Munich, Germany! Dec, 2009

So here are the shots from Munich! They have their Christmas markets in full swing in December... yes it is cold but there are many people out despite the frigid temperatures. Gotta respect that! And of course you have your hot spiced wine to warm you right up.

Obviously an HDR shot which aren't always my favorite, but sometimes those are the best kind:

The Bavarian Towers under the moonlight (one was under construction):

Entrance to the BMW museum:

Another night shot, of a building! Exciting!

Sometimes you never quite know what you're gonna get until you click the shutter. I set up the tripod and this is what I got:

Lights in Munich:

Marianplatz:

The city:

Streetlights in the early morning:

The Olympic Tower next to the BMW Museum:

Merry Christmas!

And finally, one of the English Gardens:

Thailand! Feb/Mar 2010

Here is the latest trip - Ko Phi Phi and Phuket, Thailand!

It was an incredible trip, white sand beaches amidst a backdrop of mountains, deliciously spicy Thai dishes cooled by Singha beer - contrasting the heat and humidity enveloping you. And camping out on "The Beach", known as Maya Bay on Ko Phi Phi Leh.

Ko Phi Phi Viewpoint:

Another of Phi Phi Viewpoint:

Boats on Maya Bay, Ko Phi Phi Leh:

Nice looking sky on Ko Phi Phi Don:

Kata Beach, Phuket, Thailand:

Kayaking Phi Phi Don:

Phi Phi Don Panoramic:

The heat and humidity envelopes you, as do the crowds:

Limestone cliff outcroppings:

Maya Bay sunset:

Fishing Kata Beach at Sunset:

Kata Beach Sunset:

Bali - Oct 2009!

Here it is, my trip to Bali, Indonesia! A very foreign land; a bit of mysticism and beauty mixed with delicious food and street hawkers trying to sell you anything from paintings and jewelery to foot massages (which gets pretty annoying after a while.) Chaotic traffic and streets against a backdrop of lush green, rice paddies, and water. The aroma of incense diluted with the odor of burning trash remind you that you're far, far away from home... and that's a good thing!

Tanah Lot:

Rice terraces:

Beautiful Sanur Beach:

Night time is party time in Legian Beach:

Morning prayer offerings:

Volcano in the distance:

Boat on Sanur:

These are everywhere!

Bali Airport:

Renting bikes:

Air Asia Indonesia:

Sanur at sunset:

Uluwatu temple:

Checking out Tanah Lot:

Another of Tanah Lot:

What the partiers miss, early morning in Kuta/Legian:

Living in the shadow of a volcano:

Sun coming up in Legian:

Another rice field:

One more rice field, I like this one!

Burning incense.... INSIDE the international airport!

Leaving Bali, starting the LONG trek home:

It's a very diverse land, you have the party areas, the slow areas, the city, and so on. The island is huge and it would take quite a while to explore everything. No wonder so many expats are drawn to Bali, the typical vacation is simply not enough time to see it all - and there is so much to see! Of course there is the downside, the trash, the sidewalks in disrepair as cars fly past you, the motorbike noise, the annoying street hawkers grabbing you and trying to sell you things you don't want, and so on. But the Bintang and Bali Hai makes it all go down so easy and at the end of the day, it's all part of the experience.

A quick comment on the pictures

The photos as posted here are all free to use. No credit and no $ necessary. Enjoy!

Just a sampling...

As time allows I will add details of each trip - both trips taken and those yet to be. For now here is a bit of an overview, in no particular order:

Zurich is simply amazing in the winter time:

Yosemite in fall is quite beautiful:

Tokyo is pretty nice as well:

If winter gets you down, head south to Sydney where it's summer:

Singapore, the city/state:

Rome, Italy:

Paris, the city of lights:

Monaco / Nice (pics in that order), amazing cities by the beach. Lots of $$$ here but also lots of fun:

Munich, just as amazing in summer as it is in winter. Gluhwein, anyone?

London, my personal 'leap of faith', as it was my first trip abroad.... and I went ALONE! I didn't have the best time, made a few rookie mistakes, and I'm so glad I kept trying my luck with travelling. Still, it's a stunning city in it's own right:

Langkawi, Malaysia. Where my 'happy place' is. Truly, paradise on earth:

Kuala Lumpur, deep in Southeast Asia. Overlooked by many but a real gem of a destination:

Jerusalem, Israel. Man, do they know how to do airport security right!!!

Jakarta, Indonesia; definitely NOT a mainstream tourist destination. But totally worth experiencing:

Hong Kong, a VERY unique city, politically and culturally:

Dublin, Ireland on St. Patties day. A party to remember!!

Chicago, Illinois. Where I (want to) live:

Cairns, Australia, where you can scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef:

Bethlehem, alone at night. Not exactly the BEST time to go to Palestine, but hey, it was an experience!

Bangkok, Thailand. Indescribable, so I won't even try (yet).

Bali, Indonesia. Overrated. But fun as hell anyways.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

So there you have it. These are the major trips I have been on. I've had one hell of a great time so far and am always looking forward to the next trip. Travel is addicting and can get pricey. But with a good head and a bit of planning, it can be done safely, cheaply, and will always be an experience you will never forget. It's true, I made this blog to share experiences, but moreso I made this blog to inspire others to travel for themselves. I believe a 'world perspective' will bring the world closer. Because after all, we all live in essentially the same place.