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Lynn Shirey (Harvard University), Patricia Figueroa (Brown University), Jesus Alonso-Regalado (SUNY, Albany), and Marisol Ramos (University of Connecticut) counting 2011 SALALM ballots in Cambridge. Photo courtesy of Patricia Figueroa.
INTRODUCTION
Peak Blue Shieldbug counts on the Kingmoor Sidings Boardwalk, Carlisle, April to September 2016.
In 2015 I accumulated a mass of data on Blue Shieldbug sightings in the Carlisle area and presented the information in histogram form in an attempt to give an indication of the life-history of the species in this locality. Basically each month was divided into three segments, the first two of tens days duration and the third comprising the rest of the month; the total number of counts summed from all sites were then included in each interval, with adults and nymphs being treated separately (for convenience this has been copied into the host album).
Although the results gave a true indication of my observations the chart bore little resemblance, structurally, to the one presented by R D Hawkins in Shieldbugs of Surrey - my only point of comparison available at the time. The most obvious difference was the lack of a clear double peak in the adult population, as the vast majority of my adult sightings occurred later in the year, whereas in the reference work a substantial proportion occurred before the mid-year dip.
A number of reasons for this discrepancy have been identified, but the most significant factor is that at the start of the year I had minimal experience of finding Blue Shieldbugs and in fact had only seen two of them before - both found at the same location in December 2014; however, as the year progressed I accumulated more and more information about the sites favoured by this species, and so I became much more proficient at finding them. Also, whenever a "hotspot" was discovered it was subsequently re-visited throughout the rest of the survey period which clearly had a distorting effect on the results.
In order to avoid this issue the original intention for 2016 was to repeatedly survey a small number of known Blue Shieldbug sites from start to finish of the survey period and only include records from these sites in the analysis - bugs found elsewhere would merely be reported. However, this was ultimately judged to be too time-consuming, and instead the decision was made to derive the data from a single location. For reasons described in the following section the site chosen was the Kingmoor Sidings boardwalk.
To ensure that bugs were not counted more than once during any given ten-day period only the number counted in the highest scoring survey was used in the chart, regardless of the number of surveys carried out. Although this substantially reduced the record-keeping burden it's a fundamentally different approach to that adopted previously, and is considered further later.
It can be seen that the nymphs are divided into two categories: early and final-instars. As no first-instar nymphs were seen, and as only a single second-instar was found, in practice the first category essentially comprises third and fourth-instar nymphs.
The inset photographs were all taken on the boardwalk. In the case of the nymphs, they were temporarily transferred onto a piece of cm/mm scale graph paper to facilitate measurement.
A number of noteworthy findings were photographed over the monitoring period - eg a Blue Shieldbug nymph feeding on an adult. Although these photos have already been posted on Flickr, and are not directly relevant to the study, a selection have been copied into the host album in case anyone is interested.
THE KINGMOOR SIDINGS BOARDWALK
The Kingmoor Sidings Nature Reserve is positioned on the outskirts of Carlisle and a sketch map is included in the album. The boardwalk is located in Area 2, at ca NY385580. A number of photos giving an indication of the surrounding vegetation are also included in the album. The total extent of the boardwalk is about 212m, with the width ranging from 0.45 - 0.52m (with a weighted average of 0.5m) giving a total upper surface area of about 106 sq m.
There are a number of reasons why it was chosen as the site for this study, but the most important factors were that Blue Shieldbugs were frequently found here over the previous year, and that Kingmoor is my local nature reserve, with Kingmoor Sidings being just a few minutes' drive away. Also there's an excellent (free!) car park just across the road in Kingmoor South.
The choice of the boardwalk, as opposed to an area of vegetated terrain, was also critical as it allowed a comprehensive - and repeatable - survey to be carried out in under 10 minutes, with a fair degree of confidence that any bugs present had been spotted.
How the boardwalk Blue Shieldbug population at any given time (or even time-averaged) relates to the population present in the surrounding terrain is not a question I feel competent to answer; however the basic premise - possibly flawed! - is that the shape of the life-history chart derived from the boardwalk data is indicative of what's going on in the "natural" environment. (This issue it speculated on later.)
COUNT DURATION, FREQUENCY AND VOLATILITY
Although I found my first Blue Shieldbug of 2015 on 19 March (on Scaleby Moss), boardwalk monitoring only started in earnest 14 April this year when six Blue Shieldbugs were found in close proximity in a small area of Kingmoor North that I'd been studying for other purposes. Monitoring formally ceased on 20 October after having seen nothing since 24 September. As I've found Blue Shieldbugs in this area of Kingmoor Sidings as late as 5 December (in 2014), I accept that there's a possibility that the odd one may still turn up later in the year. In which case I'll just append the information to the text, without amending the chart.
