Blogging with mehar_mah

Sunrise at Llyn Padarn at Llanberis, Snowdonia National Park by Helen Hotson. The lone tree of Llyn Padarn This serene scene on Llyn Padarn, a glacially formed lake at the foot of Snowdon, is a photographer's favourite with its solitary tree set against a dramatic landscape. Sitting on the western shore of the lake, the 'Lone Tree' is visually striking at any time – be it full of leaves and set against a sunrise in the spring, leafless and mirrored in the still waters of the lake or enveloped in mist in the autumn and winter. The lake itself is a site of Special Scientific Interest which is home to lots of wildlife including the rare Arctic Char. At an impressive 29m (95ft) deep and two miles long, it is one of the larger natural lakes in Wales, sitting on the Llanberis Pass below Mount Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales.

"Mt. Fuji and tea plantation" Shizuoka by  Hiroshi Ichikawa. It is the 88th day counting from the beginning of spring, and it is said to be a turning point from spring to summer.  Tea picking of new tea is also performed at this time.  The tea leaves picked at 88th night are said to be fine, and it is said that drinking tea on this day will make them live longer ... This is Shizuoka, the place for tea.  A tea plantation is spreading at the foot of Mt. Fuji.  The splendid greenery that spreads over the gentle hills and blue Mt. Fuji create a beautiful contrast.  Shizuoka tea is cultivated using a traditional farming method called "Tea grass farming," which is recognized as a World Agricultural Heritage.

Aerial view of Santorini island, Greece by Amazing Aerial Agency. Beautiful, whitewashed buildings through the clouds! With its romantic sunsets, dazzling ocean views and whitewashed buildings clinging to rocky clifftops, the Greek island of Santorini (aka Thera) is the very picture of an idyll in the Aegean. But this tranquil scene belies the island's explosive geologic history, for this is the site of one of the largest volcanic eruptions in recorded history. The Minoan eruption, about 3,600 years ago, caused the centre of the Thera volcano to collapse into the ocean, leaving Santorini a jagged, crescent-shaped moon atop the sea. The impact of the eruption was more than just geologic - when the volcano blew its top, Santorini was home to a thriving outpost of the Minoan civilisation. A farming and fishing community had been established at Akrotiri on the island around 7,000 years ago, and by the time of the eruption had developed into a prosperous city built largel...

The April full moon, or pink moon, rises over St Michael's Mount, Cornwall, England by Simon Maycock. Once in a pink moon! We're seeing a vivid 'pink moon' rise above St Michael's Mount - a granite-encrusted isle connected to the rugged peninsula of Cornwall, England, by sandy flats and a man-made causeway that submerge at high tide. The same order of monks that established France's Mont-Saint-Michel built a church and priory here in the 12th century. In ensuing centuries of war, the insular monastic outpost was fortified into the imposing castle we see today. Privately purchased in 1659, the mount was opened to the public in 1954 - and is still managed by members of the family that bought it over 350 years ago. This photo may give the moon a somewhat salmon tint, but the term 'pink moon' doesn't arise from its colour, nor from any place near the Cornish shores. The April full moon is called the pink moon because Native Americans associa...

The Twist bridges the Randselva river, at the Kistefos Museum's sculpture park in Norway What a twist! No, it's not a sci-fi movie set - but maybe it should be. The Twist does look like a futuristic intrusion amid the dense woods and preserved historic buildings of Jevnaker, Norway, home to the Kistefos Museum's sculpture park. The Twist is a bridge, but it’s also an art gallery. Its unique construction features straight panels set at increasing angles as one moves towards the centre - 'like a stack of books' as its architects at the Bjarke Ingels Group describe it - to create a 90-degree turn where a wall becomes the ceiling and vice versa. Situated about an hour's drive from Oslo around a defunct wood pulp mill on the Randselva river - which the Twist spans - Kistefos boasts a collection of works by Claes Oldenburg and other notable artists. The Twist, which opened in autumn 2019, will be a space for rotating (pun intended) art exhibitions and even mu...

A boundless beauty and serenity!  Aerial view of Spray Lakes Reservoir, Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park,  Alberta . Established since 1922, Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park sits about 48 kilometres southwest of Banff and is only accessible via backcountry hiking trails or by a helicopter. This gem in the wilderness boasts snow-peaked mountains, glistening lakes, glaciers and luscious larch trees. Given its relative inaccessibility, it tends to draw serious campers, hikers and mountain climbers. We don’t blame them for trekking it out here given the naturally stunning vistas here.

