Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Swiss Alps, Switzerland


Alpi di Siusi, originally uploaded by bingleyman2.

The Swiss Alps (German: Schweizer Alpen, French: Alpes suisses, Italian: Alpi svizzere, Romansh: Alps svizras) are the portion of the Alps mountain range that lies within Switzerland. Because of their central position within the entire Alpine range, they are also known as the Central Alps. The highest summit in the Swiss Alps is Monte Rosa (4,634 metres (15,202 ft)) near the Swiss-Italian border. The highest mountain which lies entirely on Swiss territory is the Dom (4,545 meters (14,911 ft)). Other main summits can be found in the list of mountains in Switzerland.
Since the Middle Ages, transit across the Alps played an important role in history. The region north of the St. Gotthard Pass became the nucleus of the Swiss Confederacy in the early 14th century.

Burano island, Venice, Italy


Burano, originally uploaded by fsa99999.

Burano is an island in the Venetian Lagoon, northern Italy; like Venice itself, it could more correctly be called an archipelago of four islands linked by bridges. It is situated near Torcello at the northern end of the Lagoon, and is known for its lacework.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Sassolungo sunrise. Austro-Italian borders


Sassolungo sunrise., originally uploaded by bingleyman2.

The Langkofel / Sassolungo Group is one of the most significant mountain groups of the Dolomites. The 6 main summits of the group (Langkofel/Sassolungo, Fünffingerspitze/Punta d. Cinque Dita, Grohmannspitze/Punta Grohmann, Innerkofler Turm/Torre Innerkofler, Zahnkofel/Il Dente and Plattkofel/Sassopiatto) are arranged in the shape of a horse-shoe opened to NW. All mountains are very close together, they form an impressive landscape with huge faces, bizarre rock formations, exposed ridges and some minor snow or ice fields/gullys above green meadows. The borders of the group are Val di Fassa (South), Grödnertal/Val Gardena (north) and the Sellajoch/Passo Sella (East). West of the group there are Schlern and Seiser Alm, Europe's largest mountain pasture.

Especially the view from the Sellajoch to the trio of Langkofel, Fünffingerspitze and Grohmannspitze or the view to the huge N and NE-faces of Langkofel are among the most impressive landscapes of the whole Dolomites or even the world. Just imagine that Langkofel's summit is located nearly 2000m above the village of St. Christina in Gröden / Val Gardena. Hiking below the huge wall results in craned necks...

The Angry Medusa @ Didima, Ionia , Minor Asia (Turkey)


The Angry Medusa, originally uploaded by Son of Groucho.

Didyma (Greek: Δίδυμα) was an ancient Ionian sanctuary, the modern Didim, Turkey, containing a temple and oracle of Apollo, the Didymaion. In Greek didyma means "twin", but the Greeks who sought a "twin" at Didyma ignored the Carian origin of the name. Next to Delphi, Didyma was the most renowned oracle of the Hellenic world, first mentioned among the Greeks in the Homeric Hymn to Apollo,[3] but an establishment preceding literacy and even the Hellenic colonization of Ionia. Mythic genealogies of the origins of the Branchidae line of priests, designed to capture the origins of Didyma as a Hellenic tradition, date to the Hellenistic period.[4]
Didyma was the largest and most significant sanctuary on the territory of the great classical city Miletus. To approach it, visitors would follow the Sacred Way to Didyma, about 17 km long. Along the way, were ritual waystations, and statues of members of the Branchidae family, male and female, as well as animal figures. Some of these statues, dating to the 6th century BC are now in the British Museum, taken by Charles Newton in the 19th century.
Greek and Roman authors laboured to refer the name Didyma to "twin" temples — not a feature of the site — or to temples of the twins, Apollo and Artemis, whose own cult center at Didyma was only recently established, or whether, as Wilamowitz suggested[5] there is a connection to Cybele Dindymene, "Cybele of Mount Dindymon", is mooted. Recent excavations by the German team of archaeologists have uncovered a major sanctuary dedicated to Artemis, with the key ritual focus being water.
The 6th-century Didymaion, dedicated to Apollo, enclosed its smaller predecessor, which archaeologists have identified. Its treasury was enriched by gifts from Croesus.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Carcassonne, la Cité, Aude, France

