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First visit of 2019 for me to this stunning castle today Thursday 28th March 2019.

 

Dunnottar Castle.

 

The rock the Castle sits upon was forced to the surface 440 million years ago during the Silurian period. A red rock conglomerate with boulders up to 1m across known as Pudding Stone is incredibly durable.

 

The ancient Highland rock pebbles and cementing matter is so tough that faults or cracks pass through the pebbles themselves.

 

I first visited Dunnottar Castle summer 2017, this magnificent castle sits high on a hill, last time I visited I captured my shots from the cliffs overlooking the site, though today I made the journey up the hill and entered the castle walls , wow what a magnificent experience, just perfect with loads of great photo opportunities to capture real Scottish history,after two hours wandering around and capturing as many shots that caught my eye , I made my way home, a magnificent experience indeed.

 

Dunnottar Castle (Scottish Gaelic: Dùn Fhoithear, "fort on the shelving slope" is a ruined medieval fortress located upon a rocky headland on the north-east coast of Scotland, about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) south of Stonehaven.

 

The surviving buildings are largely of the 15th and 16th centuries, but the site is believed to have been fortified in the Early Middle Ages. Dunnottar has played a prominent role in the history of Scotland through to the 18th-century Jacobite risings because of its strategic location and defensive strength. Dunnottar is best known as the place where the Honours of Scotland, the Scottish crown jewels, were hidden from Oliver Cromwell's invading army in the 17th century. The property of the Keiths from the 14th century, and the seat of the Earl Marischal, Dunnottar declined after the last Earl forfeited his titles by taking part in the Jacobite rebellion of 1715.

 

The castle was restored in the 20th century and is now open to the public.

 

The ruins of the castle are spread over 1.4 hectares (3.5 acres), surrounded by steep cliffs that drop to the North Sea, 50 metres (160 ft) below. A narrow strip of land joins the headland to the mainland, along which a steep path leads up to the gatehouse.

 

The various buildings within the castle include the 14th-century tower house as well as the 16th-century palace. Dunnottar Castle is a scheduled monument, and twelve structures on the site are listed buildings.

 

History

Early Middle Ages

A chapel at Dunnottar is said to have been founded by St Ninian in the 5th century, although it is not clear when the site was first fortified, but in any case the legend is late and highly implausible. Possibly the earliest written reference to the site is found in the Annals of Ulster which record two sieges of "Dún Foither" in 681 and 694.

 

The earlier event has been interpreted as an attack by Brude, the Pictish king of Fortriu, to extend his power over the north-east coast of Scotland. The Scottish Chronicle records that King Domnall II, the first ruler to be called rí Alban (King of Alba), was killed at Dunnottar during an attack by Vikings in 900. King Aethelstan of Wessex led a force into Scotland in 934, and raided as far north as Dunnottar according to the account of Symeon of Durham. W. D. Simpson speculated that a motte might lie under the present caste, but excavations in the 1980s failed to uncover substantive evidence of early medieval fortification.

 

The discovery of a group of Pictish stones at Dunnicaer, a nearby sea stack, has prompted speculation that "Dún Foither" was actually located on the adjacent headland of Bowduns, 0.5 kilometres (0.31 mi) to the north.

 

Later Middle Ages

During the reign of King William the Lion (ruled 1165–1214) Dunnottar was a center of local administration for The Mearns. The castle is named in the Roman de Fergus, an early 13th-century Arthurian romance, in which the hero Fergus must travel to Dunnottar to retrieve a magic shield.

 

In May 1276 a church on the site was consecrated by William Wishart, Bishop of St Andrews. The poet Blind Harry relates that William Wallace captured Dunnottar from the English in 1297, during the Wars of Scottish Independence. He is said to have imprisoned 4,000 defeated English soldiers in the church and burned them alive.

 

In 1336 Edward III of England ordered William Sinclair, 8th Baron of Roslin, to sail eight ships to the partially ruined Dunnottar for the purpose of rebuilding and fortifying the site as a forward resupply base for his northern campaign. Sinclair took with him 160 soldiers, horses, and a corps of masons and carpenters.

 

Edward himself visited in July, but the English efforts were undone before the end of the year when the Scottish Regent Sir Andrew Murray led a force that captured and again destroyed the defences of Dunnottar.

 

In the 14th century Dunnottar was granted to William de Moravia, 5th Earl of Sutherland (d.1370), and in 1346 a licence to crenellate was issued by David II. Around 1359 William Keith, Marischal of Scotland, married Margaret Fraser, niece of Robert the Bruce, and was granted the barony of Dunnottar at this time. Keith then gave the lands of Dunnottar to his daughter Christian and son-in-law William Lindsay of Byres, but in 1392 an excambion (exchange) was agreed whereby Keith regained Dunnottar and Lindsay took lands in Fife.

 

William Keith completed construction of the tower house at Dunnottar, but was excommunicated for building on the consecrated ground associated with the parish church. Keith had provided a new parish church closer to Stonehaven, but was forced to write to the Pope, Benedict XIII, who issued a bull in 1395 lifting the excommunication.William Keith's descendents were created Earls Marischal in the mid 15th century, and they held Dunottar until the 18th century.

 

16th century rebuilding

Through the 16th century the Keiths improved and expanded their principal seats: at Dunnottar and also at Keith Marischal in East Lothian. James IV visited Dunnottar in 1504, and in 1531 James V exempted the Earl's men from military service on the grounds that Dunnottar was one of the "principall strenthis of our realme".

 

Mary, Queen of Scots, visited in 1562 after the Battle of Corrichie, and returned in 1564.

 

James VI stayed for 10 days in 1580, as part of a progress through Fife and Angus, during which a meeting of the Privy Council was convened at Dunnottar.

 

During a rebellion of Catholic nobles in 1592, Dunnottar was captured by a Captain Carr on behalf of the Earl of Huntly, but was restored to Lord Marischal just a few weeks later.

 

In 1581 George Keith succeeded as 5th Earl Marischal, and began a large scale reconstruction that saw the medieval fortress converted into a more comfortable home. The founder of Marischal College in Aberdeen, the 5th Earl valued Dunnottar as much for its dramatic situation as for its security.

 

A "palace" comprising a series of ranges around a quadrangle was built on the north-eastern cliffs, creating luxurious living quarters with sea views. The 13th-century chapel was restored and incorporated into the quadrangle.

 

An impressive stone gatehouse was constructed, now known as Benholm's Lodging, featuring numerous gun ports facing the approach. Although impressive, these are likely to have been fashionable embellishments rather than genuine defensive features.

 

Civil wars

Further information: Scotland in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms

In 1639 William Keith, 7th Earl Marischal, came out in support of the Covenanters, a Presbyterian movement who opposed the established Episcopal Church and the changes which Charles I was attempting to impose. With James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose, he marched against the Catholic James Gordon, 2nd Viscount Aboyne, Earl of Huntly, and defeated an attempt by the Royalists to seize Stonehaven. However, when Montrose changed sides to the Royalists and marched north, Marischal remained in Dunnottar, even when given command of the area by Parliament, and even when Montrose burned Stonehaven.

 

Marischal then joined with the Engager faction, who had made a deal with the king, and led a troop of horse to the Battle of Preston (1648) in support of the royalists.

 

Following the execution of Charles I in 1649, the Engagers gave their allegiance to his son and heir: Charles II was proclaimed king, arriving in Scotland in June 1650. He visited Dunnottar in July 1650, but his presence in Scotland prompted Oliver Cromwell to lead a force into Scotland, defeating the Scots at Dunbar in September 1650.

 

The Honours of Scotland

Charles II was crowned at Scone Palace on 1 January 1651, at which the Honours of Scotland (the regalia of crown, sword and sceptre) were used. However, with Cromwell's troops in Lothian, the honours could not be returned to Edinburgh. The Earl Marischal, as Marischal of Scotland, had formal responsibility for the honours, and in June the Privy Council duly decided to place them at Dunnottar.

 

They were brought to the castle by Katherine Drummond, hidden in sacks of wool. Sir George Ogilvie (or Ogilvy) of Barras was appointed lieutenant-governor of the castle, and given responsibility for its defence.

 

In November 1651 Cromwell's troops called on Ogilvie to surrender, but he refused. During the subsequent blockade of the castle, the removal of the Honours of Scotland was planned by Elizabeth Douglas, wife of Sir George Ogilvie, and Christian Fletcher, wife of James Granger, minister of Kinneff Parish Church. The king's papers were first removed from the castle by Anne Lindsay, a kinswoman of Elizabeth Douglas, who walked through the besieging force with the papers sewn into her clothes.

 

Two stories exist regarding the removal of the honours themselves. Fletcher stated in 1664 that over the course of three visits to the castle in February and March 1652, she carried away the crown, sceptre, sword and sword-case hidden amongst sacks of goods. Another account, given in the 18th century by a tutor to the Earl Marischal, records that the honours were lowered from the castle onto the beach, where they were collected by Fletcher's servant and carried off in a creel (basket) of seaweed. Having smuggled the honours from the castle, Fletcher and her husband buried them under the floor of the Old Kirk at Kinneff.

 

Meanwhile, by May 1652 the commander of the blockade, Colonel Thomas Morgan, had taken delivery of the artillery necessary for the reduction of Dunnottar. Ogilvie surrendered on 24 May, on condition that the garrison could go free. Finding the honours gone, the Cromwellians imprisoned Ogilvie and his wife in the castle until the following year, when a false story was put about suggesting that the honours had been taken overseas.

 

Much of the castle property was removed, including twenty-one brass cannons,[28] and Marischal was required to sell further lands and possessions to pay fines imposed by Cromwell's government.

 

At the Restoration of Charles II in 1660, the honours were removed from Kinneff Church and returned to the king. Ogilvie quarrelled with Marischal's mother over who would take credit for saving the honours, though he was eventually rewarded with a baronetcy. Fletcher was awarded 2,000 merks by Parliament but the sum was never paid.

  

Whigs and Jacobites

Religious and political conflicts continued to be played out at Dunnottar through the 17th and early 18th centuries. In 1685, during the rebellion of the Earl of Argyll against the new king James VII, 167 Covenanters were seized and held in a cellar at Dunnottar. The prisoners included 122 men and 45 women associated with the Whigs, an anti-Royalist group within the Covenanter movement, and had refused to take an oath of allegiance to the new king.

 

The Whigs were imprisoned from 24 May until late July. A group of 25 escaped, although two of these were killed in a fall from the cliffs, and another 15 were recaptured. Five prisoners died in the vault, and 37 of the Whigs were released after taking the oath of allegiance.

 

The remaining prisoners were transported to Perth Amboy, New Jersey, as part of a colonisation scheme devised by George Scot of Pitlochie. Many, like Scot himself, died on the voyage.

 

The cellar, located beneath the "King's Bedroom" in the 16th-century castle buildings, has since become known as the "Whigs' Vault".

 

Both the Jacobites (supporters of the exiled Stuarts) and the Hanoverians (supporters of George I and his descendents) used Dunnottar Castle. In 1689 during Viscount Dundee's campaign in support of the deposed James VII, the castle was garrisoned for William and Mary with Lord Marischal appointed captain.

 

Seventeen suspected Jacobites from Aberdeen were seized and held in the fortress for around three weeks, including George Liddell, professor of mathematics at Marischal College.

 

In the Jacobite Rising of 1715 George Keith, 10th Earl Marischal, took an active role with the rebels, leading cavalry at the Battle of Sheriffmuir. After the subsequent abandonment of the rising Lord Marischal fled to the Continent, eventually becoming French ambassador for Frederick the Great of Prussia. Meanwhile, in 1716, his titles and estates including Dunnottar were declared forfeit to the crown.

 

Later history

The seized estates of the Earl Marischal were purchased in 1720 for £41,172, by the York Buildings Company who dismantled much of the castle.

 

In 1761 the Earl briefly returned to Scotland and bought back Dunnottar only to sell it five years later to Alexander Keith, an Edinburgh lawyer who served as Knight Marischal of Scotland.

 

Dunnottar was inherited in 1852 by Sir Patrick Keith-Murray of Ochtertyre, who in turn sold it in July 1873 to Major Alexander Innes of Cowie and Raemoir for about £80,000.

 

It was purchased by Weetman Pearson, 1st Viscount Cowdray, in 1925 after which his wife embarked on a programme of repairs.

 

Since that time the castle has remained in the family, and has been open to the public, attracting 52,500 visitors in 2009.

 

Dunnottar Castle, and the headland on which is stands, was designated as a scheduled monument in 1970.In 1972 twelve of the structures at Dunnottar were listed.

 

Three buildings are listed at category A as being of "national importance": the keep; the entrance gateway; and Benholm's Lodging.

 

The remaining listings are at category B as being of "regional importance".[39] The Hon. Charles Anthony Pearson, the younger son of the 3rd Viscount Cowdray, currently owns and runs Dunnottar Castle which is part of the 210-square-kilometre (52,000-acre) Dunecht Estates.

 

Portions of the 1990 film Hamlet, starring Mel Gibson and Glenn Close, were shot there.

  

Description

Dunnottar's strategic location allowed its owners to control the coastal terrace between the North Sea cliffs and the hills of the Mounth, 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) inland, which enabled access to and from the north-east of Scotland.

 

The site is accessed via a steep, 800-metre (2,600 ft) footpath (with modern staircases) from a car park on the coastal road, or via a 3-kilometre (1.9 mi) cliff-top path from Stonehaven. Dunnottar's several buildings, put up between the 13th and 17th centuries, are arranged across a headland covering around 1.4 hectares (3.5 acres).

 

The dominant building, viewed from the land approach, is the 14th-century keep or tower house. The other principal buildings are the gatehouse; the chapel; and the 16th-century "palace" which incorporates the "Whigs' Vault".

 

Defences

The approach to the castle is overlooked by outworks on the "Fiddle Head", a promontory on the western side of the headland. The entrance is through the well-defended main gate, set in a curtain wall which entirely blocks a cleft in the rocky cliffs.

 

The gate has a portcullis and has been partly blocked up. Alongside the main gate is the 16th-century Benholm's Lodging, a five-storey building cut into the rock, which incorporated a prison with apartments above.

 

Three tiers of gun ports face outwards from the lower floors of Benholm's Lodging, while inside the main gate, a group of four gun ports face the entrance. The entrance passage then turns sharply to the left, running underground through two tunnels to emerge near the tower house.

 

Simpson contends that these defences are "without exception the strongest in Scotland", although later writers have doubted the effectiveness of the gun ports. Cruden notes that the alignment of the gun ports in Benholm's Lodging, facing across the approach rather than along, means that they are of limited efficiency.

 

The practicality of the gun ports facing the entrance has also been questioned, though an inventory of 1612 records that four brass cannons were placed here.

 

A second access to the castle leads up from a rocky cove, the aperture to a marine cave on the northern side of the Dunnottar cliffs into which a small boat could be brought. From here a steep path leads to the well-fortified postern gate on the cliff top, which in turn offers access to the castle via the Water Gate in the palace.

 

Artillery defences, taking the form of earthworks, surround the north-west corner of the castle, facing inland, and the south-east, facing seaward. A small sentry box or guard house stands by the eastern battery, overlooking the coast.

 

Tower house and surrounding buildings

The tower house of Dunnottar, viewed from the west

The late 14th-century tower house has a stone-vaulted basement, and originally had three further storeys and a garret above.

 

Measuring 12 by 11 metres (39 by 36 ft), the tower house stood 15 metres (49 ft) high to its gable. The principal rooms included a great hall and a private chamber for the lord, with bedrooms upstairs.

 

Beside the tower house is a storehouse, and a blacksmith's forge with a large chimney. A stable block is ranged along the southern edge of the headland. Nearby is Waterton's Lodging, also known as the Priest's House, built around 1574, possibly for the use of William Keith (died 1580), son of the 4th Earl Marischal.

 

This small self-contained house includes a hall and kitchen at ground level, with private chambers above, and has a projecting spiral stair on the north side. It is named for Thomas Forbes of Waterton, an attendant of the 7th Earl.

 

The palace

The palace, to the north-east of the headland, was built in the late 16th century and early to mid-17th century. It comprises three main wings set out around a quadrangle, and for the most part is probably the work of the 5th Earl Marischal who succeeded in 1581.

 

It provided extensive and comfortable accommodation to replace the rooms in the tower house. In its long, low design it has been compared to contemporary English buildings, in contrast to the Scottish tradition of taller towers still prevalent in the 16th century.

 

Seven identical lodgings are arranged along the west range, each opening onto the quadrangle and including windows and fireplace. Above the lodgings the west range comprised a 35-metre (115 ft) gallery. Now roofless, the gallery originally had an elaborate oak ceiling, and on display was a Roman tablet taken from the Antonine Wall.

 

At the north end of the gallery was a drawing room linked to the north range. The gallery could also be accessed from the Silver House to the south, which incorporated a broad stairway with a treasury above.

 

The basement of the north range incorporates kitchens and stores, with a dining room and great chamber above. At ground floor level is the Water Gate, between the north and west ranges, which gives access to the postern on the northern cliffs.

 

The east and north ranges are linked via a rectangular stair. The east range has a larder, brewhouse and bakery at ground level, with a suite of apartments for the Countess above. A north-east wing contains the Earl's apartments, and includes the "King's Bedroom" in which Charles II stayed. In this room is a carved stone inscribed with the arms of the 7th Earl and his wife, and the date 1654. Below these rooms is the Whigs' Vault, a cellar measuring 16 by 4.5 metres (52 by 15 ft). This cellar, in which the Covenanters were held in 1685, has a large eastern window, as well as a lower vault accessed via a trap-door in the floor.

 

Of the chambers in the palace, only the dining room and the Silver House remain roofed, having been restored in the 1920s. The central area contains a circular cistern or fish pond, 16 metres (52 ft) across and 7.6 metres (25 ft) deep, and a bowling green is located to the west.

 

At the south-east corner of the quadrangle is the chapel, consecrated in 1276 and largely rebuilt in the 16th century. Medieval walling and two 13th-century windows remain, and there is a graveyard to the south.

First visit of 2019 for me to this stunning castle today Thursday 28th March 2019.

 

Dunnottar Castle.

 

The rock the Castle sits upon was forced to the surface 440 million years ago during the Silurian period. A red rock conglomerate with boulders up to 1m across known as Pudding Stone is incredibly durable.

 

The ancient Highland rock pebbles and cementing matter is so tough that faults or cracks pass through the pebbles themselves.

 

I first visited Dunnottar Castle summer 2017, this magnificent castle sits high on a hill, last time I visited I captured my shots from the cliffs overlooking the site, though today I made the journey up the hill and entered the castle walls , wow what a magnificent experience, just perfect with loads of great photo opportunities to capture real Scottish history,after two hours wandering around and capturing as many shots that caught my eye , I made my way home, a magnificent experience indeed.

 

Dunnottar Castle (Scottish Gaelic: Dùn Fhoithear, "fort on the shelving slope" is a ruined medieval fortress located upon a rocky headland on the north-east coast of Scotland, about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) south of Stonehaven.

 

The surviving buildings are largely of the 15th and 16th centuries, but the site is believed to have been fortified in the Early Middle Ages. Dunnottar has played a prominent role in the history of Scotland through to the 18th-century Jacobite risings because of its strategic location and defensive strength. Dunnottar is best known as the place where the Honours of Scotland, the Scottish crown jewels, were hidden from Oliver Cromwell's invading army in the 17th century. The property of the Keiths from the 14th century, and the seat of the Earl Marischal, Dunnottar declined after the last Earl forfeited his titles by taking part in the Jacobite rebellion of 1715.

 

The castle was restored in the 20th century and is now open to the public.

 

The ruins of the castle are spread over 1.4 hectares (3.5 acres), surrounded by steep cliffs that drop to the North Sea, 50 metres (160 ft) below. A narrow strip of land joins the headland to the mainland, along which a steep path leads up to the gatehouse.

 

The various buildings within the castle include the 14th-century tower house as well as the 16th-century palace. Dunnottar Castle is a scheduled monument, and twelve structures on the site are listed buildings.

 

History

Early Middle Ages

A chapel at Dunnottar is said to have been founded by St Ninian in the 5th century, although it is not clear when the site was first fortified, but in any case the legend is late and highly implausible. Possibly the earliest written reference to the site is found in the Annals of Ulster which record two sieges of "Dún Foither" in 681 and 694.

 

The earlier event has been interpreted as an attack by Brude, the Pictish king of Fortriu, to extend his power over the north-east coast of Scotland. The Scottish Chronicle records that King Domnall II, the first ruler to be called rí Alban (King of Alba), was killed at Dunnottar during an attack by Vikings in 900. King Aethelstan of Wessex led a force into Scotland in 934, and raided as far north as Dunnottar according to the account of Symeon of Durham. W. D. Simpson speculated that a motte might lie under the present caste, but excavations in the 1980s failed to uncover substantive evidence of early medieval fortification.

 

The discovery of a group of Pictish stones at Dunnicaer, a nearby sea stack, has prompted speculation that "Dún Foither" was actually located on the adjacent headland of Bowduns, 0.5 kilometres (0.31 mi) to the north.

 

Later Middle Ages

During the reign of King William the Lion (ruled 1165–1214) Dunnottar was a center of local administration for The Mearns. The castle is named in the Roman de Fergus, an early 13th-century Arthurian romance, in which the hero Fergus must travel to Dunnottar to retrieve a magic shield.

