World Series of Poker

A friend of mine placed in the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas so I showed up to watch it all go down. The event was held at the Rio Hotel and was packed with some high-profile poker players. Sadly, I didn't recognize any of them at the time or I probably would have been able to appreciate it more. At the time, I only got interested because my friend was playing. Now I know that at the very least, I saw Humberto Brenes.

When I walked in the room where the World Series was taking place, it was eerily quiet and all you could hear was the nervous shifting around of chips. It was pretty interesting to watch as some people emerged victorious and others left upset and empty-handed. I think the initial buy in for the WSOP was $10,000. Oh... and my friend didn't win but he went out, guns blazin' aka ALL IN!

Afternoon Warmth

Warm light. Dark shadow. The reflection of the apples in the window. There's just something about this picture for me.

Click on the image to enlarge. The smaller size honestly doesn't do the details any justice.

Long Day

ThisClose

This picture of Tom Cruise is a little dated, it's from the movie premiere of "Mad Money" starring his wife, Katie Holmes along with Queen Latifah and DIane Keaton. I was actually pretty sick and had gone into Westwood Village to a drugstore to get some cough syrup and other fun stuff when I realized the premiere was going on. I usually have my camera with me. Yes, even to go to the drug store. I wanted to go home and just sleep but I thought, OK, I'll give it a couple of minutes just in case "they" arrive and then be on my way. Well, in less than 5 minutes, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes showed up in their SUV to the sound of screaming fans.

She is skinner than I thought and very tall and you could tell he was trying to hang back and let her have her moment. I thought it was actually quite nice. You'd think a star that big would always want the spotlight but he seemed happy letting her do her thing. At one point, he came over to the other side of the street where the fans were hoping for a closer glimpse, from behind barricades. He started at one end of where the fans were and walked down clear to the other end -- at least a city block. He signed autographs, posed for pictures and was actually very calm and kind to everyone. I snapped this picture just because he was thisclose and then went home and went to bed!

Click on the picture if you want to see Tom Cruise's pores.

The Great Escape

Wispy

Poop Cam

Seriously.

Let the Light In

Side Street

Follow Me

Enchanted Light

Become the Sky

Up, Up and Away

Hancock Place, or John Hancock Tower as it is more commonly known (or even just The Hancock), is an icon of Boston and is reportedly the tallest building in New England. The 60-story skyscraper stands at almost 800 feet and its exterior includes more than 10,000 reflective glass panes.

The Hancock Tower was designed by I. M. Pei in the 1970's. He went on to design the Pyramide du Louvre.

I just thought the shape of the building was interesting and I how reflective it is.

Did You Guess Right?

The answer to yesterday's post... it's a lampshade!

Guess What

Take a guess as to what this image is of in comments. I will reveal what it is in my post tomorrow. Good luck!

Don't Fence Me In

"A Wise Passiveness"

To read my other posting about this mosque, click here.

Time Goes On

Paris's Musee d'Orsay is one of my favorite museums in the world. Well, at least of the ones that I have actually visited. I enjoy it much more than (gasp!) the Louvre. I love the collection and I also love the building itself.

The museum replaced what was once the Gare d'Orsay, or Orsay train station, which originally opened in 1900 across the Seine from the Jardin de Tuileries and the Louvre. You can tell just by looking at the museum from the outside that it's not an ordinary building and once you are inside, you can still see the remnants of the former train station including this massive clock. And yes, it still works.

Bloody Moon

Watchful Eye

The Joy Of Music

Raging Inferno

Southern California is ablaze and the world is watching. I took this picture with my cell phone while I was driving on the highway. I didn't have my camera with me so I had to use my last resort. The sun was a bright, Crayola crayon red. I have never in my life seen the sun this color. Since the massive wildfires broke out last weekend across Southern California, the sky looks eerie and yet colorful at the same time. Some places you go, there is an orange glow while in other parts it's a blanket of black. It's disturbing and surreal. The image really doesn't do it justice but at least it's something.

Gum For Sale

This little Ecuadorian boy came up to our breakfast table outside a restaurant in Quito as we were eating. He was tiny and had a small, plastic basket hanging around his neck selling equally tiny packets of Trident gum.

Of course we bought some from him, we would have regardless, but there was something that stood out about this little boy. He had a sparkle in his eyes and a lot of personality for a person so small and I wanted to remember him. The funniest part of our interaction was whenever I would take a picture of him (I asked first) with my digital camera, he would lean over to see the instant results. Every time.

