View allAll Photos Tagged cleanesting
Facebook | Vimeo | Photostream
The cleanest s14 in Houston!
2013 © Dennis Nguyen All Rights Reserved
Jesse Seymour's Mk1 VW GTI VR6 on BBS RS Wheels is one of the cleanest around, despite a little rain. Click here to read the full article!
To order a custom 2x4' photo banner of this image, please note the title and number and Click Here!
Check out our Cars & Cameras Closed Photography Group on Facebook!
Sam Dobbins Instagram (@iamsamdobbins)
This thing was epic.
CLEANEST truck ive ever seen...not one scratch or mark of any kind. Im not one to throw around the C-word (clean.) but anyone who saw it could verify.
Did I mention it made almost 1400ft/lbs..and the most power of the day put down on the dyno.
It's now become part of our travelling calendar - we go on a city break for Jayne’s birthday in January - no presents for birthday's and Christmas, we travel instead. This year it was Seville. We had to drive 180 miles south to Stansted to fly there though, Friday afternoon on the A1, such fun... It was a really good drive down in actual fact, the best day for months, glorious blue sky and a fantastic sunset- and I was in a car. We got stung for tea and drinks in the Radison Blu but we were overnighting and leaving the car so we didn't have much choice. Ryanair aagh! Again no choice. To be fair to the abrasive Irish man O Leary things are better than they used to be and it was an acceptable flight.
We were hoping for better weather than we got- don't you always? It was. cold, windy and after some initial beautiful sun on our first afternoon, it was mostly grey. The wind died but so did the sun. The other little problem was that it was my turn for the awful cold that Jayne had been trying to get over. I was under the weather in more ways than one all week, it was only a cold but it was the worst I've had for ages and it didn't help my mood, particularly when the sun was absent. We had a few hours of really nice light here and there and I made the most of it - I think!
Seville has miles and miles of narrow cobbled streets, they seem to go on for ever. They are almost random in layout and it is extremely difficult to find your way around, it's easier to just keep walking and see what you find. So we did! The architecture is stunning and the history is fascinating. Aside from the ancient history the two events that seem to have had a massive recent influence are the Expo's of 1929 and 1992. The incredible buildings or 'Pavilions' that were built for a one off event are now part of the reason that people visit the city. The 1929 pavilions are fantastic, each one is a story in itself and a destination in its own right but there are a lot of them in Parque Maria Luisa. Plaza Espana, built by the hosts of course, is the biggest and I would imagine that you could make a project out of photographing the individual ceramic tile displays around it on their own. These incredible buildings really need the light to be right to get images that people want to see, flat bright light from bright grey skies is good for certain things but dramatic architecture deserves better - or maybe I'm looking for the easy way option. The other discovery that we made, we found just down the road from the hotel, about an hour into the trip – The Metropol Parasol. A giant lattice work parasol, apparently called ‘The Mushrooms’ locally and apparently the world’s largest wooden structure. You have to look twice, having discovered that it is wood. Only later did we discover that we could get to the top and there is an extensive walkway around the top of it. It is built on top of ancient ruins, ( still intact and viewable) a food market and bars etc. and has a plaza around it and on it, that is buzzing on weekend evenings. Walking around the top, the first people up it one day and being back to watch the sunset later was one of the highlights of the trip for me.
The 1992 Expo also covered a massive area but left behind lots of modern - and some very strange - buildings and arenas. Some are of a temporary nature and get dismantled others find a new use. The land used was on an island between two branches of the River Guadalquivir – Isla de la Cartuja. The branch that goes through the city is now a canal, blocked at its northern end by a barrier with a motorway on it, and is used extensively for water sports, mainly rowing. Many of the buildings are now used by private companies as headquarters , others have a very derelict look. The whole area- even though it is home to the theme park- which was shut for the winter, has a neglected air about it. There are weeds growing everywhere but fountains are switched on, which seemed odd. Unlike the city a short distance away, there are no cafes or bars or other people around for that matter, just us meandering through. The car park that was created for the event is massive, it stretches for miles, and I really mean miles. Totally derelict, just the odd person or dog walker around. There is even a railway line terminating here, in the middle of nowhere a modern and apparently unmanned station, like a ghost station. At this point, across the river proper is open countryside, much flatter than I expected and very easy for local walkers and cyclists to get to - also very calm and quiet, a place to linger and enjoy the peace.
As usual I researched and discovered as we walked, we averaged around 13 miles a day and tried to get off the beaten track. We were out around 8.15, before sunrise, and had orange juice, coffee and Tostada with the locals for breakfast. The trouble is that there are many miles of walking in a relatively small area, some streets are only a few feet wide so there are a lot of them to explore. Incredible ancient churches and squares are around every corner- it's a very religious place - Catholicism rules in Spain. Unfortunately many are only a few feet away from the building next to it and it is difficult to get a decent shot of them. Seville is also famous, historically, as a producer of ceramic tiles. A building isn’t complete without a tile display of some sort and it would be very easy to make a project out of tiles alone. It may be a little boring for any companions though!
We walked the length of the embankment a couple of times, it has graffiti from end to end, several miles of massive concrete walls covered in everything imaginable, from marker pen scribbling to works of art. It was suggested to me that allowing people to paint here might prevent them from daubing property and monuments in the city- it hasn't! Most alleyways and shutters have been attacked to a greater or lesser degree. Spain has very high youth unemployment and maybe this plays a role. To be truthful though we haven't seen a city that's free of graffiti. The other problem is dogs- or what they produce, it's everywhere, absolutely everywhere, in a week we saw only one person remove his dogs mess. Fortunately the city streets are cleaned exceptionally well, some of the cleanest we have come across, men (and a lot of women) and machines are washing and sweeping endlessly.
Having had the wettest winter on record at home - almost three months of rain - we didn't want more rain but we got it. The upside was the water and the reflections that it created made photography on the cobbled streets more interesting, particularly at night. I usually find that it takes me a while to get into the groove on a trip and this one was no different, I didn't start shooting with total disregard - street shots- for a couple of days. Whilst the locals wore quilted jackets and scarves we got down to tee shirts at times, the warmer afternoons would be welcome in summer, never mind January, in Huddersfield. I envied the cyclists, being able to train in temperatures like this in winter - I wish! You need a lot less willpower to get out there and train hard in pleasant weather.
From a photography point of view I had a frustrating time, I never felt to get to grips with the place- other than on the streets at night. Writing this on my phone on the flight home, I haven't a clue what I've got to work with when I get back. I usually edit first and write later. Generally I have a first look, I'm disillusioned, I then revisit and see things differently- thankfully! Architectural shots with a grey sky could be destined for the monochrome treatment, we'll soon see. I'm still editing stuff from our London trip before Christmas, it's getting decent views in black and white and I quite enjoy looking at them myself.
