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133 photos from Toronto
(Ontario, Canada)
2008-07-17 - 2008-07-25
In July 2008, Miaomiao and Tim attended the ISMB 2008 Conference in Toronto. Toronto is the largest city in Canada and is the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located on the north-western shore of Lake Ontario. With over 2.5 million residents, it is the fifth most populous municipality in North America. As Canada`s economic capital, Toronto is considered a global city and is one of the top financial cities in the world. Toronto is one of the world`s most diverse cities by percentage of non-native-born residents, as about 49% of the population were born outside of Canada. The main tourist attraction is the CN Tower of 553 metres high.
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53 photos from Brussels
(Brussels, Belgium)
2007-04-06
Brussels is the capital of Belgium. It has grown from a 10th-century fortress town founded by Charlemagne`s grandson into a metropolis of more than one million inhabitants. The metropolitan area, including the outer commuter zone, covers a total area of 4,127 km2, covering the Capital-Region and 103 surrounding municipalities, and has a population of almost 2.7 million. We visited the Grand Place, the Town Hall, and Manneken Pis.
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79 photos from Amsterdam
(North-Holland, Netherlands)
2016-06-08 - 2016-06-09
Tim visited Amsterdam for the eHealth Week 2016 conference. Next to the conference sites (the Beurs van Berlage and the Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky), he visited the Westerkerk church and the Anne Frank House.
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127 photos from Efteling
(North-Brabant, Netherlands)
2017-04-02
A sixth visit to the Efteling, in the spring of 2017.
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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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221 photos from The Hague
(North-Holland, Netherlands)
2006-07-08 - 2006-07-09
The Hague is the third-largest city in the Netherlands after Amsterdam and Rotterdam, with a population of 475,904. During this two-day trip we visited Scheveningen, Madurodam and Binnenhof.
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81 photos from Malmo
(Scania, Sweden)
2011-04-25
Malmö, in the southernmost province of Scania, is the third most populous city in Sweden. Malmö was one of the earliest and most industrialized towns of Scandinavia, but it struggled with the adaptation to post-industrialism. Since the construction of the Öresund bridge, Malmö has begun a slow revival with impressive architectural developments, attracting new biotech and IT companies, and particularly students through Malmö University College. The city contains many historic buildings and parks, and is also a commercial centre for the western part of Scania. Tim and Miaomiao visited the city during a day trip from Copenhagen, in the spring of 2011.
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393 photos from Qingdao
(Shandong, China)
2014-01-07 - 2014-01-09
Qingdao, historically known as Tsingtao, is a major city in eastern Shandong Province, Eastern China, with a population of over 8.715 million. It borders Yantai to the northeast, Weifang to the west and Rizhao to the southwest. `Qing` in Chinese means `green` or `lush`, while `dao` means `island`. Qingdao is administered at the sub-provincial level. Lying across the Shandong Peninsula while looking out to the Yellow Sea, Qingdao is a major seaport, naval base, and industrial centre. It is also the site of the Tsingtao Brewery. The world`s longest sea bridge, the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge, links the main urban area of Qingdao with Huangdao district, straddling the Jiaozhou Bay sea areas. Qingdao is named China`s most livable city. We visited, amongst others, the Zhan Qiao Pier, the Signal Hill Park, the Qingdao TV Tower and the May Fourth Square.
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20 photos from Amsterdam
(North-Holland, Netherlands)
2006-04-17
Amsterdam is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Holland in the west of the country. The city, which had a population of 747,290 on 1 January 2008, comprises the northern part of the Randstad, the 6th-largest metropolitan area in Europe, with a population of around 6.7 million. We did a short sightseeing tour in April 2006.
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686 photos from Edinburgh
(Scotland, United Kingdom)
2016-10-26 - 2016-10-30
Edinburgh is Scotland`s second most populous city and the seventh most populous in the United Kingdom. The 2014 official population estimates are 464,990 for the city of Edinburgh and 1,339,380 for the city region. Recognised as the capital of Scotland since at least the 15th century, Edinburgh is home to the Scottish Parliament and the seat of the monarchy in Scotland. The city is home to national institutions such as the National Museum of Scotland, the National Library of Scotland and the Scottish National Gallery. It is the largest financial centre in the UK after London. The city`s historical and cultural attractions have made it the United Kingdom`s second most popular tourist destination attracting over one million overseas visitors each year. Historic sites in Edinburgh include Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace, the churches of St. Giles, Greyfriars and the Canongate, and the extensive Georgian New Town, built in the 18th century. Edinburgh`s Old Town and New Town together are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We visited Edinburgh in the autumn of 2016.
