Paris Parfait

Searching for tranquility

A peaceful canal. Click photos to view detail.

Ducks swim around lily pads.

Houses built against one of the city's original 15th-century walls.

The view from behind the wall to the bank opposite the canal.

The back of the original town wall. Wooden steps lead from private houses to the tree-lined property and canal.

A shady walkway.

Peeling paint.

Collecting fallen tree branches after recent high winds.

A profusion of colour on this small patio.

Purple blooms alongside an old warehouse.

Behind this gate is a small private garden, its trees bursting with fruit.

Still-ripening berries hanging over a brick wall.

A simple addition to a formal front door.

Unexpected blooms.

Behind this gate is a community garden.

Local residents plant and tend the crops.

Trees shade a walkway leading to the dyke and one of the town's gates.

Reflections in a canal.

Ivy-covered brick walls at a town gate.

Inside the gate, the original curved and arched walls rather unfortunately have been fitted with wood, to block wind and noise.

An iron fence protects one of the town's oldest trees.

Scroll down the page for another post today.

Dark days

Flying kites at the North Sea. Click image to enlarge.

 

Thinking of our Norwegian friends and all the innocent victims. Too many, too young, gone too soon...

Of raindrops and orchids

Streetlight illuminated in last night’s rainstorm. Photos shot through orchids on windowsill.

The orchids have survived nearly six months, a record for me! Apparently the secret is more light; less water.

After torrential rains, water (from an unknown source) started pouring down one wall of our over 200-year-old maisonette. Luckily, the rain subsided a bit, before any real damage was done.

Arched entrances and courtyards: Moorish influence in Sevilla

An open doorway looking onto a plaza behind Sevilla's stunning La Giralda Cathedral.

Most readers know that I am smitten by Sevilla. I like it so much, I wrote a poem about it. In my Paris apartment, I had a "Spanish wall." I collect antique Spanish tiles and pottery, as well as Madonna crowns, silver crosses and milagros. I'm fond of dry Spanish fino and tapas. I'm mad about flamenco and Spanish guitar.

Since first visiting the city in 2004, I have been back several times, including an extended stay in 2006 to study Spanish. Last summer I spent two weeks working on a photo essay in Sevilla (these images are all from July 2010).  Later this year, I'll be returning to Sevilla to collaborate on a project with a Spanish photographer. I'd be there now, if it weren't for the scorching summer temperatures!

The plaza behind La Giralda de Sevilla, the city's largest cathedral.

The beautiful 15th-century Casa de los Pinelos.

La Casa de los Pinelos is the site of the Academia de las Buenas Letras y Academia de Bellas Artes.

Tiled stairs leading to the second floor, which was closed the last time I was there.

A series of arches cover the pathway to Plaza del Calbido, built in the Moorish style. In this photograph, shutters are closed during afternoon siesta, in a bid to combat the intense summer heat.

On Sunday mornings, vendors participate in a small market selling vintage stamps, posters, books, photographs, military medals, antique coins and other items.

Private apartments, a restaurant, bookshop and antiques store are all part of the complex.

A series of arches at a convent courtyard adjacent to Plaza del Cabildo.

A decorative iron gate leads to a private courtyard.

Palms and plants flourish in this stone-paved courtyard.

Another private courtyard behind an iron gate.

A gated patio at Reales Alcázares de Sevilla.

This arched doorway with decorative wrought-iron Islamic symbols exits into a lush garden, complete with fountain.

Iron gates opening to more palace patios.

The palace's exterior walls were designed by the Almohads, Berbers from the High Atlas Mountains in Morocco. The walls stem from the complex's original use as a Moorish fort.

One of the arched entrances to the palace. This stone wall dates from when construction began in the year 913.

A workman repairs a fountain in a shaded courtyard framed by a series of arches at Reales Alcázares de Sevilla. Most of the palace's stunning architecture is a combination of designs from the Taifa and the Almohad periods.

