Surfing in San Juan

It's on my list, but I haven't built up the nerve yet. Still just a spectator, watching with awe.

Old San Juan- New Years Eve

Beach vacations to warm places is how to maintain your sanity in the winter. This time, we decided to spend New Years in beautiful Puerto Rico. A great way to start the year!

Figuring Old San Juan was a good place to bring in the new year, we wandered around in search of a party. We followed the live music to this plaza, not knowing what we would find...


On the way to the party, some random sightings on the streets of Old San Juan.

Adventures in Amsterdam

Even the graffiti in Amsterdam is charming. This was the first picture I took in the city.


I can't explain this. I was watching out for bikes but I wasn't expected a hoard of rollerbladers. They came out of nowhere and then they were gone. Just like that.


One of my favorite things to do is watch outdoor movies. We caught Rear Window the first night in Vondelpark with a blanket and picnic spread, wine and all. Another outdoor favorite- eating!

Subtitles in Dutch! We kept laughing before everyone else.


For those who've never been to Amsterdam, this is their association. For a newbie, I didn't see the big deal. I just ended up cotton mouthed and had to calm down my at first chatty, then paranoid friend.


and the music! I caught the train to Haarlem for the Jazz Festival. I think I am a Jazz Festival junkie. Montreal is my favorite. But have yet to go to New Orleans.

World famous jazz club- Cafe Alto. No wonder I loved Amsterdam. So many favorite things in one trip.

Beautiful Amsterdam

My first time in Amsterdam and I can't believe I waited so long. I loved it immediately!
So warm, inviting, and so colorful... The people, the weather, the scenery...


I love it that you can travel anywhere you need to go by bike. Though it's not so fun when you're a pedestrian. I don't know how many times I almost got run over by a bike.



or you can travel by canoe! The canals were breathtaking.

Photography as Inspiration

"Photography as inspiration" is taken from a quote by Mira Nair, filmmaker.

Here are some of my feeble attempts to do just that.


In Japan



In Montreal- L'Oratoire St. Joseph. The story is that people would come from all over to be healed by St. Joseph and would no longer need their canes.


Montreal Jazz Fest 2009


Private gallery in Montreal (self portrait)


I was there! at the Inauguration of President Obama...

Le Louvre- then and now

Coming to Paris was especially amazing because I hadn't been back in ten years, since I was backpacking with my friend after we graduated from grad school. It was even more fun taking pictures this time because ten years ago, I didn't have a digital camera. I was lugging around my manual- Pentax K1000 and a disposable pan0ramic camera. I came home from a 2 week trip with over 10 rolls of film.

We also didn't have internet booking for hotels and travel, so we would arrive at each city, with our travel book in hand and call around until we found a place with vacancy. We did this for 4 cities! Not fun.

So here is the Louve ten years ago. I think this was taken with the disposable.



And the Louvre in 2009 with my new digital camera (only my second so far)- Sony Cybershot H20, which I love!! It's a huge upgrade to my old Canon Powershot.

Portals

I have a thing for portals or openings. So inviting and I love the symmetry it offers. I notice that I am drawn to these when taking pictures. It's almost an obsession.

The first two are at Hampton Court Palace.



This is the stupid maze in Hampton Court Palace. I'm mad at it because I got lost (duh, it's a maze) and never even found the center. I only went in because the admission was included with the admission to the Palace.


These are the stairs leading up to Sacre Coeur in Montmarte.