Florian Kriechbaumer 8/13/21 Florian Kriechbaumer 8/13/21

The Bavarian Alps - Blue Skies and Fluffy Clouds

Over the last year I took the chance to photograph a few of the highest peaks of the Alps around my hometown in Bavaria, Germany.

Over the last year I took the chance to photograph a few of the highest (and most accessible - yes I was lazy and mostly used railways and chairlifts to get to the top) peaks around my hometown in Bavaria, Germany. Below is a collection of images from the trips.

Wendelstein

This is one of the highest peaks in the Bavarian Alps, at over 1800m. It features a railway originally built in 1912 on one side, and a cable car on the other, and the top is home to a church, a weather station and an observatory.

Kampenwand

At almost 1700m and an impressive rock formation to top it off, this is a very impressive peak of the Bavarian alps. It features a 12m cross on its peak. A cable car from 1957 takes you close to the top, but the final peak is a steep hike.

Hochries

At just short of 1600m, this is the smallest of the three peaks I’ve visited. It takes a short chairlift and a cable car to reach the top, which offers beautiful views over the valley below. This area is very popular with paragliders.

Florian Kriechbaumer 8/22/20 Florian Kriechbaumer 8/22/20

Slovenian Beauty - Lake Bled & Ljubljana

A two day trip to Slovenia brought us to the picturesque Lake Bled with its famous church island, and the beautiful capital Ljubljana.

While travel restrictions with health and safety requirements are still omnipresent, trips within certain countries in Europe are manageable with the right precautions. A two day trip to Slovenia brought us to the picturesque Lake Bled with its famous church island, and the beautiful capital Ljubljana.

Lake Bled

Our first stop was Lake Bled on the foot of the Karawanks mountain range.

Mountain House

We crossed this wodden house on the hike up to Mala Osojnica, one of the best viewpoints over the lake.

Up

The hike is in fact quite steep - so steep that this staircase was installed near the top.

Mountain Tops

The lake is situated in the Julian Alps range.

Church Tops

The tip of the 53m high tower of the famous church in the lake.

Lake Shores

The colour and clarity of the lake was incredible in the summer light.

Assumption of Mary Church

The famous church on the island in the middle of Lake Bled is a very famous photographic spot.

Views

The ascent to the viewpoint on the southern side of the lake is rewarding.

Trio

Lake Bled, the church island, and the Julian mountains.

Summer Greens

The forest was positively glowing with the greens illuminated by the sun.

Light & Shade

The late afternoon sun shining into the woods.

What's up!

A dragonfly was roaming around a small puddle in the forest.

Baby Frog

The same puddle was also home to this little amphibian - who was surprisingly curious.

Afternoon Rays

The last views of the sun in the forest before it set behind the mountain range.

Layers

Green forests, rocky mointains, blue skies, fluffly clouds - welcome to the Alps.

Waterways

The only way to visit the church is by crossing the lake.

Bled Castle

The castle on the western side seen through some trees on the lake shore.

The Right Way...

... to enjoy the end of a summer day at the lake.

Clarity

Some tree branches under water near the eastern shoreline.

After Sunset

The lake is dotted with patches of water lilies by the shore.

Transport

The traditional transportation to Bled Island is a wooden boat known as a pletna.

Opposite Views

The view over the lake from the other side, looking south from Bled castle.

Cliffs

Looking down from the castle walls.

Bled Castle

The lower courtyard of the oldest castle in Slovenia.

Abandoned

The castle seen with Villa Rikli, an abandoned old house on the shores of the lake.

Villa Rikli

The inside of the building, which is supposed to be renovated and rebuilt. Who can spot the alien like shape on the wall?

Ljubljana

We made it to the capital next, walking along the beautiful promenade of the Ljubljanica river.

Trees

Another defining feature of the city are the skinny tall trees dotted in various places, such as here near St Jakob's church.

Gornji Trg

A row of houses near this famous street in Ljubljana's old town.

St. Nicholas's Cathedral

The roof paintings of the largest church in the city with frescoes by Giuglio Quaglio from the early 18th century.

Window Views

Looking northwards from one of the castle windows, with the pink 17th-century Franciscan church visible at the bottom.

City Panorama

Looking southwards from the castle, you can see St Jakob's church, and on the bottom left the tower of St Florian's church, which - obviously - I tried to visit, but it was unforuntately closed (as Florian's often are).

Slovenian Flag

The country is relatively young, emerging from Yugoslavia in 1991.

Stairs

The double staircase leading up and down the panoramic tower of the castle.

Castle Walls

A couple enjoying the view from the castle walls.

Selfie

My lack of focus skills resulted in this shot.

