Happy St. Patrick's Day! - Back to Ireland through a Photo Journey-

May 2012 - My first discovery of Ireland.  I fell in love with the entire country and left my heart there.  The people, the music, the rainy days, cobblestone streets... there's something magical about Ireland.  And one day, hopefully soon, I will return.  Until then, let's all wear some green, work on your best Irish accent, and enjoy an amazing St. Patrick's Day!!!

I wrote often while sitting at cafes and feeling inspired in Ireland.  On the same street as the photo above, I set some of my favorite lines to music; here are the most inspiring words from that sequence:

The cobblestone streets beckon me

The rain on my face makes me free

The people I know and the ways that I'll grow

In Ireland.

 

 

 

  

  CHEERS!!!

  (These photos are all from my visit back in 2012)

A Vacation from the Vacation

  Well, it's been a week since I've been home.  And wow, it's been a crazy week.  The only way I can describe it is that I need a vacation from the vacation.  Jet lag, catching up on work, catching up on sleep, and being disoriented, wondering what country I'm in when I wake up sometimes.  It's an odd sensation.

There are a few more days in Spain to write about, a few days in Holland, and a few days in New York.  But for now, I'd like to share a slideshow of the highlights from the Holland wedding in The Hague.  Thanks Rich Wyman for the soundtrack.

More Spain

  And the historical tour of Madrid:

First, the post office. This building was absolutely gorgeous!  Too bad we don't make our post offices in America as grand as this, it might be a better experience to use them...  As described to me by Kyle, the post office was built around 1900 and was a gateway to the outside world.  How amazing to be able to communicate with people so far away!  I guess they didn't have smart phones back then ;)

I went to a few cathedrals in Madrid, but the photos below were taken of the cathedral next to el Museo del Prado.  After a certain hour, attending the museum is actually free, so we got there, realized there was 15 minutes before that time and decided to take a walk for 15 minutes...  For some reason, even with all my creative and artistic mind, I have a lot of trouble appreciating "fine art." I LOVED the modern art in NYC's MOMA, but what's the point in seeing hundreds of paintings of royal people standing there? Thomas really wanted the experience of the Prado in Madrid, so we went.  And 20 minutes later, we were both done.  Bored.  I felt so uncultured admitting that I was done, but hey, at least it was free :)

One evening there, Kyle was so excited to show us this Egyptian temple.  He kept talking about how hundreds of people would be sitting there, socializing.  And how it's all lit up and beautiful.  Well, after much walking and several blisters, we made it there at 2am. And the area was empty.  No one was there.  And the temple wasn't even lit up.  He says "I'm sorry!  I thought you could've gotten some really cool photos of this, oh shoot."  And then I started taking pictures anyway... put a 6 second exposure on there, stabilized it on a wall... and this is what we ended up with.  I think it was absolutely beautiful!

La Guitarra

  In a land far, far away, called Austin Texas, I once knew a boy named Kyle.  Kyle was a happy kid, a source of energy and enthusiasm and always had a reason to smile and laugh.  He and I shared several music classes in high school, then he went to North Texas and I wen to BYU, both studying music.  This magical website called Facebook helped me get back in touch with him and discover that he moved to Madrid a year ago! Decided he was ready for something new, so he set off to explore the world.  I felt so lucky to have a tour guide and a translator there in Madrid and on top of all that, his music was amazing!

The first night Thomas and I were in Madrid, we went to an open-mic night in an Irish pub.  I happened to have my camera, so I snapped a few photos just for kicks.

 

Then we set up a more organized shoot to take pictures while Kyle was busking.  (Note - busking is a word I recently learned, it refers to street performers. Set up a guitar case for people to throw money into and then turn on the entertainment).  It was awesome to do these photos - a musician in his element, the passion of the music showing through, with people around and a very cool setting.

I played around a bit with the D800's video feature (first time doing video!) and here are a couple clips of Kyle performing in Puerta del Sol:

Clip # 1

and Clip #2

I wasn't able to get all the photos I wanted because we had to spend a large portion of the time trying to fix camera equipment... it was so stressful!  But I'll post about that tomorrow.  Here's my favorite shot from the night:

Madrid, Spain - Day 3

  I keep falling asleep (this has been an amazing trip, but working like crazy and my sleep schedule has suffered much), so this is a terrible time to write a blog post... rather dangerous if you factor in my sense of humor when I get tired (Ohhh, I think I'm really funny!)  So I will just post some more Madrid photos now and check back in Monday to fill in the text.

Madrid, Puerta del Sol.  Soooo many people.

Below is the symbol for madrid: el oso y el madroño.  It means bear and this specific type of tree.

 

This photo below and on the right is one of my favorites.  Not really sure why I like it so much, but it just feels... quaint.  Restaurante. Chairs and table sitting next to the street.

