Venice - the city built on a sea

I have finally finished editing the photos from my August 2011 Spain/Italy trip. Huzzah!

My last stop was Venice, the city built on a sea. It is such a surreal city, with the canals winding throughout the streets of colourful buildings. Venice is one of those real romantic cities of the world.  In fact I think most of the tourists were couples. Just imagine gliding down the canals on your own private Gondola boat at sunset, followed by a candle lit dinner under the stars with a lovely bottle of wine. It just oozes romantic, doesn't it? Well not when your traveling with two male friends...FAIL.

In any case, we did manage to have a great time.

Venice Canals

On first arriving to the main island in Venice, we were quite surprised by how difficult it was to get around. First of all the ferry system was confusing and expensive. Traveling by foot was no easier. Everything on the map looked so close, but there were several ways to get to each landmark, and if you lost your bearings, it was quite easy to get lost in the winding narrow streets.

The winding streets of Venice

So about those romantic candle lit dinners. Yes we did it...and it was good, although somewhat expensive. As usual, i can't help but photograph my food, and this one was a top dish. Sage and butter gnocchi that melted in your mouth, accompanied by a glass of red wine and good company. Life is good. 

Dining out in Venice

Red Red Wine, Venice

About those romantic private Gondola rides...yes we did that as well. haha.

Gondola ride, Venice

 I loved the colours of the houses in venice and how they stack them in nice and close. Just like a big game of Tetris.

Gondola ride, Venice

Gondola ride, Venice

So that's the view from the lens of Venice, Italy. A charming place which I may have to visit with an girl in the future.

New England Gems - Gostwyck Chapel and Ebor Falls

After years of promising a visit to my best mate who lives on college at the University of New England, Armidale, I finally kicked my butt into action and hit the road for the surprisingly beautiful New England Region. We had grand plans of a photography weekend, but alas, the weather turned against us. Regardless, we tried to make the best of the fleeting moments of sunshine.

First up we visited Gostwyck Chapel, Uralla. “Gostwyck” refers to Gostwyck Station, a grazing property which has been owned by the same family since its establishment in 1834. Gostwyck Chapel was built in 1921 after World War I, in memory of Clive Collingwood Dangar (1882-1918). I had never heard of this place before, but the photos i saw from a quick google search were enough for me to lock this spot in for the weekend. During the various seasons of the year, the Chapel takes on different colours, especially during autumn, where the leaves turn red/brown. Since my visit was towards the latter stages of Spring, the Chapel was covered in green. I would have loved to have seen the inside, but unfortunately it wasn't open.

Gostwyck Chapel, Uralla, NSW

Gostwyck Chapel, Uralla, NSW

Following this, we had a fantastic wine/beer tasting and lunch at Eastview Estate winery, Kentucky. Unfortunately I did not take any photos here, possibly due to having consumed a fair few alcoholic beverages. I can say however, that this place is a true gem of the New England region and i strongly recommend a visit. The owners, Steven and Lyn Dobson, run the place and were there to greet us at the door. We were quickly shuffled into the beer tasting room where we were offered a taste of 8 different types of beers and then several different types of wine. Each glass had a story behind its making and it was fantastic to listen to Steven explain each brew. Not being an avid drinker of wines,  I still stick by one my favourite lines from the comedian Danny Bhoy..."tastes like crushed grapes". In any case the experience was well worth it. If your ever up that way, be sure to check out Eastview Estate.

So after a lunch fit for a king, we headed off to Ebor Falls located on the Guy Fawkes River, Ebor, NSW. After setting up and taking a few photos, the heavy set clouds rolled over and decided to throw down some rain. We packed up for a while and drove off to another spot which turned out to be a dud. Meanwhile storm clouds had passed and we decided to return to Ebor. Fortunately for us it had stopped raining and we were able to photograph the falls. The picture below is of the he upper falls, which refers to both sections of the falls that are shown. Collectively, the falls tumble 115 metres over columned basalt rock. The lower falls are situated nearby, but we were not able to photograph them. 

