Streetscape at Macau

Macau has always been a place I can find relaxation.

Twenty years back, I used to go to Macau every several years to destress myself from the busy and stressful work life.

I would take a ride to the beaches, walk up to the Cathedral on top of the hill, stroll the back alleys and enjoy the Portuguese food ( which has been adapted to more local tastes).

However, Macau experienced a big change in the last 10-15 years.

There are now too many casinos and too many tourists.

The peaceful way of life has given away to a busy and materialistic one.

In my trip earlier this year to Macau, I tried to rediscover the quieter side of it.

Here are some pictures, one taken in the busy central area with a fountain.

Another one taken at a roundabout wherein people sit while relaxing under the trees or waiting around.

The other shots show the back alleys – the other side of the city which are less visited by tourists.

Walls at Castles of Bellizona, Switzerland

These several photos taken by my wife in her recent trip to Castle of Bellizona in Switzerland make me think of castle walls, especially the Great Wall of China.

Here is a brief introduction of the Castles of Bellinzona  from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

The Castles of Bellinzona are a group of fortifications located around the town of Bellizona, the capital of the Swiss canton of  Ticino. Situated on the Alpine foothills, the group is composed of fortified walls and three castles named Castelgrande, Montebello and Sasso Corbaro. Castelgrande is located on a rocky peak overlooking the valley, with a series of walls that protect the old city and connect to Montebello. Sasso Corbaro, the highest of the three castles, is located on an isolated rocky promontory south-east of the other two. The Castles of Bellinzona with their defensive walls have been an UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.

The walls seem quite well preserved.

I am glad that it has been awarded as a UNESCO site.

Church at Macau

 

I am not a fervent Catholic.

I know I do not have very strong faith; but I seek to be closer with God with each passing day.

The poor health and sufferings of the loved ones around me have brought me closer to the Lord.

I know God has His plan and may not agree with the things we ask for in our prayers.

Nevertheless, we pray, hoping that He may change his plan, hoping that those around us will suffer less and be closer to Him.

I like churches; I like the ambiance in the church; a place where I can sit quietly and pray; praying for those around us and indeed for the whole world.

Here are some pictures taken in the church, right in the center of the city in Macau.

I like altars, here are two pictures showing it.

I guess given Macau was a colony of Portugal, the churches may resemble some of those in Portugal.

Also shown is the interior and exterior of the church.

Hope you like them.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Change ( Moon)

Today is the mid-Autumn Festival.

It is also known as the Moon Festival.

The moon will be full tonight and it is closest to the earth since 27 years ago.

I am sure I will be watching the moon tonight.

For now, I am showing a couple of pictures taken by my brother, of the moon he has taken yesterday and the day before.

These show Change which is the theme of the DP photo challenge this week.

Mid Autumn Festival

Today is the mid-Autumn Festival.

It is also known as the Moon Festival.

The moon will be full tonight and it is closest to the earth since 27 years ago.

I am sure I will be watching the moon tonight.

For now, I am showing a couple of pictures taken by my brother, of the moon he has taken yesterday and the day before.

These show Change which is the theme of the DP photo challenge this week.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Grid ( China)

Screen doors or windows are quite common in China.

We were up in the mountains of Zhangzhejia, China.

In fact, we got into a  restaurant and trying to stay there as long as possible as a heavy fog has set in.

I have nothing to do and naturally grapped my camera and took a shot out of the screen window.

My visibility was only a few feet; all I could see was some trees just outside the window.

The second picture was a casual shot outside a temple in Yunnan.

There was a long grid of red columns outside the temple.

Also, there was a grid of squares up on the roof, all artistically painted.

The third picture shows a grid of screen doors in the Hanging Temple in Datong.

These doors are very old but not adequately maintained.

The fourth picture was again taken in Yunnan.

We were having tea in a tea house overviewing Lijiang.

The view outside the screen windows was just beautiful.

The fifth picture was taken in Luoping.

This shows a display of various types of screens in a typical Chinese room commonly found at the time.

The last one was taken within a temple which we stopped by in the Three Gorges cruise trip.

The picture shows the grid of columns supporting the temple roof, as well as the grid of patterns on the colorful roof.

 

From these pictures, it could be seen that the Oriental type of grid can be quite different from the Western ones.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Grid ( Hong Kong)

It is not difficult to find Grids in the of city of Hong Kong.

All these pictures were taken in the heart of the city.

The first one was a view down a restaurant on the 62nd floor. It shows some very regular vertical and horizontal lines coming together forming a grid.

The second one shows a series of inclined struts, outside the Cultural Center in Tsim Sha Tsui of Kowloon.

The third one was taken in the IFC (International Financial Center) in Central, Hong Kong island. It is a view through the curtain wall of the mall, towards the Kowloon side. As always, you can see some construction activities going on – a part of life in Hong Kong.

Weekly Photo Challenge:Grid ( Hong Kong)

It is not difficult to find Grids in the of city of Hong Kong.

All these pictures were taken in the heart of the city.

The first one was a view down a restaurant on the 62nd floor. It shows some very regular vertical and horizontal lines coming together forming a grid.

The second one shows a series of inclined struts, outside the Cultural Center in Tsim Sha Tsui of Kowloon.

The third one was taken in the IFC (International Financial Center) in Central, Hong Kong island. It is a view through the curtain wall of the mall, towards the Kowloon side. As always, you can see some construction activities going on – a part of life in Hong Kong.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Grid (Luxor)

This week’s DP photo challenge is Grid.

Here is another photo taken in Egypt in Year 2000.

My beautiful picture

As someone who likes architecture and spatial distribution, I think this pictures illustrates very well the perspective of a series of columns and lintels in the ancient city of Luxor.

I also like the blend in the family of colors.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Grid ( Beijing)

This week’s DP photo challenge is Grid.

Whenever we talk of Grid, there is a preconception of it being straight lines and intersecting at right angles etc.

I do think Grid has a broader meaning.

The photo taken at the “Bird’s Nest” Stadium in Beijing illustrates a grid which is not regular and with members intersecting at acute angles.

The structure is being hold up by inclined members weaving together at various angles which make it looks like a bird’s nest.

It is especially interesting at night as the colorful interior lights get changing with time and intensity!