Urban Archives - Eckart Mayer Photography

Wenwu Temple overlooking Sun Moon Lake

Easily accessible from the ring road surrounding Sun Moon Lake, most visitors will stop at the popular Wenwu Temple. Apart from the impressive interior, it is worth walking up to the top to enjoy a spectacular rooftop view over the lake. (Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan, March 2013 - Image ID: 201303-TW-07)

Staircase with safety net

To get up to the viewing platform of the 46m high Ci'en Pagoda, one needs to climb up this beautful white and blue staircase. (Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan, March 2013 - Image ID: 201303-TW-04)

Ci'en Pagoda Sun Moon Lake

One of the major tourist attractions in the Sun Moon Lake area, not only because of the stunning architecture and colours, but also for its platform being a great sightseeing spot. (Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan, March 2013 - Image ID: 201303-TW-03)

Half-open metal door bars

Another scene from the staircase inside the Ci'en Pagoda. Half-open blue metal bars mark the end of the descent before exiting the building. I liked both the shape and the colours. (Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan, March 2013 - Image ID: 201303-TW-05)

Lantern festival musicians

One integral part of the Festive Season are the lantern festivals. These exhibitions are extremely popular, resulting in huge crowds visiting them in the evenings. And whilst this band of musicians doesn't really play their traditional instruments, they are just fascinating. (Taipei City, Taiwan, February 2013 - Image ID: 201302-TW-10)

A colourful snake

One integral part of the Festive Season are the lantern festivals. Artists put up huge figures, animals and other objects, which are beautifully illuminated in countless colours. These exhibitions are extremely popular, resulting in huge crowds visiting them in the evenings. (Taipei City, Taiwan, February 2013 - Image ID: 201302-TW-09)

Illuminated percussion lanterns

One integral part of the Festive Season are the lantern festivals. Artists put up huge figures, such as these musicians with their illuminated drums and other instruments. These exhibitions are extremely popular, resulting in huge crowds visiting them in the evenings. (Taipei City, Taiwan, February 2013 - Image ID: 201302-TW-12)

Lantern festival big fish

One integral part of the Festive Season are the lantern festivals. Artists put up huge figures, animals and other objects, such as this gigantic illuminated fish. These exhibitions are extremely popular, resulting in huge crowds visiting them in the evenings. (Taipei City, Taiwan, February 2013 - Image ID: 201302-TW-14)

Purple eyed lantern dragon

One integral part of the Festive Season are the lantern festivals. These exhibitions are extremely popular, resulting in huge crowds visiting them in the evenings, admiring pieces of art such as this huge dragon. (Taipei City, Taiwan, February 2013 - Image ID: 201302-TW-11)

Rider of the Taipei lantern festival

One integral part of the Festive Season are the lantern festivals. These exhibitions are extremely popular, resulting in big crowds visiting them in the evenings. This huge rider on his horse seems to escape from the snake in the background. (Taipei City, Taiwan, February 2013 - Image ID: 201302-TW-13)

Waiting for customers

On weekends, these tables are usually very busy, packed with families enjoying food and drinks outdoors. Due to the bad weather, I found them completely empty... (Taipei, Taiwan, January 2013 - Image ID: 201301-TW-05)

Lover's Bridge

The fisherman's wharf in Tamsui is a popular weekend destination for families living in Taipei. Lot's of restaurants cater for the culinary needs of the visitors. One of the most popular spots for couples is the pink-coloured "Lover's Bridge", even on days with really bad weather. (Tamsui, Taiwan, January 2013 - Image ID: 201301-TW-04)

Bold architecture

One of the first places fto visit obviously was Taipei101, the cities main tourism attraction with its 101 floors. Putting such a high-rise skyscaper in a earthquake hazard area required innovative architectural solutions, with a gigantic metal pendulum installed inside the building. (Taipei, Taiwan, January 2013 - Image ID: 201301-TW-03)

Taipei City view from Maokong

Taking the Maokong gondola rewards visitors with spectacular view of Taipei. A striking contrast between the lush green forests and the 3mio+ population city. (Taipei, Taiwan, January 2013 - Image ID: 201301-TW-07)

