autumn sunmagic

I went out to do the weekly photo challenge, Refraction. If this tells you nothing, check out The Daily Post 😉

I solemnly swear to do the challenge every week from now on!

(or at least until the new year)

Because the world is even shinier through the viewfinder.

Backyard Flower Spring Tradition

It has indeed become a tradition. I’m back in Oslo. Bumblebees are humming in the air. My favourite backyard smells like spring. I photograph the flowers. Just like last year >>

I’ve officially returned from Haiti. Back in business.

The adventure never ends. –that’s what I tell myself

Some flowers are still waiting to bloom

Ah, spring

Exploring Jalousie

a small photo selection:

March 2014

colorful jealousie

instead of electricity, there is charcoal!

first you buy water, then you carry it up the hill

some sure have the best view

i’m officially Candy Queen Blan

narrow streets in Jalousie

power supply, works sometimes

Do you remember Jalousie?

I was very intrigued by the colorful neighborhood last year, and I had to visit it now that I’m in Haiti again. Most people there were friendly, but very few wanted their picture taken, and some reveled in saying “No! Go!”

I guess having the power to say that is quite enjoyable if you own little else.

Jalousie is among many slums that have sprawled across the hills of the capital Port-au-Prince in recent decades because governments past and present have failed to provide affordable housing and basic services. … Amid its narrow corridors and steep steps, Jalousie has no traditional sewage system or electric grid. (The Huffington Post)

Jalousie does have the best view in Port-au-Prince though. And now colors.

Let’s hope the improvements don’t stop there.

More from Haiti >>

Miami 4.7

So Miami. Maybe no city would be able to match my expectations, and I certainty had too little time in Miami to discover the hidden treasures. The crowds strolling Ocean Drive were however as little dressed as promised and the cars were as shiny as advertised. That was cool. I would really not recommend eating in Ocean Drive though. Also, the lines outside clubs on 4^th of July were crazy – not cool, especially since the rain started pouring down the second the lights in the sky went out. But hey, I was THERE!

4.7 Miami Photo time — and so were lots of other people!! no, I didn’t bother to get in line to be photographed with the sign considering the heat..

But I did find the time to visit little Havana, since I recently explored the big one.
And I bought some fine cigars there too 😉

Shiny 1

Shiny 2

notice anything special with the lady mannequin? a typical sight in Ocean Drive :-p

Miami Downtown – skyscrapers — Miami Downtown

4th of July Fireworks — Oh, I do love fireworks! So much that shooting them is no fun… And a photo can’t really show the magnificence of an exploding sky

Hunting Colours in the Rain

I’ve been carrying my camera around with me the last couple of days, as I always do, but I haven’t shot a single picture. The world isn’t very inspiring these days, so I decided to change that. I gave myself a mission…

city bikes and beyonce

cafe

fancy shoes!

finally flowers

couple in the rain, more flowers - aker brygge

under your umbrella

waiting for the boat in Oslo - Aker Brygge

waiting for the ferry

I got home dripping wet, and not entirely happy with the day. But not entirely unhappy either… After all, I found these guys:

colourful graffiti oslo — colourful monsters say ‘hello’

More from Oslo >>

There’s a city by the sea…

It’s a place called Jérémie!

There’s city with a western feeling, as in old western, but without the cowboys, or maybe they just don’t have the hats…

Jeremie - a colourful city south in haiti

Sinking boat in the sea — But there’s concrete a boat there, that’s been sinking since last year

a narrow street in jeremie (haiti) with ocean view — And the narrow streets with ocean view

Byenveni!

(the road to get there is another chapter – you arrive in a milkshake-like state)

Faces of Haiti

Haitian smiling school girl — Sunshine girl

My sweet, sweet blog. I cry when I realize how much I’ve neglected you lately. Eeeh.. So!

Beautiful Haitian womam — Another beauty

There were some days without Internet, and other days I’ve been too tired. Fainting into my bed sheets is what I do best here in Haiti, although I wake up many times during a night. It because of the mosquito net tent. That stupid thing I was advised to buy prior to coming here. I even paid a small fortune for it, since it’s impregnated (chemically treated). There are however no more mosquitos here than in Norway during summer, and despite of the stupid net I have several red spots. Never trust your doctor!

Beautiful Haitian woman — while this is a trustworthy face

I’ve been in Haiti for two weeks now, and I’m quite surprised to discover that I love it. I’m asked for money and my phone number several times a day, but that happens quite often in Oslo too. The people are poor (except for those really rich ones, I’ve visited a palace home or two), but they still have smiles to offer. And when dark and light eyes meet and genuine smiles are exchanged, it feels quite wonderful.

There are a lot of staring to, and the children have this little chant ‘blan, blan, blan’ (foreigner) that they sing when Caroline & I pass by. I can’t really complain about that though. I do my own share of staring, and I take pictures on top of that. Some Haitians don’t want their picture taken, and I respect that, while others love modelling. They line up and wait for turn, and demand to see the photo after. I’ll look into if I can find a printing studio here, to send some pictures to the schools I’ve been visiting. The photos presented in this post were shot while visiting a school built by LWF in a remote mountain area.