SUNDAY BEST #282 - PROTECTED

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.

Apologies for last week's hiatus, family reasons prevented me from visiting you and for missing posts in a couple of my other blogs.

Diving into the Photo Archives to retrieve this image of a rice paddy in Vietnam, taken during happier times when international travel was so much easier!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

SUNDAY BEST #275 - ON THE BAY

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.

Looking out on Port Phillip Bay in Melbourne, Australia.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Last week, Betty in New Zealand shared with us some stunning shots, one of which is here. Please visit her blog for more great photos!

SUNDAY BEST #251 - VIEW

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.

View towards Port Phillip Bay from Southbank in Melbourne.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Last week, Lydia in Sydney, Australia posted a great photo. Please visit her blog for more interesting images.

LYON, FRANCE

Lyon, or Lyons, is a city in east-central France, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, about 470 km from Paris and 320 km from Marseille. Inhabitants of the city are called Lyonnais. In 2013, Lyon had a population of 500,715 and is France's third-largest city after Paris and Marseille. Lyon is the capital of the department of Rhône and the region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. The metropolitan area of Lyon had a population of 2,237,676 in 2013, the second-largest in France after Paris.

The city is known for its cuisine and gastronomy and historical and architectural landmarks and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lyon was historically an important area for the production and weaving of silk. It played a significant role in the history of cinema: Auguste and Louis Lumière invented the cinematographe in Lyon. The city is also known for its famous light festival, Fête des Lumières, which occurs every 8 December and lasts for four days, earning Lyon the title of Capital of Lights.

Economically, Lyon is a major centre for banking, as well as for the chemical, pharmaceutical, and biotech industries. The city contains a significant software industry with a particular focus on video games, and in recent years has fostered a growing local start-up sector. Lyon hosts the international headquarters of Interpol, Euronews, and International Agency for Research on Cancer. Lyon was ranked 19th globally and second in France for innovation in 2014. It ranked second in France and 39th globally in Mercer's 2015 liveability rankings.

This post is part of the Our World Tuesday meme,

and also part of the Travel Tuesday meme,

and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,

and also part of the Ruby Tuesday meme.

PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia (WA). It is the fourth most populous city in Australia, with an estimated population of 1.97 million (on 30 June 2013) living in Greater Perth. Part of the South West Land Division of Western Australia, the majority of the metropolitan area of Perth is located on the Swan Coastal Plain, a narrow strip between the Indian Ocean and the Darling Scarp, a low coastal escarpment.

The first areas settled were on the Swan River, with the city's central business district and port (Fremantle) both located on its shores. Perth is formally divided into a number of local government areas, which themselves consist of a large number of suburbs, extending from Two Rocks in the north to Rockingham in the south, and east inland to The Lakes.

Perth was originally founded by Captain James Stirling in 1829 as the administrative centre of the Swan River Colony, and gained city status in 1856 (currently vested in the smaller City of Perth). The city is named for Perth, Scotland, by influence of Sir George Murray, then British Secretary of State for War and the Colonies.

The city's population increased substantially as a result of the Western Australian gold rushes in the late 19th century, largely as a result of emigration from the eastern colonies of Australia. During Australia's involvement in World War II, Fremantle served as a base for submarines operating in the Pacific Theatre, and a US Navy Catalina flying boat fleet was based at Matilda Bay. An influx of immigrants after the war, predominantly from Britain, Greece, Italy and Yugoslavia, led to rapid population growth. This was followed by a surge in economic activity flowing from several mining booms in the late 20th and early 21st centuries that saw Perth become the regional headquarters for a number of large mining operations located around the state.

This post is part of the Waterworld Wednesday meme,
and also part of the Outdoor Wednesday meme,
and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,
and also part of the ABC Wednesday meme.

CLOUDSHOW

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme.

PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE, MELBOURNE

The pedestrian bridge connecting Melbourne City with Southbank was built in 1992 and its distinctive white arch is a Melbourne landmark. Found under the pedestrian bridge on Southbank, and only accessible from stairs which descend from above, there is Ponyfish Island, a good place for ad rink or a meal on the Yarra River.

Ponyfish bar and restaurant has a location as unique as its name, hidden away in a floating haven on the Yarra River. The vibe is eccentric, and the city perspective is very different, but the menu hits the spot with breakfast toasties, lunchtime quesadillas, platters to share and a range of barbequed burgers.

