An illuminated landscape

On the first day of Christmas, between rain and wind and darkness, suddenly there was some sun in the afternoon. The perfect time to go outside for some fresh air.




















The light was sharp from under huge clouds. Colors were deep and saturated.

Blue sky reflected in the water.



















































Overhead these geese were probably going somewhere warmer.



























The paths were muddy and soft.








































Sometimes the light was blinding turning colors almost into black and white.













There were wet patches in the floodplains of the river, but the water in the river Rhine was not yet high enough to flow over the low summer dikes.

Soon enough the clouds came back in full force. On he way home, the last sun fell on the mossy green trees.
This lovely afternoon was already gone and turned into another early evening.

A low sun.....

I just bought a new camera  ( Lumix FZ 200) and I had to try it out. The sky was looking almost blue and the sun was shining low on the horizon. Walking in the polder, finally I saw these small greenhouses on some allotments. They looked enchanted by the light.

And this is what modern , professional, high tech, greenhouses look like...

No romantic rubbish around. Sharp lines, but it has a certain charm of its own.

Autumn on the verge of winter.....

The water of a canal brightly reflects an old bridge in the sunshine.

Going from November to December there is a major change in the weather.  The red and gold of autumn fades away to the black and white of winter. 

Many nights it rains. Everything is wet. At the building site there are also interesting reflections. What will they be doing with these stairs...  They look like giant hurdles. 

Overnight, the bags and iron hooks turn into a still life.

But the mornings get foggy. Sometimes there is already a thin layer of ice on the water.

When the fog gets thicker the world gets smaller and more quiet. 

Along the river the light is bleak.

And then we have the first snow. Early this year. Less trains, so longer waiting in the cold.

But in the city everyone prepares for Christmas. Canals are lined with lights. People are busy shopping. There is a festive feeling in the air...

 And in a few weeks we will have real snow, and maybe even a white Christmas.

May I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

An igloo in the sunshine ....

You will find this shiny white igloo in Brasilia, the warm and sunny capital of Brazil. It is the National Museum of Brazil, with the signature of the great Oscar Niemeyer all over it. 

An amazing sight, like many of his creations. 

The entrance to the museum.

Inside the museum. The curves keep winding. Not a straight line in sight.

Fluently going up ...

And then looking down... 

Oscar Niemeyer has died on the 5th of December 2012. Just 10 days before his 105th birthday.
But his fantastic buildings are there for us to enjoy.....

More about Brasilia 

A palm tree with dreadlocks.....

While in Brasilia I saw a palm tree with dreadlocks.

It was like each bunch represented a different season.

The bright green summer fruits

The purple autumn

Dried out and colorless, no doubt: Winter

Then this must be spring? Or is it something completely different.....

Lula, a metal worker, in Taubaté

No candidate for the function of mayor of Taubaté managed to get a majority in the first round.

Goods of  the Ortizzes blocked by the court

So the two candidates with the most votes went to the second round. A serious fight between Ortiz-Junior (Tucano) and Isaac (Partido dos Trabalhadores). Ortiz is from the Ortiz dynasty that gives the impression that they want to run Taubaté as their fazenda (Lula remarked about this). Isaac is like Lula a metal worker.

What could be more effective than to get Lula to Taubaté to endorse Isaac?! And he came! Yesterday Thursday the 25th of October.























Thousands of people in the Epaminondas square in the center of Taubaté. In the last moment Ortiz tried to get this meeting prohibited, but the judge didn't go along. Imagine the chaos if the police would have had to go in the clean out the many many people, who longed so much to see their former president.


I was next to some elderly women from a bairro (quarter) "Tres Maria's"- one of the poor parts of Taubaté. They were so happy to see their great "president". They were there waiting from 4 in the afternoon (like us).

We listened to an enthusiastic speaker and Isaac-party-songs and looked at vereadores and prefeitos (aldermen and mayors) from other cities... Waiting, waiting.... more than 3 hours!!

But then he came! ......

....... And he spoke! And the people could relate to what he said, about chances and education. The Brazilian elite that didn't want him to be a president because he had no diploma's, that disgusted him. The elite that didn't want common people going on airplanes like them or doing other things they considered their "prerogatives".

Lula, making it clear that Isaac was like him, a metal worker, one of us.