Category: Exploring Worldwide

Wandering through my lens: Highlights of 2025

Dec 27th, 2025

Last year in December, struggling to think of a post, I decided to pull together and share some of my favourite pictures from the past year; many o them I have not shared before, or have only done briefly in an Instagram story. It struck me that this might be a nice tradition to start.

Throughout the year, wherever I am and no matter how tired I am, taking pictures of the beauty around me keeps me inspired. And so in this post, I would like to share with you MY favourite pictures that I have taken this year, and a bit of why they are special to me. They are, for the most part, entirely unedited except for some cropping.

When I was young and growing up in Massachusetts, every autumn we would go apple picking, and the apple of choice was McIntosh. So, I grew up eating them in pies, applesauce, and of course straight off the tree. They are seldom found in Scotland though, and so when I found these at House of Bruar, I was overjoyed.

We visited House of Bruar on a cold January afternoon, and we left in time to drive home mostly in daylight, with the hilltops frosty. I love winter and this picture reminds me of that lovely day in Perthshire.

St Andrews is one of the most photogenic places on earth, and I used to get up early just to catch the sunrise here. Fortunately, in January, the early part is not required.

We had very little snow this past winter, but on visiting Loch Leven we discovered a dusting had made it inland. I loved this hill half-hidden by cloud.

The winter months are by far the best for night sky, if only because it gets so very dark. Nonetheless, this picture was taken in the middle of an unlit field and shows the rather extreme light pollution here in Fife.

I decided to show off my new camera case patch with this posed picture on my walk along Tentsmuir. Love how it turned out.

Dundee is not always thought of as the prettiest city, but on this day walking from Tayport to the bridge, we caught the river in stillness as the tide turned. I love the reflections.

I have 100s of versions of this view, but this is one of my favourites, with frost just touching the flowering gorse on a grey and silver morning.

Sunrise over a frosty field. Does it get better?

I did this walk every day in lockdown, and it is still the best way to start off any day.

In March we drove up to Ballachulish for a long weekend, and stopped at the Loch Ba viewpoint. The loch is behind me, but this view of the sun fighting through the clouds was just as impressive.

Our favourite snack spot in Glencoe since our first weekend away in 2009. Great coffee and an even better view.

On our first morning, the cold night had left a heavy frost over everything, and there is nothing I love more than white mountains against a crystal blue sky. Also shows our hotel’s excellent location.

Frosty mountains are definitely one of my things…I can’t not take a picture. Just as my other half.

On a clear night, we drove to Loch Achtriochtan in Glencoe to try to get some excellent star pictures. A full moon rising and the busy road made for far too much light pollution, but I like this picture anyway, especially as that isn’t the sun setting behind the hills – that light is just from the moon.

April blossoms, stunning colour contrast.

I spent my childhood playing on this island in Marblehead, long before it was cleared or with a bench to enjoy the view. Still, it brings back so many fond memories to see it.

One of my favourite views in Marblehead, overlapping Colonial houses and rocky gardens. The old town in a nutshell.

Old North Bridge in Concord MA, the location of the shot heard round the world.

Mostly I just love reflections.

May was the month in which I really focussed on my fitness and in making a dent in my Coastal Path plans. The weather cooperated most of the time, but not always, like this rainy day when I walked from Newport to Balmerino. It is Scotland after all. No one would believe me if it was always sunny.

That said, most of my walk WAS sunny. Cellardyke harbour on this Saturday morning was calm and quiet, and just the epitome of the East Neuk.

I love a good flower against the sun picture. Had you noticed?

The walk into Crail is simply stunning, and when I completed this section the poppies were just blooming. The town is in the background, but the stunning red was the subject for this picture.

San Antonio in June. Whose idea was that?

Taken relatively early in the day, this picture shows the heat that would come.

I fell in love with the Riverwalk in, and I have plenty of daytime pictures. But this one shows what is clearly an old building, just as the evening begins. So much promise of the night’s entertainment to be had!

While I was visiting my father in Puerto Rico, we climbed a mountain. We hiked up through the cloudy mist, and never quite came out above it. It doesn’t matter if you get rained on here, and I like the mysterious feel.

Flowers and castle ruins.

I did several more chunks of the Coastal Path in July, and there was no shortage of these small yellow beauties.

I also visited London, where the roses were in full bloom around St Paul’s Cathedral. I can’t miss a rose.

Durham Cathedral and Castle from the train. The sun was setting and the medieval stones glowed orange and yellow. Breath-taking.

Most towns in the East Neuk have small gardens planted in or around a fishing dinghy, like this one. One of the many echoes in this area of New England.

Who doesn’t enjoy a photobomb by a seagull? Well, I sure do.

Sea roses are a special kind of delicate, and remind me of summers on Cape Cod. This picture could be taken on either side of the Atlantic (though it was of course in Fife, near Kinghorn)

It was such a dry summer in Scotland that the leaves started to turn an orange-brown even in late August. Super calm water, and you can just see St Andrews in the distance.

Summer late light. I cannot resist.

One cool evening in early September, four of us trooped out to West Sands to see if we could catch the Aurora. We did.

Plane views are a big thing with the amount of travel I do now. The flight into San Francisco included these fantastic vistas of the mountains of eastern California and western Nevada.

Pure Americana, in the perfectly mid-west town of Columbus, Ohio.

Another plane view!

I have visited and enjoyed many cities, and would happily live in many of them. But none will ever surpass Boston (even with a cloud obscuring downtown).

A misty late September morning – five minutes later this had cleared. Silver and grey again, just beautiful.

To me, this picture is the epitome of Florida: palms, beach grapes, a pool and a hotel. I loved even this small hotel view.

Travelling in Connecticut in October reminded me why New England is famed for its autumn. I’ve even written a post about it. I stopped the car briefly coming out of a parking lot to take this – gorgeous.

Autumn colour in Perthshire. Always gold and orange, even in a dry year like this one.

I absolutely fell in love with this view of the sun rising over Mexico City’s distant mountain barrier. They were never as clear as before the sun rose, and an hour later were obscured by haze.

I was fascinated by these mountains, peeking out of the otherwise civilised centre of Mexico.

My one coastal path walk in November was on a cloudy windy day, with the sun fighting through. I loved this view with crashing grey waves and some blue sky.

A heavy frost on my morning walk. I took so many plant pictures this morning…

Full moon rising – just managed to catch it before it disappeared into the clouds again.

Rising sun in Marblehead on the shortest day of the year, taken across a partially frozen Redd’s Pond. Gorgeous morning to be out and about.

