me, Bob, Dave, and Avery having dinner after we wrapped up our first Grand Prix in Toronto

Selfie at IBM Hursley just before our Fusion Grand Prix there

In the cab after dinner on the way back to my hotel. Nice view of the London Eye.

Just before our Grand Prix Chicago event

Just before our FSM Grand Prix event in Armonk

I spend my birthday away from home often. Ryan was so kind to remember me while I was away.

QVB is a beautiful four story, high-end mall converted train station

IBMers and partners in Sydney were the highlight of our tour to date. What a great set of people!

Back in London for the IBM Storage user group

After dinner, Big Ben and the sky was perfect

Like home away from home

My new discovery

My attempt at recreating an older composition

Reportedly, the eye has been nonfunctional due to safety reasons. But the light show at night is fantastic.

Checking in from IBM Dubai

High atop the 124th floor, the view of Duabi is phenomenal

Far into the horizon, you can barely make out the Jumierah Beach islands, one of the most amazing man made set of islands on earth. Everything in Dubai is bigger and more amazing than anywhere else.

Simply the tallest building on earth

This was the welcome gift from the Conrad hotel in Bangkok

View of Bangkok from the executive floor of the Conrad

Wat Klang Dao Khanong temple on the river boat tour

A smaller version of a Komodo dragon, the Asian Water Monitor is still quite menacing and plentiful here in Thailand

Buddha

The team from Southeast Asia were the best of anyone from our 26 city tour - at least best of my 10 city portion.

Mural of Bob Dylan is the most Instagrammed image in Minnesota

Downtown Minneapolis on the Mississippi river, Nicolett Island offers a view of the city and its famous stone bridge

You can't go to Minneapolis on a photo vacation without going to Minnehaha falls.

This brings a new meaning to the term

Right outside our hotel on the canal is Lake Superior and this fantastic sunrise

One of the most famous sites on the shoreline is Split Rock Lighthouse

Found a couple compositions worth trying

This was a challenge

Duluth harbor is busy. This lift bridge raises for every ship coming and going.

This is the ship that entered Duluth harbor. Look closely and you can see two drones photographing the ship.

My first time catching the northern lights: this was just outside our hotel looking north-east into Lake Superior.

Jay Cooke park was amazing Friday morning

Driving out of Jay Cooke park, we finally saw some seasonal leaves.

High atop the peak of Enger Park we could look down over Duluth Harbor and Superior, Wisconsin.

Our last night in Duluth, we tried to see some more northern lights. Instead, we caught the galaxy over Superior, Wisconsin.

Turning 180 degrees north, we captured the skies of northern Minnesota.

About 20 minutes into our barn scouting, this crop duster caught my eye. “Hey, Tim. Wanna photograph this crop duster? I’ve always wanted to catch one of these guys and here’s our chance.” “Sure!”, Tim responds.

I did get this great shot but the car and we both got doused with pesticide.

Tim knew about Yerkes observatory built by Chicago Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics in 1897. As we walked up, the moon was peering between the tree and the big dome.

We dumbed our way to this gem of a barn that looked to be in a perfect spot for a night scape shot. I knocked on the door to ask permission to return later. Unfortunately, the owner had a dog and didn’t want to be disturbed later in the evening.

Our host, Hope, recommended going to the White River Trail. It did not disappoint. Because of the bugs we endured, I am compelled to post this shot. The outcome could have been better.

After the poor shot from the back, we walked around and noticed the galactic core was hanging right over the silo. Too much city lights but possibly a portfolio shot.

After lunch on day 2, we hunted for barns again stumbling on this one that I believe is on
County Road H. Not too bad.

We noticed these red barns on the other side of the highway and found our way over to this outstanding scene. If we had only returned later in the day for better light.

This much better looking white farm house and barns were across the road from the red barns. The sky is all natural.

After dinner, the skies to our north-east looked very interesting. I walked to the back of the property with my 100-500 and captured this gem. Kinda looks like a African Sahara Storm. Another Portfolio Shot. That’s two!

Behind the barn is the White River the runs through the park where I shot this early-morning shot (6:45 AM CT). I didn’t think much of it but when Deb saw it, she said it could be “wall-worthy”. That makes this my third Portfolio worthy shot.

We stayed in a suburb of Zurich and didn't have a lot of time to explore. This was a church in the village nearby.

Named after the first king of Hungary who introduced Christianity to Hungary

Destroyed at the end of WWII, both the Castle and bridge were resconstructed in 50s.

Memorial to the 3,500 people, 800 of them Jews, who were shot into the Danube during winter of 1944.

This was perhaps the most moving meorial I've ever seen in person.

Budapest is a union of two ancient cities, Bua & Pest split by the Danube river. Looking into the Buda side of the city from Parliament gardens.

Ironically, the Hungarian government aligned with the Nazis and murdered Jews during WWII. To refer to WWII as an occupation of Germans is controversial.

Night photo of Buda Castle and Chain bridge

The zero stone is said to be the center of all roads leading in and out of Budapest

Statue of St Stephen from Matthias Church

Looking at Parliament from the Buda side of the city

Commemorates the 100th anniversary of the unification of Pest-Buda and Óbuda.

Our last stop was in Frankfurt, Germany