Printable View
Isfahan is where I live,SnowQueen!!! yeah,your sister is right it is a great city.You spelled it right of course,but do you know what it means? They say Isfahan nisfe jahan=Isfahan is half of the world. They say it because it has so many beautifull places and so much art that they it's equal to the beauty of half the world!:D
Sunset seen from Oia, Santorini.
A truly inspirational place in every way, Santorini is the southernmost island of the Cyclades. It's a mere 6-hour ferry ride from Piraeus, so I can't but chastise myself that I've lived most of my life in Athens and never visited before. Regardless, I was there last week and felt deeply touched by the landscape (the island is what remains of a volcanic eruption that may have wiped out the entire Minoan civilization), the architecture and the history of the place.
The pictured village of Oia has a permanent population of only 800, but I counted about 25 art galleries, the vast majority of them run by local painters and sculptors. When I first did the math it seemed absurd that this tiny earthquake offspring should produce so much art. But then I looked at this view again and thought to myself, how could anybody not be inspired here?
There is peace. It is an almost holy peace, respected by locals and visitors alike. The only loud sounds you hear are the laughter of excited children and church bells (with an active volcano a mile away, you have to be religious). The sand on the beaches is black, making your feet look as though you're wearing military boots, and if you want to swim in the splendidly crystaline sea, you will have to walk on sharp rocks first. But feet and everything else seem to hurt less on Santorini. Every time you open the eyes of your mind, life and love and time and everything are seen from a different perspective, one the wise visitor will take appropriate measures so that it is remembered for a long time.
Food: fresh fish and local vegetables. The volcanic activity has made the small expanses of arable land quite kinky -- seedless cherry tomatoes that taste as if you've covered them with sugar, intensely spicy chives the size of a walnut, fava legumes which become outrageously creamy when boiled and mashed.
Only a few decades ago moving about in Santorini meant you had to ride a donkey, so they've chosen it as its trademark souvenir stuffed toy. In true artist fashion, Santorinians don't take themselves too seriously.
Go there with a loved one. Make it a present.
Best,
DH
http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/7764/santorini1.jpg
Doc Heart ~ the photo captures all you described...and you described it very well, enuf to make me start to pack my bags and book a holiday.
kittypaws
Doc Heart works for the Santorini Chamber of Commerce. ha
Very nice photo and write up!
.
Wow, almost let that one slip by me.Quote:
Originally Posted by kittypaws
Tell us about the cat and the flowers of course.
.
Gilliatt ~ you are too kind. :) Thank you.
this was a once in a moment shot. The cat is Scooter, who always wants to be a part of what I am doing. The plant is an orchid, which kind I do not know....but it has been in bloom for over a month. I wanted to take a picture of it with the sunrise behind it and Scooter jumped up onto the sill....and there you have it. Nothing has been altered ... IMO the perfect shot!
kittypaws
Wow.... great pictures kittypaws! You inspired me to take some close up shots, and here they are.
http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/v...ano5/Rose3.jpg
http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/v...ano5/Rise2.jpg
http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/v...ano5/Rose4.jpg
http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/v...ano5/rose5.jpg
Kittypaws what an amazing matching a cat and orchids!
Riesa your doggy is lovable, eventhough I am a cat lover I must admit that I love your dog!
Snowqueen your roses so beautiful just like all pictures posted by you previously.
I would like to share some pictures I took on Wednesday on the beach of lake Balaton.
http://www.online-literature.com/for...1&d=1313827918
http://www.online-literature.com/for...1&d=1313828179
http://www.online-literature.com/for...1&d=1313828196
Your pictures are wonderful Olga, It seems you had a great time.
Yes Snowqueen, I did. I love Balaton, here are some more pictures I took during my short holiday, nice sunset on the lake.Quote:
Originally Posted by Snowqueen
http://www.online-literature.com/for...1&d=1316163991
http://www.online-literature.com/for...1&d=1316164013
from Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. Sorry I couldn't upload a higher quality picture
Attachment 1830
Quote:
Originally Posted by Olga4real
Looks like a swell time on the lake. The weather appears to have cooperated.
Just curious; can yoiu idnentify the church on the hill? Any hisroric significance?
Quote:
Originally Posted by keilj
Looks nice to me.
