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For once I hope I've got it right as I've put my skates on and changed to a new fixed tariff on my energy prices. It's a bit of a no brainer as it puts me £100 up just as it is and of course it looks like prices are going to rocket thanks to Mr. Trump. The only snag I might have is there is a early get out charge of £50 on y existing account but as I'm staying with EON I expect it will be waived. I really feel the cold thee days but if I'm saving some money why not put the heating on and have a fling.
With the expected arrival of a fleet of new Wrightbus electric buses for Oxford Bus Company in 2023/4, here are some photos of the fleet before the electric invasion begins!
All photos were taken in Oxford during 2023.
The July 2018 Wrightbus Streetlite WF with Factory Built bodywork snapped in the Coastlands carpark in Paraparaumu on Tuesday, 24 July 2018.
Operator - Uzabus
Depot - Kapiti
Fleet Number - 9010
Registration – LMQ674 (first NZ rego 10 July 2018)
Chassis Type - Wrightbus Streetlite WF
Chassis No. - SA9DSRXXN18141010
Body Manufacturer - Wrightbus
Body Date - 2018
Seating Codes - B29DW
Livery - Metlink
A REVIEW OF WRIGHTBUS FROM AUSTRALASIAN BUS AND COACH
By Paul Aldridge
Wrightbus may not be a brand on everybody’s lips in Australasia just yet, but with its innovative and tidy-looking StreetLite midibus packing a big micro-hybrid punch it soon just might be. We took one for quick spin and came away well impressed. Visually the Streetlite is distinctive from front to back.
It takes a few moments to fathom what great exports Northern Ireland has produced, but once the penny drops it’s a quality list of who’s who. There’s F1 ace Eddie ‘Irv the Swerve’ Irvine; pro golfer Rory McIlroy – who once formed a sporting power couple with tennis star Caroline Wozniacki; and who could forget the legendary Manchester United footballing icon George Best – who famously quipped, "I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars – the rest I just squandered."
With reputations for doing things that stand out like that, it’s no doubt Northern Ireland’s Wrightbus has high expectations to meet. And it does so with oodles of class and style.
In terms of buses, Wrightbus is best known for that updated version of the London Routemaster double-deck – or so-called ‘Boris Bus’ – but with units like its micro-hybrid Streetlite midibus on the market here now it’s well placed to make its equally indelible mark.
Recently, we were handed the keys to test drive a Streetlite WF 8.8m (Wheel Forward) and good impressions were instant. Visually the Streetlite is distinctive. The large, round-based front window goes extremely low. This definitely is a positive for driver visibility and gives the bus a modern, open appearance that makes this bus easily recognisable as a Wrightbus.
The internals echo the front round window shape with a curved roofline and rear window.
Overall internally, the curved roofline gives the appearance of more headroom and tall occupants should feel right at home here.
The Streetlite 8.8m as tested had a seating capacity of 33 and a maximum standing capacity of 39 passengers and is a wheel-forward model. What’s that, you may ask?
This allows for a flatter floor area that offers more flexibility with seating options. This option is great particularly in the smaller buses, as passenger capacity and comfort can be maximised.
One safety feature that we hadn’t seen before was the emergency exit door placed halfway back on the driver’s side. This could be used for front or side collisions if they impacted on the normal exits, or if quick evacuation of passengers was needed. It’s a feature you’d hope to never use, but would certainly be welcomed in emergency situations.
A comfort feature that was impressive is the padded backrest that is placed for use by wheelchair users. The area has a safety bar that can be placed in securely by the driver for extra protection and passenger stability. This padded backrest would be both a good comfort feature, as the back of the chair is placed against it. It would give passengers somewhere to rest their head and this would give extra protection in case of collision or harsh braking. Often wheelchair provisions are adequate and safe, but comfort isn’t a consideration.
LOOKS TO THRILL
Externally, the placement of the headlamps outside the impact zone, the one-piece bumper and top-mount wipers are all design features part of the Wrightbus ethos to achieve low lifetime operational costs. Nice one!
Driver daily checks are made simpler with the addition of service accessibility doors while the fuel tank access is height improved with a raised, simple-to-reach access point. Drivers that fuel up will understand why this feature is beneficial for what can often be an uncomfortable job. The driver’s area is what you would expect from a route bus – basic but comfortable and spacious enough for long legs.
We got the chance to have a substantial drive through suburban areas, just as this bus would be expected to do on routes.
The Daimler OM906LA Euro 6 engine is quite powerful for a four-cylinder at 208hp. Although unloaded, uphill there was plenty of torque and it was quiet zippy, so you could feel that the capacity was certainly there to have plenty of power when fully loaded. The Voith gearbox changes were seamless and smooth, no complaints here. Suburban Melbourne has many narrow laneways and so maneuvering was easy, the Streetlite certainly passing the suburban driving test with aplomb.
Overall, the Streetlite was definitely as expected and does not disappoint.
LOCAL INPUT?
While we do like to see Australian-made components or features on a bus or coach and local knowledge and craftsmanship utilised, this British-built bus certainly is impressive by what it brings to our industry. When you drive some buses or coaches it is what you see that is impressive, but with the Streetlite the small details behind the economy of this vehicle show that Wrightbus thinks way beyond just the visual. Yes, it is an every-day route bus, it’s not built to be luxurious and impressive, but the impact of features to lifetime running costs and economy would certainly help operators looking at a vehicle in this class make a smart financial long-term choice.
WHO BRINGS IT IN?
Patico Automotive was founded in 2006. Originally named Irizar Oceania, it was founded with the distribution rights for its very first imported product, the luxury Spanish coach brand made in Brazil called Irizar.
Managing director of Patico Automotive Tony Fairweather said: "We introduced the first of these coaches in 2008 and from that initial product we have grown the business into a range of other luxury and niche-type bus products. When we started to take on other brands we had the name change to Patico."
Part of Patico’s philosophy is to represent high-quality, proven products that can be aimed at a mid-market price point. Fairweather said, "Our intention is to be able to introduce products to the Australian market that bring advanced safety features, total cost of ownership-type models. We like to bring styling and options not available on other Australian buses to the market; we are a niche importer and distributer – we like to offer a point of difference to operators."
GETTING IT WRIGHT
Wrightbus, explains Fairweather, is primarily a UK company founded in Northern Ireland by Robert Wright in 1946. It’s a 100 per cent family-owned business with a very unique culture for a business of its size. Initially locally produced, it now has major manufacturing facilities in south-east Asia, so it is building lots of double-deckers for Hong Kong and Singapore.
Eventually it will supply product out of its Malaysian facility to Australia and New Zealand, though it still has a big plant in Ireland.
"As well as their product being progressive and market leading, they are a very ethical and moral company. They invest a lot back into the local communities; uniquely they have a church on site, which is their church and one of the Wrights is the minister of the church – a very unique business for modern times and they aren’t just in business to make money. They want to make a difference to the world through their products and profits.
"We focus on the specific criteria of safety features and total cost of ownership. For the Wrightbus products, they are world leaders in this category.
"The UK manufacturers in both route bus and city bus arguably are, too – they all make integrated CBU products that focus on lowering costs of manufacturing and have low operational costs for the life of vehicle. So the total cost of ownership, life of products, cost for the UK models are – arguably on a per passenger transfer basis – significantly cheaper than the standard models used in Australia," Fairweather explained.
"What these products offer operators is size flexibility. The CBU products (Completely Built Up) mean you can build at eight-, nine-, or 10-metre and … can adapt your fleet to suit your route requirements opposed to a ‘one product fits all’.
"To use an analogy, you don’t see Qantas running 747s between Sydney to Melbourne, they have smaller, more-economical planes to do these routes. Arguably, operators globally need that flexibility in terms of fleet, and UK manufacturers offer that flexibility," he continued.
TECHNOLOGY VERSUS COSTS
Fairweather explains why Wrightbus fills the price gap for operators while current technologies are developing.
"In particular they have a proprietary driveline technology that is extremely unique. They have recognised that electrics and hydrogen, of which they do produce technologies, are still currently expensive and when you look at the total cost of ownership model they have developed micro-hybrid technology, which is still using the highly efficient diesel engine (Euro 6 Daimler).
"They have taken it to a form of electrification, which is not a battery-style electrification; it is an ancillary electrification, which means that by fitting extra alternators the electricity is being generated by the diesel engine."
He continued: "They have also electrified key components that are typically operated off the diesel engine – to me one of the most impressive examples is the power-steering pump. In a rear-engines bus, like we are driving today, you fundamentally have the power steering being powered from down the back by the diesel engine and the hydraulics having to run all that distance and back again.
"On a typical diesel engine it’s using diesel fuel to run the engine to be able to run the hydraulics, where as in the case of an electrification process the power steering is actually electrified and operated [from] the alternator and only being used when power steering is needed when you turn a corner.
"Subsequently, it’s using a lot less energy – in this case of the diesel engine, diesel fuel for operation."
"Wrightbus are getting with their proprietary micro-hybrid technology an extra 18 per cent fuel efficiency over the standard diesel engine," Fairweather said.
"Another benefit is it’s not substantially more expensive to fit this technology in comparison to a full hybrid.
"In terms of total cost of ownership of a bus, at the moment the micro hybrid is world class. It’s cheaper than electric. We do have electric trucks and I believe that electric is the future in buses, but it is still a few years away for the economics of it to stack up. That’s why we have chosen Wrightbus," said Fairweather.
This makes understandable financial sense, as with all new technologies they often are not initially cost effective, but time and volume of sales usually change that.
GREEN MACHINE
When he was asked about the green technologies being used by Wrightbus, Fairweather explained: "Of all the manufacturers in green technologies, they [Wrightbus] have options in everything, and I mean everything. They have two different types of hybrid – parallel and series, they have electric and hydrogen options – alternative fuels are their thing! But they and the operators keep coming back to the micro hybrid at the moment for lifetime costs of ownership, it’s what stacks up. They are developing all these other technologies and as they transition – and it will, 100 per cent electric will become viable – they have it ready, proven and tested.
"They have a big order going into Scotland at the moment for electrics, but they are fully government subsidised so financially they stack up."
This interim technology is adopted because the Streetlite model we are test driving would currently be close to double the purchase cost if fully electric.
PREMISES AND SUPPORT
"For smaller volume orders they are fully built in Northern Ireland, but for larger orders they will be fulfilled by the Malaysian facilities.
"All Australian orders are currently from Ireland. Malaysia is their other primary manufacturing facility and in future this will have the added cost savings of duty-free arrangements we have here with Malaysia," Fairweather explained.
"Ordering time is four-five months from initial order – that can be from one to 30, even up to 50 units all have the same order time".
Asked whether the Streetlite had any Australian made componentry or features he said, "It comes fundamentally ready to roll, just small components like CCTV cameras can be added, but Wrightbus do offer many variations and optional extras so they come ready to operate.
"The intention with Wrightbus is to deploy in volume. Where we deploy volume we will have mobile technicians established. We have this same commitment in New Zealand; there currently are 14 going into Wellington and we will have a mobile technician there. We have one in Auckland as well," said Fairweather.
Specs:
DISTRIBUTOR: Patico Automotive
MAKE: Wrightbus
MODEL: Streetlite WF 8.8m
ENGINE: Daimler four-cylinder OM934 Euro 6
POWER: 208hp/155kW
TRANSMISSION: Voith 824.6 four-speed fully automatic
Really wasn't expecting to see this in Dover today!, and I know I said yesterday that I hated the sun, (and I still do!), but if and when the sun is prepared to work With Me and not against Me, I am prepared to make an exception, and a Thank You to this vehicle's driver for actually parking in this spot and showing the rest of them how its done! LOL!
And be sure to check by my other acount: www.flickr.com/photos_user.gne?path=&nsid=77145939%40..., to see what else I saw Very Recently!!
Unused. Photogr. Otto Schmiedel, Leipzig.
One might expect these fellows to be Saxons, I was thinking Kgl. Sächs. 7. Feld-Artillerie-Regiment Nr.77 who were garrisoned in Leipzig, but upon examination of their shoulder-straps, I can make out the flaming bomb / 24 insignia of the Holsteinisches Feld-Artillerie-Regiment Nr.24. They might have stopped at Leipzig to take on more coal and water after their 300km journey south from Neustrelitz.
Several of the men are armed with C96 semi-automatic pistols, complete with their wooden stock / holsters.
Text and original picture : ✠ drakegoodman ✠
© yohanes.budiyanto, 2014
PRELUDE
The 1st of August, 2014 was such an historic day as the world finally welcomed the birth of the first in line to the Parisian throne after a painstaking and extraordinary "labor" process that took four years in creation, and almost a decade in the making. I was not talking about a French rival to baby George, but instead a newborn that has sent shivers down the spines of Paris' oldest and current Kings and Grand Dames from the day it was conceived. Yes, I was referring to The Peninsula Paris, the youngest sister to the legendary Peninsula Hong Kong (circa 1928).
Ever since the project was announced to the public four years ago, it has been on my top list of the most eagerly awaited hotel openings of the decade. So when the hotel announced 1st of August as an opening date back in March, I immediately issued my First Class return tickets to the City of Light, risking the usual opening delay. A man of his word, Peninsula Paris finally opened as scheduled.
HISTORY
The Peninsula brand needs no introduction, as it is synonymous with quality, technology, innovation, craftsmanship and sophistication, -much like a slogan for French top brands and their savoir faire. Despite having only 10 current properties worldwide in its portfolio (Paris is its tenth), each Peninsula hotel is a market leader in each respective cities, and consistently tops the chart in many bonafide travel publications and reigns supreme as the world's best, especially elder sisters in Hong Kong and Bangkok. The Peninsula model is different from other rival hotel groups, which usually expand aggressively through both franchise and managed models worldwide. Instead, the Peninsula focuses on acquiring majority to sole ownership on all its properties to ensure control on quality (Hong Kong, New York, Chicago and Tokyo are 100% owned; Bangkok, Beijing and Manila are over 75%; Shanghai is 50%, while Beverly Hills and Paris are the only two with only 20% ownership).
