My Way Is The Highway

Greek Odyssey: Two Weeks in Athens, Delphi, Peloponnese and Santorini

“Papi, Can I pick our next vacation destination?”

I froze at my 11 year old’s innocent question. Don’t get me wrong. She is a sport all right. She has trampled museums all over the world without complaining. Followed me without protesting to a myriad of dusty ruins. She has braved long flights and longer waits at the airports.

I was still skeptical. “Here comes, Orlando?” I thought.

“Greece?” Her beautiful oval eyes wide open with anticipation.

I must have jumped with joy. I myself was deep in the middle of Iliad and Troy and Alexander and Achilles. I would have picked Greece myself. The trip was signed off in seconds.

* * *

Greece has touched my life on so many fronts. India is the largest democracy in the world, but it all started in Greece. (India is also the largest bureaucracy in the world. That too, started in Greece and still continues.) Pythagoras had me floored  before I was twelve, Euclid before I was fifteen. Ayn Rand introduced me to the Parthenon a little later in her path breaking novel Fountainhead. Alexander, the Macedonian, is a personal hero, his feats – oh, so un-accomplishable. After him, “all was possible.” His teacher, Aristotle has has taught me a thing or two. Achilles is my hero’s hero.

* * * 

Most Greek itineraries are focused on talking you to the islands. The islands are beautiful but the mainland has a lot to offer. People just don’t know about it.  Ignoring all standard itineraries, I setout to design our own. The battle of Troy was high on my mind. I wanted to see where it all began. I want to see the Palace of Agamemnon. I want to visit the Oracle of Delphi.  I wanted to touch the soil that Helen once did.

* * *

Here is how it turned out…

Sunrise and Sunsets Spots for Photographers @ Tikal, Guatemala

The much touted sunrise spot is probably better at sunset for photographers. View from the top of Temple IV @ Tikal.

 

This blog post is part of of our trip to Guatemala and Honduras in Dec 2012 amidst the evocative Mayan ruins in a lush jungle, a quaint lazy colonial town and a tropical Caribbean beach. Other articles in this series: Tikal Sunrise and Sunset Spots for Photographers | Astronomical Observatory of Uaxactun |Smoking Frog of Uaxactun | Following Frederick Catherwood | The Mayan Ruins of Copán |The Modern Town of Copán |

 

Sitting on top of Temple IV in Tikal National Park, I was cursing myself. I probably should have the “Mr. Green Jeans” chapter in Bryan Peterson’s Understanding Exposure one more time. That particular chapter deals at length with handling compositions that are monopolized by the green color.  I could have used that advice. Did he say expose the greens at 2/3rd?  or was it –2/3? For the love of photography, I could not remember.

A Photography Trip to Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park

Leading up to my trip to the Monument Valley, I sat for hours, scanning hundreds of web pages full of confusing, ill presented information. All that work can simply be summarized thusly.

Monument Valley is on the Utah/Arizona border, entered from the Utah side. Don’t be a day tripper.Spend at least a night and two full halves of a day, preferable on either side of it. 

There are five choices for places to stay.

• View Lodge in Monument Valley: Hotel sits on the rim, has mind blowing view. Expensive to boot. Book 8 months in advance. No alcohol served, you are in Navajo nation.
• Gouldings: 5 mile away, clean hotel with a nice view, You can order beer after a hot day.
• Kayenta and Mexican Hat: Each a 30 minute drive with Motel 8 type accommodation and no restaurants worth talking about
• Hunts Mesa: How adventurous are you? Tent, sleeping bag, breakfast in bed. Views. Super expensive.