Europe

Photo of the Week: Foggy Cliff

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IMG_6181Cliff of Moher, Ireland

This photo was taken at the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland.  After watching this spectacular site featured in many movies, we were excited to finally make it to the Emerald Isle in the summer of 2013 to see it for ourselves. This Irish natural wonder is where coastline rises high above the Atlantic ocean. If you are not scared of heights,  you can walk along  the cliff side all the way to the edge, staring down into the abyss.  This magnificent vista is one of the most popular tourist locations in Western Ireland.

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.

Photo of the Week: Spices

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Istanbul (818)Istanbul, Turkey

This picture was taken during our stroll through the spice bazaar in Istanbul.  The bustling marketplace was filled with a multitude of stalls selling spices, teas, and a variety of dried goods.  As you wander around the ancient corridors, you are taken in by the rich colors of the spices, originating from all over the world. It is easy to see why Istanbul was once the center of the spice trade.

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.

Honesty Rates

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IMG_4313

je t’aime

If you are going to Paris this summer, there might be a way for you to score a reasonably priced hotel room.  I just read an article on CNN about a program called payez ce que vous voulez  or pay what you will  that’s being  promoted at several hotels in Paris from July 21 to August 10.  This is the first time I’ve heard of the notion of “honesty rates”.  It’s a novel idea, letting the guests decide on the fair rate they would like pay for a night stay in the hotel.  I know from past experience that hotels in Paris can be very expensive, so the opportunity to decide on what you want to pay in the peak summer season seems too good to be true. Continue reading →

Photo of the Week: Stepping Stones

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IMG_5334Giant’s Causeway, United Kingdom

This picture was taken in Northern Ireland at the Giant’s Causeway. After reading many books about this country, I was very excited when we finally made it here.  This small island is filled with so many natural wonders. This particular World Heritage Site has a legend that the columns are the remains of a causeway built by a giant. The story goes that the Irish giant Finn MacCool was challenged to a fight by the Scottish giant Benandonner. Finn accepted the challenge and built the causeway across the North Channel so that the two giants could meet. Each column has anywhere from 4 to 8 sides.

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.

Photo of the Week: Rising

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IMG_4093Blue Lagoon, Iceland

Today’s picture was posted later than usual because I am working from the West Coast for most of the week.  Now, without further ado, this photo was taking on our honeymoon in Iceland. We were supposed to go to Bora Bora, but somehow ended up there instead. Aside from the frigid cold weather, Iceland is a great place to visit.  At the time we just got our underwater camera, so we thought what better time to test it out then at the Blue Lagoon. The sun was setting low over the horizon and the fog was rolling off the thermal water, creating a nice effect.

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.

Mileage Run: Vienna

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Last night, while we were watching TV and decompressing after a very long week, Fausto casually mentioned to me that he reserved tickets to Vienna, Austria on Halloween weekend. And when I say weekend, I literally mean weekend. We are going on another mileage run (a short trip that helps you accumulate more miles in your airline program and achieve status).

I am relatively new to this whole weekend travel business. Before, when I think of traveling, I usually think of a trip that lasts for at least a week (anything shorter doesn’t seem to be worth the airline ticket). You need time to acclimate and familiarize yourself with your new surroundings, not to mention you need time to relax and really enjoy being away. This past year, due to work and personal obligations, we were very short on time. That’s when Fausto convinced me to take a weekend trip to Tokyo and Seoul on Thanksgiving weekend. Two cities, across the other side of the world in four days, sure why not. I find that it’s usually not too hard to convince me to go somewhere, especially some place I’ve never been.

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Photo of the Week: Reflection

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Ankara (9)Lake Tuz, Turkey

This photo was taken towards the end of our trip to Turkey.  After 6 hours on the bus, we were very eager to get out and stretch our legs.  Walking to the salt flats on a cloudy day, it’s hard to tell where the sky ends and Earth begins.  I was taking pictures of the reflection, and out of the corner of my eyes I saw this boy skipping.  I turned around just in time to capture this image.  It’s still one of my favorite photo of all time.

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.