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To maintain a grassland,
Estero Bluffs State Park,
San Luis Obispo Co., California
With the wind blowing this morning, my first thought was that it was a bad day for a fire. But while I watched, and as explained to me by a state park staff, they used the offshore wind to carry the smoke away as well as to keep the fire from the highway, as the wind blew toward the ocean. It was very controlled while I was there.
This VEB Flugzeugbau Ilyushin IL-14P is located inside the premises of the Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW) company at Dresden airport. It is maintained by a group of local enthusiasts who visit their aircraft each week. Until recently it was displayed alongside a MiG, but this has been relocated to another area within the EFW premises. This VEB 14 frame was actually built in 1958 inside the hangar alongside which it is now stored at DRS. It is serial number 14803026 and is preserved here since 1985.
After service with Deutsche Lufthansa and Interflug, by 1968 it had become a flight trainer until conversion to calibrator as DDR-SAL in 1981, becoming the last operational Il-14 in East Germany. It was retired in March 1984 before being flown to Dresden in March 1985 and put on display. It was painted in 1989 with the fake registration DM-ZZB advertising the 3rd party conference to resemble the first prototype. These markings were removed after reunification and the aircraft was painted in Deutsche Lufthansa DDR colours, as it is currently.
Harvestman can often be colourful, they fluoresce under ultraviolet light, and they come in a bewildering variety of forms. They engage in parental care, building elaborate nests to brood their eggs and engage in battles to deter rivals and predators.
As if that weren't enough to stoke interest, some harvestman also possess a viscoelastic fluid used in prey capture. This means that fluid maintains its form under stress, resulting in an essentially highly flexible solid, and indeed, the greater the stress (movement caused by prey) the stronger the bonding. The adaptation is thought to have evolved in order to ensnare mobile, and evasive springtails.
Shot 'in situ' from Bilsa reserve, Ecuador.
More can be read here: www.newscientist.com/…/dn26340-zoologger-no-escape…/
QSI joined the Russian market of new age AK platforms, and here's the result. A beautiful sleek bullpup AK chambered in 7.62x39mm.
Quicksilver Ind. produces top of the line firearms made for easy and cheap mass production, while maintaining very high quality. Our firearms will always be fully ambidextrous, two toned, operator-friendly and accessory-friendly.
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Check out the high definition image here:
c1.staticflickr.com/5/4201/35175618351_8e0b02ac62_o.png
Yours truly,
~ Shockwave
Claude Monets ( 1840 - 1926 ) water lilies pond ( Giverny - France ) is full of asymmetries and curves.
..........It was inspired by the Japanese gardens that Monet knew from the prints he collected avidly.
.....He drew his inspiration from here, and was always looking for mist and transparencies, dedicating himself less to flowers than to reflections in water, a kind of inverted world transfigured by the liquid element.
Maintaining a tight grip on that first cup of coffee.
Taken for the "Smile on Saturday!" theme of 1/27/2024: HOLDING.
Superbly maintained, this is one of only 8 roadworthy examples from 1985. You'd never guess it has covered almost 170,000 miles!
Registered in Guildford on the 1st August 1985, it is currently on its 4th owner, who acquired it on the 8th February 2005.
The City of Opa-Locka was the vision of aviation pioneer, Glen Curtiss. Opa-locka is an urban community occupying 4.2 square miles in the North-Western area of Miami-Dade County, Florida. The city boundaries are as follows: on the North-NW 151st Street, on the South - N.W. 125th Street, on the East – NW 45th Avenue on the West. On May 14, 1926, Opa-locka was chartered as a town by twenty-eight registered voters.
The area was originally named by the Native Americans “Opa-tisha-wocka-locka” meaning “a big island covered with many trees and swamps” but the name was quickly shorten to Opa-locka. The City was developed based on the Arabian Nights theme which is evident by the large collection of Moorish architecture throughout the city and with street names like Sabur, Sultan, Ali Baba, Sharazad, Aladdin and Sesame. Mr. Curtiss and architect, Bernhardt Muller, built 105 buildings with an array of domes, minarets and outside staircases. By the time Mr. Curtiss completed his vision for Opa-locka he had built a self-contained city with a hotel, zoo park, golf course, archery club, swimming pool, airport, and train station.
The September 1926 hurricane badly damaged the City, destroying many of the structures, but the surviving Moorish style buildings continue to give Opa-locka its unique appearance. Opa-locka currently has twenty buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The U.S. Navy opened a base at the Opa-locka Airport shortly after the hurricane which allowed the City to thrive after the hurricane but the base closed in the 1950s. The City experienced a decline, and was labeled a "struggling community" in South Florida. Despite the challenges, the City has regained the spirit it was founded with in 1926. Under the direction of Mayor Myra L. Taylor, city officials have vowed to turn the city around by focusing on crime prevention, cleaning up the city and maintaining financial stability. This drive has generated an increased sense of community, pride among Opa-locka residents and a major drop in crime. In keeping with that vow and to advance community pride, the city became the first community in the United States to commemorate the first African-American President of the United States by renaming a mile-long section of Perviz Avenue from Oriental Boulevard to Ali-Baba Avenue, Barack Obama Avenue on February 17, 2009.
In addition to the unique buildings, Opa-locka has a large general aviation airport, three parks, two lakes and a railroad station which is currently the tri-rail station. The City is comprised of a mixture of residential, commercial and industrial zones. Despite its limited resources, the City was the backdrop for the making of movies such as Texas Justice, Bad Boyz II and 2 Fast 2 Furious.
Credit for the data above is given to the following websites:
www.opalockafl.gov/facilities/facility/details/Opalocka-M...
At the Ram Rodeo in Binbrook Ontario the action was fast and keen reflexes kept injuries to a minimum. Maintaining eye contact helps you decide which way to run.
North America, plains and rivers, viewed from 30,000 ft. The circles are made by center pivot irrigation systems, in which a long pipe with sprinklers rotates around a central axis.
Deutschland / Baden-Württemberg - Mainau
Schloss Mainau
Mainau Palace
Mainau [ˈmaɪnaʊ] also referred to as Mav(e)no(w), Maienowe (in 1242), Maienow (in 1357), Maienau, Mainowe (in 1394) and Mainaw (in 1580) is an island in Lake Constance (on the Southern shore of the Überlinger See near the city of Konstanz, Baden-Württemberg, Germany). It is maintained as a garden island and a model of excellent environmental practices. Administratively, the island has been a part of Konstanz since December 1, 1971, when the municipality of Litzelstetten, of which Mainau was part, was incorporated into Konstanz. Mainau is still part of Litzelstetten, now one of 15 wards (administrative subdivisions) of Konstanz.
The island belongs to the Lennart Bernadotte-Stiftung (eng. The Lennart Bernadotte Foundation), an entity created by Prince Lennart Bernadotte, Count of Wisborg, originally a Prince of Sweden and Duke of Småland. It is one of the main tourist attractions of Lake Constance. Beside flowers there is a park landscape with views on the lake. There is a greenhouse as well with tropical climate and thousands of butterflies.
Mainau Bay is the location of their university's sailing club.
Geography
Position
The island averages out at a height between 395 metres (1,296 ft) (roughly equals the lake’s average medium water-level) and 425 meters (1,394 ft) above sea level. Its highest peak is located at the Großherzog-Friedrich Terrace (historic water reservoir). Mainau Island is 610 metres (2,000 ft) long from North to South and a 1,050 meters (3,440 ft) wide from West to East. The island’s circumference is about three kilometers (1.9 mi). The shortest distance between the downwelling molasse slice and the lake’s shore is about 130 meters (430 ft).
Population
Few people inhabit Mainau Island. Due to its small amount of inhabitants, it is considered a hamlet. Meyer’s Lexikon’s issue of 1888 declared that 28 people lived on Mainau Island. During the census of 1961, a population of 123 was verified. Count Björn Bernadotte is living in the castle on Mainau Island.
Parks and gardens
Mainau Island is a "flowering island" notable for its parks and gardens. Frederick I, Grand Duke of Baden, created the island's arboretum, which now contains 500 species of deciduous and coniferous trees, many exotic and valuable, including fine specimens of Sequoiadendron giganteum (1864) and Metasequoia glyptostroboides (1952). The island also contains about 200 rhododendron and azalea varieties.
Due to the advantageous climate at the lake, palm trees and other Mediterranean plants can grow on the drop-shaped island. Because of its rich subtropical and partly even tropical vegetation, Mainau Island is also called "flowering island in the Lake Constance". Count Lennart Bernadotte, who died in 2004, liked to call his island "Blumenschiff" (engl. flower ship). He also described the famous destination as follows: "She is a coquettish little Lady, Mainau Island, who constantly demands much attention, even more love and ceaselessly new clothes." - Lennart Bernadotte. By "new clothes", he probably meant the blossoms, plants and flower-beds which are constantly renewed by the gardeners.
Apart from the historic buildings, the centerpiece of Mainau Island is the Arboretum with its 500 different types of rare and valuable broad-leaved trees and conifers, which was created in 1856 by grand duke Friedrich I. Among those is one of Germany's "oldest" dawn redwood trees (Metasequoia glyptostroboides). The tree, which originated from China, was planted on the island in 1952, when it was just 70 centimeters (28 in) tall. Particularly mighty are some exemplars of the giant redwood (Sequoiadendron giganteum). Their seeds came from California in 1853 and were planted on the island in 1864, which makes them one of the oldest of their kind in Europe. You can find the above-mentioned giant redwoods as well as Cedars, Dawn Redwoods and Tulip Poplars on the island. The Arboretum expands towards the north-west of the island.
Spring marks the beginning of the "Blumenjahr" (eng. Flower Year) with an exhibition of orchids. From March to May you can see several types of flowers in full bloom, like Tulips, Daffodils, Primroses, Forget-Me-Nots and Hyacinths. To show the full beauty of all these flowers the so-called „Frühlingsallee“ (eng. Spring Alley) was opened, which is a path across the island surrounded by beds of these plants. From May to June over 200 kinds of Rhododendrons and Azaleas are in full bloom. To the west of the "Comturey-Keller" you can find an Italian rose garden commissioned by Friedrich I. This rose garden is strictly geometric and consists of pergolas, sculptures and fountains. In general, over 1200 kinds of roses can be found on the island.
„Frühlingsallee“ leads to „Mediterran-Terrassen“ (eng. Mediterranean Terrace) where exotic plants such as palm families, agaves, cacti and bougainvillea are presented in pails during summer. Lake Constance and its surroundings as well as the Alps can be seen in a panoramic view from here. In July the blossoms of brugmansia and hibiscus are blooming on Mainau Island and in August the blossoms of passion flowers bloom.
On the southern end you can find “Südgarten” (eng. South Garden) where in autumn fields of dahlia with approximately 20,000 dahlia bushes and 250 varieties gleam from September until October. Spring and summer flowers such as different kinds of fuchsia are growing on the affiliated shore garden to the eastern side of “Südgarten”.
The “Bodenseerelief” (eng. Relief of Lake Constance) is a very popular photo motive. It is a relief with the picture of a flower which is changed by season. A small harbor with a landing place is situated to the northern side of Mainau Island. Excursion boats lay in here and another entrance to “Frühlingsallee” can be found here.
History
Until the Napoleonic mediatisations and secularisations of small German fiefs this island belonged to the Order of Teutonic Knights. It was later sold into private ownership. In 1853 Grand Duke Frederick I of Baden purchased the island as his personal property and used the palace built by the Teutonic Knights as summer palace. At the end of World War I Baden became a republic with the abdication of Grand Duke Frederick II, son of Frederick I. The former Grand Duke retained his private property including Mainau. When he died childless in 1928 the island passed to his sister Victoria of Baden, wife of King Gustaf V of Sweden. Upon her death two years later she bequeathed the island to her second son Prince Wilhelm, Duke of Södermanland and his descendants. In 1932 Prince Wilhem gave Mainau to his only child Lennart Bernadotte who owned it until 1974 when he transferred the island to a foundation. Count Bernadotte formed Enterprise Mainau GmbH in 1991 as a private enterprise to manage the island for the benefit of the Lennart Bernadotte-Stiftung. The Count remained active in managing Mainau until his death in 2004 but had appointed his second wife Sonja co-manager in 2001. Widowed, she and their children ran both the foundation and the management company until 2007. Since January 2007 Bettina Bernadotte, the eldest daughter of Lennart and Sonja, directs the Mainau GmbH as current manager, and since 2011 her brother Björn Bernadotte has joined her.
Pre- and Early History
In 1862, signs of an earlier population were discovered along the south banks of Mainau and soon exploited by domain administrator Walter: among the items were wedges, a potsherd, flint splinters, an axe and a muller. The pile dwelling settlement made up of six houses was uncovered in the 1930s and dated back to the Neolithic Age ( 3.000 b.c.). Lake-dwelling settlements of the Neolithic and the Bronze Age were located along the northern shore and the southwestern island along the shallow water zone.
(Wikipedia)
Die Insel Mainau, als Mav(e)no(w), Maienowe (1242) bzw. Maienow (1357), Maienau, Mainowe (1394) und Mainaw (1580) erwähnt, ist mit etwa 45 Hektar Fläche die drittgrößte Insel im Bodensee. Der Molassekalkfelsen befindet sich im Überlinger See genannten, nordwestlichen Teil des Bodensees. Sie ist vom Südufer des Überlinger Sees über eine Brücke zu erreichen und verfügt über einen Schiffsanleger, der von Kurs- und Ausflugsschiffen der Weißen Flotte bedient wird. Die nächsten größeren Städte sind Konstanz, Meersburg und Überlingen. Die Insel gehört zum Stadtteil Litzelstetten der Stadt Konstanz und befindet sich seit 1974 im Besitz der von Graf Lennart Bernadotte gegründeten gemeinnützigen „Lennart-Bernadotte-Stiftung“. Die gräfliche Familie ist bis heute wichtiger Teil der Attraktion der Mainau. Die Insel liegt an der Oberschwäbischen Barockstraße.
Geographie
Lage
Die Insel liegt auf einer Höhe zwischen 395 (Seeniveau bei mittlerem Wasserstand) und 425 Meter über Normalnull. Der höchste Punkt ist laut amtlichen Karten bei der Großherzog-Friedrich-Terrasse (historisches Wasserreservoir auf dem Vogelherd). Ihre Nord-Süd-Ausdehnung beträgt 610 Meter, ihre größte Breite (West-Ost) rund 1050 Meter. Der Umfang der Insel beträgt rund drei Kilometer. Die kürzeste Entfernung der abgesunkenen Molassescholle zum Seeufer beträgt 130 Meter.
Bevölkerung
Die Insel Mainau hat nur wenige Einwohner, Meyers Konversationslexikon von 1888 gab eine Bevölkerung von 28 an. Zur Volkszählung 1961 war eine Bevölkerung von 123 nachgewiesen. Auf der Insel Mainau lebt Björn Graf Bernadotte mit seiner Familie.
Anlage
Park- und Gartenanlagen
Bedingt durch das günstige Bodenseeklima wachsen auf der tropfenförmigen Insel Palmen und andere mediterrane Pflanzen. Wegen ihrer reichen subtropischen, teilweise auch tropischen Vegetation wird die Mainau auch als „Blumeninsel im Bodensee“ bezeichnet. Der 2004 verstorbene Graf Lennart Bernadotte nannte seine Insel gerne das „Blumenschiff“. Weiterhin beschrieb er das bekannte und für Besucher gegen Eintrittsgelder zugängliche Ausflugsziel mit folgenden Worten:
„Sie ist eine kokette kleine Dame, diese Mainau, die stets und ständig große Aufmerksamkeit fordert, noch mehr Liebe und vor allem unaufhörlich neue Kleider.“
– Lennart Bernadotte
Wobei er mit den „neuen Kleidern“ zuerst den immer wieder neu von Gärtnerhand gewebten Blütenüberwurf gemeint haben mag.
Herzstück der „Blumeninsel“ ist neben den historischen Gebäuden das von Großherzog Friedrich I. ab 1856 angelegte parkähnliche Arboretum der Insel Mainau mit seinen 500 verschiedenen Arten von zum Teil seltenen und wertvollen Laub- und Nadelgehölzen. Darunter befindet sich einer der ältesten Urweltmammutbäume (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) Deutschlands. Der aus China stammende Baum war 1952 als 70 Zentimeter großes Bäumchen im Ufergarten ausgepflanzt worden. Besonders mächtig sind einige Exemplare des Riesenmammutbaums (Sequoiadendron giganteum). Die Samen dieser Bäume kamen 1853 aus Kalifornien, und 1864 ließ Friedrich I. zahlreiche Bäume auf der Mainau pflanzen. Damit gehören sie zu den ältesten ihrer Art in Europa. Neben den riesigen Mammutbäumen befinden sich Zedern, Metasequoien und Tulpenbäume. Das Arboretum dehnt sich nordwestlich vom Schloss auf der Hochfläche aus.
