This was the last U.S. hostel base in my 6 year run with The PHOTOhype Project.  I was there from November, 2001 until July, 2003.  Jeepers, I can't believe it's been that long.  Oh well, Ocean Beach is like the place that time forgot with it's VW beetles & buses, hippies, drinking on the beach, bon fires, bars & NO corporate businesses except Starbuck's, which really isn't welcomed there.  Man, I'm gonna really miss San Diego, because it gave me the opportunity 2 put down my camera & actually live the life of the backpacker. I connected 10x's better with most of the travellers here, versus my time in Vegas.  After not seeing eye 2 eye with most German travellers in Vegas, San Diego produced a lot of memorable times (which included an unforgettable Mad Dash 2 Vegas) with the Germans.  All of which made me question my own personality & not the German travellers or fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada. [ Web Site: www.SanDiegoHostel.us ] Bon Fires on The Beach!

It was one of those endless nights on the net when I found an article written by this photographer from Vermont.  He wrote about the young photographers of today, so you know he caught my attention.  The title of the article was called: Plain People & in it, Peter Miller wrote this: "Too many young people search out the poor, the starving, the disadvantaged, the imprisoned, or whatever makes these people camera fodder. Then these budding photographers travel the world in search of misery. They are egged on by grants and awards and editors and workshops. They could do much better if they stayed at home and photographed just ordinary people and life around them, and when they learn about people, then travel elsewhere..." [ Web Site: www.sightphoto.com/sightphoto/miller/ ]

It's rare that "a bar" was able 2 capture my attention, like this place did.  Yeah, I know it's the locals favorite hangout with its famous Belgian beer, glasses of white wine, live DJ's, good music & Django running up your tab, while Mr. C bounces around with a digital camera.  Yup!  Lots of good memories, including this time a guy approached us, because he heard that my good friend Vital had a "foreigner" in town - uh, that would be me.  I also remember my first "real" night there.  Vital taps me on the shoulder & asks me: "What are you doing?".   "Uh, I'm talking with this guy over here."  "Well," Vital replied.  "all those girls over there came here tonight to meet my friend Geo & he's over here talking with some dude???".  Yeah, I had 2 laugh about that one, as well as my last night, when Django decided 2 close the bar early, just 2 throw me a going away party?  He even broke out 2 bottles of Champaign & yes, true believer, I did drink that night... [ Web Site: www.LaFete.be ]