Sri Lanka Travel Photography
View allAll Photos Tagged hospitable
A puffed-up American Robin bracing against a bitter west wind during a snow shower. Usually, the appearance of a Robin offers the hope of an early Spring. Most likely this one is the member of a flock that's passing through towards a more hospitable Southern climate. To confound things, a few do not get the Memo and over Winter...
Yesterday, it was a delightful sunny 70F, a record high for 11/18... Today, a blustery 36F with snow showers.
One of the many streets in Funchal, Madeira where the front doors of properties have paintings on them
Didn't get a chance to go in , but it did look nice
The house was built as an inn between 1752 and 1755 by Alexander MacDonald VII of Glenaladale who was wounded at Culloden (1746) fighting for Prince Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie).
Later it became a tenant farmer’s dwelling and remained as such until 1842. About that time the proprietor, Angus MacDonald XII of Glenaladale, converted the old building into a mansion house by heightening the walls and the ceilings and enlarging the windows to make it into a suitable seat for his family. Soon after this he doubled the size of the building to its present form. He and his successor were very hospitable and kept an open house in the good old Highland style. His brother, Fr. Donald, who built the church, lived in the house for upwards of 30 years, and eventually Col. John Andrew (son of Angus) succeeded in 1870. The Colonel died in 1916 without issue and the house and lands passed out of the family after a period of over 300 years.
Southeastward view of Nakaya (中谷) sub-community of "Naka"tsuchi. It is a small valley of the Nakaya-gawa, a tributary of the Himekawa.
Nakaya is a secluded place accessible only by a tunnel through the Himekawa river cliff.
Old Salt Road from Itoigawa had been laid out along the Nakaya-gawa because the terrain was more hospitable than the narrow Himekawa valley. After Nakaya, the old road from Itoigawa had crossed a pass to Tsuchiya, then down to Naka-otari on the Himekawa riverside, and climbed the western bank of the Himekawa toward Hakuba.
A new road was completed on the narrow Himekawa riverside in 1890, which cut off Nakaya and Tsuchiya from the main traffic route making the community like a time capsule of the Edo period (17-19th century).
Movie setting
Much of the feature "Honkytonk Man" was filmed in and around Calaveras County, east of Stockton, California. Exterior scenes include Main Street, Mountain Ranch; Main Street, Sheepranch; and the Pioneer Hotel in Sheepranch. Extras were locally hired and many of the town's residents are seen in the movie. During the filming, Clint Eastwood was very friendly and hospitable, taking time to chat and visit with many local residents.
Sheep Ranch has a surprisingly colorful history. The town was surrounded by sheep corrals, and in 1860 gold ore was discovered in the corrals where the sheep were kept at night. Soon Sheep Ranch was a bustling gold mining town.
Small, hospitable, newbie friendly SIM. You can rezz and build here. Let your friends accompany you. maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Ennis/243/145/23
When to Lockhart, Texas, about an hours drive from me, just to take pictures. And, I spotted this fire house. I couldn't find much history on it but I did find a lot of information on the history of Lockhart. Here you go:
Caldwell County soil was found to be hospitable to cotton. After years of experimentation, Lockhart's A.D. Mebane developed a particularly hardy strain of cotton that continues to set a worldwide standard.
Oil and Texas are synonymous and Lockhart had its days as a boom town with the discovery and development of oil fields in the 1920's. Shallow field exploration continues in Caldwell County, with a major field surrounding Luling.
The coming of railroads and automobiles changed the face of Lockhart, as for all of America. The Sunset rail route reached Luling in 1874, and the Missouri, Kansas, Texas arrived in Lockhart in 1885. The first automobile in Lockhart was hand built by Lockhart blacksmith Emil Seeliger. The total cost of the contraption, including the $60 worth of tubeless tires, was $125. He took the car for its first drive in 1904, attaining the speed of 15 miles per hour.
Although recently removed from the endangered species list this species depends on people to manage its required breeding habitat of certain aged Jack Pine forests. Cowbird trapping was also part of the management and that was stopped a few seasons ago. Part of the rational for that was the Cowbird population had plummeted in that area and apparently it was thought that was not due to trapping alone but due to a change in the surrounding habitat making it less hospitable to Cowbirds. This season I ran in to a few local birders in other Michigan locations (we've yet to run into another photographer or birder in the Kirtland or other breeding ground areas we go with the exception of the Smithsonian individuals below) who independently made the comment that they were seeing a sharp increase in the Cowbird population this year including one person who lived adjacent to Kirtland habitat.