A stone walkway is laid in decorative patterns.

Check back soon for more architectural wonders from Sevilla.

Pausing for a picture

Walking down Oxford Street, London recently I paused to snap these Selfridges vitrines. The displays highlighted the plight of cod, starfishes and other sea creatures threatened by over-fishing and pollution. The trompe l'oeil effect through the glass meant the antique cupboard displaying the cod was exactly aligned with contours of a building across the street.

The young boy had stopped to pose for a tourist photo. He looked at me, just as I pressed the shutter.

This collection of safety deposit boxes was designed to draw attention to the importance of protecting and preserving endangered sea creatures. As always, click images to view detail.

Ultra Utrecht

Early 20th-century architecture, Utrecht, Holland.

An arch leading to Dom Square featuring the Dom, the city's most famous church.

The ever-present canals, lined with dock-side warehouses and restaurants.

One of the city's numerous historic buildings, now a private residence.

'Tis the season for weddings.

A window display, shot through glass.

Eclectic style

The genius Dutch florist's creation of the day, in a Waterford crystal vase.

 

"Everything has its beauty, but not everyone sees it." - Confucius

On the 1930s library table, covered with French linen: 18th-century hand-written sheet music; my friend Pia's beautiful new book, "My Heart Wanders," as well as books featuring the work of photographers Tim Walker, Steve McCurry and Reza. In the background, an English Arts & Crafts chair is covered in original William Morris Strawberry Thief fabric and a 19th-century Chinese Buddha head rests on a Napoleon III stand.

Vintage car love

Last weekend a parade of vintage cars drew lots of admirers. This gorgeous roadster once participated in the Paris-Dakkar Rally.

Check back soon for more photos of cars participating in the local "Old Timers" event.

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School's out!

A boy jumps for joy following a parade Thursday night celebrating the end of the school term in the Netherlands. I was leaning out a second-floor window to get these pictures.

A marching band kicks off the 8 p.m. parade.

A drum majorette raises her baton, as another marching band joins the parade.

The drum corps.

Children in high spirits, with summer holidays ahead.

All children were presented with flowers, balloons, toys, ribbons and/or medals to mark the occasion.

Young judo students.

More sports enthusiasts.

Yet another marching band. The little boy in front helps "direct" the music.

One little girl was carrying a butterfly net; another was wearing a swimming innertube.

More proud teachers, parents and students.

Ode to London's South Bank

London skyline accented by construction cranes, as viewed from the South Bank. As always, click photos to view detail.

Last week I was in London for photo shoots and spent some time at the lively South Bank, as well as the Tate Modern. If you get a chance, go see Taryn Simon's intriguing exhibition "A Living Man Declared Dead and Other Chapters" at the Tate, as well as the documentary photography exhibit currently underway.

Blackfriars Bridge.

Lunch break.

Busy bridge at Embankment.

Pedestrian bridge leading from St. Paul's Cathedral to the Tate Modern.

Sprial metal staircase at shops near Blackfriars.

Office and residential buildings. A scene in the movie Love Actually was filmed in the courtyard.

Building sandcastles.

Gabriel's Wharf, with bespoke shops and fun restaurants. My friend Tracy and I had dinner here one evening. When I lived in London, Gabriel's Wharf was a favourite spot to meet for lunch.

A weathered boat is part of the Festival of Britain installation.

An appeal to save the albatross.

Mad dogs and Englishmen.

The ever-popular carousel.

Traditional fish and chips is still beloved by Brits and tourists alike.

As part of the Festival of Britain, a series of beach huts feature small exhibits about Britain's history.

This hut contains bottles of sand from various British beaches.

William Folkestone discovered that blood systematically circulates through the body.

A model ship and books about the sea are the focus of this beach hut.

A striped hut among a dozen or so lining the South Bank of the River Thames.

More stripes.

Experts provide advice on sailing to curious students.

Just in case...

