11 Things to do in Berlin

August 12, 2015August 12, 2015 / lifeafter9to5 / 1 Comment

With its unique history, Berlin is a city like no other. A broke metropolis at the end of the First World War, Berlin began to thrive in the Twenties leading the way in avant-garde art, music and literature. With Hitler’s rise to power, the city became the base for the Third Reich. After the Second World War, Berlin found itself occupied by the Allies and embroiled in the Cold War. The city was further divided with the erection of the Berlin Wall that cut it through its heart. From a crumbling city after the Cold War, Berlin rose from its ashes as the Wall fell in 1989. The iconic images of Berliners celebrating the reunification are famous around the world representing the dawn of a new era for Germany. Continue reading →

Photo of the Week: In Flight

August 10, 2015August 9, 2015 / lifeafter9to5 / 4 Comments

La Fortuna, Costa Rica

This picture of a hummingbird in flight was taken in the small village of La Fortuna in Costa Rica. This volcanic region is known for its tropical rainforest, beautiful waterfalls, and natural hot springs. There is tons of wildlife in this fertile area, and walking around town you can see the humming birds buzzing around, feeding on the flowers.

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.

Berlin: Street Arts

August 5, 2015August 11, 2015 / lifeafter9to5 / 2 Comments

Art critic Emilie Trice has called Berlin “the graffiti Mecca of the urban art world.” In addition to the artwork of the East Side Gallery, Berlin is rich with lots of beautiful street art throughout the city. Everywhere you look—from the walls of buildings, to doorways and even garbage cans—you’ll find murals, stencils, paste-ups, and many other artistic experiments staring back at you. The colorful public art helps to brighten the cityscape and inspires Berliners and visitors. Evolving trends result in an evolving art scene.

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Photo of the Week: Repose

August 3, 2015August 2, 2015 / lifeafter9to5 / Leave a comment

Pergamum (168) Pergamum, Turkey

Walking up the winding road we came upon the ruins of Pergamum, an ancient city that once rivaled that of Alexandria and Ephesus. Perched atop a windswept mountain is the Theater of Pergamum, one of the steepest theaters in the world. We sat on the well-worn steps among the remnants of the forgotten city and were transported back to another time.

Berlin: East Side Gallery

July 31, 2015July 30, 2015 / lifeafter9to5 / 3 Comments

I love street art. So when I was in Berlin, I couldn’t pass up a chance to explore the stirring art of East Side Gallery that has come to represent Germany’s turbulent history between East and West. This large open-air gallery is an international symbol of freedom. It is the longest remaining part of the Berlin Wall at 1.3 km long and located along the banks of the river Spree in Friedrichshain borough. After the Wall was brought down in 1989, artists came from around the world to transform the gray barriers into 105 paintings, each a testimony to victory of the human spirit. Continue reading →

Berlin: Free Walking Tour

July 29, 2015July 30, 2015 / lifeafter9to5 / 4 Comments

The best way to explore a new city is always on foot. Based on prior trips to Europe, I knew that Sandemans offers great walking tours. So while in Berlin, we made it a point to reserve a spot on their FREE city tour. The tour is the perfect introduction to Berlin and helps you orient yourself to navigate the city. The tour is offered in English and Spanish at four different times daily, each one lasting about 2.5 hours. A lot of people sign up, so make sure you book in advance to ensure a space. On our tour, about 100 people showed up and we were quickly divided into smaller groups of 20-30.

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Photo of the Week: Offering

July 27, 2015July 26, 2015 / lifeafter9to5 / Leave a comment

Chiang Mai, Thailand

A visit to the ancient city of Chiang Mai is not complete without a stop to one of its 300 temples. The wats come in all different shapes and sizes, some are conspicuous with their glittering gold statues while others are crumbling and receded back into history. Each one is filled with wafting incense smoke as people came to make their offerings and pay their respects to Buddha.

This gold bowl with beautiful mums, reminiscent of the orange robes worn by the monks caught my attention. I love the pop of colors against the whitewashed walls.

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.

Atlanta: Aquarium

July 22, 2015July 21, 2015 / lifeafter9to5 / 5 Comments

Atlanta might be land locked, but in the center of the city is one of the largest aquariums in the world; housing more than 10 million gallons of water, and home to tens of thousands of fish and other sea creatures representing several hundred species. This was where we spent a hot Saturday afternoon exploring the aquatic life. The ticket price of $38.95 per person is steep, but it includes access to a dolphin show, 4D movie, and many other exhibitions. Continue reading →

Photo of the Week: Promenade

July 20, 2015July 19, 2015 / lifeafter9to5 / Leave a comment

Brooklyn, New York

Home sweet home. I never get tired of looking at the New York skyline no matter how many times I see it, from all the different angles and vantage points. This particular picture was taken from the Brooklyn Heights promenade with the idyllic view of the Brooklyn bridge spanning the East river to lower Manhattan on the other side. This park is a great place to get away from the bustling city and hosts many activities from yoga sessions to free movie nights. It is also a great place to take your date on a romantic stroll.

Atlanta: Graffiti

July 18, 2015July 17, 2015 / lifeafter9to5 / Leave a comment

This past June, Fausto went to the annual Society of Actuaries Health meeting in Atlanta and I tagged along. While there, I had a chance to explore the city’s small but growing street art scene. Atlanta has hosted the annual street art conference called Living Walls, The City Speaks, where artists from all over the world are invited to create street art. The large murals are often painted directly on the side of the buildings throughout the city, with permission from the owners of course.

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