This year we again ran into a Smithsonian team doing nest monitoring for Cowbird parasitism. As nests were just beginning to be built they didn't have a read yet on this season's parasitism. When WarblerWhisperer goes into this habitat we don't go into the Jack Pine forest but we work around the road. We don't go looking for nests. Time will tell whether Cowbird trapping will need to be resumed.
Michigan. WarblerWhisperer LLC photography trip. May 2021.
From all ex-soviet cities, Baku, for me - one of the best. Here you can find everything what you want. Great historical place,modern buildings,kind and hospitable people.
GHO posing nicely on her post. This shot was taken at the wonderful Canadian Raptor Conservancy. We had a great session with a few lovely stars of the show and this GHO was a first one to perform. I enjoyed the presentation very much and it was a great experience. James the host was super funny and very hospitable. A great place to visit and have an adventure with fabulous Birds of Prey.
Annecy, France is a city of natural marvels. It is a very beautiful city and it’s folks a friendly, hospitable and simple. I loved touring it when I was there. Will definitely consider revisiting it in the future if the opportunity pops up. Wish you a comfortable day.
Another central Asia shot, I sometimes remember that there is more to post. This shot was taken on top of the pass to Son Kul, fantastic landscape scenery, and earlier I posted one shot from down in the valley that you can see here (flickr.com/photos/115540984@N02/49631088106/in/dateposted/).
On that picture you can see the road going up on the left, and that's the same path we drove upwards and that you see on the right.
20 September 2019 I came back from my journey over a part of the Silk Road to and through Central Asia. 4 months of traveling through 14 countries (Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran) before I flew home from Teheran. An impressive journey in countries that are extremely beautiful, with lovely and welcoming people and diverse cultures and history.
Intense traveling with more than 20000 kilometers in our mobile home on sometimes roads that hardly could be called that way. We saw many villages and cities (some wonderful, others very ugly), countries that are transforming from the old Soviet era into something more related to older cultures and the way people live, often funded by oil readily available around the Caspian sea. We saw the amazing mountains south of the Black Sea, the wonderful Caucasus, and the high mountains in the far east close to China with peaks over 7000 meter, and not to forget the (Bulgarian) Alps!
We crossed the great steppe of Kazakhstan. a drive of at least 5000 km, the remnants of lake Aral, once one of the biggest lakes of the world, saw a rocket launch from Baikonur (this little part is Russian owned), we crossed many high mountains passes, and drove the breathtaking canyon that comes from the Pamir, beginning at ca 4500 meter, and going down for ca. 400km to an altitude of 1300 meter, driving for 100's of kilometers along the Afghan border.
And then the numerous lakes with all sorts of different colors from deep cobalt blue to turquoise, and one rare spectacle in Turkmenistan where a gas crater is burning already for more than 40 years. And finally and certainly not the least to mention an enormous amount of wonderful, hospitable and welcoming people. The woman often dressed in wonderful dresses, and bringing a lot of color in the streets of almost of all countries we visited.
Peeking out from behind a wall to greet strangers on the street. How very hospitable they are!
Must be Friday again...
From time to time I go back to my Central Asia trip, because with ca. 9000 pictures that I took there is still quite a lot to share.
This image was taken along the Pandj river, that borders Afghanistan and Tajikistan for ca 400 km. I posted several images already of this incredibly scenic drive ( flickr.com/photos/115540984@N02/50083151293/in/dateposted/, flickr.com/photos/115540984@N02/49429860523/in/album-7215..., flickr.com/photos/115540984@N02/49912354842/in/album-7215..., flickr.com/photos/115540984@N02/51383760036/in/album-7215...). This might not even be the final one because I have one shot more that's very impressive.
20 September 2019 I came back from my journey over a part of the Silk Road to and through Central Asia. 4 months of traveling through 14 countries (Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran) before I flew home from Teheran. An impressive journey in countries that are extremely beautiful, with lovely and welcoming people and diverse cultures and history.
Intense traveling with more than 20000 kilometers in our mobile home on sometimes roads that hardly could be called that way. We saw many villages and cities (some wonderful, others very ugly), countries that are transforming from the old Soviet era into something more related to older cultures and the way people live, often funded by oil readily available around the Caspian sea. We saw the amazing mountains south of the Black Sea, the wonderful Caucasus, and the high mountains in the far east close to China with peaks over 7000 meter, and not to forget the (Bulgarian) Alps!
