Longreach, Queensland, is 620km west of Rockhampton, at the junction of the Capricorn and Landsborough Highways. The Aramac Creek flows southwards, joining the Thomson River which runs generally south-west through the Longreach district.

The Longreach district was explored by the New South Wales Surveyor-General, Thomas Mitchell (1846) and by Edmund Kennedy (1847). The pastoralist-explorer William Landsborough reported favourably on the district's pastoral prospects, and in 1863 the first pastoral lease was taken up by the vast Bowen Downs station. Several others followed soon afterwards. The district's centre was Aramac (1869), and it was governed by the Aramac local-government division (1879).

Railway Boom:

Considerable optimism surrounded the new settlement: town lots were auctioned and sold briskly, and by 1890 there were three hotels, several stores and tradespeople, a progress association, and a police station. The opening of the railway line in 1892 spurred further development, and thrust Longreach into the industrial upheaval of the age; whereas the 1891 shearer's strike had been based at Barcaldine, the 1894 strike was called at the new railway terminus, Longreach.

The town grew with astounding rapidity. By 1896 there were fourteen hotels, a hospital (1893), Catholic, Methodist, and Anglican churches, a school of the arts, a pastoral and agricultural society, and several clubs and friendly societies. From a population of about 150 in 1891, Longreach was approaching 2000 in 1903.

The progress association soon expressed criticism about the Aramac local-government division's neglect of the Longreach district. Aramac agreed, and the Longreach division was severed in 1900.

Apart from Longreach's role as a railhead and district centre, it also became the centre of an area subdivided for closer-settlement farms during the 1890s. Many blocks were too small, however, and the 1902 drought proved a substantial setback. Amalgamation of blocks and the successful drilling for bore water after the drought aided recovery.

Industrial Progress:

Longreach was usually quick to embrace new technology. Motor car hire and repair businesses were opened – the Longreach Motor Co (1910) and Edwards, Martin Ltd (1910) were major businesses in both repair and body-building for vehicles. In 1919 two young airmen, P. J. McGinness and Hudson Fysh visited Longreach while surveying the Darwin to Longreach section of a proposed England-Australia air route. The men later began Qantas outback airlines at Longreach and established a large plane assembly factory. With both a railway terminus and a pioneer air service, Longreach had some claim to being a 'Chicago of the West'. The railway advantage, however, subsided when the line was extended to Winton in 1927.

In 1921 an electricity powerhouse began operation and a rudimentary swimming pool opened. Reticulated water supply was laid on from the river in 1938, replacing the mineralised bore water and enabling trees to grace the city's parks. Despite the progress, Longreach remained a goat town for another two decades, with local herds essential as a reliable fresh milk supply. Fresh vegetables were also a problem, with grasshoppers damaging local crops and the railways sometimes failing to keep up supplies.

Postwar Tribulations:

The 1920s were relatively prosperous, as were the 1950s (apart from some dry years and a shearers' strike). Much of the commercial building stock was replaced, including the shire hall (the previous two, along with local hotels and the Catholic church had burnt down). A State high school and an Olympic pool were opened in 1966 and 1967. Within a few years wool prices declined, and an investment in beef cattle was met with a decline in meat prices. The town's population, which had stayed steady during 1933 - 1947 when other outback towns had fallen by a quarter, faltered badly during the 20 years from 1961 - 1981 falling from 3800 to fewer than 3000. Fortunately, improved roads and transport, which had solved the milk and vegetable supply problem, brought outback tourism. Sensing the tourist opportunity, Sir James Walker, Shire Chair (1957 - 1990), chair of regional electricity supply authorities and of the Longreach Pastoral College garnered national support for the Stockman's Hall of Fame, which opened in 1988 on land provided by the Pastoral College. The Qantas Founders Museum, abutting the original heritage-listed Qantas hanger at the Longreach aerodrome, and a museum based in the old powerhouse (also heritage-listed) are other attractions, particularly popular with 'grey nomads'.

In addition to the aforementioned attractions and facilities, Longreach has a racecourse, showground, a Catholic primary school (1985), a school of distance education, a base hospital (1944), aerodrome, a visitor information centre, an Olympic swimming pool, five churches, several hotels and motels, and an aged persons' accommodation. The elaborate railway station (1916, similar to the Emerald station) and the goods shed (1892) are listed on the Queensland Heritage Register.

Source: Queensland Places (www.queenslandplaces.com.au/longreach).

The Chrysler Building is an Art Deco skyscraper in the Turtle Bay neighborhood on the East Side of Manhattan, New York City, at the intersection of 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue near Midtown Manhattan. At 1,046 feet (319 m), it is the tallest brick building in the world with a steel framework, and was the world's tallest building for 11 months after its completion in 1930. As of 2019, the Chrysler is the 11th-tallest building in the city, tied with The New York Times Building.

Originally a project of real estate developer and former New York State Senator William H. Reynolds, the building was constructed by Walter Chrysler, the head of the Chrysler Corporation. The construction of the Chrysler Building, an early skyscraper, was characterized by a competition with 40 Wall Street and the Empire State Building to become the world's tallest building. Although the Chrysler Building was built and designed specifically for the car manufacturer, the corporation did not pay for its construction and never owned it; Walter Chrysler decided to fund the entire cost personally so his children could inherit it. An annex was completed in 1952, and the building was sold by the Chrysler family the next year, with numerous subsequent owners.

When the Chrysler Building opened, there were mixed reviews of the building's design, ranging from views of it as inane and unoriginal to the idea that it was modernist and iconic. Perceptions of the building have slowly evolved into its now being seen as a paragon of the Art Deco architectural style; and in 2007, it was ranked ninth on the List of America's Favorite Architecture by the American Institute of Architects. The building was designated a New York City landmark in 1978, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places as a National Historic Landmark in 1976.

The Chrysler Building is considered a leading example of Art Deco architecture. It is constructed of a steel frame in-filled with masonry, with areas of decorative metal cladding. The structure contains 3,862 exterior windows. Approximately fifty metal ornaments protrude at the building's corners on five floors reminiscent of gargoyles on Gothic cathedrals. The 31st-floor contains gargoyles as well as replicas of the 1929 Chrysler radiator caps, and the 61st-floor is adorned with eagles as a nod to America's national bird.

The Chrysler Building uses bright "Nirosta" stainless steel extensively in its design, an austenitic alloy developed in Germany by Krupp (a German acronym for nichtrostender Stahl, meaning "non-rusting steel"). It was the first use of this "18-8 stainless steel" in an American project, composed of 18% chromium and 8% nickel. Nirosta was used in the exterior ornaments, the window frames, the crown, and the needle. The steel was an integral part of Van Alen's design, as E.E. Thum explains: "The use of permanently bright metal was of greatest aid in the carrying of rising lines and the diminishing circular forms in the roof treatment, so as to accentuate the gradual upward swing until it literally dissolves into the sky...." Stainless steel producers used the Chrysler Building to evaluate the durability of the product in architecture. In 1929, the American Society for Testing Materials created an inspection committee to study its performance, which regarded the Chrysler Building as the best location to do so; a subcommittee examined the building's panels every five years until 1960, when the inspections were canceled because the panels had shown minimal deterioration.

The Chrysler Building's height and legally mandated setbacks influenced Van Alen in his design. The walls of the lowermost sixteen floors rise directly from the sidewalk property lines, except for a recess on one side that gives the building a "U"-shaped floor plan above the fourth floor. There are setbacks on floors 16, 18, 23, 28, and 31, making the building compliant with the 1916 Zoning Resolution. This gives the building the appearance of a ziggurat on one side and a U-shaped palazzo on the other. Above the 31st floor, there are no more setbacks until the 60th floor, above which the structure is funneled into a Maltese cross shape that "blends the square shaft to the finial", according to author and photographer Cervin Robinson.

The floor plans of the first sixteen floors were made as large as possible to optimize the amount of rental space nearest ground level, which was seen as most desirable. The U-shaped cut above the fourth floor served as a shaft for air flow and illumination. The area between floors 28 and 31 added "visual interest to the middle of the building, preventing it from being dominated by the heavy detail of the lower floors and the eye-catching design of the finial. They provide a base to the column of the tower, effecting a transition between the blocky lower stories and the lofty shaft."The ground floor exterior is covered in polished black granite from Shastone, while the three floors above it are clad in white marble from Georgia. There are two main entrances, on Lexington Avenue and on 42nd Street, each three floors high with Shastone granite surrounding each proscenium-shaped entryway. At some distance into each main entryway, there are revolving doors "beneath intricately patterned metal and glass screens", designed so as to embody the Art Deco tenet of amplifying the entrance's visual impact. A smaller side entrance on 43rd Street is one story high. There are storefronts consisting of large Nirosta-steel-framed windows at ground level, with office windows on the second through fourth floors.

The west and east elevations of the building contain the air shafts above the fourth floor, while the north and south sides contain the receding setbacks. Below the 16th floor, the facade is clad with white brick interrupted by white-marble bands in a manner similar to a basket weaving. The windows, arranged in grids, do not have window sills, the frames being flush with the facade. Between the 16th and 24th floors, the exterior exhibits vertical white brick columns that are separated by windows on each floor. This visual effect is made possible by the presence of aluminum spandrels between the columns of windows on each floor. There are abstract reliefs on the 20th through 22nd-floor spandrels, while the 24th floor contains 9-foot (2.7 m) decorative pineapples.

Above the third setback, consisting of the 24th through 27th floors, the facade contains horizontal bands and zigzagged gray-and-black brick motifs. The section above the fourth setback, between the 27th and 31st floors, serves as a podium for the main shaft of the building. At each corner of the 31st floor, large car-hood ornaments made of Nirosta steel serve as visually striking objects that make the base look larger. These corner extensions help counter a common optical illusion seen in tall buildings with horizontal bands, whose taller floors would normally look larger. The 31st floor also contains a gray and white frieze of hubcaps and fenders, which symbolizes both the Chrysler Corporation and serves as a visual signature of the building's Art Deco design. The bonnet embellishments take the shape of Mercury's winged helmet and resemble hood ornaments installed on Chrysler vehicles at the time.

The shaft of the tower was designed to emphasize both the horizontal and vertical: each of the tower's four sides contains three columns of windows, each framed by bricks and an unbroken marble pillar that rises along the entirety of each side. The spandrels separating the windows contain "alternating vertical stripes in gray and white brick", while each corner contains horizontal rows of black brick.

The Chrysler Building is renowned for, and recognized by, its terraced crown, which is an extension of the main tower. Composed of seven radiating terraced arches, Van Alen's design of the crown is a cruciform groin vault of seven concentric members with transitioning setbacks, mounted one behind another. The entire crown is clad with Nirosta steel, ribbed and riveted in a radiating sunburst pattern with many triangular vaulted windows, reminiscent of the spokes of a wheel. The windows are repeated, in smaller form, on the terraced crown's seven narrow setbacks. Due to the curved shape of the dome, the Nirosta sheets had to be measured on site, so most of the work was carried out in workshops on the building's 67th and 75th floors. According to Robinson, the terraced crown "continue[s] the wedding-cake layering of the building itself. This concept is carried forward from the 61st floor, whose eagle gargoyles echo the treatment of the 31st, to the spire, which extends the concept of 'higher and narrower' forward to infinite height and infinitesimal width. This unique treatment emphasizes the building's height, giving it an other worldly atmosphere reminiscent of the fantastic architecture of Coney Island or the Far East."

Television station WCBS-TV (Channel 2) originated its transmission from the top of the Chrysler Building in 1938. WCBS-TV transmissions were shifted to the Empire State Building in 1960 in response to competition from RCA's transmitter on that building. For many years WPAT-FM and WTFM (now WKTU) also transmitted from the Chrysler Building, but their move to the Empire State Building by the 1970s ended commercial broadcasting from the structure.

The crown and spire are illuminated by a combination of fluorescent lights framing the crown's distinctive triangular windows and colored floodlights that face toward the building, allowing it to be lit in a variety of schemes for special occasions. The V-shaped fluorescent "tube lighting" – hundreds of 480V 40W bulbs framing 120 window openings – was added in 1981, although it had been part of the original design. Until 1998, the lights were turned off at 2 a.m., but The New York Observer columnist Ron Rosenbaum convinced Tishman Speyer to keep the lights on until 6 a.m. Since 2015, the Chrysler Building and other city skyscrapers have been part of the Audubon Society's Lights Out program, turning off their lights during bird migration seasons.

Southeast Financial Center is a two-acre development in Miami, Florida, United States. It consists of a 764 feet (233 m) tall office skyscraper and its 15-story parking garage. It was previously known as the Southeast Financial Center (1984–1992), the First Union Financial Center (1992–2003), and the Wachovia Financial Center (2003-2011). In 2011, it retook its old name of Southeast Financial Center as Wachovia merged with Wells Fargo and moved to the nearby Wells Fargo Center.

When topped-off in August 1983, it was the tallest building south of New York City and east of the Mississippi River, taking away the same title from the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel, in Atlanta, Georgia. It remained the tallest building in the southeastern U.S. until 1987, when it was surpassed by One Atlantic Center in Atlanta and the tallest in Florida until October 1, 2003, when it was surpassed by the Four Seasons Hotel and Tower, also in Miami. It remains the tallest office tower in Florida and the third tallest building in Miami.

Southeast Financial Center was constructed in three years with more than 500 construction workers. Approximately 6,650 tons of structural steel, 80,000 cubic yards of concrete and 7000 cubic tons of reinforcing steel bars went into its construction. The complex sits on a series of reinforced concrete grade beams tied to 150 concrete caissons as much as ten feet in diameter and to a depth of 80 feet. A steel space-frame canopy with glass skylights covers the outdoor plaza between the tower and low-rise building.

The tower has a composite structure. The exterior columns and beams are concrete encased steel wide flanges surrounded by reinforcing bars. The composite exterior frame was formed using hydraulic steel forms, or "flying forms," jacked into place with a "kangaroo" crane, that was located in the core and manually clamped into place. Wide flange beams topped by a metal deck and concrete form the interior floor framing. The core is A braced steel frame, designed to laterally resist wind loads. The construction of one typical floor was completed every five days.

The low-rise banking hall and parking building is a concrete-framed structure. Each floor consists of nearly an acre of continuously poured concrete. When the concrete had sufficiently hardened, compressed air was used to blow the forms fiberglass forms from under the completed floor. It was then rolled out to the exterior where it was raised by crane into position for the next floor.

The building was recognized as Miami's first and only office building to be certified for the LEED Gold award in January 2010.

The center was developed by a partnership consisting of Gerald D. Hines Interests, Southeast Bank and Corporate Property Investors for $180 million. It was originally built as the headquarters for Southeast Bank, which originally occupied 50 percent of the complex's space. It remained Southeast Bank's headquarters there until it was liquidated in 1991.

The Southeast Financial Center comprises two buildings: the 55-story office tower and the 15-story parking annex. The tower has 53 stories of office space. The first floor is dedicated for retail, the second floor is the lobby and the 55th floor was home to the luxurious Miami City Club. The parking annex has 12 floors of parking space for 1,150 cars. The first floor is dedicated for retail, the second floor is a banking hall and the 15th floor has the Downtown Athletic Club. A landscaped plaza lies between the office tower and the parking annex. An enclosed walkway connects the second story of the tower with the second story of the annex. The courtyard is partially protected from the elements by a steel and glass space frame canopy spanning the plaza and attached to the tower and annex. Southeast Bank's executive offices were located on the 38th floor. Ground was broken on the complex on December 12, 1981 and the official dedication and opening for the complex was held on October 23, 1984.

The Southeast Financial Center was designed by Edward Charles Bassett of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. The Associate Architect was Spillis Candela & Partners. It has 1,145,311 ft² (106,000 m²) of office space. A typical floor has about 22,000 ft² (2,043.87 m²) of office space. Each floor has 9 ft x 9 ft (2.7 m x 2.7 m) floor to ceiling windows. (All of the building's windows are tinted except for the top floor, resulting in strikingly bright and clear views from there.) The total complex has over 2.2 million ft² (204,000 m²). The distinctive setbacks begin at the 43rd floor. Each typical floor plate has 9 corner offices and the top twelve floors have as many as 16. There are 43 elevators in the office tower. An emergency control station provides computerized monitoring for the entire complex, and four generators for backup power.

The Southeast Financial Center can be seen as far away as Ft. Lauderdale and halfway toward Bimini. Night space shuttle launches from Cape Canaveral 200 miles to the north were plainly visible from the higher floors. The roof of the building was featured in the Wesley Snipes motion picture Drop Zone, where an eccentric base jumper named Swoop parachutes down to the street from a suspended window cleaning trolley. The building also appeared in several episodes of the 1980s TV show Miami Vice and at the end of each episode's opening credits.

Zara founder Amancio Ortega purchased the building from J.P. Morgan Asset Management in December 2016. The purchase price was reportedly over $500 million, making it one of the largest real estate transactions in South Florida history.

Credit for the data above is given to the following websites:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southeast_Financial_Center

www.emporis.com/buildings/122292/wachovia-financial-cente...

© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.

Excerpt from www1.toronto.ca:

Address:

20 Draper Street (west side, midway between Front Street West and Wellington Street).

Construction Date:

1889

Contractor/Builder:

Charles McClelland

Alterations/Additions:

Window sash replaced.

Original Owner:

John Douglas, barrister

Original Occupant:

John Rigg, engine driver (in 1890)

Building Type: *C: 2½-storey Queen Anne Style House (*Draper Street HCD).

Construction:

The house at 20 Draper Street was constructed in 1889 as part of a 7-unit rowhouse identified as Nos. 20-32 Draper.

Charles McClelland built the houses for John Douglas, a Parkdale barrister.

Design:

The 2½-storey rowhouse displays features identified with the Queen Anne style, popularized at the end of the

19th century. Rising from a sandstone base, the building is covered by a gable roof. The walls are constructed of brick and trimmed with brick and sandstone. On the two-bay facade, a 2½-storey bay window is placed beside a central entrance with a window above. The bay window is covered by a gable roof with decorative woodwork featuring carved brackets and finials. The panelled wood door with its flat transom is protected by an open single-storey porch with a shed roof, turned posts, carved brackets and scrollwork. Segmental-headed window openings have brick voussoirs and sandstone sills. No. 20 shares its height and architectural features with the neighbouring houses at Nos. 22-32 Draper. The row of 2½-storey houses at Nos. 20-32 Draper has its setback and pattern of projecting bay windows in common with the earlier cottages on the street, forming a cohesive group of

late-19th century buildings.

"The Gößweinstein Basilica is a minor basilica in the municipality of Gößweinstein. The basilica is the second largest pilgrimage site in the Archdiocese of Bamberg and at the same time the largest Trinity pilgrimage site in Germany. Every year around 140 permanent pilgrimage groups make a pilgrimage to Gößweinstein. Gößweinstein is considered the spiritual and ecclesiastical center of Franconian Switzerland.

In 1071 there was said to have been a chapel on the site of the basilica. In 1240, Konrad I of Schluesselberg and his wife Kunigunde converted the chapel into a spacious church that was consecrated in honor of the Most Holy Trinity. The earliest mention of a church in Gozwinstein is in 1308 in the will of Gottfried von Schlüsselberg. The Schlüsselberger family is seen as the founders of the first church; She also founded the Cistercian monastery in Schlüsselau, which is also dedicated to the Holy Trinity.

In 1461 Gößweinstein became independent. Previously it was incorporated into the Archdeaconry of Hollfeld. Support from noble families can be seen early on, such as those from Groß zu Trockau. The first indulgences were granted to the church in 1511. At that time, the days marked with indulgences did not yet include what later became the main pilgrimage day of Trinity, the Sunday after Pentecost.

The medieval church was soon no longer able to cope with the onslaught of pilgrims. It was expanded by around three meters in 1593 and 1594; this extension was not sufficient. “There seemed to have been such a crowd in the church that in around 1624 it was reported that the pilgrims had knocked over the baptismal font, and in 1719 that the clergy had backed away from the mass of believers when distributing communion 'because of the narrowness of the altars'" To counteract the lack of space, the Lady Chapel was built in 1630, next to it an open wooden chapel. Confessionals and a sermon chair also had to be set up outdoors.

A new building seemed urgently necessary; In 1683, hopeful signals came from the Bamberg bishop, which suggested that this could begin shortly. In the same year, Margaretha Gerstackerin from Allersdorf donated “20 fl. for the building of the church”. Construction began after long negotiations; The foundation stone was laid on June 3, 1730. In the previous decades, the Gößweinstein pastors had repeatedly asked Bamberg for permission to begin construction. It was thanks in particular to Pastor Dippold's persistence that construction was not delayed any further. In a letter, Dippold asked the building-loving Bamberg Bishop Lothar Franz von Schönborn, “in addition to his splendid secular buildings, the prince should also build a magnificent temple in honor of St. "Build the Trinity." There were plans from various builders, including one from the court architect Leonhard Dientzenhofer from 1715, which envisaged a central domed building with three towers and nine chapels, based on the Trinity patronage. This plan was rejected by the authorities as too expensive.

After the death of Lothar Franz von Schönborn in 1729 and the election of his nephew Friedrich Carl von Schönborn, the commission was given to the famous Balthasar Neumann (1687–1753), whose plan was also carried out. At first work was carried out under his direction, later under the direction of Johann Jakob Michael Küchenl, who had been Neumann's employee in the prince-bishop's building office in the Bishopric of Bamberg since 1735. At the consecration of the church in 1739, which took place in the presence of the prince-bishop, the construction was far from finished. Even the high altar and pulpit were not yet finished, the other altars had not even been started.

The work on the furnishings lasted until after 1769 (this year the construction protocols from Pastor Adam Peter Vogl end). The devastating fire of 1746, which severely damaged the church, the rectory, the Kirchnerhaus, the schoolhouse and around 60 town houses, was a bitter setback - both in terms of time and finances. Because of the necessary repairs, the church equipment had to be put on hold. Repairing the fire damage cost the Gößweinstein parish around 12,000 guilders (fl.) - not including the parish, church building and school building. The construction costs before the fire amounted to over 70,300 fl. Financing posed a major problem for the church, which had previously had a large fortune. Pastor Vogl complained in 1748 that the church “did not manage to generate 30 fl in cash at the time, and I find that to be bad “Build where there is no money.”

Gößweinstein is a municipality in the district of Forchheim in Bavaria in Germany. It lies within the region known as Franconian Switzerland.

The first record of Goswinesteyn Castle is from 1076. Prior to 1102 the Hochstift Bamberg became the owner of the castle. The prince-bishop of Bamberg Friedrich Carl von Schönborn (ruled from 1729 until 1746) elevated Gößweinstein's status to a Market. During the Secularization in 1803, the area of the Hochstift Bamberg was transferred to Bavaria. During the Bavarian territorial reforms in 1978, the formerly independent communities of Morschreuth, Wichsenstein, Behringersmühle, Kleingesee, Leutzdorf, Stadelhofen, Unterailsfeld and part of the community Tüchersfeld were integrated into Gößweinstein.

Upper Franconia (German: Oberfranken) is a Regierungsbezirk (administrative [Regierungs] region [bezirk]) of the state of Bavaria, southern Germany. It forms part of the historically significant region of Franconia, the others being Middle Franconia and Lower Franconia, which are all now part of the German Federal State of Bayern (Bavaria).

With more than 200 independent breweries which brew approximately 1000 different types of beer, Upper Franconia has the world's highest brewery-density per capita. A special Franconian beer route (Fränkische Brauereistraße) runs through many popular breweries.

The administrative region borders on Thuringia (Thüringen) to the north, Lower Franconia (Unterfranken) to the west, Middle Franconia (Mittelfranken) to the south-west, and Upper Palatinate (Oberpfalz) to the south-east, Saxony (Sachsen) to the north-east and the Czech Republic to the east.

After the founding of the Kingdom of Bavaria the state was totally reorganized and, in 1808, divided into 15 administrative government regions (German: Regierungsbezirke (singular Regierungsbezirk)), in Bavaria called Kreise (singular: Kreis). They were created in the fashion of the French departements, quite even in size and population, and named after their main rivers.

In the following years, due to territorial changes (e. g. loss of Tyrol, addition of the Palatinate), the number of Kreise was reduced to 8. One of these was the Mainkreis (Main District). In 1837 king Ludwig I of Bavaria renamed the Kreise after historical territorial names and tribes of the area. This also involved some border changes or territorial swaps. Thus the name Mainkreis changed to Upper Franconia.

Next to the former episcopal residence city of Bamberg, the capital Bayreuth, the former residence city of Coburg and the classicist centre of Hof, as well as the towns of Lichtenfels, Kronach, Gößweinstein and Kulmbach, the Weißenstein Palace, Banz Abbey and the Basilica of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, the scenic attractions of the River Main and the low mountain ranges of the Fichtel Mountains with the town of Wunsiedel and the Franconian Forest belong among the region's major tourist attractions. There are also numerous spas like Bad Rodach, Bad Steben, Bad Staffelstein, Bad Berneck and Bad Alexandersbad." - info from Wikipedia.

Summer 2019 I did a solo cycling tour across Europe through 12 countries over the course of 3 months. I began my adventure in Edinburgh, Scotland and finished in Florence, Italy cycling 8,816 km. During my trip I took 47,000 photos.

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Excerpt from www1.toronto.ca:

Address:

7-9 Draper Street (east side, south end).

Construction Date:

1881

Contractor/Builder:

Richard Humphries (attrib.)

Alterations/Additions:

#7 and 9: window sash, transom and doors replaced; sidelights, porches and patterned shingles removed; keystones removed from dormers; chimneys replaced; brackets removed on No. 7.

Original Owner:

Jonathan Madell, developer

Original Occupant:

#7: John J. Dewar, traveler (in 1883)

#9: John McMahon, tailor (in 1884)

Building Type: *A: 1½-storey Second Empire Style Cottages (*Draper Street HCD).

Construction:

In 1881, developer Jonathan Madell directed the construction of the semi-detached houses at 7-9 Draper Street. Their design is attributed to Richard Humphries (or Humphreys), a builder who produced the near-identical houses on the opposite side of Draper Street (#4-18). Madell transferred the properties to J. S. McMurray who financed the completion of the houses. John Canavan, a barrister, acquired the vacant houses in 1881. Five years later, the Peoples’ Loan Company held both properties.

Design:

The 1½-storey cottages display the mansard roofs and round-headed dormer windows with moulded surrounds identified with the Second Empire style introduced to Toronto in the 1870s. Constructed of brick, the houses rise from a stone base with window openings. The principal facades are designed as mirror images and faced with red brick. Firebreak end walls with chimneys are decorated with brick corbels. Contrasting yellow brick is applied for the window panels, drip moulds with keystones, quoins, belt courses (at the base and below the eaves), and for the brick flanking the roof. Entrances with segmental-headed transoms are centered and slightly elevated in the first storey between bay windows. The neighbouring cottages at Nos.3-5 Draper have identical pattern brick detailing. The houses at Nos. 3-17, 21-29 and Nos. 4-18 Draper display a common height and Second Empire features. They share their setback, brick cladding and pattern of projecting bay windows with the later houses at Nos. 20-32 Draper, forming a cohesive group of late-19th century buildings.

Mr Irvine started a tailoring business at Blackall in 1918 and was later joined by Mr Carl Hoffman, as a partner. Then in 1927, they moved the headquarters to Longreach with a staff of 16 at the premises in Mr John Tomi's buildings in Eagle Street, the shop formerly occupied by the A. C. B. Ltd. Longreach. The shop featured large plate glass and silky oak dress windows along the path and inside it featured an open plan in the latest fashion.

Irvine’s stocked the best quality lines of mercery, boots and shoes, etc. for men but it was in the bespoke tailoring section that the firm did most of its business. By the late 1930’s Irvine's was known as "the quality tailors" of Eagle Street.

Longreach, Queensland:

Longreach, Queensland, is 620km west of Rockhampton, at the junction of the Capricorn and Landsborough Highways. The Aramac Creek flows southwards, joining the Thomson River which runs generally south-west through the Longreach district.

The Longreach district was explored by the New South Wales Surveyor-General, Thomas Mitchell (1846) and by Edmund Kennedy (1847). The pastoralist-explorer William Landsborough reported favourably on the district's pastoral prospects, and in 1863 the first pastoral lease was taken up by the vast Bowen Downs station. Several others followed soon afterwards. The district's centre was Aramac (1869), and it was governed by the Aramac local-government division (1879).

Railway Boom:

Considerable optimism surrounded the new settlement: town lots were auctioned and sold briskly, and by 1890 there were three hotels, several stores and tradespeople, a progress association, and a police station. The opening of the railway line in 1892 spurred further development, and thrust Longreach into the industrial upheaval of the age; whereas the 1891 shearer's strike had been based at Barcaldine, the 1894 strike was called at the new railway terminus, Longreach.

The town grew with astounding rapidity. By 1896 there were fourteen hotels, a hospital (1893), Catholic, Methodist, and Anglican churches, a school of the arts, a pastoral and agricultural society, and several clubs and friendly societies. From a population of about 150 in 1891, Longreach was approaching 2000 in 1903.

The progress association soon expressed criticism about the Aramac local-government division's neglect of the Longreach district. Aramac agreed, and the Longreach division was severed in 1900.

Apart from Longreach's role as a railhead and district centre, it also became the centre of an area subdivided for closer-settlement farms during the 1890s. Many blocks were too small, however, and the 1902 drought proved a substantial setback. Amalgamation of blocks and the successful drilling for bore water after the drought aided recovery.

Industrial Progress:

Longreach was usually quick to embrace new technology. Motor car hire and repair businesses were opened – the Longreach Motor Co (1910) and Edwards, Martin Ltd (1910) were major businesses in both repair and body-building for vehicles. In 1919 two young airmen, P. J. McGinness and Hudson Fysh visited Longreach while surveying the Darwin to Longreach section of a proposed England-Australia air route. The men later began Qantas outback airlines at Longreach and established a large plane assembly factory. With both a railway terminus and a pioneer air service, Longreach had some claim to being a 'Chicago of the West'. The railway advantage, however, subsided when the line was extended to Winton in 1927.

In 1921 an electricity powerhouse began operation and a rudimentary swimming pool opened. Reticulated water supply was laid on from the river in 1938, replacing the mineralised bore water and enabling trees to grace the city's parks. Despite the progress, Longreach remained a goat town for another two decades, with local herds essential as a reliable fresh milk supply. Fresh vegetables were also a problem, with grasshoppers damaging local crops and the railways sometimes failing to keep up supplies.

Postwar Tribulations:

The 1920s were relatively prosperous, as were the 1950s (apart from some dry years and a shearers' strike). Much of the commercial building stock was replaced, including the shire hall (the previous two, along with local hotels and the Catholic church had burnt down). A State high school and an Olympic pool were opened in 1966 and 1967. Within a few years wool prices declined, and an investment in beef cattle was met with a decline in meat prices. The town's population, which had stayed steady during 1933 - 1947 when other outback towns had fallen by a quarter, faltered badly during the 20 years from 1961 - 1981 falling from 3800 to fewer than 3000. Fortunately, improved roads and transport, which had solved the milk and vegetable supply problem, brought outback tourism. Sensing the tourist opportunity, Sir James Walker, Shire Chair (1957 - 1990), chair of regional electricity supply authorities and of the Longreach Pastoral College garnered national support for the Stockman's Hall of Fame, which opened in 1988 on land provided by the Pastoral College. The Qantas Founders Museum, abutting the original heritage-listed Qantas hanger at the Longreach aerodrome, and a museum based in the old powerhouse (also heritage-listed) are other attractions, particularly popular with 'grey nomads'.

In addition to the aforementioned attractions and facilities, Longreach has a racecourse, showground, a Catholic primary school (1985), a school of distance education, a base hospital (1944), aerodrome, a visitor information centre, an Olympic swimming pool, five churches, several hotels and motels, and an aged persons' accommodation. The elaborate railway station (1916, similar to the Emerald station) and the goods shed (1892) are listed on the Queensland Heritage Register.

Source: Longreach Leader & Queensland Places (www.queenslandplaces.com.au/longreach).

Buoyancy. (boin-s, byn-)

a. The tendency or capacity to remain afloat.

b. The upward force that a fluid exerts on an object less dense than itself.

2. Ability to recover quickly from setbacks; resilience.

3. Lightness of spirit; cheerfulness.

Powis Castle (Welsh: Castell Powys) is a medieval castle, fortress and grand country house near Welshpool, in Powys, Wales. The seat of the Herbert family, earls of Powis, the castle is known for its formal gardens and for its interiors, the former having been described as "the most important", and the latter "the most magnificent", in the country. The castle and gardens are under the care of the National Trust. Powis Castle is a Grade I listed building, while its gardens have their own Grade I listing on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales.

The present castle was built in the 13th century. Unusually for a castle on the Marches, it was constructed by a Welsh prince, Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn, rather than by a Norman baron. Gruffydd was prince of the ancient Kingdom of Powys and maintained an alliance with the English king Edward I during the struggles of the later 13th century. He was able to secure the position of his son, Owain, although the kingdom itself was abolished by the Parliament of Shrewsbury in 1283. After his father's death, Owain was raised to the peerage as Owen de la Pole, 1st Lord of Powis. Following his own death c. 1293, and the death of his only son, he was succeeded by his daughter, Hawys Gadarn, "the Lady of Powis". Hawys married Sir John Charlton in 1309.

In the late 16th century the castle was purchased by Sir Edward Herbert, a younger son of William Herbert, 1st earl of Pembroke, beginning a connection between the family and the castle that continues today. The Herberts remained Roman Catholic until the 18th century and, although rising in the peerage to earls, marquesses and Jacobite dukes of Powis, suffered periods of imprisonment and exile. Despite these setbacks, they were able in the late 17th and early 18th centuries to transform Powis from a border fortress into an aristocratic country house, and surround it with one of the very few extant examples of a British Baroque garden.