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553 photos from New York
(New York, USA)
2008-07-05 - 2008-07-12
We visited New York as part of our USA/Canada trip in the summer of 2008. New York City is the most populous city in the United States, in a metropolitan area that ranks among the world`s most-populous urban areas. It is a leading global city, exerting a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, and entertainment. The city consists of five distinct boroughs: The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island. It is the most densely populated major city in the United States, with an estimated 8,3 million people occupying just under 790 km2. We stayed in New York for one week and visited amongst others Liberty Island, Ellis Island, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Empire Statue Building, Times Square, Brooklyn Bridge, Ground Zero and Central Park.
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575 photos from Dublin
(Southern Region, Ireland)
2013-05-11 - 2013-05-15
Dublin (Irish: Baile Átha Cliath, meaning `town of the hurdled ford`) is the capital and most populous city of Ireland. The English name for the city is derived from the Irish name Dubhlinn, meaning `black pool`. Dublin is situated in the province of Leinster near the midpoint of Ireland`s east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and the centre of the Dublin Region. Originally founded as a Viking settlement, it evolved into the Kingdom of Dublin and became the island`s principal city following the Norman invasion. The city expanded rapidly from the 17th century; it was briefly the second largest city in the British Empire and the fifth largest in Europe. Dublin entered a period of stagnation following the Act of Union of 1800, but it remained the economic centre for most of the island. Following the partition of Ireland in 1922, the new parliament, the Oireachtas, was located in Leinster House. Dublin became the capital of the Irish Free State and later the Republic of Ireland. It is a historical and contemporary cultural centre for the country, as well as a modern centre of education, the arts, administration, economy, and industry. Tim visited the city for the eHealth Week 2013 conference.
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292 photos from Hastings Reef
(Queensland, Australia)
2014-09-03
Hastings Reef is one of the outer reefs of the Great Barrier Reef. This is the second reef we snorkeled at as part of a Great Barrier Reef tour in September 2014.
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975 photos from Saint Petersburg
(Northwestern, Russia)
2013-06-20 - 2013-06-26
Saint Petersburg is a city in Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. In 1914 the name of the city was changed to Petrograd, in 1924 to Leningrad, and in 1991, back to Saint Petersburg. Saint Petersburg was founded by the Tsar Peter the Great in 1703. From 1713 to 1728 and from 1732 to 1918, Saint Petersburg was the Imperial capital of Russia. In 1918 the central government bodies moved from Saint Petersburg (then named Petrograd) to Moscow. It is Russia`s second largest city after Moscow with 5 million inhabitants. Saint Petersburg is a major European cultural center, and also an important Russian port on the Baltic Sea. Saint Petersburg is often described as the most Western city of Russia, as well as its cultural capital. It is the northernmost city in the world to have a population of over one million. The Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments constitute a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Saint Petersburg is also home to The Hermitage, one of the largest art museums in the world. We visited Saint Petersburg during our Russia trip in the summer of 2013.
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33 photos from Doesburg
(Gelderland, Netherlands)
2015-12-25
Doesburg received city rights in 1237. Because of its strategic position along the Oude IJssel and Gelderse IJssel, Doesburg has been an important fortified city for a long time. The fortification of the city made Doesburg an important economic and administrative city. The Martinikerk, the main church in Doesburg is 94 meters tall. For many reasons, many of which have to do with the IJssel decreasing in depth, the prosperity in Doesburg settled after the 15th century. Doesburg changed into a sleepy provincial town and so it would remain until after the second world war. The city was protected in 1974, designated as a historic town. The historical inner city with several museums and many monuments draw thousands of tourists every year. Large tourist attractions are the Main court, the Doesburgse mustard factory and `De Waag`, which according to reports is the oldest public place in the Netherlands. Tim, Miaomiao and Max visited the city during the Christmas of 2015.
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75 photos from Deventer
(Overijssel, Netherlands)
2006-12-17
Another visit to Deventer during the Dickens Festival. This December festival sees some of the oldest streets and alleys in the city dressed up in the style of the Victorian era, as per Dickens` writings. The festival attracted 135,000 visitors.
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32 photos from Tilburg
(North-Brabant, Netherlands)
2017-05-07
On this third trip to Tilburg, we visited the Kikker exhibition at the Natuurmuseum Brabant again.
