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Fall is in the air...
All my photographs are © Copyrighted and All Rights Reserved. None of these photos may be reproduced and/or used in any form of publication, print or the Internet without my written permission.
Everybody's looking for that something
One thing that makes it all complete
You'll find it in the strangest places
Places you never knew it could be
Some find it in the face of their children
Some find it in their lover's eyes
Who can deny the joy it brings
When you've found that special thing
You're flying without wings
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Mashallah please
she was sick when i took the shot ;**
Pas de FAV sans commentaire.
No FAV without comment
Le spectacle "Puy de Lumières" prend date à partir du 3 mai 2019 au Puy-en-Velay.
www.puydelumieres.fr/le-projet-puy-de-lumieres/
Tous les soirs un spectacle de projections et de lumières à la tombée de la nuit sur ses monuments emblématiques :
• La Cathédrale Notre-Dame du Puy
• Le Rocher Saint-Michel d'Aiguilhe
• Le Théâtre
• L'Hôtel de Ville
• La Chapelle Saint-Alexis dans la cour de l'Hôtel du déparement
• Le musée Crozatier
• La place du Plot
• La Médiathèque de Brives-Charensac
• Le Vieux-Pont sur la Loire à Brives-Charensac
Bonne journée à tous.
Merci pour vos visites et commentaires
en ---------------
The spectacle of "Puy-de-Lights" takes the date from may 3, 2019 at le Puy-en-Velay.
Every night a spectacle of projections and lights in the dark of the night on its iconic monuments :
• The Cathedral of Notre-Dame du Puy
• The Rocher Saint-Michel d Aiguilhe
• Theatre
• The Town hall
• The Chapel Saint Alexis in the courtyard of the Hotel du déparement
• The museum Crozatier
• the place of The Plot
• The Library of Brives-Charensac
• The Old Bridge over the Loire at Brives-Charensac
Good day to all.
Thank you for your visits and comments
de ---------------
Die show "Puy de Lichter" trägt das datum vom 3. mai 2019 in le Puy-en-Velay.
Jeden abend eine show von videoprojektionen und das licht der dunkelheit auf seinen sehenswürdigkeiten :
• Die Kathedrale Notre-Dame du Puy
• Der Rocher Saint-Michel d ' aiguilhe
• Theater -
• - Hotel Stadt
• Die Kapelle Saint-Alexis im hof des Hotel déparement
• Das museum Crozatier
• platz der Plot
• Der Mediathek von Brives-Charensac
• Die Alte Brücke über die Loire in Brives-Charensac
Guten tag an alle.
Danke für eure besuche und kommentare
es ---------------
El espectáculo de "Puy-de-las Luces" se lleva la fecha de 3 de mayo de 2019 en le Puy-en-Velay.
Cada noche un espectáculo de proyecciones y luces en la oscuridad de la noche en sus monumentos emblemáticos :
• La Catedral de Notre-Dame du Puy
• El Rocher de Saint-Michel d'Aiguilhe
• Teatro
• El ayuntamiento de
• La Capilla de Saint Alexis en el patio del Hotel du déparement
• El museo Crozatier
• el lugar de La Parcela
• La Biblioteca de Brives-Charensac
• El Viejo Puente sobre el Loira en Brives-Charensac
Buen día a todos.
Gracias por sus visitas y comentarios
nl ---------------
Het spektakel van de "Puy-de-Lichten" neemt de datum van 3 mei 2019 in le Puy-en-Velay.
Elke avond een spektakel van projecties en lichten in het donker van de nacht op haar iconische monumenten :
• De Kathedraal van Notre-Dame du Puy
• De Rocher Saint-Michel d ' Aiguilhe
• Theater -
• Het stadhuis
• De Kapel Saint Alexis op de binnenplaats van het Hotel du déparement
• Het museum Crozatier
• de plaats van De Plot
• De Bibliotheek van Brives-Charensac
• De Oude Brug over de rivier de Loire in Brives-Charensac
Goede dag allemaal.
