Emm in London: Cinque Terre

Tuesday, July 01, 2014

Postcards from the World: My Favourite Travel Photos

Brace yourself! Tonight is a bumper photo post and as always, it comes with a bit of a story. Very often when I go on a trip, I’ll save one of my photos and add it to my photo folder at work. My PC at work is set up to rotate a selection of photos as my screen saver and it is always a matter of some pride when a colleague will say that they love the photos on my screen saver and I can reply that they are all mine. Of course, they always express surprise that I have any creativity whatsoever because accountants aren’t exactly known for being arty!

For the longest time, I’ve wanted to share these photos with you and so it was pretty fortuitous when I received notice of this month’s travel link up: your favourite travel photo(s).

And so here you go… all fifteen photos that are absolutely my favourite travel photos. I’ve left links all over the post if you’d like to visit the original posts on the blog.

Turkey – The Celsus Library at Ephesus

Turkey was the first place I visited when I began this blog in 2008 and this photo was taken of the celsus library at Ephesus.

Italy - Alone in Riomaggiore

I’d wanted to visit Italy since I was 20 and finally got to visit last year – twice! This photo was taken in Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre.

London – Chinese New Year

This was my favourite of the photos I took during this year’s Chinese New Year celebrations in London.

Italy - Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan

The ceiling of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. This is where you can visit the Last Supper.

Serbia – The Name of Mary Church, Novi Sad

Given my love of Serbia, it should be no surprise that I would feature a photo from there. This was taken during my most recent visit to Novi Sad.

Italy – Duomo di Milano

The good news is that next week I’m finally taking you inside the Duomo in Milan. It is as opulent inside as it is on the outside. I loved this photo because of the inclusion of both the lion statue and the Duomo.

Bosnia – Jablanica

I’d heard about the beautiful turquoise lakes and rivers in Bosnia but nothing quite prepares you for a sight like this. I’m sure I’ve said this before but I would move to this country in a heartbeat. I think I left my heart somewhere here on the road between Mostar and Sarajevo.

Italy - Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Milan

People often say that they don’t like Milan but I don’t really understand that. I really enjoyed my time there and spent many long afternoons simply walking around or drinking coffee in sidewalk cafes. This was taken in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II which is one of the most beautiful structures I have ever seen.

London – The Eye

I can confirm that you can never take too many photos of the London Eye. It is simply not possible. This photo was part of a post I wrote about London at dusk.

Italy – Gondolas in Venice

Somehow I’ve always liked this photo of the gondolas in Venice. I like the composition and the contrast of the blue material in the gondolas against the blue sky. I still have so much to tell you about Italy!

France – The Abbey of Mont St Michel

Taken during our most recent visit to Mont St Michel in France. I just loved the detail here of the old Gothic abbey and the blue sky.

Bosnia – Stari Most, Mostar

The most beautiful bridge in the world. This photo was taken from Koski Mehmet Pasha Mosque where they promise you the best views of the bridge in all of Mostar. The view from our hotel Villa Anri was pretty special too.

Italy - Museo D'arte Antica, Milan

I love this photo because it was hard to decide which was more impressive in the Museo D'arte Antica in Milan – the exhibits or the frescoes.

London – St Paul’s Cathedral

I love this photo simply because it was taken on the first day of spring this year. London is beautiful when the sun shines!

Bosnia – Stari Most at Dusk

And finally, my favourite photo of all time. I took this on my first night in Bosnia on the eve of my 40th birthday. There was nowhere else on earth I wanted to be more than there in Mostar. I’ve printed two enlargements of this photo – one is hanging in our bedroom and the other is in my brother’s lounge.

Do you have a favourite travel photo? Feel welcome to link to it in the comments below!

A Rainy Afternoon in Vernazza

On our first afternoon in Cinque Terre, we ran into a pair of local men just outside the train station in Riomaggiore. While we were enchanted by our surroundings, they were more interested in the fact that we had come from London. They complained bitterly about the weather, “it never stops raining” said one as we peaked out from under our umbrellas. I have to admit, I had been dreaming of a rather more sunny and warm Italy in April.

The thing is, the tiny little towns of the Cinque Terre look so good in the rain. Somehow, the gloomy skies bring out the colours in the buildings and a moody, dramatic air pervades the narrow streets and walkways. We spent one rainy afternoon in Vernazza during our stay and I absolutely fell in love.

Did you know that Google Reader is closing soon? Let’s keep in touch! Find me on:

Facebook
Google +

Twitter
Stumbleupon
Bloglovin'
Subscribe to Emm in London by email

If you liked this post, I’d love it if you shared it using one of the social media buttons below!

A Moment in Riomaggiore

I'm not sure yet how comfortable I am with doing nothing. My mind wanders too much as my thoughts turn inwards and I have to constantly bring myself back to the present.

Here in Riomaggiore, I'm perched on an old stone wall overlooking the marina. The boats are stacked up waiting for summer adventure seekers but the sea is still far too choppy to take them out.

The sun is shining and I'm sitting in a light cardigan. It is the warmest and most content I've been in ages. Every now and then the wind picks up and the waves crash against the great rocks of the small cove.

Most of the time the rocks are an effective barrier although the wind carries light droplets of sea water up to me in my high vantage point. At other times, nature laughs in the face of such a feeble man-made obstruction and the sea comes rushing up the jetty, much to the amusement and surprise of the crowds relaxing there.

I look up and notice pale brown and tan tiles on the face of one of the houses. I don't imagine that tiles would be very much use with the winds and rains that beat against these sea-facing homes. Riomaggiore is known for its colourful houses in shades of verde, marrone, rosa and arancione but I wonder if tiles weren't once more prevalent here?

I slowly raise my camera to my eyes and gaze through the viewfinder. Words can't do justice to my experience here and I wonder if photos might. I slowly pan the camera around, landing briefly on the boats in the marina, the couple on the balcony, the narrow stairs leading off into the darkness beside me. It is no use, I cannot capture the allure of this place, the sounds of chattering families or the roar of the sea.

I cannot capture the essence of the tall narrow homes, the way they climb the hills in terraces and the way the bright paint peels away to expose the concrete beneath. They are perfect in their imperfection and yet my camera doesn't see that.

Soon I must move. The shade has fallen over my perch and I'm getting cold. I move into the sun and sit next to a local cat, negotiating his teeth and claws before he allows me to scratch him behind his ears.

The crowd has thinned and suddenly I am alone. I realise that I am comfortable doing nothing after all as I pack away my camera and notebook and stare out to the sea for the longest time.

First Look: Cinque Terre, Italy

Main street Riomaggiore

We spent a glorious long weekend in Cinque Terre over Easter for Jen’s birthday. Well, perhaps ‘glorious’ isn’t the right word. For the most part it was rainy and not all that warm but we had a wonderful time nonetheless. It was really easy to get to Cinque Terre by train from Genoa airport and once there, it was easy to travel up and down the coast by train too.

It is no surprise that I fell in love with La Cinque Terre. I adored the distinctive puzzle piece houses built on terraces up the mountainside. The secret passages and hidden alleyways enchanted me, as did the coastal walks and breathtaking views. And the food? I’m still dreaming about the best seafood, pasta and gelato I have ever tasted.

The Cinque Terre is located in La Spezia province on the north western coast of Italy just below Milan. Translated as ‘The Five Lands’, Cinque Terre is made up of the five coastal towns of Monterosso Al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. We definitely made the right choice – Riomaggiore was the best town and we enjoyed a day in Vernazza too.

This is a first look of my Instagram photos but have no fear, I took my camera along too and have some exciting posts planned!

Just one of Riomaggiore's many secret passages