tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57442933079358366122024-03-12T18:28:44.423-07:00Gargoyle GirlGargoyle photographs and thoughts on the mysterious.Gigi Pandianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15378365974242102657noreply@blogger.comBlogger89125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5744293307935836612.post-66034793049878342492015-03-10T12:00:00.000-07:002015-03-11T11:36:42.761-07:00The Gargoyles of Mont Saint Michel<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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To celebrate this week's book launch of my latest novel, <i><a href="http://gigipandian.com/quicksand/">Quicksand</a></i>, set partly at Mont Saint Michel, here's a closer look at the weather-worn gargoyles of Mont Saint Michel. </div>
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Mont Saint Michel is built on an island off the coast of Normandy. It has been a monastery, a scriptorium, and a prison. Because of its strategic location surrounded by dangerous tides and quicksand, it's been a relatively secure fortress during periods of history that were anything but secure.</div>
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The hilly island off the northern coast of France in Normandy was transformed into Mont Saint Michel after a local bishop had a dream in the year 708. Saint Michael appeared to the St. Aubert, the bishop of Avranches, in a dream, and asked him to build a monastery. Legend says that Aubert thought it nothing more than a dream until Saint Michael returned in another dream -- and this time burned a hole in the bishop’s skull with the touch of his finger.</div>
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Building on a rocky hill rising out of the ocean was difficult, and several miracles were attributed to making the seemingly-impossible construction a success. The island rises out of the fog and is surrounded by the ocean during high tide. Until a causeway was built, visitors had to wait until low tide to reach the Mont. And to this day, people die in the waters surrounding the Mont, either by getting caught unawares in the dangerous tides or stepping into quicksand that's deceptively the same color as solid sand....</div>
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<i>Looking up at the gargoyles on the Abbey tour</i></div>
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<i>Weather-worn gargoyles visible from the cloisters</i></div>
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<i>The Abbey's spire, with Saint Michael on top and dozens of gargoyles below</i></div>
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<i>And on the steep and winding main street leading up to the Abbey, you can guy your very own gargoyle</i></div>
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Gigi Pandianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15378365974242102657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5744293307935836612.post-21521962714684763182015-01-25T17:00:00.000-08:002015-01-25T17:49:28.891-08:00Gargoyle Definitions<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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What's the difference between a gargoyle and a grotesque? A chimera and a hunky punk? And what about a babewyn and a green man? Read on. <br /></div>
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<b>Gargoyle</b></h3>
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An architectural term for a carved figure serving as a water spout on a building. Though gargoyles are technically functional drainage spouts, the term is now more generally used to refer to all grotesques. <br /><br />Commonly represented beasts are lions, dragons, men, and perhaps most common of all are strange unidentifiable beasts – one of the reasons they hold so much mystery. </div>
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<b>Grotesque</b></h3>
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An ornamental figure not meant to function as a water spout. </div>
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<b>Chimera</b></h3>
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Refers more specifically to a mythological creature. (In other words, a gargoyle based on a person or a puppy would be less likely to be called a chimera.) </div>
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<b>Babewyn</b></h3>
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A term from the Middle Ages to refer to both gargoyles and grotesques. </div>
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<b>Hunky Punk</b></h3>
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A regional term from Somerset (south-west England) to refer to grotesques, especially squat-shaped ones that appear on churches. </div>
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<b>Green Man</b></h3>
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Commonly used as architectural ornaments on all sorts of secular buildings, these carvings are a face made of leaves or surrounded by them. </div>
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<br /><br />Anthropomorphized building drainage spouts were first recorded in history in ancient Egypt. They reached the height of popularity in the Middle Ages on European cathedrals and churches, but are used on all types of buildings around the world and are still being carved to this day. </div>