Im Frühjahr Ende März/Anfang April beginnt auf der Mainau das Blumenjahr im Palmenhaus mit einer großen Orchideenschau. Von Ende März bis Mitte Mai blühen auf der Mainau Tulpen, Narzissen und Hyazinthen. Hierzu wurden im östlichen Teil der Insel an der sogenannten „Frühlingsallee“ parallel zum Weg Tausende von Tulpen-, Narzissen- und Hyazinthenzwiebeln gepflanzt. Ebenfalls im Frühjahr gedeihen auf der Insel Stiefmütterchen, Vergissmeinnicht und Primeln.
In der Übergangszeit von Mai und Juni zeigen sich die Blüten der 200 Rhododendren- und Azaleensorten. Westlich des Comturey-Kellers kommt man zu dem ebenfalls durch Großherzog Friedrich I. im italienischen Stil angelegten Rosengarten. Der sogenannte „italienische Rosengarten“ ist eine streng geometrische Anlage mit Pergolen, Skulpturen und Brunnen. Im Sommer betört der Duft der rund 500 verschiedenen Rosensorten, vor allem Beetrosen. Auf der ganzen Insel finden sich etwa 30.000 Rosenstöcke von 1200 Sorten. Eine Barocktreppe führt hinauf zur aussichtsreichen Schlossterrasse.
Die „Frühlingsallee“ führt zu den „Mediterran-Terrassen“ mit ihren exotischen Kübelpflanzen, wo im Sommer Palmengewächse, Agaven, Kakteen und Bougainvilleen gezeigt werden. Von hier hat man ein Panorama auf die Bodenseelandschaft. Im Juli zeigen sich auf der Mainau die Blüten der Engelstrompeten und des Hibiskus, im August die der Passionsblumen.
Südlich breitet sich der „Südgarten“ aus, wo im Herbst von September bis Oktober die Dahlienfelder mit etwa 20.000 Dahlienbüschen von 250 Sorten blühen. Im östlich anschließenden Ufergarten wachsen Frühlings- und Sommerblumen, darunter eine Sammlung verschiedener Fuchsienarten. Ein beliebtes Fotomotiv ist das Bodenseerelief, ein nach Jahreszeit unterschiedlich gestaltetes Blütenbild in Form des Bodensees.
An der Nordseite der Insel liegt der kleine Hafen mit Schiffsanlegestelle, wo die Ausflugsschiffe anlegen und es einen weiteren Eingang gibt.
Im ganzjährig geöffneten Schmetterlingshaus auf der Insel, mit etwa 1000 Quadratmeter das zweitgrößte seiner Art in Deutschland, können Besucher zwischen 25 °C und 30 °C Wärme und 80 bis 90 Prozent Luftfeuchtigkeit durch eine tropisch anmutende Umgebung mit Wasserfällen und exotischen Gewächsen gehen. Je nach Saison fliegen 700 bis 1000 bunte Falter bis zu 80 verschiedener Schmetterlingsarten, vor allem südamerikanischer Herkunft, frei zwischen den Besuchern. Rund ein Drittel der gezeigten Schmetterlingsarten vermehrt sich hier auf natürliche Weise. Doch ist es ganz unterschiedlich, wie viele Nachkommen es gibt. Aus diesen Gründen bekommt das Schmetterlingshaus wöchentliche Lieferungen von 400 Puppen von Züchtern aus Costa Rica, England und Holland. Rund 20.000 Euro beträgt das Budget im Jahr für neue Raupen. Die Gartenanlage rund um das Schmetterlingshaus wurde als Lebensraum für heimische Schmetterlinge gestaltet. Angeschlossen ist ein Duftgarten mit mehr als 150 Duftpflanzenarten.
Außer den Park- und Gartenanlagen gibt es einen Streichelzoo mit Ziegen und Ponys und den „Mainauer Bauernhof“ mit Alpakas, Hasen, Hühnern, Eseln, Schafen und Katzen sowie einige gastronomische Einrichtungen.
Für Kinder gibt es das rund 1100 Quadratmeter große Mainauer Kinderland „Wasserwelt“, einen Spielplatz mit einem 60 Zentimeter tiefen Wasserbecken, das von Flusssteinen mit einem Gesamtgewicht von rund 130 Tonnen eingefasst wird. In der Mitte des mit 170 Kubikmeter Wasser gefüllten Sees liegt eine Insel. Auf dem See können die Kinder mit Flößen umherfahren oder sich mit einer Holzfähre hinüberziehen. Rundherum stehen Holzhäuser als Klettergerüste, die laut Planern an die Zeit der Pfahlbauten erinnern sollen. Verbunden sind die Häuschen durch Hängebrücken und Kettenstege. Dazu gibt es Wasserrinnen und extra Matschtische. Falls ein Kind beim Spielen allzu tief in die Wasserwelt eingetaucht sein sollte, haben die beiden Mainauplaner Matthias Wagner und Markus Zeiler auch vorgesorgt: Am Spielplatz wurde in einem Kiosk ein Wäschetrockner aufgestellt, in dem die Eltern nasse Kleidungsstücke selbst trocknen können. Die Spiellandschaft wird wie alle anderen Spielplätze vom TÜV SÜD abgenommen und regelmäßig inspiziert.
(Wikipedia)
In their natural environment, these fish are easy to maintain and require no tank, cleaning or daily feeding :-)
Looks like the city will have to maintain that lamp post though as the wind seems to have blown the top off kilter!
Shown at left is a photo of Henry Edward Purcell, signal maintainer for the Milwaukee Roads Terre Haute division. He is standing next to the new pipelines being installed for the new tower at West Dana, Indiana. The old 2-story tower is seen at far left along with the new 1-story tower behind it. Allegedly, the 2-story tower had a bad fire and they replaced it with the new tower. The date of the photo is unknown as is the photographer. The article on his retirement is at right and was taken from the Momence Progress Reporter and dated February 20th, 1960. I knew the family and I have the desk he used in his shanty, which may have been at Delmar where he worked out of. Henry was loved by everyone and was a great guy.
The view is looking north along the Milwaukee Road with the B&O (nee-CH&D) crossing in the background.
In John Barrigers photo of West Dana in or around 1936, the 2-story tower can be seen. The image is reversed but looking the same direction.
www.flickr.com/photos/barrigerlibrary/12347318794/in/albu...
So the photo of Henry was taken some time after, possibly in the 1940's.
Original Caption: Night lights, May 1972
U.S. National Archives’ Local Identifier: 412-DA-6540
Photographer: O'Rear, Charles, 1941-
Subjects:
Las Vegas (Nevada)
Environmental Protection Agency
Project DOCUMERICA
Persistent URL: research.archives.gov/description/549026
Repository: Still Picture Records Section, Special Media Archives Services Division (NWCS-S), National Archives at College Park, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD, 20740-6001.
For information about ordering reproductions of photographs held by the Still Picture Unit, visit: www.archives.gov/research/order/still-pictures.html
Reproductions may be ordered via an independent vendor. NARA maintains a list of vendors at www.archives.gov/research/order/vendors-photos-maps-dc.html
Access Restrictions: Unrestricted
Use Restrictions: Unrestricted
Gravenstein , Gent
Château des comtes de Flandre, Gand
Gravenstein castle of the counts, Ghent
Grafenschloß. Gent
Maintained in immaculate condition by its industrial owners ex BR class 03 no. D2118 is seen at Costain DowMac's Atlas Concrete Works in Lenwade, Norfolk. The loco was withdrawn by BR from Barrow-in-Furness Depot on 18/06/72. It was sold to Anglian Building Products Ltd in August 1973 and spent almost its entire working life at the Lenwade Atlas Concrete Works which by 1990 was owned by Costain DowMac Concrete Ltd. The site used to dispatch concrete beams by rail but the lengthy freight only line to the factory closed in January 1981. After that date the shunter was just used internally with all finished products being dispatched by road. When the factory shut in October 1993 it moved to the companies Tallington Works but by March 1996 it was sold into preservation initially to the SYRPS at Meadowhall.
Replaced ritchey headset with DA 7410, new BB cups, chain & cassette, lower jockey wheel and removed wheel stickers 😬
On Wednesday 9th October 19, in their Southwest Conference opener, the Cerritos College wrestling team opened with a 34-10 home win over Santa Ana College.
125 Pounds - #1 Jonathan Prata (CERR) def. Hector Camarena (SA), 19-2 (technical fall)
Maintaining his undefeated record, freshman Jonathan Prata (Downey HS) got to work quickly against Hector Camarena. After getting a quick takedown, he followed it with a two-point near fall and after a second takedown in the period, added a four-point near fall before the end of the period. A pair of two-point near falls in the second period was followed by a four-pointer, which ended the match at the buzzer to end the second period.
133 Pounds - Jose Mata (SA) def. #5 (125 pounds) Jose Lozano (CERR), 12-0 (major decision)
Competing in his first match at 133 pounds this season, freshman Jose Lozano (North Torrance HS) had a solid first period, where the match remained scoreless. However, in the second period, Jose Mata got Lozano on his back and scored a pair of four-point near falls, with the second coming at the end of the period. After escaping in the third period, Mata added a last-second takedown and went on to record the shutout.
141 Pounds - #3 (133 pounds) Andres Gonzalez (CERR) def. #5 Ali Kaveh (SA), 6-3
Ranked #3 in the state at 133 pounds, sophomore Andres Gonzales (Capistrano Valley HS) made a good impression in his first match at 141 pounds this season. Taking on #5-ranked Ali Kavez, Gonzales picked up a pair of points with a takedown with :38 seconds left in the first period. Kaveh earned an escape point before the end of the first and added another to start the second period, before Gonzalez produced another takedown with 1:24 left in the second period. Holding on to a 4-3 lead with 2:00 left, Gonzalez added an escape point and riding time to round out his victory.
149 Pounds - Richard Gurule (CERR) win by forfeit
157 Pounds - #5 Benji Navarette (SA) def. #6 (149 pounds) V'ante Moore (CERR), 8-2
Taking on #5-ranked Benji Navarette, freshman V'ante Moore (Lawndale HS) suffered his first loss at 157 pounds on the year. Ranked #6 at 149 pounds, Moore found himself trailing, 7-0 after the second period and was nearly pinned, but the clock ran out and had to absorb a four-point near fall. The match was scoreless after the first period. He picked up his two points in the third period, when Navarette was penalized twice for stalling.
165 Pounds - #1 (157 pounds) Larry Rodriguez (CERR) win by forfeit
174 Pounds - Cobe Hatcher (CERR) win by forfeit
184 Pounds - Danny Serrano (SA) def. Jarrod Nunez (CERR), 7-5 (double OT)
In one of two matches that went into overtime, sophomore Jarrod Nunez (Mayfair HS) took a 4-0 lead over Danny Serrano in the first period after an aggressive takedown and two-point near fall. But Serrano started his comeback when he reversed Nunez before the end of the first period and added another early in the second period. Needing at least an escape to be in position to tie the match, Nunez received it with :57 seconds left in the third period, with Serrano earning a point due to riding time. The two completed their 1:00 overtime without scoring, as well as each of their :30 second periods where each wrestling tried to escape to earn a point and the win. In the second overtime, Serrano was able to score a takedown with :18 seconds left to pick up the win.
197 Pounds - #4 Hamzah Al-Saudi (CERR) def. Jean Karlos Navas (SA), 19-4 (technical fall)
Riding the momentum of winning the Santa Ana Tournament, #4-ranked Hamzah Al-Saudi (Palisades HS) got stronger and stronger as the match went on against Jean Karlos Navas. Al-Saudi led just 2-1 in the first period, but a pair of takedowns and a last-second four-point near fall put him in front, 10-2 after the first three minutes. Two more takedowns and subsequent near falls earned him a technical fall win with :14 seconds left on the clock in the second period.
285 Pounds - #3 Randy Arriaga (CERR) def. Joseph Nava (SA), 3-2 (OT)
The night was capped off with another overtime match, as #3-ranked Randy Arriaga (Capistrano Valley HS) was the beneficiary of two stall points, which aided him in his win. Trailing, 2-1 with time running out in the third period, Joseph Nava was penalized a point for stalling with :23 seconds left. Then, in overtime, another one-point stalling penalty with :48 seconds left gave Arriaga another point to secure the win.
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Hong Kong, officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, is an autonomous territory south to Mainland China and east to Macao in East Asia. With around 7.2 million Hong Kongers of various nationalities[note 2] in a territory of 1,104 km2, Hong Kong is the world's fourth most densely populated country or territory.
Hong Kong used to be a British colony with the perpetual cession of Hong Kong Island from the Qing Empire after the First Opium War (1839–42). The colony expanded to the Kowloon Peninsula in 1860 and acquired a 99-year lease of the New Territories from 1898. Hong Kong was later occupied by Japan during the Second World War until British control resumed in 1945. The Sino-British Joint Declaration signed between the United Kingdom and China in 1984 paved way for the transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong in 1997, when it became a special administrative region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China with a high degree of autonomy.[15]
Under the principle of "one country, two systems",[16][17] Hong Kong maintains a separate political and economic system from China. Except in military defence and foreign affairs, Hong Kong maintains its independent executive, legislative and judiciary powers.[18] In addition, Hong Kong develops relations directly with foreign states and international organisations in a broad range of "appropriate fields".[19] Hong Kong involves in international organizations, such as the WTO[20] and the APEC [21], actively and independently.
Hong Kong is one of the world's most significant financial centres, with the highest Financial Development Index score and consistently ranks as the world's most competitive and freest economic entity.[22][23] As the world's 8th largest trading entity,[24] its legal tender, the Hong Kong dollar, is the world's 13th most traded currency.[25] As the world's most visited city,[26][27] Hong Kong's tertiary sector dominated economy is characterised by competitive simple taxation and supported by its independent judiciary system.[28] Even with one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, it suffers from severe income inequality.[29]
Nicknamed "Pearl of the Orient", Hong Kong is renowned for its deep natural harbour, which boasts the world's fifth busiest port with ready access by cargo ships, and its impressive skyline, with the most skyscrapers in the world.[30][31] It has a very high Human Development Index ranking and the world's longest life expectancy.[32][33] Over 90% of the population makes use of well-developed public transportation.[34][35] Seasonal air pollution with origins from neighbouring industrial areas of Mainland China, which adopts loose emissions standards, has resulted in a high level of atmospheric particulates in winter.[36][37][38]
Contents
1 Etymology
2 History
2.1 Prehistory
2.2 Imperial China
2.3 British Crown Colony: 1842–1941
2.4 Japanese occupation: 1941–45
2.5 Resumption of British rule and industrialisation: 1945–97
2.6 Handover and Special Administrative Region status
3 Governance
3.1 Structure of government
3.2 Electoral and political reforms
3.3 Legal system and judiciary
3.4 Foreign relations
3.5 Human rights
3.6 Regions and districts
3.7 Military
4 Geography and climate
5 Economy
5.1 Financial centre
5.2 International trading
5.3 Tourism and expatriation
5.4 Policy
5.5 Infrastructure
6 Demographics
6.1 Languages
6.2 Religion
6.3 Personal income
6.4 Education
6.5 Health
7 Culture
7.1 Sports
7.2 Architecture
7.3 Cityscape
7.4 Symbols
8 See also
9 Notes
10 References
10.1 Citations
10.2 Sources
11 Further reading
12 External links
Etymology
Hong Kong was officially recorded in the 1842 Treaty of Nanking to encompass the entirety of the island.[39]
The source of the romanised name "Hong Kong" is not known, but it is generally believed to be an early imprecise phonetic rendering of the pronunciation in spoken Cantonese 香港 (Cantonese Yale: Hēung Góng), which means "Fragrant Harbour" or "Incense Harbour".[13][14][40] Before 1842, the name referred to a small inlet—now Aberdeen Harbour (Chinese: 香港仔; Cantonese Yale: Hēunggóng jái), literally means "Little Hong Kong"—between Aberdeen Island and the southern coast of Hong Kong Island. Aberdeen was an initial point of contact between British sailors and local fishermen.[41]
Another theory is that the name would have been taken from Hong Kong's early inhabitants, the Tankas (水上人); it is equally probable that romanisation was done with a faithful execution of their speeches, i.e. hōng, not hēung in Cantonese.[42] Detailed and accurate romanisation systems for Cantonese were available and in use at the time.[43]
Fragrance may refer to the sweet taste of the harbour's fresh water estuarine influx of the Pearl River or to the incense from factories lining the coast of northern Kowloon. The incense was stored near Aberdeen Harbour for export before Hong Kong developed Victoria Harbour.[40]
The name had often been written as the single word Hongkong until the government adopted the current form in 1926.[44] Nevertheless, a number of century-old institutions still retain the single-word form, such as the Hongkong Post, Hongkong Electric and the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation.
As of 1997, its official name is the "Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China". This is the official title as mentioned in the Hong Kong Basic Law and the Hong Kong Government's website;[45] however, "Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" and "Hong Kong" are widely accepted.
Hong Kong has carried many nicknames. The most famous among those is the "Pearl of the Orient", which reflected the impressive nightscape of the city's light decorations on the skyscrapers along both sides of the Victoria Harbour. The territory is also known as "Asia's World City".
