MIRABELL GARDEN AND PALACE

The Mirabell Gardens is a good example of a typical baroque park. It was built in the 18th century following the plans of the famous architect Fischer von Erlach. Countless statues inspired by Greek myths can be seen throughout the park and they symbolize the four elements of nature: fire, water, air and earth. This is also where, right by the Pegasus fountain, Maria and the Von Trapp children started that famous "Do-re-mi" ditty in The Sound Of Music.

Location: Salzburg, Austria

SALZBURG - MOZART'S CITY

The Baroque style Salzburg Cathedral is one of the main draws of the city aside from the Hohensalzburg fortress which sits on a hill where I shot this view. Mozart was baptized in this church.

Location: Salzburg, Austria

PRICELESS WINDOW VIEW

We stayed in a small, cheap, but clean hostel with very basic amenities. However, the view from the room was priceless. This is St. James Cathedral's spire early in the morning as I stood by the window with my coffee, listening to the bells toll and watching the first rays of the sun slowly illuminating the craggy mountain peaks in the backdrop.

Location: Innsbruck, Austria

BEAUTIFUL AUSTRIAN COUNTRYSIDE

The highway to Vienna leads into the mountains in the far distance. It's a 3-hour drive via beautiful alpine countryside from Salzburg where we stopped along the route to picnic and savor the great scenery all around.

Location: Salzburg, Austria

DOGES PALACE

The Doges’ Palace was a municipal center and residence for the doges or elected leaders of the former Venetian Republic. The splendid perforations of the marble Gothic loggias that look like stone lace, give it an appearance of lightness despite its massive size. Best viewed from the sea, I was so much in awe staring at it that I forgot to take a photo from the boat before we docked!

Location: Venice Italy

BASILICA DI SAN MARCO

The Byzantine-style St. Mark's Basilica is the most famous church in Venice. Standing right next to the Doges Palace, it faces a huge square where people and pigeons congregate together. Built in the 11th century, its basic structure has changed little though the interiors have been redecorated many times over. Gold mosaic tiles adorn much of the ceiling, walls and front facade attesting to the power and wealth of the Venetians during those times.

Location: Venice, Italy

ETERNAL LOVE AT THE BRIDGE OF SIGHS

This white limestone bridge over Rio di Palazzo that connects the old prisons to the interrogation rooms in the Doges Palace was christened the Bridge of Sighs by Lord Byron. It comes from the notion that prisoners would sigh at their final view of beautiful Venice through the window before being taken down to their cells. A local legend says that lovers will be assured eternal love if they kiss on a gondola at sunset under the bridge. Well, I heaved a deep sigh of regret when I was told by the gondolier the prohibitive cost ($80) of hiring the boat for the minimum half-hour ride down the canals.

Location: Venice, Italy

HIGH UP IN THE TYROLEAN ALPS

High up in the Tyrolean mountains, you can see the whole spread of Innsbruck including the River Inn (from where the city gets its name) that cuts through it. We were sitting on some rocks at the top of the 2,330-meter Hafelekar mountain accessed by the Nordkette cable car when I shot this view, after waiting for almost half an hour for the clouds to part below.

Location: Innsbruck, Austria

HOTEL DES INVALIDES

With the trees bare during winter, you get photo ops like this showing the detail of Hotel des Invalides. I've tried to take close-up pictures of this building during other visits to this city but always ended up with a clump of trees blocking the view with only the golden dome showing above the treeline. The Invalides was built by Louis XIV in 1676 as a home for wounded soldiers. Napoleon's tomb lies under this dome.

Location: Paris, France

THE LOUVRE AT NIGHT

Strolling around the grounds of the Louvre at midnight is a good time to view and admire the surroundings minus the crowds that overwhelm the place from morning till evening closing time. The sound of falling water is also quite pleasant as you sit by the infinity pool that vividly reflects the contrasting architectural styles of the steel and glass pyramid against that of the classical forms of the old structure.

Location: Paris, France

METEORA

The Greek word Meteora means "suspended in the air", and the words meteorite and meteorology come from the same root. The conglomerate rock at Meteora, Greece, has fantastic peaks upon which medieval monks built monasteries, several of which are still active. The Grand Meteora Monastery, founded in the 1300's AD, was built on this steep pinnacle.

