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Someone just put up this picture up on Facebook. I’m the one who is standing right next to Prince Felipe of Spain. I think this was taken in 1995 in Amman, Jordan at Instituto Cervantes. I look so young and somehow so naive. As for el principe, you can tell from this picture that he is extremely tall! I miss the Instituto Cervantes. I spent a number of years there, studying Spanish and taking part in their various cultural activities. |
Archive for the ‘Shutterbug’ category
From the archive: With Prince Felipe of Spain
May 19th, 2008
Snapshot: Deer in my backyard
January 30th, 2008One of the things that I enjoy a great deal about living in the suburbs, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, is the easy access to nature and wildlife. Last week, while I was sipping my morning coffee and flipping through the weekend edition of the Washington Post, I glanced at our backyard and low and behold there were deer, four of them, right outside my dining room.
They just wandered around, nibbled on some of our trees, and chilled for a while until they decided it was time to move on. Such beautiful animals, I tell you! This is a scene that is really worth my daily commute back and forth to work. Long live the suburbs!
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Snapshot: Deer in my backyard
January 30th, 2008One of the things that I enjoy a great deal about living in the suburbs, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, is the easy access to nature and wildlife. Last week, while I was sipping my morning coffee and flipping through the weekend edition of the Washington Post, I glanced at our backyard and low and behold there were deer, four of them, right outside my dining room.
They just wandered around, nibbled on some of our trees, and chilled for a while until they decided it was time to move on. Such beautiful animals, I tell you! This is a scene that is really worth my daily commute back and forth to work. Long live the suburbs!
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Photo essay: “Welcome to Bear Country”
October 2nd, 2007
Probably one of the most memorable moments of this summer was when I saw the bear. This happened last weekend during our weekend camping adventure on Virginia’s Skyline Drive. The night before the sighting, the possibility of seeing a bear (a first in my lifetime) was the only thing on my mind. The reason for this was primarily because we were welcomed to our campground by a big sign that read simply: "Bear Country." I could not sleep much that night. I kept waking up in the middle of the night thinking about the possibility of a bear hovering outside our tent. Also, seeing the movie about a man being eaten by a bear just a week before did not help things.
The bear sighting occurred the next day around noon during the tail end of a five-mile hike (a hike that alone almost led to my demise). It was surreal. After taking a break, we were just starting down the trail again when we saw it. The bear was some 150 meters away from where we were standing. It was calmly drinking from a creek when my shouts interrupted its moment of peace. Hearing my cries, it raised its head to look at us. While I was busy shouting and cursing the day, the rest of the group were taking pictures. The bear looked up at the animated crowd and then just walked away. Just like that, the mammoth beast was nowhere to be found.
I have to say that although coming face-to-face with the bear gave me the scare of a lifetime, it was exhilarating. I would do it again in a heartbeat.
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Snapshot: Frogs at the Nataional Aquarium
May 30th, 2007|
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This past Memorial Day Weekend, we took my long-time friends, who were here visiting from Amman, to Baltimore to marvel at the breathtaking sea creatures on display at the National Aquarium. While there, my super-talented husband took this phenomenal picture of this live frog chilling inside a tank at the aquarium. In my humble, completely unbiased opinion, I think this is one of the best photos I have seen in a while. The picture is just too good to be true. The colors are so vibrant and alive and the frog just looks extremely engaged. Just look at its tiny hands! It is just perfect. Way to go hubby! Here are some more frog pictures taken by the talented Mr Tynes. [Clicking the picture links to a BIG version.] |
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A stunning scene
April 9th, 2007
One of the most memorable things I did last week was to go off to the the Tidal Basin during my lunch break to see the cherry blossoms at their peak. I figured I had only a one hour break to see them, so I thought I would take a cab instead of simply walking. My decision didn’t prove that wise, as the place was jam-packed with tourists, making it impossible for cabs to get there. The fastest way to reach the place turned about to be on foot. Anyway, I managed to reach my destination after walking the last part of the way.
What I saw when I got there was even more exhilarating than I expected. It was simply stunning. The cornucopia of white and pink reflecting in the basin took my breath away. Of course, I had to maneuver between the many, many tourists to find good locations to take pictures but the hassle was worth it. What was amazing about the whole scene was how the trees themselves were shedding, which made for a wonderful scene as everyone was engulfed in white flurries, adding a unique touch to the beauty of the moment.
