HX Report
Irishman in the Middle East
Green – Follow-up post
Posted on March 23, 2017
MB was chuffed with the reaction to yesterday’s ‘green’ photo challenge post. So he has decided to give followers some extra ‘green’. Thanks, MB, you’re a lege. Don’t mention guys.
The time is 5.30am. The date is 08 August 2013.
MB could no longer lie on the sheet-of-plywood that constituted a ‘bed’ in the sleeping carriage of the British-rule era train en route to Haputale. Bleary-eyed from lack of sleep in the preceding 24 hours, hungry as hell, and with serious back ache from the previously referred 1/2″ thick plywood ‘bed’, MB arose to face the day.
The rickety train continued to chu chu its way through the high hill country of central Sri Lanka, winding around acute bends, climbing inexorably towards destination Haputale.
The darkness had now lifted, enabling MB to take in the views from the train corridor outside his badly misnamed ‘sleeping carriage’. MB could immediately see that he had entered God’s country, with stunning vistas around every corner. He grabbed his Canon 7D and framed his shots. Click, click, click………..
Some shots from the moving train:
Weekly Photo Challenge – It’s Easy Being Green
Posted on March 22, 2017
On 08 August 2013, very early morning, MB found himself disembarking an old train at the train station of a small town called Haputale in central Sri Lanka. He had taken a bone-shaking ten-hour journey from Colombo on the islands west coast, travelled inland about as far as one can travel in, in Sri Lanka, before one starts to travel out.
So there was MB, smack bang in the middle of high Sri Lankan hill country, with no advance booking for accommodation, no contacts and no clue how he would solve his immediate and pressing needs of food and sleep. MB wasn’t even sure if this small Sri Lankan town had accommodation or cafés or even a spare bed for a wandering Irishman. But fate would take its course and MB would just see what hand of cards fate would deal him.
MB has previously written about his Haputale adventure so he won’t repeat the story. But if anyone’s interested, click here for the low-down.
As things turn out, Haputale wasn’t half bad, as long as one wasn’t expecting 5-star standards. And if life throws you lemons, MB was thinking, make lemonade! He found ‘lemonade’ in abundance in the people and place in the coming days, and achieved his primary goal of sitting in the famous ‘Lipton’s Seat’ atop one of the highest points in the original Lipton’s Tea Plantation, where the legendary Sir Thomas Lipton had sat to relax of an evening to contemplate life and the universe, some hundred years previously.
Oh ya. And there was lots of green!
Foto Friday – Camels
Posted on March 10, 2017
MB went to watch camel racing today. More photos will follow, but here’s one for the moment, for MB’s Foto Friday.
Weekly Photo Challenge – The Road Taken
Posted on March 1, 2017
Weekly Photo Challenge – Shadow
Posted on February 10, 2017
Ok, Ok! MB knows that he has used this pic previously in the photo challenges, so quit your moaning. The theme is ‘Shadow’, and as MB is in possession (with full copyright) of the greatest shadow photo in the entire history of Shadow Photography, there was just no way he would not use his awesome shadow shot for this week’s photo challenge.
So, Ansel Adams (RIP – alas), Gregory Hysler, Steve McCurry and other MB Wannabees, eat your photo hearts out and gaze in wonderment at MB’s s**t-hot shadow shot (MB is also a poet!):
Evening of June 20th, 2015. Summer Solstice eve. Grange Stone Circle at HX, Limerick, Ireland. The setting sun throws a great tree shadow slap bang in the centre of the circle as a few suck-calves (Irish farming expression) laze in the evening sunshine.
Awesome or what?!
Wicked MB!!!
