New York City day 7 and 8 by Niklas Lindskog

Hi!

This is my final report from this trip to the US of A. It was day 7 and 8 in NYC, Thursday March 14th - Friday March 15th.

Travel log bullet points:

* On Thursday, I followed the advice from my host Francisco and went to Harlem and Washington Heights. Great weather finally, about +17C and sunny!

* I walked north on Amsterdam Ave from the apartment in the 100s and passed by Columbia University a second time this week.

* Turned right on Harlem's "Main Street", 125th St. Walked and photographed my way over to the East side at 3rd Ave.

* Then I turned 180 degrees and walked almost all the way back.

* Stopped at a Shake Shack for a burger and a strawberry milkshake for lunch as recommended by fellow Progressive, Michael Kennedy. Now, I can also recommend this chain, the food was really great!

* Got the subway up to 168th St in Washington Heights and walked further north to 181st St along Broadway. Walked a crosstown block or two east and found an avenue with an interesting name: St Nicholas Ave! My kind of street, so I followed it south around 10 blocks before making another 180 degree turn and got as far as 191st St before finishing off the day with some shooting in Times Square.

* Friday was travel day, but my plane was at 7 pm. So, after I finished packing my bags, I did a short streeting trip toGrand Central Station and walked from there to the United Nations building. Just a couple of hours.

* Went out to Newark airport early to avoid stress. That part of the trip went smoothly, although the +22C was a bit wasted when hauling lots of luggage, it just made me sweat more...

* Had a meal at the SAS lounge and wrote the previous blog and edited the photos for this one.

* We sat 4 hours in the plane before taking off which resulted in me missing my connecting flight. Got rebooked and that flight was delayed too. But I did get home safe and sound about 6 hours later than planned.

So, this is the end of the travel blog for this time! Thanks to anyone and everyone who had the patience to look at my photos and read my scribblings!

Hugs,

Niklas

My Birthday Discovery By Cristian Cuomo

At the threshold of forty years I felt it necessary to realize one of those dreams for too long kept in the drawer.

So I decided to rely on a group of unknown guys, a tent, a sleeping bag and a camera.

The wait was long, the many doubts, the expectations many more, it is August 17th and Tanzanzibar discovery is about to begin.

Twenty hours have passed since I closed the front door, hours spent between taxi seats, train, flights and waiting rooms but it is already August 18th, it is 5 am local time and the impact with the Kilimanjaro’s international airport immediately makes me understand what is Africa, the essential, poorly organized and hakuna matata.

We load our luggage from the window of a bus visibly tired to grind miles, I take place side window right with my fuji polished to ready to capture the first moments of my trip but I'm wrong side because here the commonwealth has brought three things: the language, the egg for breakfast and the right hand drive.

First stop Arusha a city where the chaos is the master and unfortunately I will have to see for a few hours but enough for me to understand that this is the Africa that I want to know. Arusha puts tension on a white tourist even in the day let alone in the evening. The hotel is on a road full of traffic made up of cars, jeeps, buses and pik-ups overflowing, carts and moto-taxis, of people selling anything at every useful place, but especially colors confused by the dust that leave you stuck .

Africa is color and must be told. With the utmost discretion start making the first timid shots. There everything has a price (one dollar), even a photo.

I do not remember his name but he is one of the first who welcomed me at the exit of the hotel. He wore a beautiful and colorful shuka maasai, he wanted to sell me marjiuana but he was not lucky but I gave him my first 5000 shellin because he sang a Swahili song that would later become the soundtrack of our journey "Jambo Bwana".

It's a welcome song and starts like this: Jambo, Jambo bwana. Habari gani? Mzuri healthy ...

The next morning the journey to the safari begins. Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro, Serengheti (Seronera), Serengheti (Lobo), Lake Natron. Lots of beautiful creatures unmindful of the continuous visits, so much savannah with its quiet, its landscapes and its silences disturbed by jeeps that like crazy ants roamed in search of predators.

On this traveling trip to northern Tanzania, the connecting roads and the few rest stops were the moments when I began to observe and reflect on what we call civilization or Western lifestyle and the questions were not lacking.

I asked myself whether it is right or not that, in reality millenarians, like the Maasai, where pastoralism is the main source of sustenance, a child must learn the craft and shape himself to be useful to his community or follow a process of schooling that allows him to aspire to a different role within the same. Perhaps both but probably one excludes the other.

