Resetting the rules: “Sorry, no tripod” & “Professional cameras not allowed”

During New Year’s Eve 2017, Dubai set a world record for the biggest LED and light show at Burj Khalifa, doing away with the usual fireworks and taking a different approach to welcoming 2018, the “Year of Zayed”, named after the founding father of the UAE. 

It was just a 30 floor elevator ride for me to be able to capture this moment with my trusted Olympus mirrorless camera. For those reading and not familiar with camera terminology, this is essentially the same type of camera as what you might know as DSLR, or in general a camera with a viewfinder and interchangeable lenses. I got the shot I wanted, went back up, edited it, and posted on Social Media within the first 30 minutes of the new year.

To my surprise, the official @mydubai instagram account picked up the photo for their own NYE post a few minutes later. It became their most liked photo to that date within a few hours, and was reposted by several other official and unofficial accounts. 

More than 2 years later, during a hot summer evening, I was wandering around a more or less empty Downtown Dubai in almost the same spot, with the same camera, on the hunt for new compositions. This time, I didn’t get the shot I wanted. Why? Because I was approached by a security guard telling me that professional photography is not allowed in this area, which is privately owned by Emaar, the master developer of the Burj Khalifa district. 

This backstory to some extent exemplifies some of the reasons why I wrote this blog post: Many (not all!) developers, owners, organisations, and venues set ambiguous rules that prevent amateur photographers like me to capture their locations in the best light, enforce them arbitrarily, but then do want to reap the benefits of using our images for marketing purposes - mostly free of charge under fair social media use (whether that is right or wrong is a subject for another discussion). 

At this point, I want to clarify that while I must admit I have sometimes been close to losing my patience with security guards, they are ultimately the messenger only, and their work as a whole is highly appreciated by myself and I dare say the entire photography community. This is about the rules they are being told to enforce, rather than who is enforcing them. 

A second disclaimer to this post is that there are frequently very valuable and rational reasons for not allowing photography in certain situations: Protecting government institutions or military facilities, preventing the privacy of individuals in their own space from being compromised, ensuring the safety of people in crowded area by not allowing a tripod in the middle of a footpath, or ensuring protection of copyrighted material in cinemas or concerts. 

These are not the situations in question here. Here, we are addressing wide open spaces, that are absolutely considered public, have no implications for national security, and where people take photographs on a daily basis with their smartphones. 

For those familiar with Dubai, such places include Bluewaters Island, Burj Park, Dubai Canal, or Design District - I've chosen those examples, because in all these locations I've been asked to not take photographs with my camera and / or tripod. 

The question is, why is that? To date, the explanations I’ve received - if any - have never been very coherent or logical. As a result, I will have to make some assumptions: Your typical photo capture device today ranges from the size of an iPhone (the most popular camera in your hand, to a DSLR and a big telephoto lens that may be up 30cm in length or so, set up on a tripod 2m in height. 

From personal - and thus anecdotal - but qualified experience, I have found that:

• None of the locations in question would prevent anyone from taking a photo with their smartphone. 

• A few of them would approach you for shooting with a DSLR or mirrorless camera with a typical wide angle lens.

• Many will ask you to refrain from shooting if you carry the same camera with a bigger lens, such as a telephoto zoom. 

• All of them will ask you to leave the moment your tripod touches the ground as you set up. 

My interpretation of these findings are that the larger your overall equipment is, the more likely it is you will not be welcome to take photos. An assumption I am making here is that outsiders (i.e. not familiar with photography) associate “larger equipment” with “more professional”, which would imply that the rules set by these locations are “we do not allow professional photography”. 

I would welcome for any of these companies and organisations to comment here with feedback on whether this is the case. Until then, let's contine with this assumption. 

The problem is that the boundaries of professional photography have long been no longer defined by the size of the equipment. The advent of smartphones with Instagram & Co, the rise of the influencer culture relying heavily on photography, and the significant advancements in mobile photography have allowed people to do commercially viable work with equipment that fits in their pocket. Heck, Netflix movies are now shot on iPhones. This discredits the entire reasoning why a regular DSLR and lens should be treated differently from a smartphone when it comes to what is “professional". 

Let’s move to the next level: Using a big telephoto zoom lens. Also in this area, we are now approaching times where smartphones are capable of producing extreme levels of computational zoom, enabling everyone to take photos of objects and people far away. A camera with interchangeable lenses will (for now) still have an advantage in some ways here, and produce better quality - the question is why that would be a problem? I can think of privacy as the major reason, where as a location owner one wants to make sure people do not feel uncomfortable and be under the perception they are being photographed from far away without their knowledge or consent. My argument though would be that if this was a photographers intention, and they would do it maliciously, the laws around privacy protection for others would still apply - whether in a location that is privately owned by a large developer, or a public square. It’s unlikely that a private security guard will be able to deter someone from engaging in such activity, if even the law is not able to. 

Moving on the last and seemingly worst offender: The three-legged friend of the long exposure photographer - a tripod. Here, it may be worthwhile to quickly explain why photographers chose to carry this device around. Generally speaking, cameras need to capture light for a certain amount of time to produce a well exposed image. When it’s bright outside, less than a second is enough to achieve that, maybe 1/100 or even 1/1000. When it gets dark, this isn’t enough anymore. The camera may need 3 or 5 or 10 seconds to capture sufficient light to produce a good quality image. The problem is, no one can hold the camera steady for that long, meaning that movement occurs during the light capture period, resulting in a blurry shot. This is where the tripod comes in, keeping the camera steady while it collects the required photons.  Granted, there are other uses for a tripod, but generally speaking they evolve around similar concepts. So, I ask myself why venues do not want to see tripods being used? More than once I placed my camera on a rail, stone, bag or whatever when asked to stop using my tripod - and this was acceptable. How does that make sense? The result is the same, except that my composition might be worse and it’s more risky (the camera might fall, etc). My tripod will probably still be around, leaning against a nearby wall. 

As we discovered earlier, in many places it is seemingly ok to use a camera, but only the tripod triggers something in the security personnel that makes them ask you to stop. This seems illogical: We can shoot the same exact photo during daylight in great quality (enough light for a short exposure), but at night when we need a tripod to capture enough light to get the same quality, it is deemed as not acceptable. It doesn’t appear likely that daylight photos are ok for a location owner, but night time shots are not. 

Lastly, similar to the argument with telephoto lenses, the latest generation smartphones are slowly catching up in this area, using digital stabilization to capture acceptable night time photos, and further blurring the lines between the size and type of equipment needed to capture similar looking photos. 

You may ask why we still need dedicated cameras and lenses? Well, smartphone technology is not quite at the stage where it can handle all the photographic challenges a specialized camera can, and while for average photos for an Instagram post on a small smartphone screen this may be less of an issue, if you are looking to print a photo for instance, this is where the difference between the two classes of equipment do show up. Some kind of photos aren’t achieve with smartphones just yet, but that doesn’t mean they are automatically “better” or more professional or commercially useful.

As smartphones catch up with dedicated cameras for these last scenarios, will the organisations making these rules soon forbid any kind of photography in their locations? My prediction is their marketing departments would quickly scream and shout when faced with the loss of the free social coverage, aside from it being practically impossible. If the assumption made at the beginning of this post is correct, the rationale should shift from “we do not allow professional photography” to “we do not allow commercial photography” - this may make sense as the venue wants to control commercial activity. But how can you do that when an influencer shot taken and edited with a smartphone can easily generate much more money than a photographer with a dedicated camera taking a shot planned and edited for hours, printed on fine part paper, and sold in a gallery? 

So in anticipation of that, it may be the right time to re-define what “commercial” or “professional” photography means in this context and start a conversation on establishing clearer and logical rules for what scenarios and equipment are allowed, or not, and for what reason. In the end, it is clear that companies are free to ask anyone to leave their premises, or to not use a camera bigger than a smartphone, or an orange, or whatever arbitrary definition they chose, regardless of the reason. 

