Refinery At Dawn

This is a photo of the refinery located in San Nicolaas, Aruba. Back in the day when I used film in my photographic efforts, I always wanted to take a great night shot of the place. I never got around to it, and now my film cameras rest in my museum of things I used to love. I took a chance using my little consumer digital camera and this is what I got:

It’s not the greatest picture. However, it does give the impression of the photo I always wanted to take. Among the cameras that I used to use regularly was a Horseman 4X5 field camera. If you’re not familiar with photography, just think of those old cameras with the bellows and the guy sticking his head under a cloth. The film was 4 inches by 5 inches in size. When you have an original that large, you can make enlargements that are crystal clear up to about 3 feet by 4 feet. I have a few of those around the house. The problem was that getting the film developed became more and more expensive as well as more difficult to find a lab to do it. Thus, into the museum went the camera, lenses, and film holders.

I regularly consult photographs of locations that appear in my stories. These pictures help keep my writing organized. With digital cameras and small printers it is easier than ever to build a story board that chronicles the narrative from beginning to end. This becomes more important as the amount of pages increases. You would be surprised how easy it is to get lost in the middle of writing a novel. A quick look at the story boards and you’re back on track. Not only that, it’s fun to look at your original ideas after the book is completed. It’s amazing what you thought you were going to do as compared to how things turned out. That’s the beauty of fiction, you can rearrange it when you have to.

Published in: on September 2, 2008 at 12:24 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Cape May, New Jersey, USA

This is only the second time that I’ve seen the Cape May Lighthouse from shore. Of course, I saw it numerous times from the water.

The lighthouse is actually located in Cape May Point, NJ. This is a great place if you’re into bird watching, quiet living, and enjoy the salt air. The lighthouse itself is open for tours. You can climb to the top of it as well as walk around the balcony just below the light. The view is fantastic. You can see into the Delaware Bay, out into the Atlantic Ocean, and over the beaches that fringe the end of New Jersey’s coastline.

It’s always a good idea to come here early as the crowds build throughout the day, especially when the weather is as nice as it was when I took this photo. Here’s a look at the beach at Cape May Point.

You can see it wasn’t crowded. People had just started to stake out their patch of sand. The airplanes were towing banners, advertising everything from restaurant specials to Atlantic City casinos. Cape May itself is filled with Victorian-style homes. I took this photo of two modest places, but there are many more that are as big as these two put together and more brightly painted than a carnival ride.

Still, I think these represent a pleasant scale that is both practical and inviting. Readers of this blog know that I’m partial to Spanish Colonial Architecture. However, I enjoyed a morning stroll through Cape May, taking in the variety of Victorian homes. The residents here take good care of their property. The sidewalks and streets are immaculate. If you want to do some shopping or antique hunting, there’s a pedestrian mall in the center of town that looks like this:

We found a place for lunch here that was quite good. Of course, an ice-cold Coca-Cola was had for dessert before more walking around town. Cape May deserves its reputation as a low-key, friendly destination. The beach can get crowded but all good beaches do. There are plenty of good restaurants, quaint bed and breakfast establishments if you want to stay a few days, and lots of quite streets to welcome you. (I’d like to work Cape May into a story some day, just haven’t figured out exactly how.)

Published in: on September 1, 2008 at 11:56 am  Leave a Comment  
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Owls in Aruba

Given that Aruba is a desert island, the wildlife is limited as compared to more tropical locations. However, there are quite a few interesting birds to  be seen, including these burrowing owls. You have to look at this photo very carefully to spot the owl on the rock in the center of the photo.

The owls are very skittish. I took this photo from about 100′ away, which is why the resolution is poor. If you get much closer, they fly away. Notice the burrow beneath the rock in the lower left of the picture. That’s where they nest. I’m always extremely careful not to disturb the next or the owls themselves. There aren’t many of these guys left on the island. The good news is that conservation efforts are helping.

Published in: on August 30, 2008 at 11:33 am  Leave a Comment  
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Stop and Go, Oranjestaad

It’s been a while since I wrote a post about Coca-Cola. Therefore, take a look at the Stop & Go snack stand located in Oranjestaad, Aruba.

This place was built using a steel shipping container that normally would be carrying cargo back and forth between someplace else and Aruba. Now it is a great place to stop in for an ice-cold Coca-Cola. They sell other soft drinks, pastechi, as well as other little snacks. It is located behind the Renaissance Mall in downtown Oranjestaad, across the street from Chez Matilde. You can’t miss it.

From time to time, I borrow a table at the various places inside the mall and do some writing there. People passing through serve as inspiration for characters. Then, after I’ve cranked out about two thousand words, I’ll head out to the Stop & Go for a refresco as my Spanish-speaking friends would say. In the heat of the Aruba afternoon, an ice-cold Coca-Cola is just the thing to refresh and renew.

Published in: on August 29, 2008 at 12:13 pm  Leave a Comment  
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