Letters & Words : Weekly Photo Challenge

I had fun searching and looking through all my photo files to come up with examples of letters. Spending nearly the last 4 years in China and having the opportunity to travel and visit many places in Asia I had to narrow it down to these.

 

So stop what you are doing and sit back and enjoy the collection of letters, words and symbols.

 

This first photo is a stop sign, which I am sure you guessed. The word is TING and means STOP in Mandarin Chinese.

 

The one on the right is also a stop sign that we spied in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

These letters are very different from what we are used to, but we get the meaning. Who knew the sign colour and shape would be so universal?

 

Welcoming in the New Year 2014.

 

 

Pub Street is a main tourist street in Siem Reap that is loaded not only with bars, but many western style restaurants. The neon sign lights up the night as we wandered along. A New Year’s Eve banner also stretched across the street to advertise their Angkor Beer and welcome in the New Year.

 

 

 

 

 

From Siem Reap, Cambodia. A small shop that made its own wine. The 3 types of letters spell out Wine Shop in the local language, English and I believe Chinese.

 

This funny fellow drove around on his electric scooter spewing bubbles. Meanwhile heart-shaped balloons spun along wildly in the breeze. We saw him a few times and one night as luck would have it he had stopped to refill his bubble machine, so I was able to snap a pic. I wish I knew what he was saying on his signs. Any ideas?

 

Neon signs in Chinese from Hong Kong.

 

More signs this time down a small side street in HoChiMin City, Vietnam.

 

Silly mistakes

In China they call in Chinglish, where things are misspelled or lost in translation. There are entire books on silly things like this. I pointed out the 2 mistakes I found -Hepsi Cola and Freda Orange Juice. Take a look as some of the other interesting options on this menu.

Philippines

 

The last photo is simple and understated after some of the other interesting combinations of letters. This was a boat that took tourists from the resorts around Mindoro Island in the Philippines to another beach that has soft powdery sand. Enjoy the view.

This is my response to Word Press’ Theme for their weekly photo challenge Letters. Check out more here.

Stay tuned…

Time Temptation

With a view like this doesn’t it tempt you to jump on the next plane and say forget work… ? The beach is a place where time stands still. I don’t need a watch or worry about where to be. I can just soak up the sun, swim  in the sea and revel and relax.

I wish I could go back in time and enjoy the sunny carefree days when we were in the Philippines just a month ago. As we enter our busy season at work I long for more time…

This is my response to Where’s My Backback theme Temptation and Baset’s Pixleventures Time. Click on their links to see more.

Stay tuned…

Proud Treasures: Photo Challenges

This week word press has asked us to show a treasure; something special and dear to our heart. Maybe it is a simple item and others would  think of it as meaningless, but to yourself it is priceless. Bastet has asked us to show photos we like and are especially proud of the way they turned out. To me my photos are treasures that showcase my world travels and bring back memories of places, people and events. Each is special and unique. To have had the opportunity to travel, especially so much in the last 4 years, that has been a wonderful gift. To be able to see places most  people have only heard about, seen in books, or on TV is amazing. I will treasure my photos long after we leave. These below are some I am most proud of and one day they may grace the walls of our home.

I have loved taking photos for a long time and I am trying hard to learn more. Someone once told me look for the shot no one else will have. Although I find a good photo sometimes is a lucky shot, a fleeting moment you happen to capture, a chance encounter that you might be in the right place at the right time, or when all elements just come together. Other times it takes  a careful eye and planning. The following are the shots I am most proud of. Enjoy my treasures….

Intricate carvings – Angkor Wat. The lighting was perfect for this capture of the bas reliefs along the temple walls.

I love this photo. It caught my breath and I almost couldn’t believe it was I who took it. Cambodia was an amazing place and this photo was my favourite from Angkor Wat. Everything came together perfectly.

Speaking of lighting be just right…..

Rome, Italy – Sun or Heavenly Rays in St. Peter’s Basilica?

I saw the sun rays and hoped it turned out. It was much later I realised how this looked and I was really happy with the result.