 

In May 1276 a church on the site was consecrated by William Wishart, Bishop of St Andrews. The poet Blind Harry relates that William Wallace captured Dunnottar from the English in 1297, during the Wars of Scottish Independence. He is said to have imprisoned 4,000 defeated English soldiers in the church and burned them alive.

 

In 1336 Edward III of England ordered William Sinclair, 8th Baron of Roslin, to sail eight ships to the partially ruined Dunnottar for the purpose of rebuilding and fortifying the site as a forward resupply base for his northern campaign. Sinclair took with him 160 soldiers, horses, and a corps of masons and carpenters.

 

Edward himself visited in July, but the English efforts were undone before the end of the year when the Scottish Regent Sir Andrew Murray led a force that captured and again destroyed the defences of Dunnottar.

 

In the 14th century Dunnottar was granted to William de Moravia, 5th Earl of Sutherland (d.1370), and in 1346 a licence to crenellate was issued by David II. Around 1359 William Keith, Marischal of Scotland, married Margaret Fraser, niece of Robert the Bruce, and was granted the barony of Dunnottar at this time. Keith then gave the lands of Dunnottar to his daughter Christian and son-in-law William Lindsay of Byres, but in 1392 an excambion (exchange) was agreed whereby Keith regained Dunnottar and Lindsay took lands in Fife.

 

William Keith completed construction of the tower house at Dunnottar, but was excommunicated for building on the consecrated ground associated with the parish church. Keith had provided a new parish church closer to Stonehaven, but was forced to write to the Pope, Benedict XIII, who issued a bull in 1395 lifting the excommunication.William Keith's descendents were created Earls Marischal in the mid 15th century, and they held Dunottar until the 18th century.

 

16th century rebuilding

Through the 16th century the Keiths improved and expanded their principal seats: at Dunnottar and also at Keith Marischal in East Lothian. James IV visited Dunnottar in 1504, and in 1531 James V exempted the Earl's men from military service on the grounds that Dunnottar was one of the "principall strenthis of our realme".

 

Mary, Queen of Scots, visited in 1562 after the Battle of Corrichie, and returned in 1564.

 

James VI stayed for 10 days in 1580, as part of a progress through Fife and Angus, during which a meeting of the Privy Council was convened at Dunnottar.

 

During a rebellion of Catholic nobles in 1592, Dunnottar was captured by a Captain Carr on behalf of the Earl of Huntly, but was restored to Lord Marischal just a few weeks later.

 

In 1581 George Keith succeeded as 5th Earl Marischal, and began a large scale reconstruction that saw the medieval fortress converted into a more comfortable home. The founder of Marischal College in Aberdeen, the 5th Earl valued Dunnottar as much for its dramatic situation as for its security.

 

A "palace" comprising a series of ranges around a quadrangle was built on the north-eastern cliffs, creating luxurious living quarters with sea views. The 13th-century chapel was restored and incorporated into the quadrangle.

 

An impressive stone gatehouse was constructed, now known as Benholm's Lodging, featuring numerous gun ports facing the approach. Although impressive, these are likely to have been fashionable embellishments rather than genuine defensive features.

 

Civil wars

Further information: Scotland in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms

In 1639 William Keith, 7th Earl Marischal, came out in support of the Covenanters, a Presbyterian movement who opposed the established Episcopal Church and the changes which Charles I was attempting to impose. With James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose, he marched against the Catholic James Gordon, 2nd Viscount Aboyne, Earl of Huntly, and defeated an attempt by the Royalists to seize Stonehaven. However, when Montrose changed sides to the Royalists and marched north, Marischal remained in Dunnottar, even when given command of the area by Parliament, and even when Montrose burned Stonehaven.

 

Marischal then joined with the Engager faction, who had made a deal with the king, and led a troop of horse to the Battle of Preston (1648) in support of the royalists.

 

Following the execution of Charles I in 1649, the Engagers gave their allegiance to his son and heir: Charles II was proclaimed king, arriving in Scotland in June 1650. He visited Dunnottar in July 1650, but his presence in Scotland prompted Oliver Cromwell to lead a force into Scotland, defeating the Scots at Dunbar in September 1650.

 

The Honours of Scotland

Charles II was crowned at Scone Palace on 1 January 1651, at which the Honours of Scotland (the regalia of crown, sword and sceptre) were used. However, with Cromwell's troops in Lothian, the honours could not be returned to Edinburgh. The Earl Marischal, as Marischal of Scotland, had formal responsibility for the honours, and in June the Privy Council duly decided to place them at Dunnottar.

 

They were brought to the castle by Katherine Drummond, hidden in sacks of wool. Sir George Ogilvie (or Ogilvy) of Barras was appointed lieutenant-governor of the castle, and given responsibility for its defence.

 

In November 1651 Cromwell's troops called on Ogilvie to surrender, but he refused. During the subsequent blockade of the castle, the removal of the Honours of Scotland was planned by Elizabeth Douglas, wife of Sir George Ogilvie, and Christian Fletcher, wife of James Granger, minister of Kinneff Parish Church. The king's papers were first removed from the castle by Anne Lindsay, a kinswoman of Elizabeth Douglas, who walked through the besieging force with the papers sewn into her clothes.

 

Two stories exist regarding the removal of the honours themselves. Fletcher stated in 1664 that over the course of three visits to the castle in February and March 1652, she carried away the crown, sceptre, sword and sword-case hidden amongst sacks of goods. Another account, given in the 18th century by a tutor to the Earl Marischal, records that the honours were lowered from the castle onto the beach, where they were collected by Fletcher's servant and carried off in a creel (basket) of seaweed. Having smuggled the honours from the castle, Fletcher and her husband buried them under the floor of the Old Kirk at Kinneff.

 

Meanwhile, by May 1652 the commander of the blockade, Colonel Thomas Morgan, had taken delivery of the artillery necessary for the reduction of Dunnottar. Ogilvie surrendered on 24 May, on condition that the garrison could go free. Finding the honours gone, the Cromwellians imprisoned Ogilvie and his wife in the castle until the following year, when a false story was put about suggesting that the honours had been taken overseas.

 

Much of the castle property was removed, including twenty-one brass cannons,[28] and Marischal was required to sell further lands and possessions to pay fines imposed by Cromwell's government.

 

At the Restoration of Charles II in 1660, the honours were removed from Kinneff Church and returned to the king. Ogilvie quarrelled with Marischal's mother over who would take credit for saving the honours, though he was eventually rewarded with a baronetcy. Fletcher was awarded 2,000 merks by Parliament but the sum was never paid.

  

Whigs and Jacobites

Religious and political conflicts continued to be played out at Dunnottar through the 17th and early 18th centuries. In 1685, during the rebellion of the Earl of Argyll against the new king James VII, 167 Covenanters were seized and held in a cellar at Dunnottar. The prisoners included 122 men and 45 women associated with the Whigs, an anti-Royalist group within the Covenanter movement, and had refused to take an oath of allegiance to the new king.

 

The Whigs were imprisoned from 24 May until late July. A group of 25 escaped, although two of these were killed in a fall from the cliffs, and another 15 were recaptured. Five prisoners died in the vault, and 37 of the Whigs were released after taking the oath of allegiance.

 

The remaining prisoners were transported to Perth Amboy, New Jersey, as part of a colonisation scheme devised by George Scot of Pitlochie. Many, like Scot himself, died on the voyage.

 

The cellar, located beneath the "King's Bedroom" in the 16th-century castle buildings, has since become known as the "Whigs' Vault".

 

Both the Jacobites (supporters of the exiled Stuarts) and the Hanoverians (supporters of George I and his descendents) used Dunnottar Castle. In 1689 during Viscount Dundee's campaign in support of the deposed James VII, the castle was garrisoned for William and Mary with Lord Marischal appointed captain.

 

Seventeen suspected Jacobites from Aberdeen were seized and held in the fortress for around three weeks, including George Liddell, professor of mathematics at Marischal College.

 

In the Jacobite Rising of 1715 George Keith, 10th Earl Marischal, took an active role with the rebels, leading cavalry at the Battle of Sheriffmuir. After the subsequent abandonment of the rising Lord Marischal fled to the Continent, eventually becoming French ambassador for Frederick the Great of Prussia. Meanwhile, in 1716, his titles and estates including Dunnottar were declared forfeit to the crown.

 

Later history

The seized estates of the Earl Marischal were purchased in 1720 for £41,172, by the York Buildings Company who dismantled much of the castle.

 

In 1761 the Earl briefly returned to Scotland and bought back Dunnottar only to sell it five years later to Alexander Keith, an Edinburgh lawyer who served as Knight Marischal of Scotland.

 

Dunnottar was inherited in 1852 by Sir Patrick Keith-Murray of Ochtertyre, who in turn sold it in July 1873 to Major Alexander Innes of Cowie and Raemoir for about £80,000.

 

It was purchased by Weetman Pearson, 1st Viscount Cowdray, in 1925 after which his wife embarked on a programme of repairs.

 

Since that time the castle has remained in the family, and has been open to the public, attracting 52,500 visitors in 2009.

 

Dunnottar Castle, and the headland on which is stands, was designated as a scheduled monument in 1970.In 1972 twelve of the structures at Dunnottar were listed.

 

Three buildings are listed at category A as being of "national importance": the keep; the entrance gateway; and Benholm's Lodging.

 

The remaining listings are at category B as being of "regional importance".[39] The Hon. Charles Anthony Pearson, the younger son of the 3rd Viscount Cowdray, currently owns and runs Dunnottar Castle which is part of the 210-square-kilometre (52,000-acre) Dunecht Estates.

 

Portions of the 1990 film Hamlet, starring Mel Gibson and Glenn Close, were shot there.

  

Description

Dunnottar's strategic location allowed its owners to control the coastal terrace between the North Sea cliffs and the hills of the Mounth, 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) inland, which enabled access to and from the north-east of Scotland.

 

The site is accessed via a steep, 800-metre (2,600 ft) footpath (with modern staircases) from a car park on the coastal road, or via a 3-kilometre (1.9 mi) cliff-top path from Stonehaven. Dunnottar's several buildings, put up between the 13th and 17th centuries, are arranged across a headland covering around 1.4 hectares (3.5 acres).

 

The dominant building, viewed from the land approach, is the 14th-century keep or tower house. The other principal buildings are the gatehouse; the chapel; and the 16th-century "palace" which incorporates the "Whigs' Vault".

 

Defences

The approach to the castle is overlooked by outworks on the "Fiddle Head", a promontory on the western side of the headland. The entrance is through the well-defended main gate, set in a curtain wall which entirely blocks a cleft in the rocky cliffs.

 

The gate has a portcullis and has been partly blocked up. Alongside the main gate is the 16th-century Benholm's Lodging, a five-storey building cut into the rock, which incorporated a prison with apartments above.

 

Three tiers of gun ports face outwards from the lower floors of Benholm's Lodging, while inside the main gate, a group of four gun ports face the entrance. The entrance passage then turns sharply to the left, running underground through two tunnels to emerge near the tower house.

 

Simpson contends that these defences are "without exception the strongest in Scotland", although later writers have doubted the effectiveness of the gun ports. Cruden notes that the alignment of the gun ports in Benholm's Lodging, facing across the approach rather than along, means that they are of limited efficiency.

 

The practicality of the gun ports facing the entrance has also been questioned, though an inventory of 1612 records that four brass cannons were placed here.

 

A second access to the castle leads up from a rocky cove, the aperture to a marine cave on the northern side of the Dunnottar cliffs into which a small boat could be brought. From here a steep path leads to the well-fortified postern gate on the cliff top, which in turn offers access to the castle via the Water Gate in the palace.

 

Artillery defences, taking the form of earthworks, surround the north-west corner of the castle, facing inland, and the south-east, facing seaward. A small sentry box or guard house stands by the eastern battery, overlooking the coast.

 

Tower house and surrounding buildings

The tower house of Dunnottar, viewed from the west

The late 14th-century tower house has a stone-vaulted basement, and originally had three further storeys and a garret above.

 

Measuring 12 by 11 metres (39 by 36 ft), the tower house stood 15 metres (49 ft) high to its gable. The principal rooms included a great hall and a private chamber for the lord, with bedrooms upstairs.

 

Beside the tower house is a storehouse, and a blacksmith's forge with a large chimney. A stable block is ranged along the southern edge of the headland. Nearby is Waterton's Lodging, also known as the Priest's House, built around 1574, possibly for the use of William Keith (died 1580), son of the 4th Earl Marischal.

 

This small self-contained house includes a hall and kitchen at ground level, with private chambers above, and has a projecting spiral stair on the north side. It is named for Thomas Forbes of Waterton, an attendant of the 7th Earl.

 

The palace

The palace, to the north-east of the headland, was built in the late 16th century and early to mid-17th century. It comprises three main wings set out around a quadrangle, and for the most part is probably the work of the 5th Earl Marischal who succeeded in 1581.

 

It provided extensive and comfortable accommodation to replace the rooms in the tower house. In its long, low design it has been compared to contemporary English buildings, in contrast to the Scottish tradition of taller towers still prevalent in the 16th century.

 

Seven identical lodgings are arranged along the west range, each opening onto the quadrangle and including windows and fireplace. Above the lodgings the west range comprised a 35-metre (115 ft) gallery. Now roofless, the gallery originally had an elaborate oak ceiling, and on display was a Roman tablet taken from the Antonine Wall.

 

At the north end of the gallery was a drawing room linked to the north range. The gallery could also be accessed from the Silver House to the south, which incorporated a broad stairway with a treasury above.

 

The basement of the north range incorporates kitchens and stores, with a dining room and great chamber above. At ground floor level is the Water Gate, between the north and west ranges, which gives access to the postern on the northern cliffs.

 

The east and north ranges are linked via a rectangular stair. The east range has a larder, brewhouse and bakery at ground level, with a suite of apartments for the Countess above. A north-east wing contains the Earl's apartments, and includes the "King's Bedroom" in which Charles II stayed. In this room is a carved stone inscribed with the arms of the 7th Earl and his wife, and the date 1654. Below these rooms is the Whigs' Vault, a cellar measuring 16 by 4.5 metres (52 by 15 ft). This cellar, in which the Covenanters were held in 1685, has a large eastern window, as well as a lower vault accessed via a trap-door in the floor.

 

Of the chambers in the palace, only the dining room and the Silver House remain roofed, having been restored in the 1920s. The central area contains a circular cistern or fish pond, 16 metres (52 ft) across and 7.6 metres (25 ft) deep, and a bowling green is located to the west.

 

At the south-east corner of the quadrangle is the chapel, consecrated in 1276 and largely rebuilt in the 16th century. Medieval walling and two 13th-century windows remain, and there is a graveyard to the south.

Soldiers sew durable and flexible solar shade panels together for deployment. At Camp Lemonnier the system has been constantly cranking out two kilowatts of power daily since July 2010, and continues to produce power. It has been running fans, hand held radio rechargers and lights. There’s an added bonus that the solar shades are significantly cooler than normal shades. The system produces power and gets about 70 to 80 percent blockage of the sun. So the shade is cooler than many of tents or shades now used.

 

U.S. Army photo

 

The silence of nonpolluting solar energy at work will someday replace the hum of muffled generators in remote field locations.

 

Maj. Tim Franklin from the U.S. Army Research Development and Engineering Command is the lead in coordinating an experiment using flexible solar cells that could eventually save millions in Army fuel costs. In fact, the project was recently nominated for recognition in the Annual Secretary of the Army Energy and Water Management Awards because of the more than $230,000 savings by using the solar shade.

 

The concept is simple – flexible solar cells affixed to a sun shelter then connected to a system of storage batteries.

 

“Solar shade produces two kilowatts of power -- that may not seem like a lot, but in a remote area it’s perfect because you don’t have to worry about transporting fuel or replacing parts,” Franklin said. “You could place this on a remote mountain site to provide power for a radio retransmission site [since] it requires very little maintenance,” Franklin said.

 

Flexible Solar Cell System

 

Quiet

Requires minimal maintenance

Produces clean energy from the sun

Works at night pending storage batteries charged

Cost effective

Operating area requires 40 by 60-foot area

 

Franklin added that the heart of the solar shade consist of four Hawker High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle batteries with a balancing system featuring a simple voltage meter with a 110 volt power inverter.

 

In July 2010, with the help of Kansas Army National Guardsmen assigned to the Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa, Franklin along with Steve Tucker, the lead for alternative power programs at U.S. Army Natick Research, Development and Engineering Center, traveled to Djibouti to set-up the solar shade.

 

Solar Cell Energy at Work

 

Running on fans, hand-held radio chargers and lights, the system has been cranking out two kilowatts of power daily, Franklin said.

 

“Soldiers with the Kansas Guard have been using the shade every day since last July – it has even survived some storms that damaged other structures,” Franklin said. “In the near future, [Steve and I] will travel to Djibouti to train a new group of CJTF – HOA Kansas National Guard Soldiers on use of the solar shade.”

 

Because of the overall benefits, Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa wants to keep the equipment and have added it to their property books since they plan to use it in other locations and on other missions in Africa.

 

“The solar shade produces power and gets about 70 to 80 percent blockage of the sun, so the shade is cooler than many of tents or shades used now and it produces clean energy from the sun,” Franklin said.

 

“You’re actually reducing the use of air conditioning units too, so there’s really a triple benefit along with the free clean source of energy,” he said.

 

Franklin concluded that they haven’t yet heard how they fared in the 33rd Annual Secretary of the Army Energy and Water Management Awards, but to be nominated is such an honor.

 

To learn more about U.S. Army Africa visit our official website at www.usaraf.army.mil

 

Official Twitter Feed: www.twitter.com/usarmyafrica

 

Official Vimeo video channel: www.vimeo.com/usarmyafrica

 

Join the U.S. Army Africa conversation on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ArmyAfrica

   

Perhaps our most versatile design ever, the Fastlane offers a comfortable fit, confident handling and durable construction. Its chainstay mounted disc brakes offer excellent wet weather braking plus easy rack and fender mounting. Learn more . . .

‪Supertramp - Crime of the Century‬

 

Ex Snia, Via Prenestrina

 

Rome, October 2012

Capacious, lightweight, durable folding bag.

 

Made of 3mm thick industrial felt, this bag stands itself with style, as a large bag and a storing box. You can put toys of kids in it, or use it as a laundry basket, or carry stuff to picnic in a trunk of a car.

 

You can also save space by folding the bag when you don't use it. This function actually enables to save energy too, until you get this bag in your hands during shipping. Functional bag made of natural material is ecological and usable for a long time according to your lifestyle.

 

Color choises are apple green, gray and red.

 

aikafeltworks.blogspot.com

 

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たためて、たっぷり入って、丈夫で軽い。収納としてもバッグとしても使える2ウェイバッグで、ほぼ28センチ角のサイコロ形になります。

 

3ミリの厚みのある*工業用ウールフェルトを使っているから、張りがあり、ちゃんと自立してくれて、お部屋にもすっきりなじみます。 取っ手はその3ミリ厚のフェルトを二重にし、本体とはOカンと呼ばれる四角い銀色の金属パーツで繋いでいます。お客様のご要望にお応えして、肩にかけられるように取っ手を長くしました。

 

キッズの細々としたおもちゃを入れたり、衣類を入れるバスケットとして使ったり、車のトランクへポンと入れてピクニックやお買い物に出かけたり。使わない時は、ひっくり返して小さくたたんで省スペース。お客様の手元に届くまでの経路でも小さなパッケージは省エネを実現します。本体の斜めのラインは、折り畳みが簡単にできるようにと考えられたデザインです。ライフスタイルの変化に合わせて末永く使ってくださいね。

 

ご購入希望の方はこちらへどうぞ!

 

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Height 28 cm x Width 30 cm x Depth 30 cm

Weight 0.8 Kg

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5. Church's English Shoes Brown, this British company delivers exceptionally durable dress shoes

6. Wellness bathrobe 5-star luxury Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin White

7. MINI Mellow WATCH Yellow

8. BVLGARI MAN CLIVE OWEN Eau de Toilette

9. BVLGARI MAN After Shave Balm White

 

... I don't hold back when it comes to shoes...

 

Did you know that:

- during Pierce Brosnan's tenure as James Bond, various selections of dress shoes from the Church's range were used in production. Lindy Hemming, who was the costume designer explained the choice of Church's shoes as having the appropriate weight to complement the silhouette of the tailored Brioni suits she had commissioned for Bond.

- British Prime Minister Tony Blair had a "lucky pair" of Church's shoes that he wore to every session of parliamentary "question time."

From the May 2016 trip to Thailand and Cambodia:

 

This is the east gate of Angkor Thom. Angkor Thom is a fairly large area, laid out in a square (if I had to guess…1.5 km x 1.5 km). At the heart of Angkor Thom is Bayon (the next group being posted). Also, just north of Bayon, you can find the Royal Palace group: Baphuon, the Elephant Terrace, and the Leper King Terrace, among others.

 

Of the gates, I’ve only seen the east and south gates. They’re fairly similar. On Sunday, Bayon was our last stop. Monday morning started going directly to Baphuon and the terraces. From there, we went out the north end, but I honestly don’t recall seeing a north gate. Nor am I sure if there’s a west gate now, since we didn’t go anywhere near it. Anyway, this is just to give a sample of what the Angkor Thom gates are like.

 

Well, this is it. Save for a return flight to Bangkok on Tuesday, May 17 (a formality, really, just to pick up the return flight to China on the 18th…and no shoots on the 17th in Bangkok), Siem Reap/Angkor Wat is the last stop – and the one I was most looking forward to.

