Maui Beach

Maui Beach on a Monochrome Monday.

Footprints in the sand

Trees

Skywatch Friday

Maui Rainbow

Visit other Skywatch Friday sites by clicking here.

Waikiki Beach

A more famous Hawaiian beach than yesterday, with Diamond Head in the background.

Two Beaches

Two beaches a few miles apart on the North Shore of Oahu.

I couldn't choose between the color or B&W version of the second beach, so I present both of them.

Byodo-In Temple, Oahu

The Byodo-In Temple is a non-denominational Buddhist temple located on the island of Oahu in Hawaii at the Valley of the Temples. The Temple was commissioned and built largely in 1968 in the Valley of the Temples to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the arrival of Japanese culture to Hawaii. It was dedicated by Governor John A. Burns, a favorite of the Japanese community for his long service for the cause of Japanese rights during the state's territorial years. Japanese immigrants entered the Kingdom of Hawaii and later Territory of Hawaii to labor in the sugarcane and pineapple plantations. Surrounding the temple are large koi ponds that cover a total of two acres. Around those ponds are lush Japanese gardens set against a backdrop of towering cliffs of the Koolau mountains.
Outside is a three-ton, brass peace bell.

Close-up view of the peace bell.

Reflections

Lights reflected in the red tiles at the Harvard Square Subway Station.

Last Night at Symphony

Boston Symphony Orchestra and Tanglewood Festival Chorus with Daniele Gatti conductor, at the conclusion of the Verdi Requiem. Soprano Fiorenza Cedolins, soprano; Ekaterina Gubanova, mezzo-soprano; Stuart Neill, tenor; and Carlo Colombara, bass. Also on stage is John Oliver, conductor of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus.

This week's program kicks off the BSO's celebration of the bicentennial of Giuseppe Verdi. 2013 is also the "Year of Italian Culture in the United States," showcasing the best of Italy - past, present and future - throughout the entire United States. More information about all the events can be found on their website: italyinus2013.org/

I'm just back from vacation and attended my first BSO concert of the season last night. I'll be posting some photos from my vacation in a couple of days.

Happy New Year!

One of my favorite photos of the past year.