Ideally I'd have liked to carry out surveys at fixed intervals over the monitoring period but this just didn't happen! Although on some days I specifically set out to visit the reserve to carry out a count, most of the surveys were done as I just happened to be passing the Kingmoor South car park en route to other sites I routinely visit. If time allowed two counts would be undertaken - one on the way in and one on the way out. Although comprehensive records were not kept (see following section), I'm confident that at least six counts were carried out over every ten-day period, and in some cases perhaps up to 15.
The most troubling aspect of the study was the extreme volatility of the counts. For example on 20 June virtually nothing was seen during a survey carried out on the way into the reserve; but when the count was repeated about an hour later on the way out, under nominally identical conditions, nine adults and five nymphs were found! At times this made me question whether anything of any value was being achieved. In fact it was only because the opportunity cost was so minimal, with a survey taking less than 10 minutes, that I carried on with the project.
RECORDS AND RECORD KEEPING
Rightly or wrongly, I made the decision fairly early on that the parameter I'd be plotting on the life-history chart was peak counts. This significantly reduced the requirement for record keeping - for example if five adults were counted on day one of a ten-day period, then there was no need to record any further sightings of adult bugs over that period till a higher number was achieved. On reflection I regret this decision, because if comprehensive records had been kept then it would have been possible to analyse the data in several different ways (for example using average counts over each 10-day period) which might have been revealing.
Also record keeping wasn't as good as it might have been for the nymphs. Although I initially recorded the numbers of third and fourth-instars separately, on some occasions I only recorded the total number of thirds and fourths together - although final-instar nymphs were always recorded as a separate item. For this reason only two classes of nymph - "early" and final-instars -have been charted.
Adults were found from 14 April to 24 September, and nymphs as follows:
Second-instar nymph: 20 June (single record)
Third-instar nymphs: 12 June - 30 June
Fourth-instar nymphs: 12 June - 16 July
Fifth-instar nymphs: 30 June - 5 August
RESULTS
Despite the reservations expressed above about various aspects of this study, the forms of the life-history charts, for both adults and nymphs, are broadly consistent with expectations for shieldbugs. Specifically, the adult chart is twin-peaked with a mid-year dip, indicative of last year's population dying off before this year's adults made a showing. In the case of the nymphs, the rise and fall of the early-instars is followed - as expected - by the rise and fall of the final-instars, with a noticeable degree of overlap. One might rationally have anticipated a gap between the peaks of the final-instar nymphs and this year's adults but this isn't apparent. However, it's noted that these peaks were coincident for a number of shieldbug species covered in R D Hawkins' Shieldbugs of Surrey as well.
Had average as opposed to peak shieldbug counts been used in the study, then presumably the charts would have been much smoother, but as noted above this option was precluded due to lax record keeping!
The question remains of how the boardwalk Blue Shieldbug population at any given time (or even time-averaged) relates to the population present in the surrounding terrain. In particular, are the densities comparable, or are the bugs attracted to the boardwalk resulting in higher counts?
Although Blue Shieldbugs were seen adjacent to the boardwalk on a number of occasions, no attempt was made to survey this terrain and so there is no directly relevant data available to answer this question. However, a number of surveys were recently carried out on a broadly comparable 0.5 hectare site in Kingmoor North (designated Area 5), and highest number of Blue Shieldbugs recorded was 17, or 0.0034/sq m, on 4 September. Applying this figure simplistically to the boardwalk area of 106 sq m gives an equivalent bug count of 0.36. As four Blue Shieldbugs were recorded on boardwalk on 1 September (the nearest date for which a count was recorded) this might seem to imply - all things being equal - that the boardwalk count was artificially high. However, if an allowance is made for the fact that only a proportion of the Kingmoor North bugs would have been seen, and that a more typical boardwalk count for early September was one rather than four, then the case is less clear cut.
For what it's worth my own view is that the boardwalk counts are probably artificially high with reference to the surrounding terrain. This could be for a number of reasons - for example on several occasions Blue Shieldbugs were seen feeding on the carcases of insects crushed by the boardwalk foot traffic, and so perhaps bugs are drawn here for an easy - if risky - meal? (At least 20 crushed Blue Shieldbugs were found on the boardwalk over the period of the survey!)
However, even if this were true, there's no reason to believe that it invalidates the findings qualitatively.
(Text to be checked - and probably revised!)
