The Ralston Company's automotive roots stretch right back to the 1910's, but it wasn't until the late 1920's that the low-volume products offered really shone.

 

Like all luxury automotive companies, however, the Wall Street Crash and ensuing Great Depression upset the grand plans that they had put into place. Prior to WWII the Ralston Group was still based in Finland, where the assembly of it's cars took place. Many of the systems, however, were sourced from other makers or suppliers.

 

The Ralston Type 6 was launched in 1919, featuring a six-cylinder inline engine produced by engine specialist firm Continental Motors.

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Motors_Company

 

The Continental engine was used, at the time, by a large number of small, independent vehicle manufacturers who were not in a position to be able to design, tool and produce their own engines independently.

 

The Type 6 covered a variety of frame lengths and body styles which evolved through the 1920, all models built in modest numbers. Economic volatility through this period led to the dissolution of many competitors in the luxury field, but Ralston, through modest ambition, was able to ride out the storms, if not able to capitalise fully during the fair weather periods. It must be remembered that Ralston was still manufacturing vehicle frames and finishing most bodies in the native Finland, and this compounded the difficulty in being able to react to rapidly changing market conditions.

 

Nonetheless, 1927 had been deemed the breakout year. The Type 8 was to be launched in mid 1928, using an engine from luxury competitor Auburn, who were readying their own straight 8, under new ownership by E.L. Cord. The Type 8 chassis was planned to support the 'senior' Ralstons - those Imperials, Limousines and Phaetons demanded by the most exclusive of customers, while the new Type-6 for 1927 would be renamed 'Lynx' and act as the 'junior' Ralston, in support of Roadsters, Speedsters and Coupes, in other words, all the smaller body styles, and in particular those that could be made in series production to help lower the cost.

 

In the end, things didn't go quite to plan. Both the Type 6 'Lynx' and the grand new Type 8 were launched just in time for the Wall Street Crash and financial crisis. The crisis ultimately killed off even more of the facing competition, but the actions to use type-production bodies on the established Type 6 chassis, along with a 'generic' engine, provided about the safest pathway through this period of automotive history. The image of the marque was upheld by the (barely, if at all profitable) Type 8, this series receiving some of the grandest body designs of any vehicle at this time. All variants of both the senior and junior cars were trimmed and detailed to the highest standards, the additional standardisation and volume of the junior Type 6 Lynx helping to reduce the bespoke items (and cost) on all but the most exclusive of fittings.

 

The car shown here is the Type 6 Lynx MkI-B of 1929 in Boat-tail Speedster (a bodystyle popular at the time). This model, along with all other revise 'B' models can be identified primarily by the reclined radiator grille and flowing fender design. The Boat-tail speedster was not one of the series production body styles, so production numbers for this variant were quite low. All the chassis and powertrain were shared with volume types, and from the cowl forward, this model is near identical to the much more common 'series' Coupe, Coupe-Cabriolet (both with rumble seats), and the Coupe-Sport.

 

The Type-6 Lynx was subsequently updated every two to three years up until the outbreak of WWII. At that point, the factory was given over briefly to the production of military vehicles, though a final series 'F', a non-luxury trimmed version of the preceding 1938-'E', and built in Sedan, Cabriolet-Sedan and a limited number of Coupe-Sport vehicles.

 

After the war production of passenger vehicles was largely transferred to the US (the main customer market), via a head quarter transition to Costa Rica, with the Type-8 (renamed to Tigre in 1938) powered by Cadillac V8 engines, initially at very low volumes. Ralston's first new post-war car was the Tigre MkII of 1954, using a modified 1948-53 Cadillac 'C' Body, frame, engine and underbody (some special versions used the long-wheelbase 'D' Body systems). There was no 'junior' Ralston at this time, and even in the vibrant US-market, total sales remained modest, requiring the continued adoption of major systems from a donor manufacturer.

 

This Ralston Typ-6 Lynx MkI B Boat-tail Speedster (1929) has be built on Lego miniland scale for Flickr LUGNuts 95th Build Challenge, - 'Designing the Ralston Legacy' - a challenge to design the fictitious Dragon 'Motorcycle' model for the fictitious Ralston company, though any of the previous Ralston challenge vehicles, the Tiger or the Rhino are also eligible to be submitted. The chief stipulation is that the model must feature a 'X' in the styling.

 

www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/m/minsmere/about.aspx

 

Minsmere offers families and keen birdwatchers a great day out. Nature trails take you through a variety of habitats to excellent birdwatching hides. In spring, you can watch avocets and marsh harriers, or hear booming bitterns. On the beach, a special area is cordoned off to protect nesting little terns. In autumn and winter, many wading birds and swans, ducks and geese visit the reserve. There is a visitor centre where you can find out more about the wildlife, browse in the shop or enjoy a meal in the tearoom. There are events all year and family explorer backpacks and trail booklets are available.

 

Opening times

The reserve is open daily during daylight hours. Visitor centre open daily: 9 am - 5 pm (closes 4 pm from 1 November - 31 January). Shop open: 10 am - 5 pm (closes 4 pm from 1 November to 31 January). Tearoom open: 10 am - 4.30 pm (closes 4 pm from 1 November to 31 January); last orders 15 minutes before closing. Hot food served 11.30 am - 2.30 pm. Reserve and visitor centre closed 25 and 26 December.

 

Entrance charges

RSPB members free. Non members: adults £5, children £1.50, concessions £3, family £10.

 

If you are new to birdwatching...

There is an extensive programme of guided walks, many of them aimed at beginners. Our guides may be on hand at other times to help visitors in the hides. The birdwatching hides provide excellent opportunities to see birds at close range throughout the year.

 

Information for families

There are Wildlife Explorer back packs that can be borrowed, free of charge (deposit required). These include an activity booklet, binoculars, bug box, identification charts and books, colouring pencils and much more. There are also free seasonal Discovery Trail guides for families. During the school holidays there are several family activites on the events programme.

 

Information for dog owners

We are sorry, but no dogs are allowed on the nature trails or in hides, except assistance dogs. There are a limited number of shaded car parking places available for dog owners on a first come, first served basis - please ask at reception on arrival. Dogs are allowed around the visitor centre and car park only. Dogs cannot be taken on guided walks. Dogs are, however, welcome on public rights of way that cross the reserve, including a five mile circuit around the reserve perimeter, but these are not accessible from the main car park. Dogs are also welcome on Open Access land on Westleton Heath, if kept on a lead. A leaflet of walks at Westleton Heath is available from reception.

 

Star species

Our star species are some of the most interesting birds you may see on your visit to the reserve.

  

Avocet

The famous scrape hosts a large colony of avocets and these can be seen at close quarters from the hides overlooking this impressive man-made wetland from early spring to autumn.

  

Bearded tit

Bearded tits can be seen flitting over the reeds as you walk along the North Wall, the path along the west side of the scrape and from Island Mere and Bittern Hides all year-round.

  

Bittern

Minsmere holds a sizeable proportion of the UK population of bitterns. Visit in spring to hear them 'booming' or summer to watch the parents making feeding flights. Bittern Hide and Island Mere Hide offer a great chance of a sighting.

  

Marsh harrier

The extensive reedbeds play host to several breeding marsh harriers. The elevated Island Mere and Bittern Hides will reward you with excellent views. They can now be seen here throughout the year.

  

Nightingale

Nightingales can be heard singing in the deciduous woodland in spring. Their performance is best early in the morning or in the evenings - but they do of course sing through the night!

  

Seasonal highlights

Each season brings a different experience at our nature reserves. In spring, the air is filled with birdsong as they compete to establish territories and attract a mate. In summer, look out for young birds making their first venture into the outside world. Autumn brings large movements of migrating birds - some heading south to a warmer climate, others seeking refuge in the UK from the cold Arctic winter. In winter, look out for large flocks of birds gathering to feed, or flying at dusk to form large roosts to keep warm.

 

Spring

Avocets return to breed on the Scrape - about 100 pairs nest annually. From mid-April see returning common terns, while wildfowl start to leave in March, and migrant wading birds pass through. Look for marsh harriers displaying over the reedbeds. Minsmere is the best place in Britain to hear booming bitterns. Listen for nightingales singing in the scrub from mid-April, and listen for various other warblers around the reserve. Look for Dartford warblers on the heath, and listen for great spotted woodpeckers drumming. Sand martins return to nest outside the tearoom. Bluebells are in flower in May. Adders emerge from hibernation.

  

Summer

Look for young avocets, common terns and gulls on the Scrape. The first spotted redshanks, ruffs and other wading birds return from late June. Little terns nest in a specially fenced area on the beach. Young marsh harriers will be flying from late June. Bitterns are easier to see on feeding flights. Look for family parties of bearded tits in the reedbeds. Listen for nightjars and look for glow-worms on the heath at dusk in June and July. Dragonflies and butterflies are easy to see, and the former may attract hunting hobbies. Rare flowers include yellow-horned poppy and sea kale on the beach and marsh mallow around the Scrape. Heather is in full flower on the heath. This is the best time of year to see water voles.

  

Autumn

Migrant wading birds continue to pass through, including curlew sandpipers, little stints and ruffs. Winter wildfowl return, with teal numbers increasing rapidly. Brent geese move south from late September. The first Bewick's swans arrive in late October. Large starling flocks gather to roost in the reedbeds. Swallows and house martins flock together before departing. Look for bearded tits on calm mornings. The red deer will be rutting on the heath in October. Redwings and fieldfares return and will be feeding on hawthorn berries. Look out for rarities.

  

Winter

Several hundred wigeons, teals and lapwings will be joined by other wildfowl and wading birds on the Scrape. Look for Bewick's swans and goldeneyes on Island Mere, and white-fronted geese on the Levels. Look for hunting hen and marsh harriers, barn and short-eared owls and peregrines. There's a chance seeing of otters on Island Mere. Look for tit and finch flocks in the woods. Great spotted woodpeckers start drumming on mild days. Red-throated divers and great crested grebes gather offshore. The former can sometimes be well out to sea.

  

Facilities

Facilities

•Visitor centre

•Information centre

•Car park : Large car park on site. No overnight parking. Parking for two coaches by advance booking only. Bicycle racks outside visitor centre.

•Toilets

•Disabled toilets

•Baby-changing facilities

•Picnic area

•Binocular hire

•Group bookings accepted

•Guided walks available

•Good for walking

•Pushchair friendly

 

Viewing points

Seven birdwatching hides and a public viewing platform. Four hides and the viewing platform overlook the Scrape. Three of these hides are wheelchair accessible. Two hides overlook the reedbed. One of these is on stilts and accessed via steps. The final hide is in the woodland, and accessed via steps.

 

Nature trails

Two circular trails, each about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long, from the visitor centre. Allow about two hours for each trail. The circuit of the Scrape takes you through scrub, reedbeds, and along the beach. North, West and South Hides and the North Wall viewing platform are fully accessible to pushchairs and wheelchairs, but East Hide and the public viewing platform are accessed via the beach. The Island Mere circuit takes you through woodland and reedbeds. This route is not wheelchair accessible, although access to Island Mere Hide is possible by parking in a small layby (blue badge holders only) and walking about 300 m to the hide. This path is accessible for wheelchairs with difficulty, except after wet weather.

 

Tearoom

The tearoom also sells light meals.

 

Refreshments available

•Hot drinks

•Cold drinks

•Hot meals

•Cold meals

•Snacks

•Confectionery

 

Shop

Large selection of books, optics, outdoor clothing, bird food and gifts.

The shop stocks:

•Binoculars and telescopes

•Books

•Bird food

•Bird feeders

•Nestboxes

•Outdoor clothing

•Gifts

 

Educational facilities

Minsmere is an exciting place for young people to learn. We offer a varied programme of educational visits led by experienced field teachers. All activities are linked to the National Curriculum and are fully risk-assessed. Activities for Key Stages 1 and 2 include bird adaptations, food chains, birdwatching, minibeast safari, pond dipping and seaside habitat. Programmes can be tailored to suit particular requirements. Educational visits cost £3 per pupil for a half-day visit (10 am-12.30 pm) or £4 per pupil for a full day (10 am-2.30 pm), and accompanying adults are free. Special programmes can be arranged for secondary schools, including behind the scenes tours with an RSPB warden to look at how the reserve is managed. For further details and booking arrangements, please contact the visitor centre.

 

Accessibility

 

Car parking

The car park is accessed via an entrance from Westleton (brown tourist signs from A12). The entrance road is 2 km (1.5 miles) and has several 'sleeping policemen'. The car park is surfaced with rolled limestone and is rough in places. There are six allocated parking spaces on the right. An 80 m sloping path on rolled gravel leads from the allocated parking bays to the visitor centre. Wheelchair users can be dropped off and collected from outside the visitor centre, although caution is needed as delivery vehicles and pedestrians use this area.

 

Access to visitor centre

An 80 m sloping path on rolled gravel leads from the allocated parking bays to the visitor centre. Alternatively, there are steps from the nearest parking bays, which are 30 m from the visitor centre.

The visitor centre is accessed via double doors into a reception area, which has information and displays about the reserve and is staffed by friendly RSPB volunteers. Chairs are available in the reception area.

Access to the shop is via double doors from reception. Space is limited in places within the shop, light levels are poor in some areas, and some goods are on high shelves. Please ask the staff for assistance if required.

The tearoom is accessed via double doors from the shop. Space is limited within the tearoom, making it difficult to manoeuvre a wheelchair. Staff are available to help if required. Additional seating is available outside, including two tables that are fully accessible to wheelchair users. There is a bird feeding station outside the tearoom.

Access from the tearoom to the nature trails is via a short series of steps, or back through the shop and down a gentle ramp.

 

Toilets

There are unisex adapted toilets and baby changing facilities within the main toilet block and in the shop. The main toilet block is open at all times.

 

Access to the hides and nature trails

Some nature trails and hides are accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs, and work is continuing to upgrade many of the surfaces. Recent flooding has caused deterioration in the surface of some paths, making wheelchair access more difficult. We are working to improve these routes. There are regular benches on many parts of the trails.

The path from the visitor centre to North Hide is 320 m with a mixture of surfaces including tarmac, boardwalk, rolled gravel and 'natural' surface. This route is level apart from one gentle ramp.There are two benches. North Hide is wheelchair accessible.

North Hide to the beach viewpoint is 660 m of rolled gravel and is fully wheelchair accessible. There are two benches, plus two at the viewpoint.The path from this viewpoint to the sluice, via East Hide and the Public Viewpoint is 965 m along sand and shingle through the dunes so is inaccessible to wheelchair users. There are steps into both East Hide and the Public Viewpoint.

