account of Kartikeya's origin occurs in the Mahabharata. In a complicated story, he is said to have been born from Agni and Svaha, after the latter impersonated the six of the seven wives of the Saptarishi (Seven Sages). The actual wives then become the Pleiades. Kartikeya is said to have been born to destroy the Asura Mahisha.[7] (In later mythology, Mahisha became the adversary of Durga.) Indra attacks Kartikeya as he sees the latter as a threat, until Shiva intervenes and makes Kartikeya the commander-in-chief of the army of the Devas. He is also married to Devasena, Indra's daughter. The origin of this marriage lies probably in the punning of 'Deva-sena-pati'. It can mean either lord of Devasena or Lord of the army (sena) of Devas. But according to Shrii Shrii Anandamurti, in his master work on Shiva[8] and other works, Kartikeya was married to Devasenā and that is on the ground of his name as Devasena's husband, Devasenāpati, misinterpreted as Deva-senāpati (Deva's general) that he was granted the title general and made the Deva's army general.[9]
The Ramayana version is closer to the stories told in the Puranas discussed below.
Tolkappiyam, possibly the most ancient of the extant Sangam works, dated between the 3rd century BCE and 5th century CE glorified Murugan, "the red god seated on the blue peacock, who is ever young and resplendent," as "the favoured god of the Tamils."[10] The Sangam poetry divided space and Tamil land into five allegorical areas (tinai) and according to the Tirumurugarruppatai ( c. 400–450 AD) attributed to the great Sangam poet Nakkiirar, Murugan was the presiding deity the Kurinci region (hilly area). (Tirumurugaruppatai is a deeply devotional poem included in the ten idylls (Pattupattu) of the age of the third Sangam). The other Sangam era works in Tamil that refer to Murugan in detail include the Paripaatal, the Akananuru and the Purananuru. One poem in the Paripaatal describes the veneration of Murugan thus:
"We implore thee not for boons of enjoyment or wealth,
But for thy grace beatific, love and virtuous deeds."
According to the Tamil devotional work, Thiruppugazh, "Murugan never hesitates to come to the aid of a devotee when called upon in piety or distress". In another work, Thirumurukkarrupatai, he is described as a god of eternal youth;
His face shines a myriad rays light and removes the darkness from this world.[11]
The references to Murugan can be traced back to the first millennium BCE. There are references to Murugan in Kautilya's Arthashastra, in the works of Patanjali, in Kalidasa's epic poem the Kumarasambhavam. The Kushanas, who governed from what is today Peshawar, and the Yaudheyas, a republican clan in the Punjab, struck coins bearing the image of Skanda. The deity was venerated also by the Ikshvakus, an Andhra dynasty, and the Guptas.[6] The worship of Kumāra was one of the six principal sects of Hinduism at the time of Adi Shankara. The Shanmata system propagated by him included this sect. In many Shiva and Devi temples of Tamil Nadu, Murugan is installed on the left of the main deity. The story of His birth goes as follows:
Sati immolated herself in a pyre as her father King Daksha had insulted Shiva, her Lord. She was reborn as Parvathi or Uma, daughter of the King of Himalayas, Himavan. She then married her Lord Shiva. The Devas were under onslaught from the Asuras whose leader was Soorapadman. He had been granted boons that only Lord Shiva or his seed could kill him. Fearless he vanquished the Devas and made them his slaves. The Devas ran to Vishnu for help who told them that it was merely their fault for attending Daksha's yagna, without the presence of Lord Shiva. After this, they ran to Shiva for help. Shiva decided to take action against Soorapadman's increasing conceit. He frowned and his third eye- the eye of knowledge- started releasing sparks. These were six sparks in total. Agni had the responsibility to take them to Saravana Lake. As he was carrying them, the sparks were growing hotter and hotter that even the Lord of Fire could not withstand the heat. Soon after Murugan was born on a lotus in the Saravana Lake with six faces, giving him the name Arumukhan. Lord Shiva and Parvati visited and tears of joy started flowing as they witnessed the most handsome child. Shiva and Parvathi gave the responsibility of taking care of Muruga to the six Krittika sisters. Muruga grew up to be a handsome, intelligent, powerful, clever youth. All the Devas applauded at their saviour, who had finally come to release them from their woes. Murugan became the supreme general of the demi-gods, then escorted the devas and led the army of the devas to victory against the asuras.