 

A Walk in the Park

  Madrid.  Some Park.  Not the big famous one called Ritiro, this is some other one.  I got lost one evening so decided to take an hour here just because I could. Spain has taught me to forget my schedule and my rush, just enjoy and appreciate what's around me.  Whether it's eating tapas on the street and waiting 30 minutes for the waiter to bring the check or sitting in the plaza just watching the people... I want to bring this lesson into my American life (which will be difficult, I know!) because I find my days more fulfilled when I apply it.  From today forward, I commit to stop and smell the roses.

When I take this time, I find an opportunity to see beauty when I may not have been looking.  I love the way the sun comes through the leaves and they way everything is so green after it rains.

 

Back in March I took a trip to Denver and rode the train on my way back.  I spent some time on the train with a National Geographic photographer who was working on many projects, but among them was a book of benches.  I've started to notice benches because in a way I can look at this photo and imagine myself sitting there, taking in the scenery.  And that makes the photo just a little more real to me.  More of a memory, and experience, and less of a picture.

Estamos en Espana!

  Day 1 in Madrid - Thomas and I got to the airport, and met up with a friend of mine from my music classes in High School.  Kyle has been living in Madrid for about a year, working as an au pair and teaching guitar and voice lessons (and he is an amazing musician!)  We bonded almost 10 years ago as the youngest students in an AP Music Theory course, then did choir and jazz band and several other fun activities together.  I was so excited when I found out he had moved to Madrid and that we'd be able to see him this trip.  Kyle is always smiling and fun to be around.  We walked around the Park Retiro (big famous park in Madrid) and practiced doing some pull-ups on the children's playground so I wouldn't lose my rock climbing muscles completely :)

Because my Spanish isn't fantastic, making friends and learning people's stories was much harder in Spain than in Ireland.  So I usually filled the void with a Nutella crepe each day.  And it was delicious indeed!  It was also fun to see the little scooters everywhere.  Very few people drove, most people rode the Metro, but there were all kinds of motorcycles and scooters around as well.  Just parked on the sidewalk.  Rather different that what I'm used to seeing.

 

Thomas playing with the G11 because he didn't want to carry around a second DSLR (I don't blame him.  The packs got really heavy and we did a lot of walking!)

And afternoon tapas.  You walk to this street, sit down at a table, someone may take your order within 15 or 20 minutes, the food arrives another 2o or 30 minutes later, and then you have to beg and plead for them to come back so you can pay when you're done.  I love this about the Spanish culture.  There is no rush.  You are there to talk, not just to eat.  You are there to feel the sun, enjoy the life, and SLOW DOWN.  I rather enjoyed the food as well.

We have almost an entire week in Madrid, then off to Holland for the wedding.  This is an adventure indeed!

A New Perspective

  My grandfather passed away 2 years ago and it was a time of perspective and learning for me.  Each person understands death, and life, so differently.  We react and cope differently.  Some people reach out and want love and comfort, want to come together and a family and feel the closeness and reassurance of love.  Some people prefer to separate themselves from life, to look inside and evaluate emotions and memories for a while, and wait a while before reaching out to people.  It's often a time of spirituality in reflection - what does death mean and is there a God?  I've only had a couple experiences with people close to me passing away, and it's always been difficult.  I don't like the idea of funerals or cemeteries, I find myself feeling bitter, feeling the loss of this person in my life.  But I've wanted to learn a new perspective, the perspective of rejoicing in their life even after they are gone.

The most interesting thing to me when my grandfather passed away is how my mom and her siblings used to talk about taking walks through the cemetery when they were growing up. Grandpa would even take a picnic lunch and go with them on a Sunday, it was almost like a park.  My described something beautiful that I couldn't begin to understand. Death is painful, I've always wanted to tried places that represent death in my life.  But my last day in London, I saw a new perspective.

I love to get lost in a new city.  So many people just hop on the tube (the underground train system) when the destination would've been less than a 10 minute walk.  I had about an hour, so I opted to walk this time.  Turned out I walked in exactly the wrong direction, but I keep telling myself I enjoy being lost, it worked out :)

I stumbled across a beautiful stone archway that led into a picturesque park, flowers and trees and everything was so green.  There was an older couple walking arm in arm down a dirt path and I couldn't help but smile.  So I said "hey, I'm lost anyway.  May as well take my time and walk through the park".  Relax, breath, clear my head, and take a few pictures.  A few steps in and I saw a tour group , with the tour guide pointing to headstones and crosses and talking about something.  I got really confused.  If this was a cemetery, why would people other than family members of those buried here come visit? But dozens were just walking around, so I convinced myself to keep going. And it was beautiful. And heartwarming. Walking past the gravestones and the flowers placed by the cross, I felt peace.  I felt something about death that wasn't just uncomfortable.  And I'm grateful for that.  There was something so perfectly beautiful about the way in which these people's lives were honored with this atmosphere that was more like a park.  Seemed perfect to me.

