There are places in the world where time seems to stand still. Places where you can feel the weight of history. Places where the people who came before you seem still to linger, just out of sight and reach.
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In Viking times this was the capital of Norway. Today it is a busy modern city with an impressive cathedral. It lies where the Nidelva river meets Trondheim Fjord, creating an excellent sheltered harbour. Although south of the Arctic Circle and therefore experiencing neither Polar Night nor Midnight Sun, in the summer months it remains light enough all night for artificial lighting only to be needed in poor weather.
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When the Shard opened in London in 2012 it did so to quite a fanfare, and to a rather damp squib (in my view) of a laser show. But despite the laser show disappointing, the tower never has. Although not to everyone’s taste (the fractured ‘shards’ at the top that give it its name divide opinion), I have always found it striking.
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On 20th August 1991 the Estonian government declared the country’s independence from the Soviet Union. In retaliation the following day Soviet troops wanting to seize control of the country’s communication channels stormed the TV Tower on the outskirts of Tallinn. Four employees working there locked themselves in rooms on the 22nd floor and kept the troops at bay by inserting a matchbox between the door of the lift and its frame to stop it working.
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Just as humans (sadly) use knives and swords for attack and defence, so too do animals and plants. Whether it’s a thorn or spike to ward off predators, or a sharp tooth to attack their prey, there is always a point to sharpness in nature.
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Many of the houses in Guatapé are decorated with friezes along the lower portion, known as zócalos.
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Villa de Leyva was founded in 1572 by the Spaniards, and is considered one of the most beautiful colonial villages in Colombia.
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Whether ancient and beautiful, old and battered, or newer and colourful, there was something about the doors in Nepal that charmed me. And yes, some could have come straight out of a fairy tale perhaps.
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One of the (many) things I like to photograph when I travel are the various buildings I see. Buildings tell us so much about how people live, how they work, how they worship. Or, if they are old buildings, how they once lived/worked/worshipped.
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If you take a walk along the Quayside in Newcastle you are unlikely to miss the striking building on the far side of the Tyne, in Gateshead. Situated in the shadow of the Tyne Bridge this is a concert venue with two main auditoria, a rehearsal space, a music education centre and a leisure destination with several bars and eating places. It is also a must-see, and must photograph, building!