The Cité de Carcassonne is a medieval fortified architectural group located in the French city of Carcassonne, in the department of Aude, in the region of Languedoc-Roussillon. It is located on the right bank of the Aude, on the hill, in the south-east part of the actual city. It was the historic city of Carcassonne.
The Cité de Carcassonne was founded in the Gallo-Roman period. It derives its reputation from double surrounding walls (3 km in length) with 52 towers. The town has about 2,500 years of history: it has seen the Romans, Visigoths, Saracens and Crusaders. In the beginning of its history it was a Gaulish settlement. In the 3rd century A.D., the Romans decided to transform it into a fortified town. The town was finally annexed to the kingdom of France in 1247 A.D. It was a strong French frontier between France and the Kingdom of Aragon.
In 1659, after the Treaty of the Pyrenees, the province of Roussillon became a part of France, and the town lost its military significance. Fortifications were abandoned and the town became one of the economic centres of France, concentrating on the woollen textile industry.
In 1849 the French government decided that the city fortifications should be demolished. This decision was strongly protested by the masses. Jean-Pierre Cros-Mayrevieille and Prosper Mérimée, an eminent archaeologist and historian, led a campaign to preserve the fortress as a historical monument. The government reversed its decision and in 1853 restoration work was started. Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, the architect, was charged with renovating the fortress. Viollet-le-Duc's work was criticised during his lifetime as inappropriate to the climate and traditions of the region. After his death in 1879, the restoration work was continued by his pupil, Paul Boeswillwald, and later by the architect Nodet.
The town was restored at the end of the 19th century. In 1997 it was added to UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites.

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Montblanc, Tarragona, Spain


Arcada, originally uploaded by Carme Ribes.

Montblanc ιs the capital of the Catalan comarca Conca de Barberà, in the Spanish province of Tarragona.
The Prades Mountains are located in the vicinity of this municipality.
The area around Montblanc has been inhabited for thousands of years. Evidence of cave dwellings have been found dating back to Palaeolithic times.
From the 4th to the 1st century BC Iberian villages existed on Santa Bàrbara hill. These villages coexisted with the early Roman settlers. Evidence of Roman artifacts have been found which date from between the 2nd century BC to the 2nd century AD.
After the invasion by the Moors in 711 AD, much of the area became dominated by a patchwork of Islamic fiefdoms. The Islamic invasion initiated a long period of very successful agricultural and commercial development. This was responsible for the birth of many towns and villages in the region which still retain their Islamic names.
The 10th and 11th centuries seem to have been a period of relatively peaceful coexistence in which Muslims, Christians and Jews lived in the region of Montblanc. This productive period continued until an allegiance of forces, strongly supported by the Roman Catholic Church, initiated an era of expulsions, which forced the Moors, the Jews and many of the interbred mixed race peoples to leave the Iberian peninsula.
Maties Palau Ferré (1921-2000), painter and sculptor, disciple of Pablo Picasso, was born and died in Montblanc.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Briksdalsbreen glacier, Fjordane, Norway.

Briksdalsbreen (English: the Briksdal glacier) is one of the most accessible and best known arms of the Jostedalsbreen glacier. Briksdalsbreen is located in the municipality of Stryn in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The glacier lies on the north side of the Jostedalsbreen, in Briksdalen (the Briks valley) which is located at the end of the Oldedalen valley, about 25 kilometres (16 mi) south of the village of Olden. It is part of Jostedalsbreen National Park. Briksdalsbreen terminates in a small glacial lake, Briksdalsbrevatnet, which lies 346 metres (1,135 ft) above sea level.

The size of Briksdalsbreen is not only depending on temperature, but is also strongly affected by precipitation. Measurements since 1900 show small changes in the first decades, with advances in the glacier front in 1910 and 1929. In the period from 1934 to 1951 the glacier receded by 800 metres (2,600 ft), exposing the glacial lake. In the period from 1967 until 1997 the glacier expanded by 465 metres (1,526 ft) and covered the whole lake, with the glacier front ending at the lake outlet. The glacier attracted international attention in the 1990s, as it was growing at a time when other European glaciers were in decline.
After the year 2000, the glacier once again receded. In 2004 it had receded to 230 metres (750 ft) behind the lake outlet and in 2007 the glacier front was on dry land behind the lake. In this regard, its position approximated the situation in the 1960s. However, glaciologists speculate that the size of the glacier was at its smallest since the 13th century.
In 2008, the glacier front had only receded by 12 metres (39 ft) since the 2007 measurement. The slower melting is explained by the glacier being completely on dry land. The winter of 2007–2008 saw an increase in glacier mass, which was expected to move the glacier front forward around 2010. This was confirmed in the fall of 2010, when measurements showed that the glacier had advanced 8 metres over the last year. This was however in comparison with the 2009 measurements, which saw the glacier being the most receded since measurements started in 1900.
As the winter of 2009–2010 saw little snow and the summer temperature in 2010 was 2.5–3 degrees Celsius above average, Professor Atle Nesje predicts that further strong receding will be seen in 2013.. As Briksdalsbreen is now very narrow at some stretches, it is possible that it will temporarily disconnect from the larger Jostedalsbreen.
via Wikipedia

