Exploring and Sharing the World!
The Georgia Aquarium is one of my favorite places to be like a tourist in Atlanta. It is well done and even me, not quite nature boy, is fascinated by the marine life it holds and how it presents it. The colors in this picture are some of my favorite in the whole aquarium. If you come to Atlanta, stop by downtown and check it out! I may also add that I really like the Chattanooga Aquarium. Maybe y’all should do an “aquariums (or aquaria??) of the South” tour!
You may have already tracked my hike of Mt. Kilimanjaro via the Machame Route through my prior posts (if not, you may want to check them out starting with Day 1!). One of the most spectacular moments in the climb of the roof of Africa is the approach to Stella Point. See, Stella Point is one of the entry points to the rim of Kilimanjaro from which the final push to the summit (less than an hour away on less sloped terrain) takes place. For many people, like me, arriving at Stella Point is a moment of celebration even if you are not done yet. I just KNEW I would make it to Uhuru Peak (the summit) even if there is no guarantee really as you still have to climb 600 ft or so crossing the 19,000 ft threshold along the way to Uhuru.
But not only is reaching Stella Point a key milestone, you also approach it right as the sun breaks the horizon which makes it a priceless moment for sure – one I will never forget…
The title of this post seems like a mouthful: Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia (Basilica of our Lady of Altagracia).
This massive structure in Higüey, Dominican Republic is to honor the Virgin of Altagracia, national patron saint of the country. It was inaugurated in the 1970s and is within reach of many tourist centers in the DR, like Punta Cana. Its design is very original and it is worth checking out whenever you are ready to take a break from the beach! While you are at it, maybe meander around town – who knows what hole-in-the-wall delicious food you may find! A few more photos to wrap this post!
Last summer, as you may have read (or hopefully will check out!), I did a hike in the Transylvanian Alps in Romania. Home base for the trek was the charming city of Braşov. I still have to write about that beautiful town but this picture really evokes the spirit of old town Braşov for me. After a nice summer night dinner, we strolled around town as many of the locals seemed to be doing. It was a fun atmosphere and I wish I had had more time there. I shall return!
I wrote in an earlier post about this grand hotel of Washington, D.C.: The Mayflower, a Renaissance Marriott hotel. I just stayed there again and got to see it decorated for Christmas. I’d though I’d share this beautiful photo of its lobby area decorated for the holiday season.
Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to all!
I enjoyed food, music and sun in Curacao but I also enjoyed admiring the art and architecture in this amazing island! High kudos to the Hotel Kura Holanda for preserving the beautiful architecture and allowing visitors to walk through it!
No better way than sharing pictures to help you see what caught my eye.
Click on the picture to see a full version of the photo, not just a cropped thumbnail version! Then leave me a comment telling me which is your favorite (you can refer to the number in the caption).
Everything in Dubrovnik is picturesque (check out other sights in this jewel of the Adriatic!), including the view below of a harbor used by smaller craft including local fishermen.
I finally visited Copenhagen in 2011 with my family. One of the most picturesque areas of this city by the sea is Nyhavn. Nice waterfront cafés (and also good eateries in the side streets!).
Near the School of Medicine, in Iasi (pronounced yash), Romania, I learned what poetry in motion could mean… Call me. MAYBE.
More about my trip to Romania? Check out the hike I did! Or “static poetry” here. Or how the trip evolved from the hike to a few more things!
I loved the opportunity that arose unexpectedly a couple of years ago to make the long trip to Australia and New Zealand. It is not often I take more than 2 weeks off work at a time so having a month to go Down Under was pretty special – and yet not enough time by 200%!
One of my favorite discoveries was the incredible natural setting combined with man-made structures that is Sydney Harbor. Though I could not take a camera up when I climbed the iconic harbor bridge, I did strive to take pictures from the bridge.
The picture here takes me back to that visit and to the incredible setting that is Sydney Harbor. Here is to returning some day!
I have yet to write about my days in Dubrovnik earlier this year, or about the story behind its tiled roofs but I had to go ahead and share how those tiled roofs are made for lovers… love birds, that is.
As I prepare to write the story of my visit to the Republic of Moldova, a former Soviet socialist republic, I thought this week’s Photo of the Week could be a good initial way to share one of the things that the country has to offer: its monasteries and churches.
The Frumoasa Monastery (which was on our way to the better known and more significant Curchi Monastery) was my first stop after entering Moldova from Romania near Iasi. It is a nun monastery today, as it was for a few years pre-World War II and Soviet communism.
As many monasteries in Moldova, they were severely damaged either intentionally and/or by fire and restored after the fall of communism. Also, as most former monasteries during Soviet communism in Moldova, this one was used for non-religious purposes during that era having served as an orphanage, a school for deaf children, a colony for girls, and even a dancing club for children. Different buildings in the complex were used for different purposes.
While communism severely damaged the original buildings and likely destroyed original architecture, artwork, and documents, the dedication shown post-communism to restore these jewels of Moldova speaks a lot about the Moldovan people, and humans in general: no political system can really remove a people’s faith. Most monasteries I visited had a lot of the faithful -young and old- coming in for prayers.
Barranco Wall – A Great Challenge | Kilimanjaro Day 4
Preparing to Hike Kilimanjaro: More than Training & Gear
Descending from Kilimanjaro’s Summit | Kilimanjaro Day 6 and 7
Jordan’s Wadi Rum: Not Just for Lawrence of Arabia
On the Machame Route | Kilimanjaro Day 1
Tanzania’s Lake Manyara: A Cool and Easy Safari
Gear for Climbing Kilimanjaro | Clothing
A Fourth of July Celebration – Atlanta’s Peachtree Road Race
A Few Good Things to Do in Willemstad, Curacao
Photo Essay of the Center of Moldova’s Capital: Chisinau
