Farstadsanden in Hustadvika is an easily accessible recreation area at the west coast of Norway.

Astia film simulation.

Keem Bay, at the western end of Achill Island, is one of the most picturesque bays in Ireland. It is accessible by road over a twisting clifftop route on the side of Croaghaun mountain. Keem Bay is virtually uninhabited (the only building is a former coastguard station) and provides a peaceful and magnificent retreat from the 21st century.

At the heart of Keem Bay is the beautiful fine sandy beach. This strand is bordered on two sides by cliffs; to the east by the slopes of Croaghaun mountain, and to the west by a spar called Moyteoge. At the top of this spar, at an elevation of about 200m, is a former coastguard watch-house. For hillwalkers, this spot marks the start of a a breathtaking 1.5km walk along the top of the cliffs of Benmore towards Achill Head, the most westerly point of Achill Island.

Keem Bay has a strong connection with fishing. It was the location for much of Achill's shark fishing industry during the 1950s and 1960s. At that time the basking shark was a frequent visitor to the waters around Keem Bay, and it was hunted for its liver oil which was exported from Achill to provide fine grade lubricant for the aerospace industry. Much of this fishing took place in currachs, the traditional canvas-covered wooden vessels of the west of Ireland. Keem Bay is most likely the location used by the artist Paul Henry when painting his famous canvas 'Launching the Currach' (in the National Museum, Dublin).

www.visitachill.com/en/keembay.html

Yosemite, considered by many the best National Park in the United States.

This 14-image composite captures the High Sierra, including Half Dome, Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall from the vista at Glacier Point.

I don't know that I would characterize it as best, though it is magnificent and beyond compare (as are most of the parks). It is amazing how accessible, and how diverse this park is. The High Sierra is stunning and splendid in its grandeur.

If you visit California and stay only on the coasts in one of the big cities (San Diego, LA, or San Francisco), you are missing the best part of California. Come, explore the eastern interior of the state, and catch a glimpse of heaven.

The riddle of the Sphinx.

'What walks on four legs in the morning, two legs in the afternoon, and three legs in the evening? ' The answer? Man, who crawls as a baby, walks on two legs as an adult, and uses a walking stick in his twilight years. In Greek mythology Oedipus correctly answered this prompting the Sphinx to inexplicably drown herself.

More famously these days, American tourists naturally ask why the ancient Egyptians built the Pyramids so close to Macdonalds. The good news for them is that Pizza Hut is now even closer, easily accessible to men of any age. In this photo Pizza Hut is just a few steps behind me.

The Klein Furkahorn and the Rhône Glacier .Switzerland.

DSC_2256

The Klein Furkahorn (3,026 m) is a mountain of the Urner Alps, overlooking the Furka Pass on the border between the Swiss cantons of Valais and Uri. It lies near the southern end of the Galenstock-Gross Furkahorn chain, east of the Rhone Glacier.

From the Furka Pass a trail leads to its summit.

Rhône Glacier

Valley glacier

Location Valais, Switzerland

The Rhône Glacier (German: Rhonegletscher/ Valais German: "Rottengletscher") is a glacier in the Swiss Alps and the source of the river Rhône and one of the primary contributors to Lake Geneva in the far eastern end of the Swiss canton of Valais. Because the Glacier is located close to the Furka Pass road it is easily accessible.

Der Rhonegletscher (selten auch Rottengletscher genannt) ist ein Talgletscher im Quellgebiet der Rhone im äussersten Nordosten des Kantons Wallis in den Zentralalpen der Schweiz. Er ist knapp acht Kilometer lang, weist eine durchschnittliche Breite von ungefähr zwei Kilometer auf und bedeckt eine Fläche von ungefähr 16 km². Der Rhonegletscher war vor allem im 19. und Anfang des 20. Jahrhunderts aufgrund seiner damals noch weit ins Tal bei Gletsch hinunter reichenden Zunge eine grosse Touristenattraktion. Er schmilzt seit der Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts kontinuierlich. Möglicherweise wird er bis ins Jahr 2100 beinahe vollständig verschwunden sein.

Le glacier du Rhône (Rhonegletscher ou Rottengletscher en allemand) se trouve à l'extrémité nord-est du canton du Valais en Suisse. Il donne naissance au Rhône, en amont de Gletsch, qui s'écoule ensuite dans la vallée de Conches.

Le glacier s'étend sur 8 kilomètres et atteint une largeur d'un peu plus de 1 000 mètres. Sa superficie est de 17 km2. Comme la plupart des glaciers alpins, il a passablement reculé depuis le milieu du xixe siècle. Il est facilement accessible via la route du col de la Furka. Une galerie creusée dans la glace permet de visiter l'intérieur du glacier.

Verbier : Mont fort and the Grand Combin.Canton of Valais, Switzerland. Izakigur 25.02.11, 14:35:51.

I appreciate and honoured for your kind and inspiring comments. Together makes us stronger... I appreciate this opportunity to learn from each other...Thats the meaning of this collaboration and sharing . Take care ...keep on doing . )

Me.

"Mont Fort is a mountain of the Pennine Alps, located near Verbier in the Swiss canton of Valais. It lies on the range between the valleys of Bagnes and Nendaz, north of the Rosablanche. With a height of 3,328 metres above sea level, Mont Fort is the highest summit north of the Col de Louvie (2,921 m).

Mont Fort is surrounded by several glaciers, the largest being the Glacier de Tortin, on its northwestern side. The second largest is the Glacier du Mont Fort, located on its northeastern side. On its eastern side lies the lower summit Petit Mont Fort (3,135 m). The Glacier du Petit Mont Fort lies between the two summits. There are no glaciers on the south side of the mountain. A small lake named Lac du Petit Mont Fort (2,764 m) lies on the south flank.

The summit of Mont Fort is easily accessible by cable car from the heights of Verbier or Nendaz. The cable cars from the two valleys converge at the intermediate station (2,894 m) north of the Col des Gentianes, the upper section reaching a height of 3,308 metres. In the winter and early spring season, the mountain, including the Glacier de Tortin, is the culminating point of the 4 Vallées ski area.

