Cruise liners have become a regular feature in Fremantle harbour. These floating hotels are quite incredible, I think, so today I photographed the Pacific Sun leaving port on her way to Broome.

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New Zealands largest city has an idyllic setting, overlooking the forested Waitakere Ranges, sheltered Manukau Harbour and the island studded Hauraki Gulf to the north. No wonder over a million people choose to live there and enjoy the benefits of nature on the doorstep.

Beautiful beaches and dreamy offshore islands are just half an hour from the city. In fact the sea is so much a part of the place that an unusually high number of people own their own boat giving the city its name of City of Sails.

2002 saw Auckland again hosting one of the worlds greatest yachting events. The Americas Cup and the city now have its own Americas Cup Village to explore. But, you dont have to be a yachted to appreciate what Auckland and its surrounds have to offer.

The most cosmopolitan of New Zealands cities, one fifth of Aucklands one million inhabitants are of Polynesian descent. A fusion of traditions produces a vibrant urban culture that is both easy going and sophisticated. Its lively calendar of events stem from a people with a love of life and celebration with February the top month for festivals, when no fewer than four take place.

Aucklands bustling shopping district, chic waterfront bars and restaurants are as much a part of things as the lovingly restored clapboard villas in the leafy inner suburbs of Ponsonby and Parnell. Theres plenty to see and do too visit the Auckland Museum with its impressive collection of Maori artefacts and Kelly Tarltons Antarctic Encounter and Underwater World, a unique attraction. Take the lift up Aucklands Sky Tower for an inspiring view of the city and its stunning surrounds, which beckon those with time to explore further a field.

For those with limited time Auckland is a wise choice for a short stay, not only for the range of accommodation and excursions on offer, but because the major sites of the Bay of Islands and Rotorua can be visited in a day trip from the city.

Experience this fun adventure under, through and over Aucklands Harbour Bridge. Take in the magnificent views whilst experiencing the inner workings of this dynamic structure. Minimum age 10 years. Suitable for all fitness levels.

A great way to experience Aucklands key attractions visit Kelly Tarltons and the Sky Tower plus a coffee cruise in the harbour aboard a Pride of Auckland sailing boat and the Native NZ Encounter Show at the Auckland Zoo.

Boats sit on the sand and silt, leaning, waiting, in anticipation.

Holga 120 CFN

www.christopherjonesphotography.co.uk

Waiting For Hide Tide, Ramsey, IOM

It's Not Really as Fast as it looks

A conversation I had with someone last week demonstrated once again how different a place can be, or appear, depending on where you choose to spend your time.

We were sitting in the Beehive Bar watching Wolfsburg V Man United. The bar was relatively busy, but not full and one of the regular winter visitors to Puerto de la Cruz commented on how quiet the town seemed and that there had only been a handful of people in the bar the previous night. It made us smile because we’d just queued for ages to get into the town’s big free car park which was completely stowed out and then had fought our way through crowds of people to try to make it to the bar in time for kick-off.

The reason for this was that the traditional Christmas funfair had set up in the lower car park and the night was filled with bright neon lights, loud screams and the smell of deep fried churros and boiled onions being slapped on humungous hot dogs. The place was buzzing with hordes of smiley happy people and for a split second it was nearly a case of ‘Man Who’ as I was almost seduced into swapping the thrill of the footie for the thrill of the fair. The huge over-the-top ‘big wheel’ dominating the old town area and only added to the childhood type excitement I felt at being in the middle of a whirlwind of sights and sounds.

The day before we’d battled the crowds in Al Campo to try to get our Christmas shopping completed. It felt as though the whole of the La Orotava Valley had decamped to the La Villa shopping centre and by the time we left, the place was just getting busier and busier and the roads entering and leaving the centre at a standstill.

The day after the match I sat outside the Post Office letting the sun warm my face, resigned to the fact that with 60 people in the queue ahead of me, I was going to be waiting quite a long time. At that point I remembered what the person in the bar had said to us about it being quiet.

It might have been quiet wherever he had been spending his time, but that’s because every other bugger in town happened to be anywhere that I happened to be.

Actually the week before the week before Christmas is normally a quiet time in the centre of the town during weekdays as everyone sorts out their final preparations so that they can have fun and enjoy the festive season to the full when it begins in earnest.

Free call pick up and delivery.

No contracts required. One-time service / weekly service / monthly service (your choice).

Up to 50 Items of Clothing. Any of the following items: shirts, jeans,pants, skirts, blouses, dresses, linens, etc.

Please call 561-290-0432

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Does not include:  South and West Broward, North Palm Beach or Miami.

No checks, please.

