well, Cyprus of course. Travelled to the Island for two weeks in September 2022. Initially wanted to check out apartments but managed only to have a look or option on two that might become available in 2023. The rest was spent with our friends, chilling on Governors Beach near Limassol or taking sojourns through the Troodos Mountains, enjoying good food and drinks. That is what a holiday is meant to be. Flying from Germany was as it used to be, the airport not too full but neither empty. The dreaded face masks had to be worn since the flight originated in Germany, also from yesterday it is fine not to wear them, makes no sense either way, but that is with so many things lately. Anyway, the flight attendants were quite relaxed with implementing this rule, so overall it was ok. In Cyprus hardly anyone was seen wearing a face mask; the few that did were probably Germans. Beats me. It was still hot during day time and sometimes quite sultry at night, even in Nicosia. The water along the coast was still nice and warm and it was enjoyable to swim in the sea. We went over the "Green Line" in Nicosia, i.e. visited the northern part that is under Turkish Occupation. This is relatively easy, just show your passport or ID card and off you go. The "northern" part feels more like the Middle East, and in fact, the whole Island belongs to the Middle East, geographically and culturally as it is part of Europe only politically and administratively. The Schengen Agreement on free movement does not apply, since the Island is divided and there is no real control over who crosses from the North to the South through the UN-controlled Buffer Zone. Many migrants that try to reach mainland Europe are now routing themselves via Cyprus, having travelled to Turkey and the northern part of Cyprus crossed through the buffer Zone to the south and then trying their luck to travel onwards. Menial jobs are now often performed by migrants from south Asia or West Africa and over recent years they have become more plentiful in the streets of towns and even villages of the southern part of the island (the north as well I guess).

They often come to houses, looking for odd jobs like gardening and other stuff, trying to make a living. Every time I see them, it can break my heart to realize the hardships they must have endured to reach this place, the dangers and how big the desperation in their home countries must have been to set out on these journeys into the unknown, with the hope of reaching distant shores and a better and more prosperous and safer life. Many are without their families, although a good number I observed to be having their families with them, which actually is good but not easy at all. One can only hope that they are all treated humane and fairly, but deep inside we know that this is not the case. We are all humans and nobody is better than the other. As humanity there are big challenges ahead of us, collectively, everyone.

I did not really continue with photographing the last divided capital in the world, somehow it did not seem right this time. As the political process looks, it will remain divided for longer than people on both sides hope for, so I might come back and continue with that project. This visit also made me feel that indeed Cyprus might be the place to settle for good when finally leaving Germany, i.e. going into Exile. I will see if that holds true, as my four-month-plus journey to the Philippines and South-East Asia is only two months away. Will be interesting if I still feel so strongly for Cyprus after that time. Time will tell. It always will. 

Arriving back in Germany made me feel like leaving again immediately. In October we will be travelling to Vienna, the second time this year. I like this city, although the Austrians are not much different at all from Germans, especially the politics going on currently. Nevertheless, Vienna is a nice place and I hope to do some more street photography. I love the atmosphere of this city, one can feel it is a capital, many people from other countries abound, just different. In Cyprus, I used my Leica Cameras and the Ricoh GR 3, which seems like a good combination for the photography I am currently doing. Having too many cameras is probably a stupid first-world problem, but indeed it does not make it easier what to take on what trips. For the Philippines, I have not decided yet, on the Leica's, which are heavy, or the Pen F with the array of lenses that are much lighter. Oh well, I feel ashamed to even have to think about it.

So this is it for the time being on the trip to Cyprus. Could write much more, but not really relevant as it is holiday stuff. I do love Cyprus, and with any luck it will be our new home soon, maybe as early as next year. I keep on working on it. Peace love and light to you all.

are the ones since 2018. I have not been active in updating the blog anymore. As an interim, I wrote a short blog post about Purok Masingayahon, which was a copy of a small book I made and I only had to copy and paste it into the website. So what happened? Well, I was around of course and the year 2018 became very hectic as I finally managed to retire from my job and I had to move from my place where I lived in Lebanon. I ended up in my home country Germany because for family reasons. Family is family, of course, however since I had not lived in Germany more or less since 1983, I was not too happy to return. Not at all. With all the ongoing obligations at home, I had no desire to write about the same. In these missing years, I did manage to travel a bit, in and outside of Germany. Vienna, Cyprus, Singapore and the Philippines, as well as Belgium, Strasburg and The Netherlands were places visited. In Germany, it was the Baltic coast, Hamburg, Munich and Stuttgart of course, with a short visit to Poland as well. Since the dreaded Covid crap started, with all its restrictions, lock-downs and other nonsense, it became even more problematic, but we managed to do a few of the above trips. After the passing of my father in early 2020, I decided that I was not going to stay in Germany and made plans to sell the property and move to Asia or maybe Cyprus, just not staying here. The "pandemic" did not make this easier, on the contrary, with all its restrictions, quarantine etc. and travel bans it made it much more difficult to plan so we are now at the end of 2021 and I am still here. I did manage to contract a realtor and have the house checked by an architect. The German buerocarcy does not make it easier to sell the house because of its location in a so-called 'green' zone, however, it can be done but it is this much more complicated. So the plan is to finalize the sale in 2022 and move the hell out of Germany.

The year 2020 started like any other previous year. I was travelling to the far east, this time via Taiwan with China Airlines and I enjoyed the trip and experience of flying with China Airlines. After landing in Manila and connecting with friends and family I was off for a week in the province in the southern Philippines. This was followed by a week in Singapore and another week in Manila, where I started applying for my permanent residence. While waiting for the process, I went back to the province and continued on my project concerning the plight and hardship of the sugar cane and general farm workers that often live in bad conditions and are treated not nicely by their Haciendero employers. I wrote about this already in a short form last year under the title Purok Masingyahon. While doing so, already reports emerged of the virus that had been discovered in China in January, and where while in Singapore more concrete information transpired so much so that a case was discovered in Singapore on Sentosa Island and the Hotel I was staying in implemented temperature checks for anyone entering the building.

 

In the province, I continued with one of my projects of photographing the people that harvest the sugar cane. These are often migratory workers that move around from province to province and often live under appalling conditions. In Negros Occidental, the part I was living in, much of this work will be performed by labourers of the various haciendas, that, often equally live in squalid conditions and are not treated very well by the big landowners, i.e.hacienderos as they are referred to to locally in a Spanish term. News reached me that my father had been hospitalized with a mild stroke, so I decided to travel home as soon as possible. Passing through Taipeh airport on my way back to Frankfurt had already a bad foreboding, it was nearly empty. When I had transmitted through it seven weeks earlier, it was as full as it could be. In Frankfurt, the same picture, the always full and busy airport was nearly empty as well. My father passed away three weeks after my return, his condition worsening by the day, with other ailments adding to the mild stroke. In the end, the doctors informed me that there was nothing that could be done for him anymore. Because of the 'pandemic', it was only possible to bury him six weeks later. After that, all the bureaucracy of the inheritance of the property and related issues took my energy and I felt I had nothing to write about that was really of interest and so I forgot that I even had this page and blog. I was reminded once the payment became due, but again had no energy to write or display any of the photos that I had been taking in the meantime.

Well what to say, even this is now taking me forever to complete this blog entry. To make it shorter, during the so-called Pandemic we travelled to Cyprus, Austria, Belgium, Poland as well as Paris and in 2019 also to Lebanon. I continued photographing and bought new equipment along the way. In the Philippines I damaged my Olympus OMD, it fell from my shoulder and cracked the sensor. I replaced it with an Olympus Pen F which is a very nice camera that I cherish very much. Currently, my activities only include posting sometimes photos to Instagram @monsoonlight00  and making yearbooks for 2019 to 2021. I have ideas for several publications but have not come around to working on them seriously, although some drafts exist in the publishing software. If all goes well, we will be going to Cyprus again and I want to continue my photo series on the last "divided capital", i.e. Nicosia, in the world. The latter from the end of November planning to go to Asia, via Singapore to the Philippines, Malaysia and maybe Indonesia. In the Philippines, I want to continue to photograph the sugar cane workers and poor landless Campesinos. I hopefully will also make it to the rice terraces of Banaue, one of the Asian wonders of the world. I will try to update this blog from now on a more regular basis hopefully. for now, this shall be all for this intermediate text. Peace, love and light.

Purok Masingyahon

Driving south on the Negros National Highway, right after the bridge over the Bago River is the left turn towards the Maao Township and the Kanlaoon Volcano National Park. As mostly on Negros Island and especially in the province of Negros Occidental, the countryside is predominantly covered by Sugar cane or Tubo as it is called in the local language.  The roads are often clogged by the slow moving “Tubo Trucks” that move day and night from the sugar cane fields and haciendas to the sugar mills that are located all over the island. Often the trucks move in convoys at night and are halted on the side of the road before dawn in order not to move through the rush hour traffic in Bacolod. 

Once you take the turn from the Negros National Highway South on to the road to Maao, after a few hundred meters,  one comes to the locality of “Crossing Bago”. Until the 1970, this was the point where the old highway crossed the Bago River and a bridge had been built before World War II and hence this hamlet was called Crossing Bago. The bridge was decomishend in the late 1980 and completely destroyed in one of the violent Taifuns in the early 2000’s and Crossing Bago has hence descended into a  little known locality on the road side to Maao and Kanlaon Volcano National Park. Today it consists of a few dozen small houses and a church of the local parish. The road to Maao is dotted all the way with similar locations, small villages that house the people and families of the workers that labour on the various ‘Haciendas’ along the road. Sugar Cane is the predominant crop with rice now also making a larger appearance. If one drives along any of these country roads on the island, there is always some Tubo harvesting going on. 

Purok Masingyahon is located in one of these Tubo plantations, off to the side of the Bago-Maao road. One reaches it via a rough dirt road, with turn off from the main road nearly invisible. Only people in the know see where the turn off is, marked by a light pole and a stick with an empty ‘sprite can’. At night, often a light is burning on that light pole so the people who get off their Jeepneys or buses know where to go. There is no road sign or other to point in the direction of the hamlet. The rough road leads into another world. On both sides usually high grass and sugar cane grows, and at night it is advisable to have a flashlight handy to shine in front of you on the track as there are snakes and monitor lizards crossing sometime from the water canal to the sugar cane or vice-versa. Purok Masingyahon consists of rather well built traditional houses, i.e. a combination of stones, bamboo and other wood or of stone bungalows. Many of the inhabitants of the Purok work either on the Hacienda, with the dominant haciendero being, for now, still the Javellana family. Others have progressed and work in the capital manila in various occupations or as Overseas Foreign Workers (OFW). Many of them have lived all their lives in this location, gone away and have come back, to settle on their ancestral land and live with their extended family. Many are interrelated to one another, which makes them one, mostly happy, big family. 

There are many things that are plenty in the Purok, like plenty of dogs, plenty of children, plenty of chicken and often also plenty of happiness, which by the way is the meaning of Masingyahon. I, have been travelling to visit Purok Masingyahon for more than 20 years and have enjoyed each and every stay with the friendly people of 'my family' and in extension the larger ‘family’ in general. Known to each and many as ‘Tito Achim’ I have been running around and taking photos with my cameras all these years. Initially with my analog cameras and later with my digital cameras, all of various makes. To my disgrace I have shared very little of those images and will now try to make up for this through creating various forms of publications that I will distribute to my family for keepsake. I am starting with this one, wholy in black and white as this is a photography field I feel strongly connected to. Hopefully people will enjoy watching these images of real life in Purok Masingyahon as much as I enjoyed photographing them. Thank you to all for accepting me into your life and let me run around and take photos of you guys all the time. I love you all!!!!

Tito Achim :)

 

DCIM/101MEDIA/DJI_0474.JPG Philippines 2015, Negros and Manila Philippines 2015, Negros and Manila

 

For a year, this time 2018, has arrived. The year is still fresh or can one say innocent? Is it really as events have already taken place that led to death and destruction during the first day(s) of the year. So from this, we will see what this year will bring.

Here in the eastern Levant, the year ended with rain and started with the same, which, indeed is good news. Although it dampened the new year celebrations in downtown Beirut a bit, nevertheless, considering that so far little rain has fallen in this winter, the rain is very welcome. As forecasted, more is to come towards the end of the first week of the year. This really is good news.

Tyre Corniche after a heavy rain storm

Heavy Rains but very welcome 

Looking out the window onto the Mediterranean Sea, I notice Seagulls cruising by, circling and coming back and forth, patrolling the shoreline, which does not happen to often. It is a pair of gulls, which was joined by a flock of Cormorants flying south. The usual gang of Indian Myna birds, which seem to have multiplied a lot since I first noticed them a couple of years ago, also is roosting temporarily and noisily on the tree outside my window. They seem to have some great group dynamics, always on the move, never alone, at least a duo of two hopping around somewhere and calling each other. In addition to those, there is also at least a pair of Palestine Sunbirds that frequents the Hibiscus flowers outside the window on a daily basis, absent only if it is raining heavily or when to windy, which prevents them from flying due to their delicate and light weight.

Palestine Sunbird in South Lebanon

Palestine Sunbird

The new year will start with some travelling, first to SE Asia for three weeks, then shortly after that to Germany and Cyprus, but those dates are not fixed yet but will most likely happen in February or maybe March.

The Sulu Sea after Sunset

Photos that I will take during the cause of the year, I guess, will be mostly with the smartphone, the Olympus cameras, the X100s and maybe the Canon G-10. It really varies on what I am looking for and whether I remember to bring a camera along. In reality, the smartphone is a great substitute camera that one more or less has always around, which a totally acceptable image quality, especially in good light. An App like Snapseed then will perform the rest to create a pleasing image out of it.

So, with the travels to begin next week, I will post more after I return, also about the experiences that I have made with the cameras on the trip, most likely the OMD, G-10 and my new drone, the DJI Spark. I am excited to go and engage in the Photography and filming, but I dread the long flight to the Far East, it is just to long to sit around in an aircraft cabin. But what to do. So bye for now, it is a new year and a new beginning, more later.

Another year has passed, where did the time go. The new year is merely a day away and as always one ponders what it brings. The option are plentiful, it can go either way, I think all options are on the table as certain people used to say. It has been unusually warm this year, the winter as we know it has yet to come. Only little rain has been received and the mercury is every day close to or above 20 Celsius, way to much. If it continues like this, with little rain, then the next crisis in the country is already programmed, i.e. the electricity crises will be joined by the water crises, which combined with a lurking trash crises could make for a lethal mix. So please let it rain and lots of it.

Early Morning drive - southern Highway

What to say about the past year, in retrospective, it passed fast and remembering last years new year’s eve in Germany, hard to believe it is twelve months later now. It had brought some travels to south-east Asia, Germany or course, Cyprus as well, one could say the usual suspects. Nothing extraordinary happened during the year, some illnesses that were overcome, getting a bit older every day, feeling a bit more tired more so often. With regard to photography, two new lenses were acquired, first the 7-14 Olympus and then later the 30 Macro lens, also from Olympus. Both are superb lenses and I am very happy to have acquired them. Another purchase was a drone, the DJI Spark which is a recent acquisition. It gave me a bit of a headache to figure out how to set it up properly, attributable to my impatience and lack of resolve to read lengthy explanations on how to do things. Thanks to the help of YouTube and various DJI forums I finally figured it out and made my maiden flight in the apartment as my present location is not the most conducive for drone flying. The real test will be soon in SE Asia where I will take it into outdoor action and hope it can add some more interesting perspectives to my little movies I am making.

Afterglow - Five Palms

So, 2018 is coming soon, what will it bring, what to expect. Well I am uncertain yet on how it might go, since of course I don’t know how it will go, as I can not see into the future. I have my eye on early retirement, in summer of the year, no exact date yet. Analyzing the possible scenarios, sometimes I am not so sure if it will be the right decision as I sometimes believe that I may not achieve what I want to do. If indications prevail that early retirement maybe counterproductive at this time, I might, as hard as it will be, decide to push it a bit backwards until the time is right and pieces have been put in places to make it a success. Also I am looking forward to jump ship, the water must be right to jump, no sharks or similar around so I can make it safely to shore, sort to say. Will be travelling to SE Asia soon, then on to Germany and possibly again to Cyprus in order to canvas for apartments that would offer me the place for a retirement retreat. We’ll see how it goes

Back from the future - I'll be back

Next year could get hot politically, internal and external. To much is happening in the region, some dangerous developments in the last days and months that may have tremendous repercussions. As always time will tell and despite all the negative signs one has to remain positive, despite it is not always easy. I still have to do some photo assignments to do for my own projects, like ‘Rue Hamra’ and some others for my photo book on the place here.

Southern  Seas - Frigate and palms

Anyway, lets remain positive but lets keep an eye on developments and the monkeys with hand grenades in top positions.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2018!

The umbrellas may protect us in 2018!

or the year 2017, the time has been flying like nothing, good or bad, will only transpire once it has past. Finally the summer is finished in the Levant, the temperatures have dropped and the overnights are getting more pleasant by the day or night. Some trees have started to shed their leaves already, here in Germany and even in the eastern levante. The next months may show how the peace is holding, or if again, the area might descent into more war. It looks like the eastern neighbour is coming to a period where the fighting might subside, but not completely cease. This of course does not mean that the whole region will now decent into an eternal peace, it rather looks like it might disintegrate into pieces. With all the happenings in the wider region, one could believe that perpetual war is what the future might look like, on a greater or smaller scale, but I believe that peace will be a victim for a long time to come. As always, the people of the eastern levante take it day by day, what else to do they believe as in their conception there is only little control they can exercise and are used to react to events then believe they can really influence them. The day to day life goes on, people live, laugh and love, what else to do. Every moment still has it's beauty and it is worth living for that moment. Jani, we will see what the future will bring and all will be good, Inshallah.!

The first rain and thunder clouds of this autumn in Tyre

As in most years, went up to the Chouf Mountains a few time, up into the high passes and the cedars, the low valleys, enjoying the clean air and clean surroundings. Summer in the Chouf Mountains is pleasant, the humidity much lower than along the coast, the green of the trees and fields very pleasant to the eyes and the blue hour magical. This summer there seemed to be more tourists up in the mountains, maybe the relative stable situation in the region contributing to this. It seems that there are some Mediterranean cruises are doing port calls in Beirut, and frequently busses with tourists can be seen in Tyros, Saida and of course Beiteddine and Deir Al Omar in the Chouf Mountains. The other places visited are for sure, Jbeil (Byblos), Batroun and the Jeita Grotto. Up in the Chouf Mountains I can really recommend to visit the Beiteddine palace and the Mir Amin palace hotel, which has an excellent restaurant and a phantastic view over the mountains, even down to the sea. Deir Al Omar is another beautiful place that invites to walk around the small alleys, take photos and for food, I recommend the Al Midan restaurant that is located on the central square near the mosque. The grilled chicken over charcoal is phantastic. Highly recommended.

Beit Eddine Palace (Bath house)

Impressions from the Beirut to Tyre highway.

 

I have been writing on this for a while, and the above descend into chaos might actually happen after the events from November 4 and onwards. Everyone is sitting with suspension, awaiting further developments. The resurgence in the heat, politically and weather wise can be felt across the region. Ironically today, with the warmer temperatures, the wind has started blowing from the south-east, or the Saudi Arabian desert! May it subside and cooler sentiments settle in soon.

An evening stroll at the seaside

Autumn leaves in Germany

As previously, I mostly used the Olympus system as well as the Fuji X100s and most often my cell phone for photography. I added two lenses to the Olympus system, the 9 to 18mm and the 30mm Macro, which I find both very interesting to work with. I neither used the extreme end of the wide angle lenses, neither did I own a Macro lens before. Somehow this ignited my photography interest, at least for some while.