Der Mont Fort ist mit einer Höhe von 3'329,0 m ü. M. der höchste mit einer Bahn erschlossene Berg in der Region 4 Vallées in den Walliser Alpen. Der Berg ist von Verbier aus zu erreichen mit der Gondelbahn und Sessellift nach La Chaux - Luftseilbahn Col des Gentianes - Mont Fort. Auf der Plattform der Bergstation befindet sich ein Iglu mit 25 Plätzen, in dem man sich mit einem Fondue verpflegen kann. Von der Bergstation der Seilbahn führt ein felsiger Steig zum Gipfel-Kreuz. Von der Spitze des Mont Fort sieht man über fünfzig Berggipfel, darunter das Matterhorn, den Dent Blanche, den Dent d’Hérens und den Mont Blanc. In der näheren Umgebung sind die vergletscherten Gipfel von Rosablanche und des Grand Combins mit dem Glacier de Corbassière zu sehen.[1]

Die 125-Personen-Seilbahn aus Richtung Siviez über Tortin zum Col des Gentianes wurde 1982 gebaut, ebenso ein Gletscherlift auf dem Glacier de Tortin. Später wurde ein parallel verlaufender Gletscherlift ergänzt. Die Gipfelbahn wurde 1983 fertiggestellt. Die als Jumbo titulierte Pendelbahn (150 Personen-Gondel) aus Richtung Verbier von La Chaux zum Col des Gentianes wurde 1987 gebaut. Der Sommerskibetrieb wurde 1999 eingestellt. Seit der Wintersaison 2007/2008 können auch die Gletscherlifte nicht mehr betrieben werden."

Wikipedia.

A male Blackbird enjoying a bath in my shallow water trough in the garden. He was creating some spectacular splash patterns! Lots of the garden birds take a bath or a drink from it. I have put some large flat stones in it so that it is easily accessible to the smallest bird.

Many thanks to all who take the time to view, comment or fave my images.

The island is only accessible when the tide is out and even then there are many steep and uneven steps up to the fort.

St Catherine’s Island has a wealth of history surrounding it. The island itself was first thought to be a place of Christian worship, but it was turned into a defensive fort by the War Office in 1866 in response to the threat of French invasion. In 1907 the fort was bought by the Windsor Richards family who turned it into a private house and in 1968 the fort was opened as a public zoo. The zoo relocated in 1979 and the site remained empty. The remains of the fort and other buildings on the island were briefly opened to the public as a tourist attraction in May 2015, but due to conflicts with the county council in August 2016 it closed.

There are several of these massive "dishes" along a gorgeous hiking loop near our house. I've shared many images from that walk of the hills and oaks. Although the 3.5 mile path was paved over some years ago, hundreds walk it every day for the views, the exercise, and accessibleness. If I knew at one point what these "dishes" transmit or listen to, I can't remember anymore. The whole area is just called the "Stanford Dish."

Thanks to Lenabem-Anna for the texture.

When we had our holiday home near Looe in south-east Cornwall we would often spend time on Dartmoor, enjoying the peace and quiet of the moors. One of our favourite places was Combestone Tor, which overlooks the valley of the River Dart near Hexworthy. This is perhaps the most accessible of all the tors, and is just a few dozen yards from the road to Venford Reservoir. It has stunning views across the Dart Valley, with Dartmeet just a mile or so away.

The Broads are manmade waterways. Along with many other mills, Horsey Mill was built to drain the water to create more farmland. Here are some facts quoted from. www.nationaltrustscones.com/2019/10/horsey-windpump.html?m=1

“Here are some historical facts:

There has been a drainage mill on the site since the early 1700s

There are similar mills dotted all around this part of Norfolk - by draining the land using wind power, landowners could make more area available for farming

Drainage continues today - there's an electric pump doing all the work these days, but if it wasn't there then the area would be flooded:

The area used to be an island used for grazing or keeping horses (hence the name), with one access road that regularly flooded

The current windpump structure was built in 1912 on the foundations of the 19th century mill

Horsey Windpump was working until 1943 when it was struck by lightning

It was acquired by the National Trust and has been restored - its sails were set in motion for the first time in 76 years in May this year, which must have been a great moment

As with all mills, it's not the most accessible property - there are several floors and 61 steps to negotiate to get right to the top, most of which are very narrow (I can report that the young sconepals cared not a jot about this and were scampering up the stairs like squirrels)”

Submerge reveal

Existence presence

Bring to light

The impressive three-storeyed Ynysypandy slate-slab mill, and its surrounding yard, rail-access and water-supply system, was built to serve Gorsedda quarry in 1856-7 by the local contractor Evan Jones of Garndolbenmaen, probably to the design of the distinguished engineer James Brunlees. It is ingeniously planned so that the natural fall of the site assisted the manufacturing process. An internal pit accommodated an overshot water wheel, supplied by the Henwy stream, and on the south side a long curving ramp brought branches of the railway from Gorsedda quarry into the mill at two different levels, serving the middle and upper floors. The grand, round-headed openings are closely spaced like a Roman aqueduct, and derive from foundry practice. The eastern gable is surmounted by a decorative feature incorporating a false chimney stack, and the windows were at one time framed. It is one of very few architecturally ambitious buildings in the slate industry of Wales.

The mill specialised in the production of slate slabs for floors, dairies, troughs, urinals, etc. In its heyday, in 1860, it was producing over 2,000 tons per annum, but seven years later production was down to 25 tons per annum (due to the poor quality of the quarried slate) and the business went into liquidation in 1871.

The building provided a venue for eisteddfodau until the roof was removed around 1906. It was conserved by the Snowdonia National Park in 1981 and is accessible to visitors.

Text source: coflein.gov.uk/en/site/40572/

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The waterfall is accessible from the Historic Columbia River Highway and Interstate 84. Spanning two tiers on basalt cliffs, it is the tallest waterfall in the state of Oregon at 620 ft. in height. The Multnomah Creek Bridge, built in 1914, crosses below the falls, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

From Wikipedia:

The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is located in London, England. It is commonly called the Houses of Parliament after the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two legislative chambers which occupy the building. The palace has been a Grade I listed building since 1970 and part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.

