Did you know that London has a canal? And one as pretty as this?

I gave him a smile and a head nod of acknowledgment and he gave me a proper raised eyebrow and reserved recognition as we swiftly passed each other shoulder to shoulder. A typical greeting among runners. I continued to dodge bicycles speeding by me as I ran along the canal gazing at houseboats and a few random cafes. However I wasn’t in Amsterdam – I was in London!

I had accidentally come across this London canal while running around my neighborhood during my stay in London. My Oh London apartment was tucked away far from tourist sites and next to Jamie Olivers restaurant and kitchens (which by the way were disappointing).  It was easy to find running routes around the local neighborhood, however I never expect to find a canal running route.

What I found on the canal run was a exposure to normal life in London. Away from tourists and crowded sidewalks I was thoroughly enthralled by this hidden canal and the people who commuted to work on bicycle and by foot away from buses and tube lines.  It was lined with residential upscale lofts, regular apartments, offices, industrial buildings, art installations, construction, graffiti, tunnels, cafes, houseboats, and locks.

The canal was full of surprises around every corner and way more entertaining than pushing through tourists on the Thames.

Join me on my run!

An industrial unknown structure...no, it's not a roller coaster!

Houseboat along the canal

Art installation along the canal

Flower Boot

Green Door

Bike Commute

The local Canal

Colorful Canal Cafe

Mongolian boy in Terelj Park

One of the best things about doing a Ger to Ger trip in Mongolia is that you get full access to the families and the culture.  You learn, you communicate, your spread knowledge and understanding.  I have another ulterior motive though – staying with families in their gers give you great access for photography.  The families are always eager to show you their lives and share and they do love to have their photos taken.  Whenever I return to Ulaanbaatar after a Ger to Ger trip I always get the family photos reprinted and then take them back to the Ger to Ger office so that they can send them to the families.  Each family I visited has a great photo album of images tourists/guests have sent them.  I’m simply happy to be a part of that process of providing them some memories that they wouldn’t otherwise have.

May latest Ger to Ger trip to Terelj Park in Mongolia yielded these results.  It’s good to know that these same pictures are safely tucked away in a book in their ger which they will show off to other visitors – sort of like the circle of life.

Where do you go to find authentic travel and great photos ops?

To purchase any of these photos, simply click on the image for more information.

Men relax outside their ger

A lone tree in Terelj Park at sunset

Brothers hold tight

Horses tethered in the park

Sewing inside a ger

Ox and tree

Cuddling kitten

Ger in Terelj Park

Making booz

Mongolian Ovoo (sacred place)

This palm tree has a golden view of Oahu

Trees are like a magnet to my camera lens.  I find myself capturing trees around the world.  My recent trip to Hawaii was no exception.  The Big Island and Oahu were full of perfect trees ready to model for me!  Here are some of my favorites.

A Tree at the Punch Bowl war cemetary in Oahu

A lone tree sits along the Chain of Craters Road on the Big Island

Oahu coast

Drive from Hilo to Waimea on the Big Island

A complex leaf pattern near Akaka Falls on the Big Island

Trees in front of Iolani Palace in Honolulu

Rugged trees on the hike to Makapu‘u Point Lighthouse

Rain Forest on the Big Island near Hilo

Prague

One thing is certain no matter where I go in the world, I run into graffiti.  Sometimes it’s painful to see when it scars beautiful doors, buildings, and walls in Europe’s ancient cities.  But sometimes it’s beautiful, artistic, and brings a city together.  I’ve been taking photos of graffiti that captures me for sad or happy reasons as I have traveled the globe and here are some of my favorite shots.

Graffiti is art or an eyesore around the world?  Let me know what you think in the comments!

Barcelona

London

Beirut

New York City

Amsterdam

Ho Chi Minh City

Milan

Oahu Hawaii

Volgograd

Caught in the act - Prague

Colorful sunsets on Mauna Kea

As I drove the gradual incline, the car downshifted to a lower gear, jerked and slowly inched up the road; I could feel just how hard it seemed to be working to get up to the Mauna Kea visitor center.  Hawaii has the tallest mountain on earth.  No, I haven’t lost my mind, and no, Everest hasn’t moved to the Big Island of Hawaii.  Mauna Kea is in fact the tallest mountain; from it’s base (under the sea) it comes in at 33,000 feet which puts it significantly above Mt. Everest!  However from sea level it is measured at 13,796 ft – which is certainly tall enough to wreak havoc with your body and provide a hefty headache.

This was one of my most anticipated sites on the Big Island, Mauna Kea, home to the best stargazing and astronomical observation.  This is where my Big Island luck had run out.  I had tried to go on a astronomy tour to the summit, but thanks to a number of factors, I was unable to go.  So I was relegated to the 9,000 foot level at the visitor center only.  However I made the drive up to the visitor center as I knew it would be a fascinating area to see that would once again leave me thinking, “I can’t believe this is Hawaii.”

That’s exactly what I thought when I parked the car and stepped outside into the cold air.  I quickly kicked off my flip flops, put on my socks and tennis shoes, and put all the layers I could possibly fit on my body.  With a two wheel drive car I was unable to go any further up to the summit, but I was able to still go the visitor center which had some interesting videos of the observatories and after the sun sets they bring out telescopes to do some star gazing with students from the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy.

However the most fascinating thing to me was the drive to Mauna Kea via the saddle road.  The road climbed up out of the rain forest and Hilo area and soon I felt as if I was on another planet.  There were plants I had never seen before, and the landscape was barren except for complex cloud formations.  The drive to the visitor center was stunning, and it’s worth a stop, especially if you time it for sunset as I did that evening.

However, on my next trip, I’m determined to get to the summit and see those laser telescopes in action!  You have to leave some things for the ‘second visit’!

The stormy saddle road to Mauna Kea

Unusual plants dot the landscape as I get closer to Mauna Kea

A rainbow appears in the distance welcoming me to Mauna Kea

The Road to the Visitor Center

Climbing the hill near the visitor center to get the best view

The visitor center is graced with a full rainbow!