The Dragon Bridge

The Dragon is the symbol of the city, although the origin of this myth isn't fully clear.

Butchers' Bridge

One of the many bridges attracting tourists in Ljubljana, this one features the all too common padlocks.

Prešeren Square Rain Installation

A sprinker installed 10m above the ground produces a simple but effective focal point for the square, with people enjoying a few refreshing drops in the August sun.

Rainy Portrait

Of course, it also makes for a great Instagram photo, although this girl did ignore her dedicted photographer for this shot.

Instagram Boyfriend

...I'm sure she did get a good photo in the end though.

Raindrops keep falling on my lens...

A boy runs through the rainy installation, illuminated by the afternoon sun.

Ljubljana Rooftops

Anyone knows what this dome is?

Castle Views

The Nebotičnik Skyscraper terrace provides a good 360 degree view of the city.

Shadows

The late sun is the best time for street photography in my view.

Evening Drinks

A view of some of the many promenade restaurants along the river.

Tripe Bridge

Looking towards the 19th-century bridge with 2 adjacent 20th-century footbridges that cross over the Ljubljanica River.

Nice Try

Don't we all wish to be invisible sometimes?

Graffiti with a Heart

Spotted on the Stari Trg street.

Rock 'N' Roll Cat

A vinyl shop in the city centre.

Nightly Walks

A couple walking through the city centre. The city seemed quite young and casual.

Performance

Two women watching a street musician.

Market Scenes

The city has a beautiful market square, which was full of food, produce, and craft stalls on this Friday morning.

Maintenance

Ljubljana is well kept and clean - a pleasant city to walk around.

Bird Attack

Hunger overcomes all fears.

Green Shores

The river walls are covered with greenery, making the city feel quite lush. Definitely recommended for a summer visit.

Florian Kriechbaumer 7/31/20 Florian Kriechbaumer 7/31/20

Buhais Geology Park in Sharjah, UAE

Sharjah is always in the shadows of its larger and flashier neighbouring emirates, yet it has made a name for itself for its historical, cultural and art related venues.

Sharjah is always in the shadows of its larger and flashier neighbouring emirates, yet it has made a name for itself for its historical, cultural and art related venues. A host of museums and destinations like the Mleiha archeology centre are always worth a trip. One of the latest additions to the emirate’s portfolio of somewhat more obscure but nevertheless amazing list of activities is the Buhais Geology Park near the mountain range of the same name, just before the desert slowly gives way to the Hajar mounts. While the architecture of the building embedded into the former seabed - designed by Hopkins Architects - is worth a visit, the exhibits and explanation of the unique geological history of the region make it all the more interesting.

Florian Kriechbaumer 7/31/20 Florian Kriechbaumer 7/31/20

Summer Nights at Buraq Dam, UAE

The UAE is not famous for its landscapes and mountains, but once you dig a little deeper, the country is full of amazing and unexpected scenery. A short drive from Dubai, about 1h, brings you to Buraq Dam, close to the Omani border. If you’re lucky, you can see the filled with water and birds flocking its shores. Regardless, the mountainous terrain and cooler air makes for a great hiking or camping spot. Because the location is quite far form city lights, it’s also an excellent spot for some stargazing!

Neowise

A closeup of one of the very few comets that are visible with the naked eye - C/2020 F3, aka Neowise.

Florian Kriechbaumer 1/16/20 Florian Kriechbaumer 1/16/20

Buraq Dam - UAE Mountain Bliss

For the Quadrantid meteor shower in early January. we chose to explore a new spot up in the Hajar mountains of the UAE - Buraq Dam.

For the Quadrantid meteor shower in early January. we chose to explore a new spot up in the Hajar mountains of the UAE - Buraq Dam.

While the dam didn’t have any water - in fact most of it looked very dry - during out visit, it offered a beautiful quiet and dark spot to look into the night sky, surrounded by mountains. The only downside: The flight path of the DXB runway runs almost directly above this area, so you get a lot of planes in the sky.

It’s a relatively easy drive about an hour out from Dubai, and only the last few hundred meters need a bit of careful driving if you’re not in a 4x4.

We had a few lucky moments dawn, starting to see some meteors after midnight on the northeastern side, but I could only capture two on photos - can you spot them?

This short timelapse video below gives an idea of the amounts of planes flying into DXB during the night, slightly disrupting the peace and quiet of the Hajar mountains.

Florian Kriechbaumer 4/14/18 Florian Kriechbaumer 4/14/18

Six Senses Zighy Bay - A Musandam Refuge

The Six Senses Zighy Bay on the Musandam Peninsula, named after the small fishing town right next to it, just off the UAE boarder at Dibba, has always been on my list of must see places. This April I was lucky enough to spend a few days at the resort.

