Dorothy Circus Gallery – Mother and Child

Μέρα της μάνας λέει …
Ποιας μάνας;
Της γυναίκας που μια φορά το χρόνο την γιορτάζουν επειδή αγρυπνάει, πονά, φροντίζει, νοιάζεται, λαχταράει να γίνει η επόμενη ανάσα των σπλάχνων της… ή
εκείνης που απ’ τη στιγμή που ευλογήθηκε να φέρει στον κόσμο παιδιά, έβαλε πίσω τον εαυτό της, τα θέλω της κι έγινε για πάντα ίσκιος τρυφερός να αναπαυτούν οι αγαπημένοι της, χωρίς να ενδιαφέρεται για γιορτές και τυμπανοκρουσίες;
Της γυναίκας που έγινε μάνα του συντρόφου της, μάνα των φίλων, μάνα του περίγυρου, μάνα κάθε πλάσματος που έχει την ανάγκη της στη γη;
Της μάνας που έγινε μάνα της μάνας της και της έλεγε παραμύθια λίγο πριν το τελείωμα της..;
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Α, ρε μάνα…
Α, ρε μάνες…
Πόσους ήλιους κουρασμένους κοιμίσατε στη ματιά σας…
Πόσα φεγγάρια οδοιπόρα ξαποστάσατε στον κόρφο σας…
Πόσες βραδινές περιπολίες κάνατε με τη σκέψη, με πόσες του έρωτα λιτανείες θυμιατίσατε κρυφά τα ανέφικτα…
Πόσες έγνοιες φορέσατε κατάσαρκα, πανωφόρια αφόρετα ολονών…
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Μάνα, χέρι της καρδιάς πάντα απλωμένο.
Χούφτα ζεστή και ιδρωμένη απ’ τα συχώρια που συνωστίζει μέσα της.
Μάνα, μια ζυγαριά που γέρνει κατά εκεί που είναι το κέρδος των ανθρώπων …
..μια αγκαλιά που φωλιάζουν χαμογελαστά τα κυνηγητά των αγριμιών…
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Μάνα, σε γιορτάζουν σήμερα, μπορείς να αναπαυτείς.

Κωνσταντίνα Σταθακοπούλου

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Motherhood has been a popular artistic theme since the early ages, with some of the most famous paintings and sculptures being depictions of The Madonna and Child. Today, many artists continue to explore deeply personal maternal relationships, visualizing their unique, unconditional bond and fierce protection. Open now until June 9, 2019, in both its London and Rome locations, Dorothy Circus Gallery is hosting a group show, titled Mother and Child.

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Meet the Vietnamese Families Living on Hanoi’s Train Street

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When the trains come

The trains come rumbling through twice a day, at 3:30pm and 7:30pm. There’s no warning siren, and certainly no wild panic as residents flee the oncoming behemoth. Rather, the community seems to operate on an internal clock of routines. As the time approaches, everything crowding the tracks just disappears into the tall homes and businesses lining the way. By the time the train actually arrives, there’s usually just a few curious foreigners left outside to brush noses with the iron beast.

Life goes on

Even during the hours when there’s a risk a train could fly around the corner any second, life still happens. The people living along Train Street still have errands and jobs to do. The tracks stay cleared, but the sides are tiny lanes for motorbikes and bicycles. They’re also an overflow area for when the kitchen runs out of space.

Dubai Miracle Garden

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KAΛΟ ΜΗΝΑ!!!

Διανθισμένος με περισσότερα από 45 εκατομμύρια είδη λουλουδιών, ο “Miracle Garden” («Ο Θαυμαστός Κήπος») είναι ο εκτενέστερος ανθισμένος κήπος στον κόσμο.

 

The Dubai Miracle Garden is the largest flower garden in the world. The Dubai Miracle Garden itself is a miracle, as it is located within the hot deserts of Dubai, UAE. Desert and garden are the two opposite things in nature yet they are highly desirable by its inhabitants. The Dubai Miracle Garden realizes such dreams and desires into reality by introducing a sustainable concept of a huge garden and that too in the heart of a desert.

Easter in São Brás de Alportel

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São Brás de Alportel

is a municipality in the District of Faro in Portugal.

My friend Jo (https://restlessjo.me/2019/04/24/celebrating-life-at-easter/)

Celebrating life at Easter and shared this enormous street party that is Festas das Tochas Floridas with us

 

 

I will share with you her excellent photos and her link for more details!!

Celebrating life at Easter!

HAPPY EASTER JO!!!

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The naive painters of Kovačica

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Kovačica (Serbian village) is said to be a place where fairy tales are painted

Ναΐφ τέχνη (Naïve art, ή Toddler art) είναι μία κατηγορία τέχνης που χαρακτηρίζεται από μια παιδικού τύπου απλοϊκότητα, τόσο στην ύλη και το περιεχόμενο όσο και στην τεχνική. Η λέξη Ναΐφ είναι διεθνής πλέον, αλλά προέρχεται από την Γαλλική naive που σημαίνει αφελής. Όμως το δεδομένο ότι υπάρχουν τόσοι πολλοί ναΐφ καλλιτέχνες, με τα έργα τους, οι οποίοι έχουν λίγη ή καθόλου εικαστική παιδεία, αυτό και μόνο αποδεικνύει ότι ο όρος συχνά δεν ισχύει.