The last bit of light slips away on Mauna Kea

Kohala Coast - Big Island Hawaii

When I first started my career break travels in 2006, I stumbled across a photography exhibition in Melbourne Australia called The Earth From Above; aerial photography from all over the world.  I fell in love with it immediately; it provided such a unique perspective that few people get to see.  The exhibit inspired me so much that I actually made a trip to Morocco to see the leather dying vats in Fez that I saw in the exhibition.  They captured my interest and I wanted to photograph them myself.  Actually – I wanted to photograph many of the places I saw in the exhibit, but access to  a helicopter  is not normally in my travel budget!  So when I had the opportunity to take a helicopter tour via Paradise Helicopters in Hawaii, I jumped at the chance to finally get my shot at aerial photography!

Shooting through glass is not easy, but here’s the best of what I saw….from above.

You can purchase any of this photography by simply clicking on the photo to learn more.

Lava Tube viewed from Above

Halema’uma’u Crater spewing vog (Volcanic smog)

Hidden beaches are revealed from above

The forested regions between Kona and Hilo

A pit crater in Volcanoes National Park along the Chain of Craters Road

Waipio Valley - a sacred place on the Big Island

A tree surrounded in flames of lava

The dry side of the island cracked and desert like

The wet side of the Big Island is full of green forests and valleys

Vog and lava dominate Volcanoes National Park

Coral formations are works of art from above

Molten Lava ignites - a spectacular view from above

To learn more about the helicopter tour beyond the photos, be sure to check out the post from yesterday – Touring the Big Island from Above

Disclosure:  Paradise Helicopters  hosted my Hawaii Experience tour. However, all of the opinions expressed here are my own – as you know how I love to speak my mind!

Seeing Times Square for the first time

The last 5 days I’ve been playing tour guide of my favorite city in the US – New York City.  My old home still holds a very special place in my heart, especially for New Years.  My 15 year old niece has traveled with me to NYC for the first time and I’ve been putting all of my effort into showing her the time of her life this week.  She lives in Nebraska and hadn’t yet been to a big metropolis like NYC, so I felt a duty to show her what life in the big, artistic, bustling city of New York was like.

It has been a treat to see her experience NYC  for the first time; with new eyes on things that are familiar to me.  We have rode the subway and walked all over the city to see Central Park, the Metropolitan Museum, China Town, Times Square, Chelsea Market, Little Italy, SoHo, Brooklyn Bridge, Grand Central Station, High Line Park, Rockefellar Christmas Tree, 5th Ave. Shops, MoMA, attended a show, and even took a ride over to Hoboken NJ to see Carlos Bakery.  We have eaten everything in sight, and have nursed our aching feet.  And I even found a little time to take a few pictures of some of my favorite sites in NYC.

For this last post of 2011, you get some of my abstract photos from my week in New York City, for the New Year, with the new eyes of my niece.

Manhattan skyline on a blustery winter day

A golden cupid shoots his arrow in the Met

Architecture of the Gubbenheim

Circling the MoMa

Archways frame Central Park

Headless in the Met

Black and White MoMA

Beauty in Simplicity

Happy New Year!

View all of my New York City Photography

Seattle's waterfront shows us that gloomy can be beautiful

This week I made a very quick trip to Seattle thanks to lady luck;  I won a trip from Travelllll.com.   Even though my time there was short, Seattle managed to seduce me with it’s  food, fresh air, and peaks.  Even though my time was short, I was able to capture a bit of Seattle’s personality through my lens.

Seattle all lit up! The view from the famous Space Needle

Seattle is the home of the farmer's market and it's still a staple there in the heart of downtown.

American Made - Boeing proudly calls Seattle home

Surrounded by the Puget Sound

A walk on the weird side...the Seattle Gum Wall

The Space Needle is adorned for the holidays

It's crab season in Seattle!

Festive Markets line the streets of Seattle

The sunrise over the Boeing planet and Mt. Ranier - two of Seattle's icons

A turtle captured on my Photo Safari

A familiar diesel idle echoed through my ears as the big safari truck pulled up next to me and my little rental car. This truck was my transport to go on safari on the Big Island of Hawaii. However I wasn’t searching for wild game, instead I was searching for good photography.

Photo Safari Hawaii was immediately of interest to me when I started researching my trip to the Big Island. They offer private photo ecotours all over the Hawaiian Islands, creating a custom experience for each client. The Photo Safari guides are experts in their knowledge of the islands as well as photography of the islands. The tour provided an insiders guide to the best places to shoot, as well as fine art photography exercises to enhance your photography.

Even though I have been doing photography for a while now, I always think it’s good to try to improve your skills and get refreshers. I get into bad habits, I get lazy, and I was hoping that this Photo Safari experience would help me brush up on my skills as well as take me to some hidden places on the island. I chose to do the Big Island Light Chaser ½ day tour.

Kohala Coast - chasing the light

Sean picked me up in the early afternoon and we went out to shoot the Kohala Coast and ‘catch’ sunset pictures. Sean clearly loved the Big Island, he came here 10 years prior from the mainland and had never been back! His love was evident also in the amount of knowledge he had about the Big Island. He rattled off stories and facts as I enjoyed the view and asked questions. It was nice to let someone else drive me for once and allow me to look for shots . The whole week I had been juggling the beauty of having complete control of my journey and being able to stop where-ever I saw a great shot, with having to watch the road and figure out where I was going!

Our first stop was the Pu’ukohola Heiau; a sacred rock structure peered out over the Kohala Coast. We stepped out of the truck and I secured my camera and lenses while Sean brought a little laminated notebook full of lessons to help me think about photography in different ways.

Kohala Coast

Sean and I had already talked about my experience as a photographer, but I told him that I wanted to experience the tour as his normal student would experience it. Typically their customers carried SLRs and were beginners or enthusiasts, but he did say that many clients also come with point and shoot cameras and more frequently there are people who simply show up with a mobile phone! He mainly focused on the beginning steps of photography and how we see and process light. It’s a great place to start when it comes to photography, as it’s important to understand the types of light and how our brain processes them.

We wandered along the paths and Sean provided a nice mix of history and photography information. He would ask questions about aspects of light and composition and then show examples from his book. Next he would challenge me to find examples of what we were speaking about and shoot them. We didn’t get into the nitty gritty of aperture and shutter speeds very much, yet I know we could have went there had I wanted to.

