I actually found the place by luck, I didn’t ask anyone for directions, I just drove my car up and down the peninsula of Nouadhibou. I wanted to get an overview of one of the most dilapidated cities I had ever seen. This is where Iron Ore Train ends, one of the longest trains in the world, which makes Nouadhibou the most important area in poor Mauritania.

When A White Western Woman Enters The Office Of The Mauritanian Railway Authorities.

So here I was, walking into the shed of the Mauritanian Railway Authorities to enquire about the possibility to transport my car and myself to Choum, approximately 500 km east of Nouadhibou. The deal was done in the blink of an eye. With one place still available, I could put my car on the train. I only had to decide immediately, since the train was about to leave. I quickly checked my water and food supply, which would last for some days and gave it a go. 120 Euros for the car plus myself was a fair price and within the next couple of minutes, my car was loaded and tied to a platform for vehicles. My ticket said no passengers in the car, but nobody obliged when I asked if I could spend the journey in or on the car. I started making arrangements for the coming 30 hours: water, food, snacks were all at hand, towel, toothbrush and toilet paper on the dashboard, cameras and mobile phone as well within easy reach. Check, check, double check.

It took hours of turning switches, pulling the wagons and platforms up and down the tracks, back and forth to have them all in right position ready for the long journey East. Finally, around 8pm, after seven hours of waiting (talk about an immediate decision making), everything was set and the train took off honking repeatedly, taking the endless semicircle track out of Nouadhibou.

A Long, Rocking Night, The Most Beautiful Sunrise And A Frustrating Awakening.

Even with 40° Celsius during daytime, temperatures drop fast and I was happy that I had blankets and a sleeping bag nearby. Lying outstretched in the back of my station wagon, the night was almost comfortable… well not really, but better than expected. Nights in the desert are cold and pitch-black. I knew this from my trips across the Sahara Desert in the 70s & 80s and so I wasn’t able to see anything when the train stopped at night. I just heard voices somewhere in the distance. The position of my platform was near the end of the train, so I was not bothered by anyone during the night.

Morning arrived and I watched a beautiful sunrise while the train tugged leisurely into Choum. The wind had covered everything with layers of sand mixed with dust of iron ore from the wagons. Choum was actually the place where I had planned to get off, but I quickly realised that there was no loading off point for cars. “Sorry Madam, next stop for unloading cars is Zouérat” I was told, though in the guys in Nouadhibou had told me otherwise. Unloading cars in Choum was only recently stopped, so there was no chance for me to get off here. This was a bit upsetting, because it would put me approximately 200 km in the wrong direction, but I couldn’t do anything about it. I sat back down on top of my car and looked into the Mauritanian desert.

The toilet situation was a bit of a hassle. It was a new experience for sure. Hanging out of the car, hanging on to the platform needed concentration, one wrong move and you could fall off. I got the hang of it after a couple of times.

From Hero To Zero.

Another few hours further, with lots of stops in between, the train finally pulled into Zouérat. Again, the turning of switches, pulling and pushing of wagons took two hours until my platform finally came to a halt somewhere in the middle of nowhere. All I could see was how the Diesel locomotive pulled away.

Close by, though lightyears away, I could see the unloading facility for cars. Another platform was already loaded for the trip back to Nouadhibou, while my car was just a stone throw away, without a chance of getting off. This was very annoying and put my patience to the test. I asked several officers and workers when my car would be unloaded and I got the same answer every time “In a while Madam”. In Africa, “in a while” can mean one hour, five hours, 12 hours or more than 24 hours. Time runs slow here. So, after waiting another three hours in the soaring heat, with someone occasionally walking by, noticing my impatience yet not doing anything, my nerves went rock bottom. I stepped down from platform and walked along the railway tracks up to the station office and demanded to speak to the station master.

Mauritanians are generally very polite people but are definitely not used to talking to Western (female) tourists. The country is dominated by males, especially in this business. Politeness is very helpful and I demanded politely to see the station master. It took a while until one of the men started to move to show me the way to his office. After a couple of minutes, this guy came out of his office with some other officers in tow, and was frankly quite irritated to see a Western woman demanding to speak to him. I explained my situation and he and the others didn’t seem to be bothered at all and said that my car would be unloaded in a while. Then it was over, my nerves collapsed and I started crying.

