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Hong Kong Musician with Er-hu

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Instagram - @impressionstravl

Eiffel Tower, From Below . . It goes up and up and up and your neck is fully extended. And, your mouth is agape. . . And the awe is understandable. . . A wide-angle lens definitely helps with this shot . . On your "Must Not Be Missed in This Lifetime" list, please consider adding a gaze up to the top of La Tour while standing directly beneath. . . At nightfall. . . How I long to be there right this moment. . . #latoureiffel #torreeiffel #eiffeltower #ladamedefer #toureiffel #parisjetaime #ironlady #cityoflights #parismonamour #parismaville #lookingup #lookup #wideangle #nightphotography #mustnotbemissedinthislifetime #wideangle #parisatnight #eiffeltoweratnight
Looking Toward the Barn . . Sadness has been sort of a more frequent kick in the stomach of late. I try hard not to give into it but sometimes that is very hard. Very hard indeed... . . But, then, a flicker of light catches my eye and I hurry outside and am greeted with the beautiful world surrounding me. . . This was the view from the back deck a couple days ago. All of a sudden, the hills started glowing and when I rushed outside, I was greeted with this vibrant, gorgeous #autumn scene. And, I felt and remembered that I am blessed. It's hard to be sad when around you, the world has decided to glow, and all you can hold in your heart is appreciation for the sheer beauty of it. . . And, I am reminded again that a change in perspective can often be found simply by stepping outside... . . My husband says I'm distracted by the light. This makes me smile for truer words were never spoken and I'm so happy he understands . . #flynnranch #nofilter #distractedbythelight #ilovenevada #ranchlife #nevadalife #ilovenv #nevadalandscape #nevadaranch #fallishere #highdesertlife #highdesertnv #firstdayoffall #autumnishere #firstdayofautumn #autumnequinox #autumn🍁 @renate_flynn with @insta.save.repost • • •
Swan Feather Detail, Serpentine Lake, Hyde Park, London . . Once upon a time, on a chilly November morning, Sullivan Swan set out with his wife, Lilith, for a morning paddle in Hyde Park. They loved the little Round Pond near Kensington Palace but it was decidedly too crowded this morning what with all the geese from the north stopping by to pay their respects to Prince William, Kate, and the wee ones. So, they wandered over to the Serpentine, that grand, manmade lake in the middle of the park where there was always room for everyone and the breakfast choices were often preferable, too. Near the lovely Isis statue - such an inspiration, this sleek and powerful jade bird! - they entered the cool water and gently pushed off with nary a space between them. When they were just a meter from shore, Sullivan, able to wait no longer, turned to his wife and kissed her tenderly. Lady Swan kissed him back and smiled into his eyes. And then they turned and continued on their way. . And, in their wake, a perfect white feather, unimaginably soft and glowing in the morning light, was left, lightly floating on the Serpentine's silken waters. . . #london #hydepark #kensingtongardens #serpentinelake #inlovewithlondon #tellmeastory #littlelovestory #lovelylondon #prettylondon #londoncalling #prettylittlelondon #thisislondon #lovelondon #mylondon #swanfeather #thisislondon
Austin City Lights . . Our thoughts and prayers are with Texas right now, especially the eastern coastline and #corpuschristi, #rockport, and #houston which are directly facing #category4 #hurricaneharvey and its onslaught. . . I've been in touch with my family in #austintx, 200 miles from the #gulfcoast and they are safe and expecting lots of rain and flash flood warnings. . . This is popular 4th Street in Austin. It is alive and the music is incredible, a cultural icon in Austin, not to be missed. (When 100% rain and flash floods aren't expected!) . . #austintexas #austincitylights #bokeh #citylights #prayfortexas #texasfamily #atx #austinmusicscene #50mm #prayersup #godblesstexas #lonestarstate #keepaustinweird #dontmesswithtexas #texasstrong #streetphoto #streetphotography #streetphoto_color #streetscene #streetshot #urbanandstreet #urbanaisle #streetactivity
Louvre Symmetry . . Endless, endless inspiration is to be found in #Paris. . . #parisnights #louvreatnight #parisjetaime❤️ #parismaville #louvrepyramid #pyramidedulouvre #museumsofinstagram #muséedulouvre #louvremuseum #archi_lovers #parisisalwaysagoodidea #paris🇫🇷 #parismonamour #symmetrykillers #architecturelovers #parisbynight #parisnight #louvreparis
