Mexico – two sides of the equation
On the topic of warm and sunny destinations in Mexico, it’s hard to go wrong. You’ve got plenty of options on both shores of the country – either the Pacific or the Caribbean. Whether you are chasing those magic pacific sunsets, or the warm Caribbean water and the Mayan ruins, you’re probably not going to be disappointed.
I’ve got two short new galleries on two different sides of the “Mexico tourist destination” equation.
First: Puerto Vallarta, and in particular Mismaloya. Puerto Vallarta has a romantic city center along the beach with a Spanish colonial flavor, but it’s those surrounding areas with dramatic jungled mountains and the roaring currents of the pacific that really captivate.
Next, Cozumel is an island that sits about 20km off the Yucatan Peninsula. It’s western flank is guarded by some of the most dramatic coral reef structures on earth, making it a top diving destination for north americans. That’s not all: Mayan ruins (the mayans believed the island sacred to their moon goddess) and secluded white sand beaches – the island remains largely uninhabited outside of the town of St. Miguel and sporadic large resorts.
Enjoy the galleries, also check out my YouTube channel for diving videos and more!
The Last Paradise: Raja Ampat
Little known outside of the scuba diving world, Raja Ampat is a remote group of hundreds of islands off the western coast of Papua, Indonesia. Below the ocean’s surface, the coral reefs here are not simply pristine: biodiversity surveys suggest it may well be the most biodiverse marine ecosystem on earth.
Remote tropical islands, no hotels, no tour buses…is this paradise? For some of us, the answer is yes. Coined “The Last Paradise” there are very few permanent buildings on any of these islands. Most lodging consists of open windowed wooden huts. On the smaller islands electricity is intermittent, air conditioning, wifi, and hot showers simply do not exist. If you can manage all that, and the long trip there (it was 4 flights and a ferry, followed by a shorter boat transfer for me), indeed, Raja Ampat may very well be the last paradise. A thousand kilometers from the nearest major city, you will be rewarded with sights and creatures that are not only stunning, but can be found nowhere else on Earth.
Check out the full gallery by clicking this link
Jakarta: 30 million cities
The sprawling and chaotic capital of Indonesia is a remarkable trial of urban planning. Congested to the point of disarray, Jakarta continues to grow, managing to find room for another million residents each year. At over 33 million people this is the largest metropolis in the southern hemisphere.
Each neighbourhood feels like a small city within itself. One moment, you could amongst the corrugated roofs, wild chickens and crowded food stalls in West Jakarta. Later, you might find yourself at upscale shopping malls staring up at skyscrapers in the central business district. It’s hard to describe how crazy it all feels, though this perhaps isn’t unique to Jakarta, and I’ve only seen a fragment of the city, it was a redeeming feature in a metropolis often characterised for its congestion more than anything else.
One of the knocks on Jakarta, especially as a destination, is the lack of those big ticket attractions that the other big cities of Southeast Asia have: think of all the palaces and temples in Bangkok, or the marina in Singapore. This is quite a fair criticism: there isn’t much in the way of must see, or even an established tourist trail. Jakarta is more of a sum of its experiences. There is plenty of luxury, history, street food, coffee houses, shopping, and perhaps best of all helpful and curious locals making Jakarta quite a worthwhile visit when in Indonesia.
Click here for my full Jakarta gallery.
Aruba
The Caribbean has no shortage of beautiful islands, with white sand beaches and turquoise waters. For the Aruba traveler, it’s the near guarantee of 12 hours of sunshine every single day that brings them to this island amongst all the other options. Aruba is sand and sunshine, stroopwafels and cacti. Click here for an updated Aruba gallery.
More views from the Canadian Rockies
Visit my Canadian Rockies gallery for 150 captures from the continental divide.
In the Sun: Peachtree, Kelowna, and Okanogan Country (late entry).
Between British Columbia’s coastal mountains and the Canadian Rockies, the Okanogan Valley is known for a climate of dry summers and moderate winters – something that is quite unique this far up the Northern Hemisphere. Fruit orchards and vineyards populate the landscape , often scenically along the valley’s deep fjord lakes.
With this type of weather and scenery, the area has also become a place for canadians to spend summers, weekends, and even retire. “The Retirement Home of Canada” one could joke, and the demographics do in fact skew towards the older crowd, but Kelowna and the surrounding area have much to offer to all ages. There’s an easygoingness to life in the valley that’s hard to resist, even as a visitor.
Here’s a link to the gallery.
Winnipeg Refresh
I’ve refreshed my aging Winnipeg gallery. I’ve narrowed it down to 240 photos from 15+ years of photography. Find it here. Here are a few captures from Winter:
A Very Brief Capture of Thunder Bay
It’s been a while! Not much travel this past year, for reasons that are obvious. I’ll be adding some new photos over the next few weeks of a few things we managed to get up to , in spite of the global pandemic. Wishing everyone a safe recovery and hopefully a return to travel soon….
