Hong Kong - China, but not really

 

It was finally time to visit more of Asia, which I still haven't explored enough. Hong Kong seemed like a good starting point as any, with the former British territory now officially being a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. The city didn't disappoint, with its unique urban character and plenty of opportunities for photography.

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Hong Kong Island

Being a bit of skyscraper geek, the skyline was definitely my favourite part of the city, with its unique blend of sea, highrises and hillsides.

Dog Toilet

A very common sight in Hong Kong in an effort to keep the city clean.

Nan Lian Garden

The city has a few nice gardens, the most beautiful one I got to see is the Nan Lian Garden, just next to the Chi Lin Nunnery.

Chi Lin Nunnery

The Tang dynasty architecture style temple with its flower gardens is worth a visit.

Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple

The actual number is a bit higher, or so they say.

Guess...

.. who gave them money?

The Arhats

The status on the stairs up to the monastery.

Faces

Each statue has different features with unique facial expressions.

Mountain Views

The temple is located north of Lion Rock, with a view over the mountains.

Contrasts

The greenery and hilly landscape makes the skyline's density extra special.

The Pagoda

The monastery - which doesn't actually house monks - opened in 1957.

Choi Hung Estate

The basketball court in front of the coloured building facade is one of Hong Kong's most famous Instagram locations - and it shows with dozens of tourists up there on this weekend day. I chose to go with a slightly different shot, capturing the residents, but you can see the selfie action in the background.

Kowloon Walled City

One of the lesser known stories of Hong Kong. This part of the city became a largey ungoverend enclave in the late 1800s, with the population (and the buildings) rising to 50000 by the 1990s. With a lack of municipal control and high crime rates, the district basically governed itself through organised syndicates.

Remnants

Not much is left today - the area has been converted into a park after the city was demolished in the early 1990s, with only a few monuments reminding visitors of what once stood here.

Greener Pastures

The Walled City park is now filled with greenery.

City Views

The residential high rise architecture style of Kowloon is characterised by slim buildings optimised to house as many units as possible.

Lights

On the other side, the Central district of Hong Kong island with largely hotel and commercial towers presents a colourful architectural diversity.

Central and Wan Chai

The skyline in its full dusk glory.

Nighttime

And an hour later, with the red sailed tourist junk (ancient Chinese sailing ship) crossing the bay.

Light Show

The daily 8pm light show is best viewed from the Tsim Sha Tsui pier, although admittedly it is not particularly impressive.

Chinese Junks

The famous boats with the red sails today act as restaurants and entertainment ships.

Strange Sights

There is something unusual on every corner, such as this abandoned painting in the upper parts of Central.

Wildlife

Who knows the name of this species?

HSBC Tower

The lobby under the HSBC tower (and in general half of Hong Kong island) was filled with Filipinas setting up little personal spaces out of boxes on this particular day - we never found out why.

Trams

The outside view of one of the many double decker trams on Hong Kong island, which started operating in 1904.

Double Decker Tram

Taken from the upper deck of the famous tram line running alongside the coast of Hong Kong island.

Views

A great and affordable way to explore the streets.

Urban Colours

Hong Kong's skyscrapers provide endless patterns.

IFC ||

The IFC II Tower from the roof gardens of the IFC Mall.

Soaring

While architecturally not as quirky as the Bank of China nor as sleek as the ICC, the IFC II tower remains the tallest building on Hong Kong island.

Big Brother

It's only outshone by it's neighbour across the bay, the ICC at 484m, now the 11th tallest building in the world.

Central Escalator

The longest outdoor covered escalator system in the world takes you up slopes of Central - although a few parts are under renovation now, which will be ongoing until 2021.

Couple

Spotted on the path up towards the Jamia Mosque.

Jamia Mosque

The mosque sits surrounded by high rises in muted tones, complemeting its soft green colours.

Porcellain

One of China's main historic exports.

Instagram Hotspot

Another popular Instagram photo is the murals on Graham street - at any given time there'll be 5 or so people posing.

Man Mo Temple

One of the most beautiful temples in Hong Kong.

Closing Time

Unfortunately I only made it there shortly before it closed, so the members were busy cleaning up for the day and removed many of the incense spirals.

Who can translate?

And what are these for?

Detail

The temple origins from the 1800s.

Wishful

Didn't take the chance to try this though.

Diversity

While over 90% of the population are classified as ethnic Chinese, Hong Kong does feel diverse with global tourists and a large expat community,

The Hong Kong Wheel

At just over 60m it isn't particularly high, but does come with a good view over the bay.

Walls

Another photography hotspot is the Fok Cheong building in Quarry Bay - it's easy to see why.

Pink Walls

Another opportunity for a shot that exemplifies Hong Kong's urbanity is the nearby Tak Lee building.

Wall of Windows

The scarcity of land and the need for residential units has resulted in densely built mass housing projects, such as this one.

The True Ruler

Of 16 Hong Shing Street.

Density

Taken from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority educational floor in the IFC, which offers some good (and free) views, albeit with a lot of window reflections.

Lamma Island

... greets you with the view of the three chimneys of one of the largest power plants in Hong Kong.

Harbour

Looking past that though, the island offers a few nice beaches and quiet villages with restaurants offering fresh sea food, just 20min from Hong Kong island.

Car Free

There are no cars on the island, resulting in a bike centered mode of transport.

Wait!

Did I say car free? They do have some type of cars.

Signage

Simple and personal.

People

And so are the people - this farmer had a lot to tell, although I didn't understand a word.

Views

A tourist enjoying the shaded views of the beaches at Lamma island.

Flying

Ornithology certainly isn't one of my specialities - what kind of bird is this?

There is indeed!

Favourite animal.

Dragon Boat Festival

The flags were put up for the Dragon Boat festival, which took place at Lamma just a day before our visit.

The Lion Pavillion

One of the lookouts on Victoria Peak.

Victoria Peak

Often covered by scattered clouds rolling over the hills, this is the highest point on Hong Kong island.

Views

And consequently offers what is arguably the best view over the city, with Central in the foreground and Kowloon on the other side of the bay.

Lookout

The best position - with the fewest crowds - is at Lugard Road lookout, just 15min walk from the Peak tram station.

Soaking it in

The view from the Lugard street lookout.

Dusk

When the sun has set, and the lights come on, Hong Kong shows its magic.

