10 Photography Blogs You Need to Follow

In this post I want to list 10 Photography Blogs You Need to Follow. Of course, there are many more worth speaking of, and if you enjoy this post, then I will do more. These blogs are photo blogs in general, but there are many more I follow, and that are worth your time. I will do a 10 Travel Blogs You Need to Follow too, so you can look forward to that as well. In the meantime, I hope you will enjoy my selections. Please make sure to visit these, links are under each title.

1. Photogeography by Jaroslav Suchożebrski  

fotogeograf.blogspot.com 

This is a wonderful photo blog, by Jaroslav. You will find landscape, seascape and nature images in general here. All photos are taken with much care and knowledge, and I love browsing through here.

2. Linda's Lens by Linda W.

photomomlinda.blogspot.com

Linda takes the most amazing trips and ventures out into mountains, beaches and fields. Her camera is always with her, and I find her photography inspiring. You should definitely check her blog out if you haven't already.

3. Out of His Mind's Eye by Bill

outtahismind.blogspot.com

I love the Pacific Northwest, and Bill and his wife Laura (check out her blog as well: prettypixbylaura.blogspot.com) live in those regions. Their images include sweeping mountain vistas, shots of the Oregon river valley, beaches, lighthouses, trains...what more do you want. A perfect photography setting.

4. Forest Snapper by Peter

fsnapper.blogspot.com

Peter writes from the United Kingdom, and on his blog you will always find interesting sights from the woods and wildlife. I love to just sit down and browse through his impressive collection of images.

5. What Karen Sees by Karen

whatkarensees.blogspot.com

I am constantly in awe of Karen's photography. Not only does she visit great locations, but she photographs them with so much care and love that it shows in every single image that she posts. Head over to her blog now, it come highly recommended.

6. Stefanodav's Shot-Blog by Stefano Davanzo

stefanodav.blogspot.com

Stefano is a blogger from Italy, and his photos do include lots of cityscapes from Verona, Florence, Milano and many other towns and villages in Italy. You will also find a stunning collection of images from Hawaii there, which are always fascinating to me.

7. The Suburban Girl by Rebecca Haegele

thedustycellar.blogspot.com

Rebecca is an amazing photographer from Pennsylvania, USA. Her blog is simple and clean-cut, which gives plenty of opportunity for the photography to pop out. From artistic shots, landscapes to family portraits, there is a wide variety here to admire.

8. Fotography by Felicia

fotosbyfelicia.blogspot.com

There is a huge variety in Felicia's photography, from nature images to amazing landscapes, barns, and the US countryside. A very fascinating browse of wildlife and rural scenes.

9. Adrian's Images by Adrian Ward

adriansimages.blogspot.com

There is always something colorful and striking in Adrian's world. Weather it's his West Highland Terriers, roaming about in nature, incredible macros or the great outdoors. I find his blog to be a constant source of inspiration and wonder.

10. And there was Light by Feli Maghiar

florinmaghiar.blogspot.com

I love Feli's photography. There is just so much to explore on her blog, that I often find myself browsing endlessly. You fill find a great variety in photos, from the woods and lakes, to the countryside as well as flower and macro shots. I recommend this blog a lot, and I hope it gets more views soon. It's regularly updated with new images.

I hope you enjoyed this selection and that you have found something for yourself. 

As I said this is not by a long shot everything you need to watch, or everything that I watch. But listing all blogs that I visit would be impossible in one post. I hope to do more soon. It's always nice to introduce the blogging community to each other, but also expand readers views.

You can follow all these blogs through Bloglovin, which is a great site to stay in touch if you don't use blogger. It lets you subscribe to any blog. You can follow my blog there as well.

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My Top 8 Most Useful Kitchen Gadgets

I wanted to write about my favorite kitchen gadgets and utensils for a long time now, but never got around to it. As you may know, I love cooking, so in this post I want to talk about some of the items that I use regularly, that are good and make cooking easier. Except one, these are not expensive things, and you can find them all online.

