BUCHAREST, ROMANIA

Bucharest (Romanian: București) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than 60 km north of the Danube River and the Bulgarian border.

Bucharest was first mentioned in documents in 1459. It became the capital of Romania in 1862 and is the centre of Romanian media, culture, and art. Its architecture is a mix of historical (neo-classical), interbellum (Bauhaus and art deco), communist-era and modern. In the period between the two World Wars, the city's elegant architecture and the sophistication of its elite earned Bucharest the nickname of "Little Paris" (Micul Paris). Although buildings and districts in the historic city centre were heavily damaged or destroyed by war, earthquakes, and above all Nicolae Ceaușescu's program of systematisation, many survived.

In recent years, the city has been experiencing an economic and cultural boom. In 2016, the historical city centre was listed as "endangered" by the World Monuments Watch. According to the 2011 census, 1,883,425 inhabitants live within the city limits, a decrease from the 2002 census. Adding the satellite towns around the urban area, the proposed metropolitan area of Bucharest would have a population of 2.27 million people. Bucharest is the sixth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits, after London, Berlin, Madrid, Rome, and Paris.

Economically, Bucharest is the most prosperous city in Romania and is one of the main industrial centres and transportation hubs of Eastern Europe. The city has big convention facilities, educational institutes, cultural venues, traditional "shopping arcades", and recreational areas. The city proper is administratively known as the "Municipality of Bucharest" (Municipiul București), and has the same administrative level as that of a national county, being further subdivided into six sectors, each governed by a local mayor.

This post is part of the Our World Tuesday meme,

and also part of the Ruby Tuesday meme,

and also part of the Travel Tuesday meme,

and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme.

WOOD, TREE, ROCK

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,
and also part of the Seasons meme.

MY SUNDAY BEST MEME #176 - ALIEN HOME

Welcome to the meme, "My Sunday Best", which is a photographic and creative meme that allows you to showcase your talents in imaging. Every Sunday, you can post here showing an image you have created using your camera, (and/or) image processing software, and/or painting and drawing in the conventional way and have scanned in.

The rules are simple:

1) Create your image and post it up on your blog;

2) Put the "My Sunday Best" logo image link somewhere on your post so people can click and come by here;

3) Leave a comment here once you have posted;

4) Visit other posters' blogs and be amazed with their creativity!

Please do not use this meme to advertise your goods or services. This is a creative meme and any inappropriate links or comments shall be removed immediately.

The theme is of your own choosing, so post on any subject you desire.

This is an image I created in a computer program called 'Mojoworld', which is a graphics program where one may create graphic constructions of planets according to parameters that are inputted, and then zoom in on views of the surface, visible in a 3D rendering. The planet here I've called Cyanea and the huge moon hovering in the horizon is Rosea.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Last week, Betty in New Zealand showed us some beautiful photos of her neck of the woods. I loved this photo. Please visit her blog for more beautiful images.

GOOD DOG!

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme.

HEBE 'BLUE GEM'

Hebe is a genus of plants native to New Zealand, Rapa in French Polynesia, the Falkland Islands, and South America. It includes about 90 species and is the largest plant genus in New Zealand. Apart from H. rapensis (endemic to Rapa), all species occur in New Zealand. This includes the two species, H. salicifolia and H. elliptica, that have distributions extending to South America.

The genus is named after the Greek goddess of youth, Hebe. There are differing classifications for the genus and some botanists include Hebe, together with the related Australasian genera Chionohebe, Derwentia, Detzneria, Parahebe, Heliohebe and Leonohebe, in the larger genus Veronica (hence its common name 'Shrubby veronica'). 

Hebe has four perpendicular rows of leaves in opposite decussate pairs. The flowers are perfect, the corolla usually has four slightly unequal lobes, the flower has two stamens and a long style. Flowers are arranged in a spiked inflorescence. Identification of Hebe species is difficult, especially if they are not in flower.

The plants range in size from dwarf shrubs to small trees up to 7 metres, and are distributed from coastal to alpine ecosystems. Large-leaved species are normally found on the coast, in lowland scrub and along forest margins. At higher altitudes smaller-leaved species grow, and in alpine areas there are whipcord species with leaves reduced to thick scales. Hebes are grown in many gardens and public areas; they attract butterflies.

Hebes cope with most soil types, and can be propagated easily from both seed and cuttings. Wild Hebe hybrids are uncommon; however, there are many cultivated hybrids, such as Hebe × franciscana 'Blue Gem', shown here.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

ON THE RIVERBANK

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,
and also part of the My Corner of the World meme.

