Your editing brought perfect results my friend, excellent. tigs=^..^=

I think I have a good idea with the ditch was for. :) Nice lighting and shadows.

Well, medieval castles had small "bump-outs" along the walls, called "garderobes". Inside the castle there would have been a "one-holer" for the royalty to do their business, which would fall through the hole in the bump-out and drop into either the moat or a ditch ("I'm not swimmin' in there!"). The ditch at the Tower of London became so foul over the years that after fumes hospitalized half the guard on one occasion, the ditch was filled in. The term "garderobe" comes from the function of the King's guard who, while in the field, would stand in a circle, facing outward, with their robes extended and linked, creating a round enclosure for royalty to pinch a loaf in private... well... except for what those poor guys had to smell. When I was stationed in Japan, in the early 1970's, some structures and homes still had a "benji" ditch surrounding them. Instead of having an actual toilet in the building, human refuse would be tossed out the window into the ditch, and carp that were kept in the ditch would dispose of it. Later, when one of the carp got too large for the ditch, it would be fished out and served up for dinner. Oy vey!

I do like the architecture you've served up for us, Ted, including those pieces of iron protecting the corners of the archway from coach drivers who've had a little too much punch. They serve the same purpose that those concrete-filled pipes around gas pumps do (a former director of mine inadvertently tried to push one over with her Suburban, not understanding what that screeching noise was). With that odd offset arch we see here, I'm guessing there is a doorway or another arch just inside the first arch, on the left.

-Nik

I have to also fave this one as a companion to your earlier image that I also faved...love the stone textures, the perspective, and subject matter...thanks for sharing.

I can appreciate a shot like this. its hard to take with just one exposure, in fact it wont happen!(the inside will be too dark, or the outside will be washed out) and flash will surely left you with washout. been in the same situations before with tunnels like this, funny how nobody mentions that or praise for it. well done in that aspect,Ted. nicely done my friend in both pics post over all! as always your HDR is top notch. one beautiful place! it belongs in the Main gallery.