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Brankov Most, or - The Bridge From Where Famous Serbian Writer Branko Ćopić Commited Suicide. Many copycats to follow after his success, many failed.
Bronica SQ-A, Zenzanon 50mm f/3.5 PS, Fuji Velvia 100F, Canon 8800F... 8 seconds exposure, take that you digital antichrists.
From the autumn 2016 trip to Vietnam:
Touchdown brings me ‘round again to find…solid ground. Though I sometimes do feel like a rocket man. Including layovers, this trip to Vietnam consisted of 8 separate flights. The third one brought me to tiny Phu Quoc Island, a tropical island 40 kilometers west of the southern tip of Vietnam (and less than 5 kilometers from Cambodia on the mainland). The island, then, is actually west of the southern tip of Vietnam, and less than an hour flight from Saigon. The flight goes something like this: “Ladies and gentlemen, please be seated as it’s time for take…and now we’re landing.”
There are actually two tropical islands off the southern coast of Vietnam that I would have liked visiting, Phu Quoc being the more appealing of the two. (The other, for those curious, are the Con Dao Islands which actually are south of the mainland…but there doesn’t seem to be daily flights to/from there, which took it out of this trip’s consideration.)
Compared with Thailand, you would probably never think of coming to Vietnam for a tropical island experience – mainly because it’s not developed – and you’d be correct. I can easily name a handful of islands in Thailand (or Malaysia) that I would prefer to visit from an island standpoint.
However, that’s not to say that I was disappointed by Phu Quoc. On the contrary, I love the island. I found myself thinking, many times, “If I were an investor interested in developing a tourist resort, this would almost be at the top of my list.” (So, any investors reading this…feel free to take a slightly closer look at this island.)
It’s an easily accessible island with many daily flights to Saigon, and also flights to Hanoi. It claims to be an international airport, so I assume there are flights from Cambodia, as well, though I can’t say for certain. I can only say…it’s easy to get here.
Once you get here, you’ll find Vietnam’s largest island (though not large in comparison with many others). It’s 50 kilometers from north to south and 25 kilometers at its widest. It’s triangular in shape and, poetically speaking, can be said to look like a tear drop. Located in the Gulf of Thailand, the island also includes smaller neighboring islands as well.
Phu Quoc has slightly over 100,000 full-time residents, mostly living in Duong Dong, the island’s main town on the midpoint of the west coast of the island. Other than tourism, the economy here is driven, obviously, by the sea. Fishing, seafood, and so on are the staple here. Phu Quoc is the producer of the most famous fish sauce coming out of Vietnam. (Phu Quoc’s fish sauce can be found on grocery store shelves around the world.)
It’s also an island of hills. Our tour guide claimed that Phu Quoc has 99 mountains and, while I can’t (or won’t) dispute that, it struck me as a curious claim. There are hilly parts, though, and they include two waterfalls, one of which we visited on a day trip.
I mention that Phu Quoc struck me as being somewhat underdeveloped. I’ll elaborate by saying that they have a solid foundation – lots of restaurants (catered to foreigners; western food, pizza joints, etc., in addition to local/Vietnamese cuisine) – and hotels ranging from budget to top end. The basic utilities on the island (electricity, internet, etc.) are also completely stable and reliable. Where they could develop more is in the following: infrastructure and the actual amenities of tourism.
The roads weren’t shoddy, by many standards, though there’s still a lot of room for development. Once this is improved, it’ll make getting around more comfortable for anyone who wants to be completely insulated from “natural.”
The other thing that struck us as a little odd is that there doesn’t seem to be much going on at night (unless you’re a fisherman). It’s still a very quiet island and there weren’t many options for bars, clubs, live music, for example. (This is a huge difference between here and, say, Koh Chang in Thailand; the only other nearby island I have for comparison.) There aren’t convenience stores here that are open 24 hours a day and they don’t have much to offer after dark…besides the Night Market. Perhaps that’s the way they want to keep it, but there’s certainly potential here.
During the daytime, though, there’s plenty for tourists. As a photographer not equipped with waterproof gear, I was much more limited, but for the typical tourist you have options of fishing, diving, snorkeling, and swimming. The beaches were, in my opinion, a little dirty, but there are others on the island that are better, I think. (All in all, it would be nice to see things cleaned up a bit…)
In addition to water pursuits, there’s Phu Quoc National Park (that we didn’t visit; apparently better other times of the year) and – though the crux of the economy is tied to the sea – there are also other aspects of the economy that they represent well: pearl farms, pepper farms, cashew plantations, fish sauce factories, and local wine (wine aficionados, don’t get your hopes up).
For the land-loving folks, this is far from a crowded island. There are a number of beaches, the national park in the northern part of the island, and a few small waterfalls (one a classic, the other more of a rapids where you can swim). In short, there’s not a lack of things to do during the day.
With the long-winded generalities about the island out of the way, time to carry on with our experience. We took an early flight out of Saigon, around 9 or 10 o’clock. Flying into the airport, in the heart of the island (on the south side), my first impressions were “green” and “hilly.”
Naturally, it’s a small airport – everything here is small – which made it easy to get our things and be on our way to the hotel. I paid about $5 for the ride into Duong Dong. Our hotel, the Sea Breeze, had very friendly staff. (I can actually say that about every hotel we stayed at, with the New Moon in Danang being the least friendly…and they weren’t bad by any means at all.)
Anyway, the Sea Breeze was a fine place to sleep, though the Cat Huy was slightly nicer. But, for three nights, this hotel was perfect. Comfortable bed…and they did same day laundry service. I don’t remember the cost, but it was probably between $20-30 USD/night.
The hotel wasn’t one that had a restaurant or breakfast included (Saigon, Hoi An, Hue, and Hanoi all did), but there was a restaurant attached and a few feet away. I had breakfast there two of the three mornings and, while not the best western breakfast I’ve had, the staff were exceptionally friendly. I think that’s a Vietnamese quality…be really cordial to folks.
We had most of Friday on the island, plus the entire weekend, with a Monday morning flight to Danang (via Saigon) around 10:00 in the morning. Friday, then, was a completely unplanned day. So we spent Friday toddling around Duong Dong.
The first place we went (besides the hotel, obviously), was to find something to eat. We ended up going with was a decidedly non-Vietnamese restaurant named Buddy’s, walking there via the Night Market street. For me, I loved ‘em because they had milkshakes with real ice cream. Didn’t matter what else they had. That was enough to get me to go back 2-3 times.
After lunch and sitting around Buddy’s for a while, we walked across the street and followed the river out to its mouth in the Gulf of Thailand. (The river is why the main town was built at this spot.)
At the river’s head is a curiously named spot called Dinh Cau Castle. There is nothing about this place that shouts out “castle” if you were to just chance upon it. It’s actually a combination lighthouse-temple. The temple aspect is just a small room with a statue dedicated to the Goddess of the Sea. The lighthouse, obviously, has its practical purposes. It’s more a light station, though; there’s no house for a keeper.
However, this was a very enjoyable spot (much nicer than the Thien Hau “Pagoda” in Saigon) and would end up being the spot where we watched the sunset on Friday and Saturday. The lighthouse-station-temple was built in 1937. There are a few tables benches on an upper platform to sit and enjoy the view of the sea (or the river mouth with its fishing fleet behind you) and there’s also a jetty going out into the sea that gives some nice perspectives. I can only say that I was surprisingly pleased with both Friday and Saturday’s sunsets.
Staying at Dinh Cau well past sunset, we strolled back towards the Sea Breeze via the Night Market, which is rather clean as far as Asian markets go. (I mention this to contrast it with Phu Quoc’s Day Market, mentioned below.)
Before getting back to the hotel, we stopped at the recently (2015) established Crab House (Nha Ghe Phu Quoc) on the main road at the south end of the market. The owner was – as all seem to be – very friendly and talkative. I was curious to know why the interior had banners from a handful of SEC schools (US folks will know what this is) along with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Turns out, the guy used to live in Muskegon, Michigan, which isn’t terribly far from where I was born (and a town I’ll be passing near in about 3-4 weeks’ time).
Junebug & I split the Crab House battered garlic pepper fries (65,000 VND); miniature crab cakes with sweet mango coulis (175,000 VND); and com ghe: hot, steamy jasmine rice with fresh, sweet crab meat, julienne cucumber, and nuoc mam cay (Phu Quoc fish sauce) for 175,000 VND. Add in two cans of Sprite at 20,000 VND a pop and that’s a happy stomach. (The exchange rate, while we were there, was around 21,000-22,000 VND to the US dollar, so we’re looking at…$20-25 for a fresh seafood dinner for two.) With a thoroughly happy stomach, it was time to call it a night, even though it was barely 8:00.
Saturday brought with it another day trip with a small group. This was similar to the Saigon trip with Bao in terms of time and what we did, though I think Bao was a better guide than the girl here. She seemed disinterested half the time, though was never rude or mean, per se. Anyway, at $11/person, it wasn’t a bad way to spend the day.
Since the one part of this tour I was looking forward to most was a waterfall, I was grateful that it was overcast almost the entire day. For parts of it, rain was pretty heavy. (It even made me mildly – albeit very mildly concerned about the flight out on Monday as it was the first of two for the day.)
First up, though, was a pearl farm where I found it interesting to see them pulling pearls out of oysters. That thrill lasted for about a minute or two. However, we were scheduled to be here for close to an hour. (They were hoping that people would buy pearl jewelry.) Given that we were in a fairly heavy rain, I was surprised that there were so many people here. It made me think the entire day would be like this with overcrowded spots. (Forunately, that didn’t come to pass.)
With no interest in buying jewelry, I spent the hour on the back patio looking out at the very rough and stormy sea, and a few of these shots are from there. Finally ready to go, we were waiting on two Vietnamese women from the group (a recurring theme for the day) before we headed off to the next stop: a pepper farm.
To call it a pepper farm would be to stretch one’s imagination to its utmost. It was about 5 rows of pepper trees with each row being no more than 10 meters long. (I’d like to hope this is just the “sample” section they show us dopey tourists.) Much more attractive was the attached shop where they hoped you’d buy pepper. This time around, I pulled out my wallet. There’s one of us born every minute, you know. I bought four separate jars of pepper, one of which wasn’t a powder (and was subsequently confiscated in Guangzhou as I rarely check luggage and this trip was no exception). At about a dollar a jar, it wasn’t a bad deal.
From the pepper farm we were off to the wine shop. This tour was beginning to feel like just going from one spot to another to buy local goods. This wasn’t grape wine, but was a berry wine and was, for the most part very sweet. Don’t think port or sherry, though. It wasn’t quite that sweet, but it was close. Certainly not bad, but also something I could’ve done without. However, they seemed proud of their wine, and I don’t blame them. (It’s better than most of what I had in Korea.) Once again being held up by the Vietnamese ladies, we finally all settled back into the van and went off to Suoi Tranh.
The waterfall was actually much nicer than I expected. Apparently, half the year, it’s dry, so it worked out well that we came at the end of the rainy season. The fall is a classic cascade in a very nice, wooded setting. (Even if it were sunny, it probably would’ve photographed rather well because it had enough cover to give it shade.) We were given 45 minutes to walk the 600 meters up to the falls and back, which meant a bit of a rush for me, but…fortunately, the Vietnamese ladies were even slower than I was.
The creek leading up to the falls had some nice rapids, too, but it also had some unfortunate eyesores: a manmade fall at the entrance (why would you need that when you have the real thing a few minutes away?) and, worse, some fake animal statuary. Count my lucky stars, but these all disappeared after the first 100-200 meters, and you were left with a tasteful and well-made natural path leading up to the falls.
After this – it was around 12:00 or 12:30 by this point – we hopped in the van and headed to Sao Beach at the southern tip of the island. To get here required driving down a very bumpy road for a few minutes at the end. (As I said…they can still do a little infrastructure work here unless one of the unstated tourist goals is to make people feel like they’re bouncing around in a bag of popcorn.)
The beach was…pleasant, I guess I can say. It wasn’t a large beach. In length, it covered a small cove, so it had a nice setting. It also isn’t a wide beach; only about 30 meters from the restaurant to the water, and maybe even less than 20 meters. I saw a little too much trash around which disheartened me, though we aren’t talking dirty to levels that I’m accustomed to seeing in China. I didn’t go swimming, and the lunch at the restaurant here – though Vietnamese – was among the most unimpressive meals we had in the entire two weeks here. The best part of the time at the beach is that the weather cleared up from overcast and rainy to mostly cloudy. So it wasn’t crowded here, nor was it raining.
We left the beach at 2:00 and drove to a nearby fish sauce factory. This was a lot like the pearl farm, pepper farm, and wine shop. “We make this here. Please buy it.” Of the four of these places, the pearl farm is the only one who actually had some kind of “demonstration,” and that lasted about a minute.
If it seems I’m being critical of the roped in commercialism of these types of tours, perhaps I am a little jaded. The spots in and of themselves are actually quite interesting and I just accept this as an unnecessary evil. They need to survive somehow, and for that, I guess I’m grateful that they do this. Back to the actual tour, the fish sauce factory was quick and interesting. (Though I don’t like seafood that much, I do like fish sauce to add flavor.)
The last “scheduled” stop was Nha Tu Phu Quoc – Coconut Tree Prison – right across the street. This isn’t a place that I would otherwise go out of my way to visit, though in conjunction with the beach and the fish sauce factory, it was perfect. (Individually, none of the three spots amazed me, but as a whole, they were quite pleasing.)
The prison was built by the French in the 1940s and this was one of the ARVN’s POW camps during the Vietnam War. Apparently, prisoner treatment here was quite inhumane, as detailed by the signs around the barracks. The recreations of people, though, aren’t the most lifelike I’ve ever seen and seem kind of cheap. There aren’t any period photographs, so there’s a little “oomph” missing here, but it’s still a good effort all around.
Our last stop before being dropped off back in Duong Dong was at Ham Ninh, a small fishing village on the east coast of the island (almost directly across the island from Duong Dong. We didn’t do anything here except have 15-20 minutes to walk to the end of the pier and come back. As uneventful as that may sound, I enjoyed it a lot because the surrounding scenery and seeing the fishing fleet up close (along with a lot of small floating restaurants) made it unique and worthwhile to me.
When we got dropped off, we went right back to Buddy’s and repeated the same thing from Friday night (minus eating at the Crab House). I can’t recall what we ate for dinner on Saturday night and perhaps we didn’t. Lunch at Buddy’s was late enough that I doubt we were terribly hungry by evening except for some snacks.
The only difference between Friday & Saturday was my positioning to photograph the sunset. Friday night was from up near the lighthouse, and Saturday was a little ways out on the jetty. Skies were equally moody both nights.
I’m easy like Sunday morning. No rush to wake up since there was absolutely nothing whatsoever on the agenda. Brunch, around 9:00 or 10:00, after stopping by the post office to send off some postcards, was at Buddy’s. From there, we crossed the river to the day market and spent about an hour or so wandering up and down the street photographing a variety of things.
Going back to the west side of the river, we spent a little while at Dinh Cau, but decided not to watch the sunset there for the third night in a row. We had a late (and small) lunch of a wood-fired pizza, which was surprisingly delicious – so much so that I considered going back for dinner.
Instead, we went to one of the few access points for Long Beach (the beach nearest the hotel) to watch the least spectacular of the three sunsets in my opinion. Sunday night’s was cloudier than Friday and Saturday’s. However, there are still some interesting pictures. It’s just the most muted of the three, by far, and there’s simply less to work with.
After sundown, we walked the few hundred meters north up the main road, passing the Sea Breeze, and stopped at a local restaurant. (I suggested it not because it was local, but because they proudly talked of the ice cream that they have.) The food was not terribly great. I had fish and chips that didn’t have enough tartar and was a bit bland. I also ordered some smoked cheese that, when they brought it, they didn’t say what it was and, since it looked more like noodles than cheese, didn’t eat it. The ice cream, however, was sorbet, and it was wonderful.
All in all, Phu Quoc was about as good as I wished it would be, and I was lucky enough to have three reasonably good sunsets and decent weather for the weekend. Also, the waterfall was actually nicer than I had expected, we ate well (for the most part), and it was a relaxing weekend. Not a bad way to spend life.
After breakfast Monday morning, we grabbed our bags and headed to the airport at 9:00 for the first of two flights on the day.
As always, thanks for dropping by and viewing these pictures. Please feel free to leave any questions or comments and I’ll answer as I have time.
Accidental double exposure. The camera is sharper than I previously thought. The film made a difference.
