Cities by the Bay

Miami and Miami Beach, Florida, USA

When you hear the phrase City by the Bay, you likely think of San Francisco.  Miami and Miami Beach are also on a famous bay, Biscayne Bay.  We took this shot during a scenic approach to Miami International Airport.  From the west, we overflew the Everglades, came south past the airport over Dinner Key and Coconut Grove, and then circled through Miami to land.

In this photo you can see Biscayne Bay, downtown Miami, Miami Beach, the cruise ships at Dodge Island, US 1 and Interstate 95, as well as the Rickenbacker, MacArthur, Venetian, and Julia Tuttle Causeways.

Go Slow

Road Sign, Florida Panhandle, USA

With all the ice and snow around the country today, we think this is a good time to remind everyone to drive slowly.  We photographed this road sign on a packed clay road in the Florida Panhandle back in 1994.  We're pretty sure the speed limit was 15 MPH, but the neighborhood wanted everyone to go extra slow and added a period between the 1 and 5.  On this road, 15 MPH was really pushing it.

Name that Flower

Flower, Zion National Park, Utah, USA

We found this flower near the base of a "beehive" formation at Zion National Park.  We have no idea what kind of flower it is, but it sure is unusual and beautiful.

Eilat of Boats

Marina, Eilat, Israel

These tour boats were readying for tourists early one December morning.  Situated at the northern tip of the Red Sea, Eilat is a popular destination year round for Europeans, Israelis, and others.  Although it is called the Red Sea, the water is usually very clear and at least one of the boats in the foreground has a glass bottom for viewing fish, coral, and urchins.

Sit a Spell

Bench, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Marietta, Georgia, USA

It may have been a frigid day in the middle of winter, but this spot still was alluring.

Alcoholic Glow

Fu Manbrew, Smyrna, Georgia, USA

Despite the Goose Island glass (from Chicago), we were drinking Fu Manbrew, an Atlanta beer.  The name was funny and the profile sounded easy to drink, so we ordered it.  It didn't disappoint.

To get this photo, we put the glass in front of a tealight.

Million Dollar Staircase

Staircase, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

This beautiful staircase spans four floors within a private office in Atlanta.  It is called the "million dollar staircase".  Maybe it is because of the deals made while admiring it or perhaps it really cost that much.

Heading Southwest

AirTran Boeing 717, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

AirTran Airways will soon be a part of history.  Having been purchased by Southwest Airlines, AirTran is being merged into the Southwest brand and livery.  This 717 was photographed on a wet and foggy morning back in 2005.  Atlanta was AirTran's main hub since the 1990s and gave Delta Airlines some serious competition.

Cold Trails

Snowy Street, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Every few years, Atlanta gets a huge snowstorm that drops inches of snow.  This picture, from 2002, highlights such a year.  Many parts of the country are frigidly cold today (including Atlanta) and would be happy with snow accumulation this light.

Sticks and Stones

Gumballs and River Stones, Helen, Georgia, USA

Laying atop these river rocks are two fruits on stems from the American sweetgum tree.  The fruit are known as gumballs.


If you've ever stepped on chewing gum, you might make exclamations from how hard it is to remove from your foot.  If you step on these gumballs, you'll likely yell from how much these hurt your feet.

Night Swim

Swimming Pool and Hot Tub, Springdale, Utah, USA

The swimming pool and hot tub at the Majestic View Lodge were not empty this day because it was cold, or dirty, or uninviting.  These were empty because neither could compete with the scenery all around.  After dark, when travelers had completed a day of touring Zion National Park, the pool and hot tub came alive and we were rewarded with soothing waters and a beautiful night sky.

Colour My World

Lamps, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

These inexpensive, plastic lamps are at once simple and whimsical.  Like tulips and trumpets these lamps bring color and cheer.

Selling a Good Name

Borden Dairy Truck, Decatur, Georgia, USA

Elsie the Cow is familiar to almost anyone in America born before 1990.  She was the mascot and "spokesperson" for the dairy division of Borden, Inc.  Borden was founded in 1857, but ceased to exist in the 1990's.  Nonetheless, Elsie and the Borden brand name live on by licensing agreements to other companies.

Sunbeams

Downtown Buildings, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

We love how the sunbeams radiate off of the Hyatt Regency's Radius Tower.  As the sun moves, so do the beams of light.

Divine Spark

Clouds, Somewhere Over the Eastern USA

This photo, taken in flight between New York LaGuardia (LGA) and Atlanta Hartsfield (ATL), reminds us of many things.  It often evokes Michelangelo's The Creation of Adam.  Sometimes we see a cave and at other times it resembles the works of Roger Dean.  It is definitely a beautiful scene.

This Lead Doesn't Sink

Leadville, Colorado, USA

At 10,152 feet (3,094 m), Leadville is the highest city in the USA.  Perhaps it should be named Floatville.

Surprisingly, Leadville was at one time the second largest city, by population, in Colorado.  It now has just over 2,000 residents.

We took this photo back in 1998, and this part of Leadville doesn't appear much different today.

Rock-a-bye Fishy

Copper Rockfish, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

We think this cute Copper Rockfish was asleep as it never moved as we took its photo from several angles at the Georgia Aquarium.

Barn Find

See Rock City Barn, Gainesville, Georgia, USA

At one time, there were almost 900 "See Rock City" barns spread across 19 states from the Gulf of Mexico to the Great Lakes.  Now, fewer than 100 remain.  We spotted this old barn near Gainesville, Georgia while meandering down Old Cornelia Highway.  The new Cornelia Highway, U.S. 23, is a high speed extension of Interstate 85.  Surely, this barn and the sign are from another time.  When we drive the older roads, we're often rewarded with surprises like this historic structure.