Legends[edit]
Given that legends related to Murugan are recounted separately in several Hindu epics, some differences between the various versions are observed. Some Sanskrit epics and puranas indicate that he was the elder son of Shiva. This is suggested by the legend connected to his birth; the wedding of Shiva and Parvati being necessary for the birth of a child who would vanquish the asura named Taraka. Also, Kartikeya is seen helping Shiva fight the newborn Ganesha, Shiva's other son, in the Shiva Purana. In the Ganapati Khandam of the Brahma Vaivarta Purana, he is seen as the elder son of Shiva and Ganesha as the younger. In South India, it is believed that he is the younger of the two. A Puranic story has Ganesha obtain a divine fruit of knowledge from Narada winning a contest with Murugan. While Murugan speeds around the world thrice to win the contest for the fruit, Ganesha circumambulates Shiva and Parvati thrice as an equivalent and is given the fruit. After winning it, he offers to give the fruit to his upset brother. After this event, Ganesha was considered the elder brother owing as a tribute to his wisdom. Many of the major events in Murugan's life take place during his youth, and legends surrounding his birth are popular. This has encouraged the worship of Murugan as a child-God, very similar to the worship of the child Krishna in north India. He is married to two wives, Valli and Devasena. This lead to a very interesting name : Devasenapati viz. Pati (husband) of Devsena and/or Senapati (commander in chief) of Dev (gods)
Kartikeya symbols are based on the weapons – Vel, the Divine Spear or Lance that he carries and his mount the peacock. He is sometimes depicted with many weapons including: a sword, a javelin, a mace, a discus and a bow although more usually he is depicted wielding a sakti or spear. This symbolizes his purification of human ills. His javelin is used to symbolize his far reaching protection, his discus symbolizes his knowledge of the truth, his mace represents his strength and his bow shows his ability to defeat all ills. His peacock mount symbolizes his destruction of the ego.
His six heads represent the six siddhis bestowed upon yogis over the course of their spiritual development. This corresponds to his role as the bestower of siddhis.
In Tamil Nadu, Murugan has continued to be popular with all classes of society right since the Sangam age. This has led to more elaborate accounts of his mythology in the Tamil language, culminating in the Tamil version of Skanda Purana, called Kandha Purānam, written by Kacchiappa Sivachariyar (1350–1420 AD.) of Kumara Kottam in the city of Kanchipuram. (He was a scholar in Tamil literature, and a votary of the Shaiva Siddhanta philosophy.)
He is married to two deities, Valli, a daughter of a tribal chief and Deivayanai (also called Devasena), the daughter of Indhra. During His bachelorhood, Lord Murugan is also regarded as Kumaraswami (or Bachelor God), Kumara meaning a bachelor and Swami meaning God. Muruga rides a peacock and wields a bow in battle. The lance called Vel in Tamil is a weapon closely associated with him. The Vel was given to him by his mother, Parvati, and embodies her energy and power. His army's standard depicts a rooster. In the war, Surapadman was split into two, and each half was granted a boon by Murugan. The halves, thus turned into the peacock (his mount) and the rooster his flag, which also "refers to the sun".[12]
As Muruga is worshipped predominantly in Tamil Nadu, many of his names are of Tamil origin. These include Senthil, the red or formidable one; Arumugam, the six-faced one; Guhan and Maal-Marugan, the son-in-law of Vishnu. Murugan is venerated throughout the Tamil year. There is a six-day period of fast and prayer in the Tamil month of Aippasi known as the Skanda Shasti. He is worshipped at Thaipusam, celebrated by Tamil communities worldwide near the full moon of the Tamil month Thai. This commemorates the day he was given a Vel or lance by his mother in order to vanquish the asuras. Thirukarthigai or the full moon of the Tamil month of Karthigai signifies his birth. Each Tuesday of the Tamil month of Adi is also dedicated to the worship of Murugan. Tuesday in the Hindu tradition connotes Mangala, the god of planet Mars and war.