We crossed the great steppe of Kazakhstan. a drive of at least 5000 km, the remnants of lake Aral, once one of the biggest lakes of the world, saw a rocket launch from Baikonur (this little part is Russian owned), we crossed many high mountains passes, and drove the breathtaking canyon that comes from the Pamir, beginning at ca 4500 meter, and going down for ca. 400km to an altitude of 1300 meter, driving for 100's of kilometers along the Afghan border.
And then the numerous lakes with all sorts of different colors from deep cobalt blue to turquoise, and one rare spectacle in Turkmenistan where a gas crater is burning already for more than 40 years. And finally and certainly not the least to mention an enormous amount of wonderful, hospitable and welcoming people. The woman often dressed in wonderful dresses, and bringing a lot of color in the streets of almost of all countries we visited.
Winter Queen walks serenely and silently onward,
As if floating across frosted, muted landscapes.
Her floor trailing coat a cool watercolour flash,
Against a backdrop of silhouetted, bare branches and trunks,
Nodding seed heads on stalks,
And pale, grey skies that envelope it all.
Much of her is covered, her face exposed,
Brown skin glowing with beauty and warmth,
From a heart whose fire stays burning ever gently.
Her head turns one way and another to survey,
This precious wintry realm of stark splendour,
She made a promise to Autumn to keep and protect.
Her brilliant crown of snowflakes, stars and Winter roses,
Sits atop her afro of tight, silver curls,
Sparkling as it catches the meek light of the sunshine.
She is regal indeed, with an aura of nobility,
Not by birth, an inflated manmade construct,
But by nature’s hand, by earth’s seasonal wand.
She embraces her purpose with grace and wisdom,
Presiding over the cold and hardened earth.
Much of the natural world lies sleeping and biding,
Until time and warmth signal approaching Spring,
Tingling along patient roots, expectant stems,
Unfurling tendrils and hopeful buds.
She moves through Wintered woods, over snowy mounds,
looking for signs of creatures in hibernation.
Are they safe in their cosy, ecologically friendly homes?
Lying still beneath twiggy, mossy roofs?
Entwined in sleeping bags made of Autumn’s leaves?
Yes, she is satisfied they are biding their time too.
Signs of life remain on chilled earth and air,
Whilst others have sought out more hospitable climes.
Winter Queen has no favourites, but gains much joy and comfort,
From the valiant efforts of her winged and feathered friends.
How they flit and chatter, how they sing and soar,
How they commune and continue from dawn until dusk.
Her predominant responsibility is with the natural world.
However Winter Queen spares many a contemplation,
For the beings that live alongside and beyond hers,
For their world struggles for balance and this imbalances hers.
Love and kindness are in abundance there too,
But there also exists much anguish and injustice.
She sends her good wishes from within to without,
Calling on icy fractals to accept and absorb them,
Chilled, undulating airwaves to disperse and broadcast them.
She yearns for the people to heed the picture of Winter,
To see beyond the oils and pastels of it’s starkness,
For in it’s canvas are woven the themes for survival.
The fabric of love and life exist in their preservation,
In conservation, restoration and their essential protection.
For the continuance of the self, of humanity, of nature,
Of the gifts the universe has bestowed and made plenty.
Time taken to rest and to heal gathers strength,
And energy for future endeavours and strides.
Quiet pensiveness has descended over person, land and tree,
A calm introspection, remembrance and honesty.
But in earth’s stillness is a fruitful dormancy,
A preparation for growth and for challenges ahead,
A continuance of gentle but necessary proaction,
For with action comes hope and hope must survive.
Winter Queen will walk the earth, a beacon of reassurance,
Until the transition is upon her and temperatures begin to rise.
Nature’s excitement will grow and in the distance she will see,
Her sister Queen ready to embrace and to thank her,
To graciously receive the baton of hope and life,
For her task of conducting Spring’s mass awakening.
the evening promises to be eventful .. Dombra, in Kazakh - "домбыра", it is all pasted over with photographs of girls .. I wonder what repertoire of songs awaits me?
here is just an illustration to the story on two films
www.flickr.com/photos/zoombablog/albums/72177720301092730
filmed on 135 fujicolor 400
M42 CarlZeiss Jena DDR lens on Canon or Praktica camera
Epson V600 scanned
"We were made to enjoy music, to enjoy beautiful sunsets, to enjoy looking at the billows of the sea and to be thrilled with a rose that is bedecked with dew… Human beings are actually created for the transcendent, for the sublime, for the beautiful, for the truthful... and all of us are given the task of trying to make this world a little more hospitable to these beautiful things."
