Images Photo Gallery

The Beauty of Autumn Trees in Black & White

2026-04-14T16:57:00.000-05:00

We may all think that autumn is a drab colder season when leaves fall of the trees and everything turns brown and the days get shorter but it has it's beauty also in how beautifully the leaves can grow old like a second spring when every leaf is a flower.

Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all is how i would describe these beautiful seasons of mother nature.

In literature, autumn may refer to ripeness, change, maturity, beauty, sadness or preparing for an end or decline.This all takes place during the autumn as the leaves begin to change color and fall.

For me autumn marks the transition from summer to winter where we can appreciate the fresh air and maybe go collecting all the different colored leaves.

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Back at my favorite Butterfly , Insect Park !!

2026-04-07T13:52:00.000-05:00

The butterfly insect dome park in Bangkok is my favorite spot when i need time away from all the hustle and bustle of the city life , i just take a walk into this park , i can feel at home walking around looking at all these beautiful insects and butterflies just flying around you without a worry in the world they really make you feel welcome in their dome of paradise.

Let's start of with the busy Honey Bee.

This time out at this butterfly , insect park i wanted to concentrate more on photographing insects and caterpillars before they mature into there beautiful form of a butterfly so here are some.

Caterpillars are the larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera meaning before they evolve into that beautiful colorful butterfly.

The Luna Moth Caterpillar when fully evolve to a adult Luna Moths has only one purpose to reproduce and they only live for one week how sad. Did you known that a Luna Moth has no mouth for feeding , they survive on stored fat from when they were a caterpillar that's why i suppose they only live for one week.

The Ladybird beetles these are so cute and colorful also known as the Ladybugs they are a widespread family of small beetles ranging in sizes from 0.8 to 18 mm.

And then this fella come out of no where i love these guys they are the Mantids also known as the Praying Mantises , very well camouflaged they remind me of the green aliens you see in cartoon movies with a robotic moving head.

Mantidae is the largest family of the order Mantodea.

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National College of Arts

2026-03-31T09:59:00.000-05:00

Hello guys. Today I will share with you a beautiful art museum called National College of Arts as I wrote in the title. Here you will get to see amazing and beautiful arts. I went to see Lahore Museum with my friends and I saw this right next to it. Before going in, I asked the guard for the ticket price, he said that no need of a ticket, you can see it by showing just your ID card.

The picture you are seeing at the top is which I saw on a wall as soon as I entered the museum. I found it the most beautiful, in which a train is going by and there are countless passengers sitting inside and on top of it. Look at this painting, how beautifully it has been designed. I was really crazy about this painting. As soon as we entered, we showed our ID card and we got permission to visit it. Below you can see that there was also a fountain installed in the middle of the hall.

In the middle of the hall a big screen was made with the help of a projector on which some old videos were played and some sofas were also placed in front of it. I think the purpose of making this place is to keep the memory alive of freedom. In the picture below, you can see that some people are learning paintings and sewing and embroidery here as it is a college. We were not allowed to go to there, but I saw them doing embroidery from a distance.

You can see in the pictures that the lights have been placed in such a way that their light is falling directly on the paintings and not much work has been done on the walls, only white paint has been applied on the bricks to give it a slightly old look. There are so many beautiful paintings on the walls that the beauty of these walls increases many times and you can see several beautiful paintings below.

This is me and I was trying to take a selfie with the painting. I found each painting here beautiful and I was admiring the artists who made them, how realistic and beautiful these paintings are. Below you can see the pictures of some of the leaders who played an important role in the liberation of the country. This place is really reminiscent of the past and is designed quite beautifully.

You can see the paintings on the walls and the ceiling, how beautifully designed it is. This is a room where all the children are seated together to give a lecture on something and you can see how clean the place is. I really liked the interior of the place and especially the paintings and it is a really exploring college.

Look at how the two pigeons are painted in this painting. I am saying it again if you are interested in painting then you will enjoy it a lot here. I touched these paintings with my hands and it was really satisfying. I have loved paintings from the childhood and I try to paint but I am not much good in painting.

This is our founder Quaid-e-Azam. In this museum you will get to see many pictures and paintings of Quaid-e-Azam and Mrs. Fatima Jinnah. We spent 20 to 30 minutes here and now we were waiting for our ride because it was raining and we had to go to our next location lahore zoo.

From the outside you can see how beautifully this college is designed with wood. I hope you like this college full of arts. Don't forget to tell me in my comments section which painting you found the most beautiful. I will be waiting for your comments.

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Walking through Madrid.

2026-03-24T09:52:00.001-05:00

Hello friends: Today I decided to be a tourist in Madrid. After visiting the ABC Museum where I enjoyed the exhibition about Art Deco and TBO, I decided to take a tour of Madrid. So I started the Runtastic and started walking towards the Plaza de España.

The tower of Spain is currently being remodeled and there is an advertisement on its facade.
This canvas that covers the façade has won the Guinness record for being the largest in the world so far.

The central fountain of the Plaza de España.

Temple of Debod that was brought stone by stone because it was given to us by Egypt in gratitude for our collaboration to rescue from the flood and disappearance of several temples, especially that of Abu Simbel, for the construction of the Asuan Dam.

There were still traces of the previous day's snowfall.
From here the views are spectacular, especially the sunsets

We ate the menu well at Café Rio, a very pleasant restaurant because of its quiet surroundings next to the Manzanares River.
After lunch, I decided that I would go to see Andy Warhol's exhibition Caixaforum.

While I was heading there, I turned aside to see the Cathedral of Almudena, which strangely I did not know yet. A few days ago I published a * post * special for her and that you can see in my blog.
To get there before I went through the gardens of Sabatini and the Royal Palace.

Throughout Spain a strong patriotic sentiment has been created in response to the * secessionist process * of some parties in Catalonia that together did not reach even 50% of the votes. On many balconies, Spanish constitutional flags are hung.

After the Almudena Cathedral, go through the Plaza Mayor, always so lively and picturesque.

Then, following all the Atocha street, I arrived at the Caixaforum where I saw the Warhol exhibition that excited me, even though I did not think I would like it very much.

When I left, I followed the Huertas street and went back to the Plaza Mayor and the San Miguel market, which at night is very colorful because of its color. From there, passing through Opera, again to the Plaza de España where I had a coffee and a well-deserved rest in Faborit.

The calamari sandwich is very typical and recommended in Madrid

San Miguel Market

In the Plaza de España I had a coffee and a well-deserved rest in Faborit.
This cafeteria for me has been a real crush. An ideal place to relax and take strength after having done 14 Km. Happy and satisfied.

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Almudena Cathedral, Madrid

2026-03-17T09:36:00.001-05:00

It is a Catholic temple. Access is free.
One of the Spanish cathedrals completed more recently. In fact, it was consecrated in 1993 and Pope John Paul II did it. So the only Spanish temple consecrated by a Pope.

It is the place to celebrate real events: the wedding of Felipe VI with Letizia Ortiz. But also in it have been held state funerals to the ex-presidents Adolfo Suarez and Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo.

The story of this Virgin is the following. The image of the virgin was discovered in the existing wall, once abandoned by the Arabs. That's why it's called the Almudena.
Then a small church was built in the year 1085 by King Alfonso VI and it had to be destroyed many years later for urban reasons, to expand the main street.
Queen Maria de la Mercedes was very devoted to her and promoted her construction in the reign of her husband King Alonso XII, beginning its construction in 1885.

The architectural project has undergone many modifications since its initial idea, which was intended to be the most important neomedieval project in Spain. Its construction was reinvigorated with the support of socialist governments in 1984, curiously.

It was finished in 1993 and was consecrated by Pope John Paul II. There are magnificent bronze doors that sculpt and give evidence of this moment.

It has a neo-Gothic style in its façade, so as not to clash with the Royal Palace in front of it. It has a crypt that was the first thing that was built and is neo-Roman style, it is paid. The interior is neo-Gothic.

What struck me most were the ceilings. Paintings of very striking colors with symmetrical non-figurative drawings.

In the apse there are representations of scenes of the life of Christ and a Pantocrator.

In a corner of the Latin cross there is a medieval altarpiece with a carving of the Virgin of the Almudena. It is an elevated altar that can be reached by climbing some stairs. In the lower part of the tomb of Maria de las Mercedes, the first wife of Alfonso XII and who was the driving and very devoted to the Virgin who gives its name to the cathedral.

The lighting is by large stained glass windows, very bright and colored.
In a corner, in a corner that does not attract much attention, there is a relic of Pope John Paul II, a drop of blood!
After the apse there is a chapel with the bronze image of the founder of Opus Dei, Escribá de Balaguer, who was also very devoted to this Madrilenian virgin.
There is a soft ambient music of a sacred nature, very relaxing that reminds us that we are in a temple of meditation and prayer.
Difficult it is because it is integrated into the most tourist route of Madrid.

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Great snowfall in Madrid

2026-03-10T09:31:00.000-05:00

Yesterday it snowed abundantly in Madrid. Madrilenians say that this phenomenon has not occurred for more than 10 years. Of course, I do not remember so intense snowfall for many, many years.

It was snowing intensely for more than 6 hours in the morning and quickly caught splendor, reaching a thickness of about 4 cm. Then, throughout the day and night, it continued to snow.

The snow will come very well, to recover from the intense drought that was ravaging the Iberian Peninsula, where the marshes were almost without water.

