Snaps and Flip Flops

Close Encounter with Turtles

2015-06-21T17:38:00.000+10:00

Diving with turtles has been on my bucket list for awhile now. I guess that cool surfer dude image in Finding Nemo has stuck with me all this time. I've seen them a few times on the water, but never up close. So near, yet so far, long distance love affair. So I figured diving in Hawaii is my best bet of putting this wish to bed. Fingers crossed. Honestly, seeing a turtle is the one thing that would either make or break this trip. When the divemaster asked us where would we like to go, my definite answer was anywhere where i can swim with turtles. He was pretty confident when he promised me that that's not going to be a problem. Good.

But before that, we went wreck diving. As you can see, i have only one thing, and one thing only in mind (i.e. green creatures with a shell on their back). Apart from that, i have never been into wrecks that much. It's always deep, and dark, and viz is almost always not really good. And i hate immediate deep descents as i always have trouble equalising. Ignoring all that, and the jitters i always get, we proceeded to get our fins wet. Hmmm..my ears are popping on their own. Awesome. 10 meters, 20 meters, 30 meters. Wow, everything was clear. At the bottom of the line, a little more than 30 meters deep, was the Corsair. It's a small airplane that crashed way back in 1946. It was in pretty good condition, and there was plenty of wildlife despite sitting on a sandy area. I was having so much fun that i forgot i was diving at 100 feet, and couldn't stay there for longer than 15 mins. My computer went into deco mode which i haven't seen it do, ever! It was a good thing M had more presence of mind than I did, and hauled my reluctant ass to start our ascent. Ooops.

Back in the surface, the divemaster told us that you can probably never get a more perfect condition than that. I couldn't agree more. I thought it was awesome.

Still reeling from the thrill of the previous dive, we head out to see turtles! Yay! The site was called Koko Crater. It was a volcanic crater sunk underwater. Around the edges of the crater, the turtles like to rest, the divemaster said. Even while peering down from the surface we could see turtle silhouettes swimming about. Let's go! Sure enough, not even a minute passed when we spotted our first one. If i could squeal through my regulator, i would have. Armed with my gorpro and selfie stick, i tried my best to get a photo with these cool dudes. I found out later how miserably i failed, and not for lack of trying or opportunity. But i was happy. There must have been about 6 or 8 of them swimming about or hiding under the rocks. Soo cool. The viz wasn't very good, and the current was pretty strong, but I didn't mind. I got what i wanted, and more!

Honu right in my face!

Saw an eel swallowed a fish whole! That was pretty awesome. Except i didn't realise my camera (the one on the left) wasn't rolling. Doh!

More Hawaii photos here.

Frankie in Waikiki

2015-06-19T22:52:00.003+10:00

After a relaxing few days in the quiet shores of the north, coming into Waikiki for the first time felt like "whoah". As my friend aptly put it, it's like Gold Coast on steroids. Imagine big hotel chains, hordes of tourists, retail chains and ABC stores (like a fancier 7-eleven) on every corner. That said, it is a good base for exploring the rest of the island, and for enjoying a tropical cocktail by the beach for those lazy days :) I highly recommend hiring a car, otherwise you'll be at the mercy of public buses or tour operators. Besides that, driving with the top down (or more like riding shotgun) along the coast is one of the best ways of seeing Oahu. And consequently falling in love with it.

Cruisin' along the windward side

Sunset over Waikiki Beach

View at Nu'uanu Pali. This photo didn't do it justice.

Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay. There are definitely plenty of fishes in the sea ;)

Hiking the Koko Head. Suffer through literally a thousand steps and be rewarded with amazing views.

Wreck Diving. Such a good visibility at 100 feet!

Waikiki from Diamond Head. It's a 15km return if you want a good workout.

More Hawaii photos here.

The Fabled North Shore of Oahu

2015-06-13T22:18:00.002+10:00

I must say i was mildly, and happily surprised, that the North Shore of Oahu has managed to retain its country feel despite being renowned across the world for its legendary surfs. There were no big hotel chains, or night clubs and beer gardens most famous or touristy seaside towns have. Instead there were a few food trucks scattered around (which close at 8 btw), a very well stocked supermarket and the infamous Ted's Bakery known for its plate lunches and haupia pie. I liked the laid back lifestyle and immediately felt myself relax as soon as we arrived.

My days are spent walking on the beach, lying on the sand, snorkelling and watching sunsets. While gone are the 30-foot waves the North Shore is famous for during the winter season, I still wouldn't call them tiny. I thought they were still bigger than the waves we see in Bondi or Manly on a regular day, and still quite scary. I honestly think i will drown if i try to venture out in the water. But nonetheless, i enjoyed watching the surfers and paddleboarders, and more importantly, see turtles enjoying the sun on the sand as much as I do!

Life is good! When i can enjoy a nice cold cocktail by the beach on a sunny Monday at mid-day, then i have nothing to complain about :)

Sunbathing sea turtle at Laniakea Beach. A must see.

