Snaps and Flip Flops

Spit to Manly Walk

2012-11-19T21:35:00.000+11:00

This is definitely one of the most scenic walks in Sydney, and I couldn't help but fall in love with her all over again. So many beaches to discover, and such amazing views. Definitely pack your cossies.

Sculpture by the Sea 2012

2012-11-19T20:50:00.000+11:00

More photos here.

Showin Sydney Some Love

2012-09-15T11:51:00.001+10:00

Often times i have to remind myself that living and being a tourist in a place are two completely different things. I always wonder what it feels like to live in the city i was visiting, and have more than once been tempted to uproot myself again and stay there forever. Who has never dreamed of living in a tropical island, on a nice secluded beach cottage, with white sand and warm blue water all year round (and the occasional typhoons)? But if i really think about it, i know i will miss the cafes, and the green spaces, and the "urban-ness" of living in a city. Hmm...or will I? Anyway, my point is, I realise, at this moment, that I love living in Sydney. It might not be the most modern of cities, but i like its sense of balance. And maybe for a person as fickle as me, who thinks about packing up her bags all the time, this is just i what i need. It can be cosmopolitan, or outdoorsy, or quaint and charming when I, or it wants to be. I love how i can be on the beach within minutes. I love the parks and the jogging paths. I love how i'm surrounded by water. I love the friendly folks. I love all the food choices. I love that it's family friendly. And yes, maybe i even love this love-hate relationship I have going on with this city. And perhaps I drank a little bit of its kool aid today, but if it keeps up this lovely weather and sunshine, I will happily take the kool-aid forever.

Photos are taken with iPhone and Instagram.

More about Sydney here.

NYC: East Village

2012-09-11T20:33:00.001+10:00

With a population of 8 million from all walks of life, New York is definitely a city with cultural diversity. No other district in Manhattan demonstrates that more than the East Village. I love the eclectic variety of shops, and food! Chinese, Indian, Japanese, French, Belgian...you name it, and you'll probably find it there. After all the burgers, and pizzas, and milk shakes, I was looking forward to something new and exciting, and hopefully something healthy. We settled for Veselka, a popular cafe between St Marks Place and 9th Street, serving Ukrainian and Eastern European specialties. I've never tried Ukrainian food, so the further the similarity from American junk food, the better. I love their vareniki (dumplings) and iced tea. Just what I needed on a hot summer day.

We continued to explore after lunch, hoping to catch the colourful character of this district with our cameras. It reminded me a lot of Newtown in Sydney, with its funky crowd and small eateries. I loved it!

More New York photos here.

Previous Post: From Hell's Kitchen to Little Italy

2012-09-05T22:36:00.000+10:00

Trying my best to update this blog as much as possible, but it's proving to be a more difficult task than i thought. I am not even halfway done with our US trip (although getting there), and I still have some backlog from our Uluru and New Zealand trips that i will probably never get around to.

The need to travel has not kicked in again. Yet. But then again, I just realised it's only been a month since we got back. The thought of getting on the plane for more than 2 hours does not sound inviting at all right now, although I have been dreaming of the beach a lot quite lately. I haven't had a beach break for quite some time now. It would be nice to have a relaxing vacation again - no walking for hours, just eat, drink, sleep and lie on the sand.

Ahh, yes, I am definitely dreaming of the beach.

Rockport, Massachusetts

2012-09-05T21:30:00.001+10:00

Rockport. If there was ever a town that invented shabby chic beach style, Rockport should take the credit. Oh those quaint cottages turned into little shops, the narrow walk ways, and the cute little harbour. It was the sort of seaside town that I used to read about in my teeny bopper paperbacks where boy meets girl and falls in love (at least for the summer). My photos totally didn't do this place justice. You just have to be there, with the sun shining on your face and the sweet salty sea breeze blowing through your hair. See what it did? It has turned me into a bumbling romantic. Not even Paris had that effect on me :)

While you're there, you have to try the fried clams at Top Dog. Yumm.

Rockport is about an hour drive from Boston.

More New England photos here.