The site of the current palace may have been used by Cnut during his reign from 1016 to 1035, and from c. 1045 – c. 1050 Edward the Confessor built a palace and the first Westminster Abbey. The oldest surviving part of the palace is Westminster Hall, which dates from the reign of William II (r. 1087–1100).

The building was originally constructed in the eleventh century as a royal palace and was the primary residence of the kings of England until 1512, when a fire destroyed the royal apartments. The monarch moved to the adjacent Palace of Whitehall, but the remainder of the palace continued to serve as the home of the Parliament of England, which had met there since the 13th century. In 1834 a second, larger fire destroyed the majority of the palace, but Westminster Hall was saved and incorporated into the replacement building.

The competition to design the new palace was won by the architect Charles Barry, who chose a Gothic Revival style for the building. Construction started in 1840 and lasted for 30 years, suffering delays, cost overruns, and the deaths of Barry and his assistant, Augustus Pugin. The palace contains chambers for the House of Commons, House of Lords, and the monarch, and has a floor area of 112,476 m2 (1,210,680 sq ft). Extensive repairs had to be made after the Second World War, including rebuilding the destroyed Commons chamber. Despite further conservation work having been carried out since, the palace is in urgent need of major repairs.

From www.bbc.com/travel/article/20200312-why-is-the-palace-of-...:

In 2012, the Houses of Commons and Lords commissioned a study on the condition of the palace, which indicated the need for major restoration work. The current sewage system was installed in 1888; there are more than 1,000 areas that contain asbestos; the chambers are not wheelchair accessible; and even rodents populate the place. Part of the building’s mechanical and electrical systems were installed after World War Two and should have been replaced in the 1980s but were not. Over the years, steam, gas and water services were built on top of each other and next to high-voltage electrical wires. And about 321km of telephone, broadcasting and sound wires need to be upgraded.

The Anston limestone used in the original construction, which was cheap and ideal for carving, began to quickly decay in the 19th Century and was only partially restored in the 1980s and ‘90s. On top of all of that, Barry and Pugin used combustible materials to decorate the palace’s interiors.

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100x: The 2024 Edition

92/100 London landmarks by night

A couple of photos taken inside the Houses of Parliament by me:

Westminster Hall: flic.kr/p/XDhpmD

St Stephen's Hall: flic.kr/p/YikNMj

I think that the layered look of the clouds and rocks is what caught my attention here. This shot is of Pedernales Falls, which typically has the highest water volume flowing in the spring. The low water level here gave me a chance to explore some areas that are often not safely accessible.

The Athabasca Glacier is one of the six main outlet glaciers of the Columbia Icefield, located in the Canadian Rockies (Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada). The central part of the glacier is quite flat and well accessible. The view goes upstream towards the steeper, jagged parts of the glacier.

Camera: Canon PowerShot G3.

Edited with GIMP.

Hymettus (/haɪˈmɛtəs/), also Hymettos (/haɪˈmɛtɒs/; Greek: Υμηττός, transliterated Ymīttós, pronounced [imiˈtos]), is a mountain range in the Athens area of Attica, East Central Greece. It is also colloquially known as Trellós (crazy) or Trellóvouno (crazy mountain); the latter originates from the French "très long" (very long) in awe of its winding length of 16km, as used by French travelers during the occupation of Greece by the Ottomans. In antiquity there was a sanctuary to Zeus Ombrios (Zeus the Rain God) on the summit with numerous offerings dating especially to the 8th-7th centuries BC; they are on the site of a military base and not currently accessible. There is also an ancient quarryman's hut on the western slopes of the mountain, one of two buildings in ancient Attica which preserves its roof.

The height is 1,026 m at Evzonas and the length is 16 km (9.9 mi) between Athens and the Saronic Gulf and 6 to 7 km from east to west. In the ancient times, the highest point was known as Mega Ymittos and the southern Elattona (Ελάττονα) and Anydro Ymitto (Άνυδρο Υμηττό) (today Mavrovouni (Μαυροβούνι meaning black mountain) and Kontra (Κόντρα)). It was noted for its thyme honey. Marble has been quarried since antiquity. The neighboring communities that surround the mountain are Athens, Zografou, Kaisariani, Vyronas, Ilissia (a region of Zografou), Ymittos, Ilioupoli, Argyroupoli, Elliniko, Glyfada, Voula and Vouliagmeni in the west, Varkiza, Vari, Markopoulo and Paiania to its east, and Papagou, Cholargos, Agia Paraskevi, Gerakas and Glyka Nera. Most of the forest is in the north, and much of the mountain is rocky, deforested, grassy and made out of limestone.

Major campuses of the University of Athens and the National Technical University of Athens (collectively called "University Town") are located on the west-facing slope, between the Motorway 64, a ring road connected with the Motorway 6, and the Athens urban sprawl. A transmitter park for several major TV and radio stations, along with military radar is located at the top of the mountain. Built up urban areas almost surround the entire mountain range. Access to the top of the mountain is restricted to authorized vehicles for maintenance of the towers.

Almost all of Athens, its eastern suburbs and the new airport can be seen from the mountain top along with the mountains of Parnitha to its northwest, Penteli to its north and Aegaleo to its west. The valley areas that create the lowest passes are to the south and one further south.

The mountain ranges features about six to seven landfills in the western part and another in the eastern part.

Ο Υμηττός είναι βουνό της Αττικής. Βρίσκεται στην ανατολική πλευρά του λεκανοπεδίου της Αθήνας. Υψώνεται μεταξύ του λεκανοπεδίου Αθηνών και των Μεσογείων με κατεύθυνση από Β. προς Ν. από τη δίοδο του Αγίου Ιωάννου του Κυνηγού καταλήγοντας πάνω από τη Βούλα και τη Βάρη. Διαθέτει μεγάλες εκτάσεις πρασίνου, ενώ η υψηλότερη κορυφή του φτάνει τα 1026 μ. Από γεωλογική άποψη ο Υμηττός ανήκει στην αττικοκυκλαδική ζώνη. Τα πετρώματά του περιέχουν ασβεστόλιθους, σχιστόλιθους και μεγάλες μάζες μαρμάρου και μαρμαρυγιακών σχιστολίθων.

