Android Dream

Taken in front of the Chateau de Chenonceaux in the Loire Valley of France. It's alway been one of my favorite photos, but I'm still amazed how much attention it has gotten on Flickr.

Does anyone know what the title is referencing?

Go Bears!

Sunday evening we'll be camped out in front of the television eating Maison du Roti sausages and chili I threw together during the last football game. We'll be suffering through the commercials and faux billboard advertisements from the local feed for what will hopefully be a Bears victory. I'll also be keeping an eye on the shots of people in the stands because this guy will be at the game.


This is a shot of my father (left) and my cousin (right) at a past Bears game. They are probably the most diehard Cubs and Bears fans that I know. My father scored tickets to the game in Miami and will be there in one of the upper corners. He's quite a sports fan and it's great that he'll be there for what can only be described as nirvana for a fan like him.

The guy in the center is an off-the-bench mascot or cheerleader. I think he started coming to games wearing a football uniform and the head of a bear that was obviously taken from a bear skin rug because it tapered to a flat point at the back. So he would spend the game walking around the stadium having his picture taken with everyone and giving high-fives. Then I guess someone in charge decided it would be great to have him on the field. Soon after he was there and waving one of those huge 10ft x 20ft flags that they have at college games. Then at some point during the game he would come back into the stands and do what he was doing before. I'm curious if he will be on the field during the game.

And here's a shot that my sister took of one of the lions in front of the Art Institute including the flag of Chicago. You should go and see her and her boyfriend's photos here. They are both quite good.


The city really has been going nuts for this game. I can't imagine what's it is like to be hearing the hype constantly on every newscast. I've gotten a taste of it when I check into the Chicago Tribune's webpage or that of ESPN. It's always the head story along with a dozen supporting ones. I kinda remember past years seeing how much coverage was given to the game along with the preceding week. For those years, I just flipped the page. But you really get a grasp of how much coverage there is when it's your team. It's really quite something.
Well, the big game is coming. It looks to be an evenly matched one and should be fun to watch.

Go Bears!

Tour Guide

A line of sycamores in the gardens of the Chateau de Versailles, France. Winter 1991-92.

Recently, Patrick, a Flickr member whose pictures I've been viewing regularly, mentioned that he was going to Versailles. So since then, I've been offering what I know about the city and places that I recommend seeing.

It reminds me how much I really enjoy doing this. There is just something inside me that wants to share all the great things that I have encountered. Be it in Chicago, Montreal, Versailles, Paris, or anywhere else I've been. It could be just giving tips before people head there. But of course I'd love to actually be there with them to see what they like compared to myself and also to see how much they enjoy the same things that I do.

Sometimes I'm almost too eager. Taking people on whirlwind tours of the city to see as much as possible. When people came to visit when I lived near Paris, on the first day we would start at the Latin Quarter, see Notre Dame, the Louvre from the outside, walk the length of the Tuileries and the Champs Elysee, see the Arc du Triumph from the outside, then head to the Eiffel Tower likely climbing to the top just before sunset to see the city in the daylight and at night.

But I always enjoy having visitors and taking them on tours of the places we've lived. You could say it is how I met my wife. After returning from my first stay in France, I introduced myself to the French students on the opposite exchange and offered to show them around. In the first month we visited Chicago, Springfield IL, Oak Park, and Pittsburgh on a grand tour of everything Frank Lloyd Wright. We were going out by the end of the tour. Even the following year, I organized trips through a student organization to many of the same places.

Of course the best is to share it with family and good friends. Again, my first stay in France was a bit bitter sweet. On one hand I was experiencing so many interesting things. On the other I could not share it with family and friends firsthand. Eventually that did happen, but it was really just a sampling of the total experience. It's one of the things I'd love to do if we ever won the lottery. Set aside money for each friend and family member, then take a trip with them. Whether it's a cross-country road trip or a trip to another continent. The key would be to share a place they would enjoy seeing.

Blustery

Taken on probably the windiest day of the year last September. This is Parc René Lévesque in the Lachine neighborhood of Montréal.

Pick-up Sticks

In the historic district of Wake Forest, North Carolina. December 2006.

Nyhavn

The Nyhavn (New Harbor) in Copenhagen, October 1991.

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about photoblogs vs Flickr and why I prefer using Flickr. Although it would be fun to have a photoblog (if I had the time) since it is much more formal, I'm really enjoying Flickr.

I know some of the arguments against it such as the format and the fact that browsing images are done by thumbnails which really don't do the images justice. But it is really the exposure, the network, and the lack of pressure on Flickr that I enjoy.

First, it's the fact that anyone, anywhere on Flickr may stumble upon my shots. Users can come in from various avenues such as groups, tags, favorites, or contacts. I have seen photos from a gazillion different users. Whereas on photoblogs exposure can come through word of mouth or photoblog listings. You are likely to find higher quality shots and more talented people as a group, but you have to search.

Second, I really like the network capabilities. I have a photo like the one above in Copenhagen. I can add a Copenhagen tag and add it to groups about Denmark and Scandanavia. That gives avenues for people to see your shots. And with their whole interestingness thing, you can browse the best shots under a specific tag. If I have a great shot of Nyhavn, more and more people will be able to see it.