 

The flight over was pretty uneventful, though amusing. At Phnom Penh International Airport, we checked in at the gate, then went outside and hopped on a bus to take us to the plane…which was literally less than 100 meters away. That amused me to no end. A quick, comfortable 45 minute flight on the prop jet later – over completely black terrain; it seems the countryside is either sparsely populated, or electricity is a premium, but we may as well have been flying over a moonless ocean – brought us to Siem Reap (which, I’m glad to say, had lights). Siem Reap is the small town (and it’s basically a tourist/party kind of town where it’s great to go out at night after spending a full day in the sweltering hot sun. It’s about 10 kilometers south of Angkor Wat.

 

In overview, Angkor Wat is the ancient capital of the Khmer kingdom. What remains today are temples…temples…and temples. Hindu temples. Buddhist temples. They were also a people who were animists, so some temples are reminiscent of that system, too.

 

The detail of the temples is also fascinating. There are more asparas here than you can shake a stick at. Of the roughly 20,000 asparas, only one is shown smiling (baring teeth, that is). It fascinates – and impresses – me that people have done such extensive research and restoration that they know this. Those are the details, though.

 

A macro view of the Siem Reap area is just as impressive in that these temples are a study of a civilization close to one thousand years old (yet another jaw-dropping aspect of Angkor: the longevity) and their durability. The earliest temples are over a thousand years old, and the most recent are from the 14th century. (If the guide book I bought is correct, they were all built between 790-1307.) What survives today is all original (though there have been reinforcements with stone – many foreign countries support renovations of specific temples; I recall China and India among them). It’s quite obvious to tell what’s old and what’s new in most cases. However, the restorations are all good and necessary. One last note regarding the longevity of these temples is this: If these stone temples are what remained…how impressive must the society have been who created them? (That’s to say…think of the temples, houses, and all that didn’t survive as they were built of wood; these are simply the temples built by the royals or the aristocracy.)

 

A tour of modern-day Angkor Wat can be done in one or two fairly vigorous days. However, if you’re looking for any classic shots, you’ll want to spend longer here. (Common sense: the more time here, the more chances for good shots.) For this trip – it may be the only time I come here, though you never know – we arrived on a Saturday night and checked into our hotel (My Home Tropical Garden Villa; $20/night)

 

Siem Reap feels, at first, like a small dusty outpost of a town. The center of town is about four square blocks of small dive restaurants (and a bar street) and slightly pricier restaurants. There is also a night market street, an art street…all in all, it’s quite nice and has a bit of a party feel to it in addition to the endless souvenir stands you would expect. Though we didn’t go out on Saturday night (since we didn’t get checked in until around 9:30 p.m.), we did get a chance to go on Sunday.

 

Sunday morning was an awfully early start. Before having left Phnom Penh, I jumped on Facebook and, by chance, found and hired a local tuktuk driver, Mao Khvan, for $25/day. He agreed to pick us up at 4:50 a.m. to catch the sunrise at Angkor Wat.

 

Now, a quick note on tuktuks: almost every single hotel/hostel/guesthouse probably has tuktuks available for hire. Also, when we were picked up at the airport, the taxi driver offered to drive us for the time we were there. In short…it’s a competitive market, and finding a driver for the day will be no problem. $25 may even be slightly pricy (you could probably find a driver for $15-20), however, I was so impressed with Mao’s service that, if I were to return, I’d gladly hire him again. He wasn’t rude or pushy, provides all the ice water you could possibly want to drink, and though he’s not an “official” guide, he’s very, very knowledgeable and made both days pleasant. I even had him take us to the airport the morning we left, and he brought his wife and daughter to meet us. He’s just a genuinely good and decent guy. (For anyone who goes to Angkor Wat, here’s Mao’s contact info if you want to arrange his services ahead of time: www.facebook.com/maotuktuksiemreap/?fref=ts )

 

Back to the actual touring itself, Angkor is geared towards tourism and they do it well. You can buy an admission ticket for either one, three, or seven days. ($20, $40, or…$60?). It’s also nice because they don’t have to be used in consecutive days (for the three and seven day passes, obviously). The three days can be used in a given week. The seven day pass, within a month.

 

Conventionally, two days is enough to see the “main” sites (albeit quickly) in about 8 hours each day. There’s a small loop (which we did the first morning) in which we caught the sunrise (not a great one, but…there was one, and it wasn’t terrible, by any stretch) at Angkor Wat, followed by a quick tour of the grounds – but not the temple itself. Afterwards (we were at Angkor Wat from 5:30 until 7:00 or 8:00, I’d say), we hopped back in the tuktuk and headed over to Ta Prohm, about 15-20 minutes away. Ta Prohm is famous for those who are fans of the Lara Croft Tomb Raider movies. (The first, I think. I’m not, so I don’t recall it vividly.) After those two spots – probably two of the three most famous – we went to the Khmer Country Kitchen for a rather nice, relaxing, and cheap breakfast where we spent an hour with the other two members of our group. Around 10:00, we went to our third stop: Ta Keo Temple. In 40 degree heat (roughly 104F), I was feeling a bit too exhausted to climb the somewhat steep stairs to the top of this temple, but I did enjoy the lower area just as well. From Ta Keo, we made a quick stop at two temples (they form a pair): Thommanon and Chau Say Tevoda for about 20 minutes. Between these three, I’d say we spent about an hour. Our last stop of the morning, around high noon, was the Bayon complex of Angkor Thom. Passing through Bayon’s east gate, we stopped for a few quick pictures before going to the main compound of Bayon, which I would say is the the last of the three most-recognizable places here. We spent a good hour, or a little longer, shooting here after which point we were completely spent. Mao would have gladly taken us back to Angkor for sunset, but we actually decided to call it a day around 1:00. 9 hours in high heat was more than enough.

 

Back at the hotel, we rested, and I enjoyed myself immensely in the swimming pool. In the early evening, we walked about 600 meters to the “happening” part of town where we wandered the various streets and had a rather nice Khmer dinner. After eating and walking off a rather good dinner, we called it a night and headed back to our room. (For what it’s worth, the afternoon sky clouded over quite a bit and I heard we didn’t miss much as far as sunsets go. Mao also told us the following morning that the sunrise was a wash, as was Tuesday morning’s. Perhaps he was just trying to make us feel good.)

 

Monday morning we gladly skipped the sunrise and had a late start around…10:00. After a good old-fashioned breakfast of a ham & cheese omelet, Mao came by and we spent the second full day on the large loop. The first stop of the day was at Ba Phuon, a lesser temple just north of Bayon in Angkhor Thom. This was accompanied by quick stops at the adjacent Elephant Terrace and Leper King Terrace. After about an hour in the Ba Phuon area, we rode off to the northeast and stopped at Preah Khan, which was a rather interesting ruins. Another hour or so gone, we continued along the northeastern loop, bypassing Neak Pean (which, following English pronunciation rules, could theoretically be pronounced “neck pain,” which amused me for some reason…). The next stop was a rather small temple named Ta Som on the eastern end of the outer loop. Just down the road from Ta Som, we stopped at the East Mebon temple. When it was constructed, this was an island, only accessible by boat. That, however, was centuries ago. Now, it’s just a very dry, dusty area – with the temple still standing – and it’s hard to imagine it was once surrounded by water. At any rate, it was a quick stop at East Mebon, followed by another nice meal at the Khmer Country Kitchen before we continued with the tour. The next stop on the list was due east of the restaurant (southeast corner of the outer loop, which is really slightly northeast of Angkor Wat). Pre Rup (or Bre Rup) was a fairly photogenic temple. By this point, the heat – also around 40 degrees, just like Sunday – was starting to take a toll, though we still managed to stay out and see all we could. The last “new” temple for us was Banteay Kdei, a citadel that is at the corner of where the inner and outer loop meet on the eastern side of Angkor Wat. Directly across the street from Bnateay Kdei is what should be a nice lake called Sra Srang. A long, rectangular lake, which is also across the street from the Khmer Country Kitchen, it’s now nothing but a dustbowl. Though it’s rainy season now, there’s been so little rain that the lake has completely dried up. (But, please don’t tell any “right”-thinking politicians in my country that global warming is a problem. It certainly isn’t, despite what your eyes see.) After some rather sad contemplation at Sra Srang, we went back to Angkor Wat around 4:00 and were there until 6:30 or so for sundown. However, a boomer of a thunderstorm (light rain, but heavy on thunder & lightning) came through and there wasn’t much to see. However, we did finally get to tour the interior of Angkor Wat, and found that a pretty fitting way to end the initial Siem Reap shoot. From there, we went back to the hotel where we passed out from exhaustion.

 

The only thing left to do was wake up on Tuesday for a quick 45 minute flight at noon to Bangkok. We concluded the trip as we started it: eating well at a Thai restaurant. Other than that, we just had a quiet night in Bangkok (no shooting at all) and a very early (3:30 a.m.) wake up call for our return flights out of Thailand. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing Thailand again soon.

I found him sometime in the early to mid 1970s. He was a small figurine on top of a cupcake at Kevin Boyd's house. I took him home that night and kept him for years. We became fast friends. Sadly, in a fit of fundamentalist religious zeal sometime in the mid to late 1980s, I threw him away. Everything related to Halloween had to go. What was I thinking? Obviously I regretted this later and spent years recollecting all the elements I could find that were part of my original collection. I started recollecting in the years prior to the internet so there were no options such as ebay. You just had to go to every antique store or garagae sale you could find just hoping they would have some old cast off durable plastic Halloween offerings. I pretty much assumed I'd never see him again, until the age of the internet. Then I began allowing myself glimmers of hope. Soon, I was finding some good collectibles books that were giving me hope as well. Finally, with some encouragement from krispy, New York Observer, halloween guy and nemo_434 and a helpful tip from riptheskull, I was able to finally reunite with Blacksuit after 22 years. So, a special thanks to all of you guys and to the ebay user who sold him to me. The one I ended up buying is not exactly the same. It's a slightly larger model that I believe used to stand on top of a car. However, the design that inspired the cupcake topper is the same. Hence, I can say that Blacksuit is home. I still can't believe it.

Product Name: Durable Inflatable Screen

Product No: GR028

Size: 7.5mWx5.5mH

Pack: 70x70x95cm

Weight: 95kg

Material: 0.45mm PLATO PVC Tarpaulin

Cert: CE, SGS, En14960, En71

Feature: High Durability, High Tear Strength, Fade Proof, Flame Retardant M2/B1, Anti-Mildew Treatment, Excellent UV-Resistance, Cold Weather Resistance, Waterproof, Anti-Static, Heat-Insulation

 

Contact Site:http://www.pangoinflatable.com/

Not just fit and finish, Pango make a second blower tube and hide it if not use. We make the two tubes on different of the bouncer so that could fit the power location. Looking down the road you will find you need a second inflation tube. We want to make sure clients could use the bouncer convenient.

Stronger Baffles

Baffles that are secured by a 840 denier material that provides the MAXIMUM strength of the internal baffling of every inflatables. This material upgrade is unmatched by anyone else in the industry. This material is key to the overall durability of the products we sell.

D Ring Expose

Take a close look at the construction of the "d" rings in the products we sell. A tether system is only as strong as its weakest link. Tether points on the inflatable are extremely durable. The "d" ring tethering System have been laboratory-tested and certified by Professional Engineers for use on all giant slides and all other types of inflatables.

Vinyl(PVCTarpaulin) Expose

At Pango Inflatable, the only products we sell are constructed from the finest coated vinyl. Unlike other vinyl producers, the Coated Vinyl are Lead-Free in addition to meeting the EN71 test by SGS. Lead-Free vinyl are a standard that has been that way since day one. Exposure to lead is dangerous to children. The products Pango Inflatable sell are safe from the effects of lead. As for durability, the materials are a weft inserted substrate, which makes any possible rips virtually impossible.

No Wax Surfaces

We provide removable sliding surfaces for every slides we made, While other only provide the normal vinyl, Inflatable vinyl is not naturally slippery, therefore, waxing has become a normal preparation for getting a slide ready for use. The removable sliding surface found the on the products we sell is a high polished urethane coating, which in turn reduces the need to wax.

Zipper with Flaps

Unlike others, Pango Inflatable sells products that are easy to use. For example, the deflation zipper utilizes a Velcro flap that covers the zipper, thus, less air is lost and zippers are not exposed to abrasion or mischief.

Blower Tube Strap

While most manufacturers tie their blower inflation tubes to the blower system, however, the products Pango Inflatable sells, utilizes a universal sleeve with a cinching Velcro strap. One- handed operation keeps the tube securely attached to the blower system.

Liquid Laminator

DWe do the Digital Printing in our factory, unlike most factory here in China, they do the printing outside and could not control the delivery time and the quality. igitally printed graphics are one thing, keeping those beautiful images durable as well scratch and fade resistant is quite another. Every digital image used within an inflatable sold by Pango Inflatable is clear-coated with a special liquid laminate that is vulcanized to the vinyl surface.

Finger-Safe Netting

Most bouncer manufacturers use 1" or 2" netting. A child bouncing can easily catch their fingers in that size of netting, thus serious injuries can happen. Only the Pango Inflatable could provide netting that even a small child's finger cannot penetrate. Yet, the netting is still transparent enough to allow for easy viewing.

Removable Covers

Virtually every area that your customers step, slide or climb upon is on a replaceable & easily removable vinyl cover. From climbing stairs, to entrance tunnel sleeves to sliding surfaces, Pango Inflatable only sells products that are designed for high-volume traffic.

Safety Door on Bouncers

Worried about children possibly falling out of a bouncer? Don't be. We got 3 points of reinforcement on the entrance of the bouncer which make the entrance very strong. Also we add the step outside the entrance following the AU and USA standards of jumping castle.

On-Staff Engineering and Designing

We do reinforce stitching at the fixion of D-ring. Four stitching line will share the tension of the bouncer. This made the D-ring last much longer and stronger. Other factory use other design of the fixion, but will not good for the tension sharing. Could find the differnce in the attached photos.

Cushion Designs

We do cushion between the wall and the base. When the kids bounce on the bouncer this parts bear most of the pressure, so this new design will make this parts much more strong and safety, while other factory only stitch to the base.

 

Relief, or relievo rilievo, is a sculptural technique. The term relief is from the Latin verb relevo, to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that the sculpted material has been raised above the background plane. What is actually performed when a relief is cut in from a flat surface of stone (relief sculpture) or wood (relief carving) is a lowering of the field, leaving the unsculpted parts seemingly raised. The technique involves considerable chiselling away of the background, which is a time-consuming exercise. On the other hand, a relief saves forming the rear of a subject, and is less fragile and more securely fixed than a sculpture in the round, especially one of a standing figure where the ankles are a potential weak point, especially in stone. In other materials such as metal, clay, plaster stucco, ceramics or papier-mache the form can be just added to or raised up from the background, and monumental bronze reliefs are made by casting. There are different degrees of relief depending on the degree of projection of the sculpted form from the field, for which the Italian appellations are still sometimes used. The full range includes high relief (alto-rilievo), where more than 50% of the depth is shown and there may be undercut areas, mid-relief (mezzo-rilievo), low-relief (basso-rilievo, or French: bas-relief /ˌbɑːrɪˈliːf/), and shallow-relief or rilievo schiacciato, where the plane is scarcely more than scratched in order to remove background material. There is also sunk relief, which was mainly restricted to Ancient Egypt. However the distinction between high relief and low relief is the clearest and most important, and these two are generally the only terms used to discuss most work. The definition of these terms is somewhat variable, and many works combine areas in more than one of them, sometimes sliding between them in a single figure; accordingly some writers prefer to avoid all distinctions. The opposite of relief sculpture is counter-relief, intaglio, or cavo-rilievo, where the form is cut into the field or background rather than rising from it; this is very rare in monumental sculpture.

 

Reliefs are common throughout the world on the walls of buildings and a variety of smaller settings, and a sequence of several panels or sections of relief may represent an extended narrative. Relief is more suitable for depicting complicated subjects with many figures and very active poses, such as battles, than free-standing "sculpture in the round". Most ancient architectural reliefs were originally painted, which helped to define forms in low relief. The subject of reliefs is for convenient reference assumed in this article to be usually figures, but sculpture in relief often depicts decorative geometrical or foliage patterns, as in the arabesques of Islamic art, and may be of any subject.

 

Rock reliefs are those carved into solid rock in the open air (if inside caves, whether natural or man-made, they are more likely to be called "rock-cut"). This type is found in many cultures, in particular those of the Ancient Near East and Buddhist countries. A stela is a single standing stone; many of these carry reliefs.

 

TYPES

The distinction between high and low relief is somewhat subjective, and the two are very often combined in a single work. In particular, most later "high reliefs" contain sections in low relief, usually in the background. From the Parthenon Frieze onwards, many single figures have heads in high relief, but their lower legs are in low relief; the slightly projecting figures created in this way work well in reliefs that are seen from below (see Moissac portal in gallery). As unfinished examples from various periods show, raised reliefs, whether high or low, were normally "blocked out" by marking the outline of the figure and reducing the background areas to the new background level, work no doubt performed by apprentices (see gallery). Hyphens may or may not be used in all these terms, though they are rarely seen in "sunk relief" and are usual in "bas-relief" and "counter-relief". Works in the technique are described as "in relief", and, especially in monumental sculpture, the work itself is "a relief".

 

BAS RELIEF OR LOW RELIEF

A bas-relief ("low relief", from the Italian basso rilievo) or low relief is a projecting image with a shallow overall depth, for example used on coins, on which all images are in low relief. In the lowest reliefs the relative depth of the elements shown is completely distorted, and if seen from the side the image makes no sense, but from the front the small variations in depth register as a three-dimensional image. Other versions distort depth much less. It is a technique which requires less work, and is therefore cheaper to produce, as less of the background needs to be removed in a carving, or less modelling is required. In the art of Ancient Egypt and other ancient Near Eastern and Asian cultures, and also Meso-America, a very low relief was commonly used for the whole composition. These images would all be painted after carving, which helped to define the forms; today the paint has worn off in the great majority of surviving examples, but minute, invisible remains of paint can usually be discovered through chemical means.

 

The Ishtar Gate of Babylon, now in Berlin, has low reliefs of large animals formed from moulded bricks, glazed in colour. Plaster was sometimes used in Egypt and Rome, and probably elsewhere, but needs very good conditions to survive – Roman decorative plasterwork is mainly known from Pompeii and other sites buried by ash from Mount Vesuvius. Low relief was relatively rare in Western medieval art, but may be found, for example in wooden figures or scenes on the insides of the folding wings of multi-panel altarpieces.

 

Low relief is probably the most common type of relief found in Hindu-Buddhist arts of India and Southeast Asia. The low reliefs of 2nd-century BCE to 6th-century CE Ajanta Caves and 5th to 10th-century Ellora Caves in India are noted for they were carved out from rock-cut hill. They are probably the most exquisite examples of Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain arts in India. Most of these low reliefs are used in narrating sacred scriptures, such as those founds in 9th century Borobudur temple in Central Java, Indonesia, that narrating The birth of Buddha (Lalitavistara). Borobudur itself possess 1,460 panels of narrating low reliefs. Another example is low reliefs narrating Ramayana Hindu epic in Prambanan temple, also in Java. In Cambodia, the temples of Angkor are also remarkable for their collection of low reliefs. The Samudra manthan or "Churning of Ocean of Milk" of 12th-century Angkor Wat is an example of Khmer art. Another examples are low reliefs of Apsaras adorned the walls and pillars of Angkorian temples. The low reliefs of Bayon temple in Angkor Thom also remarkable on capturing the daily life of Khmer Empire.

 

The revival of low relief, which was seen as a classical style, begins early in the Renaissance; the Tempio Malatestiano in Rimini, a pioneering classicist building, designed by Leon Battista Alberti around 1450, uses low reliefs by Agostino di Duccio inside and on the external walls. Since the Renaissance plaster has been very widely used for indoor ornamental work such as cornices and ceilings, but in the 16th century it was used for large figures (many also using high relief) at the Chateau of Fontainebleau, which were imitated more crudely elsewhere, for example in the Elizabethan Hardwick Hall.

 

In later Western art, until a 20th-century revival, low relief was used mostly for smaller works or combined with higher relief to convey a sense of distance, or to give depth to the composition, especially for scenes with many figures and a landscape or architectural background, in the same way that lighter colours are used for the same purpose in painting. Thus figures in the foreground are sculpted in high-relief, those in the background in low-relief. Low relief may use any medium or technique of sculpture, stone carving and metal casting being most common. Large architectural compositions all in low relief saw a revival in the 20th century, being popular on buildings in Art Deco and related styles, which borrowed from the ancient low reliefs now available in museums. Some sculptors, including Eric Gill, have adopted the "squashed" depth of low relief in works that are actually free-standing.

 

Mid-relief, "half-relief" or mezzo-rilievo is somewhat imprecisely defined, and the term is not often used in English, the works usually being described as low relief instead. The typical traditional definition is that only up to half of the subject projects, and no elements are undercut or fully disengaged from the background field. The depth of the elements shown is normally somewhat distorted. Shallow-relief or rilievo stiacciato, used for the background areas of compositions with the main elements in low-relief, was perfected by the Italian Renaissance sculptor Donatello. It is a very shallow relief, which merges into engraving in places, and can be hard to read in photographs.

 

HIGH RELIEF

High relief (or altorilievo, from Italian) is where in general more than half the mass of the sculpted figure projects from the background, indeed the most prominent elements of the composition, especially heads and limbs, are often completely undercut, detaching them from the field. The parts of the subject that are seen are normally depicted at their full depth, unlike low relief where the elements seen are "squashed" flatter. High-relief thus uses essentially the same style and techniques as free-standing sculpture, and in the case of a single figure gives largely the same view as a person standing directly in front of a free-standing statue would have. All cultures and periods in which large sculptures were created used this technique in monumental sculpture and architecture.

