PhotoHunt - High

High atop Mount Pilatus, Switzerland. We visited this place in autumn 2004.



We enjoyed the thrill of a breathtaking gondola ride for 30 mins. The view from the gondola provided an awesome view of the city of Lucerne and we were high up on the gondola when I took this picture.



At 7000 feet high above sea level, we were greeted by heavenly skies and incredible mountains as far as the eye could see.



This is a view of a gondola high up through the mountains. It looked scary but I was glad that I didn't see how steep the mountainside was before that.




Looking over the highest peak of Mount Pilatus. It's really high and really cold but moments like these take my breath away.

PhotoHunt

Autumn in Lucerne

Watery Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

PhotoHunt - Balanced

The shots were taken from a window of a moving coach en route from Germany to Switzerland. Most of the pictures turned out to be apparently fuzzy and clearly out of focus as the bus was moving with great speed. However, here are some of my best shots to share for this week's photohunt.

The water seemed to be perfectly still and everything had a balanced reflection except for the small patch of snow on the lake surface.


I was mesmerised by the gorgeous mountainous countryside but it was frustrating to just pass by so quickly on a bus, resulting in some of the details were lost in the pictures. It would have been excellent if the bus could stop, spending a pleasant hour or two strolling around in order to capture a more balanced view .

First commenter - Mei Teng

PhotoHunt - Bird(s)

This week's shots were from our trip to Lake Lucerne, a few years ago. Lake Lucerne is Switzerland’s most popular lake, well known all over Europe. Lucerne itself is surrounded by water, since not only does it sit on the lake but it also is split in two by the River Reuss. Bird lovers will be able to see large flocks of sea birds in the middle of the city.

There were plentiful of seagulls, swans, geese and other sea birds moving gracefully around the lake.

While taking pictures of the city, a flock of seagulls flew towards us and stood still as though to welcome us. When they realised no chips were coming their way they fluttered their wings and flapped wildly by the strong gusts of wind. It looked fun.


It was incredible to see their beautiful wings spread in such graceful flight around the lake. The lovely seagulls were truly putting on a show for us.



First Commenter - Monica

Wordless Wednesday - Swiss countryside Waterfall

First Commenter - Ladyviral

PhotoHunt - Ripples

While going through my photo archives, I stumbled upon some photos of water ripples and I think this seems like a good choice to share for this week's photohunt.

During our trip to Switzerland, we took a lake cruise towards the vast serene lakes of Lucerne. Everywhere I turned, I noticed majestic views of lush greenery and water ripples like these were very interesting to observe.

The crisp mountain air combined with the panoramic view was lovely and it was nice to sit on board and feel the breeze and watched the ripples moving across the water.

The last two shots were taken during a canal tour in Amsterdam on autumn days. Amsterdam's maze of waterways has certainly become a symbol of the city.

As can be seen in the picture, that's a glass covered touring boat with autumn trees reflected in ripples of water in the canals .

The canals seemed like busy streets and most of the time, we noticed numerous tour boats, rowing boats, peddle boats, sailing boats, and barges passed by. Seriously, it's quite the norm for some locals to live on the water where a number of houseboats lined the canals. The shot above shows gentle ripples and reflections on the water's surface caused by the motion of the boat we were in.

First Commenter - Mei Teng

Wordless Wednesday - Lucerne, Switzerland

It was Autumn, the season and the views were simply spectacular. It was extremely cold and the fall colours were just so gorgeous. The variety of plants along with the infinite shades of green, turning to light greens, yellows, to browns, to stunning beauty as far as the eyes could reach. It was pure paradise and priceless indeed. Our cameras just couldn’t stop clicking. The stinking warm and humid air of tropical Malaysia seems to be so far away. :D

Water Tower - Lucerne's landmark and most photographed place in Switzerland.

Mount Pilatus in the background. I've blogged about this place before.

Rolex Bucherer of Switzerland

Remember this dying lion? I've blogged previously about this monument. The latin inscription HELVETIORUM FIDEI AC VIRTUTI means "To the loyalty and bravery of the Swiss".

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First Commenter - Vanniedosa

Photo Hunt - In Memory

The Sleeping Lion or Dying Lion of Lucerne is one of the world's most famous monuments. It was carved out of natural rock and was built in 1820 in memory of the Swiss Guards that were killed during the French Revolution in 1792 in the service of the King of France, Louis XVI.

I could not believe my eyes when we came upon this amazing site. It was so wonderfully crafted and truly realistic. Mark Twain, the well-known American author described the Lion of Lucerne as "the saddest and most moving piece of rock in the world." He was absolutely right. I haven't seen too many pieces of sculpture that looked mournful or moving but I personally have to agree with this description. You can see and feel the sadness on the lion's face distinctively.

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First Commenter - Ayie

Wordless/Wordful Wednesday - Mt Pilatus, Switzerland

The Swiss Alps have always intrigued me. I just couldn’t resist the temptation of taking photos in the remarkable Alps. A moment to cherish! It's like heaven on earth! Everyone was admiring the spectacular scenery of Swiss Alps. We truly enjoyed the walks and hikes at the summit. It will be an experience I will never forget and will enjoy for the rest of my life.

Here are some of the magnificent views from the main level of Mount Pilatus...

It's 7000 feet up one of the higher mountains of the Swiss Alps

No matter which angle you look, the view just blows you away.

Looking over Mount Pilatus, from the highest peak!

The view from our gondola coming down towards Lucerne!

The view was simply breath taking.

Pilatus, Mountain of visions