monterey in august

We were meeting our daughter, who was coming from Southern California, halfway - in Monterey. I feel so lucky to live in an area with so many inspiration around, lurking, waiting to be explored...I just need to have my eyes open.

It started by spotting some classic cars in the Wharf while driving through Monterey, then we enjoyed typical coastal atmosphere, watching harbor seals watching us. 

I don't know about you but I consider eating Thai food a visual experience as well.  :-)

We spent the next day strolling around the picturesque city of Capitola (still the Monterey Bay) where I shot one of my five-star photos (link), experienced close encounter with brown pelicans and dissevered surprising beauty in watering fields north of Santa Cruz.

Don't miss the rest of the photos!!

liguria and tuscany

I would like to share another batch of photos from Italy (first part was surprisingly interesting Genova). So much to see around Genova and Florence! Little towns rich with history and beautiful atmosphere:  Lucca, San Gimignano, resort-like Portofino or well known Pisa. See them all HERE.

(photos shown here processed with my presets)

San Gimignano

inspiration from venice

Shame on me, really. My last post was in May! In my defense, touring beautiful cities in Europe, visiting family and friends comes first.

I invite you to have a taste of some of the places I've visited: Genova, Florence, Venice, Prague...

gondolas in Venice

Everybody carries his load...

Thanks to my friend Ona for prompting me to write this revealing testimony (giggle).

Our needs for accessories vary because of our different approaches to photography, or diverse subjects. I've been searching for a camera bag that would suit me and, honestly haven't found anything which would satisfy me completely.
I really don't like so popular fashion camera bags - almost none of them have sufficiently padded straps and the openings are usually too narrow, so it becomes a hassle to put in a "full size" DSLR. I was also looking into backpacks - for either hiking and around the city. Backpacks can hold lots of stuff but they sit directly on the person's back and don't allow for ventilation. Which in California is a big deal, you know, I don't want to have my clothes wet from sweating.

Here is how I carry my stuff, I'm still trying to find the right setup. This is what works for me - a hiker and an active traveler.
(Photos without a location stated are from New Zealand)

 Life before I had a camera was easy - a tiny backpack for water and some food.

I remember laughing a lot.

  

cables to Half Dome (Yosemite NP) and Narrows Canyon (Zion NP)

Narrows in Zion NP

More pictures from New Zealand

I've been massively uploading and flooding friends and family with more photos because I can't just keep those to myself. Only separating the whole chunk of my memories into thematic albums allows me to show them as they deserve. 

I am not showcasing my photography skills but merely sharing the breathtaking beauty of the country.

More photos from Fiordlands, the coast, and urban-like pictures on my Picasa website.

The Fiordlands are a region where you could spend 2 months wondering around with your mouth open. I can only recommend cruises in Doubtful and Milford Sound (even though we strongly dislike organized tourism), especially the overnight trip in Milford Sound, which will occupy #1 spot among our activities in Fiordlands. 

I can't tell much about the West Coast of South Island, we only stopped for night in Franz Josef Glacier area, as we were heading south towards the Fiordlands.

Catlins Coast (south of the South) welcomed us with extremely windy and chilly weather, nevertheless, forest hikes around waterfalls, gorgeous coastal scenery and wildlife made up for it! Even for a terrible hostel in Owaka and the rain!

There was no time to place a rose by the ruined cathedral in Christchurch, as instructed by my friend Suzie, we only had 25 min to get to the airport from the downtown.

We certainly did rush through many places!

Doubtful Sound, Fiordlands

South Island

New Zealand photos

I'm finally getting close to having my photos from our January trip sorted, GPS tagged, and somewhat processed. Simultaneously, I am proccessing my mental images from this beautiful country, who knows how long THAT's gonna take!

Sheep 
(more photos)
Abundant EVERYWHERE! Sitting, laying, huddling together - they will forever be one of three things which would pop in my mind when you say New Zealand. They seemed a bit afraid and curious at the same time. Whenever we stopped on the side of the road they would scatter very quickly, then paused and watched. Their hair is very greasy, even that of little baby lamb.
Did you know that there is more sheep in NZ than people? Surprisingly, it's not easy to find lamb on menus in restaurants, supposedly the meat is expensive there.

Fern

(more photos)

Probably the most recognized symbol of the country. You could find the fern logo on merchandise, guides, on company logos, etc...

