I love old cameras

Weekend black & white

2012-01-27T06:10:00.000-08:00

There is a story behind this shot.

Last summer we were in NYC, one of the streets just to the east of Central Park; we came across this beauty and a film crew. It was the BBC filming a show that went out last night on BBC4 "We'll take Manhattan", the story of how David Bailey and Jean Shrimpton went to the States to do a fashion shoot for Vogue magazine, and changed forever the way fashion shoots were done.

In the program, the scene using this old taxi was shot and cropped so that absolutely nothing of 2010 shows up in the shot.

Anyway, lovely old car shot using my little Olympus XA with HP5 film; enjoyed the program as well.

Weekend black & white

2012-01-20T08:37:00.000-08:00

I was caught by the shrub growing out from under the top slab of the grave; I guess that if you go for burial, you end up feeding something. I'll take the fire I think.

Contax 167 with Zeiss 135/2.8 and HP5 film.

Weekend black & white

2012-01-13T02:47:00.001-08:00

Another shot with the old Canonet, along the canal bank in Reading a few years ago. No batteries in these old cameras; they use the old selenium meter which is all around the lens. Of course the lens is a fixed focal length, 45mm/1.9.

I was fascinated by the handrail so I played with the contrast after scanning the negative. FP4 film.

Southern Ireland

2012-01-11T08:16:00.000-08:00

In need of a little TLC. I think this was just by the bridge over the river in Miltown Malbray on the west coast of Ireland; the coast of Clare.

I can only hazard a guess at the function of the little room built out from the others on the first floor (2nd floor if you're American).

Might get a good price on it in todays depressed market! Good Holiday Let in estate agent speak.

Weekend black & white

2012-01-06T10:13:00.000-08:00

Outside of a multi-storey car park in Reading.

Old Canon Canonet with FP4 film; that's him in the side-bar on the right. A good 40 years old now.

More monochromes here.

Doolin, Ireland

2012-01-03T08:49:00.001-08:00

A wet day in October in Doolin, southern Ireland. One of those little places you find there on the west coast. Next door to the 'Magnetic Music' shop.

Weekend black & white

2011-12-30T08:17:00.000-08:00

Part of an old Tudor house on Rose Street in Wokingham.

Contax 167 with Zeiss 135/2.8 lens and HP5 film.

Dangerous Mission

2011-12-19T08:18:00.001-08:00

Just a shot through a shop window; love the old book cover.

Weekend black & white

2011-12-16T08:10:00.001-08:00

The classic lines of the Plaza Hotel, New York, against a modern building behind it.

The watermark on the negative, caused when the film was processed, adds 'authenticity' - that's my excuse for not trying to get rid of it with PC software.

Olympus XA

weekend black & white

2011-12-09T09:37:00.000-08:00

View large.

Taken in Central Park, New York, earlier this year. We all live in our own little bubble.

Olympus XA and HP5 film.

Cisternino, Puglia, Italy

2011-12-07T07:35:00.000-08:00

The cafe area in the little square in the centre of the old-town area of Cisternino.

Weekend black & white

2011-12-01T08:02:00.001-08:00

In the small town of Cisternino, Puglia, in southern Italy.

Pentax LX with 28mm lens and HP5 film.

More mono shots at the Weekend in Black & White

weekend black & white

2011-11-25T09:02:00.000-08:00

Taken in York Harbour, Maine, a couple of years ago.

Canonet QLIII 1.7 rangefinder with FP4 film.

Cisternino, Puglia

2011-11-23T06:36:00.001-08:00

At the weekly Monday market in the little town of Cisternino, Puglia.

Weekend black & white

2011-11-17T08:46:00.001-08:00

Taken in 1964 near RAF Halton.

On many weekends in the summer there were motorbike trials in the hills behind the camp. Guys would ride these old trial bikes in the rough woodland hills against the clock on a hill climb. Health & safety had not been invented then, hence no helmets or other protective gear, and nothing to restrain the spectators. Life was easier then. There was a lovely smell of castor oil from these two-stroke machines.

Shot taken on my first 'real' camera; a Yashica Twin Lens Reflex (TLR), the 44LM. A full size TLR would be a Rolleiflex with 6cm x 6cm negative, none of these miniscule digital sensors! The 44LM had a 4x4cm negative, so the camera was smaller and easier to carry.

