Picture of the Day: Red Maple Leaves on Moss in Sakamoto

Sakamoto, Japan
12.03.2011 

Simple Easter Arrangement

Happy Easter! To me nothing represents the renewal of Spring like pussy willows so I decided to use them to make an Easter arrangement for my table.

Making this was super easy. To start I just put a bunch of pussy willows that I picked up at our Farmer's Market for a few dollars in a rectangle glass vase. To spruce up the plain vase a bit I took a strip of 6" painting masking paper, folded it in half and wrapped it around the vase, securing it with some double sided tape. I wanted to add a little spring color so I tied a bow around the paper with some spring green satin ribbon.

I needed a little something else so I made nests out of a trio of little wooden bowls that I picked up in a market in Brazil a few years back. I crumpled up some more masking paper and tucked a little bit in each bowl. I then cradled a single egg in each one and arranged the little nests next to the pussy willows.

I like that it turned out simple, yet with strong Spring feel. Now I need to get myself geared up to attack some Spring cleaning later this week. It's much more fun to decorate, though...

Did you do any decorating for Easter or for spring? Have you accomplished any Spring cleaning (unlike me)?

Picture of the Day: Colorful Buildings in Antigua Guatemala

Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala
07.03.2010

Picture of the Day: Richelieu Wing of Musée du Louvre

Paris, France
03.17.2012 

Picture of the Day: Military Parade in Bangkok

Bangkok, Thailand
08.20.2011 

Treasures From My Travels: Italian Coffee Grinder

When I travel I love to bring back things for my home. It makes me so happy to be surrounded my mementos from my trips and the memories each item brings back. I've been meaning for a long time to start writing down the stories behind all the treasures from my travels and I thought it would be fun to share them on my blog.

Picked up in Sicily on my Italy trip last month, this little coffee grinder is a recent addition.

Frank and I were wandering through one of Palermo's many colorful street markets (where we also got a spleen sandwich) when I spied it sitting amongst a pile of other random used items for sale. I had been meaning to get myself a coffee grinder so it was a perfect item to bring home. The seller wanted 20 Euros for it, but after a few rounds of bargaining back and forth (20-10-15-11-13-12-sold!) and approval from his wife the coffee grinder was mine for 12 Euros.

I love the worn patina that the wood has acquired and the red metal on top is a great match for my kitchen. It is not very big which is fine since I only plan to use it for grinding small amounts. As an added plus the small size made it easy to bring home and it doesn't take up much storage space. Cute and functional: that's what I call a perfect souvenir. Off to make some coffee... 

Picture of the Day: Palamidi Fortress Overlooking Napflio

Napflio, Greece
11.2009

Practical Tips for Travel Photos: Introduction

I love to travel and I love to take pictures so naturally I take tons of photos on my vacations. In trying to improve my photography skills in the past I looked up some articles online for advice.

A lot of what I read was geared toward someone who was an aspiring professional photographer or someone who was traveling for the purpose of taking pictures so it wasn't really practical for me. Tips like avoiding taking pictures in the middle of the day and using a tripod just weren't realistic.

Would I have better pictures if I followed these guidelines? Of course I would but photography is something fun I do while I am on my trip, not the purpose of it. I'm not willing to do anything that would significantly change my travel experience for the sake of taking pictures. I like to travel light and a tripod would slow me down. The middle of the day is prime time for sightseeing and I am not going to forgo taking photos then just because the light is harsh. I needed an approach that fit in with my style of traveling and over the next few weeks I am planning some posts with practical tips for taking travel photos that can work for everyday people like me.

The primary purpose of this post is to introduce this series but I thought I would also share my number one travel photography tip: If it means something to you, always take the photo. It's so simple and obvious but also easy to lose track of sometimes if you get too caught up in trying for perfection.

When I was in Peru in the Fall of 2007 there was a guy in our hiking group on the Inca Trail that was carrying a fancy camera with several lenses and a heavy duty tripod on the four day trek. After we headed off I thought it was a little strange that he hadn't bothered to take a picture all day despite talking about his equipment at length. I asked him about it and he explained all sorts of reasons why the light wasn't any good because of the time of day and the direction of the sun. Although everything he said was technically true, the one reason to still take pictures that trumps all of that is that you will never have a chance to take those photos again.