The history of the Peninsula Paris could be traced back to a modest villa aptly called Hotel Basilevski on the plot of land at 19 Avenue Kleber back in 1864, -named after its Russian diplomat owner, Alexander Petrovich Basilevski, which caught the attention of hotelier Leonard Tauber for his prospective hotel project. The Versailles-styled property was partly a museum housing Basilevski's vast and impressive collection of 19th century medieval and Renaissance art, which eventually was acquired by Alexander III, -a Russian Tsar, at the sums of six millions francs. These collections were later transported to the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, and formed the base collection for the newly established Department of Medieval and Renaissance Art. After Basilevski sold the villa and moved to a more palatial residence at Avenue du Trocadero, the property was then acquired and rebranded the Palais de Castille as the residence of the exiled Queen Isabella II of Spain in 1868, who seeked refuge and continued to live there until 1904. Upon her death, the property was later demolished in 1906 to make way for the Majestic hotel, which finally opened in 1908 with much satisfaction of Leonard Tauber, who has eyed the premise from the very beginning.
The Majestic Hotel was exquisitely designed in the Beaux-Art style as a grand hotel by prominent architect of that time, Armand Sibien. Together with The Ritz (circa 1898), the two became the most preferred places to stay and entertain in Paris of the time. The Majestic has attracted the well-heeled crowd, and hosted many high profile events, most notably for a particular dinner hosted by rich British couple Sydney and Violet Schiff on 18 May 1922 as the after party of Igor Stravinsky's 'Le Renard' ballet premiere, and the hotel becomes an instant legend. The guests list were impressive: Igor Stravinsky himself, Pablo Picasso, Sergei Diaghilev, and two of the 20th century most legendary writers: James Joyce and Marcel Proust, who met for the first and only time before Proust's death six months later. Since then, the Majestic continued to draw high profile guests, including George Gershwin on 25 March 1928, where he composed "An American in Paris" during the stay.
If the walls could talk, the Majestic has plenty of stories to tell. It was once converted into a hospital during the infamy in 1914, and the British took residency at the hotel during the Paris Peace Conference back in 1919. The hotel was then acquired by the French State in 1936 as the offices of the Ministry of Defence; and later had a stint as the German Military High Command in France between October 1940 to July 1944 during the World War II. Post war, it then became the temporary home for UNESCO from 16 September 1946 until 1958. More than a decade after, the Paris Peace talks was opened by Henry Kissinger in one of its spectacular Ballrooms in 1969 with the Northern Vietnamese. Four years later, the Paris Peace Accord was finally signed at the oak paneled-room next to the Ballroom on 27 January 1973, which ended the Vietnam War. This triumphant event has also led to another victorious event when Henry Kissinger won the Nobel Peace Prize that same year.
The hotel continued to serve as the International Conference Center of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs until it was up for sale by the government in 2008 as part of the cost cutting program to the Qatari Diar, -which later transferred its ownership to Katara Hospitality, for a staggering USD 460 million. An excess of USD 600 million was further spent on the massive rebuilding and refurbishment not only to restore the hotel to its former glory, but also to transform it into a Peninsula with the highest standard.
The epic restoration work was led by prominent French architect, Richard Martinet, who has also previously work with the restoration of Prince Roland Bonaparte's former mansion into the Shangri-La Paris and also the Four Seasons George V; and involved teams of France's leading craftsmen; heritage designers and organisations; stonemasons from historic monument specialist; master glass crafters; crystal manufacturer; wood, moulding and gilder restoration experts, -many of whom are third generation, and have carried out high profile projects such as the Palace of Versailles, Louvre Museum, the dome of Les Invalides, the Grand and Petit Palais, and even the flame of the Statue of Liberty in New York. The result is truly breathtaking, and it was certainly money well spent to revive and recreate one of the nation's most treasured landmark. One of my favorite places within the hotel is the Main Lobby at Avenue des Portugais where the grand hall is adorned with a spectacular chandelier installation comprising 800 pieces of glass leaves inspired by the plane trees along Avenue Kleber. The work of Spain's most influential artist since Gaudi, Xavier Corbero, could also be found nearby in the form of a beautiful sculpture called Moon River.
Katara Hospitality owns 80% of The Peninsula Paris, and already has a spectacular portfolio ownership consisting some of the world's finest hotels, including The Raffles Singapore, Le Royal Monceau-Raffles Paris, Ritz-Carlton Doha, Schweizerhof Bern, and most recently, 5 of the InterContinental Hotel's European flagships, including Amstel in Amsterdam, Carlton in Cannes, De la Ville in Rome, Madrid and Frankfurt. It is interesting to note that Adrian Zecha, founder of the extraordinary Amanresorts chain is a member of the Board of Directors at Katara since September 2011, lending his immense hospitality expertise to the group.
At over USD 1 billion cost, the Pen Paris project is easily the most expensive to ever being built, considering it has only 200 rooms over 6 storeys. As a comparison, the cost of building the 101 storey, 494m high Shanghai World Financial Center (where the Park Hyatt Shanghai resides) is USD 1.2 billion; whereas Burj Khalifa, the current tallest building on earth at 163 storey and 828m, costed a 'modest' USD 1.5 billion to build. The numbers are truly mind boggling, and The Peninsula Paris is truly an extraordinary project. It might took the Majestic Hotel two years to build; but it took four years just to restore and reincarnate it into a Peninsula.
HOTEL OPENING
On a pleasant afternoon of 1 August 2014, the hotel finally opened its door to a crowd of distinguished guests, international journalists, first hotel guests and local crowds who partake to witness the inauguration and rebirth of a Parisian legend and grande dame (Many A-list celebrities and even Head of State flocked to the hotel to witness its sheer beauty). It was an historic day not just for Paris, but also for the Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels Group as it marks their arrival in Europe with its first ever Peninsula, while the second is already on the pipeline with the future opening of The Peninsula London, located just behind The Lanesborough at Knightsbridge.
The eagerly-awaited opening ceremony was attended by the Chairman of Katara Hospitality, His Excellency Sheikh Nawaf Bin Jassim Bin Jabor Al-Thani; CEO of Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels Limited (HSH), Clement Kwok; Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development, Laurent Fabius; General Manager of the Peninsula Paris, Nicolas Béliard; and the event kicked off with an opening speech by the famous French Secretary of State for Foreign Trade, the Promotion of Tourism and French Nationals Abroad, Madame Fleur Pellerin, who clearly stole the show with her public persona. A ribbon cutting and spectacular lion dance show concluded the event, which drew quite a spectacle on Avenue des Portugais as it brought a unique display of Asian heritage to the heart of cosmopolitan Paris.
LOCATION
The Peninsula Paris stands majestically at the tree-lined Avenue Kléber, just off the Arc de Triomphe. Personally, this is an ideal location in Paris as it is a stone's throw away from all the happenings at the Champs-Élysées, but is set away from its hustle and bustle, which is constantly a tourist trap day and night. Once you walk pass the leafy Avenue Kléber, the atmosphere is very different: peaceful and safe. The Kléber Metro station is just a few steps away from the hotel, providing guests a convenient access to further parts of town.
Champs-Élysées is the center of Parisian universe, and it is just a short and pleasant stroll away from the hotel, where some of the city's most legendary commercial and cultural institutions reside. For a start, Drugstore Publicis at the corner by the roundabout has been a legendary hang-out since the 1960s, and is my ultimate favourite place in town. The Post Modern edifice by architect Michele Saee (renovated in 2004) houses almost everything: a Cinema; side walk Brasserie & Steak House; Newsagency; Bookshop (you can find Travel publications and even the Michelin Guide); upscale Gift shop and Beauty corner (even Acqua di Parma is on sale here); Pharmacy (whose pharmacist thankfully speaks English and gladly advises you on your symptoms); upscale deli (stocking pretty much everything from Foie gras burger on the counter, to fine wines & cigar cellar; to Pierre Herme & Pierre Marcolini chocolates; Dalloyau bakery; Marriage Freres tea; and even the Petrossian Caviar!). Best of all, it features a 2 Michelin star L'atelier de Joel Robuchon Etoile on its basement; and the store is even opened on Sunday until 2am. It is a one stop shopping, eating and entertainment, showcasing the best of France.
Further down the road, Maison Louis Vuitton stands majestically on its own entire 7 storey building, which was opened in 2005 as one of the biggest flagship stores in the world, covering a total area of 1,800m2. Designed by Eric Carlson and Peter Marino, the entire store is an architectural marvel and the temple of luxury, elegance and sophistication. This is one of the very few stores to open in Sunday as the French Labour Unions prohibits commercial stores to open on Sunday, unless if it involves cultural, recreational and sporting aspect. Initially, Maison LV was ordered by the court to close on Sunday, but LVMH finally wins an appeal in 2007 on the grounds of cultural experience; and the store has continued to draw endless queue on Sunday.
A block away from Maison LV is the legendary Parisian Tea Room of Ladurée, which was founded in 1862 by Louis Ernest Ladurée on its original store at 16 Rue Royal as a bakery. The Champs-Élysées store was opened in 1997 and has since attracted an endless queue of tourists and locals who wish to savour its legendary Macarons and pastries. The Ladurée phenomenon and popularity could only be rivaled by fellow Frenchmen Pierre Hermé, who has also attracted a cult of loyal fans worldwide. It may not have a flagship store at Champs-Élysées, but one could easily stop by Drugstore Publicis for a quick purchase to ease the craving.
For those looking for upscale boutiques, Avenue Montaigne located just nearby on a perpendicular, and features the flagship presence of the world's finest luxury fashion labels: Armani, Bottega Veneta, Valention, Prada, Dior, Versace, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Saint Laurent, Fendi and Salvatore Ferragamo to name a few. For the ultimate in shopping extravaganza, head down to Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré where all money will (hopefully) be well spent.
Champs-Élysées is the most famous and expensive boulevard in the world, yet it has everything for everyone; and myriad of crowds flocking its grand boulevards for a pleasant stroll. It has no shortage of luxury stores, but it also offers mainstream stores for the general public, from Levi's to Zara and Lacoste; to McDonalds and Starbucks; and FNAC store (French answer to HMV).
In terms of fine dining experience, the areas around Champs-Élysées has plenty to offer. I have mentioned about the 2 Michelin L'atelier de Joel Robuchon Etoile at the Drugstore Publicis, which was excellent. Robuchon never disappoints as it consistently serves amazing French cuisine amidst its signature red and black interior everywhere I visited, including Tokyo (3 Michelin), Hong Kong (3 Michelin), Paris (2 Michelin) and Taipei.
During my stay, I also managed to sample the finest cuisine from the kitchens of two, 3-Michelin Paris institutions: Pierre Gagnaire at Rue Balzac, just off Champs-Élysées; and Epicure at Le Bristol by Chef Eric Frechon on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, which was undoubtedly the best and most memorable dining experiences I have ever had in Paris to date. It is certainly the gastronomic highlight of this trip.
Other 3 Michelin establishment, such as Ledoyen is also located nearby at an 18th century pavilion by the Gardens of Champs-Élysées by newly appointed famous French Chef Yannick Alléno, who previously also resided at the Le Meurice with 3 Michelin, until Alain Ducasse took over last year during the Plaza Athénée closure for expansion.
August is a time of misery for international visitors to Paris as most fine dining restaurants are closed for the summer holiday. When choices are limited, foodies could rely on Epicure and Robuchon, which are opened all year round; and also the 2 Michelin star Le Cinq at the Four Seasons George V. Although its food could not compete with Robuchon, Epicure and Gagnaire, guests could still enjoy the beautiful surroundings.
ROOMS:
On my visit to Paris last year, I was not too impressed with my stay at the Four Seasons George V, as everything seemed to be pretty basic: the room design; the in-room tech and amenities; and even the much lauded service. It simply does not justify the hefty price tag. The only thing stood out there were the ostentatious designer floral display at the lobby, which reportedly absorbed a six digit figure budget annually. When I saw them at the first time, this was what came to mind: guests are paying for these excessive flowers, whether you like it or not.
Fortunately, the Peninsula Paris skips all this expensive gimmick, and instead spends a fortune for guests to enjoy: advance room technology; a host of complimentary essential amenities, including internet access, non-alcoholic minibar, and even long distance phone calls. In fact, every single items inside the room has been well thought and designed for guest's ultimate comfort.
Ever since The Peninsula Bangkok opened in 1998 to much success, the group has used it as a template for its signature rooms for future sister hotels, which consists of an open plan, ultra-wide spacious room equivalent to a 2 bays suite, with 5-fixtures bathroom, and a separate Dressing Room, which soon becomes a Peninsula signature.
The Peninsula Tokyo followed this template when it opened in 2007 to rave reviews; and it was soon adopted as a model for Peninsula Shanghai, which later opened in 2009 as the flagship property in Mainland China. This layout is also being applied at The Peninsula Paris, albeit for its Suites categories, i.e. Junior Suite, which measure at an astonishing 50 - 60m2. The entry level Superior and Deluxe Rooms lack the signature layout with smaller size at 35 - 45m2, but they are already spacious for a Parisian standard; and each is equipped with Peninsula's signature technology.