Franka Rolfix (6x9) + Portra 160
Unicolor C-41 3.5 mins @ 102F
Epson V600 scan
Cerghan is a big boy! As he was supposed to be. Here's how he compares to Glenn, who is 72cm, Zared at 65cm, Analei at about 62cm, and Danny on the far end at 74cm. Originally, Cerghan -as Nico- stood at 78cm. Now, that's what's Baraghan is at and Cerghan is 84cm. Whoot!
THANK YOU SICKTRESS!!!!!
There are not many huge differences between the two. Here 1145 can be seen getting ready for the short run up and down the driveway, she will not see rally use this year to allow for some accident repairs to be repaired, and to have a service, which she has not had for some years now.
These two very different preserved Leyland coaches are seen here at The Bus & Coach Show, British Commercial Vehicle Museum, Leyland, on 18/03/2012. Nearest the camera is ex-Jersey Motor Transport, C15, a Leyland Lioness PLC1 that was first registered, in 03/1927, and used as a shooting brake for King George V and the Royal Household. Its Leyland body was rebuilt by Thurgood in 1938 as a 26 seat rear entrance coach for further service in Jersey where it was re-registered J8462. I think this is/was resident at the museum at the time of this photograph. A little further back is is preserved former Hutchison, Overtown, Scotland, EVD580, a Plaxton bodied Leyland Tiger PS1. Preserved in Bee Line, Hartlepool, livery, it was new to Hutchison, in 09/1949. It was latterly preserved in the livery of Wm. Low, Tomintoul, Scotland, an operator it worked for after Hutchison. © Peter Steel 2012.
the other sides of those two models. looking at the triangular-ish hexagons and their arrangement it's clear how these patterns are basically the same :-)
My 2013 Classic Jasmine 12'' Doll has been completely deboxed. She is standing, supported by a Kaiser doll stand (not included with the doll), and is photographed from various angles.
The 2013 Classic Jasmine doll has many differences from the 2012 model, and yet looks very similar. She is now more movie accurate and overall a more attractive doll. The only major change is to her legs, from fully articulated hard plastic legs to rubber legs with internal knee joints and fixed angled feet. But since her outfit covers her legs almost entirely, these changes are not immediately noticeable. There are minor changes to her outfit and accessories, the biggest changes being the return of her triangular earrings, the removal of her overskirt, and the introduction of a pattern in the glitter of her outfit. The features that haven't changed are her head, face, hair, skin color, shoes, torso and arms.
Following is a detailed comparative review of the 2013 Classic Jasmine Doll versus the 2012 Classic Jasmine doll. The review is divided in various physical categories.
Head and Face: The 2012 and 2013 Classic Jasmine dolls have identical heads and almost identical faces. She is large almond shaped brown eyes that are glancing to her upper right. She has silver and pink eyeshadow, and thick black eyeliner with two short thick black eyelashes over the corner of each eye. There are thick black eyebrows that are arched at the ends. She has a small straight nose. She has a closed mouth smile with full pink lips. Her cheeks are lightly blushed with pink rouge. She has pronounced cheekbones, and a large protruding forehead. Overall, she is very movie accurate, except for her high forehead.
There are three small differences in their faces, that may be due to factory variances. One is that the new Jasmine's face is a little less shiny, although that may be due to my washing with alcohol to clean off some blemishes. Another difference that the new Jasmine has slightly darker and fainter pink upper eyeshadow. Finally she has slightly darker pink lips.
Hair: The 2013 Classic Jasmine doll has the same hair as the previous model. It is jet black, long and mostly straight. It is formed into a long ponytail that hangs almost to her knees, and tied at two points with black rubberbands. It is parted in the middle, and pulled away from her forehead without the use of any hair product, so it is soft and smooth throughout. The ends of the ponytail is curled and a little messy. I tried to make it neater by combing it, but wasn't very successful. The hairdo is fairly movie accurate, but should come down over her forehead a lot more, and should be tied with blue bands rather than black ones.
Outfit: The 2013 Classic Jasmine doll's outfit is very similar to the old one, with some significant differences. Her teal satin top is now slightly bluer, is scalloped at the top and bottom, has a design covered in silver glitter, and has a purple gem at the top. It still has off the shoulder straps. The pants bottom is made of the same material, with the same silver glittery pattern. The waistline is still V-shaped, but is now more modest. It is only about 1/4 inch higher than before, but no longer shows her belly button. The waist can be pulled down a bit, but will still just barely show her belly button. Ariel's costume also had a similar change this year, in that her bellybutton now barely shows above the waist of her tail, and can be covered up by pulling up the tail a bit. A fairly big change was the removal of the sheer organza overskirt and the large teal gem at the waist. I don't miss those so much, since they are not in the costume of the movie character.
Shoes: They have identical light blue green flat shoes with a curved toes. It is very movie accurate, but looks a lot better on the flat feet of the 2012 doll, rather on the angled feet of the 2013 doll.
Accessories: The 2013 Classic Jasmine doll has large solid triangular earrings of shiny gold, and a hoop necklace of the same material. They are great looking and very movie accurate, and a significant improvement over the older doll's jewelry. The 2012 doll had hoop earrings with three small spheres inside, and a hoop necklace, all of which were a flat gold color. They have the same light teal satin headbands, but the 2013 doll is now missing the large blue green gem, so is less movie accurate in that regard.
Body: Her body is fully articulated in the arms, but now has the rubber legs of 2011 and earlier dolls, which has internal knee joints and fixed angled feet. Her hip joints allow her to sit down with her legs together and her back straight up, unlike the 2012 doll with the fully articulated but defective legs. But her knees can only bend about 40 degrees, so her legs stick out when she is sitting. The leg joints are also much stiffer, so she is in a much more natural position when placed standing in a Kaiser doll stand. Her angled rubber feet also make her about 1/4 inch taller than the 2012 doll, who had flat feet.
Packaging: The packaging for the dolls is much improved. The box art has been completely redesigned, with beautiful decorations unique to each Princess (actually for each movie), and a cameo of the animated movie character. The boxes are the same height and width (13'' H x 6'' W), but are 1/2'' flatter, making them smaller and lighter. Jasmine's new box has images of Aladdin's Lamp and the Royal Palace in a purple background.
Classic Disney Princess Jasmine Doll - 12''
US Disney Store
Released online June 10, 2013.
Purchased online June 13, 2013.
Received June 24, 2013.
$14.95 (was on sale for $10 at time of purchase).
2013 Disney Princess Classic Doll Collection
Released online on June 10, 2013. They consist of 11-12'' articulated dolls of the 11 official Disney Princesses, from Snow White to Merida, as well as Princes, Villains and Sidekicks. I now have all 11 Princesses, Queen Elinor, Charlotte and Gaston. I will photograph them boxed, during deboxing and fully deboxed. I will also post reviews and comparative photos.
Togo (officially the Togolese Republic) is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately 57,000 square kilometres (22,000 sq mi) with a population of approximately 6.7 million.
Togo is a tropical, sub-Saharan nation, highly dependent on agriculture, with a climate that provides good growing seasons. The official language is French; however, there are many other languages spoken in Togo. Approximately one half of the population lives below the international poverty line of US$1.25 a day.
Togo gained its independence from France in 1960. In 1967, Gnassingbé Eyadéma led a successful military coup, after which he became president. At the time of his death in 2005, Eyadéma was the longest-serving leader in African history, after having been president for 38 years. In 2005, his son Faure Gnassingbé was elected president.
History
Please go to
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Togo
Geography
Please go to
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Togo
Other info
Oficial Name:
Republique Togolaise
Independence:
April 27, 1960
Area:
56.785km2
Inhabitants:
6.100.000
Languages:
Adangbe [adq] 2,000 in Togo (2002 SIL). Border area of Togo and Ghana directly east of Ho, Ghana. Agotime are mainly in Ghana. Volta Region. Alternate names: Dangbe, Adantonwi, Agotime, Adan. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Kwa, Left Bank, Kposo-Ahlo-Bowili
More information.
Adele [ade] 16,300 in Togo (2003 SIL). Population total all countries: 27,300. West central. There is difficult access to the area. The main centers are Koué Mpotì, Yégué. Upper Adele is in Togo, Lower Adele in Ghana. Also spoken in Ghana. Alternate names: Bidire, Bedere, Gidire, Gadre. Dialects: Upper Adele, Lower Adele. 85% to 90% inherent intelligibility between dialects, minor differences in tone and lexicon. Ghana and Togo dialects differ. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Kwa, Nyo, Potou-Tano, Basila-Adele
More information.
Aja [ajg] 152,300 in Togo (2002 SIL). Southwestern Benin and Southeastern Togo on both sides of the Mono River. In Togo in the southeast corner of the Plateau Province north and south of the 'Forêt de Togodo', in the prefecture of Moyen-Mono, as well as in the prefecture 'des Lacs' and the prefecture of Yoto. There are also Aja speakers in Lome and several other towns in southern Togo. Alternate names: Ajagbe, Adja. Dialects: Dogo, Hwe (Ehoue), Tado (Stado, Sado, Tadou), Sikpi, Tala. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Kwa, Left Bank, Gbe, Aja
More information.
Akaselem [aks] 47,500 (2002 SIL). Central Region east of Sokodé, Tchamba Prefecture. Alternate names: Tchamba, Akasele, Kasele, Kamba, Chamba, Cemba. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, North, Gur, Central, Northern, Oti-Volta, Gurma, Ntcham
More information.
Akebu [keu] 56,400 (2002 SIL). South, Canton Akebou of Prefecture de Wawa and into Ghana. Main centers Kougnohou, Veh-Nkougna, Kamina. Alternate names: Akebou, Kebu, Kabu, Kegberike, Ekpeebhe. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Kwa, Left Bank, Kebu-Animere
More information.
Anii [blo] 12,300 in Togo (2002 SIL). Both sides of the Togo-Benin border. In Benin, the southern part of the Aracora Province, Bassila Subprefecture. In Togo, the Central Region, Tchamba Prefecture. Alternate names: Akpe, Gisida, Basila, Bassila, Baseca, Winji-Winji, Ounji-Ounji. Dialects: Akpe, Balanka, Gikolodjya, Gilempla, Giseda, Gisème, Ananjubi (Anandjoobi). Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Kwa, Nyo, Potou-Tano, Basila-Adele
More information.
Anufo [cko] 57,800 in Togo (2002 SIL). Savannah Region in northern Togo, around town of Mango and into Ghana. Alternate names: Chokosi, Chakosi, Tchokossi, Tiokossi, Chokossi. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Kwa, Nyo, Potou-Tano, Tano, Central, Bia, Northern
More information.
Bago-Kusuntu [bqg] 7,500 (2000 Togo govt). Ethnic population: 8,000. Central Region, Tchamba Prefecture. The main centers are Koussountou (25 km south east of Tchamba) and Bagou (35 km south of Koussountou). Alternate names: Bago, Koussountou. Dialects: Bago, Kusuntu. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, North, Gur, Central, Southern, Grusi, Eastern
More information.
Bissa [bib] 3,000 in Togo (1991 SIL). Border with Burkina Faso in the northwest corner of Togo, Savana Region, Tone Prefecture. Alternate names: Bisa. Classification: Niger-Congo, Mande, Eastern, Eastern, Bissa
More information.
Delo [ntr] 5,400 in Togo (1998). Central Region, Blitta Prefecture, border with Ghana. Alternate names: Ntrubo, Ntribu, Ntribou. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, North, Gur, Central, Southern, Grusi, Eastern
More information.
Ditammari [tbz] 27,500 in Togo (2002 SIL). Kara Region, Kande Prefecture, east of Kanté along Benin border. The main centers in Togo are Nadoba, Wantema, Warengo, Koutougou. Alternate names: Tamari, Soma, Some, "Somba", Tamberma. Dialects: Eastern Ditammari, Western Ditammari (Tamberma). Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, North, Gur, Central, Northern, Oti-Volta, Eastern
More information.
Ede Nago, Manigri-Kambolé [xkb] 40,000 in Togo (2002 SIL). Central Region, Tchamba Prefecture in the town of Kambolé and a few surrounding villages. Alternate names: Southwest Ede, Kambolé. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Defoid, Yoruboid, Edekiri
More information.
Éwé [ewe] 861,900 in Togo (1991 Vanderaa). Maritime Region and Plateau Region south of Atakpamé. Main centers in Kpalimé, Notsé, Tsévié. Alternate names: Eibe, Ehwe, Eve, Vhe, Krepe, Krepi, Popo. Dialects: Adan, Agu, Anglo (Anlo, Awlan), Aveno, Be, Gbin, Ho, Kpelen, Togo, Vlin, Vo. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Kwa, Left Bank, Gbe
More information.
Fon [fon] 35,500 in Togo (1991). They are widely scattered and form small minorities in the Plateau Region south and north of the town of Atakpame. Alternate names: Fo, Fon-Gbe, Fonnu, Fogbe, Dahomeen, Djedji. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Kwa, Left Bank, Gbe, Fon
More information.
French [fra] 3,000 in Togo (1993). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, French
More information.
French Sign Language [fsl] Alternate names: Langue des Signes Française, LSF. Classification: Deaf sign language
More information.
Fulfulde, Borgu [fue] 48,200 in Togo (1993 Johnstone). North. The Djougoure dialect may extend west into Togo. Alternate names: Benin-Togo Fulfulde, Peulh, Peul, Fulani. Dialects: Atakora Fulfulde. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Atlantic, Northern, Senegambian, Fulani-Wolof, Fula, West Central
More information.
Gbe, Maxi [mxl] 25,300 in Togo (1991). Several linguistically isolated communities in the southern part of Central Region and northwestern part of Plateau Region north and south of Atapkame. Alternate names: Mahi, Maxi-Gbe. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Kwa, Left Bank, Gbe, Fon
More information.
Gbe, Waci [wci] 365,500 in Togo (1991). Population total all countries: 475,500. The main centers are in Vogan, Tabligbo, Attitigon. Also spoken in Benin. Alternate names: Ouatchi, Waci, Waci-Gbe, Wachi, Watyi. Dialects: One of 10 languages that make up the Gbe language cluster that extends from southeastern Ghana across southern Togo and southern Benin into southwestern Nigeria. The cluster also includes Ci Gbe, Defi Gbe, Gbesi Gbe, Eastern Xwla Gbe, Maxi Gbe, Kotafon Gbe, Western Xwla Gbe, Tofin Gbe, Xwela Gbe. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Kwa, Left Bank, Gbe
More information.
Gbe, Western Xwla [xwl] 21,000 in Togo (2002 SIL). Southeastern Togo along the Mono River. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Kwa, Left Bank, Gbe
More information.
Gen [gej] 200,900 in Togo (1991). Population total all countries: 358,900. Southeastern part of Togo, Maritime Region. Also spoken in Benin. Alternate names: Ge, Gen-Gbe, Mina-Gen, Mina, Popo, Guin, Gebe. Dialects: Anexo, Gliji, Agoi, Gen. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Kwa, Left Bank, Gbe, Mina
More information.
Ginyanga [ayg] 12,000 (2000 census). Ethnic population: 12,500. Central Region, Blitta Prefecture, west and south of Blitta. Alternate names: Agnagan, Anyanga, Genyanga. Dialects: Lexical similarity 75% with Gichode. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Kwa, Nyo, Potou-Tano, Tano, Guang, North Guang
More information.
Gourmanchéma [gux] 120,500 in Togo (1991 Vanderaa). Northeastern Togo. Savana Region, Mandouri Subprefecture. Main centers: Korbongou, Mandouri. Alternate names: Gourmantche, Gourma, Gurma, Migulimancema, Gulimancema. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, North, Gur, Central, Northern, Oti-Volta, Gurma
More information.
Ifè [ife] 102,000 in Togo (2002 SIL). Population total all countries: 182,000. Northeastern part of Plateau Region, Ogou and Est-Mono prefectures, and in Benin. The main centers are Atakpamé, Kamina, and Dadja. Also in the village of Ese-Ana in southern Togo. Also spoken in Benin. Alternate names: Ana-Ifé, Ana, Baate. Dialects: Tschetti, Djama, Dadja. A member of the Ede language cluster. Lexical similarity 78% with Yoruba of Porto-Novo, 87% to 91% with Ede Nago. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Defoid, Yoruboid, Edekiri
More information.
Igo [ahl] 6,000 (1995 H. Massanvi Gblem). No monolinguals. Ethnic population: 6,000. Plateau Region, Apeyeme prefecture a Canton Bogo-Ahlon around village of Sassanou. Alternate names: Ahlon, Achlo, Anlo, Ago, Ahlõ, Ahonlan, Ahlon-Bogo. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Kwa, Left Bank, Kposo-Ahlo-Bowili
More information.