The path from the Visitor Centre to West Hide is 405 m of tarmac and rolled gravel on a level surface. This route is fully wheelchair accessible, although can be muddy after heavy rain. There is one bench on route. South Hide is a further 415 m along this path, with one bench on this section. West and South Hides are both wheelchair accessible via a dog-leg concrete ramp. The path continues to the Sluice (490 m), where there is a bench. This section is a gravel surface, which is accessible with difficulty.

The Visitor Centre to Bittern Hide is 485 m, with a mixture of rolled gravel and a natural surface. There are two benches. There is a slope down to Bittern Hide, which is accessible only via steps.

The path from Bittern Hide to Island Mere is 675 m on a natural surface, including a steep incline, making access for wheelchair users inadvisable. There are two benches.

Island Mere is accessible for wheelchair users from a lay-by opposite Scotts Hall Holiday Cottage. This path is 325 m on rolled gravel, with a gentle incline on boardwalk to the hide. The hide has wheelchair accessible viewing slots, but restricted visibility at times.

Scotts Hall Cottage to the Visitor Centre is 975 m on tarmac, along the reserve entrance road. This includes a steep slope. Canopy Hide, which is 600 m from the Visitor Centre, is accessible only via wooden steps.

 

Wheelchair loan

A Batricar is available to borrow, free of charge. This is popular, so advance booking is highly recommended, by telephoning 01728 648281. A Remploy wheelchair is also available for loan. These can be used during the visitor centre opening hours. Visitors are welcome to use their own wheelchair and mobility vehicles.

 

Guided walks for wheelchair users

We regret that many guided walks are unsuitable for wheelchair users as they take in sections of the beach or hides that are accessible only via steps. However, we will try to cater for requests for guided walks, if booked in advance, through our Hire-a-guide programme. Please phone 01728 648281 for details.

 

Sunrise offered a very beautiful spectacle; the water was quite unruffled, but the motion communicated by the tides was so great that, although there was not a breath of air stirring, the sea heaved slowly with a grand and majestic motion.

~ George Grey

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There is barely any color left in this 56 year-old 3.5x5 inch photograph of me and my brother.

 

Original Photo

 

Photos of that era had a tendency to start fading after a few years. Our Dad snapped this shot but I can't remember what type of camera or film he used, probably Kodak or Polaroid. A few years ago my brother scanned this photo and produced a digital image which I tweaked using photo editing software to bring that moment back to life. A little bit of color is all you need if your editing software offers a large "color saturation" adjustment.

 

I remember how dry and crispy the grass was on that day. It must have been late summer. I know it was hot. The shrubs had a perfume and I recall the faint odor of freshly painted shutters on the windows. Mom and Dad were proud of our place and kept it spic n span.

 

Mom kept a watchful eye on newspaper ads. Occasionally, Sears or Montgomery Ward would offer a 2 for 1 deal on boys clothing. Mom and Dad taught us what it meant to be frugal and thrifty. Dad's DIY burr haircuts and home maintenance projects showed us how to save money. I still cut my own hair. It ain't pretty but it feels good when I think of the money I've saved over the years.

 

We received those bikes (Huffy Cheater Slick) the previous Christmas and spent the summer of '69 polishing our fenders with Dad's Turtle Wax. I used my allowance to purchase a speedometer for my bike at the local Western Auto store and I'm not exactly sure why 😜 since I never reached more than 20 mph. I guess I thought it was cool. Back then, our world consisted of a few blocks within our neighborhood in Lexington, Kentucky. We would meet with our friends and see who could lock their brakes and lay down the longest skid-mark, or ride down to Southland Shopping Center to get an ice-cream cone, a comic book and some bubble gum.

 

I never watched CBS News-man Walter Cronkite (or Waller Crank-Tight as Dad called him) who appeared each evening on 1 of our 4 TV channels, but I remember watching Neil Armstrong plant his feet on the Moon.

 

Years later, I discovered how many headlines made history that year, how time has changed the world, and how some things never change.

 

Space

Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins performed the first successful manned moon landing and Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon. The Mariner 6 Mars probe was launched from the United States and Soviet space probes Venera 5 & 6 arrived in Venus' atmosphere and were able to transmit information about the planet for 50 minutes before the Soviets lost contact.

 

Project Blue Book, the United States Air Force’s investigation into unidentified flying objects known as UFOs, officially came to an end on December 17.

 

Music

The Woodstock Festival was held near White Lake, New York, attracting 350,000 music fans. Woodstock featured some of the top rock musicians of the era including Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Grateful Dead, Joe Cocker, and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. In England, the Isle of Wight Festival attracted an audience of approximately 150,000 to watch 26 performers including Bob Dylan, The Who, Blonde On Blonde, Joe Cocker, The Moody Blues and Free. A free concert organized by the Rolling Stones was held at Altamont Speedway in Livermore, California with problems caused by the use of Hells Angels as Bouncers resulting in a number of deaths.

 

The Beatles released their Abbey Road album and gave their last public performance from the roof of Apple Records in London. John Lennon and Yoko Ono were married at Gibraltar, and had their honeymoon "Bed-In" for peace in Amsterdam. The John Lennon Album "Two Virgins" featuring John Lennon and Yoko Ono in the nude were confiscated at Newark Airport. Brian Jones, former Rolling Stones Guitarist drowned after a drinking and drug binge.

 

Led Zeppelin released Led Zeppelin II to critical acclaim, Pink Floyd released their Ummagumma album, The Rolling Stones released their Let It Bleed album and The Who released their Tommy album featuring the hit classic Pinball Wizard. Elvis Presley scored his final number one hit with the song Suspicious Minds.

 

Popular Songs: The Rolling Stones -- " Honky Tonk Woman ", The Beatles -- " Get Back" and "Come Together ", Johnny Cash -- "Daddy Sang Bass", Zager and Evans -- "In The Year 2525", The Archies -- "Sugar Sugar" and The Fifth Dimension -- "Aquarius".

 

Politicians

Richard Nixon was sworn in as the 37th U.S. president and Golda Meir became the first female prime minister of Israel. Moammar Gadhafi, a military captain at the time, deposed King Idris and assumed control of Libya. Charles de Gaulle Resigned as French President. Former U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower died after a long illness at the age of 79 and Ho Chi Minh, the president of North Vietnam also died at the age of 79.

 

US Senator Edward M. Kennedy drove off a bridge into a tidal pond after leaving a party on Chappaquiddick Island, Massachusetts, killing passenger Mary Jo Kopechne who was trapped inside the vehicle. Kennedy did not report the accident for nine or ten hours.

 

Sea

Robin Knox-Johnston became the first person to sail around the world solo without stopping. Donald Crowhurst's sailing trimaran Teignmouth Electron was found drifting and unoccupied in mid-Atlantic; it was presumed that Crowhurst committed suicide (or fell overboard) at sea earlier in the month having falsified his progress in the solo Sunday Times Golden Globe Race.

 

John Fairfax landed in Hollywood Beach, Florida near Miami and became the first person to row across an ocean solo. The SS United States, the last active United States Lines passenger ship, was withdrawn from service and the RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 was entered into service.

 

The Australian light aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne sliced the destroyer USS Frank E. Evans in half killing 82 of her crew.

 

Flight

The Boeing 747 "jumbo jet" was flown for the first time, taking off from the Boeing airfield at Everett, Washington. The 747 also made its first passenger flight carrying 191 people, most of them reporters and photographers, from Seattle to New York City.

 

In Toulouse, France, The Concorde made its first successful flight with a maximum cruising speed of 2,179 km (1,354 miles) per hour, more than twice the speed of sound and The Hawker Siddeley Harrier known as the "Jump Jet" was entered into service with the Royal Air Force.

 

Despite temperatures of -43C at altitudes of 29,000 ft. 22-year-old Cuban refugee Armando Socarras Ramirez survived in the wheel well of a DC-8 from Havana, Cuba, to Madrid, Spain, wearing only light clothing.

 

Medicine

On 4 April 1969, Domingo Liotta and Denton A. Cooley replaced a dying man's heart with a mechanical heart inside the chest at The Texas Heart Institute in Houston as a bridge for a transplant. The man woke up and began to recover. After 64 hours, the pneumatic-powered artificial heart was removed and replaced with a donor heart.

 

A teenager known as 'Robert R.' died in St. Louis, Missouri, of a baffling medical condition. In 1984 Robert R's condition was identified as the earliest confirmed case of HIV/AIDS in North America.

 

Doctors at Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas, made medical history on April 22nd, when they performed the first human eye transplant on 54-year-old John Madden. Because the donor eye had not been preserved enough to keep it viable, the procedure failed to restore Madden's sight.

 

Weather

During the last week of February a snowstorm hit the Northeastern U.S. region. The storm had a Regional Snowfall Index (RSI) of 34.03 making it a Category 5 storm. Mt. Washington in New Hampshire had over 8 feet of snow during the storm. On February 25 alone, Mt. Washington had over 4 feet of snow: 49.3 inches, which is still the one-day record.

 

Category 5 Hurricane Camille, the most powerful tropical cyclonic system at landfall in history, hit the Mississippi coast, killing 248 people and left $1.5 billion dollars in damage (1969 dollars).

 

Crime

Michael Mageau and Darlene Ferrin were shot at Blue Rock Springs Park in Vellejo, California. They were the second (known) victims of the Zodiac Killer. Mageau survived the attack but Ferrin was pronounced dead-on-arrival at Richmond Medical Center. Two months later, The Zodiac Killer stabbed Bryan Hartnell and Cecilia Shepard at Lake Berryessa. Hartnell survived but Shepard died. During the following month, The Zodiac Killer shot and killed taxi driver Paul Stine in the Presidio Heights neighborhood of San Francisco, marking the infamous serial killer's last known slaying.

 

Members of the Manson Family invaded the home of actress Sharon Tate and her husband Roman Polanski in Los Angeles. The followers killed Tate (who was 8.5 months pregnant), and her friends: Folgers coffee heiress Abigail Folger, Wojciech Frykowski, and Hollywood hairstylist Jay Sebring. Also killed was Steven Parent, leaving from a visit to the Polanskis' caretaker. More than 100 stab wounds were found on the victims, except for Parent, who had been shot almost as soon as the Manson Family entered the property. The following day the Manson Family killed Leno and Rosemary LaBianca, a wealthy Los Angeles businessman and his wife.

 

Police raid Stonewall Inn on June 28th a gay club located in New York City ending The Stonewall Riot.

 

In a Los Angeles court, Sirhan Sirhan admitted that he killed presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy. In Memphis, Tennessee, James Earl Ray pled guilty to assassinating Martin Luther King Jr. (he later retracted his guilty plea). The trial began of the "Chicago Seven" accused of inciting a riot at the 1968 Democratic National Convention.

 

Boxing champion Muhammad Ali was convicted of evading the draft after he refused to be inducted into the U.S. Army. Arrest warrants were issued by a Florida court for Jim Morrison on charges of indecent exposure during a Doors concert.

 

The Unexplained

Six-year-old Dennis Martin disappeared while camping in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. Dennis was last seen by his father going behind a bush to hide, intending to surprise the adults with the other children. After not seeing him for about five minutes and when the other children had returned to the campsite, his father became concerned and began searching for him. His father ran down the trail for nearly two miles, until he was sure he could not have gotten any farther. After several hours, they sought help from National Park Service rangers. The search effort was the most extensive in the park's history, involving approximately 1,400 searchers and a 56-square-mile (150 km2) area. Dennis was never found.

 

While campaigning in Leary, GA, future president Jimmy Carter and several other guests at a Lion's Club Meeting witnessed an Unidentified Flying Object. Carter later filed the incident with the International UFO Bureau and in 1977 he became the first U.S. President with an official record of a UFO sighting.

 

Business

The first automatic teller machine (ATM) in the United States was installed in Rockville Centre, New York. Samsung Electronics was founded in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. Donald and Doris Fisher opened the first Gap store on Ocean Avenue in San Francisco and Wal-Mart incorporated as Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

 

New Products

Seiko Astron - world’s first commercial quartz wristwatch

Capri-Sun, juice concentrate drink

Charms Blow Pops

Fla-Vor-Ice popsicles

Kelloggs Frosted Mini Wheats

Funyuns Onion Flavored Rings by Frito-Lay

Gain detergent by Proctor & Gamble

Hawaiian Tropic Suntan Lotion

Manwich canned sloppy joe sauce by ConAgra and Hunts

Nerf Brand Toys by Parker Brothers

Nutter Butter Peanut Butter Cookies

Orville Redenbacher's Popcorn by Chester Inc.

Tic Tac mints by Ferrero

 

Restaurants

Dave Thomas opened his first Wendy's restaurant in a former steakhouse in downtown Columbus, Ohio. Captain D's was founded as "Mr. D's Seafood and Hamburgers" by Ray Danner with its first location opening in Donelson, Tennessee. The Long John Silver's restaurant chain opened its first store on Southland Drive in Lexington, Kentucky (I was there) and Arthur Treacher's Fish and Chips was founded by S. Robert Davis and Dave Thomas with its first location in Columbus, Ohio.

 

Dan W. Evins opened the first Cracker Barrel Old Country Store on Highway 109 in Lebanon, TN. By 1977 he had opened 13 stores from Kentucky to Georgia. In 2020 there were 664 stores in 45 states.

 

Sports

San Francisco Giant Willie Mays became the first major league baseball player since Babe Ruth to hit 600 career home runs. The New York Mets defeated the Baltimore Orioles four games to one in one of the greatest World Series upsets in baseball history. The Montreal Expos became the first Major League Baseball team to be founded outside the U.S., Mickey Mantle retired from baseball and professional footballer Pelé scored his 1,000th goal.

 

Mario Andretti won the Indy 500, the only victory in the "Great American Race" for the legendary Andretti family as a driver.

 

War

The Battle of Dong Ap Bia, also known as Hamburger Hill, began on May 10th. Although the heavily fortified Hill 937 was of little strategic value, U.S. command ordered its capture by a frontal assault, only to abandon it soon thereafter. U.S. losses during the ten-day battle totaled 72 killed and 372 wounded.

 

Persons who were born during the years from 1944 to 1951, and who celebrated their birthdays on September 14, marked the occasion without being aware that their birthday would be the first date selected in the new U.S. draft lottery on December 1.