Michelangelo's Pietá. St. Peter's Basilica . . The interior of #stpetersbasilica is massive and rife with history and unspeakable art and beauty. It is a sacred space and on more than one occasion, my steps through the basilica were accompanied by the angelic voices of children singing hymns in Latin, adding to the sense of walking within a holy space . . But, perhaps this sculpture, now situated behind bullet-proof glass, more than any of the other precious treasures within the basilica, brings to bear the spirit of holiness. . . The ability of Michelangelo to bring such raw emotion to a block of Carrera marble; to see a grieving yet faith-filled, mother, cradling her adult son, the Savior of the World, to envision the muscles and bone, the large puncture wounds to Christ's hands and feet, the swaths of cloth of Mary's robe, to see her expression, and then carve and chip and polish and smooth the rock into his mind's and heart's vision...well, it is nothing short of miraculous. . . I hope to see this miracle of stone many more times in my life. For, in me, it draws continual awe and spiritual inspiration. . . #pietá #pieta #michelangelo #vaticancity #michelangelospieta #vaticano #basilicadisanpietro #sanpietro #cittaeterna #cittadelvaticano #marblesculpture #lapiedad #vatican #basilicasanpedro #savioroftheworld #miguelangelbuonarotti #sanpedro #圣彼得大教堂 #basilicadesanpedro #renacimiento #miguelangel #renaissance #michelangelobuonarotti #arthistory #historiadelart
View to the west of the bridges of the River Arno in Florence, Italy from the Vasari Corridor atop the Ponte Vecchio . . At my hotel's frontdesk, there was an advertisement for a tour of the Vasari Corridor, a "secret" corridor above the famed Ponte Vecchio bridge which the Medici were purported to use to move secretly from their palace on the south side of the Arno, the Palazzo Pitti, to their offices, the Uffizzi, on the north side and the Palazzo Vecchio. I knew very little about this corridor but felt strongly I should take the tour and was so glad I did. On the tour, I learned that Hitler peered through this exact window to view this exact scene now set before me. Because of the sheer beauty he saw, he chose not to blow up the Ponte Vecchio below us. . If you ever have the opportunity to take a tour of the Vasari Corridor, do not miss it. It is not otherwise open to the public. . . The experience has the power to change the hearts of those who do not even seem to have one! . . #firenze #florence #florencia #imtravlfirenze #bridgesofflorence #bridgesoffirenze #vasaricorridor #vasaricorridortour #pontevecchio #bridgesofinstagram #riverarno #arnoriver #florença #igersfirenze #italiainunoscatto #oltrarno #whatitalyis #italia365 #firenzemia #medici #pontidifirenze #florenzia #fiorenza #florenceilove #adayinflorence #imtravlfirenze
Matt Davis Trail . . For so many years, this creek has been dry due to the hard-hitting drought which browned most areas of California. . . But, now, finally, the drought is officially over and the creek warbles and murmurs. . . How I love that sound. . . #mattdavistrail #mounttam #mounttamalpais #marincounty #backyardtravel #hikinglife #itissolvedbywalking #sanfranciscobayarea #mounttamalpaisstatepark #stinsonbeach #visitmarin #CaliExplored #explorecalifornia #californiacoast #california
St. Peter's Basilica from Via della Conciliazione. Vatican City . . It is the largest Christian building in the world. The top of the dome reaches to 448.1 feet, so it is also the tallest dome in the world. . . Not only is it truly massive in every awesome sense of the word, but its beauty defies description. . . Thank you, Bramante, da Sangallo, Fra Giocondo, Raphael, Perruzzi, Michelangelo, et al. . . It is one of those incredible places in the world, which, no matter how many times one visits, there will always be new discoveries, new beauty, new wonders. . . #traveltip: for this photo, walk to the first intersection outside St. Peter's Square on Via della Conciliazione, watch for traffic, then, when it's safe and the view is clear, walk to the middle of the street and snap the photo! Stay mindful of traffic! . #stpeters #stpetersbasilica #stpeterssquare #viadellaconciliazione #vaticancity #rome #vaticancity #stpetersdome #rome #roma #piazzasanpietro #sanpietro #vaticano #italia #basilicadisanpietro #loves_united_roma #italiainfoto #volgoroma #beniculturali30 #italiainunoscatto #italia360gradi
Sunset Reflections in St. James's Park with Buckingham Palace. . What a gift it is, indeed, to take a walk in St. James's Park as the sun is leaving us for the night. . . Those reflections... . . #reflectionsonwater #waterreflections #impressionism #stjamesspark #londonlover #londonist #buckinghampalace #skyonfire #impressionistic #londonlove #westminsterlondon #seelondon #londoner #londonparks #londonwalks #springinlondon #londonspring
Natural History Museum, London . . A place of wonders. . . One day, well, on many days, I am sure, I will spend hours and hours here. . . And, I will never ever discover all of its treasures. . . But, I certainly plan to try! . . @we.love_london . . #londonmuseumofnaturalhistory #museumofnaturalhistory #london4all #discoverlondon #explorelondon #museumsoflondon #londonlife #londontown #seelondon #naturalhistorymuseum #londoner #londonstreets #naturalhistorymuseumlondon #museumsofinstagram #britisharchitecture #mydarlinglondon