Elafonissi Island - West Crete Greece

Elafonisi Island is near the southeast tip of Crete, 43km from Kastelli and 76km from Chania. The road from Chrisoskalitissa continues as a dirt track of 5km to Elafonisi. There are organized bus tours from Kastelli and Chania as well as boat tours from Paleohora to Elafonisi. The area of Elafonisi has beautiful beaches, in front of which is the island of Elafonisi itself.

This lovely islet was the site of a massacre of 850 women and children by the Turks in 1824. The women and children were hidden there and as the Turks camped on the beaches a horse found the shallow, 0.5 - 0.8 metre-deep water path to the island. The Turks discovered the women and children and slaughtered them. There is a memorial plaque on the highest point of the islet

Wat Mahathat, Sukhothai Historical Park, Thailand

Near the center of the walled city is the largest and most important temple, Wat Mahathat. The huge almost square complex once held five ponds, ten prayer halls and around 200 stupas (chedi). Exact construction dates are not known, but the temple was most certainly built and expanded over the course of many years. The main construction was probably done from the late 13th through to the mid 14th centuries, but like many Thai temples, Wat Mahathat was continually modified and added to up until the old city was abandoned in the 18th century.
As with almost all Thai temples, the main axis of Wat Mahathat lies along an east-west direction, with most of the main buildings, and their Buddha images, facing east. At the very 'front' of the complex is what is commonly called the "tall" prayer hall, for the height of its platform and columns. At the rear of the platform is a large Buddha image in the quintessential Sukhothai style.
via and more info.. http://thailandforvisitors.com/north/sukhothai/historical-park/wat-mahathat.php

Monday, August 22, 2011

Cincinnati, Ohio, USA


Cincinnati, originally uploaded by kwatson0013.

Cincinnati is the 3rd largest city in the state of Ohio behind Columbus and Cleveland.

Cincinnati was descovered in 1788 by explorers John Cleves Symmes and Robert Patterson. Symmes was the father in law to future 9th President of the United States William Henry Harrison. They named the town Losantville which meant city opposite the Licking River. The Licking River is a river that flows through Kentucky and enters into the Ohio River right where Cincinnati is. The name would later be changed to Cincinnati by Revolutionary War General Arthur St Clair after the Society of Cincinnati which was established during the war.

In 1802, Cincinnati was incorporated as a city and by 1811, steam boats were using the Ohio River to supply the area from the east. The Miami and Erie Canal was also completed that year giving passage from the Ohio River to Lake Erie. This would cause rapid growth in Cincinnati and in 1819, Cincinnati was incorporated into a city.

Cincinnati was considered the first real American City of the United States. It was the biggest city east of the Allegheny River for years and was inhabited by all Americans instead of eastern citys that at one time were controlled by the English.

During the mid 1850's, Cincinnati earned its name the Queen City. In a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Catawba Wine, Longfellow rights about Cincinnati as the Queen of the West. It is still referred as the Queen City today.

La Grand-Place Brussels Belgium


La Grand-Place Brussels Belgium, originally uploaded by brexians.

La Grand-Place in Brussels is a remarkably homogeneous body of public and private buildings, dating mainly from the late 17th century. The architecture provides a vivid illustration of the level of social and cultural life of the period in this important political and commercial centre.

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Trakai, Vilnious Lithuania


Trakai, originally uploaded by Vaidas M.

