Friday, March 9, 2012

Patterns in the sand

This is a photo of the patterns created by the receding tide in the Langosta estuary.  The estuary brings a little soil mixed with the water, so the sand has a little marbled coloration.

This week we are showing photos of the animals and people of Tanzania on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Village soccer

The boys in this photo were playing football (soccer) in a field in a small, rural village, using a homemade, makeshift goal.  Most villages and small towns in Costa Rica have a soccer field in the middle of town.

In contrast to these humble surroundings, in the capitol of San Jose, the only big city in Costa Rica, there is a new national football stadium.  It was built by the Chinese and was finished about a year or so ago.  It is also the site of major international concerts.

This week we are showing photos of the animals and people of Tanzania on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Boy with a lolly pop.

This is a photo of a young boy who was watching the older boys in a Costa Rican town.  The boy seemed more interested in his lollypop than in the game

This week we are showing photos of the animals and people of Tanzania on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Vines climbing a wall

I liked the color and pattern of the vines climbing the wall in this photo.  I don't know why, but in Latin America people seem to select deeper and bolder colors for walls and houses.  I, for one, am glad that they do.  It adds to the beauty and distinctive character of the locale.

Behind this wall was one of the beachfront homes in Playa Langosta.

This week we are showing photos of the animals and people of Tanzania on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

Monday, March 5, 2012

Kingfisher on a wire

The little kingfisher in this photo surveyed the scene from a perch on this wire.  Usually we see kingfishers over or very near the water, so we do not often see them on telephone wires.

We are showing photos of the animals and people of Tanzania this week on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Solitary sailboat on the beach

The solitary sailboat in this photo was parked, or I guess I should say anchored, just off the beach at the mouth of the Tamarindo estuary.  The estuary flowing to the sea is the water in the foreground.

I don't know if the people in this sailboat are locals folks who were just out to enjoy the day, or whether they stopped for a rest while on a longer journey.  I do know that they picked a delightful place to stop and enjoy the beach.

Today is Sunday, so we have new photos posted on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  This week we are showing photos of the animals and people of Tanzania.

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Man walking a dog on the beach

This photo of a man walking his dogs on the beach provides gender balance to the photo I posted yesterday.  The beach is a perfect place to walk dogs.  I personally would prefer to hear the surf than to have headphones on, but I guess some people might even get tired of the soothing and invigorating sounds of the surf.

We are showing photos of Egypt this week on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site, including some of the experiences that await tourists visiting the country might enjoy.

Friday, March 2, 2012

Woman horseback riding on the beach in a bikini

OK.  I admit it.  This photo of a woman in a bikini horseback riding on the beach is a crass attempt to boost viewership on this website.  I like to check the search terms that causes people to land on my site after Google searches.  Consistently, one of the most popular search terms is people looking for photos of bikini horseback riders.

I hope I am not insulting anyone by saying that this is a sad commentary about the male gender of our species.  Nevertheless, I am not above trying to take advantage of this phenomena by dipping into my archives to show another photo of this woman who I showed in the past.

One of the other popular search terms is "Michael Landon," the late actor.  Several years ago I showed a photo of his former house in Costa Rica, and people are still landing on my site when looking up information on Michael Landon.

As usual, I will post a photo tomorrow to restore gender balance to this website.

We are showing photos of Egypt this week on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site, including some of the experiences that await tourists visiting the country might enjoy.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Theme Day: Electricity

Today's worldwide Daily Photo Theme is electricity.  What better use of electricity in Tamarindo than to illuminate a swimming pool and poolside lounge?  This photo is the bar area of the Cala Luna Resort, which is located just a block or so from our Langosta Beach condo.

We are showing photos of Egypt this week on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site, including some of the experiences that await tourists visiting the country might enjoy.

To see how other Daily Photo bloggers have interpreted the theme of Electricity, Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Tree on the ridge line

This is a close photo of one of the details in yesterday's photo that was lost in the large scene.  I liked this tree on the crest of a distant hill and zoomed in on it.

We are showing photos of Egypt this week on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site, including some of the experiences that await tourists visiting the country might enjoy.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Countryside

This photo is another pastoral scene of the countryside near Tamarindo, taken last summer, which explains the cloudy skies, as we are in the dry season now.

This was across the road from the location where the cattle were crossing the road in the photos I showed a few days ago.

Costa Rica plants about 5 - 7 million trees per year to make up for the fact that pasture land such as what you see here has replaced what used to be forests.  The country is on track to become the world's first carbon neutral country in about 10 years, as more than 25% of the land is set aside for parks and nature preserves, the highest percentage of any country.

We are showing photos of Egypt this week on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site, including some of the experiences that await tourists visiting the country might enjoy.

