View allAll Photos Tagged begining
Ambassador David Friedman attend an event in honor of Israel’s 70th anniversary with Prime Minister Netanyahu and participate in a distinguished panel discussion on Israel’s foreign relations over the years at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center, Jerusalem April 23, 2018
Photo credit: Matty Stern/U.S. Embassy Tel Aviv
Its too early !
Minutes before the sun rose, DEMU bound for pernem makes it way through the silent village of Karwar.
God's yearly masterpiece called autumn begins here in the wetlands.
I will be back later today to visit.
The abbey of Alet begins in 970 with its first abbot, Benoît. Very little, if anything, remains from the Carolingian church built for those beginnings. The one we can still see today, however in ruin, was built from 1096 (a duly recorded papal visit kicked off the construction) and the community then adopted the Benedictine rule.
The abbey was, in spite of some internal disputes and of various attempts made by local nobility at controlling its affairs and its abbots, successful and powerful, when a very strange fate befell it. Towards the end of the 13th century, Pope John XXII, assessing that the archbishopric of Narbonne was much too large to be effectively managed, divided it into three new bishoprics. Alet was included in that of Limoux, and the local church of Saint Martin in that town was promoted as the new cathedral. However, the nuns of the abbey of Prouilhe, to whom Saint Martin was the abbey church, challenged the Pope’s ruling in court, putting forward, among other arguments, that that church had been given to their abbey by Saint Dominic himself. The Pope lost the law suit and consequently decided to move the bishopric from Limoux to Alet. Thus, in 1318, the abbey church of Alet also became a cathedral, and the monks did not oppose this ruling as their fellow sisters had done in Limoux.
The church lived on that double life until 1600. During the Wars of Religion, in 1577, it had been severely damaged by the Protestants and the roof, in particular, had been largely destroyed. A substitute cathedral was set up in the vestiges of the abbey outbuildings, and shortly before the French Revolution, the last of the 35 bishops of Alet sold what remained of the walls a few weeks before his bishopric was joined to that of Carcassonne, effectively ceasing to exist. The monks, who had already made the wrong choice of allegiance during the Albigensian Crusade in the early 1200s and had been since then suspiciously regarded by the Church, scattered.
The abbey church and cathedral of Alet, or what was left of it, was listed as a Historic Landmark in 1860, but restoration works did not begin until 1903. In the meantime, construction of a new road had amputated four of the five Gothic radiating apsidioles. Only one remains today.
The eastern part of the church, seen from the town’s cemetery. The building you see on the right is the only radiating chapel left from the Gothic enlargement project, what was left of the rest of the Gothic choir and apse having been sacrificed to make way for the road that runs right beyond.
Being a Thursday, the day begins, after a coffee, with me going to the gym.
I am keen.
I am keen to have normal feet and legs, and losing my belly, so that I dare not miss a session.
I have a long way to go, but now that most of my current clothes are hanging off, its time to search the attic for something slightly, for now, smaller.
Obviously, when I joined the RAF I was a racing snake. Three years previously I had lost lots of weight, then in the year prior to joining I ran at least a mile and a half most days. This was to pass the fitness test, which involved said mile and a half run and completing it in under eleven minutes.
To get into by collection of (music) tour t shirts from the 80s is a (impossible) dream.
Anyway, I cycled round another Spanish hilltop town for forty minutes whilst listening to a podcast until the end, then back home for breakfast and prepare to go out.
Out as it was a glorious sunny day, and we would be visiting two churches inland from Sandwich, one of which, Nonington, I had not visited for a decade.
There was supposed to be a coffee morning there, so the church should have been open.
A short blast up the A2 to Barham, then off past Womenswold and Woolage, and out across the fields to the only coal pit still standing in Kent: Snowdon.
Its ruinous, and the miner's institute has been flattened for housing, of course, but most of the buildings are there, slowly falling to pieces.
And then to Nonington, along the narrow Church Road which leads to the church, and for a change there is a good parking area beside it.
And surrounding the church are chocolate box pretty houses and cottages, so I snap my favourite. Again.
But no other cars.
We walk to the porch, find the door unlocked, so go in, and find no one there. No coffee morning. No cakes.
But I can get shots of the glass and memorials.
One thing missing was the "Two Roads" stone that used to stand at the entrance to the churchyard, a remarkable thing, but now gone, nor could I find it elsewhere.
There was some new glass: the coat of arms for both Sweden and Finland, but no Denmark. These had been hung in front of a plain window using what looked like fishing line.
We leave, and the next stop is at Staple.
A little known village, but with a fine church, St James the Great, and with several mosaics inside, which are well worth seeing.
It was a ten minute drive to Staple over more fields and through beechwoods carpeted in golden leaves just asking to be kicked, and to the church.
Would this be open?
Jools tried the door, but no luck. I went up, and pulled then pushed, and the ancient door swung open.
A new information display had been set up, and on it for the font, it claimed that the font had been especially made in Suffolk for the church.
To me this seemed odd.
The font was no doubt ancient, but to ship such a thing from Suffolk, and how would it be ordered?
It is no doubt East Anglian, and was there when Hasted visited at the end of the 18th century, even if his description was brief.
The glass is splendid, as is the mosaics, so snap them all again.
And we were done.
Last call was to the butcher in Preston. Not far I thought.
We followed the road out to what I thought was Ash, but was in fact Wingham. So, down the main road to Sandwich, turn off at the bottom of the hill, and straight on for Preston.
I am greeted warmly, and tell the boys I have a huge freezer to fill, so buy a beef roasting joint, a large steak for us to share at some point, minted lamb steaks, teriyaki chicken breasts and two not pork pies, but chicken pies. Locally made and raised.
Then back in the car to home, back past Perry Corner and Nash to Ash and then onto the Sandwich bypass to home. Taking it easy, as I'm an old retired bloke these days.
Once back home we have lunch, and then settle down for a relaxing afternoon.
It was cool enough to have the heating on as the sun sank low in the west requiring us to have the table lamp on.
We dined on crispy breaded haddock, Moroccan spiced rice with preserved fruit and the last of the season's steamed corn.
And then there was football to watch. England, already qualified for next year's World Cup, were playing Serbia at Wembley.
It was a poor game, lots of misplaced passes, but England ran out 2-0 winners and the crowd went home happy.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The greater part of this pretty church is fourteenth century, although some of the walling of the tower is probably Saxon. The font is fifteenth century and has good relief carving of the Four Evangelists supported by a variety of wild men of the woods! The chancel displays a low side window of rare lancet design (there is a mass dial outside). The church tower has a one-handed clock with a dial showing a IV instead of the more usual IIII. The church was restored by George Edmund Street in 1868 and it was he who created the pervading atmosphere noticeable today.
www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=Staple
-------------------------------------------
STAPLE.
THE parish of Staple lies north-eastward from Adisham, from which and the rest of the hundred of Downhamford, it is separated entirely by the hundred and parish of Wingham intervening. The manor of Adisham claims over this parish, and at that court a borsholder is chosen for the borough of Staple, which extends over the whole of this parish.
