Tales Thru The Lens

FORBIDDEN CITY

2011-08-14T04:27:00.000+03:00

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

2008-03-22T21:06:00.005+03:00

This Cathedral is the final destination of the famous El Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James), a pilgrimage undertaken from the Pyrenees mountains at the border of France to the northwestern part of Spain in the province of Galicia, a distance of roughly 700kms. People come walking, biking or on horseback either for religious reasons, sport or just for the love of hiking in a foreign land. One day, I plan to try this pilgrimage myself.

THE WAY OF THE CROSS

2008-03-22T19:56:00.002+03:00

The Way of the Cross in Lourdes, France depicts the 15 stations of Christ's suffering through a meandering 2 km. pathway that has life-size, cast iron sculpted figures. This is the Twelfth station showing the Crucifixion which is located on a grassy hill that is the highest point on the route. It is absolutely moving and dramatic at the same time that one can almost hear the gnashing of teeth and wailing of the crowd below the three crosses.

GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE

2007-10-02T19:53:00.000+03:00

It was tiresome biking across San Francisco's iconic bridge but it was definitely worth it for a view like this atop the hilly promontory in Sausalito.

Location: San Francisco, USA

THREE RONDAVELS

2007-09-17T19:39:00.000+03:00

In the Blyde River Canyon, one can find these rock formations called the "Three Rondavels" named after the traditional South African round house with a conical thatched roof. This is one of the "must-see" spots along the Panorama Route.

Location: South Africa

PILANESBERG

2007-09-17T19:24:00.000+03:00

Th sun sets as we make our way out of Pilanesberg National Park which is located inside an extinct volcano. The low-lying hills in the background form the crater. We went on a self-drive safari inside this park which has Big Five game though we only saw 3 during the two days that we were there.

Location: South Africa

DENVER DOME

2007-09-13T21:59:00.000+03:00

Interesting symmetry in the cupola of Denver's Capitol. I had to crane my neck to get this right in the middle of the frame. I think it was worth it!

Location: Denver, Colorado, USA

CRUISING TO THE BAHAMAS

2007-09-13T21:49:00.000+03:00

Everybody's having fun on the sundeck as the "Sovereign of the Seas" enters the bay to dock in Nassau.

Location: Nassau, Bahamas

SITTING ON A BOBBING BANCA

2007-09-13T21:39:00.000+03:00

My son (who's now taller than me), sits on a bobbing banca on our visit to Cebu a couple of years ago. We took a boat ride to some neighboring islands and all I could do was to only admire the fascinating corals at the bottom of the sea as the outrigger skimmed the waves. See, I can't swim! Should I develop an itch, though, for underwater photography, I have to learn. Hope that's not an itch that I have to scratch.

Location: Cebu, Philippines

CAGSAWA RUINS

2007-09-13T21:08:00.000+03:00

This belfry is all what remains of a church during that fateful 1814 eruption when Mayon rained down death and destruction upon Bicolandia's fertile plain. 1,200 people perished.

Location: Albay, Philippines

CHOCOLATE HILLS

2007-09-13T20:46:00.000+03:00

These protruding mounds remind me of ladies sunbathing in Cote d'Azur by the French Riviera! But these are limestone hillocks in Bohol Island. They're dubbed "Chocolate Hills" because, I think, during the dry summer - when the grass turns brown - they look like bonbons unwrapped.

Location: Bohol, Philippines

FINICKY HONGKONG WEATHER

2007-09-13T20:31:00.000+03:00

The Hongkong harbor weather was quite finicky - bright and sunny one minute, dark and gloomy the next. As I set up the tripod, the sun disappeared only to reappear once again after I packed up. But I liked this shot which has a lot of "atmosphere". Gathering stormclouds that never disgorged their contents.

Location: Hongkong

2007-09-13T02:11:00.001+03:00

BEAUTY OF AN AFRICAN SUNSET

2007-09-13T01:29:00.002+03:00

I shot this at 5:17PM as the sun set behind these trees laid bare by winter at Thornybush game reserve, South Africa. Not a sound could be heard in the stillness of the jungle as light gave way to darkness.

Location: Mpumalanga Province, South Africa

TRACKING THE ELUSIVE LEOPARD

2007-09-13T01:10:00.000+03:00

One early morning, we set off from our camp in GwalaGwala to hunt the elusive leopard with our cameras. We found her amidst the tall, swaying, golden grass taking a walk. Paying no heed to our 4x4 which crawled within 5 meters where she sat, she got up to stalk her prey.

