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brucenorris007 · 2 years ago

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A Matter of Hours and Minutes

‘How many hours till sunrise?’

Jotaro ran the question through sideways, front and back several times over; all the while, he refused to take his eyes off Dio’s body. Destroying the vampire’s head should have ended it, since everything from the neck down was Jonathan’s body.

No telling after what Dio did to Gramps, though. Sunlight was the only way to be certain.

Jotaro, mind still buzzing with unspent adrenalin and right fist still bleeding from that final punch, couldn’t make sense of the time of night. The World had shot his internal clock to shit. How many minutes did he spend in frozen time? One? Two? More than that? Every interval felt tortuously, impossibly longer than five seconds. Polnareff had struggled to explain the sensation, and Jotaro couldn’t blame him. It really was like being underwater, only someone else decided when–and if–you surfaced for air.

Let alone how many hours of night remained, how many hours had passed? They’d opened Dio’s casket more or less at sunset; nights were a little longer in Egypt than Japan.

Avdol… Avdol and the old man told them so more than once.

The sound of rotors suddenly interrupted his thoughts; reflexively, Star Platinum burst forward, still in stance for battle. Jotaro finally took his eyes off Dio, ready to cuss out anyone stupid enough to carelessly approach; he instead released a short breath on recognizing the name Speedwagon painted on the helicopter.

‘Good.’

Far better them than the cops; the chopper landed at the entrance of the bridge, blocking off any possible incoming traffic. The road roller behind him would act as a deterrent from that side.

Jotaro relaxed his fist. Star Platinum vanished.

One of the pilots ran out onto the bridge; his pace stuttered briefly on seeing Dio, but he kept his feet.

“Mr. Kujo,” he said. “Are you–?”

“What time is it?” Jotaro asked.

“Uh, time? A little after 6:00.”

‘Fuck.’

Jotaro’s mind went blank; a static ringing filled his ears.

An hour? He’d have sooner believed days had passed since the fight started, let alone since they set foot in Dio’s mansion.

An hour?

“… have lodgings arranged for you; one of our trucks should be here shortly.”

“Yeah.” Jotaro grunted; idle, mindless.

He blinked; shivered and shook off the shock.

“You know how to move this bastard?” He asked, glancing at Dio.

“You’d be surprised how much the Speedwagon Foundation emphasizes literacy on vampires.”

‘I doubt that.’

Jotaro nodded, flexing his injured hand; he stepped over Dio’s body before the pilot could ask any annoying questions about getting him checked out. He didn’t care about seeing a doctor, he just wanted to watch the fucker’s body disintegrate.

“We’re still looking for the rest,” the pilot said. “The trail you left was hard to miss. We’ve, ah… we’ve collected Mr. Joestar’s body; do you know what happened to the others?”

“Avdol, Iggy and Kakyoin are dead,” Jotaro recited; raising his voice over the helicopter rotors. He’d been avoiding thinking about Gramps, what he’d seen Dio do to his body. “Polnareff was alive last I saw.”

He paused now, though; thinking about what Dio took from Gramps, how many people he’d stolen from.

What he owed.

What he still had.

“Hey,” he said. “Bring the old man here; and get whatever you need to move that bastard’s body in the same truck. I’ll”

He stopped short; he’d been shouting so he’d be heard over the chopper.

The chopper was silent.

He swung around; everything was silent.

Expect…

The World!

“DIO!” Jotaro bellowed, charging back across the bridge.

“KEHAHAHAHAHA! CAN YOU AFFORD TO USE YOUR PRECIOUS FEW SECONDS THAT WAY?!”

Star Platinum roared into action, barreling ahead to meet The World fist to fist.

He managed less than half a rush before frozen time caught up to him.

‘FUCK!’

“I had never dreamed the Joestar blood would be so potent!”

Dio threw his head back, cackling.

“That even Joseph’s grandson, so far removed from Jonathan himself, could empower me with just a few drops of his blood!”

Jotaro, still frozen, cussed himself out; all this from the blood on his fist in passing?!

Dio leapt out of sight; the sound of snapping metal behind him. Half a rotor blade chopping down, stopping just short of his neck.

“Once I had believed Jonathan my greatest rival and most powerful enemy,” he said. “Now, in your final moments, rejoice knowing that I, Dio, bestow the same honor unto you!”

Cold steel left his neck; the heavy weapon slicing through the air.

‘MOVE, MOVE, MOVE DAMMIT!’

“DIE, JOTARO!”

— — — — —

Jotaro flew out of bed; knuckles white, feet beneath him before he took a second breath.

Blood racing between his ears, he pivoted on his heels, searching; Star Platinum already manifested with cocked fists.

Nothing moved. The only other body in the room was three sizes too small to be Dio.

‘Mother.’

Except… she wasn’t moving.

He didn’t hear any breathing either.

“Hey!” He barked, kneeling and taking her arm. “Mom, wake–!”

Stillness. Unnatural. But not cold.

Jotaro looked back at Star Platinum. Willed his Stand to relax. Murmured.

“Time moves again…”

Holly Kujo shivered in her sleep; mumbled, rolled toward him.

Seeing her at peace let him draw what felt like his first breath since waking.

The dregs of his nightmare slowly lost its grip on his mind. Memories of the last twenty hours filled in gaps and wrote over the horror of his own demise. Gramps revived, Polnareff went back to France; most important, they watched Dio turn to dust in the Egyptian sun.

His mother’s recovery was miraculous, even by the standards of the doctors from Speedwagon. She and Granny were there to greet them at the airport. She’d insisted on sharing the room with Jotaro, just for the night; something about having missed him for the past fifty days made her clingier than usual. Never mind that she’d probably spent most of that time out of her mind and deliriously ill.

With the understanding that it would never happen again, he conceded her one night.

Jotaro stood up and quietly crept past her; his pajamas were sweaty, inviting a chill from the cool January night.

A soft murmur in the living room distracted him in route to the kitchen. The gentle glow of the television leaked through a crack in the door.

“Gramps?”

“Ahh shush shshshshhh!”

Joseph Joestar shushed him, though his shushing was louder than the actual TV; the volume was set just shy of muted. On screen, Superman was pulling Lois Lane out of a torpedo. Jotaro slid the door shut behind him.

“Can’t sleep?” Jotaro asked, pre-empting what he expected would be the same question from Gramps.

Gramps sighed, mechanical hand parting his hair.

“Saw no reason your grandmother had to stay up with me,” he said with a shrug. “Jet lag’s more of a bitch than I remember.”

Uncharacteristically, he let his comment hang there with no addendum or follow up.

“Yeah,” Jotaro murmured, silently taking the out being offered. “Yeah, it is.”

Gramps let out a dry, grunting laugh.

“Well,” he said. “One or two all-nighters won’t kill you at your age.”

He tapped the tatami mats beside him; an invitation.

Jotaro slumped onto the floor and sprawled his legs out in front of him.

“Change it over to Dirty Harry.”

Gramps scoffed, indignant; he nonetheless got up to swap out the VHS.

“No respect,” he grumbled. “Bullying his dear grandfather into giving up his cartoons.”

Jotaro huffed.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

In the silence between one tape coming out and the other going in, the hanging clock’s gears grated on Jotaro’s ears. In a flash, Star Platinum had it down off the wall and emptied of its batteries; he left the clock face down on the floor in the far corner of the room.

Gramps didn’t say a word about it. Just sat back down and produced a can of beer from behind his back.

“Not a word to Holly or your grandmother.” He all but hissed.

Jotaro took the beer with a smirk.

“They’d scold you, not me.”

“That’s exactly why I said keep it to yourself, punk.”

Jotaro shook his head, depressing the tab on the can as Clint Eastwood stared down the first crook of the film.

He remembered learning that dreams–even those that felt long enough to live a lifetime–only lasted a few seconds, up to a minute in the waking world. He had school in a few hours, but he didn’t care; he wasn’t interested in fighting Dio or any of his fanatics again, dream or otherwise.

And he didn’t want to even think about time for a long while.

#JJBA #JJBA Part 3 #JJBA SDC #Stardust Crusaders #Kujo Jotaro #Joseph Joestar #Dio Brando #Fanfic #been rewatching some of part 3 and 4 #never officially stated but yeah. the whole final confrontation was less than an hour #sunset in Egypt is EARLY in January #if the Speedwagon Foundation hadn't come around to gather the crew and Dio's body #Jotaro would've been keeping vigil for another twelve hours or so before sunrise

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mcyt-passover-event · 2 years ago

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FAQ:

What is Passover/Pesakh?

Passover is a Jewish holiday that falls in the spring; in 2023, it will fall from sunset on the 14th of Nisan (April 5th) to sunset of 22nd of Nisan (April 13th).

Passover is one of the biggest Jewish holidays. It celebrates the liberation of ancient Israelites from slavery in Egypt and the Exodus.

Its major elements are that observant Jews (and many secular Jews as well, as Judaism is an ethno-religion) refrain from eating any food with leavening agents (typically baked goods, particularly bread) and take part in a Seder, a ritual meal in which the story of Exodus is retold, games are played, and delicious foods are eaten. More details are in the Discord.

When is the event?

-Rough Schedule:

January 28- mid-February: Interest form open

Late February/Early March: Discord open, prompt selection begins

March 26- April 1: Open the AO3 collection and ask that all submissions be posted during this week

Celebrate! Chag Pesakh Sameach!!!

Are there any requirements?

Nope! Create whatever kinds of fanwork you’d like, so long as they’re respectful and related to Passover.

Do I need to be Jewish to participate?

Nope! We welcome anyone who wants to join in! Just once again ask that you be respectful of the holiday and of Jewish people & traditions.

Event Rules:

No explicit sex scenes or graphic sexual content. This event is open to minors and also I don't really know why you would write Passover smut anyway.

Dark themes and gore are allowed but should be tagged appropriately and any art should be appropriately tagged if they contain graphic violence or realistic blood. Passover is not a bloodless holiday (literally), and several of the plagues involve explicit violence, but still be careful about what you're posting and keep warnings & tags in mind.

Feel free to gift your works if you'd like.

Passover & Passover traditions should be the theme of all works.

#faq

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daringthepen · 7 years ago

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Flying a Flag

Usually nations have a flag to represent their country. And usually that flag means something.

While you could get away with just saying the nation's flag was flying, you might want to give it a little detail. But where to start?

The point of this post is to show the history and symbolism of real flags in order to give you some ideas should you decide to design flags for your nations. If you find yourself disliking a design, don't necessarily toss it- remember that there are real nations that have undergone redesigns. The one you don't like can just end up a part of your nation's actual history.

Flag of the United Kingdom

It's officially called the Union Flag, though many call it the Union Jack. The nickname “Union Jack” was actually meant only for Union Flags on the sea, though it's also called the Union Jack when it appears in the corner of the New Zealand and Australian flags.

