#it’s really easy to take nice pics when the city itself is so beautiful

[gaytobymeres]

Sandstone and sky: Edinburgh in September

[torunarigha]

i made this the other night and honestly its not as cringe as i thought it would be! its a get to know the hertha players + my dumb commentary...

hertha squad smash or pass bc apparently i’m already too exhausted from school work to have a brain

1. Thomas Kraft:

Legend against Frankfurt, sexy saves, but pass

12. Dennis Smarsch

tall and large boi™, our future when he shapes up, pass bc he’s always posting cute shit with his gf (also gives off basic white boy vibes)

22. Rune Jarstein

octopus KING, saves my life every game, along with sala my first favorite player, smash the saves, pass on the father of three daughters (me and his two actual ones)

13. Lukas Klünter

squirrel man from köln that was the fastest runner in the bundesliga last year, was called most consistent man under covic and now is less so, i want him to SHINE but i also want him to stay with us forever bc i’m selfish, i cannot explain but smash 1000000%, e v e r y t h i n g . 

17. Maxi Mittelstädt

square faced spandau berliner boy!!! i call him maxi n cie after the quebecois grocery store but that’s neither here nor there. he’s still got some work to do but he’s getting so much better and i’m SO proud of him. more my son than anything so pass for now (emphasis on for now...)

20. Dedryck Boyata

honestly what a cute and beautiful man. killer defender (we miss you! get well soon!) if it wasn’t for man city comment and connection might be smash...but looking at this pic i just want to hug him...so pass (when he comes back with them sexy tackles that answer might change)

21. Marvin Plattenhardt

poor marvin...only call up was for the world cup 2018 (why i’m putting germany jersey pic here). free kick skills through the roof when it happens and solid player...pass bc not my type. 

25. Jordan Torunarigha

what a man WHAT A MAN! he is an INCREDIBLE defender, a MYSTERIOUS instagram caption maker, and a HEART that beats more blue and white than anyone in the world. i can’t wait to watch him flourish as an amazing german defenseman and yes that is of course a smash for my bae jordan ... 

4. Karim Rekik

ah karim...i always had mixed feelings about him as a defender but now i miss him...as a person i always thought he was cool. he honestly has a gorgeous face and that could be a smash just for that...but i’m gonna say pass. frustration lingers.

5. Niklas Stark

ah nik...the one hertha player everyone on this site knows and loves and my one pride on the NT <3 he made me VERY MAD at the beginning of the season and that tarnished my opinion of him. but he has an incredibly attractive face and seems chill ! i think i’d smash if the chance presented itself !

11. Mathew Leckie

where on EARTH did this man go?? only Australian footy man i know...tbh completely forgot how he plays at all...the mustache ruins it for me, pass

15. Marko Grujić

sexy soft doe who makes dumb tackles sometimes! brilliant footballer, drools over the PL a little bit too much but i do love his love of liverpool. gives off sweetest man in the world vibes when off the pitch (on the pitch, quite the opposite). smash smash and more smash

16. Javairô Dilrosun

okayyyyyy this picture gives off different vibes than i normally associate with my always smiling super talented dutchboy but i’ll take it. literally would give the world for him. please stay at hertha. we love you. originally wrote smash but i cannot legally say that...too much sun/son vibes...pass my sweet legend

18. Santiago Asacibar

uggggghhh my least favorite transfer of all time. he’s ok. he’s been solid so i can’t complain. but a hard pass.

23. Arne Maier

the amount of love and affection i feel toward this berliner born in 1999 man for the amount of time he has actually played in the last while is...incredible. please don’t be a dumb bitch and move and that all the headlines were just made up. you’ve been injured !! be patient !! you’re too much homegrown talent for us to squander you i promise...not my normal type but smash...

3. Per Skjelbred

norwegian that gets up early and looks confused all the time. he’s been solid for us but apparently we’re selling him according to...will miss this deer in the headlights...pass

30. Marius Wolf

he just transferred sometime last season and he’s bffs with EVERYONE honestly respect but the guy freaks me out of bit...can’t explain it. super inconsistent but when he’s good he’s great. his instagram hashtag under every picture is #UNLEASHTHEWOLF ... when will he be unleashed ???? hard pass tho

6. Vladimír Darida

plays one (albeit incredible) game. twitter: BEST MAN OF THE VORRUNDE (honestly though some people’s opinions make me feel like i don’t understand this sport). he is pretty great though, not denying that. pass but respect. lots of it

8. Salomon Kalou

if this man doesn’t get a great send off i WILL riot. incredible presence on the team, nicest happiest funniest man alive. goals that he scores when he actually gets playing time ??? beautiful. couldn’t smash this man though, he’s the uncle i never had. i’ll pass him off to someone who loves him like he loves them.......

9. Alexander Esswein

couldn’t tell you much about ole essy over here...he’s not done much. he’s one of my friend’s exact type so i’ll save him for her. pass.

14. Pascal Köpke

the lad is TRYING! being the son of the NT goalkeeper coach is never easy. its hard to just be thrown on the pitch for the first time and be expected to create magic. hope he just gets better! solid pass bc his face looks like a prof of mine...yikes

19. Vedad Ibisevic

*gently strokes picture* i didn’t know how good i had it. yes i get annoyed at his aggressive testosterone-yness but lordy does he love hertha and is a good captain. i miss seeing him on the pitch and scoring those goals, saving our asses. props, old man <3 definite pass though.

27. Davie Selke

what CURSE has davie fallen victim to??? this man has no aim anymore and i miss his speedy legs and fancy goals !!!! absolute passion to sometimes ridiculous levels on the pitch but i love his heart. off the pitch, most down to earth nice sympatisch guy ever...hard smash 

28. Dodi Lukébakio

oof...OOOF. i really really REALLY like him. he shuffles cards well, his voice is so soothing, his smile is INCREDIBLE. and yeah...incredible goal scored and weaver around defenders. and so chill !!!! i hope he stays with us for a long time. smash. marry. 

BONUS

(on loan at norwich) Ondrej Duda

my heart grew three sizes when i saw this picture and now my eyes are all misty... he and sala have made my days so good when they were otherwise bad. his goalscoring last season incredible. he barely played this season at all. i don’t understand it. i hope and pray he comes back for us. duda...i love you (pass tho for the same reason as sala...)

[sallyannthearts]

How to Hike for Princesses 3

DAY ONE of the CLASSIC FJALLRAVEN SWEDEN 110KM HIKE  Starting point: Nikkaloukta  End point: Kebnekaise  Total distance: 19km++ Previous experience: None 

Pic: I thought somewhere deep down that I’d fight with all my might to make it out alive and I did. This was when we arrived from Stockholm at the Kiruna airport to be picked up by huge buses for the Classic Fjallraven hiking event. 

Early in the morning we woke up at our cosy Ripan Camp Hotel in Kiruna to have breakfast and try to hit the loos one more magical time, hoping to God that the many coffee cups we took would help, before taking the 1 hour bus ride to the starting point. 

Pic: Last point of ‘civilisation’ before heading off into the wild. This was our cosy room at the Ripan Kiruna Hotel. 

At 6.30am we boarded the bus and were all smiles and laughter as we arrived at the Nikkaluokta flag-off point an hour later. There were toilets and a restaurant with two huge blue fjallraven tents waiting for us to receive our orange bag tags and to stamp the first checkpoint on our books. There was even a guy with his guitar singing at the corner, making the event sound promising, literally. 

We drank another cup of hot coffee and snacked a bit more whilst weighing our bags one more time to check the exact weight. We made one more pee trip to  civilisation’s toilet hole. The day looked promising. 

At 9am, the horns sounded and people started to take off. My sister, Andro and I took photos at the starting point sign for my mother. We couldn’t care less about starting off on time and getting to the finishing point quick. We had 6 days, and we soon found it was even possible to have accomplished it in 5 days if not for the last two days of taking it easy and camping 5km from the end point (you have to book way in advance to camp at the final point so we didn’t do that). 

The Singaporean team didn’t start together at the starting point and didn’t end up finishing together. Everybody had a different attitude about the hike. In no real order, the first party were a few more experienced guys who always woke up super early and trudged on headfirst with the aim of reaching the end asap. The second party became our own formed group with Michael a.k.a Jesus joining us later (to be elaborated). The third party were two girls who never stopped for lunch and yet were still able to keep going. The fourth party were the others who stayed with the organiser or had some physical issues that prevented them from walking easily. The fifth party were individuals who either left or did the trail on their own. Most of them were jet-lagged and early birds who woke up super early to start their day. I told my team that I wanted my beauty sleep, which was already waking up around 7.30am most days. 

Pic: Meanwhile, I saw the Malaysian team relaxing their way through, even waking up at noon to have their ‘breakfast’. Haha!) 

So around 9.15am, after our selfies, we started the trail together. One Singaporean girl, Nat, from the team joined us, and she formed the only Singaporean that stayed with us throughout our Singaporean representative team (the irony, again). We strolled through, my sister and Nat took loads of photos and learned how to pick blueberries. Andro and I played word games and joked a lot while hiking. We also, of course, took photos like this: 

Shortly after, the four of us got to the first eating point with a Lap Donalds Hamburger stop very soon but found that we hadn’t even done enough to earn such a lunch and so we stopped for snacks and photos only. The view was breathtaking and the skies were smiling down on us. There were toilets at this checkpoint but I didn’t want to use them. It seemed like the hike was going to be quite a nicely planned out one for city people like me. After a nice rest there, we got up to go again. 

Pic: Lap Danalds, the first beautiful rest point for lunch. 

We continued on for a while more before stopping for lunch at another area, where we saw the most insects during the whole trip. They said that in the Swedish lapland, there could be a lot of mosquitoes during summer. Well, maybe that was the good part of having suffered cold and rain because they never did come out except during Day 1. 

Pic: Andro teaching us how to use the equipment for the first time. I had to recondition my mind to eat in the wild with dirt around. Just up above a few feet away were a shitload of reindeer poop. 

After lunch, we broke off from my sister and Nat, who continued to stroll through at their own liking whilst stopping for various activities like taking photos of a random dog (there were many beautiful ones hiking with their masters!). Andro and I found Day 1 to be a rather simple hike (little did I know what awaited me) and so we caught up and joined the first party of our team halfway through. 

We got to the checkpoint Kebnekaise of the day and waited there with the other guys for a while more for the other parties of the team. But when the wait deemed long and the skies were turning grey, we left onward for another 2km or so to find a spot and started pitching our tents. 

Halfway through, the rain, this detestable leech who presented itself without welcome, started pouring down on us. The sun was gone and our tents were getting wet under its drooling curse. Andro and I managed to get ours done quickly and so did the other Singaporean guys. 

The rain never did stop and it was from then on that the nightmare began. 

Just as we were finishing up with organisation of our bag packs, my sister arrived with Nat. They had been waiting an hour at the checkpoint 2km away from our camping site for the night before the others arrived to inform them about our camp position. Andro and I started helping my sister and Nat set up their tent in the what was now pouring rain. Yup, we were getting soaked and it was getting colder suddenly. 

Pic: After more than an hour freezing under the rain, I had to stay inside with my head popping out every few seconds to pass Andro and my sis something. They named me the genie in a tent. 

Then came the other party of the team and despite having stayed under the rain for more than an hour already, Andro and I decided to stay on to help the other part of the Singaporean team set up their tents. (It was the right thing to do being in a team, right?) 

So, under the rain and cold, we stayed for more than an hour. The organiser of the group asked the other guys to come out to help but none of them did or even gave a verbal excuse except for two who finally did come out albeit towards the end. It was then that I realised who I could really turn to in our team  in case of emergency. I felt real lucky that I was not there alone and that I had a good group of four by then. 

Pic: After Night 3 where I’d apparently saved my loved ones from camping at a cold valley and had chosen a nicer slightly warmer flat land down below instead. 

Andro and I offered my sister to share our 2-men tent. She declined but after getting inside to try and sort out of her bag pack, I heard her ask if she could take back that offer. We happily invited her in, and thank God because it was cold that night and sleeping 3 in a 2-men tent gave heat! Also, it was a family time for us 3 to be together, eating miserably under the rain whilst laughing about the day. 

Pic: Night 1 when after an hour plus outside, I was too frozen to stay out in the rain anymore and so popped my head out each time to help pass Andro and my sister stuff when they asked for it. They called me the genie in a tent. 

That night, whilst people froze, I slept with no pants on (because I gave my only one dry long johns to my sister out of love whilst my sole pants tried to dry in vain in the wet tent on the other side) but I wasn’t cold at all. The cold-blooded me who revelled in cold enjoyed a nice sleep. But even so, the cold-blooded me wasn't ready to be an ice princess the next day. 

CLICK HERE TO: READ ABOUT DAY 2 AND HOW IT WAS THE WORST CLASSIC FJALLRAVEN HIKE IN HISTORY. 

[marauders-groupie]

love you with all the grace of a tumble down the stairs

They do the love thing all wrong but it's no wonder because she's a shooting star on a reverse proportional trajectory, and he is a self-made hero the skies love to hate.

Or:

How a threat to kick his ass makes Bellamy fall in love with Raven Reyes. How they screw it all up. And fix it again.

Also on AO3

The bomber jacket hung off her too thin frame and Bellamy was in love. She was all fire and rage, of course, and it made him want to laugh. How predictable, having eyes in a room full of people only for the girl who threatened to kick his ass. "That's Raven," Clarke explained, sliding her fingers down the beer bottle. "Finn's ex." It made something in him choke and he nearly spat out the beer he was muddling in his mouth.  Raven - and even her name was fitting as he watched her grin ferally at Jasper after winning a round of darts - looked like someone too full of life to be only partially loved. "I know, I couldn't believe it either. She's -" Clarke grasped for words and Bellamy laughed when Raven whooped, ordering another round. "A star. She looks like a star." And it wasn't that she was Hollywood beautiful or had an aura of mystery about her. It was just how she made the dim bar seem a little brighter, like there was a glow she couldn't stop from escaping. Clarke nodded, smiling. "That's about right, yeah." A moment passed and then she was on her feet. "Want me to introduce you?" "We-" Bellamy didn't get to finish, to say that they've already met, because Clarke started waving and calling for Raven, all animated and chipper. There was a second in which he, as she strode over, lights reflecting metallic off her leg brace, thought about running away. But she was grinning at Clarke, an arm already flying towards her shoulders and Bellamy was intrigued. Last time she pulled a switchblade on him but now she was a hug person. "Raven, this is my -" She cocked her head at him with something feline in her expression, something sharp and drawn back. "We've met, yeah. Bellamy Blake. Nice to see you've still got teeth." The way she said wasn't threatening, just a joke he could laugh at, something he could cut his fingers on. Clarke choked on thin air but managed to press out, "You know each other?" "You could say that." He was grinning, too. "Raven said she'd kick my ass, bash my teeth in and then cut off my -" "Bygones." She waved a hand at him and then stuck it out. "I'm horrible when I lose. Raven Reyes." "Bellamy Blake." "I really am glad about your teeth, though. It would be such a shame to see them gone from that pretty face."