Africa asks you a thousand of these questions and often you find yourself at a crossroads that creates a stall of thought and views.

The journey continues between dust, red earth, colors and landscapes in which the eye is lost along with the thought.

Ten days have passed and tiredness begins to be felt ...

It's time to collect our things ... gift my most beautiful pen (a BMC software gadget) ...

... and start again.

Zanzibar!

Zanzibar in the imaginary is the island with white milk beaches, palm trees full of coconut, breathtaking sunsets and a sea of a thousand shades of blue. Yes, of course this is absolutely true, but it is also the island where African and Asian culture come together in a mix of colors, perfumes and inevitable contrasts.

Zanzibar is also and above all what you cannot see, what enchanting and comfortable resorts hide in the eyes of tourists. And I saw like that.

It's time to go back home, to everyday life, to a different photograph of asphalt, steel, cement and glamor windows. Goodbye Africa.

New York City day 6 by Niklas Lindskog

Hi!

Here's a short report from day 6 in NYC, Wednesday March 13th
Travel log bullet points:

* Met up with fellow street photographer Barry Levy (well known admin in the Pure Street Photography group on facebook) at noon.

* We found a café and chatted for about an hour.

* Barry lives in Providence, Rhode Island and had traveled down to New York to meet me! We met also on my previous trip to New York in November 2017. Barry's a former professional photographer and really nice guy, very generous with sharing his knowledge and it was very interesting to hear his life story and his views on current American politics.

* We got some street photography done after heading down to the World Trade Center and Wall Street area.

* We had lunch and chatted some more in that area. An Irish pub with all the decorations up for incoming St Patrick's Day celebrations.

* We walked the short walk up to Chinatown and criss-crossed some streets there looking for shots before getting some nice Chinese tea at Barry's favourite teap place.

* Suddenly it was already evening and Barry and I said our goodbyes.

* I hurried back to the Upper West Side just in time to have dinner with the friends I'm staying with.

Hugs,

Niklas

Nieuwe bewegwijzering by Ruud Dumas

It's happened a long time ago!

It was in march 2012 and I was there by chance.

I saw a lot going on, so I was triggered to go there and take pictures.

At that time I was using a Nikon D3100 with a 18-105mm kit lens.

Home: Alkmaar, The Netherlands

Age: 48 years young

Profession: Customer service employee

Calling in life: Photography

Hobby: Photography, music and art

Last book read: Siddharta by Herman Hesse

Last Accomplishment: No accomplishment

Favorite quote: Laat het leven op je afkomen zoals die komt, anders komt hij toch niet (dutch quote) Let life come at you as it comes, otherwise it won't come

Profile: mainly black and white, interested in people (street or portrait)

Favorite drink: Baileys

New York City day 5 by Niklas Lindskog

Hi!

A quick summary of day 5 in NYC, Tuesday March 12th.

Travel log bullet points:

* Started off with a bad night's sleep, which laid the base for a day with a bad feeling. Just tired and uninspired throughout the day. But I did go out to shoot anyway, and I'll show you some photos.

* I took the subway to Williamsburg in Brooklyn. Walked som side streets, but mainly I followed the elevated train tracks along Broadway. Williamsburg turned into Bedford-Stuyvesant at some point.

* Got on the subway back to Williamsburg and then another train to Greenpoint, also in Brooklyn.

* Had a nice pizza in a proper restaurant for lunch.

* Did quite a lot of walking and shooting in Greenpoint, but it got to the point where nothing felt interesting any more, so I decided to call it a day.

* Had a great dinner with the friends I'm staying with.

The photos in this blog are all from Williamsburg and Bedford-Stuyvesant. The photos from Greenpoint will have to be edited some other time.

Hugs,

Niklas

New York City day 3-4 by Niklas Lindskog

Hi,

A quick summary of day 3-4 in NYC, Sunday-Monday March 10th-11th.

Travel log bullet points:

* On the Sunday it was raining. I also felt the need to stay away from my camera. Instead I went to The Whitney Museum and saw the Andy Warhol exhibition. It was fun! Maybe a bit too crowded, but still fun.

* After that I took a crosstown walk to Strand bookstore and bought three street photography books.

* Had a nice dinner in an indian restaurant with my friend Francisco.

* On Monday morning the weather was the warmest so far, +11 celsius. I felt invigorated after the rest day.

* I took the long subway trek out to Brighton Beach. Walked there for a while before taking the 20 minute walk on the beachfront to Coney Island.