Technology is indeed at the core of the Peninsula DNA, and no expense is spared in creating the world's most advance in-room technology. When other hotels try to cut costs and budgets on in-room technology with lame excuses, the Peninsula actually spends a fortune to innovate and set a new benchmark. In fact, it is probably the only hotel group to have its own Technology laboratory at a secret location deep inside Aberdeen, Hong Kong, where in-room tech is being developed and tested. It was here where innovative devices, such as the outside temperature indicator; my favourite Spa Button by the bathtub; or even the portable nail dryer for the ladies are invented. The Peninsula took the world by storm when it introduced the Samsung Galaxy tablet device at the Peninsula Hong Kong in 2012, which is programmed in 11 languages and virtually controls the entire room, including the lights, temperature, curtains, TV, radio, valet calls and Do Not Disturb sign. It even features touch screen Room Service Menu, hotel information, city guide, and a function to request room service and housekeeping items, thus creating an entirely paperless environment.
All these technological marvel are also being replicated at the Peninsula Paris, together with other 'standard' features, such as Nespresso Coffee Machine; flat-screen 3D LED television; LED touch screen wall panels; an iPod/iPad docking station; memory card reader; 4-in1 fax/scanner/printer/photocopier machine; DVD player; complimentary in-house HD movies; complimentary internet access and long distance calls through the VOIP platform. Even the room's exterior Parisian-styled canopy is electronically operated. All these technological offerings is so extremely complex, that it resulted in 2.5 km worth of cabling in each room alone.
Bathroom at the Junior Suite also features Peninsula's signature layout: a stand alone bathtub as the focal point, flanked by twin vanities and separate shower and WC compartments amidst acres of white marble. Probably the first in Paris, it features a Japanese Toilet complete with basic control panel, and a manual handheld bidet sprayer.
When all these add up to the stay, it actually brings a very good value to the otherwise high room rates. Better yet, the non-alcoholic Minibar is also complimentary, which is a first for a Peninsula hotel. The Four Seasons George V may choose to keep looking back to its antiquity past and annihilate most technological offerings to its most basic form, but the Pen always looks forward to the future and brings the utter convenience, all at your finger tip. The Peninsula rooms are undoubtedly the best designed, best equipped and most high-tech in the entire universe.
ROOM TO BOOK:
The 50 - 60m2 Junior Suite facing leafy Avenue Kléber is the best room type to book as it is an open-plan suite with Peninsula's signature bathroom and dressing room; and the ones located on the Premiere étage (first floor) have high ceilings and small balcony overlooking Kleber Terrace's iconic glass canopy. Personally, rooms facing the back street at Rue La Pérouse are the least preferred, but its top level rooms inside the Mansart Roof on level 5 have juliet windows that allow glimpse of the tip of Eiffel Tower despite being smaller in size due to its attic configuration. Superior Rooms also lack the signature Peninsula 5 fixtures bathroom configuration, so for the ultimate bathing experience, make sure to book at least from the Deluxe category.
If money is no object, book one of the five piece-de-resistance suites with their own private rooftop terrace and gardens on the top floor, which allow 360 degree panoramic views of Paris. Otherwise, the mid-tier Deluxe Suite is already a great choice with corner location, multiple windows and 85m2 of pure luxury.
DINING:
Looking back at the hotel's illustrious past, the Peninsula offers some of the most unique and memorable dining experiences in Paris, steep in history.
The area that once housed Igor Stravinksy's after party where James Joyce met Marcel Proust for the first time is now the hotel's Cantonese Restaurant, aptly called LiLi; and is led by Chef Chi Keung Tang, formerly of Peninsula Tokyo's One Michelin starred Hei Fung Terrace. Lili was actually modeled after Peninsula Shanghai's Yi Long Court, but the design here blends Chinese elements with Art Nouveau style that flourished in the late 1920s. It also boasts a world first: a spectacular 3x3.3m fiber optic installation at the entrance of the restaurant, depicting the imaginary portrait of LiLi herself. The Cantonese menu was surprisingly rather simple and basic, and features a selection of popular dim sum dishes. The best and most memorable Chinese restaurants I have ever experienced are actually those who masterfully fuse Chinese tradition with French ingredients: Jin Sha at the Four Seasons Hangzhou at Westlake; 2 Michelin Tin Lung Heen at Level 102 of the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong; Jiang at Mandarin Oriental Guangzhou by Chef Fei; and Ya Ge at Mandarin Oriental Taipei. Ironically, the world's only 3 Michelin star Chinese restaurant, Lung King Heen at the Four Seasons Hong Kong failed to impress me.
The former Ballroom area where Henry Kissinger started the Paris Peace talks with the Vietnamese has now been transformed as The Lobby, which is a signature of every Peninsula hotels where the afternoon tea ritual takes place daily. The spectacular room with intricate details and crystal chandeliers has been meticulously restored, and is an ideal place to meet, see and be seen. Breakfast is served daily here, and guests could choose to have it either inside or outside at the adjoining al fresco La Terrasse Kléber, which connects all the F&B outlets on the ground floor, including Lili. Guests could choose from a Chinese set breakfast, which includes dim sum, fried vermicelli, and porridge with beef slices; or the Parisian set, which includes gourmet items such as Egg Benedict with generous slices of Jamon Iberico on top. The afternoon tea ritual is expected to be very popular as renowned Chef Pattissier Julien Alvarez, -who claimed the World Pastry Champion in 2009; and also the Spanish World Chocolate Master in 2007 at the tender age of 23, is at the helm; and the venue quickly booked out from the opening day.
Next to the Lobby is a small, intimate bar covered in exquisite oak panelling where Henry Kissinger signed the Paris Peace Accord back in 1973 that ended the Vietnam War. Kissinger politely declined the offer to have the Bar named after him, and instead it is simply called Le Bar Kléber.
On the top floor of the hotel lies the signature restaurant L'Oiseau Blanc, which is named after the French biplane that disappeared in 1927 in an attempt to make the first non-stop transatlantic flight between Paris and New York. A 75% replica of the plane has even been installed outside the main entrance of the restaurant with the Eiffel Tower on its background. The restaurant is divided into 3 distinct areas: a spectacular glass enclosed main dining room; a large outdoor terrace that runs the entire length of the hotel's roof; and an adjoining lively bar, all with breathtaking uninterrupted views of Paris' most identifiable landmarks, including the Eiffel Tower and the Sacré-Cœur at the highest point of the city at Montmartre.
L'Oiseau Blanc is led by Chef Sidney Redel, a former protégé of Pierre Gagnaire, and serves contemporary French cuisine focussing on 'terroir' menu of locally sourced seasonal ingredients from the region. During my stay, tomato was the seasonal ingredients, and Chef Redel created four courses incorporating tomato, even on dessert. While the food was of high quality, personally the menu still needs fine tuning, considering the sort of clientele the Pen is aiming for: the ultra rich (Chinese), who usually seek top establishments with luxury ingredients, such as caviar, black truffle, foie gras, blue lobster, Jamon Iberico, Wagyu beef, Kurobuta pork and Challans chicken.
LEISURE:
The Peninsula Paris features one of the best health and recreational facilities in the city, housed within the basement of the hotel, and covers an expansive area of 1,800m2. For a comparison, rival Mandarin Oriental Spa covers a total area of only 900m2 over two floors. The Peninsula Spa is undoubtedly one of the nicest urban spa that I have been to, it easily beats the Spa at the Four Seasons George V. The pool is also one of the city's largest at 22m long, -compared to both the Shangri-La and Mandarin Oriental at 15m; the George V at only 9m, which is more like a bigger jacuzzi. The only two other pools better than the Peninsula is the one designed by Phillippe Starck at the Le Royal Monceau at 28m; and the spectacular grand pool at the Ritz.
There is the usual 24 hours gym within two fitness spaces equipped with Technogym machines and free weights; and the locker rooms features steam, sauna, and experience shower room. There is a total of 8 treatment rooms within the Spa area, and the highlight is certainly the Relaxation Room, which is equipped with amazing day beds with specially placed deep cushions. The best part? the beds are electronically operated, much like a first class seat on a plane.
X-FACTOR:
The Peninsula signature technology; The Spa Button in the bathroom; VOIP technology for complimentary long distance calls; The top suites (Historic, Katara and Peninsula Suites); Xavier Corbero's Moon River sculpture at the Lobby; Lili; The Lobby and Bar where Henry Kissinger signed Paris Peace Accord; L'Oiseau Blanc Restaurant; The 1,800m2 Peninsula Spa; and the 1934 Rolls Royce Phantom II.
SERVICE:
There are a total of 600 staffs for just 200 rooms, so the service level is expected to be high; but it is perhaps unfair to judge the service during the opening weeks when all staffs were not at their best due to the intense preparation leading to the opening event. Furthermore, teething problems are expected for a newly opened hotel as great hotels are not born overnight, but takes a good few years of refinement.
Nonetheless, I was actually quite impressed with the level of service during the whole stay, as the majority of the staffs showed great attitude and much enthusiasm, which is a testament of great intense training. As one of the first guests arriving on the opening day, check-in was truly delightful and memorable as a battalion of staffs of different ranks welcomed and wished the most pleasant stay. The mood could not have been more festive as moments later, the hotel was finally inaugurated.
I was also particularly impressed with the service at both LiLi and The Lobby where staffs performed at an exceptional level like a veteran. There are two distinct qualities that made a lot of difference during the stay: humility and friendliness, which is quite a challenge to find, not only in Paris and the entire Europe, but even in Asian cities, such as Hong Kong. It is like finding needles in a haystack. A genuine smile seems to be a rare commodity these days, so I was happy to see plenty of smiles at the Peninsula Paris during the stay, from the signature Peninsula Pageboys to waiters, Maître d, receptionists and even to Managers and Directors. In fact, there were more smiles in Paris than Hong Kong.
When I woken up too early for breakfast one day, the restaurant was just about to open; and there were hardly anyone. I realized that even the birds were probably still asleep, but I was extremely delighted to see how fresh looking and energetic the staffs were at the dining room. There was a lot of genuine smile that warmed the rather chilly morning; and it was a great start to the day. One of the staffs I met during the stay even candidly explained how they were happy just to be at work, and it does not feel like working at all, which was clearly shown in their passion and enthusiasm.
That said, the Shangri-La Paris by far is still my top pick for best service as it is more personalized and refined due to its more intimate scale. The Shangri-La Paris experience is also unique as guests are welcomed to a sit down registration by the historic lounge off the Lobby upon arrival, and choice of drinks are offered, before being escorted to the room for in-room check-in. Guests also receive a Pre-Arrival Form in advance, so the hotel could anticipate and best accommodate their needs. During the stay, I was also addressed by my last name everywhere within the hotel, so it was highly personalized. I did receive similar treatment at The Peninsula Paris, -albeit in a lesser extent due to its size; and even the housekeeping greeted me by my last name. Every requests, from room service to mineral water were all handled efficiently at a timely manner. At times, service could be rather slow at the restaurants (well, it happens almost everywhere in Paris), but this is part of the Parisian lifestyle where nothing is hurried; and bringing bills/checks upfront is considered rude. I did request the food servings to be expedited during a lunch at LiLi on the last day due to the time constraint; and the staffs managed to succeed the task not only ahead of the time limit, but also it never felt hurried all along. Everything ran as smooth as silk.
VERDICT:
It was a personal satisfaction to witness the history in the making during the opening day on 1 August 2014, as the Peninsula Paris is my most eagerly awaited hotel opening of the decade. It was also historic, as it was a first in my travel to dedicate a trip solely for a particular hotel in a particular city (in this case Paris, some 11,578km away from home), without staying at other fine hotels. It was money well spent, and a trip worth taking as it was an amazing stay; and certainly a lifetime experience.
The Peninsula Paris could not have arrived at a better time, as two of the most established Parisian grande dames (Ritz and de Crillon) are still closed for a complete renovation, and will only be revealed in 2015; so there is plenty of time to adapt, grow and hone its skills. But with such pedigree, quality and illustrious history, the Pen really has nothing to be worried about. The Four Seasons George V seems to have a cult of highly obsessed fans (esp. travel agents) worldwide, but personally (and objectively), it is no match to the Peninsula. Based on physical product alone, the Pen wins in every aspect as everything has been meticulously designed with the focus on guest comfort and convenience. In terms of technology, the Pen literally has no rival anywhere on the planet, except from the obvious sibling rivalry.
The only thing that the Pen still needs to work on is its signature restaurants as all its rival hotels have at least 2 Michelin star restaurants (L'abeille at the Shangri-La; Sur Mesure at the Mandarin Oriental; and 3 Michelin at Epicure, Le Bristol; Le Cinq at the Four Seasons George V and Alain Ducasse at Le Meurice). L'Oiseau Blanc design is truly breathtaking and would certainly be the most popular gastronomic destination in Paris, but at the moment, the food still needs some works.
There were the expected teething problems and some inconsistencies with the service; but with years of refinement, The Peninsula Paris will no doubt ascend the throne. Personally, the Shangri-La Paris is currently the real competitor, together with the upcoming Ritz and de Crillon when they open next year, especially when Rosewood has taken over Crillon management and Karl Lagerfeld is working on its top suites. The two, however, may still need to revisit the drawing boards and put more effort on the guestrooms if they ever want to compete; because at the moment, The Peninsula Paris is simply unrivaled.