Celje Castle
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Celje Castle (also known as Celje Upper Castle or Old Castle) (Slovene Celjski grad, Celjski zgornji grad or Stari grad) is a castle ruin in Celje, Slovenia, formerly the seat of the Counts of Celje. It stands on three hills to the southeast of Celje, where the river Savinja meanders into the Laško valley. Today, the castle is in the process of being restored. It was once the largest fortification on Slovenian territory.
History
Early history
The earliest reference to Celje Castle dates from 1322 and calls it “purch Cylie”. Later, the castle was known by various names, including “vest Cili” (1341), “castrum Cilie” (1451), “gsloss Obercili” (1468). It is noteworthy that the name “Obercili” - Upper Celje - only appears after the Counts of Celje had died out. Its original name was “grad Celje” (Celje Castle).
The first fortified building on the site (a Romanesque palace) was built in the first half of the 13th century by the Counts of Heunburg from Carinthia on the stony outcrop on the western side of the ridge where the castle stands. It had five sides, or four plus the southern side, which was a natural defence. The first written records of the castle date back to between 1125 and 1137; it was probably built by Count Gunter. In the western section of the castle, there was a building with several floors. Remains of the walls of this palatium have survived. In the eastern section, there was an enclosed courtyard with large water reservoirs. The eastern wall, which protects the castle from its most exposed side, was around three metres thicker than the rest of the curtain wall. The wall was topped with a parapet and protected walkway. This was typical of Ministerialis castles of the time.
Lords of Sanneck and Counts of Celje
The first castle was probably burned and destroyed in the fighting between the Lords of Sanneck and the Lords of Auffenstein. The gateway was later moved from the northern side by freemen loyal to the Lords of Sanneck. They gave the castle a new curtain wall and reinforced this with a tower on the northern side, which guarded the entrance to the inner ward, sometime before 1300. The new wall reached from a natural cliff in the east to the remains of the earlier wall in the northeast. The entrance was moved to the southern side, where it still is today.
In 1333, the castle came into the possession of the Lords of Sanneck, who from 1341 onward were the Counts of Celje. They set about transforming the fortress into a comfortable living quarter and their official residence. Around 1400, they added a four-storey tower which was later called Friderikov stolp (Frederick’s tower, from bergfrid, modern German Bergfried, the term for the central tower of a castle in the Middle Ages). On the eastern side of the courtyard, there was a tall, three-story residential tower, which is the best preserved section of the castle after Friderikov stolp. The main residential building (a palatium), which also had rooms for women, stood however in the western section of the castle. This part of the castle ends at the narrow outer ward and is in a state of disrepair. On the southern side of the palatium, there was a tower, known as Andrejev stolp (Andrew’s tower), after the chapel on the ground floor, which was dedicated to Saint Andrew. In the Middle Ages, the castle walls were impenetrable; an attacker would have had to rely on starving the defenders into submission, but a hidden passageway led from the castle to a nearby granary. The Counts of Celje stopped living in the castle in this period, but they stationed a castellan with an armed entourage here.
During an earthquake in 1348, part of the Romanesque palace and the rock on which it stood were destroyed. The ruined section was rebuilt and relocated towards the bailey. In the 15th century, the outer ward was extended on the eastern side of the ridge as far as the rocky outcrop. Here, the wall connected with a powerful, five-sided tower. In the second half of the 16th century, the castle was once again renovated. The walls in the inner and outer wards were made taller, and the bailey was renovated. The modern sections of the walls feature Renaissance-era balistraria.
Holy Roman Empire
The first imperial caretaker, Krištof pl. Ungnad, was named in 1461. The second, Jurij pl. Apfaltrer, was named just two years later. The castle entered the care of Andrej pl. Hohenwart in 1470. When he took it over, he swore to take good care of it and to keep it in a good condition. He carried out this service until his death in 1503. He was succeeded as castle caretaker by Jakob pl. Landau, the government administrator in Upper and Lower Swabia. Landau obtained the position from Emperor Maximilian I, who was at the time still the King of the Romans, for having lent him 10,000 crowns. Landau was still castle caretaker in 1514. Two years later, Bernard Raunacher briefly held this position, but the emperor ordered him to hand authority to Gašper Herbst and to make do with the income generated by Rudolfswert (later Novo Mesto). Other caretakers followed, most of whom were at the same time vicedominus and the administrator of various taxes. The castle’s importance as a fortress rapidly gave way to its economic role.
