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We went to the Maple Syrup Festival in Pickens WV. To get to Pickens, you pass through the beautiful hamlet of Helvetia. This picturesque village was settled by Swiss and German immigrants in 1869 because they say it reminded them of their homeland. The isolation of this mountain village kept their traditions, culture and language fresh and passed down to future generations. We look forward to the music festival in June that honors one of their members who unfortunately passed in 2012.
On the journey from Bratislava to Vienna, a view of the ruins of Devin Castle, Slovakia, from the Danube.
One of the last Soviet projects and last examples of Soviet modernist architecture completed in Armenia. In 1988, even as the finishing touches were put on the building, protests in Yerevan against Soviet control accelerated and the USSR's disintegration began. Then, in December, an earthquake rocked the country, damaging the building. Between the crisis of the earthquake and the chaos of political situation, the building was never repaired.
It is still an official bus station, and we arrived there knowing nothing about it and looking to take a mashrutka (minibus) to Dilijan. There were a handful of cabs and a few minibuses outside, but when we entered the only person in the huge building was one woman selling tickets for the mashrutkas (about $4 for a two hour trip). We looked around for a while and found an improvised toilet in the rural Chinese style that was very out of place in such a modern building. Somewhat mysteriously, there were also two fairly new SUVs covered in dust and with flat tires (far right of image) on the second floor. Just as we were heading to our bus, a camera crew showed up--I believe they were getting ready to shoot a music video at the location.
Northern Bus Station, Yerevan, Armenia.
A Summer evening at the Lange Estate in West Milton, Ohio. One of my favorite places to walk and relax.
Maratus griseus showing those emerald eyes. 💚
I managed a reasonable single shot hand held without ground support today and it wasn't easy using a reversed lens and focusing manually. 😌
Mount Coot-tha Botanic Gardens, Brisbane QLD Australia.
Brillantfeuerwerk Seefest Bad Wiessee, von Tegernsee aufgenommen
Google Pixel 8 Pro
4k Video
ohne Stativ
I love rivers, boats, ships, the sea, and travel by water, but I've never been interested in "cruises." I know some people love them, but my impression--though I've never been on one--is that they are over-crowded petri-dishes of communicable viruses and a fairly superficial way to travel. Many places we have visited that are also visited by cruise ships experience a significant deterioration of quality. The ships disgorge hundreds or thousands of visitors for just a few hours in a city, and an economy built around one time, three-hour visits is not one that is very compatible with authentic local life, or one which encourages quality dining or entertainment through the prospect of repeat business.
That said, the very popular Danube River cruises at least appear to me the most appealing in a set of unappealing options. They are oriented towards adults (from what I have seen, actually, seniors) with a genuine interest in history and culture. On arrival, the cruise ships moor up near the Old Town and guides lead disembarking crowds on walking tours of the city. Passengers can have a few hours to explore, eat, and buy souvenirs, but many return to the ship for dinner, and everyone returns to the ship to sleep, before departing in the morning. There is, of course, a resulting huge surge of tourist crowds in the middle of the day, but Bratislava, at least, is fairly chill in the mornings and evenings, before and after the cruise ship rush. Cruise ships moored near Bratislava Old Town, with Castle Hill behind, Bratislava, Slovakia.