Sunrise and sunset

Sunrise and sunset on the same day, Saturday December 27.

Sunrise at 7:20am in Orchard Beach, the Bronx:










And the reason to be in Orchard Beach at sunrise:


Sunset at 4:30pm in Jacob Riis Park, Queens:


While taking pictures of the sunset, we came across a large gull roost. Once in a while something would spook them, and they would all take into the air with an impressive show of force:




It's amazing that gulls can fly and scratch their ears at the same time!


Coming in for the landing!


Ghosts of JFK flights past:
(Left to right: British Airways Flight 172, Lufthansa Flight 408, American Airlines Flight 211, and Virgin Atlantic Flight 3)

Rome

Bernini's bridge over Tiber:

Castel Sant'Angelo (aka Hadrian's Mausoleum):


Rome's umbrella pines. They are not born this way - they are trimmed to look as they do.


The colors of Rome:









(photo by Luke Cabading)























Basilica of St John Lateran. This is the seat of pope as the Bishop of Rome.






Coat of arms of pope Clement VIII (1592 - 1605):


Coat of arms of the Medici popes - most likely, of Paul IV (1559-1566):

From a gondola's point of view

Some say it is corny. Some say it is sweet. It is kind of both, actually. Whatever you might think of it, a gondola ride through Venice is still a very unique experience.













Not all gondolas end the same way...

St Marco Square

We came to Venice during the time of high tides. The tides made themselves known in St Marco Square. It's amazing to think that the entire square sits on top of an open lagoon. It's true that most of Venice does, but you don't feel it as much as you do when the tide water starts pouring onto your shoes from the cracks in the square pavement.

In any case, it was fun!