Light Out, Yorktown, Virginia

As the sun sets and the light of day fades, street lights begin to glow along the river.

Cowabunga

Highland cattle ignore a paraglider in Denmark, where David Bengtsson seized an opportunity to capture his airborne friend while his camera captivated at least one onlooker. “Great memory from a great summer day in Denmark,” he writes.

February 2015 Theme Day: What Would I Miss Most

Ohne Frage. Ich würde meinen Garten am allermeisten vermissen.

There's no doubt that I would miss my garden.

February CDP Theme Day: what would you miss?

February already! This month's City Daily Photo community's Theme Day is: if you had to leave forever the city from which you usually post, what would you miss most?

Ah... well... VDP would really miss this beauty and its huge grounds to roam in! This is the palace's royal alley seen from Apollo's chariot basin just under two weeks ago, on a rare sunny day! To view all takes on this month's theme, click here! Happy February everyone!

Déjà février ! Le premier du mois est jour de thème dans la communauté des blogueurs City Daily Photo. Ce mois-ci, le thème est : "si vous deviez quittez à jamais la ville de laquelle vous postez habituellement, qu'est-ce qui vous manquerait le plus ?"

Eh bien... cette beauté et son immense parc ! C'est évidemment le château et son allée royale vus depuis le bassin du char d'Apollon il y a un peu moins de quinze jours, sous un rare soleil hivernal ! Pour voir toutes les contributions du monde entier au thème, cliquez ici ! VDP vous souhaite un bon mois de février !

Refinery, Yorktown, Virginia

The refinery at the mouth of the York River quietly goes about its business, oblivious to the beach-goers nearby.

Gullible gull

What a gullible gull! I told her I would feed her fish if she posed prettily for the camera. She believed me! Most gulls in The Villages know better!

10. Theme Day - What would I miss?

If I had to leave Sydney forever, what would I miss? I have canvassed a range of regrets I would have should this occur, until it finally dawned on me that I would miss Sydney over three-dimensions. On a 2-dimensional axis, I would miss the centre of Sydney: from Sydney Cove in the North, to Central Station in the south; from Macquarie Street in the east, to the shore of Darling Harbour in the west. But adding a third dimension is the crucial element for me, and that is time. I would miss my search for understanding the people and places of my city through time, from 1788 through to 2015. And what better place to ponder all this history than on the shores of Sydney Cove, where European settlement commenced. Kicking back with a Stonefish Riesling, and a Roast Pumpkin, Macadamia nut, and goat's cheese salad, watching the myriad of vessels plying their trade under a summer sky.

To see how other City Daily Photo bloggers have interpreted the Theme Day for February, follow this link.

Jet Set

Though many coastal places around the world are at risk from rising sea levels due to climate change, Florida is one of the most vulnerable. Here, powerful water jets keep pleasure-seekers aloft in Biscayne Bay, near downtown Miami. They’re the latest toys in a city that embraces an exuberant aquatic lifestyle, even as rising seas threaten its long-term survival.

See more photos from the February 2015 feature story “Treading Water.”

Learn more about George Steinmetz's trademark technique of photographing from a motorized paraglider on Proof.

Cheap Trick

Sydney Ferries - the Super Cats

There are only four vessels in the "Super Cat" ferry class: the Louise Sauvage the Saint Mary McKillop the Susie O'Neill, and Super Cat 4. The top image shows the "Louise Sauvage" coming in to berth at Circular Quay. The lower image shows "Super Cat 4" motoring past Admiralty House (the Sydney Residence of the Governor General) on its way to Watsons Bay. These four ferries primarily run the Eastern Suburbs route, F7, which includes Elizabeth Bay, Double Bay, Rose Bay, and Watsons Bay adjacent to South Heah. These four vessels entered service between 2000 and 2001. Susie O'Neill was an Olympic swimmer. Louise Sauvage was a paralympic wheelchair-racer. Saint Mary McKillip was a Roman Catholic nun canonised in 2010. Then, I guess they ran out of names ... or something!

See the other ferry posts in this series: Sydney Ferries - First Fleet Class Sydney Ferries - More First Fleet Class Sydney Ferries - The River Cats Sydney Ferries - the Super Cats

Salt of the Bay

“I’m fascinated and drawn to these shapes and colors at sunset,” says Jassen T., who captured this aerial image of a salt marsh in northern California’s San Francisco Bay. “It’s a very unique and photogenic area.”

Coleman Bridge, Yorktown, Virginia

The Coleman Bridge spans the York River from Yorktown to Gloucester Point. To accommodate large naval ships and cargo barges, the middle spans rotate on the two large, round columns in the middle. Despite its functionality, it is attractive bathed in the late day sun.

Weekend Reflections: la petite Venise

Branches and the sky are reflected in one of the old windows of 'Little Venice' restaurant in the palace grounds for Weekend Reflections. VDP had shown you the restaurant, and told you about the history and origin of the name here but had yet to eat there. Not bad, the cod was actually pretty good!

Des branches et le ciel sont reflétés dans l'une des vieilles vitres du restaurant la petite Venise dans le parc du château pour les Reflets du Weekend. VDP vous avait montré le restaurant, et conté son histoire et l'origine de son nom ici mais n'y avait encore jamais mangé. C'est désormais chose faite : pas mal le cabillaud.

