SEASIDE IN ITALY
The cool breeze coming into the room as I write this reminds me how far we are from our July trip to the south of Italy. Warm days and warm nights. The relentless heat that will melt your gelato if you don’t slurp it up quickly.
SHOT WITH X100F
SIMPLY 60
Most of my friends are all turning 60 this year. Simply 60. Has a warm ring to it doesn’t it? Could it be the name for a popular new TV show? Perhaps a new drug; “Simply 60… Something wonderful to sooth what ails you”. I’m not sure I’m able to get my head around it quite yet.
In a few weeks it will be my turn, but on this weekend in Algonquin Park we were there to celebrate my dear (old) friend Gary’s milestone along with his wife Gill and my sweetheart (not even near 60) Alice.
What better way to enter into your sixth decade than with old friends, savouring the sheer magnitude of something much bigger than any of us (that would be you mother nature). And because this was Arowhon Pines, the food was both magnificent and plentiful. if we couldn’t eat like we did in our thirties we certainly gave it our best effort.
We tend to mark our big birthdays with something important, something that we’ll remember. Or we don’t. I’m more in the latter camp. More of a “call me from my cave when it’s over” sort of guy.
At another dining table they were celebrating a fellow’s 95th birthday. They’ve come every year to honour him (father, grandfather and great-grandfather). I think that’s wonderful. He was still pretty agile for a 95 year old and he looked like the happiest guy there. Maybe that’s the secret. Every decade is a good decade, every year is a good year. Every day a good day. Carpe diem!
SHOT WITH FUJI X100F
THANKSGIVING 2018
I'm writing this on November 11th, Remembrance Day here in Canada. Today marks the 100th anniversary of the ending of the first world war. Commonly referred to as the war to end all wars.
It seems appropriate to finally be getting around to posting a few Thanksgiving images from last months trip to Port Cunnington, Ontario just outside of Algonquin Park. Today should also be called Thanksgiving. Here's a thought, let's call every day Thanksgiving and hope we keep everyone in the moment and maybe prevent all the crazy world leaders from starting WWIII.
Over dim sum this morning we took a moment (a minute actually) to stand up and honour those that fought and made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. For the first time in my life the thought that we've learned nothing from the last 100 years seemed too real.
So today I'll give thanks again and again and again. And I will remember again and again and again.
SHOT WITH X-PRO2
BARCELONA + MADRID
Oh, Spain, I think we hardly know you. After 11 days in Barcelona and Madrid, I think it's fair to say we barely scratched the surface. While I've been to both cities over 30 years ago, they both appeared like a fresh slate to me. My memory doesn't work the way it used to. Other then the Sagrada Familia this was all new.
It was very comfortable visiting these cities. The language barrier was likely more of an issue then in Berlin or Hamburg, but there was always someone who spoke some English. And Alice did a stellar job of learning enough Spanish to somehow guide us through the rough spots.
This was a vacation done at a reduced speed than normal. Other than tickets for the Sagrada Familia, there were no tours planned, no schedules to adhere to. Sleeping in till 11:00 or noon was allowed. We were all doing some serious chilling.
In the end, in spite of a missed flight home, Spain was charming. Both cities are very easy to navigate. We were provided with terrific weather and lots of sunshine. The food (yes, I'm looking at you Pata Negra) and the spirits (hello Mr. Cava) were definitely to our liking. The pace and lifestyle of the Spanish definitely take some getting used to. As I said, we only scratched the surface, but there is something special about the way the Spanish live their lives. It forces you to slow down and take a deep breath. That's exactly what the doctor ordered.
SHOT WITH FUJI X100F
11 DAYS IN CHINA
If you're a frequent business traveller to Asia it's likely you know someone who thinks it must be the most exotic and exciting thing there is. But let's be honest here. Business travel is exhausting. Period. Yes there can be nice bits. If you're lucky enough to spend time in a good hotel or eat a fine meal it can definitely have its perks. As a photography enthusiast, finding time to take pictures can help swing a bad day into a good one. But airports, train terminals, traffic and endless delays are not the stuff travel dreams are made of.
This trip was going to be challenging from the onset as we didn't want to be away from work or family any longer then what was absolutely necessary. Four cities in eleven days; two trade shows, three factory visits and a typhoon waiting for us when we finally had a day and a half to rest before the flight home.
After the long flight to Hong Kong we were able to rest up for the day before attending the Hong Kong Electronics Show. By "rest up", that means a whirl wind tour of Alice's favourite wonton noodle joint, Mak's Noodle in Central. It was a beautiful, hot and sunny day in Hong Kong. Quite the opposite of what we would get when we ventured north for the rest of our trip. The noodles and wonton's were delicious. Mak's even renovated since we were last there a year ago. They've really jazzed up the old place.
The trip from Hong Kong was eventful simply for the fact that we almost didn't make it. This being the Canton Fair season, all trains were fully booked going to Guangzhou. By the time we arrived at the train station our only option was the bus. By some miracle, we purchased two seats on the last bus leaving Hong Kong that day. And the bus was leaving right now. 3 hours later, we arrived in Guangzhou. By the way, there are two places the bus stops in Guangzhou. We had no idea where either stop was in relation to our hotel. The first taxi driver who approached us wanted 200 renminbi to take us to our destination. We finally found a driver who accepted 120 renminbi after he explained it would take at least 30 minutes in traffic. 10 minutes later we arrived at our hotel. A 60 renminbi ride at the most.
SHOT WITH FUJI X100T
MONTREAL IN MAY
Back in March I had thought it would be a good idea to take another workshop with Patrick Laroque whom I've been studying on and off with over the last year. May seemed like a long way off in March. But here it was, May 5th. There was so much going on at work, at one point I was going through my head how could I possibly cancel this thing.