And finally, to wrap up…

This is my absolute favourite picture I took all year; I’ve shared it before, but I want to share it again – the snow, the light through the clouds, the still loch. And the memories it evokes, of a lovely weekend away hiking and enjoying late winter in the Highlands.

Loch Leven and Glencoe, Scottish Highlands

I hope you have enjoyed this photographic trip through my year! Have you checked out my online shop yet?
One Week in Mexico City

Dec 12th, 2025
The business of the season has meant that it has taken me a bit more time than I hoped to pull together all of the pictures I took on my last international adventure, but I have finally managed it! The trip, as the title of this post makes clear, was to Mexico – a new country for me, and one I did not really know what to expect in visiting. Fortunately, I was taking part in a tour of schools that was mostly organised by someone else, and I was able to enjoy my few days in Mexico City with relatively little stress. (Ciudad de México, or CDMX as the city is also known)

The weather was beautiful and a touch cooler than I expected, particularly in the morning. In fact, many Mexicans were wearing coats and scarves while I was still out in my short-sleeved shirt. The food was excellent and while the city was slightly overwhelming in its size, it was full of charm and history. I did plenty of Googling and blog-reading in the week before my trip, and so I set off armed with some tips for safe travel as well as a list of places to visit if I had the time.

After two long flights stopping over in Newark, I arrived in Mexico City at about 8pm (for those of you doing the math, that is 2am UK time). I had read that Uber was not permitted to pick up passengers in the airport, and so it was strongly recommended that visitors use one of the – as it turned out – many ‘authorized taxi’ companies inside the terminal. I was looking out for a pink one in particular, but must have walked past it and, in my exhaustion, ended up outside the terminal where I was immediately harangued by drivers asking if I needed a taxi. Finally I returned inside and found a kiosk where I could pay for my taxi to the hotel. I should note that I studied Spanish in high school to quite a high level, but that was more than 20 years ago and my skill has…rusted a bit since then. I’ve been using Duolingo to re-familiarise myself with the language as best I can; I can read relatively well and usually speak a bit, but when I am spoken back to, it is usually far too fast. Nevertheless I muddled on and found in general that the Mexicans were very happy for me to give it a go, then often spoke back in English or were willing to slow down a bit for me to work it all out.

I arrived at my hotel after a rather chaotic drive, not in part because I had arrived on 1 November, a day of massive celebrations in Mexico City. Though as I was to learn, driving there is always a bit chaotic. I hardly had time to notice my room before having a quick shower and falling into bed.

It was early the next morning when I awoke that I was able to really enjoy the fantastic view over the city – my hotel was in a modern area, World Trade Center, but I could see through the hazy air to the distant mountains. Mexico City sits in a kind of bowl almost one mile above sea level, surrounded by a ring of peaks.

After a lovely breakfast and leisurely morning confirming my schedule for the week, I set off on my first adventure: an open-top bus tour around the city center. I am a big fan of bus tours, especially if you can sit upstairs and enjoy the feeling of winding through a city and seeing everything with very little effort. They can be a great way to orient yourself and learn a bit about what you are seeing. (side note, I had brought my own headphones for the trip which turned out to be the right choice, as none were provided)

My bus tour required an Uber trip up to the Auditorio Nacional, and I had learned that there was an English dub to the tour dialogue. The tour cost was reasonable, and the bus was clean and not too busy so that I was able to change sides a few times as we drove through the city – most likely slower than normal due to it being both a Sunday and a holiday. I opted for the Historic City Centre route, and while I gave up on the recording about halfway through, I got to see a lot of the city and learned a few choice tidbits. One recommendation – while you can purchase your ticket easily online, there were vendors that came onto the bus selling souvenirs who only accepted cash, so it might be worth having a few hundred pesos at the ready.

Mexico City has a metro bus system that is almost like a tram in that the busses have their own lanes and traffic signals. The parts of the city I saw were also filled with green spaces – parks, tree-lined street divisions, and much more.

Bus tour sights

Palacio de Bellas Artes – Palace of Fine Arts, a stunning building at the edge of Mexico City’s historic centre, declared an artistic monument by UNESCO in 1987. Home to murals and other art by some of Mexico’s most important artists.

Benito Juárez Hemicycle – commemorating the Mexican stateman who was the first Indigenous president of Mexico, and who became a symbol of nationalism and resistance to foreign intervention.

El Angel de la Independencia and the Plaza Madrid. The Fountain of Cibeles (mother of Jupiter) in the plaza is a direct copy of the one in Madrid and symbolizes Spanish-Mexican brotherhood. The Angel was built in 1910 to commemorate the beginning of Mexico’s War of Independence.

Monumento de la Revolución, in the Plaza de la República, the tallest memorial arch in the world. I was particularly struck by the carvings of people on each corner.

We passed numerous churches on the bus tour, and I do not have the names for all of them, but they were a beautiful combination of European influence and Mexican flavour. Mexico is still a majority Roman Catholic country, and like the European cities before it, has countless options for worship.

Also striking were the many city intersections and rotaries with dramatic statement pieces in the centre. Below is the the Monument to Cuauhtémoc, the last Mexica ruler of Tenochtitlan, the ancient city at the heart of where Mexico City now stands.

One monument that really stuck with me is the Glorieta de las mujeres que luchan (Roundabout of the Women who Fight), a purple statue of a woman with her fist raised, and the with the word ‘Justicia‘ carved into the cross-support. On the panels at the base are inscribed numerous names (of those who have fought injustice, female and male) and messages of strength and support. It took me a bit of digging to find out more about the display, and discovered it is now a center for many feminist cultural events and activities. It was incredibly moving to see such a strong monument to women supporting one another, to women’s rights. At a roundabout close by, Glorieta de las y los Desaparecidos, families of missing people have covered walls in pictures and search cards, to honour and remember the lost.

As the bus wound through the city, I was delighted to see display after display of brightly-coloured street art, most for the recent Día de los Muertos holiday, which gives Mexico its famous skull art.

The architecture was also fascinating, both from the bus and as we walked through the historic centre later in the week. I’ve decided it was easier just to pull all the pictures into a collage:

The bus tour was a great way to get a feel for the city and not be stuck at street level, but it was a long route and I was happy to jump off one stop before the Auditorio Nacional. I was just outside of the Museo Nacional de Antropología, which I would have loved to explore but was ready to return to my hotel for a bit. So, I enjoyed a relatively gentle and shaded walk along Ave. Plaza de la Reforma. It was a glorious sunny afternoon, the temperature was pleasant – probably about 75℉ – and there were people out everywhere, some dressed for the holiday with masks or painted faces.

