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Islands.118

99% certain that’s Split, in Croatia, as seen when Steve & I flew down to Tirana back in May. Below, more of the Croatia’s coastline with its many lovely islands :-).

City Lights.118

Amsterdam’s support for public art at neighborhood level means that interesting new things pop up frequently. 🙂 I like paying taxes into a system that provides great low-carbon public transit, public healthcare and engaging public art that’s clearly driven by a school art project.
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Found Objects.8

Mountains.108

From the Air.108

Best sorta closer views I’ve managed to take of Ijmuiden (right) and the Zuid-Kennemerland National Park (that’s the green dunes in the center), because on this flight we took off to the north and then turned towards England so, as you see, we banked right over it all :-). Any time you see photos of Sloterplas from my apartment, this is basically what’s out there in the distance where the sun is setting – it’s all more or less due west of me. Below, more including the coastline of Noord and Zuid Holland. I also got some of the best views of the islands and peninsulas of Zeeland, and the area around Hoek of Holland and the Maeslantkering that I’ve gotten, so stay tuned :-).

Small Wonders.308

Some of many lovely photos I took of Kasteel Middachten’s glorious gardens during Sam’s short visit in early August.

Ah, Royalty.88

Final shots from my visit to Huis Doorn, where Kaiser Wilhelm II lived in post-WWI exile. It’s a bit weird that I live in an actual monarchy and still find it hard to keep enough legitimately royal stuff in my photo collection to post. I’ve commented in the past that finding royal-y stuff is far easier in Paris (not a monarchy since the 1800s) than here in NL. Nice to have heads of state with dignity and gravitas, and who draw so little attention to themselves, I must say.

County Views.188

Last of Tirana county, in lovely Albania :-). (Apparently they shifted from ‘districts’ to ‘counties’ in 2000. Who knew?!)

Urban Garden.258

Urban Garden.257

Amsterdam’s “Hortus” botanical garden underwent a major renovation over the past couple years, with the greenhouse you see above as one of the lovely outcomes. A few days after I took the above photo (just a shot snapped on my bike ride home), we had the chance during an ‘away day’ workshop inside one of the Hortus buildings to do a lovely guided tour, from which came the circle gallery (if you’re in full-view) of photos below. Having been founded only in 1638, A’dam’s Hortus isn’t even the oldest botanical garden in NL (Leiden’s is), although it probably does rank amongst the 20 oldest in the world.

City Views.287

I’m about to spend another short weekend with Howard (and maybe Gene), so I figured I should post these last photos from our early-July Düsseldorf & Bonn outing – which I initially thought I might use for “Art / Nature” – before my next chance to photograph Howard imitating art :-).

Urban Entrances.187

Palermo’s train station in the midsummer evening sunshine.