Upcoming travel plans are a journey to Cyprus at the beginning of December, hopefully I will be able to document some street life in the last divided capital city in the world and maybe some landscape photos from other parts of Cyprus. At the same time I am also looking into the possibility of moving residence to the island from some time next year, if, I find the right location and place at the right price. Further down the calendar, early next year, again a trip to the far east, possible with a stay in Hong Kong. Then the stage is set for departure from work, as early as end of April next year and latest by middle of August. Looking forward to that a lot, in order to hopefully be able to concentrate more on photography. I will try to post at least once more before the year 2017 ends. Bye!

 

 

 

has arrived and we have halftime for the year 2017. Summer now has arrived in the eastern Levante, not that I have been looking forward to it, not really. Although the days and nights are still bearable, soon the humidity and the temperatures are going to rise to uncomfortable levels. My last post was about the trip to Siam, or really to Bangkok only for a few days, but as mentioned there, I really liked it a lot. The Philippines were good as well, different from Thailand, similar never the less.

Uniformen BGS und Zoll Grenzdienst

Point Alpha Memorial area - Uniforms of the Border Police (Bundesgrenzschutz) and the Customs (Zoll)

A quick trip to Germany in May, also for a longer period this time, three weeks to be precise. I travelled a little bit around, visited my old area I had been working in the Border Police on the German-German border in the late 70's and early 80's, which by now is nearly 40 years ago. Time does fly. The border is long gone, at some places they have left parts of it for museum purposes and for future generations to see what the border represented in physical terms. It was interesting to stand at the same places I had been when on active duty, now one can travel freely, and cross the old borderline, something we could not do in those days. Also we often thought how it would look after the curve in the road we could see, what was beyond the horizon. At those time, we all thought that none of us would ever experience the border to open and we could travel freely across it. When optimistic we said, that maybe our children would see that, but only maybe. Then one day in 1989, everything came down, borders opened and what we only two years before had thought would be impossible happened. The physical border came down, but the border in people’s heads remained much longer and I suspect is still prevalent in many people’s minds. However if shows and espcially showed me how fast things can change, from impossible to done, in the blink of an eye. Now that Border Police of those times is long gone, a new institution has been created on the foundations of those years, calling itself the Federal Police, which has now much more duties and tasks all over Germany. What was in essence a paramilitary police force with combatant status is now a civil police force like all the others.

Butterfly Garden in Mambukal Resort at Mt. Kanlaon vulcano

Back here nothing much has changed. Went to the Chouf (Shouf) mountains for a day, high up to the pass that connects to the Beqaa Valley at 1900m but we did not drive down to Kefraya. As always I enjoy the mountains, the clean and still crisp air, the green of the trees and other plants, with wildflowers still in full bloom in the higher elevations. Of course Beirut has been on the menu as well, but not as often as I used to go in the past. I bought a new lens in Germany for the Olympus, the 8-18 mm wide angle lens, which gives me really good results as indicated in all the reviews that I read beforehand. Very happy with that purchase. I am still working on the 'Rue Hamra' project but it is going much slower that I thought it would. Recently when walking around the area as I normally do, my vision was blurred in a sense that I did not see any worthwhile photos to take. There was some new graffiti on the walls, that was all. I found the plastic AK 47 in silver again in a shop window, this time together with some shoes, wigs and sunglasses. What a way of attracting attention to your display. I guess only in Beirut :)

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Sipalay Beach in southern Negros Island on the Sulu Sea

While in Germany is used the x100s only, I just love that camera even with the restrictions of the 23mm (35mm) lens. I have the 50mm extension lens but not very often use it as, really, for most scenarios these days the 23 (35) mm lens is just fine. For a long time I have not photographed wildlife anymore, well, at least animals I mean. The is enough 'human wildlife' around, but for that the normal lens is just fine :).

The Sulu Sea near Sipalay in souther Negros Island

As always I have been thinking of a new camera to buy, GAS coming back occasionally. Since I am also attracted to make films for YouTube about my travels, I am looking for something that is usable for this on a more or less professional level. I did some research and found the Panasonic FZ 2000 (EU) that does 4K filming and has a lot of other features that I like. It is a so called 'Bridge Camera' the lens extending from 24 to 480mm, a one inch sensor and lots of other stuff. Or, do I dash out the money for the OMD MK1 II which fits all my Oly lenses or, this is the point I am currently at, face the withdrawal symptoms of GAS and work with the gear I have and try to master that before progressing and buying another piece of expensive gear that then, due to the limited time I have, sits in the cabinet and collects dust, like some other stuff.

Justine JoyOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Justine Joy (JJ) on the beach in Sipalay, southern Negros Island

Indeed, with my possible retirement soon, i.e. next year I also want to focus a bit more on my social media presence on YT and Flickr to present my photos to family, friends and a wider world if interested. I do have a Twitter account, but so far only to read news, but I might use it for photos as well. We will see. I have these accounts and will start publishing them on this blog as links just if someone is interested to see more photos. The next big event is the retirement from my current job sometimes around this time of the year. I can go as early as April, but for pension purposes I might stay until June or even August. I am looking forward to the time after, hopefully doing what I want to do since a long time, creating Art through photography and content and information through videos on travel and experiences, especially when finally living back in the Philippines. The house planning is going along, slowed down through the usual bureaucracy there, but one has to deal with it. An eye will have to be kept on the security situation in the country, especially if it will remain safe for foreigners. A concern could be the kidnapping for ransom and outselling to the terror organizations of these days to be used as hostages. Time will tell how it will go, I am hopeful that it will remain a viable option to retire in the islands. It is always good to have plan B and so on, for this case it would be Cyprus. Plan C and further will have to made up as the situations develops and be directed by immediate needs and developments. As for now I remain positive. What else to do :)

So, I think for this time I have said a lot. My back hurts, still from my fall, and I cannot sit for so long. Enough now of writing and until the next time. Bye!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Taking Aim - Near Bacolod City on Negros Island

 

Selfi Selfi - Bago City

For the ones interested, below are the links to my YouTube channel and also to my Flickr account. Copy and paste into browser windo.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnYYMjyuQiPeZT35MvmMmFg

Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/achimvoss/

 

 

I got when recently visiting Thailand and the city of Bangkok. For a long time I had deferred to fly to Thailand, as I did not want to be considered one of those Europeans who goes there for one reason and for that one only.

Anyway, an old time friend of mine was in Bangkok looking to take up longtime residence there and so he had asked to come and visit him and support him in his endeavours. A short week in the city was not enough, but it for sure awoke my interest to see more of this facinating city and certainly more of the country as well. The people were very, very nice and beautiful, the food was great and even the weather, albeit hot, was endurable. The trafffic, even that one I did not find so bad but then I guess I did not see the worst one while there. The Grand Palace and the lying Budda were very impressive I must say, the downside was that the whole complex was very full because not only of tourists but also people from all cornes of the country to pay their respects to their beloved King that had recently passed away and was highly revered by the citizens. The predominant colour people wear right now was black or white, in another show of respect to the king.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Terminal 21 Mall

The food was fantastic, especially if one loves south east asian kitchen. Besides being very tasty, it also was very affordable, clean and plenty. We visited only one of the nightmarkets as the time was short and since it is very centraly located we went to Patpong. The girly bars are disgusting, just even looking from the outside and I can not understand what people, especially men would draw them to these establishments. All women are beautiful, to me especially asian women, but this is the pits. The rest of the market is interesting, with all its goods and characters milling about. There was nothing what really interested me but it was full of people buying and drinking and milling about. Chinatown was another interesting part of the city to visit. Again it is full of temples and has a wonderful atmosphere about. Thailand it was onwards to another south east asian country, the Philippines about which I will write later. In the meantime back in Lebanon after four weeks in Asia, not easy and technically this is also Asia, western Asia to be precise, but nevertheless. The weather has been good, a little bit warm but not hot yet, comfortable indeed. The country in the east is again errupting in violence and even close to home there is fighting in the palestinian camp in Saida, closing the major road through the city. For the whole South-East Asia trip I brought two cameras, the Olympus OMD and the EP2.

This time I not only took photos but also used them for filming, gathering some material, more than usual. Overall I am happy with the results, but the EP2 now shows its age, especially if I compare the film foottage from it with those from the OMD or even the Samsung S6. On the way back I bought a Gimbal in Dubai duty free, which in retrospective, I should have bought on the way out. The footage sometimes is really shaky but nothing to be done now. We learn from our mistakes, or so I hope. On the way back from the Philippines, for the first time, I experienced problems with my handluggage and the camera gear I was carrying in it. The ground staff of Emirates Airlines tried to insist that I was only allowed to carry up to 7kg in my handluggage. Only after I had showed them the ID of the German Photographers Association and after they had checked that indeed it was only camera gear in the bag, the reluctantly allowed me to carry it on board. First time ever and especially Emirates had always been very accommodating in the past. Guess I might have to try Qatar in the future.

Until next time, bye.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Patpong Night Market

Dog days in Bangkok - to hot to move.

 

Near the river

Lying Buddha in the Grand Palace

In the Grand Palace Garden - a vey peaceful place

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Monk in the Grand Palace temple complex

 

well of course another year has passed really, or is biting the dust. It is late December 2016 and this year is done, more or less, in a few days and a bit. A question would be how it was, really, in review. With 2017 approaching, so is my early retirement as well. That is really nice but also in a way sad that I am looking so much forward to this, to get out of the race, which I feel I don't want to continue. A usual I went to Germany a total of four times or an average of every three months to look after my dad, who this year had two operations. There was also a trip to South-East Asia and twice to Cyprus. I had not been to Cyprus for five years and kind had to rediscover the island. Thankfully we have really good friends that live in Nicosia. I could imagine to spend more time on the island once I jump ship and retire and spend some time there, especially in the North-West in the Akamas peninsula. A winter plus would be nice and write a book about it. As a title I could imagine " A winter in the Akamas".

I think professionally I have reached a stage of hibernation, I am in a waiting cycle, waiting for the time to pass, waiting to live. Waiting to live, is a sentence a colleague came up with to describe the state of life many of us are in. She is a painter and I asked her to paint this and I will try to photograph it and find something that would express this sentiment. I will continue to work on the 'Rue Hamra' project and also started to sort photos for a book about the time in Pakistan and Kashmir as well as Afghanistan. I probably will call it 'Kingdom in the Clouds' or something similar. It is about time to finally start this, it is more than 10 years that I left that region. It is also 10 years that I first came to New York, 33 years I went to Afghanistan for the first time when all the adventures began.

Looking back at 2016 it was not particularly bad or good either. No assignment to a new place this year, although I was requested to go to Haiti and Guinea Bissu but this was not approved by management. Fortunately there were no major health problems  to anyone in the family and myself, only the small things like flues etc.

Photography wise I have been continuing to work on some of my projects, like the Sugar Cane cutters of SE Asia, Rue Hamra here in Beirut and sporadically the Graffiti on walls all around. Not sure how many thousand photos I took[ 6000+ :) and more than last year ] still thinking not enough anyway. My favourite region in Lebanon remains Beirut for this year and the Chouf for its serene beauty and cleanliness, although I did not visit it often during the last twelve months. Of course there are many other places, but no, this remains the place I like the best here. Finally I visited the north of the country this year, especially the Qadisha Valley and surrounding areas like the birthplace of Khalil Gibran, my favorite Poet, it took a long time to materialize. But then, places like Baalbek (to visit again) and Tripoli, especially the fair grounds of design by Oscar Niemeyer, plus the old city remain on my bucket list for 2017.

For the year 2017 I would wish that peace may prevail in this region and anywhere else. Personally I do not have a specific wish except for good health to family, friends and myself. Maybe although that I get some of the passion back for the arts and photography. That really be it, nothing else.

In this sense I would like to wish everyone a VERY HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR 2017!!!

 

Stay alert, believe nothing, question everything. !

would be a nice title for a book I thought but also a good idea to implement in reality. The 'Akamas' is the most western tip of Cyprus, the area after Pafos, the tourist center. Once one has left this nice but rather touristy town behind and starts climbing up into the hills, a little bit of the bygone and more rugged Cyprus appears, as always as soon as one moves away from the coast. Sure the coast has it's charm too, but not in the main tourist season when hordes of holidaymakers of all colours decent on the strip stretching from Aya Napa to Pafos. The mountains are not as crowded as well as the northern coast of the southern (Greek) part of the island. The Akamas is ideally placed, away from the crowds and more quite and serene.

It was a long time since I had visited Cyprus, so after five years it was about time to go again. The flight from Beirut to Larnaca is short, really short, 25 minutes. The time spend in Immigration can take you longer than the flight. November is low season, and instead of the dozen or so holiday flights that greet you in the high season on the tarmac, there was just one other plane at the gates when our plane from Beirut arrived. Arrival procedures where easy, lots of rent a car services and on the way to Ni cosia in no time. Driving is another thing getting used to, it is on the, sorry, wrong side of the road. :) It takes a bit of training and getting used to, on the highway no problem, but traffic circles are another story. Anyway, it was all good and the next day it was off to the Trodos Mountains, to the monastery of Johannes Lampadistes in Kalopanagiotes. The drive from Nicosia goes through the Mesoaria plains until the foothills of the Trodos Mountains, when the road slowly winds up the hill, the valley getting narrower by the mile. The land was dry, it had been a long and hot summer, and rain was desperately needed also in Cyprus. In the valley there was a little stream that was still flowing down from the Trodos Mountains, but if no major rainfall was to come soon, the days would be numbered for the creek. In contrast to most of the Middle East, the countryside was very clean and tidy, something that is appreciated if one comes from an area that sometimes feel more like a rubbish dump then anything else. But that is a complete other story.

 

The weather was nice for the whole time, and it was relaxing to travel with old friends and stay at their house. The Akamas peninsula was nearly empty but windswept the days we visited, clouds came in from the west and the forecast was advising of rain for a few days later. It was nice to travel during the 'empty' days, not much tourists and mostly locals. Even Limassol was pretty, autumn and winter have their advantage in those tourist hot places. For sure the time around Christmas and New Year, which is just around the corner, will see an influx of people, but very well so.

 

Back in the Levante, the Christmas season has started. While in Cyprus, finally, after 2 and a half years, a President was elected, also not all are happy about the choice. It is still the old guard from the civil war, there are young and inovative people that could have made a better choice, but so be it. Besides the presidency now for the first solved, it is the formation of the government now that hinges on the same deals, we will see. The other problems still persist, trash crises, electricity crisis, refugee crisis, war in the east, security situation and for sure a few other things. A day or so ago, a cosmetic surgeon was murdered after having been kidnapped 40 days ago and dumped in Sidon. Gee what did he do wrong? We finally had our first rainy days, and so did Cyprus. Weatherforecast indicates that more rain is to come next week, good, but the electricity and TV, as usual will suffer when it rains. The change of the year will be spend in Germany, if everything goes well, one more Christmas and I be free. Photography wise, besides being in Cyprus, I have continued with the work on the Rue Hamra project and the Graffity in Beirut. Mostly I used the Olympus cameras, OMD5 an EP2, which I kind of rediscovered for its grainy B/W setting which I like. I hope to write at least one more post before the year ends, and kind of promise that I will try and do more next year. Good Bye.

 

 

Hot air is coming out of the blast furnace of the glass manufacturing workshop in Sarafand on the southern coast of Lebanon between the cities of Sidon and Tyre. The temperature in the furnace is 1400 degrees apparently and outside in the shade we have a hot 34 degrees. Inside the workshop it is also very hot, sweat running down my forehead as soon as I start photographing the workers in their chores. The glass manufacturing is done on a small scale in Sarafand using mostly recycled glass trash from one big beer company in  Lebanon. The tradition is old in the region and it was at the brink of disappearing but the Khalife family is continuing with making glass and seems to be the only one in or around Sarafand, maybe even Lebanon. Besides the workshop there is a small showroom where the produce is being sold at the source, instead of buying it in more expensive and perhaps overpriced boutiques in Beirut. For sale are all kind of glasses, carafes and teardrops for decorations in all kind of colours. The workshop is somewhat difficult to find, the little side road that goes off to the right coming from Tyre is hidden between the buildings, looking more like a driveway then anything else. The only sign to the place is when coming from the direction of Beirut on the old seaside road, but even that is not accurate and detailed enough. One ends up asking for directions but calling the shop on the phone is even better, with friendly advice received and guidance given. This place is definitely worth a visit when in Lebanon and travelling to the south of the country.

 

 

 

Right now the weather has become very hot, not like the furnace, but sometimes it feels close to it. The heat paired with high humidity makes it nearly unbearable to go out during the daylight hours, except early morning and after or close to sunset. But what to do and I thank the person every day who came up with the idea of air conditioning. Spend a week plus in Germany, small eye operation and all went well. Even there the weather turned hot and muggy and with no air conditioning or even a fan it became quite difficult to sleep. One week or 8 days is very short and like often now, it was so difficult to get going again and fly back to work. Here in the country, as every year there are problems with the electricity, political anyway with no real solution in sight, and let's see what else is brewing or going to come our way. The security situation is volatile, as always, the situation in the east not good, always threatening to affect this country as well. Thanks to the security agencies of the country who have managed so far to avoid the slide into the abyss. As every summer one can feel the influx of tourists but most, if not nearly all are locals, i.e. relatives from abroad in the diaspora coming back to see their relatives for the summer, crowding the street, beaches and restaurants. Traffic accidents have increased and one is happy once the quieter times come back in September, when all the hussel and bussel is gone and people have disappeared again back to their chosen exiles. I am looking forward to autumn and winter, cooler temperatures and rain and the chance to enjoy the outsides again with few people and nice breezes.

 

I only took the x100s to Germany and made some photos in the garden but nothing really noteworthy. It is a great travel camera of high quality and with the 35mm lens and the 50mm extension it covers most situations one encounters when travelling. I like the Fuji look of the Jpgs and the colours produced. It was the last camera I bought so far, and that is already over two years ago. Right now I am not planning on a new camera, the Olympus Pen F is tempting but for my style of documentary photography, I think right now I have all that is needed. This does not mean that eventually I get weak and buy one anyway. So for now this is all from here, more next months but nothing new much anyway. Bye.

 

one could say, it is already the beginning of June 2016. Although I realize not many people really read all of this, I should try and continue with this stories more frequently and not so sporadic as of late. Well, sitting here on a Saturday, happy it is weekend and I am not at work. Lately it has gotten quite intense and much, but for better or worse I need to carry on, at least for a little while. As one can read in the international and local press and also in the meantime on the internet, there have been direct threats of attacks made against the organization, so we are all taking precautions and even around our residences there is currently high  security. Let's all hope that nothing happens and this all passes, the world is already crazy but seems there are not limits.

So, since I last wrote, indeed I went to the mountains as long planned. The trip to the Qadisha Valley and Bsharre happened, it was the Easter Weekend but it was still cold and rainy, even mixed with snow at the higher altitudes. Never mind, I had a taste of the area, a view of Tripoli (another place to visit, especially the old exhibition grounds designed by Oscar Niemeyer). Also the coast between Batroun and Tripoli looks promising with regard to photography. The salt pans and Enfeh are definitive a destination worth a visit, later this year after the summer has subsided. Otherwise I have not been much around the country this year, only Beirut for the weekly sojourns but not even lately, security is high and one has to think if each trip is necessary. There were local elections during the months of May, so the situation was volatile and I rather stayed at home, also, the maddening traffic is not very enticing to engage in all the time.

In April I went to Germany for my dad eye operation, which in the end did not happen due to a severe infection he got elsewhere that send him to hospital and the planned surgery at the eye had to be cancelled. He recovered, but it took quite a while and left him weak, his age of 86 showing and not helping in the recovery. In May then off to Cyprus to attend the weeding of one of my best friends daughter. It was a nice welcome break but the weekend was one of the hottest so far. Despite Cyprus being close and the flight is only 25 minutes, it takes about five hours from Tyre to either Nicosia or Limassol. The weekend was great with little sleep and tiring but well worth it.