In the area of "Madrid Río” you can see the Royal Palace and the Cathedral of La Almudena in the background, while in front we see the manzanares river.

If you liked the post you can vote or reestimed if you prefer.
Good way!

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San Miguel Market, Madrid

2026-03-03T08:17:00.000-06:00

A place you cannot miss if you come to Madrid, is the “Mercado de San Miguel”. I love it because it is very popular and a place to meet friends. Here you feel the healthy Spanish personality of "tapeo". The pleasure of enjoying the simple pleasures of life with loved ones.

It is next to the tourist Plaza Mayor and has a great atmosphere at all hours. It was built more than two centuries ago and until a few years ago it was just a popular market. It is built with wrought iron and large windows. In addition to the classic vegetable and meat stalls, there are now others where they sell “tapas” and high quality products that you can taste right there with a glass of wine or beer.

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The Lonely , Deserted Shopping Malls (Remembering the times of Covid-19).

2026-02-24T08:11:00.000-06:00

As we are all feeling the pressures with our hours of work be cut back or been put of work completely sadly to say , luckily i still have some part time work on my hands which , i am grateful for today having a few hours to to spare , i needed to get out for a walk to see what Covid-19 Friday looked like out there.

Well sadly to sad for a Friday with a big city like Bangkok with a population of 12 million people it was deserted with just a hand full of people and cars everywhere i walked a scary situation to embrace.

All the major shopping malls like Termil 21 , Siam Paragon , Robinsons and Time Square all on lockdown. It has been said Covid-19 has hit Thailand’s economy harder than any event in the last six decades.

A total disaster and not only here in Thailand but all around the world is heading if not already in recession and it's going to take strong communities to bring this world back together.

Everywhere i walked shops , restaurants , shopping malls just everything closed down , i would see the odd street vendor selling his cheap fruit and veggies which was a great thing to see very well appreciated at these difficult times and good that the 7/11 stores have remained open ever if it's to 10 pm because of the curfew , we are lucky over here we have a 7/11 store at nearly every corner you turn so you don't have to walk far to get all them goodies you need and they have lots of toilet paper in stock

Upper level walkways that lead you into shopping complexes or the Skytrain station normally bustling with people empty. Major city roads empty. Train station handful of people for a Friday afternoon just hard to imagine were normally if you throw a pin in the air it wouldn't fall to the ground.

All the back street market stores and little drinking bars a ghost town. To bad if your a alcoholic you would have to worry about dying of Covid-19

Empty Buses

The only people in this city making money at the moment is Grab and Panda delivery services and the lucky kids who have these jobs of delivering the takeaways. Look at the number of them out front of Terminal 21 waiting for there next order to deliver

For some reason who knows two reasons i can think off maybe because of the tropical weather the virus doesn't like extreme heat and the people here have really taken it seriously and are doing as there told by the government.

There have now been 2,672 cases in 68 provinces over here in Thailand and out of them cases 1,593 patients had gone home and 1,033 remained having treatment. Forty six have died. If this is true we are doinng very well over here.

Stay safe , healthy and keep that distance you all and hope we can get back to our shopping real soon

Discovering Bronze Statues on my Sunday Walk !!

2026-02-17T08:03:00.000-06:00

On my walk on Sunday heading towards the Bangkok river for a bit of fresh air and to enjoy the peacefulness of the river i came across this Bronze Statues displayed out front of this shop my first though was WOW....These are huge , heavy and nicely done.

Asian Enterprises is the name of this company they are a leading bronze statue manufacturers in Thailand offering hundreds of beautifully designed bronze sculptures like wildlife animal statues , garden statues , fountains , lamps , dining table bases , large and small figurines , vase sculptures and many more.

All there sculptures are cast in there own Thai foundry complex using the traditional lost wax process, hand finished to the highest quality and shipped direct to you, world-wide, from their foundry. So what you waiting for go place that order these statues are absolutely amazing.

As bronze statue manufacturers they can finish any of there bronze sculptures in a different color if required by the customer they can customize from your own photographs, drawings or sketches and once finished will be professional packed and shipped to you.

I was surprised to see a Moose , Hippo and a Rhino in there collection.

This is got to be the best display of bronze statues that i have seen anywhere else and this was only the outside display , i will have to visit this shop when they re-open after the Covid-19 to see there display inside the shop so stay tuned and stay safe people

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Arriving on Pangkor Island - A Three Night Stay

2026-02-10T15:28:00.000-06:00

If you follow our blog, you’ve probably noticed that our travel style is way more “budget” than “lux”. But this time, we had good reason to splurge — Mike and I were celebrating our 20th anniversary. Twenty years is a big deal, and we wanted to go somewhere special. I don’t think we could have picked a better place than the Pangkor Laut Resort: a private island off the coast of Malaysia.

We were excited for our three night stay, and promised each other to disconnect entirely from the internet and stay away from work during our time there. Of course, that rule didn’t apply to my camera. As soon as I saw the bungalow we’d be staying in — one of the resort’s Sea Villas — I knew I’d be taking thousands of pictures. I tried to explain to Mike that even though it’s kind of “work”, it’s also my way to relax. He didn’t buy that at all, but hey, we’ve spent twenty years together, so he’s used to it.

The 5-star Pangkor Laut Resort occupies the entire island of Pangkor Laut, and is only accessible by boat from the main island (or by helicopter; this is the kind of place that has a helipad for extra-exclusive guests). The resort hosts several different accommodation options: garden, hill and sea villas. There’s not just a spa, but an entire “spa village”). There are two infinity pools, as well as several bars and restaurants, not to mention the beautiful beach at Emerald Bay on the other side of the island. Everything is easily accessible with the resort’s shuttle van service, which connects the various spots on the island all day long.

After two busy weeks in George Town, a lively and exhausting city in Penang, we couldn’t wait to have some peace. We arrived at the resort’s check-in terminal on the mainland, where we dropped off our luggage and were given a full briefing by the staff, of what to expect on the island. We had time for a quick coffee and a snack, before boarding our boat and be whisked off to paradise.

It took about twenty minutes to arrive via speed boat to the Pangkor Laut pier. After checking in, we walked over to our villa, perched on stilts over the sea, with a view of the neighboring island of Pangkor. When we entered the villa, there was a lovely card and a pillow with “Happy Anniversary” stitched onto it — a nice personal touch from the hotel, who knew the reason for our stay. We opened up the complementary welcome bottle of chilled toddy, and spent the next few minutes appreciating the villa’s beautiful interior decor, the deck and of course the view from our luxurious temporary home.

Once our suitcases were brought to the room, we changed into our swimsuits and hopped on the shuttle for Emerald Bay, where we stayed for lunch and the beach, until the sun went down. Little did we know that we would be making new friends as well! Right before sunset, two wild boars appeared on the beach, hunting for food.

From our Travel Blog.

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Indulge in Culinary Delights at Hisa Raduha - A Complete Review

2026-02-03T15:19:00.000-06:00

Greetings to all Hive lovers of the finer things in life. With the words below we are taking you to a Slovenian mountain village Luce by the Savinja River. More specifically we are going to the Raduha House for lunch. Something that is rarely possible, because the restaurant of the Raduha House operates for breakfast and dinner, for their room’s guests. Luckily, they open their kitchen for lunch once or twice a year, as a promotion.

Who wouldn't enjoy their dinner here?

About Raduha House

This estate has served as a restaurant and sleeping facility since 1875. Right now there is a fifth generation running this place, which means tradition is alive here. No matter whether you want to stay at the hotel or just eat dinner, make sure to make a reservation. The Breznik family will certainly host you well and show you these corners of Slovenia.

We bet sitting by the fireplace is a quite popular winter activity

Though, if you leave them to work in peace, you’ll be able to enjoy local and authentic experiences, both, at the table and in the garden. Meaning, that locally grown ingredients are treated with traditional knowledge respectfully. Be it food or wood.

The secluded corner is handy if you need to wait for someone

The Ambiance of the Raduha House

Wood is in the center of the Raduha House where attention to the details is clear on every step. One could say the style is contemporary rustic zen. Although, naming the style is only one half of a picture. If you consider the surroundings, you’ll notice that forest is all around this small mountain village with a Savinja River running through. In the midst of it, we felt safe and secure in a serene place where everything has meaning.

Drinks

Slovenian wine is the focus point of the Raduha drink menu. Even so, you’ll find something stronger if there is a need or rather something that will quench your thirst.

Food

Food at the Raduha House changes with seasons that affect their garden, so expect a menu anchored in the present. Changing seasons bring to light also different holidays. In our case, we enjoyed the Easter-inspired Raduha menu. No matter what changes are around the corner the Raduha house is respectful of the past with the future in mind. That is why they work together with local farmers and are focused on breakfast and dinner for anyone with a reservation.

Khorasan wheat is mildly tasting ancient grain full of nutrition.

Amuse Bouche

A big bite is a must if you don’t want to lose any of the moist stuffing. We went all-in and appreciated the succulent freshness of the apple and horseradish chutney, inside the deep-fried doughnut, made of full grain. Above all, we loved the spruce butter that held Primrose in place and delighted us with reinforced freshness.