 

 

The people who make fairy tales literally come to life are the naive painters of Kovačica. Were it not for these astounding artists, this magical place would be just another village in Vojvodina.

And were it not for them, this small village wouldn’t have been visited by world famous celebrities such as the Rolling Stones, Pele and Alain Delon, and even the former president of France François Mitterrand.

Tank Biathlon 2019

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Οι “Διεθνείς Αγώνες Στρατού ” (International Army Games ) “ανοίγουν αυλαία” στην περιοχή Alabino στην Μόσχας με το δίαθλο των τανκς

«Κάθε χρόνο,  οι  Αγώνες προσελκύουν  ολοένα και περισσότερo ενδιαφέρον τόσο από την ίδια την χώρα όσο από το εξωτερικό».

Στη σημερινή τελετή έναρξης οι τυχεροί θεατές που βρίσκονται εκεί μπορούν να δουν από κοντά εκτός από το διάθλο, τεθωρακισμένα οχήματα, τανκς και επιθετικά ελικόπτερα που βρίσκονται εκεί για επίδειξη. Ένα δίαθλο ιππασίας είναι επίσης προγραμματισμένο αναφέρει το RT.

Όσοι δεν είμαστε κοντά μπορούμε να έχουμε τουλάχιστον μια εικόνα από τους Διεθνείς Αγώνες Στρατού live όπως την μεταδίδει το ρωσικό RT στον παρακάτω σύνδεσμο (2017).

At the Alabino training ground near Moscow, the Taman Motorized Rifle Division of the Guards Tank Army of the Western Military District will determine the best tank crew during the Tank Biathlon 2019 first qualifying competition during the week.

The Love Story Behind Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal is indeed the proof of a great love and a very romantic gesture.

What do you think about this wonder of the world and its symbolism?

Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal; Photo Source: rajivawijesinha.wordpress.com

The wife of the emperor, Mumtaz Mahal died only minutes after giving birth to the couple’s 14th child, a daughter. The emperor, who loved her so deeply, was struck by the death of his wife and mourned her for two months. His appearance was changed from wealthy and imposing, to pure and simple.

Canola flowers form a beautiful ‘golden sea’

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Luoping County is quiet for most of the year until the canola flowers bloom, and then the area of Yunnan, China, is reborn into a vibrant natural spectacle of yellow flowers as far as the eye can see. 

The fields of canola — also known as rapeseed — are used in the production of cooking oil. They’re also as popular with bees as tourists and photographers, so beekeepers set up tents among the flowers during their February to April bloom. While most anywhere outside the limits of the small town of Luoping is drenched in the sunny hues, the most surreal places to view them are with the towering mountains like the Golden Rooster Hill (aka Jinjifeng) and Hundred Thousand Hills spiking up from the floral fields. In some areas they also form otherworldly shapes in the terraced farms.

At the beginning of the canola season an annual festival is held in the flower’s honor, while after the petals fall Luoping County returns to its slumber amongst the hills. 

The Daffodils in Gerardmer – France

 

In fact within a radius of 10 km, the Daffodils cover almost all the meadows. The scene is stunning, as beyond this area “the hummer flower” (from its name given in the past) rarefies.

Daffodils grow in so large quantities around Gerardmer that they gave the idea for a flower parade that became a real popular festival gathering thousands of persons in the town streets.

Aigina spring raining time….

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We spent weekend in Aigina island in spite of the rain and it was amazing!!! Have a nice week!!!

According to ancient mythology, Aegina owes its name to the nymph Aegina, daughter of the river god Asopus, who Zeus seduced and took on the island of Aegina, then called Oenone. There she gave birth to Aecus, first king of the island and grandfather of the famous Trojan hero, Achilles.

Ching Ming Festival 2019

Εξευμενίζοντας τα νερά του Dujiang Dam στο Qingming Festival

Η πόλη της Dujiangyan στην Κίνα είναι διάσημη για το αρχαίο αρδευτικό της σύστημα το οποίο κτίστηκε 2,300 χρόνια πριν!

Τώρα βέβαια είναι η πόλη που έγινε γνωστή από τους καταστροφικούς της σεισμούς που ευθύνονται για τους θανάτους πολλών ανθρώπων!

Κάθε Απρίλη με αφορμή το Qingming Festival γίνονται θυσίες για το νερό και μνημονεύεται η μνήμη όλων αυτών που έχασαν τη ζωή τους από αυτό!

Ching Ming Festival is one of China’s largest events based off of the lunar calendar. Ching Ming officially starts 104 days after the winter solstice. The festival usually begins on April 4th or 5th, but activities may start as early as 10 days prior.