History
Main articles: History of Hong Kong and History of China
Prehistory
Main article: Prehistoric Hong Kong
Archaeological studies support human presence in the Chek Lap Kok area (now Hong Kong International Airport) from 35,000 to 39,000 years ago and on Sai Kung Peninsula from 6,000 years ago.[46][47][48]
Wong Tei Tung and Three Fathoms Cove are the earliest sites of human habitation in Hong Kong during the Paleolithic Period. It is believed that the Three Fathom Cove was a river-valley settlement and Wong Tei Tung was a lithic manufacturing site. Excavated Neolithic artefacts suggested cultural differences from the Longshan culture of northern China and settlement by the Che people, prior to the migration of the Baiyue to Hong Kong.[49][50] Eight petroglyphs, which dated to the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600 BC – 1066 BC) in China, were discovered on the surrounding islands.[51]
Imperial China
Main article: History of Hong Kong under Imperial China
In 214 BC, Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of a centralised China, conquered the Baiyue tribes in Jiaozhi (modern-day Liangguang region and Vietnam) and incorporated the area of Hong Kong into his imperial China for the first time. Hong Kong proper was assigned to the Nanhai commandery (modern-day Nanhai District), near the commandery's capital city Panyu.[52][53][54]
After a brief period of centralisation and collapse of the Qin dynasty, the area of Hong Kong was consolidated under the Kingdom of Nanyue, founded by general Zhao Tuo in 204 BC.[55] When Nanyue lost the Han-Nanyue War in 111 BC, Hong Kong came under the Jiaozhi commandery of the Han dynasty. Archaeological evidence indicates an increase of population and flourish of salt production. The Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb on the Kowloon Peninsula is believed to have been built as a burial site during the Han dynasty.[56]
From the Han dynasty to the early Tang dynasty, Hong Kong was a part of Bao'an County. In the Tang dynasty, modern-day Guangzhou (Canton) flourished as an international trading centre. In 736, the Emperor Xuanzong of Tang established a military stronghold in Tuen Mun to strengthen defence of the coastal area.[57] The nearby Lantau Island was a salt production centre and salt smuggler riots occasionally broke out against the government. In c. 1075, The first village school, Li Ying College, was established around 1075 AD in modern-day New Territories by the Northern Song dynasty.[58] During their war against the Mongols, the imperial court of Southern Song was briefly stationed at modern-day Kowloon City (the Sung Wong Toi site) before their ultimate defeat by the Mongols at the Battle of Yamen in 1279.[59] The Mongols then established their dynastic court and governed Hong Kong for 97 years.
From the mid-Tang dynasty to the early Ming dynasty (1368–1644), Hong Kong was a part of Dongguan County. During the Ming dynasty, the area was transferred to Xin'an County. The indigenous inhabitants at that time consisted of several ethnicities such as Punti, Hakka, Tanka and Hoklo.
European discovery
The earliest European visitor on record was Jorge Álvares, a Portuguese explorer, who arrived in 1513.[60][61] Having established a trading post in a site they called "Tamão" in Hong Kong waters, Portuguese merchants commenced with regular trading in southern China. Subsequent military clashes between China and Portugal, however, led to the expulsion of all Portuguese merchants from southern China.
Since the 14th century, the Ming court had enforced the maritime prohibition laws that strictly forbade all private maritime activities in order to prevent contact with foreigners by sea.[62] When the Manchu Qing dynasty took over China, Hong Kong was directly affected by the Great Clearance decree of the Kangxi Emperor, who ordered the evacuation of coastal areas of Guangdong from 1661 to 1669. Over 16,000 inhabitants of Xin'an County including those in Hong Kong were forced to migrate inland; only 1,648 of those who had evacuated subsequently returned.[63][64]
British Crown Colony: 1842–1941
A painter at work. John Thomson. Hong Kong, 1871. The Wellcome Collection, London
Main articles: British Hong Kong and History of Hong Kong (1800s–1930s)
In 1839, threats by the imperial court of Qing to sanction opium imports caused diplomatic friction with the British Empire. Tensions escalated into the First Opium War. The Qing admitted defeat when British forces captured Hong Kong Island on 20 January 1841. The island was initially ceded under the Convention of Chuenpi as part of a ceasefire agreement between Captain Charles Elliot and Governor Qishan. A dispute between high-ranking officials of both countries, however, led to the failure of the treaty's ratification. On 29 August 1842, Hong Kong Island was formally ceded in perpetuity to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland under the Treaty of Nanking.[65] The British officially established a Crown colony and founded the City of Victoria in the following year.[66]
The population of Hong Kong Island was 7,450 when the Union Flag raised over Possession Point on 26 January 1841. It mostly consisted of Tanka fishermen and Hakka charcoal burners, whose settlements scattered along several coastal hamlets. In the 1850s, a large number of Chinese immigrants crossed the then-free border to escape from the Taiping Rebellion. Other natural disasters, such as flooding, typhoons and famine in mainland China would play a role in establishing Hong Kong as a place for safe shelter.[67][68]
Further conflicts over the opium trade between Britain and Qing quickly escalated into the Second Opium War. Following the Anglo-French victory, the Crown Colony was expanded to include Kowloon Peninsula (south of Boundary Street) and Stonecutter's Island, both of which were ceded to the British in perpetuity under the Convention of Beijing in 1860.
In 1898, Britain obtained a 99-year lease from Qing under the Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory, in which Hong Kong obtained a 99-year lease of Lantau Island, the area north of Boundary Street in Kowloon up to Shenzhen River and over 200 other outlying islands.[69][70][71]
Hong Kong soon became a major entrepôt thanks to its free port status, attracting new immigrants to settle from both China and Europe. The society, however, remained racially segregated and polarised under early British colonial policies. Despite the rise of a British-educated Chinese upper-class by the late-19th century, race laws such as the Peak Reservation Ordinance prevented ethnic Chinese in Hong Kong from acquiring houses in reserved areas such as Victoria Peak. At this time, the majority of the Chinese population in Hong Kong had no political representation in the British colonial government. The British governors did rely, however, on a small number of Chinese elites, including Sir Kai Ho and Robert Hotung, who served as ambassadors and mediators between the government and local population.
File:1937 Hong Kong VP8.webmPlay media
Hong Kong filmed in 1937
In 1904, the United Kingdom established the world's first border and immigration control; all residents of Hong Kong were given citizenship as Citizens of United Kingdom and Colonies (CUKC).
Hong Kong continued to experience modest growth during the first half of the 20th century. The University of Hong Kong was established in 1911 as the territory's first higher education institute. While there had been an exodus of 60,000 residents for fear of a German attack on the British colony during the First World War, Hong Kong remained unscathed. Its population increased from 530,000 in 1916 to 725,000 in 1925 and reached 1.6 million by 1941.[72]
In 1925, Cecil Clementi became the 17th Governor of Hong Kong. Fluent in Cantonese and without a need for translator, Clementi introduced the first ethnic Chinese, Shouson Chow, into the Executive Council as an unofficial member. Under Clementi's tenure, Kai Tak Airport entered operation as RAF Kai Tak and several aviation clubs. In 1937, the Second Sino-Japanese War broke out when the Japanese Empire expanded its territories from northeastern China into the mainland proper. To safeguard Hong Kong as a freeport, Governor Geoffry Northcote declared the Crown Colony as a neutral zone.
Japanese occupation: 1941–45
Main article: Japanese occupation of Hong Kong
The Cenotaph in Hong Kong commemorates those who died in service in the First World War and the Second World War.[73]
As part of its military campaign in Southeast Asia during Second World War, the Japanese army moved south from Guangzhou of mainland China and attacked Hong Kong in on 8 December 1941.[74] Crossing the border at Shenzhen River on 8 December, the Battle of Hong Kong lasted for 18 days when British and Canadian forces held onto Hong Kong Island. Unable to defend against intensifying Japanese air and land bombardments, they eventually surrendered control of Hong Kong on 25 December 1941. The Governor of Hong Kong was captured and taken as a prisoner of war. This day is regarded by the locals as "Black Christmas".[75]
During the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, the Japanese army committed atrocities against civilians and POWs, such as the St. Stephen's College massacre. Local residents also suffered widespread food shortages, limited rationing and hyper-inflation arising from the forced exchange of currency from Hong Kong dollars to Japanese military banknotes. The initial ratio of 2:1 was gradually devalued to 4:1 and ownership of Hong Kong dollars was declared illegal and punishable by harsh torture. Due to starvation and forced deportation for slave labour to mainland China, the population of Hong Kong had dwindled from 1.6 million in 1941 to 600,000 in 1945, when the United Kingdom resumed control of the colony on 2 September 1945.[76]
Resumption of British rule and industrialisation: 1945–97
Main articles: British Hong Kong, 1950s in Hong Kong, 1960s in Hong Kong, 1970s in Hong Kong, 1980s in Hong Kong, and 1990s in Hong Kong
Flag of British Hong Kong from 1959 to 1997
Hong Kong's population recovered quickly after the war, as a wave of skilled migrants from the Republic of China moved in to seek refuge from the Chinese Civil War. When the Communist Party eventually took full control of mainland China in 1949, even more skilled migrants fled across the open border for fear of persecution.[69] Many newcomers, especially those who had been based in the major port cities of Shanghai and Guangzhou, established corporations and small- to medium-sized businesses and shifted their base operations to British Hong Kong.[69] The establishment of a socialist state in China (People's Republic of China) on 1 October 1949 caused the British colonial government to reconsider Hong Kong's open border to mainland China. In 1951, a boundary zone was demarked as a buffer zone against potential military attacks from communist China. Border posts along the north of Hong Kong began operation in 1953 to regulate the movement of people and goods into and out of the territory.
Stamp with portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, 1953
In the 1950s, Hong Kong became the first of the Four Asian Tiger economies under rapid industrialisation driven by textile exports, manufacturing industries and re-exports of goods to China. As the population grew, with labour costs remaining low, living standards began to rise steadily.[77] The construction of the Shek Kip Mei Estate in 1953 marked the beginning of the public housing estate programme to provide shelter for the less privileged and to cope with the influx of immigrants.
Under Sir Murray MacLehose, 25th Governor of Hong Kong (1971–82), a series of reforms improved the public services, environment, housing, welfare, education and infrastructure of Hong Kong. MacLehose was British Hong Kong's longest-serving governor and, by the end of his tenure, had become one of the most popular and well-known figures in the Crown Colony. MacLehose laid the foundation for Hong Kong to establish itself as a key global city in the 1980s and early 1990s.
A sky view of Hong Kong Island
An aerial view of the northern shore of Hong Kong Island in 1986
To resolve traffic congestion and to provide a more reliable means of crossing the Victoria Harbour, a rapid transit railway system (metro), the MTR, was planned from the 1970s onwards. The Island Line (Hong Kong Island), Kwun Tong Line (Kowloon Peninsula and East Kowloon) and Tsuen Wan Line (Kowloon and urban New Territories) opened in the early 1980s.[78]
In 1983, the Hong Kong dollar left its 16:1 peg with the Pound sterling and switched to the current US-HK Dollar peg. Hong Kong's competitiveness in manufacturing gradually declined due to rising labour and property costs, as well as new development in southern China under the Open Door Policy introduced in 1978 which opened up China to foreign business. Nevertheless, towards the early 1990s, Hong Kong had established itself as a global financial centre along with London and New York City, a regional hub for logistics and freight, one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia and the world's exemplar of Laissez-faire market policy.[79]
The Hong Kong question
In 1971, the Republic of China (Taiwan)'s permanent seat on the United Nations was transferred to the People's Republic of China (PRC), Hong Kong's status as a recognised colony became terminated in 1972 under the request of PRC. Facing the uncertain future of Hong Kong and expiry of land lease of New Territories beyond 1997, Governor MacLehose raised the question in the late 1970s.
The British Nationality Act 1981 reclassified Hong Kong into a British Dependent Territory amid the reorganisation of global territories of the British Empire. All residents of Hong Kong became British Dependent Territory Citizens (BDTC). Diplomatic negotiations began with China and eventually concluded with the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration. Both countries agreed to transfer Hong Kong's sovereignty to China on 1 July 1997, when Hong Kong would remain autonomous as a special administrative region and be able to retain its free-market economy, British common law through the Hong Kong Basic Law, independent representation in international organisations (e.g. WTO and WHO), treaty arrangements and policy-making except foreign diplomacy and military defence.
It stipulated that Hong Kong would retain its laws and be guaranteed a high degree of autonomy for at least 50 years after the transfer. The Hong Kong Basic Law, based on English law, would serve as the constitutional document after the transfer. It was ratified in 1990.[69] The expiry of the 1898 lease on the New Territories in 1997 created problems for business contracts, property leases and confidence among foreign investors.
Handover and Special Administrative Region status
Main articles: Transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong and 2000s in Hong Kong
Transfer of sovereignty
Golden Bauhinia Square
On 1 July 1997, the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China took place, officially marking the end of Hong Kong's 156 years under British colonial governance. As the largest remaining colony of the United Kingdom, the loss of Hong Kong effectively represented the end of the British Empire. This transfer of sovereignty made Hong Kong the first special administrative region of China. Tung Chee-Hwa, a pro-Beijing business tycoon, was elected Hong Kong's first Chief Executive by a selected electorate of 800 in a televised programme.
Structure of government
Hong Kong's current structure of governance inherits from the British model of colonial administration set up in the 1850s. The 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration states that "Hong Kong should enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all areas except defence and foreign affairs" with reference to the underlying principle of one country, two systems.[note 3] This Declaration stipulates that Hong Kong maintains her capitalist economic system and guarantees the rights and freedoms of her people for at least 50 years after the 1997 handover. [note 4] Such guarantees are enshrined in the Hong Kong's Basic Law, the territory's constitutional document, which outlines the system of governance after 1997, albeit subject to interpretation by China's Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPCSC).[95][96]
Hong Kong's most senior leader, Chief Executive, is elected by a committee of 1,200 selected members (600 in 1997) and nominally appointed by the Government of China. The primary pillars of government are the Executive Council, Legislative Council, civil service and Judiciary.
Policy-making is initially discussed in the Executive Council, presided by the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, before passing to the Legislative Council for bill adoption. The Executive Council consists of 30 official/unofficial members appointed by the Chief Executive and one member among them acts as the convenor.[97][98]
The Legislative Council, set up in 1843, debates policies and motions before voting to adopt or rejecting bills. It has 70 members (originally 60) and 40 (originally 30) among them are directly elected by universal suffrage; the other 30 members are "functional constituencies" (indirectly) elected by a smaller electorate of corporate bodies or representatives of stipulated economic sectors as defined by the government. The Legislative Council is chaired by a president who acts as the speaker.[99][100]
In 1997, seating of the Legislative Council (also public services and election franchises) of Hong Kong modelled on the British system: Urban Council (Hong Kong and Kowloon) and District Council (New Territories and Outlying Islands). In 1999, this system has been reformed into 18 directly elected District Offices across 5 Legislative Council constituencies: Hong Kong Island (East/West), Kowloon and New Territories (East/West); the remaining outlying islands are divided across the aforementioned regions.
Hong Kong's Civil Service, created by the British colonial government, is a politically neutral body that implements government policies and provides public services. Senior civil servants are appointed based on meritocracy. The territory's police, firefighting and customs forces, as well as clerical officers across various government departments, make up the civil service.[101][102]
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, will monitor the landing of NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian Cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko from their #YearInSpace Mission. Goddard's Networks Integration Center, pictured above, leads all coordination for space-to-ground communications support for the International Space Station and provides contingency support for the Soyuz TMA-18M 44S spacecraft, ensuring complete communications coverage through NASA's Space Network. The Soyuz 44S spacecraft will undock at 8:02 p.m. EST this evening from the International Space Station. It will land approximately three and a half hours later, at 11:25 p.m. EST in Kazakhstan. Both Kelly and Kornienko have spent 340 days aboard the International Space Station, preparing humanity for long duration missions and exploration into deep space.
Read more: www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2016/ending-year-in-space-na...
Credit: NASA/Goddard/Rebecca Roth
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission.
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The COVID-19 files | Scene captured on an early-morning trip to the dunes maintained and preserved by the Amsterdam Water Company: stag framed by branches.
Deutschland / Baden-Württemberg - Mainau
Mainau [ˈmaɪnaʊ] also referred to as Mav(e)no(w), Maienowe (in 1242), Maienow (in 1357), Maienau, Mainowe (in 1394) and Mainaw (in 1580) is an island in Lake Constance (on the Southern shore of the Überlinger See near the city of Konstanz, Baden-Württemberg, Germany). It is maintained as a garden island and a model of excellent environmental practices. Administratively, the island has been a part of Konstanz since December 1, 1971, when the municipality of Litzelstetten, of which Mainau was part, was incorporated into Konstanz. Mainau is still part of Litzelstetten, now one of 15 wards (administrative subdivisions) of Konstanz.
The island belongs to the Lennart Bernadotte-Stiftung (eng. The Lennart Bernadotte Foundation), an entity created by Prince Lennart Bernadotte, Count of Wisborg, originally a Prince of Sweden and Duke of Småland. It is one of the main tourist attractions of Lake Constance. Beside flowers there is a park landscape with views on the lake. There is a greenhouse as well with tropical climate and thousands of butterflies.