On a side note, we took all sorts of shots of this with our Canon Powershot SX40, but our Apple iPhone 4 tracking shot (for GPS) was the best.

Celebrity Convenience

Men's Bathroom, Los Angeles, California, USA

This bathroom at the historic Los Angeles Athletic Club is a real throwback to a different era.  The building dates back to 1912, but we suspect this bathroom has been renovated many times since.

Over the years, many movie stars and famous athletes (many Olympians) have belonged to the club.  In this room, Harold Lloyd, Douglas Fairbanks, Charlie Chaplin, and Johnny Weissmuller may have discussed their next picture or stunt.

Weissmuller, like fellow club member Esther Williams, was an award winning swimmer who parlayed athletic prowess into a movie career.

Better My Biscuit

Sweet Potato Biscuits, Mentone, Alabama, USA

We enjoyed these delicious sweet potato biscuits at the Wildflower Cafe.  We can't wait to go back for more!

Swingtime

Swing Ride, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Riding on the swing ride is more adventurous than it seems.  It looks like a relaxing jaunt through the air, but spinning quickly in circles many feet above the ground on a wobbly chair can at times be a bit scary.

Where Are the Plains?

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA

While we see no waving wheat and no open plains for the wind to come rushing down, we can see that you're doing fine Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city in Oklahoma.  The North Canadian River (bottom of the photo) passes through the city and is temporarily renamed the Oklahoma River for those few miles.

Like so many aerial photos taken from a commercial airliner, the original shot was washed out.  We used Picasa's I'm Feeling Lucky filter to enhance the photo's colors and contrast.

Ted's Happier Days

Turner Field, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Turner Field (aka The Ted) is the home of the Atlanta Braves.  The baseball stadium began life as Centennial Olympic Stadium for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games.  It was later reduced and remodeled to serve The Braves.

This is what The Ted looked like back in January 1999.  We took this photo during a site-seeing flight.  At that time, Turner Field was the pride of Atlanta.  Visitors and residents alike admired it inside and out.

The Braves have announced that they are moving north of Atlanta and will demolish Turner Field once their new stadium is built.

The Braves are reportedly moving to be closer to their fan base, but their move and promise to demolish Turner Field brings a sad and undignified end to an important part of Atlanta's history.  This, in our opinion, is another example of Atlanta's shortsighted outlook on historic sites, buildings, streets, etc.

Dig A Pony

Pony, Palmetto, Georgia, USA

Seeing this little fellow reminded us of the Beatles' song Dig a Pony.  We met this cute pony and its friends during a visit to the Serenbe Community.  Serenbe is a planned community with wide open spaces and some nice shops and restaurants.  Next time you're in this part of North Georgia, check out Serenbe.

Aluminum Luxury

Airstream, Sautee Nacoochee, Georgia, USA

We found this Airstream tucked into the woods while exploring in the mountains.  Airstream trailers and motor-homes are immediately identifiable by their rounded, aluminum bodies.  Based on the rusted bumper and wheels, we suspect this Airstream hasn't plied the roadways in decades.  The aluminum skin, however, still looks good.

Feel the Spirit

Strip Mall Sign, Flowery Branch, Georgia, USA

You have two ways to feel spirited at St Village.  You can feel the spirit of religion at Trinity Religious Gifts or the warm glow of liquid spirits at Village Spirits Package Store.

Start Your Day Right

French Toast, Springdale, Utah, USA

When you're on vacation, there is nothing so good as a filling breakfast to start your day.  A nutritious, well balanced breakfast is also important.  This delicious French Toast breakfast at Wildcat Willies included a starch (toast), protein (whipped cream), and fruit.  What could be healthier?

A Good View From Above and Below

Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

We love this building for its extended and curved balconies.  These balconies are like little shells or coins adorning the building.  We imagine that guests at the hotel feel like they don't just step out onto a balcony, but into the sky.  If you look at this just right, it looks like a bunch of theater goers all lined up in their seats facing a stage.  Whether you're looking out at the landscape from a balcony or looking up at the balconies from the street, you're sure to enjoy the view.

Which is Colder?

Icelandair 757, Denver, Colorado, USA

We found it ironic to learn that Icelandair offers non-stop service between Reykjavik and Denver.   You might think that Colorado is like Miami Beach for the folks in Iceland, but sometimes (even in winter) it is colder in Denver than Reykjavik.

Still Celebrating?

New Year's Reveler, Puerta del Sol, Madrid, Spain

Back in the early Naughties (2000's), we spent Christmas and New Year's in Spain.  It was fun to be in a new place experiencing old traditions in different ways.  New Year's Eve was definitely different than what we had known or expected.

We heard about the fun to be had at Puerta del Sol, in the heart of Madrid.  We figured it was going to be like Times Square, but in Spanish.

First of all, there was no countdown, at least not formally.  When midnight passed, no one seemed to notice.  We felt let down.

Basically, the Spaniards had been celebrating for so long that when the clock struck midnight they were too drunk to notice.  At around 12:15 am, they realized they were in the new year and the crowd went wild.  Madrid kept partying well into New Year's Day.  What the Spaniards lacked in punctuality they made up for with enthusiasm.

We feel that the young man in this photo captured the entire spirit of that night.

Good Morning 2014

Sunrise on the Pacific Ocean, Hawaii, USA

This was the beautiful sunrise that greeted us the morning we sailed into Hilo.  As the sun rises on 2014, we wish everyone a beautiful year.  Happy New Year!