Tropea (ancient Trapeia; Τράπεια in Ancient Greek) is a municipality located within the province of Vibo Valentia, in Calabria (southern Italy).
The town is a famous bathing place, situated on a reef, in the gulf of St. Euphemia connected with the mainland by a narrow strip in the Tyrrhenian Sea, toward the south with respect to Vibo Valentia and northward with respect to Ricadi and Capo Vaticano.
In the Norman cathedral of Tropea there is a picture of Virgin Mary of Romania, of Byzantine origin, dating from around 1330.
The legend says that a boat coming from the east-Byzantine (hence the name Virgin Mary of Romania) was driven by a storm in the port of Tropea. Repaired the damage, the captain tried to leave but the ship still stood in the harbor. On the same night the bishop of the city, Ambrogio Cordova, dreamed of the Virgin Mary asking him to stay in Tropea and becoming its Protectress. The dream repeated for several nights. Eventually the bishop summoned the senior officials and the citizens, and together they went to the port to take the picture of the Virgin Mary. As soon as the painting was brought to shore the ship departed.
The Virgin Mary promised to defend the city from the pestilence, earthquakes and war, and many events that took place since then seem to testify it.
According to tradition, the Virgin Mary appeared in dream several times to the bishop, warning of an earthquake that would devastate Calabria. On the 27 March 1638 the bishop established a penitential procession, involving all the people from Tropea. Thanks to the procession an earthquake which stroke in that same day did not procure any harm to anyone.
The citizens of Tropea were also saved from the 1783 Calabrian earthquakes, much stronger and more tragic than the previous one, that affected the whole of Calabria. This event strengthened the devotion to the Virgin Mary of Romania, and the citizens of Tropea proclaimed her the patron of Tropea.
During World War II Tropea suffered a bombing, but the six bombs which fell on Tropea all fell into a hole and remained unexploded.
Friday, August 9, 2013
Tropea, Calabria, IT...sun salutation...
White House Ruin Canyon de Chelly
White House ruin in Canyon de Chelly
The canyon walls are comprised of the De Chelly Sandstone of the Cutler Group/Formation. The brown vertical streaks are good examples of "desert varnish" weathering phenomena.
The De Chelly Sandstone member of the Cutler Group are aeolian sand dune deposits from a large dune field (called the DeChelly Erg) that occupied the area of western New Mexico and eastern Arizona around Chinle and the 4 corners area during the Permian
During Paro Tsechu festival, Bhutan.
Tsechu (literally "day ten") are annual religious Bhutanese festivals held in each district or dzongkhag of Bhutan on the tenth day of a month of the lunar Tibetan calendar. The month depends on the place, but usually is around the time of October. Tsechus are religious festivals of Drukpa Buddhism. The Thimphu tsechu and tha Paro tsechu are among the biggest of the tsechus in terms of participation and audience. Tsechus are large social gatherings, which perform the function of social bonding among people of remote and spread-out villages. Large markets also congregate at the fair locations, leading to brisk commerce... more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsechu
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Paris - Fontaine Stravinsky
The Stravinsky Fountain (fr: La Fontaine Stravinsky) is a whimsical public fountain ornamented with sixteen works of sculpture, moving and spraying water, representing the works of composer Igor Stravinsky. It was created in 1983 by sculptors Jean Tinguely and Niki de Saint Phalle, and is located on Place Stravinsky, next to the Centre Pompidou, in Paris
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Bolton Priory, North Yorkshire, England, UK
Bolton Abbey is an estate in Wharfedale in North Yorkshire, England, which takes its name from the ruined 12th-century Augustinian monastery now generally known as Bolton Priory. It is adjacent to the village of Bolton Abbey.
The monastery was originally founded at Embsay in 1120. Led by a prior, Bolton Abbey was technically a priory, despite its name. It was founded in 1154 by the Augustinian order, on the banks of the River Wharfe.
The land at Bolton, as well as other resources, were given to the order by Lady Alice de Romille of Skipton Castle in 1154.
In the early 14th century Scottish raiders caused the temporary abandonment of the site and serious structural damage to the priory.
The seal of the priory featured the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Child and the phrase sigillum sancte Marie de Bolton.
