Travel Notes – Travel Blog – Page 4 – ► Blogging About Travel

January 10, 2016April 28, 2016

Guilin Limestone Peaks – China

Guilin is flat enough to cycle around and then these magnificent limestone peaks rise up in front of you.

Guilin Limestone Peaks

A cruise down the river, from Guilin to Yangshuo, passes through some of China’s most magnificent scenery.

Nature has spent 70 million years perfecting the sculptures around this part of the Li River; revealing a landscape that is truly awesome.

China.

January 9, 2016April 28, 2016

Art in the Park – Yerevan, Armenia

On a photo walk in Armenia’s capital, Yerevan, this beautiful display of art in the park caught my eye.

Armenian Art In The Park — Prints Available at http://tnot.es/Prints

Art in the Park – Yerevan, Armenia

Yerevan is not an attractive city by any means, but some of its surroundings are; Armenia’s ancient monasteries and the views across to Mount Ararat.

At weekends, much of Armenia’s beauty is displayed through works of art by local artists in Saryan park; elegantly arranged around the statue of one of the country’s most famous masters of colour on canvas.

Landscapes.

January 8, 2016April 28, 2016

Piggy Went to Market – Ecuador

Travel in Ecuador often means making the effort to arrive in certain towns on market day; or the night before.

Market Day in Ecuador — Prints Available at http://tnot.es/Prints

Piggy Went to Market

Visiting Ecuador’s indigenous markets is so popular with Gringo tourists that day tours even depart from Quito; to Otavalo (Plaza de Ponchos), and Saquisili (baskets).

Riobamba and Cuenca (flowers) are further away and will most likely mean staying the night; maybe on the way south to Guayaquil.

Candid.

January 7, 2016April 28, 2016

Soviet Railway Emblem – Russia

When I travelled by rail from Moscow to Saint Petersburg in April, 1992 I was glad to see the Soviet State Railway Emblem still on the train.

Soviet Railway Emblem

The dissolution of the Soviet Union had taken place in December 1991 and Russia was now briefly a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States, or CIS.

The State Emblem of the Soviet Union (some call it a coat of arms) shows a five-pointed red star above the traditional hammer and sickle over a globe, with ears of wheat around it.

There is a rising sun under the globe, and a red ribbon around the two wreaths of wheat with ‘Proletarians of the world, unite!’ written in the official languages of the fifteen (former) Soviet Republics.

Railways.

January 6, 2016April 28, 2016

Forbidden City – Beijing, China

The Forbidden City (Imperial Palace) was home to fourteen emperors of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) and ten emperors of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911).

Forbidden City – Beijing, China

Listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site in 1987, the Palace Museum is located in the centre of Beijing, on the northern side of Tiananmen Square.

Blue Sky.

January 5, 2016April 28, 2016

Sydney Harbour Bridge – Australia

The Harbour Bridge is as classic a symbol of Sydney as the shells of the Opera House itself.

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Sydney Harbour Bridge, seen here at sunset, connects the Sydney central business district with the North Shore commercial and residential areas.

The single arch design was built from both ends (using cable supports) and joined in the middle.

Bridges.

January 4, 2016April 28, 2016

Suzhou Canals – China Travel

Located about 100km west of Shanghai, Suzhou is famous for its canals, bridges and classical gardens; collectively an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Suzhou Canals

With the Yangtze River Delta to the north-east and surrounded by lakes, it’s not surprising Suzhou is often called ‘Venice of the East’.

There’s even a Grand Canal running through Suzhou, north to south, connecting Beijing with Hangzhou.

Rivers.

January 3, 2016April 28, 2016

Saint Petersburg, Russia

Saint Petersburg is located on the Neva River, at the head of the Gulf of Finland; the easternmost arm of the Baltic.

Saint Petersburg, Russia

On a photo walk in Russia’s second largest city I chose to frame the golden dome of Saint Isaac’s Cathedral within an anchor; to emphasize Saint Petersburg’s connection with the sea.

Founded by Peter the Great in 1703, Saint Petersburg became the imperial capital of Russia until 1918.

The Baltic port became known as Petrograd in 1914, then Leningrad in 1924, before reverting back to Saint Petersburg in 1991.

Saint Petersburg.

January 2, 2016April 28, 2016

Cuba Calle in Havana

Two Cuban ladies walking down Cuba Calle in Havana, Republic of Cuba.

Cuba Calle in Havana, Cuba

Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean, and the second-most populous after Hispaniola (Dominican Republic and Haiti).

Havana features some wonderful Spanish colonial architecture within its 16th-century core, Old Havana.

Paint may be peeling off the walls and street lights don’t always work but there are plenty of photo opportunities for street photographers with an eye for the candid shot.

Cuba.

January 1, 2016April 28, 2016

From Russia With Love

Romantic reunion between a Russian Soldier and his girlfriend in Moscow’s Red Square with The Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed (Saint Basil’s Cathedral) in the background.