In English, Ching Ming is often referred to as Tomb Sweeping Day or Pure Brightness because of the holiday’s events. The primary role of the Ching Ming Festival is to pay respect to ancestors. While many Chinese holidays are oriented around ancestor worship,

نوروز -Norooz /Νορούζ – Η ιρανική Πρωτοχρονιά

Saal-e-no mobaarak (سال نو مبارک) my sweet Laleh Chini

Persian poem by the 13th century Sa’adi:

All humans are members of one frame,
Since all at first, from the same essence, came.
When by hard fortune one limb is oppressed,
The other members lose their desired rest.
If thou feel’st not for others’ misery,
A human is no name for thee.

The exact moment that the sun crosses the celestial equator and equalizes night and day is calculated each year which marks the beginning of Persian New Year.

 

In Iran, Norooz is an important holiday where all the schools are closed for two weeks.

Norooz started with the Zoroastrians but is now celebrated by many different religious. The Iranian calendar starts from the first day of spring which is March 21^st of each year. Close families gather around a special table or spread where every single item set on it has a special meaning that is wished upon the new year.

Hôtel-Dieu, a hospital for the poor

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A hospital foundation from the Middle Ages, the Hospices de Beaune is one of France’s most prestigious historic monuments

 

A hospital foundation from the Middle Ages, the Hospices de Beaune is one of France’s most prestigious historic monuments. Its flamboyant Gothic architecture, its polychrome roofs and a renowned vineyard make this museum one of Burgundy’s gems. The Hospices de Beaune is also famous for its 60 hectares wine estate, producing prestigious wines, sold at auction on the third Sunday in November.

Holi Festival in India 2019

 

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Τον ερχομό της άνοιξης γιορτάζουν χιλιάδες Ινδοί στην πόλη Μπαρσάνα, με αρκετό γέλιο, χορό και τραγούδι σε ένα… πολύχρωμο φόντο.

Πρόκειται για το Φεστιβάλ Χόλι, γνωστό και ως «Γιορτή των Χρωμάτων», το οποίο λαμβάνει χώρα στις αρχές της άνοιξης.

Every year the streets of India become a riot of colour and frivolity as people across the country celebrate Holi. Dating back throughout the centuries, it’s a festival that is highly significant to the Hindu religion and has, in recent years, been adopted by countries across the globe as a fun event that brings people together and celebrates unity and harmony. Whether you’re planning to visit India and experience Holi firsthand or are simply interested in learning more about the festival, here you’ll find a wealth of information to help you better understand this important celebration.

Paleochora: The insular “Mystras”

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On the steep hill that is located opposite the Monastery of Agios Nektarios, at the area of Xantos, is the location of the ruins of Paleochora, the Byzantine capital of Aegina, also known as the “island Mistras”.

 

At the same area was the ancient city of Oie, while in the 5th-6th century Christian churches must have already been there. The Byzantine settlement dates in 896, when the people of Aegina moved here trying to avoid pirate raids.

The city developed amphitheatrically on the slope of the hill, with

Ο μυθικός Ηρακλής του Kassel – The Kassel Hercules

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Hercules Monument, Kassel, Germany

At the very top of the park, the huge monument of Hercules is perched on top of the stone Oktogon building, completed 300 years ago in 1717. There’s a platform for taking in the amazing views along the axis of the park down towards Kassel.

Barcos Moliceiros….

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Barcos Moliceiros …. εδώ ο κόσμος χάνεται … βαρκούλες αρμενίζουν χαχαχα!!!!

 

 

Moliceiro είναι το όνομα που δίνεται στις βάρκες που πλέουν στο Ria de Aveiro , την περιοχή της λιμνοθάλασσας του Ρίο Vouga . Αυτές οι βάρκες χρησιμοποιήθηκαν αρχικά για τη συγκομιδή των φυκιών , αλλά τώρα χρησιμοποιούνται συνήθως για τον τουρισμό.

New York to open tallest outdoor observation deck

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Ένα εντυπωσιακό Παρατηρητήριο θα ανοίξει σε λίγο καιρό τις πύλες του στη Νέα Υόρκη

 

New York will soon have “the edge” when it comes to magnificent outdoor observation decks

Already home to some of the most famous viewing spots in the world, the Big Apple is about to add another to its impressive collection.

Named Edge, the upcoming Hudson Yards observation deck is set to open next year, with incomparable views of the city skyline.

Standing at more than 1,100 feet, Edge will be the tallest outdoor observation deck in the Western Hemisphere and the fifth highest in the world.

Pattachitra Art

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Pattachitra παραδοσιακή  ινδική ζωγραφική!

Στην σανσκριτική γλώσσα, «Πάττα» κυριολεκτικά σημαίνει «πανί» και «χίτρα» σημαίνει «εικόνα» . Τα περισσότερα από αυτά τα έργα απεικονίζουν τις ιστορίες των ινδουιστικών θεοτήτων.

