HK Olympic Equestrian Venue

Canon Digital IXUS 700
ISO Auto - 1/320 - 640sec - f/7.1 @ 7.7mm
Location: 25 Yuen Wo Road, Sha Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong
click for bigger pic

Hong Kong is excited to be the co-host city of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, and staging the Equestrian Events.

The Hong Kong Olympic Equestrian Venue (Sha Tin) has a 100m x 80m all-weather sand arena as Main Competition Arena, for a capacity of 18,000 spectators for Olympic Equestrian Events and 8,000 spectators for Paralympics Equestrian Events.

Competition Events: Dressage, Jumping

The Hong Kong Olympic Equestrian Venue (Sha Tin) is converted from the Hong Kong Sports Institute and Penfold Park. Apart from the main facilities, there are warm-up and training areas for the competitors. An air-conditioned building for the management headquarters for the competition as well as Olympic Family/Paralympic Family reception area and accommodation for the grooms. Also, newly constructed stable with air-conditioned accommodation for over 200 horses.

Technically: This is my first panorama manually in Photoshop. I had to readjust the exposure in every pic, healing tools and blending mask.

The beginning of the Olympic

Canon 400D, Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
ISO 100 - 1/200sec - f/11 @ 28mm
Location: Kallimarmaro Stadium, Athens, Greece
click for bigger pic

The Panathinaiko (Panathenaic) Stadium or the Kallimarmaron, in Athens is the only major stadium in the world built fully of white marble. The stadium was built long before dimensions for athletics venues were standardized and its track and layout follow the ancient hairpin-like model. It can seat about 80,000 spectators on 50 rows of marble steps.

In ancient times it was used to host the athletic portion of the Panathenaic Games in honour of the Goddess Athena. Then, after so many years, the ancient structure were excavated and refurbished for the revival of the Olympic Games held in 1870 and 1875.

In 1896, officially known as the Games of the I Olympiad, was the first Olympic Games held in the Modern era. The modern Olympic Games were founded by Pierre Fredi, Baron de Coubertin, a French pedagogue and historian, he wanted to promote international understanding through sporting competition. Coubertin sought proper physical education and a way to bring nations closer together, to have the youth of the world compete in sports, rather than fight in war.

In the 2004 Olympic Games, the Panathinaiko Stadium hosted the archery competition, and the finish of the Marathon. The stadium was featured on all of the Summer Olympic medals introduced in the 2004 Games, and will be continued to be featured on the medals awarded at the upcoming Summer Olympics in Beijing.

Delos

Canon 400D, Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
ISO 100 - 1/400sec - f/10 @ 109mm
Location: Delos, Mykonos, Athens, Greece

The Doric Temple of Isis was built on a high over-looking hill at the beginning of the Roman period to venerate the familiar trinity of Isis, the Alexandrian Serapis and Anubis. [ref.wiki]

Canon 400D, Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
ISO 400 - 1/2500sec - f/5.6 @ 135mm
Location: Delos, Mykonos, Athens, Greece

This flower was taken at The Terrace of the Lions (behind), it was dedicated to Apollo by the people of Naxos shortly before 600 BC, had originally nine to twelve squatting, snarling marble guardian lions along the Sacred Way; one is inserted over the main gate to the Venetian Arsenal. The lions create a monumental avenue comparable to Egyptian avenues of sphinxes. [ref.wiki]

Canon 400D, Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
ISO 100 - 1/250sec - f/9 @ 85mm
Location: Delos, Mykonos, Athens, Greece

The island of Delos, isolated in the centre of the roughly circular ring of islands called the Cyclades, near Mykonos, is one of the most important mythological, historical and archaeological sites in Greece. Delos had a position as a holy sanctuary for a millennium before Olympian Greek mythology made it the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis. [ref.wiki]