1. Misto Oil Sprayer

Even though this is a new gadget in my kitchen, it has now become something I can't live without. It's a spray bottle for all kinds of oils. There are no chemicals in this, you pump the lid to create pressure, which then sprays the oil out of the bottle. You fill the bottle half way with your oil, and make sure to release the rest of the pressure by opening the cap and closing it again, for long use.

2. Adjust-a-Cup

This is somewhat of a eye opener. Perfect for sticky things you have to measure out like, honey, mayonnaise, packed brown sugar, peanut butter. You pull the bottom part out of the cup to the desired measure (you will find many of them here), fill the cup up, and slide the contents out by pressing the bottom part back up. Easy and mess free,

3. Microplane Grater

This is a classic, but essential too. The Microplane grater is perfect for hard cheeses and rinds of lemons and oranges. But you can also grate nutmeg, ginger, etc. Make sure to get the one from the professional line. It's much sturdier.

4. Good Quality Knife Block

A blunt knife can be a dangerous thing. I love my knife set, which was a gift from my friend Selma. The knifes are sharp, and the knife block comes with all the essentials. Make sure you get a knife sharpener as well there. My knife block is from the German manufacturer CS Kochsysteme.

5. Free Standing Mixer

It doesn't have to be a fancy Kitchen Aid (although the sure look pretty), but a good free standing mixer is absolutely useful in the kitchen. While the Kitchen Aid mixer has its design going for it, most cooks get other kinds of mixers that are more powerful. This one here from Moulinex comes with all the essential attachments, but also with a blender attachment, and a meat grinder, which is very useful. I don't buy minced meat anymore. I buy quality meat and mince it up myself. Comes out perfect!

6. Heavy Bottom Pans

Doesn't matter if they are copper or stainless steel, a good heavy bottom pan set is very useful. The heavy bottom holds heat in better and you use up less energy in order to cook. But since the heat is distributed equally, each part of the pot or pan is at the same temperature, and that's important when it comes to cooking. Also they look very nice, but that's just a side benefit.

7. Measuring Jugs

I get teased for my measuring jugs, because it seems like I'm always on the lookout for the next one. But they are so useful to me, that they had to make this list. Only buy glass jugs. I don't care for plastic, and in fact my rule is to buy only wooden, glass or steel implements and tools. Get a nice big one that holds 6-8 cups of water. But also make sure to get the smaller ones 2-4 cups, because you will use them regularly.

8. Big Glass Containers

Have to have these. I don't like sipping out flower and sugar from big bags, that's always messy. I use these heavy and huge glass containers. I love their look and the way they display the food, but also that they have a proper rubber covered lid. Nothing gets in our out without you wanting it to.

What are your favorite and essential kitchen tools and gadgets?

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10 Reasons To Love (and Visit) Mostar

Mostar is the city I live in. It leaves an impression on each visitor that passes through it. I have seen and experienced that many times, when I talk to people. While the city is not big, it does have everything you need to spend a great vacation here, or simply use it as a two-three day stop on your south European road trip. You will find many tourist spots online, that you can visit in Mostar, but here I want to talk from the perspective of a local. What is it, that seems to attract people to the city, and why has it always been a place of interest and wonder? I hope to shed some light on this in this article.

click on the images for a bigger view

1. Weather is great all Year Round

It doesn't really matter, when you are in Mostar, chances are you will be here on a sunny day. This region of Bosnia and Herzegovina is known for mild winters and long hot summers, with spring and autumn being warm and very comfortable. I think I read somewhere that we have 300 days of sun throughout the year. I will  however say that summers get very hot, and you should not roam the city between 12:00-17:00, but on the other hand, summer mornings and evenings in Mostar can not be beaten!