Location: Mpumalanga province, South Africa

WHERE TWO OCEANS MEET

2007-09-12T21:04:00.000+03:00

This is Capepoint, the furthest soutwestern part of the African continent where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet. The next landmass beyond this horizon is the Antarctic. We stood on this rocky promontory with a lighthouse for hours just enjoying the view.

Location: Capetown, South Africa

HOW GREEN IS THIS VALLEY

2007-09-12T19:08:00.000+03:00

The town of Franschoek (French Corner) is right smack in the middle of the beautiful "Wine Route" near Capetown. Here, lush vineyards flourish in the lower slopes of the Klein Karoo. The early settlers were French Huguenots who fled persecution in Europe in the 17th century and brought with them their expertise in winemaking. Hence the name.

Location: Franschoek, South Africa

THE COLOSSI AT ABU SIMBEL

2007-05-19T20:06:00.000+03:00

For four millennia, these colossal statues of Rameses II have been sitting here in the Nubian desert of Abu Simbel.

Location: Abu Simbel, Egypt

DANCING FELUCCAS

2007-05-19T19:55:00.001+03:00

These feluccas dance around in the light breeze as they make their way around the Nile's Elephantine Island.

Location: Aswan, Egypt

LUXOR TEMPLE

2007-05-17T21:03:00.000+03:00

The remains of the Court of Amenhotep inside the Luxor Temple complex glows eerily at night.

Location: Luxor, Egypt

MIRABELL GARDEN AND PALACE

2007-03-26T20:13:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-26T19:56:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-26T19:48:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-26T19:09:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-26T13:25:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-26T13:09:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-26T12:14:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-26T11:54:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-26T11:27:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-26T11:13:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-25T18:41:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-25T18:32:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-24T19:24:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-23T23:15:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-23T22:54:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-23T22:40:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-23T22:31:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-23T22:11:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-23T21:54:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-23T20:37:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-22T21:16:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-22T21:11:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-22T21:05:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-22T20:59:00.000+03:00

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?

2007-03-22T18:58:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-22T18:50:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-22T18:33:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-22T18:22:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-22T18:06:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-22T16:38:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-22T16:21:00.000+03:00

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?

2007-03-21T21:48:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-21T20:58:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-21T20:46:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-21T20:40:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-21T20:33:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-21T20:16:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-21T20:05:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-21T19:46:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-20T21:43:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-20T21:24:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-20T21:14:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-20T21:03:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-20T20:49:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-20T20:33:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-20T20:17:00.000+03:00

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

2007-03-20T14:44:00.000+03:00

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

NOTRE DAME

2007-03-20T14:30:00.000+03:00

Notre Dame viewed from a cruise boat on the Seine

Location: Paris, France

THE ALHAMBRA

2007-03-19T22:19:00.000+03:00

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

VIEW FROM THE TOP

2007-03-19T22:03:00.000+03:00

Vertigo-inducing scene from the observatory deck of the John Hancock Tower which is almost a quarter of a kilometer high.

Location: Chicago, USA

LONE KAYAKER

2007-03-19T21:37:00.000+03:00

A kayaker fights the rapids on his way down the raging Arkansas River. We went whitewater rafting on this same route and it was the most thrilling ride I had in my lifetime!

Location: Colorado, USA

THE ROYAL GORGE TRAIN JOURNEY

2007-03-19T21:21:00.000+03:00

Just one of the breathtaking bends that the Royal Gorge train passes through on its 12-mile winding journey across these mountain canyons in Canon City, Colorado. We stood on the open-deck car and it was quite an unforgettable trip as every turn brought amazing panoramas right beside the fast-flowing Arkansas River.

Location: Colorado, USA

TIVOLI AT NIGHT

2007-03-19T21:06:00.000+03:00

When night falls, the lights around the Tivoli Garden lend a magical air specially by the reflecting pool surrounding the Chinese pagoda which is actually a restaurant. They have evening laser light shows right above the water that makes the place a lot more enchanting.

Location: Copenhagen, Denmark

RADHUSPLADSEN

2007-03-19T20:54:00.000+03:00

The Radhuspladsen (Town Hall Square) is the main focal point in Copenhagen and can hold some 50,000 people during outdoor concerts and events. Here you have the City Hall - built in the late 19th century - gleaming in the warmth of the late afternoon sun.

Location: Copenhagen, Denmark

ALL EYES ON THE BELLY DANCER

2007-03-19T20:46:00.000+03:00

The art of belly dancing is alive and well in this Cairo nightclub. With the pulsating rhythm and sound of Arabic percussion, she dances into the wee hours of the morning leaving the audience mesmerized and asking for more.