Bellamy knew a challenge when he saw one so he just raised an eyebrow and Raven, for her part, smirked like she know it was already a done deal. * When he kissed her in the parking lot, her breath tasting like beer she wrapped her lips around and that one cigarette they shared, Raven moaned into his mouth. And when she pulled him on top of her in her dark bedroom and flipped them over, no regard for the brace or the creaky mattress, Bellamy laughed. In the morning, it was his shirt that hung off the frame of her body, just one dark shoulder peeking out. He planted a kiss on her warm skin and she made him coffee. Of course it wouldn’t last. * He wasn't completely surprised that she never called back. There was something about that night and the following morning - an edge you could feel in the air. The intensity of it wasn't of the slow and savoring kind, it was the kind last chances and last moments had. Taking all you could get before you had to leave. That didn't mean that he was happy about it and so he found himself thinking about Raven more often than not. Buying cereal in the corner shop, thinking about whether she'd prefer Cheerios over Count Chocula, whether she liked sun or rain best, coming up with a hundred little things and mythologizing her in a way you could only mythologize someone you never got the chance to actually know. Her bomber jacket haunted his dreams and that bravado of hers - spitting blood and teeth and daring the universe to hit her harder. So he found a little of himself in her, so what?  It was not a crime, and yet he felt like he had been caught with his fingers in the metaphorical pie. "Honestly, you should just call her," Clarke said, shrugging over another beer. This was what they did - they moonlighted as the frequent patrons of their local bar whenever they weren't busy trying to finish art school in Clarke's case, and grad school in Bellamy's. "No harm in trying, right?" "She'd just tell me to fuck off." "True. Or she'd fuck you again." He toyed with the leather bracelet Octavia gave him as he said, "I don't give a shit about that." It was as if he'd said that he had suddenly developed wings and a strong urge to fly.  "Are you, Bellamy Blake, in love?" He rolled his eyes. "Definitely not." "But you could be?" "That's a shitty question, Clarke. I don't even know her." He knew she tasted a little like gasoline, a little like danger. Cherry pie, sour at first and sweet later. But he didn't want to mope, or hope. The stars on his wrist, peeking from under his bracelet, teased him anyway. * He saw her again in the bar he was working in during the weekends. For a second, she looked like she was going run away as far as her legs took her, eyes widening as she noticed him. And then she stayed, relief Bellamy didn't even know he could feel embedding itself into his bones, a light, fluttery thing. "Rum and coke," she said and tapped her knuckles at the counter.  There was something about her that seemed to dare him to ask but he was just glad to see her. This myth she'd become in her absence didn't even come close to the real girl. So he gave her the rum and coke and waited, wiping the counter like it's suddenly developed mud stains in the lull of the afternoon. "So," she started, eyes fixed to the side of his head like she'd burn through it. "About that night - " "What about it?" "It was a good night." Bellamy smirked. "Just good?" And to that, she grinned, that bit of feral sneaking in where dare stood. "Okay, it was really good."  For a moment, she toyed with her glass, the remnants of rum coke sloshing around and teetering too close to the edge when she angled it towards him. "I'd like to do that again sometime." Bellamy smiled despite himself. "Sure, we can arrange that." So he took her home after his shift, offering a hand to help her down from her chair and earning a glare.  It was different, this time around.  His keys jangled as he locked the door behind them and Raven stood in the doorway to his kitchen, hands shoved into her jacket pockets. She hadn't kissed him on the ride over. They hadn't even talked. All they did was stare at the road in front of them, like neither could work up the bravery. Sex was easy. Sex was just skin and heat and some laughter, too, like when he'd knocked his head against the wall and she bared the column of her neck to ridicule him. They could both do that. For Bellamy, it was just patching up holes that still made his bones ache. But this?  This, he thought, neither of them had experience with. "Nice place," she said at last. The neon lights filtering through the window cast a red glow on her features, making her seem sharper. He didn't mind one bit. "Thanks. It's been mine since - - well, shit," he breathed out, running a hand through his hair and remembering, "ever since I'd been a kid." Too much information. Talking to Raven Reyes was dancing on the edge and it sent a thrill through his bones, knowing that just one wrong word would get her on the other side of the door. Had all the people he had loved felt the same way about him? But she only nodded. "Cool. Any embarrassing baby pics?" "Just the ones with my nose stuck in a book, really." Raven snorted. "Of course. Clarke did tell me you were a nerd." "Is that a problem?" "Not at all." And this time, there was something in her voice. Lower, huskier.  It only took her three strides and then her hands were on his neck, his flying to her hips like muscle memory. How easy it was to forget all that he had wanted to ask. How easy to forget that he didn't just want her skin. Too easy. And when he splayed her on his bed, taking his time mapping every inch of her body, Raven pulled on his hair, asked, "What's gotten you so slow?" "Are we in a rush?" A smile. "No." "Then let me do my thing." She laughed again, that roar of hers, and then she gasped. Tasted something like Pacific salt water and musk.  He kissed her again and again and kissed his way between her breasts, down her ribs, stumbled across the raven pendant she always wore, forgot that he should care about it, and kissed her for as long as he could until they were both tired and she, with sweat trickling down her temple, said that she'd forgotten how good it was with him.  She sang praises of him with fingers digging into his back and Bellamy smiled into her shoulder, licked away the salt, smiled everywhere but into her face. At 3am, she climbed onto the fire escape and pulled him out, too. He'd have gone to sleep if it weren't for how lazy suddenly her movements became, how dopey and sated instead of jerky, instead of a match striking fire. "I love this," she said and looked to the city. Neon lights replaced stars and Bellamy found that he didn't care at all. "It's different this late at night. More human." They popped open a Coke and she told him about meeting Clarke with her legs on the fence, spraying condensation everywhere. And Bellamy had seen the embers on her calf before - of course he had. 

But it wasn't until she wrinkled her nose laughing to something he said that it struck him so deeply. It wasn't a matter of belonging - his stars, her embers. It was an outdated concept, soulmates. No guarantee of actually being good for each other. But the pendant was still swaying between the slopes of her breasts and if not embers, then the raven would have been a sign that this was what he couldn't have. Bellamy pulled her in for a kiss again and they didn't talk. This understanding was beyond words. * Raven was not his soulmate, Finn was hers, but they still wanted to try again - Bellamy wanted to try again.  He fell in love non-linear, in moments and tastes. Because she and he had twin hungers and it was so easy to slip into it - being with Raven felt like second skin. Like, look at this guilt, look how I rose above it. And I might be choking on salt water but I'm still singing. God, I'm still singing. There was resilience in it, too, pure spite like blade between her teeth. When she laughed with abandon it never came easy and Bellamy got that, he felt that. It carried more weight than the mountains he thought he was bearing. But Raven laughed anyway - the invincible girl she was. He fell in love in his room, Raven wrapped in a duvet with all that messy hair and sparkling eyes peeking through the fluffy mass. "Whatcha doin'?" Of course she made him laugh, of course she made him drop his work and kiss her again. Mornings with her slipped to softness so easily. He fell in love on a sweltering summer day, Raven licking her lips, stained with cherry soda, as she sat across from him in the diner.  He told her a joke no one had ever laughed at and she snorted into her drink. She was a shooting star on a reverse proportional trajectory; starting from the rock bottom and rising up. And he could see that it took a toll on her, every bit she shared. "I wanted to be an astronaut," she told him once, after another round, their backs sticking to the sheets during a heat wave that rendered the city sluggish and them irrational. Bellamy was staring at the ceiling and so was she. The glow in the dark stars he stuck to it when he was eight still hadn't fallen off entirely. He looked at her and she didn't meet his eye. "My mom used to tell me that no one from our neighborhood made it to space and I guess she was right in the end." Her fingers found her leg just like his lips had found the scar in her back a little earlier. "I just wish I'd seen the stars up close, that's all." "I know." She was back to her brazen the next morning, laughing when Clarke saw them with Raven's hand tucked into his back pocket. Everything was alright and everything was set on fire each minute he spent with her but he still choked on something inside him, his instinct to run just as strong as hers. This was why he could never stand someone in his bed when morning light came: No one understood so it was better to not even try. Echo had frowned at him when he asked whether she'd cry at his funeral. No one could see the blood on his hands that had always been there, the one he could never wash off. Octavia falling into the wrong hands in foster care, his fault his fault - - His fault completely. So who could ever learn to care and not tiptoe around all of that which made Bellamy who he was? It wasn't tragedy, it was a fact of life. And Raven - for all of the walls she put up - was the only one who did not say "I am sorry" when he told her. * There were sunny days, of course. She stole his glasses and left selfies in his phone to remember her by, and Bellamy brought flowers to her garage once -- threw them in the trash and brought her beer next time. They sunbathed in her backyard, amidst the scraps of engines and a few discarded exhaust pipes. He helped, along with Clarke and Jasper, when she finally decided to empty out the house of her mother's belongings. Nothing looked good as blue paint across her cheek and a smile that could light up the whole neighborhood. "I could sell the house for at least 500k, fucking hipsters." She said that the market was in their favor, Bellamy said that the stars were not. And at the end of the day, they'd lay on the living room floor devoid of a couch or a coffee table, and talk. With time, they didn't even need bodies as a buffer. "Want to meet Octavia?" "Sure." It was good, it was good, but she looked at the inked stars beneath his bracelet sometimes and he looked at the pendant and all there was was a ticking time bomb right in the middle of the living room. * The first was the fight.  Raven slammed the door and hissed for him to get the fuck out. It was six months since they'd met and it was cold enough to warrant a jacket when he got out of her house. "So it's my fault, right?" "Hell yeah it is, you had no right -" "It's just a pendant, Raven, all I did was move it out of the way!" "Do I go around rearranging shit in your apartment?" "You could." "Well, I don't!" "It's always him with you, and that pendant -" "It's never him with me, you damn coward! All you want to do is fix me or some shit!" "When did I -" "It's how you look at me, Bellamy! I am not a thing to be fixed. And I don't even know what the fuck you want from me! I'm fucking trying!" "Well, try harder! Because this is a joke - you don't even give a shit. Is this a holiday for you? Since we're not soulmates -" "There you go again with soulmates! Like I care, like I fucking care!" "But you do! And if this isn't going to work, if you need me to leave, just tell me. I'll go. But don't do this, don't string me along. And I'm not trying to fix you, Raven. I'm trying to know you because we've been together for five months and I don't even know your middle name. Don't try and tell me that you're in it. Don't." "I'm tired of this. You're like a fucking puppy. Just get out, Bellamy. Leave." "Raven -"  "Get. the. fuck. out!" He was tired, too. * Raven didn't call and neither did he. For a while, it was like a fog had lifted. He finished his thesis, took up running, hiked with Octavia and drank with Miller and Murphy. She was only in his life in the small parts - the toothbrush he'd thrown out a week after, the jar of vaseline she used for when her hands got too calloused after a day in the garage. Bellamy used to rub it in for her. But she was right and he got that with time, too late to back out now.  His pride was a furious thing, a devastating thing.  It wouldn't let him say he was sorry.

* So he did the next best thing. He unwound the tale of her and the tale of himself, too.  Raven was not a shooting star or a supernova, and he was not a metaphor for a self-made hero the skies loved to hate. Instead, he was just a grad student with shitty past and she was an engineer in the making who could eat her weight in pasta and make terrible jokes. And the marks of soulmates they have loved and lost didn't mean a thing. All they signified was how capable of loving they were – horrible lives and all.  The flood water came and it wasn't a clear river - it was waddling through ten inches of thick mud and in his case - pouring rain as he knocked on her door. Raven opened it in her pajamas, the look on her face showing that she was ready to tell him to fuck off. He didn't let her, interjecting instead, "I come with gifts." "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts," she shot back and Bellamy chuckled. "Thank God I'm not Greek then." A smile played on her mouth as she opened the door and let him in. The house was different now, looked more lived-in, books stacked everywhere but on the shelves and mugs assembled on the fireplace in lieu of potpourri and family photos. Bellamy left the beer on the kitchen counter and Raven waited. "I'm sorry," he started, both hands in his pockets and cheeks flushing under her stare. "You were right. I was -- I was trying to force you to be something you were not and I am so, so sorry about that." She had also changed her hair - there were more braids in it now, making her look wilder, happier. It didn't surprise him when she rolled her eyes. "I don't want your apology." A beat, and then - "But I could use your beer." He followed her into the living room and they talked. Talked, really talked, with the copy of Iliad on the couch between them. It was full of dog ears and Bellamy couldn't stop himself from being surprised. "What? You went on and on about it, I thought I'd see what the fuss was about." And the night was a barbed wire kind of night but neither of them tiptoed around each other. Because, for all he'd once thought, he never asked about her mother or her injury unless she spoke first, and she never showed interest in his past unless he thought to mention it. That night was different, in how she led him around and joked deprecatingly about all the shit that took place around the house. "She'd just flip her shit out of the blue," Raven said about her mother, and Bellamy nodded. "Mine, too. It could have been anything, a homework, a pair of shoes." "And I used to have this guinea pig, right, so when he messed up his shit, she'd yell at me until I cleaned it." "Mine told me that I couldn't get a dog and should take more care of my sister since she was my responsibility." "Always the responsibility. Our moms were fucking shitpuddles." "Damn right. But we turned out okay in spite of them." "We did, didn't we?" * She didn't give him a tour of her bedroom until the fourth time he came around, this time bringing Thai food and collapsing into her lap as soon as he came in. Raven laughed, her fingers tracing imaginary lines on his scalp. "Are the kids being tiny assholes again?" His voice was muffled by her thigh when he replied, "When aren't they? Honestly, I don't think I'm moving ever again. The world can go fuck itself." "Fine by me. We'll be a weird symbiotic organism. Dude, name for a band!" She let him sleep over, leading him upstairs with his hand in hers, tripping over the stairs and stumbling into bannisters. Raven's room smelled like car oil and her skin, mostly. Clothes hung from the door, from the window, and above her bed - a mattress, just a mattress now - hung a tapestry of exploding colors. It burned in red and blue and yellow, a collision of impossible magnitude. "Clarke made that for you?" She hummed and sat down, took off her brace.  Bellamy lingered in the doorway - too private to just walk into. It was exactly like the Raven he should have seen all along - Spartan grit, bare knuckled fight, and something beautiful no one would ever expect lurking inside. He'd been looking for the essence of her in all the wrong places and here it was now - car oil and a mess and a bare mattress for bed. Discarded brace, like shedding her skin and saying she would always be more. A daring look as she took off her top and put on a MIT shirt she slept in. And the tapestry. Vulgar in its bareness, beautiful in how it could strike a man dead. "Come on, I won't bite." That night they were both too tired for anything more than laying down and whispering. Bellamy took the left side, she took the right, and moonlight streamed in through the white window, paint chipping off of it.  "I missed you," he said finally, her fingers tangling in his hair, her legs around his waist. Her breath was warm on his neck and around them, the winter was slowly shifting into what would be a very warm spring. This was enough, Raven next to him, and some truth, finally. Some resolution. It wouldn't be all good, but it wasn't bad at all. And Raven kissed the back of his neck, just one feather light kiss as she snuggled closer. Years later, he'd try to replace what she said then with words that came after, words like "I love you" and "I do" and "I got the position at NASA" but he wouldn't be able to. Some things were meant to sear themselves onto the very fabric of your soul. And this was one of them, in the dark room, no one but the two of them and the moon as Raven said, "Of course you did. I am awesome."