Wish I was there.
A few shots of tree bark, a section from a decaying branch and Cedar with berries:
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/a...e/IMGP1945.jpg
Looking inside the bark with leaves caught in spider web:
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/a...e/IMGP1941.jpg
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/a...e/IMGP1927.jpg
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/a...e/IMGP1912.jpg
.
Great pictures Gilliatt, Olga, Snowqueen and Kelji. It's always a pleasure to pop in here.
Olga - I've been to Lake Balaton. It's a great place. We camped on one side and stayed in a hotel on the other. It's a place we would have liked to take the children when they were little - although we were unable.
What a beautiful view! It's amazing!Quote:
Originally Posted by keilj
Gilliatt, it is Tihany peninsula on the lake Balaton. The building is Benedictine abbey founded in 1055 by king Andrew Ist. His wife Anastasia of Kiev (1023 – 1074/1096), daughter of Grand Duke Yaroslav I of Kiev and his wife, Ingigerd of Sweden. Andrew (András) strengthened the position of Christianity in his kingdom.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gilliatt Gurgle
The words Balaton and Tihany both come from Slavic languages. (Tihany - silence, Balaton - bog). In the end of 5th century the area was inhabited by Slavic tribes.
I don't want to bore you with all this information.
Gilliatt, are you going to carve Pinocchio?Quote:
Originally Posted by Gilliatt Gurgle
Not boring at all, that's what I was fishing for. ThanksQuote:
Originally Posted by Olga4real
No, not carving. The bark shell was an unusual find since it wasn't split and yet separated from the tree or branch.
Here are a few shots of a storm cloud that developed a couple of days ago:
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/a...IMGP1959BW.jpg
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/a...IMGP1960BW.jpg
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/a...e/IMGP1964.jpg
My Cotton Crop:
http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/985/apt249.jpg
It seems the coulds are on fire, truly amazing pictures Gilliatt. Thanks for sharing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gilliatt Gurgle
Thanks Paul! :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Paulclem
Quote:
Originally Posted by MystyrMystyry
What's that blue and red shrub in the foreground? Or is it two planted together?
Thank you Snowqueen. I attempted to post the color version of the middle photo, but no luck, some glitch I couldn't figure out. Nevertheless, you get the idea. The storm clouds continued to grow and eventually developed into a major storm that fortunately drifted away from us. The lightning show was amazing to watch throughout the evening.Quote:
Originally Posted by Snowqueen
It sounds a bit scary too but the view is definitely wonderful. I also liked the other coloured picture, thanks.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gilliatt Gurgle
Here are some pictures of Blackbucks taken by my father.
http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/v...ers/pic1-1.jpg
http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/v...ers/pic2-1.jpg
http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/v...ers/Pic3-1.jpg
http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/v...thers/pic4.jpg
Wonderful pictures, and Hungary is so beautiful, i remember being to Budapest when i was 14. I was impressed by the dark tones and the gothic buildings :)
A pic i have taken myself? Just one of myself i'm afraid, but it is one with a very expressionless face :)
http://i.imgur.com/bESTn.png
What a great idea to post your self-portrait!Quote:
Originally Posted by Kyriakos
I might post mine too :-)
Fascinating animals, particularly the "cork screw" horns. I take it that they are indigenous to your country or region? The second photo, quoted above, is quite unusual how the depth of field is perceived as if it has been compressed as shown by the scale of the trees compared to the animals. Probably just the Canadian Club playing tricks with my mind.Quote:
Originally Posted by Snowqueen
Thanks for sharing
.
Yes the blackbucks are native to subcontinent. My father recently visited Lal Suhanra National Park and found a large population of these beautiful animals.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gilliatt Gurgle
It's me again... I would like to share some pictures taken this week, I hope you like them.
New bridge in Szolnok:
http://www.online-literature.com/for...1&d=1317494761
http://www.online-literature.com/for...1&d=1317494761
http://www.online-literature.com/for...1&d=1317494761
http://www.online-literature.com/for...1&d=1317494761
http://www.online-literature.com/for...1&d=1317494761
Wonderful Olga, especially the last one.
I suppose the photos of the water were taken from the bridge?
Nice.
I attended a wedding in Ft. Worth recently. I left early so I could swing by Tadao Ando's Modern Art Museum.