Skyscrapers

Hong Kong is home to over 2700 buildings taller than 100m - the largest number in the world.

Night

The last step in the amazing transition from daylight to nighttime seen from the Peak.

Footbridges

I really enjoyed the large number of footbridges in the city and the general effort to make it pedestrian (and photographer) friendly.

Neon Signs

There isn't a street without them.

Maintenance

And many of these lights need frequent repairs, carried out by guys like him.

Ferry Rides

Crossing the bay with the Star Ferry always makes for nice perspectives.

A Step Forward

With this new law for Hong Kong.

Concert

A creative city.

Decorations

While the omnipresent (and omnidripping) AC units don't make a for a pleasant facade, a surprising effort is placed on making exteriors look presentable, usually with muted colours and simple shapes.

Street Yoga

Caugt this woman engaging in some morning routine.

Contrasts

The high rises stand in sharp contrast with many of the simple low rise sheds still present in some parts of the city, such as the fruit and vegetable market seen here.

Shopping

Hong Kong is a primary shopping destination for many Chinese mainland tourists. Good or bad? Depends who you ask.

Chinese Proverbs

Or something like that.

Need a Goldfish?

The goldfish market in Mong Kok offers all sorts of acquatic and other life in very questionable packaging.

Reptile Food

Or so it seems.

Fish in a Bag

The primary way to sell fresh water fish on the market.

Tough Days

A long day selling on the flower market is what made this woman use her table as a napping spot.

Bamboo Transport

In many places in Asia, bamboo replaces steel or aluminum when building support structures for construction - see some of the later photos for evidence.

Markets

The Mong Kok area is where you'll find many of Hong Kong's busy markets.

Seafood

Including the fish market.

Games

Anyone know the name of this game?

Symmetry

Another one of the photographic highlights of Hong Kong is the Oi Man Estate.

Upwards

A view of the building to provide some perspective, shot with my widest angle lens. Only the odd laundry hanging from the corridor breaks the pattern.

Sunset

From the Star Frerry, with the IFC II in the background.

Back Alley CCTV

Many areas of Hong Kong are fully covered by CCTV, highlighted here by a projection at the entrance of this alley.

Park Gate

The entrance to a small park near the Temple Street night market.

Market Stalls

As seen from a nearby parking building (which is always a good place to get elevated views).

Neon World

A big neon sign just off the night market, tinting the area in pink and purple hues.

Temple Street Night Market

The entrance of the night market, stretching down several blocks.

Organized Chaos

One of the sidestreets in Mong Kok seen from the elevated walk way at Mong Kok road.

Colours

Nights are colorful in the city.

The Dubai Desert - A few impressions of Al Maha

 

In April 2018 I visited the Al Maha Desert Resort, a place I've had on my Dubai to do list for over 10 years. Having been owned and managed by Emirates, it is now operated by Marriott through its Luxury Collection brand. The hotel is set in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, and is definitely one of the nicer ways to explore and experience the beauty of the desert. Below are a few impressions.

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Serenity

Each of the resort's villas comes with its own infinity pool overlooking the desert.

Al Maha Interiors

The villas are kept quite traditional and blend well into the surroundings.

Tent Feeling

The exterior is meant to reflect Bedouin tents.

Yellow

Have not figured out the name of this guy.

The Arabian Oryx

A majestic animal, in its typical pose on top of a dune.

Sand Waves

The sand patterns in the dunes always make for amazing photos.

Horizon

While the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve isn't in fact huge (at just over 200 square km), it's still big enough to not see many signs of civilisation around.

Footsteps

Should make for a few Instagram likes...

Dinner Time

The resort's main restaurant, overlooking the desert.

Sunrise

Had the pleasure to do a 6am morning walk, where it is still cool, and the light is beautiful. Each villa has a field guide that explains the local flora and fauna.

Signs of Life

These walks tell the tales of what happens in the desert at night - it isn't as empty as it would seem on first glance.

Patterns

Most of the area is covered in dunes, but there are a few planes as well.

Differences

Shifting sand dunes in the foreground and the plains in the background, which still show signs of having been under water many thousands of years ago.

Oryx Tracks

There are about 400 Oryx in the DDCR - the breeding program started in the 90s, when this species was almost extinct. Now the species is claissifed as vulnerable, with about 8000 remaining.

Oryx in the Sunrise

The amazing morning light makes them stand out even more in the dunes.

Gazelles

Not as impressive the the oryx, yet still elegant to watch.

Pride

The Arabian Oryx is the national animal of the UAE. You will also find the country's national tree here, the Ghaf tree.

Desert Flowers

Not as barren as it would seem.

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. 

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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.

The Dubai Frame

The Dubai Frame opened on January 1st, 2018, and at 50Dhs only is definitely worth a visit to get a view of the Dubai skyline. Located at Zabeel Park, the 150m tall landmark is intended to frame the older historic parts of Bur Dubai and Karama against the modern metropolis growing westwards. 

The Dubai Frame

Officially opened on January 1st, 2018.

Westward

The view towards the west shows the "new" Dubai.

Eastwards

The other direction, showing the older areas of Bur Dubai and Deira.

People

We went on a Saturday afternoon, and it was definitely quite busy.

Sunset

Offiically you can only stay at the top for 15min, but with some clever sneaking around you can prolong your stay...

Downwards

The view through one of the many glass floors, looking down almost 150m.

Glass Floors

Another view showing the floor and window views.

Framing

Looking through the cladding panels of the skybridge, the shapes of which were inspired by the Expo 2020 logo.

Reflection

The Emirates NBD tower always makes for a nice view at sunset.

Karama Style

A street full of amazing wall art.

Skyline

My favourite in the world.

Spectators

Watching Burj Khalifa in the distance.

Fellow Photographer

And one of the best people all around.

Night Views

Post sunset vibes - the blue hour.

Pink

While nice to look at, the evening illumination inside the skybridge makes for quite a few reflections with the angled windows. Not ideal for photography.

Photographers

There aren't many Dubai spots where you can get these kind of shots.

Looking out

The skyline has literally mushroomed over the last 20 years.

Skybride

A view of the 93m skybridge.

Dubai Frame

The building is 150m high, and its colour changes at night.

NYE 2018 - LightUp2018 - Dubai

Some shots from tonight's LightUp2018 New Year celebration in Downtown Dubai.  