This section of the road is divided and I realised quickly that I would not be able to pick up an Uber, so I did in the end return to the Auditorio to find that there was a portion of road specifically for taxi pick-ups and drop-offs – a sign with a very obvious taxi letting a person out of the car. Upon my return to the hotel I spent a quiet hour catching up on emails while looking out over the city.

For the next few days I had work events, including a 22-hour trip up to the nearby city of Querétaro, where there were international schools to visit. Slightly frustratingly, my suitcase was the only one of eight (all checked at the same time) not to make it onto the flight. Fortunately, the hotel we stayed at was a Japanese chain with excellent toiletries and facilities. I did not get to see much of the city, but some research indicates it would be fun to spend time in should I have the opportunity.

Exploring Mexico City – part 2

The day after our return to Mexico City, a few others who were in the same hotel joined me in an adventure up to the Plaza de la Constitución and the cathedral. We took an Uber and stopped first for lunch at a local restaurant where my Spanish was just enough to get us a table and pay for our meal with almost all the cash I had left. The food was excellent, though we did have to do a little surreptitious Googling to make sure we knew what we were ordering. After lunch we wandered up to the plaza, which is the second-largest square in the world after Tiananmen Square in Beijing. I knew it had set a record but standing at the edge of the plaza it is really impressive, with the cathedral on one side and stunning monumental buildings on all others, including the Palacio Nacional – the seat of the executive government. On the day we visited the square was largely fenced off for a major event taking place later in the day, with thousands of chairs set up facing a stage.

So, we started at one corner of the Catedral Metropolitano and took a long slow walk around theedges of the square, including one detour off along a shopping street. Some of the buildings were still decorated for the holiday, and even on a Wednesday afternoon, there were people everywhere – locals, tourists, families, teenagers, groups and people wandering on their own.

As we walked up the far side, along the front of the Palacio – and the historic centre – I realised that ahead of us was the spot in Mexico City I had most wanted to see: the Templo Mayor. This site was the main temple of the Mexica people in their capital of Tenochtitlan, and dates from the mid-fifteenth century. One of my lectures to the summer school students is about the impact of disease on the native populations of the Americas, and so I had done a great deal of reading about Tenochtitlan and its history. It was fascinating and incredibly exciting to see this evidence in person.

We hoped to go into the museum but they were not willing to let us in with bags and water bottles; fortunately there is a large terrace looking over the site which includes models both of the temples and the city as it would have looked pre-conquest.

Immediately opposite the temple, around which buildings of several generations have been constructed, is the massive Catedral Metropolitano, built over the former Aztec sacred precinct. The sections range in age of construction from 1573 to 1813, around the original church build after the Spanish conquest of the city. Each face of the cathedral is slightly different, and it felt like we could be looking at three or four separate buildings, depending on which side we viewed it from. We were starting to run out of time – several of us had work calls to get back to – so could not venture inside, but I hope I might manage on a subsequent trip.

The journey back to our hotel took considerably longer than expected, and was my longest Uber journey in the city – more than an hour to go 3.5 miles. I think next time we would probably just walk! But then, that is Mexico traffic, and something one has to be prepared for in most major cities around the world.

Later that evening, a colleague and I walked about a block or two away from our hotel to find El Bajío, one of an excellent chain offering authentic Mexican cuisine. I had a traditional slow-cooked barbeque lamb which was phenomenal, especially with fresh pico de gallo. The accompanying grilled cactus was not to my taste. The margarita, which they made at the table on a small cart similar to a pastry or carvery cart, was second to none, and I was given a list of over 100 tequilas to choose.

I thought here it might be fun to show off some of the excellent food I had while in Mexico including a loaded baked potato with guacamole, a Mexican pastry from a jaw-dropping local bakery, pork tacos, a chicken burrito with dark bean sauce, and a berry-tequila cocktail to celebrate the (eventual) return of my luggage.

There is no question you can eat very well in Mexico – breakfast each day was excellent with many different types of bread (including a mouth-watering plaintain bread), eggs with peppers, fried potatoes, and piles of fresh fruit including the best pineapple I have ever had. I did miss the occasional salad, however – something best to be avoided, along with anything washed in local water.

We had two more days of intense work, then after what felt like a very short week, I was packing again to head home. On my last morning in the hotel, I enjoyed a beautiful sunrise with the distant mountains outlined in orange and yellow.

I had reserved an Uber for my return to the airport – this direction was permitted – and despite flying during the government shutdown, found my connection through Newark quite straight-forward. I am lucky enough to have paid for TSA Pre-check as well as Global Entry, so was able to miss many of the longest queues. The last trip of the semester is always the one you’re ready to get done with so that you can breathe a bit and enjoy your time at home. This trip was no exception, though I really enjoyed my time in Mexico and look forward to taking a bit longer when I (hopefully) return to visit the nearby ruins of Teotihuacan and get inside some of the monuments.

As we took off, we had views of the city – showing its size and hazy air – as well as the nearby hills and the mountains that stuck out in darker green against inhabited valleys.

The US and then subsequently Scotland welcomed me with equally impressive plane views – quickly becoming a favourite and making me reluctant to give up my always-requested window seat.

So, before I close, a few top tips for those planning a trip to Mexico either for work or fun:
1. Make sure you use ‘authorised’ taxis in the airport; you tell the kiosk where you are going and they quote you a price. They then take payment, and bring you to a car; no money changes hands with the driver unless you wish to tip.
2. I reserved an Uber several times and it was excellent. Ubers in Mexico City are frequent and easy to use. But give yourself LOTS of time, and expect to be stuck in traffic.
3. It seems inevitable that walking around in the heat and sun would require a water bottle, but my reusable bottle was what caused issues getting into the Templo Mayor and possibly would have been an issue for the Cathedral. Staff were also searching all bags, and not happy about backpacks. So, be aware if you are planning to go inside a monument, you may need to give up your water bottle and may be subject to a search.
4. You can probably get around the city easily without ever taking any cash out, but I’d recommend having a few hundred pesos with you to buy souvenirs, tip (if you wish) and perhaps just to be on the safe side. I managed to use any leftovers I had in the airport before leaving, and I got some really cute souvenirs by the cathedral that were cash only (there are 100s of small stalls around).
In terms of safety, I never felt unsafe in the least, though I was mostly in the touristy areas with lots of people around, and I was careful to have my phone, hotel key, etc. in a cross-body bag that clearly identifies you as a tourist but is also safe from easy snatching. I didn’t carry or use a lot of cash, and the one time I went out in the evening on my own, I was in a busy and well-lit area.

