Weekly Photo Challenge: Foreign…
“There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign.” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Weekly Photo Challenge: Foreign… The Bayeux Tapestry at Musée de la Tapisserie de Bayeux
Weekly Photo Challenge: Foreign… Symbol of love is universal… What does the script mean? (Japan)
Weekly Photo Challenge: Foreign… Lovers from everywhere share their hopes and prayers (Japan)
For this challenge, I chose to share things that struck me as fascinating (different from your normal environment) or that raised questions for me about the eclectic tchotchke we collect when we travel; the places we see; and the memories that linger of foreign lands – far and near.
The famous Bayeux Tapestry above is made of linen embroidered with colored wool yarn, and is about 230 feet long showcasing fifty scenes with Latin captions. It depicts events leading up to the Norman conquest of England concerning William, Duke of Normandy and Harold, Earl of Wessex, later King of England, and culminating in the Battle of Hastings (wiki). It was made in the 1070s and disappeared for a while then rediscovered in 1729. When I saw it at the Bayeux Museum, it took my breath away.
At one of the temples we visited in Japan, there was the huge heart and sign above, an area to write about your love hopes and wishes, and then a place to hang them up for the heavens to bless you. The energy was light and uplifting and I enjoyed being there as people buzzed about writing and giggling with each other…
“The first condition of understanding a foreign country is to smell it.” – Rudyard Kipling
Weekly Photo Challenge: Foreign… Market in France
Weekly Photo Challenge: Foreign… A neighborhood in Stockholm, Sweden
Weekly Photo Challenge: Foreign… Temple garden in Kyoto
Weekly Photo Challenge: Foreign… Coke can in Japan with Sarah Jessica Parker
If we are to take Kipling’s words to heart, then nothing beats the smell of local french cuisine at an early morning market…. the soothing, incense filled air at a Kyoto temple, or try smelling the sweet, fresh air on a stroll in one Stockholm’s finest, tucked away neighborhoods. As I considered this one, food came to mind and, of course, language. Sarah Jessica Parker was on a Coke can in Japan (years ago) and I thought it was kinda interesting… and saved a can. 😆 More below!
“The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it is at last to set foot on one’s own country as a foreign land.” – G. K. Chesterton
Weekly Photo Challenge: Foreign… Halloween on its way in NY w/ tips and events in Japanese…
Weekly Photo Challenge: Foreign… Fertility Doll… Popular in West Africa; especially Ghana
Weekly Photo Challenge: Foreign… My rings are from India… What does the script say?
Since Halloween is upon us, I thought the first photo above would give us something to smile about. It speaks to Chesterton’s quote too. One of my daughters studies/speaks Japanese and reads the local Japan newspaper at college; so I borrowed the Halloween page. The remaining two shots are pretty clear. There are stories attached to them but I’ll save them for another day. 😉 What are your thoughts? What photos did you share on Foreign to fit the challenge? Was it easy/hard to find photos that supported your perspective on the subject? Were you drawn to certain types of photos for the prompt? Do share? Thank you! 🙂 Have an awesome weekend!
*Please bear with me as I continue to catch up on reading and commenting on your blogs… I’m halfway there. Thank you all for your patience! 🙂
My fellow bloggers were equally creative with their selections. I will list some when Zemanta offers them up! I added a few from WP Daily Post below. (I will update it and add more). We all appreciate trackbacks/ping-backs and Likes from fellow bloggers too! Check out how others interpreted the theme – Foreign – also below. ***
This post was inspired by a prompt from WP Daily Post: Weekly Photo Challenge: Foreign. While foreign (rightly so) often brings up images of things outside of your own nation, it can also apply to things outside of or different from your normal environment, or even something which is out of place in general. I’m sure you’ll be able to find some great examples of this 🙂 My photo is from a recent trip to Bulgaria, where my inability to understand Cyrillic characters was one of the things which made *me* feel foreign. Share a picture which means FOREIGN to you!
Positive Motivation Tip: Follow the calling of your heart and see the world… How we treat others begins in our homes and our thoughts… Seeing the world clarifies it. Keep an open mind. 😎
PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: All Photos from my personal collection.
Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet
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What a special post, Elizabeth, I love it. Thank you for taking me on a trip around the world. Each photo is special.
