Karlsplatz, Vienna.During the Black Plague, emperor Carl VI chose to build this massive church in honor of Borromäus, the plague's patron saint. Fischer von Erlach, the best of the time, designed this Barque church in 1714.
Monday, July 31, 2006
Karlskirche
Karlsplatz, Vienna.During the Black Plague, emperor Carl VI chose to build this massive church in honor of Borromäus, the plague's patron saint. Fischer von Erlach, the best of the time, designed this Barque church in 1714.
Saturday, July 29, 2006
A drive worth taking...
A typical dawn at pacific coast Highway.5 am leaving Monterey just to see the sunrise and it did worth... This road is about 4 hours of drive but often one cannot drive through it without stopping every 10 minutes. It generally takes a round 6 hours....
Friday, July 28, 2006
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Schmetterlinghaus
"Vienna's Butterfly House"
One of these days, after coming home at 7:30pm, I will have chance to fix my scanner. Then I happily digitize some of those older photos that I don't have in the computer and share them with you...
Until then, please bear with me...
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
...Patio...
The Patio in the photo was on the main canal in Venice. But your dream Patio can be anywhere you want it to be... if not already, you will have one some day...
Monday, July 24, 2006
Friday, July 21, 2006
A poem by Sohrab Sepehri
Unfortunately I was never good at memorizing poems.
However, there was one poem which had stayed in my mind for a very long time. And I kept reciting it to myself for years.
Today, I found a fair translation of it from Persian and would like to share it with you.
Hope you enjoy…
The Foot Steps Of Water
Life's a pleasant tradition.
Life's wing is as vast as death.
Life's a jump the size of love.
Life's not something,
we put on the mantel of habit
and forget.
It does not matter where I am.
The sky is always mine.
Windows, ideas, air, love,
earth, all mine.
Why does it matter if sometimes,
the mushrooms of nostalgia grow?
Let's take off our clothes.
Water is just a foot away.
Let's have a basket and
fill it up with all the greens
and all the reds.
We are not to comprehend;
the secret of roses, but maybe
swimming in the incantation of roses.
Or may be looking for
the song of truth
between the morning glory,
and the century.
Poem by: Sohrab Sepehri
Translated by: Mahvash Shahegh
However, there was one poem which had stayed in my mind for a very long time. And I kept reciting it to myself for years.
Today, I found a fair translation of it from Persian and would like to share it with you.
Hope you enjoy…
The Foot Steps Of Water
Life's a pleasant tradition.
Life's wing is as vast as death.
Life's a jump the size of love.
Life's not something,
we put on the mantel of habit
and forget.
It does not matter where I am.
The sky is always mine.
Windows, ideas, air, love,
earth, all mine.
Why does it matter if sometimes,
the mushrooms of nostalgia grow?
Let's take off our clothes.
Water is just a foot away.
Let's have a basket and
fill it up with all the greens
and all the reds.
We are not to comprehend;
the secret of roses, but maybe
swimming in the incantation of roses.
Or may be looking for
the song of truth
between the morning glory,
and the century.
Poem by: Sohrab Sepehri
Translated by: Mahvash Shahegh
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Woman and the Newborn.
Ashkan, Bashagqards,Iran 1371/2/15
It was not common for people of that region to pose for photos.
So I feel lucky to be allowed...
I very much liked their colorful cloths.
Her baby must be 14 years old now. I hope she is!
"Some like it Hot"
It was funny. A few weeks ago we were in San Diego and visited Hotel Del Coronado where I saw some shots of Marilyn on the walls of the hotel. Chakameh thought she has seen this place in a movie… possibly “Some Like it Hot”
Last night we watched the movie, playing: Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis. That was right,a B&W old movie that we enjoyed watching, it was one of Chakameh’s favorites that I had not seen.
It was very funny and I think it was ahead of its own time,(1959).
The odd part of the movie was that it was supposed to be a hotel in Florida!
If you happen to visit San Diego, make sure to visit that place it is very enchanting even at night.