We visited most of the notable tourist destinations, and went up anything that we could. Seville doesn't have a high point-it's flat! Nothing really stands head and shoulders above the city. The Cathedral tower is over 300 feet but the Cathedral itself fills a lot of the view on some aspects. Being square and having to look through bars in recesses you don't really get a completely open aspect. A new 600 foot tower is close to being finished, it's an office block and I couldn't find any mention of it being a viewing point in the future.
Oranges were the last thing on my mind when I suggested going to Seville. There are 25000 orange trees in Seville and now is the time that they are laden with big-and sour- Seville oranges, they are everywhere, apparently they are the property of the city authorities and will be harvested and sent to the UK to be made in to marmalade at some point in the near future. These trees will soon be covered in fragrant blossom, the city will smell beautiful for a couple of months. Studying the surrounding area it would be good to tour in March or April I would think, the scents, longer days and better weather would make for a fantastic trip. One for the future. The sunrise on our final morning was the best of the week, this was what we had looked forward to, we had to leave for the airport at 9.00...... Needless to say it was raining hard as we drove the last twenty miles home. Nothing new there then.
As usual I have aimed to present a pretty extensive collection of photographs of our chosen destination, some, at first glance will be pretty mundane shots of everyday life on the streets, often though, close inspection will reveal something humorous, something that needs a bit of thought. Others are definitely just people going about their holiday or work. Travelling with someone else it wouldn’t be fair to spend an inordinate amount of time trying to nail the perfect long exposure or HDR image of a cathedral or similar in perfect light – the one stunning shot to add to the portfolio- it’s not really my thing, I go for an overview of the place in the time available. Looking at the postcards locally it becomes obvious that stunning shots of some of these buildings are hard to come by. Heavily corrected converging verticals were quite obvious – and most likely will be in my own shots. As the owner of tilt and shift lenses I never travel with one – ever! My knees are already creaking from the weight of the bag.
Ron Anthony Bautista faved this
Add a comment
307
views
1
fave
0
comments
Show more stats
Uploaded on February 1, 2016
All rights reserved
Canon EOS 5D Mark III
EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM
Show EXIF
Add this photo to your map
This photo is currently not in any groups
Add to group
This photo is in 1 album
Add to album
Seville January 2016
313 items
Add tagsTags BETA
SEVILLE
SPAIN
ANDALUSIA
RIVER
RIO
BRIDGE
TRIANA
SANTA
CRUZ
CATHEDRAL
EXPO
ARCHITECTURE
PLAZA
ESPANA
PAVILION
ORANGES
CERAMIC
TILES
GIRALDA
COBBLES
STREETS
PEOPLE
CANDID
ARENAL
PUENTE
CHAPINA
ALAMILLO
CARTUJA
LA
MACARENA
PARASOL
ALCAZAR
METROPOL
GUADALQUIVIR
HARP
EMBANKMENT
GRAFFITI
IGLESIA
PARQUE
MARIA
LUISA
UNIVERSIDAD
ISLA
JUSTA
SAN
BERNADO
LOS
REMEDIOS
ENCARNACION
BAR
CAFE
outdoor
building
People in photoAdd people
Additional info
Viewing this photo Public
Commenting on this photo Any Flickr member
Add tags and people to this photo People you follow
Safety level of this photo Safe
Provide feedback on the new photo page
F
This is the cleanest and most organized it's ever been. I thought I better take some photos before total pandemonium breaks out again.
Eric told me that "This is going to be the cleanest dish ever"as he was helping out with the dishes this evening.
This is my cleanest shot of this species to date for this year. While I find it generally more difficult to get close to diving ducks (they prefer deeper water away from shore), this drake was reasonably accommodating. Note the deep red eye... the hens of this species have dark eyes and less vibrant plumage coloring.
IMG_9324; Canvasback
this is the cleanest my cubicle has been in awhile, it is in pristine condition in this pic. I was too embarrassed to take a pic in it's natural state.
Ohh by the way I took out my hampster wheel and the big bottle of water hanging on the wall an then vacuumed up the wood chips.
Cart Marking showcases a truly unique collection of transport dating back from the horse and cart, to the latest, cleanest, greenest, and safest in use today.
The regulation of carts dates back over 750 years to the early days of The City with the ceremony of cart Marking evolving over time.
Today we bring all that history back to life with a modern twist. You will see vehicles ranging from handcarts and horse-drawn carts and carriages to steam engines, military vehicles and motorcycles. With historic, vintage and specialist vehicles – new and old – including the latest sustainably-powered vehicles on display.
The vehicles enter Guildhall Yard through the arch to be branded as part of this unique ceremony. As each one is presented, a commentator tells visitors about its history and relevance today. Once in position the Sheriffs, Master Carman, his two Wardens and the Master Glover, dressed in traditional robes will brand each vehicle with a red-hot iron, a ritual known as Cart Marking. It takes about two hours for all the vehicles (carts) to pass though Guildhall Yard, get marked and then process through again on a celebratory drive-past.
Cart Marking showcases a truly unique collection of transport dating back from the horse and cart, to the latest, cleanest, greenest, and safest in use today.
The regulation of carts dates back over 750 years to the early days of The City with the ceremony of cart Marking evolving over time.
Today we bring all that history back to life with a modern twist. You will see vehicles ranging from handcarts and horse-drawn carts and carriages to steam engines, military vehicles and motorcycles. With historic, vintage and specialist vehicles – new and old – including the latest sustainably-powered vehicles on display.
The vehicles enter Guildhall Yard through the arch to be branded as part of this unique ceremony. As each one is presented, a commentator tells visitors about its history and relevance today. Once in position the Sheriffs, Master Carman, his two Wardens and the Master Glover, dressed in traditional robes will brand each vehicle with a red-hot iron, a ritual known as Cart Marking. It takes about two hours for all the vehicles (carts) to pass though Guildhall Yard, get marked and then process through again on a celebratory drive-past.
Sleek, modern (and the world's oldest airport), serving 50million passengers a year!
One of the cleanest, most efficient airports I've been in. Connected directly to rail trains which will take you right into the city (Central Station, facing the Damrak). Open 24hrs and has all the modern bells and whistles you'd expect from any big city airport - and then some - including a Rijksmuseum satellite, two casinos, a junior jet play area and lounge for children (and their adults ;-) , Wi-Fi hot spots for laptop junkies, and almost 100 internet stations...
The airport has won all kinds of international awards for design, people-friendliness, accessibility, etc; including best airport in the world, and best tax-free shopping.
Schiphol will be celebrating its 90th birthday in 2006.
The cleanest Mercedes Skip Lorry, (MC14 GBN) in the Uxbridge Fleet after a three year old spruce up. The clean up included a full chrome polish and a respray of duller sections. Not bad for a three year old vehicle! This vehicle is also the first Mercedes Skip Lorry to get the new 'Flickr' sticker to the rear.
After visiting the Grand Canyon, we spent an afternoon visiting Williams, Arizona and walking down the old town's Route 66 admiring the vintage buildings, cafes and shops. We still didn't see it all and want to return for another visit soon. Above is a closer look at the innter workings of an old gas pump outside of Pete's Gas Station Museum on Route 66 in Williams.
