Delray Beach street with rally stripes.

Church and cross in Delray Beach, Florida.

Delray Beach, Florida.

Captiva Island, Florida.

Zabriskie Point, Death Valley. At dawn, two photographers are waiting for the 'Rapture'. Or maybe they were just waiting for the rising sun to illuminate the amazing geological formations found in Death Valley. At 6:30 am the temperature is a pleasant 70 degrees, but just a few hours later it will quickly rise to a toasty 100 degrees, but relative humidity is very low, so even the most extreme temperatures are easily bearable. Zabriskie Point is best seen during the early morning hours when the first sun rays graze the labyrinth of the rocky landscape.
Death Valley is a treasure trove for geologists, such as the group from Brooklyn College I met at Dante's View, led by Dr. Wayne Powell, Professor and Chair of the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, seen in the picture at the far right. Even though Dante was never able to enjoy this outer-worldly view, I suspect he would have gladly endorsed it.

Randy's Donuts, Inglewood, CA. I pay them a visit each time I'm in L.A. which is easy as it is just around the corner from LAX. Hard to believe that I have yet to walk up to their 'Walk Up Window' and buy a donut which is what the main purpose should be, but I am really just satisfying my camera's lust.

Sunset over Captiva Island, Florida, last week. When I see a sunset in reproduction, my 'kitsch radar' is on high alert, but being in the middle of it and experiencing it with my own eyes, there is nothing kitschy about it. All that remains is a beautiful spectacle that never, ever gets old, even though it is as old as the universe. I guess it only becomes a cliché when we are trying to imitate and capture it, over and over again.
So, at the risk of having these two photographs labeled as kitsch, there you go: Sunset over Captiva Island, Florida, and for my Italian family and friends: Tramonto sulle Saline di Marsala, Sicilia.

Arriving in the south of Sweden by ferry, the water has the consistency of a slushie or a granita, mesmerizing the passengers on deck.

Amargosa Opera House, Death Valley Junction. Worth a visit, but make it soon....As Marta says herself, "I won't be around forever."
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/sep/08/amargosa-opera-house-visionary-marta-becket-prepar/

Beato lui...


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beatification_and_canonisation_of_Pope_John_Paul_II