Five iconic red English telephone booths lined up diagonally
For decades, they were one of the most iconic symbols of England. The shape and the intense red color of the public telephone booths made them unforgettable. They were also a popular postcard motif and tourist souvenir in all kinds of formats. Unfortunately, they have disappeared - nice memories!
(London, England, September 1993 - Image ID: 199309-GB-05)
Footpath and street in park with trees loosing autumn leaves
As with many historic places, it is very rare to see them without any restauration going on and the inevitable scaffolding. When I viisited Londn 30 years ago, I was lucky, and virtually all main attractions presented themselves in full glory. Not only that: also the London weather with its notoriously bad reputation was quite friendly and replaced fog with a clear blue sky.
(London, England, September 1993 - Image ID: 199309-GB-03)
Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and River Thames at night
For some places, it is worth going back at a different time of the day, or even at night, where they look completely different. As with many historic places, it is very rare to see them without any restauration going on and the inevitable scaffolding. When I viisited Londn 30 years ago, I was lucky, and virtually all main attractions presented themselves in full glory.
(London, England, September 1993 - Image ID: 199309-GB-06)
Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey without scaff
As with many historic places, it is very rare to see them without any restauration going on and the inevitable scaffolding. When I viisited Londn 30 years ago, I was lucky, and virtually all main attractions presented themselves in full glory. Not only that: also the London weather with its notoriously bad reputation was quite friendly and replaced fog with a clear blue sky.
(London, England, September 1993 - Image ID: 199309-GB-01)
Mercedes AMG GT S solarbeam in Yehliu fishing harbor
The modern design of the AMG GT S Coupe meets the picturesque scenery of a traditional fishing harbor. For its launch back in 2015, Mercedes AMG used a very special metallic paint called "solarbeam". When you look at the car, you immediately understand why this name was chosen. The strikingly vibrant color shines even on cloudy days as if the car had integrated sunlight. Therefore, I took a lot of photos on a half-day round trip around Taiwan's Yangmingshan National Park mountain roads and the nearby coast. (Yehliu, Taiwan, December 2015 - Image ID 201512-TW-03)
Colorful fishing trawler in the bay of Kota Kinabalu
One morning during our stay in Kota Kinabalu, I went to a morning workout, and ran along the fishing harbor. I was very impressed with the colorful boats in the warm morning sunlight. So the next day I got up early again, and took my camera gear to take a whole series of photos. Fishing is an important sector in this region, providing jobs to a lot of people. Strong floodlights on the roof of the ship provide sufficient visibility at night when most of the fishing activity happens.
(Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, July 2013 - Image ID 201307-MY-18)
Kota Kinabalu City Mosque on Sabah, Malaysia
The City Mosque is one of two large mosques in Sabah's capital Kota Kinabalu. Built in the 1990ies, it officially opened in year 2000. Apart from its size catering for up to 12.000 worshipers, its location on the shores of the South China Sea is quite special. Being partially surrounded by an artificial lake, the mosque has also become a major tourist attraction.
(Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, July 2013 - Image ID 201307-MY-25)
Colorful Kuala Lumpur city centre with twin towers at night
This night image shows the city center of Kuala Lumpur with the iconic Petronas Twin Towers. When you visit, you definitely need to come both during the day as well as after sunset. From my personal point of view, it is not so much the height of the building that leaves a long-lasting impression. For me, the idea of constructing two identical towers of 88 floors next to each other, and connect them with a bridge, is really striking.
(Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, July 2013 - Image ID 201307-MY-02)
Petronas Twin Towers - an impressive view from below
As much as I like this picture, I can only partially illustrate how majestic the Petronas Twin Towers really are. Thinking about iconic buildings around the globe, this icon of Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur's will most likely score a top ranking. It was officially called the tallest building in the world from 1998 - 2004, until Taipei 101 was completed. From my perspective, it is however not so much the height itself that leaves a long-lasting impression. For me, the idea of constructing two identical towers of 88 floors next to each other, and connect them with a bridge, is really striking.
(Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, July 2013 - Image ID 201307-MY-09)
The only way is up - Petronas Twin Towers at night
Thinking about iconic towers around the globe, the Petronas Twin Towers in Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur's will most likely score a top ranking. It was officially called the tallest building in the world from 1998 - 2004, until Taipei 101 was completed. From my perspective, it is however not so much the height itself that leaves a long-lasting impression. For me, the idea of constructing two identical towers of 88 floors next to each other, and connect them with a bridge, is really striking. The KLCC looks fantastic also at night.
(Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, July 2013 - Image ID 201307-MY-01)
Floral street lantern in Kuala Lumpur city centre
As in most large cities, many high-rise buildings come in the standard colors white-grey-black. However, someone in Kuala Lumpur's city planning department had a brilliant idea. They added some red and green by wrapping a large number of streets lamps with artificial flowers. These really stand out, and made me smile
(Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, July 2013 - Image ID 201307-MY-04)
Historic harbour city hall at Hamburg Speicherstadt
Hamburg's "Speicherstadt" is the worlds largest warehouse ensemble. Built from the 1880'ies to the 1920'ies as part of the port, the building foundations rests on hundreds of huge wooden logs. The City of Warehouses now is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a very popular tourist destination. The huge buildings made from red bricks are testimony of Hamburg's important role in global maritime trade. One of the most iconic buildings is this so-called Hafenrathaus (harbour city hall).
(Hamburg, Germany, July 2013 - Image ID 201307-DE-09)
Elbphilharmonie window structures and reflections
As impressive as the Elbharmonie building in total may be, I was more interested in the unique fascade. The curved glass results in amazing reflections, and in combination with the light constantly changes the visual appearance of the building. Whilst there was a lot of criticism against the project due to the much higher than planned construction costs, the city of Hamburg now has a new icon.
(Hamburg, Germany, July 2013 - Image ID 201307-DE-04)
Hamburg port "Blohm + Voss dock 10" crane parade
One of the "MUST DO's" when visiting Hamburg is a harbour cruise. Apart from the scenic views of the city, I found both the terminals and the docks very interesting. As the largest port in Germany, Hamburg was always considered the gateway to the world. During our trip, this parade of loading cranes caugt my attention.
(Hamburg, Germany, July 2013 - Image ID 201307-DE-01)
White sunshade collection and dark blue sky
In summertime, both businesses and private people tend to add a very photographic element to cityscapes: sunshades! Especially restaurants and cafes provide comfort and protection to their guests by putting up a whole armada of them. Obviously, a lot of the sunshades are branded advertising, but then you also have the more neutral, designer-style sunshades. If you invest a bit of time to find the right position and angle, you will identify many stunning photo opportunities.
(Hamburg, Germany, July 2013 - Image ID 201307-DE-07)
Lousiana Star harbour cruise against Elbphilharmonie
The "Lousiana Star" paddle steamer is one of the many options to explore the Hamburg harbour area. Whilst not typical for Germany, it blends in nicely into the large variety of boats, vessels and ships. In the background, partially covered, lies the still unfinished Elbphilharmonie.
(Hamburg, Germany, July 2013 - Image ID 201307-DE-02)
Futuristic residential building with yellow sunshade
Walking around Hamburg on one hand is like a history lesson. There are a lot of unique old buildings to discover, giving testimony of the important role the city always played in global trade. On the other hand, there are many new developments, both residential and commercial. The one that almost called "Please take a photo" was this futuristic residential building. The unique architecture, combined with the intense color of both the fascade and the sky, plus the yellow sunshade made this ensemble a perfect photo model.
(Hamburg, Germany, July 2013 - Image ID 201307-DE-06)
Window plus window reflection on a yellow wall
During our walk through the streets of Cannes, I spotted this interesting and colorful wall with a painted single window. Thanks to the afternoon sunshine, there was an interesting reflection of another real glass window right next to it.
(Cannes, France, July 1993 - Image ID: 199307-FR-12)
Rural village windows - Closed vs. Open
On the way towards the Cote d'Azur, we passed a lot of mountain villages, where we also stayed over, and bought local products. As usual, I went to explore the area, and discoverd a lot of colorful walls and windows making the houses a very picturesque experience.
(Route des Grandes Alpes, France, July 1993 - Image ID: 199307-FR-06)
History live - Split harbour view with Diocletian palace and cat
To fully appreciate the beauty of the historic city walls and buildings against the backdrop of the coastal mountains, one needs to move back quite a bit. The Palazzo di Diocleziano built by the Romans provides an amazing facade to the old town. I took this image from a boat on our way to visit some of the nearby islands. The harbour of split is quite a busy ferry port. In addition, countless tour operators offer boats and ships of all sizes for rent or days trips to local and international tourists.
