About
Hi, my name is Henry Lee and I was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
After almost two decades in astronomy research and service, I decided to one up and leave, and travel around the world for the entire 2012 year. During the travel year, I had two decisions: what to do next, and where to go next. One of these decisions is difficult enough, but two of them at the same time can be huge.
On 24 December 2011, I left Chile for the last time, I set out across the globe, I got to engage with the world in a way I never knew I could before, and I met some interesting people along the way. Throughout 2012, I auditioned every place I visited as a potential candidate city to move.
I returned to Vancouver, Canada on 15 January 2013 after 389 days of being out on the road (even in my city of birth). On 5 March 2013, I flew out from Vancouver and arrived 7 March in Sydney, Australia to start something new.
I’ve become very passionate about photography, although I arrived at photography late. I purchased my first point-and-shoot camera in 2005, followed by an entry-level digital-SLR in 2008. I hope I’ve been able to bring different parts of the world into view and focus for the reader by providing commentary and photography from the many places I’ve visited.
I’ll continue submitting photos and posts from recent travels and stories of interest.
NAVIGATION
The navigation bar at the top of every page consists of the following menu items:
- Blog : featured posts.
- Galleries : photo galleries.
- Places : out-and-about in places I’ve visited and about which I’ve written.
- About : about me and about this blog; it’s the very page you’re reading now.
- Contact : how to reach me.
- Other : additional categories include Christmas, Food, and Road Warrior.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow me on
- Twitter (@fotoeins): http://twitter.com/fotoeins
- Instagram: http://instagr.am/fotoeins
- Facebook Page: http://fb.me/fotoeins
- Facebook profile: http://fb.me/henrylflee
- Tumblr: http://fotoeins.tumblr.com
- Flickr: http://flic.kr/zustand
- Foursquare: http://foursquare.com/fotoeins
- Google+: http://gplus.to/fotoeins
For Social Media icons, I’m using Mono Social Icons, created by Double J Design, for Icon Dock.
CREATIVE COMMONS & LOGO
There is a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License for this blog/website. Images and text may be used elsewhere only for non-commercial purposes, and may not be altered. If you use any of the material, please attribute and provide a link back to fotoeins.com; thanks!
The logo is a simple "FF" representing the initials of this blog, my own initials in blue at the centre, all surrounded by a circle for traveling around the world.
External credits & mentions:
- RTW interview with The Working Traveler, 2011 December 2
- One of my photos as Christmas card for Mr. Farid Müller, member of Hamburg state parliament for Hamburg Mitte
You are living my dream life! I hope one day I have the courage and means to do what you do. Good luck on your journey!
Thanks very much for your kind comment, and for stopping by my blog!
Good luck to you Henry! I’ll be sure to check your blog from time to to time and see what you’re up to…Have fun!
Céline, I hope your upcoming move to and the settling-in period in Canberra all go smoothly. I hope to visit (because I’ve never been to Canberra before when I’m in Australia in a few months’ time. Thanks for your kind comment and for stopping by!
Hi Henry. I started following your blog a few weeks ago, and I’m thoroughly enjoying it. Looks like we both live in the Bay Area. Your photography is excellent, but I also really like your food section. Part of the allure of traveling is eating the cuisine of other places and cultures, and your posts about your culinary adventures abroad make me damn hungry! Cheers, mate!
Hi, Stephen. Thanks for following and for your kind comments. I’ve visited the Bay Area frequently, and I happen to be back in the area for a little while before I move onto other places. Thanks again!
Hi Henry. I’m really enjoying your perspective in photography and living vicariously through your travels! Enjoy what travels brings you
. Thanks for stopping by my blog, too!
Thanks, Nicolette! I’m trying to remind myself I’m doing something few can do or carry out, and to remind myself I’ve got to enjoy all of this as much as I can.
That’s the best way to go about it
. I’m hoping to go to Europe soon again.