At the head of Lake Superior, the port city of Thunder Bay is the largest Canadian city on the world’s largest freshwater lake. Here is a very quick capture of Canada’s Lakehead and some of the scenery of the surrounding area. Click here for the gallery.
The Two Capes and the Aquarium
You’ll find a place known as Los Cabos at the southern tip of Baja California, where the mountainous desert landscape drops into the sea. “Los Cabos” implies the capes, or the large landforms that extend into the ocean here, separating the Sea of Cortez from the Pacific.
If you go, try not to get stuck on a resort; Baja California Sud is beautiful. There’s the buzzing tourist hub of Cabo San Lucas, and the quaint, traditional town center of San Jose del Cabo. There’s also the Sea of Cortez, which Jacque Cousteau famously referred to as “The World’s Aquarium”.
A second chance at Bali
Bali. Tremendously busy, but somehow also serene. It can be a lot to take in. It seems like you can point your camera in any direction, and see something colorful, unique, or beautiful. Truthfully, I did not spend much time taking pictures in Bali, nevertheless I ended up with some nice captures – this says a lot about the place. The new gallery, with photos taken in 2019 is here. I’ve also got a gallery from the Ubud area here , and Nusa Lembongan here (taken in 2017).
Beautiful surroundings
Pulau Redang (or Redang Island, however you’d like to name it) is, to me, paradise. I’ve spoken before about the island and its beaches, jungles, and sea life. I’ve updated the gallery to add photos from September 2019.
Back in Kuala Lumpur
KL was just begging for a return visit. This humid city has what I want in a big city: iconic architecture, great food, appealing local culture and friendly people. Things are changing in KL. There is construction everywhere; two of the world’s tallest buildings are currently rising above the existing canopy. There’s not much else I can add from a previous write up here, just that I’m fond of this place, a truly underrated metropolis if there ever was one. Updated gallery here.
Grand Forks: A Very, very short take.
A small prairie city in the far north of continental America, Grand Forks is perhaps far from remarkable. Mostly. For many Canadians just to the north, it’s known for big box stores and a shopping mall for cross boarder shopping. But there’s surprisingly a bit more to see here.
This little agricultural hub started out as a French fur trading post, Les Grandes Fourches, just like it’s Canadian neighbors too the north. Settlers came in droves at the turn of the 20th century, creating a sizeable downtown area that to this day still houses impressive, historic facades from that era. The city made world headlines during the flood of 1997 with a large downtown fire and one of the largest evacuations in American history. Now recovered and arguably stronger than ever, here is a very, very short look at Grand Forks. LINK
Maui – Hawaii
Three thousand kilometers from the nearest major land mass, the Hawaiian islands are place of isolation, beauty, and extremes. Featuring arid coastlines, tropical rain-forests, active volcanoes and alpine summits – it’s a rare place where you can see a snapshot of our planet in a single day. In the middle of the ocean, technically belonging more to Polynesia, this is a strange place to find the 50th state to join the United States of America. Naturally, it doesn’t always feel like the America. Culturally Hawaii has its own identity, its own customs, and of course its own struggles with colonization. Today just 10% of the state population is ethnic Hawaiian.
This is a photo gallery of Maui, one of the 4 main islands of Hawaii. It’s easily accessible internationally, has great weather year round, and does a good job at representing the things that make Hawaii special.
Clink this link for the full gallery!
The northern shore.
There aren’t many roads north of Lake Superior, nor many towns or people. This is a rugged land, with dense spruce forests, thousands of lakes, and the jagged exposed bedrock from which the Canadian Shield gets its name. Lake Superior, the world’s largest lake, is the prime attraction of a road journey through Northern Ontario. It’s a beautiful, isolated place. Have a look at the gallery through this Link.
Ischia, Italy
Ischia is one of the lesser known volcanic islands off Italy’s western coast. It has a long history dating back to at least the Bronze Age, as a Greek island. Throughout it’s turbulent history, Ischia was occupied by empires from all across the Mediterranean, though today, it is distinctly Italian. The countryside landscapes are stunning, the towns are loud, crowded, and bustling. There is no shortage of seafood, wine, and pasta. The most spectacular sight, aside from the cliffs and ocean views, is Castello Arogonese, a massive medieval castle complex that was built imposingly on the water adjacent to the island’s main town.
A day in Strasbourg, France
Strasbourg is a historic marvel of a city on the Rhine, and capital of Alsace in eastern France. The city center is remarkably well preserved, almost entirely pedestrian-only, and home to one of Europe’s great feats in architecture. The Strasbourg cathedral is the city’s most famous sight: it took 400 years to build, completed at the peak of the Gothic architecture style, and stood as the tallest building on earth for over two centuries. Strasbourg is a city of canals and half timber houses, a bridge between Germany and France, and one of the seats of the European Union.
It’s a rewarding day trip from Paris, Frankfurt, or Stuttgart by car or by rail. Even just a few hours to explore the city center, climb the cathedral, and try some flambée is worthwhile if you ever get the chance.
