Florian Kriechbaumer 11/5/22 Florian Kriechbaumer 11/5/22

Azerbaijan - Central Asia with a Few Surprises

Take a journey through incredible architecture, pink lakes, and rocks on fire with me in this central Asian country.

After visiting Tajikistan several years ago, exploring more of Central Asia was high on my list. When I started researching Azerbaijan’s sights, a few rather interesting spots came up - read on to find out what I mean and take a journey through incredible architecture, pink lakes, and rocks on fire with me.

The first stop on the way from Baku’s International Airport to the city was at the Atashgah Zoroastrianism Fire Temple. Azerbaijan is often referred to as the “Land of Fire’, and this site plays a small role, among others (read on..). It was built in the 17th century as a place of worship for Zoroastrians, whose belief includes fire as one of the tentpole elements. The natural flame on the site stopped burning in 1969 however.

Baku’s Old City

From here, we explored Baku’s Old Town, the country’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Inner City

A model of the old town in the Palace of the Shirvanshahs.

One of its primary attractions is the Maiden tower, dating back at least to the 12th century and featured on Azerbaijani bank notes. Its back story is an interesting one, and so are the views from the top, with the glass architecture of the Flame Towers in the background in stark contrast to the beige old city buildings..

A Bird for Birds

When the tower was renovated in 2011, many of the crevices used by Swifts as nesting sites were filled to avoid further detoriation, and instead these bird-shaped nesting boxes were attached to the neighbouring building to give the birds a home.

Another important building in the old city is the 15th century complex of the Shirvanshahs dynasty, with its palace, baths, mosque, and mausoleum. The palace contains a nicely curated museum.

The Old Town is full of pretty restaurants, historical sites, and interesting shops.

Bazar Square

One of the many historical sites spread all over the Walled City - this one was discovered during archeological excavations in 1962.

Baku’s Architectural Highlight

Despite its beautiful old city, one of the most intriguing buildings I was looking forward to photograph in Baku is much younger - it opened in 2012. The Heydar Aliyev Center was designed by Zaha Hadid and named after the country’s former president (as many things are in Azerbaijan).

Use

The complex is almost 60,000 sqm and primarily used for cultural exhibitions, as well as concerts and performances.

Shapes

The flowing Abaya of a local women along the flowing lines of the building's facade. The design was meant to break from the rigid forms prevalent in most of Baku's Soviet legacy architecture.

Winner

In 2014 the structure was recognised with London's Design Museum's Design of the Year Award, making Zaha Hadid the first woman to win the competition.

Heart

Lots of love for this building. Could have spent days here.

Pink Wonder

30km outside the city centre lies an attraction that only shows its true colours a few months of the year.

Approaching

From the ground and afar, one can only sense that there’s something unusual about this lake and its hues...

It's only when you get close that you start to suddenly realise the unique conditions present here, and the visual glory that comes with them. Having said that, nothing can beat the view from the top… ⬇️

This amazing sight is the pink lake of Masazir, north of Baku. Its color derives from the combination of algae and bacterial bloom in the highly salty water at the right temperatures. It's one of a few such lakes around the world, and the people living on its shorelines definitely get to witness an interesting spectacle.

Industry

As the summer passes, the lake dries and the salt is harvested for commerical use.

Inflow

Where the salty water mixes with the river feeding the lake, a delta of colour contrasts emerge.

Got very lucky to explore and see this phenomenon, and many thanks to Andre Jabali for the tips in making it happen!

The Mud Volcanoes - Otherworldly Landscapes

Next up in the list of unusual places in Azerbaijan is an area called Gobustan, home to many of the world’s 800 mud volcanoes, half of which are located in the country.

Mud Volcano Landscape

The craters are reachable by car - although if you like your suspension I'd recommend taking a local taxi.

Scale

This was one of the larger active volcanoes we visited - but they can build up to several hundred metres high.

The look from above provides a perspective of several volcanoes in the area - notice the darker shades of fresh mud slowly making its way down the slope. NASA geologists studying Mars concluded that Azerbaijan's mud volcanoes have a similar structure to the uplands of the planet.

While the bubbly craters might appear cute, particularly given the sounds that come out of the bubbles as they pop, the larger volcanoes can erupt fiercely with flames shooting into the sky if water, gas, and mud mix under the right circumstances. In fact, the gas emissions are mostly methane, and can be ignited with a lighter (as our trusty guide proudly showed us while we scattered in fear of a mud explosion).

The mud is roughly the same temperature as the surrounding air, and dries up quickly once it spills over the crater edge. Volcano clay and mud are sometimes used in the treatment of diseases.

Gobustan National Park

The area around the volcanoes is a national park, home to a - surprisingly impressive - museum owing to the many prehistoric rock carvings dating back up to 15,000 years. The park is walkable and also includes natural “musical stones” called Gaval Dash, and a Roman inscription from the 1st century.

Heydar Mosque

Opened in 2014, it’s the largest in the South Caucasus region and located slightly outside the city centre. It’s almost disproportionately tall compared to its footprint - the minarets reach 95m.

Faith

While Azerbaijan's population is almost 100% muslim, it's a secular country and many people do not identify strongly with Islam.

The Carpet Museum

Fitting into the city’s architectural gem collection is the carpet museum, which unsurprisingly looks like a carpet, and houses many of them in a nod to the regions carpet manufacturing heritage.

The Candy Cane Mountains

Azerbaijan is home to another colorful natural attraction: A small shale mountain range north-east of Baku full of pink, purple, orange, and brown shades.

Candy

Groundwater that alters the oxidation state of the iron compounds in the earth created this kaleidoscope of colours in the landscape.

Take a look from above!

Sitting in Candy

The mountains are not particularly high, so I couldn't resist a small hike.

Fossils

You can also find fossilized remains of belemnites in the colourful rocks if you look closely.

Yanar Dag - “Burning Mountain”

On our way back we stopped at another peculiar place. Remember Azerbaijan’s nickname? The “Land of Fire” has another appropriate sight: Yanar Dag is a natural gas fire said to have been continuously burning for more than 700 years, snow, wind and earthquakes notwithstanding.

Yanar Dag

About 10m of rock provide a natural outdoor fireplace, with flames sometimes reaching several metres high depending on the wind.

Performance

We witnessed a traditional Azerbaijani dance show by the cultural centre managing the site in the evening.

Got to Believe

Of course, people throw coins as modern sacrifices.

Baku Impressions

Baku’s Museum of Modern Art has an interesting collection, including private pieces of Picasso and Dali. Its curious cafe was unfortunately closed during the time of my visit.

