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290 photos from Haikou
(Hainan, China)
2016-07-08 - 2016-07-25
On the sixth trip to Haikou, we visited Miaomiao`s family and celebrated Max' first birthday.
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108 photos from Cannes
(Provence-Alpes-Côte d`Azur, France)
2010-10-20
Cannes is one of the best-known cities of the French Riviera, a busy tourist destination and host of the annual Cannes Film Festival. It is a Communes of France in the Alpes-Maritimes department. The city is also famous for its various luxury shops, restaurants, and hotels. Tim and Miaomiao visited the city on a daytrip from Nice in the autumn of 2010.
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83 photos from The Hague
(South-Holland, Netherlands)
2008-11-08 - 2008-11-09
A weekend trip to The Hague to see the musical `Tarzan` in the theater of Scheveningen. We also visited the Binnenhof, Peace Palace, Mauritshuis (with paintings such as `Girl with a pearl earring` By Johannes Vermeer), and Panorama Mesdag.
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29 photos from Den Bosch
(North-Brabant, Netherlands)
2006-12-09
Den Bosch is a municipality in the Netherlands, and also the capital of the province of North Brabant. It is located in the south of the Netherlands, some 80 km south of Amsterdam. We visited the city center and the Saint John`s Cathedral.
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121 photos from Yantai
(Shandong, China)
2014-01-03 - 2014-01-07
Yantai is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Shandong province, People`s Republic of China. Located on the southern coast of the Bohai Sea and the eastern coast of the Laizhou Bay, Yantai borders the cities of Qingdao and Weihai to the southwest and east respectively. The largest fishing seaport in Shandong and a robust economic center today, Yantai used to be known to the West as Chefoo, a misnomer which refers, in Chinese, solely to Zhifu Island, which is historically governed by Yantai. The contemporary name of Yantai came from the watchtowers constructed on Mount Qi in 1398, during the reign of the Hongwu Emperor, founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty (yan—smoke; tai—tower). The towers served to raise alarms against invasions of Japanese pirates. We visited Miaomiao`s uncle, aunt and grandmother in Yantai, as well as the ChangYu Wine Culture Museum.
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84 photos from Den Bosch
(North-Brabant, Netherlands)
2014-06-28
During this Den Bosch trip we visited St. John`s Cathedral, had some Bossche Bollen and did a bout tour on the Binnendieze river.
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45 photos from Badaling
(Beijing, China)
2007-11-07
From Beijing we were driven to Badaling, the site of the most visited section of the Great Wall of China, approximately 50 miles (80 km) northwest of Beijing city in Yanqing County, which is within the Beijing municipality. The portion of the wall running through the site was built during the Ming Dynasty, along with a military outpost reflecting the location`s strategic importance. The portion of the wall at Badaling has undergone heavy restoration, and in 1957 it was the first section of the wall to open to tourists. Now visited annually by millions, the immediate area has seen significant development, including hotels, restaurants, and a cable car.
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265 photos from Avignon
(Provence-Alpes-Côte d`Azur, France)
2007-08-02 - 2007-08-06
Avignon is a commune in the Vaucluse département in southeastern France with a population of 90,000 in the city itself and a population of 290,000 in the metropolitan area. The city is well known for its Palais des Papes, where several popes and antipopes lived from the early 14th to early 15th centuries. We visited the Notre Dame des Doms, the Palais des Papes, the Pont d`Avignon, and much more in and around the city center.
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197 photos from Granada
(Andalusia, Spain)
2010-12-29
Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. The Alhambra, a Moorish citadel and palace, is in Granada. It is one of the most famous items of the Islamic historical legacy that makes Granada a hot spot among cultural and tourist cities in Spain. Tim and Miaomiao visited the Alhambra and the city center on a day trip from Seville in December 2010.
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31 photos from Stanford
(California, USA)
2009-06-09
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university located in Stanford, California, United States. Miaomiao visited the university in the summer of 2009.
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101 photos from Èze
(Provence-Alpes-Côte d`Azur, France)
2016-03-28
Èze is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France, not far from the city of Nice. The area surrounding Èze was first populated around 2000 BC as a commune situated near Mount Bastide. The area was subsequently occupied by not only the Greeks and Romans but also the Moors who held the area for approximately 80 years until they were driven out by William of Provence in 973. By 1388 Èze fell under the jurisdiction of the House of Savoy, who built up the town as a fortified stronghold. In the next few centuries French and Turkish troops seized the village under orders from Hayreddin Barbarossa in 1543, and Louis XIV destroyed the walls surrounding the city in 1706 in the war of the Spanish succession. Finally in April 1860, Eze was designated as part of France by unanimous decision by the people of Eze. Èze has been described as an `eagle`s nest` because of its location overlooking a high cliff 427 metres above sea level on the French Mediterranean. We visited the town on a day trip from Nice in the spring of 2016.