Like any city, CDMX has neighbourhoods that are best avoided, and others that are very popular. I think that as long as you use your common sense and aware of your surroundings, there is no reason not to enjoy a fantastic week there, or probably more!
El Yunque National Forest, Puerto Rico

Jun 30th, 2025
Here are my top 3 most interesting facts about El Yunque:
1. It is the only tropical rainforest in the National Forest system (there are other rainforests, but not tropical).
2. It is one of the smallest National Forests in area, but the most biologically diverse with more than 240 species of trees, 23 of which only grow here.
  And saving the best for last!
3. There are NO mosquitos in this tropical forest (or very few), making it the perfect spot for hiking!
No mosquitos, I hear you ask skeptically?! It’s really true – a combination of the elevation, the slightly cooler climate, natural predators and the lack of stagnant water means that you will not be bothered by mosquitos while you take advantage of the glorious scenery, even if you forget your bug spray. The same is obviously very much not true on most of the island.

History of El Yunque

El Yunque (pronounced with the Spanish ‘y’ that sounds like a ‘j’) is one peak in the Sierra de Luquillo mountains, a subrange of the Cordillera Central mountain range that runs along the centre of the island of Puerto Rico. The peak reaches just short of 3,500 ft. (1,066 m).

The name of ‘Yunque’ may have come from the Spanish for ‘anvil’, or perhaps from a native name Yuken – there are several archaeological sites on the mountain. The view of the mountain from the nearby beaches shows how starkly it stands out against the horizon, forcing planes from San Juan to Vieques to fly around rather than over; it is frequently shrouded in clouds, even on sunny days.

view of El Yunque from the beaches at Fajardo and Luquillo

Coffee was cultivated on its steep slopes in the 1730s, but from then it was mostly left on its own, until it was set aside in 1876 by King Alfonso XII of Spain – one of the first forest reserves in the western hemisphere. In 1898, Puerto Rico was transferred to the United States, and this was one of the only areas where the forest had not been cut down. Teddy Roosevelt established the Luquillo Forest Reserve in 1903, and in time this became the National Forest we have today. The forest suffers regular damage from hurricanes and other storms ( in fact it had been quite badly damaged at the time of our visit in January 2018), but things grow fast in the Caribbean, and it recovers quickly. Roads and pathways less so, and even now there are still hiking paths that cannot be traversed.

Hiking in El Yunque National Forest

I have always loved hiking here, where it is usually the perfect combination of warm but not too hot, sheltered from the sun, and gently breezy. It is not uncommon to experience a brief rain shower (or sometimes not so brief, or not so light), but the weather dries you quickly.

There are plenty of paths of various lengths, as you can see, and while many are not particularly long, it is important to pay attention to the altitude change. Most vary between gently and quite steep, and hikers should be prepared to ascend and descend significantly even on shorter paths.

The popularity of the El Yunque trails was evident when I visited recently with Dad – he had insisted that we leave the house early and be at the main gate of the park by 8am, and sure enough there was a line of cars waiting to get in. By the time we left a few hours later, most of the parking had been taken up, even as far up the mountain as we were. So, a few pointers to keep in mind when planning a trip to El Yunque:
1. Do arrive early, and be prepared to drive for a bit. The roads are narrow and winding, and we drove for almost 20 minutes inside the park before reaching the parking lot.
2. Bring plenty of water – more than you might think, as the air sucks water out of you – and a snack. There is a café and a few small shops off the road, but a good rule of thumb in Puerto Rico is not to depend on them being open when you want. (That said, when they are open, there are some great options for souvenirs, so make sure you have your wallet)
3. Wear sneakers, not sandals or flip-flips. Your feet might get warm, but you will need them – the trail can be rough, narrow, and slippery in places. You will not get far without injury in sandals.
4. Likewise, prepare for those shoes to get muddy, and potentially stained with the orange-red clay that makes up many of the trails. I had to scrub my legs with a washcloth to get the mud off my skin, so it’s much worse for material.
5. You don’t need bug spray, but you might need sun block. Puerto Rican sun is strong even through the trees.
6. Check early on if the trail you want to hike is open. There is a lot of work being done just now, so have a second option just in case.
7. Expect to get rained on. It might not happen, but it probably will.
8. Don’t necessarily expect a view from ‘the top’. As stated above the peaks of El Yunque are often in the clouds.
And finally…bring your camera! The flora you will see is incredibly beautiful, and when there is a view, you can see to the ocean in several directions, up to sharp peaks, or just along the tops of the trees into the distance.

One item to note – at most of the larger parking areas, there are rest rooms available.

My most recent hike – Los Picachos

I just so happened to be in Puerto Rico for Father’s Day this year, and so being us, we chose a hike in the rainforest as our Father’s Day outing. We got up early to get to the entrance to the park, which is most commonly accessed through Palmer, up route 191. We got to the gate a bit before 8am and so parked with the other hikers for a few minutes at a small outcrop that offered some good views out across the island, and of one of the several viewpoint towers. The road often circles through and around these enormous bamboo stands, as well, which I have always thought beautiful.

In time we were allowed into the park and followed a caravan of cars up to the parking lot just below El Baño Grande, a former swimming pool constructed in the 1930s that includes an overflow dam surrounded by foliage.

There is a very short walk around the edge of the pool, and also a trail that branches off to the right, leading towards the peak and Los Picachos – this was our route. Los Picachos is a ridge made up of a series of smaller peaks, just next to the El Yunque peak.

The path starts off very even and neat, though relatively quickly begins an ascent up away from the road. While the track is not particularly long – it says 2.4 miles to the top – it is very winding and quite steadily going up. In places the trail is very well-kept, graded and covered with pebbles that make for easy walking, but the higher it goes, the more traditional hiking trail it becomes – narrow, alternately rocky and muddy. But, the surroundings are stunning (and on more than a few occasions I nearly fell while being distracted) – deep palm forests, banana trees, small streams so dry they are barely visible, others that form little waterfalls, moss and rotting stumps, tree trunks with orchids growing out of them, and everywhere, flowers. Small, large, many different colours (though many are pink), most of them wild and as elusive as the fauna you can hear but seldom see. On previous walks I had caught sight of gecko and coqui (tree frogs), but the trail was a bit too busy on this trip.

Just about 1.5 miles up, the trail we were on came to a T, with one side heading to Los Picachos and one to the Britton Tower viewpoint. A slightly worse-for-wear shelter with what had once been a fireplace offered a resting spot, before we pushed on towards Los Picachos.

Where the trail splits.

On the day we hiked, as you will see in the pictures, the higher we went, the wetter we got – it was a combination of rain and just mist, as we were essentially walking through clouds. Though the sign had said less than a mile to Los Picachos from our stopping point, it felt quite a bit longer, and as all of the viewpoints we found were blocked in by cloud, in the end we chose not to make the final climb up the stairs to the viewpoint.