Apple and horseradish chutney in a crunchy ball

Cold Appetizer

Creaminess of the buckwheat salad could also be seen as a risotto with a twist. At any rate, it was a wonderful base for the ham, especially due to the modest measure of the mustard in the mix. We enjoyed the stimulating zing both with the crunchy buckwheat crisp and dulcet jelly. Pomegranate jelly on the side allowed us to incorporate some sweetness into the desired bite. That came especially intriguing when we munched through the crunchy parts of roasted radicchio.

Buckwheat, ham, radicchio, and pomegranate jelly

Warm Appetizer

Buckwheat porridge has a significant historical importance that still matters. Although it is not a porridge, but possibly more of a dry scattered gnocchi sort of mass. Certainly not the eye candy, but a wholesome base for numerous sides. That is why we applaud the chef’s idea of hiding dense porridge underneath the dandelion chips. Not only because of the aesthetics but also for catching the thick confit egg yolk and light yogurt foam. Once buckwheat porridge got coated in creamy goodness, we understood why it stood the test of time. It is a no-brainer, especially once we tasted it with crunchy cracklings.

Confit egg yolk on yogurt cream with fried dandelion and buckwheat

Main Dish

Underneath the succulent chicken, we found sleek leek cream, spiced with tasty colorful drops. The most important and the biggest was the bright-looking Khorasan wheat mush. Khorasan wheat is mildly tasting ancient grain full of nutrition. It was the perfect vessel for every component, including the buttery carrot drop. A mixture ending in a purple drop embodied red specimens of beets, cabbage, and onions. We loved the thoughtfully seasoned individual components that sang together in hearty range.

Khorasan semolina, chicken in savoy cabbage, leek sauce and drops of vegetables.

Dessert

We were able to choose between different fillings of the traditional festive pastry roll known as “potica”. Sure thing, the must-have on a Slovenian festive table was juicer than expected, due to the baking time in a closed glass. That way moisture couldn’t escape and the result was the soft pillowy and generously filled roll. On the side of the apple and poppy sourdough roll, we got the light vanilla cream and walnut ice cream. Naturally, we loved the luscious creamy walnut ice cream with a few toothsome walnut chunks the most.

Potica, the traditional Slovenian roll in a jar with vanilla cream and walnut ice cream on the side

Final Thought

As always, our quest for exceptional destinations led us to Hisa Raduha, a gem among gems. Here, tradition meets innovation seamlessly, offering a dining experience steeped in culinary heritage yet delightfully contemporary. Each dish at Hisa Raduha is a harmonious symphony of flavors, evoking a sense of cozy familiarity while embracing the promise of tomorrow. It’s no small feat to honor the past while embracing the future, but Hisa Raduha strikes that delicate balance effortlessly.

Behind these doors, you’ll find friendly people ready to help you.

Suffice it to say, leaving this exquisite establishment was a task we were reluctant to undertake—a sentiment echoed, perhaps, by the fifth generation of hosts who pour their heart and soul into this charming boutique hotel. We should explore more of this corner of Slovenia and stay here longer.

Why do all good restaurants have good taste for art?

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Fabroni, museum of contemporary art (Part 1). Discover the art with me!

2026-01-27T16:32:00.000-06:00

Good evening Hivers, today I'm taking you with me to a place that is magical for me, which I visit on a regular basis whenever there is an exhibition that fascinates me or when there are new works on display, it's the Fabroni, a museum that's sort of the heart of my city, a museum of contemporary art and twentieth-century artists from Pistoia, I will now take you on a small tour of this place. I will have to make more posts because there are so many works and artists to talk about and I hope you will appreciate this multi-faceted place like me.

As soon as you enter the museum it opens immediately with very interesting works, on the ground floor works from the early twentieth century to the 60s of Pistoia are exhibited, particularly noteworthy are the works of Jorio Vivarelli and Marino Marini, both well-known artists of the Pistoia school, Vivarelli is the sculptures from the sixties with his own foundation (his works are in the first photos), Marino Marini, famous above all for his horse-like, non-conformist and bizarre statues, was the most famous sculpture in the city, as well as an artist and painter, he used various materials , plaster, terracotta, wax and experimented with various shapes and materials, his series of pomones but also of equestrian statues is famous.

Then we continue with other works, here is one of my favorites "Crowd" by Roberto Barni (the painting with the white men) Barni also had an exhibition at the MoMa and is a painter and sculptor of the 90s, his men are characteristic thin and stylized. Continuing there are other works such as the very colorful and line paintings by Buscioni or the women by Marini and other minor artists of the Pistoia school. Then we continue with one of the most controversial sculptures, either you love it or hate it, "The Rape of Proserpina" by one of my favorite artists Fernando Melani who also has his home studio that can be visited in the city, this work made with a bicycle is inspired in a modern way to the work of Bernini.

Then there is another work that I really like, the colorful paintings by Mario Nigro, there is an entire section dedicated to this type of art, very colorful and in contrast with the eighteenth-century building that houses it. For now I'll end here but in the next post I will also take you upstairs with many other fascinating artists and one of the most beautiful works that reflects the spirit of my city. I hope you enjoyed this little art tour, follow me for the next post!

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Queenstown the ‘adventure capital’ of New Zealand

2026-01-20T16:30:00.000-06:00

We spent the last 2 weeks in Queenstown, the ‘adventure capital’ of New Zealand famous as the birthplace of bungee, and also popular for skydiving, paragliding, luge, skiing, hiking, water sports etc.

Due to some flight delays we arrived after dark, and woke up to discover our incredible view, complete with sunrise and a rainbow. We spent the workdays admiring it, taking runs along Lake Wakatipu, hikes up the surrounding hills, and exploring town.

Queenstown itself was an interesting combo of rugged and bougie, with backpacker hostels, spas, posh restaurants and casual takeaway picnics. One of the hikes took us up to the top of the gondola, a tempting option.

One of the biggest surprises was all the fall colors, with a climate so different than Auckland whose flora seemed almost tropical.

Yellow stars are our home of 2 weeks in Queenstown and 1-night in Te Anao. Green flags the National Parks.

On the weekends, we rented cars and explored further afield. The top thing we wanted to see on the South Island was Fjordlands National Park on the west coast. There is a lot to see there, so left early on a Saturday and stayed overnight closer to the park. The first day was misty, creating an ethereal backdrop for our hikes but also hiding the view from our first hike up Key Peak. We also stopped for some short walks at Mirror Lakes and Lake Mistletoe.

Clearest part of the Key Peak view

The next day was a real highlight of our trip so far, getting out into Milford Sound (misnamed as its actually a fjord). We had completely different weather for our boat tour, spending the whole time on the bow despite the cold and spray from the waterfalls.

After the tour we took a couple more hikes in the Milford Sound area, through dense temperate rainforest that reminded me just a little of Washington.

The following weekend, we went North to a completely different climate, the ‘Southern Alps.’ Mt. Cook / Aoraki is New Zealand’s highest peak, and the glaciers off the neighboring Mount Sefton shear off into the lake. We were expecting it to be pretty cold and bundled accordingly, but it was actually sunny and warm, so we were sweating on this flat, easy hike.

It took 3 hours to drive there, but through some more beautiful fall leaves, an the mining town called Arrowtown, and Cromwell, a 'Wenatchee' with many vinyards, orchards and fruit stalls.

While in Queenstown we got to try a few more New Zealand specialties. Nathan’s old company gifted us a tasting menu dinner at one of those posh restaurants as a thank you. Everything there is locally sourced, but it was the same at more casual spots. Some of the things we tried:

Marlborough Oysters from the north tip of the South Island (very clean flavor due to growing in deep water instead of mudflats
The pride of the island, Bluff Oysters from the southern tip, but I found them more bitter
‘Crayfish’ which is pretty much lobster
Alpine salmon – both grilled and smoked in a chowder
Lamb and venison
British pub fare like fish n’ chips, burgers and hand pies
Strange bakery items like pineapple-cheese sandwiches, cheese rolls (a grilled cheese where the bread is rolled up instead of sandwiched), and lolly cake (somewhat like a fruitcake but with a taffy/marshmallow type material instead of candied fruit)

We absolutely loved our time here and feel we only scratched the surface of this island. We have a lot more time to spend on the North Island, where we will have a car for the full time and be able to explore at will. Next stop: Northlands!

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Corin Forest: Canberra, AUSTRALIA

2026-01-13T16:30:00.000-06:00

So, school holidays... and trying to figure out what to do when you have a young teenager, and a kid who is in primary school... there are getting to be fewer and fewer things that overlap in ability and interest... but thankfully, our older girl is pretty okay with most things and hasn't fully transitioned into being a poopy teenager.

My wife knew of this place... Corin Forest. Actually a little resort place that is in the southern parts of the Australian Capital Territory in one of the mountain ranges.... well, Australian mountains! During the colder months, they do up some artificial snow to play around in... but in the warmer months, they have a different (and for me a much cooler things...) activity!

The place itself is pretty nice... you get up here after a long winding uphill road. I like those sorts of drives, but my wife hates them... well, I like them as long as the oncoming traffic is in their own lane!

A short up hill walk to get to where we want to go...

... and a brief look backwards to the cafe and resort area. It really is quite beautiful up here... a little fresh and chilly, but it is a really nice spot! Especially during these warmer months when it isn't very busy at all!

As we walk a bit further up the track, we pass the logging vehicles that probably are needed to keep the "ski" track clear... and also the mass of artificial snow machines as well.

