Silent Sunday
Tankar
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #79 – A Window With a View
Keep creating new windows from which to look at your world. Never accept your current view of the world as the only view. Let new awareness help you to alter your view and motivate you to be the force of change in your life. – Don Shapiro
A window can stand for so many things… and windows are attractive to any photographer. This time, Amy’s inspirational choice is A Window With a View. My windows offer very different ideas of a window view – depending on the perspective, who you are, where you are and maybe how you are.
Set wide the window. Let me drink the day.
– Edith Wharton
Library of Water – Roni Horn
You are your state of mind. Your state of mind creates your view,
Windows hold a different dream for each of us.
―
If you want the people to understand you, invite them to your life and let them see the world from your window!
You have the nicest window, you know? None of the others can even compete. It´s not flashy like the others, or bleary, your window gives of this nice, quiet light.
– Banana Yoshimoto
Open the window of your mind. Allow the fresh air, new lights and new truths to enter.
– Amit Ray
These windows were found in Italy (Rome), Georgia (Tbilisi), Iceland, Poland, Sweden, Bhutan and Scotland. (My own old favorite, is in the header here. )
Thank you for sharing so many, very special spots last week! We hope you join us this week for Amy’s inspiring “A Window With a View” challenge. Just add your link to her post. (Links from the Reader are not working correctly.) Use the Lens-Artists tag to help us find you.
As always, Patti, Amy, Tina and I thank you for your continued support. Hope to see you again next week when Tina is our host for challenge #80!
Thursday Thoughts – Mostar
One of my favourite images for 2019 was one of the Stari Most. I think its special beauty and story is worth a post of its own.
Ever since I was a child I have wanted to see this city and its magnificent bridge. But the Old Bridge was destroyed on 9 November 1993 during the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I was devastated to see the war ruining so many people’s lives, the beautiful city and the famous bridge. In my classes, I had several students whose whole family had fled this area trying to escape the terrible war. I am glad they found a new, safer home in Sweden.
Mostar was named after the bridge keepers (mostari) who in medieval times guarded the bridge. The Old Bridge is today one of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s most visited landmarks. They say the dangerous jump from the bridge into the cold Neretva waters is still a rite of passage for boys in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We did not see anyone jumping though, but I guess the waters are even more cold this season…
More history: When the town was fortified between 1520 and 1566, the original wooden bridge was rebuilt in stone. Stari Most was erected in 1566 on the orders of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and spanning 28 meters of the Neretva river (92 feet) and 20 meters (66 feet) above the water level, it quickly became a wonder in its own time.
A monumental project to rebuild the Old Bridge and restore surrounding structures and historic neighbourhoods was initiated in 1999 and mostly completed by Spring 2004. In July 2005, UNESCO inscribed the Stari Most and its closest vicinity onto the World Heritage List.
This single-arch stone bridge is an exact replica of the original bridge that stood for over 400 years and was designed by Hajrudin, a student of the great Ottoman architect Sinan. The two towers, Halebija and Tara, have always housed the guardians of the bridge and during Ottoman times they were storehouses for ammunition.
Crossing from the west bank to the east you’ll also be crossing the ancient point where East and West symbolically met. To the right is the oldest mosque in Mostar: the Cejvan Cehaj Mosque built in 1552.
A must is also the visit to Old Bazar Kujundziluk, an Ottoman-era market that maintains its original atmosphere with cobblestone roads and narrow streets lined with artisan shops –
– and of course – Cats.
It may have been rainy some days on our tour, but we were very grateful to visit the Balkans during off season – letting us thoroughly enjoy and contemplate their many historic gems.
Wordless Wednesday
Tuesday Photo Challenge – Portal
Macro Monday
Silent Sunday
Lens Artists Photo Challenge #78 – Special Spot Shots
Having delighted in all your favorite photos from 2019, We would love to invite you to some Special Spot Shots!
In November 1979 the historic city of Split, Croatia, built around the Diocletian Palace, was included in the UNESCO register of World Cultural Heritage. Today, the palace is well preserved with all the most important historical buildings. It is so well hidden behind new facades and modern stores, that If you don’t know where the southern gate to the palace is – you will not find your way in!