* Had two Bacon Cheese Hot Dogs at Nathan's for lunch.

* Went back to Brighton Beach for more streeting before deciding to go to Williamsburg in the afternoon.

* When changing subway line, I realized that an accident of some kind had stopped all trains of the line I was going ride. Instead I just went out into the street and started shooting where I was.

* This was Fulton St in Brooklyn and I followed this street towards downtown Brooklyn.

* Had a slow cup of tea in a cool café and read my ebook.

* Returned just in time to have a nice dinner with the friends I'm staying with.

The photos in this blog are all from Brighton Beach, except the one with the balloons, which is from the Upper West Side. I've saved the photos from Fulton St and downtown Brooklyn until later.

Hugs,

Niklas

New York City second day by Niklas Lindskog

Hi!

Here's a short report from my second day in NYC, Thursday March 9th.

Travel log bullet points:

* Started the day by taking the subway to Astoria, Queens.

* Walked under the elevated railway at first before going first west and then east on Broadway which was perpendicular to the subway.

* Found a lively street called Steinway St and turned north.

* Got a great and healthy lunch at a Moroccan place when the neighborhood had turned arabic.

* Crossed the mighty Astoria Blvd and turned west again to reach the end of the subway line at Ditmars Blvd, in a greek area.

* Took two subway trains to Jackson Heights, where I went twice on my previous trip in 2017. Just as then, I concentrated my walk to Roosevelt Ave, but also went on som treks on side streets and parallell avenues. All the way, Roosevelt Ave is mainly latino, but interestingly, just a block away on a side street it turned indian or chinese.

* Got the subway back in the evening. My friends.went to a party, so I had a quiet evening mostly by myself.

The photos in this blog are all from Astoria, I've saved the ones from Jackson Heights until later.

Hugs,

Niklas

New York City first day by Niklas Lindskog

Hi!

Here's a short report from my first day in NYC, Wednesday March 8th, International Women's Day.

Travel log bullet points:

* Woke early in my DC hostel top bunk, 5 minutes before the alarm went off and got a shower.

* Got breakfast and met Randy Pace, who sat down next to me. He turned out to be yet another photographer and photography teacher. We could only talk for a short while, since I had to get going so I wouldn't miss my train to New York.

* Had a relaxing train ride and got a cab to my friends' house on the Upper West Side.

* After chatting with my host, Michael, I went out on a photo walk.

* I started out walking north on Columbus Ave and turned left and passed The St John the Divine Cathedral on my way to Columbia University. I've never been there before and thought it was about time, this is my 6th trip to New York after all!

* Turned south and followed Amsterdam Ave and Broadway all the way down to 48th St in Midtown. On the way I passed the beautiful architecture of the Lincoln Center.

* Got the subway back for a nice dinner and chat with my friends.

Hugs,

Niklas

Washington DC third day by Niklas Lindskog

Hi!

This is from my third and final shooting day in Washington DC, Thursday March 7th..

Travel log bullet points:

* Went back to my favourite lens, the Zeiss 25 mm.

* Walked to the Dupont Circle area and did some street there for quite a while. Found some boards painted green, with holes in them which made for a nice background. Passed that spot several times and got a shot each time.

* Had an "artistic" pizza for lunch.

* Took the subway to Arlington cemetery and saw John F. Kennedys grave and also the grave of the unknown soldier. And of course many other graves....

* Walked the town center a while, rounded the FBI headquarters for example.

* Got back to the hostel for an early evening.

To sum up this first half of this US trip, I really liked Philadelphia for street photography and as a city to visit in general. It feels like a city very much alive. Even in the cold weather, there was much happening in the streets. A little bit like a smaller version of New York. Washington DC, however I found difficukt for street. Not much life goes on in the streets, especially in the center with all the big concrete buildings.

Hugs,

Niklas

Washington DC second day by Niklas Lindskog

Hi!
A short report from my second day in Washington DC, Wednesday March 6th..

Travel log bullet points:

* Woke at 8, so I think the jetlag is now officially over!

* Wrote the previous blog in the morning and got out at 10. Put on my 55 mm instead of the normal 25 mm I've used so far on this trip.

* Walked to Union Station and did some street there for a while. Had an early lunch there as well.

* Took the short walk over to the Capitol building and got in on a free tour of the place.