From Hell's Kitchen to Little Italy

2012-09-04T00:03:00.000+10:00

The good thing about having a jetlag is being able to wake up earlier than usual. From our Times Square hotel, we made our way to The High Line. It was a quiet Sunday morning, and most people were probably sleeping in, hence an almost empty park. It was pretty cool though, and one of the funkiest green spaces i've ever seen.

The High Line

Next stop, Chelsea Market. Most of the shops were closed, or maybe we were just too early. I love visiting gourmet markets like these in different cities. Too bad this one was almost deserted.

Chelsea Market

What followed was more walking, letting our feet take the lead. The city is definitely made to be explored on foot.

West Village

Greenwich Village

I fantasized about living in one of those brown stone apartments, and got sidetracked by all those shops in Soho (hence the lack of photos).

Ok, move right along, and keep walking, the hubby tells me.

North of Little Italy

By this time, we were definitely getting hungry. Ahh, but only a few more blocks to Lombardi's!

Lombardi's Pizza - the first pizza place in the US

Their pizza was huge! We couldn't finish the whole thing between the two of us. And really, the only way to burn those calories is to walk it off again but I soo wished i'd left room for gelato.

Little Italy

Souvenirs

More New York photos here.

Previous Post: NYC Snapshots: Wall Street

NYC Snapshots: Wall Street

2012-09-02T21:02:00.000+10:00

More New York photos here.

Previous Post: New York City: Top of the Rock

New York City: Top of the Rock

2012-08-27T22:02:00.000+10:00

Empire State or Top of the Rock? It seems to be the question when it comes to getting the best view of the New York City skyline. In the end, we didn't have to make a choice since both come with the New York City Pass. I liked how they give you time slots at Top of the Rock. While queueing was still unavoidable, it was quicker and less of a hassle than the Empire State. There are lots of shops around the Rockefeller so it isn't that big of a problem unless you're in a hurry. There's free wifi in the concourse area too if you'd rather just rest your feet and take a minute to go online. It's definitely less crowded and the views are just as awesome. Perhaps the only downside was that there's a glass partition in most of the viewing area. Not good when you're taking photos especially at night (annoying reflections!)

More New York photos here.

Previous post: Oh MoMA!

Oh MoMA!

2012-08-25T20:27:00.001+10:00

I had the perfect plan for our first day in New York. Start early at Central Park West and work our way up to The Met, then off to the West Village. But being the goldfish that I was, I realised midway through Central Park that I forgot our New York City Pass voucher. We had to go all the way back to the hotel to come and get it. Aargh! On a side note, the pass was really worth it, and would save you from the long queue at the ticket line.

But anyway, we decided to skip The Met that day and ended up at the Modern Museum of Art, which was closer. I must say, I enjoyed it more than the Louvre, Prado or Uffizi. It's definitely at the top of my list of favourite museums. Picasso, Van Gogh, Miro, Dali, Monet and Warhol under one roof! Once upon a time, I wanted to become a painter, and seeing their work was like a childhood dream come true. Now a more grown up dream is actually owning a piece of Picasso :P I guess this is the closest i'll ever get to one!

MoMA

Girl before a Mirror by Picasso

The Birth of the World by Joan Miró

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon by Pablo Picasso

Funky 3D Art

Water Lilies by Monet

More New York photos here.

Previous post: NYC Snapshots: Central Park

NYC Snapshots: Central Park

2012-08-23T20:43:00.000+10:00

Oh how i wished I brought my runners with me...

More New York photos here.

Previous post: NYC First Night: Times Square

Sydney: You had me at hello (again)

2012-08-19T23:14:00.000+10:00

My two week stint in the US had me thinking about moving there. Late night shopping, friendly folks, the vibrant cities and cheaper cost of living just sounded all too tempting. After a few days of moping, and restlessness, I decided I couldn't be like this every time I go on holidays. The grass will always seem greener on the other side, and i couldn't let myself get sucked into this vicious cycle. I realised that despite living in Sydney for quite some time now, I haven't really given it enough chance. There's still so many places to explore, and if I stopped long enough to smell the roses, I would see how beautiful it is. And it is. Beautiful (as long as it doesn't rain for weeks on end!)

