By Vladimir Brezina
Ailsa’s travel-themed photo challenge this week is Statues.
I note the plural: Statues. So, here in one photo are hundreds of statues (click on the photo to see them more clearly), each helping to safeguard the city, on this day against surf of an unprecedented size—
San Juan, Puerto Rico, March 2008.
Reblogged this on Locating Frankenstein's Brain.
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Thanks!
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Amazing. That view would make this prime real estate in Australia and the graveyard wouldn’t last long before relocation occurred and luxury houses put up.
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It’s a protected historical site. In fact much of the old city of San Juan is, especially the old Spanish city walls (visible behind the cemetery in the photo) and the Castillo San Felipe del Morro (from whose esplanade the photo was taken), which are a National Historic Site. The cemetery, although dating only to the 19th century, is therefore unlikely to be turned into high-rise condos any time soon…
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That’s good to hear.
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someone was paying attention on the tour! seems you enjoyed our capital, which is a pleasure to hear :)
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:-)
Actually, not a tour. Every couple of years I go down for a few days to work with one of my collaborators, who works at the Institute of Neurobiology of the University of Puerto Rico. And the Institute is housed rights in the middle of the old city, in fact in that big pinkish building on top of the hill that is visible on the extreme right of my photo. So when we look out of the window, we look over the cemetery and the Castillo San Felipe…
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Oh, so you come often, I hope you’ve had a good experience and time here then :) there’s a lot of beauty in this bit of earth, and in our shores! Thanks for sharing a little of it with your followers.
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Definitely! I’ve posted a few other photos from Puerto Rico, for instance here and here :-)
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Unbelievable! And so near the ocean. Surprised they’re still intact. Thanks for sharing!
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The seashore is pretty rocky—won’t erode that fast…
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What an amazing setting for a cemetery!
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The Spaniards had a sense of the dramatic… ;-)
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Definitely and apparently liked ocean views. :)
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An intriguing and ultimately tragic image of humanity’s attempt to defy nature but, as with everything else we do, there will be unexpected consequences. As sea level rises it will be a great artificial reef for snorkelers and scuba divers, as well as a place for Johna to practice her rock gardening.
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I didn’t think of it quite that way before :-)
Actually, although it may not be apparent from the photo, the cemetery is quite high above the ocean. So by the time the cemetery is under water, large parts of the world will be too… Good that we did the Everglades Challenge while Florida is still there ;-)
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Wow, you couldn´t have picked another picture as suitable for this weeks challenge as that one! Great interpretation! Love it! Have a great day!
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Thank you! You too!! :-)
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What are the odds of us sharing shots from San Juan?! The cemetery is one of the favorite places of tourist photographers for shootings, it had quite a few majestic statues. Beautiful take!
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Strangely, even though I’ve walked along the walls above the cemetery quite a few times, and have walked along the road past the cemetery down to La Perla, I’ve never actually made my way into the cemetery itself…
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I crossed it when I was a teenager and have never again, but I’ve seen great work done in it, I particularly remember a wedding dress shooting, which, who would have thought? :)
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Perfect place for a wedding dress shoot, actually! On top of the walls above would be, too. :-)
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It’s a great picture !
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Thanks!!
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From Metropolis to Necropolis…a last resort!
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:-)
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We visited San Juan for the first time last year, and Rich has a photo almost identical to this one!
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There are only so many angles to photograph the most famous places from… :-)
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Ƭhis is a topic whiϲh is close to my heart… Best
wishes! Еxactly where are your contact details though?
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