Look around you!

I was reading photographer Scott Bulger's blog last week on how we really don't notice the things we walk by every day. How true. Like he says, we all get caught up with our cell phones, schedules, etc. So this past week, I took my camera on a few of my walks and looked for those little things I'd normally miss on my way from point A to point B.

This little girl was inside a beauty salon and just happened to look my way as I passed by. I couldn't pass up the shot, because...

...she reminded me so much of this little cutie on Isla.

This is an antique store in San Marcos. I've never been a Marilyn Monroe fan, but I've always loved Audrey Hepburn.

This shoe repair shop was closed, so I took this through the window. It's like taking a step back in time. A sign on the outside of the shop said they started business in 1918. Whoa...that's a long time to be repairing shoes. Some of the shoes on this rack look like they're pretty old themselves. Do people really still get their shoes repaired?? I pretty much live in flip-flops down here in south Texas.

Kind of a strange sign to having hanging in front of your store. The colors looked kind of neat against the darkening sky, though.

I almost never take pictures in the sepia mode. Don't know why I did on this one, but I thought it turned out kind of neat.

I loved the warm colors of these urns.

This is on the university campus. The bird/duck/whatever looks kind of like a skinny swan. It must be a heron or something...I know nothing about birds.

I circled around and took a head-on shot. His little head is so skinny, it doesn't even look like he has one.

That's it...kind of a short post for me today.

Holga Photos of Isla

These are photographs from my last trip to Isla taken with a Holga camera. A Holga is a cheap plastic toy camera made in the early 1980's...costs about $25. It has made a comeback and has some real photography fans because of the distortions and light leaks that give the photos an "artistic" quality. It doesn't even have a battery and when you're shooting with it, you're thinking to yourself, "How could this possibly work??" I took three rolls of film with me and had to throw two out because the camera is so cheap, the back kept falling off and exposing the film. It makes the photos look like they were taken 40 years ago...something a little different for a change.









This one's a double exposure. I clicked the shutter twice without advancing the film. Kind of cool.

Missing Isla

After I posted my "final" update, Isla Gringo persuaded me that I should continue to add to my blog so here I am again. Now that I've pretty much sorted through my hundreds of photos that I took, I've found some that can offer some various subject matter and now I will be adding post-Isla thoughts. I will add that they will be considerably shorter than my "final" post which I agree was a bit much to absorb in one sitting.

So now that I've been back home for about a week and a half, I can't help but notice the differences in just everyday life between here and Isla. Take breakfast, for instance. Here's a typical breakfast on the island:


Breakfast at home.

Boring.

I DO have a colorful tablecloth, however, so that makes it a LITTLE bit better. Wrapping your utensils very tightly in a small napkin also helps. By the way, that's not beer in that glass...it's apple juice.

I took pictures of some of the street signs because they're more creative and I like the lettering and little palm tree on them.

Oopsies...when we paint the house, we should paint AROUND the street sign.

My street sign.

Boring.

Here's an interesting chair that sits at Bamboo Too.

My chair at home.

Boring.

Here's the view I had when I was doing my blog at Jax.


The view from my office at home.


Boring.

Alright...alright. I know it could be worse. In fact, my three sons know how much I like Isla, so for Mother's Day this year, they chipped in and bought me this big wall hanging of a "virtual" seascape. When it's turned on, it looks like the water's moving and it makes the soothing sound of waves hitting the shore.

Ya' gotta love 'em.

So I'm looking through my photos and come across this one. Just look at this guy gloating at his predecessor turquoise post in the water.

Don't worry...I'm not going to get into THAT again. I'm not going to say anything, but just continue my walk down the malecon. And believe me when I say I had nothing to do with putting the turquoise posts back on the ledge! It must have been someone else...I swear!

Okay, I admit it...sometimes I get a little carried away with Photoshop. I'm working on that problem.

The first couple weeks back from a trip to Isla are always the worst...so on to little things I miss.

My little apartment...and hanging my clothes out on the "line" like everyone does there.

My taxi rides to and from the neighborhood. I think on my last ride, there was a total of about eight people in that little cab...the guy just picked up everyone he saw! Kid's sitting on laps...not to mention half of the drivers seem to have their own families in there as well!

Waiting at the taxi stand to go back.

I miss eating at the Loncharias.

And the colorful houses. You just about need sunglasses for this one...this guy must think his clothing attire needs to clash with the house!

I don't think I've ever seen one of these anywhere in the United States.

And I love the little beer trucks.

And the little things.

And the rain storms. I heard the biggest clap of thunder I think I've ever heard on this past trip. And I got stuck at Chimbo's for about 15 minutes during a storm...the rain offers a different kind of beauty to Isla.


