The Verandah

Machine Nation needs some vistas to look out upon, we need a sense of place and location. That's why I think that this thread makes sense. I propose that each citizen of Machine Nation post a photo and/or picture of a vista they'd like Machine Nation to look out upon.

Here is my favourite vista:



New York, imo, is the finest example of a skyscraper skyline. It blends so well and is so finely constructed. Other countries with growing metropolises should watch and learn. That's why I think Machine Nation should look out on this wonder of human achievement, since a city's skyline is a human-made geographical feature.

I love New York skyline too Ard Taoiseach but this is where the future is ...

Auditor #9 wrote:

I love New York skyline too Ard Taoiseach but this is where the future is ...

Ye, just as soon as Phase 1 of Red Horizon is launching in a glitzy affair on the International Space Station. I've got my €500,000,000 booking deposit down already!

Ard-Taoiseach wrote:

Auditor #9 wrote:

I love New York skyline too Ard Taoiseach but this is where the future is ...

Ye, just as soon as Phase 1 of Red Horizon is launching in a glitzy affair on the International Space Station. I've got my €500,000,000 booking deposit down already!

Im Totally and utterly langers at the mo ( been made redundant today and decided to bring the boys and girls in my dept out on one final fling!) - but that is so cool ( in everyway postive I can think of) - Thats our future and bring it on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edo wrote:

Ard-Taoiseach wrote:

Auditor #9 wrote:

I love New York skyline too Ard Taoiseach but this is where the future is ...

Ye, just as soon as Phase 1 of Red Horizon is launching in a glitzy affair on the International Space Station. I've got my €500,000,000 booking deposit down already!

Im Totally and utterly langers at the mo ( been made redundant today and decided to bring the boys and girls in my dept out on one final fling!) - but that is so cool ( in everyway postive I can think of) - Thats our future and bring it on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh sh1t Edo, sorry and all. But it I hope it will open all kinds of unexpected good new stuff that you would not even have thought about in the old place. Hope the head isn't too bad this morning.

Sorry to hear that Edo - you've posted a lot about your work and seemed really into it.

However, this is the future.

Put on your shades (and not just because of your poor head this morning).

Sorry to hear about the jobb Edo.

Hopefully this will cheer you up:

Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania. It is a scan of a photograph I took, hence it isn't digital quality.

This is getting weird.

I thought I'd bump this for anyone stuck indoors today.

Its a nice day here.

This was the view from my verandah this morning......well about three weeks ago to be honest

Seathrún that's a good view - was it taken in the morning? Here's a phone picture of a backroad not a million miles away from where I live. Taken last week when the weather was good one day.

Auditor #9 wrote:

Seathrún that's a good view - was it taken in the morning? Here's a phone picture of a backroad not a million miles away from where I live. Taken last week when the weather was good one day.

Nothing nicer than a lonely lonan cuddled by greenery.Excellent Audi. I'm filled with reckless patriotism now.

That other snap was taken at 7 in the morning.

Those are all beautiful photos and fit for our gallery.

The last spud field on Tawin Island in April

Where is Tawin Island, floatingingalway? It looks ruggedly interesting.

It's near Oranmore in Galway. A gem of a place that even Galwegians don't know about

This is Wengen, photographs don't do justice to the place.

Squire wrote:

This is Wengen, photographs don't do justice to the place.

Wow. Just checked out some more images of Wengen. You're not lying. Is it true you have to get a train there?

Is it expensive?

Tyrol in Austria and the Dolomites in Italy - fantastic too.


Tyrol



Dolomites

Those were very classy pictures, SeathrúnCeitinn, floatingalway and Auditor #9.
The Wengen ones sadly seem to have disappeared.

I can see the Wnngen ones just fine.

SeathrúnCeitinn wrote:

Wow. Just checked out some more images of Wengen. You're not lying. Is it true you have to get a train there?

Is it expensive?

When I was rather young, I had the good fortune of falling ill in Zurich and then spent the best part of a year in Switzerland. Unquestionably the most important year of my life. Came across Wengen whilst recovering. It is just a village with NO cars, but the railway service is remarkable. This has to be factored in in any assessment of costs! It is a must.
http://www.jungfraubahn.ch/en/DesktopDefault.aspx/tabid-274/305_read-1633/
If you are wed to your car perhaps Grindelwald but you will still need a train pass.

There are a wide variety of hotels and apartments. There are some at
http://www.wengen.com/

I don't consider Wengen expensive and places like the Hotel Hirschen or other small hotels on half board are probably good value. Switzerland doesn't seem expensive to me but I am not particularly good on this sort of comparison.

If you like walking in the high Alps and mountain flowers this region is a good place to spend a bit of time. You can also go on more demanding routes, like tracking across the glacier or up the north face of the Eiger! (If you are mad)

Also depends when you intend to go there. Peak season is the winter. I prefer late May, June, July and early August. Avoid early spring it can be pretty cold and wet. Also once you get into late September the temperature starts to drop. Even in May there can be a chill.

The Alps generally are fantastic. You cannot really capture the scale and IMO far more impressive than much of the Himalayas. Stay somewhere a week or two, dump the car and get out and walk.

If you go up on a chair lift and miss the last one down, remember what takes 15 minutes by cable car can take all night by foot. Stay put unless you know your way. (Memories of the Dolomites above Bolzano by night 10 hours of walking by star light).

One of the advantages the Southern Alps and Dolomites have over the Bernese Oberland is climate but for solid rock and scale hard to beat the north face of the Eiger.


View down into the valley at Lauterbrunnen and yes that is a waterfall.



What I like is the clouds coming up the valley below and trying to get over the mountains. Very atmospheric. The place gets more than its fair share of thunder. The north face of the Eiger is just up the hill and though not visible from Wengen the Jungfrau and Mönch which are a bit higher are.



The Eiger the Mönch and the Jungfrau from the next valley.



Alps well worth a visit if you like walking and nature at its most awesome.

Squire wrote:

View down into the valley at Lauterbrunnen and yes that is a waterfall.

I went from Verona in Italy to Innsbruck in Austria by train over the Brennar Pass and it cost me around €40 and is one of the most spectacular things I've done so far on a train. Trains here are boring but this journey went through the Dolomite landscape above for miles and miles.

I got some buses from Innsbruck through Austrian villages on my way to Germany and by one village fountain getting some water I met a german couple of hikers who were in their sixties. They had large backpacks and had spent the last 30 days (600km ??) walking from Trieste Should I have believed them? Shamefully I would never have thought of doing something like that but now I am. It's very possible because each little village has a lovely water fountain with potable water coming out so you've less weight to carry and less to worry about.

That place down around there is heavenly, I swear. And if you are worried about funds - tent, stove, mandelhornchen and coffee...