Man in a Hat, Venice Before the Tourists

Up Early

I took the earliest train I could find into Venice that morning. As I stepped off the train station steps, I felt the undulation of Venice. The city wasn’t awake yet, the sun with just coming up and Italians get a later start to the day. Crossing my first bridge, I luckily had my camera up because the man with the red bag came walking down by himself, destined for work no doubt. I caught this singular frame of his day, but one was all I needed to recall my first moments in Venice.

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Covered Bridge Vermont 1875, Kokomo, Indiana

Interesting Sights

When I visit small towns for work, I generally check the internet and ask the locals about the “interesting” parts of their towns. Many places have something they can call their own…like Gaffney, South Carolina’s Peachoid (I SO want to visit this)!

When visiting a few small towns in Indiana, I was directed to a Kokomo’s Highland Park to the Vermont covered bridge. I wasn’t able to go until after dark (during work trips you have to work), but it lent an almost Sleepy Hollow feel to the whole scene!

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Washington Water Power

Random Travels

My travel locations tend to be to places most everyone has heard of…Tokyo, Paris, London, Shanghai. These are my personal travels, but I also occasionally travel for my desk job. These places tend to be smaller locations that fewer people have heard or, Berne, Friendship, Palmerton, Spokane (ok…most everyone has heard of Spokane, WA). I also take my camera on these trips because you never know what you are going to find. While we were visiting downtown Spokane, we found this huge hydroelectric power plant! It was cold and a bit of a walk to get to where I took this photo, but it was well worth the frozen fingers.

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Early Morning View of the Bridge of Sighs, Venice, Italy

Sighs at the Bridge in Venice

One of the most recognizable symbols of Venice, Italy is the Bridge of Sighs. We have a black and white poster framed on our wall of this monument, and I have wanted to replace it with my own photo since I bought it. There is something about the light in that other artists rendition that is too harsh. Perhaps the severity is appropriate given that this “bridge” connects the Doge’s Palace to the prison across the canal. Lord Byron allegedly gave the passage its name suggesting, “that prisoners would sigh at their final view of beautiful Venice through the window before being taken down to their cells.” (wikipedia).

To me the architectural beauty of the bridge needs to be highlighted rather than its function. I’m not sure if this one will be “the one” to end up on my wall, but I really love the romantic morning view. Morning is also about the only time you can see the Bridge of Sighs without a mass of tourists in your shot!

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Morning on the Rialto Bridge

Bridge of Shops

Rialto Bridge is a pedestrian bridge full of shops. You can see many of them on this side, there are more on the opposite sides as well. During the day, like much of Venice, the bridge is packed with people. Venice is an odd city, part preserved Europen city and part tourist trap. It’s a bit like one of the Disney parks in a way. You pretty much love every second you are there, but you cant help but feel like you are getting taken at the same time.

Millennium Bridge London

Walking In London

This is one of those must get photos when you visit London. I tried a number of angles, but this one was my favorite. We got up early to shoot the bridge and we wanted to get the St Paul’s Cathedral for opening time. The Thames, the bridge, the low level skyline of the city of London, St. Paul’s in the backdrop…what is there not to love about London.

Tower Bridge in a Field of Sunflowers

Unexpected Pleasures

One of the things I truly love about travel is how unexpected the world is. Most of the time I have only a rough sketch of where I am going or what I am doing, I just let serendipity drag me along wherever she may. Even when I am going somewhere with a particular purpose, as was the case with this photo, you never know what you will find. I was looking for City Hall and its view of Tower Bridge. I was hoping to scout the location to perhaps come back for sunrise. This didn’t happen, but we did find a field of sunflowers! I am not sure how long they were visiting for, but its not something you generally see. Serendipity!

Puente de la Mujer

Bridges

Today’s images is a bit on the abstract side. Some wires and a big white thing on a brilliant blue sky. This is the Puente de la Mujer (Women’s Bridge) in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I still haven’t figured out what this structure has to do with women, but it was a neat site. I will leave it there. Enjoy.

Sunset at the Golden Gate Bridge

Dividing Line

I absolutely love contrasts in light. Dark and light, hard and soft, warm and cool. One of my favorite times is just before sunset really gets going. The layers of atmosphere start to warm up the light in the western sky, but the east is still blue and wonderful. There is this smooth transition from warm to cool that you can see in today’s photo. The west, to the left is very strong and warm, but towards the bridge you see a normal and wonderful day.

Bridge to the City

Lucky Man

Pamela asked what I wanted to do for my birthday…I said go to San Francisco (of course). Aside from being my favorite U.S. city, it’s perhaps one of most comfortable cities for me, almost like I am called there; pulled by some cosmic force. I am very lucky, because we made the pilgrimage to The City, Pamela and me. Lucky because we are able to make the trip, both physically and financially. Lucky because I have a wonderful spouse that understands my love of wandering and wants to share in it. Lucky because we have each other to go to, Pamela, me and The City by the Bay.