BROCK IN A BOX

The Baobab ( or "upside down" ) tree, seen on Safari in the Tarangire National Park, Tanzania, Africa. Each tree trunk can hold up to 300 litres ( 66 gallons ) of water, and so in drought conditions the Elephants eat the bark to get at the moisture, and in some cases ( like in this photo ) eventually eat a hole in the tree trunk ! Photo taken with a Canon EOS 20D !http://ih2.redbubble.net/work.6298269.1.lp,375x360,b,s,SG9sZSBpbiB0aGUgQmFvYmFiIFRyZWU%3D.jpg! !http://ih1.redbubble.net/work.6298269.1.papergc,441x415,w,ffffff.v4.jpg!

Brock, our Springer Spaniel, playing in the summer sunshine. Solihull, England. !https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.431026020.5076/fp,550x550,black,off_white,box20,m,ffffff.jpg!

Alfriston Clergy House in Alfriston, Polegate, East Sussex, England, was the first property to be acquired by the National Trust. It was purchased in 1896 for £10.[ The house lies adjacent to the Church of St. Andrew. The house is a 14th-century Wealden hall house. Although the name reflects the fact that the parish priest and his housekeeper used it, the house was originally built as a farmer's house. It is a very modest property — not at all like the grand rectories that many Church of England clergy occupied by the 19th century. It is a low-ceilinged, two-storey, timber-framed building with a thatched roof. Part of the house was rebuilt in the 17th century. It is commonly said that a detail on a cornice wood carving of an oak leaf, m...

The Calabash Resort, Grenada. Lance aux Epines Beach and Prickly Bay. Grenada’s diversity makes it incomparable. The island’s interior is dressed in a layer of rich rainforest, decorated with waterfalls, hot springs, volcanic crater lakes, trekking trails and the odd monkey for entertainment. The island’s coastline is a tranquil pristine haven to the West and welcomes in rolling surf from the East. Looking up to the North lies the magnificent Grenadine Islands. These untouched jewels in turquoise waters lay the path between Grenada and St Vincent. The south coast is home to the Calabash and is the island’s subtle hub of activity. Bars, restaurants and activities are tastefully slotted into the landscape and offer great nightlif...

Architect Sir Norman Fosters` competition winning design to rebuild the Reichstag Building in Berlin, Germany. The Reichstag building was completed in 1894 following German national unity and the establishment of the German Reich in 1871. After a complete restoration of Paul Wallot's original building, the Bundestag reconvened here in Sir Norman Foster's spectacularly restored Reichstag building on April 19, 1999. Following German reunification on October 3, 1990 the Bundestag (German Federal Parliament) decided, one year later, to make the Reichstag the seat of Parliament in Berlin, the restored capital of reunited Germany. This evening photo ( enhanced) of a maintenance worker ( a lady) walking up the ramp within the dome caught my ...

Dawn, on a misty January morning, in the Dickens Heath Nature Reserve, Solihull, Englahttps://ih1.redbubble.net/image.494927032.3104/tp,220x200,ffffff,t-pad,220x200,ffffff.6.jpg!nd. !

One of the chandeliers (seen from below) in the National Trust house "Coughton Court" England. Coughton Court has been the home of the Throckmorton family since 1409. It holds a unique place in English history with its close connections to the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. Camera: Canon PowerShot S95 !http://ih3.redbubble.net/image.34193524.0639/fp,550x550,black,off_white,box20,l,transparent.png!

View from the Members Balcony. Edgbaston Test, Birmingham, England. Day one. 29 July 2015. England v Australia. England bounced back from their Lord's humiliation to seize control of the third Ashes Test in an astonishingly one-sided first day at Edgbaston. Feeding off the passion of a boisterous crowd at the venue where they famously ignited their 2005 Ashes campaign, England bundled out the tourists for 136 on a seaming pitch and reached 133-3 at the close. A potent James Anderson took his best Ashes figures of 6-47, and Steven Finn marked his first Test appearance for two years with the wickets of Steve Smith and Michael Clarke after Australia had won the toss and chosen to bat. On a day punctuated by short rain dela...

La Boca is a neighborhood, or barrio of the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires. It retains a strong European flavour, with many of its early settlers being from the Italian city of Genoa. It is known throughout the sporting world as the home of Boca Juniors, one of world's top football clubs. La Boca is a popular destination for tourists visiting Argentina, with its colourful houses and pedestrian street, the Caminito, where tango artists perform and tango-related memorabilia is sold. Other attractions include the La Ribera theatre, many tango clubs and Italian taverns, as well as La Bombonera, home of Boca Juniors. It has also been a centre for radical politics, having elected the first socialist member of Argentine Congress (Alfredo...