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208 photos from Nimes
(Languedoc-Roussillon, France)
2014-08-17
Nîmes is a city in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of southern France. It is the capital of the Gard department. Nîmes is located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Cévennes mountains. The estimated population of Nîmes is 175,000. Nîmes has a rich history, dating back to the Roman Empire when the city was home to 50,000 – 60,000 people. Several famous monuments are in Nîmes, such as the Nîmes Arena and the Maison Carrée. Because of this, Nîmes is often referred to as the French Rome. We visited the Arena of Nîmes, the Maison Carrée temple and the Tour Magne tower, as well as the nearby Pont du Gard aqueduct bridge.
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111 photos from Gozo
(Gozo and Comino, Malta)
2011-06-15
Gozo is a small island of the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is part of the Southern European country of Malta; after the island of Malta itself, it is the second-largest island in the archipelago. Compared to its southeastern neighbour, Gozo is more rural and known for its scenic hills, which are featured on its coat of arms. The island of Gozo has long been identified as Ogygia, the domain of the nymph Calypso in Homer's Odyssey. Calypso, possessed of great supernatural powers, holds Odysseus captive for a number of years because of her love for him before releasing him to continue his journey home. The island itself has a population of around 31,000 people, and its inhabitants are known as Gozitans. It is rich in historical locations such as the Ggantija temples which, along with the Megalithic Temples of Malta, are the world`s oldest free-standing structures and also the world`s oldest religious structures. Tim and Miaomiao visited Gozo on a boat tour from Malta in June 2011.
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75 photos from Kaifeng
(Henan, China)
2007-10-29
Kaifeng, formerly known as Bianliang, Bianjing, Daliang, or simply Liang, is a prefecture-level city in eastern Henan province, People`s Republic of China. Kaifeng is one of the Seven Ancient Capitals of China. We visited the Qingming Shanghe Park, Youguo Temple and the Iron Pagoda.
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46 photos from Bafang
(West, Cameroon)
2005-10-18 - 2005-10-19
Bafang is a town in Cameroon situated in the Haut-Nkam division of the West Province. It lies at the heart of the territory of the Bamiléké people, and has a population of roughly 80,500. Tim visited the city as part of his Cameroon trip.
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27 photos from Sagunto
(Valencia, Spain)
2006-08-21
Sagunto, formerly Murviedro, is an ancient city in Eastern Spain, in the modern fertile district of Camp de Morvedre in the province of Valencia. It is located in a hilly site, c. 30 km north of Valencia, close to the Costa del Azahar on the Mediterranean Sea. We visited the Roman theater and the Old Jewish Quarter.
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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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294 photos from Nice
(Provence-Alpes-Côte d`Azur, France)
2016-03-25 - 2016-03-31
On this second trip to Nice, we visited the Promenade des Anglais, the Parc Phoenix, Vieux-Nice, the Colline du Château and other places in the city center.
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58 photos from Tirol
(Tirol, Austria)
2004-03-26 - 2004-04-03
A skiing (and afterski) trip of Tim to the mountain province of Tirol (Austria).
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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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19 photos from Ravenna
(Emilia-Romagna, Italy)
2006-03-21
Ravenna is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The city is inland, but is connected to the Adriatic Sea by a canal. Ravenna was the capital city of the Western Roman Empire from 402 until 476. It was later the capital of the Kingdom of the Ostrogoths and the Exarchate of Ravenna until 751. From that year until the invasion of Franks, it was the seat of the king of the Lombards and equalled to Pavia by Aistulf. It is presently the capital of the Province of Ravenna. At 652.89 km2, Ravenna is the second-largest comune in land area in Italy, although it is only a little more than half the size of the largest, Rome. Miaomiao visited Ravenna in March 2006.
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480 photos from Paris
(Île-de-France, France)
2010-07-31 - 2010-08-08
Paris is the capital and largest city of France. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region. The city of Paris, within its administrative limits largely unchanged since 1860, has an estimated population of 2,193,031 (January 2007), but the Paris aire urbaine (or metropolitan area) has a population of 11,836,970 (January 2007), and is one of the most populated metropolitan areas in Europe. Paris is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. The Paris region receives 45 million tourists annually, 60% of whom are foreign visitors. The city and region contain numerous iconic landmarks, world-famous institutions and popular parks. We visited the city for a second time together in the summer of 2010.
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