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134 photos from Giethoorn
(Overijssel, Netherlands)
2015-05-03
Giethoorn is a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Steenwijkerland, about 5 km southwest of Steenwijk. Giethoorn used to be an auto-free zone, but nowadays exeptions are made. It became locally famous, especially after 1958, when the Dutch film maker Bert Haanstra made his famous comedy Fanfare there. In the old part of the village, there were no roads (though a cycling path was eventually added), and all transport was done by water over one of the many canals. The lakes in Giethoorn were formed by peat unearthing. Giethoorn was founded by fugitives from the Mediterranean region in around AD 1230. Tourism has had a relatively small influence on the old traditional town. The village, still only fully accessible by boat, is one of several places commonly known as the Venice of the North or Venice of the Netherlands. Giethoorn has over 180 bridges. Tim visited Giethoorn together with Miaomiao`s parents in the spring of 2015.
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90 photos from Kutna Hora
(Central Bohemia, Czech Republic)
2008-12-26
A day trip to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kutna Hora, with visits to the Bone Church, the town center and the Church of St. Barbara.
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113 photos from Sounion
(Attica, Greece)
2009-03-13
Cape Sounion is a promontory located 69 km SSE of Athens, at the southernmost tip of the Attica peninsula in Greece. Cape Sounion is noted as the site of ruins of the ancient Greek temple of Poseidon, the god of the sea in classical mythology. The remains are perched on the headland, surrounded on three sides by the sea. The ruins bear the deeply engraved name of English Romantic poet Lord Byron (1788-1824). The site is a popular day excursion for tourists from Athens, with sunset over the Aegean Sea viewed from the ruins a sought-after spectacle. Tim and Miaomiao visited Cape Sounion on the last full day of their trip to Athens, in March 2009.
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132 photos from Zhouzhuang
(Jiangsu, China)
2007-10-26
Zhouzhuang is a town in Jiangsu province, China. It is located within Kunshan county-level city, 30 km southeast of Suzhou. Zhouzhuang is a popular tourist destination. It is one of the most famous water townships in China, noted for its profound cultural background, the well preserved ancient residential houses, the elegant watery views and the strong local colored traditions and customs. It has been called the `Venice of the East`. We visited Zhouzhuang on a day trip from Shanghai.
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60 photos from Amsterdam
(North-Holland, Netherlands)
2013-06-14
We visited the Hermitage Amsterdam and the Bloemenmarkt (Flower Market).
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98 photos from Efteling
(North-Brabant, Netherlands)
2016-08-19
On this fourth trip to the Efteling, we visited the attractions Fata Morgana, Diorama, Land van Laaf, Carnaval Festival and more.
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41 photos from Thingvellir
(Southern Region, Iceland)
2013-02-28
Þingvellir (`Thing Fields`) is a place in Bláskógabyggð in southwestern Iceland, near the peninsula of Reykjanes and the Hengill volcanic area. Þingvellir is a site of historical, cultural, and geological importance and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Iceland. It is the site of a rift valley that marks the crest of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. It is also home to Þingvallavatn, the largest natural lake in Iceland. Parliament or Alþingi was established at Þingvellir in 930 and remained there until 1798. Þingvellir National Park was founded in 1930 to protect the remains of the parliament site and was later expanded to protect natural phenomena in the surrounding area. Þingvellir National Park was the first national park in Iceland and was decreed `a protected national shrine for all Icelanders, the perpetual property of the Icelandic nation under the preservation of parliament, never to be sold or mortgaged.` Tim and Miaomiao visited the site during their trip through Iceland in the winter of 2013.
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105 photos from Efteling
(North-Brabant, Netherlands)
2013-06-09
A second visit to the Efteling, the largest theme park in the Netherlands.
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53 photos from Siena
(Tuscany, Italy)
2006-03-25
Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena. The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is best known for its Cathedral and its town square, the Piazza del Campo.
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13 photos from Anglesea
(Victoria, Australia)
2014-09-12
Anglesea is a town in Victoria, Australia. It is located on the Great Ocean Road in the Surf Coast Shire local government area. At the 2006 census, Anglesea had a population of 2,290. Originally known as Swampy Creek, the area's name was changed to Anglesea River in 1884 when the township was established. A Post Office under that name opened on 16 April 1886 and was renamed Anglesea in 1950. We visited Anglesea on a first stop on a day trip on the Great Ocean Road from Melbourne.