[wenminliang-blog]

How to Photograph The Taj Mahal – Best Instagram Locations India, Jaipur

For those of you who have visited Rajasthan in India, you’ll know that literally everywhere you look makes for a beautiful insta photo, it is quite simply the most colourful and photogenic place, I think, in the world.

But if you’re travelling through India on a tight schedule, that isn’t very helpful, so I’ve compiled a list of my favourite including the most iconic sights to visit, particularly if you’re looking for those pretty, picture perfect instagram shots. This is by no means an exhaustive list but just my personal favourites. It’s more of a bucket list or tick list of the most goals insta locations in Rajasthan.

Pictured above: Me at the Taj Mahal and below the Blue room at the City Palace, Jaipur

If you have limited time in India, are on a strict itinerary and want to use those trending hashtags to full effect, here are TheStyleTraveller recommendations for the Top 10 Instagram locations in Rajasthan and on the golden triangle route.

I haven’t even factored in Delhi here because I didn’t have time on my latest trip. But if you want to add your own locations, think I’ve missed some out, or want to share your tips too, then please let me know in the comments below, I’d love to hear from you.

1 The Taj Mahal

Quite simply one of the most spectacular wonders of the world. It is the most famous symbol of love on the planet, a mausoleum of a kings undying love for his queen. It is the most loved and most photographed building in the world. Which in turn means it’s really hard to get a decent photo of it without a huge crowd in your shot.

Tip 1 – Buy a ticket online so you can skip the queues. Check opening days, it’s currently closed every Friday for conservation (article written in April 2019).

Tip 2 – Gates open at sunrise (usually around 6.30am dependent on season) this is when I arrived and crowds were minimal compared to an hour or two later.

Tip 3 – On arrival don’t dawdle in the gardens, head straight to the Taj Mahal itself and to either of the two burnt sienna coloured mosques which stand either side of the main white mausoleum building. From inside the arches of the mosque you get a beautiful arch framed shot of the Taj Mahal like in the opening shot of this blog.

– For the photo above taken from the water gardens we waited in a small queue of people (about 5 mins) let each of them take their shots then we got our time. It’s pretty easy if you’re patient.

– Shot below is taken inside the mosque next to the Taj Mahal.

– I would also recommend going on a week day, not a weekend or a public holiday if you can, it’s much quieter.

Jaipur Old Town – The Pink City

Set aside a good few hours to discover Jaipur old town, aka the pink city. In this area you will find Hawa Mahal (the wind palace pictured below), City Palace and Jantar Mantar (the Royal Obseravtory) all in close proximity, but they are different buildings each with separate (but minimal) entry fee payments.

We loved it here so much we stayed the whole day, I packed a few different outfits to shoot. We went shopping in the gorgeous handicraft stores afterwards, the markets are also a fab backdrop for photos.

2. Hawa Mahal, Jaipur

Tip 1 –  In order to get the shot with the full front facade of the iconic building, arrive at the main gate, cross the road in the opposite direction and head to the rooftop cafes on the other side of the street.

It’s polite to buy a drink or a snack and if you ask nicely they should let you get on the roof to take a pic. Be careful though, this is india so there’s no rails, you’re basically on private property, if you injure yourself or act stupidly there’s no one to sue or blame here.

3 City Palace – The Blue Room, Jaipur View Rooftop & Peacock Gate

The city palace is filled with treasures. From the spectacular Peacock Gate (below), to the incredible Blue Room (above) and also hundreds of other shoot locations with no name. I highly recommend a guide, it’s big and not so obvious where to go.

To get to the private quarters of the king (where the blue room is and also the rooftop view) you have to pay an extra fee. It’s expensive by Indian standards, around £35 GBP per person. But it is so worth it. If you get a good guide ours was called Vijay (in house guide at the Jai Mahal Palace) he’ll show you all the best insta spots, give you a history lesson and also politely ask other tourists in Hindi to wait till you get your shot! Now that’s priceless!!

Above: Peacock Gate, Below: the rooftop view from the King’s private quarters at The City Palace.

4  Patricka Gate, Jaipur

Around a 15-25 min drive out of town (dependant on traffic), away from the Pink city is the insta heaven of Patrika Gate. It’s free to get in, there’s literally nothing else here apart from the gate itself in the middle of a huge round about. Get a taxi or private car, get your shot, head home. Job done!

5 Amer stepwell, Jaipur

There are several stepwells in Rajasthan, I know this because we drove to so many. But not all of them let you actually stand on the steps to get a photo. At the moment the Amer stepwell, which is a 20 minute drive North of Jaipur, does let you stand on the steps, but it’s worth checking with your hotel if they are allowing photography at the time of your  visit.Amer stepwell: hadynyah/Getty Images

6 Jantar Mantar, Royal Observatory, Jaipur

This place is simply incredible. Filled with ginormous astrological instruments like huge graphic architectural statues it is one of the the most incredible insta locations I’ve seen. Get the tour guide to walk you through the astrological charts and find out more about what your future holds!

7 Jodhpur & Mehrangarh Fort

The immense castle like structure over looking Jodphur and the Blue City is Mehrangarh Fort (pictured below). Not only for the views of the incredible sea of sky blue houses below, but also the structure and intricate architecture inside, it is a must visit location.

Afterwards head down into the city and wander around the beautiful blue buildings. It’s such a calming and visually stunning city. (pictured above)

8 Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur

Umaid Bhawan Palace is the residence of the King of Jodhpur but also doubles up as one the best hotels in the world. If you’re not lucky enough to get to stay there,  head to the museum on site. It’s totally worth a visit just to take in its awesome facade which was where the film The Viceroy’s House was shot and also the spectacular wedding venue of Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas. Here’s a link to my you tube video all about staying there! 

Me posing outside the incredible architecture with my Avis India chauffeur driven rental car.

9 Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur

The film location for James Bonds 1983 film Octopussy, if you’re not staying at the Lake Palace itself fear not, Udaipur is filled with beautiful marble buildings and the views over the lake from City Palace Museum are stunning too.

Hide in the many arches and alcoves that frame the lake and try and capture the peace and tranquility of this beautiful city. See my full blog about the Taj Lake Palace here and my youtube video here.

10 Monkey temple, between Jaipur and Agra

This was Charlie’s favourite site on our Rajasthan tour. I loved the disused, discarded ghostly architecture of the city and Charlie loved the monkeys! Watch them bathe and play in the uninhabited ancient streets. The monkeys colonised the city when the monks moved out, they are free, happy and have enough food and their new home is a fabulous playground!!For more on Bonnie’s India Road trip click here for the ultimate luxury itinerary and here for the Taj Lake Palace.

That’s all from India for now, next stop The Maldives.

Bon voyage xx

Don’t forget to check out out my You Tube video at the Lake Palace.

  The post How to Photograph The Taj Mahal – Best Instagram Locations India, Jaipur appeared first on The Style Traveller.

[lindoig]

Days 56 to 60 – South, then west (and north, west and north) again

I woke up on Wednesday feeling a little better, but not much – and Heather was feeling worse so we decided to enjoy Burketown for a bit longer.  We just hung around the van in the morning. Then walked across the park to the pub for a late lunch and some grocery shopping on the way back.  It was the NRL State of Origin match at night and it was a really big deal up here.  We had seen the advertising for it across the NT and in Queensland and the pub was decorated ready for the big night.  Ours was somewhat more subdued, although we knew who was winning because we could hear the booing and cheering around town.

They say you never forget your first time!  This was our third stay in Burketown and I well remember our first time – it was the first time we spotted the pictorella mannikin.  We were doing some off-roading not far from town and there they were – 6 or 7 of them dashing around in the bushes.  The saying is true though.  As we drive along, I often recall that this is where we saw a particular bird for the first time.  We crossed a really wide river on the way to Burketown and I immediately thought that it was almost identical with where we spied our first striated heron.  Heather probably thought much the same because she immediately recalled the similar place and we jointly tried to recall exactly where it was – just a few clicks south of Karumba according to our official sighting log.  We saw a flock of about 100 cockatiels just near the river on Monday and I recalled exactly where we saw our first one – I could point out the branch on the dead tree near the river at the back of the North Burke caravan park.  (That was the first one we had seen together, but Deanne and I had seen one years before at Kimba, South Australia, on one of our trips to Perth.)

During the afternoon, Heather stayed in the van, but I went ‘exploring’ with binoculars and camera. I was never more than a kilometre from the caravan but I took a little over 200 pics and what I think are the best of them are attached.  The mineral spring was interesting – it delivers nearly 800,000 litres a day at 68 degrees C and the mound (embalming a fence post) is the residue of mineral salts from 120 years of evaporation.  The water has formed a wetland and that is where I took almost all my photos.

We then had a few uneventful days, almost to the point of being unbloggable, but that won't stop me!

We set off from Burketown on Thursday with no firm objective.  Maybe we would get to Camooweal, or maybe we would stop at Gregory Downs, or perhaps even detour to Lawn Hill or Adel Grove (the latter being much preferred based on our previous trips).  Very soon after leaving town, we came upon a huge flock of brolgas: at least 2-300, in 5 groups across a paddock – all very exciting, but still no sarus cranes. The roads turned out to be a good deal better than expected, particularly the last 112km and we drove straight through to Camooweal with plenty of time and daylight to spare.  Last time we came through that road in the opposite direction, it was posted as 'not suitable for caravans' (that didn't stop this intrepid duo), but this time it was really quite good, certainly much better that the previous 220km or so that was supposed to be the main tourist route.  It was on the edge of the Barkly Tableland and it was wonderful to see the wide open spaces and Big Sky, horizon to horizon, with nothing taller than a metre.  Grass, grass and more grass, with bustards and other grassland birds to suit.  We really love bustards.  We rarely see them, although we have seen an amazing SIX so far on this trip.  They are so tall and regal with their heads held high, challenging us to scare them. They pose beautifully for the camera (Heather got some pics, but unfortunately, I couldn't access my camera when we have seen them) and just stroll leisurely away once they have seen enough of us. One of my favourite birds!  (I only have a few hundred other favourites.)

We stopped a few times to review the landscape or check out the birds.  The place we stopped for lunch was most enthralling.  There were birds everywhere and we saw at least 10 species In the tree we parked under.  The tree itself was fascinating too, with interesting birds, buds, leaves, flowers and galls.  We spent well over an hour photographing the birds and the bees and desert bloodwood trees and enjoyed every minute of it.  Later in the day, one bridge we crossed was over a shrinking waterhole that was also full of birds - nothing we hadn't seen before, but so many to look at and a few new ticks for our trip list.  People generally imagine that there is little to see once you get right away from 'civilisation' but nothing could be further from the truth.  For us, the outback, the desert, the nowhere, is so much more engaging for the mind and the senses than the city.

We set up camp at the Camooweal caravan park and decided to eat at the pub.  Placed our order and waited.  And waited.  And waited.......  I finally asked where our meal was and was told that our 2 hash browns had already been given to our kids.  Oops, our kids were nowhere to be seen.  Maybe we had left them back in Victoria?  Turns out that it was not our fault our kids got the hash browns.  They had accidentally written two #21 dockets and stored ours down behind the Bain Marie. While we waited for our meal to arrive, it was a great opportunity to ring all the kids.  Perhaps the booze we were obliged to consume while we were waiting mellowed us, but I think we got more of a buzz out of talking with our kids than we have for a long time.  Maybe we were less focussed, but it was really nice to catch up with all their doings a little more casually.

The meal was good, but Foyle's War and bed beckoned so that was the end of Thursday.

Friday, we took a sharp left turn into the main street and headed for Barkly Homestead.  The Tableland Highway is a very narrow paved road, but even on somewhat wider roads we always choose to vacate the pavement (and sometimes stop altogether) to allow oncoming cars to barrel through at 140kph, trailing their wall of stones behind them.  A question......  if we give them the whole road to use, why do they all still drive on the verge and create this unwelcome barrage of stones?  Very annoying!

Barkly Homestead is a popular refuelling stop and vehicles were lined up 7-deep at the bowsers.  Turns out that there was only one diesel pump operating – and by accident, we happened to pull into the vacant side of it and got refuelled and on our way while maybe five in the queue were still gnashing their teeth.  Fortune favours the brave?

Turn right and northwards ho! up another narrow bitumen track toward Cape Crawford (almost back to Borroloola!).  We decided not to push it all the way, having driven over 500 clicks on the day, so had a wonderful bush camp about 110 km south of Cape Crawford.  It might have been a wild old Friday night somewhere else, but where we were........  What a night!  Yet another mind-dazzling sunset (Are we getting blasé?  I think not!)  Later, not a hint of the moon in sight or we might have been dancing naked under the moon, but the stars were a perfect substitute.  It was pitch black, but the stars were blazing diamonds in the blackness, and there were at least a thousand trillion of them looking down on us.  There were a couple of other vans not too far away, but out of our line of sight and we had pulled in close to some shrubbery, under a tree, close to the road - and not a single vehicle disturbed the tranquillity until after 8am next day.  It was a truly beautiful night, with all the comforts of home in our little mobile cubby-house - yet another fantastic night to remember - I feel a song coming on.......

We started late on Saturday.  A leisurely few puzzles before arising and then the slow and casual process preparing for the road again.  Heather cut sangers for lunch as usual after our porridge (nice to have unseasonal brekkies on the road - always imagine porridge as a warming repast on a chilly morning, but it is just as appetising when the temperature is in the mid-20s). We ate our lunch under some trees at Cape Crawford and were beset by hordes of hungry apostle birds, crows, bowerbirds and blue-faced honeyeaters, among others.  The blue-faces were tame enough to take bread from our hands and the apostle birds were at our feet constantly.  Once they found the mirrors on the car, things got comical, but we took over 300 photos between us before we hit the road again.  Really quite amazing how tame wild birds can become once they accustom to human food sources.

We went on to a caravan park on the Stuart Highway, just a few clicks from Daly Waters where we visited on the way up.  The main park was pretty crowded, but they let us park in a lovely green adjunct to the park and it was great.  A large section was cordoned off for a hundred or so army personnel, bivouacing there en route to a big exercise near Rockhampton.  They had dozens of vehicles, troop carriers and all sorts of trucks and equipment and we saw plenty more on the road, including massive tanks and other equipment. Apparently, the place we camped was used over something like a week with 100 or so soldiers transiting through there each day.  Some of the vehicles and items of equipment are enormous.

