A Photo a Day

January 25, 2008

Egyptian God Bes at Dendera

Filed under: — www.travelphoto.net @ 10:32 am

God Bes, Dendera
Ugly and never shown in profile this dwarf-like god looks very un-Egyptian, and indeed it is suspected that he was imported from somewhere else, maybe other parts of Africa.
Still, as a protector of homes and childbirth, Bes was quite popular although no temples were dedicated to him.
He also acted as god of war and music.
This high relief of Bes (also spelt: Bisu or Bez) is at the entrance to the Dendera temple of Hathor (near Luxor)

January 7, 2008

Castlerigg Stone Circle, near Keswick

Filed under: — site admin @ 7:07 am

sheep, tourists and a stone circle in Castelrigg (Cumbria, England)

Castle Rigg Stone Circle, England, near Keswick

Castlerigg Stone Circle, United Kingdom, photo Laurenz Bobke

The stone circle is about 5000 years old and today consists of 38 stones of varying size.
I’ve seen it in good and bad weather and don’t know which atmosphere to prefer.

more about the Castelrigg circle and more pictures of the stone ring and the sheep:
http://www.travelphoto.net/a-photo-a-day/wordpress/2006/11/12/sheep-at-castlerigg-stone-circle/
http://www.travelphoto.net/a-photo-a-day/wordpress/2005/08/21/castlerigg-stone-circle/

Even more facts at Wikipedia.

May 30, 2007

La Koutoubia Marrakesh

Filed under: — site admin @ 5:56 am

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More photos from Marrakesh.

January 28, 2007

Inner sanctuary, Abu Simbel

Filed under: — site admin @ 8:44 pm

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When I last visited Anu Simbel in 2004, it was imposible to take photos of the inner sanctuary.
Fortunately, I had already done so 12 years earlier.
In the sanctuary there four seated statues of Amun, Ra-Harakhty, Ptah, and Ramesses.
The temple was constructed in such a way that the sun shines directly on 3 of the statues during two days of the year only the statue of Ptah - the god of darkness - remains in the shadow.
More pictures from Abu Simbel.

December 12, 2006

Filed under: — site admin @ 9:59 pm

Bodhi Tree, Bodhgaya

Bodhgaya is maybe the holiest place in Buddhism as Siddharta Gautama (the historical Buddha) is said to have attained enlightenment here.
The tree brightly decorated at the Mahabodhi Temple is said to be a direct descendant of the actual one under which Buddha was meditating when this happened.
Bodhgaya itself is a pleasant small town, remarkable for the different temples erected here by the various Buddhist denominations. A very good chance to come and compare…

August 13, 2006

Lampions



Lanterns at the Shrine, originally uploaded by laurenz.

Now at the time of O Bon, many lanterns are lit all over Japan, - as here in a Fukuoka shrine

August 11, 2006

Oil lamp in Tochoji temple, Fukuoka

Filed under: — laurenzb @ 4:13 pm


Oil lamp in Tochoji temple, Fukuoka, originally uploaded by laurenz.

This temple is famous for holding the largest wooden Buddha statue in the world, but unfortunately photographing this impressive (albeit recent) statue is not permitted.

April 10, 2006

Kiosk of Kertassi

Filed under: — site admin @ 10:25 am

Kalabsha: Kiosk of Kertassi

This is a Greco-Roman building near the Kalabsha temple.
Actually, the kiosk now stands about 20-30 km from its original site - like many other archaeologic treasures it was moved before the Aswan dam was opened.

July 31, 2005

Russian Church in Wiesbaden

Filed under: — site admin @ 1:06 pm



Wiesbaden: Russian Church, originally uploaded by laurenz.

in Wiesbaden itself, this building is universally known as “Griechische Kapelle” (Greek Chapel).
It was, however, built for Elisabeta Michailovna, the Russian wife of the grand Duke Adolf of Nassau.
There is an interesting small Russian graveyard nearby

March 22, 2005

Anuradhapura: Abhayagiri Dagoba

Filed under: — lbobke @ 10:13 pm

Abhayagiri Dagoba, Anuradhapura
The Buddhist “dagoba” once was among the greatest of its kind, but now it is completely overgrown.
A stupa is a Buddhist monument, normally housing a relic. In Sri Lanka, the stupas are called “dagoba”.
This one once housed the famous tooth relic now venerated in the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy.

November 12, 2004

Reclining Buddha

Filed under: — Laurenz @ 9:28 pm

Reclining Buddha, Sri Lanka
The reclining Buddha of Polonnaruwa (Sri Lanka) at night.

