Exotic atmosphere of a construction site

I took this photo through the window of my hotel room in Kathmandu, Nepal. That time, I flew in to Kathmandu from Bangkok, Thailand and spent only a night in the capital of Nepal then I caught a flight to Thimphu, Bhutan on the following day. It was such a shot stay, so I decided to stay at a four-star hotel with a restaurant that looked good. Receptionists were sophisticated, my room was comfortable, and a picture on a wall of a Himalayan mountain made me feel I was in Nepal. Good start. So then I opened the curtains and looked out the window. I didn't expect to see a construction site right behind the hotel.

Noon it is, then.

I took this photo on Westminster Bridge in London, England, the United Kingdom and the photo shows the North end of the Palace of Westminster and its clock tower, officially named Elizabeth Tower. As the clock strikes noon, the Westminster Chimes could be heard around the area. So I heard it. The photo shows a lot about London. The clock tower, the palace, and double-deckers. But in fact, you can't take proper photos around noon from this angle because of the sunlight. Before publishing this photo, I did a little photoshop work, I must admit.

DE4082 FRA - LAS; Premium Salt Shaker; Dec 2013

The photo shows an inflight-salt shaker of Condor Flugdienst GmbH flight DE4082 Frankfurt, Germany to Las Vegas, NV, the United States of America (FRA - LAS). It was a 12-hour nonstop flight from an European city to Sin City, and I took this photo while I was having the first meal on board. When I was going to go to the check-in counter at the airport, I was kinda anxious to see (or meet) the latest German technology so-called virtual assistant. I've heard that holographic human-sized assistants appear in to greet passengers and help their self-check-in and so on. In my humble opinion, Germany is the world's most high-tech country, so the story sounded so real to me. But in fact, I was greeted by a real human assistant. A beautiful lady. She explained to me about Condor Premium Economy kindly and very nicely. I upgraded my seat to Premium Economy, so meals I had on board were premium meals. Even the salt shaker looked very premium.

A gateway to Northeastern Thailand

I took this photo in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. The city is also known as Korat and is a gateway to Northeastern Thailand (a.k.a. Isan). One of my favorite cities in Thailand. Although it's a little far away from the capital Bangkok, I've been to Nakhon Ratchasima three times and spent almost a month in total. Normally, trains from Bangkok stop at Nakhon Ratchasima Railway Station (Thai: สถานีรถไฟนครราชสีมา) first, and then stop at Thanon Chira Junction Railway Station (Thai:สถานีรถไฟชุมทางถนนจิระ) next. Nakhon Ratchasima Railway Station is located at the Western tip of the city of Korat, and Thanon Chira Junction Railway Station is located closer to downtown Korat. I always use Nakhon Ratchasima Railway Station, then take a took-tuk to my hotel.

Jomtien Beach, more than a decade ago

The photo shows Jomtien Beach in Pattaya, Thailand. I took this photo from Pattaya Park Tower on August 31st, 2005. It's been more than a decade, so you can't see the same view anymore, but Pattaya Park Tower is still there and I'm sure you can enjoy viewing Jomtien Beach from above. I've visited Pattaya Park Tower several times, mostly for Buffet Lunch. The revolving restaurant is on the level 54 and the observation deck is on the level 55. On your way back to the ground, you can choose different ways depending on your guts. Sky Shuttle, Speed Shuttle, Tower Jump, or an elevator.

Look up at a ceiling of something famous

I took this photo in Lisbon, Portugal. I was standing right under the Rua Augusta Arch and looking up at the ceiling. I thought what a beautiful view, and I took this photo. The Rua Augusta Arch is a historical stone arch on Praça do Comércio (English: Commerce Square). The view from Praça do Comércio is magnificent and is a must-see site of the capital of Portugal, Lisbon. I took a lot of photos on Praça do Comércio, and this one is one of them, but this is my only photo of the Rua Augusta Arch from this angle, right under the arch. Beautiful, isn't it?