Desmond Tutu
Ιf somebody wonders whether this is my country he makes a big mistake. ... my country , is history,monuments, blue sea, green forest, golden sun, white stone houses, tall mountains, rivers, islands, smiling,hospitable and proud people, I am proud to be ELLINAS.
Thanks a lot for your time, your likes and your comments.
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Copyright© *Τhemida Zidrou* ©All rights reserved
"Hold him still Lothar! Lets show this centurion how hospitable we are!"
My version of Scene 6 with Lothar Lee! <-Check out his version!
Kalamaki, as Kalkan was known in ancient history is thought to have been founded between 150-200 years ago by traders from the Greek Island of Meis, which lies 2 miles off shore from the town of Kas, which is 18 miles from Kalkan.
The success of those early traders encouraged others of both Greek and Turkish origin to settle. Evidence of this can be seen in the similarity in architecture in Meis and Kalkan. Settlement was further stimulated by Kalkan's harbour which was the only safe, hospitable harbour between Fethiye and Kas.
Kalkan Mosque
Kalkan's Mosque, originally a Greek orthodox church is one of Kalkan's earliest buildings and the architecture is very reminiscent of churches that can be seen in the Greek Mediterranean today.
Kalkan people were largely involved in trade. Various produce, including charcoal, silk, cotton, Olive oil, timber, grapes and sesame were brought by camel from the plains of Patara and mountains to be loaded onto ships where goods were taken to other parts of the Ottoman empire such as Egypt, Syria, Cyprus, Rhodes and Lebanon.
The 20th century saw Kalkan prosper with this trade, and history records that in the early 1900's there was a customs House, 17 restaurants, a goldsmith and several tailors at this time.
The 1920's saw the start of changes, with the founding of the Turkish Republic, and population exchange of Greeks and Turks. Greeks who were living in Turkey moved to Greece and Australia, and Turks who were living in Greece moved to Turkey.
In the 1960's a coastal road was completed between Kalkan and the larger towns of Antalya to the East and Fethiye to the West. This new mobility and the opportunities for local people to develop businesses further afield meant that at that time many people left Kalkan.
One morning recently I was surprised to find a Huntsman spider sound asleep and hanging by one leg on the outside of the window on my front porch. I thought she may be dead but decided not to disturb her, she looked so sweet and innocent just hanging there on the glass.
I kept an eyes on her and when I wasn't looking, she woke up and went on her way. A shame really because I would have made her some tea and toast, I'm hospitable like that. A few nights later I saw her again, this time she was inside with me. She had taken up a position on the wall where she could watch TV over my right shoulder; Huntsmans are lovely like that, they're both sociable and enjoy a bit of television.
She was still there at bedtime, and fearing she may fancy a warm spot under my doona, I picked her up and took her into the garden. "Sweet dreams my darling" I said as she vanished into the flower bed.
Poland is a peaceful country, an ideal place to live with your family. Beautiful, clean and hospitable. However, guests must accept our rules, we will not make mistakes in Western Europe.
The TransCanada Highway, connecting Canadians from coast to coast a feat of engineering we can all be proud of, fueled by determination from yester year that I sometimes wonder could be replicated in todays day and age. This shot depicts Chippewa Falls found about 55 kms due north of Sault Ste. Marie and marks the halfway point of the TransCanada Highway and an understandable place for a rest stop. The great thing about living in a place where its covered with ice and snow 4 solid months of the year is that you learn to appreciate things in their cycle and make the best of the of it when nature makes things less hospitable.
I took this on Sept 21rst, 2021 with my D850 and Tamron 24-70 f2.8 G2 Lens at 35mm, 1/6s, f11 ISO 64 processed in LR, PS +Topaz ,and DXO
Disclaimer: My style is a study of romantic realism as well as a work in progress
We had many trips around the islands. The residents were very nice and hospitable. Sometimes we were invited into their homes.
I was slightly surprised but not shocked to find about 50 American robins at Palisades Park in Decorah today. I am confident that these robins intend to spend the entire winter right here since I've found robins wintering here in previous years. This area has a very hospitable microclimate to help robins get through a rough winter in good shape - sheer limestone cliffs that face south and act like solar heaters even on very cold sunny days, lots of eastern red cedar trees loaded with nutritious berries so these tight evergreen trees provide both food and shelter, and the Upper Iowa River is right there with open water when the robins get thirsty or need a bath.
Thank you for your visit. I appreciate very much the faves and comments that have been left.
