Today’s Special: Two Posts!

Posted on March 6, 2017 by mfna

I had a fun week. So much fun, in fact, that I’m going to make two separate posts covering different aspects. This post, is about my recent Caribbean cruise to the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. This was originally planned to be a carbon-copy of last year’s trip, but no sooner was I on board the Carnival Paradise, than I learned the ports of call had been

Carnival Paradise Cruise Ship

changed; gone was the stop at George Town, Grand Cayman, and added was a visit to Costa Maya, just down the coast. That was OK with me, as I’ve been to George Town several times and wasn’t interested in more than lunch ashore. Tulum, on the mainland from Cozumel was where I wanted to go. Truth be told, I was interested in purchasing a replacement obsidian cartouche for my granddaughter. The original never made it home from Florida last year.

So, I said if I ever had another chance…

Learning that Costa Maya offered a second opportunity to photograph Mayan ruins, I was all in. After all, photographing Mayan ruins while on a cruise was my impetus for purchasing a Nikon Coolpix P900 camera with its super-zoom lens. I lugged my camera gear around in the drizzle last year, and didn’t want a repeat experience. I am delighted to report that the Coolpix did an admirable job. It’s got a smaller sensor (16 mpx) than my D7100, and doesn’t shoot in NEF (RAW), but the super-zoom (24mm – 2000mm equivalent) gets you there in a hurry, and the results are excellent for day-to-day

An iguana, perched atop a walwas watching us tourists line up to enter the ancient city of Tulum.

photography. For example, this fellow was watching the tourists lining up to enter.

Tulum is the only evidence of the Mayan civilization on a coast site. The others are all inland, covered by centuries of jungle. Thus, Tulum not only offers great insight into the Mayan society, but also provides unfettered chances for photographing out in the open. The down side? Sunburn!

Perhaps the most iconic image of Tulum that makes the travel pages is the Temple of the Wind God, which sits perched some 39 feet above the seashore.

Temple of the Wind God, Tulum, Mexico

The super-zoom makes photographing this temple a dream of creativity.

Temple of the Wind God

Temple of the Wind God, Tulum, Mexico

The day was so nice that I was able to walk to the other side of the clearing and see the temple from another angle. The Castle Pyramid is the most impressive edifice, but the is also the Temple of Frescos, the Temple of the Descending God (yes, the tilt of the roof is intentional) and more. Despite the richness of the site, experts say it’s a small outpost. Map of Tulum.

Now, how to figure out placing photos on this page without requiring a lot of extraneous text….

Temple of the Wind God

Temple of the Descending God and Castle Pyramid

Temple of the Descending God and the Castle Pyramid.

Oh, I haven’t forgotten Chacchoben (“chak-CHO-ben”). This site was “rediscovered” in 1972, but it wasn’t until 1994 that the Mexican government set to restoring it. Work continued until it was opened to the public in 2002. It’s currently a small site, with only three pyramids restored. As money and time permit, more will be revealed.

The primary pyramid is the Temple Pyramid.

Temple Pyramid at Chacchoben, Mexico

There is ample evidence of other structures under the jungle overgrowth, as some of these photos show.

Temple Pyramid, Chacchoben, Mexico

Chacchoben Jungle Growth

Up next: Fine dining at sea and on land.

45 Years, Give Or Take A Few Months

Posted on May 27, 2016 by mfna

In the summer of 1971, between my freshmen and sophomore years of college, three friends of mine and I took the summer to make a looping trip through the countries of western Europe. I was attending the University of Maryland, Munich Campus at the time, which was central to our trip, and the starting and endpoint of it.

One of the first cities we visited was Copenhagen, Denmark. To this day, I still feel this is one of the nicest cities I’ve ever visited, and Denmark itself refers to Copenhagen as “Europe’s Friendliest City.”

Given the opportunity to take some vacation travel time, I chose to re-visit Copenhagen, and see how it had changed in the 45 years since my last visit.

The wonderful thing about European cities is that the new never replaces the old; it adds to it, enhances it, and sometimes alters it, but centuries-old culture and tradition do not go by the wayside.

https://flic.kr/p/GuqACp

As has been my wont for the past few years, taking photographs is a driving force to my travel-planning decisions. So, I packed my (recently repaired) Nikon and its assorted lenses and off I went.

