Batcheller mansion

The Batcheller mansion in Saratoga Springs is a Victorian inn with distinctive style and character. According to the website, it has hosted "U.S. Presidents, European Royalty, Dignitaries and Hollywood Celebrities."

Amalfi Cathedral

The Amalfi coast is a beautiful drive with stunning views of cliffs and coastline. Amalfi itself is a picturesque small town with a stunning cathedral surrounded by gelato shops and other tourist focused shops.

Corinthian order

The Corinthian order was the third classical design for architecture and the most ornate. Although this particular column does not exactly follow the style, it seems to me it cannot be classified any other way. The rectangular column is one deviation, and another is it's mix with rustic stonework.

No photo!

Entering the Sistine Chapel the uniformed attendant kept repeating the phrase "no photo!"... sometime with emphasis as someone came into the space and immediately tilted their cell-phone toward the ceiling... leaning way back to take it all in.  And I think that was the issue. People would stop in their tracks and practically tip-over to photograph the famous ceiling frescos, and block the anxious crowd behind them.

We were lucky to find a way to squeeze a seat on the benches along the wall. Not feeling defeated I pointed my camera from my lap and took multiple covert pictures thinking at at least some of them might be framed and usable.

So, feeling only a bit guilty, here are a few images that I captured of Michelangelo's masterwork.

One more

Pardon my black-and-white, but this image just did not work for me in the weak colors that were captured. I do not post much black-and-white but there are always exceptions.

This is another image from the Colosseum that I like for its tonal and compositional qualities.

Going to the game?

The colosseum (more correctly known as the Amphitheatrum Flavium) was surprisingly like many modern stadiums: it had numbered sections and seats, held over 50,000 spectators, and even had a retractable roof (made of canvas) to protect from the hot Roman sun or rain. It's in pretty bad shape now days, but considering it is almost 2000 years old, it is amazing the brick and concrete structure is standing at all.

Changing gears

Today is my last day. I have been employed for over 50 years (including summer and part-time work while in school). 

I guess it is time to quit. 

Retirement is going to be a big adjustment for me, as I guess it is for most. I have never taken employment for granted. That paycheck was always received with gratitude and as a measure of my value. Now I will need to pay myself.

But it is on to a new chapter, with more time for personal projects and finding opportunities to help others.

PS: I leave it to TFG to tell us about the pictured object.

Stone schoolhouse

This old schoolhouse was built in the mid-1800's but today it has been restored and tastefully enlarged to serve as a neighborhood bank office. I like to see history preserved this way while retaining the value of a solidly built and historic structure.

Built in 1857

That's pretty old for this part of the world, at least for the Town of Webster. Back then Webster was only a teenager, having split from the town of Penfield only 17 years earlier.

And speaking of splitting, it is appropriate that the American flag is displayed as we celebrate our independence from England, and the birth of our United States of America.

To all my American friends, have a happy and safe 4th.

Albany Institute of History & Art

The Albany Institute of History & Art is a rather small regional museum and art gallery that is worth checking out. Located in the New York State capital city of Albany, it has an interesting mix of objects, some mostly of local interest, but also there is a number of paintings from the Hudson River School. The facility is a combination of two historic buildings tied together by a modern addition. It was a pleasant way to spend a few hours.

Pueblo burial ground

Taos Pueblo

One of our day trips was to the Taos Pueblo, a little over an hour drive north of Santa Fe. These structures are a thousand years old and were built, and have been continuously occupied, by a tribe of Puebloan people.

I found myself walking in the footsteps of Ansel Adams who photographed these same structures in the 1940's. Here is a link to a very poor reproduction of one of his photos on the Government National Archive site.

Being constructed of only mud brick and log supports it is impressive that the three and four story structures have stood the test of time.

Forbidden

The Forbidden City is no longer forbidden, you just need to pay the entrance fee.

It is a fascinating place... a few facts:

• The world's biggest ancient palace
• China's most popular tourist attraction
• Almost 600 years old
• A UNESCO World Heritage site
• Contains the largest collection of ancient wooden structures in the world
• It has 9,999 rooms (only heaven has more... was thought to have 10,000 rooms)

There were crowds of tourists (many of them Chinese) but I was lucky enough to capture these images with only a hint of the throng.

The Great Wall

The challenge of photographing well known, iconic places, is finding a unique perspective. In the end perhaps it is not worth trying. Maybe it is best just to open your eyes and enjoy being in the moment

Just beyond the split

A few days ago I posted an image of an abandoned lock from the early days of the Erie canal. I mentioned that the canal had been rerouted to bypass downtown Rochester when it was enlarged and improved back in the early 1900's. This picture shows what remains of the older pathway about a mile away from the lock and just beyond the split to the new channel (the newer section looks like this).

It is pretty amazing that the remnant of a two hundred year old ditch still contains a bit of water a hundred years since it was last active as a canal. Of course I am sure rainwater does collect (and stagnate) in this trough, but still it is unexpected.

Remnant

This is what's left of an old Erie Canal lock in Pittsford, New York. The original canal opened in 1825 and was only 40 feet wide and four feet deep. This lock operated for about 100 years until the canal was improved, enlarged and rerouted to bypass Rochester's downtown.

Although much of the old canal pathways have been repurposed and carry interstate highways, this section has only been disturbed by the return to nature, and is largely unknown and hidden behind Pittsford Plaza. But to those that know, it also provides a rustic walking trail along the former tow paths.

Self storage

Not posting much these days is really a result of cold weather and limited daylight... or more likely it is just that I am being lazy.

Anyway, I dug back into my archives and found this image from April 2011 that was never posted (probably for good reason). This historic warehouse was transformed into a self storage facility, which in a way seems to be a shame from a "lets value the past" standpoint, but then again perfectly consistent with its original purpose. It is certainly better to keep it vital than to neglect and let it fall into disrepair.

Which maybe holds a message for me... don't neglect the picture making, or else fall into disrepair.

The Great Embankment

This section of the Erie Canal was built upon what became know as The Great Embankment, a mile long build-up causeway over Irondequoit Valley and Creek. After the initial construction in 1822 (using only horse carts and hand shovels) the creek was routed though a culvert over 70 feet below the canal.

The canal has been enlarged and improved twice since the first construction and, of course, the embankment has also been reinforced. Today there is a roadway along the canal path that gently dips below the level of the canal surface making you realize you are lower than the tons of water and boats above... a strange feeling.

The canal has burst near here on two occasions with devastating damage. The last time was in the mid '70s. There are gates on either side of the embankment that can be closed, but not quickly, and many homes, cars and businesses were damaged by the rush canal water.