Cozumel Mexico

The isle of Cozumel, which was settled by the Maya 2000 years ago, has endured throughout the millennium. Located off the eastern coast of the Mayan Riviera in Mexico it is a peaceful alternative to its mainland neighbor and maintains a natural beauty, which acts as a healthy sedative as only pristine island beach environments can.

It was an important pilgrimage site for Maya women who traveled from the Yucatan Peninsula to visit where at one time stood a temple dedicated to Ixchel, the Goddess of fertility. The 30-mile long, 10-mile wide island survived smallpox and genocide brought by the Spaniards in the 1500s the aftermath of which left the Island pretty much deserted for almost two centuries.

A hideout for pirates back in the day it at one time also housed a U.S. military base during World War II and after the based closed Cozumel’s main economy was fishing. That all changed when a documentary by Jacques Cousteau aired in the 1960s, which resulted in the birth of tourism. Today it is a top destination for diving and snorkeling due to its clear waters and spectacular reefs and much of its shoreline is protected parkland.

Cruise ships dock and ferries from the mainland land at its only town San Miguel. Away from the crowds in town its rugged undeveloped east coast makes for a beautiful drive where you can stop at a few shack-like establishments along the way to refuel and enjoy the view.

Mexico Bound

This time of year always has me thinking about Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead in Mexico. I’m heading to Mexico later this week although to the Caribbean versus the colonial heartland where Day of the Dead is celebrated in full force.

This trip is meant to be more respite than work if you call doing what you love work. But no doubt I’ll end up spending part of every day photographing the surrounds. There is no such thing as a vacation when you are a travel photographer.

Mexico City’s Paseo de la Reforma

Paseo de la Reforma is Mexico City’s Champs-Elysees. In fact it was modeled after the grand boulevards of Europe. Built in 1860s, the city’s main artery runs from Chapultepec Park to the historic city center.

Strolling the tree lined boulevard you’ll find monuments dedicated to the heroes, heroines and historic milestones of Mexico. Buildings lining Reforma are mix of colonial and modern architecture and house embassies, museums, hotels, restaurants and office buildings including the Mexican Stock Exchange and ominous police headquarters among other institutions.  It also acts as an outdoor gallery with permanent modern sculptures strategically placed next to peaceful places to sit.

Reforma makes for a pleasant walk in one of the world’s largest cities. And if you get tired hop one of the frequent buses that stop along the way.

Published Photographs: Panama City Edition

No matter how many times it has been conquered or invaded over the centuries Panama City always reinvents itself.

Founded in the 1500s the city boasts an Old City that was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997. The colonial architecture found in this part of town contrasts with the ultra modern highrises of the city’s skyline.  

These photographs haven been featured in magazines, newspapers and books.

Canals From Around The World

Canals have been a form of transport since ancient times. 

The Aztecs built the canals of Xochimilco located in what is now the far south of Mexico City. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, today Xochimilco is a popular place to rent a colorful trajinera.

The completion of the Panama Canal about 100 years ago connected the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and saved ships the long and often dangerous journey of traveling around South America.

Built with their namesake in Italy in mind, the Venice Canals of Venice Beach in Los Angeles are a beautiful place to take a stroll.

Artists are among those who inhabit the houseboats floating on Regents Canal in Little Venice, London. I lived a block or two away from Regents Canal when I lived and worked in London back in the day.

Do you have canals where you live and are there any you would love to see?

Tourist Ghettos From Around The World

Cheap accommodation, hawkers, Internet cafes, watering holes, food catering to Western palates (pancakes in Asia anyone?) are part of the ecosystem that make up the world’s tourist ghettos. Backpackers who take pride in traveling independently and tour groups, whom backpackers frown upon, inhabit these enclaves side by side and often eclipse the local population.

It seems appropriate to start with the mother of all tourist ghettos – Bangkok’s Khao San road.  Nothing says Thai culture like getting your hair braided or a henna tattoo (cough).

Thamel in Nepal’s Kathmandu is one of the elder tourist ghettos in Asia. It was a destination of choice for hippies during the Flower Power era.

Saigon’s Pham Ngu Lao neighborhood is walking distance to most of the major sites in District 1.

Like its Asian brethren Calle Santander, the main tourist drag in Panajachel located on the shores of Lake Atitlan in Guatemala, has all the trappings of a tourist ghetto.

