Here are some of the first images from our trip to The Bahamas. At sunrise we were on the plane, and by sunset we were seeing palm trees under the moon. I almost always take photos of our view out the airplane window using the camera on my phone. But this time I decided to whip out my camera and take the shots the old-fashioned way. This trip took place during my photo journal year. That year I used my camera - not the camera on my phone - to take a photo everyday. I missed many days, but I cherish the photos that I have now because of that project.
I’ve always loved a silhouette on a gradient sky. This photo reminds me of a water color project in elementary school that was super basic but apparently rememberable. We water colored with sunset colors. Then when it dried, we ripped it into strips and re-glued it together. Then we added tree silhouettes that we cut out of black paper. I remember thinking, “This is like real art.”
I found myself at the Queen’s Staircase in The Bahamas staring up at this tree that was growing at the very top of a cliff about 100 feet above me. It’s roots were streaming down, bending around rocks and other plants that had made this wall their home.
Imagining how old it was and seeing how long its roots were, Wes and I took a moment and said hi to the tree. Its canopy was a part of the roof of this deep slave-made walkway which was built in the 1790s. It was crazy to see its vast root system and how it thrived even on the edge of a cliff. Resilience. We had a moment with that tree.
For my birthday I told Wes, “I want a no-clock day.” This looked like eating when we were hungry, moving on when we were curious about something else, and resting when we needed a break. One of my favorite days for sure. After breakfast we started our adventure by seeing old military forts. I like old buildings. They spark so much curiosity and mystery. This image makes me chuckle. I see it like the modern day is peeking its head into the corner of the frame. It definitely interrupts any daydreaming of this building’s past.
Doors. I like to take photos through the frame of doors and windows. These stairs remind me of some Nancy Drew books I used to read as a kid. The middle image was taken right up agains the fort’s wall, looking straight up. “What a place to live.” The third image falls more under the abstract photography category with no real idea for scale. In real life this plant is growing in a very small hole in the wall. But in the frame, it almost looks like the entrance to a long forgotten cave. You could probably discover some secret treasures in there, if you can get past the green guardian creature at the mouth of the cave.
Recently I asked small group of people, “So what are some of your interesting curiosities?” The conversation went from Egypt (that was me), to Egypt again (that was someone else), to ticks and disease, and then to rockets and space. On my mental list of curiosities, right next to Egypt is Atlantis. Anything about it. So, when Wes and I were throwing ideas around for a birthday trip, Atlantis was one of those “I’ll just say it, but we wouldn’t actually go there. That’d be too big” ideas. Well, sometimes dreams come true. I’m not sure what my younger self would think if I told her she was going to go to that one resort in that Mary Kate and Ashley movie. So crazy.
One of my favorite parts of being at Atlantis was being surrounded by so much intentional detail. From the buildings, to the walking paths, and the gardens, not to mention the open air marine habitats. And the waterslides. I’m not usually one for waterparks. I think I’ve never liked standing in line for long periods of time, dripping wet. Not my favorite type of fun. But I will say, the waterslides at Atlantis were worth it. So fun. One slide in particular had that once-in-a-lifetime feel to it. You go down on inner tubes, and at the end of the ride you find yourself inside a shark tank. You are riding the water down the middle of a glass tube through the sharks’ pool. Sharks above you, below you, on your sides. You get it. After the waterpark was closed, I remember waiting awkwardly-long to take that picture of the shark swimming by the window of the waterslide. Now back to the epic-ness of Atlantis. Everything was so carefully created. It was magical being surrounded on every side by that level of design. Wes and I found ourselves repeatedly talking about Glory. So, I guess you could say it was a glorious experience.