We changed a bit of our itinerary based on the weather on the mountain; the heavy cloud cover made us stick to the coast for our sunset shots. We made 3 or 4 more stops after the Pu’ukohola Heiau; a mix of beaches and resorts to practice the various parts of composition. We ended on a secluded little stretch of beach where the sun glistened off the still tide pools; a perfect location for sunset. I thought to myself, I doubt I would have found this place on my own.

There's plenty of inviting beaches along the Kohala Coast

Sean spotted a big sea turtle resting on the rocks so we went over as close as we possibly could to get the shot. He advised me on the lighting conditions and I was able to capture the big creature without disturbing it.

We stayed until the sun went down shooting away experimenting with different settings and angles. My light finally disappeared and therefore my photo paintbrush disappeared with it. I packed up my camera and Sean drove me back to my cottage. On the way back I was able to get some great advice on other places to visit for continued photography practice during my time on the Big Island.

Sunset on the Big Island

The Good:
• They pick you up anywhere on the island in a large, comfortable truck with plenty of room for equipment
• You get a ton of information about the island, the history, and the must see places.
• It did reinforce the basics of photography for me and really did get me to think about contrast and light more before I took the shot instead of just dealing with the situation in post –processing. I thought the exercises were effective at getting you grasp the concepts in a non-technical way.
• Even though my experience focused on basics of composition for beginners with light, contrast, lines, and points, the tour has the ability to be more advanced and cover aspects of more technical manual settings too.
• They have cameras you can use – but you do have to rent them as a separate charge. Same for underwater casings and any other specialized equipment.
• They operate on all of the islands and they offer multiday workshops with focus on underwater photography.

The Could Be Better:
• Since this is a half day tour, there is no real review process of what you shot and discussion of what worked and didn’t work. However that type of portfolio review is included in the longer workshop tours.
• The cost is prohibitive for a solo traveler – $550 for 4 hours. This is an investment in your skills, not just a fluff tour, and the price reflects it. The downside about the prices is that it is a private tour and therefore you can’t really be combined with other people if the truck isn’t full. However, if you are traveling with companions and you organize it as a group – then you can fit up to 5 people in the truck and then the cost is reasonable for such a tour. So the key is to find people to go with you and help reduce the cost!
• The website provides information about the tours, but you will likely really have to contact them personally to get additional info that you need regarding details of the tour and the photo instruction. I didn’t find the website very informative for the price of the tours.  On tours with higher price points, I do believe more information is better than less. In addition, there are not many images or reviews of the tours listed on the site. I personally think that a photography business like this should be showing off the great images that their clients have taken, but, what can I say, I’m picky about websites!

Would I recommend it?

I love this concept, especially for the islands of Hawaii where everywhere you look is begging to be photographed! The key is that it is a private tour – so it can be tailored to your needs, and that’s what you are paying for ultimately.
I would recommend this tour for the person who:
• Really wants to invest in learning about the basics of photography
• Someone who wants to learn how to get off of auto mode and start to learn about the more technical side of shooting
• Has a few companions that want to also learn about photography in order to bring down the cost a bit
• The super serious photographer who wants access to the best locations on the island but doesn’t have time to research them on their own.
• Someone interested specifically in underwater photography as they have a special workshop for underwater shooting

To get more information or to book a tour check out
Photo Safari Hawaii – www.photosafarihawaii.com

Disclosure: Photo Safari Hawaii hosted my ½ day Light Chaser tour. However, all of the opinions expressed here are my own – as you know how I love to speak my mind!

Picture perfect for a Sunday drive (Pohaiki Road)

The trees look as if they have plotted a slow attack to take over the road. Vines hang down trying to slyly block my way and hinder my vision. The road isn’t straight nor does it have any defined shoulders or boundaries. The asphalt is laid around each tree trunk making the road look like a frayed ribbon blowing in the wind.

The drive around the Puna region of the Big Island is what Sunday drives are made of; curves, views, and solitude all requiring you to slow down and enjoy each minute ticking away in the day.  And yes, rather than playing golf in Hawaii like most tourists, I’d much rather spend my day driving down the open road!

Puna is located on the eastern side of the Big Island nestled between the rainy town of Hilo and the volatile Volcanoes National Park. The region is full of energy, both above and below ground. Above ground are the creative, funky residents of the region; the region is home to the artists and the hippies. Below ground is the rumbling lava flow; the region is in the path of the lava flows when the Volcano Goddess, Pele, decides to get angry.

The town of Pahoa is worth a visit and a stop for lunch, however my real joy is simply driving down the secluded coastal roads (Highway 137 and Pohaiki Road). The views are phenomenal and I hardly see another person or car. I am able to pull over, walk out on the rocky coast, and sit taking it all in with no one around.

This road trip through Puna is peaceful, spiritual, and something not to miss. You can see why below.

All photos are available for purchase, simply click on the image for more information.

A perfect place to sit and take in the view (Hwy 137)

A memorial along the coast. (Hwy 137)

The trees go in every direction, just like the road (Pohaiki Road)

An approaching storms can't even dampen my day! (Hwy137)

A life guard stand along the coast near a thermal pool (Hwy 137)

A tree sticks out among the lava rock (Hwy 137)

Waves crash into the Puna coast (Hwy 137)

Puna - the perfect road trip...yes, I think so! (Pohaiki Road)

For those of you who are golf lovers, this post was sponsored by Arizonagolf.com, where you can find hundreds of discounted Arizona tee times!

A rainbow appears while I was visiting a honey farm. The beehives sit as the pot of 'honey gold' at the end of the rainbow!

When moisture and sunshine combine in just the right combination, a rainbow occurs. The perfect combination happens more often in Hawaii than any other state and that’s why the state motto is The Rainbow State!

During my 3 weeks in Oahu and the Big Island I saw more rainbows than I’ve ever seen in my whole life! I’d be driving down the road and one would appear. I’d wake up and look out the window and it would be shining back at me. I was waiting for the sun to set and one would appear behind me. I’d be hiking and slowly two would appear around me forming that perfect double rainbow.

Every time it was physically possible I would try to photograph the rainbow sighting and after 3 weeks I came home with a great collection of rainbow photos!

A barely visable double rainbow on the leeward coast of Oahu

A rainbow joined my hike in Volcanoes National Park Big Island

A rainbow at Pearl Habor

My morning wake up call on the Kohala Coast on the Big Island

A rainbow hangs above Honolulu

A rainbow flows into the lava in Volcanoes National Park

Rainbow at high altitude on Mauna Kea Big Island

A rainbow over the Mauna Kea Visitor Center where I was expeting to see stars, not rainbows!