Sunday, it was an easy drive up the Highway to Katherine where we booked into the Riverview Park again and went to the supermarket to do a massive stock-up - a huge replenishment task that necessitated an even huger reorganisation of the fridges, freezers and cupboards - but it is all done and we are ready for the next leg of our Odyssey.

[theworld-andi-blog]

What to do in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

So you’re going to Kuala Lumpur, are you?

Well, I just spent a week there myself, and it was a great to get out of the rut I’ve been in here in Thailand. I’ve been living in Thailand since October 2015. I did a lot of traveling in the beginning, but since moving to Krabi in November, I haven’t done much traveling at all. Since my visa ran out, it was time for a trip! Never want to overstay my welcome. Especially in a foreign country…

Anyway, going from Krabi Town (a city with my basic needs like coffee shops and plenty of 7Elevens) to a big city like Kuala Lumpur was a nice change of scenery. Right across the street from my hostel was a shopping mall with all my favorite stores, restaurants were just a stone throw away, and I even had a room with air-con! I’m by no means deprived in Thailand, but it’s nice to have some extra comforts sometimes!

Cities never sleep, and the same goes for KL. I spent 7 days there with my friend Kaitlyn, and I would say 7 days is a bit too long. When you’re in a city longer than you need, it gets easy to become a little bored. However, it can also give you time to relax, hit a local coffee shop, or even take a nap after running around all day. It all depends on your personal travel needs. For me, a day or two less would have been just fine!

In our week, we covered the must-see tourist spots and fit in a few other activities, as well. Here’s what we did to give you some ideas for your trip:

1. Petronas towers

These are a must. It’s super touristy and just one of those things you can’t leave KL without doing. There’s plenty of spots all over the city where you can snap a pic of the towers off in the distance. For a closer picture that can fit you in with the twins, head the mall area. There’s a small park (this is not the KLCC park) across from the entrance to the towers. There, you’ll find some stairs there where you can stand at the top and your travel buddies (or a helpful tourist in passing) can help you snap your cheesy pic that will be the staple of your trip!

**keep in mind that there is a constant flow of tourists here. Go early for an uninterrupted picture!

2. Sky Tower

You can go to the top of the Petronas Towers if you want to see a landscape of the city from up above. I didn’t go, but a couple people in my hostel said it was around 85RM (~19USD). My friend and I chose to do the Sky Tower instead. This way, we could go to the sky deck to see the same beautiful landscape and get the Petronas Towers in the background. The top floor has 2 glass boxes that shoot out a bit and you can take pictures in. Maybe avoid those if you’re not a heights person. I looked down while trying to sit and embarrassingly lost my balance! It was 105RM (~24USD), but worth the extra in my opinion. While we were there, the security said they were building a coffee shop that would be done in the next 6 months. So if you’re there, please have what’s sure to be an expensive coffee on the rooftop for me while enjoying the view. I know I would have if I could have!

3. Heli Pad for Drinks

It rained almost every evening of our trip. So, when the clock struck 5pm and there were no rain clouds in sight, we called an Uber (yes, KL has Uber!) and headed there before Mother Nature could change her mind! The drinks are on the expensive side, as one could easily assume. A bottle beer was 22-30RM depending on the size. All other drinks (cocktails, pints of beer, wine) were 30RM or above. If you enjoy sipping on a drink while watching the sun go down over the city, definitely hit this rooftop. It opens at 5 and the helipad itself opens at 6.

4. VCR Coffee Shop

As I said before, sometimes extra time is a good thing. It’s nice to have some time to unwind, write, soak up some free Wifi and have coffee other than of the instant variety served at your hostel (even though that coffee was free. Pros and cons…). There are coffee shops all over the city! We went to VCR. It was a cool and relaxing place with plenty of space to sit and enjoy a variety of coffees, pastries of meals. Cheapest coffee is about 9RM. Meals are more expensive. I had a salad for maybe 19RM (can’t quite remember), but since I had only been eating 6RM shawarmas, the financial sacrifice seemed worth is for my insides.

5. Central Market & Petaling Street

Shopping isn’t for everyone. And it certainly isn’t for those lacking in self-control and backpack space (oops…). I love the markets in South East Asia! While some say “if you’ve seen one, you’ve them all,” I always enjoy strolling the markets and stall hopping. I was in desperate need of a backpack that fit my laptop, and Petaling street had plenty of options for good prices. Bring your best smile and bargaining skills ladies and gents! There’s also places in the area where you can find some cheap food. Food & shopping!? …Yep, I’m there!

6. Batu Caves

Okay to be totally honest, I found the Batu Caves a bit anti-climactic. If you have the time, it might be worth the visit as it seems to be another one of those must-see tourist spots. Maybe me not being so wowed was due to the fact that it was raining, part of it was under construction, and I am not a fan of monkeys being within arm’s reach. Regardless, taking public transportation there is easy and it only cost 2.6RM from KL Sentral to get there.

7. Le Noir Rooftop Movie Night

If you have the time, I definitely recommend going here. It’s something a little off the beaten path, and a great way to relax. You get to enjoy a movie, popcorn and a free drink on a beautiful rooftop. With the Petronas Towers in the distance (like I told you…there a staple of the city!) and your personal pair of headphones, you can unwind and enjoy a quality movie night with a beautiful view to surround you.

8. Ladies Nights/Happy Hours

If you are a lady you are certainly in luck. There are numerous places throughout the city on various nights offering free drinks to ladies. It is a limited selection, but if you enjoy a variety of drinks and want to save some money (because let’s be real…sometimes we lose way more than we intended to a good night out), then find your local ladies night and enjoy! Remember to always drink responsibly!

9. The National Mosque of Malaysia

Absolutely go to the mosque. They have visiting hours for non-Muslims and it’s a beautiful building with a quiet and calming atmosphere. There are robes for people to cover themselves before going in. I would recommend bringing a wide-angle lens camera, like a go-pro if you have one. Those photos came out way better than the ones I took with my iPhone. Near the main prayer room (where non-Muslims are not allowed to enter) there are numerous free pamphlets with tons of information on the Islamic religion. I took only 5 but it was a wealth of information that I hadn’t known before. It was a great learning experience!

10.   Take Pictures with Street Art

Be sure to do your research! Found a place with great street art online, decided to go, and there was basically nothing there. Ya win some, ya lose some haha. We still got some good pictures, but it was one expensive Uber to get there and not much else around. A little extra research would have saved us a little extra money, so be sure to be thorough.

11. One thing I wish I had done: go to No Black Tie! I love live music way more than going to a bar or club with a DJ. It always makes for a really fun atmosphere and I’m low-key really envious of anyone with even a little musical talent (there isn’t a musical bone in my body).  No Black Tie is a jazz bar in KL. Some nights there are no covers and you just have to buy a drink or two. Other nights there are covers but you don’t have to buy a drink. Hopefully, if you’re into live music, you have the time to check it out!

Hope this helps! Let me know if you want more information, or have any cool things to add. Safe travels!

[vidyasury]

From the time we are capable of thinking coherently, each one of us starts building our dream home – inside our head, at any rate. It could be triggered by a visit to a friend’s house, or something we saw somewhere—all of it comes together over the years, to give us that vision of our very own home. Often, reality intrudes and we end up settling for a nice enough home, but that dream home always lives in our psyche.

I am no exception.  My childhood home was large, with a red floor that was also my canvas. Can you picture me crouched, one hand full of chalk pieces, the other drawing and the piece of cloth which was my eraser scrunched under one knee?

When I was 9, we moved away from that city and until I was 18, lived in rented homes.  Finally, when we managed to buy our own apartment, it wasn’t what we dreamed about, but it belonged to us. We didn’t live there very long. At 24, we moved again, renting it out, and went through another stint of rented houses, until 1999, when we bought the apartment we now live in. It is large, it is in a nice area and we love it.

Yet, I still have a “dream home” fantasy

. . . and I’ll tell you why.

I love to look at houses. One of the first houses I fell in love with was my best friend’s home. Designed by her Dad, it was just perfect with the right amount of privacy, spacious, airy, bright, large picture windows with space to cuddle up against a cushion with a book, a lawn in front and a pretty backyard with wild flowers and some vegetables growing as they pleased.  He would always assure me that he’d design an even better house for me, may his loving, generous soul rest in happiness. I’ve spent many happy days in their house and have some wonderful memories.

Strangely over time, I realized that while I would really love an independent house with a big garden, etc., I’d rather really live in an apartment. I love the idea of a friendly community around me, and moreover, any problems are common issues and dealt with far quicker than when one’s on her own.

My present day idea of a dream home would include the following essentials:

Good neighbors

A great neighbourhood

Proximity to good schools (because who wants a stressful commute!)

Good shopping area nearby

Well connected by local transport (totally environmentally conscious. Why, I even prefer to carpool when I book a cab)

Easy accessibility to a railway station and the airport (yes we are 38 km away, but there are good transport facilities)

Hospital access (I am a type 2 diabetic and neither of us is getting younger)

As far as the apartment itself is concerned,

Good construction

Spacious

Airy and well ventilated

Bright

Large rooms

Easy to maintain

Quality fittings

Space for plants

Parking space

Power backup

Well maintained lifts

Security

A management committee to address and resolve issues when they crop up

Inside, I’d love an open plan kitchen, a large library that doubles up as a study, a big balcony where I can sit and enjoy my coffee and perhaps watch trees swaying in the breeze, with the occasional birdsong. A garden on the terrace, if not around the house where I can spend early mornings, tending to the plants. A swing, yes, definitely a swing to jog my thoughts and set them in rhythm. Large windows with seats, like my childhood home.

Sometimes I fantasize about a Mediterranean villa or a traditional Kerala style house.

And then, one of my friends bought a Casa Grande row house in OMR, and she just couldn’t stop showing off about it, and I really don’t blame her. It is everything a dream house should be: beautiful, spacious, the neighbourhood is great, there are schools and hospitals nearby and offers easy  access to where she works.

Okay, let me confess, from the photos she showed me of the property, it looks more like a weekend getaway, except she’ll be living there. I secretly wondered whether it must have cost her an arm and a leg, and quietly checked it out online. I was surprised to find that row houses are priced at Rs.55.61 lakhs onwards. That’s an achievable dream by today’s standards!  Now I am wishing I could move there.  Take a look at these pics and you’ll know what I mean:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

It is so serene.

And let me tell you, it isn’t only her lawns that are green! I am, too!

So yes, they have all the expected amenities such as a club house with gym/aerobics/indoor games room/laundromat/barbeque facility/ sauna/Jacuzzi/swimming pool with a toddler’s pool/party hall/children’s’ indoor play area etc.

But what grabbed my coveting-genes (yes just made that up) was the meditation room, the yoga room, the Zen garden, the lily pond, flower bed, walking and jogging tracks and amphitheatre, and landscaped area with seating arrangements. Wow. There’s also a senior citizens’ park, which is thoughtful, especially since my friend has her in-laws living with her.

She also did the smart thing by investing in the pre-launch stage after doing her research on picking the right builder. For one thing, there’s a big price benefit and she got to choose the apartment she wanted. She also gets more time to make her payments and of course, better return on investment since the property will appreciate quickly especially with an established builder like Casa Grande who are reputed for their commitment to deadlines.

I am very much looking forward to visiting my friend when she moves in—she’s extracted a promise from me—and since I have family there, I am looking forward to good times.

What is your idea of your dream home?

I’d love to hear it in the comments!

Are you living in your dream home? From the time we are capable of thinking coherently, each one of us starts building our dream home - inside our head, at any rate.

[lostbandar]

Come November and the air is crisp, the lights have started sparkling, hot chocolates are a chocolatier, everybody is buying gifts and all is red and we are getting ready for our old man Mr Santa. Well in all this excitement we decided to visit in November and with our 5-year-old daughter who was visiting NYC for the first time. The sight of the fall season with its colourful trees was a perfect welcome we were looking forward too.

This trip was a completely new experience as this was my daughter’s first international trip and we were worried about meals, sleep, weather and of course jet lag.

Our trip started with a direct flight from Delhi to NYC on Air India, which lands early in the morning NYC time. You get a full day to reach your hotel and settle in for the crazy vacation ahead. It took us around 1.5 hrs to reach Manhattan from the airport.

As we were not travelling outside New York, so our base for the whole trip was Hotel Pennsylvania. The location is just perfect, it is 10 min from Time Square, 15 min from central park and 5th Avenue. With 24hr restaurants near the hotel, food is never a problem, especially when you are jet lagged. The most amazing Penn Station, which is across the street. Most of the Hop on Hop off tours are being sold outside the hotel gate, you can choose from a couple of operators.

First things first … you are going to walk a lot so a Stroller is a must. Either get one with you or you can buy it in NYC. We bought it from a Kmart store 5 min from our hotel. And I can’t tell you how useful and convenient it was. Next is a 7-day unlimited subway pass, which will save you loads of money and time. Ohanna used to sleep by 6 in the evening and we used to cover her with a blanket and take her everywhere we went. I came back super fit after the trip, with all the walking and pushing around the stroller. When visiting USA kids might take 2-4 days to get over Jet lag. So keep the first few days travel plans light keeping in mind the sleep patterns and the exhaustion.

The first day itself we went to Times Square in the evening. It was really sad to see that the Toy store had closed down, but none the less there was a lot to do. After clicking loads of pics we went into M&M store right around the corner. It is really huge and fun for both adults and kids. You can get all kinds of M&M toys, clothes, mugs and accessories. Don’t forget the free instant photo booth.

A Broadway with your kids is a must. You can buy last minute discounted tickets from TKT located at Times square for some the most amazing Broadway shows like Lion King, School of rock, etc. We saw Mary Poppins and it was in a very vintage looking theatre with beautiful balconies and interiors.

Bronx Zoo

• It is by far the best and the biggest zoo I’ve ever been to. You can buy discounted tickets from their site or at the gate itself. In summers it is highly recommended that you do it online to save time standing in the queue, also it is free on Wednesdays. A very sturdy stroller can be hired at the entry gate for kids; I did and would really recommend it. Day is full of surprises, fun and lot’s of learning for kids and adults alike, with exhibits like sea lion feeding, birds of paradise, flamingos, polar bear, Siberian tiger, African lions, giraffes, penguins, African safari, train in summers, 3D show, bugs carousel and a huge canteen-cafe with good food and very nice coffee.

Staten Island Ferry

It is free and perfect for watching Statue of Liberty and later catching up with old friends. By evening we were exhausted and came back early, but not before spending time at Time square. You will go crazy with the 10000 plus eating joints in the city with a huge variety of cuisines to choose from. Try new places every day.

Central Park

We were extremely lucky with a beautiful sunny day to spend in the central park. The bright sun, fall colours on trees and the fresh crisp air are all we needed to make it perfect. Grabbed a quick bite and we were at one end of the park. Your kids will love the play areas they have built; they are so safe and full of interesting swings and obstacles. Next was the ice skating rink, it was super tiring and so much fun, It’s a must. Soaked the sun and started our long walk in the park going over and under bridges, crossing ponds big and small, statues, various courts and much more. The place was brimming with people running, exercising, cycling, walking their dogs or generally chilling on the lovely green benches. It has a small zoo too if you don’t get time to visit the Bronx.