The Union Flag is a combination of three flags: St. George's Cross of England (the vertical and horizontal red bars), St. Andrew's Cross of Scotland (the blue triangles and the white X), and St. Patrick's Cross of Ireland (the red X).

In the early sixteen hundreds, Scotland and England were separate countries with their own flags (St. George's Cross and St. Andrew's Cross). When King James of Scotland became king of England, he combined the two flags to symbolize the unity between the two nations. A little over a hundred years later, Queen Anne made the flag the official flag as the two nations had joined to make Great Britain. A century later Ireland's flag of St. Patrick's Cross was added to the Union Flag when Ireland joined Great Britain.

White: Peace and honesty.

Blue: Vigilance, truth, loyalty, perseverance and justice.

Red: Hardiness, bravery, strength, and valor.

The flag is flown from 11am to sunset when a new Sovereign is proclaimed. It is flown at half-mast from government buildings during the time of mourning and on the day of the funeral of a member of British Royal Family, and on the days of the funerals of a foreign Head of State and former British Prime Minister.

Flag of the United States of America

It has no official name and is normally referred to as the American flag. Though it does have several different nicknames, such as the Stars and Bars, the Stars and Stripes, the Red, White, and Blue, the Star Spangled Banner, and Old Glory. Old Glory was the name of a specific American flag owned by William Driver, and inspired the nickname for other flags. The original Old Glory is on display.

The first American flag after it was declared its own nation had thirteen bars, alternating between red and white, and a blue rectangle in the corner with thirteen stars in a circle (known as the Betsy Ross flag). The stars and the stripes represented the thirteen colonies, now states. From its first design the American flag has undergone 27 modifications, the current flag still having the thirteen stripes to represent the original thirteen states and fifty stars to represent each state in the union.

Red: Valor, hardiness, and sacrifice.

White: Purity, innocence, and peace.

Blue: Vigilance, perseverance, and justice.

The American flag is lowered to half-staff (not half-mast) when the whole nation is in mourning. 30 days at federal buildings, grounds, territories, and naval vessels for when the president or former president has died, 10 days for the vice president, the chief justice, a retired chief justice, or the chief speaker of the House of Representatives. States may lower the flag for the death of someone important in the state.

Flag of Japan

The official name of the Japanese flag is Nisshoki (the sun-marked flag). It is also called the Hinomaru (the sun disk, or circle of the sun).

The Nisshoki is simply a white flag with a red circle in the middle, meant to represent the sun. The flag embodies Japan's nickname of the Land of the Rising Sun.

The Nisshoki was adopted as the merchant flag in 1870. It wasn't until 1999 that the Nisshoki became the official flag of Japan. The oldest existing flag, older than the 16th century, is being preserved. In January 1949, all restrictions on the flag were abolished and people were allowed to fly the flag without permission.

Red: Representation of the goddess Amaterasu, who was said to have founded Japan.

White: Honesty and integrity.

In time of mourning, the Nisshoki may be lowered to half-staff, or a mourning flag may be placed above it. The flag may fly from sunrise to sunset, though businesses and schools are permitted to leave the flag up when they are open and lower the flag when they are closed.

Flag of Italy

In Italian, the flag is known as the Il Tricolore, translated into English as the Tricolor.

The Italian flag has three thick vertical bars: Green, white, and red respectively. Past designs before the current flag was established in 1948 had emblems, differing on the time period. The 1805 flag kept the three colors, though it was red with a white diamond, and a green box in the diamond with an emblem. The Sardinia flag of 1848 did not have the green, white, and red design, instead going with an almost completely blue flag with a red and white design in the corner.

The colors of the flag do not necessarily represent virtues as the previously mentioned flags do. The Italian flag was a combination of a couple of flags when it was joined together. The red and white came from the flag of Milan (a white flag with a red cross for St. Ambrose- not unlike the St. George Cross) while the green represented the region's military. However, meanings for the colors have been added in, such as the green represents the hills or white represents faith.

The flag may be flown from sunrise to sundown, with the exception of bad weather, and only displayed at night if properly illuminated.

Flag of Sudan

The flag of Sudan does not have an official name or nicknames it is known by. It is simply the Sudanese flag. It should not be confused with the South Sudanese Flag.

The previous flag of Sudan when Sudan gained independence from Britain and Egypt was a tricolor flag of blue, yellow, and green horizontal bars. In 1970, the current design of the Sudanese flag was adopted. It now has for colors: Red, white, and black horizontal bars with a green triangle on the side pointing towards the middle.

Red: Sudan's struggles for independence and the country's matyrs.

White: Peace, love, light, and optimism.

Black: The people of Sudan.

Green: Islam, agriculture, and prosperity of the land.

While I had intended to do more, I did not wish to overload you. This is, after all, just to get you started on thinking about how to bring the story of your nation's flag about, what it stands for, and maybe even consider some design ideas.

The history of the flags is not extensive. There are also many more guidelines on flag protocol for some of the flags, which may help you figure out some of your country's flag protocols. Some protocols are affected by the UN's own rules. Other countries may not necessarily have flag protocols. Some of those protocols will go into detail about how the flag should be made, such as the specific color code and the size of the flag.

But a few things to note:

Colors don't always represent a virtue.

Countries that originate from another country will have their view on colors influenced.

Flags can spark a feeling of national pride or rally discouraged soldiers. Someone doesn't always have to agree with their country's actions to feel pride when they see their country's flag.

No design is set in stone. A country years later may decide to change their flag's design.

If you want to give your nation’s flag a nickname, have fun with it. Though I would encourage you to look at it through the eyes of your nation. After all, “Old Glory” and “Hinomaru” were less of what the flag looked like and more about what it represented.

#writing advice #writing help #writing fantasy nations #writing flags #worldbuilding #worldbuilding tips

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sussex-nature-lover · 4 years ago

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Tuesday 26th January 2021

Brought to you by the colour Pink

What’s that you say? Doesn’t look very pink here. This was the view of the back garden when I opened the curtains. Dark(ish) Frosty (very) and a bit foreboding.

But a quick swivel to my left, from due South to South East and WOW.

This was the view through the woods.

One with added Rooks and one without

During sunsets and sunrises, when the Sun is closer to the horizon, sunlight has to travel through a longer distance and more of the dense environment to reach an observer’s eye.

When sunlight strikes, gas molecules such as nitrogen and oxygen; light of longer wavelengths, like red, yellow, and orange, easily passes through; while light of shorter wavelengths, such as blue and violet, is absorbed and then scattered in all directions by the gas molecules (stay with me)

When you look up at the sky during the day this scattered blue and violet light reaches your eyes, however, the human eye is more receptive to blue frequencies than violet frequencies, so the sky looks blue. This phenomenon is known as Rayleigh scattering: it’s named after British physicist John William Strutt, also known as Lord Rayleigh, a nobel prize winner no less. Besides making the sky look blue, it is also the reason why the Sun looks yellow during the day even though sunlight is white. When the Sun is high in the sky, the light has to travel a shorter distance through the atmosphere. This means most of the yellow, orange, and red light passes through, while a small amount of blue and purple light is scattered and removed from the mix. The Sun, therefore, looks yellow for us here on Earth.

Due to Rayleigh scattering, most of the light of shorter wavelengths (blue, violet, and green) are scattered away multiple times, leaving only lights of longer wavelength (red, orange and yellow) to pass straight through to the observer.

This is why a rising and setting Sun tends to take on spectacular hues of red, orange, and yellow.

And yes, I did have to look all of that up!

We’ve been speculating about the effect of less air and road travel on air quality during lockdown and read that the quality of the air that sunlight has to pass through also has an effect on the colour of sunrises and sunsets. Dust particles and pollutants tend to tone down the colours in the sky as well as impede light from reaching those of us looking from ground level. Because of this, the sky takes on dull hues of red and yellow when the air is full of dust and pollutants. This is why sunrises and sunsets in rural areas, over the ocean, and deserts are much more vibrant and colourful than over cities and urban areas. It’s information that’s very relevant to me having had eye operations which totally changed my perception of colours.

As lovely as our skies were in this rural area, I don’t think they compete with the views down at Rye Harbour looking out to sea.

and if you do want to head over to their Twitter account, they have a lovely few seconds of time-lapse video of the sunrise. It’s just lovely.

I’ve got more pink - not so vivid, but still pink.

The Egyptian Goose is a very distinctive looking small goose with its chestnut eye patches and pink legs and is a member of the shelduck family. In the wild it is invariably found in pairs or family parties. Flocks of 50 or more can be found after the breeding season.

They were once common along the entire Nile valley and in ancient times were regarded as sacred, but the Egyptian Goose is now largely confined to upper Egypt. It is, however, widespread and common throughout sub-Saharan Africa and there are introduced populations firmly established in England, Holland, Belgium and France. They were brought to Britain in the late 17th century as an ornamental bird for the lakes of country gentlemen and apparently as an exhibit at St James’ menagerie.

Photo Credit: my South East London Correspondent Ms NW tE

Egyptian Geese are early breeders, with pairs defending potential breeding sites from January onwards. Cavities in trees are favoured, but they may also nest on the ground.

BTO

Unfortunately, as always happens with introduced species, which become ‘invasive; there are concerns over conflict with native species which have now lead to restrictions on keeping them in Britain and Europe.

The UK Invasive Alien Species (Enforcement and Permitting) Order 2019 came into force on Sunday 1st December. The Order implements requirements contained in EU Regulation 1143/2014 on Invasive Alien Species, which sets out rules to prevent and minimise the impact of the introduction and spread of non-native animals and plants across the EU. The Order makes it an offence, amongst other things, to import, keep, sell, transport, breed or release into the environment, any of the listed plants and animals. Invasive alien waterfowl currently covered by this Order are Egyptian Geese and Ruddy Ducks

Egyptian Geese on the lawns in front of Kensington Palace.

I was going to say that was the last time we saw any, but thinking about it, there were some on the lake at Petworth House when we went last year.

Males and females look alike,except the female is smaller and often has darker markings on the bill. Their calls are distinctly different. The male emits strong but hoarse hissing sounds, while the female makes harsh, trumpeting quacks. I’ve put a sweet little video of a pair towards the end of this blog.

The main concentration of Egyptian Geese in England, is at Holkham Park where recent counts have totalled as many as 170 birds. Indeed today, according to The Wildfowl and Wetland Trust. Norfolk holds over 90% of the national population of some 900 birds.

In their tropical African home Egyptian geese frequent rivers, marshes and lakes resorting to a wide range of nesting sites. Cavities and holes in trees and abandoned nests of other birds may be selected; also ledges on cliffs and banks.

Males will draw attention to themselves for the mating season with noisy displays and fierce territorial fighting both on water and on land. Rivals will stand or swim, breast to breast, continually attempting to seize each other's backs near the base of the neck, while beating with wings and even striking with feet. It all sounds very violent.

