A few days down south - Charleston & Savannah

Lucky enough to escape the latest Nor'easter I spent the last few days down south in Charleston. Since I had to be there for a photo retreat, it presented the perfect opportunity to see this Southern Belle. My first morning I drove to Edisto Island, home of the famous Botany Bay Beach. This is where you often see pictures of the dead trees on the beach. I was lucky enough to get there after the gate opened which is about 30min before sunrise and saved myself an hour of walk time. However it still provided challenging to find the perfect composition in such a short time as the sky was already turning pink. The shot below I managed to snag, rushing against time. (more images can be seen at www.LNXphotography.com)

Nearby is Botany Bay Rd, a very picturesque street lined with Spanish Moss. As the morning sun peaked through, it lit up the trees with a warm soft glow and made the road very inviting. In the afternoon I headed to downtown Charleston and took a stroll around Rainbow Row. The Georgian style houses pared with beautiful Azalea was your stereotypical image of the south. However I was both surprised and disappointed to find upon further digging that those were the highlight of the city. A late lunch brought me to Lewis BBQ as I thought I owed it to myself to try it given its reputation as the best in the city. The sample platter of pulled pork, brisket and cole slaw was good though not exceptional, and overall I remain luke warm on BBQ as a whole.

Over the next few days during the photography retreat I had the opportunity to visit both Middleton and Magnolia Plantation. As a first impressions both were beautiful as the iconic Spanish Moss trees draped over the vivid Azaleas. Upon further exploration it was clear that Middleton's landscape was more spread out while Magnolia's more intimate. Both were absolutely stunning to photograph and presented a charming view of the south.

The last two days of the trip brought me further south to Savannah. Upon arriving in the Historic District it was obvious of the city's draw. The neatly laid out city blocks surrounds 22 squares, providing a little greenery amid all the businesses and historic houses. In addition there is also the famous Forsyth Park, the symbol of the city.

A few blocks down is River St, once lined with cotton warehouses now converted to restaurants, boutiques and inns. It is here you can take a riverboat cruise on the Georgia Queen, a stroll through the old cobblestone walkways and alleys, or simply finish the day admiring the beautiful sunset.

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Rating:

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Atmosphere: Sunny, laid back and beautiful, what more is there to say!

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Food: There were a handful of great dishes on this trip including the best brisket sandwich from Swig and Swine.

I think they must butter the potato bun before toasting. Right next door is the Glass Onion, another great establishment where the fried quail with rice and collards were delicious.

In Savannah my favorite was the Seafood Shack, where the steamed clam boil was tender and well seasoned.

On the contrary the crawfish at Bayou Cafe tasted like it was soaked in salt water and drenched in Old Bay, simply horrible. No trip to Savannah is complete without a stop to Leopold's Ice Cream where at any time of day there is a line outside. The ice cream was rich yet not overly sweet, good but not better than a gelato.

However hands down by far the best meal of the trip had to go to Mrs.Wilkes in Savannah. Mrs.Wilkes is a very well known establishment, so much so that there is always a line to get in by 10:15am though they don't open until 11. The meals are served family style as well as seating, which pretty much means you are having lunch with strangers. There are around 22 dishes served at once and you are free to eat as much or little of each. The day I was there, they were serving up fried chicken, which was so moist and juicy. In addition the corn bread and collards were the best I've ever had. It was totally worth the wait and I would recommend it to anyone visiting the area.

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Beauty: Spring time down south was quite stunning. The Spanish Moss trees that draped the city streets added character to the city and provided a feel of serenity when walking through the parks. The gardens of the plantations drenched in the late afternoon sun made for a great canvas, and as a landscape photographer there was a shot to be had at every turn.

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People: Southerners are know for their manners and hospitalities, and when they answer everything with yes ma'am it just projects a different tone. Growing up in the North it definitely took some getting used to.

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Cleanliness: Given the historical nature of these cities it does not come at a surprised to see how well preserved they are. The streets are clean, litter and graffati free.

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Last Comments: The last week was a real treat and a great break from the never ending winter we're having in Philly. Having always seen the moss trees in pictures I was very anxious to see them in person. It wasn't until I drove around that I realized just how abundant they really were, though that didn't detract from it's charm.

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Scale: 1-10 Charleston: 6.5 Savannah: 7

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A Brief Taste of the Canadian Rockies

Having been here for almost two days, weather has been anything but cooperative in Jasper. The sunset shot at Medicine lake was rained out, though it did provide for a very moody black and white. Sunrise the next day at Patricia lake wasn't much better with heavy patches of clouds obstructing the entire mountain range. After hopelessly waiting around for 2 hours I finally call it quits. On my drive towards Banff the clouds lifted slightly though everything was still covered in a thick layer of hazy however the drive itself was very picturesque, surrounded by glacier mountains and emerald lakes. My first impression after arriving in Banff was that it felt much larger and commercialized than Jasper. Where Jasper felt rugged and secluded in a sense, the same could not be said of Banff. The best aspect of the town of Banff was how close it was to Vermillion Lakes, where I ended up going for sunset. Despite the fact that it was still very hazy, there was a few instances where the sun did manage to peak through slightly.