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Gigi Pandianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15378365974242102657noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5744293307935836612.post-53086839625403213302015-01-01T18:11:00.000-08:002015-01-01T18:11:06.780-08:00The Gargoyles of Notre Dame Through a Modern Lens<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The famous "thinker" gargoyle that sits high atop Notre Dame in Paris is the carving that inspired Dorian, the gargoyle character in <i>The Accidental Alchemist.</i> Even though I've climbed the 387 steps to the gallery of gargoyles many times, whenever I visit Paris I can't resist doing it once more. <br />
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Each time I visit Viollet-le-Duc's gargoyles up close, I try to capture their spirit in a different way. In addition to using regular print and digital cameras, I've take photos of these gargoyles with my <a href="http://www.gargoylegirl.com/2011/01/gargoyles-remain-same-my-view-has.html">lensbaby</a> selective focus lens and with a <a href="http://www.gargoylegirl.com/2012/06/real-life-instagram-holga-plastic.html">Holga plastic camera</a>. And the last time I visited, I used my cell phone. I never imagined those cellphone pictures would be some of my favorite images, but that's what happened. That day, a storm was approaching, and one of the Instagram filters perfectly rendered the ominous feeling of the storm clouds. <br />
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Gigi Pandianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15378365974242102657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5744293307935836612.post-71373733951919571692013-11-18T14:55:00.000-08:002013-11-18T14:55:35.914-08:00A Gargoyle Pop-Up Book<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
One of the coolest things I found on a recent trip to France was this gargoyle pop-up book!<br />
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<i>Gargouilles</i> by Paul Rouillac features intricate paper pop-up gargoyles along with explanations (in French) about each of the original creatures they're based on. Included are several cut-outs inspired by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc's famous Notre Dame gargoyles. <br />
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Gigi Pandianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15378365974242102657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5744293307935836612.post-69000890581839704212013-09-16T12:00:00.000-07:002013-09-16T12:00:03.833-07:00A Gargoyle Mystery Series<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Because of my love of gargoyles, I always thought it would be amazing to create a book about gargoyles. I thought about publishing a book of my gargoyle photography one day, but without an introduction from Stephen King like in the beautiful <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/116334.Nightmares_in_the_Sky">Nightmares in the Sky</a>, I wasn't sure how realistic that was.<br />
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Then, two years ago, I had an idea for a new mystery series that it involved a gargoyle. I'd finished writing a book in my Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery Series and wanted to write something new. It took a little while for the ideas to fall into place, but once they did, I loved what I'd come up with. I wrote up a book proposal, and earlier this month my agent finalized a three-book deal with the publisher Midnight Ink for my new mystery series featuring a gargoyle!<br />
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<i>The Accidental Alchemist </i>is the first book in a new mystery series about a centuries-old alchemist and her impish gargoyle sidekick who was accidentally brought to life by a French stage magician. The series is set in Portland, Oregon. Read more <a href="http://gigipandian.blogspot.com/2013/09/a-three-book-deal-for-new-mystery-series.html">here</a>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dori the gargoyle at Powell's Books in Portland, Oregon.</td></tr>
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So my first book about a gargoyle won't be a book of photography, but a mystery novel! </div>
Gigi Pandianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15378365974242102657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5744293307935836612.post-84426598644610725332013-08-06T07:28:00.001-07:002013-08-06T07:28:55.691-07:00New Gargoyle Pets & A New Book<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Dorian the gargoyle has a new stuffed animal friend to keep him company on my bookshelf. Here they are with the new Henery Press edition of <a href="http://gigipandian.com/artifact/"><i>Artifact: A Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery</i></a><i> </i>that hits shelves today!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dorian the gargoyle with Gigi Pandian's mystery novel <i>Artifact</i>.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dorian's gargoyle cousin with an eBook card of <i>Artifact</i>.</td></tr>
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Gigi Pandianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15378365974242102657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5744293307935836612.post-86059620604770047022013-07-29T10:20:00.000-07:002013-07-29T10:20:03.667-07:00Mont Saint Michel Part II: The Abbey<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The building that gives Mont Saint Michel its distinctive skyline silhouette is the abbey. It's a church plus monastery and cloisters. A statue of St. Michael (once a patron saint of the French Royal Army) can be seen at the top of the abbey spire. The abbey has a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mont_Saint_Michel_Abbey">fascinating history</a>, including being used as a prison. With its strategic location on an island surrounded by dangerous tides and quicksand, it's easy to see why it's had so many uses over time.<br />
