SURVIVOR….VANUATU
Location: Victoria
Butterfly Gardens
Victoria,
Canada
When: November
30, 2010
10:37am
Camera: Canon
60d
EF
18-200mm
Focal: 18mm
Shutter: 1/160
sec
Aperture: F 520
ISO: 400
I have
decided to write this Blog in order give people a place to learn more about the
photograph they are thinking about purchasing, have already purchased or have
enjoyed viewing on my website larrypannellphotography.com.
My thoughts
are to post a Photograph of the Week and include the location, photographic
data and insight on what I was trying to convey with the image. Essentially the
story behind the photograph.
I specialize
in Landscape, Travel and Fine Art Photography. If you are viewing my blog
before you have seen my website please take the time to browse the photographs
there as well. I have been fortunate to have travelled many places and you will
find photographs of Alaska, Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii, French
Polynesia, the South Pacific, Southeast Asia, the Philippines and Vietnam. You
may also enjoy my photography of the Western United States and my recent
photographs of Yosemite National Park where I currently reside.
Thank you
for your interest and all comments would be greatly appreciated
Larry
Enjoy.....
SURVIVOR….VANUATU
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Many of you
may remember that the show Survivor did a season in Vanuatu located in the
South Pacific. Well I too "survived" Vanuatu.
My ship,
Royal Caribbean's Rhapsody of the Seas made several visits to Vanuatu and on
same island
where the series was filmed though we were on the other side in the port town
of Vila.
Vila
reminded me and my running mate and ships personal trainer James Mountjoy from
Wales a lot like the Caribbean. In fact James said it really reminded him of
Jamaca. The town itself was a little rundown with rough roads, a large open air
market, several small places to eat and a few stores, many which catered to
tourists from the cruise ships that stopped here.
Most of the
places you wanted to visit and what you saw on post cards were out of the city
like the waterfall, Blue Lagoon and the tourist resorts. However there was one
place in town that caught our eye, it was an unassuming, rather plain looking
building with a sign out front saying hotel/casino and lunch special for
$10....we're there....
Once inside
the hotel was beautiful with a very nice dining room overlooking the bay.
Better yet outside there was a beautiful pool overlooking the bay as well.
James and I went here every time we visited Vanuatu and we decided not to tell
anyone about this place and dubbed it "The Hideout". Sometime you
just need a place to get away from everyone on the ship both crew and guests.
Plus we were afraid if too many began to show up that the hotel guests would
get upset and complain to management and we would be kicked out. This has
happened at a number of places we visited in Hawaii and Fiji to name a few.
On this day
the sky was filled with clouds as it usually was when we were in Vanuatu. The
air was warm and every now and then we would get a little rain. My thoughts
were to capture the solitude and serenity that James and I sought and found
here.
As James sat
near the waters edge I went to the other side of the pool in order to get the
full scope of our location. Once there is was even better then I hoped as the
reflection of the blue sky with white clouds were easily visible in the pool.
Another plus that was there were no other people there to have to worry about
being in the photograph. Also across the small bay was a number of small
vacation huts at one of the local resorts. Another factor that I liked in the
photograph was the sailboat near the center of the image having a black hull
instead of white. It stood out ever so slightly but not enough to take way from
the central theme.
As always I
checked my setting for shutter speed and depth of field, held my breath and
fired away. The result in my eyes captured exactly the feeling of the
place...The Hideout.
In closing I
will say that we did decided to share the Hideout twice. As James contract
ended before mine on his last visit to Vila we took his girlfriend Caroline. As
we walked by James looked at me and said "I wonder what this place is
like?" Upon entering Caroline was taken just as much as we were on our first
visit, especially when she saw the pool outside. Following her out said said
that she was going to go for a swim. Both James and I told her that we better
check first as we were not guests. Sitting at one of the tables we waited as
Solomon the waiter we had gotten to know during our visits came to our table.
"The usual" he asked as we replied of course, two Tusker beers please
trying not to laugh as Caroline's jaw hit the ground.
The last
time the ship was in Vila myself and three of the "Spa Girls" hired a
guide that took us the the Blue Lagoon for a swim and to a waterfall outside of
Vila. On the return trip I had him drop us off in the middle of town in front
of the hotel. I did the same ploy as James and I did with Caroline only this
time she assisted. Once outside and enjoying the pool and a couple cocktails
they exclaimed..."so this is where you and James have been hiding all the
time!" What could I do other then laugh
Thank you for your interest and all comments would be greatly appreciated
Larry
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