Lens-Artists Challenge #309 – Balconies
Balconies have shown importance throughout time in several ways. They can serve as an intermediary between private and public life. They bring light and air to a home’s room. They also offer views of places you are visiting. And let’s not forget they can also be a romantic place, as seen in Romeo and Juliet’s tragic love story. PR of Flights of the Soul chose balconies as this week’s Lens-Artists challenge. For examples and inspiration, you should check out PR’s challenge. For my post, I tried to avoid repeating locations showing balconies already presented by other users. I will focus on traditional and formal balconies and balconies seen from the outside and inside.
I opened with an ornate balcony above a beautiful tea shop in Chinatown, San Francisco. When we last visited San Francisco, we checked out that store to sample some teas. We were surprised that the building was kept in pristine condition. Its balcony had plenty of color and attention to detail in its design.
Traditional balconies are more functional. In Latin America, for example, it’s common to see balconies in colonial buildings displaying bright colors. Those buildings always look fresh.
Some balconies are perfect places to add potted flowers, such as San Juan, Puerto Rico.
One place we sometimes overlook appreciating balconies is in theatres, opera houses, and auditoriums. When visiting El Salvador‘s capital, San Salvador, a few years ago, we stopped by the historic Teatro Nacional de Santa Ana (National Theater of Santa Ana).
Similarly, in the middle of the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil, Amazon’s Opera House also has a presidential balcony.
The building also has several balconies outside.
Every night for several nights before Christmas, townspeople gather on the main square to hear and sing along to Christmas music — in Portuguese! In another post, I even have a short video of the event.
In closing, I could not omit balconies with nature views. These final balconies take you inside looking out. The views are priceless to my eyes. The photo below is in the countryside a few hours from Fortaleza. The river and dam you see on the horizon take me back to my childhood with several cousins and extended family members.
The final photo is a balcony view from the historic Indian Lodge Hotel at the Davis Mountains State Park, Texas. That is a room with a view!
Last week, Elizabeth challenged us with Perfect Pairs. This week, PR brought us the joys and views that balconies offer us. Check PR’s post for guidance, inspiration, and excellent photos. Don’t forget to use the “lens-artists” hashtag when responding to it so we can easily find it in the Reader.
The Lens-Artists team is thankful to our month’s guest hosts: Leanne, Elizabeth, and PR. Patti returns with a new challenge on Saturday at noon EDT in the USA. Stay tuned. Please see this page to learn more about the Lens-Artists Challenge and its history.
Discover more from Through Brazilian Eyes
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Teresa
Wonderful collection!
Egidio Leitao
I appreciate your comment, Teresa. Thank you.
PR
Oh these are some breathtaking balconies, Egidio 😀! Great to see the styles from Brazil..Yes, the lookouts to nature are special..I won’t pick a favorite as each one is as lovely as the other 😀. Thanks for sharing!
Egidio Leitao
PR, this was such a fun challenge. Thanks for your comments and for hosting this week, too.
PR
I am glad you liked the challenge! It was a pleasure to host 🙂.
margaret21
A great collection, and inspired of you to include internal balconies too.
Egidio Leitao
Thanks for the feedback, Margaret.
Writing to Freedom
Fun photos Egidio! I really like the San Juan and Christmas balconies.
Egidio Leitao
Thank you so much, Brad. I’m happy you liked those images.
Vicki
Amazing collection. So colourful and beautifully photographed.
They all look dazzling and fill the page on my 24″ screen. I’m just looking to see what WordPress Theme you are using (that you can insert so much across the page).
Egidio Leitao
Thanks a million, Vicki. I use the Virtue theme. I think the crop I used on my photos is probably the reason it filled your screen. I cropped some of those images at 9×16 (landscape format).
Wandering Dawgs
Fantastic balconies! That first one from San Francisco is stunning! I love the two from San Juan.
Egidio Leitao
Thank you so much for your kind words and feedback.
Toonsarah
A great variety here, and as you say, different from those offered by other bloggers. The theatre balconies are very grand – a good idea to include those! But my favourites are the first three, in San Francisco and in Puerto Rico 🙂
Egidio Leitao
Sarah, thanks for the detailed feedback. I am happy you liked those photos.
sandyjwhite
Love your gallery, Egidio!
Egidio Leitao
Thank you for the feedback, Sandy. I appreciate that.
boromax
Fantastic!
Egidio Leitao
Thank you for your feedback, Ed.
I. J. Khanewala
Glad you added the balconies from theatres and opera houses. Thay are always so ornate, and I didn’t see enough of them thus week
Egidio Leitao
I’m glad you liked them, I.J. Thank you.
Travtrails
Great balconies…. especially the first pic
Egidio Leitao
Indra, thank you very much for the feedback.
Leya
Gorgeous balconies and from places I will never see! Loved the Amazon Opera House and the great views of the last ones. All fantastic beauties. I remember the colourful balconies in South America – we don’t have them here at all.
Egidio Leitao
Thanks, Ann-Christine. Those colorful balconies in South America are eye-catching.
JohnRH
Colorful! I like ’em!
Egidio Leitao
Thanks, John. I love those colorful balconies.
Sofia Alves
So colourful and wonderful, Egídio. Hard to pick a favourite!
Egidio Leitao
Thank you kindly, Sofia.
philosophy through photography
Beautiful collection. So much to know.
The Excelsior Hotel, Fortaleza, Brazil, my favourite!
Egidio Leitao
Thanks, Philo. That hotel has been there for ages — even before I was born!
philosophy through photography
You are welcome, Egidio.
It’s a surprise to know this fact, and the hotel must have been well maintained!
Egidio Leitao
The hotel is very well maintained.
philosophy through photography
So true.The image is the proof.
pattimoed
What a gorgeous collection, Egidio! So many breathtaking images! I’d love to be teleported to the ones in Brazil. 😊😊
Egidio Leitao
Thanks a million, Patti. I’m happy you liked them.
Lens-ArtistPC24-309-Balconies – WoollyMuses
Pingback: […] Lens-Artist Photo-Challenge Egidio:…Balconies […]
Anne Sandler
Great balconies Egidio! How did I miss this post. I don’t get notifications any more, but I do go through the Reader????
Egidio Leitao
Thanks so much, Anne. I’m glad you liked the photos. As for WP, I think it’s been acting erratically. Another follower told me he had not seen my posts since June.
Tina Schell
Absolutely spectacular choices for this one Egidio. Just catching up from our getaway and am so glad I found this. I cannot choose a favorite, I loved them all. (OK, especially the Christmas balconies if forced to choose)
Egidio Leitao
Welcome back! Thanks for the feedback. The Christmas balcony was very special, particularly because I was with one of my nieces when I captured those images.
Nerja Holidays
I love taking pictures of facades, doors, windows and buildings. In the Axarquia area in the south of Spain we have some traditional streets. With fishermen’s houses converted into homes. Walking through this area is a wonder for my camera.
Egidio Leitao
That sounds like a wonderful place to photograph. Thanks for your comment.