Mainau Bay is the location of their university's sailing club.
Geography
Position
The island averages out at a height between 395 metres (1,296 ft) (roughly equals the lake’s average medium water-level) and 425 meters (1,394 ft) above sea level. Its highest peak is located at the Großherzog-Friedrich Terrace (historic water reservoir). Mainau Island is 610 metres (2,000 ft) long from North to South and a 1,050 meters (3,440 ft) wide from West to East. The island’s circumference is about three kilometers (1.9 mi). The shortest distance between the downwelling molasse slice and the lake’s shore is about 130 meters (430 ft).
Population
Few people inhabit Mainau Island. Due to its small amount of inhabitants, it is considered a hamlet. Meyer’s Lexikon’s issue of 1888 declared that 28 people lived on Mainau Island. During the census of 1961, a population of 123 was verified. Count Björn Bernadotte is living in the castle on Mainau Island.
Parks and gardens
Mainau Island is a "flowering island" notable for its parks and gardens. Frederick I, Grand Duke of Baden, created the island's arboretum, which now contains 500 species of deciduous and coniferous trees, many exotic and valuable, including fine specimens of Sequoiadendron giganteum (1864) and Metasequoia glyptostroboides (1952). The island also contains about 200 rhododendron and azalea varieties.
Due to the advantageous climate at the lake, palm trees and other Mediterranean plants can grow on the drop-shaped island. Because of its rich subtropical and partly even tropical vegetation, Mainau Island is also called "flowering island in the Lake Constance". Count Lennart Bernadotte, who died in 2004, liked to call his island "Blumenschiff" (engl. flower ship). He also described the famous destination as follows: "She is a coquettish little Lady, Mainau Island, who constantly demands much attention, even more love and ceaselessly new clothes." - Lennart Bernadotte. By "new clothes", he probably meant the blossoms, plants and flower-beds which are constantly renewed by the gardeners.
Apart from the historic buildings, the centerpiece of Mainau Island is the Arboretum with its 500 different types of rare and valuable broad-leaved trees and conifers, which was created in 1856 by grand duke Friedrich I. Among those is one of Germany's "oldest" dawn redwood trees (Metasequoia glyptostroboides). The tree, which originated from China, was planted on the island in 1952, when it was just 70 centimeters (28 in) tall. Particularly mighty are some exemplars of the giant redwood (Sequoiadendron giganteum). Their seeds came from California in 1853 and were planted on the island in 1864, which makes them one of the oldest of their kind in Europe. You can find the above-mentioned giant redwoods as well as Cedars, Dawn Redwoods and Tulip Poplars on the island. The Arboretum expands towards the north-west of the island.
Spring marks the beginning of the "Blumenjahr" (eng. Flower Year) with an exhibition of orchids. From March to May you can see several types of flowers in full bloom, like Tulips, Daffodils, Primroses, Forget-Me-Nots and Hyacinths. To show the full beauty of all these flowers the so-called „Frühlingsallee“ (eng. Spring Alley) was opened, which is a path across the island surrounded by beds of these plants. From May to June over 200 kinds of Rhododendrons and Azaleas are in full bloom. To the west of the "Comturey-Keller" you can find an Italian rose garden commissioned by Friedrich I. This rose garden is strictly geometric and consists of pergolas, sculptures and fountains. In general, over 1200 kinds of roses can be found on the island.
„Frühlingsallee“ leads to „Mediterran-Terrassen“ (eng. Mediterranean Terrace) where exotic plants such as palm families, agaves, cacti and bougainvillea are presented in pails during summer. Lake Constance and its surroundings as well as the Alps can be seen in a panoramic view from here. In July the blossoms of brugmansia and hibiscus are blooming on Mainau Island and in August the blossoms of passion flowers bloom.
On the southern end you can find “Südgarten” (eng. South Garden) where in autumn fields of dahlia with approximately 20,000 dahlia bushes and 250 varieties gleam from September until October. Spring and summer flowers such as different kinds of fuchsia are growing on the affiliated shore garden to the eastern side of “Südgarten”.
The “Bodenseerelief” (eng. Relief of Lake Constance) is a very popular photo motive. It is a relief with the picture of a flower which is changed by season. A small harbor with a landing place is situated to the northern side of Mainau Island. Excursion boats lay in here and another entrance to “Frühlingsallee” can be found here.
History
Until the Napoleonic mediatisations and secularisations of small German fiefs this island belonged to the Order of Teutonic Knights. It was later sold into private ownership. In 1853 Grand Duke Frederick I of Baden purchased the island as his personal property and used the palace built by the Teutonic Knights as summer palace. At the end of World War I Baden became a republic with the abdication of Grand Duke Frederick II, son of Frederick I. The former Grand Duke retained his private property including Mainau. When he died childless in 1928 the island passed to his sister Victoria of Baden, wife of King Gustaf V of Sweden. Upon her death two years later she bequeathed the island to her second son Prince Wilhelm, Duke of Södermanland and his descendants. In 1932 Prince Wilhem gave Mainau to his only child Lennart Bernadotte who owned it until 1974 when he transferred the island to a foundation. Count Bernadotte formed Enterprise Mainau GmbH in 1991 as a private enterprise to manage the island for the benefit of the Lennart Bernadotte-Stiftung. The Count remained active in managing Mainau until his death in 2004 but had appointed his second wife Sonja co-manager in 2001. Widowed, she and their children ran both the foundation and the management company until 2007. Since January 2007 Bettina Bernadotte, the eldest daughter of Lennart and Sonja, directs the Mainau GmbH as current manager, and since 2011 her brother Björn Bernadotte has joined her.
Pre- and Early History
In 1862, signs of an earlier population were discovered along the south banks of Mainau and soon exploited by domain administrator Walter: among the items were wedges, a potsherd, flint splinters, an axe and a muller. The pile dwelling settlement made up of six houses was uncovered in the 1930s and dated back to the Neolithic Age ( 3.000 b.c.). Lake-dwelling settlements of the Neolithic and the Bronze Age were located along the northern shore and the southwestern island along the shallow water zone.
(Wikipedia)
Die Insel Mainau, als Mav(e)no(w), Maienowe (1242) bzw. Maienow (1357), Maienau, Mainowe (1394) und Mainaw (1580) erwähnt, ist mit etwa 45 Hektar Fläche die drittgrößte Insel im Bodensee. Der Molassekalkfelsen befindet sich im Überlinger See genannten, nordwestlichen Teil des Bodensees. Sie ist vom Südufer des Überlinger Sees über eine Brücke zu erreichen und verfügt über einen Schiffsanleger, der von Kurs- und Ausflugsschiffen der Weißen Flotte bedient wird. Die nächsten größeren Städte sind Konstanz, Meersburg und Überlingen. Die Insel gehört zum Stadtteil Litzelstetten der Stadt Konstanz und befindet sich seit 1974 im Besitz der von Graf Lennart Bernadotte gegründeten gemeinnützigen „Lennart-Bernadotte-Stiftung“. Die gräfliche Familie ist bis heute wichtiger Teil der Attraktion der Mainau. Die Insel liegt an der Oberschwäbischen Barockstraße.
Geographie
Lage
Die Insel liegt auf einer Höhe zwischen 395 (Seeniveau bei mittlerem Wasserstand) und 425 Meter über Normalnull. Der höchste Punkt ist laut amtlichen Karten bei der Großherzog-Friedrich-Terrasse (historisches Wasserreservoir auf dem Vogelherd). Ihre Nord-Süd-Ausdehnung beträgt 610 Meter, ihre größte Breite (West-Ost) rund 1050 Meter. Der Umfang der Insel beträgt rund drei Kilometer. Die kürzeste Entfernung der abgesunkenen Molassescholle zum Seeufer beträgt 130 Meter.
Bevölkerung
Die Insel Mainau hat nur wenige Einwohner, Meyers Konversationslexikon von 1888 gab eine Bevölkerung von 28 an. Zur Volkszählung 1961 war eine Bevölkerung von 123 nachgewiesen. Auf der Insel Mainau lebt Björn Graf Bernadotte mit seiner Familie.
Anlage
Park- und Gartenanlagen
Bedingt durch das günstige Bodenseeklima wachsen auf der tropfenförmigen Insel Palmen und andere mediterrane Pflanzen. Wegen ihrer reichen subtropischen, teilweise auch tropischen Vegetation wird die Mainau auch als „Blumeninsel im Bodensee“ bezeichnet. Der 2004 verstorbene Graf Lennart Bernadotte nannte seine Insel gerne das „Blumenschiff“. Weiterhin beschrieb er das bekannte und für Besucher gegen Eintrittsgelder zugängliche Ausflugsziel mit folgenden Worten:
„Sie ist eine kokette kleine Dame, diese Mainau, die stets und ständig große Aufmerksamkeit fordert, noch mehr Liebe und vor allem unaufhörlich neue Kleider.“
– Lennart Bernadotte
Wobei er mit den „neuen Kleidern“ zuerst den immer wieder neu von Gärtnerhand gewebten Blütenüberwurf gemeint haben mag.
Herzstück der „Blumeninsel“ ist neben den historischen Gebäuden das von Großherzog Friedrich I. ab 1856 angelegte parkähnliche Arboretum der Insel Mainau mit seinen 500 verschiedenen Arten von zum Teil seltenen und wertvollen Laub- und Nadelgehölzen. Darunter befindet sich einer der ältesten Urweltmammutbäume (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) Deutschlands. Der aus China stammende Baum war 1952 als 70 Zentimeter großes Bäumchen im Ufergarten ausgepflanzt worden. Besonders mächtig sind einige Exemplare des Riesenmammutbaums (Sequoiadendron giganteum). Die Samen dieser Bäume kamen 1853 aus Kalifornien, und 1864 ließ Friedrich I. zahlreiche Bäume auf der Mainau pflanzen. Damit gehören sie zu den ältesten ihrer Art in Europa. Neben den riesigen Mammutbäumen befinden sich Zedern, Metasequoien und Tulpenbäume. Das Arboretum dehnt sich nordwestlich vom Schloss auf der Hochfläche aus.
Im Frühjahr Ende März/Anfang April beginnt auf der Mainau das Blumenjahr im Palmenhaus mit einer großen Orchideenschau. Von Ende März bis Mitte Mai blühen auf der Mainau Tulpen, Narzissen und Hyazinthen. Hierzu wurden im östlichen Teil der Insel an der sogenannten „Frühlingsallee“ parallel zum Weg Tausende von Tulpen-, Narzissen- und Hyazinthenzwiebeln gepflanzt. Ebenfalls im Frühjahr gedeihen auf der Insel Stiefmütterchen, Vergissmeinnicht und Primeln.
In der Übergangszeit von Mai und Juni zeigen sich die Blüten der 200 Rhododendren- und Azaleensorten. Westlich des Comturey-Kellers kommt man zu dem ebenfalls durch Großherzog Friedrich I. im italienischen Stil angelegten Rosengarten. Der sogenannte „italienische Rosengarten“ ist eine streng geometrische Anlage mit Pergolen, Skulpturen und Brunnen. Im Sommer betört der Duft der rund 500 verschiedenen Rosensorten, vor allem Beetrosen. Auf der ganzen Insel finden sich etwa 30.000 Rosenstöcke von 1200 Sorten. Eine Barocktreppe führt hinauf zur aussichtsreichen Schlossterrasse.
Die „Frühlingsallee“ führt zu den „Mediterran-Terrassen“ mit ihren exotischen Kübelpflanzen, wo im Sommer Palmengewächse, Agaven, Kakteen und Bougainvilleen gezeigt werden. Von hier hat man ein Panorama auf die Bodenseelandschaft. Im Juli zeigen sich auf der Mainau die Blüten der Engelstrompeten und des Hibiskus, im August die der Passionsblumen.
Südlich breitet sich der „Südgarten“ aus, wo im Herbst von September bis Oktober die Dahlienfelder mit etwa 20.000 Dahlienbüschen von 250 Sorten blühen. Im östlich anschließenden Ufergarten wachsen Frühlings- und Sommerblumen, darunter eine Sammlung verschiedener Fuchsienarten. Ein beliebtes Fotomotiv ist das Bodenseerelief, ein nach Jahreszeit unterschiedlich gestaltetes Blütenbild in Form des Bodensees.
An der Nordseite der Insel liegt der kleine Hafen mit Schiffsanlegestelle, wo die Ausflugsschiffe anlegen und es einen weiteren Eingang gibt.
Im ganzjährig geöffneten Schmetterlingshaus auf der Insel, mit etwa 1000 Quadratmeter das zweitgrößte seiner Art in Deutschland, können Besucher zwischen 25 °C und 30 °C Wärme und 80 bis 90 Prozent Luftfeuchtigkeit durch eine tropisch anmutende Umgebung mit Wasserfällen und exotischen Gewächsen gehen. Je nach Saison fliegen 700 bis 1000 bunte Falter bis zu 80 verschiedener Schmetterlingsarten, vor allem südamerikanischer Herkunft, frei zwischen den Besuchern. Rund ein Drittel der gezeigten Schmetterlingsarten vermehrt sich hier auf natürliche Weise. Doch ist es ganz unterschiedlich, wie viele Nachkommen es gibt. Aus diesen Gründen bekommt das Schmetterlingshaus wöchentliche Lieferungen von 400 Puppen von Züchtern aus Costa Rica, England und Holland. Rund 20.000 Euro beträgt das Budget im Jahr für neue Raupen. Die Gartenanlage rund um das Schmetterlingshaus wurde als Lebensraum für heimische Schmetterlinge gestaltet. Angeschlossen ist ein Duftgarten mit mehr als 150 Duftpflanzenarten.
Außer den Park- und Gartenanlagen gibt es einen Streichelzoo mit Ziegen und Ponys und den „Mainauer Bauernhof“ mit Alpakas, Hasen, Hühnern, Eseln, Schafen und Katzen sowie einige gastronomische Einrichtungen.
Für Kinder gibt es das rund 1100 Quadratmeter große Mainauer Kinderland „Wasserwelt“, einen Spielplatz mit einem 60 Zentimeter tiefen Wasserbecken, das von Flusssteinen mit einem Gesamtgewicht von rund 130 Tonnen eingefasst wird. In der Mitte des mit 170 Kubikmeter Wasser gefüllten Sees liegt eine Insel. Auf dem See können die Kinder mit Flößen umherfahren oder sich mit einer Holzfähre hinüberziehen. Rundherum stehen Holzhäuser als Klettergerüste, die laut Planern an die Zeit der Pfahlbauten erinnern sollen. Verbunden sind die Häuschen durch Hängebrücken und Kettenstege. Dazu gibt es Wasserrinnen und extra Matschtische. Falls ein Kind beim Spielen allzu tief in die Wasserwelt eingetaucht sein sollte, haben die beiden Mainauplaner Matthias Wagner und Markus Zeiler auch vorgesorgt: Am Spielplatz wurde in einem Kiosk ein Wäschetrockner aufgestellt, in dem die Eltern nasse Kleidungsstücke selbst trocknen können. Die Spiellandschaft wird wie alle anderen Spielplätze vom TÜV SÜD abgenommen und regelmäßig inspiziert.
(Wikipedia)
Maintainers from the 81st Fighter Squadron pull out firing pins and chalks to ready an A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft for takeoff before a night combat search and rescue training mission July 20, 2012. The maintainers took part in Dacian Thunder, a month-long partnership building exercise that included U.S. Air Force, Romanian air force, U.S. Marine Corps and Royal Air Force participants. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Natasha Stannard)
To some, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” might be one of Disney’s forgotten films. Unlike “Frozen,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Little Mermaid,” etc, it’s not one of the movies that maintained its prominence after its initial release. The dolls inspired by the film were only briefly available, and there were just a handful produced. Likewise, the scale of general merchandising was diminutive, when compared to the giants such as “Frozen.” Esmeralda, Phoebus, and Quasimodo dolls only appeared with the initial debut of the movie. These familiar faces were not brought back for later doll lines. Even the Disney Store only produced one version of Esmeralda, which is surprising considering how many other random characters are currently available. But despite this, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” was always one of the most prevalent Disney films of my childhood. Not only was I obsessed with the movie, but my few dolls and toys from it were among my most special. That’s the main reason I felt it was so utterly important to write a special “essay” on just “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” To not do so would be turning my back on my childhood passion. Although it wasn’t one of the movies or doll types that was flung in my face constantly these past few years, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” was just as much a part of my adult doll story as it was for my youth.
