Belgium

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SUNDAY-STILLS-PC-Freedom

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For as long as I can remember…

…the Flanders Poppy has been a symbol of

the freedom won in two World Wars.

I had heard of fields being covered in blood red poppies,

but had been a bit of a doubting Thomas.

LIke Thomas, my doubts were allayed

upon my 2017 visit to the

Western Front Battlefields,

where, with my own eyes, I was able to

see (and photograph) poppies growing wild

on World War I Battlefields.

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SUNDAY STILLS PHOTO:   Freedom

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A-Photo-a-Week-Challenge-Vacation-2020

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This year we had planned another African Safari, in June.

However, our sighting the zebra crossing…

…the leopard sleeping…

 

…lion cubs at play…

 

…or the pride at rest is no longer on our 2020 agenda.

I just hope everything is back to normal in 2021.

 

 

In 2016 we travelled to the northern hemisphere

where we discovered black lion statues.

We decided that the lions above were

nearly as interesting as their cousins

in previous photos, particularly as we had

been reading books in which they featured.

This lion in a rock was a bonus

which neither of us had heard.

In 2018 we discovered these lions guarding a bridge

which is an entrance to a park named

after the16th Earl of Derby

on the North American continent, in a west coast city,

in a country which had not fought

a war of independence.

In 2017 while visiting the

Western Front Battlefields

of World War I…

 

…I came upon two more lions guarding this Gate.

These lions, gifted to Australia after World War I,

were temporarily returned for

World War I Centenary Clebrations.

I was lucky to capture these images as the lions

were being returned to Canberra in November 2017.

***

The word lion/s and some nearby text in Google

will find the location if I have been too vague.  🙂

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A Photo a Week Challenge:  Vacation-2020

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Cee’s-Hunt4Joy-Lightbulbs

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Lights an bulbs from all over…

Het Zand Square,

Brugge,

Belgium

 

Geelong’s Eastern Beach car park

 

 

London lights.

A small restaurant less than five minutes

from the London Eye.

 

Eiffel Tower.

 

 

 

Finally….

Some lights seen…

…during our…

…dinner cruise…

…on…

…Dubai Creek.

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Cee’s-Hunt-for-Joy-Challenge:  Lightbulbs

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Travel-Theme-Hidden

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Many, or most, of the

World War I cemeteries I visited

were either alongside a road 

or easily accessible in a paddock.

Toronto Avenue broke these ‘rules’.

 

After turning at the sign we had a fairly long drive…

 

 

…on a narrow, well maintained road before reaching…

the cemetery proper.

All of which is hidden in Belgium’s,

Ploegsteert Wood

So quiet and peaceful.

Toronto Avenue Cemetery was named from

a Communication Trench in Ploegsteert Wood,

in which it is located.

The cemetery contains the graves

of 78 officers and men of

the 9th Brigade (3rd Australian Division)

who died in the Battle of Messines

between 7 and 10 June 1917.

The cemetery contains 78 First World War burials,

two of them unidentified.

(Source: https://www.ww1cemeteries.com/toronto-avenue-cemetery.html)

 

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Where’s My Backpack: Hidden

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Cee-BW-Challenge-Fences-n-Gates

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First up…

…the type of fence I think of when I hear the word.

A back gate into Geelong Grammar School.

 

That rather flimsy fence was all that

separated animals and visitors.

A sturdy Hobbiton Gate

A Westminster Abbey gate.

My favourite gate….Menin Gate,

Ypres, Belgium

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Cee’s Black & White Challenge:  Fences-n-Gates

Black_White

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