Other parts of India[edit]
Historically, God Kartikeya was immensely popular in the Indian subcontinent. One of the major Puranas, the Skanda Purana is dedicated to him. In the Bhagavad-Gita (Ch.10, Verse 24), Krishna, while explaining his omnipresence, names the most perfect being, mortal or divine, in each of several categories. While doing so, he says: "Among generals, I am Skanda, the lord of war."
Kartikeya's presence in the religious and cultural sphere can be seen at least from the Gupta age. Two of the Gupta kings, Kumaragupta and Skandagupta, were named after him. He is seen in the Gupta sculptures and in the temples of Ellora and Elephanta. As the commander of the divine armies, he became the patron of the ruling classes. His youth, beauty and bravery was much celebrated in Sanskrit works like the Kathasaritsagara. Kalidasa made the birth of Kumara the subject of a lyrical epic, the Kumaarasambhavam. In ancient India, Kartikeya was also regarded as the patron deity of thieves, as may be inferred from the Mrichchakatikam, a Sanskrit play by Shudraka, and in the Vetala-panchvimshati, a medieval collection of tales. This association is linked to the fact that Kartikeya had dug through the Krauncha mountain to kill Taraka and his brothers (in the Mrichchakatikam, Sarivilaka prays to him before tunnelling into the hero's house).
However, Kartikeya's popularity in North India receded from the Middle Ages onwards, and his worship is today virtually unknown except in parts of Haryana. There is a very famous temple dedicated to Him in the town of Pehowa in Haryana and this temple is very well known in the adjoining areas, especially because women are not allowed anywhere close to it. Women stay away from this temple in Pehowa town of Haryana because this shrine celebrates the Brahmachari form of Kartikeya. Reminders of former devotions to him include a temple at Achaleshwar, near Batala in Punjab, and another temple of Skanda atop the Parvati hill in Pune, Maharashtra. Another vestige of his former popularity can be seen in Bengal and Odisha, where he is worshipped during the Durga Puja festivities alongside Durga. Lord Subramanya is the major deity among the Hindus of northern Kerala. Lord Subramanya is worshipped with utmost devotion in districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi in the state of Karnataka. Rituals like nagaradhane are unique to this region.
Kartikeya also known as Kartik or Kartika is also worshipped in West Bengal, and Bangladesh on the last day of the Hindu month of 'Kartik'. However, the popularity of Kartik Puja (worshipping Kartik) is decreasing now, and Lord Kartik is primarily worshipped among those who intend to have a son. In Bengal, traditionally, many people drop images of Kartik inside the boundaries of different households, who all are either newly married, or else, intend to get a son to carry on with their ancestry. Lord Kartik is also associated to the Babu Culture prevailed in historic Kolkata, and hence, many traditional old Bengali paintings still show Kartik dressed in traditional Bengali style. Also, in some parts of West Bengal, Kartik is traditionally worshipped by the ancestors of the past royal families too, as in the district of Malda. Kartik Puja is also popular among the prostitutes. This can probably be linked to the fact that, the prostitutes mostly got clients from the upper class babu-s in old Kolkata, who all, in turn, had been associated to the image of Kartik (as discussed above). In Bansberia (Hooghly district) Kartik Puja festival is celebrated like Durga puja of Kolkata, Jagadhatri puja in Chandannagar for consecutive four days. The festival starts on 17 November every year and on 16 November in case of Leap year.[13] Some of the must see Puja committees are Bansberia Kundugoli Nataraj, Khamarapara Milan Samity RadhaKrishna, Kishor Bahini, Mitali Sangha, Yuva Sangha, Bansberia Pratap Sangha and many more.