Viewing something familiar from unfamiliar

I took this photo in Vientiane, Laos. I had about an hour to go to decide a place for Laotian dinner and I was walking around the riverside area. There were some places to eat and drink on the bank of the Mekong River overlooking Thailand. The Mekong River is the border between the two countries, so you can view Thailand like this from there. I've been to Thailand 31 times and spent 335 days in total, but I've been to Laos only twice and spent 8 days in total. So this view is kind of rare. Viewing Thailand from a neighboring country, Laos.

A fridge full of Thai beer

I took this photo in my hotel room in Pattaya, Thailand and the photo shows inside of a fridge. A fridge full of beer. I bought a variety of cans of Thai beer from a supermarket and kept them in the fridge in my hotel room. Singha is my all-time favorite Thai beer, and I love Chang Export as well. I can say this photo is one of my travel photos from Thailand. Other than vacation time, I can't view a fridge full of beer. My own fridge is for everything, not only for cans of beer. So, this is my travel photo from Thailand. Magnificent View.

Sort of like an Infinity mirror

I took this photo in Oxford, England, the United Kingdom. This photo should be just landscape photo of historical city in Central Southern England, but it turned into a unusual photo. There was a security mirror above a gate of a building, and also there was another mirror above the other side of the gate, and both security mirrors were taken in one photograph. I'm looking at the photo now, I think it looks funny, but when I took this photo in Oxford, I didn't aim to take a unusual photo or something. It just happened by coincidence.

Need more regular exercise before that

I took this photo in Pokhara, Nepal. It was on the way down from the place called World Peace Pagoda with a white stupa. I climbed the hill to see Pokhara and Phewa lake from above, but climbing the hill experience was much much harder than I expected before. For me, it was like climbing a mountain, but the locals called it as a hill, not a mountain. For them (or perhaps for everyone in Pokhara), mountains are the Himalayas. I know that, but I felt like I climbed a mountain. It was that hard. Technically, it was a hill, not a mountain, though.

Walk around Malmö as a first-time visitor

I took this photo in Malmö, Sweden. Being in Malmö and walking around the streets were like being in a movie scene and walking around the picturesque street. There were a few reasons why I felt so. Reason 1) Cobblestone lanes were just dreamy. Reason 2) I could see such beautiful buildings along both sides of each street. Reason 3) I visited the town early in the morning (before the town would be crowded with tourists). Thinking back now, I chose a right timing to walk around Malmö for the first time. Next time, hopefully I will be able to stay longer and see more, do more, and then want to feel more.

Do more by doing less

I took this photo on Váci utca (a.k.a. Váci street) in Budapest, Hungary. Váci utca is the most famous and the most popular pedestrian street in the capital of Hungary, Budapest. The street itself is a landmark and a must-see of Budapest. I can say that it is the street for everything to eat, to drink, to walk around, to shop around, to take pictures, and of course to have fun. When you are in Hungary, you might want to try to have authentic Tokaji wine. I think Váci utca is one of the ideal places where you can solve your idea. You can do more by doing less.

Arroz de Polvo, served in a silver pot

I took this photo at my favorite restaurant in Lisbon, Portugal. The restaurant is named Beira Gare and is located directly across from the Rossio Railway Station. Beira Gare is a very popular restaurant amongst the locals as well as the tourists, so is always packed with the Portuguese food lovers. The photo shows one of the very famous Portuguese signature meals Arroz de Polvo. Arroz means rice, and Polvo means octopus in English term, so it's kind of like a Portuguese version of risotto with octopus. Arroz de Polvo is served in a silver pot at Beira Gare, so I took this photo before I put it on a plate. It's a very very yummy one, a must-eat item in Portugal.

It's off the beaten track, you'll see amazing view

I took this photo in Gampaha, Sri Lanka. There is a Buddhist temple deep inside of a jungle with lots and lots of palm trees and the temple is locally called 'Rock Temple'. This place is less than an hour tuk-tuk-drive from Negombo city, technically a 40-minute drive or so, but it's off the beaten track and is a tad hard to find the temple by yourself. I suggest to hire a tuk-tuk for a round trip just like I did. The photo shows a view from the rock where the place I felt like I was standing in the heart of the tropical jungle in Sri Lanka.