Ultimately, this will probably make photographers try to take a photo by whatever means is allowed, instead of what produces the best result. That photo may just not be as good, not as creative, not as interesting, or it may not happen at all and the moment will be gone forever - leaving the photographer and his or her audience disappointed, and taking away a chance for the location to create positive impressions or attract new visitors due to the existence of the photograph, for no logical reason. 

Myself, and I am sure the whole photography community in Dubai, are open to engage in this discussion with the decision makers at the various organizations, for the benefit of everyone - for us to follow our hobby and passion without hindrance, for the public to enjoy great photography, and for organisations to benefit from free and high quality coverage. 

I see several ways a middle ground can be found: Ask photographers to sign a release form giving the location permission to use the photos. Make photographers sign a disclaimer that ensures we cannot publish the photos commercially or re-sell / license them. Create a system for granting permission to a person on a yearly basis, not for one single shoot. Request IDs in order to know who shot when at the location. Train security guards to determine in which cases there is a genuine issue caused by a photographer. Or, just treat photographers with a camera the same as someone with a smartphone. 

Admittedly, there are details and issues to be addressed with these suggestions - this might be part of a future blog post - but I am confident there are better ways to establish a mutually understandable and viable basis than the inconsistent and illogical approach many places seem to follow right now. 

Let’s sort this out. All we want is to take great photos of the city and places we love. 

Slovenian Beauty - Lake Bled & 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.

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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.

A Day in Ulm and 768 Steps

Escaping the Dubai summer heat to Germany means there are opportunities to explore my home country, which firstly I didn’t do enough, and secondly is very underrated compared to many of its European neighbors. I’m undoubtedly biased, but particularly the southern part of Germany is full of amazing places to explore. Ulm is one of these places, and its landmark attraction, the tallest church in the world, makes it a must see. Combine that with the chance to meet old friends from Dubai, and it becomes a great day indeed.

Two Germans, and Simon ;)

 

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When the Birds Take Over

One could say this is a consequence of the Coronavirus epidemic, but it also was a Sunday morning.

Ulm Minster

The tallest church in the world at 161.5m.

For now...

...at least until the Sagrada Familia will eventually be completed.

Houses

Some of the houses in Ulm still feature the traditional timbered architecture found in Swabia.

Contrasts

The city is dotted with modern buildings, such as this office and commercial building.

Surroundings

Ulm lies at an interesting geographical location, where the rivers Blau and Iller join the Danube. It was founded in 850, but is now split along the river into Ulm in the state of Baden-Württemberg, and Neu-Ulm (new Ulm) in Bavaria. On a clear day, you can see all the way to the Alps.

View from the Top

The 768 stairs take you all the way to the top, with a 360 degrees view - this is the choir side of the church looking east.

On the Roof

Two kids walking on the roof supporting the spire at the top of the main steeple.

Bells

Small windows in the upper main steeple floors allow a view of the bells, some of which date back all the way to the original construction of the church in the 14th century.

Main Square

Looking down the main square from the staircase leading up the minster.

Sanctuary

The view to the east inside the church - which is not in fact a cathedral.

The Choir

Which, due to the change in plans during the construction phases, is much lower than the nave.

Colours

The original stained glass windows produce beautiful light on the ground.

Glass Patterns

The northern side glass windows are slowly being decorated again after the original ones have been destroyed. While not as intricate as the the traditional style, they allow a glimpse of the houses on the outside which produces interesting changing light patterns.

Visitors

At its peak, the church was able to accommodate 20000 people.

Town Hall

The 1370 town hall building and the public libary opened in 2004 to the left.

On the City Walls

You can stroll along the Danube on top of the city walls, with a glimpse of the beautiful houses on the shore.

Fishermen's Quarter

This area with its canals and old houses is definitely one of the prettiest parts of the city.

Schiefes Haus

Aptly named "The Leaning Hotel" and originally built in 1406, this building now houses 11 rooms to stay at.

Berblinger Tower

This recently opened art installation is dedicated to Albrecht Ludwig Berblinger, who in 1811 wanted to show off his gliding plane construction, but in front of many spectators ended up in the Danube when trying to take flight from a podestal at the shores.

Up

The tower is tilted at 10 degrees and can be walked via 88 steel stairs, providing a panoramic view of the river.

Lonely Stand Up Paddler

So it seems - in fact, the river was full of people either exercising or just relaxing in the river.

Variety

Ulm provides stark contrasts of views, with the traditional houses, the gothic church, and modern buildings such as the glass pyramid library.

Danube Shores

The church seen from the Bavarian side of the Danube.

Water Village

The sunny August weather meant the Danube was full of people enjoying their flotation devices...

Model

A small model of the city next to the Minster shows how much the building stands out from its surroundings.

Sunset Rays

While much of the church is under renovation, some parts shine in all their glory.

Facades

More interesting modernist architecture.

Mask, Phone & Cigarettes

Signs of the times.

The Way Back

An underpass towards the train station.

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. 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.

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.

Dubai Partial Solar Eclipse

Dubai was witness to a partial solar eclipse on June 21st, 2020 - the second in the last few months. This time, the UAE did not get to experience the full eclipse as it’s not located in the narrow band that experiences this rare phenomenon, but it was still a spectacular sight, with the skies darkening noticeably and shadows becoming fuzzy.

The sight began at 8:14 (UAE local time) when the moon moved in front of the sun, and the eclipse was over at 11:12. I was lucky enough to be able to capture it from my balcony, and had set up my Olympus OMD EM-1 to shoot a sequence using a star tracker and home made solar filter.

Here are the results.

A full view of the middle portion of the eclipse.

A view of the the eclipse covering almost the entire period of the moon covering the sun.

Here is a video representing the same period - this was very tricky to align and smoothen out, as my tracker was not perfectly polar aligned, requiring some manual movement of the camera.

Sharjah Light Festival

 

Organised by the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, the Sharjah light festival illuminates 19 locations across the emirate with light shows accompanied by music and other activities, telling stories and bringing together the community. On the last day of the festival, I ventured out to a few of the locations to capture some of the artistic vision.

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Sharjah Skyline

Looking westwards over Khalid Lake.

Promenade

The northerly view from Al Majaz waterfront.

Al Noor Mosque

Probably the most famous building during the Sharjah Light Festival, seen from Al Noor island.

Cosmic Trip

This was the theme of the installation at the mosque this year.

Sharjah Light Festival

A total of 19 locations take part in the festival, spread throughout the city and into the northern areas as well.

10 years

2020 was the 10th year of the festival.

Arts & Culture

The city has established itself as a cultural destination, with regular events, exhibitions, a number of musems and more.

Planet Sharjah

The installation at the university city hall.

Control

This installation allowed visitors to manipulate the building's illumination through gestures and changing colours, size and patterns.

Food Trucks

No festival without a food truck part.

Mix

While the usual brands and concepts where present, local and homemade food stalls also took part.

University City

The food track park was located at University City, which had 4 locations with light shows in and around the campus.

University of Sharjah

Probably the largest installation, with students from University of Sharjah presenting their daily routine of life in Sharjah through visuals and sound.

A Journey

Emojis, smileys and other ideograms helped to tell the story.

From Sharjah to America

Was the theme at the American University of Sharjah.

A Trip

The show took visitors from Sharjah through each state of America.

US States

Every state was represented by its key attributes and sights.

Beam

It takes a certain amount of power to illuminate buildings of this size from hundreds of metres away.

3 Trips in 1 - African Wildlife, Lesotho, and Durban

The joyous occasion of yet another South African wedding gave us the opportunity to see the amazing South African wildlife, visit a new and rather obscure country called Lesotho, as well as see a new city - Durban.

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iSimangaliso Wetland Park & Hluhluwe–Imfolozi Park

 

On the first day before the wedding we took a trip to St Lucia and its adjacent iSimangaliso Wetland Park for a boat trip, before driving onward to the Hluhluwe–Imfolozi Park for a game drive.

St Lucia

The iSimangaliso Wetland Park was the first location of our visit, and is a world heritage site because of its rich biodiversity. A boat trip along the entrance of the lake will reveal some of it.