Photography wise nothing dramatic happened during all this time. The mountains I photographed with the OMD and x100s, Germany a little with the x100s and Cyprus also with the x100s. Both of the cameras worked flawlessly and I am happy with the results, even they are not highly artistic. Despite all of that, I am also taking quite a few photos (or pictures?) with the Samsung S6, just because I guess I have with me all/most of the time and the results are, if not used in an too dark environment, are quite good. I also like the post processing of those images in Snapseed, which is a very nice tool to create unique images from photos taken on the S6. Most often I photograph in the square format so it is easily to identify as having been taken with the S6. I also like the square format from the days of the 120mm film, Rollei, Mamiya and Yashica 124G! I still have my Medium Format film cameras but have not used them in years, and for the price of a  digital Hasselblad one can better make a down-payment for a house!! The medium format Pentax is much more affordable but I do not need it for what I am currently do.

So, enough said, any more would be rambling only. I will attach a few photos from the recent months. Until next time, take care and good bye!

 

 

 

 

Wishing everyone a Happy Easter.

I am amazed how fast this year is proceeding. Nearly three months are done already, and what can I say, I have been to busy so far to think of anything interesting or useful that I could have posted. The SAP project is eating my time and brain...

Here in Lebanon the first swifts have arrived, not to sure if they are just passing or staying for good. I have not seen any storks on the way north so far. This winter was dryer then the last one, but for this long weekend some rain is forecasted. I am going up north to the mountains for the weekend, I do not expect much snow anymore, it has been to warm lately. Today we had 29 C down here at the coast. I will see if some snow is left. I am looking to photograph the steep gorges and monasteries of the Qadisha Valley, Cedars and whatever else comes around. It will be the real first weekend devoted to photography. Hopefully the weather plays along and I am looking forward to a long Easter weekend in the mountains. In this spirit, Happy Easter again and more shortly ( I will try:)

The rain is coming at the end of the year 2015, finally or at least that what is told in the media. Sitting in my office overlooking the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea I can see it coming, the rain that is, approaching from the south like a curtain, visible for miles out on the open sea. And now, within a minute or so it is here, hard rain and a howling wind, changed from partly sunny fifteen minutes ago.

So another year done, two more to go until R-Day. Looking back at 2015 it was not particularly bad or good either. No assignment to a new place this year, although I was requested to go to Somalia twice but this was not approved by management. There were several travels to Germany, the Gulf and South-East Asia, which for the most were enjoyable. Fortunately there were no major health problems  to anyone in the family and myself, only the small things like flues etc.

Photography wise I have been continuing to work on some of my projects, like the Sugar Cane cutters of SE Asia, Rue Hamra here in Beirut and sporadically the Graffiti on walls all around. Not sure how many thousand photos I took[ 5000+ :) ] still thinking not enough anyway. My favourite region in Lebanon remains the Chouf for its serene beauty and cleanliness. Of course there are many other places, but no, this remains the place I like the best here. Although I had planned to visit the north of the country this year, especially the Qadisha Valley and surrounding areas like the birthplace of Khalil Gibran, my favorite Poet, again it did not materialize. But then it remains on my bucket list for 2016.

For the year 2016 I would wish that peace may prevail in this region and anywhere else. Personally I do not have a specific wish except for good health to family, friends and myself. Maybe although that I get some of the passion back for the arts and photography. That really be it, nothing else.

In this sense I would like to wish everyone a VERY HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR 2016!!!

 

• Yesterday is but today's memory, and tomorrow is today's dream.
• Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.
• If you love somebody, let them go, for if they return, they were always yours. And if they don't, they never were.

​by Khalil Gibran

 

The Trucian coast...

is today's area of the United Arab Emirates and also included Bahrain and Oman originally, which now are of course separate countries. One of the most prominent places in the UAE is Dubai, which has developed from a sleepy fishing villages of the ‘Trucian’ times into a supersonic city. What is missing are the space gliders moving silently between the high rises along Sheikh Zayed Road...

., passing the futuristic ‘Docking Stations’ which in fact are the stops of the ultramodern Dubai Metro running from Rashidiya to Jebel Ali and some loops within the city. Even Terminal 2 and 3 of the airport are connected so there is an alternative to get into town if one does not want to use a taxi.

"Prometheus Waterfall"

As envisioned, a long weekend in Dubai was a welcome break in these hectic days which are now mostly wrapped around a useless software implementation I nicknamed ‘Dudojo’ which is sold as the latest and best and brightest since God knows. By luck someone send me an article from yester-years when we implemented the now Legacy System, and low and behold, the wording is the same then as now, same sales tactic, and for sure going to be the same result of a dysfunctional software money grave that will be sold to the public as a wonderful cost saving to be achieved to cut post, meaning kicking staff out.

"Dubai Creek - QD's Bar & Restaurant"

Anyway soon this is hopefully going be over, I can turn my back at this and follow what I want to do, which for the first months for sure is going to be a detox of all the pain and nonsense of the last decades. So well, Dubai, nice, I did like it a lot but as usual to short. The flight from Beirut is longer these days, no more 2 hours and a bit, a solid 4 hours and ten minutes with a detour over Turkey and then running down the length of Iran into the Gulf and finally Dubai. The Airport was not too full and Immigration was passed relatively quick. The weather was nice, not hot and humid anymore and very pleasant in the evenings.

 

It was nice to sit out at Dubai Creek and have a Gin and Tonic as well as a Shisha and some nice food with friends. Of course there are the Malls with all the Mega shops known from the US, prices are average, I mean not especially cheap and on a close level with Beirut. The advantage is that everything is available and I visited Dubai Mall twice. I am drawn to the Waterfall with the figures of divers which remind me so much of the opening scene of the film ‘Prometheus’ a few years back. Also nice is the Aquarium. I will see if I get some inspiring black and whites from the waterfall divers as enlargements.

Also worth a visit, and if it is only for the people watching was the Atlantis Hotel at the end of the ‘Palm’. I went there at night, watching the people coming and going and boy there were some interesting sights. The food was excellent, but again it ain’t was a bargain. Never mind I enjoyed it and had, since a long time, a Mai Tai long-drink. This hotel also has a fabulous aquarium with a restaurant adjacent and underneath it, and the theme shows the sunken city of ‘Atlantis’, with myriads of all kinds of fish swimming around. Really impressive, but access is normally only for guest staying at the hotel, never mind, I managed to get by and look and of course take some photos. Must say this time I enjoyed Dubai more than last time. I also went to the Ras Khor Wildlife reserve just on the edge of the city where one can go on into the deserts of Arabia. Here with some of the mudflats and brackish waters of the creek, combined with some woodland, there are Flamingos that inhabit the reserve and most likely other bird and wildlife. I read about it in one of the travel guides online and it was recommended and I must say it was worth it. The hide was a bit crowded at first but managed to get a spot to take some photos of the birds.

"The Blue Hole"

I took with me the OMD and the 100s, which was good. I finally lost the eyecup of the OMD after coming loose so many times but usually I was always able to catch it before it was gone. Not this time, so will have to order a new one. As always, I was happy with the performance of both cameras, and I also used the 100s on manual focusing which worked surprisingly well in dark places with the focus peaking being a big help. I used both JPEG and RAW, although the software I currently use is outdated and I can not open the RAW files of either camera without downloading a RAW converter, but it will be difficult to find one for OS 10.5.8, which is rather outdated now, but still doing it’s job. Overall I took about 700 photos (both JPEG and RAW), which was less than I initially thought I would photograph. I walked a lot due to the good weather and also visited the souks and the old quarter which was very nice and worth the while and definitely would make me come back.

I am pretty sure that I can stand the place only in winter, i.e. November to may be March, but if I remember last year in August for the two days, it was so hot and humid that it was not fun to be outside. It was a nice visit and I will do it again for a long weekend in the winter months. On top of it I had a good time. In this sense, until the next time and good bye.

 

are the flocks of storks, egrets and other migratory birds coming from the north were the Autumn has begun. They are on their way to Africa and warmer environs and are flying along the coast here in increasing numbers every day. The birds are leaving their nesting places in the northern country but there plenty people here who are willing to risk everything to move north into much colder climates to escape the Health of conflicts that are raging in this region. The conflicts are not only war, but also the daily struggle to make a living, and of plain simple survival. It is the daily struggle with a political crisis an economic crisis an electricity crisis and whatever other crisis one can think. Crisis are produced every day on a small or a bigger scale. There is nothing much the common people can actually do in their everyday life to escape this, especially all the refugees from the neighbouring country that are currently seeking shelter here. Their struggle to survive every is tremendous to unimaginable for most of us. They can go home, they are mostly not welcome here and neither do they have the freedom to travel south or north or west, definitely not east, that is where they came from and can’t go back to now.

 

They can just look at the flocks of birds flying south in autumn and north in spring and wish to join them on their journeys. every day now one can see these flocks of birds flying south along the shores, some of them taking a rest along the shores. The storks are flying quite high, circling and looking for some updraft winds, whereas the egrets and Cormorants are flying close to the water's surface, often only a few meters in height. sometimes it is just a handful, sometimes a dozen or more birds. Here on the coast the autumn is arriving slowly, only a few trees have changed their leave colour so far and temperatures are still on the higher side. What has gone is the humidity during the day and especially at night which makes it quite pleasant. The sun is setting early and by five it is nearly dark, whereas by six in the morning the sun has still not risen over the eastern hills yet. There has been some  rain and some thunderstorms that have cleared the air from the heat and dust of the summer. Surely winter is approaching but the refugees in the country who often have to live in flimsy dwellings are for sure not looking forward to the cooler nights and refreshing days.

 

Since July the country is now trying to deal with a trash crisis since July. Since four months! and nothing has been achieved, nothing! The first heavy rains have washed some of the months old garbage into the soil and with it all the bacteria and filth with yet unknown results. For sure we are to find out soon. While seeing a doctor this week in Beirut one of the first things he asked if I eat in local restaurants. What an odd question I thought and when I confirmed that I do his response was that it would be better not to do so or at most be very selective and careful at the least. Like a confirmation of his warning, one of my friends who went for a dinner at Beirut’s expensive restaurants got sick after eating there and at this time is still not feeling much better. This must not necessarily be connected directly to the trash as even before such things happened, but for sure it makes one more aware of things.

 

This weekend the Beirut marathon will be held on Sunday as it has been the case in November since more than a decade. With all the happenings around I be keeping a low profile and ain’t visiting this time, just to be on the safe side if that is anyway possible at all. Looking up from the iPad I am writing this on from my balcony onto the sea, clouds have move in, getting bigger as I write. Maybe indeed some rain is moving up the coast from the south. In the background I am listing to one of my all time favourite music playing, “The Rising” from ‘the boss’. One of the most memorable events this week was when I looked out my office window during lunch break munching on a sandwich, noticing some tussle in the grass. Soon enough it became clear that it was a small brown snake trying to overcome and eat a small Gecko who put up a strong resistance of becoming a lunch meal for the snake. The gecko was the size not much bigger than my thumb and the snake maybe thirty centimeters (one foot) long and the size of my small finger. Looking or rather staring at them it became clear that the gecko or let it be a lizard was to big for that little snake. I can not remember for how many minutes at this epic struggle and the fight that little lizard put up for his life but eventually the snake let go and the lizard disappeared into the grass, happy hopefully to have escaped the little serpent and being her lunch. The snake slithered off into some undergrowth and stones nearby, hungry I believe. Interesting to know that there are some real snakes living in the camp and not only the two legged type.

 

Photography is slow as always, working little by little on my ‘rue Hamra’ project, one weekend at the time. I have been editing photos taken previously that I can possibly use in the project. Watching a program today in Al-Jazeera about ‘Habaneros’ (Banana Plantation workers) in Central America made me think about the ‘Saccardas’ (Sugarcane cutters) in South-East Asia, both the plight and hardship and abuse they share. I have some photos for a project about them and might pursue to document them more once I find the time. I be going to Dubai in the middle of the months for four days, work and pleasure. See if I can find something inspiring to photograph. It is also high time to go up into the Chouf Mountains again to soak in the green of it's nature and the scenery in general, highly recommended. In this sense until the next time, bye.

although it is already past beginning of October, the days are still hot and the nights are warm. Here in the ‘South’ we have not seen much rain, whereas in previous years we at least had already had some sharp showers that brought some fresh air, cleaned the dust of the summer away, and dropped the temperatures a bit. This year, the beginning of autumn, the calendarium autumn at least was marked by a five day dust storm that crept upon the country from the eastern deserts of Arabia. In engulfed the area with dust, choking heat and low visibility for five days, endangering lives of people, especially the elderly, including 12 deaths in total. Like so many things that creep up from the eastern deserts, nothing good. Is the weather a forebode of what is coming from that direction?

"Tyre Corniche at night"

The heat is still on in the country about the unresolved problems of trash, electricity, water, president, accountability - list ongoing and changing often and daily. Beirut has become a hub of demonstrations in the city centre, hampering the economic progress and prosperity of that area, at least that is what the shopkeepers and business people are claiming. But on the other hand, a movement seems to have taken roots that is bend on enforcing change to the political as well as social system and fabric in this country, with the momentum still going and one will have to see how good their stamina is going to be. Anyway it is up to the citizens of each country to determine the way they will be going and how they will do it. The potential however for much more than the simple demonstrations with the occasional violence is all to present.

"only the rats are left..."

Back home in Germany, no more heat but pleasant weather with sun and some rain. It was a short visit, birthday of my dad and then some R&R with him on the Baltic sea coast in the parts what was the former East Germany. A very nice place and from my side highly recommended for visiting. Photography wise, I only took the x100s with the 50mm extension, which, I think did not use once during the whole trip. The 35mm lens was just fine, for what I intended to photograph, sort of documentary photography, it served the purpose very well. I also found that for the real casual photo and documentary, the Samsung S6 phone is ok, although mostly in good light only. As long as the print size remains ‘normal’ or on a screen it is fine. In order to distinguish those photos from my others, I use the square format. Together with the Snapseed application, I found that it is possible to produce some interesting images.

"Let's go to the beach" Beirut-Rue Hamra

Being back now in the Levante and in the office, whatever R&R effect might have been there as evaporated as quickly as water on a salt pan. Like I said, still too hot and sultry for my taste, not helping me to gain inspiration for any projects lately. Another trip to Dubai might be on the horizon in November when we have a long weekend, but so far it is only in the planning stage.

"Born to ride" - Rue Hamra, Beirut

When thinking of the cameras I own and use most, I must say that probably the most versatile is the Canon G10 and previously the G5. It is sturdy, has a nice range of zoom from 28 to 140mm, 14 MP and overall for me the results are very pleasing. The size is great, the lens retracts into the body and one can slip it into a jacket pocket easily without feeling disturbed too much or really at all. It definitely is the camera to carry if you do not want to carry a camera. Of course by now it is nearly six years old, bought it in NYC in December 2008, but it is working like a charm. It is the camera I have taken my most photos with so far, I guess do to the fact that I carry it nearly everywhere and it delivers the results desired. Yes ok, the sensor is not MFT or even bigger, but honestly, so far I have not seen for the work I do a major disadvantage in this. As I said, considering the overall use, durability, portability and it is the camera that has served me best so far. I think for anyone looking for a new versatile all-round camera I would recommend the latest G series model from Canon, the G 16 which is a further improvement over the older models.

" Got any breakfast?" (Canon G-10)

Also, my experience with the OMD 5 from Olympus and the x100s is great and I am very happy using them, the G10 is indeed the camera I carry if I actually don’t have any special project in mind and just want to walk around or are not planning to take any photos. Great stuff. Still working on the ‘Rue Hamra’ project, although lately I have been a bit lax with all the ongoing protests in Beirut and the garbage issue, especially if one never knows when and if the road to the south is or will be blocked. And in this country that's it, the coastal Highway or road is blocked, every movement becomes very difficult as the these roads are the main arteries in the country. Any detour, if possible, will take a long time and effort, taking into consideration if even possible for security reasons. Today we received the first rain after some three months of sunshine, humid and hot weather. The morning started with a thunderstorm, one of the those distant ones, slow rolling thunder and lightnings in the distant, accompanied with some rain that was heavy at parts but did not last for long. It was heavy enough so that water puddles accumulated on the roads, making then slippery leading to what else, road accidents, the same as every year. The grit of the summer on the road, mixed with the rain makes them slippery like ice. The temperature did not really drop much, it just became humid after the rain. Hopefully this will ring in the autumn now, enough of the heat. So much for now, until the next time. Bye.

 

"Northern Light - fading blue hours" Baltic Sea coast (Fuji X100s)

The Swifts are gone,

 

this morning, just suddenly they disappeared. I did not notice as first, not even yesterday but today when sitting outside on the balcony early in the morning sipping my coffee in a bit of cooler air, they were gone. Just as suddenly as they came they left, overnight so to say. It has been a hot summer these last two months, always over 30 degrees, humid and with little wind. But maybe they already can feel the approaching autumn, also it would be a bit early, hardly August passed half way. Usually the animals are much more sensitive to the weather changes that are coming, and they must have decided it is time to depart back to the warmer parts of Africa while it is still time to do so. Just looked outside, yes, they are gone, with the wind sort to say.

 

Since last week not only the weather is hot, the political situation is also heating up. The garbage crisis is taking it’s toll, developing into a political crisis. Since last weekend, the garbage crisis demonstrations have given the basis for political turmoil, with tens of thousands of citizens demonstrating on the weekends and even weekdays against the political establishment. Demonstrations have turned violent, not by the majority of the people who are just fed up with the garbage crisis, the electrical crisis, the water crisis, no president and other uncertainties. The situation is volatile to say at best. A small minority is resorting to violence, persistently a small group of people of a few hundreds at most. Are they paid to do so, and if, by whom? Maybe the swifts knew of the political turmoil to come and decided to leave. Isn’t it that animals are much more sensitive to changes, and for instance can feel an earthquake before it hits. So maybe the swifts are sensing that a political earthquake is going to hit and decided to take off sooner than later. Might have been a wise move, who knows.

 

Besides all of this life goes on, at least pretending to be normal. Maybe one of the best traits of the Lebanese is to carry on as is, pretending that all be good, keeping calm on the surface but are being very worried under the surface. In all of these happenings, going to the north of the country to visit small wineries seems like the best thing to do. Since a few years, to be precise since 2000 small boutique wineries have taken on the big few producers. These small, often family owned and operated venues produce between 5000 to 15000 bottles of wine a year. Often these entrepreneurs developed their hobby into a small but viable undertaking, selling their produce locally and surprisingly to Europe where people appreciate these fine wines. All of these products are not available in supermarkets, only directly from the producers or through their distributors in Beirut. Not surprisingly, two of the three wineries visited are owned or connected to the church. The nectar of the Gods all-right. Some also have some other local by-products like jams, pickled vegetables, honey etc. All are very proud to deliver organic products and are raising attention to that.

 

 

Once one leaves the coastal plains and urban areas and drives up into the mountains, one very soon realizes that the landscape changes very quickly. The hustle and bustle and madness of the urban coastal areas gives way to a much calmer atmosphere, a green scenery and depending where ones location is, a cleaner environment appears. Generally still very green hillsides that are much less populated has higher as one drives. Still urban development is happening also here, the ‘predatory’ developers also finding inroads into the hills and mountains. Still in general as further away one drives into valleys and hills, a sort of calm is restored, beautiful vistas open up the greenery of the shrubs and trees calming the sore eyes from the smog and fumes of the coastal lowlands. The villages are plenty at first, getting smaller and thinner as higher as one travels. The valleys are steep and plentiful, opening up into smaller side branches all the time. This is the reason while all traffic is virtually restricted to north-south or vise versa, along the coastal plains. To reach the other side of a valley can take more than half an hour, if at all possible. Sometimes one would have to go back to the coast to give it a new try as no other way is possible. This in return then also explains the ‘infarct’ that is experienced on the coastal roads, as there is no real viable alternative for the major traffic arteries. Anyway, the villages are quaint, clean and calm, and as further away they are from Beirut, many people come back to them only as their second residences on weekends or holidays, leaving them during the week to the people that have carved out an existence for themselves in them or the elderly. Many houses are still in the old style of levantine houses with rough stones and red-tiled roofs. In some places modern designed villas of people that can afford a home in the mountains are to be found also. Some of this modern architecture and house design fit surprisingly well into the landscape and just from the looks of the outside, they must be beautiful places.

