Street snapshots in Bratislava

 Monochrome photos...

Foggy Christmas

 It is not a white Christmas in Olomouc this year, fortunately. Rather it was foggy all day.

Merry Christmas.

Wishing all of you a Happy New Year 2023!

Szabadság híd

Liberty bridge in Budapest.

Reflection At Night

Crkva Svetog Marka

Photos taken in Belgrade continue but no more NATO bombing building photos...

Crkva svetog Marka (St. Mark's Church in Belgrade) is a Serbian Orthodox church located in the Tašmajdan park in Belgrade, Serbia. Actually, it's very close to Serbia TV/Radio tower building that was bombed.

It was built in the Serbo-Byzantine style by the Krstić brothers, and completed in 1940, on the site of a previous church dating to 1835, however, its interior is still not fully restored. 

St. Mark's Church is one of the largest churches in Serbia.

Have a wonderful weekend.

To be continued...

Sir Nicholas Winton

It was almost three years since the first time I arrived at Prague railway main station (Hlavní nádraží), however, it was very recently when I noticed the statues of a gentleman and two children on platform 1. The statue, created by Flor Kent,  was unveiled on the 1st of September 2009 as part of a larger commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the last Kindertransport train (also called the Winton train).

The name of the gentleman in the statue is Sir Nicholas Winton (19 May 1909 – 1 July 2015). 

Who is he?

That was my first stupid question when I found his name. Then looked him up and I was stunned! He is a British gentleman born in a Jewish family. Later on, his family converted to Christianity and he was baptized. 

If you are interested in him, please visit his Wiki site and/or his HP.

In brief, he organized the rescue of 669 children, most of them Jewish, from Czechoslovakia on the eve of the Second World War in an operation later known as "children transportation". Prague railway main station was the embarkation point for the children who were evacuated to London Liverpool Street station via the Port of Harwich.

Due to his exploits, the British press dubbed him the "British Schindler", however, Winton's humanitarian exploits were recognized over 40 years later by his Danish wife, Grete Gjelstrup. In February 1988 his exploits were broadcasted in the BBC television program "That's Life!". 

Winton was awarded the highest honor of the Czech Republic, the Order of the White Lion, by Czech President on 28 October 2014.

Brimham Rocks Part 3

This is part 3 entry of Brimham rocks. All images are taken with an Infrared camera!

Let's Go Home!

Street snapshot in Leeds, UK...

Whitby Abbey Part Three

This is the last entry of Whitby Abbey!

This is The Weekend in Black and White entry, 15th May 2015. 

   

Have a wonderful weekend.

Whitby Abbey Part One

I love ruins. I don't know why I am more attracted by ruins than fully restored structures... 

Taken by Infrared camera

The ruined Whitby Abbey belonged to the Benedictine monastery that was a center of prayer and study for over four centuries. It is located on the East Cliff above Whitby in North Yorkshire, England.

The first monastery was founded in 657 AD by the Anglo-Saxon era King of Northumbria. In the 7th and 8th centuries it was the site of a thriving Anglian town and a famous religious community.

Again, taken by Infrared camera

Open from 10:00 to 18:00, 7.5 £

To be continued.

Padrão dos Descobrimentos

This is part 3 entry of Belém (Lisbon).

The fifty-meter tall Padrão dos Descobrimentos (Monument to the Discoveries) shaped like a ship's prow, can be found on the northern bank of the Tagus River estuary. For sure, it represents a romanticized idealization of Portuguese exploration!

That's where Vasco da Gama embarked on his voyage to India in 1497 and also where Christopher Columbus had to anchor his ships due to the storm on his way back to Spain after his triumphal discovery of the Americas. It's around 900 meters away from Belém Tower, BTW.

The monument was built in 1960 on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of Henry the Navigator's death. It should be noted that the monument we see today is the replica of the original one that was built for the Portuguese World Fair opening in June 1940. The original monument was demolished after the exposition. 

Great people on the western side

In total, there are 33 figures along two sides of the monument. That includes great people with a variety of occupations and each idealized figure is designed to show movement toward the unknown sea.

This is The Weekend in Black and White entry, 16th January 2015. and Shadow Shot Sunday 2. 

       

Have a wonderful weekend.

Istanbul

It was my first time taking Turkish Airline and I stopped by Istanbul Ataturk airport in transit.

Happy New Year!

Hradisko Monastery

It's time to post photos taken in Olomouc.

Taken by an infrared camera

It was my second visit to the Hradisko Monastery last weekend. The first visit was one week after my arrival in Olomouc (11 months ago). I had an appointment to see a doctor for a health check and I was taken to this Monastery... Hradisko Monastery has served as a Military hospital since 1802, according to Wiki. Now it's open to non-soldiers.

While wondering "A Japanese citizen visiting Monastery to see a doctor???", a doctor - aged over 80 with completely white hair - appeared and asked questions.

Doctor: How tall are you? 

Me: 173 cm

Doctor: Your weight? 

Me: 53.5 kg

Doctor: Oh, you are Bantamweight.  

He, who appears to belong to the WBC Heavyweight class, must be lefty as his slow jab came from his right hand and left upper with a pen...

Doctor: What is your blood type?

Me: O

Doctor: Do you smoke?

Me: Never in my life.

Doctor: Very well.

He opened a book for the color blindness test.

Doctor: Can you see the number?

I answered what was seen.

Doctor: OK, you can drive a car in the Czech Republic if you have a driver's license. Have a good day, Bye-bye.

He did not examine my heart rate, blood pressure, no blood and urine tests, no X-ray, nothing but I was proven healthy... It was a bizarre experience, though the building was awesome.

Since my current apartment is located just across the river, I decided to visit there again. With the camera not as a patient.

This is Our World Tuesday, 30 September, 2013 entry.

Seats

Trip to Brno Part One

Once again thanks to the everlasting hospitality from my colleagues I had a chance to visit Brno, the second-largest city in the Czech Republic. It took us around an hour and a half to get there by train.

We've had a very startling experience there. Although I've taken quite shocking and explicit photos, I would post photos taken with a customized Infrared camera - Olympus CAMEDIA C-2020Z in this entry.

I bought it three years ago through the YAHOO auction. It cost 5 USD. As I mentioned, it was customized by the previous owner for taking infrared photos only. If you are curious about Infrared photos, please visit this and this.

The weather was beautiful and I like shooting plants with this camera when it's sunny.

To be continued.

Wedding Ceremonies Part Two

Took place second ceremony at Town Hall, Olomouc. The ceremony seemed to be sort of casual probably because it wasn't in a Church. The expression on the girl's face says it all!

Wishing you everlasting joy and happiness!

Dusk

It's just a mundane scene at dusk in Olomouc.

SKODA

ŠKODA is a domestic automobile in the Czech Republic, you know.

While waiting for the tram on my way home, I had a gear (Olympus OM-D), attached with a body cap lens, BCL1580. It's not a real lens, but a body cap with a lens. I like it because it's so thin and super light (22 g).

Since it's a very slow lens (F8), what I did at the tram/bus stop was move the camera while shooting and captured ŠKODA.

This is The Weekend in Black and White entry.