* Strolled down the "Hill" to the National Museum of the American Indian and saw an exhibition about the treaties made between Indians and Europeans,

* Streetied my way back to hostel as the evening grew dark.

All in all more of a tourist day than a street photography day, but I managed to squeeze off a few shots...

Hugs,

Niklas

Washington DC first day by Niklas Lindskog

Hi!

This is what happened on the first day in DC.

Travel log bullet points:

* Got out the door at around 9 am, walked Massachusets Ave northwest. Turned south after a few locks and turned up unexpectedly at......The White House. Sat on a park bench and reflected for a while. It sure is very white! :-)

* Walked south to the Washington Monument, then west to the World War II and Lincoln memorials. Big empty spaces with not too many people around in the chilly weather.

* Walked north to reach more normal city streets. 9000 steps on my Samsung Health app at 10.45, so I refreshed myself with hot black tea and two donuts at a Dunkin' Donuts in a George Washington University food court.

* Missed a potentially great shot in the Stripes category. Of course matching street crossing stripes with a strpey sweater is a very basic cliché, but this time there would have been a colour match as well. The stripes, both on the sweater and the ground was pink and white. Not black and white. I stalked the woman for a while, hoping for another pink/white crossing, but they were all the usual black/white.

* Left the poor woman and turned west and walked to Georgetown. This is a more small scale part of the city with some houses dating back to the 18th century. Walked the major roads up and down and went down to the Potomac river to look at the view.

* Got a great burger for lunch and took a bus back to the hostel.

* Backed up photos and wrote and sent the Philadelphia blog and got a nap before heading out in the evening.

* Walked to Chinatown and got the subway to Columbia Heights to see something different. Felt like a normal town there. Got the subway back. There were a lot of people about, who turned out to be lining up to see Fleetwood Mac.

* Finished editing Washington photos in the evening and got to bed at 11pm.

Today I broke the record in the Samsung Health app, 27000 steps! 1500 more than the most I did in Bangkok.

Hugs,

Niklas

Philadelphia, day 3 and 4. by Niklas Lindskog

Hi!

I'm a day behind, but here are some words and pictures from day 4 in Philadelphia (and just a few words about day 3):.

Travel log bullet points:

* Day 3 was Sunday = shopping day. A bit of an adventure...the first time I have been on a roadtrip in the US with noone to mapread and help me find my way. Luckily the GPS worked fine. Got the rental car at 10 and drove northwest to VF outlet in Souderton, PA. Small town Pennsylvania all the way with traffic lights every 500m or so. Slow driving. $270 and 4 bags of clothes later I got two slices of pizza and drove through beautiful hilly wooded countryside on tiny back roads to Pottstown, PA where I found Philadelphia Premium Outlets. It started snowing right about when I got there. When I was finished it was dark and snowing heavily. And about 10 cm of snow on the roads. Traffic was moving very slowly visibilty and grip at a minimum. The one hour drive took two and a half.

* On day 4 I went out streeting at 10 am after a fire alarm test drove me to check out of the hotel a little earlier than I had planned.

* Walked the midtown streets up and down.

* Got more shots and a great grilled Reuben sandwich for lunch at my favourite place in Philadelphia: Reading Terminal Market.

* Walked northwest to Old town, a historic part of town with lots of US historyPhiladelphia Museum art with the famous "Rock steps". Rocky even got a statue outside the museum!.

* Turned north and saw Eastern State Penitentiary on the recommendation of fellow Progressive Mark Guider. Very interesting!

* Walked back towards the city center and got my bags at the hotel luggae room.

* Walked to 30th St station and got a Cobb salad for dinner and caught the 6.14 to Washington DC arriving at 8.

* It was about 2,5 km to the hostel, so I got a cab.

* Managed to back up and edit some photos until the laptop battery ran out, but then I was more than ready for bed!.

Hugs,

Niklas

First stop Philadelphia, day two. by Niklas Lindskog

Hi!

This is my report from day 2 in Philadelphia:.

Travel log bullet points:

* Woke at 5 am, so it's getting slightly better.

* Went to the hotel fitness center at 6 am for an hour and a half session.

* Got a pancake breakfast at very authentic Rachel's Noshery.

* Went out streeting at 10 am and started out on pretty much the same route as yesterday.

* After a quick walk through Reading Terminal Market I headed north into Chinatown.

* Continued east to Old town, a historic part of town with lots of US history.

* Turned south and eventually had lunch at the beautiful South Street Diner. Another old style authentic place.

