Everglade Kites

Maybe not the Everglade Kites you were expecting.

Morning Glory

It's amazing how nature can take over a small urban space given half the chance.

 This is just a part of the forest that invaded (with just a bit of coaxing) my mid-town balcony every summer.

My only requirements when apartment hunting for the first time in 25 years were "south-facing and must have a balcony".  

 I wanted a heated parking space as well.  But's that's a whole 'nother topic.

ICELAND REVISITED

Those who have seen my pages before may recall an earlier set of photos from this beautiful country.  These are a few more that represent places and things that will stay in my memory for a long time.  One of the things I always hope will come from my travel photography is a less than subtle reminder of places and people I need to revisit.This imposing statue of Iceland's favourite son, Leifur Eiriksson,

overlooks downtown Reykjavik from in front of the Hallgrímskirkja.

Thingvellir  is the historical site of Iceland's Althing, the oldest parlimentary system of government still in existence.  Although the seat of the Althing is in Reykjavik today, parliament is officially opened each year at this site.  The reason the spot was originally chosen was because the rock cliff reflected sound well and all the people could easily hear what was said by their leaders.  

When I first walked this path between the two rock faces, I assumed that this was the fault line that famously separates Europe and North America.

In fact, this is only one side of it.

Those mountains on the far side of the lake are about half way to the other side of the fault that runs diagonally through the whole of the island nation.

     The national flag graces this UNESCO world heritage site.

Thingvallabaer, alongside the Thingvellir church, is the official residence of the Prime Minister although it is more of a tourist centre now.

Everything they say about Icelandic blondes is true.

 Icebergs above and the leading edge of a glacier below.

This is one tongue of the Vatnajokull glacier, the largest glacier in Europe.  It didn't seem all that big until we realised just how far away it was.  Standing at the base of it, the edge towered over us as much as 60-70 metres or more.

Windswept

Rural Ontario Pondscapes

Peaceful and calm as these images may seem, they don't tell the whole story of a winter fast approaching.  

 Just a few more weeks and this scene may be frozen under a blanket of snow.

BARNSCAPES

 Something as simple and straightforward as the design of a farm building speaks volumes about our heritage and culture.

 We keep ourselves grounded when we remember our own connection to what is old yet still functional and useful.

The feel of weathered barnboard.  The smell of straw and feed grains evokes not only this link to the past but should keep us conscious of where the foods we put on our table come from.

If you are interested in seeing similar photos, look back to my posting on October 11, 2010.  This kind of setting keeps calling me to capture it.   Like a photograph hangs on to a moment, these images seem frozen in their time.

New Link Posted

Check out Rob's Morning Rant.                    It just made it's debut today.

Hopefully much much more to come in future.

Palermo, Sicily

The urban heart of Sicily took me by surprise.  

I'm not sure what I expected but what I found was an attractive sophisticated urban landscape easily the equal 

of any other major centre I have seen. 

Modes of tourist transportation range from 

the functional to the romantic.

 Detail of the Teatro Massimo, The largest opera house in Italy and third in size behind Paris and Vienna.   A centrepiece of Palermo.  For more information about this magnificent structure, it's history and upcoming events visit the homepage of Teatro Massimo itself or Wikipedia.

                                                 Open for business

OLYMPUS DSLR Cameras, I Am In Crisis

Olympus has just introduced an update to their professional DSLR camera line called the E-5.

                                                           (Not my Picture)

I want one.  I want one real bad.
Can I afford it?
Yes.
Do I need it?
No
Can I justify it?
No.
I'm torn.

It's bad enough that I appear to be one of only two people in the greater Metropolitan Toronto area who is sticking with Olympus DSLR equipment (I talked the other guy into it).
I'm finding it very difficult to avoid the tug to buy this latest gadget that Olympus has put out there.

So what do I do?  Every time I'm spending too much time looking at advertisements for the E-5, I pick up one of my two E-510 cameras, each now almost 4 years old, and am quickly reminded of why I bought them in the first place.

                                                              (Not my Picture)

 I still think this little tough as nails model is the best thing Olympus, or any other recognized name brand (and you know who they are), has come up with for the money to date.  Until something new comes on the market that just blows this out of the water, I'm perfectly content with what I have and don't intend to do more than look at the pretty pictures of what is, ostensibly, new and improved.

Olympus has never held a substantial market share in North America and Canada in particular.  I'm not really certain why that is as they are acknowledged even by the competition as producing incredible optics and exceptionally durable hardware.

I've had my 510's in every kind of weather and extremes of temperature.
Far (Really far.  Seriously.) beyond what they are designed for.

Just in case anyone is interested.
Here is a link to the Olympus website in Canada.

Engagement Rings, Every picture tells a story

This photo, taken in Genoa, Italy, was a complete surprise.  Shooting the facade of a local church, I caught these four sitting on the front steps.  I took as many shots as I could without being intrusive and this was the result.

Gaudi's style in Barcelona

 On the tourist bus for a quick spin around the city and back in port just in time to catch the last boarding call of the day.

La Sagrada Familia, Gaudi's master work and still not complete after 128 years.  The Basilica is completely funded by donations from visitors and other benefactors.  Construction is slated to be completed for 2026, the 100th anniversary of Antoni Gaudi's death.

Palma, Mallorca

One of the greatest places in Mediterranean Europe to wander the streets.

Unique to Palma is this extremely well preserved Medieval town.  More of a tourist attraction but most of the buildings are authentic and still occupied today by homes or small businesses catering to visitors.

Sometimes it really is all about the architecture.

ISRAEL, YAD VASHEM

Faith, History and Hope

My recent trip to the Holy Land was as much a a journey of hope as it was a pilgrimage of faith. 

In this photo one can see the wall being built between the City and the West Bank.  If you look closely you can also see that, at least when I was there, construction had ceased for a time.  I was fortunate enough to visit during one of those rare times of relative peace and stability.  It is sad to say that, like many similar conflicts around the globe, many peoples on both sides of the issues are being adversely affected by the desires of an extremely small minority.

Masada

 
Do I have an opinion on the subject of Israel and Palestine?  Yes.  Do I pick sides?  Yes.  And I will always be on the side of anyone who fights for peace, freedom and equality for all.

                        Olive Garden of Gethsemane

                                               Spire of Pater Noster

                                     Streetscape in Old Jerusalem


People I met and talked to, both Jewish and Muslim, were friendly, helpful and appreciative of any visitor who gave them the chance to show the real face of Israel.

Minaret in Eastern Jerusalem

                                         The Western Wall at midnight

                                                  Yad Vashem
"....in my house and within my walls, a monument and a memorial.... an everlasting memorial that shall not be cut off."

 

This kind of bullshit (seen on the outside wall of a Roman Catholic church) is the reason why it is so incredibly important that we do not ever turn our backs on history.  It never really ended for some.  

That some idiot painted the graffiti is not the problem.  What really bothered me was that it had obviously been there for some time with no effort on the part of the administrators of the church to remove it.

                                                                          

 The Beach at Tel Aviv