Snorkeling at Kuilima Cove

Paddler at Sunset Beach

Banzai Pipeline

Shaved Ice will definitely bring down your temperature!

Feeling like the world is our oyster

My fave local food - Ahi Poke!

North Shore sunset

More photos here.

SFO: Walk, Eat, Shop, Repeat

2015-04-06T21:36:00.000+10:00

San Francisco beckoned, and who was I to decline? After a stressful year at work, an impromptu trip to a foreign land was what I desperately needed. I am extremely lucky to be able to just get up and leave on such short notice. I know I may not always have that privilege. Thankfully, I had too many leaves to spare, and work begrudgingly agreed to let me go (no way i am checking those emails, thank you very much).

This trip is a first of many for me. This is probably the closest i ever got to traveling by myself apart from a couple of business trips here and there. It wasn't as daunting as I initially thought it would be. Being a spontaneous trip that it was, I really didn't get the chance to make any plans, which means i can go wherever I want, take as much time as I need, and do whatever i feel like doing for that day. Which was walk, shop and eat, basically.

Bay Bridge at Night

Historic streetcar

No need to show off a beautiful sunset San Francisco. I'm already impressed.

Walk.

I walked everywhere.

Embarcadero to Fisherman's Wharf to the Golden Gate Bridge.

Chinatown, North Beach, Coit Tower to Embarcedero.

Alamo Square to the Haight District to the Golden Gate Park (I didn't quite make it inside the park and was deterred by the sight of panhandlers congregating by the entrance).

Union Square to Lombard Street.

Castro to the 24th Street of the Mission District.

I've cursed the bloody hilly streets of San Francisco a few times, but enjoyed every minute of it! Of course that's after i traded my wedge booties with a new pair of Nikes i specifically had to buy for my suffering feet (since when did gym clothes become street wear, btw?). Never mind that I look like a typical tourist, with my comfortable shoes and huge ass camera.

Embarcadero to Golden Gate Bridge Run

Embarcadero

Transamerica Pyramid

The funky Haight-Ashbury

Painted Ladies

Lovin all the murals at Mission District

Shop.

Well, the Australian dollar exchange rate wasn't really working in my favour, so shopping wasn't as much fun as it could've been. But then again, i haven't done much shopping in actual stores these days that i find it quite a treat (I've got people bringing me shoes to try on!) Staying at the Union Square area made it so convenient. There's Macy's, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Westfield, Bloomingdales and Saks, to name a few. So when I wasn't out walking or running or eating, I window shopped. Now i know what a housewife must feel like!

Eat.

San Francisco has changed my mind about the American food scene. The West Coast is not all about In and Out Burger and Cheesecake Factory (although I tried those too. Shake Shack is still the winner for me). San Francisco is a food haven! It reminded me so much of Melbourne and Sydney. People actually queue up for brunch, and alfresco dining is a thing. I think one of the main reasons why I enjoyed San Francisco food so much is because i actually went out of my way to find good food. When traveling, I usually eat wherever i happen to be hungry, which is more often than not, right in the middle of a famous landmark surrounded by tourist traps. This time, i had all the time in the world, and i can afford to wait in line for an hour for breakfast. San Francisco is also such a small place that's it easy enough to walk, or take a cab (oh my god, Uber is so cheap here!) to a nice restaurant. Some of my favourites are Waterbar at Embarcadero, Brenda's and Bar Crudo near Alamo Square, Hog Island Oyster, and the farmer's market at the Ferry Building, and breakfast at Mission Beach Cafe and Mama's at Washington Square. A city that has $1 oysters for happy hour, 30 craft beers on tap, and ah-mazing seafood is good on my book.

Glorious seafood and just the right amount of pork at Hog Island Oyster

Raw food at Bar Crudo

Oysters galore

Now it's pretty normal for me to imagine living in each city I visited. While it's also typical for me to say I wish I could live there, San Francisco, in all pragmatic purposes, is definitely a city i can imagine myself living in. Good food, plenty of tech jobs, good weather, it's a great city for running, and plenty of nearby places to explore (i don't like the ridiculous rent though). The chances of moving are not too far off, and if the opportunity ever presented itself, I may have to think long and hard about leaving my beloved Sydney behind (only for a short time. I still love you Oz).

More photos here.

Yolo in Yangshuo

2014-10-13T10:24:00.000+11:00

The first time I learned about Yangshuo was from a photo in 500px. The photographer probably wanted to keep the place a secret and didn't mention where it was taken. Fortunately, with a little bit of digging and scouring, I found other photos. With captions, thank you very much. It's been on my radar ever since. There was just something about its quiet mystery that appealed to me.

