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3 more butterflies seen along the trail. I wandered up and down it all morning with a few short visits back to the accommodation area.
This has the characteristic shape of the genus.
Where the River Gombak meets the River Klang -- that’s where you’ll find Kuala Lumpur, which is Malay for, literally, “Muddy Confluence”. As an enthusiast of etymology, I find the meaning of “Kuala Lumpur" to be one of the most fascinating names for a gigantic city, which started off as a small mining town for tin, situated at the meeting point of two rivers.
This is probably my favorite aerial image of Kuala Lumpur, as it shows how expansive and vast the sprawl of the city actually is, all the way to the haze in the background. It was an incredibly hazy morning, I recall.
The pilot was really cool. He was probably in his early to mid 20s. After about 45 minutes, when I had all the shots I needed, I said we could land. He looked back at me and said -- literally -- “I’m not going to land this plane.” Speaking so boldly, I thought he was making a joke, and then noticed he was serious. I repeated that we could land. The reason why he didn’t want to was based more on culture than an attempt to be belligerent or adversarial. Our flight assignment was scheduled for one hour, and I was saying we could end after 45 minutes. The pilot said, “I’m not going to land until you confirm that I’ve done a good job of what you asked.” His interpretation of my asking to conclude early was that he was not providing a good service, which was completely contrary to the reality. I reassured him of this, after which he smiled and we returned to the airport.
I loved Malaysia, in particular, because there was so much honor in what people do from day to day. People want to know and be acknowledged for providing a good service, with respect and personal dignity. Saying “thank you” really *means* something of significance, and is not considered trite or rudimentary by any means. Singapore was very similar in this cultural aspect as well.
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Ashford Castle on the bank of Lough Corrib, where we had our afternoon tea, County Galway, Ireland
Some background information:
Ashford Castle is a large medieval and Victorian castle that has been expanded over the centuries and turned into a five star luxury hotel. It is located near the village of Cong on the County Galway side of Lough Corrib, directly bordering the County Mayo side of the lake. Today, Ashford Castle, which was previously owned by the Guinness family, is a member of the Red Carnation Hotels organisation.
We just had an afternoon tea in the castle’s Connaught Room. The afternoon tea offers guests a wide selection of speciality teas, delicate finger sandwiches, freshly baked scones and delectable pastries, presented on a silver three-tier stand,. whereby every guest is served their own three-tier stand. On the lowest tier, there are the sandwiches. On the middle tier, guests will find three different scones, served with two types of clotted cream. And on the top tier, the elegantly presented pâtisserie is displayed.
I had an Irish Whiskey Cream Tea accompaning the delicacies and if you don’t manage to eat all of them, the leftovers are packed for you in a neat box, so that you can take them home. We had our afternoon tea at a table next to one of the windows, with view into the gardens and onto Lough Corrib. By the way, if you want to take your afternoon tea there, you have to order it in advance. Just dropping by would be pointless and you wouldn’t even be able to pass the gatekeepers of the estate.
In 1228, Ashford Castle was built on the perimeter of a monastic site by the Anglo-Norman noble House de Burgo. After having been more than three-and-a-half centuries in possession of the Burke family, the castle passed into the hands of Sir Richard Bingham, Lord President of Connaught, in 1589. A battle between the forces of the de Burgo family and those of Bingham had been preceded the change of the owner. Following the battle and thereby also the owner change, Bingham added a fortified enclave within Ashford Castle‘s precincts.
In 1670, Dominick Browne, Baron Oranmore and Browne, received the estate in a royal grant. In 1715, the estate of Ashford was established by the Browne family and a hunting lodge in the style of a 17th-century French chateau was constructed. In the late 18th century, a branch of the family inhabited the castle.
In 1852, the Irish brewer and philanthropist Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness, who later received the title 1st Baronet of Ashford, purchased the estate. He added two large Victorian style extensions, extended the estate to 110 square kilometres (26,000 acres), built new roads and planted thousands of trees. After Sir Benjamin's death in 1868, the estate passed to his son Arthur Guinness, 1st Baron Ardilaun, who expanded the building further in the neogothic style.
Arthur Guinness was an avid gardener who oversaw the development of massive woodlands and rebuilt the entire west wing of the castle, designed by architects James Franklin Fuller and George Ashlin. The new construction connected the early 18th-century part in the east with two de-Burgo-time towers in the west. Additionally, battlements were added to the whole castle. After being rebuilt, Ashford Castle welcomed many famous guests such as the British King George V, among others who stayed with the Guinness family.
