BC's Parliament

Parliament Buildings in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

 

 

Joining in the fun at James' Weekend Reflection

 

Easter blessings

 

Yesteryear

 

Continuing my country theme of the past week, below is my contribution to

Shadow Shot Sunday 2 - taken in Mintaro

(with thanks to the meme's hosts)

 

This charming old building clearly shows the town's slate used in its construction, and below is the plaque identifying its original purpose.

Wishing all fellow bloggers a special and safe Sunday.

 

"May the road rise up to meet you and the wind be at your back"

Mintaro

 

After "refuelling" (our bodies, not the vehicle!) in Auburn, (see earlier post)

we continued on to the small town of Mintaro, widely known for its slate - the quarry having been founded in the 1850s - and its impact and presence in the town is wonderfully prevalent in walls, roofs and buildings generally.

 

One of the first buildings we saw was the former Blacksmith's premises, dating back to 1858. We had stopped to admire (and photograph!) the rejuvenated building, whereupon the owner emerged, graciously welcomed us, provided background information on the 5 year restoration project and invited us to view the interior.

 

 

 

The reflection below shows one area of the living space where, among the stones used in the construction of the wall you can plainly see also some of the local slate.

What a charming environment, full of character and history!

 

 

 . . . and retained in the living room wall is the ring where horses used to be tethered while the blacksmith worked

 

 

It was a delightful and totally unexpected treat and we were grateful for her willingness to share this delightful residence with us.

 

Do visit James' Weekend Reflection for more reflections from around the world.

Not forgotten

 

These wonderful works of art grace the foreshore of Victoria Harbour on Vancouver Island, British Columbia and I think are a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by servicemen and women around the world.

 

. . . and here is the famed Empress Hotel overlooking the Harbour.

 

For those of you who celebrate the tradition of Shrove Tuesday, I hope you get to sample some mouth-wateringly delicious pancakes today!

 

Joining in the fun at Our World Tuesday

 

 

Milan

Here is Milan's Cathedral (Duomo) which I was astonished to learn took almost SIX centuries to build!

 

 

I am in awe of the talented craftsmen who created these beautiful statues (forgive me if I have not used the correct term) which adorn the outside.

 

The intricate details on facial expressions, bulging veins, and obvious ability to depict human anatomy so accurately, takes my breath away!

 

Although our visit to Milan was brief - an evening and a day - these magnificent pieces of art will remain etched in my memory for many years to come.

 

Wherever you may live in this extraordinary world, I encourage you to visit

Our World Tuesday

to view more scenes from far and wide.

(with grateful thanks to our hosts)

Fossombrone

 

The following images were captured in Fossombrone, an ancient town of Roman origin, standing midway up the Metauro Valley and located in the Marche region of Central Italy. 

 

 

 

  

 

 

It was a fun challenge to converse with the locals, as they didn't speak English and I don't speak Italian, but we managed to grasp the basics!

 

Joining in the fun at Our World Tuesday

and thanking our hosts for their dedication to running this community site.

 

Seeing double

 

524 Yates Street, Victoria, British Columbia

 

Joining in the fun with James' Weekend Reflection

Windemere properties

The following properties are located on the edge of Lake Windemere in Cumbria, north-west England and I imagine would fetch "a pretty penny" in today's real estate market.

This lawn definitely calls for a ride-on mower! 

To see images from other parts of the world, visit

Our World Tuesday

(with grateful thanks to the hostesses of that site)

Shades of Oxford UK

Some 40+ years ago I lived in Oxford, England, for 2 years. 

During my trip to the UK & Europe earlier this year, a re-visit here was an essential component of my itinerary.  Once again I marvelled at the glorious architecture and sense of history (even though the bold commercialism of today was this time much more evident).

Going clock-wise (from the left) around the collage below, these colourful boats were adjacent to Magdalen Bridge awaiting eager and energetic customers;  a very weathered doorway giving access to one of the college grounds; part of Magdalen College; Oxford's "Bridge of Sighs" linking two parts of Hertford College; the beautiful tower of Merton College, and finally the outside edge of the original City wall, abutting Christchurch Meadow.

To see other regions of the world, visit Our World Tuesday

Unique Urbino

During the last few days of the European adventure (referred to in my previous post), a visit to the walled town of Urbino in Italy's Marche region was a must - Italian Renaissance painter and architect Raphael (known for his frescoes and "Madonnas" in the Vatican) was born here in 1483 and it is a UNESCO World Heritage site noted for its remarkable legacy of Renaissance culture.

Before (or after!) tackling the physical demands of walking the steep streets, delicious refreshments can be purchased from this popular "bar"/cafe adjacent to the square at the top of the town in which resides a statue of Raphael

. . . with these engaging cherubs at the base

A street sign reaffirms we're on the right track !

The streets were comfortably busy with visitors

. . . a curious feline greets us as we pass by

The town's streets are steep - not for the feint of heart or those wearing high heels! 

. . . lovely views across the town to surrounding countryside

This little shop had displays of pretty, fragrant herbs on its window sills

. . . and here is the dome of Duomo di Urbino

I wondered what hidden treasures lay behind this ornate door! 

Pretty window boxes brightened up the grey walls

Catching up with a friend in the cool shade of the trees in the square

Well, I hope you enjoyed this taste of Urbino