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……in the colors of Ukraine………………( HDR-Panorama )
Das Five Boats ist ein Bürogebäude im Innenhafen von Duisburg direkt an der Buckelbrücke und dem Hitachi Power Office.
Das 2004 fertiggestellte, siebenstöckige Bürogebäude wurde vom Stardesigner Sir Nicholas Grimshaw & Partners aus London entworfen, die Detailplanung stammt vom deutschen Architekturbüro Bahl und Partner, die Projektleitung hatte die Kölbl Kruse GmbH, die Bauausführung stammt von der Bilfinger Berger AG, die Baukosten betrugen 50 Millionen Euro. Vorgabe war möglichst vielen Büros eine Anbindung an das Wasser zu ermöglichen. Durch die ovale Form der fünf einzelnen Bootskörper und die Auffächerung nebeneinander haben fast alle Büros einen Ausblick auf den Innenhafen bzw. die Innenstadt von Duisburg. Die 35 Büroetagen sind alle identisch geschnitten und modular aufgebaut, sodass eine sehr flexible Nutzung möglich ist. In den hinteren, nur sechsgeschossigen Quertrakten sind die Technik- und Versorgungsräume untergebracht. Die gesamte Bürofläche beträgt 22.000 m². Mieter ist die Betriebskrankenkasse Novitas BKK.
Im Erdgeschoss sind Einzelhandelsgeschäfte und Gastronomie auf 1.500 m² untergebracht. Im Untergeschoss befinden sich 175 Tiefgaragenstellplätze.
Nachts erleuchten die vier hinteren Quertrakte mittels LED-Technik in unterschiedlichen Farben und strahlen die Wellaluminiumflächen der Bootskörper an. Die insgesamt 660 m² großen Beleuchtungsfläche wurde pro Verbindungstrakt in zwanzig Felder aufgeteilt, deren Farbverläufe oder Lichtstimmungen frei programmiert werden können. Das Lichtkonzept entwickelte die spectral Gesellschaft für Lichttechnik mbH.
The Five Boats is an office building in the inner harbor of Duisburg directly at the Buckelbrücke and the Hitachi Power Office.
The seven-storey office building, completed in 2004, was designed by the star designer Sir Nicholas Grimshaw & Partners from London, the detailed planning came from the German architects Bahl und Partner, the project was managed by Kölbl Kruse GmbH, the construction work came from Bilfinger Berger AG, the construction costs amounted to 50 million Euro. The requirement was to enable as many offices as possible to be connected to the water. Due to the oval shape of the five individual hulls and the fact that they are spread out next to each other, almost all offices have a view of the inner harbor or the city center of Duisburg. The 35 office floors all have an identical layout and are modular in structure, so that they can be used very flexibly. The technical and supply rooms are housed in the rear transverse wings, which are only six stories high. The total office space is 22,000 m². The tenant is the company health insurance company Novitas BKK.
Retail shops and restaurants are located on the ground floor on 1,500 m². There are 175 underground parking spaces in the basement.
At night, the four rear transverse wings are illuminated in different colors using LED technology and illuminate the corrugated aluminum surfaces of the hull. The total of 660 m² of lighting area was divided into twenty fields per connecting tract, whose color gradients or lighting moods can be freely programmed. The lighting concept was developed by spectral Gesellschaft für Lichttechnik mbH.
Macro Mondays theme Vibrant Minimalism
I had great fun with this theme. I love minimalism of all sorts and so this theme was right up my street.
These are yellow glass marbles on fluorescent magenta card and taken in direct daylight/sun through glass doors (although the sun kept dipping away producing a softer image of which this is an example). The marbles are just over 1cm in diameter and so this fits well within the groups requirements.
HMM!
At the container terminal in Bremerhaven there are many container gantry cranes. This one is still a very old one, which was built as a grid tube construction to bring less weight to the pier. With today's requirements, such a bridge is no longer sufficient. Completely different dimensions and designs are required.
Am Container Terminal in Bremerhaven stehen viele Container Verladebrücken. Diese hier ist noch eine sehr alte, die als Gitterrohr Konstruktion gebaut wurde, um weniger Gewicht auf die Pier zu bringen. Bei den heutigen Ansprüchen, reicht solch eine Brücke nicht mehr stand. Da sind ganz andere Dimensionen und Bauarten gefragt.
Omdat de Parkzaal in de Plantage te klein is geworden, komen een aantal mensen op 15-09-1881 bij elkaar en besluiten een 'Voorloopige Commissie tot het bouwen van een Concertzaal' te starten.
De Commissie benadert Pierre Cuypers, architect van het Rijksmuseum, voor het kiezen van een geschikte locatie. Het Concertgebouw ligt dan nog net buiten de gemeentegrens, in de weilanden van Nieuwer-Amstel.
Op 7-3-1882 zijn de plannen gemaakt voor een Naamloos Vennootschap met een startkapitaal van fl 400.00,= en aandelen die voor fl 1000,00 te koop worden aangeboden.
Op 8-7-1882 wordt de NV dan daadwerkelijk opgericht en is er nog maar fl 250.000,00 aan aandelen ingetekend.
Men kiest voor het ontwerp van de Amsterdamse architect Adolf Leonard (Dolf) van Gendt. De eisen voor deze bouw zijn simpel: Mag niet meer dan fl 300.00,00 kosten, moet plaats bieden aan 2000 toehoorders en passen op een terrein van 13x55 meter. Er worden geen eisen gesteld aan de bouwstijl.
Eind 1886 is het Concertgebouw afgerond, maar het wordt pas op 11-4-1888 geopend. Dit duurt zo lang door gebrek aan vertrouwen van de geldschieters en omdat er onenigheid is met de gemeente Nieuwer-Amstel over het dempen van een slootje, de bestrating van de toegangswegen en de levering van de straatverlichting.
Rijksmonument 288
Because the Park Hall in the Plantage has become too small, a number of people come together on 15-09-1881 and decide to start a 'Preliminary Commission to build a Concert Hall'.
The Commission is approaching Pierre Cuypers, architect of the Rijksmuseum, to choose a suitable location. The Concertgebouw is still just outside the municipal boundary, in the meadows of Nieuwer-Amstel.
On 7-3-1882 plans were made for a Limited Company with a starting capital of NLG 400.00 and shares that were offered for sale for NLG 1000.00.
On 8-7-1882 the NV was actually established and only NLG 250,000.00 in shares was subscribed.
The design of the Amsterdam architect Adolf Leonard (Dolf) van Gendt has been chosen. The requirements for this construction are simple: May not cost more than NLG 300,00.00, must accommodate 2000 audience members and fit on an area of 13x55 meters. There are no building style requirements.
The Concertgebouw was completed at the end of 1886, but it will not be opened until 11-4-1888. This is taking so long due to a lack of confidence from the lenders and because there is disagreement with the municipality of Nieuwer-Amstel about filling in a ditch, paving the access roads and supplying street lighting.
The Pazhassi Dam is a stone masonry diversion structure in Kannur district, Kerala, that was constructed across the west flowing Bavali river near Veliyambra. The dam meets the drinking water requirement of Kannur district. The reservoir is famous for its scenic beauty as seen in this shot.
Vancouver House is a neo-futurist residential skyscraper in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Construction of the skyscraper began in 2016 and was expected to be finished by the end of 2019, but completion was postponed to summer of 2020.[2][3]
Design
Vancouver House was designed by Danish architect Bjarke Ingels and structural engineers Buro Happold and Glotman Simpson. The design is based on a triangle that rises from the ground and gradually transitions into a rectangle as it ascends to the top.[5] The design reflects the constraints of developing the triangular-shaped plot of land immediately east of the Howe Street on-ramp of the Granville Street Bridge.[6] The east and west facades of the building feature box-shaped balconies, giving the building's exterior a honeycomb texture.[7]
Spinning Chandelier, a public art piece, was installed near the skyscraper as part of the city's rezoning requirement.
When I saw the challenge this month for the Summit group in Shift Art...Mystery...and the requirements I almost didn't try to work through a story. Then things feel into place. Thanks to the wonderful textures Caroline Julia Moore chose. It helped with the perfect scenario of photos from Pixabay! Title is: Antiquity Mystery.
Southern Pacific AC4400CW No. 100 rolls down Soldier Summit, approaching Colton, Utah on July 1, 1995. A revolution was underway in locomotive design. AC traction motors were used rather than DC, featuring a separate inverter per motor. The primary advantage of AC traction is an adhesion level that is up to 100% greater than DC, with much higher reliability and a reduced maintenance requirement. General Electric constructed 2,834 AC4400CW units for North American railroads between 1993 and 2004.
With the mess of CN lease power roaming the system, you never know what might end up leading. The latest in efficiency from EMD, the SD70AH-T4, which meets the EPA's tier 4 requirements, leads CN Q149 through the heart of Lansing, MI, with the classic source of municipal power in Lansing, the Otto Eckert coal fired power plant looming in the background. With a push to cleaner energy, Eckert is slated to be decommissioned in 2020, so for a little while, old school and new school can be cool together.
Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.
Romans 6:14
I'm not too sure if this is what you're looking for, but as the requirements did not mention avoiding a full body shot I decided to just go for it. I hope you like this
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Had a little disappointment today. I went to visit a friend in jail. My first trip...haven't seen him in 7 months. I read through the website for the dress code requirements. No tank top - check, no tube top - hahaha, no halter top, mini skirt, leggings, see-through clothing - got it. Shoes required - okey dokey. Ah...but apparently flip flops aren't shoes. Sandals ok, flip flops no. They neglected to post it anywhere. So I made the trip for nothing - they turned me away at the door. At least his sister (who I went with) was able to visit him for a bit.
Then tonight, Amanda and I headed to Vienna, Virginia for the Indigo Girls concert that she got tickets to for her birthday. It was a great, very laid back show with an impressive opening act. Thanks again Amanda for inviting me along!
Young artist Ariya McDonald is putting the finishing touches on a traffic light control box in Sandgate, Brisbane. I hadn't noticed this box previously, which Ariya tells me did not have a mural on it. There are very few unpainted ones around Brisbane now.
Apparently after your application to paint is accepted by the Brisbane City Council, it gives the artist a kit of gear including paint to do the work within two weeks. Ariya, who gave me permission to take her photo is a student at the local Sandgate District High School, which she pays tribute to on the side of the box. She has included books for learning and an Australian White Ibis which are prolific locally as the needed links to the area, a fundamental requirement for permission to paint.
Sunday is usually my flickr day off but we discovered Ariya working away as we went to the chemist today.
The 1991 season marked the introduction of the FIA’s new, and controversial, 3.5 Litre Formula which replaced the highly successful Group C category that had been used in the World Sports Car Championship since 1982. However, due to a small number of entries in the new 3.5 litre formula heavily penalised Group C cars were allowed participate in the newly created C2 category for the 1991 season but Jaguar participated in the new formula.
To comply with the new regulations Jaguar produced an all-new car, the XJR-14. It was designed by Ross Brawn and John Piper, and was built by Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR).[1] In the past, TWR's Jaguars had been designed under the direction of Tony Southgate, while Brawn worked with a large design staff (12 according to John Piper); a paradigm shift (albeit small) in its own right and reflective of Brawn's Formula One background.
The abandonment of the Group C fuel consumption regulations meant a change in aerodynamic design philosophy. Coupled that with vastly different packaging requirements for a small, light, normally aspirated engine meant that concerns over drag became a secondary requirement to downforce. The new design, lower kerb weight of 750 kg (1,653 lb) and higher downforce levels meant that the XJR-14 was a lot faster in corners compared to the previous Group C front runners.
Good News! LUXE. is looking for 5 new bloggers. Please make sure to read the requirements before applying! Applications close 10/2. Good luck :)
Application: goo.gl/forms/PFD4g8jQ9y
While likely a requirement for shipping bulk commodities in covered hoppers, I had never seen this piece of equipment in use at the ADM Plant in Kershaw.
Theme description: When one door closes, another one opens. That’s true in doll life as well! Create a photo that includes either a door or a doorway in the photo. There are many possibilities for this theme. Think traditional doors such as front doors and closets. Think less traditional doors such as car doors and doggy doors (OMGoodness, how cute is that?). Think reeeeaallly nontraditional doors such as a portal to a new dimension. You may also choose to not use a door at all and only include a doorway. How you approach this theme is entirely up to you. The only requirement for this challenge is that we must see a doll and a physical representation of a door/doorway in some way.
This photo:
Elizabeth: "Every time you are in a pinch for a theme, you grab me for a photo, which I wouldn't mind, except I never get *pretty* photos:
You show me folding laundry, cleaning out my freezer, eating ice cream on my kitchen floor, and now? Cleaning a shower door. Thanks, thanks a lot."
As you can see (and hear), Elizabeth is scrubbing at a glass shower door for this particular photo. Hopefully she'll at least be happy that this photo means a clean bathroom. ;)
The new boat lift was opened in 1962 and has a trough length of 90 meters, a width of 12 meters, and a draft of 3 meters.It was capable of lifting vessels of up to 1350 tonnes. This lift utilizes the same construction principles as the old lift but using only two floats in two float chambers.
The new lift soon became too small for the navigation's requirements and a new ship lock allowing boats 190 meters long and 12 meters wide, allowing a 4 meter displaced depth was built next to the lift in 1989.
The new lift was taken out of use in December 2005 because of technical problems. The lift may not be repaired on the grounds of cost and the decreased usage of Dortmund Port. Problems or maintenance requirements on the modern lock would, without the lift, bring about the closure of Dortmund Port.
San Francisco skyline - Potrero Hill
A classic view of San Francisco from a area that I have meant to photograph for a while now, but the conditions never matched that of the vision I had planed out in my mind. Either the light wasn't right, or I would get rained / fogged out. Whatever it was, the scene just never worked right for me.
This past week I spent the majority of my evenings running around San Francisco trying to capture some of the "life" of the city while working in some iconic spots in the process. While I have photographed a few of these icons over the past couple of years, most everything I have on my hard drives did not fit the requirements of the project I was working on. Each image needed to be in color, that was my first challenge. Most everything I do these days is intended to be B&W. Second, the images needed to be composed in horizontal format. Capturing city life with tall buildings in wide format is not easy. In fact, at times I felt it was near impossible, but I did what I could.
Though I was very happy with the warm golden orange tones of the color version of this scene, I decided to run this image through the new Silver Efex Pro 2 plug in and was more than happy with this version.
Thank you for having a look... I appreciate it.
Its nice like this
1952 Porsche 356 Glaser Cabriolet 1300.
On show in Peter Iversen’s show room in Sagen Denmark His interest in restoration began early, having restored his first car, a VW Käfer, in his Father’s garage. After having served his apprenticeship as a mechanic, he opened his own workshop in 1986 starting with his very first restoration of a Porsche 356 Coupe.
Now, decades later, we have restored all kinds of classic Porsche models: Coupes, Convertibles, Speedsters, Roadsters, 550 Spyders, Porsche prototypes and a vast number of different engine types.
Today Peter Iversen Specialværksted is a combination classic Porsche workshop and a private Porsche collection.
Keywords such as perfection, originality and first-class quality are still essential to the workshop.
All cars are restored in accordance with the requirements and wishes of the customer.
