Seeing the Taj Mahal the second time, after almost 15 years, reminded me of my first visit during my childhood. Although I don’t remember much of what I saw back then, the feeling of having been there brought back nostalgic memories from times past. This time around I had a good camera to capture the sights.
Getting there early in the morning gave us spectacular views without too many people around. Here are those sights
I spent 2 days in Lisbon in January before heading on a road trip towards the atlantic ocean . It was 15-20 degrees C, sunny and surprisingly uncrowded for it was their winter – I couldn’t complain.
Loved seeing the yellow trams chugging along narrow cobbled streets.
Quaint plazas with sharp shadows
Pastel colors on buildings along pretty alleys
Sun gleaming like it was summer, squares empty as if it was winter
Calm cafes to rest my feet and consume coffee!
Sleepy vibe along the hilly areas
Spectacular panoramas
One of my favourite places to hang out in Amsterdam. I only wish they’d stay open beyond their very dutch 7 PM closing times. Took some pictures near at the coffee place near Scheldestraat in Amsterdam.
Capturing a photo on film evokes this strange feeling in me: a slice of time being arrested; the moment physically is frozen; to be stowed away; to never be lost, but to be forgotten; forever left in dust-filled boxes, in cobweb filled attics, only to let me reminiscence into the past when re-discovered decades later in future.
I have to admit that my expectation of this feeling, of using a disposable camera to be similar to that of traditional film camera – was misinformed. The idea that the very device used to capture these moments, will be lifeless and pretty much useless after doing so; made me feel the added dimension of ephemeralness to the format. I have neither expected nor anticipated this, and it has left me gasping to slow down.
With digital cameras I usually take anywhere between few hundreds to few thousands of pictures in an year. On film, a hundred pictures or so. But with a disposable camera, I managed to take a mere 30 shots in an entire year; of those 5 were a lost, forever; leaving me wondering, what was in it? where was I? what was I thinking?; questions, which perhaps, I will never get the answers for.
Here are some of my favourite moments in the “forever format”
Snow in Amsterdam
Home, Amsterdam
Airports
Lisbon, Portugal
Texel Island, Netherlands
After spending most of the day walking around and exploring the city covered in the snow, sipping hot tea to these views while basking in sun, made it for a pleasant afternoon and one of highlights of the winter season.