UPDATE 2016:
*I have always been very spot-on with my predictions. After only two years since its opening, The Peninsula Paris has been awarded the much coveted Palace status. In fact, it is the only hotel in Paris to receive such distinction in 2016. Congratulations, it is very much deserving*
PERSONAL RATING:
1. Room: 100
2. Bathroom: 100
3. Bed: 100
4. Service: 90
5. In-room Tech: 100
6. In-room Amenities: 100
7. Architecture & Design: 100
8. Food: 80
9. View: 80
10. Pool: 95
11. Wellness: 95
12. Location: 95
13. Value: 100
Overall: 95.00
Compare with other Parisian hotels (all with Palace status) that I have stayed previously:
SHANGRI-LA HOTEL, PARIS: 95.00
PARK HYATT PARIS-VENDOME: 90.00
My #1 ALL TIME FAVORITE HOTEL
LANDMARK MANDARIN ORIENTAL, HONG KONG: 95.38
THE PENINSULA, PARIS
19, Avenue Kléber, Paris
Awarded Palace Status in 2016
General Manager: Nicolas Béliard
Hotel Manager: Vincent Pimont
Executive Chef: Jean-Edern Hurstel
Head Chef (Lili): Chi Keung Tang
Head Chef (L'oiseau Blanc): Sidney Redel
Head Chef (The Lobby): Laurent Poitevin
Chef Patissier: Julien Alvarez
Architect (original Majestic Hotel, circa 1908): Armand Sibien
Architect (renovation & restoration, 2010-2014): Richard Martinet
Interior Designer: Henry Leung of Chhada Siembieda & Associates
Landscape Designer: D. Paysage
Art Curator: Sabrina Fung
Art Restorer: Cinzia Pasquali
Artist (Courtyard installation): Ben Jakober & Yannick Vu
Crystal work: Baccarat
Designer (Lili fiber optic installation): Clementine Chambon & Francoise Mamert
Designer (Chinaware): Catherine Bergen
Gilder Specialist & Restorer: Ateliers Gohard
Glass Crafter (Lobby Installation): Lasvit Glass Studio
Master Glass Crafters: Duchemin
Master Sculptor (Lobby): Xavier Corbero
Metalwork: Remy Garnier
Plaster & Moulding Expert: Stuc et Staff
Silverware: Christofle
Silk & Trimmings: Declercq Passementiers
Wood Restoration Expert: Atelier Fancelli
Hotel Opening Date: 01 August 2014
Notable owners: Katara Hospitality; Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels Group (HSH)
Total Rooms & Suites: 200 (including 35m2 Superior, 45m2 Deluxe, 50m2 Grand Deluxe, 55m2 Premier and 60m2 Grand Premier Rooms)
Total Suites: 34 Suites (including 70m2 Superior, 85m2 Deluxe and 100m2 Premier
Top Suites: Historic Suite, Katara Suite, and The Peninsula Suite
Bathroom Amenities: Oscar de la Renta
Restaurants: The Lobby (All day dining & Afternoon tea), LiLi (Cantonese), L'Oiseau Blanc (French), La Terrasse Kléber
Bars and Lounges: Le Bar Kléber; Kléber Lounge; Cigar Lounge; and L'Oiseau Blanc Bar
Meeting & Banquets: Salon de l'Étoile for up to 100 guests, and 3 smaller Function Rooms
Health & Leisure: 24 hours gym & 1,800m2 Peninsula Spa with 22m indoor swimming pool and jacuzzis; Steam & Sauna, Relaxation Room, and 8 treatment rooms
Transport: chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce Extended Wheel Base Phantom; a 1934 Rolls Royce Phantom II; 2 MINI Cooper S Clubman; and a fleet of 10 BMW 7 Series
Complimentary facilities: Non-alcoholic Minibar; Wired and Wireless Internet; VOIP long distance calls; HD Movies; Daily fruit Basket; International Newspaper; Chauffeured MINI Cooper S Clubman for Suites guests; and Chauffeured Rolls Royce for top Suites
paris.peninsula.com
When you expect an amazing sunrise but it just doesn't deliver, why not convert your image to black and white.
Canon 24-70 f/2.8L II USM
ISO 100 | 50mm | F11 | 4 sec
7 Image Stitched Panorama
Originally posted to: petermolnar.eu/dujiangyan-at-night-4/
We weren't expecting this many lights in the city of Dujiangyan. It still stuns me that unlike most cities in Europe, Chinese cities love extensive night lights and since they are mostly LEDs, it's not even expensive.
I've never before seen rivers lighted up as well like this, only in China, but I think it's lovely and results in an entirely different atmosphere than without it.
I freaking love them all! But heres what I really think of them! :3
Cloetta Spelletta: Hmm I like your "two faced" theme going on here, but here your hair looks ratchet, and it looks like someone slapped some pearls to a rubber looking outfit..
Meygana Broomstix: LOVE! your freaking amazing, Im hoping that you come with the pleated skirt and Im soo hoping you have saran! like seriously these need that to make them amazing.
Jade J'adore: The heart theme is so cute! and your dress is defo detailed and I honestly didnt expect that, I like the mask thing over your eyes.
Yasmina Clairvoya: I miss your eye thing :( LOL thats what made me like you in the first place, now this giant magnifying glass is just random and weird. loving the shoes and hair!
Sashabella Paws: HOLY CRAP! freaking stunning! I love your outfit and your bright green eyes! you are in first place compared to the rest, well IMO.
I think this line will hit some success but Im hoping these come with good articulation cuz it somewhat looks promising, but Im also hoping for saran hairr!!!
NOT MY PHOTO, Founded by Alexbabs1 :)
Debrief time!
Brickvention 2018 was a success and my position as a guest speaker was one of the best experiences I've ever had. I had no idea just how many people were excited to meet me, and interested in what I have to share. If I was told a few years ago I'd be flown down to the other end of the country to guest-speak about my hobby in front of a 300+ strong crowd and spend the weekend in a hall full of lest I say fans I'd think you were making fun of me. It's wonderful that people want me to keep this brands history alive.
Met some awesome facebook friends from all over the country that have only been names on a screen til now, and I can't wait to catch up again in the future!
One highlight was being called up to the admin team over the PA, worrying I'd forgotten something, and racing over only to find Claus Kristensen, the General Manager of LEGO Australia waiting to meet me, and us swapping details so he could see the recording of my speech he was interested in. That's something I'll never forget.
I got to meet with Eliska and Larry Jezek, parents of Daniel Jezek, Bricklink's founder, and chat with them for a while about what possibilities such a site has been able to provide.
I also spent some time with the effervescent Mariann Asanuma which was an awesome experience in itself!
Signing autographs and having photos taken was not something I was expecting, but it's obvious I'm doing something right. I was humbled by a family down there with a son on the spectrum who struggles to leave his home due to severe anxiety and sensory overload. He braved the 10,000 odd attendants and all the light and sound specifically to come see me, and the parents noted that it too his behavioural specialist longer to connect with this kid. I am grateful for the position I'm in and wouldn't change a thing.
In September and October I'm going global, with a trip to Denmark, where I've been allowed on a tour of the LEGO Factory, Idea House, archives and vault, with a good 30 other Aussies, so I'll see where that takes me =)
This was the highlight and reason for my Southern Arizona Adventure 2024. This is stage 8 of 9.
I was lucky to secure permits for the once monthly photography tour of Kartchner Caverns. Kartchner Caverns State Park strictly forbids any cameras or cellphones in the Caverns. Except for one trip per month for 12 to 15 photographers currently $125. I planned a 4 day 3 night road trip around Southern Arizona anchored by my Kartchner Cavern permit.
I was expecting dark conditions. The State Park turned on all the lights in the Big Room. They don't like turning on all the lights since can cause an increase in algae. This is the reason they only have one photography tour a month.
I found myself adjusting my histograms to not clip the highlights. Adapt, Improvise, and Overcome. Next time I am going to bracket my shots. I almost wish I had brought a ND filter or tried a handheld GND filter.
I don't know speleothems so I won't even try to identify. If anyone can help me with the identification, I will appreciate it.
www.nps.gov/subjects/caves/speleothems.htm#:~:text=The%20...)%20when%20needed.
The features that arouse the greatest curiosity for most cave visitors are speleothems. These stone formations exhibit bizarre patterns and other-worldly forms, which give some caves a wonderland appearance. Caves vary widely in their displays of speleothems because of differences in temperature; overall wetness; and jointing, impurities, and structures in the rocks. In general, however, one thing caves do have in common is where speleothems form. Although the formation of caves typically takes place below the water table in the zone of saturation, the deposition of speleothems is not possible until caves are above the water table in the zone of aeration. As soon as the chamber is filled with air, the stage is set for the decoration phase of cave building to begin.
The term speleothem refers to the mode of occurrence of a mineral—i.e., its morphology or how it looks—in a cave, not its composition (Hill, 1997). For example, calcite, the most common cave mineral, is not a speleothem, but a calcite stalactite is a speleothem. A stalactite may be made of other minerals, such as halite or gypsum.
Classifying speleothems is tricky because no two speleothems are exactly alike. Nevertheless, speleologists have taken three basic approaches: classification by morphology, classification by origin, and classification by crystallography. All three of these approaches have their problems (Hill, 1997), so cavers often take a more practical approach that primarily uses morphology (e.g., cave pearls) but includes whatever is known about origin (e.g., geysermites) and crystallography (e.g., spar) when needed.
nocache.azcentral.com/travel/arizona/southern/articles/20...
The Kartchner Caverns, rated one of the world's 10 most beautiful caves, is an eerie wonderland of stalactites and stalagmites still growing beneath the Whetstone Mountains 40 miles southeast of Tucson.
The limestone cave has 13,000 feet of passages and hundreds of formations built over the past 200,000 years, including some that are unique and world-renowned. It's a "living cave," with intricate formations that continue to grow as water seeps, drips and flows from the walls and slowly deposits the mineral calcium carbonate.
The caverns were discovered by amateur spelunkers Randy Tufts and Gary Tenen in 1974 on land owned by the Kartchner family. They kept the cave a secret until 1988, when the Kartchners sold it to the state to become a state park.
The highlights of the Big Room tour are a stretch of strawberry flowstone, which has been colored red by iron oxide (rust) in the water, and a maternity ward for 1,800 female cave myotis bats, with black grime on the ceiling where the bats hang and piles of guano on the floor. Visitors who look closely will see a bat's body embedded in one of the cave's formations.
Though not all are available on the tours, the caverns' unique features include a 21-foot, 2-inch soda straw that's one the world's largest (Throne Room), the world's most extensive formation of brushite moonmilk (Big Room), the first reported occurrence of "turnip" shields (Big Room), the first cave occurrence of "birdsnest" needle quartz formations (Big Room) and the remains of a Shasta ground sloth from the Pleistocene Age (Big Room).
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kartchner_Caverns_State_Park
Kartchner Caverns State Park is a state park of Arizona, United States, featuring a show cave with 2.4 miles (3.9 km) of passages.[1] The park is located 9 miles (14 km) south of the town of Benson and west of the north-flowing San Pedro River. Long hidden from view, the caverns were discovered in 1974 by local cavers, assisted by state biologist Erick Campbell who helped in its preservation.
The park encompasses most of a down-dropped block of Palaeozoic rocks on the east flank of the Whetstone Mountains.
The caverns are carved out of limestone and filled with spectacular speleothems which have been growing for 50,000 years or longer, and are still growing. Careful and technical cave state park development and maintenance, initially established by founder Dr. Bruce Randall "Randy" Tufts, geologist, were designed to protect and preserve the cave system throughout the park's development, and for perpetuity.[3]
The two major features of the caverns accessible to the public are the Throne Room and the Big Room. The Throne Room contains one of the world's longest (21 ft 2 in (6.45 m))[5] soda straw stalactites and a 58-foot (18 m) high column called Kubla Khan, after the poem. The Big Room contains the world's most extensive formation of brushite moonmilk. Big Room cave tours are closed during the summer for several months (April 15 to October 15) each year because it is a nursery roost for cave bats, however the Throne Room tours remain open year-round.[8]
Other features publicly accessible within the caverns include Mud Flats, Rotunda Room, Strawberry Room, and Cul-de-sac Passage. Approximately 60% of the cave system is not open to the public.[9]
Many different cave formations can be found within the caves and the surrounding park. These include cave bacon, helictites, soda straws, stalactites, stalagmites and others.[12] Cave formations like the stalactites and stalagmites grow approximately a 16th of an inch every 100 years.[13]
Haiku thoughts:
Beneath earth's cool veil,
Stalactites in silence grow,
Whispers of stone deep.
Kartchner
Southern Arizona Adventure 2024
This female member of Yellowstone's wild Wapiti Lake wolf pack feasted for quite a while on an old bison carcass. When she was done she headed to the river for a long drink. In this image her nipples are prominently visible, suggesting she either currently, or in a recent past whelping season, had pups. I don't believe she's actively nursing now, as the mammaries are not engorged as one would expect from being away from her babies for as long as she was gnawing on the carcass. She is also far away from the main pack (which is quite large at 20 adults plus this year's pups), although one other wolf has been seen in the vicinity. Wolves need someone to stay with the pups while others hunt, and two wolves is not enough to bring home sufficient food for a litter and adults.
This wolf is not the alpha female of the Wapitis. That she's previously had offspring is evidence that the alpha is not the only member of a pack that can have pups, as is commonly believed.
Wasn't expecting to see this in Assford today!, and this vehicle is newly aquired by Crosskeys Coaches of Cheriton in Folkestone in late 2019, and was on SouthEastern Trains Rail Replacement Service to and from Canterbury West.
And be sure to check by my other acount: www.flickr.com/photos_user.gne?path=&nsid=77145939%40..., to see what else I saw Very Recently!!
More 'Memories from June', this one of my son and his bride having just announced the birth of my first grandchild in November...
I wasn't sure what to expect in Shreveport, Louisiana. Never been there. I've heard from some people that it's really nice, and others have said it is a dump. Well. I guess that they have fixed it up a lot recently, because i thought it was a beautiful town. I never knew there was gambling there, but it is a casino town. The area along the riverfront was very nicely done. There were beautiful walkways, fountains, gardens, a waterfall, and even a big amphitheater.