I heard a beautiful Hindi song yesterday and I had to go and find out what the lyrics meant. It was easy enough to find them in Hindi, however, an English translation was lacking. I tried to get Google Translate to assist, but it only gave me the bare gist of them, and I could only gain a tantalising suggestion of what the song was about.

I remembered a photo on the banks of the Yarra River in Melbourne that I had taken some time ago and which I recovered from archives (see above). Looking at it and listening to the song, having in mind the suggestion of the meaning, I wrote a poem that more or less is akin to the essence of the Hindi lyrics. I would be grateful if any Indian readers of this blog can enlighten me as to whether an English translation of the actual song lyrics exists and whether my version is akin to it.

The song is called "Ye raatein, ye mausam, nadee ka kinaara"

From the 1958 Film “Dilli Ka Thug”; Lyrics by Shailendra, Music by Ravi

Originally sung by Kishore Kumar & Asha Bhosle. Here is a beautiful recent cover version by Ayushi Arora.

On a Night like Tonight

By NJV after Shailendra

On a night like tonight,

in Spring like this Spring,

When the fickle breeze blew gently,

Our two hearts came together

On the riverbank lit by the silver moonlight

On a night like tonight,

in Spring like this Spring,

When the fickle breeze blew gently,

Our two hearts came together

And they said we’ll never part.

Why is the moonlight different

On this night, which should be like that night?

Our love is no more, our hearts are broken

Our hands are not clasped,

Our eyes are blinded by our separation.

On a night like tonight,

in Spring like that Spring,

When the fickle breeze blows gently…

We should be together now, just like then,

Revelling in our love, becoming one, just like then.

The stars shone brightly on us,

Blessing our love, while the moon smiled.

Where is the moon to speak on my behalf tonight?

Why are the stars so silent?

Why have we drifted so far apart?

On a night like tonight,

in Spring like this Spring,

When the fickle breeze blew cold,

We parted and you said: “Don’t ever bother me again!”

And I was aghast, wishing our love would not end.

The stars shine brightly now,

And the moon is burning ardently,

The fickle breeze blows complicitly now –

Come back and give me your heart again

You’ve pledged it to me, and I’ve pledged you mine.

On this night, which should be like that night,

I’m telling you, I’ll always be your true love,

In this Spring, while the stars are singing and the moon avers my feelings

Come back and let’s enjoy our love while we are young,

Open your heart and let my open heart join it.

On a night like tonight,

in Spring like this Spring,

When the fickle breeze blew gently,

Our two hearts came together, remember?

And they said we’ll never part, remember?

MY SUNDAY BEST MEME #175 - SOLSTICE

Welcome to the meme, "My Sunday Best", which is a photographic and creative meme that allows you to showcase your talents in imaging. Every Sunday, you can post here showing an image you have created using your camera, (and/or) image processing software, and/or painting and drawing in the conventional way and have scanned in.

The rules are simple:

1) Create your image and post it up on your blog;

2) Put the "My Sunday Best" logo image link somewhere on your post so people can click and come by here;

3) Leave a comment here once you have posted;

4) Visit other posters' blogs and be amazed with their creativity!

Please do not use this meme to advertise your goods or services. This is a creative meme and any inappropriate links or comments shall be removed immediately.

The theme is of your own choosing, so post on any subject you desire.

Winter solstice at Yarra Bend Park in Melbourne, Australia.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Last week, Lydia in Sydney celebrated the easing of COVID restrictions and posted this shot from Sydney Harbour. Please visit her blog for more great shots.

SUNFLOWERS

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme.

VERONA, ITALY

Verona is a city on the Adige river in Veneto, northern Italy, with approximately 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven provincial capitals of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third largest in northeast Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona covers an area of 1,426 km2 and has a population of 714,274 inhabitants.

It is one of the main tourist destinations in northern Italy, owing to its artistic heritage, several annual fairs, shows, and operas, such as the lyrical season in the Arena, the ancient amphitheatre built by the Romans, which is well preserved and forms a centrepiece for city life.

Three of Shakespeare's plays are set in Verona: 'Romeo and Juliet', 'The Two Gentlemen of Verona', and 'The Taming of the Shrew'. It is unknown if Shakespeare ever visited Verona or Italy at all, but his plays have lured many visitors to Verona and surrounding cities many times over. The city has been awarded World Heritage Site status by UNESCO because of its urban structure and architecture. The photo above is taken at the Piazza delle Erbe.

This post is part of the Our World Tuesday meme,

and also part of the Ruby Tuesday meme,

and also part of the Travel Tuesday meme,

and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme.

MY SUNDAY BEST MEME #174 - TRAIN

Welcome to the meme, "My Sunday Best", which is a photographic and creative meme that allows you to showcase your talents in imaging. Every Sunday, you can post here showing an image you have created using your camera, (and/or) image processing software, and/or painting and drawing in the conventional way and have scanned in.