Celje Castle was not only the most important castle in Slovenia, but in the entire eastern Alps. It covered an area of almost 5500 m². From the ruins that remain and from depictions of the castle that have survived, it is possible to paint a detailed picture of how it once looked. Several new techniques were employed in the castle’s architectural development, which were the model for other castles in the region under Celje’s influence.
The castle began to fall into disrepair shortly after losing its strategic importance. Georg Matthäus Vischer’s depiction of the castle from 1681 shows that Friderikov stolp no longer had a roof at the end of the 17th century. During the renovation of the lower castle (the section closest to the town) in 1748, the castle’s tiled roof was removed. When Count Gaisruck bought the castle in 1755, he removed the roof truss as well. The best stones were then re-used in the construction of the Novo Celje Mansion between Petrovče and Žalec. From this time onward, it was no longer possible to live in the castle, and it slowly turned into a complete ruin. The last residents left the site in 1795.
In 1803, the farmer Andrej Gorišek bought the castle and began to use the site as a quarry.
19th and 20th centuries
In 1846, the governor of the Styria, Count Wickenburg, bought the ruins and donated them to the Styrian estates. In 1871, interest in the ruins began to take hold and in 1882 the Celje museum society began efforts to restore the castle, which continue to this day. During the time of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, the authorities in Maribor left control over the ruins to the local municipality, which made great contributions to the castle's preservation. During World War II, the ruins were abandoned, but reconstruction efforts continued after the war. In the corners of the Friderikov stolp, cement blocks were used to replace missing stones. A proper parking lot was also created in front of the entrance to the castle. On the northern side, the wall was knocked through to create a new side entrance to meet a new route that had been built there (Pelikanova pot).
21st century
The Celje tourist board holds an event entitled "Pod zvezdami Celjanov" ("Under the stars of Celje") at Celje Castle in late summer every year, which features performances and representations of life in the Middle Ages. Music concerts also take place in the castle. Celje Castle is visited by approximately 60,000 people every year.[1] An annual cultural entertainment event, Veronikini večeri, which is named after the character Veronika in the Slovenian opera Veronika Deseniška, also takes place in the castle.[2] The evening features various concerts, theatre performances and other entertainment, and each year the organiser, in collaboration with the municipality of Celje, awards the Veronikina nagrada (prize) for poetry and the Zlatnik poezije (gold medal for poetry). The Veronikini večeri event has been taking place since 1996 and the Veronikina nagrada has equally been awarded since then. The Zlatnik poezije has been awarded since 2004.
Set of numbers from 0-20 and in words. Available to download for FREE at:
www.sharemylesson.com/teaching-resource/Jacket-and-amp-T-...
From the August 2016 return trip to Siem Reap and the Angkor complex:
I love the Angkor complex, Siem Reap, and the Cambodian people so much that I returned again for about a week to photograph as much of the “non-major” sites as I could. Some of them are slightly far from Angkor Wat (by that, I mean to say more than 10 kilometers away), and usually require a little more money to get to. Also, some of the sites (Beng Mealea, Phnom Kulen) are not included in the Angkor ticket price and have an additional admission fee.
I don’t know if there’s a set number of how many sites belong in the Angkor complex, though I’m sure it would vary. (Do you only count the major sites like Angkor Wat, Bayon, Ta Prohm? Do you add the sites that aren’t included in the standard “Angkor Pass,” but are clearly of the same era? Do you include sites that aren’t even named (as are one of the sites in this series)? All in all, I’ll put a very rough number at…50 sites in the Siem Reap area, and that includes the sites that are about 100 km away. Of those, I would say I’ve been to all but 5-10 now. All are included here with the exception, obviously, of the sites that I didn’t visit. (Off the top of my head, I can say they include Koh Ker & that respective group, which is about 120 km ENE of Siem Reap; Phnom Krom, one of the three “mountains” with temples; Ta Prohm Kel; and Mangalartha.)
In practical terms, I’m afraid that with the volume of shooting (about 1,500 frames in the past 7 days), photos will start to look redundant to those who don’t have the same interest in ancient/historical architecture or Angkor as I do. That being said, there are a few things besides temples here. The Old Market area (now Night Market/Pub Street) is represented – a little – and Phnom Kulen has a pretty nice waterfall which is also in this series. Also, I tried to catch a few people in here, though didn’t get as many as I would’ve liked.
