Schloss Schönbrunn, Wien

A colorful picture of Schloss Schönbrunn or Schönbrunn Palace in the Austrian capital Vienna.

Schloss Schönbrunn seen from the palace gardens.

From Utrecht with Love

From Utrecht
With Love


View of the Domtoren (Dom Tower) and the heart shaped sculpture on the Stadhuisbrug.

The sculpture consists of two swords forming a heart and is called The Art of Making Peace.

It has been placed to commemorate 300 years from the signing of the Treaty of Utrecht.

Evening in Zaitunay Bay

Evening in Zaitunay Bay.
Location: Beirut, Lebanon
Camera: Sony Nex-7

Late Afternoon in Tyre, South Lebanon

View of the Mediterranean in the old Phoenician city of Tyre (also known as Sour) on a late afternoon.

Jezzine, Lebanon

Maria looking at the valley.

This is the statue of Maria at the entrance of Jazzine, a small town in South Lebanon. Most of the inhabitants of Jezzine are Christian Catholics; followers of the Maronite Catholic Church and the Greek Melkite Catholic Church.

Posh Cafe Viennese Style

The cafe in the magnificent cupola hall of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. The pictures are from my trip to Vienna in September, 2013.

Bratislavsky Hrad

Bratislavsky Hrad: the Bratislava Castle standing proudly on the top of a hill by the Danube. The castle is quite old. However, it has been recently reconstructed and looks brand new.

Traditional Music at the Mir Amin Palace Hotel in Beiteddine, Lebanon

Seen in the courtyard of the Mir Amin Palace Hotel in Beiteddine, Lebanon: a guy in traditional folk costume playing the lute.

Mir Amin Palace Hotel used to be a residence of the last Emir of Lebanon. Nowadays, it is a luxury boutique hotel. The hotel is located in Beiteddine, a small town in the mountains about 45km from Beirut.

Going Down

Going down.
Escalator in the Budapest Metro.

Budapest - Pearl of the Danube

Budapest is often called the pearl of the Danube. As most cliches, this is true. Many of the attractions in the Hungarian capital are located on the banks of the Danube.

The Parliament building and one of the lions of the Chain Bridge (Széchenyi lánchíd in Hungarian).

Old and New in Budapest

Old and New in Budapest: the huge glass building of CET Budapest. The CET functions as a cultural and exhibition center.

The building is designed by Kas Oosterhuis, professor at the Faculty of Architecture, Delft University of Technology.

The Parliament in Budapest at Night

The Parliament building in Budapest at night, seen from the Buda side of the city.

The Holy Right Hand of St. Stephen, King of Hungary

The Holy Dexter, the intact right hand of King St. Stephen, on display in the chapel of St. Stephen's Basilica in Budapest.

St. Stephen was the first King of Hungary. He is considered as the founder of the Hungarian State; his major achievement being the establishment of a Christian state.

The cult for his right hand emerged shortly after the opening of his tomb in 1083. The body was already decomposed but the hand had remained pretty much intact.

Around Budapest

Gluhwein, roasted piglet, bread. Budapest, Hungary. January 2014.

Budapest Airport Photo Impressions

Terminal 2 of Budapest International Airport. Recently the airport has been renamed after the famous Hungarian composer Ferenc Liszt.

Zurich Airport - Switzerland's Gateway to the World

Pictures from a brief layover in Zurich Airport, Switzerland's gateway to the world.

Zurich Airport - View of the Airside Center.