Sign of the times.

Beneath the bridge.

The London Eye, viewed from Westminster Bridge.

The Eye viewed from South Bank later in the afternoon.

This guy and his partner in native costume danced for tourists.

He noticed me taking pictures and turned around and posed.

A Charlie Chaplin imitator.

Mickey Mouse lost his head.

Cultural contrasts: Spiderman and Arabic women and their children out for an afternoon stroll.

Hmm...he's not too sure about shaking hands.

A couple dressed in medieval costume.

The horizon's not crooked; the building is on an incline.

Parliament as seen from South Bank.

The spires of Westminster in silhouette behind scaffolding.

Big Ben's elegant clockface.

All photos taken with the Leica M9 and Summilux 50 mm f2 lens.

In the house with Kim Kardashian

Hundreds of fans waited in line outside Debenham's department store in London.

Last week Kim Kardashian - American reality television star - was at Debenham's in London promoting her new perfume. British fans began lining up before 6 a.m., in the hope of being one of the first 150 customers who were promised photos with the popular entrepreneur.

This young girl brought her father along in a vain attempt to see Kardashian. I was standing next to them.

A group of construction workers were more interested in catching a glimpse of the brunette bombshell than in working (perhaps it was their lunch break).

A Debenham's employee motioned for people to clear the road.

At half past twelve, Miss Kardashian arrived in a black limo.

Crowds immediately surged around the car, making it difficult for Kardashian to walk the few feet to the store entrance.

As she exited the car, hundreds of enthusiastic fans tried to snap photos with their mobile phones or digital cameras.

Inside the store, Kim posed with purple glass bottles of her perfume. The crowds went mad, trying to see her in a cordoned-off area behind the Fiorelli display.

Here she is wearing Gucci. (Photo by Splash. Alas, I couldn't see over the crowds to get a good photo; should have brought a ladder)!

Prior to Kim's appearance, six gorgeous girls in high black heels and short tight purple dresses walked around Debenham's spritzing the perfume on customers. I overheard one young model say they'd answered a casting call at an agency for the chance to participate in the perfume launch. "And we were told we get to meet Kim. I'm so excited!" she said.

She wasn't the only one. Fans went wild when Kim entered the store.

A few of Kim's screaming fans were hysterical, climbing and standing on display stands and knocking off merchandise for sale. "I have GOT to see her!" one of them repeated, over and over.  Security guards had difficulty controlling the huge crowds.

Who knows how long they waited to see Kim and get her autograph??!!

At Debenham's back entrance, a driver waited with a specially-painted black London cab.

And news agency photographers filed their stories on the spot...

...for an insatiable tabloid press, hungering for any tidbit about the glamourous Miss Kardashian and her $2 million engagement ring (no doubt an extra headache for Kardashian's bodyguards).

Life in the fast lane, folks! Never a dull moment.

Normal posting resumes on Friday.

Lunch break

Lunch break, South Bank, London (photo June 2010).

I'm traveling in the UK this week. All being well, timed posts should appear in my absence.

L'heure bleu

Evening blue, Delft, Holland.

Automobile lights streak past the Delft blue heart sculpture, lit from within.

Since returning from the Netherlands, I've been busy processing photos, working on photographic essays and downsizing my collections of books, antiques and collectibles. Check back soon for more stories and photos.

Delft blue

Blue heart sculpture, Delft, Holland.

 

Blue skies over a bridge lifted to accommodate large boats.

A Delft blue sign. In Delft, I took a lot of random photos. It was only when going through them that I noticed how many images sported the famous Delft blue, in one form or another!

Blue-trimmed canal boat.

Bicycle handpainted in the traditional Delft blue.

DJ on opening day of the Delft University of Technology.

Light pole decorated with Delft tiles.

 

Historic tile detail.

 

Mosaic tiles on a seat in a park adjacent to a former convent.

 

Painted bricks.

