Open doors

Open doors, originally uploaded by *zillig.

Vila dos Remédios,
Fernando de Noronha

Photo by Lilian, Rio de Janeiro - BRASIL.

Meeting adjourned

meeting adjourned, originally uploaded by scottog.

Photo by Scott Ogilvie, SCOTLAND.

Autumn view

autumn view, originally uploaded by nature adrift.

Photo by Martin, South Devon - UK.

Once it was such a Beautiful House...

Once it was such a Beautiful House..., originally uploaded by Samantha Casolari.

Photo by Samantha Casolari, Brooklyn - NY, USA.

Our Little Mary

Our Little Mary, originally uploaded by TooLoose-LeTrek.

Photo by Too-Loose le Trek, USA.

Defunked bridge

defunked bridge, originally uploaded by nature adrift.

Old decaying railway bridge crossing hooe lake channel

Photo by Martin, South Devon - UK.

Secret movie screens of the dead...

Secret movie screens of the dead -- Pere Lachaise Cemetery, originally uploaded by bekon.

Pere Lachaise Cemetery

Photo by Chris, Tokyo - JAPAN.

Perfect reflection of an industrial past

Perfect reflection of an industrial past, originally uploaded by Jaxpix50.

Slater terrace is a derelict row of cotton workers' houses. They were unique when they were built (by George Slater industrialist of our town) as the workers lived above the the warehouses. that's really 'living on the job'.

Someday I am sure they will be renovated and sold for millions!!!

It is of course merely a reflection in our favourite Leeds to Liverpool Canal.

The day was bitterly cold with not a breath of wind. No boats were sailing.. even the ducks were trying to get warm somewhere... how lucky for me.. the perfect reflection. I did nearly fall in getting the top of the chimney in the reflection!

Photo by Jackie, Lancashire - ENGLAND.

Cemitério de Sta.Cruz - East Timor

timor03, originally uploaded by mikelegurra.

After a very long time under Indonesian rule, the ex-Portuguese colony of East Timor finally got their freedom and became the world's youngest nation. These are the final days, before the referendum that led to independence.
Things got a little caotic at the time but it worked out in the end, despite thousands killed during the war over the years.

Photo by Maique Madeira, PORTUGAL.

Slums of Jakarta

slums of Jakarta, originally uploaded by uninvolved observer.

That's water between the pole houses...

And these are the people who live there:



Photos by Uninvolved Observer, Shenzhen - CHINA.

Abyaneh

Abyaneh, originally uploaded by HORIZON.

Abyaneh-in progress.
Being a village of great antiquity, Abyaneh is like a living architectural and anthropological museum. It affords an impressive exponent of the adaptation of man with his environment.
It is located on the north-western slope of Mt Karkas. It is 2500 meters above sea level and 80 kms away from Kashan.
Abyaneh is mainly watered by the river of Barzrud, set on the slope of the lofty mountain of Karkas, this village has a cold climate and enjoys numerous springs creating a favorite condition for agriculture.
Considering the evidence found in Abyaneh, it dates back to antiquity, but its golden age was during the Safavid period.
The word Abyaneh has been derived from the word "viona" meaning willow grove. (In the local dialect "vey" means willow.)
The village is expanded along the river, and it's configuration indicates that in the past the people showed much consideration for security. Although the village itself is situated on high ground, there are three castles that protected the people when the enemy attacked.
Furthermore, the configuration of Abyaneh protects it from strong winds and floods.
Abyaneh has a compact fabrication with narrow and steep alleys. Set on the slope of the mountain, the houses are arranged in a stair-step shape, the houses' roofs are the yards of the others. The materials used for building the roofs are timbers, straw and clay. The walls, built by red mud bricks are
impressive. The mud bricks are of quality that become harder when they are exposed to the rain. To use the sun as much as possible, the houses face the east. An impressive aspect of Abyaneh's architectures is that the houses are uniform in appearance. The doors, most of which have two knockers, are
wooden and built in traditional styles. There are beautiful patterns, poems and the names of the owner and mason carved on some doors. These poems afford a good picture of the old Iranian culture. Many facades date back to the Safavid period.
Beside the door of many houses there are small platforms providing place for passers-by or local residents to rest for a while.
The simplicity found in Abyaneh's houses affords a picture of life in rural Iran. Each room is used for various purposes. For example, a single room may be used as a dining-room, a sitting -room, a bed-room and a guest-room. To economize in the use of fuel, the rooms used in winter are architecturally different from those used in summer. For providing equal light for all parts of the rooms, there are several small openings in the roofs. The size of the rooms, windows and doors all ndicate
the simplicity of life in this old village.
Abyaneh is called an entrance to the Iranian history. In some of the houses there is earthenware belonging to a few hundred years ago. The local traditional clothes are in style of great antiquity.
The language spoken is Pahlavi-e-Dari (an Iranian language of the Parthian people who were inhabitants of an ancient country to the southeast of the Caspian Sea, now a part of NE Iran).
In addition to natural beauties, there are several historical monuments in Abyaneh, all of these attracts many tourists to visit Abyaneh.