The parish, which is but small, lies in a pleasant healthy country, mostly on high ground. The soil near the village, and towards the stream, is very good corn land, but towards the southern part it is rather poor, and much of it chalky. The village, called Staple-street, consists of about ten houses, having the seat of Groves, and the church near adjoining. Beyond which the parish extends into the vale eastward, as far as Durlock bridge, on the stream which rises at a small distance from it, and runs from hence to Danne-bridge into the Wingham stream. On the high ground, on the opposite side of the valley, is the hamlet of Shatterling, built on the high road leading from Canterbury through Wingham, towards Ash and Sandwich, where the soil becomes very poor, and a deep sand, up to which road the park grounds of Grove extend. On the opposite side of the parish is Crixall house, once a gentleman's seat, but now diminished to the common size of a farm-house. Near it is a piece of healthy ground, called Crixall Rough, with a noted toll of trees on it, a conspicuous object to the surrounding country. There is no woodland in the parish. A fair is held here on the 25th of July, for toys and pedlary.
Groves is a mansion in this parish, which in early times was the residence of a knightly family, called Grove, who in antient deeds were sometimes written at Grove, in which it remained till the reign of king Henry VI. when it devolved by descent to Sir John Grove, who was a great benefactor to the church of St. Peter, in Sandwich, where he lies buried, under a monument, with his effigies at full length on it, and his shield of arms at his side, the bearing on which has been long since obliterated. Soon after which this seat was carried, by a female heir, in marriage to one of the family of St. Nicholas, in which it remained but a small time, for about the latter end of king Edward IV. it was alienated to Quilter, in which name it remained till the middle of queen Elizabeth's reign, when Christopher Quilter, gent. alienated it, together with his interest in the lease of the manor of Down-court, the inheritance of which belonged to the master and fellows of St. John's college, in Cambridge, to Simon Lynch, gent. of Sandwich, whose family was settled at Cranbrooke in the reign of king Henry VI. as appears by several of their wills in the Prerogative-office, Canterbury, and was the first of them who removed to Sandwich, which he represented in parliament in queen Mary's reign, and afterwards to this seat of Groves, on his purchase of it, and added much to the buildings of it; in whose descendants, who resided at Grove, and were buried in the Grove chancel, in this church, this seat continued down to John Lynch, esq. of Groves, who was colonel of the militia, and kept his shrievalty in 1714 at this seat, where he died in 1733, having married Sarah, daughter of Francis Head, esq. of Rochester, who died in child bed of her nineteenth child in 1710. Of them, there survived to maturity only two sons and five daughters, the former were John and George, the latter of whom was M. D. of Canterbury, of whom more will be mentioned hereafter, under Ripple. John Lynch, the eldest son, was of Groves, and was S. T. P. and among other preferments became dean of Canterbury. He died in 1760, and was buried in the Groves chancel. He married Mary, youngest surviving daughter of archbishop Wake, by whom he had two sons and five daughters, viz. William, of whom hereafter; John LL. D. now prebendary and archdeacon of Canterbury, and unmarried. Ethelreda, married to Thomas Hey, A. M. rector of Wickham Breaus; Sarah, to William Tatton, D. D. prebendary of Canterbury and York; Mary, to Sir Thomas Hanham, bart. Catherine, first to Henry knight, esq. and secondly to John Norris, esq. and Hester-Elizabeth, all since deceased. Wm. Lynch, esq. the eldest son, resided at Groves, served twice in parliament for the city of Canterbury, was made a knight of the bath, a privy counsellor, and envoy extraordinary to the court of Turin. He married Mary, eldest daughter and coheir of Edward Coke, esq. of Canterbury, by whom he had no issue. He bore for his arms, Sable, three lynxes rampant, proper. To which were granted supporters, Two lynxes, proper. Sir William Lynch made great improvements to this seat, building two wings to it, and adding an entire new front of stucco to the whole; besides which, he made extensive plantations, and new laid out the grounds adjoining, in the form and stile of a park. In the house is a small, but valuable collection of good pictures. Sir William Lynch died abroad in 1785, possessed of this seat of Groves, together with the lease of the manor of Down court, and by will devised them, with the rest of his estates, to his widow lady Lynch, who is the present owner of Groves, at which she resides, and is the present lessee likewise of Down-court.
The manor of Crixall, or more properly Crickshall, and in some antient deeds written Crickleadhall, is an estate in the southern part of this parish, which had once the family of Brockhull as proprietors of it, and they possessed it till the 28th year of king Edward I. and then it was settled upon a daughter of it; but whether she carried it by marriage or not to Wadham, a family which I find were possessed of it about the latter end of Edward III.'s reign, cannot be discovered. However that be, William Wadham, as appears by an antient pedigree of the family of Fogge, lived in the reigns of king Henry IV. V. and VI. during which he was a justice of the peace for Somerseshire, and was possessed of this estate, which he left to his son and heir Sir Nicholas Wadham, whose daughter and heir, about the reign of king Edward IV. married Sir Wm. Fogge, and entitled him to the possession of this manor, which he lest to his son Sir John Fogge, of Repton, in Ashford, comptroller and treasurer of the houshold to king Edward IV. and a privy counsellor. He died in the 6th year of king Henry VII. anno 1490, and by his will devised this manor to his son Thomas Fogge, being his only son by his second wife. He was afterwards knighted, and was sergeant porter of Calais, in both the reigns of king Henry VII. and VIII. in the first year of which latter reign, he alienated this manor to Ralph Banister, from which name, before the reign of queen Elizabeth, it passed by sale to Tucker, one of whose descendants sold it to Omested, and John Omested, at the latter end of that reign passed it away to William Smith, who in king James I.'s reign alienated it to Dr. Martin Fotherby, prebendary of Canterbury, and afterwards made bishop of Salisbury. He was son of Martin Fotherby, of Great Grimsby, in Lincolnshire, and younger brother of Dr. Charles Fortherby, dean of Canterbury. He died in 1620, and was succeeded by his son Thomas Fotherby, esq. of Crickshall, who lest one son Thomas, and a daughter Priscilla, married to William Kingsley, esq. of Canterbury, the eldest grandson of archdeacon Kingsley. Thomas Fotherby, gent. the son, resided here, and died in 1710, s. p. Upon which it came to Anthony Kingsley, gent. of London, youngest son of William, by his wife Priscilla above-mentioned, whose three sons, Anthony, M. D. Thomas, and Charles, successively became possessed of it, and on the death of the latter, in 1785, it descended to his eldest son Charles Kingsley, esq. of Lymington, and afterwards of Canterbury, where he died in 1786, and his infant son, of the same name, is now, by settlement, entitled to the inheritance of it. A court baron is held for this manor.
There was a family of the name of Omer, called likewife Homer, which had constantly resided in this parish, their mansion being in Staple-street, for upwards of four hundred years, as appears by old courtrolls wills, and other evidences. (fn. 1) The last of them who resided here, was Laurence Omer, gent. who died about the year 1661, leaving an only son Charles, who died unmarried; their burial-place was in this church-yard, and there are now two of their tombs remaining there, one of which is much adorned with sculpture, but the inscriptions are nearly obliterated, only there can be read on the latter, the name Omer, alias Homer.
There are no parochial charities. The poor constantly maintained are about thirty-four, casually twenty.
