Fog in the morning

San Simeon. It's synonymous to William Randolph Hearst, the publishing magnate. He built a castle up the mountains in this seaside town. After visiting Hearst Castle you can spend a few minutes walking on the pier, just off the Pacific Coast highway. Here you can mingle with the early morning fog. You can simply walk on the deck and watch the waves hug the shore. A few people can be found surfing (yes, even that early!) or sifting through sand in search for clams.

Mykonos

This is one of the beaches at Mykonos. I have visited this beautiful Greek island twice and this picture was taken during my first visit there in 2003.

I like the white sheer sheet that played with the breeze. The blue waters keep the same color throughout the year. Rain or shine. Food is excellent although it's more pricey compared to similar menus here in the United States. I guess you can figure out why.

Last song

Things we never said come together
the hidden truth no longer haunting me
tonight we touched on the things
that were never spoken
that kind of understanding sets me free...

Pacific Ocean

This is the Pacific Ocean. And this is Port Hueneme, California. In these waters, a plane once crashed and all passengers and crew perished. I still feel the horror and the anguish that were present. Sometimes I drive by if only to revisit a beach I used to frequent decades ago. I remember that afternoon when the Alaska Airlines plane lost control and plunged into these waters...

Rush hour

On way to work. The sun hasn't come up yet. But look at the morning sky. The brake lights, traffic lights, and the towering street lights that will soon go off. It takes me 10 minutes to drive to work. By the time I start the car to go home, it'll be dark again. The day seems forever... sometimes. But it's a job.

Almost morning

The street light will soon be off--and so will the silvery moon. I went to pick up the morning paper when I saw this. The moon: it's so far-fetched like our dreams. Yet there is another source of "light" among us here on earth. They're all around us: the people we know and trust. People who smile so we will have a good day, and a scene like this one that makes you think that after all the world's sham and drudgery, it's STILL a beautiful one!

Night shot

LIKE a refuge, sometimes I find soothing times in the garage--at night. So quiet, one can hear his own heartbeat. The car just sits there, without a word. Or a sound. Nearby is the water heater with its recirculating motor doing its job. The faint light casted my shadow on the hood and I thought I'd share this moment with you. Whatever it is that moves you, do it. I miss many things--things, people.

Back view

This "crack" belongs to a statue in a museum in Naples, Italy. Visited the place in July 2005--including a tour of Pompeii and witnessing the damage and destruction done by Mt. Vesuvius around 67 A.D.

Hmmm...

So serene... (This was taken at the Ventura pier one afternoon last summer.)

Afternoon delight

Imagine yourself barefoot, walking on the sand that was just embraced by the waves... And imagine yourself as you run away from the waves as they rush to slap your feet--happily! The water is cold, believe it or not. You'll shiver, but you're not alone. The photographer's there--to lend a helping hand. Or a light jacket.

TAIL UP

The humid temperature of Florida makes it home to some tropical plants that are just as exotic as the natives of a tropical paradise somewhere. I noticed a squirrel up on the tree and hoping to get a shot, I stopped and wait for it to show itself fully. Just as I pushed the shutter, its head was hidden by a big leaf but its tail POINTED UP to "compensate" for it.

Misty green

This is a golf course. Time was a little before 10 a.m. and by then I must have taken about 15 pictures depicting the place itself, and its golf players. Earlier, as the day started to roll I saw people with their golf clubs and roller carts. They swung their clubs, screamed "FORE" while some stumbled and missed good shots. I didn't miss a phone call--I felt it, heard it, answered it. It was great to hear "music"...

Silent sentinels

You can sleep at night knowing that someone's out there lookin' out for your welfare. This picture was taken in Titusville, Florida overlooking the Indian River. Beyond it is Cape Canaveral--where the U.S. sends of the space shuttle flights.

Another plane out there

This plane was flying at over 500 miles per hour when I took this shot from our plane's window. Although I don't quite remember exactly where this was taken, I suspect it must have been over Texas somewhere. The view was awesome as usual. That's why I always get the camera ready and having a window seat, sights like this are invaluable.

Going upstairs?

Shadows are fascinating--they give us great images that makes us think. The source on this one is the sun, that's why one has to be quick to capture the moment.

Same goes to our friends. One time they're there, the next time they're not. Oftentimes we overlook certain things and before we realize it'll be too late. Surely, we tend to look back, mostly at pictures. Sometimes they're the only ones left.

And we end up refocusing ourselves. But why?

Lonely dog

Once upon a time, there wasn't much to wait for and now the whiff of perfume doesn't exist nor does it heighten the excitement. Maybe the volcanoes have ripped through the whole village and the inhabitants fled, if only to justify its absence. I still wonder to this day--what happened.