I also remembered to share this with you, that there is an interesting place in LA to visit as well! It is the one and only remaining “Silent Movie Theater” in the US. It is on, 611 North Fairfax Ave. in Hollywood. It is remodeled and trendy, with live music…
I look forward to seeing a show in there!
Cheers
PS: Yesterday’s photo was a repeat, sorry about that.
Last night we watched the movie, playing: Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis. That was right,a B&W old movie that we enjoyed watching, it was one of Chakameh’s favorites that I had not seen.
It was very funny and I think it was ahead of its own time,(1959).
The odd part of the movie was that it was supposed to be a hotel in Florida!
If you happen to visit San Diego, make sure to visit that place it is very enchanting even at night.
I also remembered to share this with you, that there is an interesting place in LA to visit as well! It is the one and only remaining “Silent Movie Theater” in the US. It is on, 611 North Fairfax Ave. in Hollywood. It is remodeled and trendy, with live music…
I look forward to seeing a show in there!
Cheers
PS: Yesterday’s photo was a repeat, sorry about that.
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Dose of picture for today...
Salzburg Austria,
A city full of character, art and history...Where CAT and I love to explore more.
As a friendly note, if you go there, don't ask locals anything about the movie "Sound of Music..."! More likely they have never seen it and they don't like it!
However, there are tours for silly (Americans) tourists who are in love with the movie!.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
The name
The name for previous photo is " A gray day."
The photo is dated but I can still remember seeing this view in my viewfinder.
Few weeks later, there was a massive snow storm and everything in this picture was under 2 meters of snow...
The photo is dated but I can still remember seeing this view in my viewfinder.
Few weeks later, there was a massive snow storm and everything in this picture was under 2 meters of snow...
Saturday, July 15, 2006
From a Technophobe to a Gadget-man...
I resisted the frenzy of having DSL for years, like many other modern things such as cell phone, electric coffee maker, computers, palm pilots digital cameras etc.
And keep telling myself, what were people doing 40 years ago?!
I am not a Technophobe and in fact use hi-tech equipment all the time at work and consider myself savvy with them. Just did not want them in my home…. always looked for simplicity and practicality… even thou today’s practicality does not go well all the way with the simplicity.
Six years ago I gave in to buying a cell phone after every one was complaining that I am not accessible at all them!
All the time?! That was exactly my argument too, I don’t want to be accessible “At all times”… family would call me sometimes and say “where have you been? You don’t answer your cell phone? And I had to put aside my mild accommodating manners and say that “there are times in the day that I may be in the washroom or shower or sleep or in a meeting etc… please don’t ask me that question any more!… and that was that…
I had to buy a computer because my wife, (my fiancée at that time) wanted to chat with me…
I got an electric coffee maker because French Press was not convenient for everyone!
Got s digital camera because my SLR camera was too big and complicated for people etc,
Back to the DSL story. Finally with a great push from my wife I gave in last week and ordered it.
Last night I plugged in all the wires and restarted my iMac. I was not surprised to see that my Mac automatically recognized the new signal and connected to the net…. Could not be easier than that!...
Too proud of my easy accomplishment came an urge in me to see what the CD that came with the modem is?! Maybe it has something extra in it… so I installed that and as soon as it happened my computer went wacko… make the long story short, lots the connections….
Early this morning I called the Tec support and after bunch of selections on the automated phone options found a live tech to help me, but here comes the interesting part.
He sounded very strange, as if I was talking to a robot, but with personality! And there were these short gaps in his talks too.
After talking for 30min he could not still help me and I had to leave so we postpone the help session. All this time I was having this distracting thought, wondering “where is he from?!”
I even asked him but he went silent!
My speculation is that he could be in a call center in China or India some where and had his voice enhanced with computers so customers would not recognize his accent (Not that I have problem with accents, In fact I may have one too … )
I hoped to talk to him again.
In the evening I called again and talked to someone else but with the same computerized accent!
Now I am using DSL…. inadvertently I am turning into a gadget-man
And keep telling myself, what were people doing 40 years ago?!
I am not a Technophobe and in fact use hi-tech equipment all the time at work and consider myself savvy with them. Just did not want them in my home…. always looked for simplicity and practicality… even thou today’s practicality does not go well all the way with the simplicity.