Once mating has taken place, following on from egg laying, the birds almost disappear until the time comes to escort flotillas of goslings to the water. Clutches of eight or nine eggs hatch after about four weeks. The downy chicks are similar in markings to those of the Shelduck (confusing, but as I said, they are related) Sadly, despite the clutch size, it’s often the case that only one or two young survive following predation by Crows and competition with Canada Geese and Greylags. I suppose like Pheasants, the large lay compensates for the mortality rate.

Male and Female getting vocal below...

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That it’s for today. sunrises and Geese. The Blog that just keeps on giving.

NOTE FROM THE KITCHEN:

Tonight’s supper is a roast chicken with tarragon, roast parsnips and potatoes and left over veggies including some really lovely ratatouille.

FACT OF THE DAY:

I was not wearing any pink. I was wearing a rust coloured jumper, which some of you may be familiar with and dark moss green trousers. What a fraud.

Research: waterfowl org and Birds of Britain

#egyptian geese #sunrise sunset wildlife country life rural nature photography

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crazy4tank · 4 years ago

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The Luxury Nomad Lifestyle

New Post has been published on https://fashiondesigne.com/2021/01/04/the-luxury-nomad-lifestyle/

The Luxury Nomad Lifestyle

Another 5 months associated with traveling have passed, period for an update! Due to expert obligations at my office work, I had to postpone numerous longer trips to second half of 2017. However , We still managed to keep up with our frequency of traveling each week. Let’ s have a look at the current travel stats regarding 2017:

42 flights, 55221 miles, 2 . 2 close to earth, 135 hours up

Company Class with Emirates, Malaysia Airlines, Brussels, Austrian plus Lufthansa

fifty two hotel nights in fifteen countries (34 nights at IHG, twelve nights at Hilton)

Pic: My bartender work at Emirates A380 On-ship Lounge The year started with Brand new Year’ s Eve within Dubai through where I flew Emirates A380 Business Class in order to Kuala Lumpur on The month of january 2nd followed by an AirAsia flight to Cebu within the Philippines. Picture: Emirates A380 Business Course (Jan 2017) Pic: Reading the wine menus at Emirates Business Course

Cebu Island, Philippines

Pic: Kawasan Drops, Cebu, Philippines (Jan 2017) Back in last year, I had visited divers heaven Malapascua Island located 7km from the northernmost suggestion of Cebu Island. On this occasion, I went Canyoneering close to Kawasan Falls plus snorkeling with whale sharks near Oslob. (see video clip below)

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I also visited nearby isle Bohol which features The Dark chocolate Hills. They are covered within green grass that becomes brown (like chocolate) throughout the dry season, hence title. There are at least 1, 260 hills but there may be as much as 1, 776 hills distribute over an area of more than fifty square kilometers! Picture: Chocolate Hills at Bohol in the Philippines End of The month of january, I flew to S. africa using an Austrian Air carriers error fare from Sofia to Johannesburg via Vienna and Frankfurt. It was more of a distance run as I only remained 1 night in Johannesburg and the main purpose of the particular trip was to requalify for another two years of Star Alliance Gold standing via European Miles & Smiles. Pic: My usage run to Johannesburg, South Africa

Cairo, Egypt

Pic: The Great Sphinx of Giza close to Cairo (Feb 2017) Pic: Buck ride at Pyramids Associated with Giza (Feb 2017) In Feb, I visited Cairo for your second time. Originally prepared as a positioning flight for any cheap First Class flight along with departure from Cairo, the particular trip turned out to be a great wintertime weekend escape. Picture: Sunset near Pyramids Associated with Giza, Cairo (Feb 2017)

A lot more Weekend Trips

Picture: Brussels Airlines intra-Europe Company Class meal In the past 6 months, We flew a dozen of Brussels Airlines Business Class plane tickets using a sweet spot from the Etihad Guest loyalty plan. Their redemption table just for Brussels Airlines flights provided some amazing value meant for short haul European plane tickets. Some examples of tickets We booked: Brussels to Paris, france in Business Class on #SNTomorrowland for just 775 miles + 28 EUR one of many ways! Or what about Brussels in order to London for 2060 mls + 94 EUR circular trip? Brussels to Geneva for 3320 miles + fifty-one EUR round trip, Brussels to Nice for 5170 miles + 53 EUR round trip and Brussels to Vienna for 5740 miles + 62 EUR roundtrip! All fantastic offers for last-minute business course redemptions in combination with IHG Greatest Price Guarantee stays.

However, Etihad killed the offer early April without having advance notice. Pic: Approaching Geneva Airport in Switzerland One of my personal favorite weekend trip activities has been taking the highest vertical excursion cable car in the world, through 1035m to 3842m, towards the top of Aiguille i Midi the mountain in the Mont Blanc massif. (see first picture of this blog post) The wire car is located in Chamonix, which may be easily reached by taking the bus from Geneva airport . Other weekend break trip highlights were The Cliffs at Etretat and driving the particular Range Rover Autobiography Edition . Pic: Range Rover Autobiography Edition (Apr 2017)

Paris, france, France

Pic: Philharmonie de Paris by Blue jean Nouvel (Apr 2017) I check out Paris several times a year, which year has been no various. Paris is never an awful idea for a last-minute weekend vacation! Picture: Junior Suite at Global Paris Le Grand Pic: Opera Home View Prestige Suite IC Paris Le Grand

Bordeaux, Italy

Pic: Indoor Swimming pool InterContinental Bordeaux Le Fantastic A brand new weekend destination on our list was Bordeaux within France. A perfect occasion to check on the fabulous indoor swimming pool and rooftop jacuzzi from InterContinental Bordeaux and to visit the highest sand dune in European countries, Dune du Pilat .

Indian

Pic: Brussels Air carriers A330 Business Class Chair 3A In May, I flew the Brussels Airlines Business Course error fare from Athens to Mumbai through Brussels for 649 EUR earning me a complete of 20140 redeemable Miles & More miles. During my five day stay, I discovered Rajasthan which turned out to be one of the most colorful journey I’ ve taken so far in the 1 ) 3 billion populated nation. Check my Instagram Tales Jaipur – Jodhpur – Udaipur compilation video clip to get an impression. A large thank you goes out to my amazing driver Ravi & co-workers at Incredible Non-urban India for making fantastic trip possible! Pic: Jodhpur, The particular Blue City in Rajasthan, India Pic: Palace Of The Wind gusts, Jaipur, India (May 2017)

Pic: Spectacular sunset in Jaipur, India (May 2017)

Conclusion

Because of work constraints, I didn’ t manage to take almost all long-haul trips I had initially planned for 1st half 2017, but I’ meters confident my travels within the second half of this year can make up to that. I’ ve been spending a lot of time plus effort on making Instagram Stories of my moves in the past months with a large number of followers watching them each week. Make sure to check our Instragram account (account: bartla) on regular bases maintain with the latest in my luxurious nomad life!

#business class #cairo #emirates #India #intercontinental #Paris #philippines #trip reports

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onlineantiques · 4 years ago

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Fabulous Fine Oil Painting Of Boat Wreckage Norfolk By Alfred W Saunders circa 1960’s Alfred Saunders (1908 - 1986) Alfred Saunders was born in Hackney, London in 1908 and moved to Woodford in Essex at the age of 9. Encouraged by a family member he had painted since early childhood. He joined the army at 21 as a regular soldier serving with the Essex Regiment. On the onset of World War II Alfred was serving in Egypt and later in India where his artistic talents came to light with his first exhibition. All the paintings sold and, from the proceeds, Alfred managed to arrange a month’s leave and enjoyed a holiday fishing and painting. During the war, Alfred was sent back home as part of an escort bringing Italian prisoners of war to Britain. He married in 1941 and moved to Wingfield Green, Suffolk. Following a bicycle accident and while recovering, Alfred being bored, decided to take up the brush again and working from his home he had a view of Wingfield Castle and this was the first subject he painted. In 1966 Devon Galleries in Elm Hill Norwich began selling Alfred’s work. His paintings of the Suffolk countryside with barns and old buildings, magnificent sunsets, coastlines at low tide and an abundance of the East Anglian skies soon became popular and in great demand. In 1975 Alfred and his wife emigrated to Australia but only stayed a year, Alfred missed the British weather with its changing seasons and they returned home in 1976. He continued to paint captivating the East Anglian countryside with visits to the North Norfolk coast for added inspiration. Alfred Saunders died on 7th January 1986. eBay item number 224267113850 https://www.instagram.com/p/CIdYMdbnvaF/?igshid=19qmzplab64qm

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davidkaplanrussianbusinessman · 4 years ago

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Travels by David Kaplan

Opening new horizons is a way of life for millions of people who do not wait for free time, do not take a rain check indefinitely, but simply plan and go. Traveling is an investment that makes a person happier and more prosperous.

David Kaplan knows how to travel with pleasure. The list of his trips is rich: he explored almost all the world's cities, having visited 65 countries. He knows where it is best in the fall, winter, spring, or summer. Where to go with a big company, and where it is better to relax on your own. He knows what cities are a must in your bucket list, what cities deserve only 1-day stop, and where you should not go. In each beloved town, he has at least five favorite restaurants.

The world is the home of cosmopolitan.

For many, the homeland is the place where they were born, went to school, were free and happy. David Kaplan was born in 1963 in European Jerusalem - the Lithuanian city of Vilnius - in a traditional Jewish family with fidelity to the Jewish spiritual traditions and values . The Kaplan family lived for many years in Lithuania. After graduating from the Faculty of Applied Mathematics of Vilnius State University, David remained in Vilnius for some time, later he moved to his historical homeland Israel. He worked in Russia for many years. He is a true citizen of the world. But no matter how much a person travels, he can be happy and free only at home, surrounded by his people. For David Kaplan, the homeland is Israel. Today he lives and works in Jerusalem. The travel experience of this cosmopolitan of Jewish origin can be trusted. Travel around the world with David Kaplan!

✓ David Kaplan recommends planning all your trips.

You prepare everything in a pleasant expectation, then you enjoy it, and after all, you have something to remember. I advise you always to prepare for the trip. When traveling, the place where you can have some rest is essential. Also, it's crucial to find right people to travel with. Think about who you want to spend time with and where. Then make a list of places where to go and with whom you want to go. And after that, be sure to coordinate your plan with friends and relatives. Also, the rest must somehow be interfaced with business or with a hobby. The more hobbies a person has, the more reasons he has to travel.

✓ David Kaplan recommends traveling with a company.

My advice is to travel as often as possible with a large, friendly and fun company minimum of 4-6 people: family, friends, acquaintances, etc. But some places are definitely created for privacy. There, a person gets charged with a unique energy. Such secluded trips most often occur in the fall. Not late nostalgic, but early autumn, filling spiritually.

