Travel theme: Earth

Today is Earth Day, a global event with a focus on building environmental and climate literacy among all the citizens of our planet. Earth Day is also the inspiration for this week’s travel theme from Where’s my backpack? and I hope my photos do it justice, most were taken here in Australia. You will notice that I have also included a few environmental facts courtesy of Alpha Environmental, they are disturbing to say the least.

Tiny Green Frog

Nearly a hundred species of Australian animals face extinction and 1500 land based species are considered to be threatened. Since European settlement (1777) 23 birds, 4 frogs and 27 mammal species have become extinct.

Popular swimming spot, Springbrook National Park Queensland

In Australia, over 80 different pesticides which have been banned around the world are still legal. These include chemicals classified as ‘highly hazardous’ and ‘extremely dangerous’ by the World Health Organisation such as hormone disruptors and carcinogens.

Pelicans napping

Australia has the highest rate of greenhouse gas production per person of any affluent country in the world.

Kangaroos at dusk

As a result of intensive agricultural activities, around 19,000 tonnes of phosphorus and 141,000 tonnes of nitrogen are released into Australia’s freshwater systems each year, ultimately ending up in the sea.

Glacier fed river in Mt Aspiring National Park

Fresh sea air and at vibrant sunset at Gardenstown in the Scottish Highlands

From year to year, environmental changes are incremental and often barely register in our lives, but from evolutionary or geological perspectives, what is happening is explosive change.

David Suzuki

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Travel theme: Colour

Where’s my backpack has colour as the uplifting travel theme this week. I typically don’t wear a lot of colour but I love to see it and my artwork is often quite colourful. In order to fulfill this week’s challenge I trawled through my photos from holidays in Scotland 2016 and Europe 2015, that was fun.

Unison handmade pastels

A splash of colour, Victoria Street Edinburgh

Barrels of colour pigment at the Unison pastel factory

Tulips in Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh

Flowering gorse, Gardenstown

Gardenstown sunset

David comes in many colours in Florence

Flares create colourful smoke at a protest in Paris

Colourful entree of empanadas at an Argentinian restaurant in Berlin

Venetian window display

Travel theme: four

Ailsa from ‘Where’s my backpack‘ has chosen a travel theme inspired by St Patrick’s Day and the luck of the Irish this week. I have no photos of the elusive four leaf clover lucky charm however I hope you’ll enjoy my selection of ‘Four’ themed images regardless.

Four artists in Crail, Scotland

Four numbers featuring the number 4

Four archways, home to Venice emergency services

Four more of Venetian arches on the canal

Four corinthian columns in the Borghese Gardens, Rome

Four gnomes in Paris

Rugged up and exploring Berlin

Travel theme: Paths (of Scotland)

My posts are few and far between at the moment as I struggle to find focus and think of things to write about. Thank goodness for Ailsa’s latest travel theme on Where’s my backpack? as I have some paths to share from my 2016 trip to Scotland.

Wild garlic in flower almost conceals this path through the trees at Dairsie Castle.

A well worn path past holiday homes at Crovie in the Scottish Highlands

A path of daisies leads you up the hill for fabulous views of Gardenstown

Pittenweem pathway from St Fillan’s Cave

The ruins of St Andrews Cathedral

The Fife Coastal path, St Monan’s

Up the garden path

Travel theme: Late

Where’s my backpack has an interesting and challenging travel theme this week. Late is the theme and it is not an easy one for me to find suitable travel photos, but I hope you appreciate my effort anyway 🙂

Too late getting my camera ready and all I could get was little Frenchie butts as they strolled through the galleries of Turin

Evening walk in Florence and the streets are almost empty.

Rome at night

Venice is a frenzy of tourists during the day but late at night very few are still out walking.

Travel theme: Creative

This post is motivated by the latest travel theme challenge on ‘Where’s my backpack‘.

A stunning but simple window display at a florist’s in Bologna

Bright and colourful Christmas lights at the markets, Berlin

Doorknocker, Bologna

Dogs pee here, street art? Bologna

Street art in Florence

Sculpture near Mercato Centrale, Florence

Wine barrel art at a winery in Tuscany

Autumn vegetables on display, Jardin des Plantes, Paris

Street artist at work in Rome

Travel theme: Early

Possibly a tad late to participate in this week’s travel theme from Where’s My Backpack however I needed some motivation to start posting more often and this provided the perfect kick in the pants. Taken reasonably early for the time of year, but not quite sunrise, these photos are a selection from our trip to Europe in November last year. Our morning walks were always crowd free, we would see people heading off to work or school but generally there weren’t many people around and we had the streets and piazzas to ourselves.

Morning walk and high tide, Venice

Light peaking through the clouds as the sun rises in Venice

Checking out my settings on an early morning walk along the Seine

Beautiful morning in Florence

Perseus’ holding Medusa’s head over a crowd free Piazza della Signoria, Florence

Morning hit of caffeine, Paris

Travel theme: Details

This week’s batch of photos brought to you courtesy of Where’s my backpack Travel theme: details.

Considered an eyesore by many, Federation Square’s architecture is unique in Melbourne and still draws the crowds.

Look up to see the stunning stained glass ceiling in the Great Hall of the National Gallery of Victoria

Close up of the carving on the San Rufino Cathedral, Assisi

Part of an piece of art decorating the walls of the series of escalators that take you from carpark to the old town of Siena.

Intricate carving on a sarcophagus housed in the Palazzo Massimo, Rome

Mosaics close up in the Palazzo Massimo, Rome

Travel theme: Paths

Today’s collection of images is motivated by the latest travel theme from Ailsa of Where’s My Backpack. Paths can take many shapes and forms: straight and narrow, long and winding, smooth or bumpy and it is the variety that makes life interesting although I notice most of my images of paths feature gardens and trees, wonder what that says about me 🙂

Eely Point Walk, a path that takes you around part of the scenic Lake Wanaka on the South Island of New Zealand

Autumn colour brightens the footpath in Wanaka, New Zealand

A few years before the earthquake that wreaked havoc in Christchurch on New Zealand’s South Island, I walked through the lovely rose garden in the Botanic Gardens, Christchurch.

Sandy path over the dunes at Ruakaka Beach on New Zealand’s North Island

Rainforest walk at O’Reilly’s, Queensland

Take a relaxing stroll through the Botanic Gardens at Mt Tamborine in the hinterland of Queensland’s Gold Coast.

One of many paths between the beautiful gardens of Versaille and the elaborate palace.

View from above, Villa Monastero garden path, Varenna Lake Como

The path through the gardens of Villa Monastero on the edge of Lake Como, Varenna.

The Via dell’Amore as it winds its way between Riomaggiore and Manarola on the Cinque Terre

A walk through the park in San Gimignano, you can see two of the medieval towers in the background.

Umbrella Pines, Palatine Hill, Rome

Albert Park, Auckland

Travel theme: Light

…and Ailsa at Where’s My Backpack says “let there be light!” for this week’s travel theme.