Early garden

the smell of spring mimics your perfume
sifting through the woods like a graceful deer
and among the wayside flowers i browse
through a myriad of beautiful colors.
you can find reasons to get lost
in the forest.
reasons that are easy to understand,
yet difficult to believe they exist.
the sun has yet to travel towards the west,
leaving us another day.
making us feel we are alive despite little
pitfalls, little woes.
look at the trees: they sway to and fro
with the wind. but there's no wind now
and i feel a surge of freedom:
a basket of fresh flowers picked from
your garden.

3.20.06

Touch me

Yes, touch me! Caress me with your fingers, and let your clammy palms arouse the winner in me. Lay down and smile, close your eyes and feel the outside as you look into my soul. Then touch me again... and again.

Tippy toe

Man is destined to search. And for varied reasons. Like a ballet dancer, this man tippy-toed if only to make the move more poetic. After all, life is what we make it.

The pretty weed

Who said you have to be "somebody" to stand out? And who said you're not attractive if you're a weed? This weed has bloomed, and buds are sprouting. I was going to de-weed the backyard when this "weed" caught my attention. Instead, I took out my camera and captured its beauty and elegance. It wasn't cultivated to come out this pretty, yet it percolates your senses: sight and touch. In life, we tend to ignore the lowly and small. Yet we forget that the grand things in life could be hiding behind our backs. Pretty weed, isn't it?

Where to?

Like a swan, one can glide through traffic with ease and grace. But its webbed feet get caught in a fishing net, there is a loss of freedom. And the water seems to be at a standstill, until a movement is executed and the concentric circles get wider, like spreading the news. What good is a bicycle when it's tied to a post. Then again, with its grace "frozen" like this, one can only admire its skeletal frame so meticulously designed for people to enjoy. Let's ride!

Spread your wings and fly

What it boils down to is how graceful your flight is. Didn't matter what altitude you're flying into. The smell of the sea water makes your mind wonder why the seemingly unreachable skies merely reflects what's down here. Look at the waves: don't they resemble the clouds at times?

Heavy on the nuts

The sky was clear. So smooth, so serene. Not even a breeze--and the day smelled like Saturday. Around lunch time, I can see the competition of nearby eateries, vying for that special clientele to step in. The waitresses swayed to and fro--a rather inviting gesture to bring in customers. Hey, drinks anyone?

Tree on the sidewalk

This is Pasadena, California--right across the street from a fine Thai restaurant. Thought I'd share this photo that I snapped earlier this afternoon while dining there with friends and relatives.

Fly me

... to the moon and let me play among the stars. (1/1000 sec. at f5.6 with Nikon D70s using Nikkor 70-300mm lens)

A Poem

THE PAINTER'S BRUSH

scattered clouds, boasting
with pride one can't really feel
the periods of the mind that allow
us to crave for that certain smile
are but lost without wonder.
i still see the sky as an artist's
palette--one that allows a mixture
of colors
to unite as one.
i believe in the magic of the brush
as you perform the mystic abundance
of heartfelt gestures
one can only dream of.
more of everything isn't good
but the few sips of freedom we have
justifies the climactic overtures of
your laughter.
i long for the sun to set before us
telling tales we dreamed upon
and perhaps the sky will again come out
with a rendering only you and i could
interpret.

1.29.06

$9.99

Headless mannequins seem to scream out their "wares" at $9.99 each. I loved their stance--a la Sunset Boulevard!

Want some?

Front yard?

The elegant Victorian house in the background has been around for more than a century. And so are the fields that are now planted with vegetables for future harvesting. Note the very tall trees around the residential lot. The mountains in the background are the Topa-Topa mountains of Ojai (California). If you look closely, on top of the nearer mountain range are the same two trees shown on the upper photo.

Mystic Abundance

As the sun hides behind the clouds, I know I am
Still the same but without mantra
And as quick as a wink I leave behind
Another day well-spent with a smile
Longing to hold you still--
Learning from you that I
Can always make it more fun
To see the sun so sublime.

In your hands I see a camera
Deep within your soul there's an uproar
Of sweetness and love so fine
Would I be chosen
And get invited to the panorama
That your love bestows?


1.25.06

Vanishing gondolier

I took a picture of the above scene at a slow speed (1/2.5 second), f20. Then turned the lens to make the picture go "farther"... thus creating this effect.

Time passages

But you're all alone
In these time passages
I know you're in there
You're just out of sight
Oh, time passages
Buy me a ticket
On the last train home tonight.

Rock hard

I looked at it again.

The rock has cradled the waves

in its womb.

Beneath its structure,

the soft and gentle memories

of life has its roots

beyond the pages of time.