In 1784 Henrietta Herbert married Edward Clive, eldest son of Clive of India, a match which replenished the much-depleted Herbert family fortune. In the early 20th century, George Herbert, 4th Earl of Powis, redeveloped the castle with the assistance of the architect George Frederick Bodley. Herbert’s wife, Violet, undertook work of equal importance in the garden, seeking to turn it into "one of the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful, in England and Wales". On the 4th Earl's death in 1952, his wife and his sons having predeceased him, the castle passed into the care of the National Trust.

History

First castles at Welshpool: 1111–1286

Unlike the castles at Conwy, Caernarfon, Harlech and nearby Montgomery, which were built by the English to subdue the Welsh, the castles at Welshpool were built by the Welsh princes of Powys Wenwynwyn as their dynastic seat.[1] In addition to the current site, two motte-and-bailey castles and a set of earthworks are located nearby.[2] The names Trallwg/Tallwm and Pola are used interchangeably in early primary sources, and it is unclear which of these sites is being referred to.[3]

The earliest reference dates from 1111, when Cadwgan ap Bleddyn is mentioned as having planned to construct a castle at Trallwng Llywelyn,[3] the oldest record of a native Welsh castle.[4] Domen Castell, a motte-and-bailey near the modern railway station, is considered the most likely site of Cadwgan's castle, although it is uncertain whether it was completed as he was assassinated the same year.[5] The first documentary account of an extant castle at Welshpool is a description of the successful 1196 siege by an English army, although the castle was retaken by the Welsh within the year.[5][6]

The earliest castle at the current site may have been a timber building constructed by Owain Cyfeiliog or his son, Gwenwynwyn (r. 1197–1216).[7] The present masonry structure contains 13th-century fabric,[8] most likely the work of Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn (r. 1241–1287) – although historians are uncertain when this took place.[a][10] In 1274, Gruffydd's "first castle" at Welshpool was destroyed by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd as punishment for his involvement in a scheme to assassinate Llywelyn.[b] The castle was documented again in 1286, when it was listed amongst Gruffydd's possessions as "la Pole Castr".[12] A detailed examination of Powis Castle's extant masonry carried out between 1987 and 1989 revealed early stonework incorporated into the later structure, putatively the remains of an early stone shell keep.[13] At the end of Edward I's conquest of Wales in 1282–83, the king permitted Gruffydd to rebuild his castle at Welshpool as a reward for his loyalty.[14]

Early history: 1286–1644

Edward Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Cherbury[c]

In 1286, four years after the conquest of Wales, Gruffydd's son, Owain ap Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn became the last hereditary prince of Powys when he renounced his royal title, and was granted the barony of de la Pole, (i.e. "of the Pool", a reference to Welshpool, formerly called just "Pool").[d][16][17] The ancient Kingdom of Powys had once included the counties of Montgomeryshire, much of Denbighshire, parts of Radnorshire and large areas of Shropshire, but by the 13th century had been reduced to two independent principalities – Powys Wenwynwyn and Powys Fadog – roughly equivalent to Montgomeryshire and South Denbighshire (plus Maelor Saesneg), respectively; Welshpool had become the capital of Powys Wenwynwyn, of which Owain had been heir. On the death of Owain, the castle passed to his daughter Hawys, who married Sir John Charlton.[17] The Charltons continued to live at Powis until the fifteenth century when two daughters, Joyce Tiptoft and Joan Grey inherited the castle and estates. Both were equally divided, each daughter and her husband living in a portion of the castle.[18]

In 1578 an illegitimate son of the last Baron Grey of Powis, began leasing the lordship and castle to a distant relative – Sir Edward Herbert (d. 1595), second son of Sir William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke. Edward eventually bought the castle outright in 1587, beginning the connection between the Herberts and Powis Castle which continues today.[19] Sir Edward's wife was a Roman Catholic and the family's allegiance to Rome and to the Stuart kings was to shape its destiny for over a century.[16] Sir Edward began the transformation of Powis from a border fortress into an Elizabethan country house. The major remaining element of his work is the Long Gallery.[19]

Herbert's descendent William Herbert, 1st Baron Powis (c. 1573–1655), was a supporter of Charles I, and was granted the barony of Powis in 1629.[19] His loyalty during the English Civil War cost him his castle and his estates.[20] On 22 October 1644 Powis Castle was captured by Parliamentary troops and was not returned to the family until the restoration of Charles II in 1660.[21]

The Herberts: 1660–1800

The Hercules statue which stood originally in the Water Garden

On the restoration, the Herberts returned to Powis, and in 1674 William Herbert (c. 1626–1696) was created Earl of Powis (of the first creation). The state bedroom was installed in about 1665 and further improvements, including the construction of the Great Staircase followed in the 1670s. These developments were most probably carried out under the direction of William Winde, who may also have designed the terraced gardens. His employer, although restored to his estates, and raised in the peerage, was barred by his Catholic faith from high office under Charles II. On the accession of the King's brother, James in 1685, Herbert became one of the new king's chief ministers, and was again advanced in the peerage becoming Marquess of Powis in 1687, but fell at the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and followed James into exile in France.[e] William III granted the castle to his nephew, William Nassau de Zuylestein, 1st Earl of Rochford. Herbert died, still in exile, in 1696.[24]

Despite their 30-year exile, the Herberts were able to continue with developments at the castle and even to live there on an irregular basis, the Baroque water garden below the castle being completed at this time.[25] Their fortunes were also materially improved by the discovery of a lucrative lead mine on their Welsh estates.[24] The second Marquess, also William, was reinstated in 1722. On the death of his son, the third Marquess in 1748, the marquessate became extinct, while the castle and estates passed to a relative, Henry Herbert (c. 1703–1772), of Oakly Park in Shropshire, who was made 1st Earl of Powis (of the second creation) by George II.[26] Herbert married Barbara, the fifteen-year-old granddaughter of the 2nd Marquess, in 1751. Their eldest son, George Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis (1755–1801), died unmarried and the earldom of the second creation became extinct.[f][27] Powis was much neglected during his tenure. John Byng, 5th Viscount Torrington, a diarist and traveller who chronicled his journeys into Wales in the 1780s and 1790s, described the castle in 1784, "In the gardens not even the fruit is attended to; the balustrades and terraces are falling down, and the horses graze on the parterres!!!"[28] The castle itself was in no better condition, a visitor in 1774 describing it as "in Neglect and Ruin".[27] Nonetheless, the potential of the site was recognised. George Lyttelton, the politician, poet and essayist, recorded his impressions in 1756, "About £3,000 laid out upon Powis Castle would make it the most august place in the Kingdom."[29]

The Clives and Herberts: 1801–1952

The Outer Courtyard with the Fame statue in the foreground

In 1784, Henry Herbert's daughter, Henrietta, married Edward Clive (1754–1839), the eldest son of Clive of India.[30] Clive had followed his father to India, and served as Governor of Madras. Henrietta's brother died in 1801, whereupon the title lapsed; in 1804, her husband was created first Earl of Powis (of the third creation). The Clive fortune paid for long overdue repairs to the castle, which were carried out by Sir Robert Smirke.[31][32] Their son, Edward (1785–1848), inherited his late uncle's Powis estates on his 21st birthday, taking the surname Herbert in compliance with his uncle's will.[30] Edward Herbert served in a range of administrations as an Anti-Catholic Tory, his speeches in the House of Commons being "cautious and pertinent, although marred by dull delivery". He died in 1848, following a shooting accident at Powis in which he was fatally injured by his second son.[33] No further major changes were made to the Powis estate during his time, or in the long tenure of his eldest son Edward Herbert, 3rd Earl of Powis (1818–1891), although the castle was well maintained. In honour of his great-grandfather, the earl was offered the viceroyalty of India by Benjamin Disraeli but declined, writing "Not worth considering. Powis" on the envelope containing the invitation.[34]

The final alterations to Powis Castle were undertaken at the beginning of the 20th century by George Frederick Bodley for George Charles Herbert, 4th Earl of Powis (1862–1952). The rooms designed by Bodley remain his only extant decorative scheme; the longevity of the 4th Earl, the deaths of his heirs, and his bequest of the castle to the National Trust saw the early 20th-century remodelling remain largely unaltered.[g][36] The 4th earl's wife, Violet (nee Lane-Fox), undertook the final transformation of the gardens of Powis Castle, which she felt had the potential to be "the most beautiful in England and Wales".[37] The Countess died following a car accident in 1929, and Lord Powis outlived both his sons, who died on active service, Percy from wounds received at the Battle of the Somme in 1916,[38] and Mervyn in a plane crash in 1943.[39] On his own death in 1952, he bequeathed the castle and gardens to the National Trust.[h][42]

The National Trust: 1952–present

The 4th earl was succeeded by his cousin, Edward Herbert, 5th Earl of Powis (1889–1974). Edward's heir was Christian Herbert, 6th Earl of Powis (1904–1988). He was succeeded by his cousin, George Herbert, 7th Earl of Powis (1925–1993),[42] who was in turn succeeded by his son, John, the 8th and current Earl.[43] The Herbert family continue to live in part of the castle, under an arrangement with the National Trust.[44] The Trust has undertaken a number of major works of restoration during its ownership, including the Marquess Gate,[45] the Grand Staircase,[46] and the sculpture of Fame in the Outer Courtyard.[i][47] The castle and its gardens receive around 200,000 visitors annually. Wikipedia

A Trip Across Time

"Today we come to the happy task of sending on her way the stateliest ship now in being. It has been the nation’s will that she should be completed, and today we can send her forth no longer a number on the books, but a ship with a name in the world, alive with beauty, energy and strength! May her life among great waters spread friendship among the nations!"

– King George V on the Queen Mary launch

The Queen Mary’s creation and launch was nothing if not extraordinary and her story is rich with history, elegance and grandeur. From the time her construction began in 1930 in Clydebank, Scotland, the Queen Mary was destined to stand in a class all her own. Despite suffering economic setbacks during the Great Depression, which stalled construction on the ship for several years, Cunard Line spared no expense on building the Queen Mary – which was originally known as job #534.

The Legend Behind The Name

Legend has it that the board of directors at Cunard had decided to name the ship the Queen Victoria, which would have been in keeping with the tradition of Cunard ships having the "ia" suffix (Mauretania, Aquitania and Berengeria). As per protocol, legend states that the Cunard directors went to ask King George his blessing of the ship's proposed name saying, "We have decided to name our new ship after England's greatest Queen," meaning Queen Victoria, the King's Grandmother. Upon which the King is reported to have stated, "My wife (Queen Mary) will be delighted that you are naming the ship after her."

The Maiden Voyage Of The Queen Mary

On May 27, 1936, the Queen Mary departed from Southampton, England embarking on her maiden voyage. She boasted five dining areas and lounges, two cocktail bars and swimming pools, a grand ballroom, a squash court and even a small hospital. The Queen Mary had set a new benchmark in transatlantic travel, which the rich and famous considered as the only civilized way to travel. She quickly seized the hearts and imaginations of the public on both sides of the Atlantic, representing the spirit of an era known for its elegance, class and style.

Since her retirement from the sea as an active liner in 1967, the Queen Mary has never been more popular as an iconic Southern California attraction, hotel, and venue for special events. The ship carried some 2.2 million passengers in peacetime and 810,000 military personnel in the Second World War, but here in Long Beach, an estimated 50 million people have visited. The day the ship was launched in 1934, a well-known English psychic, Lady Mable Fortiscue-Harrison would predict, “The Queen Mary will know her greatest fame and popularity when she never sails another mile or carries another fare-paying passenger.” A compelling insight!

From The Height Of Luxury To WWII

For three years after her maiden voyage, the Queen Mary was the grandest ocean liner in the world carrying Hollywood celebrities like Bob Hope and Clark Gable, royalty like the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, and dignitaries like Winston Churchill. During this time she even set a new speed record, which she held for 14 years. But when the Queen Mary docked in New York in September 1939 that would be the last time she would carry civilian passengers for many years.

As World War II started, the Queen Mary's transformation into a troopship had begun. She was painted a camouflaged grey color and stripped of her luxurious amenities. Dubbed the "Grey Ghost" because of her stealth and stark color, the Queen Mary was the largest and fastest troopship to sail, capable of transporting as many as 16,000 troops at 30 knots. After the end of WWII, the Queen Mary began a 10-month retrofitting process, which would return the ship to her original glory. On July 21, 1947, the Queen Mary resumed regular passenger service across the Atlantic Ocean, and continued to do so for nearly two more decades.

The Last Great Cruise

The increasing popularity of air travel helped signal the end of an era for the Queen Mary. By 1965 the entire Cunard fleet was operating at a loss and they decided to retire and sell the legendary Queen Mary. On October 31, 1967, the Queen Mary departed on her final cruise, arriving in Long Beach, California, on December 9, 1967. She has called Southern California her home ever since. The Queen Mary is now a floating Hotel, Attraction and Event & Wedding Venue, home to three world-class restaurants and an icon in Southern California.

Retro liveried 91119 ‘Bounds Green’ is seen flying through Offord Cluny on approach to the A14 bypass working 1D06 London King’s Cross to Leeds.

After a couple of setbacks since returning to service just over a month ago due to a brake issue and later a smashed windscreen, it is a brilliant sight to see back in regular service on the mainline.

On EXPLORE June 23, 2008

A fun shot - self-portrait of the other day serie. Everything is still the same, hoping and praying every day. Thank you all for your prayers and for being there...

With this capture and the following words I am leaving you till next message

{{{HUGS}}} to all of you's

Be thankful that you still have things you desire.

Othewise, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don't know something,

for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.

During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations,

because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge,

because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes.

They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you're tired and weary,

because it means you've made a difference.

It's easy to be thankful for the good things.

A life of rich fulfillment comes to those

who are also thankful for the setbacks.

Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.

Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,

and they can become your blessings.

St Mary's Church, Warwick was constructed between 1920 and 1926, as the second Roman Catholic church in Warwick, to designs of local architects Dornbusch and Connolly.

From the 1840s, it seems that informal Roman Catholic services were held in Warwick by visiting priests from Sydney, Ipswich and Brisbane. The first recorded mass was held in 1854 by Rev. Father McGinty who travelled from Ipswich, and this was celebrated at the Horse and Jockey Inn, Palmerin Street, where services for most other denominations were held at this time.

In 1862 Warwick became a separate parish of the church, only one year after Warwick was declared a municipality on May 25, 1861. The first priest was Dr John Cani who was soon pursuing the need for a church building. A site was chosen in Palmerin Street and the land was acquired on the south of block bordered by Palmerin, Wood, Percy and Acacia Streets in central Warwick.

Plans were duly drawn by prominent Brisbane architect, Benjamin Backhouse, to the specifications that it was to be simple but tasteful, in the Gothic style and in stone or brick. Despite the setback of severe damage during a thunder storm the church was officially opened on August 23 1865 by Bishop Quinn, the first Bishop of Queensland. The contractor was CA Doran and the structure cost £1500. The stone for the construction of the church was obtained from the Sidling Quarries, which were a small group of quarries in Warwick.

Dr Cani left the parish and was succeeded by a number of priests in quick succession until Father James Horan was appointed in 1876, and remained the parish priest of Warwick until his death in 1905. Horan was responsible for completing the original church with the addition of transepts and the chancel by 1894.

Monsignor Michael Potter was posted as a curate to Warwick in 1891, and continued there as the parish priest after Horan's death in 1905. It was Potter who decided in the 1910s that the original St Mary's Church was no longer adequate for the needs of his community, and a larger more grand church was required.

Local architects, Dornbusch and Connolly were commissioned to design the new church, which was built on land immediately to the north of the original St Mary's Church. This land, Allotments 3-6 on Section 49, was acquired by Samuel Elphick on August 16, 1860 by Deed of Grant, and was bought by the Church by 1880. The foundation stone of the new church was laid by the Archbishop of Melbourne, Daniel Mannix assisted by Archbishop Duhig of Brisbane on February 29, 1920.

The original plans for this church conformed to the traditional cruciform plan, with the chancel extending almost to the Acacia Street boundary of the property. Two lawsuits were held during the construction of the church, firstly over ownership of the rear section of the property and then with the contractors, Kerr and Clark who were sued for beach of contract, making work cease. This delayed the building work and meant that the construction of the church, which was eventually finished by day labour, took six years. The rear section of the church, including the transepts and the chancel was not completed, and, indeed, remains incomplete in 1995. The western wall and shallow chancel were temporarily undertaken in rendered brick.

Sandstone for the church was obtained from the nearby Yangan quarry and the granite, used in the piers both internally and externally, from Greymare. A damp proof course, of sheet lead in asphalt was inserted to all the walls.

The church was designed in a style described at the time of its construction as a revival of Gothic architecture practiced between 1274 and 1377, or Decorated or Middle Pointed Gothic. This is evident in the traceries and mouldings around the church. Major departures from this style include the internal nave piers, thought to be of earlier, Norman influence and the entrance porch of the later 15th century pointed Gothic.