Downtown Dubai - LightUp2018

Downtown Dubai - LightUp2018

Downtown Dubai - LightUp2018

Downtown Dubai - LightUp2018

New Years Eve 2018

Downtown Dubai - LightUp2018

Downtown Dubai - LightUp2018

Downtown Dubai - LightUp2018

The iPhone X and the Maldives Underwater World

A week of relaxing in the Maldives with some snorkeling and the iPhone X resulted in the shots below - took the phone under water without a case, around 1-2m deep. These photos were taken at Jumeirah Vittaveli.

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.

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.

Reality Check

Photos can be deceiving. It was the National Day weekend after all, so the ocassional bus load of tourists arrived.

Fujairah Fort

Again the exact time it was built isn't clear, but probably ranges between the 16th and 18th century.

Inside

The fort only opened to the public in 2010.

Views

The fort is a on small hill and you can walk up one of the watch towers to get this view.

Stairs

Not made for modern sized humans.

Doors

Surrounding the fort are remains of a few old mudbrick houses.

Sheikh Zayed Mosque

The second largest mosque in the UAE, after its cousin in Abu Dhabi named after the same person.

Architecture

65 domes and six minarets, each between 80 and 100 metres tall.

Casual

Cleaning of the largest dome was in progress.

New

The mosque opened in 2015.

Size

It can accommodate 28,000 people.

Shawka Pools

With very little water this time of the year.

Wadi Shawka

Just off the E84 from Fujairah to Sharjah.

Spiky

Typical vegetation in the Hajar mountains

Seasons

In the rainy season, this area will be flowded

Shawka Dam

This area is full of water when it rains - right now, you can use it as a Cricket field.

Hajar Mountains

The beauitful mountain ranges of the UAE.

Worth a Visit

Especially during sunset.

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...

The Abandoned Plane - A UAE mystery

 

Never stop exploring, and you may just find an abandoned plane at the old Umm Al Quwain airfield. Stopped here on the way back from Jebel Jais in October 2017. 

Front View

The Soviet Ilyushin IL 76, originally registered in the late 1970s.

The Abandoned Plane

One of the stranger sights in the UAE - the abandoned plane near the old Umm Al Quqain airfield.

The Story

... isn't so clear. It's an Ilyushin IL 76 and landed in 1999.

Exploring

It's a great place to explore and get some photos though.

Armenia - A weekend of history

 

Spent an amazing long weekend in Armenia. As with Georgia, the country offers a very unique atmosphere on the gateway to Asia, with a rich history and amazing landscapes. Really enjoyed exploring it, perfect for a short trip from Dubai.

This is a hotel?

We were supposed to stay here, but - luckily one might say - they overbooked and didn't have our second room, so we moved.

The Ride

Not what we rented - but a very typical type of car in Armenia

Wine, anyone?

These huge wine barrels were in the basement of the Areni winery.

Stones

These weigh up to 10 tons. Some of them have holes which are said to make whistling sounds in the wind.

The Armenian Stonehenge

Or that's what the tourist lore says...

Carahunge

This is the real name of the area, which is said to have been a necropolis or observatory site more than 4000 years ago.

Tatev Monastery

The 9th century monastery, about 4h drive from Yerevan.

Candles

People were lighting candles in all the monasteries we visited.

Interior

The inside looking towards the dome.

Location

The monastery can be reached by the world's longest reversing cable car, crossing all the way to the opposite mountains.

Side view

The location of the monastery and the view around it are truly breathtaking.

Olive Press

The restored olive press in the monastery and some of its artifacts.

Khndzoresk

The stone city, with its artificial caves.

Crossing

This rope bridge crosses the canyon from the other side to the caves.

Renovations

The view is only spoilt by some ongoing renovations on the monastery buildings. Necessary evil, given their age.

View

Another view of the whole area.

Eerie

Old Khdzoresk Church in between the caves.

Caves

The caves were inhabited until the 1950s.

Baker Street

Entrance to a bar in Yerevan.

Landscapes

The barren brown autumn landscape had a very special atmosphere.

Sad sights

Not uncommon.

The Temple of Garni

The 2000 year old temple is the only standing Greco-Roman colonnaded building in Armenia

Gorge(ous)

It's located just on the cliff of this beautiful gorge.

Standing

After its reconstruction in the 1970s.

Cliffs

Overlooking the surrounding landscape.

Light

The roof has a whole where the sun shines throgh in the centre, creating some interesting effects.

Nature

While there was not a lot of greenery left from the summer, the rivers kept some of the landscape full of colour.

Geghard Interiors

Lucky moment as the sun was shining through the door on the cross.

Cross

The cross in the rocks near Geghard monastery.

Artifacts

The mountains around the monastery feature various small chapels another other remnants attracting pilgrims.

Geghard

The monastery was built around a spring in the mountains - part of it now runs through the actual church building.

Jamatun

The rock cut champer.

Location

The monastery literally sits in the mountain.

Birds

A view of the Sevanavank monastery at Lake Sevank, north of Yerevan.

Sevanavank

With its two churches Surp Arakelots (left) and Surp Astvatsatsin (right).

Views

The monastery used to be on an island, but since then the water level fell to turn it into a peninsula.

Noratus cemetery

With Khachkars (cross stones) dating back to the 10th century.

Chapel

There are two small chapels on the cemetary.

Company

We were all alone - except this woman.

Sunset views

The view from the cemetary at sunset.

Another one...

I didn't get tired of the churches and monasteries. This one is called Hayravank, from the late 9th century.

Yerevan Street Life

Was surprisingly lively.

Sculpture Fernando Botero, Gatto

Or: The fat cat.

Cafesjian Center for the Arts

With its many statues and installation.

The Cascade

Seen from the bottom, with some of the Cafesjian Center for the Arts installations.

Views over Yerevan

From the Cascade. On a clear day, you get to see mount Ararat from here. No luck for me.

Yerevan Opera

From the northern side.

Fruits & Vegetables

Armenia is famous for them and they are on sale everywhere.

Obligatory

Need to add a photo of a real cat to the statue.

Zoravor Surp Astvatsatsin Church

A long name for what is the oldest church in Yerevan, from 1694.

Kond

One of the three original oldest districts of Yerevan.

Different

A very different style of city than just a few hundred meters further.

Contrasts

The Kond district - which doesn't seem like the right place for this car.

Lunch Time

Like in Georgia, there's a lot of good food to enjoy in Armenia.