 

Independent investigative journalist Seymour Hersh broke the My Lai Massacre story, the mass murder of unarmed South Vietnamese civilians by U.S. troops in the Sơn Tịnh District of South Vietnam.

 

Negotiators from the Soviet Union and the United States met in Helsinki, to begin the SALT I negotiations aimed at limiting the number of strategic weapons on both sides.

 

250,000 people marched on Washington in protest of the Vietnam War and the very first U.S. troop withdrawals were made from Vietnam.

 

Hollywood

Several blockbuster and now classic films were released in 1969. 20th Century Fox released Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid starring Paul Newman, Robert Redford and Katharine Ross. Columbia Pictures released Easy Rider starring Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper and Jack Nicholson. Paramount Pictures released True Grit starring John Wayne, Glen Campbell and Kim Darby. Midnight Cowboy starring Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight was released and won three Academy Awards.

 

Other notable film releases of 1969: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Funny Girl, The Love Bug, Hello Dolly!, Where Eagles Dare, and Paint Your Wagon.

 

At 24 years old, a young and nude Helen Mirren established her first major film role in Age of Consent starring James Mason and directed by Michael Powell.

 

Best known for her role as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, American actress and singer Judy Garland died while in London of an accidental barbiturate overdose less than 2 weeks after her 47th birthday.

 

Television

The first episode of Hee Haw aired on the CBS network with guest stars Loretta Lynn and Charlie Pride. Scooby-Doo also aired its first episode on the CBS network. The Brady Bunch was broadcast for the first time on ABC. Monty Python's Flying Circus first aired on BBC One and Sesame Street aired its first episode on the NET network. The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) was established and The Galloping Gourmet with host Graham Kerr debuted in the U.S.

 

NBC aired the last episode of the original Star Trek series "Turnabout Intruder" Starring Leonard Nimoy (Spock) and Majel Barret (Nurse Chapel) the only actors to appear in both the series finale and the first pilot Star Trek: The Cage (1966).

 

Technology

The first message was sent over ARPANET, the forerunner of the internet and the first ARPANET link was established (the progenitor of the global Internet).

 

The Microprocessor ( a miniature set of integrated circuits ) was invented opening the door for the computer revolution that followed.

 

UNIX was developed by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs.

 

Willard S. Boyle and George E. Smith developed the charge-coupled device (CCD) while working at Bell Laboratories, producing the world's first solid-state video camera just a year later.

 

Cars

Pontiac Firebird Trans Am the epitome of the American muscle car was introduced. Chevrolet produced 3,675 Pace Car Edition Camaro Z11's and Ford offered the new Capri in everything from the basic 1.3-litre to the meaty 3.0-litre V6.

 

The Plymouth Road Runner captured the spotlight as Motor Trend's Car of The Year. Engine options included the standard 383 and optional 426 Hemi with the mid-year introduction of the 440 A12 Six Pack performance option.

 

U.S. Cost of Living 1969 vs 2023 (updated 5/21/2023)

yearly income 1969: $9,400 (2023 dollars: $77,700)

yearly income 2023: $53,490

new house 1969: $25,600 (2023 dollars: $211,610)

new house 2023: $436,800

new car 1969: $3,400 (2023 dollars: $28,104)

new car 2023: $47,000

1 gallon of gas 1969: 35 cents (2023 dollars: $2.89)

1 gallon of gas 2023: $3.54

1 loaf of white bread 1969: 23 cents (2023 dollars: $1.90)

1 loaf of white bread 2023: $2.50

Détails salle des machines... Details engine room...

 

Découverte d'une casse de péniches en Ile de France.

Les bâteaux destinés à la destruction connaissent après le déchiquetage une nouvelle vie.

Des artistes talentueux ont recouvert les carcasses avec des tags aux couleurs vives.

Cette friche industrielle offre un fabuleux décor où la nature reprend ses droits...

 

Discovery of a broken craft in Ile de France.

The boats destined for destruction after shredding know a new life. Talented artists have covered the carcass with these brightly colored tags.

This brownfield site offers a fabulous setting where nature comes back ...

 

.:* SL Frees & Offers *:.

 

My Blog: slfreeworldforall.blogspot.com.es/2015/04/beach-days-21.html

 

Shiny Shaby Event

 

Slink AvEnhances / Slink Physique / MANDALA / [Hush] Aprile / IKON / Vanity Hair / MG - Maxi Gossamer / FABOO. / [:: JesyDream ::] / :Z.S: - Zombie Suicide / :Diamante:&{K}: / .Reckless. / *ED* - Eternal Dream Poses

 

Pic: The Trace (see my blog to teleport)

 

More Design Firm work, seems we do a lot of modern tropical scenes!

 

This time we have a small main street space featuring a custom estate sign, beach front, and beachside promenade set between 2 homes (unfortunately the second home did not photograph well so we chose to skip posting most of it). The featured home offers a custom gated entry, large patio with pool, and tennis court.

 

Photography credit goes to Static Frenzy

 

www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/n/newportwetlands/index.as...

  

This nature reserve offers a haven for wildlife on the edge of the city, but is a great place for people too with a new RSPB visitor centre, a café, shop and children's play area.

 

Cetti's warblers and bearded tits can be seen and heard in the reedbeds, and ducks, geese and swans visit the reserve in large numbers during the winter. You'll enjoy spectacular views of the Severn estuary all year round.

 

Newport Wetlands is a partnership between Natural Resources Wales, Newport City Council and the RSPB.

  

Opening times

 

Open every day (closed Christmas Day), 9 am to 5 pm (Coffee Shop open 10 am to 4 pm). On Christmas Eve, Boxing Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, the centre will be open from 10 am to 4 pm and the coffee shop will be open 10 am to 3.30 pm. Please note that the carpark also closes at 5:30pm.

  

Entrance charges

 

None

  

If you are new to birdwatching...

 

Autumn/winter is the best time of year for birdwatching at Newport Wetlands when migratory wildfowl and wading birds begin to arrive ready for their winter stay.

  

Information for families

 

Newport Wetlands visitor centre is ideal for children and families. Guided walks and children's activities are available on the reserve, drinks and a bite to eat can be enjoyed in the coffee shop afterwards, followed by a browse in the retail area. Children will find the outdoor children's activity area with its 4 m high simulation of the East Usk Lighthouse very entertaining. We can offer a variety of fun environmental activity and exploration days for a wide range of local interest groups.

  

Information for dog owners

 

Some access for dogs - marked footpaths on perimeter of reserve. For more information, please contact the NRW enquiry line.

  

Star species

 

Our star species are some of the most interesting birds you may see on your visit to the reserve.

  

Bearded tit

 

You will often hear bearded tits before you see them. Listen for their bell-like 'pinging' calls, then watch them whizzing across the tops of the reeds. They perch up on the stems in calm weather and feed on fallen seeds on the mud at the base of the reeds.

  

Dunlin

 

Dunlins can be seen at Newport Wetlands at almost any time. They breed further north, including in the Arctic, but migrating birds pass through in spring and autumn and some also spend winter here. Watch for them probing their beaks into the mud as they feed.

  

Little egret

 

These dainty little white herons can be seen throughout the year at Newport. You can see them fishing, stirring up fish fry from the muddy bottom with their feet.

  

Little grebe

 

Listen for little grebes 'whinnying' in spring as part of their courtship displays. They are small, round birds, and remarkably buoyant despite their fluffy feathers.

  

Shoveler

 

Shovelers are commonest here in winter, but are also a regular breeding bird. Watch them using their beaks like sieves to sift out microscopic aquatic life from the water.

  

Seasonal highlights

  

Each season brings a different experience at our nature reserves. In spring, the air is filled with birdsong as they compete to establish territories and attract a mate. In summer, look out for young birds making their first venture into the outside world. Autumn brings large movements of migrating birds - some heading south to a warmer climate, others seeking refuge in the UK from the cold Arctic winter. In winter, look out for large flocks of birds gathering to feed, or flying at dusk to form large roosts to keep warm.

  

Spring

 

Spring is the start of the breeding season and is an active and exciting time of year at Newport Wetlands, as birds set about finding their mates and building nests. Breeding waders at the reserve include lapwings and oystercatchers. Bearded tits begin to nest in the reedbeds. During late April and early May, swallows and swifts begin arriving from Africa, and can be seen flying overhead. This is a great time of year to listen out for the distinctive call of the cuckoo and many plants, including orchids, will begin to burst into colourful flower.

  

Summer

 

Grass snakes can sometimes be seen soaking up the sun or skimming expertly through the water among the reeds. Around sixteen species of dragonflies, twenty-three species of butterfly and two hundred species of moth are found at Newport Wetlands. After dark is the best time for moth spotting, but visitors are likely to see species like cinnabar moths and scarlet tiger moths during the daytime. The reserve is also home to badgers, moles and wood mice. Otters live here too, but are notoriously shy of humans and can be difficult to spot. Their droppings, or ‘spraint’, are the most commonly spotted clue to their presence.

  

Autumn

 

In autumn, the reeds turn from a vibrant lush green to yellowing brown. Groups of goldfinches can be seen flitting around the reserve and are particularly visible along Perry Lane, using their long beaks to extract seeds from the teasels. Autumn is another extremely active season at Newport Wetlands, as migratory wildfowl and wading birds begin to arrive ready for their winter stay. Curlews, redshanks, dunlins and oystercatchers feed on the estuary at low tide using their long, pointy beaks to sift through the nutritious mud for worms and grubs.

  

Winter

 

The starling roost at the reserve is a not-to-be-missed wildlife experience. From October onwards, large groups of starlings gather at dusk in great black clouds. At its peak, around 50,000 birds swoop and soar overhead, chattering noisily. After a breathtaking display, the birds drop dramatically into the reedbeds where they settle for the night. Another winter treat at Newport Wetlands is a single bittern, which has been seen here most winters since 2001. Bitterns are rare and extremely secretive, moving silently through the reeds looking for fish. Parts of the reserve provide a winter home for nationally important numbers of black-tailed godwits, shovelers and dunlins.

  

Facilities

  

Information centre

 

Car park

 

Toilets

 

Disabled toilets

 

Baby-changing facilities

 

Group bookings accepted

 

Guided walks available

 

Good for walking

 

Pushchair friendly

 

Viewing points

 

Viewing screens are available.

  

Nature trails

 

There are a number of nature trails around the reserve of various lengths with easy accessibility for wheelchairs and pushchairs.

  

Tearoom

 

Coffee shop serving triple-certified organic Fairtrade coffee, fairtrade tea, Fairtrade hot chocolate, and a selection of organic cold drinks, sandwiches, baguettes, locally-produced cakes and cookies.

 

Refreshments available

 

Hot drinks

 

Cold drinks

 

Snacks

 

Confectionery

  

Shop

 

A retail outlet for all your bird food and bird care accessories with a wide selection of binoculars and telescopes. There is also a fantastic selection of gifts and children's items.

  

The shop stocks:

 

Binoculars and telescopes

 

Bird food

 

Bird feeders

 

Gifts

  

Cafe

 

Our cafe in the visitor centre has large, panoramic windows overlooking the reserve and surrounding countryside. There is a large outdoor decking area providing additional seating with the same relaxing views. We provide organic Fairtrade tea and hot chocolate, and locally-produced cakes and ice cream.

 

We serve our own exclusive coffee that is grown, imported and roasted by us. It's Fairtrade, organic and certified bird-friendly by the Smithsonian Institute, so now you can help save nature simply by enjoying a great cup of coffee!

 

We are proud to hold a Level 5 Food Hygiene rating enabling our customers to have full confidence in the food and service that we provide.

  

Opening hours

 

10 am to 4 pm daily (closed Christmas Day)

  

Highlights from our menu

 

Triple-certified coffee including cappuccinos, lattes and Americanos, all freshly-made

We are known for our Bara Brith, Welsh cakes and hot toasted teacakes

From autumn through to spring we sell steaming tasty soups which are gluten-free

We provide a variety of sandwiches and rolls made with bread from a family baker

Pole-and-line-caught skipjack tuna is used to fill delicious sandwiches or rolls

Good variety of sandwiches and cakes. Coffee excellent

  

Access to the cafe

 

The coffee shop is in the visitor centre which has wheelchair-friendly ramps into the centre and out onto the reserve.

  

Children welcome

 

There are highchairs for babies and toddlers. We provide children's lunchboxes containing a sandwich, two-finger Kitkat, apple or orange juice and a choice of wildlife face mask.

  

We use local ingredients

 

We use Welsh meats, cheeses and free-range organic eggs.

  

Dietary requirements

 

We sell vegetarian and vegan food, some wheat-free snacks and soup, and some organic food.

  

Accessibility

 

8 August 2013

 

This is a Summary Access Statement. A full access statement is available to download from this page.

 

Before you visit

 

Clear print site leaflet available from reception

 

Visitor Centre open 9 am to 5 pm daily, except Christmas Day. coffee shop open 10 am to 4 pm

 

Entry to the reserve is free of charge

 

Car park open 8.30 am to 5.30 pm daily

 

Three mobility scooters and two wheelchairs available to hire out free of charge. Telephone for details

 

Registered assistance dogs welcome (please do not be offended if we ask for evidence of registration)

 

A dog walking route map is available from the visitor centre. Tethering rings and drinking bowl at the visitor centre entrance

 

Check events and activities for accessibility,

  

How to get here

 

Newport Railway Station (5 miles/8 km). Taxis usually available

 

Bus stop in the reserve car park, Number 63

  

Car parking

 

Free parking, 180 m/197 yds from the visitor centre

10 blue badge spaces

85 parking spaces

Drop-off at visitor centre arranged by telephone 01633 636363

Tarmac surface, path to visitor centre compacted limestone chippings and dust

  

Visitor centre and shop

 

Entrance by wooden walkway with a maximum gradient of 1:40. Manually operated doors. Non-slip tiled surface. Low section on service counter. Hearing loop system is installed at the service counter and in the education rooms. Good natural and artificial lighting. Staff can give assistance and read out any literature if required. Binoculars are available for hire (£3.50 for the day).

  

Nature trails

 

Four main trails. All level on compacted with one incline using a zig-zag. Floating walkways have been used by wheelchairs, scooters and pushchairs but caution should be taken due to buoyancy.

  

Viewing facilities

 

Natural viewing opportunities throughout the reserve. A wheelchair accessible viewing screens overlooking the reedbeds.