Construction vs. ferris wheel

The colourful Miramar feeris wheel has been in operation for quite some time, whereas new high rise buildings are coming up in the Dazhi neighborhood. (Taipei, Taiwan, January 2013 - Image ID: 201301-TW-08)

Red plastic chair rows

Year-round, the Liberty Square in the center of Taipei is used as a venue for many events. Whilst not the most comfortable seating, these chairs are waiting for the visitors to arrive. (Taipei, Taiwan, January 2013 - Image ID: 201301-TW-02)

Bike sharing and "Christmas" trees

Already 10 years ago, bike sharing was well established in Taipei, and (contrary to other parts of the world) unsually not subject to vandalism. The LED illumination of the trees in the city center made a nice colour contrast. (Taipei City, Taiwan, February 2013 - Image ID: 201302-TW-05)

Sulphoric volcano fumes

Living on a volcanic island with constant fumes flowing out of the crater always reminds you about the currently sleeping powers of nature. I guess the inhabitants of the small village on Volcano have got used to it. (Volcano Island, Italy, December 2022 - Image ID: 202212-IT-16)

Mazzaro blue hour chair

An off-season evening scene on the otherwise very busy beach of Isola Bella. Not sure who brought this chair here, but I was quite happy to have it as a photo model. (Mazzaro, Italy, December 2022 - Image ID: 202212-IT-21)

Empty terrace lounge

During low season, the otherwise very crowded attractions tend to be quite empty, even on days with beautiful winter weather. This terrace on top of the coffee shop next to the Taormina amphittheatre offers outstanding views over the Mediterrenean. (Taormina, Italy, December 2022 - Image ID: 202212-IT-03)

The boot

Urban exploration in Taormina: the old city with its narrow lanes has a lot of details to discover. Like this boot-shaped area where the paint came off an otherwise colourful staircase. Do we need a painter or a shoemaker to fix this? (Taormina, Italy, December 2022 - Image ID: 202212-IT-04)

Taormina coastline reflections

The glass panels surrounding the coffee shop within the Taormina amphittheatre added a nice special effect to an otherwise pretty ordinary photo. Even though the coastline alone admittedly is quite pretty. (Taormina, Italy, December 2012 - Image ID: 202212-IT-02)

Not a chance...

Concrete and steel were not strong enough. Only a few remains of a former hotel remain visible amidst the once powerful lava stream that destroyed everything in its path during a previous eruption. A powerful reminder about the forces of nature. (Mount Etna, Italy, December 2022 - Image ID: 202212-IT-22)

Playa del Carmen beach huts

Some of the first tourist accomodations in the nowadays busy city of Playa del Carmen were this kind of beach huts. Made from local natural resources, they blended nicely into the landscape with white sand and palmtrees. Some of them still exist today, alongside a lot of modern hotels and tourist resorts. (Riviera Maya, Mexico, November 2002 - Image ID 200211-MX-14)

Hacienda Yaxcopoil beauty

With the henequen boom in the late 1800s/early 1900s, large Haciendas emerged in the area of Merida, Yucatan. Business collapsed during the economic crisis in the 1920s, and even more with the invention of synthetic fibers. Some Haciendas have been renovated and turned into luxury hotels. Others are open for day visitors, definitely worth a trip. (Merida, Mexico, November 2002 - Image ID 200211-MX-01)

Ravages of time

Maintaining the ancient Haciendas iin the tropical climate is a never-ending battle against time, humidity and vegetation. This combination creates interesting photo opportunities. (Merida, Mexico, November 2002 - Image ID 200211-MX-05)

Hacienda Yaxcopoil arches

The typical henequen Hacienda consisted of the Grand Manor House, the machine house, and a chapel. Covered patios protected against sun and rain. Exploring these once busy agricultural venues feels like travelling back in time. (Merida, Mexico, November 2002 - Image ID 200211-MX-02)

Abbey mirror

During high tide, even part of the grasslands on the coastline are under water. As long as you don't mind getting your shoes (or feet) dirty, this provides unique photo opportunities. (France, Mont Saint Michel, October 2022 - Image ID 202210-FR-30)

