Category Archives: Pic of the Week

a.k.a. Photo of the Week

“Pic of the Week”, June 25, 2021: Family of Man, Calgary

The “Family of Man” is a grouping of 10 sculptures crafted in aluminum, 6.5 m (21 feet) tall. It was created for display at the British Pavilion during Montreal’s Expo 67. After Expo 67 concluded, the sculptures were bought by Maxwell Cummings and Sons and donated to the city of Calgary. A committee picked a spot in downtown (1st Street and 5th Ave SE) close to the Calgary Board of Education, where they have been on display since.
The sculptures were designed by Spanish artist Mario Armengol. Their arrangement is different than it was in Montreal, now forming a circle of naked, raceless individuals.
The attraction is surprisingly popular. I’ve still not decided how I feel about it.
(Click on thumbnails to enlarge, …

Karl on Jun 24, 2021 | Comments Off

“Pic of the Week”, June 18, 2021: Key West’s Old Custom House

One of the most impressive buildings in Key West’s historic seaport is the old Custom House, today the Key West Museum of Art & History.
Key West was an important and growing city in 19th century Florida. Authorities saw the need for a proper Custom House and authorized its construction in 1885, adjacent to the U.S. Naval base. It was completed in 1891 and became home to the island’s customs office, postal service, and district courts.
In 1932, the building transferred to the U.S. Navy and became headquarters for their Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico operations. The Navy no longer needed the building in the 1950s and it was abandoned for many years. Despite being abandoned, it was placed on the National …

Karl on Jun 17, 2021 | Comments Off

“Pic of the Week”, June 11, 2021: Sergels Torg — Obelisk and Fountain

Sergels Torg is Stockholm’s busiest public square. It was modernized and expanded in the 1950s to deal with the city’s growing population.
One of the city’s best-known fountains is located in Sergels Torg. It was completed in 1968, and since 2000 has been designated as a national cultural landmark. A contest was held for the design of the fountain’s central monument, which was won by sculptor Edvin Öhrström. ln 1974 the fountain’s main feature was installed, the Crystal Vertical Accent, or glass obelisk.
The glass obelisk is 37.5 m (123 feet) tall. When it’s dark the oblesik is illuminated from within, making it all the more impressive.
Sergel’s Torg is a popular place for public gatherings. It’s home of the Cultural museum and a major metro …

Karl on Jun 10, 2021 | Comments Off

“Pic of the Week”, June 4, 2021: Ray’s Seafood Restaurant, Seward

An excellent restaurant to consider when visiting Seward is Ray’s. Situated on the city’s beautiful harbor, it offers terrific views of the boats as they move about and the mountains of the Kenai peninsula. Ray’s has been a winner of the Alaska Best Restaurant Award.
The seafood was so good at Ray’s that we ate both dinners we were in town here.
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Karl on Jun 3, 2021 | Comments Off

“Pic of the Week”, May 28, 2021: Great Green Wall, Madrid

It’s not every day you see a garden growing VERTICALLY! My wife and I stopped and did a double-take when strolling by this lovely wall, across the street from the famous Prado Museum in Madrid.
A little research revealed that the wall was designed by Patrick Blanc, who specializes in creating vertical gardens. This wall, which is four stories tall, has more than 15,000 plants representing 250 different species. The plants are watered by a drip irrigation system.
The wall was once part of a power plant dating to 1899, but today the building within it has been converted to an arts and cultural center.
(Click on thumbnails to enlarge, right arrow to advance slideshow)

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Karl on May 27, 2021 | Comments Off

“Pic of the Week”, May 21, 2021: Predjama Castle, Slovenia

There are lots of castles in Europe, but Predjama Castle in Slovenia is different than most. It’s the largest cave castle in the world and is very close to the popular Postojna Cave complex, so you can comfortably visit both sites in one day, as we did.
Predjama Castle was originally built around the 13th century. The castle we see today was constructed in the 16th century by its then owner, an Austrian knight know as Hans Kobenzl. Today the castle is a museum which highlights life in the 16th century. There is a fee for entry to the museum, and to the caves behind it.
What most strikes you when you first see the castle is its picturesque setting against a …

Karl on May 20, 2021 | Comments Off

“Pic of the Week”, May 14, 2021: Storm over the Everglades

The lifeblood of the Everglades is the frequent rain it receives. If you visit for a few days, you’re likely to see some precipitation.
The storms I saw over the “River of Grass” reminded me a lot of those I’d witnessed on the Canadian prairies. Blowing in quickly over the flat landscape, dark and menacing. Dumping a lot of water in a short time, before moving on.
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Karl on May 13, 2021 | Comments Off

“Pic of the Week”, May 7, 2021: Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep, Banff National Park

It’s not often that I’ve seen bighorn sheep traveling in family units — father, mother and youngster. But that’s exactly what we saw when visiting Banff National Park. Usually, in my experience, if you encounter bighorn sheep they travel in larger herds, often females and their young stick together, as do groups of males.
But this family unit was standing in the snow on a rocky outcropping overlooking a group of human admirers. The small one — probably almost a year old — was especially cute hanging out beside dad, before deciding to wander off.
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