I can’t honestly say I remember where my love for “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” started. Did I see the movie first, or did I own one of the dolls? These are questions that I don’t have answers to anymore. Time seems to have erased my memory, but which came first honestly did not matter in the end. I was equally passionate for my dolls and the movie. In fact, Mom and Dad tried tirelessly to get me my own VHS of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” for several years. When I was growing up, it wasn’t as easy as ordering whatever movie you wanted online. Nor could you do a quick search on the internet to see which stores has it in stock. Mom and Dad had to do a fair amount of pavement pounding to see if they could get me the movie. Dad was so desperate in fact, that I recall he even offered to buy the copy at the video rental store in town (which the owner declined). So for some time I had to settle for owning the “Hunchback of Notre Dame” computer game. It was a blast to play--I recall the hours Colleen and I spent flinging tomatoes on the screen at the gargoyles, or stopping soldiers from climbing the walls of Notre Dame. Of all the games we had as kids, this one is most vivid in my memory, and I was heartbroken the day it stopped working in a newer computer. But for Christmas one year, I finally got my dream “Hunchback of Notre Dame” VHS. It was some years later, which meant it survived better with time as it wasn’t as old. But don’t be mistaken, it was watched just as much as some of our other faves, like “Snow White” or “Aladdin.” Ironically, it was so much easier as an adult to find the movie on DVD. It turned up at Wal-Mart randomly one day, and I decided to snag it while I could, even though it was $10 (which I thought was kind of pricey). There were so many parts of the movie that resonated with me as a little girl. To say which part meant the most to me would be impossible. But my main takeaway was that people were far too judgmental, and were easily swayed by the differences in one another. I felt immense pity on Quasimodo as he was a lonely prisoner up in the towers of Notre Dame, and was left to watch the rest of the world through windows. I would tear up whenever Esmeralda and her people were mistreated and hunted down for what I deemed to be no reason. Even my younger self could see the hypocrisy in Frollo’s ways--he murdered Quasimodo’s mother and had other Romani people killed at his request, and yet thought his stake in the church somehow made him a “good” person. The dark undertones of the movie and the grim reality that this kind of persecution really happened made “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” stand apart from the other more light hearted films of my childhood. It’s one of the reasons I still love the movie just as much as an adult viewer.
I had my first Esmeralda doll long before I owned a copy of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” on VHS. Despite my very young age, I still vividly recall the first occasion we happened upon a display of the dolls. Mom had taken Colleen and me out shoe shopping. Right by the shoe aisles, there was a small display in the middle of the aisle of Hunchback merchandise. I was immediately drawn to the colorful boxes and cartoony faces inside them. Mom insisted that we wait to look at the toys until we were done with the boring shoe shopping. But afterwards, she stayed true to her word and let me have a look. Instantaneously, I was captivated by Dancing Esmeralda. I drooled over her festive, gorgeous dress and her sultry facial expression. I HAD to get this doll, and luckily I must have had enough allowance money to buy her. That day, Esmeralda got to come home with me. Although it was so many years ago, I also vaguely remember seeing the solo Phoebus and Quasimodo dolls at the store too, as well as the horse and True Hearts Gift Set. Part of me wanted desperately to collect more of the characters. I think though that the dolls weren’t stocked as well as others from Disney movies of the past, and I also had trouble saving up for one thing when I was a kid. Let’s just say money burned a hole in my pocket. Esmeralda ended up being one of the most worthy dolly investments of my lifetime. She was a fast favorite, and one of the most played with dolls I ever owned.
I know that some of my fictitious character traits I gave Esmeralda were based on her movie persona. She was a feisty, impoverished young woman, who had little to call her own. I recall that she was often homeless in our scenarios, living on the streets with a few meager belongings. But that’s where the movie accuracy ended. Esmeralda was also a mother in our doll games. Colleen at the time had a fancy for my African American Bathtime Fun Kelly, aka Kelsey. Once my Princess Mermaid Ariel was given the boot for my new, shiny Esmeralda doll, Kelsey had a new mom. Ariel did not get retired entirely though, she was often cast as a cooky cast member, when the role of a “crazy” person was required. Somehow, someway Esmeralda ended up falling into one of the greatest love story roles we ever had. I recall that we were playing a game with Kocoum and Doctor Barbie, aka Julia (who at the time was an unknown, secondhand doll on the wrong body). We cast many of our other shabby childhood friends as Julia and Kocoum’s daughters. Julia was a villain from the beginning--she verbally and physically abused the girls when Kocoum wasn’t home, and was a lazy louse. She only married Kocoum for his money, and greedily hoped to be rich one day. I don’t recall if it was planned or if it all happened by chance. But Kocoum met the destitute Esmeralda and fell in love. He welcomed her in his home, and gave Esmeralda and Kelsey a place to stay. This was of course after his wife Julia ran off with another, wealthier man. From then on, Esmeralda and Kocoum were an item. To this day, Colleen and I still keep their romance alive, even though our childhood Kocoum is long gone. It’s often a joke we reference in our dolly skits, and anytime I see Kocoum or one of my Esmeralda dolls, I can’t help but be reminded of the other.
Esmeralda was so loved that it’s only natural that she was worn out very early on. I recall breaking her elaborate crown at my grandparents’ house, and the velcro of her dress picking at all its delicate details. My doll’s hair became a dreaded mess too, which I attempted to fix with a blow dry treatment and a trim. In the end, Esmeralda was left with pin straight hair that was unevenly cut...with no bangs! That’s why she got a reroot when I was an adult collector, because there was no salvaging my childhood “makeover.” Despite her shabbiness, Esmeralda was still held at a high esteem. I also loved using her dress on other dolls--for some reason I thought it was particularly dashing on my Giggles ‘n Swing Barbie. But I did long for another, pristine Esmeralda. That’s the reason I was so ecstatic the day the “classic” Esmeralda showed up at the local flea market. I was probably around nine years old when this big footed Es appeared for just $2. She was wearing her white dress, not her signature white and purple getup that I coveted. But since she had the same face as my beloved Dancing gal, I had to adopt this lady. Unfortunately, her large feet were very unflattering, so I didn’t play with her much because of them. Ironically, I never really remember my Dancing Es wearing shoes...she was almost always bare foot. So I’m not sure why the big feet were such a turn off for me (although I do agree that her articulated body type was rather masculine). Since “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” merchandise had been so limited from the beginning, I wasn’t able to find anymore dolls new or secondhand as a kid. It was frustrating to see that Esmeralda was not a character who was brought back for later collections, like Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty. To me this was such a disgrace--I always admired Esmeralda’s spunky, independent personality...it was far more appealing than say Aurora’s damsel in distress persona.
As an adult collector, I was able to make my childhood dreams of owning more “Hunchback of Notre Dame” dolls come true. In fact, it was one of my first orders of business after a five year hiatus. While flipping through Margo Rana’s “Disney Dolls Identification & Price Guide book,” I was enamored by the few pages dedicated to Esmeralda and co. I was shocked and grateful to learn that I already owned the horse for the movie--I had gotten him years before in a random doll lot we acquired. I never realized that he was meant for Phoebus and Esmeralda, although I should have known by the reversible saddle. Both Colleen and I were very interested in getting a Phoebus doll for our blossoming collection. I found the perfect lot on eBay a few days into my first adult dolly binge. There was the tent and the True Hearts set for only $30ish (including shipping). What a bargain it was, and fortunately I believe it was a “Buy It Now” option, which meant it wouldn’t get pricier via bids. What makes this set so special to me is that it was the very first purchase of mine to arrive in the mail. While I had ordered Satiny Shimmer Mulan before any other doll after a five year break, it was my True Hearts lot and a Dream Waltz Anastasia who arrived first. So technically they were my very first adult purchased dolls I added to the collection. Phoebus was everything we had dreamed of since we were kids, and True Hearts Esmeralda was just as beautiful as my childhood Dancing girl. Not long after, I bid on a listing for a “classic” Phoebus, and also another lot for a Phoebus and Quasimodo. I ended up winning both listings (this was poor eBay use on my part), so that’s how we ended up with two “classic” Phoebus dolls. “Canadian” Phoebus was first to come in the mail, and when Colleen met him, it was true love. He was so intriguing to her, that we ended up secretly playing with our new Disney acquisitions downstairs some weeks later (I was nineteen at the time). Because of this, I’ve always considered Phoebus to be more Colleen’s doll than mine. I recollect how much she adored our Phoebus paper doll we had growing up, and how she would often fantasize about owning the “real deal” plastic guy. It was a wonderful feeling making that childhood wish a reality!
Despite not having all that many dolls simply because there were only a few produced, I always had a shelf designated just for my “Hunchback of Notre Dame” friends. The tent and horse filled out the empty space nicely, and as time wore on, a few more dolls joined the collection. I currently have all the Mattel dolls that were made, except for “Basic” Esmeralda. Most are filler dupes who I acquired secondhand, my favorite being my third Dancing Esmeralda. A friend gave me my second Dancing Es, but it was my triplicate who most embodied the spirit of my childhood doll. Colleen and I were at the flea market one day in the late fall of 2012. I will never forget how excited we were when we happened upon a familiar looking Barbie motorhome and saw the two Barbies sitting in the front seats. A rather homely Ken (who turned out to be Winter Sports) was sitting alongside a stunning Dancing Esmeralda. This must have been the previous owner’s makeshift family, because in the back of the motorhome, we found two Teacher Barbie kids. Even though my Dancing Esmeralda has “dated” Kocoum since, I always think of her and Winter Sport Ken as an item and the two Teacher kids as their offspring. Anyways, she was the closest thing to a mint Dancing Esmeralda I had yet to come across. And something about her “spirit” was the same as my forlorn childhood friend. She’s my favorite Esmeralda in my collection to date, although I’ll admit I still couldn’t resist buying a boxed Dancing Es to open (if I ever found one for the right price in the “wild”).
Old friends, new friends, formerly underappreciated ones…..childhood memories, adulthood memories, and dreams that came true….all of these things comprise my “Hunchback of Notre Dame” collection. I never imagined as a little girl that I’d be lucky enough to have so many wonderful dolls from this film, and that my childhood Esmeralda would still be around. There is something about this movie and the dolls that accompany it that remind me so fondly of growing up. Other than perhaps Aladdin and Pocahontas, I can’t think of a Disney movie or dolls that summarize my youth more so than “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” Even Mom and Dad knew how much I adored the film and my Esmeralda….it was no secret. It started out when I was just six years old, but my passion for this movie and the dolls has only thrived as time has gone on. I still feel the same magic and wonderment whenever I pop my DVD in. It’s even more exciting now because I can ogle all the characters I loved so much and know that I have the dolls to bring the movie “to life” in my room. Just as much as these dolls remind me of being a kid, they also reignited my passion as an adult collector. True Hearts Phoebus and Esmeralda were after all two of the first dolls I ever acquired after a five year break. This is a special title that few dolls can say they have. When I look at my “Hunchback of Notre Dame” collection, the dolls remind me that as much as some things change, so much stays the same….my love for them has lived on through the decades, and with it, new life and memories have been born!
Deutschland / Baden-Württemberg - Mainau
Mainau [ˈmaɪnaʊ] also referred to as Mav(e)no(w), Maienowe (in 1242), Maienow (in 1357), Maienau, Mainowe (in 1394) and Mainaw (in 1580) is an island in Lake Constance (on the Southern shore of the Überlinger See near the city of Konstanz, Baden-Württemberg, Germany). It is maintained as a garden island and a model of excellent environmental practices. Administratively, the island has been a part of Konstanz since December 1, 1971, when the municipality of Litzelstetten, of which Mainau was part, was incorporated into Konstanz. Mainau is still part of Litzelstetten, now one of 15 wards (administrative subdivisions) of Konstanz.
The island belongs to the Lennart Bernadotte-Stiftung (eng. The Lennart Bernadotte Foundation), an entity created by Prince Lennart Bernadotte, Count of Wisborg, originally a Prince of Sweden and Duke of Småland. It is one of the main tourist attractions of Lake Constance. Beside flowers there is a park landscape with views on the lake. There is a greenhouse as well with tropical climate and thousands of butterflies.
Mainau Bay is the location of their university's sailing club.
Geography
Position
The island averages out at a height between 395 metres (1,296 ft) (roughly equals the lake’s average medium water-level) and 425 meters (1,394 ft) above sea level. Its highest peak is located at the Großherzog-Friedrich Terrace (historic water reservoir). Mainau Island is 610 metres (2,000 ft) long from North to South and a 1,050 meters (3,440 ft) wide from West to East. The island’s circumference is about three kilometers (1.9 mi). The shortest distance between the downwelling molasse slice and the lake’s shore is about 130 meters (430 ft).
Population
Few people inhabit Mainau Island. Due to its small amount of inhabitants, it is considered a hamlet. Meyer’s Lexikon’s issue of 1888 declared that 28 people lived on Mainau Island. During the census of 1961, a population of 123 was verified. Count Björn Bernadotte is living in the castle on Mainau Island.
Parks and gardens
Mainau Island is a "flowering island" notable for its parks and gardens. Frederick I, Grand Duke of Baden, created the island's arboretum, which now contains 500 species of deciduous and coniferous trees, many exotic and valuable, including fine specimens of Sequoiadendron giganteum (1864) and Metasequoia glyptostroboides (1952). The island also contains about 200 rhododendron and azalea varieties.
Due to the advantageous climate at the lake, palm trees and other Mediterranean plants can grow on the drop-shaped island. Because of its rich subtropical and partly even tropical vegetation, Mainau Island is also called "flowering island in the Lake Constance". Count Lennart Bernadotte, who died in 2004, liked to call his island "Blumenschiff" (engl. flower ship). He also described the famous destination as follows: "She is a coquettish little Lady, Mainau Island, who constantly demands much attention, even more love and ceaselessly new clothes." - Lennart Bernadotte. By "new clothes", he probably meant the blossoms, plants and flower-beds which are constantly renewed by the gardeners.
Apart from the historic buildings, the centerpiece of Mainau Island is the Arboretum with its 500 different types of rare and valuable broad-leaved trees and conifers, which was created in 1856 by grand duke Friedrich I. Among those is one of Germany's "oldest" dawn redwood trees (Metasequoia glyptostroboides). The tree, which originated from China, was planted on the island in 1952, when it was just 70 centimeters (28 in) tall. Particularly mighty are some exemplars of the giant redwood (Sequoiadendron giganteum). Their seeds came from California in 1853 and were planted on the island in 1864, which makes them one of the oldest of their kind in Europe. You can find the above-mentioned giant redwoods as well as Cedars, Dawn Redwoods and Tulip Poplars on the island. The Arboretum expands towards the north-west of the island.
Spring marks the beginning of the "Blumenjahr" (eng. Flower Year) with an exhibition of orchids. From March to May you can see several types of flowers in full bloom, like Tulips, Daffodils, Primroses, Forget-Me-Nots and Hyacinths. To show the full beauty of all these flowers the so-called „Frühlingsallee“ (eng. Spring Alley) was opened, which is a path across the island surrounded by beds of these plants. From May to June over 200 kinds of Rhododendrons and Azaleas are in full bloom. To the west of the "Comturey-Keller" you can find an Italian rose garden commissioned by Friedrich I. This rose garden is strictly geometric and consists of pergolas, sculptures and fountains. In general, over 1200 kinds of roses can be found on the island.
„Frühlingsallee“ leads to „Mediterran-Terrassen“ (eng. Mediterranean Terrace) where exotic plants such as palm families, agaves, cacti and bougainvillea are presented in pails during summer. Lake Constance and its surroundings as well as the Alps can be seen in a panoramic view from here. In July the blossoms of brugmansia and hibiscus are blooming on Mainau Island and in August the blossoms of passion flowers bloom.
On the southern end you can find “Südgarten” (eng. South Garden) where in autumn fields of dahlia with approximately 20,000 dahlia bushes and 250 varieties gleam from September until October. Spring and summer flowers such as different kinds of fuchsia are growing on the affiliated shore garden to the eastern side of “Südgarten”.
The “Bodenseerelief” (eng. Relief of Lake Constance) is a very popular photo motive. It is a relief with the picture of a flower which is changed by season. A small harbor with a landing place is situated to the northern side of Mainau Island. Excursion boats lay in here and another entrance to “Frühlingsallee” can be found here.
History
Until the Napoleonic mediatisations and secularisations of small German fiefs this island belonged to the Order of Teutonic Knights. It was later sold into private ownership. In 1853 Grand Duke Frederick I of Baden purchased the island as his personal property and used the palace built by the Teutonic Knights as summer palace. At the end of World War I Baden became a republic with the abdication of Grand Duke Frederick II, son of Frederick I. The former Grand Duke retained his private property including Mainau. When he died childless in 1928 the island passed to his sister Victoria of Baden, wife of King Gustaf V of Sweden. Upon her death two years later she bequeathed the island to her second son Prince Wilhelm, Duke of Södermanland and his descendants. In 1932 Prince Wilhem gave Mainau to his only child Lennart Bernadotte who owned it until 1974 when he transferred the island to a foundation. Count Bernadotte formed Enterprise Mainau GmbH in 1991 as a private enterprise to manage the island for the benefit of the Lennart Bernadotte-Stiftung. The Count remained active in managing Mainau until his death in 2004 but had appointed his second wife Sonja co-manager in 2001. Widowed, she and their children ran both the foundation and the management company until 2007. Since January 2007 Bettina Bernadotte, the eldest daughter of Lennart and Sonja, directs the Mainau GmbH as current manager, and since 2011 her brother Björn Bernadotte has joined her.
