I travelled with work (IISD) to Dakar, Senegal, to attend a meeting in the West Africa Internet Governance Forum (I think I’ll write more about that later). I was there for seven days and eight nights, and I also had some time for sightseeing.

Dakar is a bustling place, teeming with people, not rich but not gratingly poor either. The picture is from a downtown shopping district with upscale stores, although you wouldn’t think so from the picture. The street was lined with vendors selling everything from used consumer electronics for locals to souvenirs and colourful fabrics for tourists, and the place was packed with people. Walking down the street, I came under a barrage of soliciting from eager hustlers and hawkers. In no place have I seen as persistent hustlers as in Dakar; on two occasions, I had a hanger-on for about an hour. Finally I learned the trick to avoiding that (a firm and curt no thank you, followed by complete disinterest — no point in being rude). Safety was never an issue — pickpocketing may exist but robberies do not, at least as such, though I did overpay for a couple of souvenirs.

Dakar was an extremely fascinating place to visit, full of contrasts, not least in the dresses worn by local women (they dressed so beautifully), and between the dirt of the city and the palmy shores of the ocean. I chose this picture because in a way it sums up Dakar — bustling and dynamic.

More pictures and reflections to follow shortly.

This is the second post in a series. Jenna and I went to Ottawa for a weekend in the middle of October, finally–neither of us had yet been there, even after several years in Canada, and considering that Ottawa isn’t really that far away from Niagara. Jenna wanted to go to a conference on global health so it was a good excuse to go.

This picture shows the Rideau Canal (somewhat low on water ahead of winter) and the Houses of Parliament in the background, with the Peace Tower proudly flying the maple leaf. I took a lovely little walk from there along the canal.

Jenna and I went to Ottawa for a weekend in the middle of October, finally–neither of us had yet been there, even after several years in Canada, and considering that Ottawa isn’t really that far away from Niagara. Jenna wanted to go to a conference on global health so it was a good excuse to go.

We had tremendous luck  with the weather and with the choice of weekend; fall colours were at peak. Well, I was lucky: only the Sunday was nice; the Saturday was gray, dull, cold, wet and foggy, and that was the only day Jenna had for sightseeing.

Ottawa is a really nice city, with its location of the city over the Ottawa River and with the Rideau Canal running through it. In the picture, you can see the Rideau Canal going through a number of locks down to the Ottawa River. Parliament is on the bluff to the left, overlooking the river and the canal (a spectacular location for a spectacular set of buildings, if you ask me).

I took this picture of the mall nearby the other day. The sky really was this vibrant, no fakery involved!

• Nikon D70, two second exposure to capture the light streaks.

Shot of the Chicago River (is that its name?) from a bridge, facing upriver (west-ish).

I’ve been to Chicago again, this time with my parents and siblings. And no tourist can go to the Windy City without visiting either the Sears Tower or the Hancock Building. This is the second time I’ve been in the Hancock Building  – last year I had a $54 brunch on the 95th floor (mmmmmmm). The observation deck on the 94th floor is just as cool, but it doesn’t have the food.

Taken from the the 96th floor of the Hancock Building in Chicago where we had brunch.

Here’s a skyscraper I shot in Chicago. It looks like it’s been pasted into the picture, and the clouds create surreal light effects on its face.

This is just a test really of this new photoblog system (Yet Another Photoblog) that I installed in WordPress. We’ll see how it works out, but so far I really like it.

Reflection seen in the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C.