Weekend Reflections 40 - London

Late afternoon winter light on the Richmond tow path creates this beautiful mirror surface. Now all we need are the reflections.........here they come...

and here they go...

For more reflection shots this week, click HERE for Weekend Reflections...Enjoy!!

Weekend Reflections 21 - St Laurent du Var

A rather forlorn flooded car park outside a deserted disco is the location for this week's reflections at the quiet end of St Laurent du Var, a small resort just past Nice. This urban landscape is rather contrary to expectations of the scenic French Riviera which is why I liked it..... 

For more reflection shots this week, click here for Weekend Reflections......Enjoy!

Shadow Shot Sunday 110 - Puerto Vallarta

I have just finished school here in Mexico, and am off to the beach for five days -not this one in Puerto Vallarta where the sting ray got me last Christmas, but Pie de la Cuesta a tiny place North of Acapulco....

I am looking forward to chilling out, swimming, and reading before preparing for the final departure from Mexico on Sunday 10th July...

For more shadow shots from around the world, check out Shadow Shot Sunday by clicking here. Enjoy!

Puerto Vallarta - boating down the backwaters....

The Mexican Pacific coastal resort of Puerto Vallarta is very well known to tourists from overseas, and visitors flock to its beautiful beaches, hotels, marinas, restaurants, shops and galleries on a very regular basis. But how many have ventured out into the backwaters by boat?? Those who do are rewarded by these gorgeous scenic views above. Keen twitchers can easily spot this great variety of birdlife - look at all the different types of herons that can be seen....

Not to mention these very flamboyant and ferocious looking iguanas who hug the branches and literally bristle and puff up at the sight of intruders into their territory....

Take another look at these perfect vistas - where the reflections are so symmetrical and synchronised they look like the unfolded ink blot drawings from the shrink's office....

Unfortunately this perfect day did not have quite the perfect ending, as it was Christmas Eve 2010 and a couple of hours later, I was hospitalised following a very nasty sting ray puncture wound right through the sole of the foot....but let's dwell on how the day began with these serene shots of the river and wildlife!!! For more global glimpses this week, check out My World Tuesday Postings by clicking here. Enjoy!!

Shadow Shot 101 - Oaxaca

Another slice of typically vibrant Mexican colour from the beautiful city of Oaxaca which sports some of the most amazing colonial architecture in the country. I am returning from the States this week to start posting again.... In the meantime check out more global photography at Shadow Shot Sunday by clicking here....

Shadow Shot 100 - Oaxaca

A very typical Mexican shot for my hundreth contribution to Shadow Shot Sunday!! I am away travelling down the West Coast of the States right now from Seattle to San Francisco....More posts when I return, and look forward to catching up with all your blogs when I get back..... In the meantime check out Shadow Shot Sunday by clicking here.

Shadow Shot 99 - Oaxaca

I am a fan of folk art - especially Mexican folk art, and here from Oaxaca are the delightful alebrijes - animals often fantastical, carved from wood and painted in vivid bright colours.....Each year there is a parade of giant alebrijes down the streets of central Mexico City before they take up residence in Reforma for a week long exhibition....

For more shadow shots from around the world this week, check out Shadow Shot Sunday by clicking here...

Shadow Shot Sunday 98 - Oaxaca

Welcome to the beautiful world of Oaxaca this week the very heart and soul of Mexico....and the Acapulco Armchair which provides very welcome solace and relaxation on the shady patios of "Las Golondrinas" which happens to be my favourite place to stay in town....

Who could resist this friendly pension with grapefruit trees aptly overhanging the al fresco breakfast tables, and all those beautiful lush plants and flowers blooming so vibrantly in all the courtyards....

Why visit Oaxaca? - Look at the images below and there will be no question about it.....

Check out Shadow Shot Sunday for more global photography....

Taking in The Town of Tiles......Puebla!

Puebla, at only two hours east of Mexico City with a great route out via the volcanoes, is one of the most rewarding weekend retreats from the city. With some of the most beautiful architecture in the whole of Mexico, it is indeed the town of tiles.....

Nowhere in Mexico have I seen such beautiful tiled facades such as the Casa del Alfenique above, and a whole host of others. You can also buy the most gorgeous ceramics from plates to vases to tea-sets all under the name of talavera..

Puebla also possesses one of the most lovely zocalos full of shady trees and balloon sellers and flanked on one side by the imposing cathedral boasting fine architectural detail....

In addition, check out the Barrio de Artistas with a row of scenic studios and the antiques market at Plazuela de los Sapas bordered by some of the most colourful streets in the city..

Still having doubts about paying a visit?? Well the bright blue sky below framing the Theatre should be the clincher!!

Buses run to Puebla from TAPO bus station, and recommended hotels would include Hotel Colonial, Royalty Hotel and the Camino Real. Check out other global glimpses from around the world this week by clicking here for My World Tuesday. Enjoy!

