When I was in Iraq last year I must have had a moment of boredom or perhaps at the time I wanted to remember how I stowed my gear when not in use.  I couldn't tell you now.  But for a representation of the tools of my trade it works good.  Kevlar helment with ballistic goggles.  Protective body armor with anti armor piercing SAPIs. First aid pouch to the left of this photo, and ammo pouches with magazines and ammo.  Tools of my Trade.

Tools of a Soldier

Art

My time in Germany was not always as productive photography wise, as I had hoped it would be.  I had great expectations, and wanted to see much more than I did.  But of course I was there to work and that took up a lot of my time.  I worked in Schwetzingen, South of Heidelburg.  Schwetzingen has a Schloss (Castle/Palace) and Schlossgarten (Garden).  Here is a link to a German website about the Schloss and Gartens.
Look it over the photos are interesting.

http://www.schloss-schwetzingen.de/de/schloss-schwetzingen/Startseite/267613.html

In one corner of the Gartens I discovered this wonderful old ruin.
Schwetzingen Schloss Garten 110ancient places
Schwetzingen Schloss Garten 132ancient places

The best time to see the Garten is in the Spring or Summer, of course I didn't always make it at the best time of the year.  There are many things to see in the Garten.

Wait for it, it sort of jumps out at you or gets in your face.
Schwetzingen Schloss Garten 012Stark Urn up>
Well thats the impression it gives me when I look at it.

Tuse

Art

While I was still in Germany, at the Schwezingen Schloss Gartens(German Pronunciation)These swans performed a little dance. Swan Dance

We are back in the United States again, but I have many photographs from Germany that I will gradually post over a period of time.  
On the North side of the Neckar River about 100 meters up the hill is The Philosophers Path (Philosophenweg).  It overlooks Old Heidelberg, pictured here with the Schloss (castle) in the background; the Karl-Theodor bridge (old bridge) crossing the Necker; and the 600 year old Church of the Holy Ghost at the right of the photo. Old Heidelberg from the Philosophers Path Another view of the Church of the Holy Ghost. Church of the Holy Ghost from the Philosophers Path An old access gate once heading down from the Philosophers path. Old path gate from the Philosophers Path  I will have more later.
 

Dee collects crystal figures. She also has a wonderful ability to arrange them in a creative manner. The
Below images are of one of Dee's arrangements. I of course was compelled, when I saw this arrangement
for the first time year before last, to experiment with some macro photography detailing her arrangement.
Behold Dee's Glass Menagerie.

Glass Menagerie1
 
Detailed View with some photo editing.

Glass Menagerie Detail

After returning to Germany, Dee and I took a trip to Garmisch.  Below is a description from a travel article.

Situated 97kms southwest of Munich at the base of the Zugspitze, the country’s highest mountain (2,963m), is the Olympic city of
Garmisch – Partenkirchen, the best and most famous ski resort in Germany. The resort offers excellent beginner schools, new and advanced expert runs, as well as perfect terrain for intermediates. Host of the 1936 Winter
Olympics, Garmisch – Partenkirchen is an all-rounder with a sparkling heritage. Garmisch and especially Partenkirchen maintain an ancient village charm, while
merging as twin villages to form Germany’s top Alpine resort.

These images were taken with my Minolta 370X and digitized at the developers.

Bavarian Alps at Garmisch1 Bavarian Alps at Garmisch2 Snowy lands Garmisch Snow covered branches near the Alps.

My days here are nearly ended.  In the morning I exit Al Faw for the last time.  I wanted something to remember this moment, so I photographed myself on the high places, and my last sunset from this vantage.