In Durga Puja in Bengal, Kartikeya is considered to be a son of Parvati or Durga and Shiva along with his brother Ganesha and sisters Lakshmi and Saraswati.[14]
Kartikeya is worshiped during Durga Puja in Odisha as well as in various Shiva temples throughout the year. Kartik puja is celebrated in Cuttack along with various other parts of the state during the last phases of Hindu month of Kartik. Kartik purnima is celebrated with much joy and in a grand fashion in Cuttack and other parts in the state.
Murugan is adored by both Tamil Hindus and Sinhalese Buddhists in Sri Lanka. Numerous temples exist throughout the island. He is a favorite deity of the common folk everywhere and it is said he never hesitates to come to the aid of a devotee when called upon. In the deeply Sinhalese south of Sri Lanka, Murugan is worshipped at the temple in Katirkāmam, where he is known as Kathiravel or Katragama Deviyo (Lord of Katragama) . This temple is next to an old Buddhist place of worship. Local legend holds that Lord Murugan alighted in Kataragama and was smitten by Valli, one of the local aboriginal lasses. After a courtship, they were married. This event is taken to signify that Lord Murugan is accessible to all who worship and love him, regardless of their birth or heritage. The Nallur Kandaswamy temple, the Maviddapuram Kandaswamy Temple and the Sella Channithy Temple near Valvettiturai are the three foremost Murugan temples in Jaffna. The Chitravelayutha temple in Verukal on the border between Trincomalee and Batticaloa is also noteworthy as is the Mandur Kandaswamy temple in Batticaloa. The late medieval-era temple of the tooth in Kandy, dedicated to the tooth relic of the Buddha, has a Kataragama deiyo shrine adjacent to it dedicated to the veneration of Skanda in the Sinhalese tradition. Almost all buddhist temples house a shrine room for Kataragama deviyo(Murugan)reflecting the significance of Murugan in Sinhala Buddhism,
Based on archeological evidence found, it is believed that the Kiri Vehera was either renovated to build during the 1st century BCE. There are number of others inscriptions and ruins.[15]
By the 16th century the Kathiravel shrine at Katirkāmam had become synonymous with Skanda-Kumara who was a guardian deity of Sinhala Buddhism.[16] The town was popular as a place of pilgrimage for Hindus from India and Sri Lanka by the 15 the century. The popularity of the deity at the Kataragama temple was also recorded by the Pali chronicles of Thailand such as Jinkalmali in the 16th century. There are number of legends both Buddhist and Hindu that attribute supernatural events to the very locality.[16] Scholars such as Paul Younger and Heinz Bechert speculate that rituals practiced by the native priests of Kataragama temple betray Vedda ideals of propitiation. Hence they believe the area was of Vedda veneration that was taken over by the Buddhist and Hindus in the medieval period.[17]
Lord Murugan is one of the most important deities worshipped by Tamil people in Malaysia and other South-East Asian countries such as Singapore and Indonesia. Thai Poosam is one of the important festivals celebrated. Sri Subramanyar Temple at Batu Caves temple complex in Malaysia is dedicated to Lord Murugan.
The main temples of Murugan are located in Tamil Nadu and other parts of south India. They include the Aru Padaiveedu (six abodes) — Thiruchendur, Swamimalai, Pazhamudircholai, Thirupparangunram, Palani (Pazhani), Thiruthani and other important shrines like Mayilam, Sikkal, Marudamalai, Kundrathur, Vadapalani, Kandakottam, Thiruporur, Vallakottai, Vayalur, Thirumalaikoil, Pachaimalai and Pavalamalai near Gobichettipalayam. Malai Mandir, a prominent and popular temple complex in Delhi, is one of the few dedicated to Murugan in all of North India apart from the Pehowa temple in Haryana.
There are many temples dedicated to Lord Subramanya in Kerala. Amongst them are Atiyambur Sri Subramanya Temple in Kanhangad Kasaragod, Payyannur Subramanya Swamy temple in Payyanur, Panmana Subramanya Swamy temple in Panmana and the Subramanya temple in Haripad. There is a temple in Skandagiri, Secunderabad and one in Bikkavolu, East Godavari district in the state of Andhra Pradesh. In Karnataka there is the Kukke Subramanya Temple where Lord Murugan is worshiped as the Lord of the serpents. Aaslesha Bali, Sarpa Samskara with nagapathista samarpa are major prayers here. There is a temple called Malai Mandir in South Delhi. Malai means hill in Tamil. Mandir means temple in Hindi.