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The canopy of the rainforest barely let's in sun

Akaka Falls State Park on the Big Island of Hawaii was the next stop on my Big Island Adventure.  The Hamakua Coast and Hilo were living up to it’s reputation of the rainiest places on earth!   It had been pouring rain all day with no end to the moody, gray clouds – so I decided to go out anyway.  Moody clouds make moody photography.  In addition, I was able to find the one thing on the island that loved all of this rain – the rain forest.

Akaka Falls State Park on the Hamakua Coast is a rain forest with densely packed foliage providing the backdrop for the famous Akaka Falls.  A 442 foot waterfall awaits you as you casually walk through the rain forest on a short .4 mile paved trail.  As you peak out of the rain forest foliage, you will feast your eyes on the falls.  However when I hiked through the forest to the falls, I was greeted by low, white clouds and fog.  I set in for a patient stand off with Mother Nature.  I waited for about 30 minutes for the low clouds to dissapate enough to take some photos of the falls.  There was no need to be in a rush, I wasn’t going to melt and I had plenty to look at and explore in the surrounding rain forest!

How to get there:
Akaka Falls State Park is just a short 20 minute drive north of Hilo, which takes you through the Big Island’s old sugar-cane fields. The road (Route 220) ends at the parking lot for Akaka Falls State Park. Here you will find a paved parking lot and bathrooms.

The mighty waterfall finally showed it's face

Low clouds hover around the valley

Bamboo lined the paved trail

New Life

A Banyon Tree takes over the forest

A colorful plant provides some excitement to my foggy surroundings

Akaka Waterfall

Wai’anae's water front - rocky but colorful!

The first thing you need to know about islands is that there is a windward and leeward coast. The windward coast is pretty self explanatory, but the leeward coast is basically the downwind coast and therefore generally the more calm side of the island. For Oahu, when you mention the leeward coast you normally have visions of Honolulu and Waikiki. However the leeward coast is much more than the big city. If you simply drive north up the coast soon you will be out of the city and into the wild, rocky coast of Oahu which has barely been touched by tourism.

Ron and I drove to the ‘wild side’, the less traveled leeward coast one afternoon in search of heiaus (old, sacred temples), but unfortunately were turned away due to rain and due to a previous sacred event. However we didn’t let that stop us from exploring this remote feeling coast.

We started at Yokohama Bay where Highway 93 ends. This was harsh shore and the home of some of the oldest lava in Oahu. But it made for fascinating exploring. Little crabs and other creatures were found in the small rock tide pools.

Little tidepools form among the rocky shore in Yokohama Bay

Yokohama Bay where the road ends and the coast becomes wild!

Waves crash onto the harsh leeward coast

Next we drove to Kaneana Cave just along the side of the road and were dwarfed by its foreboding size. The cave is huge – a hundred feet high and four hundred and fifty feet deep. It is dark and wet so you’ll need a flashlight and appropriate shoes if you decide to enter it. We didn’t go too far inside, but instead kept moving down the coast enjoying the sunny weather.

Ron stands at the entrance to Kaneana Cave

Fossilized rocks are found on the leeward coast

It was now time to fill our empty stomachs in the little town of Wai’anae. This town is not really touristed at all, yet it has a famous heiau and a lovely little beach. But the best thing about this town is the Mexican restaurant, Tacos & More, where we had my most memorable food this whole trip. Tacos & More was run by a couple from Mexico City and even though the interior was filled with trite holiday and Mexican décor, the food was as authentic as it gets. I had a finger licking good pickled pork taco. The pork was slightly vinegary and tender. It was served with red onions and cilantro. Simple and delicious. I would drive to Wai’anae simply to eat these tacos again!

After lunch we stopped at Kaneilio Point which is home to the three terraced Kuilioloa Heiau. However, were unable to go up on it’s terraces to get the proper view because there was a local Hawaiian ceremony going on at the heiau. It was a unique treat to watch the heiau being used in modern times for a sacred celebration. Men dressed in ceremonial outfits rhythmically pounded big drums, and the end of the ceremony was marked with a man blowing a conch shell as if it were a trumpet.

A sacred ceremony held on the Kuilioloa Heiau under cloudy skies

A woman walks under a palm tree after the ceremony

After a short stop on electric beach (the beach across from the electric plant) to watch the sunset we headed down into the more crowded city of Honolulu. Our quiet seclusion had disappeared and the modern city awaited us.

Shiny Honolulu

Diamond Head crater watches over the leeward coast

Be sure to also check out my photo essay about my drive on the North Shore of Oahu - home of big waves and great road side stands!

Chinatown Hawaii

One of my favorite places to visit in any city is the ethnic areas.  For some reason when I visit them I feel more at home – I can’t really explain it.   They make me want to take photos.   So when I went to Oahu, Chinatown was high on my list to visit.  I was expecting to see a really large Chinatown since the Asian culture is so strong and represented in Hawaii, but I was surprised to find out that it only covered a relatively small area.  Maybe that’s because the Asian culture isn’t really restricted to one part of the city as it is in many cities – it’s pervasive throughout the island.  I saw Pho shops in Kailua and Asian fruit sold at stands on the North Shore.  So you don’t have to go to Chinatown to find the Asian influence and good markets full of Asian goods, you can find them anywhere on Oahu.

However Chinatown is worth a stop – especially if you are craving sesame balls like I was!  They even had coconut sesame balls which I found to be a nice island twist on the traditional red bean sesame balls!   The area is quiet and not necessarily crowded, so it’s easy to get around and browse the indoor markets.  However – be warned – you first have to pass through quite a large homeless population to get to Chinatown.  Once you pass the homeless people, take a stroll through the indoor markets and then stop have lunch at one of the food courts.  They are filled with Singaporean, Vietnamese, Philippino, Thai, Japanese, and Chinese food.  Then buy a few tropical fruits for dessert – don’t be afraid to ask the vendor what it is and try something new!

Colorful parot fish fill the China Town stalls

The slightly ornate building of Chinatown

Long beans perfect for green papaya salad

Dragons climb the columns of the buildings in Honolulu

Like any good Chinatown - it's not just about food...there's always bargain shopping!