As we hiked down – I have to admit to now understanding what I never could have while hiking as a child, that down can be harder than up with over-30s joints – the mist lifted in places and a few rays of sun broke through the trees. For the entire week I was in Puerto Rico, though, we were plagued by Sahara dust – fine particles that cross the Atlantic and cause haze or clouds. This I s a common occurrence in the summer. Not once did I see the brilliant blue Caribbean sky you often see in the winter, though that was probably better for my Scottish-sun-accustomed skin.

The path to Los Picachos also used to provide a route up to the summit, though this is now closed; it is one of several closed routes.

La Mina Waterfall hike

My father used to use the mountain as his primary form of exercise, ‘running’ up to the peak, while I chose the slightly less intense La Mina trail. While not as long, it is a steady hike down to the waterfall along a river, that upon the return is an equally steady climb that certainly gets ones heartrate up – it is classed as ‘difficult’ due to several sets of ‘winding concrete stairs that can make the return trip somewhat arduous‘.

The first time I took this hike, I was entirely on my own while Dad did his run, and I just fell in love. It was a magical tropic paradise of paths that crossed brooks and streams, passed roofed picnic shelters and towering palms. As I walked down the stairs, I got frequent views to the left of the rocky, tumbling river, which in some ways reminded me of rivers in the Highlands or New England, except with very different foliage.

At the bottom of the trail, as expected, is a beautiful waterfall that falls about 35 feet into a cool pool where I have seen hikers swimming.

Disappointingly, this trail is currently closed indefinitely.

I know that there is a lot more to this National park than the area I have visited, and I hope that in time I may be able to explore a bit more. I still have not yet managed to get to one of the towers, and while I have climbed to the summit, it was so many years ago that I cannot find the pictures. A visit is an absolute must if you are in Puerto Rico and renting a car – tear yourself away from the beaches if you can for a day, and check out the stunning rainforest! You will not regret it.

I’ve got a short video of clips taking while hiking in the rainforest:
The Wandering Medievalist in Thailand, part two – Chiang Mai!

Dec 20th, 2024

At the end of my Thailand trip, I spent three days in the northern city of Chiang Mai. I had perhaps less idea of what to expect from Chiang Mai than I had of Bangkok, but I was excited to see what it might hold, and the fight was a leisurely 1 hour, leaving at a reasonably mid-morning time of day.

Thai Airways was very pleasant – if the planes were on the older side – with impeccably polite staff and a good snack of a Thai tea-flavoured milk bun, gloriously soft and a touch sweet. I had only discovered the deliciousness that is Thai tea the day before at an event – a new favourite.

I looked out the plane window as they announced we were 15 minutes from landing and realised that the air was much clearer than it had been in Bangkok, and I could see mountains not far off. It reminded me, in some ways, of Puerto Rico; flat land leading to verdant mountains, foliage and similar houses. But then, in the distance, I noticed something rising from the ridge of the mountain. I wasn’t sure what it was – a radio tower perhaps? Then we got closer and closer, and the form of a person was evident – a gold one. Not a radio tower, but a temple, with an enormous statue that stood out against the trees. Nearby, another one. I started to smile.

Sure enough, it took me no time at all to fall in love with Chiang Mai. I’m not sure if it was the similarity in size to many cities I love closer to home – the population is 1.2 million, not far off Edinburgh, greater Boston, or Leeds – allowing for a metropolitan feel that is still far less hectic than big cities like Bangkok, London and New York. Or perhaps it was that combined with the sheer beauty of the city, and of its history, so evident on almost any street corner.

The airport is on the small side, the way I remember Edinburgh being twenty-five years ago, and it was easy to arrange a Grab to my hotel. I was considerably more awake for this airport transfer than I had been in Bangkok, and so I happily stared out the window at the city that was both modern in its bundles of wires, concrete structures, and many cars, but also historic in its moat, temples, and detailed adornment to shrines and the simplest light posts and garden walls.

Chiang Mai, as I learned, is the second-largest city in Thailand, though the portion I visited felt considerably smaller – I clearly missed quite a bit. It was founded in 1296, and fortified with a town wall – some of which still exists – as well as the almost square moat. I confess myself to being quite ignorant of Thai history, but learned that this area of northern Thailand was part of the Lan Na Kingdom for what in Euro-centric terms is considered the Middle Ages and early modern period. Chiang Mai became capital of Lan Na under its first king, Mangrai (c. 1238 – 1311).

My hotel, which was absolutely beautiful, was in the Nimman area, a bit north and west of the moat, immediately across from several large shopping centres. The hotel rooftop, which I discovered on my first night, provided a view over the city in every direction and towards the mountains.

The evening was still warm but a gentle breeze kept the temperature very comfortable, and the hotel staff were happy to bring me a gin and tonic. It was the perfect way to end my day, as you will see.

On my first day in Chiang Mai, my work meetings finished in time to allow me to explore. I started off in the centre of the square old city and walked up one of the main roads towards the bridge I had determined to cross. The walk passed by a series of temples from which I could hear chanting, as well as numerous shops. The ubiquitous Thai mopeds were everywhere, and while the heat was intense, it was just comfortable enough to allow for a gentle walk. This would not be possible, I later discovered, in the more modern parts of city where the sidewalk frequently disappeared completely.

Upon reaching the city moat, I decided first to turn right and walk a short distance along to a footbridge rather than cross the car bridge. In no time at all, I came across my first proper temple – Wat Rajamontean. I did not go inside, as I could hear an active service of some kind. As you can see below, there was a set of steps leading up from the street and framed with dragons and figures of all kinds. Just along the road was Wat Khan Khama, and this excellent set of gilded horse statues.

It was frustrating for me as a historian, not to be able to learn more about the temples as I visited/passed them, but the informational plaques were of course in Thai. I have since done a bit of research which indicates that this region was a hub for keeping horses, hence the row of sculptures above. It also appears that ‘Rajamontean’ denotes ‘royal monastery’ and that the Wat contains an impressive library.

My primary goal for this walk was Wat Lok Moli. While it is not known exactly when the temple was built (the foundation in fact a great mystery), it was mentioned in charters by the mid-14th century. The two structures, the chedi (the taller pointed structure) and the vihara (assembly hall, in the foreground) were both commissioned in the first half of the sixteenth century, and the ashes of some of the royal dynasty were placed here.