So i've decided to explore this city more, bit by bit, starting with spending my lunch breaks in the park. It's almost the end of winter, and despite our constant complaints, it has been starting to warm up. Warm enough to wander around without a coat, even!

Here are a few photos I took on my lunch walks around the Royal Botanic Gardens, and i realised this is as just as good, or even better than Central Park, or Boston Common :) Now if only I didn't have to go back to work, right? ;)

NYC First Night: Times Square

2012-08-19T22:15:00.000+10:00

The first time I caught a glimpse of Times Square was from a cab, after travelling 10,000 miles from Sydney. Despite the long flight and fatigue, I couldn't help but get excited by the bright lights and activities. After quickly checking in the hotel, and freshening up, we hurriedly got out to explore. Funny, after 2 months of drought, it rained our first night in the city. It seems like the rain really likes to follow us everywhere. But anyway, it was only a drizzle and nothin we can't handle. A little rain ain't gonna dampen our spirits!

I don't think I've ever seen so many lights in my life. And so many people! I couldn't decide if I was overwhelmed, confused, or in awe of the place. But first, FOOD! We were starving, but despite the hundreds of restaurants around the area, we couldn't decide where to eat. I think i didn't want to fall into a tourist trap, like i've often read. So we settled for hotdogs instead, our first taste of this New York staple. I must admit, it was a bit disappointing. Perhaps I've been living in Australia for too long to assume 'chips' means french fries, and not the crispy potato chips that come in cellophane wrappers. Oh well. It was only our first night, and there were plenty of chances to try good food (or terrible ones too). After giving our cameras a good workout, and basking in the bright city lights, we hit the sack and dreamed of the day ahead.

More photos of New York here.

Missing NYC

2012-08-15T22:01:00.000+10:00

Never has a foreign city felt more familiar to me than New York does. I've heard the songs, i've seen the movies, i've lived through the TV shows. Perhaps it's the little bit of grime, the chaos, the traffic, and the constant stream of people that sort of remind me of Manila. I immediately felt right at home. In a city with such diversity, it seems that anyone can find their own place. It's the only city i've visited where i was actually tempted to buy an I ♥ insert city here t-shirt! :) and i do, i do heart this city, so much so that we cancelled our 3-day trip to Niagara Falls and DC so we can spend more time there.

Some of the things I particularly like:

The city, indeed, it never sleeps. I know i can always get food somewhere no matter what time of day it is.
It's so easy to navigate as long as you orient yourself with the north and south. And the subway is amazing (and not dirty as I initially thought it would be). I was actually surprised at how uncrowded it is even during peak hours. Sydney has like half the population yet the trains are packed like a can of sardines!
The flagship stores and shopping in general. I could walk the entire 5th avenue and feel like i've gone to heaven.
Free wifi almost everywhere! Very tech savvy and tourist friendly!
It's a photographer's dream. Truly. I've got tons, and i mean tons of photos to prove how much i love taking pictures of New York.

Here are a few snaps i've taken with my iPhone.

New York Snapshots

2012-08-12T19:49:00.000+10:00

NYC sunset from the Empire State Building

Central Park from Top of the Rock

Flat Iron Building

Grand Central Terminal

NYC Taxis

Empire State Building

Theatre District

More photos here.

Sydney through my iPhone

2012-07-01T13:25:00.002+10:00

Sydney was on her best behaviour yesterday as I show her off to my friend, who was a first time visitor. It was a cool sunny winter day, with just enough clouds to complement the beautiful blue sky. So beautiful in fact, that my friend had to ask why the skies seem a lot better around here :)

I took him to Manly via the ferry from Circular Quay. I haven't done this in a looong looong time, and it was nice to be a tourist again in my own city.

Madrid Snapshots

2012-06-15T23:43:00.000+10:00

Puerta del Sol

Palacio Real

Rowboats in Retiro Park

Calle de Las Huertas

Madrid Metro

Street Chains

Summer afternoon in Madrid

More photos here.