This post is part of the Sunday Bridges meme.

DIGHTS FALLS

Dights Falls is one of only two easy crossing places of the lower reaches of the Yarra River in Melbourne. It was a favoured camping ground of the Yallock bullock clan of the Woi wurrung. It was also a meeting place for many clans where they would trade together, settle disputes and exchange brides.

On a hill above the falls is an historic marker commemorating the "first white men to discover the river Yarra reaching Yarra Falls on 8th February, 1803. Also to make the first crossing near here with the cattle by the first overlanders John Gardner, Joseph Hawdon and John Hepburn in December 1836".

Dights Falls located downstream of the junction of the Yarra River with Merri Creek, as the river narrows and is constricted between 800,000 year old volcanic, basaltic lava flow and a much older steep, silurian, sedimentary spur. The north side also contains abundant graptolite fossils in sedimentary sandstone.

This post is part of the Waterworld Wednesday meme,
and also part of the Outdoor Wednesday meme.

FREO FISHING HARBOUR

Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour is a commercial marina in Fremantle, Western Australia adjacent to the more recently constructed Challenger Harbour. It provides large sheltered mooring areas, wharf space for vessels up to 60 metres, refuelling facilities and support services to the Fremantle fishing industry.

The harbour was built in 1919 when a 300-metre breakwater was constructed to provide an anchorage for fishing vessels. South Jetty was immediately adjacent and included a fish market which was removed in 1929. A southern breakwater was constructed in 1962 and land reclaimed to house fishing companies and service industries.

Between 1969 and 1972, up to 120 fishing boats were housed in the harbour and in 1982, construction of a boat lifting facility commenced. Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour is now surrounded by a well established tourism precinct, and over a dozen restaurants and a brewery are immediately adjacent.

This post is part of the Weekend Reflections meme,

and also part of the Weekly TopShot meme,

and also part of the Scenic Weekends meme.

SYDNEY SKIES

Earlier this week I was in Sydney for work. I was staying in a hotel facing onto Hyde Park and looking out from the roof terrace, I was reminded a little bit of New York City and Central Park (OK, in a much smaller scale!)...

The tower in the first photo is Sydney Tower, which is Sydney's tallest free-standing structure, and the second tallest in Australia (with the Q1 building on the Gold Coast being the tallest). It is also the second tallest observation tower in the Southern Hemisphere (after Auckland's Sky Tower, though Sydney Tower Eye's main observation deck is almost 50 m higher than that of Auckland's Sky Tower).

The name Sydney Tower has become common in daily usage, however the tower is also known as the Sydney Tower Eye, AMP Tower, Westfield Centrepoint Tower, Centrepoint Tower or just Centrepoint. The Sydney Tower is a member of the World Federation of Great Towers. The tower stands 309 m above the Sydney central business district (CBD), located on Market Street, between Pitt and Castlereagh Streets.

It is accessible from the Pitt Street Mall, and sits upon the newly refurbished Westfield Sydney (formerly centrepoint arcade). The tower is open to the public, and is one of the most prominent tourist attractions in the city, being visible from a number of vantage points throughout town and from adjoining suburbs.

The building in the centre of the park is the Anzac Memorial.

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme.

SUNSET IN NORTHCOTE

A wintry sunset in suburban Melbourne.

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme.

FREMANTLE BOAT HARBOUR PANORAMA

Fishing Boat Harbour is a deep water harbour which has picturesque boardwalks, a lively atmosphere and plently of things to see and places to explore for people of all ages. There are always people coming and going, boats leaving and coming and something is always happening on the wharf. There is also short stay accommodation, open ocean high-speed boat rides and luxury charter sailing tours available. Fremantle's Fishing Boat Harbour is a great place to stop for food and view the beautiful views. One can stroll along the boardwalks and back through the West End, across Esplanade Park, or on to Bathers Beach and the Roundhouse. It is the perfect location while exploring Fremantle's West End.

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme.

YARRA RIVER PANORAMA

A panorama of the Yarra River at sunrise, showing the Queen's Bridge on the extreme left (where I am standing to take the photo) and the Sandridge Bridge in the centre, showing the outline sculptures adorning it.

This post is part of the Sunday Bridges meme,
and also part of the Weekly Topshot meme.