Strange to remember that in the pre pre-digital, auto-flash, auto white balance, auto focus, auto exposure, age the standard camera for sports and reportage was the all manual Rollei TLR. How times change.

Women love shoes

2011-11-16T08:26:00.001-08:00

On holiday in Puglia, Italy, in September, my wife and daughter seemed to be pulled like magnets to any shops with this sort of sign outside. It can get boring waiting for them.

Taken in the little town of Cisternino.

Athens, 1962, and a Kodak box camera

2011-11-14T08:56:00.001-08:00

This less than perfect monochrome shot was taken by me in 1962 on our way out to Malaya by ship, it took 3 weeks. This shows the Caryatid at the Parthenon in Athens. My scribbled note on the back of the shot says that one of them is not original, but I believe that of the 6 figures, (two cannot be seen in the shot), only one is now original. Times change.

This was taken with an old box camera, a Kodak. there were no shutter or aperture, or film speed settings, just point and press the shutter, but after 50 years, I still get a kick from it. It was one of the first photos I ever took and when we got to malaya I bought a 'proper' camera and have not stopped since. Here's an image I found on the web of the old box type of camera.

Weekend monochrome

2011-11-11T06:15:00.000-08:00

Taxis line up for the start of the NYC Taxi Formula One race - not really.

They were at the lights ready to go as soon as they got a green.

Olympus XA on HP5 film.

Greek police

2011-11-07T06:13:00.000-08:00

Working hours for the police in a village on Cephalonia.

Weekend monochrome

2011-11-04T09:07:00.000-07:00

Supermarket exterior, Windsor.

Canonet QLIII/1.7, rangefinder, with HP5 film.

For more black & white see here.

Italy - they've got it right.

2011-11-02T04:52:00.001-07:00

In the little town of Cisternino in Puglia, southern Italy. I think the old guys have life 'sorted' down there.

Cephalonia

2011-11-01T07:56:00.000-07:00

On the Greek island of Cephalonia in the early 1990s.

Leica R4 with Kodak Gold 200 colour film. I used to prefer slide film for 35mm colour, but this was done with film rather than transparency stock. Now I do all colour with digital and all black & white with film.

Monochrome weekend

2011-10-28T06:30:00.000-07:00

Supermarket trolleys; Olymus Mju II with FP4 125 ASA 35mm film.

An early dawn

2011-10-24T01:53:00.000-07:00

Taken from our hotel room at Gatwick airport early on the morning that we flew out to Italy, early September.

TLC required

2011-10-21T01:04:00.001-07:00

Seen better days.

A car-lot full of old classics between Charleston and Atlanta.

Easy-Rider, USA

2011-10-19T09:21:00.001-07:00

View large.

Taken out of the car window between Charleston and Atlanta; love the guy's "Make my Day" expression.

Copenhagen carnival

2011-10-16T10:02:00.000-07:00

Taken back around 1985 or so. Camera was the Leica R4, but cannot remember if it was with the 35-70 Vario-Elmarit zoom or the 135/2.8 lens. Film was Kodachrome 64 slide film.

Weekend black & white

2011-10-14T08:24:00.001-07:00

New Yorkers don't seem to relax, everything has to be done with a purpose, even crossing the road.

Classic car

2011-10-12T01:30:00.000-07:00

Driving along one of the smaller roads from Charleston to Atlanta we came across an old car lot, with a couple of classics outside, this was one of them. Maybe someone out there can tell me what it is.

A weekend in County Clare

2011-10-10T01:06:00.000-07:00

A weekend on the west coast of Ireland, yes, it was wet, but still nice.

The countryside is littered with the old deserted croft buildings.

The Guinness was as it should be!

A Charleston Diner

2011-10-04T00:14:00.000-07:00

On the way out of Charleston; this place was packed every time we drove past.

Monochrome weekend

2011-09-30T10:17:00.000-07:00

A rather different water fountain in New York.

Olympus XA and HP5 film.

Sneaky shot in Charleston

2011-09-28T03:02:00.000-07:00

Couldn't resist the shot outside a great rib-shack.
If you are ever in Charleston, go to T-Bonz for great steak or ribs.