This first one was taken from one of the top floors of the Horseshoe Casino, looking west. The manager was nice enough to let me into one of the rooms to get this overview.
Really wasn't expecting to see this in Dover today!, and this was the best I could do of this vehicle due to the sun being out, and before I had to go back to work.
And be sure to check by my other acount: www.flickr.com/photos_user.gne?path=&nsid=77145939%40..., to see what else I saw last week!!
Yes I'm back again.
However due to my main computer on which I edit my work being struck down with a big bad virus, this picture and all the others I am uploading, were Unedited but have now been replaced with Edited versions. So enjoy and Thanks for your patience and understanding.
I do still hate everything about this shit that is new Flickr and always will, but an inability to find another outlet for my work that is as easy for me to use as the Old BETTER Flickr was, has forced me back to Flickr, even though it goes against everything I believe in.
I don't generally have an opinion on my own work, I prefer to leave that to other people and so based on the positive responses to my work from the various friends I had made on Flickr prior to the changes I have decided to upload some more of my work as an experiment and to see what happens.
So make the most of me before they delete my acount: www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/?details=1, to stop me complaining!!
Chinese were very rude to the ambassador': Queen
An official cameraman recorded the 90-year-old monarch rarely comments publicly on political matters, and media accompanying her are asked not to eavesdrop on private conversations.
Hope i'm not expecting too much but couldn't resist one more image of this amazing little creature !
Taken with Canon 40D & Sigma 150-500mm OS ......... Large frame crop !...strong beams of sunlight thru the branches caused me some problems with exposure ! finding a midtone to meter off when using spot or partial metering on a black & white subject is often difficult and it appears i may have over compensated a touch, but evaluative can get it wrong also !
We can regularly expect to see two of our four US Sapsuckers up here. The other one that is regular (if not common) is the Williamson's. The Red-breasted is primarily a West Coast bird, and the Yellow-bellied is mainly an Eastern bird... although Sapsucker vagrants may show up anywhere in North America. Our constructed bird oasis draws in nearly all of the avian population to be found in this area. This bird has stopped at our pond for a drink and has conveniently parked on one of my photo props. The small patch of white under her chin suggests her sex. She is clearly a first-year bird.
IMG_9164; Red-naped Sapsucker
Wasn't expecting to see this in Dover today, and this vehicle from Gravesend operator 1st Bus Stop Buses had brought School Groups to Dover Castle, and All kids and drivers faces are Blurred out and Not Shown as previously requested.
"A mother's joy begins when new life is stirring inside... when a tiny heartbeat is heard for the very first time, and a playful kick reminds her that she is never alone."
-- Author Unknown
These are other shots of Shaui, who is 7 months pregnant, during the shoot. These shots show how happy and proud she is to have her baby. Thanks again to Mitch Bautista for tutoring and allowing me to participate in the shoot.
Please click here to view this Large on Black.
Model: Shaui
LIghting: Mitch Bautista
Make-up: Toni Rodriguez
Location: Rogue Studio, Salcedo Village, Makati
Arwork for Elysium Art Fest @InWorldz. March 2013.
"Expected transition" by PralineB.
We have no fear of time passing.
We have always known
That the Birds People take care of trans-humans.
They carries the universe,
The beyond, the unspeakable, in their bellies.
They are the elders of the Watchers.
We are the one,
We are the all.
The transition is occurring always
Under the watchful eyes of the Birds People.
They know the matrix creates the merger,
The merger creates the multicolored, multiple and unique being
Fused in the Birds to the infinite.
The universe and the beyond belong to the Birds People.
PB.
Just back from a few days on Lake Como so expect lots of slightly wobbly shots of exotic looking villas taken from moving boats.
This is the beautiful town of Bellagio.
3-exposure HDR, hand-held, also from a moving boat, polarising filter, processed in LR5 and SNS-HDR.
Penang Street during rush hour. For some reason, there was less traffic than I had expected but then again, it wasn't a holiday season when I was here.
I would never have expected that less than two years after the collapse of Monarch, Thomas Cook would have followed suit. At around 02:00 on 23/09/2019 Thomas Cook formally ceased operations. My heart goes out to all of Thomas Cooks staff who face an uncertain future.
This would transpire to be my final Thomas Cook aircraft photo, A330 G-MDBD arriving onto stand 26 at Terminal 1 with MT2623 from Los Angeles. I'd have never expected TCX had little over a month left, marvelling at apparently thriving airline with no less than 8 A330s in Manchester that morning.
G-MDBD would end up the penultimate Thomas Cook arrival into Manchester with MT2641 from Las Vegas, now going viral with the passengers having a whip-round for their emotional crew on arrival.
Airfield: Manchester Ringway Airport (MAN/EGCC)
Operator: Thomas Cook Airlines (MT/TCX)
Aliens of the deep? Nah night time scuba lessons! Welllll here's one of my favourite things about photography. Head out to an area expecting to take a mountain/milky way photo and getting additional lighting from night scuba divers!
The Burgtheater at Dr.-Karl -Lueger-Ring (from now on, Universitätsring) in Vienna is an Austrian Federal Theatre. It is one of the most important stages in Europe and after the Comédie-Française, the second oldest European one, as well as the greatest German speaking theater. The original 'old' Burgtheater at Saint Michael's square was utilized from 1748 until the opening of the new building at the ring in October, 1888. The new house in 1945 burnt down completely as a result of bomb attacks, until the re-opening on 14 October 1955 was the Ronacher serving as temporary quarters. The Burgtheater is considered as Austrian National Theatre.
Throughout its history, the theater was bearing different names, first Imperial-Royal Theater next to the Castle, then to 1918 Imperial-Royal Court-Burgtheater and since then Burgtheater (Castle Theater). Especially in Vienna it is often referred to as "The Castle (Die Burg)", the ensemble members are known as Castle actors (Burgschauspieler).
History
St. Michael's Square with the old K.K. Theatre beside the castle (right) and the Winter Riding School of the Hofburg (left)
The interior of the Old Burgtheater, painted by Gustav Klimt. The people are represented in such detail that the identification is possible.
The 'old' Burgtheater at St. Michael's Square
The original castle theater was set up in a ball house that was built in the lower pleasure gardens of the Imperial Palace of the Roman-German King and later Emperor Ferdinand I in 1540, after the old house 1525 fell victim to a fire. Until the beginning of the 18th Century was played there the Jeu de Paume, a precursor of tennis. On 14 March 1741 finally gave the Empress Maria Theresa, ruling after the death of her father, which had ordered a general suspension of the theater, the "Entrepreneur of the Royal Court Opera" and lessees of 1708 built theater at Kärntnertor (Carinthian gate), Joseph Karl Selliers, permission to change the ballroom into a theater. Simultaneously, a new ball house was built in the immediate vicinity, which todays Ballhausplatz is bearing its name.
In 1748, the newly designed "theater next to the castle" was opened. 1756 major renovations were made, inter alia, a new rear wall was built. The Auditorium of the Old Burgtheater was still a solid timber construction and took about 1200 guests. The imperial family could reach her royal box directly from the imperial quarters, the Burgtheater structurally being connected with them. At the old venue at Saint Michael's place were, inter alia, several works of Christoph Willibald Gluck, Ludwig van Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as well as Franz Grillparzer premiered .
On 17 February 1776, Emperor Joseph II declared the theater to the German National Theatre (Teutsches Nationaltheater). It was he who ordered by decree that the stage plays should not deal with sad events for not bring the Imperial audience in a bad mood. Many theater plays for this reason had to be changed and provided with a Vienna Final (Happy End), such as Romeo and Juliet or Hamlet. From 1794 on, the theater was bearing the name K.K. Court Theatre next to the castle.
1798 the poet August von Kotzebue was appointed as head of the Burgtheater, but after discussions with the actors he left Vienna in 1799. Under German director Joseph Schreyvogel was introduced German instead of French and Italian as a new stage language.
On 12 October 1888 took place the last performance in the old house. The Burgtheater ensemble moved to the new venue at the Ring. The Old Burgtheater had to give way to the completion of Saint Michael's tract of Hofburg. The plans to this end had been drawn almost 200 years before the demolition of the old Burgtheater by Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach.
The "new" K.K. Court Theatre (as the inscription reads today) at the Ring opposite the Town Hall, opened on 14 October 1888 with Grillparzer's Esther and Schiller's Wallenstein's Camp, was designed in neo-Baroque style by Gottfried Semper (plan) and Karl Freiherr von Hasenauer (facade), who had already designed the Imperial Forum in Vienna together. Construction began on 16 December 1874 and followed through 14 years, in which the architects quarreled. Already in 1876 Semper withdrew due to health problems to Rome and had Hasenauer realized his ideas alone, who in the dispute of the architects stood up for a mainly splendid designed grand lodges theater.
However, created the famous Viennese painter Gustav Klimt and his brother Ernst Klimt and Franz Matsch 1886-1888 the ceiling paintings in the two stairwells of the new theater. The three took over this task after similar commissioned work in the city theaters of Fiume and Karlovy Vary and in the Bucharest National Theatre. In the grand staircase on the side facing the café Landtmann of the Burgtheater (Archduke stairs) reproduced Gustav Klimt the artists of the ancient theater in Taormina on Sicily, in the stairwell on the "People's Garden"-side (Kaiserstiege, because it was reserved for the emperor) the London Globe Theatre and the final scene from William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet". Above the entrance to the auditorium is Molière's The Imaginary Invalid to discover. In the background the painter immortalized himself in the company of his two colleagues. Emperor Franz Joseph I liked the ceiling paintings so much that he gave the members of the company of artists of Klimt the Golden Cross of Merit.
The new building resembles externally the Dresden Semper Opera, but even more, due to the for the two theaters absolutely atypical cross wing with the ceremonial stairs, Semper's Munich project from the years 1865/1866 for a Richard Wagner Festspielhaus above the Isar. Above the middle section there is a loggia, which is framed by two side wings, and is divided from a stage house with a gable roof and auditorium with a tent roof. Above the center house there decorates a statue of Apollo the facade, throning between the Muses of drama and tragedy. Above the main entrances are located friezes with Bacchus and Ariadne. At the exterior facade round about, portrait busts of the poets Calderon, Shakespeare, Moliere, Schiller, Goethe, Lessing, Halm, Grillparzer, and Hebbel can be seen. The masks which also can be seen here are indicating the ancient theater, furthermore adorn allegorical representations the side wings: love, hate, humility, lust, selfishness, and heroism. Although the theater since 1919 is bearing the name of Burgtheater, the old inscription KK Hofburgtheater over the main entrance still exists. Some pictures of the old gallery of portraits have been hung up in the new building and can be seen still today - but these images were originally smaller, they had to be "extended" to make them work better in high space. The points of these "supplements" are visible as fine lines on the canvas.
The Burgtheater was initially well received by Viennese people due to its magnificent appearance and technical innovations such as electric lighting, but soon criticism because of the poor acoustics was increasing. Finally, in 1897 the auditorium was rebuilt to reduce the acoustic problems. The new theater was an important meeting place of social life and soon it was situated among the "sanctuaries" of Viennese people. In November 1918, the supervision over the theater was transferred from the High Steward of the emperor to the new state of German Austria.
1922/1923 the Academy Theatre was opened as a chamber play stage of the Burgtheater. On 8th May 1925, the Burgtheater went into Austria's criminal history, as here Mentscha Karnitschewa perpetrated a revolver assassination on Todor Panitza.
The Burgtheater in time of National Socialism
The National Socialist ideas also left traces in the history of the Burgtheater. In 1939 appeared in Adolf Luser Verlag the strongly anti-Semitic characterized book of theater scientist Heinz Kindermann "The Burgtheater. Heritage and mission of a national theater", in which he, among other things, analyzed the "Jewish influence "on the Burgtheater. On 14 October 1938 was on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Burgtheater a Don Carlos production of Karl-Heinz Stroux shown that served Hitler's ideology. The role of the Marquis of Posa played the same Ewald Balser, who in a different Don Carlos production a year earlier (by Heinz Hilpert) at the Deutsches Theater in the same role with the sentence in direction of Joseph Goebbels box vociferated: "just give freedom of thought". The actor and director Lothar Müthel, who was director of the Burgtheater between 1939 and 1945, staged 1943 the Merchant of Venice, in which Werner Kraus the Jew Shylock clearly anti-Semitic represented. The same director staged after the war Lessing's parable Nathan the Wise. Adolf Hitler himself visited during the Nazi regime the Burgtheater only once (1938), and later he refused in pure fear of an assassination.
For actors and theater staff who were classified according to the Reich Citizenship Law of 1935 as "Jews ", were quickly imposed stage bans, within a few days, they were on leave, fired or arrested. The Burgtheater ensemble between 1938 and 1945 did not put up significant resistance against the Nazi ideology, the repertoire was heavily censored, only a few joined the Resistance, as Judith Holzmeister (then also at the People's Theatre engaged) or the actor Fritz Lehmann. Although Jewish members of the ensemble indeed have been helped to emigrate, was still an actor, Fritz Strassny, taken to a concentration camp and murdered there.
The Burgtheater at the end of the war and after the Second World War
In summer 1944, the Burgtheater had to be closed because of the decreed general theater suspension. From 1 April 1945, as the Red Army approached Vienna, camped a military unit in the house, a portion was used as an arsenal. In a bomb attack the house at the Ring was damaged and burned down on 12th April 1945 completely. Auditorium and stage were useless, only the steel structure remained. The ceiling paintings and part of the lobby were almost undamaged.
