The year 2017 was very hectic summing up my 2 years European experience and finally ending up back in Asia. It’s been a crazy year, both personally and professionally. I like Europe very much, and was hoping to stay longer, making the most of the opportunity to travel across the continent and experience new cultures, with plenty of places I have not been to before. I was also able to travel more to Central America transitioning between jobs, and get to do more adventurous things, in comparison to the European ease. The next year will probably bring new adventures in Asia, after having been away for 3-3.5 years.
So here’s a quick summary of my 2017 in travel.
January-February
January was a quiet winter month in the Netherlands, with a short visit to Israel. In February ventured to Hong Kong for about a month.
March
Before returning from Hong Kong I made a stop at fascinating raw Burma. Later that month had a conference week in the gorgeous Vienna in Austria. Also had a chance to see more of Brussels in Beglium.
Burma
Yangon
- Visions of Yangon : Myanmar
- Sule Pagoda : Yangon Burma
- Shwedagon Pagoda : Yangon Burma
- Kandawgyi Park : Yangon
- Musmeah Yeshua Synagogue: Yangon Burma
- Yangon Yangon Rooftop Bar scenic views: Burma
Bagan
- Visions of Bagan : Myanmar
- Bagan Day 1 Temple Run Part 1 : Burma
- Bagan Day 1 Temple Run Part 2 : Burma
- Bagan Day 2 Temple Run Part 1 : Burma
- Bagan Day 2 Temple Run Part 2 : Burma
Vienna, Austria
- Visions of Vienna : Austria
- Walking tour of Vienna’s park, canals, and university
- Schonbrunn Palace : Vienna
- Museum Judenplatz & City Jewish Museum : Vienna
- Danube Observation Tower Donauturm : Vienna
- St. Stephen’s Cathedral & Old town : Vienna
- Freud house museum : Vienna
- Rathaus & Rathausplatz : Vienna
Brussels, Belgium
April
Toured Europe in quest for the next gig, so had a chance to visit Switzerland for the first time. Later that month spent a wonderful week touring Sicily with my family for the holidays.
Switzerland
Lausanne
- Visions of Lausanne : Switzerland
- Old town walking tour : Laussane
- Lausanne university to town lake walk
Geneva
- Visions of Geneva : Switzerland
- Parc des Bastions – Geneva University – Swatch Museum
- Lake Geneva, Parc Barton, and Botanical Gardens
- Saint-Pierre Cathedral : Geneva
Sicily Italy
- Mondello Beach : Sicily
- Beaches and Old Town : Cefalu Sicily
- Taormina Sicily
- Mount Etna : Sicily
- Visions of Sicily : Italy
- Visions of Catania, Enna & Monreale : Sicily
- Agriturismo Conte Ruggero Easter celebrations : Sicily
Belgium
May
Joined an interesting conference to explore roots in Poland. Went to the UK to give a talk and revisit old favorites.
Poland
- Visions of Lodz : Poland
- A tour of Piotrkow Trybunalski : Poland
- Walking tour of Czestochowka : Poland
- Andre Reiu live performance 2017 : Lodz
England
June
Mostly spent in the Netherlands…
- Jesuit underground art tunnels : Maastricht
- Zonneberg tunnels Maastricht & Fluweelengrot tunnels Valkenburg
- Sint Janskerk Church observation deck : Maastricht
And abit of Luxembourg
July
Had a quick visit to Israel with a conference trip to gorgeous Spain.
- Visions of Granada : Andalusia Spain
- Old town & Muslim Quarter : Granada
- Alhambra Moorish palace : Granada
August-September
Tried to explore as much of the area near my based in the Netherlands as possible. Had a chance to visit the UK again.
