Awesome Travel Photos & Stories

Amazing beaches in Corsica

2006-09-15T10:47:00.000-07:00

This picture hardly does justice to the spectacular sights one might find in Corsica. I have only been there twice, but each time I left feeling that I just didn't get to see enough. There aren't many museums or tourist attractions other than the mostly unruined nature, but this is enough to hold anyone's interest. From the flat, wide beaches with finer sand on the East Coast to the jagged calanches that drop into the sea from great heights on the West Coast, everything in between is equally amazing and worth seeing. There is just something about the light, especially at sunset that makes Corsica different than any other place I've been. The colors are already amazing during the day, but as the sun sets, it adds those warm tones and that makes Corsica unique. Not to add the sunbathing cows that roam freely around the island....

Tags: Corsica, Bonifacio, beach, photo, travel, France, calanques, vacation, sunset

Me on the beach in Bonifacio, Corsica

2006-09-15T10:25:00.000-07:00

Here's a picture of one of my first and only days on the beach this summer. It was a hard summer, with my grandfather passing away in early August. I spent the last few weeks relaxing before it was back to school for me (I just started a masters in education after 5 years of being out of school, so I'm trying to figure out how to be a student again).

This picture was taken on the southernmost tip of Corsica, near Bonifacio, in a beautiful national park. The sand, which is mostly tiny shells, is not the finest of sands. That was ok with me because it doesn't get stuck all over wet skin and it was a lot of fun looking for miniature in tact shells.

Tags: travel, Corsica, Bonifacio, beach, photo, Laura, France, shells, vacation, sand

Hudson Valley, NY

2006-08-06T09:19:00.000-07:00

Hudson Valley, NY

I grew up in a little town near the Hudson River, so the scenery was never special to me. I am trying to figure out if it is really pretty or not. When I looked at the pictures I took on my drive yesterday I was surprised by how similar this was to the Italian coastline where I live (near Santa Margherita Ligure). The Hudson River never ceases to surprise me with its remarkable beatuy on some days and noteworth ugliness on others. When the sun is out and the colors are radiant, it looks like a postcard, but on days when the sky is gray and the water is a murky brown, it is utterly depressing.

Tags: travel, home, Hudson Valley, upstate NY, river, Rockland, photo, NY, Hudson River, boat

House on wheels in upstate NY

2006-08-06T08:37:00.000-07:00

It is hard to see in this photo due to the darkness under the house, but if you look closely you will see that yes, it is on wheels. I suppose they had to lift it off its foundation to replace rotting wood or something else underneath. All of the wood that was lying around underneath was cracked and in a terrible state. I'm not sure if this is something that happens frequently, but I have certainly never seen it before! We were just taking a drive on country roads and we looked to the left and saw this house hanging out on top of huge wheels.
Tags: travel, home, construction, upstate NY, house, strange, photo, NY

My sister before the prom

2006-07-03T08:56:00.000-07:00

Well, this isn't technicaly a "travel photo", although I did have to travel to take the photo. I haven't lived at home since I went away to college almost 10 years ago, so every time I go home it is a little strange. There is always some new shopping area or new development that has popped up. Actually, the first few times I went home after living in Italy, I had some difficulties speaking English. Those first few years most of my friends were Italian, so I didn't have much of a chance to speak to native English speakers. Since I was an English teacher my first year, I was so used to speaking slowly, pronouncing each word perfectly, and using sentence structures and vocabulary that were not too complex. Then I started working for an IT research group and I spoke less and less English. When I was back in the US looking for a job a few years ago, someone actually asked me if I had permission to work in the US (?!). They actually thought I was a foreigner that had lived in the US for many years. Usually it takes a few days and I'm back on track with a not so perfect English so nobody mistakes me for a foreigner anymore.

Back to the prom photo - I can't believe my little sister is old enough to go to the prom! She is so much younger than me, it never seemed like she would grow up!!
Tags: prom, senior prom, sister, travel, home, foreigner, speak English

Reflections on Prudential Center, Boston

2006-06-11T06:29:00.000-07:00

I love taking pictures of reflections of buildings in buildings, but the Prudential Center in Boston offers more possibilities than most. Its clean, simple design provides a perfect background that does not complicate the photo. An added bonus is the fact that you can get a great shot from so many angles - there's something interesting on every side!