September 8, 2004

Atacama Giant

Filed under: — site admin @ 7:49 pm

In the Peruvian and Chilean desert, there are numerous, gigantic drawings made by carefully moving aside the dark pebbles thereby exposing the brighter soil underneath.
The most famous examples of this technique are the so-called “geoglyphs” in Nazca Peru.
As the area is mostly flat, these can only be appreciated from a plane!
Did their builders already have the technology to take to air either with a balloon as some believe or even using alien technology as others imply? Or were the images only supposed to be seen by the gods or shamans who could “leave their body” in a state of trance to “fly” over them?
(Personally, I wonder why the drawings are often very crude - if they were produced by aliens capable of interstella travel, it must have been their pre-school children who drew them!).
A slightly less famous (and less enigmatic) specimen is the so-called “Atacama Giant” in the Chilean Atacama desert: this figure is 115 m tall, but can be viewed quite well without leaving the ground as it takes up the slope of a hill.
If the photos fom my Peru travel turn out well, I may be able to post pictures of the Nazca lines as well, - which actually are quite different in style.
Atacama Giant, Atacam desert, Chile

September 6, 2004

Copán

Filed under: — site admin @ 4:25 am

Another Maya figure in Copán (Honduras)

July 24, 2004

Shinto Shrine

Filed under: — site admin @ 9:16 pm

Shinto Shrine
Shinto shrine in Miyajima. The ceremony performed there was solemn and impressive - although I didn’t understand it at all…

July 16, 2004

Palermo: Cathedral

Filed under: — site admin @ 9:26 am

The Cathedral of Palermo in the blue hour
The Cathedral of Palermo at night

July 7, 2004

Cordoba

Filed under: — site admin @ 5:47 pm

Mosque of Cordoba
Another view of the famous mosque of Cordoba.

July 5, 2004

Sri-Lanka Pictures

Filed under: — site admin @ 7:31 pm

Pictures from Sri Lanka
Buddha statues in Dambulla.
You find pictures from Sri Lanka at the main photo gallery.

April 29, 2004

Egypt: Echnaton

Filed under: — Laurenz @ 10:37 pm

bust of Echnaton, Luxor museum
The head of the most controversial pharaoh in Egyptian history.
Even though the museum of Luxor is much smaller than the one in Cairo, I’d prefer it any time.
The arrangement of the pieces and the almost perfect lighting create an almost mystical atmosphere.

April 16, 2004

Honduras: Ruins in the Jungle.

Filed under: — Laurenz @ 7:14 pm

fascinating: Maya Ruins of Copán
The Maya temples of Copán are surrounded by jungle.

March 11, 2004

Andalusia: the Mezquita (mosque) of Cordoba

Filed under: — Laurenz @ 10:01 pm

Mosque/Cathedral of  Cordoba, Andalusia, Spain. Photo: Laurenz Bobke
The Mezquita (mosque) of Cordoba is an architectural wonder, even today, although building a Cathedral in its center did not exactly improve it.
Even the emperor Carlos (Charles) V is said to have commented as follows: “You have destroyed something unique in the world and built something that can be found anywhere.”
Well, nice quote, but after all it was Carlos himself who had ordered the construction of the cathedral.
Still, the maze of columns is breathtakingly beautiful.

March 3, 2004

Religions of the World

Filed under: — Laurenz @ 9:42 pm

Religions of the World
There also is a special gallery on “religions of the World” at my Online Photo Galleries.

February 25, 2004

Sicily: San Giovanni degli Eremiti (Palermo)

Filed under: — Laurenz @ 8:05 pm

San Giovanni degli Eremiti, Palermo, Sicily (Italien), Foto: Laurenz Bobke
San Giovanni degli Eremiti (12th century) is romantically situated in a very photogenic setting: a small garden that allows for many interesting angles.
Consequently, the entrance fee is a bit steep.
Those interested in the history of architecture will be baffled by the ingenious mixture of normannic and arabic styles.

February 23, 2004

Sicily: Temple in Agrigento

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Taken in Agrigento, Sicily.
Here, I had some difficulties. No technical issues, but as soon as I had mounted the camera on my tripod, a guardian appeared, telling me in Italian that professional photographers were not allowed to take photos without a special permit (needless to say that you would have had to go back to town and surely, the office wouldn’t be open at that time).
Pointing out that I’m not a pro didn’t help either. After all, I was using a tripod!
Fortunately, I had taken a number of hand-held shots before as well as some pictures on the tripod.

Still, if you are the proud owner of a professional looking camera and/or a big tripod, I’d recommend that when visiting historic sites at night you either enquire beforehand whether you would need a tripod, - or take as many hand-held pictures as you can and only then hurry up to use your tripod.

January 24, 2004

Emirates: Mosque

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A stopover in Bahrain was a good opportunity to visit the city. This is a mosque in the blue hour.



    

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All photos on Travelphoto NET: Copyright Laurenz Bobke. Copyright for the photos on the Outstanding Travel Photos blog: the individual photographer
Republication only with my written permission, and only with proper credit (including a link back to this site if shown on the web).

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