Location: Meteora, Greece

THE THOLOS IN DELPHI

Eighty kilometers from Athens, you will find Delphi, the center of worship of the god Apollo. The oracle of Delphi was a spiritual experience whereby the spirit of Apollo was asked for advice on critical matters relating to people's lives or affairs of the state. This is what remains of the Tholos temple, the most recognized structure in the site because of the color of the marble and the fact that it's a round temple, a rarity in Greek architecture.

Location: Delphi, Greece

TEMPLE OF POSEIDON

The Temple of Poseidon, built in the 5th century, is in Doric style. Located at the top of the hill that juts out into the sea, it's a fitting place for its namesake. People used to scribble graffiti on the columns (the most famous by Lord Byron) but you can't do that now since the place is fenced off. We took a bus from downtown Athens and arrived 2 hours later just in time to watch the sunset over the Aegean Sea. Beautiful place to be.

Location: Sounion, Greece

THE FIRST SKYSCRAPER

The wedge-shaped design of this building formed by the intersection of Broadway and Fifth Avenue earned it the nickname Flat Iron. Designed by Chicago architect Daniel Burnham (who masterplanned Baguio City) in 1902, this is widely considered, at 87 meters, the world's first skyscraper.

Location: New York USA

SOLOMON R. GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM

Peering down from the top floor of the Guggenheim Museum, I was intrigued by these concentric geometrical patterns. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, this building was controversial when it opened in 1959 because one climbed the lift to the top then walked down a spiral ramp to view the modern masterpieces displayed on the walls. Critics complained that the walls were concave making it difficult to hang paintings, viewing space was limited, and there wasn't enough lighting. Today, it is a revered iconic piece of architecture.

Location: New York, USA

NUYORKER CHERRY BLOSSOMS

I was trying to get a good vantage point to shoot the Empire State building when I chanced upon these cherry blossoms lining a park on the Lower Eastside. Though quite cluttered with only the tower clearly visible, I still like this shot.

Location: New York, USA

MOTHERSHIP

The RCL owns a small island in the Bahamas called Cococay where the Royal Sovereign docked quite a far distance away from shore. Passengers were ferried to the island for lunch and to enjoy other water sports. I decided it was a good vantage point to photograph the 72,000-ton, 12-deck ship which was our home for 5 exciting days.

Location: Cococay Island, the Caribbean

THE GRAND CANYON EXPERIENCE

A lifeless juniper tree clings to the edge of this lookout point overlooking the Grand Canyon. We drove all the way here from Vegas on our way to L.A. and decided to spend the night in order to watch the glorious sunset. It was a beautiful sight and quite a surreal experience which, unfortunately, I wasn't able to capture on camera. The reason? I run out of batteries! Wanted to jump off the cliff but my family assured me that there would always be a next time.....

CHAO PHRAYA EXPRESS BOAT

Catching one of the river express boats that cruise up and down the Chao Phraya is one of the most fun and relaxing ways of getting around. You can stop and visit several temples along the route as well.

Location: Bangkok, Thailand

GOLDEN TEMPLE

Incredible detail in this golden temple inside the Grand Palace brought eye fatigue! But still a sight to behold.

Location: Bangkok, Thailand

REVITALIZED LONDON DOCKLANDS ARCHITECTURE

New buildings with interesting architectural designs have sprouted in the redeveloped area of the London Docklands. I went crazy firing away with the camera as I tried to balance from the top deck of the cruise boat sailing down the River Thames from Greenwich to Parliament House on a sunny but windy morning.

Location: London, England

REFLECTION OF THE BUNDESTAG

The cupola of the Bundestag (Germany's Parliament) is reflected on a shop's glass showcase. We stopped here to pause and catch our breath after walking all the way from our hotel in Lindenstrasse, some 3 kilometers away.

Location: Berlin, Germany

THE CROSS ON A CATHEDRAL'S ROOF

Late afternoon shot on the roof of Barcelona's Cathedral which is open to paying visitors. You get a nice skyline of the city and its outlying hills.