 

Most of the many grand figure reliefs in Ancient Greek sculpture used a very "high" version of high-relief, with elements often fully free of the background, and parts of figures crossing over each other to indicate depth. The metopes of the Parthenon have largely lost their fully rounded elements, except for heads, showing the advantages of relief in terms of durability. High relief has remained the dominant form for reliefs with figures in Western sculpture, also being common in Indian temple sculpture. Smaller Greek sculptures such as private tombs, and smaller decorative areas such as friezes on large buildings, more often used low relief.

Hellenistic and Roman sarcophagus reliefs were cut with a drill rather than chisels, enabling and encouraging compositions extremely crowded with figures, like the Ludovisi Battle sarcophagus (250–260 CE). These are also seen in the enormous strips of reliefs that wound round Roman triumphal columns. The sarcophagi in particular exerted a huge influence on later Western sculpture. The European Middle Ages tended to use high relief for all purposes in stone, though like Ancient Roman sculpture their reliefs were typically not as high as in Ancient Greece. Very high relief reemerged in the Renaissance, and was especially used in wall-mounted funerary art and later on Neo-classical pediments and public monuments.

 

In Hindu-Buddhist art of India and Southeast Asia high relief can also be found, although it is not as common as low reliefs. Most of Hindu-Buddhist sculptures however also can be considered as a high relief, since these sculptures usually connected to a stella as the background to support the statue as well as provides additional elements such as aura or halo in the back of sculpture's head, or floral decoration. The examples of Indian high reliefs can be found in Khajuraho temple, that displaying voluptuous twisting figures that often describes the erotic Kamasutra positions. In 9th-century Prambanan temple, Central Java, the examples are the high reliefs of Lokapala devatas, the guardian of directions deities.

 

SUNK RELIEF

Sunk or sunken relief is largely restricted to the art of Ancient Egypt where it is very common, becoming after the Amarna period of Ahkenaten the dominant type used, as opposed to low relief. It had been used earlier, but mainly for large reliefs on external walls, and for hieroglyphs and cartouches. The image is made by cutting the relief sculpture itself into a flat surface. In a simpler form the images are usually mostly linear in nature, like hieroglyphs, but in most cases the figure itself is in low relief, but set within a sunken area shaped round the image, so that the relief never rises beyond the original flat surface. In some cases the figures and other elements are in a very low relief that does not rise to the original surface, but others are modeled more fully, with some areas rising to the original surface. This method minimizes the work removing the background, while allowing normal relief modelling.

 

The technique is most successful with strong sunlight to emphasise the outlines and forms by shadow, as no attempt was made to soften the edge of the sunk area, leaving a face at a right-angle to the surface all around it. Some reliefs, especially funerary monuments with heads or busts from ancient Rome and later Western art, leave a "frame" at the original level around the edge of the relief, or place a head in a hemispherical recess in the block (see Roman example in gallery). Though essentially very similar to Egyptian sunk relief, but with a background space at the lower level around the figure, the term would not normally be used of such works.

 

COUNTER RELIEF

Sunk relief technique is not to be confused with "counter-relief" or intaglio as seen on engraved gem seals - where an image is fully modeled in a "negative" manner. The image goes into the surface, so that when impressed on wax it gives an impression in normal relief. However many engraved gems were carved in cameo or normal relief.

 

A few very late Hellenistic monumental carvings in Egypt use full "negative" modelling as though on a gem seal, perhaps as sculptors trained in the Greek tradition attempted to use traditional Egyptian conventions.

 

SMALL OBJECTS

Small-scale reliefs have been carved in various materials, notably ivory, wood, and wax. Reliefs are often found in decorative arts such as ceramics and metalwork; these are less often described as "reliefs" than as "in relief". Small bronze reliefs are often in the form of "plaques" or plaquettes, which may be set in furniture or framed, or just kept as they are, a popular form for European collectors, especially in the Renaissance.

 

Various modelling techniques are used, such repoussé ("pushed-back") in metalwork, where a thin metal plate is shaped from behind using various metal or wood punches, producing a relief image. Casting has also been widely used in bronze and other metals. Casting and repoussé are often used in concert in to speed up production and add greater detail to the final relief. In stone, as well as engraved gems, larger hardstone carvings in semi-precious stones have been highly prestigious since ancient times in many Eurasian cultures. Reliefs in wax were produced at least from the Renaissance.

 

Carved ivory reliefs have been used since ancient times, and because the material, though expensive, cannot usually be reused, they have a relatively high survival rate, and for example consular diptychs represent a large proportion of the survivals of portable secular art from Late Antiquity. In the Gothic period the carving of ivory reliefs became a considerable luxury industry in Paris and other centres. As well as small diptychs and triptychs with densely packed religious scenes, usually from the New Testament, secular objects, usually in a lower relief, were also produced.

 

These were often round mirror-cases, combs, handles, and other small items, but included a few larger caskets like the Casket with Scenes of Romances (Walters 71264) in Baltimore, Maryland, in the United States. Originally there were very often painted in bright colours. Reliefs can be impressed by stamps onto clay, or the clay pressed into a mould bearing the design, as was usual with the mass-produced terra sigillata of Ancient Roman pottery. Decorative reliefs in plaster or stucco may be much larger; this form of architectural decoration is found in many styles of interiors in the post-Renaissance West, and in Islamic architecture.

 

WIKIPEDIA

The Florence Cathedral and the Duomo are the same. "Duomo" is the Italian word for "cathedral". The official name of the cathedral in Florence is the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, but it is commonly known as the Duomo.

 

P3220089

 

From The Brochure Series of Architectural Illustration, vol. 06, No. 6, June 1900. The Duomo and the Campanile: Florence, Grotesques from Notre Dame, Paris. [Public domain.]:

 

"It was in the middle of the thirteenth century," writes Symonds, "during the long struggle for independence carried on by the republics of Lombardy and Tuscany against the Empire and the nobles, that some of the most durable and splendid public works were executed. The domes and towers of Florence and of Pisa were rising above the city walls, while the burghers who subscribed for their erection were staining the waves of Meloria and the cane-brakes of the Arbia with their blood. Sismondi remarks with just pride, that these great works were republican. They were set on foot for the public use, and were constructed at the expense of the commonwealths. It is, however, right to add that what the communes had begun the princes continued. The Despots held their power at the price of magnificence in schemes of public utility. So much at least of the free spirit of the communes survived in them, that they were always rivalling each other in great works of architecture. Italian tyranny implied æsthetic taste and liberality of expenditure."

"In the year 1294," wrote Giovanni Villani, who was a youth in Florence at the time, "the city of Florence being in a state of tranquility, the citizens agreed to rebuild the chief church, which was very rude in form and in small proportion to such a city, and that it should be enlarged, and that it should be made all of marble and with carven figures. And the foundation was laid on the day of St. Mary, in September, by the Cardinal Legate of the Pope, in the presence of all the ranks of the Signory of Florence. And it was consecrated to the honor of God and St. Mary, under the name of St. Mary of the Flower (Santa Maria del Fiore). And for the building of the church taxes were ordered, and the Legate and bishops bestowed great indulgences and pardons to everyone who should contribute aid and alms to the work."

The design for the new cathedral was entrusted to Arnolfo di Cambio, who was at that time the official architect of the Commune of Florence,—a remarkable man to whom Florence in a great measure owes her present physiognomy; for not only are the tower of the Palazzo Vecchio, Santa Croce and the bulk of the Duomo his, but Giotto's Campanile, Brunelleschi's cupola and the church of Or San Michele are placed where he had planned.

 

In the design for Santa Croce, Arnolfo had shown a preference for the Gothic forms, then newly imported into Italy, and he now projected a design for the new Cathedral in which the pointed should take the place of the round arch, the stone vaulted roof should be substituted for the flat timber ceiling, and the façade should form a splendid screen, adorned with gable and pinnacle, rich with carving, glowing with mosaics and shining with gold. That the Florentines approved his project is evident from a decree passed before the work had been long in progress, in which "Master Arnolfo" is declared to be exempt from any civic tax during his life, because of his design for the Cathedral, "since" reads the Chronicle, "judging from the magnificent and visible beginnings of the new church, the Commune and people of Florence are like to have a more beautiful and honorable temple than any other in the region of Tuscany."

But before the work had far advanced the building came almost to a standstill, for the strife of parties, which had been but temporarily smothered, broke out anew in Florence, and for some thirty years work on the Cathedral was suspended. Meantime Arnolfo had died, but he left the building so far advanced that his successors would find little difficulty in continuing the main parts of the construction according to his design.

In 1331, however, a portion of the communal tax was set apart for the prosecution of the work, and Giotto di Bondone, already the most famous painter of all Italy, was appointed architect of the Cathedral. "It is not often," says Mrs. Jameson, "that a man takes up a new trade when he is approaching sixty, or even goes into a new path out of his familiar routine. But Giotto seems to have turned without a moment's hesitation from his paints and panels to the less easily wrought materials of the builder and sculptor, without either faltering from the great enterprise or doubting his own power to do it."

"To his new charge," writes Mr. C. E. Norton, "Giotto gave himself with the effectual ardor of genius. No written record of his work on the Duomo remains, but the walls themselves seem to bear witness to it. Stretches on the north and south, running eastward from the façade, more beautiful in composition and design than the later work joined to it, may be assigned with probability to the period of his oversight.

"But Giotto's labor was not limited to the Duomo alone. He now designed and speedily began the construction of the most exquisite building of modern times, the one in which the quality of classic art is most completely and beautifully harmonized with the spirit and fancy of modern times. The unsurpassed bell-tower of the Duomo, known and admired by all men as the Campanile of Giotto, is the most splendid memorial of the arts of Florence. In 1334, scarcely three months after his appointment, the foundations of the Campanile were laid with great pomp and ceremony. The tower, so quickly begun, was so vigorously lifted that it may have reached somewhat more than a third of its proposed height, when in 1337 Giotto died." He was buried in the unfinished Cathedral on the side nearest the Campanile.

"In its first appeal to the stranger's eye," says Mr. Ruskin in writing of the Campanile, "there is something unpleasing; a mingling, it seems to him, of over severity with over minuteness. But let him give it time, as he should all other consummate art. I remember well how, when a boy, I used to despise that Campanile, and think it meanly smooth and finished. But I have since lived beside it many a day, and looked out upon it from my windows by sunlight and moonlight, and I shall not soon forget how profound and gloomy appeared to me the savageness of the Northern Gothic when I afterwards stood, for the first time, beneath the front of Salisbury. The contrast is indeed strange, if it could be quickly felt, between the rising of those gray walls out of their quiet swarded space, like dark and barren rocks out of a green lake, and that bright, smooth, sunny surface of glowing jasper, those spiral shafts and fairy traceries, so white, so faint, so crystalline, that their slight shapes are hardly traced in darkness on the pallor of the eastern sky, that serene height of mountain alabaster, colored like a morning cloud and chased like a sea shell. And this, I believe to be the model and mirror of perfect architecture...."

 

"Considerable size exhibited by simple terminal lines; projection towards the top; breadth of flat surface; square compartments of that surface; varied and visible masonry; vigorous depth of shadow, exhibited especially by pierced traceries; varied proportion in ascent; lateral symmetry; sculpture most delicate at the base; enriched quantity of ornament at the top; sculpture abstract in inferior ornaments and mouldings, complete in animal forms, both to be executed in white marble; vivid colors introduced in flat geometrical patterns, and obtained by the use of naturally colored stone,—these characteristics occur more or less in different buildings, some in one, some in another—but all together and all in their highest possible relative degrees, they exist, as far as I know, only in one building in the world, the Campanile of Giotto."

 

After Giotto's death there is a wide gap in the annals of the Duomo, for in 1348 the great plague desolated Florence, and the work came to a standstill. After it had passed, however, there followed, as a natural consequence, a sudden outbreak of pious superstition. Immense sums had been bequeathed by dying men to the Church to purchase salvation; and the Duomo, begun sixty years before, seemed hardly to correspond with the demands of the present age. It was accordingly resolved to adopt a new design for it on a grander scale than that planned by Arnolfo; and while the breadth was to remain the same, the height and length were to be increased, and the eastern end of the church to be larger. The oversight of the work was entrusted to Francesco di Talenti, and in 1357 the new foundations were begun. The main forms of the new building were, in great part, determined by such of the old structure of Giotto's time as was left standing, and by the original scheme of Arnolfo. But the taste of the age had changed, and in grafting the newly arisen classical ideas upon the original, the architects achieved a result which was neither good Gothic nor good Classic. For some years the work was now carried slowly but steadily forward, and in 1407 the eastern tribune with its five chapels was completed, and the work was ready to be crowned by a dome.

But here a great difficulty was encountered. The increase in the original dimensions and the height of the walls had made it necessary to span an enormous space, for the diameter of the octagon to be covered was now one hundred and thirty-five feet. The records of architecture could show no such dome as this must be. The overseers of the work were confounded, and knew not how to proceed; and, in their desperation made a public proclamation in 1418, that whoever wished, might make a model for the dome, or of anything pertaining to its construction. Fifteen models were presented, and over them there were months of public deliberation and discussion. It was not until March, 1420, that a final conclusion was reached, and the celebrated plan of Filippo Brunelleschi was adopted.

No more characteristic or remarkable design was produced during the whole period of the Renaissance than this, with which its great architectural achievements began. Not only were apparently insurmountable difficulties of construction overcome, but the new dome was also to be a masterpiece of beauty. The great domes of former times—the dome of the Pantheon, the dome of Aya Sophia—had been designed solely for their interior effect; they were not impressive or noble structures from without. But Brunelleschi had conceived a dome which, grand in its interior aspect, should be even more superb from without, and which, in its stately dimensions and proportions, in its magnificent lift above all the other edifices of the city of which it formed the centre, in its absolute unity and symmetry, in the beautiful shape and proportions of its broad divisions, the strong, simple energy of its upwardly converging lines, should be such that, more than a century later, when Michelangelo was told that he had an opportunity to surpass it in his cupola of St. Peter's at Rome, he replied sadly, with a shake of his head,—

"Io farò la sorella

Più grande già; ma non più bella!"

"I will make her sister dome

Larger, indeed, but not more beautiful!"

Brunelleschi's plan was to build two octagonal domes, separated by a space wide enough for a passage and stairways, and united by eight strong ribs of masonry at the angles. The inner and smaller dome was for constructive purposes, to bridge the vault and to furnish a support for the outer, which was to be merely a light shell to secure the magnificent swelling lines. The whole was to be crowned by a lantern. We have not space to quote Vasari's animated account of Brunelleschi's difficulties in persuading the authorities of the practicability of his plan, of his jealous bickerings with his troublesome and incompetent confrère, Ghiberti, of the obstacles, difficulties and persecutions that he underwent,—suffice it to say that, in 1434, under his untiring supervision, just fourteen years from its beginning, the splendid dome closed over the central space of the Duomo, and Brunelleschi's fame was forever established.

 

Without waiting for the completion of the cupola and lantern, the Florentines took advantage of the presence in their city of Pope Eugenius IV., to have him consecrate the Cathedral in person, with most impressive ceremony, on the Florentine New Year's day, the feast of the Annunciation, March 25, 1436.

 

Not long after the consecration of the Duomo, the work on the cupola was completed (August, 1436), and to the fulfilment of Brunelleschi's plan remained only the construction of a surmounting lantern. But for some undiscovered reason there was delay for year after year, and it was fated that Brunelleschi should not see the completion of his work, for "finally," says Vasari, "Filippo Brunelleschi being now very old, that is sixty-nine years old in the year 1446, on the 16th of April, went to a better life, after having toiled greatly in the performance of works which made him deserve on earth an honored name, and obtain in heaven an abode of peace." More than twenty years passed after Brunelleschi's death before the lantern was at last completed. On the 23d of April, 1467, the last and highest stone was set.

Meantime, not until some twenty years after the death of Giotto had work on the unfinished façade been recommenced. The design for it, which was Gothic, with columns and niches containing statues of the Madonna and Child, of saints and prophets, and even of distinguished Florentine citizens, was the joint composition of several architects, among them Orcagna, Gaddi and Tommasi. But this façade had only reached one-third of the height of the edifice, when, for some unexplained reason it was abandoned, and remained in an unfinished state until the reign of the Grand Duke Francis I. (1575-1587), when it was demolished to make way for the accomplishment of a new design, one which was, however, never executed; and the whole face of the Cathedral remained a bare expanse of rubble and cement until, in 1689, it was painted and frescoed to represent columns and other architectural decorations. Shortly after Tuscany was incorporated with the kingdom of Italy, the Florentine municipality again took up the matter, and invited architects to submit designs for a new façade. The design of Commendatore de Fabris, a Florentine, was selected. In 1875 the scaffolding was erected, and white marble from Seravezza, red marble from Montiere and green marble from Prato were brought to Florence to begin the façade which now exists, and which was completed and unveiled in 1887.

Writing of the Duomo as a whole, Mr. C. E. Norton says: "Its size gives it dignity, and its effect is powerful from the simplicity and largeness of its design. A nave of four enormous bays is stopped upon a vast octagonal space, from which, at the east, the north, and the south, are built out three pentagonal tribunes or apses, which, as seen on the outside, give to the church the common cruciform shape. The proportions of the interior are on an enormous scale, by which the apparent size of the building is diminished rather than increased. There is nothing either in the general conception or in the working-out of the details which corresponds with that principle, characteristic of the best Northern Gothic, of complex organization, in which each minor part contributes to the vital unity of the whole edifice. The Duomo presents, on the contrary, an assemblage of separate vast features arbitrarily associated, rather than united by any law of mutual relation into a completely harmonious whole. It does not display that lavish wealth of fancy in ever-changing variety and abundance of detail which gives inexhaustible charm to a true Gothic edifice. But it is impressive within from its vast open spaces, and from the stately and simple, though barren, grandeur of its piers and vaults and walls.

 

"The effect of the building from without is imposing from its mass, but, in a near view, it is only on the east that the lines compose into forms of beauty. The side walls are incrusted, after the old Tuscan style, with simple rectangular patterns of white and red marble, interrupted by the rich decoration of gable and pinnacle over the doors and windows.

"It is when seen from a distance that the full worth and power of the great Cathedral force themselves upon the beholder. Looking down upon Florence from one of the neighboring heights, the beautiful city seems to lie gathered under the shelter of its mighty Duomo. The stretch of its wall is ample for the house in which the whole people shall gather, and, lifting itself above the clustering towers and belfries of palaces and churches, the unrivalled dome crowns the edifice, and with its noble elliptic lines not merely concentrates the scattered forms of the buildings beneath and around it far and near, but to the inward eye seems equally to concentrate all the divergent energies of the historic life of Florence, and lift them along its curves to the foot of the cross upon its heaven-reaching summit. It seems of equal date with the mountains that close the background to the landscape of which it forms the central interest; and they seem to look down upon this work of man as one not unworthy of their guardianship."

 

The representation of physical beauty being with the Gothic carver subordinated to the purpose of enforcing the idea that the soul is superior to the body, and of illustrating the doctrine of the salvation of the soul by goodness of life, and the loss of the soul by evil life, it was necessary that beings and objects not beautiful should enter into his sculptured ornamental schemes. The evils that beset the lives and tempt the souls of men had to be in some way set forth, no less than the human virtues and the heavenly ideals. The unhappy lot of the wicked had to be figured as well as the felicities of the good. Hence figures which embody the mediæval notions of the monstrous and the grotesque are conspicuous elements in Gothic sculpture, especially after the beginning of the thirteenth century. The grotesque, in the finest Gothic art, while often apparently introduced in a playful spirit, had thus primarily a serious purpose.

 

The Romanesque imagery, consisting of fantastic creations of animal life which embodied distorted traditions of the Roman mythology, combined with forms originating in the rude imagination of the Northern races, was largely rejected by the early Gothic artists. The imaginary creatures which they sometimes introduced were, for the most part, confined to the symbolic animals of the Bible—such as those seen by St. John in the Apocalypse. But by degrees other imaginary creations were introduced, until finally, during the thirteenth century, the grotesque animal life of the Gothic edifice became even more extended in range than that of the richest Romanesque monuments had been, and an imaginary fauna was created, which, while it derived much from the older conceptions, embodied so much that was new as to constitute a distinctly Gothic class. This development grew primarily out of the old popular belief in the symbolic character of animals and imaginary creatures. As symbols of human qualities, both good and evil, these animals, real and imaginary, were now wrought, for encouragement and for warning, upon the stones of the sacred edifice. A further purpose of this fauna, as of the sculpture of the human figure and the flora with which it was associated, apparently was that the Gothic monument might present a compendious illustration of the known world of creation, imagination and faith.

 

A remarkable quality of the grotesque creations of Gothic art is the close and accurate observation of nature which they, no less than the images of real things, display. However fabulous the imagined creature may be, the materials out of which he is made are derived from nature, and manifest a keen appreciation of animal structure. Vertebra or claw, wing or beak, eye or nostril, throat or paw,—every anatomical member displays an intimate familiarity with real organic form and function, and an imaginative sense of its possible combinations in creative design. Take, for instance, those strange beasts, or terrible demons of the parapet of the Cathedral of Paris. Each of them seems animated with a living spirit, and has an almost startling appearance of reality. And besides this lifelikeness and functional truth, a highly ornamental play of lines, and a subtle elaboration of finely modelled surfaces, are shown in these grotesque forms. In the early and early mature periods they exhibit a noticeable restraint of posture and movement; extravagantly contorted forms and violent movements occur, for the most part, only in the decline of Gothic, when jaded sensibilities had ceased to appreciate the value of moderation in design.—Charles H. Moore: "Gothic Architecture."