A Lebanese Wedding
Posted on January 1, 2017
If you want to go to a real wedding dear HX followers, MB suggests that you make friends with some younger Lebanese people and get yourself invited to one of their awesomely spectacular weddings! Read More
Weekly Photo Challenge – H2O
Posted on October 7, 2016
Pompeii
Posted on August 11, 2016
MB & family visited the ruins at Pompeii during their recent Italy trip. Pompeii is close to the city of Naples in the Campania region of Italy, and as bad luck would have it, lies approximately 8km from Mount Vesuvius. Read More
Rome
Posted on August 9, 2016
From the movie GLADIATOR –
Marcus Aurelius: Are you ready to do your duty for Rome?
Commodus: Yes, father.
Marcus Aurelius: You will not be emperor.
Commodus: Which wiser, older man is to take my place?
Marcus Aurelius: My powers will pass to Maximus, to hold in trust until the Senate is ready to rule once more. Rome is to be a republic again.
Commodus: Maximus?
Marcus Aurelius: Yes. My decision disappoints you?
Commodus: You wrote to me once, listing the four chief virtues: Wisdom, justice, fortitude, and temperance. As I read the list, I knew I had none of them. But I have other virtues, father. Ambition. That can be a virtue when it drives us to excel. Resourcefulness, courage, perhaps not on the battlefield, but… there are many forms of courage. Devotion, to my family and to you. But none of my virtues were on your list. Even then it was as if you didn’t want me for your son.
Marcus Aurelius: Oh, Commodus. You go too far.
Commodus: I search the faces of the gods… for ways to please you, to make you proud. One kind word, one full hug… where you pressed me to your chest and held me tight. Would have been like the sun on my heart for a thousand years. What is it in me that you hate so much?
Marcus Aurelius: Shh, Commodus.
Commodus: All I’ve ever wanted was to live up to you, Caesar. Father.
Marcus Aurelius: [Marcus Aurelius gets down on his knees] Commodus. Your faults as a son is my failure as a father. Come
[Gives Commodus a hug]
Commodus: [Commodus hugs Marcus and cries] Father. I would have butchered the whole world… if you would only love me!
[Commodus begins to asphyxiate Marcus while they hug, Marcus grunts]
MB recently traveled to Italy with family. It was his first visit to the country of pasta and pizza, and much more. And it included a two-day visit to the eternal city – Rome. Previously, MB would have selected Istanbul as his Nr 1 city on the planet. But Rome now occupies that position.
Rome is described somewhere as the city of a lifetime, as it will take a person a lifetime to understand it all. It is truly an architectural assault on the senses, with some incredible structure around every corner one turns. Huge culture and history abound, from pre-Christian to Roman Empire to Christian to modern. And food………… Such food!
As ever, MB had his gladiatorial weapon of choice in hand – his camera. The following are some of the results:
Turkey
Posted on July 16, 2016
Less than 24 hours ago, the bridges over the Bosphorus Straits were closed by Turkish army units who were attempted a coup. The coup failed. For medium-term or longer-term impacts we must wait and see. MB is no fan of Erdogan, but he does not support any coup.
MB has traveled to Istanbul a number of times in recent years and took many shots of the Bosphorus and its bridges. Herewith:
Weekly Photo Challenge – Look Up
Posted on July 8, 2016
A stroll around the souq
Posted on July 7, 2016
Souq Waqif and surrounding streets. Doha, Qatar. 05 July 2016.
Of Camino De Santiago (and Onimac!)
Posted on July 5, 2016
Introduction by MB
The Camino De Santiago is a famous route of Christian pilgrimage that ends at the shrine of St James, in Santiago Cathedral in Galicia, NW Spain.
John Carew – HX Poet & Storyteller
Posted on June 27, 2016
MB has oft mentioned Lough Gur lake in posts of his HX homeland. He has told you a little of the mystique of the lake, and the fact that one of the adjoining hills (called Knockadoon) is home to one of the four Irish entrances to the Land of Everlasting Youth, called ‘Tír Na Nóg’ in the Irish Gaelic. The entrance, as MB has also previously informed you, is secret and is known only to certain ‘Guardians’ (such as MB). It is also heavily guarded by the fairies, and it is no easy task to get past them. Beware of HX fairies dear followers. Read More
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