However the best shot of the night was at twilight as the full moon lit up the sky. My last day before the workshop was spent in Banff and Yoho. By 6:00am I was standing in front of Lake Louise waiting for sunrise. It was an overcast morning as I stood there with a handful of others. By 7:30 a soft warm glow hit the mountain sides and reflected into the lake. It was a sight to remember and my favorite of the day, that is until I saw Moraine Lake, whose beauty was beyond words. The water there was a rich sapphire blue, clear and still enough to reflect the mountain ranges. On the shore red canoes were lined up providing that perfect contrast.

The remainder of the day brought me to Emerald Lake. There the mountains stretched out majestically over the turquoise water providing a great panorama. As dusk approached and the packs of tourists boarded their bus, a sense of tranquility draped over the park as the mountains turned a soft pink hue.

The next five days can only be described as exhausting but rewarding. Since this was my first time joining a photography workshop, I really didn't know what to expect. However I soon realized the positive impact of being around a group of people with the same passion, despite the weather conditions being less than optimal. Everyday we would set out at 5:30am in hopes of catching that magical shot and most days it ended in disappointment. After breakfast we'd all optimistically pray for better weather as we went in search of better light and composition before finally settling on our sunset location. In the end out of the total 8 days I was there I did not end up catching one full sunset or sunrise. Don't get me wrong I managed to get some shots I liked very much but they were quite unique for the location given the iconic shots. Looking back I still had a great time, meeting and learning with a great group of people and can't wait to do it again. Chasing the light has officially become an adrenaline high and addicition for me. You can view more of my photos from this trip at https://www.flickr.com/photos/148791230@N07/albums

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Ireland - The Emerald Isle

Today was a beautiful sunny day as I drove to Connemera. By noon I arrived at Kylemore Abby, a beautiful gothic style victorian abbey situated by the water. It was built by a man named Mitchell Henry for his wife when they fell in love with the area on their honeymoon. At one point King Edward VII even considered buying it, but reconsidered saying it was too grand for a king!  From afar it looks like something out of a fairy tale, with a beautiful love story of its origin to match. Having even just spent the afternoon there I can see the allure.

A short drive down the road is Lough Inagh, a stunning body of water surrounded by trees with mountains in the back. As the sun poked through the fluffy clouds I rushed to capture the amazing light and in my haste forget to mind the bog.  The next thing I knew I was stuck calf deep in swampy water and it took the next 5mins to pull out my soaked sneaker. Definitely not my best moment, but here's the shot that came out of it. 

The next two days I spent in Clare to see the Cliffs of Moher and was surprised to see a new visitor center recently built. It made access much easier but took away from the thrill of discovering the place. However if you wait and visit after 6pm the crowds have left but you can still park and see the cliffs since that never closes. In fact when I went I had the whole area to myself.

Aside from that, other attractions nearby includes a boat ride to see the cliffs or the nearby Aran islands. I opted for the 1hr cruise around the cliffs which came highly recommended, but turned out to be a waste of time. Not only did the boat literally drive out and back, but there were also no introductions or explanations of what you were looking at, including the famous " Harry Potter Cave". The only interesting thing I saw was a playful dolphin that decided to swim laps under our boat. At least it was sunny, but I don't understand how anyone can recommend this tour and would strongly urge the next person to reconsider. The remainder of the stay was spent soaking up the cultures in pubs, tasting Irish Whiskey and Cider while waiting for the perfect sunset. 

From there I made my way to the Ring of Kerry, a scenic 3.5hr loop that typically starts in Killarney. The route is highly popular with tour buses who must drive counterclockwise due to the narrow roads, so it is recommended you drive clockwise to avoid the crowd. Given time constraints I was only able to do part of the loop and had decided on four stops. At noon I arrived at Torc waterfall in Killarney National Park.  The small waterfall was easily accessible via a 5min walk from the parking lot and very pretty despite its size.

Another 10min drive down brought me to Ladies View, a lookout point to the whole valley. Once out of the park, the next two stops where little towns called Kenmare and Sneem both of which had little to offer. In fact they were so plain and ordinary that if they weren't conveniently located on this circuit they would never be heard of. 

Prior to Dublin I made a stop to Blarney Castle, home of the Blarney rock. The rock is said to bestow eloquent on those that kissed it. However in order to do so requires you to lay on your back and almost hang off the ledge. Luckily there is someone there to assist. The whole process takes no more than 20sec and is pretty much perfected. Though the experience was gimmicky it was still in a way unique.

My last few days of the trip was spent in Dublin, a city I soon found to be vast and soulless.  The city looked rough and beaten up as the streets were dirty and walls were covered with graffiti. Under the grey cloudy sky everything seemed gloomy. As for attractions I decided to start off with the symbol of the city, a tour of the Guinness Storehouse.