In addition to Notre Dame at Paris, the churches of Rheims, Amiens, Rouen, Laon, Vézelay, Auxerre and the religious edifices throughout Poitou, Saintonge, Guyenne and Burgundy, and the borders of the Loire, in France are rich in examples of grotesque animal sculpture.

The Icelandic sheep (íslenska sauðkindin) is one of the Northern European short-tailed sheep, which have a fluke-shaped, naturally short tail. The Icelandic is a mid-sized breed, generally short-legged and stocky, with face and legs free of wool.

 

Descended from the same stock as the Norwegian Spelsau brought to Iceland by the first settlers, Icelandic sheep have been bred for a thousand years in a very harsh environment. They are quite efficient herbivores and, generally left unshorn for the winter, very cold-hardy.

 

The fleece of the Icelandic sheep is dual-coated: the long outer coat is called tog and the fine inner coat þel. Tog is generally classified as a medium wool around 27 micrometres in diameter, good for weaving durable products.

Around 20 micrometres in diameter, the fine þel wool is used for garments that touch the skin. Tog and þel are processed together to produce lopi, a distinctive knitting wool that is only made from the fleece of Icelandic sheep.

 

The Icelandic sheep can be white or a range of browns (moorit), grays, and blacks. It boasts more variety in color and pattern than most other breeds, and there are some variations not seen in other sheep. "Badgerface" shows as lighter coloration on the back, sides, neck, ears, and face, with a darker color on the underbelly, under the tail, on parts of the neck, and around the eyes. "Mouflon" sheep are light and dark as a negative of the "badgerface" sheep. They exist in both horned and polled strains.

 

Ewes can be mated as lambs as early as five to seven months, although many farmers wait until the ewe's second winter before allowing them to breed. They are seasonal breeders and come into estrus around October. The breeding season can last up to four months. Rams become mature early and can start breeding as early as five months. Multiple births are very common in Icelandic ewes, with a lambing percentage of 175% - 220%. Ewes carrying the Þoka gene have been known to give birth to triplets, quadruplets, quintuplets, and even sextuplets.

 

In Iceland, this breed is almost exclusively bred for meat. Lambs, which are not given grain or hormones, are ready for killing by four to five months, when they weigh 32 to 41 kg.

 

Icelandic sheep were historically used for milk. The lambs were weaned off the mother's milk after the first two weeks of the lactation period and the ewes were milked of about one litre of milk daily for the next six weeks. It was consumed fresh or made into butter, cheese, skyr, or naturally sweet yogurt. Sheep are not milked in Iceland today, and instead the lamb is allowed to continue suckling.

 

The ancestors of the Icelandic horse were probably brought to the country by Viking Age Scandinavians between 860 and 935 AD. These settlers were followed by immigrants from Norse colonies in Ireland, the Isle of Man, and the Western Isles of Scotland, who brought the ancestors of what would elsewhere become Shetland, Highland, and Connemara ponies. There may also be a connection with the Yakutian pony and the Nordlandshest of Norway. Breeds with similar characteristics include the Faroe pony and the Norwegian Fjord horse. Genetic analyses have revealed a link to the Mongolian horse (believed to have been originally imported from Russia by Swedish traders and subsequently contributing to the Fjord, Exmoor, Highland, Shetland, and Connemara breeds, all of which have been found to be genetically linked to the Icelandic horse). About 900 years ago, attempts were made to introduce eastern blood into the Icelandic, resulting in a degeneration of the stock. In 982 AD, the Icelandic Althing (parliament) passed laws prohibiting the importation of horses into Iceland, thus ending crossbreeding. The breed has now been bred pure in Iceland for more than 1,000 years.

 

The earliest Norse people venerated the horse as a symbol of fertility, and white horses were slaughtered at sacrificial feasts and ceremonies. Horses played a significant part in Norse mythology, among them Odin's eight-footed pacer Sleipnir. The first Icelandic horse known by name is the mare Skalm from the Book of Settlements from the 12th century: a chieftain named Seal-Thorir founded a settlement at the place where Skalm stopped and lay down with her pack. Horses also play key roles in the 13th-century Icelandic sagas Hrafnkel's Saga, Njal's Saga, and Grettir's Saga, set as far back as the 9th century.

 

Horses were often considered the most prized possession of a medieval Icelander and war horses were sometimes buried alongside their fallen riders. Icelanders also arranged for bloody fights between stallions; these were used for entertainment and to pick the best animals for breeding, and they were described in both literature and official records from the Commonwealth period of 930 to 1262 AD. Stallion fights were an important part of Icelandic culture; and the sometimes-serious physical and verbal brawls among the spectators had wide social and political repercussions that could even restructure political alliances. Courting between young men and women was also common at horse fights.

 

At first, natural selection played a major role in the development of the breed, as large numbers of horses died from lack of food and exposure to the elements. Between 874 and 1300 AD, during the more favorable climatic conditions of the medieval warm period, Icelandic breeders selectively bred horses according to special rules of color and conformation. From 1300 to 1900, selective breeding became less of a priority, as the climate was often severe and many horses and people died. Between 1783 and 1784, around 70% of the horses in Iceland were killed by volcanic-ash poisoning and starvation after the 1783 eruption of Lakagígar. The eruption lasted eight months, covered hundreds of square miles of land with lava, and rerouted or dried up several rivers. The population slowly recovered over the next hundred years, and from the beginning of the 20th century selective breeding again became important.

 

Despite increasing mechanization and road improvements, these horses still play a large part in Icelandic life. Farmers still use the breed to round up sheep in the Icelandic highlands, but most horses are used for competition and leisure riding. The first official race was held at Akureyri in 1874, and many competitions--gallop and pace races as well as performance classes showcasing the breed's unique gaits--are still held throughout the country from April through June. Winter events are often held, including races on frozen bodies of water (in 2009, both horses and riders needed to be rescued after falling through the ice at such an event). The first shows, focused on the quality of animals as breeding stock, were held in 1906. The Agricultural Society of Iceland, along with the National Association of Riding Clubs, now organizes regular shows with a wide variety of classes. Some horses are still bred for slaughter, and much of the meat is exported to Japan.

 

The first Icelandic breed societies were established in 1904, and the first breed registry in Iceland was established in 1923. In 2000, WorldFengur was established by the Icelandic government in cooperation with the FEIF as an official registry for Icelandic horses: this web database program is used as a studbook to track contains information on the pedigree, breeder, owner, offspring, photo, breeding evaluations, and assessments, and unique identification of each horse registered. Around 300,000 Icelandic horses, living and dead, have been registered worldwide.

 

There are now about 80,000 Icelandic horses in Iceland (compared to a human population of 317,000), and around 100,000 abroad. Because of their strength and small size, Icelandics were exported to Great Britain before the 20th century to work as unregistered pit ponies in the coal mines. The first formal exports of Icelandic horses were to Germany in the 1940s (almost 50,000 horses are in Germany, which has many active riding clubs and breed societies). Great Britain's first official imports started in 1956 with a Scottish farmer, Stuart McKintosh, and the Icelandic Horse Society of Great Britain was formed in 1986. The number of Icelandic horses exported to other nations has steadily increased and it's especially popular in western Europe, Scandinavia, and North America.

 

Though Icelandic horses are small (330-380 kg and 13-14 hands), breed registries always refer to them as horses. One theory says this is because of their spirited temperament and large personality, and another suggests that their weight, bone structure, and weight-carrying abilities let them be classified as horses. Some breeders focus on animals for pack and draft work, which are conformationally distinct from those bred for their ability to perform the traditional Icelandic gaits. Others are bred solely for meat.

 

The hardy Icelandic horse comes in many coat colors, including chestnut, dun, bay, black, gray, palomino, pinto, and roan, and there are over 100 names for various colors and color patterns in the Icelandic language. Their double coat offers extra insulation in cold temperatures. They have well-proportioned heads with straight profiles and wide foreheads. The neck is short, muscular, and broad at the base; they have broad, low withers, a deep chest, muscular and slightly sloping shoulders, a long back, and broad, muscular, short, and slightly sloping croup. Their legs are strong and short, with relatively long cannon bones and short pasterns. The mane and tail are full, with coarse hair, and the tail is set low.

 

Members of this long-lived breed are not usually ridden until they are four or five years old and structural development is not complete until age seven. Their most productive years are between eight and eighteen, and they retain their strength and stamina into their twenties. An Icelandic mare that lived in Denmark reached a record age of 56, while another horse, living in Great Britain, reached the age of 42. The horses are highly fertile, and both sexes are fit for breeding up to age 25; mares have been recorded giving birth at age 27. The horses are social and not easily spooked, probably the result of not having any natural predators in their native Iceland. Icelandics tend to be friendly, docile, enthusiastic, and self-assured.

 

As a result of their isolation from other horses, disease in the breed within Iceland is mostly unknown except for some kinds of internal parasites. This is maintained by laws forbidding horse imports and exported horses from returning to Iceland, and by requiring that all equine equipment taken into the country be either new and unused or fully disinfected. As a result, native horses have no acquired immunity to disease; an outbreak on the island would be likely to be devastating to the breed. This makes it difficult to enter Icelandic horses into competitions outside of the country.

 

The Icelandic is a "five-gaited" breed, known for its sure-footedness and ability to cross rough terrain. As well as the typical gaits of walk, trot, and canter/gallop, the breed is noted for its ability to perform two additional gaits. The comfortable, ground-covering four-beat lateral ambling gait known as the tölt is known for its explosive acceleration and speed. There is considerable variation in style within the gait, and so the tölt is variously compared to similar lateral gaits such as the rack of the Saddlebred, the largo of the Paso Fino, or the running walk of the Tennessee Walking Horse. Like all lateral ambling gaits, the footfall pattern is the same as the walk (left hind, left front, right hind, right front), but differs from the walk in that it can be performed at a range of speeds. Some Icelandic horses prefer to tölt while others prefer to trot; correct training can improve weak gaits, but the tölt is a natural gait present from birth. There are two uncomfortable, incorrect varieties of the tölt: the first is an uneven gait called a "Pig's Pace" or "Piggy-pace" that is closer to a two-beat pace than a four-beat amble. The second, Valhopp, is a tölt-and-canter combination most often seen in untrained young horses.

 

The fast, smooth skeið, flugskeið, or "flying pace" allows some horses to reach 48 km/h. Not all Icelandic horses can perform this gait; animals that perform both the tölt and the flying pace in addition to the traditional gaits are considered the best of the breed. The flying pace is a two-beat lateral gait with a moment of suspension between footfalls; each side has both feet land almost simultaneously (left hind and left front, suspension, right hind and right front). Not a gait used for long-distance travel, it's uncomfortable for the rider when slow. Although most pacing horses are raced in harness using sulkies, in Iceland horses are raced while ridden.

File name: 10_03_001566a

Binder label: Sewing Machines

Title: Simple, durable, complete, the White is king. 500,000 White machines now in use. (front)

Created/Published: Cleveland : W. J. Morgan & Co. Lith

Date issued: 1870-1900 (approximate)

Physical description: 1 print : chromolithograph ; 14 x 9 cm.

Subject: Cats; Sewing machines; Animals in human situations

Notes: Title from item. Item verso is blank.

Collection: 19th Century American Trade Cards

Location: Boston Public Library, Print Department

Rights: No known restrictions.

Le barreaudage Tivano® est préconisé pour protéger durablement les logements collectifs, industries, collectivités, administrations...

Plus d'infos : www.lippi.fr, www.wiki-lippi.com/index.php/Barreaudage_Tivano

More information, genuine customer reviews and ratings on

USA Gear Durable Protective Digital Camera Bag with Rain Cover and Adjustable Dividers - Works With Nikon Coolpix S9900 , S7000 , L32 , S3700 , AW130 / Canon PowerShot SX710 HS , ELPH 350 HS , 170 IS & Many More Digital Cameras:

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Not the prettiest beach location. This dirty grimy section is interesting nonetheless, always something to see, maybe even the days catch of Selsey Crab being landed.

 

I'm going through a period of looking for alternate scenes as apposed to the 'classic' shots that most would take around these locations. This can be a real challenge, looking for interesting subject matter that's are right on your doorstep.

collage on found paper / 2013

made with materials provided by fred litch.

Product Name: Durable Inflatable Slide

Product No: GI144

Size: 11mLx5mWx5.5mH

Pack: 80x80x130cm

Weight: 240kg

Material: 0.55mm PLATO PVC Tarpaulin

Cert: CE, SGS, En14960, En71

Feature: High Durability, High Tear Strength, Fade Proof, Flame Retardant M2/B1, Anti-Mildew Treatment, Excellent UV-Resistance, Cold Weather Resistance, Waterproof, Anti-Static, Heat-Insulation

 

Contact Site:http://www.pangoinflatable.com/

Not just fit and finish, Pango make a second blower tube and hide it if not use. We make the two tubes on different of the bouncer so that could fit the power location. Looking down the road you will find you need a second inflation tube. We want to make sure clients could use the bouncer convenient.

Stronger Baffles

Baffles that are secured by a 840 denier material that provides the MAXIMUM strength of the internal baffling of every inflatables. This material upgrade is unmatched by anyone else in the industry. This material is key to the overall durability of the products we sell.

D Ring Expose

Take a close look at the construction of the "d" rings in the products we sell. A tether system is only as strong as its weakest link. Tether points on the inflatable are extremely durable. The "d" ring tethering System have been laboratory-tested and certified by Professional Engineers for use on all giant slides and all other types of inflatables.

Vinyl(PVCTarpaulin) Expose

At Pango Inflatable, the only products we sell are constructed from the finest coated vinyl. Unlike other vinyl producers, the Coated Vinyl are Lead-Free in addition to meeting the EN71 test by SGS. Lead-Free vinyl are a standard that has been that way since day one. Exposure to lead is dangerous to children. The products Pango Inflatable sell are safe from the effects of lead. As for durability, the materials are a weft inserted substrate, which makes any possible rips virtually impossible.

No Wax Surfaces

We provide removable sliding surfaces for every slides we made, While other only provide the normal vinyl, Inflatable vinyl is not naturally slippery, therefore, waxing has become a normal preparation for getting a slide ready for use. The removable sliding surface found the on the products we sell is a high polished urethane coating, which in turn reduces the need to wax.

Zipper with Flaps

Unlike others, Pango Inflatable sells products that are easy to use. For example, the deflation zipper utilizes a Velcro flap that covers the zipper, thus, less air is lost and zippers are not exposed to abrasion or mischief.

Blower Tube Strap

While most manufacturers tie their blower inflation tubes to the blower system, however, the products Pango Inflatable sells, utilizes a universal sleeve with a cinching Velcro strap. One- handed operation keeps the tube securely attached to the blower system.

Liquid Laminator

DWe do the Digital Printing in our factory, unlike most factory here in China, they do the printing outside and could not control the delivery time and the quality. igitally printed graphics are one thing, keeping those beautiful images durable as well scratch and fade resistant is quite another. Every digital image used within an inflatable sold by Pango Inflatable is clear-coated with a special liquid laminate that is vulcanized to the vinyl surface.

Finger-Safe Netting

Most bouncer manufacturers use 1" or 2" netting. A child bouncing can easily catch their fingers in that size of netting, thus serious injuries can happen. Only the Pango Inflatable could provide netting that even a small child's finger cannot penetrate. Yet, the netting is still transparent enough to allow for easy viewing.

Removable Covers

Virtually every area that your customers step, slide or climb upon is on a replaceable & easily removable vinyl cover. From climbing stairs, to entrance tunnel sleeves to sliding surfaces, Pango Inflatable only sells products that are designed for high-volume traffic.

Safety Door on Bouncers

Worried about children possibly falling out of a bouncer? Don't be. We got 3 points of reinforcement on the entrance of the bouncer which make the entrance very strong. Also we add the step outside the entrance following the AU and USA standards of jumping castle.

On-Staff Engineering and Designing

We do reinforce stitching at the fixion of D-ring. Four stitching line will share the tension of the bouncer. This made the D-ring last much longer and stronger. Other factory use other design of the fixion, but will not good for the tension sharing. Could find the differnce in the attached photos.

Cushion Designs

We do cushion between the wall and the base. When the kids bounce on the bouncer this parts bear most of the pressure, so this new design will make this parts much more strong and safety, while other factory only stitch to the base.

 

+++ 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 Henschel Hs 123 was a single-seat biplane dive bomber and close-support attack aircraft flown by the German Luftwaffe during the Spanish Civil War and the early to midpoint of World War II. It proved to be robust, durable and effective especially in severe conditions.

 

The aircraft was designed to meet the 1933 dive bomber requirements for the reborn Luftwaffe. Both Henschel and rival Fieseler (with the Fi 98) competed for the production contract requirement, which specified a single-seat biplane dive bomber. The first prototype Hs 123, the Hs 123V1 was cleared for its maiden flight on 1 April 1935, and General Ernst Udet, a World War I ace, flew the first prototype on its first public demonstration flight on 8 May 1935. The first three Henschel prototypes, with the first and third powered by 485 kW (650 hp) BMW 132A-3 engines and the second by a 574 kW (770 hp) Wright Cyclone, were tested at Rechlin in August 1936. Only the first prototype had "smooth" cowlings; from that point on, all aircraft had a tightly-fitting cowling that included 18 fairings covering the engine valves.

 

The Henschel prototypes did away with bracing wires and although they looked slightly outdated with their single faired interplane struts and cantilever main landing gear legs attached to smaller (stub) lower wings, the Hs 123 featured an all-metal construction, clean lines and superior maneuverability. Its biplane wings were of a "sesquiplane" configuration, whereby the lower wings were significantly smaller than the top wings.

 

The overall performance of the Hs 123 V1 prototype prematurely eliminated any chance for the more conventional Fi 98, which was cancelled after a sole prototype had been constructed. During testing, the Hs 123 proved capable of pulling out of "near-vertical" dives; however, two prototypes subsequently crashed due to structural failures in the wings that occurred when the aircraft were tested in high-speed dives. The fourth prototype incorporated improvements to cure these problems; principally, stronger centre-section struts were fitted. After it had been successfully tested, the Hs 123 was ordered into production with an 656 kW (880 hp) BMW 132Dc engine.

 

The Hs 123 was intended to replace the Heinkel He 50 biplane reconnaissance and dive bomber as well as acting as a "stop-gap" measure until the Junkers Ju 87 became available. As such, production was limited and no upgrades were considered, and production of the type ended in October 1938 with around 250 aircraft in all series.

 

The Hs 123 was used in various conflict theatres, including the Spanish Civil War, the 2nd Sino-Japanese War and the invasions of Poland and Greece. Later, the Hs 123 took part in the North Africa campaign and the Eastern Front, where the machines were kept in service until literally none was left in servicable condition in 1944, and a few soldiered on in second line duties such as supply dropping and glider towing in 1945.

 

During the Afrika Korps' two-year campaign in North Africa, duties were dominated by the Siege of Tobruk in 1941, which lasted for over seven months. Together with the more modern and capable Ju 87, a handful of Hs 123s served during the Battle of Gazala and the First Battle of El Alamein, as well as during the decisive Second Battle of El Alamein, which drove Rommel back to Tunisia.

 

Outfitted with dust filters and adapted to nocturnal duties (e. g. with flame dampers on the exhausts and guns), the Hs 123s flew interdiction missions and primarily hunted for unarmored vehicles or outposts. As the tide turned and Allied air power grew in the autumn of 1942, the German attack aircraft became very vulnerable and losses were heavy.

 

The entry of the Americans into North Africa during Operation Torch made the situation far worse and the slow Hs 123s suffered heavy losses. Even the relatively new Ju 87 had become obsolete in what was now a fighter-bomber's war. The Bf 109 and Fw 190 could at least fight enemy fighters on equal terms after dropping their ordnance but the dive bombers could not, so that the HS 123 was completely retired from North Africa in early 1942 and the remaining machines sent to the Eastern Front.

  

General characteristics:

Crew: 1

Length: 8.33 m (27 ft 4 in)

Wingspan: 10.50 m (34 ft 5.5 in)

Height: 3.20 m (10 ft 6 in)

Wing area: 24.85 m² (267.49 ft²)

Empty weight: 1,500 kg (3,307 lb)

Loaded weight: 2,215 kg (4,884 lb)

 

Powerplant:

1× BMW 132Dc 9-cylinder radial engine, rated at 880 hp (656 kW)

 

Performance:

Maximum speed: 341 km/h (183 knots, 211 mph) at 1,200 m (3,900 ft)

Range: 860 km (463 nmi, 533 mi with drop tank; 480 km (298 mi) with 200 kg of bombs)

Service ceiling: 9,000 m (29,530 ft)

Rate of climb: 15 m/s (2,950 ft/min) at sea level

 

Armament:

2× 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns with 400 RPG in the upper fuselage

Up to 450 kg (992 lb) of bombs (1x SC250 bomb under fuselage and 4x SC50 bombs

under wings), alternatively a 300l drop tank under the fuselage;

field modification of 2× 20 mm (0.79 in) MG FF cannon in underwing pods

  

The kit and its assembly:

A quick interim build; some time ago I had bought a cheap Airfix Hs 123 but had no clear plan for it. But in order to reduce the kit pile, I decided to take this one to the hardware stage.