This parish is within the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the diocese of Canterbury, and deanry of Bridge.
¶The church, which is exempt from the jurisdiction of the archdeacon, is dedicated to St. James, and confirst of two isles and two chancels, having a tower steeple at the west end, in which are four bells. The church is remarkably long and low. The south isle and chancel are upon the same level, nor is there any separation between them. On the sides of the chancel are rails, very low, about two feet from the wall, very unusual. In the north isle is a vault for the family of Terry, in which the late Terry Marsh, esq. of Canterbury, who died in 1789, is buried; and on the pavement are several memorials of them. The font is antient, of stone, an octagon, with emblematical carved figures. The north chancel is the Groves chancel, having a circular roof, adorned with painting. One half of the east part of it was made into a vault by dean Lynch, for himself and family, in which himself, his wife, Sir William Lynch, K. B. his eldest son, Mrs. Tatton, her husband and son, and his youngest daughter Hester-Elizabeth, lie buried. In this chancel are several monuments for this family. In the east window of it there are the arms of Lynch, with quarterings. By some small remains in the windows there seems to have been good painted glass formerly in them. In the church-yard are several tombs for the Terreys; and two for the Omers, as has been mentioned before.
This church was always accounted as a chapel to the church of Adisham, and continues so at this time. It is as such valued with that church in the king's books. There is now a vicarage-house and some glebe belonging to the rector of Adisham, as vicar of it.
Day 2 of The Indy KA500 and After a Fantastic First Day of Racing and Celebrations now is where the Real Hard Work Begins as The Entire Field of 46 KA'S were in the Garages with Drivers Teams and Engineers at The Ready as they were about to tackle 8 Hours of the Indy Circuit.
With an 8 Hour Race anything can Happen and with such a Large Field of Cars a lot of Overtakes and Careful Navigation will be Required to Ensure Victory.
With The Start of The Race About to get underway Its Time to See Who will be able to Hold out the Longest and Take the Title of IndyKa500 Endurance Champion for 2021.
Hour 1 (11:04AM)
As The Field of 46 KA'S Completed the Formation Lap and Slowly made their way Towards the Start Finish Straight The Lights went Green and at Exactly 11:04AM the Race Had Begun.
Racing Down Towards Paddock Hill Bend it was The KA of Team (IP Racing's Adam Blair Scott Parkin Oliver Wilmot and Mark Witherington) Who took the Lead Followed Closely by Team (Octane Junkies Adam Smith Martyn Smith and Bazza Ward) in Second Place and Team (Alex Read Motorsport's Chris Reade Sam Luke's Carlito Miracco and Luke Read) in Third Place as they Thundered Up the Hill Towards The Tops of Druids and Back Down Again through Bottom Bend where Team (Ferguson Motorsport's Damon Astin Billy Ferguson Joe Ferguson and Daniel Ferguson) took the Lead from (Octane Junkies) before Flying Around The Track to Complete Lap 1 of 500.
As The Cars came Round Paddock for The Second Time The KA of (Ferguson Motorsport) Now Leads by a Heathy Margin While Further Back (IP Racing) and (Octane Junkies) Have A Fantastic Scrap over Second Place with The Two of Them Swapping The Lead Over and Over again. Car Number 55 of (Al Most Racers Alistair Hardie Alistair McDonald Lee Conway and Will Denny) was Seen Getting Air of The Inside Curb on the Exit of Paddock Hill Bend making for a Spectacular Sight.
Hour 2 (11:54AM)
Hour 2 and All 46 KA'S are Still Alive and Well with Each Driver Pushing Hard to Maintain their Advantage as the Tyres Begin to Warm Up and Start to Grip the Track More.
KA Number 56 Team (Hard And Enthusiastic Martyn Dilworth Mark Figes and Mike Hickey) are Locked in a Tight Battle at The Top of Paddock Hill Bend with KA Number 27 Team (Semprini Racing's Jeremy Evans James Hart Phil Hart and William Puttergill) as they Fight it Out Between the Two Cars for a Position.
Further Down the Field KA Number 23 Team (Kastrol's Michael Keegan Tim Keegan and David Murfitt) is Having its Own Battle with KA Number 4 of Team (Alex Read Motorsport) as The Two Teams Have a Go at One Another Thought the Course of The Lap trying Hard to Hold onto that Position they Worked so Hard for.
Another Battle at Paddock is the KA Number 3 of Team (Wingdat Racing's Andy Chapman Jonathan Barret and Wayne Jackson) Having to Fend off The KA Number 16 of Team (M and D Racing's Alex Martin Daniel Martin Tony Perfect and Mathew Rowling) as they Also were Looking to be in an Intense Battle Thought the Lap with Many Other Teams and Drivers Now Settling into a Rhythm. at The Endo f The Second Hour The KA't Mobile Number 49 of Team (LDR Performance Tuning's David Bywater Adrian Clarke Andy Grear Hardy and Sammy Bryan) is Seen Making its way Through Paddock Hill Bend and Through the Gravel Trap but Manages to Get Out Unaided and Safely.
At 12:12PM a Huge and Very Loud Crash is Heard at The Bottom of Paddock Hill Bend and Seen Rowling Through The Gravel Trap and Ending up on its Wheels is the KA Number 3 of Team (Windgat Racing) Bringing out the First Safety Car of The Endurance Race. Lucky The Driver was Fine and After a Few Minutes Due to The Recovery Taking Place they Are Back out in the Race But with a Lot of Catching Up to do.
Hour 3 (13:08PM)
With the Safety Car Now in the Race gets Back Underway and Already each Driver was Pushing Even Harder trying to either Create a Gap or Make Up for Lost Time Due to The Safety Car Intervention.
At The Top of Paddock Hill Bend a Fierce Battle is Taking Place Between the Two Teams of KA Number 13 and KA Number 155 Team (Deranged Motorsport's Jason Pelosi Josh Larkin and Alex Kelby) and Team (JRS's Nick Walker Alex Day and William Foster) as they Duel Thought the Whole of Paddock Hill Bend Starting at The Top and Still Keeping the Fight Going Right Up towards Druids in The End Deranged Motorsport Wins Out and Takes The Position Away from JRS.
At 13:24PM The Fighting Between each Team Continues at The Top of Paddock Hill Bend which is Proving to be the Best Overtaking Area as Each Car has Only 73 Break Horse Power so Carrying as Much Speed as Possible from the Main Straight Towards Paddock is Essential for a Successful Overtake.
Team (Piston Heads Peter Dignan Oliver Lewis Benjamin Lowden and Sam Sheehan) Battles it out with Team (LDR Performance Tuning's Laurence Davey Mike Paul James Parker and Glen Copeland) as The Two Cars Do Battle for All to See with Team LDR Taking The Position Away.
At 13:39PM A Set of 4 KA's are Seen Fighting Their Way up Towards Druids with All Four Teams not Giving up the Fight as they Swap Positions Relentlessly with not One Driver Willing to Give Up his Position.