Monochrome weekend

2011-09-23T10:20:00.000-07:00

The centre-piece of the Canadian WW1 war memorial on Vimy Ridge. The memorial is very large and imposing, and can be seen from miles around because of its prominent position on the edge of the ridge.
Using the little Olympus XA with its fixed focal length lens of 35mm, the only way to 'zoom' is to move your feet. To get all of the two figures in the shot I angles the camera to put the figures on the diagonal.
HP5 400ASA 35mm film on a dull and drizzly day in April.

More monochrome submissions to the weekly theme here.

Charleston; night street

2011-09-22T07:06:00.000-07:00

Taken in the market area of Charleston in May this year.

Puglia, Italy

2011-09-19T06:41:00.000-07:00

Just back from a week in Italy, Cisternino was the local little town. We were staying in this Trulli; a style of building unique to the area. It was very hot, but now we're back to UK weather.

Monochrome weekend

2011-09-02T14:52:00.000-07:00

I see the designers have changed the blog interface. Just to confuse me.

New York; Olympus XA with its standard 35mm lens and 400 ASA HP5 film.

Weekend monochrome

2011-08-26T08:20:00.001-07:00

The new office block in Reading, called the 'Blade' for obvious reasons, with the remains of the 12th Century Reading Abbey in the foreground. The Old & the New.

Used a Russian rangefinder, Zorki 6 with Russian 2.8/52mm lens and HP5 400ASA film. See the side-bar on the right.

For more monochromes go to Weekend Black & White

Monochrome

2011-08-18T08:08:00.001-07:00

Olympus OM1, 24mm lens and 400ASA HP5 film.

Loos 2 Go, USA

2011-08-15T09:50:00.001-07:00

At the Boone Hall plantation outside Charleston. They were getting ready for a music event. I couldn't resist a shot of the water truck with the mobile loos. Also, as I don't like Pepsi or Coke, I couldn't resist the juxta-position.

Monochrome

2011-08-12T08:38:00.001-07:00

View large

Didcot steam museum.

Taken with old Kodak Retina IIIc, see it over on the right.

Probably on FP4 film.

Raccoon mountain Chattanooga

2011-08-10T07:24:00.000-07:00

We visited the caves outside Chattanooga. This old cable-car was near the entrance - I guess they don't use it anymore!

Monochrome

2011-08-05T06:09:00.001-07:00

This is one of the figures on the very tall and imposing Canadian memorial to their WW1 fallen at Vimy Ridge.

It is a very striking monument and dominates the ridge.

The shot was taken on a very wet and overcast day in late April this year. Olympus XA with HP5 400ASA film.

Wilfred Owen; WW1 poet

2011-08-03T08:38:00.001-07:00

"And bugles calling for them from sad shires".

The centre headstone is Wilfred Owen, M.C. in Ors cemetery near Mons.

One of the three best known of the war poets, Brooke, Owen and Sassoon.

Those who weren't there have frequently taken the writings of those who were, to create their own myths of the war.

Weekend monochrome

2011-07-29T09:58:00.000-07:00

A cold wet day in April this year at Souchet in France. This is the memorial to the French General, Barbot, who was fatally injured at the battle of Artois in May 1915, leading his 77th Infantry Division.

It's quite a striking memorial, with the rather strange figure of Barbot with a French beret on his head, his moustache and great-coat. British memorials tend not to have all the allegorical figures on them, like this one.

Taken with the little Olympus XA on HP5 400 ASA film.

More monochromes here.

Who let the dogs out?

2011-07-26T09:36:00.001-07:00

Seen in a cafe courtyard in NYC. Big Fellahs.

Monochrome

2011-07-23T09:33:00.000-07:00

The Indian memorial at the WW1 cemetery at Neuve Chapelle in France. It was hard for our guys, just think what it was like for those from the subcontinent.

Glad to get back to some 35mm monochrome after shooting digital colour for a while.

Little Olympus XA with HP5 400 ASA film.

NYC The Flag

2011-07-21T23:34:00.001-07:00

Outside the Rockefeller Centre, although I suppose I should say 'Center'. We Brits don't concentrate so much on 'The Flag'.

Alice's Tea Cup

2011-07-18T01:39:00.001-07:00

Even in New York an Englishman can feel the need for a cup of tea.

Alice's Tea Cup, well worth a visit.

156 E 64th St.

NYC - look up

2011-07-16T07:19:00.001-07:00

A lot going on above and at street level in this city.

