Monday images - Monsoon clouds over Arizona, USA!

Monday Images. Every weekend, we share images taken by us during our travel or those taken by fellow travellers from different parts of the world to places we haven't been to but liked them. Hope you will like them too.

We returned from a fabulous monsoon drive over the weekend in the western ghats (Look at the cover photo of the blog). More about it later.

How will the monsoon be over arid deserts of Arizona looks like? With vast expanse of open spaces with houses scattered, watching the clouds and thunderstorms during American monsoon in Arizona must be an amazing experience. We haven't been there but we could see the magic of nature in these photographs of A Burrows.

These are the Monday Images for this week. Take a look and get mesmerised at the pictures taken by him. 

Read what Mr Burrows say about himself - I love the outdoors and anything dealing with the outdoors. My favorite outdoor activities are hiking, rock climbing, mountain biking, backpacking and canyoneering. I have been actively involved in landscape and wildlife photography since 2007. 

Based in Prescott, USA, this professional pilot has amazing pictures of American landscape.

Check out his link on Flickr here

Thunderstorm Album, An amazing collection of 279 photographs. See it in slideshow mode with a cup of coffee in hand and not disturbed by phone. You will love it. 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/aburrows/sets/72157627135574411/

Here is his page on Flickr. Enjoy the lovely landscape of Americas!

A Burrows Photostream on Flickr

If you want explore other posts in "Monday Images" series, please click here.

Monday Images - Feel good pictures, you would love to see!

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Skywatch Friday - Garuda and the sky!

This was quite interesting.

We went on a Hoysala Trails drive two weeks back. The idea was to see few unknown Hoysala temples. 

Our first stop was at Belvadi which has a beautiful temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. We will cover it in a separate post. From here we went to Javagal - the home town of Indian Cricketer Javagal Srinath - which has a small but exquisite temple. 

The Temple is getting renovated. At the entrance facing the sanctum sanctorum is a tall "Garuda Gamba" or "Garuda Stambha" or "Flag Pole". 

This literally means "flagpole." This is placed between the Rajagopuram and the Sanctum sanctorum. It is generally made of wood, cladded with brass and with or without gold coating. It is called as Garuda Sthambam because a cloth flag with Garuda figure is hoisted during Brahmotsavam for a Vishnu temple. Nandi flag is hoisted during the temple festival Brahmotsavam for a Shiva temple. (thanks to answer in Yahoo answers Dwajasthambham )

But here was a stone pillar. This was really tall compared to the smallness of the temple. Interestingly, we saw a nice sculpture of Garuda - the divine vehicle of Lord Vishnu - at the base. 

It was afternoon and few clouds were hanging in the sky. We thought of doing some experimentation with the camera and click the Garuda Gamba from bottoms up.

What we got was a spectacular picture. Click on the pictures to see them in original size.

The pillar towering into the sky!

Notice the Garuda figure at the base of the pillar

The pole towering into the sky. Or was it Garuda, the divine bird trying to take off?

Please take a look at this pictorial on spectacular Hoysala Architecture in Halebid.

Halebid - Where stones speak to you!

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Back of the blog - Photographing the monsoon

Last few posts on this blog have focused on monsoon in India. Naturally as this is the season to experience rain and green in India.

We consider ourselves as novice photographers still learning the tricks of the trade. When we were looking at posts by fellow bloggers on monsoon photography, we were lucky to find this one.  This series of posts by Arun focus on tips for photographers trying to capture the green vistas on a misty morning or droplets of water on a lotus in a serene pond.

Arun Bhat is not unknown to many of us. An acclaimed photographer and travel blogger, Arun gives excellent tips on photographing during monsoon in this series.

Check out his tips while photographing in monsoon

a) Keep the sky out

b) Capture the flowing water

c) Walk into the fog

d) Look at people

Then of course, he talks about something which is very important - How to protect your camera in the rain.

So what are you waiting for? Go and experience monsoon. But don't forget carry your camera and bring back lovely memories.........

Please go ahead and click on these links in his blog to get wiser and click better pictures this monsoon.

http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/2009/06/travel-photography-photographing-monsoons.html

http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/2009/07/travel-photography-protecting-your-camera-from-rain.html

http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/2011/01/travel-photography-photographing-waterfalls.html

If you want to experience and celebrate monsoon in India, please click this link in this blog below which has a list for you to do!

Celebrating Indian Monsoon - A List!

Photo Courtesy - Arun Bhat

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Monday Images - Rocky wonders of Ramanagaram!

This was an impromptu trip. How lovely it turned out to be!

We finished the charity run and went for a drive to Magadi, then to Bangalore via Ramanagaram. The showers in the last few days in the area had turned landscape green. Farmers were out in the field and tilling their land. The contrast of earth's brown to the green around was striking. Driving on the road to Magadi is always a green feast to the eyes, especially when you go around the curvy roads in the valley of Thippagondanahalli. 

More surprise was in store when we drove towards Ramanagaram from Magadi. A fantastic road through the reserved forests, stunning landscape of hills of Savandurga and surrounding made it a pleasant drive to cherish. 