Six years ago I gave in to buying a cell phone after every one was complaining that I am not accessible at all them!
All the time?! That was exactly my argument too, I don’t want to be accessible “At all times”… family would call me sometimes and say “where have you been? You don’t answer your cell phone? And I had to put aside my mild accommodating manners and say that “there are times in the day that I may be in the washroom or shower or sleep or in a meeting etc… please don’t ask me that question any more!… and that was that…
I had to buy a computer because my wife, (my fiancée at that time) wanted to chat with me…
I got an electric coffee maker because French Press was not convenient for everyone!
Got s digital camera because my SLR camera was too big and complicated for people etc,
Back to the DSL story. Finally with a great push from my wife I gave in last week and ordered it.
Last night I plugged in all the wires and restarted my iMac. I was not surprised to see that my Mac automatically recognized the new signal and connected to the net…. Could not be easier than that!...
Too proud of my easy accomplishment came an urge in me to see what the CD that came with the modem is?! Maybe it has something extra in it… so I installed that and as soon as it happened my computer went wacko… make the long story short, lots the connections….
Early this morning I called the Tec support and after bunch of selections on the automated phone options found a live tech to help me, but here comes the interesting part.
He sounded very strange, as if I was talking to a robot, but with personality! And there were these short gaps in his talks too.
After talking for 30min he could not still help me and I had to leave so we postpone the help session. All this time I was having this distracting thought, wondering “where is he from?!”
I even asked him but he went silent!
My speculation is that he could be in a call center in China or India some where and had his voice enhanced with computers so customers would not recognize his accent (Not that I have problem with accents, In fact I may have one too … )
I hoped to talk to him again.
In the evening I called again and talked to someone else but with the same computerized accent!
Now I am using DSL…. inadvertently I am turning into a gadget-man
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Fishes
This is a small ski resort north of Lausanne Switzerland where I used to live.I spent a weekend in the cabin to the left of the photo and hiked to the top of the mountains on the right of the photo. Behind the summit, there was a small lake... where people could do some fishing!
I wonder how did the fishes got up there?!
This photo is a collage of five 50mm photos, capturing almost 180 Degrees of view...
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Film
I always wonder how some women remember the smallest little detail of an event from past. As if “they have photographic memory…”
This is a story about remembering things… I remember long time ago when I was 8 or 10, I used to go to my grandma’s house very frequently, it was not too far, in fact it was side by side our house, I sometimes even snuck in there from the roof!
Mamany, that is what I used to call my grandma, had a very large house with two yards and 3 sets of buildings… One set was occupied by my uncle and his newly formed family … But, they did not last there very long as I drove them away, or at least contributed to their leaving, by parking my ratty bike in their yard and bothering them by making noises every afternoon when I wanted to sneak out to making more noise with the rest of the neighborhood kids racing our bikes… I don’t think they ever forgot that or forgave me for that matter!
Couple of years ago one of my cousins who is about 6 years younger that me wrote me: “Do you know that I saw my very first movie with you when I was 4 years old!?”
I chuckled… no way! Are you out of your mind?! I was not old enough to go to movie by myself… and categorically denied it
Then she gave me the details… how one summer afternoon, I went to my grandma’s yard and saw my cousin. Asked her if she wanted to see a movie with me?! (She is 4, remember) and she says “yes”. Then I took her hand and went to a cinema called “Mahtab”. Two hours later we came back facing all the grownups franticly looking for us… they were all mad at me!!!!! Obviously and I was punished and banned from going there for a while…
I read the story again and again and thought to myself; She is making it up.
Then she wrote “the movie was about a boy running from home and joining a Circus! And movie was call Toby Tyler or something.”
That was when my jaws fell on the ground and remembered the whole story. She was right and that was my favorite childhood movie.
Last week I found that movie in Netflix and ordered it! Can’t wait to watch it again … sometimes I think that was me running away and joining the circus!
So, some women have photographic memory as my wife does too.
I do think I have one too, but mine has no film in it! :0(
This is a story about remembering things… I remember long time ago when I was 8 or 10, I used to go to my grandma’s house very frequently, it was not too far, in fact it was side by side our house, I sometimes even snuck in there from the roof!