Stone Houses

Houses in Kond are made of old stones and bricks.

Hrazdan Stadium

Built just on the cliffs of the gorge of the same name.

Hrazdan Gorge

And one of the bridges crossing it.

Armenian Genocide Monument

Truly a captivating place.

Yerevan Views

Looking across the gorge.

Flame

Paired with some very haunting music, the place feels special.

Sky

Looking up from inside the monument, which was built in the 1960s.

The Monument

The pure concrete stone created bare atmosphere.

Sad Truth.

The Armenia Genocide feels underrepresented in people's mindset, despite being a truly tragic occurance.

Interiors

Of the museum.

Reading

The museum explains the events well. Worth a visit.

And back...

A 3h flight from Dubai, and definitely worth it.

Singapore & A Day Trip to Bintan (Indonesia)

Had the chance to visit Singapore a second time, more than 10 years after the first visit. Definitely a city I could live in. Only an hour by ferry is the island of Bintan, belonging to Indonesia. Perfect for a day trip and full of peculiar and amazing sights. 

 

Panorama from Marina Barrage

Definitely a spot worth visiting.

Universal Singapore

A view over the Hollywood and Sci-Fi areas of the park, as well as the world's tallest dueling coasters.

Supertree Grove

The famous Supertrees at Singapore's Garden by the Bay behind Manila Bay.

Falls

The Cloud Mountain in one of the two domes in Gardens by the Bay. Worth a visit.

Cheshire Cat

Never stop smiling.

Dragon

Reminds me of the dragons from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

National Flower

Singapore's national flower is the Vanda Miss Joaquim orchid.

Rose

Interesting geometry.

Playground

Kids (and me) could draw vehicles on papers, scan them, and they would appear moving on the projected back wall. Totally cool.

Puzzles

Arrangement required.

Balloon Fun

Another installation at the Art Meets Science exhibit.

Future World

The ArtScience Museum by the Marina Bay Sands showcased Future World: Where Art Meets Science, including this really cool installation.

Atmosphere

The installation included a la Arrival / Interstellar and the occasional burst of fast moving light flashes. I think I spent 30min there.

Wise Words

Harry Kroto won his Nobel Prize for discovering fullness. Don't ask me what it means.

ArtScience Museum

At sunset seen from the Helix bridge. The museum opened in 2011.

Downtown Core

The Singapore skyline, seen from the Helix bridge.

N

One letter of the Art and Science Museum

Supertree Grove

Seen from the Marina Bay Sands roof at night.

Supertree Grove & Cloud Forest

The park was part of the plan to transform Singapore from a "Garden City" to a "City in a Garden"

Textures

Green, concrete, glass, culture, business, old and new in synergy - Singapore.

Portal

Try and run towards the light.

AC Galore

Singapore is hot and humid. The result is here.

Interior

The inside of the temple during an ongoing ceremony.

Prayers

The ongoing mumbling during the proceedings had a somewhat soothing effect.

Monk

The monk in the central position during the ceremony.

10000 Buddhas

At the roof of the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple.

Just chilling.

Obligatory cat shot.

Gambling

Traditional gambling is highly regulated in Singapore - not this type of street games though. Anyone knows what it is?

Free Cut

Free haircuts for the homeless and elderly in the Chinese quarter.

Inventive Laundry

I wonder how much gets lost.

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple

Worth a visit for sure.

Great Offers

I didn't take advantage.

Sri Mariamman Temple

Unfortunately the temple was closed for cleaning.

Park Royal Towers

With their built in sky gardens.

Little flat iron

A building in the old district by the Boat Quay.

Tiny McDonald's

Maybe the smallest one I've seen.

Fishy Dreams

On the way up to Singapore's cat cafe. The one in Dubai is nicer!

Stamford Raffles

The founder of Singapore in the early 19th century.

Reflections

An installation near the Victoria theatre.

Contrasts

Looking towards Downtown Core and it's low rise buildings on the Singapore river.

St Andrew's Cathedral

Early gothic style and originally opened in 1861.

Interiors

The colorful windows create an interesting atmosphere.

Greenery

Singapore's flora is really amazing in parts.

Sri Thendayuthapani Temple

From the 1850s.

Bliss

The place was full of local families and kids, and it seems every weekend the sky is filled with dozens of kites. Great view.

Fireworks

Unfortunately I missed a much better view by a few minutes. Every Saturday in July, fireworks take place in preparation for National Day.

Lonely Swimmer

The very early morning is the only time you'll see the Marina Bay Sands pool this empty.

Sunrise

Looking east from the Marina Bay Sands rooftop.

Sunset

Looking west over the Marina Bay Sands infinity pool.

Marina Bay Sands

In all likelihood the most famous infinity pool in the world.

Sentosa Island

Looking down at Sentosa island, Singapore's entertainment district, from the cable car that transports you to the island.

Universal

The signature entrance.

ArtScience Musem

Seen from the other side of the bay.

Lantern

The rooftop at the Fullerton Bay hotel, with it's pool.

Attractions

Singapore Flyer, ArtScience Museum and Marina Bay Sands seen from the Fullerton Bay.

Fullerton Bay Poolside

A relaxing place in the concrete jungle.

Downtown Core & Merlion

Singapore's mascot and it's skyline in the background.

Lightshow

The daily fountain and light show attracts lot of people on the other side of the bay.

Merlion

Singapore's mascot comes with a few stories. For example, it was relocated in 2002, and in 2009 it was struck by lighting.

Moonset

The moon was setting in the late evening during my time in Bintan, just coming down behind the Ghost Ship shortly after sunset.

Construction Site

It was brought to Bintan a few years ago to turn it into a hotel. The work is ongoing and the hotel is expected to open in 2018.

MV Doulos

The ship was built in 1914 and held the record for the oldest active ship roaming the oceans.

The Ghost Ship

Close to the main ferry terminal is the "Ghost Ship" of Bintan.

Colours

The color and clarity of the water comes from the filtering of the stone.

Transformation

Most of the site used to be a quarry, and now looks like sand dunes of the desert.

Out of this World

Walking around here felt like another planet.

Rock Formations

Definitely one of the most interesting landscapes I've had the chance to photograph.

Hills

The landscape surrounding the lagoons is natural though, and certainly looks unique.

Sand & Salt

... makes up the landscape in this area of the island.

