On the Reykjanes Peninsula, I found rain, waves, and this pair of shoes. The Peninsula is in South West Iceland and is characterized by immense lava fields, volcanoes, and heightened geothermal activity. It runs along the Mid-Atlantic Rift, where the Eurasian and the North American tectonic plates are drifting apart making the whole peninsula extremely volcanically active. That said, no eruptions have been recorded here for the last 500 years, but that is simply a period of dormancy; they could start again at any time. Here you can also find Svartsengi - home to a geothermal power station that produces 76.5 MW of electricity from the 475 litres of 90° C water that gushes from the earth per second. The mineral-rich surplus water fills up the famous Blue Lagoon spa.
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Talking about geothermal energy, Iceland is a pioneer in its use for space heating. During the course of the 20th century, Iceland went from dependency upon peat and imported coal for its energy, to a country with a high standard of living where practically all stationary energy is derived from renewable resources. In 2014, roughly 85% of primary energy use in Iceland came from indigenous renewable resources. Geothermal sources account for 66% of Iceland's primary energy use.
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#yourshotphotographer
#travelphotography
#iceland #icelandnature #travelgram #reykjanespeninsula #reykjanes #shotonsonyalpha #shotonsony #sonyalpha #sonyalpha7 #shoes
Skógafoss is one of the biggest waterfalls in Iceland, and standing near it definitely puts our finite existence vs the perseverance of nature in perspective, especially when human activity puts the latter in danger.
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#skogafoss #skogafosswaterfall #icelandtrip #icelandwaterfall #icelandphotography #icelandnature #yourshotphotographer #travelphotography #travelgram #photooftheday #shotonsonyalpha #shotonsony #sonyalpha #sonyalpha7
Guides take the time to carve safe paths for groups hiking on Sólheimajökull glacier. As a result of rising temperatures, guides have to map new exploration paths daily due to crevasses appearing and expanding constantly. This glacier is receding so rapidly that it might be gone in a few decades. A testament to its rapid disappearance is the glacier lagoon at its base which wasn't there a decade ago.
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@arcticadventures
#icelandtravel
#solheimajokull #icelandtrip #icelandglacier #yourshotphotographer #shotonsonyalpha #shotonsony #sonyalpha #sonyalpha7 #icelandnature #icelandphotography
Cyanotype photography is a camera-less technique that involves laying an object on paper coated with a solution of iron salts before exposing it to UV light and washing with water to create stunning white and Prussian blue images. If you're in #sofiabulgaria , you can make your own at @sito.studio .
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#photography #cyanotype #cyanotypeprint #cyanotypeprocess
San Francisco 🇺🇸 was three weeks of exploring nature, art, food, science, and technology all at once. I gotta say that from the cities I have visited in the US, San Francisco was definitely one of the most enjoyable (except for the heavy winds). I love the international vibe, low-rising architecture found almost everywhere, the food scene, the breadth of things to do, and most of all - the nature.
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I was lucky enough to hike in the red woods, and I wish I had more time to spend in California's national parks and outdoors. Land's End right in San Francisco was stunning to visit, and in the middle of the city, you have a beautiful botanical garden showcasing you flora from all over the world.
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Right next to the botanical garden, you can find the Academy of Sciences housing penguins, an aquarium, a tropical forest, and a planetarium.
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Just across, find the De Young museum, where I was lucky enough to capture an exhibition feauting San- Francisco-born Ansel Adams and the artists influenced by his photography to capture nature through a sustainable lens.
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Check out Clement Street for an overwhelming variety of food options from all over the world. Do a comedy show downtown, then a concert, and instead of an Uber, catch a self-driving car home. It's an experience, even though a slightly creepy one.
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Don't miss to visit the beach, maybe for a sunset party, and talking about activities new water, if you can handle a crowd of tourists, then you can visit the piers to see some adorable seals enjoying a nap in the sun.
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Of course you can do the main touristy stuff like the Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, Ghirardelli Square, Lombard Street, the Painted Ladies, and so on, but if I were you, I'd spend a day on these of you're really keen on them, and enjoy everything else SF has to offer.
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#sanfrancisco #sanfranciscoworld #sanfranciscoworld #sanfranciscolife #usa #travelphotography #travelgram #shotongopro #goprohero10 #gopro
Alberobello, Italy 🇮🇹 is a small Italian town like any other at a first glance. The streets are narrow and hilly, houses are white, the weather is pleasant and life is slow. Until you get to the Trulli houses.
