Drinking fountains are a great place for people-watching. I am always surprised how many people loiter around even after they have their bottles filled. Especially when there is a long queue behind them.
Day 168 – By a fountain
Category: People
Day 152 – Toddlers
We had lunch today with some friends who have been blessed by 1-year old twins. Although incredibly cute, their energy is a little overwhelming. However, they are such a pleasure to be around with – there is something magical about that stage of toddler’s life when just walking around is a major adventure.
Day 144 – Baos, friends and a beer or two
Johannesburg nightlife has apparently improved a lot in the last few years. There is a whole host of neighbourhoods and little pockets of buzz, that have never been part of the city scene before. Not that I would know. We are in a bit of a hibernation phase – happy to snuggle up at home or meet friends at their houses. And when we do go out, we tend to frequent the places we know.
Again today, I decided to make a more of an effort in the future. Old friends can take you to new places. Thank you Sid!
Day 131 – One Year Ago
The South African side of our family is passionate about Highland Dancing. Stuart’s sister, Hayley, has her own dance studio in Cape Town – and the niece, Robyn, has won the SA Championship (under 15) several times – this year being no exeption. Therefore, the SA Championships in August is a major event, with the entire family descending on us.
The day is always a lot of fun, but due to travel, work and life in general, I was unable to join them for the event itself. However, it did get me going back to my photos from year before. And because these were better than any pictures I snapped on this date itself (by a long mile), I decided to make an exception and post pictures from exactly a year ago.
If everyone knows about it, it ain’t cheating.
Day 127 – Eyes wide open
When Stuart and I started dating, he once told me how I made him see the nature in Johannesburg differently again. I was childishly excited how there are flowers blooming around the year – and commented on it non-stop. He had lived here long enough not to see it anymore.
We all need to be reminded sometimes to see what is around us. Luckily there are children aroud. Children and foreign visitors.
Day 125 – A Mistake
Today’s photo is not the best of the day. (My last day in Rome…). In fact, it was (and still is) a bad photo in many ways – overexposed, badly framed and lots of ‘noise’ in the picture (The cars really bother me). I am still not sure why I kept editing it over and over again, and trying to make it work. Something in it just spoke to me.
It’s still not the greatest of photos. But the story it tells is a story so very typical to Rome.
Day 121 – A Man and a Cigarette
In one aspect my trip to Rome has been a bit of a disappointment: I wanted to practise my people photography skills and maybe do some street photography. However, my patience ran out quickly. It is practically impossible to take a picture involving people, without everyone being glued into their phones, either taking photos or messaging – and this includes the nuns(!) Only today, as I strolled quite far from the tourist area into a local park, was my fate in humanity restored.
Day 120 – La Dolce Vita
Unlike Venice or even Paris, Rome has the feel of everyday life everywhere. Even in the most touristy center, tucked in the narrow lane between two monuments is someone’s laundry drying from the window, and someone’s grandmother keeping a careful eye of the comings and goings on her street. The pulse of real Rome.
Note the grandmother of the street on the right…
Day 107 – Restaurant Theatre
I enjoy the ‘drama of cooking’. And I don’t mean the drama of MasterChef (although I really enjoy that too!). I love the chefs who are proud of what they do, and willing to take that one extra step to make the experience of eating special – even if it is just flambéing the calamari at the table.
Day 102 – Bar, Birthday and Black Forrest Cake
Friends’ birthdays make good excuses to go out and try new restaurants. Joburg is going thru quite a restaurant-boom. New (an often even good) places pop up faster than one can visit. Especially is one also enjoys cooking at home.
God mojitos, huge cake, and buzz of conversation – Happy birthday, Ridhima!
Blue Moment 