Photos, photos, photos

Have not been doing any preaching here.  Celebrated Mass in English daily for the campers but given the varying levels of understanding I kept the homilies short and easy to understand.  Returned from the mountains yesterday.  What a difference being back at sea level, particularly in terms of breathing and walking at the same time.

Rose early this morning and went walking in LJ from about 6:00 to 7:30.  LJ on a Sunday morning is very quiet and almost empty.  There was some activity as staff prepared to open the cafes for the day etc.  But there were no tourists on the streets that early.  A great blessing.

Went out with a long telephoto lens, the equivalent of 80 to 300 mm.  That forces me into a different type of photography.  Did a lot of wide angle shooting in the mountains.  The lens today forced me to concentrate more on detail.  Happy with the result.

Hiša Gradom is a cafe with indoor and outdoor seating near the community.  It is on the route I generally use to go into the center.  Desserts are much better than Valiums.

I've had coffee here several times, generally sitting outdoors, even in the winter.

 The dome and one of the spires of the Cathedral of St. Nicholas.  Needed several attempts to get this due to the odd angle at which I had to hold myself to line it up with the silhouette.

 Klobosarna is a small restaurant/take-out that specializes in klobasa (kielbasa for some one who great up in Northeastern PA).  Good food.  Love the oversized ring used for advertising.

 Many would agree that the sun rises and sets on klobasa.

These are artificial flowers on the shelf of a souvenir shop.

A photo of a reflection from the back window of an SUV.

These supply the lighting at a sidewalk cafe.  I've not been able to get shots at night because it gets dark around the time I am heading to bed and the city is very crowded with tourists.  These hang over the tables in one of the many restaurants along the river.

An arcade.  The only reason this photo was possible was the early hour.  Very heavily trafficked part of town.  Would be impossible during the mid-morning.

 
Slovenian flags for sale in a gift shop.

There is quite a bit of woodcarving done here.  This bear is about the size of a medium adult.

The colors of this costume jewelry attracted me.

It took a moment to figure out.  And then I giggled.

A wine shop.

A black and white shot of one of the typically narrow streets.  Many homes go without air conditioning.  Love the open windows.

Took a photo similar to this last year.  I can't recall if the umbrellas are the same.  I do remember that the umbrellas were polka dotted then.

A men's necktie display.  How does one tie a crooked tie?  See lower left.

Church steeple of the other Jesuit church in town and an outdoor chandelier.

Flowers hang from practically every window

A madonna and child in a niche built into a home.

Exploring color, texture, and shape.

The church juxtaposed with the chimneys

Walking along the street and the bright blue vases caught my eye.

Flower boxes in the windows and an insanely ugly satellite dish.

The open shutters and windows attracted attention.

Reflections in the Ljubljanica river

A guy sitting along the river.  Some photos demand being converted to black and white.  This is one of them.

Sending back the empties for refills.

 Table and chairs in a just-opening restaurant.

Bikes in a niche in an apartment building.

Back to Boston on Wednesday 1 August.

+Fr. Jack, SJ, MD

More Photos

The kiddos arrive for the week of English camp on Sunday.   Today is Friday.  Sleep remains problematic at night.  Is time to think a bit of Ambien tonight.  Went out with camera at 5:30 AM after waking at 3:00 following a few fitful periods of sleep.   Sv. Višarje is insanely beautiful and even more insanely steep.  The paths are either cobblestone or gravel.  

The Carthusian motto came to mind as soon as I approached this cross which appears to be on the highest peak behind the church.  Stat crux dum volvitur orbis or The Cross is Steady While the World Turns. 

Looking east at sunrise.  It was not a far walk to the top but very steep.  Took my time to be sure.

The bell tower of the church from above.

A close up of the bell tower and the sundial.  It appears accurate around 6 AM.

The retaining wall along the steps leading from the rectory to the church.  The wall is at least ten feet tall at the foot of the steps.  Flowers are growing out of the crevices the entire height and length.  

A stained glass window of Esther with the play of light on a kind of altar to the Sacred Heart.  The light drew me as soon as I saw it. 

The tabernacle on the altar. 

The celebrant and concelebrant chairs.  Concelebrated a tri-lingual Mass this AM.  None of the languages was English but I managed to give the concelebrant's prayer in Slovenian.

From the sanctuary looking toward the entrance on the left.  First of the many pilgrims/tourists who came up when the gondola opened at 9 AM.

The Latin inscription reads: In this place the mother of Christ stood.

An intriguing arrangement. 

Posted this in both color and black and white.  Shooting through the window grates into the church.  Everything was a little high so I had to use the articulating screen on the back of the camera rather than the viewfinder.  Very pleased with the result. 

+Fr. Jack, SJ, MD

Photos, photos, and photos

Arrived in Ljubljana yesterday.  It feels as if I never left.  Did the dishes after lunch, concelebrated Mass, and wandered the streets though jet lag limited this last activity.  By 9:00 PM is was a hurting cowboy.  In bed at 10 and up at 3:30 (nap pending).  Went out with camera at 5 AM for a couple of hours.  In town less than twenty-four hours and two long photos sessions.  

Weather is good.  Tomorrow, Thursday 19 July, I head to the mountains in Italy just across the border.  Will keep up with documenting the photos.  No homilies for the next two weeks as I don't expect to preach, certainly not in Slovenian.  

This first set is from last night.

The bicycle graphic was hanging in the window of a factory overlooking the Ljubljanica river.  

A tourist checking his cell phone.  The center of town is crawling with them.  Every outdoor cafe/bar was jammed.  I am grateful that I had the opportunity to explore the city on cold winter nights when I had it to myself.  

 The spires of the cathedral at sunset.

Stumbled across this jazz quartet.  They were very good.  

Some shots demand black and white.  This was one of them. 

Gelato anyone?

The lover's locks on the Butcher's Bridge

Patterns and repetition are intriguing.  These are a number of stalls, now idle, at the central outdoor market.

Reflection and duplication of the cathedral's dome and spires in a window about one hundred yards away.

Young couple sitting as bus drives by. 

This next set came from a walk at 5 AM.  Already processed a number of them.  

A chair turned on its side as a man gets his place ready.

Chandeliers are fascinating.

The cafe was not yet open but getting ready.  There are tourists all over town.  Last night this place was booming.

Sunrise and the cathedral.

Setting up at the outdoor market.  Setting up and taking down every day has got to be backbreaking and tedious work. 

Open window at a bar along the river.

Walking to work at 6:00 AM.

Wine display and a selfie.  Shooting shape, light, color, and texture is one of my favorite types of photography.

Laundry overlooking the river.  An American condo association would frown on this big time. 

A frosted glass graphic at a bar. 

'It is good to be "home."  Alas, it is only for two weeks but I intend to make the best of it. 

+Fr. Jack, SJ, MD