Taken before the start of a hunt of the Albrighton Hunt, near Albrighton, Shropshire, England.
I was invited by someone who used to ride with the Albrighton Hunt. Those taking part were hospitable offering hot toddies and sausages and allowing me to take photos. I was hoping that the horses and riders would all line up before setting out which would have been a wonderful photo opportunity. Unfortunately, this did not happen.
The pink coats (historically called pink although red) are worn by hunt officials. Other riders wear black coats.
Hunting live foxes with foxhounds is now illegal. Instead a scent trail is artificially laid out and the hounds follow the scent pursued by horses and riders. However, animal welfare groups such as the RSPCA still oppose the conducting of hunts because of the risk that foxes will be flushed out by the hounds.
Happy weekend!
To my knowledge the first visit of Great White Egrets to Baron's Haugh NR in 4 years...you would think the Grey Heron would be more hospitable! Tricky one taken into the sun from the Marsh Hide
We recently visited Paraiso de Avedad near San Pablo City in the Philippines, and it was an enchanting experience. The resort beautifully integrates the splendor of natural gardens, the charm of historical significance, and the grandeur of architectural design. Nestled among verdant landscapes and stunning views, the resort stands true to its name, offering a slice of paradise. Currently, it serves as a delightful day-resort and restaurant offering scrumptious cuisine. Overnight stays are not available yet, but the warmth of the community and its hospitable residents is ever-present.
Every corner of the resort echoes its rich history, with relics and artifacts narrating stories from the past. Strolling through the pathways bordered by venerable trees, I felt deeply connected to history and nature alike. The architecture is a perfect fusion of traditional and contemporary styles, providing an atmosphere that is both majestic and welcoming.
To the community, we extend our heartfelt thanks: maraming salamat sa inyong lahat!
Bunschoten-Spakenburg is a beautiful village with wonderful authentic features, hospitable people and modern shops and catering establishments. There is still plenty of attention for history and culture, but one cannot put back the clock. Plenty of activities and wonderful events are held in this village, in addition to women in traditional costume and ‘old men’ telling their stories in Spakenburg dialect on a bench at the harbour. In short, this is the best of both worlds!
Bunschoten has an agrarian origin, which is evident from the many farms and rural character. Spakenburg was a real fishing village located at the Zuyder Zee, later the IJsselmeer. And this can also be seen in and around the harbours with many fishing boats and other beautiful ships. The centre of Spakenburg is located around the old museum harbour with an active wharf. The lovely shops, the Saturday market, the historical buildings, the museums and friendly cafés and restaurants with their outdoor cafés ensure a wonderful time in an authentic village. Everyone is welcome in Bunschoten-Spakenburg!
GB&W RS27 (316) and RS27 (317) in Norwood roundhouse. The shop staff was kind and hospitable and I was allowed to wander about freely. Everything was squeeky clean except the 317 and I suspect it was not being used for these days.
Bunschoten-Spakenburg is a beautiful village with wonderful authentic features, hospitable people and modern shops and catering establishments. There is still plenty of attention for history and culture, but one cannot put back the clock. Plenty of activities and wonderful events are held in this village, in addition to women in traditional costume and ‘old men’ telling their stories in Spakenburg dialect on a bench at the harbour. In short, this is the best of both worlds!
Bunschoten has an agrarian origin, which is evident from the many farms and rural character. Spakenburg was a real fishing village located at the Zuyder Zee, later the IJsselmeer. And this can also be seen in and around the harbours with many fishing boats and other beautiful ships. The centre of Spakenburg is located around the old museum harbour with an active wharf. The lovely shops, the Saturday market, the historical buildings, the museums and friendly cafés and restaurants with their outdoor cafés ensure a wonderful time in an authentic village. Everyone is welcome in Bunschoten-Spakenburg
another from earlier this year when the weather was more hospitable... but as all things are, soon the heat will be getting on my nerves :)
Benidorm. Quiero que mi primera foto en Flickr sea un homenaje a esta ciudad alegre, luminosa, hospitalaria, suave…
Benidorm. I would like my first photo on Flickr to be a tribute to this cheerful, bright, hospitable, soft city …
The morning sunrise catches St. Henry's Catholic Church located in the Rocky Mountain foothills near Waterton Lakes National Park, about a half hour from Pincher Creek, Alberta, Canada. This small building has serviced the Dry Wood community in southern Alberta for more than a century. Although religious ceremonies are no longer held on a routine basis under its roof, the cemetery is used regularly. Generations of families are interned inside the cemetery which is maintained by volunteers and is a well visited site. This strategic location, elevated and fully exposed, may have had spiritual significance to First Nations since it is on high ground and stands out in the region. Also, it is a very popular location for birders to view Rosy Finches (see e-Bird), Sandhill cranes, and is popular for photographers and those who enjoy its ambiance. A resident caretaker is very hospitable and receptive to visitors.