  

Toilets

 

Unisex accessible toilet along with separate ladies and gents available on ground floor of Visitor Centre. Level step free access. Baby changing table and a second baby facility in ladies toilets.

  

Catering

 

Step-free level access. Outside deck viewing area. Tables are well spaced apart. Good natural and overhead lighting. Non slip tiles. Accessible WC in the visitor centre.

  

Shop

 

Shop is located in the visitor centre. Level entry step free with no doors. There is step free, level access throughout. Non-slip tiled surface. Ample room. Well lit with daylight and fluorescent lighting. Promotional video usually playing with subtitles. Staff can provide assistance.

  

Classrooms

 

Two classrooms available as one room if required. Step-free, level access throughout. Non-slip flooring. Artificial even lighting. Portable hearing loop system available. Two raised ponds nearby.

  

Picnic area

 

Four picnic tables with wheelchair access outside visitor centre. Visitors free to bring their own refreshments for picnics.

 

Help us improve accessibility by sending feedback to the Site Manager.

  

For more information

 

Newport Wetlands

 

E-mail: newport-wetlands@rspb.org.uk

 

Telephone:01633 636363

  

How to get here

 

By bicycle (Sustrans cycle route)

 

Sustrans National Cycle Network route 4 has a branch to Newport Wetlands using existing roads. The car park has a covered cycle stand. Please note that cycling on the reserve is restricted to a designated route.

  

By train

 

The nearest railway station is Newport - which is five miles from the reserve. There is a taxi rank at the station and Newport bus station is just a few minutes walk away. For train times to and from Newport visit www.nationalrail.co.uk or telephone 08457 484950.

  

By bus

 

From the Kingsway Bus Station in Newport, the Number 63 bus leaves at 7.30 am, 9 am, 11 am, 1.30 pm, 3 pm, 4.50 pm and 6 pm and stops at the bus stop in the reserve car park. Alternatively, contact Newport Bus 01633 670563.

  

By road

 

Join the A48 at either junction 24 or 28 of the M4. Follow the A48 until you come to the Spytty Retail Park roundabout. Exit onto the A4810 Queensway Meadows. At the first roundabout take the third exit onto Meadows Road and follow the brown tourist signs to the reserve.

  

Our partners

 

The Newport Wetlands project is funded by the European Union's Objective Two programme supported by the Welsh Assembly Government and secured via the Newport European Partnership, Newport City Council's allocation of the Welsh Assembly Government's Local Regeneration Fund, Newport City Council's Landfill Tax Credit Scheme, the Environment Agency Wales and Visit Wales – the Department of Enterprise, Innovation and Networks.

 

Natural Resources Wales, Newport City Council and the RSPB would like to thank the communities of Newport and the volunteers who have supported Newport Wetlands.

  

Newport Wetlands Conference and Meeting Rooms

  

Set in the tranquil surroundings of a peaceful nature reserve, our excellent conference facilities offer a superb location for a great getaway from the office and provide a wonderful setting for a variety of corporate events. You will receive a warm welcome from the staff at the Visitor Centre, providing a professional and efficient service.

 

We can provide facilities for the following

 

Conferences

 

Board Meetings

 

Seminars

 

Training Courses

 

Presentations

  

Away days

 

Rooms can be arranged in boardroom, theatre style or in any other format to suit your event. We also have a range of equipment for hire including a digital projector and smart board facilities.

 

Your booking fee includes free car parking, access to the Reserve as well as the Visitor Centre, Shop and Café. The Reserve comprises of a series of lagoons and reed beds from reclaimed industrial land, which is now home to a wealth of wildlife.

 

A tour of the Reserve can be arranged as an unusual and revitalising break during a meeting or away day.

  

Catering

 

Fairtrade coffee and tea, biscuits or homemade cakes can be served throughout the day, and we can provide a freshly prepared buffet to suit your dietary requirements including vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options. Buffets include a selection of classic sandwiches, a selection of savoury items, fresh fruit and a selection of freshly baked homemade cakes.

 

Alternatively, delegates can stroll across to the café themselves and appreciate inspirational views of the reserve from the veranda.

  

The Lakeside Suite

 

A purpose built meeting room, which caters for 12 people boardroom style or 25 people theatre style.

  

The Education Facilities

 

Set in a tranquil environment, overlooking the waters edge the Education Rooms offers the perfect environment for larger events and conferences. The room can be organised in various styles and caters for up to 80 people theatre style.

 

For more information or to make a provisional booking, please contact Adrianne Jones using the details below.

 

For more information

 

Adrianne Jones

Centre Co-ordinator

E-mail: adrianne.jones@rspb.org.uk

Telephone:01633 636355

Under normal circumstances, Quay Sta’nn would have never thought of going back to his home planet Coruscant. Not after he got into quite some serious trouble with some crime gangs fairly soon after Order 66 got executed. But the job he was offered now was too big of an opportunity to miss. The Empire has initiated an assault on the mining world of Vanquo, and if this battle is lost the Empire will be vulnerable. Imperial forces have been called towards the center of Coruscant in case the Separatists attack the planet. This has left one of the biggest data vaults on Coruscant under low protection; a perfect opportunity to initiate a raid on the vault. The Red Hand, a crime syndicate Quay dealt with a few months ago, has hired all kinds of bounty hunters and smugglers to cause a distraction in the lower levels, and to raid the vault of its important information. Quay had taken the job to cause a distraction to draw Imperial troops away from the vault itself in exchange for a hefty sum of credits. The question floating around in his mind was, just how will he accomplish that?

 

After he had arrived at the planet on one of the spaceports, it immediately became clear to Quay how much the planet had changed in the few years he wasn't on Coruscant. As soon as Quay stepped out of the transport with the other passengers, a couple of heavily armed troopers walked towards them to see their IDs. Luckily, Quay brought a fake ID right before he left, otherwise he most likely would have gotten in trouble. The troopers took a look at his ID, gave it back to him, and nodded as a sign that he was free to walk through the gates. Quay walked through the gates and enjoyed the view of the skyline of this part of the planet. He took a taxi to the parts of the planet where he used to live, to see if his favorite places to go to were still there. After a bit of searching, Quay found one of the cantinas he’d frequented previously, down in level 4597.

 

On the outside, Gratt’s Tavern could just be described as one of the many, many bars down in the lower levels of this planet. But once you stepped inside, you could feel the warmth this place has. At every given point of the day, there was always some random smuggler or criminal enjoying a drink or playing a game of sabacc. The cantina had a variety of musicians who would play live music during the busy hours, and a reprogrammed protocol droid served as a waiter. And on top of that, the cantina was run by a kind old man named Terras Gratt, who could always provide a bit of advice and positive thinking when someone had some problems.

 

As Quay entered the tavern, memories of all the time he had spent in this place came flooding back. Here, he got his first mission, spent too many hours late in the night drinking all kinds of liquor, sharing stories with friends, and most of all, the apartment where Quay used to live was located right above the cantina. As soon as Gratt recognized who he was he walked towards Quay with a big smile on his face.

 

"Quay? You’re still alive? I thought those Imperials killed you years ago when you left here!” Terras said.

 

“I'm more surprised that you are still alive, you old barrel! With all the fights that break out in this part of the planet, it's a wonder that you haven't been killed yet,” Quay replied.

 

“The secret is just avoiding conflict at all costs. You can't be killed in a fight if you never are in a fight, to begin with!”

 

“Can’t argue with that logic,” Quay said. “So, how have you been holding up over these years? I could imagine the Empire changed a lot of stuff around here.”

 

“If you want, I have some time to catch up with each other. Apart from the occasional smuggler who stops by to get a drink, around this time of the day, it’s always quite calm here. And while we're at it, take a drink—on the house!”

 

After the two talked together for a while, they came on the subject of the apartment above the bar that Quay had lived in for quite some time before his departure from Coruscant. Terras owns the apartment and rents it out to people, but when Quay asked if someone came to live thereafter he left the planet, Gratt replied that the apartment had been vacant ever since he left.

 

“Would you mind it if I would stay there for a few days? Gotta finish this one mission I have, then I will probably leave again. And once I get paid for it, I will make sure to give you a share to cover the apartment.”

 

“Sure! It's quite a mess at the moment though. Since I couldn't get anyone to rent that place, I started using it to store left-over drinks and stuff I never use anymore. So unless you have a problem with sleeping in the mess, you are free to stay there.”

  

Because Quay would be gone in a few days anyway, he accepted the offer to stay in the mess for a couple of days. He packed the small amount of stuff he brought with him and headed to the apartment upstairs. As soon as he entered the room, Quay saw how much stuff was in there. Broken glasses, tables filled with blaster holes presumably from shootouts that happened there, tanks filled with fluids, and more junk was scattered all around the fairly big place. At least there was still a bed present in the room, and some other small furniture that Quay could still use. He dropped his luggage on the bed and opened the blinds to enjoy the view he used to see almost every day. Because it was almost night, Quay prepared to go to sleep. Just as he was about to go to sleep, the room was suddenly illuminated by a purple glow coming from the corner of the room.

 

“Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you on the spot.” a female voice said. A figure emerged from the shadows, and Quay saw where the purple light came from. The woman was holding a lightsaber, meaning that this person was most likely a Jedi.

 

¨Look, there’s no need for a fight here, I can get you whatever you want if you help me on a mission. Food, credits, a ride to get off this planet, you name it.¨

 

The Jedi thought about the offer for a moment, before accepting it.

 

“If you can get me a stock of credits and a fake ID, I will aid you on your mission. I'm planning on leaving this planet since it’s filled with Imperialists, but that’s hard to do when those troops closely monitor everyone who enters and leaves this planet. So, what is that job of yours?”

 

Quay explained what was happening on Vanquo, and the job the Red Hand offered him.

  

“So that is why the city center was so filled with Imperial troops.” the Jedi said.

 

“Indeed. The Red Hand tasked me with causing a distraction somewhere in these levels, but I have no idea how I am going to do that. In about 3 hours, the raids are supposed to start, but without a solid plan, I am not sure if I will even finish this job.”

 

“Don't worry about it. While you get me that ID and credits, I will stay here to make us a plan. But if this is all a trick, and you’re planning to give me over to the Empire, the pain of this blade slicing through your body will be the last thing you feel.”

 

“Alright, I’ll keep that in mind. I am not planning to give you to the Empire. By the way, I never properly introduced myself to you. My name is Quay Sta’nn. If you don't want to tell me your name, I can understand that.” Quay said before walking out the door.

 

“Shaella. My name is Shaella Xalrich.” The Jedi said.

 

Quay went out on the streets, still worried about how he would ever be able to accomplish this job, but he did know where to get a false ID, so that’s where he would start; he went to an old friend who was able to make him a couple of fake IDs for the Jedi without divulging any info. When he returned to his apartment a few hours later with some food he grabbed from a food stand a few blocks away, Shaella was still busy making the plan for the raid.

 

¨This has been a lot harder than i expected. I made a few plans, but they are very risky.¨ Shaella said.

 

¨Ah, forget it. The raid will be starting in about an hour. I doubt we will be able to participate in them without a solid plan. I got us some food, so if you want some feel free to take it. Also got those credits and that false ID for you, but I first want a solid plan before you will get those.¨ Quay replied.

 

Shaella nodded that she understood it, and started eating a bowl with food. She and Quay started talking about some stuff while they were eating, and Quay told her all kinds of stories from his past on this planet. The two enjoyed sharing some of their experiences to each other. After a while, they got to the topic of Order 66.

 

¨I have a bit of a weird question, but...how did you survive the Purge? I thought Order 66 wiped out the entire Jedi Order.¨ Quay asked.

 

Shaella went silent for a moment, before telling him how she survived the Purge.

 

¨Me, my master, and our pack of Clone Troopers were stationed on Colla IV near the end of the Clone Wars. Here, they manufactured droidekas and more droids for the Separatists. We were waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike at one of the factories, when suddenly the commander got a call from Chancellor Palpatine himself. Although I wasn't paying attention to what was said to them, I did hear a few words: ¨Execute Order 66.¨ Before I knew it, the Clones had their weapons pointed at me and my master. We managed to get to the gunship to escape the planet, but my master got wounded to the point where no surgeon could save him anymore. I managed to take control of the gunship and eventually crashed on this planet, but my master died a slow and painful death on the way there. He left me his Lightsaber, but since using one Lightsaber is risky enough on its own, I usually carry it with me at all times. To this day, I can still feel the emotional and physical effects of that event. Everyone that i knew and could trust, have been killed or is now held in a prison somewhere by the Empire. And while that all is happening, i am stuck here, without being able to do anything to it.¨

 

Quay went silent after hearing this story. He himself went through some heavy stuff growing up, but he could imagine the kinds of consequences an event like this could leave to a person.

 

The silence was quickly ended by someone banging on the door. Shaella hid behind the trash in the room, while Quay walked towards the door to open it. An Stormtrooper was standing in the doorway, with several more troopers standing behind him.

 

¨We have reports of a Force-sensitive hiding around somewhere in this sector. Would you mind if we take a look around this apartment?¨ The trooper asked.

 

¨Of course not.¨ Quay replied. Although he was worried that the troopers would find Shaella, he knew that if that were to happen she would be able to take them all on. 5 troopers stepped through the doorway, and started searching the apartment. It didn't take long before one of the troopers shouted: ¨Hey, what is this woman doing behind all of this junk?¨ Shaella quickly ignited her lightsaber and fighted the Stormtroopers. While the troopers did their absolute best to try to take her down, Shaella doged and blocked all of their attacks, and took them down one by one. Just before she was about to take down the last trooper in the room, he shouted in his comms:

 

¨The Force-sensitive has been found! Requesting immediate backup on level 4597!¨

 

Shaella´s blade sliced through the trooper, but it was too late. All of the Empire was now alerted of their presence, and would be at this location in a matter of minutes.

 

¨Well, what should we do now?¨ Quay asked Shaella. She thought about it for a second, until coming up with an answer.

 

¨I'm done with hiding from the Empire. I would rather fight them for the greater cause and go down in glory, than to spend my remaining days rotting away here.¨

 

The two stepped outside the door, and immediately saw dozens of troopers running towards them. Quay and Shaella quickly stepped into Gratt´s tavern. The cantina was filled with people, but if they didn´t get out as soon as possible, they would get caught in the heat of the battle. Shaella ignited her lightsaber, and yelled: ¨Everyone, get out of here, now!¨ Nobody hesitated for a second, and in a matter of seconds the cantina was empty, with the exception of Terras who stood behind the bar, terrified.

