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Yesterday I was invited to take some photos for the Norwegian Wildlife Hospital, which got this beautiful young golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) the day before.
It was found on Jæren, and needed to get treatment for its left eye.
Even though it's sad when birds and animals are injured, it is always special to get the chance to meet a raptor this close, and gratifying that there are vets who spend their spare time saving them.
(Ung kongeørn in Norwegian)
Check out many more photos of it in the links below the line!
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Sarek National Park (Swedish: Sareks nationalpark) is a national park in Jokkmokk Municipality, Lapland in the north of Sweden. Established in 1909–1910, the park is one of the oldest national parks in Europe. The shape of the Sarek park is roughly circular with an average diameter of about 50 km (31.07 mi). The park has about 200 peaks over 1,800 m (5,900 ft), 82 of which have names. There are approximately 100 glaciers in the Sarek National Park.
Sarek is a popular area for experienced hikers and mountaineers. There are no marked trails or accommodations and only two bridges aside from those in the vicinity of its borders. The area is among those that receives the heaviest rainfall in Sweden, making hiking dependent on weather conditions. It is also intersected by turbulent streams that are hazardous to cross without proper training. The delta of the Rapa River is considered one of Europe‘s most noted views and the summit of mount Skierfe offers an overlook of that ice-covered, glacial, trough valley.
(Wikipedia)
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In 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2020, we pursued four 10+ days long autumn hikes across the unspoiled wilderness of Sarek national park, Lapland, Sweden - definitely one the most beautiful and remote regions in Europe and a true incarnation of the "deep north" expression.
It's difficult to describe Sarek and what it may mean for anyone who hasn't been there yet. It's a special place. A hidden gem. A delight. It's a place where adventure is not only ensured; it's an unavoidable and essential part of the trip. Remote areas, mighty peaks, glaciers one may see only from hills and not from valleys. Unmarked trails, cold glacial rivers, birch woods, reindeer, moose, and other animals.
Some call it the last European wilderness. I don't give a nickname; it would be incomplete and not fitting. Sarek is unique.
C&NW inspired Metra F59 #90 highballs Lockport Depot on Metra's Southwest Service, formerly the GM&O Alton Route, with the 2022 AAPRCO Special. This was a dead head positioning move after the days festivities and excursions had completed.
The special excursion on this day road the rails of the CP C&M/Elgin and Fox Lake Subdivisions bringing out a unique character to the territory. C&NW Heritage F59 METX 90 with the Chicago inspired F40PH 104, leading 8 Privately-Owned passenger cars all over Chicagoland. The car owners were being shuffled all over town for the weekend and into the new week for Annual Convention Festivities.
Lockport, IL
2022.09.03
Over thirty-five years ago - Doc and I were traveling north on the Alaska Highway and happened to reach an old lodge just in time for lunch. We popped in, and while enjoying a good home cooked meal we spotted this lamp warming a corner of the room. I fell in love with it and Doc asked if it was for sale. The reply was "no" it was homemade by one of the owners, using rocks from the nearby river bottom, and wood from the surrounding forest. The kind folks could see how much I loved it and decided to part with it - much to my delight. I have treasured it ever since. It stands almost two feet tall and like I said in my title - is quite unique. Have any of my Flickr friends come across an item that they couldn't resist? If so I would love to see it.
Times Square seems to give the pace for the entire globe and there is almost no other place in the world more known for cityscape photography. It is hard to capture this atmosphere in a unique photograph beside the mainstream. I was happy to find this new vantage point, that combines nicely the busy street scene with the strolling passengers and the oversized billboards. via WordPress ift.tt/28KyBi7 ------------------------------------------------ for the technique behind this shot and more, please visit my website: www.bit.ly/wernersworld !!! ------------------------------------------------ creative commons: Feel free to use photos with credits and links. No commercial use without permission. For commercial use, please contact me on my website and we will find an agreement for the permission!!! via ift.tt/28Mg2st
At 8.5, these are a little tight, but not that bad. I walked a few NYC Aves in them without any problem. There's just no slippage! But look at them...
A fisheye photo of the unique toilet pods at 'Sketch' in Conduit Street, London.
I took my wife here for afternoon tea back in April as a belated Valentine's present. The food and ambience were superb as you'd expect for a restaurant with two Michelin stars but it was the toilets I really wanted to photograph.......
For those intrigued by the restaurant you can take a lok here : sketch.london/venue_Gallery_David_Shrigley.php?menu=1#gsc...
From Wikipedia : "Sketch is a restaurant on 9 Conduit Street, Mayfair, London, England, which opened in 2003. The restaurant is owned by Mourad Mazouz and the Head Chef is Pierre Gagnaire. The cuisine is described as 'New French', and is a loose adaptation of the cuisine served in Gagnaire's three Michelin-starred restaurant in Paris and is executed by Hervé Deville and Johannes Nuding.