Frozen Lake Baikal
After visiting Irkutsk I was surprised about the inhabitants quite a lot. Russian people are definitely very kind, understanding and hospitable. Only a few have miserable character profiles. Since some days we know who they are. Our resistance is against these oligarchs, but I realize all too well the people who will be the victims of this. Usually it's the common man who falls through the ice.
More pictures from wonderful architecture, this one is from the mosque in Edirne, from which I already posted these shots (www.flickr.com/photos/115540984@N02/51000308162/in/datepo..., www.flickr.com/photos/115540984@N02/49326169058/in/photol...). A source of incredible joy, amazing art work!
20 September 2019 I came back from my journey over a part of the Silk Road to and through Central Asia. 4 months of traveling through 14 countries (Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran) before I flew home from Teheran. An impressive journey in countries that are extremely beautiful, with lovely and welcoming people and diverse cultures and history.
Intense traveling with more than 20000 kilometers in our mobile home on sometimes roads that hardly could be called that way. We saw many villages and cities (some wonderful, others very ugly), countries that are transforming from the old Soviet era into something more related to older cultures and the way people live, often funded by oil readily available around the Caspian sea. We saw the amazing mountains south of the Black Sea, the wonderful Caucasus, and the high mountains in the far east close to China with peaks over 7000 meter, and not to forget the (Bulgarian) Alps!
We crossed the great steppe of Kazakhstan. a drive of at least 5000 km, the remnants of lake Aral, once one of the biggest lakes of the world, saw a rocket launch from Baikonur (this little part is Russian owned), we crossed many high mountains passes, and drove the breathtaking canyon that comes from the Pamir, beginning at ca 4500 meter, and going down for ca. 400km to an altitude of 1300 meter, driving for 100's of kilometers along the Afghan border.
And then the numerous lakes with all sorts of different colors from deep cobalt blue to turquoise, and one rare spectacle in Turkmenistan where a gas crater is burning already for more than 40 years. And finally and certainly not the least to mention an enormous amount of wonderful, hospitable and welcoming people. The woman often dressed in wonderful dresses, and bringing a lot of color in the streets of almost of all countries we visited.
I do love a lone tree picture. Unfortunately in my neck of the woods (pun intended) trees are quite hard to come by. I can count on one hand the number of lone trees in a ten mile radius of where I live. The ones we do have tend to be either the untidy sycamore, which have already lost their leaves due to recent gales, or windswept hawthorns, hanging on and growing almost horizontally sometimes. My photography mentors tell that we are coming to the time of glorious autumnal colours. I guess they must live in more hospitable places.
... on this small, hospitable island ;-))
Sculpture at the waterfront of Santa Cruz, Madeira, Portugal
with the Ilhas Desertas / 'Desertas Islands' in the far back.
From time to time I go back to my trip to Central Asia, because I still have a few nice images. This shot was taken in the wonderful city of Alba Julia, where they did a great job restoring the old city citadel. A very enjoyable place to walk through, and I especially remember how friendly and welcoming the people were here.
BTW, the two people that 'spoil' this image are my travel companions, they often got in the way!
20 September 2019 I came back from my journey over a part of the Silk Road to and through Central Asia. 4 months of traveling through 14 countries (Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran) before I flew home from Teheran. An impressive journey in countries that are extremely beautiful, with lovely and welcoming people and diverse cultures and history.
Intense traveling with more than 20000 kilometers in our mobile home on sometimes roads that hardly could be called that way. We saw many villages and cities (some wonderful, others very ugly), countries that are transforming from the old Soviet era into something more related to older cultures and the way people live, often funded by oil readily available around the Caspian sea. We saw the amazing mountains south of the Black Sea, the wonderful Caucasus, and the high mountains in the far east close to China with peaks over 7000 meter, and not to forget the (Bulgarian) Alps!
We crossed the great steppe of Kazakhstan. a drive of at least 5000 km, the remnants of lake Aral, once one of the biggest lakes of the world, saw a rocket launch from Baikonur (this little part is Russian owned), we crossed many high mountains passes, and drove the breathtaking canyon that comes from the Pamir, beginning at ca 4500 meter, and going down for ca. 400km to an altitude of 1300 meter, driving for 100's of kilometers along the Afghan border.
