travel - Page 3 - Third Alien Shore

I missed the memo…

On Mon November 21, 2011

I use EyeTV to record television programs for later viewing, turning my Mac into a PVR. I suspected that the software allowed me to capture still images of recordings or live TV, but I’ve never been interested enough to investigate how to do it … until last week.

The software ‘over-records’ if it can, to make sure it doesn’t clip the beginning or end of a program. I sometimes get the news headlines at the end of a one hour program that starts at 10pm because the software continues to record for an extra minute or two after the program ends.

After one such program, the news reported that a Canadian couple was involved in a tragic helicopter accident in Hawaii. What had me investigate how to do capture a still of the recorded video was the map that CityTV news displayed to show where in Hawaii the accident took place.

As you can see, Lake Ontario has been relocated to Hawaii!

You’d think that would have been the lead story.

Egypt

by Rick

On Sun April 11, 2010

In travel

Jessica went to Egypt. She sent me a postcard that clearly proves she was there:

Look at her crrrazy hair!

The photo looks like a wretched Photoshop job. It might be, but it looks roughly correct. According to the Google map of the Giza Necropolis, the Pyramid of Cheops is in roughly the position indicated on the post card. What’s missing is all sorts of other construction. That’s why I think it’s a patchwork of images. In addition to, you know, how the sun appears at different angles in different parts of the image, and how something just looks wrong wherever the sky borders the monuments.

Sunset snooze

by Rick

On Mon December 28, 2009

In animals, photography, show and tell, travel

IMG_9841.CR2: 30D, EF 17 – 40mm 1:4L @ 23mm, 1/160, f/4, 100 ISO

It was bizarre. I’d put Wolfie up on the dashboard as we headed out, and by the time we left town, the drone and vibration of the road had taken its toll. He’d slumped down and fallen asleep. So much for my idea of his wanting to see the sights as they passed. Above, you can see him sleeping in the setting sun. He missed pretty much the whole drive!

How I wish I could have done that, too.

Wolfie at the Falls

by Rick

On Sat December 26, 2009

In animals, holiday, photography, show and tell, travel

IMG_9886.CR2: 30D, EF 17 – 40mm 1:4L @ 30mm, 1/100, f/8, 100 ISO

I have a young friend with an interesting assignment that spans the school year. His task is to choose a stuffed animal, and any time a friend or relative goes on a trip, he asks them to take his stuffed animal along, take pictures, write a diary entry from the stuffed animal’s point of view, and send a postcard to his school. My nephew suggested a similarity to the traveling garden gnome prank when I explained the project, which is exactly what I thought when I first heard of it.

So my friend chose Wolfie, his Gund wolf, and Wolfie is travelling with me over the holidays. He’s a seasoned traveller, having been to England and all over the Ottawa Valley. As a consequence, he’s no trouble at all as a travelling companion.

Today we went out and saw the sites. You can see him at Niagara Falls in the photo above. He’s on the railing that prevents tourists from tumbling into the falls. The falling water creates all kinds of mist, and in the winter, the mist freezes when it lands. The frozen mist on the railing is about 10 cm (4″) thick. Wolfie was standing, but he slipped on the ice and fell into his behind. That’s also why he’s not really looking at the camera. He’s busy trying not to slide off! Rest assured that he’s safe and sound.

I’ll tell you more about our adventures later, but I’d better go now. I think someone has managed to get into the garbage!

Gazebo

by Rick

On Sat January 3, 2009

In architecture, me, show and tell, travel

IMG_3175.CR2: 30D, EF 17 – 40mm 1:4L @ 17mm, 1/160, f/8, 100 ISO, EC ‑2/3

I’ve taken more than a few photos of this gazebo over the years. It stands within Queens Royal Park in Niagara-on-the-Lake, very near the corner of King and Delater streets. I don’t consciously return to it again and again, but the way it stands before Lake Ontario always seems to draw my attention.

I’ll be going to Niagara Falls in July and I plan to visit Niagara-on-the-Lake again. This time, the gazebo is on the list of places I’m planning to visit. I have no doubt that I’ll take more than a few photographs there again.

In a struggle to be happy and free

Category: travel Page 3 of 4

I missed the memo…

Egypt

Sunset snooze

Wolfie at the Falls

Gazebo