A blog where I post a mixture of photos that I have taken and find amusing, interesting, artistic, surprising or strange.
Friday, 9 January 2015
Thursday, 8 January 2015
Wednesday, 7 January 2015
ZAPPY ZÜRICH
Zürich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zürich It is located in north-central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zürich The municipality has approximately 390,000 inhabitants, and the Zürich metropolitan area 1.83 million. Zürich is a hub for railways, roads, and air traffic. Both Zürich Airport and railway station are the largest and busiest in the country.
Permanently settled for around 2000 years, the history of Zürich goes back to its founding by the Romans, who, in 15 BC, called it Turicum. However, early settlements have been found dating back more than 6400 years ago. During the Middle Ages Zürich gained the independent and privileged status of imperial immediacy and, in 1519, was the place of origin and centre of the Protestant Reformation in German-speaking Switzerland, led by Ulrich Zwingli.
Zürich is a leading global city and among the world's largest financial centres. The city is home to a large number of financial institutions and banking giants. Most of Switzerland's research and development centres are concentrated in Zürich and the low tax rates attract overseas companies to set up their headquarters there. According to several surveys from 2006 to 2008, Zurich was named the city with the best quality of life in the world as well as the wealthiest city in Europe. Many museums and art galleries can be found in the city, including the Swiss National Museum and the Kunsthaus. Zurich also hosts one of the most important theatres in the German-speaking world.
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.
Permanently settled for around 2000 years, the history of Zürich goes back to its founding by the Romans, who, in 15 BC, called it Turicum. However, early settlements have been found dating back more than 6400 years ago. During the Middle Ages Zürich gained the independent and privileged status of imperial immediacy and, in 1519, was the place of origin and centre of the Protestant Reformation in German-speaking Switzerland, led by Ulrich Zwingli.
Zürich is a leading global city and among the world's largest financial centres. The city is home to a large number of financial institutions and banking giants. Most of Switzerland's research and development centres are concentrated in Zürich and the low tax rates attract overseas companies to set up their headquarters there. According to several surveys from 2006 to 2008, Zurich was named the city with the best quality of life in the world as well as the wealthiest city in Europe. Many museums and art galleries can be found in the city, including the Swiss National Museum and the Kunsthaus. Zurich also hosts one of the most important theatres in the German-speaking world.
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.
Tuesday, 6 January 2015
2014: MY YEAR IN REVIEW IN IMAGES
Today's post is a review of some of my photos from 2014. Each of the twelve photos represents a post of mine for each of the twelve months.
This post is part of the Nature Footsteps Floral Macros meme,
and also part of the Our World Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Ruby Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme.
This post is part of the Nature Footsteps Floral Macros meme,
and also part of the Our World Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Ruby Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme.
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| JANUARY: Sunset in Melbourne, Australia |
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| FEBRUARY: Geranium in our garden |
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| MARCH: Hanoi, Vietnam |
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| APRIL: Sunrise in Melbourne, Australia |
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| MAY: Temple of Hephaestus in Athens, Greece |
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| JUNE: Carpet maker in India |
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| JULY: War Memorial in Canberra, Australia |
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| AUGUST: Reminiscing in Melbourne, Australia |
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| SEPTEMBER: Tulip festival in the Dandenongs, Melbourne, Australia |
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| OCTOBER: Skyscrapers in Perth, Australia |
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| NOVEMBER: Castel Sant' Angelo in Rome, Italy |
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| DECEMBER: Rock church in Cappadocia, Turkey |
Monday, 5 January 2015
YELLOW CLIVIA
This post is part of the Monday Mellow Yellows meme,
and also part of the Nature Footsteps Inspiring Photography meme.
and also part of the Nature Footsteps Inspiring Photography meme.
Sunday, 4 January 2015
CHRISTCHURCH CATHEDRAL, NZ
Christ Church Cathedral is a deconsecrated Anglican cathedral in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand. It was built between 1864 and 1904, in the centre of the city surrounded by Cathedral Square. It was the cathedral seat of the Bishop of Christchurch in the New Zealand tikanga of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia.