And then the numerous lakes with all sorts of different colors from deep cobalt blue to turquoise, and one rare spectacle in Turkmenistan where a gas crater is burning already for more than 40 years. And finally and certainly not the least to mention an enormous amount of wonderful, hospitable and welcoming people. The woman often dressed in wonderful dresses, and bringing a lot of color in the streets of almost of all countries we visited.
Another example of some the impressive natural colors on display in Yellowstone National Park.
This is West Geyser Basin's Black Pool runoff as it flows into Yellowstone Lake. A pic of the Black Pool in comments.
"The misty pool has vibrant blue water today, but prior to hydrothermal activity in 1991, the pool was much cooler and hospitable to black and brown thermophiles. Thermophiles are microorganisms that love heat. They are responsible for the vivid colors in Yellowstone’s hydrothermal features. Yellow marks the hottest pools, while greens and blues mark pools that are usually below 140 degrees Fahrenheit."
re: hikespeak.com
Have a most enjoyable June weekend!
Insects have lots going for them and one of the pleasantries of True Bugs is that their pubescent stadia are called nymphs both for females and males.
I was going to tell you how I dived up out of the hospitable waters of the Gaasperplas like a nymph into the shade of of succulent Blackberry shrubbery. But I had to restrain myself both as Rana and as Homo sapiens because in our worlds nymphs are usually pretty - though often dangerous, too - females.
Anyway, I did scramble out of the water and was enjoying those Blackberries. One I started to pop into my mouth and then noticed this nymph of a True Bug. I carefully put it on an unripe berry, and then ate True Black. Come to think of it, when I was a lad and complained that there was a worm in my apple, my mother laughed and said: well, it's spent its entire life there and is as much apple as apple... so bite up!
A spice market in Spice Bazaar, Istanbul, Turkey.
Maybe it was Ramadan, the vendors there was less than hospitable that day.
From time to time I go back to the pictures that I took during my trip to Central Asia, and this is the third Mount Kazbek image. I am standing at ca 3200 meters altitude in a bare landscape with snow, glaciers and rocks, and I still remember how impressive this was, although I don't think my pictures have grasped it enough.
I think there are two reasons, the lack of clouds, which results in not enough DOF, and I also used that day a polarisation filter, and I feel that hasn't helped either. But still you can find 2 people in this image to have some sort of idea about the dimensions, so you can see the waterfall is not just dripping from a little pool.
At this point we almost had reached the Gergeti glacier, which was the goal of our journey.
20 September 2019 I came back from my journey over a part of the Silk Road to and through Central Asia. 4 months of traveling through 14 countries (Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran) before I flew home from Teheran. An impressive journey in countries that are extremely beautiful, with lovely and welcoming people and diverse cultures and history.
Intense traveling with more than 20000 kilometers in our mobile home on sometimes roads that hardly could be called that way. We saw many villages and cities (some wonderful, others very ugly), countries that are transforming from the old Soviet era into something more related to older cultures and the way people live, often funded by oil readily available around the Caspian sea. We saw the amazing mountains south of the Black Sea, the wonderful Caucasus, and the high mountains in the far east close to China with peaks over 7000 meter, and not to forget the (Bulgarian) Alps!
We crossed the great steppe of Kazakhstan. a drive of at least 5000 km, the remnants of lake Aral, once one of the biggest lakes of the world, saw a rocket launch from Baikonur (this little part is Russian owned), we crossed many high mountains passes, and drove the breathtaking canyon that comes from the Pamir, beginning at ca 4500 meter, and going down for ca. 400km to an altitude of 1300 meter, driving for 100's of kilometers along the Afghan border.
And then the numerous lakes with all sorts of different colors from deep cobalt blue to turquoise, and one rare spectacle in Turkmenistan where a gas crater is burning already for more than 40 years. And finally and certainly not the least to mention an enormous amount of wonderful, hospitable and welcoming people. The woman often dressed in wonderful dresses, and bringing a lot of color in the streets of almost of all countries we visited.
Once again wandering the backstreets of a strange town, really there are very few streets to wander in St Goar, there is the main street which is the highway running parallel to the Rhine and the Oberstrasse which runs parallel to this one block back and a network of intersecting short streets linking the two.
Being named after the patron Saint of Innkeepers St Goar is a most hospitable place and most of its economy it focused on the tourists that pass through this little gem.
