Tagged With "Jiuxian Ancient Village"
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Re: Where Gumbo Was #14: A Sewer Journey
How people have solved civil engineering problems is of great interest to many persons. I have visited the Egouts several times over the years. It is very interesting to see how the engineers went about providing - and continue to do provide - this important service for the growing city. A related infrastructure challenge for developing areas is always how to provide clean water for the populace. In Istanbul, it is possible to visit one of the ancient cisterns to see how this feat was...
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo? #11
PortMoresby put the finger on what made this one hard. It was the ancient-days equivalent of being asked to identify a free-standing Barnes and Noble store, or an Exxon station. Easy to know what it is, not so easy to know where . What's been fun in these is watching people dig out bits and pieces that then fuel other folks' guesses. WorkerBee has done that a number of times; in this case, even though T&N doesn't play as a guesser, the geological analysis of the stones was a stunning...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Dec. 17, 2013: Olympic Stadium, Montreal, Quebec
Montreal is multilingual, although most natives speak French as their primary language. You can easily get by here with only English and it's a great city to visit. That's not true in the smaller villages of rural Quebec where you might find it difficult to find someone who doesn't speak French. Canadian French split off from continental French 400 years ago, and the two versions of the language have diverged somewhat over the years. I don't speak much French so I really can't give you many...
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Re: Capital of Culture Series: Liverpool
In a way, most of the places in the world worth visiting have some history of being "dirty, industrial" places--that's where people cluster and societies are forged. The ancient cities of the Middle East and Greece, and Rome itself were like that! We recently visited the excavated Roman city under central Barcelona, and were surprised to see how much of the area in the center of the ancient city was given over to commercial laundry, large-scale dye works and industrial-scale wine-making. The...
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Re: Back to Oaxaca: Hoofing It, El Picacho & Teotitlan
Another interesting item from the OLL newsletter regarding the weaving village of Teotitlan: TOUR: ARCHEOLOGICAL RUINS in TEOTITLAN Presented by Dr. Robert Markens Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas—sede Oaxaca Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México THURSDAY, JANUARY 11 / 9 AM-4 PM MX$350 (M) MX$400 (NM) Local archeologist Dr. Robert Markens will lead a tour of the archeological ruins located in the ancient village of Teotitlan del Valle, world-famous for its woven textiles. This...
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Re: A House in Essaouira
Oh, and this was a very young Mac, complete with an Olympus OM2n film camera, sitting in the crenelations of Essouria's Portuguese fort all that time ago...
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo (#81)
Those ancient air conditioners definitely make it this side of the Atlantic.
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Re: Dublin, Ireland's Trinity College: Where Gumbo Was #29
Thanks for the note, Andre. It is a great library, but like many college students those at Trinity College like to party as much as study, so you'll likely not see them there much before the end of the semester either. What you might find even more amazing is that every student has the right to sign out any of those books (with the exception of the ancient ones like the Book of Kells). Despite how historic it looks, it is still a university library for students.
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Re: GPS v. Sicily = WTF
Sounds like your GPS just wants you to have the most interesting trip! My wife and I refer to the GPS as Sybil, a nickname we gave after one we used in Chicago kept taking us into dead-ends and up wrong-way streets until we became skilled at interpreting her prophecies...as Heraclitus described an ancient Sybil: The Sibyl, with frenzied mouth uttering things not to be laughed at, unadorned and unperfumed, yet reaches to a thousand years with her voice by aid of the god. Enjoy the rest of...
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo (#131)
An old spot, but not ancient. Old crumbling cement and overgrown vegetation... A rail that looks abandoned and paved over. Could be anywhere....
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo (#131)
Why not ancient? Isn't the Roman Colosseum built of concrete, among other ancient buildings? I have thoughts, just waiting for the next clues.
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Re: Jiuxian Ancient Village, Guangxi, China
Your images create the feeling of a ghost-town. Fascinating old place!
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Re: Jiuxian Ancient Village, Guangxi, China
I have a habit of photographing places empty of people, even when there are people around. I wait. But in this case, there were very few, that I saw anyway, compared with the number of buildings. The reason may, in part, be that it's in an agricultural area so residents may have been off working somewhere. But I'm sure it is an underpopulated place and the disrepair of some buildings adds to the impression. I loved the place.
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Re: Jiuxian Ancient Village, Guangxi, China
I tend to like photos with fewer people in it -- preferably none, although sometimes people add a sense of scale and color to an image. I can see why you loved the place. It has a real (as opposed to fake) charm to it. Thanks for sharing the photos!
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Re: Jiuxian Ancient Village, Guangxi, China
This conversation reminds me of a day I was photographing a very popular garden in England and I was waiting for one woman to get out of the frame. What I hadn't noticed as I watched her was that a group was forming behind me, not impatient with me, but waiting with me. Finally, a woman said "come on, move along" to the woman taking her time, who was too far away to hear, and we all laughed. It was a very nice moment with a group of very nice people, as garden people tend to be. I did...
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Re: Jiuxian Ancient Village, Guangxi, China
I hope I would have turned around and snapped a photo of that patient group of people waiting! A colorful collection of flowers, I suspect!