* Continued south on 4th street and Passyunk Avenue into South Philly.

* Got the subway back to the hotel at 3 pm and took a short nap.

* I had planned an evening session, but the long walk and some trouble transferring and backing up my photos just made me too tired.

* So I just went out for a quick dinner at a Chinese restaurant.

Tomorrow is shopping day, so don't expect a blog from Sunday!

Hugs,

Niklas

2-week tour of eastern USA: First stop Philadelphia

Hi!

It's time to start the blog of my 2-week tour of eastern USA this March.

First stop Philadelphia, later I'll go to Washington DC and New York City.

Travel log bullet points:

* Reached Philadelphia at 10pm yesterday after an 18 hour trip from door to door. I'm staying at the Sonesta at Market and 18th.

* Woke at 4 am, which is 10 am in Sweden.

* Went out streeting at 7 am. It had snowed during the night, which gave me some special opportunities.

* Had a great "scram bowl" for breakfast at the Down Home Diner at Reading Terminal Market.

* Walked around the beautiful market and met Greg and Alan. Greg turned out to be a former professional photographer, who had worked for the city of Philadelphia. We had a great chat and I learned that the city had changed from a manufacturing town to Ed Med, i.e. Education and Medical. And many more things! In the photo, that's Greg on the left and Alan on the right.

* On my walk west I ended up at the National Constitution Center. It was a beautiful museum, but I would recommend that you go when you aren't jetlagged. Started to feel the need for a nap.

* Walked back to the hotel at noon and napped for two hours.

* Did some photo editing before doing another two hour photo walk. I happened on a young streetie called Dylan and we had a long chat on a street corner. We're now fb friends! :-)

* Dinner at the Cheesecake Factory before doing some more editing and this blog.

Hugs,

Niklas

Comparing Styles

This is an article discussing the benefits of meeting or viewing like minded enthusiasts of street photography, and being inspired. Then treading in each others footsteps, hopefully though not on each others toes, to watch, learn and develop. Indeed one can learn a lot by watching methods and skills of your fellow artists, but of course always developing your own style.

Batsceba Hardy and I decided to get together, to do just that.

This is our story.................

This was to highlight the benefits of learning and inspiration from your fellow artist, visiting galleries and reading articles.

To encourage one to always keep improving whilst retaining your own style.

Batsceba Hardy is the brain child of Progressive Street. We first met through another group, whilst critiquing together. In the back room we would often chat about styles and imagery, bouncing off each other with witticisms about life in general and street photography. Batsceba would often write beautiful articles with soulful images to accompany. Indeed Bats as I came to know her was a master of story telling in words and images. I was immediately attracted to her humour, poetic work and indeed soulful style.

Consequently we were to become inspired by each other in writing and the art of street photography.
Batsceba had told me of her plans to form Progressive Street, so when she put the pedal to the metal and screeched up the avenue, I was only too happy to go along for the ride.
I have learned so much from looking at art galleries in the use of light and colours from ancient masters to the modern. The artists of our group, push me on to be better, so I thank you all for that.

One of the reasons we all come together, is to peruse other artists work, appreciate, share and be inspired. Of course in this genre we are always seizing the moment “Carpe Diem” which is what our subjects whisper to us from the galleries. We seize the moments from around the world. One of the biggest compliments someone can pay you as an artist, is that they recognise your style, without seeing a signature.

I recognise many artists work in Progressive, and one of those is Batsceba Hardy, whom without doubt has her own eloquent, soulful style.

Art galleries are always a source of inspiration in the use of colour and light.

Not really needing any other reason to visit the beautiful streets of Milano for fantastic street shots, I decided to take the opportunity to meet up with Batsceba Hardy to compare style and techniques .
Batsceba also set about documenting me as I amassed many images in my own methodical ways. Which is the reason this article has both of our views and images.

Why do we look at past images through the centuries. Of course we appreciate the art. We stare in awe at the craftsmanship. We lose ourselves in the moments of the era. It was indeed the street photography before cameras came along. They still used the same principles of composition, light, and colours. Of course the greats did it in there own unique style.

Milan is a beautiful Italian city and a Street photographers dream.
I met Batsceba in a coffee shop in the heart of Milano. A great place to plant yourself and snap away at moments and stories that develop.

oh, Robert Bannister! excitement

I have been to Rome and driven a combi van through the streets of Southern Italy. So I had some experience of the nation and papping a horn. But what hit me immediately when I went to Milan, was the difference in cleanliness and presentation of the city. Sorry Rome, but the Milanese win hands down.