This time though, Alice and I were going with Maximilian and Solomon. Max was just back from his first year at Quest University and while I was going to be tied up in the workshop during the day, it would still allow all of us to be together as a whole family again. Regardless of my uncertainty, this trip was going to happen. So we piled into the Tesla and off we went.
This was also our first road ride in Alice's new Tesla S. It would be fun to experience the Toronto-Montreal journey driving in an electric car. I have to admit some nervousness as we went out. What would happen if we didn't calculate the battery life properly? I didn't want to get stuck in Timbuktu with the Tesla charging for 12 hours using some strangers 110V home outlet. Thankfully that didn't happen. We "filled up" in Kingston, then an extra stop in Cornwall which seemed prudent when the car's display informed us that we needed to drive under 110km/hour to make it to Montreal. Better safe then sorry (our trip back to Toronto we drove the whole way at 110km/hour and only had to stop once in Kingston).
The next morning Patrick arrived at our hotel, Hotel Alt in Griffintown, with his trusty Fuji X100T hanging around his neck and an X Pro2 in his camera bag just in case I could be tempted to give it a try (oh yeah).
First order of the day was an espresso so off we went to find a café and yes, it was already my second one of the day. It was probably 10:30 before we finally hit the road but it felt good to be outside, have my camera in hand and talking life and photography with Patrick.
I explained my recent disinterest in picture taking to Patrick and of course he understood fully. The need to make pictures just seems to come and go in me. I think it's my fear of not having anything unique to say in photography. There's just so many images today, does the world really need another amateur posting their images?
Perhaps I'll always feel that way, only time will tell. After a couple of days though I did feel re-energized. Being able to see is such a gift and like most gifts it needs to be nurtured. There's nothing automatic about it for me, it's just like working out, the more you do it the better your results. That's my take-a-way. I just need to remember it.
SHOT WITH FUJI X100T, X-PR02
WHISTER SKIING 2016
Whistler in March. After four years of no fresh snow in January, Alice and I decided to give March a try. Our long weekend in February provided the proverbial mother load of snowfalls, over 60 cm in 48 hours. Hope abounds!
Over the years, Whistler has quite literally become a second home for us. I'm sure that we have not visited anywhere in the world as frequently as we have Whistler. And now that Maximillian is living just "down the street", the visits are piling up.... four times since last September.
Other than wanting to visit our son as frequently as possible, what is the magic that Whistler has over my soul? For years we would take the bus from Vancouver to Whistler; winding its way up the Sky to Sea Highway. It was a yearly ritual that filled my heart with joy. The bus would make its long slow trek north; it became a bookmark for our yearly pilgrimage.
Other than wanting to visit our son as frequently as possible, what is the magic that Whistler has over my soul? For years we would take the bus from Vancouver to Whistler; winding its way up the Sky to Sea Highway. It was a yearly ritual that filled my heart with joy. The bus would make its long slow trek north; it became a bookmark for our yearly pilgrimage.
This is a journey of epic beauty. With my headphones on, listening to something on my iPhone that would take my mind to the place where my skiing dreams reside. I can only describe this journey as my own personal "happy place". The years where snow filled the treetops were the very best; promising days of skiing bliss ahead
In recent visits our journey has now included a Hertz rental car, not a bus ride. If we could only figure out how to get Bluetooth to work in the rental car I'd have the chance to play two of my epic Whistler travelling CD's; Josh Rouse's 1972 and Nashville. I've asked myself "why Josh Rouse?" and frankly, I've no idea. It just came to be. Some things in life you just have to accept.
In recent visits our journey has now included a Hertz rental car, not a bus ride. If we could only figure out how to get Bluetooth to work in the rental car I'd have the chance to play two of my epic Whistler travelling CD's; Josh Rouse's 1972 and Nashville. I've asked myself "why Josh Rouse?" and frankly, I've no idea. It just came to be. Some things in life you just have to accept.
In recent visits our journey has now included a Hertz rental car, not a bus ride. If we could only figure out how to get Bluetooth to work in the rental car I'd have the chance to play two of my epic Whistler travelling CD's; Josh Rouse's 1972 and Nashville. I've asked myself "why Josh Rouse?" and frankly, I've no idea. It just came to be. Some things in life you just have to accept.
The latest chapter in our Whistler tale was one of the very best. Lots and lots of snow, some crazy weather that covered just about everything from fresh snow, hail, rain, clouds, sunshine, Maximillian being with us and of course our wonderful friends from Whistler, Melbourne and Manchester who we get to see far too infrequently.
The skiing season is now officially over for us, all we have left are the memories, some pictures and a fast fading whistler wind burn that will soon disappear. Until next year folks.
SHOT WITH FUJI X100T + IPHONE 6
BERLIN + HAMBURG
We visited Berlin & Hamburg in December/January 2015/2016. It's now August 2017 as I'm writing this. The memories from this trip are still vivid. This is the great gift of photography, in an instant you can be taken back to another time and place.
As I'm rummaging through these I know I would process them differently today; quite a bit differently. But I'm reluctant to make any changes. It's like time stamping, once it's done it's done. 2-1/2 years later I'm very happy with the images in this post.
Berlin is a great, fun city to hang out in, notwithstanding the sobering visit to Sachsenhausen, the infamous concentration camp outside of Berlin. I think I would have preferred a warmer time of year but in some ways it was perfect. Our trip to Hamburg was capped with a visit with my old friend Shane who I hadn't seen in many years. We're both quite a bit greyer then the last time we met, but time has stood still in many ways and the sign of a true long lasting relationship is one where the conversation flows as easily as the day we met.
SHOT WITH FUJI X100T