✓ David Kaplan offers criteria for choosing a place of travel.

In choosing a city for travel, there is no concept of winter or summer. David Kaplan recommends going where you have not been. Age also matters: at different ages, you can see London and New York in different ways, as well as museums and attractions. It is important to consider financial capabilities. No one will go to the most expensive city in the world if he has a limited budget. Thus, the choice is divided into two groups: according to interests and opportunities. At the same time, there are places that, on the recommendation of David Kaplan, should be visited by every self-respecting person. Cities: Baden-Baden, Vancouver, San Francisco, New York, London, Paris, Rome. Islands: Bermuda, Caribbean, Maldives, Seychelles. You can go to Belgium only for the best food. If you would like to travel with children, Turkey would be an option!

✓ David Kaplan advises returning to where it felt good.

The desire to return to a particular city is not related to geographical location. Someone returns to their favorite museum or an annual event, someone to their favorite restaurant or a club. I want to go back to where there is something specific that you enjoyed. You come back for impressions to once again catch these emotions.

The second factor that brings people back to the city is owning real estate there. The third factor is the residence of relatives or friends. Therefore, each has its personal "return."

✓ David Kaplan teaches you how to travel through photographs.

I believe that there is nothing to go to New Zealand and Egypt. You do not graze goats, but you can see the pyramids by photos or films. Here is my recommendation for choosing a place to travel: to buy BBC and Discovery documentaries. If you see something that touches you, you should fly there.

✓ David Kaplan recommends going on a trip at least once

A single trip is enough for all of Southeast Asia. If we talk about a tourist trip to Japan, I advise you to opt for the city of Kyoto, especially in spring, during the cherry blossoms season. At the same time, stay there for at least two weeks to fully feel the place. Visually, this is an entirely different world. You must carefully prepare for such ambiguous trips: sit down with books, read everything in detail, discover the history - then this great country will open its doors for you. Without preparation, the trip will be nothing but a waste of time. Once you can go to Morocco, the island of Fiji and the city of Cancun with its sea, stars, and discos.

✓ David Kaplan recommends traveling all year round.

In fall. When summer has already ended, but autumn has not yet arrived, when it is still not cold, but not hot, I recommend going to Lake Como in Italy, to Baikal or Altai in Russia. These are some of my favorite places. When summer goes turns into autumn, these places are utterly enchanting. Pastel colors, peaceful calm atmosphere – you can sit in silence and look at the water. Altai is a place of extraordinary power. Having traveled to 65 countries, it was in Altai that I saw nature from all countries accumulated in one region. That beauty is unreal.

In fall, David Kaplan recommends a six-hour road trip from Montreal to New York. Fantastic views await you along the way. You pass Niagara Falls, then you see a maple forest, beautiful, green, yellow, white, blue mountains, rocks. You can go crazy with pleasure. Nature lovers must visit the magical Waterloo Forest in Belgium.

In winter. I recommend Courchevel. A paradise for those who love skiing. In terms of service, there are many better places. But it is in Courchevel where the best ski logistics in the world is, and this is the best place for the beginners.

In spring. The annual spectacular sight in late March-early April is the cherry blossoms. First, go to Tokyo, and in 5-7 days, I advise you to get to Kyoto. Also, in spring, it's an option to spend some time on the tropical island of St. Barth. It is called the island of millionaires. There are the best villas, hotels, and yachts in the Caribbean. I also recommend St. Thomas with its unique island exotic framed by dense tropical greenery and stunning bays with snow-white sand.

The summertime destination should be Italy. Especially Sicily with its many islands: Panarea, Taormina. I recommend going on a date with active volcanoes on the islands of Stromboli and Vulcano. I also advise you to visit the Greek paradise: the snow-white romantic island of Santorini and one of the most mysterious legendary places - Mount Athos.

In June-July it is good to travel to Asia. David Kaplan recommends visiting the abode of the world - the fabulous country of Brunei. It's known to be one of the wealthiest countries in the world. You'll find luxurious palaces and mosques, mountains, rainforests, waterfalls, white beaches, and the gentle sea there. Devote one of the summer vacations to the mysterious Buddhist kingdom of Tibet: lakes, majestic Kailash, distinctive culture, and religion. After Tibet, you start looking at the world differently. It is unforgivable to be in China and not visit the legendary Shaolin Monastery in the Songshan Mountains.

There are a lot of options for summer travel. Behind the atmosphere of quiet luxury, David Kaplan advises you to go to Tahiti or Bora Bora with their picturesque bays and the best snorkeling in the world.

In August, visit the most beloved Scottish Queen Mary Stuart. The famous castle and the picturesque lake with the same name of Linlithgow. In this country, you can master archery and try yourself in the ancient and aristocratic sport - falconry with Harris hawks. A unique activity for me is golf. Scotland is the birthplace of it. There are more than 500 golf courses throughout the country, some of which are among the best in the world. Golf is enchanting.

From August to the end of September, David Kaplan recommends going to Norway for fantastic sunsets and real performance of dancing lights turning into the northern lights. Another main attraction of this country is the stunning beauty of the fjords.

The North Pole is a pearl of your summer vacation. The Arctic summer does not last long, only two to three weeks. As a rule, a trip to the realm of ice and snow can only be carried out on an icebreaker, and you can only fly to some rocky shores by helicopter. Such a trip is incomparable. The North Pole is the top of the world. Only there you can take a breeze of fresh polar air, see drifting perennial ice floes, arctic flowers, and the rarest polar animals such as whales, belugas, seals and, of course, polar bears.

After such a trip, you will undoubtedly want to go to the South Pole in December and January and make a circle around the globe. Visit Antarctica and see with your own eyes a colony of emperor penguins.

I wish you unforgettable travels!

#KaplanDavid DavidKaplan DavidKaplanphoto KaplanDavidphoto DavidKaplanPhotographer KaplanDavidPhotographer KaplanDavidTraveler DavidKaplanTra

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memoirsofagenie · 5 years ago

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Shwe Bagan: Hovering Over Golden Pinnacles

By: Genie

Mingalarbar! Aside from the Burmese Harp, and much like “open sesame”, this expression will be the first sound you will hear upon arrival, and probably the only one you will remember upon departure. It is precisely with this passe-partout word, literally “hello/welcome”, spoken by thanaka-decorated, smiling faces of men and women, clad in longjis, that every journey begins, and everything reveals itself in Myanmar. Nonetheless, to talk or write about Myanmar, implies to venture into a semi-unknown world... at least to “lay” Western tourists who still haven’t pushed themselves that far into the East. Despite being strategically located between the two colossal neighbors, China and India, and despite being a quintessential component of the Indochina enclave, mass tourism, like the one witnessed in Thailand or Viet Nam, just to name two, has yet to invade Myanmar.

Albeit this fact alone has its benefits (i.e., less pollution, less crowds, less queues, etc.), the major downside is that lesser-known towns are overshadowed in favor of Yangon, Bagan and Mandalay, respectively its current, former imperial and former religious capitals. Such is the case with Inle Lake, for example. Truth be told, travel literature and the internet are filled with countless images of Intha fishermen, depicting their singular leg-rowing technique and distinctive conical nets. But although they might seem representative of the Myanmese identity to foreign eyes, they become almost invisible and secondary once one makes his/her way through the pristine creeks and marshes of the Lake, where time seems to have stopped, crystallizing eternity into a lithography of yesteryear.

Having said this, it must be added that we live in an era where the demonization of technological devices and media, particularly social media, is rampant. Luckily, however, the usage that some of us make of it hasn’t drifted away from its original purpose; that is, sharing portions of one’s “real life” (all which occurs away from our electronic hardware and software) in a live, debonair fashion. Consequently, with this thought in mind, and wanting to describe as accurately as possible my personal odyssey on Inle Lake -and in Myanmar- the very day in which it began, I had to re-read my Facebook status of 20 January 2018, which can certainly convey the immediacy of my emotions past:

Genie is feeling in a "Hanging Gardens of Babylon" state-of-mind at Inle Lake.

January 20 · Nyaung Shwe, Myanmar ·

...I've always felt viscerally and primordially bonded to anything "summery" (or that has the summer feel) and the proximity to water. In fact, it's no wonder that, aside from Rome, some of my top destinations are Venice, Miami, Miyajima (in Japan) and Aswan (in Egypt). Yet today's venue not only made it to my top destinations list, but also elevated the aforementioned bond to significant new heights. If ever there was a place that brought to life the century-old "mental pictures or clichés" that Westerners have had all along regarding the Far East (so much so, that almost all European castles/palaces have a "Chinoiserie" room, with colorful maritime or pastoral scenes of the Orient), this must be it. By saying "clichés", I don't mean it in a negative way. On the contrary, the fairy-tale-like "Chinoiseries" have existed and are alive and well in Inle Lake. To summarize its allure and my sensations today, there can only be one word: PARADISIACAL!!!...

Naturally, this was written before witnessing the equally paradisiacal beauty of the three above-cited “capitals”, with their surviving, “unfinished” (Mingun) and/or precarious brick pagodas and their corresponding golden pinnacles, the Irrawaddy River running parallel to the numerous plains and the Royal Palace (in Mandalay), the wandering monks and nuns in their burgundy and pink attires and the monumental gold-leafed Buddhas. Unless one has seen them all, particularly Bagan, where the sunrises and sunsets acquire an overall breathtaking dimension and novel meaning, it is no wonder one can never be fully imbued with the Myanmese charm and age-old spirituality.

During its time as the Imperial Capital and prior to its final submission to the Mongols (i.e. from 849 until 1287 AD), over 10 000 pagodas/temples were built in the dry plains of Bagan. Moreover, Bagan is a highly seismic area, a characteristic that accounts for the major earthquakes that have plagued it and which, together with the temporal erosion, have brought down the pagodas/temples standing today to roughly 2 200, including the self-ironic “Leaning Pagoda of Pisa” (as an Italian, I must admit it put a smile on my face!) In any case, Bagan’s mythical status as a pilgrimage destination remains unaltered, especially thanks to its most famous monuments, that seem to have defied the adverse environmental conditions over the centuries and are visible in all their glory.

Interestingly enough, some of Bagan’s main highlights are nicknamed through superlatives. One cannot help but be blinded by the light of “the most beautiful pagoda”, the gold-plated Shwe Zi Gon. Following Shwe Zi Gon is the “tallest pagoda”, the two-storey Thatbinnyu temple, with its white-stucco coated walls. The “largest pagoda” is Dhammayangyi, which is said to have been inspired by the early step-pyramids of Egypt. Last but not least, among the most recent is the “most artistic” pagoda of the four, the majestic Ananda, erected in the 11th century and devoted to Buddha’s eponymous cousin and main disciple. In its interior, aside from towering golden Buddhas on each of the four main walls, are copious stylized golden arches and gold-framed niches containing gilded miniatures of Buddhas. Each visitor is bound to be inevitably overwhelmed with “shining” stupor!