Cape Formentor Lighthouse, Mallorca, Spain A long drive along Mediterranean!  Cape Formento stands at the southernmost tip of Mallorca.  For nearly a century, Cape Formento has attracted countless tourists to visit, its magnificent scenery and steep cliffs are breathtaking. It's really exciting to see the magnificent rocky landscape of the entire island at Cape Formento.  Cape Formento also has a wealth of tourist facilities and lighthouses for tourists to visit.  Gaze at the deep Mediterranean Sea, the sigh of admiration for the amazing beauty of Mallorca is spontaneous.  If the weather is clear, you may also see Balearic Island in nearby Menorca.

Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge connecting two cliffs near Ballintoy, County Antrim, Northern Ireland High and dry. A bridge for the brave A head for heights is definitely required here at one of Northern Ireland’s most eye-catching attractions, the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, off the coast of County Antrim. This 20m (66ft) long bridge spans the chasm between the mainland and Carrick-a-Rede Island, which takes its name from the Irish ‘Carraig a’ Ráid’ or ‘rock of the casting’. No-one lives in the restored fisherman’s cottage on the island now but at one time it was the place to go to catch migrating salmon, and it is fishermen who built the first bridge here in 1755. If you think today’s bridge looks daunting, you should’ve seen some of its earlier incarnations. As late as the 1970s there was only one handrail, not to mention large gaps between the slats. As numbers of salmon dipped, commercial fishing came to an end in 2002 and the bridge became a tourist attraction for thos...

"Mt. Fuji and Sakura" Yamanashi, Lake Kawaguchi Today is "Sakura Day"! This is the cherry blossom anniversary established by the Japan Sakura Association.  3 × 9 = 27, March 27, from 3 (sa) 9 (ku).  The current season is the 72nd season of cherry blossoms, and this year is March 25.  It is said that the cherry blossoms are starting to open ... At the foot of Mt. Fuji, the cherry blossoms at Lake Kawaguchi will soon be in full bloom.  The walking trail around the lake is lined with about 200 cherry blossom trees, making Mt. Fuji look like a picture frame.

Balloon over Lavender plantation, Brihuega, Guadalajara province, Castilla La Mancha, Spain

Lenticular clouds over Mount Rainier, Washington A peak in the clouds World Meteorological Day brings us to Washington’s Mount Rainier, a huge stratovolcano with a habit of creating its own weather systems. Jutting out about three kilometres above the surrounding landscape, its high altitude interrupts the flow of air that comes in off the Pacific Ocean, creating unusual weather such as the saucer-shaped clouds on our homepage. They’re called lenticular clouds, and because of their distinctive appearance, they've been suggested as an explanation for some UFO sightings. Thanks to the science of meteorology, we know they’re a normal weather phenomenon, commonly occurring on the downwind side of obstructions such as mountains, buildings, or other tall structures.

Knowth burial mound in Newgrange, Boyne Valley, Ireland for St Patrick's Day It’s a good day to be green For St. Patrick's Day, an image of the Knowth passage grave, part of the Boyne valley tombs, about an hour's drive north of Dublin. In addition to Knowth, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to the Newgrange and Dowth passage graves, henges, standing stones, and a significant portion of Western Europe's megalithic art. Knowth, the largest passage grave in the complex, is a 12-metre-high mound with a diameter of 67 metres; two east-west passages run under it that lead to separate burial chambers. The structures predate St. Patrick by nearly 4,000 years, and their original purpose is unclear - but on this day dedicated to celebrating all things Irish, they show off the engineering capabilities of the area's ancient population as well as the natural green beauty of the Irish countryside.

"Pemakid Point Lighthouse" Bristol, Maine, USA Lighthouse in the United States! Pemakidneck, Bristol, Maine, USA is a coastline where the lava flows from the Paleozoic eruption have cooled and solidified.  The rocky cape is home to the 19th-century Pemakid Point Lighthouse ... This lighthouse overlooking the complex coastline is still active.  Fresnel lenses made in the 19th century are still used today.  The lighthouse was painted on a 25 cent coin in the United States, along with a sailing ship that was active during the Victorian era at the time of construction.

Kathleen Lake and Mount Worthington in Kluane National Park, Yukon World’s largest concentration of ice fields! The magnificent glacial scenery at Kluane National Park and Reserve, easily draws visitors irrespective of the temperature. This time of the year, the park remains popular for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, dog sledding and ice fishing. With vast ice fields and a large concentration of glaciers, Kluane easily makes for a picturesque winter wonderland.