Visitors appear on the balcony at the new public Library, Birmingham, England. Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II Featured in the group "Superbly Visual" !http://ih1.redbubble.net/image.24485135.3757/fp,550x550,black,off_white,box20,l,transparent.png!

The river Avon in the grounds of Warwick Castle, England. Down from the Castle, and across the bridge lies the island where the river Avon separates and flows on either side. On this large area of land is a Victorian boathouse, and here during the 1890s the Countess of Warwick kept a small menagerie comprising a baby elephant, some Japanese deer, a flock of Chinese geese, an emu, raccoons, and an antbear. When the elephant grew too large, it was given away to an animal trainer in Lymington, while the emu achieved fame when it chased a bishop through the castle grounds. Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II !http://ih0.redbubble.net/work.7935146.1.fp,375x360,black,off_white,box20,l,ffffff.jpg!

A stone doorway leading to one of the many "huge faces" found at the Bayon,Ankor Thom, Siem Reap, Cambodia. Built in the 13th century as the official state temple of the Mahayana Buddhist King Jayavarman VII, the Bayon stands at the centre of Jayavarman's capital, Angkor Thom. The Bayon's most distinctive feature is the multitude of serene and massive stone faces on the many towers which jut out from the upper terrace and cluster around its central peak. The temple is home also to two impressive sets of bas-reliefs, which depict an unusual combination of mythological, historical and mundane events. The main current conservatory body, the JSA, has described the temple as "the most striking expression of the 'baroque' style" of Khme...

A single tree, on a frosty morning. Seen in Witley Court, England. Photo taken with a Canon EOS 20D. The vast and rambling remains of the palatial 19th century mansion are surrounded by magnificent landscaped gardens, which still contain huge stone fountains. The largest, representing Perseus and Andromeda - now restored - was described as making the 'noise of an express train' when fired. Before 1846, when William Humble Ward (later first Earl of Dudley) inherited Witley Court, the land surrounding the house was laid out in the 18th-century English landscape style. As part of Ward's transformation of the estate, he called in the leading landscape designer of the time, William Andrews Nesfield, whose skills in designing intricate a...

Sunrise at Uluru, Ayers Rock, Australia. Tourists wait for the magic moment. The rock is huge, jutting up about 350m from its barren surrounds. And more interestingly, Ayers Rock extends even further than this amount below ground. Although there are other, similar entities to Ayers Rock – most notably the nearby Olgas and Mount Augustus in Western Australia – it is the only singular monolith with its composition. A World Heritage site, Ayers Rock also goes by the Aboriginal name of Uluru. Aboriginal tribes were living in the area 10,000 years ago. White men did not come onto the scene until the 1870s, when William Gosse named it for Henry Ayers, the then-South Australia Chief Secretary. Ayers Rock is sometimes incorrectly written as...

Hardwick Hall, in Derbyshire, England, is an architecturally significant Elizabethan country house in England. Built between 1590 and 1597 for the formidable Bess of Hardwick. It was designed by the architect Robert Smythson, an exponent of the Renaissance style of architecture. Hardwick Hall is one of the earliest examples of the English interpretation of this style, which came into fashion having slowly spread from Florence. Its arrival in Britain fortuitously coincided with the period when it was no longer necessary or legal to fortify a domestic dwelling. Ownership of the house was transferred to the National Trust in 1959. Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II !http://ih3.redbubble.net/image.44395578.8270/fp,550x550,black,off_white,box20,...

Where does a girl carry her mobile phone, when dressed in a Carnival costume ? See above for the answer ! This young lady was spotted in the Cape Verde Islands, off the west coast of Africa. Photo taken on a Canon EOS 20D. !http://ih0.redbubble.net/work.6159479.1.papergc,441x415,w,ffffff.v4.jpg! !http://ih2.redbubble.net/work.6159479.1.fp,375x360,black,off_white,box20,l,ffffff.jpg!

The Leonard French stained glass ceiling in The Great Hall of the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia, measures 60.9 m in length, 15.24m in width and 13.72m in height and took five years to build. It is best viewed - and encouraged - by lying on the ground and facing it !! In 1986, the NGV grabbed global headlines when Pablo Picasso's Weeping Woman was stolen by a group identifying themselves as the “Australian Cultural Terrorists” to protest poor treatment of the arts by the Victorian government of the day. A week following the theft, the painting was discovered in a railway locker, however those responsible have never been found. Photo taken with a Canon EOS 20D !http://ih0.redbubble.net/work.6749782.1.lp,375x360,...