Bird Variety

Anyone knows the name of this yellow fellow?

Show Off

This Hippo was keen to show off its teeth to unsuspecting tourists.

Hippo

While they look lazy and slow moving, they are in fact one of the most dangerous animals to humans in Africa. Around 800 live in the lake.

Lucky Capture

The only crocodile we spotted during the boat trip, although there are over a thousand in the lake.

Traffic Control

Even on the water, this seems necessary.

Along the River

Looking westwards from the bridge crossing towards St Lucia.

Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Park

The entrance to the oldest proclaimed nature reserve in Africa features this memorial, advocating mutual understanding between religions.

Buffalo

Most likely the easiest of the Big 5 to find, the Hluhluwe–Imfolozi Park features several thousand.

Vehicle

Not the most comfortable ride for a 14h trip, but definitely cool looking.

Nyala

A male example of the shy species. The park is one of the best spots to view them.

Pumbaa & Family

This family of warthogs was grazing in the high grass of the bush with 5 or 6 piglets. A group of them is called sounders.

What You Looking At

Warthog tusk ivory is often used for trade, but so far the species is not in a concerning conservation status.

Tree

One of the many beautiful trees you can spot in the South African bush.

Find Me

A giraffe with its long neck just visible in between the trees.

Zebras

A Zebra harem grazing in the mountains of the reserve.

Buffalo

A group of Buffalos a few kilometres away from us. While they are the most common Big 5, they are classified as near threatened.

African Elephant

A large elephant roaming by itself.

Injury

The wound on this giraffe's shoulder is likely from fighting with another member of the group.

On the Road

It seem the best food grows directly next to the sand road, blocking our way for several minutes.

Black on White

That's the answer to the colour of the Zebra, according to latest findings.

Search

Find the Hippo relaxing in this small lake.

Scenery

How I always imagine the landscape in the green plains of Africa.

Pride

Two female and a young male lion patrolling the area.

Hungry

A young Rhino drinking milk from its mother. The park is home to one of the largest populations of white rhino in the world due to its leading conservation efforts.

Posing

The male sat down very close to the car. Contrary to what the photo might evoke, he was actually just yawning.

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The Sani Pass & Lesotho

 

The day after the wedding took us up the famous Sani Pass in an amazing tour with Sani Pass Private Tours - highly recommended! A drive into the vast lands of Lesotho - the Mountain Kingdom in the Sky - with a visit to a local village ended back at the pass with an overnight stay before making our way down the next morning.

Sani Pass Landscapes

The second journey of our trip took us up the Sani pass to Lesotho, with its incredible mountain landscape.

Waterfalls

One of the many falls on the way up, filled by the occasional showers that happened during the previous days.

The "Road"...

...was at times hard to classify as such. It took us almost 2h to conquer the 8km stretch.

Baboons

How many of these apes can you spot here?

The 12 Apostles

While Cape Town has its own version, these are higher.

Shepherd

A local farmer in the traditional clothes.

Flag

The flag represents rain / sky, peace and prosperity, adorned with a Basotho hat.

Sani Pass Border

The border into Lesotho - The Mountain Kingdom in the Sky.

Lesotho

The country has the highest lowest elevaton in the world. It's also one of only three that is an enclave within another country.

Farming and Animals

Two thirds of the country's income come from the agricultural sector.

The Road Inland

This road was built with Chinese support, in exchange for mineral rights in the country - a popular strategy in Beijing these days.

Rain

The weather had caught up on us, and we almost got stuck in a village as the only access was with a 4x4, crossing a small river that quickly swell into a raging steam.

View over the Village

The small settlement we visited stretches up into the hills.

Traditional Huts

Two locals rushing towards the traditional house in the village beyond the pass, trying to escape from the rain.

Bread Making

We got to see traditional bread making by a group of women.

Handicrafts

Selling these kind of accessories and gifts provides extra income for the locals, although there are very few tourists who make it up this far.

Bread Tasting

In the end, we got to try the excellent bread, freshly made.

Dance

Followed by celebratory dancing for special occasions.

Healer

We also visited the local healer, who taught us about the powers of the indigenous herbs. A dance in which I participated also took place (no videos of this exist, not at all!)

Healer

The village hospital owner!

Village Guide

Our village guide, a local girl with excellent English skills and a good sense of humor.

Smile

Disclaimer: I didn't manage to get this shot, the kid preferred to pose for more approachable people than me...It's such a good photo I didn't want to exclude it from the series.

Suitcase Car

You have to get creative with your toys in the mountains.

Sunrise

The rain just a day earlier formed some puddles in the rocks and along the pass that made for great scenery in the morning.

Atmosphere

The sun appeared for just a few minutes between the horizon and the lower cloud layer, but what an appearance it was...

A Glimpse of the Sun

While my hope was to be able to capture the Milky Way at night, cloudy skies made my 4am alarm ring for nothing - I was rewarded with a beautiful sunrise for getting up anyway.

Soaking It Up

Could not resist to document this moment for myself.

Into The Valley

A view further down into the pass towards the South African border post.

Pass Panorama

The view over the pass with its final steep switchbacks at the end. Only 4x4s are allowed to drive it, and the total height covered is 1332 metres. Notice the small white car for scale!

Flowers

What species is this bird taking a rest on?

The Highest Pub in Africa

Back at the pass, this place features surprisingly good food and an unbeatable view.

Sani Mountain Lodge

With the pub and at the same time our residence for the night.

Cosy

Our room for the night was one of these huts.

The Inside

Very comfortable, and even in the summer (or so they call it) the fireplace was a necessity.

Village Toilet

Minimalist, but functional (I suppose, I did not try it).

Hyrax

A small hyrax family resting in the sun on the way down. These animals are closely related to elephants (as you will know if you read my blog carefully and regulalry).

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Durban

 

After the drive back down the pass, we had a few more hours to explore Durban, the third largest city of the country.

Durban Harbour

The third and last part of the journey was into Durban, the largest city in KwaZulu-Natal. One of its major features is the busiest port in South Africa.

Whilson's Wharf

A small waterfront complex with restaurants and shops, offering boat tours of the harbour as well.

Skyline Views

A flock of birds along the coastline pass in front of Boatman's Road.

Mode of Carrying

Keeping things on one's head is a common way to transport your grocery shopping.

Ingredients

For a meal or a healing potion? Who knows!

Hungry?

Things you can find in the Victoria market's meat section.

The Shop of Anything

If you need variety, this is the place...

Juma Masjid

Previously the largest mosque in South Africa, it was initially established on the site in 1881. One of the famous mini taxi buses is passing in front.

Emmanuel Cathedral

Just next to the Mosque is the main church of Durban.

Scenes

A typical view in front of Victoria market.

Moses Mabhida Stadium

The stadium was completed in 2009 for the World Cup in South Africa. The arch features a furnicular, the entrance of which is on the right. However, it was not operating, which was probably the most disappointing part of the trip.

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.

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?

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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.

Sicily - Island of Etna

 

Another beautiful wedding gave me the opportunity to visit Sicily, exploring Catania, hiking Mount Etna, and wandering through Acireale. Unfortunately three days are definitely not enough for the largest island in the Mediterranean, nevertheless you get a taste for the life across the Strait of Messina.

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Sicily from Above

The island is characterised by a tendency of overfarming, and by the clouds hanging over the Etna, often accompanied by a thin layer of dark smoke from the volcano.

For Sale

A salesman with his goods near the main Piazza in Catania.

Piazza San Francesco d'Assisi

A man sitting in front of the Monumento al Cardinale Dusmet in Catania.

Roman Theatre of Catania

The theatre and Odeon were built on a pre-existing Greek structure. The lower part has sunk due to various eruptions and earthquakes, resulting in the city's underground Amenano river running through part of the center area.

Above History

This photo shows how modern houses had been built on top of the structure of the Roman Theatre in the last few hundred years.

