West Hills Woods II

Sometimes I enjoy just photographing the surface because I think it can be as revealing as going to the heart of the matter. - Annie Leibovitz

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West Hills Woods

Mexico City Woods : Desierto de los Leones

Desierto de los Leones (Desert of the Lions) National Park is located in the Sierra de las Cruces mountain range west of the city center with an area of 1,867 hectares, representing fifteen percent of the entire Valley of Mexico. The area was used as a retreat for a religious group, thus the name Desierto (Desert) means not "arid place", but not populated. The "Leones" part of the name does not refer to the animals, but rather to the original landlord's lastname.

The park's altitude varies between 2,600 and 3,700 meters above sea level, giving the area a relatively cold and damp climate. It is a forested area primarily with pines, oyamel firs and holm oaks with many brooks, ravines and waterfalls. The park is considered to be the oldest protected biosphere in Mexico.

The park's name, Desierto de los Leones, is largely due to the Carmelite monastery situated just north of its center. Carmelite monks called their residences “deserts”. But the exact origin of “de los Leones” is not known. The first monastery complex was constructed between 1606 and 1611. By 1711, this structure had deteriorated greatly. It was demolished and a new one was built in its place adjoining just south of the original complex.

By the end of the 18th century, the cold, damp weather and increasingly frequent visitors forced the monks to move their monastery to Tenancingo in 1801. The monastery was declared a national monument on 16 May 1937. The 18th-century structure has a number of areas that have been restored and opened to the public. In addition to the old monastery, the park attracts visitors for the nature that surrounds the complex. The park offers activities such as day camping, overnight camping, hiking, and mountain biking. [Wiki]

More images of this beautiful place : Desierto de los Leones I - Desierto de los Leones II and Summertime   and Summertime II
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Into The Woods

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Silence Valley

Valle del Silencio

The photographer must be absorbent--like a blotter, allow himself to be permeated by the poetic moment.... His technique should be like an animal function...he should act automatically. - Robert Doisneau

THE CURRENT CHALLENGE

Fri Jul 13, 2012

This week's challenge:
'Countryside'.

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IV

Be not simply good - be good for something.
~Henry David Thoreau
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III

-What are you shooting?
-Everything...  plants, flowers, trees, people, kids...
-Why?
-I don't know...
-Do you want a photo?
-No
-Well.. Yes!

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The 7532

Just a second...

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Chapultepec Lake

Location of the Chapultepec Lake production of Swan Lake, a ballet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The scenario, initially in four acts, was fashioned from Russian folk tales as well as an ancient German legend. It tells the story of Princess Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer's curse. The choreographer of the original production was Julius Reisinger. Although it is presented in many different versions, most Ballet companies base their stagings both choreographically and musically on the Swan Lake 1895 of Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov.

music+image New York City and Washington series continue in Sketches of Cities. (Tonight: Views from Brooklyn with a taste of Dvořák.)Gracias por su visita. / Thanks for visiting, please be sure that I read each and every one of your kind comments and I appreciate them all. Stay tune.

Path of the Sleepwalker

We have to learn the desperate faith of sleep-walkers
who rise out of their calm beds
and walk through the skin of another life.
We have to drink the stupefying cup of darkness
and wake up to ourselves, nourished and surprised.

Edward Hirsch
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New York City and Washington series continue in Sketches of Cities.
(Under construction)
Gracias por su visita. / Thanks for visiting, please be sure that I read each and every one of your kind comments and I appreciate them all. Stay tune.

Desierto de los Leones 1

The Desierto de los Leones (Desert of the Lions) National Park is located entirely within the limits of the Federal District, it is located in the Sierra de las Cruces mountain range west of the city center with an area of 1,867 hectares, representing fifteen percent of the entire Valley of Mexico. The area was used as a retreat for a religious group, thus the name Desierto (Desert) means not "arid place", but not populated. The "Leones" part of the name does not refer to the animals, but rather to the original landlord's lastname.

The park's altitude varies between 2,600 and 3,700 meters above sea level, giving the area a relatively cold and damp climate. It is a forested area primarily with pines, oyamel firs and holm oaks with many brooks, ravines and waterfalls. The park is considered to be the oldest protected biosphere in Mexico. It was originally declared a forest reserve in 1876 by President Lerdo de Tejada with the intent of conserving its fresh water springs to supply Mexico City. It was later declared a national park on 27 November, 1917, by President Venustiano Carranza.

The name of the park, Desierto de los Leones (Desert of the Lions) largely comes from the Carmelite monastery situated just north of its center. Carmelite monks called their residences “deserts” because they served as isolation from the mundane world. The monastery’s original name was Santo Desierto de Nuestra Señora del Carmen de los Montes de Santa Fe.
The monastery was built in the very early 17th century for a group of Carmelite monks who came from Italy to evangelize the Native Americans. The first stone was laid on 23 January 1606 by then-Viceroy Juan de Mendoza y Luna. It was a relatively simple structure of two stories, with a wood shingle roof, narrow corridors and small rooms called “cells” for the monks to sleep and study in. A 12,570 meter wall was built with only one opening facing the town of Cuajimalpa which still remains.

Outside the main gate of the monastery, just beyond the traces of the walls of the original monastery, is the “Chapel of Secrets.” It has a domed roof and its acoustics allowed monks face into the corner to speak to another monk during the long stretches of imposed silence in the monastery. Surrounding the entire complex is the “Barda de la Excomunicacion” (Wall of Excommunication) named so because supposedly any woman that crossed it was subject to excommunication from the Catholic Church. [Wiki]
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Enlightened

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The Guardian

An sculpture found in Chapultepec Park to keep the trees safe. Save Forests.

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Valle del Silencio / Silence Valley

A beautiful place near the city, fine to eat good trout, typical food & for dessert, a lot of oxygen.