Travel and Leisure

Yosemite: Winter Storms and Spring Floods

The Bridal Veil and the Upper Yosemite Falls, on account of their height and exposure, are greatly influenced by winds. The common summer winds that come up the river cañon from the plains are seldom very strong; but the north winds do some very wild work, worrying the falls and the forests, Read More

The Real Streets of Venice: Queen of the Adriatic

It was Venice, the City of Canals and the Queen of the Adriatic, in a nutshell. It was a simple image I remember photographing out of our hotel room window. See, this was the end of a long and frenzied 10-day trip to Italy that encompassed the Amalfi Coast, Rome, Florence, and now Venice. Since this Read More

Portugal’s Beauty in Ruins: A Revelation in Photography

Is it possible to find beauty in ruins? Can one see artistic glimmers within a place that is in a state of decay and neglect? The answer undoubtedly is yes, and Portugal is a testament to that answer. When I first moved to Portugal, almost two years ago, I was fascinated by what I saw as Read More

Coimbra: Portugal's City of Knowledge

Coimbra, known as "City of Knowledge" or "City of Students", is the cultural capital of Portugal. Fronting a distinctive and beautiful Mondego River, as well as, being etched into a mountainous topography, gives this city a distinctive visual flavor. The spectacular views, histor Read More

The Palace of Mafra: Portugal's Magnificent Palace

The Palace of Mafra was built in the 18th Century and remains the most important baroque monument in Portugal to this day. It was commissioned by King João V as a symbol of his gratitude that he was able to bear children with his wife. The Palace was constructed from marble and limestone and Read More

A Brief History of the Palace of Versailles

Situated about 10 miles southwest of Paris France is an epic and historic production known as the Palace of Versailles. On a land that was once the home of a dreary marsh and ramshackle old farm buildings, Versailles has risen to become one of Paris' main attractions and one of the gran Read More