The 98 55 53 and 13 All Really Having a Good Go at One Another Thought their Fight. As The Sun Starts its Slow Dissent Down Over The Hills and Valleys that Surround The Circuit Bottom Bend was Providing Some More Opportunities for Drivers to do Battle with One Another. A Four way Fight Between KA's Number 56 51 44 and 64 was Occurring with Number 56 Holding Strong at The Front of This Fight and Leading them on Towards Clearways.
Finally at 13:48PM An Epic Battle Between KA's Number 64 and 44 was Witnessed Through Bottom Bend with The Likes of The Number 64 Bouncing a Wheel Into The Air as The Car Took the Tight Racing Line making for an Amazing Picture and a Superb bit of Car Control To Keep that KA Pointing The Right Way.
Hour 4 (14:02PM)
The Fourth Hour and Pit Stops and Driver Changes were Imminent with Many Teams Choosing to Go into The Pits to Change Both Drivers and Top Up the Fuel as Well as Change Tyres if Necessary. Every Team was Running to a Different Strategy Depending Upon the Amount of Drivers they Had with Teams of Four Drivers Taking 2 Hours in the Car Each While Teams of Three or Less would Have to Take on Longer Stints of 3 To Maybe Even 4 Hours in the Car Hoping that Having to do Fewer Driver Changes would Mean they could make Up The Difference on Track.
Back on The Track at 14:02PM More Battles were Commencing Through Pilgrims Drop With KA's Number 81 Team (GM Performance's Gary Mitchell and Ian Mitchell) Going Head to Head with KA Number 46 Team (JDC Motorsport's Stu Neal Andy Gaugler and Simon Walker Hensell) with The KA of GM Performance Narrowly Taking The Place From JDC Motorsport on the Run towards Clearways.
At 14:20PM a Fantastic Battle Between KA Number's 18 100 127 3 55 and 115 was Seen as they Powered their Way onto Clearways with 155 Leading Followed by 55 and 3 127 100 and 18 All Slowly Gaining Ground to the Two Leading KA's at The Front of This Train.
Shortly After This Train of Cars Came Through Another Train of 5 KA's was not Far Behind this Time Being Lead by Number 13 Deranged Motorsport with 131 (Team Viking's Mark Holme Harry Nunn and Nick Nunn) Then came Number 4 Alex Read Motorsport with 98 Piston Heads and 41 (Rowe Rage Motorsport's Alex Butler Greg Caswell Jason Handcock and Sam Rowe) As they All Fought Hard to Catch One Another Thought their Fight.
KA's Number 98 4 and 64 were Also Seen at 14:48PM Having a Really Good Three Way Fight with 64 and 98 Side by Side down Pilgrims Drop with The Number 4 Car Closing Fast.
At 14:54PM A Final Battle was Seen on the Run Up Towards Clearways with The KA's of Number 60 (Powerflex's David Power Paul Cowland and Dom David) Battling Hard with KA's Number 7 (G and B Finch's Joe Bragg Lee Finch Steve Finch Benjamin Smith and Arthur Thurtle) and Number 127 (Fat Boys Racing's Charlie Jackson and Matt Pinny) with The Number 7 KA Leading The Trio On Towards Clearways as The Sun Began to Set.
Hour 5 (15:25PM)
The Fith Hour and a Swarm of KA's were Seen Storming Down the Main Straight towards Paddock Hill Bend with the Number 131 Car of (Team Viking) in the Lead by Some Distance Followed by Number 64 125 18 81 and 155 as they All Made their Way Towards Paddock for another Chance at an Overtake.
Another Battle Followed Closely Behind with KA Numbers 11 18 49 and 111 All Fighting as Well in order to Maintain or Improve their Positions as The Race Went on.
At 15:28PM The Safety Car was Out again While Another KA Somewhere on Track was Being Recovered and The Leading car Number 36 IP Racing's (Adam Blair Scott Parkin Oliver Wilmot and Mark Witherington's Lead Evaporates as the Field is Once again Bunched up.
Behind Them are KA's Number 44 (Mini Challenges Max Coates Dominic Wheatley Lewis Saunders and Dan Zelos) Looking to Make a More Once the Safety Car Period Ends The 14 of (Frugal Racing) and 51 of (Barwell Autosport's Taylor Norton Kamran Tunio Ryan Brinsted and Kester Cook) Also Looking to Take the Lead of This Endurance Race.
At 15:36PM The Car that Had Caused The Safety Car was Seen Being Recovered into the Outer Garage Area where cars are Held Before the Start of Each Race. KA Number 46 (JDC Motorsport) Had Made Contact Somewhere on the Circuit and Looked to Have a Broken Front Left Steering Arm with the Wheel Being Completely Bend Backwards into The Car with the Car Heading Back to the Garage for Repairs Before Rendering The Race Quite a Few Laps Down.
15:38PM and The Two KA's of Positive Motorsport's Andrew Rogerson Samuel Rendon and Ryan Frith Battle it Out with Number 13 Deranged Motorsport Through Westfield Towards Dingle dell with The Number 13 Beautifully Sweeping Around the Outside to Take The Position Away.
Another Battle was Seen at 15:38PM with (Alex Read Motorsport) Number 4 Battling Number 64 (Auto Teach Motorsport's Reece Kellow Andrew Howell Luca Ataccini Anzanello and Megan) through Westfields Side by Side on Towards Dingle dell.
Finally at 15:57PM Another KA Had Fallen Victim to an Issue with the Number 23 Car of (PSR's Carl Beresford Russel Danzey Tom Gilbert and Jack Wood) Being Taken on the Back of the Recovery Truck to The Garages for Repairs Before Going back Out into The Race as Night Began to Fall Upon The Indy Circuit.
Hour 6 (16:15PM)
As The Light Slowly began to Fade Away from the Indy Circuit Many Drivers were Now starting to use their Headlights as The Lighting Conditions got Darker and Darker as Time went by.
At 16:15PM A Massive Group of Cars came Flying Down Through Paddock Hill Bend with KA Number 55 Al Most Racers on the Inside Line 127 Fat Boys Racing on the Middle Line and 39 Kameleon Racing's Chris Bright Richard Cox Steve Goldsmith and Leigh Youles Michael on the Outside Line as they Fought their way Through the Bend and Up Towards Druids.
At 16:21PM Piston Heads Racing KA Number 98 was Seen Leading another Group of Cars Through Paddock Hill Bend with Numbers 41 52 33 and 2 All Fighting for Places as they Came Towards Paddock Hill Bend.
16:24PM and The Paddock Hill Bend Gravel Trap Claims Another Victim This Time the Number 131 KA of Team Viking Had Ended up Taking a Trip Through it Before a Half Spin Left Him Facing the Marshalls Post Opposite before Returning to the Track after Losing a Few Places. Recovery Teams set to work Once Again with The Safety Car Being Called into Action for The Third Time.
16:40PM and at The Top of Paddock Hill Bend a Three way Fight Becomes a Two Way Fight as The Number 127 KA of Fat Boys Racing Goes for a Spin after Trying to Get a Run on the Number 19 KA of LDR Performance Tuning with The Number 14 Car of Frugal Racing Just Narrowly Missing The Spinning Car.
16:42PM and a Final Intense Battle Between the Number 44 KA and The Number 1 KA of Burton Power Racing's Andy Burton Kyle Sagar Tom Valentine and Sammy Venables as They Fight Hard to try and Take that Position away from Mini Challenge to Round off The 6th Hour.