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Re: Jiuxian Ancient Village, Guangxi, China
Colorful they may have been but my film was black & white.
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Re: World's most attractive libraries
And I thought you weren't a fan of "best of" lists, DrF. There are as many of these lists as there are opinions, I think. Here's another: http://www.miragebookmark.ch/m...esting-libraries.htm I think the Bodleian in Oxford may be my favorite, not because of the Radcliffe Camera, shown, but the interior of the old library proper, which can be seen on tours. It isn't as ostentatious as some on the list, but it's ancient and intimate, which appeals to me infinitely more than huge open spaces...
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Re: Max Gate - home of British author Thomas Hardy
Applying a bit more thought to my previous statement, I think it's the countryside in relation to the history of people in a place that drives me to walk town to town, in particular in England. Historically, people traveled on foot and the English countryside is crisscrossed with those same ancient footpaths that have been used a thousand years or more and that, even when crossing private land, farms or estates, still belong to the people. The thought of all that human history thrills me...
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Re: Porto: The Second City
Could scarcely be more comprehensive - and cheaper than going, if you're low on funds ! I loved the old parts of the city, though the outskirts are typically unprepossessing. I used to stay in the Peninsular with ancient gated lifts and a lobby where pensionistas of similar vintage perused the days papers and incoming guests with equal scrutiny. 😃😍 The local specialty takes you rather by surprise, stewed tripe smothered in coriander. The locals have the nickname 'os tripeiros' from a time...
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Re: Journey through Karnataka: Bangalore to Mysore
A rare insight into a part of the World that the west know little about. A wonderful land with ancient history - and a current lifestyle that many have never seen. I'm eagerly awaiting the next instalment !!
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo (#118)
I'll be the first to take a stab. Obviously a church, not new, but not ancient. Excellent craftsmanship in the stained glass and altar. A concert, as in many churches, would make me favor Europe over America,
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Re: Spanish towns move to protect ancient olive trees
There's no shortage of olive groves in Spain, but those ancient olive trees are fascinating and I can see why they should be treated as a national treasure.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Dec 20, 2013: Hot Horses - even horses need an ice cream sometimes....
The horses (probably only some 10 plus a donkey) and some 50 cattle are allowed to roam and graze totally free (restrained only by cattle grids on the surrounding roads) for around 8 months of the year. Theoretically only animal owners with ancient "Commoners Rights" linked to ownership of old properties in the immediate vicinity of the Common are permitted to release their animals to graze free in this way. The present purpose of the animals roaming in this way is supposed to be keeping...
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Re: Gallarus Oratory, Dingle Peninsula, Ireland
Three more comments concerning Dingle: 1. Leaving the wharf/tourist area in Dingle and walking uphill into the central part of the town was very interesting in that we could interact with the locals and leave the hustle & bustle of the lower part of town. We stopped at a neat cafe for coffee called the Frog St. Cafe and we were the only non-locals in the place. 2. Between Dingle town and Slea Head is the Stone House Restaurant, which overlooks the bay and an ancient fort. The restaurant...
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Re: A Visit to Ireland: (Part 7) the Cliffs of Moher
We've been to The Cliffs of Moher twice and each time was most enjoyable. Walking along these cliffs is exhilarating and the views of the Atlantic Ocean are beautiful. A very short drive from The Cliffs is the quaint little town of Doolin, which is also on the sea. It was late afternoon when we departed the The Cliffs and just decided, on a whim, to stop in Doolin to find a b&b to spend the night. We saw a sign for several b&b's, but decided to try a place called Susan Daly's...
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Re: ONE IN A MILLION – THE CAMPAIGN KEEPING RHINOS HORNY!
I love rhinos and spotting one in the wild is a very special treat. I've only ever seen 3 wild rhinos, all in the Ngorongoro Crater (where poachers are killed by snipers -- no questions asked). Of the many senseless things happening in the world, their slaughter for just their horn makes about the least sense for me. It's sad that ancient pre-medieval traditions are driving these animals to the point of extinction. This seems like a very worthy cause, Tammy, and it's a small thing for us all...
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Re: Little Crosby - 17th Century Village
DrF !!!!! The village still has no beggars - no alehouses - no protestants ! Its only a recent decision to have electricity into the village. You can see the village in an hour - its only small. But you can follow the ancient footpaths through the farmland. See the wild fox, geese and birds of prey that live there. Or walk down to the beach. When the tide goes out it leaves 5 miles of sand !
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo? #44
Excellent! Some nibbles at the puzzle. And thus a few more clues. The land is flat around this city. It is a good place for growing things (though other regions in the same country are neither flat or good for agriculture), like the material used to produce the beverage Gumbo is enjoying. And the city is not an ancient one. Does that help you figure out where in the world Gumbo is?
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Re: The Ancient, Erotic Temples of Khajuraho
Thanks for commenting and glad that you enjoyed the post! Yes, imagine posing for a stone carving! I hadn't thought of it like that but was amazed by the quality and detail of the work. I find history really amazing and understanding about the history and meaning behind things like ancient temples and historical architecture makes the visit much more interesting for me. Originally Posted by GarryRF: For the artists models to hold that pose long enough to do a stone carving was a feat of...