My breakdown changed the entire situation. The officers stared at me and my crying, not sure whether to be astonished or shocked and immediately started talking in their local language. After a minute of discussion, the station master said I should stop crying, they will immediately start the Diesel locomotive and will unload my car within 10 minutes.

What more can I say? The station master guided me to his car, drove me back to my car and presented me with a big box of water bottles. During my breakdown, I might have also mentioned that I was running out of water, which I hoped would increase the unloading process, and he must have really felt sorry for me. It didn’t take long and my platform was towed up and down the tracks to bring me to the unloading section. The car was unlocked from the platform, I drove down and followed the station masters car until I was on the right road back to Choum where I actually had planned to get off.

This evening I stopped near a military checkpoint along the road and asked for permission to sleep nearby, since there was no hotel to be found anywhere. I set up my tent and fell asleep immediately.

The Iron Ore Train fills its 2.5 km of wagons (which is the second longest on earth) with the iron ore and then heads back to the coastal city of Nouadhibou.

The view off the coast of Mauritania’s Bay of Nouadhibou used to be spotted with rusting hulks in every direction. Today, this Ship Breaking Yard is almost gone, due to an injection of capital from the Chinese.

The Mauritanian Railways opened in 1963. It consists of a single, 704 km railway line linking the iron mining centre of Zouérat with the port of Nouadhibou.

Two or three trains make a daily departure to pick up iron ore from a mine in Eastern Mauritania.

Uploading my car onto the Iron Ore Train in Nouadhibou was already an adventure itself.

While the Iron Ore Train snakes its way through Mauritania, you’ll come across wrecks from all sorts of vehicles – here, old Diesel locomotives that were once in use have been parked.

Wrecks are a normal sight when riding through Mauritania on the Iron Ore Train.

One thing is for sure: the sunset and sunrise while on the Iron Ore Train in Mauritania were some of the most beautiful ones I have ever encountered.

Sitting on top of the Iron Ore Train, while looking at nothing around you but the Mauritanian desert, is an experience of a lifetime.

The bulk cargo train travels from the Sahara desert to the coast through dry nowhere to transport valuable minerals across Mauritania.

The Mauritania Railway serves not only as the sole connection between remote locations and the country’s only major shipping port, Nouadhibou, but as free transport for locals seeking to travel from isolated communities to the coast.

The Sahara desert lived up to its nickname, ‘the White Man’s Grave’, as temperatures during the day sore to a blistering 50° Celsius.

The Iron Ore Train is up to 2.5 kilometres long, making it one of the longest and heaviest in the world. It normally consist of 3 or 4 diesel-electric EMD locomotives, around 200 cars each carrying up to 84 tons of iron ore, and 2-3 service cars. The total traffic averages is 16.6 million tons per year.

Nouadhibou is the second largest city in Mauritania and serves as a major commercial centre and is the country’s economic capital, due to being the final stop of the Iron Ore Train.

We were yet again on a road trip through Morocco, this time our journey would take us all the way to Mauritania, but before, we wanted to explore the northern parts a bit more. Moulay Idriss made its way onto our map, because we wanted to see for ourselves, what made this city so holy.

We arrived in Tangier with the ferry from Geneva and had already passed beautiful Chefchaouen. Moulay Idriss would be our next destination before continuing to Fez. We heard that it was considered an alternative to the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca by many Moroccans. It was here that Moulay Idriss I, the great-great-great grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, arrived in 789, bringing with him the religion of Islam, and starting a new dynasty. In addition to founding the town named after him, he also initiated construction of Fez, continued later by his son, Moulay Idriss II.

Given its picturesque setting, colourful streets, historic core and Moroccan importance, it’s a mystery why not more tourists visit. It’s lack of popularity is a good thing though, because you can often have the place all to yourself. And it’s safe to say that the city will surprise you with it’s beauty and calm atmosphere.

The colourful streets of Moulay Idriss seem like another Chefchaouen, but instead of blue, cyan is the main colour in use here.

For some (Western) visitors, Moulay Idriss may still be too “dirty” or “undeveloped”, yet it is exactly that, that makes it authentic and gives it its charm.