Honolulu's Chinatown is rather organized and spiffy compared to most I've bene in!

One thing every Chinatown has is color!

Even leis can be Asian

The rocky but secluded North Shore of Oahu

Oahu has surprised me on many levels so far.  With access to a car, you can really go explore every corner and find yourself on a turquoise secluded beach easily.   That’s exactly what I did on the North Shore.  Ron and I drove to the North shore to do the Shark Cage Experience early in the morning and decided to make a whole road trip out of it.  My North Shore day turned out to be one of my favorite days so far!

After floating with the sharks near the town of Hale’iwa, we grabbed a big breakfast and then took off for the the end of the road…literally.   We drove towards Ka’ena Point until we could go no further.  The road used to go around the Northwest corner of Oahu, but due to poor road conditions and erosion it is no longer a functioning road.  So we drove until the road turned to dirt, and then pulled over and parked near a little beach.

There was NO ONE at the beach.  I was in Hawaii…on a beach…a beautiful white sand beach…..turquoise waters….waves lapping up on shore…and not a single soul around me.  It seemed impossible that this could be Hawaii.  I promptly laid out a big blanket, put my bag down, kicked off my flip flops and laid down to take a nap.  Now this is my definition of paradise.

After a quick power nap, we were up and heading back to Hale’iwa for a ‘must-eat’…shave ice.  No, that’s not a typo, it’s called shave ice – not shaved ice.  (If anyone knows why – please let me know!)  I had heard about this cool treat and now it was my chance to dig in.  My verdict…it was like a snow cone, but the ice was much more fine. My mango, passion fruit, and strawberry shave ice hit the spot and we were on our way again.

Next we came face to face with quintessential Hawaii – Waimea Bay – home of the biggest waves around.  I was quite excited to see these monster waves and the surfers who ride them, however luck was not on our side – the surf was flat.  Just another reason to come back one day.

The North shore drive is dotted with tantalizing treats.  Food trucks like Giovanni’s is famous for it’s shrimp.  As we pulled up there were lines and lines of people waiting for their styrofoam plate of shrimp flooded in garlic.  And so I sauntered up to the counter and ordered my very own plate of garlic shrimp.  After using an entire container of napkins, I was finished with my garlicky, bathed in butter  shrimp and realized that I would be wreaking of garlic for days…but it was worth it!

On the healthier side the North shore is also dotted with fresh fruit and vegetable stands.  We filed our back seat with plenty of Hawaiian grown produce and kept moving along the North Shore.  After all of this food it was time for another nap.  Beaches line the North shore so it was only a matter of minutes until we found another little beach to spread out the blanket and take another power nap.  Yes – that’s right…two beach naps in one day; this very well may have been the best day ever!

Finally – it was time for dessert at Ted’s Bakery where we had yummy haupia (coconut gel) pie.

Yes – all we did was eat and sleep all day.  It’s a rough life on the North Shore.

We finally turned the corner towards the mountainous Windward Coast and pointed the car full of food towards Kailua.

Quite possibly the perfect day.

Sunrise from the Shark Encounters boat

The end of the road - Ka'ena Point

Brunch...a little Shave Ice for a snack in Hale'iwa

Catching waves...

Fruit stands temping us along the North Shore highway

Giovanni's famous garlic shrimp...vampires would hate it!

A tree holds on along the Windward Coast

We still have room in the car for a few more delicacies! Fresh avocados!

The mountains of the windward coast tell us we are about home.

Colorful clothes hang on the side of a building along the Anapurna Circuit in Nepal

I had someone recently ask me how I do my laundry since I’m nomadic and constantly traveling.  Quite frankly I do my laundry any way I can; in the sink, in a washing machine, at the laundromat, or have someone do it for me for the right price.  My travel clothes have little numbers written on all of the tags from when I leave my bag of dirty clothes with a random lady to do my wash; the numbers help them keep track of all of the different bags of laundry they do.

No matter where you are from in the world – every person has to do laundry.  However they way we do laundry certainly varies from country to country.    This is my collection of laundry around the world.

Italy

Vietnam

Montenegro

Greece

Jordan

India

Cambodia

Croatia

Singapore

Are you hungry? If not you will be after this post!

Instead of photos of grand landscapes,  today I tempt your taste-buds…with delectable Spanish food. I was in Spain for 3 weeks this summer and had the opportunity to eat at high end and rustic places. I even learned how to cook Spanish food for myself.  Spain is full of regional food specialties, however on this trip I was only in Valencia and Barcelona, but both were packed with food options. So, pull up a chair, tuck the napkin into your collar, pick up a fork, and join me for this photo feast!

Paella

Valencia is known for it’s paella.  A traditional rice dish normally made with meat, vegetables, or seafood is made in a special paella pan.  A very, very big pan.

Seafood Paella

Dishing up meat paella

Tapas

Tapas are part of the Spanish way of life. Whenever you go to a bar and buy a drink, you’ll be served small portions of food – anything from a few nuts or a bowl of olives to a mini gourmet meal. I went on a Tapas tour of Barcelona sponsored by Viator Tours  and learned a bit about the tapas culture in Barcelona…not to mention was able to taste a few too! The word tapa means ‘lid’ or ‘covering’ and according to tradition the first tapas were slices of ham placed over a glass to keep the flies out. Now they’ve turned into a artistic presentation of a variety of foods that you nibble with your glass of wine to hold you over until dinner time.

Pinchos are small bites served with toothpicks (pincho). At the end the server counts the pinchos on your plate and charges you accordingly!

High end tapas in Valencia at Sucursal Restaraunt - a feast for the belly and the eyes!

Tapas lined up for your choosing in Barcelona - no, not the men...the food!

Spanish Specialties

Pork

I fell in love with the cured pork called Jamón ibérico, (cured ham leg from the black Iberian pig).  I ate it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

It might not look appetizing...but it's like butter...pure bliss

The Spanish love pork...and what's not to love?

Tomatoes

Gazpacho – a cold tomato soup.  Mmmmm – so fresh!

Gazpacho with smoked cheese

Salted Cod

The flavor is magnificent!  You soak the cod and remove the salt before serving, leaving a flavorful fish feast!

Salted cod sold at the market

Drinks

And of course you have to have something to wash all of that yummy food down with.