Dank u voor uw bezoeken en opmerkingen
it ---------------
Lo spettacolo di "Puy-de-Luci" prende data dal 3 maggio 2019 a le Puy-en-Velay.
Ogni sera uno spettacolo di proiezioni e luci nel buio della notte i suoi monumenti simbolo :
• La Cattedrale di Notre-Dame du Puy
• Rocher Saint-Michel d'Aiguilhe
• Teatro
• Il municipio
• La Cappella di Saint-Alexis nel cortile dell'Hotel du déparement
• Il museo Crozatier
• il luogo della Trama
• La Biblioteca di Brives-Charensac
• Il Vecchio Ponte sulla Loira a Brives-Charensac
Buona giornata a tutte.
Grazie per le vostre visite e commenti
pt ---------------
O espetáculo de "Puy-de-Luzes" tem a data de 3 de maio de 2019, em le Puy-en-Velay.
A cada noite, um espetáculo de projeções e luzes, no escuro da noite, em seus monumentos :
• A Catedral de Notre-Dame du Puy
• O Rocher de Saint-Michel d'Aiguilhe
• Teatro
• A câmara municipal
• A Capela de Saint Alexis, no pátio do Hotel du déparement
• museu Crozatier
• o lugar da Trama
• A Biblioteca de Brives-Charensac
• A Velha Ponte sobre o rio Loire em Brives-Charensac
Bom dia a todos.
Obrigado por suas visitas e comentários de
Daydreams
I fell asleep beneath the flowers
for a couple of hours
on a beautiful day
© All rights reserved
Images may not be copied or used in any way without my written permission.
SL friendships mean so much to me. Without them, I would not be in as SL as often, because when I do activities and explore SL with my friends it is so much more enjoyable. I also highly enjoy doing activities in RL with my SL friends, such as watching movies or tv shows (pictured in this photo) while we are on a voice call. Friendships also mean we support and cheer each other on. I love all my friends and times with them are what I will always cherish from SL.
Style Credits
Paradox Mercury:
Shirt: Cruise- C3 Shirt by CheerNo
Necklace: Multistrand Necklace by Archivefaction
Rings: Boms Bento Rings by Kartel
Pants: Leather Leggings by NOCHE
ByrneDarkly Cazalet:
Hair: H1212 Hair by tram
Earrings: Lightning Earrings by EUTHANASIA
Necklace: Racer Necklace by ARCHIVEFACTION
Dress: Thalia Dress by AURICA
Pants: Bomber Latex Pants by Sn@tch
Shoes: Le Ballet Flats by Pure Poison
Cats: Bombay Cats by Rezz Room
Furniture: 3 Seat Moquette Sofa by Soy.
Pose: Harriet Couples Bento Pose by Samia
Lighting: Wearable Projectors by LUMIPro
Popcorn by [LOD Mesh}
Among the trees, beauty lies
Below the ever stretching skies
That send kisses of beautiful light
Shining down, hot and bright
Through the branches without a sound
Onto the wildness of the waiting ground
Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved
Crystal ball showing off a chilly late spring vs the forecasted warm sunny sky, the gap between a simulated weather situation to the reality..
Technically, we no longer need fate as the science told us the fateful sun is out there somewhere :-).
.
Antique Rose Emporium.
Brenham, TX.
.
Note: image inside crystal ball flipped by still not perfect artificial Intelligence Photoshop.
Pantokratoros monastery (abbey). Fresco painted on the ceiling of the external propylon’s dome: The Father Without Beginning (Ὁ Ἄναρχος Πατὴρ in Greek). The propylon is located in front of the monastery’s Southwestern Gate (outside). The gate is part of St. Panteleēmōn’s Tower.
Pantocrator means Almighty, Omnipotent, All-Powerful or Ruler of All Universes. The theological meaning or concept of this word goes infinitely further and deeper than a specific depiction in Christian iconography (the Christ Pantocrator icon). The monastery was erected earlier than in 1357 AD.
She: faestock
today i just shot the cloud... and putting landscape hehehe
p.s: using 45-200mm panasonic sometimes gimme vignette... do you know why?
