Happy New Year!

Dear 2015,
Thank you for the opportunities you presented me, both professionally and personally. While I spent way too much time on airplane for business, you helped me reach a milestone and personal goal of visiting my 6th continent. What a magical adventure! Australia and New Zealand were otherwordly and breathtaking. On the home front, work brought me some great clients, interesting projects, good colleagues, and more travel. It was a great year, filled with health, happiness, and love. I wish you, 2015, good bye. May 2016 be as kind and obliging and bring me more opportunities for travel, continued health and prosperity for me and my loved ones.

My deepest wish is for everyone to have safety, access to healthy food, useful endeavors to occupy the body and mind, and a willingness to accept others. May 2016 shine on all of us with good fortune, tolerance, and wisdom.
peace, love, and travel
the Map Pin Junkie

My 2015 travel recap in a few photos. As a reminder, these images are mine and protected by all applicable copyrights.

The Map Pin Junkie's 12 Days of Christmas - Gift Recommendations - Day 1

It's that time of year when we exchange gifts to celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or just the joy we feel towards friends and family.

Each of the next 12 days, I will post a gift recommendation targeted to the traveler or travel dreamer on your list.

My list includes items at most price points and most are suited to men or women.  Finally, all recommendations are mine alone and  I have not received any money, product, or perk from any of the companies listed.

Okay, first up, a gift for the iFanatic on your list.

Geared towards travelers, the Zoom Lens for iPhone kit comes with a 12x optical lens , a mounting bracket, a tripod and a drawstring carrying bag.  $22 and available here:Zoom Lens for iPhone

 

Happy gift-giving!

Guatemala City - Business Travel And Time For A Little Fun!

I've been out of the loop the past couple weeks as I prepared for, and traveled to some client meetings in Guatemala City, Guatemala but am back from a successful week of meetings, albeit a little worn out from 9 crazy days of near-constant work.

I was lucky enough to visit Guatemala before but was limited to the northern part of the country, near Peten and Tikal. So, I was looking forward to seeing the capital city this time and it did not disappoint. I stayed at the Westin Camino Real in Zone 10 and the limited time I did have, I walked around enjoying the architecture and friendly people of the city. Of course, the highlight was getting amazing Guatemalan coffee everywhere I went. So good!

The trip was definitely focused on business, so I didn't get to see as much as I wanted to, but was treated to an evening in Antigua, about an hour from the city center. As always, I took my trusty little micro 4/3 camera and, wow, am I glad I did! Every turn was a photo opportunity in Antigua. I hope I can go back and take 'he who shall not be named' for a week in Antigua to climb La Horqueta (the collection of volcanoes there). Here are a few of my favorite shots from the evening.
Peace, love, and travel!

Beauty shot of Volcan Agua

 
Looking at Volcan Agua from ground level

 

Catedral de San Jose, in the center square of Antigua

Home At Last - 2015 Travel Concluded

2015 was a great year with a lot of travel opportunities for work and for pleasure. Coming back to the States from my last business trip late Friday night, I was once again thankful for all those that helped me get where I wanted to go. So, thank you United Airlines (international business travel), American Airlines (domestic business travel and HUGE mileage to get me to Oz), and Marriott Hotels (domestic stays in high style). Each of you made this year's travel special!

A Perfect Day - Autumn Hiking

Northern Arizona - A chilly hike followed by hot coffee equals a pretty perfect day. The land around the Nordic Center of Northern Arizona is the perfect place to escape modern life. Limited cell phone signal, few (if any) people, and crisp fresh air. The only other beings you are likely to encounter are herds of elk or pronghorn antelope. Vistas like this at every turn. Just gorgeous!

Philadelphia - Hometown Holla!

Recently, I was excited to learn that my hometown of Philadelphia was named the first UNESCO World Heritage City in the United States. I've long known about the abundance of history and culture the city has to offer, but I got little pangs of pride when I read the article from Travel and Leisure. If you need to decide on a domestic destination for an upcoming vacation, start with Philadelphia. Food, culture, history, art, sports, and recreation, it really does have it all!

“As a World Heritage City, Philadelphia is being officially recognized on the global stage for its wealth of contributions to the world as the epicenter of American democracy and for its enduring commitment to preserving the unique historical and cultural assets in our diverse community.” - Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter

Read the whole article here: Philadelphia - UNESCO World Heritage City 

(image courtesy of Getty Images, featured on TandL website)

Oh, Paris

No words can express my sorrow at what Paris is going through right now. They will persevere, just as we have after 9/11 and other cities affected by terrorism have done. But today, the heartbreak is fresh, the shock is palpable.

Backyard Tourist - A Picinic at the Preserve

Over the weekend, we finally found our way to the Gilbert Riparian Preserve. It's been on my list of local things to do for about 3 years, but 'he who shall not be named' finally made it happen. We grabbed some sandwiches on the way and set out for an afternoon of sun, relaxation, and picnicking. The Preserve features a variety of habitats and is home to countless varieties of birds (local and migrating) and other desert denizens. Even my fear of rodentia didn't spoil the day. The numerous desert rats looked content to munch on vegetation and left me along for the most part.  There was only one time that I wanted to climb on S's shoulders to escape a rabid rodent. =)

Sydney - Night and Day

As we in America start to bundle up for Winter, those in Australia start to peel back the layers to enjoy Summer. As I pull out the sweaters (all I really need in Arizona), I was thinking of my time in Australia. My visit included time spent in Sydney and many, many trips to or past the iconic Opera House. If you find yourself there, take the tour. It is totally worth it! It is trite and played out as a photo opp, but I still spent hours shooting it from every angle and at several times of day.