Some fern grows tall, into graceful and mysterious plants, which you could easily mistaken for palm trees. Others can be really small, showing funny, caterpillar-like spirals. Add deep green moss, covering the ground like a carpet, fallen logs and even tall trees. 

Magical!

December in San Francisco

You can come again and again and still see the same places (and of course, new ones too) in different light and mood.
Could you get enough of it?

Other photos HERE.

Thanksgiving in Mexico

Don't ask me why I'm posting photos from Thanksgiving at the end of the year!

Leisurely 10 days in Punta Mita, about 20 mins north of Puerto Vallarta. Nothing to do. Just the ocean and sun.

Photos HERE.

Santa Barbara trip 3

I really don't understand how did that happen - my girl celebrated her 20th birthday!

The time spent there feels so relaxing and very "Southern California". Unseasonably warm weather surprised me - I was baking in my fall outfits.
And as always, the drive along the coast on Hwy 1 is worth the time.

Photos HERE.

Sand Dunes Preserve, Monterey

Sea Ranch

The area of this coastal region is really interesting. Due to very strict, environmentally conscious building code, the houses appear inconspicuous, as if blending into the surroundings - which is the intention after all. The style is not something appealing to me but the fact, that the houses fit in so well, is.

The walk along the ragged shore is nothing short of spectacular. Galleries in local town Gualala boast stunning photographs from locate artists - old barns, fences or mysterious forest. Truly a feast for the eyes!

Four days were not enough for me to take pictures I wanted.

More Photos HERE.

processed with my LR preset Vintage Garden, available under "Freebies"

Trip to Bodega Bay

The sole purpose of the trip was to put some miles on my husband's new Ducati bike before its scheduled service, model name: Diavel. Very comforting, right? For the peace of mind (meaning that I'm jealous of his new love and wouldn't let him go by himself!), I decided to follow my jet-lagged dear one in the car.

The first stop was one of our favorite Napa wineries (name Sattui), for lunch and some nice Cabernet Sauvignon. Responsibly, we persuaded a couple of young ladies from Canada to share a half of our bottle with us to ease our alcoholic load for the rest of the journey.

We arrived to Bodega Bay just in time to admire the sunset on the coast which, this time of the year, is more than enjoyable. The next day, my rider outbraved thick coastal fog and we drove back to the wine country for more tasting and then home.

Photos HERE.

my husband's new love

Greece 2011 - Mykonos, Delos and Paros

Here is part 2 and 3 of our journey. 

Mykonos is a trendy place (the town), with picturesque bars and boutiques in those tiny streets. It has two famous icons - ancient windmills and white pelican Petros (about 30 years old they told me). 

Delos is a smaller island just off Mykonos, which was is the hellenistic era a place of great religious importance, and was inhabited (that time) by 40 000 people + 400 000 slaves. Beautiful ruins, if you can say that. 

Paros - a bigger but more quiet place, virtually empty in September, if compared to Mykonos or Santorini. It has beautiful beaches and is frequented by windsurfers.

 

Athens, Greece

I'm posting part 1 (of 4) of photos from our trip to Greece this September.
Two days in Athens (mainland) and two days on each of the islands: Mykonos, Paros and Santorini. Relatively mild September weather was a great plus, although Athens were too dry and hot even for a California girl.

After four previous trips to Greece we could consider ourselves seasoned travelers but still, we got a different taste of the way of life. We landed at 3 am at the airport, checked into the hotel in Pireus (port serving Athens and the part of "fingered" peninsula), only to find that Metro (subway) is on strike. We had to take a bus and fortunately, Acropolis wasn't that far so we were there on time for some beautiful sunrise photos.

For an average visitor, to see Athens in 3 or 4 days is enough. For a crazy person who only photographs in the morning and evening and fills the rest of the day hanging around cafés and tavernas - much more.
(I am not ashamed that one of the high points of our visits to Greece is local food!)
I want to get a photograph of Acropolis, bathing in the morning sun from the opposite hill, and I want to see famous Municipal Cemetery. Oh well, the next time. From Prague, it's only 2.5 hours flight.

Photos - part 1 - HERE.

picturesque streets under Acropolis

Photos from the trip to Sierras

I finally got around sorting and posting my pictures (on Picasa) from the trip we took two weeks ago.
You can find them HERE.

