Aix-en-Provence was actually not included in our itinerary, but in the end we decided to take a quick stop and were thankful for that decision. Aix is a wonderful small city and famous for its art schools and universities. We wandered aimlessly through small narrow alleys, observed some random details, as well as enjoyed the quiet idyllic atmosphere of the city on Sunday afternoon in the middle of summer. It really took only a brief moment to fall in love with Aix. Too bad that we didn't have enough time to explore more.

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Marseille is located on the south coast of France and the second largest city of the country after Paris. The city is founded in 600BC and is one of the oldest cities in Europe. Marseille has definitely a lot to offer: Vieux Port (the old port), Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde (where the old fishermen used to have their boats blessed in this church), Palais Longchamp, Cathedrale de la Major (with amazing mosaic floors), Parc National des Calanques (with dazzling blue sea and spectacular lime cliffs), La Corniche (a road by the sea with lovely views of the Mediterranean sea) not so far from Vallon des Auffes (a small and colorful old port), Palais du Pharo (which is built by Napoleon III in 1858), Le Cours Julien and La Plaine (a hangout area with a lot of graffitis, cafes, book stores, fountains, and playground).

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Lyon is our first stop of our three weeks journey to south France. It is the third largest city in France, so we thought it would give a similar touristic vibe like Paris. But we were completely wrong, because we hardly saw any large group of tourists, only a few travelers like us or some local tourists. And the best part is: no one tried to scam us or to rob our belongings. Maybe we were just lucky or just happened to be there at the right time and place.

It was the last Sunday in June as we strolled around Lyon. First, we visited Théâtre et Musée Gallo-romains and imagined how cool it would be to watch a play with the view of the city as the background. No wonder they still use it for concerts and plays in modern days. Then, we walked to Basillique de Fourvière, which is not so far from the Théâtre, before exploring Vieux Lyon. Too bad that we only had one day to explore Lyon, because we had to leave for Marseille in the evening.

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Essaouira is a dazzling old city with fortified walls, fishing harbour, a lot of seagulls, strong wind, and good seafood. A fellow traveler who we met in Zagora told us that this place is a perfect place to surf, but the sea water can be very cold in winter time. Similar to Ait Ben Haddou, many films are also shot in this location (one of the is Game of Thrones: the scene when Daenerys Targaryan met the unsullied).

As a typical Moroccan old city, Essaouira has narrow alleys and red city walls, as well as lively atmosphere. However, it also has its own charm, as well as more relaxed and friendly vibe than Marrakech. It's only about three hours drive from Marrakech, so it's really worth to visit.

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We arrived at Zagora just before sunset and our dromedaries (one hump camels) had been waiting for us and were ready to go. Despite the bumpy ride on dromedaries for one hour, we could still enjoy the beautiful view of the rocky desert during the sunset and watch the rise of full moon right before arriving at our camp. The full moon caused the night sky in the middle of nowhere so bright, which made us easy to find our tent or toilet. On the other side, the stars were barely seen. So, the experiment for astrophotography had to be canceled.

After dinner, we enjoyed the evening together with our fellow travelers, danced around the campfire, and had a good chat with new people before returning to our colorful Berber tent, which was surprisingly quite cozy.

The next morning, we only had a brief time to play at the desert. It was quite fun, although people said that Zagora desert does not offer a real Moroccan desert like Erg Chebbi or Erg Chebaba (well, maybe next time?). After finishing our breakfast, we hopped on our dromedaries and luckily it was not another one hour ride back, because our minibus picked us up at another place.

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During our road trop to Zagora, we had a chance to stop at Ait Ben Haddou and explore this magnificent Ksar (a collective group of dwellings), which is established in 757 is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. The Ksar is constructed with clay bricks and has thick defensive walls to protect its interior. Even though the city is abandoned, there are around four families still living there, while most of the citizens live in the nearby villages.

We were surprised by the fact that there are a lot of film studios in Morocco, especially in this area. Ait Ben Haddou really gives a sensation of time travel to the ancient Egypt or other desert cities. So, no wonder that a lot of films (e.g. Gladiator, Prince of Persia, Babel, even some episodes of Games of Thrones) are shot in this Ksar as well.

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Another reason why we picked Marrakech as our destination is because of the opportunity to take a quick trip to nearby places, like Essaouira or Sahara. Since our stay in Morocco was only one week, we could only manage two days road trip to Zagora (a Morocco's gate to Sahara desert), about 720 km away from Marrakech.

We were packed with other passionate travelers in a mini van and hit the road early in the morning. We passed through the gorgeous High Atlas mountains, visited Ait Ben Haddou, reached Zagora just before the sunset, and arrived at the desert camp to spend the night there.

At some point, it's a good idea to escape from the busy street in Marrakech and enjoy the slowly changed panoramic view from mountains to desert. It's also fun to observe the locals as we passed small towns or villages, especially in the golden hour.