Syeney Ferries - The River Cats

This post shows three River Cats into and out/off Circular Quay. Most ferries seem to back out of the wharf, do a u-turn (uie)out in the middle of Sydney Cove, and then charge of on their route, in this case the F3 to Parramatta. I think that numbering is Gladys-speak, Gladys being the transport minister in our state government. There are seven low-wash catarmarans in this class of ferry. They came into service between 1992 and 1995.

The three ferries shown here are: the Shane Gould, the Evonne Goolagong, and the Marlene Mathews. The others in the class are: the Betty Cuthbert the Dawn Fraser the Marjorie Jackson, and the Nicole Livingstone. Each is named after a famous Australian sportswoman. The styling is nowhere near as attractive as the First-Fleet class of ferry.

Fire Flies

“These homemade and handheld ‘pistol fireworks’ are used at the Gion Matsuri festival at the Yoshida Shrine in Toyohashi City, Japan,” writes Hidenobu Suzuki, who shared this picture with our Your Shot community. “The festival takes place on the third Friday in July.”

Colorful Jellyfish, York River, Yorktown, Virginia

We came across this colorful jellyfish in the York River and could not resist taking his photo, particularly since he posed so well.

The western shoreline

Photos by Lois Anne.

Reflections - Spanish Springs

9. What wouldn't I miss? Private cars in the CBD ...

Top shot I took Sunday just gone, when the mercury tipped 35C. From the Pylon Lookout, facing south looking along the Bradfield Highwy. Two historic shots below: first by Max Dupain in 1938, second by John Tanner in 1956. Both show vehicles streaming south from the bridge. I wanted to say that I would not miss Sydney's traffic snarls, but as I no longer drive but go everywhere by public transport, this may seem self-serving. What I dream of is a city so well-serviced by public transport, that individuals no longer take their private car through, or into, the CBD. Park the vehicle at a hub 20 kms out, and train/bus in and out. IMO, the CBD should be for the use of pedestrians, and cyclists. And light-rail, whenever that comes. So, should I have to leave my be-lov-ed city, which I will only do in a box, I will not miss the bumper-to-bumper cars endangering the lives of pedestrians. And so we come to the 10th post in this series. I know what it is now, but it only occurred to me this morning. I've been pretending to be Bach, what with my theme and variations. Shall reveal all this coming Sunday, Theme Day. Back to ferries tomorrow.

Alpine Oasis

Summer night falls over an alpine meadow stippled with wildflowers in Italy’s Gran Paradiso National Park. In a busy country on a crowded continent, Gran Paradiso’s unspoiled landscape is an arcadian oasis.

See more pictures from the February 2015 feature story “Paradise Found.”

Expo BD : Hermann à Versailles

Last weekend, VDP took her Dad, who is a great amateur of historical comics, to this year's comics exibition at the town hall. It is devoted to Hermann, one of the greatest! VDP will show you some of his works tomorrow so that you can be judges of how fantastic an artist he is!

Le weekend dernier, VDP a emmené son père, grand amateur de BD historiques, à l'expo BD 2015 à l'hôtel de ville. Elle est dévouée à Hermann, l'un des maîtres du genre ! Demain, VDP vous montrera certaines de ces œuvres.

A short film allowed to watch the artist at work, absolutely fascinating to see the ink wash painting and watercolour techniques!

Un film permet de voir l'artiste au travail, c'était absolument fascinant de voir les techniques de lavis et d'aquarelle !

8. What wouldn't I miss? Our ignorance of historical significance ...

The top image was taken from the far-eastern end of the Cahill Walk, as soon as I alighted the lift from the quay. I am facing west. The bottom image was taken during 1931. The bridge itself has been constructed - now for the fit-out and approaches. It is one of the images displayed in The Pylon Museum, which is worth your attention. There are 200 steps, and walking is the only option. As a Senior, it cost me $8.50. But only bother if there are NO cruise ships at the Overseas Terminal! So, why do I feel a need to whinge about our collective ignorance of historical significance? Sydney Cove is the birthplace of European civilisation in this city, nay, this nation. And LOOK how we honour it! (Must remember not to overdo the exclamation mark in this little rant.) Sure, Sydney has always been a working harbour, and I respect the history of our harbour, and the people who have worked it. But really what we have here is a developmental pig-sty. Once the Cahill Expressway cut across the head of the cove in the mid-'50s, the die was cast. The First Fleet anchored out there. Captain Arthur Phillip raised the Union Jack 50m behind me. The convicts pitched their tents on the left. The soldiers, and military bureaucrats, pitched theirs on the right. And today we have el-cheapo eats, not-so-el-cheapo eats, buskers, convenience stores, ice-creameries, and assorted stores purporting to flog mementos to gullible tourists! If I had to, or chose to, leave Sydney, I would not miss our attitude to the past. But this attitude, is a national characteristic, I am afraid.

The Freight Shed, Yorktwon, Virginia

The Freight Shed provides a picture-perfect view of the York River and Yorktown through its massive glass windows. It is a popular site for weddings and other events.

Spiritual Revival

Best friends Ha‘a Keaulana, at right, and Maili Makana dive under a wave on their way to a surfing spot near their hometown of Makaha on Oahu, Hawaii. Like generations before them, they visit these waters almost every day to refresh both body and spirit.

See more pictures from the February 2015 feature story “Pure Hawaiian.”