Stained glass windows were the design and manufacture of Messrs RS Exton and Co of Brisbane. The supervisor of the stone work was Mr FJ Fuller of Toowoomba, and other building works were supervised by Mr FJ Corbett of Brisbane. St Mary's was constructed at a cost of £40,000.

When built, St Mary's incorporated electrical lighting, a fine set of stations of the Cross, and a pneumatically blown organ. By July 1929 a High Altar and two side altars designed by Dornbusch and Connolly and executed by Messrs F. Williams and Co of Ipswich were made for the church from white Sicilian marble with panes of Red Verona and Verde Antico. The following year a pulpit, again designed by the church architects and made by F Williams and Co. was introduced to the sanctuary.

The church has been used continually since its opening on March 21, 1926 by the Archbishop of Brisbane, James Duhig. In 1929 a grotto, a small replica of that at Lourdes, was constructed to the north of the church and this was donated by Mr and Mrs Martin Crane.

Source: Queensland Heritage Register.

Arraial do Tijuco (as Diamantina was first called) was built during the colonial era in the early 18th century. As its name suggests, Diamantina was a center of diamond mining in the 18th and 19th centuries. A well-preserved example of Brazilian Baroque architecture, Diamantina is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city’s churches were built based on the same logic applied to the surrounding constructions, reinforcing the architectural complex and a homogeneity characterized by a sober and basic, yet refined, aesthetic of geometric facades.Nestled in the rugged Serra do Espinhaço, Diamantina is a living example of colonial architecture of lines and smooth shapes adapted to the tropics.The houses, defining the streets, has no front setback and is distinguished by brightly colored frames of which contrasts with the white walls.The urban morphology of Diamantina was inspired by the Portuguese medieval cities.

Stud count: 107.5

Weight: 5lb 6.2oz

Weight with stand: 6lbs 11.9oz

Estimated parts: 3500 - 4500

Build time: 55 hours?

Photos: 43

Backgrounds explored: 5

Photo time: 8 hours

Broken fingers: 1

Finger surgeries: 1

Broken flash transmitters: 1

———————————————

Date: 2214-10-13

Time: 07:30 GST

*Sound of a chair creaking, followed by a faint sigh.*

‘nother day, ‘nother destination. This whale of a vessel is prepped and ready for another jaunt through the cosmos. We’re flying to Likovent in three days’ time, where the locals expect yet another show of our "power. . .” It’s all theatrics! Hovering ‘bove the city like some lethargic asteroid while they cheer and wave as if it means anything!

Date: 2214-10-16

Time: 10:18 GST

Well, ‘ere we are, circling ‘round this horrid cave. Uhhg… I can’t even see the crowds from ‘ere, but I swear they’re more interested in the spectacle than what we actually represent. Can’t believe I have to don this ridiculously colorful uniform just to play the part of the grand captain— Gah! No one is goin’ to see me! They don’t seem to grasp that real strength comes from unity.

Date: 2214-10-16

Time: 13:01 GST

Finished the flyover and a “meet an’ greet” with the local leaders. Same ol’ song an’ dance. Huh. They compliment our ship, call us brave defenders, all while scheming behind closed doors. *Rubs beard.* I’ve ‘ad my fill of this charade. I should be strategizing and prepping for real threats, not playing nice with politicians who couldn’t find er’ way out of their castles and mansions if they tried.

Date: 2214-11-02

Time: 15:46 GST

*Sound of tapping fingers on a desk.*

Now we’re en route to our next destination—Yörm III. More local “impressing” to do. *Deep breath.* I can’t shake the feeling that we’re just spinning our wheels. We’ve got genuine threats lurking in the damned shadows, and here we are, flitting ‘bout like bees in a garden. *Chuckles darkly.* I miss the days of victories and glory instead of just showing off our metal.

Date: 2214-11-19

Time: 21:00 GST

*Sound of a glass being set down.*

As we prepare for ‘nother run around, I can’t help but feel like I’m just a glorified tour guide at this point. *Frustrated sigh.* But it can’t drown out the sense of frustration. I joined the damned CSF to make a difference, not to hop from ‘ne planet to the next, impressing locals who wouldn’t know real leadership if it buzzed in their ears. Tomorrow brings another flyby, and I’ll try to muster some enthusiasm, but the truth is, I’m just tired of all this toting ‘round.

End of Log.

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SHIPtember 2024 Experience

I have wanted to participate in SHIPtember for several years now. It is always enjoyable to see the builds when September rolls around. I was excited to finally participate, however setbacks happened delaying the final product until today. I hope there is no penalty for being late. In any case, I finished the build, including everything from idea to presentation. Clocking in at 107.5 studs, this ship didn’t really have much of a plan coming in other than the framework shown in early images. As I went along, the build gained a personality of its own, ie - bees. Once I had the theme set, I ran with it - everything from the lettering on the side, beehive pinup, hexagon shaped emblems, and of course honeycomb and bees on the stand. It was a great reward to finish this project, setbacks and all, and in the end it will have a permanent place on my shelves.

To see the full 42 image gallery, please visit my album. www.flickr.com/photos/189754621@N02/albums/72177720321201384

Barrow / Villa Rodriguez

El paraje Barrow que comenzó en la estación de ferrocarril, sufrió un revés una vez que las locomotoras dejaron de circular, dejando recuerdos, viviendas y muchos sueños que quedaron truncos, como el de crecer a la vera de los rieles.

1886, cuando los caminos de hierro se extendían en la provincia como un elemento indispensable de subsistencia del país, las líneas férreas ya cruzaban la zona de la localidad de Barrow, que por ese entonces se denominaba Empalme. En 1907, se crea la estación, como consecuencia del tendido de la línea férrea a Lobería. Su nombre fue un homenaje a M.W. Barrow, gerente de la empresa Ferrocarril del Sud (actual Ferrocarril General Roca), entre 1890-1892 y que sin proponérselo se había convertido en el artífice de tantos pueblos de la provincia. La distinción le llegó en la época en que los ingleses habían decidido reconocer los servicios prestados por los miembros de esa colectividad relacionados con el desarrollo de los rieles en la República Argentina. Así, bregaron para que el gobierno nacional decretara en la fecha del 50º del primer ferrocarril argentino, el 30 de agosto de 1907, el cambio de nombre de algunas estaciones, como la de Barrow, reconociendo al hombre que alcanzó un poder ilimitado como gerente del Ferrocarril, ocupando infinidad de funciones y cargos, siguiendo un espíritu visionario que llevó al crecimiento del país. Durante su gerencia, M.W. Barrow había estudiado la idea de instalar nuevos y modernos talleres para las operaciones del Ferrocarril del Sud que tomaban cada día mayor incremento. En las frecuentes visitas que realizaba a los talleres notaba que las operaciones se realizaban en un estrecho círculo y en instalaciones completamente inadecuadas que imposibilitaban la libre tarea de los mil operarios. Y desde entonces dedicó toda su energía a procurar la formación de instalaciones modernas que se ajustaran a la realidad.

Postulaba Alberdi, unieron los FF.CC. al país más que la Constitución Nacional y permitió la aparición de núcleos urbanos integrados, que fueron punto de reunión, de encuentro social y de vida.

TRASLATOR

Barrow / Villa Rodriguez

The Barrow spot that started at the railway station suffered a setback once the locomotives stopped circulating, leaving memories, homes and many dreams that were truncated, such as growing alongside the rails.

1886, when the iron roads extended in the province like an indispensable element of subsistence of the country, the railway lines already crossed the zone of the locality of Barrow, that by that then was denominated Empalme. In 1907, the station was created, as a consequence of the laying of the railway line to Lobería. His name was a tribute to M.W. Barrow, manager of the company Ferrocarril del Sud (current General Roca Railroad), between 1890-1892 and who had unwittingly become the architect of so many towns in the province. The distinction came at the time when the English had decided to recognize the services provided by the members of that group related to the development of the rails in the Argentine Republic. Thus, they struggled for the national government to decree on the date of the 50th of the first Argentine railway, on August 30, 1907, the change of name of some stations, such as Barrow, recognizing the man who achieved unlimited power as manager of the Railroad, occupying countless functions and positions, following a visionary spirit that led to the growth of the country. During his management, M.W. Barrow had studied the idea of ​​installing new and modern workshops for the operations of the Southern Railway, which were increasing every day. In the frequent visits he made to the workshops he noticed that the operations were carried out in a narrow circle and in completely inadequate facilities that made impossible the free task of the thousand workers. And since then he devoted all his energy to procuring the formation of modern facilities that fit the reality.

Postulated Alberdi, joined the FF.CC. the country more than the National Constitution and allowed the emergence of integrated urban centers, which were a meeting point, social meeting and life.

La Real Colegiata de Santa María es un conjunto monumental situado en la localidad de Roncesvalles (Navarra, España), considerado como el mejor ejemplo navarro del gótico, al más puro estilo de la región parisina de la Isla de Francia. Su construcción fue impulsada por el rey de Navarra Sancho VII, el Fuerte quién deseaba, al mismo tiempo, le sirviera de lugar de enterramiento como finalmente fue. Se levantó a principios del siglo XIII y acogiendo entre sus paredes una preciosa imagen de la Virgen del siglo XIV. Ha sufrido varias reformas y reconstrucciones tras varios contratiempos siendo la reconstrucción del siglo XVII la que afectó a todo el conjunto especialmente a la iglesia y claustro.

Hoy la iglesia presenta una planta de tres naves, la central de doble anchura que las laterales, que se dividen en cinco tramos a los que hay que añadir en la nave central una cabecera pentagonal; las laterales terminan en recto. El sistema de soportes está compuesto de pilares cilíndricos que separan las naves de grosor alternante, se apoyan en una basa y rematan en capitel decorado con doble faja de crochets de tratamiento muy simple. Los pilares sirven de apoyo a los arcos formeros apuntados y a las columnillas que soportan las cubiertas. Sobre los arcos formeros corre el triforio, formado en cada tramo de la nave central por cuatro arquillos apuntados sobre columnillas con el mismo tipo de capitel, galería que da paso sin elementos de separación al óculo en el que se dispone como único elemento decorativo una secuencia de arcos apuntados. En la cabecera se abren grandes ventanales decorados con vidrieras coloreadas modernas fabricadas en Alemania.

Preside el templo una magnífica escultura de la Virgen de Roncesvalles. Es una talla de madera, forrada de plata, gótica, de mediados del siglo XIV y realizada en Toulouse. Transmite a la perfección el espíritu gótico en lo que tiene de cercanía, naturalismo y familiaridad.

es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_Colegiata_de_Santa_María_de_R...

The Royal Collegiate Church of Santa Maria is a monumental complex located in the town of Roncesvalles (Navarra, Spain), considered the best example of Gothic Navarre, in the purest style of the Parisian region of the Isle of France. Its construction was promoted by the king of Navarre Sancho VII, the Strong who wished, at the same time, to use it as a burial place, as it finally was. It was erected at the beginning of the 13th century and it houses within its walls a beautiful image of the Virgin of the 14th century. It has undergone several reforms and reconstructions after several setbacks being the reconstruction of the seventeenth century which affected the whole especially the church and cloister.

Today the church has a plan of three naves, the central one of double width than the lateral ones, which are divided into five sections to which a pentagonal chancel must be added in the central nave; the lateral ones end in a straight line. The system of supports is composed of cylindrical pillars that separate the naves of alternating thickness, supported on a base and topped with a capital decorated with a double band of crochets of very simple treatment. The pillars support the pointed former arches and the small columns that support the roofs. Over the former arches runs the triforium, formed in each bay of the central nave by four pointed arches on small columns with the same type of capital, a gallery that gives way without separating elements to the oculus in which there is a sequence of pointed arches as the only decorative element. In the chancel there are large windows decorated with modern colored stained glass windows made in Germany.

A magnificent sculpture of the Virgin of Roncesvalles presides over the temple. It is a wood carving, covered with silver, Gothic, mid-fourteenth century and made in Toulouse. It transmits to the perfection the Gothic spirit in what it has of closeness, naturalism and familiarity.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

This is a very recent addition to my garden, bought on the last day of the season at Hill Close Gardens in Warwick. It's Anisodontea 'El Royo', also known as African Mallow. Its label says it's evergreen and flowers all year round – and apart from a short setback when it was planted out, this seems to be true. Its flowers are a glorious pink – I just hope it's hardy enough to survive the winter.

Moan of the Day on Flickr: is anyone else finding that people fave their photos, you put a thank-you message - and an hour or so later both the fave and the message have disappeared? No wonder my stats have plummeted...

It's supposed to be spring and warm, but after few setbacks, it is freezing again. Unfortunately my tripod is pain to handle in cold weather, and setting it up for picture like this takes way too long. I miss you, Summer

Excerpt from www1.toronto.ca:

Address:

12-14 Draper Street (west side, midway between Front Street West and Wellington Street West).

Construction Date:

1881-1882

Contractor/Builder:

Richard Humphries

Alterations/Additions:

#12 and 14: Window sash and transoms replaced; stone base

altered; patterned shingles removed; keystones removed from dormers, sidelights removed, base and chimney altered on No. 12; dormers removed, porch replaced and brick painted on No. 14.

Original Owner:

Richard Humphries, builder

Original Occupant:

#12: Jabez Heigham, clerk (in 1883);

#14: Saxton T. Sheppard (in 1883).

Building Type: *A: 1½-storey Second Empire Style Cottages (* Draper Street HCD).

Construction:

The semi-detached houses at 12-14 Draper Street were built in 1881-1882. Richard Humphries (or Humphreys) constructed them as part of a series of semi-detached houses on the west side of Draper Street (Nos. 4½-18). The nearly-identical group of houses on the opposite side of Draper (Nos. 3-17 and Nos. 23-29), dating to 1881, were likely designed by Humphries. His estate retained the houses at Nos. 12-14 until 1886 when the properties were taken back by the Peoples’ Loan Company, which held the mortgages.

Design:

The 1½-storey cottages display the mansard roofs identified with the Second Empire style introduced to Toronto in the 1870s. The house at No. 12 retains its pair of round-headed dormers with moulded surrounds. Constructed of brick, the houses rise from a stone base with window openings. The principal facades are designed as mirror images and faced with red brick. Firebreak end walls with chimneys are decorated with brick corbels. Contrasting yellow brick is applied for the window panels, drip moulds with keystones, quoins, belt courses (at the base and below the eaves), and for the brick flanking the roof. Entrances with segmental-headed transoms are centered and slightly elevated in the first storey between bay windows. The house at No. 12 retains its porch. The neighbouring cottages at Nos. 4½-10 and Nos. 16-18 Draper have identical pattern brick detailing. The houses at Nos. 3-17, 21-29 and 4-18 Draper display a common height and Second Empire features. They share their setback, brick cladding and pattern of projecting bay windows with the later houses at Nos. 20-32 Draper, forming a cohesive group of late-19th century buildings.

Delray Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population of Delray Beach was estimated at 68,749 in 2017. That is up from 60,522 according to the 2010 United States Census. Situated 52 miles north of Miami, Delray Beach is in the Miami metropolitan area, which was home to an estimated 6,012,331 people in 2015.

In 1894 William S. Linton, a Republican U.S. Congressman for Saginaw, Michigan, bought a tract of land just west of the Orange Grove House of Refuge and began selling plots in what he hoped would become a farming community. Initially, this community was named after Linton. In 1896 Henry Flagler extended his Florida East Coast Railroad south from West Palm Beach to Miami, with a station at Linton.

The Linton settlers established a post office and a store and began to achieve success with truck farming of winter vegetables for the northern market. A hard freeze in 1898 was a setback, and many of the settlers left, including William Linton. Partly in an attempt to change the community's luck, or to leave behind a bad reputation, the settlement's name was changed in 1901 to Delray, after the Detroit neighborhood of Delray ("Delray" is the anglicized spelling of "Del Rey", which is Spanish for "of the king"), which in turn was named after the Mexican–American War's Battle of Molino del Rey.

By the early 1960s, Delray Beach was becoming known for surfing. Atlantic Avenue was the biggest seller of surfboards in Florida at the time. Delray Beach's surfing fame increased somewhat serendipitously after a 1965 shipwreck. During Hurricane Betsy, the 441 feet (134 m) freighter Amaryllis ran aground on Singer Island, creating a windbreak that formed perfectly breaking waves. The ship was dismantled three years later, yet local surfers have retained an association with the area.

In the 1970s, Interstate 95 between Palm Beach Gardens and Miami was fully completed and development began to spread west of the city limits. This pattern continued and accelerated through the 1980s, as downtown and many of the older neighborhoods fell into a period of economic decline.

Revitalization of some historic areas began during the last decade of the twentieth century, as several local landmark structures were renovated. These include the Colony Hotel and Old School Square (the former campus of Delray Elementary School and Delray High School, since turned into a cultural center). The city also established five Historic Districts, listed in the Local Register of Historic Places, and annexed several other historic residential neighborhoods between U.S. Route 1 and the Intracoastal Waterway in an effort to preserve some of the distinctive local architecture.

