2011 Deck – Week 31

I struggled with this selection, partially because I was busy, and also because I took quite a few photos that week (mainly a wedding), did some sight-seeing where the taxi-driver afforded me some “drive-by shooting” of some scenes  🙂

I could have stopped him to get better shots, but time is important and I didn’t want to waste his, but it did form a base of where I’d like to see when I go back!

The shot I chose is more Nikhil’s type of subject, but it was one even I couldn’t resist.  In the village of Suddie, this tank sits near the Police building and the Hospital, you just don’t see these tanks much these days.

I didn’t do much processing on this one, a crop to remove some distracting portions and to center it, and some added black, contrast and clarity.  Oops, that sounds like a lot to some people.

This tank is in remarkably good condition for its age, of course, I drew some strange stares from the people in the area, especially the security guards at the hospital  🙂

Fort Amsterdam and The Plane

The eighth day of our stay in Sint Maarten, we started off with a visit to Fort Amsterdam, its ruins are a bit unusual, a part of it was apparently used as a radio station at one time.  The attractions at the fort are things like the cistern or reservoir, long unused, the old buildings or what’s left of them, the canons of course, the views from the different parts of the fort, and while we were there one attraction was wildlife, specifically a young bird who let me get close enough for a few nice photographs.

The Cistern/Reservoir at Fort Amsterdam

Canon at Fort Amsterdam

Resident at Fort Amsterdam

A view from Fort Amsterdam

The fort, although something that would be considered a national heritage site, is located on private land behind a Hotel/Resort, so I had to take at least one photo in the compounds 🙂

We then went off to the beach near Maho where the beach curves around behind the airport, and the aircraft head straight down the sea, over the beach and onto the runway for landing, there was a photograph by Jesse Diamond that my brother had forwarded to me prior to this trip, and both he and Nikhil insisted that I try to take an inspired photograph like it, so that was the main purpose of going there, getting Coronas at more than twice the normal price was just incidental 🙂

Beach Flyover, Princess Julianna Airport, Sint Maarten

Before heading home, we took a stop at a Nature Reserve where they have horseback riding among other activities, got a few photos, but only managed to really like these:

Cactus

Duck!

Back home I waited for the evening to arrive so that I could play with the setting sun, seated on the veranda, camera at my side and a cold Heineken to my lips, life is good.

Walk along the beach

As usual, on this trip, I can’t put all the photos in the blog, so click on the ones here and go straight to the site for all 42 new additions to the Sint Maarten 2010 album.

Sunset, Simpson Bay, Sint Maarten.