Friendliness, beauty, helpfulness came as sweet as the local coffee. Even when you were rejected to take photos, a simple high five came up, which I interpreted as only take five pictures thank you.

When we set off around the streets, our contrasting styles was immediately apparent. I, with my ruck sack and equipment hanging off me like a Christmas tree, looking the quintessential tourist. Indeed a terrific disguise in the big cities. Also to bolster the case, Batsceba in her beautiful native tongue, would say “crazy Englishman” Then everyone would nod rapidly and offer me a patronising smile. I still got the shots, which to me was the important thing.

On the other hand, the native Batsceba would blend with the natives, and seem to just glide along, as if being carried by the wind.
Her cool attire was key, red leather jacket, shades, bohemian dress, canvass shoes and Pocahontas style thick hair, to finish off the cool Italiana blending look.

Bats carried a canvas bag, with the lens of her Nikon knavishly poking out, as if carrying a pet rodent around with her. When she saw a moment, Bats would glide alongside the scene, the lens would just slightly raise it’s head, and then her slender finger gently resting on the shutter, she would instinctively click at the right moment. All done by feeling the moment, like a Jedai Knight, blindfolded and going with the force.

It was a joy to watch, I called it ghosting.

Indeed when Bats presents an image, it is usually in the spirit it is taken.

We wandered the streets and tubes of Milan clicking away, Batsceba sighing as I set up camp in different places, while Bats documented the crazy Englishman.
I was on an eternal search for an iconic scooter to pan, for my war with Angel Rodriguez. Bats just wanted to stop me getting lost, and skilfully guided me around the city from one coffee oasis to another.

Of course just the trip there and back, was a catalogue of images.
But that is a different story. Needless to say, a journey anywhere is good for the soul.

Carpe Diem!

Seize the moment............

Share, appreciate, learn, encourage.
Street images will go on forever, be inspired and inspire!
Let us be the best of our generation, presenting the street moments from our world.
Visit your local art displays, and most definitely visit the progressive street galleries, sites, magazine and exhibitions.
Read the articles!

Robert Bannister & Batsceba Hardy

Yorkshire In Colour by Robert Bannister

Yorkshire is definitely more colourful these days, with a tourist boom brought in by the Tour De France and a tourist board that has admitted, British beauty does not end at the outer ring roads of London.

Yorkshire has literally gone from a grey place to a colourful vibrancy, epitomising modern day life. The dynamic ranges of our cameras today are letting our future generations see reality in high definition that once we saw in greys.

Betty’s tea rooms, which is always a must experience when in Yorkshire, has definitely gone from Black and white to colour.

Betty’s is celebrating one hundred years of trading and is still batting. The quintessential British tea room which was founded in 1919 by a young Swiss man called Frederick Belmont. The first tea room was opened in Harrogate, but primarily as a confectionist.

Further shops in the mysteriously named Bettys were opened in’ York and Ilkley at a time that was crossing from Edwardian to the House Of Windsor. The early Edwardian style of service continues today, with the uniformed staff attentive to your needs.

During the Second World War, the delivery vehicles from Bettys were used as ambulances and the premises were a meeting place for RAF pilots on leave.

Back in the black and white days, you had to have been born in Yorkshire to play for the Yorkshire Cricket Club. My father made sure I was born in South Yorkshire so I could just do that. It was just unfortunate that I was absolutely rubbish at the game. I love watching it though and like most, I can talk a damn fine game. Now in the days of colour and the influx of overseas players this is not the case any more, with one of Yorkshires finest adoptions, Sachin Tendulkar adorns the walls of fame amongst the likes of Sir Geoffrey Boycott, who is indeed the most opinionated Yorkshire, born and bred man you will care to meet.

Every year Whitby is invaded by Goths, who come to celebrate the town where Bram Stoker took his inspiration for Dracula. Wonderfully adorned people who are only too happy for you to take their photographs around the town. It is also the location where Steam Punks come from far and wide to celebrate Victorian time travel, again more than happy for you to take photos for the princely price of a thank you.

The Hidden Venice

**La Venezia nascosta**

**by Davide Dalla Giustina**

The problem of Venice is its beauty.

This is a beauty ruined by political and economic motives that have made the city a pale reflection of its centuries as a once proud empire. Now Venice appears like a crass Mickey Mouse theme park, and Venetians are unaware actors in The Truman Show.