In 2001, the historic home of teacher/principal Solomon D. Spady was renovated and turned into the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum. The Spady Museum houses black archives. In 2007 the museum was expanded by renovating a 1935 cottage as a Kid's Cultural Clubhouse, and the construction of a 50-seat amphitheater named for C. Spencer Pompey, a pioneer black educator.

Downtown Delray, located in the eastern part of the city, along Atlantic Avenue, east of I-95 and stretching to the beach, has undergone a large-scale renovation and gentrification. The Delray Beach Tennis Center has brought business to the area. It has hosted several major international tennis events such as the April 2005 Fed Cup (USA vs. Belgium), the April 2004 Davis Cup (USA vs. Sweden), the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships (ATP Event), and the Chris Evert / Bank of America Pro Celebrity.

Atlantic Community High School was rebuilt in 2005 on a different site from the previous school, a plan which was met with much contention.

When DayJet operated from 2007 to 2008, its headquarters were in Delray Beach.

From 2009 to 2012, Pet Airways had its headquarters in Delray Beach.

In 2012, Rand McNally "Best of the Road" named Delray Beach America's Most Fun Small Town. Delray Beach was rated as the 3rd Happiest Seaside Town in America by Coastal Living in 2015.

Credit for the data above is given to the following website:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delray_Beach,_Florida

© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.

Hace aproximadamente un año subí a mi galería de Flickr otra foto de este tren en este mismo punto. En aquella ocasión se trataba de una rama multicolor de 9 remolques que revelaba el cambio de imagen que estaba llevando a cabo la operadora. En la foto que ahora nos ocupa destaca el hecho de que este corto Talgo incorpore dos generadores situados en los extremos de la composición. Tan extraña e inaudita circunstancia fue justificada por la necesidad de aumentar el número de plazas del tren incorporando otro remolque de pasajeros pero sustituyendo el coche de cola (que tenía menos capacidad) por un furgón generador. La ganancia de plazas era escasa (unos 8 asientos si no recuerdo mal) pero al menos los fotógrafos ya teníamos una motivación extra para acercarnos a la vía. Recuerdo que viajando con mi mujer en este Talgo vi como el revisor y el mecánico del tren comenzaron a moverse por el pasillo muy alterados. Yo intuí que algo malo estaba pasando y al preguntar al revisor me contestó que el generador titular estaba fallando y que iban a intentar solucionar el problema recurriendo al segundo. Tras varios intentos, consiguieron ponerlo en marcha y nuestro tren pudo continuar su trayecto sin más contratiempos. Probablemente, yo fui el único viajero que se dio cuenta de lo que pasaba pero aquel día me alegró viajar en la insólita (y ya no tan absurda) rama de los dos generadores.

About a year ago I uploaded another photo of this train at this point to my Flickr gallery. On that occasion it was a multicolored branch of 9 cars that revealed the makeover that the operator was carrying out. In the photo that now occupies us, the fact that this short Talgo incorporates two generators located at the ends of the composition stands out. Such a strange and unprecedented circumstance was justified by the need to increase the number of seats on the train by incorporating another passenger car but replacing the tail car (which had less capacity) with a generator car. The gain of seats was scarce (about 8 seats if I remember correctly) but at least the photographers already had an extra motivation to get closer to the road. I remember traveling with my wife in this Talgo, I saw how the conductor and the train mechanic began to move through the corridor very upset. I sensed that something bad was happening and when I asked the conductor he replied that the main generator was failing and that they were going to try to solve the problem by resorting to the second one. After several attempts, they managed to start it up and our train was able to continue its journey without further setbacks. Probably, I was the only traveler who realized what was happening but that day I was happy to travel on the unusual (and no longer so absurd) branch of the two generators.

Built in 1930, this Art Deco-style building was designed by Schenck and Williams for the Ohio Bell Telephone Company to serve as their offices and main switchboard in Downtown Dayton. The building features a granite base, a limestone exterior, a massing that tapers with setbacks towards the top, stone and metal spandrel panels, one-over-one windows, a main entrance with a decorative peacock-like screen, recessed behind an archway, and flanked by decorative sconces, decorative sculptural reliefs, an interior lobby with decorative light fixtures, a decorative ceiling, aluminum doors, marble walls, and decorative elevator doors, and decorative terra cotta panels and Art Deco screens surrounding the main entrance door. The building is a contributing structure in the Downtown Dayton Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2019. The building today is owned by AT&T.

A two-frame composition of buildings along the Via Matteo Camera/Amalfi Drive/SS163 with Hotel Lidomare and Core Amalfitano City Suites Terrazza in the foregorund. The road runs beneath the buildings for a moment.

"Amalfi is a town and commune in the province of Salerno, in the region of Campania, Italy, on the Gulf of Salerno. It lies at the mouth of a deep ravine, at the foot of Monte Cerreto (1,315 metres, 4,314 feet), surrounded by dramatic cliffs and coastal scenery. The town of Amalfi was the capital of the maritime republic known as the Duchy of Amalfi, an important trading power in the Mediterranean between 839 and around 1200.

In the 1920s and 1930s, Amalfi was a popular holiday destination for the British upper class and aristocracy.

Amalfi is the main town of the coast on which it is located, named Costiera Amalfitana (Amalfi Coast), and is today an important tourist destination together with other towns on the same coast, such as Positano, Ravello and others. Amalfi is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

A patron saint of Amalfi is Saint Andrew, the Apostle, whose relics are kept here at Amalfi Cathedral (Cattedrale di Sant'Andrea/Duomo di Amalfi).

Amalfi held importance as a maritime power, trading grain from its neighbors, salt from Sardinia and slaves from the interior, and even timber, in exchange for the gold dinars minted in Egypt and Syria, in order to buy the Byzantine silks that it resold in the West. Grain-bearing Amalfi traders enjoyed privileged positions in the Islamic ports, Fernand Braudel notes. The Amalfi tables (Tavole Amalfitane) provided a maritime code that was widely used by the Christian port cities. Merchants of Amalfi were using gold coins to purchase land in the 9th century, while most of Italy worked in a barter economy. During the late 9th century, long-distance trade revived between Amalfi and Gaeta with Byzantine, the latter which benefited from a flourishing trade network with the Arabs.

An independent republic from the 7th century until 1073, Amalfi extracted itself from Byzantine vassalage in 839 and first elected a duke in 958; it rivaled Pisa and Genoa in its domestic prosperity and maritime importance before the rise of the Republic of Venice. In spite of some devastating setbacks it had a population of some 70,000 to 80,000 reaching a peak about the turn of the millennium, during the reign of Duke Manso (966–1004). Under his line of dukes, Amalfi remained independent, except for a brief period of Salernitan dependency under Guaimar IV.

In 1073, the republic fell to the Norman countship of Apulia, but was granted many rights. A prey to the Normans who encamped in the south of Italy, it became one of their principal posts. However, in 1131, it was reduced by Roger II of Sicily, who had been refused the keys to its citadel. The Holy Roman Emperor Lothair, fighting in favor of Pope Innocent II against Roger, who sided with the Antipope Anacletus, took him prisoner in 1133, assisted by forty-six Pisan ships. The Pisans, commercial rivals of the Amalfitani, sacked the city; Lothair claimed as part of the booty a copy of the Pandects of Justinian which was found there.

In 1135 and 1137, it was taken by the Pisans and rapidly declined in importance, though its maritime code, known as the Amalfian Laws, was recognized in the Mediterranean until 1570. A tsunami in 1343 destroyed the port and lower town, and Amalfi never recovered to anything more than local importance" (Wikipedia).

PLEASE, NO GRAPHICS, BADGES, OR AWARDS IN COMMENTS. They will be deleted.

Supersampler + Agfa CT Precisa Cross Processed + Jammed Film + Tantrum + Lightleak + Hug.

Catastrophe? Well, a minor setback anyway.....and I've learned that a Cross Processed light leak looks just the same as any other lightleak........*ponders*

Taken with my lovely, lovely (well lovely when the rewind mechanism doesn't jam, anyway...) Supersampler - 4 lenses take 4 shots onto 1 negative over 2 seconds. Completely plastic, no control whatsoever and no viewfinder - you just wave it about and hope for the best!

La Real Colegiata de Santa María es un conjunto monumental situado en la localidad de Roncesvalles (Navarra, España), considerado como el mejor ejemplo navarro del gótico, al más puro estilo de la región parisina de la Isla de Francia. Su construcción fue impulsada por el rey de Navarra Sancho VII, el Fuerte quién deseaba, al mismo tiempo, le sirviera de lugar de enterramiento como finalmente fue. Se levantó a principios del siglo XIII y acogiendo entre sus paredes una preciosa imagen de la Virgen del siglo XIV. Ha sufrido varias reformas y reconstrucciones tras varios contratiempos siendo la reconstrucción del siglo XVII la que afectó a todo el conjunto especialmente a la iglesia y claustro.

Hoy la iglesia presenta una planta de tres naves, la central de doble anchura que las laterales, que se dividen en cinco tramos a los que hay que añadir en la nave central una cabecera pentagonal; las laterales terminan en recto. El sistema de soportes está compuesto de pilares cilíndricos que separan las naves de grosor alternante, se apoyan en una basa y rematan en capitel decorado con doble faja de crochets de tratamiento muy simple. Los pilares sirven de apoyo a los arcos formeros apuntados y a las columnillas que soportan las cubiertas. Sobre los arcos formeros corre el triforio, formado en cada tramo de la nave central por cuatro arquillos apuntados sobre columnillas con el mismo tipo de capitel, galería que da paso sin elementos de separación al óculo en el que se dispone como único elemento decorativo una secuencia de arcos apuntados. En la cabecera se abren grandes ventanales decorados con vidrieras coloreadas modernas fabricadas en Alemania.

Preside el templo una magnífica escultura de la Virgen de Roncesvalles. Es una talla de madera, forrada de plata, gótica, de mediados del siglo XIV y realizada en Toulouse. Transmite a la perfección el espíritu gótico en lo que tiene de cercanía, naturalismo y familiaridad.

es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_Colegiata_de_Santa_María_de_R...

The Royal Collegiate Church of Santa Maria is a monumental complex located in the town of Roncesvalles (Navarra, Spain), considered the best example of Gothic Navarre, in the purest style of the Parisian region of the Isle of France. Its construction was promoted by the king of Navarre Sancho VII, the Strong who wished, at the same time, to use it as a burial place, as it finally was. It was erected at the beginning of the 13th century and it houses within its walls a beautiful image of the Virgin of the 14th century. It has undergone several reforms and reconstructions after several setbacks being the reconstruction of the seventeenth century which affected the whole especially the church and cloister.

Today the church has a plan of three naves, the central one of double width than the lateral ones, which are divided into five sections to which a pentagonal chancel must be added in the central nave; the lateral ones end in a straight line. The system of supports is composed of cylindrical pillars that separate the naves of alternating thickness, supported on a base and topped with a capital decorated with a double band of crochets of very simple treatment. The pillars support the pointed former arches and the small columns that support the roofs. Over the former arches runs the triforium, formed in each bay of the central nave by four pointed arches on small columns with the same type of capital, a gallery that gives way without separating elements to the oculus in which there is a sequence of pointed arches as the only decorative element. In the chancel there are large windows decorated with modern colored stained glass windows made in Germany.

A magnificent sculpture of the Virgin of Roncesvalles presides over the temple. It is a wood carving, covered with silver, Gothic, mid-fourteenth century and made in Toulouse. It transmits to the perfection the Gothic spirit in what it has of closeness, naturalism and familiarity.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Southeast Financial Center is a two-acre development in Miami, Florida, United States. It consists of a 764 feet (233 m) tall office skyscraper and its 15-story parking garage. It was previously known as the Southeast Financial Center (1984–1992), the First Union Financial Center (1992–2003), and the Wachovia Financial Center (2003-2011). In 2011, it retook its old name of Southeast Financial Center as Wachovia merged with Wells Fargo and moved to the nearby Wells Fargo Center.

When topped-off in August 1983, it was the tallest building south of New York City and east of the Mississippi River, taking away the same title from the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel, in Atlanta, Georgia. It remained the tallest building in the southeastern U.S. until 1987, when it was surpassed by One Atlantic Center in Atlanta and the tallest in Florida until October 1, 2003, when it was surpassed by the Four Seasons Hotel and Tower, also in Miami. It remains the tallest office tower in Florida and the third tallest building in Miami.

Southeast Financial Center was constructed in three years with more than 500 construction workers. Approximately 6,650 tons of structural steel, 80,000 cubic yards of concrete and 7000 cubic tons of reinforcing steel bars went into its construction. The complex sits on a series of reinforced concrete grade beams tied to 150 concrete caissons as much as ten feet in diameter and to a depth of 80 feet. A steel space-frame canopy with glass skylights covers the outdoor plaza between the tower and low-rise building.

The tower has a composite structure. The exterior columns and beams are concrete encased steel wide flanges surrounded by reinforcing bars. The composite exterior frame was formed using hydraulic steel forms, or "flying forms," jacked into place with a "kangaroo" crane, that was located in the core and manually clamped into place. Wide flange beams topped by a metal deck and concrete form the interior floor framing. The core is A braced steel frame, designed to laterally resist wind loads. The construction of one typical floor was completed every five days.

The low-rise banking hall and parking building is a concrete-framed structure. Each floor consists of nearly an acre of continuously poured concrete. When the concrete had sufficiently hardened, compressed air was used to blow the forms fiberglass forms from under the completed floor. It was then rolled out to the exterior where it was raised by crane into position for the next floor.

The building was recognized as Miami's first and only office building to be certified for the LEED Gold award in January 2010.

The center was developed by a partnership consisting of Gerald D. Hines Interests, Southeast Bank and Corporate Property Investors for $180 million. It was originally built as the headquarters for Southeast Bank, which originally occupied 50 percent of the complex's space. It remained Southeast Bank's headquarters there until it was liquidated in 1991.

The Southeast Financial Center comprises two buildings: the 55-story office tower and the 15-story parking annex. The tower has 53 stories of office space. The first floor is dedicated for retail, the second floor is the lobby and the 55th floor was home to the luxurious Miami City Club. The parking annex has 12 floors of parking space for 1,150 cars. The first floor is dedicated for retail, the second floor is a banking hall and the 15th floor has the Downtown Athletic Club. A landscaped plaza lies between the office tower and the parking annex. An enclosed walkway connects the second story of the tower with the second story of the annex. The courtyard is partially protected from the elements by a steel and glass space frame canopy spanning the plaza and attached to the tower and annex. Southeast Bank's executive offices were located on the 38th floor. Ground was broken on the complex on December 12, 1981 and the official dedication and opening for the complex was held on October 23, 1984.

The Southeast Financial Center was designed by Edward Charles Bassett of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. The Associate Architect was Spillis Candela & Partners. It has 1,145,311 ft² (106,000 m²) of office space. A typical floor has about 22,000 ft² (2,043.87 m²) of office space. Each floor has 9 ft x 9 ft (2.7 m x 2.7 m) floor to ceiling windows. (All of the building's windows are tinted except for the top floor, resulting in strikingly bright and clear views from there.) The total complex has over 2.2 million ft² (204,000 m²). The distinctive setbacks begin at the 43rd floor. Each typical floor plate has 9 corner offices and the top twelve floors have as many as 16. There are 43 elevators in the office tower. An emergency control station provides computerized monitoring for the entire complex, and four generators for backup power.

The Southeast Financial Center can be seen as far away as Ft. Lauderdale and halfway toward Bimini. Night space shuttle launches from Cape Canaveral 200 miles to the north were plainly visible from the higher floors. The roof of the building was featured in the Wesley Snipes motion picture Drop Zone, where an eccentric base jumper named Swoop parachutes down to the street from a suspended window cleaning trolley. The building also appeared in several episodes of the 1980s TV show Miami Vice and at the end of each episode's opening credits.

Zara founder Amancio Ortega purchased the building from J.P. Morgan Asset Management in December 2016. The purchase price was reportedly over $500 million, making it one of the largest real estate transactions in South Florida history.

Credit for the data above is given to the following websites:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southeast_Financial_Center

www.emporis.com/buildings/122292/wachovia-financial-cente...

© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.

This is possibly the last one from my ballerina series, but I do have more so we'll see how I feel later on.

I've had some setbacks these last couple weeks in every way imaginable...a lot of photo setbacks, so I do apologize for not sprouting new work daily and posting every other day. Believe, me...it kills me. It really does.

But in other news....a new item is available for purchase through Ebay and is detailed on my blog. Remember, whoever wins the item will be featured on my blog along with the image that they create using the prop - Thank you for taking an interest in this project!!!

This piece is printed at 40X40 inches on canvas and is often the centerpiece of my exhibitions, along with "Ballet Vacate".

So how do I look??? better? LOL. Yes I've calmed down, not as stressed, it all went well. We've been friends for so long it was like he was always here. Hunter is a sweetie. He's still adjusting to the time change (8 hours) but he's done really well. He's really enjoying "America" he can't get over how kind and welcoming everyone has been thus far.