Aerial drone view of a dramatic sunset with a special rainbow after a brief rain shower.
Website: edmundlowephoto.com/
All my photographs are © Copyrighted and All Rights Reserved. None of these photos may be reproduced and/or used in any form of publication, print or the Internet without my written permission.
HBM! Taken on a short walk along the Promenade in our neighbourhood. The temperature is -1 C, feeling like -15C in Toronto, Have a good week, my friends:)
Copyright © Tommy Hsu Photography. All rights reserved. Please don't use without my permission ! If you like my work and want to buy, Please Visit My New Getty Image | Previous Getty Image | Facebook | Twitter
Up on a hill beyond Glass Beach is a cemetery that dates back to the 19th century, a burial ground for workers at the McBryde Sugar Company's plantation. The small cemetery overlooking the ocean is filled with gravestones in Japanese and English that was only recently rediscovered.
All Rights Reserved. None of these photos may be reproduced and/or used in any form of publication, print or the Internet without my written permission.
... without a dog. Not necessarily better, but you get more time to focus; nor is it necessarily better.
Brøndbyskoven, Brøndby.
Pas de FAV sans commentaire.
No FAV without comment
Ce jour-là, j'ai eu la chance d'assiter à une action de pêche réalisée par un héron bihoreau.
Au prermier abord, on peut voir le héron perché sur une branche, puis s'envoler vers l'étang à peu près à une trentaine de mètres puis plonger pour attrapper un poisson et s'envoler la proie dans le bec pour aller le déguster dans un endroit tranquille.
Bonne journée à tous.
Merci pour vos visites et commentaires
en ---------------
That day, I had the chance to attend a fishing action carried out by a heron night heron.
The first first, one can see the heron perched on a branch, then fly to the pond about thirty meters and then dive to catch a fish and fly off with the prey in the beak to go and enjoy in a quiet place.
Good day to all.
Thank you for your visits and comments
de ---------------
An diesem tag hatte ich das glück assiter eine aktion, fischerei erfolgt durch einen reiher, nachtreiher gefunden.
Im prermier zunächst kann man den reiher thront auf einem zweig, und ragen in den teich, der in etwa dreißig meter, dann tauchen sie fangen einen fisch und fliegen die beute in den schnabel, um einen blick auf das genießen sie in einer ruhigen gegend.
Guten tag an alle.
Danke für eure besuche und kommentare
es ---------------
Ese día, tuve la oportunidad de asistir a una pesca de la acción llevada a cabo por una garza de noche garza.
La primera, uno puede ver la garza encaramado en una rama, y luego volar a la laguna a unos treinta metros y luego de buceo para la captura de un pez y volar con la presa en el pico para ir y disfrutar en un lugar tranquilo.
Buen día a todos.
Gracias por sus visitas y comentarios
nl ---------------
Die dag had ik de kans om bij te wonen een van de visserij actie uitgevoerd door een reiger night heron.
De eerste zie je de reiger zat op een tak, dan vliegen naar de vijver van ongeveer dertig meter en dan duiken om een vis te vangen en uit vliegen met de prooi in de bek te gaan en te genieten in een rustige plaats.
Goede dag allemaal.
Dank u voor uw bezoeken en opmerkingen
it ---------------
Quel giorno, ho avuto la possibilità di partecipare ad una azione di pesca effettuata da un airone airone notturno.
Il primo, si può vedere l'airone appollaiato su un ramo, per poi volare a stagno di circa trenta metri per poi immergersi, per la cattura di un pesce e volare via con la preda nel becco di andare e godere di in un luogo tranquillo.
Buona giornata a tutte.
Grazie per le vostre visite e commenti
pt ---------------
Naquele dia, eu tive a oportunidade de participar de uma ação de pescaria realizada por uma garça noite heron.
O em primeiro lugar, pode-se ver a garça empoleirado em um galho, em seguida, voar para a lagoa, a cerca de trinta metros e, em seguida, mergulhar para pegar um peixe e voar com a presa no bico para ir e desfrutar de um lugar tranquilo.
Bom dia a todos.
Obrigado por suas visitas e comentários de
Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission.