Everything is setting to have fun

I took this photo at the entrance of  the Heineken Experience in Amsterdam, Holland before I getting inside. The decorations of the entrance were already super cool. Look at this one, the star had a mixture image of a windmill and a Heineken logo. Normally, Heineken's star image is a red star with a white outline, but this star is colored in green just like the color of a Heineken's bottle. Very well made. the Heineken Experience is kind of like a museum about the Heineken brewery, but it is also kind of like an amusement spot or a themed bar, or something. What ever it is called, it's a very fun place. When you getting inside, you'll be able to know everything about Heineken, and I'm sure you'll be a fan of Heineken.

A view of heartwarming cities

I took this photo in Porto, Portugal at dusk. This is a view from the Ponte Luís I. The Ponte Luís I is a metallic bridge in Porto, Portugal that crosses over the Douro River, and connects Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. The bridge is double-decked and I took this photo from the second deck of the bridge. Vila Nova de Gaia is a city with full of Port wine cellars. Port wine cellars are locally called Caves, so Portuguese finger posts indicate directions to Port wine cellars as Caves. Historic Center of Porto is listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. So the city itself is a must-see. I'm sure you'll meet a lot of locals with a very very good heart. All the people who I've met in Porto and Gaia were very very nice.

Tiny alley between Soi 7 and Soi 8

I took this photo in Pattaya, Thailand on a connecting alley between Pattaya Soi 7 and Soi 8. Since my hotel on Soi 8 was just around the corner from this alley, I've walked this alley many many times. There is a very nice British Pub on Soi 7, and this connecting alley was a shortcut to get to the pub, and also get back to my hotel after a drink. Very convenient. The pub was serving draft Guinness as well as draft Singha and some other beers with British-pub-styled genius head. I enjoyed having a true amount of "a pint of beer" per pint glass.

SPY Wine Cooler and SPY Cocktail

I took this photo in my hotel room in Pattaya, Thailand and the photo shows bottles of SPY Wine Cooler and SPY Cocktail. You can find a variety of flavor in anywhere in Thailand. If you go to check out a convenience store nearby from your hotel, you can find at least more than a few different flavor. I recommend to pick one and taste it. You'll be obsessed, and soon you might want to taste some more different flavor. I'm very much a beer person and I almost always choose beer to drink, but SPY Wine Cooler or SPY Cocktail are exceptions. I need them sometimes when I'm in "Amazing Thailand".

Zagreb to Ljubljana and vice versa by train

I took this photo while I was traveling from Zagreb, Croatia to Ljubljana, Slovenia by train. Viewing beautiful Slovenian landscape through the train windows were very nice experiences and are my fond memories. Half the fun is getting there. Taking photos of moving objects through a train window is a tad hard, so my photos are less than perfect, but it was just as usual. Never mind. The international train was bound for Frankfurt, Germany. I wanna take a long train journey from Zagreb to Frankfurt or vice versa one day.

It was happening to somebody else

I took this photo at the Museum of Broken Relationships in Zagreb, Croatia. It was the most unique museum I've visited in my whole life. The exhibits of the Museum of Broken Relationships are personal leftovers from former lever(s) of somebody else. When the leftovers are donated from somebody else with some heartbreaking stories, it turns into an exhibit at the Museum of Broken Relationships. Since the museum is in Zagreb, the heartbreaking stories are written in Croatian language and English. The donated leftovers are from all over the world. The exhibit on this photo was donated by someone from San Francisco, California, the United States of America.