Ikposo [kpo] 155,000 in Togo (2002 SIL). Population total all countries: 162,500. Plateau Region, Amou, Wawa and Ogou prefectures. West of Atakpamé. The main centers are Amlamé, Amou-Oblo, Atakpamé. Also spoken in Ghana. Alternate names: Kposo, Akposo, Akposso. Dialects: Amou Oblou, Ikponu, Iwi (Uwi), Litime (Badou), Logbo, Uma. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Kwa, Left Bank, Kposo-Ahlo-Bowili
More information.
Kabiyé [kbp] 700,000 in Togo (1998 SIL). Population total all countries: 730,000. Kara Region. Main centers in prefectures of Kozah and Binah. Two-thirds of people now live in Central and Plateau Regions. Primarly in prefectures of Sotouboua, Blitta, Kloto, Ogou, Amlame, Wawa, and Haho. Also spoken in Benin, Ghana. Alternate names: Kabre, Cabrai, Kabure, Kabye, Cabrais. Dialects: Kewe, Kijang, Lama-Tissi, Boufale. Lexical similarity 60% between Kabiye, Lama, Tem and Lukpa. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, North, Gur, Central, Southern, Grusi, Eastern
More information.
Konkomba [xon] 50,100 in Togo (1991 Vanderaa). Kara Region, north of Kabou along border with Ghana. Main centers in Guérin-Kouka, Nawaré, Kidjaloum. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, North, Gur, Central, Northern, Oti-Volta, Gurma
More information.
Kpessi [kef] 4,000 (2002 SIL). Ethnic population: 4,000. Central Togo, in the East Mono Prefecture, Kpessi and Nyamassila cantons and in Blitta Prefecture, Langabou Canton. Alternate names: Kpesi, Kpétsi. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Kwa, Left Bank, Gbe
More information.
Lama [las] 117,400 in Togo (1991 Vanderaa). Population total all countries: 186,400. Kara Region, Prefectures of Kande and Doufelgou. Over 50% of the population have settled in the Central and Plateau Regions, prefectures of Sotouboua, Ogou, and Haho. There is an important minority in Lomé and a large population in Ghana. Also spoken in Benin, Ghana. Alternate names: Lamba, Losso. Dialects: Kande (Kante), Kadjala (Kadjalla), Defale. It is related to Tem and Kabiye. Leon and Yaka, and 2 to 4 other villages south of Kande, between Lama and Kabiye, and west of Niamtougou may need separate literature. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, North, Gur, Central, Southern, Grusi, Eastern
More information.
Lukpa [dop] 13,581 in Togo (2000 WCD). Kara Region, Binah Prefecture along Benin border. Also a few villages in Central Region. Alternate names: Lokpa, Logba, Legba, Lugba, Dompago. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, North, Gur, Central, Southern, Grusi, Eastern
More information.
Miyobe [soy] 1,700 in Togo (1991). Kara Region, Binah Prefecture, northeast of Kpagouda in Togo, bordering Benin. Main centers in Kouyoria, Sola. There are isolated groups in Kounacire (Massédéna) and Sola (Koutougou). Alternate names: Soruba, Sorouba, Bijobe, Biyobe, Uyobe, Kyobe, Kuyobe, Solamba, Sola, Solla. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, North, Gur, Central, Northern, Oti-Volta, Gurma
More information.
Moba [mfq] 189,400 in Togo (1991 L. Vanderaa CRC). Population total all countries: 191,200. Northwest part of Savana Region. The main towns are Dapaong and Bombouaka. Also spoken in Burkina Faso. Alternate names: Moab, Moare, Moa, Ben. Dialects: Natchaba. Related to Bimoba in Ghana, but with only limited intelligibility. Diverse dialect situation, varying almost from family to family. Possible dialect cluster. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, North, Gur, Central, Northern, Oti-Volta, Gurma, Moba
More information.
Mòoré [mos] 19,700 in Togo (1991). Population includes 7,155 in Moore, 7,908 in Yanga dialect (1981 census). Savana Region, several villages north of Dapaon Senkanssé, Timbou, Tabi. Alternate names: Moose, Mossi, More, Mole, Moshi. Dialects: Yanga (Yana, Yan, Yam, Yaan, Jaan, Timbou). Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, North, Gur, Central, Northern, Oti-Volta, Western, Northwest
More information.
Nawdm [nmz] 145,600 in Togo (1991 Vanderaa). Kara Region, around Niamtougou, Prefecture of Doufelgou. Many have settled in the Central and Plateau Regions, prefectures of Sotouboua, Ogou, and Haho. There is an important minority in Lomé. Also spoken in Ghana. Alternate names: Naudm, Nawdam, Naoudem, Losso, Losu. Dialects: Close to Yom. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, North, Gur, Central, Northern, Oti-Volta, Yom-Nawdm
More information.
Ngangam [gng] 46,000 in Togo (2002 SIL). Population total all countries: 66,000. Savana Region, Oti Prefecture, around Gando-Namoni, Mogou, Koumongou, and Kountouri. Also spoken in Benin. Alternate names: Dye, Gangam, Gangum, Ngangan, Nbangam, Migangam, Mijiem. Dialects: Motiem (Mogou), Koumongou. Close to Konkomba, Ntcham, Moba, Gurma. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, North, Gur, Central, Northern, Oti-Volta, Gurma
More information.
Ntcham [bud] 100,000 in Togo (1993 SIL). Population total all countries: 157,000. West central, Bassar, Kabou, Kalanga, and adjacent areas. Also spoken in Ghana. Alternate names: Bassar, Basare, Bassari, Basari, Basar, Ncham, Natchamba, Tobote. Dialects: Ncanm, Ntaapum, Ceemba, Linangmanli. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, North, Gur, Central, Northern, Oti-Volta, Gurma, Ntcham
More information.
Tem [kdh] 204,100 in Togo (1991). Population total all countries: 307,100. Kara Region, Bafilo Subprefecture; Central Region, Tchoudjo and Sotouboua prefectures. Bafilo, Sokode, and Sotouboua are main centers. There are many Tem in the Plateau Region near Badou. Also spoken in Benin, Ghana. Alternate names: Kotokoli, Cotocoli, Tim, Timu, Temba. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, North, Gur, Central, Southern, Grusi, Eastern
More information.
Wudu [wud] 2,000. The main centers are Gbékon and Glitho. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Kwa, Left Bank, Gbe
Capital city:
Lomé
Meaning country name:
From the settlement Togo, currently Togoville. In Ewe, to means "water" and go, "shore".
Description Flag
The flag of Togo was adopted on April 27, 1960. It has five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom) alternating with yellow. There is a white five-pointed star on a red square in the upper hoist-side corner. It uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia, but the design resembles the flag of Liberia which itself echoes the flag of the United States.
The flag was designed by artist Ahyi Paul and approximates a golden rectangle closely
Coat of arms:
The coat of arms of Togo was adopted on 14 March 1962.
In the coat of arms, there are two red lions to be seen, which symbolize the bravery of the people. The bow and arrow call for all citizens to be active in the defense of freedom of the country. Between the lions is a golden shield with the letters RT (=République Togolaise) to be seen. Above the flag of Togo is displayed twice. On the ribbon stands "Union, Paix, Solidarite" (Unity, Peace, Solidarity). Earlier there stood in its place "Travail, Liberté, Patrie" (Work, Liberty, Homeland).
Motto:
"Travail, Liberté, Patrie"
National Anthem: Salut à toi, pays de nos aïeux
French
Salut à toi pays de nos aïeux,
Toi que les rendait forts,
Paisibles et joyeux,
Cultivant vertu, vaillance,
Pour la prospérité
Que viennent les tyrans,
Ton cœur soupire vers la liberté,
Togo debout, luttons sans défaillance,
Vainquons ou mourrons,mais dans la dignité,
Grand Dieu, toi seul nous a exaltés,
Du Togo pour la prospérité,
Togolais viens, bâtissons la cité.
Dans l’unité nous voulons te servir,
C’est bien là de nos cœurs,le plus ardent désir,
Clamons fort notre devise,
Que rien ne peut ternir.
Seul artisan de ton bonheur, ainsi que de ton avenir,
brisons partout les chaînes de la traîtrise,
Et nous te jurons toujours fidélité,
Et aimer servir, se dépasser,
Faire encore de toi sans nous lasser,
Togo chéri, l’or de l’humanité.
Salut, salut à l'Univers entier
Unissons nos efforts sur l'immense chantier
D'où naîtra toute nouvelle
La Grande Humanité
Partout au lieu de la misère, apportons la félicité.
Chassons du monde la haine rebelle
Finis l'esclavage et la Captivité
A l'étoile de la liberté,
Renouons la solidarité
Des Nations dans la fraternité
English translation
Hail to thee, land of our forefathers,
Thou who made them strong, peaceful and happy,
Men who for posterity cultivated virtue and bravery.
Even if tyrants shall come, thy heart yearns towards freedom.
Togo arise! Let us struggle without faltering.
Victory or death, but dignity.
God almighty, Thou alone hast made Togo prosper.
People of Togo arise! Let us build the nation.
To serve thee in unity is the most burning desire of our hearts.
Let us shout aloud our motto
That nothing can tarnish.
We the only builders of thy happiness and of thy future,
Everywhere let us break chains and treachery,
And we swear to thee for ever faith, love, service, untiring zeal,
To make thee yet, beloved Togo, a golden example for humanity.
Hail, hail to the entire Universe
Let us unite our efforts on this immense building site
Whence will be reborn anew
Great Humanity.
Everywhere, instead of misery, let us bring happiness.
Let us chase from the world unruly hatred.
It's over with slavery and Captivity.
At the star of liberty,
Let us renew the solidarity
Of the Nations in fraternity.
Internet Page: www.republicoftogo.com
Togo In dieferent languages
eng | afr | arg | ast | bre | cat | ces | cor | cym | dan | dsb | est | eus | fao | fin | fra | fry | fur | glg | hat | hau | hrv | hsb | hun | ibo | ina | ita | jav | jnf | kin | lav | lin | lld | mlg | mlt | nld | nor | nrm | pol | por | que | roh | ron | run | slk | slv | sme | smo | sot | spa | sqi | srd | swa | swe | szl | tpi | tur | vor | wln | zza: Togo
bos | crh | kaa | mol | slo | tuk | uzb: Togo / Того
deu | ltz | nds: Togo / Togo
gla | oci: Tògo
ind | msa: Togo / توڬو
scn | tet: Togu
aze: Toqo / Того
bam: Tɔgo
epo: Togolo; Togo
frp: Togô
gle: Tóga / Tóga
glv: Yn Togo
isl: Tógó
kmr: Togo / Того / تۆگۆ; Togostan / Тогостан / تۆگۆستان
kur: Togo / تۆگۆ
lat: Togum
lit: Togas
rmy: Togo / तोगो
smg: Togs
som: Toogo
vie: Tô-gô
vol: Togoän
wol: Togóo
zul: iTogo
abq | alt | bul | che | chm | chv | kbd | kir | kjh | kom | krc | kum | mkd | mon | oss | rus | tyv | udm: Того (Togo)
bak | srp | tat: Того / Togo
bel: Тога / Toha
kaz: Того / Togo / توگو
tgk: Того / تاگا / Togo
ukr: Тоґо (Togo)
ara: توغو (Tūġū); توجو (Tūgū); طوغو (Ṭūġū); الطوغو (aṭ-Ṭūġū); طوجو (Ṭūgū); الطوجو (aṭ-Ṭūgū)
fas: توگو / Togo
prs: توگو (Tōgō)
pus: توګو (Togo)
uig: توگو / Togo / Того
urd: ٹوگو (Ṭogo); توگو (Togo)
div: ޓޯގޯ (Ṫōgō)
heb: טוגו (Ṭôgô)
lad: טוגו / Togo
yid: טאָגאָ (Togo)
amh: ቶጎ (Togo)
ell: Τόγκο (Tógko)
hye: Տոգո (Togo)
kat: ტოგო (Togo)
hin: टोगो (Ṭogo); तोगो (Togo)
ben: টোগো (Ṭogo)
pan: ਟੋਗੋ (Ṭogo)
kan: ಟೊಗೊ (Ṭogo)
mal: ടോഗോ (Ṭōgō)
tam: டோகோ (Ṭōkō); தோகோ (Tōkō)
tel: టోగో (Ṭōgō)
zho: 多哥 (Duōgē)
jpn: トーゴ (Tōgo)
kor: 토고 (Togo)
mya: တုိဂုိ (Togo)
tha: โตโก (Tōkō)
khm: តូហ្គោ (Tūhkō); តូហ្គូ (Tūhkū)
I amused myself by making the Photoshop 'difference' between the white-light and fluorescent images of the ammonite in the previous post. No fiddling - just the difference and a touch of 'curves'.
Kestrels in Cuba are lighter and fly differently--less kiting, more soaring. Interesting differences, perhaps a basis for a split at some point.
Clarke Quay.
*Note: More pics of Architectural, Interior and Exterior Designs in my Architectural, Interior and Exterior Designs Album.
Hello,
It is four in the afternoon of Wednesday the 23rd of January 2013, an overcast day punctuated by intermittent showers. Thunder storms are predicted for tomorrow. Looks like I will be sticking close to home.
I suspect I may have found the cause of the super sluggish sending and receiving of these reports I have been encountering. It was not all that old mail I waded my way through while deleting. There was no discernible difference between the before and after of that little project. I think it is the result of an inner email program conflict as a result of composing these daily reports right there on a regular email form.
Silly me, why did I not consider that. What was wrong with the old cut and paste procedure anyway. When I took note of the struggle taking place today I finally realized. Things had gotten pretty crazy. I was getting pop up noticed from my own computer saying things about actions I had taken while offline and saving drafts to a rescued file. Sure enough there were numerous partial drafts of the last couple of reports written. That was kind of odd as I had not even tried to send the one that went out today and the other was long gone. I thought it would be smart to start with a short one to myself. It said nothing more that ‘a test’. As I watched the utter confusion and read those pop up warnings it finally clicked.
As a point of fact and just so you know. Lately, once I finally got that first big daily report out of the machine I was able to send and receive normally. Why I thought it was the size of the given email is beyond me but that was the best I could come up with.
Now of course I think it was a result of working offline in my mail program. So, I am writing this in a new file I have opened in my word processor program. I will cut and past to an email when the time comes and see how it goes. If successful that will be swell. I can copy them from that file to the Hello file and then start a new one. Easy peasey, perhaps.
I am getting a little edgy. I am down to two tylenol and you know I did not go to Chedraui, nor will I until the weather clears. I will hold off on a San Francisco or Soriana run. They are close enough even if I have to go in a driving rain. I am going to see if I can manage without.
You are probably wondering if I bought that new iPod Touch. Yes I did. I got a red one like my little iPod shuffle. I ordered it to be engraved identical to my little shuffle too. PATTI. Nothing more. I feel I have done a little something for the world today. You may or may not be aware of the fact that a part of your Apple purchase when you choose the color red goes toward fighting aides in Africa. Yes indeed, I made a humanitarian gesture. I was on the brink of ordering the blue. I would have if the red had been unavailable as it sometimes is.
I picked up an email from Randy and Cheryl while I was down at the coffee place. Cheryl suggests I might like Isla de Mujeres as a possible next place to live. That thought had occurred to me too. It is much smaller that this island and still just a ferry ride to Cancun on the mainland. The research has begun.
Be advised. I did send off scads of pictures so my emissary will be posting those for me.
I did splurge at the bakery ladies little window. I brought a double brownie that is just short of heavenly. I have consumed one little strip so far. I will make it last. Some today, some tomorrow, and so on. A little at a time should not throw me into a sugar frenzy. Lets hope not anyway. In general the sweet things down here tend to contain a great deal less sugar than the ones up and over there.
Spaghetti is on the menu for the evening meal. I am reading a book set in County Kerry, Ireland. I believe I am in for yet another fun and action packed night at home. My favorite way to pass the time. No complaints here. I am just a little concerned about this neck problem. I wish I had a heating pad and some of that spray on pain aid stuff my mother gave me. Never mind, I am bucking up as I write this. I will be just fine.
It is only five but I think I am going to start the pasta water. Do not worry I have the colander with handle all laid out. I am going to give it a try right inside the other. It might work and it might not. On that note, I will be in the west of Ireland if anyone needs me.
I will leave you with this Irish proverb. If you hit my dog, you hit myself.
Good Thursday morning this 24th day of January in the year 2013 at nine o’clock in the morning. There was a patch of blue when I lifted the curtain to look out the window, craned my neck and caught a glimpse of that square of sky way up there above the planter between this apartment and the one next door. That is more blue sky than I saw all day yesterday. Looks like we will have to wait and see about those thunder storms.