TEXAS SCHOOL BOOK DEPOSITORY BUILDING

2007-03-18T23:16:00.000+03:00

This quiet and peaceful scene contrasts against that tumultuous day of November 22, 1963 when J.F. Kennedy was assassinated while his motorcade negotiated this strip of asphalt. Lee Harvey Oswald lined up his shot from the 5th floor corner window of this brown building in Dealey Plaza.

THE CHICAGO LOOP

2007-03-18T23:08:00.000+03:00

Shot this scene while waiting for the Brown Line CTA train that passes through the elevated tracks of what is known as The Loop in the heart of the city. Towering in the far background is the Sears Tower, currently America's highest skyscraper with the Twin Towers of NYC now gone.

HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

2007-03-18T23:03:00.000+03:00

The statue of famous Dane Hans Christian Andersen gazes at the traffic whizzing by in front of the Tivoli Gardens.

Location: Copenhagen, Denmark

TURNING TORSO

2007-03-18T18:54:00.000+03:00

Santiago Calatrava's masterpiece, Turning Torso, corkscrews into the sky. Located in Malmo, Sweden, we drove across the long, long Oresund bridge from Denmark just to see this imposing building. It was well worth it.

Location: Malmo, Sweden

MONASTERY IN MONTSERRAT

2007-03-18T12:12:00.000+03:00

A surreal landscape of oddly-formed rocks greets the visitors at the top of the mountain where the Shrine of Our Lady of Montserrat stands. Since the 12th century, pilgrims have been drawn to this mountain in the town of Montserrat near Barcelona to venerate the miraculous statue of the Black Madonna (La Moreneta) which is located in the Basilica next to the monastery.

PLAZA DE STA. CRUZ

2007-03-18T11:45:00.001+03:00

Way past midnight in the Sta. Cruz district plaza of Seville, this restaurant was still open to serve customers with tapas, paella and wine. After a long train journey from Madrid, we arrived at our nearby hotel both hungry and tired. This place was the saving grace at the end of a tiring day.

Location: Seville, Spain

GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM

2007-03-18T11:45:00.000+03:00

Like a ship silently gliding down the River Nervion, the Guggenheim Museum starkly stands tall in this early morning shot. Designed by brilliant American architect Frank Gehry, it is covered with reflective titanium panels that look like shimmering fish scales. This masterpiece has revitalized and put the Basque city of Bilbao on the map.

Location: Bilbao, Spain

MADINAT JUMEIRAH

2007-03-18T11:06:00.001+03:00

The Madinat Al Jumeirah hotel and mall is well-designed with an Arabian theme and has a man-made lagoon that enables guests to be ferried around the resort in wooden water taxis called "abras".

Location: Dubai, UAE

BURJ AL-ARAB ATRIUM

2007-03-18T11:06:00.000+03:00

The atrium af the Burj Al-Arab tower in Dubai is the tallest in the world at a dizzying 182 meters height. All the rooms in this touted 7-star class hotel overlook this huge cavity with a stepped fountain at the base.

Location: Dubai, UAE

PICOS DE EUROPA

2007-03-18T02:38:00.000+03:00

The Picos de Europa is the highest mountain range in Northern Spain, just 25 miles from the Atlantic Ocean. We visited the Monastery of Sto. Toribio in the village of Liebana where the reputedly largest fragment of the True Cross is found (kept in a silver reliquary). Outside the church was a viewing plateau where I shot this dramatic landscape.

Location: Cantabria, Spain

OPEN-AIR CHEESE MARKET

2007-03-18T02:22:00.000+03:00

In the town of Alkmaar, they have an open-air cheese market every Friday that brings in hordes of tourists like, well, rats to a mousetrap filled with Edam and Gouda cheeses.

Location: Alkmaar, Holland

SOUTH OF DENMARK

2007-03-18T02:13:00.000+03:00

Driving down south of Copenhagen to catch a ferry to Rostock (Germany), I couldn't resist but to stop and shoot this beautiful field brilliantly lit by the mid-day sun. For a sense of scale, I put the wife on the foreground!

NIGHT SHOT

2007-03-18T02:06:00.000+03:00

The mirror-like design of this apartment building intrigued me specially when lit at night. I came back at midnight just to shoot it when there was no traffic.

Location: Salmiya, Kuwait

WATER TOWERS

2007-03-18T02:00:00.000+03:00

These are water towers located in the middle of the desert close to Kuwait City.

Location: South Surra, Kuwait

WESTERN ARABIAN DESERT

2007-03-18T01:38:00.000+03:00

Saudi Arabia's western desert looks like a desolate, reddish Martian landscape. I took this late in the afternoon from the plane's window on a recent trip to Cairo.

Location: Western Saudi Arabia