INFORMATION ON PETE'S GAS STATION MUSEUM:
Pete's Route 66 Gas Station Museum is a homage to old time gas stations, part museum and part gift shop, specializing in a collection of gas station memorabilia, including old gas pumps, vintage oil cans, vintage signs and equipment. It's owned, operated and is being restored by Pete's son. It's been a station for a very long time but the current building was built in 1949. It operated as a gas station till 1989 when it ceased operation and the tanks were removed from the ground. It sat idle for several years but is now whipped back into presentable shape. Half of the garage is a museum and the other half is a gift shop. The late 1940’s classic Ford sedan out front is Pete's.
HISTORY OF THE GAS PUMP:
In the 1900s-1910s the gas pumps were hand pumps where you had to have a great deal of arm strength, not only to pump your gas, but also start your car! In the 1920s the “visible” gas pumps were created. These were very TALL pumps. The amount of gas was selected and would fill a transparent glass tank at the top of the pump so the customer could “see” the quality of the fuel and the color of the fuel. Fuels were colored different colors to indicate the grade of the gasoline and to avoid the dangers of using the wrong fuels for cleaning purposes. The colored fuel allowed for yet another method of branding for customer loyalty to specific oil companies. Creating customer perception of quality was crucial for the expansion of oil companies, so marketing of the superiority of products was extensive. Names such as “superior” and “marvel”, “super” and “best”, “mighty” and “deluxe”. Glass bowls were affixed to the the top and lit up, advertising the brand.
1930s still had the bowl at the top of the pump, but the "visible" glass tank was gone. Now, the measuring method was the “clock face” scale that would weigh the amount of liquid.The use of iconography and distinctive graphics became the mode to entice belief in quality and branding. Some customers would only go to X type of gas station due to the cleanliness of the restrooms, Gilmore gas was famous for having the cleanest restrooms in the industry on the west coast. Others would go to Y gas stations because of customer loyalty that had been developed when they were children, gas stations often had toys, coloring books, games and other giveaways to create branding with children.
The 1940s introduced the first iteration of the shape of pumps we are more familiar with, simple rectangular posts, however several versions still have the globes on top as they were more eye catching that way and again, allowed for brand recognition. These were called the calculator pumps due to the rolling numbers.
The 1950s ushered in the current era of gas pumps, shorter, stockier pumps with the rolling numbers to indicate the amount of gas being pumped. The pumps of the 60s and 70s were minor modifications of the prior models, becoming more squat and the rolling numbers eventually being replaced by digital displays.
On Bus Wash ride duty, Purple 717, which went through the wash hundreds of times!
Seen at the Reading Buses Open Day 2019.
Cart Marking showcases a truly unique collection of transport dating back from the horse and cart, to the latest, cleanest, greenest, and safest in use today.
The regulation of carts dates back over 750 years to the early days of The City with the ceremony of cart Marking evolving over time.
Today we bring all that history back to life with a modern twist. You will see vehicles ranging from handcarts and horse-drawn carts and carriages to steam engines, military vehicles and motorcycles. With historic, vintage and specialist vehicles – new and old – including the latest sustainably-powered vehicles on display.
The vehicles enter Guildhall Yard through the arch to be branded as part of this unique ceremony. As each one is presented, a commentator tells visitors about its history and relevance today. Once in position the Sheriffs, Master Carman, his two Wardens and the Master Glover, dressed in traditional robes will brand each vehicle with a red-hot iron, a ritual known as Cart Marking. It takes about two hours for all the vehicles (carts) to pass though Guildhall Yard, get marked and then process through again on a celebratory drive-past.
This is one to the cleanest and coldest rivers in the world I think. I'm always amazed by the clarity of the water. The water flows out of Clear Lake, about 15 miles north of this spot. That water is always around 45 degrees F.
An alley between State and Dearborn near ABC 7 Chicago. This is easily one of the cleanest alleys I have ever seen.
130,190 items / 968,524 views
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Surat (Gujarati: સુરત, Hindi: सूरत) formerly known as Suryapur, is the Commercial Capital City of Gujarat[citation needed], also India's eighth largest metropolitan city. The city proper is the one of the most populous cities in the world. Surat is the administrative capital of Surat district and Surat Metropolitan Region.
The city is situated on the left bank of the Tapti River, 14 miles from its mouth. The Population of Surat with its twin city Navsari is above 6.2 million as of 2010. A moat divides the older parts of the city, with its narrow streets and handsome houses, and the newer suburbs. The city is largely recognized for its textile and diamond businesses. It is also known as the diamond capital of the world and the textile capital of India[1]. 92% of the world's diamonds are cut and polished in Surat[1]. Surat is also the Third cleanest city in India after Chandigarh and Mysore. Surat was once the largest city in India[1]. It has one of the highest GDP growth rates in India at 11.5% as of 2008[1]. Surat was the primary port of India during the Mughal period, a distinction it lost to Bombay during the British Raj.[1]
Surat is mentioned in the Sanskrit epic, the Mahābhārata when Lord Krishna stopped there en route from Mathura to Dwarka. According to other later Sanskrit records, the area was ruled by the Western Chālukyas in 610 CE, and continued to be ruled by Hindu kings until it was captured by one of the generals of Quṭbuddīn Aibak. The Parsis started to settle there in the 12th century, and added greatly to its prosperity. Local traditions state that the city was founded in the last years of the fifteenth century by a Brahman named Gopi, who called it Suryapūr (City of the Sun). In 1512 and 1530 Surat was burned and ravaged by the Portuguese Empire who were trying to maintain influence in the area. In 1513, the Portuguese traveler, Duarte Barbosa, described Surat as an important seaport, frequented by many ships from Malabar and various parts of the world. By 1520, the name of the city was Surat.[2]
Surat eclipsed Khambhat as the major port of western India, when Khambhat's harbour began to silt up by the end of fifteenth century. During the reigns of the Mughal emperor Akbar, Jahāngīr and Shāh Jahān, Surat rose to become a chief commercial city of India and an imperial mint was established there. As the major port on the west coast of India, Surat also served as the port for the Hajj to Mecca. At the end of the 16th century, the Portuguese were undisputed masters of the Surat sea trade. There still is a picturesque fortress on the banks of the river built in 1540.
In 1608, ships from the British East India Company started docking in Surat, using it as a trade and transit point. In 1613, the British Captain Best, followed by Captain Downton, overcame Portuguese naval supremacy and obtained an imperial firman establishing a British factory at Surat following the Battle of Swally. The city was made the seat of a presidency under the British East India Company after the success of the embassy of Sir Thomas Roe to the court of emperor Jehangir. The Dutch also founded a factory.