When I delved into the Hs 123's history I was astonihsed that this tough little aircraft had not been deployed to North Africa, and so the idea of a tropicalized version was born.

 

Further inspiration came from a Ju 87 photo of the 1941 era which showed a Stuka in desert camouflage and roughly blackened undersides and distinctive side markings. That became the benchmark, together with the Luftwaffe's practice to use outdated types as night attackers.

 

Since no big conversion was planned, the Airfix kit (which is, despite some sink holes on the thick wing struts and fitting issues between the lower wings and the fuselage) turned out to be an easy build with IMHO good (raised, though) details - and the voluminous pilot figure conceals the lack of internal details.

 

Anyway, I made some minor changes/additions:

- For the night attacker role I added longer exhaust pipes (1mm iron wire) with flame dampers (styrene) on the flanks.

- A bigger carburetor fairing (with a dust filter) was added under the engine.

- Flaps lowered and some details like engine braces and wires added

- The machine received gun pods under the wings, instead of the four SC50 bombs. The optional podded MG FF (with 65 RPG) were a real world option, but I was not able to find material that shows the pods' shape, so I made my own. In this case the pods come from a Hawker Hurricane, but the barrels were scratched from styrene.

  

Painting and markings:

The more creative part. During the early stages of the Afrikafeldzug a lot of German verhicles still bore their standard livery - tanks and trucks were painted in Panzergrau and aircraft arrived in RLM 71/70/65 or, newer types, in RLM 74/75/76. Anyway, everything more or less unsuited for the new theatre of operations.

 

Consequently, many aircraft received improvised camouflage in field workshops, using any paint at hand: mostly Italian colors. Therefore, a huge number of German aircraft received individual paint schemes with 'Giallo Mimetico' (of which several tones existed, ranging from pale yellow to earth brown) and/or 'Verde Mimetico'. The yellow was frequently applied over the original camouflage, so that the original paint would be visible. The dedicated desert camouflage tone RLM 80 (Olivgrün) was already a frequent sight, as well as RLM 78 for the undersides, but the German sand tone RLM79 turned up relatively late, towards the end of the North Africa campaign.

 

My night attacker Hs 123 was to carry a typical improvised scheme on the upper sides: the type's standard RLM 70/71 splinter scheme with a low waterline was to be roughly painted over, with light green splotches added, while the original colors would here and there shine through.

 

The paintwork was built up accordingly with enamels and brushes. For the upper sides I used Humbrol 91 (Black Green) and Modelmaster 2081 (Dark Green), for the Italian extra colors I used Humbrol 237 (Sand) and Modelmaster 2149 (RAL 6003).

 

On the undersides, the finish was to represent the former RLM 65, but overpainted with flat black but well worn. The leading edges and some areas (e. g. under national markings) were primed with light blue (Modelmaster 2078), and then a coat of flat black was added (Revell acrylics). After drying, the lower surfaces were carefully and directionally wet-sanded, so that the blue came through again.

 

The national markings on the fuselage were painted over with thinned black acrylic paint, so that they remained barely visible. The typical white fuselage band for operations in the Mediterranean was also painted over on the sides and from below, so that only the dorsal quarter remained visible. The squadron code (T6) is actually there, but in very small black letters. The control letter for the aircraft's group beyond the yellow code color (a 'P') was left away - not an uncommon practice. The aircraft's individual code (the yellow D) would be the only clearly visible fuselage marking.

 

The squadron's emblem on the cowling comes from a Peddinghaus aftermarket sheet, placed on a dark green basis, and the crosses on the upper wings were placed on dark green squares, as if the new camouflage had been painted around these older markings.

 

Further overall weathering was achieved through light dry-brushing and some further wet-sanding, the raised surface details of this kit makes this method very effective. Once all decals were in place, partly covered and everything sealed with matt acrylic varnish, some gun and exhaust soot was added with grinded graphite. The overall result looks rather rotten, but the aforementioned picture of the Ju 87 night attacker just left this impression!

  

A quick build, realized in just two and a half days (plus the pictures, though, these took another two days), a nice weekend project. And even though not much was changed the fictional North Africa version appears pretty realistic – simple and effective.

Product Name: Inflatable Water Game Climbing Sport

Product No: GW123

Size: 4mL×3mW×2.5mH

Pack: 60×60×83 cm

Weight: 58kg

Material: 0.9mm PLATO PVC Tarpaulin

Cert: CE, SGS, En14960, En71

Feature: High Durability, High Tear Strength, Fade Proof, Flame Retardant M2/B1, Anti-Mildew Treatment, Excellent UV-Resistance, Cold Weather Resistance, Waterproof, Anti-Static, Heat-Insulation

 

Contact Site:http://www.pangoinflatable.com/

Not just fit and finish, Pango make a second blower tube and hide it if not use. We make the two tubes on different of the bouncer so that could fit the power location. Looking down the road you will find you need a second inflation tube. We want to make sure clients could use the bouncer convenient.

Stronger Baffles

Baffles that are secured by a 840 denier material that provides the MAXIMUM strength of the internal baffling of every inflatables. This material upgrade is unmatched by anyone else in the industry. This material is key to the overall durability of the products we sell.

D Ring Expose

Take a close look at the construction of the "d" rings in the products we sell. A tether system is only as strong as its weakest link. Tether points on the inflatable are extremely durable. The "d" ring tethering System have been laboratory-tested and certified by Professional Engineers for use on all giant slides and all other types of inflatables.

Vinyl(PVCTarpaulin) Expose

At Pango Inflatable, the only products we sell are constructed from the finest coated vinyl. Unlike other vinyl producers, the Coated Vinyl are Lead-Free in addition to meeting the EN71 test by SGS. Lead-Free vinyl are a standard that has been that way since day one. Exposure to lead is dangerous to children. The products Pango Inflatable sell are safe from the effects of lead. As for durability, the materials are a weft inserted substrate, which makes any possible rips virtually impossible.

No Wax Surfaces

We provide removable sliding surfaces for every slides we made, While other only provide the normal vinyl, Inflatable vinyl is not naturally slippery, therefore, waxing has become a normal preparation for getting a slide ready for use. The removable sliding surface found the on the products we sell is a high polished urethane coating, which in turn reduces the need to wax.

Zipper with Flaps

Unlike others, Pango Inflatable sells products that are easy to use. For example, the deflation zipper utilizes a Velcro flap that covers the zipper, thus, less air is lost and zippers are not exposed to abrasion or mischief.

Blower Tube Strap

While most manufacturers tie their blower inflation tubes to the blower system, however, the products Pango Inflatable sells, utilizes a universal sleeve with a cinching Velcro strap. One- handed operation keeps the tube securely attached to the blower system.

Liquid Laminator

DWe do the Digital Printing in our factory, unlike most factory here in China, they do the printing outside and could not control the delivery time and the quality. igitally printed graphics are one thing, keeping those beautiful images durable as well scratch and fade resistant is quite another. Every digital image used within an inflatable sold by Pango Inflatable is clear-coated with a special liquid laminate that is vulcanized to the vinyl surface.

Finger-Safe Netting

Most bouncer manufacturers use 1" or 2" netting. A child bouncing can easily catch their fingers in that size of netting, thus serious injuries can happen. Only the Pango Inflatable could provide netting that even a small child's finger cannot penetrate. Yet, the netting is still transparent enough to allow for easy viewing.

Removable Covers

Virtually every area that your customers step, slide or climb upon is on a replaceable & easily removable vinyl cover. From climbing stairs, to entrance tunnel sleeves to sliding surfaces, Pango Inflatable only sells products that are designed for high-volume traffic.

Safety Door on Bouncers

Worried about children possibly falling out of a bouncer? Don't be. We got 3 points of reinforcement on the entrance of the bouncer which make the entrance very strong. Also we add the step outside the entrance following the AU and USA standards of jumping castle.

On-Staff Engineering and Designing

We do reinforce stitching at the fixion of D-ring. Four stitching line will share the tension of the bouncer. This made the D-ring last much longer and stronger. Other factory use other design of the fixion, but will not good for the tension sharing. Could find the differnce in the attached photos.

Cushion Designs

We do cushion between the wall and the base. When the kids bounce on the bouncer this parts bear most of the pressure, so this new design will make this parts much more strong and safety, while other factory only stitch to the base.

 

FiberCraft EF provides an environmentally friendly, durable envelope and packaging solution. FiberCraft EF envelopes are made from 76% recycled paper and 68% post-consumer content, which means they provide the protection your apparel and other items need while maintaining your environmental agenda. Sizes include: 6 x 9, 6 1/2 x 9 1/2, 7 1/2 x 10 1/2, 9 x 12, 9 1/2 x 12 1/2, 10 x 13, 10 x 15, 11 1/2 x 14 1/2, and 12 x 15 1/2. All can be custom printed with up to 4 colors in 2 weeks or less.

 

As durable as ever, the Barricade is now even lighter and more breathable. These men's tennis shoes are made with a tough ADIWEAR™ 6 outsole and feature stability claws that keep you moving with lightning-fast speed and precision.

 

-Synthetic upper with grid mesh overlay for ultimate stability, durability and breathability

 

-Stability claws for quick cuts and fast footwork

 

-ADIPRENE®+ in the forefoot maintains propulsion and efficiency

 

-TORSION® provides adaptive midfoot support

 

-ADIPRENE® under the heel for superior cushioning at impact; miCoach compatible

 

-ADIWEAR™ 6 outsole offers the ultimate in high-wear durability

 

-ADIPOWER

The Vienna Imperial Hotel is a hotel in Vienna and one of the most striking buildings along the Ring road (Ringstraße). It is located on Kärntner Ring 16 in the 1st district of Vienna. It is part of the Luxury Collection of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide.

History

As a palace at the Ringstrasse, it built in the years 1862-1865 after plans of architect Arnold Zenetti under the direction of master builder Heinrich Adam in the style of the Italian Neo-Renaissance for duke Philipp of Württemberg. In the interior rooms single architectural elements are clad in stone: as for the pillars of the great hall it is Carrara marble, the pilasters in the ballroom have layers of yellow marble Giallo di Siena, wall surfaces and pillars of artificial marble. In the grand staircase consist wall surfaces, balustrades, great pillars of artificial marble, the stair steps are made of Emperor stone (Kaiserstein), the hard light yellow alga limestone from Kaisersteinbruch (quarry). On the platform of the stairs stands the sculpture "Donauweibchen" (Danube Maiden) by Hanns Gasser.

The duke lived in the palace with his wife, born archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria, since 1866, but sold it yet in 1871 to the banker Horace von Landau. Perhaps it was no longer of interest to the duke as a residence after the new Wiener Musikverein had obstructed the free sight to the Vienna River and a road blocked the access to the park. But the duchess, too, in the Palais never felt at ease.

Presumably, the palace was purchased by a group of investors because the architect William Gross transformed it to the hotel. On April 28, 1873, the new hotel was inaugurated in the presence of the emperor Franz Joseph and empress Elisabeth for the 1873 Vienna World Exhibition.

1875 by the owner Johann Frohner as a tenant was hired. Frohner already in Budapest as hotelier could gain experience, where he successfully ran his eponymous hotel. In 1878 he competed for the title of Imperial and Royal Court Supplier for wine and spirits trade. Although the hotel enjoyed an excellent reputation, his request was rejected for various reasons. The request many years later then was approved by the High Steward office.

1912, the Imperial was converted into a public limited company. The Grand Hotel at Kärntner Ring belonged to the same corporation. The hotel was modernized and furnished with central heating. Furthermore, it ran a horse-drawn omnibuses business (1874-1922), a hotel omnibus (1882-1992) and a wage-drawn carriages trade (1908-1911).

During the monarchy came guests as prince Otto von Bismarck, count Patrice de Mac-Mahon, king Milan of Serbia, tsar Ferdinand of Bulgaria, Richard Wagner, Eleonora Duse and Sarah Bernhardt.

During the First World War, the operation continued almost normally, among staff increasingly more women were working, male guests more often wore uniforms, and it was further on dined on - sometimes stuffed - damask, probably somewhat smaller portions.

In 1928, the two upper floors were added. In the interwar period came as guests Thomas Mann, Luigi Pirandello, John Galsworthy and Claude Anet. After the Anschluss (Annexation) lodged here Adolf Hitler whenever he was in town. After the war and during the occupation, the Soviets made the hotel to their quarters. The hotel from this time only a few damages suffered, although most of the furniture then was missing and had to be replaced.

The hotel since its opening belongs to the most luxurious houses of the city of Vienna. Guests include many heads of state and other personalities. The most famous were John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev at their summit meeting in Vienna in 1961. The guestbook with prominent signatures today is presented under a bell jar.

In 1994 the hotel by the readers of Condé Nast was voted as the best hotel in the world. Already in 1961, the operating company received the National Award and thus the right to use the federal coat of arms in business transactions.

Traditionally, state guests are staying at the Hotel Imperial; for example, lived here Richard Nixon, king Olav of Norway, marshal Tito, king Leopold of Belgium, the Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, queen Elizabeth of England, king Juan Carlos of Spain and emperor Akihito and empress Michiko of Japan.

Also numerous prominent artists were guests at the Imperial, including Otto Preminger, Walt Disney, Otto Klemperer, Alfred Hitchcock, Frank Sinatra, Woody Allen, Yul Brynner, Peter Ustinov, Michel Piccoli, Zubin Mehta, Vladimir Horowitz, Riccardo Muti, Mick Jagger, Mariah Carey and Sofia Coppola. Michael Jackson wrote here the song Earth Song.

On the ground floor of the hotel is located the Café Imperial, a traditional luxury restaurant that has always attracted prominent guests and is decorated with paintings by Moritz von Schwind.

Imperial Torte

A house specialty is the Imperial Torte, which is produced according to a secret recipe from natural ingredients (marzipan, milk chocolate). The cake, if cooled, is at least eight weeks durable and is shipped in wooden boxes everywhere in the world.

According to legend, a kitchen boy named Franz-Xaver Loibner created the Imperial Torte for Emperor Franz Joseph I on the occasion of the opening of the hotel.

de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotel_Imperial_%28Wien%29

Simple, durable, comfortable and above all reasonably priced. These are the best boots to come off an assembly line. At 13" they're tall enough not to be a stupid elf shoe and the 3" heels are good for walking or riding.

Too bad they don't make them any more.

Ipê Amarelo, Tabebuia [chrysotricha or ochracea].

Ipê-amarelo em Brasília (UnB), Brasil.

This tree is in Brasília, Capital of Brazil.

 

Text, in english, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Trumpet tree" redirects here. This term is occasionally used for the Shield-leaved Pumpwood (Cecropia peltata).

Tabebuia

Flowering Araguaney or ipê-amarelo (Tabebuia chrysantha) in central Brazil

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Plantae

(unranked): Angiosperms

(unranked): Eudicots

(unranked): Asterids

Order: Lamiales

Family: Bignoniaceae

Tribe: Tecomeae

Genus: Tabebuia

Gomez

Species

Nearly 100.

Tabebuia is a neotropical genus of about 100 species in the tribe Tecomeae of the family Bignoniaceae. The species range from northern Mexico and the Antilles south to northern Argentina and central Venezuela, including the Caribbean islands of Hispaniola (Dominican Republic and Haiti) and Cuba. Well-known common names include Ipê, Poui, trumpet trees and pau d'arco.

They are large shrubs and trees growing to 5 to 50 m (16 to 160 ft.) tall depending on the species; many species are dry-season deciduous but some are evergreen. The leaves are opposite pairs, complex or palmately compound with 3–7 leaflets.

Tabebuia is a notable flowering tree. The flowers are 3 to 11 cm (1 to 4 in.) wide and are produced in dense clusters. They present a cupular calyx campanulate to tubular, truncate, bilabiate or 5-lobed. Corolla colors vary between species ranging from white, light pink, yellow, lavender, magenta, or red. The outside texture of the flower tube is either glabrous or pubescentThe fruit is a dehiscent pod, 10 to 50 cm (4 to 20 in.) long, containing numerous—in some species winged—seeds. These pods often remain on the tree through dry season until the beginning of the rainy.

Species in this genus are important as timber trees. The wood is used for furniture, decking, and other outdoor uses. It is increasingly popular as a decking material due to its insect resistance and durability. By 2007, FSC-certified ipê wood had become readily available on the market, although certificates are occasionally forged.

Tabebuia is widely used as ornamental tree in the tropics in landscaping gardens, public squares, and boulevards due to its impressive and colorful flowering. Many flowers appear on still leafless stems at the end of the dry season, making the floral display more conspicuous. They are useful as honey plants for bees, and are popular with certain hummingbirds. Naturalist Madhaviah Krishnan on the other hand once famously took offense at ipé grown in India, where it is not native.

Lapacho teaThe bark of several species has medical properties. The bark is dried, shredded, and then boiled making a bitter or sour-tasting brownish-colored tea. Tea from the inner bark of Pink Ipê (T. impetiginosa) is known as Lapacho or Taheebo. Its main active principles are lapachol, quercetin, and other flavonoids. It is also available in pill form. The herbal remedy is typically used during flu and cold season and for easing smoker's cough. It apparently works as expectorant, by promoting the lungs to cough up and free deeply embedded mucus and contaminants. However, lapachol is rather toxic and therefore a more topical use e.g. as antibiotic or pesticide may be advisable. Other species with significant folk medical use are T. alba and Yellow Lapacho (T. serratifolia)

Tabebuia heteropoda, T. incana, and other species are occasionally used as an additive to the entheogenic drink Ayahuasca.

Mycosphaerella tabebuiae, a plant pathogenic sac fungus, was first discovered on an ipê tree.

Tabebuia alba

Tabebuia anafensis

Tabebuia arimaoensis

Tabebuia aurea – Caribbean Trumpet Tree

Tabebuia bilbergii

Tabebuia bibracteolata

Tabebuia cassinoides

Tabebuia chrysantha – Araguaney, Yellow Ipê, tajibo (Bolivia), ipê-amarelo (Brazil), cañaguate (N Colombia)

Tabebuia chrysotricha – Golden Trumpet Tree

Tabebuia donnell-smithii Rose – Gold Tree, "Prima Vera", Cortez blanco (El Salvador), San Juan (Honduras), palo blanco (Guatemala),duranga (Mexico)

A native of Mexico and Central Americas, considered one of the most colorful of all Central American trees. The leaves are deciduous. Masses of golden-yellow flowers cover the crown after the leaves are shed.

Tabebuia dubia

Tabebuia ecuadorensis

Tabebuia elongata

Tabebuia furfuracea

Tabebuia geminiflora Rizz. & Mattos

Tabebuia guayacan (Seem.) Hemsl.

Tabebuia haemantha

Tabebuia heptaphylla (Vell.) Toledo – tajy

Tabebuia heterophylla – roble prieto

Tabebuia heteropoda

Tabebuia hypoleuca

Tabebuia impetiginosa – Pink Ipê, Pink Lapacho, ipê-cavatã, ipê-comum, ipê-reto, ipê-rosa, ipê-roxo-damata, pau d'arco-roxo, peúva, piúva (Brazil), lapacho negro (Spanish); not "brazilwood"

Tabebuia incana

Tabebuia jackiana

Tabebuia lapacho – lapacho amarillo

Tabebuia orinocensis A.H. Gentry[verification needed]

Tabebuia ochracea

Tabebuia oligolepis

Tabebuia pallida – Cuban Pink Trumpet Tree

Tabebuia platyantha

Tabebuia polymorpha

Tabebuia rosea (Bertol.) DC.[verification needed] (= T. pentaphylla (L.) Hemsley) – Pink Poui, Pink Tecoma, apama, apamate, matilisguate

A popular street tree in tropical cities because of its multi-annular masses of light pink to purple flowers and modest size. The roots are not especially destructive for roads and sidewalks. It is the national tree of El Salvador and the state tree of Cojedes, Venezuela

Tabebuia roseo-alba – White Ipê, ipê-branco (Brazil), lapacho blanco

Tabebuia serratifolia – Yellow Lapacho, Yellow Poui, ipê-roxo (Brazil)

Tabebuia shaferi

Tabebuia striata

Tabebuia subtilis Sprague & Sandwith

Tabebuia umbellata

Tabebuia vellosoi Toledo

 

Ipê-do-cerrado

Texto, em português, da Wikipédia, a enciclopédia livre.

Ipê-do-cerrado

Classificação científica

Reino: Plantae

Divisão: Magnoliophyta

Classe: Magnoliopsida

Subclasse: Asteridae

Ordem: Lamiales

Família: Bignoniaceae

Género: Tabebuia

Espécie: T. ochracea

Nome binomial

Tabebuia ochracea

(Cham.) Standl. 1832

Sinónimos

Bignonia tomentosa Pav. ex DC.

Handroanthus ochraceus (Cham.) Mattos

Tabebuia chrysantha (Jacq.) G. Nicholson

Tabebuia hypodictyon A. DC.) Standl.

Tabebuia neochrysantha A.H. Gentry

Tabebuia ochracea subsp. heteropoda (A. DC.) A.H. Gentry

Tabebuia ochracea subsp. neochrysantha (A.H. Gentry) A.H. Gentry

Tecoma campinae Kraenzl.

ecoma grandiceps Kraenzl.

Tecoma hassleri Sprague

Tecoma hemmendorffiana Kraenzl.

Tecoma heteropoda A. DC.

Tecoma hypodictyon A. DC.

Tecoma ochracea Cham.