My spaghetti turned out great. It was simple as could be. I kept it down to a bare minimum of ingredients. I cooked the pasta until almost done and then set the pan aside. I heated a bit of olive oil in the big sauté pan and then tossed in the thinly sliced mushrooms. I gave those a quick blast and then squirted in part of the container of the spaghetti sauce. While heating that through I drained the pasta and I am pleased to report my double colander idea worked like a charm. I dumped the drained pasta in the pan on top of the sauce, topped it with a little olive oil coating the spaghetti as best I could, then mixed it all together. It was just like the package promised. A quick wholesome meal that was not only different (by Mexican standards), delicious, and nutritious but loaded with antioxidants and so forth. Brought to me by those fine folks at Hunt’s and their more than 100 years of experience in the development and manufacture of tomato products. How could I have gone wrong? I shook some parmesan cheese on top and it was a toothsome treat.
I managed to save some spaghetti for my lunch today. I put some of those nice Peruvian beans to soak so they will be the backbone of the evening meal. Perhaps another minestrone sort of soup. I have a piece of cabbage, onion, garlic, a tomato, and some macaroni. Top that with some more of the parmesan and I will be in business. If the weather holds and I happen to make it to Chedraui I could get some of that fabulous veg bread to eat with it. Oh yes! If not I have a couple of different kinds of local crackers should the mood strike. Oh wow! I can almost taste a little sandwich with the veg bread and sharp cheddar cheese. Let me stick my head out and check that sky again. Um hum, still some blue out there. I would be blowing the budget with tylenol and cheese both but what the heck I only spent 45 pesos/$3.56 yesterday and cheese is an excellent source of protein along with its other attributes. Now watch, I will hike over there and they will have sold out of all the sharp cheddar. No, I refuse to even joke about such a serious matter. Think positive, that is my motto.
Last night I finished my visit to the west of Ireland not turning out the light until I had read the last page. Then I switched over to and reclined in my sleeping hammock and waited for sleep to overtake me. It took its own sweet time. I began to wonder if it was another waning gibbous moon. Minus a handy dandy gadget I was unable to quickly ascertain the exact stage in order to further my research.
It is half past ten now or half ten as they would say in Ireland. I have been poking around and am just now heating the water for my second cup. I will get the shower water going next. Then we will see what the day holds in store for me.
Vale is running almost as late as my exercise buddies. I lost track of what day she was due here at ten o’clock in the morning but it must be coming up on a week ago. Let me take a peak just for fun. Very interesting. The boys are two weeks late today and Vale is one week late. And that is just the way it is here in the land of mañana but maybe I should stop scheduling meetings for Thursdays. Those do not seem to be working out so well. I guess I will eventually go check on Vale if she does not come looking for me first.
Boy was I spaced or what. I have been standing right here at the counter typing away while my coffee water boiled. I could smell it and thought, oh good the shower water will be ready soon. Shortly before eleven I reached for my cup and was surprised to find it empty. I looked up at the stove and only then did it dawn on me that it was not the shower water heating up over there. Looks like I will be a little later in leaving the house than I had anticipated.
There is no way in the world I am putting on a backpack until I have dosed up good with some tylenol. That means if I hit some wifi today it will not be until later. First things first. Then too I have yet to determine if this ten dollar backpack is waterproof or not. For safeties sake I have been enclosing this marvelous but rapidly becoming antiquated machine in one of my kayak dry bags. I have a plastic bag in there too just in case. If I do make an afternoon run today and one of those predicted thunderstorms materializes I will ideally, be just fine. I am not interested in conducting any tests with my live laptop though. Some kind of test dummy would preferable. I will hold off on that until my neck and shoulders are back to normal. Best to leave this baby right here in the house than run the risk of ruin.
Well I guess the water is ready and if I do not make a move I will still be standing right here.
It is shortly past noon now. I am having a plan B lunch. It seemed like a good idea to pressure cook the beans while my hair dries. Then it seemed like an impossibility to heat the spaghetti at the same time. Rather than delay my departure any further I flipped from Italian to Spanish lunch. I made a plate of crackers and cream cheese with little bite sized pieces of Spanish chorizo with pickled cucumbers and onions on the side. Um um, good!
I was thinking that if I ever find any chili powder I can make those chili beans I have been craving. You are probably thinking, what is she talking about find some chili powder I thought she was in Mexico. Well yes, and no. Yes I am , and no it is not that part of Mexico. They do sell pinto beans here but the bean of choice is the black. The usual dried legume selection consists of black, pinto, peruvian, an occasional small white one bean, garbanzo, tiny brown lentils, and the rare split green pea. That about covers it. If I ever see any red beans I will snap them right up. In the grain department we have slight variety of choice in white only rice and the occasional cracked wheat. They just got the latter in at Soriana and I may make tabouli one day if the supply lasts that long. We can thank the early Lebanese immigrants for the lentil, garbanzo, and cracked wheat. This area was not much of a melting pot so the influences were limited.
Speaking of which, did I ever tell you why the imported straight from Holland edam cheese is so redly available here? I would really prefer some reference material but short of that I will tell you what I remember. It goes something like this. Way back in the 1800’s or so a ship ran aground on one of the reefs off the coast. Or maybe there was a storm, they lost steerage and ran up on a beach. Maybe it was pirates that got um, these waters were thick with them for awhile there. I could continue to speculate but I will not. The end result was, a ship full of edam cheese bound for elsewhere ended up here instead. The people liked it very much. They developed a taste for it which created a demand. It has been considered a delicacy ever since. If someone really likes you they may give you one for Christmas, not an uncommon gift. Should you find yourself in this part of the world and if you are lucky, you may encounter a stuffed cheese on a menu or more likely as a daily special. If you do please order it immediately. You will not be sorry. They take one of those $30 US and I do not exaggerate, grapefruit sized balls of cheese and turn it into a culinary masterpiece.
Why don’t I give you the recipe I used when I made it in my little garden apartment in Alameda. That will save me further description and allow you to reproduce it in the privacy of your own home and at your leisure, should you feel so inclined. I will remind you that the olives are green. The sweet chili is the small wrinkly bell so use one of those instead. The closest you will come with the xcatic chili will be a hungarian wax. Try cheesecloth for steaming the filled cheese. Armed with that knowledge you should be good to go.
Recipe for Queso Relleno
1 Edam cheese with middle scooped out
Oil
¾ k. ground pork
For the stuffing:
1 chopped onion
1 crushed garlic clove
4 tbs. lard
1 chopped sweet chile
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
Salt and pepper
¼ cup vinegar
50 grs olives
50 grs raisins
3 tbs. capers
400 grs tomatoes
3 chopped hard boiled eggs
Fry the onion in the lard, add the garlic, sweet chile, the meat, and then everything else.
Fill the cheese with this mixture and cover with a cloth, then steam it to soften the cheese.
K’óol (white sauce)
1 lt. chicken broth
1 bunch epazote
50 g olives
20 g capers
3 tbs. flour
Salt
Oil
Add the epazote, olives, and capers to the broth. On the side, dilute the flour in a little water, and add to the broth little by little, stirring constantly. Add the salt and a little oil. Keep on low heat.
Tomato sauce:
½ kg tomatoes
½ onion
1 chile xcatik
Oil
Epazote
2 tsp. consomme
Salt
Blend the tomatoes with a little water, the onion and the chile. Fry this mixture with the epazote. Season with the consomme and the salt. Simmer uncovered at low heat, stirring until thick, approx. 30 min.
Serve the stuffed cheese with the 2 sauces on top.
So, there you are let me know how it turns out. I myself am turning off the burner under the beans and hitting the trail.
I rolled back in about four o’clock bearing treasures. I decided to stop at Mega first to see what they had in the way of Tylenol. Oh my goodness, they had not only twenty caplet bottles but also fifty and one hundred. Wowzer! The one hundred cost 212 and the fifty 82. Guess which one I got. You know it, they could not fool me with that one. Nor did I have that kind of peso power behind me. They also had a little packet of ground chili. No details. For 4.48 pesos I could not go wrong, so I bought that too.
When I got over to Chedraui I happened to pass by a sale table on the fringes of the produce area. They had stacks of different sizes of those clear plastic hinged sort of boxes like you are likely to see in a produce department in the land of my birth but less seldom here. Everything was 5 pesos. The one that caught my eye was filled with those fabulous Spanish chilies that my brother Spike/Philip and I so enjoy when dining al fresco at the Market Bar in The City. I snatched them right up. The first half package are about ready to come out of the pan. I just tasted one and they ‘are them’ and I have a couple dozen. My brother knows I will be through them in nothing flat. Oh happy day!
Double wow! I just cut up some sharp cheddar and tossed it right in the bowl with the chilies. They taste great together. You can not begin to imagine what a popping burst of flavor sharp cheddar can impart when you have not experienced it for months. I am also embarrassed to say I am down to the last three of the first dozen chilies. I love these things.
I scored big time but they did not have the bread. I asked and they said, oh the rustic bread, no sorry. So I got a bread twist with cheese and sesame seeds and a biscuit with cheese. The biscuit is not even a distant cousin of that basic staple of the deep south and so good when topped with gravy. I will take a picture.
I am going to put the soup together then make a quick Soriana run. I need limes and mineral water and those are key items in this household. First I am pleased to report that the first dozen chilies sated me and I will be able to save the rest for casual snacking.
Soup is in the pan and I am tired. To heck with the Soriana run. I have enough of those basic stables to hold me until tomorrow. I am going to recline in one of my hammocks.
Good midmorning this Friday the 25th of January 2013 at ten o’clock. I slept well and awoke to one of those stand at the gate and shout visitors. Not my visitor mind you. It served as an excellent wake up call. I had actually been up closer to four than five. I thought it was morning, yes it is that light in this area of the fish bowl. Luckily I looked at the clock before I brushed my teeth. It was blissfully silent so I turned off the white noise machine and went back to sleep. I may have slept through the call from the gate had I not done so. Hard to say.
I will tell you that I have been remiss in my monitoring of the moped variety parked outside this front door. I realized as much when I got home yesterday and noticed the current model was half and half, silver in the back and red in the front. So, to date we have silver, red, and silver/red. Now if I narrow it down to distinguishing characteristics we may be able to determine if these are in fact the same silver, red, and silver/red, or a variety there of. All in a days work. This detecting can be an interesting business.
It was a very good thing that I decided to pass on the trip to Soriana. That delayed but massive cloudburst passed over about the time I would have been there browsing the isles. It hovered overhead for quite some time too. When I can hear a hard rain on the roof way down here on the lower level you can bet it is really coming down. A nice time to be tucked in, warm and dry.
I enjoyed my soup last night. Good thing too because I have three small containers of it in the fridge. I also have a dozen chilies ready to eat when the urge comes upon me. This morning I was wondering why I did not save one for propagation purposes. Silly me. If I find myself back over at Chedraui before they sell the last few containers I will rectify the situation. They may or may not carry them regularly. The full price would have been close to 60 pesos and that puts it into the luxury category under my current economic circumstances.
A plant or few of them in my garden would be heavenly. I am likely to have one of those again one of these day, gardens I mean. You probably noticed I have never mentioned actually planting anything in this little interior plot right outside my door. Well, it is not really very nice soil. It is a bit of a catchall for rubbish. The minute I got a nice plant in there the kids or their ball would land on it. I will be away for too long when I go to California. At least those are some of the excuses I have given myself. Are they good valid concerns or should I just do it. Hard to say. Once the disillusionment set in the idea just sort of fell by the wayside.
There is still a glimmer, a spark of desire to spend more time living on this island. I could move away from this neighborhood and down toward the waterfront. I have begun to consider this area the belly of the beast and if that is the case the little park would be the belly button.
It is an entirely different atmosphere as you near the water. I can leave this apartment and walk straight down 4th. I start out in this working class neighborhood and end up in a quaint, old but hip seaside village. It is, on this particular street, a mere six short blocks before you arrive at the blue waters of the Caribbean. Half way there you crest a very slight rise and in front of you at the end of the street is the ocean. The sidewalks become brick and the buildings ooze character. Interesting little restaurants worthy of any international resort destination are sprinkled around the area.
It is only a few blocks but a world away from here. I like it down there and beach or no it would be a good place to spend some time. It feels vibrant down there even when there are not many people about. It is kind of a nook between the cruise ship hordes and the northern hotel zone.
I went into a shopping center on a corner. It was a big two story affair with a very high end look to it. Once through the door I transformed myself into a just browsing tourist. The entire building housed jewelry and fine watch stores. On the second level one can watch the jewelers at work or dine at the restaurant. It is a Jewish restaurant with a little packaged foods area beside the reception desk. If you are in need of matzo crackers that would be the place to go. I looked at the menu and the majority of the dishes were the same as you would find on any other menu around here. I can only assume they are kosher. Why would I think that? Because you see not only is the complex full of jewelry stores but diamonds, diamonds, and more diamonds. I now understand the group or two of Hasidic Jews I have seen here on the island.
All those high dollar jewelry stores strung along Melgar (the avenue running along the water) would account for the heavy police patrols even without all the tourists to protect. All the better jewelry stores have their own security guards posted at the front door. Many fully suited up in bulletproof vest, weapon in hand.
There was a fairly recent article in the newspaper suggesting all the businesses employ their own security guards as the police were being spread a bit thin with the rise in crime. I mentioned the other day about the police patrolling fairly regularly in this neighborhood. Well, let me tell you it does not compare to that waterfront area we are talking about. They are not only more prominent there as they patrol the streets in their pickup trucks, but there is one standing in the back rifle at the ready. When I took my long exploratory walk to the north the other day I witnessed a good example of their effectiveness and interest in maintaining a nice environment for those peso spending visitors on which the island depends. A very drunk fellow was sitting on the bench that is part of the seawall. He slurred a hello as I passed on my way north. On my return he was sound asleep/passed out in the same spot. Within moments a municipal police truck pulled over and when I last looked were picking him up and moving him out. That sort of thing does not happen in my neighborhood. I am pretty sure he could have laid here all day and into the night. Although I often wonder how the federal police got there so quick when I had my mishap. Ah, the mysteries of life.
Hum, I wonder what the sky looks like up there today. I got real lucky yesterday. I was caught in a light tropical shower as I was leaving Chedraui. It continued pelting me with great big wide spaced drops until I made my turn at the main plaza.
What I can see looks kind of solid grey. I would like to go over to the coffee place and send this so that will be my first goal of the day. Subject to change naturally. I also think it might be about time I look Vale up. Even if, hey what am I saying, lets give the benefit of the doubt. Since she is taking morning and evening classes and then earning some money in the late afternoon helping out a relative of the BF I will need to time my visit. Come to think of it I could just wait until tomorrow when there is no school. All righty then I postponed that quite nicely.
BTW that biscuit was pretty interesting. I detected no cheese in it (or the twist) so I would wager it was a matter of mislabeling. The dough had a distinct flavor of uncooked biscuit dough. Not half bad and you know, I think some gravy might go nicely with them. Something to keep in mind next time I have a package of bacon in the fridge. These biscuits are readily available so it would not be like trying to pair my sharp cheddar and the rustic veg bread.
I am heating the last of the spaghetti while I wait for my hair to dry. There is not much but I can always move on to soup to fill any remaining gaps. I guess I should make some more spaghetti while that open container of sauce if fresh. I am almost out of parmesan but I can always splurge for some more. It lasts a long time and perks up many a dish.
While thinking of food I realize I forgot to tell you about the dried beans I saw at Mega yesterday. They were so pretty. At first I thought they were those red beans I have been wanting. When I got close I saw they were speckled and quite purple. They are called flor de mayo, same as the plumeria. I was not about to lug them home but I am going to look for them in Soriana or San Francisco.
I have moved on to the soup. I just opened that little packet of ground chili and sprinkled some on top. If it is not cayenne I do not know what it is. That is fine by me as I had been wishing for some. I also got a soup shot as I realized I had neglected to photograph it last night. Ah yes, as I make my way into the bowl I can say this is some spicy chili. If you foolishly put a good spoon full of this stuff in your batch of beans you would be in for a real surprise. I will remember to sprinkle it more sparingly in future.
Speaking of moving, my mystery moped neighbors may be doing just that. The silver and red is backed up to my door and they are moving out the furniture. So much for that entertaining research project/handy alarm clock.
I am on to the cheddar cheese and chili dessert plate now. It is every bit as good as yesterday. I threw in a sliced Chiapas banana for contrast and potassium. You are what you eat!