As for Sipi, no insulin in the country, so I had to order it to be compounded and will be shipped to us Tuesday until the cat insulin is available again. This will be a setback and his sugar is crazy. He was poked and prodded today. He was hydrated and we found he had a fever but the good news was it was a little claw infection...so now I know how to care for his diabetic tootsies. He's a trooper, not once did he try to escape or bite ... they love him at the vets. We can only hope we figure out why his levels don't go down.

HUGS to you all...thank you for stopping by and I did try to visit as many streams tonight while Hunter sleeps. I'm not commenting but faving... not enough time. xoxoxo

Carnevale di Venezia 2013 - Piazza San Marco, Venezia

Einstein once said "in the middle of difficulty lies opportunity." I traveled thousands of miles amid setbacks (stranded in NYC during the blizzard) just to be able to make it to the last 2 days of the Carnevale, only to arrive to a day of slushy snow and a night of flooding. Although a lot of masks and photographers stayed away, I looked at it as an opportunity to photograph Venice in an unconventional way.

Of course, I had to put up with being completely drenched from head to foot, and had to spend hours blow-drying my cameras and gear with everything else hanging on the heater afterwards. But all of that played a part in creating photographs I wouldn't have taken in an otherwise "better" weather.

Copyright 2012 - Yen Baet - All Rights Reserved.

Do not use any of my images without permission.

Come travel with me on FACEBOOK on my BLOG or at G+.-

...is a nine letter word that defines the work of Indian scientists at ISRO who recently put India on the Lunar map once again with Chandrayaan 2 Lunar misson.

That's Indian Flag on the Lunar Surface (In case you haven't guessed already ).. The flag is a small flag that can be pinned on your coat.

Here are 9 commonly known facts about Chandrayaan 2:

1. Chandrayaan 2 is India's second lunar mission .. the first one being Chandrayaan 1 which was successfully launched in 2008.

2.The Chandrayaan 2 mission consists of an orbiter, a lander and a rover.

3. The orbiter was successfully placed in the orbit on Aug 20, 2019 and is doing its job 100% to the T

4. The lander lost communication when it was just 2.1 km from the surface of moon and crash landed (instead of soft landing ) on Sep 7, 2019 .

5. ISRO says that mission is 95% success as they are still able to collect data through the orbiter.

6. The orbiter has located the lander on the surface on the moon and the scientists are trying to re-establish communication.

7. This is the first lunar mission with 100% home-grown technology.

8. The mission was put together on a budget similar to that of Avengers End game movie.

9. This mission had a wide outreach and was followed by many across the nation and also across the globe. Though the mission may not have achieved 100% success but the good thing was that it created interest in space and related fields in thousands of school children and common man.

We are Indians - a setback can only make our resolve stronger :-) So.. now you all know why I am "over the moon"

Editing : De-saturating the background in Snapseed. and Contrast adjustment in Picasa.

#ShotOniPhone, #iPhoneX

Delray Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population of Delray Beach was estimated at 68,749 in 2017. That is up from 60,522 according to the 2010 United States Census. Situated 52 miles north of Miami, Delray Beach is in the Miami metropolitan area, which was home to an estimated 6,012,331 people in 2015.

In 1894 William S. Linton, a Republican U.S. Congressman for Saginaw, Michigan, bought a tract of land just west of the Orange Grove House of Refuge, and began selling plots in what he hoped would become a farming community. Initially, this community was named after Linton. In 1896 Henry Flagler extended his Florida East Coast Railroad south from West Palm Beach to Miami, with a station at Linton.

The Linton settlers established a post office and a store, and began to achieve success with truck farming of winter vegetables for the northern market. A hard freeze in 1898 was a setback, and many of the settlers left, including William Linton. Partly in an attempt to change the community's luck, or to leave behind a bad reputation, the settlement's name was changed in 1901 to Delray, after the Detroit neighborhood of Delray ("Delray" being the anglicized spelling of "Del Rey", which is Spanish for "of the king"), which in turn was named after the Mexican–American War's Battle of Molino del Rey.

By the early 1960s Delray Beach was becoming known for surfing. Atlantic Avenue was the biggest seller of surfboards in Florida at the time. Delray Beach's surfing fame increased somewhat serendipitously after a 1965 shipwreck. During Hurricane Betsy, the 441 feet (134 m) freighter Amaryllis ran aground on Singer Island, creating a windbreak that formed perfectly breaking waves. The ship was dismantled three years later, yet local surfers have retained an association with the area.

In the 1970s, Interstate 95 between Palm Beach Gardens and Miami was fully completed and development began to spread west of the city limits. This pattern continued and accelerated through the 1980s, as downtown and many of the older neighborhoods fell into a period of economic decline.

Revitalization of some historic areas began during the last decade of the twentieth century, as several local landmark structures were renovated. These include the Colony Hotel and Old School Square (the former campus of Delray Elementary School and Delray High School, since turned into a cultural center). The city also established five Historic Districts, listed in the Local Register of Historic Places, and annexed several other historic residential neighborhoods between U.S. Route 1 and the Intracoastal Waterway in an effort to preserve some of the distinctive local architecture.

In 2001, the historic home of teacher/principal Solomon D. Spady was renovated and turned into the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum. The Spady Museum houses black archives. In 2007 the museum was expanded by renovating a 1935 cottage as a Kid's Cultural Clubhouse, and the construction of a 50-seat amphitheater named for C. Spencer Pompey, a pioneer black educator.

Downtown Delray, located in the eastern part of the city, along Atlantic Avenue, east of I-95 and stretching to the beach, has undergone a large-scale renovation and gentrification. The Delray Beach Tennis Center has brought business to the area. It has hosted several major international tennis events such as the April 2005 Fed Cup (USA vs. Belgium), the April 2004 Davis Cup (USA vs. Sweden), the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships (ATP Event), and the Chris Evert / Bank of America Pro Celebrity.

Atlantic Community High School was rebuilt in 2005 on a different site from the previous school, a plan which was met with much contention.

When DayJet operated from 2007 to 2008, its headquarters were in Delray Beach.

From 2009 to 2012, Pet Airways had its headquarters in Delray Beach.

In 2012, Rand McNally "Best of the Road" named Delray Beach America's Most Fun Small Town. Delray Beach was rated as the 3rd Happiest Seaside Town in America by Coastal Living in 2015.

Credit for the data above is given to the following website:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delray_Beach,_Florida

© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The insert backdrop

Greta Garbo (1905 – 1990) I wish to credit Dr. Macro’s High Quality Movie Scans for this fine hand colored picture of the actress.

__________________________________________________

Nicknames ------------------- The Face

------------------------------------ The Swedish Sphinx

------------------------------------ Garbo

------------------------------------ La Divina

Greta Garbo was born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson on September 18, 1905, in Stockholm, Sweden, to Anna Lovisa (Johansdotter), who worked at a jam factory, and Karl Alfred Gustafsson, a laborer. She was fourteen when her father died, which left the family destitute. Greta was forced to leave school and go to work in a department store. The store used her as a model in its newspaper ads. She had no film aspirations until she appeared in short advertising film at that same department store while she was still a teenager. Erik A. Petschler, a comedy director, saw the film and gave her a small part in his Luffar-Petter (1922). Encouraged by her own performance, she applied for and won a scholarship to a Swedish drama school. While there she appeared in at least one film, En lyckoriddare (1921). Both were small parts, but it was a start. Finally famed Swedish director Mauritz Stiller pulled her from the drama school for the lead role in The Saga of Gösta Berling (1924). At 18 Greta was on a roll.

Following The Joyless Street (1925) both Greta and Stiller were offered contracts with MGM, and her first film for the studio was the American-made Torrent (1926), a silent film in which she didn't have to speak a word of English. After a few more films, including The Temptress (1926), Love (1927) and A Woman of Affairs (1928), Greta starred in Anna Christie (1930) (her first "talkie"), which not only gave her a powerful screen presence but also garnered her an Academy Award nomination as Best Actress (she didn't win). Later that year she filmed Romance (1930), which was somewhat of a letdown, but she bounced back in 1931, landing another lead role in Mata Hari (1931), which turned out to be a major hit.

Greta continued to give intense performances in whatever was handed her. The next year she was cast in what turned out to be yet another hit, Grand Hotel (1932). However, it was in MGM's Anna Karenina (1935) that she gave what some consider the performance of her life. She was absolutely breathtaking in the role as a woman torn between two lovers and her son. Shortly afterwards, she starred in the historical drama Queen Christina (1933) playing the title character to great acclaim. She earned an Oscar nomination for her role in the romantic drama Camille (1936), again playing the title character. Her career suffered a setback the following year in Conquest (1937), which was a box office disaster. She later made a comeback when she starred in Ninotchka (1939), which showcased her comedic side. It wasn't until two years later she made what was to be her last film, Two-Faced Woman (1941), another comedy. But the film drew controversy and was condemned by the Catholic Church and other groups and was a box office failure, which left Garbo shaken.

After World War II Greta, by her own admission, felt that the world had changed perhaps forever and she retired, never again to face the camera. She would work for the rest of her life to perpetuate the Garbo mystique. Her films, she felt, had their proper place in history and would gain in value. She abandoned Hollywood and moved to New York City. She would jet-set with some of the world's best-known personalities such as Aristotle Onassis and others. She spent time gardening and raising flowers and vegetables. In 1954 Greta was given a special Oscar for past unforgettable performances. She even penned her biography in 1990.

On April 15, 1990, Greta died of natural causes in New York and with her went the "Garbo Mystique". She was 84.

Source (bio) - IMDb

The Car

1934 Cadillac's Model 355D, a V-8 powered car, was redesigned, reengineered and restyled but used a carry-over engine. Bodies were built by Fisher for the 10 and 20 Series and Fleetwood for the 30 series. The latter Fleetwood bodies were shared with V-12 and V-16 cars. These were considered 'streamlined' cars with sloping grille and windshield, sleek fenders, high hood sills, and lower profile.

Chassis improvements included independent 'knee-action' front suspension, center point steering, and a new 'X' frame design adding chassis strength as well as lower center of gravity. A rear stabilizer bar helped with stability.

Although the engine was a carryover from 1933, compression was increased, air intake was improved and different carburetor was used. The Rumble Seat Convertible Coupe sold for around $2,500.

Source - CONCEPTCARZ

Hope you enjoy …………..

LA FOTO E' STATA TRATTA DALLA SCANNERIZZAZIONE DI UNA MIA DIAPOSITIVA

Il ponte fu edificato per consentire l’attraversamento del fiume Serchio ai viaggiatori che desideravano recarsi a Bagni di Lucca, nota ancora oggi per le sue Terme. Castruccio Castracani provvide al suo restauro agli inizi del Trecento. Subì altri maneggiamenti, tra i quali l’apertura di un nuovo arco per il passaggio della linea ferroviaria. Si chiamò dapprima, al tempo del novelliere Giovanni Sercambi (1347 – 1424), “Ponte di Chifenti”, poi, non più tardi del 1526, fu chiamato “Ponte della Maddalena”, in relazione ad un oratorio che si trovava ai piedi del ponte nel territorio di Corsagna. Tutti, però, lo conoscono come “Ponte del Diavolo”, perché la sua leggenda è più forte della storia

Come è già noto, una leggenda racconta che l’architetto a cui furono affidati i lavori, ad un certo punto, quando si trattava di completare l’opera, non riuscisse ad andare .Così, si rivolse al Diavolo, invocandone l’aiuto. Questi comparve subito, e promise di condurre a termine il ponte alla condizione che gli venisse offerta l’anima di chi vi fosse passato per primo. Poiché il patto fu concluso, il ponte venne completato in un istante e apparve così bello e originale che l’architetto dimenticò per un attimo l’accordo che aveva appena stipulato col Diavolo. Quando ritornò in sé, si rese conto che non era possibile sottrarvisi e che Belzebù si era già nascosto sotto il ponte, pronto a prendersi la prima anima che lo avesse attraversato. Ebbe così l’idea di spingervi, con un sotterfugio, un cane randagio che passava sulla strada, e tanto fece e brigò che quel cane fu costretto a prendere la via del ponte, cosicché quando il Diavolo gli fu addosso e si rese conto che non era un essere umano, ma un semplice cane, andò su tutte le furie, afferrò la povera bestiola e la sbatté sulle pietre del.

Questa leggenda è la più nota in realtà, il Diavolo non si è mai dimenticato dell’inganno patito.

Una volta ci andò assai vicino. Una ricca signora, che aveva sentito parlare del ponte, era venuta da molto lontano, e se ne stava appoggiata al parapetto, proprio lassù in cima, e ammirava il panorama, insieme con il marito. Nel momento in cui si sporse per osservare l’acqua del fiume, ecco che la preziosa collana di smeraldi, rubini e brillanti, che aveva intorno al collo, si slacciò e cadde nelle cupe e profonde acque, scomparendo alla vista. Belzebù capì, così, che l’occasione attesa lungo tanti secoli forse era giunta al suo compimento. S’immerse nelle gelide acque e ripescò la collana, ritornando in superficie con le sembianze di un bel giovane che stringeva nella mano il gioiello. Il giovane si fermò davanti a loro e mostrò la collana. Il gioiello vi brillava con tutto il suo splendore –

Io sono Belzebù – disse sorridendo – e voglio la tua anima.

- Non ti credo – rispose subito la donna – e diede uno sguardo al marito perché facesse qualcosa per recuperare la collana. La moglie si rese conto, così, che non avrebbe potuto fare assegnamento sull’aiuto del marito e che avrebbe dovuto sbrigarsela da sola e, siccome era bella quanto e forse più del diavolo, tentò la via della seduzione. Ma il diavolo fu irremovibile. Solo conquistando l’anima di quella donna, infatti, avrebbe posto fine allo scacco subìto in quel lontano giorno.

- Voglio la tua anima – disse ancora una volta -, oppure quella di tuo marito, aggiunse dopo un istante, voltandosi verso l’uomo, che allora sì che si spaventò di più e cominciò a tremare fin nel midollo delle ossa, ficcando i suoi occhi atterriti in quelli della moglie.

- Non mi venderai mica al diavolo, tesoruccio mio!

Il messaggio giunse alle orecchie della moglie con i suoni e le dolcezze che la donna si aspettava, e così rispose al diavolo che quella collana se la poteva tenere e portarsela lui all’inferno, e mettersela al collo per suo ricordo. Non vi potete immaginare la faccia che fece Belzebù, quando udì quelle parole. Infatti, quando mai una donna aveva rinunciato a qualcosa? Ad un gioiello, poi!

Si convinse, tuttavia, che non sarebbe mai riuscito a mutarne la decisione presa con tanta risolutezza. Fece qualche altro tentativo, moltiplicò e raffinò la sua avvenenza, radunò tutte le sue arti di grande seduttore, ma quando fu certo che nulla sarebbe cambiato, prese la collana e la scagliò di nuovo nel fiume. Poi, lanciandosi incontro alle acque, scomparve.

Si dice che la favolosa collana sia ancora laggiù, nel fondo del fiume, e che ogni tanto Belzebù si immerga a prelevarla e la mostri a qualche cristiano titubante, nel tentativo di accaparrarsi quell’anima sfuggitagli tanti secoli prima.

[1] Dal settimanale “Metropoli” del 9 novembre 2001, a firma Monica Mori.

The bridge was built to allow the crossing of the river Serchio to travelers who wanted to go to Bagni di Lucca, still known for its thermal springs. Castruccio Castracani provident its restoration in the early fourteenth century. Endured other handlings, such as the opening of a new arc for the passage of the railway line. He called first at the time of John Sercambi novelist (1347 - 1424), "Bridge Chifenti", then, no later than 1526, was called "Ponte della Maddalena", in relation to an oratory that stood at the foot of the bridge in the territory of Corsagna. All, however, know him as "Devil's Bridge" because his legend is stronger than history

As is already known, a legend, the architect who was entrusted with the work, at some point, when it came to complete the work, not able to go. So, he turned to the Devil, and invoke his aid. These appeared immediately, and promised to complete the bridge to the condition that he be given the soul of those who had gone first. Since the deal was completed, the bridge was completed in an instant and appeared so beautiful and original architect forgot for a moment that he had just signed an agreement with the Devil. When he recovered his senses, he realized that it was impossible to escape from it and that Beelzebub had already hidden under the bridge, ready to take the first soul that had gone through. He thus had the idea to push, with a trick, a stray dog ​​who was passing on the road, and did so much and Brigo that the dog was forced to take the path of the bridge, so that when the Devil was on him and he realized that was a human being, but a simple dog, flew into a rage, grabbed the poor animal and slammed it on the stones.

This legend is the most famous in reality, the Devil has never forgotten the deception suffered.