After having been sold to Noel Huggard in 1939, the new owner opened the estate as a hotel. Since then, the hotel has hosted many famous guests, such as Queen Mary, the author Oscar Wilde, the actors Maureen O'Hara and John Wayne, UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill, US President Ronald Reagan, US Senator Ted Kennedy, Prince Rainier III of Monaco and his wife Princess Grace, Prince Edward, the Beatles members John Lennon and George Harrison, as well as the actors Robin Williams, Pierce Brosnan and Brad Pitt. Professional golfer Rory McIlroy even married there in 2017.
In July 2015, Ashford Castle was voted third best world hotel by "Travel + Leisure magazine", US. In August 2015, it was voted world's best hotel during "Virtuoso Travel Week". Furthermore, in 2020 and 2022, the hotel claimed top spot in the prestigious World’s Best Resort Hotel in the UK & Ireland awards. And in 2023, it has been hailed as one of the world's best hotels by "Forbes Travel Guide", from which it received the maximum rating of five stars – just like only a handful of other hotels.
Lough Corrib, on whose bank Ashford Castle is located, is a lake in the west of Ireland connected to the sea at Galway by the River Corrib. It is the largest lake within the Republic of Ireland and the second largest on the island of Ireland (after Lough Neagh). Lough Corrib covers 176 km² and lies mostly in County Galway with a small area of its northeast corner in County Mayo. The main tributaries draining into Lough Corrib include the Cornamona, Bealanabrack, Owenriff, Drimneen, Cong, Clare, Annacourta, Black and Cross rivers.
The lake is rather popular with anglers because it has a large fish population. Among the fishes in the lake are trouts, pikes, perches and salmons. Furthermore, the wildlife in Lough Corrib includes birds and hawks, otters, mink, stoat, frogs and bats. In 1996, Lough Corrib was designated a Ramsar site and it has also been designated a Special Area of Conservation.
The lake is also of international importance as a marine archaeological site. Surveys have uncovered a number of objects of historical significance, which have been investigated by the Underwater Archaeology Unit of the National Monuments Service. These include Bronze Age and Iron Age vessels as well as the "Carrowmoreknock Boat", a well preserved 10th century vessel carrying three Viking battle axes. There are also a lot of islands on the lake. Among them are Inchagoill with ist Early Christian abbey ruins, Inishquin, Inishmicatreer, Inishdoorus and Rabbit Island, to name just the largest ones.
When branches are chopped the skin of the tree tries to cover the wound, sometimes leaving large holes like this. Such holes and crevices are homes to a variety of species including birds.
Comes to it when all the nest boxes are full and some birds feeling a bit lazy about making a nest for themselves !! Here we see the result in every sense of the word " Overflow Accommodation " . This is a house in the area and the shots were over a six foot high brick wall , I did move position hence the change of angle with the brickwork . To me that looked a well tight fit getting in and out !!
I guess these blue tits had to choose a place of the most convenience !!
The autotrain passes an accommodation crossing on the Severn Valley Railway during the recent photo charter. A lovely rural setting to capture a typical service as seen on a number of former Great Western branches in the 1950s.
19D 3322 and 24 3655 at an accommodation crossing between Malmesbury and Moorreesburg on the Klawer branch in Western Cape.
DETAILS FOR THIS VEHICLE.
Location : York C&W Works Yard.
Date : 09/09/1990.
Type : Bogie Experimental Vehicle (ex Bogie Trestle Flat).
Weight : xx t GLW / xx t Tare.
Number : RDB 901601.
Number Series : B 901600 to B 901603.
Builder : Teesside Bridge & Engineering Co. Ltd, Thornaby.
TOPS Code : YXO (ex XTO).
Designation : CYCLOPS. (ex Trestrol EC)
Lot no. : 2175.
Diagram no. : 2/681.
ADDITIONAL NOTES.
This former Bogie Trestle Flat Wagon was one of four built for general freight use by BR in 1950. Three of these triple axle bogie Trolley flat wagons ended up with the BR Research & Development unit, no's. B 901600, 601, 603.
RDB 901601 depicted here saw a cabin built on the wagon deck which comprised a generator compartment, laboratory and staff accommodation. It's primary use was for track measuring operations supervised by the Derby RTC Track Development Unit. The name 'Cyclops' was assigned to the vehicle as it was intended to fit Laser Measuring Equipment but this never took place so the "One Eyed Monster" never came to life. By 1987 the vehicle was out of use probably down to the fact it was 35mph restricted and had no train brake. It moved from Derby to storage at York where it gained a KDB prefix suggesting imminent re-use by the Signal & Telegraph Engineers Department but to my knowledge this second lease of life never happened and the vehicle went for scrap.
