For in the true nature of things, if we rightly consider, every green tree is far more glorious than if it were made of gold and silver.
Martin Luther
While Martin Luther makes a good point about the glories of nature, there are still times when we need a bit of bling in our lives. And now is probably one of those times!
So Terri’s call for images of all things metallic for this week’s Sunday Stills Challenge is very apt. I decided to focus just on gold and silver, both actual metals and things that have a metallic sheen. As we know, all that glitters is not gold, but as long as it looks like gold, or silver, I’ve included it!
As always I’ve had fun trawling my archives for a selection to fit the brief, so I hope you enjoy seeing them.
The gold album
Talking of trawling, I found these golden fish in the fish market in Muttrah, Oman. Muttrah is Muscat’s commercial heart and home to the city’s port.
Not far from the fish market is this gold-domed pavilion on Muttrah Corniche
Elsewhere in Muscat is Al Alam, the Royal Palace. This is the royal crest on its gate. You might be able to spot me, or my legs at least, reflected in its gold as I take the photo.
This is a detail on the roof of the Chandra Mahal, part of the City Palace in Udaipur, Rajasthan.
And in Jodhpur, the Phool Mahal or Palace of Flowers is possibly the grandest of the state rooms in Mehrangarh Fort. It was created by Maharaja Abhaya Singh (1724-1749) and decorated with gold seized in Gujarat as war booty. It is thought to have been the maharaja’s pleasure palace, where he would sit on his throne and be entertained by dancing girls and music.
Two beautiful gold domes; the one on the left from the Shipka Memorial Church in Bulgaria, otherwise known as the Memorial Temple of the Birth of Christ; and on the right a church in Kharkiv, Ukraine.
This delicate stucco wall decoration is in the aptly-named Gilded Hall of Rundale Palace in Latvia.
And here is an ornamental detail at Schloss Bruchsal near Karlsruhe in Germany. Schloss Bruchsal was constructed in 1720 as a residence for the Prince-Bishops of Speyer.
This is just a part of the stunning main altarpiece in Seville Cathedral. It is carved with scenes from the life of Christ.
I spotted this door knocker in a back street in Marrakesh.
I’ll finish this ‘gold’ album with a golden sunset from Hanga Roa on Rapa Nui (aka Easter Island), complete with evening surfer.
The silver album
I’ll start this album too with more fish. These were for sale by the side of the road in Fort Kochi, Kerala.
The fish may not be real silver, but these bracelets for sale in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, certainly were – and yes, I bought one (subsequently sadly stolen in a burglary).
These lanterns for sale in the Place des Ferblantiers, Marrakesh, are metal, but definitely not real silver!
This is Kanch ki Burj, one of the most ornate rooms in the City Palace in Udaipur. Its domed ceiling is lined with mirrored tiles.
And here’s another roof, the spectacular one on the Louvre Museum in Abu Dhabi.
[You can see more photos of this on my Cool Architecture post.]
Here is a more traditional design on this door grille in the old town of Faro in Portugal
Staying in Portugal, I spotted these door knockers on a house in Silves.
Back to more modern architecture with this view of part of the World Clock in Berlin’s Alexanderplatz with the Fernsehturm (TV Tower) in the background.
This small statue stands on the Cerro Santa Lucia, a hill in the centre of Santiago, Chile. It looks as if it should be a fountain?
This is most certainly a fountain! It is in the lobby of Riga’s modern town hall.
As with the gold album we’ll finish with the sea; here with the sun gleaming on it on a winter’s day in Cullercoats in north east England.
This has been fun! But remember,
Don’t gain the world and lose your soul; wisdom is better than silver or gold.
Bob Marley
21 Comments
wetanddustyroads
Oh nice, bling in overload! Beautiful pictures Sarah – those door knockers in Portugal is gorgeous and how sad about the stolen bracelet (it’s really pretty).
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you 😊 That was a favourite bracelet but I have bought others since although never quite as unique!
