The Route of the Magi

The Route of the Magi, originally uploaded by Canadapt.

"For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage and bring gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh."

On the eve of Christmas, my best wishes to all of you!

Tryst

Tryst, originally uploaded by Canadapt.

O thou, my lovely boy, who in thy power
Dost hold Time's fickle glass, his sickle, hour;
Who hast by waning grown, and therein show'st
Thy lovers withering as thy sweet self grow'st;
If Nature, sovereign mistress over wrack,
As thou goest onwards, still will pluck thee back,
She keeps thee to this purpose, that her skill
May time disgrace and wretched minutes kill.
Yet fear her, O thou minion of her pleasure!
She may detain, but not still keep, her treasure:
Her audit, though delay'd, answer'd must be,
And her quietus is to render thee.

Shakespeare's Sonnet #126

Senhora Lucilia

Senhora Lucilia, originally uploaded by Canadapt.

Senhora Lucilia is the eldest resident (94 years young) of Casal de São Simão, an amazing village in the mountains in the interior of Portugal (north of Lisbon, south of Coimbra, west of Castelo Branco). If you are looking for an opportunity to see the real Portugal and its people then I highly recommend a visit here. It is a photographer’s dream come true with amazing mountain vistas, beautiful nature walks with sunlit canyons and fast water, rural landscapes and working farms - and, of course – warm and friendly (and photogenic) people everywhere. If you are interested - contact me via Flickr mail and I will connect you with the proprietors of a brand new house in the village that is available for rent to folks like you and me. Those into clubs, fast night life, getting sunburned on beaches and playing golf all day long need not apply - however, if you want tranquility, great food (and wine) and a genuine Portuguese experience don’t hesitate to write me.

Three Amigos

Three Wise Men, originally uploaded by Canadapt.

On the way to Montsanto, Portugal we came across “these three wise men.” I broke out of my comfort zone a wee bit and did more people photos on this trip than I usually do … it was great fun but I have so much to learn about people photography. So many wonderful Portuguese faces to capture … these three amigos were a fascinating array of 'looks' and I hope the image captures some of their character. The red hydrant, staircase railing and conveniently located green bush and shadow to balance and frame the three village elders was a nice bonus.