Hour 7 (16:50PM)
The Seventh Hour and at The Bottom of Surtees a Massive Crash is Heard as The KA's of Number 42 The K Teams (Paul Simmons Edward Simmons Glen Woodbridge Damo) is Seen Running off Track with Number 13 Deranged Motorsport Onto The Grass and Number 81 GM Performance Being Spun Out Trying to Avoid The Carnage in Front. All Drivers Okay and They Get back on Track and Continue on As Day Turns into Night.
17:02PM and a Top of Druids The Ka's of Number 72 Misty Racings (Adam Bonham and Simon Bonham) are Fighting Hard to Keep their Position from the Number 49 Car of LDR Performance Tuning as well as Number 7 of G and B Finch Trying to Find a Way Through on the Outside of Druids. The 98 of Piston Heads is also Closing in by This Stage with Headlights A Blaze.
17:05PM and Coming Towards Druids is a Sea of KA's All With Headlights A Blaze as they Fight for Positions Cars Number 60 3 19 and 39 All in Different Positions and Yet Still Fighting to try and Gain an Advantage that Could Swine this Endurance Race in Any of the Teams Favours. Further Back 127 and 140 Are Doing Battle on the Run Up Towards Druids.
17:09PM Once Again Another Battle at Druids This Time its The Trio of Number 127 36 and 60 That are All Trying to Better One Another in their Attempt to Gain a Place with Number 36 IP Racing Leading The Way.
17:14PM One Final Battle is Seen Coming Up towards Druids with The Number's 18 44 55 and 2 Fighting it Out Number 2 Kastrol's Has The Lead of This Group of Cars with Blazing Bright Headlights to Aid the Drivers Around The Circuit.
17:27PM and Now Darkness was Everywhere Making Visibility Very Difficult and Yet this did not Stop the Likes of Cars Number 128 JTR's Eliot Mason Nick Tandy David Mason and James Rhodes from Battling with Car Number 16 M and D Racing's Alex Martin Daniel Martin Tony Perfect and Mathew Rowling. In a Daring Move in the Pitch Black Darkness The Two Cars Go Side by Side Trying to Gain One over The Other Before JTR's Takes The Inside Line and The Position.
17:30PM Another Daring Battle is Captured Between The Number 180 Car of (Shine Auto motive's Colin French Mathew Eldridge and Wayne Clelland) and Number 44 (Mini Challenge's Max Coates Dominic Whitely Lewis Saunders and Dan Zelos) Defending The Outside Line as Best as they Can but Ultimately Shine Automotive Makes their way Through.
17:51PM A KA is Seen Flying Down Through The Bottom of Druids and into a Cloud of Dust Caused by Another KA Going off The KA is Just Barely Visible Showing The Dangers of what can Happen at Night When Visibility Becomes Low or Obstructed. Other KA's Soon Followed Through the Dust Cloud as Well with Many Backing off Slightly In case a Car was Stuck out on The Track but Thankfully All was Good as Hour 7 Ended.
Hour 8 (17:56PM) (THE FINAL HOUR)
The FINAL Hour of The 8 Hour Indy KA 500 and With Every Driver Now Getting into a Rhythm it was Up to Each Teams Last Driver to Strap in and Go for it to the Checkered Flag. However not All had gone to Plan for every Driver as The Number 29 KA of LDR Performance Tuning Found Out Slipping into the Gravel and Costing Them a Ridge Back to the Pits for Repairs with Less than 1 Hour to go.
18:00PM and The Number 2 KA of Kastrol's was Captured Racing Through Paddock Hill Bend During The Night Pushing Incredibly Hard to Ensure a Good Top 25 Finnish in the Points with Headlights Illuminating their way Around Paddock Hill Bend as The Car Flew Through The Bend.
18:30PM The Safety Car was Out for The Last Time During The Race and was Captured Leading a whole Train of KA's Through Pilgrims Drop and Onto Clearways with Each Driver Poised and Ready to Get Going Once the Safety Car Had Come In.
19:07PM An Amazing Sight to Behold with Just 15 Minutes Left on the Clock a Huge Rush of KA's Flooded their way Down The Main Straight and Past The Start Finnish Straight with Headlights on Full Beam to Aid in Visibility. The Number 8 KA Leads The way in This Group of Cars with The Number 18 CHR Hoonikan Car of Stratton MacKay Dave Mayer and Paul Robson Closing in Behind.
19:09PM And The Green Flag is Dropped for The Final Time as The Safety Car Comes into the Pitlane All 44 Remaining KA's Race Towards Druids with the Field so Bunched up this is Anyone's Race to both Win or Lose at This Stage.
The Number 42 KA of The K Teams Paul Simmons Edward Simmons and Glen Woodbridge Damo takes off Leading from Number 20 A Reeve's Motorsport Aron Reeve Stuart Lane and Andy Godfrey while The Number 127 of Fat Boys Racing Chases Them Down into a Nail Biting Finnish at The Centre of The Field.
19:13PM A Group of Six KA's are Captured Having an Intense Battle with Only 5 Minutes Left to Run The Likes of KA Number 127 36 and 128 All Putting Up One Hell of a Good Fight in The Closing Stages of The Endurance Race with Some Drives Having Driven for 4 Hours Straight.
19:21PM and after 8 Hours of Continuous Racing and 5 KA's Out of The Race The Checkered Flag was Ready and Waiting as The Number 81 KA of GM Performance's Gary Mitchell and Ian Mitchell Takes the Victory at The 2021 8 Hour Indy Car 500!!!! Followed Closely by The Number 72 Car Misty Racing's Adam Bonham and Simon Bonham in Second Place with KA Number 14 Frugal Racing's Jim McDougal Callum McDougal Mike Marais and Leon Bidgeway Taking Third Place.
A Huge Congratulations to The Overall Top Three Winners and to All of the other Teams and Competitors for Showing some Incredible Racing To End of The 2021 Motorsport Season. From
Historic Formula 1 to Classic Touring Cars To The Indy KA 500 This Season Has been One of The Best to Date.
See You All Again Next Year Where We Will do it All Over Again.
Where to even begin with this guy...well, too many hours went into him, I can say that for starters. This is my interpretation of the "Ultimate" Optimus Prime, although he doesn't have an alt mode, this custom has countless articulation (literally, I am too lazy to count it all) and other cool stuff. There are 10 LED lights on this custom. all with accessible batteries.
Here's the list of modifications and extras :
- Custom built hands each with articulated wrists and 10 points of articulation
- 2 interchangable heads via ball joint socket, including the "Ultimate" battle mask, with clear visor
- Each head "plugs" into a working blue LED light
- Custom built wings which can be positioned/spread
- Custom jetpack with red light up LEDs
- Sound/voice chip including a handful of power-up noises and phrases like "I am Optimus Prime"
- Custom thrusters (not jetpack) with another pair of working red LEDs
- Custom fit "Dark of the Moon" abs and torso
- Custom rear-view mirrors on chest
- Hand painted and pin-striped flames with fade
- Removable/snap-on energon swords (each with light up red LED light)
- Custom built gun, snaps into forearm, with light up red LED light)
- Custom waist area armor, with swivel side parts
- Legs include articulation at upper thigh (allowing swivel outwards)
- Feet on strong, tight ball joints
- Gatling guns on both forearms, with ammo belts
- Towers at 12" / 30.5 cm tall
- Weighs 35.8 oz, 2.2 lbs!
