Weekly Photo Challenge: It’s easy being green

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Ireland, It’s easy being green, photography, photos, recycling, Weekly Photo Challenge, Weekly Photo Challenge: It’s easy being green

Ireland is, as most of you will already know, the Emerald Isle. The fields are lush and green as they enjoy fresh rain and a mild climate.

What many may not necessarily know is that these are also the reasons for the varied plant-life that inhabits Ireland, many of which are even tropical. Palm trees grow really well, fuchsias turn into trees and monkey puzzle trees delight the children in the parks.

This means for Ireland it truly is ‘easy being green’ but what the island now needs is the willingness of its people to keep it that way. Sadly recycling still isn’t as big a deal as it should be on our shores and the lack of good cycling paths,and a varied public transport system that allows for easy access across the city and country  means people still rely to much on their cars.

So the Emerald Isle needs a little more support from the people it houses and maybe, just maybe, it will be able to stay as beautifully green as it should.

a weird looking green plant

Weekly Photo Challenge: Atop

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Atop, climbing, clouds, photography, photos, Weekly Photo Challenge, Weekly Photo Challenge: Atop

As I child I loved climbing trees and rocks, I liked the feeling of being higher up, just looking down instead of up for a change.

When eleven or so I then discovered how much I enjoyed the solitude of being atop a tree, hidden between branches, tucked away with a book, reading my way into fantasy worlds. One tree in particular was my ‘go to’ perch, but sadly it didn’t last when the next door neighbors thought I was spying on their nudist activities and chased me away.

In my twenties I did some rock-climbing in the Pyrenees. On one of the days I remember clambering to the top, secured from below, and turning around to the view behind of a valley behind me. It was breathtaking, even more so than the effort it took to get atop.

And while I may no longer be the climbing type I can’t help but look up at the clouds and wonder what it would be like to be up there looking down.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Relax

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beach, photography, photos, relax, sand, sea, Weekly Photo Challenge, Weekly Photo Challenge: Relax

It may be winter and it may be wet and cold and windy outside but when I think about relaxation I always think of the beach.

Just sitting on a bench or the sand, my bare feet tucked into the sand listing to the lapping of waves, tasting taste the sea salt on my lips,feeling the wind ruffle my hair and the sun on my face. Or maybe walking with my feet in the cold ocean my eyes on the horizon or looking for shells hidden in the sand.

But at this time of year my walks on the beach are brisk, my shoes water tight and my scarf is pulled up above my ears. So for now I will just smile at the knowledge that there will be warmer days again and look forward to my first day relaxing on the beach again.

It’s not this time of the year without

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Dublin, It’s not this time of the year without, lights, photography, photos, Weekly Photo Challenge, WPC: It’s not this time of the year without

‘Tis the season to be jolly, but for me ’tis also the season of lights. So while the days grew shorter and the darkness settles in earlier and earlier lights light up the city and turns it into a magical place.

Dublin by night, a rare wind still one at that

Weekly Photo Challenge: Magic

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Egypt, magic, photography, photos, travel, Weekly Photo Challenge, Weekly Photo Challenge: Magic

A few years ago a friend and I went on a spontaneous trip to Egypt, we literally booked it on Monday and flew out on Thursday. No preparation, no idea what was in store for us and no time to make any plans.

We landed in the middle of the night in Luxor and were herded off to our waiting boat in a flurry of hand-gestures. But as soon as we set foot on board a magical trip began. The trip took us from Luxor to Aswan, docking along the way to allow us to visit all the ancient temples.

We dipped in and out of history, our wonderful guide telling us about the stories of old and explaining the magic of the ancient Egyptian world, and experienced modern Egyptian life on the banks and bazaars. But for the most magical moments were all spent on board the boats, the cruise ship we slept on (we were upgraded to a wonderful suite with french windows opening out onto the Nile) and the Felucca (a small sailing boat) that took us to the beach were we swam in the Nile.

Maybe it was the hot sun shimmering on the Nile and the light breeze you could only feel while on the water, or maybe it was the gentle lapping of the waves against the hull of the boat or maybe it was just the sense of otherness that seemed to open up a door into a truly magical world.

But what ever it was when ever I think of Egypt and all the Pharaohs and temples I can’t help but but feel a little bit nostalgic about the trip my friend and I took. It was a break, in the truest sense of the word, from our everyday life, a break from reality, a break from what you’ve come to expect, a break from looking at the clock and a break from who you think you are. A truly magical journey.

the Nile is a magical place – old and new melt into one and something magical is in the air – especially on board a felucca

Weekly Photo Challenge: tiny

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art, photography, photos, St Petersburg, TINY, travel, Weekly Photo Challenge, Weekly Photo Challenge: TINY

While traveling I often find myself looking up at windows, gutters, roofs and lights and often I find a kinds of beauty just above my gaze. On one of my trips, to St Petersburg a few years ago, I spotted these tiny musician jamming atop a light fitting. I loved the patina of the bronze miniature and only wished that I had been able to hear what tune they were playing.

tiny musicians

Weekly Photo Challenge: Chaos

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Berlin, bikes, chaos, cycling, photography, photos, travel, Weekly Photo Challenge, Weekly Photo Challenge: Chaos

At the moment Dublin city center is filled with the chaos of Luas construction work. And as most chaos does this has created circle upon circle of chaos in Dublin’s daily life. Cars are rerouted, streets narrowed down creating tricky traffic situations all over town. As a cyclist I often feel more than a little risk as cars come to close and double-Decker buses even closer.

So when I read the title of this weeks photo challenge I was reminded of a sculpture I saw in Berlin a few years ago. It was at the center of a community garden near Kreuzberg, colourful bikes were wrapped around an old tree in a somewhat haphazard fashion creating a vibrant bit of chaos at the center of the clam of nature.

bike sculpture – beautiful chaos

 

 

Weekly Photo Challenge: Transmogrify

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Denmark, photography, photos, Transmogrify, travel, Weekly Photo Challenge, Weekly Photo Challenge: Transmogrify

Last year I joined my aunt for a trip to Denmark. the weather was awful and my nose got stuck in between hay-fever and a cold.

On our last day we stayed in a beautiful small town called Kerteminde. It was a magical place, cobble stones and tiny houses with colorfully painted shutters and pots of geraniums outside every door but it rained non-stop as we walked around, our feet getting wet and my nose dripping as much as the drainpipes.

Just before lunch we ended up in the artists Johannes Larsen’s house. I was feeling quite miserable, my shoes squelched when I walked and my wet hair dripped down my back. I was just about to ask my aunt if she was ready to leave when suddenly a bright ray of sun filled the room we were in, dipping everything in a greenish hue (a reflection of all the trees outside) and creating a magical atmosphere – one filled with promise and joy.

a ray of light and suddenly the world changed

 

Weekly Photo Challenge: Shine

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Dublin, photography, photos, Shine, urban landscape, Weekly Photo Challenge, Weekly Photo Challenge: Shine

When the autumn sun hangs low in the sky, just before it sinks into night, everything is dipped in a golden hue. For a few brief moments the whole world becomes beautiful, discarding its urban dullness in the setting sun. Even the bollards around the corner take on a golden glow and shine in the reflecting sun.

Weekly Photo Challenge : Local

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Dublin, Ireland, local, north side, North Strand, photography, photos, Weekly Photo Challenge, Weekly Photo Challenge : Local

I love living where I do: the people are great, the area a bit messy but friendly and filled with creativity. The streets dirty but beautiful and the view often spectacular if very urban.