Location: Barcelona, Spain

DOCKED IN NASSAU

This is the harbor in Nassau where our cruise ship from the Royal Carribean Line (right) docked amidst the inviting turquoise waters.

Location: Nassau, Bahamas

SLEEPING BEAUTY'S CASTLE?

Segovia's Alcazar, or castle-palace, is perched at the tip of a promontory that towers over the countryside below. We were there only for an afternoon and I caught the setting sun between two battlements when we visited the place. They say that this was Walt Disney's inspiration for Sleeping Beauty's castle in the theme park that he built.

Location: Segovia. Spain

END OF A CRUISE

After all the fun everyone had on the 5-day Caribbean cruise, this empty and forlorn deck aboard the Sovereign of the Seas is what's left by the end of the afternoon on the last sailing day.

Location: The Bahamas

YOSEMITE'S HALF-DOME

Half-dome, the famous natural landmark in Yosemite Park, towers 2-1/2 kilometers over the deep valley below. Formed by glaciers millions of years ago as they retreated, the park has flat, curved and mountainous terrain with varying degrees of vegetation. After driving 'round and 'round, we got to Glacier Point and were rewarded with this breathtaking view. Awesome!

Location: Yosemite National Park, California, USA

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

Mimicking a scaled model of Manhattan's famous skyscrapers, New York, New York is a casino cum hotel with a heart-stopping rollercoaster twisting and turning right in front.

Location: Las Vegas, USA

THE EDEN PROJECT

Southwest of England in Cornwall lies the Eden Project. Sited on an old clay pit, the complex includes several giant, climate-controlled, transparent, biodomes that house various species of plants from around the world. They emulate a tropical environment and a warm, temperate Mediterranean climate. The project took 2½ years to construct and opened to the public in March 2001. Part theme park and part educational experience, it is a very interesting place to visit. We spent a whole day there meandering through the indoor landscape and the outdoor terraced walkways lined with sculptures and numerous plants.

Location: St. Austell, Cornwall, England

A BIT OF BEATLES NOSTALGIA

This is the wife gamely recreating the famous walk by the Beatles across the zebra crossing opposite Abbey Road Studios (left) which became the cover for their last album together. Much as I wanted to shoot from the center of the road, I couldn't for there was traffic every now and then. You make do with what you have.

TOWER BRIDGE

More often than not, this iconic symbol of London is mistakenly called "London Bridge". The old London Bridge built in 1831 (which was falling down) was sold in 1962 to an American consortium that dismanted it brick by brick and shipped 10,000 miles away to Arizona where it presently stands. A new one was built to replace it and is the next bridge upriver from Tower Bridge. This bridge gets its name by being right next to the Tower of London which used to be at one time or another a fortress, a palace, and then a prison. There is an interesting exhibition hall at the top of the bridge's two towers that you can visit.

Location: London, England

ANTEDILUVIAN CREATURES?

The Ciutat de las Artes y Ciencias (City of Arts and Sciences) boasts of a complex of truly mind-blowing architectural masterpieces. Here, the majestic Opera House (left) and Planetarium look like antediluvian creatures wading across a prehistoric sea. That's how I thought of them while bracing myself against an exasperated wife since I had no tripod to take a steady, 1/2 sec, slow-shutter shot. Think I pulled it off!

Location: Valencia, Spain

AWESOME AMBER FORT

Eleven kilometers outside the city of Jaipur stands this magnificent structure called Amber Fort. With a wonderfully medieval flavor, it is a complex filled with numerous palaces, the handiwork of three of the old kingdom's rulers. We took an elephant ride up the steep rampart that cuts diagonally across the forbidding walls, giving awesome views of the river below and the surrounding mountainous terrain. Great fun!

Location: Jaipur, India

THE TAJ MAHAL

Wisps of early morning fog envelopes the Taj Mahal making it look like an apparition coming out of nowhere. Few people see this view from across the Yamuna River that flows behind it. I got the tip from Rough Guides so off we went on a half-hour, three-wheeled scooter ride over bumpy dirt roads just to get to this location.