© All rights reserved
Falls bei euch eine Tour zu den Königschschlössern Neuschwanstein und Hohenschwangau auf dem Programm steht, kann dieser Blick auf den Lech auch noch mitgenommen werden.
All rights reserved - Copyright 2018 © Martin Zurek www.martinzurek.com
All images are exclusive property and may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, transmitted, manipulated or used in any way without expressed, written permission of the photographer.
I've been asked by a few of my contacts if I would post a before and after shot of my Ladies candid.
This is the process I use :-
Duplicate layer
Filter>Noise>Median>10pixels>ok
Layer opacity>50%
Layer mask
Brush>100%>Hard
Brush over eyes and mouth and any other areas you seem fit, ie jewellery.
These setting work on an image that is 1500 pixels on the longest edge.
© All Rights Reserved - No Usage Allowed in Any Form Without the Written Consent of Connie Lemperle/ lemperleconnie
Link to Cincinnati Zoo..............
Also a new group to join for anyone who has Ohio Zoo pictures!
www.flickr.com/groups/ohio_zoos/
Also check out Zoos Around the World group!
www.flickr.com/groups/zoos_around_the_world/
I'm trying to enter a contest for the Cincinnati Zoo and can only use photos taken from June 29th to July 21st of 2008 so I'm limited on which pics I can enter. I'd go back to the zoo and get more pictures but its so hot here and I don't think I could handle the heat and smog. I would imagine the animals feel the same way and will be really taking it easy. It's a shame that they don't let you use pics from times when its cooler because your more apt to get better photos because the animals are more active. Oh well! Have a wonderful day everyone!
Our cabbages unfortunately did not develop a decent heart but have amazing large leaves so are destined for the chickens and compost!
Pleasure is the flower that passes; remembrance, the lasting perfume.
~Jean de Boufflers~
© All rights reserved
Images may not be copied or used in any way without my written permission.
Warm weather please come soon ♥
Model is the lovely Hannah.
We were shooting this in my neighbors field and she came out of her house all flustered and worried cuz she thought Hannah was a dead deer. yeaa...
Use without permission is illegal.
don't use my pics on websites and other social media without my permission,thanks !
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For 52 weeks for dogs,
Leia and her yellow frisbee. She loves it, there are very few photos of Leia on the beach without frisbee. We hope not to lose it, we have it for a long time.
Nice week
Seen in
the ORIGINAL 52 Weeks for Dogs
Professional Photo Tour 2009 ABAIMAGEN
Chiapas México
this image is NOT for donation, if you are interested in some image, please contact me andrade@abaimagen.com
Dot not use IT ! Copyright
Tahai, Rapa Nui, Easter Island, Chile.
The three ahu of Tahai
But without a doubt, the great focus of attention at Tahai are its three ahu or ceremonial platforms located on the small rocky cliff that rises above the sea. The altars form a visual line that stars in this magnificent setting. If you look straight at the platforms, the first group on the left with five moai statues is the Ahu Vai Uri, the next one is the Ahu Tahai and the last one with a single statue wearing a pukao or hat is the Ahu Ko Te Riku.
Ahu Vai Uri
The Ahu Vai Uri, whose name could be translated as dark water or green water, is the platform with the largest number of erected statues. Its construction dates from 1200 AD. and its five restored moai are a sample of the different styles of how they were carved.
The first one on the right is currently a piece of rock that is barely recognizable. However, the one that follows, much better preserved as such as the first on the left, has a lower and more robust body than the rest and shows a grim expression.
Ahu Tahai
Ahu Tahai has a single solitary moai about 4.5 meters high. The figure, which is very eroded, shows a thick torso and a wide neck, and rises on the oldest platform of the complex built around 700 AD.
Despite the enormous wear suffered by the moai over time, it still shows the greatness and pride of the ancestors they represent and, in some way, still transmits that mythical power called mana.
Ahu Ko Te Riku
Ahu Ko Te Riku is the last and singular platform located further north. Above it rises a single moai of 5.1 meters high that was restoredwith all the elements that adorned the old finished statues.
