Weekly Photo Challenge: Monument

12 april, 2014 / Leya / 11 kommentarer

Monument of an old, once great, lost culture. Today’s China is growing great in another sense.

One Trip EVERY Month Challenge: Hornborgasjön

10 april, 201411 april, 2014 / Leya / 20 kommentarer

Marianne has begun a new challenge where you take one trip every month, near or far, and take photos or write all about it. Join her here http://eastofmalaga.net/2014/01/20/new-challenge-one-trip-every-month/

Here’s how:

Each month, visit somewhere and then write about your trip or describe it using photographs – whichever suits you best.
Don´t forget to title and tag your entry ’One Trip EVERY Month Challenge’, and link back to this page.
Display the Challenge logo on your post or in your sidebar.
HAVE FUN!

I had been dreaming of Hornborgasjön since I was a teenager – being an avid bird watcher for years. But somehow we never went. Spring is a busy time of the year and Hornborgasjön is situated in the middle of nowhere. Finally, I got to see it. Thanks to my son moving to and studying in Skövde, some kilometres from this famous lake.

Parking our car – we heard them clearly – the cranes.

Walking towards the lake was a dream. The sound of the cranes was not as dominating as I thought it would be. The graceful birds were thrown out in a string of pearls along the water pools.

And more cranes were flying in …

A breathtaking 19 800 cranes were there this sunny day. Together with…

ornithologists and photographers…

…and of course children! Playing quietly when bird watching got tiresome…

I never got tired of course. Fascinating birds in a beautiful environment on a delightful morning – what more could I ask for?

Five o’clock the next morning we were back to see the birds flying in, from their safe resting places out in the lake, to have breakfast with us.

For more of my pictures, a closer view and more information about the graceful cranes and Hornborgasjön, click here.

Travel Theme: Misty

5 april, 2014 / Leya / 32 kommentarer

Travelling home by car every day – sometimes in misty evenings. Occationally misty enough to stop the car for a photo, here of the mist…and the moon. These three are all shots using my smart phone the same evening.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Smooth Objects

1 april, 20142 april, 2014 / Leya / 30 kommentarer

From Salvadór Dalí and Figueras, Spain – Smooth!

Door handle…

…and seductive lips

Weekly Travel theme: Statues

30 mars, 2014 / Leya / 19 kommentarer

Grave yards are some of my favourite places for taking walks. At Highgate Cemetary in London I can walk for hours in the calm and peaceful athmosphere. The statues are all very beautiful here.

This sleeping woman was found under the ivy last year, and totally intact, in one piece of marble. She had been sleeping under the ivy for decades.

This dog is another faithful friend, just like Bobby, sculptured to stay with his master or mistress beyond death.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Texture

27 mars, 2014 / Leya / 33 kommentarer

Texture from Cee this week! One of my favourite textures is from New Zealand, South Island and the great Glaciers. We stayed for several hours – just enjoying.

Ese’s Weekly Shoot & Quote Challenge: Hot

10 mars, 201411 mars, 2014 / Leya / 35 kommentarer

Some like it hot…but who would guess that I was once going to quote Paris Hilton? This photo is from one of the hot areas on Iceland. Please stick to the path here…

For more hot stuff – go to Ese!

This is Earth. Isn’t it hot?

Paris Hilton

One Trip EVERY Month Challenge: Östersund and Maria

6 mars, 20146 mars, 2014 / Leya / 28 kommentarer

Here’s how:

Each month, visit somewhere and then write about your trip or describe it using photographs – whichever suits you best.
Don´t forget to title and tag your entry ’One Trip EVERY Month Challenge’, and link back to this page.
Display the Challenge logo on your post or in your sidebar.
HAVE FUN!

I should have gone before Christmas, but a storm closed down all transportation in the southern part of Sweden. My flight was cancelled only a couple of hours before take-off. I was finally going to meet one of my blogger friends, Maria, living in Östersund up north, and I can’t say how disappointed I was. And Maria too. We had been planning this for about half a year, and we both laughed in the phone at the disaster …there was nothing else we could do…

I had to book another flight – not until February was it possible for us to meet. I was looking forward to a lot of winter, snow and fabulous walks on their big lake, Storsjön. The trip turned out to be … something quite different, but maybe not less wonderful!