 Τα Pattachitra έχουν μυθολογικές αφηγήσεις, οι οποίες εξηγούνται χρησιμοποιώντας περίπλοκες λεπτομέρειες.

Αυτή η μορφή τέχνης ορίζεται από την πλούσια χρήση του χρώματος, των δημιουργικών σχεδίων και μοτίβων και από το συνδυασμό κλασικών και λαϊκών στοιχείων.

Orissa, the land of Lord Jagannath is synonymous with the ancient art form, Pattachitra.

One of the many art forms to have survived over thousand years, Pattachitra can virtually act like a historical chronicle of our country through time. Simple and rustic in appearance, you will be surprised to know that Pattachitra paintings require immense patience, intense hard work and skilled craftsmanship. Let’s share some interesting bits of information about the art that are as mind blowing as the masterpieces the art has given us.

Ox cart carreta Costa Rica

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The carreta, or ox cart, is a brightly colored handicraft and symbol of Costa Rica culture. Those looking to appreciate the artistic side of Costa Rica will enjoy this unique art form, and those interested in history and mechanics will enjoy seeing carretas being crafted in the traditional manner.

Ox Cart Background

The ox cart became a significant means of transportation for rural Costa Ricans after it was introduced to the area circa 1840. Farmers used ox carts in order to transport valuable crops like coffee beans or sugar cane. The carreta was valued for its ability to maneuver over all types of hazardous terrain. In spite of the name, originally

The Floating Doll festival in Japan

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The Hina Nagashi, or Floating Doll festival in Wakayama, Japan, involves loading boats with traditional Japanese dolls and launching them out to sea in a special ritual.

The dolls are donated by the families of girls. It’s thought that any potential bad luck is launched out to sea with the dolls thus ensuring the health and success of the girls who donated the dolls.

Το φεστιβάλ Hina Nagashi ή Floating Doll στο Wakayama της Ιαπωνίας περιλαμβάνει τη φόρτωση μικρών ξύλινων σκαφών με παραδοσιακές ιαπωνικές κούκλες τις οποίες ρίχνουν στη θάλασσα μετά από ειδική τελετουργία.

Οι κούκλες δωρίζονται από τις οικογένειες των κοριτσιών. Θεωρείται ότι οποιαδήποτε  κακή τύχη εξαφανίζεται στη θάλασσα  εξασφαλίζοντας έτσι την υγεία και την επιτυχία των κοριτσιών που δώρισαν τις κούκλες!

 

Magical city of Scrap Metal Sculptures by Robert Coudray

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In this post you can see some creative scrap metal sculptures from Robert Coudray’s magical city.

 

He is a sculptor, poet based in France. Robert Coudray has recently created a whimsical scrap metal sculptures(80 sculptures) in a small town in france.

The sculptures are open for public viewing at Morbihan region of Bretagne in northwestern France. It’s known as the environment and it’s open for public viewing between April till November.

Skating on frozen Lake Baikal

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Skaters in Siberia enjoy some of the season’s last trips across frozen Lake Baikal, the world’s oldest and deepest lake.

 

One of the most beautiful and visited places in Russia is Lake Baikal. It is located on the border of the Irkutsk region and the Republic of Buryatia.

This place has conquered the hearts not only local tourists, but the foreigners too. The Baikal is rightly called the “The Holy Sea” and “The Diamond of the Planet”, but even these phrases are not enough to describe all his charm.

The Viracocha III reed raft … sail across the Pacific

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The voyage begins on the northern coast of Chile, in Arica, Chile and will cross the entire Pacific Ocean, covering approximately 10,000 nautical miles in a six months time period. It will be the longest raft voyage of any kind in modern times, shedding new light on the long distances such rafts could have traveled and providing important information about human migration.

 

Το ταξίδι αρχίζει στη βόρεια ακτή της Χιλής, στην Αρίκα της Χιλής και θα διασχίσει ολόκληρο τον Ειρηνικό Ωκεανό, καλύπτοντας περίπου 10.000 ναυτικά μίλια σε περίοδο έξι μηνών.

Θα είναι το μεγαλύτερο ταξίδι  με καλαμένιο καράβι στη σύγχρονη εποχή, ρίχνοντας νέο φως στις μεγάλες αποστάσεις που θα μπορούσαν να έχουν ταξιδέψει και θα δώσει σημαντικές πληροφορίες για την ανθρώπινη μετανάστευση.

http://buckexpeditions.com/en/the-viracocha-iii-expedition/

Carnival in Nice 2019

 

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His Majesty Carnaval 2019 will be “King of Cinema” from 16 February to 2 March.

Nice will indeed be celebrating 100 years of its Studios de la Victorine, centre of the cinema industry on the Côte d’Azur, which since 1919 has seen Marcel Carné, Roger Vadim, François Truffaut, Jean Cocteau, Jacques Demy, Alfred Hitchcock, Woody Allen and many other talented directors.

As every year, the Carnaval of Nice will offer its spectators spectacular and creative parades, combining grace and audacity while offering the chance to discover or rediscover the charms of Nice and the Côte d’Azur in winter.