 

Vintage pieces of Delft pottery at a canal-side brocante.

 

Blue tulips.

Tiles depicting the lives of Dutch children.

 

Mosaic mural.

 

Students moving a sofa and waving at me.

 

Denim-clad traveling musicians.

 

Whirligigs.

 

Canal water marker.

 

Blue shirts.

"Tiled" window shades and stacks of blue mug boxes.

Tiled doorway.

 

Tourism slogan?

Summer's last gasp

Sword juggler, South Bank, London.

 

 

 

Cherub cheer

A little boy tries to convince his sister to exit a giant wooden shoe, Delft, Holland.

Decisions, decisions!

Children wait outside a creche for their moms to pick them up.

 

A touch of Americana outside a Delft toy store.

 

Playground murals at a school in Delft.

 

Doll furniture in the window of a private home.

Check back soon for more photos and tales from recent travels.

Tilting at windmills

Molens van Kinderdijk or the Windmills of Kinderdijk, the Netherlands. Click photos to view detail.

 

In nearly two weeks in the Netherlands, we watched kite-surfing from a windy beach beneath giant grey clouds. We walked along narrow canals accented with yellow and white water lilies. We fed swans and their teenagers, as well as ducks. We watched a coot add twigs to her nest, then escort her chirping babies for an awkward swim. We hiked trails dotted with windmills. We browsed fruit and vegetable stalls in market squares and brocantes set up along little canals. We traced Johannes Vermeer's illustrious path in Delft and learned more about his light-filled paintings that still capture the world's imagination. We wandered cobble-stoned streets and narrow passageways. We marveled at the grand 17th-century architecture and symbolism of churches, old and new.

We met and photographed off-the-chart talented musicians at the Delft Jazz Festival. We exchanged stories and laughter at dinner with long-time friends in a quay-side restaurant in Alblasserdam and shared a delicious lunch at Bussia in Amsterdam with the lovely Pia Jane Bijkerk. My husband went bird-watching and through happenstance, I met an accomplished jewelry designer, with an airy atelier enhanced with a magnificent Art Deco table and Fortuny lamps (more in an upcoming post). I purchased a vintage Delft pottery pitcher at an antique shop and an exquisite covered basket over 100 years old at a brocante. I left behind a pair of shoes, so my small bag jammed with two-weeks'-worth-of-clothes could accommodate the treasure.

At another brocante I bought a seven-foot wide canvas geological world map in English, Spanish and Dutch. It was quite the kerfuffle transporting the rolled-up map in cars and onto a train back to Paris! We ate yummy caramel stroopwaffles and Dutch fries with mayonnaise and struck up conversations with strangers. We rode trains and walked and walked for miles. We read maps and explored unfamiliar neighbourhoods. We talked to estate agents and friends about specific areas. We had amazing dinners at charming restaurants, in contrast with lunch at an outdoor cafe where three bees buzzing about my head eventually chased me away.

We went to Amsterdam, Utrecht, Delft, Leiden and Rotterdam, as well as smaller places including Haarlem, Amstelveen and Zandvoort. We went to another beach town with roundabouts and design much like an English seaside town. I took over 1,200 photographs, from grand architecture and historic buildings to portraits of my friends' five-year-old daughter to first-day-of-school festivities at a technical college to concerts and quirky sights along the way.

Through it all, I felt totally peaceful, at ease and at home, even though I speak hardly a word of Dutch. In less than six months, it will be home, both literally and figuratively.  Not sure where yet, but I am confident the right place will present itself. And I can't wait!

Tall grasses and reeds lining the canals were blowing in high winds.

Windmills line the banks of intersecting canals.

Here's a video of French composer Michel Legrand performing Windmills of my Mind. Years ago, I had the good fortune to meet him in Chicago.

Check back soon for more photos from the Netherlands.

Delft delights

The sun sets over the beautiful 17th-century architecture of Delft, the Netherlands.

Strolling in the heart of the city.