On his head it carries a pukao, a cylindrical piece carved in red scoria from the Puna Pau volcano. This form, which according to different opinions, represents a hat or a hair bun, was placed in the last phase of construction of the ahu. It is believed that the original pukaoof this moai was used to carve the Christian cross that is found in the nearby cemetery to Tahai, but there is not even the certainty that it had one. The other differentiating element of Ahu Ko Te Riku is that it supports the only moai that has eyes of the whole island.
For video, please visit youtu.be/b3LaCk0laBo
9.4.09
The flight arrived on time; and the twelve hours while on board passed quickly and without incident. To be sure, the quality of the Cathay Pacific service was exemplary once again.
Heathrow reminds me of Newark International. The décor comes straight out of the sterile 80's and is less an eyesore than an insipid background to the rhythm of human activity, such hustle and bustle, at the fore. There certainly are faces from all races present, creating a rich mosaic of humanity which is refreshing if not completely revitalizing after swimming for so long in a sea of Chinese faces in Hong Kong.
Internet access is sealed in England, it seems. Nothing is free; everything is egregiously monetized from the wireless hotspots down to the desktop terminals. I guess Hong Kong has spoiled me with its abundant, free access to the information superhighway.
11.4.09
Despite staying in a room with five other backpackers, I have been sleeping well. The mattress and pillow are firm; my earplugs keep the noise out; and the sleeping quarters are as dark as a cave when the lights are out, and only as bright as, perhaps, a dreary rainy day when on. All in all, St. Paul's is a excellent place to stay for the gregarious, adventurous, and penurious city explorer - couchsurfing may be a tenable alternative; I'll test for next time.
Yesterday Connie and I gorged ourselves at the borough market where there were all sorts of delectable, savory victuals. There was definitely a European flavor to the food fair: simmering sausages were to be found everywhere; and much as the meat was plentiful, and genuine, so were the dairy delicacies, in the form of myriad rounds of cheese, stacked high behind checkered tabletops. Of course, we washed these tasty morsels down with copious amounts of alcohol that flowed from cups as though amber waterfalls. For the first time I tried mulled wine, which tasted like warm, rancid fruit punch - the ideal tonic for a drizzling London day, I suppose. We later killed the afternoon at the pub, shooting the breeze while imbibing several diminutive half-pints in the process. Getting smashed at four in the afternoon doesn't seem like such a bad thing anymore, especially when you are having fun in the company of friends; I can more appreciate why the English do it so much!
Earlier in the day, we visited the Tate Modern. Its turbine room lived up to its prominent billing what with a giant spider, complete with bulbous egg sac, anchoring the retrospective exhibit. The permanent galleries, too, were a delight upon which to feast one's eyes. Picasso, Warhol and Pollock ruled the chambers of the upper floors with the products of their lithe wrists; and I ended up becoming a huge fan of cubism, while developing a disdain for abstract art and its vacuous images, which, I feel, are devoid of both motivation and emotion.
My first trip yesterday morning was to Emirates Stadium, home of the Arsenal Gunners. It towers imperiously over the surrounding neighborhood; yet for all its majesty, the place sure was quiet! Business did pick up later, however, once the armory shop opened, and dozens of fans descended on it like bees to a hive. I, too, swooped in on a gift-buying mission, and wound up purchasing a book for Godfrey, a scarf for a student, and a jersey - on sale, of course - for good measure.
I'm sitting in the Westminster Abbey Museum now, resting my weary legs and burdened back. So far, I've been verily impressed with what I've seen, such a confluence of splendor and history before me that it would require days to absorb it all, when regretfully I can spare only a few hours. My favorite part of the abbey is the poets corner where no less a literary luminary than Samuel Johnson rests in peace - his bust confirms his homely presence, which was so vividly captured in his biography.
For lunch I had a steak and ale pie, served with mash, taken alongside a Guinness, extra cold - 2 degrees centigrade colder, the bartender explained. It went down well, like all the other delicious meals I've had in England; and no doubt by now I have grown accustomed to inebriation at half past two. Besides, Liverpool were playing inspired football against Blackburn; and my lunch was complete.