Check out the pictures of lovely vistas we saw..... (Please click on the picture to see the original size)

The monolith of Savandurga towering into clouds. In the foreground is a lovely lake

The other face of Savandurga

The amazing rock formation in Savanadurga

The stunning landscape around Savandurga

A stunning formation resembling a huge Shivalinga 

As we approached Ramanagara, we saw another stunning vista

It was a pleasant and memorable drive. Easy to do. We urge you to go for it anyday. You will not regret it!

Postscript - Ramanagaram is the same place where Bollywod blockbuster "Sholay" was shot. Ramanagaram was named as Ramgarh in the movie

Monday Images. Every weekend, we share images taken by us during our travel or those taken by fellow travellers from different parts of the world to places we haven't been to but liked them. Hope you will like them too.

Please check out a related posts on rocky wonders of Ramanagaram here in this blog.

Kootagal Hill - Rocky wonder!

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Skywatch Friday - Monsoon skies in Sri Lanka

Did you think that fabulous vistas of monsoon can be seen only in India? If yes, you may be wrong. We will tell you why.

Two years back we were traveling in Sri Lanka during Christmas holidays. A week before we landed the nation had bountiful South east monsoon. Parts of Northern Sri Lanka was flooded.

The rains had reduced when we landed but skies were not clear. During our ten day travel in a self drive car  - best thing to do being small distances and lovely roads - across the country, we did experience showers at many places. Yes, we could not enjoy its lovely beaches as sea was rough. 

The small nation of Sri Lanka is a blessed land. A country of beautiful landscapes. It turns greener and charming when it rains. What we could not get out of the sea we got out t its lovely mountains, valleys.

Here are few pictures capturing the monsoon in Sri Lanka......

Please click on the pictures to see them in Original size.

If you want to explore Monsoon in India you may please click on this post in this blog

Celebrating Indian Monsoon - A List!

You may also be interested to take a look at the following posts on Sri Lanka in this blog. Please click on them to get details.

Cricket Club cafe in Colombo - Eat, drink and watch Cricket here!

Lovely St Clair's falls - Niagara of Sri Lanka!

Gregory Lake - Serene and Scenic

A Home in the Hill country - Do you want to live here?

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Celebrating Indian Monsoon - A List!

With Monsoon having set in, we wanted to list all the posts in this blog celebrating it.

Whether you want to go for a drive or trek in the mountains during rains, we have all that here.

Click on these and check out what you want to do.

All we need you to do is to come out of your homes and enjoy the rain.

And celebrate it.

Come back refreshed in real sense!

Here is the list. Click on them to explore further.........

10 Places to experience monsoon in India!

Munnar in Monsoon 1 - Going gaga over ghats!

Monsoon in Western Ghats, India - An Itinerary to experience it!

Dudhsagar Falls - A monsoon trek on Railway track!

10 Waterfalls in Karnataka you should not miss this monsoon

Magic of Monsoon drive in Western ghats 1 - Amazed @ Anmod ghat!

Monsoon Skies in western Ghats

Monsoon drive in Malnad - Countless Waterfalls & Visual Bliss!

Sakleshpur - Mesmerised in Monsoon!

Chikmagalur - A monsoon drive in Western Ghats!

Driving Holidays from Bangalore 2 - Magical Malnad

Driving Holidays from Bangalore 4 - Karavali and Koffee Combo!

Driving Holidays from Bangalore 5 - Hill Holiday in Coorg, Wayanad and Ooty

Driving Holidays from Bangalore 6 - Enchanting Uttara Kannada

Monsoon Magic in Malnad - 1

Monsoon Experience @ Mango range estate

Valparai - An unexplored wonder!

Monsoon in India - A celebration of Transformation

Goa in Monsoon - Any One?

India Travel Stories by others - Valparai in Monsoon

Badami in Monsoon

Cherrapunji - Where wet is Beautiful!

Malnad Musings

Triund Trek - A Heavenly hike in the Himalayas!

Five Lovely treks in Karnataka

What has been your monsoon experience? Please do share it.

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If you need help, please write to us by using the contact form on the side bar. Happy to help.

Monday Images - Iceland Incredible!

Monday Images. Every weekend, we share images taken by us during our travel or those taken by fellow travellers from different parts of the world to places we haven't been to but liked them. Hope you will like them too.

We meant it. When we said Iceland is incredible.

You know why.

It is so breathtakingly beautiful, it may be your next destination.

It is definitely in our bucket list.

We stumbled upon these pictures by Moyan. We could not take our eyes from his album.

We are sure you don't either.

Here are some starters.

Stunning pictures of the Icelandscape shot beautifully by Moyan Brenn.

Skogafoss waterfall in the morning, the best moment to see it thanks to the sun position which creates rainbows

stormy landscape from the ring road, south area, east of Vik

Okulsarlon glacier lagoon during a cloudy midday of september...Blue icebergs are due to the strong ice compression of the very low layer of ice on top of the glacier which eliminate air bubbles by making a blue appearence like that of sea water

view of landscape from the main ring road of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano mountain complex

You can check out his complete album on "Iceland in Summer" here.

Iceland Summer Time

If you are planning a visit to Iceland, it may be worth reading this post by him here.

6 things to know before visiting Iceland

For other posts in "Monday Images" series, please click here

Monday Images

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