Περίπου στο μέσον χωρίζεται σε δύο τμήματα, το βόρειο με την ψηλότερη κορφή του που οι αρχαίοι Αθηναίοι τον ονόμαζαν Μέγα Υμηττό και το νοτιότερο Ελάττονα ή Άνυδρο Υμηττό (σήμερα Μαυροβούνι και Κόντρα). Η υψηλότερη κορυφή του λέγεται Εύζωνας. Το Kορακοβούνι είναι ένα από τα πιο μεγάλα συνβουνά του Υμηττού. Προκυμαίνεται απο 3300 τ.μ κι η κορυφή του αγγίζει τα 728 μέτρα πάνω από την στάθμη της Θάλασσας, βρίσκεται δε κοντά στην περιοχή της Πεντέλης.

Το βουνό είναι άμεσα συνδεδεμένο με την ιστορία της αρχαίας Αθήνας. Σύμφωνα με τα ευρήματα και τις ιστορικές πηγές, στην περιοχή του όρους είχαν ιδρυθεί κατά την αρχαιότητα ιερά. Στη δυτική πλευρά του όρους υπήρχαν λατομεία εξόρυξης μαρμάρου, το οποίο χρησιμοποιήθηκε για την κατασκευή μνημείων στους Ελληνιστικούς και ρωμαϊκούς χρόνους. Ο Υμηττός παρ’ όλες τις καταπατήσεις των εδαφών του, την άναρχη δόμηση των ριζών του και των καταστροφικών συνεπειών των πυρκαγιών, διαθέτει – ακόμη – πλούσια βλάστηση. Διακρίνεται για τη μεγάλη ποικιλία χλωρίδας και Πανίδας που το καθιστούν ένα σημαντικό βιότοπο της Αττικής. Τα τελευταία χρόνια νομοθετήθηκαν ειδικά μέτρα για την προστασία του. Αποτελεί έναν από τους δημοφιλέστερους προορισμούς των κατοίκων της πρωτεύουσας που θέλουν να έρθουν κοντά στη φύση. Προσφέρεται για περιπάτους, ενώ ο ασφαλτοστρωμένος δρόμος φτάνει ως την κορυφή του βουνού.

Εκτός από τις ομορφιές της φύσης, στον Υμηττό υπάρχουν και αρχαιολογικά ευρήματα αλλά και σπουδαία βυζαντινά μοναστήρια. Ανάμεσά τους ξεχωρίζουν:

H μονή Καισαριανής, που χρονολογείται από τον 2ο αιώνα και είναι κτισμένη στις πλαγιές του βουνού, πάνω στα ερείπια αρχαίου ναού. Η μονή άκμασε τον 12ο και 13ο αιώνα όπου αποτελούσε πολιτιστικό και πνευματικό κέντρο.

H μονή του Αγίου Ιωάννου του Θεολόγου, χτισμένη ανάμεσα στις περιοχές Χολαργός και Παπάγου

H μονή του Αγίου Ιωάννου του Κυνηγού, χτισμένη στη βορειότερη κορυφή του Υμηττού τον 12ο αιώνα.

H μονή Αγίου Ιωάννη Προδρόμου Καρέα, χτισμένη στις δυτικές πλαγιές του Υμηττού, κοντά στη συνοικία του Καρέα

H μονή Αστερίου χτισμένη στη βορειοδυτική πλευρά του Υμηττού, δυτικά της μονής της Καισαριανής.

Αξιόλογα φυσικά μνημεία του Υμηττού είναι τα σπήλαια που σχηματίζονται στις πλαγιές του. Σημαντικότερο και μεγαλύτερο είναι το σπήλαιο Κουτούκι, που βρίσκεται στις ανατολικές πλαγιές του βουνού, πάνω από την Παιανία.

Άλλο μικρότερο σπήλαιο του Υμηττού είναι το σπήλαιο Λιοντάρι που βρίσκεται στα βόρεια του βουνού, δυτικά των Γλυκών Νερών και η ονομασία του συνδέεται με την τοπική παράδοση για το λιοντάρι του Υμηττού που ζούσε στο βουνό κατά το παρελθόν και τρομοκρατούσε τους κατοίκους της γύρω περιοχής.

Κοινώς ο Υμηττός ονομάζεται «Τρελλός» (ή Τρελοβούνι), όνομα που πιθανόν προέρχεται από τη γαλλική προσφώνηση très long (πολύ μακρύς) ξένων επισκεπτών. Εξ αυτού παλαιότερα τους Αθηναίους τους αποκαλούσαν τελείως παλαβούς «αφού ο Ήλιος έβγαινε απ΄ τον Τρελλό και έδυε στο Δαφνί». Επίσης ελαφρά τραγούδια είχαν θέμα τους τον Υμηττό, όπως το «Εκεί ψηλά στον Υμηττό υπάρχει κάποιο μυστικό...» κλπ.

Accessible from NF 26, Ryan Lake was hit by the 1980 eruption from Mount St. Helens. Much of the area was open to salvage logging operations afterward, but the lake itself was left as it was, to recover naturally.

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Scenic hike to Stavbrekktjønna lake in the Breiddalen valley of Norway.

The road to this area is only accessible from late May to November due to deep snow and avalanches. Snow remains here even in summer and gives the impressive natural views a special colorful beauty.

* * *

See my new photos in the "My Travels" album:

'Secret' waterfall, Largy, Co. Donegal, Ireland. Only accessible at low tide and on the day we went there the tide wasn't very low so lots of scrambling across rocks and dodging the waves to get to cave. A breakthrough photography 0.6 grad helped to reduce the glare from the cave roof.

