Thursday 31 March 2016

Postcard from Havana

Havana. Busy, noisy, dirty, and very, very colourful. There seem to be more of the old US cars in the city in good condition - some great paint jobs - it's obvious that the locals are making a conscious effort to capitalise on tourists' interest in these old cars. This is quite noticeable from our visit four years ago- as well as an increase in prices. A mojito is now 3CUC! ($3). Money well spent, but not before 10am. There's also a lot of restoration in the old part of the city - it's nice to see these fabulous buildings being preserved.

An original Desoto gas guzzler just off the main square in Old Havana.
Most can be rented for about $40 an hour...



An old doorway waiting to be renovated.
Maybe. Quisas...

Thursday 17 March 2016

Mastering the Art of Creative Photo Bookmaking at UDEMY

 

I have just published this as a new course, Mastering the Art of Creative Photo Bookmaking, via UDEMY

Even at it's currently published price of US$45, I think you'll find that it represents terrific value, with
52 lessons - over 5.5 hours of video lectures (+ several quizzes).


Do it in your own time and learn how to create awesome photo books.

Click the link and check out my course curriculum...


Thursday 10 March 2016

Set in Concrete, Frozen in Time

Builders being builders, I wasn't surprised to see this last week on our home site: a flower encased in concrete.  Obviously the brikkie's mate sluices the contents of the cement mixer and wheelbarrow over this patch of ground every day - so much so that the plants (weeds?) growing there are now entombed in hardened cement!


Photo Record of Our House Build - At last, a Roof!

After what seems like a year and a half but in reality it was only about18 months, we finally get a roof.
The steel turned up early in the morning and the roof was pretty much finished by the end of the day.  Next step will be to install the windows.
First crane load - roofing insulation.
We insisted in having as much insulation as possible in the tight flat roof crawl space so hopefully there'll be no need for air-conditioning in the summer.
Time will tell if this is to be the case.
Work begins:
The insulation and steel is craned onto the roof and the three boys hop about on the joists.
Missing your step would be painful, if not terminal.
I well remember a holiday labouring job years ago in the UK where we had to remove old iron radiators from a house after the floor boards had been removed.
Not much fun hopping from joist to joist with a 35kg radiator on your shoulder.
The roofers had done this much by 9:30 in the morning.
Things have changed since the days of slate tiles and pitched roofs
With an impending storm in the distance, the roof is, finally, on.
The brick walls have yet to be capped, the bulk of the roof was done in one day.
Builder's Squigglings
No one owns a notepad it seems.
Everyone scribbles notes, reminders and directions on whatever surface happens to be near at the time
(All Pics Apple iPhone)