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<a href="http://www.gargoylegirl.com/2013/07/mont-saint-michel-in-normandy-france.html">Last week</a> I posted some additional Mont Saint Michel photos. All these photos were shot on 35mm film during my 2000 visit. </div>
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Gigi Pandianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15378365974242102657noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5744293307935836612.post-83491470918324242022013-07-22T09:05:00.000-07:002013-07-22T09:05:48.803-07:00Mont Saint Michel in Normandy, France<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I last visited Mont Saint Michel, the island fortification in Normandy, France, in the year 2000, while doing graduate studies in Bath, England. The third Jaya Jones treasure hunt mystery novel (that I'm currently writing) takes place in France, partly at Mont Saint Michel, so I'm excited that I get to plan a return visit. In the meantime, I pulled out my old photos, shot on 35mm film before I owned a digital camera. A few of my favorite old photos of <i>Le Mont</i> are below.<br />
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Dangerous tides and quicksand surround the Mont, which is why it was such a strategic location throughout French history. In past centuries, people used to have to wait for the tides to recede for a safe causeway to be above the water. A raised road was built, which has recently been replaced with a dam and small bridge. The castle-like structure that rises our of the center of the Mont is the abbey.<br />
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Gigi Pandianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15378365974242102657noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5744293307935836612.post-76475392592300228302013-07-01T09:22:00.001-07:002013-07-01T09:22:46.247-07:00Gargoyles of Cambridge, England, Part II: King's College and Beyond<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
One of my favorite things about the old universities of Britain is the range of gargoyles peering out from their stone buildings. I visited Oxford many years ago, but hadn't explored Cambridge until this year. King's College is one of the university colleges featuring gargoyles with a lot of personality. <br />
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When walking around downtown, if you take a closer look at the buildings, you'll often spot some gargoyles hiding high above your head... <br />
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Gigi Pandianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15378365974242102657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5744293307935836612.post-39568545069433076252013-06-24T07:00:00.000-07:002013-06-24T07:00:10.197-07:00Gargoyles of Cambridge, England: Our Lady and the English Martyrs<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Our Lady and the English Martyrs, aka OLEM, is a beautiful Catholic church in Cambridge, England, that's covered in gargoyles. It's a Gothic Revival church built in the late 1800s, and it's one of the largest Catholic churches in the UK. I stumbled upon this church by accident when I was on tagging along on a day trip to Cambridge and had a few hours on my own to explore the city.<br />
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Look closely at the following two gargoyles and see what you might spot...</div>
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Gigi Pandianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15378365974242102657noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5744293307935836612.post-55933175365279763982013-06-17T12:45:00.000-07:002013-06-17T12:45:04.264-07:00Lisbon's Castelo de São Jorge (St. George's Castle)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This Lisbon castle sits at the top of a steep hill in the city's Alfama district. Streetcars don't go directly to the castle, but the steep walk is worth it. The Romans, Visgoths, and Moors all built sections of the fortification over the years. Most of the castle is now in ruins, but you can walk along the ramparts for fabulous views of the city.<br />
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Looking past one of the castle's cannons, you can see the <a href="http://www.gargoylegirl.com/2013/05/lisbons-convento-do-carmo-gargoyles-in.html">Convento do Carmo</a>.</div>
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Lisbon's raven coat of arms.</div>
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Peacocks run wild all over the grounds...</div>
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...including blocking the door to the castle's cafe!</div>
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Gigi Pandianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15378365974242102657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5744293307935836612.post-8125258731367951162013-06-10T13:48:00.001-07:002013-06-10T13:48:39.579-07:00Lisbon Cathedral<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The Neo-Gothic Lisbon Cathedral (Cathedral Se) is part of the way up one of Lisbon's many steep hills, not far from Castle Sao Jorge. One of the most fascinating things about this cathedral is a legend associated with one of its relics. The cathedral holds the remains of St. Vincent, the Patron Saint of Lisbon. According to legend, two ravens watched over the saint's body as it was transported to its final resting place in Lisbon. The ravens took up residence in the cathedral, and their descendants remained there for centuries. That's how ravens came to be a symbol of Lisbon and adorn the city's coat of arms. </div>