Gläser Karroserie GmbH was founded in the mid-nineteenth century in Dresden. Between the World Wars they were well known for coachbuilding and produced bodies for many well-known automobile manufacturers. Post-war Gläser was located in Ullersricht north of Munich. Porsche contracted them to build cabriolets, including their first production car chassis #5001 and later the famed America Roadsters. From late 1950 through to late 1952 they built 242 cabriolets and 17 America Roadsters. Several of the final cars were completed at Reutter as Gläser went into receivership.
Holy Trinity Church, Kingswood
Until the early 19th century Kingswood had no church of its own, and was served by the ancient parish of Bitton four miles away. A church was considered an urgent requirement by Anglicans, as the area was a hot-bed of Nonconformity with the Wesleyan, Whitfield Tabernacle and Moravian churches already in operation. The church was built within sight of all three and was given a tower so that it became more prominent than its neighbours.
It was one of the first churches built from funds voted by Parliament to mark Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo, and hence known as a "Waterloo Church". The foundation stone was laid by the Bishop of Gloucester on 9 June 1819, but there followed a dispute over the title of the site which meant that building did not begin in earnest until 1820. The completed church was consecrated on 11 September 1821. The architect was James Foster.
The church was damaged by fire in 1852 and the panelled ceiling in the nave was never replaced. The present chancel was added 1897–1900. It contains a Sweetland Organ built in 1903. There are two bells in the tower however these are no longer ringable.
The churchyard contains war graves of eight service personnel of World War I and seven of World War II.
The parish and benefice of Kingswood is within the Diocese of Bristol.
On 2 April 1996, 47738 and 86425 top and tail 1E24 Edinburgh - Kings Cross postal at Low Fell. From memory, the tailing loco was attached at Heaton to allow the train to shunt into the terminal. The train is seen reversing into the terminal; the requirement for the second loco ceased after the introduction of the PCVs.
A brilliant place to visit and a surprisingly large nature reserve in the middle of one of the worlds greatest and largest cities. You can see the urban backdrop and aeroplanes over the city but at times you will feel as if you are in the countryside. You will see many common wildlife as well as rare birds dropping in as well. It has quite an impressive list for a reserve in an urban area. A number of birds especially which are not found in urban areas are resident or passage migrants here.
City oasis
WWT London has been voted the UK’s Favourite Nature Reserve. Close to the heart of the capital, it is a haven for birds, wildlife and people.
www.wwt.org.uk/visit/london/plan-your-visit/
Queen Elizabeth's Walk
Barnes, London
SW13 9WT
T: 020 8409 4400
F: 020 8409 4401
E: info.london@wwt.org.uk
Opening times
Open 7 days a week, except 25 December.
Winter opening time until Saturday 24 March 2012
9.30am to 5pm (last admission 4pm).
Summer opening time until Saturday 27 October 2012
9.30am to 6pm (last admission 5pm).
Early closing on 24 December (last admission 2pm, centre closes at 3pm)
Water's Edge Cafe: last orders 4.30pm in winter and 5.30pm in summer
Water's Edge Cafe: closes 5.00pm in winter and 6.00pm in summer
Terms of entry
Children under 16 years must be accompanied by an adult.
Photography is permitted on site providing it is for personal use only. All commercial/stock library photography, filming, recording, etc. must be agreed in advance with the centre. Please phone 020 8409 4400 for any commercial filming or photographic enquiries.
Visitors are asked to respect the habitats and wildlife of the centre by keeping to the paths at all times and not causing undue noise. The centre is a nature conservation area designed to protect natural habitats for all UK wetland species, both botanical and animal. It is especially important to remain quiet in the bird viewing hides.
The following are not permitted on site:
•Dogs, other than trained assistance dogs (i.e. guide dogs), which must be kept on their harness at all times, and the harness must clearly state "working or assistance dog." Any dog waste must please be removed. There is minimal shade in the car park so we strongly recommend dogs are not left locked in parked cars. There are no suitable areas anywhere at the centre for dogs to be left tied-up outside. Please be aware that our priority is for the welfare of the dogs, so it is our policy to call the RSPCA or Police immediately if we are concerned for the health of a dog.
•Scooters, bicycles, tricycles, roller skates or blades or skateboards. Bike cages are provided in the car park, please bring your own lock. WWT London Wetland Centre accepts no responsibility for any theft or damage of bikes or property left in the cages.
•Climbing on any trees or shrubs or any pruning/picking of flowers or vegetation.
•Climbing on any exhibits or habitats either in the World Wetlands area or the Wildside areas.
•Swimming/wading or entering any water bodies on site.
•Sports or games (including jogging).
•There is no provision for left baggage, please leave all baggage in your vehicle or do not bring it with you.
•We do not allow re-entry to the centre, unless admission receipt is provided.
Accessibility
•The grounds have level access and hard-surfaced paths with tarmac on main routes (and compacted gravel on minor paths)
•Low-level viewing windows and level access to ground floor bird hides. Heated bird-watching observatory in main visitor centre
•Lift access to upper floors of visitor centre, observatory and three-storey Peacock Tower hide. No lift in Wildside Hide
•Free wheelchair loan
•Free electric mobility scooter loan. One only - must be booked in advance.
•Fixed hearing loops in admissions area and in audio visual theatre
•Trained assistance dogs only (i.e. guide dogs). No other dogs permitted
•Accessible toilets in car park and throughout the visitor centre
•Free car parking on site. Tarmac surface and reserved bays for disabled visitors.
•Public transport is available direct to the centre from Hammersmith bus station to the centre between 9.30am and 5pm (No 283 from Stand K)
www.wwt.org.uk/visit/london/plan-your-visit/walks-and-talks/
London Wetland Centre is an idyllic spot to escape the hustle and bustle of the City for a walk or to indulge in an afternoon of bird watching from one of our six hides. The reserve is easily accessible with pathways and bridges among the pools, meadows and gardens.
But if you want to learn a bit more about the centre - how it was created and the work we do here - you can join one of our tours held daily at 11.30am and 2.30pm. There’s no need to book and the tour is free with admission to the centre.
Our guides will explain how London Wetland Centre was created from four redundant Thames Water reservoirs. They will also point out wildlife spotted on the day.
Over 200 species of bird have been recorded on site since we opened in 2000. Also making their home amongst the 300,000 plants and 27,000 trees we planted during the centre’s creation are water voles, dragonflies, frogs, snakes, slow worms, bats, newts and butterflies, to name just a few.
You can also join one of our wardens at 3.00pm each day as they feed the birds in World Wetlands. Just turn up and the walks are free with admission to the centre.
As well as our regular walks we frequently run specialist walks and talks on everything from plant identification and reptiles to bird watching and bird song. See our Whats On section for forthcoming events.
And every day you will find our ‘Guide in the hide’ who will be able to point out the birds you can see on our lakes and lagoons.
•Guided tours, daily at 11.30am and 2.30pm
•Bird feed tour, daily at 3.00pm
•Guide in a hide, daily
www.wwt.org.uk/visit/london/plan-your-visit/prices/
2012 admission prices
Prices are shown inclusive of Gift Aid and without. The Gift Aid admission price includes a voluntary donation, which enables us to claim the tax back as part of the Government's Gift Aid scheme. For further information on Gift Aid click here.
Pricing*Gift AidNo Gift Aid
Adult£10.99£9.99
Concession (65+, full-time students, unemployed)£8.20£7.45
Child (4-16 years)£6.10£5.55
Family (2 adults and 2 children, 4-16 years)£30.60£27.82
Children (under 4 years)FreeFree
Essential helpers assisting disabled visitorsFreeFree
Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.
Please note: you may be asked for proof of age, student ID or proof that you are receiving Job Seekers Allowance to qualify for concession admission prices.
www.wwt.org.uk/visit/london/plan-your-visit/eat-drink-ref...
Eat, drink, refresh
The Water’s Edge café is situated overlooking the centre's entrance lake where you can watch the ducks hunting for their own lunch! On warmer days you can relax on the terrace but there is also plenty of seating indoors for when the weather is chillier.
The café serves a delicious selection of main dishes and sandwiches, soup, cakes, biscuits and snacks plus children’s lunch boxes.
Each day we offer breakfast rolls (full English breakfast at weekends). Hot food, including a vegetarian option, is served from 12 noon.We also serve hot and cold drinks and wines throughout the day.
Throughout the year we serve meals to celebrate festive occasions such as Christmas, Mothers’ Day and Valentine’s Day. Where better to treat someone to lunch than in the beautiful, relaxing setting of a 105 acre wildlife haven?
We also have rooms available for hire for private celebrations such as weddings and parties.
The Water’s Edge café is in the centre so cannot be visited without paying for admission to the centre (admission is free for members).
Although only food purchased from the cafe can be eaten inside and on the café terrace there are ample picnic areas situated around the centre where you are welcome to eat your own food and drink.
Water's Edge café last orders: 4.30pm in winter and 5.30pm in summer
Water's Edge café closes: 5.00pm in winter and 6.00pm in summer
www.wwt.org.uk/visit/london/plan-your-visit/shopping/
Our gift shop stocks a wide range of souvenirs, practical items and luxury gifts. Select from wildlife books to enhance your enjoyment of nature, eco products, outdoor clothing, bird feeders/boxes, cards, children’s gifts, souvenirs and much more.
We also have a wide range of children’s products for budding wildlife enthusiasts. Help our feathered friends by taking home a pack of bird seed and treat yourself to a bag of traditional sweets too!
To enhance your walk through our 105 acre nature reserve you can hire binoculars from the In Focus optics shop located next to the art gallery (above the shop).
Binoculars cost £5.00 to hire. In Focus stocks everything you will ever need to watch wildlife, from compact binoculars to state of the art telescopes (a percentage of all sales goes to the conservation work of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust).
www.wwt.org.uk/visit/london/plan-your-visit/group-visits/
London Wetland Centre is a beautiful place for a group visit, offering close views of nature, especially wetland birds, and a wide variety of wetland habitats to explore (although you won't need your wellies!). There is also a collection of beautiful birds from around the world kept for conservation purposes and a family of otters.
We have an excellent visitor centre for all your group’s needs with a lakeside restaurant, gift shop and a theatre. The majority of the paths are tarmac so are easily accessible and there are plenty of benches for you to sit and relax. Even our three storey hide with views across the entire reserve has a lift.
The centre is easily accessible from central London and beyond, with public transport links direct and free onsite car/coach parking.
Benefits for groups
•Reduced admission prices for groups of 12 or more
•A complimentary ticket for the group organiser
•Free pre-visit on request for the group organiser
•Free coach parking
•Guided tours available, tailored to your group's requirements (fee applies)
Please note that all benefits except reduced admission only apply if you book up to two weeks in advance.
Group admission prices 2012
The following discounted rates apply to groups of 12 paying visitors or more:
Adult: £9.20
Concession: £7.00 (over 65 years, full-time students, unemployed)
Child: £5.15 (4 - 16 years)
Sample group itinerary
11am - Arrive at the centre and meet with one of our tour guides. Visit the observatory, enjoy a tour around ‘World Wetlands’ discovering water birds from across the globe and learn how the centre was created.
1pm - Enjoy lunch in the Water’s Edge cafe where you can choose from a selection of hot and cold meals and refreshments.
2pm - Explore the reserve and discover the birds and other wetland wildlife that have made this their home. Don’t forget to visit our Peacock tower for wonderful panoramic views of the wetland habitats.
3.30pm - Afternoon tea in the Water’s Edge cafe with sumptuous home-made cakes.
4.15pm - Enjoy a spot of shopping in our gift shop.
4.50pm - Depart.
Private group tours
Make the most of your visit with a tour by one of our expert guides. £20 fee applies for a maximum of 20 people. Tour last 1.5 hours. Please call 020 8409 4400 for details.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit?
The London Wetland Centre is a beautiful place to visit all year round with the landscape and wildlife changing constantly with the seasons.
Spring is perfect for wild flowers and songbirds. In the summer you can relax outside with a picnic and enjoy the sound of marsh frogs, crickets and warblers. Our sustainable gardens are beautiful at that time of year, bursting into a blaze of colour that lasts all summer.
Autumn is great for seeing rare birds passing through on migration and winter is the best time to observe the flocks of wild duck or catch sight of an elusive bittern, regular visitors over recent winters.
Why not combine your visit with one of our special events such as late night opening, some of our animal themed events or a twilight bat walk?
What should we wear?
The centre has tarmac/firm level paths throughout and so any comfortable shoes will suffice. It is worth bringing an umbrella or waterproof if rain is forecast as the reserve covers more than 40 hectares and it can take a few minutes to reach shelter.
When should we pay?
Please pay at the admissions desk on the day of your visit. The centre would very much appreciate if you could arrange one payment per group. This will speed up your admission into the centre. If you are paying individually please be prepared to wait.
Some of our group can’t walk far, is it still suitable?
Yes, there is plenty to see and do in our visitor centre and there are numerous benches scattered throughout the reserve. It is also possible to book a wheelchair or electric buggy to help you travel around the reserve.
Making a booking
Please complete our group booking form (pdf, 37kb) and return it to info.london@wwt.org.uk
Contact us on 020 8409 4400 or email info.london@wwt.org.uk for further information.
www.wwt.org.uk/visit/london/plan-your-visit/school-visits/
School visits
At WWT London we provide unique and unforgettable learning experiences for schools.
To find out more about what’s on offer for you and your pupils
www.wwt.org.uk/learn/learn-at-wwt-london/
We welcome school groups of all sizes, all year round.
We offer guided learning sessions outdoors, suitable for a range of ages and abilities, including special needs groups. Or for schools wishing to explore independently, we offer self guided visits.
www.wwt.org.uk/visit/london/plan-your-visit/venue-hire/
WWT London Wetland Centre is an idyllic spot to hold any event, whether you are celebrating a special occasion, getting married or holding a meeting. The Centre is just 10 minutes from Hammersmith but it could be a world away. The combination of beautiful surroundings and central location makes it easily accessible but offers a rural experience. Our 42 hectares of scenic lakes, pools and meadows are unique so close to the heart of London and they are complemented by first rate facilities, excellent transport links and ample free parking.
WWT London Wetland Centre is part of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust so by holding your event with us you will be directly contributing to our global conservation work.
Contact us
To further information please contact our functions team.
Telephone: 020 8409 4400 or email: functions.london@wwt.org.uk
If you are travelling to or from the centre by taxi we encourage you to use the taxi company Green Tomato Cars. This company uses a fleet of the most viable environmentally friendly cars and offers the service at competitive rates. For more information please see their website www.greentomatocars.com or call 020 8568 002.
www.wwt.org.uk/visit/london/volunteer/
The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust is a charity and relies on the generous support of volunteers at all of its wetland centres to help with conservation work and other daily tasks.
The London Wetland Centre currently has openings for:
•Office volunteers – reception and office cover, Friday morning and afternoon, and weekend mornings and afternoons
•Membership volunteers (especially weekends)
•Corporate work groups - weekdays
•Events volunteers (at weekends)
We are also interested to hear from people with specialist skills that may be of use to WWT. Currently we are particularly looking for good birders who are also great communicators.
Please call Chris Elliott on 020 8409 4400.
Membership volunteers
Are you inspired by wetlands and their wildlife? Could you help save them?
