The World Through My Eyes !
Some of my best shots from my travels around the world.
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Lisbon, Portugal - Monasterio de los Jerónimos de Belém on Flickr.
The Hieronymites Monastery is located near the shore of the parish of Belém, in the municipality of Lisbon, Portugal. The monastery is one of the most prominent monuments of the Manueline-style architecture in Lisbon, classified in 1983 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with the nearby Tower of Belém.
The church and the monastery, like the nearby Torre de Belém and Padrão dos Descobrimentos, symbolise the Portuguese Age of Discovery and is among the main tourist attractions of Lisbon. -
Kathmandu, Nepal - Boudhanath Temple on Flickr.
Boudhanath is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Kathmandu, Nepal. Located about 11 km (6.8 mi) from the center and northeastern outskirts of Kathmandu, the stupa’s massive mandala makes it one of the largest spherical stupas in Nepal.
The Buddhist stupa of Boudhanath dominates the skyline. The ancient Stupa is one of the largest in the world. The influx of large populations of refugees from Tibet has seen the construction of over 50 Tibetan Gompas (Monasteries) around Boudhanath. As of 1979, Boudhanath is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Along with Swayambhunath, it is one of the most popular tourist sites in the Kathmandu area. -
Annapurna Base Camp, Nepal - Annapurna Base Camp on Flickr.
Annapurna is a section of the Himalayas in north-central Nepal that includes 8,091 metres (26,545 ft) Annapurna I, thirteen additional peaks over 7,000 m (22,970 ft) and 16 more over 6,000 m (19,690 ft).
The entire massif and surrounding area are protected within the 7,629 km2 Annapurna Conservation Area, the first and largest conservation area in Nepal. The Annapurna Conservation Area is home to several world-class treks, including the Annapurna Circuit.
The Annapurna peaks are the world’s most dangerous mountains to climb although, from figures since 1990, Kangchenjunga surpasses Annapurna’s death rate. As of 2007, there had been 153 summit ascents of Annapurna I, and 58 climbing fatalities on the mountain. This fatality to summit ratio (38%) is the highest of any of the eight-thousanders. In particular, the ascent via the south face is considered the most difficult of all climbs. -
Lisbon, Portugal - Ponte 25 de Abril on Flickr.
The 25 de Abril Bridge is a suspension bridge connecting the city of Lisbon, capital of Portugal, to the municipality of Almada on the left (south) bank of the Tejo river. It was inaugurated on August 6, 1966 and a train platform was added in 1999. Because of its similar coloring, it is often compared to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, USA. In fact, it was built by the same company (American Bridge Company) that constructed the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and not the Golden Gate, also explaining its similarity in design. With a total length of 2,277 m, it is the 21st largest suspension bridge in the world. The upper platform carries six car lanes, and the lower platform carries two train tracks. Until 1974, the bridge was named Salazar Bridge
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Lisbon, Portugal - Belém Tower on Flickr.
Belém Tower (in Portuguese Torre de Belém) or the Tower of St Vincent is a fortified tower located in the civil parish of Santa Maria de Belém in the municipality of Lisbon, Portugal. It is an UNESCO World Heritage Site (along with the nearby Jerónimos Monastery) because of the significant role it played in the Portuguese maritime discoveries of the era of the Age of Discoveries. The tower was commissioned by King John II to be part of a defense system at the mouth of the Tagus River and a ceremonial gateway to Lisbon.
The tower was built in the early 16th century and is a prominent example of the Portuguese Manueline style, but it also incorporates hints of other architectural styles. The structure was built from lioz limestone and is composed of a bastion and the 30 meter (100 foot), four story tower. It has incorrectly been stated that the tower was built in the middle of the Tagus and now sits near the shore because the river was redirected after the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. In fact, the tower was built on a small island in the Tagus River near the Lisbon shore. -
Annapurna Base Camp, Nepal - Waiting For the Sunrise … Damn it is freezing ! on Flickr.
Annapurna is a section of the Himalayas in north-central Nepal that includes 8,091 metres (26,545 ft) Annapurna I, thirteen additional peaks over 7,000 m (22,970 ft) and 16 more over 6,000 m (19,690 ft).
The entire massif and surrounding area are protected within the 7,629 km2 Annapurna Conservation Area, the first and largest conservation area in Nepal. The Annapurna Conservation Area is home to several world-class treks, including the Annapurna Circuit.
The Annapurna peaks are the world’s most dangerous mountains to climb although, from figures since 1990, Kangchenjunga surpasses Annapurna’s death rate. As of 2007, there had been 153 summit ascents of Annapurna I, and 58 climbing fatalities on the mountain. This fatality to summit ratio (38%) is the highest of any of the eight-thousanders. In particular, the ascent via the south face is considered the most difficult of all climbs. -
Annapurna III (7 555m), Nepal - Looking at the Immensity on Flickr.
Annapurna III is a 24,787 ft / 7,555 m mountain peak in the Himalayas in Nepal. Based on peakery data, it ranks as the 20th highest mountain in Nepal. The nearest peaks are Gangapurna, Canharba Chuli, Tharpu Chuli, Machapuchhare, Tarke Kang, and Singu Chuli.
Annapurna III was first climbed in 1961 by an Indian expedition led by Capt. Mohan Singh Kohli, via the Northeast Face. The summit party comprised Mohan Kohli, Sonam Gyatso, and Sonam Girmi. -
Paris, France - Xmas Tree @Galeries Lafayette on Flickr.
Galeries Lafayette is considered to be the gift of creation. It is the flagship store located in the heart of Paris, on Boulevard Haussmann, near the Opera.
France tourism data reveals the fact that Galeries Lafayette is the second most visited tourist attraction after Louvre Museum. Being spread over 70,000 squaremeters of sale area, it is one of the the world’s leading departmental store. It has a neo-byzantine dome which was built in 1912.
Merry Christmas to my Flickr friends ! -
Kathmandu, Nepal - Monkey Temple on Flickr.
Swayambhunath is an ancient religious complex atop a hill in the Kathmandu Valley, west of Kathmandu city. It is also known as the Monkey Temple as there are holy monkeys living in parts of the temple in the north-west. The Tibetan name for the site means ‘Sublime Trees’, for the many varieties of trees found on the hill.
For the Buddhists, Swayambhunath occupies a central position, it is probably the most sacred among Buddhist pilgrimage sites. For Tibetans and followers of Tibetan Buddhism, it second only to Boudhanath.
The Swayambhunath complex consists of a stupa, a variety of shrines and temples, some dating back to the Licchavi period. A Tibetan monastery, museum and library are more recent additions. The stupa has Buddha’s eyes and eyebrows painted on. Between them, there is something painted which looks like the nose - but is the Nepali symbol of ‘unity’, in the main Nepali language dialect. -
Annapurna I (8 091m) @Sunrise - 10th Highest Mountain in the World on Flickr.
Annapurna I (8 091m) - located in Nepal - is the most dangerous 8000-meter peak with an expedition fatality rate of 40%. In particular, the ascent via the south face is considered the most difficult of all climbs.
Annapurna I was the first 8,000-meter peak climbed and the first climbed without supplemental oxygen.
Maurice Herzon and Louis Lachenal, the first to summit Annapurna I in 1950, were part of a French team that included other great climbers including Gaston Rébuffat and Lionel Terray. Herzog and Lachenal both suffered severe frostbite on their feet and Herzog on his hands after losing his gloves. Gangrene set in afterward, forcing the expedition doctor to amputate fingers and toes in the field without anesthetic.
Maurice Herzog wrote the book Annapurna about the 1950 expedition, which has sold over 11 million copies, making it the best-selling climbing book of all time.