The Family ALbum of Wild Africa - A New Photography Book by Laurent Baheux

If you like photography, animals, Africa or Frenchmen, this book has something for you. From the heart and lens of French photographer Laurent Baheux, The Family Album of Wild Africa gives us emotional, powerful, and richly saturated images of African animals. Yes, the images are in black and white and yes, they are astounding.

The absence of color serves to create a mystical veil of truth through which we can better appreciate the majesty, humor, and legacy of these creatures. Treat yourself or someone you love to this treasure of a book. Available on Amazon, here: http://www.amazon.com/Family-Album-Wild-Africa/dp/3832732977/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1450053829&sr=1-1&keywords=laurent+baheux

(all images were taken from Amazon.com)

 

Throwback Thursday - Cairo, Egypt

I'm feeling a bit nostaligc for Egypt today. I just watched a documentary of some new archaeological finds and it made me wistful to be back on the desert sands, surrounded by the spiced air and foreign noises. So for Throwback Thursday, here are a couple photos from my trip.
The city view from the banks of the Nile river in the morning.

  

After seeing Michael Palin visit the Windsor, I knew it was the only place I wanted to stay in the city. It did not disappoint. Here is the key to my room. I will let you imagine the rest. Think British Empire in the 1800s; I felt like I fell out of a period film and it was fantastic!

Blood Moon - September 2015

Enjoying a bit of time at home, I was super-stoked for the Blood Moon this month! The view was pretty great from my own backyard and while I couldn't find my tripod, the rock I used seemed to work out well.

The mystery of space has always appealed to me and I was in hog heaven as I watched the entire eclipse. While it didn't bring the end of the world, the zombie apocalypse, or other prophetic bad news, I did notice my neighbors were a bit weirder than normal. =)

I could post the entire collection and bore you to tears with 100 images that only vary slightly, so here is my favorite of the bunch. Lucky timing, I caught a plane moving through my frame.
(as always, please respect image right. do not use without linking back to me, thanks!)

Destination Dash - San Antonio, Texas, U.S.A.

I was in San Antonio for business and spent my free evening sightseeing and since it was just before the 4th of July, I thought it would be appropriate to use the Alamo as the topic for the inaugural Destination Dash feature. 

Name: San Antonio, Texas, U.S.A.
Population: 1.5 million (2013)
Flight Time: from LAX, US 3 hours non-stop; from EWR, US 4 hours non-stop
Get Started:  If you will be coming from the airport while on a layover, grab the VIA number 5 bus at the airport. Consider a day pass as the VIA service is pretty extensive and easy to use.


Here are my top things to do in an evening or more leisurely afternoon.

1. The Alamo Mission - 300 Alamo Plaza. We've all heard the story of the Alamo or so we think but after a visit to the Alamo, you'll know the whole true history. Do yourself a favor, take the audio tour or talk to the well-educated docents. The history of the Alamo is about more than an ill-fated garrison, it spans colonization, religion, military, and civic history. During my visit it was VERY crowded which lessened the enjoyment for me but my chats with the docents helped improve my experience greatly. Be sure to look up to see recently uncovered Spanish Mission frescoes and initials carved by former inhabitants from the 1800s. The grounds are lovely and the exhibits are well-planned so be sure to walk through to the courtyard to see everything. Well worth a visit for history buffs or anyone interested in true stories of courage and grit. Recommended time - 2 hours.

2. The Riverwalk - Downtown. The Riverwalk is what everyone tells you to do when you get to downtown San Antonio, but what they don't tell you is that it is largely a crush of chain restaurants and tons of flip flop shuffling, fanny-pack wearing tourists. If that's your scene, rock on. If that is NOT your scene, keep walking to find the cool shade of the serene pathways beyond the mall of the Riverwalk. Trust me, it gets a lot nicer as you round the bend. A great idea for an afternoon stroll or to kill time on a lazy evening. Would I go again? Probably not, but I'm glad I've been. Recommended time - 1 hour, 2+ with dinner.

3. The Cathedral of San Fernando - 115 Main Plaza. Since 1750 this gorgeous cathedral has been a fixture of San Antonio. Also known as the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria y Guadalupe and is one of the oldest cathedrals in the United States. If religious significance or architecture doesn't draw you, the remains of the fallen from the siege at the Alamo may be more up your alley.  Recommended time - 1 hour.

Peace, love, and travel!

*As a reminder, these photos are solely mine and not to be used without prior written permission. Thanks! 

The Alamo Shrine

A very old live oak in the courtyard, near the long house at the Alamo.

Detail shot of the shrine facade.

Riverwalk with tour barge.

San Antonio looking very young.