Tag Archives: urban

Bar Bistec, Sevilla

Bar Bistec, Sevilla
“Bar Bistec, Sevilla” — Bar Bistec, a cafe-bar in Sevilla, Spain.

On this morning we crossed the wide canal near the old part of Sevilla where we were staying, and wandered through a newer (less-old?) section of town. After visiting the farmer’s market, we walked through an area with shops and restaurants, then followed streets that paralleled the canal and took us into what one well-known travel writer might describe as “workaday” neighborhoods.

This establishment was in one of those areas. To an American it might seem odd that it was, if my memory is correct, almost next door to a large church — but that’s not so uncommon in Europe. I like several things about this subject, including the arrangement of rectangles, the colors, and the signs. But above all else is that intense daytime light of summer in Spain.


G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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River Thames, London

River Thames, London
“River Thames, London” — Barges pass on the River Thames near Blackfriars Bridge, London.

The photograph shows a fairly familiar view of the Thames and central London. There is a little story behind it though. We travel a fair amount — not extreme, perhaps, but we do get around. But when I get to a new city I often “set” my mental compass incorrectly, and it is very hard to break this “setting.” (After decades of visiting Yosemite’s Tuolumne Meadows, I’m STILL ninety degrees off!) The first time we visited London I more or less reversed north and south, believe it or not — and consequently I still have to perform mental gymnastics to account for this. And, yes, this is all leading to how I came to make this photograph.

On our first day in London this June we decided that we would walk from our lodgings to Borough Market, which was roughly a half mile away. Without really paying attention to maps we headed out and started walking confidently… and apparently in the wrong direction. (Patty will tell you that she knew, but she went along.) Anyway, some time later we were surprised to come upon “The Eye,” which anyone who has been to London knows is no where near Borough Market. Actually, it is in the opposite direction from where we stayed near Blackfriars Bridge. We reset and walked back along the River Thames toward where we had started… and I made this photograph along the way.


G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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Mercado de Triana

Mercada de Triana
“Mercado de Triana” — A sale at a stall in the Mercada de Triana, Sevilla.

Keeping with our pattern of visiting Sevilla locations that we could walk to, on this morning we headed across the canal (“Canal de Alfonso XIII”) on a convenient bridge, leaving behind the old town near the cathedral and entering a not-quite-so-old town across the water. There was much to see here, too, including guests arriving for a fancy wedding at a church, lots of locals out for a morning walk, shops and stores geared bit less to the tourist trade, and the Mercado De Triana.

There are, of course, LOTS of markets in European cities. Their size and focus varies. Some are gigantic and attract large crowds of visitors, perhaps less for the available produce and more for the prepared food options and souvenirs. This little market is closer to the traditional market end of the spectrum. For the most part the stalls are unassuming and seem to feature actual produce, meats, seafood, and so on. (There is one spot that offers cooking lessons that seems more tourist-oriented.) We stopped in for coffee and breakfast, then strolled the market, watching the morning activities.


G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Instagram | Flickr | Facebook | Threads | PostEmail

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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Shop Doorway

Shop Doorway
“Shop Doorway” — A tarp partially covers the doorway to a small shop, Lisbon.

Like big cities everywhere, Lisbon has a great variety of neighborhoods and ways of living. There are the popular squares and avenues, in some places lined with business and expensive stores. There are tourist-centric locations. And there are side streets that you might not see unless you walk and get a little ways from those other spots, perhaps on a walk from one of them to another. We headed down random streets between where we stayed and the waterfront area, and in doing so passed places like this shop.

Not that Lisbon or Portugal are the only cities where you see such things, but there are a lot of little shops here that have this sort of funky, improvised appearance. The elements of this one are striking, including the upturned basket holding open the tarp “door. Inside this shop you could buy wine, candy, and various other little items.


G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Instagram | Flickr | Facebook | Threads | PostEmail

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.