Through My Lens: Dolphin Lamp Post
Hundreds of these lamp posts ― the first of which went up during Queen Victoria’s reign ― line the Thames Embankment in London. They’re known as the dolphin lamp posts. That’s because their designer, George John Vulliamy, modelled them after the dolphin sculptures in Rome’s Piazza del Popolo. The “dolphins” along the Thames are actually sturgeon.
Through My Lens: De Fiets
Fiets is Dutch for “bike.” In the Netherlands, there are almost as many bikes as there are people.
Here’s one of them.
Through My Lens: La Fontaine
Fountains say “summer” to me — even though I took this photo in the dead of winter. This particular fountain is called Fontaine de l’Observatoire. It’s in the Jardin Marco Polo, which is directly south of the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris.
Through My Lens: Il Passaggio
Many years ago, I spent an evening at a friend’s place, looking at the many photos he’d taken on his months-long Eurail jaunt. When he got to the last page of the last album, he looked at me thoughtfully.
“You’re the first of my friends to sit through them all,” he said. I smiled. He seemed surprised. I was not.
I am as fascinated by everyone else’s travel photos as I am with taking my own ― particularly when the photos are of (a) places where I’ve been or (b) places where I want to go. And these days, thanks to inventions like Facebook, I get to see a lot of photos. Particularly around this time of year when everyone begins posting their holiday photos.
Since I’m not too motivated to write much right now, I’m going to keep it simple over the next few weeks by posting a series of travel photos of my own. The only link regarding the subject matter is they are all photos of places my dear friends and family have had (or will have) the good fortune to explore this summer. You could say I’m continuing the conversation they started by the photos they’ve shared on Facebook.
First up: a photo I took of a passageway in Siena, Italy, in October 2007.
Through My Lens: Burrard Inlet
There’s always lots going on in Burrard Inlet. Not surprising, since it’s the location of Canada’s largest and busiest sea port.
In this photo, you can see one of those freighters that keep the port hopping. Behind the freighter, to the left, you can just make out three cruise ships docked at Canada Place. And playing chicken with the freighter is the SeaBus ― a passenger-only ferry that plies back and forth across the inlet carrying commuters from the North Shore to downtown Vancouver.
Like I said, lots going on.
Through My Lens: Mayne Island Lighthouse
Although this is technically not a long weekend, many Canadians are taking Monday off work to bridge the gap between the weekend and Canada Day to make it a four-day weekend.
Like me.
I’m off to do some island hopping. And so, here is a photo I took a while back of the lighthouse on Mayne Island from the deck of a BC ferry. That’s Mount Baker in the hazy distance.
Through My Lens: Siwash Rock
Big news this week: Tripadvisor named Stanley Park the # 1 park in the world. The world! We beat out both New York’s Central Park and the Luxembourg Gardens of Paris. Not bad, eh?
To celebrate, here’s a photo of Siwash Rock, one of the park’s most photographed attractions. Its Squamish name is Slhx̱i7lsh.
Through My Lens: Doors of Dublin
Not the best of photos, but it will do for Bloomsday, I should think.
This year is also the 100th anniversary of the publication of James Joyce’s Dubliners — a collection of short stories I’ve not looked at since my university days, but thoroughly enjoyed then.
Methinks it’s time I recommend to my Book Club that we read some Joyce.
World Cup Fever
World Cup Fever has hit Canada bigtime. The last (and only) time Canada had a team qualify for the FIFA World Cup was way back in 1986. Without a national team to cheer for, Canadians as a rule become hyphenated Canadians during the World Cup tournament and cheer for their country of origin.
It can get a little crazy if you live in Toronto’s Little Italy (and not only because it’s right next door to Little Portugal). I watched the 1994 World Cup final between Brazil and Italy with my Italian-Canadian friends (and 50,000 other hyphenated Canadians) at what was then called the Sky Dome where it was broadcast live on the jumbotron. What we didn’t realize until it was too late to move was that we chose to sit smack in the middle of the Portuguese-Canadians ― all of whom were cheering for the team we were not cheering for.
To celebrate the Netherlands’ glorious 5–1 victory over Spain today ― a rematch of the World Cup 2010 final ― this Dutch-Canadian is posting a photo of FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, where that 2010 final was played. During World Cup 2010, the stadium was called Soccer City.