Pre- and Early History
In 1862, signs of an earlier population were discovered along the south banks of Mainau and soon exploited by domain administrator Walter: among the items were wedges, a potsherd, flint splinters, an axe and a muller. The pile dwelling settlement made up of six houses was uncovered in the 1930s and dated back to the Neolithic Age ( 3.000 b.c.). Lake-dwelling settlements of the Neolithic and the Bronze Age were located along the northern shore and the southwestern island along the shallow water zone.
(Wikipedia)
Die Insel Mainau, als Mav(e)no(w), Maienowe (1242) bzw. Maienow (1357), Maienau, Mainowe (1394) und Mainaw (1580) erwähnt, ist mit etwa 45 Hektar Fläche die drittgrößte Insel im Bodensee. Der Molassekalkfelsen befindet sich im Überlinger See genannten, nordwestlichen Teil des Bodensees. Sie ist vom Südufer des Überlinger Sees über eine Brücke zu erreichen und verfügt über einen Schiffsanleger, der von Kurs- und Ausflugsschiffen der Weißen Flotte bedient wird. Die nächsten größeren Städte sind Konstanz, Meersburg und Überlingen. Die Insel gehört zum Stadtteil Litzelstetten der Stadt Konstanz und befindet sich seit 1974 im Besitz der von Graf Lennart Bernadotte gegründeten gemeinnützigen „Lennart-Bernadotte-Stiftung“. Die gräfliche Familie ist bis heute wichtiger Teil der Attraktion der Mainau. Die Insel liegt an der Oberschwäbischen Barockstraße.
Geographie
Lage
Die Insel liegt auf einer Höhe zwischen 395 (Seeniveau bei mittlerem Wasserstand) und 425 Meter über Normalnull. Der höchste Punkt ist laut amtlichen Karten bei der Großherzog-Friedrich-Terrasse (historisches Wasserreservoir auf dem Vogelherd). Ihre Nord-Süd-Ausdehnung beträgt 610 Meter, ihre größte Breite (West-Ost) rund 1050 Meter. Der Umfang der Insel beträgt rund drei Kilometer. Die kürzeste Entfernung der abgesunkenen Molassescholle zum Seeufer beträgt 130 Meter.
Bevölkerung
Die Insel Mainau hat nur wenige Einwohner, Meyers Konversationslexikon von 1888 gab eine Bevölkerung von 28 an. Zur Volkszählung 1961 war eine Bevölkerung von 123 nachgewiesen. Auf der Insel Mainau lebt Björn Graf Bernadotte mit seiner Familie.
Anlage
Park- und Gartenanlagen
Bedingt durch das günstige Bodenseeklima wachsen auf der tropfenförmigen Insel Palmen und andere mediterrane Pflanzen. Wegen ihrer reichen subtropischen, teilweise auch tropischen Vegetation wird die Mainau auch als „Blumeninsel im Bodensee“ bezeichnet. Der 2004 verstorbene Graf Lennart Bernadotte nannte seine Insel gerne das „Blumenschiff“. Weiterhin beschrieb er das bekannte und für Besucher gegen Eintrittsgelder zugängliche Ausflugsziel mit folgenden Worten:
„Sie ist eine kokette kleine Dame, diese Mainau, die stets und ständig große Aufmerksamkeit fordert, noch mehr Liebe und vor allem unaufhörlich neue Kleider.“
– Lennart Bernadotte
Wobei er mit den „neuen Kleidern“ zuerst den immer wieder neu von Gärtnerhand gewebten Blütenüberwurf gemeint haben mag.
Herzstück der „Blumeninsel“ ist neben den historischen Gebäuden das von Großherzog Friedrich I. ab 1856 angelegte parkähnliche Arboretum der Insel Mainau mit seinen 500 verschiedenen Arten von zum Teil seltenen und wertvollen Laub- und Nadelgehölzen. Darunter befindet sich einer der ältesten Urweltmammutbäume (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) Deutschlands. Der aus China stammende Baum war 1952 als 70 Zentimeter großes Bäumchen im Ufergarten ausgepflanzt worden. Besonders mächtig sind einige Exemplare des Riesenmammutbaums (Sequoiadendron giganteum). Die Samen dieser Bäume kamen 1853 aus Kalifornien, und 1864 ließ Friedrich I. zahlreiche Bäume auf der Mainau pflanzen. Damit gehören sie zu den ältesten ihrer Art in Europa. Neben den riesigen Mammutbäumen befinden sich Zedern, Metasequoien und Tulpenbäume. Das Arboretum dehnt sich nordwestlich vom Schloss auf der Hochfläche aus.
Im Frühjahr Ende März/Anfang April beginnt auf der Mainau das Blumenjahr im Palmenhaus mit einer großen Orchideenschau. Von Ende März bis Mitte Mai blühen auf der Mainau Tulpen, Narzissen und Hyazinthen. Hierzu wurden im östlichen Teil der Insel an der sogenannten „Frühlingsallee“ parallel zum Weg Tausende von Tulpen-, Narzissen- und Hyazinthenzwiebeln gepflanzt. Ebenfalls im Frühjahr gedeihen auf der Insel Stiefmütterchen, Vergissmeinnicht und Primeln.
In der Übergangszeit von Mai und Juni zeigen sich die Blüten der 200 Rhododendren- und Azaleensorten. Westlich des Comturey-Kellers kommt man zu dem ebenfalls durch Großherzog Friedrich I. im italienischen Stil angelegten Rosengarten. Der sogenannte „italienische Rosengarten“ ist eine streng geometrische Anlage mit Pergolen, Skulpturen und Brunnen. Im Sommer betört der Duft der rund 500 verschiedenen Rosensorten, vor allem Beetrosen. Auf der ganzen Insel finden sich etwa 30.000 Rosenstöcke von 1200 Sorten. Eine Barocktreppe führt hinauf zur aussichtsreichen Schlossterrasse.
Die „Frühlingsallee“ führt zu den „Mediterran-Terrassen“ mit ihren exotischen Kübelpflanzen, wo im Sommer Palmengewächse, Agaven, Kakteen und Bougainvilleen gezeigt werden. Von hier hat man ein Panorama auf die Bodenseelandschaft. Im Juli zeigen sich auf der Mainau die Blüten der Engelstrompeten und des Hibiskus, im August die der Passionsblumen.
Südlich breitet sich der „Südgarten“ aus, wo im Herbst von September bis Oktober die Dahlienfelder mit etwa 20.000 Dahlienbüschen von 250 Sorten blühen. Im östlich anschließenden Ufergarten wachsen Frühlings- und Sommerblumen, darunter eine Sammlung verschiedener Fuchsienarten. Ein beliebtes Fotomotiv ist das Bodenseerelief, ein nach Jahreszeit unterschiedlich gestaltetes Blütenbild in Form des Bodensees.
An der Nordseite der Insel liegt der kleine Hafen mit Schiffsanlegestelle, wo die Ausflugsschiffe anlegen und es einen weiteren Eingang gibt.
Im ganzjährig geöffneten Schmetterlingshaus auf der Insel, mit etwa 1000 Quadratmeter das zweitgrößte seiner Art in Deutschland, können Besucher zwischen 25 °C und 30 °C Wärme und 80 bis 90 Prozent Luftfeuchtigkeit durch eine tropisch anmutende Umgebung mit Wasserfällen und exotischen Gewächsen gehen. Je nach Saison fliegen 700 bis 1000 bunte Falter bis zu 80 verschiedener Schmetterlingsarten, vor allem südamerikanischer Herkunft, frei zwischen den Besuchern. Rund ein Drittel der gezeigten Schmetterlingsarten vermehrt sich hier auf natürliche Weise. Doch ist es ganz unterschiedlich, wie viele Nachkommen es gibt. Aus diesen Gründen bekommt das Schmetterlingshaus wöchentliche Lieferungen von 400 Puppen von Züchtern aus Costa Rica, England und Holland. Rund 20.000 Euro beträgt das Budget im Jahr für neue Raupen. Die Gartenanlage rund um das Schmetterlingshaus wurde als Lebensraum für heimische Schmetterlinge gestaltet. Angeschlossen ist ein Duftgarten mit mehr als 150 Duftpflanzenarten.
Außer den Park- und Gartenanlagen gibt es einen Streichelzoo mit Ziegen und Ponys und den „Mainauer Bauernhof“ mit Alpakas, Hasen, Hühnern, Eseln, Schafen und Katzen sowie einige gastronomische Einrichtungen.
Für Kinder gibt es das rund 1100 Quadratmeter große Mainauer Kinderland „Wasserwelt“, einen Spielplatz mit einem 60 Zentimeter tiefen Wasserbecken, das von Flusssteinen mit einem Gesamtgewicht von rund 130 Tonnen eingefasst wird. In der Mitte des mit 170 Kubikmeter Wasser gefüllten Sees liegt eine Insel. Auf dem See können die Kinder mit Flößen umherfahren oder sich mit einer Holzfähre hinüberziehen. Rundherum stehen Holzhäuser als Klettergerüste, die laut Planern an die Zeit der Pfahlbauten erinnern sollen. Verbunden sind die Häuschen durch Hängebrücken und Kettenstege. Dazu gibt es Wasserrinnen und extra Matschtische. Falls ein Kind beim Spielen allzu tief in die Wasserwelt eingetaucht sein sollte, haben die beiden Mainauplaner Matthias Wagner und Markus Zeiler auch vorgesorgt: Am Spielplatz wurde in einem Kiosk ein Wäschetrockner aufgestellt, in dem die Eltern nasse Kleidungsstücke selbst trocknen können. Die Spiellandschaft wird wie alle anderen Spielplätze vom TÜV SÜD abgenommen und regelmäßig inspiziert.
(Wikipedia)
Grade I listed historic cathedral.
"The Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York, commonly known as York Minster, is the cathedral of York, England, and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe. The minster is the seat of the Archbishop of York, the third-highest office of the Church of England (after the monarch as Supreme Governor and the Archbishop of Canterbury), and is the mother church for the Diocese of York and the Province of York. It is run by a dean and chapter, under the Dean of York. The title "minster" is attributed to churches established in the Anglo-Saxon period as missionary teaching churches, and serves now as an honorific title. Services in the minster are sometimes regarded as on the High Church or Anglo-Catholic end of the Anglican continuum.
The minster, devoted to Saint Peter, has a very wide Decorated Gothic nave and chapter house, a Perpendicular Gothic quire and east end and Early English North and South transepts. The nave contains the West Window, constructed in 1338, and over the Lady Chapel in the east end is the Great East Window (finished in 1408), the largest expanse of medieval stained glass in the world. In the north transept is the Five Sisters Window, each lancet being over 53 feet (16.3 m) high. The south transept contains a rose window, while the West Window contains a heart-shaped design colloquially known as The Heart of Yorkshire.
A bishop of York was summoned to the Council of Arles in 314 indicating the presence of a Christian community in York at this time; however, archaeological evidence of Christianity in Roman York is limited. The first recorded church on the site was a wooden structure built hurriedly in 627 to provide a place to baptise Edwin, King of Northumbria. Moves toward a more substantial building began in the decade of the 630s. A stone structure was completed in 637 by Oswald and was dedicated to Saint Peter. The church soon fell into disrepair and was dilapidated by 670 when Saint Wilfrid ascended to the See of York. He repaired and renewed the structure. The attached school and library were established and by the 8th century were some of the most substantial in Northern Europe.
In 741, the church was destroyed in a fire. It was rebuilt as a more impressive structure containing thirty altars. The church and the entire area then passed through the hands of numerous invaders, and its history is obscure until the 10th century. There were a series of Benedictine archbishops, including Saint Oswald of Worcester, Wulfstan and Ealdred, who travelled to Westminster to crown William in 1066. Ealdred died in 1069 and was buried in the church.
The church was damaged in 1069 during William the Conqueror's harrying of the North, but the first Norman archbishop, Thomas of Bayeux, arriving in 1070, organised repairs. The Danes destroyed the church in 1075, but it was again rebuilt from 1080. Built in the Norman style, it was 111 m (364.173 ft) long and rendered in white and red lines. The new structure was damaged by fire in 1137 but was soon repaired. The choir and crypt were remodelled in 1154, and a new chapel was built, all in the Norman style.
The Gothic style in cathedrals had arrived in the mid 12th century. Walter de Gray was made archbishop in 1215 and ordered the construction of a Gothic structure to compare to Canterbury; building began in 1220. The north and south transepts were the first new structures; completed in the 1250s, both were built in the Early English Gothic style but had markedly different wall elevations. A substantial central tower was also completed, with a wooden spire. Building continued into the 15th century.
The Chapter House was begun in the 1260s and was completed before 1296. The wide nave was constructed from the 1280s on the Norman foundations. The outer roof was completed in the 1330s, but the vaulting was not finished until 1360. Construction then moved on to the eastern arm and chapels, with the last Norman structure, the choir, being demolished in the 1390s. Work here finished around 1405. In 1407 the central tower collapsed; the piers were then reinforced, and a new tower was built from 1420. The western towers were added between 1433 and 1472. The cathedral was declared complete and consecrated in 1472.
The English Reformation led to the looting of much of the cathedral's treasures and the loss of much of the church lands. Under Elizabeth I there was a concerted effort to remove all traces of Roman Catholicism from the cathedral; there was much destruction of tombs, windows and altars. In the English Civil War the city was besieged and fell to the forces of Cromwell in 1644, but Thomas Fairfax prevented any further damage to the cathedral.
Following the easing of religious tensions there was some work to restore the cathedral. From 1730 to 1736 the whole floor of the minster was relaid in patterned marble and from 1802 there was a major restoration. However, on 2 February 1829, an arson attack by Jonathan Martin inflicted heavy damage on the east arm. An accidental fire in 1840 left the nave, south west tower and south aisle roofless and blackened shells. The cathedral slumped deeply into debt and in the 1850s services were suspended. From 1858 Augustus Duncombe worked successfully to revive the cathedral. In 1866, there were six residentiary canonries: of which one was the Chancellor's, one the Sub-Dean's, and another annexed to the Archdeaconry of York.
During the 20th century there was more concerted preservation work, especially following a 1967 survey that revealed the building, in particular the central tower, was close to collapse. £2,000,000 was raised and spent by 1972 to reinforce and strengthen the building foundations and roof. During the excavations that were carried out, remains of the north corner of the Roman Principia (headquarters of the Roman fort, Eboracum) were found under the south transept. This area, as well as remains of the Norman cathedral, re-opened to the public in spring 2013 as part of the new exhibition exploring the history of the building of York Minster.
York is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in North Yorkshire, England. The population of the council area which includes nearby villages was 208,200 as of 2017 and the population of the urban area was 153,717 at the 2011 census. Located at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss, it is the county town of the historic county of Yorkshire. The city is known for its famous historical landmarks such as York Minster and the city walls, as well as a variety of cultural and sporting activities, which makes it a popular tourist destination in England. The local authority is the City of York Council, a single tier governing body responsible for providing all local services and facilities throughout the city. The City of York local government district includes rural areas beyond the old city boundaries. It is about 25 miles north-east of Leeds and 34 miles north-west of Kingston upon Hull. York is the largest settlement in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire.
The city was founded by the Romans as Eboracum in 71 AD. It became the capital of the Roman province of Britannia Inferior, and later of the kingdoms of Deira, Northumbria and Jórvík. In the Middle Ages, York grew as a major wool trading centre and became the capital of the northern ecclesiastical province of the Church of England, a role it has retained. In the 19th century, York became a major hub of the railway network and a confectionery manufacturing centre, a status it maintained well into the 20th century. During the Second World War, York was bombed as part of the Baedeker Blitz. Although less affected by bombing than other northern cities, several historic buildings were gutted and restoration efforts continued into the 1960s.
The economy of York is dominated by services. The University of York and National Health Service are major employers, whilst tourism has become an important element of the local economy. In 2016, York became sister cities with the Chinese city of Nanjing, as per an agreement signed by the Lord Mayor of York, focusing on building links in tourism, education, science, technology and culture. Today, the city is a popular tourist attraction, especially for international visitors from America, Germany, France and China. In 2017, York became UK's first human rights city, which formalised the city's aim to use human rights in decision making." - info from Wikipedia.
Summer 2019 I did a solo cycling tour across Europe through 12 countries over the course of 3 months. I began my adventure in Edinburgh, Scotland and finished in Florence, Italy cycling 8,816 km. During my trip I took 47,000 photos.
Now on Instagram.
Become a patron to my photography on Patreon.
The full video is available on YouTube via link.
studio.youtube.com/video/fRXAQvsD5d4/edit/basic
Text revised and up-dated on 27 Dec 2022.
McKinney’s Old (GNRI) Railway Bridge
The Great Northern Railway (Ireland) (GNR(I) or GNRI) was an Irish gauge (1,600mm - 5'- 3") railway company in Ireland. It was formed in 1876 by a merger of the Irish North Western Railway (INW|), Northern Railway of Ireland, and Ulster Railway. The governments of Ireland and Northern Ireland jointly nationalised the company in 1953, however the company was liquidated in 1958.