At its zenith, Surat was popularly viewed as the city of Kubera, the God of Wealth. In 1664 the Maratha King Shivaji attacked Surat, a key Mughal power centre, and a wealthy port town which generated a million rupees in taxes. (see- Battle of Surat). When Shivaji arrived in Surat, he demanded tribute from the Mughal commander of the army stationed for port security. The tribute was refused and instead of battling the Marathas, the Mughal commander(Stationed at the Surat fort) sent an emissary to assassinate Shivaji, but in vain. Shivaji conquered the city and forces under his command exacted their revenge. Shivaji's army sacked Surat for nearly 3 weeks, looting both the Mughal and Portuguese trading centers. Men's were killed but the poor were spared.
The prosperity of Surat received a fatal blow when Bombay was ceded to the British as part of the dowry for Catherine of Braganza's wedding to Charles II in 1662. Shortly afterwards, in 1668, the British East India company established a factory in Bombay (Mumbai) and Surat began its relative decline concurrent with the rise of British interests in Bombay.
Surat was sacked again by Shivaji in 1670. By 1687, the British East India Company had moved the presidency to Bombay. At its height, Surat's population reached an estimated 800,000, but by the middle of the 19th century the number had fallen to 80,000. The British took control of Surat again in 1759, and assumed all government powers of the city in 1800.
The city and the surrounding district remained comparatively tranquil during British rule. Even during the Revolt of 1857 (also known as the first struggle for India's independence), peace was not disturbed, owing to the largely mercantile interests of the local population.In the 19th century the Bawamia family was the wealthiest and most powerful family in the city of Surat, they were also heavily involved in the development of the city by focusing on maximizing exports to increase revenue and hence increase savings which led to investment in the diamond industry.
A fire and a flood in 1837 destroyed many of buildings of Surat. Among the interesting monuments that survive that destruction are the tombs of English and Dutch merchants and their families, dating to the 17th century, including those of the Oxenden brothers.
By the early 20th century, the population had slowly climbed to 119,306 and Surat was a center of trade and manufacturing, although some of its former industries, such as shipbuilding, were extinct. There were cotton mills, factories for ginning and pressing cotton, rice-cleaning mills and paper mills. Fine cotton goods were woven on hand-looms, and there were special manufactures of silk brocade and gold embroidery (known as Jari). The chief trades were organized in guilds. Manufacturing and trading brought an eclectic mix of ethnicity to the city, making Surat's culture unique.
In 1992, violent riots took place between Hindus and Muslims, the first and worst of their kind in the modern history of Surat. In 1994, a combination of heavy rains and blocked drains led to flooding of the city. A number of dead street animals and public waste were not removed in time and a plague epidemic spread through the city, which caused a number of countries to impose travel and trade sanctions. The municipal commissioner during that time, S. R. Rao and the people of Surat worked hard in the late 1990s to clean the city.
[edit] Old English & Dutch Cemetery
The structure of the Old English and Old Dutch cemeteries in Surat is dominated by the largest monuments of Europeans in all over India. These graves are also some of the oldest tombs which have survived from the earliest times of British and Dutch activities at Surat.
The English traders settled in Surat in 1608 followed by the Dutch in 1617. French and also Swedes - even for just a short period - commenced trading-enterprises here. However, it seems that there are no re-mainders of their burial culture left today. Along with the Dutch also Armenian traders left a quite big cemetery in Surat. Both nations share the same burial ground only separated by a wall.
[edit] Geography
Surat is a port city situated on the banks of the Tapti river (damming of the Tapti caused the original port facilities to close, the nearest port is now in the Hazira area of Surat). The city is located at 21°10′N 72°50′E / 21.17°N 72.83°E / 21.17; 72.83.[3] It has an average elevation of 13 meters. The Surat district is surrounded by Bharuch, Narmada (North), Navsari and Dang (South) districts. To the west is the Gulf of Cambay. The climate is tropical and monsoon rainfall is abundant (about 2,500 mm a year).
Surat has grown in area since the early 1700s. The oldest part of the city developed in the area between the train station and the area known as Athwalines. Since the 1970s most of the new development including the most desirable location for the city's burgeoning middle and upper class is the area between Athwalines and the coast at Dumas.
[edit] Climate
Surat has a Tropical monsoon climate, moderated strongly by the Arabian Sea. The summer begins in early March and lasts till June. April and May are the hottest months, the average temperature being 30 °C. Monsoon begins in late June and the city receives about 800 mm of rain by the end of September, with the average temperature being around 28 °C during those months. October and November see the retreat of the monsoon and a return of high temperatures till late November. Winter starts in December and ends in late February, with average temperatures of around 22 °C, and little rain.
Very often heavy monsoon rain brings floods in the Tapi basin area. In last two decades, the city has witnessed major floods every four years, the worst being the flood of August 2006, perhaps the costliest in the city's history. In the second week of August 2006, a massive flood caused severe damage to the city of Surat. According to a report released by Indian Institute of Management - Ahmedabad (IIM-A), massive flood after release of water from Ukai Dam had caused major human tragedy and property damage estimated at Rs 22,000 cr on that day. In less than three days, at least 150 people died directly due to flood and many other due to water-borne diseases that followed. More than 1500 animal carcasses were later hauled out of the mud.[4]
Diamond polishing
Surat is economic capital of Gujarat and also one of the economic hubs of India. Surat is famous for its diamond industry and textile industry, along with silk and chemicals. It is at the heart of the world's diamond-polishing industry, which in 2005 cut 75% of the world's diamond pieces and earned India $15 billion in exports. Gujarati diamond cutters emigrating from East Africa established the industry in 1901 and by the 1970s Surat-based diamond cutters began exporting stones to the US for the first time. Though much of the polishing work takes place on small weight stones, Surat's workshops have set their eyes on the lucrative market for finishing larger, pricier stones in the future.
[edit]
Surat is known for producing world-class synthetic textiles.It is known as the MANCHESTER OF EAST.[5]. The November 18, 2008 issue of the Wall Street Journal had an article about the diamond industry in Surat. It claims that 80% of the world's finished diamonds are cut and polished in this city. However the wages of the industry's workers remained flat for years and 250,000 workers, or one-third of the city's diamond industry workforce, has left between 2005–2008, leaving about 500,000. Only after a July 2008 strike did the workers obtain a 20% salary raise, their first in a decade.
Surti households have been declared the most prosperous in the country by the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) and Future Capital Research's Roopa Purushothaman in their latest study. The average annual household income (AHI) in the diamond city is Rs 4.57 lakh - the highest in the country. The Patel from the Saurashtra region of Gujarat are the main businessman in the city and also in the outcountry.[6] The study says that Surat's AHI is almost equal to China's per capita income of 2007 and double the national per capita income. Even its GDP growth of 11.5 per cent for the many consecutive years is the fastest in the country.[7] Recently Surat's diamond and textile industry faced the recession due to slowdown in US economy but the picture has changed and today Surat is the only city in world not facing recession. The textile industry is boosted compared to past times and the diamond industry is also in a better condition than in previous times. The oldest business of Surat JARI has made Surat the world embroidery capital. There are approximately 80,000 embroidery units in Surat which makes Surat the embroidery capital too.
