I’ve always been quite partial to stained glass. I’m in awe of the work required to create windows in stained glass and where better to see stained glass but in the United Kingdom’s churches and cathedrals. Continue reading
Category Monday Window
Monday Window: Amsterdam windows (2), 29/5/17
Well now, there are so many windows in Amsterdam worthy of posting it was hard to know which to choose.
So I decided to start at the beginning instead of randomly choosing.
The first day I took a canal trip to relax, get my bearings and enjoy puttering around the central canals, building and people watching. Come and join me to crane upwards to admire the architecture and of course, the windows… Continue reading
Monday Window: 22/5/17, Tomar Manueline window…
During my recent travels, I visited the Convent of Christ at Tomar in Central Portugal.
Known by art historians as being of the Manueline style, the windows are the most fanciful I have ever been lucky enough to see.
More on the beautiful town of Tomar and its castle and convent at a later date.
For today, just a little tempter…. Continue reading
Monday Window 15/5/17: Glastonbury Magik….
Easter is now usually spent with darling girl in Bristol, UK. Each time I visit, a car is hired and off we go exploring the neighboring countryside on my travels with my daughter.
This time Glastonbury was on the to-visit list. In looking for a succinct precis for a bit of historical padding for those who haven’t had the pleasure of Glastonbury, I came across “A History of Glastonbury“: by Tim Lambert. ( Well worth a full read if you are interested) Continue reading
Monday Window: Window walls in old Amsterdam, 17/4/17…
By day…
and by night…
Monday Window: Shinde Chatri, Pune, India, 27/3/17…
During my tour of the history of Pune city, a visit was made to Shinde Chatri, a memorial to 18th-century military leader Mahadji Shinde.
The Anglo-Rajasthani style of construction has exquisite and detailed carvings and an imposing three-storey facade. Within the building is a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Photographs inside are forbidden, but I did snap one before I was advised of the rule and kindly admonished. Continue reading
Monday Window: Saffron windows, Dubai, 13/3/17…
Dubai’s spice souk is famous for selling saffron. Walking towards the souk in Deira, several shops specialising in saffron, line the pavement. Some are wholly for saffron, others sell all sorts of different spice and honey items. Continue reading
Monday Window: On a beach in Oman, 6/3/17…
You don’t expect to find a window on a lonely beach, but in Oman, there is always the unexpected sight.
A derelict mosque sits on a sand dune above the beach, the elements are sweeping it away, storm by storm.
Taken on the long beach north of Al Ashkharah, Google maps GPS 21.941609, 59.648001.
Al Ashkharah (Arabic: الأشخرة) (named after a poisonous desert plant) is a town in the Ash Sharqiyah Region of Oman.
Monday Window: View from a Dubai window 27/2/17…
I have been lucky to have had a window with spectacular views whilst in Dubai. Sadly it isn’t often pristine and there’s not much I can do about that being very high up in the sky. Few shots are taken directly outwards, reflection and sand streaks stop you getting a good photo.
So I often take photos through the little gap to the left and the right. The window opens outwards at an angle for 8 inches. That’s enough to get my lens through to get shots of whatever may be interesting. I will say I do have the camera strap securely around my neck whilst leaning out, I would not want to have any dropping accidents from this height!
Some window shots over the last year… Continue reading
Monday Window: Pune, India 20/2/17…
More windows from Pune city, taken whilst walking around the Pune Kasba area.
Down side streets, up main streets, into alleys, so much to see. I had a crick in my neck from looking upwards at all the interesting life above street level! Continue reading
Monday Window: 13/2/17
Pune, India, February 2017.
Last night I arrived back from a weekend in Pune, India. As an aside from the Pune post I am writing, here are some windows for Monday from a city walk I took one afternoon. Continue reading
Monday Window 6/2/17…
A January trip to Uk took me via Oxford for a little break from the drive west to Bristol, my daughters home.
