Summer | Fotoeins Fotografie

Posts from the ‘Summer’ category

Nassau, The Bahamas, Caribbean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, North America, fotoeins.com

Nassau, Bahamas: sea-to-sky blues at Junkanoo

The sand is snow white and soft to the touch. The skies are deep blue, and soothing on the eyes. The water is welcoming: its colours shimmer between aquamarine and turquoise, the waves lapping gently against the smooth shoreline.

That’s just my imagination – it’s all in my mind, right?

It should be so easy on the senses, but it seems too much to believe in the convergence at the same time. It seems unreal, best left to dreams from within the confines of a landlocked town.

But I slowly wake, and I open my eyes.

Disorientation gives way slowly to observation.

I feel the warm breeze against my skin, the soft sand between my toes. I breathe deeply to smell the salt in the sea air. I hear small ocean waves roll and dissipate on the beach. I can’t get enough of blues and greens.

I’m committing this to memory.

It’s time. Please hand over that rum for a sip, time for another snooze in this hammock. Perhaps there’ll be time for a short dip in the sea, before I go looking for some conch salad …

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Staroměstské náměstí, Old Town Square, Praha, Prague, Czech Republic, fotoeins.com

My Prague: 5 Spots for Night Photos

(last edited: 19 Jul 2019.)

Prague is very attractive by day, but the Czech capital city is also beautiful at night.

By day, visitors are out and about, moving from one attraction to another. At night, sounds from pub crawls and pre-wedding parties seem to fill the air.

A closer look reveals a romantic side to the city with silent streets and half-empty plazas. A yellow glow settles like a warm and welcoming halo, softening the sharp lines of centuries-old architecture, and smoothing over cobbled stones embedded in old neighbourhood streets.

It’s easy to forget a significant part of central Prague is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but the following five locations to view the city at night provide great reminders. Don’t ignore the illuminated city after dark, which is still very safe, and don’t forget to bring your camera when journeying out at night.

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Hamlet castle, Kronborg Slot: Helsingør, Denmark

Visiting Denmark in the summertime means there are many hours of daylight, providing more opportunities to explore. A daytrip train from Copenhagen north to Helsingør takes you through the Danish lowlands next to the sea, but the goal here is a visit to Kronborg Slot (Kronborg Castle).

Does the place, Helsingør, sound familiar?

How about the Anglicized version of the name – Elsinore?

Elsinore is the setting for one of William Shakespeare’s most famous plays, “Hamlet”.

Since its designation in 2000, Kronborg Slot (Kronborg Castle) in Helsingør, Denmark is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is commonly known as “Hamlet’s castle.”

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North to Strömkajen (harbour quays), Stockholmsström, Stockholm harbour, Stockholm, Sweden, fotoeins.com

My Stockholm: daytrip to Vaxholm in the archipelago

Above/featured: Stockholmsström (Stockholm harbour).

One of the great attractions in Stockholm is its archipelago (Stockholms skärgård), a network of over 20-thousand islands in the Baltic Sea. An easy get-away from the city, Vaxholm is a favorite for many, accessible by bus, by car, or by ferry.

It is with the latter, the Waxholmsbolaget ferry service, that I set off on a day trip. I boarded the boat at Stockholm Strömkajen for the hour-long ferry to Vaxholm. The return boat journey puts me back at Stockholm Strömkajen.

The Official Roslagen site describes Vaxholm as:

Vaxholm, called the archipelago’s “capital”, is the gateway to Roslagen from Stockholm. The town is a hub for boats travelling to the central and northern archipelago – Roslagen’s archipelago. Vaxholm’s municipality includes about 70 islands.

Vaxholm has lots of trees, beautiful homes and cottages, all within easy reach of the water. Because of its proximity to Stockholm, Vaxholm can also be expensive. But if you’re looking for something different in the Stockholm area, Vaxholm is an ideal daytrip for some peace and quiet by the water’s edge.

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Joy Hing Roasted Meat, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, fotoeins.com

Hong Kong: I can eat in Cantonese

June 2012.

Yes, it’s true.

After sitting dormant in my head for years, my Cantonese has come out to play, and has been put to good use.

I can say a few words and phrases to make myself understood, but I’m not proficient enough to carry a long conversation. But I know enough to cuss if I need to, like everyone else.

It’s now halfway into my stay in Hong Kong, and I’m finding my comprehension of verbal Cantonese is steadily improving by the day. I can listen to Cantonese in conversation and I can get the gist of what’s being said. My reading and writing comprehension, however, need life support.

The important part is where my handling of Cantonese becomes particularly handy: the search for and the precise naming of food.

Here are three places in Hong Kong where I’ve adequately communicated my desire for food that “feels-like-home”:

Mak’s Noodle (Central), for the wonton noodle soup
Nathan Congee and Noodle (Kowloon), for congee
Joy Hing Roasted Meat (Wan Chai), for the barbecue duck and pork

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