Here are a few shots from the museum visit:
"Ladder for Booker T. Washington" - Martin Puryear-
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/a...m/IMGP1981.jpg
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/a...m/IMGP1976.jpg
"Vortex" by Richard Serra -
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/a...m/IMGP1972.jpg
http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/a...P1966Sepia.jpg
Olga and Gilliatt your pictures are great as always.
''Ladder for Booker T. Washington" is very unique and it seems taller than it really is.
Thanks Snowqueen.Quote:
Originally Posted by Snowqueen
The ladder gently tapers as it rises creating the illusion that it is taller than it really is. Infinite in length.
I just realized I forgot to tag the building photo. The reflecting pool and the building elements to the left of the photo are part Tadao Ando's (architect) Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth Texas.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tadao_Ando
Here is a photo (not mine) showing the overall view of the Vortex sculpture with the Modern Art Museum in the background:
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...sbL1TZKw_DZevY
The sculpture is constructed of thick weathering steel commonly referred to as "Cor-ten". After the initial layer of rust develops, the corrosion stabilizes therefore eliiminating continued corrsion and unsightly rust stains on adjacent surfaces.
.
It was Diwali today (Festival of lights) and I took some pictures:
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t...1/DSC06236.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t...DSC06240-1.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t...DSC06258-1.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t...1/DSC06238.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t...DSC06218_1.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t...1/DSC06225.jpg
Very nice pictures, Madhuri!
Little or no artistic merit in this pic, but look what happens when you hit someone at 60 MPH!
http://i43.tinypic.com/vyv6er.jpg
Ouch!
@Expressionism: Beautiful pictures. Where were they taken?
My wife mentioned they had celebrated Diwali at the office. I wasn't familiar with it until then. Your photos have a relaxing aura about them.Quote:
Originally Posted by Madhuri
Looks like you're a new member...welcome.Quote:
Originally Posted by expressionism
Thanks for the fall colors. We had such a dry, hot summer, I doubt we will get much color this year.
Hope you walked away unscathed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Abookinthebath
.
i live in germany's southeast, in an area called the Ore Mountains. thats where the pictures were taken.
Nice pix expressionism, and everybody else too.
Last month I was running on a forest service road behind Mount Scott in southern Oklahoma when I met this lil’ feller:
http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/a...sfrombison.jpg
He said he wasn’t going to step aside for anybody, especially some dude in gym shorts with a cell phone, so I sneaked off to the side, got behind a rock, and let him saunter on by.
http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/a...sfrombison.jpg
Woah! I've never seen a buffalo in real life, they're my favorite ungulate.
Now see, that’s one of the things I like about this website: Ungulate is a word I’d’ve probably lived my whole life and never known had it not been for Juniper floating it out here with such understated glory.
And that buffalo was a glorious creature. When I came around the bend and saw him standing there, I quickly grabbed the cellphone out of my Camelbak so that I could snap his picture before he spooked. But I don’t think that animal was spookable; he simply lowered his head and began shaking it from side to side, pawed at the earth a few times, snorted, and then came towards me, slowly and purposefully. I, meanwhile, reversed course.
Speaking of ungulates, a little farther down the trail I saw this magnificent artiodactyl. He didn't like me either.
http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/a...ksuponbevo.jpg
haha.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sancho
I know that place, been there three times.
During one hike, a few bison crossed in front of us.
The Prarie Dog village is amusing too.
Thanks for posting.
.
How-d-do, Gill?
Yep, I was in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, a beautiful little swath of land in south-central Oklahoma, a place too rocky to drag a plow through, which explains why it became a wildlife refuge and not a farm.
http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges...chitamountains
I’m not a superstitious person, but it was a magical moment. When I came around the bend and faced El Cid there (the American Buffalo, Bison, Ungulate, Artiodactyl, Tatonka, or better yet – 1000 pounds of ornery) Malagueña had just cued up on my iPod. And I knew that that moment would somehow be perfect if I had been carrying a red cape and had a long-stemmed rose clenched between my teeth.
This place is not too far from Quanah Parker’s house, and since this is The Literature Network, I’ll make a book recommendation: Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History, by S.C. Gwynne. I read it last spring and all I have to say is, freaking awesome!