South Of Someplace

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Santorini - Day 2

A cloudy morning limited my shooting a bit, but I found some scenes that worked well in the light that was available.

Oia was much less crowded today (Tuesday). Tourist destinations are typically more popular on weekends. Being a contrarian, I enjoy the less crowded days of midweek.

Dogs and cats running lose on Santorini. I've been snapping lots of photos of pooches and felines.

Santorini is popular with honeymooning couples, but the Asian honeymooners have a special way of celebrating their nuptials. They snap photos all over town of the bide wearing her wedding dress. I'm not sure what started this fad, but it seems to be all the rage. I've seen at least twenty couples doing this so far. At first I thought they were models - and their are some professional fashion shoots going on, also primarily with a bridal theme. But a few of the couples asked me to take their photo together, and they were just honeymooners doing, apparently, what all of the other Asian honeymooners in Santorini were doing.

The afternoon was clear and sunny, and I was able to get some nice shots in toward the end of the day.

Crepes are a french treat, but they are very popular here as well. Almost every restaurant features them. Eating a crepe and sipping cappuccino is a lovely way to spend a little bit of quiet time after a successful day of shooting. Combine that with a breathtaking ocean view, and it's an experience to treasure.

Monday, May 12, 2014

Couples and Money

I saw a number of American tourists today. Several of the older couples were arguing publicly about money.

Favorite comments overheard as I passed by:

"Maybe if we win the lottery we can come back here and buy everything you want!"

"I don't HAVE any change. We spent it all at that other place."

"You're gonna spend another hundred before you're all done."

"You find a good deal on a vacation package, and all of a sudden you become a tightwad!"

Here's a helpful vacation idea. If all you're going to do is argue about your finances, save some money by staying home. Nobody wants to listen to the two of you when you're squabbling.

Santorini - Day 1

It's challenging to photograph an unfamiliar location at sunrise. You have to wander around in the dark looking for subjects and workable vantage points, and then be ready when the light appears. Luckily, the were a couple of churches within a half mile or so from my hotel. I was able to get in a few shots before the magic of early morning light faded.

I made one of the best photos while standing in some lady's front yard. Luckily, she was good natured about it. Some of the hotel and shop operators aren't as pleasant.

There are lots of people with cameras in Santorini. One jerk took my picture while I was trying to compose a shot. I turned around and stared into his lens while hearing the click. I hate when douche bags sneak up on people to take photos. That's why I steadfastly avoid this type of shooting.

A couple of young Asian photographers were working with models. One guy was shooting all over town with a girl in a wedding dress. I saw them again at sunset. I hope that he paid her for the full day.

The sun became brighter and then finally gave way to cloudy skies. I took a nap during the afternoon in order to help catch up from the demands of the long trip.

I walked to the west end of Oia at sunset. Everyone else had the same idea, because the footpaths we packed. I grabbed a handful of shots, but my late arrival and the fleeting sunlight limited what I could accomplish. I'll need to work a bit harder tomorrow, but at least I know my way around.

I finished the evening with a crepe and cappuccino in a lovely open restaurant. It felt like sitting in a hotel lounge. The seats were little couches, the tables were low and petite, and the sound system played hip, relaxing music. It was one of those moments that you wish that you could enjoy longer. It was dark, and the weather was cool and breezy, but I felt comfortable in my fleece.

All in all a good Day 1 of my Greek adventure. More to come...

Sunday, May 11, 2014

Jet Lag

Athens Airport - I have been waiting all afternoon for my last flight of the day to leave for the beautiful island of Santorini.

Thanks to extreme jet lag I'm feeling imaginary earthquakes as I sit here typing quietly. At least I think that I'm imagining them. No one else seems to notice anything out of the ordinary.

I walked outside a couple of times to keep myself going. The weather is sunny, hot, and hazy. I'm definitely going to need the hat and the sunscreen. And lots of liquids.

Happy Mother's Day to all of you mothers out there in non-jet lag land!

Good and Bad Personalities Encountered on Airplanes

The Perfect Airline Seat Mate

The perfect person to sit next to you on an airplane is female, slender, quiet (not chatty), and odor-free.

People On Airplanes Whom We Are Allowed To Dislike

- People who use the overhead bins inefficiently, i.e. reducing the space that's available for other passengers who board the plane after them

- People who block the aisle for unreasonable amounts of time while stowing their carry-on baggage

- People who delay the departure of the flight by insisting that the oversized bag qualifies as carry-on luggage

- People who read while using that bright reading light during the "dark" portion of an overnight flight

- Surly or condescending flight attendants

- People who throw their trash on the floor

- People who make a mess of the bathrooms

- People for whom cooperating with others and/or following instructions is inherently foreign

Swiss Layover

You forget the details of European airports when you're away for a while, the enclosed smoking lounges, the PA announcements in British English, the on demand escalators that start automatically when a pedestrian approaches, the cleaning ladies in the men's room (it's fun to watch American men hesitate to enter the men's room when a woman is in there cleaning).

The Zurich airport has a tram that connects Terminal E to the rest of the complex. My connection was flying out of Terminal A. Once off of the tram I passed through Passport Control and picked up a Starbucks coffee for eleven dollars. It costs half that much in New York. As I sipped my coffee, I made my first silly mistake.

I asked the cashier at Starbucks where I could find a bank machine. I wanted to withdraw some euros. She directed me to a machine in Terminal B but said that she didn't know if it dispensed euros. In my jet lagged haze, I thought that this was a silly comment. So, I hiked for ten minutes, venti non-fat latte in hand, to Terminal B, located the machine, put in my card, and realized my error. Switzerland doesn't use euros; they use francs. My long walk was for nothing. I dashed back to my gate where boarding for Athens was about to begin and a long queue had formed. Luckily, I was still in time to find space in the overhead compartments for my hand luggage.

The flight to Athens was smooth, and the weather cleared as we approached Greece.

Saturday, May 10, 2014

Off to JFK

After a full evening of packing, I spent the morning running last minute errands and getting a haircut. Back home, I stuffed the suitcase with toothpaste, sunscreen, deodorant, spare contact lenses, and anything else that I could want or need on a long vacation.

It was raining when I walked outside, and taxis were scarce. The first cab driver refused to go to JFK because she was nearing the end of her shift. They have to turn the car over to another driver on time or face a monetary penalty. I found another cab, but the driver asked in advance for a cash payment. I had plenty of cash, but I intended to save it for emergencies.

Traffic wasn't too bad but a little slow fue to the rain. Luckily, check in and security went quickly. I ate a sandwich and picked up some fruit juice and train mix before boarding.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Mother's Day Sale

I received an email from B&H Photo entitled "Gifts For Mother's Day". The first item listed was a $27,500 Hasselblad digital camera system (lens not included).

Shopping for mom is more expensive than it used to be!

Losing Control

I never worry about losing control. You can't lose what you don't have.

Sunday, May 4, 2014

San Antonio

It's been an interesting weekend in San Antonio. The Spurs won Game 7 of their NBA playoff series versus their Texas basketball rivals, the Dallas Mavericks. Enthusiastic Spurs fans took to the streets in their cars and pickup trucks, honking horns and cheering wildly.

The game was held on the afternoon of Sunday, May 4th, also known as Star Wars Day. ("May the Fourth be with you!) The streets were filled with people carrying plastic light sabers and dressed in ever Star Wars costume imaginable.

And of course, tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo. Market Square was highly festive, and children performed Mexican folk dances at the Spanish Governor's Mansion.

All in all, it was a festive weekend in a lovely place. Thank you, citizens of San Antonio, for extending your warm hospitality and for sharing the sights and sounds of your historic city so generously.