And we reach our spot! The Alpine Slide! This is the uphill climb for the sleds...

... and the start station at the bottom of the hill. Each sled is controlled only by a braking system... you pull back to brake and push forward to release the brakes! That is all...

So, your sled is dragged up the hill by this metal rope. The first time I thought that I needed to have the brakes disengaged, so leaning forward for the whole uphill ride. Phew, that was quite a stomach workout... but at the top, they said that the brakes don't reach the track on this section so it wasn't necessary... and so on subsequent climbs, I could just lie back and enjoy the sun on my face!

... and once you reach the top, it is a curvy sled track... just like a ice sled thing that you see in the Olympic games... and you can go pretty damn fast if you have your brakes off all the way.... but that is a touch dangerous, they do have slower zones marked so that you don't flip out of the tube!

Sadly, no photos as I was going down... I preferred to have control of the brakes instead! I went down with the primary schooler... under 8s need to go with an adult. She was scared the first time (even though we went slowly...), and wanted out... but I didn't let her out, and by the end... she was a speed demon and couldn't get enough of it!

Definitely a place worth visiting... old school fun, and it wasn't that busy... I guess most families prefer something that is closer to the city, or more hi-tech!

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My honeymoon cruise trip, Zakynthos, Greece.

2025-12-30T14:12:00.000-06:00

Here I am today to tell you about the last stage of my honeymoon on a cruise which unfortunately took place a year ago, shamefully I hadn't yet published the photos of the last stage and here I am. When we landed in Zakynthos I immediately understood that it would be another Greek city that I would fall in love with and I immediately remembered the poems of Ugo Foscolo, the famous Italian poet that we all studied at school:

Never will I touch your sacred shore againwhere my young form reclined at rest,Zakynthos, regarding yourself in wavesof the Greek sea, where Venus wasvirgin born, and made those islands bloomwith her first smile; nor did he bypassyour lacy clouds and leafy frondsin glorious verse, the one who sangof fatal seas, and of the broad exileafter which, exalted by fame and by adventure,Ulysses kissed his rocky native Ithaca.You will have nothing of your son but his song,motherland of mine: and our fate alreadywritten, the unmourned grave.

Foscolo was born in Zakynthos and suffered a lot from the exile from this city and after visiting it how could he not understand it. Zakynthos is an island in the Ionian Sea, many cruise ships stop here, there is a beautiful sea! In fact, it is also famous for its beaches and maritime tourism and for the famous shipwreck beach, one of the best known in Greece which unfortunately we were unable to visit due to time constraints. As soon as we arrived we immediately went towards the streets of the centre, full of delicious shops and lovely cafes. Zakynthos or Zakynthos is a port city and therefore very full of tourists and tourist places. I confess we too acted like typical tourists, enjoying the souvenir shops and often stopping to drink the coffee which, however, is absolutely not comparable to the Italian one. We immediately visited Piazza Salomone, a very elegant square that leads to the shopping promenade, with buildings in delicate colors and magnificent porticoes and also the small church of San Nicola al molo.

Spanish

Aquí estoy hoy para contaros la última etapa de mi luna de miel en un crucero que lamentablemente fue hace un año, lamentablemente aún no había publicado las fotos de la última etapa y aquí estoy.

Cuando aterrizamos en Zakynthos entendí inmediatamente que sería otra ciudad griega de la que me enamoraría y enseguida recordé los poemas de Ugo Foscolo, el famoso poeta italiano que todos estudiamos en el colegio:

En Zante Ni volveré a tocar las costas sagradas donde yacía mi cuerpo de niño, Mi Zacinto, que en las olas te refleja del mar griego del que nació la virgen Venus, e hizo esas islas fértiles con su primera sonrisa, para que no se quedara callado tus nubes claras y tu follaje el inclinado hacia el que lo riega cantó fatalidades,
y el diferente exilio por lo tanto hermosa en fama y desgracia
Ulises besó su pétrea Ítaca. No tendrás más que canciones de tu hijo, oh mi tierra materna; nos recetó destino de entierro lúgubre.

Foscolo nació en Zakynthos y sufrió mucho por el exilio de esta ciudad y después de visitarla cómo no iba a entenderlo. Zakynthos es una isla en el Mar Jónico, muchos cruceros paran aquí, ¡hay un mar hermoso! De hecho, también es famosa por sus playas y turismo marítimo y por la famosa playa de los naufragios, una de las más conocidas de Grecia que lamentablemente no pudimos visitar por cuestiones de tiempo. Nada más llegar nos dirigimos inmediatamente hacia las calles del centro, llenas de deliciosas tiendas y encantadores cafés. Zakynthos o Zakynthos es una ciudad portuaria y por tanto muy llena de turistas y lugares turísticos. Confieso que también nosotros actuamos como los típicos turistas, disfrutando de las tiendas de souvenirs y a menudo parándonos a tomar un café que, sin embargo, no es en absoluto comparable al italiano. Inmediatamente visitamos Piazza Salomone, una plaza muy elegante que conduce al paseo comercial, con edificios de delicados colores y magníficos pórticos y también a la pequeña iglesia de San Nicola al molo.

Then we continued and encountered the Orthodox metropolitan church, a simple architecture, unfortunately I have to admit that there weren't many churches or cultural sites to visit in the city and for me, as I love visiting churches, it's a real shame. After walking we started to have fe and one thing that was not missing were places to eat!

We stopped in a very simple and traditional place, located in a non-central street with a menu with many classic Greek dishes, fairly standard prices for the city, we ordered a chicken gyros pita which I remember was really delicious and very filling and classic souvlaki, the portions were really generous and we were satisfied with them. After lunch we continued walking languidly through the city, photographing the prettiest corners. Zakynthos is a city that I liked, it seemed like a place where time passes slowly and peacefully and where there is little stress. A place I would gladly visit again, for a totally relaxing holiday!

Spanish

Luego continuamos y nos encontramos con la iglesia metropolitana ortodoxa, una arquitectura simple, lamentablemente tengo que admitir que no había muchas iglesias o sitios culturales para visitar en la ciudad y para mí, como me encanta visitar iglesias, es una verdadera lástima. Después de caminar empezamos a tener fe y una cosa que no faltaba eran lugares para comer!

Paramos en un local muy sencillo y tradicional, situado en una calle no céntrica con una carta con muchos platos griegos clásicos, precios bastante estándar para la ciudad, pedimos un pita de gyros de pollo que recuerdo estaba realmente delicioso y muy abundante y clásico. souvlaki, las raciones eran muy generosas y quedamos satisfechos con ellas. Después del almuerzo continuamos caminando lánguidamente por la ciudad, fotografiando los rincones más bonitos. Zakynthos es una ciudad que me gustó, me pareció un lugar donde el tiempo pasa lento y tranquilo y donde hay poco estrés. ¡Un lugar que con mucho gusto volvería a visitar, para unas vacaciones totalmente relajantes!

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Miyazaki City, Japan

2025-12-23T14:12:00.000-06:00

Miyazaki is the capital city of Miyazaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan, It is down in the southern part of Japan and has a tropical lay back holiday feel a little bit like Hawaii even in winter.

We had flown into Tokyo the day before and stayed overnight before flying on to Miyazaki our first real taste of Japan. Miyazaki airport was easy to get around. No where near as big or busy as Toyoko and with a real holiday feel. Lots of baseball, golf and Pokémon displays and advertising.Lots of Local customs and history to learn and delve into.There was a train station right at the airport but we had no need for it as one of Caroline's friends had offered to show us around.Definitely a nice change having a local; show us all her favourite places rather than organising everything ourselves.There were lots of different designed smaller cars than what I am used to back home and everyone seems to like reverse parking at the shopping centres.This shopping centre we had lunch at had marked walking track so you could work on your fitness as well. The Peace Tower Park, was one of my favourite places built in 1940 and had a Lord of the Rings feel to it, including a echo stone marker in the middle of the open ground at the front. I stood on it and clapped my hands and there was this strange ringing echo sound which must have bounded back of the surrounding raised land and monument.Hawiwa Garden had over 400 replica clay burial stones along a walking path.

Our air bnb accommodation, was directly opposite a little park.All the public spaces seemed to have Tsunami warning signs with a height above sea level.It was hard to find accommodation in Miyazaki as there was a lot going on the weekend we were there but this place called the beach house located near the airport was fine.An automated electronic toilet with a hand wash basin on top which refilled the toilet cistern after use.Another near by parks on one of my morning runs.Japanese local convince shops are very well stocked with many options.Miyazaki Port As an Electrician myself I always find the electrical systems fascinating especially the earthing system for the washing machine.

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Animals of Pangkor Laut Island And a Hike

2025-12-16T14:06:00.000-06:00

For a small island of just 120 hectares, Pangkor Laut boasts a lot of nature. Creatures large and small lurk within the island’s jungle, and venture onto its beaches. During our three-night stay we were able to explore a little, and managed to spot quite a few animals, including monkeys, snakes, and warthogs.

Pangkor Island Jungle Hike

On our second day on Pangkor we had planned to get up early, eat breakfast, and go on a hike as soon as possible, in order to avoid the hottest hours of the day. But if you’ve seen our previous post, breakfast at the Pangkor Laut Resort, you shouldn’t be surprised that we found it impossible to rush through our morning feast. Another omelette and pastry plate, or a slightly sweatier hike? The choice wasn’t hard.