This next one reminded me of an eerie old B&W film. The sepia tones in the hazy, humid sky after an earlier downpour played with the lights. Everyone takes the horizontal shot of the parliament buildings, so I looked for an alternate angle. I was happy how it was different and the atmosphere and feeling it has.

The Peace Tower at Night

I liked the shadows of the palms to frame the view we had on the beach while we were in the Philippines. More than just another shot of the beautiful blue water.

What a view!

I also took this shot in the Philippines. I kept moving around to get the right angle, light and detail I wanted. I am really happy with the result. I like how the palm is in the background to give it an extra dimension. It is my new favourite. What do you think?

What do you treasure? What photo are you most happy with? Check out the links above to see more posts, or find out how post your own.  No photos? Then tell us about it in the comment section below.

Like this blog? Want to help me move onto round two of the Canadian Blog Awards? Then please click on the Canadian Blog Awards 2013 picture/button on the right sidebar to take you to the webpage if you would like to vote. Round one closes Feb. 21. I am Canadian Travel Bugs in the Travel and Expat category. CAREFUL you only get 1 vote! Not sure what it is all about? Then read my post that explains in more detail here.

Thanks in advance. 🙂

Stay tuned…

Return to Coco Beach

February 2011 Chinese New Year holiday we went on our first Asian adventure. I had just been teaching a few months in Shanghai and we wanted to escape the noise and cold damp for the 10 day holiday. Booking late we found high prices and limited availability. We searched and found a very cool little resort that was different from your typical hotel room. We were delighted by its rustic charm and felt like we had landed on Gilligan’s Island. Most people we met there were on their second and third visit to this little gem. We vowed to return and this Chinese New Year holiday we did.

This year we booked early, but prices were high due to poor air quality that gripped Shanghai. We booked 5 nights since that was the cheapest option. Flights nearly doubled for extending our stay a day or two in either direction. It would be a short trip, but nice to get away to the most relaxing place we had ever been. The place is called Coco Beach and it is located in Puerto Galera on Mindoro Island in the Philippines.

Welcome to Coco Beach – View on approach by boat

The resort has been around since the 1970’s and it resembles a type of Philippine traditional home. They are simple huts made with bamboo and palm leaves. The rooms have no TV, internet or air conditioning. A simple sliding window and canvas curtain open to reveal the best views, better than any HD TV. Rooms are equipt with bathrooms with cool running water, which is fine due to the heat and humidity. You look forward to the cool water. Rooms are set along a hillside to take advantage of the view. This time our hut was set back further from the ocean, so our view of the sea was partially obscured by the towering palms. This also blocked out the soothing sounds of the sea to lull us to sleep each night and the palms blocked out the cooler sea breezes. Nights were hot, but a fan kept us comfortable. Weather forecasts called for rain or cloudy days, but we lucked out with sun, warmth and blue skies everyday. The day we were leaving a quick rain shower passed through, but it was short-lived.

View from our balcony

Our room

Huts nestled into the Hillside

To get there was quite the adventure. We had a late morning flight and got up early to head to the airport. We were met with a thick dense fog. I figured we would be slightly delayed, which was an understatement! Once in the airport we learned from other people in line the flight may be delayed until 3:30 that afternoon. It was now 9AM. It took over 2 hours to get to the counter where the delay was confirmed. The long wait was attributed to attendants trying to re-book the numerous connecting flights. Most people connect through Manila to the more popular Boracay and Cebu beaches. Once we got to the gate more rumours started to be passed around that the flight was further delayed or even cancelled. The flight was now scheduled for 8:20 PM. Since we had gone through security we were stuck waiting. The fog/smog mix remained heavy and didn’t lift. Finally late afternoon the first flights could leave. The visibility had only slightly improved. Our flight would take off, hopefully, once our plane arrived since it was still in Manila. About 4:45 it was confirmed the flight was in the air, but it was still uncertain we could leave since fog was rolling back in. Being close to the sea and 2 rivers certainly has its disadvantages.