Mazouz came to public attention through the success of Momo, the North African restaurant and bar he opened in 1997 just off Regent Street, although he was already well known in France for his celebrated restaurants, Au Bascou and 404.
The restaurant covers two floors of a converted 18th century site in Conduit Street, Mayfair. Its dining area contains a permanent exhibit of David Shrigley artwork, and Shrigley designed the restaurant's tableware."
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© D.Godliman
Be Unique, Elegant and Sexy
By
Virtual Diva
Hair Desiree in Coffee
By
Alli & Ali Designs
Mesh Top and Skirt in Standard sizes
Desiree is an elegant romantic updo hairstyle with beautifully moving flexi curly parts
It's pretty damn hard to bring your uniqueness into actual being if you're always doing the same things as a lot of other people.
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4 Ũ my Lady..
* وأنـــا بعد لامـــن ذكـــرتكـ ياغالـــي …
بســــجد لوجــه الله.. وباقبــــل أيـــدي....
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Aℓℓ вy ,,,,,,, мє ©
Shot taken at the xpress way near to my staying room at Israel,seems little bit ok this time with sky replacement,thanks to ashok for tips on PS :)
Uniquely dressed individuals at the opening of the German duo's
recent opening at the Cory Helford Gallery - show is titled Of Worriers And Warriors!
Seen on 20th Aug 2016 at Yeovil bus station, L55BUS is a Scania N94UB with a Castrosua City CS40 body and was new to Kings Ferry as YP52 CUU in 2002.
Another perspective of an old storefront in Wheeling, with awning windows on the 2nd floor, great brick and stonework,
segmental arches above the 3rd floor windows, and detailed brick cornice.
A Pub Story (After the drinking Began)
Anyone familiar with my world in RL knows that a lot of my stories are based on the antics my twin Sister and I do in unique thievery infused role-playing games that we have come up with ever since we were young.
My sister has always felt a delicious urge to dress up in pretty clothes and sparkling jewelry, and an even more intense desire to think someone may want to steal her baubles.
I will argue( and we have had friendly ones over this ) that her drawing me into being a thief to her victim, was the key to me realizing my fondness overplaying the protagonist. Though she harbors thoughts that it may have been the other way around.
So that all being said. On should not be surprised at a recent occurrence at our local riverside drinking establishment.
Hailed as the Poet and Peasant Pub.
Incident at a Pub
Last Saturday I was just well into my 20th straight day of work.
With working 10 hours today(Sat) and have to go in at some point Sunday for 4, then 10 hour days all again next week, I was sure it would be a long while before I’d have any type of personal fun with family or friends, with or without drinking.
But then the Pub, my Twin Sister, and a certain diamond bracelet came to the rescue…
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
It was Saturday in my 4th hour of a ten-hour workday that the texts started coming in from my mates to join them that evening for a dart match at the pub.
I didn’t want to, knowing I’d be here until 7 and have to go back in on Sunday. But they were persistent buggers and since the match started late I easily talked myself into accepting the invite.
I made it to the Poet and the Peasant pub at 7:30 just as the first team was up.
It was a rousing time, drinking, eating, and tossing the darts. I even managed to play decently for a change, I;e not missing the board once.
Before I knew it the clock struck 10:00 and my team was still in the thick of it.
Suddenly I was warmly grasped in a bear hug from behind.
Turning I found I was being mugged by my twin sister and …. then by my giggling cousin Michael(Micke)
The two sillies had been out at a dance and had been drinking, before heading to our pub to finish off the evening.
It was a nice surprise to see them there, in more ways than one.
My sister was indeed looking very pretty, wearing her scooped necked velvet dress, with rhinestone trimmings that looked smashing on her.
With her dress, she wore some of her collection of rhinestone diamonds. The set tonight consisting of long earrings, a bracelet, and a cocktail ring.
The decadent bracelet is something special, a real cracker that is dazzling when she wears it.
A five-strand diamond sparkler. The two outer strands were set with stones about 1 1/2 carats in size. The middle strand was set with 3-carat pear-shaped rhinestones. My sister bought it online at a site called Windsor Royal.
And it looked like something royalty would wear, granted theirs would be real and worth a cool million if not more.
Micke was also looking very cute, wearing a long-sleeved satin blouse with ruffles, gold mesh belt, and long black shiny skirt.
She had on wide gold chains, gold mesh earrings shaped like a kite, and no less than six gem-set rings.
Both looked a treat and soon had all us lads buying them drinks, which I believe was the point of my girl's plan for coming dressed like that and not changing after the dance.
Needless to say by the last hours before we had to be kicked out, none of us were feeling any pain.