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Construction of the cathedral began in 1147, after the Portuguese recaptured the city from the Moors. Part of the cathedral was destroyed in the 1755 earthquake that damaged much of the region. These days modern electric tram wires surround the cathedral. Though the wires obstruct views of the building, being able to ride the tram up the steep hill makes it worth it.<br />
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Gigi Pandianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15378365974242102657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5744293307935836612.post-56442036597970897612013-06-03T14:03:00.001-07:002013-06-03T14:03:57.081-07:00A Medieval Castle Outside Lisbon, Portugal: Castelo dos Mouros (Castle of the Moors)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
High on a hill above the city of Sintra, outside of Lisbon, Portugal, are the remains of a medieval Moorish castle. Built by the Moors in the 8th or 9th century, Portuguese kings gained control after the Siege of Lisbon in 1147. The castle was damaged in a 1636 fire and suffered further damage during the Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755. It would have been left to complete ruins if it hadn't been for King Ferdinand II, a patron of the arts who romanticized the middle ages and decided to reconstruct the castle in the 1800s. It's now a National Monument of Portugal and a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site.<br />
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A map showing the layout of the sprawling castle:</div>
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Exploring the castle:</div>
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Gigi Pandianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15378365974242102657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5744293307935836612.post-67365377157736041652013-05-27T10:38:00.001-07:002013-05-27T10:38:15.191-07:00Lisbon's Convento do Carmo: Gargoyles in the Ruins<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The ruins of the Gothic Convento do Carmo remain in the heart of Lisbon, preserved as skeletal remains instead of being rebuilt. Along with much of the city, the medieval convent and church was destroyed by the Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755.<br />
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The section of the building that remains intact has been turned into an archaeological museum, and the open-air nave ruins now serve as a courtyard with stone artifacts including tombs with gargoyles watching them from above. <br />
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Gigi Pandianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15378365974242102657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5744293307935836612.post-14112661445286902422013-05-20T09:03:00.000-07:002013-05-27T10:20:48.434-07:00Lisbon's Jerónimos Monastery: Gargoyles and Cloisters<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Last month I completed revisions on the second Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery, <i>Pirate Vishnu</i>, and I've just returned from a trip to Portugal and England, so I have no excuse for not posting some new gargoyle photos! This summer I'll be posting photos of gargoyles, castles, and other mysterious sights from this trip.<br />
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Portugal has some gorgeous architecture. Below are photos from Lisbon's Jerónimos Monastery, in the neighborhood of <span style="font-family: inherit;">Belem</span>. The current structure was built in the 1500s. The architecture is Manueline, aka Portuguese Late Gothic. It's an ornate style that was paid for by Portugal's lucrative spice trade with India and influenced by Portuguese explorers' maritime travels. </div>
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The cloisters.</div>
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Gigi Pandianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15378365974242102657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5744293307935836612.post-18058341622207696622012-12-17T15:06:00.000-08:002012-12-17T15:06:03.826-08:00Happy Holidays from Gargoyle Girl<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This fall, I haven't kept up with posting new photos each week. Having a book out is more work than I anticipated! The response to <i>Artifact </i>has <a href="http://gigipandian.blogspot.com/2012/12/suspense-magazine-names-artifact-one-of.html">exceeded my expectations</a>, so I've chosen to <a href="http://gigipandian.blogspot.com/2012/12/photos-from-la-oc-book-launch-parties.html">focus on writing</a> above photography for the moment. I'm going to continue with the Gargoyle Girl blog in the new year, but in order to finish revisions on the next book in the series on schedule, my photo posts may be less frequent. But I've got a lot more mysterious photos to share, so I'll be back!<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">This is one of my favorite photos from my fall vacation: </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">a father and son in front of street art in the Marais neighborhood in Paris. </span></div>
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Happy holidays!</div>
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Gigi Pandianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15378365974242102657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5744293307935836612.post-2889253342123784092012-11-12T08:35:00.000-08:002012-11-12T08:35:01.747-08:00Prague's Architectural Details Up Close<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
My husband was a great sport while we were in Prague. Every few steps, I was in awe of some new architectural detail I wanted to stop and admire. Below are examples of three buildings from afar, and then their ornamental details shown up close.<br />