The Great Northern Railway (GNR) which ran from Omagh to L/Derry crossed the island of Island More (Corkan) via two metal railway bridges. The 'Red Bridge' which is located
to the North of the island at Glenfad near Porthall and is still accessible but predominately used by the farming community and the river bed aggregate extraction company while the bridge onto Island More to the South was demolished by the British Army during the Northern Ireland 'Troubles' as where many small cross-border unapproved) roads.
Known locally as 'McKinney's Bridge' it crosses the River Foyle which forms the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, hence the reason why the bridge was demolished and is now unusable as a crossing point.
Anthony Freire Marreco (b.26th Aug 1915 d.4th June 2006, aged 90)
When growing up, I knew Islandmore or Corkan Island as 'Marreco's Island', named after Anthony Freire Marreco who was a British barrister and who had maintained a georgian
house at Porthall, near Lifford, Co. Donegal, on the banks of the River Foyle overlooking the island.
Anthony Blechynden Freire Marreco was born in Leiston, Suffolk, England on 26th Aug 1915 where his father's regiment was stationed at the time. The only son of Geoffrey Algernon Freire Marreco (b.25 Feb 1882 d.15 Sept 1969) of The Old Court House, St Mawes, Cornwall and his wife, nee Hilda, Gwendoline Beaufoy Francis (b.1 Dec 1887 d.9th June 1967) from Hampshire. Both parents are buried at St. Lucadius Church of Ireland, Clonleigh Parish, Lifford, Co. Donegal, Ireland.
The Freire Marreco’s were of Portuguese origin; Antonio Joaquim Freire Marreco (b.1787 d.1850), Anthony's great-grandfather was an interesting fellow. Born in Penafiel in
Northern Portugal he left for Brazil in 1808, together with King João VI and the Portuguese Court, who fled the invading Napoleonic troops and settled in Rio de Janeiro.
In 1820, the King returned to Portugal and Marreco returned with him. Antonio established himself in business in England in the early 1820s as a wine importer and in July 1834 married Anna “Annie” Laura Harrison (born in 1806) of Newcastle, the daughter of his English business partner, William Harrison, at St. Botulph's Church, Aldgate in London. He became a naturalised British subject. Freire was the original Portuguese surname, Marreco was added by the grandfather after a trip to Brazil were at that time it was popular to add the names of flowers and bird, Marreco being a type of duck.
Geoffrey, Anthony’s father worked for Richard Garrett & Sons a manufacturer of agricultural machinery, steam engines and trolleybuses, the factory was located in Leiston, Suffolk, England being founded by Richard Garrett in 1778.
Education
Anthony initially attended a private school, Allen House in Woking (founded in 1871), before attending the Royal College of St Peter's, Westminster from 1929 to 1934 where his lifelong interest in human rights began. His headmaster, Dr. Crossley-White had invited leading personalities of the day to dinner. At the age of 17, Marreco met his childhood hero, T.E. Lawrence (b.1888 d.1935) and also Mahātmā Ghandi (b.1869 d.1948).
Stage Career
In 1934 he joined the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), but was expelled after being spotted by the principal's wife at the Epsom Downs Derby, when he should have been attending classes. From 1935 to 1937, he began a career on the stage, playing in Shakespeare and forming friendships with figures such as Noel Coward (b.1899 d.1973) and
Johnny Weismuller (b.1904 d.1984). He joined Northampton Repertory and was stage manager at Crewe Repertory and later the London shows at His Majesty's Theatre, Daly's
Theatre, the Arts Theatre and the Theatre Royal.
Military Career
In 1940 he joined Royal Navy as a rating, Commission, Sub-Lieutenant (A) Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve R.N.V.R. and when the Admiralty learned that he had a pilot's licence,
Certificate No:14851 issued on 24 April 1937 by the Great Britain, Royal Aero Club Aviators at Airwork School of Flying, Heston Airport, Hounslow, Middlesex, which was taken
using an Avro Club Cadet Gipsy Major 130. He was later commissioned to fly a Fairey Swordfish (a biplane torpedo bomber). He received his wings on 6th October 1940 and was
appointed to train observers at R.N.A.S. Arbroath in Scotland.
In 1941 he was temporarily released from Naval duties on appointment, as Assistant Counsel to the legal department of the Industrial Export Council and was later promoted to
Lieutenant. In the same year he was appointed to the Royal Naval Air Service (R.N.A.S.) at Yeovilton in Somerset as Instructor, Fighter Direction School.
In January 1942 Marreco was appointed Fleet Fighter Direction Officer, Staff Commander-in-Chief, H.M.S. King George V (41) the flagship of both the British Home Fleet and
Pacific Fleets. In May 1941, along with HMS Rodney, King George V was involved in the hunt and pursuit of the German battleship Bismarck, eventually inflicting severe battle
damage which led to her being scuttled in the North Atlantic on 27 May 1941.
In April, Marreco was lent to US Carrier Wasp as Flight Deck Officer (FDO) to fly Spitfires off to Malta and in June 1942 was appointed to the Naval Night Fighter Development Unit.
In June 1943 he was appointed Flight Deck Officer (FDO) on an American built 'Attacker class' Escort Aircraft Carrier, which took part in “Operation Avalanche”, the codename for the Allied landings near the port of Salerno which was executed on 9 September 1943, part of the Allied invasion of Italy.
In December 1943 he was appointed Flight Deck Officer (FDO) of the American built Aircraft Carrier, USS Pybus (CVE-34) which was renamed Emperor (D98) by the Royal Navy.
In January 1944 he was promoted to Lieutenant Commander and appointed Flight Deck Officer (FDO) Aircraft Carrier Formidable (67), which was involved in Operation Mascot, an
unsuccessful air raid against the German battleship Tirpitz at her anchorage in Kaafjord, Norway, on 17 July 1944. The attack was one of a series of strikes against the battleship, launched from british aircraft carriers between April and August 1944. Tirpitz, was eventually sank during Operation Catechism on 12 November 1944 off Håkøy Island near Tromsø, Norway.
Formidable was subsequently assigned to the British Pacific Fleet (BPF) in 1945 where she played a supporting role during the Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg
where the Allies assembled the most powerful naval force in history. Formidable. later attacked targets in the Japanese Home Islands. She was hit twice by kamikaze aircraft
on the 4th and 9th of May. In both instances, she was saved by her armoured deck and was able return to flight operations rapidly. The ship was used to repatriate liberated Allied prisoners of war and soldiers after the Japanese surrender and then ferried British personnel across the globe through 1946.
Later in June 1945 Marreco was discharged for passage to the UK to take up an appointment at the Admiralty as advisor on Kamikaze suicide fighters during the pending final assault on Japan. He left his ship and flew to Sydney, Australia and as Senior Naval Officer, he boarded an old P&O liner call the 'Randi' which requisitioned by the Admiralty on 27 August 1939 and converted on 23 October 1939 to an armed merchant cruiser to carrying Japanese prisoners of war back to Southampton. Marreco, as part of his job aboard,
describes the trip, "I had to get up at 5.00am and bury my brother's and sister's who had not survived the night”.
In 1946, Marreco was demobilised and return to civvy street, he soon accepted an offer to attend the Nuremburg War Crimes Tribunal as part of the British delegation where he
spent a number of months. During October 1946 he was appointed Chief Assistant to Deputy Chairman, Government Sub-Committee (Control Commission) for Berlin and later in April 1947 was appointed Director of the same.
In October 1947 was appointed British member, Directorate of Internal Affairs and Communications; Chief Staff Officer to Political Adviser to Military Governor. During December 1948 he resigned from the Control Commission.
Legal Career
Having passed his first Bar Examination in 1938, he was called to the Bar (Inner Temple) in 1941 during his absence on war service. He continued his law studies and took his Bar Finals at Twatt on a remote island in the Orkneys, invigilated by a chief petty officer. He was later a pupil of the distinguished Irish lawyer Brian McKenna in Walter Monckton's chambers in the Temple located at 2, Paper Buildings, London. Marreco never returned to the Bar, and instead went on to become a human-rights advocate, helping co-found Amnesty International.
Publishing & Banking
In the 1950s he was a director of Weidenfeld & Nicolson, established 1949, a British publisher of fiction and reference books. He also worked as an investment banker for SG
Warburg & Co founded in 1946 by Siegmund Warburg (b.1902 d.1982) and Henry Grunfeld (b.1904 d.1999).
Olympic Games – Germany 1936
Anthony received an invitation from Otto Christian von Bismarck (b.1987 d.1976) who was counsellor at the German Embassy in London (1929 to 1937) to attend the 1936 Summer
Olympic games in Germany as part of an official party. On attendance with some others were, John Beverley Nichols (b.1898 d.1983) English author, playwright, journalist,
composer, and public speaker and Mangal Heppeelipol (New Zealander) there was a mix up with their seats and it looked like they would not get in, however a German SS officer
frantically beckoned them upstairs to some fine seats. Minutes later Adolf Hitler, Hermann Göring and Joseph Goebbels along with their respective wives arrived and took up their seats directly in front. The party was in the charge of Ernst Hanfstaengl (b.1887 d.1975), nicknamed "Putzi", who was a German-American businessman and became an
intimate friend and confidant of Adolf Hitler who enjoyed listening to "Putzi" play the piano. Hitler was the godfather of Hanfstaengl's son Egon (b.1921 d.2007).
Marreco witnessed the display of fury that Hitler showed when Jessie Owens (b.1913 d.1980) won the 100 meters (Owens won four gold medals, the long jump, 100 meters, 200 meters and 4 × 100m relay). Marreco also remarked how Helene Bertha Amalie “Leni” Riefenstahl (b.902 d.2003) who was a German film director, actress and Nazi sympathizer
jumped up with her camera and filmed Hitler from every conceivable angle every time he spoke. She was commissioned by the German Olympic Committee for $7 million to film the Games and directed the Nazi propaganda films “Triumph des Willens” (Triumph of the Will) and “Olympia” (video documentary of the games). Both movies are widely considered to be the most effective, and technically innovative, propaganda films ever made. Adolf Hitler was in close collaboration with Riefenstahl during the production of at least three important Nazi films during which they formed a friendly relationship. Some have suggested that Riefenstahl's visions were essential in the carrying out of the Holocaust?
Nuremberg War Crimes Tribunal (1945 to 1949)
Marreco takes up the story. "I had returned from the Navy and I was back in my London chambers when one day in March 1946 after coming out of the dining hall of the Inner
Temple, about three months into the trial, Hartley Shawcross (b.1902 d.2003), the Attorney-General, (he was a sailing acquaintance of my father), fell into step beside me and
he said, "Good to see you Marreco, how are getting on? I’m fine”, and then he asked, "Would you like to go to Nuremberg?" Marreco replied, “Give me 24 hours”, I went back to my chambers and discussed the proposition with my colleagues who advised me to go. He arrived in Germany, just as U.S. Chief of Counsel, Robert Houghwout Jason
(b.1892 d.1954) was cross-examining Hermann Göring (18 March 1946). Marreco was briefed by the head of the British team, Sir David Maxwell Fyfe (b.1900 d.1967), 1st Earl of
Kilmuir.
Members of the British Prosecuting Counsel at Nuremberg included: Chief Prosecutor: Attorney General Sir Hartley Shawcross, Deputy Chief Prosecutor: Rt. Hon. Sir David Maxwell Fyfe, Leading Council: Mr. Geoffrey ('Khaki') Dorling Roberts (b.1886 d.1967), Junior Council: Major J. Harcourt Barrington (b.1907 d.1973), Major Frederick Elwyn Jones
(b.1909 d.1989), Mr Edward George G Robey (b.1900 d.1983), Lieut Col. John Mervyn Griffith-Jones (b.1909 d.1979), Colonel Henry Josceline Phillimore (b.1910 d.1974), Mr. Airey
Middleton Sheffield Neave (b.1916 d.1979), Sir Clement Raphael Freud (b.1924 d.2009) & Peter John Ambrose Calvocoressi (b.1912 d.2010).
In all, six organisations, including the SS, the Gestapo and the high command of the German army were also accused. 199 defendants were tried, 161 were convicted and 37 were
sentenced to death, including 12 of those tried by the International Military Tribunal (IMT).
From March to Sept 1946 Marreco was Junior Counsel of the British Delegation, his first task was to join a subsidiary tribunal to sort out the witnesses, convened under Airey
Neave who was the first British officer to escape from Colditz Castle on 12 May 1942. The defence called more than 400 witnesses. Marreco was present when they made their
depositions and cross-examined them on behalf of the prosecution. He also describes how he helped draft the trials' forensic closing speech delivered by the head of the
British team, Sir Hartley Shawcross.
Marreco recalls, "In the six months I was in Nuremberg, I got to know each of the Nazi defendants, and with one notable exception, I never liked any of them. Particularly, Joachim von Ribbentrop, the former ambassador to Britain who sat ashen-faced and was the most unpalatable character. Wilhelm Frick (Reich Minister of the Interior) was a horrible little man, Walther Funk (Reich Minister for Economic Affairs) was another dirty little shit”. He loathed Rudolf Höss, the commandant of Auschwitz whom he vividly remembered being "brought into the courtroom clanking in chains" and who paced up and down, giving the impression of a madman. But with Hermann Göring, Hitler's number two, there was something about his attitude and the way he took charge of all the defendants that was, for me, totally compelling."Göring, who sangfroid throughout the judicial process and on one occasion when a particularly attractive military wren was standing next to the dock, Göring reached out and pinched her bottom. "She was so incensed and complained to the judge, but Göring knew he was going to die and he didn't care".
Britain’s legal team was tiny compared with the 300-plus American one, but Maxwell Fyfe told Marreco that the American's had got bogged down because the German defence counsel had surprisingly called more than 400 witnesses, many of them SS guards who had previously been at the extermination camps of Auschwitz and Belsen.
The International Military Tribunal (IMT) announces it's verdicts on November 1946. It imposed the death sentence on 12 defendants, Hermann Göring, Joachim von Ribbentrop,
Wilhelm Keitel, Ernst Kaltenbrunner, Alfred Rosenberg, Hans Frank, Wilhelm Frick, Julius Streicher, Fritz Sauckel, Alfred Jodl, Arthur Seyss-Inquart, and Martin Bormann.
3 are sentenced to life imprisonment, Rudolf Hess, Walther Funk and Erich Raeder. The only one of them to serve their entire life in prison was Rudolf Hess who died on 17 Aug 1987, he was found strangled to death in a cabin in the exercise yard at Spandau Prison, Berlin. Apparently, he choked himself to death with an electrical cord. Some suspected foul play.
4 receive prison terms ranging from 10 to 20 years, Karl Dönitz, Baldur von Schirach, Albert Speer, and Konstantin von Neurath. The court acquits 3 defendants: Hjalmar Schacht (Economics Minister), Franz von Papen (German politician who played an important role in Hitler's appointment as chancellor), and Hans Fritzsche (head of Press and Radio).
The death sentences were carried out on 16 October 1946, with two exceptions: Hermann Göring committed suicide shortly before his scheduled execution, and Martin Bormann,
who was sentensed but was absent during the trial. The other 10 defendants were hanged, their bodies cremated at Ostfriedhof, Munich, and their ashes deposited in the Iser
River.
Video - Nuremberg Executions 1946 - What Happened to the Bodies? (Mark Felton Productions)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=At7IA19fXHc&ab_channel=MarkFe...
Video - Joachim von Ribbentrop (Mark Felton Productions)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-q6pdTyE0Q&ab_channel=MarkFe...
Video - Hermann Göring's Mysterious Death (Mark Felton Productions)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IMhFW7539s&ab_channel=MarkFe...
Hermann Göring's Special Train - Exclusive New Footage (Mark Felton Productions)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMc3Kw9aNEs&ab_channel=MarkFe...
Video - Rudolf Hess: The Last Prisoner of Spandau (Mark Felton Productions)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9lM-aaCHJU&ab_channel=MarkFe...
Video - The hanging of Rudolf Höss at Auschwitz (Alan Heath)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3C4njP5J2o&ab_channel
Post in Germany
As Chief Staff Officer to the Political Adviser to the British Military Government of Germany, and as British Member of the Directorate of International Affairs and Communications, Allied Control Authority, Berlin, from 1946 to 1949, Marreco assisted in the creation of new democratic and legal institutions in Germany.
Political Career
Marreco contested Wells in Somerset as a Liberal candidate in the 23 February 1950 general election obtaining 9,771 votes however, he was unsuccessful being beaten by the
Conservative representative Dennis Boles (b.1885 d.1958) with 20,613 votes. Again, in Goole in the West Riding of Yorkshire in the 25 October 1951 general election he obtained 17,073 votes being beaten by the Labour representative George Jeger (b.1903 d.1971) with 26,088 votes.
Amnesty International
In 1960 Flora Solomon (b.1895 d.1984), his neighbour in Shepherd Street, told Marreco that her son, Peter Benenson (b.1921 d.2005) was founding an organisation which was
later to become Amnesty International. Marreco, who had twice stood as a Liberal candidate for Parliament, supported him vigorously.