The key temples in Sri Lanka include the sylvan shrine in Kataragama / (Kadirgamam) or Kathirkamam in the deep south, the temple in Tirukovil in the east, the shrine in Embekke in the Kandyan region and the famed Nallur Kandaswamy temple in Jaffna. There are several temples dedicated to Lord Murugan in Malaysia, the most famous being the Batu Caves near Kuala Lumpur. There is a 42.7-m-high statue of Lord Murugan at the entrance to the Batu Caves, which is the largest Lord Murugan statue in the world. Sri Thandayuthapani Temple in Tank Road, Singapore is a major Hindu temple where each year the Thaipusam festival takes place with devotees of Lord Muruga carrying Kavadis seeking penance and blessings of the Lord.
In the United Kingdom, Highgate Hill Murugan temple is one of the oldest and most famous. In London, Sri Murugan Temple in Manor park is a well-known temple. In Midlands, Leicester Shri Siva Murugan Temple is gaining popularity recently. Skanda Vale in West Wales was founded by Guruji, a Tamil devotee of Subramaniam, and its primary deity is Lord Murugan. In Australia, Sydney Murugan temple in Parramatta (Mays Hill), Perth Bala Muruguan temple in Mandogalup and Kundrathu Kumaran temple in Rockbank, Melbourne are major Hindu temples for all Australian Hindus and Murugan devotees. In New Zealand, there is a Thirumurugan Temple in Auckland and a Kurinji Kumaran Temple in Wellington, both dedicated to Lord Murugan. In the USA, Shiva Murugan Temple in Concord, Northern California and Murugan Temple of North America[18] in Maryland, Washington DC region are popular. In Toronto, Canada, Canada Kanthasamy Temple is known amongst many Hindus in Canada. In Dollard-des-Ormeaux, a suburb of the city of Montreal in Canada, there is a monumental temple of Murugan. The Sri Sivasubramaniar Temple, located in the Sihl Valley in Adliswil, is the most famous and largest Hindu temple in Switzerland.[19]
Stow Minster
Detail: Brass to Richard Burgh of Stow Hall, in Stow Minster
Also to Amy his wife. He died in 1616.
The Minster Church of St Mary, Stow in Lindsey is one of the oldest parish churches in England. It originally served as the Cathedral Church of the ancient diocese of Lindsey, founded in the 7th century, and stands on the site of a much older one.
History
The bishop's seat at Sidnacester (Syddensis) has been placed, by various commentators, at Caistor, Louth, Horncastle and, most often, at Stow, all in present-day Lincolnshire, England. The location remains unknown. More recently Lincoln has been suggested as a possible site.
There had been a church situated in Stow even before the arrival of the Danes in 870, the year they are documented to have burnt the church down. The building remained in ruins until an Abbey was built in 1040, reputedly by bishop Eadnoth II.
Dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Stow parish church, sometimes referred to as the "Mother Church of Lincolnshire," is one of the largest and oldest parish churches in England. It is partly Saxon and partly Norman in date and is designated by English Heritage as a “Scheduled Ancient Monument” and was also included in the World Monuments Fund's 2006 list of the world's 100 most endangered sites.[5] It has the tallest Saxon arches of its time in Britain,[6] the earliest known example of Viking graffiti in England (a rough scratching of an oared Viking sailing ship, probably dating from the 10th century), a font that is Early English, standing on nine supports with pagan symbols around its base and an early wall painting dedicated to St Thomas Becket.
Ralph de Diceto attributes the church's foundation to Elnothus Lincolniensis, almost certainly Aelfnoth, Bishop of Dorchester, c. 975, who built the church, possibly on the site of an earlier wooden Saxon church, to serve as Minster (or mother church) for the Lincolnshire part of his large diocese, it was a second cathedral because part of the bishop's household of priests (which later became the cathedral chapter) lived in Stow and administered this part of the diocese. The memory of this period gave rise to the tradition that Stow is the Mother Church of Lincoln Cathedral.