Faces of Favelas Brazil

 

 

The French artist JR first made his mark in Rio de Janeiro , as giant posters of staring eyes started appearing on buildings in the city’s oldest favela. He was drawn there following the controversial

The Cargo Women of Melilla

Ζούμε σε έναν περιφραγμένο κόσμο. Δεν υπήρξαν ποτέ τόσοι πολλοί τοίχοι. Υπάρχουν χιλιάδες χιλιόμετρα φράχτες, πύλες, συρματοπλέγματα και φράγματα, ακόμα και στα πιο μακρινά μέρη του κόσμου.  Λαθρέμποροι, αστυνομικοί και μετανάστες. Ο σκοπός του καθενός είναι άλλος: να διασχίσει, να αποφύγει τη διέλευση άλλων, να βοηθήσει άλλους να περάσουν… Όμως, όλες αυτές οι προσωπικές ιστορίες έχουν ένα κοινό πράγμα: τον τοίχο.

Embedded in the Moroccan coast, the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla represent Europe’s southernmost border. There is no formal customs agreement between these two autonomous cities and Morocco, giving rise to a system where goods are smuggled across the border as personal luggage to avoid customs charges and taxes.

Here’s Why the Unicorn Is Scotland’s National Animal

Γιατί ο μονόκερος είναι το εθνικό ζώο της Σκωτίας

 

 

 

The Scots had a thing for unicorns long before everyone else! As Scotland’s national animal, this legendary creature has served as a Scottish symbol for cent

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Although a mythical beast, the unicorn — a white horse-like creature with a lion’s tuft for a tail and a spiraling horn protruding from its forehead — has featured in many cultures as far back as the classical age. Babylonians idolised this enchanting specimen, while peoples from the Indus Valley Civilization incorporated the unicorn into ancient seals. Similarly, unicorns feature in written accounts from the ancient Greeks, Romans and Persians.

Οι Σκωτσέζοι είχαν κάτι για τους μονόκερους πολύ πριν από όλους τους άλλους! Ως εθνικό ζώο της Σκοτίας, αυτό το θρυλικό πλάσμα έχει χρησιμεύσει ως σκωτσέζικο σύμβολο εδώ και αιώνες.

Puppet Museum, Salzburg

Ο κόσμος του κουκλοθέατρου στο Σάλτσμπουργκ!

Ιn the Prince’s cellars of Salzburg Fortress is a unique museum. Delve into the fabulous world of puppets.

The magical puppets in the cellars of the Prince of Salzburg Fortress will hold you and your family in awe. Many historic puppets of the world famous Salzburg Marionette Theatre and Marionette Museum are on display in Salzburg Fortress.

You can see, for example, the “Sound of Music”, a world with famous opera, which has for years been very successfully presented by the Salzburg Marionette Theater.

Guzang Festival of Miao Minority Guizhou

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The Guzang Festival in southwest China’s Guizhou Province is the most important festival for the Miao people to offer sacrifice to their ancestors

 

Guzang Festival is a very important and unique festival of the Miao minority group. There are many records of the use of the two characters known as “Gu” and “Zang”. Some people say they are related to drums, while some others they are related to what Miao people worship, which are bulls. Despite all this, it is the oldest festival of the Miao culture.

The festival is held by different villages every 12 years in a 13-year cycle. There are many sayings for the origin of this

Anarkali’s love

 

 

The story of Anarkali is a traditional legend- one full of mystery, suspense, and passionate romance, passing on from generation to generation in Pakistan. It is a tale of forbidden love between Anarkali, a courtesan, and prince Salim, the son of the Great Mughal Emperor, Akbar.

The Neoclassical Trilogy in Athens

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Η «νεοκλασική τριλογία» της Αθήνας, όπως συνήθως λέγεται, στην οδό Πανεπιστημίου, ταυτίζεται με την καρδιά της πνευματικής ζωής της πόλης. Αριστερά, η Εθνική Βιβλιοθήκη, στο κέντρο το Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών, δεξιά η Ακαδημία Αθηνών. Πρόκειται για τρία επιβλητικά νεοκλασικά μέγαρα που κατασκευάστηκαν τον 19ο αιώνα.

 

photo Efi 2019

Το Πανεπιστήμιο σχεδιάστηκε από τον Δανό αρχιτέκτονα Χριστιανό Χάνσεν, τα άλλα δύο κτίρια από τον αδελφό του, Θεόφιλο, και ολοκληρώθηκαν από τον Έρνστ Τσίλλερ. Και τα τρία έχουν πλούσιο διάκοσμο στο εσωτερικό τους, ενώ γύρω τους διαμορφώνονται κήποι με γλυπτά σπουδαίων Ελλήνων καλλιτεχνών, σχηματίζοντας ένα ξεχωριστό σύνολο στο κέντρο της πόλης.

Okay, we know we cheated, but once you’ve seen the Trilogy, you’ll understand why. Located in the centre of the city on Panepistimiou Street, these three neoclassical buildings, which include ancient Greek, Roman and Renaissance elements, are the University, the National Library of Greece and the Academy of Athens.