The Soviet occupying power expected from Viennese City Councillor Viktor Matejka to launch Vienna's cultural life as soon as possible again. The council summoned on 23 April (a state government did not yet exist) a meeting of all Viennese cultural workers into the Town Hall. Result of the discussions was that in late April 1945 eight cinemas and four theaters took up the operation again, including the Burgtheater. The house took over the Ronacher Theater, which was understood by many castle actors as "exile" as a temporary home (and remained there to 1955). This venue chose the newly appointed director Raoul Aslan, who championed particularly active.
The first performance after the Second World War was on 30 April 1945 Sappho by Franz Grillparzer directed by Adolf Rott from 1943 with Maria Eis in the title role. Also other productions from the Nazi era were resumed. With Paul Hoerbiger, a few days ago as Nazi prisoner still in mortal danger, was shown the play of Nestroy Mädl (Girlie) from the suburbs. The Academy Theatre could be played (the first performance was on 19 April 1945 Hedda Gabler, a production of Rott from the year 1941) and also in the ball room (Redoutensaal) at the Imperial Palace took place performances. Aslan the Ronacher in the summer had rebuilt because the stage was too small for classical performances. On 25 September 1945, Schiller's Maid of Orleans could be played on the enlarged stage.
The first new productions are associated with the name of Lothar Müthel: Everyone and Nathan the Wise, in both Raoul Aslan played the main role. The staging of The Merchant of Venice by Müthel in Nazi times seemed to have been fallen into oblivion.
Great pleasure gave the public the return of the in 1938 from the ensemble expelled Else Wohlgemuth on stage. She performaed after seven years in exile in December 1945 in Clare Biharys The other mother in the Academy Theater. 1951 opened the Burgtheater its doors for the first time, but only the left wing, where the celebrations on the 175th anniversary of the theater took place.
1948, a competition for the reconstruction was tendered: Josef Gielen, who was then director, first tended to support the design of ex aequo-ranked Otto Niedermoser, according to which the house was to be rebuilt into a modern gallery theater. Finally, he agreed but then for the project by Michael Engelhardt, whose plan was conservative but also cost effective. The character of the lodges theater was largely taken into account and maintained, the central royal box but has been replaced by two balconies, and with a new slanted ceiling construction in the audience was the acoustics, the shortcoming of the house, improved significantly.
On 14 October 1955 was happening under Adolf Rott the reopening of the restored house at the Ring. For this occasion Mozart's A Little Night Music was played. On 15 and on 16 October it was followed by the first performance (for reasons of space as a double premiere) in the restored theater: King Ottokar's Fortune and End of Franz Grillparzer, staged by Adolf Rott. A few months after the signing of the Austrian State Treaty was the choice of this play, which the beginning of Habsburg rule in Austria makes a subject of discussion and Ottokar of Horneck's eulogy on Austria (... it's a good country / Well worth that a prince bow to it! / where have you yet seen the same?... ) contains highly symbolic. Rott and under his successors Ernst Haeusserman and Gerhard Klingenberg the classic Burgtheater style and the Burgtheater German for German theaters were finally pointing the way .
In the 1950s and 1960s, the Burgtheater participated (with other well-known theaters in Vienna) on the so-called Brecht boycott.
Gerhard Klingenberg internationalized the Burgtheater, he invited renowned stage directors such as Dieter Dorn, Peter Hall, Luca Ronconi, Giorgio Strehler, Roberto Guicciardini and Otomar Krejča. Klingenberg also enabled the castle debuts of Claus Peymann and Thomas Bernhard (1974 world premiere of The Hunting Party). Bernhard was as a successor of Klingenberg mentioned, but eventually was appointed Achim Benning, whereupon the writer with the text "The theatrical shack on the ring (how I should become the director of the Burgtheater)" answered.
Benning, the first ensemble representative of the Burgtheater which was appointed director, continued Klingenberg's way of Europeanization by other means, brought directors such as Adolf Dresen, Manfred Wekwerth or Thomas Langhoff to Vienna, looked with performances of plays of Vaclav Havel to the then politically separated East and took the the public taste more into consideration.
Directorate Claus Peymann 1986-1999
Under the by short-term Minister of Education Helmut Zilk brought to Vienna Claus Peymann, director from 1986 to 1999, there was further modernization of the programme and staging styles. Moreover Peymann was never at a loss for critical contributions in the public, a hitherto unusual attitude for Burgtheater directors. Therefore, he and his program within sections of the audience met with rejection. The greatest theater scandal in Vienna since 1945 occurred in 1988 concerning the premiere of Thomas Bernhard's Heldenplatz (Place of the Heroes) drama which was fiercly fought by conservative politicians and zealots. The play deals with the Vergangenheitsbewältigung (process of coming to terms with the past) and illuminates the present management in Austria - with attacks on the then ruling Social Democratic Party - critically. Together with Claus Peymann Bernhard after the premiere dared to face on the stage applause and boos.
Bernard, to his home country bound in love-hate relationship, prohibited the performance of his plays in Austria before his death in 1989 by will. Peymann, to Bernhard bound in a difficult friendship (see Bernhard's play Claus Peymann buys a pair of pants and goes eating with me) feared harm for the author's work, should his plays precisely in his homeland not being shown. First, it was through permission of the executor Peter Fabjan - Bernhard's half-brother - after all, possible the already in the schedule of the Burgtheater included productions to continue. Finally, shortly before the tenth anniversary of the death of Bernard it came to the revival of the Bernhard play Before retirement by the first performance director Peymann. The plays by Bernhard are since then continued on the programme of the Burgtheater and they are regularly newly produced.
In 1993, the rehearsal stage of the Castle theater was opened in the arsenal (architect Gustav Peichl). Since 1999, the Burgtheater has the operation form of a limited corporation.
Directorate Klaus Bachler 1999-2009
Peymann was followed in 1999 by Klaus Bachler as director. He is a trained actor, but was mostly as a cultural manager (director of the Vienna Festival) active. Bachler moved the theater as a cultural event in the foreground and he engaged for this purpose directors such as Luc Bondy, Andrea Breth, Peter Zadek and Martin Kušej.
Were among the unusual "events" of the directorate Bachler
* The Theatre of Orgies and Mysteries by Hermann Nitsch with the performance of 122 Action (2005 )
* The recording of the MTV Unplugged concert with Die Toten Hosen for the music channel MTV (2005, under the title available)
* John Irving's reading from his book at the Burgtheater Until I find you (2006)
* The 431 animatographische (animatographical) Expedition by Christoph Schlingensief and a big event of him under the title of Area 7 - Matthew Sadochrist - An expedition by Christoph Schlingensief (2006).
* Daniel Hoevels cut in Schiller's Mary Stuart accidentally his throat (December 2008). Outpatient care is enough.
Jubilee Year 2005
In October 2005, the Burgtheater celebrated the 50th Anniversary of its reopening with a gala evening and the performance of Grillparzer's King Ottokar's Fortune and End, directed by Martin Kušej that had been performed in August 2005 at the Salzburg Festival as a great success. Michael Maertens (in the role of Rudolf of Habsburg) received the Nestroy Theatre Award for Best Actor for his role in this play. Actor Tobias Moretti was awarded in 2006 for this role with the Gertrude Eysoldt Ring.
Furthermore, there were on 16th October 2005 the open day on which the 82-minute film "burg/private. 82 miniatures" of Sepp Dreissinger was shown for the first time. The film contains one-minute film "Stand portraits" of Castle actors and guest actors who, without saying a word, try to present themselves with a as natural as possible facial expression. Klaus Dermutz wrote a work on the history of the Burgtheater. As a motto of this season served a quotation from Lessing's Minna von Barnhelm: "It's so sad to be happy alone."
The Burgtheater on the Mozart Year 2006
Also the Mozart Year 2006 was at the Burgtheater was remembered. As Mozart's Singspiel Die Entführung aus dem Serail in 1782 in the courtyard of Castle Theatre was premiered came in cooperation with the Vienna State Opera on the occasion of the Vienna Festival in May 2006 a new production (directed by Karin Beier) of this opera on stage.
Directorate Matthias Hartmann since 2009
From September 2009 to 2014, Matthias Hartmann was Artistic Director of the Burgtheater. A native of Osnabrück, he directed the stage houses of Bochum and Zurich. With his directors like Alvis Hermanis, Roland Schimmelpfennig, David Bösch, Stefan Bachmann, Stefan Pucher, Michael Thalheimer, came actresses like Dorte Lyssweski, Katharina Lorenz, Sarah Viktoria Frick, Mavie Hoerbiger, Lucas Gregorowicz and Martin Wuttke came permanently to the Burg. Matthias Hartmann himself staged around three premieres per season, about once a year, he staged at the major opera houses. For more internationality and "cross-over", he won the Belgian artist Jan Lauwers and his Need Company as "Artists in Residence" for the Castle, the New York group Nature Theater of Oklahoma show their great episode drama Live and Times of an annual continuation. For the new look - the Burgtheater presents itself without a solid logo with word games around the BURG - the Burgtheater in 2011 was awarded the Cultural Brand of the Year .
Since 2014, Karin Bergmann is the commander in chief.
What to write about Lydia Lunch, that has not been written? She has been called an American icon. She´s certainly a confrontationalist. A provocateur/multi-talented woman on the highest order who uses her talents to fight against a corrupt system and society. If you ever go to see Lydia and her band Big Sexy Noise or to one of her spoken word performances, expect to be challenged. It is certainly not something for the faint-hearted. You should google Lydia Lunch to go to her amazing website that will give much more details.She has expressed her creativity through her music, books, spoken word performances, film, video, photography, poetry and ... I am sure I am forgetting something else. I would have to write a detailed Lydia Lunch history book to cover it all. I really appreciated her collaboration with Rowland S. Howard on the two albums "Honeymoon in Red" and "Shotgun Wedding". It was a big influence on me and it was because of that, I met Lydia once again. I will write a bit about Lydia and then end with a story of how I met Lydia after all these years because of Rowland S. Howard. It involved a nasty volcano and a happy ending in Vienna. Google any names here to get further information.
Lydia Lunch has been called "One of the 10 most influential performers of the 1990´s. I have always admired her energy and anger and how she throws it all into all of her art. She started singing and playing guitar for her band Teenage Jesus and the Jerks in New York when she was 16, all the way back in 1976! She was one of the major innovators behind what was known in 1978 as No-wave music. Brian Eno attended a series of their shows along with other bands of that time such as The Contortions, Mars and DNA. He produced an anthology album of these bands called No New York on Island Records. A revolutionary album at the time in 1978 and is still somewhat shocking after all this time. Her next band 8 Eyed Spy took off in another intense direction. She went on to make her solo debut influential album "Queen of Siam" in 1980. As Lydia became more involved in a wider range of artistic pursuits, her musical endeavors of the 80's focused on an extended, infamous series of collaborations with the likes of members of Sonic Youth, Birthday Party, Foetus, Einsturzende Neubauten and many others. In the present decade to date, Lydia has undertaken repeated tours of Europe and the U.S., and has giving spoken-word performances and been featured at internationally prestigious events. Her still photography has been exhibited at galleries in Prague, Paris, Eindhoven, Detroit, Los Angeles, San Diego, Melbourne, Australia and England. She went on to make underground films with Richard Kern and Beth and Scott B. In 1998, Lydia had an international retrospective of her photography which culminated in Paris at the Museum of Erotic Art, where 4 of her pieces are now on permanent display. She was the poster-girl for the Whitney Museum of Art's Underground Film Festival (Oct. 96-Jan. 97), Lydia appeared in 8 films in the festival including the gut-wrenching films of director Richard Kern. She shook up people with her performance as the phone-sex worker in Kern´s infamous film "Fingered" which captured Lydia´s and Kern´s vision of sexual violence and desire
She started her own production company Widowspeak which released her spoken word collaborations and her books. Such as the compilation, "Our Fathers Who Aren't in Heaven" (1990) features Lunch and author Hubert Selby Jr (Last Exit to Brooklyn), Henry Rollins and Don Bajema. She has traveled through the world with her bands and doing her intense spoken word performances. She has published quite a few books. Some of the books that come to mind: Her collaborative book of poetry with Exene Cervenka entitled "Adulter´s Anonymous", "Video Hysterie" a retrospective of Lydia´s music collaborations from 1978 to 2006 which comes with a DVD, "The Gun is Loaded" and "Paragoxia: a Predator´s Diary". This book has been described as a gorgeously battering experience, I will have to include a quote here: The unspeakable sexual confessions of underground legend Lydia Lunch. "Paradoxia reveals that Lunch is at her best when she's at her worst . . and gives voice to her sometimes scary, frequently funny, always canny, never sentimental siren song." --Barbara Kruger, ArtForum. Her recent book is out now and is called "Will Work For Drugs".
Lydia devoted still more of her time to writing, spoken-word performances and lecturing at academic institutions at home in the U.S. including teaching a class on Performance Art at the San Francisco Art Institute and even more so abroad with foreign engagements taking up the bulk of her time in recent years.The 2004 release of "Smoke in the Shadows", a full length LP which features Tommy Grenas, Len Del Rio, Nels Cline, Terry Edwards, Carla Bozulich and Adele Bertei, who together have created a jazzy, late night noir masterpiece which twists even further the unique genre she originated with Queen of Siam. Lydia's involvement with cinema was further expanded when she was invited by Asia Argento to operate as official still photographer for Asia's film based on JT Leroy's "The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things".
