The ferris wheel at Tibidabo theme park, Barcelona.

At the top of a mountain in Barcelona sits a church and a theme park — Tibidabo. We’d not planned to visit but overheard a few others discussing the place after they’d been there a previous day. We decided to head up on a whim and after walking to a bus stop we waited for the bus to arrive.

A bus pulled up to another stop and we realised we — along with several others — were waiting at the wrong stop. We finished our icy poles and climbed aboard.

After we disembarked from the bus, we still required a long and steep funicular ride. It offered some good views and when we arrived at the park, realised it was about to close in only 45 or so minutes. Since entry is free it wasn’t a big deal. Some of the rides go out over the mountain so you have a large drop below but we didn’t bother going on any of the rides.

Though the park is in a much more interesting location, the size reminded me of Luna Park.

Marseille’s Notre Dame de la Garde, from the bottom of the hill. As featured in the very first line of The Count of Monte Cristo.

I didn’t know that this building was featured in The Count of Monte Cristo until we arrived home. Another prominent landmark, the Island d’If, however, is well-known as the island on which the prison in the story is set. We intended to travel to the island while we were in Marseille, but alas the winds were too strong and we were unable to make the short trip.

A shame, since the prison was quite notorious in it’s time, but you can see the island quite clearly from the top of the hill in this shot.

If you’re going to photograph God rays (Crepuscular rays), the best place to find them is above Saint Peter’s, pointing directly at the Vatican City, right?

Taken from the roof of Castel Sant’Angelo.

A bit disappointed that I’d forgotten to switch from ISO1600 back to something more useful. We’d been inside the castle, so obviously the higher sensitivity was needed but it’s still annoying; I seemed to do this quite a bit and it’s really an annoying design “feature” of the 350D that it doesn’t show you the ISO setting.

A few steps to the right might have had the God rays pointing directly at the church but I don’t think it really matters. Some great symbolism here, I think.

Candles at the entrance of Karlskirche (St Charles Borromeo church) in Vienna.

I took four of this shot — two in portrait and two in landscape. Both were taken with the candles in focus and the background instead in focus. This was the last of the four, and I knew as soon as I pressed the shutter that I didn’t need to take any more as I found the shot and composition I’d been hunting for the whole time.

The candles are right at the entrance to the church, below the pipe organ and the background is right down at the far end of the church. It doesn’t look that far but it’s a reasonably large church.

The roof of the church is domed and has a large mural painted all over. We were lucky enough to ascend the slightly wobbly scaffolding right at the top where you could almost touch the roof (complete with soaring dove).

Over the past few weeks, Justine and I have seen a number of churches advertising Open Days. Now, perhaps I am confused, but isn’t every Sunday supposed to be an open day?

And for that matter, aren’t churches with on-duty clergymen supposed to be open to all who wish to enter? I’m hardly frequent churches, but when we were overseas in Europe we entered plenty of churches, and with the exception of Westminster Abbey in London, they were all free. St Peter’s in Vatican City might not have been, but we entered via the exit — I assume it was free, though.

But I digress, why do churches feel the need to have an Open Day when I thought being open for anyone who needs them was half the point?

Taken during a photowalk with Richard, Chris and Dad. I was lining up this shot, sans human, when this guy walked out of the door and I snapped. Rather serendipitous.