Travel theme : Costume

Infecting the City is an annual festival of arts and dance in Cape Town, that I’ve postd about previously. Bringing a variety of performances to Public spaces in the inner city, providing an opportunity for city dwellers and workers to experience the almost impromptu performances during the course of their daily activities. Integrated into the buzz of the business day, and into the nightlife of the city, performers are almost only deperated from the general public by the “costumes” that they wear. Costumes is the prompt on Ailsas Travel theme on {www.wheresmytravelbackpack.com} this week, so I’m posting some images of the festival in response to the prompt…
……………the journey continues……………..

Weekly Photo Challenge : In the background

Is it in the Background, Foreground, Reflected?? Depends how you look at it?  I suppose all three in some of these images of Observatory in Cape Town, a wonderfully vibey colourful area, perfect for images to respond to the “in the background” prompt on the weekly photo challenge this week..
””””the journey continues…………

Travel Theme : Green

Ailsa’s (www.wheresmybackpack.com) prompt on this weeks travel theme is Green.

I took some images while on a hike in Robertson, where there was lots of green around…here are some of natures perfect answers to the green prompt…….

……….the journey continues…………….

52 Photos Project : Vintage

Some time ago I posted a blog about the Wijnland Auto Museum near Paarl, about 45mins from Cape Town. Bellas’s prompt “Vintage” on the 52 Photos Project, http://www.52photosproject.com reminded me of my visit, and prompted me to post another…:-). Vintage is undoubtedly the general theme there, though there are different categories I suppose. Fully operational cars, others that are still in good condition though not operational, and of course the “graveyard”. I was keen to shoot the rich hues of the rusting cars, which despite their state of impending decay, still seemed to exude a sense of character and status………….here are some of my images…….the journey continues…………

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Weekly Photo Challenge : Regret

I guess everybody must be quite relieved with the on time release of this weeks challenge topic :-). Perhaps the WP guys regret releasing last weeks topic late, hence the topic for this weeks challenge “regret”.

I posted recently about a trip to Southern Italy at the end of last year. Well, my interpretation of this weeks topic is about an incident while visiting the city of Naples. Winter in Southern Europe can be a real mixed bag of weather conditions, so anything is possible. The weather forecast had predicted a little bit of rain on this day, and there was a spit and a spot that morning, but all in all it seemed like the worst was over. So while venturing about through the old city in Naples, I noticed quite a few vendors selling umbrellas in the streets. Most people just walked by without really stopping to buy anything. I was approached by one of them, offering me an umbrella, but somehow he just didnt want to tell me the price, other than how wonderful the umbrella was, and that fact that I should really get one!! I figured he was just looking for a quick buck from an unsuspecting tourist :-). So, I fobbed him off and walked off.

As it turned out, not even 15 minutes later, the heavens opened up and there i was in the middle of a rainstorm!! Yes, you guessed it, without an umbrella :-). The irony of the situation is that minutes before you could have had your pick of umbrella sellers, but at that moment when an umbrella seller would have been a godsend, nothing!! They all seemed to just disappear the minute the rain started coming down.

The locals just took it in their stride, and whipped out their umbrellas, opened them up adding a kaleidoscope of colour and wonderful reflections to the otherwise dark, dull and not to mention wet scene. Everyone just seemed to be pretty prepared, and get on with what they were doing.

I of course “regret”ted not listening a little more to the umbrella guy, and sticking around long enough to get one. So, if the umbrella guy is reading this ” You were right, Dude :-)”. I tried to keep my spirits up and decided to take a few shots of the ensuing scenes, (while trying to keep myself and my camera dry:-), perhaps as a subtle reminder that maybe umbrella sellers know a little bit more about rain than a roving tourist 🙂

Todays images are some of those during my moments of “REGRET” ……………..the journey continues……………………..