Bibi-Heybat Mosque

The original mosque here was built in the 13th century over a tomb of a descendant of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, but then destroyed in 1934. The current one is from 1999 and was enlarged in 2005.

Oil Rigs

The outskirts of Baku are home to hundreds of these characteristic little rigs, slowly and endlessly turning and pumping. The country is rich in oil and gas reserves and exploitation goes back over 150 years ago.

Racing

Baku is home to a Formula 1 race, held as a street circuit - note the starting grid and the pit lane is visible in the background.

Flame Towers

One of Baku's most recognisable architectural landmarks. Its shape is in reference to the country's nickname, and occasionally illuminated accordingly, although here it showed the Azerbaijani flag.

Skyline

A view along Baku's shoreline from the observation area near the flame towers.

Baku Crystal Hall

Finished for the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest.

Shahidlar Monument

Built in remembrance of the Ottoman soldiers killed during the World War, with the city's TV Tower, the tallest structure in Azerbaijan, in the centre.

A Final View...

...over the skyline, with the aptly named Crescent Hotel.

Florian Kriechbaumer 6/8/21 Florian Kriechbaumer 6/8/21

Luxembourg - Small but Special

In June 2021 I took the opportunity of borders reopening as the Coronavirus situation improved to visit Luxembourg, one of the last countries in Western Europe that I have not yet had the chance to explore. With less than 1 million people and an area of less than 3000 sq km, it is one of the smallest countries in the world, but at the same time has one of the highest GDP per capita.

Luxembourg features a rich history with many amazing castles dotted around the landscape, and a diverse and multicultural history and presence. Take a look at the photos below to get a glimpse of what I was able to see in 48 hours.

Hohllay Cave

Our first stop was in Berdorf, where you can find a small network of caves created by mining activity.

Man-made

The area was used to create circular millstones until the 19th century, so these are not natural cave structures.

Beaufort Castle

Our second stop was Beaufort Castle, just a short drive away.

11th Century

First built almost 1000 years ago, since 1988 it has been a Luxembourg national monument.

Trees

It is surrounded by a small river and beautiful forest.

Path

An elevated path leads over the grounds.

Grounds

A small lake on the southern side makes for beautiful scenery.

Reflections

Of course, that also means some great reflections.

Upside Down

Did I say great reflections?

Interior

Most of the castle features medieval architecture, but a few Renaissance style extensions were added in the 1600s.

Stairs

The staircases in the central section leading to the different wings.

Larochette

The third stop brought us to Larochette, with another beautiful castle perched above the village. Dating from the 11th century, it was destroyed by fire at the end of the 16th century and has been restored and renovated in the 1970s.

Clouds

After two hours of heavy (and I mean heavy) rain, a few clouds lingered around in the nearby forests as we made our way up to the viewpoint.

Glimpses

The surrounding hills offer a few glimpses towards the castle structure from different angles.

Post Rain

As the heavy rain subsided, the summer greenery of the forest felt twice as intense.

Path

We took them all - in total, we walked for over 40km during the 3 days.

Worth it

Much easier though when the scenery looks like this.

Low Clouds

The post-rain clouds occasionally got stuck in the trees.

Enchanted

Another path through the forest areas surrounding Larochette.

Nightfall

We made our way back to the castle viewpoint just as the lights turned on and the sky darkened.

Commitment

To get these shots took some commitment - specifically a barefoot adventure through 5cm deep ice cold rain water.

Panoramic

A full view of Larochette.

Day 2

We spent our second day in Luxembourg city, the capital and home to around 125,000 people.

Grund

This district of Grund is quite picturesque - even more so when the Alzette river isn't brown owing to the heavy rainfall I would imagine.

Socially Distanced

Religion during Covid.

International

Luxembourg is made up of almost 50% expatriats, and the city itself has an even higher percentage of non-native inhabitants.

The Look

I couldn't get a good cat shot this time, so this pigeon staring at me shall do the job.

Colours

The first impression of the city was a bit quiet and sterile, but it did lighten up as the day progressed and we explored more.

City Greens

The city centre is surrounded by canyons of the Alzette and Pétrusse rivers, filled with large trees, making for some interesting perspectives.

Spots

The canyons are accessible with small parks, bridges and full of small medieval remains.

Adolphe Bridge

This 1900s stone-arch bridge features a hanging walkway underneath, which opened in 2018.

In the Sky

A Cargolux plane - Luxembourg Airport's runway is in direct path of the city.

Pipes

One of my favourite instruments - this is the organ in the 17th century Notre Dame cathedral.

CBD

The Kirchberg district features the city's few skyscrapers, and several EU and other institutions.

Up

What goes up...

Down

... must come down again.

Modernity

This is one of the parts of the capital that feels distinctly modern - that is not the say the rest of the city didn't seem well maintained.

Philharmonie Luxembourg

Contrasts

In many ways, one of the most fascinating aspects of the city is how elegantly it fused its medieval history with a modern cityscape, without overpowering it. Here's the Grand Duke Jean Museum of Modern Art with Musée Draï Eechelen in front.

Gold

The Court of Justice of the European Union is housed here.

Church of Saint John

The Church of Saint John in Grund lies directly on the Alzette, and opposite the 11th cenury castle remains, around which the city settlement formed.

Evening Views

The late sunsets meant it took until 10pm to get these blue hour shots of the cityscape along the Alzette.

Nightfall over Luxembourg

It was worth the wait, and the extra 3km walk until we found the spot.

Bourscheid Castle

The last day had two more castles on the agenda. This is Bourscheid castle, some 150 metres above the River Sûre.

Angles

There are three nice view points on the surrounding hills, all giving a slightly different impression of the castle.

1000 years

From a distance it looks well preserved, but up close and inside it's more obvious that it has lost a lot of its original medieval structure.

Yellow

The last viewpoint made for some beautiful contrasts with what I believe are rape seed flowers.

Lonely Trees

Can't resist those.

Perched High

It is situated over 300m above the city, which makes for some dramatic perspectives.

Castle No 4

And the last castle on the list was probably the most famous one - Vianden.

Transformations

The castle was built on the site of an ancient Roman castellum, and dates back almost a thousand years, although it has Gothic and Renaissance sections as well.

Modern Times

The castle played a military role in the second world war Battle of Vianden. It's final restoration was completed in 1990.

Vianden

The town of 1500 people lies on the Our river. It was our last station of the trip.

