Category Archives: Nature

Long view to the Acropolis

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The Acropolis in Athens, as seen from the top of Lycabettus Hill:

Long view to the Acropolis

I don’t seem to see this perspective of the Acropolis very often online, but it turns out that it’s pretty simple to achieve. Lycabettus Hill is in the middle of an urban park in Athens, and while you’ve got some walking to do at first, a funicular can get you the last steep stretch to the top. Or, you can walk the whole way, if you have the time and fortitude to walk the trail up the hill.

Get up to the top with a reasonably long lens, and you’re ready to go. This is an afternoon shot (with light overcast); the lighting should be more-dramatic on a clear day near sunrise.

EXIF:
Olympus E-M1III, M.Zuiko 40-150mm f/2.8 lens
f/8.0, 106mm, 1/640 sec, ISO 200

Crop circles

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Seen on a recent flight east (somewhere over eastern Colorado / western Nebraska), it’s center-pivot agricultural fields in the midst of what are essentially stabilized sand dunes:

Crop circles

It’s late-afternoon raking light like this that really brings out the ancient nature of Colorado’s eastern plains’ “sand hill” terrain. It’s all a desert dune field, (temporarily) frozen in place

Runkurakay Pass

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So the high point (physically) of day 3 on the Inca Trail is Runkurakay Pass — with views just as good as Dead Woman Pass had, but not nearly as painful to get to.  Just before the pass, the trail winds between two small hanging lakes (I haven’t been able to find any reliable names for them).  First, we’re looking uphill / west across the lower / larger of the two (you can see some of my hiking buddies on the trail above it to the right).

Looking up to Runkurakay Pass

In this next shot, we’re at the pass and looking to the east. Continue reading →