It's an all-stop at the Chicago River bridge in downtown Chicago on the St. Charles Air Line. Off to the left was the B&OCT double track mainline who's rails are long gone. Both railroads had adjacent drawbridges here, both controlled by the B&OCT operator. The St. Charles Air Line double mainline is intact with rumors of possible future usage by commuter trains.

This area is not accessible to the public.

16th St. Tower, which recently closed can be seen just to the right of the bridge.

Late light on Cape Wrath as seen from Sandwood Bay. Cape Wrath is the far north west corner of mainland Scotland, and it is a wild and remote place. Sandwood Bay is one of the most idyllic beaches on the west coast, and is fortunately only accessible by a four mile walk in from the nearest road. That combination resulted in my dog and I having the place completely to ourselves - not another soul around. It was a truly magical and memorable experience.

Accessibility Description: A towering curtain of rain hangs suspended in the sky, glowing golden where the low sun strikes it. The rain appears to evaporate before reaching the ground, a phenomenon known as virga, while below, red rock mesas catch the last light of the day. Warm tones highlight the cliffs on the left, their rugged forms rising above a dense forest of green pines and junipers. The sky is filled with dramatic clouds, a mixture of gray, peach, and white, with glimpses of deep blue breaking through at the edges. The entire scene conveys both grandeur and transience, a fleeting desert storm dissolving into light above the enduring sandstone of Sedona.

The Plaza de España, designed by Aníbal González, was a principal building built on the Maria Luisa Park's edge to showcase Spain's industry and technology exhibits. González combined a mix of 1920s Art Deco and Spanish Renaissance Revival, Spanish Baroque Revival and Neo-Mudéjar styles. The Plaza de España complex is a huge half-circle; the buildings are accessible by four bridges over the moat, which represent the ancient kingdoms of Spain. In the centre is the Vicente Traver fountain.

Many tiled alcoves were built around the plaza, each representing a different province of Spain. The Plaza's tiled Alcoves of the Provinces are frequent backdrops for visitors' portrait photographs, taken in their own home province. Each alcove is flanked by a pair of covered bookshelves, now used by visitors in the manner of a; Little Free Library. Each bookshelf often contains works with information about their province. Visitors have also donated favorite novels and other books for others to read.

Today the buildings of the Plaza de España have been renovated and adapted for use as offices for government agencies. The central government departments, with sensitive adaptive redesign, are located within it. Toward the end of the park, the grandest mansions from the fair have been adapted as museums. The most distant museum contains the city's archaeology collections. The main exhibits are Roman mosaics and artefacts from nearby Italica.

The Plaza de España has been used as a filming location, including scenes for Lawrence of Arabia (1962). The building was used as a location in the Star Wars movie series Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) — in which it featured in exterior shots of the City of Theed on the Planet Naboo. It also featured in the 2012 film The Dictator. The 2023 Netflix series, Kaos, also featured scenes filmed at the Plaza.

Broulee Island is joined to the mainland by a permanent sandbar and is always accessible. Seascape at Broulee on the South Coast of NSW, Australia.

Lake Garda, Italy

There are countless jetties dotted all around Lake Garda... the only problem is, you need to be an Olympic Long Jumper or Pole Vaulter to access 99% of them. Most are either the property of the adjacent lakeside hotels or private residences. Just to make sure you are aware of this most are fenced off with padlocked gates and the few overzealous ones use a little barbed-wire to keep you off them. The long jump/pole vault option comes into effect for those jetties where the lakeside section has been removed to make them totally inaccessible.

This is the first jetty I found that I could actually walk onto without any restrictions but was a good half hour walk south of Malcesine town centre. Taken half an hour after my previous posting just as the sun was beginning to touch the mountain tops on the opposite side of the lake. Just to the left of the jetty can be seen the town of Limone Sul Garda and at the very top of the lake is Riva del Garda.

France, Normandy, Mont-Saint-Michel, Spring 2022

Mont-Saint-Michel is a tidal island in Normandy, France. As of 2019, the island had a population of 29. The commune's position—on an island just a few hundred metres from land—made it accessible at low tide to the many pilgrims to its abbey, but defensible as an incoming tide stranded, drove off, or drowned would-be assailants. The island remained unconquered during the Hundred Years' War; a small garrison fended off a full attack by the English in 1433. Louis XI recognised the reverse benefits of its natural defence and turned it into a prison. The abbey was used regularly as a prison during the Ancien Régime. Mont-Saint-Michel and its surrounding bay were inscribed on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1979 for its unique aesthetic and importance as a medieval Christian site. It is visited by more than 3 million people each year. Mont-Saint-Michel served as an artistic inspiration for a number of works. In Peter Jackson's 2003 film The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Gondor's capital city was modelled on Mont Saint-Michel. Likewise, the town and castle in the Disney hit Tangled were based on Mont-Saint-Michel, as was the design of Dark Souls location New Londo Ruins.

LIMNI - ΛΙΜΝΗ

The island of Evia lies along the Eastern coast of Central Greece, and is accessible to the mainland via two bridges, an old wooden bridge and a contemporary suspension bridge. There are also frequent ferries to several parts of the island. It is 175 km long and is the second largest island in Greece, and the third largest in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Thanassis Fournarakos

Θανασης Φουρναρακος

Professional Photographer, retired.

Athens, Greece

© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

None of my images may be downloaded, copied, reproduced, manipulated or used on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit written permission. THANK YOU!

This photograph has achieved the following highest awards:

* HALL OF FAME BEAUTIFUL EARTH

Lamayuru is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Lamayouro, Leh district, Ladakh, India. It is situated on the Srinagar-Leh highway 15 kilometres east of the Fotu La at a height of 3,510 metres. It is currently affiliated with the Drikung Kagyu school of Buddhism.

