some photos at random

Tags

life, photos

We are settling down into the Summer mood, the weather is starting to get warm in the low 20 C. There are not as many tourists in town as expected and I think that the price of gas and the cost of hotel and air B&B is a factor in keeping people away. We got our 4th shot against Covid Monday, happy I did it.

I also have the impression that the real estate market is about to crash in Canada, the Governor of the Bank of Canada warned that he will be raising the interest rates and mortgage payments will go up by about 30% in the next 5 years. Many people have paid way too much for their homes and the value is simply not there.

Here are some photos which I have been looking at lately.

An iceberg floating by, the house is on the Rock aka Newfoundland which is used to seeing such a sight each Spring.

Portrait by renowned photographer Yusuf Karsh of Ottawa. He took pictures of many famous people including the photo of Winston Churchill visiting Parliament in Ottawa during the Second World War without his cigar. To get the shot Karsh snatched the cigar from his mouth. My parents were friends of his and he took pictures of my mother on her wedding anniversary in the mid-1980’s.

Baby Max and me, visiting his parents who are both musicians. Max took a shine to me, he is only 2 months old but he babbles a lot.

I like this photo, a subtle way to entice people to be more mindful, seems difficult sometimes.

A funny picture, I always wonder how anyone can walk in such shoes without falling flat on your face.

Crows and a Fox painted mural near Barrington Street in Halifax. Two things you see a lot of around here.

A smiling Nicholas II in St-Petersburg around 1900, a rare sight indeed.

A bald Eagle on PEI, they are quite common in rural areas and near the coast.

Something I should wear as a T-shirt, self-promotion. LOL!!!!

Three photos

Tags

life, photos, souvenirs

Here are three photos of places and tradition.

The first one is Canada’s High Commission to the UK in Trafalgar Square. This building was built as the Residence of our Canadian High Commissioner, today it is the Chancery of our mission to the UK. We do not call it an Embassy because the Queen is our Queen so like all Commonwealth Countries we call it a High Commission, quaint name that dates back to Imperial times when Canada was the first Dominion of the Empire.

The second photo is a favourite of mine, Sans Souci the private palace of Frederick II the Great of Prussia. It is more a mansion than a palace and the interior are high german baroque with lots of gold leaf. It was decorate to reflect the personal taste of Frederick and it can surprise visitors. It sits at the top of 6 terraces use as a vineyard. Frederick so loved this place that he asked to be buried with his whippet dogs in the garden on the top terrace. He was finally buried there in 1991.

Sans Souci in the great royal park in Potsdam

A lovely tradition, a crown of Laurel for a University Graduate in Italy. Very festive, worn by all those who graduate, flower shops will make them for you. Families to out to restaurant to celebrate.

From the Italian word Laureato, crown with laurels. This is far nicer than the silly mortar boards we wear in North America.

City changes

Tags

humanity, life, London, photos, Travel, UK, urban

This photo taken in London just recently shows how the city is changing in terms of its architecture and urban design. The photo shows a cluster of tall modern towers next to the ancient Tower of London, it is utterly strange to me and not an image shown in tourism promotion. If those modern towers had been built across the river I would have said ok there is distance and perspective but in this case, no I do not like it at all.

La Toussaint

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La Toussaint, nature morte, paintings, photos

La Toussaint or All Saints day is 1 November on the liturgical calendar. The Feast day of all saints in the Catholic Church. Then All Souls day is 2 November,  a day to commemorate all those who departed this life.

So I thought I would post some nature morte or still life paintings which I always like as a category of paintings in Museums. It requires a great deal of dexterity to be able to put on canvas such complex subject matter or to compose a tableau for the camera.

 

 

 

 

 

Morning photos

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Berlin, capitals, photos, Rome, St-Petersburg, World

Here are photos of 3 cities in the world this morning. I have visited and or lived in these capitals.

A fountain in Trastevere, Rome

A view of St-Petersburg, Russia with of the St-Nicholas Naval Cathedral

A view of the dome of the Lutheran Cathedral of Berlin, extensively restored after the Second World War. The modern wall on the left is the East side of the City Palace being rebuilt now. The interior of the Cathedral are as they were in 1918.