Danau Biru Lagoon

These amazing lagoons are not actually natural, but evolved out of the wholes dug when the land used to reclaimed Changi airport in Singapore was dug out of Bintan island.

500 Lohan Temple

The entrance to the temple, which in its current form only opened in 2017.

500 Arahats

500 lifelike status of the perfected persons following the buddhist religion, displayed at the 500 Lohan Temple. Worth a visit.

Cemetary

Close to the church is a cemetery with colorful gravestones.

Island Church

Despite the largely muslim population, there's a church on the island near the Grotto Santa Maria, originally built in the 1800s by a Dutch pastor.

Path of Jesus

One of the weirdest religious monuments I've encountered so far - deep in the jungle of Bintan is a path depicting the 14 stations of the cross.

Lunch time

Soup with chicken feet. Tasted good, or so they said.

Smiles

Although with a few missing teeth.

Dried Fish

Locals preparing fish to be dry in the sun.

Coal Factory

Up until a few years ago, locals still used these to burn mangroves to turn it into coal and export it. Mangroves are since protected by law.

Fishermen's Village

Bintan island is still home to a local population of gypsies, a few hundred of them permanently live on the sea.

Drying Fish

The locals dry young fish in the sun for later consumption.

Floating House

Local fishermen live in floating houses.

Island Bliss

Fisherboats on the beach of Bintan Island.

Baby Squid

Caught alongside the school of young fish.

Bintan Resort Beach

The island has a few nice resort areas, but there's a lot more to explore... look further!

Human vs Natural Palm Trees

You judge who wins.

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.

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.

Print Works

For several months I had the idea in my head to create a few fine art prints of my photography, possibly in a small edition or similar. With tens of thousands of photos in my collection, surely there must be the odd one that would look good in print. 

A few weeks ago I went to a photography trade show in Dubai and ran into Rick from www.digitalprintmaker.com - located in Al Quoz in Dubai. Great guy and was able to give me some good and genuine advice on the process and paper choices.

I had previously only printed a few books from Apple's Aperture store, as well as some random small standard prints and one canvas print which is now hanging in my apartment, so my experience with true fine art printing was limited.

When I went to his shop we had the chance to go through his collection of paper types. I had the plan to try different types for different images and realized that picking photos you really (!) like is much harder when it is about choosing a print, and not just putting them on Facebook. 

The papers he had were of excellent variety, and I settled for German quality from https://www.hahnemuehle.com which makes paper for over 500 years, and picked three different variants:

1. 308 gsm Photo Rag® 100% cotton rag paper 

2. 325 gsm Fine Art Baryta Gloss alpha cellulose paper 

3. 305 gsm Photo Rag® Ultra Smooth 100% cotton rag paper 

For the lion, city and church subjects, respectively. All prints are 35 x 25cm. 

I'm very happy with the result of the test print, particularly the non-gloss variants. I'll have to take another look at gloss or satin options next time, as the current paper feels less special than the others. In the end, this is more an emotional aspect than anything scientific, aside from the texture it's difficult to tell the difference in quality. 

Now it's time to look at some frames and for these shots and then possibly make a small edition print for sale - I also want to try bigger sizes. 

The First Milky Way Shoot

I finally made it into the desert at the right time and with the right light to do some real Milky Way shooting - something that was on my list for a long time. Below the results!

Dunes & Milky Way

The light on the bottom left comes from the Mohammed bin Rashid Solar Park, which will be the largest solar panel installation in the world when completed.

Desert Trails

A 15min exposure generates these kind of star trails - the diagonal bright area is the Milky Way.

Desert Tree

Was lucky enough to find this beautiful tree in the desert past the Al Qudra lakes.

In Search

Another lucky find of a dead tree in the desert. Always wanted to try the flash light shot!

The Moon Rise

What looks like the sun rising is actually the moon coming up behind the dunes - the moon was just entering waning crescent.

Heidelberg - A few hours...

 

Had the chance to go to the Building IoT conference in Heidelberg this year. Having heard about its castle and old town, I decided to take the camera along and went out to explore one early evening...

Restaurants

A not so typical restaurant. Really cool place though, an old train carriage.

Bismarck Statue

The statue of the former Reichskanzler in the public park named after him.

Neckar Shores

Looking north.

Church Spire

The Providenzkirche from the other side of the river.

Old Town Shores

The old town on the river Neckar, looking eastwards this time.

Gates

The gate from old bridge over the Neckar to the entry of the old town.

Mice

Directly next to the bridge monkey, intending to remind of the previous corn production facilities.

Bridge Monkey

There's some legend behind it from the 17th century - this one is from 1979 though.

Old town streets

A street in the old town.

Doors

One of the doors in the walls on the way up to the castle.

The black hole

Looking down into one of the ditches of the castle.

Castle grounds.

The castle with its large defensive walls and ditch.

Castle courtyard

The inside of the castle.

Through the Windows

The view from the castle through the windows of one of its small observation towers.

Sunset views

Looking over the city from the castle.

Castle Walls

The castle was originally built around 1200, but has been rebuilt and renovated multiple times in its history.

Tunnels

On the way down walking through one of the tunnels under the castle.

Sunkissed

Beautiful light on this clear spring evening.

Light

It's not often that I've seen nicer light in nature than on this shot. Literally no edits.

Crest

I couldn't figure out the meaning of this crest, it's almost the same as the Bavarian one.

Castle Gardens

The large castle gardens on the backside.

From the Gardens

The back of the caste looks very different and isn't as well preserved. Parts of it are under renovation now.

?

No idea how they got there and what they are.

The Old Bridge.

Or Karl Theodor bridge, its real name.

Duck

Cool animals.

Defense Tower

The Heidelberg Castle Powder Turret was split by an explosion.

The Past

How the castle used to look like in its glory days.

Steep

The walk up.

Old Town Square

The old town is full of restaurants with a traditional name and look, but not always with the matching food..

Restaurants

Another typical restaurant.

Shop of stuff

The random collection of useless artifacts shop.

Liquor Store

Specialised in Absinthe.

Main Street

The "Main Street" in the old town leading towards the newer areas.

Main Street

Another shot of the same street a bit further westwards

The Castle

From the Philosophers walk again.

Old Town

A view of the old town from the Bismarck statue.

Locked

You could find love locks in a few places in the city. Weird trend.

Bismarck Statue

Built in the early 1900s, with a fire pit on top.