Inside the brewery everything ran like clock work. The self guided tour was a hefty €20 but came with a pint of Guinness at the end which many enjoyed in their gravity bar on the top floor. Personally the whole experience was too commercialized for me and way over priced. It wasn't until after final call at 5pm that the gravity bar started to clear out and you finally had room to move. As for the grand view of the city, it really wasn't much to look at aesthetically. Aside from that other sights in the city includes Kilmainham Gaol, the old prison used in the revolution and the Trinity Library, home of the Books of Kells. The gaol was really interesting as you were given the chance to see the actual cells and told a condensed history of Ireland.

The Books of Kells were lost on me given its Catholic significance but the Long Room was the real reason I was there and it did not disappoint. The 213 ft room has a barrel-vaulted ceiling that was redesigned in 1860. On both sides were shelves and shelves of the library's oldest books, along with sculptures of various prominent men in history.

My final day was spent leisurely around city center, in and out of cafes and shops. I did manage to take a quick stroll to Merrion Square, the heart of Georgian Dublin known for its red brick townhouses with colorful doors. It was there I discovered a different side of the city, quiet and elegant. Though today the area is mostly used for commercial purposes, there still lingers an air of the once aristocratic flair.

Rating:

Atmosphere: In general Ireland is a beautiful place, with the countryside especially appealing. However there are 3 things that really stand out, first is the number of pubs around, not just in Dublin but all over. Second is the amount of people that smoke, I can't recall the last time I've seen so many. Lastly is the number of homeless people in Dublin, I guess given its high cost of living, #6 in Europe, that shouldn't be surprising. 

Beauty: The country side was very pretty with its rolling hills, sea cliffs and mountain ranges. In addition because of how condense the country is, you are able to see a lot in a short time. However Dublin was not impressive and definitely not worth a return trip.

Cleanliness: Dublin felt old and dingy. However outside of the city things were much better preserved and maintained.

Food: The best part of Irish food is their breakfast, which consists of sausage, bacon, eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms and baked beans.

On top of all that the Irish butter is so rich and creamy that I can't help but over indulge with my toast. Along the same line, their local ice cream is definitely worth trying.

In terms of local food I tried a few places including Th Brazen Head, the oldest pub in Dublin, the beef stew was mediocre but the atmosphere was great.

People: Surprisingly friendly, even in the city

Last Comment: Overall I preferred Scotland over Ireland. Edinburgh just had more cultural than Dublin and Skye was just the most beautiful place of this whole trip. However weather was definitely better in Ireland, which allowed me to capture spectacular sunset at both Giants Causeway and Cliffs of Moher. In the end I'm glad to have seen both, though I doubt I'll be back to Ireland again.

Scale: 1-10

Countryside: 7

Dublin: 5

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Northern Ireland

After arriving at Dublin I jumped in the rental and made my way up to Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland. The 3hr drive was pleasant enough though nothing special since I was on the main road. Once there, with the exception of paved roads, I found the area quiet similar to Scotland with its rolling hills and livestock all around. The actual Causeway was hard to describe. On the one hand the formation was quite impressive given its size and height, on the other it was something that you could fully experience in 30mins. In general I'm not sure it was totally worth the drive. However as sunset approached it casted a warm glow on the rocks which soften the roughness. In fact as people started to thin out and you were left with just the sound of the ocean collapsing on the shore, the appeal of the area became undeniable.

The next morning under the sun's warm first light I went to the Dark Hedges. For those that are unfamiliar with the area, it is a hilly street surrounded by gnarly trees so overgrown that they that produce a tunnel like effect. More recently it was made famous by a scene in Game of Thrones like many other locations in the area. The light couldn't have been more perfect as I stood there one of two photographers happily snapping away.

I can't image the place in mid day filled with tourist as I have seen photos of the street just lined with cars completely void of its allure. Before leaving the area I made a final stop to Kinbane Head, a hidden peninsula only visible after descending a few flights of stairs. As with many places around it was almost completely empty, leaving you to enjoy it in solitude.

Rating: 

Atmosphere: I love the openness of the countryside where past sunset there isn't anyone in sight and the whole land falls into a calm surrender. In the morning you wake up to the crisp air and watch as the light begins to bounce off the hills. It is truly peaceful.

Beauty: There is much more Northern Ireland has to offer than Giant's Causeway I've learned. With many castle ruins and dramatic cliffs, I can see why many movies where made there.

Cleanliness: With visitor centers set up at the major sights it was a lot easier to find access to trash cans and facilities than Scotland. And since they were set far from the attractions and the actual attractions themselves never closed, it still felt rustic.

Food: I think I should just give up on expecting good food on this trip. In fact the best meals I've had so far was Chinese and Korean take out. The Irish stew yesterday was boarder line disguising as the gravy was way thick and unappealing with little seasoning.

People: Just as nice as the Scots with accents just slightly easier to understand.

Last comment: I'm glad to have made the trip out and that weather was so pleasant the whole time because I doubt I will be returning anytime soon.

Scale: 7.5

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