Monday, February 27, 2012

Iguana

It has been a while since I posted a photo of an iguana.  I have not meant to neglect them.  It is easy to overlook them, as they are so common.  This green iguana seems to have lost his way.  He should be camouflaging himself in branches of green leaves, not these brown twigs.

We are showing photos of Egypt this week on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site, including some of the experiences that await tourists visiting the country might enjoy.  I hope that Egypt returns to stability soon so that tourism there will thrive and help the local economy.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Machete

In my photo of the cowboy a few days ago I mentioned his machete, which is very typical of those who work the land in Costa Rica.  Here is a close photo of the weathered, heavily used sheath of a machete.  This was not the cowboy's machete, but was around the belt of Pablo, the gardener for our Langosta condo.  

I have shown Pablo in the past, and he took us to visit the ranch that I showed extensively on this site a few months ago.

Today is Sunday, so we have new photos on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  This week we are showing photos of Egypt, including some of the people, the tourist police, and some of the experiences of a tour of this magnificent, ancient country.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Bull

Nearby the scene of the cattle drive photos that I have shown during the past few days was a pasture that held this massive bull.  We stayed safely on the other side of the fence, although the fence obviously would not have held the bull in this photo of he decided that we or our cameras annoyed him too much.

This week we are showing photos of the dry, mountainous Atacama Desert of northern Chile on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  It is quite a contrast to the lush green coastal lowlands of Costa Rica.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Cowboys

Here is a closer photo of the cowboys who drove the cattle down the road and across to another pasture.  They seemed to enjoy their job.  They obviously dress casually for the warm weather.

You may notice the common tool of a machete hanging from the belt of the cowboy in the foreground.

I took this photo last summer, which explains the late afternoon clouds.  Right now is the heart of the high season, with sunny, dry weather.

This week we are showing photos of the dry, mountainous Atacama Desert of northern Chile on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  It is quite a contrast to the lush green coastal lowlands of Costa Rica.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Cowboys

This photo shows the cowboys who were tending to the cattle herd that we encountered on a rural back road about 15 minutes inland from Tamarindo.   They are part of a long tradition of cattle ranching in Guanacaste, the northwest province of Costa Rica. They were cheerful and not reluctant to be photographed.

This week we are showing photos of the dry, mountainous Atacama Desert of northern Chile on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  It is quite a contrast to the lush green coastal lowlands of Costa Rica.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Cattle heading form the road to the pasture

This photo shows the next stage of the cattle drive from a day use pasture to the pasture where the cows spend the evening.

Several days ago Jack commented that the cows look thinner than cows in New England.  That is a common reaction when people see the local Brahman cattle.  They are not malnourished.  They live in the midst of lush vegetation.  They are thin and naturally have a bone structure that protrudes prominently.

Tomorrow I will show a photo of the cowboys who were herding these cattle.

This week we are showing photos of the dry, mountainous Atacama Desert of northern Chile on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  It is quite a contrast to the lush green coastal lowlands of Costa Rica.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Why did the cows cross the road?

After the cars and motorcyclist shown in my last two photos had passed, the cowboys decided that it was time for the cows to make a left turn from their walk down the right side of the road, and cross over to the other side.

I will keep this series going for a few more days.

This week we are showing photos of the dry, mountainous Atacama Desert of northern Chile on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  It is quite a contrast to the lush green coastal lowlands of Costa Rica.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Cattle and cows

Here is another photo of the cattle drive sharing the rural road with whatever traffic needed to pass.  The cows looked like they were used to the cars.

You can see the sheen from the somewhat oily skins of the Brahma cattle that are common in Costa Rica.     The northwest area of Costa Rica has a lot of cattle ranches.  Some of the large property holdings have evolved from the large tracts of Spanish colonial land grants land, similar to some of the large land holdings in California.  In most of the rest of Costa Rica, it is more common to find small farms which are also plentiful in our area.

This week we are showing photos of the dry, mountainous Atacama Desert of northern Chile on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  It is quite a contrast to the lush green coastal lowlands of Costa Rica.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Cattle drive


When traveling the back roads of Costa Rica near Tamarindo, this  photo shows a scene that you might see. Local ranchers are taking their cattle from a pasture where they were grazing during the day back to the ranch where the cattle will be spending the night.

It is more like a daily commute than the long cattle drives of the American West.  But, there are cowboys who will ride to keep the herd together as they go down the road.  In this case a motorcycle rider is scooting around the her, which had drifted to  occupy the entire road, rather than staying in their lane.

Today is Sunday, so we have new photos on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site. This week we are showing a few more photos of the Atacama Desert in Chile.  I am sure that you will agree that it is unique.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Bull


Several months ago I posted a series of photos of a ranch, which included photos of some of the cows out in the pasture.  I commented that there was no bull in the pasture.  So here is a bull.  No I did not go out into the pasture with the bull.   I stopped the car along side one of the back roads to take this photo from the safety of the other side of a barbed wire fence.