 

The way back to the south was a bit long and cumbersome due to the snarling traffic around Beirut as another #Youstink protest was taking place in downtown, this time reportedly with even more participants. Back to the ‘grind’ tomorrow and then off on Friday to Germany for a week +, this time including a trip to the baltic coast for four days. I love it up there, maybe that is the place to retire too [973 days left]. Bye.

Wow, I think this is the longest time ever that since starting this I have not posted anything. Reason? Not sure, I was out taking photos, travelled a bit but never really found the time to attend to this due to other commitments and work. Just recently returned from Germany were I had been for a week only.

On the morning I was leaving, while already awake before dawn, with the Windows wide open, I could hear some very distant thunder, which I thought was welcome to relive the recent heat a bit. Then, as it was requested, a few drops of rain started falling, first very slowly and then more intense, just enough to make a steady background sound. With the rain came this nice smell of a summer morning through the window, the distant thunder, and it would have so nice to continue lying there and listen and fall asleep again, but I had to get up to catch the train and eventually the plane to fly back to the Middle East. By the time the Taxi came to take me to the train station the sweet rain had changed into a downpour and the time from the door to the car with the luggage was enough to get me wet.

The Train Station on a Sunday morning at 5 is always an experience, many different creatures of the night lingering, waiting to be taken away by the commuter trains to whatever places they dwell.

                                                             Good Morning Duesseldorf @ 6:10 - Waiting for breakfast.....

Frankfurt Airport was so congested due to the European 'Holiday Season" that the plane had to wait for 40 minutes to take off, although it was ready to depart as scheduled. The Middle East greeted with intense heat and humidity, a messed up luggage delivery system and chocked airport, blocked roads and the usual mayhem. As of todays writing the "Garbage Crisis" has added a new dimension to the whole scenario. Beirut is overflowing with trash and the flow on the highway to the south has been stopped since yesterday due to plans to open a new landfill. The Garbage crisis of course adds to the political crisis, the electricity crisis, and any other crisis that can be found. It has a potential to bring down the government according to various news sources, and that, in the situation where the country is also without president, could have a big impact to put it slightly. As of this afternoon it seems to be solved for now, at least the highway south seems to have been unblocked. 

The Chouf Mountains are still an area that is relatively save to travel to and it not as hot and especially humid these days. Now the trouble is starting again with forest fires, by accident or in order to further 'development'. Ramadan came and went, the beaches were empty in Tyre during the day, mostly but evenings were long with lot's of activity until far after midnight.

Tyre Beach at 8 with 'Chai"

Otherwise there was nothing significant in the country or Beirut. Still using to my fullest satisfaction the X100s and OMD from Olympus. 

 

First sniffing and then peeing? Well not in this case, lucky one :)

 

Rue Hamra Street Market

 

The Fish stinks from the head, everywhere.

 ...is before the storm, is after the storm and so on. In the first two months of the year 2015 there were three storms, “Zina”, “Yohana” and “Windy’, dumping lots of rain (very much needed) and snow on the country. And then, of course, there was the political storm that nearly turned into a hurricane or tornado on January 28, when action on the ‘blue line’ killed three soldiers, including a Spanish Peacekeeper. This send us all to the bunkers for a couple of hours and as I was told later on, it was on a hairs whim that nothing more happened. This time it worked.

 

During the first storm, ‘Zina’ I nearly tanked the car when driving through one of the flooded parts of the road, which turned out to be deeper and the water was moving faster than anticipated. Just made it out and the car was saved with only very minor injury. The morning I departed to south-east Asia, all the hills above Beirut down to a quite low elevation were covered in snow, the temperature at the airport being only plus 3 degrees Celsius, which, considering the location of the eastern Levant, is very cold.

 

South-East Asia was great, warm and wonderful, albeit not too hot. This time I spend travelling close by to the house, looking into the rainforests that cover ‘Mt. Kanlaon’ and enjoying the Japanese hot spring with the thousands of bats overhead. Two weeks, including travel time is not enough. There are many places more to explore on the island like the hills surrounding ‘Kanlaon’ volcano and the islands own ‘Chocolate Hills’. For this trip I took two cameras, the OMD and the x100s and again, I am happy to say that they both performed very well and I am, at least technically, happy with the results. I continued to work and make images for the series on sugar cane workers, a project I have been following long term now, even in the film days. Maybe soon I am ready to think about including some of these images into a book. With so many great dive sites in close proximity to the island I have to think about taking up underwater photography, at least when snorkelling. I seems like a crime to not record the beauty of the marine world as it is so abundant and rich. Another Project that I have started is old cars and trucks that I find anywhere parked. In Beirut in many of the Alleys there are old hidden gems parked, slowly dying of decay but who make them that more charming. In South East Asia, remnants of US Army trucks from the 50s and even late 40s. Many of them have their engines replaced but they are running nevertheless.

Philippines 2015, Negros and Manila

Philippines 2015, Negros and Manila

 

Back in Lebanon I am of course still cruising the streets of the ‘Hamra’ district for photo opportunities and keeping collecting Graffiti as well. I must say that new Graffiti has become a bit rare these days. Finally I also went up to the Mountains to visit the Ski resort of Farayya. In all the years in Lebanon I had never felt the necessity to go and visit. The snow was good, a bit wet already as the temperatures had increased in the last week, but there was lots of it and tracks were in good shape. It was full to say the least and after indulging in some ‘Apes Ski’ made an early exit to escape the mayhem in the afternoon when everyone is leaving at the same time. Driving at best is dodgy anyway, so the early exit was a good decision. Slowly the spring seems to be making its way north, end of February and the first Storks appeared flying northward, but were hampered by strong winds and rain. This was even at least a week earlier than last year, very early in general. I have not seen any swifts yet, because if they come, then spring has arrived.  Nothing else for this time now, until the next time. Bye.

Philippines 2015, Negros and Manila

and a warm welcome to 2015 from the shores of the Mediterranean. I am watching the last sunset over the sea for this year; it is a clear blue sky with no clouds, so the view is perfect. As a reflection on last year, it passed or at least it appeared to past faster than other years. Of course time is the same, but somehow I feel it went by quickly. One reason might be that I was able to travel, especially to Afghanistan and on top of it enjoyed my travel and stay there. I managed to see some places of the country I had not seen previously, like Herat and Bamiyan. In a retrospective, despite all the trouble associated with the country, I would like to spend more time there. Maybe I have a chance to return in 2015. With regard to work I will not elaborate, as there is nothing to write about (says it all).

 

During the year I have made a few new friends and reconnected with some old friends that I had not seen in a while which was nice. Still I wish I had more time and especially here in the south had some friends I could share my passion for photography with. Lebanon is a nice and interesting country, small but with some treasures in architecture and landscape as well as people that would be interesting to discover more. So little by little I will do and add to my photo collection. All photos are also a document of time and history and this is what makes it worth the while, at least for me. What is lacking is a good place to print and enlarge photos for display, maybe it is there but I have not found it yet.

Another significant sad event was the passing away of Whiskey, the friend and companion since October 1999. Even a dog becomes very much part of the family and the only consolation is that he reached a high age for a canine and in the end his passing without too much of a suffering was good for him. Since the saying goes that “All dogs go to Heaven” I hope he is there and happy.

 

With regard to Photography, the only new equipment I acquired in 2014 was the Fuji x100s and that was in April. Since then I have not bought any new piece of photo equipment, not that there is nothing I would like but a level has been reached where there is a need to concentrate more on using the equipment I have and actually produce images that are worthwhile. This is not always easy with a full time job (sigh) but I have to try to do the best. I am really happy with the x100s and that it is a rangefinder and the way I can photograph with it. The OMD is also a great camera and both of them are the ones I mostly use now. My Pentax and even the trusty travel camera Canon G10 have taken a rest for a while, although I admit, the G Series is still the camera to take if you don’t want to take a camera.

I still have some projects in my head that I am working on, like the one of the daily paid farm workers in South East Asia. “Rue Hamra” is also in progress, adding images little by little. Maybe in 2015 I manage to print a copy of a draft book on Rue Hamra, but I will need to spend more time on site to get a some photographs that are in my head but not yet in my camera. The long term vision project remains the journey up the Indus River, following the spring from the delta to the high Himalayas. The “Residences of the Raj’ is also still on my bucket list. Here in the Middle East another project I would like to photograph is the Ottoman Railways and what is left of it. Not to much in Lebanon for sure.

 

Anyway, I hope that 2015 will be a good one. Best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year 2015 to each and every one wherever they are.

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015!!

 

 

Whisky is a nice drink from the Scottish Highlands, but it also the name for my dogs since the first one, who was Whiskey I and whom I looked after for a few months in Kabul in 1983. Whiskey II was a nice German shepherd mix and she was born in 1985 in Jerusalem, and like this Whiskey III we brought her to Germany and she lived very happily until 1998 when she died at not such an old age of 13. She was very gentle and loved by all, even people who usually were afraid of dogs, because she was so loving herself. Then this Whiskey, which makes him number III came to us in Islamabad in 1999 because friends of the Philippine Embassy were looking for a good home for the last puppy they had. So we took him in, although we had not planned to get a dog and he turned out to be a smart, fun and courageous dog, and since nobody will be left behind, ever, he came to Germany too where he died in November 2014 after 15 years and 3 months with us. I saw him last in October after I returned from Afghanistan which was close to were we met. I told him about it but I am not sure if he understood as he was already sick. RIP Whiskey. "Keep on walking buddy!!"

 

Here is his story in his own words:

“I was born on August 2, 1999 in Islamabad, Pakistan. My mother was a beautiful black Labrador and my father a German Shepherd that also seemed to have had some other irregular blood in him, hence the colour white that was included in my coat. It might have come from my mother though; also no one is really sure. I had six or seven siblings that were all given to other people and at the age of 7 weeks I was the only one left with my mother. We lived in a house in F-7 near the Market with a family from the Philippine Embassy in Islamabad. I cannot remember much of my earlier days but one day a nice lady appeared and looked at me and then talked to the other lady who was from the house. After a while the nice lady appeared with a carton and she lifted me up and placed me in the carton and she walked with me away from my mother, who seemed to be relieved I was gone. The lady was nice and talked to me also I did not know what these words were and what she was saying. The only thing I remember is that we drove in a car and all was very shaky and made me feel dizzy. We finally arrived at another house, that of the nice lady, which was very big and with a nice garden. There were some people there and I was given food and a place to sleep. Everybody was very nice to me and I soon felt at home in this big house. Later that day a big man walked into the house and smiled at me, picked me up and looked me into the eyes. He called me Whiskey, which I learned then was my name from that moment on. I had arrived in the house of Rose and Achim. Rose would always feed me very well, rice and chicken and minced meat and many other things and Achim would take me out on these long walks in the forest were we encountered many interesting other creatures like monkeys, wild boar and snakes. Occasionally he put me in this thing called a car which I did not really like but it always transported me to new and nice places, new smells and adventures. For many years we lived in Islamabad and every evening when the Mosque was calling for prayers, I knew it was my time for a long walk in our neighbourhood, so I could run and play. Over all these years we had become a fixture, the white tall man and me walking every evening. Often Rose would join us. Sometimes Rose and Achim went away and I was alone with Rashed and Daniel and Samira who would cook for me. They were generally nice but not as Rose and Achim whom I loved and who loved me. I spend many summer and monsoon seasons in Islamabad and learned that air-conditioning is something nice and it is much better to sleep in a bed then on the floor.

 

All in all I can say that I enjoyed my life in Islamabad very much. I did not see many other dogs and when I did, either they or I wanted to fight; so many of the encounters did not end so well.

Then one day suddenly there was a change, all the things I had gotten so used to were moved, Achim took me to this wretched Veterinarian who took my blood and came with these horrible needles to inject me, lots of strange people were coming to look at things but then when they came to carry things away I had to show them that I had something to say in this house too and try to chase them away which did not go very well with Achim and Rose and I did not understand why. Then one evening Achim and Rose came and brought with them this big box in which they managed to push me. It was loaded onto a car and I felt very sleepy suddenly and only remember that we drove for some time and then there was a big crowed of people but I was to tired to bark. The last thing I really can remember is that I was in place that was very noisy, to many machines and a big monster I had never seen in my life before, but I was to tired to be afraid. My box was picked up and lifted, I had no idea what was happening to me and if I live or die and I passed out and fell into a very deep sleep, dreaming.

I can not remember anything else and when I woke up I was very hungry and thirsty and again there were so many people, but different as the noise had changed and the smell as well. I did not know if I was alive but when I heard the voice of Achim and soon afterward that of Rose and then they came to look at me I knew I was going to be OK, also I was not sure what was happening.

After another travel in a car, Achim and another man unloaded me in a place I had never seen. Everything was different, it was cold and grey and I knew this was not Islamabad anymore. Then another woman appeared with a smiling and gentle face and both she and the man who was also very nice called me by my name as if they had known me for years. That gave me confidence and made me feel safe so I showed them that I had a voice too and started barking loudly. Suddenly another dog appeared, small and grey and I was not sure what to do. He was friendly and old and kind of gave me the insurance that I was in good place. His name was Grips, he was the senior dog in the house of what I learned where Vater and Mutti, the parents of Achim. I was given food and water and a nice place to sleep and I soon discovered this new world with many trees and green grass but also learned what snow was. The years went by quickly and slowly but surely I forgot about my life in Pakistan and Islamabad. I was a "German" dog now, even Achim always told everyone I was a "Chitrali Hunting Dog" which is complete nonsense as there is no such bread. I made friends with most of the other dogs that passed by or were around from the neighbours, except a few I really did not like or could get along with. There was enough space for all of us, and as long as they wanted not to fight me I was OK more or less with all of them. I noticed that the crows from Pakistan who where stealing my food there had followed me to Germany. I don't know why everyone called them 'Hugo' but it was them who were sitting on the roof and looking at the fine food I was feed, often outside as I like to eat with lots of space around me. I really enjoyed all the space I had in Germany, the garden which is so big and the forest close by. There were all these incredible smells of animals I did not know and most of them I never met but nevertheless they were there. Everyone was so nice to me, Vater, Mutti, Rose and Achim when they were around and later also Ursula who always had some "Leckerchen' for me. All in all I was happy that I had come here and had not been left in Pakistan and abandoned. During my later years, when I was getting older, I always had the attention of everyone and was brought to the Veterinarian whom I hated because he caused me pain, but many times he helped me. I lost many of my teeth when I was old but then the food was changed. I always had a warm place to sleep in the house and sometimes, I know, I drove everyone mad because I was so particular where I was sleeping and wanted my bed moved around. I remember I even woke Vater up at night just to move my bed somewhere else. He was not even mad at me, only shook his head. You know, I understood not everything you told me but most of the words made sense to me and I also tried to, in my own way to communicate with you and you often but not always understood me. Often I had to smile if you were scratching your head because you could not figure out what I wanted and it was funny.

All in all I had a very good life, and when my cancer became really bad you understood and looked after me, not even getting angry when I could not hold my urine anymore and peed into the house. In the end, when I could not live anymore, you had the grace to call the Vet and give me that last injection and helped me to pass on peacefully into another life."

 

We'll meet in another life. "All dogs go to heaven!"

but hopefully a return in the not to distant future will be possible. I must say I felt sad when I climbed back into the plane at Kabul International Airport to fly back to Dubai and Beirut. I was impressed by the Security Screener at the gate, a young man in his early 20's who took his job very serious and on top of it, spoke very good German! When I asked him why and how he learned my language, he told me that in todays world one needs to speak more then on language and since Germany and Afghanistan had always had close ties, he choose German, hoping that one day this will help him to live in work in Germany. 

During my stay in Afghanistan I had the fortune to be able to fly to Herat and to Bamiyan, getting an impression of a small part of this country, even only from the air. Most of it is of course brown and barren mountains, but the jewels are the valleys, especially if there is running water they become like emeralds in the parched landscape. Kabul has expanded tremendously in size, probably double from what it was in 1983. The traffic has increased and the traffic jams seem to have taken on epic proportions. The roads are still bad, big potholes and driving is still a free for all, any direction goes. Jalalabad road is passing through kilometers and kilometers of warehouses, truck dealer ships and whatever else, it looks like an industrial wasteland. The day I was leaving the weather was turning colder, one could feel the approaching autumn that morning, a cool air blowing down from the peaks of the Hindukush. By now a new president has taken office and a new established prime minister too. Let' s hope that this will work and the country will not return back to total chaos like before. The Taliban alone will be a big challenge to the government, with indications that the real fight will probably be starting after the foreign troops have mostly left and the winter is over in 2015. With the onset of spring and summer 2015 a clearer picture will emerge how well the government can deal and defend against the Taliban.

On the flight to Dubai, again one realizes what big a country Afghanistan is. Seeing the town and villages from the air, one can not really imagine how it is on the ground. It must be a nightmare to move around, everything is brown and dust, so much dust. Water is so available in so limited numbers that we from the West do not even imagine how precious it is to people living in a country like Afghanistan. As we can see from the news in recent days, things are not going in the right direction and violence is increasing. Just hope that one day this country will get the peace it so much deserves.

Since a few weeks I am in Afghanistan now, so from my place I am having a view of the Hindukush. No snow yet on the distant peaks but during the nights the weather is quite pleasant already. It will take a while for the first snow to fall but it will surely come. I travelled to Herat already, by plane, a two hour flight on a twin-engine Beechcraft but the views were great. The landscape, how could it otherwise be is mostly parched and brown mountains, but hidden in the valleys are the gems, the green emeralds of vegetation, at least were there is some water. Some valleys look like a chain of green emeralds from the air. I wonder how it must be down there in the valleys, but the chance to get there is really slim due to the security situation on the ground. Even Kabul is not really safe these days, it was quite different when I was here 31 years ago. Even then there was a war going on here, but it was a different kind of war, not like it is now. At least during those days one could move around Kabul during daylight hours in most parts of the city, now impossible and only in armored cars now. Going to Kharga lake possible then on Fridays, now unthinkable. The election recount is in full swing, we'll see what the outcome will be. Herat was an oasis in a dessert which it owes to the Hari river that flows through it. Otherwise the same security concerns as elsewhere.  Not many photos as the opportunities have not yet presented itself but I hope they will come. More later when there is more interesting news from here, bye for now.

" Downtown Herat Market place"

"Kandahar Blue" is the favourite colour for the Burqa

 

from one end of the horizon to the other. Summer is in full swing, with hot and humid days. After a break of a few months, the political situation in the country has also heated up again. In the last week alone three suicide bombings, on the highway from Beirut to Damascus, just before descending into the Bekaa Valley at a checkpoint, outside a restaurant and checkpoint in southern Beirut and the last one in a hotel room in a posh part of the city during a security raid. Whatever or who ever it was, it was just again another useless endeavor to ignite the country, fan the flames and start a firestorm like in the neighboring countries to the east.

on"

One is watching with great concern the developments in the eastern deserts, far away but yet so close as it's perpetrators are already amongst the population here. The political pundits are in full gear, predicting this and that, blaming right, left, up and down for what is happening, but who knows it might be all in vain. The blame is to be on each individual, because we do not think for ourselves and willingly are influenced by all the demagogues around who are looking only after themselves. The blame is on each individual as we as humans participate ans subscribe to whatever stupid ideas, instead of using the brain we have been given to analyze and then reject these ideas, being able to steep back from the abyss.

