Hello World Of Photography Community! This is my maiden post here, having very recently joining this community. I hope you like it.
Say cheese!
Sounds familiar? This is what the camera man usually says before he takes a photo of someone or a group of people. It means SMILE! The world loves a happy face, a smiling face. And that's exactly what my big bird did when his photo was taken. Look.
This photo was taken sooo many years ago, when the place in our city called Baywalk was first opened to the public. The area you see behind the ostrich upto the bicycle at the far end is reclaimed area. That's right. Where the bicycle is was actually the beach and the area where my ostrich is standing used to be the sea already. At the end of the reclaimed land the developer constructed a promenade where people can walk, exercise, loll around and enjoy the sea. He populated the area with ostriches (there were 4 pairs), some deer and, would you believe it, 12 baby sharks in a cemented aquarium about 30 meters long in front of an imposing statue.
The picture above is a crop of the original. Here's the actual photo.
Also behind the ostrich is a King David replica statue which the developer had constructed. So Baywalk was also popularly called King David or King David's Walk. For reference, check out the photo below so you get an idea of what's in front of the ostrich.
That's me and my nephew on a wet and wavy morning jog.
Anyway, here are several more shots of the ostriches before they were transferred out of the area. As you can see they were confined to a part of the reclaimed area that's wide enough for them to run and have space. Sometimes, though, one of them gets free from the barrier and walks around with the people who are there. Like this one in the first photo and although I was wary of him, he was very gentle and did not chase the people away.
It is sad that these ostriches had to be moved out. You see, a coastal road is being built right where the sea is beside the Baywalk. So, to give way to this, the developer had to give up the place and the maintenance as well. But that is another story.
All for now. Hope you liked this. Remember, always smile! They say it takes more muscles to frown (43) than to smile (17). Some even say 62 to frown and 26 to smile. Whichever, smiling takes less effort and radiates unquantifiable goodness about. It seems this ostrich knows about that. Have a great day ahead.
(All photos are mine.)