A Whole Blue World

Better Than Ice Cream

I shot this picture in Quito's Old Town, or as the locals call it, El Centro. UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site in 1978 and rightly so. You can spend quite some time wandering through Old Town's narrow streets looking at one beautifully restored colonial building after another, people watching in one of the magnificent squares or sitting deep in thought inside one of the glorious churches.

The people milling about Old Town are just as diverse as Ecuador itself. An old-fashioned ice cream cart operator will be on the same street as a young Ecuadorian off to school or work or an indigenous woman carrying her child on her back.

Click on the image to see more details.

One fish, Two fish

To follow up yesterday's post... the image I posted was of a Puffer fish! Thanks to all those who guessed either in comments or via email.


The animal is named as such because it puffs up with water or air when it becomes alarmed. This unique looking fish is also known as a blowfish or fugu and is served as a risky delicacy in Japan, China and the U.S. The puffer fish is poisonous and even though in restaurants the poison is removed, there are cases where it still manages to linger and kill people.


There are dozens of varieties of puffer fish worldwide. Oh and yeah, they're sharp! To see the images in more detail, click on them to make them larger.

Figure it Out

Can you guess what this is? You can click on the image to see the details. I'll reveal what this picture is of in my post tomorrow.

Heading Out

"At length did cross an Albatross"

White Teeth

Asleep on the Job

There is a highly-regarded market north of the Ecuadorian capital in the town of Otavalo. It takes about 2 hours to get there by local bus but once you do, you see some gorgeous handmade crafts. The huge, outdoor artesan market is known throughout South America for its variety of goods and every year draws tourists from around the globe. Don't go if you're afraid of haggling.

I went on Friday which is not the day that everyone hypes as the day to go. That is Saturday when they also have the animal market where people come to buy livestock. I opted to not go on the really crowded day which made the experience much more relaxing... and for some working there maybe a little too calming.

Darwin's View

Blue-Footed Beauty

So... I am back from my trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. The region is truly inspiring and the Ecuadorian people are wonderfully kind and so hospitable. They are on the US dollar there which made life quite easy and even their electricity is the same voltage as in the States.

The Galapagos is an awe-inducing archipelago located about 600 miles from mainland Ecuador. It's amazing to be in a place you have studied in school and that helped form one of the most groundbreaking scientific theories in history.

The main draw of the Galapagos is its wide variety of plants and animals that are endemic to the island chain. The blue-footed boobie seen in these pictures is not exclusive to the Galapagos but they are omnipresent. These gorgeous creatures are noted for their striking, aquamarine webbed feet.

Click on the images to make them larger.

On Vacation....

Hey all! I will be on vacation for a little while but I will be back with tons of new and hopefully improved pictures!!
xo GT

Look Up

The Galeries Lafayette is a legendary luxury department store in Paris and one of the city's most popular stores. What I like about it is that all these new clothes, purses, shoes, etc. are all housed in this stunning, Art Nouveau building. The structure is one of the city's heritage sites because of its unique decor. Perhaps the focal point of the building, and the one part of it I always make a point to see when I am in Paris, is it's ornate, colored glass dome. Just walk to the cosmetics section and look up.

Click on the image to see what I mean.

Coastal Calm

Click on the image to enlarge.

Stair Light, Stair Bright

Bicyclette sur Seine

Click on the image if you'd like to see more details.

God's House

The Hassan II mosque in Casablanca is an impressive and massive site. The woman who took us on the tour said the mosque cost $800 million "that we know about." Seriously.

What really struck me about the mosque was its intricacy, it was clear a lot of time and effort went into its conception and construction. The house of worship was built right on the Atlantic Ocean. It is so calming being there looking at the elaborate architecture while listening to the sound of the waves crashing into the barrier wall outside.

Click on the images to see the details.

Fetch

Like Sweet Morning Dew

I shot these photos outside my house one recent morning because I was captivated at the size of the dew drops and how they seemed so strong and so soft at the same time. If you click on the images, you'll see the larger versions. You may notice some sunlight poking through the dew drops. The clarity varies depending on the dew drop which I never really thought about before until I looked closely at these pictures myself. There is also a sweet, tiny flower just resting on one of these massive leaves, almost as if it is waiting for the day to begin.