Polka Tables, originally uploaded by markrocky.

From our photography excursion (with Harvest Digital) on the South Bank using “Lomolitos” (mini Lomos), on Wednesday evening…

dew drop bye, originally uploaded by markrocky.

Dew drops on barbed wire, one fine Winter’s morning in rural Somerset.

Chelsea chimneys, originally uploaded by markrocky.

Looking west across London from Peter Jones in Chelsea, on a bright and Christmassy winter afternoon.

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These young whipper snappers were watching keenly as an older kid scrawled his tag on a wall along London’s South Bank. It didn’t take long. Let’s hope the pupils of this nursery school of graffiti move on to a higher level of street art sooner rather than later. Am I getting old? These pesky kids. Grumble grumble… I’ll be complaining about uneven pavements next.

Anyway – while I am on the subject, when a particular piece turned up at the bottom of Bristol’s Park Street a few months ago (on the side of a sexual health clinic, I should add for the benefit of the picture), I heard Bristol City Council were debating whether it was public art and should be left. Funny that they start to see the potential tourism benefits of leaving this stuff after years spent cleaning it up. They certainly wouldn’t have even considered the fact a few years ago. Well – they eventually decided to let it stay and it promptly made the Visit Bristol tourist guide.

Taken in Somerset at the weekend – near Nunney. Things are starting to happen in the woods right now. Signs of new life abound. Like these guys – standing by, ready to unfurl…

What a life these fat fellows have! Lazying about all day, just soaking up the sun and going for the occasional dip, maybe catching a fish if they can be bothered…

There’s more photos of Skye here (needs password – just ask me).

an essential cargo – the ubiquitous san miguel beer shares a ride with us on a banka
(see the rest of the Philippines photo set on Flickr » )

Wow – that felt longer than two weeks. We’ve just returned from a different world and a very beautiful one at that. A world full of idyllic islands straight out of James Bond, with incredible diving and friendly people. The Philippines has such a bad press here in the UK and I’m almost tempted not to dispell the myths so I can keep the place all for myself… but how could I do that? Island hopping around the remote islands to the north of Palawan by banka revealed some of the most breathtaking scenery I have ever seen. Thousands of deserted islands with sheer limestone cliffs, hidden lagoons, secret beaches and turquoise blue waters.

However, it seems tourism “eco-development” and land title disputes are endemic in this area and corruption, at all levels, is rife. It’s a fine balance between tourism alleviating poverty in a place perceived by Westerners as “paradise on earth” and maintaining a pristine environment for future generations. As tourism encroaches on these small islands in this fragile ecology, I really hope this balance can be met.

Some of the people we met along the way (like the folk at Kudugman) were trying to do things the right way- pushing forward low-scale, low-impact and sustainable developments of two or three huts on islands that draw minimal resources and offer a very basic yet completely serene break from it all. However, the terms “sustainable” and “eco-tourism” are used all too rashly and I hope that recent measures to develop these small islands do not lead to their destruction.


Anyway – here’s some more photos. Not that I need to convince you of the beauty of the place!

Taken in South Devon, last weekend. At last, the signs of Spring are starting to show. Whoop!

why buck a trend at a geek fest?
everyone else is blogging here, so here’s my quick notes to self:

• the event
• the speakers
  • self referential blogospheric egos
  • yahoo is everywhere
  • motivation? hippies need cash too
  • tag.alicio.us
  • iam(certainlynot)cal.com
  • does every ruby need a rail?
  • flex your flash (or the adobe ajax)
  • that mint bloke needs more slides/ help
  • dropsend should have been dropbox
  • the vc is dead (reminded me of Chris Anderson’s article in this month’s wired magazine)
  • (maybe i could launch ***.com from my bedroom after all)
  • wow. where did they get that german google guy?
  • bingo!
• the inevitable resulting photos, tags and even some slightly sensible notes.

Going under the railway into Tooting Bec Common – a nice park for Winter walks in London.

Fireworks, fat scarves, tasty warm soup, seeing your breath in the air, crackling log fires – all these things make the approaching winter fun. Rain, colds and the complete lack of light after 4pm do not.
Although at the moment, I am enjoying the crisp, clean air – with its frosty mornings and blue skies. It’s quite a change from last year and all rather exciting really. Who knows – it might even snow in London this year…

I like england in the summer.

anyway – i have a few photos to share with you from the last few days.

EDIT: more here

So – I can finally upload those photos from the states. Some classics from the tubing… but I doubt Cab and Phil will think so!

Anyway – feel free to check out the different sections. I try to keep the photos up-to-date but you know how it is – there’s new photos from Belize just up.

Oh and why don’t you see what happened at the latest G8 summit in Evian, France …