Over its history, the building (mostly the spire) has been damaged by earthquakes in 1881, 1888, 1901, 1922, and September 2010. The February 2011 Christchurch earthquake destroyed the spire and part of the tower, and severely damaged the structure of the remaining building. The remainder of the tower was demolished in March 2012, and the west wall collapsed in the June 2011 earthquake due to a steel structure that was supposed to stabilise the rose window pushing it in.
The Anglican Church hierarchy is determined to demolish the building and replace it with a new structure, which is one of the most controversial topics in post-quake Christchurch. Various groups have opposed the church, including taking it to court. So far, the judgements have mostly been in favour of the church, with one more judgement pending. No demolition has occurred since the removal of the tower in early 2012. Since 15 August 2013, the cathedral community has been worshipping at the "Cardboard Cathedral".
Construction of the "Cardboard" temporary cathedral started on 24 July 2012. The site, on the corner of Hereford and Madras Streets, several blocks from the permanent location, was blessed in April 2012. Designed by architect Shigeru Ban and seating around 700 people, it was expected to be completed by Christmas 2012, but the completion date was put back to July and then August 2013. The materials used in its construction include cardboard tubes, timber and steel. The dedication service was held on 15 August 2013. In November 2012 the diocese began fund raising to pay for the NZ$5 million project, following a High Court judge indicating it may not be legal to build a temporary cathedral using its insurance payout.
This post is part of the Scenic Weekends meme,
and also part of the Spiritual Sundays meme,
and also part of the inSPIREd Sunday meme.
After the earthquakes:
The "Cardboard Cathedral":
Over its history, the building (mostly the spire) has been damaged by earthquakes in 1881, 1888, 1901, 1922, and September 2010. The February 2011 Christchurch earthquake destroyed the spire and part of the tower, and severely damaged the structure of the remaining building. The remainder of the tower was demolished in March 2012, and the west wall collapsed in the June 2011 earthquake due to a steel structure that was supposed to stabilise the rose window pushing it in.
The Anglican Church hierarchy is determined to demolish the building and replace it with a new structure, which is one of the most controversial topics in post-quake Christchurch. Various groups have opposed the church, including taking it to court. So far, the judgements have mostly been in favour of the church, with one more judgement pending. No demolition has occurred since the removal of the tower in early 2012. Since 15 August 2013, the cathedral community has been worshipping at the "Cardboard Cathedral".
Construction of the "Cardboard" temporary cathedral started on 24 July 2012. The site, on the corner of Hereford and Madras Streets, several blocks from the permanent location, was blessed in April 2012. Designed by architect Shigeru Ban and seating around 700 people, it was expected to be completed by Christmas 2012, but the completion date was put back to July and then August 2013. The materials used in its construction include cardboard tubes, timber and steel. The dedication service was held on 15 August 2013. In November 2012 the diocese began fund raising to pay for the NZ$5 million project, following a High Court judge indicating it may not be legal to build a temporary cathedral using its insurance payout.
This post is part of the Scenic Weekends meme,
and also part of the Spiritual Sundays meme,
and also part of the inSPIREd Sunday meme.
After the earthquakes:
The "Cardboard Cathedral":
Saturday, 3 January 2015
IN THE CITY
This is Royal Arcade, which is a heritage shopping arcade in the central business district of Melbourne, Victoria. Originally constructed in 1869, the arcade connects Little Collins Street to the Bourke Street Mall, with a perpendicular passage running to Elizabeth Street in the west. It also connects to the smaller Hub Arcade near the Little Collins Street end.
Originally designed by Charles Webb, the arcade features a high glass roof and windowed stores. At the south end, the arcade features effigies of mythical figures Gog and Magog and a clock which chimes each hour. The arcade was restored between 2002-04 which resulted in additional natural light and consistency of the shopfronts
This post is part of the Weekend Reflections meme,
and also part of the Weekly TopShot meme.