2. The Old Town of Mostar

This is a part of the city that I have talked about in detail before, but it must be on this list as well. First, it's the hot spot tourist attraction of the city, and has many tourists visiting all around the year. But also it is a charming reminder of the history of Mostar and the life that was lived here many centuries ago. Nowadays you will find cafes, restaurants, mosques, museums, souvenir shops, art galleries and so much more here. The old town stretches on both sides of the river Neretva, with it being connected by the Old Bridge.

3. Different Cultures

While it has been a source of conflict in the past, I think having different cultures, nationalities and religions in the city is a great thing. It's really something that should make the community feel stronger and richer. For visitors and tourists it's also great to have so many unique buildings to discover and explore.

4. Nature in and around Mostar

The southern parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina are known for diverse landscapes. While places around the Jablanica Lake, further north, are lush and green, the more you come south you will encounter the typical almost-bare krs that has it's own unique charm. Mostar has a little bit of everything. Venture out to different corners of the city and you will find mountains, lakes, rivers, plains, and much much more. All around the city.

5. City Park

There is always something going on in the city park. Located just behind the Spanish Square, it's a place to meet friends, bring children to play, or simply enjoy the trees and take a walk. The park has a playground, and you will find cafes on the edges of it, that look out onto the park. Definitely a spot in the city that is worth a look.

6. Shopping and Souvenirs

You can also take a stroll down Mostar's modern mall called Mepas Mall. It's a huge mall, in the city center that is another hot spot for meeting and shopping. Inside you will find many shops, a big supermarket, multiplex cinema, restaurants and fast food joints, cafes, as well as a 5-star hotel. Besides the mall, you will find many souvenir shops in the old town of Mostar, where you can buy articles of a different kind. But then again, it always comes down to you and what you are in the mood for.

7. Restaurants and food in general

Mostar is known for various styles of food, and you can find traditional Bosnian cuisine, as well as Mediterranean dishes and international ones. The Old Town of Mostar houses many restaurants that offer various types of food - from seafood to the more traditional dishes, like Hindin Han, Sadrvan, Labirnit and the newly opened Food House. In the city you can find great pizzerias like Roma, or a mix of italian and Mediterranean dishes in Megi or Marinero. Venture outside of the city for a special treat in the restaurant Malta, that grows it's own vegetables and fruits and offers a variety of dishes for great prices!

8. The Old Bridge

Another iconic place in Mostar is the Old Bridge. Now this is a truly great place, and let me explain why. When you travel you often find that the most popular sights are often not that great or simply crowded and enjoyable. And while there are many tourists in the city, the Old Bridge never feels like a tourist spot, but rather an iconic and historic landmark, that shines its own unique vibe. You just have to be there to understand my words. But it's not all in the bridge, the towers on both sides are equally fascinating to visit and climb on.

9. Nearby Getaways

This is a real selling point of Mostar. You can plan a three day stay here, take two days to explore the city, and then one day (in the middle preferably) to explore the many nearby getaways. There is just so much to see nearby that you can't stay in the city alone. There is the old town Blagaj, only a couple of miles south from Mostar, then the tower and city of Pocitelj, a 20 minute drive south as well, with the natural wonder Kravica waterfalls one hour away from Mostar. Up north you have the Jablanica Lake, Konjic and Boracko Lake, all reachable within one to one and a half hours.

10. The River Neretva

Wherever you happen to be in Mostar, the jewel of the city will be close by. The river Neretva, springs way up north, but somehow Mostar is well known for it. Maybe it's because of the Old Bridge, maybe it's because of the fact that the river has an intense green color here, due to algae that lay on the bottom of the river bed. It's a source of life and refreshment, and sometimes I like to stand on one of the many bridges in Mostar and simply gaze down and watch it flow. I do have to warn you not to swim in it, even though you might see some people do that in the old town. The river is fast in places with many currents that can take you below the surface. But you can enjoy the river flow, as much as your heart desires.


Here is a map of Mostar:
(you can zoom in and out of the map to explore the region)

What is your favorite part of the city? Would you like to visit? 

