Category: Photo Essays

 

I take a lot of photos when I travel. With my photo essays I aim to share my favorite photos to tell the story of the location and to try to transport you there.

Penguins and Ice and So Much More – My Favorite Princess Cruise Antarctica Photos

These are some of my favorite Princess cruise Antarctica photos from my trip on the Sapphire Princess that took me around South America and to the Antarctic peninsula. It was quite the scenic adventure.

To say that I took a lot of photos on a Princess cruise to South America and Antarctica is a huge understatement. But if this was going to be a once-in-a-lifetime trip, then I was going to make sure I captured every moment.

The feature photo for this post was recognized with an Honorable Mention award in the Landscape and Nature category in the 2023 North American Travel Journalists Association Excellence in Travel Journalism competition.

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Remembering With Poppies in London – A Photo Essay

Poppies have become a symbol of remembrance throughout the British Commonwealth

In 1915, Canadian physician John McCrae wrote a poem after a friend died in the Second Battle of Ypres in World War I. He noticed how quickly the poppies grew among the crosses that marked the graves of the fallen and used that as his inspiration for the poem.

Since that time, the poppy has come to represent Remembrance Day throughout the British Commonwealth.

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Discovering Photogenic London – Some of My Favorite London Photos

London is one of my favorite cities to visit and these are some of my favorite London photos and London photo spots that show off the city’s unique personality.

London is one of my favorite cities to visit. It’s busy and vibrant and easy to get around in. The city also offers great opportunities for fun photography. These are some of my favorite London photos that showcase those experiences that make this great city so special for me. Continue reading “Discovering Photogenic London – Some of My Favorite London Photos”

A Photo Journey Through My Best Rhine River Christmas Market Cruise With Riverside Luxury Cruises

Let these photos take you along with me on what I think was the best Rhine River Christmas Market cruise with Riverside Cruises.

What was my best Christmas present this year? A Christmas Market cruise on the fabled Rhine river with Riverside Luxury Cruises.

I grew up with a lot of German Christmas holiday traditions and it’s been my long time wish to experience the authentic Christmas Markets in Germany. My wish came true on a seven day Rhine River cruise from Amsterdam to Frankfurt where each day offered a new celebration of the holiday spirit.

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Bavaria’s Wieskirche – The Pilgrimage Church of Wies in Photos

Bavaria’s Wieskirche or the Pilgrimage Church of Wies is a UNESCO site in a beautiful stop if visiting nearby Neuschwanstein Castle.

Bavaria’s Wieskirche or the Pilgrimage Church of Wies,  is a UNESCO protected church in the bucolic, green foothills of the German alps. Built in the mid 18th century by two brothers, J.B. and Dominikus ZImmermann, the site became a pilgrimage destination to see the Scourged Saviour, a wooden statue that was purported to produce miracles to those who prayed to it.

When the existing chapel that displayed the wooden figure became too small for the pilgrimage rush, the local abbey commissioned the larger church and shrine – which is Wieskirche we have today. Continue reading “Bavaria’s Wieskirche – The Pilgrimage Church of Wies in Photos”

Off the Beaten Path in Japan – My Journey in Photos

These are some of my favorite photos that capture the essence of the many different Japanese locations I visited this past summer.

Tori gates are a classic symbol of Japan. These Tori gates snaked up the mountainside at the Takayama Inari Shrine. Though smaller and less visited than the famous Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto, I thought it was much more serene and beautiful.

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Exploring Japan’s Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park From Tokyo – A Look in the Mirror

Getting to the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park from Tokyo was an easy day trip that I did on my own during my winter visit to Japan.

Ever since I watched the PBS Nature episode about Japanese snow monkeys, I hoped that one day I might be able to see them in person. When I had the chance to visit Japan in winter with my husband, we took the opportunity to do a day trip to the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park from Tokyo.

The experience with the snow monkeys was as engaging and entertaining as anything I could have wished for. In many ways, it was like looking in a mirror.

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A Visit to Japan’s Most Sacred Island – One Day In Miyajima

I’ve been to Miyajima, Japan twice in the last few years and am sharing my experiences on how I spent one day in Miyajima.

Miyajima, Japan is most famous for the photos of its floating torii gate. But this lovely little island offers up lots of gorgeous scenery, both man made and natural. I visited Miyajima twice on recent trips to Japan and this is how I spent my day on Miyajima exploring its photogenic treasures.

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My Favorite Unique Japanese Experiences

After four trips to Japan, these are some of my favorite unique Japanese experiences and photos from one of my favorite destinations.

Japan is one of my favorite travel destinations. I’ve visited four times in the last few years and could easily go back again and again. The unique mix of east and west in this culturally rich country continues to fascinate me.

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Finding the Magic – My Harry Potter Studio Tour Review and Tips for a Perfect Vsit

As a huge Harry Potter fan, visiting Hogwarts in the Snow at the Warner Brothers Studios in London was magical. This is my Harry Potter Studio Tour review with lots and lots of photos and tips for experiencing this magical place.

Some days I wish I had a magic wand. Or that I also had received a letter on my eleventh birthday saying I was accepted into the Hogwarts School of Wizarding and Witchcraft. Of course the Sorting Hat would put me in the Gryffindor house and I also would have a beautiful white owl as my companion. For one day, I was able to be part of this magical world during my Wizarding World of Harry Potter London experience.

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