We had been well into our third and final
Match when I realized the girls, who had been cheering us on, had disappeared
I shrugged it off figuring that they had just taken off for horizons unknown. Though it was a trifle odd they did not say goodbye.
I played my best, but my lads and I were losing the final match
When my last turn was up I plopped down on the couch to watch our final attempts. Merrick, our best player was up. But the odds were against us.
Then from out of nowhere, Micke plopped down next to me, I looked around but no sight of my sister, though I then heard her laughing by the bar in the next room.
Micke had placed her hand upon her raised knee, and I cast my eyes down to relish a look over her collection of sparkly rings.
The sleeve’s cuff of her satin blouse had slipped up, and I realized that there was a diamond bracelet peeking out.
How in the world had I missed that?
As Micke chatted on about something I was only half-listening to, I nonchalantly reached over and placed my hand on her arm. Then without her notice managed to carefully raise the sleeve of Micke’s satin blouse for a better look.
I then realized it was my Twin’s fancy diamond bracelet Micke was wearing?
“Clever girl, how?” I was thinking as I touched the sparkling bracelet and carefully cut into her conversation and commented to her as she looked down at my finger.
“Pretty bracelet....”
“It’s not mine silly twit, it’s Your sister’s !” She answered with a pleasant little twittering laugh
“Oh...” I answered in an open sentence with my best shot at a perplexed look.
Raising her arm and flashing the diamonds set in the bracelet, creating amazing sparkles as it was wrapped snugly around her wrist, she happily confided in me her story.
Apparently the pair, Micke, and my twin sister had been in the loo together to freshen up.
My sister had removed her bracelet and ring to have a wash-up after some of her drink had accidentally spilled on her hands.
On a lark, Micke, who had come up from behind, had touched Sis on the opposite shoulder, and as she turned away, snatched the bracelet up and got away out the door without being caught.
She had put it in and was now wearing it around as a teaser to my Sister.
“No worries luv, I’ll give it back to her at Sunday Service tomorrow.”
Micke told pacifically me, though I had no concerns that she would not give it back.
“The last call” came a friendly command from the pubs’ bar in the other room...
“Come on, “ said Micke, grabbing my arm
Go on ahead Lass. Meet you thereafter this last lad finishes his round
“Let the finale drinking now heavily begin.” She added with a challenge in her charmingly sweet voice as she swished away
I studied her thoughtfully as she disappeared around the corner.
My eyes traveled down the backside of Her shiny blouse and I caught a last look at her swinging arm.
Her sleeve covered the bracelet, but I knew it was there.
That was the problem
For now, feeling confident from alcohol I had an objective that was tickling my fancy.
The only question was how I would achieve it?
^^^^^^^^^^^
Since Micke with a degree of cleverness had nicked the diamond bracelet from my twin sister, I would try and nick it from Micke.
I meant to acquire the bracelet from Micke and make it home without being caught out by either girl.
I had read in a short story once about a scoundrel who was determined to part a wealthy American lady from the jeweled necklace she was wearing, mainly because she was nieve enough to wear it out in public.
And now in an odd way, I sorta knew what that character had felt.
For me, it hopefully would not prove difficult if I could just manage a way to distract Micke.
I knew the clasp of that bracelet, having removed it from my twin on several of the role-playing thievery games/adventures we do.
Including one a few months back. Her favorite damsel in distress game; a role-play she calls help honey. This we had played about a month ago at the old cemetery around midnight.
My sister had worn a green taffeta bridesmaid gown recently picked up at the thrift.
With it, she had worn a nice collection of rhinestones, including the bracelet. Playing a princess who has been lured away from her prince, innocently not realizing the plot to lead her off was to rob her of the jewels she wore.
That had seemed a long while ago since I had had a bit of play and seeing Our Cousin Micke now wearing that bracelet had whetted my appetite to do some playing again.
My mind raced through a myriad of ideas.
Most of them ran the gauntlet of just silly to outlandish. None were clever.
I knew there was not much time anyway so I unhappily had decided to just shelve the idea.
We also had lost the match ...
I rose as we shook hands, then left to head to the bar for final rounds.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Now I am writing this at 3 am Sunday, still two sheets to the wind, before heading to sleep.
Laying next to my laptop is my sister's diamond rhinestone bracelet…
The very one Micke had nicked and been wearing around at the pub.
Of course, once the loss is noticed I will be the prime suspect.
But my cell will be off all day at work tomorrow, so they will have all day to wonder and stew over how I did it before I can enlighten them to the fact that l was the thief, and decide whether or not to keep it a secret as to my method if they fail to figure out.
Oh, and let Sis know my ransom demands for its return... something quick and easy like her princess in green taffeta meeting the culprit, at the old cemetery to get her bracelet back.