Florian Kriechbaumer 5/10/21 Florian Kriechbaumer 5/10/21

The Dubai Fog

One of the most elusive sights of cityscape photography is the infamous Dubai fog. It’s a yearly occurrence, usually from November to February, but often limited to a handful of days during this time. Predicting it is a gamble of combining various forecast websites and tools, comparing dew points, humidity and temperature forecasts, and even then you need to hope for a little bit of luck.

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

On top of that, you need to secure a location to shoot from. While some people live in high rise towers above the 40th floor with great views, the rest of us will struggle to get permits, ask hotels, check with friends, and convince security guards. The unpredictable nature of the fog makes that even harder - sometimes it is so patch that a building 5km left or right will be floating above the clouds while you have a clear view of the ground.

If you do manage to get everything right, the rewards are spectacular. I’ve been able to shoot the fog five or six times this winter, and will certainly never get enough of it. To me, not other city can top the combination of Dubai’s amazing skyline (in fact, there are more than one skylines) with the feeling of floating above the clouds.

Contact me if you’d like to purchase prints of the photos in this post.

Florian Kriechbaumer 7/13/19 Florian Kriechbaumer 7/13/19

Puglia - Italy's South at its Best

A recent wedding invitation gave me the opportunity to explore the south of Italy a bit more, specifically the region of Apulia, or Puglia in the native language. 2 days of driving from Bari through Polignano a Mare, the Grotte di Castellana, Alberobello with its Trulli houses, and the white city of Ostuni gives you a great impression of the typical architecture, food and nature around this part of Italy.

Polignano a Mare

One of the most famous towns on the coast of Apulia, with the Lama Monachile, also known as Cala Porto, beach area surrounded by cliffs and houses.

Statua di Domenico Modugno

Famous for the song Nel blu, dipinto di blu - or commonly known as "Volare".

Coast View

The view from the northern cliffs towards the cirty.

Postcard Beach

The city's most famous spot, seen through the rails of the Roman bridge.

Little Church

A tiny church in the older parts of Polignano a Mare.

Up

Looking towards the sky between the tightly built houses.

Cliffs

There are many small balconies and other spots in the city to enjoy these views.

Cityscpe

Typical southern Italy impressions.

Riverbed

What I presume is a riverbed that was once flowing into the sea, and now leads to the famous beach, crossed by the Roman bridge.

Roman Bridge

The aforementioned bridge connecting two parts of the city.

The Adriatic Sea

Beautiful water and good temperatures in July.

Unnatural Cliffs

Built on top the actual limestone rock are the houses framing the famous beach.

Unused

No one has been sitting here in a while.

Don't Come Closer

Obligatory cat photo, as I moved on from Polignano a Mare to the Grotte di Castellana.

Trees

While Dubai does have more greenery than one would expect, you do miss this kind of view from time to time.

Grotte di Castellana

The main cave of the system, which is 3km overall. It's the only one with an opening to the outside, and also the only one you can take photos in.

Stalactites and stalagmites embellish almost every wall in the caves. Humans for scale...

Backward

Looking backward to the main cave as you descend deeper.

Downwards

This is the hole connecting the main cave to the outside world - it's hidden by trees and bushes, but can be viewed directly from the street.

Alberobello

The next stop was Alberobello, famous for its Trullo buildings.

Trullo

The traditional Apulian dry stone hut with its conical roof.

History

Generally thought to be temporary storage or accommodation, these houses have been around for 200 years and more.

Legend

It is said that the houses were made of dry wall so they could be easily dismantled when tax inspectors were in the area, as historically Apulia had high property taxation.

Protected

The area is a UNESCO world heritage site.

Basilica of Saints Cosmas and Damian

The centre of the religious history of the city.

Casa d'Amore

A national monument, named after its former owner, for its role in the victory against the tyranny of the counts in the 18th century.

Conversion

Most of the Trullo houses have been turned into shops, tourist attractions, restaurants and small hotels.

Ostuni Streets

One of the many stairs in the city.

Ostuni

Or aptly nicknamed "The White City"

Interior of Ostuni Cathedral

The ceiling creates an impression of additional space beyond the roof.

Succulent Door

Typical scene with plants framing doors and windows.

Streets of Ostuni

The arched streets are a typical feature of the city.

Just Chilling

The life of a cat.

Narrow

Even for humans, this is a one way street.

Modes of Transport

Not made for anything bigger than a Smart.

Support

The city was remarkably - and pleasantly - quiet. Not sure it would withstand hords of people.

City Walls

The wall surrounding the elevated plateu on which Ostuni's historic centre is located.

Tight

As I said, not much space for anything bigger than a Smart.

Plant Stairs

Even without a door, stairs must be decorated with some plants.

Blossoming

One of the main streets of Ostuni.

Landscape

Views over the Apulian landscape, with its many olive tree fields.

Towards the Sea

A road leading eastwards.

Olive Trees...

It's said that there are over 50 million olive trees in Apulia...

And more Olive Trees

...producing 40% of Italy's olive oil.

Florian Kriechbaumer 7/13/19 Florian Kriechbaumer 7/13/19

Malta - The Intriguing Island

On the way back to Dubai from a wedding in Puglia, I took the chance to stop over on the island of Malta. The small nation in the Mediterranean Sea features rich history, amazing nature, cute cityscapes and more things to see and do than I had expected. Having walked over 50km in just over 3 days, I took a few hundred photos, a short selection is below.

Coastline

The country consists of three major inhabitated islands: Malta. Gozo and Comino.

Courtyard

The interior of the hotel I stayed in, a renovated building in central Valletta.

St John's Co-Cathedral

The nave of one of the most famous cathedrals in Malta, completed in 1577.

Steps

The Steps near the Valletta city gate, designed by Renzo Piano.

Walls

A tree growing in one of the many trenches around Malta's fortified walls.

Cat Cafe

There seems to be a special place for cats in Maltese hearts, as I found a few spots for shelter and food.

Unusual Parking Lot

A parking lot inside the walls remaining of this building.

Contrasts

Huge moden cruise liners, fortified walls, churches, and port cranes all come together. Special mention to whoever came up with the idea of painting this crane like a giraffe.

Mein Schiff

One of the ships of the Mein Schiff fleet from tour operator Tui. The Valletta waterfront is regularly home to large cruise liners.

Cabins

With a capacity of 2500 people, this one is not quite yet up there with the largest in the world.

Feline Friend

One of the beneficiaries of the cat cafe.

Pride

Unusual street crossing.

Judging You

Since 1951 or so...

Backstreets

Malta has an unusual charme - it's clearly old and parts feel run down, but yet not dirty or unsafe.

