New Year's Eve Afternoon Stroll with the iPhone

 Wet and Cold Winter Weather

Normally, I'm out with the camera, backpack, and dog, early in the morning.

With wannabe typhoon-like winds and rain, I've slacked off doing 10,000 step hikes before noon.

The drizzle stopped for a while this afternoon so, I headed out to do some end-of-year business.

Suddenly I noticed a patch of blue sky with white clouds, directly ahead of me.

A bit of maneuvering got me this shot with no telephone wires in the scene.

Leaving the post office and walking the backroads, I spotted this gem of an attraction.

2020 has been sort of a lousy year and everyone has been stuck at home, social distancing.

It didn't stop this Komatsu family from having a baby!

Heading back across the south side of the highway, I stopped at a local electrical store.

One of the things I've been putting off all year was buying a new computer mouse.

Got that and a new iPhone charging wire to boot, for under 20 bucks.

It turned out to be a Not-so-bad, crappy New Year's Eve, I guess. Hopefully, yours went well, too.

Next, I'll have to Google, "Breaking in your new mouse" and see if there are instructions.

If not, I'll have to see if that can be remedied sometime next year.

 THE END

2015 Went Out with a Bang

Welcome 2016

 

 

The past few days have been hectic around here so, not a lot of photos get developed.

The 2016 files have been opened and 2015's will soon become history.

 Tonight, I post just a few photos depicting the transition into the New Year.

The celebrations around this part of the world, continue into next week.  And, I gotta go.

Shortly after 10PM on New Year's Eve this photo was taken, at the Temple in Kin Town.

A mother and daughter, stand silhouetted before, approaching the altar.

To me and, lots of other folks, it is a picture worth a thousand words.

Only, I don't like writing so, somebody else, can do it !

 In a parking lot, across the street from the temple, food tents were set up.

My travels, to climb an observation tower, took me past here at 10:20PM.

The best time, to shoot this image, would be now, before the crowds showed up.

Every kind of festival food imaginable, was being prepared.

Chicken and barbecued pork  were sizzling on charcoal grills and, I was tempted to stop.

But, I growled back at my stomach because, me and the camera, had work to do.

 Eleven minutes after midnight, I passed by the temple, again.

There were so many people, in line, you couldn't see the temple or, altar.

This image was taken, with me standing in front of the food tent, across the street.

The line of people, waiting to enter the shrine, extended outside the entrance gate.

It went all the way down the street and wrapped around the next corner.

Cold and hungry, I decided religious stuff could wait; I wasn't standing in that line.

Other spirits were waiting for me, to put the camera away.

So, after sobering up, I went back to the temple, New Year's Day.

Before noon, I did all my holy stuff and, got my fortune for the year then, went back to work.

There's a crazy little ritual, we do around here, which makes me have to close the office early.

It only happens, once a year, a bunch of us start celebrating in the bars.

When the clock strikes midnight on January 1st, everybody wishes me a:

Happy Birthday !

2016 Happy New Year from Okinawa !

Fireworks Look About an Hour Away

 

 

The reason for that is, they were and, I didn't feel like having anyone drive me there.

In the right side of this photo frame is the Kin Town Electric Power Plant smokestack.  

Way over on the left, you can barely see the pyrotechnics.

The photo was taken from an observation tower, a 10 minute walk from my office. 

The celebration with fireworks, took place along Kaichu-doro in Uruma City.

That's a causeway, leading to outer islands on Okinawa's east coast.

It was fun, hanging around atop a windy tower to take some photos.

But, next year, I think I should go to a five star resort for the New Year's  fireworks.

Not many people climb towers in December, around here.

I'll bet you ten dollars, a lot more people with common sense, go to those resort hotels !

Camera:  Pentax K3

Lens:  Sigma 50-500 at 70MM

Exposure:  f/11   13sec   ISO 100

Location:  Kin Town, Okinawa, Japan

Date and Time:  DEC 31 2015  11:48PM

Travel Photo: Kin Kannon-do Temple New Year's Eve

Crowds Will Arrive Soon

 

 

Out scouting a location for tonight's New Year's fireworks, this photo was taken.

The pyrotechnic display will take place in another location, far  from here.

If all goes well tomorrow, I'll have some images of fireworks, reflecting over the ocean.

The event, I'll be shooting from an observation tower and, it starts at 11:50PM.

So, I will miss the celebration, downtown, when the clock strikes 12.

Heading back to the office, I'll pass by this temple, again.

If it's not too crowded, I might pop in,  pay my respects and, get my 2016 fortune.

 Camera: Pentax K3

Lens: Sigma 50-500 with 1.4 converter -- Focal Length: 193MM

Exposure: f/8   1/15   ISO 200

Location: Kin Town, Okinawa, Japan

Date and Time:  DEC 31 2015  4:32PM

More About Kin Kannon-do:

CNN Travel

Kin nisshu-do

A Whirlwind Tour of Kin Temple