First I started to search for pictures of other countries when I saw the challenge, but then I changed my perspective 😉
TY Marion! I will stop by to see yours. I had planned something different but had appointments throughout the day and had to change direction… Life goes on! I like this challenge. 😉
Life is crazy, but hey, who likes normal 😉
Enjoy your weekend and don’t rush *hugs*
Ditto and TY Marion! 🙂
LOve them!!! especially the ones on The Bayeux Tapestry at Musée de la Tapisserie de Bayeux … You put them on a perfect composition.. ^_^
TY Carra mia! 😉 I appreciate your feedback. 😉
I’ve also seen the Bayeux Tapestry. An amazing piece of history…both in and of itself…and what it depicts.
Good for you… It is an amazing piece of history, and the way they displayed it is so fascinating too. TY for stopping by. 😉
Shall try to swing by more often. 🙂
thank you for
“There are no foreign lands.
It is the traveler only who is foreign.”
– Robert Louis Stevenson
TY Frizztext! I’ve been thinking about you lately and hope all is well.. will come by say hello on your blog. Danke! 😉
Another great quote to start the post!
TY Tilly darling… will check out yours soon. 😉
Thanks for the pingback Eliz – what a great selection you”ve put together 🙂
TY darling… appreciate the feedback. 😉
Gurumayi! I should have known 🙂 Beautiful post Eliz.
Ah Madhu! TY! 🙂 You are right on that one… The 2nd ring had more writing on it and I will verify the rest of the script before giving you the final answer… 🙂
What does ‘Oonam…..’ on the top ring stand for?
Thanks again Madhu! 🙂 On Nama Shivaya! The 2nd ring had more writing on it and I will verify the rest of the script before giving the final answer… (updated) 😎
Great variety, yet all responsive to the theme in their own way! Thanks for the pingback. ~ Kat
TY Kat for stopping by to comment… Much appreciated. 😉
1070s? Wow, would love to see that tapestry in person. Always a good variety of photos, Eliz.
TY Terri! Glad to see you here too… It is quite the place to visit and the way it is displayed is equally fascinating. If you start from the top picture with the road signs and follow it clockwise, you will see the tapestry connected in full. I took photos of every section of it. TY! 😉
Wow your daughter speaks japanese…fascinating!!
Yes, and it is one of her double majors at College. TY! 🙂
Fabulous photos! And the quotes are superb. The very first one is so logical, so true, so profoundly simple!
That first one came home to me too… It reminds me of the line that we all have accents not just the other “foreign person” standing in from of us… TY! 🙂
I liked the small heaarts for people to write on and be blessed…mkg
I loved that one as well. I love the idea of sharing such heartfelt wishes with the heavens and public in a romantic display. TY! 😉
These are great. I love the variety. 🙂 Foreign things are fascinating to me.
Same to me… and we are all foreign when we think about it too… Love this one! 🙂
Kipling was so right about the need to smell when visiting a foreign land. One really needs to breath in the aromas, as well as to drink in the sights. The fascination with all things foreign, is why we love to travel. It’s great to get away from the mundane, and sample the exotic. Hope you’re having a great weekend, Elizabeth. 🙂
I agree…. Travel is such an enriching experience. Sadly, the events of the last several years have made it a bit trying but we can travel locally, nationally, or internationally and connect with others. We are praying that Sandy will spare us this predicted stormy weekend… Hope all is well with you too! TY! 🙂
Thank you. All is well here. Be safe too. 🙂
Will do. Thank you ! 🙂
Hi Eliz,
I wish I had time to participate, but I watch from afar and enjoy the awesome photos. My sister and hubby are missionaries in Japan. And along with their 3 children, they are fluent in Japanese. I visited Japan many, many years ago. It’s one of the best countries in the world.
Tracy
Japan is truly a wonderful place to visit and the people we met were sincere and very helpful. One of my kids left a backpack in a cab with everything in it; money, game boy, music etc… and it was returned to our hotel with everything intact…. Plus, the cabbie had to call around to find our where my kid was registered as a guest because she didn’t have hotel contact info on her…. Amazing folk. TY! 🙂
Loved the coke can with Sarah Jessica Parker…thanks for making me smile Eliz.
Isn’t that quite the eclectic item? I don’t see that much here in the US, so I was glad to keep it as a souvenir… TY! 🙂
I must say that I am really not well-traveled, but I live in such a culturally diverse part of the United States that I often feel I’m an at-home tourist! I readily embrace the opportunity to learn about cultures different from my own, and my first exposure is often the food or art! I loved your photo of the Kyoto Temple Garden. That would be my favorite, I think! 🙂
TY Debra! I was even mentioning above that we can see wonderful things in our own locales and that travel could take place anywhere… California is truly a melting pot of ethnicity so you are not missing out on that one… I agree with you. 🙂
Beautiful interpretation !