It is only fair to include my own city. There is no such thing as cheap accommodation in New York City and it’s not exactly a backpacker haven. But Times Square and its surrounds is the epicenter of the tourist trade. In this scenario I do recommend pancakes at a diner for brunch if you want to eat like a local.   

How many tourist ghettos have you experienced or do you try and avoid them?  Is there a tourist ghetto where you live?

Cathedrals from around the World

Some of the most visited sites in the world are religious institutions. The world’s cathedrals are among them due to their grand architecture and history.

 
York Minster in Yorkshire, England has roots dating back to 627. Construction of the current Gothic style structure began in 1220 and was completed in 1472.

The Metropolitan Cathedral in Mexico City is the largest in Latin America. It dates from the late 16th and towers over the city's enormous square, the Zocalo.

--> Catedral de Santiago In Antigua, Guatemala has undergone many makeovers over the centuries due to earthquakes. It was established in the 1500s.

 
Saint Nicholas Cathedral is a popular tourist destination in Monaco. It is the final resting place of Princess Grace.

More than 5 million people a year visit Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. Known locally as Saint Pats, it opened its doors in 1879.

Published Photographs: Day of the Dead Edition

This time of year always has me thinking of Day of the Dead ((Dia de los Muertos) in Mexico. Pictured here are a medley of images that have appeared in newspapers, magazine and books. They were taken in Patzcuaro, Oaxaca and Mexico City. Patzcuaro and Oaxaca in particular are incredible places to experience Day of the Dead celebrations.

Below are some previous posts I have written on Day of the Dead that will give you some insight into this unique and wonderful way of honoring deceased loved ones.

Cemetery Vigils Day of the Dead

Day of the Dead Oaxaca

Chairs From Around The World

Finding a good place to sit is part of traveling. Typically it involves choosing a scenic view or prime people watching spot. But the seat on which you rest your bones can also be an icon of the destination. 

The classic French bistro chair is utilitarian and stylish. These were stacked in an alley in Old Town, Nice. 

Adirondack chairs, designed for the outdoors and named for the mountain range, can be found throughout the Northeast in the USA, like the ones pictured here in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. 

The rocking chair in Nicaragua is key piece of furniture in every home. They are not a granny only affair and often bought in sets. Peering into the parlous of colonial homes you’ll see young and old lounging in them.

If you could bring home from your travels any style of chair, which would you choose?

Staircases From Around The World

Sometimes a staircase is just a way to get you where you need to go. But staircases can also be pieces of art, archaeology and places to meet.

How about climbing a stairway to nowhere in a surrealist sculpture garden built in the Mexican jungle by an eccentric Englishman? 

Cascading down the sides of one of India’s oldest and deepest step-wells, Chanda Baodi, are steep stairs you’ll have to navigate with care.

Most who travel to Rome will at some point walk by and perhaps even sit and watch the world go by on the Spanish Steps.

This post was inspired by a piece in Travel & Leisure on the World’s Coolest Staircases in which the image of Las Pozas above was featured.

Homes From Around The World

The architectural styles of homes unique to a particular region or city are often travel icons. 

The decadent Victorian homes referred to as Painted Ladies say San Francisco as much as the Golden Gate Bridge.

Though in the same country the adobe homes of New Mexico and other parts of the Southwestern United States couldn’t be any more different than the Victorian beauties of San Francisco. Their architectural roots are Native American and the material used to build them suited to dry, hot climates. 

More than a few colonial Mexican cities have been named UNESCO World Heritage sites due in large part to their stunning architecture. This colorful casita in Guanajuato may look small from the outside but don’t be fooled. Homes of this genre regularly feature an outdoor central courtyard and are long and spacious.   

Like the casitas of Mexico, Hutong homes found in Beijing, China also appear small from the outside and feature a courtyard lifestyle.

What style home is unique to the part of the world you live in?

Street Scenes: Puebla, Mexico

A blank wall can present itself as a canvas waiting to be filled. 

The man on the bicycle rode into this canvas in the historic center of Puebla, Mexico a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its colonial architecture.

If this photograph were in black and white you might think it was vintage based on the look of the bike, the newspapers stacked high on the back and the lack of corporate logos that soil most streetscapes in this day and age. 

2011 Travels In Photographs: What Makes You Want To Go?

The aim of travel photographers is to capture a destination in a way that instantly takes you there and makes you want to go. Beautiful scenery is an easy way to achieve this but travel photography is also about what makes a culture unique. Below I chose a single photograph from each place I traveled to in 2011 that defined my experience. Easier said than done.