(Split, Croatia, June 2023 - Image ID: 202306-CR-37)
Nature lover - Flower pot garden staircase in Split old town
During our three days stay in Split, we obviously visited some of the usual tourist attractions such as the Roman Diocletian's palace. Obviously, being vacation time, there were quite a few people who shared the same idea. Therefore, I started to rather explore hidden treasures of the old town. Just walking around without any concrete plan always comes with nice surprises for the curious photographer. Amongst others, I found this nice botanic collection of a flower-loving owner of a guesthouse.
(Split, Croatia, June 2023 - Image ID: 202306-CR-35)
Ghost town - Abandoned house in a rural mountain village
As in many other countries, there are a lot of abandoned buildings or even entire villages. On one hand, this is because of young people moving away into the larger cities. Hence, rural areas get less and less populated, with just some older people hanging in. When you have a bit of extra time, it is quite interesting to visit such lost places. Whilst not as spectacular as hotel or castle ruins, there is still a lot to discover. Just imagine how this place may have looked like decades ago, filled with life!
(Dubrovnik area, Croatia, June 2023 - Image ID: 202306-CR-17)
Masterchef - It has been a long time since this stove has been u
Another room, another discovery: I found this old stove and oven in what previously must have been the kitchen. Now completely abandoned, and most empty, it seems nobody was interested in taking and reusing this old-fashioned equipment anymore. Therefore, it stayed at its original location, and now adds some extra flair to the otherwise empty place. How many years may have passed since someone last used it for cooking? I will probably never know...
(Dubrovnik area, Croatia, June 2023 - Image ID: 202306-CR-21)
Faded love - Red heart graffiti above abandoned Belvedere Hotel
Despite the temperatures being already quite high in June, I decided to take a hike on the Frana Supila road east of Dubrovnik. From there, one can enjoy spectacular views of Lokrum, the Adriatic sea, and the fissured coastline. Due to the steep incline, it feels almost like an aerial view. One of the first sights was the abandoned Hotel Belvedere with Lokrum island in the background. Someone was kind enough to leave this graffiti heart behind, with its color perfectly matching the roof.
(Dubrovnik, Croatia, June 2023 - Image ID: 202306-CR-26)
Kayaking Dubrovnik - Breathtaking views of the majestic city walls
One of the best ways to experience Dubrovnik from the sea is kayaking. Most people take guided tours, that usually cover surrounding the city walls, Lokrum island and the coastline with a number of caves. Whilst this comes with the plus of interesting information about the city and its history, there are a few providers who also offer kayaks just for rent by the hour. We decided to rather take this option which allows to travel at your own speed, and to take photos without any peer pressure to move on.
(Dubrovnik, Croatia, June 2023 - Image ID: 202306-CR-08)
Lost places - Belvedere outdoor swimming pool facing Dubrovnik
"Lost places" have become popular destinations for photographers. The previous Hotel Belvedere in Dubrovnik has been abandoned since it was severely damaged by Serbian troops during the war in 1991. This huge 5-star luxury resort had only been in operation for just six years when it became a casualty of this armed conflict. Since then, several plans to restore it or to replace it with a new luxury hotel have failed. This image shows an outdoor pool with a beautiful view towards the city.
(Dubrovnik, Croatia, May 2023 - Image ID: 202305-CR-16)
Revival - Nature claiming back it's territory in abandoned hall
"Lost places" where nature reclaims it's territory over time have become popular destinations for photographers. The previous Hotel Belvedere in Dubrovnik has been abandoned since it was damaged by Serbian troops during the war in 1991. The huge 5-star luxury resort had been in operation for just six years before it became a casualty. Since then, several plans to restore it or to replace it with a new luxury hotel have failed. Trees, bushes and grass don't care, they flourish in- and outside the ruins.
(Dubrovnik, Croatia, May 2023 - Image ID: 202305-CR-22)
Once upon a time the indoor swimming pool of Hotel Belvedere
Even without glass, one can easily imagine the previous glory of this indoor pool. The previous Hotel Belvedere in Dubrovnik has been abandoned since it was severely damaged by Serbian troops during the war in 1991. This huge 5-star luxury resort had only been in operation for just six years when it became a casualty of this armed conflict. Since then, several plans to restore it or to replace it with a new luxury hotel have failed.