Surat also has many large industrial Giants such as Reliance petrochemical plant, Essar's 10 million tonne steel plant, KRIBHCO fertilizer plant, L&T Engineering unit, gas processing plant of ONGC, NTPC gas power plant. All at Hazira and ABG Shipyard (Shipbuilding Yard) and Ambuja Cement (grinding Unit) at Magdalla port where as Torrent mega power plant and GIPCL are located at Kamrej.
[edit] Government and politics
The Surat Municipal Corporation, is responsible for the city's civic infrastructure as well as carrying out associated administrative duties. BJP is at present having majority and is the ruling party. Surat Mahanagar Sewa Sadan is one of the wealthiest municipal corporation in India which really works hard for Surat and providing necessary amenities. The Surat city also has maximum numbers of FLY-OVERS in India which also makes it as fly-over capital of India.
Surat is known for its Surti cuisine, which includes perennial favorites such as Ghari (a type of mithai), Locho, Undhiyu, Rasaawala Khaman, and Surti Chinese. Surti cuisine is not as sweet as other Gujarati food, and is quite spicy. Roadside kiosks, called "laaris" or "rekdis", are popular. In the cooler winter months, Surtis converge at river Tapi's banks to eat Ponk, a roasted cereal that is available only in this part of the world.
All major Indian festivals are celebrated in Surat. Navratri, Diwali and Ganesh Chaturthi are celebrated with great enthusiasm. The kite-flying festival of Utraan which falls on Makar Sankranti — 14 January — is very popular in the city. It is also well known for the celebration of Chandi Padvo which usually occurs around October and is a holiday unique to Surat. This day comes after one of the two biggest full moon days of the Hindu calendar year, "Sharad Purnima". On this day, Surtis buy almost 100 tons of Ghari and other Surti delicacies, then head to the city's seaside beach area, Dumas where they have dinner and a late night snack under the full moonlit sky.
The cleanest she'll be from here on out. CP 281 rolls through Pewaukee, what a change from yesterdays pair of SOO SD60's.
1-29-12
Harnessing the wind is one of the cleanest, most sustainable ways to generate electricity. Wind power produces no toxic emissions and none of the heat trapping emissions that contribute to global warming. This, and the fact that wind power is one of the most abundant and increasingly cost-competitive energy resources, makes it a viable alternative to the fossil fuels that harm our health and threaten the environment.
Canon EOS 5D MKII + Canon EF 17-40 f/4 L @ 21 mm
ISO 50 - f/16 - 0.6s
Lee ProGlass ND 0.9 + Lee GND 0.6 HE + Heliopan CPL 105mm
As capital cities go this is just about the smallest, quietest, cleanest and friendliest I have ever visited. Albeit a picky point about being a capital city. The Faroes are a semi automonous region of Denmark and there was a Danish Frigate in the outer harbour.
The language is some form of early unfettered Norse (as spoken by Eric the Red) - One of the first Europeans to set foot on American soil.
The statue in the square is:
The statue represents a national hero of the Faroes, called Nólsoyar Páll after the island Nólsoy where he was born. He is a symbol of the struggle for independence from Denmark. There were no free trade in the beginning of the 19th century, only one monopoly store in Tórshavn. Nólsoyar Páll stood up against this, he built his own ship in Vágur on Suðuroy and sailed to Denmark and then to England, but his ship went missing and he was never seen again. He was also a poet, wrote "Fuglakvæði" (bird's ballad) where he gives the danish officials birds name.
Courtesey of Eileen Sanda
It's now become part of our travelling calendar - we go on a city break for Jayne’s birthday in January - no presents for birthday's and Christmas, we travel instead. This year it was Seville. We had to drive 180 miles south to Stansted to fly there though, Friday afternoon on the A1, such fun... It was a really good drive down in actual fact, the best day for months, glorious blue sky and a fantastic sunset- and I was in a car. We got stung for tea and drinks in the Radison Blu but we were overnighting and leaving the car so we didn't have much choice. Ryanair aagh! Again no choice. To be fair to the abrasive Irish man O Leary things are better than they used to be and it was an acceptable flight.
We were hoping for better weather than we got- don't you always? It was. cold, windy and after some initial beautiful sun on our first afternoon, it was mostly grey. The wind died but so did the sun. The other little problem was that it was my turn for the awful cold that Jayne had been trying to get over. I was under the weather in more ways than one all week, it was only a cold but it was the worst I've had for ages and it didn't help my mood, particularly when the sun was absent. We had a few hours of really nice light here and there and I made the most of it - I think!
Seville has miles and miles of narrow cobbled streets, they seem to go on for ever. They are almost random in layout and it is extremely difficult to find your way around, it's easier to just keep walking and see what you find. So we did! The architecture is stunning and the history is fascinating. Aside from the ancient history the two events that seem to have had a massive recent influence are the Expo's of 1929 and 1992. The incredible buildings or 'Pavilions' that were built for a one off event are now part of the reason that people visit the city. The 1929 pavilions are fantastic, each one is a story in itself and a destination in its own right but there are a lot of them in Parque Maria Luisa. Plaza Espana, built by the hosts of course, is the biggest and I would imagine that you could make a project out of photographing the individual ceramic tile displays around it on their own. These incredible buildings really need the light to be right to get images that people want to see, flat bright light from bright grey skies is good for certain things but dramatic architecture deserves better - or maybe I'm looking for the easy way option. The other discovery that we made, we found just down the road from the hotel, about an hour into the trip – The Metropol Parasol. A giant lattice work parasol, apparently called ‘The Mushrooms’ locally and apparently the world’s largest wooden structure. You have to look twice, having discovered that it is wood. Only later did we discover that we could get to the top and there is an extensive walkway around the top of it. It is built on top of ancient ruins, ( still intact and viewable) a food market and bars etc. and has a plaza around it and on it, that is buzzing on weekend evenings. Walking around the top, the first people up it one day and being back to watch the sunset later was one of the highlights of the trip for me.
The 1992 Expo also covered a massive area but left behind lots of modern - and some very strange - buildings and arenas. Some are of a temporary nature and get dismantled others find a new use. The land used was on an island between two branches of the River Guadalquivir – Isla de la Cartuja. The branch that goes through the city is now a canal, blocked at its northern end by a barrier with a motorway on it, and is used extensively for water sports, mainly rowing. Many of the buildings are now used by private companies as headquarters , others have a very derelict look. The whole area- even though it is home to the theme park- which was shut for the winter, has a neglected air about it. There are weeds growing everywhere but fountains are switched on, which seemed odd. Unlike the city a short distance away, there are no cafes or bars or other people around for that matter, just us meandering through. The car park that was created for the event is massive, it stretches for miles, and I really mean miles. Totally derelict, just the odd person or dog walker around. There is even a railway line terminating here, in the middle of nowhere a modern and apparently unmanned station, like a ghost station. At this point, across the river proper is open countryside, much flatter than I expected and very easy for local walkers and cyclists to get to - also very calm and quiet, a place to linger and enjoy the peace.
