Today I met up with my dear friend and sister Kayla to celebrate the winter solstice. We decided it would be fun to check out Graffiti Alley in downtown Toronto to get some fun photographs before getting some dinner. This one-kilometre stretch of alley became legitimized in 2011 through the efforts of the Queen Street BIA. It’s now a tourist attraction and fun place for us locals to check out every now and again.
Girl at the Crazy Bunnies
Even though it was late in the day and sun was about to set there were still quite a few people in the alley and almost everyone had a camera in their hand or were posing for a photo.
Hockey in Canada
The art here is absolutely amazing and some look like they are glowing with their bright neon like colours. From chicks with sticks to gorgeous murals of people, there is always so much to appreciate here.
Mother
Course there I had to get a shot of myself with some of the art. (Thank you to Kayla for pressing the shutter button for me)
Me and Graffiti
And then it was over. The short stretch of art stained walls leave some wanting to see more but with the sun about to head down for the day it was time to move on and grab some dinner. If you’re in Toronto check out Graffiti Alley for some exceptional art.
A short train ride away from Lisbon is the city of Sintra. Located on the west side of Portugal, Sintra was once a summer retreat for the kings of Portugal. There is a lot to see and do here and certainly not enough time in the day to do them all. I limited myself to three locations hoping I could tackle them all in the time I had.
When the train pulled into the station I wandered out into the streets to find the local bus that would take me up the hill to Pena Palace. By starting at the top I could walk down to the Moorish castle and then into the heart of Sintra to Quinta da Regaliera. It was best not to look out the windows as these experienced drivers whipped up the hill along narrow, twisty streets.
National Palace of Pena
Arriving safely (thank goodness) at Pena the photos I had seen did not do it justice. The unique architecture and colours of Pena Palace and Park are an example of Portuguese Romanitcism. Built in the 19th century it is one of the more popular spots here in Sintra and one can see why. Reds, yellow and blues merge together to create a one-of -a-kind castle. And, of course, the views from this far up ain’t too shabby either.
Looking out over Pena
The crowds here were crazy but with a little patience I was able to get a few shots during some of the lulls. From the castle I walked down into the palace grounds. Pena Park, as its known, is very large and unfortunately I did not have enough time to explore much, but I did get some time to see a small portion of it.
Fountain of the Small Birds
This moorish building is called the Fountain of the Small Birds. Inside its structure is just that, a fountain. As for the small birds I did not see any but I”m sure they visit here during the quiet times. Heading out of the grounds I walked downhill to the Morrish castle. From its walls one can see Pena Palace in the distance. And it is quite a sight.
Pena Palace From the Morrish Castle
In my next post I’ll take you through my walk at the Morrish castle.
I was playing with a new lens I picked up from the Henry’s sale bin. The Nikon 35-70mm; an older film lens that I just had to purchase. Fitting on my extension tubes I got this shot of pencil crayons.
Sympony of Colour
I’m mulling over a new project having to do with colour so stay tuned for more colour centric photos (it may be awhile as I’m still figuring out the details).
