Photography & travel

LISBOA #1

Where to start? Maybe with a quote of our city guide: ‘Portuguese are the worst promoters of themselves and we have an inferiority complex’Well, they don’t have to. It’s true they once ruled the world and had numerous setbacks but without the Portuguese world’s history would be different. Lisbon is one of a kind. History, spacious avenues, small and steep alleys (becos), great food, sea, Santa Justa elevator, azulejos,…. and not to forget, the red & yellow trams or ‘Remodelados’.We actually visited the city walking and didn’t use any of those touristic trams. As a passenger you would basically feel …

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SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE

The capital and largest city on the North-East side of the island. About an hour driving from Garachico. Our first stop is the Auditorio de Tenerife. Unmistakably a building designed by Santiago Calatrava. It’s massive yet elegant at the same time. The semi-arch suspended over the building is a technical masterpiece. Like almost every building by Calatrava, this one too got criticised because of various structural problems and budget increase. We have seen multiple buildings of his hand and i must admit, they are all stunning. What I honestly don’t understand, why on earth do you build such a building …

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EL TEIDE

The highest mountain of Spain lies in the center of Teide National Park with rough volcanic landscapes. Remember that it’s still an active volcano, with its most recent eruption in 1909.It is difficult not to be impressed by the rough landscapes. In 2007 it got named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. And they were right to do so. Maybe you think: ‘what is so special about volcanic rock, it’s just some monotonous rough terrain, maybe a bit dull’ But then you’re wrong. After every turn, you want to stop for the next photo. There is an incredible amount of …

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HIKING on Tenerife

If you like walking then Tenerife is the right place for you. Kilometers of hiking trails of varying difficulty and beautiful views. Just like in every mountain country you have to go prepared. The weather on the West Coast can be volatile.At dawn you will have sunshine and brilliant blue skies, and in the afternoon you will walk under a greyish cloud blanket. Which is actually a good thing, because the island does not have natural water sources. Nor rivers or lakes.All water precipitates by condensation, rain showers are rare, with the help of cloud forests. humidity is absorbed by …

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SEMANA SANTA

Easter, 2 weeks of procession floats and brotherhoods. During our stay we got daily treated. What a timing! What a vibe. The parishioners of Garachico also took to the streets almost daily with their float. The Holy Week of San Cristobal de La Laguna is the most important of the Canary Islands. Popularly known as Semana santa lagunera, it is also the oldest, with more than five centuries of history. So we decided to have a look and experience the walks of thrones of wheels through the main streets of the city. The image of the Santísimo Cristo de La …

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TENERIFE

Island in the sun.And a popular one too. Every car rental company was completely sold out. The main reason was that numerous rental cars were sold during the pandemic to reduce cost. Luckily for us we made our reservation weeks upfront. Landed at Tenerife Airport South our next stop is Garachico for the next 7 days. Garachico is a charming quiet town located at the west coast trapped between a mountain and the Atlantic , far away from the crowded touristic South coast. Garachico got nearly completely destroyed in 1706 by an eruption of volcano Montaña Negra. Traces of lava …

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ISOLA DEL GIGLIO

One of the advantages of travelling off-season is peace of mind.And freedom to quickly adjust your itinerary. In our case ‘sailing schedule’We decided to cruise to Giglio island. Actually found by accident while Karen was surfing the internet in search for our next hotel, she bumped into this location. We left the car on the mainland in Porto Santo Stefano in a secured car park and took the boat. Wind in our hair, salt on our skin, sun rays itching and lungs full of iodine.What a treat. About 1 hour later, Giglio came into view. The La Guardia hotel was …

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LA BANDITA

In the Tuscan country side of Val d’Orcia hidden on a hillside lies a piece of heaven on earth. La Bandita. A small 8 bedroom villa with a pool. A perfect place to unwind and enjoy nature and silence after the hustle and bustle of a busy city.UPDATE 02AUG23: La bandita was sold and became a private place. It’s actually our second stay. Karen discovered this little gem back in 2017 and we cherish warm memories. Since we didn’t planned this year a lot in advance, post covid remember, we decided to give them a call. BINGO! Luck was on …

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GENOVA LA SUPERBA

‘It’s an inspiring city’ was our response to a Genovesi asking how we liked it. “But a little dirty, right?” she added spontaneously. True. It could be cleaner. ‘You notice the difference immediately when you get to Belgium,’ she continued. Turns out she had already been to Antwerp and that creates a bond.We baptise the city as ‘Genu’A’. Now it’s a little bit our city too!A veil of mysticism hangs over the city. Probably because the houses are so close together so the sunlight cannot penetrate everywhere. Often the Caruggi, or alleys, are no wider than 1.80 meters. Fortunately, the …

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RüGEN

Leaving Hamburg behind and heading for some fresh air, nature and salt on our skin. We stranded at Rügen. An island just off the Pomeranian coast of the Baltic Sea, and the largest island in Germany covering over 900 square km. I honestly didn’t knew Germany actually had an island. But what i do know now: ‘we have to plan a second visit’. Although the weather was rather cloudy the atmosphere on the island was beyond mystique. The horizon blended very well with the grey sky thanks to the soft tone day light. Especially when you walk at the end …

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