The so much hoped for tourists from the Gulf for this summer, have they been replaced by terrorists from the Gulf, as the last bombing in the hotel involved two Saudis. The tourists, if they had planned to come this summer anyway, now again have been told to avoid the country or if already here, to get out as fast as they can. Certainly the hotel incident accelerated this. It is like a plague, returning and returning again, and one is asking where and what is the cure. Otherwise, crisis after crisis, political, electrical, water, refugees, economical, a constant cycle turning ever faster. Which one will spin our of control first is to be seen. The only constant is the endless blue sky, only occasionally broken by some puffy white clouds.

 

The Fuji x100s has proven to be a good and reliable camera to work with on the street. Images are sharp and crispy, I love the colours it renders. It does give me the feeling of my good old Leica M's of yesteryear. Often I think to reactivate them again, go back to also 'do film', scan and use the digital darkroom. What is missing is the time to do all of this besides my day job. Motives would be endless in the country, especially for the kind of documentary photography I like. I'll get there eventually :-)

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Not yet decided when to finally go on summer vacation. Also it is nice to be out of the office, it is a punishment to come back and look at all the 'stuff' from the weeks on vacation. Thinking of visiting Cyprus again, but it will have to wait until summer ends. Now the high tourist season is ringing in hordes of Europeans descending on the island, nothing what I desire to be part of. I shall wait until all those have departed (“The Departed”) and quieter and also cooler days have taken hold again. In September or october it will be nice to visit the mountains of Trodos and hopefully be able to recharge the batteries in the wonderful “Bellpais' gardens near Kyrenia. Until then there is still time, lot's of more blue sky and potentially dark clouds developing. A hot wind is coming out of the eastern deserts, but hopefully it won't be a storm and early rain will stop the heat and dust. Bye for now.

 

PS: World cup fever has taken hold of the country, with Brazil being the favorite, closely followed by Germany, Spain and Italy, with the last two, having dropped out, flags disappearing. Never have seen so many German flags in Germany!  

 

in Lebanon, the weather is getting hot now. The last two months have been busy, I was sick and on leave, so much of whatever is called spring bypassed me. I spend a week in the camp as Duty Officer, maybe that what make me sick.

I went to Germany and used the occasion to purchase, yes, another camera. This time, after reading a lot about it, the Fuji X100s was the target, in black, like my old film Leica's which I miss using. I tried to use the M6 with Film and it works like a charm, but the difficulty starts with buying film these days. I managed to get a couple of rolls of Fuji film but then the next problem is to get it processed and printed and, oh well, scanned. My scanners have given up service in the meantime and I can't really think of buying a new one. So, the x100s it was , with the 34mm F2 lens, which was what I used most on my Leica, the 35 and the 50mm. What can I say about it? It looks good, is cute and certainly reminds me of the Leica's a lot, but I have to get used to it, which I eventually will over time. Will it make me give up my other interchangeable lens cameras like the OMD and K5? No it won't since I still like Wildlife photography, even if I have not engaged in it for some time now. The 'Wildlife' in Lebanon is of a different nature, you might have your own impression and thoughts about it. No, it is nothing of the way I found in Africa or even in Pakistan.

"The old guard and the new kid"

 

"Wildlife Photos"

Germany was dedicated to attending to house and garden and a few visits of friends and family which are also always nice. The sickness caught me off balance, needing me to go to the hospital for a few days, but they fixed me up well. I actually like the hospital, not only did they fixed me, but the view and the food was good too. The food was certainly better then the one served in our mess-hall. Another thing I like was that they had a rocking-chair in the room, so while resting I could gently sway and look at the Beirut port and watch the ships sailing in and out. Truly watching from the shade my friends.!!

Lebanon is trying to elect a president, but no luck yet. Fighting has been raging in the east of the country, in the Bekkaa valley close to the border with Syria, hopefully it is not coming closer. The folks from the south are active as well, lot's of overflight by Jets, and the ain't from the Lebanese Air Force.

"The last frost in Germany, frozen Tulip"

"Spring in Germany - early morning light"

I am trying to organize and archive all my photos, something I admit I am not very good at, but which I will have to master if not to loose total control. I like more to plan my next photography adventures, i.e. travels, then sorting and viewing the results. As mentioned before, I am contemplating of going, eventually to Japan. I have too, since it is my desire to do so for a long time. When and how, is what I am working on now. Ten years ago I was very focused on Africa, but that has been replaced with my love for everything Asian. I am (here is the old sermon again) looking forward to retire from what I do now, in order to fully engage with photography and also maintaining this website and writing more stories. It will come, but honestly, I can't wait anymore but will have to. I will write more about my experience with the x100s once I take more serious photos with it and be able to put it to a full test. I am quite certain it shall serve my photojournalistic desires well. Otherwise nothing new from any travels or from here in Lebanon, waiting now for the first real hot days. What beats me most is when the high humidity sets in, that's the killer. Until next time, bye for now.  

no, not 'Them”, but the storks have arrived. I saw the first this morning circling over Tyre, looking kind of lost, flying erratically, circling and searching for a place to land due to the wind and dust in the air. Difficult to find a place to land in this highly urbanized landscape. It were two big flocks, separate but close to each other that came up the coast from the south. The are earlier this year, four weeks ahead of from when I saw them last year. Maybe they have been misguided by the unusual weather patterns, sensing and believing that spring is around the corner to the north, hence deciding to leave their places in Africa. Who knows, along with many humans, they may have also decided to flee chaos and mayhem that is reigning in many places on the African continent, places like South Sudan, Central Africa and the Congo and the western coasts and savannahs of the continent. If they left early to fly to Europe to find safer pastures there, they should be careful, as right now the outlook does not seem to be good. They better avoid the lands of Ukraine and surroundings as chaos and mayhem is reigning there as well. The political weather forecast seems to be storm, dark thunderhead clouds on the horizon, but no long term weather forecast is still possible. Anyway, wherever they go, or rather fly, I wish them a safe journey and best of luck!!

'Storks over Tyre'

The weather-forecast for the 'coasts' here says rain/storm for the next week. I hope it is correct, as plenty precipitation is needed urgently. This winter we have so far only received about half of the normal rain fall. Newspapers are already writing about the looming water crisis if no significant further rains are received during the spring. The water crisis will be added to the 'electric crisis', the 'political crisis', the 'Syrian crisis' and whatever else could come up. Resilient as people are here, they manage somehow and anyway hope is still always there that somehow, something, someway will be able to be fixed or the abyss averted.

"Rodent life on "Rue Hamra"

Being back at work is hard after a nice break away from it. Going to Beirut tomorrow, it has been a while. Let's see what, if anything, has changed in Hamra. Wonder if the rat is still living there. Wildlife of Rue Hamra. Locking for more photos for my project of 'Rue Hamra' and of course having my coffee and croissant in the usual coffee shop on the corner, letting life pass by, watching from the shade. Ever so often a good photo opportunity just comes along. Sometimes it can be used, sometimes it can not. But then I think that every missed photo opportunity makes me more aware and let's me look out for other ones. Like life, it's often about the missed opportunities. Bye.

Happy New Year to all.

We are through the first two months nearly and I have not published anything. I have been in and out of the country, to Germany and South-East Asia also.

Well events in the country very tense, more bombings, the last one on Wednesday when I returned from a photo venue in South East Asia. While approaching Beirut airport and looking out of the window I saw some black smoke rising from near the Golf Course which is close to the Iranian Embassy the old UNIFIL house and the Kuwait Embassy. My thoughts at first were that this are a lot of tires burning, wondering why and so early in the morning (09:25 Leb time). Then I thought, mmhh maybe another bomb like before and as soon after landing I had switched on my phone, there it was the message of another bombing in southern Beirut. The airport was muted, all hush hush, everyone talking to each other, the immigration officials informing the arriving Lebanese passengers that a bomb had exploded. Fast forward a few days, and another bomb has exploded, this time in the north of the country. The weather has been abnormal as well this year, here and in Germany. Here we hardly had any rain, in Germany no snow at all at home. Very unusual. Many changes at work, it only can get better. My visit to South-East Asia just confirmed that I need to complete my working live and disappear into the 'jungle'. Well sort of, I want more time for my photography.

We will have to see what happens next, anything interesting developing or happening, I will comment on it here. For now so long my friends and check out the link to the South-East Asia page above, to 'The flying fish of the Sulu Sea'. Thats all for now, bye.

 

Stray dog in the old city of Tyre enjoying his relative good life.

 

my friend.....

Well certainly 2013 is drawing to the end, here in the country it is closing with a bang, the sound of an explosion that has shaken the city. So again, one or the other group has proven that they are capable of sending someone and his companions on a long journey. Again what a useless act but small minds won't understand. We had storm 'Alexa' coming and going, bringing long awaited rains and snow in the higher elevations. It of course brought more hardship to the thousands and thousands of refugees in the Bekaa valley and the north of the country, who, because of politics are not allowed to be sheltered in housing, except tents. So much for solidarity with your brethren.

Christmas was a kind of non-event this year, despite the decorations and everything, no feeling at all.

Due to the situation in the country, only little travel is possible. Going up to Marjayoun was interesting, it is quite nice up there and would be very worth exploring if it was only at all possible. Mount Hermon has already a deep snow cover, thanks to 'Alexa', but considering the other years it has rained to little.

Must say it appears that 2013 really passed fast, also it is of course just a perception as time always passes at the same speed, obviously. If the next four years and five months could pass at the same speed, that would be great, as sooner I can leave this place as better it is.

The year was marked by two important events, the time on the Golan in Syria and the nearly two months at home. With regard to photography, I think all of the images taken were nothing special, nothing terrible either, just average. I changed to the Olympus system, it has it's positive aspects, like size, weight and portability as well as quality, but I am not sure it is what I am looking for either. Still searching for the Holy Grail with regard to the perfect camera and image. Maybe it does not exist or my expectations are much to high. If it wasn't so insane expensive, I would go for the digital Leica M system, but the question I am asking myself again and again, is it justifiable? But then, justifiable to whom, except to myself. Ideas about projects, books have come and gone, some I wrote down others disappeared in the brain fog so frequently. Overall I do wish I could or would dedicate more time to photography. With a job it is difficult, at least for me to do so and focus on the job completely and on photography. Maybe I should take the 'Job' less seriously:)

So what 2014 will bring? Personally I hope all will continue as I do not see any improvement coming. Politically for the country and the region, well, it could be a decisive year. Like the weather currently, the signs are indicating a storm is brewing somewhere, dark clouds on the horizon. What is unknown is the exact path and strength. So wherever you are, may 2014 be happy and be peaceful for you and your families.

 

A HAPPY AND PEACEFUL YEAR 2014!!!

 

 

literally, once it has passed,  one asks where did the days go. It is now two months plus  that I wrote or posted any photographs. So, no photos taken, time spend in a capsule void of time? Not really. The time was spend in Germany at various locations for different reasons. Besides the normal leave, I had to take time out from the usual work of sitting behind a desk, charging the " Dead Horse of Administration". I had to do something with my hand again to feel some kind of accomplishment. So, I laid tiles, painted, did woodwork, removed and build a fence, besides visiting family and friends around the country. This was good for my health. Yes, I did photograph during this time, not always highly artistic but enjoyable nevertheless. I went to places in Germany's East I had never seen before, places like 'Ruegen', the countries biggest island, and other beautiful places along the coast in Pomerania. The whole region is well worth a visit. It is true, one does not have to travel around half of the world to find beautiful places. What else? Whiskey is now really getting old, turned 14 on August 2. For his age he seems to be still fairly fit, but now he sleeps a lot. Still the Ravens can never be his friends.

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"Balancing act whatched by a Cormoran - Cologne"

Now I am back at the shores of the eastern Mediteranean, in the land of the Phoenecians. Any changes since I left? None really, still the same, just averted to be dragged into a civil war (so far) again by dark forces. One will have to see and wait how long these dark forces can be fought off and prevented from achieving their goals. Time will tell. With recent political developments related to the 'eastern neighbour', they seem to be positive, the very dark clouds of war have given way to more shades of grey. The weather report still has the watched, closely, especially for the local weather and the forecast for the region as well. There is still a possibility for thunderstorms.

"Keys"Many thousands of 'love locks' on the Hohenzollern bridge in Cologne

"Many thousands of 'love locks' on the Hohenzollern bridge in Cologne"

In the mean time the summer here subsiding, it rained several times now, not long but heavy showers, which was very welcome to wash off the dirt. For the real though grit to go, it needs to pour. For shure that is coming too.

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"Passion can be anywhere, even right outside and on the walls of Cologne Cathedral. Good Luck!"

Regarding Photography, I mostly used the Olympus system (OMD and P-2). The size and weight is just so much more favourable over the large DSLR's. I only brought back the Olympus, the Pentax remainded in Germany. For what I do in Photography right now, the size of the sensor is not really crucial I believe. The photos posted are just some snapshots of the 7 weeks away from work, giving a 'retirement' a dry run. But what can I say, I am back at chasing the 'Dead horse of Administration' for at least a while.....

Bye.

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"Snake in the water? No just a branch, making it look like a scene from the Amazon"

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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

No, not the one at the East River on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, but the one here in Tyre near the Christian Quarter. Yes, Turtle Bay, because there are actually big Sea Turtles in the ocean and this Saturday I saw one swimming close to the coast. The only other one I had seen was last year at the end of winter, dead on the public beach south of Tyre. It is so much nicer to see them well and alive, ploughing through the seas. How much longer, let’s hope for a long time to come. Besides the Turtel(s), there was of course other ‘matter’ swimming in the sea, unidentifiable but as much unenticing as last time when I went to the same beach. Surprisingly the waves were breaking on the rocks quite dramatically and the swell reaching the beach was not small, despite a small breeze only.

Arriving at the beach early it was empty, so it was quite nice to sit and observe the water, the waves, and oh yes, the person raking the beach. Surprised to be treated to such a view the action of raking the beach was observed closely and with interest. The area of ‘interest’ was rather limited to the immediate place in front of the gazebo. With the small iron rake, the usual filth washed up was neatly collected in small piles above the water line. Then the next tool appeared, a shovel, presumably to transfer the piles of refuse into some containers to carry it off.

"

"Collection of refuse from the Sea"

WRONG! The shovel was used to dig holes close to the piles of refuse, transfer the same into the holes and cover them up. “Khalas, finished!” The whole sequence of actions taken was symptomatic for everything else in the country. The ‘verbial’ carpet was lifted, the dirt swept under the rug, a last critical look at the work with an expression of satisfaction, ready for another day of business and who will know and care anyway. This is how it is done here, all and everything!

Ramadan started on Wednesday or Tuesday, depends what school of thought one follows. No easy fasting from sunrise to sunset, this means at this time of the year from about four in the morning to eight in the evening. The days are very hot and humid, sultry, making things so much more difficult. Last week, just before Ramadan, a huge car bomb ripped through the southern suburbs of the capital. Is this the beginning of the new or the end of an area? According to information sources, much more has been smuggled into this country for much bigger bangs at least that is what the papers are saying these days. Let’s hope they are wrong.

"Piranhas in the Beirut Souks"

Despite all of this, I had to go to Beirut this weekend; a month of abstinent has taken its toll!  I am sure Ramadan had something to do with it but the capital was empty, really empty, which was at the first look not so bad. When entering the pedestrian area around the ‘Place de Etoille’, the soldiers on guard duty had been increased. They wanted to check my camera bag and to know where I came from (Ah, Aleman quai’ es) and then told me not to photograph the Parliament. That was a new one and pretty useless as it was in such a distance from the Check Point that they could not see it and nobody else was there. I had no plans to photograph the parliament anyway. What amazed me was the emptiness of the streets, nearly no people. Ok, Ramadan and the heat, mid-day, but I also noticed a lot of closed shops and restaurants that had been given up and were completely empty. The political situation here and in Syria is taking its toll on the tourist season this year. Most restaurants that were open had no patrons, only bored waiters and chefs.

I used the 50mm Summicron today on the OMD5 and love the results. To me they look a bit ‘film’ like. Would love to try it out on portraits, but with whom. 

"Beirut City Centre"

Another three weeks and I be in Germany on leave, can’t wait. Bye

 

"Fritz the Cat"

 

Exercise, is good for all and sundry, including myself, if I just could do it more often :)

 

Now this 'Exercise' wasn't about me it was about trying and training for a 'relocation' if it could become necessary. Events last weekend showed, how fast everything can unfold these days, wondering how much more it would have taken to unfold into full blown internal conflict.

"State of Affairs"

So for such and other cases we exercise, at least once a year to be prepared, well, we are trying to be prepared, because when events happen, one is never really prepared, but one has to try, and that what we did. Late June is not the best time as the weather has become hot and sultry, yesterday being no exception. The air was already balmy in the morning, and even the light walk to the assembly area made the shirt stick to the skin. As usual people trickle in on their own pace, it was a Saturday and an off-day, but eventually by ten we were able to set off, albeit not on the MV Carolyn, but by bus. The sea was a little bit choppy, not bad for adults but children might have felt very uncomfortable and therefore it was decided not to use the boot. We drove in a long convoy, with armed escort, as it would play out in a real scenario to HQ, the host country security forces also being involved. It took us longer then usual, as we were in a convoy, and many of the locals were looking and maybe wondering what was happening. MV Carolyn was still in the port at HO, and since it was planned that it was a cornerstone of the exercise, we visited it in in-port to familiarize our selves with the ship. I guess that and the shelter exercise that followed in the HQ was exciting for the dependents who made up a major part of people taking part.

In order to make it all a bit easier to considering participating, a BBQ lunch had been organized in the mess, which, I muss admit, was actually not bad. After that it was all re-tour to Tyre and disembarking, of the busses was shortly after 3 PM. All in all it was all fine, considering that it might or could (can) become one day important to have exercised all of this. The weather has no really gotten hot, with summer in full swing. According to the newspapers, due to recent events in the country and the region, combined with travel warnings of many western and gulf countries, this will not be a good tourist season for the country. But then again I say, no wonder, it is not many places one can go anymore and visit as one does not really feels safe and unless you have family or friends here, it is not attractive to come under such circumstances and spend your holiday. I maintain, so much potential, so underused so badly managed. I used the OMD 5 and are quite happy with the results. It is really smaller then the usual DSLR, easy to bring along and with the right settings capable of a lot of things. Wish I could use it more but then, as said before, one has to be cautious what to photograph. A new beach resort has been opened on the road to Naqoura, called “Turquoise” , it looks good and stylish on their webpage and I shall check it out next Saturday, early morning. Early mornings are these days the only way to do some activity, be it walking, swimming or even photographing as the morning air is on most days still acceptable in humidity level, well except yesterday morning. One more month and I be on my long leave, can't wait. Tomorrow is “D”Day for UMOJA, let's see how it goes! I am watching from the shade :))

 

This is all for this time, take care and bye bye.

is the only thing really super right now. Electricity is bad, Internet is slow, situation in the country is not good, humidity is bad, temperature is high, oh well what else....

Spend a day at the beach yesterday, no not in one of those posh high end, or what they believe to be high end and overpriced and over pretended beach resort in this country, no, on a self styled beach resort with a rickety beach hut serving as bar/kitchen, tables and sunshades on the beach and a big gazebo with a sunroof, here in Tyre. Surprised to see the locals drinking Vodka at 10 in the morning at one table, another table decorated with a bottle of black label and in the next corner fully observant women sipping water and juice. Well, there is tolerance in this country, practiced every day in front of our eyes, so why can't this work supposedly everywhere? Right here it is demonstrated, otherwise how would a hijab and an a string bikini go side by side, along with Rose water and Black Label?? Observing this, it becomes clear again that the 'normal' people have no problems with each other, it is the abnormal people that have propelled themselves into power, by hook and by crook, that are fanning the difference for no greater good other then their self enrichment. The fish stinks from the head and a creation of an unaccountable elite will only work for so long. Happenings in Brazil and other countries would confirm this. BS only goes so far, eventually it is taken for what it is worth, nothing!