From the Philosophers Walk

A view of the old town from the so called Philosophers hiking trail on the west of the Neckar.

Slim

Horizontally challenged house.

Tree

Beautiful large tree on the shores of the Neckar river.

Head Ping Pong

Seen this a few times already, crazy sport.

Football

Kids playing football on the shores of the Neckar.

Rowing

I saw a lot of rowing boats on the river daily, must be a local sport, maybe driven by the many students.

Streets of Heidelberg

Some of the beautiful buildings along the main roads in the newer part of the city.

Hatta - The Other Side of Dubai

 

Went to Hatta for a weekend, the old mountain city in the Emirates of Dubai, high up in the Hajar mountains. Worth a visit for sure!

Lonely Home

Took a 2 day trip to Hatta into the Hajar mountains about 1h outside of Dubai. One of the houses you can find on the way...

Greenery

While less so in the early Winter, Hatta is green and full of water in the Spring time. Have to come back for sure.

Hatta Green Lake

I've heard of the Hatta Dam before, but there's also the aptly named Green Lake which is arguably more beautiful.

Hatta Dam

The aforementioned Hatta Dam - with appropriately low water levels given that summer just ended.

Rocks

The mountain scenery is truly spectacular. I'd imagine Mars in a similar way, minus the water (or not).

Dam Island

Looking at the rocks around, it may be that this island is under water when the dam is filled.

Colour Contrasts

The different shares of red and brown are a great contrast with the white houses and greenery.

City Views

Taken from one of Hatta's old towers from the 18th century.

Military Tower

The tower mentioned earlier.

Inside the Tower

Looking upwards from the inside of the tower.

Hatta From Above

The view towards the Hajar mountains from the small tower.

More Views

The building on the left is the city's hospital.

Flag Day

November 3rd was UAE Flag Day and the Hatta Fort Hotel didn't miss to celebrate.

High Up

Or not so high.

Miniature Fort

The small hill adjacent to the Hatta Fort Hotel.

Peacock in the Lights

Doesn't it look like he's growing some kind of plant out of his head?

Hatta Lake Trails

My first ever try at star trails up at Hatta Green Lake - turned out nicely I'd say and what a breeze to do with the Olympus Live Composite mode. The straight lines are planes.

Heritage Village

The rebuilt original village houses of Hatta, dating back almost 3000 years.

Unkowns

I'm not certain, but this looks like a cemetery?

Contrasts

More of the beautiful colour contrasts in the city.

Juma Mosque

Originally built in 1780 (yes, there's history in Dubai).

Desert Sunsets

Can't get enough of these - on the way back from Hatta going into Sharjah.

Zanzibar - Island Bliss

 

The last trip for 2016 took me to Tanzania, more specifically the islands of Zanzibar. This beautiful archipelago just off the east cost of Africa offers a unique mix of Swahili roots, island lifestyle, arabic influences and a rich, albeit troubled history.

The Red Colobus

This species of red colobus monkey is endemic to Unguja, the main island of the Zanzibar Archipelago.

Peaceful Ants

While large for European standards, these ants don't bite.

Mangroves

Mangroves are an important part of Zanzibar's ecosystem, protecting the island from erosion. This is south of the Jozani national park - while a few km from the sea, the water reaches during high tide.

Slow!

Cows in Germany, Camels in the UAE, Monkeys in Zanzibar.

Deep in the Forests

Walking into the Jozani forest with our guide, with its truly impressive trees. This is the only National Park in Zanzibar.

Up

Looking up into the trees at Jozani forest.

Lunch Transportation

A local taking home his lunch on the south-west coast of Zanzibar.

Promised Land

Our place of residence near the village of Kizimkazi in the south-west of the island.

"Hotel"

A different kind of room.

A walk

Two local women walking on the shore near Kizimkazi.

Boats

Local fishing boats on the shores, with a traditional dhow on the left side.

Shorelines

Fishermen's boats on the shores of Kizimkazi.

Kizimkazi Beach

This beach is crowded in the mornings when the local go out for fishing.

Sunset Time

The locals enjoying the sunset at the main square of Kizimkazi.

The Rock

Probably Zanzibar's most famous restaurant.

The Rock

At high tide you can only reach the restaurant by boat, at low tide you can just walk over.

The Inside

While very expensive for Zanzibari standards, the location is indeed special and the experience and food was excellent.

Star Trails

Seen from The Rock island. Unfortunately the Winter isn't the right time for the Milky Way.

Clear Skies

Darkness and clear skies make for amazing views into the universe.

Stars over the Sea

The bright area on the horizon is Dar Es Salaam on the Tanzanian coast.

On the Lookout

A local looking for fish just off the coast of the south eastern side of the island.

Humpback Dolphin

One of the two species of dolphins you can find in Zanzibar.

Local Dhow

A traditional dhow sailing on the coast of Unguja island.

Crystal Clear

The waters of Zanzibar do feel have a special colour to them.

Some Lessons

Our guide during a visit to Uzi Island explains us the location of the various features. Iss was very proud of the conservation and community efforts on his island and pleased to hear we were from Germany - it seems many of his initiatives are supported by German organizations.

Visitors

He often has visitors staying on the island for volunteer work and ensures they all leave a legacy in some shape or form.

Turtle Shells

While closed during our visit, Uzi island is also home to a Turtle recovery centre for the various species of turtles in Zanzibar.

Chicks

A chicken family on Uzi island.

Baobab

A Baobab tree if I'm not mistaken. Legend has it these trees had some kind of devilish powers and hence were cut down - in Uzi this perception was reversed by using them as carriers for bee nests to produce honey.

Inside the Baobab

You can walk inside this tree - bushbabies often use it to find a hole to sleep in.

Hanging with the Gang

Yo yo!

Local Smiles

He was particularly entertained by the name of Frank-Walter Steinmeier, German Minister for Foreign Affairs. They knew more about German politics than me.

Up the Trees

A local girl climbing up a palm tree on Uzi island.

Road to the mainland

Which turns into a river later on during high tide.

Mangroves on Uzi lsland

The plastic bottles mark the location of seaweed patches being grown by the locals of the island.

Bushbaby

Some local kids picked this up and showed it to us during lunch in our guide's house.

Bottlenose Dolphins

Zanzibar's south-east coast is a great spot for dolphins. Unfortunately this also resulted in many questionable tours where the animals are surrounded to allow tourists to swim with them. This wasn't the case here luckily, so pick the right tour guide.