Having had my fill of football, I decided to skip my ticket scalping endeavor at Stamford Bridge and instead wandered over to the British Museum to inspect their extensive collections. Along the way, my eye caught a theater, its doors wide open and admitting customers. With much rapidity, I subsequently checked the show times, saw that a performance was set to begin, and at last rushed to the box office to purchase a discounted ticket - if you call a 40 pound ticket a deal, that is. That's how I grabbed a seat to watch Hairspray in the West End.
The show was worth forty pounds. The music was addictive; and the stage design and effects were not so much kitschy as delightfully stimulating - the pulsating background lights were at once scintillating and penetrating. The actors as well were vivacious, oozing charisma while they danced and delivered lines dripping in humor. Hairspray is a quality production and most definitely recommended.
12.4.09
At breakfast I sat across from a man who asked me to which country Hong Kong had been returned - China or Japan. That was pretty funny. Then he started spitting on my food as he spoke, completely oblivious to my breakfast becoming the receptacle in which the fruit of his inner churl was being placed. I guess I understand the convention nowadays of covering one's mouth whilst speaking and masticating at the same time!
We actually conversed on London life in general, and I praised London for its racial integration, the act of which is a prodigious leap of faith for any society, trying to be inclusive, accepting all sorts of people. It wasn't as though the Brits were trying in vain to be all things to all men, using Spanish with the visitors from Spain, German with the Germans and, even, Hindi with the Indians, regardless of whether or not Hindi was their native language; not even considering the absurd idea of encouraging the international adoption of their language; thereby completely keeping English in English hands and allowing its proud polyglots to "practice" their languages. Indeed, the attempt of the Londoners to avail themselves of the rich mosaic of ethnic knowledge, and to seek a common understanding with a ubiquitous English accent is an exemplar, and the bedrock for any world city.
I celebrated Jesus' resurrection at the St. Andrew's Street Church in Cambridge. The parishioners of this Baptist church were warm and affable, and I met several of them, including one visiting (Halliday) linguistics scholar from Zhongshan university in Guangzhou, who in fact had visited my tiny City University of Hong Kong in 2003. The service itself was more traditional and the believers fewer in number than the "progressive" services at any of the charismatic, evangelical churches in HK; yet that's what makes this part of the body of Christ unique; besides, the message was as brief as a powerpoint slide, and informative no less; the power word which spoke into my life being a question from John 21:22 - what is that to you?
Big trees; exquisite lawns; and old, pointy colleges; that's Cambridge in a nutshell. Sitting here, sipping on a half-pint of Woodforde's Wherry, I've had a leisurely, if not languorous, day so far; my sole duty consisting of walking around while absorbing the verdant environment as though a sponge, camera in tow.
I am back at the sublime beer, savoring a pint of Sharp's DoomBar before my fish and chips arrive; the drinking age is 18, but anyone whose visage even hints of youthful brilliance is likely to get carded these days, the bartender told me. The youth drinking culture here is almost as twisted as the university drinking culture in America.
My stay in Cambridge, relaxing and desultory as it may be, is about to end after this late lunch. I an not sure if there is anything left to see, save for the American graveyard which rests an impossible two miles away. I have had a wonderful time in this town; and am thankful for the access into its living history - the residents here must demonstrate remarkable patience and tolerance what with so many tourists ambling on the streets, peering - and photographing - into every nook and cranny.
13.4.09
There are no rubbish bins, yet I've seen on the streets many mixed race couples in which the men tend to be white - the women also belonging to a light colored ethnicity, usually some sort of Asian; as well saw some black dudes and Indian dudes with white chicks.
People here hold doors, even at the entrance to the toilet. Sometimes it appears as though they are going out on a limb, just waiting for the one who will take the responsibility for the door from them, at which point I rush out to relieve them of such a fortuitous burden.