The rules are simple:

1) Create your image and post it up on your blog;

2) Put the "My Sunday Best" logo image link somewhere on your post so people can click and come by here;

3) Leave a comment here once you have posted;

4) Visit other posters' blogs and be amazed with their creativity!

Please do not use this meme to advertise your goods or services. This is a creative meme and any inappropriate links or comments shall be removed immediately.

The theme is of your own choosing, so post on any subject you desire.

I took a train to the country as I had business there and was surprised by how few people were travelling, despite the easing of restrictions...

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Last week, Isabella from Germany posted a great photo of some beautiful strawberries. Please visit her blog for more interesting photos.

AT GLENELG

Glenelg is a popular beach-side suburb of the South Australian capital of Adelaide. Located on the shore of Holdfast Bay in Gulf St Vincent, it has become a popular tourist destination due to its beach and many attractions, home to several hotels and dozens of restaurants. 

Established in 1836, it is the oldest European settlement on mainland South Australia (the oldest being Kingscote on Kangaroo Island), with the proclamation of the colony of South Australia. It was named after Lord Glenelg, a member of British Cabinet and Secretary of State for War and the Colonies.Through Lord Glenelg the name derives from Glenelg, Highland (previously Inverness-shire), Scotland. In Scottish Gaelic the name is Gleann Eilg. The name Glenelg is noteworthy for being a palindrome.

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme.

COLUMBINE

Aquilegia vulgaris (European Columbine, Common Columbine or Granny's Nightcap) is a species of columbine native to Europe. The genus name Aquilegia is derived from the Latin word for eagle (aquila), because the shape of the flower petals are said to resemble an eagle's claw. There are many showy cultivars, like this two-toned one.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

LHASA, TIBET

Lhasa is a city and administrative capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. The main urban area of Lhasa is roughly equivalent to the administrative borders of Chengguan District, which is part of the wider Lhasa prefecture-level city, an area formerly administered as a prefecture. Lhasa is the second most populous city on the Tibetan Plateau after Xining and, at an altitude of 3,490 metres, Lhasa is one of the highest cities in the world. The city has been the religious and administrative capital of Tibet since the mid-17th century. It contains many culturally significant Tibetan Buddhist sites such as the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and Norbulingka Palaces.

The Potala Palace (shown here) was the chief residence of the Dalai Lama until the 14th Dalai Lama fled to India during the 1959 Tibetan uprising. It is now a museum and World Heritage Site. The palace is named after Mount Potalaka, the mythical abode of the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara. The 5th Dalai Lama started its construction in 1645 after one of his spiritual advisers, Konchog Chophel (died 1646), pointed out that the site was ideal as a seat of government, situated as it is between Drepung and Sera monasteries and the old city of Lhasa. It may overlay the remains of an earlier fortress called the White or Red Palace on the site, built by Songtsän Gampo in 637.

This post is part of the Our World Tuesday meme,

and also part of the Ruby Tuesday meme,

and also part of the Travel Tuesday meme,

and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme.

MY SUNDAY BEST MEME #173 - BALLOON

Welcome to the meme, "My Sunday Best", which is a photographic and creative meme that allows you to showcase your talents in imaging. Every Sunday, you can post here showing an image you have created using your camera, (and/or) image processing software, and/or painting and drawing in the conventional way and have scanned in.

The rules are simple:

1) Create your image and post it up on your blog;

2) Put the "My Sunday Best" logo image link somewhere on your post so people can click and come by here;

3) Leave a comment here once you have posted;

4) Visit other posters' blogs and be amazed with their creativity!

Please do not use this meme to advertise your goods or services. This is a creative meme and any inappropriate links or comments shall be removed immediately!

The theme is of your own choosing, so post on any subject you desire.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Last week, Taken for granted from the USA posted a great photo of some beautiful tulips. Please visit his blog for more interesting photos.

UNUSUAL...

Not long ago, this was a common sight across our skies with many a plane flying by every hour. Now, I had to snap this uncommon sight in the sky. COVID has certainly changed many things we used to take for granted...

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme.

BLACK TULIP

A FLORAL TRIBUTE TO BLACK LIVES UNJUSTLY LOST OR WASTED

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

RAIN

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,
and also part of the My Corner of the World meme.

FRUITY

Many of the trees around Melbourne have fruit on them - not necessarily all edible, but all are quite beautiful.
Clockwise from upper left: Green olives; persimmons; lilly pilly; black olives; pittosporum; haws.

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,
and also part of the Seasons meme.