The Drikung history states that the Indian scholar Naropa (956-1041 CE) allegedly caused a lake which filled the valley to dry up and founded Lamayuru Monastery. The oldest surviving building at Lamayuru is a temple called Seng-ge-sgang, at the southern end of the Lamayuru rock, which is attributed to the famous builder-monk Rinchen Zangpo (958-1055 CE). Rinchen Zangpo was charged by the king of Ladakh to build 108 gompas, and certainly many gompas in Ladakh, Spiti Valley and the surrounding regions, date from his time.

The oldest gompas, those dating from Rinchen-zang-po's time — Alchi and Lamayuru, and the less accessible Wanla, Mang-gyu and Sumda — belonged at the time of their foundation to none of these Tibetan schools, whose establishment they antedate. They were at some stage taken over by the Ka-dam-pa, and when it fell into decline they were taken over again, this time mostly by the Ge-lugs-pa. The exception was Lamayuru, which was for some reason claimed by the Dri-gung-pa"

The gompa consisted originally of five buildings, and some remains of the four corner buildings can still be seen.

Lamayuru is one of the largest and oldest gompas in Ladakh, with a population of around 150 permanent monks resident. It has, in the past, housed up to 400 monks, many of which are now based in gompas in surrounding villages.

The Drikung history states that the Indian scholar Naropa (956-1041 CE) allegedly caused a lake which filled the valley to dry up and founded Lamayuru Monastery. The oldest surviving building at Lamayuru is a temple called Seng-ge-sgang, at the southern end of the Lamayuru rock, which is attributed to the famous builder-monk Rinchen Zangpo (958-1055 CE). Rinchen Zangpo was charged by the king of Ladakh to build 108 gompas, and certainly many gompas in Ladakh, Spiti Valley and the surrounding regions, date from his time.

The oldest gompas, those dating from Rinchen-zang-po's time — Alchi and Lamayuru, and the less accessible Wanla, Mang-gyu and Sumda — belonged at the time of their foundation to none of these Tibetan schools, whose establishment they antedate. They were at some stage taken over by the Ka-dam-pa, and when it fell into decline they were taken over again, this time mostly by the Ge-lugs-pa. The exception was Lamayuru, which was for some reason claimed by the Dri-gung-pa"

The gompa consisted originally of five buildings, and some remains of the four corner buildings can still be seen.

Lamayuru is one of the largest and oldest gompas in Ladakh, with a population of around 150 permanent monks resident. It has, in the past, housed up to 400 monks, many of which are now based in gompas in surrounding villages.

These are big chunky buildings that really loomed over the area. Behind the trees and planting they rose high, as if they might grow ever taller.

I must say I do like the blocky architecture of these apartments, much more so than in the more accessible main block.

Castle Stalker, Scotland.

Castle Stalker is a tower house set on a tidal islet on Loch Laich, an inlet of Loch Linnhe. It is about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north-east of Port Appin, Argyll, Scotland, and is visible from the A828 road about midway between Oban and GlenCoe. The islet is accessible (with difficulty) from the shore at low tide. The island castle is one of the best-preserved medieval tower-houses to survive in western Scotland.

In recent times, the castle was brought to fame by the Monty Python team, appearing in their film Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Wikipedia

Watched National Geographic's "Into The Grand Canyon" (on disney plus) last night and was really taken with it. It’s about two journalists that walk the entire length of the canyon- not rim to rim, or floating down the river, but actually walking along the entire length of the landforms that make up the National Park. What they see is amazing- there are deeply remote spots in the canyon that are pure wilderness and don’t look like the rest of the canyon; they look more like Zion or even Antelope Canyon. The documentary also covers the story of the Navajo National fighting back against the proposed Escalade project that would build a tramway down from the rim to the confluence of the Colorado River. The CEO of the company said that his goal was to give everyone a “deep canyon experience” and to make it accessible. While I always crave accessibility for the National Parks… and while I always want to see as much as I can… this rubbed me the wrong way. Accessibility that robs the landscape of its purity and silence isn’t accessibility, it’s hubris. Sometimes, places are meant to be hard to get to. Everyone should be able to have an experience at the Grand Canyon but not at the expense of the canyon itself. That’ll probably mean that I never get to see the amazing vistas that this documentary showed me. And you know what? That’s fine. They’re protected. I know they’re out there. And protected. And that’s more important than me getting to see it.

Long exposure shot of Mupe Bay in Dorset, and is part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site.

The bay exposes a sequence of Cretaceous rocks from the Bindon Hill Chalk in the north through the Wealden Beds to the Purbeck Beds in the south at Mupe Rocks.nnIt is only accessible when the Lulworth artillery and armoured vehicle ranges are open to the public.

To the south are Mupe Ledges (pictured here) and out to sea Mupe Rocks.

ꒌ МИ КОЈИ ХЕРУВИМЕ ТАЈАНСТВЕНО ИЗОБРАЖАВАМО...

Божанствена Литургија (у овом случају светог Јована Златоустог, грчки: Λειτουργία Αγίου Ιωάννου του Χρυσοστόμου) централни је богослужбени догађај Цркве без којег се не може замислити живот хришћана.

Док народ пева први део херувике – херувимске песме, која представља почетак другог главног дела литургије, свештеник најпре тихим гласом чита молитву у којој се говори о потреби духовне чистоте за оне који служе пред светим престолом, кади олтар и храм са солеје, а затим подигавши руке говори три пута херувимску песму ”Ми који Херувиме тајно изображавамо, и животворној Тројици трисвету песму певамо, сваку сада животну одложимо бригу. Као они који ћемо примити Цара свих, Анђелским Силама невидљиво праћенога, алилуја, алилуја, алилуја.” На слици презвитер о.Милан Грубић у том тренутку. Црква светих Јоакима и Ане на Брибирској Главици на Ваведење 2022. године Господње. Због разних околности ова црква је "минималистички" опремљена, без иконостаса и свега што смо навикли да видимо око олтара и у њему; али 14 векова даје овом простору велику невидљиву силу. Бити овде на служби је заиста посебан, јединствен доживљај.

► █░▓ Liturgy of the Faithful is the second major part of the Divine Liturgy. In the past, the not baptised were not allowed to attend this part; but this rule has long since been abolished.