Since moving back home to Scotland I bought myself a new camera and when I’m not frantically searching online for a new job I’ve been trying to get out and learn the new features that my camera has in comparison to my last one. I’ve also been trying to get out and take pictures of my area with the camera and use my experience from my past year in Asia to try and record images in a different way and treat them with what I hope is a more sophisticated eye when on the computer. Bellow are just a few of the images that I have taken while visiting places I’ve gone many times in the past.

Ramsey harbour entrance at high tide.

Holga 120 CFN

www.christopherjonesphotography.co.uk

Harbour Entrance, Ramsey, IOM

Working in isolated “silos,” government agencies are not serving the public interest when it comes to Port Stanley harbour, a local activist has charged.

Dan McNeil says it makes no sense to invite the public to a meeting next month about the safety of drinking water when it still isn’t known what Transport Canada is planning to do with its “toxic soup” identified as a threat to that water.

“There is no horizontal accountability among these organizations,” he complained. “Our public and community concern should force these agendas to be dealt with in a holistic way.”

via Bureaucracy muddies waters | London | News | London Free Press.

Three swans gracefully navigate the tricky harbour channels.

Holga 120 CFN

www.christopherjonesphotography.co.uk

Swans In The Harbour, Ramsey, IOM

Holland Rotterdam - June 2008

An old warehouse in the harbour of Rotterdam is changed into apartments.

A fishing boat returns to Ramsey harbour from the cold Irish Sea.

Holga 120 CFN

www.christopherjonesphotography.co.uk

Fishing Boat Return, Ramsey, IOM

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Photos I took at the V&A Waterfront, Cape Town, South Africa. Click on the photos to see the fullsize version on my DeviantArt gallery.

Harbour with HDR effect (click for more info)

Rusty fence and boats with partial color effect

A seagull taking off

A few pictures ive taken, again using camera phone:

i have read up more on film speeds, and understand much better how slow film works as what seems to be most regularly found in shops is 50 ISO and i havent always been using the flash, and now with only 4 hours of daylight, i try to make the most of the light. I intend to finish up the current rolls of 120 film b/w and colour slide before im home, tomorrow (weather permitting) i will go to the other side of the harbour, towards the Perlan.

English version

Die Musik der Stage “Delfino Plaza”:

Delfino Plaza:

Title/Ending (Super Mario World):

Main Theme (New Super Mario Bros.):

Ricco Harbour:

Main Theme (Super Mario 64):

Deutsche Version

The music of the stage “Delfino Plaza”

Delfino Plaza:

Title/Ending (Super Mario World):

Main Theme (New Super Mario Bros.):

Ricco Harbour:

Main Theme (Super Mario 64):

Every summer the New England Aquarium supplements its usual exhibits by taking advantage of its surroundings and offering daily cruises of Boston harbour. The ‘Science at Sea Harbor’ tour is a 90-minute trip that explores what lurks beneath the surface of Boston Harbor, and includes interactive opportunities to pull lobster traps and check for salinity and turbidity in the harbour’s waters.

My friends Emma and Scott arrived from England on Sunday night for a two week holiday in Australia.  I wanted to take them out for dinner on the Monday night but decided to think long and hard about somewhere ‘different’ to take them.  With Scott being new to Sydney and Emma having been here before (and already acquainted with Watson’s Bay & other typical tourist places) I wanted to incorporate a ferry on the harbour as well as somewhere with some city skyline views.  Without any hesitation I came up with The Woolwich Pier Hotel.

Situated in Woolwich on the edge of Hunters Hill, this newly renovated hotel was originally built in 1885.  With gorgeous city sky line views from the upstairs wrap around balcony, and a great outdoor terrace area complete with wooden decking downstairs, this place has a great bistro open 7 days a week.

We met at Circular Quay at ferry terminal 5 to catch the 6pm ferry to Woolwich.  This is a delightful trip in itself and takes you West of the city under the bridge stopping at Balmain, Greenwich, Cockatoo Island then finally Woolwich.  This being a completely new experience for Scott made it all the more fun.  It only took around 25 minutes and we were soon at our destination.  As we found a good spot to wait for Graeme to pick us up in the car, we saw a unique sight.  A smartly dressed woman in high heels got off our same boat with a cycle, rolled up one trouser leg, then proceeded to struggle up the small hill whilst peddling in her heels!  I assured Scott this was not a common site around Sydney.  After all we were in Hunters Hill!

On a quiet Monday night we did not need to book a table on the balcony upstairs, so we found a good spot.  We ordered four steaks which were on Monday & Tuesday night special for $12.50, and settled in with a bottle of red.  The steaks were big and juicy and came with a generous helping of mashed potato or chips, plus a side salad.  Scott was very impressed with his bargain steak and actually commented on how much nicer it tasted than the $49 one he had ordered in a prestigious hotel restaurant in The Rocks the night before!  I think that says it all.