Trakai is a historic city and lake resort in Lithuania. It lies 28 km west of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. Because of its proximity to Vilnius, Trakai is a popular tourist destination. Trakai is the administrative centre of Trakai district municipality. The town covers 11.52 km2 of area and, according to 2007 estimates, is inhabited by 5,357 people. A notable feature of Trakai is that the town was built and preserved by people of different nationalities. Historically, communities of Karaims, Tatars, Lithuanians, Russians, Jews and Poles lived here.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Hallstatt, upper Austria, Austria


Hallstatt, originally uploaded by Disegno di Dino.

Hallstatt, Upper Austria is a village in the Salzkammergut, a region in Austria. It is located near the Hallstätter See (a lake). At the 2001 census it had 946 inhabitants. Alexander Scheutz has been mayor of Hallstatt since 2009.
Hallstatt is historically known for its production of salt from the local salt mines.

Friday, August 19, 2011

My Place in the Cosmos


My Place in the Cosmos from Joe Menth on Vimeo.
Timelapse clips from still long-exposure photographs shot with a 15mm f/2.8 fisheye and a 17-35mm f/2.8 on a Canon 5D MKII, exposures of 5 to 30 seconds, f/2.8, ISO 800-3200, depending on conditions, moon phase, and cloud cover...
Location primarily my backyard on Mutiny Bay, Whidbey Island, Washington.

Just stumbled upon timelapse techniques last summer and decided to give it a try. This contest was the first incentive to learn how to edit clips together on a time budget...

Most clips are quite late at night, as I'm a night owl and universe geek. My entire interest in timelapse grew from learning how to photograph starscapes, and these clips are mostly an excuse to get to watch the stars and milky way move overhead on an accelerated time scale that we don't get to experience any other way.

Music: "Our Place in the Cosmos" (LJS Lounge Mix) by Symphony of Science
"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu Copyright © Demetrios the Traveler

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Mont Saint Michel, Normandy France


Mont saint michel 2, originally uploaded by sylvain.landry.

Mont Saint-Michel (pronounced: [mɔ̃ sɛ̃ mi.ʃɛl]; English: Saint Michael's Mount) is a rocky tidal island and a commune in Normandy, France. It is located approximately one kilometre (just over half a mile) off the country's north-western coast, at the mouth of the Couesnon River near Avranches. The population of the island is 41, as of 2006. The island has been a strategic point holding fortifications since ancient times, and since the 8th century AD it became the seat of the Saint-Michel monastery, from which it draws the name.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada


Nature's Symmetry, originally uploaded by Jim Boud.

Lake Louise is a lake in Alberta, Canada. The glacial lake is located in Banff National Park, 5 km (3.1 mi) from the hamlet of Lake Louise and the Trans-Canada Highway.
Lake Louise is named after the Princess Louise Caroline Alberta (1848–1939), the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria and the wife of the Marquess of Lorne, who was the Governor General of Canada from 1878 to 1883.
The emerald colour of the water comes from rock flour carried into the lake by melt-water from the glaciers that overlook the lake. The lake has a surface of 0.8 km2 (0.31 sq mi) and is drained through the 3 km long Louise Creek into the Bow River.
Fairmont's Chateau Lake Louise, one of Canada's grand railway hotels, is located on Lake Louise's eastern shore. It is a luxury resort hotel built in the early decades of the 20th century by the Canadian Pacific Railway.
Moraine Lake and Lake Agnes are also accessible from Lake Louise.

via Wikipedia

The Champs Elysees


The Champs Elysees, originally uploaded by NewGirlonPost.

The Avenue des Champs-Élysées (French pronunciation: [avəˈny de ˈʃɑ̃z‿eliˈze] ) is a prestigious avenue in Paris, France. With its cinemas, cafés, luxury specialty shops and clipped horse-chestnut trees, the Avenue des Champs-Élysées is one of the most famous streets in the world, and with rents as high as €1.1 million (US$1.5 million) annually per 1,100 square feet (92.9 square metres) of space, it remains the second most expensive strip of real estate in Europe, having recently (as of 2010) been overtaken by London's Bond Street.] The name is French for Elysian Fields, the place of the blessed dead in Greek mythology. The Avenue des Champs-Élysées is known as "The most beautiful avenue of the world", La plus belle avenue du monde in French.

via Wikipedia

the "torres del paine", Patagonia, Chile

Torres del Paine National Park (Parque Nacional Torres del Paine) is a national park encompassing mountains, a glacier, a lake, and river-rich areas in southern Chilean Patagonia. The Cordillera del Paine is the centerpiece of the park. It lies in a transition area between the Magellanic subpolar forests and the Patagonian Steppes. The park is located 112 km (70 mi) north of Puerto Natales and 312 km (194 mi) north of Punta Arenas. Bernardo O'Higgins National Park is its neighbour to the west, while Los Glaciares National Park is located to the north in Argentine territory.

