Flying dogs

Had the opportunity to spend a week in New York City, and I had a bit of time before my flight back home to London, so I went for a 4 hour walk through Manhattan.

I actually took quite a few pictures, but I didn't really like too many. However, I thought this one was funny, I call it "Flying dogs", as the dogs were so excited to get into a fight they only managed to have one out of the potential eight legs on the ground...

How to attract tourists

Funny how creative small villages by the sea can become in order to promote the two most important sources of income, beaches and parking tickets. Here, a small village displays hints of ingenuity by combining these two: Watch the policemen have palm trees growing on top of their heads! Amazing stuff!

Leeds Castle Kitsch

It was suggested to me that I should go see Leeds Castle. It is indeed really precious. The picture I took here however is pretty much "Kitsch", I thought. And yes, the swan was really there, no Photoshop applied. Anyone for postcards?

Coffee maker

Went to a photography tour in London City with a couple of friends. Amazing how much time you can spend within a square mile if you only pay enough attention to details. Some of the things we saw however were not exactly small. The Lloyds building is apparently famous. We were told it is called a gigantic coffee maker. Couldn't agree more. Sure looks the part.

I thought some of the reflections were really amazing...

...but there was one place which was really magical. Couldn't believe something like that can be found in the heart of London City. Just had to go back again a few days later, it was all quiet...and that was even more touching...and beautiful.

Any colour you like

The beauty of working in the UK is that you can have an off-site meeting with the team at really nice places. No dull hotel with boring food in the middle of nowhere, but a place where the sun shines and the sea invents new colours by the moment. Lovely.

How to spend a day at the beach

How to spend a day at the beach? You could chill out a bit and watch other people enjoying their beach life...

...or maybe watch wheels in the sky...

...or you could watch a bit more interesting stuff being moved by the wind....

...or you could just look out for a nice place to rest...

...or if you are lucky you could find a place with a view where they serve a chilled pint or maybe two...

Sweet Thames Flow Softly

This weekend I went to see the HMS Belfast, a huge WWII warship, which has found its final rest on the River Thames, between London Bridge and Tower Bridge. While there were a lot of things to take pictures of as you would expect, I thought these three boys looking out over the river with their sea cadet hats were funny.

Going to California...

Went on a trip to San Francisco for a week or so. Football was all over the place, and I guess San Francisco 49ers scored quite nicely.

Also found a bit of time to rent a bike and cruise along the coast down south, but I felt the weather wasn't quite as nice as last time round...got soaking wet and stopped after only a few hours.

 

Was strolling along Fisherman's Wharf, and thought the three guys weren't particularly trustworthy. Certainly I felt I would have had a hard time buying a liferaft from these guys. Lucky me, I didn't need one that day... 

San Francisco might have changed a bit over the last two years, I thought. While on the surface everything was still sunny style California, I felt it had become a bit poorer. 

Mere weeks before Christmas

Winter has arrived, dry whispers of cold...

...but now is the time: Cocooning with our warm and cosy blankets, our warming fires. Wiping the frost off the windows, and watching glistening jewels of light in all these Christmas trees...

What I saw this week...

...was people looking for fun at night

...a bit of wishful thinking by men in dark suits...



...and a hairy nose...



Tourists

Had a friend and his 14-year old niece over this weekend. She hadn't been to London so we went to some of the usual suspect tourist attractions. Weather was nice and I particularly liked the light around the Thames river on that sunday

Despite Tate Modern just being a two minute walk from my apartment, passing by the building on my daily commute, I am still amazed by the looks of it, every time.

Also made a short movie when I saw the people gathering in the generator hall of Tate Modern, might post it here some time soon



Portobello Market

Spent a bit of time at Portobello Market last weekend...it's nice for a couple of hours on any given Saturday morning, but don't expect any bargains to be made...

Thought the army of teddy bears was funny.

No, the lady wasn't real...

 ...but if she would have been, I am sure she would have probably lived in one of these nice apartments.

Was nice after all, but I didn't buy anything in the end.



Bright was the day...

Bright was the day, and blue the firmament; Phoebus of gold his streames down had sent to gladden every flow'r with his warmness...

Well, not really...went to Beachy Head on the motorbike, together with a friend and former colleague. Was freezing cold and I guess we were happy to be back after 6 hours...will be back in spring. Very beautiful landscape....

Going to see the sea

Spent a nice day with my cousin in Whitstable, some 45 miles away from London. It's a cute little village by the sea, well worth the trip. Famous for its oysters, one can stroll along the beach for hours and watch the boats come and go. Great fun!

Shadowplays

Me and another million people....went to see Notting Hill Carnival. From all the pictures I took I actually liked the shadowplays the most.

This was a bunch of three girls watching the carnival from the other side of the road. Sun was amazing in the afternoon, creating wonderful shadows.

Went there with a colleague and friend of mine, she is Chinese, and we then went to have some authentic Chinese dinner in her favourite restaurant....really nice food...

Anyway, here are at least some of the pictures I took of the Carnival people

I liked the two younger girls, they were very enthusiastic about the dancing...

A visit to Blenheim Palace

Went to see Blenheim Palace just the other day, about an hour drive from London...

Some pretty impressive stuff, but one would wonder if some of these signs are really really necessary...

Anyway, I thought it was a pretty overwhelming set up, and a nice front porch for having friends over...

...but then again I found that sometimes the most beautiful things in life might actually be smaller than the obvious ones

Sunny Sunday by the sea

Went to Brighton on my motorbike, just to see the sea and get some fish'n chips.

It was really nice, and despite me having been here before, I enjoyed my stay...very British

People were relaxed (well, it was BEFORE the match...;-))

But some might not have been too relaxed a little while later (AFTER the match), but I was gone by then...

My short trip to Havana, Cuba

Went to see Havana for some nine days in February. In short, handsome people serving chilled Mojitos, nice weather, huge waves, boring food.

The old ladies were really stoned....but apparently enjoying themselves...

I asked the owner how much he would want for his old car. Some 30.000 CUC was his answer, which would be around 25.000 EUR.....sorry, didn't have that much with me....

I do like this next picture....represents a lot of Cuba for me

The next picture I am very proud of: Took me almost two hours to get a cool picture combining the huge waves and something else in the foreground...anyway, the boys really got wet, let me tell you....

Isn't that a typical Havana image?

All the girls were turning their heads for the soldier boy....you can tell by a look in his face how proud he was

When I walked into a local market I almost couldn't believe my eyes; the boys aiming to be a new Capablanca while the meat was just put on the table....for hours that is, no fridge....hungry, anyone?

I think this is my favourite picture. Guess it speaks for itself...