One of Delft's myriad small canals.

Delft is famous for its striking blue-and-white pottery. In this window overlooking the city's main square, twin church spires are reflected. I packed for two weeks in one carry-on; may have to leave a pair of shoes behind to accommodate a Delft vase.

 

Friendly greetings.

Back soon with stories and more photos from the Netherlands. Hope you're enjoying these last few days of August.

Moonlight on a fair summer's eve

A boat ride on a summer's evening, Amsterdam.

A tiny sliver of moon over 17th-century building facades.

 

A half-moon light in a shop window.

"How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank.
Here will we sit and let the sounds of music
Creep in our ears; soft stillness, and the night
Become the touches of sweet harmony.” - William Shakespeare

*"...on a fair summer's eve" is a line from a poem by John Keats.

Off we go

Overhead electrical rails, Centraal Station, Amsterdam.

"He who would travel happily must travel light".- Antoine de Saint-Exupery. 

Between a family concern and the Google-Verizon attempt to undermine Net Neutrality, it feels like I'm traveling with the weight of the world on my shoulders. The companies' proposals would maintain both a "public" and "private"  Internet, effectively giving telecoms more control over speed and access.

In 1999, I worked with a group of academics, engineers and tax specialists in San Francisco and Berkeley to determine how the Internet could remain a level playing field for all. What Google and Verizon propose would make Internet access - in many cases - subject to payment, similar to cable television. Such a plan clearly is aimed at lining the pockets of the corporations involved, not any altruism to keep the Internet free for all. President Obama needs to honor his pre-election promise to support Net Neutrality.

Please write President Obama, the Federal Communications Commission and your senators and representatives to urge they stand firm and stop big corporations from dictating Internet traffic.

Reactions to Google-Verizon pact

“The agreement between Verizon and Google about how to manage Internet traffic is nothing more than a private agreement between two corporate behemoths and should not be a template or basis for either Congressional or FCC action,” said Gigi B. Sohn, president and co-founder of Public Knowledge. ”It is unenforceable and does almost nothing to preserve an open internet. Most critically, it sacrifices the future of the mobile wireless internet as this platform becomes more central to the lives of all Americans.”

Progressive Change Committee co-founder Adam Green: "Google, a company that I've long admired and currently hold thousands of dollars of stock in, just "went evil."" ... "There is no reason in the world for Google, which has made smart investments in the future, to find common ground with Verizon on the issue of Internet openness. None. Zero. Zilch. Today's deal was unneeded, uncalled for and incompatible with Google's "don't be evil" mantra. Google's decision to cut a deal with Verizon wreaks of either impatience or fear."

Google-Verizon plan: Why you should worry

Web plan from Google and Verizon is criticized

Verizon and Google propose web traffic rules

Google-Verizon Pact: It Gets Worse

Senate Democrats Press FCC to protect Internet from corporate takeover

If you missed this article about our collapsing empire, I urge you to read it. As we pour money into wars, schools are closing, streetlights are turned off and our infrastructure crumbling.  Some cold, hard facts simply can't be avoided.

________________

So much angst: visit my friend Christina at Soul Aperture to be instantly cheered by her lovely photos and tales from her day.

Off to the Netherlands by train. See you later this month.

Far from home

I spotted this musician late one evening on Avenida de la Constitucion in Sevilla, Spain. I took this photo from across the street, listening to his haunting lilting melodies on the erhu, a Chinese instrument. I decided to talk to him, which was a bit of a challenge, between my limited Spanish and his limited English.  When I told him I was American, he exclaimed "Obama!" and smiled.

He told me he was in Sevilla as a "worker," which probably means he has a menial job for little pay and reward. He seemed sad and melancholy, which reminded me that Sevilla can be a lonely place to be on your own. Families tend to socialise together and tourists are usually in groups. It can be difficult being in such a lively place, when you're quiet and shy, as he seemed to be. Every one has a story; wish I could have learned more about his.