What made the trip still more special for me was the fact that it was my first. During this same time last year I was in Jordan with family and friends. Of course being surrounded by cherry blossoms is not as fulfilling and worthwhile as being with your family. But somehow, and just for a moment, I got a similar warmth simply by being amongst those trees that grow in a place far, far away from home.
Enjoy these pictures [they enlarge on click] taken by yours truly.
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Snapshot: Lost in Narnia’s world
February 27th, 2007 |
The very day after Amal’s arrival here for a five-day vacation, the DC metro area got hit by a huge snowstorm. It was the biggest so far this winter, pumping out about six inches of snow in the suburbs where we live. Amal loved it. Somehow it helped her turn off and detach herself — at least for a bit — from the political madness she left behind in her home, Beirut. After taking a nice walk in the nearby park on the day of the storm, we returned home to look at the pictures we had taken taken. "Wow! This is amazing … this looks like Narnia," said Amal of one of the pictures. [Image enlarges on click]. Indeed, for a while we were in Narnia’s world, far, far away from a land we both adore, a land that will eventually always conquer our thoughts no matter how hard we try to distant ourselves from it. |
Blast from the past: Zahran Steet 1955 vs. today!
February 6th, 2007UPDATE 2: My friend Sinan has provided me with a picture showing the detail of the very same location (circled in red) in the context of all the recent development.
UPDATE: I received a recent picture of this same location today from a slightly different angle. Thanks again Scooby! I’m going to reorient the page for comparison. Amazing!
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Reader and friend Scooby provided me with this phenomenal
picture of Zahran Street in 1955 [And the new one after the update]. It goes without saying that that the development that has occurred throughout the years to this street and to the city of Amman generally is mind-boggling.
Can anyone provide me with a more recent picture more recent pictures of Zahran Street?
Snapshot: Santa convention
December 17th, 2006
While driving around the National Mall in DC last weekend, we came across something that resembled some sort of a Santa Convention. What we saw was more than two dozen Santas gathered in front of the entrance to the Smithsonian National History Museum. The Santas were not doing anything special besides just hanging out.
My mother-in-law and I approached the congregation and asked one of the Santas about the reason for this mammoth gathering. His reply was simple: "It’s Christmas!" Good answer.
A few days later, I was reading John and Jenny’s blog when I realized that they too had come across a similar scene in Seattle. After following the link on their blog, I discovered that what we had stumbled upon in DC was a special group that goes by the name Santarchy and/or Santacon. This is how they describe themselves:
Every December for the last 13 years, Cacophonous Santas have been visiting cities around the world, engaging in a bit of Santarchy as part of the annual Santacon events. It all started back in 1994 when several dozen Cheap Suit Santas paid a visit to downtown San Francisco for a night of Kringle Kaos. Things have reached Critical Xmas and Santarchy is now a global phenomenon. You’d better watch out! Santa’s coming to town!
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Merry Christmas everyone! |
In more Santa-related sightings, apparently globally there are a number of mass Santa convocations. Some suggest it is a sure sign of the apocalypse. These images document a gathering of Santas, called "Sinister Santas," in Moscow. This article suggests something more than Christmas merriment afoot: "Its purpose and appearance had been painstakingly created to appear benign. Few of the 70,000 or so who gathered were older than teenagers and their uniforms were so incongruous as to be unthreatening … according to Russia’s liberal democrats, scenes like this are less a display of benevolence than a show of force … As the youngsters swayed … a voice boomed out from the loudspeakers exhorting them to reinvent Russia’s lost glory. "Let the miracle happen," the voice cried out. "Let heart reach out to heart so our country can rise once more."
Thanksgiving in the Valley
November 27th, 2006
We spent this Thanksgiving weekend in the picturesque Shenandoah Valley, where we gathered with family members for fellowship and divine food. It is goes without saying that gathering in the breath-taking valley adds a special vibe to this fall holiday.
No matter how many times we visit the Valley, I can never get over how beautiful it is. There is something about the mountains there — the Blue Ridge and Massanutten — that simply take my breath away.
No wonder this stunning place is listed among the 1000 Places to See Before You Die, a book I picked up at Staples while the husband was trying (and succeeding) to land a good deal on Black Friday.
Now, I will let the pictures speak for themselves. These photos were taken by the husband on two different occasions and in two different locations in the valley: Lake Shenandoah, near Harrisonburg and the Skyline Drive. Happy Thanksgiving and happy holidays.