The turbulent Wallowa River as it rushes between steep hills.
The Wallowa River begins at the confluence of its east and west forks and flows generally northwest through the Wallowa Valley in Northeastern Oregon. From the confluence of the Minam and Wallowa Rivers at Minam, Oregon, to its confluence with the Grande Ronde River, the Wallowa is the gateway to the Wild and Scenic Grande Ronde River. Approximately 10 miles in length, the river is classified as recreational. It offers incredible fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and floatboating, as well as a state park for camping.
On July 25, 1996 the Wallowa became the 160th—and Oregon's 46th—river to be designated as wild and scenic. The Wallowa joined Joseph Creek and the Minam, Lostine, Wenaha and the Grande Ronde Rivers as designated wild and scenic rivers within the Grande Ronde Basin.
The Wallowa was protected through Section 2(a)(ii) of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, by which the Secretary can designate a river wild and scenic at the request of a governor, provided the river: 1) already has state protection; 2) has resources important to the nation; and 3) can be managed by the state to protect those resources. Under Section 2(a)(ii) designation, the Wallowa River remains in local and state management. This provision of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act specifically precludes federal acquisition or management, except for those lands already in the public domain, though land exchanges by federal agencies and purchases under other land management plans are allowed. The Bureau of Land Management administers a significant portion of the river corridor.
Designated Reach:
July 23, 1996. The segment of the Wallowa River from the confluence of the Wallowa and Minam Rivers in the hamlet of Minam downstream to the confluence of the Wallowa and the Grande Ronde Rivers.
Classification/Mileage:
Recreational — 10.0 miles; Total — 10.0 miles.
Scenic
The Grande Ronde River and Wallowa River corridors feature an unusual diversity of landforms and vegetation that progress from largely forested vistas to forested stringers – patches of residual pre-fire forest, separated by native bunchgrass slopes. River users see a largely untouched viewshed in the upper river reach, while the lower portion flows through open, grass covered hills with forested pockets and tributary canyons.
Recreation
There are many recreational opportunities on the Grande Ronde and Wallowa Rivers. Those judged to be exceptional in quality include anadromous and resident fishing, floating (rafting, canoeing and kayaking for overnight use), camping and big game viewing and hunting. Visitors are able to enjoy an unusually long float season for a free-flowing river, from ice breakup in the spring to freeze up in the fall. Trips offer a rare multiple day float for those with beginner and intermediate skills.
The primary launch site for the Wallowa and Grande Ronde rivers, as well as the Bureau of Land Management's River Station, is located on state lands at Minam on the Wallowa River. Additional access points include Mud Creek, Troy and Boggan's Oasis. Primitive campsites along the river are on a first-come, first-served basis. Many portions of the river are roadless and primitive with limited access by vehicles.
Fisheries
The Wallowa River is a nationally renowned sport fishery. The river provides habitat for spring and fall chinook, summer steelhead and rainbow trout. Fishing is excellent even late in the season after the water levels have receded.
Wildlife
The area hosts an exceptional diversity of species, in part because the river corridor provides critical wintering habitat for bighorn sheep, elk, mule deer and whitetail deer. Others contributing to the impressive viewing opportunities include black bears, cougars and mountain goats. The river corridor also serves as a sensitive wintering area for bald eagles.
For more information contact:
Vale District Office
100 Oregon Street
Vale, OR 97918
Phone: 541-473-3144
Fax: 541-473-6213
E-mail: BLM_OR_VL_Mail@blm.gov
Photos: Michael Campbell and Aaron Haselby, BLM
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
Concerning its air force, Argentina had been a very progressive country and one of the first movers on the South American continent. The Air Force's history begins with the establishment of the Army Aviation Service's Escuela de Aviación Militar (Military Aviation School) on 10 August 1912. By the 1940s there were several air units in the Army and the Navy; the first step towards an independent force came on 11 February 1944 with the establishment of the Aeronautical Command, which would go on to become the Argentine Air Force on 4 January 1945, an independent force on par with the Army and the Navy.
One of Argentina’s fighter mainstays was Curtiss’ export model of the Hawk 75H. Basically it had a lower rated Wright Cyclone engine and a non-retractable streamlined main undercarriage. It also lacked the characteristic extra cockpit side windows of the P-36 models. With its non-retractable undercarriage it was also somewhat lighter and easier to maintain than the P-36.
This simplified Hawk 75H model had a larger range than its more powerful ‘sisterships’, but it’s maximum speed was some 50 km/h less than that of the standard P-36. Except for the Model 75H, other export versions with a non-retractable undercarriage were designated as Hawk 75M, N. O and Q.
Argentina bought 29 Hawk 75O’s, intended for rough-field operations and ease of maintenance. An additional 20 were licence-built by Fábrica Argentina de Aviones (F.M.A.) in Argentina in 1940. Also, the Curtiss Hawk 75H demonstrator NR1277 (c/n 12328) was eventually sold to Argentina. Standard armament was one 11.35 mm and three 7.65 mm Madsen light machine guns, plus provision for up to 10 bombs of 30 pounds each on underwing pylons.
By 1942 it was already clear that the Hawk was not a sufficient contender, so Fábrica Argentina de Aviones was requested to develop an indigenous fighter with superior performance to the Hawk.
The result was the I.Ae.26 ‘Aguja’ – a compact fighter aircraft of conventional construction, with an all-metal construction (except for fabric-covered rudders), a retractable landing gear, fully closed cockpit and powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-1830-G “Twin Wasp” radial engine, which was built in license, e. g. for the I.Ae.24 ‘Calquin’ light bomber which was under development in parallel. Overall, the Aguja resembled much the Australian CAC ‘Boomerang’, even though the aircraft were not related at all.
The Aguja made faster progress, though, and the first prototype took into the air on 1st of September 1944 – revealing several flaws like poor directional stability and a landing gear cover design that would flutter and vibrate at certain speeds.
It took until April 1945 and two more prototypes to rectify the problems – by the time the Aguja was already outdated, but the Fuerza Aerea Argentina nevertheless ordered 50 aircraft in order to replace the totally obsolete Hawk 75O fleet, which still was Argentina’s fighter backbone.
Service aircraft received an armament of four fixed 0.5” (12.7mm) machine guns in the wings, as well as underwing hardpoints to carry bundles of light bombs or two bombs of up to 500 lb (227 kg) caliber.
The Aguja was not the quickest aircraft, but it was easy to handle and operate, and it proved to be very agile at low altitude, so that the type was primarily assigned to ground attack duties. The true interceptor role was issued to 30 Fiat G.55As, that were bought from Italy in 1947, together with 15 G.55B trainers – but a year or so later Argentina returned about half of the aircraft to Fiat. Hence, the Agujas had to fill this gap.
