Gaudí’s garden, Spain.
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Memories
Thursday Thoughts
Today he would have been 60 years old – my greatest Swedish teenage idol, Ted Gärdestad. 15 years old he wrote his first great hit and then he became a huge teenage idol in Sweden. Producers for his first album – Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson from ABBA.
He decided to end his life when he was only 41.
Ted, you will live for ever in our hearts.
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.
Saturday Snow and Sorting Out
To my great surprise, it was snowing heavily this morning. I knew it would come…but just two days ago I heard the lark had arrived. Always the same thing – get ahead of the others…it might work to your advantage – or not.
I finished my prunings today, giving my pot plants (about 170 plants) new soil and a new life. I had a cup of coffee while contemplating their thankfulness.
Time for the dog walk – should I forget, there is one young man here who is quick to remind me…so I had better call my mother it is time to go.
A thin layer of white – and Totti is totally happy!
Suddenly his nose went into the air…
…and two deer gently sailed away between the trees.
Home again I started on the bookcases – a project I have wanted to start upon since long, but somehow never did. So many books…and so hard to sort out or throw away.
Now I must do it. These are some of my old university studies…more than 30 years old. A photo at least before they go…surely to make room for others though. How I enjoyed reading them in those days! With all my notes and translated words inside, I went through them again, sitting by the fire. But, I’m sure I will never re read them. So, Goodbye, dear friends. Parting is such sweet sorrow…
I wonder, do you have the same difficulties …parting from old friends?
Travel theme: Flutter
Ailsa’s Travel theme goes all the way to Tibet this Friday – See more Flutter here.
Thousands and thousands of prayer flags, fluttering over the mountain roads.
Böneflaggorna sänder bönerna mot himlen
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.
Bodil Malmsten is dead
The much loved, Swedish poet and writer Bodil Malmsten is dead. Two hours ago I heard it on the news. She was in her seventies only and a brilliant thinker and poet. I cannot say how sad this day is – no more poems, books, subtle humour or new thoughts to look forward to. She had such a crisp and different look upon things…something we all needed. Many of us has got her last book by our beds today.
Media is filled with personal memories of her and people’s thoughts of what she has meant to them. She said herself she was not afraid of the big secret – what happens after death. She also said about her cancer: Why not me? Where many of us would think – Why me?
I guess I should not ask – Why you, Bodil. But I do.
Cee’s Black & White Challenge: Food and Beverage
Thursday Thoughts
I have been helping an old friend moving to a home for elderly and disabled people. Yesterday I helped her packing up the last things and putting everything into place. We went through all her paintings as well, to see how many she could use on the new walls and where to put them up. And the rest…I do not know…
She has been diagnosed with Alzheimers. Once she was so smart, sharp tounge and vivid mind and memory. She was even a candidate for a TV prize contest. These last three years…she has been losing everything…and now she can no longer manage on her own. She was also a famous dog breeder for 30 years and won international as well as national fame. Her last dog she could no longer take enough care of, so two weeks ago we went together to the veterinary to put him to sleep. Tough on her and tough on me.
This is so sad, the whole situation. So many people suffer from this disastrous disease. And my old friend has no family, no children – only a half brother. And they have not got along the last 20 years.
She has nobody – but me. Luckily, the last two years she has found a good friend in a new neighbour coming over with some food and cookies – and sometimes some company. I am so glad she is there, as I live 60 kilometres away and cannot visit every day.
When I came up the stairs, she met me with a weak smile – ”I don’t like it here, they are all numb and dumb…cannot speak or understand what I’m saying”. She moved in two weeks ago, after we had been working hard to get her this apartment as she was so alone and needed company in order to eat properly and function socially. She had help four times a day and got food and cleaning as well.
”They are not kind to me here”, she says. ”I want to move.”
We have known each other for 40 years. Now I am searching for my old friend behind those gentle eyes…but I’m afraid she might no longer be there.
Leya 
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