Horchata (orxata de xufa) is the Spanish drink made from made from tigernuts, water, and sugar.  In the summer it’s served with ice and a little pastry for dipping!

Horchata poured for me at a Horchataria in Valencia

Or if you are looking for alcohol, then you must have a Mojito while in Spain!

Mojito

Bottom’s up and bon appetit!

What’s your favorite Spanish food?  Please share in the comments!

Disclosure:  Oh Barcelona Apartments is hosting my accommodation in Barcelona. My trip to Valencia and surrounding areas was provided by Tour Spain and Valencia Tourism. However, all of the opinions expressed here though are my own – as you know how I love to speak my mind!

The grand entrance at the Natural History Museum

London has done it right, they’ve made their many museums completely accessible to everyone.  Unlike other art hub cities (ahem…New York City) – London has made their museum admission completely free encouraging everyone to enjoy and hopefully appreciate the art treasures inside.  I only had a short time in London, but I was able to get to a couple of museums thanks to the ‘free’ policy.  The free policy allows you to simply make a quick stop in a museum and stay for a couple of hours to maybe see a particular wing or exhibit and not feel like you have to spend the whole day there to recoup the value of the ticket.    My stops included the Natural History Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum (which is massive).  I ran out of time for the modern art I wanted to see, but I know that next time I’m back in London I can simply pop on it for a bit and check it out!

London is full of museums, so be sure to make a stop in a few of them…you don’t have to stay long!

Inside the Natural History Museum

A beaturiful glass exhibit at the Victoria and Albert Museum

Old Royal Navel College next to the Maritme Museum

Victoria and Albert Museum is a maze of balconies and massive views

Natural History Museum from the outside

Tombs at the Victoria and Albert Museum

The ornate glass art in the entrace of the Victoria and Albert Museum

The ornate entrance of the Natural History Museum

To learn more about the free museums in London and get a complete list of London museums, check out Visit London website.

The early morning empty street of Borough Market

I am a sucker for the ‘M’ word…no, not men…markets.  Markets are fascinating to me, I can wander around them for hours and looking at the perfectly placed produce, marvel at new shapes and smells, or watch the interactions with the sellers and customers.  I can appreciate dirty, smelly markets as well as upscale markets; yet I must admit that I prefer the dirty, smelly ones!  So when a friend recommended I go check out the Borough Market  in London this summer, I didn’t even hesitate.  I picked up my camera and took the tube to go check out Borough Market which was nestled under railway viaducts near London Bridge.

I went early to avoid crowds and figured that all the best stuff would be there early.  However, to my surprise many of the stalls hadn’t opened up yet!  Apparently this wasn’t like Asian markets where things opened as the sun came up in order to beat the heat.  I continued to wander around with my camera watching vendors get set up for the day feeling as if I wasn’t actually a tourist, but instead that I was part of the market atmosphere prepping for a date.  The upside was that I had the place to myself.  The downside was that there wasn’t as much food out to sample!

Borough Market was definitely more upscale than what I’m used to and had all varieties of prepared food as well as fruits and vegetables.  But I think my favorite thing about it was the location of it under the viaduct and the hundreds of tiny little restaurants which surrounded the market.  All looked so yummy and made me wish I could come back later that evening for dinner!  But, for this trip to Borough Market all I could do was look around, take pictures, and interact with the vendors.  Just what I love to do!

Daisies brighten up dreary London skies

Fluffy Merange Clouds of Yumminess

Produce Carts

Cheese Glorious Cheese

What more is there to say?!

Colorful Cookies

Market Restaurants

London Loaves

Prepared Food

To get more information on Borough Market, be sure to visit their great website which has maps of the market, directions, recipes, and other cool information on the history.  www.boroughmarket.org.uk

What is a ger?

What’s a ger?  I get asked this question often.  Here’s your answer in pictures!

A Mongolian ger is the same as a Russian yurt.

Mongolian families live in these nomadic tents across Mongolia

The gers are always white and made of felt and cloth

There is one door and no windows. Doors normally are intricately painted in orange or blue

Often families will set up their gers close together and a family will all live within a few km of each other

Each ger has a stove in the middle wth a 'chimney' poking out of the top

The whole family live/sleeps/eats inside the tent with no privacy

Two or three times a year the family takes down the ger, places everything they own on a truck and move about 5 to 13 km and sets up the tent again.

And that, my dear readers,  is what a ger is all about!

Would you like to stay in a ger someday?

Mongolian skies are like no other

I believe that there is something very special about the Mongolian skies. Out of all of the countries I’ve been to, the skies in Mongolia are the most memorable. They are vast. They are the most perfect color blue. Even when they get angry and dark, they are perfection. They make me feel small.

And the clouds…well, I could stare at them all day.

The clouds hang from the sky as if they are on strings like a mobile above a baby crib hanging from the heavens. They have such depth and dimension you feel like you can reach out and touch them. In fact, these Mongolian cloudscapes feel beyond three dimensions, they feel like they have an added element of space-time to them.

As I drive through Mongolia and look out my window it feels like therapy. Some people go to ashrams in India, some people climb mountains in Nepal, and some people go sailing across oceans to find their Zen and peace; but for me my Zen is Mongolia. All I have to do it look at the landscapes, the gers, the wild horses, and the skies and I’m there – peace.

Perfect

The locals and Dave try their best to help out...even the kids!

Mongolia is flat…and so are our tires.  A little photo essay on our tire changes…and there were many.  The roads in Mongolia are brutal on tires…especially when you start out with rear ones that are bald already!  I seemed to be bad luck on the tires as we only got flats when I was driving.  Coincidence?  Thanks to Dave who did all of our tire changing!

Our first flat...first of many...

The culprit...Mongolian 'roads'

Dave and Deb perform tire surgery

Getting some air from local truckers to get us to the next town!

Utilizing the spare...that happens to have a slow leak!

Tire repair in a Bayankhongor in Mongolia. 2 tires repaired for $4...not too bad!

Visiting another tire repair place at a small ger truckstop before Arvaikheer

X marks the spot...if we only knew where we were!