Location: Agra, India

A BILLION-DOLLAR TRAIN STATION

The spanking brand-new Hauptbahnhoff cost one billion dollars to build. Most of the money must have gone to this gigantic glass roof and facade that mirrors some of the city's famous landmarks.

Location: Berlin, Germany

THE WALL

We searched far and wide to find a section of the infamous Berlin Wall that used to be 100 miles long. Only a few remnants are left today - this was some two blocks away from Checkpoint Charlie.

Location: Berlin, Germany

IN MEMORIAM

The somber atmosphere of the newly-opened Jewish Holocaust Memorial contrasted sharply with the gaiety a block away where a street party celebrating the start of the World Cup '06 was going on. Berlin is a city of contrasts rich in symbolism; both historically and architecturally.

Location: Berlin, Germany

MEMORIAL CHURCH

The Kurfurstendamm, the wide boulevard lined with elegant shopping areas downtown has a preserved bombed-out relic of a church. One of the most famous buildings in Berlin, the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church stands as a reminder of the terrible destruction wrought on the city during the Second World War.

Location: Berlin, Germany

POTSDAMMER PLATZ GIMMICK

Pretty funny sculptures standing in Potsdammer Platz. What's inside the hollow necks? Well, a video screen showing images of the city.

Location: Berlin, Germany

BARCELONA'S LAS RAMBLAS

Like a river (which it actually was long ago) cutting a swathe through the city, the 1.5-kilometer long pedestrianized Las Ramblas is the place to be if you want to see and feel the pulse of Barcelona. We meandered from the northernmost end of Placa Catalunya to the southernmost portion at Port Vell where a tall statue of Christopher Columbus pointing at the sea stands. This photo was taken at the crown of his head which we climbed via a narrow, rickety elevator.

Location: Barcelona, Spain

SAGRADA DE FAMILIA

Antonio Gaudi's unfinished "Sagrada de Familia" is a mixture of the bizzare, fantasy, Gothic, surrealism, and much more. It's so alien, so strange yet so familiar that it leaves one quite dumbstruck trying to comprehend it all. There's nothing like it that my mouth was open half the time I was there!

Location: Barcelona, Spain

WAY OF THE CROSS

This realistic tableau depicting the Crucifixion can be found on the topmost hilly section of the hauntingly beautiful "Way of the Cross" in Lourdes. It is a 2-km. path tracing the fifteen stations of Jesus Christ’s suffering.

Location: Lourdes, France

PALACIO NACIONAL DE SINTRA

Manueline-style Palacio Nacional de Sintra was a favorite vacation home
for the Portuguese kings. Judging from the two incongrously huge chimneys that dominate its roof, one can imagine the huge feasts going on at that time!

Location: Sintra, Portugal

ORGANIC ORIENTE STATION

Like much of Calatrava's architecture which suggests organic or natural shapes, the wave-like forms of the entrance to the Oriente station allude to the nearby sea.

Location: Lisbon, Portugal

VASCO DA GAMA

This dramatic statue that looks like a prow of a ship along the Tagus River, commemorates Vasco da Gama, the famous 15th-century explorer who found the sea route to India, thereby leading Portugal to riches and making it a dominant power in the lucrative spice trade.

THE HILLS OF LISBON

This from a high vantage point above the Elevador de Santa Justa where you can see one of the seven hills that make up the city. Sitting on this hill in the far distance is the Castelo de Sao Jorge, a Moorish castle built atop an old Roman fort.

Location: Lisbon, Portugal

PARISIAN PARK

What better way to spend an autumn afternoon in Paris than to sit on a park bench and watch people go by?

NOTRE DAME

Notre Dame viewed from a cruise boat on the Seine

Location: Paris, France

THE ALHAMBRA

No visit to Granada would be complete without going to the Alhambra perched on a rocky promontory overlooking the city. Built by the Moors in the 12th century when Spain was under Muslim rule, it is both a palace and a citadel. Legend has it that when Boabdil (the last Moorish king) surrendered the fortification to Ferdinand and Isabel, his unsympathetic mother chided him: "You do well to weep like a woman for what you could not defend like a man." Ouch!

Location: Granada, Spain