(Dubrovnik, Croatia, May 2023 - Image ID: 202305-CR-17)
Scenic view of Dubrovnik old town and Lokrum island from the city walls
This is one of my favorite images from Dubrovnik. We obviously went for the tourist "MUST DO", and climbed the huge city walls. Whilst obviously rather crowded, it's worth going due to the spectacular views over the colorful rooftops and the Adriatic sea. Despite the heat, we decided to visit around noon time, since it was rather cloudy in the morning. This image towards the east shows almost the complete historic town, plus Lokrum island and the coastline in the background.
(Dubrovnik, Croatia, June 2023 - Image ID: 202306-CR-03)
Good morning Dubrovnik - Old town silhouette from the east
Taken early in the morning from the small beach of St. Jakob, this image shows the impressive panorama of the "King's Landing". Whilst it has been a popular tourist destination for decades, the worldwide success of the "Game of Thrones" series results in a significant increase of overseas visitors, especially from the United States. The high and solid stone walls surrounding Dubrovnik provided solid protection from potential aggressors approaching the city from the sea.
(Dubrovnik, Croatia, May 2023 - Image ID: 202305-CR-14)
Dubrovnik old town - Stradun street against blue and cloudy sky
At the risk of not using the correct term, I would call Stradun the main street in old town Dubrovnik. Packed with restaurants, shops and tourists, virtually everyone visiting the UNESCO World Heritage site, will pass through it. Since I didn't want to take the usual perspective including the impressively huge paving stones, I decided to shift the camera upwards. Whilst missing out on the action on the ground floor, I believe the photo still captures the essence and spirit of this popular place.
(Dubrovnik, Croatia, June 2023 - Image ID: 202306-CR-01)
Must do - Dubrovnik view of Dominican monastery and Lokrum
One of the "MUST DO's" in Dubrovnik is to climb the up to 25 meters high city walls, and walk around the old town. Whilst obviously rather crowded, the reward are spectacular views over the orange/red rooftops and the Adriatic sea. Ideally, one should visit relatively early in the morning, or late in the afternoon. Otherwise, at midday, the 2km can become rather hot and long. The nice thing is: the view changes after each and every corner. This image shows the Dominican monastery with Lokrum island in the background.
(Dubrovnik, Croatia, June 2023 - Image ID: 202306-CR-02)
Zadar old city and sea from above - Northwest view
Zadar on the Adriatic Sea is the oldest continuously inhabited city in Croatia. Especially the fortified old town is absolutely with visiting. Lots of restaurants and shops cater for the diverse demands of local and international travellers. Amongst the historic monuments, I was immediately attracted by the bell tower of the Cathedral of St. Anastasia. Upon climbing up the steep stairs, you are rewarded with an amazing 360 degrees panorama of Zadar. This photo shows the view in northwesterly direction.
(Zadar, Croatia, May 2023 - Image ID: 202305-CR-01)
Zadar old city and sea from above - Southwest view
Zadar on the Adriatic Sea is the oldest continuously inhabited city in Croatia. Especially the fortified old town is absolutely with visiting. Lots of restaurants and shops cater for the diverse demands of local and international travellers. Amongst the historic monuments, I was immediately attracted by the bell tower of the Cathedral of St. Anastasia. Upon climbing up the steep stairs, you are rewarded with an amazing 360 degrees panorama of Zadar. This photo shows the view in southwesterly direction.
(Zadar, Croatia, May 2023 - Image ID: 202305-CR-03)
Zadar old city and sea from above - Southeast view
Zadar on the Adriatic Sea is the oldest continuously inhabited city in Croatia. Especially the fortified old town is absolutely with visiting. Lots of restaurants and shops cater for the diverse demands of local and international travellers. Amongst the historic monuments, I was immediately attracted by the bell tower of the Cathedral of St. Anastasia. Upon climbing up the steep stairs, you are rewarded with an amazing 360 degrees panorama of Zadar. This photo shows the view in southeasterly direction.
(Zadar, Croatia, May 2023 - Image ID: 202305-CR-02)
Zadar old town exploration - Windows collection - Lantern
Whenever I visit a town for the first time, I do enjoy just walking around to get a feeling for the location. This is particularly true for historic city centers, where there are so many details to discover. Obviously, there are the usual tourist attractions. In addition, I love to hunt for new motives for one of my many image subject collections. Amongst them, doors and windows are two of my oldest and broadest portfolios. In this regards, the old town of Zadar in Croatia had a lot to offer.
