Architecture

AUSTRIA

Salzburg Cathedral Austria

Hohensalzburg Fortress Salzburg Austria

View of Salzburg from road leading to the Fortress Austria

View of Fortress from Mirabell Palace in Salzburg Austria

Schlosskonzerte Mirabell Salzburg Austria

Hohensalzburg Fortress Salzburg Austria

Salzburg Cathedral Austria

Statue inside Mirabell Palace Salzburg Austria

An arch door in Old Town Salzburg Austria

The front of Salzburg Cathedral Austria

Trio Making Music sculpture by Max Rieder in Kurgarten in Mirabell Gardens Salzburg Austria

Residenz Fountain in The Residenzplatz square Old Town Salzburg Austria

Statue at the entrance to Mirabell Gardens Salzburg Austria

Plainer Ansitz in Salzburg Austria

Rooftops of Salzburg's old town Austria

CUBA

A crumbling building between preserved buildings in Havana Cuba

A Cuban man standing on his balcony in a building in Havana Cuba

A beautifully preserved building in Havana Cuba

A room inside Palacio de Valle Cienfuegos Cuba

A classic green car parked in front of an archway of a building in Havana Cuba

Classic car driving along El Malecon at dusk in Havana Cuba

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

A small outside market in a street of Santo Domingo Dominican Republic

Museum of the Royal Houses Santo Domingo Dominican Republic

A colourful wall and street sign along Calle Restauracion Santo Domingo Dominican Republic

A colourful street in Zona Colonial Santo Domingo Dominican Republic

EGYPT

The Great Sphinx and Great Pyramid of Giza Egypt

Giant feet of statue at Abu Simbel Aswan Egypt

Pyramids of Giza in Egypt

Giant statue at Abu Simbel entrance Aswan Egypt

Statue beside palm tree inside Karnak Temple Luxor Egypt

Column at Abu Simbel Aswan Egypt

The Great Sphinx of Giza Egypt

Abu Simbel Aswan Egypt

Inner courtyard of Al-Azhar mosque Cairo Egypt

Karnak Temple Luxor Egypt

ETHIOPIA

Kebran Gabriel Monastery Lake Tana Ethiopia

Decorations on windowsill of Kebran Gabriel Monastery Lake Tana Ethiopia

Biete Amanuel (House of Emmanuel) in Lalibela Ethiopia

ITALY

Beautiful windows and balcony attached to a building in Padova Italy

An arch in a wall leading to a piazza in Padova Italy

Statue in Piazza of Prato della Valle in Padova Italy

The Colosseum in Rome Italy

Ancient bridge in Rome Italy linking Trastevere to the city

Small columns of a bridge in Padova Italy

Four colourful window shutters of a house in Ferentino-Supino Italy

An ancient bridge in Rome linking centro storico to Trastevere Italy

Statue of an angel on Ponte Sant'Angelo over the Tiber in Rome Italy

Fountain in Piazza Navona Rome Italy

Old car against ancient wall in Trastevere Rome Italy

KUWAIT

Windows inside Kuwait Towers Kuwait

Brass tea pots for sale in Beit Ahmed inside Souq Al-Mubarakiya in Kuwait

Sign erected outside Souq Al-Mubarakiya to celebrate Kuwait National Day

Brass pot outside Beit Ahmed inside Souq Al-Mubarakiya in Kuwait photography page

Kuwait Towers surrounded by palms

MALAYSIA

Kuala Lumpur Monorail Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur at dusk Malaysia

Walkway inside the Kuala Lumpur Butterfly Park Malaysia

A pedestrian overpass near Bukit Bintang Kuala Lumpur Malaysia

A traditional street in Malacca Malaysia

Tan Beng Swee clocktower in Malacca Malaysia

Restoran Famosa Chicken Rice Ball Malacca Malaysia

Trishaws in Malacca Malaysia

Church of St Francis Xavier in Malacca Malaysia

Petronas Towers Kuala Lumpur Malaysia

Menara Kuala Lumpur Tower Malaysia

A busy street in Malacca Malaysia

SLOVENIA

Predjama Castle in Slovenia

Tartini Square Piran Slovenia

Church in Piran Slovenia

Grand Hotel Union Ljubljana Slovenia

Robba Fountain in Town Square outside Town Hall in Ljubljana Slovenia

Statue in front of Franciscan Church of the Annunciation Ljubljana Slovenia

Sculpture in Tartini Square Piran Slovenia

Church of Saint Nicholas front door in Ljubljana Slovenia

Travel with me on Instagram

Half a year has slipped past since Silke and I fou

Half a year has slipped past since Silke and I found ourselves in the embrace of Liechtenstein, that 99th gem in my mosaic of nations visited. It was a day when the sky donned its greyest cloak and wept upon the world, our journey a dance with the elements, our windshield wipers defiantly still against the downpour.

