New York Trip - March 2012

In March 2012, I visited NY once again on a private business / leisure trip to discuss a project with a client and also to 'explore' Lower Manhattan, a part of NY I had never spent much time visiting in the past. Stayed in a hotel on Water Street just round the corner from Wall Street. The Financial District is an interesting part of NY with lots to see and my short trip only gave me the chance to see the tip of the iceberg. Obviously saw Wall Street and the iconic buildings there, but also had the chance to see Zuccotti Park and Ground Zero, which was quite a moving experience. The 9/11 Memorial Park at Ground Zero has been sensitively executed and offers an ideal spot for quiet contemplation and reflecton. I was surprised by the sound of the water fall - more impressive than I expected it to be. Seeing the names of the victims inscribed along the periphery wall of the two pools was also touching. Security screening to get you into the park is 'Airport-like' and quite vigorous.
The new Freedom Tower is progressing fast and is quite a sight to behold!
The other highlight of my trip was visiting the 'Top of the Rock' - Rockefellar Centre viewing decks which offer an breathtaking, panoramic view of Manhattan. Though the Empire State Building decks are a few floors taller than the Rockefellar Center ones, the bonus of viewing Manhattan from the Top of the Rock is that you get to see the Empire State Building in all it's glory! This visit was conducted just before sunset so we capture the magnificence of the view under varying light conditions and also as all the sparkling, man-made lights 'come alive'. This is most impressive against the evening sky just before it goes completely dark. The series of videos and photos attached to this post shall attest to this.
Enjoy....

Miami Beach, Florida... June 2010

In June 2010, I made my first trip to Florida for an A.I.A. National Convention. It was a short but interesting trip and of course, I had the chance to explore the architecture and street-scapes of the Miami Beach area! Quite exciting and I really wish I'd had more time to explore. Miami is humid and tropical - the architecture reflects this warmth and 'color' and for someone familiar with warm, tropical parts of the world, I found this aspect rather welcoming and pleasant. I captured a few scenes from Miami I'd like to share in my blog including shots at Miami Beach at sunrise, aerial shots of Miami and general street views. Enjoy...

Richmond VA - A Photo Essay

In March 2010, I made a two-day visit to Richmond, capital city of the Commonwealth of Virginia to attend the Virginia Architectural Society A.I.A. Design Forum IX. Most of my time was spent in the impressive, ornate interior of the Byrd theater for the conference, but I did take a few moments each day to take pictures of the city in order to create this 'Photo Essay'. Here are some of the scenes I captured.....

Scenes from Colombo, Sri Lanka

One of the first things to strike me about Colombo was how similar it is to a West African city. Having grown up in West Africa, I couldn't help but notice trees and shrubs I'd known all my life, flourishing in Colombo. From the palm trees, to the 'forget-me-nots' and indian almonds, the environment made me feel right at home! There was also a considerable amount of chaos on the streets and in the built environment along some streets that also seemed vaguely familiar. One conspicuous difference was the use of motorized rick-shaws (known as 'tuk-tuks') that are yet to hit the streets of West Africa.

Colombo is an interesting city with a mix of colonial style buildings dating from the 'British era', to more modern, high-rise contemporary buildings, juxtaposed with each other in a seemingly haphazard manner.

Our time in Colombo was memorable and we had the chance to visit some lovely restaurants and hotels, the national museum, Galle Face Park, shopping centers and the nearby Bentota Beach Resort.

Hopefully, we'll have the chance to visit again someday to spend more time on this delightful and enchanted island.