Upper Ebor Falls, Ebor, NSW

Upper Ebor Falls, Ebor, NSW

So there's my view from the lens of Gostwyck Chapel and Ebor falls, both well worth a visit if your ever in the New England Region.

Cheers
Roy

Cinque Terre, Italy - stunning coastal views, rustic vineyards and amazing tetris towns

Welcome to Cinque Terre, a beautiful stretch of the western Italian coastline. The name literally means 5 lands, which in this case refers to the 5 villages - Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. The coastline, the five villages, and the surrounding hillsides are all part of the Cinque Terre National Park and have been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site. And you'll soon see why. The 5 villages of Cinque Terre are connected by a coastal walkway. It provides some stunning views as you walk along the coastline between the villages. Some of the paths were quite easy and while others were steep and a little tiring (especially in the heat). Overall, definitely worth it for the views.

 

My first stop was Monterosso. The largest and most touristy town of the five. The town itself and the beaches were beautiful. Unfortunately, the hoards of crowds were a little off putting. I stopped here only for a short time. A quick drink (it was rather hot) and some photos and then i was off to the next town.

Monterosso, Cinque Terre, Italy

Given its proximity to the sea, much of the Cinque Terre life is based in and around the sea. Boats are scattered along the beach (as shown above). Below is a life saving device belonging to what i assume to be a boat club.  

Boat club of Monterosso?

Being such a popular tourist destination, Monterosso (and all the villages for that matter), have several restaurants and gift/souvenir shops. Pictured below is a restaurant which caught my eye. I didn't eat there, it just looked like a nice place. 

Monterosso, Cinque Terre, Italy

After the first hot and tiring walk, we arrived in Vernazza. Probably my favourite of the towns. It was quite small compared to Monterosso, but full of life and another popular destination tourists. I stopped here for lunch here, which almost turned out to be the lunch from Hell when a wave crashed over the breakwall, flooding the outdoor dining area of the restaurant which i was at. Some people were injured from the freak wave, luckily, myself and my camera were safe.

Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy

The streets of Vernazza were stone pathed, with businesses and housing lining the sides of the street. Pictured below is one of my favourite shots of Cinque Terre (maybe the even the whole Italy trip). I doesn't show anything particularly beautiful, but i think it captures the essence of the Cinque Terre villages. 

Sunset in the streets of Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy

After another hard walk (possibly the hardest and longest), I arrived in Corniglia. Another beautiful town! A small portion of the town is built on a hill that hangs precariously over the water. It's amazing how many houses they can cram into such a small place.

Corniglia, Cinque Terre, Italy

While walking to the next village, i stumbled across this house which sat on the hill overlooking the water. No matter which way you looked, there was something of beauty here.

The hillsides of Corniglia, Cinque Terre, Italy

Apart from being well known for its beaches and coastal walks, Cinque Terre is also a producer of wine. The walking trails take you in and around the hills where the vineyards are situated. I purchased a bottle, which at the time thought was a sweet white dessert wine. When i returned to Australia, I excitedly opened the bottle only to find out it was a highly potent bottle of liquor, yuck! 

Cinque Terre Vineyards, Italy

Being so close to sea means that Cinque Terre is also known for its seafood dishes. When i saw the dish pictured below on the menu I just had to try it. And it was delicious!

Stuffed mussels in a tomato sauce, Yum. Cinque Terre, Italy.

Sadly the walk between Corniglia and the next town along, Manarola, was closed, so I missed out on photos from that section of the walk. Manarola, as you can see below, is another city perched on a hill. Manarola was also a popular destination for swimmers, although there was no beach here. People were just swimming in the cove, with the breakwall providing the protection from the waves. Given my lack of swimming ability at the best of times, i was reluctant to dive in, specially since i would not be able to touch the bottom.