Promised Land Bar

The bar in our Lodge, not a bad place to hang, regardless of your drink preference.

Fire

While evenings don't get particularly chilly, the nightly fire was very pleasant.

Lodge Rooms

All good as long as there's a mosquito net.

Bathroom

Talk about feeling exposed.

Bartender!

What does one have to do to get a drink around here?

Colours

Low tide makes for this view towards the sea.

Lodge Houses

The outside view of the aforementioned lodge rooms.

The Old Dispensary

One of the nicer buildings in Stonetown.

Green Room

This strange room in the Dispensary was dipped in green light with tinted window glass.

Stone Town Restaurant

One of the many small restaurants in Stone Town.

Dark Alleys

Most parts of Stone Town aren't particularly beautiful.

Beit el Sahel

Others have a certain charm though.

Viewpoint

Local kids looking out the sea from the Stone Town waterfront.

Old Fort

Views from the Old Fort with Baital Ajaib in the background.

Mercury House

Stone Town is the birth place of Freddy Mercury - or Farrokh Bulsara as his original name was - and this is said to be the house where he was born.

St Joseph's Cathedral

The Roman Catholic church built in the late 1800s.

A dip of color

Stone Town is quite colorful, owing to the reddish tone of the coral stones large parts of the city are built of.

Try, anyway...

... because this doesn't really work and is a trick to make the tourists climb up the tree.

Indian Door

With spikes - said to be added to fend of elephants knocking their heads against the door.

Arab Door

With the verse from the Quran and without the round arc at the top.

Tour Guide

We spent an hour with him walking through Stone Town. As with many Zanzibari's, he spoke pretty fluent German.

House of Wonders Clock Tower

A view of the clock tower of the House of Wonders, built in the late 1800s as a palace for the second Sultan of Zanzibar.

Boa

Love this board game.

View over Stone Town

Taken from the amazing Swahili House roof top restaurant.

Religions

While largely muslim, there are several churches and cathedrals in Stone Town, living peacefully side by side.

Slave Monument

Zanzibar was one of the capitals of East African slave trade until the early 1900s.

Slave Chamber

One of the two restored slave chambers at the old market in the city, where these poor souls were put into until it was time for the sale.

Look At Me

The population of Zanzibar seemed relatively young. The life expectancy sits around 60 years.

Support

Many parts of the city looked like they could do with this kind of support structure.

In the Sunshine

Two locals taking a rest on one of the side streets in Stone Town.

Time for a Swim

The south western corner of the Stone Town was filled with locals enjoying the beach on this Friday afternoon.

Organized Chaos

Power and water supply are still a major issue for the island. Many buildings get running water with flexible pipes like these running alongside buildings.

Kitten

No album without a cat.

Door Fame

Stone Town is famous for its decorative doors.

Bartending

At the Emerson at Hurumzi with its amazing tea house roof top restaurant.

Views

From the Emerson at Hurumzi.

Westwards

Looking over the city towards the old Dhow harbour.

Tea House

Probably one of the coolest locations for a restaurant - the rooftop of the Emerson, one of the highest buildings in Stone Town.

Hakuna Matata

Probably the most any of us know in Swahili.

Dancing

Seemed to be a big part of the culture. This was at a weekly market on Friday evening at the Forodhani Gardens.

Zanzibari Pizza

Tasty.

Moments of Maldives

10 years after my first trip to the world's lowest country, I was lucky enough to go back to the Maldives. It's definitely a unique place on earth and one that suffers heavily from the downsides of civilization. Go, explore and come back with a more conscious mind.

 

Bliss - for now.

Given that the island is close the most populated areas of the country, there is a noticeable presence of plastics and garbage in the water. Seeing this in such an environment does make you think twice about that plastic bottle.

The last sunset

Keeping the option to come back open...

Rainbow

It rains frequently - usually only for an hour or so until the sun comes out again. Makes for frequent rainbows.

Glass Kayak

Not a bad way to see the reef without getting (too) wet.

Found it

I feel much wiser.

Path to Knowledge

Result on the next image.

After sunset

Wish we had more of those colors in the skies of Dubai.

Roofs

Exterior shot of the aforemented restaurant.

Light & Lamps

Loved the architecture of the main restaurant "Samsara".

Moonrise

In the interest of full disclosure, this is a blend of two images, it's nearly impossible to get the moon and the rest of the photo evenly exposed otherwise.

Just hanging

A flying fox. Definitely on the weirder side of the animal spectrum.

Sunset

A layer of haze just above the horizon meant I didn't get to capture a real sunset. Second best thing.

Garden Lizard

From what I gather, this is a male, indicated by the bright red throat during breeding season.

Home Sweet Home

I wish.

Supermoon

Not really what it's made out to be, a few % larger and brighter than normal.

Fisheye

Testing the new Olympus Zuiko 8mm F1.8 Fisheye. Gorgeous sense for this setting.

Feeding Time

They should up every afternoon for their daily feeding.

Stingray

These guys actually look quite mean, notice the eyes.

Ray vs Murray Eel

Neither seemed particularly bothered.

On the lookout

For dolphins!

Not the sun

Just a bright moon. Supermoon, as they call it...

Waterside Living

The water villas on the western tip of the island.

Moonlight Home

The full moon allowed for interesting shots in the middle of the night.

Playful

First time I saw them in the wild (not counting the one fin I saw back in Oman). You can definitely feel their curiosity and intelligence.

Yellow Submarine

Red one actually. And semi-sub only.

Reef Tips

The tip of one of the many reefs surrounding the island, adorned by an heroine (?) and some kind of ship wreck.

Mass Housing

Not a bad location though.

Exploring

Had to get up at sunrise to spot these guys so close to the shore.

Eagle Ray

Incredibly elegant creatures.

Secluded.

These 7 villas can only be accessed by boat.

Roaming the Beaches

...were these Blacktip Sharks, but only if you got up early enough.

Underwater World

Parrot and Butterfly fish.

Reef Live

Guy on the right seems shocked by my presence.

Unicorn Fish

Yep, that's their name. Shot with iPhone.

Water Living

View over the water villas on the west side.

Reef

Swimming over the reef and arriving at the steep decline into the dark blue sea is fascinating.

The other side

The western side of the island with three more restaurants. Also notice the staff accommodation in the centre (with a football field!) and the faint rainbow on the right.