TY so much for checking in djm! 🙂
えんむすび is very lucky word. 🙂
TY for the interpretation Coco! May we all be touched by good luck in all we do… 🙂
What an interesting collection of photos.
The Rudyard Kipling quote
The first condition of understanding a foreign country is to smell it.”
is so true. Each country has its own particular smell.
Indeed they so… hen I travel, the minute i step off the plane, I am greeted by a new and particular spirit that welcomes me into a new world… Smell, sight, taste, sound, and touch; all are heightened for me too. TY! 🙂
Photos from different places, love your post Elizabeth. That coke can is cool, I bet my wife would have loved it (she used to watch the tv-series).
TY CG! I was tickled pink by it… and because I loved Jessica in Sex In the City, I had to bring one back home… 🙂
You can probably sell it to some collector or something.
Good idea… Might do it. TY! 😉
Gorgeous photographs! I particularly loved the rings from India. 🙂
TY Myra and I’m very fond of them… 🙂
Very good photographs and nice quote.
Thank you Indira! I enjoyed your photos too. 😉
I found the photos from Japan very interesting to look at – definitely a foreign place to me 🙂
TY! You will enjoy it if/when you visit as there is so much to see and learn about there… never a dull moment. 🙂
Love the pictures, love the stories, Elizabeth! Wonderful quotes!
TY Amy! I loved yours too. 😉
Nicely foreign Elizabeth. My son spent a couple of years in Japan studying for his Sensei licence in Judo and came back fluent. Apparently the spoken part is quite open. My youngest is also studying the language with hopes of working there for a while after she graduates uni.
I love the quotes you’ve included, especially the RLS one. Sometimes, when I come to England, or come to Canada after months of being away I feel quite foreign until I get back into the swing of things.
My great grandfather Horace Wilson wrote the first dictionary of English-Sanskrit. Wish I was able to know him and learn that language. Then I might have been able to help with the translation on your lovely rings. 🙂
TY Veronica… I really enjoyed your interpretation of the challenge… It was thought-provoking… As per the rings, I know what the writings mean but wanted an additional translation. Madhu gave me one above. I studied a bit of Sanskrit but cannot claim expertise at all. Grandpa Wilson wrote the book? Impressive. TY! 🙂
A wonderful collection of images and words! 🙂
TY for checking in. Loved your post too. 😉
Such a lovely assortment of photos from foreign lands.
but as stated, it’s the traveler who is foreign really 🙂
I like that coke can… haven’t seen anything like that before
That coke can is a riot… and I still have it. 😉 TY!
Each photo compliments the other wonderful collection of photo’s. I almost overlooked the elephant on the fertility doll. I also appreciate the quotes. The collection of photo’s makes me want to travel and see and smell a new places. :+) I thnk outdoor food markets are wonderful.
I hope Sandy doesn’t cause too much difficulties.
TY and I’m praying that we are spared form Sandy’s wrath too… All will be well. 🙂
Great photos! Japan’s coke in can’s so nice! Love Jessica Parker!
TY! And same here for Jessica on the coke can. 😆
Wow, you’ve really presented a nice interpretation of this week’s theme. 🙂 I wish I could travel as much as you do and to different countries too. You’ve given me more motivation to save up enough money for travel. 😀 I especially like the ring from India. 🙂
TY and I’d love to do more travel in the coming years… Praying for the grace too… Do travel and you can always do local stuff. 😉
Elizabeth, this is a beautiful post exposing your readers to the beauty of many lands. I can’t tell you how much I enjoy seeing your lovely comments on my blog when you play catch-up. Thank you!
TY Margie… and I love what you do as you have a keen eye for the beauty in nature and life. TY! 🙂
Very wide varieties of Foreign subject photos.
Thanks for sharing, and thanks for visiting mine at http://marcel5.blogspot.com
TY Marcel… I enjoyed your post and appreciate the reciprocity…That is what blogging is about… I wish more will learn that too as we do need to support each others effort as bloggers. 🙂
I love your collection from your Japan trip…as your other visits, E. You inspire me to want to visit one day. Thanks!:)
TY Sunshine! Hope all is well with you… With the impending storms we have had some browser oddities. 😉
I am now hoping all is well with you Elizabeth after Sandy…after I catch up here I hope to visit your spot…take care. 🙂
Jealous of your seeing the Bayeaux tapestry! I read a book about it this past summer, very interesting story. There are still a variety of interpretations on what parts of specific parts of it mean.
