Anyway, I had the Hasselblad with me and when I was out of the water I snapped up this candy seller. I didn't look too closely but I think it was candy floss, or spun sugar as I think they call it over there.
 |
| Candy seller, Montrose Beach, Illinois |
It was dark when we headed for 'home' and I have to say, it was absolutely magical driving south along Lake Shore Drive back through the city before turning west for Oak Park. Chicago was all lit up and looking stunning. A far cry from the Liberties of Coleraine. Although it's a fairly brutal journey it's amazing to think that it's really only about 8 hours away. That's 8 hours once you're in the 'plane - but when you tack on a 4 hour journey to Dublin, an overnight in an airport hotel (not strictly necessary but kind of sensible otherwise you're getting up before you go to bed in order to make it through security and US immigration in time to catch your mid-morning flight) then it stretches into a fairly lengthy and tiring slog.
If you're still reading and wondering about that last sentence perhaps I should explain that Ireland, to my knowledge, is the only country outside the US that does pre-clearance for US immigration - that's through both Shannon Airport in the West and Dublin in the East, by the way. Something to do with a 'special relationship' - probably since most of Ireland seemed to leave the country in the 17th, 18th and 19th Centuries and head for the New World. Whatever the reason, it's a Big Deal - no, it's a Huge Deal, actually, since the queues for immigration at any US airport are no joke after an 8-hour flight. So in Dublin we did the pre-clearance thing and got our passports stamped which meant that when we landed in Chicago we disembarked as if we were on an internal US flight - no further checks required. It’s probably the best way to enter the US from overseas.
I grew up within reasonably easy driving distance (45 minutes to an hour) of Lake Michigan. We didn't go there all the time, but often enough for me to know that you probably aren't going to like swimming in that lake until late summer, after a few months of summer sun have warmed those waters to above bone-chilling cold.
ReplyDeleteFortunately, we're about a century past using the Irish as our immigration bogeymen. "No Irish" signs were common at employers' and in shops and pubs. Now it's "Mexicans," which we tend to use as a broad term to mean anyone from south of our border.
The lake temperature was very pleasant in August, Jim. The waters around Ireland are always cold, but people swim, surf, bodyboard all year round. Most wear a wetsuit which lets them stay in a while but there are some who venture in with just swimwear - although they don’t stay in that long :) I’ve been in myself, summer months, but even with a 5ml suit it was - how shall I put it - challenging!
DeleteA lot of people seem to want to pull up the drawbridge shortly after they gain entry. Unfortunately there are politicians and newspapers who like to fan the flames of hatred and distrust. Here in Northern Ireland there are many instances of racism against people from Poland, Eastern Europe, Africa.
Great photo. The lack of people and the sepia tone make it look slightly apocalyptic. But maybe I've just watched too many apocalyptic films done with red/sepia filters on the lenses. Sepia looks terrible on digital cameras unless you can control the intensity. A slight sepia tone looks okay, but nothing like what you've done in the darkroom.
ReplyDeleteWhen I went to Canada from Korea last summer I noticed that people travelling to the US had to have an interview in the airport before being allowed through security. Or as a part of security, I guess. In Japan I once had to go through Japanese security and then US security before I could board a US plane going to Korea. A proper pain in the arse. Good sandwich on the flight, though . . .
Thanks Marcus! I enjoy mixing my own bleach and toners - and i tone most of my prints. I’ve one shelf in the darkroom beginning to look like that of an old fashioned alchemist - containers of raw chemicals and scales :) It’s a fine line between getting a subtle tone and going too strong - I don’t always get it right but I was pretty happy with this one.
DeleteUS security is usually on a different level to any other country - with the possible exception of Israel. It was 30 odd years ago I holidayed there and wow, I can still recall security taking apart a guy’s backpack - which was a big ‘un. Every single item was taken out and inspected. I was fortunate - the family I was staying had a family member doing his national service and he came to the airport with me in full army uniform, spoke to security and I was waved through. That was the one and only time that happened to me but I was very happy to jump that line.
Long travels... I know a couple of things about that topic for sure!
ReplyDeleteEarlier it was a real pain if I had to travel through USA only to jump from one flight to the other to get to wherever in the world I was going, but now they got this absolutely fantastic ESTA visa thing, which is just making a world of difference. You will stay in the middle of a great number of people for sure, but usually you will get through in only a few minutes to one of them computer things, reply to a few obvious enough questions, scan your passport and have your photo taken... and then you're off to look some huge man into the eyes and say yes and no, and off you go. It's absolutely a breeze compared to what it used to be like.
It might be different if you have to stay there for some time though, even though you're only supposed to board a ship and get out to sea. I don't know why, but they don't seem to like sailors very much over there for some reason... I have been sitting through quite a few interviews at airports more or less all over the US.
Last rumor I heard was we are going to the Gulf of Mexico out of the US of A when we're finished down here in Brazil. I need to start preparing myself and my nerves...
The US of A passport people are not to be fooled around with - well, I guess that's true for any country's immigration staff, to be fair. They usually leave me alone, though, as I'm not looking that big a threat to anyone except myself these days ;) To be honest, I think they want me through and away from them as quickly as possible in case I fall over or something and then they'd have tons of paperwork to fill in.
DeletePlus it helps to have a brother's address in the States which kind of seems to relax them a little. One time I got a few questions about that - what's your brother's name, where does he work etc. I was wondering what that was about and then the Officer volunteered the reason - it turns out he had taken one of my brothers classes at Uni. And since we look very similar I guess he had put two and two together and got four. Thankfully I didn't make up some cock and bull story about The Brother being an astronaut or something as he might not have seen the funny side...