Anyway, it was truly an inspired moment that allowed me to slip away the lovely diamonds unnoticed from around Micke’s wrist.
And a rather proud one at that, even if my victim was giggling silly drunk at the time.
Please read on as I brag on about it
>>>>>>
After Micke left, my mind was not letting go of wanting to acquire the diamond bracelet I now knew our cousin was wearing.
As the final drinking now heavily progressed, I could tell neither girl’s mind was thinking about the bracelet.
They were concentrating on giving out hugs to anyone buying them last shots. And both girls, dressed as such, were immensely huggable to the lads.
Though I will admit that it was with some protective trepidation that I felt over my sister being on the receiving end.
It was in the middle of this commotion that I saw Micke wrapping her arms around a shot buying lad, the bracelet peeking out from her satin blouse’s sleeve, that I had an inkling of an idea.
With really no thought or plan as to how exactly this would give me a crack at the bracelet, I sprung into action.
I quickly bought two shots.
Told the barmaid,with a wink, to tell my sister hers was from a lad named Shamus and that Micke’s shot was from Merrick
Merrick was alone practicing in the dart room. Shamus was at the opposite end of the barroom.
This would split the girls up, which was the first step.
Giving me the second step of Micke pretty much being separated from the herd.
As for the third step, I was merely hoping there would be one.
I am sure a professional thief would have already had all of the steps figured out, no sweat.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The plan, however, began to work smooth as silk.
I went and stood next to my Sister and Micke as the barmaid approached us.
The barmaid served the girls their shots, gave them the message (winking back at me), and immediately the two girls split off.
Micke began to scurry, almost tripping over the hem of her skirt, over to Merrick, with me in close tow.
Reaching the surprised lad she grabbed and enveloped him in a tight warm hug, leaning heavily against him.
I reacted without any thought...
It took only seconds but seemed to me far longer.
Seeing no one watching us, I came in from around behind and pressed up playfully against them, with Micke’s hands at my stomach. I could feel her fancy rings digging splendidly into my skin, through the thin white turtleneck I was wearing, as I grasped her arms just above the elbows and pressed into her.
I slipped my fingers ever so nimbly down to her blouse's slick sleeve, and pulling the cuff of her blouse up with my right hand, exposed the shimmering bracelet.
As I held the blouse’s cuff up with two fingers of my right hand, I pressed my thump up into her arm to divert any focus of unusual feelings she may experience around her wrist.
With the diamond bracelet now exposed, it was a simple matter of locating the clasp, with my left hand, wedging my index finger in between Micke’s wrist and the bracelet.
Almost at the same time, I managed to quickly press my left thumb up against the hinge to release the clip and grasp a loose end as it separated ( thanking in my mind pretty Micke for not setting the safety chain).
And “Bobs your Uncle”, I had the fancy diamond-encrusted bracelet she was wearing slipped off from around her wrist and secreted in my pocket, easy peasy as you please. And thank you, Micke.
As I let go of her arm with my right hand, the white satin blouse’s long cuff slipped back down covering up the evidence of my dirty deed.
^^^^^^^^^^^
That deed was done I talked to Merrick for a few minutes before I rejoined the girls, remaining cool as a cucumber over my secret.
They didn’t suspect a thing. And as I joined in with the final partying before closing, a perfect idea popped into my head.
I had been talking to Micke while over her shoulder watching my sister, and the long sparking earrings she was wearing. Thinking that if they had been real they would be worth a fortune, like her bracelet.
And how any thief worth his salt would have hated to pass them up, or her diamond cocktail ring.
Then it hit me, an idea of how if I was a professional thief, I could trick my sister, along with her diamond earrings and ring, into a trap.
Bloody hell, If I hadn’t to be at work the next morning I would have attempted it.
My idea had been to sneak out the back and using the pubs stationary, leave a note on Micke's car saying
Lady, I have your diamonds. If you wants them back it will cost you. Meet me at the churchyard.
The pair would have fallen into it, curious as to what game I was playing, as well as how I had taken the bracelet.
So when they showed up they would be met by the thief who would then rob the pair of the rest of their jewelry for being so gullible.
What a devious lot we play thieves are!
But it, of course, did not happen. Only the bracelet would be nicked from the fine clothed, pretty damsel this evening.
We all together left at closing.
I gave the girls warm hugs goodbye (inwardly smirking) and watched as they drove off in Mickes Italian made sports car
I turned and took the wooded path that led down to my cottage.
I lit a pipe and happily made my way home, placing a hand in my pocket and fingering the diamonds I had nicked, just because she had been wearing them out in public
Unique place on Herengracht canal where the Reguliersgracht. canal is crossed by seven bridges.