 

¨What is this, Quay? Care to explain why you are with a Jedi, who just scared away all of my customers?¨ Gratt said, noticeably angry and scared.

 

¨No time to explain right now. Listen, the Empire is about to arrive here in seconds, and without any good intentions. It's better if you get out of here, right now.¨

 

¨There is no way i am leaving my own cantina behind! I´ll stay here. I have a blaster here, so I can protect myself if needed. I will just hide behind the counter, together with my protocol droid.¨ Gratt replied.

 

¨Well, prepare yourself for a heavy fight if you stay here. And Quay; I hope you can handle this. You´ll need it if you want to survive this battle.¨ Shaella said.

 

Shaella threw something towards Quay. He caught it, and looked at what he held in his hands; it was a Lightsaber. He ignited it, and a green blade emitted from the saber.

 

¨This saber used to belong to my master. I held onto it for years, but I never used it.¨

 

¨Wow, I don't know how to thank you. I am sure this will be helpful in the fight.¨

 

¨Thank me later. First, we have some Bucketheads to take down.¨

 

Right as she said that, the first Stormtroopers walked into the cantina. While Quay had some trouble getting used to using a Lightsaber at first, he was able to quickly take down the first troops. Shaella used the Force intensively, and used it to hold one of the troops in the air right before piercing him with her Lightsaber. Just as that happened, a couple of troopers equipped with heavy-repeating blasters entered the cantina. Although Quay was able to dodge most of the blaster fire, a few of the blaster bolts hit the Lightsaber, damaging it enough to make the blade retract.. In the corner of his eye, he could also see one of the blaster bolts hit the Protocol droid Gratt owns, probably damaging it beyond repair. The fight seemed to last forever, until Quay and Shaella delivered the final blow towards the Empire. 4 Reconnaissance Troop Transports arrived, each carrying about a dozen troopers. Gratt quickly tried to get Quays attention, and he revealed some explosives he took as a payment from some arms dealers who stopped by to get a drink there earlier that day. Quay took some of them, activated them, and threw them at the troop transports. The devices rolled under the transports and detonated, causing the transports to explode. The few Stormtroopers who survived the blast, quickly received orders to retreat; the fight was won. Quay received a message from the Red Hand; The vault was successfully raided, and mostly thanks to Quay and Shaella. Although the Red Hand didn't know how he pulled it off exactly, a big part of the troops were sent to their location while other smugglers and bounty hunters raided the vault.

 

¨Well, I guess we didn't really need a plan to get this job done.¨ Quay said. ¨Thank you Shaella, I couldn't have done it without you. Since you have aided me in my mission, I will stick to my promise; here are the fake ID and credits needed to get off this planet. And Gratt, for you, I can get you some of the best repairers to fix your droid, plus some more credits to cover the damage we made here.¨

 

¨Quay, I want you to take this. I am ready to let go of my past, and start a new life somewhere. Since that Lightsaber of yours got pretty damaged, you can use parts of mine to repair it. With it, I have instructions on how to safely repair it. Goodbye, Quay Sta'nn. It was a delight to work with you.¨ Shaella said, before she walked off to get off the planet.

 

A few days later, Quay was working to repair the Lightsaber using Shaella´s instructions. The damage in Gratt´s Tavern was now mostly repaired, and his protocol droid was as good as new. Quay emitted the saber, and a purple blade emitted. It used to belong to a skilled Jedi, but now he owned it. He took his time to make it truly his own, and it showed off. He took a moment to process the power of the weapon he had in his hands right now. Anyone could use a blaster, but to handle a weapon like this it required more skill to handle. It will take a lot of time to learn how to properly use it, but one thing was for sure; This weapon would change Quay's life.

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

Well, this took me a bit too long to finsh. My last moc for 2020, enjoy! (deleted the last version of the pic, since that one kinda sucked)

A very well restored Colorale Prairie, recently seen in the Netherlands.

 

The model name 'Colorale' was composed out of 'Colony' and 'Rurale', two areas of use for this kind of car.

The 4-door Colorale Prairie station wagon version was much more successful than the Savane version. Despite this modest succes it didn't push up selling figures that much: in general the Colorale Series didn't sell very well.

The Colorale was presented to the motor car press in May 1950. Initially it had a pre-war engine. After March 1953 the modern Frégate engine was used.

Also 4WD versions were offered.

More info at: colorale.org/

 

Seen on a classic car meeting in a park in the center of Sassenheim. The amount & quality of the cars was unexpected and surprisingly good.

I also happened to meet Rutger there. See also his album of this event.

 

2383 cc L4 (from 1936 Primaquatre).

1610 kg.

Production Renault Colorale Series: October 1950-1957.

Original first reg. number: June 30, 1952 (estimated).

New Dutch pseudo-historical reg. number: Sept. 24, 2022.

Private import.

Since import date from same owner.

 

Sassenheim, Park Rusthoff, Aug. 20, 2023.

 

© 2023 Sander Toonen Halfweg | All Rights Reserved

Phoebe ~Piercings & more~

 

maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Vallory/173/159/22

 

Mesh Dresses for

- Belleza Freya + Isis

- Kupra

- Legacy + Legacy Perky

- Maitreya + Maitreya Petite

- Slink Hourglass + Slink Petite

- Standar Avatars

 

Try Demo first

 

Jonas Daniel Meijerplein 09/12/2015 19h52

This colorful installation on the waterside of the Jonas Daniel Meijerplein can photographed in different ways. According to the artist the best point of view are to look through the rings. I chose to do this in conjunction with another light scultpure next to the Hortus Botanicus garden, Friendala. Both part of the Water Colors boat tour but also part of the Illuminade walking route.

 

Amsterdam Light Festival

The fourth edition for this Winter event in the city of Amsterdam. No longer do we have to dread the dark winter months in Amsterdam. Thanks to Amsterdam Light Festival, Amsterdam is transformed every year into a true city of lights with the help of contemporary (inter)national light artists. During this annual festival for young and old, both the residents of Amsterdam and the city’s many visitors are treated to a spectacle of light. At the same time, the festival offers talented (young) light artists a platform to present their latest work.

This year, the 55-day festival is dedicated to theme 'Friendship' and can be visited from 28 November 2015 to 17 January 2016. Water Colors will take place from 28 November 2015 to 17 January 2016 and the walking route Illuminade will take place from 10 December 2015 to 3 January 2016. Let's celebrate the winter together with art, light and water!

www.amsterdamlightfestival.com

 

Bands of Friendship

Artist: Vikas Patil & Santosh Gujar [ Light designer & architect ]

Location: Jonas Daniel Meijerplein

 

Bands of Friendship, created by the two Indian architects Vikas Patil and Santosh Gujar, is a nice reflection of how people from outside the EU look at this continent, i.e. with hope and appreciation. The project is based on a typically present-day phenomenon: the colourful bands of friendship girls and boys (and also many men and women) wear around their wirsts to confirm their friendship or to show that they’re supporting a good cause. These are the bands of friendship the title refers to, nine of them in as many colours.

 

Bands of Friendship symbolizes endless friendship and has been positioned in such a way that the spectator may look at them from different angles with changing meanings from every perspective. If you look at them sidelong, the rings are still separate, individual and unattached, independent like the countries within the European Union. But move aside, and slowly but surely the rings become attached; the Union gains form. A few more steps bring you right in front of the entrance to the rings and you look into the multicoloured tunnel of progress and prosperity, the ideal Europe stands for. The artists, both architects, hope that this work, abstract and figurative at the same time, will incite people on the one hand, to enlarge their own circle of friends as much as possible, and on the other hand to remain positive about Europe’s ideals.

 

Vikas Patil is an architect and light designer from India. After obtaining his Master’s degree from the Istituto Europeo di Design in Milan, he worked on several projects in India, Europe and various Arabic countries. Patil has continued to develop his passion for lighting design while working as the director of the Mumbai-based Studio ALBA Lighting Design since 2011.

 

The Indian architect Santosh Gujar studied architecture at the Sir JJ College of Architecture in Mumbai. In his current position as consulting architect, he often works with small architecture firms, enabling him to share his knowledge on design issues and regional development. Gujar and Patil complement each other with regards to aesthetic and technical matters.

 

The Mark V was offered for model years 1977-1979. I believe it was a bit longer than 19 feet.

 

Seen on Lampson Avenue near the California Fish & Game and other California state offices. Technically it is in Los Alamitos but access to the site is from Lampson Avenue in Seal Beach! Similarly and perhaps even odder is that the development known as College Park West is in Seal Beach but access to that Orange County neighborhood is from neighboring Long Beach which is in a different county altogether, Los Angeles County!

 

I dislike taking photos of bright white cars in sunny daylight because it tends to wash out.

This site offers a remarkable collection of sea stacks for viewing.

 

The village of Pistol River, population 84 in the last census, is the nearest town.

 

The river received it's name when a soldier in the Indian Wars of the 1850's lost his pistol in the river.

Antonio Giuseppe Santagata, The Offer of the Casa Madre to Victory, 1932, apse fresco, assembly hall, Casa Madre Dell’Associazione Nazionale dei Mutilati e Invalidi di Guerra (Home for Wounded War Veterans), Rome

Learn More on Smarthistory

Offered by UAZ America, date unknown

Niagara USA offers a breathtaking view of one of nature’s marvels and an experience that will last a life time.

The Niagara Falls are the most powerful waterfalls in North America. These voluminous waterfalls are situated on the Niagara River, which drains Lake Erie into Lake Ontario and forms the international border between the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of New York and forms the southern end of the Niagara Gorge.

Four of the five Great Lakes drain into the Niagara River, (Superior, Michigan, Huron and Erie) before emptying into Lake Ontario. These five Great Lakes make up almost one-fifth of the world's fresh water supply.

 

From here one can see all the three falls namely,American Falls,Bridal Veil Falls and Horseshoe Falls .

View entire set on Niagara Falls : www.flickr.com/photos/29848963@N03/sets/72157627677785296/

On this day in 1780 the English prison reformer, social reformer & Quaker Elizabeth Fry was born.

 

Elizabeth Fry was one of Britain's most influential 19th century social reformers and is best known for her work on improving the conditions of Britain's gaols. Because of her work, first on the treatment of female prisoners at Newgate Prison and then more generally on the conditions in British and European gaols, she has often been referred to as the "angel of prisons".

  

Elizabeth was born on May 21st 1780 in Gurney Court, off Magdalen Street, Norwich, Norfolk, England into a prominent Quaker family, the Gurneys. Her father, John Gurney (1749–1809), was a partner in Gurney's Bank. Her mother, Catherine, was a member of the Barclay family who were among the founders of Barclays Bank. Her mother died when Elizabeth was twelve years old so as one of the oldest girls in the family, she was partly responsible for the care and education of the younger children.

 

She married Joseph Fry, who was also a Quaker, in August 1800 at the Norwich Goat Lane Friends Meeting House and moved to St Mildred's Court in the City of London. In 1811 she was recorded as a minister of the Religious Society of Friends.

 

Prompted by a family friend, Stephen Grellet, Fry visited Newgate Prison in 1813. The conditions she saw there horrified her. The women's section was overcrowded with women and children, some of whom had not even received a trial. The prisoners did their own cooking and washing in the small cells in which they slept on straw.

  

She returned the following day with food and clothes for some prisoners. She was unable to personally further her work for nearly four years because of difficulties within the Fry family, including financial difficulties in the Fry bank.

 

Fry returned in 1816 and was eventually able to fund a prison school for the children who were imprisoned with their mothers. Rather than attempt to impose discipline on the women, she suggested rules and then asked the prisoners to vote on them. In 1817 she helped found the Association for the Reformation of the Female Prisoners in Newgate. This association provided materials for women so that they could learn to sew patchwork which was calming and also allowed skills to develop, such as needlework and knitting which could offer employment when they were out of prison and then could earn money for themselves. This approach was copied elsewhere and led to the eventual creation of the British Ladies' Society for Promoting the Reformation of Female Prisoners in 1821. She also promoted the idea of rehabilitation instead of harsh punishment which was taken on by the city authorities in London as well as many other authorities and prisons.

 

Elizabeth Fry also campaigned for the rights and welfare of prisoners who were being transported. The women of Newgate Prison were taken through the streets of London in open carts, often in chains, huddled together with their few possessions. They were pelted with rotten food and filth by the people of the city. The fear was often enough to make women condemned to transportation riot on the evening before. Fry's first action was to persuade the Governor of Newgate prison to send the women in closed carriages and spare them this last indignity before transportation. She visited prison ships and persuaded captains to implement systems to ensure each woman and child would at least get a share of food and water on the long journey. Later she arranged each woman to be given scraps of material and sewing tools so that they could use the long journey to make quilts and have something to sell as well as useful skills when they reached their destination. She also included a bible and useful items such as string and knives and forks in this vital care package. Elizabeth Fry visited 106 transport ships and saw 12,000 convicts. Her work helped to start a movement for the abolition of transportation. Transportation was officially abolished in 1837, however Elizabeth Fry was still visiting transportation ships until 1843.

 

Fry wrote in her book Prisons in Scotland and the North of England that she stayed the night in some of the prisons and invited nobility to come and stay and see for themselves the conditions prisoners lived in. Her kindness helped her gain the friendship of the prisoners and they began to try to improve their conditions for themselves. Thomas Fowell Buxton, Fry's brother-in-law, was elected to Parliament for Weymouth and began to promote her work among his fellow MPs. In 1818 Fry gave evidence to a House of Commons committee on the conditions prevalent in British prisons, becoming the first woman to present evidence in Parliament.

 

Her humanitarian work didn’t stop at prisons. For example, she helped the homeless, establishing a "nightly shelter" in London after seeing the body of a young boy in the winter of 1819/1820. She also campaigned for the abolition of the slave trade and opened a training school for nurses. Her programme inspired Florence Nightingale, who took a team of Fry's nurses to assist wounded soldiers in the Crimean War.

  

Her work gained her admiration from people in high places. One such was Queen Victoria, who granted her an audience a few times before she was Queen and contributed money to her cause after she ascended to the throne. Another admirer was Robert Peel who passed several acts to further her cause including the Gaols Act 1823. The act was however largely ineffective, because there were no inspectors to make sure that it was being followed.

 

Fry died from a stroke in Ramsgate, England, on October 12th 1845. From 2001–2016, Fry was depicted on the reverse of £5 notes issued by the Bank of England.

 

$ offers will accept $ and trade

WEEKEND OFFERS!!!

