Christmas Market, Vienna, Austria

The beautiful city of Vienna, Austria was alive and festive in the winter despite the cold temperatures. All throughout the city, lights were on, Christmas music was playing and markets were busy with vendors eager to sell their unique creations: crafts, art and some of the most delicious street food you'll come by (pastries, sausages...). This photo was taken of colorful wood sculptures in the shape of all different types of animals and objects at night at the "Weihnachtsdorf" (Christmas Village) at the Maria Theresien Platz situated between the Naturhistoriches Museum (Natural History Museum) and the Kunsthistoriches Museum (Art History Museum). The markets were one of my favorite parts of Vienna!

Gute Nacht! (German for Good Night!)

Mission Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California

Trips north on the 101 to Santa Barbara occured several times a year since I had cousins living there. On one particular visit, we decided to visit Mission Santa Barbara. It was a nice, sunny day outside and this fountain had a nice reflection of the mission to add to the lotus flower and leaves in the water. This mission was the tenth of the California missions and going here reminded me a lot of when I learned about missions in grade school. Serenity at its best!

Colorado St. Bridge, 210 Bridge, Pasadena, California

Intending to take a photograph of the Colorado St. Bridge in Pasadena (left), we also happened to be at the location where that bridge junctions with the 210 highway bridge (right) over the Arroyo Seco. The moon was out and the cars were speeding by. I remember this as a familiar sight seen on drives from the Rose Bowl in Pasadena for UCLA football games. Eerily, the Colorado St. Bridge is known as "Suicide Bridge" because of the high number of suicides that occured here during the Great Depression. It was a little scary to be there, but I eventually got over it...

Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay

Crossing the Rio de la Plata from Buenos Aires, Argentina to the small country of Uruguay landed us in the quaint town of Colonia del Sacramento. It was a charming little city with very friendly people. When we were there, the cobblestoned streets were empty with few locals and tourists strolling around. The town was very peaceful and the views along the water were beautiful. Great place to just sit and relax! This photo is of an abandoned building structure with a lone motorcycle parked right in front. The owner of the motorcycle was nowhere to be seen.

Carlsbad Flower Fields, Carlsbad, California

The flowers are in full bloom in the expansive flower fields of Carlsbad, about an hour and a half south of Los Angeles. On the drive there on the San Diego Freeway, we drove part of the way along the Pacific Ocean and past oceanside towns. The fields were carefully planned to have long stretches of flowers in certain colors to make for a rainbow of flowers. In this yellow batch of flowers, there were a couple of orange flowers and this one in particular stood out in the sea of yellow.

Merry-Go-Round, Seaside, Oregon

In the beachside city of Seaside in Oregon, there was a small plaza with little souvenir and art shops with a merry-go-round to top it off. There were few passengers but still the show went on. Outside the plaza, it was windy and gloomy so this plaza was our safe haven for just a few minutes. Have a great weekend!

Floralis Generica, Buenos Aires, Argentina

This structure is called the Floralis Generica and it is located in the United Nations park in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Its a massive metal structure representing a flower and adds to the modernity of the city. The metal flower rested in a circular pool of water. The flower opens and closes with the time of day; during the daytime, the petals open up and during the night, the petals close. I hadn't seen a photo of this prior to visiting Buenos Aires, so it was even more amazing. We walked all the way around to take photos from all angles. One of the most interesting and surprising treats of our trip!

Vancouver Public Library, Vancouver, Canada

This photo was taken from inside the outer corridor of the Vancouver Public Library. Little cafes and shops were just outside the library and we stopped outside of one to have a smoothie. The architecture was very interesting and from outside the library, it mimicked the Roman Coliseum.

George Washington Bridge, New York City, New York, USA

This was the George Washington Bridge spanning the Hudson River in New York City. We had to walk through snow and icy pathways to get this close, but it was definitely worth it. The surrounding areas were isolated and there were a number of stairs that led to roads that were littered with stray clothes and objects, and were covered with graffiti. The area right below the bridge was covered in snow and lined with trees though.

Hoi An, Vietnam

Vietnam is hot and humid, especially during the summer and this day was no exception. We went to the ancient town of Hoi An. They are known for their experienced tailors and knowing this, we had coats made for cold days back home. The city is lined with stores selling all types of crafts and items and also tailor shops. This photo is of the river in Hoi An that provided great reflections!

Prague, Czech Republic

The sun was setting in Prague and this offered a great view of the Charles Bridge from waterside. The swans were wandering all around and did not seem to be afraid of people walking around...in fact, I think the people were more afraid because the swans were so large. This photo was taken during the winter in Prague.

Grand Canyon, Arizona

It was a mild day at the Grand Canyon: not too hot, not too cold. We were able to drive and park near the entrance and make our trek into the canyon. It is true what they say about the hike into the canyon being much easier than the hike out of the canyon. The views of the canyon were amazing from the outside, and especially from within the canyon. It seemed like it stretched indefinitely into the horizon.

Olvera Street, Los Angeles, California

These guitars were found on Olvera Street, known as the oldest street in Los Angeles. The street is rich with culture and personality and the many shops, restaurants and carts colorfully line the pedestrian walkway. I was fascinated by all the colors that surrounded me. Definitely a fun street to walk along and photograph!

South Lake Tahoe, California

We woke up on Sunday morning to snow everywhere outside our cabin in Tahoe. We were snowed in until the snow plow truck came by and paved the way for us to drive home. It was a beautiful sight and even more fun to play in. The snow was fresh and soft and perfect for jumping around in!

Denver City Hall, Denver, Colorado

This photo was taken on a gloomy day in Denver, Colorado, also known as the Mile High City. We were able to take the free shuttle that runs up and down the 16th Street Mall (pedestrian and tree lined street through downtown) to get closer to the Civic Center Park. This area is home to the Denver Art Museum, the Denver City and County Building, and the City Hall, among others. From one of the steps of this City Hall, you are officially one mile above sea level!

Cannon Beach, Oregon

It was a rainy, snowy and windy drive to get to the Oregon coast from Portland but it was well worth it. We first stopped in Seaside, OR and then went on to Cannon Beach just south of Seaside. These rock formations are called monoliths and the large one to the right is called the Haystack Rock. At 235 tall, it is said to be the third largest freestanding monolith in the world. The beaches of the Oregon coastline were definitely the highlight of the trip!

Vincent Thomas Bridge, San Pedro, California, USA

The Gateway Plaza in San Pedro was an unexpected treasure. Looking for the best location to photograph one of the very few bridges in the greater LA area was a challenge. A couple turns later, I was in the Gateway Plaza and was greeted by a directed fountain show that came along with spectacular music and everything. This photo was taken with the reflection of the bridge and palm trees in the water. Oddly enough, the blue lights on this bridge turn off at 11pm, or at least it did the night this photo was taken...

University of California, Los Angeles

The beautiful UCLA campus was a delight to take photos of. Ever since I started (and finished) undergrad there , I've been constantly taking pictures and it felt nice to return to the campus. It was a nice day...lots of tours of prospective freshman going on all throughout campus. These were the Janss steps leading up to the Royce Hall/Powell Library buildings.

Point Vicente Lighthouse, Rancho Palos Verdes, California

Today, I drove to Rancho Palos Verdes in search of this very lighthouse. I come to find out that the second Saturday of every month from 10am - 3pm is the only time that they do tours of the lighthouse. Just my luck that we arrive on yes, the second Saturday of April, but at 4:35pm. Anyway, tried to get some shots closer to the lighthouse but there was a fence annoyingly in all the pictures. So, in order to take this picture, I went further along the coast away from the lighthouse. ...And here it is!