Bermuda in the 1930s

A Bermudian friend sent a link to some photos of Bermuda in the 1930s.  Bermuda is such a small state that it’s hard to imagine it any smaller.  I was told that there used to be a railway track that ran the length of the state.  The railway has since given way to roads and other forms of transportation.  The railway track has turned into a trail for walkers and runners.

Photolog : CBD, Washington DC

Weekend in Central Business District, Washington DC

Photolog: Washington Monument, DC

Washington Monument in DC

Photolog from DC

I spent part of Saturday outdoors, the weather was very nice – the beginning of Autumn.  Temperatures were between 18-20′c with heavy clouds.  It had been raining the last few days and it threatened to rain again.  The hotel is very near to the National Mall, this long stretch of open space  between the National Monument and Capitol Hill. 

A rally was in full swing, with many people gathering near the Capitol Hill.  The rally was against Obama’s Health care plan, with the demonstrators against the use of taxpayors money to fund the plan.  People were waving placards, there were speeches and a generally festive atmosphere.  There were a few policemen (I saw only 3 or 4) and ambulance trucks around but they were in the background – wow, real democracy in action.  One of the speeches that caught my attention was this man who said the problem with America is caused by both parties – Democrats and Republicans – have lost their way.  This person said that the Democrats have swung to the extreme of being socialist, while the Republicans are now what the Democrats used to be.  I was tickled by this speech and a thought popped up – How did America, one of the world’s biggest, oldest and freest economy, get it so wrong?  With their long history of innovation and reforms, they are the ones to teach the rest of the world, how to better manage.  The country is facing trillion-dollars budget deficits, Health care remains elusive for about 15% of its population, despite news of recovery in the stock market, unemployment rates continue to surprise with new lows.  Their solution to the problem is to continue to spend.  The world definitely depends on America to continue spending but is that what America needs for itself? 

Here are some photos I took :

US Capitol and Congress in the background, amidst a rally in full swing.

 

Sunset view over the Tidal Basin, with the Jefferson Memorial on the left

 

Photolog : Downtown Miami

I was fortunate to visit Miami, USA in late-Aug 08 and stayed at the very nice, Mandarin Oriental Miami.  The weather in Miami is somewhat similar to HK (in summer) and KL (year-round) – hot and humid.  This is a picture of the Miami Central Business District at sunset.  The CBD is practically a ghost town during weekends, you could lie on the road and not fear being run-over by a vehicle.. it was that deserted.  During weekends, the action is at the famous South Beach, where most people take the opportunity to show-off their well-toned bodies.  I was told that most of the young people living in Miami are actors/actresses or models waiting to be discovered, so that explains the higher ratio of good looking people/ per sq foot in Miami, compared to other cities that I’ve visited.

 

Sunset view of downtown Miami, taken from my hotel room.