Katin Images Travel Photography
Travel Photos, Travel Photography Tips and Software
Thought I’d start a series of random images from my portfolio. Always welcome any comments.
Caught these two guys gently ambling along a Mostar (Bosnia) street. I was touched by the younger guys obvious affection. What’s their story? Father and son? Good mates? A stranger helping an old man?
Our trip to Croatia started in Split and ended in Dubrovnik via a small sojourn in Mostar in Bosnia Herzegovina. What a place that is! Almost destroyed in the Balkans war through really no fault of their own. Caught between two enemies Bosnia became the theatre of war and somehow it has managed to raise itself from the its own ashes.
It’s a beautiful town with friendly and interesting people.
This guy was more interested in his book than any potential paying customers!
One of the most intriguing delights of Croatia is their ability to make a café out of any small space. Got a couple of steps – sure why not? Small alley with only just enough space to walk down – no problem! It seemed that around every corner there was someone serving coffee to a coffee drinker sitting on anything from a step to a chair to beanbag. And strangely enough, for us more used to the take away (sorry, take out) culture, it would appear like some other European countries, they much prefer to have it ‘in situ’ rather than drink on the move.
Arguably the prettiest palace in Venice’s lagoon, Burano is known for its lace industry and the colourful houses that line the streets and canals. Legend has it that the fishermen in days gone by wanted to see their houses from afar as they returned after a hard day’s trawl.
A walk along the streets will reveal a few shops that have their own seamstress producing intricate lace. But beware Chinese imitations are creeping in.
The day we were there was perfect but we must have also hit washing day! Washing dangled from lines drawn across alleys, streets, window to window, TV aerial to chimneys, anywhere that a make shift washing line could be installed.
To the north of Venice proper away from the madding, seething, cruise ship throng found in San Marco there’s lies two islands, Murano and Burano. They are just two of over 40 islands in the Laguna Veneta that surrounds Venice. Of course both of these attract (and indeed, need) tourists but at least they have to make some sort of effort to get there. Murano is famous for its glass and crystal production and it’s full of factories and shops with their glass blowing “Fornace” and artisans. More on colourful Burano next week.
The famous balcony is just off Via Mazzini where users of iPhones, compacts and DSLR’s blaze away hoping for that one different shot. Didn’t like my effort, so you won’t see it here!
What you will see here is the Madonna Verona (which actually dates from roman times) that sits on the fountain in the colourful Piazza delle Erbe. A small market sits in the Piazza next to the umbrellas and chairs that belong to the many cafes with fruit, veg and masks for sale for their carnival in autumn.
Romeo! Romeo! Wherefore art thou? That’s Verona, famous for the balcony featured in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet but it’s more than just that. The Via Mazzini Verona’s cobbled designer street starts from the still used third largest roman amphitheatre. The street and obligatory designer Mini ad was taken from the top of its terrace. Off Via Mazzini are many small streets dotted with scooters, bicycles, small shops and cafes. Loved it!
Part of the relativity new London overground travels from North London to Surrey Quays in East London. Actually some of the overground is underground – in fact under water through the oldest tunnel under a navigable river, the Thames Tunnel.
From Surrey Quays station it’s a short walk to Greenfields pier. One of the frequent Thames clippers ferries to the London eye, a very pleasant half an hour, 10 kilometre ride despite the gloomy dark sky and the choppy water. For £6.00 (cheaper with an Oyster card) these clippers will take you from Woolwich to the London Eye passing under several bridges including London and Tower bridges and the infamous Millennium footbridge (pictured here) stopping at several points in between. A really inexpensive way to travel and see the some of the sights of London.
Near the famous tower bridge is Katherine dock, supposedly one of London’s best kept secrets. The Thames path, a 294 km walk that follows the Thames (obviously) from its source in the Cotswolds to Greenwich and almost the North Sea, tracks its way through the docks with even a stop to see the boats pass through the lock.
Once upon a time, brick lane was the home of, first, London’s Huguenot community then its Jewish community and now street signs in Bangladeshi make it obvious which community call this home. However wondering along brick lane and surrounds we spied a lot of street art. Brick lane is now also home to artists and fashion designers. What an interesting mix!
Nearby at Shoreditch station sits another new innovation to London – bicycles. Called the Barclays bicycle hire is London’s equivalent of the bicycle sharing system used at first in Copenhagen, where its free. Paris, Barcelona, Dublin and other cities around the world have since introduced similar systems. But London appears to be the most expensive although a lot cheaper than public transport.
A few months ago I went to Fotofreo. Fotofreo is an annual month long photography festival held in Fremantle, Western Australia. It’s a candy store for anyone who loves photography whether you’re involved in the industry or just love looking at great art. There are workshops and special events as well but the main course is the exhibitions. Martin Parr, Christian Fletcher, Les Walking and Peter Eastway all had or were part of exhibitions.
I say part of because the biggest exhibition was held in Midland 40 kilometres east of Freo and about 20 east of Perth. Sixty photographers from all over the globe exhibited their work there. It was mind blowing.
For anyone looking to go next year (or even be a part of it) the website is www.fotofreo.com. Sadly none of the works displayed are on the site. So you’ll have to settle for a couple of ours.
One of the more interesting developments in east central London is the resurgence of English food which, it has to be said, has, in the past, been notoriously bad! But here we discovered a couple of places doing quality traditional English food, the Albion and
St John ’s. Kedgeree (look it up) shepherd’s pie and old spot bacon sandwich are the just a few yummy examples from their menus. Being anal about coffee we even managed to find the Brick Lane café on, surprise, surprise, Brick Lane. It not only does good coffee but has the sort of vibe that wouldn’t be out of place in Melbourne or Seattle which as every coffee addict knows are two major coffee holy grails.
Strolling up and around commercial road in Shoreditch past pubs of old and Christ church Spitalfields, there are markets everywhere! Old and new Spitalfields, Petticoat lane, upmarket and further on Brick lane market. A hangover from the rag trade that used to be the main industry here many years ago. As you can there are still see plenty of “rags” even if the industry itself has died the slow death of ‘offshoring’.
This is the infamous gherkin in London. With its shape, the fact that it has the grave of a roman girl at its base and was built to replace the Baltic exchange building that was badly damaged by an IRA bomb; it is an unusual building on the outskirts of an unusual area of London. Whilst south east of here is the familiar city of London and its famous landmarks, its north east of here that becomes interesting. I’d been to London so many times (hell I was born there) so I wanted to find something different this time. This is the London that everyone knows but can’t find. Brick lane, Shoreditch and the surrounds make you feel that you are in a different city in different country. More next post.
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