Pangkor Laut Hiking Video

We set out on the South Loop, which leaves from the Spa Village and ends at Emerald Bay. The trail was incredible, winding through the thick jungle, and over a massive hill. Apart from a couple massive spiders and a wild boar which scurried away before we could snap a picture, we didn’t encounter any animals. But that was fine; better than crossing the path of a bunch of angry monkeys, or having a golden tree snakes fall on us. After two hours we reached Emerald Bay and rewarded ourselves with a dip in the sea. And then we rewarded ourselves even more, with ice cream and cendol (a delicious Malaysian dessert of shaved ice).

Video of Pangkor Laut Animals

Animals Encounters

Throughout our stay on Pankgor Laut, we had a lot of surprise animal encounters. There were the cheeky monkeys, a baby stingray in the ocean, a golden tree snake, a colony of giant fruit bats, bizarre hornbill birds with their unique nesting ritual, a monitor lizard taking a sunbath, sea eagles, exotic fishes, and of course we can’t forget the wild boars. The one inhabitant of Pangkor Laut we didn’t get to see was the flying lemurs, who glide from tree to tree.

Going back to the hornbills, we were fascinated not just by their unique appearance, but also their strange nesting behavior. After the female finds a tree hollow in which to nest, she and her partner block up the entrance with mud, leaving only a slit just big enough for the male pass food to the mother and hatchling. This helps protect them against predators. Also, the female loses all of her flight feathers and is basically trapped inside the nest until those feathers grow back. Once the chicks are old enough to leave, she pecks open the entrance with her beak, a task which can take several days.

The resort is so luxurious, that it was often startling to be reminded that nature still rules the show at Pangkor Laut. This is a true slice of paradise, and it’s no surprise that so many animals want to share it with us.

Stay tuned, as we have several posts coming up about the Pangkor Laut Resort. Click on the button below to subscribe to our free newsletter, so that you don’t miss any of them.

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From our Travel Blog.

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My honeymoon cruise trip, Zakynthos, Greece.

2025-12-09T14:04:00.000-06:00

Never will I touch your sacred shore againwhere my young form reclined at rest,Zakynthos, regarding yourself in wavesof the Greek sea, where Venus wasvirgin born, and made those islands bloomwith her first smile; nor did he bypassyour lacy clouds and leafy frondsin glorious verse, the one who sangof fatal seas, and of the broad exileafter which, exalted by fame and by adventure,Ulysses kissed his rocky native Ithaca.You will have nothing of your son but his song,motherland of mine: and our fate alreadywritten, the unmourned grave.

Spanish

En Zante Ni volveré a tocar las costas sagradas donde yacía mi cuerpo de niño, Mi Zacinto, que en las olas te refleja del mar griego del que nació la virgen Venus, e hizo esas islas fértiles con su primera sonrisa, para que no se quedara callado tus nubes claras y tu follaje el inclinado hacia el que lo riega cantó fatalidades,
y el diferente exilio por lo tanto hermosa en fama y desgracia
Ulises besó su pétrea Ítaca. No tendrás más que canciones de tu hijo, oh mi tierra materna; nos recetó destino de entierro lúgubre.

Spanish

Indulge in Culinary Delights at Hisa Raduha - A Complete Review

2025-12-02T14:01:00.000-06:00

Who wouldn't enjoy their dinner here?

About Raduha House

We bet sitting by the fireplace is a quite popular winter activity

The secluded corner is handy if you need to wait for someone

The Ambiance of the Raduha House

Drinks

Slovenian wine is the focus point of the Raduha drink menu. Even so, you’ll find something stronger if there is a need or rather something that will quench your thirst.

Food

Khorasan wheat is mildly tasting ancient grain full of nutrition.

Amuse Bouche

Apple and horseradish chutney in a crunchy ball

Cold Appetizer

Buckwheat, ham, radicchio, and pomegranate jelly

Warm Appetizer

Confit egg yolk on yogurt cream with fried dandelion and buckwheat

Main Dish

Khorasan semolina, chicken in savoy cabbage, leek sauce and drops of vegetables.

Dessert

Potica, the traditional Slovenian roll in a jar with vanilla cream and walnut ice cream on the side

Final Thought

Behind these doors, you’ll find friendly people ready to help you.

Why do all good restaurants have good taste for art?

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A Wonderful Trip to Asturias

2025-11-28T13:57:00.000-06:00

Hello everyone! In my previous post, I shared our visit to the beautiful city of Burgos. From there, we headed toward the province of Asturias. If I had to choose one color to describe this place, it would definitely be green. It's a true paradise on the shores of the Bay of Biscay, with magnificent mountains, picturesque beaches, timeless trees, and many other natural beauties. If you ever get a chance to visit, I'm sure you'll fall in love with this part of Spain.

We entered Asturias through the Negron Tunnel, which has a bad reputation due to the thick fog. We were quite cautious and focused as we went through it. There were warnings about the fog and we had to reduce our speed. Once we passed through the tunnel, we entered Asturias, where the air was noticeably foggy.

Our first stop was Gijon, a city with a history dating back to the Roman Empire. It was once home to one of the country's largest ports and is now the industrial and tourist capital of the region.

The beach was quite lively in the morning. Older people come here to exercise. Thanks to its location on the shores of the Cantabrian Sea, Gijon is known for its beautiful beaches.

One of the most beautiful is San Lorenzo Beach, which has a three-kilometer boardwalk that ends at the San Pedro Church. This church was built between 1945 and 1955. Unfortunately, the 15th-century building that once stood on the same site was destroyed during the Spanish Civil War.

Our next stop was a massive sculpture called "Eulogy to the Horizon." It's said that you can hear the sound of the ocean waves from within the sculpture, and it's true! The artist is known for blending nature with art, and when you stand at the center of the sculpture and look toward the sea, you can hear the waves crashing against the rocks.

Our following destination was Lastres, considered one of the most beautiful villages in Spain. We had a traditional Asturian meal, fabada, which is a bean stew, and tried the region's famous cider, Asturias cider. After lunch, we explored some nearly deserted beaches along the coast.

Our tour guide didn't want us to reveal the names of these beaches to keep them a secret, but here's a little hint: this beach is near the town of Ribadesella.

The next day, we continued our exciting tour of Spain and reached Cangas de Onis. This is a city that became the first capital of Spain in 722.

When we arrived at the central square, we saw the weekly market, where various local products were sold.

Around the market area, there were panels with quotes from historical figures talking about the market. One of them was a quote by Ambrosio Morales, written for Philip II in 1572. We also found a Roman-era bridge. On the bridge, there's a copy of the Cross of Pelayu, which is a symbol of Asturias. However, the original is displayed in a museum because it's too easily stolen if left outside.

As we were finishing our visit, our guide mentioned that salmon fishing is popular in this river. The sign on the bridge states that the last time it was repaired was in 1876. Who would have thought! There's also a monument commemorating the Battle of Covadonga, where the Muslims were defeated, leading to the founding of the Kingdom of Asturias, which later became Spain's first capital.

We continued our journey, and the next stop was one of the most interesting places throughout the whole trip. We visited the Basilica of the Holy Virgin Mary in Covadonga. The scenery was incredible, with mountains covered in fog. It was almost like heaven.

This site has significant religious importance. Many sick people come here to seek healing from the Virgin Mary. There's a statue of Pelayo, who reclaimed Spain from the Muslims. According to legend, the Virgin Mary appeared to him in a cave, giving him the courage to win the battle.

We saw Pelayo's tomb in the cave and the place where the Virgin Mary appeared to him. Pelayo's bravery in this critical battle changed Spain's destiny. This battle is considered the beginning of the Reconquista, and many historians agree that it started on May 28, 722, though some disagree because most of the Iberian Peninsula remained under Muslim control for many years after.

Our next stop was to have lunch at a restaurant called Vista Alegre. It claims to make the best fabada in the world. The restaurant was quite cozy, located right across from the beach. The view was fantastic. The fabada was delicious.

Afterward, we went to the Fito viewpoint, and it's a fantastic place because you can see the sea on one side and the peaks of Europe on the other. We reached the top, where the famous cyclist Indurain reportedly ended his career. He became too exhausted during the climb and decided to quit, retiring afterward.

For those who enjoy hiking, there's a trail from Ribadesella to the viewpoint. There were many cows at the top, and I stepped in cow dung twice. I hope it's a sign of good luck!

Finally, our last stop in Asturias was the Michelin-starred restaurant El Corral de Indianu. This was, in my opinion, the best restaurant we visited during our tour of Spain. We asked the chef how the restaurant came about and why it was called "Indian Farm." The chef explained that they opened in June 1996 and had a much smaller restaurant 50 meters away. As business went well, they decided to expand and moved to this lovely building, which was once a pharmacy but had been closed for ten years. The name "Indian Farm" comes from the term used for people who went to America after Columbus' discovery in 1492 and became wealthy. The architecture is inspired by that era, and their building is the simplest among the Indian-style houses.

After learning more about the restaurant and the neighboring Indian mansion, it was time to start our meal. We had salad and ice cream, which turned out to be a surprisingly delicious combination. The soup was made with cauliflower, boletus mushrooms, and truffles. We were told to dip the bread in a milky mixture.

