Eiffel Tower
the Eiffel Tower is part of Paris .Top photos chosen by u all:
It's that tower again...
Made by Rich007
...But I defy anybody to go to Paris and not come back with at least a couple of shots of the Eiffel Tower. It's impossible to do so, for it just dominates the city. Not a lot of people know this, but architect and engineer Gustave Eiffel was actually an early pioneer of robotics, and when the tower was built in 1889, it was fitted with an ingenious steam-powered walking mechanism whereby each of the four legs could move independently of each other, using complicated pistons, pulleys and gears. This system enabled the tower to walk to any other part of the city within minutes, thus ensuring it was able to get in the background of practically any picture being taken anywhere in Paris. Professional photographers of the time were actually paid a premium if they could manage to get a picture of Paris without the bloody thing sticking up somewhere at the back like some iron-clad annoying distant relative who always shuffles into the extremity of shots at weddings and birthdays, and stands there picking his or her nose or making strange faces in order to spoil an otherwise superb photo. With the spread of more affordable cameras after the end of the Second World War, the Paris authorites realised that, if the Eiffel Tower was to keep popping up in everybody's holiday snaps, its outdated walking mechanism and steam boilers would have to be replaced with something a little more up-to-date. Consequently, in the late-1950s, a large scale version of Citroen's hydropneumatic system, as fitted to the firm's cars, was installed, along with a bank of redundant Traction Avant engines, on the second level, in order to drive them. Thus equipped, the Eiffel Tower was able to reach speeds in excess of 30mph, although, as with most things featuring Citroen hydraulics, it occasionally used to inexplicably collapse, leaving operators on the top level staring at a bank of unfathomable warning lights, wondering how much the sodding thing was going to cost to fix this time. During the 1970s, London tried a similar system in the Post Office Tower, using British Leyland components, including a Hydragas suspension system and spare Austin Allegro engines. Five minutes into its first test, in 1977, all the tower's engines blew up, the Hydragas spheres sprung leaks, and the tower fell over and took two years to put upright again. A British Leyland spokesman later commented Well, what did you honestly expect? Recently, the Eiffel Tower's walking exploits have become more ambitious, and it has started popping up in Las Vegas and Blackpool as well. In 1997, it also appeared in the Christmas pantomime season in Cleethorpes, playing Widow Twanky in 'Aladdin', but was panned by critics for its wooden acting. Excuses that it was actually made of iron held little sway, and there are no further plans for the Eiffel Tower to appear in children's variety again. 21st century plans to convert the Eiffel Tower to jet power and fly-by-wire operation have been put on ice, after an experimental system was tried out on Notre Dame - another Parisian structure that really gets everywhere - but malfunctioned and caused one of the towers to attack a small town in Belgium. Not that anyone noticed, but Quasimodo needed counselling for months after the incident... Honestly, the bizarre things that I find myself coming up with in the early hours of the morning.... Taken on September 8, 2006 in Paris, France from alongside the River Seine. Not Las Vegas. Or Blackpool. Honestly!
scary smile, not usual for the lady... :-))
Made by bratan
dear friends, That's the last one of this lady this month I think :-)) I noticed this smile only after adding the rays.... :-)) and as said our dear BB in a comment here, once again, I am under her skirt :-))) maybe the lady did not appreciate the oups experience.... :-)) Hope you have a great life :-))
My first kiss to a lady in 2008... ;-)
Made by bratan
Dear friends, Hope you feel well today, after champain, vodka, caviar and big party yesterday :-)) Have a great first day into the new year 2008! :-)) Kisses to all other ladies :-)))))))))))) Happy 2008!
romantic little stroll in Paris...
Made by bratan
I am not always naughty dear friends!! :-)) ps : some of you noticed that the tower seems to fall down...... this is not a manipulation, this pic was taken at 10mm focus... :-)
hallucination.... :-))
Made by bratan
.....if you have such visions, you better should stop to drink,! (vegetables not recommended too) :-)))))))))) A great week to you, dear friends :-) (better large size)
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