Do you have an outgoing, friendly personality to engage with visitors at WWT London Wetland Centre?
We are looking for volunteers to join us to actively recruit members for London Wetland Centre. Can you spare at least two mornings or afternoons a month to help us with this worthy cause?
If you are interested, please contact: Chris Elliott, Volunteer Coordinator on 020 8409 4400 or email info.london@wwt.org.uk
Corporate volunteering
Escape the office for a day and do your bit for wetland conservation with our corporate volunteering opportunities at WWT London Wetland Centre.
We can cater for corporate volunteering days, where work groups can assist wardens with duties such as planting, digging, weeding and pollarding.
Costs vary depending on type of volunteer work completed.
Please call our Volunteer Coordinator on 020 8409 4400 for further details.
Work experience
WWT London Wetland Centre takes five work experience students a year for one working week at a time. Students spend each day working with a different department.
Work experience must be part of the schools programme and placements are subject to interview.
Demand for placements is very high and there are no remaining openings in 2012.
With limited staffing resources we very much regret that the London Wetland Centre cannot accept students on the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme.
Contact us
For further information please contact our Volunteer Coordinator Chris Elliott on 020 8409 4400 or email info.london@wwt.org.uk
Photos taken during a break as a key worker. Social distancing and face covering requirements kept to at all times.
First Aberdeen 38224 on Route 2 to Ashwood. 04th April 2021.
My first and only entry to the Summer Joust, in the Meso-American category. This was built primarily for Brickworld, and was my main display piece there.
I would have liked to do more for the contest, but I haven't had any time to build since BW.
Full disclosure to judges- a portion of this build has been displayed online already, though it has been modified and greatly expanded. Here is the previous build. Whether this satisfies the new build requirement is up to your discretion.
Shot with my Fuji X100's.
This is my newest picture for my weekly theme 'Commit' and my 365 group.
In Germany we don't have a requirement to wear a helmet, but when cycling with my daughter i have to wear one to act as a model.
Created in Photoshop, processed in Aperture.
The same plants as the last picture. I use the setting of f/5.0 1/640 and iso400 about the same as the last photo, but 38mm because I cant walk into the plant closer this time. In lightroom, I use a different temperature just to make a different feeling of the same plant and is seems work to make the plant more like a "healthy" feeling and more texture and natural.
Built for the Small Category of the Microscale Magic Harry Potter Contest being held by The Brothers Brick.
The Room of Requirement is one of the most memorable things for me from the HP books/movies. This was a fun build to do all in,all, though it was challenging getting the piles of junk to look okay. I am not sure how well the rug turned out, let me know your thoughts : / I feel it would look better if it were not parallel to the border.
Enjoy
Today I learned that my father flew on this very airplane when he traveled from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Miami, Florida in 1942. He was a journalist working for United Press International in Rio. My mother and my late brother stayed home. It was WWII and space on commercial flights was at a premium.
Can that really have been 80 years ago?
Father never mentioned having flown in this type of airliner. He did like to tell the story of being on board a plane at a South American airport during iffy weather. Imagine his shock and the other passengers' when the pilot emerged from the cockpit, stood at the front of the cabin and asked them whether he should take off!
In this photo taken in late 1937, the flying boat is moored in Miami.
The plane is a Sikorsky S-43B.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The S-43 was originally designed for a Pan American requirement for a twin-engined amphibian for secondary Latin American routes.
Essentially a scaled-down version of the S-42, the S-43 employed a single-step hull and a single tail group. The wing rested on a central pylon, supported on either side by N-struts. Wing flaps covering 48% of the span reduced the stall speed to 65 mph.
The S-42 had twin vertical tails. Many of the S-43s had the same arrangement, but some had a single tail. Biggest difference other than size and the S-43's amphibious capabilities (although some S-43s were built as flying boats) were the powerplants, only two 750hp Pratt & Whitney Hornets on the S-43. The smaller airplane had a gross weight of 19,5001b (8,845kg) and could seat 16 to 24, depending on the legroom. Both transports were certificated in 1935.
After the first flight on 5 June 1935 (piloted by Boris Sergievsky), the first of fourteen S-43s delivered to Pan American (ATC 593) entered Latin American service in April 1936, though most were subsequently turned over to Panair do Brasil and other subsidiary operations.
Sikorsky Aircraft built 53 S-43 twin engined amphibians in the mid1930s.
In 1938 Pan American used one of its S-43s on survey flights for planned route extensions to Alaska.
Additionally, four were sold Inter-Islan Airways Airways (later renamed Hawaiian, Airlines) in the Hawaiian Islands, four to Aeromaritime - an Air France affiliate, in West Africa, KLM's Netherlands East Indies associate, and one to DNL-Norwegian Airlines.
Twenty-two amphibians were delivered as S-43s (NC15061-15068, NC16925, NC16928, NC16934, and NC20698), plus one S-43-A and three S-43-Bs (NC16926-16927, and NC16931-16933) with minor detail changes.
Specifications of the S-43B:
S-43-B
Engine: two 750hp P&W Hornet
Wingspan: 86'0"
Length: 51'2"
Useful load: 6750 lb
Max speed: 194 mph
Cruise: 167 mph
Stall: 65 mph
Range: 775 mi
Ceiling: 17,500'
Passengers: 16-25
all-aero.com/index.php/contactus/10133-sikorsky-s-43--jrs...
From the archives ... The big boy would have nothing to do with meeting my photograph requirements this week...no windows, no doors whatsoever. So this from a handful of years ago. What he would do if he could....!
Happy Caturday to all our friends.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_redstart
The black redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) is a small passerine bird in the redstart genus Phoenicurus. Like its relatives, it was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family (Turdidae), but is now known to be an Old World flycatcher (Muscicapidae). Other common names are Tithy's redstart, blackstart and black redtail.
Taxonomy and systematics
The first formal description of the black redstart was by the German naturalist Samuel Gottlieb Gmelin in 1774 under the binomial name Mottacilla ochruros.[3][4] The genus Phoenicurus was introduced by the English naturalist Thomas Forster in 1817.[5] Both parts of the scientific name are from Ancient Greek and refer to the colour of the tail. The genus name Phoenicurus is from phoinix, "red", and -ouros -"tailed", and the specific ochruros is from okhros, "pale yellow" and -ouros.[6]
The black redstart is a member of a Eurasian clade which also includes the Daurian redstart, Hodgson's redstart, the white-winged redstart, and maybe Przevalski's redstart. The present species' ancestors diverged from about 3 million years ago (mya) (Late Pliocene) onwards and spread throughout much of Eurasia from 1.5 mya onward.[7] It is not very closely related to the common redstart. As these are separated by different behaviour and ecological requirements and have not evolved fertilisation barriers, the two European species can nonetheless produce apparently fertile and viable hybrids.[8][9]
There are a number of subspecies which differ mainly in underpart colours of the adult males; different authorities accept between five and seven subspecies. They can be separated into three major groups, according to morphology, biogeography, and mtDNA cytochrome b sequence data.[7][9][10][11]
P. o. phoenicuroides group. Basal central and eastern Asian forms which diverged from the ancestral stock as the species slowly spread west (c. 3-1.5 mya). Females and juveniles light grey brown.
•Phoenicurus ochruros phoenicuroides. Tian Shan eastwards to Mongolia. Small; adult males have lower breast, belly and flanks deep rufous, pale wing-patch absent, sometimes white forehead. Overall quite similar to a much darker common redstart with black chest. Females and juveniles are similar to common redstart but have an overall sandier, paler colour and often a distinct buff eye-ring.
•Phoenicurus ochruros murinus. Altai, Tuva, northern China and western Mongolia. Distinguished from the previous Turkestan subspecies by the absence of any contrast in the colour of the head, nape and back, all of which are concolorous dark grey.[12]
•Phoenicurus ochruros rufiventris. Turkmenistan eastwards through Pamir and Alay Mountains to Himalaya. Usually large; adult males like P. o. phoenicuroides, but darker overall, with black back and rufous-chestnut underside. Females with rufous tinge to underside. Exact limits with P. o. phoenicuroides unresolved.
oPhoenicurus ochruros xerophilus. China east of and between ranges of preceding two. Large; colour pattern like P. o. phoenicuroides but paler. Included in P. o. rufiventris by many authorities.[10]
P. o. ochruros group. Western Asian forms, whose lineage separated from the gibraltariensis group c. 1.5–0.5 mya. Females and juveniles intermediate.
•Phoenicurus ochruros ochruros. Eastern Turkey, Alborz, and Caucasus. Small, somewhat intermediate between P. o. phoenicuroides and P. o. gibraltariensis. Generally like latter, but rufous underside, pale wing patch weakly developed.
•Phoenicurus ochruros semirufus. Levant. Small; adult males somewhat similar to rufiventris except in size. Black areas extensive.
P. o. gibraltariensis group. European population, which formed as a distinct subspecies probably during the last ice age. Females and juveniles dark grey.
•Phoenicurus ochruros gibraltariensis. Western Europe east to the Crimea and western Turkey. Neck, upper back and shoulders dark slate grey to black in adult males, lighter than face and neck, pale wing patch strongly developed.
oPhoenicurus ochruros aterrimus. Iberia and Morocco. Neck, upper back and shoulders black in adult males. Wide intergradation with P. o. gibraltariensis and treated as a synonym of it by many authorities.[10]
Description
The black redstart is 13–14.5 cm (5.1–5.7 in) in length and 12–20 g (0.42–0.71 oz) in weight, similar to the common redstart. The adult male is overall dark grey to black on the upperparts and with a black breast; the lower rump and tail are orange-red, with the two central tail feathers dark red-brown. The belly and undertail are either blackish-grey (western subspecies; see Taxonomy and systematics, above) or orange-red (eastern subspecies); the wings are blackish-grey with pale fringes on the secondaries forming a whitish panel (western subspecies) or all blackish (eastern subspecies). The female is grey (western subspecies) to grey-brown (eastern subspecies) overall except for the orange-red lower rump and tail, greyer than the common redstart; at any age the grey axillaries and underwing coverts are also distinctive (in the common redstart these are buff to orange-red). One-year-old males are similar to females but blacker; the whitish wing panel of the western subspecies does not develop until the second year.[10][11]
Distribution and habitat
It is a widespread breeder in south and central Europe and Asia and north-west Africa, from Great Britain and Ireland (where local) south to Morocco, east to central China. It is resident in the milder parts of its range, but north-eastern birds migrate to winter in southern and western Europe and Asia, and north Africa. It nests in crevices or holes in buildings.[10][11]
In Britain, it is most common as a passage and winter visitor, with only 20–50 pairs breeding.[13] On passage it is fairly common on the east and south coasts, and in winter on the coasts of Wales and western and southern England, with a few also at inland sites. Migrant black redstarts arrive in Britain in October or November and either move on or remain to winter, returning eastward in March or April. They also winter on the south and east coasts of Ireland.[11]
The species originally inhabited stony ground in mountains, particularly cliffs, but since about 1900 has expanded to include similar urban habitats including bombed areas during and after World War II, and large industrial complexes that have the bare areas and cliff-like buildings it favours; in Great Britain, most of the small breeding population nests in such industrial areas. It will catch passing insects in flight, and migrants often hunt in coastal tide-wrack for flies or tiny crustaceans. Its quick ducks of head and body are robin-like, and its tail is often flicked. The male has a rattling song and a tick call.
Eastern race birds are very rare vagrants in western Europe.
Waverley Steps is a stair link of unique character linking Princes Street to Waverley station, an essential pedestrian route in the centre of Edinburgh.
From Wikipedia
The staircase was opened in 1902 as part of the adjacent development of the North British Hotel, which at that time belonged to the North British Railway Company together with its flagship station, Waverley station.
The dramatic flight of steps are flanked by original 1902 shops on the east and Waverley Market on the west. Waverley Market was originally a curious Victorian multi-level structure occupying an awkward stone quarry on the edge of Princes Street. The original market was demolished in 1974 having become structurally unstable, and redeveloped a decade later as a multi-level underground shopping mall. It has been remodelled several times thereafter in an effort to increase its popularity, but with very limited success.
In 2010 Network Rail removed the original staircase, in order to add both an escalator and lift (to the south), and critically covering this external area withba glass canopy. The new system opened in 2012.
This was primarily to address disabled access requirements. From 2012 the steps have been secured at the north end (onto Princes Street) if the railway station is closed.
www.holyspiritspeaks.org/videos/hymn-peters-prayer-of-exp...
Introduction
1. God, when You treat me kindly I am delighted, and feel comfort; when You chastise me, I feel even greater comfort and joy. Although I am weak, and endure untold suffering, although there are tears and sadness, You know that this sadness is because of my disobedience, and because of my weakness. I weep because I cannot satisfy Your desires, I feel sorrow and regret because I am insufficient for Your requirements, but I am willing to attain this realm, I am willing to do all I can to satisfy You.
2. Your chastisement has brought me protection, and has given me the best salvation; Your judgment eclipses Your tolerance and patience. Without Your chastisement and judgment, I would not enjoy Your mercy and lovingkindness. Today, I see all the more that Your love has transcended the heavens and excelled all. Your love is not just mercy and lovingkindness; even more than that, it is chastisement and judgment. Your chastisement and judgment has given me so much. Without Your chastisement and judgment, not a single person would be cleansed, and not a single person would be able to experience the love of the Creator.
Eastern Lightning, The Church of Almighty God was created because of the appearance and work of Almighty God, the second coming of the Lord Jesus, Christ of the last days. It is made up of all those who accept Almighty God's work in the last days and are conquered and saved by His words. It was entirely founded by Almighty God personally and is led by Him as the Shepherd. It was definitely not created by a person. Christ is the truth, the way, and the life. God's sheep hear God's voice. As long as you read the words of Almighty God, you will see God has appeared.
Terms of Use： en.godfootsteps.org/disclaimer.html
"A Misty Morning at Bradgate Park"
This morning, in my local Leicestershire area, dense fog greeted me as I set out for Bradgate Park. Despite my car showing 0°C, I didn’t let the chill deter me. Wildlife photography is always full of surprises, teaching us enthusiasts to stay prepared for the unexpected.
Yesterday, during my three-hour photography session at Bradgate Park, I experienced this once again. After parking, I spent some time with my little friend, a Robin, near the car park. Knowing its usual spot, I brought some feed to reward it for posing for me.
As I stepped through the park gates, my initial plan was to photograph a pair of European Stonechats. However, they proved elusive, and after an hour of waiting, they didn’t reappear. Undeterred, I continued along my walking route through the park's 850 acres.
Climbing towards the Bradgate House ruins, I hoped to stumble upon the Stonechats again. The fog slowly began to clear, but the thick grey clouds kept the environment dim.
Suddenly, an unexpected encounter took my breath away—a Eurasian Sparrowhawk appeared, flying swiftly towards me. With an agile move, it passed by and perched on the historic dry-stone wall about 60 meters away. Its sharp eyes scanned for prey, and I seized the opportunity. Quietly and carefully, I approached in two stages, taking shots with my Nikon 500mm f/5.6E PF lens paired with a TC 14E II Teleconverter.
As anticipated, the Sparrowhawk displayed its remarkable agility once again, swooping down from the wall toward its target and disappearing from sight.