Maybe I will experiment with some of the other chilies available at the markets. I really should be familiar with all the subtleties of flavor. I could roast up a couple of each in the manner I prepared these. What a great way to figure out what dishes they might be best suited to. Back in Cabo I pan roasted serranos and those long skinny dried red ones for snacking on. One of the chilies here is a green version of the latter. I think they may hail from the Vera Cruz area. I have eaten plenty of jalapeños done that way, they are always good.
As I was dressing this morning in the same travel shorts I have been wearing most days, I decided to really take advantage of them. I am stuck on these because of their pockets. There is no good reason I can think of not to use one of those pockets for my camera. It is about time I carefully record some more exterior images for yours and my viewing pleasure. I could actually show you what that lower neighborhood looks like. I use the word lower loosely as this island is almost as flat as a pancake, more in a directional sense, and there is that slight little rise. You could of course hop on Google Maps, enter my address, switch to street view, and virtually cruise right on down the street all the way to the water. Should you do so I suggest you then make a right turn in the direction of the Looks Like Bermuda/although I have never actually been there, part of the island.
A small bowl of spaghetti, a small bowl of soup, eight chilies, two slices of cheddar cheese, and one small Chiapas banana under the belt and time to get going. It is a quarter to two, a fine hour for the coffee place. Hard to say but I think there is a sunny glow to the light filtering down to the center walk way. Until next time then.
Love
YS, YD, YM, YA
The difference between a walk and a wander is the time spent. I had little over an hour spare once I arrived, so instead of getting some lunch, I took photos instead.
Down the street lined with shops to the town square with the large church, town hall and many wonderful looking bars and restaurants.
I was in town for a few hours for a meeting, I drove over, then drove back. As you do.
Not a bad day, but I think I will try the train next time....
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Leuven (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈløːvə(n)] ( listen); French: Louvain, pronounced: [luvɛ̃], often used in English) is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in Belgium. It is located about 25 kilometres (16 miles) east of Brussels, close to other neighbouring towns such as Mechelen, Aarschot, Tienen, and Wavre. The municipality itself comprises the historical city of Leuven and the former municipalities of Heverlee, Kessel-Lo, a part of Korbeek-Lo, Wilsele and Wijgmaal.
It is home to Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world's largest brewing group and one of the five largest consumer-goods companies in the world; and to the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, the largest and oldest university of the Low Countries and the oldest Catholic university still in existence.[2] It is also home to the UZ Leuven, one of the largest hospitals of Europe.
The earliest mention of Leuven ("Loven") is from 891, when a Viking army was defeated by the Frankish king Arnulf of Carinthia (see: Battle of Leuven). According to a legend the city's red and white arms depict the blood-stained shores of the river Dyle after this battle.
Situated beside this river, and near to the stronghold of the Dukes of Brabant, Leuven became the most important centre of trade in the duchy between the 11th and 14th centuries. A token of its former importance as a centre of cloth manufacture is shown in that ordinary linen cloth is known in late-14th-century and 15th-century texts as lewyn (other spellings: Leuwyn, Levyne, Lewan(e), Lovanium, Louvain).[3]
In the 15th century a new golden era began with the founding of what is now the largest and oldest university in the Low Countries, the Catholic University of Leuven, in 1425.[4]
In the 18th century the brewery Den Horen (meaning "the horn") flourished. In 1708 Sebastien Artois became the master brewer at Den Horen, and gave his name to the brewery in 1717, now part of AB InBev, whose flagship beer, Stella Artois, is brewed in Leuven and sold in many countries.
Leuven has several times been besieged or occupied by foreign armies; these include the Battle of Leuven (891), Siege of Leuven (1635) and Battle of Leuven (1831).
Both world wars in the 20th century inflicted major damage upon the city. Upon Germany's entry into World War I, the town was heavily damaged by rampaging soldiers. Some German soldiers shot the burgomaster, the university rector and all of the city's police officers.[5] In all, about 300 civilians lost their lives.[6] The university library was also destroyed on 25 August 1914, using petrol and incendiary pastilles.[7][8] 230,000 volumes were lost in the destruction, including Gothic and Renaissance manuscripts, a collection of 750 medieval manuscripts, and more than 1,000 incunabula (books printed before 1501).[8][9] The destruction of the library shocked the world, with the Daily Chronicle describing it as war not only against civilians but also against "posterity to the utmost generation."[10] It was rebuilt after the war, and much of the collection was replaced. Great Britain (on the initiative of the John Rylands Library, Manchester) and the United States were major providers of material for the replenishment of the collection.[6] The new library building was financed by the National Committee of the United States for the Restoration of the University of Louvain and built to the design of architect Whitney Warren; it was officially opened on 4 July 1928.[11]
In World War II, after the start of the German offensive, Leuven formed part of the British Expeditionary Force's front line and was defended by units of the 3rd Division and Belgian troops. From 14 to 16 May 1940, the German Army Group B assaulted the city with heavy air and artillery support. The British withdrew their forces to the River Senne on the night of 16 May and the town was occupied the next day.[12] The new university library building was set on fire by shelling on 16 May and nearly a million books were lost.
The Town Hall, built by Sulpitius van Vorst (nl), Jan II Keldermans, and, after both of them died, Matheus de Layens between 1439 and 1463 in a Brabantian late-Gothic style. In the 19th century, 236 statues were added to the exterior, each representing a prominent local scholar, artist or noble from the city’s history. The reception hall dates from 1750.
The St. Peter's Church (1425–1500) was finished by Jan Keldermans and Matheus de Layens. During the Second World War the church was damaged; during the restoration a Romanesque crypt from the 11th century was found. In the church itself there are several paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries (among others, Dirk Bouts's famous painting of the last supper) and the grave of Duke Henry I of Brabant. The 50-metre-high tower — which was meant to be 169 metres high, but was never completed — is home to a carillon. The tower was included in UNESCO's list of Belfries of Belgium and France in 1999.
Saint-Anthony's Chapel, Pater Damiaanplein, from the 17th to the 20th centuries, contains the tomb of Father Damien, the "leper priest" of Molokai, who was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday October 11, 2009.[15][16] The Catholic Encyclopedia calls him "the Apostle of the Lepers",[17] and elsewhere he is known as the "leper priest". The Catholic priest's remains were returned in Belgium with great fanfare in 1936, after having been originally buried on the Hawaiian Island of Molokai where he had served the outcast lepers until his death.
The Linen-hall, in an early-Gothic style, with baroque addition, is today the University Hall.
The Church of Saint Michael was built in the typical Jesuit Baroque Style.
The Church of Saint Quinten incorporates remains of a Romanesque church built in the 13th century.
The University Library on the Ladeuzeplein was built by the American architect Whitney Warren. It was a gift from the American people to Leuven after World War I, during which the Germans burned down the original library. The tower houses one of the largest carillons in the world.
Totem is a statue at the centre of the Ladeuzeplein; it is a work of the Belgian artist Jan Fabre. Featuring a 23-metre-high needle impaling a giant jewelled beetle, the statue towers over the square in front of the university library.
There is a neo-Romanesque Abbey on the Keizersberg ("Emperor's Mountain"), where there once stood a 12th-century ducal castle, which was demolished in the 17th Century.
The Large Beguinage is one of the world's best remaining examples of its architectural type. It was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1998.
There are several other smaller churches and chapels throughout the town.
"Fonske" is a statue near the centre of town. Its full name is Fons Sapientiae, Latin for "fountain of wisdom". The statue represents a university student who, while reading a book, lets wisdom flow into his head as liquid from a glass. Just like Manneken Pis in Brussels, Fonske is, from time to time, dressed in costumes appropriate for specific occasions.
The 'Oude Markt' or "Old Market" square located in the center of Leuven features a vibrant social scene the center of which displays a lifesize statue of 'De Kotmadam', or "The Landlady" resting on a bench.
Lerkeveld is a famous Jesuit abbey, and headquarters of the Jesuits in Belgium.
St Anthony's College, Leuven was located in the city, on Pater Damiaanplein. The Leuven Institute for Ireland in Europe is now located on the premises.
Sint-Donatus Park contains remains of the medieval city wall
Both a mix of wheat meal, white flour, and bran.
On left: made with store-bought powdered yeast.
On right: made with homemade sourdough starter mixture (wet).
I thought the difference in texture and crumb, as well as color and crust, was interesting. The store-yeast one was definitely lighter, more elastic, stringier and sweeter (no sugar added). The sourdough one was denser, more crumbly, much more full-flavored, and with a more pronounced crust, and, of course, a more sour--and rich--taste.
DESCRIPTION
The Little Bittern is a small heron with a dark back and cap and buff white neck and wing patches.
ADULT: The male has a green black crown with elongated feathers forming a modest crest. The bill is yellow or yellow green with dark brown upper edge. Irises are yellow, and the lores are yellow or green. The side of the face is grey washed with a vinaceous tinge. The chin and throat are white with buff center. The back and tail is green black. The flight feathers are green black, which contrast on the upper wing with buff white wing patches. Sides of the upper breast have small tufts of elongated black feathers. The under sides are buff white with minimal brown streaking that is variable among individuals with the under wings white. Legs vary from green, green grey, yellow, green in front and yellow behind. The toes are long.
In breeding the plumage is brighter and upper breast feathers are longer and looser. In courtship the lower bill (of both sexes) flashes red briefly during copulation, nest relief, and other excitement. The lores and orbital skin flush dull red.
VARIATION: The female is smaller and a duller color. Its crest is black and less glossy than the male. It has a brown or rufous tinge to the dark colors, which also show some streaking. Wing patches are pale brown buff and slightly streaked. The under parts are striped in brown. There are no known differences between sexes in soft part color.
Geographic variation has been recognized in five subspecies. Payesii is smaller with shorter wings than minutus; the neck and wing patches are more red brown to chestnut rather than buff of minutus; the irises become red brown in courtship; legs in breeding are olive green in front and yellow behind.
Podiceps is smaller than minutus or payesii; the adult male has the deep rufous on the neck extending over the whole underparts and under wing and becoming chestnut on the upper parts; the immature bird is darker than minutus.
Dubious has a shorter, thicker bill; the neck and wing are chestnut to rufous; the flight feathers are dull black or dark grey brown contrasting with buff wing patch; the immature has pale primaries with fulvous tips; the female is not well marked.
Novaezelandiae was larger and darker, back and scapulars were dark red brown with rufous lining to the feathers; the hind neck was chestnut; the wing patch are spotted chestnut; the female was more heavily streaked below
JUVENILE: The juvenile bird is more boldly streaked below and above with a red brown tinge. The crown is streaked brown. The wing patches are heavily mottled with brown and buff.
CHICK: The downy chick is pink buff above (minutus), reddish buff (payesii), pink buff to brown (dubious) and white below. Irises are black brown. The bill is dull pink turning to grey. The facial skin is blue grey becoming olive yellow. Legs and feet are olive grey with pink toes.
VOICE:” “Kohr” call is the distinctive and characteristic grunting or barking advertising call used during breeding. It is variously rendered as “kohr, kohr, kohr, kohr,” “hork, hork, hork,” “Cor, orr, orr, orr,” or “gogh, gogh, gogh, gogh” and also “hogh”, “rru” and “woof.” The “Kwer” call is a flight call. It is rendered as “kuk-kuk, kuk-kak,” cuck, cuck,cuck cuck,” Cra, a, a, a, k,” “quer” or “ker-ack.” It is low pitched and abrupt, and sometimes proceeded by a higher pitched “quee.” The “Koh” call is the disturbance call. The “Gek” call is a repeated call given frequently at the nest site, rendered as “gek, gek, gek, gek” or “ek, ek, ek, ek.” A similar “Gak” call is the alarm and threat call. It can be rendered as “kuk,” “gat,” “gack” or “yick.” The “Aark” call is an anxiety call. “Goo” call, rendered “goo, goo,” is used with the Greeting Ceremony. Young beg with “tu, tu, tu, tu, tu.”
WEIGHTS AND MEASUREMENTS: Length: 25 – 35 cm. Weight: 140-150 g.
FIELD CHARACTERS
The Little Bittern is identified by its small size, dark cap and back, and buff grey wing patches offsetting dark flight feathers. Its flight is rapid for a heron, flying with rapid, shallow, clipped wing beats, legs dangling, often dropping into cover. It is distinguished from the Yellow Bittern by being slightly larger, having a shorter bill, its black (not brown) back, and white to grey buff (not yellow buff) wing patch. It is distinguished from the Cinnamon Bittern by it dark (not cinnamon) back and cap.
SYSTEMATICS
The Little Bittern is one of the small bitterns, Ixobrychus, that share similar plumage, white eggs, scutellate tarsi, and ten tail feathers. It is closely related to the Least and Yellow bitterns, with which it shares a slender bill, uniform dorsal coloration, and moderate plumage sexual dimorphism. The Little Bittern covers a large discontinuous range, with other small bitterns filling in the range gaps. Novaezelandia is often considered a different species, due to its larger size. Payesii and podiceps are also sometimes considered to be separate species.
RANGE AND STATUS
The Little Bittern occurs in Europe, west Asia, Africa, Madagascar, north India, Australia and New Guinea.
BREEDING RANGE: The north boundary of the breeding range of minutus includes England (Allport and Carroll 1989), Netherlands (Bekhuis 1990), Belgium, north Germany, to Estonia, Russia (west Siberia), Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan (Lopatin et al. 1992), Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgystan, west China (Sinkiang). It breeds in North Africa (Morocco to Tunisia, north Egypt – El Din 1992), Turkey, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain (possibly breeding), Iraq (possibly breeding), Iran, Pakistan (Sind), India (Kasmir – Holmes and Hatchwell 1991, Uttar Pradesh, Assam), and Nepal.
Payesii occurs in Africa south of the Sahara in Mauritania, Senegal (Morel and Morel 1989), Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Gabon, Principe, Nigeria, south Sudan, south Somalia, Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania (baker and Baker in prep.), south east Congo, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Namibia, east and south South Africa (Transvaal, Natal, Cape Province). Podiceps is confined to Madagascar. Novaezelandiae occurred only on South Island New Zealand. Dubius breeds in Australia (Queensland, New South Wales, south Western Australia, north Western Australia – Jaensch 1988).
NONBREEDING RANGE: Minutus from Europe and west Asia move south in winter. A few birds remain in west and south Europe (Mediterranean, Ireland, Britain, Germany, Netherlands, and north Africa) (Cramp and Simmons 1977, Nankinov and Kantarzhiev 1988). Most birds winter in Africa south of the Sahara, mostly in east Africa but also west to Senegal and south to as far as South Africa. Minutus from north India appear to remain there during nonbreeding. Podiceps is probably sedentary; there is some evidence of its moving to Africa in the dry season (Brown et al. 1982) but this is refuted (Baker and Baker in prep.). Dubius also appears to be mostly sedentary but it also occurs in New Guinea, mostly in the southern lowlands (Jaensch 1995, 1996). As far as is known these are wintering birds from Australia, although there remains a possibility of its breeding in New Guinea (Beehler et al. 1986).
MIGRATION: Minutus is migratory across most of its breeding range and has a significant post breeding dispersal. Birds in Europe move south in August-October. They fly singly and in small groups at night. Western birds move through Italy, Spain and France and along the Atlantic coast (Nankinov 1999). They cross the Mediterranean and Sahara in a broad wave. Birds from the east cross Israel, Iraq, Arabia, and Egypt, also in a broad front. Movement in Africa is less clear. Return migration is in March – April. Birds regularly overshoot and land north of the breeding range.
Minutus in the Middle East are partially sedentary. Minutus from north India, payesii and podiceps, are at least partially sedentary, with local movements that are not clearly understood. Payesii shifts in response to rainfall and drought. Podiceps is now understood not to migrate occasionally to Zanzibar as suggested by Brown et al. (1982). Dubius is probably migratory, shifting after wetlands dry out (March- April) from south to north and inland to coast, and also to south Papua-New Guinea. Return migration to the southern breeding areas in Australia is in August-September.
The Little Bittern ranges widely in post breeding dispersal, moving in all directions. Dispersal records include Iceland, Faeroes, Azores, Madeira, and Canary islands and Scandinavia. Dispersal records in the east include Lord Howell Island and New Zealand (O’Donnell and Dilks 1988).
STATUS: The species is widespread and common in many areas within that range. It has been decreasing in Europe, especially from 1970’s to 1990’s, due to habitat loss (Nankinov 1999). Its nesting distribution is now fragmented, and the species appears to be in a rapid decline in west Europe (Marion et al. 2000). Its overall population is 37,000 – 107,000 pairs, the range reflecting uncertainties in eastern Europe - Romania, Ukraine, and Russia - which together support the greater portion of the European population (Marion et al. 2000).