Layers

This aerial capture illustrates how the site looked before excavations began and the houses built on top of the amphiteatre were removed. Even today, archeologists still discover additional sections and artifacts below and around the site.

Street Views

The Cathedral of Saint Agatha at the end of Via Giuseppe Garibaldi.

18th Century Violine

On display at the Castello Ursino.

Artifacts

The 13th-century castle features objects from monastery & painted crafts.

Scenery

A street corner in Catania.

Closing Up

The market street after the activities of the day have ceased.

Church of the Abbey of Saint Agatha

The interior of the church with its baroque style, common in Sicily's churches.

Porta Uzeda

The gate from 1695 built in typical Catanian baroque style acts as the entrance to the main Piazza.

Fontana dell'Elefant

The fountain with a Roman statue of an elephant carved from basalt, now the symbol of the city. The origins of the symbolism aren't clearly defined, with several tales competing for the truth...

Roof Structures

The domed roof of the Cathedral of Saint Agatha seen from Church of the Abbey of Saint Agatha's roof.

Fragile

A behind the scene view of the decorative elements of the church shows how intricate some of the work is.

Catania Views

The church allows visitors to climb the roof level, providing a view over Catania with the Etna in the background.

Facade

A woman looking at front of the Basilica della Collegiata from 1768.

Roman Amphiteatre

The 2nd century AD arena was one of the largest in the Roman empire, but only a tenth or so is visible and excavated today.

Via Etna

One of Catania's central roads.

Downwards

A narrow angled street in Catania lined with blossoming trees.

Sunset Skies

The front of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi.

Business

A group of Indian sales men and their starry balloons in front of the Cathedral of St Agatha.

Birds Eye

People walking below the umbrellas hanging above the market street in Catania.

Musical

A singer in Catania's main square.

On the Crater's Edge

A group of people walking at the edge of the 2003 craters.

Landscapes

The base of the Etna features a hilly and relatively barren terrain.

Cold

It was about 20 degrees less than on the ground up at 2800m.

Panorama

The drive up the Etna transitions to an increasingly brown, reddish and black landscape as you come closer to the end of the main road.

2001

The Southern flank of Mount Etna showing lateral cones and flow from the eruption of 2001.

Craters Silvestri of Mount Etna

The two smaller craters near the end of the main road, seen from the third and larger one, are from 1892.

Patches

The only greenery you can find on the lava covered mountainscape as the cable car ascends.

Flora

On the lower craters, there are still occassional bushes of colourful flowers, which slowly disappear as you go higher.

Evidence

Etna is one of the most active volcano's in the world, with plenty of recent evidence.

Transport

The cable car station isn't your last mode of transport - these vehicles take you up another few hundred metres.

In the Clouds

It's rare to have a clear sky around the summit of the Etna.

To the Top

A group on the path to the top summit, which is another 2-3h hike from the end of the 4x4 road. While this is where the active craters are, luck is needed catch a clear day for this hike.

The Summit

The top of mount Etna, engulfed by clouds at 3300 metres. Usually, the early morning (this was around 10:30am) is the best time to catch a clearer glimpse. Note the yellow tone of the sulfur filled sediments.

Cloudy

Patches of clouds also touch the lower summits of the 4x4 landing area, at around 2900m.

Colours

While from afar things appear of a more uniform blackish colour, looking closer at the ground reveals traces of sulfur, iron and more.

Warmth

Even the craters below the summit still have warm soil, once you dig a few centimetres.

A Bumpy Road

The way up is not exactly a highway, and the fine lava sand means the road needs to be flattened regularly.

Entertainment

An old cinema and comedy club in Acireale.

The Real Secrets...

...often lie below the floor of the churches of today, hidden from view unless you spot them through a drain hole, like in the case of this grave.

Ceiling Paintings

The illustrations on the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Announcement.

Back Views

The roofline of the Cathedral and the Basilica of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul on the right just behind.

Church Bells

You can climb up a few stairs to the Cathedral of Acireale's bell towers. While they both look identical, the one on the south is from 1655, while the one to the north, is from 1890.

Acireale

The view from the bell tower is unfortunately obstructed by a fence to keep birds out, but you can still see the majestic Etna in the background.

Triumvirat

The third major church in the centre of Acireale is the Basilica Collegiata San Sebastiano.

Procession

A wedding took place in the afternoon at Acireale's main square.

Just Chilling

The obligatory cat photo for this album.

Conversations

Problems with the Mafia or the wife, who knows what the topic may be?

Clarity

The clear waters of the Mediterranean sea engulfe the island.

Coastal Views

The town of Santa Maria La Scala lies at the foot of the cliffs on which Acireale sits.

Meridian

In the Cathedral of Maria Santissima Annunziata is a meridian noon mark designed and built in 1843 by the Danish astronomer Frederik Christian Peters, which I was lucky enough to observe at the exact time it was meant to illustrate.

The Unfinished Church of San Nicol

Just attached to the Monastero dei Benedettini di San Nicolò l'Arena.

Raw

The church feels as raw on the inside as it does from the outside.

Entrance

The staircases for the monastery may as well be host to a Harry Potter movie.

No Passage

Some doors are closed more permanently than others.

Courtyard

The monastery is one of the largest monasteries in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but today houses the Department of Humanities of the University of Catania

Bridge

The bridge acting as entrance into the monastery from the back is one of the oldest parts of the building, with lava remains from the 1669 eruption that destroyed a big part of the complex still visible on the left side.

Lebanon - Crossroads of Cultures

 

In July 2019 a wedding of one my best friends gave me the chance to visit another place in the Middle East: Lebanon. The history of the country and its natural setting result in a truly diversified experience. Assyrian, Hellenistic, Roman, Phoenician, Persian influences are evident throughout the country, which features everything from beaches, green mountains, nightlife, skiing in the winter, and some of the most impressive ancient sites in the world. While there is work to do to improve the traffic situation and general conditions of its major attractions, and the political situation remains challenging, it’s absolutely worth a visit (or two). During the 5 days, I visited Byblos, Harissa, the Jeita Grotto, Baalbek and explored parts of Beirut. Oh, and even passed by the Casino du Liban, once my mum told me my late grandfather and uncle had been there in the 1970s.

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Contrasts

The traditional Lebanese house overlooking the Mediterranean sea is situated just next to the ruins of the Byblos castle area.

Artifacts

The museum in the castle features ornaments going back more than 5000 years. Byblos was first occupied in 7-8000 BC, and continuously inhabited since 5000 BC, making it one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.

Ruins of the Roman City

The rendering on the left shows the eastern entrance to the Roman city, while the real ruins are currently undergoing reconstruction.

Trains

These tracks inside the castle district have not been used in a while - my guess is they were laid to transport stones and rocks during the excavations.

The King's Spring

Once the source of water for the city.

Temple of the Obelisks

Built over 3000 years ago, it was used for religious offerings.

Entrance

Looking towards the Sultan Abdul Majid Mosque, built in the 1600s, at the exit of the Old Souk from the castle.

Open Arms

A local man was happy to have his photo taken.

Preparations

A man - possibly the local Imam - preparing the area in front of the mosque for the Friday prayer.

St John the Baptist Church

The church was originally built during the crusades in the 1100s.

Interior

It isn't always open, but I was lucky to catch a glimpse at the sparse but imposing interior.

The Squad

Obligatory cat photo.

Messages

A door in the historic city quarters of Byblos.

The Fossil Museum

The Lebanese mountains are home to many fossils from up to 100 million years ago, some of which are on display and even for sale in the local museum.

Hiking Trip

I took a few hours to explore the Lebanese mountain ranges, here in the Bentael Nature Reserve.

Greenery

The mountains of Lebanon are home to a wide range of Flora.

St. John’s Chapel

Inside the reserve, you can find this hidden 12th century chapel cut into the rock. This is one of the three caves.

Up

Another one is not reachable by foot, and most likely was used only for shelter.

Beaches

The coast to the south of Byblos.

