Tag Archives: travel

Through Harold’s Lens Receives Liebster Award.

May 16, 2013 By in HONORS, Martha's Vineyard, UNITED STATES Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , 21 Comments

_HMG5485UNITED STATES. The Island of Martha’s Vineyard Through Harold’s lens:

Through Harold’s Lens is honored to have just been awarded a Liebester Award by cecilia-maria.com

The Liebester Award is given to smaller bloggers to give recognition and encouragement, and to help the rest of the blogging community discover their blogs.

In presenting The Liebster Award, cecilia-maria.com
said she wanted to say thank you to Through Harold’s Lens and to let Harold know how much she appreciates his blog.

Cecilia came dancing out onto the stage floor of my blog, and into my heart, last fall. It was during my posting days of my photographic series on Mexico’s Ballet Folklórico de San Miguel de Allende. As a speaker, writer and professional dancer, Cecelia was using the art of dance in deep union with her beliefs in the Catholic church. She founded Dance Immaculata. There’s a stunning photograph of Cecilia on her Dance Immaculata About cover page.

Cecelia laughs at the days to come and chronicles her light-hearted journey in the everyday moments of life. And laugh and smile she does!!! In everything she does!!! I’ve gone from post to post to post as Cecelia reflects deeply, yet with pure joy, on her adventures with friends, family, the beauty of life, Catholicism and so much more.

Dear fun, smiling Cecelia, thank you. The inner beauty you bring into our world can come only from your heart. A heart that is treasured by blogging friends all over the world.

“I had to let it happen. I had to change”. Flavors From BA.

May 16, 2013 By in ARGENTINA, Flavors From Buenos Aires Tags: , , , , , , , 25 Comments

world_dance-168ARGENTINA. Buenos Aires Through Harold’s Lens:

As Eva says ,“It won’t be easy”.

Our dance through this Latin culture has come to an end.

But, discovery of more in our vast, rich world continues in about a month .

I hope you have enjoyed our jaunt into the fun, quirky, magical South American city of Buenos Aires.

Dancing shoes… high heel sneakers… splashes of color… deep passion… cold beer… tango dancing.

We met many characters in a play called “Life”.

You experienced and met up close and personal:

Wild artists.… Sexy scents of women.… Hot Latin men with hip-hugging tango passions… Lush women who embrace.… Walls that talk.… Monster crawling cockroaches.… Mad wives. … Slinky models molded with curves.… Hustling salesmen.… Freezing old Gauchos.… Snorting old horses.… Wives that give permission.… Testosterone laden polo players.… Aromas of rich leather.… Beautiful strolling women.… Nudes wrapped in the woods.… Personal notes to men. … Geezers living in today’s world.… Patient Italian men.… Rowdy raucous football fans.… Terrors in the night.… Stunning women who go incognito.… Men who love old license plates.… Folks mad a hell.… Dramatic deaths on the big stage.… A talking Nikon camera.… Love and passion on the tango dance floor.

Did you join Through Harold’s Lens’ caravan in mid journey?

Open a link above. Or two. Or three. Or four.

See what you missed. Fun. A bit lusty. Perky. Wild. Weird.

Through Harold’s Lens is packing his gear bag.

Another country.

Another culture.

Harold’s photographs and stories with his lens and a pens will resume in about a month.

Thank you for all of your “Likes”, your “Comments”, our tete-a-tete and your enjoyment of what I am trying to do.

“I love you, and hope you love me”

Sensuality Of The Tango #6. Flavors From BA.

May 15, 2013 By in ARGENTINA, Flavors From Buenos Aires Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , 13 Comments

world_dance-141world_dance-138world_dance-146ARGENTINA. Buenos Aires Through Harold’s Lens:

Pining. Pining. Pining.
Click. Click. Click.

Find yourself in the video below.
Let go.
Be one with your partner.

May blazing flames rise slowly as you dance tightly embraced with the one you love.

Sensuality Of The Tango. Flavors From BA.

May 9, 2013 By in ARGENTINA, Flavors From Buenos Aires Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 18 Comments

world_dance-162ARGENTINA. Buenos Aires Through Harold’s Lens:

“Oh Harold, stop pushing”, the Nikon D300s camera squealed.

Click. Click. Click.

“Your soft hand is gripping me so hard”, the 70-200mm telephoto lens soothed.

Click. Click. Click.

“Are you taking secret photographs of me”, the LCD screen hollered.

Click. Click. Click.

“I’m really pissed. I get no action” screamed the Nikon D80 camera from inside the gear bag.

Click. Click. Click.