Somewhere behind those palm trees, lies the entrance to the palace’s cellars – let’s enter – My Special Spot!
Diocletian’s Palace was built for the Roman emperor Diocletian at the turn of the fourth century AD, which today forms about half the old town of Split, Croatia. It is referred to as a ”palace”, but the term is rather misleading as the structure is massive and more resembles a large fortress: about half of it was for Diocletian’s personal use, and the rest housed the military garrison.
The construction of Diocletian’s palace is assumed to have begun around 295, and the ground plan of the palace is an irregular rectangle measuring east: 214.97 m, north: 174.74 m, south: 181.65 m
There is a legend, probably from the 10th century, telling how Croatian king Držislav (named King Solomon), captured by the Venetians, played a chess match to gain his freedom. He won all three parties and was set free, and in some versions, he also got power over the Dalmatian cities. Thus, the chessboard ended up in the Croatian flag.
The northern gate is one of the four principal Roman gates into the Palace – originally the Main gate (the Golden Gate) from which the Emperor entered the complex. The gate is on the road to the north, towards Salona, the then capital of the Roman province of Dalmatia and Diocletian’s birthplace.
The second most important gate was the Silver Gate – here seen from the monumental central square, the Peristyle, inside the palace.
The Palace was built of white local limestone and marble of high quality, most of which was from the Brač marble quarries on the island of Brač, of tuff taken from the nearby river beds, and of brick made in Salonitan and other factories. The stones we walked are the original ones – which gives you quite the feeling and perspective!
As the world’s most complete remains of a Roman palace, it holds an outstanding place in Mediterranean, European, and world heritage. Diocletian’s Palace was also used as a location for filming the fourth season of the HBO series Game of Thrones.
The old city is very much alive – not a museum.
The Mausoleum of the Roman Emperor Diocletian
– now a church.
Narrow streets…
…and open spaces close to…
…the eastern gate.
The Palace was decorated with numerous 3500-year-old granite sphinxes, possibly originating from the site of Egyptian Pharaoh Thutmose III. Only three have survived the centuries. One is still on the Peristyle – as seen above.
After some hours of breathtakingly being transported through history, we left by the same gate we entered, the southern gate, where the emperor used to arrive by boat. As we already had noticed, today’s modern sphinxes rule the city – the cats. This sphinx sitting on the left hand side – watching you arrive and watching you leave.
Surely he has got the true sphinx look !
Now we are looking forward to seeing Your very special spot shots – maybe a room in your home, a garden, a mountain, a city, an exhibition, a lovely café…a place that is special to you!
Thank you for so generously sharing your own 2019 with us! We have enjoyed so many interesting galleries – and it was so hard to pick just some of them, but…
Have you seen these:
Sue’s eclectic gallery
From Beyond the Window Box and Judith we get gardening and beautiful views of Berwick upon Tweed
Paulie of The Life in My Years shares some stunning memories – and life lessons – with us
Su Leslie sends a glorious gallery from New Zealand
Davide‘s gallery will surprise you
Be sure to link to my original post, (Links posted within the Reader are not working correctly) and to use the Lens-Artists tag to help us find you. And, of course please visit Amy’s blog next week for Challenge #79!
As always, Patti, Amy, Tina and I hope you will join us.
Thursday Thoughts – Pur Pur
This is Pur Pur, another magical restaurant In Tbilisi, Georgia.
A bit hard to find though – in the middle of this big construction site called – Tbilisi. Luckily there were some signs on the way…
…so, finally we found Pur Pur, in the old town area. Resting close to a peaceful park –
– leaning against another house, it was one of the last houses still standing. Just open the door, walk slowly up the stairs, enter the room, and you will be enveloped in its warm, rich and creative atmosphere!
Their food is delicious, and so is the Georgian wine. We got the blue table by the window, where we had our farewell dinner, saying goodbye to a very special country, a very special city and a very special people.
If you ever find Pur Pur while roaming the world – (it might not be found in the same house by then…) I do recommend you to drop in – and not only for the food and the wine. You will leave a richer person than you first arrived here.
Wordless Wednesday
Leya 
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