I asked the musician if I could photograph him and he said "Never mind," which I took as a yes. He was caught up in the music, constantly moving in rhythm as he played.

 

 

 

Listen to an erhu solo Yuan Predestined Relationship here.

Street art and originality

 

A painter creates reproductions of famous artists' work, while sitting on the sidewalk at London's South Bank.

 

His tools include paint, brushes and protective kneepads.

Since he's clearly talented, I'm not sure why he spends his time recreating the work of others, rather than producing his own.

Dare to be different.

Dare to be different

Notice how the pink house stands out in this picture? It's not a great photo technically; I needed a telephoto lens to properly capture this scene. The reason I snapped this image  was the pink house. In a tiny little village on Bani Hamida Mountain in Jordan, someone dared to defy the status quo and paint their house carnation pink.

This weekend, do something different. Shake up your routine. Go somewhere you've never been. Try a new recipe or an unfamiliar restaurant. Smile at a stranger. Surprise someone with a special treat.  Be adventurous. Just remember, whatever you do is up to you!

You be you, as my wise friend Jen Lemen says.  And have fun!

Scenes from a wedding

Chandelier at the church ceremony on a July evening.

 

Ice sculpture at the pre-dinner reception.

Waiters bring the cake(s) at the wedding dinner at Le Pavillon Dauphine, Paris.

Confetti rains down on the lovely couple, who entered the dinner venue dancing to the Blackeyed Peas song I've Got A Feeling. 

Paparazzi.

 

Dimitra and Constantinos cutting the cake.

 

The happy couple.

 

A chandelier at Le Pavillon Dauphine.

Summer scenes

"May the Force be with you."

Sword play with "Darth Vader," South Bank, London.

 

"Donald Duck" taking a break in the heat.

Moving statue.

A bow from a gentleman.

 

A child's curiosity: is he real?

Hope your weekend has been filled with curiosity and adventure!

Prize winners at Paris Parfait

Canal, Utrecht, the Netherlands.

Congratulations to Stephanie and Catherine, winners of the drawing celebrating 2000 posts at Paris Parfait! French brocante treasures will soon be on their way to them.

Meanwhile, some recent discoveries for your perusal:

British photographer Martin Parr shoots images of Moscow's nouveau riche.

Woulda. Coulda. Shoulda. The things you would have said.

Gorgeous Marrakech-inspired jewelry designs by Paloma Picasso for Tiffany.

Tommy Hilfiger's stylish apartment at the Plaza, New York.

Sloane Crosley's hilarious new book How Did You Get This Number?

More Tour de France crowd scenes

Trying to get the picture: the crowds at Sunday's Tour de France. All photos by David Holmes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more behind-the-scenes Tour de France photos, go here.

Behind the scenes at the Tour de France

Behind the scenes at the Tour de France festivities today on the Champs Elysees. All photos by David Holmes.

Contrasts.

 

Colourful fun in advertising.

 

Dapper dresser.

Charmed.

 

Spanish supporters discuss the Tour.

 

Draped in the Spanish flag in honour of Tour de France winner Alberto Contador.

 

 

Avoiding the sun, with a smile.

 

En famille.

A child's bicycle.

Flags and banners.

Pre-race caravan of Tour de France sponsors.

 

Caravan participants.

 

Having fun while working.

Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz took advantage of publicity surrounding the Tour de France to promote their new film, Night and Day. The American actors posed with Alberto Contador on the winner's podium Saturday at Bordeaux.

Merchandising is a big part of the Tour de France hullabaloo. More photos to follow in another post.

Weekend sports

Learning to water-ski on the River Seine. Photos by David Holmes.

A more experienced skier wearing a striped shirt.

Roller hockey in the Bois de Boulogne.