As usual I researched and discovered as we walked, we averaged around 13 miles a day and tried to get off the beaten track. We were out around 8.15, before sunrise, and had orange juice, coffee and Tostada with the locals for breakfast. The trouble is that there are many miles of walking in a relatively small area, some streets are only a few feet wide so there are a lot of them to explore. Incredible ancient churches and squares are around every corner- it's a very religious place - Catholicism rules in Spain. Unfortunately many are only a few feet away from the building next to it and it is difficult to get a decent shot of them. Seville is also famous, historically, as a producer of ceramic tiles. A building isn’t complete without a tile display of some sort and it would be very easy to make a project out of tiles alone. It may be a little boring for any companions though!
We walked the length of the embankment a couple of times, it has graffiti from end to end, several miles of massive concrete walls covered in everything imaginable, from marker pen scribbling to works of art. It was suggested to me that allowing people to paint here might prevent them from daubing property and monuments in the city- it hasn't! Most alleyways and shutters have been attacked to a greater or lesser degree. Spain has very high youth unemployment and maybe this plays a role. To be truthful though we haven't seen a city that's free of graffiti. The other problem is dogs- or what they produce, it's everywhere, absolutely everywhere, in a week we saw only one person remove his dogs mess. Fortunately the city streets are cleaned exceptionally well, some of the cleanest we have come across, men (and a lot of women) and machines are washing and sweeping endlessly.
Having had the wettest winter on record at home - almost three months of rain - we didn't want more rain but we got it. The upside was the water and the reflections that it created made photography on the cobbled streets more interesting, particularly at night. I usually find that it takes me a while to get into the groove on a trip and this one was no different, I didn't start shooting with total disregard - street shots- for a couple of days. Whilst the locals wore quilted jackets and scarves we got down to tee shirts at times, the warmer afternoons would be welcome in summer, never mind January, in Huddersfield. I envied the cyclists, being able to train in temperatures like this in winter - I wish! You need a lot less willpower to get out there and train hard in pleasant weather.
From a photography point of view I had a frustrating time, I never felt to get to grips with the place- other than on the streets at night. Writing this on my phone on the flight home, I haven't a clue what I've got to work with when I get back. I usually edit first and write later. Generally I have a first look, I'm disillusioned, I then revisit and see things differently- thankfully! Architectural shots with a grey sky could be destined for the monochrome treatment, we'll soon see. I'm still editing stuff from our London trip before Christmas, it's getting decent views in black and white and I quite enjoy looking at them myself.
We visited most of the notable tourist destinations, and went up anything that we could. Seville doesn't have a high point-it's flat! Nothing really stands head and shoulders above the city. The Cathedral tower is over 300 feet but the Cathedral itself fills a lot of the view on some aspects. Being square and having to look through bars in recesses you don't really get a completely open aspect. A new 600 foot tower is close to being finished, it's an office block and I couldn't find any mention of it being a viewing point in the future.
Oranges were the last thing on my mind when I suggested going to Seville. There are 25000 orange trees in Seville and now is the time that they are laden with big-and sour- Seville oranges, they are everywhere, apparently they are the property of the city authorities and will be harvested and sent to the UK to be made in to marmalade at some point in the near future. These trees will soon be covered in fragrant blossom, the city will smell beautiful for a couple of months. Studying the surrounding area it would be good to tour in March or April I would think, the scents, longer days and better weather would make for a fantastic trip. One for the future. The sunrise on our final morning was the best of the week, this was what we had looked forward to, we had to leave for the airport at 9.00...... Needless to say it was raining hard as we drove the last twenty miles home. Nothing new there then.
As usual I have aimed to present a pretty extensive collection of photographs of our chosen destination, some, at first glance will be pretty mundane shots of everyday life on the streets, often though, close inspection will reveal something humorous, something that needs a bit of thought. Others are definitely just people going about their holiday or work. Travelling with someone else it wouldn’t be fair to spend an inordinate amount of time trying to nail the perfect long exposure or HDR image of a cathedral or similar in perfect light – the one stunning shot to add to the portfolio- it’s not really my thing, I go for an overview of the place in the time available. Looking at the postcards locally it becomes obvious that stunning shots of some of these buildings are hard to come by. Heavily corrected converging verticals were quite obvious – and most likely will be in my own shots. As the owner of tilt and shift lenses I never travel with one – ever! My knees are already creaking from the weight of the bag.
Rani ki vav - A picturesque stepwell
Rani ki vav is an intricately constructed stepwell situated in the town of Patan in Gujarat, India. It is located on the banks of Saraswati River. Rani ki vav was built as a memorial to an 11th-century AD king Bhimdev I . It was added to the list of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites on 22 June 2014. Stepwells are a distinctive form of subterranean water resource and storage systems on the Indian subcontinent, and have been constructed since the third millennium BC. Rani ki vav was built in the complex Maru-Gurjara architectural style with an inverted temple and seven levels of stairs and holds more than 500 principal sculptures.
Rani ki Vav bagged the title of “Cleanest Iconic Place” in India at the Indian Sanitation Conference (INDOSAN) 2016 in New Delhi in October 2016. The monument was felicitated at the conference, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
It's History:
Rani ki vav, or Ran-ki vav (Queen’s step well) was constructed during the rule of the Chaulukya dynasty. It is generally assumed that it was built in the memory of Bhima I (r. c. 1022–1064) by his widowed queen Udayamati and probably completed by Udayamati and Karna after his death. A reference to Udayamati building the monument is in Prabandha Chintamani, composed by the Jain monk Merunga Suri in 1304 AD.
The stepwell was later flooded by the nearby Saraswati River and silted over until the late 1980s. When it was excavated by the Archaeological Survey of India, the carvings were found in pristine condition.
It's Architecture:
This magnificent east-facing step well measures approximately 64 m long, 20 m wide & 27 m deep. A stepped corridor compartmented at regular intervals pillared multistory pavilions is a unique feature. It was one of the largest and the most sumptuous structures of its type. It became silted up and much of it is not visible now, except for some rows of sculptured panels in the circular part of the well. Among its ruins one pillar still stands which is an excellent example of this period of design. A part only of the west well is extant from which it appears that the wall had been built of brick and faced with stone. From this wall project vertical brackets in pairs, which supported the different galleries of the well shaft proper. The bracketing is arranged in tiers and is richly carved. The minute and exquisite carving of this vav is one of the finest specimens of its kind. Befitting its name, the Rani-Ki-Vav is now considered to be the queen among step wells of India.
There is also a small gate below the last step of the step well, with a 30-kilometre tunnel, currently blocked by stones and mud) which leads to the town of Sidhpur near Patan. It was used as an escape gateway for the king, who built the step well in the times of defeat.