NYC Greyhound

2011-07-07T08:15:00.001-07:00

Bus x 2

Global recession hits NYPD

2011-07-04T02:22:00.000-07:00

Speedy Gonzales.

He doesn't like the rain

2011-06-30T10:20:00.000-07:00

As I came out of the Public Record Office at Kew on Tuesday it was raining. I saw this fellow looking miserable, I managed to hold my umbrella and get a one-handed grab shot with the little TZ3 before rushing off to the car.

$2 Hot Dog - NYC

2011-06-28T08:14:00.001-07:00

Street food

Bryant Park, NYC.

2011-06-25T07:11:00.001-07:00

A favourite for New Yorkers at lunch-time.

Sculptures by Ai Weiwei

2011-06-19T07:10:00.000-07:00

Sculpture by the dissident Chinese artist, Ai WeiWei; outside the Plaza Hotel in NYC.

Th cockerel is supposed to be my 'year sign'.

Apple store, NYC

2011-06-13T04:29:00.000-07:00

The reflection of the Plaza Hotel in the Apple store in New York - free WiFi!

NYC; pets don't walk.

2011-06-09T08:43:00.001-07:00

Back with the occasional post.

In NYC a couple of weeks ago, couldn't resist a shot of this 'service'.

From a train window

2011-05-20T06:28:00.001-07:00

Passing another train as we approach Waterloo.

Notre-Dame de Lorette

2011-05-12T03:22:00.000-07:00

I don't pop up much anymore. Anyway, a couple of weeks ago I was visiting some of the WW1 battlefields in France.

This is the French National Cemetery at Notre-Dame de Lorette. On the day we visited it was wet, the cloud was on the deck, and it was very 'atmospheric'. The area is huge; there are 40,000 crosses here for the known dead from the French battles in the Artois area in WW1. The bones of those unknown fallen are in the ossuary. A sobering place. As Brits we tend to think only of the British cemeteries from WW1.

Steam

2011-03-18T08:49:00.001-07:00

Didcot railway museum.

Contax AX, 25mm + HP5 film.

Egypt

2011-02-25T08:04:00.001-08:00

Took this shot from our boat as we approached Aswan; the boat in the shot is typical of the local boats, but we were on a dahabiya.

In the background is the Aga Khan's mausoleum.

Olympus OM40, Zuiko 35-50 zoom with HP5 film.

Egypt

2011-02-18T07:51:00.001-08:00

Statue of the God Horus, temple of Edfu on the Nile; taken from a low viewpoint.

Olympus OM40, 24mm and 35mm FP4 film.

Rome

2011-02-14T08:15:00.000-08:00

Walking along I saw this young lady on a balcony above, she was talking in the Italian 'animated' way - full use of arms and hands, so I had to have a shot.

Taken 30 years ago with an old 'steam driven' Pentax Spotmatic and 70-210 manual zoom on Kodachrome 35mm slide film.

Cobbles

2011-02-11T07:59:00.001-08:00

Rough floor in one of the old houses at the Folke Museum at Lejre, outside Copenhagen.

Taken in the early 80s with Leica IIIf, 50/3.5 Elmar and HP5 film.

You can see the old camera in the sidebar on the right. Unfortunately I cannot use it now as there is a problem with the wind-on mechanism.

More weekend monochrome shots here.

Pottery stand, Turkey

2011-02-08T09:43:00.001-08:00

Hand made pottery in a little place in Kalkan, Turkey.

Leica R4 and 35mm colour film.

Copenhagen

2011-02-04T07:48:00.000-08:00

Taken in Copenhagen about 1984. Unfortunately the negative is showing its age with various marks.

I suspect the bike belongs to the young lady with her back to me on the other side of the bench. With head down, one would today think she was using texting, but this was before mobiles - yes, there was such a time, and think how undisturbed we were in the knowledge that no-one could reach us. Strange how times change.

Taken with an old Leica IIIf rangefinder with collapsible 50mm/3.5 Elmar lens and Ilford XP1 400 ASA film.

You're being watched

2011-02-01T07:57:00.000-08:00

While we were at Klein Aus Vista in southern Namibia we were in a 'room' which was cleverly built into the natural rocks. We spent most of the morning with binoculars watching this family of baboons which had decided to come and keep an eye on us. There was a large male and about 15 others in the group. Fascinating to watch them.