Mekong Paddle, Vietnam. About a 2 hour drive, south west from Ho Chi Minh (Saigon ) you reach the Mekong Delta, and after crossing one of the many wide rivers on a motor boat, I transferred to a small traditional sanpan and was paddled upstream to a little village. This Lady`s bright blouse contrasted well with the muddy river and green jungle. Photo taken on a Canon EOS 20D. Featured in the Group "Postcard Style" !http://ih2.redbubble.net/work.6440444.1.lp,375x360,b,s,TWVrb25nIFBhZGRsZQ%3D%3D.jpg! !http://ih3.redbubble.net/work.6440444.1.fp,375x360,black,off_white,box20,l,ffffff.jpg!

The stained glass, rose window, in St. Leonards Church, Charlecote Park, Stratford upon Avon, England. Dedicated to St Leonard, the church stands on the site of an earlier 12th century church, which similar to many others was demolished during the Victorian period. The present church standing on the edge of Charlecote Park was instigated and paid for by Mrs Mary Elizabeth Lucy, whom’s family resided at Charlecote Park. The church contains the Lucy family vault. John Gibson designed the church and Mrs Lucy laid the foundation stone during April 1850. Erected from blocks of ashlar stone, a large rectangular dressed stone with even faces and square edges the church remains much the same as when Mrs Lucy planned it. Much of the woodwor...

Ghats in Varanasi (India) are riverfront steps leading to the banks of River Ganga (Ganges) The city has nearly 100 ghats. Most of the ghats are bathing and puja ceremony ghats, while a few are used exclusively as cremation sites. Most Varanasi ghats were built after 1700 AD, when the city was part of Maratha Empire. The patrons of current ghats are Marathas, Shindes (Scindias), Holkars, Bhonsles, and Peshwes (Peshwas). Many ghats are associated with legends or mythologies while many ghats are privately owned. Morning boat ride on the Ganges across the ghats is a popular visitors attraction. Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II !http://ih3.redbubble.net/image.30195003.7327/fp,550x550,black,off_white,box20,l,transparent.png!

A red and white lifebelt station on Bexlhill Beach, Bexhill on Sea, Sussex, England. Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II !http://ih1.redbubble.net/image.93357645.8171/fp,550x550,black,off_white,box20,l,ffffff.jpg!

Taken in the Bull-Ring shopping centre, Birmingham, England. The sunlight is streaming into the large retail atrium area via the glazed roof, casting shadows onto the escalators. Camera used : Canon EOS 20D !http://ih1.redbubble.net/work.6204297.1.papergc,441x415,w,ffffff.v4.jpg! !http://ih3.redbubble.net/work.6204297.1.fp,375x360,black,off_white,box20,l,ffffff.jpg!

Detail of the Opera House, Sydney, Australia. The Sydney Opera House has become, with the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney's best-known landmark and international symbol. The base for the building was started in 1959 - years before the designs were finished. It took four years to design by Danish architect Jorn Utzon and by 1962 the designs were finalized and construction began. In total it took 14 years to build and was officially opened on the 20th of October 1973 by Queen Elizabeth II. Utzon's radical 'sails' design stretched engineering knowledge to the limit and imposed some unfortunate limitations on its functions, largely because the government insisted it house four halls, not two as he had planned originally. It cannot, f...

The Taj Mahal is a white marble mausoleum located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Photographed just after sunrise. Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II !http://ih1.redbubble.net/image.44583390.3070/fp,550x550,black,off_white,box20,l,transparent.png!

Detail of a side door on the North Elevation, York Minster, England. The Cathedral and Church of Saint Peter in York, commonly known as York Minster, is the cathedral of York, England, and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe. The minster is the seat of the Archbishop of York, the second-highest office of the Church of England, and is the cathedral for the Diocese of York. It is run by a dean and chapter, under the Dean of York. The title "minster" is attributed to churches established in the Anglo-Saxon period as missionary teaching churches, and serves now as an honorific title. Services in the minster are sometimes regarded as on the High Church or Anglo-Catholic end of the Anglican continuum. The minster has a ver...