Waterfront

Looking westwards from Valetta into the harbour. There's quite a lot of cranes in the skyline, the economy is doing well and the government invests in infrastructure.

City Views

The north eastern side of Valetta, with the dome of Our Lady of Mount Carmel church.

Walls

The typical building walls with colorful offset balconies.

Looking out

He did have binoculars just a moment ago.

Street Views

You'll climb and descend a lot of streets in Valletta.

Auberge de Castille

The prime ministers office..

Singers

Amazing guitarist in the streets of Valletta.

Nightlife

While Malta's entertainment district is elsewhere, Valletta's streets were still busy in the evenings.

Chatting

Two girls discussing life's ideosyncracies on the city walls.

Entrance

As with many mediterranean cities, people like to keep plants outside the doors, windows and balconies.

Patterns

A cafe near the Upper Barrakka Gardens.

Stairs

Looking down the stairs of the Barrakka lift, connecing the waterfront with the streets of Valletta.

Yacht

A large yacht passing Senglea and Birgu, two of the cities opposite Valletta.

Senglea

One of the "three cities" on the other side of the harbour, largely unknown, yet equally interesting as Valletta.

Barraka Lift

The aforementioned lift and its stairs, seen from the bottom.

Cul de Sac

A small side street in Senglea.

Game On

Although this football field had a peculiar trapez like shape, it's location on the waterfront is unbeatable.

Lookout

The little tower in Gardjola Gardens provides good views of Valletta - and usually some large cruise liners.

Navigation

This boat is parked high up in the city, with narrow twisting roads - I do wonder how it got up here.

Downwards

Looking from Senglea to the Birgu waterfront.

The Saluting Battery

Up in the Barrakka Gardens.

Fire

At 12 noon and 4pm, one of the cannons is fired daily out of tradition. Having said that, I have a feeling the Maltese like their historic guns and batteries, I did hear regular shots all around. Sidenote: Loving 60 fps high speed mode on the Olympus OMD-EM-1.

Piano

Another great musician playing in the Valletta streets.

Justice

Unfortunately these are not love locks, but a cry for justice for the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, one of Malta's leading investigative journalists, assassinated in 2017.

Narrow

While cities built before the 1900s were not made for cars, people adapt - it's rare to see large SUVs in places like Malta.

Finding a Way

A tree growing through a concrete hole in the ground.

Dusk

The bustling city life in the evening.

Vertigo

Roaming around empty side streets in the blue hour.

Exploring

A group of young people discovering the city.

The only light

This taxi took me out to the coast on the south western side of the island, on my hunt for the Milky Way.

Milky Way

Shot about 40min drive outside Valetta at Miġra l-Ferħa.

Moonset

Yes - this is the moon setting, not the sun.

Nightscapes

Probably my favourite shot of the trip, with the moon just disappearing on the horizon, casting a faint light over the landscape, while not overpowering the Milky Way.

Watching the Cosmos

Couldn't quite keep myself still enough on the windy (and steep and tall) coastline. The glow from the left is the airport I believe.

Nighttime

Not so bustling anymore at 2am.

Filfla

The island of Fifla is the southern most point of Malta.

Blue Grotto

One of the most famous attractions in Malta, this is actually a combination of multiple sea caves where water, light and rocks create colourful patterns.

Light & Water.

One such pattern.

Blue Hand

Our boat captain showing us why this cave is said to turn divers blue.

Colours

The spectrum of shades you can spot here is amazing.

Cave Swim

It's possible to swim and dive in the caves.

Radiating

Probably the most intense blue I've seen in the sea.

Downwards

There's a great viewpoint on the road leading towards the small harbour used for the excursions to the Blue Grotto.

Blue Wall

The so called blue wall is one of the most spectacular features of the Maltese coastline.

Framed

Filfla seen through two trees.

Falconry

Surprisingly, Malta has a falconry centre - although this is an Eagle I believe.

Prehistoric

Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra are among the most ancient religious sites on Earth and over 5000 years old. Protective tents were built over them a few years ago to minise impact of sun, wind and rains.

Chair

I doubt anyone has sat here for a while. The tent over Ħaġar Qim in the background.

Coastal Features

Another beautiful arch on the Maltese coast, not far from the ancient sites.

Mdina

One of my highlights of the visit was Mdina, the former capital, almost 3000 years old.

St. Paul's Cathedral Mdina

The frescoed interior was covered by red clothes - unsure of this is permanet or for a special occasion.

Church of the Annunciation of Our Lady

The dome of the second major church in Mdina.

The Lady in Blue

The streets of Mdina leant themselves for some Instagram snaps...

Domvs Romana

The ruins of this 1st century BCE Roman theatre with the background of Mdina.

Pastizzi

One of the most famous Maltese specialties - indeed, it's delicious.

Inconspicious

Local man enjoying an evening drink in a place serving what is said to be the best Pastizzi in Malta, and doing so 24/7, located in Rabat just outside Mdina.

Mdina

Mdina seen from a distance shows its elevated position.

Family Happiness

Or dinner?

Parade

Officers practicing on St George's square.

Restauration

Stumbled into this little workshop. restoring figures and other parts of the nearby Our Lady of Mount Carmel church.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel church

The interior of the aforementioned church.

Hidden Spot

On my last morning, I discovered this gem - the Teatru Manoel.

Manoel Theatre

Said ot be Europe's third-oldest working theatre, it isn’t as big as it looks here, with only 623 seats.

Work in Progress

This view gives away that the theatre is actually quite small. Note the woman on the bottom right, doing restoration on one of the decorative paintings on the wall.

Florian Kriechbaumer 3/10/19 Florian Kriechbaumer 3/10/19

Mainz - German history on the Rhine

The pleasant occasion of the wedding of one of my best friends gave me the opportunity to expand the (embarrassingly short) list of German cities I’ve visited. While it was only a short weekend visit, the city of Mainz has a few beautiful spots that I was able to capture. Since I didn’t bring my camera along, the below photos were all short on iPhone - the capabilities for even advanced photography on smartphones keeps growing exponentially.

The pleasant occasion of the wedding of one of my best friends gave me the opportunity to expand the (embarrassingly short) list of German cities I’ve visited. While it was only a short weekend visit, the city of Mainz has a few beautiful spots that I was able to capture. Since I didn’t bring my camera along, the below photos were all shot on iPhone - the capabilities for even advanced photography on smartphones keeps growing exponentially.

The Wood Tower

Mainz is full if historic sights. This is the mediaeval Wood tower, with its Gothic appearance from the early 15th century.

