So, checked in, and refreshed after a long ride into town, I
headed down to the lobby to chat with Andrew, the concierge. We discussed the
options and I decided that the Royal Easter Show is not really what I would be
into. The crowds had been manic and I was really more into seeing the sites and
relaxing this weekend.
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His suggestion: I had not spent enough time in the Royal
Botanic Gardens. He was right; of course, I had taken a quick walk around the
perimeter but had not ventured very far in. On the way across town to the
entry, the sight of a group of sketch artists caught my attention.
They were spread along a ledge of a window at the ground
level, just off the side walk. Their charcoal sticks and sketchbooks, pencils
and pens spread along the narrow ledge beside them. They were sketching the
clock tower across the street. I assume that their renderings looked something
like this. But then, they draw. I don’t have the talent…
I am a photographer; at least I like to think that I am. And
I do know the basics of digital photo editing. Thank heavens for a good digital
camera and Picasa3 and Photoshop! I may not be able to move what I see with my
eye, transfer it through the use of my physical talents and convert it to paper
and ink (or paint, or charcoal, or chocolate for that matter). But that does
not mean that I don’t see it a certain way in my mind.
So, this is the clock tower as I saw it. I saw it (to steal
a line from Douglas Adams) as classic architecture entering into an interesting
conversation with the more modern architecture surrounding it. (Which is to say
that the modern building failed to obscure it completely!
In the gardens themselves, I made the circuit of the rose
gardens, the sculptures, and the waterfront. There was so much to see that I
had missed last time! There was a great display of water lilies, and a tropical
forest walk. And even a sight-seeing tourist train! I thought about it for all of thirty-seconds. The sight of the tourists crammed into a miniature train being pulled by what looked like a small tractor dressed-up as a steam engine was almost too much for me and I nearly lost it, laughing at the tourists.
The other thing that I like to look for in nature photography is textures of light and shadow. This is a leaf of some sort that caught my attention. I didn’t see a sign telling me what it was, but it was a lovely tropical flowering plant that had a blossom looking something like an overgrown iris.
It was a lovely time and the weather was perfect for walking
around the gardens!
Wherever you are this morning I hope that you have had an
adventure this weekend!
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