Coney Island

Being winters we had to give it a pass as luna park was closed and the aquarium was under renovation. But summers you definitely can’t miss it.

Shopping at 5th Avenue and exploring the village- Soho-

On one hand, 5th avenue has huge stores on both side and on the other hand in Village you can find small boutique and designer stores and few of the most interesting restaurants and cafes in Nyc. Check Out High Line park built on an abandoned raised metro line.

Disney on Ice Show:

We found out about the Disney on Ice show in the time out the magazine for kids and were lucky to get tickets for it. Had to take the train to Newark for the magic show with all of the Disney characters. Got late coming back that day and experienced flurries, as it was really cold that day. It was a very special experience

10 Things not be missed

• Museums – Rose Center for Earth and Space, the Egyptian Art space at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs at the Museum of Natural History. Don’t forget to read up on all the free museum days throughout the week

• Indoor Amusement parks- Kidz Village, Funtime America

• Cycling tours- http://www.mustseecentralpark.com/‎,

http://www.viator.com/nyc/bike-tours,

https://www.yelp.com/search?cflt=bikerentals&find_loc=New+York%2C+NY

• Toy Stores – The Lego Store, Disney Store, Dinosaur hill etc.

• Candy Stores – M&M, Dylan’s Candy Bar, economy candy, etc.

• Places to eat – Chipotle, Nathan’s, McDonald’s, Dunkin Doughnuts, Krispy Kreme, Deli’s for salads, breakfast, meals, pizza, Cheese Cake Factory

• Empire State Building and Rockefeller centre

• Macys Store– Their special shopping windows around Christmas and the famous Macy’s parade

• Photo Booths for those candid shots

Apps for just making it all easy

• Head out- for events, tours and entry tickets

• Uber – Taxi

• Yelp- Finding restaurants nearby

• Google maps

• Air BnB

• Trip advisor

• Time Out Magazine for stuff to do in the city with your kids

Bon voyage

<a href=”http://www.blogadda.com&#8221; title=”Visit BlogAdda.com to discover Indian blogs”> <img src=”https://www.blogadda.com/images/blogadda.png&#8221; width=”80″ height=”15″ border=”0″ alt=”Visit BlogAdda.com to discover Indian blogs” /></a>

New York with my 5 yr. Old – 10 Things to do with kids in New York Come November and the air is crisp, the lights have started sparkling, hot chocolates are a chocolatier, everybody is buying gifts and all is red and we are getting ready for our old man Mr Santa.

[immuskaan]

How to pick the perfect holiday settings to test your smartphone camera

Instagram gold alert

A holiday is a great time to start getting more creative with your photography, and the good news is that you don't need a bulky DSLR and a bag of lenses to do so – your smartphone is the perfect holiday snaps partner. We don't suggest that you walk around with your eyes glued to the camera app, but proactive photography can make you appreciate a location's sights much more than just a stroll around them would. The Grand Canyon, Paris, and Agra's Taj Mahal are all favorites for Instagram-ready pics – but what about the best spots in the UK? Below we've listed some of the kinds of locations that are enduringly popular with photographers, and some specific UK examples, with tips on how you can use your phone's camera to do them justice. The big city

The obvious UK choice for street photo opportunities is a big city somewhere with the most famous sights and most things to do. A city is a great place to squeeze the most out of a multi-camera phone, particularly if it has a wide-angle lens, as the Mate 20 Pro and LG V40 do. The lines of tall buildings show off the geometric distortion of one of these 'larger than life' lenses, which can make buildings appear to loom over you in photos. A 2x or 3x zoom lens is also perfect for avoiding the typical London shots that have been posted a thousand times on Instagram already. These lenses let you use non-typical framing, which you can turbo-charge by pointing your camera up or down rather than just looking for shots at eye level. Street photography with real people often results in the most memorable, most 'specific' images, though. You need a bit of confidence to start pointing your camera at total strangers, but if you can summon the courage, consider using your phone's manual mode to maintain a fairly fast shutter speed to keep their faces looking sharp. Top photo tip: When shooting in an urban environment, try a long exposure if you have a way to keep your camera still – you can turn passing people into ghostly blurs. Travel tip: In London in particular, you can get great results by searching for examples of the juxtaposition of new and old – you'll find lots of examples of buildings that are hundreds of years old next to gleaming new ones. If you're visiting London you can save money on accommodation by settling on a spot just out of the center, such as Shepherd's Bush or Fulham. And if only a bargain will do, check out hotels in Croydon – it's 10 miles from central London, but fast train connections will get you to the sights in no time. Scenic cities

One of the great things about the UK is that the cities within it are varied in their style - venture further afield and you can get some really pretty places to get snapping. For cloudy and stormy weather, make sure your phone's HDR mode is engaged – this avoids the whiter parts of clouds becoming blown out, and retains more detail in the moody dark parts. To get the most dramatic look from such images, you can then increase contrast in your phone's photo editor, or with an app like Snapseed – try to avoid letting any areas of cloud appear overexposed for pro-looking images. If you find somewhere with a relatively large peak in the vicinity, you'll often see people walking up at the summit, looking like tiny stick figures, and this is a great opportunity to experiment with an effect called tilt-shift, where the image is blurred apart from, usually, a single horizontal band of sharpness. It makes grand nature and city scenes look almost toy-like. If your phone's camera app doesn't have a tilt-shift option built-in, you'll find it in a photo editor app like Pixlr. Top photo tip: Make sure your phone camera's HDR mode is selected, otherwise you may end up with overexposed or dull images on those cloudy days. Travel tip: Edinburgh is arguably the UK’s most scenic large city. It's dominated by the spectacular Edinburgh Castle, which towers 80 meters above the surrounding terrain, while just a short walk from the city center you'll find yourself surrounded by beautiful nature. However, you can also experience about three seasons' worth of weather in half an hour in the city. Just outside the center, Holyrood Park is home to Arthur’s Seat, a dramatic-looking mini-mountain that offers a short, and not-too-sharp, climb, and from where you'll be treated to great views of the city. It’s an extinct volcano that last erupted 350 million years ago and perfect for the tip above. Book in the right month and an Edinburgh stay will be fairly affordable if you weigh up the options from Airbnb and a good hotel search site. However, prices rocket in August, the month of the Edinburgh festival. Coastal scenes

A south-eastern coastal town offers the perfect combo of easy access by train and coach, reasonable hotel prices for much of the year and some fantastic nearby nature and scenery. This is a great opportunity to experiment with color and to see how close your phone's own color reproduction is to what your own eyes see. On a bright, sunny day, a mid-range phone or higher should perform pretty well. Around sunset or sunrise is the real test, as phones tend to struggle to recreate the rich reds, orange and yellow tones present, in part because of their limited native dynamic range. Just as when shooting stormy or cloudy skies, the first step is to switch HDR on. This helps your phone's camera retain color information at the horizon, to avoid the brightest parts appearing too close to white. You can then try post-shoot editing your photos or videos while the scene is still in front of you, altering the color tone and saturation sliders in your phone's image editor to get the most realistic results. Posting to Instagram? You may want to be a little less rigorous with the realism, and whack up the contrast and color further. Coastal locations also offer great opportunities to shoot a timelapse, if your camera has this mode – you can capture the setting sun sinking into the ocean on the horizon, or clouds moving dramatically over cliffs.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

Top photo tip: A tilt-shift app can make your cliff photos look more dynamic. Travel tip: Eastbourne is a perfect example of all the conditions above, and you’ll find basic rooms in the center of town for around £40 / $50 a night. If the weather’s nice you can then walk through Eastbourne and up along the coast, past the dramatic cliffs of Beachy Head and Seven Sisters. Natural wonders One of the great things about the UK is that it's chock-full of ragged-yet-inspiring rock formations, natural wonders that cry out to be experimented on photographically. They're a great place to experiment with black and white photography, as many are naturally grey, and removing color puts the focus on the sharpness and crazy-looking natural geometry on the show. There's always more than one way to shoot a scene, though, and are often a great opportunity to test out your phone's shallow depth of field capabilities. This mode may be called Portrait, Aperture or something similar, and is found in all but the cheapest new models. Find a spot where you can compose a scene where there's a clear foreground of the rocky towers, and a background of the sea lapping away behind. Select the rocks as your focal point and you'll be able to blur out the sea behind, bringing the rock into sharper relief. Top photo tip: Increasing sharpness in your images can highlight the natural granularity of stone. Travel tip: The Giant’s Causeway, located in County Antrim on the north coast of Northern Ireland, is one of the most Instagrammable sites in the UK. It’s a natural phenomenon, but looks man-made, with thousands of hexagonal columns of rock linked together creating what looks like a gigantic art installation. It was formed as a 'lake' of exposed volcanic basalt cooled somewhere between 50 and 60 million years ago and is just perfect for the above. If you're traveling by bus, check what time the last one back to your hotel leaves, so that you don't end up sleeping on the stones and under the stars. Amazing topography

If you’re looking for sprawling nature scenes rather than urban attractions, there are dozens and dozens to choose from. When shooting great vistas like this, you at the mercy of the light conditions, and some landscape photography enthusiasts will sit on a hill-top for hours waiting for sunlight to hit the right spot. Let's assume, for now, that you won't want to go that far. Big, dramatic scenes like this are a good fit for dynamic framing of a scene. Remember panoramas? We were all obsessed with them briefly about six years ago, and now everyone seems to have forgotten the mode exists. It's still there, though. You can go further too. Download Google Cardboard and you can capture 360-degree images, which should appear seamless in a landscape scene like this. You can then let friends and family check out your holiday shots on a VR headset, rather than just posting to Instagram.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

Top photo tip: Use the rule of thirds to make your landscapes better. Split the vertical and horizontal into three zones, and compose so the points of interest sit where their borders cross. Travel tip: For a great nature scene, Llandudno in Wales has an elevated experience of its own. A limestone headland known as the Great Orme sits above the town, and you can take a cable tramway up to the top. The views may not be as dramatic as those from Snowdon, but it's another great Instagram op, and the 20-minute tramway journey is a lot easier on the feet. For the intrepid outdoors type, the northern tip of Snowdonia National Park is right on the edge of the town, with the foot of Mount Snowdon itself around an hour’s drive away. Hit the beach (yes, in the UK)

You might not think you can do amazing beach scenes in the UK, but it's totally possible. It’s all about finding the huge expanse of sand between the seafront and the sea, and this makes for dramatic-looking beach images – but you do need to get creative.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

Compose your shot right and you can make a sea view look like a minimalist painting, with the sand, sea and sky as three distinct yet unified parts. Alternatively, try shooting a black and white image across the waterfront, then increasing contrast post-shoot to add drama to the spray. Have someone you can use as a subject? Try using the reflectivity of the film of water ahead of the waves to capture a friend's refection, with their back facing the camera. This is also an opportunity to experiment with color pop effects if they're wearing any colorful clothing. Color pop desaturates an image aside from one tone, and while most camera apps don't have this option many editing apps do, including Snapseed. Top photo tip: Experiment with color saturation and white balance to add punch to beach scenes. Travel tip: It's one of the least likely-sounding Instagram hits, but Cleethorpes in north-eastern England is home to some of the UK’s most impressive beaches.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

If you’ve never even heard of Cleethorpes, let alone thought of visiting, you may be wondering why these beaches have such a reputation. Cleethorpes also offers a light railway, country park, and boating lake – although if you’re not going there for the beach you’re probably doing it wrong. You can find a decent hotel and guest house rooms in Cleethorpes from £35 / $45 a night, depending on the season. SOURCE:

from Blogger https://ift.tt/2R3jHd3 via

Instagram gold alert

A holiday is a great time to start getting more creative with your photography, and the good news is that you don't need a bulky DSLR and a bag of lenses to do so – your smartphone is the perfect holiday snaps partner. We don't suggest that you walk around with your eyes glued to the camera app, but proactive photography can make you appreciate a location's sights much more than just a stroll around them would. The Grand Canyon, Paris, and Agra's Taj Mahal are all favorites for Instagram-ready pics – but what about the best spots in the UK? Below we've listed some of the kinds of locations that are enduringly popular with photographers, and some specific UK examples, with tips on how you can use your phone's camera to do them justice. The big city

The obvious UK choice for street photo opportunities is a big city somewhere with the most famous sights and most things to do. A city is a great place to squeeze the most out of a multi-camera phone, particularly if it has a wide-angle lens, as the Mate 20 Pro and LG V40 do. The lines of tall buildings show off the geometric distortion of one of these 'larger than life' lenses, which can make buildings appear to loom over you in photos. A 2x or 3x zoom lens is also perfect for avoiding the typical London shots that have been posted a thousand times on Instagram already. These lenses let you use non-typical framing, which you can turbo-charge by pointing your camera up or down rather than just looking for shots at eye level. Street photography with real people often results in the most memorable, most 'specific' images, though. You need a bit of confidence to start pointing your camera at total strangers, but if you can summon the courage, consider using your phone's manual mode to maintain a fairly fast shutter speed to keep their faces looking sharp. Top photo tip: When shooting in an urban environment, try a long exposure if you have a way to keep your camera still – you can turn passing people into ghostly blurs. Travel tip: In London in particular, you can get great results by searching for examples of the juxtaposition of new and old – you'll find lots of examples of buildings that are hundreds of years old next to gleaming new ones. If you're visiting London you can save money on accommodation by settling on a spot just out of the center, such as Shepherd's Bush or Fulham. And if only a bargain will do, check out hotels in Croydon – it's 10 miles from central London, but fast train connections will get you to the sights in no time. Scenic cities

One of the great things about the UK is that the cities within it are varied in their style - venture further afield and you can get some really pretty places to get snapping. For cloudy and stormy weather, make sure your phone's HDR mode is engaged – this avoids the whiter parts of clouds becoming blown out, and retains more detail in the moody dark parts. To get the most dramatic look from such images, you can then increase contrast in your phone's photo editor, or with an app like Snapseed – try to avoid letting any areas of cloud appear overexposed for pro-looking images. If you find somewhere with a relatively large peak in the vicinity, you'll often see people walking up at the summit, looking like tiny stick figures, and this is a great opportunity to experiment with an effect called tilt-shift, where the image is blurred apart from, usually, a single horizontal band of sharpness. It makes grand nature and city scenes look almost toy-like. If your phone's camera app doesn't have a tilt-shift option built-in, you'll find it in a photo editor app like Pixlr. Top photo tip: Make sure your phone camera's HDR mode is selected, otherwise you may end up with overexposed or dull images on those cloudy days. Travel tip: Edinburgh is arguably the UK’s most scenic large city. It's dominated by the spectacular Edinburgh Castle, which towers 80 meters above the surrounding terrain, while just a short walk from the city center you'll find yourself surrounded by beautiful nature. However, you can also experience about three seasons' worth of weather in half an hour in the city. Just outside the center, Holyrood Park is home to Arthur’s Seat, a dramatic-looking mini-mountain that offers a short, and not-too-sharp, climb, and from where you'll be treated to great views of the city. It’s an extinct volcano that last erupted 350 million years ago and perfect for the tip above. Book in the right month and an Edinburgh stay will be fairly affordable if you weigh up the options from Airbnb and a good hotel search site. However, prices rocket in August, the month of the Edinburgh festival. Coastal scenes