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Be careful where you make your mark!
A Russian tourist was recently fined 20,000 Euro for defacing one of Italy's most beloved national symbols, the Colosseum, in Rome. It's said to be the fifth act of vandalism to that ancient structure this year. The Russian man...
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Memphis, Tennessee 2) The King's chariots
Elvis loved cars and mechanical toys of all types, including motorcycles and airplanes. He had the money to indulge his passions, and you can see many of his favorites right across the street from Graceland . The Elvis...
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Yatala Vehera, an ancient stupa in Tissamaharama
A mysterious ancient stupa, with the oldest elephants sculptures in Sri Lanka
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The National Museum of Ireland: Archaeology, Dublin: Where Gumbo was #78
Seems not even the master Gumbo travel sleuths were able to crack our last puzzle. Gumbo was visiting the fascinating Museum of Ireland, Archaeology division, situated on Kildare Street in Dublin. The Archaeology Museum is housed...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, December 30, 2014: The snake-charmer, Sri Lanka
Of the thousands of photos I've taken in Sri Lanka over the years, this grouping remains among my favorites. Snake charmers are surprisingly common at popular tourist destinations in Sri Lanka. In my experience, they're all...
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Memphis, Tennessee 3) The rest of the city
There’s a lot more to Memphis than Graceland, although Graceland is by far the city’s most popular attraction (which I’ve previously discussed here ). A city of about 650,000, Memphis has a...
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St. David's Cathedral, Wales. Where Gumbo was #80
The above photo proved more challenging than I'd thought it would. Fortunately History Digger was able to solve the riddle. Gumbo was visiting St. David's Cathedral in Wales. St David's Cathedral (in Welsh: Eglwys...
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The Medieval Fortress and Town of Chinon
There are few places in France of greater historic importance than Chinon. You wouldn’t know that by what you see when you drive thru it today as it seems a small sleepy rural town. You’ll see little evidence of...
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The Amazing Gothic Church of Sainte-Chapelle
Not nearly as large, well-known or frequently visited as its big sister just a few blocks away (the famous and ancient Notre-Dame Basilica), Sainte-Chapelle was hands down my favorite church in Paris. Sainte-Chapelle (sant-shah-pel) is...
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Newgrange; Ireland’s ancient Passage Tomb
Newgrange is the oldest structure I've ever visited. It was built over 5,000 years ago (about 3,200 B.C.) during the Neolithic era, before even Stonehenge or the Great Pyramid of Giza. It’s obvious that Newgrange was...
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Sri Lanka: A Land Like No Other (Part 1a) Colombo
Preamble:This is the first in a series of posts featuring my travels to Sri Lanka. My visits to this island centered around seeing my favorite author and dear friend, futurist Sir Arthur C. Clarke. During every one of these visits I made a...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, 13 Dec 2013: Sati Handprints - 15 Jodphur Queens left their handprints...
One of the saddest sights that I have experienced in my travels is to be seen at the “Iron Gate” ( Loha Pol ) of the massive Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur in Rajasthan, India. Here, there is a painted and garlanded panel where 15 small hand prints were made by the wives of the Maharaja as they left the fort and went towards his funeral pyre where they immolated themselves following his death. Known as Sati marks, these gilded hand prints most likely date back to the 1843, the...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Nov 6, 2013: The Brooklyn Museum...and Neighbors
Here’s the Brooklyn Museum, in a night view that has the dramatic lighting of a linen-era postcard. The museum is a world-class collection that doesn't get noticed as much as it should because it lives in the shadow of Manhattan’s...
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Sri Lanka: A Land Like No Other. (Part 3) The ancient city of Anuradhapura
A great opportunity available to any traveler to Ceylon is the chance to explore the country’s rich history and extensive archaeology. This post describes my visit to the oldest ancient site in Sri Lanka,...
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Sri Lanka: A Land Like No Other (Part 2). Dambulla
Dambulla is known for its Cave Temples which predate Christ. Legend has it that a Sri Lankan King, driven out of Anuradhapura, found a hiding place and refuge within these caves. When this king regained his throne he...
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A Visit to Ireland: Part 1) An overview of the Country and its People
I remember being in Wales several times and looking across the sea to the west, thinking that I needed to get to Ireland. Well I finally made it, completing this journey with my brother on our annual "getaway trip"! It was a trip we really...
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Verona: More than Romeo & Juliet
Verona from the hills, looking toward St. Anastasia and the Ponte Pietra My visit to Verona last summer was almost an accident—but a lucky one. It wasn’t on the original plan for our three weeks in Northern Italy, but online...
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Dry Falls – Home of The World’s Largest Waterfall!
Imagine a waterfall with a precipice over three and a half miles (5.5 km) long and a drop of over 400 feet (120 m)! By comparison, Niagara Falls is about 1/10th as wide. Think of the millions of gallons of water pouring over it each...
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Capital of Culture Series: Marseilles
Marseille Cathedral, near the Vieux Port I was lucky enough to spend a few days in Marseilles this past June and was very impressed. It really is an excellent example of what the Capital of Culture designation can do for a city. Have a walk...