Yet, within that deluge, Silke’s deft hands steered us through, her resolve as unyielding as the mountains that cradle the heart of this small nation. Our plans were reshaped by nature’s whim, leading us to the warmth of a gallery café where the rain’s rhythmic patter against window panes provided the backdrop to conversations that meandered like the rivers outside.

And so, a reminder in retrospect: even when draped in storm’s curtain, Liechtenstein bore a tranquil kind of beauty, its cloud-kissed peaks and rain-soaked streets a stage for the unexpected. It was not the day we planned, but it was one we wouldn’t trade.

Here’s a look back at the city’s quiet streets, the greenery’s glossy sheen, the timeless architecture standing stoic against the weather’s mood. These vignettes, captured within frames of memory and lens, are proof that sometimes, it’s the journeys taken in stride, amid the tempest’s roar, that linger longest in the heart.

Lichtenstein, August 2023
.
.
.
#liechtenstein #rain #wetweather #country99 #memorylane #europe #europetravel

Zurich, through a lens unexpected: * A straw hat

Zurich, through a lens unexpected:

* A straw hat against the horizon, where water meets the whims of the city. Not a statement, but a whisper, “Ease into the scene, blend with the blues of Zurich’s veins.”
* An overcast sky drapes itself over the cityscape like a soft, grey cloak. It’s not gloom, but a canvas, urging colours of the mundane to speak louder.
* The flags flutter, each a character in a silent play, a symphony of stories unfurling along cobblestone paths. They’re not just emblems; they’re bookmarks in a traveller’s diary.
* A moment in monochrome. The city, often bursting with hues, now paused in time, whispers in tones of an era when colour was a luxury.
* And there, the soloist on its concrete stage, a bird contemplates the waters. A single note in Zurich’s symphony, yet a reminder - every role, however small, sings in the chorus of the city.

With @_eastendstudios_ , every step is an unwritten stanza, every shared silence a verse in our ongoing journey.

Zurich, Switzerland, August 2023
.
.
.
#Friendships #Zurich #Switzerland

In the gentle cradle of Basel’s history, where t

In the gentle cradle of Basel’s history, where the Rhine carves a path through the heart of the city, a reunion unfurled like the vibrant pages of a well-thumbed book between Silke and me. A testament to the enduring symphony of friendship that began in the fragrant alleys of Chiang Mai, our paths crossed again, this time amid the dignity of Swiss tranquility.

Basel, with its medley of medieval charm and contemporary verve, became the canvas upon which our shared memories added new hues. The city’s cobbled streets, lined with antiquity, echoed with our chatter as we recounted tales old and new. We wandered through the market square, a mosaic of colour and life, where the local fare is as rich in history as the city itself. The centuries-old Rathaus, its red facade a bastion of civic pride, stood witness to our ambling progress.

Our days were spent in the pursuit of simple pleasures. We sipped Pimm’s by the river’s edge, the sun setting behind the silhouetted spires of the Munster, casting a golden glow that danced upon the water

Silke, ever the gracious host, introduced me to Basel’s hidden gems – from quirky cafes that percolated with the aroma of roasted coffee to the tranquil banks where we sat, our feet dangling above the Rhine, lost in the kind of deep conversations that can only be had with someone who truly knows you.

In Basel, history whispers from every corner, a reminder that while buildings may age, the human connection is timeless. The city mirrored the crossroads where Silke and I found ourselves – different lives, different countries, yet the same unspoken understanding that transcends boundaries.

Our time together was a celebration of the enduring bonds that form when two people share a slice of their journey. In the end, it’s not just a city that makes an experience memorable, but the company we keep and the friendships that continue to bloom, regardless of the miles between.

In every laughter-etched corner of Basel, @_eastendstudios_ , you’ve painted our canvas with enduring friendship – for this, and for all the balconies we’ve yet to stand on, my heartfelt thanks.

Basel, Switzerland, August 2023
.
.
.
#switzerland #friends

Exploring Luxembourg: A blend of contrasts, from a

Exploring Luxembourg: A blend of contrasts, from ancient castles to vibrant cityscapes.

Luxembourg (city), Luxembourg, August 2023
.
.
.
#luxembourg #history #europe