I visited the British Museum this morning. The two hours I spent there did neither myself nor the exhibits any justice because there really is too much to survey, enough captivating stuff to last an entire day, I think. The bottomless well of artifacts from antiquity, drawing from sources as diverse as Korea, and Mesopotamia, is a credit to the British empire, without whose looting most of this amazing booty would be unavailable for our purview; better, I think, for these priceless treasures to be open to all in the grandest supermarket of history than away from human eyes, and worst yet, in the hands of unscrupulous collectors or in the rubbish bin, possibly.
Irene and I took in the ballet Giselle at The Royal Opera House in the afternoon. The building is a plush marvel, and a testament to this city's love for the arts. The ballet itself was satisfying, the first half being superior to the second, in which the nimble dancers demonstrated their phenomenal dexterity in, of all places, a graveyard covered in a cloak of smoke and darkness. I admit, their dance of the dead, in such a gloomy necropolis, did strike me as, strange.
Two amicable ladies from Kent convinced me to visit their hometown tomorrow, where, they told me, the authentic, "working" Leeds Castle and the mighty interesting home of Charles Darwin await.
I'm nursing a pint of Green King Ruddles and wondering about the profusion of British ales and lagers; the British have done a great deed for the world by creating an interminable line of low-alcohol session beers that can be enjoyed at breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner; and their disservice is this: besides this inexhaustible supply of cheap beer ensnaring my inner alcoholic, I feel myself putting on my freshman fifteen, almost ten years after the fact; I am going to have to run a bit harder back in Hong Kong if I want to burn all this malty fuel off.
Irene suggested I stop by the National Art Gallery since we were in the area; and it was an hour well spent. The gallery currently presents a special exhibit on Picasso, the non-ticketed section of which features several seductive renderings, including David spying on Bathsheba - repeated in clever variants - and parodies of other masters' works. Furthermore, the main gallery houses two fabulous portraits by Joshua Reynolds, who happens to be favorite of mine, he in life being a close friend of Samuel Johnson - I passed by Boswells, where its namesake first met Johnson, on my way to the opera house.
14.4.09
I prayed last night, and went through my list, lifting everyone on it up to the Lord. That felt good; that God is alive now, and ever present in my life and in the lives of my brothers and sisters.
Doubtless, then, I have felt quite wistful, as though a specter in the land of the living, being in a place where religious fervor, it seems, is a thing of the past, a trifling for many, to be hidden away in the opaque corners of centuries-old cathedrals that are more expensive tourist destinations than liberating homes of worship these days. Indeed, I have yet to see anyone pray, outside of the Easter service which I attended in Cambridge - for such an ecstatic moment in verily a grand church, would you believe that it was only attended by at most three dozen spirited ones. The people of England, and Europe in general, have, it is my hope, only locked away the Word, relegating it to the quiet vault of their hearts. May it be taken out in the sudden pause before mealtimes and in the still crisp mornings and cool, silent nights. There is still hope for a revival in this place, for faith to rise like that splendid sun every morning. God would love to rescue them, to deliver them in this day, it is certain.
I wonder what Londoners think, if anything at all, about their police state which, like a vine in the shadows, has taken root in all corners of daily life, from the terrorist notifications in the underground, which implore Londoners to report all things suspicious, to the pair of dogs which eagerly stroll through Euston. What makes this all the more incredible is the fact that even the United States, the indomitable nemesis of the fledgling, rebel order, doesn't dare bombard its citizens with such fear mongering these days, especially with Obama in office; maybe we've grown wise in these past few years to the dubious returns of surrendering civil liberties to the state, of having our bags checked everywhere - London Eye; Hairspray; and The Royal Opera House check bags in London while the museums do not; somehow, that doesn't add up for me.
I'm in a majestic bookshop on New Street in Birmingham, and certainly to confirm my suspicions, there are just as many books on the death of Christianity in Britain as there are books which attempt to murder Christianity everywhere. I did find, however, a nice biography on John Wesley by Roy Hattersley and The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. I may pick up the former.