The boat is about to go under the Reguliersgracht bridge coming up the the place where one can see the seven bridges lined up. In order to see the bridges of Reguliersgracht line up, you’d have to be on stilts (or in a boat).
www.spurnpoint.com/Spurn_Point.htm
Spurn is a very unique place in the British Islands. Three and a half miles long and only fifty metres wide in places.
Extending out in to the Humber Estuary from the Yorkshire coast it has always had a big affect to the navigation of all vessels over the years. Help to some and a danger or hindrance to others. This alone makes Spurn a unique place.
Spurn is made up of a series of sand and shingle banks held together with mainly Marram grass and Seabuckthorn. There are a series of sea defence works built by the Victorians and maintained by the Ministry of Defence, till they sold Spurn to the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust in the 1950s. The defences are in a poor state, breaking down and crumbling. This is making Spurn a very fragile place wide open to the ravages of the North Sea.
One of the most striking features of Spurn is the black and white lighthouse near to the end of Spurn. Now just an empty shell not used since it was closed down at dawn on the thirty first of October 1986.
There have been many Lighthouses on Spurn over the years the first recorded at around 1427. The present light was built from 1893 TO 1895. The small tower on the beach on the Estuary side was originally the low light. It was built and put in to operation at around 1852. This light was no longer needed when the present lighthouse was opened in 1895.At a later date the light was removed and it was used as a store for explosives and later as a water tower. The tank can still be seen on the top. When it was operational there was a raised walkway from the shore to the lighthouse so it could be reached at all stages of the tide.
The present lighthouse was built to replace an old lighthouse that was positioned just to the south of the present one. You can still see the round perimeter wall surrounding the old keepers cottages and the base of the old lighthouse which had to be demolished due to it settling on it's foundations making it unsafe.
The only light on Spurn today is a flashing green starboard light on the very end of the point and the fixed green lights marking the end of the Pilots jetty.
Because of Spurns ever moving position there have been many Lighthouses over the years. There is a very good book by George.de.BOAR, called History of the Spurn Lighthouses, produced by the East Yorkshire Local History Society. This is one of a series of books on local history.
www.spurnpoint.com/Around_and_about_at_Spurn.htm
Around and about there are plenty of places to eat and drink. Starting from the north of Spurn at Kilnsea there is the Riverside hotel offering good quality food drink and accommodation. Coming south towards Spurn and still in Kilnsea there is the Crown and Anchor pub. A welcoming place serving bar meals fine beers and offering bed and breakfast at very reasonable rates. At the crossroads before you turn towards Spurn there is the Spurn heritage coast visitors centre. Where there is a small cafe and exhibition. At the entrance Spurn point nature reserve is an information centre and bird observatory selling books pamphlets, etc., and the last toilet on Spurn.
Past the lighthouse is the last car park. Two hundred metres further on you find the Humber Lifeboat and Pilot stations. Near the houses is a Small caravan selling tea, coffee, cold cans, hot and cold food, crisps and sweets.
All are open all year round apart from the heritage centre which is open thought the season.
BIRD WATCHING.
Is a very popular pastime as Spurn is internationally famous for birds. There are up to two hundred species recorded at spurn every year. Some of which are extremely rare. The Marmora's Warbler seen at Spurn In June 1992 was only the third recorded in Britain.
SEA FISHING.
The beaches of Spurn provide some of the best sea fishing in the area, with Cod and Whiting and Flats being caught through the winter and Skate, Flats and Bass through the summer. There is sport to be had all the year.
At the very end of Spurn is deep water ideal for Cod but this only fishes best two hours either side of low water, the tide is to strong at other times. All along the seaward side of Spurn is good for all species of fish at all times though over high water being the better. The riverside of Spurn is very shallow and only produces Flats and the bass over high water.
THE BEACH.
The beaches at Spurn are of soft sand and shingle. Whichever way the wind is blowing you can just pop over the dunes to the outer side. There are fossils and all manners of things to find beach combing. Swimming is not safe any were near the point end as there are very strong tides at up to six knots at times. But in side Spurn around the point car park is perfect at high water. The beach does not shelf to fast and very little tide. You can have the place to your self at times, as Spurn is never really busy weekdays.#
A very popular pastime at Spurn is Fossil hunting. There is a good abundance of fossils to be found in amongst the pebbles and shingle.
The Shark Trust has a very interesting PDF file tell you all about Shark Skate and rays the mermaids purses you find on the beach are egg shells from sharks and Rays. Click the link to down load the Shark Trust Brochure.
WALKING.
Walking or strolling at spurn is very easy, as there are no hills. There are various sign posted paths up and down the point. For the fit a complete walk round the whole point is about 8 miles, taking in all the point round the point end and back to the "warren" information place at the start of Spurn. You will need good footwear, as much of the paths are sand. There is limited access for disabled, but not to the point end, as you have to go via the beach.