I know not to get close to a bull.  My wife's family has had a ranch in rural Arizona since the 1880's.  Her brother once was trapped in the ranch house, unable to go out, because of a bull in a very bad mood.

This week we are showing photos of Chicago on our on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Sailing excursion


Every afternoon the catamaran sailboat in this photo heads out from Tamarind Bay to a few spots for snorkeling, usually near a few rocky islands up the coast.  The crew provides snacks of fresh fruit and drinks, and then the boat returns at sunset so the visitors see the sunset from sea.  It makes for a very pleasant afternoon.

This week we are showing photos of Chicago on our on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Bicyclist at sunset


We commonly see swimmers, dogs, surfers, and paddle boarders on Tamarindo beach, but here is a photo of some people walking their bicycle along the beach.

In Tamarindo, the best route from some places to other places is along the beach.  The beach front street reaches a dead end in the heart of town, and another road angles towards the beach and becomes the beachfront road further south, heading towards Langosta.

Maybe these people are walking the bike along he  beach because it is a shortcut to dinner.  Or maybe they just prefer the beach because there is less traffic and they like the view, particularly at sunset.  Whatever the reason, I think they made the right choice.

This week we are showing photos of Chicago on our on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Flower and high-contrast photography

This is another photo of one of the flowers around our Langosta condo.  It appears to be a variety of heliconia, although I will confess that my knowledge of different types of tropical flowers is rather limited.

The contrast between the bright flower and the dark background illustrates something that I recently read about photography while trying to get a better understanding of histograms.  Each f-stop on the camera allows twice as much light as the next higher f-stop number.  The human eye can handle the contrast of light that is equivalent to a range of about 8 f-stops, but a camera image can capture a range of only about 5 f-stops.

Consequently, in many scenes there is a range of brightness or darker areas that the eye sees, but which the camera will record as blackness or white-out.  In today's photo, the background was not as dark as it appears in this photo, but I obviously set the exposure to capture the light on the flower and allow the background to be darker in the image than it was in reality.  I like the effect of highlighting the subject of the photo.

It is essential to set the exposure manually or to use a "spot meter" for a photo such as this, rather than relying on the camera's automatic exposure.  The automatic exposure will often result in a setting that averages the light for the dark and light areas of a high contrast photo, which will cause the brighter subject to be washed out.

This week we are showing photos of Chicago on our on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Butterfly and flower

I mentioned yesterday that the orange flower was a food source, and here is a photo of one of the many butterflies that we see fluttering around the flowers most of the time.

Happy Valentine's Day.

This Vaentine's Day is also the 100th anniversary of Arizona becoming a state, and my wife, Julie has a special post commemorating Arizona's Centennial on her Scottsdale Daily Photo website.

This week we are showing photos of Chicago on our on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Orange flower

This is typical of the flowers that surround our condo.  This flower is a little past its prime, and it appears to have provided food for s little nibbling around the edges of its petals, which is important o for the food chain that supports so many birds as we have.  One of the benefits of a tropical climate is that there are flowers in bloom all year.

This week we are showing photos of Chicago on our on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site, featuring different lighting conditions in America's "Second City."

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Flowers in front of our condo

After yesterday's photo of our condo from the beach, here is a photo of our condo from the street. With my long series of photos of the nearby Crystal Sands condo, I felt I should show a photo of our place.  As this photo shows, we have a nice flower garden along the street and surrounding the building.

The flowers, trees, building and sky combine for an explosion of color.  I will show a few photos of the flowers in the days ahead.

Today is Sunday, so we have new photos on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  This week we are showing some additional photos of Chicago, featuring different lighting conditions.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Our condo on Langosta Beach


Here is a late afternoon photo of the beach at Playa Langosta, with our codo in the background.  I took this photo some months ago, as it is now the dry season and clouds like this are rare from Nov. until April.

We are showing photos of Tanzania this week on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site this week.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Surfer leaving the ocean

Here is a surfer walking out of the surf on Tamarindo beach. I think the woman I showed yesterday had more enthusiasm walking from the ocean back to the beach, but this guy certainly has his own style.

Although I am not a surfer, I think the way he carries his surfboard in his hand rather than under his arm is "body English" that means "I'm cool."

We are showing photos of Tanzania this week on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site this week.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Young woman stepping out of the ocean

The young woman in this photo was obviously enjoying herself swimming at Tamarindo beach. She was with a friend and emerged from the surf with a bit of flair, don't you think?

She looks a bit like the pose of the Winged Victory statue in the Louvre, a copy of which is atop the dome of the Arizona State Capitol.

As you may recall from past photos, I try not to be discriminatory, so I will balance today's photo with a similar photo tomorrow, which my female readers may prefer.

We are showing photos of Tanzania this week on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site this week.