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Late Spring in Our Home

I can't believe it has been over three months since my last post in the "Home and Garden" section of this blog, but with all the travels and road trips, other things have been more on my mind. But after the wealth of images that was the Prague travel series I feel the need to revisit more familiar sights. One thing that is seasonal right now here are cherries. They are so plum and sweet right now, that I have been snacking on them all the time (in fact there is a fresh bowl of them in front of me right now). So here are some impressions from our home and garden...

click on the images for a bigger view

Luckily the rain, that had plagued us for the last couple of days, subsided for a brief moment, so that I could take these photos.

Beni, always enjoying life, is lounging on the front porch.

Yes, that is the sight I want to be looking at now.

You may have seen my new car in our recent Boracko Lake post, but here it is again, parked and waiting. My red Toyota is not here anymore.

There is a story behind these flowers in the images above and below. Don't ask me what they are. We planted them last year, and they wouldn't grow. This spring they have shot out of the ground, and are slowly taking over. Our theory: they are after world domination. :) We have not uprooted them, since we are now curious how big they'll grow.

Late Spring is really great in Mostar. The days are warm but not too hot, and the nights are mild with a hint of chill. Just perfect.

Our garden inspector is very busy. I leave you with this image of him roaming the grounds. Until next time, life goes on...

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Exploring the Seaside Town Kotor

My cousin Azra recently visited the old seaside town Kotor. I lent her my camera so she could take some good quality images there (she also has the photography bug), and bring them back to me. After editing them, I chose a couple to show you in this post. I hope you will enjoy the images and stories from this quaint little town along the Adriatic Coastline in the country Montenegro. I also included a Google Map in the post so that potential visitors can easily roam the map and explore the place further. I hope this helps. Let me know if I should do this for all my travel posts.

Photos by: Azra Delic; Edited by: Mersad Donko

click on the images for a bigger view
and zoom in and out of the map to explore the region

How to get to Kotor

The first couple of images (2-4), have not been taken in Kotor, but on the way there. You can take the Adriatic motorway that will lead you to Kotor (via a ferry), or take a tour around the bay and stray from the usual path to explore the region further. The town in these images is called Perast, and just like Kotor, it is small and picturesque. Upon entering Montenegro be prepared to pay a one-way road toll in the sum of 3 Euro (which you will also have to pay when you exit the country). The roads are ok, but nothing to write home about. The ferry departs regularly from Lepetane and arrives in Kamenari. Tivat Airport is 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) away, and there are regular flights to Belgrade, Moscow and Paris and dozens of charter planes land daily on Tivat airport during the summer season.

About Kotor

Kotor has been fortified since the early Middle Ages, when Emperor Justinian built a fortress above the city in 535. The old Mediterranean port of Kotor is surrounded by fortifications built during the Venetian period. Kotor has one of the best preserved medieval old towns in the Adriatic and is a UNESCO world heritage site.

Kotor is home to numerous sights, such as the Cathedral of Saint Tryphon in the old town (built in 1166), and the ancient walls which stretch for 4.5 km (3 mi) directly above the city.

In recent years, Kotor has seen a steady increase in tourists, many of them coming by cruise ship. Visitors are attracted both by the natural beauty of the Gulf of Kotor and by the old town of Kotor.

The Old City

The outer walls, even though impressive by themselves, don't look like they hold much inside. But you would be wrong in that assumption. Once you enter the old town, through the gates, you will be welcomed to the most charming sights. From old narrow streets, corners with cafes and restaurants as well as little squares. Each corner holds something interesting, so be sure to grab a guide map at the entrance so that you can explore each part of the old town.

Kotor is definitively a place that will hold your attention, and is surely worth a daily visit if you happen to summer in Montenegro's bigger cities such as Herceg Novi or Budva, or even if you are staying in Dubrovnik, Croatia.

I hope you enjoyed these. Let me know what you think of Kotor in the comments below.

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