Astrakhan City feast

2012 in pictures. Part 2

~ MaltaSketches ~ Leave a comment

2012 was an awesome year for me. Besides a number of interesting activities, it brought many photographic opportunities. The results of these opportunities are shared on this page,  I would call it a summary of my photographic activity.

For more photos please check http://raisatarasova.wordpress.com/2012/12/28/2012-in-pictures-part-1/

AUGUST

Farmer’s market in Ta’ Qali
Farmer’s market in Ta’ Qali, Malta, was my main food supplier this summer. Locally grown, fresh food and vegetable of great quality from friendly and cheerful farmers, make it a great place for food shopping. Besides all the other advantages of this place, prices for such quality products are more than appropriate. With 20 Euro be prepared to fill up 5 or 6 bags – the amount of food enough for two weeks!

Farmer's market in Ta' Qali. Farmers are selling the freshly harvested fruits and vegetables
Farmer’s market in Ta’ Qali. Farmers are selling the freshly harvested fruits and vegetables

Fireworks of Lija
Fireworks of this small Maltese village (Lija) are among most impressive on the world’s scale.

Fireworks of Lija, Malta
Fireworks of Lija, Malta

State funeral of Dom Mintoff
25th August  was a hot sunny day, when thousands of Maltese citizens gathered in Valletta to give a final farewell to the former Prime Minister Dom Mintoff. Before heading to Saint John’s Co-Cathedral, where the funeral mass was held, the body was kept at the Palace in Valletta. Once public tribute was over, the doors of the Palace closed, leaving a great emotional tension in the air. Few minutes after the doors revealed a coffin covered with the national flag. The crowd greeted the deceased Prime Minister with applauses and weeps, chanting “Viva Mintoff! Mintoff! Mintoff”.

More photos can be found here (check my fellow photographer’s blog): http://ontestinggrounds.wordpress.com/2012/09/01/101/

Once public tribute to the former Prime Minister was over, the doors of the Palace closed leaving emotional tension in the air. Few minutes will pass before the doors will reveal a coffin covered with a national flag. The guards are ready to give the final farewell,
Once public tribute to the former Prime Minister had been over, the doors of the Palace closed leaving emotional tension in the air. Few minutes passed before the doors revealed a coffin covered with a national flag. The guards were ready to give the final farewell.


SEPTEMBER

A man with harmonica
This photo was snapped in my home town Astrakhan at the City Day feast (16th September). Ethnic Tatar man with harmonica was playing, singing Tatar national songs and, by all means, he was having fun despite the surprised looks of the passers-by.

A man with harmonica (Astrakhan, 16th September 2012)

A man with harmonica (Astrakhan, 16th September 2012)


OCTOBER

The stairway to heaven
Two schoolboys climbing up the ladder on the school playground. This photo was taken in my home town, Astrakhan, on 2nd October.

Two schoolboys climbing up the ladder on the school's playground. Astrakhan, 2nd October.
Two schoolboys climbing up the ladder on the school’s playground. Astrakhan, 2nd October.

Happy birthday to Tango!
On Saturday, 27th October, all tango lovers living in Malta gathered to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the introduction this dance to the  Maltese public. The event took place at Palazzo del Piro in Malta’s medieval capital, Mdina, and was organized by Isla del Tango.

More about Isla del Tango here: http://isladeltango.com/

Tango passion. Celebration of the 15th anniversary of tango in Malta (27th October, Mdina, Malta)
Tango passion. Celebration of the 15th anniversary of tango in Malta (27th October, Mdina, Malta)


NOVEMBER

Exhibition of greeting cards “A window to our past”
Exhibition of vintage Soviet greeting cards from my (family and own) collection was held in Valletta, Malta, from 7th till 15th November at the Russian Centre for Science and Culture.  The exhibited cards symbolized the epoch gone with the wind.

Exhibition of vintage Soviet greeting cards. Valletta, Malta, 15th November.
Exhibition of vintage Soviet greeting cards. Valletta, Malta, 15th November.


DECEMBER

Ban animal circus!
The protest against animal circus in Malta was organized by movement Graffiti and happened in Valetta, Malta on 12th December. Around a hundred of protesters gathered in Valletta to express their disapproval  of the animal abuse at the circus.

Ban animal circus! The protest in Valletta, Malta, on 12th December, organized by movement Graffiti
Ban animal circus! The protest in Valletta, Malta, on 12th December, organized by movement Graffiti

For more photos of Malta check the blog of Darrin Zammit Lupi, one of Malta’s most renown professional photographers:
http://darrinzammitlupi.wordpress.com/