lostworld – Passion for Photos

Reflections

When I arrived in the Netherlands more than 30 years ago the concept of insulating double or even triple layer glass was basically unknown. A lot of the old mansions along the grachtengordel in Amsterdam still have windows with glass which is centuries old. These glass panes were not flat and had variations in thickness. Consequently the reflextions have bizarre distortions. In the last years heat insulation has become increasingly important and regardless the immense costs the old window panes are rapidly disappearing.

Water birds and Ice

The times of Brueghel, who painted Dutch landscapes full of snow and ice, are gone. This year there was hardly a single day which had ice strong enough to stand on. However, for the water birds, even a thin layer of surface ice is a challenge …

Trees in the fog

From the previous post it seems to be the inclination that pictures in the fog are more interesting. Here are some more pictures of the Dutch landscape in the fog.

Romantic ruins

The ruins of the castle and cathedral on the top of Oybin mountain is a symbol for German history. At the border between Poland, Bohemia/Czech Republic and Saxonia it saw many different people pass by. In the 18th century it was discovered by the romantic painters like Caspar David Friedrich. It is especially attractive in Winter, when the old stones are not hidden behind the trees

More about the history of the area can be found here in German:

https://eisstahl.blogspot.com/2024/03/shadows-of-past-2.html

and here in English:

https://hereorfurther.blogspot.com/2024/03/shadows-of-past-3.html

Fog or shine

The same bridge at sunshine or fog. What do you prefer?

Shadows of the past

The little town of Bad Berneck used to be a posh Spa until the 1960’ies.

Changing travel habits, cheap air fares and mismanagement led to a steep decline. What is left behind is slowly destroyed by lack of money and taste.

https://eisstahl.blogspot.com/2024/01/shadows-of-past.html

Shadows

My contribution for the topic of the month is a bus shelter. A homeless guy in Vienna has set up his home in the shelter. He sleeps on the bench. His belongings are in the plastic bags. His shoes are neatly set down close to his head.

Note also the text on the commercials. The one above the sleeper “Immer für sie da” (“Always ready to serve you”) is by a Vienna taxi company. I doubt that he will ever be able to use it. The line below the lovely female face outside the shelter reads “Kein “Weiter wie bisher” (“No , “Continue as before”)

Steam train to winter wonder land

With climate change visible everywhere it is difficult to find winter nowadays.

In search of snow I went to the Brocken in the Harz mountains in Germany. The mountain has a climate which compares to a much higher elevation in the Alps.

And it is quite unique that a steam train goes up to the top in the middle of winter.

More photos and a story you can find here (in English)

https://hrs-ontherailsagain.blogspot.com/2024/01/steam-train-into-winter-wonderland.html

oder auf Deutsch

https://eisstahl.blogspot.com/2024/01/remainders-of-great-times-of.html

Poverty

Every night, and in the middle of winter, dozens of homeless spend their night in sleeping bags in the streets of Munich.

Especially popular is Sonnenstrasse, where the overhanging parts of the buildings provide shelter for the shop windows of luxury shops and the homeless.

Street Photography

There was a lively discussion about street photography in the German Whatsapp Group recently.

I tried to create a couple of inventive contributions.

In Munich