DAILY PHOTO: Tree Scene at Pracheen Hanuman Mandir

Posted on January 6, 2017 by B Gourley

Taken on December 16, 2016 in New Delhi

DAILY PHOTO: Canal Side Graffiti, Vienna

Posted on January 5, 2017 by B Gourley

Taken on December 30, 2016 in Vienna (Wien)

I don’t know what this is supposed to mean, but it seems a bit harsh

Austrian mural with an Indian flavor

DAILY PHOTO: Hungarian Parliament, Inside and Out

Posted on January 4, 2017 by B Gourley

Taken on December 22, 2016 in Budapest

by night

Chamber of Deputies (I think)

Main staircase

DAILY PHOTO: Scenes from Sümeg Castle

Posted on January 3, 2017 by B Gourley

The Castle; Taken on December 20, 2016 at Sümeg

Sümeg is a castle town north of Lake Balaton in Hungary. It was built in the late 13th century by King Bela IV. It was gifted to the Catholic church by King Stephen V. It’s been nicely remodeled, and is now the site of renaissance faire style events. Here are some pics from within:

In the dungeon (i.e. the várbörtön)

Medieval warfare, check out those pointy boots

The kitchen

The Bishop’s Quarters

DAILY PHOTO: Jantar Mantar, New Delhi

Posted on January 2, 2017 by B Gourley

Taken at the Jantar Mantar, Delhi on December 16, 2016

The Jantar Mantar are astronomical clocks / calendars. Five of them were built in early 18th century India by order of Maharaja Jai Singh II. The others are in Jaipur, Varanasi, Ujjain, and Mathura. The one at Jaipur is said to be the most impressive, and I can attest that it’s more impressive than the complex in Delhi. However, I’ve only visited the two. What we read of the Varanasi one didn’t make it sound worth the trip, even though we were in the area of it. (It’s atop one of the buildings near the main ghat.) I haven’t been to the other two cities, but I’ve heard that not all of the Jantar Mantar remain intact, so they may just be ruins.

When we were visiting the location in Jaipur, a guide asked: “Do you believe in these things, astrology and astronomy?”

To which the natural response is: “That’s like asking whether I believe in ghosts and gravity.”

At any rate, if you are into science these sites are worth your time.