Walk in a Rural Town Street

Wuchuan, 2012

Linking with Walk in the Street and Weekend in Black and White.

In Search of Beauty

Some business signs inspire confidence. Others, well... not so much.

Cebu, 2011

Yet this beauty parlor in Cebu had a line-up of eager customers.

And how could you resist patronizing a parlor that promises, "You don't have to go anywhere, because with our service you will be... too gorgeous"!

Manila, 2011

Linking with seekers of Signs, Signs. Have some fun and check out other informative, humorous and creative signs from around the globe.

Venasque WWI Memorial

Today I bring you to the medieval town of Venasque in Provence.

Less than a dozen kilometers southeast from Carpentras where my parents lived for many years, perched up on a rocky outcrop, is this picturesque old town we often passed through on our outings by car.

Fortunately we stopped one time so I could capture this World War I memorial for Taphophile Tragics.

Venasque, 2007

While I liked the monochrome version, my honey preferred the color... so mouseover and choose your own. But he agreed that this handsome profile of the fallen soldier looked better in black and white.

The war memorial stands next to the Romanesque Church of Notre-Dame (12th-17th C).

And overlooks the Nesque valley below.

Whimsical Birds Mural

I don't know anything about this mural painted on a corrugated metal fence in Cebu, but I know I liked it as soon as I spotted it. Click.

Cebu, 2011

Then I took a closer look and saw how whimsical - and odd - it is. Click.

And as I walked past it, I realized what a challenge it would have been to paint on this surface. Click.

Linking with Monday Mural. Go check out other marvelous murals from around out globe.

Goats on a Tropical Beach

Ilocos, 2010

All I need to say about this is that right about now I'd rather be a goat on a sunny tropical beach. Just for a few minutes, okay?

Linking with Camera Critters.

The Grand Millenium Reflected

This is part of the Grand Millenium Plaza building reflected in the windows of Sheung Wan Golden Centre in Central, Hong Kong.

First in monochrome for Weekend in Black and White. [Better seen enlarged.]

Hong Kong, 2007

And then, because I really couldn't decide which I liked better, a slightly different angle in color for Weekend Reflections.

When I took these photographs some years ago, we were on a fast walk and I really only noticed the clock tower and the art decoish details. I was expecting to find some interesting information about the architecture. It was therefore a bit of a disappointment to learn that this is a relatively new building completed in 1998 with no real historical significance.

What you would not realize just from looking at these photos is that right behind the clock tower the Grand Millenium Plaza is a 28-floor multi-purpose building. I didn't take a photo of it.

This was an urban renewal project started in 1988 on 7,200 sqm lot of land in a then rather dilapitaded area of Central on which the two towers were built: this one you see, plus another 52-story glass tower with a similar lower floor design (ranking 20th on the list of tallest buildings in HK). Between the two towers there is a 3,365 sqm Italian-inspired plaza, complete with fountain, trees and flower planters - an amazing little oasis in the urban center. This photo shows only a small part of it.

The buildings and plaza are worth a closer look. I found this 360-degree view online (and it gave permission to use it for non-commercial purposes). After clicking on the center red arrow and OK, click on full screen on the top left; then use your mouse to drag left-right-up-down to change your view. You can also zoom in or out. It's cool.

The Millenium Plaza

Markers in the Wilderness

Today's post for Taphophile Tragics and Our World Tuesday is short.

While we were out appreciating the vastness that is the aimag of Hovd...

Mongolia, 2007

... I hardly expected to find this: 

 

No living humans around for miles and miles. Makes you wonder, doesn't it?