I took a few photos for istock as well, you can purchase them here

 

And I walked away with a new perspective, a new appreciation, and greater understanding.  I hope to hold it in my heart forever so I can remember the beauty and the peace, the joy that can be found in celebrating someone's life even after they have passed.

London Bridge is Falling Down

  My mom's originally from England, so I always took a little bit of pride in being half-British.  I've been to England once before with my family (when I was about 9), we saw Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and all the ABC tours as I heard them called (apparently stands for the not-completely polite phrase "another bloody castle" but as an American, it was always funny and never seemed crude)...  I have a few distinct memories from the trip when I was 9.  Visiting my cousins, collecting a souvenir pin from each castle I went to, fish and chips, crepes, the awesome candy store... One day my cousin convinced me to go to school with her.  It was interesting, and I liked meeting her friends and getting attention as the American, but my older sisters and Dad used that day... wait for it... to go to Paris.  I wonder which I would have chosen if I were given all the information before making my choice ;)  Oh well, one day I'll make it to France also.  I also remember standing in front of a castle... I think the Tower of London, but I'm not sure... and this guy in the photo below asked me where I was from.  I told him and he said "TEXAS!  Your house must be bigger than this.  Everything's bigger in Texas!"  I'm sure I stood there awkwardly and giggled as a response.

It was interesting coming back as an adult though.  I'm much less of a tourist in that I want to see all the famous sites, but I did want to see people, culture, and have a chance for some good photography and food.  All in all, London didn't impress me nearly as much as Ireland.  But it was interesting and I'm glad to have taken the two days to stop there on my way to Spain.

The tunnel to the tube (subway, metro... everyone has a name for it!)  London's was a bit cleaner than New York's but not much!  I saw mice on several occasions and no matter how tired I was, I always stood when waiting for the train, I didn't want to sit on the dirty benches or floor... The colors and walls, however, were very cool.

From my perspective, life was much more fast paced and impersonal in London.  Even when compared to my experience in NYC, people in New York seemed interested in me and willing to chat, London people seemed very focused and annoyed if I got in the way.    Certainly when compared to Ireland.  Friendly people everywhere in Ireland, I only had 2 real conversations in England.  One of them I was pretty excited about, though.  There was a man staying at my hostel who worked as a butler.  Actually, he used to work as a butler, now he was interviewing for short-term positions where he trains the household hotel staff.  He made the joke  (note: numbers have been changed to protect their identity.  Ok, ok, I lied.  Numbers have been changed because my memory is terrible) that in England the glasses were supposed to be at 4 o'clock in relation to the plates, in Italy they were supposed to be at 3 o'clock, in America, you can put it wherever you want on the table.  That felt like a very British experience, though, talking to a Butler.  I wanted to say "that's so cool!  I call my GPS Jeeves" but realized that it would be a rather odd comment to make... just because it's the only connection in my life to British butlers doesn't mean he wanted to hear it!

Ok, more photos from my walk through the city:

 

Some of the little restaurants were very British...

...and others were not.  Doesn't matter where you go, it seems there is no escaping of the fast food!

We saw the show "We Will Rock You" that evening, the musical set to Queen's music. Now, I have studied music all my life, but I seem completely illiterate when it comes to knowing pop culture, artists, songs, and name of songs.  I've tried to educate myself over the last year or so, studying up on the artists that I like, learning the music and lyrics and learning to identify the song when it's playing.  I'm pretty successful with recognizing Beatles and Queen now.  So I was thrilled to hear about this show!  And next I need to go see Cirque du Soleil LOVE with the Beatles music in Vegas.  We Will Rock You was full of British pop culture jokes that went right over my head and it was all a little cheesy, but incredible talent and I thought it was cute.  Music by Queen warms my heart and makes me smile (speaking of cheesy... haha)  And the verdict is: I would definitely see this show again!

And some cool night shots.  I have no idea what this building below is, but they had flags strung up across the streets in celebration of the queen's 60th Anniversary as queen.  If I understood correctly, she is one of two queens who have ever reached the 60 year mark, so it's a pretty big deal! Between that and the olympics coming up, London was ready to have a party!

The Tower of London

And the famous London Bridge.  Not falling down.  But looking pretty amazing at night.  Some of the photos showed the towers lit up with that blue light, some of my photos didn't.  I didn't remember it changing as I took the photos, but I'm on a quest to find out what/why/how they light up the bridge there.  Anyone know?  (p.s. I secretly wanted to dive in and swim over to that ship, I have no idea why, but I had to fight that urge all evening, haha)