“Oh Harold. Harold. Harold. That feels so, so good”, purred the Gitzo GT 2540 tripod as the smooth, oiled legs extended.

Click. Click. Click.

“Tight fit, my man”, growled the 4GB Compact Flash Card.

Click. Click. Click.

“Please release me forever”, the Really Right Stuff Ballhead swooned.

Click. Click. Click.

“Faster. Faster. Faster”, the frames per second howled.

Minds wander deeply.

Bury into the soul.

Watching the explosive sensuality of the tango.

Lovers. Flavors From BA.

May 4, 2013 By in ARGENTINA, Flavors From Buenos Aires Tags: , , , , , , , , , , 8 Comments

0902_South_America_010ARGENTINA. Buenos Aires Through Harold’s Lens:

Opera La Boheme. Act 4. Finale.

Rodolfo
Oh Mimi will you never return
Oh, beautiful days, tiny hands
the fragrance of your tresses…
…your snow white neck!

Mimi — (With great passion)
Rodolfo!

Rodolfo — (Carefully, helping Mimi onto a bed)
Hush now, rest.

Mimi — (Holding Rodolfo in her arms)
Oh, my Rodolfo!
May I stay here with you?

Rodolfo
Ah! my dearest Mimi,
always, always!
(Gently Rodolfo persuades Mimi to lie down on the bed and covers her with a blanket, then with great care sips a pillow under Mimi’s head)

Rodolfo
Heavenly lips,
still you speak to me!

Mimi
It’s just a little cough!
I’m used to it.

Rodolfo
Rest now.

Mimi
You won’t leave me?

Rodolfo
No! No!

Mimi
(Mimi open her eyes, stretches her hand out towards Rodolfo, then kisses him lovingly. Mimi puts her arms around Rodolfo’s neck)
Your are my entire life, you are my love.

Rodolfo
Ah, Mimi,
my beautiful Mimi!

Mimi
(She lets herself fall into his arms)
Do you still find me beautiful?

Rodolfo
As lovely as the dawn.

Mimi
(Mimi has a sudden spasm of coughing, she falls back with exhaustion)

Rodolfo
(Alarmed, Rodolfo gently supports Mimi)
Oh God! Mimi!
(Rodolfo carefully lays Mimi down on the pillow)

Mimi
I’m here… my love… always with you!
My hands… in the warm… and… to sleep
Silence…………….

Rodolfo
(Rodolfo dashes to Mimi’s bedside, scoops her up in his arms crying out in extreme desperation)
(weeping)
Mimì!… Mimì!..

THE END

Puccini’s Italian opera La Boheme is one of the most frequently performed operas in the world.

As I quietly strolled La Recoleta Cemetery, I was reminded of the sad, passionate finale of the two lovers Rodolfo and Mimi. And, my tear-filled evening at the New York City Opera watching my Tenor Nephew Barton Green play the lead role of Rodolfo.

Angry Protest. Flavors From BA.

April 28, 2013 By in ARGENTINA, Flavors From Buenos Aires Tags: , , , , , , , , , , 12 Comments

0902_South_America_090ARGENTINA. Buenos Aires Through Harold’s Lens:

“Get out now”. “Get out now”. “Get out now”.

Saturday morning. 11am. The roaring rhythm of the angry, swelling crowd screamed.

“Get out now”.

The crowd stormed down the chic street. The upmarket neighborhood of Palermo. Palermo Chico.

“Get out now”.

Stretching from curb to curb. Parking meter to parking meter.

“Get out now”.

Hundreds of signs. Mean words. Hastily scribbled. Red and black ink. Hands gripping long wooden sticks.

“Get out now”.

The surging crowd overflowing onto beautifully landscaped yards.

“We live here”. “Get out now”.

It happened overnight. Vendors. Hucksters. Hundreds of them. Hunkered in. Big colored booths. Loud colors. Flashing lights. Peddlers hawking their wares. Cheap merchandise. Loud music. The stink of greasy food cooking. Stretching for five blocks.

“Get out now”.

Police arrive. No licenses. Vendors out. Three hours later, all is calm. Trash wrappers litter lawns. Protest signs in trash cans. Neighbors once again gossiping. Peace returns to the valley.

Feel The Love Award To Through Harold’s Lens.

April 22, 2013 By in BELGIUM, HONORS Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , 15 Comments

2009__Oceania_Sacandinavian_Splendors_Cruise-3451BELGIUM. Bruges Through Harold’s Lens:

The true name of this award to Through Harold’s Lens is “I Am Part Of The WordPress Family Award”.

I love the nickname “Feel The Love” though, as it expresses how I feel about my WordPress family.

