Hay on Fire Festival

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Tonight (Halloween 2009) was the Hay on Fire festival here in Hay-on-Wye, Wales.  The night first started with a parade through town that slowly made its way out to the ‘Warren’ on the edge of the river Wye where the fire festival was held.  The crowd numbered in the thousands to watch the fire dancing, hear the music and see the final culmination in the burning of a wicker man giant with of fireworks.  By far the coolest celebration I’ve yet to see on Halloween.  My pictures don’t do much justice to the coolness of the night…
2009 hay on fire festival, Hay-on-Wye, Wales, photography

2009 hay on fire festival, Hay-on-Wye, Wales, photography

2009 hay on fire festival, Hay-on-Wye, Wales, photography

2009 hay on fire festival, Hay-on-Wye, Wales, photography

2009 hay on fire festival, Hay-on-Wye, Wales, photography

2009 hay on fire festival, Hay-on-Wye, Wales, photography

Kungsleden – the Huts

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The STF (Svenska Turistföreningen) runs a series of mountain huts (fjällstuga) along the Kungsleden trail. The huts are only open until the 20th of September but they all have an ’emergency hut’ which stay open year round which one is able to stay in.  Leaving Abisko and heading south, the first hut is Abiskojaure.

Kungsleden sweden travel photography: route and distance signs at start of trail in Abisko

Kungsleden sweden travel photography: Abiskojaure hut

Fire warms the kitchen in Abiskojaure hut.

Kungsleden, Sweden, Abiskojaure hut sign

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Utakleiv Beach

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Lofoten islands Norway travel photography: rocky beach at Utakleiv in storm

Utakleiv, Lofoten islands, Norway.

Welsh Mountain Ponies – Black Mountains, Wales

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Hay-on-Wye is on the northeast border of the Brecon Beacons national park here in Wales.  Though slightly confusingly, the Brecon Beacon mountains are further west, with the Black mountains being the range here in the east.   Welsh mountain ponies roam the wild grassy hillsides and mountains and can be quite friendly as they try to discover whether your clothing or camera is edible.  My camera lens was completely fogged by horse breath on numerous occasions as I was trying to photograph them.

Wild Welsh mountain pony, Black Mountains, Brecon Beacons national park, Wales

Wild Welsh mountain pony, Black Mountains, Brecon Beacons national park, Wales

Wild Welsh mountain pony, Black Mountains, Brecon Beacons national park, Wales

Wild Welsh mountain pony, Black Mountains, Brecon Beacons national park, Wales

Wild Welsh mountain pony, Black Mountains, Brecon Beacons national park, Wales

Wild Welsh mountain pony, Black Mountains, Brecon Beacons national park, Wales

Vestfjord

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Vestfjord viewed from Stamsund, Lofoten islands, Norway

On a nicer day, the Norwegian mainland would be visible in the distance.  The Vestfjord as viewed from Stamsund, Lofoten islands, Norway.

Stockholm – Gamla Stan

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Stockholm, Sweden travel photography: Gamla stan (old town) cobble stone streets at night

Gamla Stan (old town), Stockholm.  Cobble stone streets, narrow winding alleyways, brightly colored buildings, tourists, and street cafes; the old town of Stockholm fits the ideal of a classic European city and is a wonderful place to wander around, day or night.

Unstad

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Unstad beach, Lofoten islands, Norway: travel landsacpe photography

last light at Unstad, Lofoten islands, Norway.

Kungsleden

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Kungsleden trail, Sweden: Panoramic landscape photo from Tjaektja

Typical weather during my 10 days on the Kungsleden trail.  View from near Tjaektja hut, looking north up the Alisvaggi towards Alesjaure.

The landscape is totally amazing and beautiful, despite the weather.  Barren rugged mountains with rivers and waterfalls everywhere.  Most of the northern section of the trail is above the tree line.

(working on some small netbook, so not too sure about the color.  Hope its not too bad.)

Smoky Sky over Lake Crescent

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Landscape travel stock photography: Smoke from wildfire covers sun over lake Crescent, Washington

Lake Crescent, Washington.

I had been up long before sunrise, photographing out on the coast.  As the sky lightened into another typical gray morning I noticed a faint bit of coloring which I thought a bit odd.  I didn’t make much note of it the time but as soon as I came across this sight, it popped back into my mind as I recognized that it had been smoke.  Only one thing turns the sun that color in the middle of the day.  Not sure where the fire was, but there were numerous fires in the area at the time.

Rialto Beach – Olympic national park

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Travel landscape stock photography: Rialto Beach, Olympic national park, Washington

Travel landscape stock photography: Rialto Beach, Olympic national park, Washington

Rialto Beach, Olympic national park, Washington.