My Last Day at Al Faw1 My Last Day at Al Faw2 Last Sunset at Al Faw

Everyone take care I will continue to share my vision with you from my next vantage point. Out

As I near the end of this chapter in my career, I also have reached what I consider a cutoff point for some of my current subject matter.  I may well be adding more photographs of the Rotunda to my gallery, but I may not do any more stories about that subject.  I will be moving on to other subjects of interest of course and posting them in the future.  So with that said here follows my parting shots of the Rotunda.
After you have enter the room and look back toward the front door this is the view you see.
Rotunda Facing the entrance.  From the balcony looking down on the main floor. Rotunda Octagram on the Floor.  Looking toward the left stairwell. Rotunda Left Side West Stairs Looking toward the back of the Rotunda on the right side. Rotunda Right Rear Columns.   There are 16 columns. Rotunda Many Columns.  No one can enter this place without first being awed by the Chandelier. Chandelier Details Rotunda Chandelier Top Detail. Details Chandelier Close Detail. Details Rotunda Detail of the Chandelier.

I walk through the great arch into these halls and I wonder what good and evil these columns and walls have seen.
Art.

I got off work at 0300hrs Wednesday and had to take care of some business at the MWR, after which I desided to try and get a sunrise over the lake.  Unfortuately the clouds didn't cooperate, yes during this part of the year there are clouds and rain here.  Fortunately it also is cooling down here which is really great.  Here are some of the sights during this walkabout.
 
Victory Lake at Sunrise1
Victory Lake at Sunrise2
Bridge 1  
Bridge 1a    
Sculpture View1
Sculpture View2
Sculpture
View3
Bridge 2
Bridge 3

I'm not sure how many more times I'll be out doing this before I leave.  We will see.  Look into some of my insight about this at
http://360.yahoo.com/art_eld
join me for other Art interests at
http://www.Artsphotoart.blogspot.com
If you need useful art and photography links check out
http://www.artlinkerbrain.blogspot.com

Its an adventure.
AAE

I went to the States on leave, in September and had a great time.  It was much needed after spending a lot of months here.

I'm on the bird heading home.  With short stops in Budapest, Ireland and Newfoundland, then the USA.
Flying to the States.
 
Dee didn’t arrive in the States until a couple of days after me, so I spent time with my Son, Daughter, Grandson and Granddaughter.
Ocean 1
Shadrach 1
Chris, Sara, Shadrach and Ocean: Happy family.
Sara and Shadrach: on the rings.
Ocean: having fun
These first six shot were done with the FujiFinepix A210.

After Dee arrived we all had fun together.  
Shadrach 2
Shadrach and the Dragon
Ocean with Mom and Dad
Ocean: having Fun
Shadrach and Dee
The above five photos were done with my Canon EOS Rebel XT, that Dee surprised me with for our anniversary.

Of course all good things don’t always last forever.  
Back to Baghdad
Back to the Fuji.  Getting on that plane was hard to do.

Everybody stay safe.

Art

Al Faw Palace sits in the middle of Victory Lake.  It was difficult to give perspective to how things actually look.  This photograph is three photographs put together using Microsoft paint.  I eventually tracked someone down who had PS on their computer and put some touches to it.  The colors are not real great, but if you could see it on an average day here, you would know that this is close to what it really looks like.
Al Faw and Victory Lake
I'm sure I could find an interesting room in here for the challenge but I don't live there.

I have been concentrating heavily on showing the interesting and beautiful things in this area.  I thought it might be interesting to show the "Less than beautiful" things to be seen here.

This is part of Baghdad
Overlooking Baghdad
Palms, dirt porta potty, etc, near Dodge City North.
Less than Beautiful 1
I walk this way to work daily.
Less than Beautiful 2

In life many things we see are plain, ugly, dull, and colorless.  That is reality, not everything is beautiful.

Welcome to my perspective.
AAE

You will rarely see me in any photographs let alone one I have taken.  The following photograph is of me after my shift.  There are detailed photos and history at the below link.

http://artsphotoart.blogspot.com/2006/08/throne-at-al-faw.html#links

King for the Moment

I'm back.  I was away on leave stateside, in the good old USA.  Of course that means I'm in Iraq again.

On rare occasions they sometimes light the palace at night.  I unfortuately didn't have my tripod with me at the time, so once again I worked around the problem with the following results.

Al Faw at Night
Al Faw at Night
Al Faw at Night

Check out my other projects at
www.artsphotoart.blogspot.com