To access it, I had to cross the city moat, with the ideal spot being this beautiful footbridge. Not just beautiful though it was also treacherous, with several holes – covered in chicken wire – looking down at the water. I would not have crossed had not seen someone else on it a moment before, thought I did pass an older Thai man as I reached the far side, who grinned toothlessly at me and warned me to be careful.

On the far side of the moat was a busy street but I managed to find a pedestrian crossing – not the easiest task – and scampered across with a few other tourists. A brick wall marks the enclosure, and the entrance to the Wat is through a splendid arch, guarded by a red statue.

Through the arch, one was confronted immediately with the splendour of two massive elephant statues, and the intricately carved face of the temple, flanked by white dragons.

I did take off my shoes and make my way into the temple, but as there were some monks speaking to followers, I felt awkward staying and did not want to take a picture within the temple – the same reticence I feel taking pictures of active churches, though I usually get past that…

Around the back of the temple was more carving, each panel a story of history or religious tale – I assume.

From here I moved back towards the chedi – commissioned in 1527 – in front of which was a display of beautiful coloured lanterns.

I walked around the whole Chedi and found that there were different statues on each side, plus some more shrines. If there is one thing that struck me about this temple it really was its intricacy and detail; the carving was exquisite, and each part of the complex had its own story. There were countless smaller shrines, carvings and statues to see, as well as the more open compound itself. Though it was busy with tourists, everyone was more or less quiet and respectful of the active religious site.

These happy statues just made my day.

The temperature and my excitement meant that by this point, my phone was actually starting to overheat; it was time to put it in my bag, away from my body heat, and head back to the hotel. I had the route planned out, but learned before long that my idea of ‘I’ll just walk up that road’ was not as simple in Chiang Mai.

To start with, I crossed back to the moat side of the road, where there was a path along the water. Growing tree routes had forced some of the tiles to buckle upwards, meaning the walk took some attention, but the trees meant shade, which I craved. I recall thinking that in a European city there would be a fence along the water, but not here, and around the corner, the street level rose enough that there was a drop of perhaps a foot or two from the path to the moat.

The corner, which I reached after 5-10 minutes of trying to resist taking pictures of the moat, is called Hua Lin corner. It is the location of a former aqueduct, bringing water from the Huai Kaeo brook over the moat and into the city. Today, there is a small garden and some seats where one can rest briefly, and look across the water at the remains of the city wall and bastion.

I had planned, at this corner, to cross the road and head north-west towards my hotel. Unfortunately, there was no pedestrian crossing and the traffic was coming far too quickly to try a Bostonian mad dash. I should mention that the driving in Thailand is nothing short of terrifying – the cars and mopeds are right at the edge of the road, so when you are a pedestrian they come within inches, or closer, of clipping you. The ring road that runs around the moat is several lanes in either direction, with cars speeding confidently along. So, I turned left along the moat and figured I would find a place before too long to cross. I was incorrect.

It was the better part of ten minutes that I walked along, enjoying the water lillies that were omnipresent in this part of the moat, and getting warmer as I went – and thirstier. I had water with me but it was almost hot enough to make tea after my hour or so walking around, and I was watching Google maps trying to work out a different route back to my hotel than I had planned. The further I walked – in the wrong direction – the longer I would spend in the sun and heat, in a city where most people clearly did not walk. So I did the next most sensible thing.

I gave up.

There was eventually a pedestrian crossing which allowed me to get across to the far side of the road, and I turned back the way I had come, only to discover that the sidewalk vanished. There was absolutely no safety in walking along the road, but there was a haven where I could wait in the cool, drink some iced tea, and call for a Grab – Starbucks!

I am not proud of reverting to an American stereotype, but it certainly worked. Half an hour later, I was back in my hotel enjoying a shower and two bottles of nice chilled water.

My final exploration of Chiang Mai was investigating One Nimman, the shopping centre across from the hotel. It reminded me slightly of Quincy Market in Boston in terms of architecture, and the shops were perfectly touristy, just what I needed to round out my Thailand gifts for home. The central square was a large open air street food market, while around the edges of the complex were a series of craft stalls. Clearly a high-end market area, One Nimman also offered plenty of health-related shops where wellness was a priority – massage, facials, and much more.

It was a fleeting time in Chiang Mai, but I have determined I will go back – with my proper camera and a plan to visit the mountain temples and the elephant sanctuary. So much still to see! The people were very friendly and while there are certainly western tourists present, there were plenty of more local visitors as well, providing a really pleasant atmosphere. I feel like I have only scratched the surface of what there is to see here. But, it was the end of a long month of travel and I was ready to head back home, flying Chiang Mai to Bangkok to Doha to the UK.

It was the middle of the night when I passed through Doha, but I was happy to have a travelling companion who I had met in Bangkok, worked in the same field, and had the same flights booked home. Together we were determined to see the famed indoor tropical garden of Hamad International Airport, Orchard. So we walked for what felt like hours but was about 20 minutes, and were delighted to find ourselves entirely un-disappointed. Orchard is not particularly large but it is markedly cooler than anywhere else, with the foliage providing a fresh feel to the air, and a palpable sense of relaxation. Particularly in the middle of the night, it was so relaxing to stroll along the paths and find a place to sit and relax. If anyone is passing through and have the time, I would absolutely recommend making the detour to see this indoor wonder.

Words cannot express how fortunate I feel to have been able to take this trip, and experience a part of the world I had never seen before. It has opened up my travel horizons much further, and I hope that the next time I return it is either not for work, or I can take more time to enjoy it. And that I am a bit less asleep…

Finally, I leave you with my favourite picture from Thailand, a combination of modern and medieval that I just love:

If you want to see more of the river boat cruise and a bit of Chiang Mai, check out this short video:
The Wandering Medievalist in Thailand, part one – Bangkok!

Dec 14th, 2024

In October, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to visit Thailand for work. It was a gruelling 10 days, but I was able to see a bit of the two cities I was based in: Bangkok and Chiang Mai. In fact, I saw just enough to make me want to return with a lot more time to explore! And, I took part in a few once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Thailand had never been particularly high up my list of places to visit, but this trip taught me that almost any location can surprise you.

Disclaimer: if you’re looking for a post full of tourist information, this won’t be it – but it is a taster, a glimpse, of what I hope will be more to come.

To start with, Bangkok. I flew via Doha on Qatar Airways, and found the process quite straight-forward. I had a work visa which the customs official was happy with, and after a long wait for luggage I was greeted by a very kind man who took me to a waiting airport transfer. I used Grab (South-East Asia’s Uber) for most of my travel, but to and from the airport opted for a hotel ‘limo’ which was a bit more expensive but very comfortable. The car was air-conditioned and provided free bottles of water, and I had no intention of trying to drive in Bangkok.