😆 Oh not to worry Peter! I bet one day you’ll get there too…
Great collection and fitting quote!
Thank you for your kind words. 😉
Love your take ‘foreign,’ Elizabeth.
Great quotes.
Thank you Marcia and glad to see you here and safe too. Condolences for the Hurricane losses in Jamaica… Hope the recovery process is on track.
Elizabeth, thanks for visiting my blog. What a pleasure to have discovered your blog through your visit. There’s lots to inspire me here, and now I need to go search out some of my favorite foreign pics. I love your insertion of quotes. Great idea! Mind if I try to copy your wonderful style? 🙂 Hope you’ll come back to visit soon.
Hi there, TY for stopping by… I enjoyed my visit to your blog and I’m glad we connected. You may copy my blog style… no problem. TY! 🙂
Do my best anyway!! See you soon.
Great examples of foreign! Thanks for the world tour.
TY for stopping by Fergie! Loved your bird on the sign. 🙂
Elizabeth,
I love the Kipling quotation in combination with the photos. Maybe we could have virtual scratch and sniff photo challenge of our own. Imagining the smells in your photos enriched my experience, although I’m not sure what I was suppose to smell with the Sarah Jessica Parker coke can. haha.
A virtual sniff would be interesting , no? Maybe imagine the coke cola taste with Jessica smiling in the background… 😆 TY!
The coke cans with Sarah Jessica Parker are my favorite! How hilarious! Great post as always!
TY dear… and I’m surprised so many loved it… I should have collected a few back then! 😉
This is outstanding! Coke can is my favorite. 🙂
TY and you are not alone in loving the Jessica shot. 😉
A wonderful post, Elizabeth – great photos and quotes – I really love the Stevenson quote, ad the tapestry and your rings are lovely
I loved the quote too! Thank you for checking in to look at the challenge… and comment. Much appreciated. 🙂
Elizabeth, in appreciation for the continued enjoyment I receive from your blog, I have nominated you for the “One Lovely Blog” award. Details are here, http://travelgardeneat.com/2012/10/29/so-many-beautiful-lovely-blogs/, if you would like to pass on the award, but please feel no obligation to do so. Just continue posting your motivaitional reflections! ~ Kat
TY for the generosity! I really appreciate it… Still pulling together a massive TY for awards this year. 😉
Great post. I always enjoy your quotes and that one by Kipling is one of my faves.
TY so much for your patience… I appreciate the comment and will check in soon. 🙂
incresdibly wonrderful array of photos on the challenge. The quotes and your thoughts on travel are so true. I guess that’s what makes us want to travel and discover other lands. Great …
TY Isabella and that is why I love travel too… There is a humility we can learn when we visit new places and that humility opens doors to learning for us. TY! 🙂
Beautiful images and words that lights up our world and makes us smile. Thanks. Have a blessed week.
Thnak you and I hope you weekend was bright too.. 🙂
great collection you have Liz…..I love all the photos…..
they’re all also foreign to me
TY! and I’m glad they worked for the challenge… So much for me to learn out in the world too. 🙂
great collection, Liz. I love all the photos, and that collage!
TY for your feedback and hope all is well… I’ve been out of the loop dealing with my own struggles… God is good. TY! 🙂
Gorgeous pics. Really enjoyed this post!
TY for your feedback… appreciated. 😉
Lovely collection ! esp like the tapestry and of course, the rings!
TY! The tapestry has to been seen to believe it… so magnificent. 🙂
Great photos and info.
TY Cecelia! 🙂
What a wonderful variety. The Stevenson and Kipling quotes are so true. Thanks.
TY! I loved the quotes I got for this challenge… They did fit quite well. 😉
You can see other interpretations of “foreign” at the week’s weekly photo challenge page .
Yes, there are tons and I’ve seen and LIKED almost all of them. TY! 🙂
Exciting images that celebrtates the fun and joy in experiencing something foreign. I think it is a great way to enrich ourselves from what’s out there particularly those that comes from other cultures. Makes the world smaller, more reacheable.
Exactly! With the internet, we truly live in a global village now. 🙂
SJP on a coke can! lol i had no idea ^^
A great post, Elizabeth. I have a replica tapestry of a section of the Bayeux Tapestry hanging in my living room. (Of course, I chose a scene featuring my hero, Harold Godwinson, and NOT William the Conqueror.) I have been to see it twice, and every time it amazes me. My historical novel is immediately post-conquest, and that era is still very interesting to me.