Lunch

We had lunch in a great old restaurant with its own brewery.

Beer Tower

... which serves 5L beer towers...

Courtyard

The courtyard of the St Stephan's church.

St Bonifatius

A copy of the original statue which is in the cathedral. Note the dagger through the bible.

The Mainz Cathedral

Over 1000 years old, but restored several times.

Interior

The main nave of the cathedral.

Heiliggeist Restaurant

Situated in what was the oldest hospital in Germany from the 13th century.

The Roman Theatre

The backdrop of this train station features the Roman Theatre. Escavated in the late 1990s and over 2000 years old, it once had a capacity of over 10000 and was the largest north of the Alps.

Side view

Another view of the theatre with the new railway station in the background.

Citadel

The Mainz citadel with the old fortress walls. The buildings now house government offices.

The church of St Augustin

Completed in 1771.

Rococo Architecture

The outside doesn't quite give away the impressive interior features.

City Centre

The old centre of the city features some beautiful frame houses.

Ruins of the church of St. Christoph

Destroyed in the second world war, the church is now a war memorial.

St Peter's Church

The Rococo interior was recreated after the church was almost destroyed in the second world war.

Pipe Organ

The beautiful organ on the choir side of the church.

Christ Church

The Christ Church on Kaiserstrasse.

Balance

The protestant church is about 100 years old an was intended as a balance to the catholic cathedral.

Promenade

The promenade on the Rhine river that runs through Mainz.

Theodor Heuss Bridge

Crossing the Rhine and connecting Hessen and Rhineland Palatinate federal states.

Across the River

Looking towards the Reduit building in Mainz-Kastel.

Cityscapes

Mainz has a lot of charming buildings and restaurants.

Town Square

The Saturday market on the square just next to the cathedral.

Florian Kriechbaumer 11/8/17 Florian Kriechbaumer 11/8/17

Sofia - "Grows, but does not age"

Visited another new city this November - the capital of Bulgaria: Sofia. Commonly listed as one of the oldest cities in Europe, it indeed sports some impressive historical sites dotted around in the city, while there is a clear trend towards modernity. The Soviet legacy is slowly becoming a distant past, although it has certainly not yet disappeared from the cityscape. Also had the chance to visit Rila monastery, about 120km into the mountains - a truly impressive sight.

Observation

It seems these are used to monitor and contorl traffic, but I've never seen them occupied during my time in Sofia.

Churches and more churches...

I can't remember the name of this one. Anyone? P.S Anyone who mixes cold and warm white bulbs in the same room isn't an acceptable human.

Souvenirs

Of a religous kind. Three quarters of the population follow the Orthodox belief.

As always

No album without at least one cat.

Soviet Remnants

Pins from forgotten times, some interesting football related gems here too.

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

The most famous church in Sofia from the inside.

Interior

The marble parts and the lighting fixtures were created in Munich, the metal elements for the gates in Berlin, the gates in Vienna, and the mosaics were shipped from Venice.

Details

The church was finished in 1912.

Entry

About 10000 people fit inside.

Contrasts

The museum inside the cathedral.

Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church

Just next to the cathedral.

Creepy

There are few weird things in the city...

Sofia Central Mosque

From the 16th century, situated just next to a church and a synagoge.

Is it...

... a museum or a metro station?

The Serdica

This was probably the most interesting area in Sofia. Ruins from Roman times going back almost 2000 years in the middle of the city.

Location

The Serdica area is just next to the Mosque and partly covered by the metro station.

Serdica

Parts of it are underground covered by huge glass domes.

Selfie

With style.

History & Modernity

The small 16th century Sveta Petka Church and the Tzum shopping mall behind.

The light

The entry to the Cathedral Church Sveta Nedelya

Interior

And its inside.

Interior

Another shot of the church which was - probably - built around the 10th century. It was rebuilt a few times.

Church of St. George

Considered the oldest building in Sofia, from the 4th century.

More Soviet Remnats

There are a few for sure.

History of Sofia Museum

Unfortunately I have to say the outside is more interesting than the inside.

Market Hall

Seems to be very common style in eastern Europe, I've seen something similar in Budapest as well.

Facade

The mix of architectural styles is very pronounced in Sofia.

Saint Sofia Monument

Made of copper & brass.

Nezavisimost Square

With the aforementioned glass domes.

Church of St. George

A daylight view from the other side showing the unique location of the church.

Theme Park

A small one at least.

Autumn

One of the beautiful spots of Sofia inside the TZAN courtyard.

History of Sofia Museum

One of the exhibits. 70s starter pack?

Street scenes

A somewhat tyical view.

Cityscapes

A view of the streets around the Lion's bridge.

Jaguar

Visited the zoo as well - a sad visit I must add, it isn't in the best condition.

Lamb's Wool

Could have been useful, although it wasn't too cold yet.

Skyline

The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral within the skyline of the city.

Domes

The tallest dome is 53m tall.

Mountain sunset

Sofia sits at the foot of Vitosha Mountain.

Views

View of the cathedral from the Hotel Sense Rooftop Bar, worth a visit.

Full Moon

Sitting behind one of the spires of the art gallery roof.

Boyana Church

Medieval church known for an interior covered in frescos dating from the late 900s.

Trees

One of the giant sequoia trees on the grounds of the Boyana church.

On the lookout

... for food.

Staircases

Inside Rila monastery's Tower of Hrelja, which dates from 1335.

Lookout

Looking east through one of the tower's windows.

Worthwhile

Our tour guide told us it wasn't worth to go up the tower. View proves otherwise.

Monastery of Saint Ivan of Rila

The view in the courtyard, looking westwards.

Exterior Frescoes

There's more on the inside, but unfortunately no photography allowed.

Around

The courtyard is surrounded by the 4 floor buildings of the monastery.

Monastery of Saint Ivan of Rila

And looking towards the eastern side.

Doors

One of the doors of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.

And another one...

Got to love a nice door.

Movie Scene

They were shooting an action scene with burning cars and all the jazz on this Sunday afternoon.

Just chilling

In the City Garden, a popular hangout spot in central Sofia.

Music

Always makes people smile.

Dancing

People dancing to Bulgarian folklore in front of the neoclassical theater of Sofia.

Nightlife

The long pedestrian area towards the Palace of Culture is full of restaurants and bars.

Playing with Fire

The city felt relatively quiet, but it seems people do come out at night...

Florian Kriechbaumer 6/21/17 Florian Kriechbaumer 6/21/17

Budapest - 1 Day in Buda, 1 Day in Pest...