Walking from the central train station to my hotel (a walk of about two city blocks), my first sight of the hotel nearly filled me with dismay: McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC, Hard Rock Cafe and 7-Eleven were all situated next to the place I was going to call home for the next week.

https://flic.kr/p/HgpYn7

However, my dismay was quickly dismissed, as I soon found out the hotel was 100% Danish, and that I was under no obligation to eat, or even look at, the Americana that abounded.

The week was spent walking and riding (a bicycle as well as buses) around the city. The original weather forecast called for cloudy, rainy weather, but I was delighted that the entire week was partly sunny with temperatures in the mid-60s. Perfect weather for sightseeing and photographing!

Herewith are some of the photos. Of course, no trip to Copenhagen is complete without a visit to the famour Little Mermaid statue, so that’s up first.

https://flic.kr/p/Guqp4T

Other scenes are noteworthy: Tivoli Gardens, Rosenborg Castle, Christianborg Castle, Christiania, Nyhaven, and more.

https://flic.kr/p/HmUAJU

https://flic.kr/p/GCcSGN

https://flic.kr/p/HgpUCy

https://flic.kr/p/GuqrmD

https://flic.kr/p/HgpVvW

As I go through my photos, I may upload more. This is just a teaser: Copenhagen today is every bit a nice and friendly as it was 45 years ago!

Traveling Man

Posted on February 13, 2015 by mfna

The late Rick Nelson once sang about being a traveling man:

I’m a travelin’ man who made a lot of stops
All over the world.
And in every port I owned a heart
Of at least one lovely girl.

Well, except for the lovely girl in every port, I can certainly relate. I grew up in a traveling family, and the bug to move around has remained with me.

Realizing I haven’t updated this site in months, and that I’ve been doing a lot of traveling of late, I figured a short post ought to keep the site from growing too many cobwebs.

In fact, I think I’ll add another post after this one, to describe what I’ve been doing in the world of photography. But, that’s for later.

It’s only February, and already this year I’ve traveled to San Francisco, Boston, and Denver.

View of Denver Train Station Terminal

This weekend I’ll be headed to Florida. And, because I’ve found that I almost have to take a vacation, I’ve booked a trip to Hawaii in April. Will I find myself somewhere new in March? Time will tell.

Sadly, I haven’t been able to photograph as much as I’d like. I thought the trip to Boston might yield some good shots, but I wound up arriving just before the first (of many) blizzards hit New England, and forced me to remain largely indoors. I caught a cold just as I was leaving for Denver, and by the second day there, just didn’t feel up to exploring. The Rockies will have to wait for me another day.

It looks wet, but it’s not. I call it “Spilled Milk.”

I almost expect that I won’t get many shots in Florida, although my camera will be with most. At least most of the time.

Stay tuned.

Sir Fred

Posted on September 25, 2014 by mfna

Well, since this is my blog, and I write for no one but myself (if you happened upon this by accident, then welcome), I guess it’s okay to blow my own horn and pat myself on the back when I feel the occasion deserves it.

This is one such occasion.

Last Saturday, I was “invested” into the Order of Salvador, a chivalric order created by the Salvador Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida to recognize and honor those who have been supporters and contributors. I have been one such for nearly three decades.

Newly Knighted

When I received the “command” (invitation) to attend and be knighted, I was both surprised and honored. I never expected the museum to bestow any sort of honor on me. No, it has been my pleasure over the years to attend the annual dinner, and donate here and there to support the conservation of some of the artist’s masterpieces.

So, I flew to St. Petersburg, tuxedo in hand (in a manner of speaking), and was knighted by Brad Morse, son of the late Reynolds and Eleanor Morse, the museum’s founders. I was presented with a medal to wear at museum events, “chivalrous events” and “affairs of state.”

Knight of the Order of Salvador

The entire ceremony took about two and a half hours. There was first a cocktail social for about 45 minutes, and then I and several others were invested or “elevated” (promoted). We then enjoyed coffee and sweets, and the deed was done.

I then returned to my hotel, changed into my street clothes, and went out to enjoy dinner.

In the grand scheme of things, this won’t change the orbit of the earth or bring on world peace, but it’s a meaningful honor to me, and I’m delighted to have been awarded it.

As a postscript, this was a great opportunity for me to renew my “authentication” of a lithograph I’ve owned since 1980. If it proves to be a real Dalí, I plan to donate it to the museum!

Numbered (42 of 150) and signed lithograph

New Digs, New Paths

Posted on September 15, 2014 by mfna

I’m feeling a little guilty about not having written anything for months, so I’m assuaging that guilt by writing a meaningless update.

