Diana Australis' photos

On the road in Ireland. Wishing you and your loved ones good health, a happy Friday, and a wonderful weekend. Thanks for your visits and comments; they are sincerely appreciated

Boys playing football. Allée des Baobabs. Morondava, Madagascar

Taken at Harberton, the most southerly estancia in the world. Tierra del Fuego. HFF and very best wishes for good health to you and your loved ones. Have a lovely weekend

Karlu Karlu, or Devils Marbles. A series of weathered rocks, and an indigenous sacred site in the far northern desert of Australia.

HFF from this venerable pile of stone...in Yorkshire, in autumn. It looked so solid and serene to me! Have a good Friday, and a weekend which is safe and happy. Stay well.....all the best from Australia..... HAPPY EASTER .......TO YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES

In 2000 I travelled by public buses and trains across the Gobi and Taklamakan Deserts in China to Kashgar in Xinjiang. This is where now the Chinese are committing grave human rights violations against the Turkic Muslim Uighur peoples..the original inhabitants of this area. I was fortunate enough to witness some of the traditional life and customs of these Uighur people in this ancient mudbrick Silk Road city, now, I believe, mostly demolished.. I travelled then by bus over the Pamir and Karakoram mountains ( the Roof of the World) to far North Pakistan where I spent quite some time. This is scanned from an old photo...not brilliant quality, but interesting as a cultural artefact of a vanished custom.

High in the Georgian Caucasus, close to the Russian border, the UNESCO listed tiny village of Ushguli has the most untouched remains of the ancient Svan defence towers. The village is literally at the end of the road after a rough mountain drive. It used to be bandit infested, feuding groups. Violence persisted through until the 1990´s. Today it is remote and sleepy. Hope you have a sunny and cheerful weekend. Stay safe. Thanks for visits and comments.

The ancient cemetery of Noraduz, in rural Armenia. It contains the largest collection of giant khachkars ( standing grave stones) still surviving in Armenia. The oldest khachkars in the cemetery date back to the late 10th century. They saw Tamerlane sweep through, and survived wars and invasions galore! The two babushkas were on guard during our visit!

Iran. Rural scene near post office. I believe the man was a public writer of official letters May you have a fabulous Friday. Stay well. Enjoy an exhilarating weekend!

Georgia, Svaneti. In the high Caucasus near Russia. This is the Svaneti sacred mountain of Uzhba

A ride at the Goulburn Show (essentially agricultural) in rural New South Wales, Australia. It is one of those regurgitation inducing rides with a fence across the front of the riders as part of the safety mechanisms. Sending some bright sunshine, a big hug, and a wish for health and happiness

At 1800m in the Snowy Mountains of Australia. This is almost the highest spot in the alps....this taken in summer, but in winter, it is under snow, and close to a number of popular ski slopes.

Morondava, Madagascar. These are ancient trees, slow growing and evocative. Sadly many are beginning to be affected by climate change. Madagascar has numerous endemic species of Baobabs. They evolved here. One species has made its way to Africa, and one to north Western Australia, probably through seed pods floating on prevailing currents

Some joyously coloured fences from Chile...Valparaiso. Very best wishes for Friday, and for an exhilarating weekend. Stay well...

In remote North-East India, in the state of Arunachal Pradesh, high in the Himalaya, are many tribes of people still living traditional lives. It is a very untouristed place, up near the border of China and Burma. The Apatani women over about 40 all have the traditional nose plugs and facial tattoos. The younger women are abandoning this. The women live hard lives, working in the fields in the simple villages where they live, as well as all the other work of women within the home. They are very poor, and usually are not Hindu. I took this while travelling in this remote area, in the village of Ziro. I felt very sorry for these women

Lima, Peru. Casa de la litteratura Peruana, in the old Central Railway Station. Have a fabulous Friday, a wonderful weekend, and be cheerful!

This large, glossy black cockatoo has striking red (male) and orange-red(female) tail feathers. This is a female...with yellow spots on her face. They live in many parts of Australia...this is in Central Australia.

Australia....in the Australian Alps on a hot sunny day! Best wishes to all!