The Little Bittern is common in north Africa, is increasing in Egypt (El Din 1992) and is more common in Arabia than previously appreciated. It has been under-represented on surveys in Tanzania; a guess at its population there puts it under 10,000 adults (Baker and Baker in prep.). It is rare in South Africa, under 100 pairs. It is uncommon in Madagascar and known from only a few places. It is abundant in parts of India (1000-2000 pairs in Kashmir). The population in New Zealand went extinct for unknown reasons – it is one of a few contemporary herons that has suffered extinction (Hilton-Taylor 2000) . The Little Bittern is rare and very localized in Australia. It has declined in and west Australia due to habitat loss but may be more common in other areas than is presently appreciated (Jaensch 1989)
HABITATS
The habitat used by the species is varied across its huge range. Most typically it uses freshwater wetlands having thick herbaceous vegetation with trees or bushes interspersed nearby. These habitats include peat bogs, reed swamps, edges of lakes, pools, reservoirs, oases, swamps, wooded and marshy edges of streams and rivers, wet grasslands, mangroves, salt marshes, lagoons. In east Africa it prefers smaller, well-vegetated swamps, marshes and drainage ditches (Baker and Baker in prep.) It also can be found in forests. It occurs in lowlands and up to 1500 m in Madagascar and 1800 m in the Himalayas.
Typical herbaceous plants used in these habitats include Scirpus, Typha, Phragmites, Baumea, Juncus. Shrubs and trees used include Muehlenbeckia, Melaleuca. It uses human habitats including rice fields, ponds, crop fields, vegetable gardens, and sugar cane fields. Little Bitterns can be very tolerant of humans and nest in places regularly visited by people (Cempulik 1994).
FORAGING
The Little Bittern feeds by Walking slowly at the water edge stalking prey from the ground or more characteristically from a perch. It also Walks Quickly using Crouched posture, with head forward, in rapid steps. It Stands at the edge of cover on a perch. It feeds with its head and neck withdrawn. As it sees a prey item, it slowly extends its neck and then stabs. It sometimes it feeds by pecking, jabbing the bill in the water, and using an insect for bait (Baumann 2000).
It is a solitary feeder generally within territories held long term. Its activity periods appear to vary. It is primarily crepuscular over much of its range, but feeds at night and also at times during the day. African birds are primarily diurnal (Langley 1983). When alarmed it assumes the Bittern Posture.
The diet is varied, fish (Perca, Esox, Alburnus, Blicca, Cyprinus, Gambusia, Gobio, Eupomotis, Leuciscus), frogs and tadpoles (Rana), reptiles, eggs and young birds (Olioso 1991), shrimp, crayfish, worms, insects such as crickets (Gryllotalpa), grasshoppers, caterpillars, water bugs, beetles (Notonecta, Naucoris), beetle larvae, dragonflies (Libellula, Aeshna), spiders. Diet differs in various places. In some places it has primarily a fish diet (Langley 1983, Holmes and Hatchwell 1991) and in other places such as Italy insects predominate.
BREEDING
The nesting biology of the Little Bittern has been well studied (Langley 1983, Darakchiev et al. 1984, Gerard 1986, Hoyer 1991, Holmes and Hatchwell 1991, Boozic 1992, Lopatin et al. 1992, Cempulik 1994, Martinez Abrain 1994, Gaballero 1997). As expected over such a large range, its nesting season is variable. Nesting occurs in the spring in the north of the range, May-July in Europe and India. It is in the rainy seasons or just after the rainy season in the tropics. Nesting is May –July in north Africa; July – October in west Africa; June – September in Nigeria; May –September in Congo; July, November –December in Uganda; March – April; June in Zambia; April-May in Malawi; February, September, November – December in Zimbabwe; March in Namibia; June-February in South Africa, October - January in Australia.
The species nests in thick herbaceous vegetation, especially near open water pools. But it also in trees or bushes usually over water, and has also been found nesting in trees over dry land. The Little Bittern nests solitarily, but also and perhaps more typically in loose colonies with nests as close as 5 m but usually 30 – 100 m apart. It likely is extremely residential, in that nests may be reused in consecutive years (Barbier and Boileau 2000).
The nest is a platform with a conical base, 15 –20 cm across, and 10 cm thick. In South Africa more substantial nests were 20-35 cm across. The nest is made of stems of herbaceous vegetation, lined with finer material. The nest is typically inserted in reeds, rushes, grass, or papyrus. However in some areas and situations, they nest in trees and bushes and make stick nests. It is built by the male, who starts during the display period.
Early in the breeding season, males establish breeding territories and give the Kohr call, staking out the territory and advertising. When calling, the lower bill flushes red. Territories are defended by an Upright display, Ground and Aerial Supplanting Attacks and a threat display in which the bird places its side to the opponent, spreading wings, lifting one and lowering the other. Males choose a nest site and begin building while continuing to advertise with the Kohr call. The males also use Circle Flights as part of the display. A flight also has been described in which the neck is extended and head held below the body.
Upon formation of the pair bond, birds participate in Contact and Non-contact Bill Clappering, during which the pair cross their necks. The Greeting Ceremony includes the arriving bird approaching the nest, with Bill Clappering, feathers raised, Crest Raising, and gives the Goo call. The bills flush red during the Greeting Ceremony. Upon completion, birds will Bill Clapper. Paired birds will remain together through the nesting season.
Eggs are chalky white. They are laid at intervals of 1 to 3 days. Size averages 36 X 26 mm in Europe, 34.6 X 26.6 mm in South Africa. Clutch size varies geographically, 5-6 in Europe and 3-4 in the tropics and South Africa (Langley 1983). The overall range is 2–7 eggs. Replacement clutches occur if eggs are destroyed but also after young fledge. In some case three broods are raised per year (such as in South Africa). Clutch size decreases later in season (Cempulik 1994).
Incubation, by both parents, begins with the first egg and lasts 16 –20 days (Langley 1983, Homes and Hatchwell 1991). Hatching is asynchronous and chicks have their eyes open and legs are fairly developed after hatching. Young are fed in the first 2 days by food deposited on the nest floor. The parents guide the bills of the nestlings to the food. Thereafter, young grasp the parents’ bill and is fed directly. Chicks are brooded through 8 –10 days. Chicks grow relatively fast. By three days they beg by grasping the parent’s bill. Chicks assume the Bittern Posture when disturbed. Pinfeathers develop at 4 days. Sibling rivalry is low, despite asynchronous hatching. And there was not found to be a difference in growth rates relative to hatch order or brood size (Holmes and Hatchwell 1991). Chicks grow quickly and climb out of the nest in one week and can leave the nest entirely by 14-16 days. Maximum growth takes place at 15 days (Langley 1983). The birds fledge flying strongly in 27 days. Success was 56.6% of eggs hatching to nest departure in South Africa and 70-71 in India (Langley 1983, Holmes and Hatchwell 1991).
POPULATION DYNAMICS
Females can nest before their second birthday (Langley 1983). Nothing is known about the demography of this species.
SPECIES ACCOUNT UPDATES
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DISCLAIMER
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
The MiG-37Sh (Sh = shturmovik) was a heavily modified version of the basic MiG-37 stealth attack and reconnaissance plane. Dissatisfaction with the basic MiG-37 sans suffixe in the air-to-ground role, esp. due to its limited internal weapon load and agility at low level of flight, and the need to replace the ageing Russian MiG-27 and early Su-25 fleet after the millennium led to a further and radical development of the basic airframe, while keeping the proven stealth features.
The resulting 'Sh' variant was consequently optimized for all-weather ground attack, with a focus on a high chance of survival in front line service as well as an improved low-level handling and loiter time.
The 2nd generation 'Sh' prototype flew in summer 1999. A small number of MiG-37Sh has been built since, and in the long line of the MiG-37 development the aircraft received the NATO code ‘Ferret G’. Probably 20 of these machines serve alongside 1st generation versions of the MiG-37. Lack of funds seems to hamper large-scale production, even though the type already proved its effectiveness, e .g. in the Chechen conflict (see below).
Most visible difference of the new 'Sh' to its predecessors was a completely new wing. This new design featured a bigger wing span, lower sweep, a much higher aspect ration and also a much bigger profile. This new wings, together with the type's typical medium grey RAM surface coating, quickly earned it the nickname ‘бе́лая сова́ ‘ (‘Snowy owl’).
The new wings' anhedral had to be strongly reduced and the bigger internal wing space not only allowed additional fuel tanks to be integrated.
The more rigid wing structure now also allowed the optional attachment of two hardpoint per wing for external ordnance loads, the inner ones being able to carry 1.000kg, the outer ones 500kg. The inner pair is ‘wet’ for PTB-800 drop tanks in ferry configuration, there seems to be no provision for an IFR probe installation. But compared to the 1st generation MiG-37 versions, this new feature considerable expands the offensive potential, esp. for long range deployment or when the plane is simply on a non-stealthy mission.
Another new feature was a downward-sloping nose profile for improved pilot visibility. It also holds the highly effective Kyra-23 laser-television sighting system, which includes an A/W TV camera, a missile guidance antenna and integrates an S-31E2 KOLS, a combined laser rangefinder and IRST. This system more or less replaces an active, radar-based fire control system and is also installed on MiG-29 and Su27 interceptors. It provides exceptional gun-laying accuracy and is used for both air-to-ground guidance as well as to track and combat low-flying planes, helicopters and even cruise missiles.
The Mig-37Sh's PrNK-23K nav/attack system was borrowed from the sophisticated MiG-27K. It provides automatic flight control, gun firing, and weapons release. The capabilities of the aircraft in the ASM role are being enhanced by the incorporation of modern avionics systems consisting primarily of two Multi-Function Displays (MFDs) Mission and Display Processor (MDP), Sextant Ring Laser Gyros (RLG INSI), combined GPS/GLONASS navigation, HUD with UFCP, Digital Map Generator (DMG), jam-resistant Secured Communication, stand-by UHF communication, data link and a comprehensive Electronic Warfare (EW) Suite. A mission planning and retrieval facility, VTR and HUD Camera are also fitted.
The aircraft retains stand-by (conventional) instrumentation, including artificial horizon, altimeter and airspeed indicator, to cater for the failure of HUD and the MFDs. The modified plane also received much-improved electronic and Infra red countermeasure (ECM & IRCM) systems, including an SPO-15 radar homing & warning system (RHAWS) and an SO-69 identification-friend-or-foe (IFF) transponder.
Additional kevlar cockpit armour plates were installed. The undercarriage was revised to facilitate operation from poorer-quality airfields. It has a much simpler design and also allows more room under the plane for easier maintenance.
In order to improve agility, the MiG-37Sh received two Klimov RD-33MK turbofans (the same as used in the MiG-29MK, without afterburner and a special nozzle arrangement which adds cold air for a reduced IR signature) and modified vectored trust nozzles. The latter are still 2D, as featured on the original MiG-37 design, but can now move independently so that roll and slow speed manoeuvrability are considerably enhanced – the MiG-37Sh is not solely a ground attack aircraft, it is also supposed to take on attack helicopters and even cruise missiles near ground level. Rumor has it that its agility is immense, largely limited by the g-forces the pilot can accept.
With the emphasis on strike and low-level attack requirements, a fixed single-barreled GSh-30-1 30mm cannon with 300 rounds was installed in a shallow fairing under the plane’s starboard belly. It features a closable nozzle, so that the radar and also IR signature of the weapon is minimized – it is only exposed when actually made ready to fire.
Compared to the MiG-37 sand suffix, provisions were made to mount more weapons, mainly missiles and precision-guided munitions against ground targets. Self defence and limited air-to-air capability was also on the designers’ agenda. Therefore, and thanks to the bigger fuel capacitiy in the bigger wing tanks, two additional internal weapon bays could be incorporated into the lower wing roots.
These are to store a single, compact R-60/AA-8 "Aphid" IR missile each, leaving the original weapon bays free for offensive armament like a single KAB-500 guided bomb in each of them.
Overall, the offensive potential of the ‘Sh’ variant increased tremendously compared to the 1st generation MiG-37 types: thanks to its uprated engines and the new wings with greater lift, the MiG-37Sh can carry up to 3 tons of weaponry, about 40% more than the original MiG-37 sans suffix. It is able to deliver strikes with much more accuracy, in all weather conditions and with a much higher chance of survivability in hostile environment.
MiG-37 actively took part in the Russian Army's operations against rebels in the Chechen Republic. In December 2000, a pair of early production MiG-37Sh from Lipetsk-based 970 IISAP (Instructional & Test Composite Air Regiment) arrived to the area, accompanied by several Su-25, to provide reconnaissance and target designation in the conflict theatre.
The MiG-37Sh were quickly thrown into action: On 6 January 2001, the MiG-37Sh used live weapons against a real enemy for the first time. On 9 January, at the entry into a mountain gorge in the area of a settlement named Komsomolskoye, a single MiG-37Sh used Kh-29L missiles to destroy a warehouse full of ammunition belonging to Chechen insurgents.
On 6 February, in the forest-covered mountain area to the south of the village of Tsentoroj, the strike group composed of two MiG-37Sh and two Su-25 discovered and, from a range of 3 km, destroyed a fortified camp of insurgents using KAB-500L guided bombs.
14 February, saw a similar strike group carrying out a "hunting" mission in the area of Oak-Yurt and Hatun. In difficult conditions, pilots found and destroyed eight targets. These missions tested the type's airframe, as well as its on-board systems and armament. Its successful performance in difficult, mountainous terrain once again confirmed the usefulness of the many advanced features of the MiG-37Sh design, including its power and manoeuvrability.
It is unclear if the type has been used in combat since, e .g. in Afghanistan. It has participated in a number of exercises, though, including "Boundary 2004" which took place on the Edelweiss mountain range in Kyrgyzstan, in August 2004. Once again the "Ferret G" demonstrated its advantages by operating at a high altitude and an air temperature of more than 30 °C. Among other sorties, a single MiG-37Sh provided cover for the landing of troops, taking down two Ka-50 helicopters in mock air combat, and then successfully worked on ground targets using its precision weapons as well as unguided rockets.
General characteristics:
Crew: 1
Length: 53 ft 6 in (16.34 m)
Wingspan: 43 ft 1 1/2 in (13.18 m)
Height: 10 ft 9 in (3,24m)
Empty weight: 24.250 lbs (11.000 kg)
Loaded weight: 33.730 lbs (15.300 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 39,690 lbs (18.000 kg)
Performance:
Maximum speed: 610 mph (980 km/h)
Range: 1.030 miles (1.650 km)
Service ceiling: 39.400 ft (12.000 m)
Rate of climb: 12.960 ft/min (72 m/s)
Engine: 2 Klimov RD-33MK turbofans w/o afterburner rated at 53.0 kN (11,900 lbs.), fitted with 2D vectored thrust nozzles
Armament:
1× GSh-30-1 30mm cannon with 300 rounds .
Four internal weapon bays (two bays for a single AA-8 "Aphid" or a twin ‘Igla’ light air-to-air missile starter; two bays in tandem fore and aft the main gear wells for various weapons incl. guided missiles and bombs).
Four external hard points (2 under each inner wing); total internal and external weapon ordnance 3.000kg.
Five UV-26 dispensers in the tail section (w. 120 chaff/flare cartridges in each pod)
The kit and its assembly:
I guess that everyone who is into whiffy model is familiar with Italieri’s fantasy MiG-37B kit from 1988, and I already built 3 of them since then.
Nevertheless, with my recent interest in Soviet/Russian air industries I felt an itch to build another (better) one, this time with major modifications. Esp. the stubby wings and the senselessly wide and low MiG-23-style landing gear had always been points that did not truly convince me. And since I had such a kit in 1:72th scale in store, I took action.
Surprisingly, you find a lot of individual conversions of the ‘Ferret E’ kit in the Internt. Many are colourful, but few are IMHO convincing as a complete work, lacking thought about the plane’s concept or mission. So, here’s my take on it, the ‘Snowy Owl’ version. All in all I wanted to present a realistic and optimized ground attack plane, based on the original and pretty interesting MiG-37 design, pushing my personal “Sh” version towards Su-25, MiG-27 and even Su-24 ground attack aircraft.
Most obvious change concerns the wings. These were taken from an F-117 donation kit, a horrible thing (probably the early Revell kit) that a friend gave me. Installing them to the fuselage was tough, since they are much thicker than the original, stubby wing spades!