At the end of the day, I uploaded 10 photos, including my surprise capture of the Eurasian Sparrowhawk. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed capturing these moments. Have a wonderful day!
Robins and Winter Conditions
Robins (Erithacus rubecula), commonly found across Europe, are resilient birds but face significant challenges during winter, especially in snowy conditions. Here are some key points:
Struggle to Find Food:
Robins primarily feed on insects, worms, and berries, often foraged from the ground. Snow-covered landscapes limit their access to these essential food sources, making survival more difficult.
Increased Energy Needs:
Cold temperatures demand more energy to maintain body heat. If robins cannot meet this energy requirement, their chances of survival drop significantly.
Human Support:
People can aid robins by placing seeds, oats, berries, and dried fruits in bird feeders during the winter months. Providing fresh water is equally vital, as natural water sources may freeze.
Connection to Snow:
Robins become more visible against snowy backdrops due to their vibrant red breast, making them a favorite subject for photographers.
These challenges highlight the delicate balance of winter ecosystems and the need to support wildlife during harsh conditions.
I've captured some unforgettable moments with my camera, and I hope you feel the same joy viewing these images as I did while shooting them.
Thank you so much for visiting my gallery, whether you leave a comment, add it to your favorites, or simply take a moment to look around. Your support means a lot to me, and I wish you good luck and beautiful light in all your endeavors.
© All rights belong to R.Ertuğ. Please refrain from using these images without my express written permission. If you are interested in purchasing or using them, feel free to contact me via Flickr mail.
Lens - With Nikon TC 14E II - hand held or Monopod and definitely SPORT VR on. Aperture is f8 and full length. All my images have been converted from RAW to JPEG.
I started using Nikon Cross-Body Strap or Monopod on long walks. Here is my Carbon Monopod details : Gitzo GM2542 Series 2 4S Carbon Monopod - Really Right Stuff MH-01 Monopod Head with Standard Lever - Really Right Stuff LCF-11 Replacement Foot for Nikon AF-S 500mm /5.6E PF Lense -
Your comments and criticism are very valuable.
Thanks for taking the time to stop by and explore :)
Taken at Wimbledon War Memorial the 93 has seen the swap of some of Sutton's DOEs for MHVs in accordance to a Mayoral pledge of cleaner air to certain key high polluted areas in this case Putney High Street. DOEs being swapped with Peckhams MHVs to meet this requirement these have seen a gradual swap.
This is the caustic photo. I chose the background because it was simple and with all the shadows it seemed almost "invisible". The lighting is completely natural and coming from a window behind the martini glass (not in the photo).
++++++ from Wikipedia ++++++
Taipei (/ˌtaɪˈpeɪ/), officially known as Taipei City, is the capital city and a special municipality of Taiwan (officially known as the Republic of China, "ROC"). Sitting at the northern tip of the island, Taipei City is an enclave of the municipality of New Taipei City. It is about 25 km (16 mi) southwest of the northern port city Keelung. Most of the city is located on the Taipei Basin, an ancient lakebed bounded by the two relatively narrow valleys of the Keelung and Xindian rivers, which join to form the Tamsui River along the city's western border.[5] Formerly known as Taipeh-fu during Qing era and Taihoku under Japanese rule, Taipei became the capital of the Taiwan Province as part of the Republic of China in 1945 and recently has been the capital[a] of the ROC since 1949, when the Kuomintang lost the mainland to the Communists in the Chinese Civil War.
The city proper is home to an estimated population of 2,704,810 in 2015,[6] forming the core part of the Taipei–Keelung metropolitan area which includes the nearby cities of New Taipei and Keelung with a population of 7,047,559,[6][7] the 40th most-populous urban area in the world—roughly one-third of Taiwanese citizens live in the metro district. The name "Taipei" can refer either to the whole metropolitan area or the city proper.
Taipei is the political, economic, educational, and cultural center of Taiwan island, and one of the major hubs of Greater China. Considered to be a global city,[8] Taipei is part of a major high-tech industrial area.[9] Railways, high-speed rail, highways, airports, and bus lines connect Taipei with all parts of the island. The city is served by two airports – Taipei Songshan and Taiwan Taoyuan. Taipei is home to various world-famous architectural or cultural landmarks which include Taipei 101, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Dalongdong Baoan Temple, Hsing Tian Kong, Lungshan Temple of Manka, National Palace Museum, Presidential Office Building, Taipei Guest House, Ximending, and several night markets dispersing over the city. Its natural features such as Maokong, Yangmingshan, and hot springs are also well known to international visitors.
As the capital city, "Taipei" is sometimes used as a synecdoche for the Republic of China. Due to the ongoing controversy over the political status of Taiwan, the name Chinese Taipei is designated for official use when Taiwanese governmental representatives or national teams participate in some international organizations or international sporting events (which may require UN statehood) in order to avoid extensive political controversy by using other names.
Contents
1 History
1.1 First settlements
1.2 Empire of Japan
1.3 Republic of China
2 Geography
2.1 Climate
2.2 Air quality
2.3 Cityscape
3 Demographics
4 Economy
5 Culture
5.1 Tourism
5.1.1 Commemorative sites and museums
5.1.2 Taipei 101
5.1.3 Performing arts
5.1.4 Shopping and recreation
5.1.5 Temples
5.2 Festivals and events
5.3 Taipei in films
6 Romanization
7 Government
7.1 Garbage recycling
7.2 Administrative divisions
7.3 City planning
8 Transportation
8.1 Metro
8.2 Rail
8.3 Bus
8.4 Airports
8.5 Ticketing
9 Education
9.1 Chinese language program for foreigners
10 Sports
10.1 Major sporting events
10.2 Youth baseball
11 Media
11.1 Television
11.2 Newspapers
12 International relations
12.1 Twin towns and sister cities
12.2 Partner cities
12.3 Friendship cities
13 Gallery
14 See also
15 Notes
16 References
17 External links
History
Main article: History of Taipei
The National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is a famous monument and tourist attraction in Taipei.
Prior to the significant influx of Han Chinese immigrants, the region of Taipei Basin was mainly inhabited by the Ketagalan plains aborigines. The number of Han immigrants gradually increased in the early 18th century under Qing Dynasty rule after the government began permitting development in the area.[10] In 1875, the northern part of the island was incorporated into the new Taipeh Prefecture.
The Qing dynasty of China made Taipeh the temporary capital of Fujian-Taiwan Province in 1886 when Taiwan was separated from Fujian Province.[11][12] Taipeh was formally made the provincial capital in 1894.
Japan acquired Taiwan in 1895 under the Treaty of Shimonoseki after the First Sino-Japanese War. Taiwan became a colony of Imperial Japan with Taihoku (formerly Taipeh) as its capital, in which the city was administered under Taihoku Prefecture. Taiwan's Japanese rulers embarked on an extensive program of advanced urban planning that featured extensive railroad links. A number of Taipei landmarks and cultural institutions date from this period.[13]
Following the Japanese surrender of 1945, control of Taiwan was handed to the Republic of China (ROC) (see Retrocession Day). After losing mainland China to the Chinese Communist Party in the Chinese Civil War, the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) relocated the ROC government to Taiwan and declared Taipei the provisional capital of the ROC in December 1949.[14][15] In 1990 Taipei provided the backdrop for the Wild Lily student rallies that moved Taiwanese society from one-party rule to multi-party democracy. The city is today home to Taiwan's democratically elected national government.
First settlements
The region known as the Taipei Basin was home to Ketagalan tribes before the eighteenth century.[16] Han Chinese mainly from Fujian Province of Qing dynasty China began to settle in the Taipei Basin in 1709.[17][18]
In the late 19th century, the Taipei area, where the major Han Chinese settlements in northern Taiwan and one of the designated overseas trade ports, Tamsui, were located, gained economic importance due to the booming overseas trade, especially that of tea export. In 1875, the northern part of Taiwan was separated from Taiwan Prefecture and incorporated into the new Taipeh Prefecture as a new administrative entity of the Qing dynasty.[13] Having been established adjoining the flourishing townships of Bangka, Dalongdong, and Twatutia, the new prefectural capital was known as Chengnei (Chinese: 城內; pinyin: chéngnèi; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: siâⁿ-lāi), "the inner city", and government buildings were erected there. From 1875 (still Qing era) until the beginning of Japanese rule in 1895, Taipei was part of Tamsui County of Taipeh Prefecture and the prefectural capital.
In 1885, work commenced to create an independent Taiwan Province, and Taipei City was temporarily made the provincial capital. Taipei officially became the capital of Taiwan in 1894.[citation needed] All that remains from the Qing era is the north gate. The west gate and city walls were demolished by the Japanese while the south gate, little south gate, and east gate were extensively modified by the Kuomintang (KMT) and have lost much of their original character.[19]
Empire of Japan
The Taihoku Prefecture government building in the 1910s (now the Control Yuan)
As settlement for losing the First Sino-Japanese War, China ceded the island of Taiwan to the Empire of Japan in 1895 as part of the Treaty of Shimonoseki. After the Japanese take-over, Taipei, called Taihoku in Japanese, was retained as the capital and emerged as the political center of the Japanese Colonial Government.[13] During that time the city acquired the characteristics of an administrative center, including many new public buildings and housing for civil servants. Much of the architecture of Taipei dates from the period of Japanese rule, including the Presidential Building which was the Office of the Governor-General of Taiwan.
During Japanese rule, Taihoku was incorporated in 1920 as part of Taihoku Prefecture. It included Bangka, Twatutia, and Jōnai (城內) among other small settlements. The eastern village of Matsuyama (松山庄, modern-day Songshan District, Taipei) was annexed into Taihoku City in 1938. Upon the Japanese defeat in the Pacific War and its consequent surrender in August 1945, the Kuomintang (Chinese Nationalist Party) assumed control of Taiwan. Subsequently, a temporary Office of the Taiwan Province Administrative Governor was established in Taipei City.[20]
Republic of China
With President Chiang Kai-shek, U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower waved to a crowd during his visit to Taipei in June 1960.
In 1947 the KMT government under Chiang Kai-shek declared island-wide martial law in Taiwan as a result of the February 28 Incident, which began with incidents in Taipei but led to an island-wide crackdown on the local population by forces loyal to Chiang. Two years later, on December 7, 1949, Chiang and the Kuomintang were forced to flee mainland China by the Communists near the end of the Chinese Civil War. The refugees declared Taipei to be the provisional capital of a continuing Republic of China, with the official capital at Nanjing (Nanking) even though that city was under Communist control.[14][15]
Taipei expanded greatly in the decades after 1949, and as approved on December 30, 1966 by the Executive Yuan, Taipei was declared a special centrally administered municipality on July 1, 1967 and given the administrative status of a province.[18] In the following year, Taipei City expanded again by annexing Shilin, Beitou, Neihu, Nangang, Jingmei, and Muzha. At that time, the city's total area increased fourfold through absorbing several outlying towns and villages and the population increased to 1.56 million people.[18]
The city's population, which had reached one million in the early 1960s, also expanded rapidly after 1967, exceeding two million by the mid-1970s. Although growth within the city itself gradually slowed thereafter[20] — its population had become relatively stable by the mid-1990s — Taipei remained one of the world's most densely populated urban areas, and the population continued to increase in the region surrounding the city, notably along the corridor between Taipei and Keelung.
In 1990 Taipei's 16 districts were consolidated into the current 12 districts.[21] Mass democracy rallies that year in the plaza around Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall led to an island-wide transition to multi-party democracy, where legislators are chosen via regularly scheduled popular elections, during the presidency of Lee Teng-Hui.
Geography
The city of Taipei, as seen from Maokong.
Taipei City is located in the Taipei Basin in northern Taiwan.[22] It is bordered by the Xindian River on the south and the Tamsui River on the west. The generally low-lying terrain of the central areas on the western side of the municipality slopes upward to the south and east and especially to the north,[5] where it reaches 1,120 metres (3,675 ft) at Qixing Mountain, the highest (inactive) volcano in Taiwan in Yangmingshan National Park. The northern districts of Shilin and Beitou extend north of the Keelung River and are bordered by Yangmingshan National Park. The Taipei city limits cover an area of 271.7997 km2,[23] ranking sixteenth of twenty-five among all counties and cities in Taiwan.
Two peaks, Qixing Mountain and Mt. Datun, rise to the northeast of the city.[24] Qixing Mountain is located on the Tatun Volcano Group and the tallest mountain at the rim of the Taipei Basin, with its main peak at 1,120 metres (3,670 ft). Mt. Datun's main peak is 1,092 metres (3,583 ft). These former volcanoes make up the western section of Yangmingshan National Park, extending from Mt. Datun northward to Mt. Caigongkeng (菜公坑山). Located on a broad saddle between two mountains, the area also contains the marshy Datun Pond.
To the southeast of the city lie the Songshan Hills and the Qingshui Ravine, which form a barrier of lush woods.[24]
Climate
Taipei has a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate[25][26][27] (Köppen: Cfa).[28] Summers are long-lasting, hot and humid, and accompanied by occasional heavy rainstorms and typhoons, while winters are short, generally warm and generally very foggy due to the northeasterly winds from the vast Siberian High being intensified by the pooling of this cooler air in the Taipei Basin. As in the rest of Northern Taiwan, daytime temperatures of Taipei can often peak above 26 degrees Celsius during a warm winter day, while they can dip below 26 degrees Celsius during a rainy summer's afternoon. Occasional cold fronts during the winter months can drop the daily temperature by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius, though temperatures rarely drop below 10 degrees Celsius.[29] Extreme temperatures ranged from −0.2 °C (31.6 °F) on February 13, 1901 to 39.3 °C (102.7 °F) on August 8, 2013, while snow has never been recorded in the city besides on mountains located within the city limit such as Mount Yangmingshan. Due to Taiwan's location in the Pacific Ocean, it is affected by the Pacific typhoon season, which occurs between June and October.
Air quality
When compared to other Asian cities, Taipei has "excellent" capabilities for managing air quality in the city.[31] Its rainy climate, location near the coast, and strong environmental regulations have prevented air pollution from becoming a substantial health issue, at least compared to cities in southeast Asia and industrial China. However, smog is extremely common and there is poor visibility throughout the city after rain-less days.
Motor vehicle engine exhaust, particularly from motor scooters, is a source of air pollution in Taipei. There are higher levels of fine particulate matter and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the mornings because of less air movement; sunlight reduces some pollution.[32] Occasionally, dust storms from Mainland China can temporarily bring extremely poor air quality to the city.[33]
Cityscape
Taipei viewed from Tiger Mountain, with Taipei 101 on the left.
