Medieval Manhattan

San Gimignano is one of my favorite hill towns in Italy. It’s skyline of towers built in the 1200’s is both unique and impressive. San Gimignano prospered as a key trading town in the early thirteenth century and well off families would build a tower as a show of their wealth. At one point, over 70 towers dominated the town. Today, 13 towers remain and San Gimignano is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, commonly referred to as “Medieval Manhattan"

I highly recommend anyone visiting nearby Florence to take a day-trip here. Get here early in the day though, as tourist buses start arriving mid-morning and the town can be overrun with people in the summer. In the off-season, the town is quiet and peaceful. I took this image a couple of weeks ago in early October and there were only a handful of other tourists. As the sun went down and the lights illuminated the towers, it was a magical scene.

Prayer in Primary Colors

They say timing is everything. I am not sure who “they” are, but I tend to agree…especially in the case of this image.

After spending an hour photographing sunset at Wat Chedi Luang, my wife and I started making our way out of the complex, past this beautiful temple and toward the center of Chiang Mai. 

We noticed the sidewalk and streets were much busier than when we entered the complex hours ago. Worshipers had filled the temple and the city had come alive with street vendors, locals and tourists. Several Tuk-tuk drivers were yelling nearby, trying to solicit fares, while the already-employed Tuk-tuks whizzed by loudly on the street. Reaching the sidewalk, I turned around for one last look at the temple and immediately asked my wife to “wait a sec”...she knows that “wait a sec” really means “Jim spotted something he needs to photograph”…

I quickly moved to a position in-between the crowds and the temple. Seemingly oblivious to the mild chaos behind her, this solitary figure kneeled in prayer. It was her beautiful red clothing that first caught my attention, then her pose and concentration. In front of her the golden Buddha was illuminated by the nearby lights and, fortunately timed, the blue hour had begun. What a beautiful scene!

From observation to capture, this image took no more than twenty seconds. A scramble into position, a quick change of camera settings and a silent prayer of my own as I released the shutter. 

Fortunate timing indeed.

Wat Chedi Luang

Wat Chedi Luang is a Buddhist temple in the historic center of Chiang Mai, Thailand. It was built in the late 14th century and was originally around 90 meters (295 feet) high before it was partly destroyed in an earthquake in 1545. Even in its damaged state, it remained the tallest structure in Chiang Mai for over 500 years. 

The chedi was restored by Unesco and the Japanese government in the 1990s, however, the restorers stopped short of finishing the spire, as apparently nobody could agree what the original design looked like. The result is this somewhat awkward shaped spire that I find very interesting.

From this angle, you can just make out the black jade Buddha sitting in the upper niche. It is a copy of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok and was placed here in 1995 to celebrate the 600th anniversary of the chedi.

I visited this temple in the late afternoon and waited until several spotlights illuminated the chedi in the early evening. During this time, with the golden lights and the darkening sky, I think the temple looks even more majestic. Fortunately the sky also cooperated with some great color as the sun disappeared.

Speicherstadt

The Speicherstadt (translated as City of Warehouses) is not your ordinary warehouse district. It is actually the largest contiguous warehouse complex in the world and an amazing site to explore. Built in 1883 near the main port of Hamburg, the area consists of 17 Gothic style warehouses featuring numerous gables and turrets that are all connected by canals, as well as by land. Truly an interesting place! In July 2015, the area was awarded the status of UNESCO World Heritage Site

While it is wonderful to explore during the day, it takes on almost a fairytale atmosphere at night. The red brick façades, multiple bridges and circular turrets are illuminated by spotlights and create shimmering reflections in the canals. 

It had just started raining when I arrived at this bridge over the Wandrahmsfleet canal. As you can imagine, it is a popular spot for photographers, but I was the only one there on this night. The scene and the colors were just fantastic. The golden lights were lit on most of the turrets and reflections were everywhere in the water. The light even reflected off of the low clouds overhead, casting a purple hue and making it a little more of a dreamy scene…well worth getting a little wet while taking this image. 

Manarola - A Jewel of Cinque Terre

Earlier this year, I was able to spend 3 days in Cinque Terre “The Five Lands” and explore this beautiful (& somewhat remote) part of Italy. Manarola is the second smallest of these coastal towns on the Ligurian Sea and is perched on a rocky shoreline, with a small harbor and picturesque buildings cascading down the hills. There are no cars allowed here, or in most of the Cinque Terre towns, so catching a train or boat from La Spezia or Pisa is how most tourist arrive. Hiking is popular here with trails connecting all of the towns and providing great views along the coast and through the hillside vineyards. Some of the other towns feature large beaches and attract the sunbathing crowd. Even though Manarola does not have a beach, many still come to swim in the harbor, while the more adventurous dive off of various cliffs entertaining themselves & the tourists in the nearby cafes.

Like most small towns in Italy, I particularly enjoy Manarola after the tourists have left for the day. Once the mid-day crowds have boarded their boats & trains back to the larger cities, you get to calmly experience the town in a more personal fashion...tasting the food and wine of the local artisans, wandering the narrow streets or enjoying gelato while gazing across the harbor and listening to the waves. Manarola is undoubtedly beautiful any time of day, but the serenity added in the evening make it truly a special place.