Professional photographers or people on photo vacations can wait for good conditions or take lots of time to set up perfect shots. For the rest of us we take a brief pause to snap a picture and then move on to enjoy our travels. If you don't take the picture in the moment you won't have it. I've never regretted taking a picture, even when it was a terrible shot, but I have definitely regretted not photographing something. Even when I was broke in grad school using a film camera I always left money in my budget for plenty of film developing. Nowadays with digital cameras there is no reason not to shoot now and delete later. That doesn't mean to go crazy and not be judicious but it does mean to err on the side of too many rather than too few photos.

Plenty of pictures that I have taken are objectively not that great, but that is not the point for me. If I see a really cool building that requires me to shoot into the sun to capture it I am still going to take the picture because I want to remember it. My travel pictures are a visual record of my memories on my trip, and while I want them to be the best I can make them I am not going to leave something out just because I can't make into an amazing shot. In my judgment all that it takes for a picture to be worthwhile is that it means something to me.

When you are traveling, keep in mind why you are taking pictures in the first place, give yourself permission to be okay if things aren't perfect and press the shutter button. You'll enjoy your vacation more and probably end up with photos that are more meaningful and representative of your experience.

Notes: The photo of me was taken by the fabulous Miss Trisha in Saipan, December 2008. Yes, it is true, I am indeed wearing sunglasses while taking a picture. We were on a fast moving boat and I didn't want to lose the shot so I just quickly grabbed my camera and snapped away. 

Picture of the Day: Carvings at Phnom Bakheng

Phnom Bakheng, Cambodia
08.19.2011

Obtaining an International Driving Permit in the U.S.

Before Frank and I went on our trip to Italy last month I decided to get a new International Driving Permit (IDP) in case we decided to rent a car while we were over there. Since the permits are only good for a year at a time I have gotten several over the years and thought I would share some details about obtaining one.

Many countries do not recognize a U.S. driver's license but they do accept an IDP. Recognised by over 150 countries, an IDP is an official translation of your driver's license into ten languages. Because the IDP is a translation, you also need to carry your U.S. driver's license for the IDP to be valid.

An IDP is intended for short term driving for visitors on travel. If you are planning to become a resident overseas you should confirm the local regulations regarding driving as you may be required to get a license in that country within a set period of time.

It is really important to check the rules for the specific country or countries that you plan on driving in on your vacation. A rental car agency may allow you to rent a car with just your U.S. license but that does not mean you wouldn't be in trouble with the law if you were pulled over and did not have an IDP. The U.S. Department of State has Traffic Safety and Road Conditions section that you can look up under their Country Specific Information. In addition to sharing what licensing requirements are necessary (if IDP is needed or other certification is necessary) there is some great basic information about how that specific country's traffic rules differ from the U.S. If the requirement does not state that an IDP is needed but an official translation is required, an IDP can act in that role.

Currently in the U.S. there are two ways to get an IDP, through the American Automobile Association (AAA) or National Automobile Club (NAC). In both cases you do not need to be a member and the current fee for the IDP is $15.00. There are several internet scams claiming they can provide international driver's licenses but if you are a holder of a U.S. driver's license, currently the only way authorized by the U.S. Department of State is with an IDP through AAA or NAC.

To obtain an IDP from NAC, you apply by mail, submitting a signed photocopy of the front and back of your driver's license, a completed application, two original passport photos and the IDP fee payment of $15.00 along with applicable shipping and handling fees. I've never applied through NAC, but according to their website you can expect to receive your IDP back within about two weeks.

I've always applied for my IDP at AAA because you can just do it in person at a local AAA which means no waiting and no shipping fees. Another benefit of going to AAA is that you can take your required passport photos there and if you are a AAA Plus member (which I am) you get up to two sets of passport photos free per year. If you are not a member you can still get your pictures taken there for a fee (currently $12 at my local AAA) and AAA Basic members can get the pictures for a discounted fee (currently $8 at my local AAA). If you choose not to get your photos at the AAA, just bring a set of two original passport photos with you when you apply.

To get your IDP at AAA bring your driver's license, AAA card if you have one, a set of original passport photos if you don't plan to get them at AAA and a form of payment to your local AAA office. You can fill out the application at the office once you are there. Being able to get your pictures and IDP at one place makes it really convenient and if there is no line at AAA, you can have everything done within 15 minutes and walk out the door with your IDP. If you would rather apply by mail, AAA also provides that option like NAC.

Happy international driving! 

Disclaimer: This information was true to the best of my knowledge at the time of writing and information may have changed. It is each person's individual responsibility to check the driving regulations for any country they intend to visit.