Byblos Old Souk

At night, the old souk in Byblos turns into a street of bars and entertainment. (Taken on iPhone XS)

Wedding Fun

The primary reason for my visit? The wedding of these two amazing people. NB: Lebanese weddings are crazy.

Historic Quarters

Much of the central part of the city is now filled with restaurants and courtyards.

Bay Views

Moving southwards to Jounieh, and the view from the Harissa mountain area.

Notre Dame du Liban

The statue is a Marian shrine & pilgrimage site for Christians & Muslims alike.

Modern Basilica

The moden cathedral next to the statue has a spare but impressive interior leaning on Brutalist architecture.

Echo

It produces amazing acoustics - I was lucky enough to hear a choir while visiting.

Basilica of Saint Paul

Just a few hundred metres away is the Basilica of Saint Paul, with its impressive mosaic lined walls and roof.

Detail

The decorative features of the illustrations in mosaic are incredible.

Téléphérique

The gondola lift taking you up and down the mountain. Note the manual release mechanism of the gondolas.

Squares

Beirut offers many interesting architectural details.

Crossroads

Lebanon's population is more or less half Christian, half Muslim. Churches are built side by side with Mosques.

Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque

This modern mosque was built in 2008. During its construction, archeologists discovered Roman ruins just next to the site.

Saint Georges Maronite Cathedral

With the Roman ruins of the Beirut downtown area in the foreground.

Ottoman Style

The mosque follows the monumental Ottoman architecture.

Artifacts

A decorated wall somewhere in downtown Beirut.

Bechara El Khoury

Zokak el-Blat was one of the more affluent Beirut areas, and home to many palaces, now abandoned, like this one.

Streets

The rarest thing in Lebanon? A helmet.

Parking

An empty lot between two buildings in Beirut.

Exhibitions

The Beirut souk area features regular exhibitions and events.

Prince Monzer Mosque

Greenly lit at night.

Into the Mountains

We took a trip to Baalbek into eastern Lebanon, which takes you over the central mountain ranges. While sparsely populated these days, parts of it become very busy in the winter when the skiing season kicks in. Yes, you can ski in Lebanon. The white statue of Saint Charbel in the background.

Tents & Huts

Local farmers live in temporary tents up in the mountains.

Unusual Crop

No comment.

Stairs

The stairs leading to the Temple of Jupiter in Baalbek's complex of ancient ruins. It is the largest of the Roman world, but today only a few columns - currently under restoration - remain.

Temple of Bacchus

This second century temple, dedicated to the god of wine, is one of the best preserved ruins of the Roman empire.

Columns

Another view of the temple from the Great Court.

Friends

A local that is selling Roman coins and guidebooks to tourists wanted to be part of my album.

Great Court

The exterior walls of the Great Court. A basilica was later built inside the courtyard.

Bustan al-Khan

The ruins of Heliopolis, as Baalbek was called in Hellenic times, are today some of the most significant in the world. This section, south of the Temple of Jupiter, is a portico with twelve columns.

Stone of the Pregnant Woman

The podium of the temple complex includes 3 stones weighing 800 tons each. Even larger ones, among them this one, were found in the nearby quarry, weighing up to 1800 tons each. The original method of construction remains an archeological mystery, but the quarry was slightly higher than the temple complex, so some form of folling the stones to the site was probably used.

Overview

I hiked up a nearby hill to get an overview of the site. The Temple of Jupiter is visible with the pillars under restoration at the moment, thus covered in scaffolding. The Temple of Bacchus just in front. The entire complex was fortified later under Arabic rule, but not touched much anymore since the 14th century. There is a third temple, the Temple of Venus, not visible here, to the right of the Bacchus temple, as well as the Temple of Mercury, on the same hill this photo was taken from, but very little is left of it. To the very left is Bustan al-Khan.

Sayyida Khawla Mosque

The golden roof makes this mosque hard to miss.

Military Presence

Given the close boarder to Syria, military posts and check points are still omnipresent in this area.

Digging

A team led by a German archeologistc is digging in the area east of the temples, to determine if further excavations would make sense.

Raouche Rocks

These two rocks are probably the most famous of Beirut's landmarks.

The New Lighthouse

While this one opened in 2003, it has been the same family that is responsible for Beirut's nightly guiding light for the past 150 years.

The Old Lighthouse

It was built in the 1920s, but when an influential businessman constructed a taller building in front, a new one closer to shore was needed.

The illustrious M

The BMW M badge seems to be highly coveted in Lebanon, and thus applied generously.

La Maison Rose

Another one of Beirut's abandoned palaces, this one is located directly on the hill on the north western tip of the Ras area. While the door was open, a very official letter posted at the entrance, and the questionable condition of the staircase, didn't quite give me the confidence to walk inside.

Power

Lebanon is famous for its regular power outages. One can only guess as to what may be the reason for such occurences...

Alignment

A bit of planning and the right spot allowed me to get the postcard shot, with the sun setting between the rocks, while a boat of tourists cruises around them.

Flying

A couple watches a plane approaching Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport.

Cave

Unbeknownst to the diners above, the coastline in front of the famous rocks features a beautiful cave structure below.

Strange Things

What are they, why are they here, and how did the car get in between them - these and other questions come to mind.

Mini Marina

A small harbour is perched in between the rocky coastline of Beirut.

The Dark Side

One is sometimes tempted to apply a little photoshop and get the perfect photo - but the reality of the site is full of garbage and plastic, as seen here. In general, the country would be well advised to take better care of its beautiful setting.

Jeita Grotto

The small road leading up to the cave is closed for cars - a cable car brings you to the top if you don't want to walk.

No Access

One of the team members of the Grotto's staff waiting for the next group to arrive.

Respect the Grotto

The rules are strict, and phones and cameras are not allowed to be taken inside. Having met and listened to the General Manager of the site who has build and looked after most of the attraction since it reopened after the war in 1995, it was clear that his passion for keeping the attraction in a pristine state is behind the rules, and they seem to be working.

Artworks

The office of the General Manager of the Grotto features paintings of school children as part of a competition. As he explained to me, judges made them draw an outline of the painting on the back while evaluating the submissions, to be sure it was really the children who were responsible for the work.

Opportunity

However, after a brief exchange I was deemed trustworthy enough to visit the Grotto after hours. While I didn't have much time inside, it was an incredible experience, for which I'm very grateful.

Lighting

One of the most impressive feats is the way the Grotto has been lit up by the team, accentuating the shapes, contrasts, and colours, in the right places.

Tunnel

About 50m in, visitors walk through a tunnel connecting the accessible chambers.

Puddles

While there are several spots where the water drips from the ceiling (side note - this is much more amazing if you get a chance to be in the cave in absolute silence like I was) water collects in only a few spots in the Upper Grotto.

Scale

Note the viewing platform on the top left, providing a sense of scale in this photo. The space is enourmous.

Depth

The total length of the two interconnected caves is almost 9km, but not all of it is accessible.

Into The Deep

Looking down into a part of the cave not accessible on the walkway, past the third and tallest chamber with an impressive height of 120m.

River

The underground river that runs into the second ower grotto, provides drinking water to more than 1 million people. You can get a glimpse of it on the bottom center in this photo.

Water

A close up between the tight gaps in the rocks reveals the river, 50m down from the platform.

Walkway

A total of the three chambers are accessible to tourists in the Upper Cave, lined with walkways to avoid damaging the natural environment.

Climb

As you make your way up the 5th or 6th flight of stairs, you truly start to appreciate the size of the chambers.

Upwards

A view upwards in between the karstic limestone rock formations.

Flow Control

Water dams and valves have been set up to control the power of the river out of the grotto.

Classic

There are many old cars in Lebanon, but not many in this condition.

Owner

The owner is visibly proud of his vehicle.

Last Evening

The end of my stay came with a beautiful red sunset and a nice dinner with the people that were the reason for the trip.

Puglia - Italy's South at its Best

 

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

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Polignano a Mare

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

Statua di Domenico Modugno

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

Coast View

The view from the northern cliffs towards the cirty.