Earlier this month I moved into my new home! That’s right, I decided to stop renting and bought a nice little two-bedroom condominium just two miles from my former apartment. It increases my drive to work by 1.1 miles; oh, the horror! 🙂 But as rents were increasing, I found my first mortgage payment and condominium fee combined were less than the rent I was about to pay. Nice timing, if I say so myself!

My photography hobby has been up and down. Mostly up, although I admit I haven’t been out shooting every day like I thought I might. On the other hand, I took a trip out west to Yellowstone and the Tetons (which is the original reason I bought the camera) and had an absolutely fabulous time. Note to self: Post some photos…

Grand Teton Reflected

So, let’s see. Probably the best shot I took from nearly 1,000 I took, was the “postcard” of Grand Teton.

As my eye becomes more critical and discerning, I review my photos and find some that need “fixing” and others that turned out better than I had originally thought. I got a “thumbs up” from Frank Lee Ruggles on one of my Mount Rushmore photos, and that gave me a good feeling. George Through the Trees

While this is a somewhat unusual perspective of a familiar sight, it’s not my favorite. No, that probably has to be the series I took using my 55-300mm zoom at its full focal length.

Now things have settled a bit. This weekend I will fly to St. Petersburg, Florida, where I am to be invested with the Order of Salvador, an honor bestowed upon me by the Salvador Dalí Museum for my dedication and interest in the artist and his work. I am humbled to be so considered.

Let me conclude this meandering missive by declaring my intent to post more often. I’ll also suggest to the one or two readers who might happen upon it that they check out the site where I’ve been posting more of my pictures, the oddly named Ugly Hedgehog.

The Land of Fire and Ice

Posted on March 19, 2014 by mfna

I just returned from my second trip to Iceland.

Why Iceland, you ask? Good question.

Up until a few years ago, I wouldn’t have thought of traveling to a land whose name suggests an inhospitable, desolate, barren waste.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Here is the “slug” from the official website of Iceland: “Iceland is a unique destination that offers pristine nature, breathtaking landscapes and vibrant culture.” It is all that, and more.

Often referred to as the “land of fire and ice,” Iceland is a small, north Atlantic island formed by volcanic activity. It sits on the “Mid-Atlantic Ridge,” which is a fancy way of saying that it straddles the American and Eurasian tectonic plates. As a result, there is a lot of tectonic activity that generates earthquakes, volcanoes and the superheated water below the surface of the crust that provides much of the country’s hot water and electricity. That’s the fire. The ice comes from its location on the globe (Reykjavik, the capital, is the world’s northernmost). Besides volcanoes, Iceland is a land of glaciers, which produce some of the purest water in the world.

Descended from the vikings, Icelanders are a hardy, tenacious people. They are inventive — they have to be, to deal with sometimes harsh conditions. They have a very down-to-earth view which imbues them with a wry sense of humor.

Iceland is becoming a haven for filmmakers! If you have seen Tom Cruise’s “Oblivion,” Ben Stiller’s “Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” or the Ridley Scoot Alien-prequel, “Prometheus,” you have seen scenes of Iceland. The upcoming (when this was written) Russell Crowe feature “Noah” also had filming done in Iceland.

American astronauts training for their first moon landing trained in Iceland, as NASA felt the lava-rich environment best approximated the moon’s surface.

And the food! I was not a fancier of lamb until I went to Iceland. Icelandic lamb sets the bar against which all others are measured!

This shouldn’t come as a surprise, as there are more lambs in Iceland then there are people (estimated population is 320,000 – in a land approximately the size of Virginia or Ohio). Sheep are loosed into the mountains in the spring and left to graze on grasses, herbs, flowers, etc. They are herded in the fall — no GMO here!

Seafood is, of course, the prime food, but they national snack is the hot dog! Their hot dogs have a crackling casing, a moist texture and flavor, and they serve them in a bun with onions, bacon bits, ketchup, mustard and mayo (all are optional. But why not?).

To access some of the more foreboding places, like the Dettifoss waterfall depicted above, one takes a ride in a “Superjeep.” The Icelanders know how to build rough-terrain vehicles, and arctic and antarctic explorers come to Iceland to learn how to make their own.

Truth be told, I don’t know how to answer the question, “why Iceland?” All I can say is that it’s a remarkable place, full of amazing sights, amazing people, and amazing food. This was my second trip. I hope it’s not my last.

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Category Archives: Travel