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Alberobello has been a Unesco World Heritage site since 1996 thanks to the unique architectural and historical value of trulli housWhen in the 14th century the previously uninhibited area became under the control of the Count of Conversano, he and his successors decided not to construct permanent dwellings here for their peasants, as far as the taxes for the lands with no permanent settlements were lower, than those with officially recognized towns. In order to pay small taxes Alberobello was supposed to be classified as an uninhabited area. For this reason trulli in Alberobello were being constructed in a specific way.
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Trulli were being constructed from roughly worked limestone, because this material could be easily dismantled and later reused for reconstruction of the dwellings. Because of the jiggery-pokery of their landlord the inhabitants of Alberobello have already been living in trulli for several centuries.
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Up to the mid 17th century, there were only several dozen trulli in the area, but during the following century the population of the town rapidly increased.
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By the end of the 18th century, the town had a population of 3,500 inhabitants. In 1797, Alberobello was finally granted a status of a town, but up to that date its population was living in trulli, which could be easily and quickly disassembled if it was necessary.
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Today, AlberobelIo is one of the best preserved historical urban areas of this type in Europe. The historical value of the town increases because the Alberobello trulli are still serving as houses for the local population.
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#alberobello #alberobellotrulli #italy #italia #goprohero10 #shotongopro #trulli #travelphotography #travelgram
Polignano a Mare & Monopoli, Italy 🇮🇹 were a perfect day trip from Bari. They're just a short train ride away, and they're all vibes. Beautiful white buildings, peppered with quotes in Italian, cacti and other greenery, and stunning, stunning! sea views. We indulged in taking in the views and the excellent sea food, cocktail in hand, but I gotta say, if I have one regret, it is not having more time to do some kayak adventures and sea cave exploration. If you go there, add it to your itinerary; it seemed like an awesome way to spend the day. There is also a restaurant in a cave, Grotta Palazzese, which was high on our to-do list. That said, we were underprepared and didn't have a reservation, so learn from our experience and book a spot in advance for some great dinner ambiance. All in all, visit these two towns for a beautiful, serene day or days that will energize you and bring a smile to your heart.
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#polignanoamare #monopoli #italy #travelphotography #travelgram #gopro #goprohero10 #shotongopro
Bari, Italy 🇮🇹 is a charming little town that is perfect for a short getaway if you're looking to live the dolce vita for a few days and indulge in pasta, pizza, sea food, espresso, and gelato. People are absolutely lovely there, very warm and welcoming. The typical pasta dishes might be different from what you're used to, both in terms of shape and ingredients, but still absolutely delicious. The proximity to places like Monopoly and Alberobello also make it a good long-weekend destination packed with variety. Being close to the water, be ready for some wind if you're visiting in the spring, but the view and vibe compensate generously.
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#Bari #bariitaly #italy #travel #travelgram #travelphotography #shotongopro #goprohero10
Portuguese Coastal Way to Santiago Leg 13: Padron to Santiago de Compostela (25+ km). This was the last long day of a long but life-changing journey, which I completed one year ago today. I walked this leg solo; I wanted the time to reflect. I loved the peace of the day, but it was also hard, my body was hurting quite a bit, and I remember seeing Santiago de Compostela from the distance, I had around 5km left, and I remember the mix of emotions I felt. I was excited, victorious, but also sad and a lil desperate because of the pain in my body and the 5km left that seemed like 50 at the time. I started going so fast I almost ran, and soon enough, I found myself in that busy, famous square, sitting on the ground, feeling grateful. I got my Compostela, and then saw some of the friends I made on the Way, and it was so lovely to see them. The energy of meeting after reaching our final destination was electric, and with the lovely memory of my Camino friends is how I will close this series of notes from the Way.
