120506 Catania & Taormina, Italy

Thanks to the hard work of my colleagues of the European offices, I have the wonderful opportunity to visit a customer in Catania, a city in Sicily, Italy, in early May 2012.  A bit of research reveals Phoenix is a sister city of this Mediterranean town.  I wonder about the criteria for cities to become sisters.  Phoenix is a metropolis in the middle of a desert, with no ocean or sea in sight; Catania is a small town on an island in the middle of the Mediterranean sea.  Curious pairing of cities, but wonderful nonetheless.

My travel plan calls for flights from Phoenix to Washington DC, then onto Munich, and finally to Catania.  While the journey is long, it is uneventful.  Catania welcomes me with warmth and sunshine.  The receptionist at the hotel gives me the typical cost of a taxi ride from the airport.  When I inquire the taxi driver about the ride to my hotel, he quotes me a price matching my information;  I do notice the driver does not activate the meter.

After a nap to recover from my long journey, I take the shuttle bus of the hotel to downtown Catania.  The time is late Sunday afternoon. Most businesses are closed except a few souvenir shops and restaurants. The town square is mostly empty.  I am a bit surprised to find a small church nearby still opened and step in.  It turns out to be the "Basilica della Collegiata".  The painting on its ceiling is amazing.  

Ceiling of the "Basilica della Collegiata".

After a simple, yet delicious, dinner of spaghetti with seafood, I wait for sundown and take the picture below. The main structure is the church of Sant'Agata, which is also called the "Duomo di Catania".  The hour is late and I must catch the last shuttle back to the hotel.

Duomo di Catania.

Morning morning affords me some free time. The weather is perfect. It is a great chance to get to know Catania. A short shuttle ride takes me back to downtown. What a pleasant surprise! I am dropped off right in the middle of a bustling open-air market.  I suspect, from my research of Catania before my trip, that this is the famous fish market. But it is much more than that. Fresh fruits and produce, poultry, lamb, meat, cheese are on sale everywhere. Merchants set up their tables and stalls along pedestrian alleys and sidewalks, offering their products for sale and calling out to customers. 

Fishmonger at street market in Catania.

Tuna on sale at street market in Catania.

Merchant of wine and cheese at street market in Catania.

Street market in Catania.

Large fresh strawberries at street market in Catania.

As much as I like to stay and experience more of this wonderful market, Catania has more to offer.  But I only have a short time.  A quick tour of the city introduces me to the rich history of Catania.  I learn the elephant in the middle of town square is the symbol of this city, with its own legend.

u Liotru, or the Fontana dell'Elefante, is the symbol of Catania.

The rest of the week is taken up by work at the office of my customer, located in the industrial zone at the outskirts of Catania. The workdays pass quickly though.

I hear so much about the local active volcano, Mount Etna. During my entire stay, Mount Etna spews a plume of steam or white smoke. The haze during the day makes photographing this scenery difficult.  So I make the point of getting up before sunrise on my last day in Catania. I want to photograph Mount Etna during the early morning hours when pollution is at its lowest level. I set up my camera on the beach across the street from my hotel and take a shot of the volcano as the sun peeps over the horizon. The dawn light helps the plume of white smoke from Mount Etna stands out better. Seeing it in the early morning sun light makes me wish I can climb and have a closer look.

Mount Etna at dawn.

Acting on the advise of my customers, I take the train to Taormina, a picturesque little town full of interesting history just north of Catania. Taormina has many of Greco-Roman ruins and little shops highlighting local products and produces to tourists along its many charming little streets.  A short ride on the cable car from center of town takes me to the edge of the Mediterranean sea, with clean beaches, crystal-clear water and very gentle waves. There are few tourists enjoying sun and surf; but the summer vacation season is yet to begin.

Taormina in Sicily, Italy.

Ancient ruins in Taormina, Sicily, Italy.

My return to Catania is greeted by several school bands performing at the center square of town.  There is enough distance in between so their performances do not interfere with one another, yet I can walk from one side of the square to another to enjoy a different kind of music. These kids have musical talent.

School band playing at town square in Catania, Sicily, Italy.

As with other locales I visited, I wish I have more time to explore and get to know Sicily. Undoubtedly, its history is fascinating to learn; its customs and traditions rich in significance; and its cuisine wonderful to enjoy. But I am very thankful for this fabulous opportunity to have a peek to the lives of local Sicilians. 

More pictures are at https://picasaweb.google.com/108013863525571472697/120505Catania.

Until next time, I thank you for visiting and bid you peace. 
Paul

120317 Spring Break

The month of March graces us with a visit by dear friends from Vietnam. Since this visit is their first to the United States, my wife & I want to expose them to the richness and diversity of this country, especially of Arizona and the Southwest.

We depart from Phoenix and its surrounding desert by car for San Francisco, with an overnight stay in Los Angeles. Along the way, we plan to introduce our friends to American "street food", such as the infamous hamburger and hot dog, as well as a myriad of other cuisines, from Italian to Mexican, which make up the pot of fondue making up America.  As we approach Los Angeles, we are hit by torrential rain.  So in the short span of a few hours, our friends experience the dryness of the desert and the wetness of a thunderstorm.