Postcard Beach

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

Little Church

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

Up

Looking towards the sky between the tightly built houses.

Cliffs

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

Cityscpe

Typical southern Italy impressions.

Riverbed

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

Roman Bridge

The aforementioned bridge connecting two parts of the city.

The Adriatic Sea

Beautiful water and good temperatures in July.

Unnatural Cliffs

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

Unused

No one has been sitting here in a while.

Don't Come Closer

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

Trees

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

Grotte di Castellana

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

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

Backward

Looking backward to the main cave as you descend deeper.

Downwards

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

Alberobello

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

Trullo

The traditional Apulian dry stone hut with its conical roof.

History

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

Legend

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

Protected

The area is a UNESCO world heritage site.

Basilica of Saints Cosmas and Damian

The centre of the religious history of the city.

Casa d'Amore

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

Conversion

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

Ostuni Streets

One of the many stairs in the city.

Ostuni

Or aptly nicknamed "The White City"

Interior of Ostuni Cathedral

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

Succulent Door

Typical scene with plants framing doors and windows.

Streets of Ostuni

The arched streets are a typical feature of the city.

Just Chilling

The life of a cat.

Narrow

Even for humans, this is a one way street.

Modes of Transport

Not made for anything bigger than a Smart.

Support

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

City Walls

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

Tight

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

Plant Stairs

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

Blossoming

One of the main streets of Ostuni.

Landscape

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

Towards the Sea

A road leading eastwards.

Olive Trees...

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

And more Olive Trees

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

Malta - The Intriguing Island

 

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

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Coastline

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

Courtyard

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

St John's Co-Cathedral

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

Steps

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

Walls

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

Cat Cafe

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

Unusual Parking Lot

A parking lot inside the walls remaining of this building.

Contrasts

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

Mein Schiff

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

Cabins

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

Feline Friend

One of the beneficiaries of the cat cafe.

Pride

Unusual street crossing.

Judging You

Since 1951 or so...

Backstreets

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

Waterfront

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

City Views

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

Walls

The typical building walls with colorful offset balconies.

Looking out

He did have binoculars just a moment ago.

Street Views

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

Auberge de Castille

The prime ministers office..

Singers

Amazing guitarist in the streets of Valletta.

Nightlife

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

Chatting

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

Entrance

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

Patterns

A cafe near the Upper Barrakka Gardens.

Stairs

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

Yacht

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

Senglea

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

Barraka Lift

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

Cul de Sac

A small side street in Senglea.

Game On

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

Lookout

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

Navigation

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

Downwards

Looking from Senglea to the Birgu waterfront.

The Saluting Battery

Up in the Barrakka Gardens.

Fire

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

Piano

Another great musician playing in the Valletta streets.

Justice

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

Narrow

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

Finding a Way

A tree growing through a concrete hole in the ground.

Dusk

The bustling city life in the evening.

Vertigo

Roaming around empty side streets in the blue hour.

Exploring

A group of young people discovering the city.

The only light

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

Milky Way

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

Moonset

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

Nightscapes

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

Watching the Cosmos

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

Nighttime

Not so bustling anymore at 2am.

Filfla

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

Blue Grotto

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

Light & Water.

One such pattern.

Blue Hand

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

Colours

The spectrum of shades you can spot here is amazing.

Cave Swim

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

Radiating

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

Downwards

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

Blue Wall

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

Framed

Filfla seen through two trees.

Falconry

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

Prehistoric

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

Chair

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

Coastal Features

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

Mdina

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

St. Paul's Cathedral Mdina

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

Church of the Annunciation of Our Lady

The dome of the second major church in Mdina.

The Lady in Blue

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

Domvs Romana

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

Pastizzi

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

Inconspicious

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

Mdina

Mdina seen from a distance shows its elevated position.

Family Happiness

Or dinner?

Parade

Officers practicing on St George's square.

Restauration

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

Our Lady of Mount Carmel church

The interior of the aforementioned church.

Hidden Spot

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

Manoel Theatre

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

Work in Progress

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

Minneapolis & "The Quietest Place on Earth"

 

The yearly trip to HITEC - the world’s largest hospitality technology show - this year brought me to Minneapolis, MN, in the United States.

Since I’m always up for exploring a new place, I couldn’t resist to stay an extra day to make the 26h trip from Dubai a little more worthwhile - and it definitely was!

Minneapolis has a rich history as the milling capital of the US, owing to the Mississippi River running through the city, and is home to a few interesting sights.

As I only had a few hours, I didn’t take my camera along, so all the photos here are shot on iPhone XS.

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Bob Dylan

One of Minnesota’s most famous sons has his own mural in Minneapolis. It was commissioned by the buildings owner, and cost $50,000.

Blue Skies

Minneapolis has very cold winters - luckily, June is more pleasant.

River

The city owes a lot of its development to the Mississippi river.

Mill City Museum

The museum pays homage to the milling history of the city, which was a major driver for its economic development.

Damage

In 1878, a spark ignited airborne flour dust within the mill, creating a huge explosion that demolished a big part of the building and killed 18 workers instantly.

Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum

The Frank Gehry-designed building is located just on the river cliffs in the University district.

Crossing the River

Walking over the Stone Arch bridge, which originally opened in 1883.

Leftovers

The mill was rebuilt in 1880 as the largest in the world at the time, and ran until the 1960s. A fire gutted it in 1991, after which it was turned into a museum.

Water Power

Minneapolis developed around Saint Anthony Falls, the highest waterfall on the Mississippi River and a source of power for its early industry.

Revived

A view over the newly rebuilt mill district on the banks of the river, still showing the tunnels leading the water to the underground hydrpower generators.

Westminster Presbyterian Church

The 1897 church is one of many in the city.

Up

Minneapolis is home to a few interesting skyscrapers.

Orfied Laboratories

The studio is located outside the city in an inconspicious building.

Lobby Relicts

The entrance features copies of the recordings that were created in the studio, and even a poster of the movie "A Quiet Place", as the Anechoic Chamber was used to promote the release.

Directional Microphone

An impressive demo of the lab's directional microphone that allows to pinpoint the source and frequency of sound generated in the room.

Research

The lab provides all types of acoustic services, from product design and testing to building material selection and more.

Studio B

Tracks like Funky Town were recorded in this studio. Prince and Bob Dylan made records here as well.

Reverb Rooms

One of the lab's reverb rooms, with the metal plates acting as diffusors.

The Quietest Place on Earth

Until 2015, the Anechoic Chamber in the lab held the guiness world record for the quietest place on earth. I was able to spend 20min in side in total darkness and silence, and it's a humbling experience.

Man of Wisdom

Mike is one of the labs consultants and has worked there for 20 years, accummulating incredible knowledge.

The Rub Al Khali and the Emirates National Car Museum

 

A three hour drive from Dubai takes you the Rub Al Khali, the largest uninterrupted sand desert in the world, with its beautiful tall red dunes. At the edge and close to the border to Saudi Arabia lies Qasr Al Sarab, a beautiful Anantara hotel with amazing views.

On the way there you can find the Emirates National Auto Museum, definitely one of the more unexpected UAE attractions. Situated in a lonely pyramid-shaped building off the road towards Liwa, it features the collection of HH Sheikh Hamad Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan. Cars include such special vehicles as the world’s largest truck, a Rolls Royce used by the Queen, an 1885 Mercedes and his rainbow colour collection of S class

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Took the opportunity to shoot a timelapse video of the Milky Way over the desert from 2 am into the sunrise. Watch below.

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Milky Way Panorama

My first attempt at a Milky Way Panorama, shot over the Rub Al Khali.

Rub Al Khali

While this is the "empty quarter" there are still a few sources of light, mostly power lines and oil fields.

Multipresence

A stacked exposure with the obligatory flashlight.

The Core

The bright star is Jupiter - what else can you spot?

Castle in the Sand

The Palace of Mirage truly lives up to its name.

Sunrise

An early morning shot after a night out on Milky Way hunt.