Still and all, in February 1991, thus wrote of Bagan the noted Italian travel writer of the late 1900s, Tiziano Terzani: “[…] There are views in the world before which one feels proud to belong to the human race. Bagan at dawn is one of these. In the immense plain, marked only by the silver glimmering of the great Irrawaddy River, the clear silhouettes of hundreds of pagodas slowly emerge from the darkness and fog: elegant, light; each as a delicate hymn to Buddha. From the top of the Ananda temple you can hear the roosters singing, the horses pawing along the unpaved roads. It is as if some magic had stopped this valley in the bygone moment of its greatness.”

Surely, the golden obnubilation of the senses posited by Terzani must have manifested itself during an early morning hot-air balloon ride. Matter-of-factly, it is not until one has hovered over its golden pinnacles at the break of day that one can fully grasp the magic and magnificence of Bagan. As the sun rises in the East, its rays illuminate the entire archeological area. Little by little, the great plain becomes a diamond-studded bed that climbs over the Irrawaddy River and blends into the horizon, as the contours of the sun-kissed pagodas slowly spring up from the earth. Only then and there, in what would appear to be a figment of one’s imagination but is actually incredibly real, does one definitively discover the most authentic and immortal, shwe (gold) essence of Bagan.

Rome, 20 April 2018

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micaramel · 6 years ago

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Artist: Liliane Lijn

Venue: Rodeo, Piraeus

Exhibition Title: Cosmic Dramas

Date: September 12, 2018 – January 12, 2019

Click here to view slideshow

Full gallery of images, press release and link available after the jump.

Images:

Images courtesy of Rodeo, Piraeus/London. Photos by Boris Kirpotin.

Press Release:

The Egyptians appear to have reversed the ordinary practices of mankind. Women attend markets and are employed in trade, while men stay at home and do the weaving! Men in Egypt carry loads on their head, women on their shoulder. Women pass water standing up, men sitting down. To ease themselves, they go indoors, but eat outside on the streets, on the theory that what is unseemly, but necessary, should be done in private, and what is not unseemly should be done openly.

(Herodotus II: 33-37)

Liliane Lijn (b. 1939, New York) began her practice as a young artist within a male world of kinetics and conceptual art. The kind of work she has become known for, as the result of being affiliated openly and consistently with artists that deal with space, light and matter, stands bold and fresh still today. Although it is language, through poetry and myths, that has lead her work and her philosophy throughout and has been the thread in all her work.

As she developed a language of her own during the early years of her career, work after work, Lijn has never stopped experimenting and pushing the limits of her practice. Merging science, technology with poetry, writing and performance, sculpture, video and painting she has built throughout the decades a very dense and coherently diverse corpus. She has always been an ‘un-feminist feminist’, referencing fields uncanonical to feminism, such as science and technology.

Since our collaboration began last year, when Lijn joined the gallery, it became apparent that our priority is to unravel and present the pioneering and historic works that she began making in the late 1960s and early 1970s leading up to today. Our first exhibition in London last spring brought together various works from the late 1970s towards the early 1990s. It presented the transformation that occurred in her language from the cosmic to the bodily, from abstraction to a type of figuration. Works that slowly and steadily started dealing with the body and the feminine, structures and forms that challenge paradigms in art; the Torn Heads, blown glass sculptures that portray different phases of woman’s condition, as well as the thick pastel paintings of the feminine archetype: The Bride, The Medusa, The Bird Lady, Darkness. Lastly a body of sculptures, totemic at first sight, that combine salvaged industrial and military material on designed metal structures, hermaphrodite and female.

After spending almost a decade composing Crossing Map, an epic book that defies genre as it lingers between prose and poetry, Lijn started to visualise the body in a completely new way. As she moved through the early 1980s with renewed energy, not just cosmic but also personal and therefore artistic, myths and the notion of transformation started taking shape through contemporary culture, various media and the experiential. In Crossing Map, a woman who is an artist travels through time and via her memory experiences a series of events, eventually encountering the Last Man (in that world). Through this meeting she realises and accepts the end of a society built by man himself and reaches his absolute deconstruction. “Crossing Map explores the idea that the human mind is disposed of a vast supply of untapped energy. What would it be like, Lijn posits, to inhabit a world in which humans became light? Crossing is the point where meeting occurs. Meeting leads to exchange and that is the basis of all relationships.”(1)

The bold choreography of Conjunction of the Opposites: The Woman of War (1986) and The Lady of the Wild Things (1983) is an installation Lijn arrived at after a deep and long process of rediscovering the female. The two towering figures were ahead of their time: they are computer controlled, they use LED lights as well as a laser, smoke and a combination of high and low materials such as brush fibres. The connection between the sacred and modern industry is not an accidental one. Lijn observes that many of the holiest places consecrated to the Goddess in ancient times are now transformed into oil refineries and power stations and questions what archetypes might be hidden in the “bowels of steel mills or the endless intestines of oil refineries?” The two giant kore were made in different times and then became united; together they create a mesmerizing spiritual and sensual drama, staging an exchange of poetry and light in a cloud of artificial fog. The Lady of the Wild Things (1983), a bird goddess, represents the lunar archetype and as a machine is activated by sound. Her head is made of a prism originally made for a Centurian tank, her red and green wings are studded with 250 LED lights; she “represents life in death and death in life.”(2) When Lijn made The Woman of War some years later (1986) she made her also as an archetype, in the form of a singing goddess that intones an angry, bold and audacious song. She felt that the song came straight through the earth to her mouth as she started to sing it, as if it was the Earth singing through her. She then realised that the two sculptures belonged together as one piece. A laser light connects them with a disembodied beam of red light bouncing between their heads. When they are on their own they sleep, while when encountered a six minute drama unravels that is sung in Lijn’s voice.

The two sculptures communicate on a symbolic level with references to female archetypes and mythological beings, embodied in elements of violence, seduction, power and spirituality. Facing each other, they completely reinvent binary notions of gender, establishing femininity as a fluid cosmic fact, which allows the integration and interchangeability of opposites on a physical and psychological level.

The idea for this work dates back to 1959, when Lijn lived in Paris and saw in the sunset the figure of the goddess made up of clouds. This goddess-like figure remained since then central to Lijn’s work and her attempt to deconstruct and reconstruct this vision lies behind a large part of her artistic production. A selection of drawings further elaborates on the complex symbolic and metaphoric discourse delivered by Conjunction of Opposites. Realized between the early 1980s and the early 1990s, these works on paper amplify the visual vocabulary of symbolic and formal references compiled by the artist and reveal the depth of her lifelong commitment to pursue a radical notion of femininity on a psychological, intellectual and artistic level.

It has been a great honour to work with Liliane on bringing this historic piece to Rodeo Piraeus to mark the beginning of the new season and the second exhibition here. A body of work that is 35 years old that could not feel more contemporary and urgent in the current state of affairs; a work that screams out for transformation towards a state of mind and openness, on a collective level, to realise a society where feminine power rises again.

1 http://bit.ly/2PZk8oT

2 Melissa Budasz, In Conversation with Liliane Lijn, in Art Verve, Issue 5, March 2016.

Link: Liliane Lijn at Rodeo

Contemporary Art Daily is produced by Contemporary Art Group, a not-for-profit organization. We rely on our audience to help fund the publication of exhibitions that show up in this RSS feed. Please consider supporting us by making a donation today.

from Contemporary Art Daily http://bit.ly/2RiQ8Rs

#micaramel

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camera-warehouse-blog · 6 years ago

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Don’t Miss Out on Canon Australia Christmas Promotion

Christmas came early for photography and travel enthusiasts. Canon has just launched a Christmas promotion, giving you a chance to win 1 out of 30 life-changing trips to 10 incredible bucket list destinations.

This Christmas, you can bring your Canon camera along with your curiosity to beautiful destinations, including the following:

Canada – Enjoy an action-packed family adventure when you win a 12-day Canada Family Adventure. This trip includes a chance to visit the famous mountain playgrounds of Jasper and Banff and ride a helicopter to see the ‘Matterhorn’ of the Canadian Rockies.

Egypt and Jordan – A 16-day private tour of the ancient wonders of the world is up for grabs in this Canon Christmas promotion. You and your loved one can win a chance to witness biblical lands through the lens of your camera and the Pharaohs.

Lapland – Take your family to the northernmost region of Finland and enjoy a 9-day Lapland adventure. This trip offers a chance for you to witness the unimaginable shimmers of the Northern Lights and ride a husky safari sled.

Madagascar – Spot King Julien among the many lemurs and beautiful animals at the world’s most beautiful national parks. This 16-day Madagascar adventure for two includes accommodation, transportation, admission to attractions, daily tours and guides, breakfasts and dinners.

Iceland – Take your photography adventures to the next level and win a trip with four other people to the rugged beauty of Iceland. For 10 days, your adventure will include a chance to photograph Fjords and the largest Glacier in Europe, cruise the glacier lagoon, and see the Golden Waterfall of Gullfoss.

Morocco – Relish a romantic getaway for two to the land of sand dunes and blue city. A 12-day Moroccan adventure will let you explore souks and Berber villages, visit a beautiful town of striking blue homes, and camp out at the Sahara dunes.

India – Capture the beauty of the Mughal Empire, the Taj Mahal, palaces and magnificent temples by winning a trip for two to India. For 15 days, you will be dazzled with this country’s beauty along with its golden sunsets, extravagant temples, and staggering architectural delights.

Peru – You and another person can experience the beauty of the majestic ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru. Win a 12-day tour in this beautiful place and experience a cruise to the legendary Amazon and a memorable safari adventure.

Japan – Another fun-filled family adventure on the list is Japan. It is a 10-day tour which will let your family join a private class in Japanese cooking, explore mystic bamboo forest and exotic temples, and even take a Japanese Manga class.

Russia – Last but definitely not the least is a dreamy adventure for 2 in Russia. Experience the medieval magic of this country for 10 days as you embark on a private Russian tour.

To win any of these awesome adventures, all you have to do is purchase an eligible product from October 15, 2018 to January 6, 2019 from the Canon Store. Once done, submit your entries before January 20 for it to be qualified. Make sure you allocate your entries to the Holidays you want to win, and then upload a copy of your invoice.

The post Don’t Miss Out on Canon Australia Christmas Promotion appeared first on Camera Warehouse.

