Category: Foto Friday

Foto Friday – The Great Wall of China, Mutianyu

On By James HandlonIn Foto Friday1 Comment

The Great Wall, Mutianyu Huairou County

Located in Huairou County about 45 miles from Beijing, the Mutianyu Great Wall enjoys a long history and is part of the glorious culture of China.Here the wall winds for 1.4 miles through lofty mountains and high ridges, many sections of which are made of granite.

Watchtowers are very densely placed along this section of the Wall with 22 in total along this small stretch alone.The unique structure makes the wall almost indestructible. It measures 23 to 26 feet high and four to five yards wide.

Amazingly we had the wall almost to ourselves to wander along which as anyone who has visited China will know is almost unheard of!

Foto Friday – Karnak Temple (ca. 1391–1351 BC)

On By James HandlonIn Foto FridayLeave a comment

Karnak Temple

While travelling back down the Nile several years ago we ended our trip at the ancient city of Luxor where the famous Karnak Temples are sited. This ancient temple complex is a travel photographers paradise with endless opportunities for the avid snapper. The immense forest of columns in the Great Temple tends to be at the top of everyones wanted list.

I too, like thousands before me, could not resist snapping away while wandering around inside the inner sanctum, dazed and in a total state of shock and awe at the sheer size and magnitude of the whole place. The vast mix of ruined temples, chapels, pylons, and other buildings, notably the Great Temple of Amun simply blows your mind away.

See more photos at: http://www.fluidr.com/photos/44720200@N02/sets

Foto Friday – Dadès Gorges (Morocco)

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Dadès Gorges

The Gorges du Dadès is a gorge created by the Dadès River and lies between the Atlas Mountains and Anti-Atlas mountain ranges in Morocco. Driving up the many precipitous hairpins in our 4WD Jeep turned out to be one of life’s great unexpected but thrilling experiences!

This photograph that was taken while leaning out of the Jeep window just had to be taken as we neared the crest of the pass at the moment when the road below finally unveiled herself to us in all her twisty and switchback glory.

See more photos at: http://www.fluidr.com/photos/44720200@N02/sets

Foto Friday – Dancers at the Angkor Wat Temple, Cambodia

On By James HandlonIn Foto Friday4 Comments

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During my tour of Indochina I visited the famous jungle ruins of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Within many of the temple compounds you would come across these traditional Cambodian dance troupes (as seen in my above photograph. The dancers would perform – for a small fee of course – exotic routines for the discerning and weary western traveller, it was all good clean fun, even if it was all a bit touristy!