Mamany, that is what I used to call my grandma, had a very large house with two yards and 3 sets of buildings… One set was occupied by my uncle and his newly formed family … But, they did not last there very long as I drove them away, or at least contributed to their leaving, by parking my ratty bike in their yard and bothering them by making noises every afternoon when I wanted to sneak out to making more noise with the rest of the neighborhood kids racing our bikes… I don’t think they ever forgot that or forgave me for that matter!
Couple of years ago one of my cousins who is about 6 years younger that me wrote me: “Do you know that I saw my very first movie with you when I was 4 years old!?”
I chuckled… no way! Are you out of your mind?! I was not old enough to go to movie by myself… and categorically denied it
Then she gave me the details… how one summer afternoon, I went to my grandma’s yard and saw my cousin. Asked her if she wanted to see a movie with me?! (She is 4, remember) and she says “yes”. Then I took her hand and went to a cinema called “Mahtab”. Two hours later we came back facing all the grownups franticly looking for us… they were all mad at me!!!!! Obviously and I was punished and banned from going there for a while…
I read the story again and again and thought to myself; She is making it up.
Then she wrote “the movie was about a boy running from home and joining a Circus! And movie was call Toby Tyler or something.”
That was when my jaws fell on the ground and remembered the whole story. She was right and that was my favorite childhood movie.
Last week I found that movie in Netflix and ordered it! Can’t wait to watch it again … sometimes I think that was me running away and joining the circus!
So, some women have photographic memory as my wife does too.
I do think I have one too, but mine has no film in it! :0(
Monday, July 10, 2006
Gym...
It is very difficult to go to the gym while one has to go through a big party full of food drink and music! Almost impossible!
It happens almost every day that I think of all the conveniences and prosperity around me and then,... think of hungry people in other places in the world and their pain and suffering witch they go through to look for jobs, feed their family and sustain their lives and deal with the BS from there governments...
It puts life into different perspective for me. I feel more content and in my heart, I thank my dad, and mom...
Then again, when I think of the suffering that they went through, I feel guilty for being here...
It happens almost every day that I think of all the conveniences and prosperity around me and then,... think of hungry people in other places in the world and their pain and suffering witch they go through to look for jobs, feed their family and sustain their lives and deal with the BS from there governments...
It puts life into different perspective for me. I feel more content and in my heart, I thank my dad, and mom...
Then again, when I think of the suffering that they went through, I feel guilty for being here...
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
The only tape
When I left Iran I took with me only one tape. It was one of Faramarz e Aslani’s his first album from 1978 or so. The tape belonged to my sister who left it home 15 years earlier when she left Iran…
This tape has been a permanent fixture of my car since then.
Last Saturday Chakameh and I had a chance to go to one of Faramarz’s performances in a club down in LA.
Chakameh had won the tickets answering to a tedious question in a contest in KIRN….Long story short, we both were very excited to see this performance and fortunately it was as exciting and beautiful as we expected.
He is still a great singer, song writer and a fantastic artist with a captivating voice. I also heard a few of his newer songs that were as good. There was also another great guitar player in his band named Ardeshir e Farah. He was great too.
I am sharing a couple of picture with you from that night, July 4th 2006, and encourage everyone to buy his new CDs…
I also want to thank my lovely wife for winning those tickets and many others with her wit and intelligent …
This tape has been a permanent fixture of my car since then.
Last Saturday Chakameh and I had a chance to go to one of Faramarz’s performances in a club down in LA.
Chakameh had won the tickets answering to a tedious question in a contest in KIRN….Long story short, we both were very excited to see this performance and fortunately it was as exciting and beautiful as we expected.
He is still a great singer, song writer and a fantastic artist with a captivating voice. I also heard a few of his newer songs that were as good. There was also another great guitar player in his band named Ardeshir e Farah. He was great too.
I am sharing a couple of picture with you from that night, July 4th 2006, and encourage everyone to buy his new CDs…
I also want to thank my lovely wife for winning those tickets and many others with her wit and intelligent …
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