Monochrome

2011-01-28T08:41:00.000-08:00

View large

High contrast between the low light level in the engine shed, and the bright sunlight outside; I tried to position the post on the right to cut out the sun, but the light has flared around that. Squatting down for a low viewpoint.

Contax AX, 25mm and 400ASA HP5 35mm film.

Britannia - steam rules

2011-01-24T06:38:00.001-08:00

View large.

The museum uses this on 'steam days'; gorgeous old engine.

Leica R4 + Kodachrome 35mm slide film, taken at Didcot rail museum about ten years ago.

The end of steam

2011-01-17T04:22:00.001-08:00

View large.

Sad to see these old engines in this state, but they are being rebuilt. Taken in the engine sheds at Didcot Rail museum.

Leica R4, 35-50 Vario Elmar and 35mm Kodachrome slide film.

Namibia

2011-01-14T09:22:00.000-08:00

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A typical part of rural life in Namibia. Cattle pens near the native farms and settlements frequently use these fences to hold in the cattle and keep out the leopard, cheetah and other predators. I think the wood is from the local Mopane tree.

Taken with Bess L [seen on the right of the page] with 25mm and Ilford Delta 400ASA 35mm film.

More black & white contributions here.

Bodie - California ghost town

2011-01-12T00:51:00.001-08:00

In the 15 months that I lived in California, 1988-89, we made three trips to Bodie; drive through Yosemite, through Lee Vining, turn left for a while, then about 20 miles on a dirt track. Pretty much the middle of nowhere. Bodie was an silver mining town in the days of the bad old mining towns. Now it is a protected environment and allowed to decay naturally. Up at around 9,000 feet or so it gets damned cold in winter and very dry in summer, so it decays slowly. A 'must' stop for anyone on that side of the Sierras.

This is just one of the old buildings; I loved the wood colours.

Leica R4 and 35mm Kodachrome slide film.

Namibia - Oryx

2011-01-10T08:24:00.001-08:00

Beautiful animals.

Taken near Wolvedans some way south of Sussusvlei.

Venice - along the Grand Canal

2011-01-07T08:29:00.000-08:00

Summer 2008.

Taken with Olympus 35 SP rangefinder, that's it on the right, with Ilford HP5 400ASA film.

Namibia - cars die in the desert.

2011-01-04T02:07:00.001-08:00

Most people pass through Solitaire at some time, if they make a trip to Namibia. One of the old cars that have given up the ghost there.

Namibia - Quiver tree

2010-12-27T08:58:00.001-08:00

View large

Seen in many parts of Namibia, the Quiver Tree, so called because parts of the tree are used by the Bushmen for their arrow quivers.

Trees are hundreds of years old, it takes about two hundred years before they first begin to flower, so these are older than that.

Taken close to sunset near the edge of Fish River Canyon.

weekend black & white

2010-12-24T08:34:00.000-08:00

View large.

Yosemite, September 2007. Unseasonal and heavy rain was turning to snow and the pass to Lee Vining was in danger of closing.

El Capitan is out of shot to the right.

Photo taken with Bessa L and 25mm on either FP4 or HP5 film, can't remember which.

Copenhagen

2010-12-22T06:58:00.001-08:00

Taken about 1985.

Shop display in Copenhagen.

Leica R4 + 35mm Kodachrome slide film.

No snow in this picture!

2010-12-21T04:10:00.000-08:00

Tired of the snow, ready for Spring; thought that I would dig out a shot that had nothing to do with winter.

Taken in Denmark about 25 years ago; Leica R4 and Kodachrome 35mm slide film.

Weekend black & white

2010-12-17T07:51:00.000-08:00

View large

Douaumont Ossuary

I have visited many of the battlefields and cemeteries of the Western Front over the last ten years, but Verdun is 'special'.

I believe the most moving of the cemeteries are without doubt the British and Commonwealth cemeteries where as far as possible each of the fallen soldiers gets his own headstone with his name his regiment and his 'cap badge' insignia on the stone. That is not the way it is done for the French, German or even the American. But the most moving of the battlefields is Verdun; it's a 'dark' place. Few of the battlefields have the physical scars in such evidence after all these years.

Prominent is the Ossuary in the main cemetery. The Ossuary is a French tradition which we don't really have in Britain, certainly not in our modern wars; an ossuary is a 'bone house'. The Ossuary at Verdun, is big and the architecture is in a 'massive' style. Visible through small windows all round the base of the building are the bones, not skeletons, dismembered bones and skulls. 140,000 soldiers are there, German and French, all mixed together. It's a sobering place.