This prayer happens at the start of the second half: the assembly begins chanting the Cherubic Hymn. The priest whispers a silent prayer during the Cherubimic chant. When he completes it, he says the Cherubimic hymn himself, thrice, with his hands raised up: Let us, who mystically represent the Cherubim and who sing the thrice-holy hymn to the life-creating Trinity, now lay aside every worldly care. (Every single time I hear it, I'm struck by as how difficult it is to lay aside every worldly care. Even for a few seconds.)

Each time, at the conclusion of this sentence, the priest bows once. The absence of the icon screen (iconostasis) has made following all that takes place in altar totally accessible, but of course out of respect I took care that the most holy moments during the Eucharist i.e. consecration of the gifts were not photographed.

Developed from raw in Affinity Photo 1.10.6

~SHORTCUTS~ Press [F11] and [L] key to engage Full Screen (Light box) mode with black background - press the same key or [Esc] to return. Press [F] to "Like" (Fave), press [C] to comment.

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Histoire en 4 photos : 1 - 2 - 3 - 4

Parc Gustave et Léonard Hentsch

Ce parc accessible au public aujourd'hui était, avant sa transformation, le terrain de footbal officiel de l'équipe de Genève-Servette.

Aujourd'hui, pour que l'on se souvienne de son utilisation précédente, 4 sculptures y ont été installes.

1 & 2 représentent un joueur de football et un gardien et ceci par l'image de deux renards, au milieu de la pelouse.

Mais alors que penser de ces photos 3 & 4 du sujet excentré se trouvant sur le bord du stade ? Qu'ont-ils bien voulu symboliser ?

Eh bien ce sont les spectateurs et là, c'est bien d'un âne dont il s'agit...

Étonnant non ? Ou alors y a-t-il un brin de lucidité ?

History in 4 pictures : 1 - 2 - 3 - 4

Gustave and Léonard Hentsch Park

This park, which is accessible to the public today, was, before its transformation, the official football field of the Geneva-Servette team.

Today, to remember its previous use, 4 sculptures have been installed.

1 & 2 represent a football player and a goalkeeper and this by the image of two foxes, in the middle of the lawn.

But what about the pictures 3 & 4 of the off-centre subject on the edge of the stadium? What did they want to symbolise ?

Well, they are the spectators and there, it is indeed a donkey...

Surprising, isn't it ? Or is there a bit of lucidity ?

www.flickr.com/photos/59584735@N00/51648827008/in/album-7...

www.flickr.com/photos/59584735@N00/51648826968/in/album-7...

www.flickr.com/photos/59584735@N00/51648604321/in/album-7...

Here is a view down the accessible dock at the Buell Lake County Park, October 6, 2022. Disabled fisher persons have fishing stations that give them a good view of sunrise. Sometimes, the light can give the "ordinary" a crisp look, as what I thought was the case here. I thank Russ Burden's work on Outdoor Photography for giving me insight as to light and the ordinary. And, my friend Paul Sisul, for schooling us all on the composition of lines.

The Sandhill Cranes have stopped here for a week or two as they make their way south. Last couple of years they settled in less accessible places, but this year they're easier to shoot.

Die Herzogin Anna Amalia Bibliothek im berühmten Rokoko Saal in Weimar ist eine öffentlich zugängliche Forschungsbibliothek für Literatur- und Kulturgeschichte mit Schwerpunkt auf der deutschen Literatur der Zeit um 1800. Sie bewahrt literarische Zeugnisse vom 9. bis zum 21. Jahrhundert als Quellen der Kulturgeschichte und der Forschung auf.

The Duchess Anna Amalia Library in the famous Rococo Hall in Weimar is a publicly accessible research library for the history of literature and culture with a focus on German literature from the period around 1800. It preserves literary testimonies from the 9th to the 21st century as sources of cultural history and research.

Beautiful pasque flowers gone to seed and Image Lake awaken to a rosy sunrise underneath Washington's most remote volcanic peak, known by the Suak Indian Tribe as "Tda-ko-buh-ba", but also known as Glacier Peak. This location in the Glacier Peak Wilderness comes as close to heaven on earth as anything my imagination can possibly conjure up. Looking out across the meadow and lake to Glacier Peak one feels the pure essence of a wilderness area, an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by people, and where we are just visitors who cannot remain in a place of such unspoiled beauty. Image Lake is not very accessible and I approached the lake as part of an extended 7 day backpacking trip with the Sierra Club. Our route took us up and over Spyder Gap's Lyman Glacier, scrambling down into the Lyman Lake Basin, up and over Cloudy Pass, over to Image Lake, and out through Flower Dome and Buck Creek Pass-about a 60 mile loop trip including side trips.

Western pasqueflower, or Anemone occidentalis has a less than showy bloom but you won’t miss the next stage, which resembles a fuzzy mop of hair. An early bloomer, the seed pods last all summer on mountain slopes and meadows in middle to high elevations.

This is a focus stack of 6 images taken at F11.

beauty 17.03.2021

This one is from Rose Garden on roof of Molde Town Hall

Most of my photographs are captured in and around the city of Molde. Molde is the second largest city in the county of Møre og Romsdal, lies along the shores of the Romsdalsfjord in Western Norway.

The official, and also most common, nickname for Molde is The City of Roses or Rose City.

As you explore the city, you will see why it was given its nickname. In the city center you will find rose gardens, parks, statues, and murals all paying homage to the iconic flower. Even the town hall roof has a rose garden and is accessible to all! Decorative gardening has been popular in Molde for many generations and adds to the city’s beauty and charm.

"The town's largest collection of roses is to be found at the Town Hall roof, but the magnificent roses in the Alexandra Park is also worth your time.

A rose is a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus Rosa, in the family Rosaceae, or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred species and tens of thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can be erect shrubs, climbing, or trailing, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers vary in size and shape and are usually large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows and reds. Most species are native to Asia, with smaller numbers native to Europe, North America, and northwestern Africa. Species, cultivars and hybrids are all widely grown for their beauty and often are fragrant. Roses have acquired cultural significance in many societies. Rose plants range in size from compact, miniature roses, to climbers that can reach seven meters in height."