In 1968 he became Honorary Treasurer and had set up an Amnesty International Development Inc. (AID Inc.) in 1970 in the United States, which was totally separate from Amnesty
International and which could send funds to families of Greek prisoners. This was strongly opposed by Amnesty International USA. Outspoken in all his opinions, Marreco
conducted several investigations for Amnesty, notably during the regime of the Greek Colonels, when he went to Athens to interview Stylianos Pattakos (b.1912 d.2016), one of the Junta leaders of 1967 to 1974, about allegations of torture and the curtailing of civil liberties.
In 1971, Marreco investigated allegations of torture by British troops in Northern Ireland and subsequently resigned. Amnesty, he said, "refused to go to Belfast and even see these people", he added that "it was also a bizarre circumstance" that Amnesty's chairman, Sean MacBride (b.1904 d.1988), was the leader of Clann na Poblachta (Irish
republican political party) from 1946 to 1965 and was a former Chief of Staff of the IRA from 1936 to 1939. He also implied that he had received treats from the IRA when living at Porthall, County Donegal.
Mayfair Residents Association
For 13 years he was chairman of the Residents Association of Mayfair (RAM), steering it through turbulent times when it was opposed by the Association of Residents of Mayfair (ARM). When the two merged in 2004 he was appointed Honorary Present of the Residents’ Society of Mayfair and St James’s. He resigned on 13 January 2004. He was also a member
of the Royal Institute of International Affairs and of the Garrick Theatre, the Royal Thames Yacht Club and the Beefsteak Club. He was also a Director of Aldbourne Craft Trust
from 4 August 2000 until he resigned on 4 June 2006.
Institute of International Criminal Law
In 1983 he proposed setting up an Institute of International Criminal Law, to be established in association with the Irish Universities. He offered Port Hall to the Irish government as a study centre, where "the hideous violations of human rights, which had disfigured the 20th century" could be researched. His ambition was to set up a television archive of the Nuremberg Trials to be used by lawyers and peace researchers from all over the world. The Institute never came to fruition, possibly because Marreco also remained energetically committed to sorting out the legal and domestic problems of the Mayfair intelligentsia.
In his last years Marreco retired to Greenhill Bank Cottage, Aldbourne, in Wiltshire, with his wife, Gina, who was a brilliant hostess and an unforgettable cook.
Relationships
Anthony Marreco was married four times, but to only three women and had numerous affairs with other women but he had no children.
Lady Ursula Isabel Manners (b.1916 d.2017)
Lady Ursula Isabel Manners was born 8th November 1916, being the elder daughter of five children of John Manners, (b.1886 d.1940) 9th Duke of Rutland, by his wife the former
Kathleen Tennant (b.1894 d.1989, aged 95). As a 20-year-old she acted as one of Queen Elizabeth's trainbearers in Westminster Abbey and received international media attention after a photograph of her from the coronation on 12 May 1937, standing alongside the British royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace which was circulated in the news.
The reports, focused on her beauty and distinctive widow's peak, leading to her being nicknamed "the cygnet" by Winston Churchill while she accompanied the king and queen on a 5-day royal tour to France in 1938.
On 25 July 1943, Lady Ursula married Anthony Marreco in the chapel at Belvoir Castle, Grantham, Leicestershire, a man she barely knew and who threatened to commit suicide if
she refused to do so. The swiftness in which a wedding was organised prompted the minister to place a chair for her to sit on at the altar as he assumed, she was pregnant, this, she admitted, had infuriated her. Marreco left her to serve in the British Armed Forces in Asia and lost communication with her until 1946. During this time she had entered into a brief relationship with Man Singh II (b.1912 d.1970), the Maharaja of Jaipur, whom she met through her friend Jawaharlal Nehru (b.1889 d.1964). Lady Ursula and Marreco divorced in 1948.
Lady Ursula resumed her maiden name, and married secondly on 22 Nov 1951, Robert Erland Nicolai d'Abo (b.1911 d.1970), the elder son of Gerard Louis d'Abo (b.1884 d.1962), by whom
she had two sons and a daughter. In 2014 she published her memoir titled “The Girl with the Widow's Peak: The Memoirs”.
Lady Ursula died on 2 November 2017, aged 100, she was one of the last surviving aristocrats to have participated at the Coronation of King George VI & Queen Elizabeth on 12 May 1937.
Louise de Vilmorin (b.1902 d.1969)
Marreco also became involved with Louise de Vilmorin through the late 1940s until 1951 who was a French novelist, poet and journalist. Born in the family château at Verrières-le-Buisson, Essonne, a suburb southwest of Paris, she was heir to the fortune of the great French seed company, that of 'Vilmorin'. (The 4th largest seed company in the world).
Louise was the younger daughter of Philippe de Vilmorin (b.1872 d.1917) by his wife Berthe Marie Mélanie de Gaufridy de Dortan (b.1876 d.1937)
From a child, she was afflicted with a slight limp, the result of Tuberculosis of the hip, however she compensated for her frailty with a flamboyant personality. She was a spellbinding talker who craved the limelight that she once flung a butterball to the ceiling when another guest at a dinner party wouldn’t allow her to tell a story.
De Vilmorin was never wholly sure of Marreco's devotion, as in Venice, in July 1950 her doubts were realised when Marreco went in successful pursuit of the somewhat unstable
Queen Alexandra of Yugoslavia (b.1921 d.1993), who had fellen madly in love with him and who then took an overdose of sleeping pills and slipped into a coma, but recovered
after two days, allegedly after de Vilmorin removed him to Sélestat in France at the end of the holiday.
De Vilmorin's diaries are peppered with references to him. She was much taken by his style of dress, on one occasion a shirt with narrow blue and white stripes, a black silk tie with white spots, a black jacket and waistcoat, spongebag trousers, and black leather ankle boots. When he went out, he perched his bowler hat at a rakish angle, and carried a furled umbrella. Above all, she was impressed by Marreco's adonis-like looks, impressed that he could return from a fashionable ball at six in the morning, neither drunk nor tired, but invigorated with life, talking of beautiful women, fortune, society and success. "Beauty likes to shine, to dazzle," wrote de Vilmorin, "and above all to be recognised!" She was deeply saddened when he left her in New Year in 1951, conscious that she was 13 years his senior and that his career might place demands on him that would take him away from her. These concerns were replicated as Marreco at this time had political aspirations.
Again, De Vilmorin's fears were realised while she was staying with Paul-Louis Weiller (b.1893 d.1993), at his villa, La Reine Jeanne, with Marreco in tow. She awoke one morning and found him gone. He had set off to Brazil in pursuit of Lali Horstmann, whose book had recently been published to great acclaim.
Vilmorin's first husband was an American real-estate heir, Henry Leigh Hunt (b.1886 d.1972), the only son of Leigh S. J. Hunt (b.1855 d.1933), a businessman who once owned
much of Las Vegas, Nevada and his wife, Jessie Nobel (b.c.1862 d.1960). They married in c.1925, moved to Las Vegas, and divorced in the 1930s. They had three daughters,
Jessie, Alexandra, and Helena.
Her second husband was Count Paul Pálffy ab Erdöd (b.1890 d.1968), a much-married Austrian-born Hungarian playboy, who had been second husband to the Hungarian countess better known as Etti Plesch (b.1914 d.2003), owner of two Epsom Derby winners. Palffy married Louise as his 5th wife in 1938, but the couple soon divorced.
Vilmorin was the mistress of another of Etti Plesch's husbands, Count [Maria Thomas] Paul Esterházy de Galántha (b.1901 d.1964), who left his wife in 1942 for Vilmorin. They
never married. For a number of years, she was the mistress of Duff Cooper (b.1890 d.1954), British ambassador to France.
Louise spent the last years of her life as the companion of the French Cultural Affairs Minister and author André Malraux (b.1901 d.1976), calling herself "Marilyn Malraux". She died on 26 Dec 1969 aged 67 and is buried in Verrières-le-Buisson (Essonne) cemetery also the initial resting place of André Malraux.
Léonie (Lally or Lali) Horstmann (b.1898 d.1954)
While serving in Germany, Marreco, then aged 36, became the lover of Lali Horstmann, who came from a distinguished German banking family, the von Schwabachs, her father was
the banker and historian Paul von Schwabach (b.1867 d.1938) and her mother Eleonor (Elli) Schröder (b.1869 d1942). Lali was the widow of Alfred (Freddy) Horstmann (b.1979 d.1947) who was a retired diplomat, art collector and later the head of the English department at the German Foreign Office. Freddy resigned his diplomatic duties in 1933, the year Hitler came to power, rather than work for the Nazis.
As Germany collapsed in the face of the allied invasion, the Horstmann’s decided, against the trend of fleeing from the Russian advance, by staying at their Kerzendorf estate,
East of Berlin, an elegant eighteenth-century house which contained numberous antiquities, had a small park, avenues, statues and a garden. The house was destroyed one night
by allied bombers and the Horstmann's moved into the agent's little house in the park.
At first, the Horstmann's were able to anaesthetise themselves from the worst excesses through their wealth and possessions, but soon the valuable objets sought by Russian
soldiers ran out as they lived in constant fear of rape and pilliage. One day in March 1946, Freddy was taken away by the Russian Secret Police for questioning about his
diplomat duties, stating, "It is now Saturday, six o'clock, you will probably be back tomorrow at the same time, Tuesday at the latest."
Almost, two and a half years later, August 1948 at Berlin station, Lali was told that Freddy had died of starvation in a Russian concentration camp, (No.7 Sachsenhausen,
Oranienburg, Germany, which was only a few miles from their home) a year after his arrest and that he was buried at the edge of the camp with many of his companions. Others
had survived, a few had been released for no apparent reason, many of them were still, and are now, in captivity. My husband, like all the others, had never been questioned
or tried. He had never been given any opportunity to defend himself.
Lali later wrote a moving account of her search for him, 'Nothing for Tears' (1953), which has been described as "one of the most remarkable personal documents to come out of
Germany at the end of 2nd World War". Marreco's relationship ended in Berlin, but they remained friends, both in Berlin and later when Lali moved to London.
They met again in 1954 in Brazil only when Lali made her first trip to Brazil to meet friends who had settled in Paraná in the south of the country. Lali asked Anthony to drive her from Rio to Paraná. They stopped overnight in São Paulo, where Lali was found the following morning, unconscious in her hotel room, having suffered a massive heart attack. She was rushed to hospital where she died the next day, aged 56. Lali Horstmann was buried in São Paulo. Marreco inherited part of her substantial fortune, derived from her ownership of real estate in Berlin and her late husband's family publishing buisness, the newspaper the 'Frankfurter General-Anzeiger', which was published in Frankfurt from 1876 to 1943 under various names. As a result of this Marreco bought Port Hall in Lifford, Co Donegal in 1956 where he lived and farmed until 1983 when he sold the house as his money was running out.
Loelia, Duchess of Westminster (b.1902 d.1993)
Marrero was subsequently the lover of Lady Loelia Mary Lindsay of Dowhill, Duchess of Westminster who was a British peeress, needlewoman and magazine editor. Loelia was the
only daughter of the courtier Sir Frederick Ponsonby (b.1867 d.1935), later 1st Baron Sysonby, and Lady Victoria Lily (Kennard) Sysonby (b.1874 d.1955), the well-known cook
book author. Loelia spent her early years at St James's Palace in London, Park House at Sandringham and Birkhall in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. As one of the "Bright Young
People", she met the twice divorced Hugh Grosvenor (b.1879 d.1953), 2nd Duke of Westminster. They were married on 20 February 1930 in a blaze of publicity, with Winston Churchill as the best man, but were unable to have children. Her marriage to the enormously wealthy peer failed and was dissolved in 1947 after years of separation.
Loelia's private diaries were likewise filled with anxious questions as to Marrero's love and loyalty. She encouraged Marrero to invest in Weidenfeld & Nicolson, and for some
years in the 1950s he was a financial supporter of George Weidenfeld (b.1919 d.2016).
Lindsay's 2nd marriage, to the divorced explorer Sir Martin Lindsay (b.1905 d.1981), 1st Baronet. The couple were married on 1st August 1969. Sir Martin, a devoted husband, died in 1981, and Lady Lindsay chose to spend her last years in nursing homes. Her memoirs, written in 1961 and titled 'Grace and Favour: The Memoirs of Loelia, Duchess of Westminster', a significant record of aristocratic life between the First and Second World Wars.
Regina de Souza Coelho (b.1927 - ?)
In 1954 Marreco went to Brazil for S G Warburg and while in Brazil he met Regina (Gina) de Souza Coelho, only daughter of Dr. Roberto and Roberto de Souza Coelho of Rio de
Janeiro. Marreco, consummated his second marriage with Gina on 19th November 1955, but the marriage was dissolved in 1961.
Anthony and Gina resumed their relationship in 1990, buying a cottage in Aldbourne, Wiltshire in 1997 and re-marrying in 2004. Very little is known about Regina.
Anne Wignall (née Acland-Troyte) b.1912 d.1982
Daughter of Major Herbert Acland-Troyte (b.1882 d.1943) and Marjorie Florence Pym (b.1891 d.1977). Anne was born in Kensington, London and had previously been married to the
5th Lord Ebury, Rennie Hoare (b.1901, d.1981), and also Lt-Col Frederick Wignall (b.1906 d.1956)
Anne first married, Robert Egerton Grosvenor (b.1914 d.1957), 5th Baron Ebury, son of Francis Egerton Grosvenor (b.1883 d.1932), 4th Baron Ebury and Mary Adela Glasson
(b.1883 d.1960), on 1 July 1933. She and Robert were divorced in 1941. Anne & Robert had two sons:
1. Francis Egerton Grosvenor, 8th Earl of Wilton (b.8th Feb 1934)
2. Hon. Robert Victor Grosvenor (b.1936 d.1993)
A keen racing driver, Lord Ebury died in an accident at Prescott, Gloucestershire on 5 May 1957, aged 43, while driving a Jaguar C-type - XKC 046 (Registration MVC630). He
was cremated at Oxford Crematorium, where there is a plaque to him and his 3rd wife Sheila, who died in 2010.
Anne's 2nd marriage on 23 December 1941 was to, Henry Peregrine Rennie Hoare (b.1901 d.1981) son of Henry Hoare (b.1866 d.1956) and Lady Geraldine Mariana Hervey
(b.1869 d.1955). Anne and Henry were divorced in 1947.
Anne's 3rd marriage on 13 November 1947 was to Lt.Col. Frederick Edwin Barton Wignall (b.1906 d.1956). He gained the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in The Life Guards and died
9 November 1956 and was buried in the churchyard of St Michael and All Angels, Poulton, Gloucestershire.
Anne's 4th marriage on 25 September 1961 was to Anthony Freire Marreco (his 3rd marriage) and as Anne Marreco she was the biographer of “Constance Markievicz - The Rebel
Countess” (1967). She changed her name back to Wignall by deed poll in 1969 and died on 23 June 1982 in Tiverton, Devon and was buried in the churchyard at All Saints Church,
Huntsham, close to her father's ancestral seat, Huntsham Court.
Port Hall House
At Port Hall Marreco bred a fine herd of Charolais cattle and was immediately accepted by that flamboyant section of Irish society known as "The Donegal Group". Anthony was a
convivial host, a considerable raconteur, his hospitality was legendary being a generous host at Port Hall, with it's spacious library and hand-painted wallpaper and at his summer house parties in Greece and in his book-lined flat in Shepherd Market in Mayfair in London.
His many guests ranged from Henry MacIlhenny (b.1910 d.1986), millionaire owner of Glenveagh Castle, Co. Donegal to historian R.B McDowell (b.1913 d.2011), who for 13 years
(1956 to 1969) was dean of discipline at Trinity College, Dublin and once castigated future President Mary Robinson.
Port Hall house was owned by Anthony Marreco from 1956 until 1983. He had a strong interest in building conservation and carefully repaired and conserved Port Hall during the
1960s. This important building is one of the most significant elements of the built heritage of Donegal, and forms the centrepiece of a group of related structures along with
the warehouses to the rear, the walled garden to the south, and the other surviving elements of the site.
Port Hall House was built in 1746 on the banks of the River Foyle, for Judge John Vaughan (b.1603 d.1674) also of Buncrana Castle, who served as a Grand Juror for County
Donegal which was based at Lifford a short distance to the south-south-west of Port Hall. The house design is attributed to Michael Priestley (d.23 September 1777), an architect who was also responsible for the designs of the county court house and gaol (Old Courthouse) in Lifford’s Diamond (were John Half-Hung MacNaghten was held), Strabane Canal, Prehen House on the outskirts of Derry City and possibly First Presbyterian Church in Magazine Street, Derry City.
Marreco strenuously opposed salmon poaching, then running at a value of £1 million of fish a year. He became chairman of the Foyle Fisheries Commission (now known as the ‘Loughs Agency’) and immersed himself in every aspect of Ireland's cultural and political life. In the last year of his life, he had wished to make his own documentary, The Rule of Law, tracing the development of international law from the time of Grotius, the 17th century philosopher, to the present day.
Anthony Freire Marreco died on 4th June 2006 aged 90 years and was buried in the graveyard of St. Michael's Church, Aldbourne, Wiltshire, England. Donations were requested for
the RSPCA.
A video interview with Anthony Marreco recalling moments from his life at aged 82 is available on YouTube via link.