A new landing gear, borrowed from an F-18, and a new nose section (built from scratch & putty and inspired by the installation on MiG-27 fighter bombers) were further changes. Other modifications include additional weapon bays for short range AAMs under the wing gloves à la F-22, the narrow gun fairing nect to the front wheel well and the auxiliary air intake doors on the upper side.
The engine exhaust area has been modified, since I wanted to get away with the original tabletops that are supposed to be vectored nozzles(?). I added some side panels, made from styrene sheet, as well as a central divider, which now offers space for some warning sensors and chaff dispensers. The vectored nozzles were re-built from the original parts as well as styrrene profiles.
Minor changes were made to several antennae and sensors all around the plane. The cockpit was left more or less OOB – it is pretty detailed, and together with the landing gear one of the original kit’s highlights. I just added a Matchbox pilot figure and some details behind the ejection seat.
The weapons come from the scrap box: the AA-8's belong to the ESCI Ka-34 whif Hokum helicopter, the guided bombs are fantasy weapons built from scratch.
Painting/Finish
A tough task from a creative point of view. I neither wanted the stereo-typical all-black stealth look, nor a Russian tactical paint scheme (even though the latter would have been appropriate for the aircraft's role).
A Flanker scheme or even the garish Su-34 ‘Greenbottle Fly’ look also did not seem appropriate, as well as the Su-24-inspired light grey/white livery which is suggested in the OOB kit.
Since I wanted something murky and mysterious, still with a kind of prototype look, I finally settled on two simple grey tones: a uniform medium grey for the upper sides (Testors 2059, 'Dark Sea Grey') and for a twist, a dark grey for the undersides (Testors 1592, RAL 7021 'Schwarzgrau').
I find that such simple designs make a whif plane much more realistic than flamboyant colours or weird paint schemes – leave this to “real” planes in whiff guises. Another factor for this all-grey livery is that I wanted to use the (many) light grey OOB stencil decals, making them stand subtly out against the darker shades below. Lighter shades of grey and ochre were used for antennae, di-electric covers and the wings' leading edges.
The cockpit was painted in typical Russian Blue-Green, air intakes, air brakes and the landing gear with its wells were, after consulting pictures of modern Russian fighters, painted in Barley Grey (Humbrol 167).
The wheels received dark green disks (Humbrol 149), the bomb/missile bays were - as a contrast - painted in a chromate primer color (a mix of Humbrol 81 and 225, Olive Yellow and Mid-Stone), a detail I found on photographs of Tu-95 and Tu160 interiors. Looks weird, but: why not?
Unfortunately, the final matte varnish ended in a minor disaster: I used a water-based, acryllic matt varnish (for a VERY matt finish), but it reacted with both some decals and the enamel paint, not certain why? Probably not enough stirring, and the Begemot decals seem to be very sensitive to humidity and setting solution.
Originally, the machine sported neat low-viz Russian insignia (just red outlines for the stars, featured e .g. on Suchoi’s T-50/PAK FA prototype) from a Begemot decal sheet (called “Demo Flankers” – it is massive, featuring decals for almost 20 prototypes with all markings and the respective paint schemes in a booklet!). They looked great, but crincled under the matt varnish and had to be scraped off, together with some other Begemot decals.
Hence, the final finish of the kit is not the best, I tried to save as much as possible. Since I did not want to invest into another aftermarket decal sheet, I used the light and dark red, opaque Red Stars without outlines from the original Italeri decal sheet. With the light and dark grey as backgorund the result is O.K., but I had another outcome envisaged. :(
All in all, though, a small but catchy project. Not as good as planned, but an attempt to make more of the wacky Italeri MiG-37 than just another black piece of charcoal.
Drunken Blu
Theme: Message In A Bottle - Sting
Just a castaway
An island lost at sea.
A woman at the Snake Pit waves off a man heading down the street. "Have a good night, Sergeant," She says cordially enough before glancing back at the female feline to her right, "So, Blue? Or is it Blu?" There is only a subtle difference in the way she pronouces those words. "Don't think too poorly of me," she whispers, "I've just always tried to be nice to everyone. Even if I have reason not to be. God knows why." She looks at the very nearly empty bottle in Blu's hand, "Easy darlin'. You'll pickle your insides with that crap," she snickers.
Blu just watches the Marine turn and head off, not even caring that he has caught sight of her tail and knew that she is more than uneasy. She is glad, really. Muttering into the top of her bottle as he heads off and the woman gives him a wave she says, "Good residance." Blu then takes another small swig - only a inch or so left in the bottle. Looking towards the woman again, Blu gives her a small smile, at least. "Latter." She murrs, being pleased with the fact that she at least has noticed the difference when she has given her name. Though if the woman did see Blu's ID, she would probably chuckle. The feline had been rather creative when she had her fake card made. "I used ta be like that, Evey." She mutters, then looks down to the bottle hanging at her side. "Awwh. It's almost gone now. Might as well finish it." Her words slur just slightly. She has been sipping on the whiskey way faster than she had been before the Marine showed up. And now it is starting to catch up with her. She then glances towards the street, noticing a familiar face. "Dom!" She calls out. A smile creeps along her lips. Now she feels much more at ease.
Evey takes Blu's distraction with the arrival of someone else as a chance to ogle the female feline's goods a little more. Not that she is about to touch or make some kind of move, but she does like looking on occassion. Satisfied with the ogling session, she casts a glance to the newcomer. She doesn't recognize him. Another new face means a chance to be cordial with a stranger. It is like her sworn duty in this city, or something.
Dom walks up the street towards the Snake Pit, spotting the familiar female feline from earlier in the past day or so that he has been around. He also comes up from hearing the woman beside her bid the other guy that is leaving farewell. He chuckles to Blu's phrasing, "You mean good riddance?" He then grins as she remembers his name, even while heavily intoxicated. Not that his name was all that hard to remember, but still. "Blue!" He calls back and adds with another chuckle, "You're drunk as a skunk. And that's pretty drunk for a cat, at that."
Blu blinks a few times when Dom comments on her muttering about the Marine that had taken off. "Huh? Wha'? Yeah, that! What did I say? I dun' remember." She looks to Evey as if she might be able to make out her buzzed speech. "Eh, whatever. You get what I meant." Lifting her bottle again, one hand tucks her thumb behind her belt and hangs there. She sucks down the rest of the bottle with two long swigs. Oh God, did that sting. She then pulls the empty bottle from her lips, still completely oblivious to the ogling her way. It has just been way too long since someone had eyed her over like that, especially another female. "A skuuunk!? Nooo!" She lets out with a little giggle, looking down to the empty bottle, then suddenly jets it out towards Evey. "Here, you reeecycle?" She asks, though, obviously, she she isn't serious at all. Though if Evey doesnt take it from her, she was about ready to toss it down the street and watch it shatter.
Dom notices the glance from the woman in the hat. He smiles to her. "The name's Dom, as Ms. Blu Skunk had mentioned a moment ago. And you are?" He is good at being social, usually. But then it is part of survival, being a wanderer and all. Makes it easier to drift about when you can start conversation when need be. He just chuckles at Blue, "You're right, a skunk couldn't top you none. Is for certain there."
Evey retrieves the bottle slowly, trying not to cackle at the female feline's state. "Tried to warn you, Blu. That stuff is potent." She turns to the new arrival. "I'm Evey, by the way." She offers her free hand to shake. "Pleasure to meet you." The empty bottle is held up and inspected with an arched eyebrow. "Damn. Quarter bottle of whiskey? That's, quite a bit. I think even a skunk would have turned their nose up at this stuff." She shrugs, "Beggers can't be choosers though. And I'm pretty well into the begging for booze stage these days." She laughs again.
Blu let out a little chuckle at Evey. "Pppsshh. Ta be hooonest, I needed that." She looks to Dom, grinning almost enough to show her crooked teeth, and well, the liquor is setting in enough that she doesn't care soon enough. She watches the two introduce themselves then let out another little chuckle as she starts to ever so slowly sway in place. "Eh, like I said. Beeeen a while since. I had a good driiink." She went about slurring, then gives Evey a curt nod. "Exactly. You offered. I took it. Not gonna be a waaaster either!" Blu leans forward enough that she actually has to stumble a bit to catch herself. "Boy. I dun know 'bout you two, ba' I feeel grrreat!"
Dom would shake the woman's hand, his tail giving a friendly twitch at the tip. "Likewise, Evey." He blinks at her announcement of how much Blu had drunk and gives a soft whistle, "That is a lot." He chuckles at her last statement and shrugs, "It's a way to make a living." Which it is often for Dom, but he would just not outright say that. He turns his attention to Blu again, chuckling a little at first at her slurring around, but his tail starts to sway pensive, and he murrs. But he would smile quickly and try to look confident in Blu's last statement about how she is feeling, to hell with how much his calm complection up front is betrayed by his tail's twitches. "You sure look it. Drinking the place out of alcohol for the night, even." He grins and winks to her. He would move close to her and ready to catch her if she does lose footing next stumble around.
"Tony the tiger would be proud of you." Every Snots. The reference would probably be lost on them, or not. That particular cereal still exists, only now they have an actual tiger hybrid on the boxes. He is an activist and political hero for hybrid rights for the most part, but also a pothead from San Francisco that has a penchant for getting busted having sex in VIP lounges. When asked, the men and women say the sex was grrreat. "Glad it helped though. We could all do to unwind every now and then. Now we just have to worry about getting you home safely." With that, she casts a glance at the fellow that Blu seems to know. Perhaps he would ensure her safe return? It does appear that he at least cares about her well being, "Think you can help her manage those catwalks?" she asks Dom.
Blu let out another snort at Evey. "Yer funny. I liiike youuu." She murrs out, lifting a hand to point her way for no real reason, but she wis smiling almost non-stop now. That is Blu's issue with booze. She drinks it much too fast. And well, the Marine surely didn't help matters. She then turns to look to Dom, chuckling a little. "I did. The place was raided. Nooo more booze fer anyone else!" She lets out, giggling at herself. She then looks back to Evey, tilting her head a little as her ears perk. "Home? Eh, I got no home. I sleep were meh head falls." If that even makes sense, though it makes perfect sense to Blu. She then looks to Dom again, stepping in closer, then leans against him, murring her words
Dom grins with a slight snicker to Evey's mention of Tony the Tiger. He has seen the commercials, and a few of the PR stuff here and there on his travels. Nothing too serious, other than the World Union anti-hybrids and conservative 'moral majority' core of the union latching on to it for their slant. "What a pity, " Dom replies to Blu, "and I haven't had a drop all day." He sighs more theatric than really being bummed by the mention of not having a drink. Someone has to be the designated walker tonight. And he seems to have showed up just in time for that. He then nods to Evey and then looks to Blu, "Sure, I can help. I know the way." Even though a few cats, including a more sober Blu, have made note that he ought not to.
Evey arches an eyebrow, "If only you knew, sweetheart." She fails to mention that, were the Blu in a sober state, she would have probably been trying to flirt with Blu. Given Blu's current state though, Evey isn't about to even try, thinking it would be taking advantage. Although sober, she figures it very likely that she is still the only lesbian with a pulse in all of Midian. The rest moved to Washington and started a colony, she thinks, just south of Seattle, right next to a water preserve called Granola. "Isn't the Den still up there?" She points to the catwalks. "I was only ever there once, and that was years upon years ago upon invitation. There were beds there, right? Or was everything looted there too?" She doesn't like the idea of people sleeping on the streets. A lot of the run down and abandoned buildings are being used by squatters, but that is like running a gambit - taking the chance of being robbed, or worse -, with the desparate that stayed behind. Evey herself stays on her run down shitty little boat just to stay safe, especially given that she has a daughter. The city is no place for children, especially now. It was even brutally dangerous for those that used to be Catwalkers before, and that lot seemed to always be ready for war. "If you guys need a place to crash, there's an abandoned room in one of the upper floors of the hospital, if the den's not available. Not sure how safe it is, but, it's an option if you need it." Even after having gone through hell or whatnot, Evey is still the same kind hearted creature, it seems.
Blu giggles again. "Well, we can change that you know-," She murrs back to Evey while she is still leaned up against Dom. Blu would flirt all she wanted - sober, drunk, high -, anytime is a good time to her. Blue most likely wouldn't even have tried while sober. She then turns her head, looking up to Dom then further up to the catwalks. "Oh, it's up there. Jus', pretty fuckin' empty, and just as cold as the streets." She mutters. Yep, it has been looted alright. Blu couldn't stop everyone from sneaking their way up there. And with the low number of her Pride, well, slowly but surely the place was gutted. She then looks back to Evey when she mentioned a room in the hospital that they could use, which makes Blu her smile again. "Naww, thanks. Yer sweet," she let out. Blu's tail sways and twitches against Dom's legs, and even her own. "Though, naaa' really, down feerr, sleepin' where so many died." She mutter as she pushes off of Dom and stumbles a little again. Even so, she catches herself. Blu's tail is there for a reason after all. Good balance! "Ya know, Evey, yer not too bad fer a human." Blu was blunt before, but add booze to the mix and well, the cat is surely to speak her mind, and probably act on it too if allowed.
Dom nods to Every. "There's still a den up there. And some cats." He doesn't know exactly how many, but the place isn't totally abandoned. "Besides, if not the den, there's another place close by on the rooftops, where it's safe." At least for many cats, rooftops and high ground has always been preferable than the low. He listens to Blu speak about the state of the Den and sighs, "Yeah, guess your Pride has a bit of work to do to get things back in order." That is, if the higher ups really want that. And from what he has overheard from Rail speaking earlier in the day, it doesn't sound like they are. But then again, Dom didn't catch a lot of the conversation either. But then his mind gets distracted as Blu flirts with him. Dom purrs soft as she leans on him and hugs her tail around his leg. He chuckles, "You really are drunk." He shakes his head, but smiles to her. The tip of his own tail stoking hers light and soothingly. "Anyway, should we see about your Den up there, or that other place you showed me a night ago?"
Evey winks. "That's what they tell me, Blu." The once upon a time Matron, Elise, still had carried a hand gun that Evey had given her many years ago during a street riot. Even before she had a child, there has always been, at the very least, a respect between Every and the Catwalkers. It might have to do with the fact that Every publicly pissed on the remains of a Human's First cross that had been burning on the beach. Her wilder days - and she did that sober. Evey is far less brazen these days, for the most part. "Hard to find a spot in this city where someone hasn't died, honestly," she says low, mostly to herself. One can tell that it ate away at her, having had to deal with all those bodies over the years. The pressure had been too much for her, so she finally gave up and just went to disposing of the bodies, cremating them as soon as they showed up. It saves space, time, and an unnecessary effort into the world of forensic pathology. No one cared about what caused death. They just wanted the bodies dealt with. "Offer stands if you need a place to stay until you're sober." She starts to walk past them. "I think I'll head to the hospital either way and see how things are going." She smirks up at the male cat hybrid. "You take care of her, huh? Streets aren't safe to be travelling alone, especially drunk." On her way past, she makes a swat at Blu's ass, as well as a bit of a grope. Shme-yow.
Blu gives a little winkle of her nose to Evey. Blu's tail sways about much more lazily than it has before. She then looks up to Dom, cocking a thin brow at him. "Well, I'll tell'er rrriiight now, if'n they don't come back an' do their job, I'll be taken over." She mutters out, speaking matter-of-factly through her drunken stupor. She then looks back to Evey, having caught her mumbled comment about death having happened everywhere on the island. Blu knows this too, but she let it go. She surely didn't want to ruin her nice buzz by a depressing subject such as that. When Evey starts to make her leave and offers up the room in the hospital again she let out a soft murr, nodding her head. "Thaanks, Evey. I'll keep it en mii-eeehaha!" the slap to her ass and the grope that followed surely catches Blu off guard, but it is greeted with a even louder murr and a flick of her tail that trails its way up the woman's back as she keeps on going. Blu glances over her shoulder, all grins again again. "Laaater Doctor!" She calls out, then looks up to Dom, giggling again. "Did you see that? She molested meee." She then giggles again as she leans into Dom once more. "I thiiink - I liked it." Yep. Blu is drunk.
Dom grins to Blu, then replies to her comment about taking over, "Who knows, you just might." He says it with not a whole lot of seriousness - mainly because he doesn't feel like arguing with a drunk. However, if she is to be taken serious, he would rather encourage it in a more sober moment. He then nods to Evey's words. "She's in good hands." Which was true enough, anyways. He blinks, and then chuckles at Evey's slap on Blu's rear. He couldn't help but give a "Meow." to that.