I had my friend Mao (tuktuk driver) take me around for 5 of these 7 days this time around. As I mentioned last time, he may cost a little more than what you can arrange through a hotel/guesthouse, but he’s well worth the money (and, in the grand scheme of things, not too expensive; I paid less than $200 for the five days, two of which were “long” trips). He loves his country and heritage, he knows what he’s showing you, he’s flexible, he gives you enough ice water to keep you hydrated, and he’s just a good guy. (He even bought me a birthday cake for cryin’ out loud…) Anyway, I highly recommend Mao. You can find him here: www.facebook.com/mao.khvan (or on Trip Advisor: www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g297390-d10726821-R... )
Now that shameless plugs and other assorted rhetoric are out of the way, it’s time to get on to the temples, ruins, and other miscellany.
Today is really the excuse that I used to come back to Siem Reap for a week. Mao was nice enough not to schedule any other customers for today since it’s my 43rd birthday, and also for Saturday. (Another reason, I think, is that I wanted to see all of the non-major sites and most everyone else is only interested in the major ones. So…thanks to Mao for giving up a few bucks from others just to make sure I got to see all that I wanted these two days.)
Mao came to pick me up around 10:00 in the morning with his wife and adorable daughter. Today, we pretty much followed the small loop tour that we did yesterday (and that most tourists do). However, we skipped every spot from yesterday (Banteay Kdei, Ta Prohm’s main temple, Ta Keo, Thommanon, Chao Say Tevoda, Bayon) and opted for the others along the same route.
The first stop of the morning was Prasat Kravan. This is a particularly interesting – and small – temple that consists mainly of one building with a central tower, but five chambers lined up in a row. Prasat Kravan was built in the early 10th century (consecrated in 921) and is built of brick. It was built during the short reign of Harshavarman I. The name is the modern name (though I don’t know the original name) and means “cardamom sanctuary,” for a tree that once stood here. From an architectural standpoint, what is most interesting – and what caught my attention – is the brick bas-reliefs here. They are the only known representation of these in Khmer art and are reason alone to visit here. The central tower has a statue of Vishnu and the northernmost has a statue of his consort, Lakshmi.
After 15-20 minutes at Prasat Kravan, Mao took me to Bat Chum, which was quite near. (It wasn’t on my list, so kudos to Mao for adding a few stops that I otherwise wouldn’t have seen; as I said, the man knows the territory, and I highly recommend him to anyone who comes here.) Bat Chum is a very, very small site (under restoration, though it looks like even the restoration has been forgotten) a few hundred meters due south of Sra Srang, and a few hundred meters east of the road from Angkor Wat to Banteay Kdei. When Bat Chum was built in 960, there were houses and a Buddhist monastery nearby, which have long since vanished. This temple was built by the lone Khmer architect whose name we know: Kavindrarimathana. He also built the palace of the East Mebon and Sra Srang. This is a temple with three brick towers. There are stone lions and interesting inscriptions here as well.
From Bat Chum, we returned to the main road, skirted along the eastern and northern sides of Banteay Kdei’s outer wall, then along the southern and western sides of Ta Prohm’s outer wall. Most people enter Ta Prohm from the western gate (as evidenced by the massive throng of tuktuks here) or the eastern gate (where you will find a slew of souvenir vendors). As far as I can tell, there is no southern gate – as I imagine you’d see it flying by on the road. (Banteay Kdei does have a northern gate, though people don’t seem to stop here.) Ta Prohm does have a rather charming and rarely visited northern gate that I was unaware of. Again…thanks, Mao. Just stop on the road at the northwest corner of Ta Prohm’s outer wall and walk east along the north wall for about five minutes to find the northern gate, surrounded by jungle.
Next up on today’s tour is a very small site that, from what I know, doesn’t even have a name. (Mao didn’t even know the name of the place, so it’s just titled ‘Unnamed Site’ here.) It’s very small, almost an afterthought, but still worth a look. It’s on the road heading due north from Ta Prohm’s west gate about 100-200 meters south of where it heads to the west to Ta Keo. It’s barely 50 meters off the road, so is very easy to visit in 10 minutes or so.
Right at the point where the road takes a 90 degree turn to head west to Ta Keo, you have the option of going straight (down a fairly bumpy dirt road) to Ta Nei. This is actually a larger temple, but unlike the others nearby, it hasn’t gone under extensive restoration yet, so it isn’t visited very often. It’s 800 meters north of Ta Keo, set back in the woods, and is 200 meters west of the Eastern Baray’s western border. It was built by Jayavarman VII in the late 12th century. The highlights of coming here are simply the setting, the pediments, and the overall lack of visitors.