Once we came very close. A rich lady, who had heard of the bridge, had come from far away, and he was leaning against the railing, right up there at the top, and admired the view, along with her husband. At a time when leaned over to look at the water of the river, that's the precious necklace of emeralds, rubies and diamonds, around her neck, loosened and fell into the dark and deep water, disappearing from view. Beelzebub understood, so that the waiting time during many centuries perhaps had come to its fulfillment. Plunged into the icy waters and fished the necklace back to the surface with the appearance of a handsome young man holding in his hand the jewel. The young man stopped in front of them and showed him the necklace. The jewel you shone with all its splendor -

I am Beelzebub - smiled - and I want your soul.

- I do not believe - she replied immediately - and glanced at her husband because he would do something to retrieve the necklace. The wife realized, so that he could not rely on the help of her husband and that he should fend for itself, and as beautiful as it was, and perhaps more of the devil, tried the way of seduction. But the devil was immovable. Only by conquering the soul of the woman, in fact, would put an end to the setback suffered in that distant day.

- I want your soul - he said once more - or that of your husband, he added after a moment, turning to the man, who then ensure that you more frightened and began to shake the very marrow of the bones, stuffing his terrified eyes in those of his wife.

- I do not sell mica to hell, my darling!

The message reached the ears of his wife with the sounds and sweetness that she had expected, and so the devil said that the necklace if she could keep him and take it to hell, and put it around his neck to his memory. You can not imagine the face that had Beelzebub, when he heard those words. In fact, when a woman had ever given up anything? A jewel, too!

He was convinced, however, that it could never changing its decision with such determination. He made a few more attempts, multiplied and refined her beauty, he gathered all his arts of great seducer, but when it became clear that nothing would change, took the necklace and threw it back into the river. Then, rushing to meet the water and disappeared.

It is said that the fabulous necklace is still there in the bottom of the river, and that sometimes Beelzebub being submerged to pick her up and show some Christian hesitant, as they vie soul sfuggitagli centuries earlier.

[1] From the weekly "Metropolis" of 9 November 2001, signed by Monica Mori.

Excerpt from www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=8553:

DESCRIPTION OF HISTORIC PLACE

The Taylor-Growe House, built in 1892, is located on the east side of Victoria Avenue between Wyandotte and Elliott Streets in downtown Windsor. It is a two-storey, Dutch Colonial Revival style residence with a gambrel roof, and is clad in a wooden clapboard finish.

HERITAGE VALUE

From the onset, Victoria Avenue was intended to be a gracious, residential street. The Windsor Land and Building Company placed conditions on buyers of building lots, which stipulated a minimum setback of twenty feet, a house value of at least $3000.00, and an assurance that any business carried on would not be deemed a nuisance. As a result, the earliest houses (built between 1890 and the Stock Market Crash of 1929) show diversity of design, quality of material, and fine workmanship. They were the valued residences of some of the community's most influential and respected families during the middle period in Windsor's development. Victoria Avenue, from Wyandotte Street East to Erie Street, is a designated heritage area in Windsor's Official Plan.

The Taylor-Growe House is situated in the heart of this area. With its fine Dutch Colonial Revival characteristics, and the many historic homes that surround it, the Taylor-Growe House remains a testament to Victoria Avenue's prestigious past.

The Taylor-Growe House is a fine example of a Dutch Colonial Revival style home, and is illustrative of the homes being constructed on prestigious Victoria Avenue in the late nineteenth century. The house was built in 1892 at a time when Victoria Avenue was being developed for some of Windsor's most prominent citizens and families. It is named for Irving H. Taylor, a pharmacist at Parke Davis in Detroit, who purchased the house during the year of its construction, and for Helen Growe, a long-time resident of the fine home.

The two-storey Taylor-Growe House was built in the Dutch Colonial Revival style, which is readily identified by its gambrel roof. It features a symmetrical design, decorative shingles, and an upper storey that overhangs the columned entry porch.

CHARACTER-DEFINING ELEMENTS

Character defining elements that embody the heritage value of the Taylor-Growe House include its:

- two-storey structure

- Dutch Colonial Revival architectural style

- symmetrical design

- wooden clapboard construction with decorative wooden shingles

- fish scale shingles on the front facade

- upper storey that overhangs the columned entry porch with an asymmetrical doorway

- multi-panelled door

- stained glass window on the north side of the stair landing

- leaded glass window on the southern bay.

Southeast Financial Center is a two-acre development in Miami, Florida, United States. It consists of a 764 feet (233 m) tall office skyscraper and its 15-story parking garage. It was previously known as the Southeast Financial Center (1984–1992), the First Union Financial Center (1992–2003), and the Wachovia Financial Center (2003-2011). In 2011, it retook its old name of Southeast Financial Center as Wachovia merged with Wells Fargo and moved to the nearby Wells Fargo Center.

When topped-off in August 1983, it was the tallest building south of New York City and east of the Mississippi River, taking away the same title from the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel, in Atlanta, Georgia. It remained the tallest building in the southeastern U.S. until 1987, when it was surpassed by One Atlantic Center in Atlanta and the tallest in Florida until October 1, 2003, when it was surpassed by the Four Seasons Hotel and Tower, also in Miami. It remains the tallest office tower in Florida and the third tallest building in Miami.

Southeast Financial Center was constructed in three years with more than 500 construction workers. Approximately 6,650 tons of structural steel, 80,000 cubic yards of concrete and 7000 cubic tons of reinforcing steel bars went into its construction. The complex sits on a series of reinforced concrete grade beams tied to 150 concrete caissons as much as ten feet in diameter and to a depth of 80 feet. A steel space-frame canopy with glass skylights covers the outdoor plaza between the tower and low-rise building.

The tower has a composite structure. The exterior columns and beams are concrete encased steel wide flanges surrounded by reinforcing bars. The composite exterior frame was formed using hydraulic steel forms, or "flying forms," jacked into place with a "kangaroo" crane, that was located in the core and manually clamped into place. Wide flange beams topped by a metal deck and concrete form the interior floor framing. The core is A braced steel frame, designed to laterally resist wind loads. The construction of one typical floor was completed every five days.

The low-rise banking hall and parking building is a concrete-framed structure. Each floor consists of nearly an acre of continuously poured concrete. When the concrete had sufficiently hardened, compressed air was used to blow the forms fiberglass forms from under the completed floor. It was then rolled out to the exterior where it was raised by crane into position for the next floor.

The building was recognized as Miami's first and only office building to be certified for the LEED Gold award in January 2010.

The center was developed by a partnership consisting of Gerald D. Hines Interests, Southeast Bank and Corporate Property Investors for $180 million. It was originally built as the headquarters for Southeast Bank, which originally occupied 50 percent of the complex's space. It remained Southeast Bank's headquarters there until it was liquidated in 1991.

The Southeast Financial Center comprises two buildings: the 55-story office tower and the 15-story parking annex. The tower has 53 stories of office space. The first floor is dedicated for retail, the second floor is the lobby and the 55th floor was home to the luxurious Miami City Club. The parking annex has 12 floors of parking space for 1,150 cars. The first floor is dedicated for retail, the second floor is a banking hall and the 15th floor has the Downtown Athletic Club. A landscaped plaza lies between the office tower and the parking annex. An enclosed walkway connects the second story of the tower with the second story of the annex. The courtyard is partially protected from the elements by a steel and glass space frame canopy spanning the plaza and attached to the tower and annex. Southeast Bank's executive offices were located on the 38th floor. Ground was broken on the complex on December 12, 1981 and the official dedication and opening for the complex was held on October 23, 1984.

The Southeast Financial Center was designed by Edward Charles Bassett of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. The Associate Architect was Spillis Candela & Partners. It has 1,145,311 ft² (106,000 m²) of office space. A typical floor has about 22,000 ft² (2,043.87 m²) of office space. Each floor has 9 ft x 9 ft (2.7 m x 2.7 m) floor to ceiling windows. (All of the building's windows are tinted except for the top floor, resulting in strikingly bright and clear views from there.) The total complex has over 2.2 million ft² (204,000 m²). The distinctive setbacks begin at the 43rd floor. Each typical floor plate has 9 corner offices and the top twelve floors have as many as 16. There are 43 elevators in the office tower. An emergency control station provides computerized monitoring for the entire complex, and four generators for backup power.

The Southeast Financial Center can be seen as far away as Ft. Lauderdale and halfway toward Bimini. Night space shuttle launches from Cape Canaveral 200 miles to the north were plainly visible from the higher floors. The roof of the building was featured in the Wesley Snipes motion picture Drop Zone, where an eccentric base jumper named Swoop parachutes down to the street from a suspended window cleaning trolley. The building also appeared in several episodes of the 1980s TV show Miami Vice and at the end of each episode's opening credits.

Zara founder Amancio Ortega purchased the building from J.P. Morgan Asset Management in December 2016. The purchase price was reportedly over $500 million, making it one of the largest real estate transactions in South Florida history.

Credit for the data above is given to the following websites:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southeast_Financial_Center

www.emporis.com/buildings/122292/wachovia-financial-cente...

© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.

A person, who values the beauty of nature and ambient the world is far richer and happier than those, who not notices this.

Thank you to everyone who stopped to watch, leave a comment, award, an invitation to the group! :)

Thanks to those who gave just smile and admiration and those who remained

dissatisfied! :)

Attention !!!

I do not give comments and favorites on this collage. !!!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sr3qQLzrqSs

SOURCE

If you suffered a setback,

If unable to dispel melancholy,

Then autumn soft and autumn a quiet

Go out quickly to my source.

Russia has left us.!

Song by hieromonk Roman performs Jeanne Bichevskaya.

Amsterdam Centraal was designed by Dutch architect Pierre Cuypers and first opened in 1889. It features a Gothic/Renaissance Revival station building and a cast iron platform roof spanning approximately 40 metres. Since 1997, the station has been continuously undergoing reconstruction works because of the development of the North-South Line of the Amsterdam Metro, which was originally planned to be completed in 2014. Due to several setbacks, some at the Amsterdam Centraal building site, the line is now expected to open fully in 2018.

TITLE:

Is there anybody out there?

LOCATION:

Chiappera, Acceglio, Cuneo, Italy

CATEGORY:

TRACKED, PANO, BLEND

SOCIAL:

IG astrotuppo

FB Ale Tuppo

STORY:

After a long day at work on Friday evening, we embarked on a stargazing adventure. The destination? Chiappera, a picturesque location nestled beneath the awe-inspiring Rocca Provenzale mountain captured in the photograph. With our tents, provisions, beverages, and cameras in tow, we set out on a hike.

The journey took us approximately 2.5 hours, and by midnight, we reached our desired spot. However, our enthusiasm was dampened by the presence of clouds obstructing our view of the sky. Undeterred, we patiently waited for two hours, hoping for a change in the weather.

Finally, as if granting our wish, the heavens unveiled themselves to us, revealing a breathtaking spectacle. The sight that unfolded before our eyes was nothing short of magnificent. The stars adorned the night sky, painting it with their twinkling brilliance.

The entire experience was undeniably worth the effort and distance traveled. Despite the initial setback, the remarkable sky we witnessed made the journey to Chiappera truly unforgettable.

Don't miss to visit this place!

Clear skies!

EXIF:

Star Adventurer 2i

Canon 200D

Samyang 14mm f/2.8

130s f/2.8

Sky: ISO 800

Foreground: ISO 3600

Panorama and curves adjustment made in Photoshop.

PLEASE, NO invitations or self promotions, THEY WILL BE DELETED. My photos are FREE to use, just give me credit and it would be nice if you let me know, thanks.

Statues of horses made from horseshoes at the farm.

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The Piber Federal Stud Farm is dedicated to the breeding of Lipizzan horses, located at the village of Piber. It was founded in 1798, began breeding Lipizzan horses in 1920, and today is the primary breeding farm that produces the stallions used by the Spanish Riding School, where the best stallions of each generation are bred and brought for training and later public performance. One of Piber’s major objectives is "to uphold a substantial part of Austria’s cultural heritage and to preserve one of the best and most beautiful horse breeds in its original form."

The Lipizzan breed as a whole, suffered a setback when a viral epidemic hit the Piber Stud in 1983. Forty horses and eight percent of the expected foal crop were lost. Since then, the population at the farm has increased, with 100 mares as of 1994 and a foal crop of 56 born in 1993. In 1994, the pregnancy rate increased from 27% to 82% as the result of a new veterinary center.

(We celebrate our challenges, our success, our endeavour, our past, our future, our culture, our togetherness; but we accept and move forward from setbacks and that's what sets us apart.

We are Brighton and Hove Albion.........)

I know that so many of you are praying...and we really need more...please. My husband so believes in the power of prayer...and right now he needs them. Kraig had a major and frightening set back yesterday...and we need truckloads of prayers. An exhausting day for Kraig and the family. Trying to remain strong. Thank you....

kodak k5

Barrow / Villa Rodriguez

El paraje Barrow que comenzó en la estación de ferrocarril, sufrió un revés una vez que las locomotoras dejaron de circular, dejando recuerdos, viviendas y muchos sueños que quedaron truncos, como el de crecer a la vera de los rieles.

1886, cuando los caminos de hierro se extendían en la provincia como un elemento indispensable de subsistencia del país, las líneas férreas ya cruzaban la zona de la localidad de Barrow, que por ese entonces se denominaba Empalme. En 1907, se crea la estación, como consecuencia del tendido de la línea férrea a Lobería. Su nombre fue un homenaje a M.W. Barrow, gerente de la empresa Ferrocarril del Sud (actual Ferrocarril General Roca), entre 1890-1892 y que sin proponérselo se había convertido en el artífice de tantos pueblos de la provincia. La distinción le llegó en la época en que los ingleses habían decidido reconocer los servicios prestados por los miembros de esa colectividad relacionados con el desarrollo de los rieles en la República Argentina. Así, bregaron para que el gobierno nacional decretara en la fecha del 50º del primer ferrocarril argentino, el 30 de agosto de 1907, el cambio de nombre de algunas estaciones, como la de Barrow, reconociendo al hombre que alcanzó un poder ilimitado como gerente del Ferrocarril, ocupando infinidad de funciones y cargos, siguiendo un espíritu visionario que llevó al crecimiento del país. Durante su gerencia, M.W. Barrow había estudiado la idea de instalar nuevos y modernos talleres para las operaciones del Ferrocarril del Sud que tomaban cada día mayor incremento. En las frecuentes visitas que realizaba a los talleres notaba que las operaciones se realizaban en un estrecho círculo y en instalaciones completamente inadecuadas que imposibilitaban la libre tarea de los mil operarios. Y desde entonces dedicó toda su energía a procurar la formación de instalaciones modernas que se ajustaran a la realidad.

Postulaba Alberdi, unieron los FF.CC. al país más que la Constitución Nacional y permitió la aparición de núcleos urbanos integrados, que fueron punto de reunión, de encuentro social y de vida.

TRASLATOR

Barrow / Villa Rodriguez

The Barrow spot that started at the railway station suffered a setback once the locomotives stopped circulating, leaving memories, homes and many dreams that were truncated, such as growing alongside the rails.

1886, when the iron roads extended in the province like an indispensable element of subsistence of the country, the railway lines already crossed the zone of the locality of Barrow, that by that then was denominated Empalme. In 1907, the station was created, as a consequence of the laying of the railway line to Lobería. His name was a tribute to M.W. Barrow, manager of the company Ferrocarril del Sud (current General Roca Railroad), between 1890-1892 and who had unwittingly become the architect of so many towns in the province. The distinction came at the time when the English had decided to recognize the services provided by the members of that group related to the development of the rails in the Argentine Republic. Thus, they struggled for the national government to decree on the date of the 50th of the first Argentine railway, on August 30, 1907, the change of name of some stations, such as Barrow, recognizing the man who achieved unlimited power as manager of the Railroad, occupying countless functions and positions, following a visionary spirit that led to the growth of the country. During his management, M.W. Barrow had studied the idea of ​​installing new and modern workshops for the operations of the Southern Railway, which were increasing every day. In the frequent visits he made to the workshops he noticed that the operations were carried out in a narrow circle and in completely inadequate facilities that made impossible the free task of the thousand workers. And since then he devoted all his energy to procuring the formation of modern facilities that fit the reality.

Postulated Alberdi, joined the FF.CC. the country more than the National Constitution and allowed the emergence of integrated urban centers, which were a meeting point, social meeting and life.

GOOD NEWS!

"Today (20 April 2023), the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) rejected an application for the Foothills Solar Project, which was a 1,500 acre photovoltaic solar project located one km north of Frank Lake. Fifty percent of the proposed project would have been located within the boundaries of the Important Bird Area (IBA), and 80 percent of the project within one km of the Frank Lake IBA boundary, conditions which are not in keeping with a Best Management Practice outlined in the Wildlife Directives for Alberta Solar Projects.

In its decision, the AUC " determined that the impacts of the project on the Frank Lake IBA and the social and environmental values that it represents are unacceptable. The project has the potential to create a high mortality risk to birds and the bird habitat provided in the Frank Lake IBA." Based on the Alberta Environment and Par's "referral report’s ranking of the project as a high risk to birds, the generally agreed upon importance of the Frank Lake IBA, the siting of 80 per cent of the project within the Frank Lake IBA setback, the lack of conclusive evidence regarding the lake effect hypothesis, the existing human pressures on Frank Lake, and the limited ability to mitigate the project effects (post-construction) if significant mortalities are detected, the Commission finds the project poses an unacceptably high risk to the environment and is not in the public interest."