Of course the biggest sport this weekend in Paris is the Tour de France finale on the Champs Elysee. Spainiard Alberto Contador is set to claim the top podium spot for the second year in a row. This will mean that in 2010, Spanish athletes have been victorious in the French Open, Wimbledon, the World Cup and the Tour de France!

 

  

 

Evening atmosphere

La Giralda's tower viewed from the Juderia exit to the Patio de Banderas outside the Alcazar Palace walls, Sevilla. This image was shot just after 10 p.m., when the Sevilla sky briefly turns a deep shade of indigo.

Modes of transportation, modern and traditional.

The historic Hotel Alfonso, built for the Ibero-American Exposition in 1929. This photo was taken at 7 a.m. Today a tramway runs past the hotel, from Prado de San Sebastián to Plaza Nueva, with stops at Archivo de Indias and Puerta de Jerez.

Fountain near the Hotel Alfonso at 10 p.m., just before the water was shut off for the night.

A violinist plays on Avenida de la Constitucion.

Romance in the air.

Late night in Santa Cruz.

Midnight crowd at the popular Bodega Santa Cruz on Caro Rodrigo.

Don't forget to enter to win a prize celebrating 2000 posts at Paris Parfait! Go here to name your dream travel destination.

In the shade

Shaded area in Barrio Santa Cruz, Sevilla.

When it's 39 degrees (that's 102 degrees Fahrenheit), the only way to survive the heat is to stay in the shade. Carrying a bottle of water everywhere you go - along with a senorita fan - is essential. Also necessary: frequent breaks in air-conditioned spaces, especially between the hours of 3 and 6 p.m., when temperatures soar.

 

Photo shot through the decorative iron-grillwork window of Starbucks, Avenida de la Constitucion. The air-conditioned interior and slushy mango frappuchino here helps make the heat bearable.

 

Convent's private patio at Plaza del Cabildo, Sevilla. Images shot with the Leica M9.

If you haven't yet entered to win a prize celebrating 2000 posts at Paris Parfait, go here. Bon chance! (And stay cool!)

And the celebrations continue...

Remember this fountain? Jubilant football fans jumped in it to celebrate, following Spain's 1-0 World Cup victory tonight over the Netherlands.

 

 

A sea of red: fans celebrate near La Giralda.

As I was walking along with my camera, this guy came running over to me and got down on one knee in this pose.

One football fan is wearing an el toro flag as a cape. Another guy exclaims excitedly during a phone conversation.

A happy football fan runs down the street waving the Spanish flag.

 

Earlier in the evening, hopeful fans were gathered in plazas and outdoor venues all over Sevilla, watching the match. Congratulations to Spain in their first-ever World Cup win!

As for the Netherlands, my favourite team throughout the competition: wishing the Dutch boys better luck next time.

Sizzling in Sevilla

Trying to stay cool amidst sizzling summer temperatures, Barrio Santa Cruz, Sevilla.

Hooray for the Dutch boys!

Shop window, Utrecht, the Netherlands.

I'm hoping the Netherlands will continue their amazing winning streak, to earn the World Cup title. I'll be cheering them on Sunday from Sevilla. And tomorrow I'll be supporting Spain with the locals. Who do you think will win?

Meanwhile, if you love books as much as I do, this site is a gem.

Johnny Jordaanplein, Amsterdam.

Busy days of summer

A sailboat, canoes and kayaks on the River Thames, Weybridge, England.

 

Students in canoes set off at noon Sunday for another lesson.

Where has she been, you might wonder, of this sadly-neglected blog? After a trip to London, there are deadlines to meet; an apartment to clean; laundry to do; clothes to iron; packages to mail; guests arriving; a wedding to shoot; bags to pack; a plane to Sevilla. Other travel plans to arrange; articles to write; photos to edit; email to answer; business requiring my attention. I steal a few moments here and there to peek at blogs, Twitter and Facebook.

So until I catch up with obligations and have time to blog properly, I'll be posting more summer vignettes.