 

LM: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Good%20Place/129/205/20

 

Wikipedia offer some detailed details about this class:

 

"The Škoda Type 22E2 type locomotive is a multipurpose electric locomotive built for the North Korean State Railway by the Škoda Works of Czechoslovakia.

 

Although some lines had been electrified already in the colonial era, the large-scale electrification of North Korea's railways began in 1956 after the end of the Korean War and the subsequent reconstruction of North Korea's railway infrastructure. To work the newly electrified lines, an order was placed with the Škoda Works in Czechoslovakia for electric locomotives of works Type 22E2, based on the Type 12E locomotives built by Škoda for the Czechoslovak State Railways (ČSD class E 499.0).

 

The Type 12E was developed by Škoda Works based on the technology of the BLS Class Ae 4/4 built by SLM Winterthur. The first prototype was completed in 1953, and production of types 12E1—12E6 continued until 1958 for the ČSD and the Polish State Railways (as class ET13), along with the very similar derivative types - the Type 22E2 for North Korea, and Types 24E0, 41E0—41E2 and 29E0 for the Soviet Railways (as class ЧС1). All variants of the type were built to operate on the 3,000 V DC system.

 

These are dual-cab locomotives with welded-steel bodies and two two-axle bogies. Each bogie has two six-pole DC traction motors, one for each axle. Current collection is via pantograph from overhead lines; the on-board electrical system is 48 V.

 

The total number of Type 22E2 locomotives ordered by the Korean State Railways is not known, but at least three are still in service today. These have been rebuilt in various ways, such as the addition of 'bumpers' on the ends and other features unique to individual units. They are painted in the standard light blue over dark green or light green over dark green scheme used on most other electric locomotives; this scheme is very similar to the livery used on Czechoslovak and Soviet examples of this type."

 

I saw altogether 3 of these type. So maybe more of this set are still in use on the national railway system.

 

DPRK, Oct. 2015

Torak discover the Imperial agents plans and offers hope to those less fortunate

Gracefully Bound offers a beautiful, serene, safe environment for both the Daddy's and their babygirl's/littles...We have created a space for those who enjoy the DD/bg dynamic, unlike any other that we know of in SL. O/our vision is that of a place that feels like home, being both inviting and warm. Respect for A/all at Gracefully Bound is paramount. It is a place for people to come to relax, to learn, to have fun, and of course to connect. We welcome you to O/our vision and hope that you enjoy it as much as W/we have enjoyed building it for you.

 

Gracefully Bound offers a beautiful environment for both the Daddys and their babygirls/littles... We have a Drive-In for movie nights and slumber parties, a game room with table games, Q&A "naughty" and playful card games, couples games...cuddle areas located in various out of the way nooks to curl up and spend some quality time, a library for those teachable moments that every babygirl loves to share with her Daddy, an out door gazebo for weekly discussions that will be exclusive to those of us who live in this close knit community. Also we know how hard it is to make connections with people so we have created an upper office space for Match Maker ad-boards to allow Daddy's and babygirl's to reach out and find one another. The sim also offers amazing opportunities for both the professional and amateur photographer alike.

 

This week I offer two previous releases for special prices at Lazy Sunday.

 

Sealed Collection for all you that love sealing their letters Jane Austin Style.

 

Time Gone By - a sweet little set of vintage hanging desk, chair and extending lamp.

 

Prices and links beloy and of course the discount apply to the main store as well.

 

🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂

 

🍂 Sealed Collection for 75L

 

🍂 Time Gone By Lamp for 75L

 

🍂 Time Gone By Chair and Desk for 75L

 

🍂 Time Gone By Fatpcak for 105L

 

🍂 Oh Deer's main store

 

🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂

Puka Viewpoint offers a striking contrast of warm tones against the cold blues and whites of the surrounding peaks. It’s a perfect vantage point to witness the raw, colorful beauty of the Huayhuash mountains.

Dares Hill Circuit.

 

This route goes from Hallett into sheep station country east of Hallett and Mt Bryan East to Ketchowla and Collinsville stations and others before returning the farming country at Terowie. The highest peak is Dares Hill at 541 metres high. It offers vast panoramas of the semi desert country of the eastern ranges and plains. Beyond Mt Bryan East the road passes Piltimitiappa, Collinsville, Mallett, Ketchowla and Pandappa stations. The station homesteads are mainly ruins and deserted but this is still good sheep country. Creek crossing such as Wonna Creek and Dust Hole Creek etc are flat bottomed desert creeks which occasionally flood but often with quite deep gorges. The government roads pass through the current stations and grids and gates, which have to be shut and opened, are frequent as you pass through private property. Near Ketchowla station is the other main peak on this route Mt Pullen often called Ketchowla Hill. It is 502 metres high.

 

Piltimitiappa homestead. This fine stone ruin of several buildings was the head station of William Dare’s sheep run. William Dare began his pastoral enterprises on this run. William Dare was born in London in 1824 and arrived in South Australia in 1838. He worked as a shepherd for some years and went to seek his fortune in the Victorian goldfields in 1851. He came away with £700 a great sum in those days. On his return to South Australia he took out a lease of 50 square miles, or 32,000 acres east of Hallett which he named Piltimitiappa around 1853. With the help of Aboriginal workers he located water holes on his run and fenced some of it and built a split pine log cabin for his wife. After a few years he erected a stone homestead, a large woolshed and he built pug and pine water tanks. At first he sheared many of his own sheep and baled the wool himself in a timber press. His flocks suffered during the great drought of 1864-65 but he survived. When the government resumed much of his Piltimitiappa run for farming lands in the Hundred of Tomkinson in 1892 he received £4,000 for his improvements to the land. William Dare also held at various times Oopina run near Waukaringa, and Paratoo run near Yunta.

 

Collinsville station. Henry Collings, born in 1832, arrived in South Australia from Devonshire in 1846 with his parents. Both he and his father John worked in the Burra copper mines. Henry saved his money and bought a team of bullocks around 1849 to cart copper ore to Port Adelaide. In 1856 he married a local Burra girl and then began delivering flux from Iron Mine at Leighton to the Burra smelters with his bullocks. North of Burra John Hallett and his brother Alfred took out leases that covered much of the later Collinsville station. Henry Collings purchased his first land at Mt Bryan in 1856 and he made his home there. After the birth of his second son in 1859 he changed his family name to Collins. This second son John Collins went on to found Collinsville station. Meantime Henry Collins purchased more land in the Hundred of Kingston which he called Lucernedale homestead. Hundreds in the marginal lands beyond Goyder’s Line we e surveyed into Hundreds in the mid to late 1870s following a few years of above average rainfall. By 1884 much of this land had been returned to the government as farming was not viable. At this time Henry Collins took his chance to breed Merino sheep at his Lucernedale farm and he leased lands in the eastern district beyond Mt Bryan East to Mallett. His son John Collins however also leased land from 1879 and founded Collinsville stud in 1895. Another brother bought adjoining Mallett station when it went up for sale in 1917. Collinsville went on to became a major Australia Merino stud and still is today. Father Henry Collins was a founder of the Mt Bryan East Bible Christian Church which was built in 1871 and is located on the Dares Hill Circuit.

 

John Collins and his family moved to the present Collinsville homestead site in 1884. He soon build a stone homestead, managers houses, workers cottages and a grand stone shearing shed etc. By 1894 it was a property of about 18,000 acres. The homestead with French doors to the veranda was built in 1905 with blue stone and local limestone. It sis till occupied. Another 85,000 acres was added to Collinsville in the early 1900s. By 1912 the property was 112,000 acres. In the 1920s John bought land near Booborowie to grow lucerne for fodder to “drought proof” the station. Founder John Collins and his wife died with four days of each other in 1932. Their son Art Collins continued to improve the Collinsville stud. He died in 1969 when Collinsville stud was at its height of renown. In more recent times Collinsville Pastoral Company owned Mallett, Collinsville, Pulpara, Willara and Wymong stations. Collinsville was sold by the Handbury family to George Millington in 2020.

 

Mallett. When the town of Mallet was surveyed in the Hundred of Tomkinson in 1881 only nine of 500 town allotments were sold. It never developed as no buildings were ever erected there. The non-existent town officially ceased to exist in 1928. Maurice Collins bought it in 1917 and ran it as another successful Merino sheep stud.

 

Ketchowla.

Ketchowla run was taken out by Christopher Giles in 1853. He selected a spot near a spring for the head station area of the run on the edge of the ranges. It covered an area of 135 square miles, or 86,400 acres. Much of the leasehold was in flat saltbush country. When Giles sold the run in 1860 it included the spring and two bores, a seven room stone homestead, which still stands albeit in ruins, a shearing shed, stockyards and four workers cottages. Hillary Boucart bought half the leasehold and ran it with Christopher Giles’ son Alfred. But the big northern drought of 1864 to 1866 in South Australia saw their sheep flock reduced and the pair had to sell Ketchowla leasehold. The new owner was Frederick Austin who in turn tried to sell the leasehold in 1873 when Ketchowla was 245 square miles, or 156,800 acres in size. In 1874 the property was acquired by Sir Thomas Elder. Sir Thomas Elder held about a dozen massive outback South Australian stations as well as some in partnership with others. He probably kept Fredrick Austin on Ketchowla as his manager. In 1880 the Hundred of Ketchowla was declared with the government hoping it could become a farming district after some high rainfall years. 223 square miles of Ketchowla leasehold were resumed by the government for survey and then for sale from Frederick Austin the then current leaseholder on behalf of Sir Thomas Elder. From 1880 drought years soon returned and by 1880 farmers were generally sceptical and this afforded Frederick Austin the opportunity continue his leasehold of Ketchowla on an annual basis. By then William Dearlove was working on the station as the manager. But in 1883 Austin attempted to sell the 233 leasehold. After some years only three small sections of land had been bought freehold in the Hundred of Ketchowla. Austin continued on Ketchowla station for some years but from 1886 William Dearlove was the man in charge and he took over the leasehold entirely in 1890 until he died in 1914. His descendants were still the leaseholders of Ketchowla well into the 1980s.

 

🚀 Dive into the future with VertVision Pro! ✨

 

Experience the enchanting world of modern tech at a steal for just 75L in the Saturday Sale! 🎉

 

With two dazzling colors and 16 preset eyes, plus the option to add your own, it's a journey you won't want to miss! 🌈

 

maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/BackBone/34/174/2106

Sylvan Lake is a lake located in Custer State Park, in the Black Hills of South Dakota, United States. Created in 1881 when Theodore Reder built a dam (the Sylvan Lake Water Dam) across Sunday Gulch Creek. The lake area offers picnic places, rock climbing, small rental boats, swimming, and hiking trails. It is also popular as a starting point for excursions to Black Elk Peak and The Needles. A hotel was operated on the shore of the lake in the early 20th century. The lake was featured in Disney's 2007 film National Treasure: Book of Secrets. The film made the lake appear to be located directly behind Mount Rushmore when in reality it is actually five miles southwest of Mount Rushmore.

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sylvan_Lake_(South_Dakota)

 

Sylvan Lake is probably the most recognizable of the five Custer State Park lakes, and of any of the Black Hills lakes for that matter. Its definitely a favorite of almost anyone who has seen it, especially photographers, artists or anyone that saw the Nicolas Cage movie "National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets" (although the location may seem off). Sylvan Lake is a very popular spot for weddings and other special occasions or as the most beautiful swimming hole one could possibly find. Sylvan Lake has been one of the park's most popular spots since before the park even existed and because of that, it has almost every amenity imaginable from rooms and fine-dining in the historic Sylvan Lake Lodge, to campsites (sorry, no large RVs or trailers), a general store, amazing hiking trails and more. There's also a swimming beach and boat rentals (non-motorized only) where visitors can rent paddle boats, canoes or other watercraft rentals. Fishing is allowed in any one of Custer State Park's lakes with a valid South Dakota fishing license. Any Black Hills vacation would not be complete without a day spent exploring and enjoying all that this crown jewel of Custer State Park (which, by the way, is considered one of the best state parks in America) holds.

Source: www.blackhillsbadlands.com/places/sylvan-lake

 

Custer State Park is a South Dakota State Park and wildlife reserve in the Black Hills, United States. The park is South Dakota's largest and first state park, named after Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer. The area originally started out as sixteen sections, but was later changed into one block of land because of the challenges of the terrain. The park began to grow rapidly in the 1920s and gained new land. During the 1930s the Civilian Conservation Corps built miles of roads, laid out parks and campgrounds, and built three dams that set up a future of water recreation at the park. In 1964 an additional 22,900 acres (93 km2) were added to the park. The park covers an area of over 71,000 acres (287 km2) of hilly terrain and is home to many wild animals. The park is home to a famous herd of 1500 free roaming bison. Elk, coyotes, mule deer, white tailed deer, mountain goats, prairie dogs, bighorn sheep, river otters, pronghorn, cougars, and feral burros also inhabit the park. The park is famous for its scenery, its scenic drives (Needles Highway and the wildlife loop), with views of the bison herd and prairie dog towns. This park is easily accessible by road from Rapid City. Other nearby attractions are Wind Cave National Park, Mount Rushmore, Jewel Cave National Monument, Crazy Horse Memorial, and Badlands National Park. The popularity of the park grew in 1927, when U.S. President Calvin Coolidge made it his "summer White House" and announced from the Black Hills that he would not seek a second full term in office in the election of 1928.

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Custer_State_Park

Watching British Airways marketing yesterday launch activity around the re-opening of transatlantic operations reminded me of this Marketing in 1991 after the Gulf War.

  

The early 1990s was not a good era for BA.

 

Traffic fell away sharply during the 1990 Gulf War, which also led to the destruction of one of its Boeing 747 aircraft in Kuwait, with demand falling by about 30%.

 

BA was also facing increased competition at Heathrow with American Airlines and United Airlines securing route authorities from Trans World Airlines and Pan American World Airways. Virgin Atlantic was to also shortly secure access to Heathrow.

 

In March 1991, former BA Chairman Lord King described the situation as “The engine of consumer demand did not just idle in neutral, it sputtered to a complete stop” and “now it needs a kick start”.

 

“The World’s Biggest Offer”

So BA hatched a plan.

 

It gave away in a ballot every single seat on every international flight to and from the UK, including Concorde, on 23 April 1991. This was equivalent to around 50,000 free tickets. The 20,000 passengers who had already booked flights on that day would receive a voucher towards the purchase of a new flight.