So, enough of these private observations, the food in this place was actually good. I stayed with what I normally eat, i.e. Taouk. The water, well that is another story in this country. An article in an English language newspaper in this country at the beginning of the month themed that this countries beaches are swimming with waste. True, my observations since a long time and that's why I have never set foot into the water here. Although the article cites that the beaches in the south  are still classified as good. I waded into the water and after encountering the first plastic bag and other not identifiable forms or floating matter, I waded out in a hurry, never to go back. It just confirmed what was on my mind all along, no swimming in this countries waters whatsoever, exceptionally maybe only in the pools. If this country only could start to look after it's environment, it would be so much more attractive.

So the Super Moon was last night and tonight as well. It is really big and wonderful to observe. Would be nice if it could rise above the sea, but it won't do that, always comes up behind the Lebanon Mountain range out of the Syrian desert. Wondering what else will come from that direction to us?? Again photography has not picked up speed, except for the moon I think I did not take a sensible photo the whole week. Nothing much more to say, counting down the days, not only to go on leave but also to go on early retirement. :))

 

Have a great time !

 

and from the south of the country onto the neighbours. That was the hot topic for the last few days Besides the material damage, the mental one is probably much bigger then anything else. Due to the rockets last week the usual Beirut sojourn on Sunday had to be cancelled as one could not be sure of further developments. Funerals are now more common since the engagement of one party directly in the conflict. This has led to more tension in the whole area, also amongst the expats, as everyone is just waiting of things to happen. The key question will be how 'they' happen. That something is going to happen all and everyone is convinced. So all in all a lot of happenings, well, except on the photo 'front'.

Since I have been back from Germany, I have not really taken a sensible photo. Yes, ok, here and there, but nothing really of substance. I take the camera to the office every day in anticipation of something, just in case, but so far, thanks God, nothing has happened. I have taken photos of my office view and the flowers in front outside the window, that's it.

In the last few days we had the hot wind blowing from the south and east, bringing dust from the desert and uncomfortable temperatures. The humidity has also shot up, making it even more uncomfortable. With the current situation it is not easy also to take photos here inconspicuously. Maybe I have to resort to some indoor studio work or portraits, but what and/or who? Live in Tyre is actually quite boring and isolated, there is nothing recreational one can do here in the 'South”. The only places that are still half-way safe right now, sounds strange, are Beirut (if no rockets are shot), the Chouf and around Byblos probably. Further north then Byblos, getting closer to Tripoli is not advisable and so the Beekaa Valley. I haven't been back to Kefraya Winery in ages now. Even in the Chouf Mountains, there was a shoot out a few weeks ago related to gun running. Ok it was at night, but still, illicit activity is going on all around the country. The balcony of the apartment is a good and rather safe place, but also boring after some time and no photo ops, only the neighbours :))

Let's see if this weekend in Beirut can bring some change, but these days one also has to be wary where to go in Beirut, not all areas are ok anymore. A couple of weeks ago, while photographing in Hamra, I was tapped on the back while looking through the viewfinder and asked in German if I had some money. This was by a young guy, maybe Syrian, maybe not, who walked away when I said 'No', but it was early morning, nobody else on the street. I did not see him before or see him approaching, he could have robbed just there and then if he had wanted. What still get's me is that he asked me straight away in German! How on earth would he know I am German? I don't feel that I particular look German, I mean no funny sun hat or Sandals and socks or 'Birkenstocks” :)

Anyway, I have to deal with that, maybe I do look German?

This morning while sitting on the balcony and drinking coffee, I read the news that overnight 16 rockets have hit the eastern Bekkaa valley on the Lebanese side. All the rockets were fired from Syria. Only slight material damage, no casualties of human beings. Further afield, this summer season with festivals, like the Baalbek festival, will be most likely the big casualties.

The Electricity situation and the internet are still at a level below the third world. Regardless how things will go, this can only improve.

Germany and back to Beirut that was the itinerary in the last weeks. Beirut, the new marina is an impressive place of hip people, cool architecture and sea vistas right next to the place were Rafik Harriri was assassinated next to the St. George Yacht club. Rebuilding Beirut after the Civil War that ended in 1990 has not yet been completed but has made progress and certainly has produced some impressive results architecture wise. I hope that nobody has an interest to destroy it again and reduce it to rubble. The tensions are still running high in the country, especially the north and the Bekaa Valley, were incidents happen on a daily basis. For now we can only see and watch closely and try to read the signs of the time and the signs of things to come as close as humanly possible. After some April Rain (not November Rain as by G&R's) the weather has become warmer now with temperatures in the high 20 and low 30's, but luckily the air is still nice and not stuffy.

Nordkirchen Castle - no, not our house but near by, half an hour driving. It is also called the Westphalian 'Versailles' - really nice area (both photos)

Germany was a totally different scenario. The morning I flew back to Lebanon we had 0 degrees and on arrival in Beirut airport it was 32 degrees, kind of a difference. Also there was not much rain in Germany, many days it was cool and grey. I did not accomplish all the things I wanted to do, as usual, therefore I will take leave without pay later in the year. I did receive my new camera (I know, another one..) this time an Olympus OM-D. So what can I say about it. To begin with it is small, smaller then I thought, but with the grip it is of a more normal size. I have to get used to it. The results of my photographic efforts made with it in Germany look ok, actually it seems that it has great capabilities which I have now to match with creativity. To do that, I need time, peace of mind and be able to concentrate solely on photography, no office and any other nonsense. But again after some skepticism, I now believe the camera is capable of delivering great results at least technically wise, creatively, it is up to me, not the camera.

What else. My dad is all-right but the arthritis in his hands, especially in his right hand has gotten worse lately. I hope he will take the medicine the doctor has prescribed to him, and not do to much self medication, which is, I have to admit, in the family. Whiskey, good old fella, he is now getting really old. He is nearly deaf, but sees still very well. He is still at odds with his arch enemy, even from Pakistan, the black ravens, that or at least that what he seems to be thinking, followed him all the way to Germany. He'll turn 14 on August 2 (or about 98 in human terms) and I hope he will have a great summer and I try to spend some time with him.

Otherwise nothing really to mention, nothing exciting happened. More next time. Bye.

A very boisterous swan that tried to nip me into the leg while photographing him, guess he was mad I had not food.

Whiskey's 'friend' he believes followed him from Pakistan just to steal his food.

 

it is very easy in this country to be at the sea and in the mountains on the same day.

Byblos is on old and ancient port city located a few dozen kilometers north of Beirut that has been inhabited for several thousand years. Many parts of old Byblos around the port have been restored nicely, although the main focus was on attracting tourists. These days tourists are few and far to be found, the crisis in Syria and the uncertainty within Lebanon itself, Tripoli is not to far up the road from Byblos, speak for itself.

Unfortunately during the Easter Weekend, the country was hit by a dust storm emanating, according to the press, in North Africa. No surprise there, as a lot of dust has been kicked up lately in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia and elsewhere. Let's hope that it is not a shitstorm that hit's next, but stirring is on the rise in neighbouring countries. So neither at Sea Level nor in the mountains at a hight of 2000 meters, visibility was especially good, again reflecting the current political scene here, kind of hazy.

In addition to the dust, the air was hot at the coast but pleasant up in the mountains, were still remnants if the winter could be found in snow fields that were rapidly melting in the hazy sun.

Spring is about to break free in the country meteorological speaking at least. The swallows and swifts are back and great flocks of storks could be observed over the weekend circling over the Tyre coast looking for warm air currents to rise and carry them northwards. I hope they reach the north countries not to fast, as they might be surprised with the white Easter and cold temperatures this year in much of Europe. But with the dust in the air yesterday, I guess even the storks had to stop flying and be grounded. In the mountains one could see the first small blossoms on the apple trees, so indeed spring seems to be around the corner.

Yes, as usual I will complain about the horrendous driving of the Lebanese, but I also will mention a nice encounter I had in the village of Tanourine up in the Lebanon Mountain range. I stopped at a fruit stall to buy three bananas. I went into the shop that was literally full with any kind of fruit in season, including bananas. When I asked the shopkeeper to sell me three bananas, he just gave them to me refusing to take any payment. I read somewhere that mountain people are always nicer, I don't know if it is generally true, but for sure at this time I found some merit to this statement.

 

The Chouf was quite on Monday, probably due to the bad weather, with a dust storm having found it's way from North Africa to this end of the Levant. Visibility was bad in the morning, and dropped to less than 300 meters in the afternoon. Not a good Photo day. I still have not explored the “Monastery of the Moon” (Deir Al Omar) with all it's alleyways and little places fully. The Chouf region is a place I find interesting especially as it allows me to escape the urban jungle on the coast. Apparently Lebanon is a country with on of the highest urbanization levels in the world. One literally has to go very high up into the Mountains of the Mount Lebanon range to be able to experience some kind of “Wilderness”. The rest of the country is characterized by mad traffic and what I call new building 'ruins' shooting up everywhere. I can't think off what and who and why is this building boom happening? What you going to do if you have only urban space left??

More next time on the journeys through the Levant. Bye for now.

Having been back for several days now after being in Syria, I must say I do enjoy the comfort and amenities of Lebanon and the ability to skip of to Beirut for the weekend. Alas both cities, i.e. Damascus and Beirut are very different, with Damascus being the traditional ‘oriental’ city with a claim of around 7000 years of existence; Beirut is the modern, snappy and hip capital of the eastern Levant.

I like both of them for different reasons, and was sad to see that Damascus has some bad days ahead of it and if you want, past it already. Only yesterday and days before, the Sheraton Hotel was hit by mortar or similar, a sign that even that place is not safe, also it kind of felt like that only three weeks ago. This is another indication how dangerous perceptions in such situations can be, since in conflicts like these there is no safe. So how about Beirut, can we really say it is safe? Honestly, it is a dangerous perception as well, and as only the weekend of 17 March showed, it can turn on a dime in minutes. After an attack on two religious persons the mood turned like in no time, and the situation became so serious that even the security establishment said that not much more would have been needed to push the city/country over the brink into the abyss. Then last weekend, again the calm on the surface, nice sunshine, people in coffee shops sipping their coffee and smoking their water pipes, all in all an everyday peaceful morning scene from Beirut. Even the Beirut Harley Club had a big meeting in Hamra, preparing for one of their many weekend rides.

However the city felt emptier, even in the mall later, until after lunch it was more or less empty? Coincidences, people still trying to go skiing in Faraya, go to the beach in Batroun or the south, not sure, maybe something else.

The weather has been up and down to, one day over 36 degrees already, hot wind blowing from the south, including transporting some locust from Egypt to Lebanese shores, the next day barely 19 degrees and cool. What never changes is the Lebanese traffic, which, to put it politely, is mad at any time, any weather or temperature. I wonder if people if they drive in other countries, especially the northern hemisphere are able to obey the rules, try not to cut off other cars, misuse the red lights or drive against the traffic. Just wondering, as here it seems to be a long way from anything close to be driving according to even the Lebanese traffic rules. Sometimes it adds to the flair of the city but more then often it is just annoying.

Today the first swallows/swifts arrived in the south, a sign that spring can not be to far. Like every year, they come from one day to the next, not just one or a few but whole swarms. At the end of the summer it is the same, from one day to the next they are gone, and then autumn is far away either.

Sunday morning view of my balcony after waking up :) !

This weekend is the Easter Holiday, so HAPPY EASTER to everyone.

What else is happening, well, Gun's n Roses are playing at the Forum in Beirut and our southern neighbour is getting ready, again, for moving north, or at least so the press reports. We will see if it this happens.

Have a great weekend and a wonderful spring, until the next time, bye for now.

 

 

It took longer then anticipated to get the approval of the Syrian Authorities to travel to the country.

I don't know what it was, just plain ignorance or they were uncomfortable with my nationality and the countries I visited before, maybe they just did not want to support the organization that had, at least in their eyes, failed them over the years by not supporting them.

Eventually the clearances came through for all of us and of we went to the border. It was a nice spring day and the drive via Beirut, passing the Lebanon Mountain range was easy and so was the crossing of the Bekaa Valley. We finally arrived at the border town of Masna and one could immediately sense a hint of chaos. Long lines in front of the immigration counters for people entering Lebanon but and to a bit of surprise, also to leave the country. The ques of Syrians entering Lebanon were much longer then the ones leaving but there were also people, their cars fully laden with persons and goods driving the long winding road between the Lebanese and Syrian border stations.

The Masna Border Crossing between Lebanon and Syria

Border proceedings on the Syrian side were really quick and in no time we were on the road (highway) to Damascus. I have driven this road several times, but this time it felt different. It was nearly empty. The weather had changed while waiting for Syrian immigration proceedings to be completed and now a cold wind was blowing down the mountain, rising some dust with dark cloud covering the sunny sky of the morning.

The drive from the border to Damascus took normally about 30 minutes, now because of a total of about eight checkpoints it took us nearly an hour. We were also lucky as our cars were able to use a 'bypass' lane at the checkpoints and only after a short glance into the cars we were waived through.

 

Not so for the cars with Syrian plate numbers, drivers and passengers had to identify themselves at each checkpoint and open the car and the trunk in order to be searched. The checkpoint at the entrance to Damascus was the biggest and the most thorough even for us, but understandably so, once you know that at that time more then half a dozen organization cars had be stolen already and nobody could be sure who is really in the cars. The Mazzeh district of Damascus had grown since my last visit, but the traffic, albeit less, was still as before, everyone trying to cut off other cars. The overnight was in the Damascus Sheraton Hotel, there since many years even when I lived in Damascus in the mid 80's. The Hotel had changed little, the facade a bit more worn and faded. The entrance hall and reception exactly the same décor as before. So are the restaurants and the English Pub downstairs.

The atmosphere was very subdued, but what to expect in these times. Only very few people were visible, most of them belonging to one or the other agency of the organization. In the god old days when I was living in Damascus, during the height of the Lebanese Civil War, the hotel was crowded with all kind of shady individuals from the region on beyond. During the night, beside the strong wind rattling on some sort of shutters on the outside of the hotel, one could hear gunfire and explosions in the distance.

Damascus and Moon - Early Morning view of the Mazzah part of the city

Inside the Sheraton Hotel lobby

Getting ready for the convoy to the Golan with armoured cars

The drive to the Golan, under normal circumstances an affair of maybe 45 minutes took just over two hours this time. Once leaving Damascus City, passing a big checkpoint near the Military Airport on the road to Quneitra, immediately one could feel the change. Hardly any people on the road, no traffic and all the shutters drawn down on shops and houses. The main road completely deserted, every few kilometers checkpoints of various and dubious origins. The men, if you can call some of them even men as they seem to be in their late teens, are not easily identifiable as belonging to any government group. Only the posters of the president and the national flags flying make one assume that they are government, at least affiliated. Judging by their appearance, wearing a combination of uniforms and civilian clothes, they are either militias or secret service or mix of both or god knows what. The passage through this checkpoints is not as easy as on the road from the border to Damascus. Every checkpoint we have to identify ourselves and they demand to have a look into our vehicles. We also have to turn of the main road to use alternative routes through the countryside as the main-road is either not safe being in the firing line or in the hand of some sort of rebel group.

Leaving Damascus on the road to the Golan - near the Damascus Military Airport

A view of the Golan with Mount Herman peak and the mountain range still covered in snow

Along the way one can observe some signs of previous fighting, destruction on houses along the road and spend shell casings at many places littering the side of the road. The countryside is dotted with military positions, presumably from the government.

During the two weeks stay in the camp on the Golan, frequent firing, even close by could be heard, especially at night. Close to our camp must have been either a government artillery battery or some tanks, since when they shot at night, the ground was shaking and so were the walls. During the whole time of the stay running battles were fought in the surrounding countryside but mostly to the south of us. My theory is that it had to do with the weather, especially the temperatures at night. The camp is at about 1000 meters elevation, sitting just below the eastern ascend to Mount Hermon, whose top and ridge-lines as well a flanks were still covered with a lot of snow. Cold winds were blowing down that mountain for most of the days, and there were nights were the temperatures definitely were below zero. One morning produced ice on the vehicle windscreens and it took a while for the temperatures to rise that day, a cold wind remaining as a reminder of the high plateau the camp is on. The best thing during the two weeks was the food in the Mess hall, cooked by the Austrians. Fantastic I must say what they managed to prepare with the ever more limiting resources they had. If I take one good memory home from the Golan, it is the food, strange but true.

Shelter and defensive position on top - looks rather idyllic with the olive trees and poppy flowers in front

Our camp with the Military Police station

Another experience was to get my wisdom tooth pulled out by a dentist in a house on the Golan, about a kilometer outside the camp. I had no choice after having developed toothache over the weekend. It could not have come at a worse time, but what to do. The doctor was extremely nice, he had been trained in Berlin and lived for a while in Germany. His German was fluent and he did an excellent job removing that tooth. I won't forget that there were a couple of sheep in the yard, I had my bullet proof vest on and the helmet close by when he was pulling the teeth. Certainly one of those events one will remember for a long time.

Waiting for the convoy to go back to Damascus

On the day I left back to Lebanon, there was the sound of gun and artillery fire in Damascus even during the morning, although in the distance. It served as a reminder that this war is not finished and that the suffering for all the Syrian people will go on for a while. I can only hope that destruction and mayhem will be minimized, but looking at the news, this wish does not seem to be granted. My time was certainly an experience, personally as well as professionally. I wish I can return to Syria and Damascus in better times for a visit.

wow, we are already half through the second months of the year 2013, Chinese New Year just happens with the year of the water snake coming to light. Been back for four weeks now and having worked like a dog or whatever else you want to call it. Whatever effect the leave was supposed to have has completely and utterly worn off. I have been sick with a flu like I haven't been for a long time and work in the office with the budget was a bit overwhelming too, so of course any kind of photography has come in short. Except for a few walks through the old city in Tyre and one trip to Beirut, nothing has happened. However from my last experience traveling, I have concluded that the huge big DSLR systems are nothing good for making an enjoyable travel experience. While traveling I almost always try to avoid the bulky DSLR in favour of the more manageable Micro-Four Thirds system of the Olympus. Of course my Canon G series is my favourite all time travel camera and carry around camera. DSLR and bigger is probably great for location and studio work but with MFT systems of these days like Olympus and Panasonic and the range of lenses offered now, this seems to me the perfect match for the traveling photographer looking for the 'MonsoonLight'. I decided to purchase the Olympus OM 5 D system. Period and done.

 

What else, I will be traveling to Syria from next week until the middle of March. I am excited to go and see something different and meet new people and challenges and hopefully with a chance to catch a few good photographs from the Golan or wherever else I manage to go. What will I take with me? Probably the Olympus EP2 and 3 lenses as well as the Fuji HS 10, maybe the G-10 too. I won't take the DSLR. By the way, my expensive 70 to 200mm Sigma lens let me down again, autofocus malfunctioning. This happened already in 2009 a few month after I bought it with only a few hundred exposures and now again. Very disappointing, so Sigma, you might not see my money again. I attach a few images I took in Beirut and the Tyre Old City, maybe soon some images of Syria and some stories from there. Bye for now.

The Red House - Tyre Old City Quarter

Sunday Morning in Beirut

And I am still on leave which is good. Did not have the time to write or put photos online but will do so soon. I went a little bit of 'the Grid' sort to say, and I did enjoy that. Gadget and applications have taken over our world, becoming overwhelming at times. In this respect it was good to get some distance from all this stuff for some time, even TV, and go back to some family values like spending time together and just sitting there and talk to each other. Today I witnessed the new generation in a restaurant, father, mother and four kids, all at the same time either on FB, email, the iPad or the smartphone, very little conversation. What to say, I think eventually we will become enslaved to all this gadgets, apps and other things. I disjointed FB in summer, nobody noticed and I absolutely don't miss it at all!

so, lets see what the year of the Water snake will bring. More on my recent photos soon on an extra page that once created, I will announce individually. The only other thing I found out is that retirement is the way forward for me. So far I have taken 16 GB of photos in three weeks, with three cameras and still ongoing.