You can park your car at the point car park and walk round the point end and back to the car park about a mile, or just stroll around the point were you choose. The only place you are not allowed to go are down the pilot's jetty and the centre square of the Lifeboat houses.
In spring and early summer Spurn is covered with a large amount of wild flowers of all species.
There are common to the not so common; from Orchids to bluebells. I must remind you Spurn is a nature reserve and the picking of all flowers is prohibited. When visiting please enjoy Spurn, as it is a very beautiful place and leave only your footprints.
Horse Riding.
There is riding available nearby at the North Humberside Riding Centre. The stables are ideally located with rides along quiet country lanes, by-ways, plus miles of sandy beach and riverbanks. The cross-country course offers a variety of fences for both the novice and the more experienced rider.
www.spurnbirdobservatory.co.uk/
A Brief History of Spurn Bird Observatory
Following visits to Spurn by several members of the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union in the late 1930's, a communal log for ornithological observations was instituted in 1938. This included a roll-call of species, the beginnings of a recording system, which later became standard in bird observatories. Realising the potential of the Spurn peninsula for the regular observation of bird migration a group of enthusiasts, notably Ralph Chislett, George Ainsworth, John Lord and R.M. Garnett, had the idea of setting up a bird observatory, with the Warren Cottage at the northern end of the peninsula as an ideal headquarters. Unfortunately the outbreak of war forced them to put their plans on hold but shortly after hostilities ceased a lease for Warren Cottage was obtained from the War Department and the observatory was established shortly afterwards under the auspices of the Y.N.U. with the four members mentioned above forming the first committee. A preliminary meeting was held in September 1945 to decide on the site for a Heligoland trap, work on which was begun almost immediately and the first bird (a Blackbird) was ringed on November 17th. The first minuted committee meeting was held on March 9th 1946 and the observatory was opened to visitors at Whitsuntide that year.
Initially coverage was limited to the main migration seasons, being extended to winter weekends in the early 1950's to trap and ring some of the large numbers of Snow Buntings which used to occur at that time of year and gradually coverage was increased (whenever possible) to cover the late spring and summer. In 1959 there was an important development when the Yorkshire Naturalists' Trust (now the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust) became the owners of the peninsula and thus the observatory's landlord. In 1960 a full time warden was appointed by the Trust, and although having no official connection with the observatory the fact of having an observer on the peninsula year-round inevitably helped to improve the ornithological coverage. This was especially the case from 1964 when the current warden, Barry Spence, was appointed, in conjunction with the fact that an interest in birds and their migrations was steadily growing and more bird-watchers were staying at the observatory, often for longer periods.
When the observatory opened there was accommodation for seven visitors in Warren Cottage and facilities included two chemical toilets, the Warren Heligoland trap and an ex-army hut as a ringing hut. Over the next ten years a further five Heligoland traps were constructed along the peninsula, although today only three remain in existence. In 1959 the observatory gained the use of the Annexe, one of two ex W.D. bungalows built at the Warren during the early 1950's, thus increasing the accommodation capacity to seventeen and providing much improved toilet facilities. Over the years the accommodation and facilities have been gradually improved to try to make the visitor's stay at Spurn as comfortable as possible. Other improvements have also taken place, in 1968 part of one of the derelict buildings at the Point was converted into a ringing laboratory ready for the first B.T.O. Ringing Course, held in autumn of that year and in 1971 part of one of the derelict buildings at the Warren was also converted into a ringing laboratory. The other part of this building became a laboratory for the use of students of Leeds University but this also became available to the observatory in the mid 1980's when the University no longer had a use for it. Subsequently it was converted into a self-contained accommodation unit for two, complete with kitchen facilities, and although officially known by the somewhat unimaginative name of Room F (the rooms in the Annexe being known as Rooms A, C, D & E, - whatever happened to Room B?), it was somewhat irreverently christened "Dunbirdin" by regular visitors to Spurn.
In 1965 a sea-watching hut was erected east of the Warren beyond the line of the former railway track. Due to coastal erosion it became necessary to move this in late 1974, when it was hoped that it would last at least as long as it had in its first position. Alas this was not to be, as the rate of erosion increased dramatically in the mid 1970's, necessitating a further move in early December 1977. In that year a clay bank had been built across the field behind Warren Cottage (Clubley's field) to prevent the flooding of arable land by wind-blown sea water, but on January 11th 1978 Spurn suffered its worst flooding ever when a strong to gale-force north-westerly wind combined with a spring tide. In late 1981 due to extensive construction works at Easington a large quantity of boulder clay became available and this was used to build up and extend the bank across Clubley's field, south towards Black Hut and north beyond Big Hedge to join up with an existing bank (which had been built in 1974) behind the scrape. In 1982 the sea-watching hut was repositioned on top of this bank, where it remained until the bank itself was washed away in the early 1990's.