Moulay Idriss was off limit to non-Muslims after 3pm until 2005. This was because of the town’s holiness: it’s a pilgrimage site, the burial place of Moulay Idriss I. In 2005, Muhammed VI, the current king of Morocco, issued a decree to open the town to non-Muslim visitors as part of his plan of Western-oriented reform.

The sheer endless streets of Moulay Idriss reminded us of colourful Chefchaouen, but also a little bit of the Medina of Marrakech.

Donkeys can be seen everywhere in Moulay Idriss. They’re used to transport everything from people, shopping, luggage, beds, fridges, tables due to the hilly nature of the town.

In the medina quarter of Moulay Idriss you will find many colourful streets that are the perfect photo spot.

Due to Mouy Idriss’ location high above, the views are absolutely spectacular.

One reason the Romans chose Moulay Idriss was for its potential for making olive oil, which is today the town’s primary product.

Moulay Idriss is reachable by just a pair of roads and spreads across two foothills of Mount Zerhoun, at the base of the Atlas Mountains.

The Mosque and Mausoleum in Moulay Idriss.

The archaeological Site of Volubilis is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Volubilis is a partly excavated Roman city, commonly considered as the ancient capital of the Roman-Berber kingdom of Mauretania.

While the streets in the Medinas of Marrakech, Chefchaouen or Fes are invigorating, they can also be exhausting. Moulay Idriss is the perfect spot to get away from the bustling city life, while still being in a city.

Apart from Scotlands landmark, the Old Man of Storr, the Quiraing is a must for anyone who visits Isle of Skye; especially if you’re a travel photographer!

The weather in Scotland can be very unpredictable, so it’s best to come prepared. It looked quite nice when we started the trek, yet it turned on us just before we got to the end where you decide to either turn around, or keep walking to finish the loop. It was really windy (really SUPER windy!) and it got foggy as well so we turned around in the end. We could barely keep ourselves from falling because the wind was that strong! On the contrary, it was nice because the wind pretty much pushed us all the way up. The trek itself is not hard, but we’re just going to let the photos speak for themselves.

A few facts about the Quiraing:

• Length: 6.8km (the loop)
• Duration: 2-3 hours (depending on the weather)
• Difficulty: Easy (unless it’s super windy, then you should be aware of the drops)

One of the most beautiful hikes in the world, with the most stunning landscape: The Quiraing in Scotland.

One of the most beautiful hikes in the world, with the most stunning landscape: The Quiraing in Scotland.

One of the most beautiful hikes in the world, with the most stunning landscape: The Quiraing in Scotland.

One of the most beautiful hikes in the world, with the most stunning landscape: The Quiraing in Scotland.

One of the most beautiful hikes in the world, with the most stunning landscape: The Quiraing in Scotland.

One of the most beautiful hikes in the world, with the most stunning landscape: The Quiraing in Scotland.

An Educational Center That Survived For Centuries.

Craco is a hilltop village in the southern region of Basilicata, about 60km from Matera, that was once a monastic center, a feudal town and center of education with a university, castle, church, and plazas. When approaching Craco, you’ll immediately notice its striking appearance. Situated on a very steep summit, which was the perfect spot for defensive reasons, the town is crowned by a Norman tower.

The first written account mentioning Craco dates back to 1060 AD, but Mycenaean settlements developed the land between the 10th and 9th centuries BC. The oldest building of Craco, the magnificent Norman tower, was built in 1040. The population steadily grew to an average of 1.500 inhabitants over the next centuries with 2.600 at the highest in 1561. The construction of the Monastery of St Peter in 1630 helped established a permanent monastic order. However, in 1656 a plague struck Craco, killing hundreds and reducing the population significantly. Towards the end of the 19th century, a severe famine due to poor agricultural conditions caused a mass migration of Craco’s population. Still, many of the “Crachesi” (inhabitants of Craco) were very much attached to their beautiful medieval town and refused to leave.

So what happened? The old part of town was built on bedrock, like most hill towns. When it came time to think of expansion, the people in charge decided to plant houses on the clay that sat over the slippery slope of rock. Modern roads where a must as well and instead of each house having its own water tank, there would be a humongous water-holding tank built to distribute water to the “new city”. Lots of water in the water tank and the added weight of modern roads put an immense pressure on the big field of clay. After a torrential downpour, she came down. Half the town, gone in one sweep.

A Ghost Town Fit For The Movies.