Hősök Tere Underground Station

I took this photo at Hősök Tere Underground Station of the yellow line of the Budapest Metro in Budapest, Hungary. Hősök Tere Underground Station is located under Hősök Tere (English: Heroes' Square). I took this photo before got out of the station. So it was before I actually visited Hősök Tere itself. Hősök Tere is one of the most-visited tourist spots in the capital of Hungary. I can't imagine a tourist who leave Budapest without visiting Hősök Tere. The square is that famous. Anyway, when I got out of the station, the famous square was just there. The square was much larger than I expected before, and its statue complex was very much bigger than my imagination. I was so impressed with them.

Swedish fingerpost

I took this photo in Malmö, Sweden. I found this Swedish fingerpost near Malmö Central Station. I had no idea what they are indicating about. So I just took a photo of the fingerpost and started to walk around the city, I'd say aimlessly, but believed to be able to find out something interesting or something beautiful during my time in Malmö. Before I got there, I didn't google about Malmö so much. I did, but it was not like a lot, jut a little. I think sometimes it's very good to visit a new place without knowing too much about it. Back to the past kind of thing. Back when we didn't have the Internet...

Jamón de España

I took this photo in a street in Madrid, Spain. I was in the street and I was standing right in front of a Spanish cured ham place. It was a mouth-watering sight so I took some photos there. Spanish cure ham is called is Jamón in Spanish term and I'm a big fan. Recently, I've read an interesting article about a famous Welsh football player who is being obsessed with Jamón. I don't remember the exact phrase what he said, but he is really obsessed with Spanish cured ham, so if he has to move back to the UK, he will miss Jamón so much (or he said something similar). I couldn't agree with him more. I really miss Jamón right now.

Vindaloo Chicken in Frankfurt, Germany

The photo shows Chicken Vindaloo, served at an Indian place in Frankfurt, Germany. A very good one. One of my English acquaintances told me that when he had Vindaloo in London, England, his shirt was soaked with sweat just because the curry was super spicy. He said he ate up his first Vindaloo with a face full of sweat and told me that Vindaloo is definitely the spiciest curry in the world. I don't agree to disagree, but I know some more spicy ones. Let's say, Jungle Curry (Thai: แกงป่า) from Thailand, Ema Datshi from Bhutan, are vying for the world's spiciest curry, just my two cents.

When I have to choose one out of two...

I took this photo at Antwerpen Centraal (English: Antwerp Central) which is the main railway station in Antwerp, Belgium. I love train journeys and I've stopped by lots and lots of stations in many different countries and its cities. Antwerpen Centraal was not only ornate, but it's outstanding of it looks. Being inside of Antwerpen Centraal was like being in awe of its beauty. Viewing Antwerpen Centraal from outside was like literally jaw-dropping to see  every detail. That day in the morning, I was teetering between Brussels or Antwerp to visit one city in Belgium. Ended up I chose Antwerp and I think I made a right decision.

Viewing Brunelleschi's dome from Piazzale Michelangelo

The photo shows beautiful landscape of Florence Italy. While I was overlooking the historical city from Piazzale Michelangelo, I took this photo. Piazzale Michelangelo is a square on a hill, so you can view the city from above and you can see a replica of Michelangelo's David as well. From there, you can take some photos of Florence Cathedral (a.k.a. Brunelleschi's dome) like this. My Italian acquaintance has told me a story that when Michelangelo went to Rome to design St. Peter's Basilica, Michelangelo said that he would build a bigger dome than Brunelleschi's dome, but it would not be more beautiful than that. My acquaintance is from Florence, and he loves to tell stories relative to his home town.

Schwangau Village and Forggensee Lake

The photo shows beautiful landscape of Southeastern Germany.  While I was overlooking Schwangau Village and Forggensee Lake in Bavaria, Germany, I took this photo. At that moment, I was staying inside of (the world's famous) Neuschwanstein Castle (English: New Swan Stone Castle), so this is a view from from a nineteenth-century Neo Romanesque palace. Neuschwanstein Castle is on a hill, thus if you go inside of the castle. you can enjoy viewing breathtaking landscape around the castle from above. Germany is a very large country and I enjoyed viewing very different landscape in many different areas. I felt many different cities had one thing in common. The locals. The Germans do very nice things for other people before they are asked to do something.