Only a woman we all know and love, named “Hugs” could have given me this award. Her blog handle is www.Hope*the happy hugger.com. Thank you dear “Hugs” for nominating Through Harold’s Lens. You speak so softly of life, love, happiness and most of all kindness that you have a rich family of Followers from all over the world. Dear “Hugs”, I’m sure all of them would agree that you are an ounce of gold in our treasure chest of life.

Four! Flavors From BA.

April 17, 2013 By in ARGENTINA, Flavors From Buenos Aires Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , 13 Comments

0902_South_America_034ARGENTINA. Buenos Aires Through Harold’s Lens:

The 2nd hole was murder!! A long par 4. Dog leg left. Lush green fairway. Up a long steep hill. The mountain capped by an area for putting.

The little boy was only ten. Nickname: Metty. Tiger of a tyke. Sixty-five pounds. Soaking wet. A four-foot runt.

His Dad’s golf bag weighed thirty-one pounds. Stood over three feet tall.

Lugging the golf bag up the 2nd hole was pure murder by iron and leather.

Barely lift it. Sling it forward. Dump it down.

Groan. Swish. Bump.

Groan. Swish. Bump.

Groan. Swish. Bump.

Dad said the bag was building character. The small whippersnapper swore quietly. His older brother Chip had taught him the words. The older brother had schlepped the bag up the 2nd hole too. Now the torch had been passed.

Groan. Swish. Bump.

All day. For 6,262 yards. The little nipper humped his Dad’s golf bag around the golf course. Week after week. Month after month. For two years.

Groan. Swish. Bump.

Sweat dripped into his eyes. Muscles roared with pain.

Groan. Swish. Bump.

Soon, Dad’s male golf tradition was handed to the youngest son. Bart. Another runt.

Bart renamed the 2nd. “The Bastard”.

Groan. Swish. Bump.

Meanwhile, the shaveling took up other sports. Today the squirt is retired. The other sports are not part of his life. He remembers times with his Dad. He now plays golf. Character has been built.

I saw this old, heavy, sagging leather golf bag in San Telmo. It tweaked memories of the great times I had on the 2nd hole as I caddied for my Dad.

Dressing Down. Flavors From BA.

April 7, 2013 By in ARGENTINA, Flavors From Buenos Aires Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , 13 Comments

0903_South_America_111ARGENTINA. Buenos Aires Through Harold’s Lens:

My head spun a Charlie McCarthy 360!

Gorgeous face. My Nikon searched for my left eye. Click. Click. Click.

She whisked by me dressed down in old Bohemian fabrics. Click. Click. Click.

Her moving red lips said “Thank you”.

I could not resist. “You are so beautiful you should be a model in the Buenos Aires Fashion Week”.

“I am one of the Fashion Week models”, she whispered.

With curiosity I asked “Why are you dressed so casually, so Bohemian?” “I’m trying to be incognito in Buenos Aires. These Latin men are, let’s just say, a bit assertive”. At the fashion shows in Paris, New York and Milan, the men give us some distance”.

A new experience for me. Wrapping your body in fabrics is an art onto itself. Wrapping yourself to decrease attention? It didn’t work with me! My Nikon captured her.

Call of Terror. Flavors From BA.

April 2, 2013 By in ARGENTINA, Flavors From Buenos Aires Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , 12 Comments

0902_South_America_011ARGENTINA. Buenos Aires Through Harold’s Lens:

4:12 am. January 9, 1955.

The brass ringer bell on our rotary phone screams and screams and screams outside my bedroom door.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

I’m in deep sleep. Ring. Ring Ring.

I am only 14. Ring. Ring. Ring.

Old enough to know only bad comes with a call in the black of night. Ring. Ring. Ring.

I’m into horror movies. Ring. Ring. Ring.

I am terrified. Ring. Ring. Ring.

Slapping bare feet rip down the wooden hallway. Ring. Ring. Ring.

Total silence. A mind-piercing scream rips through my bedroom door. I leap from my sheets. I tear open my door. I’m face to face with my Mother. Wracking in tears. Sucking for air. Eyes wide with terror. “Maudie”, Mom gasps. The hospital. Her five-month old daughter. Dead. I wrap my arms around Mom’s heaving, sagging shoulders. Mom and I cry.

Please Lord. There is an order to birth. An order to death. Our children are not to die first.

A jet black old rotary in an antique store in Buenos Aires evokes a 50 year old painful memory of an ice cold January morning in upstate New York and the value of life.

Rowdy Old Bottle Bar. Flavors From BA.