Surviving for over a thousand years, Craco survived the plagues and its share of thieves and bandits, but finally succumbed to natural disaster when landslides occurred. In 1963, the last 1.800 residents were forced to leave Craco for their own safety and were relocated to a new town just a few kilometres away.

Today, all that is left is a ghost town. But thanks to the dramatic landscape and unique atmosphere, Craco has been the set of many movies including Mel Gibson’s the Passion of the Christ or James Bond 007 Quantum of Solace and is a popular tourist destination in the area.

Craco was built on a very steep summit for defensive reasons, giving it a stark and striking appearance and distinguishing it from the surrounding land. The way Craco’s ruins sit high up is quite creepy actually.

Craco is not open to the public. You’ll need a guide to walk you through the ruins due to safety reasons.

Not only do you need a guide to explore Craco, but you’ll also need to wear a hard hat.

It was here that the level of Craco’s destruction became more apparent. This part of the town which was built upon the clay and that suffered the worst of the damage.

It wasn’t difficult to imagine what living in Craco must have been like, standing at the large windows overlooking the surrounding fields which go on for miles or peering inside a desolate church which was once the focus point of a community.

Before Craco was abandoned it was alive with people. People who filled each room with stories and secrets.

It was actually quite difficult to comprehend that less than 50 years ago, this Craco would have been buzzing with life.

Craco was built upon a hillside with the safety of its population in mind. Today, the views over the surround region are absolutely stunning!

The Legend Of The Erg Chebbi Sand Dunes.

Morocco might not the the first destination that comes to mind when thinking about skyscraper high sand dunes, but think again! With Zagora and Merzouga you’ll find two great gateways for a true Sahara desert experience. Our road trip would lead us to Merzouga, a small village only approximately 20km from the Algerian border and on the edge of Erg Chebbi.

A Moroccan legend says that the Erg Chebbi sand dunes were sent by God as a punishment because a wealthy family refused to accommodate a poor woman with her son. Moroccans believe that the dunes piled up outside Merzouga and buried them underneath to teach them a lesson so that they would never refuse to help a tired traveller ever again.

The sand dunes here fulfill Morocco’s promise as a dream desert destination. But unlike in the old days when my parents travelled through Africa, Merzouga is now easily accessible due to the paved road. This has it’s prince: during high season convoys of 4WD’s race across the area and you won’t be able to get photos without people in them (like the ones below).

In winter, temperatures are only slightly above 10 degrees during the day, which keeps many tourists away. For us, it was perfect, because we had the dunes to ourselves. Driving into Merzouga, we immediately recognised the only open Quad shop: Sahara ATV Quad Adventure.

Off We Go: Sand Dunes, Here We Come!

We booked a two-hour ride and only a couple of minutes later, we were on our way. Mohammed was our guide and I’m sure that at first he though something like “here we go again with two chicks who probably don’t know how to drive…”. Well, he realised pretty quickly, that we were not your ordinary girls. Faster, higher is what we wanted. Mohammed took us to the very top of the sand dunes and we had the most spectacular view of the area! With only the sound of the wind, not a single person in site and the taste of sand in your mouth made the experience absolutely unforgettable!

The dunes of Erg Chebbi reach a height of up to 150 meters in places and altogether it spans an area of 50 kilometers from north to south and up to 5–10 kilometers from east to west.

The highest dunes are those near, or just south of, Merzouga itself, peaking with the aptly named Grand Dune de Merzouga, a golden mountain recognisable.

Erg Chebbi is one of Morocco’s two Saharan ergs near the small village of Merzouga. And erg is a large sea of dunes formed by wind-blown sand. The other is Erg Chigaga near M’hamid (south of Zagora).

On top of the highest sand dune of the Erg Chebbi. What a view?!

A berber walks along the sand dunes of Erg Chebbi.

When trying your luck with the Erg Chebbi sand dunes, be sure to know what you’re doing, or you’ll end up digging…

The view from up the top of the Erg Chebbi sand dunes was absolutely sunning. On one side, you see the Algerian border, on the other side the village of Merzouga and Hassilabied.

The Erg Chebbi sand dunes are spectacular at any time of day, but late afternoon was really the best time to view them.

After about six hours, we reached the Austrian-Italian border and decided to give the Dolomites a visit. Unfortunately the weather was really bad, so we returned to Austria the next day. Tyrol it was then!