Weekly Photo Challenge : Breakfast

Another great challenge, with probably numerous interpretations from every person, each as diverse as the next, with some undoubtedly original ones :-). For me, there are a few standard run of the mill options, though those dont get to be photographed. 🙂 just eaten :-). However, a memorable one I did photograph was while on a working trip in Tanzania, not too long ago, fresh fruit, served exactly as it came out of its skin, yummy 🙂 no toppings or coatings 🙂 just as nature intended 🙂 ……………………..the journey continues ……………………… 

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Windows on Berlin

Those of you that have seen my Photo Challenge post for this week, will have already been transported to Malmo in Sweden, the location of that post. So, I figured that maybe it would be a good idea to head just a little south for a follow up post. Not too far South, just as far as Germany, to the city of Berlin. Also another conventional response, but a rather appropriate one, in my opinion.

The Reichstag building dates back to the late 1800’s. the building was victim to a fire in 1933 and was even subjected to bombardment during the World War.
But, that was then, time has moved on and the building was extensively restored in 1999, after which it became the official home of the Bundestag. The restoration was designed by Norman Foster.

The restoration included the introduction of a huge glazed circular dome at the top of the building, affording 360 degree views of the City of Berlin. The main hall of Parliament can be seen from the dome. The design of the dome included strategic placement of mirrors and glazing to allow radiation of natural light onto the parliament floor. An electronically operated solar shielding louvre rotates around the dome as it tracks the sun to prevent direct sunlight from being reflected into the main hall. The dome is accessible to the Public by arrangement. Two ramps that overlap one another provide access to the upper level of the dome, offering wonderful views of the City. If you look closely at the images of the ramps, you will notice that the one has people going up, while the other has them coming down the ramp.

I had the opportunity to visit the building a few years ago, fortunately, with camera in hand. When I saw the Photo Challenge topic I was reminded of these rather unique “windows”, because they work “both” ways, by offering views out of the building into Berlin, and are transparent enough to look into the building, especially at night when the illuminated dome above the building becomes visible………….the journey continues……..

Weekly Photo Challenge : Windows

Photo Challenge once again, and an extremely versatile topic once more, open to interpretation of all sorts. I’ve opted for the more conventional approach this week, so will stay with the obvious or maybe not so obvious 🙂 interpretation, which is windows, windows in buildings :-). But seeing that its conventional in the interpretation, I figured it needed something else too :-). So, fasten your seatbelts, make yourselves comfortable, we’re heading off to the city of Malmo in Sweden, or Scandinavia if you prefer a more wide angled view. Malmo is a city that is connected to Copenhagen in Denmark by the Oresund Bridge, which happens to be the longest rail and road bridge in Europe.
Coincidentally, the building that this post refers to is the highest skyscraper in Sweden and the Nordic countries. Turning Torso is a building designed by Spanish Engineer/ Architect Santiago Calatrava. 54 stories in height, comprising nine 5 storey pentagon segments, each twisting clockwise around a vertical core as the building rises 190m with a full 90 deg twist between the bottom and top floors. Essentially a multi use building with offices on the lower two segments and apratments in the rest.
Unfortunately, my wide angle lens was not wide enough to capture the entire building in one shot, though it is pretty close :-). The windows foloow the same rhythm on each of these nine segments creating an amazing graphic on the twisting building.
I visited the site a few years ago, and my submission today is some of the images I shot at the time……………the journey continues…………….

Weekly Photo Challenge : Hidden

Weekly Photo Challenge time again 🙂 I’m a bit slow out of the blocks this week, but the old adge holds true, better late than never!! I received the mail with this weeks topic quite late on Friday, so I have a small excuse for a later post. 

I was walking on the Promenade alongside the sea yesterday evening as the sun was starting to set. Thee have been a few previous posts that have featured this location, perfect for watching sunsets with its west facing orientation. The weather had been a bit iffy for the whole day, with short bursts of rain, overcast skies at times, and bright sunshine with blus skies at others. As the sun slowly descended into the horizon, there was a huge cloud bank in front of it. And at that moment I remembered the topic for the challenge, “hidden”. And in this instance the sun was literally hidden by the clouds. Very appropriate for the challenge, and seeing that I had the camera, I took some shots. Difficult lighting, between the bright silver lining of the clouds, and the dark sea, but on the other hand, it just added to the drama of the scene. The scene was enhanced by the silhouettes created by the people in the foreground, adding shadows and scale. A pool of water left over from the rain, provided a perfect surface for reflections. As the sun descended further into the horizon, the glow behind the clouds turned to a fiery red, which looked like glowing coals on the surface of the water. …………..the journey continues…………….