In March I traveled to Mexico City, Oaxaca and Puebla. The above photograph was taken in a food market in Oaxaca. To me it defines the artistry seen throughout Mexico in many contexts. Here everyday food items in plastic bins are arranged in a way that makes them look like vivid art. Note the absence of commercial logos.

The Golden Gate bridge would have been easy to illustrate San Francisco. But I would never want to bore you. Pictured here is a photograph taken in April of a mural in the Mission District. It is a memorial to a San Francisco rap artist.

This was taken in Cozumel, Mexico in the off season in July. There is a reason why a beautiful empty beach with white sands and azure water never goes out of style.

Idyllic and insular these Victorian gingerbread cottages are on the grounds of the Camp Meeting Association in Oak Bluffs, Martha’s Vineyard. Methodists who every summer would camp and worship here originally occupied the grounds in the 19th century. The cottages, privately owned by camping descendents and members of the Camp Meeting Association, eventually replaced the tents of the original worshippers.

A place of privilege the French Riviera is no place for bargains except for the public pedestrian scenic coastal path which stretches from Cap d’Ail to Monaco. It is lined with Belle Epoque villas perched in the mountains and along the Mediterranean. Early October, when I was there, was a perfect time to go. Beautiful weather and no crowds. The local wines are a bargain also. But you already knew that.

Puerto Rico brings to mind a proud heritage and the beauty to back it up. This photograph of the Paseo de La Princesa (Walkway of the Princess) and the Old City wall, a Unesco World heritage site in Old San Juan, was taken in November.


Wishing you a happy, healthy, prosperous 2012. Where will your travels take you in 2012?

Offbeat Eats From Around The World

Nothing can highlight a cultural divide more than food. One person’s delicacy can be another’s horror.

Chapulines, fried grasshoppers, have been on the menu for thousands of years in Mexico. 

These dried seahorses were on display in the fish market in Tai O Village in Hong Kong. Would you sprinkle them on a salad like sundried tomatoes? Or are they a standalone food?

No doubt great artistry and care went into making these donkey sausages, which were on sale in Marche Forville a market in Cannes, France. I wonder what wine you would pair with them and if they a bit stubborn to chew?

What are the strangest foods you have been brave enough to try when traveling?

Mexico City’s House of Tiles

Not many cities can boast a department store housed in a historic national monument.

A few blocks from Mexico City’s massive Zocalo is the House of Tiles or Casa de los Azulejos, the most elegant location for Mexico’s ubiquitous department store chain Sanborns owned by the richest man in the world Carlos Slim.

The exterior of 16th century former palace of the counts of Orizaba is covered in blue and white Talavera tile from the nearby state of Puebla. During the revolution the Zapatista Army occupied the building.

Sanborns took over the property around 1919 and opened a soda fountain, the first of what is now a national chain. Like all Sanborns it features typical department store items as well as a pharmacy and café. Inside the period architecture has been preserved. Take a walk up its grand staircase and you can view a mural painted by Jose Clemente Orozoco in 1925.

The café is a great place to make a pit stop if you are spending the day in the historic center. While the surrounds are far superior to the food you’ll do well to order a decadent pastry and a limonada.

Mexico Bound

Every summer I tell myself I’ll stick close to home, take advantage of the warm weather in the Northeast, photograph my own city and take day trips and travel further afield in the fall. And every year I cave and end up taking a last minute trip somewhere.

About a week ago I booked a last minute trip to Mexico. Unlike my travels there in the last several years this trip will be spent on the Island of Cozumel sitting on a beach, something I haven’t done in years. A trip to the mainland is also a possibility to be played by ear. I’ll see how I feel this week. No pressure.

Do you have any last minute travel plans in the works?

Traffic From Around The World

A holiday weekend, Independence Day, is approaching which means the exodus from the city will result in epic traffic. From a distance it can look beautiful in the right light.

The FDR will take you to several bridges that lead out of Manhattan.

This stretch of Nathan Road in Hong Kong is one of the most populated in the world and becomes a neon forest at night.

Mexico City is for car lovers. Its main arteries become parking lots during rush hour each day.

Bangkok also has the dubious distinction of having some of the worst traffic in the world, which is best viewed from above.
Do you time your day around traffic?