Demographics
Taipei City is home to 2,704,810 people (2015), while the metropolitan area has a population of 7,047,559 people.[6] The population of the city has been decreasing in recent years while the population of the adjacent New Taipei has been increasing. The population loss, while rapid in its early years, has been stabilized by new lower density development and campaigns designed to increase birthrate in the city. The population has begun to rise since 2010.[6][34][35]
Due to Taipei's geography and location in the Taipei Basin as well as differing times of economic development of its districts, Taipei's population is not evenly distributed. The districts of Daan, Songshan, and Datong are the most densely populated. These districts, along with adjacent communities such as Yonghe and Zhonghe contain some of the most densely populated neighborhoods in the world.[34]
In 2008, the crude birth rate stood at 7.88% while the mortality rate stood at 5.94%. A decreasing and rapidly aging population is an important issue for the city.[34] By the end of 2009, one in ten people in Taipei was over 65 years of age.[36] Residents who had obtained a college education or higher accounted for 43.48% of the population, and the literacy rate stood at 99.18%.[34]
Like the rest of Taiwan, Taipei is composed of four major ethnic groups: Hoklos, Mainlanders, Hakkas, and aborigines.[34] Although Hoklos and Mainlanders form the majority of the population of the city, in recent decades many Hakkas have moved into the city. The aboriginal population in the city stands at 12,862 (<0.5%), concentrated mostly in the suburban districts. Foreigners (mainly from Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines) numbered 52,426 at the end of 2008.[34]
Economy
As the center of Taiwan's largest conurbation, Taipei has been at the center of rapid economic development in the country and has now become one of the global cities in the production of high technology and its components.[37] This is part of the so-called Taiwan Miracle which has seen dramatic growth in the city following foreign direct investment in the 1960s. Taiwan is now a creditor economy, holding one of the world's largest foreign exchange reserves of over US$403 billion as of December 2012.[38]
Despite the Asian financial crisis, the economy continues to expand at about 5% per year, with virtually full employment and low inflation. As of 2013, the nominal GDP per capita in Taipei city is lower than that in Hong Kong by a narrow margin according to The Economist(Nominal GDP per capita in HK is US$38181 in 2013 from IMF).[39] Furthermore, according to Financial times, GDP per capita based on Purchasing Power Parity(PPP) in Taipei in 2015 is 44173 USD, behind that in Singapore(US$48900 from IMF) and Hong Kong(US$56689 from IMF).[40]
Taipei and its environs have long been the foremost industrial area of Taiwan, consisting of industries of the secondary and tertiary sectors.[41] Most of the country's important factories producing textiles and apparel are located there; other industries include the manufacture of electronic products and components, electrical machinery and equipment, printed materials, precision equipment, and foods and beverages. Such companies include Shihlin Electric, CipherLab and Insyde Software. Shipbuilding, including yachts and other pleasure craft, is done in the port of Keelung northeast of the city.
Services, including those related to commerce, transportation, and banking, have become increasingly important. Tourism is a small but significant component of the local economy[42][43] with international visitors totaling almost 3 million in 2008.[44] Taipei has many top tourist attractions and contributes a significant amount to the US$6.8 billion tourism industry in Taiwan.[45] National brands such as ASUS,[46] Chunghwa Telecom,[47] Mandarin Airlines,[48] Tatung,[49] and Uni Air,[50][51] D-Link [52] are headquartered in Taipei City.
Culture
Tourism
See also: List of tourist attractions in Taipei
Tourism is a major part of Taipei's economy. In 2013, over 6.3 million overseas visitors visited Taipei, making the city the 15th most visited globally.[53] The influx of visitors contributed $10.8 billion USD to the city's economy in 2013, the 9th highest in the world and the most of any city in the Chinese-speaking world.[54]
Commemorative sites and museums
The National Palace Museum
The National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is a famous monument, landmark and tourist attraction that was erected in memory of General Chiang Kai-shek, former President of the Republic of China.[55] The structure stands at the east end of Memorial Hall Square, site of the National Concert Hall and National Theater and their adjacent parks as well as the memorial. The landmarks of Liberty Square stand within sight of Taiwan's Presidential Building in Taipei's Zhongzheng District.
The National Taiwan Museum
The National Taiwan Museum sits nearby in what is now 228 Peace Memorial Park and has worn its present name since 1999. The museum is Taiwan's oldest, founded on October 24, 1908 by Taiwan's Japanese colonial government (1895-1945) as the Taiwan Governor's Museum. It was launched with a collection of 10,000 items to celebrate the opening of the island's North-South Railway.[56] In 1915 a new museum building opened its doors in what is now 228 Peace Memorial Park. This structure and the adjacent governor's office (now Presidential Office Building), served as the two most recognizable public buildings in Taiwan during its period of Japanese rule.[56]
Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines
The National Palace Museum is a vast art gallery and museum built around a permanent collection centered on ancient Chinese artifacts. It should not be confused with the Palace Museum in Beijing (which it is named after); both institutions trace their origins to the same institution. The collections were divided in the 1940s as a result of the Chinese Civil War.[57][58] The National Palace Museum in Taipei now boasts a truly international collection while housing one of the world's largest collections of artifacts from ancient China.[58]
The Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines stands just 200 metres across the road from the National Palace Museum. The museum offers displays of art and historical items by Taiwanese aborigines along with a range of multimedia displays.
The Taipei Fine Arts Museum was established in 1983 as the first museum in Taiwan dedicated to modern art. The museum is housed in a building designed for the purpose that takes inspiration from Japanese designs. Most art in the collection is by Taiwanese artists since 1940. Over 3,000 art works are organized into 13 groups.
The National Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall near Taipei 101 in Xinyi District is named in honor of a founding father of the Republic of China, Sun Yat-sen. The hall, completed on May 16, 1972, originally featured exhibits that depicted revolutionary events in China at the end of the Qing Dynasty. Today it functions as multi-purpose social, educational, concert and cultural center for Taiwan's citizens.[59]
Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei, aka "old city hall"
In 2001 a new museum opened as Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei. The museum is housed in a building that formerly housed Taipei City government offices.[60]
Night view of a fully lit Taipei 101
Taipei 101
Taipei 101 is a 101-floor landmark skyscraper that claimed the title of world's tallest building when it opened in 2004, a title it held for six years before relinquishing it to the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Designed by C.Y. Lee & Partners and constructed by KTRT Joint Venture, Taipei 101 measures 509 m (1,670 ft) from ground to top, making it the first skyscraper in the world to break the half-kilometer mark in height. Built to withstand typhoon winds and earthquake tremors, its design incorporates many engineering innovations and has won numerous international awards. Taipei 101 remains one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world and holds LEED's certification as the world's largest "green" building. Its shopping mall and its indoor and outdoor observatories draw visitors from all over the world. Taipei 101's New Year's Eve fireworks display is a regular feature of international broadcasts.
Performing arts
Taiwan's National Concert Hall at night
The National Theater and Concert Hall stand at Taipei's Liberty Square and host events by foreign and domestic performers. Other leading concert venues include Zhongshan Hall at Ximending and the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall near Taipei 101.
A new venue, the Taipei Performing Arts Center, is under construction and slated to open in 2015.[61][62] The venue will stand near the Shilin Night Market[63] and will house three theaters for events with multi-week runs. The architectural design, by Rem Koolhaas and OMA, was determined in 2009 in an international competition.[64] The same design process is also in place for a new Taipei Center for Popular Music and Taipei City Museum.[65]
Shopping and recreation
Main article: Shopping in Taipei
Taipei is known for its many night markets, the most famous of which is the Shilin Night Market in the Shilin District. The surrounding streets by Shilin Night Market are extremely crowded during the evening, usually opening late afternoon and operating well past midnight. Most night markets feature individual stalls selling a mixture of food, clothing, and consumer goods.
The busy streets of Ximending at night
Ximending has been a famous area for shopping and entertainment since the 1930s. Historic structures include a concert hall, a historic cinema, and the Red House Theater. Modern structures house karaoke businesses, art film cinemas, wide-release movie cinemas, electronic stores, and a wide variety of restaurants and fashion clothing stores.[66] The pedestrian area is especially popular with teens and has been called the "Harajuku" of Taipei.[67]
Eastern district at night
The newly developed Xinyi District is popular with tourists and locals alike for its many entertainment and shopping venues, as well as being the home of Taipei 101, a prime tourist attraction. Malls in the area include the sprawling Shin Kong Mitsukoshi complex, Breeze Center, Bellavita, Taipei 101 mall, Eslite Bookstore's flagship store (which includes a boutique mall), The Living Mall, ATT shopping mall, and the Vieshow Cinemas (formerly known as Warner Village). The Xinyi district also serves as the center of Taipei's active nightlife, with several popular lounge bars and nightclubs concentrated in a relatively small area around the Neo19, ATT 4 FUN and Taipei 101 buildings. Lounge bars such as Barcode and nightclubs such as Spark and Myst are among the most-visited places here.
Eslite Bookstore in Xinyi District
The thriving shopping area around Taipei Main Station includes the Taipei Underground Market and the original Shin Kong Mitsukoshi department store at Shin Kong Life Tower. Other popular shopping destinations include the Zhongshan Metro Mall, Dihua Street, the Guang Hua Digital Plaza, and the Core Pacific City. The Miramar Entertainment Park is known for its large Ferris wheel and IMAX theater.
Taipei maintains an extensive system of parks, green spaces, and nature preserves. Parks and forestry areas of note in and around the city include Yangmingshan National Park, Taipei Zoo and Da-an Forest Park. Yangmingshan National Park (located 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) north of the central city) is famous for its cherry blossoms, hot springs, and sulfur deposits. It is the home of famous writer Lin Yutang, the summer residence of Chiang Kai-shek, residences of foreign diplomats, the Chinese Culture University, the meeting place of the now defunct National Assembly of the Republic of China, and the Kuomintang Party Archives. The Taipei Zoo was founded in 1914 and covers an area of 165 hectares for animal sanctuary.
Bitan is known for boating and water sports. Tamsui is a popular sea-side resort town. Ocean beaches are accessible in several directions from Taipei.
Temples
Built in 1738, Longshan Temple is one of the oldest temples in the city.
Street corner shrine, Taipei 2013
Taipei is rich in beautiful, ornate temples housing Buddhist, Taoist, and Chinese folk religion deities. The Longshan Temple, built in 1738 and located in the Wanhua District, demonstrates an example of architecture with southern Chinese influences commonly seen on older buildings in Taiwan.
Xinsheng South Road is known as the "Road to Heaven" due to its high concentration of temples, shrines, churches, and mosques.[68][69] Other famous temples include Baoan Temple located in historic Dalongdong, a national historical site, and Xiahai City God Temple, located in the old Dadaocheng community, constructed with architecture similar to temples in southern Fujian.[70] The Taipei Confucius Temple traces its history back to 1879 during the Qing Dynasty and also incorporates southern Fujian-style architecture.[71]
Besides large temples, small outdoor shrines to local deities are very common and can be spotted on road sides, parks, and neighborhoods. Many homes and businesses may also set up small shrines of candles, figurines, and offerings. Some restaurants, for example, may set up a small shrine to the Kitchen god for success in a restaurant business.[72]
New Year's Eve fireworks at Taipei 101
Festivals and events
Many yearly festivals are held in Taipei. In recent years some festivals, such as the Double Ten Day fireworks and concerts, are increasingly hosted on a rotating basis by a number of cities around Taiwan.
When New Year's Eve arrives on the solar calendar, thousands of people converge on Taipei's Xinyi District for parades, outdoor concerts by popular artists, street shows, round-the clock nightlife. The high point is of course the countdown to midnight, when Taipei 101 assumes the role of the world's largest fireworks platform.
The Taipei Lantern Festival concludes the Lunar New Year holiday. The timing of the city's lantern exhibit coincides with the national festival in Pingxi, when thousands of fire lanterns are released into the sky.[73] The city's lantern exhibit rotates among different downtown locales from year to year, including Liberty Square, Taipei 101, and Zhongshan Hall in Ximending.
On Double Ten Day, patriotic celebrations are held in front of the Presidential Building. Other annual festivals include Ancestors Day (Tomb-Sweeping Day), the Dragon Boat Festival, the Ghost Festival, and the Mid-Autumn Festival (Moon Festival).[73]
Taipei regularly hosts its share of international events. The city recently hosted the 2009 Summer Deaflympics.[74] This event was followed by the Taipei International Flora Exposition, a garden festival hosted from November 2010 to April 2011. The Floral Expo was the first of its kind to take place in Taiwan and only the seventh hosted in Asia; the expo admitted 110,000 visitors on February 27, 2011.
Taipei in films
Romanization
The spelling "Taipei" derives from the Wade–Giles romanization T'ai-pei.[75] The name could be also romanized as Táiběi according to Hanyu Pinyin and Tongyong Pinyin.[76][77]
Government
Taipei City is a special municipality which is directly under the Executive Yuan (Central Government) of ROC. The mayor of Taipei City had been an appointed position since Taipei's conversion to a centrally administered municipality in 1967 until the first public election was held in 1994.[78] The position has a four-year term and is elected by direct popular vote. The first elected mayor was Chen Shui-bian of the Democratic Progressive Party. Ma Ying-jeou took office in 1998 for two terms, before handing it over to Hau Lung-pin who won the 2006 mayoral election on December 9, 2006.[79] Both Chen Shui-bian and Ma Ying-Jeou went on to become President of the Republic of China. The incumbent mayor, Ko Wen-je, was elected on November 29, 2014 and took office on December 25, 2014.[80]
Based on the outcomes of previous elections in the past decade, the vote of the overall constituency of Taipei City shows a slight inclination towards the pro-KMT camp (the Pan-Blue Coalition);[81] however, the pro-DPP camp (the Pan-Green Coalition) also has considerable support.[82]
Ketagalan Boulevard, where the Presidential Office Building and other government structures are situated, is often the site of mass gatherings such as inauguration and national holiday parades, receptions for visiting dignitaries, political demonstrations,[83][84] and public festivals.[85]
Garbage recycling
Taipei City is also famous for its effort in garbage recycling, which has become such a good international precedent that other countries have sent teams to study the recycling system. After the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) established a program in 1998 combining the efforts of communities, a financial resource named the Recycling Fund was made available to recycling companies and waste collectors. Manufacturers, vendors and importers of recyclable waste pay fees to the Fund, which uses the money to set firm prices for recyclables and subsidize local recycling efforts. Between 1998 and 2008, the recycling rate increased from 6 percent to 32 percent.[86] This improvement enabled the government of Taipei to demonstrate its recycling system to the world at the Shanghai World Expo 2010.
Administrative divisions
Taipei City is divided up into 12 administrative districts (區 qu).[87] Each district is further divided up into urban villages (里), which are further sub-divided up into neighborhoods (鄰).
Map District Population
(Jan. 2016) Area
(km2) Postal
code
Beitou 北投區 Běitóu Pei-t'ou Pak-tâu 257,922 56.8216 112
Da'an 大安區 Dà'ān Ta-an Tāi-an 312,909 11.3614 106
Datong 大同區 Dàtóng Ta-t'ung Tāi-tông 131,029 5.6815 103
Nangang 南港區 Nángǎng Nan-kang Lâm-káng 122,296 21.8424 115
Neihu 內湖區 Nèihú Nei-hu Lāi-ô͘ 287,726 31.5787 114
Shilin 士林區 Shìlín Shih-lin Sū-lîm 290,682 62.3682 111
Songshan 松山區 Sōngshān Sung-shan Siông-san 209,689 9.2878 105
Wanhua 萬華區 Wànhuá Wan-hua Báng-kah 194,314 8.8522 108
Wenshan 文山區 Wénshān Wen-shan Bûn-san 275,433 31.5090 116
Xinyi 信義區 Xìnyì Hsin-yi Sìn-gī 229,139 11.2077 110
Zhongshan 中山區 Zhōngshān Chung-shan Tiong-san 231,286 13.6821 104
Zhongzheng 中正區 Zhōngzhèng Chung-cheng Tiong-chèng 162,549 7.6071 100
City planning
The city is characterized by straight roads and public buildings of grand Western architectural styles.[88] The city is built on a square grid configuration, however these blocks are huge by international standards with 500 m (1,640.42 ft) sides. The area in between these blocks are infilled with lanes and alleys, which provide access to quieter residential or mixed-use development. Other than a citywide 30 kilometres per hour (19 mph) speed limit, there is little uniform planning within this "hidden" area; therefore lanes (perpendicular to streets) and alleys (parallel with street, or conceptually, perpendicular to the lane) spill out from the main throughways. These minor roads are not always perpendicular and sometimes cut through the block diagonally.
