Photography | Fotoeins Fotografie

Posts from the ‘Photography’ category

Links to photography blogs, information, sites

New Zealand: Christchurch red zone post-quake

The sight of overhead cranes.

The clang of jackhammers.

The constant rumble of dump trucks filled with debris.

The dust clouds surrounding sites slated for demolition or new buildings under construction.

After four earthquakes since 2010, over half of the buildings in Christchurch’s Central Business District (CBD) were destroyed or have been condemned; the number I got from informal conversations was 70 to 80 percent. The expected cost to the local economy and for reconstruction will be in the billions of dollars. These are staggering numbers. Before reconstruction can begin, there are buildings to take down, and mountains of rubble to take away.

( Click here for more )

New Zealand : Wellington Daybreak from Mount Victoria

Before visiting the South Island for the first time, I spent a week with friends in Wellington, New Zealand at the beginning of July 2012. I didn’t have my own set of wheels, but I didn’t need a car in a compact city that is easy to cover on foot. If necessary, the buses work well to reach most destinations in greater Wellington.

The winter weather had been beautiful and relatively calm, which I thought was a little unusual for winter in “windy Welly”. But I was definitely not one to complain, and before leaving Wellington, I wanted to watch the sunrise from the summit of Mount Victoria.

At a height of about 200 metres or 660 feet, Mount Victoria (Tangi Te Keo in Maori) may be more like a hill, but it’s tall enough to get a great view of the city and the harbour. Wellington harbour is also known as Port Nicholson, and Te Whanganui a Tara in Maori.

I caught the first buses of the day: what would I see? Would the skies be clear? I was the sole person to alight the bus at the summit, just minutes before sunrise. There’s something to be said to be the only person at the summit to welcome the brand new day.

( Click here for images and more )

Pho Thai Son, Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, fotoeins.com

3 Places to Eat in Central Saigon

Saigon is a metropolis in southern Vietnam with over 7 million people; some say there are upwards of 9 million in the area. Although often referred by its present-day name of Ho Chi Minh City, many still call the place by its old name of Saigon.

A big attraction in a short trip is always about the food. The out-of-this-world traffic points to everybody in a big hurry on the go, and it seems the entire population is on their motorbikes. This also suggests everybody is hungry, all the time.

Naturally, there are many places, stalls, and street-side carts, but if you’d like to sit down under cover and see what others are eating, you might give these three places in central Saigon a try.

( Click here for more )

North to Strömkajen (harbour quays), Stockholmsström, Stockholm harbour, Stockholm, Sweden, fotoeins.com

My Stockholm: daytrip to Vaxholm in the archipelago

Above/featured: Stockholmsström (Stockholm harbour).

One of the great attractions in Stockholm is its archipelago (Stockholms skärgård), a network of over 20-thousand islands in the Baltic Sea. An easy get-away from the city, Vaxholm is a favorite for many, accessible by bus, by car, or by ferry.

It is with the latter, the Waxholmsbolaget ferry service, that I set off on a day trip. I boarded the boat at Stockholm Strömkajen for the hour-long ferry to Vaxholm. The return boat journey puts me back at Stockholm Strömkajen.

The Official Roslagen site describes Vaxholm as:

Vaxholm, called the archipelago’s “capital”, is the gateway to Roslagen from Stockholm. The town is a hub for boats travelling to the central and northern archipelago – Roslagen’s archipelago. Vaxholm’s municipality includes about 70 islands.

Vaxholm has lots of trees, beautiful homes and cottages, all within easy reach of the water. Because of its proximity to Stockholm, Vaxholm can also be expensive. But if you’re looking for something different in the Stockholm area, Vaxholm is an ideal daytrip for some peace and quiet by the water’s edge.

( Click here for images and more )

Joy Hing Roasted Meat, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, fotoeins.com

Hong Kong: I can eat in Cantonese

June 2012.

Yes, it’s true.

After sitting dormant in my head for years, my Cantonese has come out to play, and has been put to good use.

I can say a few words and phrases to make myself understood, but I’m not proficient enough to carry a long conversation. But I know enough to cuss if I need to, like everyone else.

It’s now halfway into my stay in Hong Kong, and I’m finding my comprehension of verbal Cantonese is steadily improving by the day. I can listen to Cantonese in conversation and I can get the gist of what’s being said. My reading and writing comprehension, however, need life support.

The important part is where my handling of Cantonese becomes particularly handy: the search for and the precise naming of food.

Here are three places in Hong Kong where I’ve adequately communicated my desire for food that “feels-like-home”:

Mak’s Noodle (Central), for the wonton noodle soup
Nathan Congee and Noodle (Kowloon), for congee
Joy Hing Roasted Meat (Wan Chai), for the barbecue duck and pork

( Click here for more details )