From Larger Villages, To Smaller Ones; And From Smaller Ones To Innervillgraten.

Innervillgraten is one of the most traditional and most beautiful mountain villages in Tyrol. Approximately 940 people call it their home and it’s a very typical scattered settlement at around 1402 metres above sea level. The region is one of the most remote regions in Austria and is only accessible throughout the year since 1956. This gives you a hint of what our next couple of days looked like.

Small alpine villages are characteristic for Innervillgraten and while driving along the continually smaller roads, we ended up at exactly one of these…

Welcome To Oberstalleralm.

These alpine huts were built for the summer cattle husbandry. Farmers lived with their animals during the season. That is why these huts are actually quite large with living rooms and a stable. Today, they’re used as holiday cottages for vacationers like us.

The protected alpine village Oberstalleralm consists of only 18 rustic alpine huts, which was perfect for us. This part of Austria is a paradise and a place of refuge for anyone looking for peace and tranquillity. Unspoilt nature is all you’ll get here.

Restaurant Tip.

• Gasthof Badl Alm
• Adress: Kalkstein 160a, 9932 Innervillgraten
• Opening Hours: Daily from 11.30am – 6.00pm

The “Gasthof Badl Alm” in Innervillgraten is the perfect place to start your hike or excursion. Great food and a lovely place to stay at.

Farming is the number one business in Innervillgraten.

Apart from the town centre, Innervillgraten mainly consists of farms spread out across the area.

The landscape around the Innervillgraten valley is one of the most beautiful we’ve come across in Austria.

Oberstalleralm is one if the most serene and peaceful places in Tyrol.

The alpine village Oberstalleralm consists of only 18 rustic alpine huts.

Apart from vacationers renting one of the farm houses at Oberstalleralm, you’ll only come across hikers once in a while.

On A Roadtrip To Prague.

Along with the best mum in the world, a bag of yummy picknick goodies and the cute Opel Karl, we were one our way up north.

A few stops in between and just about five hours later, we arrived at the IBIS Praha Old Town Hotel, right in the centre of the city. I can really suggest a hotel near the Old Town, because from here, you’ll reach almost anything by foot.

Prague’s Treasure Chamber, Day 1:

48 hours doesn’t sound like lot of time for a capital city with as many sights as Prague. But if the timing is right and you’re not a lazy bum, then you’ll be able to explore all the famous landmarks of the city.

Prague’s centre is a cultural treasure chamber! Indispensable is the Old Town Square of the city with the gothic Church of Our Lady before Týn and the oldest still operating Astronomical Clock in the world, which is located on the facade of the old Town Hall.

• A short side note: My great great great grandfather Anton Michalitschke was one of the people repairing the astronomical clock between 1787 bis 1791.

Continue walking East and you’ll reach the 621 metre long and nearly 10 metre wide Charles Bridge, which is also one the most frequented sights of the city. Still, there is no way around (or better across) it. And after all, it is a nice stroll through the bridge tower, across the Vltava river that leads the way up to the largest ancient castle in the world: Prague Castle. Just a small place, where two catholic town councils and a secretary were thrown out of a window in 1618, that then started a war that would last 30 years and seized almost all of Europe. We could have spent hours here, but set our focus to the Golden Lane and Saint Vitus Cathedral, which was enough for the day. Close to 20 kilometres of walking made our feet sorer than sore!

Prague’s Treasure Chamber, Day 2:

Our sightseeing tour started again at the old town spare, from were it only took us a couple of minutes until we reached the Old Jewish Cemetery in the district Josefov. It’s the largest Jewish cemetery in Europe and stands out due to it’s many wildly arranged tombstones.

We quickly realised that our legs still hurt and decided it give our feet some rest and went on a two hour boat cruise. It lead all the way from Cech Bridge to Vysehrad fort. The Dancing House was just one of the sights we got to see during our cruise.

It’s not for nothing that up to 50.000 people visit Prague each day during the high season. Prague is one of the most spectacular cities in Europe that is often underrated and only narrowed down to just a few beautiful sights. So at this point, we’d like to thank Opel and Accor for sponsoring this trip – it was a real pleasure!