Greg Wagner

High River Alberta

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I may have to finish my description tomorrow, but will at least start on it late tonight. After yesterday's painful 405 km drive, done with completely torn tendons in my right shoulder, I have been trying to watch how much I use my arm at home today.

My daughter had a free day yesterday, 18 April 2023, so we were able to go on one of our rare day's drive, SW and SE of Calgary. Many of the roads we covered were familiar ones to me, but we did end up on several 'new' roads, especially when we were lost for a short time. As so often happens when I get lost, I end up coming across something new to photograph.

It was 9:00 am when I picked up my daughter, and our first stopping place was Frank Lake. The light was awful, almost hazy, and rather windy, and this continued for much of the day. We found the Frank Lake area was rather flooded, so we only spent a very short time there. No access to the blind. The American White Pelicans are gradually returning to the lake for the summer. Two of them happened to be swimming by the two islands when we first arrived, but then they swam out beyond the islands.

Actually, this was the first time I had set foot anywhere, other than walking round my local grocery store, for many months! It felt rather strange to be walking on rough grass, which thankfully was clear of snow and ice. During the six or seven months of winter, with snow/ice on the ground the whole time, I knew I needed to be very careful because of all the damage to my body from my very bad trip and fall mid-September. I am SO thankful that the ground is clear at long last, though we could still get more snow.

From Frank Lake, we drove a few roads W of the highway, covering a few of the roads I have been driving the last few outings I went on. I was so glad that my daughter got the chance to see a Great Horned Owl family. Other than that, we saw so few birds of any kind, but did manage to get a shot or two of one of the Western Meadowlarks that we saw/heard. I love it when the Meadowlarks return for the summer. They are such beautiful birds, with a delightful song. My daughter also spotted several Hawks during the day.

A long drive south, still on the west side of the highway, finally brought us to where I wanted to cross the highway and drive many of the roads in the SE. At first, I drove too far south, having missed a side road that I wanted. All turned out well, though, as we came across several old barns that were 'new' to us. We also saw a couple of Ferruginous Hawks on a nest.

We stopped and ate lunch by a lake and then continued making our way northwards. Another Ferruginous Hawk sighting and a great Blue Heron before turning north. Practically no birds to be seen on the huge wetland in the area. The cold wind and overcast sky was perhaps partly to blame.

We made a very quick stop to photograph one of my favourite barns and then continued north. After quite a bit of driving, we found ourselves lost. A bit of luck made it worthwhile, though, when my daughter spotted a Great Horned Owl resting in a tree. We stayed in the car and zoomed in. Straight after that, she spotted an extremely distant, small herd of Mule Deer way across the fields. A row of several old, weathered sheds was the last thing we photographed. From there, it was a direct drive home that did feel rather endless after a long day. However, this is my favourite kind of day, when my daughter is able to join me!

Delray Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population of Delray Beach was estimated at 68,749 in 2017. That is up from 60,522 according to the 2010 United States Census. Situated 52 miles north of Miami, Delray Beach is in the Miami metropolitan area, which was home to an estimated 6,012,331 people in 2015.

In 1894 William S. Linton, a Republican U.S. Congressman for Saginaw, Michigan, bought a tract of land just west of the Orange Grove House of Refuge and began selling plots in what he hoped would become a farming community. Initially, this community was named after Linton. In 1896 Henry Flagler extended his Florida East Coast Railroad south from West Palm Beach to Miami, with a station at Linton.

The Linton settlers established a post office and a store and began to achieve success with truck farming of winter vegetables for the northern market. A hard freeze in 1898 was a setback, and many of the settlers left, including William Linton. Partly in an attempt to change the community's luck, or to leave behind a bad reputation, the settlement's name was changed in 1901 to Delray, after the Detroit neighborhood of Delray ("Delray" is the anglicized spelling of "Del Rey", which is Spanish for "of the king"), which in turn was named after the Mexican–American War's Battle of Molino del Rey.

By the early 1960s, Delray Beach was becoming known for surfing. Atlantic Avenue was the biggest seller of surfboards in Florida at the time. Delray Beach's surfing fame increased somewhat serendipitously after a 1965 shipwreck. During Hurricane Betsy, the 441 feet (134 m) freighter Amaryllis ran aground on Singer Island, creating a windbreak that formed perfectly breaking waves. The ship was dismantled three years later, yet local surfers have retained an association with the area.

In the 1970s, Interstate 95 between Palm Beach Gardens and Miami was fully completed and development began to spread west of the city limits. This pattern continued and accelerated through the 1980s, as downtown and many of the older neighborhoods fell into a period of economic decline.

Revitalization of some historic areas began during the last decade of the twentieth century, as several local landmark structures were renovated. These include the Colony Hotel and Old School Square (the former campus of Delray Elementary School and Delray High School, since turned into a cultural center). The city also established five Historic Districts, listed in the Local Register of Historic Places, and annexed several other historic residential neighborhoods between U.S. Route 1 and the Intracoastal Waterway in an effort to preserve some of the distinctive local architecture.

In 2001, the historic home of teacher/principal Solomon D. Spady was renovated and turned into the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum. The Spady Museum houses black archives. In 2007 the museum was expanded by renovating a 1935 cottage as a Kid's Cultural Clubhouse, and the construction of a 50-seat amphitheater named for C. Spencer Pompey, a pioneer black educator.

Downtown Delray, located in the eastern part of the city, along Atlantic Avenue, east of I-95 and stretching to the beach, has undergone a large-scale renovation and gentrification. The Delray Beach Tennis Center has brought business to the area. It has hosted several major international tennis events such as the April 2005 Fed Cup (USA vs. Belgium), the April 2004 Davis Cup (USA vs. Sweden), the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships (ATP Event), and the Chris Evert / Bank of America Pro Celebrity.

Atlantic Community High School was rebuilt in 2005 on a different site from the previous school, a plan which was met with much contention.

When DayJet operated from 2007 to 2008, its headquarters were in Delray Beach.

From 2009 to 2012, Pet Airways had its headquarters in Delray Beach.

In 2012, Rand McNally "Best of the Road" named Delray Beach America's Most Fun Small Town. Delray Beach was rated as the 3rd Happiest Seaside Town in America by Coastal Living in 2015.

Credit for the data above is given to the following website:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delray_Beach,_Florida

© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.

It was murder. I hate our weekly shopping trip to Fort William, especially when our B&B is busy. It can take most of the day, nearly three hours taken up driving to and from the shops. But the traffic congestion, camper vans, mobile homes, cars and people fighting over parking spaces and trolleys. It was almost too much for me. Sat there, outside Home Bargains I had often admired the rugged hillock across from the car park.......something about the shape of it, the scattering of old graves, the motionless bodies of sheep slumbering in the sunshine on the hillside. Little did I realise it had been the site of a fairly significant battle in 1645, during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, which had gone unmentioned in school history lessons. I left the car and went for a walk under the shadow of Ben Nevis

The Battle of Inverlochy occurred on 2 February 1645, during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, when a Royalist force of Highlanders and Confederate Irish troops under the overall command of James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose, routed and largely destroyed the pursuing forces of Archibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of Argyll, who had been encamped under the walls of Inverlochy Castle.

After the Covenanter-controlled Scottish Committee of Estates decided to intervene in the English Civil War on the Parliamentarian side, the Royalist party sought to find ways of tying down Covenanter forces in Scotland to prevent them being employed in England. King Charles I had already given a commission to Montrose, a disaffected former signatory of the Covenant, to organise Royalist opposition in Scotland. The project was given impetus when Confederate Ireland, at the instigation of the Earl of Antrim and the Duke of Ormond, aided the Royalists by sending 2,000 experienced troops to Scotland under Antrim's relative Alasdair Mac Colla. The Irish landed at Ardnamurchan on the west coast in early July 1644.

Montrose and a small number of Royalist clansmen linked up with Mac Colla in August. By this time the Committee of Estates had sent armies into the field against them, under the overall command of the experienced general William Baillie. Montrose, however, won surprise victories against government troops at Tippermuir and Aberdeen in September. He then retreated into the Highlands, pursued by a force under the Marquess of Argyll, the head of Clan Campbell and one of the key figures in the Committee of Estates, while Baillie's main army blocked Montrose's path eastward. By late November, the Royalists had added another 1,000 recruits, largely from amongst the men of Clan Donald. Over the winter they conducted a fierce campaign of burning and plundering largely directed against the lands of Argyll himself, and culminating in the sacking of Inveraray. Montrose left Inveraray on 14 January 1645 and headed north. It is believed that he split his army at Glen Etive sending part of it up past Ballachulish while the bulk continued across Rannoch Moor, into Glencoe.

Baillie and Argyll believed that Montrose's force would easily be trapped or dispersed once the difficulty of supplying them in the Highlands in winter took hold. Indeed, by the end of January, Montrose had halted at Kilchummin in the Great Glen, with supplies exhausted and with his forces reduced to less than 2,000 due to sickness and desertions amongst the Highlanders, who were eager to return home with their plunder. At Kilchummin he learned that a large contingent of Northern Levies under the Earl of Seaforth blocked the route northward at Inverness, while Argyll – with a force made up of his own regiment, eight companies of Lowland foot sent by Baillie, and a large number of Clan Campbell levies – was camped to the south of him at Inverlochy. Further south, Baillie and Sir John Urry were assembling further troops.. The Royalists were now effectively trapped.

Montrose decided to face the threat by marching south and attacking Argyll. This course may have been chosen as Argyll's men now threatened the lands of several of Montrose's key supporters. However, he realised that a frontal approach would be quickly detected. What followed was a remarkable flanking march, during winter, across some of the toughest and wildest terrain in the British Isles, partly through snow knee-deep. The Royalists first travelled up the River Tarff to Glen Buck via Culachy, and across the gorge of the Calder Burn to reach the head of the glen, 1000 feet above sea level. They then climbed a further 1000 feet to Carn na Larach, before travelling down Glen Turret and Glen Roy to Keppoch, where the advance guard rested for around three hours in a barn while the main force caught up.

After fording the Spean, and passing through Leanachan Woods, they emerged on the slopes of Ben Nevis above Inverlochy in the early hours of Candlemas Day, 2 February; they had marched around 36 miles in 36 hours.

Montrose's army spent a cold night in the open on the side of Ben Nevis. Argyll was already aware that a small force was operating in the area, having been alerted by pickets driven from Keppoch by the Royalist advance guard. He did not know, however, that he was faced by the entire royal army. Just before dawn on 2 February 1645, Argyll and his commanders were dismayed at the sight that lay before them. As far as they were aware Montrose should still have been 30 miles north.

Argyll did not stay for the battle, having injured his arm in a fall from his horse, and retired to his galley anchored on Loch Linnhe. Command of the government forces was left in the hands of his kinsman Sir Duncan Campbell of Auchinbreck, described by Robert Baillie as "a stout soldier, but a very vicious man". Auchinbreck was an experienced veteran recently recalled from the war in Ireland and regarded as the best soldier in Clan Campbell.

Auchinbreck lined up his forces with the left wing anchored on Inverlochy Castle, which he reinforced with 200 musketeers to protect his left flank. In the centre he placed Argyll's regiment, with an advance guard commanded by Gillespie, son of the Laird of Bingingeahds.On the flanks he put the 8 companies of Lowland militia sent by Baillie, under Roughe and Cockburn, while to the rear was a reserve of Campbell clan levies commanded by the lairds of Lochnell and Rarra, along with two light artillery pieces. Unlike at Tippermuir and Aberdeen, where Montrose had annihilated hastily conscripted and poorly trained militias, many of the troops he faced at Inverlochy were veterans of the wars in England and Ireland. Montrose lined his army up only two lines deep to avoid being outflanked, placing the clansmen, under his personal command, in the centre with the Irish on the flanks, the left being commanded by MacColla and the right by O'Cahan. A small troop of light cavalry, led by Sir Thomas Ogilvie of Airlie, protected the Royalist standard.

The fight did not start straight away and instead skirmishes broke out along the line before dawn. This was possibly because Montrose wanted to harry Argyll's men to ensure they did not slip away, whilst hiding his own presence and the full size of his army. Auchinbreck and his officers thought that they were only fighting one of Montrose's lieutenants and not the man himself, believing he was still far up the glen. Wishart, Montrose's biographer, claimed that they only realised Montrose and his cavalry were present on hearing trumpets used as the attack signal. Just before first light, the Royalists launched their attack.

O'Cahan's men advanced first, followed by Mac Colla. The Irish closed rapidly and violently with the regular troops on both flanks. Montrose, in his letter describing the battle, stated that they went quickly to "push of pike and dint of sword". The Irish routed the two wings, exposing Auchinbreck's centre. Montrose then launched the highlanders at Argyll's regiment and the Campbell clansmen; as the first line was driven back on to the second, the latter panicked and broke.[Some of the Lowland foot forming Auchinbreck's left attempted to retreat into the castle, but were blocked by the Royalist cavalry under Ogilvie and driven to the shore of the loch. Auchinbreck was shot in the thigh while trying to rally his men and died shortly afterwards. The remaining Covenanters briefly rallied around their standard, then broke and ran. The battle rapidly became a "massacre perpetrated by one set of feuding clansmen on another". Those who ran towards the loch were slaughtered, while the remainder attempted to escape into the hills. The small garrison in Inverlochy castle surrendered without a fight.

As was common in the battles of the era, the majority of casualties occurred during the rout of the retreating forces, who were pursued at least eight miles from the battlefield. In later years the graves of many of them were pointed out in Glen Nevis Over 1500 Covenanter troops died, while Montrose lost very few men, reputedly as few as between four and eight, the most notable Royalist casualty being Sir Thomas Ogilvie who was hit by a stray bullet and died several days later. Many gentry and tacksmen serving under Argyll were killed, including John Campbell of Lochnell, Colin MacDougal of Rarra, and others. The remaining officers were all captured, although some, such as Cockburn, were shortly released on parole on the promise that they did not take up arms against the Royalists.

On 11 February the Parliament of Scotland found Montrose and 19 of his main followers, including Mac Colla and Graham of Inchbrackie, guilty of high treason in their absence. The following day Argyll himself appeared before Parliament, with his arm in a sling, dismissing the loss as a minor setback. Robert Baillie afterwards wrote that "this disaster did extremely amaze us. I verily think that had Montrose come presently from that battle he should have had no opposition in the Highlands [...] scarce till he had come to Edinburgh. But God in mercy put other thoughts in his heart".

Montrose was able to use this conflict to rally Clan Donald against Clan Campbell. In many respects, the Battle of Inverlochy was as much part of the clan war between these two deadly enemies and their allies as it was part of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, and that is how it was portrayed in Gaelic folklore. After the battle MacDonalds pursued fleeing Campbells up the Lairig Mhor, which is now part of the West Highland Way, killing those they caught. About 12 km from the battle field they stopped and marked the spot by erecting a stone which came to be known as Clach nan Caimbeulach or the Campbell's Stone. Today the place is marked by a rough cairn, or pile of stones

The victory also secured the cooperation in Montrose's campaign of the Marquess of Huntly, whose Clan Gordon levies made him one of the most powerful nobles in Scotland.

Thanks to Wikipedia

PLEASE, NO invitations or self promotions, THEY WILL BE DELETED. My photos are FREE to use, just give me credit and it would be nice if you let me know, thanks.

This building was used as a fortification and built around 1490. It served as a means of defence and as a granary. It is now the home of a museum for the farm.

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The Piber Federal Stud Farm is dedicated to the breeding of Lipizzan horses, located at the village of Piber. It was founded in 1798, began breeding Lipizzan horses in 1920, and today is the primary breeding farm that produces the stallions used by the Spanish Riding School, where the best stallions of each generation are bred and brought for training and later public performance. One of Piber’s major objectives is "to uphold a substantial part of Austria’s cultural heritage and to preserve one of the best and most beautiful horse breeds in its original form."

The Lipizzan breed as a whole, suffered a setback when a viral epidemic hit the Piber Stud in 1983. Forty horses and eight percent of the expected foal crop were lost. Since then, the population at the farm has increased, with 100 mares as of 1994 and a foal crop of 56 born in 1993. In 1994, the pregnancy rate increased from 27% to 82% as the result of a new veterinary center.

Cathedral of Christ’s Resurrection, built 1720 - 1729.

Austro-Bavarian Baroque School

Its shape resembles a brick eight-column basilica with a setback and facade.

After the activity of the monks had been stopped by the Austrians in 1774 the church was used by the gymnasium students and the Greek-Catholic community in turns.

At the request of the Ukrainians the Austrian government transferred the church to them in 1849.

When the Stanislaviv Greek-Catholic diocese was formed according to the Pope’s bull, the church became the Cathedral.