Conservation of Tutankhamun’s Tomb Completed

Ολοκληρώθηκε η αποκατάσταση του τάφου του Τουταγχαμών

 

 

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA—Live Science reports that conservators from the Getty Conservation Institute and the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities have completed a decade-long project to restore the 3,000-year-old tomb of Tutankhamun and upgrade its infrastructure.

Tutankhamun began his rule during the New Kingdom, around 1336 B.C., at the age of nine, and died in his late teens. His mummy remains in the tomb.

Mileștii Mici, Moldova annual Wine Run

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Milestii Mici is the largest underground wine cellar in Moldova. It has more than 200 km of limestone tunnels, 55 km of which are used for storing wine. The tunnels’ depth varies from 30 to 85 m below ground.

Sport, wine and traditions have been nicely combined at Milestii Mici Wine Run. More than 350 participants from Moldova and abroad ran 10 km and discovered the Milestii Mici wine galleries. If you wander about the event atmosphere and the participants’ feelings, please watch this teaser and you’ll witness everything.

 

Εκατοντάδες δρομείς συμμετείχαν σε έναν αγώνα δρόμου δέκα χιλιομέτρων. Αυτό θα μπορούσε να είναι μία συνηθισμένη είδηση. Ωστόσο, αυτός ο αγώνας δρόμου είχε κάτι το ιδιαίτερο, καθώς πραγματοποιήθηκε στο μεγαλύτερο κελάρι κρασιών του κόσμου.

Milford Sound – the Eighth Wonder of the World

Māori Milford Sound History

Milford Sound history begins a long time ago, back when all of New Zealand was an unspoiled land of forest and mountains, rivers and sea. Māori people living in the South Island discovered Milford Sound more than 1,000 years ago.

Tribes would travel there to fish and hunt around the fiord, and to collect precious pounamu. These treks from the east used traditional pathways across passes, including what is now known as MacKinnon Pass on the Milford Track.

800 bamboo strips rewrite history

 

 

This is like the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls

 

Bamboo slips from the Tang Yu Zhi Dao, an ancient text from the Guodian excavation advocating ‘rule by the most meritorious’ and ‘abdication as a means of succession.’ According to Sarah Allan in Buried Ideas, it ‘reflects ideas that were current in the late fifth and early fourth centuries BCE.’

An eighteenth-century painting showing Emperor Qin Shi Huang of the Qin dynasty ‘burning all the books and throwing scholars into a ravine’ in order to stamp out ideological nonconformity after the unification of China in 221 BCE. ‘For over two millennia,’ Ian Johnson writes, ‘all our knowledge of China’s great philosophical schools was limited to texts revised after the Qin unification.’ Now a trove of recently discovered ancient documents, written on strips of bamboo, ‘is helping to reshape our understanding of China’s contentious past.’ Illustration from Henri Bertin’s album The History of the Lives of the Chinese Emperors.

Near a river in Guodian, China, not far from a farmhouse made of earth and thatched with straw, Chinese archaeologists in 1993 discovered a tomb dating back to the fourth century B.C.

The tomb was just slightly larger than the coffin and stone sarcophagus within. Scattered on the floor were bamboo strips, wide as a pencil, and up to twice as long. On closer scrutiny, scholars realized they had found something remarkable.

“This is like the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls,” says Tu Weiming, director of the Harvard Yenching Institute (HYI), who has played a key role in the preservation of, accessibility to, and research on the Guodian materials since 1996.

Η Γιορτή της Ενηλικίωσης στην Ιαπωνία_ Coming Of Age Day – Japan

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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Η ενηλικίωση στην Ιαπωνία γίνεται στα 20έτη και σύμφωνα με τα ήθη και έθιμα, κάθε δεύτερη Δευτέρα του Ιανουαρίου, διοργανώνονται γιορτές, εκδηλώσεις και πάρτι για το πέρασμα από την εφηβική ηλικία στην ενηλικίωση (Coming of Age Day).

Οι νέες φορούν τα κιμονό τους και ξεχύνονται σε πλατείες δρόμους, στο μετρό, σε πάρτι, σε εκδηλώσεις που διοργανώνουν οι δήμοι για να το… γιορτάσουν.

Unesco – The perfumes of Grasse on the list of the patrimony of the Humanity

Άυλη πολιτιστική κληρονομιά της UNESCO τα περίφημα αρώματα της Γκρας

Η πόλη Γκρας στην Κυανή Ακτή έγινε κοιτίδα της αρωματοποιίας τον 16ο αιώνα, καθώς τα βυρσοδεψεία της ζητούσαν αρωματικές πρώτες ύλες για να κατεργάζονται τα δέρματα και να αρωματίζουν τα γάντια

 

 

The know-how related to the perfume of Grasse was inscribed on the list of the intangible cultural heritage of Humanity by a specialized committee of Unesco meeting in Port-Louis, capital of Mauritius.