I continued eating, feeling sorry for our viewers on a diet because you might envy me right now. Cheers! I then tried a macaron filled with local sausage, a combination I never imagined. They also served us a sparkling cider that was like a mix of cider and champagne.

It was simply perfect. They told us that they change their menu every 15 days, and I have no idea how they come up with new dishes so often. It's incredible.

Inside the restaurant, there's also a small garden perfect for moonlit dinners in summer. At last, we finished our meal.

We ate continuously for two and a half hours, and it was my first time eating at a Michelin-starred restaurant. I was impressed; it might be the best restaurant I've ever eaten at. I hope you enjoyed this post as much as I enjoyed the meal.

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Robyn Rowe Chocolates: Murrumbateman, AUSTRALIA

2025-11-21T13:55:00.000-06:00

Just a short 20 minute drive away from Canberra is this little Chocolate chop slash cafe. I have driven past the turn off quite a number of times, and I have made a note that we should drop by and visit with the kids... but the fact that it is just over the border just seems to make it feel far away...

... but on a recent school holiday, whilst my wife was working, I decided to finally follow through and take the kids here. Plus, there was the ulterior motive of getting some really nice chocolates for a Mother's Day present!

The Space

You have to take a short and narrow winding road off the main highway to get here... about 12 kilometres or so, and then off a short track to arrive at this non descript set of buildings and sheds. Thankfully, there is a sign at the turn off...

... and walking around to the front, you can see the seating area. Mostly outdoors, but there are shaded options under the verandah and umbrellas as well... and a small shared table on the inside... but in the autumn/winter sun, it is nicer to be sitting outside!

And it is a nice view to be looking out into! There are cows and horses as well, just around the corner of this photo!

The Food

If you are coming for a drink... then the hot and iced chocolates are the thing to get! After all, you are in a chocolate shop! A block of chocolate, stirred into warm creamy milk! My kids did that... and I should have done something similar, but I wanted a coffee instead... wasn't the best, very creamy but not the best coffee.

There isn't a lunch menu either... so, it is either cakes or chocolates that you are going to have with your warm or cold drink! A chocolate mud cake was the choice of the little one...

... and the older wanted a carrot cake. I didn't know that she liked carrot cake... but I suspect that the huge amount of cream on top was the clincher! But, both cakes were great! I would have preferred the orange and almond one though...

And the real reason that you come out, the hand-crafted chocolates in lots of interesting flavours!

The Experience

Really friendly owner and staff... and the food and drink were great (although, get the hot or iced chocolates instead of coffee!). A really nice afternoon trip, and it isn't really that far away from Canberra!

Will definitely bring my wife back here so that she can also experience the place!

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The Bismarck National Monument Part 5: Siegfried

2025-11-14T13:51:00.000-06:00

In our last blog article, we looked at Germania, the personification of Germany. In this final installment of our series, we turn our attention to Siegfried, the fourth and final main figure of the Bismarck National Monument.

The Dragon Slayer

Siegfried can be found on the back of the monument. He is depicted in full armor and holds his sword in his hand after defeating the dragon Fafnir. The figure symbolizes courage, strength and the victory of good over evil.

A heroic representation

The statue of Siegfried is made of bronze and shows the hero in a dynamic pose. His muscles are tense and his face shows a mixture of determination and triumph. The depiction is impressively realistic and full of vitality.

Symbolism and meaning

Siegfried embodies the heroic ideals of the 19th century. He stands for courage, energy and an unshakeable belief in one's own strength. The victory over the dragon symbolizes the triumph of good over evil and the overcoming of all challenges.

A timeless hero

The figure of Siegfried is not just a product of his time, but a timeless hero who can be found in many cultures and eras. His story tells of overcoming fears and doubts and realizing one's own potential.

The Bismarck National Monument as a whole

The Bismarck National Monument is an impressive testimony to German history and culture. The four main figures - Atlas, Sibyl, Germania and Siegfried - embody important values and ideals of the 19th century. The monument invites us to engage with these ideals and reflect on their significance for the present and the future.

Thank you for your interest in my blog article series!

Ciao Cocoa your Morticia

PS: What is your opinion on the depiction of Siegfried on the Bismarck National Monument? Let me know in the comments!

The Bismarck National Monument: Part 5: Siegfried

In our last blog post, we looked at Germania, the personified representation of Germany. In this final installment of our series, we turn to Siegfried, the fourth and final main figure of the Bismarck National Monument.

The Dragon Slayer

Siegfried is depicted on the back of the monument. He is depicted in full armor, holding his sword after defeating the dragon Fafnir. The figure symbolizes courage, strength, and the victory of good over evil.

A heroic representation

The statue of Siegfried is made of bronze and depicts the hero in a dynamic pose. His muscles are tense, and his face displays a mixture of determination and triumph. The depiction is impressively realistic and full of vitality.

Symbolism and meaning

Siegfried embodies the heroic ideals of the 19th century. He represents courage, drive, and unshakable belief in one's own strength. The victory over the dragon symbolizes the triumph of good over evil and the overcoming of all challenges.

A timeless hero

The figure of Siegfried is not just a product of his time, but a timeless hero found in many cultures and eras. His story tells of overcoming fears and doubts and realizing one's own potential.

The Bismarck National Monument as a whole

The Bismarck National Monument is an impressive testament to German history and culture. The four main figures—Atlas, Sibyl, Germania, and Siegfried—embody important values and ideals of the 19th century. The monument invites us to engage with these ideals and reflect on their significance for the present and the future.

Thank you for your interest in my blog!

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Of Crying, Anxiety, and Despair (AKA Midterms) + Rome (Florence Week 8)

2025-11-07T13:47:00.000-06:00

Sunday, March 17th

It has begun; my slow and painful melt into eternal despair.

This is it for me, I guess.

It's been nice knowing you all.

Cue the aesthetically pleasing study montage which absolutely doesn't include any crying whatsoever.

Coming to my rescue was Morgan's smashed potatoes which were quite delicious despite the spiciness and the strange tickling sensations it gave to my mouth. With it being St. Patty's Day and all, we decided to watch Far and Away (Ireland + Tom Cruise = True Happiness) to be on theme. While the Irish movie relation was clearly calculated, the potato thing was just a coincidence. We had a lovely time, Tom Cruise's unexpected twinkly magic and all. The ice cream helped enormously. Is there anything that ice cream can't fix?

Monday, March 18th

On this fateful day I arose early in the morn, scrambling to complete my interior design project and frantically trying to submit it online, only to find out when I arrived to class that we had the first two and a half hours to work on our projects.

It took several minutes to recover from the mourning of my morning stress which had all been in vain. Then came the fun part: the presentation. Because you all know how I LOVE public speaking.

I managed to get through it with out breaking down in tears, which is always a plus. I counted that as a success. Now, with that out of the way, I can move on to much more fun things like studying for my other midterms.

Skipping to the best part of today; the creamy gnocchi soup made by the lovely Kinley. Soup is the best, especially the creamy kind, and when you add anything potato-related it makes it 1000 times better. Kinley, you the eternal thanks of a soup-lover.

The blanket of rain pattering down over the whole world wrapped me in a cocoon of coziness as I followed my usual route to statistics class. As I strolled down my favorite street, a slight pep in my step from the jolly tunes my headphones were currently gracing me with, I glanced over to the two homeless guys in their usual spot as they bopped their heads to some sort of rap music. I felt my heart immediately sigh as I witnessed the sweetest thing. Even in the pouring rain, the homeless guys sat there, and the one umbrella they had, they used to shelter their dog from the rain. Whenever I am feeling blue, I have only to think of that heart-warming moment and all will be well once again.

I had only studied about an hour for this exam but as it turns out: I was over prepared. Before handing out the exam, the professor announced that this was an open note exam (which did nothing for me because my notes were on my computer, but a still a nice thought), AND he gave us a formula sheet! This was going to be a breeze.

Worry not, this is not one of those times where I say PSYCH everything was actually horrible. It was truly a breeze.

Tuesday, March 19th

Hannah's Spontaneous Invention Idea #2: a book that makes you think it's going to be predictable and then it's not. Ok yeah, maybe it's not THAT revolutionary of an idea, but I was pretty excited about it at the time. I had just started a new book and it's gotten to the point where I can tell who the love interest is about 5 words into his initial description. I've been right every time so far, and I was starting to get pretty tired of how predictable these books were. For once, I'd like to read a book that makes you think the love interest is going to be this one guy, but PSYCH that's just a random passerby that the author decided to describe in great detail for no reason. Or it makes you think that it's going to be the typical enemies-to-lovers thing but then PSYCH she goes off on an adventure and ditches the entirety of humanity. Or something like that. I tried looking up books like that, but either they don't exist, or they simply don't want to be found. Or I'm bad at using Google.

As usual, I submitted my poster about 10 minutes before it was due the night before and trudged into class, thoroughly dreading my second presentation of the week. Following my super confident explanation of all of the complex and totally unique techniques and ideas I implemented in my project, the professor opened the floor up for comments and critiques. My favorite. To my surprise, I actually was not severely attacked and left to be ravaged by wild wolves.