Ghost Furniture and Concrete Ghost

If you haven't seen my brilliant friend Di Overton's new Ghost Furniture website, do have a look at her gorgeous creations! And check out Concrete Ghost, a clever collaboration with the talented London-based sculptor and artist Kathy Dalwood. So many beautiful and unique things these women have created; am longing for a bigger apartment!

 

Seeing this sailboat on its own reminded me of a felucca sailing down the Nile. If only!

 

P.S. Here's David with the adorable baby Joseph, who's nearly five months old.

Oil-free pelicans

Pristine pelicans in St. James Park, London are protected, unlike those in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

 

Another oil-free water fowl. The fate of oil-covered birds is questionable.

Twins tearing bits of bread to feed the ducks, while city pigeons hover.

Please consider signing this petition urging BP to give protective respiratory gear to oil clean-up workers in the Gulf states.

Wildflower garden

A bee flies towards a poppy in the accidental wildflower garden.

For at least eight years, hortensia (hydrangeas) bloomed in this giant plant space on our balcony. Sadly, damage when the balcony was sand-blasted doomed the hortensia. When weeds started to grow in its place, I looked out the window and thought 'I should go pull them up.' But I was busy and traveling, so the weeds kept growing. Daisies and other wildflowers arrived, including a mass of poppies. My husband suggested we could consider it as a wildflower garden; certainly an improvement over a bed of weeds. As I snapped a photo, a bee buzzed by... Perhaps pulling the weeds can wait a while longer.

Elephant walk

 

Remember the film Elephant Walk, starring Elizabeth Taylor, Peter Finch and Dana Andrews? It was filmed in Colombo, Sri Lanka and featured footage of elephants stampeding. This leafy artist's beauty is part of the Elephant Parade London 2010.

Children play on a white elephant's platform at Southbank, London.

Pyramids.

 

An Egyptian mummy stands nearby.

This little girl's limbo skills earned the admiration of her friends.

 

And she wowed them again!

Whatever your sport of the moment, hope you enjoy your weekend.

The art of seeing

 

Airplane fashioned from sand, South bank of the River Thames, London.

Too many cameras? Until I started blogging, I rarely took photos on holiday, other than of people traveling with me. Certainly I didn't snap pictures of landmarks, as such images are mass-produced and widely-available on postcards.

These days I take my camera(s) many places, but try not to be intrusive in the process. It can be annoying when everybody and his brother are snapping pictures, either with cell phones or small pocket cameras. I often see tourists with video cameras, who pay only cursory attention to their surroundings. They're missing the actual experience of being there; of interacting with those around them. They're too busy recording video for viewing from the comfort of home. 

Seeing what's in front of us

How often do we take the time to really see?

It's one of life's persistent mysteries that many people have a gift for noticing everything, while others appear willfully blind. Well-meaning friends and acquaintances may pry open their eyes...trying to highlight the sparkle and sizzle and wonder of their surroundings. But they are reluctant partners, afraid to splash too much colour onto life's messy canvas. They worry about the consequences of becoming fully awake and engaged in life. Instead, they dwell drowsily in comfort zones mired deep in charcoals and greys.

What would it take for them to snap out of their slumber? A loss? Love? A lost love? A fresh challenge? Why do some people shun the sun in favour of shadows? Too fearful to tread unknown paths, they stick to tired and familiar routes. But safe havens do not exist.

As we know all too well, life is fragile. Love is mercurial. Change is the only certainty, despite our efforts to preserve the status quo.

So let's open our eyes and revel in the beauty of what is, right here, right now, today. 

"The time which we have at our disposal every day is elastic;

the passions that we feel expand it; those that we inspire contract it

and habit fills what remains." - Marcel Proust

Summer vignettes: Hula-hoop

Woman with hula-hoop, South Bank, London.

 

I'm not sure what she's wearing on her feet.

 

 

Who doesn't like hula-hoops??!! This is the first in a series of playful summer vignettes.