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Our Riad is located in the middle of Medina and about 15-20 minutes walk to Jemaa El Fna. Actually, it's not so convenient to memorize our way to the main square through the narrow confusing alleys. But on the bright side, we were able to explore some non touristy areas and observe the daily life of the locals. Somehow, we just couldn't help comparing some details in this old city with things we can also find in our home country: the street vendors, kiosks that sell everything you need, people pulling/pushing carts, children playing on the street, the sound of prayer from nearby mosques, and so many more. How could two different countries from different continents and cultures have so much in common?

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To escape winter, we decided to travel somewhere warmer within 3 hours flight from Frankfurt. Marrakech was the best option, not only because we found cheap flight tickets, but we also didn't have to apply any travel visa (a VERY rare case for Indonesian passport holders).

Walking around the Medina of Marrakech felt like time traveling to the past. The old city has its own charm, which somehow different than any other cities we've been visited before. It's so lively, both days and nights. We explored the Souk and got disoriented in its labyrinth, stunned by the beautiful architecture of Medersa Ben Youssef, strolled around museums and amazed by the detailed colorful moroccan mosaic, sipped a cup of moroccan mint tea on the rooftop of Cafe de France and enjoyed the busy evening at Jemaa El Fna, as well as fell in love with the homemade Tanjine by a chef in our Riad.

Despite many warnings about tourist scams and aggressive locals, we were lucky enough to be able some friendly locals and fellow tourists. If someone annoyed us, for example by pretending to help showing a way out of the confusing labyrinth or trying to sell weird things, we just pretended not to understand English or any other languages they spoke and walked away. On the other hand, it's too bad that we don't speak French or Arabic, so we had to use sign language or Google Translator to communicate with lovely personnels in our Riad.

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To celebrate our anniversary, we decided to go for a short trip to somewhere not so far away that still can be reached by a car. After a nice experience in Rheingau a few weeks ago, we wanted to have another walking day somewhere else. A colleague suggested us to visit Tirol, which is a region in Alpen. This area is actually more popular for skiing in winter, but in summer it's beautiful as well, and many people visit this area for hiking and walking too.

We really love the view from up there, especially the color combination of blue and green. Hearing the cowbell and breathing the super fresh mountain air made us feel so lucky to be alive. The only thing we worried about was the unpredictable weather (we even couldn't rely on weather report!). Luckily, it didn't rain at all on our way to the top of the hills.

The view was so amazing and it made our 8 hours walk really worth it. As first timers, we thought the route we chose would be easy. However, we ended up choosing the wrong one, which was actually for people with more hiking experiences. Good thing that we made it to the top without falling from the cliff. Another good thing was: we didn't forget to bring our tripod for selfie moments.

We were soooo happy seeing sooooo many cows around and also soooo amazed to see them lining in queue to get into their barn every 5 pm sharp! Even many (or should we say.. most..) people in our country (Indonesia) can't do such a queue! Too bad we were too far away to take any picture of it. Next time maybe ;)

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It's not my first visit to Vollendam, but this time was special. It was a family reunion for my dear uncle and aunt with their children and grandchildren, which is a very rare occasion for them, since they're scattered around the globe. And of course, it's also a rare chance for me to meet all of them at once.

Vollendam also has a colorful flair in summer, and no wonder it's full packed with tourists. It's great for street photography, however, I was too busy with my nephew and nieces. Somehow, it's more fun to capture their photos than to photograph a mere stranger.

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Summer... Sunshine... Blue sky... Vineyards... Rhine River...

A perfect day for a very long walk. We got bored hitting the gym, and decided to have a walk in Rheingau, which is not so far from Frankfurt. After a short research, we decided to take Rieslingpfad as our route to walk. It was fun and have a little bit of adventure feeling in it, especially since we have to look around for the sign, which are painted in the wall and sometimes were hidden by the bush.

We walked about 5 hours, starting from a small town called Assmannhausen and ended our journey in Lorch (detail can be found here). Well, actually we spent more time taking pictures than walking ;) Good thing that we brought lunchbox and enough water during the long walk, because there're no kiosk or restaurant around.

This kind of sport activity is far better doing some boring training at the gym. The fresh air, the beautiful view, and it's free too... You really can't expect more! Just don't forget to apply sunblock to avoid any sunburn and bring a good map or GPS.

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Montmartre is a hill in the north of the city and gives its name to the surrounding district. On its summit stands the white Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris, or known as Sacré-Cœur Basilica. From there, we can enjoy the best view of Paris.

What makes Montmartre so interesting is the famous Place du Tertre, a square not so far from the Basilica, where many artists gather. Although it was fully packed with visitors, I enjoyed the whole walking through the area. There are also many cafes, where we can sit there and enjoy the lively district.

For me, Montmartre is the highlight of Paris and becomes my favorite spot in the city.

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If one visits Paris, he/she won't miss this remarkable iron lattice tower, which was built in 1889 and stands 320 metres tall. The Eiffel Tower has become both an icon of France and one of the most recognizable structure in the world.

