Tuesday Photo Challenge – Rectangles

For Franks weekly challenge – rectangles! Harpa, Iceland. Look closely and you will find the top of Hallgrimskirkja too.

 

Lens – Artists Photo Challenge #56 – Seascapes and/or Lakeshore

The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.

 – Jacques Yves Cousteau, Oceanographer

 

Amy shows some amazing seascapes from her cruisings, and challenges us to post our own memorable moments from seascapes and lakeshores. My images are from my Icelandic journey this July.

First I would like to thank you for sharing your dreams with us last week – amazing! Now some of my seascapes might continue in that dreamy perspective…but it certainly takes some time to wake up from a dreamy era!

Having visited Iceland several times before, we soon realised how lucky we were with the weather. So lucky, that Icelanders we met could not but smile and congratulate. – They told us that their own criteria for ”Good Weather” is No Wind.

My opening image was shot from the peak of Eldfell at Heimaey in Vestmannaeyar, looking out to the North Atlantic. Hiking the volcano is fairly easy and takes less than an hour. And you are rewarded with breathtakingly beautiful views – if the mist lifts, and this time it did.

All the other seascapes are from Snæfellsnes peninsula, West Iceland. The name of the sea or fjord added. And, there is no colour enhancing – this is true Icelandic blue!

Arnarstapi, Faxaflói

Lóndrangar, Faxaflói

Stykkishólmur, Breiðafjörður

Stykkishólmur, Breiðafjörður

Hvammsfjörður

Hvalfjörður

Hvalfjörður, and yes, this is the pier where the whaling ships unloaded – and still unloads the captured whales. In 1981 we were here to see it with our own eyes. A 50 ton whale was taken care of in less than three hours. I cried all the way. The only comfort was that every piece of it came to use – nothing was thrown away. Many skilled Japanese worked here in those days. We know that they still catch whales in Iceland, and this station was used last year. I was not happy to learn this. But, it seems there is some trouble with Japan, so, no whaling in 2019. Hopefully Icelandic whaling will come to an end, because they no longer depend on it for a living.

The sea lives in every one of us – Wyland

Welcome to join in – we are looking forward to seeing you!

 

 

 

 

Thursday Thoughts – The Reykjavik Concert Hall

Harpa is the name of the concert hall and conference center in Reykjavik, Iceland.

The structure consists of a steel framework clad with geometric shaped glass panels of different colours. The distinctive colored glass facade was inspired by the basalt landscape of Iceland.

 

The opening concert was held on May 4, 2011. As this unfortunately was our last day in Iceland, we could not attend any concert this time.

Harpa was designed by the Danish firm Henning Larsen Architects in co-operation with Danish – Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson.

The building is the first purpose-built concert hall in Reykjavík and it was developed in consultation with artistic advisor Vladimir Ashkenazy and international consultant Jasper Parrott of HarrisonParrot. It houses the Iceland Symphonic Orchestra and the offices of The Icelandic Opera.

Needless to say, I was deeply impressed and in awe. The Icelanders are so aesthetically perfect, and so skilled at every possible art form.

Tuesday Photo Challenge – Sculpture

Dear Frank, so glad you came back despite the delay!  –  Here comes a ship instead of a plane. I doubt it could have brought you home though…

Iceland, Reykjavik – The Sun Voyager.

The artist is Jón Gunnar Árnason, Sun Voyager is described as a dreamboat, or an ode to the Sun. A dream of hope, progress and freedom.

Tuesday Photo Challenge – Hill

For Frank this week – I tried to squeeze in this prompt even if I am not at home (really)…

This farm had a spectacular setting up on a hill,  and fleeting dark clouds on the mountains behind it.