March 27, 2013 By in ARGENTINA, Flavors From Buenos Aires Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , 11 Comments

0903_South_America_089ARGENTINA. Buenos Aires Through Harold’s Lens:

The joint’s been quiet for 3 hours now.

Exit was an inebriated mass.

Sloshes of beer lay soaked in mops. Old oak tables upturned. Broken chairs stacked in trash cans. Sharp broken glass swept into dust pans. Whifts of rancid sweat hung in the corners. The stink of warm booze hung everywhere.

14 large screen tvs. All black.

A Boca Juniors victory in futbol is only matched by its raucous fans.

As Argentina’s most internationally famous professional team, the team’s fame is matched by its rowdy fans. At La Bombonera stadium these crazy Boca Fans are nicknamed La Doce. The 12th player because of their loud and distracting presence.

The large fan base of these hooligans number 60,000+. There are only 49,000 seats in the famed La Bombonera stadium.

On game day, thousands of energetic La Doce pour into bars. The bars pour back. Chants echo off walls. Drums pound. Flags wave. Packed bars going bananas.

It’s Boca Juniors game day!

Juniors Win! Flavors From BA.

March 25, 2013 By in ARGENTINA, Flavors From Buenos Aires Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , 3 Comments

0903_South_America_049ARGENTINA. Buenos Aires Through Harold’s Lens:

Like a roaring tornado, the passion and excitement rips through Buenos Aires.

From rooftops, windows, doorways, busses, bicycles and bars, town criers abound.

Sweaty and bloody, Boca Juniors, Argentina’s internationally famous professional futbol team, has won another rough game against one of it’s arch rivals, River Plate.

The wild parties are underway!

Italian Tap. Flavors From BA.

March 20, 2013 By in ARGENTINA, Flavors From Buenos Aires Tags: , , , , , , , , , 14 Comments

0903_South_America_112ARGENTINA. Buenos Aires Through Harold’s Lens:

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

From only six feet away I hypnotically watched the tan pointed Italian shoe anxiously move up and down. The seated young man’s movements were putting me into a trance. A weird mental state. From his outdoor cafe chair he scanned the woman’s store fronts of fashion around him.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Was he on drugs?

Tap. Tap. Tap. Was he waiting for a drop?

Tap. Tap. Tap. What was up? Scan the store fronts again.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Look up. Look down.

Tap. Tap. Tap. A lanky red head, in a red mini at upper thigh hovering on top of 6” spikes, walked up to him carrying four shopping bags. He stood. They held hands. Walked away. Interesting to watch a man while his gal is shopping for women’s clothes.

What Is This? Flavors From BA.

March 17, 2013 By in ARGENTINA, Flavors From Buenos Aires Tags: , , , , , , , , 15 Comments

0902_South_America_076ARGENTINA. Buenos Aires Through Harold’s Lens:

The 82-year old retired language Professor folded his Buenos Aires Herald to Page 6.

Staring quizzically at the headline he mumbled “what is this?

Headline: AISI by Rodrigo Fernandez.

Paragraph 1: IMOC ADN PPL PMIGBOM. KWIN. TARFU. WDYT. TTUL. FTF.

Paragraph 2 (Translation): “As I See It by Rodrigo Fernandez. In my considered opinion, any day now, people will put their mind in gear before opening mouth. Know what I mean? Things are really fouled up. What do you think? Talk to you later. Face to face is best”.

Frowning, the old man muttered “has today’s generation lost their ability to talk to each other face to face?

You know, it happened to math skills when calculators came out. Bummer!

Nothing like the romance and imagination that comes from flowing Spanish words printed on newsprint that I can smell, crinkle, linger over and fold with my hands.”

“Dear John”. Flavors From BA.

March 15, 2013 By in ARGENTINA, Flavors From Buenos Aires Tags: , , , , , , , 21 Comments

0902_South_America_079ARGENTINA. Buenos Aires Through Harold’s Lens:

Deep in thought, pen poised, Camila begins to write.

“Santiago, you have been on my mind for days. I have tossed and turned with conflicted thoughts. A relationship is built on trust. You told me you ‘were not married’. Later, you are ‘filing for divorce’. You told me your age. An over-the-shoulder look of your Driver’s License showed me you are much older. Nights we had a date. You never showed. ‘Wrong number’ calls on your cell phone. I try to discuss this with you. You just stare at the tv. Even the commercials. Yes, you got sex. I hoped that wasn’t all you wanted. Lies are not the way to start a real relationship. Trust is gold. My trust of you is in complete breakdown. Whatever you say now, I will always have doubts. Goodbye Santiago.”

Observation from the next patio table.

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