We are traveling in Mongolia with a map that is 5 years old.  This normally wouldn’t be that big of deal, but in a country where roads are only dirt and they change every season as new tracks are made, this IS a big deal.  Every day we start off confident of our direction.  Then about 30 minutes later a plague of doubt drifts into the car – sort of like the Angel of Death creeping into Egyptian streets via a glowing green cloud in the movie The Ten Commandments.  Slowly it enters each of our minds first…a little nagging voice, “Are we going the right way?”  “Where is the main road?” “We haven’t seen any other cars for a long time.” You shake it off and silently think – of course we are on the right road.  But the voice comes back, again and again…until it finally finds volume and someone verbalizes it in the car.  Then the group worrying begins.  Compasses come out, maps are unfolded, and we all look for any person or vehicle along the road that we can ask.

We have become really good at stopping moving vehicles (mini buses, construction vehicles, SUV’s, and people on horseback) to ask them if we are going the right way.  We’d bring a map, try to pronounce the town we were hopefully heading towards and then point in all directions in a frantic motion.  They didn’t need to speak English to understand what we were asking.  99% of the time they pointed us in the direction we were already heading.  We’d get back in the car confident of our navigation…for a whole total of 30 minutes before this process would start again!

One thing that held true for our entire time in Mongolia was that we felt that the road we weren’t on was always better than the one we were on.  I don’t know that there is any truth to that – but that ‘grass is greener’ attitude has a strong pull in the brain when you have miles and miles of roads ahead of you and too many options!

The signs really weren't very helpful...however if you look closely, we did leave our SMS mark!

Rick asking for directions...

Deb with all the tools and our out of date map...an exercise in futility.

Are we going the right direction????

This is my favorite team photo to date!  We rolled into this dried out lavender field while the sun was setting and quickly jumped to action setting up camp before we lost the light.  This was our 3rd night of camping in a row and we had the process down.  As you can tell – we are all quite proud of our camping skills! Camping amongst lavender was like Mother Nature’s aromatherapy!

Of course after this Dave fired up the stove and we started cooking, and of course cracked some beers.

Photos taken by Dave Bouskill of Picture the Planet

This bull is taking a little rest in Barcelona

I’ve already taken you to some of the main sites in Barcelona such as the Sagrada Familia and Gaudi’s creative tilework. But Barcelona is a diverse city full of architecture, food, art, and energy.  This week I bring you some of the diversity of Barcelona.    After all – there’s more to Barcelona than simply Gaudi!  To see all photos from Barcelona – please view my Barcelona Photo Gallery here.

To purchase any photos, simply click on the image for more instructions.

Colorful Barcelona!

Barcelona butcher shop...they love their pork!

Attention to detail in every building

Calella is a short train ride outside of Barcelona - a great beach getaway!

All locked up with no key

Guell Park a quilt of patterns and colors!

Brickwork and heavy doors

The colorful tile of Barcelona is hard to miss

As you walk around Barcelona you can’t help but be memorized with the tile work and architecture thanks to Guadi’s many masterpieces sprinkled throughout the city.  The colorful, intricate and sometimes flamboyant tilework is everywhere bringing the city a warm glow.  Here are some of my favorite colorful works of art!

If you are interested in purchased any photos, just click on the photo for more information.

Gaudi's work

An apartment by Guadi - Casa Batlló

To purchase any of these photos, just click on the image to learn more.

Getting High inside Sagrada Familia

The church of La Sagrada Família (Sacred Family) is a work on a grand scale which was began in 1882 and is scheduled to be completed in 2025.  This religious and architectural masterpiece by Anontio Guadi is a short walk from my Barcelona apartment which means I can easily stop by and shoot pictures whenever I’d like from the outside.  My favorite time is the early morning when I run by the church and not a single sole is around.  Go after 8:30AM though and the big line of tourists is already forming to go inside.

It’s definitely worth a trip inside to get the grand feel of the place.  If you go, take a hat for waiting in line, 15 to 20 Euros for the ticket, and a good camera with a wide angle lens.  For more information on history, architecture, and times to visit check out the official website or the Oh Barcelona Blog

And if you can’t go for yourself, let me take you inside the Sagrada Familia with photography:

The door to the church is a jumble of letters and words

The crucifiction hangs over the crowd

Tourists roam inside all looking upwards

The colorful stain glass windows

To see all of my Sagrada Familia Photography from the inside AND outside – check out my Photo Gallery:

Disclosure: Oh Barcelona Apartments is hosting my accommodation in Barcelona. However, all of the opinions expressed here though are my own – as you know how I love to speak my mind!

My 'money' shot...the perfect pan...

Speed – rapidity in moving, going, traveling, proceeding, or performing; swiftness; optimum rate of motion

The Formula 1 race I attended last weekend in Valencia provided a good photographic challenge for me.  The F1 race is all about speed, and when you are there you can easily see it and feel it as the noise vibrates through you.  But in a photograph speed can be hard to capture.  With the right lens and good camera you can pretty easily stop the motion of a speeding F1 car.  The picture is sharp, but it falls flat as the car might as well be parked on the track.  The challenge is really how to convey motion; very, very fast motion in your photograph.

I had lots of chances to experiment as I attended the time trials and race for the weekend.  I can’t lie, I am no pro so in this situation practice (i.e. lots and lots of shots) makes perfect.  In fact – there were many frames with no cars in them as I missed the cars completely!  But with enough tries, I was able to put together my speediest shots from the weekend.

A blur...

A little too fast causes this scene...

Too fast to capture

To get a real idea of the speed – here’s a video of the final turn into the straight away:

Disclosure:  My trip to Valencia and surrounding areas was provided by Tour Spain and Valencia Tourism.  However, all of the opinions expressed here though are my own – as you know how I love to speak my mind!

The crowd has it's own culture

Spain is a new country for me to soak in; it’s officially my 38th country I’ve been to in my short international travel experience of 11 years. A land of late nights, small bites, siestas, architects, and artists to learn about. Not only is Spain a new culture for me to visit and understand, so was the purpose of my visit – Formula 1 racing. I admit, I knew very little about Formula 1 racing when I arrived in Valencia. My only experience with fast cars was the Indy 500. I have vivid memories of huddling around the radio with my family as a kid listening to the call of the race on the radio over Memorial Day. Thirty years ago there was no live television broadcast of the race so the sounds of the cars and the crowd provided the fuel for my imagination.