My Website:

Tonny Froyen Photography

tonnyfroyen.com

"sanctuaire inondée accessibles"

CAMERA

Olympus µ [mju]: - II 35 mm

FILM

FOMAPAN 100 EXPO 100ISO

D76 1+1 10 MINS

Narada Falls is a large waterfall easily accessible in the popular Paradise area of Mt. Rainier National Park.

Mandvi (Inde) - Cette partie du chantier n’est accessible qu’à marée basse, si on ne dispose pas d’une embarcation.

Ce boutre sur la photo est très avancé dans sa construction. La coque est terminée. C’est la raison pour laquelle il y a quelques mois, il a été remorqué à marée haute à l’entrée du chenal. Il ne craint plus l’eau. Comme on peut le distinguer sur cette photo, les ouvriers s’affairent désormais sur le pont supérieur, les pieds bien au sec. D’autres travaillent dans la cale.

Pour la construction de ces navires marchands, propulsés par des moteurs diesel japonais, l’Inde a longtemps utilisé le tek. Lorsque l’importation de cette essence précieuse a été interdite et que son prix a fortement été revu à la hausse, les chantiers se sont rabattus sur le bois de « sal » (ou sala). Un bois très dense et imputrescible, importé du Sud-Est Asiatique et plus particulièrement d’Indonésie.

Ce bois provient d’un résineux qui atteint 30 à 35 mètres de haut lorsqu’il est parvenu au maximum de sa croissance. Il présente un grain grossier qui n’autorise pas un ponçage efficace, de sorte qu’il est inadapté aux travaux de menuiserie. Il est donc utilisé comme bois de charpente dans la construction navale. Sur certaines unités en construction on peut voir que du bois récupéré sur des bateaux voués à la casse a été recyclés par mesure d’économie.

Tout est utilisé dans le « sal », notamment son fruit et ses graines transformés en huile pour les lampes. Il n’est pas rare qu’aujourd’hui encore dans les familles les plus pauvres, on s’éclaire toujours à la lampe à huile ou à la bougie. Quant à sa résine particulièrement odorante, elle est recyclée en encens pour les cérémonies religieuses hindoues.

Sur la photo ci-dessus, j'ai choisi d'intégrer un premier plan avec ce bateau destiné à la récupération des matériaux. Ce qui a l'avantage de remplir et fermer le cadre inférieur.

Pour obtenir cette vue plongeante je suis monté sur la passerelle d’un autre navire en construction.

Sal wood for the Indian dhows

Mandvi (India) - This part of the site is only accessible at low tide, if you do not have a boat.

This dhow in the photo is very advanced in its construction. The hull is finished. This is the reason why a few months ago it was towed to the entrance of the channel. It no longer fears water. As can be seen in this photo, the workers are now busy on the upper deck, their feet dry. Others are working in the hold.

For the construction of these merchant ships, powered by Japanese diesel engines, India has long used teak. But when the importation of this precious species was banned and its price was revised upwards, the shipyards fell back on “sal” (or sala) wood. A very dense and rot-proof wood, imported from Southeast Asia and more particularly from Indonesia.

This wood comes from a softwood that reaches 30 to 35 meters in height when it has reached its maximum growth. It has a coarse grain that does not allow for efficient sanding, so it is unsuitable for carpentry work. It is therefore essentially used as structural timber in shipbuilding. On some units under construction, we can see that wood salvaged from scrapped boats has been recycled to save money.

Everything is used in the "sal", especially its fruit and its seeds which are transformed into oil for the lamps. It is not rare that today still in the poorest families, one always lights with the oil lamp or the candle. As for its particularly fragrant resin, it is recycled into incense for Hindu religious ceremonies.

In the photo above, I chose to include a foreground with this boat intended for the recovery of materials. Which has the advantage of filling and closing the lower frame.

Here I am photographing beautiful Evia island.

Taken during the long "May Day" weekend, while my beloved English wife Theresa Jane Brown and I were visiting friends on the beautiful island of Evia, Greece.

The island of Evia lies along the Eastern coast of Central Greece, and is accessible to the mainland via two bridges, an old wooden bridge and a contemporary suspension bridge. There are also frequent ferries to several parts of the island. It is 175 km long and is the second largest island in Greece, and the third largest in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Thanassis Fournarakos - Θανασης Φουρναρακος

Professional Photographer, retired.

Athens, Greece.

© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

None of my images may be downloaded, copied, reproduced, manipulated or used on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit written permission. THANK YOU!

This photograph has achieved the following highest awards:

* GALAXY HALL OF FAME

* THE GALAXY STARS HALL OF FAME

Glen Etive (Scottish Gaelic: Gleann Èite) is a glen in the Highlands of Scotland. The River Etive (Scottish Gaelic: Abhainn Èite) rises on the peaks surrounding Rannoch Moor, with several tributary streams coming together at the Kings House Hotel,[1] at the head of Glen Coe. From the Kings House, the Etive flows for about 18 km, reaching the sea loch, Loch Etive. The river and its tributaries are popular with whitewater kayakers and at high water levels it is a test piece of the area and a classic run.

At the north end of Glen Etive lie the two mountains known as the "Herdsmen of Etive": Buachaille Etive Mòr and Buachaille Etive Beag. Other peaks accessible from the Glen include Ben Starav, located near the head of Loch Etive, and Beinn Fhionnlaidh on the northern side of the glen. The scenic beauty of the glen has led to its inclusion the Ben Nevis and Glen Coe National Scenic Area,[2] one of 40 such areas in Scotland.[3]

A narrow road from the Kings House Hotel runs down the glen, serving several houses and farms. This road ends at the head of the loch, though rough tracks continue along both shores.

The River Etive is one of Scotland's most popular and challenging white water kayaking runs. It provides a multitude of solid Grade 4(5) rapids with a variety of falls and pool drops. It is home to a herd of Scottish red deer that have become accustomed to the presence of humans.[4]