And I like the streets in town when it rains. (Although I think the shopkeepers and restaurant workers would probably disagree with me on that one considering how they have to sweep the puddles away whenever it rains.)

I miss the coming ferry...not the going ferry.

But most of all, I miss this.

My final entry...or is it???

Okay, so this is the last post on my Isla escape. It's kind of long, but I didn't want to have to do another one considering how time-consuming these darn things are!!

One of the things I thought deserved some mention are the artful walls in some of the restaurants on Isla...and most of them are quite good! This one is at Justicia Social.

The next three are from La Tigrena.

And the next three are from Minino's.

Now that I'm home, I can't really remember which restaurant this is in front of...maybe Minino's too??

This was just sitting out on the sidewalk somewhere along Medina.

This is obvious.

And this was sitting on the front porch of a house in honor of Navy Day.

I 've only been going to Isla since 2006, so I can just imagine how things have changed since, say, 20 years ago. But even in only two years, things have had their share of changes...like the Palacio Municipal. This is from September of 2006 when they were digging everything up.

And this one's from December of 2007. One of the neat things about this photograph is the reflections in the windows...something I didn't notice until a few months after I took it!

So this time, I made a point of just taking pictures of the windows to see what kind of reflections I'd get.

So they painted it since the last time I was there. Looks okay, I guess...kinda blah, though.

This is the only time I've seen the fountain on.

Another change that screwed up a good photo op.

And another.

Even though I never ate there, I always liked the way Loncheria Chely looked across from Alexia & Geovanny's.

It changed a year ago...

And now it's closed.



There is a big change from this...

...to this...

...and now this.

Urban Hostel back in 2006...

And a year later...

Alexia & Geovanny made some improvements...

But they'll never be able to improve on this...

I already posted the post about posts...so I won't post anymore posts on that.

And the malecon is definitely an improvement since I first saw it back in 2006 (except for the posts, of course).

Houses and stores are always getting painted new colors.




Plaza del Sol...

...definitely had a facelift this last time.

And this place certainly has never been lacking in the color category.




I didn't get a front shot of the lighthouse at Gran Puerto this time...will work on that next time.

This guy has been sitting here ever since my first visit.

The past couple times he's been alone, though.

And I guess this will always be a resting spot for folks....that hasn't changed.

I took this picture last May of this little cutie.

I was hoping I'd see her again this visit, but just got an empty window.

I do like the new umbrellas at Sergio's...they match the colors of the water.

I took this on my first visit in 2006 and was glad I did because it's been torn down.

This will probably be the next to go.

Alrighty-then...enough about changes. On to some obligatory island/nature pics.

Pretty pastel colors.



A shot from Jax while I was working on the blog.

Standing at the northwest corner of the island.

This flower was all by itself on one of the islands between the lanes of Medina.

It always amazes me how blue the water is.

My only sunset picture from my last visit...taken from Justicia Social.

Now for some "I love the colors of Isla" photos.

And some different ones.

Friendly newspaper guy stopping to pose.

These guys again...in a different pose! I think they move around themselves just to mess with the tourists.

Now here's an artistic variety of blankets, throws, scarves or whatever they are. Frida Kahlo, Botticelli and I don't know who designed the other two...but definitely an interesting mix!

Just thought I'd throw this in of my free Isla souvenirs. I met up with Marianne for a couple of buttons, collected some very interesting shells...and just had to take a chipped off piece of the old turquoise posts.

The next set of photos is for my special friend in South Dakota...Paul Mitchell (no, not the hair products guy). Paul sells Harley-Davidson motorcycles for a living and he was asking me whether they rent Harleys on Isla. When I stopped laughing, I told him, "No, Paul, you'd just have to pretend on a scooter." No wide open roads on Isla and the speed bumps and slow golf carts would be a considerable frustration to any Harley rider. I took this first picture because it reminded me so much of the Sturgis Rally! HaHaHaHaHaHa!

Looks just like it, doesn't it??

This is the closest thing I could find to a Harley. You don't see too many scooters with fringe on the handlebars on the island.

Here it is from across the street. Just like Sturgis with the tattoo thing going, right??

I even saw it again several days later! Weird...but then again, it IS a small island.

I'll bet you don't know too many Harley owners who put a colorful tablecloth over their bikes to protect them from the rain. Huh? Huh?



And when they're parked, they do double duty as pet beds!

You're familiar with the phrase, "One- or two-up," right? Well, on Isla, it can be three, four or even five-up depending on the size of the passengers and the scooter!

A newer model parked in a very colorful spot.

West Coast Choppers...another rarity on the island.

Okay, so that's it for my Isla Escape blog. Hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed doing it. But I guess I need to get on with my life now, gosh darn it.

My last picture on the island.

Along with the traditional "Goodbye Isla" photo. :-(

Until next time, adios amigas and amigos...