Remembering Nepal – Photos from 1995

I did a trek (part of the Annapurna circuit) in Nepal in Nov. 1995 and also visited Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Chitwan. It was breathtaking in beauty and also due to my lack of fitness. And it was also quite an adventure, which included an overturned bus. I do hope they rebuild much of what was devastated and that tourism, which is such a large part of their economy, recovers. Donations are likely to remain needed for years to come.

I wish I had better photo skills and equipment back then. The colour in my negatives have started to fade so I’ve converted most of the photos into black & white except for a couple where you can sort of tell that the original colours would have been stunning.

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Air Travel – Ever Wonder Why You Feel Sleepy During Take-Off?

Flight over Alps

Ever wonder why you feel sleepy as the plane takes off or crave a tomato juice in the air? It may be because the air in the cabin gets thinner. Cabin air pressure is set normally to around 7,000 ft above sea level so it’s not noticeable if you live in Denver but sea level residents may feel fatigue. The good news is that most of us can cope with this level of air pressure and we shouldn’t feel a prolonged weariness although for some others with respiratory issues, there could be more...

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Pic of the Day – Monaco

With the Monaco Grand Prix occurring this weekend, I was reminded of my trip there in September 2013. I have to admit that the principality has never been one of my favourite destinations – but this is partly because I generally end up here after some spots along the Cote d’Azure with less cement and fewer people. I took this picture of docked boats during an early morning walk around the town. Shot at focal length 190 mm.

Monaco boats
Ashore in Monaco
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Three days in Piedmont, Italy

La Morra Cerequio

This suggested itinerary accompanies my earlier blog, More Than a Oenophile's Dream. Read the blog for more detail and photos. 

Access: Piedmont is within easy reach of Milan, Genoa as well as Nice and Monte Carlo but you will need a car to reach the towns and get around. The main city of Turin is well connected by train so you could opt to rent a car in Turin. However, if you are in Milan, I recommend picking up the car in Milan and...

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Barcelona’s Disfrutar – Most Enjoyable Meal

Barcelona's Disfrutar restaurant

Disfrutar means “enjoy” in Spanish; and this new addition to Barcelona’s dining scene lives up to its name. It was one of my favorite experiences in a recent trip to Spain and the one restaurant I would say you must try if in Barcelona. The food is modern but yet comfortable although some dishes definitely held surprises. The pedigree of the food reflects Disfrutar’s chef-owners, who were ex-El Bulli head chefs and I suspect that there is probably a fair degree of similarity in some...

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