Lydia´s new band is called BIG SEXY NOISE formed with the musicians Terry Edwards, James Johnston & Ian White from the rabble rousing band Gallon Drunk. I saw them play in Prague and the combined intensity of Lydia´s singing vocal assaults and the raw, but hard harmonic sounds of the band blew me away. If you have the chance see them. You won´t forget it. OK, my story: Phil Shoenfelt contacted me last March. He had heard that the Australian filmmaker Richard Lowenstein was making a documentary about Rowland S. Howard. There was going to be a tribute concert in Rowland´s memory and Richard needed to have it filmed. I contacted Richard, one thing led to another and it was agreed that I would put together a film crew and capture the concert and do interviews with the musicians who were performing. The line up was Phil Shoenfelt´s band Southern Cross, Kill The Dandies! and Lydia Lunch´s band BIG SEXY NOISE headlining. The very fact that Lydia was involved in this concert, it was obviously very important to film it and do an interview with her. Lydia had a long and very close creative collaboration with Rowland spanning many years. Lydia had promised to project some film footage of her and Rowland while her band played.
I put together the film crew, arranged the interview with Lydia, we got all of the equipment together, the fateful day was nearing and we were ready. I had met Lydia several times a very long time ago in New York. I never really got to know Lydia. We had a lot of mutual friends. I´ve seen Lydia perform with her bands over the years and went to her spoken word performances. She was an intense person to say the least and I was bit nervous to interview her. Lydia normally does not do interviews and made an exception in this case because it was about Rowland. I did not know what to expect, so I did my best to prepare for the interview and to do my best, but fate intervened. The concert was on Monday night and it was Saturday. I had been in contact with Lydia and the concert organizer Ondrej Sturma from Scrape Sound.There was a problem, an Icelandic volcano called Eyjafjallajokul (I love her name) was spewing ash in the atmosphere and all planes were grounded in Europe. Lydia and her band were in France doing some concerts. They were having trouble getting out of France. On Sunday, Lydia had to cancel playing in Prague. All planes were still grounded. They wanted to take a train, but guess what, there was a train strike in France. Surprise, surprise! No rental cars available, so that was the end of that. Even Lydia Lunch couldn´t win against the force of nature with Eyjafjallajokul! I started to think that there might be something to Lydia´s apocalyptic premonitions. We all felt that Rowland must be laughing at this absurd situation.
We all carried on anyway. The Rowland tribute still happened and was filmed without Lydia and her band. The bands were great, good crowd, atmosphere, we filmed the concert, did all the interviews and were pleased with the results, but I was not satisfied. I kept in contact with Lydia hoping that we could hook up and do the interview at a convenient place while she was touring through Europe. Some of the concerts had to be canceled, but it seemed that the volcano threat calmed down. Lydia contacted me that she was doing a special performance in Vienna in June. Vienna is only five hours away from Prague, so it all seemed good to me. I contacted the filmmaker/Lushfilms Andrew C. Standen-Raz in Vienna. I knew I could count on him. I saw his talent through his documentary film about the Vienna music/performance scene called Vinyl. He promised to get a good camera person, he would film with another camera and I would be free to interview Lydia. The time came and Andrew was true to his word. He got the talented cameraman Sako Missirian. Sako had organized a van for us to film in and Andrew put together a music studio to do the second part of the interview in. The day finally came. I was prepared, but a bit nervous not knowing what to expect from Lydia. We picked her up in the van and she didn´t want to waste time and we got right into it. We filmed Lydia in a van that moved through the streets of Vienna. It was perfect, Lydia spoke intensely as I saw see the background of Vienna going by. Sako was crunched in a very uncomfortable position filming with his big camera. The seats were movable and my seat was turned around and I was able to interview Lydia properly, while Andrew was driving the van. Lydia was in good form and spoke intensely about politics, culture and of course Rowland. We continued the second part of the interview in the music studio. While Andrew and Sako set up the equipment, I took this photo in the courtyard of the music studio. I was totally relaxed with Lydia. She was intense, no bullshit and directly to the point. It was one of the best interviews that I did and I was really pleased with the results. I enjoyed the time spent with Lydia. She was very gracious and at times inspiring. We found the right note to the interview concerning Lydia´s work with Rowland and finished, but my work was not finished. I continued to interview people in Berlin that was connected to Rowland. I photographed them as well and have included the portraits in this series: The Rowland S. Howard documentary interview portraits".
Final thoughts about Lydia: The wonderful thing about Lydia is: she has never ever sold out once. The best thing to end this with is this: Do yourself a favor and listen to these Lydia Lunch songs. These are some of my favorite ones at the moment. Dance to these songs and kick in some walls. This is music made by a true passionate artist unlike all the Gaga crap that masquerades itself as being underground and shocking. Have a taste of the real deal! Go to youtube and search for these following songs: "Kill Your Sons " with Lydia´s band Big Sexy Noise, "Some Velvet morning" her demented beautiful ballad with Rowland, "Atomic Bongos" from Queen of Siam, "Touch My Evil" and finally I thought it proper, fitting and showing respect to end this with: "What is Memory" with Rowland´s screeching guitar playing.
I hadn't expected this in my yard, so I flushed him when he was about three feet away from me (not on purpose!).
Hello and welcome to another edition of "What one could expect to see while meandering around Bill's apartment" (Until Sales and Marketing comes up with a new title, we're going with that one for brand recognition.)
I figured that with the previous post of lobster, I'll keep the food thing going. After all, it does meet the criteria of "....what one could expect..."
As the title suggests, this is a new addition to my (already pretty decent) cooking repertoire. White pizza! This one is half plain and half spinach and mushrooms. I had the whole thing polished off in no short order....I was hungry and I'm oh so happy with the product.
Barring some outlandishly-fantastic-so truly-awesome food item, I hereby swear that this will be (at least for the time being) the end of the food-related posts. There's plenty more to shoot in the rest of my apartment.
One last note:
I will accept orders for delivery. Depending on location, prices start at $149.00.For a limited time, I am offering new customers a 10% off their total order. Hurry! Supplies are limited! (Batteries not included; some assembly required; actual product may differ in size and appearance; some exclusions apply; void where prohibited; see store for details)
Is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden has land borders with Norway to the west and Finland to the northeast, and it is connected to Denmark by the Öresund Bridge in the south.
At 450,295 km², Sweden is the third largest country in the European Union in terms of area, with a total population of about 9.2 million. Sweden has a low population density of 21 inhabitants per square kilometre (54 /sq mi) but a considerably higher density in the southern half of the country. About 85% of the population live in urban areas, and it is expected that these numbers will gradually rise as a part of the ongoing urbanization. Sweden's capital is Stockholm, which is also the largest city in the country (population of 1.3 million in the urban area and with 2 million in the metropolitan area).
Sweden emerged as an independent and unified country during the Middle Ages. In the 17th century the country expanded its territories to form the Swedish Empire. Most of the conquered territories outside the Scandinavian Peninsula were lost during the 18th and 19th centuries. The eastern half of Sweden, present-day Finland, was lost to Russia in 1809. The last war in which Sweden was directly involved was in 1814, when Sweden by military means forced Norway into a personal union which lasted until 1905. Since then, Sweden has been at peace, adopting a non-aligned foreign policy in peacetime and neutrality in wartime.
Today, Sweden is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government and a highly developed economy. It ranks first in the world in The Economist's Democracy Index and seventh in the United Nations' Human Development Index. Sweden has been a member of the European Union since 1 January 1995 and is a member of the OECD.
History
Please go to
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Sweden
Geography
Please go to
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Sweden
Other info
Oficial name:
Konungariket Sverige
+ fin: Ruotsin kuningaskunta
rmy: Ťagaripen Svedo / थागारिपेन स्वेदो
sma: Sveerjen gånkarijhke
sme: Ruoŧa gonagasriika
smj: Svieriga gånågisrijkka
yid: קיניגרײַך שװעדן (Kinigrayḫ Švedn)
Unification:
Between 900 and 1200
Area:
449.964 km2
Inhabitants:
9.900.000
Languages:
Dalecarlian [dlc] 1,500 (1996 Oesten Dahl). Upper Dalecarlia (Oevre Dalarna), especially Aelvdalen (Elfdal). Alternate names: Dalska, Dalmaal. Dialects: Quite deviant from other varieties. Various dialects, some of which are reported to be unintelligible to each other's speakers. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, North, East Scandinavian, Danish-Swedish, Swedish
More information.
Finnish [fin] 200,000 in Sweden (1997 Birger Winsa). 'Swedish-Finns' were 446,134 in 1999, which counts those born in Finland and first generation born in Sweden, but not others, even if the first language is Finnish. Alternate names: Suomi, Suomea. Classification: Uralic, Finnic
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Finnish, Tornedalen [fit] 79,579 in Sweden (2000 WCD). Population includes 40,000 to 70,000 in the main region (1997), and including 20,000 who speak it in the home (1996). Population total all countries: 109,579. Northeast Sweden, County of Norrbotten, municipalities of Gällivare, Kiruna, Pajala, Övertorneä, and Haparanda. Also spoken in Finland. Alternate names: Tornedalen, Meänkieli, Torne Valley Finnish, Tornedalsfinska, North Finnish. Dialects: Torne Valley Finnish, Vittangi Finnish, Gällivare Finnish. Standard Finnish is not entirely intelligible to speakers of Tornedalen, especially abstract and complex discourse. Classification: Uralic, Finnic
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Jamtska [jmk] 30,000 (2000 J. Persson). Jämtland and scattered elsewhere in Sweden. Alternate names: Jamska. Dialects: Perhaps 95% lexical similarity to other Norwegian or Swedish dialects, other loans from German, Danish, and French. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, North, West Scandinavian
More information.
Romani, Kalo Finnish [rmf] 1,592 in Sweden (2000 WCD). Alternate names: Fíntika Rómma. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central zone, Romani, Northern
More information.
Romani, Tavringer [rmu] 25,000 in Sweden (1998 Hallman). Population total all countries: 31,000. Scattered all over Sweden. Also spoken in Norway. Alternate names: Rommani, Svensk Rommani, Traveller Swedish, "Tattare". Dialects: An independent language based on Swedish with heavy lexical borrowing from Northern Romani. Not intelligible with Angloromani. Classification: Mixed Language, Swedish-Romani
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Romani, Vlax [rmy] 1,500 in Sweden. 500 Kalderash, 1,000 Lovari. Alternate names: Zigenare. Dialects: Kalderash, Lovari. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central zone, Romani, Vlax
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Saami, Lule [smj] 1,500 in Sweden (1995 M. Krauss). Population total all countries: 2,000. Ethnic population: 6,000 in Sweden. Lapland along the Lule River in Gällivare and Jokkmokk. Also spoken in Norway. Alternate names: Lule, Saami, "Lapp". Dialects: Lule Saami is quite distinct from other Saami. Classification: Uralic, Sami, Western, Northern
More information.
Saami, North [sme] 4,000 in Sweden (1995 M. Krauss). Ethnic population: 5,000 in Sweden (1994 SIL). Karesuando and Jukkasjärvi. Alternate names: Norwegian Saami, "Lapp", Saame, Same, Samic, Northern Lappish, Northern Saami. Dialects: Ruija, Torne, Sea Lappish. Classification: Uralic, Sami, Western, Northern
More information.
Saami, Pite [sje] 20 in Sweden (2000 T. Salminen). Ethnic population: 2,000 in Sweden (1995 M. Krauss). Lapland along Pite River in Arjeplog and Arvidsjaur. Also spoken in Norway. Alternate names: Saami, "Lapp", Pite. Classification: Uralic, Sami, Western, Northern Nearly extinct.
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Saami, South [sma] 300 in Sweden(1995 M. Krauss). Population total all countries: 600. Ethnic population: 600 in Sweden. Vilhelmina in Lapland, in Jämtland, Härjedalen, and Idre in Dalarna. Also spoken in Norway. Alternate names: "Lapp", Southern Lapp. Classification: Uralic, Sami, Western, Southern
More information.
Saami, Ume [sju] 20 (2000 T. Salminen). Ethnic population: 1,000 (1995 M. Krauss). Lycksele, Mala, Tärna, and Sorsele, along the Ume River. Probably no speakers in Norway. Alternate names: "Lapp", Saami, Ume. Classification: Uralic, Sami, Southern Nearly extinct.
More information.
Scanian [scy] 80,000 in Sweden (2002). Blekinge, Halland, Skåne in Sweden. The main regional city is Malmö. Also spoken in Denmark. Alternate names: Skånska, Skånsk, Southern Swedish, Eastern Danish. Dialects: Halländska, Skånska, Blekingska, Bornholmsk. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, North, East Scandinavian, Danish-Swedish, Swedish
More information.
Swedish [swe] 7,825,000 in Sweden (1986). Population includes 5,000 speakers of Gutniska (1998 Sven Håkansson). Population total all countries: 8,789,835. The Göta dialect group is southern, including parts of Småland, south Swedish provinces, Värmland, Västergvtland; the Svea dialect group is northern, including Hälsingland, parts of Östergötland and Uppland, and the Swedish-speaking parts of Finland. Southern Swedish is in Skåne, Blekinge, southern Småland, southern Halland. Northern Swedish is from northern Hälsingland and Jämtland and northwards. Eastern Swedish is in Finland, Estonia, and Gammalsvenskby, Ukraine. Gutnic is in southeastern Isle of Gotland and Fårö. Nearly extinct in Estonia. Also spoken in Canada, Estonia, Finland, Norway, United Arab Emirates, USA. Alternate names: Svenska, Ruotsi. Dialects: Northern Swedish (Norrland), Eastern Swedish (Finland Swedish, Estonian Swedish), Svea, Gutniska (Gutamal, Gotlandic, Gutnic). 'Proper' Swedish is considered to be spoken in Svealand. Dialect investigation is needed of diverse varieties Gutniska, Överkalixmål, Nörpes, Pitemål, provinces around the Bothnic Sea (Västerbotten and Norbotten in Sweden, and Oesterbotten in Finland), and the island of Gotland. Gutniska is descended from Forngutniska (Old Gotlandic), which is ranked as a separate language. A mixed variety, with Turkish influence, Rinkebysvenska, is used among immigrants. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, North, East Scandinavian, Danish-Swedish, Swedish
More information.