The sun shown down through the little slots up above for the first time in several days, and almost everyone around me was out and about frolicking in the sunlight. It struck me as quite interesting how much the weather affects people's moods. Hailing from California, the land of eternal sunshine, it didn't take long for me to grow tired of the constant rays beating down on me and making my skin prickle. I always loved rainy days (and still do) because it brought sweet relief from the never-ending sweltering heat. But everyone else in the world seems to love the scorching heat, which often proves to be a bit of a difficult dynamic for me. I'm glad they're happy, but when everyone's idea of "good weather" is quite different from yours, it tends to cause some issues. Like when people invite you to have a picnic in the sun when it's 90 degrees out. No thanks. I'd quite honestly rather have a picnic in the rain. Ok, rant over. Now you have a glimpse of 80% of my first world problems.

In the midst of walking to some unknown sinister location, a guy passed by me balancing an entire chair on head! Woah. Just thought you all should know about that.

Random Midday Thoughts with Hannah #27: Has anyone ever actually gotten sick from not washing their strawberries?

Wednesday, March 20th

I started this lovely Wednesday by missing the only good thing going for me this week: the cheese tasting! How could I have been so stewpid (insert over-annunciated british accent here)?

Today's form of torture: a 4-hour still-life drawing.

Ok, this one wasn't THAT bad, but you'd think 4 hours is plenty of time to draw a still-life, right? Well, apparently not when your paper is 3 times the size of your skull. It was going pretty decently until I got to the end where I began desperately scrambling to shade the driftwood correctly before the time was up. Flash forward to my grade, of course he commented on the poor job I did texturizing and shading the driftwood.

Some honorable mentions from our dinner party conversation:

“I look horrible, and you are the one wearing the salad bag” - Kinley as she took pictures of Morgan with a salad bag on her head
Georgia is above turkey??
Some horrible Irish pickup lines:
“I'm new to Ireland, can I have the directions to your house?”
“Your eyes are as blue as window cleaner”

We settled down for bed with some Nesquick chocolate milk and the raging thoughts running through my mind spurred by my finding that they had forgotten to put the biscuit in my chocolate-covered biscuit.

Thursday, March 21st

Some notable events of the day, SparkNotes style:

Hit my head on the dryer door
Passed by a man who had died his beard bright orange! How about that?
Got mushrooms for dinner that were so fresh there was still dirt and roots on stems

As for my last midterm, it went surprisingly well considering how I failed the quiz a few weeks ago. Fast forward to my results: 100%! How did I get 100% on the midterm and 48% on the quiz in the SAME class?? The world will never know. I'm just glad the midterm counts for more than the quiz.

Some highlights from today's eventide culinary affairs:

“I'm leaving this here with you until you learn to appreciate it” - me to Kinley in reference to a ball of mozzarella.
Kinley stuffed entire half ball of mozzarella in her mouth just to prove a point

Later that night we were blessed with a crazy lightning thunderstorm, garnering Morgan and I's attachment to the window for several minutes. It was quite awesome.

Some unknown event that night spurred me to look into Milk World Records. I'll include some of my favorites here so you too can be blessed with these enjoyable little tidbits:

Farthest distance to add milk to a cup of tea using a .22 - caliber rifle (50 yards)
Fastest time chugging a gallon of milk before sky jumping (54.25 seconds)
Longest time blowing milk bubbles with one breath (2 minutes and 20.13 seconds)
Most snakes milked (I forgot to write down how many... I guess we will never know)
Most milk consumed while walking on a slackline (1 gallon)
Longest time balancing an egg on top of a milk bottle while blindfolded (24 minutes and 39 seconds)
Fastest time to extinguish 5 candles with milk squirting from the eye (I forgot this one too. sorry)
Largest cow art exhibition (and this one)
Largest gathering of people dressed as cows (cow muster Australia)

If you woke up this morning wondering where the largest gathering of people dressed as cows has been, now you know. You are welcome.

Friday, March 22nd

Absolutely nothing happened today (which was practically paradise) besides the extremely tragic event of a mosquito biting my stinkin eyelid. Yes. You read that right. My eyelid.

Saturday, March 23rd

I looked in the mirror this morning to find the Hunchback of Notre Dame staring back at me. My eye had swollen to great magnitudes from that one mosquito bite, and no offence to the Hunchback or anything, but that wasn't really the look I was going for to start off my spring break.

The first hour of the day was jam packed with a series of unfortunate events. The mosquito-bite-hunchback look being the first, and then, in my haste to catch my train, I knocked over the facial moisturizer I had precariously placed on the edge of the sink which splattered all over my most favorite t-shirt and pajama pants. Now I was going to be late AND covered in moisturizer.

"...Hannah?", came Morgan's concerned voice from the other side of the bathroom door. That probably had something to do with the sudden clattering, loud yelp, and sounds of soft sobbing that were emerging through the crack under the door.

My lovely roommate helped me clean up the spilled moisturizer (thanks Morgan, you are amazing) as I scrambled to pack the rest of my stuff and balance my almost-dead plants (which I was bringing down to the front desk in an attempt to salvage what was left of them while I was away), my ice cube wrapped in a towel (in an attempt to solve the hunchback look, of course), and my 17 million bags.

I somehow arrived a little early for my train, so I just stood there icing my eye while I waited for the train to come. To the bewildered bystanders nearby, I probably looked like I had just gotten beaten up by a rabid squirrel. Let them believe that; it's much more fun than what actually happened.

Once on the train, this man decided to sit right next to me (directly on top of my bag I might add), when there were 2 open seats in front of me! That has got to be a violation of like 20 rules in the Public Transportation 101 handbook: you never sit directly next to someone unless you absolutely have to. He must've been a billionaire who has never had to use public transportation before or something.

I staggered my way to the hostel with my giant duffel bag which weighed 1 million pounds to wait while Morgan and her mom took their fancy high speed train here. Once we had collected ourselves and made introductions to the nice girl sleeping in our room with us who kindly told us of some pickpocket horror stories to frighten us just for good measure, we headed out to cram as much of Rome as we could into a span of 5 hours. Yes, that does seem like not the best planning, but we were only in Rome due to our early flight to Madrid the next morning, so really, we were just making the most of the situation.

In our search for some sustenance on the way to the famed Spanish Steps, we happened upon Palazzo Barberini, and I picked up quite a little delicious pizza slice thing which was very thick and saucy but in a good way.

The famed Spanish Steps! Like everywhere in Rome, the steps were teeming with over-excited tourists who had an apparent affinity foreign-inspired steps (that part's just the Spanish Steps, of course). The view was gorgeous though, and I thoroughly enjoyed the big puffy clouds covering the sky, which let beams of sunlight shine through their cracks, in turn creating a wonderfully fantastical atmosphere.

One thing to know about carrying any kind of camera with you besides an iPhone camera: everyone asks you to take their picture because they assume you must know what you are doing if you decided to spend at least a few hundred dollars on a nice camera. Bold of you to assume I'm actually good at my hobbies. But I don't really mind taking people's pictures, besides the added pressure that they have to turn out really good because I'm a photographer. It's kind of a self-defeated process though, because they expect me to take this amazing photo with whatever strange blackberry brick thing they have. I can only do so much; at a certain point it comes down to the quality of the camera. Also, the main parts that constitute the skill of photography come from the subject choice, the framing of the subject, the conditions of the environment, and the knowledge of camera settings to adjust (aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and all that), most of which are stripped away from me when someone asks me to take their picture. So just keep that in mind whenever you hand your phone to a photographer expecting gorgeous photos from their magic hands.

I chuckled at an overheard comment made by a tour guide to his group as he was explaining how he thought that the Spanish Steps were pretty overrated. "It's just a bunch of steps". Yes, that is quite true, and a brilliant thing to tell the group of people paying you to show them those steps.

On to the next tourist hub: the Trevi Fountain again. Since I had already been here, I figured I'd probably end up taking the same photos as I did last time, so I instead began people watching and did a little street photography. I found that it was a nice change of pace, and I actually quite like street photography despite the fact that I hadn't brought a suitable lens for it (I love my 50mm f/1.8 lens, but it takes ages to focus which makes capturing fast moving people on the street quite difficult). I'll have to do some street photography again soon when I have a more suitable lens with me.

Even with my lens that's not quite suitable for street photography, I managed to capture some nice photos of an adorable little girl eating an apple perched on the edge of the fountain. I love the idea of street photography: capturing the beauty of people, and their emotions and stories, but it does come with a few complications. I haven't done too much research on it, but what I've found is that while it is perfectly legal (depending on the country, but typically you only need consent if you are going to use the photos for profit), not everyone likes having their picture taken, so it can sometimes garner unexpected hostility. It especially complicates things when the subject is a child, so while I love the photos I took, I decided not to post the photos here (while it's mostly just my family and friends, it's still the internet) because I want to be courteous to the child and her parents. You always want to respect people and their privacy, so just be careful if someday you become inspired and decide to embark on a street photography adventure.

Anddd we are going back to the Spanish Steps again, but garden edition this time.

It was a beautiful garden but couple central. Couples really do like their gardens and parks, don't they? This will soon become even more apparent in the weeks to come.

On our way out, we spotted a crowd gathering over by the ledge. At first it seemed as though everyone just really liked the view, but after making our way over there, our ears were christened with the not-so-melodic sounds of a likely drunk man in his twenties belting out lyrics without a care for his tone or tune. Karaoke. Hide your children. It is coming for us all.

While on the hunt once again for some food and a break for sore feet, we took a pause in Piazza del Popolo to get our bearings and decide on a restaurant.