#buy canon camera #canon eos #canon eos kit #canon eos digital camera #canon dslr offers #canon dslr camera for sale

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thebeautifulworlds · 6 years ago

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The Stunning Stone,ancient city of petra,jordan. The “Rose City” is a honeycomb of hand-hewn caves, temples, and tombs carved from blushing pink sandstone in the high desert of Jordan some 2,000 years ago. Hidden by time and shifting sand, Petra tells of a lost civilization. Little is known about the Nabateans—a nomadic desert people whose kingdom rose up from these cliffs and peaks, and whose incredible wealth grew from the lucrative incense trade. Raqmu, or Petra (as the Greeks knew it), grew into the Nabateans’ most prominent city, linking camel caravans between the Mediterranean and Arabian Seas, from Egypt to Syria and beyond to Greece. Control of water sources and an almost magic ability to vanish into the cleft rocks ensured the Nabateans remained unconquered for centuries. The Romans arrived in 63 B.C., signaling a new era of massive expansion and grandiose construction, like the theater that sat more than 6,000 spectators, as well as some of the city’s most impressive facades. Carved into the rock face, the Treasury and the Monastery both have unmistakable Hellenistic features, with ornate Corinthian columns, bas-relief Amazons, and fanciful acroteria. Knowing that such architectural feats were achieved by carving from the top down makes it even more impressive.Petra’s engineering phenomena are legion, including the sophisticated water system that supported some 30,000 inhabitants. Carved into the twisted passageway of the Siq, the irrigation channel drops only 12 feet over the course of a mile, while underground cisterns stored runoff to be used in drier times of the year.And yet it’s the raw beauty of Petra that draws in so many millions of visitors—the entire city of ruins is a work of art, painted on a natural stone backdrop that changes color every hour. The elegant Silk Tomb swirls with streaks of red, blue, and other, while vivid mosaics still pave the floors of a Byzantine-era churchChristianity came to Petra in the third and fourth centuries and flourished, but the city waned after an A.D. 336 earthquake and under the early Islamic dynasties of the seventh century. Petra was only rediscovered by Swiss explorer Johann Burckhardt in 1812, and it continues to spill its secrets. Even now, archaeologists have explored less than half of the sprawling site, and in 2016, with the help of satellite imagery, a monumental structure was found still buried in the sand. It’s no wonder that Petra remains Jordan’s top tourist attraction and one of the most revered of the World Heritage sites. How to Get There. Petra is a three-hour drive from Amman and two hours from the Red Sea port of Aqaba. Buses run the route daily, along with organized tours and private taxis. The Jordan Trail passes through Petra, allowing hikers to connect with Dana or Wadi Rum. How to Visit. Reducing Petra to a single day trip is a common mistake. Remember that Petra spreads out for over a hundred square miles—four times the size of Manhattan. While donkeys, camels, and horse buggies can hasten travel time between highlights, most of Petra’s sites are best reached on foot. Come ready to hike some steep terrain. When to Visit. Petra is open year-round, so choose your own adventure: Spring and fall offer the most temperate weather, with fantastic light. Summer is beautiful but can turn unbearably hot. January and February are the coolest months, with the occasional downpour. Remember the high elevation means nights are cold. Sunrise and sunset are when Petra truly glows with changing color, so come early and stay late.

#IFTTT #YouTube

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crazy4tank · 4 years ago

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The Luxury Nomad Lifestyle

New Post has been published on https://fashiondesigne.com/2021/01/04/the-luxury-nomad-lifestyle/

The Luxury Nomad Lifestyle

42 flights, 55221 miles, 2 . 2 close to earth, 135 hours up

Company Class with Emirates, Malaysia Airlines, Brussels, Austrian plus Lufthansa

fifty two hotel nights in fifteen countries (34 nights at IHG, twelve nights at Hilton)

Cebu Island, Philippines

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Cairo, Egypt

A lot more Weekend Trips

Paris, france, France

Bordeaux, Italy

Indian

Pic: Spectacular sunset in Jaipur, India (May 2017)

Conclusion

#business class #cairo #emirates #India #intercontinental #Paris #philippines #trip reports

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itswingedcollectoranchorfan · 7 years ago

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Why Christmas Celebrated on the 25th December?12123

Christmas is celebrated to remember the birth of of Jesus Christ, who Christians believe is the Son of God.

The name 'Christmas' comes from the Mass of Christ (or Jesus). A Mass service (which is sometimes called Communion or Eucharist) is where Christians remember that Jesus died for us and then came back to life. The 'Christ-Mass' service was the only one that was allowed to take place after sunset (and before sunrise the next day), so people had it at Midnight! So we get the name Christ-Mass, shortened to Christmas.

Christmas is now celebrated by people around the world, whether they are Christians or not. It's a time when family and friends come together and remember the good things they have. People, and especially children, also like Christmas as it's a time when you give and receive presents!

The Date of Christmas December 25th

No one knows the real birthday of Jesus! No date is given in the Bible, so why do we celebrate it on the 25th December? The early Christians certainly had many arguments as to when it should be celebrated! Also, the birth of Jesus probably didn't happen in the year 1 but slightly earlier, somewhere between 2 BCE/BC and 7 BCE/BC, possibly in 4 BCE/BC (there isn't a 0 - the years go from 1 BC/BCE to 1!).

The first recorded date of Christmas being celebrated on December 25th was in 336, during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine (he was the first Christian Roman Emperor). A few years later, Pope Julius I officially declared that the birth of Jesus would be celebrated on the 25th December.

However, there are many different traditions and theories as to why Christmas is celebrated on December 25th.

A very early Christian tradition said that the day when Mary was told that she would have a very special baby, Jesus (called the Annunciation) was on March 25th - and it's still celebrated today on the 25th March. Nine months after the 25th March is the 25th December! March 25th was also the day some early Christians thought the world had been made, and also the day that Jesus died on when he was an adult. The date of March 25th was chosen because people had calculated that was the day on which Jesus died as an adult (the 14th of Nisan in the Jewish calendar) and they thought that Jesus was born and had died on the same day of the year.

Some people also think that December 25th might have also been chosen because the Winter Solstice and the ancient pagan Roman midwinter festivals called 'Saturnalia' and 'Dies Natalis Solis Invicti' took place in December around this date - so it was a time when people already celebrated things.

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The Winter Solstice is the day where there is the shortest time between the sun rising and the sun setting. It happens on December 21st or 22nd. To pagans this meant that the winter was over and spring was coming and they had a festival to celebrate it and worshipped the sun for winning over the darkness of winter. In Scandinavia, and some other parts of northern Europe, the Winter Solstice is known as Yule and is where we get Yule Logs from. In Eastern Europe the mid-winter festival is called Koleda.

The Roman Festival of Saturnalia took place between December 17th and 23rd and honoured the Roman god Saturn. Dies Natalis Solis Invicti means 'birthday of the unconquered sun' and was held on December 25th (when the Romans thought the Winter Solstice took place) and was the 'birthday' of the Pagan Sun god Mithra. In the pagan religion of Mithraism, the holy day was Sunday and is where get that word from!

The Roman emperor Aurelian created 'Sol Invictus' in 274. But there are records of early Christians connecting 14th Nisan to 25th March and so the 25th December go back to around 200!

The Jewish festival of Lights, Hanukkah starts on the 25th of Kislev (the month in the Jewish calendar that occurs at about the same time as December). Hanukkah celebrates when the Jewish people were able to re-dedicate and worship in their Temple, in Jerusalem, again following many years of not being allowed to practice their religion.

Jesus was a Jew, so this could be another reason that helped the early Church choose December the 25th for the date of Christmas!

Christmas had also been celebrated by the early Church on January 6th, when they also celebrated the Epiphany (which means the revelation that Jesus was God's son) and the Baptism of Jesus. Now Epiphany mainly celebrates the visit of the Wise Men to the baby Jesus, but back then it celebrated both things! Jesus's Baptism was originally seen as more important than his birth, as this was when he started his ministry. But soon people wanted a separate day to celebrate his birth.

Most of the world uses the 'Gregorian Calendar' implemented by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582. Before that the 'Roman' or Julian Calendar was used (named after Julius Caesar). The Gregorian calendar is more accurate that the Roman calendar which had too many days in a year! When the switch was made 10 days were lost, so that the day that followed the 4th October 1582 was 15th October 1582. In the UK the change of calendars was made in 1752. The day after 2nd September 1752 was 14th September 1752.

Many Orthodox and Coptic Churches still use the Julian Calendar and so celebrate Christmas on the 7th January (which is when December 25th would have been on the Julian calendar). And the Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates it on the 6th January! In some part of the UK, January 6th is still called 'Old Christmas' as this would have been the day that Christmas would have celebrated on, if the calendar hadn't been changed. Some people didn't want to use the new calendar as they thought it 'cheated' them out of 11 days!

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Christians believe that Jesus is the light of the world, so the early Christians thought that this was the right time to celebrate the birth of Jesus. They also took over some of the customs from the Winter Solstice and gave them Christian meanings, like Holly, Mistletoe and even Christmas Carols!

St Augustine was the person who really started Christmas in the UK by introducing Christianity in the 6th century. He came from countries that used the Roman Calendar, so western countries celebrate Christmas on the 25th December. Then people from Britain and Western Europe took Christmas on the 25th December all over the world!

If you'd like to know more about the history behind the dating of Christmas, then read this very good article on Bible History Daily (goes to another site).

So when was Jesus Born? December 25th

There's a strong and practical reason why Jesus might not have been born in the winter, but in the spring or the autumn! It can get very cold in the winter and it's unlikely that the shepherds would have been keeping sheep out on the hills (as those hills can get quite a lot of snow sometimes!).

During the spring (in March or April) there's a Jewish festival called 'Passover'. This festival remembers when the Jews had escaped from slavery in Egypt about 1500 years before Jesus was born. Lots of lambs would have been needed during the Passover Festival, to be sacrificed in the Temple in Jerusalem. Jews from all over the Roman Empire traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival, so it would have been a good time for the Romans to take a census. Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem for the census (Bethlehem is about six miles from Jerusalem).

In the autumn (in September or October) there's the Jewish festival of 'Sukkot' or 'The Feast of Tabernacles'. It's the festival that's mentioned the most times in the Bible! It is when Jewish people remember that they depended on God for all they had after they had escaped from Egypt and spent 40 years in the desert. It also celebrates the end of the harvest. During the festival, Jews live outside in temporary shelters (the word 'tabernacle' come from a latin word meaning 'booth' or 'hut').December 25th December 25th December 25th December 25th December 25th December 25th December 25th December 25th December 25th December 25th December 25th December 25th

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Many people who have studied the Bible, think that Sukkot would be a likely time for the birth of Jesus as it might fit with the description of there being 'no room in the inn'. It also would have been a good time to take the Roman Census as many Jews went to Jerusalem for the festival and they would have brought their own tents/shelters with them! (It wouldn't have been practical for Joseph and Mary to carry their own shelter as Mary was pregnant.)

The possibilities for the Star of Bethlehem seems to point either spring or autumn.

The possible dating of Jesus birth can also be taken from when Zechariah (who was married to Mary's cousin Elizabeth) was on duty in the Jewish Temple as a Priest and had an amazing experience. There is an excellent article on the dating of Christmas based on the dates of Zechariah's experience, on the blog of theologian, Ian Paul. With those dates, you get Jesus being born in September - which also fits with Sukkot!

