Gaudí’s garden, Spain.
Do you like things Rough? Go to Cee, here, for more!
And thank you so much for being featured on smooth things!
Travel
SL – WEEK 34: Trees
Sylvain Landry. My favourite theme…Trees. They are an important part of my life. In fact…in many ways they represent Life to me. My Silent Sunday entry from my ”own” forest, should have been my entry here…but I will have to pick another one.
From the Pyrenées – a hot summer long ago…lovely hikes and my daughter in a tree.
Cee’s Black & White Challenge: Weather
Weather is an essential topic for people in Sweden. We talk about it every day. We watch the reports on any device within reach and we complain about it to anyone who might listen. So, a very interesting challenge, Cee! Click here for more weather!
CFFC: Things That are Smooth
Shibaozhai – Precious Stone Fortress
In the Territory of Zhongxian County of Chongqing there is a rock on the Yangtze river, with a vermilion 12-storey pavilion built against it.
No post was made on this, because I thought the weather was too bad and my shots could not give a fair picture of its beauty. Tonight I happened to find this pavilion again…and a post just had to be written. This is a beautiful piece of art – try to forget about the miserable weather conditions and just enjoy.
Built in the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644), Shibaozhai consists of a gate, a pavilion and a temple.
The bridge out to the cliff is rather tricky to walk. A good advice is to walk in the middle…
…and then follow the marble reliefs.
The gate is covered with some vivid reliefs, and within the gate is the 184 feet high 12-storey wooden pavilion. It is the tallest specimen of ancient architecture with the most storeys in China. A breathtaking view when the pavilion comes in sight just around the corner.
Originally it was only nine storeys high,
but in 1956 three more (called Kuixing Pavilion) were added. A spiral staircase in the pavilion can take tourists to the top to reach the temple.
Inside the pavilion, there are steles and inscriptions of past dynasties on each floor. And on your way up, you can also admire the Yangtze River from the windows of each floor.
At least some of it…in the drizzle.
Upon arriving at the top of the pavilion, there is a flat stone dam. Here stands the ancient ‘Lanruo Temple’ at the highest point of the Precious Stone Fortress.
The so-called Rice Flowing Hole has a legend to it. According to this legend, rice flowed from the hole every day after the temple had been built. A greedy monk wanting even more rice to flow from the hole made it larger – and from that day no more rice appeared.
After the water level rose because of the Three Gorges Dam Project, millions of people had to leave their homes for ever, and the Shibaozhai too was threatened to disappear in the water. Thanks to measurements to protect the pavilion, we can still visit this masterpiece today.
Go back to the first photo again – and you will realize that the whole village beneath the pavilion is now submerged.
WPC: Life Imitates Art
Cheri at WordPress gives us an interesting challenge:
This week, find inspiration in a piece of art. Then, imitate it.
Paris, the Louvre – inspirational!
OK, this is eight years ago…but we still have fun together – 6 monkeys and my daughter, the photographer. 7 generations? More imitaions here.
CFFC: Things that are Cold
As I am still in Iceland…at least in my mind – here is the frozen Gullfoss. And I assure you, it was COLD. Hang on to the tiny left corner to warm you up… For more cold things, click here and visit Cee.
WPC: Time
Time – we are all moving in it – and through it. And looking back…through what we think is a clear window frame, we realize the blur and the shadows. Time changes everything, and we can never know or be certain about the way everything looked or worked…
Not in Ostia Antica, Rome, and not even yesterday, at home. In our minds we can imagine or remember – but the moment in time is gone.
CFFC: Things that are Hot
As I have just been soaked in the hot pools in Iceland, I quote: ”Some Like it Hot”…
For other hot spots – click here.
Hot pools in New Zealand and in Iceland. The difference is that you should not put your foot in the NZ pool…you might lose it.
Leya 
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