Roots

Roots growing down over the lava rock create a sort of primeval curtain near Ke'e Beach on the island of Kauai. I've added textures from Shadowhouse Creations and joes sistah.

Autumn Moon

Something fun I put together for Halloween awhile back. I don't recall where I found the diamond pattern texture.

Waikiki Sunset

This photo shows the beach at our hotel in Waikiki, the Outrigger Reef on the Beach. Travel Partner gets points for booking us a room with an ocean view, but the very best views were from the beach itself and every evening lots of folks would congregate there to enjoy the beautiful sunsets.

In the spirit of Halloween, I've added a texture from Shadowhouse Creations titled "Of Corpse Not."

Pumpkins

Last year we grew pumpkins in the back yard. Little did we know that the vines would try to take over most of the yard! We didn't repeat the experiment this year, but I do enjoy looking at some of the photos we took of last year's crop.

I've added a crackle texture and another texture from Shadowhouse Creations.

Hawaiian Ginger Root

This flower was part of the beautiful landscaping at the Royal Hawaiian hotel on Oahu. I confess I wasn't staying there, just walking through for a quick look. It's a very serene oasis in the midst of the shopping mecca that is Waikiki.

I've added textures from muffin and Shadowhouse Creations.

Along the Elbe

Two sphinx-like statues stand guard at the steps leading from the Elbe river to Schloss Pillnitz, not far from Dresden.  I've added  a calligraphy texture from Kerstin Frank Art.

Fountain of the Virtues

One more image from my trip to Germany. This one shows the Fountain of the Virtues (Tugendbrunnen) erected in the 16th century. Some of the virtues included are Faith, Love, Hope, Courage, Temperance and Patience. It's a bit startling to see water gushing not just from the trumpets, but from the breasts of the virtues.

I've added a texture from les brumes.

Castle and Fortified Walls

This image shows the Stadtburg section of Nuremberg castle, built in the 13th century and currently used as a youth hostel. It sits above the old walls, rising above the former moat.

Ornate Doorway in Nuremberg

This very interesting doorway is located on the chamber of commerce building on the corner of Hauptmarkt and Waaggasse. I've tried in vain to find some information about the carvings. In addition to the door, the building has several other distinctive architectural features, including a statue and trade murals.

I've added a texture from ruby blossom to the door image.

Cortona Door

This image was taken in Cortona, a beautiful medieval hilltown with steep, cobbled streets. Its more recent claim to fame is as the adopted home of Frances Mayes, author of Under the Tuscan Sun.

I've added textures from Shadowhouse Creations and an Italian letter.

Accademia Bridge

This image shows the Accademia bridge spanning the Grand Canal in Venice. We had just visited the Accademia museum nearby.

Textures from Shadowhouse Creations, pareerica and joes sistah were added.

Nuremburg Market Square

Nuremburg has a number of interesting fountains, but perhaps the most well known is the Schoner Brunnen, or Beautiful Fountain. The fountain was built in the late 14th century and was replaced by a copy in 1912 when the original was transferred to a museum. It features a metal ring that, when rotated, acts as a good luck charm.

Textures courtesy of osolev, sienna62, joes sistah and Kirsten Frank Art from the Flickr free textures pool.

Pillnitz Palace

Pillnitz Castle consists of a complex of buildings located on the Elbe river on the eastern edge of Dresden, Germany. This image shows the upper palace, built around 1722 upon the orders of Augustus II, Elector of Saxony. The baroque gardens are spectacular when they are in full bloom.

I've added textures by Shadowhouse Creations, joes sistah, boccacino and jinterwas from the Flickr free texture group.

The Sun King

The graceful equestrian statue of King Louis XIV located just outside the Louvre in Paris is by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, the great Italian sculptor and architect.

Textures by boccacino, pareeerica, and Shadowhouse Creations have been added to my original photo.

Castelmola, Sicily

This little hilltown in Sicily can be seen from Taormina. I like the way it seems to be reaching skywards. I've added a texture from rubyblossom for some added drama.

Scene in the Hague

This photo was taken at the Hague in the Netherlands. Travel Partner and I took a train there from Amsterdam in order to visit a couple of museums: the Escher museum and the Mauritshuis. Both are highly recommended!

Santorini Hillside

Here's another view of this gorgeous island with its stark white buildings set against an impossibly blue sea.

Waiting to Cruise the Canals

Cruising the peaceful and timeless canals of Bruges is a wonderful way to see this historic town, especially if you find that your feet are tired from walking and walking over all the cobblestones! There are several boat companies to choose from and the tours last for approximately 30 minutes. This is one of several embarkation points that we saw.

I added a couple of textures courtesy of Shadowhouse Creations.

Gazing out to Sea

The promenade in Antibes is a great place for a stroll, or just sitting back on a bench and enjoying the view. Textures from Shadowhouse Creations gave my photo a watercolor look.

Trajan's Forum

Trajan's column was erected in 113 AD and the dome, which is part of the church of Santa Maria di Loreto, was built in the 16th century. According to Wikipedia, the original statue of the emperor Trajan disappeared in the Middle Ages and was replaced by a bronze of St. Peter after the church was built.

I've overlaid my original photo with a texture by joes sistah and some Latin text.