Tags: prudential center, boston, photo, boston, massachusetts, masachusetts, reflection, church, architecture architettura

Wine & pollen in Tuscany

2006-06-02T05:44:00.000-07:00

Last week I went to the Tuscan countryside (just south of Siena, around Montepulciano and Montalcino). As soon as I got out of the car to get a coffee I started sneezing in continuation, and didn't stop for the next few days. The lady at the cash register said something about the kind of pollen in a Tuscan accent, which I did not understand at all. Apparently she was saying "acacia", but it was pronounced something like "ahasha". I never knew I had allergies before coming to Italy, but this was the worst! At times I felt like crying and scratching my face. The highlight of the trip (aside from the great dinner we had in Montalcino, which is famous for their red wine) was when we stopped at a great winery to get some wine we had bought by chance last year at a local products market in Pienza. We were buying some "Vino Nobile di Montepulciano", which is another famous wine from that area, and the lady in the store suggested trying this kind which was very similar but not famous yet and thus half the price. It was great! So we called the producer on our way to Pienza and went to get some wine directy from him this time. He was extremely kind and friendly, and we ended up chatting with him for over an hour. First, he insisted on meeting us in town so we wouldn't get lost on the country roads. He told us all about how he got into making wine, and then he even gave us another bottle which wasn't on sale anymore because he had practically run out of 2003 but wanted us to try it.

Tags: wine, pollen, tuscany, montepulciano, vino, Pienza, vino nobile di montepulciano, montalcino, brunello di montalcino, countryside

Other people's cats

2006-05-12T01:28:00.000-07:00

I love to take pictures of random cats that I see around. Someday I'd like to make a full 12 month calendar with my best cat photographs.

I have a lot of calendar prints in my online store, but as soon as I get time I will put together a few theme calendars (Italy, cats, etc.) with my best photographs.

Egypt - target for terrorism

2006-04-26T10:20:00.000-07:00

Temple in Luxor Egypt.

Yesterday I talked to one of my friends, who had just gotten back from Egypt. I asked her if she had been during the latest suicide attacks. Why is Egypt such a hotspot for suicide bombings? The Middle East Times calls Egypt a "a key regional mediator", so that might have something to do with it. There are also many foreign tourists that go to the Red Sea and take cruises on the Nile River. Egypt is such a wonderful, magical place. I highly recommend a vacation there for anyone willing to brave the possible threat to tourists.

It's that time of year again!

2006-04-19T10:35:00.000-07:00

pink_flower

Springtime is officially here! I guess the travels to get this shot were not all that distant, but hey ... it wasn't right in my backyard! Every year I spend the first few nice days I have free trying to find some interesting nature shots. This pink flower was one of my favorites.

Sestri Levante in the Winter

2006-04-06T01:19:00.000-07:00

Sestri Levante is a beautiful little town found approximately halfway between Genova and La Spezia. While Portofino and the Cinque Terre are probably the most well known tourist destinations on the Italian Riviera, Sestri Levante is becoming quite a favorite among Italians. In fact, in the past few years it has become almost impossible to walk in town on the weekends. The narrow streets are packed with people that come for a weekend stroll and stop leisurely check out the trendy shop windows or to get an ice cream or piece of focaccia. This once quiet fishing village is slowly turning into a tourist hotspot.

The original part of Sestri Levante is actually on a peninsula, with the beautiful Baia del Silenzio (also known as "Portobello") on one side and Baia delle Favole on the other. “baia delle favole” or “Bay of Fairy Tales” was named in honor of Hans Christian Andersen, who lived in Sestri for a short time. In fact, there is an annual children's writing contest which has been held for 39 years.

Snowy trip to Paris

2006-04-04T05:13:00.000-07:00

Our last trip to paris was a snowy one... at least on the way there. We decided against taking the fast, efficient train from Torino to Paris because we had the crazy idea that we might be able to stop and check out some castles in the Loire on the way back, or take a "short trip" up to Mont Saint Michel (neither of which actually ended up happening; however, we did manage to stop in Chablis France on the way back and get some of my favorite chablis wine). The drive to Paris ended up taking us almost twice as long as it should have because we were stopped on this road for about two hours, then proceeded the rest of the way at a snail's pace. At least I was able to snap this photo from the car window!

Old Singer Tables -> New CafeTables

2006-03-22T06:42:00.000-08:00

I like the ambiance that these tables give the cafe. Usually, I think of Eastern Europe as "old country" with a long history and a lot of tradition. Although these tables are not all that old, it's nice to see them recycled in a stylish way, giving character to this cafe in Split.