The beach – coral reef almost touches the shore

Finally about 10:45 PM, 5 minutes shy of our morning departure time, nearly 12 hours before we were able to leave the gate. Tired and wary we arrived in Manila about 2:oo AM. The next morning came fast since we had a 6:30 AM shuttle to take us to Batangas where we would board a boat to Coco Beach. It was all worth it once we stepped off our boat and quickly porters grabbed our luggage and brought it to the main building where the staff awaited us playing guitars and singing Welcome to Coco Beach. As before each guest was presented with a shell necklace and handed a drink and shown a place to sit and relax. When we were ready the kind staff gave us our keys and gift box filled with homemade soaps, creams and shampoos made on site. 3 days here would go by quickly, so we had to make the most of every minute to soak up the sun, kind smiling faces and relaxing atmosphere. Aaahhhhh we’re back…..

steps leading up the hillside to the huts

What crazy travel delays have you encountered?

Stay tuned… and be sure to check out my previous post from today… RED #2 -Tourist in Your Own Town.

Earth, Sea & Distance: Photo Challenges

I have decided to combine the weekly photo challenges into one this week. Pixelventures has asked us to post on EARTH, while Where’s My Backpack is on a long distance trip, so she has set the theme (off in the) DISTANCE and Word Press asked about the SEA. Word Press suggested we talk about the first time we were at the sea or other feelings surrounding water. I love relaxing by the ocean and hearing the gentle waves lap at the shores. It has been just over a year since we were in Cuba for a two week glorious holiday by the sea. Last year our many return trips to Canada only left 2 short mini holidays and none of them took us to the sea. 😦 Check out the links above to participate and find out more about the themes and their meaning. See below for how I interpreted and combined the three themes into one 😉 .

Here is where the earth meets the sea… and the only thing off in the distance are the clouds.

View from my Beach Chair in Cuba

A view of the sea in the distance through the trees in the Philippines. At this resort the earth is celebrated with gardens and natural building materials. No phone, or TV to distract you. Only the sounds of nature to lull you to sleep each night in your open air hut.

Nature’s rhythm – wind, waves and wonderful

High above the earth we caught sight of the sea and some small islands in the distance.

A new day as the sun  in the distance rises over the earth and sparkles across the sea in Vietnam.

Sunrise Sparkles on the Surf

These photos may look familiar since they all come from previous posts, but I thought they were worth sharing again 😉

Stay tuned…

Peaceful #2: Travel Theme

I posted already on peaceful this week, but I had 2 very different examples, so I thought it best I post these separate. Check out my other post here if you haven’t already.

I find the beach the most relaxing and peaceful. The beach holds many great memories as we have played in the waves, built sand castles, swam with dolphins and felt the warm sun relax and sooth our souls. I have been lucky enough to travel to many beaches all over the world. One of the most relaxing destinations that for me made me feel the most at peace wasn’t a fantastic powdery soft sand beach, but a resort nestled in the hills and amongst the palm trees. We stayed in a small hut with bamboo floors and rice paper windows. The one wall was only a thick canvas curtain that provided us with an incredible view high up on the hill. There was no need to leave our room since the view was so spectacular. We spent time on our balcony, or on the open window bench just soaking it all in, reading and enjoying the view. I slept so soundly as the wind rustled in the leaves and the waves crashed gently on the shore below. No TV, phones and hard to access internet gave us a true break from all the city noise and commotion in Shanghai. This was truly peaceful…

A room with a view

 

View from the balcony

Check out Where’s My Backpack to see what others hav posted on PEACEFUL, or add your own.

Stay Tuned… one more post this weekend (that is 4 total!)

Travel Theme: Beaches

I have been lucky enough to have travelled and seen many beaches around the world. From the Eastern Coast of Canada to the French Rivera and the warm waters of the Caribbean, Mexico and Florida. More recently I have had the chance to set foot on beaches in Asia. Each one has a unique beauty, but one thing is the same… the soothing sounds of the sea seems to rejuvenate and relax the soul.

Enjoy my collection of beautiful beaches. Here is a slide show of my 4 most recent pics.

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Ailsa at Where’s My Backpack has set this week’s theme Beaches. Click here to see more example or post your own because ‘everyone loves a day at the beach’.

Stay tuned… more next week.