During our trips, we always take many travel pictures. So I was thrilled to join a group by one of my friends where we post daily themed photographs. October theme was “Fall Colors” Living in New England, we know the best places to see them.
Although I loved coming up with good pictures, on facebook, all those photographs disappeared in a big black hole after a while. Therefore, I am using them for a series of posts with differently themed travel pictures and their stories. Enjoy our travels!
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Table of contents
Travel Photography: Fall Colors
Explore our travel photography from all over the world! A wide variety of interpretations of the Fall Colors theme. We started our fall in Europe and took a transatlantic cruise from Amsterdam to Fort Lauderdale, which was amazing.
Europe
Quintessential Dutch Windmill: Zaanse Schans
As Dutch as it gets: we visited a typical windmill. Some of them are still being used for sawing wood and grinding spices, cocoa, and pigments.
We also learned how Dutch clogs are being made, and many people actually bought some. Even although I am Dutch, I have never owned a pair and wasn’t going to start now. When I was a wee lass, my father used to wear those wooden clogs to work in the garden and they looked uncomfortable to me so that spoiled me for trying them now 🙂 .
Amsterdam: The Old Shipping House
A rainy day in Amsterdam was a great time to admire the historic decorations in the old shipping house. I love the whale on the map.
This is located in what is now the Grand Hotel Amrath. Admission is free, so it’s a great place to check out and be transported into Dutch history. Talking about Dutch history: check out
- Do you know where the Goldfinch Painting is now?
- Geeky Vincent van Gogh (my 8th cousin a few times removed) facts;
- Everything you always wanted to know about the Waldorf Astoria in Amsterdam;
- Or explore well hidden gems in Zeeland.
Germany: The River Rhine in Cologne
From the Netherlands, it is an easy train ride to Cologne, so we spent a few days there. During a harbor cruise we saw some muted fall colors, it was too early for the bolder ones.
One thing I noticed in the Cologne harbor was how many of the cargo ships were from the Netherlands, even from Werkendam where some of my ancestors used to live and where I still have family.
Flying Free in Cologne
A mural / sticker close to our hotel, no idea what kind of bird they try to depict but I like it.
Cologne: Consolation Beer and Cathedral
When we had a totally messed up travel day but got to drink beer overlooking the cathedral. One of those days where everything was wrong and nothing was right, but good beer helped 😀
We fell in love with the Gaffel brewery, right next to the main railway station.
Crossing the Atlantic Ocean
Recently we discovered that transatlantic cruising can be competetive with flying. Similar pricing, “free” room and board and soooo much easier to deal with the time zones adjustments.
Brugge, Belgium: Gothic Architecture
We enjoyed a few hours in Brugge, such beautiful architecture. Since our cruise ship stopped in Zeebrugge, we had to make our way to Brughes. Turns out we needed two buses and then eventually found a taxi for the last leg. Another non-optimal travel day, but glad we made it.
We took a canal cruise which was wonderful because we could sit down and admire the town. Only hazard was going underneath really low bridges and having to flatten ourselves enough to not end up with a concussion :p .
Le Havre, France: Looking Towards Heaven in the Church Tower
Surprisingly, in Le Havre, the St Joseph church looks very plain on the outside but once we were inside we loved the way the stained glass windows diffused the light.
During the second World War, the former church was totaly flattened and this was both a church and a memorial for all the people that were killed during the war.
Surprised by Stowaway Raptors!
Imagine being on a cruise in the middle of the ocean, and whining about the lack of birds. Suddenly, a bird, no two birds, actually three birds show up! First I figured they would be sea birds, like albatrosses, gannets, frigate birds, gulls, but no, the shapes were wrong, these were raptors.
Not just any raptors but peregrine falcons, the fastest animal on earth!
They hung around for at least 3 days, I still have no idea why they glued on to our cruiseship but we sure enjoyed their acrobatics and flying skills. An unexpected bonus during our 9 sea days 🙂 🦅
Florida Photography
Never Smile at an… Alligator
Eventually we arrived in Florida, where we hightailed it to one of our favorite UNESCO heritage sites: The Everglades. It didn’t take long before we saw our first alligator. And a very brave Halloween Pennant dragonfly…
Check out my Best Birding in the Everglades for more amazing pictures.
Banana Merchant?
While we were driving through Fort Lauderdale we saw this colorful truck.
No idea what he was selling, but the Jet Fuel Only sticker made me smile, as did all the decorations on his truck. Do you know Banana Joe?
Fall Colors Halloween Dragonfly
I thought it would be hard to find fall colors in Florida, but then I noticed this dragonfly on a palm leave.
Turns out this is a Halloween pennant. Interesting fact: the female lays eggs on open water while the male is still attached to her…
Vacation Village Weston Center
Thanks to our timeshare, we got to stay for a week at Mizner Place at Weston Town Center.
We loved the place, very roomy apartment with full kitchen, so we mostly ate in and saved a lot of money that way. If we did want to go out there were many good restaurants withing walking distance, and a nice pond watching birds 😀
Can Chickens Swim?
Common Callinules at sunset. Formerly known as moorhen (swamp chicken), which I grew up with in The Netherlands. Although my European moorhen and this gallinule look the same, they are actually two different species, so maybe I should stop thinking “waterhoentje” each time I see one 😃
Fake Fall Colors in Florida!
Florida vegetation. I found out that this croton always has colorful leaves, not only in the fall.
North East USA
New Hampshire Fiery Foliage
Finally we were back home and we thought we had missed peak foliage. Luckily there still was some leftovers, right in our neighborhood.
Nice that the neighbors parked their red car right next to the foliage.
Fabulous Fun Guy!
And we found a humongous mushroom on one of our flower hills.
Conclusion of Travel Pictures: Fall Colors
As you can see, it is fun to come up with themed pictures. Or to look in your travel archive for pictures that can fit the theme. Have you ever participated in a themed picture challenge? What was your favorite theme? Let us know in the comments.
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