"005" "Spire" "118 Pictures in 2018"
The newly constructed Beckley Point Building, now the tallest building in Plymouth, standing at a height of 256ft... The spire can be seen from the A38 Devon Expressway approaching Plymouth on the 3 lane carriageway section between Deep Lane and Marsh Mills
Constructed for its primary use as student accommodation, conveniently situated close to the Plymouth University & city centre...
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Location, location, location........
I must admit I wasn't expecting to find this tent opposite the street from the Langham Hotel whilst exploring this rather upmarket part of Marylebone....... to be fair though it does look like a smart new tent.
Some more 'alternative' London shots here : www.flickr.com/photos/darrellg/albums/72157647920607519
From Wikipedia : "Langham Place is a short street in Westminster, central London, England. Just north of Oxford Circus, it connects Portland Place to the north with Regent Street to the south in London's West End. It is, or was, the location of many significant public buildings, and gives its name to the Langham Place group, a circle of early women's rights activists.
There are several major buildings on Langham Place, including All Souls Church, Broadcasting House, and the Langham Hotel. Queen's Hall and St. George's Hall were also here until their destruction during World War II. The area is associated with the architect John Nash, although all but one of his original buildings have been replaced."
© D.Godliman
Toilogt Ger Camp (yurt camp) by Khovsgol Lake, Mongolia. They do have yurts but I decided to stay in one of the tepees for the novelty value, the quality inside is identical to the yurts, but the ceiling is higher.
What happened to the Mongolia set I created 4 days ago? It just vanished!
This accommodation at Shad Thames in London, near Tower Bridge. These are the water side view of Java wharf and Jamaica wharf.
The west wing of the Purple Pub was previously the Exchange Hotel in Croydon and was relocated to Normanton. It was originally painted a light mauve in 1968, then in 1975 a few shades darker, then in 1979 - - full on purple.
Normanton, Queensland:
Normanton, situated in northwest Queensland, is 40km southeast of the mouth of the Norman River on the Gulf of Carpentaria. It is the administrative centre of the Carpentaria Shire.
The coastline in the vicinity of the mouth of the Norman River was explored by Abel Tasman (1644), Matthew Flinders (1802), and Commander John Stokes (1841), but it was the failure of the Burke and Wills expedition in 1861 which concentrated exploratory activity in the area. Prior to then, the only land exploration had been by Ludwig Leichhardt who reached the Norman River in 1844.
Search parties for Burke and Wills comprised overland expeditions led by William Landsborough and Frederick Walker and a maritime attempt commanded by Captain W.H. Norman. Landsborough explored the river in 1861 and named it after the maritime commander. Landsborough's expedition report precipitated a pastoral invasion of the Gulf Country, and by 1867 a European settlement was established on the site of the future Normanton township. The town was proclaimed in August 1868 and town allotments were put up for sale. Interest in the new town was helped by outbreaks of fever in the Albert River (Burketown) settlement, whose population moved to a healthier Normanton.
The Norman River was navigable by shallow draught vessels as far as Normanton, and in late 1867, a dray load of Cloncurry copper ore was dispatched from the new settlement. Smelted metal from the Etheridge Goldfield (Georgetown) was dispatched through Normanton, and the Croydon Goldfield (1886 - 1913) made Normanton both an inwards and outwards freight terminal. The usual civic growth can be traced through these years: post office (1868), telegraph connection to Cardwell (1872), a school (1872), and formation of a borough council (1886). A Church of England began its services in the school of arts, and a railway line was opened from Croydon in 1891. The line was unique, with the use of ant-proof iron sleepers. Two shipping lines ran weekly services between Normanton and Brisbane. A meatworks was opened in 1892.
By the early 1900s Normanton's population was quickly falling as the Croydon field fell away. The economy's mainstay became pastoralism, but many of the holdings were part of national chains such as the Kidman estates which moved cattle over vast distances, dictated by drought and fodder reserves. Throughput of stock in Normanton was highly variable. Normanton was nevertheless the region's administrative centre, and an inaugural connecting flight in 1927 to Cloncurry ushered in a permanent aerial service.
