Mowin the Moat

Mowin the Moat by Andy Roth on 500px

Lets say you have this cool castle surrounded by a mean moat. Then someday maybe you want somewhere for the kids to kick a ball around, or maybe you are getting pressure from the Castle Owners Association, and you decide to take out the moat and put a nice lawn in its place. Isn't it great? Look how luscious and green it is. But then, who is going to mow that thing?

Atlas and Friends

Atlas and Friends by Andy Roth on 500px

The problem with posting pictures 2+ years after you took them, is sometime you forget some small details. Things like "what is this thing and where exactly is it." I thought it was on top of a museum in Trafalgar Square, but Google has not allowed me to confirm this. I can't deny it either. Maybe I should go back to London to find out. That is, if it does not get destroyed by aliens on Christmas. Again.

Dimension of Sight

Dimension of Sight by Andy Roth on 500px

I don't remember anything about St Martin-in-the-Field, other than the fact that it is not in a field. I don't even remember this window, to be honest. I took this picture, so I must have seen it. I do somehow know that this is what the window really looks like - there was no Photoshop trickery involved. I don't even have Photoshop.

Save the Clock Tower

Like the Opera House in Sydney, visitors to London are required to take a picture of Big Ben. There are many other pictures like it, but this is mine.

Reflections of Reykjavik

It has now been over two years since I took this picture, and when I reflect back on Reykjavik, I remember it as being familiar in the way that cities are familiar and yet alien in the way that Iceland is alien. How it managed to be both at the same time, I do not know. I do know I miss it.

The Blue, White and Red

The Skogar Folk Museum started many decades ago when a guy called Skogar (or maybe that is the name of the town, or maybe Skogar is Icelandic for Awesome) started collecting things. He collected pretty much everything, including buildings. This was one of those. I think it was something historic. I guess that is why they have museums, so people can remember stuff about the past, but obviously it did work for me. I do remember it being more fun than I expected.

Layered Existence

If I were to name this picture today, I might call "The Little Church on the Island" because this church at Vík is something lots of people point their cameras at. In fact, it is even on the front of the guidebook. I wouldn't be me if I took the standard shot, so instead you get this.

Dark Reflections Two

We never did agree why the sand was black, but if we ever go back, we'll be sure to find out. Meanwhile, the only thing as blue as the blue of the sky was the blue of the reflection of the blue part of the sky.

Bird Bath

Remember in the last post when I said that the trail went to somewhere good? This is where it went. It led to a small outcropping about 2/3 of the way up the falls, so close that you were in mist zone. I think the lesson here is that taking the steep and difficult trail sometimes really pays off. The other lesson is sometimes rocks look like faces, especially when birds perch in the eye sockets. You can this even better in this other picture of Skógafoss take from the same spot.

To Climb the Next Hill

Climbing a steep hill can be no easy task. What makes it easier is when someone from the past has gone to the effort to make a trail, and has cut steps into the hillside. I can only imagine who did this and how much work it was. Though I did not know where this trail went, it must go somewhere good because why else would the trail-makers make a trail to there. I took the climb after taking this picture, and it was well worth it. Thank you to the mysterious Icelandic people who knew where they were going.