The year 2016 marked my transition to European life. After ~10 years mostly spent in Asia and the US, I moved to the Netherlands. It’s been a terrific year, both personally and professionally. The new location in Europe offered great new opportunities for travel around Europe, with new adventures in places I’ve never been to before, like Serbia, Poland, Portugal, and Luxembourg, and many more explorations in good old favorites, as well as some time to revisit my old homes of Taiwan and Hong Kong in Asia and a few summer weeks in Japan.
So, here’s a quick summary of my 2016 in travel.
January 2016
I spent the newyears around Rotterdam in the Netherlands. Had a chance to catch some film festivals in Heerlen and Eindhoven, with exhibitions and ice festivals in Leige.
Netherlands
Liege
Einhoven
February 2016
February was Carnival season in Maastricht and the area. Had my first visit to gorgeous Portugal in Lisbon and Sintra.
Carnival Maastricht
Lisbon
- Visions of Lisbon : Portugal
- Old National Coach Museum : Lisbon
- New National Coach Museum : Lisbon
- LX Factory art district : Lisbon Portugal
- National Pantheon : Lisbon Portugal
- Campus walk: University of Lisbon & Catolica Lisbon
- Castelo de Sao Jorge : Lisbon
- Praca do Comercio : Lisbon
- Arco da Rua Augusta : Lisbon
- Walking tour of Lisbon
- Berardo Collection Museum & Jeronimos Monastery : Lisbon
Sintra
- Visions of beautiful Sintra : Portugal
- Park and National Palace of Pena : Sintra
- Sintra National Palace Portugal
- Quinta da Regaleira : Sintra Portugal
- Castelo dos Mouros : Sintra Portugal
March 2016
Mostly in Maastricht enjoying various events (Jazz festival), with a quick first trip to Serbia. Also had short visits to Amsterdam.
Belgrade
- Visions of Belgrade : Serbia
- Visions of Novi Sad : Serbia
- Gardos Tower : Zemun Serbia
- Belgrade Fortress : Serbia
- Petrovaradin Fortress : Novi Sad Serbia
Amsterdam
April 2016
My parents came to visit me in the Netherlands and we took some daytrips in the nearby German, Belgium, and Dutch area and celebrated the holidays in Amsterdam. Also caught a docfest in Louven, and discovered the lovely Valkenbourg area near Maastricht.
Netherlands
- South Limburg Steam Train : Netherlands
- Thorn white town : Netherlands
- Wilhelmina Tower 3-country scenic views : Vaalserberg
- Roermond : Limburg Netherlands
- Labyrint Drielandenpunt & the 3-countries border
- Fort Sint Pieter and tunnels Maastricht
- Museum aan het Vrijthof : Maastricht
- Stedelijk Museum : Amsterdam
Belgium
- Alden Biesen Castle : Rijkhoven Belgium
- Japanse Tuin & Cosplay : Hasselt
- Park Natuur and Cultuur : Haaselt
Valkenburg
- Visions of Valkenburg : Netherlands
- A GoGo Valkenburg : Netherlands
- Valkenburg Castle : Limburg
- Museum Romeinse Katakomben : Valkenburg
May 2016
Had a change to visit Frankfurt and Warzburg in Germany, as well as a weekend trip to the lovely Den Bosch
June 2016
June was a busy month, mostly with visits to Poland, touring Poznan, Warsaw, Gdansk, and the terrific Opener music festival in Gdanyia. Somehow also managed to do a department day trip, catch Pinkpop, visit Tel Aviv for a few days, and do weekend trips to the nearby Bonn, Dinant, and Namur.
Poznan
- Visions of Poznan : Poland
- Park Cytadela : Poznan
- Lake Malta : Poznan
- Ostrow Tumski : Poznan
- Town Hall Market Square : Old Town Poznan
Belgium
Telaviv
Warsaw
- Visions of Warsaw Poland
- Copernicus Science Centre Museum : Warsaw
- Taras Widokowy Palace of Culture & Science : Warsaw
- University of Warsaw Library gardens : Poland
- Nożyk Jewish Synagogue : Warsaw
- Historic old town center & Ogrod Saski : Warsaw
- Warsaw Uprising Resistance Museum
Gdansk area
- Visions of Gdansk : Poland
- Opener Music Festival 2016 : Gdynia Poland
- Saint Mary Church observation tower : Gdansk Poland
- The European Solidarity Center : Gdansk
- Sopot Pier and Beach: Poland
- Gdansk old town : Poland
Bonn
- Visions of Bonn : Germany
- Rheinaue Park & Contemporary History Museum : Bonn
- Burg Drachenfels & Godesburg : Bonn
July 2016
In July I revisited my old home of Hong Kong, mostly for work, but had some time to explore a bit more. After that went to a conference in Nagoya Japan.
Hong Kong
- Visions of Hong Kong
- Tung Lung Chau : Hong Kong
- Lei Yue Mun : Hong Kong
- Visions of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Macau
Nagoya
- Visions of Nagoya : Japan
- Toyota Museum of Industry and Technology : Nagoya
- Nagoya Castle
- Nagoya walking tour: Japan
August 2016
Escaping the Nagoya heat, I made my way to Hokkaido in the north, and explored the gorgeous Japanese natural scenery and culture, based in Sapporo. After that, made a short stop in my old home of Taiwan, with lots of nostalgia.