Our drive to San Francisco along the Pacific Coast Highway (California 1) includes stops along the way to take in the natural beauty of this region. Unfortunately, the cold temperature and the high wind lessen this pleasure. 

California Coast Line.

We arrive at our rental condominium in San Francisco just before midnight. Its location is at the top of a hill giving us a breathtaking view of the city below. We thoroughly enjoy our stay in this City by the Bay, as we visit the Golden Gate Bridge and other landmarks. 

San Francisco at dawn.

Of course, no visit to the Bay area is complete without tasting the clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl and a drive down Lombard Street - the "Crookediest Street" in the World.  Both my Vietnamese friend and my daughter handle this challenge with flying colors. Also on one such outing, we have a chance encounter with a handsome dog at a café in beautiful Sausalito. 

A dog at a cafe in Sausalito, CA.

Our return to Los Angeles begins after a brief stop in Monterey. Again high wind and low temperature make the enjoyment of this scenic area difficult.

After a good night's rest, we visit to Universal Studio Hollywood. We thoroughly enjoy our time with our friends at this theme park. We also stop by the Walt Disney Concert Hall near downtown Los Angeles. 

Dinosaur at Universal Studio Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA.

Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, CA.

After Los Angeles, we head further south to San Diego. Another dear friend and his gracious wife welcome us all into their beautiful home. We have a great time visiting the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. 

Golden Eagle at San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

Lion at San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

We truly have a very pleasant time with friends.  And a lot of pictures are taken during our friends' stay in the United States. But only a handful of photos are generic enough for publication.

As always, your valuable comments & critiques are welcome.  Thank you for visiting. 

Paul

120229 Miscellaneous

February came and went without much notice.  Yes, there was Valentine's Day.  But not much else happened that I can remember.  While very busy with my regular job, I still managed to take a few shots.

My wife & I visited Tempe Town Lake near sunset.  I took a picture of the Center for the Arts from across Town Lake.

Tempe Center for the Arts.

Also there are a couple, or even three, hummingbirds who visit my backyard often.  So I set up my camera near the spot where they feed often, attached a remote shutter release and went back inside.  I observed from within my house.  As soon as a hummingbird got near, I pressed the button.  Most shots are missed.  But I managed to get a few.  Below is one.

Ruby-throated hummingbird.

Thank you for visiting.  As always, your comments and critiques are welcome.

Enjoy,
Paul

120123 Sacramento

After a weekend celebrating the Lunar New Year, the year of the Dragon, with wonderful friends, I was off to Sacramento, California.  The weather was rainy and cold.

Again work obligations had priority.  I got off of work well after sun down; too dark for any photography.  But Sacramento offered a wonderful variety of restaurants.  I sampled Thai, French, Sushi as well as Vietnamese cuisines.

By mid week, the weather cleared up.  Work on Friday ended before sunset.  Traffic was not too bad since I was driving toward downtown Sacramento.  Since I already took pictures of the Tower Bridge from east side of the river, I like to see if I could have decent shots looking from the west bank.  I could only got 2 shots before it became too dark.

Tower Bridge in Sacramento, CA.

Panorama of Sacramento, CA.

The next time I am in Sacramento, I'll visit the "old town" area.  Until then, your comments & critiques of this post and photos are always welcome.

Thank you for visiting.
Paul

120126 San Diego

My second business trip of 2012 was to San Diego, California.  My wife accompanied me this time. Once we arrived in Southern California, we visited our good friends and their family.  TD has a beautiful home and spends considerable amount of time taking care of his garden.  His efforts show.  Below are a few shots of some of the flowers in TD's garden.

Cherry blossoms in TD's garden.

A rose in TD's garden.

At the end of my assignment, my wife & I took some times to visit the Hotel del Coronado, an icon of San Diego, and Torrey Pines State Park.

Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, CA.

Sunset at Torrey Pines State Park in San Diego, CA.

We learned that, starting that Friday 20th January, the Vietnamese community in San Diego would have a Lunar New Year Festival.  And our friends invited us to stay and enjoy the festivities, which would lasted through Sunday 22nd January.  But we couldn't.  Commitments awaited us back home.  Maybe next year.

A few more pictures are posted at https://picasaweb.google.com/108013863525571472697/120115SanDiegoScenic.  Your comments / critiques of this blog and any picture are always welcome.

Thank you for visiting,
Paul

111009 Munich Salzburg

Munich, Germany, welcomed me for the second time this year.  But this time the weather was cloudy and rainy.  This trip was my 4th to Europe so far.

After checking at the Fleming's Hotel, across the street from the Hauptbahnhof (main train station), I spent the rest of the day at the office.  The rain came and went but never stopped completely for the next few days.  Since the days were getting shorter, but my time at the office ended late, I could only manage one picture of the Rathaus (city hall) but from the different side than my shot from my previous visit to Munich.

Rathaus (city hall) of Munich.