Fast forward two years later, I finally made it. Contrary to my pre-conceived notions, the town itself was a lot bigger and crowded than i imagined. In fact, I didn't even think there would be a town proper. Uhmm, i guess i was about 10 years too late. Luckily, the place we were staying at was a bit farther off town and on quiet roads. It was quite awesome actually, waking up to a view of the mountains. After Hongkong and Macau, it was good to be surrounded by nature. No more ostentatious hotels and grand skyscrapers!

It was springtime, and despite the scattered rainshowers, we managed to spend most of our time outdoors. Seriously, you would not be able to keep away from the magnificent views. The town was surrounded by karst formations and water. It was one of the most beautiful piece of nature I've ever seen. My only complaint was that the overcast weather did not make for good photographs :/

There were plenty of things to see and do, and the best way to go around was by bike and by raft. Biking in the town proper was such an adventure in itself! I did the 250 meter bungy jump in Macau, but I got more nervous riding my little fixie across town. My heart was racing a mile a minute. The good thing about it though is that the drivers are so used to the chaotic flow of traffic, they wouldn't be caught off guard if you just suddenly cross the street. Once we got past the town, it was exactly what you would expect on a bike ride to the countryside. Peaceful and quiet. Just what i wanted :)

It was refreshing to go on a place that's not on Google Maps yet. Makes for fun navigation, using this map :)

Li River in Xing Ping

Rafting in Yulong River

Super worth the scrambling on rocks and insect bites

Old Stone Village

We were too tired to ride back :)

Yangshuo West Street

I think we got a little bit carried away. We wanted to try everything, evens snails and bugs! Super yum!

The photo that inspired this trip was supposedly taken from this spot. The place was covered with fog. Oh well. It was all worth it.

Hong Kong, 18 Years Later

2014-05-03T14:57:00.001+10:00

The first and last time i was in Hong Kong was back in 1996. It was a family vacation, and all I could remember was shopping in the night markets and being hoisted at the back of a restaurant (almost in the kitchen) for my very first meal in the city. The city seemed big to me that time, and modern, and so foreign. It was my very first trip overseas.

Fast forward 18 years, I was back. I chose Sheung Wan as our base, relatively away from the tourist hotspots but close enough to Central to be convenient. The area seems a bit dodgy and dirty, like a typical China town in any other city (I know that sounds funny. I guess all towns in China are china town :P) but it's actually very safe. I kinda liked being away from the skyscrapers and shopping malls. It made it seem more authentic :) It's pretty close to Soho where most expats seem to be congregate. I like that area. It reminds of Paddington or Surry Hills in Sydney, and Soho in New York.

Wandering in Soho

Found San Miguel, popular beer in the Philippines

Hong Kong alleys

I thought 18 years has taken its toll in Hong Kong. Though still the financial capital in Asia, the city seems a bit dated and grey to me compared to the last time I was there. I was looking forward to shopping in Hong Kong, but surprisingly, prices of high street brands seem the same, or even more expensive than Sydney. Sydney! where people, including me, always complain about getting ripped off voluntarily. The number of shopping centres seemed to have doubled, and i surprisingly found myself complaining about having too many malls. Not to say I left empty handed. I could easily spend a month's salary in Tsim Sha Tsui alone within an hour if I had let myself. All the luxury and high street fashion brands were nothing but a glass window away. The fact that Hong Kong was our first stop and i barely had room in my luggage prevented me from going crazy with the credit card.

Despite my initial disappointment, and knowing Hong Kong was merely a stopover, I was glad to see it again, this time with M who was there for the first time. Perhaps that busy-ness of it all wasn't what i needed after working almost non-stop for a year and a half but I guess that's the beauty of being in a new place. It gave me a sense of perspective of how I've changed in the past few years. Designer bags and shopping for miles no longer excite me as much as it used to, and a little peace and quiet, away from the bustling world was what I wanted at this point.

More photos on my Flickr.

2014-04-30T23:48:00.001+10:00

Hello. I'm back. Sort of. This space has been a little quiet for a while. I haven't taken that many trips recently. And even so, I still have a bit of a backlog from my travels from before (I disappeared). I guess work, and life in general got in the way as they often do. But my recent escapade has sort of inspired me. It felt good to back in foreign soil. Wandering unfamiliar streets, getting lost, relying on instinct and sign language, soaking in a totally different culture and surrounding, and being amazed by how beautiful the world is and how kind people can be. I know it sounds totally corny, but I'm glad that I'm still that person who can wax poetic about certain things :) I've sort of forgotten how much I enjoy traveling for a while there. And photography! I guess I never really stopped taking pictures with my iPhone being a permanent fixture on my hand, but by god, the SLR has much better quality! :) I know I am not as into photography as I was before, and I've become quite rusty, but travelling reminded me that it's a gift. I may not be a Pulitzer Prize winner, or a National Geographic correspondent, but my photos are good enough to hang on my wall :) and perhaps it's the holiday hangover talking, but today I am grateful, and happy to have rekindled old loves.

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.