 

Each year, the Unesco Committee meets to evaluate nominations and decide whether or not to include the intangible cultural practices and expressions of intangible heritage proposed by the States Parties to the 2003 Convention.

In November 28, a specialized committee of Unesco meeting in Port-Louis, capital of Mauritius, decided to register the know-how related to the perfume of Grasse in the Alpes-Maritimes.

Hydra: a pilgrimage to Leonard Cohen’s Greek island retreat

The tiny Greek island that so enchanted Leonard Cohen in the 1960s still captivates today.

 

photos Efi 2018

Greece is a good place
to look at the moon, isn’t it?
You can read by moonlight
You can read on the terrace
You can see a face
As you saw it when you were young

Cohen wrote the poem Days of Kindness about his girlfriend and muse Marianne Ihlen, and their years spent here.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2016/dec/04/hydra-greece-leonard-cohen

The Mules of Hydra Island, Greece

Το βασίλειο του αγωγιάτη

Τα γαϊδουράκια και τα μουλάρια «σηκώνουν στην πλάτη τους» το νησί

Στην Ύδρα τα μουλάρια είναι συνυφασμένα με την εικόνα του νησιού. Τα συναντάς στο λιμάνι, στα στενά να είναι φορτωμένα με κάθε είδους αντικείμενο από ψυγεία και πλυντήρια έως τρόφιμα και υλικά οικοδομής. Τα μουλάρια στην Ύδρα είναι το απόλυτο μεταφορικό μέσο στη στεριά. Είναι απαραίτητα γι΄αυτό και απολαμβάνουν της φροντίδας και της αγάπης ντόπιων και επισκεπτών.

Photos Efi 2018

Almost everywhere in Greece, cars, trucks, and motorcycles have taken over.

Everywhere, that is, except for Hydra.

For on this picturesque island, a short hydrofoil trip from Greece’s sprawling, congested capital, the donkey — and the mule — keep the town running. With motorized vehicles banned from the island the only form of land transport is equine.

ORIAN EXPRESS – Travel Brochures for Istanbul in Europe

 

 

 

….The Orient Express.
Sounds pretty exotic doesn’t it?
Paris, Prague, Budapest.
“Step up. Step up.
Your fate is about to
pull out of the station…..

Jack Hubbell

 

Giant fights and giant’s causeway – Το Μονοπάτι του Γίγαντα

“You are standing on, or are about to visit, one of my favourite places. The jewel in the crown of the fabulous coast of Antrim. A site of World Heritage and therefore ranked alongside Mount Everest and the Giant Redwoods of California for it’s importance to humankind.Volcanic activity helped Finn Mc Cool forge this wonder of the World some 60 Million years ago. It is today the habitat of rare plants and animals. Please treat their home with the pride and the care it deserves.” –   Dr David Bellamy

 

“The Giant’s Causeway is the aftermath of volcanic crashing, burning and cooling,” Eleanor explains. “An epic 60-million-year-old legacy to lava. Over 40,000 basalt columns. Interlocked.

“It’s no wonder this place is a Unesco World Heritage Site because beyond the mindboggling beauty, the Causeway is our portal into Earth’s most ancient past,” she concludes.

Giant fights

Finn is having trouble with someone across the water. The Scottish giant Benandonner is threatening Ireland. An enraged Finn grabs chunks of the Antrim coast and throws them into the sea. The rock forms a path for Finn to follow and teach Benandonner a lesson.

Bad idea – Benandonner is terrifyingly massive. Finn beats a hasty retreat,

Kumari ….Οι «ζωντανές θεές» του Νεπάλ

 

The  or Kumari Devi comes from the Hindu faith however most of the “traditional” Kumari in Kathmandu are Newari (original settlers of the Kathmandu Valley). In Nepal the Kumari is a prepubescent girl selected by a council from the Newari people that acts as a manifestation of divine female energy.

‘Mud Men’ of Papua New Guinea

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For centuries, the Asaro ‘Mud Men’ of Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea, have adorned themselves with mud, clay masks and bamboo finger extensions to look like evil spirits.

 

 

 

While the masks have different origin stories, it is believed that in the 1800s, tribesmen would raid other villages – for their women or pigs – while intimidating their enemies with large masks and bamboo spears.

Giants puppets return to Liverpool for the last time

Εκατοντάδες χιλιάδες άνθρωποι συρρέουν για να τους δουν!

Μια διαφορετική παρέλαση είχαν την τύχη να παρακολουθήσουν  όσοι βρέθηκαν στο Λίβερπουλ, καθώς… μαριονέτες-γίγαντες είχαν «καταλάβει» την πόλη. Συγκεκριμένα η θεατρική ομάδα «Royal De Luxe» διοργάνωσε για μια ακόμα χρονιά τη σχετική εκδήλωση, η οποία προσελκύει εκατοντάδες χιλιάδες ανθρώπους που επιθυμούν να θαυμάσουν αυτές τις θεσπέσιες και εντυπωσιακές κατασκευές.