Edinburgh’s three Forth bridges

Almost from the start I found myself enjoying Bangkok even more than I expected. I loved the odd jumble of modern architecture alongside old temples, very much an Asian feel but with some European influence. Here is the one picture I managed to take from the car ride:

I arrived in my hotel after 20 or so hours of travel during which I had not slept. All the hotel staff in Thailand are very solicitous and kind, informing me upon my arrival that there would shortly be an emergency text in the hotel. They assured me that I did not need to evacuate, but that it would be loud. Excellent news when I was desperate for a nap. Fortunately my room was lovely, with a huge walk-in shower that reminded me of those one finds a lot in Puerto Rico – more of a square stone chamber than a shower, with glorious hot water. I managed a quick shower before the alerts began – certainly loud, in a mix of Thai and English, and continuing for about 10 minutes. In this time, I managed to snap a few pictures of the view from my room and the window at the end of the hall, downed one of the several bottles of water they provide in the room, and climbed into bed.

Throughout my stay I found myself fascinated by the view across the city – the combination of architectural styles and open green areas, as well as the BTS sky train cutting through the buildings.

Side note on the sky train – is is incredibly efficient and easy to use, and once I tagged along with a colleague on one ride was confident doing it myself. When Grab taxis were occasionally hard to find or would leave you stuck in endless Bangkok traffic, the train was a speedy alternative. BTS stations in the city centre are raised at least one level above the street and often have small shops that sell snacks, as well as a direct entrance into the nearest hotel, mall, or public building. Very efficient and safe.

As I explored the city over the next few days, travelling to and from work events, it was so interesting to see spectacular views, like the on from the St Regis hotel where we had an event, to a small side-street lined with mopeds and shops. In front of many buildings, both hotels, shops and even auto mechanics were often stunningly intricate shrines, gilded and carved.

Close to my hotel were an incredibly well-stocked pharmacy – I managed to pick up some extra Vitamin C and Zinc tablets upon which I rely when travelling – and a 7-Eleven that offered the usual snacks, drinks, and some toiletry items as well as toasties and sandwiches which they would warm up for you. Most of the snacks were almost entirely labelled in Thai, but I managed to work out a few flavours and picked up some goodies to bring home for the other half. On one long night, a cheese toastie from this 7-Eleven was my slightly pathetic but incredibly tasty dinner.

Another spectacular part of the trip was of course the food (cheese toast included). I was travelling with a colleague to take part in a massive educational fair, located in one of Bangkok’s many convention centres, the Siam Paragon. The Paragon is also a mall – one of the fanciest malls I have ever seen, with floor after floor of ultra-modern shops. Some were tech-based with adjacent pods for people to record social media segments, others were high-end retailers like Gucci, Prada, Balenciaga and so forth. After one quick wander through, I realised it would definitely not be the spot for souvenirs!

But on the bottom level of the mall, which we eventually reached after making our way down numerous escalators, was a spectacular food court, bigger than any I have ever seen. It had American staples like Burger King and Pizza Hut but also every selection of Asian cuisine one could wish for, often specialised to one or two dishes.

After a long day it was a touch intimidating, but we managed to find a restaurant that would allow us to sit away from the crowds a bit. While it may be unimaginative, I ordered pad thai, which I love, as well as deep-fried basil calamari and a blueberry smoothie. To the last bite and sip, it was phenomenal. A similar meal in the UK would have cost probably four to five times as much, and never could have been as good.

By far the most memorable time I spent in Bangkok was on an evening river cruise arranged by one of the companies we worked with. Leaving from River City in Bangkok, the cruise offered open-air dining (yes, mosquito and other biting pest repellent was recommended), live music, and an exhibition of traditional Thai dance as we cruised up the river, under bridges and past temples and the Grand Palace. Very memorable (see the below video) were two bridges through which we passed that were so low – or the water was so high – that we were asked to stay seated to avoid injury. Sure enough, the boat JUST squeaked under, with a foot or two to spare.

It was stunningly beautiful at night, and provided views both of the modern Bangkok skyline but also its past, with the historic buildings lit up at night. The trip was incredibly smooth – you would hardly know you were on water – and I spent most of it completely in awe.

After the cruise, some of us were invited for one last cocktail at the rooftop bar of a colleague’s hotel – it is quite common for events such as these for many institutions to have representatives present, and there is an excellent community of people who travel together, support, work, and relax a bit together when time allows.

Though I suffer from a fear of heights and the view required me to walk up quite close to the edge of the building – a shoulder-height glass panel was all that separated us from plunging to the ground below – I admitted the view was worth the racing heart:

In fact, this night was one of my favourite times in Bangkok. I was reliably informed by a colleague who had been in Thailand frequently that the park one can see on the left of the photo has ponds with alligators in them – a good reason not to walk home.

The view from the nearby BTS station was equally excellent, if a bit less challenging for the acrophobic amongst us.

There is so much I did not have time to do in Bangkok, like visit the Grand Palace, get a proper Thai massage, walk through the parks, visit some of the markets, and actually see the temples up close. But, I was not there on holiday, and for a work trip I saw a great deal and got a feel for the city, just enough to make me want to see a lot more.

Not a small part of my lack of adventurous nature came down to jet lag – I had travelled back to the UK from California only a few days before I flew to Bangkok, and my first week there was one of the more exhausting of my life. I could not sleep at night, but my body definitely wanted to sleep around mid-afternoon, a problem for work events. The humidity and heat did not really help. By the end of my first week I was starting to adjust, in time for my next adventure to Chiang Mai – the topic of my next post!

If you want to see more of the river boat cruise and a bit of Chiang Mai, check out this short video:

And don’t forget to visit my shop!
Traveling Through My Lens: Highlights of 2024

Nov 29th, 2024

I have been wracking my brain for days on what next to write about, but my creative juices are running a touch low after weeks – months – of work travel. Finally I thought of this post – throughout the year, wherever I am and no matter how tired I am, taking pictures of the beauty around me has kept me centred. And so in this post, I would like to share with you MY favourite pictures that I have taken this year, and a bit of why they are special to me.

This picture was taken on one of my favourite days all year, when I got up early after a snowstorm to wander Marblehead as the sun rose. I wrote a whole post about this day – so serene and stunning, it remains one of the best days of the year.

Boston coffee at its best. Most people are Dunkin’ people or Starbucks people. Whether they are next to each other or across the street, they almost always offer you the chance to choose between them, in Boston anyway.

Me? Cold brew Dunkin’, even in the depths of winter.

