R. Doug Wicker's Blog, page 66

Cruising in the Age of Covid-19 — Part 1

Alaska. Off season. Way off season. Yes, Ursula and I just returned from just such a voyage — our first since returning in mid March 2020, shortly after the beginning of the pandemic and the shutting down of travel and closing of borders. This week I will be presenting to you my perspectives on life aboard a cruise ship in the midst of health protocols necessitated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Fifth floor common area on Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas

The cruise line is Royal Caribb...

Fun Photo Friday — El Paso Sunsets Week Favorites

Moon, just past 1st quarter phase

Today I wind up the week’s series of El Paso sky photos, with an emphasis on sunsets. The exception above is a photograph taken of the Moon just past 1st quarter phase.

El Paso Sunsets Week — Part 2

With the exception of the shot above, all other photographs taken today were done in RAW format and post-processed with SILKYPIX Developer 8 SE before conversion to JPEG. The above shot was taken in JPEG using the Handheld Night Shot mode because I had to up the ISO so high.

Shot Data:

ISO: 3200F-stop (native): f3.7F-stop (35 mm equivalent): f9.99Exposure: 1/25Exposure bias: 0Focal length (native): 30 mmFocal length (35 mm equivalent): 81 mm)Notes: shot in JPEG format using Handheld Ni...

El Paso Sunsets Week — Part 1

Because of the wildfires out here in the west and other conditions, it’s been a great summer for sunsets. So, this week I’ll be sharing some recent sunset and sky photos, including on this week’s Fun Photo Friday a rather impressive shot of the Moon just past 1st quarter phase. The picture above was taken on 15 August. With the exception of the last photo below, all photos were taken with a Panasonic DMC-FZ1000, in RAW, handheld, and post processed in SILKYPIX Developer 8 SE before being con...

Chichen Itza — El Castillo (Temple of Kukulcán)

The predominate structure at Chichen Itza, the one that really grabs your attention, is the massive El Castillo pyramid, also known as the Temple of Kukulcán. The sloped sides of the pyramid rise 79 feet/24 meters above the surrounding ground:

El Castillo (Temple of Kukulcán)

Sitting atop the pyramid sits a temple that adds another 20 feet/6 meters of height to the structure. This temple is to the feathered serpentine deity Kukulcán (alternatively spelled Kulkulkan), which according to...

Chichen Itza — Bas Reliefs, Glyphs, and Stone Heads

Today we’ll look at some of the more detailed stonework available for view at Chichen Itza, beginning with the intricate Mayan bas-reliefs throughout much of the façades. But don’t ask me the significance, as I have no idea. Nevertheless, they are fascinating to photograph, and they’re all over the place:

Chichen Itza bas-relief

This one appears to depict an eagle on the right, and some sort of reptile opposite:

Chichen Itza bas-relief

Here it appears we have another bird, and pe...

Fun Photo Friday — Chichen Itza Favorites Part 1

Beware the Guard Iguana! Temple Graffiti the Hard Way — One chisel at a time Impressive Masonry Work Entrance to the Great Ballcourt

Same Ship; Different Destination — Reaching Chichen Itza

Quite the change from the Azores, eh? Brilliance of the Seas left São Miguel Island on 9 September 2018. You’ll recall that we started this trip well before that, with a flight to Dublin in 27 August, where we stayed for several days. We then departed Amsterdam, boarded Brilliance of the Seas, and set sail for a circumnavigation of Ireland, including a return to Dublin. We left behind Ireland, and landed on São Miguel Island. From there Brilliance completed a transatlantic crossing winding u...

The New Space Force Uniform Unveiled

The first thought to cross my mind after seeing the new uniform for Space Force:

“Klaatu Barada Nikto, Captian!”

São Miguel Island, Azores — Miradouro da Ponta do Escalvado

Still in Sete Cidades for the beginning of today’s article, but not for long. And today we say goodbye to São Miguel Island and the Azores. For after the Azores, Brilliance of the Seas headed across the pond to Tampa, Florida, whereupon we would stay aboard for another adventure further south and 1,200 years into the past. But for now, let us continue to explore Sete Cidades, particularly the wonderful Church of St. Nicholas (Igreja de São Nicolau):

Church of St. Nicholas, Sete Cidades, S...