Super Blood Moon over Amman Jordan ~ 28 September 2015

Super Blood Moon over Amman

I reluctantly went to bed at 2am thinking I was getting too old to pull off an all-nighter (especially after a 5 day Eid "holiday"). Boosted by the epiphany that it would probably couple more decades till such another momentous event took place I leapt out of bed and ran for my camera.

Lens fixed firmly. One sweatshirt over my PJ's, promptly followed by a fleece top a half hour later I braved the cold Jordanian desert, well Ok, my balcony.

At 3am the moon was spectacular! Brilliantly shining like a huge multi-faceted diamond it lit up the sky much to the glee of my now hyperactive feline companion.

Karmoosha was performing ever more complicated gymnastic feats in an effort to intervene between my bazzooka and this glorious super moon. Paw taps, hugs, ankle nips, full body stretches and all to no avail. I calmed her down with a glance and the classic "I see you" head nod but kept my eyes fixed firmly on the sky.


This was a practice shot was at 2:40am ~ imperative to ensure that the settings would not let me down when the big moment came. And the incredible realisation that I was stopping down to F10 and at ISO 100 due to the unbelievable brilliance of the sun reflecting of the moons surface.

And then it began: a steady shadow at the top of the moon which grew eerily stronger. It was fascinating to watch and felt like an honour to try to capture. The photos do not do it justice, how could they, but at least I made an effort to record it for posterity ;)

When a red glow started to shine through (apparently the result of the reflections of the different sunsets all over the world) I almost jumped up and down for joy. It took a lot of quick adjustments to capture the next shots, and they are nowhere near as sharp as I would like them to be but the memory of those few seconds will live with me forever!

This final shot was taken as the moon shyly dove behind the building next door. Next time I shall brave the rooftop ....better yet....next time I will be in the real outdoors because a sight this glorious should only ever be witnessed in its element.

Precious Philadelphia

An incongruous mix of old and new

Streets with names of folks we knew

A villa here, a tower there 

Civic planning of which I despair

 

Our traffic rules are clear for all 

Those that follow them so rare; if at all

 

Within this seemingly chaotic city 

Are those that struggle and fill you with pity

 

The dustmen who clean our streets every day 

The begging children who do not play 

A growing abyss between rich and poor 

The daily struggle to lead a life that is secure 

A city full of contradicting trends 

Be they conservative or fashion that offends 

And yet in harmony we all do live 

Our heart and souls to this land we give 

For where else can you find such peace of mind 

The love of a home-land so hard to define 

A trip downtown holds a magic air 

A simplicity rarely found elsewhere 

I love the hustle & bustle of the market place 

I long to capture each & every face.

For each one has a story to tell 

Of how their fortunes rose and fell 

The colours, sights and smells delight 

Though crossing traffic fills most with fright 

To understand where we are and how far we can reach 

We need to see where we came from and thus I beseech 

For us to maintain our heritage in this city of old 

A valued treasure worth far more than gold. ~  (c) By Rula Zein-Iddin