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Looking for Shangri-La


Looking for Shangri-La
Photo Information
Copyright: Ruud Blok (ruudblok) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1962 W: 768 N: 2221] (22339)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-06-23
Camera: Canon 30D, Canon EF-S17-85 f/4-5.6 IS USM, cokin
Exposure: f/11, 1/250 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-07-22 0:31
Viewed: 613
Points: 24
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Looking for Shangri-La
The book Lost Horizon (by James Hilton)
The story of Lost Horizon is simple: a group of travellers are stranded in the Himalayas and they encounter a remote monastery named Shangri-La and the wonderful people who live there. Before that point, Hilton includes a prologue and two lengthy chapters of set-up. The prologue gives the reader a framing story: some British characters are discussing a man named Conway and how he mysteriously disappeared for a few years. Conway was a Renaissance man at Oxford, smart, athletic, and artistic, but for some reason, he accepted a post in India. No one heard from him for a while, and then he turned up as an amnesiac at a hospital somewhere in China. As he gradually recovered his memory, he told his story to a man named Rutherford, and Rutherford passes along this manuscript to his friend with the warning that it will be hard to believe.
The book is not, of course, an adventure novel. It is more cerebral than that. The monks at Shangri-La believe in a philosophy which is a mix of Christianity as brought to the valley by the eighteenth century French priest Perrault (also the name of the French fabulist who compiled fairy tales such as "Sleeping Beauty") and the Buddhism which existed before Perrault's arrival. The motto of these monks could best be summed up as "Everything in moderation, even moderation."
The valley of Shangri-la is a peaceful place, taking from the world around it, but remaining aloof from all the negative actions of that world. Although idyllic, it is not the paradise of the Bible, nor of any Western philosophy, invoking instead much that is Eastern. The dichotomy between the world outside the valley and the society which Hilton envisioned is brought into even starker contrast by today's knowledge that a war much worse than the one Conway fought in, would engulf many regions of the world less than a decade after Hilton wrote the book. Hilton foresaw another great war and mentions it as a vague prophecy in the book.
Janice, touristdidi, Beger, PierreFrigon, tjutjut, KrL, Refugee has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To touristdidi: Tibet must be free before 2008ruudblok 1 07-23 13:22
To riems: Kan het zijn dat je zelf steeds beter wordt?ruudblok 1 07-23 11:14
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3267 W: 267 N: 7738] (32998)
  • [2007-07-22 2:04]

What a stormy dramatic sky!! And the dry land looks like it needs some rain too. It certainly doesn't look my idea of Paradise. It is an interesting view of this valley Ruud, and the main thing about the place is: Are the people living there happy?
Cheers
Janice

Ruud.
Prachtige wolkenpartij die me naar de foto trok.
Heel goed weergegeven. Mooi contrast met de tempels aan de voorkant.
Gr.
Aloys

To me there can be no better heaven, then Tibet to be Tibetan and free. The landscape is harsh, the hearts are warm. the beliefs are good in all ways. My Christian freind said my Tibetina Thanka paintings were "devil worship". The way I am treated by Tibetian freinds in Nepal, and the way I am treated by her (we are freinds 27 years), I pick the Tibetians any day. They share all they have, invite me to stay, they have a heart, I am comfortable in their "poor" homes. In America, there is no time for other people, rarily even for your own family....... This picture is the esscence of Lhasa.

  • Great 
  • Beger Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3312 W: 788 N: 4423] (19906)
  • [2007-07-22 9:28]

Hi Ruud,
This is a superbe view of Shangri-La! The sky is so dramatic and your POV shows us a great perspective on this valley.
Thanks to point out us this book by James Hilton. I could be pleasant to read it again now! I know that it was one of first film on this area too, Frank Capra signed Lost Horizon. I can imagine that the true life there isn't so idyllic than this old film suggests! Bravo and thanks for sharing!
Annie

  • Great 
  • riems Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Silver Note Writer [C: 115 W: 14 N: 45] (1677)
  • [2007-07-22 11:46]
  • [+]

mooi gedaan, Ruud. Eindelijk onder mijn favorieten weer eens een plaatje dat de moeite van het bekijken waard is. Het lijkt erop dat het niveau (ook van de groten onder ons) aan het dalen is.... too bad!
Enjoy!
Peter

WOW! What impressive colors. Excellent sharpness and details.
TFSPierre

Hi Ruud,

This is amazing picture. You can get the dark cloud with very sharp and bright city. You did great capturing it.
Very well done.

Tfs,
Tjutjut

  • Great 
  • KrL Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 520 W: 123 N: 488] (7367)
  • [2007-07-22 23:58]

Bonjour Ruud,
Très belle perspective, j'aime beaucoup ce ciel dramatique au dessus de la ville. Le temple du milieu est peut-être un peu trop lumineux.
TFS

Karèle

Hi Ruud,
Amazing sky in this panorama. Did it started to snow or rain? Well one of the places I want to visit is the Shangri-La. You made me even more curious with this gorgeous picture.
TFS
Hans

:) Later...

Today I booked my vacation to Laos, Cambodja and Vietnam :)

Merhaba Ruud
Perfect clouds. I like clouds and sunset photo.
Well done.

Kerem

Hi Ruud, sorry I was oops for this one, excellent shot. The book sounds interesting, I think I'll look it up and order it from the library. I just finished a new James Rollins book called THE JUDAS STRAIN which was quite good. TFS. The centered horizon bothered me was the only small detail. Excellent color and compo.

Hi Ruud, a very menacing sky. Well composed busy image with good colour and lovely detail. Together with your notes a truly inspiring image. TFS,
David

Many thanks for your comment on ‘Happy Belated Birthday Shelby’

  • Great 
  • korbee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1377 W: 0 N: 1677] (13583)
  • [2007-08-10 7:52]

Zoals je misschien weet ben ik gek op dramatische luchten de stad steekt er perfect bij af .
Jan

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