The Blue Lagoon... Iceland

I have to say that Iceland's landscape is so different from anything I have experienced before, that at first, I had hard time to understand if I like it or not. While traveling from the airport to the Blue Lagoon, my first thought was that it looks like moonscape. Then it changed to strange and surreal looking fields full of large stones covered with moss, and as far as I could see the view of volcanoes as a backdrop. Later I learned it was lava rocks. Do you remember volcano eruption of 2010 when it halted air traffic across the Europe for about a week? Yes, it was here in Iceland.

The Blue Lagoon is geothermal spa located in a lava field. Sulfur smell is pretty strong, but after awhile you get used to it. What I know now about traveling is this: sometimes it takes time to understand how you feel about things you see. We spent only 2 days in Iceland, and only when came back to the US, I could finally form my opinion about the Iceland: absolutely amazing.

The Blue Lagoon...and these pictures are not color enhanced.

Even though it was a little rainy and chilly (August, 56 degree Fahrenheit), the subterranean sea water that is pumped out over the lava fields, was very warm and in some parts of the pool even hot.

Volcanoes and more volcanoes....

It is hard to believe this landscape and lava rock covered with moss

I have to say, the Blue Lagoon was beautiful, unique, experience of a lifetime.

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Language Challenge.... Reykjavik, Iceland

Try to say those streets names when looking for your hotel in Reykjavik. Someone?

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The Perfect Name for the Plane...Rejkjavik, Iceland

Yes, you got it right. This is the plane with the name Laki. I don't know what that means in Icelandic language, but if you forget the spelling discrepancy, I think this is very good name for the plane. What do you think?

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Travel Finds.... Doge's Palace, Venice, Italy

As you may noticed, on Mondays I like to share with you some of my travel memories.  Today I have some pictures for you that I took in Doge's Palace in Venice, Italy.  These are photos of ceilings in different rooms of the Palace and I think they are beautiful.  I visited Venice more than once, but it never gets old.  Just by looking at these images I dream of the Venice again and want to return.  Take a look.  Share with me which one is your favorite.

 

 

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Travel finds... Le Marais, Paris

I grew up in a big European city, 2 million people big, and remember walking by the apartment buildings often thinking that behind every window there is a story of a person, a life, hopes and disappointments, in short - life as it is.  When I looked at my pictures I took in Le Marais during my last trip to Paris, I noticed that I had a LOT of images of windows.  I think it tells me that I am still fascinated by imaginary life behind those windows.

When in Paris, it was wonderful to walk Place Vendome and visit Rue Cambon   but our hotel was in Le Marais.  It was charming small hotel, and the best part of it was that our room was on the last floor.  I could not imagine more perfect location to feel like real Parisian living in a small apartment.  Having the room on the hotel's top floor was great, because I could take my pictures of attic windows at the same eye level.  I was able to see very close those old roof shingles, they were especially beautiful when wet from the rain.  I heard the sound of very heavy rain on the metal gutters.  I saw the rainbow over Parisian roofs when the sun came out.  This whole experience was unbelievably romantic, intimate and unforgettable.  Yes, it rained in Paris a lot, but I didn't mind it.

A couple of days ago   The Sartorialist posted a beautiful picture of a young woman he shot on the street in Le Marais.  I am pretty sure that the picture was taken on the same street where my hotel was located.  It brought back some memories and I decided to share my Le Marais experience with you today.  Here are some of my "moments" from my hotel window in Le Marais, Paris.  I hope these images and thoughts of Paris will make your day go by quick and easy.  Happy Monday!

 

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Travel finds... Venice, Italy

Ah, Venice!  Or how they say in Italian - Venezia!  I traveled to Venice more than once, and my heart beats faster every time I step out of the train, go though the train station building and step out to the square in the front of it that opens immediately to the view as we know as ... Venice!  As I mentioned to you last week,  the images from my travel portfolio are not necessarily something that you have never seeing before.  My point is to break the routine of Monday and dream of places we love, enjoy, hope to return or dream to visit.  In short - this might help you AND I to keep things in perspective and start your week on positive note.  This is how I like it.

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Travel Finds... Bologna, Italy

Very often Monday as a day of the weeks, has certain negative mood connotation associated with it.  In other words - Monday is rarely fun day.   When I need something to cheer me up, I often go to my travel images, and this instantly changes my attitude and acceptance of the Monday reality.  This is why I decided to start serious of posts dedicated to my travel finds.  The images I will be posting under this title are some of my best travel moment that I was able to capture on camera.  I hope you will enjoy them as well.  These images not necessarily something that you have never seeing before, this was not the purpose, although you might find something new.  Point is to break the routine of Monday and dream of places you love, enjoy, hope to return or dream to visit.  In short - keep things in perspective.  This is how I like it.


This first post from my travel series I decided to dedicate to one of my favorite city in Italy  - Bologna.  The iconic view of the city - two towers, the tallest one called Asinelli.  One tower now is shorter that the other (see picture below) because fairly recently it was cut for the safety reason since it was leaning too much, like Tower of Pisa, and could fell.  These towers were built  between 1109 - 1119, imagine that, and I climbed the tallest tower, some 500+ steps up, and THEN walked down, which was no less challenging, considering narrow, old and uneven wooden stairs.  It was fun. Take a look.

Surrounding area of the Tower. Famous Bologna porticoes and typical scene with a million of bikes. 

View as I was making my way up to the top of the tower.  Another name for Bologna - city of red roofs and you see why.  Love Bologna and can't wait to return!
 

The view of the Bologna roofs from the half way up the stairs. Notice how small cars and people appear on the bottom of the picture.

Finally, view from the top of the Asinelli tower.

View of Two Towers, tallest - Asinelli tower. *These last two images via Wikipedia.  Apparently I did not take all pictures I needed with my own camera.

Inside of the Asinelli tower - the stair.  

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