My Euro Trip in '06

[methd]

I don't post up here much so I thought I'd put up something substantial from my trip last yr - yep, haven't had much time at all to go thru them since i've been back. These were all snap shots with my D70. I've since learnt how to use a camera and started taking much better shots ! I wish I took a whole lot more photos than I did. Always next time, I suppose.

London eye was the first stop. Spent a few days exploring London. Multiple tones of grey and very drab... but somehow still appealing. Must be all the history and old buildings.

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First country in the European trip was France. A beautiful city with amazing history and sites to see. Spent a couple of days there, but no where near enough time to explore it properly (need to return one day). Most of the day was spent at the Louvre (that place is massive and can easily take a number of days to properly tour), then to the Notre Dame Cathedral although we didn't walk up to the top. Next stop was to Napoleon's tomb via the underground (damn that railway is confusing) and we then climbed the Arc de Triomphe to take in the views of France. Immediately connecting the Arc was the famous Avenue des Champs Elysées - Paris' premier shopping street with all the world's most expensive boutiques and brands. We ran down the entire length of this street as we were rushed for time, all the way to the Place De La Concorde and rendezvoused in front of the Obélisque de Luxor where the coach was waiting for us. Paris is just too big with too many monuments and landmarks to tour in such a short period of time.



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Explored the wine regions of South France with landscaped sweeping hills and typical French cottages.

A picture of a friend posing for the camera:
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And from the top of a hill in Beaujolais wine growing region.

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Lots of statues everywhere... this one was sitting lonesone on top of the hill in the middle of nowhere.
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Skipped over to Nice, the scenic ocean city of South France where the rich come to holiday. Beautiful city with mountainous snow-capped backdrop. Their beaches are made of pebbles ! - a far cry from the soft sand that we get here in Australia.

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One of the many winding, narrow streets typical of France. Buildings are crooked, colour is bright and earthy, and everything is paved and clean.

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Spaces similar to Barcelona but with a different Neo/gothic-ish architecture, colour and feel.

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Move on across to Monaco where they host the F1 every year. Amazing city and marina. This is a view from the Royal Palace on top of the hill (no tripod, and pics don't do it justice).

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A small part of the Royal Palace...

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We visited the Grand Casino, where James Bond films (and many others) have been filmed, and then explored the tight streets of Monaco with numerous tunnels dug into the mountain side.

Hopped across to Italy and all the landmarks a tourist writes in his/her to do list.

The leaning tower of Pisa...

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A typical venice waterway - a newer part of Venice with a lot of construction taking place amidst fear of rising water levels.

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After going through Rome, Vatican, Florence etc, headed up to Vienna, Austria.

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Vienna is known for its parks in the city, which ppl enjoy since Austria is a landlocked country.
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Plenty of castles and scenery though...
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Mountain bike riding in the Austrian Alps
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Town of Mondsee, better known to some where the "Sound of Music" movie was filmed.

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Some para gliding in Austria still....

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I needed to show i was there :)
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And now across to Switzerland for equally breathtaking landscapes.
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the same semi frozen lake close up...
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Lucerne in Switzerland
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Jungfrau Mountain, still in Switzerland - tallest peak in Europe.
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encountered heavy snow... all the more fun !

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Then off we go across to Germany to explore Munich - the Glockenspiel
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and Rhine river...
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A few shots of Amsterdam (dutch windmills and canals), and that's the end of my photo journey - hope you enjoyed it :)

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[Snarcher]

more!!! more!!!++

[Skippy]

I don't post up here much so I thought I'd put up something substantial from my trip last yr - yep, haven't had much time at all to go thru them since i've been back. These were all snap shots with my D70. I've since learnt how to use a camera and started taking much better shots ! I wish I took a whole lot more photos than I did. Always next time, I suppose.


Hey Methd, man you sure get around don't you :D
I too have also visited many of those cities you are sharing with us here, in my younger days on a Contiki Tour.

Pre to this trip I had only ever been to Asian countries, where the culture and Architecture is nothing alike.

Not sure if this is the first time you'd seen the Leaning Tower, but where you shocked when saw how small it was ???? I was, I had this vision of a massive building in my head.

I loved visiting all those countries, and your images have brought back many memories of that journey for me.

I'm glad as a young person you have had the opportunity to visit so many countries, so many people never leave the state or country they were born in and have no clue how the rest of the world lives.

A very nicely presented account of your Journey, with beautiful photos.
Thank you for sharing :D ..... Skippy
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[methd]

hi skippy ! nice to hear from you (i met you at the zoo shoot 3 months ago if by chance u forgot). i'm a big time lurker on these forums .... :P

yes i agree, travel is a wonderful thing and i was lucky enough to get it out before settling down :) that was actually a contiki trip too (great fun arent they), mixed in with my own travels.

i still have many places to go though, and this is where the new camera and gear comes in ! the next trip planned is for NZ in august.. so i'll make an effort to post the photos up. this time, i'll take some better shots too !

i too have been to a number of asian countries when i was younger (film days !), but i'd like to go to vietnam sometime soonish - been there twice as a kid but it's totally different looking thru a viewfinder :D

[Skippy]

hi skippy ! nice to hear from you (i met you at the zoo shoot 3 months ago if by chance u forgot). i'm a big time lurker on these forums .... :P

:D

I didn't forget :D ..... Skippy
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[smhs.images]

I really liked your photos. Gave me a sense of the whirlwind trip you were on. I can't imagine how much my suitcase would weigh for that trip. I visited Paris, Reims, Amsterdam and London in 06 and I thought that was a lot of traveling. You really got around. Looks like you saw all the major stuff and had a great time doing it. I still have to cover Italy and Austria. Vietnam is on my list too!!! Post pics when you go.
Shawna