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The near and the far
The near and the far The Temple of Athena at Priene was built in the Ionic order, which is clearly recognisable by the shape of the capitals with their two volutes (curls). Over time, the entire temple had collapsed or been destroyed. All the columns lay on the ground and their discs were scattered about.…
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The past and the present
The past and the present In the foreground are the columns of the Temple of Athena in the ancient Greek city of Priene, in Turkey. In the background lie the neatly laid-out fields of the plain below. Archaic Priene had a seaport, but the mouth of the River Meander silted up over time, during the…
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Gerasa-Jerash
Gerasa-Jerash Only a stone’s throw away: Walk down the South Decumanus road of Roman Gerasa into present day Jerash – or vice versa – and you bridge a time span of two thousand years in just a few minutes. Actually this switching in time is nothing extraordinary. It happens with every visit to historical monuments…
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The Red Maple
The Red Maple When desperate and tired of the society of men I find refuge with trees Living off water, air, sun their feet firmly planted in the earth their foliage in full splendour overhead and no blood on their hands Photo of the week: Daitoku-ji complex, Koto-in, Kyoto, Japan 2008
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Sento Park
Sento Park The raking together of dead leaves is not exactly an occupation that captures the imagination. Except in Japan. With their neat appearance the lady gardeners show respect and dedication to their work. It reminds me of the title of a book – which I aptly modify here for the occasion: Zen and the…
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U-turn – if you can
U-turn – if you can I don’t think they can. It looks as if they are too big and the aquarium too narrow for them to turn around. They are condemned to stay floating in the water as they are : tail to tail. Photo of the week: Kyoto, Japan 2008
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A ray of sunshine …
A ray of sunshine … … just enough for the museum guard to bask for a moment in its warmth. A quiet, peaceful scene, for a considerable part due to the inventive architectural design of Daniel Libeskind, with its sober interplay of lines, light and colours. We are in the Jewish Museum in Berlin, where…
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The encounter
The encounter Light reflections make for intriguing pictures. I like posting them on my blog now and then (look for them under Reflections tag). In the 3-dimensional world we often see reflections without really noticing them. Our brain immediately filters them out; we look through them. But on a photograph they clearly show up. The…
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Musers
Musers The musings of the stone figures are focussed on the child at their feet that goes its own way. The large head in the back is looking in the same direction but seems engrossed in his own thoughts. This musing in unison is contagious, I feel like joining them. Photo of the week: Berlin,…
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Attractive simplicity
Attractive simplicity Happiness is hard to find when living in abject poverty. Or at the other end of the line where one bathes in abject luxury. Fortunately there is a middle ground where true happiness can be found. Running into a rudimental little terrace after a hike around a lake. Listening to a man playing…