The historic markets of Venice, the “campielli”, the “calli” (small streets and fields) and the iconic bridges all contend for scarce territory with street vendors and a flood of Chinese tourists flush with money. This insatiable consumerism literally rules the historic centre of Venice, and the few remaining locals no longer have the strength to counter this crass assault on its fine history.

Venice is a victim of mass tourism, and the ugly side of consumerism.

The tourists that clog historic Piazza San Marco are poor in curiosity, uninterested in exploring the side streets and minor piazzas, and experiencing the authentic beauty of Venice.

This phenomenon of unconstrained tourism is alarming, and continues to rise like the high water beating against the Biennale of Modern Art.

Lost in the rush for selfies on Piazza San Marco, shoddy souvenir T-shirts (I love Venice) and banal refrigerator magnets - are countless treasures on the side streets. This includes an astounding 148 churches, not to mention an immense treasure of sculptures and paintings around nearly every other corner.

In the historic centre, people are getting old, there are fewer children, and a certain small criminal element has returned, comprised of drug dealers and apartment thieves.

Many historic shops have closed, and the same applies to famous restaurants and pubs. Owners have succumbed to the fixed 12-euro menu to survive the foreign competition, offering poor quality food to reduce costs. Some shop owners have resorted to operating souvenir shops of Murano Glass replicas.

Only when I returned from my various trips abroad did I realize that my city was not immune to the effects of globalization. Over the years, the quality of tourism has diminished, and the intolerance of local residents has increased as a result.

I cannot yet speak of dreadful social conditions that now affect Venice. Like so many others, I can only attempt to preserve the traditions of the most beautiful city in the world.

Because of the complexity of what Venice faces, I will address themes integrated by historical notes, because one cannot discuss present-day Venice without an appreciation of the city’s past. As a vivid reminder of conditions in Venice, more and more young people are leaving the historic centre - and this speaks volumes about the vitality of any city, especially Venice.

It is important to know the real Venice, and not the romanticized image from Hollywood films, or dazzling photos by tourism operators.

A daily Venice, hidden and precious.

A Venice that the tourist will never see without a local guide.

Because Venice is much more. Infinitely more.

Niklas Lindskog: a short daily blog from Bangkok [19]

Hi! Finally it's my last day it's day 19 in Bangkok:

Travel log bullet points:

* Slept as late as I could, since I knew this day would be very very long.

* Got the delicious noodle soup with crispy pork across the street for breakfast. Again. It was the fourth time!

* Showered, packed my bags and took it easy until noon, when I checked out.

* Walked through the markets to the ferry pier. Took the orange flag boat to Central Pier and walked again in the Bang Rak and Silom areas.
* Took the subway to Hua Lamphong station and shot there a little bit before walking back to Chinatown. In total an eight hour photo walk, including stops.

* Deep fried dumplings and Beijing duck pancakes for dinner.

* Sat in the lobby backing up and editing the photos from the day for this blog.

* After this I''m going to the airport, the flight is as late as 01:25 a.m.

* By the time this is published, I might already be home!?

Maybe I'll see you on my next trip??

Hugs,

Niklas

Niklas Lindskog: a short daily blog from Bangkok [18]

Hi! Day before last, it's day 18 in Bangkok:

Travel log bullet points:

* Did a 2 hour walk in the morning and went back to the autoparts and mechanics part of Chinatown.

* Last session at the hotel gym!

* In the afternoon I did a 3 hour walk in the small streets, alleys and markets of Chinatown.

* Sampled some street food for dinner. Right outside my hotel!

Hugs,

Niklas

Niklas Lindskog: a short daily blog from Bangkok [17]

Hi! Here's what happened on day 17 in Bangkok:

Travel log bullet points:

* Had a slow start to the day, went out at 11. Walked towards the subway station and met a nice old man who spoke good English. We had long nice chat, since he was also taking the subway. On the way we came past a 110 year old tea shop, where two young monks were selecting tea for their temple. Had a chat with the monks too and they invited me to their tea testing. I ended up buying a packet of wonderful aged (12 years) pu-erh tea. The owner of the shop was the third generation tea seller in this shop.

* I spent the whole day shooting with the 55mm in modern parts of Bangkok, Siam and Sukhumvit Road. An eight hour photo walk including some longer rests.

Hugs,

Niklas