Manarola, Cinque Terre, Italy

The walk between Manarola and Riomaggiore was by far the easiest, fairly flat and paved most of the way. Riomaggiore was a small town, with a very small beach as you can see below. The houses in Riomaggiore (and most of the other villages) were arranged in a tetris like fashion, with many different colours splashed on the walls. A spectacular site to behold.

Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre, Italy

So there is my view from the lens in Cinque Terre. Sadly, the region was recently hit by floods. Several people died and much of the villages and coastal walks were damaged as well. I hope in time that it is restored to its former glory and I highly recommend you visit when it's back up and running.

Rome - ancient buildings, beautiful fountains, spectacular churches and a damn fine bowl of pasta

In August 2011, I spent a 1.5 weeks in Italy (not enough i know). My first stop was Rome, a city that offers ancient buildings, beautiful fountains, spectacular churches and a damn fine bowl of pasta.

Modern Rome is very much a tourist city, with many Ancient Roman landmarks located within close proximity. In fact if you think about, Rome was probably designed to be walked around all those years ago, hence why most of the major landmarks are within walking distance. Here is a photo of the busy Via Nazionale (Nazionale Street), one of the busier streets close-by to where I stayed.

Via Nazionale (Nazionale street), Rome

Rome is a city well known for its fountains, in particular, Trevi Fountain. It was an Ancient Roman custom to build a fountains at the endpoint of aqueducts that brought water to Rome. According to a trusted source i know (AKA Wikipedia), legend holds that if a visitor throws a coin into the fountain they are ensured a return to Rome. Another legend says that two coins will lead to a new romance, and three will ensure either marriage or divorce. Yet another legends says that it is lucky to throw three coins with one's right hand over one's left shoulder. I'm not one to believe in these sorts of things, but i did throw a coin in (just in case). 

Trevi Fountain, Rome

When people think about Rome, they almost definitely think about the Colosseum (and maybe Gladiator). Whilst I had seen photos before, it was amazing to stand inside the Colosseum and to appreciate the enormity of the structure. In it's glory days it would have been something special.

The Colosseum, Rome

The Vatican is another place on the "must visit" list in Rome. In some respects it lived up to its reputation and in others it fell disappointingly short. It is no doubt a place of beautiful architecture etc, but for the so called home of the Catholic Church, I couldn't help but notice the lack of spiritual feeling there. Perhaps it was the hoards of tourists, but the Vatican (mainly St Peter's) did not feel like a church or place of worship. Never-the-less it was a beautiful place. Below is a picture of a stained glass window behind the Sanctuary of the Altar in St Peter's Basilica. A simple yet stunning piece of artwork. Also featured is the roof of St Peter's Basilica. How they painted something this large and so beautifully amazes me.

Stained Glass Window, St Peter's Basilica, Rome

The inside of the dome in St Peter's Basilica, Rome

 Below is another water fountain. This one was a little different in that it featured human-like and animal/beast like creatures. Nothing more to really say about this.

Water fountain (opposite the Pantheon), Rome

As mentioned earlier, Rome offers many ancient buildings, and they don't come any more ancient than The Pantheon, a nearly 2000 year old building. Amazingly the building is still in very good condition. Originally, The Pantheon was a pagan temple, but later was converted to a church.

The Pantheon, Rome

The roof of the Pantheon, Rome

 The Vatican is well known for its churches and buildings. However, St Paul's Basilica, in the southern part of Rome, seemed to me a far better attraction for several reasons. An equally beautiful basilica when compared to St Peter's, this church had fewer tourists and a much better vibe about the place. The dome of the Basilica was decorated with a golden mosaic artwork which was spectacular. How they create such amazing details with broken bits of tile is wonder to me.

St Paul's Basilica, Rome

The mosaic artwork on the dome of St Paul's Basilica, Rome

And lastly, the food. I was very much looking forward to trying real pasta and pizza in Italy. My first few meals were rather average (touristy type pizza and pasta). I wanted the real traditional stuff. Finally I was directed to a restaurant in the Jewish Quarter of Rome. It proved to be super hot tip as this pasta was probably the best I've ever eaten. A spaghetti carbonara with crispy chunks of bacon...drool.