 

Thousands of spectators are lining Liverpool’s streets as huge puppets stride through the city in a street theatre festival.

Known as The Giants, the over-sized marionettes have returned for a third and final time.

Previous visits in 2012 and 2014 attracted six-figure audiences and led to millions of pounds spent locally.

One spectator Lewis, 10, who was watching at St George’s Plateau, said: “It was epic! Mind blown!”

Restless Temple – ride the storm

Temples are usually made of stone, stand still and glorify mortal and immortal power. I started to think about this temple in 2000, as a monument to our ambitious and precarious ingenuity – always at the mercy of the forces of Nature. This temple moves between the powers of wind and gravity.

Οι ναοί συνήθως κατασκευάζονται από πέτρα, στέκονται ακόμα και δοξάζουν τη θνητή και αθάνατη δύναμη. Άρχισα να σκέφτομαι αυτό το ναό το 2000, ως μνημείο της φιλόδοξης και επισφαλούς εφευρετικότητας μας – πάντα στο έλεος των δυνάμεων της Φύσης. Αυτός ο ναός κινείται ανάμεσα στις δυνάμεις του ανέμου και της βαρύτητας.

Angoulême International Comics Festival 2019

 

In Angouleme, from 24 to 27 January, 2019

Widely known as the home of comic strips and images, Angoulême felt duty bound to decorate the town with colourful pictures. It all started in the town centre but soon spread outwards until today you can find painted walls in every district.

The Angoulême International Comics Festival (French: Festival international de la bande dessinée d’Angoulême) is the second largest comics festival in Europe after the Lucca Comics & Games in Italy, and the third biggest in the world after Lucca Comics & Games and the Comiket of Japan. It has occurred every year since 1974 in Angoulême, France, in the month of January.

Το Διεθνές Φεστιβάλ Κόμικς της Ανγκουλέμ είναι το κυριότερο φεστιβάλ κόμικς στην Ευρώπη. Λαμβάνει χώρα κάθε χρόνο, τον Ιανουάριο, από το 1974 στην Ανγκουλέμ της Γαλλίας.

Good morning with 1,600 birds from Thailand

 

Thailands annual bird singing contest where competitors pitch their singing birds against other has drawn thousands of people to the unique competition

 

Ένας παράξενος διαγωνισμός λαμβάνει χώρα κάθε χρόνο την περιοχή Rueso, στη νότια επαρχία Narathiwat της Ταϊλάνδης, που συγκεντρώνει το ενδιαφέρον ντόπιων και ξένων.

The annual bird singing competetion in Pattani,Thailand draws thousands of spectators from south east Asia. The birds are kept in ornate bamboo cages which are covered with elaborate and colourful cloths but when the competition begins the cages are hoisted onto hooks suspended three metres high above the ground on a metal grid.

The Ancient Art of Tibetan Butter Sculpture

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Η γλυπτική με βούτυρο, λέγεται ότι είναι μια αρχαία παράδοση των βουδιστών του Θιβέτ. Χρησιμοποιούσαν βούτυρο και διάφορες βαφές, προκειμένου να δημιουργήσουν διάφορα γλυπτά με μικρή διάρκεια ζωής, με αφορμή το Νέο Έτος αλλά και άλλων θρησκευτικών κυρίως εορτασμών.

Ακόμα και ο Βρετανός μουσικός θρύλος David Bowie έκανε μια αναφορά για την γλυπτική με βούτυρο του Θιβέτ στο τραγούδι του «Silly Boy Blue» το 1967.

There are many things in Tibet that most parts of the world find strange and intriguing. Probably one of the strangest, yet most beautiful, things to come out of this remote region of China is the Tibetan Butter Sculptures.

Circle of Light’: Stunning light show projected onto Bolshoi Theater

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Μια “πολύπλευρη και συναρπαστική οδύσσεια του φωτός που ενώνει τον κόσμο”, όπως λένε και οι διοργανωτές, η εκδήλωση στοχεύει στη δέσμευση των επισκεπτών σε ένα περιπετειώδες ταξίδι σε απομακρυσμένα μέρη του πλανήτη μας, γνωριμία με διάφορους πολιτισμούς και τις παραδόσεις τους.

 

The annual international ‘Сircle of light’ festival has begun in Moscow, thrilling spectators at the capital’s most beautiful locations. The state-of-art work of modern lighting technologies is devoted to a theme of an adventurous worldwide journey.

The 4th “Circle of light” festival has started welcoming its guests right in the heart of Moscow, as it is set in such majestic sightseeing places as the Bolshoi Theater, Ostankino, the All-Russian exhibition center (VDNKh), Tsaritsyno park and the Kuznetsky Most street.

A “multifaceted and fascinating odyssey of light that unites the world,” as organizers say, the event is aimed at engaging the visitors into an adventurous journey around remote places of our planet, getting to know various cultures and their traditions.

 

https://www.rt.com/news/195008-circle-light-festival-moscow/