Ornate side walls
Most of the sculptures are in devotion to Vishnu, in the forms of Dus-Avatars Kalki, Rama, Krishna, Narsinh, Vaman, Varahi and others representing their return to the world. Nagkanya, Yogini beautiful women – Apsara showcasing 16 different styles of make-up to look more attractive called Solah-shringar.
Around 50–60 years back there were ayurvedic plants around this area, and the water accumulated in Rani ki vav was considered to be helpful for viral disease, fever etc.
The vavs of Gujarat are not merely sites for collecting water and socializing, but also hold great spiritual significance. Originally, the vavs of Gujarat were constructed quite simply, but became more intricate over the years, perhaps to make explicit the ancient concept of the sanctity of water with the addition of carved stone deities. Thus visitors enter Rani Ki Vav as if it is an inverted temple, where one steps down various levels to the water.
The steps begin at ground level, leading you down through the cool air through several pillared pavilions to reach the deep well below. There are more than 800 elaborate sculptures among seven galleries. The central theme is the Dasavataras, or ten incarnations of Vishnu, including Buddha. The avatars are accompanied by sadhus, Brahmins, and apsaras (celestial dancers), painting their lips and adorning themselves. At water level you come to a carving of Sheshashayi-Vishnu, in which Vishnu reclines on the thousand-hooded serpent Shesha, where it is said he rests in the infinity between ages.
Modern impact:
The geometric designs on the ornate walls of the Vav are used on the Patan-Patola sarees.
Patola is a double ikat woven sari, usually made from silk, made in Patan, Gujarat, India. The word patola is the plural form; the singular is patolu. They are very expensive, once worn only by those belonging to royal and aristocratic families. These saris are popular among those who can afford the high prices. Velvet patola styles are also made in Surat. Patola-weaving is a closely guarded family tradition. There are three families in Patan that weave these highly prized double ikat saris. It is said that this technique is taught to no one in the family, but only to the sons. It can take six months to one year to make one sari due to the long process of dying each strand separately before weaving them together.Patola was woven in Surat, Ahmedabad and Patan.Highly valued in Indonesia, became part of the local weaving tradition there.
Martin Ball and I were walking along the alley which links Dowsett Road and Carew Road, Tottenham, N17. Wondering what we'd find dumped there.
Martin was sure there'd be at least a couple of bags, a mattress, or maybe an armchair.
I was in a good mood and felt less pessimistic. The morning was cold, but sunny. Overnight we'd had the first light sprinkling of snow in Tottenham. You can still spot some in the gutter on the right of the photo. But there wasn't a single dumped item or bag of rubbish. And hardly a scrap of litter.
Just a cat admiring the cleanliness. Oh, and the usual cans and other litter tucked neatly into the broken fence about halfway down the alley. (Scroll down the page.)
Surprising? Well, just a little. So congratulations to the Veolia street cleaners and Haringey's Enforcement staff.
═════════════════
Anyway, hadn't Cllr Claire Kober, the Dear Leader of Haringey Council declared that "Our streets are among the cleanest in London and resident satisfaction is at its highest ever level?
No, really. I'm not making that up. Nor inventing that remarkable claim in one of her Leader's columns. In planning the worst cuts so far from the Council budget, Claire assured us we were "Building a Stronger Haringey Together". In fact she repeated the same smiling, upbeat, fatuous message several times.
Perhaps during the ten plagues, the ruling Pharoah (possibly Neferhotep) may have announced something similar after the diseased animals, flies and then boils. And again between the thunderstorm of hail and fire and waiting for the arrival of the plague of locusts.
"Bring it on guys! We're Building a Stronger Egypt Together!"
_____________________________________
Cart Marking showcases a truly unique collection of transport dating back from the horse and cart, to the latest, cleanest, greenest, and safest in use today.
The regulation of carts dates back over 750 years to the early days of The City with the ceremony of cart Marking evolving over time.
Today we bring all that history back to life with a modern twist. You will see vehicles ranging from handcarts and horse-drawn carts and carriages to steam engines, military vehicles and motorcycles. With historic, vintage and specialist vehicles – new and old – including the latest sustainably-powered vehicles on display.
The vehicles enter Guildhall Yard through the arch to be branded as part of this unique ceremony. As each one is presented, a commentator tells visitors about its history and relevance today. Once in position the Sheriffs, Master Carman, his two Wardens and the Master Glover, dressed in traditional robes will brand each vehicle with a red-hot iron, a ritual known as Cart Marking. It takes about two hours for all the vehicles (carts) to pass though Guildhall Yard, get marked and then process through again on a celebratory drive-past.
I think Pyongyang is the cleanest town i've seen in my life. There is a kind of obession about it. My guide told me that it was because the town is hosting tKim Il Sung, so to pay respect to his body, everything must be perfect. No car can enter the town with mud or dirt. It must be cleaned before on the highway. I saw it.
© Eric Lafforgue
It's now become part of our travelling calendar - we go on a city break for Jayne’s birthday in January - no presents for birthday's and Christmas, we travel instead. This year it was Seville. We had to drive 180 miles south to Stansted to fly there though, Friday afternoon on the A1, such fun... It was a really good drive down in actual fact, the best day for months, glorious blue sky and a fantastic sunset- and I was in a car. We got stung for tea and drinks in the Radison Blu but we were overnighting and leaving the car so we didn't have much choice. Ryanair aagh! Again no choice. To be fair to the abrasive Irish man O Leary things are better than they used to be and it was an acceptable flight.
We were hoping for better weather than we got- don't you always? It was. cold, windy and after some initial beautiful sun on our first afternoon, it was mostly grey. The wind died but so did the sun. The other little problem was that it was my turn for the awful cold that Jayne had been trying to get over. I was under the weather in more ways than one all week, it was only a cold but it was the worst I've had for ages and it didn't help my mood, particularly when the sun was absent. We had a few hours of really nice light here and there and I made the most of it - I think!
Seville has miles and miles of narrow cobbled streets, they seem to go on for ever. They are almost random in layout and it is extremely difficult to find your way around, it's easier to just keep walking and see what you find. So we did! The architecture is stunning and the history is fascinating. Aside from the ancient history the two events that seem to have had a massive recent influence are the Expo's of 1929 and 1992. The incredible buildings or 'Pavilions' that were built for a one off event are now part of the reason that people visit the city. The 1929 pavilions are fantastic, each one is a story in itself and a destination in its own right but there are a lot of them in Parque Maria Luisa. Plaza Espana, built by the hosts of course, is the biggest and I would imagine that you could make a project out of photographing the individual ceramic tile displays around it on their own. These incredible buildings really need the light to be right to get images that people want to see, flat bright light from bright grey skies is good for certain things but dramatic architecture deserves better - or maybe I'm looking for the easy way option. The other discovery that we made, we found just down the road from the hotel, about an hour into the trip – The Metropol Parasol. A giant lattice work parasol, apparently called ‘The Mushrooms’ locally and apparently the world’s largest wooden structure. You have to look twice, having discovered that it is wood. Only later did we discover that we could get to the top and there is an extensive walkway around the top of it. It is built on top of ancient ruins, ( still intact and viewable) a food market and bars etc. and has a plaza around it and on it, that is buzzing on weekend evenings. Walking around the top, the first people up it one day and being back to watch the sunset later was one of the highlights of the trip for me.