Several I.Ae.26s even saw “hot action” and took part of a series of air-to-ground attack missions during the 1955 ‘Revolución Libertadora’.
The vintage Hawks still soldiered on, though - the last Argentinean Hawks remained in active service until November 1954, but some were kept airworthy until the early sixties, when all piston-engined aircraft, including the Aguja, were replaced by jet fighters, e .g. the Gloster Meteor.
General characteristics:
Crew: 1
Length: 27 ft 11 1/2 in (8.53 m)
Wingspan: 31 ft 8 1/2 in (9.68 m)
Height: 12 ft 6 in (3.81 m)
Wing area: 188 ft² (17.5 m²)
Empty weight: 5,373 lb (2,437 kg)
Loaded weight: 7,699 lb (3,492 kg)
Powerplant:
1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp radial engine, 1.200 hp (895 kW)
Performance:
Maximum speed: 305 mph (265 knots, 491 km/h) at 15,500 ft (4,730 m)
Range: 930 mi (810 nm, 1,500 km)
Service ceiling: 29,000 ft (8,800 m)
Rate of climb: 2,940 ft/min (14.9 m/s)
Wing loading: 34.2 lb/ft² (167.1 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.16 hp/lb (256 W/kg)
Armament:
4× 0.5 in (12.7 mm) Browning machine guns,
plus a total ordnance of up to 500 lb under the outer wings
The kit and its assembly
This whif is the result of a totally wrong idea and execution… actually, the Aguya was supposed to become a Japanese IJN fighter, based on an Italeri La-5FN!
But the more I worked on the conversion, the less Japanese it looked, and once all aerodynamic surfaces were modified and the it still looked rather Russian or even American, I decided to drop the IJN idea… and at that point all interior surfaces had already been painted in Aodake Iro! :-/
I tinkered a bit around with the cowling, shortening it, but that did not help. So I looked for a fundamentally new ‘Plan B’ and eventually settled on Argentina as land of origin/conception – and switched the engine to a Twin Wasp from a Matchbox Privateer maritime patrol bomber.
Other ingredients include:
• Propeller, probably from a Fw 190, mated with a spinner from “somewhere else”
• Stabilizers from a Hobby Boss P-39, reduced span
• (Clipped) Tail fin from a Huma Me 309 to match with a…
• Tail rudder from a Heller P-51D
• Main wheels from a Revell Fiat G.50
The Italeri La-5FN’s wing tips were clipped, too, so that all wing surfaces ended up with a square shape – it changes the overall look of the Lavochkin considerably?! But it’s certainly NOT Japanese…
For the rather narrow and oval Twin Wasp instead of the round Shvetsov ASh-82FN the fuselage flanks had to be levelled and the original exhaust slits were faired over. A new exhaust with a flame damper (from a vintage Airfix Bristol Blenheim, maybe 30 years old!) was added under the fuselage.
The neat cockpit was taken OOB, I just added a box behind the seat and a new sight, the pilot was only used for the beauty pics (and the canopy had to be cut into pieces to allow an open position).
Painting and markings
Well, instead of an IJN aircraft something from Argentina… I used the typical I.Ae.24 bomber livery as design benchmark, since I wanted a camouflaged aircraft – these were finished with all-green upper sides (rather a bright, green tone, not a dull olive drab) and light blue undersides, with a wavy waterline. Not really fancy, but I wanted to keep the concept up.
Basic tones are Humbrol 117 (FS 34102) and 65, both were shaded with various tones for some contrast and weathering – the major body sculpting had sucked up a lot of the La-5’s rather delicate raised panel and detail lines.
Decals were puzzled together from various sources. The Argentinian insignia actually belong to a Mirage III (Carpena sheet), the squadron badges are Polish pre-WWII decoration and the codes were made with single decal letters from TL Modellbau and Xtradecal.
Well, a whif which resulted from a total conceptual crash during the WiP. Still, it’s exotic and plausible, since Argentina developed several interesting and progressive aircraft in the 40ies and 50ies, so the Aguja is, in the end, and effective tribute. ;)
and all the colors start to change beneath the light
you might forget that the worlds so sad
you might forget that things are awful bad
and it's alright
regina spektor - "begin to hope"
my remote's showing... :/ that was not intentional, wrong hand haha. oh well. ;) i actually focused this manually with trial and error of taking shots.
The very first signs that greet you coming into the United States from Canada along I-95. Definitely a lot going on here, what with the time zone change, the US/Canada border marker (right in front of the I-95 assembly), and the beginning of the longest and most likely well traveled north-south interstate in the US. Miami, Florida, 1,920 miles straight ahead!
So here's the start of a little something new I wanted to try. Instead of the usual narcissistic portraits I am instead going to try to tell a story of the course of a week. Let's see how it goes.
LIGHTING SETUP-430ex ii in rapidbox in front of me triggered by Yongnuo YN622s Lumopro 160 yellow gelled behind me triggered on slave.
=================================================
Shot on a foggy and rainy day, seems sad but its not really
Dark, dark night.
The trees. The river.
One more day;
For so slow goes the day.
Before the end
the world goes round
once more.
The world begins the day.
The night has gone.
The day for the end of the world
once more begins.
Once more begins the sun;
Slow, so slow.
Go on, world, live.
Begin, sweet sun.
Begin, sweet world.
The people live and die.
People die alive
alive
alive.
-- Lynette Joass, age 12
circa 1975
Photos from Liberty Park on Sunday, October 16, Day 31 of Occupy Wall Street.
Good Magazine: The (Un)Official Occupy Wall Street Photographer's 15 Favorite Frames
The Occupy Wall Street Creative Commons Project
Day 1 September 17 Photos - Preoccupation and Occupation Begins
Day 2 September 18 Photos - People settle in; cardboard sign menage begins
Day 3 September 19 Photos - Community forms; protest signs
Day 7 September 23 Photos - First rain, protest signs, life
Day 8 September 24 Photos - Pepper spray day, Zuni Tikka, people
Day 21 October 6 Photos - Naomi Klein
Day 23 October 8 - Faces of OWS
Day 28 October 13 - Tom Morello of RATM
Day 31 - protesting Chihuahua and The Daily Show
Day 36 - Parents and Kids Day and quite a crowd
Day 40 - protesting hotties, Reverend Billy and tents
Day 43 Photos - Snow storm at OWS of the first NYC winter snowfall
Day 47 - Solidarity with Occupy Oakland
Day 52 November 7 - Jonathan Lethem, Lynn Nottage and Jennifer Egan
Day 53 November 8 - David Crosby and Graham Nash play OWS
Day 57 November 12 - Former NJ Gov. Jim McGreevey
Day 60 November 15 - Police evict protesters from Zuccotti
Occupy Colorado Springs Colorado on November 20
Do you want to see the Occupy Wall Street series laid out thematically? Click here
Some of our guys going to check on the trails first thing on
Opening Day. Let's make it a great season!
Spring has come early to Northern California.
Just last week the oak trees were bare, and now they are putting out leaves like crazy! A storm moved through at sunset presenting a nice comparison between the departing storm and the coming spring.
