A few pictures from me and my sisters trip to Italy. We were mainly in Brescia and Verona and enjoyed the opera Turandot in the colloseum . The mood there was just wonderful!
After suffering from a very bad cold in China where even the worst air did not lay over my mocous filled lungs in order to choke the tickle in my chest I went to Germany’s coastline where the air is still salty and fresh, a place where I would feel better quickly.
Warnemünde Lighthouse
I cannot remember I have ever been to the Baltic Sea and so it was at least for me, whose Germany is mountainous Bavaria, a beautiful surprise. I went to two of Germany’s islands Usedom and Rügen with a friend and on the way back home we stopped at Stralsund and Warnemünde.
Usedom Coast
Sunrise at the Selling pier
Sunrise on Rügen
Old oxygen plant in Peenemünde
Photoshooting at the coast
In the end of our journey through three of the best known chinese cities we finally arrived in Hongkong. After leaving the airport by subway we went through the lush green landscape straight to Kowloon. After the dirty dry air we had in Bejing and Shanghai it was like arriving in an oasis. Humidity was comparable to the one in the airplane before take-off but temperatures where not that high as the crew told us (the airline saved money by turning off air condition on ground – it was like in a finish sauna).
Hongkong restaurant
Hongkong - Kowloon
The more we enjoyed the relatively fresh air and the rain on the crowded and busy streets. Hongkong reminded me of India (many indian people/tailors) and England (cars are driving on the left side). Streets are narrow, shops are side by side and jewelers at every corner selling jade jewelry. At the first night we “enjoyed” the huge laser show at the harbor. Laser beams are projected into the night sky accompanied with music – to be honest we saw this show twice and we didn’t like it that much, although it’s a kind of unique.
Symphony of Lights
Best thing to do in Hongkong is definitely to climb up Victoria Peak which is on Hongkonog Island. It is also possible to be driven up in a cable car but I will not miss to find the way up on my own. Humidity is breathtaking but I could enjoy the longest path of escalators in the world and get the feeling of being in a jungle. At the top it’s much cooler and windier and we spend our time with walking the Victoria garden trail and eating at Bubba Gump’s until I could take the picture of Hongkong skyline.
Hongkong Skyline
Victoria Harbour
There are many things to do in and around Hongkong, like visiting the Chi Lin Nunnery with its beautiful garden, seeing the biggest sitting buddha Tian Tan on the top of a mountain on Lantau, relaxing at Kowloon Park, walking through bird and flower market or just go shopping for cheap electronics.
Tian Tan Buddha
Chi Lin Nunnery
Kowloon Park
Hongkong seems to be different to Shanghai and Beijing, regarding food, people and mentality. It is more western like although it makes the impression to be indian and british…like a big chinatown in a british colony in India. Briefly speaking I liked it most in Hongkong.
At the fish market
My private symphony of lights
For me taking pictures means passion, devotion, excitement and at least the ambition for perfection. But it does also bore me to death…when only thinking about taking a picture of a building or a thing just because I was there. This is why I often leave my camera in the bag just because I do not see a message or a unique beauty in the picture. If I want to see a picture of the ‘Hall of Supreme Harmony’ for example which is one of the many halls and gates of the Forbidden City than I better go to google picture search instead of taking a picture of the building in harsh sunlight surrounded by thousands of tourists. On the other hand if I do not take this picture I will definitely miss a part of the story when showing the photos to my family and friends. It’s an ambivalent situation…
Beijing Theatre of Performing Arts
'Ghost Street' in Beijing
Open pants - a common scene
At the Summer Palace
Night Market
Bicycle Lanes
People playing badminton at South Station
Express Train to Shanghai
When I entered Hagia Sophia for the first time I was stunned by the rays of light that filled the huge room above the low hanging chandeliers. Unfortunately there were already a lot of tourists walking around so that I decided to come back the next morning and to be the first inside. Hagia Sophia used to be a Byzantine Church, later a Mosque and today it is a museum.
Hagia Sophia
Early Morning at Hagia Sophia
Light Beam
Hagia Sophia - Low Chandeliers
Rays of Light in Hagia Sophia
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