A known fact: for really good landscape photos, one has to be ready to sacrifice morning hours of sleep 
and go the distance - literally - to get them.

Beautiful sunrise

I'm trying to limit the number of pictures I post (to only the good ones). I pains me but my albums fill up too quickly. 

Here is  something for start: sun rising over Sierra Nevada Range, the Eastern side, taken in Big Pine, California, with my brand new ultra wide lens (Sigma 8-16mm DC HSM, f/4.5-5.6), yoo-hoo!!

Canon 7D + Sigma 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM, 
f.l. 8mm, f/7.1,  s.s. 1/100, ISO 200.

Trip to Lake Aloha

My third trip to the lake. Each time we took a differnet route. Each time, my feet were blistered the same.

 High points:
 - Pacific Crest Trail looks like a highway, really. I said "Hi" so many times! It's easier on the way down, though.
- It's not an easy trail, I was surprised to see so many people of all ages and sizes!!
 - I have never seen it so full before, and with snow around! Beautiful!
- not much to add, besides the fact that I took some nice photos.

The rest of the photos are HERE. 

Upper Echo Lake

rock formation by Lake Aloha

Lake Aloha

Lake Aloha again

Upper Echo Lake

a bonus on the way home

Nevada Falls

I have fun doing that. Getting wet and tired, feet blistered, hips hurting. For some reason, the word has spread and hundreds of other individuals want to do the same. The only difference is: I've done it several times already, I know what it is about and still keep coming back. Go figure.

We took friends to Nevada Falls in Yosemite NP. We were really lucky to find a spot for our tent. Recently, the park stopped keeping some of the camping sites for walk-ins, everything is for reservation only and it's booked months in advance.
Getting soaking wet on the Misty Trail is the highlight of the trail. Not so much on the way down, when my body is not being warmed by the steep incline.

After Yosemite, a short stop at South Tufa, on Mono Lake. Just for comparison, here are photos of the area from the last November. Much nicer then, if you ask me.

Then, a step back in time,  in Virginia City, Nevada.

The rest of the photos is HERE.

Half Dome - view from Glacier Point

 

Misty Trail

Olmstead Point

Tufa Reserve at Mono Lake

Virginia City, Nevada

a new LR preset in making, called Wild Wild West, coming soon   :-)

should it have less of the white vignette?

Happy Fourth

Is it not too late to post photos from the 4th of July?   :-)
We spent about 5 days at Lake Tahoe with friends, celebrating, eating and the usual stuff. Hiking on the snow (partially). Well... walking, Gino the Westie has short limbs.

The Incline Village Beach was packed with people of the fourth and so was the entry to the water - with boats! Here is an idea: drive a boat 3-4 hours (for some) and park it at the beach, together with hundreds of others doing the same. They would have to drag me to be there…we only stopped to say hi to our friends who didn't mind the the sandwich situation.

We ate lake trout cooked within 3 hours after being caught. Bliss!

Photos HERE.

4th of July classic

 

our Swedish friends

dinner that took well over 2 hours

Emerald Bay

To be there at the right time

I don't think I get enough of taking photos in San Francisco. I wouldn't dare to claim I was able to get really good pictures, I'm still waiting for THE shot(s). Part of the problem is that the city is two hours drive from us and mostly we are there at the wong time of the day - the mid-day.

This time, we had friends with us (from Europe) who shared (that means with ME) the same thrilling sensation of hunting for good pictures. It was truly a photowalk. We stayed in a motel north of San Francisco so we could walk/drive around the city in late hours.

 Love this bunch of people - the same adventurous family that hiked with us in Sierras and had fun scratching and bruising our hand by shucking oysters in Drakes Bay. Hikers and photographers. My kind.

Photos from the photo walk HERE.

 

Visiting Drakes Bay Oyster Farm

This was our fourth visit to the farm, first time taking the pain of shucking the oysters ourselves. We brought friends as well. It's because we like to watch their faces, contorted with effort and then with not-so-well hidden expression of distaste. It can't discourage me, though. Fresh oysters are too good.
Next time I'm bringing some wine in our super cute picnic basket.
The rest of the photos HERE.

(you can find pictures from our previous trips to Point Reyes National Seashore here and here)