Island Features

The dive centre on the left, MU restaurant on the right and the jetty in the middle.

Bolifushi Island

The island of Jumeirah Vittaveli seen from the east side shortly after sunrise.

Sunset Flights

This time of the year wasn't great for sunsets or sunrises for that matter - still a great place for a drone.

Tajikistan - Journey into the Unknown

 

For Eid Al Adha, we took a 2 day trip to Tajikistan, which is only a 3h flight from Dubai. Admittedly I knew next to nothing about the country, starting with the name of its capital - Dushanbe. We spent one day in said city, and a second day driving into the Fann Mountains to Iskanderkul, a beautiful lake. Definitely worth exploring, beautiful nature and a new culture.

Hotel Room

...with traditional floor seating.

Breakfast

... and filled with food the next morning - like magic!

The Highlights

This sign seems to highlight all the major things to do in Dushanbe - we saw 3 of the 5!

Dushanbe Plaza

The tallest buildings in Dushanbe, completed in 2011, standing at 92m tall. Interesting architecture.

Rudaki Avenue

The main avenue through the city.

25

It was the country's 25th national day on the 9th of September, celebrating the independence from the Soviet union.

Statue of Ismoil Somoni

The founder of the nation in the 9th century. Legend has it (our tour guide) that the Stalin statue that used to be on this spot has been moved somewhere outside the city - that would be an interesting sight.

Multitalent

Chef, Salesman and DJ all in one!

Racecours

The local horse race course.

Water Melons!

We figured this one out as well. Turns out, Tajikistan has a national holiday called Melon Day, in part celebrates as seen here.

Safety First

He did leave a small hole!

Theme Park Tajikistan Style

Found a small theme park on the shores of the Komsomolsee. Rides not recommended.

Komsomolsee & Navruz Palace

"Kohi Navruz" was originally built as a tea house and then turned into a palace for weddings and state events. Photos of its interior later...

Preparing Fireworks

Fully compliant with all safety laws. Probably because there are none.

Kohi Navruz

The building has 12 unusual halls, each of which with a unique style.

The Waiting Room

We got to see 5 of the rooms - this was the waiting room for official guests.

Banquet Hall

All the wood ornaments on the walls and ceilings are hand carved.

Ceiling

The wooden ceiling with its chandeliers.

Dignitaries

This room is only for official state events.

Wood Carvings

One of the many doors and their incredible woodwork.

Ornamentation

Everything was hand made by local craftsmen.

Conference Room

For international state events - you can see the translator boxes next to the back door.

Conference Room Ceiling

Energy saving lightbulbs in the chandelier!

Smaller Conference Room

I can't recall all the names of the rooms. This one was full of precious stone walls from materials of the country.

Smaller Conference Room

While not my type of interior, these rooms and the tour were truly impressive and worth seeing.

Wedding Hall

The last of the rooms was available for rent to the public and mainly used for weddings.

Stage Area

This is the stage area of the hall - normally people here will be dressed a bit fancier I suppose!

Ceiling Detail

The painted ceiling took several months to complete.

Tour Guide

Quick stop at the local BBQ place with the hotel's receptionist who gave us a city tour on his day off.

Green Bazaar

The Bazaar of the city was huge - it had a whole area just for bread.

Spices

Spice Mountains.

Shop for Everything

No particular concept behind this stand from what I can tell.

Bread Making

Pretty amazing when fresh and warm.

National Dress

The day to day outfit for woman is this kind of matching colourful combination of trousers and dresses.

Child Work

A lot of children helped out on the local market. 70% of the population is under the age of 30.

Drink Stands

Not sure I'd try this.

St. Nicholas Orthodox Church

98% of the country is Muslim.

Ayni Opera and Ballet Theatre

A concert for the National Day on the main square in front of the theatre.

Balcony Nights

Taking in the city atmosphere.

My kind of high heels!

Shoes that tell a story.

Cinderella's Carriage

Not quite sure how this fits in.

Wedding Style

The national dress.

Bliss

The population was generally friendly and receptive to tourists.

Museum

Each of the doors led to a small room with artefacts from the history of the fortress.

Fortress Walls

The Hisor Fortress from the 16th century. Also includes a school, mosque and mausoleum.

Taking a Break

From the day to day hardships of life.

Hisor Fortress

The amazing view from the top of the remaining main fortress wall.

Souvenir Shop

A local woman in front of her shop.

Into the Mountains

On the second day we drove north towards the Fann Mountains, on the way to Lake Iskanderkul.

Waterfalls

We found a few waterfalls along the M34 road.

Varzob River

The Varzob River flowing along the road almost the entire way.

Mountain Villages

Many of these villages are still very traditional.

Tunnel of Death

Our way took us trough some pretty scary spots, such as the Anzob Tunnel or "Tunnel of Death" - 20 minutes of pure darkness, inches between you and cars in the opposite direction, no emergency exits, no ventilation. Not fun after having seen a pretty bad accident in one of the previous tunnels.

Fans Mountains

While we didn't make it above 3000m, the highest peak of this range stands at almost 5500m.

Scenery

Beautiful spots all around.

Iskander Darya

The outflowing river of the Iskanderkul lies in some of the most amazing nature I've ever seen.

Turquoise

The colour of the river is amazing.

Looking East

The river meets with the Yaghnob River.

Selfie

Obligatory.

Iskanderkul

Named after Alexander the Great.

Red Mountains

The colour of the mountain ranges against the turquoise lake was truly stunning.

Cloudy

Wasn't perfectly lucky with the weather - the high mountains mean there are always clouds caught up and blocking the sun from shining onto the lake.

Downstream

We took a walk from the lake downstream to find a waterfall I had read about.

Waterfall

This gorgeous fall was quite impressive. Our guide didn't seem to concerned about his life (also evident by the fact he never wore a seatbelt).

Viewing Platform

With slight hesitation I went onto the rusty viewing platform to stand over the falls. Worth it.

Tajik engineering.

Functional.

River Life

Notice the bridge leading to the small island in the river. There are also remnants of a small cable car spanning the river to transport goods.

Old Settlements

People still live in these houses today. Took this from the car, but I like the result with the blurry foreground.

Just Chilling

Village Stop

On the way back we stopped in a small village for bread and drinks. Life seems calm.

Athens - Old & Older

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

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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.