The second day passed a lot faster and we now either had the choice to spend a few hours more in Prague, or to drive West to a place called Sedlec Ossuary (aka Skull Church) before returning to Vienna. Who wouldn’t want to see 70.000 skeletons in one of the most macabre buildings you could find? Yup, that’s us alright!

• Sightseeing Tip: The view up from the top of the Old Town Hall is absolutely stunning!
• Lunch Tip: Prague has so many lovely restaurants to chose from, no doubt about that. But Mistral Café & Restaurant is a sweet and homey place with food that is to die for!
• Love Tip: Like in many other cities around the world, lover’s locks can be found near the John Lennon Wall in Prague.

The Old Town Square in Prague is home to some of the most iconic and dramatic buildings of the city.

The most notable sights on the square are the Old Town Hall Tower & Astronomical Clock, Tyn Church and St. Nicholas Church. At the centre (left in this photo) of the Old Town Square is the Jan Hus statue.

Be sure to climb the Old Town Hall Tower in Prague for a stunning view over the square.

To fully appreciate the Astronomical Clock, join the crowd in front of the tower to watch the procession of the Twelve Apostles: on the hour, every hour, a small trap door opens and Christ marches out ahead of his disciples, while the skeleton of death tolls the bell to a defiant statue of a Turk.

The Dancing House (designed by architects Vlado Milunic and Frank Gehry) in Prague is set by the Vltava River. Its design is unique, and especially striking in the city centre because it is a modern building surrounded by historic architecture.

The Old Jewish Cemetery is among the oldest surviving Jewish burial grounds in the world and along with the Old-New Synagogue, it’s the most important site in the Jewish quarter of Prague.

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Prague Castle is the largest coherent castle complex in the world, with an area of almost 70,000 m². It’s also a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Cappadocia: A World Heritage Dreamland.

Millions of years ago volcanic eruptions shaped these bizarre mushrooms, fairy chimneys and pointed caps out of stone. The landscape of Cappadocia, with houses carved into stone, looks like a different world, a dreamland many say. Even today several people still live in these caves made of lava stone.

Uchisar is the most famous town in Cappadocia. Not only is it the highest point of the region, but also the most striking thanks to it’s natural 60 metre high rock castle. It can be seen from a great distance and is visited by pretty much every tourist who comes to this area. It draws attention and lets you imagine how special and adventurous the area around Uchisar is.

It’s said that the long defense tunnels of towns with citadels (like Uchisar) reached far into the surrounding areas. However, since these tunnels have collapsed in places, the theory can’t be confirmed, but is still a popular myth.

The rock citadel in Ushisar, Cappadocia has many underground rooms and walkways. This, as well as the fantastic view from the hisar are well worth a trip.

The smaller, or rather less famous brother of the rock castle in Ushisar is located in the town Ortahisar, less than 15 driving minutes from there. Of course this town is also marked by the striking rock castle, but several small side alleys and a beautiful main square made this the place to set our base. Hezen Cave Hotel is not only a beautiful and well decorated boutique hotel, but also offers what a hotel in the area should offer: cave rooms. The view of the rock castle from the hotels terraces was truly breathtaking!

Ortahisar means “middle castle,” and as its name implies, it is central among the Cappadocian towns. Still, it stayed more or less on the sidelines despite its central location, which made it perfect for us.

Heven Cave Hotel in Ortahisar has several beautiful terrace to enjoy the stunning view.

Ortahisar is known for its friendly people, picturesque stone houses, narrow streets and lovely churches as well as the castle-like rock formation after which the town is named.

Wander downwards from the main square Ortahisar and you’ll discover cobbled streets framed by stone-house ruins leading out to a gorge of pigeon house–speckled rock.

The Other Kind Of Turkey: Welcome To Fantastica.

Some might have erotic fantasies when driving through Cappadocia, I rather see these stone formations as smoking fairy chimneys, mushrooms or pointed caps. It almost feels like as if garden gnomes dominate the area. Depending from which side you come from, you either start in the Devrent valley or Pasabag Monks valley. Michael Endes Fantastica from the Neverending Story greets you, because your imagination won’t have any boundaries here.

In Cappadocia magic seem real. How could geology explain such a surreal phenomenon of fairy like chimneys? The landscape truly looks like something out of a Salvador Dali dream.

The fairy chimneys in Devrent Valley (also known as Imaginary Valley) form a lunar landscape by their strange look and is known for its many animal shaped rocks.