The year that Jesus was born isn't known. The calendar system we have now was created in the 6th Century by a monk called Dionysius Exiguus. He was actually trying to create a better system for working out when Easter should be celebrated, based on a new calendar with the birth of Jesus being in the year 1. However, he made a mistake in his maths and so got the possible year of Jesus's birth wrong!

Most scholars now think that Jesus was born between 2 BCE/BC and 7 BCE/BC, possibly in 4 BCE/BC. Before Dionysius's new calendars, years were normally dated from the reigns of Roman Emperors. The new calendar became more widely used from the 8th Century when the 'Venerable Bede of Northumbria' used it in his 'new' history book! There is no year '0'. Bede started dating things before the year 1 and used 1 BCE/BC as the first year before 1. At that time in Europe, the number 0 didn't exist in maths - it only arrived in Europe in the 11th to 13th centuries!

So whenever you celebrate Christmas, remember that you're celebrating a real event that happened about 2000 years ago, that God sent his Son into the world as a Christmas present for everyone!

As well as Christmas and the solstice, there are some other festivals that are held in late December. Hanukkah is celebrated by Jews; and the festival of Kwanzaa is celebrated by some Africans and African Americans takes place from December 26th to January 1st.

Find out why Christmas is sometimes called Xmas!

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autodidact-adventures · 7 years ago

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World War I (Part 27): The Dardanelles Campaign Begins

In February, the 29th Infantry Division was the only remaining British regular division to have not yet been sent to war. A struggle erupted over where it should be sent.

JF desperately wanted more men, certain that the German lines could be broken. He demanded that the 29th be sent to him immediately, and Joffre agreed. (Joffre agreed with JF on just about everything, except for how the British forces should be used on the Western Front, and who should make the decision/s about it.)

Kitchener was the Minister of War, and he was the one with the authority to deploy troops. He did not want to send the 29th to the Western Front. He was fine with territorial units being sent there (he saw them as third-rate), and also colonial troops (such as from Canada and India). But he was fiercely protective of the volunteer recruits (known as Kitchener's Army), and also of the 29th. By now, a division that was both a) intact, and b) made up of professional soldiers, was rare and incredibly valuable.

The British high command were trying to decide on another theatre of operations, and if this happened, then the 29th would be important for that. By February, the choice of Salonika (Thessaloniki) appeared to have been made – a Greek port city on the Aegean Sea's north coast, and west of the Dardanelles. Salonika had been recommended by the War Council, which had been established in January to evaluate possible new fronts. It quickly received a lot of support, especially from Lloyd George – from Salonika, they could possibly send troops into the Balkans (to the north), which would threaten Turkey and Austria-Hungary. Greece was still officially neutral, but they were indicating that they wouldn't be unfriendly to a potential landing there.

In early February, 5,000 Turks led by a German Lieutenant Colonel crossed the Sinai Desert, and managed to reach the Suez Canal before being driven back. Egypt was under British control at this time, and this threatened their control of India. The Grand Duke had been asking for support in the Middle East, and it was getting more obvious that the British had to take some kind of action in order to help. Also, many people wanted to use British troops more productively than in Flanders. Because of all this, support for the Salonika landing grew even more.

Lloyd George travelled to Paris for a meeting on financial matters. While he was there, he brought up the Salonika idea. Joffre replied that he had no troops to spare for it, but the Minister of War Alexandre Millerand was more supportive.

Days later, they found out that Bulgaria had accepted a large loan from Germany, and was likely to join the Central Powers. Now it was definitely necessary to land at Salonika, and the War Council approved it, with Kitchener one of the strongest supporters. He ordered the 29th Division to go to the Aegean island of Lemnos, which the Greeks agreed to make available for them. When everything was ready, they would travel from there to Salonika.

Lemnos marked with the red pointer.

JF was not happy. He'd promised Joffre that the British would take over part of the French line near Ypres, and launch an attack in support of his next offensive. Now, he said, he wouldn't be able to do that. Both men protested, and put so much pressure on Kitchener that he called off the 29th's deployment and kept it in England for the time being. Inexperienced New Zealand & Australian troops, who were training in Egypt, were sent to Lemnos instead.

Many of the British who supported the Salonika idea also supported the Dardanelles possibility. Both campaigns could be done at the same time, because they would use infantry & the navy respectively, and thus not compete for resources. Salonika would only need ships to transport the men there, and for supplies. Britain's naval superiority was even greater in the Mediterranean, because there were French ships concentrated there as well.

If they attacked the Dardanelles, a fleet would advance northwards from the Mediterranean to the Strait. Churchill was enthusiastic about this idea – Vice-Admiral Sackville Carden (the commander of the British naval squadron in the eastern Mediterranean) had told him that they could reach Constantinople (Istanbul) in 30 days, if they had enough minesweepers and a fleet of warships. They wouldn't need much army involvement at all.

On February 19th, Carden steamed up to the entry of the Dardanelles Strait and began shelling the forts there. His fleet included 12 British & 4 French battleships (the second biggest & heaviest-armed ships in the world, after the dreadnoughts), 14 British & 6 French destroyers (much smaller, unarmoured, and built for speed & firepower), cruisers (between battleships & destroyers in size), and 35 fishing trawlers. The trawlers had been brought there from the North Sea for minesweeping, with their civilian crews.

Most of the battleships were old, and practically obsolete, but their heavy guns could still do massive damage at long range. And they had the HMS Queen Elizabeth – a brand-new dreadnought which had just been launched, and happened to be in the Mediterranean for her sea trials. So she was ordered to join the Dardanelles fleet.

First, they would have the clear the mines that Turkey had laid in the Dardanelles. They would have to attack quickly, shelling & destroying the artillery on the high ground above both sides of the strait. From there, they would advance into the Sea of Marmara. Constantinople was on the other side of Marmara.

Turks (and their German military advisers) had been expecting this sort of attack, but their defenses were pitiful – about 100 artillery pieces on the high ground, and very few troops (which they would need to fight off landing parties). The Germans figured that if the enemy was prepared to lose 10 ships, it would be impossible to stop them. The Turkish government began preparations to flee into the interior.

But Carden was more cautious than that, and he had no experience in commanding large forces. On the first foray, he kept at a distance, shelling the forts from about 5km away. At sunset, he called a halt. Vice-Admiral John de Robeck asked permission to continue but was denied it.

Carden had intended to keep going the next day, but the weather was terrible and spoiled their visibility. So the fleet waited offshore. The Turks, meanwhile, had time get ready, and hurried to fortify their positions.

On February 25th, the ships returned. De Robeck was in charge this time (possibly because of Carden's poor health). They attacked the forts again, and also landed some raiding parties which met almost no resistance. They'd neutralized all the outer forts within 24hrs. Some of the big ships moved just inside the 4km-wide entry to the strait, but they didn't dare move further. The strait was heavily mined, and there were more forts to the north, especially where the strait was only about 1.6km wide.

Clearing the mines was the first major problem. The civilian crews of the trawlers refused to keep going under fire. So navy crews replaced them, but they were inexperienced with handling the trawlers and their complicated minesweeping equipment. A group of 7 trawlers made the most aggressive foray when they moved beyond the entry to the strait after dark. But the Turks turned on spotlights, fired heavily on them, and sank one. The others fled.

The British & French didn't have much in the way of aerial reconnaissance. Also, the Turks' howitzers were firing from behind the ridges that lined the strait, and the navy's guns, with their flat trajectories, were blocked from reaching them. So De Robeck ordered another withdrawal. The enemy was given even more time to work on their defenses. Churchill was still in England, and he sent many messages to Carden, demanding that he resume the attack.

Even though the Dardanelles Campaign was mostly to help the Russians, they didn't get involved at first. Russia had substantial forces to the north (including warships in the Black Sea), so they certainly could have. Later, Sazonov would say, “I intensely disliked the thought that the Straits and Constantinople might be taken by our Allies. When the Gallipoli expedition was finally decided upon by our Allies...I had difficulty in concealing from them how painfully the news had affected me.” If Britain & France captured Constantinople, they were highly unlikely to give it to Russia.

On March 1st, the Greek government offered 3 infantry divisions for Britain to use in the Dardanelles campaign. This was excellent, not just because Greece would be joining the Entente side, but because Italy, Bulgaria and Romania might also do so in order to gain territory alongside them. Also, landing infantry at the Dardanelles would allow them to clear out the Turkish forts, thus getting rid of the threat to the navy. JF and Joffre would have no reason to object to this.

But Samsonov didn't want the Greeks getting involved, either. Greece was a potential challenge to Russia's post-war dominance of the Balkans region. Samsonov sent a message to their government, saying that “in no circumstances can we allow Greek forces to participate in the Allied attack on Constantinople.”

Edward Grey tried to sort things out by promising Russia that they could have Constantinople after the war, as well as territory around it. But it was too late for such a solution. When the news of Greece's offer and Russia's rejection became widely known, it threw Athens into a turmoil. The Greeks changed their offer, saying that they would give troops only if Bulgaria joined the Dardanelles Campaign as well. They were afraid that if they sent troops to the other side of the Aegean, Bulgaria would take advantage and attack them. There was no chance of getting Bulgaria to join them, so the Greek troops were never sent.

At this point, an infantry landing would have been an excellent move, and those divisions would have been of great help. The Turkish army's official account of the Dardanelles Campaign would later state that “it would have been possible to effect a landing successfully at any point on the peninsula, and the capture of the straits by land forces would have been comparatively easy.”

The Greek government fell, and its replacement was friendly to the Germans. The King of Greece was married to the kaiser's sister, and he was pleased with this development.

In London, divisions began to appear within the high command. Churchill was becoming the main advocate of the Dardanelles Campaign, and he demanded that they resume the attack. He had brought Admiral John Fisher out of retirement at the start of the war, and the two men were usually close allies. Now, however, Fisher disagreed with him. He wanted a landing on Germany's Baltic coast (the riskiest of all the possible new fronts being considered), and wanted the troops for there. He believed that a Dardanelles landing would be possible without perhaps 100,000 troops. So he and Churchill began to drift apart.

JF was also against the Dardanelles Campaign. “To attack Turkey would be to play the German game, and to bring about the end which Germany had in mind when she induced Turkey to join the war – namely, to draw off troops from the decisive spot, which is Germany himself.” He wanted to focus entirely on the Western Front.

Churchill believed they didn't need troops at all, so he wasn't in any conflict with JF. He telegraphed Carden, saying that, “The unavoidable losses must be accepted. The enemy is harrassed and anxious now. The time is precious.”

Kitchener agreed with Churchill, saying that since they'd “entered on the project of forcing the straits, there can be no idea of abandoning the scheme.” Lloyd George pointed out that continuing an offensive that has already proven unsuccessful seldom turns out well.