Westminster Bridge and Elizabeth Tower from Southbank. . . I was surrounded by kindred photography spirits in Westminster tonight, many with DSLR cameras and tripods. I had had a difficult day of sorts and, although I brought my DSLR, I was distracted and didn't even think to bring fresh batteries on my walk and so the camera died in Hyde Park amongst the roses and bumblebees. Drat! I thought to myself. This was exactly the kind of day I was having. But, I had talked myself into this walk to try to get out of my funk.(Well, my daughter @jacquelinacastro was the primary influence - "Mom! Hyde Park's right THERE! Go!") and so I reminded myself of one of my mantras: "The best camera is the one you have with you, right? Right!." And, I USED my phone and COMPOSED those shots and CHASED that light! And, you know what? Although I would have loved to try out my new lens on my DSLR, my Samsung Galaxy S7 did a great job! And, the inspiration I found on my walk - photographic and otherwise - left me much more internally calm; much better in general. It ended up about an 8 mile walk. It's hard to stay sad when you've walked that much - your sore feet provide a nice distraction! . @we.love_london . . #londoninspires #london4all #lovelondon #londoner #londonist #westminster #cityofwestminster #westminsterbridge #southbank #southbankview #elizabethtower #bigben #goldenhour #bridgesofinstagram #imtravllondon #samsunggalaxys7 #traverselondon #thisislondon #prettylittlelondon #discoverlondon #explorelondon #londonlife #londontown #seelondon #londonstreets #britisharchitecture #mydarlinglondon
Kensington Palace with Clouds and Queen Victoria . . The majesty and grandeur of the clouds overwhelmed that of the palace! . . #thisislondon #londonsunset #goldenhour #lovelondon #kensingtongardens #kensingtonpalace #queenvictoria #queenvictoriastatue #dramaticclouds #londonlife #cloudyskies #londonwalks #visitlondon #cloudsoflondon #cloudsofinstagram #godscanvas #londonparks #londonspring #springinlondon #springtimeinlondon
La Sagrada Familia, Nativity Façade. Barcelona . . Travel, of course, is life-changing in and of itself. We never return from a trip exactly the same. . . But, visiting La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona changed me viscerally. I didn't know architecture could LOOK this way. I didn't know an artist could seemingly defy rules of architecture, heck, even rules of gravity and linearity! Antoni Gaudí was spiritually driven to create this other-worldly basilica dedicated to the Holy Family. He knew he would never live to see its completion, (slated for 2026, I believe) but he wasn't concerned, stating, "God is not in a hurry." :) . . This view of the basilica is of the Nativity Façade (as opposed to the newer, more modern-appearing Passion Façade, on the other side) and is the most picturesque, and is taken in the little park area across the street. . . #traveltips: Take your camera (of course). If possible, go in the afternoon when the sun light shines and creates a warmth and glow through the west-facing windows. Reserve and purchase your entry tickets online (otherwise, you probably will not get in). Give yourself hours to soak up the ethereality of this Modernisme masterpiece and let it change you. . . #lasagradafamilia #bcncity #antonigaudí #sagradafamilia #gaudí #barcelonagram #bcnlovers #barcelonacity #barcelonainspira #barcelonaexperience #igbarcelona #imtravlbcn #imtravl #modernisme #archi_lovers #barcelonamagazine #catalonia #catalunya #cataluña #nativityfaçade #nativityfacade #unesco #unescoworldheritage #internationalcouncilofnurses
Louvre Pyramid: Color, Light, and Shadow . . Excerpts from two blog posts: _ _ "The sun was sliding toward the western horizon and the shadows cast by the Louvre Palace were long and dramatic. A sense of joy and peace pervaded my soul at having arrived here in this place, again, and was made all the more profound by the golden glow of the Paris evening; the warmth of the ebbing day embraced and welcomed me. I could feel myself returning to myself." _ _ "I'm sitting on a low wall [on the Eastern side of the Pyramid]...A child climbs up next to me, a little boy, loving the Pyramid (or the ferris wheel beyond). He says instinctively, 'Oh my God. Oh my God.' Then his father, speaking in an unknown tongue, calls him for a family photo. Yes: 'Oh, my God.' " . . The Louvre and its iconic pyramid are in my thoughts as, earlier today, France elected a new president, Emmanuel Macrón, who at 39yr of age, is the youngest president of the Republic. He made his celebratory speech at the Louvre and he and the thousands who were gathered there sang "La Marseillaise," the French National Anthem. How I would have LOVED to have been there to capture the history of the day in photos and words! . . Congratulations, President Macrón. I wish you well, indeed, and best hopes for prosperity and peace for France. . . #louvrepyramid #pyramidedulouvre #museedulouvre #muséedulouvre #louvremuseum #goldenhour #emmanuelmacrón #presidentielle2017 #presidentielle #macronpresident #shadowsandlight #elections2017 #frenchelection2017 #présidentdelarépublique #vivelafrance #instalouvre #parismonamour #parismaville

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