Visiting Eiffel Tower was also on our top list; however, seeing the super hellish long queue at the tower discouraged us to go up and see the whole Paris from the top of the tower. In the end, we just strolled around the tower, and somehow it was the right decision to do so, since there are a lot of places where we can enjoy the view of the magnificent tower.

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Aaah... Paris....

Many people say that Paris is the most romantic place on earth, no wonder it becomes the world's most popular city destination. The city is gorgeous and offers a lot of interesting places to visit, such as The Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, Arc de Triomphe, Montmartre, Versailles Palace, and many others. To tell the truth, three days in Paris weren't really enough to enjoy the whole city to the fullest.

Despite its beauty, it has also many down sides. The city is packed with millions of tourists from around the globe, which makes the whole visit becomes really uncomfortable. The long lines into every tourist attractions require patience and a lot of time, that not every tourist has. The massive tourism also makes everything so expensive, although that is actually quite normal for a touristy city like Paris. The fact that Paris is full of tourist scams and pickpockets, can't also be ignored. So, if you plan to visit this place, you should be prepared and be extra careful to avoid any unpleasant experience.

Overall, Paris is a must-see place in Europe. Even though it's not really a romantic place like many movies or books have described, I still think that Paris has its own charm and perfect for street photography. By the way, since there are so many photos, I decided to divide them in some different posts, and here are some random street photography of Paris.

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Our first stop in Paris is Louvre, the most famous museum in the world. To tell the truth, visiting Louvre on Easter holiday wasn't a great idea, especially because it's packed with tourists. Thankfully, we bought Paris Museum Pass, which allowed us to skip the super long line at the entrance. 

Since Louvre wasn't the only destination that day, we only had about three-four hours to enjoy the museum. That's why we only managed to stroll around only one of the three wings, namely Denon Wing, to say hello to Mona Lisa, Madonna Of The Rocks, and Nike of Samothrace. 

Despite the tourist swarm, Louvre remained charming and entertaining. Somehow, it was fun to observe, not only the paintings and sculptures, but also the visitors. However, it would be still better to visit the museum not on public holiday and plan at least a day or two if you want to see the whole collection of Louvre. 

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We decided to visit Paris for easter holiday. It's about 5 hours drive from Frankfurt to Paris, and we thought it would be better to take a short break at Metz, which is located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers, not far from the Schengen tripoint where the borders of Germany, France, and Luxembourg meet. It is the capital and the prefecture of the Lorraine region and the Moselle department.

The city is small, but gorgeous. I just love the details, the narrow alleys, and the architecture. The highlight is the gothic St Stephen's Cathedral, which really blew me away. I even found it more overwhelming than the famous Notre Dame Cathedral.

Overall, the city is really worth it to visit, especially as a teaser before continuing our journey to Paris.

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Remember Jess? Yes, she's officially my sister-in-law since last September. My brother and she are now living (happily ever after, hopefully) in Burghausen, a small town in Bavaria, not so far from the border of Austria. The reason of our winter getaways was also to visit them and their new hometown.

To tell the truth, the trip wasn't meant to be a photo-session, but I just couldn't resist capturing their pictures. It was quite challenging, because my brother always has weird facial expression in front of any camera, even scolding and begging him weren't enough to cover his "weakness". Being quick and lucky were also required to get good pictures of him. For now, I was quite lucky, though I really should practice more to increase my speed for the next opportunities.

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Last weekend was a little bit different than usual; we made a last minute decision to have a short getaway trip to Bavaria. We arrived at Burghausen on Friday night, spent the night there, visited Berchtesgaden and Königsee on Saturday, and drove back to Frankfurt on Sunday.

Despite living in Germany for years, our body still don't get used to the frosty type of weather, since we grew up in a tropical climate country. However, the white and blue landscape was so breathtaking and made us forgot about the freezing temperature. Although the trip was kinda short, it was worth it. Breathing fresh air and enjoying the great view of Winter Wonderland gave us a positive energy to enjoy the winter to the fullest; before the snow melts and the flowers bloom.

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Happy Lunar New Year!

But as you can see, there's no sign of any Chinese New Year in Germany. Because it's carnival time! So, instead of greeting people "Gong Xi Fat Cai", we yelled "Alaaf!" and sang "Viva Colonia" all day. It's been years since we had fun in any carnival, and actually it's our first time visiting the Kölner Karneval, the biggest Carnival in Germany.

The Carnival is a public parade and somehow also a huge costume party. The word Carnival means "farewell to meat", actually the Carnival itself is a festive season before the Lent. The Cologne Carnival starts on Fat Thursday (Weiberfastnacht), ends on Ash Wednesday (Aschermittwoch), and the highlight of the carnival is on Rose Monday (Rosenmontag). Since there's no public holiday in our State on Rose Monday, we decided to visit the carnival on Sunday, which called Kölner Schull- un Veedelszöch.

Although the parade is not as huge as on Rose Monday, We still had a very good time. The parade was arranged by schools, that's why there're so many dressed up children attending the parade. It's fun, it's cute, it's colorful, it's definitely a must to see celebration of the year.

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