The 1992 Expo also covered a massive area but left behind lots of modern - and some very strange - buildings and arenas. Some are of a temporary nature and get dismantled others find a new use. The land used was on an island between two branches of the River Guadalquivir – Isla de la Cartuja. The branch that goes through the city is now a canal, blocked at its northern end by a barrier with a motorway on it, and is used extensively for water sports, mainly rowing. Many of the buildings are now used by private companies as headquarters , others have a very derelict look. The whole area- even though it is home to the theme park- which was shut for the winter, has a neglected air about it. There are weeds growing everywhere but fountains are switched on, which seemed odd. Unlike the city a short distance away, there are no cafes or bars or other people around for that matter, just us meandering through. The car park that was created for the event is massive, it stretches for miles, and I really mean miles. Totally derelict, just the odd person or dog walker around. There is even a railway line terminating here, in the middle of nowhere a modern and apparently unmanned station, like a ghost station. At this point, across the river proper is open countryside, much flatter than I expected and very easy for local walkers and cyclists to get to - also very calm and quiet, a place to linger and enjoy the peace.
As usual I researched and discovered as we walked, we averaged around 13 miles a day and tried to get off the beaten track. We were out around 8.15, before sunrise, and had orange juice, coffee and Tostada with the locals for breakfast. The trouble is that there are many miles of walking in a relatively small area, some streets are only a few feet wide so there are a lot of them to explore. Incredible ancient churches and squares are around every corner- it's a very religious place - Catholicism rules in Spain. Unfortunately many are only a few feet away from the building next to it and it is difficult to get a decent shot of them. Seville is also famous, historically, as a producer of ceramic tiles. A building isn’t complete without a tile display of some sort and it would be very easy to make a project out of tiles alone. It may be a little boring for any companions though!
We walked the length of the embankment a couple of times, it has graffiti from end to end, several miles of massive concrete walls covered in everything imaginable, from marker pen scribbling to works of art. It was suggested to me that allowing people to paint here might prevent them from daubing property and monuments in the city- it hasn't! Most alleyways and shutters have been attacked to a greater or lesser degree. Spain has very high youth unemployment and maybe this plays a role. To be truthful though we haven't seen a city that's free of graffiti. The other problem is dogs- or what they produce, it's everywhere, absolutely everywhere, in a week we saw only one person remove his dogs mess. Fortunately the city streets are cleaned exceptionally well, some of the cleanest we have come across, men (and a lot of women) and machines are washing and sweeping endlessly.
Having had the wettest winter on record at home - almost three months of rain - we didn't want more rain but we got it. The upside was the water and the reflections that it created made photography on the cobbled streets more interesting, particularly at night. I usually find that it takes me a while to get into the groove on a trip and this one was no different, I didn't start shooting with total disregard - street shots- for a couple of days. Whilst the locals wore quilted jackets and scarves we got down to tee shirts at times, the warmer afternoons would be welcome in summer, never mind January, in Huddersfield. I envied the cyclists, being able to train in temperatures like this in winter - I wish! You need a lot less willpower to get out there and train hard in pleasant weather.
From a photography point of view I had a frustrating time, I never felt to get to grips with the place- other than on the streets at night. Writing this on my phone on the flight home, I haven't a clue what I've got to work with when I get back. I usually edit first and write later. Generally I have a first look, I'm disillusioned, I then revisit and see things differently- thankfully! Architectural shots with a grey sky could be destined for the monochrome treatment, we'll soon see. I'm still editing stuff from our London trip before Christmas, it's getting decent views in black and white and I quite enjoy looking at them myself.
We visited most of the notable tourist destinations, and went up anything that we could. Seville doesn't have a high point-it's flat! Nothing really stands head and shoulders above the city. The Cathedral tower is over 300 feet but the Cathedral itself fills a lot of the view on some aspects. Being square and having to look through bars in recesses you don't really get a completely open aspect. A new 600 foot tower is close to being finished, it's an office block and I couldn't find any mention of it being a viewing point in the future.
Oranges were the last thing on my mind when I suggested going to Seville. There are 25000 orange trees in Seville and now is the time that they are laden with big-and sour- Seville oranges, they are everywhere, apparently they are the property of the city authorities and will be harvested and sent to the UK to be made in to marmalade at some point in the near future. These trees will soon be covered in fragrant blossom, the city will smell beautiful for a couple of months. Studying the surrounding area it would be good to tour in March or April I would think, the scents, longer days and better weather would make for a fantastic trip. One for the future. The sunrise on our final morning was the best of the week, this was what we had looked forward to, we had to leave for the airport at 9.00...... Needless to say it was raining hard as we drove the last twenty miles home. Nothing new there then.
As usual I have aimed to present a pretty extensive collection of photographs of our chosen destination, some, at first glance will be pretty mundane shots of everyday life on the streets, often though, close inspection will reveal something humorous, something that needs a bit of thought. Others are definitely just people going about their holiday or work. Travelling with someone else it wouldn’t be fair to spend an inordinate amount of time trying to nail the perfect long exposure or HDR image of a cathedral or similar in perfect light – the one stunning shot to add to the portfolio- it’s not really my thing, I go for an overview of the place in the time available. Looking at the postcards locally it becomes obvious that stunning shots of some of these buildings are hard to come by. Heavily corrected converging verticals were quite obvious – and most likely will be in my own shots. As the owner of tilt and shift lenses I never travel with one – ever! My knees are already creaking from the weight of the bag.
The cleanest 340 I've seen for a long time, this one looked like it had just rolled off the production line.
Cart Marking showcases a truly unique collection of transport dating back from the horse and cart, to the latest, cleanest, greenest, and safest in use today.
The regulation of carts dates back over 750 years to the early days of The City with the ceremony of cart Marking evolving over time.
Today we bring all that history back to life with a modern twist. You will see vehicles ranging from handcarts and horse-drawn carts and carriages to steam engines, military vehicles and motorcycles. With historic, vintage and specialist vehicles – new and old – including the latest sustainably-powered vehicles on display.
The vehicles enter Guildhall Yard through the arch to be branded as part of this unique ceremony. As each one is presented, a commentator tells visitors about its history and relevance today. Once in position the Sheriffs, Master Carman, his two Wardens and the Master Glover, dressed in traditional robes will brand each vehicle with a red-hot iron, a ritual known as Cart Marking. It takes about two hours for all the vehicles (carts) to pass though Guildhall Yard, get marked and then process through again on a celebratory drive-past.