It is said to have been re-founded and re-endowed in 1054 by Leofric and Godiva encouraged by Bishop Wulfwig as a Minster of Secular Canons with the Bishop at its head. In 1091 Bishop Remigius of Fécamp re-founded it as an abbey and brought monks to it from Eynsham Abbey, describing the church as having been a long time deserted and ruined. Within five years his successor had transferred the monks back whence they had come and St Mary's had become a parish church.
In 1865 J. L. Pearson built the stair turret outside the church. This was originally inside the church in the nave up against the north side of the tower arch. At the same time some windows were altered and the church was re-roofed. A new vestry was added in the early 1990s (some skeletons and a broken 13th century limestone cross were found during the work).
One mile (2 km) to the west of the village and lying just to the south of the Roman road from Lincoln to York, known as Tillbridge Lane are to be found the remains of the medieval palace of the Bishops of Lincoln built in 1336. All that can be seen today are the earthworks of the moat and to the north and east of the site the earthwork remains of its associated medieval fish-ponds.
DOD and VA to Commemorate National Vietnam War Veterans Day, 2nd Anniversary
Acting Principal Deputy Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs and Veterans Affairs Executive Director, Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs to Lay Wreath at ‘The Wall’ in Honor of Vietnam Veterans
WASHINGTON – The Department of Defense today announced it will conduct a wreath laying ceremony with the Department of Veterans Affairs at The Vietnam War Memorial March 29, 2019. On March 28, 2017, President Trump signed into law The Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017, establishing The National Vietnam War Veterans Day that will, henceforth, be celebrated each year on March 29.
This is the second anniversary of that special day. DOD will also support over 1,600 events in many states across the nation to recognize, honor and thank U.S. Vietnam veterans and their families for their service and sacrifices.
The Acting Principal Deputy Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs, Kim Joiner, will host the ceremony at the Vietnam War Memorial to continue the department’s contribution to the commemoration. “Publicly and individually presenting a Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pin to the men and women representing all who served during this challenging time in our Nation’s history will be the privilege of a lifetime,” said Joiner. She will be joined by Veterans Affairs Executive Director, Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs, Gary Tallman. “We are proud to partner with DOD for this noble mission to support communities – large and small alike – throughout the Nation to thank and honor thousands of Vietnam veterans and their families.”
The DOD, along with more than 11,000 organizations across the country, is joined by the Department of Veterans Affairs, one of its key Commemorative Partners, to help Americans honor our Nation’s Vietnam veterans.
Authorized by Congress, established under the Secretary of Defense, and launched by President Obama on May 25, 2012, the Vietnam War Commemoration recognizes all men and women who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces from Nov. 1, 1955 to May 15, 1975. Nine million Americans, approximately 6.4 million living today, served during that period, and the commemoration makes no distinction between veterans who served in-county, in-theater, or were stationed elsewhere during those 20 years. All answered the call of duty. The proclamation extends the commemoration from its inaugural event on Memorial Day 2012 through Veterans Day 2025.
President Trump, in his 2017 presidential proclamation, stated: “Throughout this Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War, and every March 29 thereafter, we will honor all those who answered our Nation’s call to duty. We vow to never again confuse personal disapproval of war with prejudice against those who honorably wear the uniform of our Armed Forces. With conviction, our Nation pledges our enduring respect, our continuing care, and our everlasting commitment to all Vietnam veterans.”
Commemorative Partners – local, state and national organizations, businesses, corporations and governmental agencies – have committed to publicly thank and honor Vietnam veterans and their families on behalf of the nation and have pledged to host a minimum of two events annually.
Follow the Vietnam War Commemoration:
Facebook: /vietnamwar50th
Twitter: @vietnamwar50th
VA photos by Robert Turtil
Visit to the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum in late 2005.
