The solstice is almost upon us and I for one am looking forward to the nights getting shorter. The word solstice comes from the Latin sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still) referring to the point at which the sun pauses on its seasonal path (as viewed from Earth) before reversing direction.  In anticipation of the upcoming solstice, I’ve collected a few photos illustrating variations of the word still.

First up, not content with a solitary living statue, here’s five of them. Plus a dog. And a pint of Guinness. Only in Dublin!

Still going strong after all these years, Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park erupting on schedule.

A rare moment of stillness in the heart of Manhattan; I took this photo just after the all-clear was given after Hurricane Irene passed close to the city. The silence was extraordinary with not a single car on the road.

Now I’m going to hold still and let you take over with your own interpretation of this week’s theme. If you would like to join in (everyone’s welcome!) here’s what to do:

• Create your own post and title it Travel theme: Still
• Include a link to this page in your post so others can find it too
• Get your post in by next Thursday, as the new travel theme comes out on Friday
• Don’t forget to subscribe to keep up to date on the latest weekly travel themes. Sign up via the email subscription link in the sidebar or RSS

xxx Ailsa

“To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders.” – Lao Tzu

“The only tyrant I accept in this world is the still voice within.” – Mahatma Gandhi