Castle Walls

Like a true palace, Qasr Al Sarab has a few wall around it.

Architecture

Typical arabic architecture and lamps adorn the building.

Green bits

Plants are a rare luxury in this part of the desert.

Entrance

The main gate into the hotel.

Palace Quarters

The building features several wings spread over multiple floors.

The Royal Pavillion

Somewhat secluded (even more so) are the Royal Villas of the resort.

Dunes

The dune in front of the hotel is a popular sunset spot.

The House Dune

The Rub Al Khali features some of the tallest dunes in the world. The white spots in the bottom third? Gazelles!

Water Hole

A small pond attracts gazelles and other animals.

Up

It's a tough walk up the house dune.

Sunset

Desert sunsets always evoke a special atmosphere.

Qasr Al Sarab

A view of the full resort.

Sand tones

The sands in the Rub Al Khali are darker and of more intense colours than in the northern parts of the UAE.

Dawn

As the new day begins before sunrise, the air is clear and fresh.

Spots

Every corner brings a new view of the desert and the palace's architecture.

Valley

A small valley between the dunes is home to a few spots of greenery, with the Milky Way behind.

Shadow

The iPhone flashlight made for a different type of selfie.

Panorama

Qasr Al Sarab was built in between three dunes.

Oryx Warning

Didn't spot one this time - but what majestic animals they are.

Valleys

The typical Rub Al Khali scenery, showing valleys with afew plants surrounded by tall dunes.

The Earth on Wheels

Scale unknown.

History

The oldest car in the collection is an 1885 steam powered Mercedes.

The Museum

The building is pyramid shaped, and completely open inside, with two floors of cars.

In the Distance

Many of the UAE's and Saudi's largest oil fields are located in this part of the Arabian peninsula.

Mix

Yellow taxis, police cars, you name it!

Rainbow Collection

One of the most famous collections of Mercedes cars, as Sheikh Hamad Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, was also known as the 'Rainbow Sheikh'.

Guiness World Record

The world's largest Jeep - it actually runs! For scale, the tires are about 4m in diameter.

Abu Dhabi - A weekend of Sights

 

While I do prefer Dubai over the capital, Abu Dhabi features a lot of interesting sights. A weekend trip in March 2019 took me to a few new ones: The Presidential Palace, the Founders Memorial, Qasr Al Hosn and the Etihad Towers observation deck, with a quick stop at Emirates Palace as well.

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Ritz Carlton, Grand Canal Abu Dhabi

A strange hotel in a Venice style setup, that could be straight out of Las Vegas.

Overlap

The entrance gate to the Ritz Carlton with the mosque in the background.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

It was designed by Syrian architect Yousef Abdelky. I've been inside in 2016 and more photos are on my blog - defintely worth a visit.

Contrasts

Pink glass facades with minarets in Abu Dhabi city.

Confidence

Company name = Win!

Qasr Al Hosn

The evolution of the oldest stone building in Abu Dhabi city.

Exploration

The fort is now open for the public with exhibitions on its history.

Gates

The former gates to the fort with Sheikh Zayed the first in the background.

Hallways

Each door to the left features small exhibitions on the history of the country and the ways of life of the Bani Yas.

Fort

The fort with the old watch tower in the center in a darker brown shade, originally from 1761.

Local Spices

Guess them?

Growth

The tree in the courtyard of the fort.

Crossroads

A local woman and man cross paths in the courtyard of the building.

Entrance

The entrance doors to Qasr Al Hosn.

Emirates Palace

The main lobby of Emirates Palace featured an exhibiton on culture of determination, as the Special Olympics World Games are taking place in Abu Dhabi in 2019.

Looking Up

The roof of the main lobby and the surrounding corridors.

AccessAbility

In 2017 the UAE passed a law that describes all people with any disability as "people of determination".

Colours

One of the art pieces on display.

Views

One of the wings of the building, with ADNOC HQ, Etihad towers and Hyatt Pearl in the background.

Observation Deck

Etihad towers features the highest observation deck in Abu Dhabi with a view of Emirates Palace and the Presidential Palace to the left.

Presidential Palace

It opened to the public earlier in 2019.

Entrance

The entrance to the Presidential Palace is relatively simple...

Wow Moment

...so that the moment you step inside is even more impressive.

Corner

One of the 4 courners of the Great Hall.

Details

The palace features rich and rare materials from Italy, India, China and elsewhere.

Mirrors

A photo of the mirror cubes on the 4 sides of the main hall (the meaning of which I could not figure out).

Main Hall

Its sheer grandeur is hard to understand until you visit in person.

Sheikh Zayed

The portrait of the late father of the nation in one of the rooms.

Seating Areas

Official government meetings take place here.

The Great Hall

100m by 100m in size, it's the centerpiece of the palace.

State Gifts

The palace includes a room displaying gifts brought by officials from other nations visiting the UAE.

Ornaments

These include several official medals, bracelts, necklaces and more.

Artifacts

Jordanian and Greek gifts.

Circle

The room where GCC and Arab Nations council meetings take place.

Architecture

The level of detail and ornamentation is breathtaking.

Looking Up

Upwards view of one of the wings of the building.

Exterior

The exterior courtyard at night.

The Library

One section of the building features a library.

Archives

It includes many reference works on the history of the UAE.

Palace in Motion

A daily light show takes place each evening.

A Story

The 15min show tells the story of the UAE's beginnings.

Outlines

The show uses projection technology to create 3D imagery on the palace facade.

Founders Memorial

The fireworks in the background were probably for the end of the Special Olympics World Games.

Founding Father

The tribute to Sheikh Zayed, including a three-dimensional silhouette of his face.

Emirates Palace

From the bridge towards Marina Mall, with Etihad Towers on the left.

Close Up

A close up of the hotel, which opened in 2006.

3 Day Detox - Trying something new

If you know me, you’d know that a Detox that involves 3 days of no solid food would not be something I’d independently consider. As it sometimes happens though, through a specific set of circumstances I ended up with a free pack of Healthnag’s three day detox, which involves only having liquid forms of power for 3 full days. 

Curious to see if I could actually survive - mentally, rather than physically - and if there’d be any noticeable impact, I went ahead and planned a few days of abstinence from my usual semi-unhealthy-eat-out-a-lot-high-sugar-and-only-sometimes-best-practice dietary habits. 

I started preparing three days before, and for those days didn’t eat meat, no diary, no unnatural sugar (to the extent I could tell), tried to stay vegan and drank more water than usual - not difficult, because I rarely have more than a liter a day. This means, I had salads, rice, green juice, kale, vegetables. 

The detox consists of a total of seven power packets per day, meant to be drunk mixed in water at a total of almost four liters. Not being used to so much water, I started mixing it with fresh juice (which was allowed) from day two onwards, which made it much easier. 

Three of the seven packets represent the main meals, two snacks in between, and one when you wake up and go to bed respectively, below is the list:  

Contrary to what you would think, the worst was the first day actually, starting from midday onwards. Owing to the water / powder in take I didn’t feel like particularly hungry and energy levels were also under control, but it was uncomfortable as your stomach starts feeling like a water ballon, and a feeling of nausea set in, possibly because of all the water, paired with slight dizziness. 

On the second day I felt much better in the morning, and because I started drinking the powder mixed with some juices, which was much easier to absorb, I didn’t feel nauseous anymore. Feelings of slight hunger - or probably more a craving for solid food - started in the afternoon, but still bearable. 

The third day was quite easy as well, but again a feeling of hunger started appearing in the afternoon and I must say, at this point I really wanted to have some solid food again.  In hindsight, it felt harder to not eat on the weekend, where the are often less distractions and more temptations than during a busy day at work, so next time (did I say next time?) I would plan at least two week days. 

Personally, I didn’t feel a significant difference in the days following the detox, although I had the impression I slept a little better and woke up a bit more energetic for a few days. On the other hand, it’s probably difficult to correlate the detox with general mood and energy directly, as these aspects may also swing independently. 