Area of the Netherlands
- Visions of Aachen : Germany
- Burg Stolberg : Aachen
- Bryan Adams performance at Eindhoven 2017
- Antwerp Museum Night 2017
- Samba festival Heerlen Netherlands
- Les Grottes de Remouchamps : Belgium
- Walking tour of Rotterdam : Netherlands
- Erasmus University Campus : Rotterdam
- Visions of Koblenz : Germany
- Ehrenbreitstein Fortress & Cable Car : Koblenz
- I will be 20 in 2030 exhibition : Liege Belgium
- Pukkelpop 2017 Hasselt Belgium
England
- Cambridge University Botanic Garden
- Visions of Cambridge : United Kingdom
- London Eye ferris wheel : England
- Cambridge University campus visit : England
- Bond in Motion exhibition : London Film Museum
October
October was the beginning of insanity, trying to see as much as I can in Europe before leaving. Saw more of the Netherlands and Switzerland with first time visits to Romania, Lithuania, and Greece
Switzerland
- Visions of Stoos Ridge : Switzerland
- Visions of Zurich : Switzerland
- Hiking the Stoos : Switzerland
- A walking tour of Zurich : Switzerland
- Engelberg Switzerland
- Visions of Lucerne : Switzerland
- Visions of Engelberg : Switzerland
Netherlands
- Visions of Breda & Nijmegen : Netherlands
- Visions of Breda : Netharlands
- Velorama National Bicycle Museum : Nijmegen
- Visions of Utrecht : Netherlands
- Visions of The Hague : Netherlands
- Nijmegen cultural festival : Netherlands
- Lelystad, Hoorn, Volendam, & Marken : North of Amsterdam
Romania
- Visions of Timisoara : Romania
- Communist Consumers Museum : Timisoara
- Banat Village Museum : Timisoara
- A weekend in Timisoara : Romania
Lithuania
- Visions of Vilnius : Lithuania
- Visions of Trakai & Kaunas : Lithuania
- Trakai Castle : Lithuania
- Walking tour of Vilnius : Lithuania
- Museum of Genocide Victims & KGB : Vilnius
- VILNIL Museum of Illusions : Vilnius Lithuania
- Walking tour of Kaunas : Lithuania
Greece
- Visions of Athens : Greece
- Visions of Olympia, Mystras & Delphi : Greece
- Visions of Mycenae : Greece
- Mystras & Nafplion : Greece
- Itea & Delphi : Greece
- Visions of Corinth : Greece
- Two days travel in Athens : Greece
- A day at Olympia : Greece
November
In November I had a month to go and explore Central American. Saw Cuba, Costa Rica, a
Cuba
- Visions of Havana : Cuba
- Visions of Vinales : Cuba
- Visions of Santa Clara : Cuba
- Around Trinidad town : Cuba
- Torre de Manaca Iznaga & Los Ingenios Valley : Trinidad
- Visions of Trinidad: Cuba
- Visions of Varadero : Cuba
- Cienfuegos city walk : Cuba
- Castillo de Jagua : Cienfuegos Cuba
- El Nicho national park : Cuba
- Visions of Cienfuegos & El Nicho : Cuba
- Vinales day trip: Cuba
- A tour of Havana : Cuba
Costa Rica
- Visions of the Costa Rica beaches
- La Paz Waterfalls, La Fortuna, Monteverde : Costa Rica
- Ecocentro Danaus La Fortuna : Costa Rica
- Rainforest Chocolate Tour La Fortuna : Costa Rica
- Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park : Costa Rica
- Else Kientzler Botanical Gardens : Costa Rica
- Sanatorium Dr. Carlos Duran Cartin : San Jose CR
- Monteverde Zipline : Costa Rica
- Santuario de lapas NATUWA : Costa Rica
- La Paz Waterfall Gardens Nature Park : Costa Rica
- Costa Rica northwestern coast beaches
Nicaragua
- Visions of Granada : Nicaragua
- Visions of the Nicaragua Volcanos : from Granada to Leon
- Masaya Volcano & Fortaleza El Coyotepe : Nicaragua
- Walking tour of Granada : Nicaragua
- Isletas de Granada : Nicaragua
- Mirador de Catarina & Parque Malecon de Masaya : Nicaragua
- A day around Leon : Nicaragua
- San Jacinto & Ruinas de Leon Viejo : Nicaragua
- Christ of the Mercy: San Juan del Sur Nicaragua
December
December marked my transition back to Asia life. Mostly figuring my way arranging my new life in Hong Kong.
Overall
Overall, this year I’ve been to various parts of the Netherlands, with revisits to Germany, Belgium, Israel (twice), England (twice), Hong Kong (twice), Italy, and Spain, and with first visits to Luxembourg, Switzerland (twice), Burma, Austria, Romania, Lithuania, Greece, Cuba, Costa-Rica, and Nicaragua. Not a bad year (compare that with 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 and 2009). I hope 2018 will bring lots of new adventures and interesting travels.
What to expect in 2018?
After wrapping up two years in Europe, I’m now curious to see what new trips my base in Asia will bring. Either way, new adventures coming up, definitely something to look forward to.
Have a great 2018!