Photography

Day 1: On the Road in Yangon

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After flying for two days, we finally made it to Yangon.  We’ve only been here for a day and we’re already head over heels in love with this country.  As my mom likes to point out  “you like everywhere you go”, which is true, but there is also something special about this place.  At first glance, it reminds me a lot of Thailand, especially the golden pagoda and temples.  “Same same but different,” as they say.  Here at Shwedagon Pagoda, instead of hoards of tourists, you’ll see Burmese people in their colorful longyi.  Visiting the pagoda as a family affair.  Even though it’s a sacred religious place, people bring their food and have a family picnic in the temples after praying.   

Photo of the Week: Fog

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IMG_4073Blue Lagoon, Iceland

Recently a friend came back from Iceland and it reminded me how much I miss this country .  I missed the savage beauty of the desolate landscape.  I missed the magnificent waterfall. I missed the time we spent at the Blue Lagoon.  We were there when the fog came rolling in over the thermal water creating a nice effect with the sunset.  

Every Monday of each week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home. Most of my photos have little or no post processing.  If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.

Day Trip to Kutná Hora

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Kutná Hora, a  popular daytrip destination from Prague, was once a grand old city.  Thanks to its bountiful silver mine, the city became the financial center of Bohemia and the site of the Royal Mint in the 14th century.  However, when the silver ore ran dry, the city faded into history.  Now it is more known for its architectural jewels like the unique Gothic cathedral and the interesting ‘bone church.

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Photo of the Week: Abandoned

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IMG_7481Red Hook, NY

On a photography excursion to Red Hook, I saw this old abandoned train.  I had to climb in and take a picture of the inside.  There was bright sunlight filtering through the windows creating a nice contrast against the grimy interior. Sometimes old broken things are full of character and beauty.

Every week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home.  Most of my photos have little or no post processing.  If you would like to see more, please click the Follow button.

Photo of the Week: Love Story

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IMG_5988Galway, Ireland

We came across this idyllic scene of an abbey nestled in the surrounding greenery that looked like something out of a painting on our drive across Ireland. Kylemore Castle in County Galway is a Benedictine monastery, home to a community of nuns who came here in 1920 after their abbey was destroyed in World War I.  But before it became a monastery, it was the backdrop to an intriguing love story.

The year was 1849, Mitchell Henry and his new bride Margaret visited the wild Connemara on their honeymoon and fell in love with the place.  Mitchell promised his wife that he would build their dream home there. The construction of the castle overlooking the lake took thirteen years to  complete.  The happy couple lived there with their nine children until 1875 when Margaret suddenly passed away from an illness contracted on their holiday in Egypt.  She was only 45 at the time.  Mitchell brought Margaret’s body back to Kylemore and laid her to rest in a mausoleum built on the abbey’s ground, but he was heartbroken and couldn’t bear to stay in their home any longer.  When Mitchell Henry died in 1910, his ashes was brought back to Kylemore to be laid next to his love, in the place where they built their dream home and spent many happy years together.

Every week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home.  Most of my photos have little or no post processing.  If you would like to see more, please click the Follow button.

Prague: Climbing Towers

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Prague is known as “the city of 100 spires” with its iconic skyline.  While visiting, we fell in love with the cityscape and took every chance we could to climb to the top of those towers.  I will admit, we climbed what you might call an excessive number of towers, but the view from each spire was unique and special in its own way.  Below are a look at each one we climbed, and some of the pros and cons of each location.  Also, as a bonus they are quite effective as Stairmasters, especially if you want to digest the giant plate of meat and beer that you have just consumed.

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Photo of the Week: Watercolor

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Antalya (21)Antalya, Turkey

Towards the end of our whirlwind trip around Turkey seven years ago, we visited the coastal city of Antalya, situated on western Mediterranean shore. The ancient city wraps around the harbor of the Gulf of Antalya. When the sun sets over the hazy blue mountain, it creates a breathtaking silhouette.  I was lucky to be able to capture this special moment.  From the cliff-top, the view looks like a watercolor painting.

Every week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home.  Most of my photos have little or no post processing.  If you would like to see more, please click the Follow button.

Photo of the Week: Up in Smoke

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IMG_2892Hanoi, Vietnam

Nearby Hoan Kiem Lake is the well preserved Temple of Literature founded in 1070 by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong as Vietnam’s first university. Now it is used as a temple, to honor Confucius and many of Vietnam’s finest scholars.  It is not unusual to see students in their uniforms coming to the temple to pray for good grades. 

Every week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home.  Most of my photos have little or no post processing.  If you would like to see more, please click the Follow button.

Prague: Lennon Wall

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The famous Lennon Wall in Prague was named after and inspired by John Lennon and the Beatles.  The youths of Eastern Europe were moved by Lennon’s western songs praising freedom, something that did not exist in communist Czech Republic.  These pop songs were banned by authorities and embraced by young activists.  When John Lennon was murdered in 1980, he became a hero to the pacifists.  An ordinary wall was turned into a makeshift memorial to the man that was admired by many for his fight for equality, peace, and freedom.

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Photo of the Week: Hill Tribes

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IMG_2283Mae Hong Son, Thailand

This photo was taken on our trip around Thailand.  We visited the northern hill tribes near the northern city of Chiang Rai.  These indigenous people live the simple lives in remote villages where their livelihood revolves around farming and livestock. The tribes have been welcoming and hospitable to visitors, giving us the unique opportunity to see the ways of life which have been forgotten in the Western world. The tribes women are selling handmade crafts to help supplement their earning. This very happy lady was showing us her colorful bead work and insisted that I try on the traditional hat.

Every week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home.  Most of my photos have little or no post processing.  If you would like to see more, please click the Follow button.