Although development began in the western districts (still considered the cultural heart of the city) of the city due to trade, the eastern districts of the city have become the focus of recent development projects. Many of the western districts, already in decline, have become targets of new urban renewal initiatives.[88]
Transportation
Platform of Wende Station on the Taipei Metro system.
Public transport accounts for a substantial portion of different modes of transport in Taiwan, with Taipei residents having the highest utilization rate at 34.1%.[89] Private transport consists of motor scooters, private cars, and bicycles. Motor-scooters often weave between cars and occasionally through oncoming traffic. Respect for traffic laws, once scant, has improved with deployment of traffic cameras and increasing numbers of police roadblocks checking riders for alcohol consumption and other offenses.
Taipei Station serves as the comprehensive hub for the subway, bus, conventional rail, and high-speed rail.[41] A contactless smartcard, known as EasyCard, can be used for all modes of public transit as well as several retail outlets. It contains credits that are deducted each time a ride is taken.[90] The EasyCard is read via proximity sensory panels on buses and in MRT stations, and it does not need to be removed from one's wallet or purse.
Metro
Main article: Taipei Metro
Taipei's public transport system, the Taipei Metro (commonly referred to as the MRT), incorporates a metro and light rail system based on advanced VAL and Bombardier technology. There are currently five metro lines that are labelled in three ways: color, line number and depot station name. In addition to the rapid transit system itself, the Taipei Metro also includes several public facilities such as the Maokong Gondola, underground shopping malls, parks, and public squares. Modifications to existing railway lines to integrate them into the metro system are underway.
In 2017 a rapid transit line was opened to connect Taipei with Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and Taoyuan City. The new line is part of the new Taoyuan Metro system.
Taipei Railway Station front
Rail
Main articles: Taiwan High Speed Rail and Taiwan Railway Administration
Beginning in 1983, surface rail lines in the city were moved underground as part of the Taipei Railway Underground Project.[91] The Taiwan High Speed Rail system opened in 2007. The bullet trains connect Taipei with the west coast cities of New Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Taichung, Chiayi, and Tainan before terminating at Zuoying (Kaohsiung) at speeds that cut travel times by 60% or more from what they normally are on a bus or conventional train.[92] The Taiwan Railway Administration also runs passenger and freight services throughout the entire island.
Bus
An extensive city bus system serves metropolitan areas not covered by the metro, with exclusive bus lanes to facilitate transportation.[41] Riders of the city metro system are able to use the EasyCard for discounted fares on buses, and vice versa. Several major intercity bus terminals are located throughout the city, including the Taipei Bus Station and Taipei City Hall Bus Station.[93]
Taipei Songshan Airport
Airports
Main articles: Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and Taipei Songshan Airport
Most scheduled international flights are served by Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in nearby Taoyuan City. Songshan Airport at the heart of the city in the Songshan District serves domestic flights and scheduled flights to Tokyo International Airport (also known as Haneda Airport), Gimpo International Airport in Seoul, and about 15 destinations in the People's Republic of China. Songshan Airport is accessible by the Taipei Metro Neihu Line; Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport is accessible by the Taoyuan International Airport MRT system.
Ticketing
In 1994, with the rapid development of Taipei, a white paper for transport policies expressed the strong objective to "create a civilised transport system for the people of Taipei." In 1999, they chose Mitac consortium, which Thales-Transportation Systems is part of. Thales was then selected again in 2005 to deploy an upgrade of Taipei's public transport network with an end-to-end and fully contactless automatic fare collection solution that integrates 116 metro stations, 5,000 buses and 92 car parks.[citation needed]
Education
West Site of National Taiwan University Hospital
24 universities have campuses located in Taipei:
National Taiwan University (1928)
National Chengchi University (1927)
National Defense Medical Center (1902)
National Defense University (1906)
National Taipei University (1949)
National Taipei University of Business (1917)
National Taipei University of Education (1895)
National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Science (1947)
National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (1974)
National Taipei University of Technology (1912)
National Taiwan College of Performing Arts (1957)
National Taiwan Normal University (1946)
National Yang-Ming University (1975)
Taipei National University of the Arts (1982)
University of Taipei (2013)
Tamkang University (1950)
Soochow University (1900)
Chinese Culture University (1962)
Ming Chuan University (1957)
Shih Hsin University (1956)
Shih Chien University (1958)
Taipei Medical University (1960)
Tatung University (1956)
China University of Technology (1965)
National Taiwan University (NTU) was established in 1928 during the period of Japanese colonial rule. NTU has produced many political and social leaders in Taiwan. Both pan-blue and pan-green movements in Taiwan are rooted on the NTU campus. The university has six campuses in the greater Taipei region (including New Taipei) and two additional campuses in Nantou County. The university governs farms, forests, and hospitals for educational and research purposes. The main campus is in Taipei's Da-An district, where most department buildings and all the administrative buildings are located. The College of Law and the College of Medicine are located near the Presidential Building. The National Taiwan University Hospital is a leading international center of medical research.[94]
National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU or Shida) likewise traces its origins to the Japanese colonial period. Originally a teacher training institution, NTNU has developed into a comprehensive international university with demanding entrance requirements. The university boasts especially strong programs in the humanities and international education. Worldwide it is perhaps best known as home of the Mandarin Training Center, a program that offers Mandarin language training each year to over a thousand students from dozens of countries throughout the world. The main campus in Taipei's Da-An district, near MRT Guting Station, is known for its historic architecture and giving its name to the Shida Night Market, one of the most popular among the numerous night markets in Taipei.
Chinese language program for foreigners
Taiwan Mandarin Institute (TMI) (福爾摩莎)
International Chinese Language Program (ICLP) (國際華語研習所) of National Taiwan University
Mandarin Training Center (MTC) (國語教學中心) of National Taiwan Normal University
Taipei Language Institute (中華語文研習所)
A brilliant place to visit and a surprisingly large nature reserve in the middle of one of the worlds greatest and largest cities. You can see the urban backdrop and aeroplanes over the city but at times you will feel as if you are in the countryside. You will see many common wildlife as well as rare birds dropping in as well. It has quite an impressive list for a reserve in an urban area. A number of birds especially which are not found in urban areas are resident or passage migrants here.
City oasis
WWT London has been voted the UK’s Favourite Nature Reserve. Close to the heart of the capital, it is a haven for birds, wildlife and people.
www.wwt.org.uk/visit/london/plan-your-visit/
Queen Elizabeth's Walk
Barnes, London
SW13 9WT
T: 020 8409 4400
F: 020 8409 4401
E: info.london@wwt.org.uk
Opening times
Open 7 days a week, except 25 December.
Winter opening time until Saturday 24 March 2012
9.30am to 5pm (last admission 4pm).
Summer opening time until Saturday 27 October 2012
9.30am to 6pm (last admission 5pm).
Early closing on 24 December (last admission 2pm, centre closes at 3pm)
Water's Edge Cafe: last orders 4.30pm in winter and 5.30pm in summer
Water's Edge Cafe: closes 5.00pm in winter and 6.00pm in summer
Terms of entry
Children under 16 years must be accompanied by an adult.
Photography is permitted on site providing it is for personal use only. All commercial/stock library photography, filming, recording, etc. must be agreed in advance with the centre. Please phone 020 8409 4400 for any commercial filming or photographic enquiries.
Visitors are asked to respect the habitats and wildlife of the centre by keeping to the paths at all times and not causing undue noise. The centre is a nature conservation area designed to protect natural habitats for all UK wetland species, both botanical and animal. It is especially important to remain quiet in the bird viewing hides.
The following are not permitted on site:
•Dogs, other than trained assistance dogs (i.e. guide dogs), which must be kept on their harness at all times, and the harness must clearly state "working or assistance dog." Any dog waste must please be removed. There is minimal shade in the car park so we strongly recommend dogs are not left locked in parked cars. There are no suitable areas anywhere at the centre for dogs to be left tied-up outside. Please be aware that our priority is for the welfare of the dogs, so it is our policy to call the RSPCA or Police immediately if we are concerned for the health of a dog.
•Scooters, bicycles, tricycles, roller skates or blades or skateboards. Bike cages are provided in the car park, please bring your own lock. WWT London Wetland Centre accepts no responsibility for any theft or damage of bikes or property left in the cages.
•Climbing on any trees or shrubs or any pruning/picking of flowers or vegetation.
•Climbing on any exhibits or habitats either in the World Wetlands area or the Wildside areas.
•Swimming/wading or entering any water bodies on site.
•Sports or games (including jogging).
•There is no provision for left baggage, please leave all baggage in your vehicle or do not bring it with you.
•We do not allow re-entry to the centre, unless admission receipt is provided.
Accessibility
•The grounds have level access and hard-surfaced paths with tarmac on main routes (and compacted gravel on minor paths)
•Low-level viewing windows and level access to ground floor bird hides. Heated bird-watching observatory in main visitor centre
•Lift access to upper floors of visitor centre, observatory and three-storey Peacock Tower hide. No lift in Wildside Hide
•Free wheelchair loan
•Free electric mobility scooter loan. One only - must be booked in advance.
•Fixed hearing loops in admissions area and in audio visual theatre
•Trained assistance dogs only (i.e. guide dogs). No other dogs permitted
•Accessible toilets in car park and throughout the visitor centre
•Free car parking on site. Tarmac surface and reserved bays for disabled visitors.
•Public transport is available direct to the centre from Hammersmith bus station to the centre between 9.30am and 5pm (No 283 from Stand K)
www.wwt.org.uk/visit/london/plan-your-visit/walks-and-talks/
London Wetland Centre is an idyllic spot to escape the hustle and bustle of the City for a walk or to indulge in an afternoon of bird watching from one of our six hides. The reserve is easily accessible with pathways and bridges among the pools, meadows and gardens.
But if you want to learn a bit more about the centre - how it was created and the work we do here - you can join one of our tours held daily at 11.30am and 2.30pm. There’s no need to book and the tour is free with admission to the centre.
Our guides will explain how London Wetland Centre was created from four redundant Thames Water reservoirs. They will also point out wildlife spotted on the day.
Over 200 species of bird have been recorded on site since we opened in 2000. Also making their home amongst the 300,000 plants and 27,000 trees we planted during the centre’s creation are water voles, dragonflies, frogs, snakes, slow worms, bats, newts and butterflies, to name just a few.
You can also join one of our wardens at 3.00pm each day as they feed the birds in World Wetlands. Just turn up and the walks are free with admission to the centre.
As well as our regular walks we frequently run specialist walks and talks on everything from plant identification and reptiles to bird watching and bird song. See our Whats On section for forthcoming events.
And every day you will find our ‘Guide in the hide’ who will be able to point out the birds you can see on our lakes and lagoons.
•Guided tours, daily at 11.30am and 2.30pm
•Bird feed tour, daily at 3.00pm
•Guide in a hide, daily
www.wwt.org.uk/visit/london/plan-your-visit/prices/
2012 admission prices
Prices are shown inclusive of Gift Aid and without. The Gift Aid admission price includes a voluntary donation, which enables us to claim the tax back as part of the Government's Gift Aid scheme. For further information on Gift Aid click here.
Pricing*Gift AidNo Gift Aid
Adult£10.99£9.99
Concession (65+, full-time students, unemployed)£8.20£7.45
Child (4-16 years)£6.10£5.55
Family (2 adults and 2 children, 4-16 years)£30.60£27.82
Children (under 4 years)FreeFree
Essential helpers assisting disabled visitorsFreeFree
Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.
Please note: you may be asked for proof of age, student ID or proof that you are receiving Job Seekers Allowance to qualify for concession admission prices.
www.wwt.org.uk/visit/london/plan-your-visit/eat-drink-ref...
Eat, drink, refresh
The Water’s Edge café is situated overlooking the centre's entrance lake where you can watch the ducks hunting for their own lunch! On warmer days you can relax on the terrace but there is also plenty of seating indoors for when the weather is chillier.
The café serves a delicious selection of main dishes and sandwiches, soup, cakes, biscuits and snacks plus children’s lunch boxes.
Each day we offer breakfast rolls (full English breakfast at weekends). Hot food, including a vegetarian option, is served from 12 noon.We also serve hot and cold drinks and wines throughout the day.
Throughout the year we serve meals to celebrate festive occasions such as Christmas, Mothers’ Day and Valentine’s Day. Where better to treat someone to lunch than in the beautiful, relaxing setting of a 105 acre wildlife haven?
We also have rooms available for hire for private celebrations such as weddings and parties.
The Water’s Edge café is in the centre so cannot be visited without paying for admission to the centre (admission is free for members).
Although only food purchased from the cafe can be eaten inside and on the café terrace there are ample picnic areas situated around the centre where you are welcome to eat your own food and drink.
Water's Edge café last orders: 4.30pm in winter and 5.30pm in summer
Water's Edge café closes: 5.00pm in winter and 6.00pm in summer
www.wwt.org.uk/visit/london/plan-your-visit/shopping/
Our gift shop stocks a wide range of souvenirs, practical items and luxury gifts. Select from wildlife books to enhance your enjoyment of nature, eco products, outdoor clothing, bird feeders/boxes, cards, children’s gifts, souvenirs and much more.
We also have a wide range of children’s products for budding wildlife enthusiasts. Help our feathered friends by taking home a pack of bird seed and treat yourself to a bag of traditional sweets too!
To enhance your walk through our 105 acre nature reserve you can hire binoculars from the In Focus optics shop located next to the art gallery (above the shop).
Binoculars cost £5.00 to hire. In Focus stocks everything you will ever need to watch wildlife, from compact binoculars to state of the art telescopes (a percentage of all sales goes to the conservation work of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust).
www.wwt.org.uk/visit/london/plan-your-visit/group-visits/
London Wetland Centre is a beautiful place for a group visit, offering close views of nature, especially wetland birds, and a wide variety of wetland habitats to explore (although you won't need your wellies!). There is also a collection of beautiful birds from around the world kept for conservation purposes and a family of otters.
We have an excellent visitor centre for all your group’s needs with a lakeside restaurant, gift shop and a theatre. The majority of the paths are tarmac so are easily accessible and there are plenty of benches for you to sit and relax. Even our three storey hide with views across the entire reserve has a lift.
The centre is easily accessible from central London and beyond, with public transport links direct and free onsite car/coach parking.
Benefits for groups
•Reduced admission prices for groups of 12 or more
•A complimentary ticket for the group organiser
•Free pre-visit on request for the group organiser
•Free coach parking
•Guided tours available, tailored to your group's requirements (fee applies)
Please note that all benefits except reduced admission only apply if you book up to two weeks in advance.
Group admission prices 2012
The following discounted rates apply to groups of 12 paying visitors or more:
Adult: £9.20
Concession: £7.00 (over 65 years, full-time students, unemployed)
Child: £5.15 (4 - 16 years)
Sample group itinerary
11am - Arrive at the centre and meet with one of our tour guides. Visit the observatory, enjoy a tour around ‘World Wetlands’ discovering water birds from across the globe and learn how the centre was created.
1pm - Enjoy lunch in the Water’s Edge cafe where you can choose from a selection of hot and cold meals and refreshments.
2pm - Explore the reserve and discover the birds and other wetland wildlife that have made this their home. Don’t forget to visit our Peacock tower for wonderful panoramic views of the wetland habitats.
3.30pm - Afternoon tea in the Water’s Edge cafe with sumptuous home-made cakes.
4.15pm - Enjoy a spot of shopping in our gift shop.
4.50pm - Depart.
Private group tours
Make the most of your visit with a tour by one of our expert guides. £20 fee applies for a maximum of 20 people. Tour last 1.5 hours. Please call 020 8409 4400 for details.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit?
The London Wetland Centre is a beautiful place to visit all year round with the landscape and wildlife changing constantly with the seasons.
Spring is perfect for wild flowers and songbirds. In the summer you can relax outside with a picnic and enjoy the sound of marsh frogs, crickets and warblers. Our sustainable gardens are beautiful at that time of year, bursting into a blaze of colour that lasts all summer.
Autumn is great for seeing rare birds passing through on migration and winter is the best time to observe the flocks of wild duck or catch sight of an elusive bittern, regular visitors over recent winters.
Why not combine your visit with one of our special events such as late night opening, some of our animal themed events or a twilight bat walk?
What should we wear?
The centre has tarmac/firm level paths throughout and so any comfortable shoes will suffice. It is worth bringing an umbrella or waterproof if rain is forecast as the reserve covers more than 40 hectares and it can take a few minutes to reach shelter.
When should we pay?
Please pay at the admissions desk on the day of your visit. The centre would very much appreciate if you could arrange one payment per group. This will speed up your admission into the centre. If you are paying individually please be prepared to wait.
Some of our group can’t walk far, is it still suitable?
Yes, there is plenty to see and do in our visitor centre and there are numerous benches scattered throughout the reserve. It is also possible to book a wheelchair or electric buggy to help you travel around the reserve.
Making a booking
Please complete our group booking form (pdf, 37kb) and return it to info.london@wwt.org.uk
Contact us on 020 8409 4400 or email info.london@wwt.org.uk for further information.
www.wwt.org.uk/visit/london/plan-your-visit/school-visits/
School visits
At WWT London we provide unique and unforgettable learning experiences for schools.
To find out more about what’s on offer for you and your pupils
www.wwt.org.uk/learn/learn-at-wwt-london/
We welcome school groups of all sizes, all year round.
We offer guided learning sessions outdoors, suitable for a range of ages and abilities, including special needs groups. Or for schools wishing to explore independently, we offer self guided visits.
www.wwt.org.uk/visit/london/plan-your-visit/venue-hire/
WWT London Wetland Centre is an idyllic spot to hold any event, whether you are celebrating a special occasion, getting married or holding a meeting. The Centre is just 10 minutes from Hammersmith but it could be a world away. The combination of beautiful surroundings and central location makes it easily accessible but offers a rural experience. Our 42 hectares of scenic lakes, pools and meadows are unique so close to the heart of London and they are complemented by first rate facilities, excellent transport links and ample free parking.
WWT London Wetland Centre is part of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust so by holding your event with us you will be directly contributing to our global conservation work.
Contact us
To further information please contact our functions team.
Telephone: 020 8409 4400 or email: functions.london@wwt.org.uk
If you are travelling to or from the centre by taxi we encourage you to use the taxi company Green Tomato Cars. This company uses a fleet of the most viable environmentally friendly cars and offers the service at competitive rates. For more information please see their website www.greentomatocars.com or call 020 8568 002.
www.wwt.org.uk/visit/london/volunteer/
The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust is a charity and relies on the generous support of volunteers at all of its wetland centres to help with conservation work and other daily tasks.
The London Wetland Centre currently has openings for:
•Office volunteers – reception and office cover, Friday morning and afternoon, and weekend mornings and afternoons
•Membership volunteers (especially weekends)
•Corporate work groups - weekdays
•Events volunteers (at weekends)
We are also interested to hear from people with specialist skills that may be of use to WWT. Currently we are particularly looking for good birders who are also great communicators.
Please call Chris Elliott on 020 8409 4400.
Membership volunteers
Are you inspired by wetlands and their wildlife? Could you help save them?
Do you have an outgoing, friendly personality to engage with visitors at WWT London Wetland Centre?
We are looking for volunteers to join us to actively recruit members for London Wetland Centre. Can you spare at least two mornings or afternoons a month to help us with this worthy cause?
If you are interested, please contact: Chris Elliott, Volunteer Coordinator on 020 8409 4400 or email info.london@wwt.org.uk
Corporate volunteering
Escape the office for a day and do your bit for wetland conservation with our corporate volunteering opportunities at WWT London Wetland Centre.
We can cater for corporate volunteering days, where work groups can assist wardens with duties such as planting, digging, weeding and pollarding.
Costs vary depending on type of volunteer work completed.
Please call our Volunteer Coordinator on 020 8409 4400 for further details.
Work experience
WWT London Wetland Centre takes five work experience students a year for one working week at a time. Students spend each day working with a different department.
Work experience must be part of the schools programme and placements are subject to interview.
Demand for placements is very high and there are no remaining openings in 2012.
With limited staffing resources we very much regret that the London Wetland Centre cannot accept students on the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme.
Contact us
For further information please contact our Volunteer Coordinator Chris Elliott on 020 8409 4400 or email info.london@wwt.org.uk
The bridal wear series goes on. The presentation here is smoky, hazy, vintage and not so distinct and definitive as a photographer would love to have. The original image is of course tack sharp and bright and cheerful but since the mandate was for a washed out vintage look, the same has been done as per the requirements of the designer.
The grass is still green in Delhi, but not for long, I am afraid, as the winter creeps in gently.
Dates
Taken on September 8, 2013 at 3.26PM IST (edit)
Posted to Flickr September 20, 2013 at 1.19AM IST (edit)
Exif data
Camera Nikon D800
Exposure 0.004 sec (1/250)
Aperture f/2.8
Focal Length 52 mm
Focal Length 51.9 mm
ISO Speed 125
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Flash Off, Did not fire
_DSC0601 nef with silver efex and vintage
An Air Force Lockheed Martin F-22 "Raptor" assigned to the 3rd Wing flies over Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Feb. 27, 2018. The Lockheed Martin F-22 "Raptor" is the U.S. Air Force’s premium fifth-generation fighter asset.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Lockheed Martin F-22 "Raptor" is a fifth-generation, single-seat, twin-engine, all-weather stealth tactical fighter aircraft developed for the United States Air Force (USAF). The result of the USAF's Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, the aircraft was designed primarily as an air superiority fighter, but also has ground attack, electronic warfare, and signal intelligence capabilities. The prime contractor, Lockheed Martin, built most of the F-22's airframe and weapons systems and conducted final assembly, while Boeing provided the wings, aft fuselage, avionics integration, and training systems.
The aircraft was variously designated F-22 and F/A-22 before it formally entered service in December 2005 as the F-22A. Despite its protracted development and various operational issues, USAF officials consider the F-22 a critical component of the service's tactical air power. Its combination of stealth, aerodynamic performance, and situational awareness enable unprecedented air combat capabilities.
Service officials had originally planned to buy a total of 750 ATFs. In 2009, the program was cut to 187 operational production aircraft due to high costs, a lack of clear air-to-air missions due to delays in Russian and Chinese fighter programs, a ban on exports, and development of the more versatile F-35. The last F-22 was delivered in 2012.
Development
Origins
In 1981, the U.S. Air Force identified a requirement for an Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) to replace the F-15 "Eagle" and F-16 "Fighting Falcon". Code named "Senior Sky", this air-superiority fighter program was influenced by emerging worldwide threats, including new developments in Soviet air defense systems and the proliferation of the Su-27 "Flanker"- and MiG-29 "Fulcrum"-class of fighter aircraft. It would take advantage of the new technologies in fighter design on the horizon, including composite materials, lightweight alloys, advanced flight control systems, more powerful propulsion systems, and most importantly, stealth technology. In 1983, the ATF concept development team became the System Program Office (SPO) and managed the program at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The demonstration and validation (Dem/Val) request for proposals (RFP) was issued in September 1985, with requirements placing strong emphasis on stealth and supercruise. Of the seven bidding companies, Lockheed and Northrop were selected on 31 October 1986. Lockheed teamed with Boeing and General Dynamics while Northrop teamed with McDonnell Douglas, and the two contractor teams undertook a 50-month Dem/Val phase, culminating in the flight test of two technology demonstrator prototypes, the YF-22 and the YF-23, respectively.
Dem/Val was focused on risk reduction and technology development plans over specific aircraft designs. Contractors made extensive use of analytical and empirical methods, including computational fluid dynamics, wind-tunnel testing, and radar cross-section calculations and pole testing; the Lockheed team would conduct nearly 18,000 hours of wind-tunnel testing. Avionics development was marked by extensive testing and prototyping and supported by ground and flying laboratories. During Dem/Val, the SPO used the results of performance and cost trade studies conducted by contractor teams to adjust ATF requirements and delete ones that were significant weight and cost drivers while having marginal value. The short takeoff and landing (STOL) requirement was relaxed in order to delete thrust-reversers, saving substantial weight. As avionics was a major cost driver, side-looking radars were deleted, and the dedicated infra-red search and track (IRST) system was downgraded from multi-color to single color and then deleted as well. However, space and cooling provisions were retained to allow for future addition of these components. The ejection seat requirement was downgraded from a fresh design to the existing McDonnell Douglas ACES II. Despite efforts by the contractor teams to rein in weight, the takeoff gross weight estimate was increased from 50,000 lb (22,700 kg) to 60,000 lb (27,200 kg), resulting in engine thrust requirement increasing from 30,000 lbf (133 kN) to 35,000 lbf (156 kN) class.
Each team produced two prototype air vehicles for Dem/Val, one for each of the two engine options. The YF-22 had its maiden flight on 29 September 1990 and in flight tests achieved up to Mach 1.58 in supercruise. After the Dem/Val flight test of the prototypes, on 23 April 1991, Secretary of the USAF Donald Rice announced the Lockheed team as the winner of the ATF competition. The YF-23 design was considered stealthier and faster, while the YF-22, with its thrust vectoring nozzles, was more maneuverable as well as less expensive and risky. The aviation press speculated that the Lockheed team's design was also more adaptable to the U.S. Navy's Navalized Advanced Tactical Fighter (NATF), but by 1992, the Navy had abandoned NATF.
Production and procurement
As the program moved to full-scale development, or the Engineering & Manufacturing Development (EMD) stage, the production version had notable differences from the YF-22, despite having a broadly similar shape. The swept-back angle of the leading edge was decreased from 48° to 42°, while the vertical stabilizers were shifted rearward and decreased in area by 20%. To improve pilot visibility, the canopy was moved forward 7 inches (18 cm), and the engine intakes moved rearward 14 inches (36 cm). The shapes of the wing and stabilator trailing edges were refined to improve aerodynamics, strength, and stealth characteristics. Increasing weight during development caused slight reductions in range and maneuver performance.
Prime contractor Lockheed Martin Aeronautics manufactured the majority of the airframe and performed final assembly at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta, Georgia; program partner Boeing Defense, Space & Security provided additional airframe components as well as avionics integration and training systems. The first F-22, an EMD aircraft with tail number 4001, was unveiled at Marietta, Georgia, on 9 April 1997, and first flew on 7 September 1997. Production, with the first lot awarded in September 2000, supported over 1,000 subcontractors and suppliers from 46 states and up to 95,000 jobs, and spanned 15 years at a peak rate of roughly two airplanes per month. In 2006, the F-22 development team won the Collier Trophy, American aviation's most prestigious award. Due to the aircraft's advanced nature, contractors have been targeted by cyberattacks and technology theft.
The USAF originally envisioned ordering 750 ATFs at a total program cost of $44.3 billion and procurement cost of $26.2 billion in fiscal year (FY) 1985 dollars, with production beginning in 1994. The 1990 Major Aircraft Review led by Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney reduced this to 648 aircraft beginning in 1996. By 1997, funding instability had further cut the total to 339, which was again reduced to 277 by 2003. In 2004, the Department of Defense (DoD) further reduced this to 183 operational aircraft, despite the USAF's preference for 381. A multi-year procurement plan was implemented in 2006 to save $15 billion, with total program cost projected to be $62 billion for 183 F-22s distributed to seven combat squadrons. In 2008, Congress passed a defense spending bill that raised the total orders for production aircraft to 187.
The first two F-22s built were EMD aircraft in the Block 1.0 configuration for initial flight testing, while the third was a Block 2.0 aircraft built to represent the internal structure of production airframes and enabled it to test full flight loads. Six more EMD aircraft were built in the Block 10 configuration for development and upgrade testing, with the last two considered essentially production quality jets. Production for operational squadrons consisted of 37 Block 20 training aircraft and 149 Block 30/35 combat aircraft; one of the Block 35 aircraft is dedicated to flight sciences at Edwards Air Force Base.
The numerous new technologies in the F-22 resulted in substantial cost overruns and delays. Many capabilities were deferred to post-service upgrades, reducing the initial cost but increasing total program cost. As production wound down in 2011, the total program cost is estimated to be about $67.3 billion, with $32.4 billion spent on Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) and $34.9 billion on procurement and military construction (MILCON) in then year dollars. The incremental cost for an additional F-22 was estimated at about $138 million in 2009.
Ban on exports
The F-22 cannot be exported under US federal law to protect its stealth technology and other high-tech features. Customers for U.S. fighters are acquiring earlier designs such as the F-15 "Eagle" and F-16 "Fighting Falcon" or the newer F-35 "Lightning II", which contains technology from the F-22 but was designed to be cheaper, more flexible, and available for export. In September 2006, Congress upheld the ban on foreign F-22 sales. Despite the ban, the 2010 defense authorization bill included provisions requiring the DoD to prepare a report on the costs and feasibility for an F-22 export variant, and another report on the effect of F-22 export sales on U.S. aerospace industry.
Some Australian politicians and defense commentators proposed that Australia should attempt to purchase F-22s instead of the planned F-35s, citing the F-22's known capabilities and F-35's delays and developmental uncertainties. However, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) determined that the F-22 was unable to perform the F-35's strike and close air support roles. The Japanese government also showed interest in the F-22 for its Replacement-Fighter program. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) would reportedly require fewer fighters for its mission if it obtained the F-22, thus reducing engineering and staffing costs. However, in 2009 it was reported that acquiring the F-22 would require increases to the Japanese government's defense budget beyond the historical 1 percent of its GDP. With the end of F-22 production, Japan chose the F-35 in December 2011. Israel also expressed interest, but eventually chose the F-35 because of the F-22's price and unavailability.