A number of other changes to the observatory recording area began to take place from the early 1970's, including extensive building operations at the Point, commencing in 1974, with the construction of a new jetty for the Humber Pilot boats, new housing for the Spurn Lifeboat crew and the conversion and renovation of various existing buildings for use by the Coastguard and the Pilots. In 1978 following damage to the existing road south of the Warren area a new tarmac road was laid to the west of the original one, this lasted until 1988 when a second "new road" loop had to be laid, followed in 1991 by the construction of the existing loop road running along the Humber shore from just south of the Warren to just beyond Black Hut. The construction of this road resulted in the destruction of the actual Black Hut, although the area still bears the name. In 1981 the lines of wartime concrete anti-tank blocks running from the seashore to the Canal Zone were removed to fill in a breach at the Narrow Neck. This resulted in the southward extension of the Scrape field by the farmer up to Big Hedge and the start of a gradual decline in the condition of this hedge and its attractiveness to birds. In 1982 a local resident excavated a pond for shooting purposes in the wet area adjoining the Canal Zone. This never really proved successful and the land was later purchased by the Y.W.T. and the pond enlarged to become what is now known as Canal Scrape. In 1984 a famous Spurn landmark, the Narrows "Hut", a wooden migration watch shelter which had stood at the Narrow Neck for twenty-three years, was set fire to by person or persons unknown and completely destroyed, it was replaced the following year by a more solid construction made from breeze-blocks.
A period of considerable change began in 1988 when the Spurn peninsula was designated as part of the Spurn Heritage Coast. Projects undertaken include the enlargement of the Canal Scrape mentioned above and the erection of a hide overlooking it, a hide overlooking the Humber wader roost at Chalk Bank, a public sea-watching hide alongside the observatory one, provision of additional car-parking space, the restoration of the short-turf habitat in the Chalk Bank area, provision of footpaths, etc. A major project was the renovation of the Blue Bell in Kilnsea for use as offices, an information centre and a small cafe, which became fully operational in 1995. Another fairly recent project has been the creation of another scrape/pond on Clubley's field.
In 1996 the observatory celebrated its fiftieth anniversary, and for the first time in its history SBO employed a full time seasonal warden. This position has since been expanded and the observatory now enjoys the services of a year- round warden. In 1998, with a view to the future, a small bungalow in Kilnsea was purchased with money bequeathed by the late John Weston, a long time committee member, who regrettably died in 1996. This was followed in 1999 by the purchase of a strip of land adjacent to the property and is now known as the ‘Church Field’, this is planted with a sacrificial crop every year, and has also had several groups of trees planted and a feeding station placed in the north-east corner. Access to this field is available by becoming a member of ‘Friends of Spurn Bird Observatory’, a venture set up in 2003 to eventually help with the building of a new observatory when the old one falls way to the sea.
Hubli DLS homed, distinctive looking WDG-4 12313 along with its shed mate and some flower decorations slows down to enter the station limits of Tumkur with Bangalore City bound Siddaganga Intercity express from Dharwad.
Both cars are owned by Mr Horacio Pagani - the Argentinian founder of Pagani Automobili S.p.A., an Italian speciality auto-maker.
Cars photographed at Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este - the most significant of all events celebrating the mystique of historic cars.
"The grounds of the Grand Hotel Villa d’Este, the world’s most iconic Hotel on Lake Como, offer guests and visitors the opportunity to admire about 50 Historic Cars built between the 1920s and 1980s, organised by different categories.
From Friday, 26th May to Sunday, 28th May 2017, the Grand Hotel Villa d’Este and Villa Erba were the exclusive and unique settings of this traditional event, where guests are privileged to admire the finest historic vehicles and motorcycles of their eras.
The Motto for 2017 was “Around the World in 80 Days – Voyage through an Era of Records“."
concorsodeleganzavilladeste.com/
________________________________________________
I think it such a special doll I wanted to have I need to document it all for you. One year hesitating to unbox her but yesterday was the day finally she came out!
and to her unique art and poetry
08.11.16. italy
www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2ge9QG2yEo
Virgina, by Tori Amos
Summer leaves are gone and the time has come
For the plans you made long ago
Hear the engines roar as we walked throught the doors
I just can't believe this dream is over
Virginia look up in the sky, don't it bring you sorrow
We know when ever you gonna fly, I will be there tomorrow
Virginia, Virginia don't go
Virginia, Virginia don't go
It's easy to release me when you're three thousand miles away
You no longer care, when I'm no longer there
And all the love we have will fade away, fade away
Virginia please hold on to me, don't leave it all behind
Is there something I can say, that will change your mind
Virginia, Virginia don't go
Virginia, Virginia don't go
So look around you now at this faceless crowd
You can walk right out and forget it
Virginia we got too much love to bring it to an end
And I know if I let you go, I'll never see you again
Virginia, Virginia don't go
Virginia, Virginia don't go
Virginia, Virginia don't go
Virginia, Virginia don't go
Virginia, Virginia don't go
Kodak Portra 400 shot on Pentax 6x7 with SMC Pentax 67 165mm f/2.8. Developed and scanned by The FIND Lab.
