Weekly Photo Challenge: Renaissance Barcelona Rooftop Terrace

This week’s photo challenge is all about state of mind, so I thought I’d skip way ahead in my travel writing and give you a glimpse of my time in Spain. The Renaissance Barcelona Hotel has a stylish lookout point built into its 8th floor. It’s nice, quiet, and comfortable. If you’ve been walking around the city all day, this is the place to go; you can bring your dinner upstairs, relax on the beds, listen to the chill music (they were playing a remix of Diana Ross’s “Love Hangover” at the time), and get a decent view of downtown. That’s assuming, of course, that you’re a hotel guest; you need a room keycard to access the elevator. A larger version is viewable here.

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Roman Bus Stop

Just a random moment while I was exiting Sant’Ivo alla Sapienza. The color of the wall, the afternoon shadows, and the nonchalant fellow just seemed to work perfectly together. A larger version is viewable here.

View From Castle Hill, Nice

After spending all day walking around Nice, I realized that it was time to start heading back to the bus and Villefranche. On my way out along the coastline, I came across the Ascenseur du Chateau, AKA Castle Hill. I looked at those stairs with a little trepidation; could I climb this gorgeous landmark and still have enough time to make it back to the meetup? Turns out I did, and the effort definitely paid off…A larger version is available here.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Pier 7 Reflections

Here’s one of the last photos I took during the Global Photo Walk in San Francisco. This section of the waterfront is the other half of the view from Pier 7, long after sunset and most of the other photographers had left. Larger version is viewable here.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Waterfront Reflections

Here’s one of the last shots I took during the 2015 500px/Fujifilm Global Photo Walk in San Francisco. Part of the city’s waterfront has a nice, quiet section decorated with benches and hanging flowers, but few tourists notice it. This was taken on Pier 7, and you can see the top of the illuminated Ferry Building on the left. Larger version is viewable here.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Ghirardelli Cable Cars

This week’s challenge calls for symbols, and here are two of the most prominent ones in San Francisco: Ghirardelli Chocolate and cable cars. Both have a rich and storied history in the city, and are two of the many things people associate with it. I’ll admit that the desserts are delicious, if overpriced due to brand recognition. As for cable cars, well…they’re over-hyped. They’re limited to very specific areas of the city, the tickets are expensive, and the lines are ridiculous. I’ve rode one only once from Aquatic Park to Powell Street, after which I realized it’d be faster for me to walk/hike the route instead of waiting. Once of my great uncles was an architect for Ghirardelli Square, so I find it somewhat interesting. This photo, however, was taken at the mini-store within the depths of the Westfield downtown. Large versions also available here and here.

Weekly Photo Challenge: San Francisco City Hall

This week’s challenge calls for a symbol, and no symbol is more prevalent these days than the rainbow flag. I actually skipped the huge celebration that happened after the historic ruling was announced; huge crowds and parades are definitely not my kind of thing. I waited a week and visited when things quieted down. As for what it means to me, I already wrote about it.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Divisadero At Dusk

This week’s challenge is all about stuff being enveloped, and I remembered a particularly spectacular February evening in San Francisco. This was taken at the very end of Divisadero Street, by the marina. Not only was the sunset amazing, but the clouds coming in seemed to swallow the city whole. Large version available here.

Municipal Pier Panorama

Fun fact: I’d never been on San Francisco’s Municipal Pier until about a month ago. Lots of fishermen, bikers, and gulls. A shame that large portions of it are fenced off due to disrepair. Great view from the opposite end of Aquatic Park, though. You can see the Balclutha, the Transamerica Pyramid, and even Coit Tower in the distance.

Sing Chong Building, San Francisco

Whenever you see photos or art of Chinatown, this one always shows up eventually…