Shortly after reticulated electricity was laid on in the town in 1955 Normanton began a slow increase in population. In 1966 the river punt was replaced with the W. H. Norman bridge, and since 1970 the town's population has doubled to about 1450.
The railway to Croydon has survived as a weekly tourist service; the Gulflander. The station is on the Queensland Heritage Register, as is the Westpac (former New South Wales) Bank, the old Normanton Gaol, and Burns Philp Building. By far the most imposing building, resembling a Queenslander hotel, is the Carpentaria Shire's office. Normanton has local shops - but no longer the Burns Philp emporium for every need - a hospital, golf, and bowls venues, a racecourse and rodeo ground, an aerodrome, a TAFE, a State primary-secondary school and the Gulf Christian College (1990). There is hotel, motel, and caravan park accommodation and a Savannah Guide touring network. The shire library and visitor information centre are in the Burns Philp building.
Source: Carpentaria Shire & Queensland Places (www.queenslandplaces.com.au/normanton).
Excellent Double Bay Hotel accommodation in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs. The Savoy Hotel is in Knox Street, the heart of Double Bay Sydney. We are a small, tranquil oasis and the best value small hotel in Sydney.
One of the trips out we made was to the Ellesmere Port National Waterways Boat Museum.
This is where the Shropshire Union Canal meets the Manchester Ship Canal and the River Mersey, this transshipment dock allowed produce such as the Staffordshire Potteries output to be shipped along the Trent & Mersey Canal to this transhipment dock. Here goods could be shipped across the River Mersey for export around the world. This would have proven much cheaper and faster than road haulage with associated breakage. The museum have recreated the interiors of a row of terraced houses to reflect the living accommodation of the workers from the 19th century to the mid 20th century and these are fascinating in themselves..
Details of the rock art station 'Vente Bourbon 3' found by D. Caldwell around 2014 (published 2015) - one of many important new and pristine stations found in the forest of Fontainebleau.
From the remains of the homo erectus Terra Amata abris/tent in Nice up into the medieval ages: proto abris-tent to frame tent - portable hut. Covered in raw hide, greased leather or woven material, a tent can be packed away and re-positioned at speed and without the unknowns that come with the need to look for thatch.
Both post 'transport dragon' and aside, the tent that is today referred to as a Canadian tent (triangular with poles) is in truth from a wide geographical range. Simple triangular tents with either vertical poles, possibly with a ridgepole or even side frames, were regularly documented from early medieval finds and manuscripts. Nordic and Viking finds offer further details and the simple form will have ornamented through into prehistory.
Square box tents and tents with central poles simply add to the range of imaginative solutions each with a pro and a con.
Whilst there is little in the schematic rock art lines to strongly suggest tents, the interpretation of the adjacent schematic stage (see below) seems to be, in my mind, solid. A stage suggests other activities of rite or festivity, and one by one interpretations for other glyphs are suggested (see asociated posts below). Festivities were often on rises or fields aside villages. Temporary tent villages for persons following flocks or logging, or temporary festive sites drawn towards lyrical and 'meaningful' monoliths, or clandestine celebrations behind the backs of authoritarian clergy - these are all potential narratives.
The small scale of the 'glyphs' might suggest a date where the influence of writing and runes is apparent, which may suggest a date between the iron age and the early medieval. Late neolithic, chalcolithic and bronze age dates cannot be excluded, but weathering rates on the fine sandstone edges needs to be found. To respect a wide calibration, I have tried to draw the tents in a way that might evoke both leather or woven material.
There are some words that say everything and nothing: 'it', 'truc', 'thing'... An equivalent in rock art would be a mark that signifies something, with the context assigning the final definition. In the context of a stage and a tent, a 'dot' may be a person, in the context of a boundary line with an image of oxen pulling a plough, the same dot may be a 'seed'. Today people do not like to be refereed to as an 'it', or worse still, a 'thing' - but t can happen.
If dots are people in tents, then there is one tent that has a dot with a tail. The same 'tent' also has lines or 'streamers' attached. If the general scene is a proto or historical schematic visualisation of a festival (May day or Solstice) then there should be a tent that holds the 'May Queen' or other persons of significance. Going to see the 'May Queen' may be the line to the 'dot' and the lines of decoration may be either from the tent down to the ground, or as decorative lines of significance and ornamentation on the ground surface itself. This tent may also be aside a path into the site (see the two lines to the right of the said triangle), and an alternative explanation might be that people are verified at this tent before entering the festivities - and here the lines may even be projected queues of people.
AJM 04.02.20