Let me take you back to Arrowtown, New Zealand—this time, in the opposite direction from the main street I shared earlier. The first thing that caught my eye was a historic cabin nestled against a forest backdrop. It is the old Police Hut in the Chinese Settlement of Arrowtown which is a favourite among photographers….
Tag: Travels
Modes of Transportation in Monochrome
This week’s Monochrome challenge is from Dawn, with the topic of Modes of Transportation I have decided to separate it in three categories-by land, by water, and by air. There are so many ways to get around by land – bikes and jeepneys zip through the Philippines, trains old and new roll through Porto, and…
Tuesday Streetart: Giant Spray Cans – 92
Before the earthquakes hit Christchurch in 2011, street art was mostly seen as graffiti or vandalism. But after the quakes, the damaged buildings gave artists a chance to turn the city into something more colourful and creative. In 2017, these giant spray cans were set up as a way to give artists a proper space…
Coach Tour to Milford Sound
TRAVEL DIARY: DAY 11 MILFORD SOUND Our day started with a 9 am walk from our hotel, passing through the Te Anau Botanical. Such a peaceful walk especially during this time of the day. Met the rest of the tour group at the town centre in Kea Cafe. Got our lunch voucher from our tour…
Drive to Te Anau
TRAVEL DIARY: DAY 10 DRIVE FROM QUEENSTOWN TO TE ANAU This drive felt exciting—we knew that tomorrow we’d be heading to Milford Sound, the highlight of our entire trip. But today’s journey was simply about getting to a small country town where we’d be staying. When we finally arrived in Te Anau, the town turned…
Geometric Windows in Christchurch
This is the Ao Tawhiti Unlimited Discovery School in Christchurch. I was attracted to the windows and its modern architecture. This is the Christchurch City Hotel located in the city centre with its square and round windows.
Reflections
There’s something calming about reflections. It lets us see the world from another angle. On my travels, I’ve come across many beautiful moments where water turned into a mirror—showing not just what was there, but something more quiet and poetic. Here, I’m sharing some of my favourite places where reflections made me pause, look twice,…
Day Trip to Arrowtown
TRAVEL DIARY: DAY 9 DAYTRIP TO ARROWTOWN Arrowtown is a small town near Queenstown on New Zealand’s South Island. It began as a gold mining town, and you can still see that history in its old cottages and stone buildings. Many of the houses were built in the 1860s, when Chinese miners and European settlers…
Wordless Wednesday – 38
GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM, BILBAO
Hong Kong in Monochrome
There’s no set theme for this week’s Monochrome Madness Challenge, so I’ve decided to feature monochrome shots from my travels. This week I turn my lens toward Hong Kong—a city that’s always moving, always changing, and striking even without colour. This was 2012 when I went to HK with Jack, my sister and my niece…
Windows in Porto
This beautiful building, with its white-paned windows and ornate details, is a striking example of old-world charm in Porto. The curved balconies and decorative columns add elegance, while the rows of matching white windows bring symmetry and grace to the facade. Looking closer is a whimsical mural just above the ground floor—and a sculpted face….
Stormy times
I’m originally from the Philippines, a tropical country where storms are a regular part of life. Growing up, I was used to them—when a storm rolled in, we stayed home. Schools would close, sometimes offices would shut down as well, and everything came to a standstill. These storms weren’t gentle either—they were strong, often followed…
The Giant’s House
In the charming town of Akaroa, New Zealand, artist Josie Martin has turned an old 1880s villa, known as The Giant’s House, into a colourful and imaginative sanctuary. It is said the be the “Happiest Garden on Earth.” The Giants House has become a part of Akaroa’s folklore, earning its name when a small child,…
Tuesday Streetart: Antarctic Gateway City – 90
RIVERSIDE MARKET, CHRISTCHURCH This awesome mural was created to celebrate Christchurch’s special role as a gateway to Antarctica. You’ll find it just outside Riverside Market, right on the corner of Cashel Street and Oxford Terrace. This is the third week in a row I’ve featured street artist Dcypher—clearly a favourite! This piece was a team…
Windows in an Arrowtown church
This is the charming St John’s Presbyterian Church in Arrowtown, New Zealand. It’s a small stone church with a peaceful presence, quietly nestled among trees and layers of history. Above its entrance is a beautifully shaped stained glass window that immediately caught my eye. I felt drawn to it, so I wandered down to the…
Queenstown
TRAVEL DIARY: DAY 8 QUEENSTOWN Walking through town from our hotel, it was easy to see why Queenstown calls itself the adventure capital. There are so many thrill-seeking activities—skydiving, jet boating, bungy jumping, you name it! Well not for me thank you very much Sometimes it’s best to just wander around Queenstown. This wharf’s a…
Day trip to Glenorchy
TRAVEL DIARY: DAY 7 DAYTRIP TO GLENORCHY We set off bright and early from our place on Gorge Street in Queenstown, excited for the day ahead. First stop is the Wilson Bay Reserve. Wilson Bay is a nice little lookout on the road between Queenstown and Glenorchy. Still on the winding road to Glenorchy. Jack…
Wordless Wednesday – 37
AKAROA, NEW ZEALAND
Tuesday Streetart: DCypher – 89
As with my last week’s post, this is another mural by artist DCypher, and this time you can see it on Gloucester St, Christchurch. This is in conjunction to the Flare Ōtautahi Street Art Festival in 2023.
