Travel theme: Writing

13 augusti, 2016 / Leya / 13 kommentarer

We once started writing to sum up collected taxes and to label things. We still do. But, we also write for many other reasons – Love for example, and for religious reasons (I guess that too is out of love).

Me meeting all the H.P. fans at the "Elephant House"

Me meeting all the Harry Potter fans at the ”Elephant House” in Edinburgh.

Sometimes the writing is not that beautiful…but still written out of love.

Tibetansk skylt ovanför ingången till ett tempel – Tibetan sign from a temple in Lhasa.

And sometimes I find writing utterly beautiful.

Often the eastern ”alphabets” and writings are much more artistic and beautiful than ours – or what do you think?

Cee’s B&W Photo Challenge: Any Seating Including Tables and Chairs

12 augusti, 2016 / Leya / 14 kommentarer

Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Any Seating including Tables and Chairs

This is Any seating…

from the Car Graveyard in Ryd, Småland, Sweden.

Thursday Thoughts – El Capricho

11 augusti, 201611 augusti, 2016 / Leya / 12 kommentarer

Why do I love Antonio Gaudí? Maybe because of his love for nature’s wonders – starting when he was only a small child. His way of using nature’s forms and designs in everything he created. Making the pillars in Sagráda Família with scars like the tree trunks get when they have lost a branch, making lamps look like flowers and light spill out like waves in the sea…

In every detail he was …mirroring nature.

In Comillas, on the north coast of Spain, you will find this ”folly” – El Capricho – by Gaudí, built for Máximo Díaz de Quijano (a relative of the marquis of Comillas) in the 1880´s. You immediately recognize his style using iron structures, glazed pottery and stained glass.

Come, let’s take a ”folly” walk …

Look out for the iron balconies with built in sofas…

Sunflowers on the tiles

Symmetry

In the bathroom – nature rules

I could dine here…

In my dreams, a dinner with Antonio Gaudí would be optional… to get the opportunity to listen to his ideas and maybe discuss nature’s impact on humans – body and soul. I would have had many, many questions…

I was lucky enough to meet him in his garden, sitting there admiring his work. I tried to get some answers, but mostly we sat quietly contemplating…me admiringly of course. But, I am so thankful for having finally met him – my favourite architect.

Travel theme: Sport

9 augusti, 20169 augusti, 2016 / Leya / 6 kommentarer

Not in the Olympics yet…but this sport is growing rapidly!

A Place Where Nobody Wanted to Live…

8 augusti, 2016 / Leya / 5 kommentarer

The controversial modernist architect Antoni Gaudí is one of my own favourites…but in his own time – he was not always popular. In Barcelona, you might have visited his fabulous Sagrada Família, Casa Battló or La Pedrera and Parc Güell. And Marvelled.

Palacio Episcopal (end of the 19th century) in Astorga was seen as rather abominable in appearance and the cost for building it was just too much for the congregation. No bishop has ever lived there since…

Inside, you recognize Gaudí’s style with beautiful ceramics and stained glass.

The palace is now being restored, and I guess its future visitors will continue to admire his outstanding art.

The magnificent cross bows and his colour combinations are simply divine.

So, be sure to visit when your road leads you here…you cannot get too much of Gaudí!

As usual, click to get a larger view – sometimes you have to click twice…and click the links for my previous posts on his art in Barcelona!

Blog Break – Reloading

11 juli, 201611 juli, 2016 / Leya / 28 kommentarer

It is time for me to have a break. I will be reloading my batteries for a couple of weeks. Hopefully I will be back with new energy to read and write again.

I am so grateful for all of you, friends, readers and followers out there…the blogosphere is a warm and generous place to be. Thank you for your constant support, humour and good advice – and for all your fantasy and inspiration.

I wish you a lovely summer!

Ann-Christine

WPC: Look up

8 juli, 20168 juli, 2016 / Leya / 31 kommentarer

Look up! This is a very varied challenge with many possibilities. My take is all about nature – even if you might not think so…

In the header, a lamp from Gaudí’s Casa Batllo´in Barcelona. He always used Nature herself as an inspiration. Maybe a drop of water in a pool?

A Swedish autumn birch in its splendour – who would not look up?

Great tree ferns, New Zeeland, North Island.

New Zealand’s Great fern trees draws your eye…upwards.

Madrid

In Madrid my head went dizzy when watching this tree in a spectacular swing…

Madrid

And these well dressed trees… I just hade to peep inside for this spectacular view!

For more reasons to look up, click here.

Camilla Thulin – Wear, If You Dare!

8 juli, 2016 / Leya / 22 kommentarer

This rainy day was made for an outing – with darling Viveka at myguiltypleaures. She can make any day shine… We decided for Dunkers and the famous designer Camilla Thulin.

Dunkers

Camilla Thulin loves luxury ”second hand” and started collecting clothes and accessories at an early age. Today she is a famous fashion designer and her clothes are worn by actors as well as singers and other people in the Swedish world of artists.

She also has her own name in fashion and in the world of classy underwear.

The definition of ”Kaftan”, according to the Oxford Dictionary, is a man’s long belted tunic, worn in countries of the Near East. It could also mean a woman’s long loose dress, or a loose shirt or top.

She started collecting folklore when she was 14

Details in a Chinese jacket

Camilla Thulin declares her fascination for this garment, and in the exhibition hall there are kaftans of her design as well as kaftans from her own collection of second hand and folklore clothes from Morocco, Turkey and Palestine, among others.

Details of belt

Kaftans can be worn by both women and men

For the scene, her collection is vast – some examples are ”Piaf”, ”Evita” and ”Amadeus”.

In an earlier post, I mentioned her clothes for Army of Lovers. In this Dunkers’ exhibition there was also a dress made for our Swedish jazz singer, Lisa Nilsson, worn at the Crown Princess’ wedding.