Blu giggles again, starting to purr now. it rumbles away in her chest, due to the heavy booze in her system. She leans into Dom again, finding it a bit difficult to stay steady on her feet. "Meeeooww is right." She murrs at him, a hand reaching up to lightly scratch her claws into the exposed fur on his chest. "Mmnn. You gonna help me back, ta the deeen now? Yer not gonna leave me there, are ya? You'll stay with me, right?" She asks, which well, is a bit out of character for Blu, but it is easier to actually be herself when intoxicated.
The male hybrid watches the two and just smirks shakes his head before looking forward. "Wear protection," he murmurs softly before cracking his back and letting out a growl. He pats his pocket and whimpers a bit at feeling no cigs. Biting his lip in frustration, he lets out a louder growl.
Dom grins back with a chuckle. His arms did wrap around her, mostly to help keep her steady - he couldn't rule out some partiality in actually enjoying holding her though. Her purring coaxes his own. Not to mention the chest rubbing with her claws. He nods to her, "Of course, though," he looks to her, speaking both friendly and frank, "Let's face it, you're not in the best state to be leaping at the moment, and the long walk home might do you some good." He shakes his head, "No, I'm not gonna leave you there alone. I'll stay. Can say I'm an invited guest then." He winks to her. He smirks a bit at the male, but decides not to respond. Turning his attention back to Blu, he simply asks, "How about it, ready for the walk home?"
Blu keeps up her scratching at his chest fur after his arms slipped around her, that purr of hers still rattling away like a kitten being stroked. "Mmn. probably right. I'd end up on my face," She mutters at him, snickering at herself. "Yes, yer invited - welcome - in the Den, I say so." She let out with a curt nod, then glances towards the unfamiliar voice, actually laughing a bit at that. "I couldn't get any riiight now if'n I wanted it. No one takes advantage of pretty drunkeeen kits annnymore." She let out with another laugh, then looks back up to Dom, moving to actually cling to his arm. "Ready, Freeedy."
The male hybrid laughs more at hearing them. He then glances at Dom. "Yeah you hear that? So don't get any ideas, cause NO ONE takes advantage anymore." He winks playfully. "I joke." He then huffs and nods, bowing a bit. "You two get home safe now ya hear? Doesn't matter if the streets are empty. Midian is still a dangerous place." He then walks on toward the beach.
Laughing at that, Dom then nods. He tries to keep Blu steady with a hand hooked around her waist as he walks with her. He has a feeling that she wil likely tug and claw at his chest all the way up there. Not that he minds, and he would enjoy every moment of it. He chuckles at the stranger, "I heard it, I heard it. Stay safe yourself." He then works on trying to steer Blu over to the ramp and take the back way around by the church, and on up all the ramps on the building of the Den.
Blu giggles at the two of them now, looking at the Wolf as they pass by. "You may be jokin' ba' I'm not." And then she is led by Dom on up the ramp and along the back way to the Den. And indeed she is stroking his furr the whole time.
Another of the stunning angels upon Ponte Sant'Angelo this image takes in Angel with Superscription. I love the look that monochrome gives this image and highlights the difference in colouration and contrast on the statue.
Show me the way,
not to fortune and fame,
Not how to win laure's
or praise for my name-
But Show Me The Way
to spread "The Great Story"
That "Thine is the Kingdom and Power and Glory."
By Helen Steiner Rice
Giannina Caviezel, Founder, Student Impact, Switzerland, speaking at the Annual Meeting 2017 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, January 19, 2017
Copyright by World Economic Forum / Walter Duerst
Showing a total difference in size and design are these two lorries from local operator G. Atkinson, Brough, during the Cumbria Easter Rally, on 30/03/2024. On the right of the photo is XSJ546, a nicely restored 1952 Bedford OLBC. It received its age related plate from the DVLA in 04/1999 and is named Stainmore Queen. Representing the todays era is Stainmore Duchess, PX20MEV, a DAF XF530. This was first registered in 06/2020 and is powered by a 12902cc Euro VI Diesel. © Peter Steel 2024.
Cyprus 17-03-2020
[order] Falconiformes | [family] Falconidae | [latin] Falco peregrinus | [UK] Peregrine Falcon | [FR] Faucon pèlerin | [DE] Wanderfalke-peregrinus | [ES] Halcón Peregrino | [IT] Pellegrino | [NL] Slechtvalk
| [IRE] Fabhcún gorm
spanwidth min.: 46 cm
spanwidth max.: 100 cm
size min.: 38 cm
size max.: 51 cm
Breeding
incubation min.: 29 days
incubation max.: 32 days
fledging min.: 35 days
fledging max.: 42 days
broods 1
eggs min.: 2
eggs max.: 5
Status: Widespread resident in Ireland.
Conservation Concern: Green-listed in Ireland. No longer a species of European conservation concern after severe historic declines, due to chemicals affecting reproductive success.
Identification: A bird of prey (raptor) with a short hooked bill. A species of falcon with a heavy powerfully built body, medium length tail and wings which are broad close to the body and pointed at the tip. Sexual size difference, the female is larger than the male. Male and female plumages are the same, unlike Merlins, the species most likely to be confused with Peregrine. Adults are bluey grey above, with a barred tail; the underparts are white and finely barred, the check, throat and upper breast are plain white and contrast with a black hood and thick moustachal stripe. Juvenile birds are similar to adults but have brownish upperparts and streaked, not barred, feathers on the body.
Similar Species: Kestrel, Merlin.
Call: Mainly silent away from its breeding site. Main call is a hard persistent cackling.
Diet: Mainly birds, usually taken in the air and sometimes on the ground or on water. Employs spectacular hunting technique where the bird 'stoops' from high above its intended prey, with its wings held close into the body, reaching great speeds. Estimates of speeds vary but it seems likely that birds reach at least 240km/hour, making it the fastest animal on the planet. Kills its prey with force of its impact using its legs at the last moment to inflict the killer blow. Prey includes pigeons, including feral birds, thrushes, waders and wildfowl, gulls and seabirds.
Breeding: Breeds on coastal and inland cliffs. Most birds on the coast breed on the south, west and north coasts, coastal breeding on the east coast is limited by the availability of suitable nesting cliffs. Most inland birds breed on mountain cliffs but will also breed at lower levels. The species is still recovering from a dramatic and well documented decline in the 1950s and 60s due to the effects of pesticide poisoning. The responsible pesticides have been banned and the species has been recovering slowly.
Wintering: Resident in Ireland, but shows some movement away from its breeding areas in the winter. Can be found on the coast, especially on estuaries where they hunt on concentrations on water birds. Some birds move into cites, where feral pigeons provide suitable prey; one was captured on film recently by a road traffic monitor looking down over the Quays in central Dublin. Some birds at this time of the year could have immigrated from Britain or even further afield.
Where to See: Look for them on estuaries in the winter. If a flock of waders or wildfowl suddenly fly up, it maybe that a Peregrine has flushed them. If they are about they will often be perched on fences or other vantage points. Walking suitable cliffs in the breeding season may give dramatic views of Peregrines hunting.
Physical characteristics
Peregrines have a distinctive appearance. The head and neck area are blackish with a dark wedge of coloration extending below the eyes that forms a "helmet" or hooded appearance. The throat, chin, and ear patch are contrasted by white feathers. The upper body ranges from a bluish-black or slate gray to rich brown; the back, the feathers of the bird's shoulders, and the small feathers on top of the wings and over the tail feathers have a faint cross pattern or barring, while the rump and tail feathers are more strongly barred. Wing and tail feathers have broad horizontal bars. Under parts are white to cream colored; males have a few blackish spots on the upper breast becoming horizontal bars on the lower breast and abdomen, extending to the sides, flanks and upper thighs. Females are more heavily spotted on the upper breast and become heavily barred on the abdomen, flanks, thighs, and under the tail feathers. In the adult the iris of the eye is very dark brown, and non-feathered portions of the lower leg and the feet are bright yellow.
Juveniles are more brownish-gray above, with buff feather edges and less white underneath. They also have heavier brown to cinnamon colored markings in a more vertical pattern on the breast and abdomen. The juvenile peregrine's iris is dark brown, and its feet and lower legs are greenish-yellow.
Habitat
Rivaled only by the Osprey, the Peregrine Falcon has one of the most global distributions of any bird of prey. This falcon is found on every continent except Antarctica, and lives in a wide variety of habitats from tropics, deserts, and maritime to the tundra, and from sea level to 4,000 meter. Peregrines are highly migratory in the northern part of their range. Nests typically are situated on ledges of vertical cliffs, often with a sheltering overhang. Ideal locations include undisturbed areas with a wide view, near water, and close to plentiful prey. Substitute man-made sites can include tall buildings, bridges, rock quarries, and raised platforms. Traditionally, peregrines are found in regions of open habitat with tall cliffs that range from tundra, savanna, and forested river valleys, to coastlines and high mountains. The highest and steepest rock face available that provides a clear view of the surrounding area for hunting is preferred. Peregrines are usually associated with a source of water which attracts a prey base of small to medium-sized birds. Falcons roost on small ledges, and rock outcroppings on steep, bare rock walls preferably under an overhang.
Eyries (nests) are usually established on vegetated ledges where eggs are laid in a scraped-out depression in the vegetation, soil, decomposed rock or remains of prey. The tops of tall buildings are well suited to such a nest type. Beyond the formation of a scrape, peregrines do not build nests, and they some times use the nest remnants of other species.
Other details
This cosmopolitan falcon inhabits open regions and forested regions as well, but for breeding it depends largely on the presence of steep cliffs. Its distribution is consequently very irregular. Southern populations are sedentary, but northern birds are migratory and those of the arctic tundra winter in tropical Africa. The populations of the European Union have undergone a dramatic decline between 1950 and 1960 following chronic poisoning with organochlorine pesticides, and the species has disappeared from many regions. During the last 20 years a comeback has been noticed, and the species has been able to colonise some regions again. In the British Isles the population is now locally even more important than before the crash. The total breeding population of the European Union is estimated at 5000 pairs, but in some areas persecution is still a problem
Feeding
Peregrines chiefly hunt birds such as starlings, pigeons, blackbirds, jays, shorebirds, and waterfowl, but will rarely take mammals, reptiles, or insects. Peregrines may use a variety of hunting techniques, but typically prey is captured in the air after fast pursuit or a rapid dive to catch the prey.
Breeding
Most peregrines don't become sexually mature until they are two to three years of age. Pairs are monogamous, staying mated for life. Behaviour of pairs during the nonbreeding season is variable and is believed to be at least partially dependent upon prey availability. Some pairs remain together throughout the winter, while others appear to separate.
Established pairs return to the same breeding territory, and often the same cliff or city building, year after year. Male falcons that have not previously bred tend to return to their natal (the area where they were hatched) site in the spring. If a territory cannot be established, the birds disperse to suitable unoccupied habitat. Male peregrines have been observed defending territories of one to two miles around their urban nest sites. Among breeding pairs, it is believed that the male usually returns to the nest site first and begins aerial courtship displays to attract its mate. Early in the breeding season the pair will hunt together and occupy the same cliff or sky scrap er while reestablishing the pair bond. A period of courtship follows, including aerial maneuvers with vocalizations by the male and the pair, feeding of the female by the male, and ledge displays by both male and female.
Eggs are laid in a scrape at the nest site at an interval of two to three days. The average number of eggs laid is four. Incubation is done primarily by the female, although the male may incubate for short periods during the daytime. Hatching occurs after 32 to 34 days. If a nest is destroyed during egg laying or early in incubation, incubation, the female will usually lay a second clutch.
Once the falcons have hatched, the female does most of the brooding of the altricial (helpless and dependent on the parents) young. Observations of city nesters indicate that some males are as active in brooding as their mates. For the first three to four days prey is delivered by the male to the female who then tears the food to small pieces for the chicks. Later, both the male and female hunt, but the female still does most of the feeding. Fledging usually occurs at 35 to 42 days. The average number of young fledged per nest is between 1.3 and 3.05.
Migration
Migratory in north and north-east, grading through strongly dispersive to resident in south and west. F. p. brookei (breeding Mediterranean basin to Caucasus) shows least movement of west Palearctic races, though still local dispersal. F. p. peregrinus (breeding temperate and subarctic Europe) basically non-migratory, though many individuals (especially juveniles) wander extensively in autumn and winter. Such movement most marked in Fenno-Scandian and north Russian population, with northern territories vacated in winter. Autumn movements span August to early November; return to breeding areas March to early May, though immatures may linger in summer away from breeding grounds. F. p. calidus (breeding Arctic from east Finnmark to c. 130°E), in contrast to nominate peregrinus, a total migrant including transequatorial element, thinly distributed in winter over much of sub-Saharan Africa. Leaves tundra territories in September, appearing in winter range in October. Departures from winter quarters begin late March or early April; tundras reoccupied in May. Pale-plumaged F. p. anatum of North America, probably rare vagrant to west Palearctic.
One can see the difference between f 2 and f 2.8 in the amount of background blur. Noticeably less here despite the very slight difference in aperture.
With 1 old go ahead london general seat, on a preserved WVL of ex Go Ahead london.
©️ Francis Wadsworth
‘REXY TAILS’
Tale of Two Tails….
Not the red colour difference!! VH-MFM has a different, in this instance VH-RYU, with MFM having a more orange red over the rest of the fleet!!! Totally confused as to why and how this happened though???!!!
Castline Collectors Information
This 1971 Plymouth HEMI Barracuda is one of 6 die-cast models from the first release of Castline's M2 Machines Auto-Projects series in 2010. I placed the car in the "service area" of my new Matchbox Tri-Level Garage for this photograph, since the model is that of a Barracuda that needs serious work. It has no headlights; different panels of the car have different worn paint colors; the air filter is missing; the wheels do not match; and, the tires are worn and/or flat.
About the 1971 Plymouth Barracuda
The Barracuda was changed slightly for 1971, with a new grille and taillights, seat, and trim differences. This would be the only year that the Barracuda would have four headlights, and also the only year of the fender "gills" on the 'Cuda model. The 1971 Barracuda engine options would remain the same as that of the 1970 model, except the 4-barrel carbureted 440 engine was not available; all 440-powered Barracudas had a six-barrel carburetor setup instead. The 426 Hemi remained available, and the 1971 Hemi Cuda convertible is now considered one of the most valuable collectible muscle cars. Only eleven were built, seven of which were sold domestically, and examples of these cars have sold for US$2 million.
About the 426 HEMI Engine
During World War II, Chrysler developed its first experimental Hemispherical engine for use in the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighter aircraft. The XIV-2220 engine was an inverted V16 rated at 2,500 hp (1,860 kW). The P-47 was already in production with a Pratt & Whitney radial engine when the XIV-2220 flew successfully in trials in 1945 as a possible upgrade, but the war was winding down and it did not go into production. However, the exercise gave Chrysler engineers valuable research and development experience with two-valve hemi combustion chamber dynamics and parameters. Using their military experience with the hemispherical combustion chambers, Chrysler decided to use this layout in their first OHV V8 in 1951, introducing a 180 bhp (134.2 kW) Hemi V8 with a displacement of 331 cu in (5.4 L). The engine was not, however, marketed as a "Hemi". Each Chrysler division had its own unique version of the early Hemi engine, with different displacements and designations. As soon as this engine was introduced, Briggs Cunningham chose to use the Chrysler version in some of his race cars for international motor sports. A Chrysler-powered Cunningham C5-R won its class in 1953, and Team Cunningham automobiles using these engines finished as high as third place overall, at the 24 hours of Le Mans Grand Prix. Cunningham switched away from these designs in 1959 when Chrysler abandoned the hemispherical concept in favor of the wedge-head Chrysler B engine. The hemispherical head design was revived in 1964. These were the first engines officially designated HEMI, a name Chrysler trademarked. Chrysler HEMI engines of this generation displaced 426 cu in (7 L). Although just 11,000 Hemi engines were produced for consumer sale due to their relatively high cost and poor street-use reputation, the engine became legendary, with "HEMI" becoming one of the most familiar automobile-related words in the United States. The 426 Hemi was nicknamed the "elephant engine" at the time, a reference to its large dimensions and weight. Tipping the scales at a dry weight of 843 lb (382 kg), the 426 Hemi was considerably more massive than other engines of the era, such as the Ford 427 at 650 lb (290 kg) and the Chevrolet Big Block at 685 lb (311 kg). Even the modern iron block Dodge Truck V10 weighs less, at 836 lb (379 kg). Its 10.72 in (272.3 mm) deck height and 4.80 in (121.9 mm) bore spacing made it the biggest engine racing in NASCAR at the time.
Photo by Kevin Borland.
If you enjoy my photographs, I invite you to listen to my music as well. Follow this link to visit SPEED LIMIT MUSIC on Pinterest.