Another short city break - this time to the city of Budapest, Hungary on the river Danube. Spent two days in amazing weather exploring this historic place.

Another short city break - this time to the city of Budapest, Hungary on the river Danube. Spent two days in amazing weather exploring this historic place.

The Aria Rooftop

Stayed in this hotel mainly for its rooftop view.

Aria Lobby

But it also has a music theme and someone playing the piano each day - what's not to like?

From Above...

This is a type of fountain in central Budapest, near the St Stephen Basilica.

... and below

And this is what's below - absolutely loved this and the atmosphere especially with the sunlight patterns was really soothing.

Street Life

The area just next to the aforementioned fountain cafe.

Fly

A skate park just next to the fountain.

Walk to wisdom

A priest walks towards the entrance of the St Stephen Basilica.

Miniature Gang

Visited the miniature wonderland...

Visitors

... which had some intriguing artifacts on display.

Mixed Reality.

Houses and.. what?

Miniature Wonderland

While nicely done, I guess it can't compete to the one in Hamburg which I really want to see soon.

Control Centre

Probably one of the coolest jobs out there.

Organs

Was lucky enough to be able to listen to an organ player in one of the city's many churches - love the sound of this instrument. Sing Hallelujah!

Underground

I always wonder what's below the old churches in many European cities - at the Parish Church they put glass windows into the ground to see it, and you could walk into the church basements.

Dark Clouds

Looming over the house of god. A sign?

Sun is out

Had great weather for all three days - here's a view over the Danube river towards the Buda castle.

Fisherman

A man fishing on the shores of the Danube.

Gellert Caves

The Buda side of Budapest is full of natural caves - some of them accessible.

The Pest Side

The pest side of Budapest at sunset.

Partial Selfie.

All you get.

Local Dance

Ran into an event where some local girls performed a typical Hungarian dance with bottles on their head. Not sure what this signifies.

Parliament at Sunset

The Hungarian parliament building shortly after sunset.

Hungarian Parliament

And one more shot, once the lights were on, with one of the many cruise and dinner ships passing by on the Danube.

Local Food

I didn't get to try a lot of local food, but can always recommend Hungarian Salami!

Watch out

A statue of someone (?) on October 6th street.

Model

A model in of the St Stephen's church.

Stairs

Couldn't resist walking up to the top - 300 steps!

At the top

And the view you get as a reward.

Not quite stable.

While generally a well maintained and clean city from what I saw, some parts need extra fixing.

Mathias Church

Seen from the St Stephen's basilica roof. The questionable architecture of the Hilton just next to it.

The Dome

The inside of the St Stephen's basilica dome.

Crossing Bridges

A monument near the Hungarian parliament. Couldn't figure out what it represents.

The Parliament

Definitely the most impressive building in Budapest.

Rings

Budapest applied for the 2024 Olympic Games.

The Logo

And here is the logo and its meaning.

Cave Church

A church inside Gellert Hill, formerly used as a monastery and hospital during the second world war.

Wood

One of the artifacts of the church, hand carved in wood.

Salami Land

Did I mention Hungary is famous for Salami?

Central Market Hall

With lots of local produce over three stories.

Colours

Things I rarely eat.

When your food smiles at you

A little too literally.

Movable Book Store

Couldn't find much in English though.

Writing

What better place for drafting your next novel?

Dohány Street Synagogue

The inside of the Moorish Synagogue in Budapest.

Synagogue Interiors

If I'm not mistaken this was the first time I ever entered a Synagogue.

Memorial

A second world war memorial and cemetery is outside the church.

Strange Places

Szimpla Kert, possibly the weirdest pub I've ever seen with its random interior and artifacts. On the other hand, seemingly the most popular bar in the city.

Interiors 1

No comment.

Interiors 2

No further comment.

Interiors 3

Still no comment.

Contrasts

On the other side of the spectrum, this is the interior of New York cafe.

New York Cafe

Renaissance style and opened in 1894.

Reflections

Part of the Fisherman's bastion reflecting in the nearby Hilton hotel.

Framed

The Matthias church seen through some of the windows at the Fisherman's Bastion.

Castle District

A road in the castle district at sunset.

Posing

Some girls were posing at the Holy Trinity statue in front of the Matthias church.

Change your Focus

To get a new perspective. The chain bridge in the background.

Buda Castle at Night

Buda Castle seen from the Pest side of the Danube, just next to the Chain bridge.

Chain Bridge

And here's the view towards the right.

Budapest Eye

Budapest's ferris wheel.

Matthias Church Tower

Of course I had to walk up this one as well, 200 stairs only this time.

Progress

More than half way.

The View

And the view looking east. Note the roof tiles of the church.

Tiles

The tiles were replaced in the 90s during a renovation, but some of the original ones can still be seen in the church.

Chimneys

Seems like there's a lot of fireplaces in the houses in the castle district.

Matthias Church Interior

The inside of the church. Unfortunately the light wasn't great and it was very crowded and noisy.

Windows

Some of the beautiful glass windows - spoilt by the strange hanging lamps that were installed.

Music

Original sheets by Franz List, one of the most famous Hungarian composers from the 19th century.

Hospital in the Rock

The entrance is in the castle wall and the hospital's rooms were built from the natural rock. It was used as a hospital in the second world war.

The Birds of Hiroshima

During the Cold War, the hospital was upgraded as a nuclear bunker and currently hosts an exhibition - the origami cranes intend to remind of Sadako Sasaki, who folded them in the hospital before dying from the effects of the bomb.

The Chain Bridge

View from Buda castle, with the St Stephen basilica in the background.

Florian Kriechbaumer 7/14/16 Florian Kriechbaumer 7/14/16

Athens - Old & Older

During Eid of 2016 I spent a few days in Greece, going to Vouliagmeni on the coast and Athens

During Eid of 2016 I spent a few days in Greece, going to Vouliagmeni on the coast and Athens

Panorama from the Areopagus Hill

One of the best views of the city, especially in the later afternoon.

Panathenaic Panorama

Shot with iPhone.

Arion Resort & Spa, Astir Palace

Our hotel for the first two days. Beautiful setting with its own little sea inlet.

Sunset Views

The sister hotel of the Arian, the Westin, just next to it on the same peninsula.

No Album without them.

... and another shot is still to come!

Questionable beauty

I never thought butterflies are particularly pretty.

Island Mountains

Looking westwards from Vouliagmeni.

Striking a Pose

Sunset happiness!

Sunset Views Part 2

More sunset views looking over the Astir Palace pool.

On the Move

Sometimes you need a little abstractness in your life.

