Travel theme: Smoke and Mirrors

I’m running just a little late, but here’s this week’s challenge. Did you know that March 29th is Smoke and Mirrors Day? The origin of this day, which celebrates all things magical and illusory, is suitably shrouded in mystery, but what a great theme it provides. Here are a few photographs I found that seemed to fit, all taken in the Big Apple, the city that never sleeps; the city where there’s always something fascinating to photograph.

new york, us, america, united states, travel, ailsa prideaux-mooney

Buildings that steam all night. Is it just me or does this remind you of a dalek? Yes, I’m a proud Dr Who fan 😉

new york, us, america, united states, travel, ailsa prideaux-mooney

Curved glass building makes for an interesting illusion

new york, us, america, united states, travel, ailsa prideaux-mooney

Part of the Empire State reflected in the wing mirror of a city cop’s motorbike

Are you ready to work your own magic and pull the wool over my eyes? If you would like to join in this week’s travel theme (everyone’s welcome!) here’s what to do:

  • Create your own post and title it Travel theme: Smoke and Mirrors
  • Include a link to this page in your post so others can find it too
  • Get your post in by next Thursday, as the new travel theme comes out on Friday
  • Don’t forget to subscribe to keep up to date on the latest weekly travel themes. Sign up via the email subscription link in the sidebar or RSS.

I’m looking forward to your distracting, deceptive, illusory post!

xxx Ailsa

About ailsapm

Hi there! I’m Ailsa Prideaux-Mooney. I’ve lived in many places, and travelled to many more. I had a lot of fun getting there and being there, wherever there happened to be at the time. I climbed a castle wall in Czesky Krumlov, abseiled down cliffs to go caving in the west of Ireland, slept on the beach in Paros, got chased by a swarm of bees in Vourvourou (ok that wasn’t fun, but it was exciting), learned flower arranging in Tokyo, found myself in the middle of a riot in Seoul, learned to snowboard in Salzburg, got lost in a labyrinth in Budapest and had my ice cream stolen by a gull in Cornwall. And I’m just getting started. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve read so far, I’d love you to follow my travelogue - wheresmybackpack.com - and remember, anyone who tries to tell you it’s a small world hasn’t tried to see it all.
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174 Responses to Travel theme: Smoke and Mirrors

  1. Pingback: Travel Theme: Smoke and Mirrors | Geophilia

  2. Pingback: Travel Theme: Smoke and Mirrors | My Life Afterglow

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    • ailsapm says:

      Ooh, how beautiful, where was this taken? Seattle’s getting the heat of summer already, it’s been in the low to mid 60s all week. 🙂

      • ideflex says:

        Right across the water in Victoria! Gotten ccccoold here again, so am thinking about summer plans for the West coast….

        • ailsapm says:

          I’m with you, bring on the summer, thinking of freeway driving with the windows rolled down and the wind in my hair. 🙂

  5. Pingback: Travel Theme: Smoke and Mirrors | SC Surf Butler

  6. scsurfbutler says:

    Hi Alisa, Love your photos and thanks for the info. on Smoke and Mirror Day. Here is my entry
    http://scsurfbutler.com/2013/03/31/travel-theme-smoke-and-mirrors/
    Happy Easter! and safe traveling!

  7. Pingback: Smoking Mirrors – Ailsa’s WTT | Ouch!! My back hurts!!

  8. Pingback: Travel theme: smoke and mirrors | Zimmerbitch: age is just a (biggish) number

    • ailsapm says:

      What a wonderful collection of mirrors, Su, that bottom one on the left is my favourite (Smoke and Mirrors 3) – its irregularity is glorious.