Les Orgues in Il-sur-Thai, Northern Catalonia, France Fairy Chimney! The ille-sur-tet organ, located in the eastern part of the Pyrenees, is included in UNESCO's natural heritage and is a geological wonder built 4 million years ago.  You'll love walking on the trails around fairy-tale chimneys, these strata of sand and clay are shaped by time.  You might think that these indestructible stone pillars inhabit a green natural environment, but in fact, they are very fragile and vulnerable to capricious weather conditions! So you cannot climb on them, but your camera can capture them Essence, make your memory immortal. On your journey, let this gorgeous natural environment inspire your imagination and let yourself guess the shapes and faces of the animals depicted in the rocks.  If you have a guide, don't be surprised by the stories of fairies and werewolves, they will tell you; everything here is mysterious and wonderful.  Tip: We recommend that you visit th...

Loughrigg Tarn sunrise, Ambleside, Lake District Boundless beauty of sun and mirror in the fells! As the sun rises on Loughrigg Tarn, in the heart of the Lake District, you can see why the poet William Wordsworth likened it to Italy’s Lake Nemi, describing it as “Diana’s looking glass … round, clear and bright as Heaven”. This small, nearly circular tarn just north of Windermere reflects surrounding fells in its clear waters which, in the summer, are decorated with water lillies. Of the 16 lakes in the Lake District, only one is actually called a lake – that’s Bassenthwaite Lake. All the others are “meres” or “waters”. And then there are numerous smaller tarns like this one - "tarn" is derived from the Old Norse word for pool. While Loughrigg Tarn, nestled beneath Loughrigg Fell near the popular tourist destinations of Grasmere and Ambleside, is considered one of the Lakes’ hidden treasures, it’s pretty accessible as it is one of the lowest tarns in the national p...

Pointe de Pen-Hir and the Breton monument of Free France on the Crozon peninsula, Brittany La Breizh!.  It smells of spring and Brittany Looking at this picture, you can almost feel the fresh Breton wind sweeping our face, as much as it sweeps the tall grass and wild flowers of this steep coast.  In ten days, spring will be here again but, as we wanted to get a little ahead, we offer this photo full of daisies, sea, blue sky and sea breeze. What you see here is the Pointe de Pen-Hir, located on the Crozon peninsula, in Brittany.  The stone structure that we see in the background is a monument commemorating the Bretons of free France, inaugurated by General de Gaulle in the 1960s. This Monument to the Bretons, also called Croix de Pen-Hir, was carved by artist François Victor Bazin in blue Brennilis granite.  You can read the inscription "Aux Bretons de la France libre - MCMXL - MCMXLV - France has lost a battle, but France has not lost the war.  In ...

Hiking group in the Allgäu Alps near Oberstdorf, Bavaria, Germany Are you a summiteer? Here we have something for you! Winter sports fans will be shining with the name Oberstdorf.  Traditionally, the four hills tour starts in the Allgäu.  The 68th Four Hills Tournament was the first highlight of the 2019/2020 World Cup season and came to a sensational conclusion in third place with German ski jumper Karl Geiger.  The fact that Karl Geiger was born in Oberstdorf and starts as a ski jumper for SC Oberstdorf does not only make the eyes shine, but the whole face of the residents of the municipality of Oberstdorf. Oberstdorf is a market in the Bavarian district of Oberallgäu, which not only impresses with its alpine ski areas, but is also a popular destination for mountaineers.  The southernmost municipality in Germany - Oberstdorf - is located in the Oberstdorf basin in the Illertal, in the Allgäu Alps.  After the state capital Munich and Lenggries, O...

Scenic deep tropical forest of Janjehli, Himalayas The beautiful woods of Janjehli, Himachal Located in the Kulu-Manali region of Himachal Pradesh, are the calm and tranquil woods of Janjehli. This hiker’s paradise is a good place to make base, while you plan treks to surrounding places of interest. And apart from the thick tropical forest which itself is worth the visit, look out for the guest house deep within the forest at Bajahi. Other places of interest close-by include the Shikari Devi temple, and the Kamrunag temple with the sacred lake close to it. At an elevation of 2150 metres, given the thick forest of the area, and the no-frills lifestyle - the journey to Janjehli can be quite a vacation from modernity itself.

A puma in the Andes, Argentina This lone puma walks in the Andes of Argentina, and it may be looking for a companion who can cluster.  Here is one of the biggest cats of the world! A 'Cougar' in fact and of course without a hat... (Wondering why???) Today is March 2 and here we are celebrating Dr. Seuss Birthday who wrote remarkable books and made our childhood memorable with pretty pictures and invincible rhymes. His famous book "The Cat In The Hat", is a story about a silly cat who always falls for wrong charms, still warming the hearts of the children.  Let's take a moment, stop making movement and recall old times, all fun and sun shines...  Do tell about about your favorite work of Dr. Seuss.  (© Sebastian Kennerknecht / Minden Pictures)