The nave of the abbey church was in use as a parish church from about 1170 onwards, and survived the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
Building work was still going on at the abbey when the Dissolution of the Monasteries resulted in the termination of the priory in 1539. The east end remains in ruins.
A tower, begun in 1520, was left half-standing, and its base was later given a bell-turret and converted into an entrance porch. Most of the remaining church is in the Gothic style of architecture, but more work was done in the Victorian era, including windows by August Pugin.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Prague, Czech Republic
Prague (/ˈprɑːɡ/; Czech: Praha pronounced [ˈpraɦa] ) is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. It is the fourteenth-largest city in the European Union.
It is also the historical capital of Bohemia proper. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava River, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its larger urban zone is estimated to have a population of nearly 2 million.
The city has a temperate oceanic climate, with warm summers and chilly winters.
Prague has been a political, cultural, and economic centre of central Europe with waxing and waning fortunes during its 1,100-year existence. Founded during the Romanesque and flourishing by the Gothic and Renaissance eras, Prague was not only the capital of the Czech state, but also the seat of two Holy Roman Emperors and thus also the capital of the Holy Roman Empire.
It was an important city to the Habsburg Monarchy and its Austro-Hungarian Empire and after World War I became the capital of Czechoslovakia. The city played major roles in the Protestant Reformation, the Thirty Years' War, and in 20th-century history, during both World Wars and the post-war Communist era.
Prague is home to a number of famous cultural attractions, many of which survived the violence and destruction of 20th-century Europe.
Main attractions include the Prague Castle, the Charles Bridge, Old Town Square, the Jewish Quarter, the Lennon Wall, and Petřín hill. Since 1992, the extensive historic centre of Prague has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.
The city boasts more than ten major museums, along with numerous theatres, galleries, cinemas, and other historical exhibits.
A modern public transportation system connects the city. Also, it is home to a wide range of public and private schools, including Charles University.
Prague is classified as a Beta+ global city according to GaWC studies, comparable to Berlin, Rome, or Houston.
Its rich history makes it a popular tourist destination, and the city receives more than 4.1 million international visitors annually, as of 2009. In 2011, Prague was the sixth-most-visited city in Europe.
Friday, July 26, 2013
Crete: Incredible Beaches
Official Crete Region Promotional Video 2013
For more information on using Crete for your next production, visit the official Crete tourism portals:
www.incrediblecrete.gr
www.twitter.com/incrediblecrete
www.facebook.com/incrediblecrete
www.scoop.it/t/incrediblecrete
Directed by Theo Papadoulakis, IndigoView Productions
Edited by George Pada
www.indigoview.com
"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu Copyright © Demetrios the Traveler
Northwestern Greece from space
The northwestern part of Greece is pictured in this image acquired on 28 April by the Landsat-8 satellite. The Ionian Sea dominates the left side of the image, with the Ambracian Gulf near the centre. In the upper-left corner we can see the Paxi islands. Paxos, to the north, boasts beautiful beaches mainly along its eastern coast, with dramatic cliffs and caves dominating the west side. The smaller island to the south, Antipaxos, is also known for its beaches as well as its traditional vineyards.
This image is featured on the Earth from space programme: spaceinvideos.esa.int/Videos/2013/07/Earth_from_Space_Pea...
Credit: USGS
Monday, July 15, 2013
Monday, July 8, 2013
Richtis Gorge (Greek: Φαράγγι του Ρίχτη) Crete, Greece
Richtis Gorge (Greek: Φαράγγι του Ρίχτη, Faraggi tou Richti) refers to a gorge in Crete, Greece (Map of Richtis Gorge here). It is a state protected park near Exo Mouliana, Sitia, eastern Crete (Greece) that starts at the traditional village Exo Mouliana, which is located on the national road between Agios Nikolaos and Sitia and ends at the secluded Richtis beach, just east of the village Kalavros. The hiking trail is about 4 km in length of easy (spring/summer/autumn) to moderate (winter) difficulty. Rich vegetation (mainly platanus trees, wild berries and local flowers and herbs) and animal life (mainly local species of butterflies, small reptiles, birds and small mammals) can be observed along the way, as well as old stone bridges and water mills before it culminates with the Richtis Waterfall and beach, making Richtis gorge trail one of the most diversified hiking experiences in Crete
Monday, July 1, 2013