Yellow buoy

Tidal magnitudes in the bay of Mont Saint Michel are the highest in the whole of Europe. Whilst the flood make it an island when it reaches the high stone walls, ebb tide offers completely different impressions. (France, Mont Saint Michel, October 2022 - Image ID 202210-FR-25)

Abbey silhouette

During ebb tide, one can basically walk around the Mont Saint Michel, and admire its' beauty and architecture from all directions. To do something different, I took this image directly into the afternoon sun. (France, Mont Saint Michel, October 2022 - Image ID 202210-FR-27)

Blue hour Saint Malo

Clashing with the usual restaurant dinner times in October, the blue hour is definitely worth making other eating plans. This peaceful evening scene of Saint Malo was captured from Dinard at the opposite side of the bay. (France, Saint Malo, October 2022 - Image ID 202210-FR-17)

Different Twins

Walking around Saint-Malo on its huge medieval stone wall provides excellent viewing opportunities, both overlooking the sea, as well as into the historic city. (France, Saint Malo, October 2022 - Image ID 202210-FR-14)

Seawater swimming pool

A very pragmatic approach to create protected zones for swimmers that even work during ebb tide. Many cities in Brittany have this kind of natural saltwater pools. Water is replaced every 10 hours when the flood rises, and the pool disappears for some time. (France, Saint Malo, October 2022 - Image ID 202210-FR-15)

Evening Tranquility

Off-season is by default more quiet than the main holiday period, with many restaurants already closed for the season. This evening was particularly calm and relaxed (France, Tregastel, October 2022 - Image ID 202210-FR-12)

Typical rural Lesotho village in Winter

For the local people living at this altitude, winter weather conditions are pretty tough. This is how many villages in rural areas of this beautiful, but also very poor country look like, with theit traditional round houses. (Lesotho, August 2012 - Image ID 201208-LS-06)

Evening atmosphere above the rooftops of Paternoster (photo pain

The typical, Dutch-inspired houses of the Cape Province in front of the intensely colored evening sky of the Atlantic. (Paternoster, South Africa, April 2012 - Image ID: 201204-ZA-21)

Threatening sunset over the rooftops of Paternoster

Dramatic, wildly romantic evening atmosphere above the typical houses of Paternoster in the Western Cape Province. (Paternoster, South Africa, April 2012 - Image ID: 201204-ZA-20)

Cape Town Stadium from above (Photo painting)

For the 2010 World Cup, the "Cape Town Stadium" was built at the foot of Signal Hill, which is at least as spectacular from the air as seen from the ground, especially in such weather. Here as an artistic photo painting version. (Cape Town, South Africa, April 2012 - Image ID: 201204-ZA-14)

Table Mountain and Cape Town Harbour from above (photo painting)

From the air, the wild beauty of the surroundings of Cape Town becomes really clear. Here the harbour and Table Mountain on a cloudless day, here as an artistic variant. (Cape Town, South Africa, April 2012 - Image ID: 201204-ZA-13)

Cape Town's mountains and bays from above

The return flight along the coast with views of Table Mountain, Signal Hill, Camps Bay, Clifton Bay and Cape Town is unfortunately far too short, but breathtaking. (Cape Town, South Africa, April 2012 - Image ID: 201204-ZA-12)

Cape Town Seapoint and surroundings from above

The flight along the coast overlooking Table Mountain, Signal Hill, Sea Point, the bays and the long mountain range is spectacular. (Cape Town, South Africa, April 2012 - Image ID: 201204-ZA-11)

Cape Town Stadium from above

Nach Englisch  For the 2010 World Cup, the "Cape Town Stadium" was built at the foot of Signal Hill, which is at least as spectacular from the air as seen from the ground, especially in such weather. (Cape Town, South Africa, April 2012 - Image ID: 201204-ZA-10)

Table Mountain and Cape Town harbour from above

From the air, the wild beauty of the surroundings of Cape Town becomes really clear. Here the harbour and Table Mountain on a cloudless day. (Cape Town, South Africa, April 2012 - Image ID: 201204-ZA-09)

Massive Flash over Centurion

During summer season, heavy thunderstorms frequently create spectacular effects on the Highveld, e.g. in Pretoria area - better to watch them from a safe indoor place... (Centurion, South Africa, January 2012 - Image ID: 201201-ZA-01)

back