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27 photos from Utrecht
(Utrecht, Netherlands)
2009-09-26
Utrecht is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern end of the Randstad, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands, with a population of 300,030 in 2007. The smaller Utrecht agglomeration including adjacent suburbs and annexed towns is home to some 640,000 registered inhabitants, while the larger region contains up to 820,000 inhabitants. Utrecht`s ancient city-centre features many buildings and structures from its earliest origins onwards. It has been the religious centre of the Netherlands since the eighth century. We visited the Dom Church and some other buildings in the city center in the autumn of 2009.
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73 photos from Groningen
(Groningen, Netherlands)
2015-06-18
On his second trip to Groningen, Tim visited the Groningen Railway Station, the Vismarkt square, the Academiegebouw building, the Markt square with the Martinikerk church and the University Medical Center.
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20 photos from Bologna
(Emilia-Romagna, Italy)
2006-03-18
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna in northern Italy, in the Po Valley, between the Po River and the Apennines, exactly between the Reno River and the Sàvena River. Home of the oldest university in the Western world, "Alma Mater Studiorum", founded in 1088, Bologna is one of the most developed cities in Italy. It has 370.000 inhabitants. Miaomiao visited the city center in March 2006.
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129 photos from Rotterdam
(South-Holland, Netherlands)
2015-04-24
On our second trip to Rotterdam we visited the Erasmus MC, the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen and the Euromast tower.
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920 photos from Rome
(Lazio, Italy)
2007-12-24 - 2008-01-02
Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy`s largest and most populous city, with 2.7 million residents, an urban area of 3.45 million as well as a metropolitan area of 4 million inhabitants. It is located in the central-western portion of the Italian peninsula, on the Tiber river. Rome`s history as a city spans over two and a half thousand years, as one of the founding cities of Western Civilization. Even outside of the history of the Roman Empire, Rome has a significant place in the story of Christianity up to the present day, for it endures as the home of the papacy. The worldwide Roman Catholic Church is administered from the Vatican City. Today, Rome is a modern, cosmopolitan city, and the third most-visited tourist destination in the European Union. We spend nine days in Rome, and visited Vatican City (including St. Peter`s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums), the Roman Forum, the Pantheon, Circus Maximus, Castel Sant`Angelo, Pyramid of Cestius, Bocca della Verita , Piazza Navona, Piazza di Spagna, Fontana di Trevi, and more.
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882 photos from Lisbon
(Lisbon, Portugal)
2014-04-20 - 2014-04-26
Lisbon is the capital and the largest city of Portugal with a population of over 3 million in its urban area, making it the 11th most populous urban area in the European Union. Lisbon is the westernmost large city located in Europe, as well as its westernmost capital city and the only one along the Atlantic coast. It lies in the western Iberian Peninsula on the Atlantic Ocean and the River Tagus. Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in the world, and the oldest city in Western Europe, predating other modern European capitals such as London, Paris and Rome by hundreds of years. Julius Caesar made it a municipium called Felicitas Julia, adding to the name Olissipo. Ruled by a series of Germanic tribes from the 5th century, it was captured by the Moors in the 8th century. In 1147, the Crusaders under Afonso Henriques reconquered the city and since then it has been a major political, economic and cultural centre of Portugal. Lisbon has two sites listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site: Belém Tower and Jerónimos Monastery. Furthermore, in 1994, Lisbon was the European Capital of Culture and in 1998 organised the Expo `98. Tim and Miaomiao visited the city in the spring of 2014.
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512 photos from Xiamen
(Fujian, China)
2013-12-26 - 2014-01-17
Xiamen (also known as Amoy) is a major city on the southeast (Taiwan Strait) coast of the People`s Republic of China. It is administered as a sub-provincial city of Fujian province with a population of 3.67 million. Its built up area is now bigger than the old urban island area and covers all six districts of Xiamen (Huli, Siming, Jimei, Tong`an, Haicang and recently Xiang`an). The Jinmen (Kinmen) Islands administered by the Republic of China (Taiwan) are less than 10 kilometres away. Xiamen and the surrounding southern Fujian countryside are the ancestral home to large communities of overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia. The city was a treaty port in the 19th century and one of the four original Special Economic Zones opened to foreign investment and trade when China began economic reforms in the early 1980s. It is endowed with educational and cultural institutions supported by the overseas Chinese diaspora. We visited Xiamen at the end of our China trip in 2014. Highlights included Gulangyu Island, Zhongshan Road and Nanputuo Temple.
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