The afternoon has since silenced

the seas, and the sun has vowed

to leave once more.

I looked at it again.

Will it ever look at me

again, as well?

Among the flowers

Guess you didn't like the answers that were muttered. If the last of you have been heard, please remember that the love you felt is true. Maybe it's more than difficult to put down in words how wonderful life is when you're around.

When the last trumpet has growled among the flowers
The sun never lifted the clouds if only to dream another dream
Closing the door is not the end of the dream.
Let the rains come, and the silent thunder just won't let me hear
The echoes of laughter that were never heard.
Loving someone: can it be understood any easier?

Almost there

Few hours earlier there was a good amount of rain. Although it didn't keep me indoors, I decided to stay home and read. Then just as I was about to go out, I noticed how the sky was changing--from overcast to clearing up. Rushing out with a camera, I took several shots of the sky only to find out that a low-flying bird was in my viewfinder.

I snapped it. And I would like to share it with you.

AMBIVALENT CLOUDS

Like an artist's working floor, different colors mingle with each other as if insinuating another idea of an art design. Here, the clouds don't seem to make a pattern--and like the weather, it could rain. Or shine.

Raining today

The predicted rain (60% chance) came. But without pomp and circumstance. Gentle drizzle it was. Enough water to wash away the dirt on pavements, and give enough shine to reflect an almost leafless tree.

WAVIN' GOODBYE?

Have you ever stared at a single wave as it comes towards the shore? You focus on it as it rushes towards you. And as it reaches your bare feet you feel its caress--its life-giving worth, its enormous magnetism as it ebbs and flows from over yonder. You'll soon notice that it makes a sound. Something that qualifies as a screaming silence. Only because it quiets down as quick as it roared. Then it's eventually gone, its sound muffled. You feel its immediate absence--that which puts a dart in your heart. Something you don't feel until you're just as numb as a tree trunk. Then you realize its playful approach, its seemingly endless touch, and the awakening it bears with it as it once again feels you. Have you seen a wave waving goodbye?

I have. Yes, I have.

MACH 2?

IT WAS HALLOWEEN night and as I sat in my car at a parking lot, I SAW THIS! What could it be? A "fast-moving" trick-or-treat'er?

Mediterranean sunset

Opportunity is like the sunset, if you wait too long you'll miss it.

Cascading water

A trip to Rome wouldn't be complete without a visit to the Trevi fountain.

Most of the tourists are on the right side of the picture. I thought I'd exclude people in this picture to concentrate on the "softness" of the cascading water.

It's almost holy, touch it.

Sit beside me

Two empty chairs
Look out to the deep blue waters,
The extinct volcano lurks way back there
Quietly I whisper into the wind
Your name.
You nodded, and smiled such that I squinted
Into the sun.
You wanted to spend an evening with me,
Don't you?
There are two chairs.

Restin' Reagan

Knute Rockne. The Gipper. The Prez. Ronald Reagan chose to be buried at the grounds of his Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California. It's on top of a hill, overlooking the valley. Few homes are seen towards the west, and a freeway named after him meanders nearby. If you live in California, you just might want to check it out. Do it on a weekend, when you have an extra couple of hours to simply enjoy the view and the collection of the Reagans during their two terms of office at the White House. General admission: $12 (seniors $9).

Perfect circles

High above Denver an airplane flies over circular patterns. To the uninitiated, they can be puzzling. But to those who knew what these are, they are often ignored. I had an idea what they were until I asked a flight attendant: "Circular irrigation system". These are more appreciated when viewed celestially. Fly sometime.

TWO shadows each

Count them!

Beyond the horizon

Ask yourself the question: "What's beyond?" No one knows. You have to find out for yourself. Don't let the serenity of the place fool you. Listen to your heart. Feel the beat, smell the roses, care a little more. Perhaps you didn't need to go beyond the horizon to find something that makes you "smile." After all, it's not the destination that counts but the journey.

Reflection

It's already January and the temperature was still in the 70s. Not a cloud in the sky, very little breeze, and I didn't have to work. Drove by the harbor to check out the water, and the boats. Here's what my camera saw--boats and their reflections albeit "wiggly" which indicates movement. It gives that dramatic scene, almost unassuming. Like life sometimes. Spend your days wisely. Look for life, and enjoy it.

Sea and surf

It looked very summery. The surf teased the shore like a hammer banging on a clam, hoping there's a pearl inside. The footprints could be that of pets that graciously roamed earlier that day. Then birds got their feet wet, hoping they, too, would get something from the sand--food. And I had a camera!

Sea up above

It could be an illusion. But it looks more like clouds than a stormy (and wavy) sea. Taken from an airplane at 30,000 feet. And who said we can't touch the clouds?