I cannot for the life of me remember which camera I used, but it was 35mm on old style black and white film.

Namibia - Oryx

2010-12-13T09:19:00.001-08:00

View large.

Two major symbols of Namibia; the red sand dunes of the area around Sossusvlei and a little south of there, and the Oryx, the national animal of Namibia.

2010-12-10T10:48:00.000-08:00

Outside the doorway of an old tenement block in Copenhagen; taken in the 1980s; a little snow.

Leica IIIf with Ilford XP1 400ASA film.

More monochromes here.

More Red Arrows

2010-12-09T06:05:00.001-08:00

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Best of British.

Red Arrows

2010-12-07T06:32:00.001-08:00

View large.

Fed up already with photos of the snow.

Took this at the Fairford air-show a couple of years ago.

Weekend black & white

2010-12-03T08:10:00.000-08:00

View large.

Didcot rail museum, taken with Contax AX, 25mm and HP5 film.

Namibia

2010-11-29T08:29:00.000-08:00

View large.

Guess he was looking for bugs.

Weekend black & white

2010-11-26T08:45:00.000-08:00

View large.

Taken at Didcot railway museum.

Canon T90, 35-105mm with HP5 film.

Namibia

2010-11-24T06:15:00.001-08:00

Driving along, miles from anywhere, and we came across this. I can only assume it was a sign for a farm. The farms are pretty big in area, but often the buildings can be miles from the main 'drag'. I took the photo then got back on the dirt road, Country & Western music from the CD as it somehow seemed appropriate.

Namibia

2010-11-22T06:48:00.000-08:00

Best viewed large.

As we were having breakfast at the Erongo Wilderness Lodge, these 'Love Birds' sat waiting a couple of metres away, hoping for anything we might pass on. Lovely colours in the early morning sun.

Weekend black & white

2010-11-19T06:37:00.000-08:00

Rockefeller Centre, June 2009.

Olympus OM40 + 24mm + HP5 film.

Namibia - desert elephants

2010-11-16T08:20:00.001-08:00

A large bull elephant near Twyfelfontaine.

Weekend black & white

2010-11-12T07:42:00.000-08:00

Stacked metal chairs.

Canonet QLIII 40mm/1.7 using Ilford FP4 film.

For more mono shots see here.

Namibia - Damaraland

2010-11-11T04:22:00.001-08:00

Taken from fairly high up on one of the rocky outcrops around Camp Kipwe. It shows the typical landscape in the Twyfelfontaine area of Damaraland, with the usual dirt roads. That's why 4x4 is better out here than normal cars, although many tourists still take cars to save money. Not smart.

This is a good area to see desert elephants.

Namibia - dust trails on gravel roads

2010-11-08T08:50:00.001-08:00

You have the roads pretty much to yourself, but you can be seen for miles on the gravel roads because of the dust trails. Took this late afternoon from the 'sundowner' spot at Camp Kipwe near Twyfelfontaine while enjoying a G&T at the end of the day.

Namibia - white rhino

2010-11-04T08:16:00.001-07:00

Luckily the white rhino is not as aggressive as its 'black' cousin.

Taken near Waterberg.

Unusually the guide encouraged us to get out of the vehicle, which does not normally happen. We were able to get within about 8 metres. He kept coming towards us but did not threaten to charge, so plenty of shots were taken. Big animals.

Namibia - Ostrich

2010-11-02T07:21:00.001-07:00

This very demure mature female seems to have perfected the 'catwalk' style of walking.

Weekend black & white

2010-10-29T09:13:00.000-07:00

Taken in the 1980s at the Lejre Folk Museum outside Copenhagen. This was an old smithy with all the old tools hanging up.

Leica IIIf and HP5 film.

Namibia isn't only desert.

2010-10-28T02:55:00.001-07:00

Many people have the misconception that Namibia is all desert, it isn't. There are some dramatic rocky areas with absolutely massive boulders.

This was in the Waterberg area, some 3 hours north of Windhoek.

Back from Namibia

2010-10-25T10:02:00.000-07:00

Just back from 2 weeks in Namibia; a 'must visit' place. Now had three holidays there.

Now there are all the emails etc, etc, to catch up on.