Next Stop Wonderland was a movie, and when I started riding the subways regularly in the 90s, was still announced by the driver. So, usually was, ‘Nexxop, Wondaland’

I love this picture of the light glistening off ice starting to drip from the tree branches as the sun began to warm the world after a day and night of snow. I sat under this tree watching for some time, until I was dripped on.

February started as a month of new beginnings, with a new job for me. This picture was taken at the end of a day in week three, as the sun set down Perth Road. Hard to beat a good winter sunset.

Speaking of sunsets, here’s another, one of my favourite nearby views including the old rail bridge and the River Eden.

And to counter the previous two, a sunrise – specifically the sun rising over St Andrews, a view I have captured 100s of times but never tire of, especially on a golden morning like this one. February was a rough month for us, but mornings like this one helped.

One Saturday in March I took a late morning walk on East Sands, and it was a gorgeous sunny day at low tide. It is hard not to love this view of St Andrews.

My morning walks in spring are often joined by the local small family of deer. I like to think that they get used to me and are less afraid of the woman in a purple coat who is always taking pictures.

The deer on this morning were so completely un-bothered by me.

Most of April was consumed with work, but I did my best to get out for an evening stroll whenever I could. I loved this one daffodil standing up against the setting sun.

Early in May, I took myself on a solo adventure to Castle Campbell. This stunning blue sky against the Ochils just filled me with joy.

Out of work for the month of May, I found myself free to have the occasional Friday evening pint at our local haunt. What a spectacular evening view. Though I do have a thing for bridges.

A hiking trip in support of the Step Count Challenge took some friends and I to the Hermitage, in Perthshire. It does not get much more fairytale-perfect.

Another day trip found me in Kenmore; I just cannot take enough pictures of this bridge, but this one with the distant loch and mountains peeking through is one of my favourites.

We also travelled south to visit friends for Eurovision weekend. As always when we visit Romsey, we went on a long walk through the medieval parts of the town, where the gardens are always stunning. Many happy memories.

Driving back from Oban, we enjoyed a day of almost perfect weather. We stopped at the Stalker View café and this perfect view awaited us. I love the hint of rhododendron in the corner.

While I have hundreds of pictures of this view, this one reminds me of a very special day – the end of final exams celebration for a student I worked with for years. She fought long and hard to get to this day, and I was so proud to see her soaking wet and grinning. (a St Andrews tradition)

We had a near perfect day in Oban when we first arrived – stunning blue sky and bright sun. This picture seems to cover it all – the monument on the hill, the harbour and the distillery and high street.

I positively fell in love with the rock-lined sandy beaches of Mull. How could you not?

This was our lunch view, looking over clear water with bobbing sailboats reminiscent of the Caribbean. But on Iona. Reminds me of a peaceful and moving day on the ancient isle.

June in Scotland is all about flowers. These lightly pink blossoms line the streets and woodland paths, and I love them.

One day in June, I sat in my in-laws’ garden and took pictures of the birds. Their garden is always full of feeders and birds of every kind, and this photo in particular is in memory of my father-in-law.

July was the first month of travel with my new job, and I found that I really loved the city of Toronto. This picture seemed to encompass both the old and new feels of the city.

The V&A Museum in Dundee held a fascinating exhibit on kimono, both old styles and new. It was beautifully presented, and I loved this mirrored display.

The pinnacle of summer in St Andrews is the Lammas Market. Held on the last weekend before kids return to school, a fun fair fills the streets of the town in an event that is somehow both very modern and incredibly ancient in feel. I have always been fascinated by the juxtaposition of old stone buildings and bright garish rides.

I travelled a lot in September, starting off with a trip home – I had not been home in September in many years and I almost forgot how beautiful late summer in New England can be. Almost. And of course this view is one of the best in Marblehead.

This was also my first 9/11 in the US since 2001. It was incredibly moving for me to be in a school on that day and learn how the teachers were ensuring the next generation remembered the day with the same poignancy as those who lived through it.

One evening, I drove from Houston to Dallas. It was a great drive and I loved this totally deserted rest area where I stopped for a short break. No question I was in Texas.

In the otherwise rather standard hotel I stayed in, they offered Texas-shaped waffles on a Sunday morning. The epitome of Texas and the US. Made me so very happy.

I love a good churchyard, and this one in Dunvegan on Skye was both old and beautifully kept.

Sunset on Skye. Seldom gets better, and this will always remind me of the little cottage in which we stayed, overlooking the fields and water.

On this stunning clear night, I stood outside with my camera for almost an hour playing with settings until I managed to get them just right. Sheep in the nearby field were baaing their impatience with me, but otherwise it was totally silent and peaceful. Heaven.

It is always nice when the sky is blue, but the Highlands lend themselves just as well to clouds and partial sun. I loved this view of rocks, loch, hills and ocean beyond.

That said, the day we started our drive home was sunny and gorgeous, so I could not resist a stop at Sligachan Bridge, which had been overcast on our last visit. I pride myself on staying dry while managing this under-the-bridge picture of the distant Cuillins.

October was an another busy month of travel, including my first ever visit to Southern California. This picture, taken out of my hotel window on my first night in CA, was a precursor to a really great – if busy – trip.

I found myself drawn to the Californian mountains. They were rugged like the Highlands but dry in their starkness. And stunning in the evening light.

As I recently wrote about, one morning I took myself on an adventure to Laguna Beach. I was entirely on my own and knew nothing about where I was going, but had a wonderful morning in the sun. There were so many gorgeous pictures to be had, but this of the palms and sea and sand was my favourite.

Bangkok was a city about which I knew very little. I found myself fascinated by the architecture, the greenery, the heat, and even the BTS sky train. Always crowded, always hot, and often beautiful in the way only a city can be, Bangkok surprised me.

In one of the more surreal nights of this year, colleagues and I were taken on a river boat cruise in Bangkok. The night skyline was even more beautiful, and it was a magical night.

This is one of my favourite picutres of the whole year, encapsulating the elegance of the ancient temple and the bustle of modern Thailand. I completely fell in love with the city of Chiang Mai and hope I can return!

Finally, in November, I returned to New England to finally see the autumn colours (or tail end of them) and do my job in my home town of Boston. The weather was gorgeous, as the area was in drought, and I was there for the full moon. It was a fitting end to a year of lots of travel to new places, and plenty of opportunities for pictures.

Clockwise from top left: Full moon rising over Marblehead harbour, a stunning tree at Worcester Academy, the statue of George Washington looking over the Boston Public Garden, a stunning red Japanese maple in Mt Auburn Cemetery, and Marblehead harbour at night.

I hope you have enjoyed this photographic trip through my year! Have you checked out my online shop yet?