Volcanic eruptions created this surreal landscape of Cappadocia. The lava flows formed tuff rock, which wind and rain sculpted into sinuous valleys with curvy cliff faces and pointy fairy chimneys.

Pasabag valley contains some of the most striking fairy chimneys in Cappadocia with twin and even triple rock caps.

Exploring Cappadocia was everything I expected it to be: exciting, adventurous, inspiring and beautiful. I hope to return again soon.

The sights of the area are so diverse that there is something new to explore around every corner. We could have spent many more days here, but we still had Pamukkale and the beautiful Turkish Riviera on our travel list.

It’s said that the four-hour-drive to Key West is more beautiful than the city itself. That’s probably because it represents two worlds: The Key West that’s visited by hundreds of (cruise ship) tourists each day, who spend the afternoon at the bars along Duval Street, then buy a T-shirt and move on. And then there’s the Key West, that reflects a typical American small town as well as a tropical island, where time seems to stands still and you can simply enjoy life. It’s not for nothing that it was Ernest Hemingway’s safe haven, who lived here for over ten years.

Within walking distance to his house, you’ll come across Key West’s most famous attraction: the red-black-yellow striped buoy in front of which everyone wants a photo. We weren’t willing to wait in line with 20 other people, instead we walked through the cities beautiful little streets and enjoyed examining the cute, French styled houses with wooden outer walls, open porches and folding doors.

All in all Key West is definitely worth a weekend trip. You’ll find whatever your heart desires, except paradise beaches. The road trip down along the Keys, the cozy atmosphere and the interesting architecture won’t disappoint you, promise!

Beautiful beaches are a rare sight in Key West, but you’ll come across a couple of nice piers on the contrary.

Each house in Key West looks different, but then again similar. It’s well worth it to walk through the many streets of the city.

Key West houses are often surrounded by lathe-turned picket fences that wrap around the entire structure. Blooming bushes add a visual pop and fresh contrast to fancifully painted homes.

Key West houses feature fanciful elements like slim columns topped with decorative wooden details.

You don’t have to walk a long way to spot chickens and roosters in Key West. You hear them crowing and see them strutting everywhere. They weave in and out of traffic and through outdoor cafes all over town.

You’ll find many cute little shops all over Key West.

Louvered shutters protect against severe tropical heat while encouraging air circulation inside the home. A full-sized front porch creates a perfect shady spot to enjoy the outdoor view.

Apart from the well known areas like Cappadocia and Pamukkale, Turkey has a lot more to offer. The ancient city of Myra was one of these sights.

Early morning is always a good time to visit such spots because your typical tourist tends to sleep longer when on vacation, so therefore all these must-see sights are mostly deserted in the mornings. And for us as travel photographers, the morning hours have a far better light anyway.

A Place Where History Can Be Felt Every Step Along The Way.

Myra once was the capital of Lycia until it lost a battle in 800 AD. Terrible plagues, Muslim raids , earthquakes and floodings did the rest and in the 11th century, Myra was finally abandoned only to be rediscovered in 1840 by Charles Fellows – an famous British archaeologist.

So we were the first ones to arrive there, and had the place completely to ourselves. When standing in the half circle theatre, the largest theatre in Lycian times, one can really imagine how it must have felt, when the crowd cheered. The theatre is impressive, but the rock hewn tombs behind it even more. There are two necropolis of Lycian rock-cut tombs in the form of temple fronts carved into the vertical faces of cliffs. The entire site is really well preserved, which is perfect for your imagination of those ancient times.

Myra is a relatively small site and you’ll be done within an hour, but nevertheless it’s well worth the trip!

Even though you’re not allowed to walk around the rock tombs, you still feel the ancient Lycian culture…

It’s best to visit the ancient ruins of Myra early in the morning, because that’s when you’ll have the place to yourself without hordes of tourists.

All pre-Greek people of Anatolia built beautiful monumental tombs. The Lycians developed this form of art to perfection, no doubt facilitated by the soft limestone of the region.

The theatre of Myra, with the rock-cut tombs of the ancient Lycian necropolis on the cliff in the background.

The main attractions at Myra is the large theatre which used to sit up to 13.000 people.

The vibe and atmosphere around Myra is unique. It really feels like you’re set back into time…