2012-06-12T17:52:00.003+10:00

Oh god, I miss the sunshine so much, which is funny because the weather has been pretty good all May. I was beginning to think I can take winter without much complaint. I would've been successful too if it hadn't been raining so much lately! Cold I can take but I hate the rain! Oh well. Now i am itching for a break. 38 days to go.

Venice Snapshots

2012-06-12T16:38:00.000+10:00

Find the Pigeon

Grand Canal at Night

Gondoliers at rest

Almost empty Grand Canal

Parked gondolas

Streets of Venice

Payphones

More photos here.

2012-06-09T21:35:00.000+10:00

I used to be pedantic about travel planning but i seem to have lost my taste for it, or maybe just for this particular trip. I don't know why. I seem to get easily distracted by so many other things, hence i am writing, rather than booking and finalising our itineraries like i originally planned to do. granted i still have a month or so left, but i feel like there's still so many loose ends left to take care. oh well, at least i got my passport (finally yay!), and travel authorisation.

seriously, my mind wondered off midway through this post, and that's only after 5 sentences or so. what is wrong with me? ok, need to pump myself up for this trip.

hmmm...a beer sounds mighty fine right now. this rambling, and attempt to plan, can wait.

Vivid Sydney 2012

2012-05-27T17:13:00.003+10:00

Despite the cold chill that has settled in Sydney the past couple of days, many braved the cool windy night to come out and see the light festival in the city. It's that time of the year again when the normally plain sails (albeit still spectacular) of the Sydney Opera House are transformed with various displays. Although this year's colors are more subdued than the previous years', it was still sight to behold.

View more photos here.

Vivid Sydney will run from 25 May - 11 June 2012, 6 PM to 12 AM.

Florence Snapshots

2012-05-12T22:04:00.000+10:00

Night stroll around the Duomo

Bikers in Piazza Repubblica

Via del Calzaioli

Duomo

Via Tornabouni

More photos here.

The Gaudi Details

2012-05-07T21:57:00.000+10:00

More Barcelona photos here.

Valley of the Winds, Kata Tjuta

2012-04-14T23:40:00.000+10:00

Uluru may be the most popular rock in the Australian outback, but don't discard the Kata Tjuta (Mt Olgas) just yet. In fact, I actually found it a lot more interesting.

We decided to do the Valley of the Winds hike in Kata Tjuta on our second day in Uluru. It's a 7.4km circuit that takes you through the domes of the Olgas. We were up by 6:00AM hoping to avoid the scorching heat but it turns out, it was completely unnecessary. We woke up to a pounding rain, which was reminiscent of the day we were supposed to head out to Tongariro. Who would have thought that the rain would follow me all the way to desert?! But we weren't discouraged and it actually turned out to be a blessing. It stopped eventually, and the temperature hovered around low 20's (celcuis) all through out our hike. So much better than the 36 degree heat the previous day!

The walk started in the carpark (which is 50km from the resort), with the Karingana lookout 2.7km ahead. The track was moderately difficult as some parts were on loose rocks. Because of the rain, there were some water where the path should have been, which made it more difficult since the track wasn't clearly marked in the first place. We got off track a few times and we had to do a lot of manoeuvring just to stay on the path!

There was a bit of uphill climb just before the lookout and just when i was starting to think hiking was not for me, I was faced with a beautiful view of the valley, and the majestic domes of Kata Tjuta behind me. I felt like I was right in the middle of Jurassic Park. It truly was amazing, and worth all the effort.

The rest of the walk was mostly downhill, and easy. We finished it around 2 hours or so, leaving us with plenty of time to relax and explore the park :)

More photos here.

Uluru: From Dusk til Dawn

2012-04-10T22:27:00.000+10:00

It's a big flat rock in the middle of nowhere. You'd think after 3 days, I'd get tired of seeing it, and I think I did, but then I continued to wake up early to see it on sunrise, and went back again for the sunset. Go figure. I guess there really is something about this monolith that keeps you coming back for more. Every sunrise, or sunset is different, and I didn't want to risk missing out. Especially since I've travelled thousands of miles for it. And you know what, it didn't disappoint.

Sunrise

Early morning

Midday

Sunset

Dusk

At night

More photos here.