R. Doug Wicker's Blog, page 115

Christmas on the Pecos — Part 1

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25th Anniversary of Christmas on the Pecos

Time for what has become sort of an annual tradition here at the blog — Christmas light photography — but this time with a travel twist.  This week I’m going to not only give you five articles, but I’m going to take you to Carlsbad, New Mexico, for a Christmas light boat ride along the Pecos River.

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Christmas on the Pecos

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Christmas on the Pecos, which originates from the Pecos River Village.  Ursula has talked a...

The Christmas Lights of Eastridge — Part 2

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Continuing with our Christmas lighting show from the Eastridge neighborhood here in El Paso, here are some more photos from 2012:

The Christmas Lights of Eastridge — Part 1

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Yesterday we learned a little about how to photograph Christmas lights. Today and tomorrow we’re going to put all those lessons to use. Every year, the Eastwood neighborhood in El Paso decorates like no other. The following photos of Eastridge Christmas lighting decorations were taken in 2012. I hope you enjoy the show:

Photographing Outdoor (and Indoor) Christmas Lights

(Following is a repost from December 2012, hence the Mayan calendar reference)

It’s the Christmas season.  That means it’s camera time, because you won’t see this much nighttime splashing of color again until July 4, and that’s only if we’re all still around come Mayan dawn on December 21 (remember — those west of the International Dateline get it first).

Taking pictures of Christmas lights requires special care and preparation.  Regular readers of my blog know that I don’t usually advocate t...

Fun Photo Friday — 54 Days at Sea, Lisbon favorites 2

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King John I

Fun Photo Friday Lisbon favorite #2 of three:

54 Days at Sea — Lisbon; Façades and Fado

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Lisbon, Portugal

Ursula and I spend much of our first day in Lisbon just hoofing it through the streets and soaking in the views.

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Lisbon, Portugal

There’s much to see and do here, so be well rested and have a good pair of walking shoes!

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Lisbon, Portugal

Fortunately, we had a relaxing evening planned, which I’ll get to in a moment. Until then, let’s take a look first at the Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição Velha (Lady of the Old Conception):

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Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição Velha

The r...

54 Days at Sea — Lisbon; Tiles on roofs & tiles on walls

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Tiled wall, Lisbon

So, you thought Cádiz had tile work? Well, guess what . . . Lisbon buildings are covered in it.

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Tiled wall, Lisbon

Tiles cover walls:

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Laundry and tile

Tiles cover roofs:

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Tiled roofs, Lisbon

Tile is nearly everywhere:

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Tiled wall, Lisbon

But not all buildings in Lisbon are so adorned. Some have paint:

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Fruit stand

Some are stone:

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Stone façade

Now let’s just look at some streets in Lisbon:

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Lisbon street scene

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Narrow street

Fun Photo Friday — 54 Days at Sea, Lisbon favorites 1

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Low Perspective

Today’s Fun Photo Friday — first of three dedicated to Lisbon, Portugal:

54 Days at Sea — Lisbon; Changing of the Guard

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Changing of the Guard, Lisbon, Portugal

As I mentioned on Monday, the changing of the guard here in Lisbon usually occurs the third Sunday of the month. Yet, here we were at the Jerónimos Monastery, witnessing this event on the first Monday of the month.

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Changing of the Guard, Lisbon, Portugal

Not really evident from the photo above is the meticulous grooming of the horses used by the guard. Take a look at these closeups to see what I mean:

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Changing of the Guard, Lisbon, Portugal

Did you noti...

54 Days at Sea — Arriving into Lisbon, Portugal

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Jerónimos Monastery

MS Prinsendam left Cádiz, Spain, on May 2, and arrived early the next morning. Ursula and I departed the ship and head out on foot to the west, which took us along the marina and beneath the 25 de Abril (25th of April) Bridge (the statue of the opposite bank of the Tagus River is the Sanctuary of Christ the King):

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25 de Abril (25th of April) Bridge

Continuing west along the Targus we came across the rather impressive Padrão dos Descobrimentos (Monument of the Discoveries)....