The Dalí Theatre and Museum Figueres Catalonia Spain
(Catalan: Teatre-Museu Dalí, IPA: [teˈatɾə muˈzɛw ðəˈɫi], Spanish: Teatro Museo Dalí), is a museum of the artist Salvador Dalí in his home town of Figueres, in Catalonia, Spain.
Building
The heart of the museum is the building that housed the town's theater when Dalí was a child, where one of the first public exhibitions of young Dalí's art was shown. The old theater was burned during the Spanish Civil War and remained in a state of ruin for decades. In 1960, Dalí and the mayor of Figueres decided to rebuild it as a museum dedicated to the town's most famous son.
In 1968, the city council approved the plan, and construction began the following year. The architects were Joaquim de Ros i Ramis and Alexandre Bonaterra. The museum opened on September 28, 1974,with continuing expansion through the mid-1980s. The museum now includes buildings and courtyards adjacent to the old theater building.
The museum displays the single largest and most diverse collection of works by Salvador Dalí, the core of which was from the artist's personal collection. In addition to Dalí paintings from all decades of his career, there are Dalí sculptures, 3-dimensional collages, mechanical devices, and other curiosities from Dalí's imagination. A highlight is a 3-dimensional anamorphic living-room installation with custom furniture that looks like the face of Mae West when viewed from a certain spot.
The museum also houses a small selection of works by other artists collected by Dalí, ranging from El Greco and Bougereau to Marcel Duchamp and John de Andrea, In accordance with Dalí's specific request, a second-floor gallery is devoted to the work of his friend and fellow Catalan artist Antoni Pitxot, who also became director of the museum after Dalí's death.
A glass geodesic dome cupola crowns the stage of the old theater, and Dalí himself is buried in a crypt below the stage floor. The space formerly occupied by the audience has been transformed into a courtyard open to the sky, with Dionysian nude figurines standing in the old balcony windows.
A Dalí installation inside a full-sized automobile, inspired by Rainy Taxi (1938), is parked near the center of the space.
Art collection
The Dalí Theatre and Museum holds the largest collection of major works by Dalí in a single location. Some of the most important exhibited works are Port Alguer (1924), The Spectre of Sex-appeal (1932), Soft self-portrait with grilled bacon (1941), Poetry of America—the Cosmic Athletes (1943), Galarina (1944–45), Basket of Bread (1945), Leda Atomica (1949), Galatea of the Spheres (1952) and Crist de la Tramuntana (1968).
There is also a set of works created by the artist expressly for the Theater-Museum, including the Mae West room, the Palace of the Windroom, the Monument to Francesc Pujols, and the Cadillac plujós.
A collection of holographic art by Dalí, and a collection of jewelry he designed are on display. Another room contains a bathtub and a side table with an open drawer and a lamp, all of which Dalí had installed upside-down on the ceiling.
An extension to the museum building contains a room dedicated to optical illusions, stereographs, and anamorphic art created by Dalí. The artist's final works, including his last oil painting, The Swallow's Tail (1983), are on display here.
THE DALINIAN SYMBOLS
A study of the work of Dalí, reveals some systematically present symbols in all his work. It's fetish objects that apparently have little in common: crutches, sea urchins, ants, bread...
Dalí uses these symbols so as to make it more meaningful to the message of his painting. The contrast of a hard shell and a soft interior is at the heart of his thinking and his art. This contrast outside-(hard/soft) is consistent with psychological design whereby individuals produce (hard) defenses around the vulnerable psyche (flexible). Dalí knew very well the work of Freud and his followers, even if its iconography derives absolutely no psychoanalytic thought.
ANGELS
They have the power to enter the celestial vault, communicating with God and thus achieve mystical union that concerns both the painter. Figures of angels painted by Dalí often borrow traits of Gala, incarnation, for Dali, purity and nobility.
CRUTCHES
It may be the only support of a figure or the necessary support of a form unable to stand alone. Dalí the view child, in the attic of his father's House. It should take and will never part. This subject gave him an assurance and an arrogance which he had never yet been able. In the short dictionary of Surrealism (1938), Dalí gives the following definition: "wooden Support deriving from the Cartesian philosophy. Generally used to serve as a support to the tenderness of the soft structures."
ELEPHANTS
The dalinian elephants are usually represented with the long legs of desire invisible to many bearings, bearing on their Obelisk back symbol of power and domination. The weight supported by the frail legs of the animal evokes weightlessness.
SNAILS
The snail is related to an important milestone in the life of Dalí: his encounter with Sigmund Freud. Dalí believed that nothing happens just by accident, he was captivated by the vision of a snail on a bicycle outside the home of Freud. The link is then made him between a human head and the snail, he associated specifically with the head of Freud. As for the egg, the outer part of the (hard) shell and the inner (soft) body of the snail site and the geometry of its curves it enchantèrent.
ANTS
Symbol of decay and decomposition. Dalí ants first met in his childhood, observing the remains decomposed small animals devoured by them. He observed with fascination and repulsion, and continued to use them in his work, as a symbol of decadence and ephemeral.
SOFT WATCHES
Dalí has often said, "the materialization of the flexibility of time and the indivisibility of space... It is a fluid." The unexpected softness of the watch also represents the psychological aspect by which the speed of time, although accurate in its scientific definition, can greatly vary in its human perception. The idea came to him after a meal while he contemplated the remains of a runny camembert. He decided to paint over the landscape that served as backdrop for two soft watches which one hung miserably to an olive branch.
EGG
Christian symbol of the resurrection of Christ and the emblem of purity and perfection. The egg evokes by its appearance and its minerality dear symbolism to Dali, earlier, intrauterine life and re-birth.
SEA URCHIN
His "exoskeleton" (the shell sits outside), Harris of thorns, can make you very unpleasant a first contact with the animal. The shell on the other hand contains soft body (one of the favorite dishes of Dali, who was known to eat a dozen at each meal). The Sea Urchin shell, stripped of its spines, appears in many of his paintings.
BREAD
Is it fear of Miss, Dalí represents it in his paintings and also begins to make surrealist objects with bread. In his paintings, loaves more often have something 'hard' and phallic, opposed to the "soft" watches. Dali has always been a great admirer of the bread. It tapissera of Catalan round loaves Figueras Museum walls.
LANDSCAPES
Traditional space (based on the perspective and the paintings of the Renaissance). Realistic landscape strewn with strange and unreal objects located in a natural environment. The background and how to use landscapes are one of the strengths of the art of Dali. They contribute to create the atmosphere of unreality of his paintings (landscape of his native Catalonia and vast plain of Ampurdan surrounding Figueras).
DRAWERS
Human bodies that open by drawers are found repeatedly in paintings and objects from Dali. They symbolize the memory and the unconscious and refer to "thought to be drawers", a concept inherited from the reading of Freud. They express the mystery of hidden secrets. Most of the children explore each drawer, cabinet and wardrobe of their home.
VENUS OF MILO
It is part long's personal mythology of the painter. She is the first woman he model child in clay from a reproduction adorning the family dining room. It is also that he discovered on a box of crayons in New York. He finds stupid expression on his face that he nevertheless considered own to perfect but inadequate female beauty in an elegant woman whose gaze should be or seem intelligent. Dalí made several transformations of Venus: the space Venus, Venus with drawers...