Ardvreck Castle,Scotland UK


Ardvreck Castle, originally uploaded by HadleyWildlife.

Standing on a rocky promontory jutting out into Loch Assynt in Sutherland, north west Highland, Scotland, Ardvreck Castle is a ruined castle dating from the 16th century. The ruins can be reached by driving along the A837 which follows the north shore of Loch Assynt from the village of Inchnadamph. Care should be taken when walking around the site as falling masonry is a possible danger.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Phuket beaches, Thailand


'Love from Phuket'. Phuket Beaches Thailand [2 Min Revamp] from Jrbazil on Vimeo.

Phuket Beaches: Rawai, Laem Sing, Kata, Karon, Tri Trang, & Paradise Beach.


Phuket (play /pˈkɛt/Thaiภูเก็ต [pʰūː.kèt]), formerly known as Thalang (Tha-Laang) and, in Western sources, Junk Ceylon (a corruption of the Malay Tanjung Salang, i.e. "Cape Salang"), is one of the southern provinces (changwat) of Thailand. Neighbouring provinces are (from north clockwise) Phang Nga and Krabi, but as Phuket is an island it has no land boundaries.
Phuket, which is approximately the size of Singapore, is Thailand’s largest island. The island is connected to mainland Thailand by two bridges. It is situated off the west coast of Thailand in the Andaman Sea. Phuket formerly derived its wealth from tin and rubber, and enjoyed a rich and colorful history. The island was on one of the major trading routes between India and China, and was frequently mentioned in foreign ship logs of Portuguese, French, Dutch and English traders. The region now derives much of its income from tourism.


Inspired by Philip Bloom's 'Love from Southend' Which is my home town. http://vimeo.com/1025907
"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu Copyright © Demetrios the Traveler

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Fitz Roy summit, Andes Argentina Chile border


A Razor to the Sky, originally uploaded by Stuck in Customs.



Monte Fitz Roy is a mountain located near El Chaltén village, in the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, in Patagonia, on the border between Argentina and Chile. The mountain is also known as Cerro ChalténCerro Fitz Roy, or simply Mount Fitz RoyCerro is a Spanish word meaning mountain, while Chaltén comes from a Tehuelche (Aonikenk) word meaning "smoking mountain", due to a cloud that usually forms around the mountain's peak. Fitz Roy, however, was only one of a number of peaks the Tehuelche called Chaltén.
As he describes in his book, Viaje a la Patagonia AustralFrancisco Moreno first saw the mountain on 2 March 1877. Since the native inhabitants also called other mountains Chaltén, he named it Fitz Roy, in honour of Robert FitzRoy, who, as captain of the HMS Beagle had travelled up the Santa Cruz River in 1834 and charted large parts of the Patagonian coast.
It has been agreed by Argentina and Chile that their international border detours eastwards to pass over themain summit, but a large part of the border to the south of the summit, as far as Cerro Murallón, remains undefined.
The mountain is the symbol of the Argentine Santa Cruz Province, which includes its representation on its coat of arms.
It was first climbed in 1952 by French alpinists Lionel Terray and Guido Magnone.
The mountain has a reputation of being "ultimate", despite its average height (although being the highest peak in the Los Glaciares park, it is less than half the size of theHimalayan giants), because the sheer granite faces present long stretches of arduous technical climbing. In addition, the weather in the area is exceptionally inclement and treacherous. It also attracts many photographers thanks to its otherworldly shape. The area, while still fairly inaccessible, was even more isolated until the recent development of El Chaltén village and El Calafate international airport. The mountain climb, however, remains extremely difficult and is the preserve of very experienced climbers. Today, when a hundred people may summit Mount Everest in a single day, Monte Fitz Roy may only be successfully ascended once a year.
Monte Fitz Roy is the basis for the Patagonia clothing logo following Yvon Chouinard's 3rd ascent and subsequent film in 1968.

Friday, August 12, 2011

LA bY NIGHT , CA USA


LA Light from Colin Rich on Vimeo.