Sankt Goar is great place to purchase a souvenir beer stein, styling clogs, or a cuckoo clock, in fact it has the largest free standing cuckoo clock in Germany but save your wine purchases for another location though a center for Riesling production it is one of the more expensive areas for the libation.
I took this with my D750 and Tamron SP 24-70mm 2.8 G2 Lens processed in LR, PS luminosity masks and DXO Nik
Disclaimer: Not trying to be realistic in my editing there is enough realism in the world, my style is a mix of painterly and romanticism as well as a work in progress.
An extract from my Journal of this day:-
This evening we had a welcoming dinner at a restaurant at Fishermans Wharf. We were seated around the restaurant, no welcoming, no introductions or opportunity to mingle,
First impressions: I feel at home here, speaking the language helps, and there's a shared way of doing things. A few things are naturally a little unfamiliar, but on the whole it feels like I'm at home and very comfortable.
Second impression, disappointment and frustration at walking past so many photo opportunities. My eyes are everywhere, I see things and want to stop to take photos. We have a schedule and stops to take shots of birds and wild flowers are not in the schedule. Already I’ve seen so many pretty flowers and all of them new to me. Every time I hear a bird I look to see it, and want to take photos. There's nobody to identify things for me. In time I'll narrow my awareness, but it may take longer than three weeks for this to kick in.
Finally, all the Americans I've met so far have all been warm and welcoming; they're so hospitable which helps to make me feel right at home.
Conwy Castle is a medieval fortification in Conwy, on the north coast of Wales. It was built by Edward I, during his conquest of Wales, between 1283 and 1289. It was constructed as part of a wider project to create the walled town of Conwy. Over the next few centuries, the castle played an important part in several wars. UNESCO considers the castle to be one of "the finest examples of late 13th century and early 14th century military architecture in Europe", and it is classed as a World Heritage site. (Source: Wikipedia)
The medieval old town of Conwy is one of the most impressive sites I have seen during my journey across Wales. Both castle and old town are really worth the visit. If you are searching for a b&b in Conwy try out the Fishermore, which is a 10 minute walk away from the old town. Landlord Peter was a impressivly hospitable and welcoming host.
Press [L] for full-size view.
Festung Conwy Castle
Conwy Castle ist eine mittelalterliche Festungsanlage in Conwy, an der Nordküste von Wales. Sie wurde zwischen 1283 und 1289 während der Eroberung von Wales von Edward I erbaut. Sie ist ein Teil der mit einer massiven Mauer befestigten Stadtanlage und spielte durch das gesamte Mittelalter hindurch eine wichtige Rolle in verschiedenen Kriegen. Die UNESCO bezeichnet Castle Conwy als eines der herausragendsten Beispiele der Militärarchitektur des 13./14. Jahrhunderts in Europa und hat es als Weltkulturerbe klassifiziert. (Quelle: Wikipedia)
Der mittelalterliche Stadtkern von Conwy ist einer der beindruckendsten Orte meiner Reise durch Nordwales. Burg und Altstadt sind wirklich einen Zwischenstop wert. Wenn Du in Conwy ein B&B suchst... probiere das Fishermore. Es liegt 10 Gehminuten von der Altstadt entfernt und hatte mit Peter einen beindruckend freundlichen und aufmerksamen Gastgeber.
[L] drücken für Großanzeige.
An Ancient One. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.
An ancient bristelcone pine standing alone on a rocky ridge, White Mountains.
During my recent trip to photograph Eastern Sierra fall color I spent one day high in the White Mountains. For those who may not be familiar with this range (one of multiple “White Mountains” ranges in the USA!), it lies to the east of the central Sierra Nevada, running south from roughly Boundary Peak, the tallest in Nevada, to Westgard Pass, which separates the range, somewhat arbitrarily, from the Inyo Mountains. It is a high, remote, and largely unvisited range that is quite dry, being in the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada. Likely in part for this reason it it also lacks the rugged, sculpted peaks of the Sierra, and much of its high country is more of a rounded moonscape. It is known as one of the prime locations for bristlecone pines.
These are, as some you you likely know already, remarkable trees. Some of them may be among the very oldest trees — some may be close to 5000 years old. Surprisingly perhaps, the oldest are those that grow in some of the most rugged and least hospitable places. It seems that the struggle strengthens them, and these “old ones” are usually characterized by resistance to exposure and the appearance of being more dead than alive — the trees sacrifice the majority of their structures in order to sustain a few remaining branches. Their remarkable character and great age always lead me to slow down and ponder…
G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.