A south-eastern coastal town offers the perfect combo of easy access by train and coach, reasonable hotel prices for much of the year and some fantastic nearby nature and scenery. This is a great opportunity to experiment with color and to see how close your phone's own color reproduction is to what your own eyes see. On a bright, sunny day, a mid-range phone or higher should perform pretty well. Around sunset or sunrise is the real test, as phones tend to struggle to recreate the rich reds, orange and yellow tones present, in part because of their limited native dynamic range. Just as when shooting stormy or cloudy skies, the first step is to switch HDR on. This helps your phone's camera retain color information at the horizon, to avoid the brightest parts appearing too close to white. You can then try post-shoot editing your photos or videos while the scene is still in front of you, altering the color tone and saturation sliders in your phone's image editor to get the most realistic results. Posting to Instagram? You may want to be a little less rigorous with the realism, and whack up the contrast and color further. Coastal locations also offer great opportunities to shoot a timelapse, if your camera has this mode – you can capture the setting sun sinking into the ocean on the horizon, or clouds moving dramatically over cliffs.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

Top photo tip: A tilt-shift app can make your cliff photos look more dynamic. Travel tip: Eastbourne is a perfect example of all the conditions above, and you’ll find basic rooms in the center of town for around £40 / $50 a night. If the weather’s nice you can then walk through Eastbourne and up along the coast, past the dramatic cliffs of Beachy Head and Seven Sisters. Natural wonders One of the great things about the UK is that it's chock-full of ragged-yet-inspiring rock formations, natural wonders that cry out to be experimented on photographically. They're a great place to experiment with black and white photography, as many are naturally grey, and removing color puts the focus on the sharpness and crazy-looking natural geometry on the show. There's always more than one way to shoot a scene, though, and are often a great opportunity to test out your phone's shallow depth of field capabilities. This mode may be called Portrait, Aperture or something similar, and is found in all but the cheapest new models. Find a spot where you can compose a scene where there's a clear foreground of the rocky towers, and a background of the sea lapping away behind. Select the rocks as your focal point and you'll be able to blur out the sea behind, bringing the rock into sharper relief. Top photo tip: Increasing sharpness in your images can highlight the natural granularity of stone. Travel tip: The Giant’s Causeway, located in County Antrim on the north coast of Northern Ireland, is one of the most Instagrammable sites in the UK. It’s a natural phenomenon, but looks man-made, with thousands of hexagonal columns of rock linked together creating what looks like a gigantic art installation. It was formed as a 'lake' of exposed volcanic basalt cooled somewhere between 50 and 60 million years ago and is just perfect for the above. If you're traveling by bus, check what time the last one back to your hotel leaves, so that you don't end up sleeping on the stones and under the stars. Amazing topography

If you’re looking for sprawling nature scenes rather than urban attractions, there are dozens and dozens to choose from. When shooting great vistas like this, you at the mercy of the light conditions, and some landscape photography enthusiasts will sit on a hill-top for hours waiting for sunlight to hit the right spot. Let's assume, for now, that you won't want to go that far. Big, dramatic scenes like this are a good fit for dynamic framing of a scene. Remember panoramas? We were all obsessed with them briefly about six years ago, and now everyone seems to have forgotten the mode exists. It's still there, though. You can go further too. Download Google Cardboard and you can capture 360-degree images, which should appear seamless in a landscape scene like this. You can then let friends and family check out your holiday shots on a VR headset, rather than just posting to Instagram.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

Top photo tip: Use the rule of thirds to make your landscapes better. Split the vertical and horizontal into three zones, and compose so the points of interest sit where their borders cross. Travel tip: For a great nature scene, Llandudno in Wales has an elevated experience of its own. A limestone headland known as the Great Orme sits above the town, and you can take a cable tramway up to the top. The views may not be as dramatic as those from Snowdon, but it's another great Instagram op, and the 20-minute tramway journey is a lot easier on the feet. For the intrepid outdoors type, the northern tip of Snowdonia National Park is right on the edge of the town, with the foot of Mount Snowdon itself around an hour’s drive away. Hit the beach (yes, in the UK)

You might not think you can do amazing beach scenes in the UK, but it's totally possible. It’s all about finding the huge expanse of sand between the seafront and the sea, and this makes for dramatic-looking beach images – but you do need to get creative.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

Compose your shot right and you can make a sea view look like a minimalist painting, with the sand, sea and sky as three distinct yet unified parts. Alternatively, try shooting a black and white image across the waterfront, then increasing contrast post-shoot to add drama to the spray. Have someone you can use as a subject? Try using the reflectivity of the film of water ahead of the waves to capture a friend's refection, with their back facing the camera. This is also an opportunity to experiment with color pop effects if they're wearing any colorful clothing. Color pop desaturates an image aside from one tone, and while most camera apps don't have this option many editing apps do, including Snapseed. Top photo tip: Experiment with color saturation and white balance to add punch to beach scenes. Travel tip: It's one of the least likely-sounding Instagram hits, but Cleethorpes in north-eastern England is home to some of the UK’s most impressive beaches.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

If you’ve never even heard of Cleethorpes, let alone thought of visiting, you may be wondering why these beaches have such a reputation. Cleethorpes also offers a light railway, country park, and boating lake – although if you’re not going there for the beach you’re probably doing it wrong. You can find a decent hotel and guest house rooms in Cleethorpes from £35 / $45 a night, depending on the season. SOURCE:

[rb-abroad]

A wannabe Dutchie’s ultimate guide to AMSTERDAM!

It’s finally here y’all, my FINAL POST for the trip! I had to go out with a bang and create the ultimate guide to Amsterdam, my absolute almost favorite city in the universe (LA wins out only because all my people are here... maybe we can all just move?)

I’ve spent A TON of time in Amsterdam over the past 2 years and have completely fallen in love with it. From the charming architecture to the charming people to biking around to the art to the food to the excellent beer selection, it has everything you could ever want in a metropolitan city. Without further ado, here are ALL my recommendations by category for this wonderful place, in order from most necessary to-do’s to deep cuts/only-do-if-you’re-nearby:

FOOD

Luckily the Dutch like to eat, just like me :)

Pancakes! Amsterdam

Gotta start it off here with a classic - we all know that the Dutch make some mean pancakes. This mini-chain serves up some of the best poffertjes (the tiny, puffed-up pancakes!) as well as the large, thin pancakes with fun toppings. There are a handful of locations around town but I’d recommend going to the big one next to the Anne Frank House if you want to sit down right away.

Moeders

Another classic restaurant staple near the centrum with traditional Dutch food (think meats, stews, veggies, potatoes, real light stuff :P). Get the “Rijstafel,” which means the kitchen will just send out various dishes of their choice. You will be SO FULL afterwards but you will also be so happy. “Moeders” means “Mothers” in Dutch, so plastered all over the restaurant are pictures of moms that customers have brought in over the years. So fun!

Winkel 43

LITERALLY THE BEST APPLE PIE IN THE WHOLE WORLD. IF YOU DON’T GO HERE WHILE YOU’RE IN AMSTERDAM I’M NOT SURE WE CAN BE FRIENDS ANYMORE. I WANT THIS AS MY BIRTHDAY CAKE EVERY YEAR FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. GET YOUR SLICE WITH WHIPPED CREAM, DON’T BE DAFT.

^ Me every time I eat this pie

Albert Cuyp Market - Stroopwafels!

This multi-block street market is an Amsterdam must-see! They have all kinds of food, clothing, and other goods, but be sure to stop for a fresh stroopwafel (a very famous Dutch delicacy) at the cart pictured below (it HAS to be this one!!). I’m partial to the original over the chocolate-dipped, but they are both delicious. Once you have a fresh stroopwafel you just can’t go back!

Got this pic of the website for you guys. UR welcome.

Foodhallen

This place is basically Grand Central Market on steroids. A converted train depot, or as one Dutch lady charmingly called it “the place where trains go to sleep,” this spot on the west side of the city is a huge upscale food court with all kinds of fun things - sushi, Mexican, Asian food, oysters, bitterballen, you name it. It’s a fun and festive place to go with a group because everyone can just order what they want. It gets pretty crowded on weekend nights so get there on the early side! 

La Perla Pizzeria

I didn’t think I would find some of the best pizza outside of Italy in Amsterdam, but that’s 100% my verdict on La Perla. In the adorable Jordaan neighborhood, this place can get pretty poppin’ in the evenings, especially the small terrace out front when the weather is nice. The bar is fun to sit at, but the pizzas are pretty large and things can get a bit crowded, so I’d recommend waiting for a table. Pair your pizza with a nice Aperol spritz in the summertime or a delicious bottle of red in the wintertime and you are set, my friend!

Van Stapele Koekmakerij

Shout-out to my girl Eleni who first told me about this place. This is a teeny-tiny shop in the Spui that sells the most delicious cookies you’ve ever had. Brave the line and get a tin of at least 6 to bring home, because it is��absolutely worth it. They even give you directions for how to freeze and reheat them at home! But be sure to eat AT LEAST one fresh outta the oven :) It’s always a happy occasions when these cookies are involved. 

La Vallade

Ugh, this is Karel and my FAVORITE restaurant in all of Amsterdam! It’s a bit of a trek, unless you are staying on the east side of the city (aka Amsterdam Oost). La Vallade’s offerings are different every night (and Monday’s are vegetarian), and they make you a 5-course pre-fixe menu every night for like, 40 or 45 euros. It’s so cozy, cute, and delicious. If you are celebrating a special occasion or just feel like eating really well, definitely check this place out. 

The Cottage

Probably not easy to get to if you’re not in Amsterdam Oost, but The Cottage is hands down my favorite brunch spot in Amsterdam. It’s an English-style cafe-restaurant with simply the best scones, really great egg dishes, pot pies, you name it. They also serve this excellent cider called Black Fox, which you should definitely try (I’m not really a cider person and I LOVE it). 

Kantjil & De Tijger

Really good Indonesian food in the Spui. I never ate at the actual restaurant because they have a fantastic take-out window in the back. This place hits. the. spot.

De Laatste Kruimel

De Laatste Kruimel (or in English, “The Last Crumb”) is a small and adorable cafe pretty close to Dam Square and the Spui. They sell really delicious quiche, sandwiches, and pastries, and they have a cute and tiny patio in the back that sits right on a canal! You can’t get much more picturesque than that.  

Fou Fow Ramen

A very solid ramen spot in the centrum that is great for when you want something warm and delicious. I think my fam ate there 3x in a week once. 

Cafe Panache

On the west side and down the street from the Foodhallen, this upscale restaurant looks like it belongs in LA with the artisanal birdcage decor and impossibly beautiful people. Good for cocktails and special occasion dinners. 

Coffee & Coconuts

A big Australian-style cafe in De Pijp that serves great coffee and food. This is a solid place to get some work done or just cozy up with a book! They serve dinner too, but it’s quite expensive for what it is in my opinion.

Pluk

This place feels like Anthropologie if it were a very small Dutch cafe. There are two locations in the 9 streets, and they are good for sitting to read/work with a coffee or to have some soup/salad/pastries. It can get pretty crowded though, so prepare to wait a bit for a table.  

Bar Bukowski

In Amsterdam Oost, this spot is a tasty cafe by day (great for brunch/lunch) and a poppin’ bar by night! Excellent neighborhood spot with great cocktails, bitterballen, and other fun bar foods. Check it out if you’re nearby!

Omelegg

A solid bfast option with multiple locations if you’re into eggs and omelettes. Their OJ is also amazing.

DRINK

There are sooo many great beer spots and cocktail bars in Amsterdam. Read on for the best!

Brouwerij t’Ij

One of Amsterdam’s local breweries and my absolute favorite! You can find their beers in most local bars and cafes, but I’d highly recommend going to their actual brewery for the full experience. It operates right under an old windmill and has tons of outdoor seating with delicious beers on tap and bar snacks. My favorite beer of them all is the Zatte; it’s a tripel and quite alcoholic but SO so good. You can also get a flight if you’re really indecisive like me. Try it for yourself!

Waterkant

If you want to drink beer on a canal, look no further than Waterkant. It’s located discretely behind a gas station, but once you get to the entrance it’s this lively little bar with plenty of picnic tables right on the water. You can get food and drinks there, so just get yourself a pitcher and some bitterballen and hang out!

Tales & Spirits

My favorite cozy cocktail bar in the city! Each cocktail has a very fun and creative story behind it, and they’re all just delicious. If you’re indecisive, go with the old fashioned. Yuuuuum.

The Pulitzer Hotel Bar

My close-second favorite cocktail bar is in the back of the Pulitzer hotel. It’s super chic and has amazing drinks. The hotel itself is gorgeous too. My mom practically lives here when she visits and we just pretend we are guests of the hotel ;) A must-do for sure!

They called this drink the Valley of Ashes because they had an all Gatsby-themed menu at the time. So good!

Tripel

Your traditional Dutch brown cafe with tons of seating and great beer. You can also order your beer in a horn-shaped glass, so why not!

Wynand Fockink

It has a very silly name, but this place is awesome! It’s an extremely old liqueur and genever (traditional Dutch liquor) tasting room where they fill your glasses so full that you are supposed to take a sip while it’s on the table before lifting your glass (a la Zamboni). Super fun!

So creepy but you get the idea!

Andaz Hotel Bar

The fancy Amsterdam hotels definitely know how to make a mean cocktail, and the Andaz is no exception. They are known to get super extra and light rosemary on fire and collect the smoke and then infuse your bourbon with that smoke, but that’s part of the fun! Drink here if you’re prepared to drop 20 euro on a beverage.

JD William’s Whiskey Bar

If you’re into whiskey, this is a really fun whiskey bar! Hang on the couch and enjoy :)

THINGS TO DO

Of course there is so much more to do in Amsterdam than just eat and drink! Here are a few of my favorites:

See a comedy show at Boom Chicago

I mean, duh, this goes without saying! You can’t catch Karel onstage anymore (waaah!), but all of his other cast mates are still there and so funny, talented, and ridiculously good-looking! ;) My personal favorite shows are the fully-improvised ones, which you can catch on Saturday and Sunday nights. 

Wander around the canals & the Nine Streets

The best way to soak up the beauty of Amsterdam is to just walk around and get lost in the canals! I highly recommend the Nine Streets and surrounding canals because there are a ton of cute shops, cafes, and restaurants to see too. If you prefer more organized wandering, I’d recommend taking Sandemann’s New Europe free walking tour - it’s awesome and you get to learn a ton of the city’s history as well!

Go on a boat ride through the canals!

