Video – Incredible Istanbul: Three Perfect Days
This enormous city is a blend of Europe and Asia in the best possible way. Istanbul is one of the world’s oldest cities – but with its surreal landscape, delicious food, notoriously fun nightlife and vibrant culture attracting all sorts of visitors, the best is yet to come. This is a visual experience of my time with my wife while in Istanbul – one of our last international trips before we have a baby. My advice: put on a paid of headphones and open the video up full screen to enjoy. Incredible Istanbul: Three Perfect Days from Alex Lop on Vimeo. It’s a brisk winter day in Istanbul....
Read MoreIstanbul: First Impressions of the “Rome of the Orient”
If you’ve been to Rome and liked it, you better put Istanbul on your list next. I’m dubbing this place “Rome of the Orient;” as the name suggests, Europe and Asia truly do meet in this fantastic city. Istanbul is perched on hills similarly to Rome. If Rome is known for its many, many churches, Istanbul is known for its mosques. The city itself is gorgeous. We arrived about 30 minutes before the sunset and rode into the city as the lights began to shine. The city came to life as we rode in, with the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque brightly glowing in the Old City....
Read MoreNext Stop: Istanbul Baby Moon
Boy oh boy am I in for a treat. After years of studying the Hagia Sofia, virtual touring the busy bazaar, and watching endless James Bond Movies with a visit, my lovely wife and I will be visiting Istanbul, Turkey for the first time ever and living our own James Bond adventure. For those of you that don’t know, I’m a soon-to-be-dad. My wife and I have opted to take two Babymoons: one somewhere cultural, and one somewhere warm. While we haven’t decided on the “somewhere warm” babymoon just yet, I was invited to Turkey to celebrate the 20th year anniversary of a...
Read MoreThe Thermal Baths in Sevilla: A Reminder of History
One of my favorite spots I visited while visiting Sevilla were the thermal baths underneath the Alcazar. While under a major tourist attraction, these baths provide you with a sense of seclusion and history. Roman ruins litter the Sevilla’s underground and many public spaces and private hotels have worked these ruins into their surroundings (for a great example, check out the EME Hotel). The thermal baths provide an amazing photographic opportunity for anyone with a steady hand. The underground surroundings leak these incredibly warm colors. The minute you take your first step down the...
Read MorePhoto Series: The Columns of Park Güell
Gaudi’s Park Güell (Park Guell) is an architectural masterpiece perched atop Barcelona’s Gracia district. The Park is unlike any other in terms of its design and aesthetic appeal. Park Güell, a cross between a Mediterranean Hansel and Gretal setting meets Roman and Arabesque influence, can keep you visually occupied for some time. Some of Park Guell’s most impressive aspects are the amazing columns that support the winding paths and expansive upper level of the park. All of Gaudi’s shapes are taken from nature, so these columns and their construction resemble...
Read MoreBarcelona: Gaudi’s Mosaic Work on the Serpentine Bench
Gaudi’s architecture is some Spain’s most well known, specifically for Gaudi’s attention to organic structures found in nature he incorporated into his architecture. One of my favorite works of his is Park Güell, a garden complex perched on top of a hill on the Gracia district overlooking the entire city. The Serpentine Bench outlines the upper layer and and forms enclaves – inviting people to sit and soak in the view. This is probably my favorite spot in Barcelona, and worth making time for on any trip to this beautiful...
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