Spaghetti Carbonara, Da Giggetto restaurant, The Jewish Quarter, Rome

 So there's my view of Rome from the lens. Stay tuned for Cinque Terre and Venice.

WYD 2011 Madrid - Viva La Espana

In August 2011, I was fortunate enough to travel to Spain for World Youth Day (WYD) 2011, a Catholic youth gathering with more than 2 million youth from around the world. The trip was fantastic, both in terms of the spiritual and photographic opportunities which i was exposed too. Here's a selection of photos which will hopefully convey some of what i experienced.

I travelled to Spain with a group from the Maitland-Newcastle Diocese. Our first stop was Bejar, where we would spend the first 5 days of our trip. Bejar is a beautiful small town of 15 000 people, located around 3 hours west of Madrid. In the winter months, the town boasts some nice ski fields (at least that's what we were told). However, we were there towards the latter part of the Spanish summer...and boy did we feel the heat. Never-the-less, Bejar, was a still a beautiful sight to behold. Below is a shot of the river that cuts through the town. Once upon a time, Bejar boasted several textile factories (the white building below). The factories are not in working order anymore, but they still allow you to picture the Bejar of old.

Bejar - the river and abandoned textile factory

During our time in Bejar, we learnt a lot about the Spanish way of life. In particular, we noticed that the people of Bejar loved to frequent their local parks (which incidentally also had free wi-fi). From morning till night (and i mean 11pm) families, young and old, would wander through the park, sitting and chatting, or exercising on the park's gym equipment. There certainly seemed to be a culture around spending time in the park. Below is a photo which captures some Spanish Senors taking a stroll in the park.

Spanish Senors strolling in the park, Bejar

The Spanish have a strong Catholic tradition and their churches certainly show it. Decorated with gold and beautiful statues. Here's a few photos to give you an idea.

Crucifix

Sanctuary behind the altar

Statue of Mary

Lectionary for morning prayer in Spanish

 After our few days in Bejar, we moved on to Madrid for the main festivities of WYD. As i mentioned earlier, there were approximately 2 million people gathered for the event. Yes it was crowded and very hot, but the experience was worth it. Captured below is one of the more peculiar moments of WYD. The heat was crippling during the mid-day sun. To the rescue came Madrids finest fire fighters, spraying the crowds with their hoses. As you can see, everyone was enjoying the free shower.

Fireman (Sam) to the rescue!

So yes, it was hot...and we were thirsty. And for a hard earned thirst, you need a big cold Sangria. And the best cold sangria came from the Art and Wine Bar in Madrid. Sangria became a daily ritual. 

Sangria!

So that's my short teaser of Spain. Would i go back in hurry? Absolutely, there is so much more to see. Viva La Espana

I'm a photographer, not a criminal!

I'm a photographer, not a criminal!!! more on that a little later.

It's been a long while since my last blog, overseas travels and life in general (laziness) have kept me away. Today is my less than grand return to the blogosphere...

My photobuddy, Kane, was back from Armidale for the weekend. It has almost become a ritual that whenever he is back in Newcastle we head out for a photography session. We had grand plans for a sunrise shoot at Dudley rocks, but with the terrible storm overnight and the rain/clouds this morning, that option was ruled out pretty quickly. Instead we headed in to town for breakfast at 3 bean cafe (eggs benedict...drool!) and then off for a photo session. 