Anna
These photos are just magical! You have such a good eye!
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Anna 😊 And happy Christmas to you all!
Anna
Thanks Sarah! And to you too x
Marie
What wonderful photos – especially the close ups….. A beautiful collection…
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you so much Marie 🙂
rosalieann37
What fun. I was trying to remember what the rhyme was that goes with “All that glitters is not gold” because I was reminded of “Things are not all what they seem, skim milk masquerades as cream” which I thought was a similar thought.
But I found it was from the Merchant of Venice with a different aspect of glittering gold.
All that glitters is not gold;
Often have you heard that told:
Many a man his life hath sold
But my outside to behold:
Gilded tombs do worms enfold.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Rosalie 🙂 I did think about including the whole quote somewhere in the post (weirdly I like that line about gilded tombs and worms!) but for some reason didn’t do so in the end.
rosalieann37
I wondered whether to include it so I’m glad you were OK with it. But I got the skim milk quote wrong – it should be Things are SELDOM what they seem — I heard it yesterday on an old Perry Mason TV show re-run.
SandyL
A nice selection of distant and closeup shots. They give perspective to the intimate details in things like the door knocker.
Sarah Wilkie
I hadn’t thought of it like that Sandy, in terms of distance, but you’re right, there is quite a mix 🙂
maristravels
I wouid love to have that door-knocker from Marrakesh! It’s gorgeous. I like a fair bit of bling for Christmas and even in normal times I’ve been known to go for a bit of glitter in photo-frames and suchlike. Lovely images, all of them, and so sorry you lost that silver bracelet. There is something very sad about losing a cherished item brought home from a holiday.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Mari. I lost a whole load of holiday souvenirs in that burglary as I’m in the habit of buying jewellery when I travel, because it’s so easy to carry and because I like it! That bracelet and a necklace from Santa Fe were the ones that I was most upset about as they were favourites. But as my husband said, it was a good excuse to buy more, which I have done!
starship - VT
The subject for this challenge is one I particularly like, and all your photos are quite wonderful as always! I’d have a difficult time choosing a favorite. Each and every photo subject is so appealing especially when I think about where you were when you took it – – all amazing places!!
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Sylvia 😊 Yes, many of these shots were taken in some pretty amazing places that we’ve been fortunate to visit!
Terri Webster Schrandt
I had a feeling that you would have an abundance of images to fit this theme, Sarah! Especially from your extensive travels to Asia. I love how you segmented the images into gold and silver galleries. You’re the second blogger I’ve seen that included fish as metallic, and they truly are! Your golden sunset pic reminds me of some I photographed in Hawaii a few years ago! Your featured image of the hanging gold and silver lanterns is truly stunning! I always appreciate your contributions to Sunday Stills and look forward to them each week. Have a good week ahead and hope to see you back for next Sunday’s “light the night.”
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you so much Terri. I love these colour challenges as they’re a good excuse to trawl my archives. And you’re right, Asia is the perfect source for metallic images, although Marrakesh also proved fruitful!
Thank you too for hosting such an inspiring challenge each week. I know the work that must go into it – doing one every six weeks is enough for me!
Terri Webster Schrandt
Thanks, Sarah, it takes a bit of planning, but I really enjoy it and my once a week posts work for me 🙂
Rose
Wow, “the stunning main altarpiece in Seville Cathedral”, what intricate work! Of this set of images, my favorites today: golden sunset from Hanga Roa on Rapa Nui, and the silver door grille in the old town of Faro in Portugal. Golden sunsets are the kind of ‘bling’ I’d love more of in my life. 😊
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Rose 🙂 Yes, that altarpiece is incredible! I plan to do a whole post on the cathedral some time soon, it deserves it. I’m glad you loved that sunset, it’s one of my favourites. We went to Rapa Nui to see the moai and Bird Man culture, but found that as a bonus Hanga Roa was a pretty cool place to hang out for a few days!