My trip to the Formula 1 race in Valencia last weekend brought with it a whole first hand education on racing. Cars, teams, and drivers were the central focus of course but standing in the grandstand waiting for the race to begin, I found myself fascinated by the people around me just as much as I was fascinated by what was happening on the track in front of me. I started to see patterns in the crowd and attributed them to the racing fan culture.

The priveledged crowd above pit row

The crowd was heavily weighted towards men, but there were a few racing savvy women representing the ‘other half’. There were even families with young children present cheering on their favorite Spanish driver, Fernando Alonso, driving for Ferrari. Upon scanning the grandstand I quickly determined that if you were going to be a part of the crowd at a Formula 1 race that you needed a few key things in order to fit into the F1 fan culture.

Team Gear

Like any sports enthusiast – you need to get behind your team and make it clear to the people around you who you are rooting for. Granted – the Spaniards didn’t take it as far as Americans – there were no ‘face painters’ in the crowd, but there was plenty of team apparel. It is important to back a team or a driver proudly.

Camera

The cameras come in all sizes and models, but as a fan you must have at least one with you to capture the sites and sounds of F1. This was an area that I could actually fit in to the culture as I was carrying 3 cameras! (SLR, iphone, and video)

Tickets

You could hear the race from anywhere in the city miles away from the track, but to see the race you needed a ticket to get in. Tickets also come in all shapes and sizes – but the most coveted ones were big, glossy, and worn around the neck.

Noise

The sound of the highly tuned cars are one of the most exciting things about F1 racing. With sounds reaching over 110 decibels, if you don’t want your ears to bleed, you better wear protection. I found that ear protection came in many different forms in the crowd, high end bulky, to ear plugs with chords, to low end squishy.

Intensity

You could feel it in the air, the intensity of the grandstand crowd was compelling. As cars downshifted to round the last corner of the track putting them into the grandstand straightaway, the crowd instinctively stood up to watch their favorites go by. Raising hands in the air, they cheered on the cars on as they sped by in a blur of color and noise. They then resumed intently watched the big screen video feed and hung on every lead change and tight corner as the cars made it through the winding course. There was an intensity that you couldn’t help but feel and catch.

Reflecting Intensity

Even though you may not be a Formula 1 ‘super fan’, with these few key items you’ll blend into the Formula 1 culture no matter what country you are in.

Disclosure:  My trip to Valencia and surrounding areas was provided by Tour Spain and Valencia Tourism.  However, all of the opinions expressed here though are my own – as you know how I love to speak my mind!

The Futuristic Opera House of Valencia

Is this the future of opera in Spain?  I hope so!  Move over Sydney – meet Valencia.  I couldn’t get enough of this fascinating building that reminded me of something out of Tron.   I took a stroll around the Palace of Arts complex yesterday in Valencia and this is just one of the many impressive modern architecture wonders of Valencia.  The buildings are a photographers dream – lines and curves with colorful settings and wading pools. Today I get to tour inside these buildings and will get to photograph it from a new perspective as a part of my trip sponsored by the Valencia Tourist Board.

I am packing for the Mongol Rally as I type this so I thought I should feature Mongolia in my photo of the week.  However – I don’t want to focus on the beautiful landscapes – I want to focus on the people I came in contact with back in 2009 while I traveled through the Gobi Desert.  If the people aren’t enough – then learn the stories behind the people here – Modern Nomads.  I think the thing I look forward to the most in the rally is to interact with the people of the countries we drive through.  We will depend on them, laugh with them, be infuriated by them, and hopefully form fast friendships with them.

There’s another lucky person who will be experiencing the people of Mongolia besides my Mongol Rally team.

Announcing the winner of the Rally Raffle’s Intrepid Trip!!

Drum roll….

Maria Esquerdo Girbes of Spain is our lucky winner!  She will get to choose from a trip to Peru or a trip to Mongolia with our sponsor Intrepid Travel.

We raised over $2000 towards our Mongol Rally – absolutely amazing!

In addition,Ted Konkel is the Nox Audio winner for donating the largest total sum to the raffle.

You can read more about the raffle process and winner on ThePlanetD.com

Team Social Media Syndicate thanks you marvelous people who participated and bought tickets.  The support has been amazing.  We wish we could take every one of you with us!

Nice polka-dots....

This picture pretty much screams “PORTLAND!” to me.  An eclectic mix of laid back and free spirit.  Yet I doubt that this dog picked out the pretty pink polka-dots on it’s own!  The even funnier thing was that the owner of the dog was a big muscle guy – it was quite a site that I couldn’t pass up.

I was in Portland attending the World Domination Summit surrounded by unconventional people, so this dog fit in nicely to the theme of the weekend for me.

So – use this as a reminder to find your inner pink polka-dots this weekend!  Do something surprising, unconventional, and fun!

The Columbia River Gorge in Washington

Not only do you find beautiful views like this in the the Columbia River Gorge in Washington state, you can also find wine.  During our wine tasting one afternoon we wandered around the winery to take in the views.  I’m spending my last few weeks in the US slowly making my way up the West Coast while stopping in and meeting our West Coast Meet Plan Go! Hosts.  Oregon and Washington have been a breath of fresh air!

Halfway to Ella rock, a vision of green

Welcome to Hill Country in Sri Lanka.  It certainly lives up to it’s name.  The hike to Ella Rock is a challenging 3 hour hike known for it’s phenomenal views of the valley below.  The small town of Ella is nestled in Hill Country and is the hiking mecca for tourists looking to get some fresh mountain air.

A Buddha shrine at the base of a tree along the trail

Family homes and fields along the trail

Walking the rails...my Stand By Me moment!

Through the woods....to Ella's Rock we go!

The view from the top!

Polonnaruwa - UNESCO World Heritage Site

The ancient city of Polonnaruwa housed some of the biggest and most intact religious ruins around the Sri Lanka. This stone carved Buddha was one of many which were standing the test of time. For those of you interested in visiting UNESCO World Heritage sites on your career break or sabbatical, then put Sri Lanka on your list; you’ll find 8 World Heritage sites on this relatively small island.

Even though I wasn’t a fan of the lodging in Polonnaruwa, and there was very little to do around the town, the temple sites were worth the trip.  You can rent a bike and ride between the temple complexes or hire a tuk tuk to get around quicker without a heat stroke!  But make sure to stop and get the Cultural Triangle ticket for $50 which will get you into multiple sites around the area.  Tickets can be purchased from the locations listed here.