Photo by HORIZON, Iran.

Vigo. La Taberna de Luis

Vigo. La Taberna de Luis, originally uploaded by Manuel Bóo.

Photo by Manuel Bóo, Vigo, España.

High contrast...

High contrast..., originally uploaded by lapidim.

Salvador - Bahia - Brasil

A worldwide reality...
Una realidad mundial...

Photo by Mario Lapid, Madrid - SPAIN.

Friedhof

Friedhof, originally uploaded by allanimal.

The Jewish cemetery in Worms

Photo by Allan Hise, Heilbronn, GERMANY.

Life in the outskirts

Life in the outskirts, originally uploaded by carf.

Life in the urban outskirts of the big Brazilian cities like São Paulo imposes a life marked by routine, with great limitations in terms of leisure, either due to the facilities' precarious conditions, or due to lack of money.

Young people are offered very few possibilities to entertain themselves, practice sports and generally put their creativity to use. Often there are no realistic alternatives to engaging in illicit actions and the consumption of drugs and alcohol, which on the one hand appear as a form of entertainment, and on the other hand, are found in a violent environment that creates a new set of restrictions on exercise and leisure.

Photo by Gregory J. Smith - CARF, São Paulo - BRAZIL.

The Haunted Lighthouse

the Haunted Lighthouse, originally uploaded by ghostbones.

Some say that the lighthouse up on Henlons Point is haunted by the poor souls who have died on the rocks near the point.
The towns folk say it's just a story made up to keep people away from the lighthouse and dangerous rocks.....some know better.

Photo by Ghostbones, Columbus, Indiana - USA.

Lifta

Lifta, originally uploaded by mekron.

Photo by Mekron.

Far from (being a) home

far from (being a) home, originally uploaded by d.r.lynch.

Photo by Ry

The Wall - 001

TheWall_002.jpg, originally uploaded by cactusbones.

I have started a series of illustrations protesting the Israeli Wall using images from flickr's Palestinian groups and, in future posts, the TV.

The base wall image came with permission from velvetart.


The Wall - 002

Photos by Sue Ann Harkey, London - UK.

Echoes

Echoes, originally uploaded by jiwasz.

This was taken at Eastern State Penetentiary in Philadelphia, PA. The hallway, abandoned since 1971, held prisoners since 1829. Philadelphia was expanding more rapidly than anticipated. The cell block was completed in 1831 and was the first in the prison to have a second floor. Notice the bars above blocking a potential shortcut for prisoners on the second floor.

This was the first penitentiary in the world. The notion of serving time was new. Prisoners were typically branded, whipped or put in stockades at the center of town. The Quakers thought that if the criminal was given housing and food, they would have time to read the only book provided, the Christian bible, and change their lives.

Prisoners had a single window in each of their cells and were permitted into an exercise yard for one hour per day during which time they would have a bag placed over their heads so they would not be able to see any other prisoners or guards. At the time, the long term effects of solitary confinement were not known.

Photo by John Iwasz, Philadelphia - USA.
Take a look!

Kensal Green

Kensal Green, originally uploaded by StefZ.

Photo by Stef, London - UK.

Prairie Fixer Upper

Prairie Fixer Upper, originally uploaded by Mountain Mike.

Photo by Michael E., Bellevue, ID, USA

Closed till next summer

closed till next summer, originally uploaded by Liisa.

Photo by Liisa Anderson, Germany.

Valley of the Sun God, Peru

Valley of the Sun God, Peru, originally uploaded by Storeyland.

Photo by Dena, Decatur - GA.

Faded Glory

Faded Glory, originally uploaded by lapidim.

Salvador - Bahia - Brasil

Photo by Mario Lapid, Madrid - SPAIN.

Requiem aeternam

Requiem aeternam, originally uploaded by cuellar.

Photo by Jose Maria Cuellar, Madrid - SPAIN.

Spanish Colours

Spanish Colours, originally uploaded by lapidim.

Viveda - Cantabria - Spain

I found the Spanish national colours (not so) hidden in this eye-catching façade...

Me deparé con los colores nacionales de España (no tan) escondidos en esta pintoresca fachada...

Photo by Mario Lapid, Madrid - SPAIN.

Santos

Santos, originally uploaded by ênio cesar.

Photo by Ênio Cesar, Paulicéia Desvairada - BRASIL

Science Lab

Science Lab, originally uploaded by mikerosebery.

Rodessa, Louisiana - USA.

Moderator's comment:
Wow! - By the look of things, I don't think the kids enjoyed their lessons!

Photo by Mike Rosebery, Shreveport Louisiana, USA

Ruins

ruins, originally uploaded by nature adrift.

Experiment...

Photo by Martin, South Devon - UK.