Ipê-do-cerrado é um dos nomes populares da Tabebuia ochracea (Cham.) Standl. 1832, nativa do cerrado brasileiro, no estados de Amazonas, Pará, Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Pernambuco, Bahia, Espírito Santo, Goiás, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo e Paraná.

Está na lista de espécies ameaçadas do estado de São Paulo, onde é encontrda também no domínio da Mata Atlântica[1].

Ocorre também na Argentina, Paraguai, Bolívia, Equador, Peru, Venezuela, Guiana, El Salvador, Guatemala e Panamá[2].

Há uma espécie homônima descrita por A.H. Gentry em 1992.

Outros nomes populares: ipê-amarelo, ipê-cascudo, ipê-do-campo, ipê-pardo, pau-d'arco-do-campo, piúva, tarumã.

Características

Altura de 6 a 14 m. Tronco tortuso com até 50 cm de diâmetro. Folhas pilosas em ambas as faces, mais na inferior, que é mais clara.

Planta decídua, heliófita, xerófita, nativa do cerrado em solos bem drenados.

Floresce de julho a setembro. Os frutos amadurecem de setembro a outubro.

FloresProduz grande quantidade de sementes leves, aladas com pequenas reservas, e que perdem a viabilidade em menos de 90 dias após coleta. A sua conservação vem sendo estudada em termos de determinação da condição ideal de armazenamento, e tem demonstrado a importância de se conhecer o comportamento da espécie quando armazenada com diferentes teores de umidade inicial, e a umidade de equilíbrio crítica para a espécie (KANO; MÁRQUEZ & KAGEYAMA, 1978). As levíssimas sementes aladas da espécie não necessitam de quebra de dormência. Podem apenas ser expostas ao sol por cerca de 6 horas e semeadas diretamente nos saquinhos. A germinação ocorre após 30 dias e de 80%. As sementes são ortodoxas e há aproximadamente 72 000 sementes em cada quilo.

O desenvolvimento da planta é rápido.

Como outros ipês, a madeira é usada em tacos, assoalhos, e em dormentes e postes. Presta-se também para peças torneadas e instrumento musicais.

 

Tabebuia alba (Ipê-Amarelo)

Texto, em português, produzido pela Acadêmica Giovana Beatriz Theodoro Marto

Supervisão e orientação do Prof. Luiz Ernesto George Barrichelo e do Eng. Paulo Henrique Müller

Atualizado em 10/07/2006

 

O ipê amarelo é a árvore brasileira mais conhecida, a mais cultivada e, sem dúvida nenhuma, a mais bela. É na verdade um complexo de nove ou dez espécies com características mais ou menos semelhantes, com flores brancas, amarelas ou roxas. Não há região do país onde não exista pelo menos uma espécie dele, porém a existência do ipê em habitat natural nos dias atuais é rara entre a maioria das espécies (LORENZI,2000).

A espécie Tabebuia alba, nativa do Brasil, é uma das espécies do gênero Tabebuia que possui “Ipê Amarelo” como nome popular. O nome alba provém de albus (branco em latim) e é devido ao tomento branco dos ramos e folhas novas.

As árvores desta espécie proporcionam um belo espetáculo com sua bela floração na arborização de ruas em algumas cidades brasileiras. São lindas árvores que embelezam e promovem um colorido no final do inverno. Existe uma crença popular de que quando o ipê-amarelo floresce não vão ocorrer mais geadas. Infelizmente, a espécie é considerada vulnerável quanto à ameaça de extinção.

A Tabebuia alba, natural do semi-árido alagoano está adaptada a todas as regiões fisiográficas, levando o governo, por meio do Decreto nº 6239, a transformar a espécie como a árvore símbolo do estado, estando, pois sob a sua tutela, não mais podendo ser suprimida de seus habitats naturais.

Taxonomia

Família: Bignoniaceae

Espécie: Tabebuia Alba (Chamiso) Sandwith

Sinonímia botânica: Handroanthus albus (Chamiso) Mattos; Tecoma alba Chamisso

Outros nomes vulgares: ipê-amarelo, ipê, aipê, ipê-branco, ipê-mamono, ipê-mandioca, ipê-ouro, ipê-pardo, ipê-vacariano, ipê-tabaco, ipê-do-cerrado, ipê-dourado, ipê-da-serra, ipezeiro, pau-d’arco-amarelo, taipoca.

Aspectos Ecológicos

O ipê-amarelo é uma espécie heliófita (Planta adaptada ao crescimento em ambiente aberto ou exposto à luz direta) e decídua (que perde as folhas em determinada época do ano). Pertence ao grupo das espécies secundárias iniciais (DURIGAN & NOGUEIRA, 1990).

Abrange a Floresta Pluvial da Mata Atlântica e da Floresta Latifoliada Semidecídua, ocorrendo principalmente no interior da Floresta Primária Densa. É característica de sub-bosques dos pinhais, onde há regeneração regular.

Informações Botânicas

Morfologia

As árvores de Tabebuia alba possuem cerca de 30 metros de altura. O tronco é reto ou levemente tortuoso, com fuste de 5 a 8 m de altura. A casca externa é grisáceo-grossa, possuindo fissuras longitudinais esparas e profundas. A coloração desta é cinza-rosa intenso, com camadas fibrosas, muito resistentes e finas, porém bem distintas.

Com ramos grossos, tortuosos e compridos, o ipê-amarelo possui copa alongada e alargada na base. As raízes de sustentação e absorção são vigorosas e profundas.

As folhas, deciduais, são opostas, digitadas e compostas. A face superior destas folhas é verde-escura, e, a face inferior, acinzentada, sendo ambas as faces tomentosas. Os pecíolos das folhas medem de 2,5 a 10 cm de comprimento. Os folíolos, geralmente, apresentam-se em número de 5 a 7, possuindo de 7 a 18 cm de comprimento por 2 a 6 cm de largura. Quando jovem estes folíolos são densamente pilosos em ambas as faces. O ápice destes é pontiagudo, com base arredondada e margem serreada.

As flores, grandes e lanceoladas, são de coloração amarelo-ouro. Possuem em média 8X15 cm.

Quanto aos frutos, estes possuem forma de cápsula bivalvar e são secos e deiscentes. Do tipo síliqua, lembram uma vagem. Medem de 15 a 30 cm de comprimento por 1,5 a 2,5 cm de largura. As valvas são finamente tomentosas com pêlos ramificados. Possuem grande quantidade de sementes.

As sementes são membranáceas brilhantes e esbranquiçadas, de coloração marrom. Possuem de 2 a 3 cm de comprimento por 7 a 9 mm de largura e são aladas.

Reprodução

A espécie é caducifólia e a queda das folhas coincide com o período de floração. A floração inicia-se no final de agosto, podendo ocorrer alguma variação devido a fenômenos climáticos. Como a espécie floresce no final do inverno é influenciada pela intensidade do mesmo. Quanto mais frio e seco for o inverno, maior será a intensidade da florada do ipê amarelo.

As flores por sua exuberância, atraem abelhas e pássaros, principalmente beija-flores que são importantes agentes polinizadores. Segundo CARVALHO (2003), a espécie possui como vetor de polinização a abelha mamangava (Bombus morio).

As sementes são dispersas pelo vento.

A planta é hermafrodita, e frutifica nos meses de setembro, outubro, novembro, dezembro, janeiro e fevereiro, dependendo da sua localização. Em cultivo, a espécie inicia o processo reprodutivo após o terceiro ano.

Ocorrência Natural

Ocorre naturalmente na Floresta Estaciobal Semidecicual, Floresta de Araucária e no Cerrado.

Segundo o IBGE, a Tabebuia alba (Cham.) Sandw. é uma árvore do Cerrado, Cerradão e Mata Seca. Apresentando-se nos campos secos (savana gramíneo-lenhosa), próximo às escarpas.

Clima

Segundo a classificação de Köppen, o ipê-amarelo abrange locais de clima tropical (Aw), subtropical úmido (Cfa), sutropical de altitude (Cwa e Cwb) e temperado.

A T.alba pode tolerar até 81 geadas em um ano. Ocorre em locais onde a temperatura média anual varia de 14,4ºC como mínimo e 22,4ºC como máximo.

Solo

A espécie prefere solos úmidos, com drenagem lenta e geralmente não muito ondulados (LONGHI, 1995).

Aparece em terras de boa à média fertilidade, em solos profundos ou rasos, nas matas e raramente cerradões (NOGUEIRA, 1977).

Pragas e Doenças

De acordo com CARVALHO (2003), possui como praga a espécie de coleópteros Cydianerus bohemani da família Curculionoideae e um outro coleóptero da família Chrysomellidae. Apesar da constatação de elevados índices populacionais do primeiro, os danos ocasionados até o momento são leves. Nas praças e ruas de Curitiba - PR, 31% das árvores foram atacadas pela Cochonilha Ceroplastes grandis.

ZIDKO (2002), ao estudar no município de Piracicaba a associação de coleópteros em espécies arbóreas, verificou a presença de insetos adultos da espécie Sitophilus linearis da família de coleópteros, Curculionidae, em estruturas reprodutivas. Os insetos adultos da espécie emergiram das vagens do ipê, danificando as sementes desta espécie nativa.

ANDRADE (1928) assinalou diversas espécies de Cerambycidae atacando essências florestais vivas, como ingazeiro, cinamomo, cangerana, cedro, caixeta, jacarandá, araribá, jatobá, entre outras como o ipê amarelo.

A Madeira

A Tabebuia alba produz madeira de grande durabilidade e resistência ao apodrecimento (LONGHI,1995).

MANIERI (1970) caracteriza o cerne desta espécie como de cor pardo-havana-claro, pardo-havan-escuro, ou pardo-acastanhado, com reflexos esverdeados. A superfície da madeira é irregularmente lustrosa, lisa ao tato, possuindo textura media e grã-direita.

Com densidade entre 0,90 e 1,15 grama por centímetro cúbico, a madeira é muito dura (LORENZI, 1992), apresentando grande dificuldade ao serrar.

A madeira possui cheiro e gosto distintos. Segundo LORENZI (1992), o cheiro característico é devido à presença da substância lapachol, ou ipeína.

Usos da Madeira

Sendo pesada, com cerne escuro, adquire grande valor comercial na marcenaria e carpintaria. Também é utilizada para fabricação de dormentes, moirões, pontes, postes, eixos de roda, varais de carroça, moendas de cana, etc.

Produtos Não-Madeireiros

A entrecasca do ipê-amarelo possui propriedades terapêuticas como adstringente, usada no tratamento de garganta e estomatites. É também usada como diurético.

O ipê-amarelo possui flores melíferas e que maduras podem ser utilizadas na alimentação humana.

Outros Usos

É comumente utilizada em paisagismo de parques e jardins pela beleza e porte. Além disso, é muito utilizada na arborização urbana.

Segundo MOREIRA & SOUZA (1987), o ipê-amarelo costuma povoar as beiras dos rios sendo, portanto, indicado para recomposição de matas ciliares. MARTINS (1986), também cita a espécie para recomposição de matas ciliares da Floresta Estacional Semidecidual, abrangendo alguns municípios das regiões Norte, Noroeste e parte do Oeste do Estado do Paraná.

Aspectos Silviculturais

Possui a tendência a crescer reto e sem bifurcações quando plantado em reflorestamento misto, pois é espécie monopodial. A desrrama se faz muito bem e a cicatrização é boa. Sendo assim, dificilmente encopa quando nova, a não ser que seja plantado em parques e jardins.

Ao ser utilizada em arborização urbana, o ipê amarelo requer podas de condução com freqüência mediana.

Espécie heliófila apresenta a pleno sol ramificação cimosa, registrando-se assim dicotomia para gema apical. Deve ser preconizada, para seu melhor aproveitamento madeireiro, podas de formação usuais (INQUE et al., 1983).

Produção de Mudas

A propagação deve realizada através de enxertia.

Os frutos devem ser coletados antes da dispersão, para evitar a perda de sementes. Após a coleta as sementes são postas em ambiente ventilado e a extração é feita manualmente. As sementes do ipê amarelo são ortodoxas, mantendo a viabilidade natural por até 3 meses em sala e por até 9 meses em vidro fechado, em câmara fria.

A condução das mudas deve ser feita a pleno sol. A muda atinge cerca de 30 cm em 9 meses, apresentando tolerância ao sol 3 semanas após a germinação.

Sementes

Os ipês, espécies do gênero Tabebuia, produzem uma grande quantidade de sementes leves, aladas com pequenas reservas, e que perdem a viabilidade em poucos dias após a sua coleta. A sua conservação vem sendo estudada em termos de determinação da condição ideal de armazenamento, e tem demonstrado a importância de se conhecer o comportamento da espécie quando armazenada com diferentes teores de umidade inicial, e a umidade de equilíbrio crítica para a espécie (KANO; MÁRQUEZ & KAGEYAMA, 1978).

As levíssimas sementes aladas da espécie não necessitam de quebra de dormência. Podem apenas ser expostas ao sol por cerca de 6 horas e semeadas diretamente nos saquinhos. A quebra natural leva cerca de 3 meses e a quebra na câmara leva 9 meses. A germinação ocorre após 30 dias e de 80%.

As sementes são ortodoxas e há aproximadamente 87000 sementes em cada quilo.

Preço da Madeira no Mercado

O preço médio do metro cúbico de pranchas de ipê no Estado do Pará cotado em Julho e Agosto de 2005 foi de R$1.200,00 o preço mínimo, R$ 1509,35 o médio e R$ 2.000,00 o preço máximo (CEPEA,2005).

Copyright: © 2013- RV31

All Rights Reserved. Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission.

Ces photos ont été prises dans le cadre de l'initiative "Gestion durable des ressources eau et bois sur le plateau de Thiès". Menée par Solidarité, Union et Coopération (SUCO) et le Groupe de recherche et d’appui aux initiatives mutualistes (GRAIM), cette initiative accompagne les groupements paysans et de femmes dans la mise en place de foyers améliorés et de systèmes de captation d'eau pour assurer respectivement l'utilisation durable du bois de cuisine et la survie des pépinières communautaires. L'initiative s'inscrit dans le projet « Sécurité alimentaire : une agriculture adaptée » (SAGA) coordonné par la FAO et rendu possible grâce à l'appui technique et financier du Ministère des relations internationales et de la Francophonie du gouvernement du Québec. Comme partenaire du projet SAGA, SUCO contribue à améliorer les capacités de planification de l'adaptation de la société civile au niveau local, ainsi qu’à la promotion d'une approche holistique de l'adaptation, en collaborant avec les autres partenaires impliqués, provenant des secteurs gouvernementaux, de la recherche et de la société civile, pour créer des synergies et capitaliser sur les leçons apprises.

©SUCO

 

------------------------------------------

These photos were taken as part of the "Sustainable management of water and wood resources on the Thies plateau in Senegal" initiative. Led by Solidarity, Union and Cooperation (SUCO) and the Research and Support Group for Mutual Initiatives (GRAIM), this initiative assists groups of women and farmers in setting up improved cookstoves and water harvesting systems. This initiative is part of the “Strengthening agricultural adaptation” (SAGA) project coordinated by FAO and made possible thanks to the technical and financial support of the Ministry of International Relations and La Francophonie of the government of Quebec. As partner of the SAGA project, SUCO contributes to improving the adaptation planning capacities of civil society at the local level, as well as the promotion of a holistic approach to adaptation, by collaborating with the other partners coming from government, research and civil society, in order to create synergies and capitalize on lessons learned.

©SUCO

 

Product Name: Inflatable Sport Manufacturers

Product No: GW120

Size: 1.22m Diameter

Pack: 83×84×84 cm (10pcs/bag)

Weight: 49.5kg (10pcs/bag)

Material: 0.9mm PLATO PVC Tarpaulin

Cert: CE, SGS, En14960, En71

Feature: High Durability, High Tear Strength, Fade Proof, Flame Retardant M2/B1, Anti-Mildew Treatment, Excellent UV-Resistance, Cold Weather Resistance, Waterproof, Anti-Static, Heat-Insulation

Contact Site:http://www.pangoinflatable.com/

Not just fit and finish, Pango make a second blower tube and hide it if not use. We make the two tubes on different of the bouncer so that could fit the power location. Looking down the road you will find you need a second inflation tube. We want to make sure clients could use the bouncer convenient.

Stronger Baffles

Baffles that are secured by a 840 denier material that provides the MAXIMUM strength of the internal baffling of every inflatables. This material upgrade is unmatched by anyone else in the industry. This material is key to the overall durability of the products we sell.

D Ring Expose

Take a close look at the construction of the "d" rings in the products we sell. A tether system is only as strong as its weakest link. Tether points on the inflatable are extremely durable. The "d" ring tethering System have been laboratory-tested and certified by Professional Engineers for use on all giant slides and all other types of inflatables.

Vinyl(PVCTarpaulin) Expose

At Pango Inflatable, the only products we sell are constructed from the finest coated vinyl. Unlike other vinyl producers, the Coated Vinyl are Lead-Free in addition to meeting the EN71 test by SGS. Lead-Free vinyl are a standard that has been that way since day one. Exposure to lead is dangerous to children. The products Pango Inflatable sell are safe from the effects of lead. As for durability, the materials are a weft inserted substrate, which makes any possible rips virtually impossible.

No Wax Surfaces

We provide removable sliding surfaces for every slides we made, While other only provide the normal vinyl, Inflatable vinyl is not naturally slippery, therefore, waxing has become a normal preparation for getting a slide ready for use. The removable sliding surface found the on the products we sell is a high polished urethane coating, which in turn reduces the need to wax.

Zipper with Flaps

Unlike others, Pango Inflatable sells products that are easy to use. For example, the deflation zipper utilizes a Velcro flap that covers the zipper, thus, less air is lost and zippers are not exposed to abrasion or mischief.

Blower Tube Strap

While most manufacturers tie their blower inflation tubes to the blower system, however, the products Pango Inflatable sells, utilizes a universal sleeve with a cinching Velcro strap. One- handed operation keeps the tube securely attached to the blower system.

Liquid Laminator

DWe do the Digital Printing in our factory, unlike most factory here in China, they do the printing outside and could not control the delivery time and the quality. igitally printed graphics are one thing, keeping those beautiful images durable as well scratch and fade resistant is quite another. Every digital image used within an inflatable sold by Pango Inflatable is clear-coated with a special liquid laminate that is vulcanized to the vinyl surface.

Finger-Safe Netting

Most bouncer manufacturers use 1" or 2" netting. A child bouncing can easily catch their fingers in that size of netting, thus serious injuries can happen. Only the Pango Inflatable could provide netting that even a small child's finger cannot penetrate. Yet, the netting is still transparent enough to allow for easy viewing.

Removable Covers

Virtually every area that your customers step, slide or climb upon is on a replaceable & easily removable vinyl cover. From climbing stairs, to entrance tunnel sleeves to sliding surfaces, Pango Inflatable only sells products that are designed for high-volume traffic.

Safety Door on Bouncers

Worried about children possibly falling out of a bouncer? Don't be. We got 3 points of reinforcement on the entrance of the bouncer which make the entrance very strong. Also we add the step outside the entrance following the AU and USA standards of jumping castle.

On-Staff Engineering and Designing

We do reinforce stitching at the fixion of D-ring. Four stitching line will share the tension of the bouncer. This made the D-ring last much longer and stronger. Other factory use other design of the fixion, but will not good for the tension sharing. Could find the differnce in the attached photos.

Cushion Designs

We do cushion between the wall and the base. When the kids bounce on the bouncer this parts bear most of the pressure, so this new design will make this parts much more strong and safety, while other factory only stitch to the base.

   

Totally awesome boot for any season! Gently worn, these boots are 100% genuine leather. The sole is a heavy rubber 3" wedged heel - excellent grip and water resistant. This is a high quality, durable knee-high boot. Features a slouch design with fold over at top of boot. Size 8 US, asking $75 or best offer.

I think the actual style name is "Justine"

  

Durable foam construction protects to Nexus 4 and other items and prevents them from rattling and shaking on bumpy commute. Openings to the bottom of both slots let route the device charge cable through, for charging Nexus 4 while in the Cell-Cup.

PRODUCT INFORMATION IN DETAIL

 

Features:

•Fits standard cup holders in your car or home.

•It can hold almost all popular smartphones.

•It has two slots for two smartphones, one for pen and other for small accessory.

•It can be moved from vehicle to vehicle.

•This is a great for small or loose items.

•CommuteMate Cell Cup can be used in cars, boats and RVs.

•This cup has a holes in the bottom provide easy access for charger cords.

Specification:

•Type: CommuteMate Cell Cup.

•Manufacturer: Heininger Automotive.

Price: $6.95

  

Don’t forget to check more Nexus 4 Vehicle Mounts on www.fommy.com/accessories.php?make=Google&model=Googl...

Product Name: Bouncer Houses Combination

Product No: GB485

Size: 6mLx5mWx3mH

Pack: 104x86x86 cm

Weight: 139kg

Material: 0.55mm PLATO PVC Tarpaulin

Cert: CE, SGS, En14960, En71

Feature: High Durability, High Tear Strength, Fade Proof, Flame Retardant M2/B1, Anti-Mildew Treatment, Excellent UV-Resistance, Cold Weather Resistance, Waterproof, Anti-Static, Heat-Insulation

 

Contact Site:http://www.pangoinflatable.com/

Not just fit and finish, Pango make a second blower tube and hide it if not use. We make the two tubes on different of the bouncer so that could fit the power location. Looking down the road you will find you need a second inflation tube. We want to make sure clients could use the bouncer convenient.