From en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Intrepid_(CV-11) :
"The fourth USS Intrepid (CV/CVA/CVS-11) is an Essex-class aircraft carrier of the United States Navy. Intrepid participated in the Pacific Theater of Operations of World War II, most notably the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Later she recovered spacecraft of the Mercury and Gemini programs and served in the Vietnam War. Since 1982, Intrepid has been part of the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum in New York City. Because of her prominent role in battle, she was nicknamed 'the Fighting I', while her often ill-luck and the time spent in dry dock for repairs earned her the nicknames 'the Evil I', 'the Dry I', or 'the USS Decrepid'."
April 18, 2020:
20-585985
Hamilton Photo,
Urban Hamilton,
Metrolinx,
GO Transit,
CP (Canadian Pacific Railway),
CN (Canadian National Railways),
Track Construction,
Desjardins Channel,
GO Transit New Hamilton Desjardins Channel 3rd Track-Bridge-Switches To CP Rail/CN Rail Being Built For Them By CN,
Saturday - 46 (of 54) - Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II with Canon FD 28mm 1:2.8 SC Prime (FD mount) with Fotodiox FD to M43 Adapter and Albinar Super Wider Semi Fish-Eye - Photographer Russell McNeil PhD (Physics) lives on Vancouver Island, where he works as a writer.
The most important things to do in the world are to get something to eat, something to drink and somebody to love you- Brandan Behan
i have something to eat, i have something to drink, and some one loves me. i feel that this small check list makes up for my lack of action today.
where did the day go?
oh yeah, to sleep. i slept ALL day. i hate it just a little bit. didn't get any of the studying i wanted to do.
i haven't really talked to boyfriend yet today, as a consequence, but i did get in some great roommate time, which we've been awful at. We went to the Media Library and rented Session 9 [which was AWESOME.] Then made an egg sandwich, which was delicious.
wow, thinking back on it... i really haven't done anything today... lame.
Meditate to Regenerate "Realize Lebanon: Music, Dance and Meditation"
concerts on September 6 and 15, 2011 in West Hall, Bathish Auditorium.
Picture taken by Ahmad El Itani, AUB's Senior Photographer
Grateful to be awake and alive. Grateful to be here. Grateful to be in love. Grateful for this now. Grateful to feel healthy. Grateful for this day. Grateful it's all for me. Grateful to be here.
Grateful to feel calm and blissful. Grateful it's all working out for me. Grateful life loves me. Grateful to be easy about it. Grateful to have a good life. Grateful to feel relief. Grateful everything is going my way. Grateful to be in the flow. Grateful to be in control of my vibration.
My titties sitting right! Grateful for this now. Grateful to feel focused. Grateful to feel loved. Grateful to be god in human form. Grateful for my friends. Grateful to be here!!
Grateful to find my center. Grateful for fun adventures. Grateful to be a good driver. Grateful to feel relief. Grateful to feel the best I've ever felt!
Grateful for my strength. Grateful for my smile. Grateful for thoughts that feel good. Grateful to be awake! Grateful to be surrounded by love.
I have a charmed life. I have it all. I have ease and flow. I have power. I have infinite abundance. I have love. I have fun. I have control of my vibration. I have it all. I have a charmed life.
I feel the best I've ever felt. I feel the flow. I feel rested. I feel energized. I feel fun! Be fun! Be playful! I feel bold. I feel confident. I feel attractive. I feel knowing. I feel the best I've ever felt. I feel healthy. I feel at ease. I feel calm. I feel loved. I feel peaceful.
I am so happy to be here. I am loving you no matter what. I am in the right place at the right time. I am allowing well being. I am focused. I am loved. I am breathing deeply. I am so blessed. I am so loved. I am taken care of. I am so happy to be here.
I live a charmed life. I am so happy to be here. I feel bold and confident! I love you no matter what. Lets have fun!
We recently had a week’s holiday to take – Jayne’s job dictates my holidays – we went through the usual process of leaving it late and then desperately selecting a shortlist of cities where we thought the weather might be ok, after a reasonably short flight and we can fly from the north of England. Budapest was the chosen destination.
