Travel Photography # 04: Crossing The Golden Gate (A "Photo Scavenger Hunt" Post)

Photography is my passion. But there are also other things that I enjoy doing: Travelling, reading, gardening, and teaching.

Teaching is of course my profession, but more than that it's a profession with a passion. I've tried other jobs before and even though they were good and well paying, none was as satisfying - and addictive - as teaching. I'm glad I chose this profession and I'm proud to be a teacher.

And here are the photos for my participation in this week's "Photo Scavenger Hunt":



Photo 1: That is me - the one with that camera backpack - and my wife's colleage on the Golden Gate bridge. He used to study in California and knows a lot about San Francisco. He tried to explain to me about a few things we saw from the bridge. My wife took this photograph. She's not very much into photography. In fact, she often says that she can't use a camera! She's very good at other things though - she's very smart and, apart from photography, she can do a lot of things better than I can.



Photo 2: Here is my wife and me, posing at the Golden Gate park with the bridge and the San Francisco bay at the background. Her colleague took this photograph.

These photographs were taken last year (2007) on our trip to three US cities. It was her business trip. I was only a chaperon.

Oh, and here is a 42 second video clip of the bride crossing. Enjoy!

Travel Photography # 03: Advertising God on the Street of San Francisco

Last year I accompanied my wife for a week-long marketing trip to three US cities. San Francisco was our first stop. It was my second visit to San Francisco.

I always like this city even before I visited it. I had read a lot about it and dreamed of visiting it long before I actually had a chance to visit it. The first chance to visit this city came in 2005 when I was studying in the US. Just like what I had read, SF was really a wonderful city and I fell in love it. So the second visit I made to the city last year was like visiting a long time friend whom I had not seen for quite a while.

I like SF's breezy and cool air (eternal spring?), warm sun, the hilly landscapes, wonderful architectural heritage, its astonishing varieties of food from every corner of the world; but most of all, I like its friendly and liberal atmosphere. People on the streets seemed to be much more ready to smile and were less inhibited to speak to strangers and visitors like myself than any other cities I had visited in the US.

The streets are very lively too. The Chinatown has somewhat familiar feel about it. The sights and sounds are just like what I am used to at home. I guess it's the common Asian experience we share with the Chinese people. Other streets ... feels like ... well ... the American melting pot: African American, Asian American, Latino American ...

What happened in this photo was, I think, quite unique. I've never seen it anywhere else. This man of church was advertising God's love - on the street!