Shrines to the Dead-Halloween Theme

"Decorated gravestone in Saint Sepulchre's Cemetery, Walton Street, Oxford, UK". Taken by Mike

Under the Tuscan Sun

"Italy is warm, welcoming and wonderful, and Tuscany is truly beautiful. This photo overlooking the village of Cortona shows the olive groves and the old walled city, pleasantly basking in the Tuscan sun. A shame though, the atmosphere has not the clarity it once had. Man tends to combust what comes out of the ground". Taken by M. Benaut

Swans

"In Dublin's Garden of Remembrance, the swans soar upwards...". Taken by Dermot

Offerings to Hanuman-Tamil Nadu

"A woman praying to the monkey god Hanuman inside the magnificent Meenakshi Temple in Madurai". Taken by Claude

The Swoop

"Wild Bald Eagle, Sparkly Landing on the tidal flats at Spanish Banks in Vancouver, BC Canada during low tide. Photo taken May 2005. I caught some motion out of the corner of my eye, and managed to turn just in time to snap this moment". Taken by Keta

Pulvis et Umbra Sumus

"The afternoon shadows picking out a bench in the cloisters in New College, Oxford. October, 2007". Taken by Elizabeth

By the Sacred Lake

"Sunset at Namtso lake, Tibet was absolutely breathtaking. The lake lies at at an elevation of 4,718m making it the highest salt-water lake in the world. It is quite common for people to get altitude sickness once arriving here which forces them to return to lower elevations. Besides being beautiful the lake is regarded as spiritual which brings many Tibetan Pilgrims". Taken by Dan S

Car Surfing

"Cowes really fills up during Cowes Week. It's a boaters paradise but sometimes people forget that the boat is the thing, not their car!". Taken by Elliott

Onwards...

Street Scene, Vientiane, Laos. Taken by MJ Klein.

Flower Gardens

"October 2007. Colourful spots of flowers mark gardens in the outskirts of Breslau, Poland". Taken by Luke

Leaping into Halong Bay

"We spent out holidays in Vietnam and on this day we were cruising through the World Heritage area of Halong Bay in the north. Our boat anchored and our girls jumped into the water and swam. This photo depicts the fun of holidays and the beauty of this wonderful place". Taken by Jules

Red Rose

"It's the middle of October yet in Dublin the roses are still blooming". Taken by Dermot

The Wheel

"At the Crane Lake Kejia village in Shenzhen, China. Now a museum, the 'Hakka house' was a thriving community for generations". Taken by Steve

C'est L'Arc, n'est-ce Pas?

"This one third size replica of the Arc de Triomphe of Paris is actually part of the Paris Las Vegas Hotel! There is also a third size Eiffel Tower, whose legs appear as part of the Casino. We had a great time and we won on the slots!". Taken by Benn

For the Earth Mother

"Examples of gifts to Pachamama on sale on the "Street of the Witches" - note bowl of golden-eyed frogs. "Pachamama is the bountiful mother earth of Inca mythology". Taken by Joe

Dachau

"The Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site is closed on Mondays but even peering through the fence at the gate through which thousands marched into darkness fills one with an eerie sense of awe at the gravity of the place. The gate now sits open as if to indicate it no longer has any power to hold those who died there. Mist enveloped the entire site adding to the sense of mystery as if nature itself mourned one of the greatest tragedies in human history. It is something not be missed when in Munich even if one does happen to be there on a Monday". Taken by Camuyano

Stoking the Flames

"Lots to cook, preparing for a barbecue on the rooftop. Got the Grateful Dead playing and a glass of red. Guests on the way...". Taken by Geoff

Hoodoo Hoodoo

"These amazing rock structures, known as Hoodoos, adorn the area of Bryce Canyon and have resulted from varying erosion of the sandstone and shale layers of the rock by the river cutting this 'Canyon'. The National Park is well worth a visit, and the best view is probably gained from a horseback descent into the canyon". Taken by Elliott

Sunrise in Samui

"This pic was taken on March 2007 when I saw a beautiful sunrise at Chaweng Beach, Samui, Thailand". Taken by Bloggerthai

Amongst the Helianthus

"Sunflower field, June 2007, Niort, France. We were walking down a path and we came across this fantastic site. At the bottom of the sunflowers we found so many shell fossils that I couldn't believe they were real until I was told that the area had been covered in water many thousands of years ago!". Taken by Hannuna

Trigger Happy?