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<i>The buildings seen from our hotel window in New Town. </i></div>
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<i>A building where I found an ATM machine to get Czech Korunas (crowns). </i></div>
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<i>New Town Hall. </i></div>
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Gigi Pandianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15378365974242102657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5744293307935836612.post-16736822707559997142012-11-05T08:55:00.000-08:002012-11-05T08:55:24.671-08:00The Gargoyles of St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
St. Vitus Cathedral sits atop Castle Hill in Prague. The Gothic structure dominates the Prague skyline and is often thought to be Prague Castle itself, but technically it's just one of the many buildings inside the Prague Castle complex. Cathedral construction began under the rule Charles IV in 1344, designed by French architect Matthias of Arras, then German architect Peter Parler. It took six centuries to complete.<br />
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It was a stormy October day when I walked across the Charles Bridge and up to the Prague Castle complex. A perfect day for visiting the gargoyles perched high on the cathedral.<br />
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Gigi Pandianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15378365974242102657noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5744293307935836612.post-51991570619530648872012-10-29T08:35:00.000-07:002012-10-29T08:35:18.327-07:00Mysterious Prague <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I'm back from a trip to Prague and Paris. There were so many gargoyles and other mysterious settings that I'll be spending the next couple of months posting photos from those cities.<br />
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To kick things off, here are a few photos of Prague that give a sense of how there are beautiful mysterious details just about everywhere you look.<br />
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<i>View of gorgeous architecture out the window of our Prague hotel.</i></div>
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<i>Closeup of the building across from the hotel.</i></div>
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<i>Views of the city. </i></div>
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<i>An architectural detail outside the H&M in Wenceslaus Square.</i></div>
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<i>Getting lost one afternoon, we stumbled upon this church in a beautiful square.</i></div>
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<i>A gargoyle on the church.</i></div>
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<i>The top of New Town Hall. </i></div>
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Next week, I'll begin a more in-depth look at specific locations in Prague, including Prague Castle, St. Vitus Cathedral, the Klementinum (national library), Vysehrad, and the stunning Art Nouveau architecture that spans the city.<br />
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--Gigi</div>
Gigi Pandianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15378365974242102657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5744293307935836612.post-3555321863045570872012-10-08T10:22:00.002-07:002012-10-08T10:27:04.332-07:00Cleveland Architectural Details<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I was in Cleveland for the Bouchercon mystery convention. The city has some gorgeous architecture.<br />
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—Gigi</div>
Gigi Pandianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15378365974242102657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5744293307935836612.post-26053645755809831632012-08-27T18:55:00.001-07:002012-08-27T18:55:19.730-07:00Dunnottar Castle, Scotland, Overlooking the Setting of ARTIFACT<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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My debut mystery novel, <i>Artifact</i>, goes on sale this week. There are links to buy the book in the side-bar of the blog, but since this is a mysterious photography blog, I'm going to keep things related to photography! (You can read more about <i>Artifact</i> <a href="http://gigipandian.com/books-stories/">here</a>.)</div>
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The setting for the book was inspired by my travels to the Highlands of Scotland, especially the Dunnottar Castle ruins. The site of the ancient fortress is a chunk of land on cliffs that stretch out into the North Sea, only accessible by walking down a steep path and up another one. It's no wonder the site was used as a fortress beginning in the Dark Ages and played a role in Scotland's history throughout the centuries. </div>
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<i>In
ARTIFACT</i><i>, historian Jaya Jones travels from San Francisco to
London to a Pictish archaeological dig in the Highlands of Scotland, piecing
together the secrets of a lost Indian treasure that are hidden in a Scottish
legend from the days of the British Raj. </i><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"></span></div>
