Cruciform tail
Detroit, MI, March 2007 [Click to enlarge]
The windows at Detroit Metro Airport (DTW) have an annoying dot-like treatment that does horrid things to pictures shot through them. I understand the need to treat these massive panes of glass so that the poor souls inside don't bake in the intense Michigan sun. But when my optics become stippled in the process, I take exception.
Thankfully, I seem to have found the right exposure settings to have salvaged this moment. I was waiting for my flight out to San Francisco after my long lonely night in the terminal (see here for background). I saw the t-tail of this NWA DC-9 (wiki) in the window and thought it painted a soft image of this place. I find airplanes at rest to be poignant icons of travel. When they're working, they're loud, agile machines that spear through impossibly high altitudes at near-mach speeds. But when they're down here, they're elegant in a gossamer-fragile sort of way.
I could have sat in this place all day, staring out the dotted window. But my flight was starting to board at the other end of the terminal, and I needed to go. But not before I remembered this silent, transitional moment in a strange place far from home.
Your turn: Do you try to slow things down while you travel? How?
One more thing: The person who brought me into the world celebrates another birthday today. My mom doesn't have a blog of her own, but she's been known to read the occasional entry here. If you're up to it, feel free to send her a happy in a comment.
Happy birthday Carmi's mum!
ReplyDeleteSending Birthday wishes to Carmi's Mom from here in the UK {{HUGS}} :o)
ReplyDeleteLove this shot Carmi, nicely done and sounds like you had a few hurdles to get over to take this shot but it was well worth it :o)
I love to travel. I always thinkhalf the fun of a holiday is the trip to get there. Which is probably why we don't mind driving for ling distance, taking ferries etc. So for me, taking it slow and steady and soaking up the surrounds of the trip is a pleasure.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday Carmi's Mom! Hope you have a wonderful year!
Carmi's MOM Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday Carmi's mommmm.... Happy birthday to you!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday Mrs Levy!
ReplyDeleteI like the picture, Carmi, but it has some subtle crucifix imagery in it. Having an odd "Easter" moment there?
Happy Birthday, Mom!!!
ReplyDelete-----------------------
To slow things down while I travel is the same as to try and slow things down everyday... I try to be more conscious of surroundings and what people are doing, how they are interacting, noticing the environment and how people function in it... Being kind and sharing a friendly smile with strangers is good, too.
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Also... noticed that you added me to your blog roll list. I am honored... thanks.
Happy Birthday, Carmi's Mom.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Carmi? Great picture. You are like the improv artist of photography, always going with the unusual choice.
Happy birthday mom. You appear to have raised a great kid.
ReplyDeleteAirports seem to me to be busy hectic frantic places, everyone hurrying, everyone with a deadline.
ReplyDeleteYour picture has captured a quiet moment between flights, a serene place of preparation for the next powerful thrust up into the sky. Nice colour and shine!
HBTY Carmi's mummy!
wish u a very happy B'day , dear Carmi's mom:)
ReplyDeleteCarmi, I am born to parents who love to travel , but they are always traveling in a haste...they are so eager to see places that sometime they forget vacations are to relax..Now that i'm on my own, I do my traveling my way..I'd rather come back to the place again than miss out on soaking in the place ........
The pic is an unusual choice, but then that's a given with you I guess :)Great choice, as always :)
Happy Birthday Carmi's mom! I did a post last week for one of my parents. Fun to have another way to share birthday joy with those who mean so much to us. Again, I always enjoy my visit Carmi!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Holly
Happy Birthday, Mrs. Levy! I know you are very proud of your son and rightly so.
ReplyDeleteCarmi, when I travel, I am usually excited and don't want to slow it down, but often the trip gets slowed down for me - by airplanes that don't take off on time!
Happy Birthday to your Mom Carmi! More wishes from the UK!
ReplyDeleteWell, you probably get that I love travelling....which is why I really love this image. I want to slow everything down when I travel because I want to enjoy every minute. With the exception of my return home. Usually I am pretty anxious when it is time to return back to my life.
Happy Birthday Carmi's mum,
ReplyDeleteit was my dad's birthday as well. Here's wishing you the very best!
Travelling....I am not sure about slowing it down, but time itself does odd things. It rubberbands, stretching out forever then pinging into fast forward!
I love sitting in a car (most of the time) or taking boats and even busses but I don't enjoy flying any more. It has become such a hassle just to even get on a plane.
Driving means we can make deturs. Pretty cool stuff sometimes happens when we go off the beaten track.
xxs
merlyn
Happy Birthday to your Mum Carmi...
ReplyDeleteSo many pictures seem to be inbetween moments to me...
I'm just grateful if we aren't delayed when we travel - it seems to be more of an issue since we had children though - I don't mind it taking it's course and appreciate it along the way, but honestly if we have set off I just want to get there....
Having said that, there are a few longer trips I want to do...
Carmi: Wishing your Mom a Wonderful Birthday! My own Mother's Birthday is this week as well!
ReplyDeleteOoh, I love April babies!!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm still in awe of how easily you travel. I used to love the adventure of it, but flying's such a hassle anymore... *sigh*
Happy, Happy (probably belated) Birthday to Carmi's mom.... you did good!
ReplyDeleteSlowing things down..... when Nyssa and I traveled we always went through Atlanta as our little ASA puddle hopper plane from Mississippi had its hub there. More often than not we had quite the layover so we would ride the little underground train tram around and around the airport... two or three full circuits before getting off at our terminal stop.
By the time she started 9th grade I felt comfortable letting her fly alone to New York... well, not exactly alone but with a friend. A friend who was three years older but terrified as she had never flown before, much less seen an airport as large as Atlanta.
Now had the flight required changing planes in Dallas..... that would have been another story.
I try to hurry the getting there part, and slow down the stay-- but only if I'm having fun, lol!
ReplyDeleteA toast to your mother! May she celebrate many more birthdays too :)
Happy Belated to your mom, Carmi! :)
ReplyDeleteI almost always fall asleep before the plane even takes off and if I'm lucky I won't wake up until we're landing. I hate to fly.
ReplyDeleteAnd happy birthday to your mom... she must be very proud.
Mike
Don't you just love Detroit airport? My kids love the skytrain. They think it's so cool that it's all indoors.
ReplyDeleteWe usually slow things down by settling in a little bit wherever we are. Usually when we're in an airport, we're in for a long layover, so settling in and window shopping in the airport makes it more fun.