Song by Cinematic Orchestra http://www.cinematicorchestra.com/

Make sure to watch in HD full screen, with scaling off for best quality!

Just want to say a note of thank to everyone's support and comments.

I sought out to capture the electric radiance of Los Angeles at night.

It took me 6 months of on and off shooting to finish this project and I've learned a couple things along the way.

First off, LA might be the entertainment capital of the world, but it sure is difficult to shoot around downtown without having homeland security officers, police, or security take notice and harass you. Know your shooting rights!

Shooting time lapses is a labor of love and a study in patience.

This video is dedicated to the memory of my Grandmother, Mary Johnson who passed away after battling cancer. She spent most of her life bettering the lives of others and was the kindest person I've ever known.

Cinematography, direction, and editing by Colin Rich
http://www.facebook.com/colinrich1
http://www.pacificstarflight.com/Pacific_Star/Open.html

Produced by William Ahmanson
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=741029873

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu Copyright © Demetrios the Traveler

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Juno Mission Overview... Space travel

 

The Juno spacecraft will look deep beneath Jupiter's swirling curtains of clouds to decipher the planet's structure and history during a mission that will begin with a 5-year flight through deep space. The journey will begin aboard an Atlas V rocket equipped with five booster rockets and a large Centaur upper stage. In this webcast, members of NASA's Launch Services Program and Juno's principal investigator detail what it takes to prepare an interplanetary mission and what potential discoveries lie ahead.

Andros, Cyclades, Greece


Andros, originally uploaded by Visit Greece.

Andros is the northernmost island of the group with a great naval tradition and no landscape like the postcards from the Cyclades: apart from the sandy beaches, there are rocky coastlines, mountain ranges alternating with fertile plains, lush vegetation and abundantly flowing streams.

Friday, August 5, 2011

have a great weekend!


Airplanes @ HANGAR-7, originally uploaded by Berry Bull.

Jin Mao tower and Shanghai TV Tower, China

The Jin Mao Tower (simplified Chinese: 金茂大厦; traditional Chinese: 金茂大廈; pinyin: Jīn Mào Dàshà; literally "Golden Prosperity Building") is an 88-story landmark supertall skyscraper in the Lujiazui area of the Pudong district of Shanghai, People's Republic of China. It contains offices and the Shanghai Grand Hyatt hotel. Until 2007 it was the tallest building in the PRC, the fifth tallest in the world by roof height and the seventh tallest by pinnacle height. Along with the Oriental Pearl Tower, it is a centerpiece of the Pudong skyline. Its height was surpassed on September 14, 2007 by the Shanghai World Financial Center which is next to the building. The Shanghai Tower, a 128-story building located next to these two buildings and now under construction, will be even taller.
via Wikipedia

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

tepui plateau, Venezuela

Navegando por el Carrao


A tepui (play /ˈtɛpwi/), or tepuy, is a table-top mountain or mesa found in the Guiana Highlands of South America, especially in Venezuela. The word tepui means "house of the gods" in the native tongue of the Pemon, the indigenous people who inhabit the Gran Sabana.

Tepuis tend to be found as isolated entities rather than in connected ranges, which makes them the host of a unique array of endemic plant and animal species. Some of the most outstanding tepuis are Neblina, Autana, Auyantepui and Mount Roraima. They are typically composed of sheer blocks of Precambrian quartz arenite sandstone that rise abruptly from the jungle, giving rise to spectacular natural scenery. Auyantepui is the source of Angel Falls, the world's tallest waterfall.


TE PUY

Mount Roraima (also known as Roraima Tepui or Cerro Roraima in Spanish, and Monte Roraima in Portuguese), is the highest of the Pakaraima chain of tepui plateau in South America. First described by the English explorer Sir Walter Raleigh in 1596, its 31 km2 summit area is defended by 400-metre-tall cliffs on all sides. The mountain includes the triple border point of Venezuela, Brazil and Guyana.

Mount Roraima lies on the Guiana Shield in the southeastern corner of Venezuela's 30000 km2 Canaima National Park forming the highest peak of Guyana's Highland Range. The tabletop mountains of the park are considered some of the oldest geological formations on Earth, dating back to some two billion years ago in the Precambrian.