And what a restaurant it was. I'm not even kidding; it was quite possibly the best meal I have had so far, this entire semester. My ravioli was absolutely delectable, and Morgan offered me a taste of her carbonara, which I liked a lot more than I was expecting. Our bruschetta appetizer was perfect, and the tiramisu we ordered for dessert was the BEST EVER. To top it all off, from my seat I had a beautiful view of the sun setting down the way.

I wasn't originally super hyped by the whole Colosseum #2 event, but it was night edition this time and SO worth it. I got some really cool shots amongst the fancy photographers that were drawn out by the full moon.

Now for the dump of random photos that didn't fit into a specific categorical section of the trip.

Aren't you so proud of me? Only 16 minutes! That's gotta be a record. You're welcome. Keep your eyes peeled, fingers crossed, and toes intertwined for my rendition of the next 85% of spring break.

And with that, I bid you all adieu.

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True Blue: The mystic blue eye of Germany

2025-10-31T14:44:00.000-05:00

The blue eye of Germany: How an enchanted lake returned after seven lost years from his dry grave...

It is a miracle after seven years: In the middle of the German Harz Mountains there is a magical little lake that has fascinated people with its bright turquoise water for 100 years. At the small Harz town of Hüttenrode, an industrial site was transformed into the shimmering azure waters. But finally the blue eye disappeared - day trippers and tourists stood helpless in front of a gaping hole in the rock.

Seems like mystic blue: The small lake near the german village Rübeland

There was nothing left of what was once the “blue eye of the Harz”, a 30 by 60 meter long pond filled with brilliant turquoise water. Only Google Maps still showed the blue water. The lake was dry. A desolate limestone tub through which visitors wandered in shock.

Seven dry years are behind the lake

Of course - the lake wasn't always blue in the past. But even in the green phases, which begin when too many people ignored the actual bathing ban, the crystal clear water turned over and algae recolored the turquoise South Sea puddle, the body of water, classified as a geotope by the State Office for Geology and Mining, remained an eye-catcher.

The water is turquoise like the caribean sea

Crowds of excursionists traveled along the circular route on weekends, there were regular guided tours and hiking apps recommended the Blue Lake as a “unique natural backdrop” that simply had to be seen.

Tourists are stroming the lake

But wait: Nothing here is pure nature. Like the rugged canyons that gape in the rock walls around the Blue Lake, the rock basin, which is up to 15 meters deep, is not the result of geological processes, but rather a consequence of human activity. The Blue Lake is actually an opencast mining hole that owes its existence to the former Garkenholz quarry.

Three pictures about three ages: The 80s on the left - very turquoise. The green sea is from year 2011, the dry lake from 2023

Limestone mining began here in 1885 to produce quicklime. The Elbingeröder Reef, created 387 million years ago when a very pure layer of limestone formed from corals and algae in an ancient sea several hundred meters deep, was considered a real gold mine at the time.

This is now

A railway line was built, which at that time ran along the exact dam that is now used as a hiking trail to the lake. Operational buildings and rail lines for transport trucks are being built. Little by little the stonemasons ate their way into the terrain. The limestone was crushed in large crushing plants and transported towards Blankenburg or Rübeland.

Last year

Like the dry lake, the steep and towering rock faces are also witnesses of that time. What looks like a natural idyll today is a lost place that has been reclaimed with trees, bushes and dry grass since it was closed down in 1946.

2011

Not only the traces of mining have disappeared, but also all memories of the most terrible events that the rocks had to witness. The Nazis murdered hundreds of Russian prisoners of war in a camp. After the end of the war, the Russians set up a prison camp in the isolated area. The paramilitary GDR combat groups later took over the area. The now protected biotope becomes a shooting range.

Near th elake are huge canyons made by men

This has never harmed the popularity of the Blue Eye. From the beginning of the 80s, the area developed into an insider tip for young black campers fleeing the state-mandated socialist holiday camps. In the summer, the Blue Lagoon attracts hundreds of teenage hippies who camp wild, drink lake water and play guitar around campfires.

Over the like a steep riffs

Anyone who experienced the lake back then is even more horrified today. The pond has never been as empty as it has been in recent years, even in midsummer, remembers one of the illegal permanent guests. Karst springs reliably replenished what evaporated and seeped down through cracks in the limestone.

It was a tragedy for seven years

“Something is different,” says the man who has known the lake for 40 years and visits it again and again. Would there ever be water there again? Blue at all? The doubts prevailed so much that fans of the pond began to plan further rescue measures. The nearby Peersbach should be diverted to the lake. Fire hoses were already there, a permanent pipeline was to come next.

But the tragedy now happy ends... for the moment

An idea, say residents, that would have been difficult to implement because of the necessary permits. In addition, it is the lime-saturated water that only reflects the blue portion of sunlight. Other tributaries could perhaps imitate a kind of pond. But it certainly wouldn't have been blue. Fans of the lake have taken advantage of the situation to collect scrap, shoes, bottles and trash from the lake bottom. And lo and behold: suddenly the water was back.

Google Maps shows a view from good times

For several weeks now, the body of water has been attracting visitors with its Caribbean-blue, clear water as if it had just been created. Every weekend there is a massive migration of admirers that completely overwhelms the non-existent infrastructure. The Blue Lake has never been as famous as it is today.

N o swimming! But the germans are brave

But the rush has hit the tourist hinterland hard. Where just twelve months ago there was only a murky pool of rainwater and locals were already mourning another victim of climate change, this is a cool gem. “Maybe it was just the three dry years that bothered him”, hopes one visitor.

A vew from the 80s

The enthusiasm is all the greater that the lake, which was considered an insider tip for illegal camping adventures during the GDR era, has been filled to overflowing again for a few weeks now and is shining in all shades of blue. On social networks such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest, the supposed natural spectacle attracts attention. Thousands of people take photos, film and share their images. Tens of thousands of people at home, in front of their computers and cell phones, are fascinated by the sparkling blue wonder in the industrial wasteland, which was declared a nature reserve after the end of the GDR. “This will be our next trip,” is what we keep saying in the Harz fan groups on Facebook.

Clear and blue

There are so many on the way that some people don't even get to their destination. On the weekends, the parking lot right by the lake is always full, says Andreas Pawel, former mayor of Hüttenrode. Out of necessity, dozens of cars are lined up wildly along the street. Others roll the two and a half kilometers further to Neuwerk, a small town that is actually away from the main tourist flows. From there we walk back to the “Blue Wonder”, which, according to the documents of a man from the neighboring village, keeps accurate records and is completely filled for the first time in seven years.

They grab for lime stone

Now it's time to be quick, because once summer arrives, the color of the water quickly turns green due to the algae that form. Also beautiful. But the Blue Lake is really just really blue.

Half full

Thank you for reading and if you like my work please follow me on Hive, Travelfeed or Steem or visit my homepage koenau.de

Signs for touristsWithour water the lake doesn't seen visitorsA lonely hiker 15 meters down at the ground"Every stone is to much fpor the lake" the signs says

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Blue Mountains , Sydney , Australia.

2025-10-29T15:39:33.090-05:00

Today i am going to take you for a journey into the mountainous region of the Blue Mountains which is located in New South Wales, Australia. It is known for it's dramatic scenery, it amazing steep cliffs, eucalyptus forests and all the stunning waterfalls.

I have visited the blue mountains on a few occasions , living in Sydney it's only a one and half hour drive to the town called Katoomba and when people think of the blue mountains first thing that comes to mind is the iconic Three Sisters the huge rock formation but they are not the only things to see there.

You can either go for the day trip or book into the many hotels nearby and spend a few lovely nights here with your loved one or friends there are many unique shops, cafes. You can take the day trip hiking down into the blue mountains valleys with a guide or do it yourself and just follow the signs and the trails and admire all the stunning waterfalls.

If you are only here for a few hours you can take one of the two cable cars or both cable cars one cable car which is a glass bottomed cable car that you can ride across the mountains and observe the landscape from above and the other cable car is the steepest passenger carrying railway car in the world which will take you to the base of the mountain valley and there you can walk around admiring some of the waterfalls and some beautiful , Australia wild flowers.

The times i have been there i have always made a full day of it by taking different hiking trails every time i go visit the blue mountains there is some much to see and explore i just love the feel of fresh clear air like walking through a rain forest and the waterholes and waterfalls you come across never wants me to leave this paradise.

There are numerous exhilarating activities on offer in the mountains, from rock climbing and abseiling with operators such as the Blue Mountains Adventure Company to guided walks with Tread Lightly Eco Tours and Aboriginal Blue Mountains Walkabout. You can even participate in a challenging three-day hike with Life’s an Adventure.

I always like to walk the trails that have the signs telling you hour long the trail is and what you are going to see along the way it is best this way cause you could get lost quite easily in the thick of these mountains normally along these trails you will stumble across hidden canyons or some thing magical.

The views are never dull when exploring the blue mountains whether you are below in the thick of the rain forest or walking the above trails along the cliff faces of them huge rocks to catch that sunset or the reflection from them flowing waterfalls or maybe just a sit down to take it all in.

The Blue Mountains for me has always been a place to get away from that hustle and bustle of the city life and for what ever reason you come here for you will always leave with a clean tank of oxygen and a clean mind and you always what to keep coming back i know i do :)

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