After half an hour or so at Ta Nei, Mao and I hopped back in the tuktuk and returned to the main road, heading west past Ta Keo before veering north and making a very quick stop at the Hospital Chapel that is 150 meters due west of Ta Keo (slightly north). This is a very quick – 5 minute – stop that interested me simply because it was/is part of a hospital that’s close to a thousand years old now. It was built by Jayavarman VII (like so many of the Angkor sites) in the late 12th century. This sandstone monument is one of four that were on site here (and, from what I’m reading, one of 102 that were found throughout the empire). Honestly, seeing this just makes me wonder about 12th century medicine. What would a Khmer hospital at the turn of the 13th century have been like?
Moving north from the Hospital Chapel, the road takes another 90 degree turn to the west. Before entering the Victory Gate of Angkor Thom, you pass Thommanon and Chao Say Tevoda (bypassed, as already mentioned), and then Spean Thma, near a bridge that crosses the Siem Reap River. (The Siem Reap River, today, is more like a gentle stream, though it was used to transport the quarried rock from Phnom Kulen to Angkor to build these massive temples a thousand years ago.) That aside, I decided to bypass Spean Thma for now.
Once inside the Victory Gate, which I mistakenly called the East Gate in May (it is on the eastern wall), we turned south on a dirt path about 100-200 meters inside Angkor Thom and traveled south, parallel to the wall. After less than 5 minutes, you arrive at the road that runs directly east from Bayon to the East Gate, otherwise known as the Slaves’ Gate or Gate of the Dead. (From the names, obviously, if anyone who didn’t belong to the royal family saw this gate…bad news for them.) According to Mao, the slaves were marched out this gate on the way to their execution. Grim history aside, it’s a rather nice gate, well-restored, with some good angles for shooting. It’s certainly worth a visit, especially since it’s so easily accessible – and there are rarely many people around.
After this quick stop, we took the road due west to the heart of Angkor Thom – Bayon – then headed up the road towards the North Gate, where the majority of Angkor Thom sites are located (just north of Bayon). Passing by Baphuon, Phimeanakas, the Elephant Terrace, Terrace of the Leper Kings (all on the west side of the main road), and the Kleangs and Suor Prat Towers (east side of the main road, with the towers being bisected by the road heading east through the Victory Gate), we turned off just north of the Terrace of the Leper Kings to the west to see Tep Pranam – very briefly – and Preah Pilalay.
Tep Pranam is simply a statue of a giant seated sandstone Buddha, still in use for worship today, that was built around the 16th century. If this were in an out-of-the-way place, it may not be worth the time. However, it’s in the heart of Angkor Thom and it’s impossible to go to Preah Pilalay without seeing it if you come by tuktuk. (This isn’t a complaint by any means; it’s rather nice.) Preah Pilalay is in the northwest section of Angkor Thom and is fairly remote (given the amount of tourists that the other nearby sites see). Its main features are a tall chimney-like structure, a few nagas, and its setting in the forest. It was built in either the 13th or 14th century, possibly by Jayavarman VIII or, perhaps, by Jayavarman VII. It’s about 200 meters north of the royal enclosure (Phimeanakas). Some of the larger trees that used to tower over the temple have been hewn resulting in a very different feel. However, it was a pleasant side trip.
Hopping back in the tuktuk and going directly across the road, the last stop for the day inside Angkor Thom was the Preah Pithu group. This is a collection of five temples/ruins in the northeastern section of Angkor Thom that is in a delightful wooded setting. If you can see them in early morning or late afternoon, you should get some wonderful lighting. You can spend as little as 15 minutes here or as much as an hour or two. They probably weren’t designed to be one cohesive group, though it’s not possible to say with certainty. They were built in the 13th century. (Though I mention this as the last stop, I’ve also included the North Kleang and Northern Suor Prat Towers here. Though I didn’t explore those in depth, I am giving them their own set here – Kleangs and Suor Prat Towers.)
On the way out of Angkor Thom, via the South Gate, we stopped outside the moat for a few pictures. Directly south of Angkor Thom are a few temples that I wanted to see: Thma Bay Kaek, Prasat Bei, and Baksei Chamkrong.
We visited them in that order. Thma Bay Kaek is nearest the road about 50 meters southwest of the bridge over the southern moat. All that remains here are the ruins of a square brick tower. It’s probably the remains of one of many temples that were here in the Bakheng area. It was built in the 10th century by Yasovarman I.
About a five minute walk - -if that – due west of Thma Bay Kaek is Prasat Bei (“Three Towers”). Unlike Thma Bay Kaek, these towers are still standing, so obviously, slightly more photogenic. They would probably be best photographed in early morning. The trees block it from the west in late afternoon. It, too, was built by Yasovarman I in the 10th century.