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Gigi Pandianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15378365974242102657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5744293307935836612.post-12518541989253320092012-08-20T08:00:00.000-07:002012-08-20T08:00:04.185-07:00New York City Gargoyles, Part X: Lions<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Wrapping up a look at New York City architectural details with some lions. Except for the second image below (which is Gramercy Park), these are all in the Upper West Side of Manhattan.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nhpRqjgXhx8/UDGPdlcm8zI/AAAAAAAABZg/cv8x0sqB__Q/s1600/lions+NYC+June+2012+P1000615+-+by+Gigi+Pandian+-+webres.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nhpRqjgXhx8/UDGPdlcm8zI/AAAAAAAABZg/cv8x0sqB__Q/s1600/lions+NYC+June+2012+P1000615+-+by+Gigi+Pandian+-+webres.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mjDs24DyGpw/UDGQQUI_rQI/AAAAAAAABZ4/JH8WTlUc5Ag/s1600/dragon+NYC+June+2012+P1000620+-+by+Gigi+Pandian+-+webres.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mjDs24DyGpw/UDGQQUI_rQI/AAAAAAAABZ4/JH8WTlUc5Ag/s1600/dragon+NYC+June+2012+P1000620+-+by+Gigi+Pandian+-+webres.jpg" /></a></div>
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Yes, that's a dragon in the foreground in the above photo, but the two lions from the previous photo are in the distance.<br />
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—Gigi</div>
Gigi Pandianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15378365974242102657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5744293307935836612.post-17292556836525728442012-08-13T21:20:00.003-07:002012-08-13T21:20:59.428-07:00New York City Gargoyles, Part IX: Unexpected Places<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I thought I was done with my New York trip photos, but I realized there were several photos of building ornaments I really liked that I hadn't yet shared. These photos didn't fit the themes of my earlier posts, so I've sorted them into two last posts. This week is an assortment of carvings. These images are all juxtapositions of some sort, but mainly they're just some cool carvings worth sharing on their own. </div>
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—Gigi</div>
Gigi Pandianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15378365974242102657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5744293307935836612.post-3171726550496648082012-08-06T07:00:00.000-07:002012-08-06T07:00:01.327-07:00Instagram Gargoyles<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Last week I posted the last of my gargoyle highlights from my recent trip to New York City. (I have a lot more, but need to stop somewhere!) It took a long time to sort through all the photos I took, which made me tempted to supplement the photos on my next trip with some instant gratification. Yup, Instagram. And when I decided to download the Instagram App on my phone this week, I knew I should take the first photo of a gargoyle. The little fellow in my garden is reminiscent of the Irving Place gargoyle from NYC. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X_PWxxWEEus/UB82clQJsrI/AAAAAAAABV8/DCOvNdm2z3s/s1600/Instagram+gargoyle+in+the+garden+by+Gigi+Pandian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X_PWxxWEEus/UB82clQJsrI/AAAAAAAABV8/DCOvNdm2z3s/s1600/Instagram+gargoyle+in+the+garden+by+Gigi+Pandian.jpg" /></a></div>
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—Gigi</div>Gigi Pandianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15378365974242102657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5744293307935836612.post-65206811808107342342012-07-30T08:37:00.000-07:002012-07-30T08:37:02.483-07:00New York City Gargoyles, Part VIII: Upper West Side Carvings You Might Miss<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
You need to slow down and look carefully to spot some of the most interesting creature carvings on New York City buildings. Below are some panels carved into the facades of apartment buildings in the Upper West Side of Manhattan.<br />
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<em>From afar:</em></div>
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<em>Up close:</em>
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<em>From afar:</em>
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<em>Up close:</em>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W5cER04b_ZI/UBaoe21pFiI/AAAAAAAABTM/XIyKXcYzylo/s1600/upper+west+side+NYC+June+2012+P1000598+-+by+Gigi+Pandian+-+webres.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W5cER04b_ZI/UBaoe21pFiI/AAAAAAAABTM/XIyKXcYzylo/s1600/upper+west+side+NYC+June+2012+P1000598+-+by+Gigi+Pandian+-+webres.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cB927JcFKfY/UBaogP5lYVI/AAAAAAAABTU/2oE-Fh3jP6I/s1600/upper+west+side+NYC+June+2012+P1000599+-+by+Gigi+Pandian+-+webres.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cB927JcFKfY/UBaogP5lYVI/AAAAAAAABTU/2oE-Fh3jP6I/s1600/upper+west+side+NYC+June+2012+P1000599+-+by+Gigi+Pandian+-+webres.jpg" /></a></div>
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<em>From afar:</em>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kyu1IwLv8Qw/UBaohK6pd5I/AAAAAAAABTc/VJ-ySH7RpHI/s1600/upper+west+side+NYC+June+2012+P1000658+-+by+Gigi+Pandian+-+webres.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kyu1IwLv8Qw/UBaohK6pd5I/AAAAAAAABTc/VJ-ySH7RpHI/s1600/upper+west+side+NYC+June+2012+P1000658+-+by+Gigi+Pandian+-+webres.jpg" /></a></div>
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<em>Up close:</em>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lVEpmHE1h5M/UBaoh40pIlI/AAAAAAAABTk/RD__y1Yp56E/s1600/upper+west+side+NYC+June+2012+P1000661+-+by+Gigi+Pandian+-+webres.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lVEpmHE1h5M/UBaoh40pIlI/AAAAAAAABTk/RD__y1Yp56E/s1600/upper+west+side+NYC+June+2012+P1000661+-+by+Gigi+Pandian+-+webres.jpg" /></a></div>
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—Gigi</div>Gigi Pandianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15378365974242102657noreply@blogger.com0