We headed to Newcastle Train Station, a spot that i had been thinking of for a while now. I had the composition for the shot pretty much worked out in my head out before i even got to the platform. We set up and started to fire away a few shots when we were interrupted by a City Rail employee (in an angry tone), "what are you guys doing?" Me, "umm taking photos of trains...is that ok? The employee trudged off. A few minutes later another employee walks up to me "Do you have permission to take photos on the platform? You'll have to talk to the station master". I reply "sorry i didn't know it was illegal to take photos in a PUBLIC place". He walked away...Kane and I kept shoot. It's almost as if they assumed i was going to do something illegal...seriously, i'm just a photographer, not a criminal. <Rant Over>

Anyway, after taking a number of pictures i realised that my preconceived photo composition wasn't quite working. I changed tact a little and a new view caught my eye. Sometimes its just funny that the shot photo you weren't planning to take turns out to be much better than the planned shot. 



Anyway here it is, edited in Lightroom.

Newcastle Train Station

Cheers
Elroy

The winter glow

After a few weeks of rain and wind, finally we've had some good weather for landscape photography. On friday 29th July, i headed down to Cold Tea Ck, Belmont. I have photographed this location before, but nature didn't really turn it on for me that day. I wandered on the the jetty and looked out over the lake...I had a feeling that this day would be better. The windless afternoon produced a glassy lake and the winter glow of the sun as it set proved to be a magical sight. I quickly set up my tripod and worked on my composition, trying to include enough of the jetty to get the reflections on the still water and enough of the sky to get the gradient of colours. As the sun dipped below the horizon, the few slivers of clouds in the sky lit up and threw their reflection on the lake. Overall, i am pretty happy with this image, but would have like a touch more cloud cover to really give this image some pop.

Image edited in Lightroom.

Cold Tea Ck Jetty (Squids Ink), Lake Macquarie

India - my secret beach paradise

India...my secret beach paradise!

I can already hear you thinking - "beach paradise...really?" Well read on and you will soon see what i mean.

The last stop on my Jan 2011 holiday was India. First up, Delhi and Agra, then to my home town, Goa.

We couldn't visit the north of India without seeing the Taj. We were lucky enough to see the taj at sunrise and sunset. Amazing! I don't think my picture does it justice. We were also able to walk into the taj, pictures were not permitted inside.

Taj Mahal, Agra

We also visited another Mughal historical site called Fatehpur Sikri. The architecture here was amazing and the colours of the buildings were rich with earthy tones of red and brown. This is one of the doorways i liked. Notice the intricate symbols above the doorway, probably all handcarved.

Doorway, Fatehpur Sikri

One of the eye catching scenes in Agra were the endless fields of crops. It was a real sign that India is still very much a country that lives off the land. Sure they have the big cities, but as you move out things seem to be stuck back in a time gone by. The following image kind of brings out this "days gone by" feeling. I don't think you would see this in most farming towns these days in Australia.

Ox and cart carrying wood

So you are thinking..."where is this beach paradise?". Well here it is. Ladies and gentlemen i give you, Goa.

Cab de Rama was an old Portuguese fort. Here we are standing at the top of one of the vantage points, quite some way above sea level. What a great spot! looks like something out of a getaway TV commercial. Pictured here are my fellow travellers, the TVI crew (Thailand, Vietnam, India Crew)

 

Cab de Rama, Goa

Another beautiful spot in Goa, is Dona Paula. Clear waters and a stunning coastline. Interestingly there is good fishing here too. I lost an absolute lunker some years ago off the jetty at Dona Paula.

Dona Paula, Goa

The following photo was taken in Betalbatim. My aunty lives in this village (suburb). I was actually riding my scooter to the beach when i saw this and just had to stop for a photo.

Reflections on the lagoon, Betalbatim, Goa

One of the real pleasures of Goa are the beaches and the beach shacks. Food and alcohol only steps away from the temperate seas. This is living!

Betalbatim Beach, Goa

And just to cap it off, a beautiful sunset.

Oh what a feeling, Betalbatim, Goa

So there you have it, India. It's more than just the taj mahal and scenes from slumdog millionaire. Hopefully next time you are planning a holiday you will consider Goa. I've even got a place you could stay.

Cheers
Roy