Swedish Sign Language [swl] 8,000 deaf primary users, and the first language of many hearing children of deaf parents (1986 Gallaudet Univ.). Dialects: No origins from other sign languages, but it has influenced Portuguese and Finnish sign languages. Intelligible with Norwegian and Danish sign languages with only moderate difficulty. Not intelligible with Finnish Sign Language. Classification: Deaf sign language
Capital city:
Stockholm
Meaning country name:
An old English plural form of Swede. The exact development of the ethnonym remains uncertain, but it certainly derives from the Old English Sweoðeod, in Old Norse: Sviþjoð. The etymology of the first element, Svi, links to the PIE *suos (one's own, of one's own kin). The last element, þjoð, means "people", cognate with deut in Deutsch and teut in Teutons.
Sverige (native name): derives from the phrase Svia Rike, meaning "the realm of the Swedes" (possibly through Danish, even though a similar linguistic evolution happened within Swedish: mik->mig).
An tSualainn (Irish name): means (literally) Swedeland and is formed from an ethnonym Sua, evidently derived from Svia (see above) and -lann, a common suffix denoting abstract nouns in Irish. The inclusion of an, the singular definite article, as well as the elipsis t is necessary for grammatical purposes.
Ruotsi (Finnish), Rootsi (Estonian), Rūotšmō (Livonian), Ruoŧŧa (Sami): probably from a Varangian people called the Rus', originating from Roslagen in Svealand. Scholars debate the meaning of rus, but it probably originates from the element roþs- ("relating to rowing") which has the same origin as row.
Description Flag:
The flag of Sweden (Swedish: Sveriges flagga) is blue with a yellow Scandinavian cross that extends to the edges of the flag. The design and colors of the Swedish flag are believed to have been inspired by the present Coat of arms of Sweden of 1442, which is blue divided quarterly by a cross pattée of gold, and modeled on the Danish flag. Blue and yellow have been used as Swedish colors at least since king Magnus Birgersson's royal coat of arms of 1275.
According to the mythology, the Swedish 12th century king Eric the Holy saw a yellow cross in the sky as he landed in Finland during the First Swedish Crusade in 1157. Seeing this as a sign from God he adopted the yellow cross against a blue background as his banner.
It has also been suggested that the Swedish flag might have been a resistance flag against the Danish flag, which is red with a white cross, and which has been known since 1219. According to this theory, the Swedish flag was created during the reign of King Charles Knutsson, who also introduced the Coat of arms of Sweden in 1442. The national coat of arms is a combination of King Albert of Mecklenburg's coat of arms of 1364 and King Magnus Birgersson's coat of arms of 1275, and is blue divided quarterly by a golden cross pattée.
Other historians claim that the Swedish flag was blue with a white cross before 1420, and became blue with a golden cross only during the early reign of King Gustaf Vasa, who successfully liberated Sweden from the temporary tyranny of the Danish King Christian II in 1521
Coat of arms:
The greater national coat of arms (stora riksvapnet) and the lesser national coat of arms (lilla riksvapnet) are the official coats of arms of Sweden.
The shield has four elements: The first and fourth fields, top left and bottom right, show the three Royal Crowns of Sweden. They have been a national symbol since the time of King Albert of Mecklenburg. The second and third field, top right and bottom left, are the traditional Lions of the Folkunga Dynasty.
The escutcheon is supported by two lions with forked tails (queue fourchée), facing away from the shield and crowned with Royal Crowns. The lion has for centuries been an important element in Swedish heraldry and especially for the State Coat of Arms.
Motto:
"För Sverige - I tiden"
National Anthem: Du gamla, du fria
Original verses by Richard Dybeck:
1
Du gamla, Du fria, Du fjällhöga nord
Du tysta, Du glädjerika sköna!
Jag hälsar Dig, vänaste land uppå jord,
/: Din sol, Din himmel, Dina ängder gröna.:/
2
Du tronar på minnen från fornstora dar,
då ärat Ditt namn flög över jorden.
Jag vet att Du är och Du bliver vad du var.
/: Ja, jag vill leva jag vill dö i Norden.:/
Louise Ahlén's addition from 1910 (usually not seen as part of the national anthem, and not sung)
3
Jag städs vill dig tjäna mitt älskade land,
din trohet till döden vill jag svära.
Din rätt, skall jag värna, med håg och med hand,
/:din fana, högt den bragderika bära.:/
4
Med Gud skall jag kämpa, för hem och för härd,
för Sverige, den kära fosterjorden.
Jag byter Dig ej, mot allt i en värld
/: Nej, jag vill leva jag vill dö i Norden.:/
Literal translation
Original verses by Richard Dybeck:
1
Thou ancient, thou free, thou mountainous North
Thou quiet, thou joyful beauty!
I greet Thee, most beautiful land upon earth,
/:Thy sun, Thy sky, Thine meadows green.:/
2
Thou throne upon memories of great olden days,
When honoured thy name flew over the world,
I know that thou art and wilt be as thou wert,
/: Yes, I want to live I want to die in the Nordic :/
Louise Ahlén's addition from 1910 (usually not seen as part of the national anthem, and not sung)
3
I forever will serve my beloved country,
your faith until death will I swear,
Your right will I protect with mind and with hand,
/:your banner, great the feats it carries.:/
4
With God shall I struggle (fight), for home and for hearth,
for Sweden, the dear motherland.
I trade You not, for anything in the world
/: No, I want to live I want to die in the Nordic.:/
Royal Anthem: Kungssången
1. Ur svenska hjärtans djup en gång
en samfälld och en enkel sång,
som går till kungen fram!
Var honom trofast och hans ätt,
gör kronan på hans hjässa lätt,
och all din tro till honom sätt,
du folk av frejdad stam!
2. O konung, folkets majestät
är även ditt: beskärma det
och värna det från fall!
Stå oss all världens härar mot,
vi blinka ej för deras hot:
vi lägga dem inför din fot -
en kunglig fotapall.
3. Men stundar ock vårt fall en dag,
från dina skuldror purpurn tag,
lyft av dig kronans tvång
och drag de kära färger på,
det gamla gula och det blå,
och med ett svärd i handen gå
till kamp och undergång!
4. Och grip vår sista fana du
och dristeliga för ännu
i döden dina män!
Ditt trogna folk med hjältemod
skall sömma av sitt bästa blod
en kunglig purpur varm och god,
och svepa dig i den.
5. Du himlens Herre, med oss var,
som förr du med oss varit har,
och liva på vår strand
det gamla lynnets art igen
hos sveakungen och hans män.
Och låt din ande vila än
utöver nordanland!
Translation (Highly unofficial)
1. From the depth of Swedish hearts,
a joint and simple song,
which to the King reaches forth!
Be faithful to him and his line,
the crown upon his head, make light,
and all your faith in him invest,
you folk of high renown.
2. Oh King, the majesty of this people
Is also yours - embrace it
And protect it from decline.
Stands all the armies of the world against us,
We fear not their threat
We place them before your foot
As a royal footstool
3. If one day our fall is near
From your shoulders let the mantle fall
Remove the burden of the crown
And put on the beloved colours
The old yellow and the blue,
life the sword by the hilt and go
Towards war and doom
4. Raise our last banner in your hand
And lead your men yet
To the end and into death
Your faithful people of heroes stock,
Of their best blood, they shall sew
A royal robe, warm and pure
And shroud you in it
5. You Lord of heaven, stay with us
Just like you did in the olden days
And live on our shores
the old life and spirit
Of the Svea king and his men
And let your spirit rest
Above the Northern Land
Internet Page: www.sweden.gov.se
Sweden in diferent languages
eng | cym | fry: Sweden
cos | ita | lld | roh-enb | roh-eno | roh-gri: Svezia
ast | glg | spa: Suecia
dan | nor | swe: Sverige
eus | ron | sqi: Suedia
fra | frp | jnf: Suède
arg | roh-srs: Suezia
cat | oci: Suècia
ces | slk: Švédsko
deu | ltz: Schweden / Schweden
hrv | slv: Švedska
kaa | uzb: Shvetsiya / Швеция
kin | run: Ubusuwedi
afr: Swede
aze: İsveç / Исвеч
bam: Suwɛdi
bos: Švedska / Шведска
bre: Sveden
cor: Swedherwyk; Sweden
crh: İsveçiya / Исвечия
csb: Szwedzkô
dsb: Šwedska; Šwedojska
epo: Svedujo; Svedio
est: Rootsi
fao: Svøríki
fin: Ruotsi
fur: Svezie
gag: Şveţiya / Швеция
gla: An t-Suain
gle: An tSualainn / An tSualainn
glv: Yn Toolynn
hat: Syèd
hau: Sweeden; Sweden
hsb: Šwedska
hun: Svédország
ibo: Swiden
ina: Svedia; Sveda
ind: Swedia / سويديا
isl: Svíþjóð
jav: Swedia
kal: Svenskit Nunaat; Sverige
kmr: Sûêd / Суед / سووئێد; Siwêç / Сьwеч / سوێچ; Şvêsî / Швеси / شڤێسی
kur: Swêd; Siwêd / سوێد; Svêçistan / سڤێچستان
lat: Suecia; Suetia
lav: Zviedrija
lim: Zwaede; Zwede
lin: Swési
lit: Švedija
liv: Rūotšmō
mfe: Laswed
mlg: Soeda
mlt: Svezja
mol: Suedia / Суедия
mri: Huitene
msa: Sweden / سويدن
nds: Sweden / Sweden
nld: Zweden
non: Svíþjóð; Svíaríki
nrm: Suêde
pol: Szwecja
por: Suécia
que: Suysya
rmy: Svedo / स्वेदो
rup: Suidia
sag: Süîdi
scn: Svezzia
sco: Swaden
slo: Sxvedia / Шведиа
sma: Sveerje
sme: Ruoŧŧa
smg: Švedėjė
smj: Svierik
smo: Suetena
som: Iswidhan
srd: Isvétzia
swa: Uswidi
szl: Šwecyjo
tet: Suésia
tgl: Suwesya
ton: Sueteni
tpi: Swidan
tuk: Şwesiýa / Швеция
tur: İsveç
vie: Thụy Điển
vol: Svedän
vor: Roodsi
wln: Suwede
wol: Suweed
zul: iSwidi
zza: İsweç
chu: Свеньско (Svenĭsko)
abq | alt | bul | kir | kjh | kom | krc | kum | rus | tyv | udm: Швеция (Švecija)
che | chv | oss: Швеци (Šveci)
mon | xal: Швед (Šved)
bak: Швеция / Şveciya
bel: Швецыя / Šviecyja; Швэцыя / Švecyja
chm: Швеций (Švecij)
kaz: Швеция / Şvecïya / شۆەتسيا
kbd: Швецие (Švecie)
mkd: Шведска (Švedska)
srp: Шведска / Švedska
tat: Исвәҗ / İsväc; Швеция / Şvetsiä
tgk: Шветсия / شوتسیه / Şvetsija
ukr: Швеція (Švecija)
ara: السويد (as-Suwīd); أسوج (Asūǧ)
ckb: سوید / S(i)wîd; سوێد / S(i)wêd
fas: سوئد / Sued; سود / Soved
prs: سویدن (Svīden)
pus: سويډن (Swīḋən); سويدن (Swīdən)
uig: شىۋېتسىيە / Shiwétsiye / Швеция
urd: سویڈن (Savīḋan); سویڈین (Savīḋen)
div: ސްވިޑްން (Sviḋn)
syr: ܣܘܝܕ (Swīd)
heb: שודיה / שוודיה (Švedyah); שבדיה (Šṿedyah)
lad: סואיסיה / Suesia
yid: שװעדן (Švedn)
amh: ስዊድን (Swidən)
ell: Σουηδία (Soyīdía)
hye: Շվեդիա (Švedia)
kat: შვედეთი (Švedeṭi); შვეცია (Švec̣ia)
hin: स्वीडन (Svīḍan); स्वीडेन (Svīḍen)
ben: সুইডেন (Suiḍen)
pan: ਸਵੀਡਨ (Svīḍan)
kan: ಸ್ವೀಡನ್ (Svīḍan)
mal: സ്വീഡന് (Svīḍan)
tam: சுவீடன் (Čuvīṭaṉ); ஸ்வீடன் (Svīṭaṉ)
tel: స్వీడన్ (Svīḍan)
zho: 瑞典 (Ruìdiǎn)
yue: 瑞典 (Seuihdín)
jpn: スウェーデン (Suwēden)
kor: 스웨덴 (Seuweden)
bod: སི་ཝེ་དེན་ (Si.we.den.); རུའེ་དེན་ (Ru'e.den.); རོས་ཏེན་ (Ros.ten.); སུའེ་རྡན་ (Su'e.rdan.)
dzo: སུའི་ཌན་ (Su'i.ḍan.)
mya: ဆ္ဝီဒင္ (Sʰwidĩ)
tha: สวีเดน (Sawīdēn)
lao: ຊຸຍແອດ (Suy'ǣt)
khm: ស៊ុយអែត (Suy'æt)
You don't really expect me to know the mind of a beaver? For some reason this individual decided to crawl out of the water on one side of Airport Road (where its lodge sits) and take the high path over the pavement rather than swim through the large culvert. It seemed oblivious to my presence, perhaps because I was in my car I seemed to pose no obvious threat (a potential fatal line of reasoning). I barely had time to pull over, angle my car, roll down the window, cut the engine, fold in my side mirror, grab my camera, and start shooting.
Airport Road, North Swanzey, NH; 27 May, 2021)