The highest point in Guyana and the highest point of the Brazilian state of Roraima lie on the plateau, but Venezuela and Brazil have higher mountains elsewhere. The triple border point is at 5°12′08″N 60°44′07″W, but the mountain's highest point is Maverick Rock, 2810 m, at the south end of the plateau and wholly within Venezuela.


Canaima Arcoiris

Via: Wikipedia..

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu Copyright © Demetrios the Traveler

vacation mode is on..


IMG_9794_filtered, originally uploaded by nustyR AirTeamImages.

Mountain Nebula

The Aurora this night was really weird. At one point it was very faint straight overhead and it pulsated like a heart beat. It stayed up straight overhead for a few minutes and then slowly got lower until it fainted out. It was more like a cloud than a Aurora arch that I am used to see.

Wat Arun, Bangkok, Thailand


One Night in Bangkok, originally uploaded by Stuck in Customs.

Wat Arun Rajwararam (Thai: วัดอรุณ, Thai pronunciation: [wát ʔarun], "Temple of the Dawn") is a Buddhist temple (wat) in the Bangkok Yai district of Bangkok, Thailand, on the Thonburi west bank of the Chao Phraya River. The full name of the temple is Wat Arunratchawararam Ratchaworamahawihan (วัดอรุณราชวรารามราชวรมหาวิหาร). Named after Aruna, the Indian God of Dawn, the Wat Arun is considered one of the most well known of Thailand's many landmarks.Drawn on a novel by Japanese writer Yukio Mishima(The Temple of Dawn-The Sea of Fertility).

Siam Ocean World


Siam Ocean World, originally uploaded by B℮n.

Covering an area of 10,000 square meters (the size of two football pitches) on the basement of the luxurious Siam Paragon shopping mall, Siam Ocean World is one of the largest aquariums in Southeast Asia. With 30,000+ marine animals (Seals, Blue Ringed Octopus, Ragged-tooth sharks, Stingrays, Leafly Sea Dragons, Giant Spider Crabs, and Sharks of various types including Ragged-tooth, Black tipped, and Leopard) this is the largest aquarium in Southeast Asia and one of Bangkok’s most adventurous projects. Siam Ocean World take you through seven different environments starting with the strangely titled ‘Weird and Wonderful’, the ‘Open Ocean’, ‘Deep Reef’, ‘Rainforest’, ‘Rocky Shore’, ‘Living Ocean’, and ‘Sea Jellies’. Not only is it possible to walk through these environments observing marine life through the safety of thick glass windows, it is also possible actually get in Siam Ocean World's 2.8 million litre Oceanarium and meet the sharks face-to-face. For the less adventurous, take a ride in a glass bottomed boat.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Positano, Amalfi, Campania Italy


Positano is a village and comune on the Amalfi Coast (Costiera Amalfitana), in CampaniaItaly. The main part of the city sits in an enclave in the hills leading down to the coast.

Positano was a port of the Amalfi Republic in medieval times, and prospered in the 16th and 17th centuries. But by the mid-19th century, the town had fallen on hard times. More than half the population emigrated, mostly to Australia.
Positano was a relatively poor fishing village during the first half of the 20th century. It began to attract large numbers of tourists in the 1950s, especially after John Steinbeck published his essay about Positano in Harper's Bazaar in May, 1953: "Positano bites deep", Steinbeck wrote. "It is a dream place that isn’t quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone."

Positano has been featured in several films, including Only You (1994), and Under the Tuscan Sun (2003), as well as being mentioned in the 2009 musical film Nine in the song "Cinema Italiano". Positano is also the setting for the romantic adventure novel, "Finding Positano, A Love Story" (2010), by William James. It also hosts the annual Cartoons on the Bay Festival, at which Pulcinella awards for excellence in animation are presented. From July 1967 and through most of the 1970s, Positano was home of singer-songwriter Shawn Phillips and was where most of his best known work was composed. Also, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards from The Rolling Stones wrote the song "Midnight Rambler" in the cafes of Positano while on vacation.
Patricia Highsmith based the little port of Mongibello in The Talented Mr Ripley on Positano. The town is also where parts of the film adaptation were filmed.
Today tourism is by far the major industry in Positano. Positano is also very popular for Limoncello, an alcoholic lemon drink that is made with local lemons and for ‘Albertissimo’, an alcoholic tipple that can only be found at a small stall at the main harbour.


Positano

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Positano - Italy

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