Come away with the raggle taggle gypsy-o
Last year my city hit the national news when fire destroyed the Royal Clarence, the oldest hotel in the country. Now, seven months later work is taking place to make it safe and to protect the salvageable elements. The long term plan is a sensitive rebuild.
Hope and Renewal is a sculpture created from some of the burnt timber from the fire.
This charred wood can be traced way back to the 15th century and is my entry for Paula’s Black and White Sunday.
Ben Huberman calls for order in this weeks photo challenge, and he has a tempting array of pastries in his well ordered photo.
The image below is one of my all time favourites and I may have posted it here before. This vast courtyard is part of the Ataturk Mausoleum complex in Ankara, the capital of Turkey. As well as the mausoleum which is the final resting place of Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey’s final resting place, there is a museum dedicated to his life.
Paula over at Lost in Translation has asked us to post photos of the same scene in landscape and portrait format. I often forget that I have a choice, and landscape is jut there isn’t it? I hope this challenge will make me thing more often about how totally different an image can be, just with a turn of the camera.
Any thoughts or preferences?
Freshly trimmed hedges
And a narrow muddy track
Winding through Devon
Vigilant : Alertly watchful especially to void danger, Merriam Webster.
Paula’s Thursday Special for the first week of June is ‘pick a word’, I’m choosing vigilant, from her list of five.
The river Dart, strangely enough, runs into the sea at Dartmouth. At the estuary stands the 600 year old castle, one the loveliest settings anywhere for a fortress.
The gun tower was one of the first of it’s kind in the country and has been standing vigilant for nearly as long as the castle has existed.
You can walk out to the castle, along a path with beautiful views, or you can go by ferry. I’ve done both, most recently last week, when I walked out and returned by boat. When you arrive at the jetty, there’s a board that you turn around, the ferryman sees it from way across the river and makes his way across to take you back to town. A perfect way of spending £2.50 on a sunny day.
for Jo!
Even Dido fell for this boat, it’s for sale as well.
It would fit in perfectly in the Algarve or north east England wouldn’t it?
A tranquil May evening near the canal basin
For my occasional within a mile or so from home series.
Amer or Amber Fort just north of Jaipur in India, is a splendid fortress on Cheel Ka Teela, the hill of eagles.
The fort was built by ‘Raja Shri Maan Singh JI Saheb’ (Maan Singh 1), from 1550 to 1614, from red and white sandstone. The palace can be approached by taking an elephant ride up the ramparts, but this wasn’t for me, because I love elephants.
Amer has a mix of Rajput and Mughal influences and there is much to see.
It’s best known for the Sheesh Mahal, Hall of mirrors, a sight I’ve never forgot.
One of the stunning views from the palace’
Amer is hugely popular for tourists, and a World Heritage Site, said to be the most beautiful palace in India. Don’t miss it if you go to Rajasthan!
Lucid Gypsy 