On March 10th, Kitchener released the 29th Division (which he'd earlier deployed to Salonika but called it off) to the Dardanelles. Along with the NZ & Australian troops being transferred from Egypt, it would become part of a new expeditionary force. General Sir Ian Hamilton would command it. Hamilton was 62yrs old, and a longtime friend and protégé of Kitchener's. He had served in India and the Second Boer War, and been a British observer in the Russo-Japanese War. He had a reputation for being fearless under fire.

Ian Hamilton.

Kitchener was calling this new force the Constantinople Expeditionary Force. However, Hamilton suggested that calling it that might tempt fate, so it was called the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force instead.

The French had also organized a new infantry division for the Dardanelles, despite Joffre's reluctance. Now almost 80,000 troops were going to be involved. Russia had been swayed by Grey's promise of Constantinople, and they promised to provide a corps – as soon as the British & French reached the Sea of Marmara.

Progress was continuing in the Dardanelles. The mines were being cleared away from the mouth of the strait. The attack should only be days ago, if the weather permitted it. However, Carden was struggling, finding it difficult to eat or sleep.

On March 13th, Carden suddenly announced that he couldn't keep on, and he'd have to resign. De Robeck, worried that it would mean the end of Carden's career, tried to persuade him otherwise, but was unsuccessful. A doctor examined him and told him that he had to return at home at once, because he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. De Robeck took charge.

Hamilton left England on the 13th, but he had no specific orders, and no staff appropriate for his new responsibilities. He was to travel quickly by train to the Mediterranean, then sail on a fast ship, arriving in the Aegean within a few days. When he arrived, he was to assess the situation and decide what was to be done. He arrived in the Mediterranean on the 18th, just hours before De Robeck resumed the attack.

In the morning of March 18th, De Robeck took a huge fleet into the Dardanelles strait. It had 16 battleships (4 French, 12 British). Most of the battleships were old, but they were huge, heavily-armoured, and had massive guns. The HMS Queen Elizabeth was De Robeck's flagship, and she travelled at the head of the formation. She had a dozen guns that fired 15-inch (38cm) diameter shells. She was at the head of the formation, along with three British battleships.

About 1.5km behind (astern) were the four French battleships, sailing side by side. Their French admiral was eager for combat, and happy to follow De Robeck's orders.

Four more battleships guarded the flanks of these two groups. The others waited outside the mouth of the strait.

The Turks had very few guns that were capable of penetrating battleship armour, and they were all at the Narrows – a place where the strait was only 1.5km wide. If they could deal with these guns, and also the mines in the Narrows, then the British & French could easily get to the Sea of Marmara.

After entering the strait, the Queen Elizabeth and the other 3 vanguard ships stopped at a point where their bigger guns could fire on the Narrows. The Turkish guns that could reach them were too light to be any more than a nuisance. The heaviest Turkish guns (manned by Turkish & German crews) couldn't reach them where they were.

The four ships attacked the Narrows' gun emplacements for 30min. They couldn't see what was happening to their targets, so they didn't know if they'd managed to destroy them (but certainly they were doing massive damage).

Then came the next phase of the offensive. De Robeck signalled the 4 French ships to move past them, further into the strait. The French commander had wanted the honour of a prominent part in the assault, so this was a courtesy to him.

When the French ships were north of De Robeck's line, they began firing. They continued for the next 2hrs, with the Turkish returning fire decreasing and becoming less accurate. Then De Robeck ordered the French ship to return, and the ships that hadn't taken part yet to come forward.

Everything had been going perfectly up until now. But what De Robeck didn't know was that 10 days ago, on the night of March 8th, a little Turkish steamer that they'd converted into a minelayer had snuck past the destroyers guarding a section of waters the British had already cleared. It was called the Nousret, and her crew had laid a line of 20 mines parallel to the coast, and then returned without noticed. Now the mines lay still beneath the surface of the water, and the British had no idea they were there.

The French ships made U-turns to starboard (to the right), and began returning in single file. But suddenly, the Bouvet, who was second in line, blew up and sank rapidly, disappearing in under 2min. She had a crew of over 600, and almost all of them were lost.

The Bouvet sinking.

Even then, they didn't realize about the mines. They assumed that a Turkish shell had penetrated one of her shell storage compartments; or perhaps an enemy submarine had entered the strait. It was, they thought, an isolated incident. The rest of the retreat was fine.

Six British battleships replaced them, moving even further north. They fired on the Turks for another 2hrs, and by late afternoon, the return fire had almost ended.

Now De Robeck called the minesweepers into action. But they soon came under heavy fire from Turkish howitzers in the hills, and fled.

Meanwhile, the battleship HMS Inflexible had been attacking all afternoon, despite having substantial damage to her superstructure. She was now at the same place where the Bouvet had sunk, and she suddenly tilted sharply to starboard. The captain sent up signal flags, indicating that he'd hit a mine, and began withdrawing to the entrance of the strait.

Minutes later, the exact same thing happened to the HMS Irresistible. She was so badly damaged that De Robeck sent in a destroyer to rescue the crew. The situation was getting rather chaotic. De Robeck was withdrawing his gunships, and sending destroyers in to either tow the Irresistible to safety, or sink her to stop the Turks from getting her. And in the confusion, yet another British battleship was hit, and sunk to the bottom.

The Irresistible, abandoned and sinking (March 18th).

This was terrible. They'd lost two battleships, and another two were seriously damaged. De Robeck was certain he'd be dismissed because of it. But Churchill sent word that another 4 British battleships, and a French replacement for the Bouvet, were already on their way to join him. The trawlers were replaced with destroyers fitted with minesweeping equipment. Things weren't so bad after all, and De Robeck telegraphed London that he was eager to return and finish the job. Churchill was delighted, and even Fisher was pleased, his doubts temporarily swept away by De Robeck's confidence.

But Ian Hamilton did not agree. He had been instructed to telegraph Kitchener, and in the message he said, “I am being most reluctantly driven towards the conclusion that the Dardanelles are less likely to be forced by battleships than at one time seemed probable, and if the Army is to participate, its operations will not assume the subsidiary form anticipated.” I.e., they would need a lot of troops after all.

The telegram continued, saying that an army would have to be landed, and this “must be a deliberate and prepared military operation, carried out at full strength, so as to open a passage for the Navy.” Kitchener agreed with this, saying that the next phase “must be a deliberate and prepared military operation.” I.e., not just by the navy.

By March 22nd, De Robeck had changed his mind to agree with Hamilton. He reported to London that he was now dubious about the possibility of clearing the straits with his battleships. This led to divisions within the navy and army staffs. But no-one suggested cancelling the campaign – the pros (if they succeeded) were too great – i.e. getting Turkey out of the war; and Bulgaria, Italy & Romania possibly joining the Entente. The cons (if they failed), however, were also great – the Balkan states might then stay neutral, or even join the Central Powers.

Churchill, obviously, was still determined to keep going. He wrote up a telegram ordering De Robeck to resume the attack at the first opportunity, but when he showed it to several senior admirals (including Fisher) they refused to endorse it. They told him they couldn't possibly insist on an action that the responsible admiral on the scene didn't support.

Churchill tried yet again to change De Robeck's mind. De Robeck's chief of staff was doing the same thing. But neither succeeded. Asquith thought Churchill was probably right, but he found it impossible to override what Fisher and so many other admirals wanted. Eventually, Churchill had to give in.

Actually, if De Robeck had immediately resumed the attack, he would quite likely have succeeded. The Turks & Germans were very surprised that he didn't do so, and they didn't expect they could stop him if he did. True, most of their guns were still working, and the worst damage at the Narrows was quickly repaired. But they were dangerously low on ammunition (which the British knew) and they had no way of resupplying. They had fewer than 30 armour-piercing shells along the entire strait. Officials in Constantinople were getting their families out of the city, and preparing the government for flight.

Nor was Turkey prepared for a military landing. But the British & French weren't ready to do that yet, either. Hamilton was still waiting for most of his troops. The troops he did have weren't ready for such a complicated amphibious operation. Lemnos didn't have enough fresh water for all the troops arriving. Hamilton decided to transfer the troopships to Egypt, where they could be unloaded and then reloaded in an orderly manner. He would have to decide where & how to land his forces.

At least the Russians were no longer so desperate for relief. It was now weeks past their defeat in the Second Battle of the Masurian Lakes, which had done little lasting damage to them. The Eastern Front was stabilized. By late March, they were attacking the enemy again in the south, around and in the Carpathians.

They'd had Przemsyl under siege for 194 days, and on March 22nd, they captured it. The people inside had been starving, but the top military officials & their mistresses had secretly hoarded plenty of food for themselves. An hour before surrendering, the Austrian commanders blew up their remaining supplies of shells so that the Russians couldn't use them.

Salis Soglio, one of the Przemsyl forts, in 1915.

A Polish woman who had gone to Przemsyl in an attempt to save her family's house wrote about it. “The first ammunition dump exploded with a terrifying boom, the ground shook and the glass fell out of all the windows. Clouds of ash cascaded from chimneys and stoves, and chunks of plaster fell from the walls and ceiling. There was soon a second boom. As the day dawned the town looked like a glowing, smoking crater with pink flames glowing from below and morning mist floating above – an amazing, menacing sight. These hours were perhaps the only hours like this in the whole history of the world. Countless people died of nervous convulsions last night, without any physical injuries or illness. By the time the sun climbed into the sky everything was still. Soldiers knelt on their balconies, praying.”

She continued, “There is a corpse in our house, on the floor above the Litwinskis'. The man seems to have died of fear. I have to do something about him, but nobody wants to get involved, they are all leaving it to me. I persuaded one of the workmen to go down to the army hospital to ask what to do...he was told they would deal with it tomorrow, they've got too many corpses today as it is, littering the streets awaiting collection.”

The Russians had captured 120,000 troops, 9 generals, and hundreds of guns. When Emperor Franz Joseph heard about this, he fell into fits of weeping. Also, three Russian corps were now freed up to join a spring offensive that seemed increasingly promising.

However, the Russians still couldn't move their surplus grain (which was piling up) from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean, in order to get money they badly needed. Nor could the British & French send supplies to them via the Black Sea ports. But these problems would be solved if the Dardanelles Campaign succeeded.

The suspension of the naval offensive, and the delay in sorting out the military offensive, was a great help to the Turks & Germans. They were still badly-equipped and widely dispersed, but now they had time to gradually pull together their defenses to fend off Hamilton's offensive when it came.

#book: a world undone #history #military history #ww1 #dardanelles campaign #siege of przemyśl #turkey #ottoman empire #poland #hms queen elizabeth (1913)#bouvet #hms inflexible #hms irresistible #sackville carden #john de robeck #ian hamilton

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crazy4tank · 4 years ago

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