A part of this around-the-world trip is “anchored” by my great desire to be back “home” in Germany in time for their Weihnachtsmärkte (Christmas Markets); I really enjoy the markets. With that in mind, I plan to be in Europe for the final three months of this year, with Berlin, Germany as my hoped-for base of operations. I also hope you’ll soon be back in Europe again!
I love all of the topics of your blog!
Hi, Andrea. I’m glad you like the topics! I just stopped by your blog and your October 7 “Retrospect” entry is timed very well, because I’ll be “back” in Europe two weeks’ from now. Thanks again for your comment!
How wonderful! Where shall you be?
Hi, Andrea.
I’ll be spending most of my time in Germany, where I’ve got many friends with whom I’d like to see and catch up. I’ve got them scattered throughout the country : Frankfurt am Main, Köln, Bonn, Bielefeld, Hamburg, Heidelberg, Freiburg (im Breisgau), München, and Berlin. Next month (November), I’ve got “side” trips planned for Edinburgh, Barcelona, and Madrid.
I have absolutely *no* idea how this is all gonna get squeezed to a period of just 3 months. But you know what, there’s always the Christmas markets or Weihnachtsmärkte in the German-speaking countries : these markets always put a smile on my face.
That is spectacular! It is a gift, to be so well traveled.
I have faith that you’ll be able to do it!
Oh, the markets so grand! I am so excited to be in Europe.
Henry, have you retired? Or, are you taking a sabbatical? I retired early approximately 6-7 years ago and decided I would do a RTW trip, similar to what you did in 2012. This is something I have wanted to do since I was a child, my heroes being Christopher Columbus, Neil Armstrong and Jacques Cousteau. In short, in my own small way, I am doing an adventurous journey that not many people are afforded an opportunity to do.
However, I’ve only set aside 4 plus months to do it – significantly less than just about every web site recommends. I did a similar back pack trip to S and C America last year for 2 plus months and enjoyed it immensely. I am fine with only setting aside 4 months for my trip, i.e., I intentionally planned it that way. Besides, I can always go back to a place I enjoyed. Your other comment I found interesting, was in regard to being out of that “RTW mode.” I suspect I will do the same thing when I return. I love travel, but I don’t have an overriding need to live somewhere else or be on the go constantly.
I found your blog fascinating and have only scratched the surface here. I am now following you.
I was in a bit of a mid-life crisis and given my former career of science research relying upon declining public funding, all the signs were headed for either a melt-down or for a career change. The latter seemed far less dramatic.
Initially, I thought about taking a couple of months off with a “career break and change” in mind, but I had enough reserves to last a year. Moreover, I had promised some friends in Australia I’d visit them, and I’d never set foot on the African continent before. In all, 2012 was a very very good year. I’d certainly love to do that again, but my reserves need replenishing, too. 
Thank you very much for your comment. Thanks for following my blog, as I’m now following yours, too.
I think it’s great that you listened to your inner voice and did what you did. Most people ignore their intuition . . . Fast forward a few years later, I think most regret not doing what they initially thought was the answer. Don’t get me wrong – I like to think things through and rarely make snap decisions. But I truly believe that there are no coincidences and there are always consequences for all of our actions. I didn’t share this in my last message, but I was a “whistle blower” (not certain you are familiar with that term in Canada) and that was the catalyst for my retirement, i.e., I went against the system (government) and initially paid dearly for it (lost 3 appeals before winning) – then when they asked on what date I would be back at work, I told them in a somewhat polite way, to stick it up their ass.
Anywho, I retired early with a very generous pension, coupled with a few smart decisions in the stock market and haven’t looked back since.
Great story Henry. Regarding your blog, I like how you provide the locations for your shots so others can follow and recreate similar shot for themselves. I have recently started to provide the geocoordinates for my locations, but I like how you include a Google map. I may have to adopt this idea for my blog. Until then, I look forward to seeing more from your travels.
Hi and thanks for dropping by, Mark! I picked up the idea of adding a Google Map to my posts from another travel-photo blog I’d been following for some time. I think that if I have interested readers who come to my blog to read about a particular place, I want to provide them a little more “value” and information about where I’ve been and where they might wish to go themselves. Thanks again Mark!