Autumn in Italy.

There is never be a dull moment or season in Italy, but if one sits at home then one misses so much. Last weekend I returned to the Subiaco / Jenne area - I drove through the area a few years ago and made a note to return soon. I have no idea why it took so long, particularly given its proximity to Rome!! And autumn it is ...

   

... breathtaking in places. If only the sun had been shining, the colours would have exploded. It is such a beautiful time of the year before the cold weather arrives and all the colour drains from the landscape.

Naturally in the Italian countryside one can always find a cute village or two, and in this area a few St. Benedictine & St. Scolastica monasteries. This is then painted with special autumn colours and one has a special day of exploring.

 

Please do not forget the traditional Italian Sunday lunch in a quaint traditional village - it is as close to home cooking one can get! A perfect Sunday outing.

Oh, did I mention the St. Benedictine monastery?

Korea: expectations were very different from what I found!

I am really not sure what I expected to find when I got to Seoul, but it was certainly different. I think I was expecting a much flatter landscape and probably not quite as modern, although I was well ware they were highly industrialized. What I found was a country totally reliant of it's human resources and expertise as the country as such has limited natural resources.

Seoul is about as modern as one can get anywhere but obviously with an Asian look and feel - a great place and if you look around, plenty of history that goes back many dynasties. This gives rise to a mix of palaces (history) and extremely modern buildings. Neon lights and karaoke seem to be firm favourites. Next time I go back, I will explore both.

Further afield things change rapidly. Not only did I find out that a large portion of Korea is covered in hills, but most forest in this part of the world was replanted after the "great war" that resulted in the two Korea's. In those days, "South"  Korea was extremely poor and they have done exceptionally well for themselves over the past 50 years, particularly compared to their northern relatives. The country is beautiful, although a little humid in summer, and the food is really great. American influence can be seen everywhere and the ubiquitous Irish pubs are also present! However, exploring the country side is a must - there are many different things for different people. Theme parks, natural reserves, beautiful rivers, gardens and a variety of people making a living ...

Naturally there were a few birds around although I did not get to any specific bird watching sits and my big zoom had unfortunately decided it would no longer work! However, a couple of examples of what I saw.

And a few monuments and historic buildings.

 I am looking forward to my next trip to Korea and will make sure I explore more and get there in spring for the birds and migrations.

I met really nice and very hospitable Koreans - they went out of their way to make us feel welcome and made sure we were able to do the things that we would like to do.  I hope that one day I can also return their hospitality!!

Back home again after a few hectic months ....

I have felt as if I have been on the road continuously for the past 3 months, although in reality I have been traveling every 2-3 weeks for work. This was after a long period of very little travel, so it was a little bit of a shock to the system again! I managed to see Washington DC, Santiago, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur and Barbados and many airports in between these major centres. Unfortunately, it was mainly airports and hotels again but I tried to get out and get photographs as often as possible. Here are a few samples to share with you!

Washington D.C., USA.

Santiago, Chile.

Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Putrajaya, Malaysia.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Barbados.

I will write a bit more about my experiences as I get time over the next few weeks. Enjoy!! :-)