(Zadar, Croatia, May 2023 - Image ID: 202305-CR-05)
Berlin TV tower and Rotes Rathaus (=Red Town Hall) with clouds
The sky over Berlin ("Wings of Desire") is a famous movie by German director Wim Wenders. When I visited Berlin in early May 2023, this sky presented itself at its best with a nice blue and dramatic cloud formations. I used this opportunity to take a few photos of places that I had visited before with less attractive light and weather conditions. I added the arch of a passage of another building to frame the famous Berlin TV-tower and the Red Town Hall ("Rotes Rathaus"). (Berlin, Germany, May 2023 - Image ID: 202305-DE-07)
Historic port of Berlin and cityscape with TV tower
Despite of many visits to Berlin, I always discover places that I have not seen before. When I returned in early May, I went for an urban exploration walk in the city center. This included the Fischerinsel / museum's island. At its southern tip, I found the historic port of Berlin. A number of vintage ships and boats are moored in the harbour, which doesn't operate as such anymore. From there, I enjoyed spectacular views of the skyline of Berlin Mitte & Alexanderplatz.
(Berlin, Germany, May 2023 - Image ID: 202305-DE-09)
Colorful residential building in Berlin with street lantern
During my walk in the center of Berlin in early May, I intentially left the area with all the famous attractions, to explore some of the less touristic parts of the city. In general, this gives you a much better feeling for a place and the people who live there. South of the museum's island (Fischerinsel), I found this huge residential building, that occupied almost an entire street. In total, it must be more than 250m long. After some renovation, it's beautifully painted in different colors. (Berlin, Germany, May 2023 - Image ID: 202305-DE-10)
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 in white and blue with safety net
No pain, no gain. In order to enjoy a fantastic panoramic view over the famous Sun Moon Lake in Central Taiwan, a little physical effort is required. To get up to the viewing platform of the 46m high Ci'en Pagoda, one needs to climb up this beautiful white and blue staircase. Instead of just rushing up and down this hexagonal construction, it is worth stopping now and then, and have a look up and down. The simple design with just three colors will blow architecture and art fans away
(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)
Stairs with half-open blue metal door
After enjoying a fantastic view over the famous Sun Moon Lake, visitors will exit the tower via this decorative blue & white staircase via the half-open door with metal bars. Coming down from the 46m high Ci'en Pagoda, the return is a lot easier than the way up the equally colored staircase. The design with just three colors is so simple, and yet extremely eyecatching. A nice way to say good-bye... And after the last visitor has left, the bars ensure nobody can enter unauthorized.
(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)
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)
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 stool 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)
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)
Playa del Carmen beach huts back in 2002
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)
Mont Saint-Michel morning sun high tide reflection
The early morning visit to major tourist attractions comes with many benefits. First, one can watch the sun rise, and enjoy the beautiful warm light. Second, one can still explore the area before the tsunami of day visitors moves in. I visited the iconic Mont Saint-Michel twice, once in the afternoon, and a second time early the next morning. Doing so, I could also see it with different water levels. During high tide, the grasslands around Mont Saint-Michel 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)
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)
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 panorama from above - Photo Painting
Some places have the reputation of being spectacularly beautiful. They create this deep longing to visit at least once, and inspire people of all ages and cultures to travel. South Africa's Cape Town clearly falls into this category. Despite of all the photos and videos already seen, tourists are usually overwhelmed when they see it in person for the first time. A new highlight built for the 2010 World Cup is the "Cape Town Stadium" at the foot of Signal Hill. I consider it to be equally impressive from the air as from the ground. Looking at the entire panarama from the helicopter is just breathtaking.
(Cape Town, South Africa, April 2012 - Image ID: 201204-ZA-14)
Table Mountain and Cape Town harbour from above - Photo Painting
Some places just have the reputation of being spectacularly beautiful. They create this deep longing to visit at least once, and inspire people of all ages and cultures to travel. Cape Town with its famous Table Mountain clearly falls into this category. And despite of all the photos and videos already seen, tourists are usually overwhelmed when they see it in person for the first time. From the air, the wild beauty of Cape Town and its surroundings becomes really clear. This photo taken from a helicopter shows the harbour with part of the city and Table Mountain in the background.
(Cape Town, South Africa, April 2012 - Image ID: 201204-ZA-13)
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)
