Thanks! Since high school I've been intrigued by photography and finally treated myself to a DSLR camera just before our trip. Merry Christmas to me! I've got a lot to learn.
I love the tilt/shift effect. Here's a link to the youtube photoshop tutorial I used: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmFy_bTE460. Achieving this effect is surprisingly easy (and quick). Here's my favorite I've done, it's of Ocho Rios, Jamaica: