PicaJet Blog

With millions of people, all eager to catch a glimpse of some of the world’s best Fourth of July fireworks, where does a visitor - or for that matter - a local New Yorker go to catch the show? 

It’ll be my first visit to New York during the 4th of July, and I wanted to do this visit up right.  I have already done Christmas and St. Patrick’s Day - so I am expecting great things from New York City on Independence Day.

But I am glad I did the research first.  Here’s what I discovered about how best to enjoy the Fourth of July in New York City. 

Read on . . . 
 

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Okay, count me in.  I’m hooked. 

When I began my initial research into Philadelphia, I wasn’t expecting to find, of all things, pirates.  But lo and behold, yes, indeedy, matey, I am on my way to see pirates. 

Or rather what is left of them. This July.  On a day trip from New York City. 

I have decided to ignore pre-arranged babysitting tour company all-in-one tours, and arrange the trip myself on the Amtrak train.  It’ll save my husband and I a bundle of money.  And I am a sucker for the unexpected.

So, the pirate exhibit in Philly was a most delightful unexpected surprise.  I can hardly keep my timbers from shivering. 

Read on . . .  (more…)

We are off to New York City in a few weeks, but we’ve been there lots of times.  And, while we LOVE the Big Apple, we are adventurous travelers.  So, it’s time to step out of our comfort zone once more. 

The “City of Brotherly Love,” - that’s Philly, for those of you not in the know, is just under 2 hours away, by train.  This historical hub of the USA sounds very intriguing. 

But how to get there?  And what to do?  And how long do you have to do it? 

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A man ran up to our table at the local farmers market, and boom, he and his camera were in my granddaughter’s face.  No preamble, no “Hi. How are you?”  No nothing.  Just wham, bam . . . you get the picture (pardon the pun).

I was stunned.  It was all I could do not to grab the guy by his camera cord and demand that he erase the picture.  He stupidly bobbed his head, mumbling something about how he “hoped I didn’t mind,” but I knew he wasn’t asking permission.  He was just reacting to the look on my face. 

He scuttled away like the vermin he had proven himself to be.

Do you photograph people this way?  If so, you are WRONG!  And worse, you are a coward.

As a photographer, I am very opposed to this grab-and-run style of thievery.  In my estimation, it is a type of violence, a rape, if you will.   Without some form of permission, be it a slight nod of acceptance or a full model release, modern day shutterbugs should NOT be zooming in on people, and taking their photos.

Here are some suggestions to ensure you remain civilized when shooting photographs of strangers.  Read on . . .

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Malaria? 

It’s a word I have heard, but I never really spent much time thinking about it.  That is until I began researching Belize (I am tripping there end of August).

I thought Malaria was prevalent only in far away countries like Africa and India, not the Americas.  But I was wrong.  Malaria is also common in South and Central America.

Yikes, I thought, what do I do?  Read on . . .

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Boardwalk to beach on South Padre Island

Originally uploaded by Hadassah28

I just started using a feature on Flickr called, “Picnik.” It is so handy and so much fun to use, that it stunned me.

You can make any changes you want to your uploaded photographs. And the best part? Picnik is so user-friendly, with its helpful tabs, explanations, slider bars, and undo options.

This is one great site!

Cheers,
Sheree Zielke

Horses and Wagon

Alberta embraces the simpler life, and some farms (like Sprout Farms) offer wooden wagon rides pulled by draft horses.   It’s one way to spend a summer day in Alberta, but the Edmonton area has so much more to offer.  Here are some suggestions of things to do, when you travel to Alberta’s capital city, Edmonton.

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Rocky Mountain Sheep

Alberta is one of the most beautiful places on earth. I should know. I live here. Yes, I travel to other parts of the world, and I do so frequently; I would go nuts if I didn’t. But I love traveling in Alberta, too.

Alberta is home to the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Two of the most visited ski towns are located here, too: Jasper and Banff.

Travelers along the mountain highways will often be treated to the sight of flocks Rocky Mountain sheep (yes, they look like goats - but they are sheep).

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If these bars weren’t here…

Originally uploaded by Hadassah28

This amazing photo opportunity arose while I was visiting the Calgary Zoo last winter. I think I look like lunch to these yellow eyes.

Check out my recent blog entry featuring the Calgary Zoo with a note about the zoo’s recent stingray deaths.

Cheers,
Sheree Zielke

The stingray deaths at the Calgary Zoo have continued to baffle authorities.  The cownosed rays began dying en masse this past Sunday in a new exhibit that opened just a few months ago, in mid-February.  Toxins or poisons are suspected in the rays’ deaths although recent water tests have come up as clean.  Zoo veterinarians have eliminated the possibility of moisture lotions or sunblock creams as the source of any contamination of the touch pools.

As sad as the stingray deaths are, the Calgary’s Zoo, Botanical Garden, and Prehistoric Park, with over 290 species of animals, has so much more to offer its patrons.  Opened in 1929, The Calgary Zoo celebrates its 80^th birthday next year.

If you’re planning a trip to western Canada, be sure to include the Calgary Zoo in your plans.  And here’s why you should do that . . .

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