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Feeling invisible? Cool. People can only see what they can imagine which means you are so unique that no one can wrap their mind around the idea of you.
I don´t know how many times I changed this artwork before I finally decided to let it go. I´m still a bit "green" when it comes to making this kind of composition and changing colors/tones and such but I do feel that I actually made something interesting and a bit funny this time.
The hole idea of the work is that even our precious grim reaper has daydreams of his own and that he is in a dream state while working.
Credits to:
Background: Water room by Alice Faux at DA.
Thanks to Marcus Ranum for the photo stock of The grim weedhacker 6, at mjraum-stock at DA.
Thanks to Missy stocks :Fireworks 6 at DA.
And finally thanks to Peace of art stock: Seagull in flight and Bird 31, at DA. peace-of-art.deviantart.com/
Llanberies lake Snowdonia if you visit this spectacular part of the Uk a trip on the Snowdon Star is a must you will get stunning photographs from unique vantage points.:)
++++ 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.
I can't believe that there's already been 40 individual Monster High characters, where has the time gone? It figures that the day Viperine arrives in the mail, the new Freaky Fusion characters were leaked online (who look incredible, I might add). I was looking forward to having a breather from collecting without having to think about what's next. ;)
I'm going to have to clear off another shelf soon...
(bottom row, from the left)
-Howleen Wolf (Daughter of The Werewolf) - 2012
-Operetta (Daughter of The Phantom of The Opera) - 2012
-Lagoona Blue (Daughter of The Sea Monster) - 2010
-Clawdeen Wolf (Daughter of The Werewolf) - 2010
-Draculaura (Daughter of Dracula) - 2010
-Frankie Stein (Daughter of Frankenstein) - 2010
-Cleo De Nile (Daughter of The Mummy) - 2010
-Ghoulia Yelps (Daughter of The Zombies) - 2010
-Spectra Vondergeist (Daughter of a Ghost) - 2011
-Abbey Bominable (Daughter of The Yeti) - 2011
(second row, from the left)
-Jinafire Long (Daughter of The Chinese Dragon) - 2012
-Catrine DeMew (Daughter of a Werecat) - 2013
-Skelita Calaveras (Daughter of Los Eskeletos) - 2012
-Rochelle Goyle (Daughter of a Gargoyle) - 2012
-Robecca Steam (Daughter of a Mad Scientist) - 2012
-Venus McFlyTrap (Daughter of The Plant Monster) - 2012
-Catty Noir (Daughter of The Werecats) - 2013
-Jane Boolittle (Daughter of Doctor Boolittle) - 2013
-Twyla (Daughter of The Boogey Man) -2013
-Gigi Grant (Daughter of a Genie) - 2013
(third row, from the left)
-Purrsephone (Daughter of a Werecat) - 2012
-Toralei Stripe (Daughter of The Werecat) -2011
-Meowlody (Daughter of a Werecat) - 2012
-Honey Swamp (Daughter of The Honey Island Swamp Monster) - 2013
-Viperine Gorgon (Daughter of Stheno) - 2013
-Elissabat (Daughter of a Vampire) - 2013
-Clawdia Wolf (Daughter of The Werewolf) - 2013
-C.A. Cupid (Daughter of Eros) - 2011
-Scarah Screams (Daughter of The Banshee) - 2012
-Wydowna Spider (Daughter of Arachne) -2013
(top row, from the left)
-Nefera De Nile (Daughter of The Mummy) - 2012
-Heath Burns (Son of The Fire Elementals) - 2013
-Clawd Wolf (Son of The Werewolf) - 2011
-Holt Hyde (Son of Mr. Hyde) - 2010
-Jackson Jekyll (Son of Dr. Jekyll) - 2012
-Deuce Gorgon (Son of Medusa) - 2010
-Gillington "Gil" Webber (Son of The River Monster) - 2011
-Sloman "Slo Mo" Mortavitch (Son of a Zombie) - 2013
-Hoodude Voodoo (A Voodoo doll created by Frankie Stein) - 2012
-Headless Headmistress Bloodgood (Daughter of The Headless Horseman) - 2013