China

Lens-Artists Challenge #196 – Humor

/ Leya / 52 kommentarer

John is a man of great humour, and a brilliant word juggler – this week he is our guest host. ”I hope, as this is published, we can still find at least a corner of our lives for some humor. ‘We must keep our sense of humor, sometimes it’s all we have left.’”

Go to his site for inspiration! I will try my best to find something in my archives…but I don’t have many laughing people, instead it will be mostly words and signs that made me laugh. And dogs of course.

The first gallery is from China and New Zealand – fun wording and signs. I too wish car explosions were forbidden everywhere…And who would want to keep in touch with the evil looking figure on the sign?

Great fun is to be had every day if you have animals around. My dogs (almost) always make me smile. Totti was a funny dog, he had his favourite chair, and once he had occupied it – no one could remove him from there. His daughter, Belezza, was fast as lightning, but obviously Totty never was…Swoooosch, and she left him bewildered, sitting, lying or standing…take a look at the expression on his face!

Special thanks to Anne for hosting last weeks colourful contributions! They really brightened up our days. For this week, your good humor will be greatly appreciated! We look forward to seeing your responses. Please remember to link them to his original post , and to use the Lens-Artists tag to help us find you. Next week’s host will be Tina, but until then, why not follow John’s advice…

”Stay well, stay safe, be weird, wonderful, shapely and designed, follow your bliss, celebrate your celebrity, be choosy and serene. Have a good year, and above all, keep your sense of HUMOR!”

Tuesday Photo Challenge – Vista

/ Leya / 31 kommentarer

Dear Frank, of My most breathtaking vista, I have no photographs. Machu Pichu was a childhood dream, and I went to Peru in the 1980’s to see it. No camera. When we finally reached the top of the mountain, the Urubamba river down below and the surrounding rainforest oozing thin dew drops along the mountain side…I could hardly breathe. For me, Nothing beats that vista.

So, I will have to give you another one. The Great Wall, the first time I saw it and walked it. Early morning light. Not a sound. That special feeling maybe fades a bit every time you visit, but it is still an impressive sight the fifth time you visit.

Many years later, we traveled on the highest elevated railway in the world – built on permafrost – from Beijing to Lhasa. The plateau on which Lhasa and Tibet is situated, offers stunning vistas every time you look out the window. They have to use extra oxygen in the train because of the height, but feeling ”high” on this journey had nothing to do with the extra oxygen…

These photos are all taken with a simple point and shoot – but highly treasured by me.

CFFC: Arch, Dome or Half Circle

/ Leya / 9 kommentarer

For Cee – three different, man made examples and one natural this Tuesday.

In the header, Moroccan architecture.

Beijing, Bridges in the Forbidden City.

Reykjavik, Hallgrímskirkja

And Rome, nature’s own design

 

 

WPC: I’d Rather Be…

/ Leya / 28 kommentarer

Krista’s challenge…where/what would I rather be/doing…is quite easily answered, but then again – maybe not. It is not easy to pick some special activities among so many interesting things I like to do.

In the header is one of the last pictures of my Dream Garden, that used to belong to an old couple I have known for many years. Last summer their garden was sold, and those who bought it, immediately changed it for ever. I’d rather be with my old friends in their fantastic garden – but I know this dream belongs to the past.

Generally I am rather happy as I am…but here are some more suggestions:

I might rather be…walking the streets of Rome, enjoying its history while passing old and abandoned buildings.

I’d rather be attending interesting exhibitions…

And I’d rather be hiking new and exciting landscapes…

But, most of all, I’d rather be walking my everyday paths in the forest, with Totti. Hopefully, in some weeks, finding the forest floor exploding with white wood anemonies. Oh, the joy!

 

Travel theme: Leaves – Beautiful Dead and Alive

/ Leya / 22 kommentarer

Leaves for Ailsa. Trees and their leaves do represent life, and in China I always admire the ancient Ginko tree with its beautifully designed leaves. But on our last trip there, I found these traditionally painted leaves and could not resist buying one. They were framed in glass, otherwise not possible to take home.

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From China – so thin and fragile – a handpainted leaf from a Banyan tree. Some lamp light from the right side, but hopefully you can understand what it looks like on my wall.

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Travel theme: History

/ Leya / 9 kommentarer

Travel theme: History

To me, maybe China and the Great Wall stands out when I think of History. Not only is it very old, but there is so much history behind the building of the wall, so many lost lives and such a fascinating idea from the start.

So, I keep returning to it…

Travel theme: Exits

/ Leya / 8 kommentarer

From Ailsa this week – Exits.

Photos from China 2009 – A starspangled exit at the airport, and another kind of exit …I hope you think it is rather sweet anyway…

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SL-WEEK: Reflection

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For Sylvain Landry – Reflection. I love the way the world changes in reflections. In the header, a photo from somewhere in China, where many separate worlds are revealed …and the second photo is from my forest at home. My world.

Bäcken lever. The brook comes alive when the ice is gone.

Bäcken lever. The brook comes alive when the ice is gone.

 

SL-WEEK 43: Wedding

/ Leya / 22 kommentarer

According to Chinese tradition, the bride always wears red on her wedding day. So, for Sylvain Landry, this week’s wedding pictures come from China. Old tradition in the beautiful water city of Suzhou, and in the header, a modern couple walking the Bond overlooking the Pudong area in Shanghai.

 

 

SL-WEEK 37: Electricity

/ Leya / 4 kommentarer

 

Sylvain Landry this week – something essential in our high – tech society – electricity.

The Three Gorges Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Yangtze River in China. The Three Gorges Dam is the world’s largest power station with a total electric generating capacity of 22.500MW.

The dam project was started in 1993 and completed in 2012, 

As well as producing electricity, the dam is intended to increase the Yangtze River’s shipping capacity and reduce the potential for floods downstream. The Chinese government regards the project as a total success, However, the dam flooded archeological and cultural sites and displaced some 1.4 million people, (See the post on Shibaozhai earlier.) It is also causing significant ecological changes, The Chinese river dolphin became extinguished and there is an increased risk of landslides. The dam was built in an area of potential earthquakes, and the consequences if – this would happen,  would be disastrous.

There are two series of ship locks installed – each of them is made up of five stages, with transit time at around four hours. We passed during the night. Looking out from the balcony, this is what we saw.