Berlin
Berlin is an edgy, often striking city that sat at the epicenter of some of the 20th century’s defining (and darkest) moments. I’ve always found it a city that is difficult to describe, and sometimes even difficult to enjoy: it’s often as emotionally draining as it is enriching. It’s a huge city spanning vastly different neighborhoods thanks to its historical division, with more museums and monuments than any city its age. Much of post-war Berlin isn’t what you’d call charming, but it’s certainly alluring, and a very, very powerful storyteller. Head straight to the Gallery here. 
Amsterdam
In the Middle Ages, it seemed rather unlikely that a small village in Holland would one day become a trade capital of Europe, a seat of colonial power, and establish the world’s first stock exchange. Still today, with it’s short and skinny townhouses along scenic canals, it’s a bit surprising to learn that Amsterdam was in the 17th century the wealthiest city in Europe.
Relative to other European cities, Amsterdam is young, and still quite small. It has a population about 1/8th that of say, Paris, and was quite a modest town up until the end of the 16th century. In the 17th century, with the spread of international trade, intelligent Dutch entrepreneurs established the first ever multinational corporations, bringing boatloads (both literally and figuratively) of wealth to Amsterdam and the Netherlands. What began as a small town with a moat, became a bustling trade center with kilometers of navigable canals.
Amsterdam is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands, and still has the bustle and entrepreneurial sprit of its golden age. It remains a modest in many ways, with more charm than grandeur. It’s a progressive city of personal freedom amongst the art, tulips, and cyclists.
Click here to skip on to the gallery =)
City by the Bay
San Francisco is a storied West Coast city perhaps best known for its architectural landmarks, cable cars and hilly streets, but it’s also been a focal point throughout modern history for several social and economic movements that have helped shape the world. Liberal attitudes in the city fostered “hippie” and counterculture groups, as well as the gay rights movement.
With the intellectual and technical curiosity taking place at Berkeley and Stanford, came the tech and internet revolutions: companies like Hewlett-Packard and Apple early on, and later virtually all the big players in the field: Facebook, Twitter, Google, Uber, Ebay, Youtube – you name it, all founded and headquartered in the Bay Area.
Historically, San Francisco is a place where people don’t simply follow the way the rest of the world does things. It’s a place of innovation and experimentation. It shows up in the eclectic neighborhoods and forward-thinking city planning. It’s the land of the “startup” – and you’ll likely have more than one stranger tell you with a straight face that they are starting their own company. It’s a city that swings for the fences but somehow still feels humble and friendly. So while it’s a place known for rolling fog, painted bridges, and a famous old prison, it’s really a mecca of the unconventional, a city outside the box.
It’s been 11 years since I’ve been to this city. We were lucky enough to get crisp sunny days – and none of that trademark Bay Area fog this time.
Los Angeles
I’ve added an updated Gallery for Los Angeles, the misunderstood mega-city of America’s West Coast.
I had the chance to photograph some new spots; Long Beach was a hidden gem, but of course there’s just so much to see across the many cities and neighborhoods of the LA metro. Here’s the best representation of the conglomerate that I have, thus far. Click here for the Gallery.
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Nusa Lembongan, Bali
A small island with big waves, Nusa Lembongan is thankfully still a bit off the beaten path in Bali. It’s about half hour boat ride from the south end of Bali – close enough for a day trip for some people, but staying a few nights in a villa with a view is well worth it. There is surfing and scuba diving for those that are interested, but Lembongan is also a great place to come and relax. There are long , walkable, strips of beach, shanty restaurants with great food, and a village with typical Balinese friendliness.
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Island of the Gods
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Borneo: The Lost World
There are jungles in Borneo, that are so isolated from civilization, so rich in rare wildlife, so full of untouched forests, that it feels like a separate world, locked in a pre-humanity sphere separate from our own. These rainforests have thrived for millions of years, with many bizarre and exotic species found only here.
We only managed to scratch the surface of Borneo, a huge island with many opportunities for exploration. This gallery primarily looks at the wildlife in and around the Kinabatangan river and the surrounding jungle, and area teeming with wildlife, but also an area that has seen deforestation over recent decades in the form of palm oil plantations. Luckily there are protected areas and conservation efforts, and the further you get away from the coastal cities the more you are rewarded with this spectacular lost world.
See some previews below, and the full gallery by clicking here.
A playful female Orangutan. “Orang Hutang” translates to “People of the forest” in Malay.
Searching for wildlife on the lower Kinabatangan River.
This female proboscis gives us an angry scowl to advise us not to come any closer.
A brightly colored kingfisher patrolling the riverbank.
A cave ceiling covered with bats and swiftlet nests makes for an abstract photograph.
A dominant male orangutan , critically endangered, gorges on vegetation just a few meters from our cottage.
A large crocodile in the Kinabatangan River.
A monitor lizard, well camouflaged on a tree branch, possibly awaits his prey.
Up close and personal with a large male proboscis monkey.
A family of proboscis monkeys move along a sprawling tree.
A young silver leaf monkey calls out for attention from her mother.
The remarkable rhinoceros hornbill of Borneo