Aussie Beach Day

Hi People,

Have you had a good Christmas? There is still New Year's to go :)   Yesterday some friends said 'Do you want to go to the beach?' The invitation spread and before we knew it three carloads of people were coming. I took these shots to show you what I love about this piece of coast. A place to throw off the city and just be. Off the tourist track, you'd miss the road if you didn't know it was there. The sun is warm, the air is warm. The sea is just cool enough to be refreshing but not cold at all. People bring picnic blankets, folding chairs, little sun tents, children, dogs and eskies (translation - chilly bins or thermal cooler boxes) of food, or just buy roast chicken and salad on the way and camp out in the shade like we did. Relax and just watch the sea. Eat a bit, swim a bit, go for a walk, fish from the rocks then relax for a while then do it all again as the day fades then pack up and go home. That's an Australian beach day.

Have a happy weekend,

Val.

Merry Christmas from Sydney

Dear Blog friends,
It is Christmas Eve here in Sydney, Australia and amongst my family and friends, the celebrations began tonight. I have a lunch and a party to go to tomorrow then another one the following day!
Because of the way days and times are measured here on planet earth, Australia gets Christmas before Europe and USA does so I'll take this opportunity to say Merry Christmas to everyone.

Thank you for visiting my blog, and for sharing your blogs. Have a happy and fulfilling New Year.
Val.

Take a Picture of That

When you are walking down the street and decide to take a photo of a wonderfully reflective building  and quite by coincidence someone else decides to take a photo, it adds something to the shot, don't you think?

Have a happy weekend,

Val.

Reflections from across the Street

Hello Bloggers,

This photo was taken at the same time as the skateboarder pics in my previous post Summer in the City,  across the street and a bit further down Martin Place, in the Sydney CBD.

Behind this and other wonderful doors are some equally wonderful designer shops but I was on a mission to catch the ferry.

Hope you enjoy my contribution to Weekend Reflections  

Val.

Summer in The City

It's a warm Sunday in the city. Half the population has gone to the beach. The workday hustle and bustle has silenced. What to do? Skateboarding in Martin Place..

Go shopping?

No, let's catch a ferry to the north shore..

Past people doing the Bridge Climb

See those little figures?

It seems like every weekend now there is an ocean liner berthed at the Quay (to the right of the Opera House)

But for a few dollars there is the simple pleasure of the warm air and the sea..

A different part of the city to explore, a charity concert and a hazy sunset ride back.

That little island is Fort Denison, built to defend Sydney from invasion by sea..

A much larger ferry bringing tourists back from Manly beach.

I hope you enjoyed my little bit of summer..

Val.

Edible Reflections

Dear Photo bloggers,

Life is a series of small decisions for most of us. Some people live large and lead revolutions or make decisions that set in motion a series of events that affect many. The whole world knows them.

My life is smaller than that. The only global thing I want to do, ever wanted to do, is to see the whole world. I am setting in motion a series of small decisions that will get me traveling again, camera (of course) in hand. For someone who was born with inherently itchy feet I am a shy person, an observer, anonymous in the crowd. I have never asked a stranger if I can take their photograph. But I will, eventually.  The day before yesterday I did ask a shop owner if I could photograph his cakes and their mirrored reflections.

He owner came out from behind his counter and hovered at my elbow the whole time so I kept it quick.

I don't know what he thought I would do, jump up and run off with the piece of cheesecake I had ordered?

I thanked  him and ate it on the way home.

Happy Weekend Reflections, 

Val.