London (part 1)

Finally back in London after 14 years!

Big Ben, prints available at my site

London Eye

London Eye from below.
Even though we got tickets for half price, it still didn't feel like it was worth the £20 we paid.

sunset from the London Eye

Westminster Bridge, prints available from my site

Panoramic from Westminster Bridge

Big Ben

House of Parliament

Westminster Abbey

The Sky's Awake!

An wonderful view during a red-eye flight to Europe. Most amusing part is that everyone else on the plane slept through it. Sometimes it pays to be an insomniac.

These auroras were taken from 35000 ft while the plane was passing a several hundred miles south of Greenland, and they continued on all night until we flew into daylight.

Cherry Blossom Festival - Washington, D.C. (part 2)

While the cherry blossoms themselves can be very unpredictable (blooming anywhere from early March to late April depending on weather), the National Cherry Blossom Festival takes place each year during the first two weeks of April.

The lantern lighting festival which takes place where
the earliest cherry trees from Japan were planted.

cherry blossoms are found all around the perimeter of the Tidal Basin

There are also various concerts and exhibitions during the festival such as this kenjutsu demonstration below.

cutting bamboo

demonstrating with wooden swords

demonstrating with real swords