Todays images are some of the shots that I captured………………..

 

Weekly Photo Challenge : Colourful

When I saw the topic of the new photo challenge today, I immediately thought about one of my very early posts called “colours moving through the city”. See, I havent been posting for too long, so my early posts are still very fresh in my mind 🙂 Anyway the topic is so appropraite to this post that I decided that it warrants being published again. So, I figured in fairness to those who have already seen that post, I should at least be doing something different, and guess what I obliged by actually reorganising the photos, removing some and introducing some new ones, and also doing some editing of the text. Now how’s that for service :-). I can assure you, that by the time you get to the end of this post you’ll agree with me, this posts fits the challenge perfectly.

 The Cape Town Minstrels Parade is an event that has literally been moving colours through the city for the last century. It is one of the prime cultural events of this diverse city, full of colourful people, colourful costumes, music and dance. In this time honoured tradition, numerous teams comprising adults and children (often from families that have been doing this for generations) with painted faces, dressed in bright, colourful sequinned outfits, march, dance and sing in unison, as they progress along the designated route. Each team accompanied by their own band also dressed in the team regalia, pumping out their teams signature tunes. Thousands of people line the streets on New Years Eve every year to witness this spectacle, and amongst them a kaleidoscope of colour too. The streets are closed off to all traffic, hoardings are put up along the pavements to ensure the Minstrels have uninterrupted access to the streets. These spectators come from across the City, and arrive well in advance of the parade too secure a prime vantage point to witness the parade. The streets are a hive of activity with food stalls, vendors, policemen, news reporters, family members, spectators, tourists, even homeless people. People that arrive early, bring along folding chairs, perhaps a blanket, a picnic basket with munchies,  and even little makeshift beds for the little ones while the parents await the parade.

At the stroke of midnight, the parade begins on one end of the city, the troops commence marching one at a time, with each team stopping to perform in front of the eager, waiting cheering crowds. The festive atmosphere completely permeates the city. The parade continues through the city and terminates in the Bo Kaap which is a suburb above the City. The New Years Eve Parade is the commencement of an annual competition which is decided after many more parades like the New Year one, which is held in the following days and weeks. The culmination of the competition sees a winner selceted in numerous categories including best uniform, no doubt that the colours of which plays an important role in deciding who the winner is.

I waited for the follow up Parade later on New Years day, considering it was in daylight, when the Parade happened again, and made sure I was out there, camera in hand, to capture the colourful spectacle. These are some of those images……….. The journey continues…………………………….

Canon 7d, Canon 18-200mm lens f3.5/5.6, ISO 100, F8, 1/200 sec, FL=35mm

Canon 7d, Canon 18-200mm lens f3.5/5.6, ISO 100, F8, 1/200 sec, FL=100mm

Canon 7d, Canon 18-200mm lens f3.5/5.6, ISO 200, F5.6, 1/200 sec, FL=178mm

Canon 7d, Canon 18-200mm lens f3.5/5.6, ISO 100, F8, 1/320 sec, FL=50mm

Canon 7d, Canon 18-200mm lens f3.5/5.6, ISO 100, F9.0, 1/250 sec, FL=140mm

Canon 7d, Canon 18-200mm lens f3.5/5.6, ISO 100, F5.6, 1/100 sec, FL=130mm

Canon 7d, Canon 18-200mm lens f3.5/5.6, ISO 100, F9, 1/800 sec, FL=135mm

Canon 7d, Canon 18-200mm lens f3.5/5.6, ISO 100, F8.0, 1/200 sec, FL=60mm

Canon 7d, Canon 18-200mm lens f3.5/5.6, ISO 100, F8.0, 1/400 sec, FL=170mm