"This road sign comes as a bit of a surprise when you come across it in a sleepy harbour in the extremes of Pembrokeshire. Even more so when there is a Cannon Shot ringing out moments later. Then a shout as the Sailing Boat race starts with a rush. Lucky it was written in two languages, Welsh and English!". Taken by Mike

Flutter By...

"At a butterfly farm in the heart of the cloud forest, just outside the town of Mindo in Ecuador". Taken by Dermot

International Day for Burma - London

"'Let us pray for freedom peace in Burma and the world' - These ladies are part of a group called 'Prayer for Freedom'".


"'We wish all people and all creatures well-being, happiness and prosperity everywhere in the world'. This picture was taken at the end of the Burma peace rally in Trafalgar Square on Saturday, 6th October when the monks closed the event with a prayer and candle ceremony. Note the beautiful, serene expression on the face of the monk, second from the left".


"'I was lucky to survive and excape after being tortured in Burma 10 years ago. Please help the many thousands not as fortunate as me'. This inspirational and brave Burmese man is holding up the type of metal chain used on him and other prisoners for torture in Burma".

All images and comments by Arvind Devalia.

In the Norwegian Mountains

"A collection of 25 reconstructed houses from the the 1600s up until 1950 around from the whole of Buskerud County. Barns, a forge, storehouses, farmhouses, a sawmill, a water mill and town houses are arranged along the trail in small groupings, like a scene from Norwegian history. A cultural landscape has been formed to present earlier farming methods and building traditions in the county. Many of the buildings are open to the public during the summer months, and, if you are lucky, you can buy old-fashioned sweets in the old village store. A visit here offers a great opportunity to experience history and impressive countryside at the same time". Taken by RennyBA

Beauty emerging from Grief

A stunning view of the Taj Mahal, Agra, India. Taken by Anamitra Chakladar

View from the Front Steps

"Sunrise from my front steps- in Deering, New Hampshire, USA". Taken by Gretchen

Give Peace a Chance II - Burma

As promised, here are two more images from last Sunday's Peace March for Burma in London. These photos were taken by Arvind Devalia.

Image one: "As well as Buddhists, there are Muslim people too in Burma. Please stop all killing- we are all one after all".
Image two: "We will remain courageous and walk for peace no matter how long it takes".

Tomorrow, Saturday the 6th of October, has been designated as an International Day of Action for Burma. See this page or this page for details of events that have been scheduled for tomorrow all around the world.

Guarding the Temple

"Scary looking sculpture guarding the entrance to the sacred temple in the Monkey Forest Sanctuary in Ubud, Bali. Did you notice the carving of a human skull clenched between its paws?". Taken by Carrie

A Glimpse of Ganga-Ma (Mother Ganges)

"The Ganges (Ganga) passing the holy city of Varanasi, December 2003, India. The magnificent river and a view from the Japanese run guesthouse where we were staying. The quietness and the beautiful little boats speak by themselves". Taken by Hannuna

Give Peace a Chance

Today I'm posting two images sent in by Arvind Devalia from the March for Burma in London, UK (Last Sunday, the 30th of September).
Image one: "Such tranquility and peace on the face of a Buddhist Monk. How can anyone possibly want to harm such people? This was taken near the Peace Pagoda in Battersea Park".
Image two: "Even Burmese babies are joining in with their peace prayers". Taken in Trafalgar Square, before the beginning of the March.

More images from this event will be posted during the week.

Trees in a Glass of Wine

"The is a Gaillac from South France and the tree is an apple tree from my garden". Taken by The Naked Madhatter