Last Thursday I featured some of the historic doors in Oxford for my contribution to Norm Frampton’s Thursday Doors weekly event, but I couldn’t move on from Oxford without adding the windows I found. Continue reading
Monday Window: 23/1/17
At the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, some interesting contrasts between Victorian windows and the Mughal empire of India. Founded in 1852, the museum has a complex architectural history with piecemeal additions by various prominent architects of the time. Continue reading
Monday Window: 9/1/17
Today’s window is from the small village of Kelokedara (Greek: Κελοκέδαρα) located around 33km east of the town of Paphos, Cyprus at an altitude of 700 metres between the Pauora mountain and the Xeropotamos valley. Continue reading
Monday Window: 2/1/17
Happy New Year to you all.
Home in Cyprus it’s time to search for windows locally. Thunderstorms are making the task a wet one, but I did manage to find a little gem today. Continue reading
Monday Window: 27/12/16…
I’m celebrating the Christmas holidays in my Cyprus home this year and as Christmas 2016 passes and the New Year bringing 2017 into our lives is not far away, sad news today to hear of one my favorite singer’s untimely death, the iconic George Michael. His Greek Cypriot roots allowed this small island to claim some affiliation with this talented singer/songwriter. RIP, George.
Today’s Monday Window post is from the small village of Armou (Greek: (η) Άρμου). Continue reading
Monday Window: 19/12/16
Monday Window: 12/12/16
On the way back to Dubai from my recent Oman road trip, we passed through the old city of Bahla, in the Ad Dakhiliyah region of Oman on the route back to the border crossing at Al Ain in the UAE. Continue reading
Monday Window: 5/12/16
This week some more from the beautiful town of Hoi An in Central Vietnam.
An eclectic mixture of windows and shutters from houses, temples, and shops resulting from my poking around all corners of this fascinating place.
Please enjoy…. Continue reading
Monday Window: 21/11/16
Vietnam, November 2016-seeing Hue.
When you have a dodgy hip and you don’t want to stop seeing Hue, the answer is to hire a Cyclo driver.
After a morning at the Imperial palace, which is huge, impressive and awesome, my legs told me I couldn’t do much more, but there was so much more of the city to see.
Hobbling out to the road to try to find some form of transport back to the hotel , the cyclo drivers were lined up just waiting for the likes of me. Continue reading
Monday Window: 14/11/16
This week, windows from Hội An, Vietnam.
I’m currently traveling in Vietnam. Hội An and Huế are my destinations this time.
Hội An is a Unesco World Heritage site and is now a major tourist attraction. Continue reading
Monday Window: 7/11/16
Sometimes it’s just all about what’s through the window.
Take this mall in Dubai, one of very many across the city.
An attractive atrium, palms rising up to the glass windows in the roof… Continue reading
Monday Window: 31/10/16
Dubai is an ever-developing city. People who work here have to live here and currently, the pace of construction and release of new housing developments is quite frantic. Continue reading
Monday Window: 24/10/16
High rise buildings in Dubai can go up to 163 floors ( Think Burj Khalifa, currently the tallest building in the world, until the next one is built, probably in Dubai) but mainly tend to be around 40 stories. Continue reading
Monday Window: 17/10/16
Driving through Fujeirah, on the UAE coast on Saturday, I spotted a bank building with a pleasing design arrangement of windows. Continue reading
Monday Window: 10/10/16
I’m hungry!
At the counter, windows display the treats on offer. The chicken tikka puff is pretty good. Hmm… Continue reading
Monday Window: 3/10/16
Dubai creek can be crossed by using the “Abra” service. The cost is 1 dirham, (27 cents). A 10-minute ride to cross the creek and so much to look at. Continue reading
Monday Window: 25/9/16
This week it’s spot the window!
Close by my Cyprus home is the village of Lemba, home to the unique Cyprus College of Art.
The founder, Stass Paraskos , a prominent Cypriot artist, together with fellow artists and students decorated the boundary of the college with many avant-garde works, creating a sculpture wall over 25 years. Continue reading
Monday Window: 19/9/16
A slightly “loose” interpretation of window this week, but I’m sure you will agree it was too good to miss.
The only access to Masirah Island, Oman is via ferry and nowadays there is a government service and small local ferries. Continue reading
Monday Window: 12/9/16
Day tripping to Limassol town in Cyprus, lunching at the new and rather glamorous Limassol Marina, then a visit to one of the property developer’s site offices. Continue reading
Travels in the Middle East and beyond 