Bye for now and all the best wishes for 2013!

Another year has come to an end, well or nearly to an end as it is two weeks today that we will have New Year 2013. But then there is of course Friday, 21 December 2012 and if the good old Mayans got it right, it ends right there. Certainly we are on a downward slide if we look at most recent events around us.

Nevertheless and since I am away for a while trying to concentrate more on photography I am wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year 2013!!

Sunset in the over the Lebanese coast seen from 'Deir al Omar (The Monastery of the Moon) in the Chouf Mountains.

in Germany, not only weather wise. The first snow has fallen, enough to have to clean the driveway twice in the short time I am there. Again it snowed on Wednesday morning, for the whole day, dumping more of the 'white stuff'. It looks nice if everything clean white and bright, but unfortunately it is also ice cold and wet and icy. Then on Friday we are supposed to have temperature of about 10 plus and rain, not really nice but what to do, this is nature. The trip was not planned but necessary to look after my dad as he had a medical procedure done. I hope all will be OK now for some time to come, he is going on 83 but does not look it, even the doctors in the hospital remarked on that. This my friends, runs in the family :))

I am convinced that a healthy mistrust in dealing with doctors is essentials. From what I experienced, even hospitals and health sector in general has come down to being just a business like everything else. Every patient is viewed as an opportunity to make some money, to generate income for the 'business', in this case, the hospital. The bad side of privatization? I think so. The good old days of well run and respected Government Hospitals, were you would get an honest opinion from doctors, not having in mind the money to be made from the insurance, are gone. Even the press commented on this very fittingly last week in Germany, explaining that a study found that doctors and hospitals in Germany generally are to fast in proposing operations, backed up by statistics from the insurnces. Indeed, every operation is money for the hospital, beds to be filled, new equipment to be amortized and so on. In the end who cares if the procedure was not really necessary, or even if it goes wrong, well things happen, but nobody really seems to be concerned as long as the money is coming. I think, in cases were operations go wrong because they were not really needed, no payment should be made to the hospitals, doctors should be taken to regress and patients be compensated. Ah oh well, not in this world I believe.

 

Not much photography so far, only a bit of the last autumn colours in leaves with snow as a backdrop and Whiskey running through the snow. He has been given some medicine from his Vet and now he is much more agile and responsive. I was tempted to try it out, but then hey, I have not yet sunk so deep that I am withholding or stealing medicine from my dog! :)

 

I have to go on to visit Asia soon, I need a break and change of scenery from Germany and the Middle East. I need nice warm weather with sunny beaches and clear water, nice and smiling people around me and being able to photograph. Back in Lebanon photography is becoming more and more restrictive, I mean one has to watch very carefully what to photograph, especially in the south. Always suspicion is there of being a spy. Trouble is the last thing I need these days. So all things going well with my dad and him being in good hands with Ursula, I shall be on the road to redemption!

 

Until the next time, bye and take care all. Oh, let's see what happens on December 21, if the Mayan were right. Couldn't it be that they meant the 12.12.2012, and turned the numbers around? Would make more sense, wouldn't it? If that was the case, it is past.

is a typical food from the area of Germany I come from and happens to be my favorite meal, which I can eat anywhere anytime. Since I like food, especially eating, and have never tried to do anything with regard to food photography, so I thought I give it a try. :)

I discovered that cooking and photographing at the same time is quite challenging, luckily I did not throw my camera into the frying pan :))

It is not the Food Network, which I love but can not get on TV here. So I thought I give it a try and do one of the few precipice I know on top of my head. Her we go with what you need for one person:

• two potatoes

• one onion

• garlic (to your liking)

• bacon (a must)

• some salt

• some pepper

• olive oil

As a side dish I usually make a Tomato-Goat cheese-Olive salad which goes very well with the dish.

• Two tomatoes

• two finger slice of goat cheese (or as much as you like) cut up in cubes

• as many olives as you like

I spare you the talk about slicing any of the stuff up, just do it as you prefer it and as you like it, well except for how you have to cut the potatoes. Cutting potatoes for 'Bratkartoffeln' is a science and if I think of it, this is were I could do a PhD in. In those days when my mom was still alive and my grandfather, our family had three ways we wanted the potatoes: My Grandfather liked it in disks (Scheiben), my dad likes them in thin long slices and I like them in cubes. Actually all three ways are good, just I do prefer cubes.

Normally I throw the bacon, onion and garlic first in the frying pan to brown them a bit. I then take them out, to be added later when the potatoes are nearly ready. I fry the potatoes for about 15 minutes on a smaller flame with a cover on top. As I like them 'cross', i.e. a little black on one side this works for me. I won't go into detail on how to fry the eggs, as I said this, is not the food network :), I put them on top and cut them up as I eat. As this is food for the hard working man in the country side or in the steel mills or coal mines (in those days) the only drink that goes with it, is beer and only beer, preferably from the tap. Don't try this with wine. This is working mans food, nothing else. If you have Frankfurter sausages or Bratwurst, you can eat it with the dish. The Frankfurter's are good to cut up in small slices and throw in with the potatoes towards the end. If you like, as I do, Ketchup is allowed:)

Give it a try and enjoy!!

Ok, some of the potatoes are a bit 'cross', never mind, it gives the whole dish more character :)

This is fresh Goat cheese, organic tomatoes and Olives from South Lebanon, delicious.

MAHLZEIT!!

from Germany. Since I am back in Lebanon I have not taken a sensible image that would be worth uploading. Work has been intense, so when you come home now it is already dark, means only the weekend is left for photos. The situation is tense, a recent newspaper article indicated that foreigners are spies and photograph everything for 'the other side'. Means of course I have to be careful what I do, I don't need no problems, even I am not a dot interested in the games that are played here. Beirut is Beirut but one can feel that it is not like the other years. I will try to do more 'grafithy' photos, maybe this week. There have been shootouts in Sidon along the main route we have to take to Beirut, rockets have been fired towards 'the other side' and last night after the ceasefire in Gaza was announced the Rashedeye camp here in Tyre was awash with gunfire for about an hour. From the sound of it they threw in few round of some heavier stuff, what the heck, the sound is good they must have thought. The weather has eased up a lot, meaning it is now cool in the morning and evening, we had rain and more is forecast for this weekend. Two weeks ago it snowed down to 1500 meters. Now is the nicest time of the year, well spring is also nice, but traveling is becoming an issue, one has to be really sensitive to where one is going. Even in the Shouf, two days ago there was an incident involving the H. Therefore I am keeping scanning the situation all the time and make decisions on short notice. I think South East Asia for a week at the beginning of the new year is now a must. I have to get back to photography but can't do it here really anymore. So friendly South East Asia looks really inviting, much more then a longer stay in cold and damp Europe. :) Nevertheless, here are some more photos from Indian Summer in Germany. Otherwise all is well, so long!

All the three colours of the autumn forest - Red, Green and Yellow.

 

My favourit spot in the Garden in Germany - Weather permitting

in Germany these days. It is good to be home, nice clean air, golden sunshine with temperatures around 22 degrees during the afternoon and 14 degrees in the morning (that was last week:)). There is some fog too, also nice, not only brain fog.:)

The colours of the leaves are changing fast now, cooler air is on its way from the Arctic and northern Scandinavia. The trees in the forest still offer all the colours, green, yellow and red. Actually the first frost has arrived yesterday, and it is cold, -5 degrees Celcius, which is not bad for the end of october! It is going to be hard to go back on Wednesday, if I only could I would stay for good here. Hopefully the time is coming soon, sooner then I hope it will come, so that I can retire.

This time I am not writing so much, more photos from home. Actually I am not in the mood to say so much. For now enjoy the photos.!

I was photographing during some lunch breaks lately. At least something useful to do, just outside of my office they come every day, like clock work. There are several of them around and they look for the nectar of the big red and yellow flowers as well as the Bougainvilla (?, no idea how this flower is spelled) bushes we have around the compound. For sure some people wondered what I was doing there with my long lenses sitting on the side, but nobody asked. The birds are extremely quick and it was quite a challenge to photograph them as they hop from bush to bush and flower to flower. So far I am happy with the results, at least no bad for 45 minutes during lunchtime.

According to the bird guide this is a female Sunbird as the male birds are supposed to be have a blue cobalt like colour. I can confirm that they have a cobalt blue colour, just they are to fast for my humble equipment. This photo above was taken with a 600mm equivalent at f5.6 on the Pentax. The next one I took with the Fuji FinePix at max of about 700mm, also at f5.6. The Fuji is a great all-round camera to carry along, just the sensor is smaller and the glass not as good, but for every day photos, not bad.

I guess the image would not be good for a 30x40 inch enlargement, but for the web as well as for an 8x10 inch it is good. Since it was during lunch break, i.e. high noon, the sun is very strong and overhead, therefore some blown out highlights in this photo. So much for birds.

When I was walking in Hamra in West-Beirut the other weekend, something I like to do a lot, especially on a Sunday morning, I came across some old Film Projectors (Bauer) standing in the foyer of a building which seemed to have had a cinema in the older days. I thought they were some fantastic machines, so I took photos of them. Last weekend I went back in the hope to take some more photos and they were gone. I hope that they have been brought to a bar or restaurant to serve as decoration and not that they have been thrown away. How many people still remember the times when the film started to flicker, with the stripes and one could even hear the film running through these machines. All is so fast now. The other day I was speaking to a young colleague in the mid twenties about ways of communicating, via email, Black Berry, fax and telex. The reply I got was "What is a telex?" I was amazed and then realized that with her age she never probably had seen one. Wow, made me realize again how old I am.

Otherwise nothing much new. Turkey is looking for an excuse to start a war with Syria, and who knows the rest of the region will fall into the trap too. I think very soon we will know how things are going to be, one way or the other. Yesterday there were four jet-fighters in the skies over south Lebanon performing there manouvers and they were not Lebanese planes. Lebanon does not even have such planes, the best they can muster is a couple of Helicopters. Going home next week to work on my "end state vision" ....! Can't wait to reach that.

Nothing else, that is it for this time. Bye for now.

Update on 9 October, big thunderstorm last night over Sour (Tyre) the first of the season. It knocked me out of bed, but I got myself to photograph it, from the kitchen balcony, how exciting. I was able to take a few frames and then the driving rain made me to leave the balcony in a hurry. Not bad, I love thunderstorms and hope there are more to come this season. The ones here are not bad, but nothing compared to the ones in Pakistan during the Monsoon.

after quite some time this summer. If it gets to hot and stuffy on the coast, the Chouf Mountains are a good bet to get out of it all. Always green with a few streams running throughout the year, it was good to visit the mountains. The air is clean and fresh, actually it was so fresh up at around 2000m, that one could have used a sweater. It is normally quite up there, with great views towards Beirut and the sea, but of course today a crowed of locals spoiled the tranquility. With so much noise, no birds were to be seen, let alone any other animals. I have to come back a few times, maybe during the week as the are some great photo oportunities. In winter it would be good for snow showing or even cross-country skiing. With the recent temperatures, who is thinking of snow now. The cedar cones, that grow upwards, were in bloom and green. The really old cedar trees are majestic, wide circumfence and impressive. In the old times, when the whole mountains were covered with these trees it must have been fantastic. The smell is great, a mixture of pine forest and meditarrane vegetations and smells. Of course if one is going with friends who are not really into photography it is difficult to do some serious work. Lot's of butterflies around, which looked really pretty, but the time of the day was to late, it was already warm in they were moving all around. Certainly a place I need to come back again and again, the Cedars of Barouk.

Only few places remain were there is a real forest, most of the mountains looks like this. The even higher elevations are beyond the treeline with no or little vegetation. What can be noticed in the Chouf once driving up from the coast is the relative cleanliness as further one climbs into the mountains. One notices all the greem trash can's placed everywhere, and people seem to use them. The feeling one has up here is so different from the coastal plains, especially in the south, were one mostly feels chaos and mayhem.

The whole area is full of places to be discovered, villages, hills, forests and valleys. I think there are lot of photo opportunities there, and since the area has some tourism, a camera is not so suspicious as in the south. This week saw some demonstrations in the south, along as other cities and places in the region, but they were all peaceful and well organized. The 'H' has it all in the grip, very organized and managed. So nothing of writing about this as nothing happened during those demonstrations. In the south, the German Navy came close to the coast, sailing in tropical waters. Otherwise nothing new from the camp or work, same story all the time. Countdown to retirement is still the best motivation these days. One of my old colleagues of 26 years finally took the plunge and retired. Lucky him, wishing him good luck, don't look back or come back, it's aint worth it anymore. He and I joined a different organization then what it is now. Anyway my time will come. :)

German Navy Patrol boat sailing on the coast of South Lebanon. This is actually the view I have from the office, of course the patrol boat is not there all the time.:) If I can't complain about one thing, it is the view from the office. What I would need is a deck and a lounge chair to round of the experience.:)

Your's truly below, holding my breath to keep my belly small. :)) That's it for now, good bye.

 

the first rain in months today. Heavy rain it was for 45 minutes, totally unexpected and early. Normally, if lucky the first rains come in September, just light showers but today could be compared with a monsoon downpour in South Asia. Of course after the air was hot and humid, but it did have a cleansing effect. This was about the most exciting today and at least gave raise to take some photos. Hopefully autum is not far away anymore, kind of around the corner. Nothing else new. Taking my camera to the office every day just in case something happens. Office is the same every day.

Cattle Egret already on the way to Africa, flying along the Lebanese coast south, caught up with the first rains storm of the season. Seconds after this image, a strong wind blew him of course and nearly pushed him to the ground. Some storm for the 30 August in Lebanon.

Last weekend was horrible with regard to the electric situation. An escape to Beirut was needed with a treatment in the Hotel. At least Beirut offers some entertainment it is not so completely dull and boring as Tyre. Still it was warm and humid, for most of the time to unconfortable to be running around outside. Then there is the Hotel pool and the basement bar with beer from the tap:)) Now that is entertainment. Some photos from the modern Beirut Souk and my favourite place, Hamra. I am waiting for a bit cooler and dryer weather to engage more in photography.

Beirut Souks at night just before closing. This year there are not many tourists around, no surprise with the situation in the country politically being on the edge, kidnappings of foreigners lately and the catastrophic (really) situation with regard to electricty.

The garden of the Franziskan Church in Hamra on a Sunday morning. This church is visited by many foreigners from all over the world and is a little oasis of green and tranquility in the otherwise concrete desert of Hamra.

 

since writing last. In the meantime I have been confined to the camp for two weeks, not at a time but for a week each. This meant staying 24/7 with nothing to do in the evening as the Duty Officer work is not even worth mentioning. Of course this also meant not really any opportunities to photograph, oh well, or to use it as an easy excuse for not doing anything. Actually I managed to do some walking during this time and the rest I mostly slept or read. The weather was, and is extremely hot and humid, with the humidity being worse then the heat. Wonder how I will survive in South East Asia during the Monsoon Season (probably I won't). The chaos in the country has increased, especially in the last few days with kidnappings of foreigners being on the rise. So far this seems to be connected to events in Syria, but who knows when this will get out of hand. One thing for sure, it becomes more and more evident, the power of the state institutions exist only on the paper. In reality the state is pretty powerless. Let me descibe the situation from my view as follows: Gasoline is all over the floor and into that a person with a burning cigarette walks, unaware that there is gasoline on the floor. The question now is, will the person notice the gas or throw the cigarette on the floor first! Let me guess, we will find out sonner than later. Having been in the camp for two out of the last five weeks, I only went to Beirut last weekend to buy essentially one thing, some European style bread. In the office the all the same, the bottom is breaking away, the wheels are coming off from the firm.......

The country has started another decend into chaos the other day, let's see how far it goes this time. Photography during this time, next to nothing, to hot and the mood on the street seems not to be right towards foreigners with cameras, especially if they seem big (them camers I mean).

This photo describes the situation in the country and the firm......

 

The sun is setting on a lot of things these days.... we have to see what the next day brings.

Just in case someone be wondering, I disconected from FB, it is useless..... I communicate my stories via this page, much better.

Bye now, hope to be back soon

oh yes, as promised the electricity issue has been bad and it has been hot. As protesters are continuing burning tires on the roads accross the country, nothing new from the people who could solve this isssue. Too much money to be made, the public electricity works to be run to the ground so that they can be sold and purchased for a cheaper price, by the same people who could solve it right away for the citizens of the country. Electricity crises, water crisis, political crisis and whatever elese. It is hot and humid, with the bad electricity no place to escape. And then of course the internet crisis, broken cables and a whole country blacked out from the rest of the technology world, just like that. Come on, give me a break, what is next.

At least in Germany all is working, well not politics, the usual uneducated mumble jumble monkeys at work. If it wasn't so serious, one could say that the Muppet Show was more serious than what is on offer in this country as politicians. I rather have Fossi bear and Kermit runing this country than what is happening now. Lord have mercy, one can only hope that the citizens wake up one day and kick those useless wasters out. A real hard kick in the behind would be nice and needed.

Photography is slow, very slow these days. Don't know what is happening, I think I don't see right. Let's not talk about work, I am feeling sick already. Even the police is a shadow of what it was before. It is downhill all the way for a lot of things looking in retroperspective.

Puppets for parliament, I think politics today is from a Stephen King novel.

At least one positive thing, both images above were taken with the new Olympus 45mm/1.8 lens (90mm in 35mm film terms). Although not impressed by the lens itself when I took it out of the box, I had expected a 'metal' lens and not a look like metal lens, I must say the quality so far has indeed impressed me. Both photos are taken at 1.8 Fstop and are right on and sharp.

Bye for now, more later if I feel better.

The summer mayhem has begun. Last weekend all the power plants in the country malfunctioned, all of them at once. Yeah right, when the really hot weather arrives all of  the plants just suddenly stopp working. Well ok then....

It did not take long and angry people started taking to the street, blocking roads and highways with burning tires and barriers. Understandable, temperatures over 30 degrees, hight humidity and not even a little bit of city supplied electricity, oh yes, tempers run high. So with tempers runnning high, it does not need much of a spark to ignite something more. Sporadic fighting in the north, Beirut, Sidon and even at the Al- Rashediye camp south of Tyre. In the north and Sidon, some people (Palestinian get killed unfortuanetly), quickly this could develop into more, very fast. The delicate balance maintained can be upset so quick, a spark at the wrong time.......

Yesterday the road to the office was blocked with burning tyres as well, took over two hours to reopen. The just layed new tarmac got damaged immediatly, but I have to say, by this afternoon the roadcrews had it alreadt fixed up again. The road from Tyre to Naqoura is really nice and smooth now, no problem to take a Ferrari for  spin. The threat against the publich beaches is still ongoing, or rather to use the correct term, against the vendors at the public beach for selling alcohol, well at least some of them. Fundamentalism is creeping into this corner of the country, something that was not heard of before. The perpetrators of the bombings late last year and earlier this year against restaurants in Tyre have been identified according to reports in the local press. Religous fundamentalists, that are supposed to be hiding in the Palestinian camps according to the press. Something else has creeped up as well, another reminder of the not so distant and not so good past in the country, ther threat to kidnapp foreigners, perptrators to be then same direction of people that did the bombings. Particual interest are, again according to the local press, be on foreign troops from France, Italy and Germany. Mmhh does not sound good, one will have to keep a close eye on this.