Shadow Shot Sunday 97 - Puebla

Here is a pleasant shady corner in the city of Puebla where I sat last weekend sipping a limonada and watching the world go by......There are so many delightful spots like this throughout Mexico - beautiful plazas, squares, patios, courtyards, and zocalos where you can just sit and simply be delighted by the world around you with little effort. More about the pretty town of Puebla in the next post, and in the meantime check out the rest of the Shadow Shot Sunday postings by clicking here. Enjoy!

Put on your Shades!!.....It's Time for Tlacotalpan!!

I know a lot of you living up North in the land of eternal winter and snow are weary of the weather, and eagerly awaiting the first signs of Spring....and a splash of colour. No need to wait any longer!! Feast your eyes on this banquet of vibrant hues courtesy of a very sleepy town in the state of Veracruz....namely Tlacotalpan. It surely is the most colourful place on the globe!! of course all the streets are a fine mixture of all the colours of the rainbow, cheek by jowl, by I couldn't resist colour coding them according to a Comex paint chart. What do you think of the results???

Red and yellow, and green, and blue.....Yep they are all here!! Which is your favourite?? Think I am plumping for the sizzling hot, hot pink!! For more global glimpses of the world this week, check out My World Tuesday by clicking here....Enjoy!! And Spring is surely just around the corner.....??

Exhaling in Xalapa...

At this time of year before the rains, it can get a little suffocating in Mexico City, so a weekend in the hilltop city of Xalapa proves to be the perfect getaway. It is a university town best known for its fresh air and views, as well as its parks and gardens...

Indeed it is very hard to believe that you are still in the city centre when you visit Parque de los Lagos (Park of Lakes)....

Or the amazing nature park Parque Tecajete which is indeed a slice of subtropical rainforest....

Veracruz is a lush, verdant state where anything grows well, and so of course it is also well known for its rich coffee spawning endless coffeeshops and cafes, as well as its rich produce in the markets....

Culturally, Xalapa also has much to offer the visitor, and one of the undoubted highlights not just of Xalapa, but Mexico as a whole, is the beautiful Anthropological Museum. Laid out in verdant grounds, with descending marble steps, and lush garden display rooms, you can find all of the archaeological treasues of this region of Mexico, starting with the famed giant Olmec stone heads...

The museum is awash with treasures, far too many to display in this post, but the Veracruz smiling female heads always make me smile too, as they are so infectious, and such a contrast to the rather dour expressions on the male stone heads!!

Wandering and browsing the streets of Xalapa is also pleasureable in its own right, as there are colourful streets of colonial architecture to admire....

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.as well as the more official sightseeing of grand public buildings such as the Palacio Municipal, the Palacio Gobierno, not to mention the bright canary yellow Cathedral and Parque Juarez which acts as the rather delightful zocalo full of gardens, balloon sellers, shoeshine stands, stalls, outdoor cafes, and more gardens still......

Xalapa is five hours away from Mexico City, easily reachable by bus or car, in the state of Veracruz. For more windows on the world this week, don't hesitate to check out My World Tuesday postings. Enjoy!

Shadow Shot Sunday 92 - Veracruz

I am spending this weekend in the beautiful state of Veracruz, five hours away from Mexico City towards the Gulf of Mexico. Veracruz itself is a lovely port city open on the water with a strong Caribbean flavour. The marimba bands, dilapidated colonial architecture, white-suited salsa dancers in the main plaza, and numerous coffee houses are all reminiscent of Havana in Cuba. Up in the hills an hour away, is the cool mountain University town of Xalapa, home of the jalapeno chilli pepper and an impressive Anthropological Museum displaying the huge Olmec stone heads. Twenty minutes away is the delightful magic village of Coatepec with its pretty patios and cute coffee shops. Veracruz State has a lot to delight the visitor...... as has Shadow Shot Sunday where you will find some stunning photographs from around the world......

Shadow Shot Sunday 91 - Taxco

Taxco is a beautiful town two hours from Mexico City famed for its silver markets - I have spent many weekends here tracking down lovely Mexican jewellery. The town is a historic hillside white village with winding, cobbled streets and narrow, steep alleys. All the lettering and signage is in black as is the wrought iron ornamentation on all the historic buildings making this the perfect monochrome town - even the white VW taxis fit the colour scheme.....For more fun with shadows this week, check out Shadow Shot Sunday by clicking here....

To build up the stamina required for a day spent trawling the silver markets for treasure, the breakfast burrito at Cafe Sacha is an absolute necessity!!

Shadow Shot Sunday 82 - San Miguel

Recently I was in San Miguel for the weekend which is a beautiful colonial town with stunning architecture in ochres, russets, and terracotta. I have taken endless shots like the one above which display this aspect of the town in terms of the gorgeous colours and strong wrought iron features, but this time I got more than a little obsessed with the monochrome....

These are just ordinary black plastic chairs set out in the sun in front of a church for a concert....

..but the patterns and shapes and shadows became very addictive to photograph over and over again - don't you agree???

For more fun with shadows this week, check out Shadow Shot Sunday by clicking here..Enjoy!