Category: Urbanicity

Images of architecture and urban fragments from around the world.

Square September: Pink

Becky’s September square photo challenge begins today!  She would like us to share photos which embrace ‘pink’ –  there could be pink in the photo, the subject or photographer could be ‘tickled pink’*, or indeed looking ‘in the pink’*.  A photo that manages to do all three things is the ultimate offering.

Can’t get much pinker than this shop window display in Paris, with the added pink frame. It certainly caught my eye.

*‘in the pink’ means in perfect condition, or in good health, and ‘tickled pink’ means delighted.

September Squares | Pink

Ocean Drive

SoBe (South Beach) in Miami, Florida is famous for not only its white sandy beach and turquoise water, but also the well-preserved Art Deco buildings, the relaxed life style, the restaurants and beach cafés.

Some people commented on my Miami photo that they would love to see some photos of the South Beach architecture.

On Ocean Drive outdoor cafés give you a ringside view of all the action.

I had a lot of difficulty actually photographing the buildings as there are a lot of obstacles in the way. There are a lot of parked cars, moving cars, pedestrians and restaurants along this road.

Not to mention palm trees! I had to stand on the pavement / sidewalk opposite to try to get the buildings in frame, but it wasn’t easy and the perspective is easily distorted.

Art Deco decoration
Curved window grills
Flamingo outside the Tropical Café

But I hope this photo essay gives you a feel of the place. With the sugared almond colours, the cubic shapes, the curves, the barley twist columns and the decorative patterned features. And the fabulous windows, especially those corner ones on the Congress Hotel. And opposite all this busyness is this…

leading you to the sea.

~wander.essence~ photography

June Squares | Roofs

It’s the end of June and another 30 day challenge from Becky.  ‘The Life of B’

A difficult decision as to what to post for my final roof. Should it be one of the most magnificent roofs in the world – The Taj Mahal? Or a simple slate roof with a dovecote on top? Or what about a Chinese pagoda style roof? A glass roof? Cruves? Red tiles? Round tiles? Another tin roof? Or the roof of a car.

So many choices. So many still not posted.

I’ll go with these splendid red Norfolk clay tiles and the sumptuous sail-capped roof of the Cley windmill. Where you can have a meal, or even stay in the windmill itself. Rent the entire place for Christmas with the whole family if you like. You get great views over the Cley marshes towards the sea and the bird life in winter is magnificent.

I hope you have enjoyed the month of squares and roofs. I certainly have and it has been great fun sifting through the archives and discovering just how many roofs I actually have. Once again thanks to the wonderful Becky for hosting this fun challenge. I can’t wait to see what she has in store for us in September. No pressure Becks 😀

June Square | 30th June

home thoughts from abroad

Home thoughts from abroad is a new series on Travel Words featuring a single photograph that reminds me of a country visited and showing something that uniquely identifies it as being ‘abroad’.

“Commonly referred to as the “Greenwich Village of Geneva” I had to take a bus out to Carouge crossing over the river l’Arve to see this interesting suburb of Geneva for myself.  It really is a village, designed by Italian architects and modelled on Nice. I got off at the terminus and walked back along the main street absorbing the architecture, the secret courtyards, the shabby shutters, the mix of grocery shops with high price boutiques, workshops and restaurants. Markets and fountains. My most abiding memory is of fountains and flowers and shutters…”