And lastly, it's the lack of pressure. There are a lot of mediocre shots on Flickr and at time on photoblogs. So what's the big deal if I post a dud. It'll slip into oblivion while the other rise to the top. During the process of posting photos I have also discovered a bit more about my abilities. Similar to architecture, I'm not an avant-garde artist/designer. I tend to be better than the average bear, but not the cream of the crop. I feel photoblogs should be that cream of the crop. My stuff tends to be too concrete or technical or mainstream to be cutting edge artistic. Funny how that kinda reflects who I am.

Also I find it interesting how my photos reach farther afield than my blog. Although the blog is partly about general ideas, there is also a good amount of local content. The combination seems to cater more toward local blogs. Whereas the photos appeal to people from all over. There are three likely reasons why I've been in contact with people all over via Flickr. First, I've been actively participating in groups about Chicago like Guess Where in Chicago. So my Chicago contacts have been on a steady increase. Secondly, it may also partly be due to the fact that most of the photos I post are primarily from locations outside of Montreal such as Chicago or Europe. And thirdly, even if the pictures are local, they don't require background to be understood or enjoyed like say local politics. It's not a huge revelation, but I still thought the difference was interesting.

Regrowth

Taken at the Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary near Naples, Fla late last month. This is a small prescribed burn area that has begun to reemerge. During our stay down there, I kept wanting to see and photograph some indigenous landscapes and plant life. With so much development going on, it's hard to know what is native and what is imported or created. So I was really happy when we went to the sanctuary. They have four different native ecosystems all within walking distance of each other. The areas are a pine flatland, a wet prairie, a cypress forest, and a marsh. Some very different landscapes teaming with wildlife. It was one of the highlights of the trip for me.

Bonita Sunset

A shot from the back door of the place where we stayed in Bonita Springs, Florida last week. It had been raining all day and the sky cleared just before sunset to produce these results. If anyone is interested in information about staying at this place, let me know and I'll forward it to you. I hope to write about some of my observations and impressions of Florida soon.

Marsh Mellow

This picture was actually taken three years ago on our last trip, not the most recent one. We took an airboat tour in the Everglades that started off by visiting the local alligators. One or two of them were fairly trained where the airboat driver would pull up near them and throw them marshmallows. This guy pulled up next to my side of the boat and opened wide for his snack. Although he was rather calm, it was quite hair-raising to have him only three feet away. If you head down that way, it's an activity worth trying to experience. It was also educational concerning the Everglades and the alligators. The full speed airboat ride through the glades was also a lot of fun.

Warmer Climes

We're off to Florida tomorrow. I'm using the last of my paternity leave and heading south to spend time with family over the holidaze. This is a shot from three years ago when we did the same thing. Though this time we are driving. I estimate close to 70 hours of travel and 6000km (3600 miles).

This space should be quiet during that time. The place where we are staying does not have internet access, but does have a computer. I may seek out an internet cafe just to see what's going on. Otherwise I will likely write offline and copy it over later. UPDATE: The place we are staying does not have a computer, so if I write anything it will be longhand.

That said. I expect my presense on the internet will diminish. Not disappear, but I'll probably be posting less often. I've already started to see how life will be getting more hectic, so the correct balance will need to be found between many different aspects. Hopefully it will only mean less frequency and not less quality. I've really enjoyed doing this and will try to keep doing it.

So have a happy holiday season and talk to you again in January.

Parisian Smog

A view of the city from the cupola of the Pantheon in the Latin Quarter of Paris. December 1991.

Dave

Florence, Italy. December 1991

Dusted

I thought this shot would be appropriate given the forecast for wintery conditions. A rare view of snow in the gardens of the Chateau de Versailles in early 1996.

Happy Thanksgiving

To those of you south of the border (US, not Mexico. Though Happy Thanksgiving to those of you in Mexico also.)

This picture was taken at the Jean Talon Market in Montreal this past September. It was our first time there and we were pretty amazed by the size of it. Our points of reference are the temporary markets in Versailles, France that we frequented while living there. This was twice or three times the size of the main market there. In comparison, Jean Talon has an abundance and variety of fruits and vegetables that I didn't remember at Versailles. But Versailles had much more in terms of meats and cheeses. One thing I really liked about Jean Talon is that there is an abundance of local products. Maple syrup, sausages, and oodles of produce. Though maybe I'm just used to the supermarket where it is less obvious where items come from.

This summer was marked by increased exploration of the city and surroundings. It seemed every other weekend we went someplace different. A picnic in Mont Royal Parc, camping in Oka, a trip to Jean Talon, a day at the beach in Parc Orford, and leisurely rides through the countryside. There is still so much to see and it's all an hour or less away.

Paris Pantheon

Taken during a tour we were given of the Pantheon, Paris, France. November 1991.

Drunk in Winter

No, actually it's a sign for caves up in the St-Leonard neighborhood of Montreal.

Don't forget to vote in the Canadian Blog Awards.

Summers End

Taken during a walk in the forests near Sutton, Quebec a couple weekends after the autumn peak in October.

Chicago Screen

This is a piece of art that I noticed from the parking lot of a grocery store when we were in Chicago last summer. It is on a non-descript wall of a Chicago Fire Department building. The screen is quite intricate and it is backlit at night which punches out some of the features even more. I really like how they cobble together so many aspects of Chicago and it's history.

Dutch Pasture

Taken while visiting a new friend in Leeuwarden in northern Holland. November 1991.

Salzburg Fortress

Inside the Hohensalzburg Fortress above Salzburg, Austria. October 1991