The last of the three temples in this area, Baksei Chamkrong, is the most impressive of the three. It’s from the early and middle 10th century (rededicated in 948) and was built by Harshavarman. This is a pyramid temple at the foot of Phnom Bakheng. The name means “the bird with sheltering wings,” though – like most temples here – this is a modern appellation that the builders wouldn’t have recognized. This tower is a single brick tower on a pyramidal base.
Finally, to finish up the day, Mao dropped me at Phnom Bakheng. It’s about a 20 minute walk up the hill around a winding path. This is considered to be one of the best places to watch sunset over Angkor Wat because of its panoramic view from the peak of the hill. However, everyone knows this, and this is the only place all day that was too crowded for my liking. In addition to its being under restoration to the point of making it a bit of an eyesore (for the time being), it was easily my least favorite place of the entire day. After waiting in line for 20 minutes and barely moving an inch, I decided to call it a day, taking 1-2 pictures (that you see here), and heading back down the hill.
Mao had disappeared into the throngs of people eating at restaurants. Fortunately for me, he spotted me. On the way back to the guesthouse, he stopped and picked up a birthday cake which we shared with the folks who happened to be at the guesthouse. All in all, it was a wonderful birthday. Tomorrow, too, would be just me and would include the lesser-visited sites on the Grand Tour Loop, in addition to 1-2 others.
As always, I hope you enjoy this set. I appreciate you taking time to look. If you have any questions, please feel free to send me a message or leave it via comment.
Includes the Merrick Room and Foyer. Guests have access to the Maritime Exhibit in the Lobby.
Classic and elegant, the Counting Room provides the perfect setting for smaller events such as a business or board meeting, small dinner reception or intimate lecture.
▪ 40 - 60 seated ▪ 100 standing
Rental Fees:
▪ Monday thru Thursday - $1300
▪ Friday and Saturday - $1500
▪ Sunday - $1700
Beautiful effigy of Gerhard I of Jülich, count of Berg and Ravensberg (+1360) and his wife Margaret of Berg-Ravensberg (+1389).
The effigy was most likely made around the time Margaret died.
Note Gerhard's short-sleeved jupon, laced in front, depicting his coat-of-arms;
a mail standard (collar) with scalloped edges;
two retention chains for a missing sword and dagger attached to his breastplate under his jupon;
a pourpoint with funnel cuffs protruding from under the vambraces;
a typical late 14th century low-worn plaque belt;
full plate armour for the limbs;
mail cuisses (typical for the region and date, i.e. the effigy of Adolf of Cleves (+1394) www.flickr.com/photos/roelipilami/1578111000/in/album-721... );
and rowel spurs on the feet.
Also note an angel carrying his crested great helm.
Just a portrait this time.
And a cool song;
"You think the birds are pretty
and you sleep eight hours a night.
And I'm fog, out of the city,
and still you stake it all.
And trains stop for you and so do the boys,
when you run your fingers through your hair.
But resistance is futile.
And I am gonna drink your blood.
And I am gonna drink your blood.
And I am gonna drink your blood.
And I am gonna drink your blood.
..."
Starling Murmuration at the RSPB Ham Wall reserve. lSomerset Levels. UK. Photo Kevin Keatley, Camera Nikon D800, Lens Nikon 200-400@200mm, F4.5, 1/125 Sec., ISO 800. Low light photo. Used a Double bean bag for stability plus Camera & Lens cover
Drummer Gary O'Toole playing with Steve Hackett's band at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, last October.
My thanks are due to Steve and Jo Hackett for arranging my photo pass.
You can see other pics in my Steve Hackett set.
Counting on Progress, An Evening with Governor Quinn was held June 7, 2012 for the benefit of Center for Economic Progress clients. The Governor who advocates vigorously for Illinois’ working families is a strong ally of CEP. The evening was generously sponsored by Northern Trust, Gold Sponsors Exelon, Fifth Third Bank, Latham & Watkins, LLP; Silver Sponsors Country Financial, Chase, Dan Sprehe, emergencylink, Kirkland & Ellis, KPMG, North Shore Community Bank, Resolute Consulting, Scott Matrenec, Sodexo, U.S. Bank, and Walmart.
During the program special recognition was given to supporters who have helped CEP turn clients’ dreams into reality. Four awards were presented by David Marzahl, CEP President & CEO and Kimbriell Kelly, Chicago Reporter and CEP Board Member to: Two Volunteers of the Year, Laura Suhr of Northern Trust and Andy Roberson of Latham & Watkins, LLP; Corporate Champion Helen Hammond Redding, Citi; and Foundation Champion Nikki Will Stein, Polk Bros. Foundation.