Sapporo
- Visions of Sapporo : Japan
- Blue Pond Aoiike : Biei Hokkaido
- Visions of Niseko : Hokkaido Japan
- Visions of Lakes Shikotsu and Toya : Hokkaido Japan
- Flair Bar es bartending show : Susukino Sapporo Japan
- Norbesa Ferris Wheel : Sapporo Japan
- Hokkaido University Campus : Sapporo
- Hokkaido Shrine & Government Office: Sapporo
- Asahikawa Ice Museum & Parks : Hokkaido
- Furano Ropeway & Ningle Terrance : Hokkaido
- Historical Village of Hokkaido : Sapporo
- Art Park and Sculpture Garden : Sapporo
- TV Clock Tower, Ramen Street & Maid Cafe : Susukino
- Takino Suzuran Hillside National Park : Sapporo
- Shiroi Koibito Park & chocolate factory : Sapporo
- A walking tour of Otaru : Hokkaido
- Lake Toya & Showashinzan : Hokkaido
- Okurayama Ski Jump Stadium : Sapporo
- Sapporo summer festivals : Hokkaido
- Nakajima Park & Odori Park: Sapporo
- Visions of Otaru : Hokkaido Japan
- Shinsen-numa Wetland Swamp : Niseko
- Visions of Furano : Hokkaido
- Moerenuma Park : Sapporo
- Sapporo & Asahi beer factories : Hokkaido
- Mount Niseko-Annupuri cable car : Hokkaido
- Mount Moiwayama ropeway & observation deck : Sapporo
Taiwan
- Visions of Penghu : Taiwan
- Visions of Jiufen and Houtong : Keelung Taiwan
- Beach & village life : Penghu Islands Taiwan
- Miramar Entertainment Park Ferris Wheel : Taipei
- Where’s Waldo & Upside Down House: Huashan 1914 Taipei
- Nightmarket tour in Taipei
- Four Four South Village market : Taipei 101
- Shihli beach and Shetou Hill : Penghu
- Nostalgic walking tour : Taipei
- Walking tour of Jiufen : Taiwan
- Measuring exhibition 2121 Design : Songshan Taipei
- Mining Village Houtong : Taiwan
- Riding around the Penghu islands : Taiwan
September 2016
Had a bit of rest in September, with short visits in the Netherlands (Tilburg).
October 2016
Met my family in Venice for the holidays. Had quick trips to Ghent, Dusseldort, and the UK.
Venice
- Visions of Venice Italy
- Boattrip to Murano Island : Venice Italy
- Venice farewell walking tour : Italy
- University area walk : Venice
- Basilica di San Marco Observation deck : Venice
Ghent
- Visions of Ghent : Belgium
- Gravensteen castle : Ghent
- Old Town & Graffiti Street : Ghent
- Ghent boat cruise : Belgium
- Het Belfort van Gent : Belgium
Dusseldorf
Bristol Bath Cardiff
- Visions of Bristol : United Kingdom
- Visions of Cardiff : Wales United Kingdom
- Visions of Bath : United Kingdom
- Underfall Yard & Spike Island : Bristol
- Cardiff Castle : Wales
- Cardiff Bay Waterfront : Wales
- Clifton Suspension Bridge & Observatory : Bristol UK
November 2016
Got to see Berlin for the first time, with visits to Paris and Luxembourg.
My little sister came by, and we spent some time in Cologne and Brussels.
Berlin
- Visions of Berlin : Germany
- DDR Museum : Berlin
- East Berlin walking tour
- Checkpoint Charlie & Gendarmenmarkt : Berlin
- Reichstag Building : Berlin
- Museum Island : Berlin
Luxembourg
December 2016
Got to see more of Spain:
- Visions of Toledo : Spain
- Visions of Malaga : Spain
- Visions of Ronda and Zahara Spain
- Visions of Seville : Spain
- Visions of Madrid : Spain
- Teatro Romano and Alcazaba : Malaga
- Old historic center : Malaga
- Valencia Old Center : Spain
- Walking tour of Ronda : Southern Spain
- Royal Palace of Madrid
- Jewish Quarter : Toledo Spain
- Palmeral De Las Sorpresas & boat trip : Malaga
- Museo del Baile Flamenco : Seville
- Plaza de Espana & Old Town : Seville
- Teleférico en Rosales cable car : Madrid
- Castillo de Gibralfaro : Malaga
- Faro de Moncloa observation deck : Madrid
- Royal Alcazar of Seville
- Noria Mirador Princess ferris wheel : Malaga
- Castillo de Zahara de la Sierra : Southern Spain
Around Europe
- Winter Wonders Christmas market & ferris wheel : Brussels
- AutoWorld auto museum : Brussels
- Christmas Alter Market 2016 : Cologne
- Paris Christmas Market 2016
- Roue de Paris ferris wheel
Overall
Overall, this year I’ve been to various parts of the Netherlands, with visits to Portugal, Serbia, Belgium, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Luxembourg, Poland, Israel, Italy, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan. Not a bad year (compare that with 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 and 2009). I hope 2017 will bring lots of new adventures and interesting travels.
What to expect in 2017?
I have another year to go in Europe, and I’m curious to see where I’ll end up afterwards and what the next location will be. Either way, new adventures coming up, definitely something to look forward to.
Have a great 2017!