Lunch with Sally was pleasant and mirthful. We dined at a French restaurant nearby New Street - yes, Birmingham is a cultural capitol! Sally and I both tried their omelette, while her boyfriend had the fish, without chips. Conversation was light, the levity was there and so was our reminiscing about those fleeting moments during our first year in Hong Kong; it is amazing how friendships can resume so suddenly with a smile. On their recommendation, I am on my way to Warwick Castle - they also suggested that I visit Cadbury World, but they cannot take on additional visitors at the moment, the tourist office staff informed me, much to my disappointment!
Visiting Warwick Castle really made for a great day out. The castle, parts of which were established by William the Conquerer in 1068, is as much a kitschy tourist trap as a meticulous preservation of history, at times a sillier version of Ocean Park while at others a dignified dedication to a most glorious, inexorably English past. The castle caters to all visitors; and not surprisingly, that which delighted all audiences was a giant trebuchet siege engine, which for the five p.m. performance hurled a fireball high and far into the air - fantastic! Taliban beware!
15.4.09
I'm leaving on a jet plane this evening; don't know when I'll be back in England again. I'll miss this quirky, yet endearing place; and that I shall miss Irene and Tom who so generously welcomed me into their home, fed me, and suffered my use of their toilet and shower goes without saying. I'm grateful for God's many blessings on this trip.
On the itinerary today is a trip to John Wesley's home, followed by a visit to the Imperial War Museum. Already this morning I picked up a tube of Oilatum, a week late perhaps, which Teri recommended I use to treat this obstinate, dermal weakness of mine - I'm happy to report that my skin has stopped crying.
John Wesley's home is alive and well. Services are still held in the chapel everyday; and its crypt, so far from being a cellar for the dead, is a bright, spacious museum in which all things Wesley are on display - I never realized how much of an iconic figure he became in England; at the height of this idol frenzy, ironic in itself, he must have been as popular as the Beatles were at their apex. The house itself is a multi-story edifice with narrow, precipitous staircases and spacious rooms decorated in an 18th century fashion.
I found Samuel Johnson's house within a maze of red brick hidden alongside Fleet Street. To be in the home of the man who wrote the English dictionary, and whose indefatigable love for obscure words became the inspiration for my own lexical obsession, this, by far, is the climax of my visit to England! The best certainly has been saved for last.
There are a multitude of portraits hanging around the house like ornaments on a tree. Every likeness has its own story, meticulously retold on the crib sheets in each room. Celebrities abound, including David Garrick and Sir Joshua Reynolds, who painted several of the finer images in the house. I have developed a particular affinity for Oliver Goldsmith, of whom Boswell writes, "His person was short, his countenance coarse and vulgar, his deportment that of a scholar awkwardly affecting the easy gentleman. It appears as though I, too, could use a more flattering description of myself!
I regretfully couldn't stop to try the curry in England; I guess the CityU canteen's take on the dish will have to do. I did, however, have the opportune task of flirting with the cute Cathay Pacific counter staff who checked me in. She was gorgeous in red, light powder on her cheeks, with real diamond earrings, she said; and her small, delicate face, commanded by a posh British accent rendered her positively irresistible, electrifying. Not only did she grant me an aisle seat but she had the gumption to return my fawning with zest; she must be a pro at this by now.
I saw her again as she was pulling double-duty, collecting tickets prior to boarding. She remembered my quest for curry; and in the fog of infatuation, where nary a man has been made, I fumbled my words like the sloppy kid who has had too much punch. I am just an amateur, alas, an "Oliver Goldsmith" with the ladies - I got no game - booyah!
Some final, consequential bits: because of the chavs, Burberry no longer sells those fashionable baseball caps; because of the IRA, rubbish bins are no longer a commodity on the streets of London, and as a result, the streets and the Underground of the city are a soiled mess; and because of other terrorists from distant, more arid lands, going through a Western airport has taken on the tedium of perfunctory procedure that doesn't make me feel any safer from my invisible enemies.
At last, I saw so many Indians working at Heathrow that I could have easily mistaken the place for Mumbai. Their presence surprised me because their portion of the general population surely must be less than their portion of Heathrow staff, indicating some mysterious hiring bias. Regardless, they do a superb job with cursory airport checks, and in general are absurdly funny and witty when not tactless.
That's all for England!