Since 1990 Center for Economic Progress (CEP) has helped hard-working, low-income families move from financial uncertainty to financial security. Among the free tax and financial services offered by CEP is free tax preparation at tax sites in Chicago, Springfield and throughout Illinois. Tax season sites are open from late January until mid April. Other tax site services include: Financial Aid U (FAFSA); Checking and Savings Accounts; Prepaid Debit Card; ITINs.
CEP provides clients with free financial services year-round including financial coaching, benefits screenings, and other tax-related services. CEP’s Tax Clinic in its Chicago Loop office provides full representation for clients facing controversy with the IRS or Illinois Department of Revenue.
These services are provided with the essential assistance of donors and volunteers. Center for Economic Progress enjoys a reputation as a trusted service provider, a strong and valuable partner in the communities served, and a responsible steward of donors' investments. Charity Navigator has awarded Center for Economic Progress with three (excellent) and four-star (exceptional) ratings.
To learn more visit: www.economicprogress.org
It's a hard life being a Ba-game player. This bloke came limping out from inside the scrum at one point quite early in the game. He was soon on his feet and back in again. Probably only a few broken ribs or something... It seems they get used to it.
Nikon FM2, 35mm f/2
Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.
Mahatma Gandhi
+++++++++++++
And in the end it's not the years in your life that count. It is the life in your years.
Abraham Lincoln
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Don't take life too seriously; you'll never get out of it alive.
Elbert Hubbard
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Life isn't about the number of breaths we take, but the moments that take our breath away.
Anonymous
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Life isn't worth living, unless it is lived for someone else.
Albert Einstein
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Gratefulness Quotes
Technical Quotes
Time Inspirational Positive Thoughts
Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans.
John Lennon+++++++++++++
We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.
Winston Churchill
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Life is hard. After all it kills you.
Katharine Hepburn
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When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained.
Mark Twain
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The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life.
Muhammad Ali
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Let us so live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry.
Mark Twain
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Personally, I don't think there's intelligent life on other planets. Why should other planets be any different from this one?
Bob Monkhouse
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When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a manner that when you die the world cries and you rejoice.
Indian Proverb
+++++++++++++
Continue Reading »
via A2ZQuotes atoz-quotes.blogspot.com/2016/10/life-quotes.html
Check out my other miniature railway pics on Flickr:
www.flickr.com/photos/trainsandstuff/collections/72157625...
Bain News Service,, publisher.
Count Haeseler
[between ca. 1910 and ca. 1915]
1 negative : glass ; 5 x 7 in. or smaller.
Notes:
Title from unverified data provided by the Bain News Service on the negatives or caption cards.
Forms part of: George Grantham Bain Collection (Library of Congress).
Format: Glass negatives.
Rights Info: No known restrictions on publication.
Repository: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA, hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print
General information about the Bain Collection is available at hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.ggbain
Higher resolution image is available (Persistent URL): hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ggbain.17784
Call Number: LC-B2- 3292-15
Lost count of the hours spent on this one but I am very happy with the outcome. Its fully lined with bound edges on facings, vestee and sleeve hems. Will definitely revisit this one but in a block colour next time. Matching plaid is too much like maths!
For more details and pictures please visit ooobop!
Photo paper as film test that my wife and I did. We have some Arista-EDU FB VC Semi-Matte paper a friend gave us. Using a Canon SLR to determine exposures we found that ISO 6 with an exposure time of 24 seconds at F5.6 was about right. This was taken using our Crown Graphic with 135mm F4.7 Schneider Kreuznach Xenar lens and developed in Caffenol-C for 2 minutes. The only downside is that it's difficult to see the image coming up because the Caffenol is dark whereas normal paper developer is clear.
Here is the exotic burlesque dancer Akira
backstage at the El Cid nightclub on Sunset
in Silverlake
posing with Count Smokula,
both of whom are featured separately
here in this stream.
~TITLE OF ARTWORK~
~ Count Quint Baker ~
ARTWORK CREATED ON: Acid Free Paper
APPROXIMATE SIZE: 8.5" x 11" inches
Media:Acrylics, Watercolors, Pen & Ink
This piece is Signed - Dated & Titled
Artwork Created in July 2009.
There is a real life vampire named Count Quint Baker. He contacted me a couple months back about my art and he lives in New Zealand. I talked to this vampire and he told me that the raise of the vampires is at hand within the next couple years. He told me that I should not be worried and that I should be happy because I was on the list to be turned and not just dinner. In a way I was happy but what about my friends , my fans , my family ? Are they on the " good" list ? I hope so...
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