The burnt-out ruin of The West Pier, Brighton, England, taken at sunset time, with the reflection of the structure in a calm sea. It was built in 1866. On 28 March 2003 the pavilion at the end of the pier caught fire. Firefighters were unable to save the building from destruction because the collapsed walkway prevented them from reaching it. The cause of the fire remains unknown. On 11 May 2003, another fire broke out, consuming most of what was left of the concert hall. The Fire re-ignited on 12 May. Arson was suspected: the West Pier Trust refers to the fires as the work of "professional arsonists". Photo taken with a Canon EOS 5D mark II. !http://ih0.redbubble.net/work.6382023.1.lp,375x360,b,s,QnJpZ2h0b24gUnVpbnM%3D.jpg! !ht...

This atmospheric house and gardens dates from the 15th century and was the home of the Ferrers family for 500 years. The house and interiors reflect its heyday in the Elizabethan era, when it was a haven for persecuted Catholics - there are three priest's holes. There is a delightful garden with stewponds and a romantic lake and nature walk. Featured in the Group "European Everyday Life" Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II !http://ih1.redbubble.net/image.13977454.1507/mat,375x360,black,ffffff.jpg!

Enhanced detail of the silver discs on the elevation of the Selfridges Department Store in the Bullring, Birmingham, West Midlands, England. Architect: Jan Kaplikey of Future Systems. Photo taken with a Canon EOS 20D !http://ih3.redbubble.net/work.6559136.1.lp,375x360,b,s,U2lsdmVyIFNtYXJ0aWVz.jpg! !http://ih0.redbubble.net/work.6559136.1.fp,375x360,black,off_white,box20,l,ffffff.jpg!

Durham Cathedral North East England) is amongst the greatest churches ever built. Planned and begun by Bishop Carileph (1081 - 1096) most of the cathedral was built in the Norman (Romanesque) style. The Rose Window is a later addition and was remodelled in the the late eighteenth century. The Nave, Quire and two transepts, north and south, were all built between 1093 and 1133. The Galilee Chapel was added in 1175. The two western towers were built between 1217 and 1226. Finally, the Chapel of the Nine Alters was completed in the Gothic style between 1242 and 1280. Until 1540, the Cathedral was also the church of the Benedictine Monastery where the monks worked and worshiped. Camera: Canon EOS 20D !http://ih3.redbubble.net/work....

The beach at Lance Aux Epines, Grenada, Looking out over the warm, blue Caribbean sea. Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II !http://ih1.redbubble.net/image.144806585.5022/fp,550x550,black,off_white,box20,m,ffffff.jpg!

Up close beneath the Statue of Liberty in New York. Camera: Canon EOS 20D

One of the finest moated manor houses in England, nestling in a lovely setting, boasting excellent period gardens. The house has been described as 'the perfect late medieval manor house', and it is not hard to see why. The manor occupies an island hemmed in on all sides by a wide moat, where swans float peacefully. There are three ranges, or wings of the manor arranged around a lovely courtyard garden. At one time there was a fourth side on the west, making a square, but the west range was demolished in the 18th century. The house is approached over a two-arched bridge leading to an imposing gatehouse with a large Elizabethan window above the entrance. Walk through the entrance, and you find yourself in a small, formal garden sur...

A walk in the bluebell woods in Earlswood, Solihull, England. !http://ih0.redbubble.net/image.215783770.2444/fp,550x550,black,off_white,box20,l,ffffff.jpg!

A detail from the timber structure of the new Svalbard Museum, Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen, Arctic Circle. Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II Featured in the group "Art in Math" !http://ih2.redbubble.net/image.15626158.0629/mat,375x360,black,ffffff.jpg!

A misty morning in Antarctica, near Paradise Bay. Camera: Canon 20D Featured in the group "Digital Photography" !http://ih1.redbubble.net/image.11357586.2831/fp,375x360,black,off_white,box20,l,ffffff.jpg!

Flying towards Mount Everest at dawn, from the Nepal side. Mount Everest (also known in Nepal as Sagarmatha and in Tibet as Chomolungma) is the Earth's highest mountain. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. Its peak is 8,848 metres (29,029 ft) above sea level[1] and is the 5th furthest point from the centre of the Earth.The international border between China and Nepal runs across the precise summit point. Its massif includes neighbouring peaks Lhotse, 8,516 m (27,940 ft); Nuptse, 7,855 m (25,771 ft) and Changtse, 7,580 m (24,870 ft). The first recorded efforts to reach Everest's summit were made by British mountaineers. With Nepal not allowing foreigners into the country at the time, the British made several atte...