My favorite boat company is Dam Boat Guys because they are fun people and take out small groups onto the water. You can also rent your own boat if you’re feeling extra adventurous!

Rent bikes, even if it’s just to ride through Vondelpark

I’m not going to lie, when I came to Amsterdam the first time I was TERRIFIED of biking around. But once you do it, it makes it SO easy to get from A to B, it’s a lot less scary than it looks, and it’s an overall magical experience! If you have sub-average bike skills, I’d recommend renting a bike at the local Macbike and ride around Vondelpark (Amsterdam’s biggest park) for an hour or two. It’s quintessentially Dutch to bike, so you must do it!

^ My biker gang :P

Museum it up!

Amsterdam is well-known for it’s incredible selection of museums. My personal favorite is the Van Gogh museum, but other excellent ones include the Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam’s louvre, check out the Dutch Masters hall with the famous Nightwatch painting for sure!), the Foam museum (very cool photography museum), and the Stedelijk museum (modern art). 

Anne Frank Haus

It’s sad as hell but you just gotta do it. Such a powerfully moving experience. Go to Winkel 43 right after because you earned that apple pie and coffee. It’ll help you introspect and then cheer you back up again.

Go to the Pure Markt on Sundays

Pure Markt is a huge farmers-market-like event held every Sunday throughout most of the year. It rotates to a different local park every month, and it features tons of delicious local food vendors. The ABSOLUTE highlight is the oyster man; he is an incredibly charming Amsterdam icon and located right next to the champagne cart, so it’s an experience of perfection. A close second is Madame Coco’s coconut macaroons... man, I miss those things. 

Will brave Pure Markt for oysters rain or shine

See the tulip gardens at the Keukenhof (springtime only!)

This massive garden has so many beautiful tulips! It’s only open approx. March-May but definitely worth a visit if you’re in town during that time. I took Cindyl and she loved it too!

Go to Drovers Dog monthly pub trivia

The first Monday of every month, an Australian-owned pub called Drovers Dog hosts trivia, and it’s SO FUN! They have a very cheap Monday night burger special every week (and that burger is THE BEST in all of Amsterdam), so you can come to eat, drink, AND play. 

OMG THAT’S IT Y’ALL! There are sooo many more spots I love, so if you have any more questions or want to go super deep with more recommendations in particular neighborhoods, please hit me up! I am always more than happy to talk about beautiful Amsterdam.

To anyone out there who’s actually been reading this blog, thanks for following along! I hope these tips and recommendations have helped or will help you in your future travels. I hope I have inspired someone out there to take on the world and get out of your comfort zone. I believe it’s simply one of the best things you can do!

Dank je wel & tot ziens!

[vannidajoaneblog]

Sydney, Australia 2017

After five months of Field Study research, I just gave myself a little break and just wanted to be somewhere different. So last 2nd week of October, off to Australia I went :)

Off to Sydney

Australia is one of those countries that you need to apply a visa for in order for you to visit. I never thought it would be quite easy to apply. All you need to do is complete the requirements (Tourist Stream does not require any sponsor) and that’s it. You’re off to OZ. As long as you are approved on all the requirements, of course. 

I know for sure I cannot travel the whole of Australia which is soooo BIG, so I stuck my 4 day itinerary (Yes I know it’s quite short - blogging threshold: four days) to just the city of Sydney. I told myself that even if I will not be able to finish my itinerary, it’s okay. I simply just wanted to chill in OZ.

Airplane Pics

Just a tip: If you are flying to Australia and will be landing at Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport, you might want to have a window seat. You just don’t want to miss the great view of the whole Circular Quay, the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge while about to land :) It’s just one of those beautiful sceneries by the airplane window.

Essentials at the Airport

You have to equip yourself with essentials before you head out OZ. The most important ones are an Opal card for transpo. Some buses don’t take exact fares, so you should have a card. This can cover the trains and ferry rides as well. Also, buy a socket that will convert your 220 volts (I’m starting to collect these things). And of course AUD’s cash and credit card - yes your CC (Noodle Night - will explain later). You might also want to switch your mobile data to their provider also. Everything mentioned is available at the airport.

Balmain Backpacker Hostel

I book hostels whenever I travel blog simply because, I am usually out most of the time (coz if I stay in a hotel I’d just go staycation ;). The place where I stayed - Balmain Backpackers. This hostel is located in the lovely Sydney suburb of Balmain/Rozelle (a tourist spot itself if you ask me.) It is also just 7 minutes away by bus from the city centre. The hostel has a relaxed fun atmosphere and people are warm. I met my two Scottish roomies Nikki and Anna. Too bad I didn’t have much time to hang out and mingle with them and the other guests. They’ve been around longer than I and sure know how to have fun, even indoors.

Circular Quay / Sydney Harbour Bridge / Opera House

Well, on to my itinerary. I began exploring Sydney by discovering the Circular Quay. Strolling along the harbour foreshore, I discovered Sydney's favourite icons - the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House. I just wanna chill, feel the mixture of the cool breeze and sun on my skin while looking at the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House.

Opera Bars

Well, it was noon time so it was time for lunch :) And, walking along the Opera House, you’ll find some of Sydney's best restaurants: Aria, Quay, Bennelong, Cafe Sydney in Customs House to name a few. Perfect timing for lunch. I had the best burger and chips here :)

After having lunch, I decided to set forth and sight-see the other tourist spots at the Circular Quay which are just near each other. All you need is a map (which is also free at the airport) and you can walk to everywhere.

Contemporary Art Museum

The starting point is the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia. It is located on the other side of the Opera House and the Harbour. It’s a long walk but you will not regret it once you’ve stepped into this museum. 

This museum is solely dedicated to exhibiting, interpreting and collecting contemporary art, both from across Australia and around the world.” I cannot describe it that much but this is probably one of the best museums I’ve seen so far.

Kendall Lane

The next places to check is the Dawes’s Point & the Rocks. Walking towards it, I just found myself in a very pretty street. It’s called Kendall Lane. I don’t know if this lane has a history or what but you’ll just loved walking here, it is very beautiful :)

The Rocks Discovery Museum

Walking along Kendall Lane, I saw a sandstone warehouse where The Rocks Discovery Museum is standing. This is a family friendly museum which tells the story of The Rocks area of Sydney from pre-European days to the present. Opposite to the Contemporary Art Museum, The Rocks is home to a unique collection of images and archaeological artifacts (that you can hold.) As well as interactive fun, using touch screens, audio and visual elements to bring the history of the area alive. You can learn about the area's traditional custodians, the establishment of the English colony and the time when sailors, whalers and traders made The Rocks their home.

Dawes Point Park

Adjacent to The Rocks Rocks Discovery Museum is another tourist spot - the Dawes Point. It is a suburb of the City of Sydney. It is located on the north-western edge of the Sydney central business district, at the southern end of Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Historically, Dawes Point was the site of Australia's first fortified position, constructed in 1788 to protect the cove from foreign invaders. Five cannons are all that remain from the former Dawes Point Battery which was manned until 1916. The fort was removed during construction of Sydney Harbour Bridge which now passes above the park. An archaeological dig was recently completed at the site.

You will find extensive views of Sydney Cove here.

Also, check out the veeery tall trees with white branches. I’ve never seen such white branched trees before :) I was really at awe walking down this lane.

Back to Opera House

Next stop is the Royal Botanic Garden. Heading there, I saw the Opera House again. I’m glad I passed by because it is so nice to see this area after work on a Friday night when people just come out to drink and have fun after a week’s work. Aussies sure play hard after working hard at week’s end.

Royal Botanic Garden

Passed the Opera House is the Royal Botanic Garden. It is an enchanting tranquil oasis on the edge of of the Sydney Harbour. You don’t wanna get attached to the harbour side like what happened to me because there's more inside the garden :)

The garden has thousands of plant specimens. Wildlife that includes colourful birds, fruit bats and water dragons. You will really hear them.

If you are early enough, you will find volunteer guides that can lead you through the gardens on free walks, daily at 10.30am. Entry is free into the gardens, open daily from 7am.

Art Gallery of New South Wales

The next place is the Art Gallery of NSW but because it was already night time, I was not able to check the inside anymore. Nonetheless, the outside is stunning. It was established in 1871 and it will make you feel like you were morphed into Italy or someplace. Just check the facade. And they sure know what to put / park outside.

Next, I walked past the Domain which looks like another cool place just opposite the Art Gallery however, it was already dark so I decided cut the tour and continue it tomorrow.

Getting the Hang of the City

As I headed down the Domain, I just found a familiar place - the Macquarie Place. This little historic triangle is just a block or two and is walkable back from the Quay. And that, I am already near St. James Station - where I went down from the airport. I’m glad to end up here because it is already familiar. I just needed to get to the bus stop and back to Balmain to get ready for tomorrow :)

Bondi Farmers Market

The next day I planned for a beach day. Just like the Circular Quay where you’ll find most the tourist spots near each other, so are the beaches in Sydney. There is the Bondi, Coogee they are just walkable distance too. However, when I stepped out, it was not beach weather. I looked up the sky the next day and it was overcast.

But nonetheless, I still wanted to see the famous beach so I set forth. I saw surfers in a wetsuit crossing the street after 14 stops on the bus. I arrived at Bondi.

As I stepped down the bus stop at Bondi I just saw this organic flea market that was still up even if the weather was cloudy. It was quite interesting, so I checked it out.

This called “Farmers Market” and it brings together talented makers of quality, fresh produce to customers who care about the source of their food. Their focus is on supporting local farmers and producers who want to share their passion with the public, while upholding our commitment to organic, sustainable food.

Bondi Maccas

It was getting a little cold so, I had to get inside somewhere. I saw my go to place - Maccas. Nice, warm place. Even warmer because they were having a McHappy day and little cute kids were serving. I think it was being televised so I don’t know if I was caught on camera when a cute little kid gave my breakfast meal.

Well, nice to be a part of this McHappy Day even if in OZ because this project helps raise fund to help seriously ill children and their families. Currently they’ve raised $3.6m.

In return for helping, I think I won something :) Too bad, I did not know much about the mechanics so, I was not able to use it. Well, helping is a reward in itself.

Bondi Beach

Off to Bondi beach right across :) It is Australia’s most famous beach. Often the first port of call for backpackers, surfers and sunbathers, Even if it is cloudy, Bondi's golden crescent and clear, turquoise waters never fail to impress. But there's more to love about Bondi than the sand and surf.

A burgeoning food and bar scene, one-off fashion boutiques and luxury accommodation have made Bondi Beach one of the city's most glamorous destinations. In the side streets you'll find alfresco cafés, yoga schools and weekend markets, and down on the promenade things are action-packed. It is also where I kept indoors ;) huehue. Good thing there’s the Bondi Pavilion.

Bondi Pavilion

It is a community cultural centre, located right on Bondi Beach, which features a theatre, gallery, rehearsal, meeting and function rooms, art workshop, studios. You will be kept pre-occupied here.

Once you enter, you will feel a bit of throwback of what Bondi was like years ago. In the Pavilion, you will see big pictures of Bondi like 50 or so years ago on the walls.

Pitt Street

Well, the sun was really not cooperating at all. So before I waste any more time chilling at Bondi, I decided a plan B (nope, I did not go to any fire station :) I found myself back to St. James Station.

Nearby at the station, Pitt Street is also holding its own activity. It was a Saturday and all were out. So many things going on in this place and it was nice to hangout here as well.

Noodle Night at Hyde Park

Then, I came across Hyde Park. Hyde Park is Australia's oldest park. It contains around 580 mature exotic and native trees including the historic central avenue of Hill's Figs which line the central pedestrian avenue running from Macquarie Street to the ANZAC Memorial.

The park is a popular attraction, workers and tourists who congregate throughout the year to enjoy the varied sights and sounds of this green iconic and central public space. It also plays host to a number of cultural events throughout the year. 

I happen to experience the "Noodle Night" while I was there. It is home to an Asian hawker market of 40 food stalls and alfresco dining and socialising. Add to that are dragon dancers, lanterns and balmy spring evenings. 

It is a cash-free event, so don’t forget to bring your card. Everything is paid via credit card here to make things quick and easy so you’ll be able to spend less time queuing, and more time eating.  

#HoyPinoy #TheyQueueForTheFilipinoBarbecue :)

St. Mary’s Cathedral

During my travels, I always make it a point to drop by churches. I have got to see St. Mary’s Cathedral. Across Hyde Park near College Street is where it is located. It is perhaps the most beautiful church that I’ve seen so far.

“St Mary's Cathedral is the spiritual home of Sydney's Catholic community. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Sydney, and stands on the site of the first Catholic Chapel in Australia. Constructed in local sandstone, the "Gothic Revival" style of its architecture is reminiscent of the great medieval cathedrals of Europe. 

St. Mary's is not only a great legacy from the past, however: it is a vital part of the present spiritual and cultural life of the city and the nation. The Cathedral is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of Immaculate Mother of God, Help of Christians.”

I was lucky enough to witness a wedding while I was there :) It made the church even more beautiful.

Darling Harbor

I also checked the famous Darling Harbor. It is a harbour adjacent to the city centre of Sydney. It is also a large recreational and pedestrian precinct (no cars allowed) that is situated on western outskirts of the Sydney central business district. 

Originally named Long Cove, the locality extends northwards from Chinatown, along both sides of Cockle Bay to King Street Wharf 3 on the east, and to the suburb of Pyrmont on the west.

Australian Maritime Museum

Along Darling Harbor, you’ll also find the Australian Maritime Museum. This is probably the most fabulous Maritime Museum I’ve ever seen. Spectacularly located on the waterfront in the heart of Sydney's Darling Harbour, you'll find tall ships, Navy vessels, a submarine, beautifully restored historic boats, fascinating temporary and travelling exhibitions and fun-filled activities.

The museum houses the National Maritime Collection, which features over 140,000 objects, capturing themes such as defence, exploration, migration and coastal culture. It also includes one of the largest and most diverse in-water fleets of any museum in the world..

Back to Balmain

That was the last tourist spot I visited before I went back to Balmain. In the hostel, I and checked some of my hostel mates because I had an early flight the next day to Manila. Too bad that I did not get to hang out with them longer… everybody seem so friendly and apparently knows how to have fun.

Last Hurrah

So, that’s it for my first time in Australia. I’ve only seen the City of Sydney but I think it is a very beautiful country as a whole. I haven’t seen the countryside and the other cities yet, but I heard they are a beauty.

And Australians are just one of those nicest, kindest people on earth. For a traveller like me who likes to ask questions, they will always try to help you. If you are asking for directions, they will never allow you to get lost. If they do not know where you are trying to go, they will provide you with other options like give you a map or refer you to an officer to who knows it more. If they can, they will look things up for you. There is always a way here and because of people’s help.. You’ll get to your destination in no time. #SenseOfAbundanceHere :)

The train and bus system here reminded me a bit of Hong Kong. The Sydney Harbour reminded me of the Victoria Harbour, the pedestrian lane is also quite similar. Nonetheless, transportation system in OZ is one of the best. I can’t help but compare the Philippines. We really need to upgrade Manila.