Stronger Baffles

Baffles that are secured by a 840 denier material that provides the MAXIMUM strength of the internal baffling of every inflatables. This material upgrade is unmatched by anyone else in the industry. This material is key to the overall durability of the products we sell.

D Ring Expose

Take a close look at the construction of the "d" rings in the products we sell. A tether system is only as strong as its weakest link. Tether points on the inflatable are extremely durable. The "d" ring tethering System have been laboratory-tested and certified by Professional Engineers for use on all giant slides and all other types of inflatables.

Vinyl(PVCTarpaulin) Expose

At Pango Inflatable, the only products we sell are constructed from the finest coated vinyl. Unlike other vinyl producers, the Coated Vinyl are Lead-Free in addition to meeting the EN71 test by SGS. Lead-Free vinyl are a standard that has been that way since day one. Exposure to lead is dangerous to children. The products Pango Inflatable sell are safe from the effects of lead. As for durability, the materials are a weft inserted substrate, which makes any possible rips virtually impossible.

No Wax Surfaces

We provide removable sliding surfaces for every slides we made, While other only provide the normal vinyl, Inflatable vinyl is not naturally slippery, therefore, waxing has become a normal preparation for getting a slide ready for use. The removable sliding surface found the on the products we sell is a high polished urethane coating, which in turn reduces the need to wax.

Zipper with Flaps

Unlike others, Pango Inflatable sells products that are easy to use. For example, the deflation zipper utilizes a Velcro flap that covers the zipper, thus, less air is lost and zippers are not exposed to abrasion or mischief.

Blower Tube Strap

While most manufacturers tie their blower inflation tubes to the blower system, however, the products Pango Inflatable sells, utilizes a universal sleeve with a cinching Velcro strap. One- handed operation keeps the tube securely attached to the blower system.

Liquid Laminator

DWe do the Digital Printing in our factory, unlike most factory here in China, they do the printing outside and could not control the delivery time and the quality. igitally printed graphics are one thing, keeping those beautiful images durable as well scratch and fade resistant is quite another. Every digital image used within an inflatable sold by Pango Inflatable is clear-coated with a special liquid laminate that is vulcanized to the vinyl surface.

Finger-Safe Netting

Most bouncer manufacturers use 1" or 2" netting. A child bouncing can easily catch their fingers in that size of netting, thus serious injuries can happen. Only the Pango Inflatable could provide netting that even a small child's finger cannot penetrate. Yet, the netting is still transparent enough to allow for easy viewing.

Removable Covers

Virtually every area that your customers step, slide or climb upon is on a replaceable & easily removable vinyl cover. From climbing stairs, to entrance tunnel sleeves to sliding surfaces, Pango Inflatable only sells products that are designed for high-volume traffic.

Safety Door on Bouncers

Worried about children possibly falling out of a bouncer? Don't be. We got 3 points of reinforcement on the entrance of the bouncer which make the entrance very strong. Also we add the step outside the entrance following the AU and USA standards of jumping castle.

On-Staff Engineering and Designing

We do reinforce stitching at the fixion of D-ring. Four stitching line will share the tension of the bouncer. This made the D-ring last much longer and stronger. Other factory use other design of the fixion, but will not good for the tension sharing. Could find the differnce in the attached photos.

Cushion Designs

We do cushion between the wall and the base. When the kids bounce on the bouncer this parts bear most of the pressure, so this new design will make this parts much more strong and safety, while other factory only stitch to the base.

 

Product Name: Durable Inflatable Pool

Product No: GP051

Size: Φ6m×1mH

Pack: 0.8m×0.8m×1.4m

Weight: 80kg

Material: PVC Tarpaulin

Cert: CE,EN14960,EN71

Feature: High Durability, High Tear Strength, Fade Proof, Flame Retardant M2/B1, Anti-Mildew Treatment, Excellent UV-Resistance, Cold Weather Resistance, Waterproof, Anti-Static, Heat-Insulation, Blackout, Shrink- Resistant, Fluorescent, Other.

 

Not just fit and finish, Pango make a second blower tube and hide it if not use. We make the two tubes on different of the bouncer so that could fit the power location. Looking down the road you will find you need a second inflation tube. We want to make sure clients could use the bouncer convenient.

Stronger Baffles

Baffles that are secured by a 840 denier material that provides the MAXIMUM strength of the internal baffling of every inflatables. This material upgrade is unmatched by anyone else in the industry. This material is key to the overall durability of the products we sell.

D Ring Expose

Take a close look at the construction of the "d" rings in the products we sell. A tether system is only as strong as its weakest link. Tether points on the inflatable are extremely durable. The "d" ring tethering System have been laboratory-tested and certified by Professional Engineers for use on all giant slides and all other types of inflatables.

Vinyl(PVCTarpaulin) Expose

At Pango Inflatable, the only products we sell are constructed from the finest coated vinyl. Unlike other vinyl producers, the Coated Vinyl are Lead-Free in addition to meeting the EN71 test by SGS. Lead-Free vinyl are a standard that has been that way since day one. Exposure to lead is dangerous to children. The products Pango Inflatable sell are safe from the effects of lead. As for durability, the materials are a weft inserted substrate, which makes any possible rips virtually impossible.

No Wax Surfaces

We provide removable sliding surfaces for every slides we made, While other only provide the normal vinyl, Inflatable vinyl is not naturally slippery, therefore, waxing has become a normal preparation for getting a slide ready for use. The removable sliding surface found the on the products we sell is a high polished urethane coating, which in turn reduces the need to wax.

Zipper with Flaps

Unlike others, Pango Inflatable sells products that are easy to use. For example, the deflation zipper utilizes a Velcro flap that covers the zipper, thus, less air is lost and zippers are not exposed to abrasion or mischief.

Blower Tube Strap

While most manufacturers tie their blower inflation tubes to the blower system, however, the products Pango Inflatable sells, utilizes a universal sleeve with a cinching Velcro strap. One- handed operation keeps the tube securely attached to the blower system.

Liquid Laminator

DWe do the Digital Printing in our factory, unlike most factory here in China, they do the printing outside and could not control the delivery time and the quality. igitally printed graphics are one thing, keeping those beautiful images durable as well scratch and fade resistant is quite another. Every digital image used within an inflatable sold by Pango Inflatable is clear-coated with a special liquid laminate that is vulcanized to the vinyl surface.

Finger-Safe Netting

Most bouncer manufacturers use 1" or 2" netting. A child bouncing can easily catch their fingers in that size of netting, thus serious injuries can happen. Only the Pango Inflatable could provide netting that even a small child's finger cannot penetrate. Yet, the netting is still transparent enough to allow for easy viewing.

Removable Covers

Virtually every area that your customers step, slide or climb upon is on a replaceable & easily removable vinyl cover. From climbing stairs, to entrance tunnel sleeves to sliding surfaces, Pango Inflatable only sells products that are designed for high-volume traffic.

Safety Door on Bouncers

Worried about children possibly falling out of a bouncer? Don't be. We got 3 points of reinforcement on the entrance of the bouncer which make the entrance very strong. Also we add the step outside the entrance following the AU and USA standards of jumping castle.

On-Staff Engineering and Designing

We do reinforce stitching at the fixion of D-ring. Four stitching line will share the tension of the bouncer. This made the D-ring last much longer and stronger. Other factory use other design of the fixion, but will not good for the tension sharing. Could find the differnce in the attached photos.

Cushion Designs

We do cushion between the wall and the base. When the kids bounce on the bouncer this parts bear most of the pressure, so this new design will make this parts much more strong and safety, while other factory only stitch to the base.

Contact Site:http://www.pangoinflatable.com/

 

Plastic Lockers build from strong and durable UV stabilized ABS suitable for extreme hot weather, Cold weather, Hurricane and Blizzard proof. High-impact resistance, vandal proof, average service life in extreme weather conditions is 15 to 20 years.

 

A worry-free storage locker solution.

 

45 large storage lockers that fit a backpack, helmet, etc, include advanced features that can be customized to create the right storage locker solution for your facility. Lockers from Beach-Lockers.com are perfect for Hotel & Resorts Lockers for the Hospitality Industry, Amusement parks, theme parks, indoor and outdoor water parks, ski resorts, beach resorts, beaches, zoos and other attractions.

 

Product Name: Blue Camping Tent

Product No: GN073

Size: 20mLx10mWx6mH

Material: 0.6mm PLATO PVC Tarpaulin

Cert: CE, SGS, En14960, En71

Feature: High Durability, High Tear Strength, Fade Proof, Flame Retardant M2/B1, Anti-Mildew Treatment, Excellent UV-Resistance, Cold Weather Resistance, Waterproof, Anti-Static, Heat-Insulation

 

Contact Site:http://www.pangoinflatable.com/

Not just fit and finish, Pango make a second blower tube and hide it if not use. We make the two tubes on different of the bouncer so that could fit the power location. Looking down the road you will find you need a second inflation tube. We want to make sure clients could use the bouncer convenient.

Stronger Baffles

Baffles that are secured by a 840 denier material that provides the MAXIMUM strength of the internal baffling of every inflatables. This material upgrade is unmatched by anyone else in the industry. This material is key to the overall durability of the products we sell.

D Ring Expose

Take a close look at the construction of the "d" rings in the products we sell. A tether system is only as strong as its weakest link. Tether points on the inflatable are extremely durable. The "d" ring tethering System have been laboratory-tested and certified by Professional Engineers for use on all giant slides and all other types of inflatables.

Vinyl(PVCTarpaulin) Expose

At Pango Inflatable, the only products we sell are constructed from the finest coated vinyl. Unlike other vinyl producers, the Coated Vinyl are Lead-Free in addition to meeting the EN71 test by SGS. Lead-Free vinyl are a standard that has been that way since day one. Exposure to lead is dangerous to children. The products Pango Inflatable sell are safe from the effects of lead. As for durability, the materials are a weft inserted substrate, which makes any possible rips virtually impossible.

No Wax Surfaces

We provide removable sliding surfaces for every slides we made, While other only provide the normal vinyl, Inflatable vinyl is not naturally slippery, therefore, waxing has become a normal preparation for getting a slide ready for use. The removable sliding surface found the on the products we sell is a high polished urethane coating, which in turn reduces the need to wax.

Zipper with Flaps

Unlike others, Pango Inflatable sells products that are easy to use. For example, the deflation zipper utilizes a Velcro flap that covers the zipper, thus, less air is lost and zippers are not exposed to abrasion or mischief.

Blower Tube Strap

While most manufacturers tie their blower inflation tubes to the blower system, however, the products Pango Inflatable sells, utilizes a universal sleeve with a cinching Velcro strap. One- handed operation keeps the tube securely attached to the blower system.

Liquid Laminator

DWe do the Digital Printing in our factory, unlike most factory here in China, they do the printing outside and could not control the delivery time and the quality. igitally printed graphics are one thing, keeping those beautiful images durable as well scratch and fade resistant is quite another. Every digital image used within an inflatable sold by Pango Inflatable is clear-coated with a special liquid laminate that is vulcanized to the vinyl surface.

Finger-Safe Netting

Most bouncer manufacturers use 1" or 2" netting. A child bouncing can easily catch their fingers in that size of netting, thus serious injuries can happen. Only the Pango Inflatable could provide netting that even a small child's finger cannot penetrate. Yet, the netting is still transparent enough to allow for easy viewing.

Removable Covers

Virtually every area that your customers step, slide or climb upon is on a replaceable & easily removable vinyl cover. From climbing stairs, to entrance tunnel sleeves to sliding surfaces, Pango Inflatable only sells products that are designed for high-volume traffic.

Safety Door on Bouncers

Worried about children possibly falling out of a bouncer? Don't be. We got 3 points of reinforcement on the entrance of the bouncer which make the entrance very strong. Also we add the step outside the entrance following the AU and USA standards of jumping castle.

On-Staff Engineering and Designing

We do reinforce stitching at the fixion of D-ring. Four stitching line will share the tension of the bouncer. This made the D-ring last much longer and stronger. Other factory use other design of the fixion, but will not good for the tension sharing. Could find the differnce in the attached photos.

Cushion Designs

We do cushion between the wall and the base. When the kids bounce on the bouncer this parts bear most of the pressure, so this new design will make this parts much more strong and safety, while other factory only stitch to the base.

 

From the May 2016 trip to Thailand and Cambodia:

 

Angkor Wat…is the “grandest and most sublime” of all of the Khmer temples. It means ‘city pagoda.’ It was built during the reign of King Suryavarman II in the first half of the 12th century. It was both the capital and the State temple dedicated to Vishnu.

 

Well, this is it. Save for a return flight to Bangkok on Tuesday, May 17 (a formality, really, just to pick up the return flight to China on the 18th…and no shoots on the 17th in Bangkok), Siem Reap/Angkor Wat is the last stop – and the one I was most looking forward to.

 

The flight over was pretty uneventful, though amusing. At Phnom Penh International Airport, we checked in at the gate, then went outside and hopped on a bus to take us to the plane…which was literally less than 100 meters away. That amused me to no end. A quick, comfortable 45 minute flight on the prop jet later – over completely black terrain; it seems the countryside is either sparsely populated, or electricity is a premium, but we may as well have been flying over a moonless ocean – brought us to Siem Reap (which, I’m glad to say, had lights). Siem Reap is the small town (and it’s basically a tourist/party kind of town where it’s great to go out at night after spending a full day in the sweltering hot sun. It’s about 10 kilometers south of Angkor Wat.

 

In overview, Angkor Wat is the ancient capital of the Khmer kingdom. What remains today are temples…temples…and temples. Hindu temples. Buddhist temples. They were also a people who were animists, so some temples are reminiscent of that system, too.

 

The detail of the temples is also fascinating. There are more asparas here than you can shake a stick at. Of the roughly 20,000 asparas, only one is shown smiling (baring teeth, that is). It fascinates – and impresses – me that people have done such extensive research and restoration that they know this. Those are the details, though.

 

A macro view of the Siem Reap area is just as impressive in that these temples are a study of a civilization close to one thousand years old (yet another jaw-dropping aspect of Angkor: the longevity) and their durability. The earliest temples are over a thousand years old, and the most recent are from the 14th century. (If the guide book I bought is correct, they were all built between 790-1307.) What survives today is all original (though there have been reinforcements with stone – many foreign countries support renovations of specific temples; I recall China and India among them). It’s quite obvious to tell what’s old and what’s new in most cases. However, the restorations are all good and necessary. One last note regarding the longevity of these temples is this: If these stone temples are what remained…how impressive must the society have been who created them? (That’s to say…think of the temples, houses, and all that didn’t survive as they were built of wood; these are simply the temples built by the royals or the aristocracy.)

 

A tour of modern-day Angkor Wat can be done in one or two fairly vigorous days. However, if you’re looking for any classic shots, you’ll want to spend longer here. (Common sense: the more time here, the more chances for good shots.) For this trip – it may be the only time I come here, though you never know – we arrived on a Saturday night and checked into our hotel (My Home Tropical Garden Villa; $20/night)

 

Siem Reap feels, at first, like a small dusty outpost of a town. The center of town is about four square blocks of small dive restaurants (and a bar street) and slightly pricier restaurants. There is also a night market street, an art street…all in all, it’s quite nice and has a bit of a party feel to it in addition to the endless souvenir stands you would expect. Though we didn’t go out on Saturday night (since we didn’t get checked in until around 9:30 p.m.), we did get a chance to go on Sunday.

 

Sunday morning was an awfully early start. Before having left Phnom Penh, I jumped on Facebook and, by chance, found and hired a local tuktuk driver, Mao Khvan, for $25/day. He agreed to pick us up at 4:50 a.m. to catch the sunrise at Angkor Wat.

 

Now, a quick note on tuktuks: almost every single hotel/hostel/guesthouse probably has tuktuks available for hire. Also, when we were picked up at the airport, the taxi driver offered to drive us for the time we were there. In short…it’s a competitive market, and finding a driver for the day will be no problem. $25 may even be slightly pricy (you could probably find a driver for $15-20), however, I was so impressed with Mao’s service that, if I were to return, I’d gladly hire him again. He wasn’t rude or pushy, provides all the ice water you could possibly want to drink, and though he’s not an “official” guide, he’s very, very knowledgeable and made both days pleasant. I even had him take us to the airport the morning we left, and he brought his wife and daughter to meet us. He’s just a genuinely good and decent guy. (For anyone who goes to Angkor Wat, here’s Mao’s contact info if you want to arrange his services ahead of time: www.facebook.com/maotuktuksiemreap/?fref=ts )

 

Back to the actual touring itself, Angkor is geared towards tourism and they do it well. You can buy an admission ticket for either one, three, or seven days. ($20, $40, or…$60?). It’s also nice because they don’t have to be used in consecutive days (for the three and seven day passes, obviously). The three days can be used in a given week. The seven day pass, within a month.

 

Conventionally, two days is enough to see the “main” sites (albeit quickly) in about 8 hours each day. There’s a small loop (which we did the first morning) in which we caught the sunrise (not a great one, but…there was one, and it wasn’t terrible, by any stretch) at Angkor Wat, followed by a quick tour of the grounds – but not the temple itself. Afterwards (we were at Angkor Wat from 5:30 until 7:00 or 8:00, I’d say), we hopped back in the tuktuk and headed over to Ta Prohm, about 15-20 minutes away. Ta Prohm is famous for those who are fans of the Lara Croft Tomb Raider movies. (The first, I think. I’m not, so I don’t recall it vividly.) After those two spots – probably two of the three most famous – we went to the Khmer Country Kitchen for a rather nice, relaxing, and cheap breakfast where we spent an hour with the other two members of our group. Around 10:00, we went to our third stop: Ta Keo Temple. In 40 degree heat (roughly 104F), I was feeling a bit too exhausted to climb the somewhat steep stairs to the top of this temple, but I did enjoy the lower area just as well. From Ta Keo, we made a quick stop at two temples (they form a pair): Thommanon and Chau Say Tevoda for about 20 minutes. Between these three, I’d say we spent about an hour. Our last stop of the morning, around high noon, was the Bayon complex of Angkor Thom. Passing through Bayon’s east gate, we stopped for a few quick pictures before going to the main compound of Bayon, which I would say is the the last of the three most-recognizable places here. We spent a good hour, or a little longer, shooting here after which point we were completely spent. Mao would have gladly taken us back to Angkor for sunset, but we actually decided to call it a day around 1:00. 9 hours in high heat was more than enough.

 

Back at the hotel, we rested, and I enjoyed myself immensely in the swimming pool. In the early evening, we walked about 600 meters to the “happening” part of town where we wandered the various streets and had a rather nice Khmer dinner. After eating and walking off a rather good dinner, we called it a night and headed back to our room. (For what it’s worth, the afternoon sky clouded over quite a bit and I heard we didn’t miss much as far as sunsets go. Mao also told us the following morning that the sunrise was a wash, as was Tuesday morning’s. Perhaps he was just trying to make us feel good.)

 

Monday morning we gladly skipped the sunrise and had a late start around…10:00. After a good old-fashioned breakfast of a ham & cheese omelet, Mao came by and we spent the second full day on the large loop. The first stop of the day was at Ba Phuon, a lesser temple just north of Bayon in Angkhor Thom. This was accompanied by quick stops at the adjacent Elephant Terrace and Leper King Terrace. After about an hour in the Ba Phuon area, we rode off to the northeast and stopped at Preah Khan, which was a rather interesting ruins. Another hour or so gone, we continued along the northeastern loop, bypassing Neak Pean (which, following English pronunciation rules, could theoretically be pronounced “neck pain,” which amused me for some reason…). The next stop was a rather small temple named Ta Som on the eastern end of the outer loop. Just down the road from Ta Som, we stopped at the East Mebon temple. When it was constructed, this was an island, only accessible by boat. That, however, was centuries ago. Now, it’s just a very dry, dusty area – with the temple still standing – and it’s hard to imagine it was once surrounded by water. At any rate, it was a quick stop at East Mebon, followed by another nice meal at the Khmer Country Kitchen before we continued with the tour. The next stop on the list was due east of the restaurant (southeast corner of the outer loop, which is really slightly northeast of Angkor Wat). Pre Rup (or Bre Rup) was a fairly photogenic temple. By this point, the heat – also around 40 degrees, just like Sunday – was starting to take a toll, though we still managed to stay out and see all we could. The last “new” temple for us was Banteay Kdei, a citadel that is at the corner of where the inner and outer loop meet on the eastern side of Angkor Wat. Directly across the street from Bnateay Kdei is what should be a nice lake called Sra Srang. A long, rectangular lake, which is also across the street from the Khmer Country Kitchen, it’s now nothing but a dustbowl. Though it’s rainy season now, there’s been so little rain that the lake has completely dried up. (But, please don’t tell any “right”-thinking politicians in my country that global warming is a problem. It certainly isn’t, despite what your eyes see.) After some rather sad contemplation at Sra Srang, we went back to Angkor Wat around 4:00 and were there until 6:30 or so for sundown. However, a boomer of a thunderstorm (light rain, but heavy on thunder & lightning) came through and there wasn’t much to see. However, we did finally get to tour the interior of Angkor Wat, and found that a pretty fitting way to end the initial Siem Reap shoot. From there, we went back to the hotel where we passed out from exhaustion.

 

The only thing left to do was wake up on Tuesday for a quick 45 minute flight at noon to Bangkok. We concluded the trip as we started it: eating well at a Thai restaurant. Other than that, we just had a quiet night in Bangkok (no shooting at all) and a very early (3:30 a.m.) wake up call for our return flights out of Thailand. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing Thailand again soon.

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