Stay Tuned for my coverage on my 48 hour trip to Saxony and Dresden. A destination still unspoiled by over tourism with so much to offer.
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Captivating Saxony
Tag: travel photo
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Stralsund Surprise
A local staycation delayed over the past few months finally happened. A travel to North Germany in June, not exactly the warmest summer destination, but well worth it. I was not familiar with Stralsund. A medieval Hansa League Baltic port city in Mecklenberg Vorpommern 280 km from Berlin.
Having no expectations on my first visit, the surprise was genuine. A UNESCO World Heritage City, Stralsund, founded in 1234, offers a lot. Large churches, architecture, expressive color palette facades and cobblestone streets worthy of a few days of exploration.
Stay Tuned for Part 2. I have a lot of pictures to share.
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HAMBURG STAYCATION
Stay Tuned for more details. I am a fan of the Hanseatic City.
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Prague, The Over Toured, The Good.
The first time I visited Prague in 1997, it was a city still waking up from years of Communist rule. I managed to cross The Charles Bridge many times both day and night. Walking up to the Prague Castle to get pictures standing overlooking the River was easy.
My first day I met locals who showed me around, took me to real basement bars. Hanging around, talking to Czechs about everything and how proud they were of the future.
The Over Toured
2019, my first visit after 22 years. Reading as a destination, Prague joined the list of “Over-touristed Cities” with Barcelona and Venice. I could not imagine the level of visitors, 8.6 million tourists for a city with a population of 2.6 million. At times I had to wonder if I am a part of the too many tourist problem.
Walking across the same bridge, waiting in line for Space Mountain is simpler. Navigating through the Medieval passages, a tuna in a can has more space. The Old Town Square evolved into a cheap tourist trap selling overpriced souvenirs and hawkers.
If you want to be near the Prague Clock at striking time. If personal space is not an issue, get there early.
A restaurant within a 20 minute walk of the center requires a reservation after 5pm.
My advice: Be Prepared. Be Patient.
The Good
I like Prague. A place that retains a very unique charm. Not as Imperial or Grand as other European destinations, the capital city is intimate. After walking around during 3 cloudy days I can understand a bit of Kafka’s melancholy crisis. The city lacks the feeling of optimism, instead an outward feeling of the serious side of life is everywhere.
I took pleasure walking around. I looked up to see a statues on buildings or an ornate facades: Gothic, Romantic, Post Modern, Art Nouveau. Each style is represented along the the streets from District 1 to 5.
Once a part of the Austrian Empire, the coffee culture continues to influence the mid day social life. Stylized cafes in the center still buzz with locales and visitors having cake and drinks. One day we went to 3 houses, each one different.
I recommend visiting Prague. As a travel destination, it is enchanting.
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Garda Dreams
Staying on Lake Garda with all of its romantic charms offers much to travellers. Walking along the shore, watching the joggers at sunset, made for a perfect setting. It is easy to fall under the charm of this Italian destination. A place to unwind in slow mode.
Harbor 
Main Street BORDOLINO 
Residents 
A lake shore cocktail 
Sunset
Black and Paper covers Formula 1 from Abu Dhabi for 2016. We are using the Hasselblad X1D camera to capture all the images.
A top of the line camera with so many features. It is an amazing device so I cannot wait to use it.