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#santiago #santiagodecompostela #camino #portugesecoastalcamino #gopro #goprohero10 #shotongopro
Portuguese Coastal Way to Santiago Leg 12: Caldas de Reis to Padron (18+ km). Ohhh, another great, great day on The Way. It all started with a breakfast with my Danish friend. We were a bit hungover from the previous night of adventure at the famous local tavern (in all fairness, not something I planned to do on the Camino, but you can't deny fun either when it's served on a platter). The memory of the fun night with new friends was spoiled to a degree when my new British friends texted me to say that British Neil (refer to previous reel) had gotten food poisoning from the grilled squid served at, as you can guess, the same adventurous tavern. He didn't sleep and was probably going to miss this leg. I felt bad as I had shared about this tavern, but then again, the guidebook didn't explain it was adventurous in a dangerous way. I offered any help I could provide them, and then headed for Padron, as it was a hot day, and I wanted to beat the heat. On my first break, I met no other than British Neil's dad, who decided to still do the leg on his own. We had so much fun the previous day that we decided to walk together, and I didn't even feel the kilometers, to be honest. By the end of it, he was basically my Camino husband, and I hope to do something badass like him when I turn 70. My friend's hotel was a lil out of Padron, so I had to say my final goodbye to him and continue into Padron missing him a bit. Padron is where the boat bearing the body of Saint James first moored, and the stone it was tied to, O Pedrón, gave its name. You can see the stone there. AND you can also try the famous pimentos de Padrón. Not gonna lie, had them a bunch on The Way, but here they rocked. After a lovely dinner with my Danish friend, I rested to get ready for the 13, final leg to Santiago de Compostela. 26 km left...
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#portuguesecoastalway #camino #caminodesantiago #padron #padronspain #Spain #gopro #goprohero10 #goprophotography #femalesolotraveler #solotravel #shotongopro
Portuguese Coastal Way to Santiago Leg 11: Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis (21+ km). One of top 3 days! There were so many fun surprises along the way. My morning in Pontevedra was peaceful, and I got to enjoy its beauty. Then the route itself had a lot of water or greenery to offer, and that always makes me a happy pilgrim. There were so many people as a result of the Coastal and Traditional Portuguese Ways merging. That being said, it worked out great. I took a break for lunch and met my Danish friend; it was so nice to see her and it turned out we were staying in the same place later. After that, I met two of my favorite people on The Way. I was walking among a bunch of other pilgrims, and all of a sudden I heard a "How are you?" with a very distinct British accent. The British Neil Patrick Harris, as I called him, was quite interesting to chat with, and then he was joined by his father, who was celebrating his 70th birthday by walking the Camino with his son, a.k.a British Neil. I finished the leg with them; they were such a joy to be around and so much fun. I invited them for dinner too at what my guidebook said was an adventurous restaurant not to be missed in Caldas de Reis. Before diving into that, I gotta say, Caldas de Reis was a wonderful stop. It has mineral and thermal springs. I definitely had a dip, AND a massage, as I had decided that in line with the town, I'd make the day a mini spa day for my exhausted Pilgrim legs that still had over 40km or so left. So, after an amazing spa afternoon, I went to the adventurous taverna with my old and new friends, and it was an experience! Your food might never come, and when it does, you definitely will get something different than expected, and if you ask for a digestiv typical for Galicia, here they serve it from huge plastic bottles and a shot is basically a large drink, so you will get tipsy. Thankfully, I was with wonderful people, who, like me, like to turn slight inconveniences into a laughing matter, and we laughed all night. I will always remember this day!
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. #portugesecoastalcamino #camino #shotongopro #goprohero10 #gopro #solofemaletraveler #solotravel #spain #caldasdereis
Portuguese Coastal Way to Santiago Leg 10: Arcade - Pontevedra (13+ km). This was a short walk, albeit I managed to make it longer by passing by the Arcade beach in the morning, totally worth it btw. It was a BEAUTIFUL walk though. In its brevity it packed a lot of forest, rivers, and bird song. I was particularly grateful for the peacefulness of it, as the next few legs were full of people, though I met some lovely pilgrims, but more in that to come later. This walk I'll remember mostly for the charming back piper I met in the forest. I started hearing music in the middle of nowhere, with no people around. I honestly wondered if I'm imagining it, but as I got closer, I saw him playing and selling Camino shells. It was somehow so wholesome that I got a shell to remember the moment and the journey. I was appreciative of how he graciously complimented my limited Spanish, that I knew was terrible. Pontevedra in itself is charming; if historical centers are your kind of thing, you'd like it. Before getting in the town though, I spent a long time just meditating on thoughts in the forest, and that became a cherished memory of the day.
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#camino #caminodesantiago #portugesecoastalcamino #pontevedra #spain #goprohero10 #gopro #shotongopro #solotravel