Stuck

Some parts of Zighy Bay and Musandam feel stuck in the past, sometimes willingly, sometimes less so.

The True Rulers

Rumour has it there are more goats than humans in Musandam. Can neither confirm nor deny that.

Bay Views

The north easterly view of the Zighy Bay

Graveyard

The same mountain contains an old village, the remnants of its graveyard are still visible.

Hiking

I joined a group of people on a hike up the mountain - rock climbing is the more appropriate description.

Hidden Bay

The southern view revealed this beautiful empty beach, appearantly owned by a local private person.

Lonely

It's amazing how some of the trees can grow on this soil, with almost no water.

Stone Villages

The ruins of these kind of houses are common in the Hajar mountains - some are still occupied, usually in a slightly more modern form though.

Ruins

The scenery is amazing around every corner. In the past, many of the locals used to live in the mountains on the bay to be able to spot pirates from far away.

Zighy Bay

A view of the bay with the Six Senses in the background, and the houses that were built for the local fishermen alongside the resort, replacing some of the previous stone houses.

Dining On The Edge

One of the restaurants of the hotel is located right on the cliff next to the road crossing the mountain.

Pathways

This path runs to the top of the mountain, for a private dining spot and a great view.

Into the Mountains

We took a drive into the Hajar mountains, with their narrow cliffs and gravel roads.

Riverbed

The colour of the stones reveals the riverbed, filled with water when it rains - which isn't often.

Upwards

The path leading upwards was built by an old local, who still lives on top of the mountains, carrying water and food with a donkey. The small hut is a storage area he built.

Mosque

And the award for the most minimalistic mosque goes to...

Houses & Goats

The few signs of life in the mountains. We did spot two small foxes as well.

Power

A new power line is being built in the north from Khasab to Dibba, to serve most of the Musandam peninsula.

Signs Of Early Civilisation

I am not convinced whether these are genuine - we've been told they're a few hundred years old.

Barren Land

One of he houses still in use in a small village on top of this mountain - most likely for storage.

Signs

Fierce wars were fought decades ago in this area. The remnants are still visible.

Flora & Fauna

Signs of life are sparse.

Scenery

The view and rock shapes and patterns are amazing, this is up at about 1200m, half way to Khasab from Zighy Bay. The photo doesn't do the size of this canyon justice.

Mountain Terraces

Goat territory!

Soaking Up The Views...

.. and trying to find answers.

Not A Bad Spot

The beautiful Zighy Bay beach front villas.

Paragliding

One of the many activities at Zighy Bay - aside from arriving by boat or over the mountain, you can also paraglide to your check in. I was already checked in, but didn't want to miss the opportunity.

Flying

It was my first time, and it was defintely a great experience - unexpectedly we caught a lot of thermal winds, which meant at some point we were higher than when we took off.

Goat Parade

Not sure where they were heading, but they did so in an orderly fashion.

In The Air

While the flight was calm, my pilot decided the descent should be a bit more action packed, with fast circles and a few moments of weightlessness.

Six Senses Zighy Bay

A view of the resort taken from the air. It's a stunning location.

Another Option

If you don't like paragliding, this motorised option also exists.

Mountain Views

The views of the mountains from the sea are stunning.

Florian Kriechbaumer 12/2/17 Florian Kriechbaumer 12/2/17

Fujairah - The other side of the UAE

Took a day trip to Fujairah, passing Masafi Town, Dibba, Khor Fakkan and Fujairah City on the way and stopping at Wadi Shawka on the drive back. Time well spent for sure.

Took a day trip to Fujairah, passing Masafi Town, Dibba, Khor Fakkan and Fujairah City on the way and stopping at Wadi Shawka on the drive back. Time well spent for sure.

The Friday Market

On the way to Masafi town, coming from the Sharjah / Dubai side.

Roasted Corn

Note the sophisticated wind machine.

Variety

Pots and plants!

The Wise Men

Discussing topics of importance.

Graffiti - Masafi Style

Spotted on the road from Masafi to Dibba

Towns

A small town outside Masafi.

Dibba Harbour

The National Day weekend meant the UAE flag was a common sight.

On the Shores

The Dibba beach.

Camping

Is a common activity in the Eastern Region. Tent designs vary.

Hidden Gems

There's a few beautiful spots on the coast.

Al Badiyah Mosque

Said to be from the 15h century, a few km north of Fujairah City.

Mosque Manners

Shoes off!

Watch Tower

One of the two watch towers overlooking the mosque.

Views

Looking inland from the tower.

Age

Since neither the mosque or the tower used wood, radiocarbon dating was not an option, but in the late 1990s researchers concluded it was more than 500 years old.