Duck Perm :)

there are a couple of ducks with this crazy hair-do (feather) around the small lake by our house. I wonder what causes this.

it's 45 degrees, but sunny, which is very different than the Winter season up north.

SF - China Town - Color

Here we have taro root (poi), egg plant (Chinese, Japanese, take your pick), and some type of cabbage.

The Sign on the left says "Natural Color printing/development".

The vertical green sign says something about Ginseng (or man root, due to some roots are shaped like human). It is said to boost energy in a person, I just remember that I took some in tea form when I was young, and it gave me major nose bleed, maybe too much of an energy boost...

Scarf stall.

SF China Town B&W

more shots from my trip to Hayward, CA.

Hopped on the BART, and spent a few hours in San Francisco.

This is a bakery, a line formed for fresh, just out of the oven goodies.

It says: New Hong Kong Restaurant

Can't remember the name of this street, but it was lined with whole sale meat and vegetable markets. This guy was having a lively conversation with a shopper across the street.

Lower Antelope Canyon

Just now find some time to upload additional pictures from the Page visit.

We've been to the Upper Antelope Canyon before, that's the trip where you have to go with a guided tour, and the guide will take you there on a 4x4 across the dry, sandy creek bed to your destination. The visit was an hour, but the main issue was the crowd. This time, we decided to visit the Lower Antelope Canyon. The cost is $26 per person, and if you bring a tripd that is longer than 1.5 feet, you can get a photographer's pass, and you can stay for around 4 hours. If you don't have a tripod, a guide will take you through the canyon, and you can only visit for an hour and then you are out. I don't know why, but the place is not well marked. I sort of remember how to get to it from the Upper Antelope Canyon visit, it was luck that I found the place. I am sure someone in town can give you good direction.

Here's the entrance to the Lower Antelope Canyon. I just had my camera and tripod, no bags or anything, which I am glad I didn't have that on my back. It is fairly narrow, but manageable.

While we were there, there is a group of photographers who signed up for a photo work shop. The instructor came from Sedona area, but I didn't ask for his name. This lady here was shooting a Canon 5D and a big, wide L series lens, various people have fancy gears, expensive carbon tripod, etc. What recession, right? :)

Unlike the Upper Antelope section, there are some fairly narrow spots in this canyon. It wasn't too windy this time, so we were not showered with sand like the last time. I don't think I got any sand/dust on the sensor, but the camera was covered with sand from the first trip.

Mystery House

There are a lot of rumors who actually owns this house. Some said Johnny Depp, Nicholas Cage, but the most common one is the doctor who invented Lasik surgical procedure - the only thing is, no one can agree on who that is, :).

Shot from Chapel on the Rock, with Cathedral Rock in the back ground.