Not much photography going on, to hot outside to run around. Only the early hours of the morning at dawn or the dusk hours are somewhat comfortable. Early morning is not really my thing :) unless I have something really in mind. What shall I say, the blue hours or the soft late afteroon light I do like better :) In addition to this, I feel that some restaraint has to be excercised in Tyre re photography. Not that it is not possible, but one has to evaluate the situation well......

Even we are getting ready to be able to assist in case the bush is going to burn again this summer. The new Heli crews are training with the bucket for fire fighting. At least that seems like something sensable to do. Travel is in the air, to commence soon. Well nothing else to report right now and here, maybe more after this weekend. Bye for now.

this weekend. The weather has gotten now hot and humid here at the coast, so it was time again to go up into the mountains. Since many areas in the country here are not really 'safe' to visit anymore, especially up north and to the east of the Bekaa Valley, there is only the Chouf Mountains or the Metn or Cedars north of Beirut. Since the Chouf is closer by, it cost less nerves driving there. I said less nerves but it still costs nerves to drive, it is incredible how people can change if seated in a car. For most I'd say they should use a bicycle or walk but no cars or anything alike were they can hurt someone else or even themselves. Regularly my blood pressure is going through the roof when on the road with these people, Lord have mercy.

Anyway, besides all these harrowing stories of driving it was a usual nice up in the Chouf, having lunch at the Mir Amin Palace Hotel. It was quite but it was the Saturday, so many people came only later and there were lots of tables vacant and the pool was empty as well except for a few sun worshipers. The food, as always was excellent and the scenery and atmosphere is serene. One can see the heat of the coastal plains and on clear days in winter the sea from the pool side. I think an overnight at this hotel is more than due. The temperature were nice, a breeze and no humidity.

I wonder how long we will be able to travel freely in this country. The eastern desert is heating up and a hot wind is blowing into this direction. Tripoli has not really come to rest again and little things happen here and there. When is the spark going to fly that will ignite this, the atmosphere is very conducive. We can only take it one day at a time, hoping that nothing happens in the country and outside and that the southern neighbors do not decide to come and visit again, uninvited as they are. With all these things going on, these neighbors seem to get itchy feet and the engines are being warmed up on their tanks. Next weekend I have to decide to go to Byblos or come back to the Chouf but go higher up to the Cedars and the ridgeline, should be cool there. End of the months I am going back to Germany for 2 weeks, active holiday for changing the heating and painting in the house.

As always I also stopped in the "Monastery of the Moon" (Deir al Omar) to have a drink and this time ice-cream in Al Midan at the town square. Some of the images are from there, many of the photos shot with the Leica Summicron 50mm. It gives nice results but sometimes the focus is off, even using the EVF. So should I buy the Olympus 90mm? I am very much tempted, the price came down. I do like shooting with the EP2, it brings many things of the Leica M days back into my photos but it is not the same.

I wont write about the office, as usual nothing worth mentioning. I am still debating about trips to take next year, Asia seems to become a favourite. Japan in spring for the cherry blossoms sounds real good, so planning and logistics are starting now. Turkish Airlines has a good connection and the price as for now is not bad, even Business Class that I could treat myself to.

'Afternoon light in Deir Al Omar - Going home from work. According to the newspaper, over 30000 Syrians left the country in the last few days or week. Wonder why, who told them and what? If things are happening here I want to be in the country, so going now out is not really my favorite but it has to be done. I'd rather stay and wait for the things that might come, but hopefully wont. Strange, I don't want thins to happen, but if they will indeed happen, I don't want to miss them. I guess I have been to long touring the world and still look for adrenaline.

Beautiful light coming through this window in the Mir Amin Palace hotel. What a place, I certainly have to stay, at least once.

Otherwise all is good, head still working:), all is well. For this week this is all, Good Bye.

And again, another two weeks past without much action on the photo front. The weather has become warmer, but it is still bearable without air-conditioning, as long as one keeps the windows all open so that a breeze can come through. At the office things come and go, nothing exciting, one day blends into the other. Fighting started again in Tripoli yesterday, a dozen or so people dead and even more wounded. What for, it is so senseless. It seems that the sectarian divide in this country is breaking open again, the flashpoints being the north and Beirut. Down here in Tyre, and the 'hinterland' it should not be a big issue, since there is really only one confession dominating the towns and villages. Here the big danger is in my opinion the complete breakdown of the government  in Syria, which will no doubt have sever repercussions in this place as they are so dependent on each other. If Syria goes, the link in the chain is gone and it will fall down from both ends. There was a 'credible' threat yesterday against the 'public beaches' in Tyre. Don't know how you threaten a beach, but they should rather engage in cleaning up the mess on the beach and its environs instead of "threatening" it. What probably is under threat from some religious fanatical idiots is the way people coexist here, still, were one can still live and let live. I am asking myself more and more where this people who are behind of all this have been wired wrongly. Is there any help for them to become normal??

But then on the other side, some little hope, as one can see some improvement in the old city quarter of Tyre near the port. Always a bit enchanting, except maybe during the humid and hot days at the peak of summer, new paint has appeared on houses and restoring of old houses is going on. The cobble stones in the streets have been made new and even the wretched beach in front of 'Al Fanar' has been cleaned. Not bad, and a little sign of hope, which is so much needed.

Come on, it really looks good and the guys making looking good really work hard. Since a few weeks now this project is going on, every day a bit more. Lot's of colours, I would hope that the whole area would be renovated like this, it looks nice and inviting.

Below are some photos I took in Beirut for the Graffiti project I am running for myself. There is some really good stuff out there, some which with I could not agree more. The photos were taken with my Canon G10 and the Fuji HS 10, which I decided to get out of the bag and use again. No comment for the Graffiti photos, they are speaking for them self and the young people of this country. But then it is up to these exact young people to not let this country go to the ruins (again) and stand up for what they see is their future.

As usual, it has been a while since I last posted something. Except having been in Germany for 5 days, nothing much has been happening.

The turmoil in the region is continuing, despite all the efforts of the organization, the situation is not improving, actually it is getting worse. More people have been dying every day in Syria, our colleagues becoming a target too. The reports from there are not good, so even here we do not know what the future brings. In Tripoli, in the north of Lebanon, fighting has started amongst various factions as well. Will it spread to the rest of this country, we don't know but of course there is always a possibility. Therefore, in order to be prepared, today we had an evacuation exercise. It started at 6 am and went on for three hours, with participation  of civilian staff and the military. Although many smile about it, for me it is indeed good to practice, same as with everything else. Of course this gave me an opportunity to use the camera again, which I had not really done so in the last three weeks, with the exception of the reception in Germany.

The security section and everyone else was very well prepared, and in order to ease the pain of getting up early a bit, coffee, tea and even croissants were provided. In addition some lectures about relevant themes were held to all participants, all of which was very well received. Though we know, if the situation escalates and reality will always be different then the exercise.

I choose to convert all the images to black & while, as I like it much more for such a theme, gives it more seriousness which it deserves.

Our military colleagues were also on board to protect the venue and of course to participate as they will play a major part in any evacuation. It is easy for us civilians to leave, but these people will all have to stay. On another note, I will stay too, since I am essential staff. All in all everyone participating in the event was very professional.

In the meantime, nothing more to report really from the last weeks. The weather is getting warmer, sometimes already humid. Office wise same, same. I have to get the cameras out again, I am not doing much photo wise. My photos from the reception in Germany were all shot with the Olympus which was very efficient and I am quite happy with the performance. Also, to be honest, will I always be happy with the performance of any camera ?:) I am still waiting for "The Camera" and "that photo", but that is what keeps one going. Last night when going to the Phoenician restaurant in the old city of Tyre, I noticed a lot of improvements made in the infastructure of the christian quarter, roads repaired, houses painted, all looking very good in the low sun setting. The Al Fanar restaurant with it's deck right at the sea and the sun setting in the west over the water is a magical place. Let's hope the magic continues for a long time to come.

Guarding the landing site and the exercise venue. Thank God it was early morning and not yet hot and humid. Lot's of changes from the days when I was wearing uniform and doing similar things, albeit not in the same region and same climate. But then, it is still the same principle that is followed, just one is getting older and the soldiers are always the same young people as in my time. I just hope none of them will pay the ultimate price ever. Until the next time to all of you, Good Bye!

this weekend on Saturday. Usually my visiting time is Sundays, but since friends had been in town I spend two weekends in Beirut. What a difference a day makes, Sundays are so much more sutler than Saturdays. Also  nice for most to the times, on roads in cars the inhabitants or most of them become maniacs, out to maim and kill anything in their way. Traffic is horrendous on Saturday morning, let alone any other weekday except Sunday.

As such I had my finger pointing and fist-shaking just by trying to remain calm and drive defensive, let alone the thunderous honking if, for a second only, one reacts to late at a traffic light. To all of you Lebanese drivers, relax and cool down, you ain't getting anywhere faster anyway. It all seems to be something like “being in a hurry to go nowhere to do nothing” and taking huge risks to do so, not only to themselves but to everyone else as well.

"The Bear, a man's shadow?"

It is now two weeks since I returned from Germany to Lebanon, the weather was all-right, not to hot and humid yet. It was a busy two weeks, time fly’s, wishing the next four years til retirement are going to be as fast as possible and as quite as possible. The whole time was dominated by the situation in Syria and our contribution to be given in the form of assets and manpower. Will it succeed? We'll see, I think it depends a lot on the powers that are, if it will be allowed to succeed or not. I do have my doubts that a fair chance will be given to the men a women involved in the endeavor to achieve and observe a truth in Syria. If one is really interested in the situation, turn a way from the MSM, only some alternative websites and blogs seem to describing whats really happening in the country. What a shame that change shall destroy and kill so many people, especially if the outcome is not what most people really want.

'Old Building in Ashrafieh in East Beirut'

Photography has been slow, nothing during the weeks, to tired only a few images here and there on the weekends. Today the weather has turned cloudy with slight rain possible. I have to start thinking (actually I have started thinking) on what major project regarding photography and travel I will do this year. Slowly a plan is coming together, thorn between somewhere in Asia or North-America. Actually I need to travel to South-America, a place I have never been. Montevideo sounds great, this name has a ringing in my ears since many years (“Montevideo Rain”), I can dream about it without having been there.

"Still rebuilding the Beirut that the war destroyed, constructions sites everywhere"

is something I have to come and dislike lately. Last Sunday was the perfect example why travel has

been a nuisance. First the train was wrongly labeled causing total confusion, then we had to change the

carriages all together before we could leave. In Frankfurt Lufthansa had to change the gate three times before

the plane was ready for boarding. Next was that the third runway was closed, causing additional delays. Then

of course a passenger was missing and when that finally was sorted out, the cargo door would not close

and could only be closed mechanically by Lufthansa Technicians, meaning a technician had to be found to fly

to Beirut. It finally arrived and after only two hours delay we were able to leave. This episode convinced me again

that travel is a nuisance.

 

 

 

is a place I feel more and more happy to be. It is getting more difficult each time to leave, going back to the countries I am currently residing in. It took me the better of 30 years to appreciate home. 10 days are very short for a leave, but at least I know where I be for the next few weeks, bringing me closer to retirement. :)

At home it is raining now, 10 degrees, maybe 12 and quite comfortable. One still needs a good jacket to venture outside, whereas back 'there' it is getting hot and soon humid too. Oh well, I have endured it for so long, a few more years shall be possible, the sad thing being that I am getting older to reach retirement. Whiskey has a great retirement here in Germany, all the attention and food he needs, close to the forest and the fields. Lucky him to getting 13 years of age soon, nearly half of which he lived in Germany now. I wonder if he misses Pakistan sometimes, like I do.

This is him with his 'New York Jets' collar he got in 2009.

The Cherry blossoms are coming out now even here, despite the cool and rainy weather. Would of course have been much nicer if it was warm with sunshine.

A view of 'Home', the little peaceful corner between the forest and fields. More and more houses are being build but that is the sign of the time. Still for now there is place for nature.

The are was once only a large field and nice for skiing but that is many many years ago.

since some time now is the old steel mill that formed part of the heritage in Dortmund. Since the mid 1800 it was an integral part of the city and contributed a lot to it's character and 'flair' of Dortmund being a working town in the Rhein-Ruhr district. Not only are all the steel mills are gone, so are the coal mines that went hand in hand with the stell mills. The following photos are of a remenant that has been left for museum purposes and is rotting away slowly, sourounded by all the new and 'smart' technology that is springing up around the place. We will see if the new and smart will last as long as this place did, certainly it does not add the same to the town it ones was. Sourounding the mill were lot's of pubs, the working mans watering holes, all gone. It will take a while for the area to pick up again and become prospeous, at least the 'Rust Belt' image is not there as it was taken appart by the Chinese who numbered every piece, dismanteled it and shipped it to China. I wonder if they are looking for these parts :).

This image was taken with the EP2 and the 90mm Summicron, probably at F2.8 and then quickly post processed. Some of the 90 Summicron images are a bit soft, the 50 Summicron is much better (or so I think).

Again, the 90mm Summicron at F2.8, the ambient light was dark (clouds) and the interior of the old production hall was dark as well. I used post processing and some booster on the colour side.

Also 90mm Summicron and post processed to convert into BW. With the EVF on the EP2 it works well if the light is not to difficult. MFT gives a reach with the 90, making it a 180mm at F2.8 which in itself is not bad.

This one was with the K5, as a JPG and not the DNG since I have no RAW processing software with me.

Also this one is with the K5 at 24mm, post processed JPG. Will have to see what I can do with the DNG once back home.

I can't believe that the day after tomorrow I have to go back to Beirut, more and more I feel I need a change. Except for the weather, nothing is better there.

in Germany this year started with temperatures of just 1 degree in the morning, but a clear sunshine. If it would have been warmer it was the perfect morning for Easter Sunday. Church bells in the distance, the sunlight was coming from the east, striking the tulips on the dining room table.

I had to take out the Olympus and the 50mm Summicron, at F2.8 with some post processing and I love the result. It could be that this combination turns out the be my favourite for some time. A walk throught he decidious forest at the back of the house proved to be very refreshing, no soul in the forrest, just Whiskey and me.

Days like these make me looking forward so much to retirement, can't remember on these days were I work. Even just around the house in the forest, there are so many scenic motives to be found, one just need to take the time and explore a bit. Whiskey is getting old now, but he still enjoys very much to go out and about in the forest, meeting other dogs or just sniffing his way around. When we come home now after an hours walk, he just flungs himself on his blanket and sleeps, no much running around anymore.

The weather report for tomorrow is not so good, so it was excellent to explore today. Hopefully I will have some time later in the week to go out again if the weather is not to bad and I will try out the EP2 with the 50 and 90 mm Summicrons.

yet, snowshowers this morning at around 2 degrees. Whiskey was very happy to see me, maybe he is wondering to what places I go when I disappear and when I come back. He always is very intensly smelling on my pants etc. wondering were those odors come from (so do I:))

I am getting tired of flying, it does not have the buzz for me anymore as it had 20 years ago when I was looking forward to it. I rather would take the bus now.

I received the converter from Leica M to MFT and tried it with the Olympus EP2. Above photo of Whiskey was taken with the 50mm Summicron at F2. I must say so far I am pretty happy with the results of the photos using the god old Leica glas. Also with the EVF on the EP2 it works well, but I have to get used to manual focusing again. I checked it out on the 90mm lens which became a 180 F2.8, very decent results too.

Photo of my dad working on the dining room table. Taken with the EP2 and the 50mm Summicron at F2 or 2.8 and then converted into BW. I think the combination of EPP and the Leica lenses give excellent results. One reason more not to purchase the M9 or even the Fuji X1 Pro. During my week in Germany I will check out this lens combination extensively. Would like to have wide angle capability with Leica glass as well but don't have any lenses. All my Leica glass will translate in to telephoto (70mm, 100mm and 180 mm).

 

since I last wrote something. Nothing much has happened, the office is as usual. I have had made more trips to Beirut but not beyond. I spend some time on the coast just off Naqoura as beautiful flowers have now come out after all that rain and the recent beautiful days with sunshine. Parts of the coast look like a green carpet with yellow dots, very beautiful. It has been quite warm in the last few days. The swallows have returned from Africa, that means that spring is here. It is amazing, one day and they are all back, literally overnight. I have ordered a converter for my Olympus E-P2 for the Leica lenses and I will see how they work together. I do really miss the way and handling of the M series Leica, a little bit I can do with the Olympus but it is just not the same. Beirut still offers a lot of Graffiti and I shall explore the walls of that city more. Some of the future plans include a trip to the Holy valley (Wadi Qadisha) which I really would like to explore extensively.

 

 

 

This is a view of the coast with Tyre in the background. From a distance the city always looks like this metropolis rising from the sea, like as if you view Manhattan from the Jersey Shore at Sandy Hook. Once you come closer you know it ain't true. The water is really nice and blue, but further up the coast the first rubbish dump appears and the water get polluted when part of it collapse into the sea. The coast could really be quite beautiful if properly taken care of, but that is one thing that is missing here, appreciation of the beautiful things, preserving something and making it available to the rest of the community without making a business out of it.

This is the edge of the old city of Tyre, with the Roman and Phonecian ruins, or better part of it, in the foreground. Some effort has been made here to restore some of the old houses which actually have turned out very nice. Part of the old city is actually very quaint and charming.

This seem to be the last storm of the season, coming from the south, at least weather wise. All-right then, the weather has cleared up, at least, the first warm days have been upon us. In the south, the warm weather has lead the loonies to start a spring offensive it seems, testing the ground for more to come? Spend the weekend in Beirut, walking around in "Hamra" looking for Graffiti to photograph. There is some  great Graffiti in this city, both artistic and political. Of course I also enjoyed the Coffee houses, sitting and watching people passing by. There is such a variety of people in this city, well in this country. It appeared as if spring is here. I thought that spring possibly had arrived, but winter made a small come back since yesterday and it is raining again and has  become colder. The week passed quickly, lots of work. Need to get out and do some serious photography again.

This last week the weather was mostly miserable. Although it started nicely from mid-week it mostly rained, sometimes longer, then only showers. If it had not been so cold, one could have called it 'Sweet Rain' but there was a gusty wind most of the time too. At the end of the week, it even snowed down to 300 meters, with the beach in Sidon being coated by some sleet and hail, something that had not happened in many, many years. On Sunday there were two big demonstrations in Beirut, pro and contra the Syrian regime, but until evening there were no reports of any problems, thanks good. The various lunatic leaders in the region are still beating the drums of war like some morons. The looney in the south, that's were the clouds are, was speaking of wiping this country of the map. Lot's of people ripe for the mental asylum in the world these days, especially politicians.

Not much of photography this week, still to much to do otherwise. Looking forward to more productive days ahead. As I always say, I need no new camera but more time to take photos. So long and let's see what next week will bring.

Tyre Corniche after a heavy rain storm

A crimson sky over Tyre or Sour as it is called by the local population in south Lebanon. Events during the last week in the region have not been good. The killing of people in Syria is continuing, with every side providing the information that is most advantageous for them. Where this will end we don't know, but a feeling in the stomach tells me it is not looking good. All eyes are on the events in Syria and Iran, although the surface is calm, like the sea this week.

Weather wise the week was quite, after a long period of rain, the first few days that had a hint of spring. This morning there was some rain, 'sweet rain' as I call it, just to wet the flowers and plants and keep down the dust. Photography was slow this week, to much focus on report writing for the office. Maybe today I can add some photos from the region or around Tyre.

Winter in Lebanon this year has been colder and more wet then the previous years. Snow has fallen abundantly in the mountains, the plains have been inundated with rain and wind since the beginning of January this year (2012). So far for the weather, but what about a political storm coming to this country, making its way from the eastern deserts of Arabia? Certainly we will be watching and listening and looking for the signs that this storm is approaching, signs for the 'weather' to turn bad, the sky to darken and thunder and lighining to appear. If it were only for the metrological thunderstorm, it would be fine. Winter Storm Beirut