Weekly Photo Challenge – Elemental
Posted on August 10, 2017
The photo challenge this week is to explore the classical elements of earth, air, water, and fire.
Difficult to get all the elements in a single shot of course, so MB will give followers a few of the recent shots he took around the square in front of the chateaux in the town of Nyon, Switzerland. The shots contain elements of the elements!
The hostel in the square in front of the castle
Some weather thingy on a wall in the square. The inscription below the weather clock reads – He who looks at me loses time – or some such. French attempt at humour or wisdom, MB presumes.
View from the rear of the castle
Syrians Unknown
Posted on August 5, 2017
I also know many Syrians from my years in the Middle East. Impressive people all.
Syria, a country torn apart by a relentless war, five years of disturbing headlines, dreadful imagery, chemical weapons and a refugee crisis not seen since the Second World War: this is what we know of Syria.
Brutal media headlines reducing innocent people seeking peace and security to mere statistics and derogatory adjectives.
Individual stories and histories are removed as the media simplifies, homogenizes and represents people through stereotypes: often the sole source of information for the wider general public. After years of conflict, what does the public know about Syria and its now tormented people?
Turkey is currently hosting around three million Syrian refugees. Whilst the most vulnerable are living in camps, the majority are determined to continue their lives, not only to survive but flourish and follow dreams, overcoming adversity and the constant hurdles that the stigma of simply being Syrian brings
The reality of strong personalities, creative and…
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Foto Friday – Statues
Posted on August 4, 2017
Many will be aware of the terrible destruction wrought by the ISIS/DAISH group throughout their areas of occupation in the Middle East. Destruction of statues at the world heritage site of Palmyra, amongst others, received huge international attention. The acts of destruction have their basis in certain teachings of Sunni Islam, from whom ISIS has spawned. Those teaching state that the recreation of the human form is prohibited, albeit the principle is not included in the Quran. That such thinking can lead to the destruction of antiquities of world importance is obviously unfathomable for most reasonable people.
MB was explaining to a Sunni Muslim colleague in recent weeks that if ever he will travel to Ireland, he will see religious statues along public roads as he explores the country. Many of those statues date from 1954, which was a year dedicated by the Vatican authorities to the honouring of the virgin Mary – the Marian Year.
MB caught these shots on his May 2017 trip to his homeland. They are not atypical of what one will find in numerous Irish locations.
Qatar Blockade – Update
Posted on August 4, 2017
Weekly Photo Challenge – Textures
Posted on August 2, 2017
Foto Friday – The view of & from Le Château
Posted on July 27, 2017
HX followers were left agog following publication two days back of MB’s Photo Challenge post. What lay beyond that teasing and tantalising ‘château’ shot? – numerous followers were asking (too numerous to mention of course). Sleepless nights have been the order of the day, since Wednesday night last (some sentence MB!). At least MB assumes that was the case. Read More
Weekly Photo Challenge – Satisfaction
Posted on July 26, 2017
MB has a Yankee friend called JL from Connecticut. MB remembers JL telling him a story many years back about a 6-month French language course that JL had attended. Now JL has many gifts, but the gift of languages is not one of them. And never will be. The end of the course arrived and JL could only mutter one single phrase en Francais; which was:
“Marie, où est la bibliothèque?”
After 6 months – that was the sum total of JL’s French!!!
Anyway, a few weeks back, MB found himself in Nyon, a small French-speaking town some 15 minutes train-journey from Geneva. MB had heard that there was a castle on the outskirts of the town, on the lake edge, that was worth a visit and a few camera shots.
“Parlez vous Anglais?” said MB to a couple of shop assistants, a few minutes after disembarking from le train.
“Mais oui Monsieur” replied les deux Francais.
And just at that precise moment, all of MB’s school French came flooding back to him. Like un tres grande linguistic sunami, en Francais.
“où est le chateaux?” said MB, casually, to les deux Francais, who looked quizzically at l’Irelandais, wondering if this guy before their eyes wasn’t some kind of major p**s taker. He had just asked them if they spoke English and had then addressed them in perfect Francais. ‘Quell assh**e’ they were thinking for sure, thought MB.
“à droite Monsieur” – instructed les deux Francois.
“Merci beaucoup, merci beaucoup, au revoir” replied MB in accent-perfect Francais.
“Un plaisir (assh**e)” replied les deux Francais.
MB turned right just down the street as instructed. What satisfaction did MB not feel on seeing le beau chateaux before his eyes, a mere 100m in the distance. All as a result of MB’s tres bon multilingual skill-set!
Voila!
Foto Friday – The bull in the field
Posted on July 21, 2017
For all MB’s Arab friends in particular, who like to see Irish greenery.
Moscow – That’s a wrap!
Posted on July 20, 2017
One final Moscow post!
Some random Moscow shots, with text explanation, to finally conclude MB’s Moscow photos stories.
Foto Friday – Jet L’eau
Posted on July 13, 2017
MB was in Geneva last week and captured this early-morning shot of the city’s famous water fountain, or ‘jet l’eau’ as the French-speaking Genevois refer to it.
Weekly Photo Challenge – Collage
Posted on July 12, 2017
Back in the HX heartland, there’s a cultural museum on the HX/Meanus road called the Old Irish Ways Museum. It includes a large collection of agricultural implements and multiple other mementoes from an older Ireland; the Ireland of our parents and grandparents. The contents were gathered over many years with huge dedication and effort by HX local Dennis O’Connor who travelled the length & breadth of Ireland in his quest. Many acquisitions needed repair and renovation, and as can be seen from the end result, it was very obviously a large labour of love on the part of DOC. If ever you get to visit HX, then do not miss the Old Irish Ways Museum.
Every room and exhibit within provide a spectacular visual collage for the visitor.
Example:
HX Report 