7 Super Shots Hostel Bookers Challenge

I am taking part in Hostel Bookers "7 Super Shots" challenge.  I was definitely one of the least talented photographers in my photography class in Florence so take that with a grain of salt when you scroll through my list of "super shots". I like these seven photos because they encompass some of the emotion and character in the places I've visited/lived. 

http://blog.hostelbookers.com/travel/7-super-shots/

1.) A photo that... takes my breath away

Florence, Italy

This is a picture of the infamous Duomo in the middle of Florence. Something about the bird and the extreme blue in the sky make me feel like I'm still on the cobble stones gazing up at this massive church.  

2.) A photo that... makes me laugh or smile

Jackson Hole, WY

Wyoming is full of surprising wildlife. This wild horse wandered in front of my camera as I was photographing the Tetons. He also proceeded to disrupt the dinner my company was throwing by greeting as the guests with a nuzzle and standing behind everyone's cars so we couldn't pull out of the field.  What a character.

3.) A photo that... makes me dream

New York, NY

New York is a city of dreamers.  Every time I look at the NYC skyline I have visions of what life would be like living here, working here, and soaking in all the energy, lights, and caffeine that characterize New York. New York has a man made beauty that can't be contained. 

4.) A photo that... makes me think

Washington, DC

This photo is from the Inauguration of Barack Obama in 2009. The national mall was full of people from every walk of life. I watched the inauguration from the small incline that rises to the Washington Monument with thousands of others. There was said to be over one million people on the mall in front of the capital that day. I felt privileged to be one of them. I love this shot because the people seem to rise out like an endless sea and the flags are all blowing the same direction.

5.) A photo that... make my mouth water

Barcelona, Spain

This flavorful mass of candy can be found in Barcelona's "La Boqueria". I've honestly never seen so much candy laid out like this in a market before. Spanish sugar rush is a must to stay up until 4 am. in Barcelona's ever alive nightlife. 

6.) A photo that... tells a story

Panama City, Panama

I love this picture (as you can see I've used it as a banner on my blog since it's inception). I took this in the Casco Viejo in Panama City, Panama. I love the bright colors of the quilts and the dreamy expression on the Panamanian woman's face. I wonder what she's thinking, what her life is like and how long she's been making quilts for tourists. 

7.) A photo that... I am most proud of aka my National Geographic Shot

Las Terranas, Dominican Republic

This is an actual picture of me so I'm not sure if that counts. This was taken in Las Terranas in the Dominican Republic when I was on a drive around the island with a Dominican family. I like it because it makes me think of what travel feels like for me:  long strange trips in a truck that lead up to a brief moment where a new place opens up to me that I never knew existed. This place, in my exhausted euphoria of trip hypnosis, emphatically became a part of my being like a scar that I can never remove. I actually have a literal scar from this trip because I fell into the hole behind me shortly after this picture was taken.  

Recap on my year in travel

Lately, my girlfriends and I have been discussing what trips we want to take over the next year. India was mentioned, as well as Croatia, Greece, the Midwestern United States, and Canada. Sometimes I find myself so overwhelmed by how many places I want to see before I'm married and have babies dangling from each arm that I feel that I'll never get it all done on time.

I get so overwhelmed that I forget about how many cool places I've gotten to see over the past couple years of my life. I was at a dinner party a few weeks back and my friend said to me, "For a while I wasn't sure if you were working or not because of how many vacations you took".  I'm blessed to have a job that allows these type of vacations and days off.

This year alone I went to: The Dominican Republic, Miami, DC, NYC, Amsterdam, Florence, Siena, Las Vegas, Jackson Hole, and Cape Cod. This also doesn't count my various trips to mountains to ski or my traverses to outdoor venues to hear awesome concerts like Avett Brothers in Vermont and Phish in Watkins Glen. I assure you I do have a job. In fact the Jackson Hole trip was for work!

Pictures for your viewing pleasure (or really for mine): 

Las Terranas, DR

Santo Domingo, DR

DC, my old home

Old Friends in Amsterdam

Jessica and Jessica in Amsterdam

How you get around the Netherlands

Beautiful other Jessica in Italy

The Arno River

Ponte Vecchio

Vegas by night

Vegas by day

Avett Brothers in Vermont

Mighty Tetons

Wild Horses in Wyoming

Phish in Watkins Glen

Dunes of the Cape

Life is Good

It looks like I'll be ending this year, at the very place I started the last one... in NYC. This year I'll be at Madison Square Garden attending the Phish New Years Eve concert.  Hopefully 2012 will be as good as 2011 or better.

New Year's 2011, NYC skyline

Delicious Dominican Dishes

So I spent the past 9 days in the Dominican Republic eating gluttonously all the fresh meat and plantain products that my heart could desire.



Here are my favorites:

Polvorones: a heavy, soft crumbly cookie that  has some type of cinnamon in them. They are yummilicious.

Rice and Beans: I'm sure there is a Dominican word that I'm missing for "Rice and Beans" but OMG delicious. Especially since the rice fields are a few miles away from the actual store.

Lasagna alla Sweet Plantains: Plantains in lasagna? Sounds gross but is actually the most delightful thing I've ever tasted.

Tostones: Fried, salted plantains.
















Crab or Squid Empanadas: I had these excellent empanadas at Meson D'Bari in Santo Domingo. Mouthwatering sea food in a pocket of fried love.

Free Range Chicken: A real chicken who has actually been fertilized by a rooster and not a hormone pill. I ate a chicken an hour after it was slaughtered (sorry for all you vegetarians out there). These were the most delicious, healthy best wings I've ever had. Take that Kentucky Fried Chicken


Mangoes, Bananas, Coconuts, literally any fruit with a peel that you can get your hands on will be the most delicious, juicy thing you will ever eat.


I also ate some kind of lemon square that I was fond of and some really great steak, eggs, and pork.  Also some pasta thing with clams in it. Yum.




Needless to say upon my return to the US my stomach had a rocky road to face with all the hormones, preservatives and additives we have in the food in this country. Good thing you can actually use the toilets here and have a hot shower since both of those were needed for my angry stomach.