Originally designed by Charles Webb, the arcade features a high glass roof and windowed stores. At the south end, the arcade features effigies of mythical figures Gog and Magog and a clock which chimes each hour. The arcade was restored between 2002-04 which resulted in additional natural light and consistency of the shopfronts
This post is part of the Weekend Reflections meme,
and also part of the Weekly TopShot meme.
Friday, 2 January 2015
IRISH STRAWBERRY TREE
Arbutus unedo (strawberry tree, occasionally cane apple) is an evergreen shrub or small tree in the family Ericaceae, native to the Mediterranean region and western Europe north to western France and Ireland. Due to its presence in southwest and northwest Ireland, it is known as either "Irish strawberry tree" or sometimes "Killarney strawberry tree". The fruit is a red berry, 1–2 cm diameter, with a rough surface, beginning green and maturing 12 months later at the same time as the next flowering. It is edible, though many people find it bland and mealy and tasteless.
This post is part of the new Friday Greens meme.
This post is part of the new Friday Greens meme.
GYMEA SKY
Doryanthes excelsa, known as Gymea Lily, is a flowering plant indigenous to the coastal areas of New South Wales near Sydney. The plant has sword-like leaves more than a metre long. It flowers in spring and summer, sending up a flower spike up to 6 m high, which at its apex bears a large cluster of bright red flowers, each 10 cm across. The name "Gymea Lily" is derived from a local Eora dialect. Doryanthes means spear-flower in Greek, and excelsa is Latin for exceptional. The Sydney suburbs of Gymea and Gymea Bay are named after the lily.
We are seeing more and more of these striking flowers being planted in Melbourne, and this specimen is growing in the City, near William St South, close to the North bank of the Yarra, just under the train overpass.
This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme,
and also part of the Skywatch Friday meme.
We are seeing more and more of these striking flowers being planted in Melbourne, and this specimen is growing in the City, near William St South, close to the North bank of the Yarra, just under the train overpass.
This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme,
and also part of the Skywatch Friday meme.
Thursday, 1 January 2015
FESTIVE DAHLIA
Dahlia is a genus of bushy, tuberous, herbaceous perennial plants native to Mexico. A member of the Asteraceae (or Compositae), dicotyledonous plants, related species include the sunflower, daisy, chrysanthemum and zinnia. There are 42 species of dahlia, with hybrids commonly grown as garden plants.
Flower forms are variable, with one head per stem; these can be as small as 5.1 cm diameter or up to 30 cm ("dinner plate"). This great variety results from dahlias being octoploids; that is, they have eight sets of homologous chromosomes, whereas most plants have only two. In addition, dahlias also contain many transposons (genetic pieces that move from place to place upon an allele), which contributes to their manifesting such great diversity.
The stems are leafy, ranging in height from as low as 30 cm to more than 1.8–2.4 m. The majority of species do not produce scented flowers or cultivars. Like most plants that do not attract pollinating insects through scent, they are brightly coloured, displaying most hues, with the exception of blue.
The dahlia was declared the national flower of Mexico in 1963. The tubers were grown as a food crop by the Aztecs, but this use largely died out after the Spanish Conquest. Attempts to introduce the tubers as a food crop in Europe were unsuccessful.
This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.
Flower forms are variable, with one head per stem; these can be as small as 5.1 cm diameter or up to 30 cm ("dinner plate"). This great variety results from dahlias being octoploids; that is, they have eight sets of homologous chromosomes, whereas most plants have only two. In addition, dahlias also contain many transposons (genetic pieces that move from place to place upon an allele), which contributes to their manifesting such great diversity.
The stems are leafy, ranging in height from as low as 30 cm to more than 1.8–2.4 m. The majority of species do not produce scented flowers or cultivars. Like most plants that do not attract pollinating insects through scent, they are brightly coloured, displaying most hues, with the exception of blue.
The dahlia was declared the national flower of Mexico in 1963. The tubers were grown as a food crop by the Aztecs, but this use largely died out after the Spanish Conquest. Attempts to introduce the tubers as a food crop in Europe were unsuccessful.
This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.
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