By the end of the last work day, the sun finally came out from behind thick clouds.  After unloading my work gear (laptop, etc), I took up my tripod and headed toward the "Englischer Garten".  The sun was setting fast.  I had to settle for the smaller Hofgarten.  

Dianatempel in the Hofgarten.

But while there, I met a young woman playing a musical instrument resembling a closed wok.  Her name is Asha.  The sound of this "hang", as this instrument is named, was a mix between steel drum, electric piano, and harp.  A sample of her songs can be heard at http://www.myspace.com/ashaandthehang. 

Asha and her music instrument at Hofgarten in Munich.

But the sun was almost down.  On the way back to my hotel, I passed by yet another street performer.  This man was playing an instrument resembling a stripped down piano, but without keys and hammers.  He hit the wires with a pair of sticks covered with felt.  He was playing "Love Story".  And his performance was wonderful. 

A street performer near Hofgarten in Munich.

When I was preparing for this trip, I discovered it was much cheaper to stay an extra day than fly home on Saturday.  So with the permission of my supervisor and my "boss", I did just that.  I took advantage of this extra day to visit Salzburg, Austria.  I signed up for a day tour.


My tour group left Munich by mid morning.  The train to Salzburg, Austria, took us through some of the most beautiful landscape of central Europe, with gentle rolling hills and quaint villages. I wished I could lean out of the train or open its windows to take a few pictures.  But doing so was not legal and would probably irk fellow passengers as cold air would rush in.  Shooting through window glass panes was not a good idea as they were full of water stains from the rain of the last few days.


Salzburg, Austria: home of W. A. Mozart - musical genius.  We arrived there around noon.  We were introduced to Schloss Mirabell, the very location where the song "Do-Re-Mi" in the movie "The Sound of Music" was filmed.  The Mirabell Palace is also a very popular location for weddings, with a waiting list of a few years.

Garden at Schloss Mirabell, where the movie "The Sound of Music" was filmed.

The picture above shows the fountain around which "Maria and the children" marched as they sang the song "Do-Re-Mi".  In the background, is the staircase they hoped on as they performed this song.  The tour guide only allowed us 5 minutes to visit this beautiful place.  She told us the history of Salzburg, a city founded before the Roman empire, with its main source of wealth derived from Salz (German for salt) mined from nearby hills.  Salt as an important component of the pay of workers and soldiers engendered "salary".  It is also nicknamed "white gold".


Salzburg is also home to one of the 3 unique "Sacher Torte" bakeries, famous for their chocolate cake.  Its recipe is said to be a state secret of Austria.  This city is also the birth place and hometown of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.  As we meandered through the downtown area, I was separated from the tour group.  Since I booked this tour online, I was able to download the phone number of the tour office directly to my mobile phone the night before.  After contacting the tour office and obtained the rendez-vous point and time for the return trip, I went exploring on my own.

Old town Salzburg with Festung Hohensalzburg (High Salzburg Fortress) in the background.

 Salzburg, viewed from Festung Hohensalzburg.

Puppet performing in the street of Salzburg, Austria.

Our meeting point to begin the trip back to Munich was in front of the birthplace of Mozart.  The time spent in Salzburg was clearly too short.  I wished I could stay longer to explore and enjoy the salt caves and take pictures of the Festung Hohensalzburg during the blue hours.  But tomorrow began my journey home.

The next morning, as I crossed the Hauptbahnhof of Munich on my way to the airport, I met a toddler traveling with her family.  She was so adorable as she was dragging a suitcase bigger than she.  By the time I caught up to her family and asked for permission to photograph, the young girl was already inside the grocery store at the main train station.  I quickly snapped a picture of her.

A young traveler at the Hauptbahnhof of Munich.

These pictures, along with others, are posted at https://picasaweb.google.com/108013863525571472697/111009MUCSZB#.  As always, your comments / critiques of this blog or any pictures are solicited and welcome. 

Enjoy and thank you.
Paul

120109 SFO / SJC

The Holiday season was wonderful.  My son and daughter-in-law came to visit and spent many days with us.  So did my daughter and my niece.

My business travel resumed soon after the New Year.  The week of 9th Jan was spent in the Fremont / San Jose, CA, area.  Work took precedence, of course.  I arrived at my branch office before sunrise and left well after sunset.  There was little time to practice my hobby.

Before I left home, I discovered my GPS logger failed.  It no longer power up, in spite of new batteries.  Plugging it into my PC did not revive it.  With luck, I found an app on-line which synchronizes photos to a gpx file.  There was also a GPS logger app for my iPhone, which outputs gpx files.

Late one afternoon, I drove to a park near the San Francisco International Airport to test my GPS logger.  This park was very popular, yet its parking spaces were very limited.  And the sun was setting fast.  Once I was able to park my car, I quickly launch my GPS logger app and set up my camera.

The shot below is the result of this effort, with its GPS location marked precisely.  To view the location where this picture was taken, please go to https://picasaweb.google.com/108013863525571472697/120109SFOTest#5704741095666573362.  Mission successful.

Landing at SFO, at sunset.

And as always, your critiques / comments are welcome.

Thank you,
Paul