Production termination
Throughout the 2000s, the need for F-22s was debated, due to rising costs and the lack of relevant adversaries. In 2006, Comptroller General of the United States David Walker found that "the DoD has not demonstrated the need" for more investment in the F-22, and further opposition to the program was expressed by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon R. England, Senator John McCain, and Chairman of U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services Senator John Warner. The F-22 program lost influential supporters in 2008 after the forced resignations of Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force General T. Michael Moseley.
In November 2008, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates stated that the F-22 was not relevant in post-Cold War conflicts such as irregular warfare operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and in April 2009, under the new Obama Administration, he called for ending production in FY2011, leaving the USAF with 187 production aircraft. In July, General James Cartwright, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated to the Senate Committee on Armed Services his reasons for supporting termination of F-22 production. They included shifting resources to the multirole F-35 to allow proliferation of fifth-generation fighters for three service branches and preserving the F/A-18 production line to maintain the military's electronic warfare (EW) capabilities in the Boeing EA-18G "Growler". Issues with the F-22's reliability and availability also raised concerns. After President Obama threatened to veto further production, the Senate voted in July 2009 in favor of ending production and the House subsequently agreed to abide by the 187 production aircraft cap. Gates stated that the decision was taken in light of the F-35's capabilities, and in 2010, he set the F-22 requirement to 187 aircraft by lowering the number of major regional conflict preparations from two to one.
In 2010, USAF initiated a study to determine the costs of retaining F-22 tooling for a future Service Life Extension Program (SLEP). A RAND Corporation paper from this study estimated that restarting production and building an additional 75 F-22s would cost $17 billion, resulting in $227 million per aircraft, or $54 million higher than the flyaway cost. Lockheed Martin stated that restarting the production line itself would cost about $200 million. Production tooling and associated documentation were subsequently stored at the Sierra Army Depot, allowing the retained tooling to support the fleet life cycle. There were reports that attempts to retrieve this tooling found empty containers, but a subsequent audit found that the tooling was stored as expected.
Russian and Chinese fighter developments have fueled concern, and in 2009, General John Corley, head of Air Combat Command, stated that a fleet of 187 F-22s would be inadequate, but Secretary Gates dismissed General Corley's concern. In 2011, Gates explained that Chinese fifth-generation fighter developments had been accounted for when the number of F-22s was set, and that the U.S. would have a considerable advantage in stealth aircraft in 2025, even with F-35 delays. In December 2011, the 195th and final F-22 was completed out of 8 test EMD and 187 operational aircraft produced; the aircraft was delivered to the USAF on 2 May 2012.
In April 2016, the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee proposed legislation that would direct the Air Force to conduct a cost study and assessment associated with resuming production of the F-22. Since the production halt directed in 2009 by then Defense Secretary Gates, lawmakers and the Pentagon noted that air warfare systems of Russia and China were catching up to those of the U.S. Lockheed Martin has proposed upgrading the Block 20 training aircraft into combat-coded Block 30/35 versions as a way to increase numbers available for deployment. On 9 June 2017, the Air Force submitted their report to Congress stating they had no plans to restart the F-22 production line due to economic and operational issues; it estimated it would cost approximately $50 billion to procure 194 additional F-22s at a cost of $206–$216 million per aircraft, including approximately $9.9 billion for non-recurring start-up costs and $40.4 billion for aircraft procurement costs.
Upgrades
The first aircraft with combat-capable Block 3.0 software flew in 2001. Increment 2, the first upgrade program, was implemented in 2005 for Block 20 aircraft onward and enabled the employment of Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM). Certification of the improved AN/APG-77(V)1 radar was completed in March 2007, and airframes from production Lot 5 onward are fitted with this radar, which incorporates air-to-ground modes. Increment 3.1 for Block 30 aircraft onward provided improved ground-attack capability through synthetic aperture radar mapping and radio emitter direction finding, electronic attack and Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) integration; testing began in 2009 and the first upgraded aircraft was delivered in 2011. To address oxygen deprivation issues, F-22s were fitted with an automatic backup oxygen system (ABOS) and modified life support system starting in 2012.
Increment 3.2 for Block 35 aircraft is a two-part upgrade process; 3.2A focuses on electronic warfare, communications and identification, while 3.2B includes geolocation improvements and a new stores management system to show the correct symbols for the AIM-9X and AIM-120D. To enable two-way communication with other platforms, the F-22 can use the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) as a gateway. The planned Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL) integration was cut due to development delays and lack of proliferation among USAF platforms. The F-22 fleet is planned to start receiving Increment 3.2B as well as a software upgrade for cryptography capabilities and avionics stability in May 2019. A Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Joint (MIDS-J) radio that replaces the current Link-16 receive-only box is expected to be operational by 2020. Subsequent upgrades are also focusing on having an open architecture to enable faster future enhancements.
In 2024, funding is projected to begin for the F-22 mid-life upgrade (MLU), which is expected to include new sensors and antennas, hardware refresh, cockpit improvements, and a helmet mounted display and cuing system. Other enhancements being developed include IRST functionality for the AN/AAR-56 Missile Launch Detector (MLD) and more durable stealth coating based on the F-35's.
The F-22 was designed for a service life of 8,000 flight hours, with a $350 million "structures retrofit program". Investigations are being made for upgrades to extend their useful lives further. In the long term, the F-22 is expected to be superseded by a sixth-generation jet fighter to be fielded in the 2030s.
Design
Overview
The F-22 "Raptor" is a fifth-generation fighter that is considered fourth generation in stealth aircraft technology by the USAF. It is the first operational aircraft to combine supercruise, supermaneuverability, stealth, and sensor fusion in a single weapons platform. The F-22 has four empennage surfaces, retractable tricycle landing gear, and clipped delta wings with reverse trailing edge sweep and leading edge extensions running to the upper outboard corner of the inlets. Flight control surfaces include leading-edge flaps, flaperons, ailerons, rudders on the canted vertical stabilizers, and all-moving horizontal tails (stabilators); for speed brake function, the ailerons deflect up, flaperons down, and rudders outwards to increase drag.
The aircraft's dual Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 augmented turbofan engines are closely spaced and incorporate pitch-axis thrust vectoring nozzles with a range of ±20 degrees; each engine has maximum thrust in the 35,000 lbf (156 kN) class. The F-22's thrust-to-weight ratio at typical combat weight is nearly at unity in maximum military power and 1.25 in full afterburner. Maximum speed without external stores is approximately Mach 1.8 at military power and greater than Mach 2 with afterburners.
The F-22's high cruise speed and operating altitude over prior fighters improve the effectiveness of its sensors and weapon systems, and increase survivability against ground defenses such as surface-to-air missiles. The aircraft is among only a few that can supercruise, or sustain supersonic flight without using fuel-inefficient afterburners; it can intercept targets which subsonic aircraft would lack the speed to pursue and an afterburner-dependent aircraft would lack the fuel to reach. The F-22's thrust and aerodynamics enable regular combat speeds of Mach 1.5 at 50,000 feet (15,000 m). The use of internal weapons bays permits the aircraft to maintain comparatively higher performance over most other combat-configured fighters due to a lack of aerodynamic drag from external stores. The aircraft's structure contains a significant amount of high-strength materials to withstand stress and heat of sustained supersonic flight. Respectively, titanium alloys and composites comprise 39% and 24% of the structural weight.
The F-22's aerodynamics, relaxed stability, and powerful thrust-vectoring engines give it excellent maneuverability and energy potential across its flight envelope. The airplane has excellent high alpha (angle of attack) characteristics, capable of flying at trimmed alpha of over 60° while maintaining roll control and performing maneuvers such as the Herbst maneuver (J-turn) and Pugachev's Cobra. The flight control system and full-authority digital engine control (FADEC) make the aircraft highly departure resistant and controllable, thus giving the pilot carefree handling.
Stealth
The F-22 was designed to be highly difficult to detect and track by radar. Measures to reduce radar cross-section (RCS) include airframe shaping such as alignment of edges, fixed-geometry serpentine inlets and curved vanes that prevent line-of-sight of the engine faces and turbines from any exterior view, use of radar-absorbent material (RAM), and attention to detail such as hinges and pilot helmets that could provide a radar return. The F-22 was also designed to have decreased radio emissions, infrared signature and acoustic signature as well as reduced visibility to the naked eye. The aircraft's flat thrust-vectoring nozzles reduce infrared emissions of the exhaust plume to mitigate the threat of infrared homing ("heat seeking") surface-to-air or air-to-air missiles. Additional measures to reduce the infrared signature include special topcoat and active cooling of leading edges to manage the heat buildup from supersonic flight.
Compared to previous stealth designs like the F-117, the F-22 is less reliant on RAM, which are maintenance-intensive and susceptible to adverse weather conditions. Unlike the B-2, which requires climate-controlled hangars, the F-22 can undergo repairs on the flight line or in a normal hangar. The F-22 has a Signature Assessment System which delivers warnings when the radar signature is degraded and necessitates repair. While the F-22's exact RCS is classified, in 2009 Lockheed Martin released information indicating that from certain angles the aircraft has an RCS of 0.0001 m² or −40 dBsm – equivalent to the radar reflection of a "steel marble". Effectively maintaining the stealth features can decrease the F-22's mission capable rate to 62–70%.
The effectiveness of the stealth characteristics is difficult to gauge. The RCS value is a restrictive measurement of the aircraft's frontal or side area from the perspective of a static radar. When an aircraft maneuvers it exposes a completely different set of angles and surface area, potentially increasing radar observability. Furthermore, the F-22's stealth contouring and radar absorbent materials are chiefly effective against high-frequency radars, usually found on other aircraft. The effects of Rayleigh scattering and resonance mean that low-frequency radars such as weather radars and early-warning radars are more likely to detect the F-22 due to its physical size. However, such radars are also conspicuous, susceptible to clutter, and have low precision. Additionally, while faint or fleeting radar contacts make defenders aware that a stealth aircraft is present, reliably vectoring interception to attack the aircraft is much more challenging. According to the USAF an F-22 surprised an Iranian F-4 "Phantom II" that was attempting to intercept an American UAV, despite Iran's assertion of having military VHF radar coverage over the Persian Gulf.
After Danny and I relocated to Waterloo, Ontario, in 2015, it took me more than two years to appreciate the incredible green space next to our home -- even though "green space" was one of my requirements when chose this home. Here is the view from our back fence and my office window.
I went through a major depression in 2016. I did little photography that year, but this photo is a portent of my love affair with this woods, which began earnestly in the fall of 2017. Sometimes we have to go through darkness to reach a better place. I'm grateful for many people and things -- this beautfiul urban park among them -- for helping me find solid ground I'd sought for many years.
Healing is a lifelong journey. Practically every morning you will see me roam down that bicycle path with my camera or phone, cross the bridge and disappear into the woods.
I'm sorting old photos and posting some interesting ones. This image was uploaded to Flickr on Feb. 10, 2020.
Thank you to everyone who visits, faves, and comments.
Connecting the historic centre of Amsterdam, a replacement bridge was built for the Walter Süskindbrug drawbridge in Amsterdam, which had been there since 1972.
The bridge tells a special story; the Jewish businessman Walter Süskindbrug, after whom the bridge is named, destroyed the records of hundreds of Jewish children during the Second World War so that they would not be sent to the concentration camps. Therefore, preserving the history and the story behind the old bridge was a very important aspect to take into account, in addition to the fact that the bridge should last a lifetime.
In order for the bridge to meet these requirements, a wooden superstructure was chosen that was transported over water. This wooden superstructure consisted of Accoya wood, which was used partly for the façade and partly structurally, making the bridge appear to be made entirely of wood. Accoya wood was processed into large inner arches and sections of approximately 7 metres in length, after which the parts were prefabricated. The wooden parts were painted with a white epoxy coating.
The new double drawbridge makes it possible to reconnect pedestrians and other commuters to the historic centre of Amsterdam.
What we had to go through to finally own our house! We met with the attorney today for the closing, signed a million papers, and now we own a house! This means cleaning tomorrow after work, and starting to move on Friday (after work...)!! YEA!
Strobist: FL-50R camera right at 1/4. FL-50R camera left at 1/4.
222/365
Thank you for Explore!!
D - Door/Doorway
When one door closes, another one opens. That’s true in doll life as well! Create a photo that includes either a door or a doorway in the photo. There are many possibilities for this theme. Think traditional doors such as front doors and closets. Think less traditional doors such as car doors and doggy doors (OMGoodness, how cute is that?). Think reeeeaallly nontraditional doors such as a portal to a new dimension. You may also choose to not use a door at all and only include a doorway. How you approach this theme is entirely up to you. The only requirement for this challenge is that we must see a doll and a physical representation of a door/doorway in some way.
This quilt was sent to me by the BMQG to longarm quilt. The blocks were pieced by many quilters from around the world who rallied together to help the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings. The only requirements for the blocks were blue and yellow modern fabric, and one side had to measure 12.5" the other side could be whatever you wanted. The result is this beautiful quilt that I am proud and flattered to be able to finish. I hope it brings warmth and comfort to whoever receives it.
Pasar junto a él ,
no es indiferente ,
y en un día de luz plena
relumbra como una joya .
Roca dura, arbolado ninguno ,
que, falta no le hace
para resaltar su belleza
vista desde la carretera .
Y,......¡ subir allá arriba !
Yo , ¡ no lo había pensado !
pero , bien merecería la pena ,
para poder tener el mar
a tus pies y domeñado .
Al Cielo .....quisiste llegar ,
más, ... eso no pudo ser ,
que, Aquel esta muy alto
y no es fácil llegar a Él .
DEBO AGRADECER, QUE NO SE LLEVEN LA FOTO, LOS QUE NO HAGAN COMENTARIO. HE ELIMINADO CUANTAS SE LLEVARON SIN ESTA EXIGENCIA. GRACIAS!!!
HOULD BE THANKFUL THAT NOT TAKE THE PHOTO FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT COMMENT. HE IS LEADING MANY DELETED WITHOUT THIS REQUIREMENT. Thank you !!!
HOULD庆幸不会把那些没有注释的照片。他正带领着许多删除的无此项要求。谢谢
Please watch video here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=06nwqcI5nDU&feature=channel_v...
Requirements:
•Represent the company I assign you
•Has to have the product logo in the photo
•Research the company and product I give you
•Look classy, have clear pictures, and make it work!
(photo does not have to be in black and white, thats just how I did it)
Teaches:
how to represent a company well
Juliet--Christian Louboutin
Chisaki--Louis Vitton
Gabi-- Alexander McQueen
Adriana--Coach
Madison--Burberry
Katia--GUESS
Mirren--Armani
Since Prue won the last challenge, she gets to choose whichever brand she wants!
Photos done:
1. Juliet www.flickr.com/photos/47127787@N07/6497459785/in/contacts/
2. Mirren www.flickr.com/photos/dollie_3_luver/6534116203/
3.Chisaki www.flickr.com/photos/45005497@N02/6534258797/
4. Adriana www.flickr.com/photos/drekitude/6534815099/
5. Madison www.flickr.com/photos/blakelovesdolls/6546088263/
6. Gabi www.flickr.com/photos/blaackhooleesandrevelationss/654652...
7. Prue www.flickr.com/photos/rainbowdoll489/6546897359/
8. Katia www.flickr.com/photos/55071833@N02/6549335909/
Due:
Wednsday, December 21st (12/21/11)