Since I also don’t smoke or drink alcohol, there may be less potential impact from a detox in my body, despite my probably less-than-ideal eating habits. Admittedly, I may have also spoilt the effects by relatively quickly going back to my normal food routine afterwards.

Worth trying? Sure - even if just for the mental challenge and to see how your body reacts. 

Check out https://healthnag.com/ to learn more!

Mainz - German history on the Rhine

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

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The Wood Tower

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

Lunch

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

Beer Tower

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

Courtyard

The courtyard of the St Stephan's church.

St Bonifatius

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

The Mainz Cathedral

Over 1000 years old, but restored several times.

Interior

The main nave of the cathedral.

Heiliggeist Restaurant

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

The Roman Theatre

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

Side view

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

Citadel

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

The church of St Augustin

Completed in 1771.

Rococo Architecture

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

City Centre

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

Ruins of the church of St. Christoph

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

St Peter's Church

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

Pipe Organ

The beautiful organ on the choir side of the church.

Christ Church

The Christ Church on Kaiserstrasse.

Balance

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

Promenade

The promenade on the Rhine river that runs through Mainz.

Theodor Heuss Bridge

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

Across the River

Looking towards the Reduit building in Mainz-Kastel.

Cityscapes

Mainz has a lot of charming buildings and restaurants.

Town Square

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

A place that leaves a taste for more - 24 hours in Shiraz, Iran

 

A short flight from Sharjah took us to beautiful Iran for 24 hours, where we visited the city of Shiraz and the Persepolis. Iran is full of history and culture and its unique rich atmosphere definitely made us keen to come back.

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Umm Al Quwain

The wetlands in the smallest UAE emirate, seen from the plane flying out of Sharjah.

Iran

The rugged mountain area of southern Iran.

Approach

Landing approach in Shiraz.

Maharlu Lake

The seasonal salt lake is famous for turning pink in the summer months due to the red tide algae blooms.

Naqsh-e Rustam

The rock reliefs the Achaemenid and Sassanid periods, part of which date back 1000 B.C, are just a few kilometres from the Persepolis.

Ka'ba-ye Zartosht

The cube of Zoroaster in front of the tombs at the necropolis of Naqsh-e Rustam.

Persepolis

The western walls of the Persepolis. Notice the huge single pieces of stone used to construct the perimeter, with the humans for scale...

The Capital of the Achaemenid Empire

The earliest remains are from 500 BCE.

Ruins of the Apadana

One of the oldest buildings in the Persepolis.

The End

Alexander the Great is said to have destroyed the Persepolis in revenge for the Persian's attacks on Athens.

Overview

An aerial view of the site.

Tomb of Artaxerxes II

King of Persia from 404 BC until his death in 358 BC

Grounded

Some griffin capitals which fell from their columns are kept on the ground now.

Cypress Trees

The 18th-century gardens features beautiful tall cypress trees. The garden is a Unesco World Heriate site.

Eram Garden

A couple posing in front of Qavam House, built almost 150 years ago.

Shopping

A stall outside the Eram Garden.

Old School

Seems there was a time where people made a lot of calls.

The Pull for Knowledge

A statue close to the Tomb of Hafez.

Tomb of Hafez

The memorial site for Shiraz's and probably Persia's most well known poet.

Gardens

The tomb has been expanded with gardens and fountains lined with orange trees in recent years.

The Tomb

It was a busy public holiday weekend and the tomb attracts a lot of local visitors, reading the poet's work at the monument.

Shop

The place to buy the poet's works - crowded! Might be worth a read...

Joining the Master

Several tombs of other artists and poets have been added in surrounding buildings.

Arts and Crafts

Shiraz is a vibrant cultural and artsy city - Jahan Nama Garden is currenty being enhanced with wooden pillars featuring bird sculptures.

Morning Views

Looking out the window into the courtyard in the morning.

Iranian Hospitality

Taha Traditional Hotel in the old city was a good place to stay.

Entrance

The northerly entrance to Shāh-é-Chérāgh Mosque complex, with its beautiful tiles that Iran is famous for.

Devotion

A man kissing the entrance door to the complex.

Facade

The facade has intricate tile and paint work.

Tile glory

The site is full of beautiful tile walls and ceilings.

Passage

The passage way next to the Holy Shrine.

Shahecheragh Holy Shrine

The Shia Muslim mosque was built in the 12th century, although the dome has been re-constructed several times.

Watching

A man sits on the entrance wall of one of the shrines.

Persian Architecture

Beautiful spots all around.

Quiet

It was a public holiday and many shops were closed and streets less busy than usual.

Pedestrian Area

Shiraz features beautiful public places.

In the Sunshine

A couple enjoying the winter sun rays.

Naranjestan Qavam

A 19th century building with its lush gardens, now housing a museum with archaeological artifacts.

Influences

Many paint and tile works feature European features, such as this church like building.

Colour matching

A woman poses in front of the tile walls of the building.

Interiors

The crystal and mirror features of the porch.

Focal Point

One of the main features of the house.

Carpets

Persian carpets for sale.

Pots

For all your cooking needs.

Delicate Work

Carpet weaving is an essential part of Persian culture and Iranian art.

Smiles

Locals were friendly and welcoming.

Citadel of Kareem Khan

The interior courtyard of the citadel is now lined with orange trees.

Doors

The main building features several rooms connected by wooden doors.

Flexible

The citadel has been a government building, prison, living quarters and museum since it was built 250 years ago.

Glassworks

Some rooms featuring beautiful coloured glass windows.

Baths

Decorated walls lead through the various bathing areas.

Marble & Tiles

The main ḥammām of the citadel.

Leaning Tower

One of the four 14m towers connecting the citadel's walls isn't quite upright anymore.

Weighing as a Service

Warning: Iranian food is amazing.

Birds

Many shops keep birds, which are said to attract luck.

Gatekeeper

Who kindly let me into the building's courtyard.

Gallery House

A building with art and craft galleries in the ancient centre of Shiraz.

Black

Can never miss out on a cat shot.

Vakil Mosque

The entrance to another 18th century mosque, near a beautiful public square.

Laughter

The people of Shiraz are said to work to live, rather than the other way round.

Creative

The city is full of small art installations.

Tiles & Minarets

Another mosque near our hotel.

Alleys

A street in the historical centre.

Martyrdom of Fatima

Fatimah bin Muhammad was the youngest daughter of prophet Muhammad. Her death is commemorated during a public holiday in Iran, following Shia Islam.

The Buried Village of Al Madam

 

On the surface, a desert doesn’t offer much, but many times there’s more to things than the eye sees on first glance. The same is true for a little strip of land behind the village of Al Madam on the old Dubai-Hatta road, where you can find a lost and abandoned set of houses and a mosque that is slowly taken over by the relentless dunes composed of the fine UAE sands.

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Garden Entrance

Some of the houses in the buried village still feature their garden walls and entrance doors.

Who was here?

According to locals, the village was inhabited by the Al Kutbi tribe but no one is really sure why they left.

Moden facilities

A few houses still feature some interior amenities - they seem to have been built in the 70s or 80s.

Identical

The houses all follow the same style, with the exception of the mosque visible in the background.

Interiors

Dunes have made it into most of the rooms.

Disappearing

I wonder if the village will ever disappear completely.

Desert Views

Looking westwards from the village.

Sunset

The late afternoon is probably the best time to visit.

Remains

One wonders what the remains are - a bed frame?

Haunted?

Legend says people left because of the jinn, supernatural creatures that Arabs and Muslims believe exist in this world but not visible to human eyes; the creatures are also mentioned in the Quran.

Mosque interiors

The mosque still features remains of its previous carpet floor.

The Mosque

The only building following a different archiectural style.

Sand

The sand is very fine in the area - one reason it has found its way into every house.

Sunset

Desert sunsets in the winter on a clear day are always special.

Up on the dunes

Unfortunately most dunes around the village feature a few more footprints than this one.

Perspectives

The big and the small ball.

Exploring

The village is about 1h from Dubai, totally worth the trip.

Life

Always finds a way.