 

Passengers could either apply in person at BA ticket offices or through newspaper entry forms.

 

The promotion was kept under wraps until it broke on the same day around the world in March 1991 – an achievement in itself given this pre-dated the internet.

 

BA’s ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi booked space in newspapers in over 70 countries around the world for the promotion. Bogus adverts were placed with the newspapers and then swapped at the eleventh hour.

 

It is estimated that some 500 million people read about the offer, 200 million saw it on TV and 5.7 million people entered the ballot for a free flight.

 

There is of course no more powerful marketing tool than getting something for free. The promotion was considered a success with passenger numbers returning to their original level within 120 days.

  

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20191010_Pino_MmmhCouldBeYummyWillTry

I was offered this camera dirt cheap and bought it without knowing anything about it. It turned out to be a half frame camera with the discontinued «rapid» film cartridge system from Agfa which competed with the Kodak 126 cartridge. I guess both companies lost that race. But this camera still works! Here is a sample shot from the Mamiya Myrapid: flic.kr/p/2fX9uSZ

 

This picture is taken with an Agfa Silette (1953) with only scale focus. The shutter speed was set to 1/25 (slowest) and apperture to 4 (3.5 is the widest). The film I used for this picture was Fujifilm Neopan Acros 100 developed in D-76.

Pakistan offered some very fine 76cm gauge steam. One of the lines was Kohat - Thal. In 1983 we took the train for the full journey. There was no first class, only a sleeper car! The guard persisted we should pay the sleeper fare, but after I proved I could not stretch my body on the short (76 cm gauge!) benches, he laughed and let us be.

27.November 2020

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This annually organized festival offers tourists to attend folk dances and music concerts. This festival provides an exclusive opportunity to witness the creative ingenuity of the artisans and craftspeople. Nearly 32 cultural troupes from various districts of Gujarat participates in the Dance and Musical Carnival. This festival is being held in them month of December and last for a 3-4 days but this time it was held for a month.

These performances are held in the Salt (White) desert but because of the unexpected rain showers it was cancelled for a few days so i was not able witness it myself. A grand Tent City of 400 tents, consisting of both air- conditioned and non-air-conditioned tents is set up on the outskirt of bordering village of Dhorado (Kutch). So i one can stay there and enjoy the cultural evenings and from this place they also organize bus tours to the city.

 

Please do not copy, use and modify any of my photographs without my explicit written permission. All rights reserved

Soft and shy - only a killer if you are a mouse.

Hotel Fontego – A View of Cherso at the Beginning of the 20th Century

 

12329 R Cres Cherso – Hotel-Restaurant Fontego

~ 1921

 

An old postcard from the beginning of the 20th century offers us an extraordinary view of Cherso (Cres) at a time when the town was beginning to open itself to tourism. In the upper left corner of the postcard, one can read “Hotel-Restaurant Fontego, Cherso”, while the large inscription “HOTEL PENSION” dominates the façade of the building. This is the Hotel Fontego, one of the most interesting hotels in Cherso at that time.

 

The building stands directly beside the mandracchio, the small town harbour that for centuries had been the centre of Cherso’s maritime life. The hotel’s guests were not simply close to the sea: the sea was literally at the hotel’s doorstep. In front of the building we can see boats, small vessels and sailing ships, while along the waterfront move local inhabitants, travellers and sailors. Cherso was still deeply connected with the sea, and everyday life, trade, fishing and travel all took place along this waterfront.

 

The Fontego itself is much older than the hotel. The building was constructed as early as the 15th century on an area created by filling in part of the sea, and originally served as the town’s public granary, a fontego. Over the centuries it changed its function several times and was also used for administrative and educational purposes, before being converted into a hotel at the end of the 19th century.

 

The postcard shows the building in its new role as a hotel, at the beginning of the 20th century. The façade is simple and regular, with large windows and shutters. On the upper floor, the large inscription HOTEL PENSION stands out, functioning as an advertisement for travellers arriving in Cherso by sea. The postcard itself also indicates the presence of a restaurant, describing the establishment as “Hotel-Restaurant Fontego.”

 

The scene in front of the hotel is particularly evocative. Local inhabitants and travellers gather along the waterfront, while small boats can be seen on the water. On one of the boats, passengers appear to be boarding or disembarking. The scene illustrates how closely Cherso was connected with the sea at that time: the harbour was a means of communication, a landing place, a meeting point and almost a town square on the water.

 

In the background appears the compact urban fabric of historic Cherso, with its houses, palaces and characteristic red-tiled roofs; behind the town rise the island’s hills. The postcard therefore preserves an entire urban landscape: the hotel, the mandracchio, the boats, the travellers, the old houses and the hills in the background.

 

The name Fontego is also interesting. The Venetian term referred to a building used for storage and trade, where goods were kept and merchants could conduct their business. The Fontego of Cherso therefore represents a particularly significant transformation: from a Venetian-era public granary, through various public functions, into a hotel and restaurant serving travellers and the first tourists.

 

The Hotel Fontego was therefore not an isolated hotel detached from the rest of the town. Its position on the mandracchio made it an integral part of urban life. A traveller arriving in Cherso by ship at the beginning of the 20th century would have found himself immediately immersed in the atmosphere of the town: before him were the harbour, the historic centre and the hotel.

 

For this reason, this old postcard does not merely depict a hotel. It is a small historical document of the birth of modern tourism in Cherso, as well as of the transformation of the town from a traditional maritime centre into a new tourist destination.

 

The Hotel Fontego would later become known as the Hotel Cres, but this old postcard preserves the moment when it still bore its historic name, and when, at its very doors, the centuries-old maritime tradition of Cherso met the new world of tourism.

  

Hotel Fontego – hotel uz creski Mandrać

12329 R Cres Cherso - Hotel - Restaurant Fontego ~ 1921.

Jedna stara razglednica s početka 20. stoljeća pruža nam izvanredan pogled na Cres u vremenu kada se grad počeo otvarati turizmu. U gornjem lijevom kutu razglednice stoji njemački natpis „Hotel-Restaurant Fontego, Cherso“, dok na samoj zgradi velikim slovima piše „HOTEL PENSION“. Pred nama je tako Hotel Fontego, jedan od najzanimljivijih creskih hotela svoga vremena.

Zgrada se nalazi neposredno uz Mandrać, malu gradsku luku koja je stoljećima bila središte pomorskog života Cresa. Gosti hotela nisu boravili samo uz more – more je doslovno bilo pred njihovim vratima. Pred zgradom se vide brodice, čamci i jedrilice, a uz rivu ljudi koji dolaze i odlaze iz luke. Cres je tada još uvijek bio izrazito pomorski grad, u kojemu su se svakodnevni život, trgovina, ribarstvo i putovanja odvijali upravo uz ovu obalu.

Sam je Fontego mnogo stariji od hotela. Zgrada je podignuta još u 15. stoljeću na prostoru dobivenom nasipanjem mora, a izvorno je služila kao gradska žitnica – fontego. Kroz stoljeća mijenjala je namjene; bila je povezana s gradskom upravom i školom, da bi krajem 19. stoljeća dobila novu, hotelsku funkciju.

Razglednica pokazuje kako je ta stara građevina početkom 20. stoljeća izgledala u svojoj hotelskoj ulozi. Pročelje je jednostavno i pravilno oblikovano, s velikim prozorima i karakterističnim kapcima. Na gornjoj etaži posebno se ističe veliki natpis HOTEL PENSION, koji je bio svojevrsna reklama putnicima koji su u Cres pristizali morskim putem. Uz hotelski dio spominje se i restoran, što je jasno navedeno na samoj razglednici.

Posebno je dojmljiv prizor ispred hotela. Uz kamenu obalu okupljeni su stanovnici i putnici, dok se u vodi nalaze male barke. Na jednom od čamaca upravo se odvija ukrcaj ili iskrcaj putnika. Takvi prizori pokazuju koliko je tadašnji Cres bio vezan uz more: luka je bila prometnica, pristanište, mjesto susreta i svojevrsni gradski trg na vodi.

U pozadini se vidi gusto izgrađeni povijesni Cres s kućama, palačama i crvenim krovovima, a iznad grada uzdiže se otočni krajolik. Na razglednici je tako sačuvan gotovo čitav jedan creski ambijent – hotel, Mandrać, brodice, putnici, gradske kuće i brda u pozadini.

Zanimljivo je i samo ime Fontego. Mletačka riječ označavala je skladišno-trgovačku zgradu, odnosno mjesto gdje se roba pohranjivala i gdje su trgovci mogli boraviti i poslovati. Creski Fontego tako je kroz stoljeća doživio zanimljivu preobrazbu: od mletačke gradske žitnice, preko javne zgrade, do hotela i restorana namijenjenog putnicima i turistima.

Hotel Fontego pritom nije bio izolirani turistički objekt. Njegov položaj uz Mandrać činio ga je dijelom samog gradskog života. Putnik koji bi početkom 20. stoljeća stigao u Cres brodom praktički je odmah ulazio u njegovu atmosferu: pred njim su bili luka, stari grad i hotel. Upravo zato ova razglednica nije samo prikaz jednog hotela – ona je mali dokument o početku modernog turizma u Cresu i o prijelazu grada iz tradicionalnog pomorskog središta prema turističkom odredištu.

Hotel Fontego kasnije će postati poznat kao Hotel Cres, ali stara razglednica sačuvala je trenutak kada je još nosio svoje povijesno ime i kada su se pred njegovim vratima susretali stari creski pomorski život i novi svijet turizma.

Hotel Fontego – una veduta di Cherso all’inizio del XX secolo

12329 R Cres Cherso - Hotel - Restaurant Fontego ~ 1921.

 

Una vecchia cartolina dell’inizio del XX secolo ci offre una straordinaria veduta di Cherso nel periodo in cui la città cominciava ad aprirsi al turismo. Nell’angolo superiore sinistro della cartolina si legge «Hotel-Restaurant Fontego, Cherso», mentre sulla facciata dell’edificio campeggia la grande scritta «HOTEL PENSION». Si tratta dell’Hotel Fontego, uno degli alberghi più interessanti della Cherso di quell’epoca.

L’edificio sorge direttamente accanto al mandracchio, il piccolo porto cittadino che per secoli fu il centro della vita marittima di Cherso. Gli ospiti dell’albergo non erano semplicemente vicini al mare: il mare era letteralmente davanti alla porta dell’hotel. Di fronte all’edificio si vedono barche, piccoli battelli e velieri, mentre lungo la riva si muovono abitanti, viaggiatori e marinai. Cherso era allora ancora profondamente legata al mare e la vita quotidiana, il commercio, la pesca e gli spostamenti si svolgevano proprio lungo questa costa.

Lo stesso Fontego è molto più antico dell’albergo. L’edificio fu costruito già nel XV secolo su un'area ottenuta attraverso il riempimento del mare e originariamente serviva come granaio pubblico della città, uno fontego. Nel corso dei secoli cambiò più volte funzione: fu utilizzato anche per attività amministrative e scolastiche, fino a essere trasformato in albergo alla fine del XIX secolo.

La cartolina mostra l’edificio nella sua nuova funzione alberghiera, all’inizio del XX secolo. La facciata è semplice e regolare, caratterizzata da grandi finestre e persiane. Al piano superiore spicca la grande scritta HOTEL PENSION, una sorta di insegna pubblicitaria destinata ai viaggiatori che arrivavano a Cherso dal mare. La stessa cartolina indica anche la presenza del ristorante, definendo l’esercizio come «Hotel-Restaurant Fontego».

Particolarmente suggestiva è la scena davanti all’albergo. Lungo la riva sono raccolti abitanti e viaggiatori, mentre sull’acqua si vedono piccole imbarcazioni. Su una delle barche sembra essere in corso l’imbarco o lo sbarco dei passeggeri. La scena mostra quanto la Cherso di quell’epoca fosse legata al mare: il porto era una via di comunicazione, un approdo, un luogo d’incontro e quasi una piazza cittadina sull’acqua.

Sullo sfondo appare il tessuto compatto della Cherso storica, con le sue case, i palazzi e i caratteristici tetti rossi; dietro la città si innalza il paesaggio collinare dell’isola. La cartolina conserva quindi un intero ambiente urbano: l’albergo, il mandracchio, le imbarcazioni, i viaggiatori, le antiche case e le colline sullo sfondo.

È interessante anche il nome Fontego. Il termine veneziano indicava un edificio adibito a deposito e commercio, dove le merci venivano conservate e dove i mercanti potevano svolgere le proprie attività. Il Fontego di Cherso rappresenta quindi una trasformazione particolarmente significativa: da granaio pubblico di epoca veneziana, attraverso diverse funzioni pubbliche, a hotel e ristorante destinato ai viaggiatori e ai primi turisti.

L’Hotel Fontego non era dunque un albergo isolato dal resto della città. La sua posizione sul mandracchio lo rendeva parte integrante della vita urbana. Un viaggiatore che fosse arrivato a Cherso in nave all’inizio del XX secolo si sarebbe trovato immediatamente immerso nell’atmosfera della città: davanti a lui c’erano il porto, il centro storico e l’hotel.

Per questo motivo questa vecchia cartolina non rappresenta soltanto un albergo. È un piccolo documento della nascita del turismo moderno a Cherso, ma anche della trasformazione della città da tradizionale centro marittimo a nuova destinazione turistica.

L’Hotel Fontego sarebbe in seguito diventato noto come Hotel Cres, ma questa antica cartolina conserva il momento in cui portava ancora il suo storico nome e quando, davanti alle sue porte, la secolare tradizione marittima di Cherso incontrava il nuovo mondo del turismo.

 

12329 R Cres Cherso - Hotel - Restaurant Fontego ~ 1921.

Italien / Belluno - Colac (Il Collaccio) (2.715 m)

 

seen from Viel del Pan Path

 

gesehen vom Bindelweg

 

Hike on the Viel del Pan Path to Lake Fedaia

 

At the feet of the mighty Marmolada: the walking tour across the Viel del Pan near Canazei in the Val di Fassa offers spectacular views on the Dolomites.

 

Goal of our walking tour is the Lago di Fedaia on the same-named saddle across the Viel del Pan. This name is Ladin, it means “bread path” and is also marked in the Ladin version. It follows the 2,400 m high ridge between the Sella and Marmolada. We start at Canazei where we take the Belvedere-funicular which brings us up to Pecol. There it is possible to take another funicular up to the Col dei Rossi but this time we decide to walk up these last 400 meters. Here the landscape is characterized by Alpine meadows. The sweet marmots are not that shy, we can approach before they disappear in their holes.