Moonrise

The first moon after Ramadan rising over the Saronic gulf. Eid Mubarak!

Turtling Along

Found this guy roaming on the island, enjoying the views.

Water Fun

Bumpy ride.

Water Fun 2

Never tried this myself.

Rooftop Views

Athens from the rooftop of our hotel, The Stanley.

Books Galore

Mostly in Greek though.

Stoa of Attalos

Originally built some 100 years BC, the current version was rebuilt in the 1950s.

Trains & Ruins

Archaeological digging sites next to the train tracks, that's Athens for you.

Model & Reality

The small and big version of the Temple of Hephaestus in the Agora.

Tourist Turtle

This turtle was roaming around near the Temple of Hephaestus. Maybe fleeing from the dog behind it.

Overview of the Agora

With the Stoa of Attalos and the Lycabettus Hill in the background - we climbed that one later...

Contrasts

One of the fascinating things about Athens is the huge messy urban sprawl surrounding the city mixed with some of the ancient preserved areas. The Stoa of Attalos and Church of the Holy Apostles in the foreground here.

Odeon of Herodes Atticus

Still used for events today.

The Real Acropolis

Tourists, ropes and a garbage can.

Acropolis Sunrays

Not many angles without cranes or other signs of ongoing renovation works.

Theatre of Dionysus

The ruins of this theatre, originally built in the 6th century BC.

Major Renovations

The Partheon is undergoing major renovation at the moment to prevent it from deteriorating further. Not the best time for photos.

Lycabettus Hill

.. which we climbed on the next day!

Urbanity

Athens' churches weren't really particularly impressive, here is one of the nicer examples.

The Erechtheion

One of the few buildings on the Acropolis not currently under renovation.

Good Morning

Promised you another one!

The Roman Agora

With the Tower of Winds on the right.

Street Life

Walking around the Plaka.

Posing

The most human-like thing you could find in many buildings of central Athens.

Old & New

But mostly old.

Rooftopping

View from the A for Athens rooftop. Amazing spot.

Skyline

Again taken from the A for Athens rooftop.

Graffiti 2.0

While most of the graffiti was visible unpleasant to say the least, this was far more intriguing.

Sunset Watchers

I was one of them a few hours earlier.

State of the Top

Many of Athen's rooftops are housing bars and hotels, but there is also a lot of empty and abandoned ones.

Moonwatching

The new moon rising.

The Classical Shot

The most photographed sight in Athens.

Travel Companion

Luckily she was able to handle my strict planning.

Tanning Pose

A turtle pond in Athen's National Gardens. Don't know what this guy is up to.

Guard Moves

The guards in front of the Presidential Palace.

Panathenaic Stadium

Where the first Olympics of the modern era took place in 1896.

Olympic Vibes

The stadium also hosted the final of the 2004 Olympics marathon.

Stadium Selfie

Up the stairs!

Pleasant Lines

...for my OCD mind.

The Olympic Torch

A collection of the torches used for all Olympic games is exhibited alongside the official poster in the stadium's little museum.

In the Spirit

Some people actually ran the track of the stadium. No thanks.

Up the Stairs

The stadium is still used for special events occasionally.

The Zappeion

Originally built for the first modern Olympics.

Nature adjusts

Square peg in a round hole.

Biblical Shops

Many shops selling religious artefacts of all kinds.

Statements

No further comments.

Scale

The Temple of Olympian Zeus was one of the more impressive sites for sure.

Temple of Zeus

From the Athens Gate rooftop.

Details

A close up of the Stoa of Attalos' roof.

Church Equipment

In case you plan to build your own church.

Translate Please?

Loved this modern building constructed over an ancient site. Don't know what it is, who can tell me?

Public Library

One of my favourite buildings in the city.

View over the Panathenaic

The Panathenaic Stadium from the Lycabettus Hill.

Eastwards

The edges of the city towards the eastern hills surrounding Athens.

Temple of Zeus

...during sunset

Strefi Hill

As seen from the top of the Lycabettus Hill.

Church Agios Nikolaos

Also from the Lycabettus Hill.

Downfall?

Soldiers taking the flag down - I assume this was because of the wind though.

In the Sunset

Sun setting over central Athens and the Acropolis.

Westwards

The sun setting behind the mountain range on the North Western side of Athens.

Temple of Zeus

.. and a few hours later

The City

The view towards the sea. Athens looks unusually large and dense from above.

Acropolis at Night

Thanks to the lighting it still looks impressive.

Florian Kriechbaumer 5/17/15 Florian Kriechbaumer 5/17/15

Amsterdam - A Photographic Exploration

This May I had to travel to Amsterdam for work for a full week. Having only seen the airport previously, I took the chance to stay over the weekend and spend some time exploring the city. It’s definitely an interesting place with a lot of photo opportunities. I spent 2,5 days exploring the city, largely by foot (I walked almost 70 kilometres). Unfortunately I caught a bad cold early during my stay, so I spent most evenings in bed after work. If I were to compare it to other cities, I’d probably characterise it as a mix between London, Paris and Venezia, although I think it takes more time to truly understand the lifestyle of a place.

Below is a collection of photos from the trip. I’ll point out a few spots that are specifically interesting from a photography perspective, hopefully this may be valuable for others looking for some inspiration before a trip to Amsterdam.

The Nightlife

This was taken on the Rembrandtplein, which is full of restaurants and cafes that allow for nice street photography.

Chess

Chess is just one of the many activities you can spot people engaged in on one of the public spots in the city. This was taken on the Max Euweplein.

Facades

Many of the houses in the city sport beautiful brick facades.

Magic Mushrooms

There are various shops selling questionable items in Amsterdam, some with more obvious names than others.

Canals and Bikes

Bringing together the two most distinct aspects of the city.

Boats

The canals are frequented by boats of various sizes and purposes, some for tourists, some you can have dinner on and others for transport and and logistics. There are also a few thousand house boats anchored to the sides of the canals.

Walking Along the Canals

There are probably hundreds of waterfront walkways along the canals, which all spot slightly different scenery.

Lock it Down

I've heard from a few people that you cannot leave your bikes unattended for even a minute. Looks like the same is true for tables.

With Passion

I have the impression I've seen and heard this guy singing more than once - but I cannot recall where it may have been.

Bike Parking

Parking your bikes can be difficult when the city has more bikes than people. This person got creative.

Canals at Night

Some of the canal bridges have decorative lights on them - those make for great photography and I spent a lot of time on the corner of Keizersgracht and Reguliersgracht canals, which is probably one of the best spots. You can also see some of the crooked houses on the corner, stemming from the shifting sand foundations.