Books at Livraria Lello
Books open doors to new worlds, ideas, and emotions. They let us travel through time, explore different lives, and understand others better. One of the most beautiful places to enjoy books is Livraria Lello in Porto, Portugal. Opened in 1906, this historic bookstore is famous for its stunning staircase, stained glass ceiling, and magical atmosphere….
From Lake Tekapo to Queenstown
TRAVEL DIARY: DAY 6 ON THE ROAD FROM LAKE TEKAPO TO QUEENSTOWN We loved our stay at the AirBnb but we had to move on. It was a bit overcast when we left for our day. Driving through Lindi’s Pass felt like stepping into another world — endless golden hills, quiet roads, and that feeling…
Tuesday Streetart: Dcypher – 88
CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND Spotted another epic Dcypher piece on Colombo Street! This one’s a collab with the Flare Ōtautahi Street Art Festival and features Athena and Minerva in this wild, cosmic scene. I’m not sure what the exact story is, but the colours and details totally pulled me in—feels ancient, futuristic, and kind of magical…
Playful Windows
For Monday Window Challenge Photo taken at The Giants House in Akaroa, New Zealand.
Colourful Benches
I don’t know about you, but there’s something about colourful chairs and benches that I find so irresistible. Maybe I’m just a vibrant kind of gal—drawn to bold murals, splashes of public art, and anything that brightens up a space. Haha! Here are benches for Jude’s Bench Anniversary Challenge which I found on our trip…
The Mirror Lakes
The Mirror Lakes are small lakes in Fiordland National Park on New Zealand’s South Island. When the weather is calm, the water is very still, and it works like a mirror. You can see the Earl Mountains clearly reflected on the surface. I am sure that this Iphone photo really suits the Reflection challenge. I…
Wordless Wednesday – 35
HIGHLANDS, SCOTLAND
Tuesday Streetart: Takahē – 87
Meet the Takahē—a rare, flightless bird found only in New Zealand. Once thought to be extinct, it was rediscovered in 1948 in the remote Murchison Mountains. With its bright blue and green feathers and chunky red beak, this native is a conservation success story and a true Kiwi treasure! And a Public Art in Te…
Day Trip to Aoraki/Mount Cook
TRAVEL DIARY: DAY 5 AORAKI/ MOUNT COOK Started the day with coffee and some store-bought bread I’d picked up beforehand—simple, but it did the job. It’s one of those days—drive a bit, hop out to take some photos, walk around, then back in the car. We just followed Google Maps to see what lies ahead….
Lamp Posts in Monochrome
Lamp posts make great subjects in photography. At times you can often tell which country you’re in just by looking at them — their design, shape, and placement can be surprisingly distinctive. But beyond their appearance, it’s the story behind them that truly matters. It’s the memories we associate with them — a quiet street…
Roadtrip from Christchurch to Lake Tekapo
TRAVEL DIARY: DAY 4 On the Road from Christchurch to Lake Tekapo Ever heard that New Zealand has more sheep than people? I used to think that was just a running joke—but it turns out, it’s absolutely true! In 2023, there were about 24.4 million sheep roaming the country, compared to just 5 million humans….