Manila, Philippines

A lovely account of the Manila dancing event from Hannah, who wound up pretty much organizing the whole thing for me.

She is a hell of a photographer.

Hong Kong, China

Last night, while boarding a plane in Hong Kong, we got mysteriously upgraded to business class and rerouted to a different boarding tunnel. At the door of the plane, the woman asked if we wanted to see the eclipse. She led us (and only us) outside onto the stairs so we could watch the moon go deep red. Thanks, universe, for putting me in Hong Kong, for the upgrade, and for the nice lady.

I didn't take this photo. Credit is on the bottom of the image.

Bangkok, Thailand

Just finished a 17 hour flight (!!!) from Seattle. Blessed business class allowed me 10 hours of uninterrupted sleep -- maybe my longest since becoming a parent -- and I was still able to catch up on all the horrible movies I missed over the summer. Cars 2, Transformers 3, and Fast Five left me desperate to watch part four of anything automotive-themed.

Jerusalem, Israel

This is what happened when Google saw that I am in Jerusalem.

I wandered through a Haredi -- or "Ultra-Orthodox" Jewish -- neighborhood towing all my luggage. I have never felt so spectacularly out of place. I couldn't work up the nerve to ask anyone to dance with me.

Did some salsa at sunset by Jaffa Gate, though, so it worked out okay.

Zurich, Switzerland

After dancing in Zurich, I was taken to a 650 year old pub called the Öpfelchammere (Apple Chamber) where patrons are challenged to crawl between the ceiling beams and drink a glass of wine while hanging upside-down. The walls are covered in carved signatures from those who've completed it.

Harder than it sounds.

Rome, Italy

When in Rome, make all the Romans do exactly what you're doing.

Santorini, Greece

My curse is I get to go to the most beautiful places in the world, and then I have to turn my back to them.

Belgrade, Serbia

Took a ballet class in Serbia today.

Bratislava, Slovakia

Was confronted with this by the hotel manager while eating breakfast.

I think we pretty much had all of Bratislava in the Old Town Square yesterday.

Vienna, Austria

Made use of my day off in Vienna. Johann Strauss performed the Blue Danube in this dance hall. Many things about this image remind of Stanley Kubrick.

Dresden, Germany

My morning jog through the rebuilt old city of Dresden deteriorated into a morning agog.

Berlin, Germany

The Germans are geniuses. Why hasn't anyone else thought of this?

Also:

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Was startled by this Visa ad looping on the wall during my layover in Abu Dhabi. I shot it several years ago and had never actually seen it before.

 

Moscow, Russia

Took a zippy, shiny train from Helsinki to St. Petersburg. Then rode a lumbering, Soviet-era hulk overnight to Moscow.

Guess which one was more fun.

Someone handed me this today.

It's going in my office.