Budapest is touted as possibly the most beautiful city in Europe and we had a stream of people tell us that it was fantastic. It is. I was looking forward to getting there, no agenda other than walking, photographing the sights and trying to get off the beaten track. We certainly walked – over 70 miles – I photographed it ( I’m a bit embarrassed to say how many shots but it was a lot ) but I’m not sure we got off the beaten track as much as I wanted to.
We flew over Eastern England (and home actually – a first for us) and out over Europe. It was a late afternoon flight on a stunning day, one of the more interesting flights I’ve had. I was glued to the window watching the world go by, wondering about all of lives being played out beneath us. It was dark when we arrived. We were staying on the Buda or Castle Hill side of the city. What we didn’t know was, we were staying in one of the most prominent hotels in the city, sat on the hilltop overlooking Budapest. The Hilton sits on an historic sight and features in every photo taken of the Castle District from Pest. We had time to get out before bedtime and photograph the Matthias Church next door – floodlit – like all of the major buildings in Budapest.
Unfortunately after leaving the best weather of the year in the UK, Budapest was forecast to be a bit dull and cool – not what we wanted. There was occasional sun over the first two days but it was generally grey. Now I have to admit, I let the dullness get me down, I took photos because I wasn’t sure how the week would unfold but I was fairly sure that I was wasting my time. The photos would be disappointing and if it was sunny later we would have to revisit all of the famous landmarks again to get something that I was happy with. This is essentially what happened. The next four days were gorgeous and we did revisit, more than once all of the places that we walked to in the first two days. This meant that we didn’t have the time to go “off piste” or venture further afield as much later in the week.
The sun was rising before seven and we were staying in the best location for watching it rise. By day three I was getting up at 6.00 (5.00 our time) and getting out there with my gear. By day four I was using filters and tripod, not something I usually bother with despite always having this gear with me, and dragging it miles in my backpack. One morning I was joined by a large and noisy party of Japanese photographers, they appeared to have a model with them who danced around the walls of the Fisherman’s Bastion being photographed. Once the orange circle started to appear above the city they started clicking at the horizon like machine guns. We all got on well though and said goodbye as we headed off for breakfast – still only 7.15am.
By 8.00am everyday we were out on foot wandering along the top of Castle Hill wondering where to go that day. We tend to discover the sights as we walk on a city break, frequently discovering things as we head for a distant park or building and research it afterwards with a glass of wine. It works for us. We walked out to Heroes’ Square and beyond, returning by less well known streets. We walked along the Danube to Rákóczi Bridge a couple of times then back into Pest using a different route. Having been under the thumb of Russia for so long and considering its turbulent past there are lots of large Russian style monuments, tributes to great struggles, or the working man – very socialist and very much like Prague in a lot of respects. The Railway stations were also very similar to Prague, you could walk across the tracks and no one bothered. In the main station, now famed for the migrant crisis a few weeks previously, there was a mixture of very new and very old rolling stock from the surrounding countries, all very interesting. Considering that this station is the first thing some visitors to the city will see it is an appalling state. One side of the exterior is shored up and fenced off. This contrasts with the expensive renovation work that has been well executed in the city centre. It really is like stepping into the past when you enter the station building. It all seems to work efficiently though, unlike the UK.
Transport in Budapest is fascinating. Trams everywhere, trolley buses, ancient and new, bendybuses, again, very old and very new, the underground metro, yellow taxis in enormous numbers and of course the river and boats. This never ending eclectic mix seems to operate like clockwork with people moved around in vast numbers seamlessly. The trams looked packed at any time of day. Anyone dealing with tourists seemed to speak very good English, which is just as well as we didn’t have any grasp of Hungarian. Cost wise it was a very economical week for us in a capital city.
Once the weather (or light, to be precise) improved, I cheered up and really enjoyed Budapest. A common comment after visiting is that , although you’ve “done Budapest” you wouldn’t hesitate to go back, which isn’t always the case after a city visit. As ever, I now have a lot of work to do to produce a competent album of work. I think I will end up discarding a lot of the early days material – but then again, I’m not renowned for my discarding skills.
Thank you for looking.