Reclaimed by the Desert – photo by Jean Wimmerlin
They are gone forever: abandoned cities, temples dedicated to forgotten gods. They were once home to hundreds, or even thousands. What happened? Disasters, from Pompeii to Chernobyl. Or vanished resources–oil, gold, water. Their remains serve as poignant warnings and palpable reminders that nothing lasts forever — except forever itself.
Click on any image to enlarge it, or to start slide show.
These are great images, Mitch! Love it!
🧡
It’s so much fun reading your posts about the Dakotas, Charla. Those two states are geographically very close to us. As a result, over the years, we’ve spent a lot of time in both of them, so all of your stops are very familiar from past vacations and road trips. We pass through both of them to and from Texas each year, so, over the years, we’ve exhausted pretty much everything we need to see. Reading your posts lets me experience these places through your eyes, and that makes the familiar brand new again.
Thanks… and some more fascinating dead cities are: Roman cities such as Augusta Raurica or Aventicum in Switzerland or many more Roman cities in Europe and Middle East, Fatehpur Sikri in India or the Byzantine dead cities in Syria, just to mention a few. And 30 years ago I camped near the ghost town Calico, once the home of silver miners. Yes, you are right, these places remind us of transience.
🧡
This stays with you. Every empty room, every abandoned street, every crumbling wall carries the weight of all the lives that were lived there. And then you arrive at those quotes especially Vironika Tugaleva’s about celebrating ‘each impermanent flicker of infinity’ and you understand: the heartbreak and the gratitude are the same thing. We grieve because we loved. We celebrate the transient because we know it’s all we have. This is profound work.
Love & Hugs
Khadija 💕🤗
Lovely reflection on the images, Khadija. 🧡
The works of man, just like man, can only hold life temporarily…
Some of these images are haunting, like the one of the orphanage (I assume that’s what it was) and the abandoned doll. I will never be able to “unsee” it or those white sculptures. The sands of time will take them, like all the others, to bury them for future generations to uncover. I wonder what they will make of some of our detritus. Thanks, Mitch, for helping us to recognize again, our smallness in the light of God’s greatness.
🧡
Thanks Mitch, I’m glad that your impressive photo essay included two Oregon ghost towns which remain as reminders to us as Oregon citizens that our current decisions will have a lasting impact on future generations – even those that seem to be inconsequential at the present time.
Great images
Been monitoring your profile and others too for a while, then noticed you are truly a big fan of my works.
Pingback: They Are Gone Forever | Talmidimblogging
They can be a bit scary!
There are many abandoned villages in Spain that now their goverment is trying to repopulate.
Mitch, what poignant reminders that what seems important and valuable can be reclaimed by the desert, flooded, or deserted. Those photos speak volumes.
Levine then Tugaleva…And this too shall pass!
Such a great reminder of the wonders and how they come and go. As you know, I like to capitalize Forever :).
I get that, Rita. I sometimes capitalize Reality (as opposed to this reality) for the same reason.
Haunting but very interesting photos. I liked the quotes.
Pope Leo recently said, the correct distinction among people is between those who seek God and those who do not. From that foundation, I praise the ancestors and may their seeking find rest.
Made me think of the Kansas song Dust in the Wind.
Love that song, Andrew. I still remember the first time I heard it.
Thanks for sharing. At least you have the memories.
“Nothing lasts, except your decision to celebrate everything, everyone, for the beauty that is there within each moment, each smile, each impermanent flicker of infinity.”
~Vironika Tugaleva
Ist sowieso alles nur geliehen -nur will es keiner wissen..
So sad.
Thanks for sharing the quote by W. Somerset Maugham. I needed that.
My pleasure, Dawn. I love the quote too.
Eerie Mitch. Some of those images are haunting in their sadness.
They are indeed, Nicola.
Great images! The quote from W. Somerset Maugham takes me back. My parents were huge fans. Thanks for that 🙂
My pleasure, Fleur.
One of my favorite categories of photography. Love it.
In their own desolate (in several cases) ways–those are awesome photos!