In Sydney tourists spots are just near each other and you can simply go around by just walking. As, I just discovered you don’t have to ride a bus if you are familiar with the city. And, it’s fun walking around. Never thought I’d seen so much in just short distance. It was around 21 degrees or so and you have no choice but to keep yourself warm. And because it was springtime, everything is just nice to look at and you will never notice you’ve been walking around for hours. “Why the heck am I not tired?” That’s what I always asked myself.

Four days is never enough to explore Sydney, I know. I’ve been warned. There were so many things that I was not able to do - like ride a ferry; see the other beaches; try Vegemite; go to the countryside; see kangaroos and koala bears, etc. Initially, I just wanted to chill and relax. But, I guess if it is Australia, you better maximize your stay. Well.. who knows, maybe next time ;)

[vannidajoaneblog]

Aurora Province 2017

Off to Baler for the weekend :) My dad’s hometown. I never really grew up there, but every time I come for vacation, no doubt it feels like home. The last time I was there, it was during its quadricentennial celebration. I was with my grandfather who came home from the US. He was popularly known as “Ka Feliz” by a lot of people.

#Circa2009

It’s been awhile since the last time I’ve been to Aurora. It has fast become a tourist attraction - known as one of those surfing destinations in Luzon. Not to mention, the province also has its own enchanting natural wonders, historic spots and others. Despite all, it still remains quaint and pristine - the thing that I like most. It's a  great rehab from the hustle and bustle of the concrete city.

GOING THERE

Genesis Transport Service schedules regular bus rides going to Baler. With only P600+, you can always take the regular. Or, if you want a more comfortable option to travel - slouch on a lazy boy with NO STOPOVERS - you can take the “Joybus,”  a new line for a fare of P700+. It also has an onboard comfort room, free snacks served by a bus stewardess, free wifi, blanket & pillow and a good morning kit. Not bad for a 4-6 hour ride right? :) Me and my travel tribe-mate sister ate Iza took the 12:30 MN schedule. I easily fell asleep and next thing I knew, we were already at Ma. Aurora in just 4 and ½ hours. Just in time for the magnificent break of dawn.  

BALER SUNRISE

Upon arriving at the bus station, there’s a queue of tricycle waiting. So it was very easy to find our way to the hotel, just simply had to tell the driver. We hurriedly took one because we didn’t want to miss the break of dawn at Sabang beach. Baler sunrise is very beautiful. Facing the Pacific ocean, it is a must to catch a glimpse of it. It is the best welcome to Baler after our touchdown :)

BAY-LER VIEW

Ate Iza Sanchez is writing for Bayler-View Hotel for this trip - you can check out her blogs for some travel tips & travelogues at www.takethetravel.com. One of the perks that we had is the free accommodation.  

They have a very nice crew (being Tagalog.) Made sure we are happy all the time :) If you plan to choose this hotel, it is a thumbs-up because it’s just a few steps from the shore. You can just simply grab a surfboard (another free perk) and hit the waves - anytime. After getting settled, we did not waste time and immediately started our itinerary.

TRICYCLE

In Aurora, one thing that you will notice is that there are NO JEEPNEYS. No room for those belchers and the steam that comes out of it in Aurora :) It either tricycle or 4WD’s. For just P800 (or less than that if you are good at haggling,) you can go around visiting the different tourists spots that this province has to offer - Baler Church, Dona Aurora House, Museo de Baler, Ermita Hill, Diguisit Falls, Aniao Islet on Diguisit Beach, Hanging Bridge, Millennium Tree, and Mother Falls to name a few. Friendly tricycle drivers also serves as tour guides.

Looking at the very tall trees, and smelling the fresh green fields overlooking the mountains while in a back -ride of a tricycle is a must to do in Aurora ;)

BIG BALETE TREE

The first thing that we visited is this 600-years old massive century old Balete tree that had become an icon of Baler - the “Millennium Tree” in the town of Maria Aurora. It is said to be the largest tree of its kind in Asia. This tree towers more than five stories high. Through the years, the trees roots have grown above ground and in various sections of the trunk and it can fit a handful of people inside.

And if you are into climbing trees, you will love this gigantic one. “For a minimal fee, local guides can assist you on climbing it, holding only to roots and branches. It’s an extraordinary experience. You will definitely be surprised on how the tree seems to look like a different world up above with its unique trail that leads to a seemingly new dimension” as they say.

I am glad to have a picture by it. Photo credits to ate Iza for taking a panoramic shot while I was chilling on another branch around it. I know, I grew up in Manila but this pic is a simple reminder of where I root from :) #Roots

DITUMABO FALLS

Taking a cool dip by the waterfalls in San Luis is our next stop. It is called the Ditumabo Falls or, as they call it - the Mother Falls, simply because it is the grandest of all waterfalls in Aurora.

To get to the falls, you have to trek. So get on with your best flip flops because it is generally rocky. And, I would suggest be in your swimming outfit already ;) There’s a big pipeline (the Mother Falls serves as a source geothermal energy for San Luis) with numbers at around 100 to 1. Just follow that pipeline and it will lead you to the Mother Falls. They say that it is a rough trek but, you will not mind it after being engulfed with trees as you get deeper in the forest. You can stop to rest on big rocks and dip your feet into the clear water that goes running up and down big and small rocks.

 At end of the pipeline, you just need to walk a little further and you will get to see - towering at around 140 feet and with the cold water from the highland of Sierra Madre Mountain Range, the Ditumabo Falls freely cascading water drops into a wide rocky basin forming a natural pool.

Taking a dip here is really a refreshing experience. It is cold but for some reason, you will not feel the chill when you get up from the water.

HANGING BRIDGE

In the middle of the trip, I said to manong driver I had to go pee. And of course, he knows one place and he drove us there next. “Not too far from the town center and along Zabali Road, is the Baler Hanging Bridge. Manong driver said, the CR is on the other side. 

Hehe, manong driver has got sense of humor. But I didn’t mind crossing the wiggy-jiggy long bridge :) This bridge is a rickety one, patched together from rusty wire, weathered planks of wood and fragile bamboo railings over the moss-green waters of the Tibag-Sabang River. You’ll have a grand view of the river mouth while crossing the bridge.”

The river underneath is really not that deep because you will see a lot of local kids taking an afternoon swim and it is just above the knee high. Aside from taking pictures, you can also interact with these little locals. They will tease you to throw coins and they will for dive for it. So, make sure that you have pennies with you and bring out your “Tagalog” prowess also, you’re in for some convo with local kids on a bridge with a pretty nice view of the other Aurora province from this point.

ERMITA HILLS

Next stop is the Ermita Hills. It is situated in Mt. Dibudalan at Sitio Dicaloyungan, also in Barangay Zabali. Coming up to the top of this hill, you can get a bird’s eye view of the whole Baler Bay as well as the Dima-Dimalangat and Aniao Islets. 

But it is not just the view that Ermita Hills is known for. This is a historical spot and the natives will tell you the story by heart. 269 years ago on the 27th of December 1735, a catastrophic event occurred in the town of Baler. It was in the early morning around 2:30 that the town was engulfed by tsunami with tremendous proportion without warning, and within an hour the town was gone.

This is a statue of one family who survived that calamity because they were able to climb up Ermita Hills.

It also serves as a relocation area that keeps the locals safe whenever there is strong typhoon hitting the province. But during regular days, it is a tourist spot. It is like a mini park where you can have a picnic overlooking the whole of Baler as well as the other towns of Aurora.

DAGUISIT FALLS & BEACH

There are also small waterfalls that is a must see (and feel) in Aurora. One of them is the Daguisit falls. If you want a massage and you want natural waterfalls to do it, this is the best place to go. This small waterfalls are easily accessible along the main road going to Dicasalarin Cove. You have to trek a little bit if you want a nice view from the top. Just be careful because the rocks are quite slippery. These waterfalls are made up of three small cascades that drop to rocks and boulders. Its pretty nice to just go sit on one of these rocks and feel the pressure of the water on your body as you overlook the scenic view of the Daguisit beach on the opposite road.

If you want a scenic view on the other hand, try the Daguisit beach. From here, you can sit on top of some rock formations and see the small islets of the other nearby beaches such as the Aniao.

ANIAO ISLETS

Off to the next beach that will take your breath away. My favorite part of the tour - the seeing the Aniao Islets. 

You think that it is just one of them beaches here in Aurora but when you are in the zone, it feels like you were morphed into paradise. I just simply love the elements of this beach surrounding the Islets - the sand, the rocks, the sky and the crystal clear water. It was almost sunset when we got there, the sky was filled with thick rich clouds when we arrived. The sun was illuminating the rich creamy sand and the dark rock formations underneath the crystal clear water. You can just simply chill on these boulders as the waves crash in on you. Not so distantly are the islets that sprang a few distance from the shore. You can surely hide underneath  these rocks if you don’t feel like getting toasted by the sun. I went on a frenzy taking lots of pictures of this place. This is just simply one of my favorite spots in Aurora.

BALER FISHPORT

Nearby the Aniao Islets is the Baler Fishport. It is not really a part of our itinerary but manong driver suggested for us to check it out. It was something to check out indeed because, the first thing you will notice is the nearby mountains’ scenic view.

As for the port itself, it was not that busy during that time. It was almost sunset and all the fishermen and their boats went home. There were only a handful of people with their fishing rods trying to catch a fish, perhaps for dinner. Also, there’s a couple of jet ski’s by the water. You can tell that some of the people fishing must have arrived in style :)

It is a nice way to spend the afternoon here. Try to catch a fish and experience the sunset overlooking the mountains. For sure, even if you did not catch any fish, you will still be happy.  

QUEZON MEMORIAL PARK

Back to the town proper. In this place, you can relive the old Baler times with its heritage structures, ancestral houses and other establishments that will remind us of the past. You’ll see lots of historic places of interest around Baler including the Baler Church, the Quezon Memorial Park (the birthplace of the late president Manuel L. Quezon), and the Dona Aurora Aragon Quezon House, a house rebuilt in honor of the wife of the late Commonwealth president or just walk around the old streets of Baler and feel the beautiful vibe that the quaint town exudes.

For tourists, you can simply buy your pasalubongs here. Baler is known for their purple suman and tupig. Also, the other Tagalog souvenirs like “pangkamot ng likod” :) There’s also lots of surfing shirts and other surfing stuff like keychains and magnets now here.

BALER CHURCH

As always, whenever I travel, I always drop by the church. We have one here in Baler - The Baler Catholic Church.  It lies south of the Quezon Memorial Park, near the town museum, Museo de Baler, and the Mount Carmel College. The church of Baler was originally built in 1611. A Franciscan friar named Francisco de San Antonio supervised the construction of the wooden church, which was thatched with nipa. Dedicated to San Luis Obispo de Tolosa (St. Louis, Bishop of Toulouse.) By 1939, the first Lady Aurora Quezon led a move to renovate the church. The new stone and brick church has a painted exterior while the interior of the church has largely been preserved.

Near the plaza in front of the church is a marker in the spot where American military personnel stood when they came to negotiate with the Spaniards who were besieged in the church in 1899. There is indeed a rich history in this place. It is known as known as the site of the Siege of Baler, which took place from 1898-1899 shortly following the end of the Spanish colonization of the Philippines. The current church was built in 1939 but authentic original details may be seen inside, including the old bell, La Campana de Baler. There are markers that indicate the locations where events connected with the Siege of Baler took place. The film Baler (film), presented during the 2008 Metro Manila Film Festival, was based on this historic event.

Historical background:

“On June 27, 1898, 50 Spanish soldiers and 4 officers took refuge inside the stone church, fearing that the Philippine insurgent army was too large for them to overpower. In reality, the Filipinos actually made their army seem more intimidating by burning wood to mimic the sounds of gunfire. Despite the fact that Philippine independence from Spanish domination had just been declared 15 days before they fortified themselves in the church, the Spanish contingent remained there for close to a year.

Under the command of Capt. Enrique de las Morenas, the troops stayed in the church with rations that would last them for 6 months. However, the soldiers began to suffer from malnutrition within 2 months of the siege, contracting scurvy and dysentery. Morenas himself died from disease and was replaced by Lt. Saturnino Martin Cerezo, who proved to be a tough and rigid commander. Under his command, the troops continued to hold out against the Filipino troops as Cerezo refused to believe reports in the newspapers sent by the Filipinos to the garrison which cited that the Spanish government in Manila had already surrendered to America.

The Filipinos attempted to break down the morale of the troops with the use of some unorthodox methods such as holding a fiesta in front of a church. There have also been reports that women were also used to tempt the soldiers to come out but these are unconfirmed. On April 11, 1899, Lieutenant James C. Gillmore landed in Baler and attempted to rescue the Spanish soldiers against the wishes of Major Nemecio Bartolome, an officer in the Philippine army. The Philippine army captured Gillmore and his troop of 14 soldiers, marching them all the way to the Ilocos region and abandoning them there. The American party was later rescued on December 28, 1899.

The Spanish troops finally surrendered on June 2, 1899. A month before, Cerezo was already considering surrender due to the army’s extreme privation. Hewas finally convinced that the war was over by a newspaper left by Lt. Col. Cristobal Aguilar, which reported the surrender of Spain. The remaining 33 soldiers left the church in June to the sound of their trumpet of surrender and to the cries of “Amigos! Amigos!” from the Filipinos who had besieged them. The Spanish soldiers were officially commended by President Emilio Aguinaldo for their courage, given safe conduct passes, and permitted to go directly back to Spain.”

So, that’s our day tour :) After having a hearty buffet dinner. We went back to our hotel room and got ready for the next day.

SUNDAY SURFING

Of course, your trip to Baler will never be complete if you do not go surfing on Sabang Beach. “With its long stretch of sandy shoreline and soft and shallow ocean bed, Sabang Beach in Baler is an ideal place for those who want to learn to surf. There are lots of surf shops now along the beach including surfing instructors and surf board rentals. As for us, the surf boards are for free. Thanks again to Bayler View Hotel :)

Ever wonder how surfing came to Baler? The 1979 war film “Apocalypse Now” directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Marlon Brando, Robert Duvali and Martin Sheen, was filmed in Baler and at Baler Bay. When filming finished, some crew members left their surfboards behind, and locals learned to ride the waves. The film gave birth to the surfing culture in Baler.

While the waves are best during peak surfing season from September to February (yes it can go over the sea wall), you can still catch some baby waves right near the shore all year around. Good enough for us trying surfing for the first time. I really had a fun time surfing :)

So there, that wraps up my weekend getaway in my hometown Baler. Even if it was just for two days, it was still well spent. I was able to rehabilitate my senses seeing the lush mountains, cool waterfalls, tall trees, smell of the grass, hear beautiful Tagalog words, step on crystal clear waters, creamy beaches, get smooched by the sun, moonlight during the night, riding the waves, see the perfect Pacific sunrise… Everything is all natural there, all organic. Would love to be back for sure :)