Sunday Market

I stumped upon a small market, were many of the things the Netherlands are famous for were on sale. This fellow proudly displayed an award for his cheese on his stand - it did taste amazing.

I amsterdam

The I amsterdam sign in front of the Reijksmuseum is a popular photo spot. Unfortunately I didn't manage to go there early morning when it's not crowded.

The Reijksmuseum underpass

The tunnel below the Reijksmuseum for pedestrians and bikes is perfect to spend a few hours to catch the combination of architecture, people and bikes.

Street Music

The acoustics in the underpass make some performances even more compelling - this musician was very into his violin.

Reijksmuseum

The Reijksmuseum against the sun.

Caravans

In Germany, Dutch people are notorious for clogging up the Autobahn with their caravans. This one at least comes with some nostalgic flair.

The Apple Store

It's often worthwhile visiting the Apple Store as they are usually set in beautiful buildings. Amsterdam's is no exception.

Nutella Bakery

Definitely a place I enjoyed.

Van Gogh's words

I heard the van Gogh museum is worth to see, but unfortunately it was incredibly busy, so I skipped it.

Pedestrian Precinct

On the weekend, some of Amsterdam's streets feel quite busy and crowded, with a mix of cars, bikes, trams and pedestrians all getting along quite well.

Death

A strange encounter in front of the Palais op de Dam

Feeding

People seem to enjoy feeding birds.

Canal Buildings

One of the nicest photo spots of the houses along the canal is from the bridge near the Central Station.

Central Station

The Central Station. The most interesting part for me was that this is where the coast used to be - now the landscape looks quite different.

Bikes and Bikes

There is a huge bike parking building near the Central station. I'd imagine it holds thousands of bikes.

Central Station

The Central Station from further away.

A Common Sight

Bachelor & Bachelorette parties are a common sight in the city, especially the closer you get to nightlife district.

Creepy

Someone enjoyed putting up this creepy mask outside their window, overlooking the bustling tourists below.

Canal & Church

This spot on the Groenburgwal is probably one of the nicest bridges to take photos from. I think the best time may be in the morning - this was taken on a late afternoon.

Love Locks

Another view from the same spot, showing a part of the suspension bridge with the love locks as well. Apparently a local has decided to paint the locks green to cover them up. Ultimately, it may face the same fate as some of the famous bridges in Paris, which had to be closed down and renovated since they could no longer take the weight of the locks.

Fun with Bubbles

A group of kids were making huge soap bubbles in front of the Reijksmuseum. Of course I could not miss out on that.

Spot Me

I'd never pass on a good cat shot.

Teslas and more Teslas

I've never seen so many Teslas and generally electric cars in one city. I've been told it's due to very high government subsidies, combined with plenty of charging stations all over the city.

The Amstel

The only natural canal in Amsterdam is actually a river - the Amstel. Here is a few looking west from one of the bridges. You can see the house boats to the left and right.

A Late Afternoon

While I didn't get a really good sunset, there were a few moments with nice light. This is one of them. It's been great to be back in Europe during the summer, where the sun doesn't set before 9pm.

Parking Hazard

Parking in Amsterdam brings a whole lot more risk with it than just scratching your rims on the curb.

Gloomy Canal

Probably my favourite shot of the visit. The gloomy light combined with the long exposure and the colourful streaks of the ship do it for me.

Canals at Night with Ship

Another shot of the same bridge, with a ship just passing through during dusk. Long exposures with an ND filter and closed Aperture work well here.

Church Window

Churches are usually a favourite subject of mine. I wasn't particularly lucky on this trip though. Of the 3 churches I wanted to visit, one was closed and two under renovation.

Exhibition in a Church

Luckily though, one of the cathedrals under renovation, the Nieuwe Kerk, was repurposed for the 2015 World Press Photo exhibition, which I gladly attended.

World Press Photo

The exhibition wasn't particularly stunning though, but of course it did trigger some photographic inspiration.

Saxophone on the Bridge

I usually make sure I have a couple of coins with me to so that whenever I find interesting musicians or other street artists I'd like to photograph I have a way to entice them to pose.

Church Office

While this looks like out of a history museum, it seems to be an actual office in the Oude Kerk.

Oude Kerk

Another church under renovation when I was there, but still fairly stunning, is the Oude Kerk. It's Amsterdam's oldest church at over 800 years and literally in the middle of the red light district.

Oude Kerk Roof

The combination of wood, glass and stone makes this church particularly interesting and somewhat unique.

Coffe Place in the Oude Kerk

On the way out of the church you walk through an interesting coffee place, which uses one of the old private rooms.

Boat Tour

Of course there was no way around a boat tour. I chose not to take the big tourist ships, but a smaller boat with only 6 other people. Our guide Albert was very informative and had a lot of knowledge to share.

Balcony

A different kind of balcony. While you might feel a bit exposed sitting here, I've been told Amsterdam's people are fairly liberal in keeping their curtains open.

Dubai

It follows you everywhere.

Cruising

According to our captain, a lot of people still use the canals for transportation, although most of the traffic is now recreational.

The 7 Bridges

There is a particular spot on the Herengracht canal where you can see 7 bridges in a row from the right angle. I only managed 6 of them, but it's still fairly neat.

The Victoria Hotel

Legend has it (so our captain says) that the small building squeezed in between the walls of the Victoria Hotel is owned by locals who were under the impression their property's value would rise astronomically when plans to build a hotel on the plots around them were announced. Hence, they asked an unreasonable sum from the hotel investors, who decided to simple construct around the existing building instead of giving in to the owner's demands.

The Crooked Houses

Apparently this row of houses is the most crooked in Amsterdam. The foundations - while very deep - are built in sand which shifts over the years, resulting in buildings starting to lean.

Hooks on the Roof

Most buildings along the canal have hooks at the top. Since the use of space was very important, hallways and staircases in the houses are very narrow. To be able to equip their homes with large pieces of furniture, owners started to build hooks at the top so that anything oversized could be lifted up through the window.

The Tram Rushes by

While not particularly cheap, Amsterdam's tram system is extensive and a very good way to explore the city.

Tram At Night

Most of the trains are quite modern and move at reasonable speed.

Nightly Canals

There are beautiful spots to take photos of the canals all around the city.

Nightly Canals again

Did I mention the canals make for gorgeous photo scenery?

Bridges

It's not just the small bridges with their semi-circles that make the canals pleasant to look at. The Amstel also has a number of larger suspension bridges which are illuminated at night.