 

Parallel the Downhill-Bike-Slope the path leads up quite steeply, across flower meadows and with the view on the Sella and Saslonch mountain groups. Arrived at the Col dei Rossi the panoramic view is awesome! Here the real Viel del Pan starts, it proceeds to the Viel del Pan mountain hut and further towards the Passo Fedaia. It is worth walking up to the Sass Capel for a short part, from the ridge you have a gorgeous view on the Sella and the peaks of the Fanes mountain group in Alta Badia.

 

Opposite we have the mighty glacier of the Marmolada with the blue lake of Fedaia below. There the Viel del Pan ends. The descent to the Passo Fedaia requires step security, the path is narrow and steep. Finally arrived at the bottom we take the local bus to come back to Canazei.

 

(trentino.com)

 

Colàc - also Collàc - is the highest summit of the Colàc-Buffaure Subgroup within the Marmolada Group. It is a mountain of many faces - broad and massive when seen from the eastern and western sides it looks like a high and narrow tower from the north while from the south it appears to be a medium sized rock popping up out of the surrounding meadows. Forca Neigra to the south of Colàc is just 200m lower than the summit and quite naturally it is here where the normal route starts.

 

Though located in a perfect lookout position Colàc didn't see too many visitors before 1980. In that year a ferrata was established on the mountain's north face. The Via Ferrata dei Finanzieri is one of the more difficult ferrate in the Dolomites. It traverses the steep northern base of Colàc which is notorious for rockfall induced by other parties higher up on the face. Due to its steepness the ascent of Colàc can be done in less than 2 1/2 hours.

 

This, of course, is due to the fact that there is a cable-car leading up from Penia to the Ciampac meadows directly at the base of the mountain. A second stage can take you to Sella Brunec while another cable-car heads for the Buffaure summit. All three are within a mere hour's hike apart from each other. Loneliness is something you will certainly not encounter in the vicinity of the mountain. Still - thanks to the difficult routes - the summit is far less crowded.

 

As said above, Colàc is a grade A outlook peak. The setting is perfect to the west of the Dolomite's highest summit Marmolada with all the Groups of the western Dolomites all around. Though not taken from the top (rather from the base near Forca Neigra) this panorama gives a good indication of what you can expect.

 

(summitpost.org)

 

Wanderung über den Bindelweg zum Fedaia See

 

Zu Füßen der mächtigen Marmolada: Die Wanderung über den Bindelweg bei Canazei im Fassatal ist Synonym für spektakuläre Ausblicke auf die Dolomiten.

 

Der Fedaia-See am gleichnamigen Passübergang ist das Ziel unserer Wanderung über den Bindelweg. Ladinisch auch unter dem Namen "Viel del Pan" (Brotweg) bekannt und so markiert, folgt er dem etwa 2.400 m hohen "kleinen" Kamm zwischen Sella und Marmolada. Wir starten in Canazei und nutzen die Belvedere-Kabinenbahn, die uns bis nach Pecol bringt. Von dort aus würde eine Seilbahn bis hoch zum Col dei Rossi fahren, aber diese letzten 400 m Steigung möchten wir lieber erwandern. Die Landschaft hier unter dem Pordoi-Joch ist von Almwiesen geprägt. Die süßen Murmeltiere, die hier ihre Gänge graben, scheinen Wanderer gewöhnt zu sein und lassen uns recht nahe heran kommen, bevor sie in ihrem Bau verschwinden.

 

Parallel zu Downhill-Bike-Piste geht es recht steil hoch, über Blumenwiesen und mit Sicht auf Sella und Langkofelgruppe. Dass die Wolken die Sonne immer wieder verdecken, ist ein Segen, der den Aufstieg weniger schweißtreibend macht. Am Col dei Rossi angekommen, ist die Aussicht wirklich der Hammer. Rosengarten, Platt- und Langkofel, Sella und natürlich die Marmolada mit dem Gran Vernel. Hier beginnt der eigentliche Bindelweg, der als Fahrweg zuerst bis zur Viel del Pan-Hütte führt. Von dort aus geht es dann über einen Wanderpfad weiter in Richtung Fedaiapass. Es lohnt sich, den Weg ein Stück zum Sass Capel hoch zu gehen, von der Kammhöhe aus kann man herrlich auf die Sellagruppe und die Gipfel von Alta Badia (Fanesgruppe) blicken.

 

Auf der anderen Seite steht der mächtige Marmolata-Gletscher und darunter der blaue Fedaia-See. Dort endet auch der Bindelweg. Der Abstieg zum Passo Fedaia verlangt doch ein wenig Trittsicherheit, um auf den engen Serpentinen durch die steilen Wiesenhänge nicht auszurutschen. Unten angekommen, nutzen wir den Linienbus, um nach Canazei zurück zu gelangen.

 

(trentino.com)

 

Colac ( Il Collaccio) ist ein Berg in den Dolomiten von Italien. Der Berg liegt im Norden der Provinz Trentino in der Nähe des Skigebiets Canazei. Mit 2.715 Metern ist es der höchste Gipfel der Colac-Buffaure-Untergruppe, der Teil der Marmolada-Gruppe ist.

 

Der Berg hatte nur wenige Besucher, bis die Via Ferrata dei Finanzieri gegründet wurde. Eine Seilbahn fährt von Penia zu den Ciampac-Wiesen direkt am Fuße des Berges.

 

(de.wikibrief.org)

Call me Snake offers an optimistic provocation – ‘imagine what could be here’ by Judy Millar. On a walk into the city October 3, 2015 Christchurch New Zealand.

 

The work is comprised of vibrant graphics of Millar’s looped paintings, which are adhered to five intersecting flat planes, and draws inspiration from the forms found in pop-up books. The colourful piece will add a dramatic and rhythmic counterpoint to the city’s current urban landscape — a mix of flattened sites, construction zones and defiant buildings that have stood through the quakes. The work employs theatricality, playfulness and visual trickery, whereby the viewer is unsure about the work’s flatness or three-dimensionality; and it has been designed to offer a different perspective from each angle. The bright colours interrupt the grey of the work’s surrounds, and as buildings pop up around it,

SCAPE 8, New Intimacies curated by Rob Garrett was a contemporary art event which mixed new artworks with existing legacy pieces, an education programme, and a public programme of events. The SCAPE 8 artworks were located around central Christchurch and linked via a public art walkway. All aspects of SCAPE 8 were free-to-view.

 

The title for the 2015 Biennial – New Intimacies – came from the idea that visually striking and emotionally engaging public art works can create new connections between people and places. Under the main theme of New Intimacies there are three other themes that artists responded to: Sight-Lines, Inner Depths and Shared Strengths.

For more Info: www.scapepublicart.org.nz/scape-8-judy-millar

On the airplane, Floyd had watched as a father, about his age, jerked on his child’s arm to keep her quiet. You could tell it was her first time on an airplane, and it wasn’t an experience she enjoyed. Despite that, her parental figure offered no comfort. Just the stern, hard, beratement of a parent on the edge. It disturbed him to see, and the fact that it disturbed him made him maybe even more uneasy than the sight itself.

 

Once landed, the man dragged his daughter bodily, kicking and screaming through the terminal. Floyd shouldered his bag, grimaced, and made himself forget the sight. Instead, he shouldered his bag and trudged to the pickup zone where, just barely, he managed to hail a cab.

 

It was rare times like this when he was glad he wasn’t dead.

 

The cab pulled up to Vern Reed road, and Floyd had him stop there. His subconscious paranoia forbidding him from letting the cab driver see where he was really going. He payed the man, and watch him recede and disappear into the urban prairie. He took in the heavy, November air and started to walk. From the shadows of a nearby alley, beady eyes watched him. He wasn’t fool enough to believe that at least a few of the locals didn’t hold animosity towards him, not after what he did those three fateful years ago, but at this point, there was too few of them for it to matter. They knew who he was. They knew their place.

 

Finally, Floyd reach it: Schwartz Court. He was almost to the door when he realized he hadn’t lit a single cigarette the entire day.

 

Before he could have another thought, the door was slammed open, and an eleven year old girl was hugging him around the waist fiercely, shouting in joy, nearly hopping up and down.

 

“Hey Kiddo,” he said, “Surprise!”

 

In the doorway leaned Michelle Torres, her mother, arms crossed, smiling warmly. She called him ‘Killer’ as he approached, the girl’s hand in his, and kissed him on the cheek. He smiled as best he could, and begged her not to call him that. No promises, she told him, and led them both inside and up the elevator.

 

Floyd Lawton would never consider himself a family man. After shooting his mother in the back in return for what she had done to him, family was barely a word Floyd was used to. The idea of family ran him cold, and dropped him back into that same emotional stasis tank that he remained in almost exclusively. However, there was a warmth that filled him every time he walked through that door. A dull glow that maybe he didn’t notice himself, but Michelle picked up on every time he was around her.

 

He glowed even brighter around Zoe.

 

Proudly, she sat at the kitchen table, showing her father her drawings; her unintentionally impressionistic renderings of Supergirl, Wonder Woman, and what looked to Floyd like Aquaman in Power Girl’s boots. He beamed pouring over every shoddy line, and told her that she was a damn fine artist. He balked however, when she asked him to draw Batman, chanting the caped crusader’s name continuously, prompting dark laughter from Michelle, and nervous sweating from Floyd. Roughly, untrained, Floyd heaved a crayon between his fingers and began to hew away at the paper. The result was a primitive, blocky swath of shapes that, from the right angle, almost looked like the cape and cowl of The Bat.

 

Zoe narrowed her eyes at the drawing, and a look of intense concentration came over her face, until finally she declared to her father that Batman looked dead. He’s not dead, he told her, but maybe Robin accidentally smacked him with the Batmobile.

 

Everything was going almost unsettlingly well. After his brush with Psimon, Floyd would be lying if he said he wasn’t just a little suspicious that maybe, just maybe, none of this was even real. The thought, however, of this entire scenario being fantasy, drove him to a place that was darker than even he was used to, and with some effort, he pushed it from his mind. They were halfway through dinner when Zoe declared she wanted to be just like her dad when she grew up, and all the color drained from Floyd’s face. Before Michelle could say anything, before Floyd could stop himself, he gently laid his hand on hers and told her that was sweet and all, but Kiddo, his job’s not all that great, and he’s not around nearly enough, and she was gonna go to school, and get a damn fine job that put what he did to shame.

 

When she asked him what he *did* do, he took a deep breath, and told her he was a cleaner.

 

After dinner, Michelle sent Zoe up to brush her teeth and get ready for bed. Floyd sat at the table, nursing a whiskey, and staring intently at the drawing of Batman. I think you’ve got a career ahead of you, Michelle told him. Floyd smiled softly, said art was never his calling, and pushed the drawing away. He asked her if she was doing alright, his hand resting on her cheek. There was darkness under her eyes, but she told him she was doing just fine. That she missed him sometimes, But she was glad he wasn’t around all the time, even if Zoe maybe would do better with a father.

 

He told her he understood though. He brought danger and destruction everywhere he went. The first time he had visited the Triangle, had learned of his daughter’s existence, he left a long and bloody trail in his wake. It was to assure their safety, but it was done in the most brutal way possible. The only way Floyd knew.

 

Despite that, they were happy to see each other, and as evidenced, Zoe was absolutely thrilled.

 

He asked her if anything had come up lately. If anyone had been trying to shake down the neighborhood, or threatened her or anyone in the building. At that, a spark lit up in Michelle’s eyes as she told him sternly, oh no, you’re not shooting your way though anymore problems. Not here, Lawton, not in this town. Please, if not for her, then for Zoe.

 

It was then, as if on cue, that there was a knock on the door. Floyd volunteered to get it, and made his way to the door. On the way, he stopped by the hallway’s chest of drawers, and withdrew a pistol he had hidden, taped to the bottom of the cabinet. Slowly, he creaked open the door just enough to see the three ill-dressed young men outside. He recognized their beady eyes, and the shiftiness in their posture. He recognized the colors on their arms. They wanted to talk to him. They wanted in. They wanted to deliver a message. Floyd shut the door, slipped the gun into the back of his pants, declared to Michelle that he was stepping out for a moment. If she had any protest, any consternation for what she knew was about to happen, she kept it back, and just told him to be back in time to tuck Zoe in.

 

He stepped out, and told them quietly what they were doing was suicide. That no matter the outcome, they would not survive. That this was sacrilege, to follow him to where his child and her mother lived. They sneered and leered, and told him they were taking their turf back. And no old man with a pedo-stache was going to stop them. His time was over, it was time for the gangs to take Star City’s Triangle back for themselves.

Floyd sighed, and offered them an out. He bade them follow him, and was mildly surprised when they did. He led them out on the street and asked if they were armed. In response, they each withdrew a pistol. Alright, Floyd said, let’s make a deal. He flipped open the near-antique six-shooter and dropped all the bullets out of it, save for the one in the chamber.

 

Here’s the deal, he said, leading them through one of the dingy side streets to a warehouse a few blocks away. You ever see Westerns? Well this is a shootout. You all get one clip’s worth of bullets to kill me, and I get one whole bullet to kill all three of you. You win, Triangle’s yours. I win, you’re dead, and I’ll make sure your posse knows it. Deal?

 

The three young men all smiled maliciously, agreed, and instantly withdrew their pistols, firing with wild abandon into the night air. Floyd grimaced, or was it a smile, and whipped behind some crates. Feeling the impact of the bullets on the wood, and gauging his surroundings. Finally, he saw it. With the crates being torn to pieces behind him, Deadshot whipped his arm out in one smooth, whip-like motion, and with a crack of thunder, fired at an overhanging steel lamp. The bullet pinged off the lamp and ricocheted back down to collide with an iron crossbeam, erect and rusting, and sending the bullet tearing through all three young men’s necks. Deadshot shook the ringing of gunfire out of his ears, returned the smoking gun to the back of his pants, and stepped out into the inky black night.

 

On his way back, he found the bullets he had dropped scattered on the ground. The metallic detritus of so many bloodsheds. He scooped them all up and dropped them into his pocket, jingling them around like change. In the distance, on the other side of the otherwise almost empty street, and older man in a long blue coat tugged viciously on the arm of a young girl in a pale pink dress, dragging her along behind him. Floyd grimaced, rolled the bullets around in his fingers, then went home to tuck in his daughter.

 

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