I could not understand why there were so many people (of work age) outside at the cafes all day, and was told that it is for two reasons:
1) they are working (having long meetings outside the office, which is apparently very common)
2) they don't have jobs (unemployment among young people seems to be a big problem in Croatia - many older people complained to me about young people living off of their far from rich parents and being lazy)

Diocletian Palace, Split

2006-03-16T00:01:00.000-08:00

This is a part of the Diocletian palace in Split, Croatia. It was built from around 300 AD for Diocles - a Roman emporer born in Dalmatia. It is amazing that such an enormous, grand palace was built in just over 5 years. Diocles went to live there in 305 and remained there until his death in 312. According to Wikipedia, "Diocletian retired to his palace near the administrative center of Salona on the Adriatic Sea, taking up his beloved hobby of growing cabbages."
Most of the historical downtown Split is found within the palace walls, which are still standing. Although not much other than the walls remain of the part of palace above ground, the entire basement is in tact. Tourists can stroll around the chambers of the basement.

Dubrovnik: upclose & personal

2006-03-13T02:32:00.000-08:00

These are two pictures that I particularly liked which depict Dubrovnik more in detail. If you want to see the original coloring of the door knocker check out this picture in www.croatia.hr's Dubrovnik photo gallery. My photo of the knocker is sepia because the lighting was not great the day I was there.

The story behind the stone face gargoyle is funny. Although it is not evident in the photo, it is very low to the ground (I'd say between 1-2 feet). My friend told me that it has become a tradition for visitors to the city to test their balancing ability: see how long you are able to stand on top of this stone without falling off.

Slobodan Milosevic

2006-03-13T01:30:00.000-08:00

Since my past 5 posts have all been about Croatia, it seems fitting to include the news on Slobodan Milosevic - former Yugoslav leader.

"Mr Milosevic was found dead in his cell at the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague on Saturday morning. He was charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity for his alleged central role in the wars in Bosnia, Croatia and Kosovo during the 1990s."

- BBC

Sibenik / St. Jakov's Cathedral

2006-03-10T00:34:00.000-08:00

The door on the left was most likely ruined during the war and has yet to be fixed. Too many things to repair and too little money. Since tourism is a major source of wealth for the nation, the lack thereof during and after the war have had a harsh impact on the economy.

This is especially true for Sibenik - one of Dalmatia's coastal towns and home to Saint Jakov's Cathedral (second photo). St. Jakov's is said to be the world's largest church built entirely of stone. It was named a world heritage sight by UNESCO in 2000. One of the cathedral's many particularities is the frieze of 74 heads outside, which are believed to be Sibenik citizens.

Beautifully worn

2006-03-09T06:09:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite photos from Croatia - taken in Split. The beautiful colors and slightly worn state of the door remind me of Croatia itself - still remarkable although slightly run down from the war.

Atop Dubrovnik

2006-03-08T02:17:00.000-08:00

This picture is rather banal, yet has its charm. This view of Dubrovnik has no doubt been photographed by many others and will surely be photgraphed many times more. What I like about it are the sweeping colors in the sea and the distant minute island peeking through in the top right. The bright rooftops add cheer to the most dismal of days.

Croatia Photos: The Chair

2006-03-07T08:29:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite pictures from the Croatia trip. It was taken at a little natural port in Dubrovnik. Apparently when this chair's owner is not around he/she hangs it up on their special hook that they have driven into the stone. Very quaint and characteristic.

Mid-Winter Trip to Croatia

2006-03-06T06:03:00.000-08:00

Until fairly recently, I knew embarrassingly little about ex-Yugoslavia (the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia). Ex-Yugoslavia existed from the end of World War II (1945) until it disintegrated in the Yugoslav wars in the 1990s and was replaced by the present-day independent states of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro and Slovenia.

About a year ago I picked up The Hemingway Book Club of Kosovo by Paula Huntly and took a small step towards becoming more knowledgeable about the area.

When my Croatian friend asked if I would like to go home with her on her next visit, I jumped at the chance. Not only would I get to see the country - I would have the opportunity to have interactions on a more intimate level. My friend, who is finishing her PhD in Art History, had also been a tour guide for years. She generously devoted many hours to showing me around and sharing her knowledge. I had the opportunity to get to know her wonderful family and friends, and country. The Croatian people I had a chance to meet were all extremely friendly and genuinely kind. My one regret was not being able to see more, but I will just have to wait until next time. In the meantime I will start learning some more about life in that part of the world with the book I picked up - Miljenko Jergovic's collection of short stories "Sarajevo Marlboro".

This is a picture of one of the many guys around town who weigh people (in Split). This is a real job and people actually stop by and get weighed. My friend pointed out that it's important to always be faithful to the same scale if you want to really keep track of exactly how many kilos you've gained or lost because one might vary quite a bit from another.

This rooftop has seen many better days.

Scarves on sale at the market in Split. 1 for 30, 2 for 50, and if you look closely you can see the math for deals for 3 and 4 scarves in pencil.

More pictures coming soon!