Acropolis museum

_8012135-2 [Acropolis museum]

The new Acropolis museum is an ultramodern glass and steel archeological museum spreading over 14.000 square meters and housing nearly 4.000 ancient artifacts. It is located by the southeastern slope of the Acropolis hill.
The museum - “one of the best in the World”, according to international experts - was built with the purpose of housing the archeological finds on the Acropolis; especially the Marbles of the Parthenon (commonly known as the Elgin Marbles). Inauguration took place on June 20, 2009 and its opening to the whole world served as a reply to those refusing to return the Marbles to where they belong with the poor excuse that Greece had no appropriate place to keep and protect them. Well, we cordially invite them to visit the museum. I am sure a single visit would be enough for them to reconsider their arguments!


Photographed in Athens on January 30, 2014

Please click on the picture for a better view.


The entrance to the museum

_8010672 [Acropolis museum]

Large numbers of domestic and international visitors make their way into the museum every day. There were “over 6.5 million visitors […] in its first five years of operation”. [http://www.theacropolismuseum.gr/en/content/annual-report]
 
Photographed in Athens on September 28, 2013

Crocus nivalis

DSCN4458 [Crocus nivalis]


Photographed in Attica on January 13, 2017

Late evening traffic

802_6513 [Late evening traffic]

Watching the full moon from an overpass on a warm summer evening, I was tempted to experiment once again with capturing the light trails of cars rushing out of and into the city. Similar attempts had refused to yield acceptable results for me but “Nothing ventured, nothing gained” I thought. So I set the camera on the tripod.

A couple of days later the processed image on the screen of my computer reminded me of the old well-known saying “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again!” I’m glad I did.

Please click on the picture for a better view.

Photographed at the outskirts of Athens on July 20, 2016

Psittacula krameri

300_5618 [Psittacula krameri]

A regular visitor to our garden where she seems to enjoy the fruits of the olive tree.

You can also see her here.

 
Photographed in Holargos on March 27, 2016

New Year wishes

[2017: New Year wishes]

Καλή Χρονιά! Χρόνια πολλά!

 

Papaver rhoeas

801_4358 [Papaver rhoeas]

Photographed on the Acropolis rocks in Athens on April 26, 2014

An amazing transformation

Pieris brassicae - larva

CCC1140 [Pieris brassicae - larva]

Walking on the rocks of the Acropolis, I nearly stepped on this “ugly”, some might say “repulsive” creature that was moving in front of me carefree and unaware of the danger she was exposed to. I would have bypassed her indifferently if I hadn’t noticed the yellow lines and black spots along her body that reminded me of the well-known and common butterfly called Pieris brasicae.

I took the picture out of habit, having no use of it in mind. Well … not until now!

Photographed on December 18, 2010

Pieris brassicae - adult

802_6977 [Pieris brassicae - adult]

A few weeks ago I was happy to have a “close encounter” in our garden with this butterfly. This airy, beautiful Pieris brassicae that once was “ugly” and “repulsive”.

What an amazing transformation!

What a miracle of life ... which, however, does not often get our full attention!

Photographed in Holargos on October 03, 2016

I came across a short well-written article on the Internet the other day describing a butterfly’s life cycle.
 If you' re interested, you can follow this link:

http://www.thebutterflysite.com/life-cycle.shtml

Crocus cartwrightianus

_8027561-NX [Crocus carwrightianus]

_8027537-NX [Crocus cartwrightianus]

Both photographed on Mt. Hymittos on November 08, 2016