16 Thursday Mar 2017
Posted in art, history, London, photography, photowalk, photowalking, random, Travel, urban
This engraving in London, on Waterloo Place not far from Trafalgar Square, is part of a memorial to Sir John Franklin, leader of an ill-fated 1840s expedition in search of the Northwest Passage through Arctic Canadian waters.
I snapped this image in September 2016, just days after it was reported the wreck a second ship from his small fleet, HMS Terror, appears to have been found intact and in perfect condition at the bottom of the appropriately named Terror Bay, Nunavut.
13 Monday Feb 2017
Posted in Arizona, history, photography, photowalk, photowalking, random, Travel, urban
In trendy downtown Tempe, Arizona, stands the shell of what used to be the Hayden Flour Mill. The historic hulk, which occupies the southeast corner of Rio Salado Parkway and Mill Avenue (appropriately), can be seen up close. There’s a small park adjacent to the building and there are placards along the outside detailing the history of the place. You can even peek inside through the windows to survey the all machinery abandoned and left in place. According to the City of Tempe, the site is awaiting appropriate redevelopment.
19 Thursday Jan 2017
Posted in art, Cologne, Germany, history, Köln, photography, photowalk, photowalking, random, Travel
The Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) is a magnificent structure looming over the city centre, just outside the doors of the main train station.
Given its sheer size, it’s no surprise the church is seemingly under constant renovation. The last two times I passed by, in September 2015 and September 2016, there were obvious signs of repair work being done to the building’s exterior.
As you walk around the complex, you’ll notice a workshop toward the back of the church, home base for the people who keep the structure in good repair. That’s were I was able to snap this photo of some very appropriate masonry, captured on my 2015 stopover.
03 Saturday Dec 2016
Posted in history, photography, photowalk, photowalking, Prague, random, Travel, urban
How to beat the crowds at the tourist-centric Old Town Square in Prague? Get there before the tour groups do.
This was a Sunday morning and the clock tower tells me I shot this photo shortly before 10 a.m. It was nice to enjoy the square in this condition and to take in all the history crowded around this spot.
Visitors aren’t exactly alone here at this hour but there’s enough space to keep people from feeling too claustrophobic. Wandering through the city’s old quarter first thing in the morning means you can occasionally get a bit of street to yourself, if only for a moment. Knowing how busy this part of Prague can get, even fleeting solitude is a treat worth the mental effort required to wake early.
Below, a closer view of the astronomical clock at the town hall.
02 Friday Dec 2016
Posted in art, photography, photowalk, photowalking, Prague, random, urban
Tags
advertising, art, history, photowalk, Prague, random, stained glass, Travel, urban
It’s difficult to imagine this kind of intricate melding of art and advertising being put together nowadays. Spotted in a small shopping plaza on my visit to Prague this fall.
28 Monday Nov 2016
Posted in art, Berlin, Germany, history, photography, photowalk, photowalking, random, Travel
At Sanssouci Park in Potsdam, near Berlin, a number of statues were moved out of the New Palace (Neues Palais) there, owing to restoration and renovations in the building. It made for an unusual capture when I visited this September.
21 Monday Nov 2016
Posted in architecture, design, Dresden, Germany, history, photography, photowalk, photowalking, random, Travel, urban
Tags
architecture, Dresden, Germany, history, photography, photowalk, random, Travel, urban
This is a lovely detour off the Georgenbau city gate on the way to the Neumarkt square. Not exactly off the beaten path, but a lot less crowded and a bit more visually interesting. Snapped this view on a visit back in September.
13 Sunday Nov 2016
Posted in Berlin, photography, photowalk, photowalking, random, Travel
Tags
Berlin, Germany, history, palace, photography, photowalk, Potsdam, preservation, random, Travel
Sanssouci Park in Potsdam, Germany, is home to some neat historical palaces tied to the German monarchy. Above is the New Palace; below is Sanssouci Palace. Most of the buildings have been preserved and are open to the public for visits; some are used by the University of Potsdam.
10 Thursday Nov 2016
Posted in Berlin, Germany, history, photography, photowalk, photowalking, random, Travel
The Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church is a singularly unique site in western Berlin.
The older church spire is what remains of the original church, heavily damaged during the Second World War. It has since been restored and its ground floor is a memorial hall spotlighting its namesake monarch, the church’s past, and what it and nearby areas endured during wartime bombing raids.
The spire is surrounded by modern buildings that make up the functional church.
Pictured above are the two belfries, as they appeared on an early autumn evening this September.
03 Thursday Nov 2016
Ricky Leong 