Wed 06.oct.2010
Walnut Creek, Calif.
Refresher
I've posted these three before, but not as part of this regular series.
reflections in river of trees on far bankReceipt from Mars Hotel, ParisEscalators, shops, and a glimpse of a train
Vintgar, Slovenia § (2004) Reflections in a river of the surrounding woods, mostly on the far bank.
Paris, France § Check-out receipt from the Mars Hotel, near the Champ de Mars. (1990's)
Berlin, Germany § The shiny new main train station. (2007)

OK, the rest are from my recent wanderings, not previously posted.

Rows of yachts, Venetian buildings along waterfrontRocky breaakwater along Adriatic
(2007)
Piran: Slovenia's gem on the Adriatic. From the tip of its little peninsula, you can see northward along the coast to Italy and south across the bay to Croatia.


Tan colored building reflected in inner harborSmall plaza, tree, silhouette of bicyclist
I think that all of the picture taking I have been doing the last couple of years has been teaching me something. At least, when I go back to these 2007 photos with my current eye, very few look fit to show. How can I have spent the day in so picturesque a maze of twisty little streets, and have so little to show for it? What the hey, it is a good excuse to return there in the future. (Piran is also a popular day trip from Venice, and vice-versa.)
Leaving Piran, an absurdy meandering bus ride down the coast brings us to...

Rovinj, Croatia, (2007).
Another former Venetian gem on the Adriatic.
Limestone spit in clear shallow watersPlastic cow in lab coat with stethescope, in modern lobbyModern shop front, sign in Turkish




*poit*

Forward to 2009. The cow with a stethescope greets you in the front lobby of the American Hospital in Istanbul. The shop window is in a near by part of town that could pass for a modern neighborhood in any capital in Europe, except for the language. Even with the language, it could be parts of Berlin.

Roofs, blue sea with white sails, hills across the water. Colorful shop window with touristy hanging lamps
Looking out over the Sea of Marmara from near Topkapi palace, you could almost swear you were in San Francisco.

The old, but kind of touristy, Sultanahmet neighborhood has color and character. I made it my base in Istanbul.


Back-lighted wisteria vine with blossoms Stone Lion, in sphinx pose
A bit of wisteria in the lane between Topkapi and Aya Sofia.


*poit*

Suddenly, without warning, we are in... Hamburg, up near the North Sea, looking at a very regal stone lion. There is a bad joke in here somewhere about big cats making good Hamburgers, but naturally I have far too much dignity to think of such a thing.


Pair of ducks glaring at each other Shop Sign, "LSD Store"
And in that case, it would be downright foolish to riddle the paradux of a pair of duck Hamburgers.


In the Hamburg main station, something you couldn't make up, though come to think of it, somebody must have made up this shop name. That is not a little butane lighter; it is a big sign.

What do they mean by such a name? If I knew, I probably would not admit it publicly.


Arched window in bright yellow 19th-century building Line of outdoor tables, some with a customer
*poit*

again to Banska Bystrica, central Slovakia (2009).

Then

*poit*

and we are in Athens. (2009)

I finally learned more about these brown stone churches that are so ubiquitous in Athens. They are called Byzantine churches, and I assume that is exactly what they are.


Looking up aat a corner of an Athenian brown church. Spiralling bare tree branchesSide-lighted palm trunk, detail

So there we are: a fistful of photos to fill in the hiatus.
Next departure is planned for Friday Oct 22nd, unless the medical folks come up with a persuasive reason not to. Destination? Probably straight to Rhodes for the winter.
up!!  ĦĦumop
ĦĦhasta luego!!

Next: Rhodes Again"
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