Life is a patchwork of experiences
In a country with beautiful scenery and a deep spiritual culture, it was the people I met along the way that I remember most. Let these Laos photos inspire you to add this Southeast Asian country to your travel bucket list.
Some of the photos in this post were recognized with awards in the 2023 North America Travel Journalists Association Excellence in Travel Journalism competition. The feature photo for this story received a Bronze award in the Cover or Feature Photo Illustration category
Laos is still one of those off-the-beaten-path countries that requires some effort to get to and even more effort to tour. As a result, I found it pleasantly uncrowded and surprisingly authentic.
My annual review in words and photos from an incredible year of travel.
Wow! I have been so very fortunate to have had the most incredibly memorable year for travel! And what a difference 12 months can make!
It’s taken me a while to write this up as it was a very, very busy year, but I am continuing my annual end of the year post tradition by reflecting on where I’ve been in 2022 – and sharing some of my reflection photos in the process.
I visited Norway on a cruise which was a very easy way to discover the beauty of this highly scenic country. I am sharing my best Norway photos to inspire you to plan your own trip to Norway.
As I cruised through peaceful fjords surrounded by mountain peaks, and visited colorful towns and villages in Norway, I could clearly see the inspiration for a fairy tale movie. As a photographer, I found the scenery to be point-and-shoot beautiful and it didn’t take much artistic license to take Norway photos worthy of a high end magazine spread.
Continue reading “Beautiful Storybook Norway Photos to Inspire Your Next Trip”
A crippled beggar hopes for a few coins at the entrance to a church in Cartagena, Columbia. Across the street, a street vendor eats his lunch as he waits for passers-by to purchase a painting. It’s just another day for the locals in Cartagena, trying to make a living.
Thanks for visiting.
Rose
At the port of Cartagena, you have to pass through an Eco Park on the way back to boarding the cruise ship. After walking all morning with the hot sun beating down on me, it was a lovely, shaded, stroll that was not very long. The park has lots of peacocks, macaws and flamingos, along with shops and eateries. Even if you do not plan on going into the city, getting off the ship and exploring this area is a pleasant distraction.
Thanks for visiting.
Rose
This story was recognized by the North American Travel Journalists Association with a Silver award in the Portrait Photography category in the 2022 annual media travel awards competition .The palenqueras of Cartagena – black women in bright costumes with baskets of fruit on their head – have become a colorful national symbol for their country. All around the old town of Cartagena, I saw these women waiting to have their photos taken in exchange for a tip. Once they saw a potential opportunity, they would put the bowls of fruit on their head, flare their skirts and give a huge smile – and then reach out for the expected dollars.
Continue reading “PhotoPOSTcard: Waiting to Make a Dollar in Cartagena”
It is usually Greece’s islands that are associated with sunny beaches. But in the north, the peninsula of Halkidiki is also known for its many choices of beautiful white sand beaches. There are so many to choose from that you could spend many months exploring a different beach each day. What I really liked is that so many of the beaches had beach bars where you could rent a lounge chair for the day for a few euros, and food and drink options were on hand as well. Now that is a relaxing beach vacation indeed.
Thanks for visiting.
Rose
Lazarus Koundouriotis was a successful shipping industry businessman. He supported the Greek War of Independence in 1821 by funding it with most of his wealth, which contributed greatly to the success of the war for the Greeks. His family’s home overlooking the harbor on the island of Hydra is now a popular museum which is part of the Greece National Historical Museum.
Thanks for visiting.
Rose
Looking back on 2021 – it was a good year in many ways.
How did this past year go by so fast – again.
As I reflect on 2021, both photographically and personally, I can say that I was fortunate to have had a good year. Yes, the continuing Covid pandemic had an impact, but I prefer to focus on all the positives instead.
The little Greek island of Hydra does not allow cars or any other motorized vehicles, even bicycles. To move things around the hilly island, locals use donkeys, foot power or boats.
Thanks for visiting
Rose