  9. Pingback: Travel theme: Smoke and Mirrors | A Number of Things

  10. I do love your toppling building reflection in the second photo! Here’s my contribution – http://newpillowbook.wordpress.com/2013/04/01/travel-theme-smoke-and-mirrors/

  11. Pingback: Travel theme: Smoke and Mirrors | lena de almeida

  12. Wow! This was a tough one for me. I love the illusion of fire you created with that first picture. Here are my attempts. http://josephelonlillie.com/2013/04/01/travel-theme-smoke-and-mirrors/

  13. Pingback: Reflections from the past…Smoke and mirrors… | ilargia64

  14. ilargia64 says:

    Hi Ailsa….Great theme!!!
    My contribution…Magic and reality….
    http://ilargia64.wordpress.com/2013/04/01/reflections-from-the-past-smoke-and-mirrors/
    Hope you like it!

  15. Pingback: Travel Theme: Smoke and Mirrors | A New Day

  16. fotograffer says:

    Here is my take on the Mirror part of “Smoke and Mirrors.”

    http://wp.me/p2uh5G-wX

  17. Pingback: Weekly Travel Theme – Smoke and Mirrors | Researching San Diego

  18. My interpretation is a bit off-kilter but I really enjoyed the challenge in this week’s theme!
    http://researchingsandiego.wordpress.com/2013/04/01/weekly-travel-theme-smoke-and-mirrors/

    • ailsapm says:

      Oh I absolutely love your take on the theme and thoroughly enjoyed your prose, wonderfully written! Those knitting needles are fabulous, but the one that really got me was the flower-coated violence, what a powerful piece.

      • Thank you so much! I am really enjoying your travel themes and have started looking forward to your Friday posts as one of the highlights of my week. They allow me to see my own adventures in a completely new light!

  19. Great topic and photos, Ailsa! Here is my effort at showing how my life is like a mirror, reflecting Turkey: http://lonnalisawilliams.wordpress.com/2013/04/02/my-life-is-a-mirror/

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  21. Pingback: Travel theme: Smoke and Mirrors II | northumbrian : light

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  23. suej says:

    Hi Ailsa, here’s my contribution…http://suejudd.com/2013/04/02/weekly-travel-theme-smoke-and-mirrors/
    Took a bit of creative thinking! Enjoyed the prompt…

  24. Pingback: Wild Weekly Photo Challenge: Distant / Weekly Challenge: A Day in My Life / Weekly Travel Theme: Smoke and Mirrors | Travels and Trifles

  25. Tina Schell says:

    Came up a bit short on mirrors (altho I think the glacial lake might count!) but plenty of smoke (fog/mist but you get the idea!) Check it out at http://travelsandtrifles.wordpress.com/2013/04/02/wild-weekly-photo-challenge-distant-weekly-challenge-a-day-in-my-life-weekly-travel-theme-smoke-and-mirrors/ . Thanks for the fun challenge Ailsa!

    • ailsapm says:

      Oh Tina, what a wonderful post, and wow, what amazing places you’ve seen. That shot of Angkor is unbelievably beautiful, and I adore that quote by Eberhardt. “A nomad I will remain for life, in love with distant and uncharted places.” 🙂

  26. Pingback: Travel theme: Smoke and Mirrors « Sasieology

  27. Pingback: Travel theme: Smoke and Mirrors | ILEANA PARTENIE

  28. 4otomo says:

    Hi Ailsa
    Coloured smoke……no mirrors ..I’m afraid 😦
    heres my post for this week..
    http://4otomo.wordpress.com/2013/04/02/travel-theme-smoke-and-mirrors/

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  33. Nice photos! It’s a bit late, but we had an interesting submission today that I think fits well with your challenge. It’s by a man with bipolar disorder, and represents his mania. http://brokenlightcollective.wordpress.com/2013/04/03/manic/

  34. Pingback: Travel theme: Smoke and Mirrors | PragueByKaty

  35. Pingback: Travel Theme : Smoke and Mirrors | Maniniyot

  36. Kavita Joshi says:

    nice to know more about you dear..and nice blog btw…keep blogging..

    Thanks for visiting my blog

  37. Pingback: Travel Theme: Smoke And Mirror. | the unbearable lightness of being me.

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