I love the mountains and would love to go more often, but life does not always let you go. Excuses I know, but it is what it is. Therefor the German or Bavarian Alps were always on my list to visits as it is only a relatively easy 9h drive. So when it came to settle for a destination this fall for some hiking, mountaineering and photography its anwser was easy, Scotland it is. Ha! No too much rain. Garmisch-Partenkirchen it was and boy did it not disappoint. Especially the climb to the top of the Alpspitze.

A while ago just before spring we took a small break to go to Ibiza, just before all touristy stuff would break loose. Well that was the truth as not much was yet open. However it was very nice to visit the island and explore. The idea was to capture some birds on the main Island and to explore Formentera just below of Ibiza. That should have many birds and even flamingos.

A week or so ago I was on a cycling trip to get to the top of Mont Ventoux. This was one of the main goals for cycling this year, together with two others, but again injury and fitness did not get me to the first goal. So this was a must reach goal. It started off unlucky with illness and medicine. In the end I did manage to get to the top, but it took a lot of perseverance and some curse words. The reward was worth it in the end. It was a lovely (maybe too hot) of a day.

The last one to rule them all. A long time in the making and it took way too long. The last one in the series of Grindelwald exploration. This time I combined the last two days as day 5 was an epic and long day (my fault entirely). The last day was a more relaxed day, as it was an easy walk downwards to the city center, however the day ended with an absolutely stellar shot (in context of that day). Nice!

So this is embarrassing, this blog took way too long. Construction at home, work, covid etc. It all didn’t help. However all is done and finished, sort of. There are two more blogs of Switzerland coming up, including this one -or- when I feel like it I just dump it all in one blog. One to rule them all.

So where did we left off the last blog? Due to construction at home, holidays and suddenly it becoming 2022 and the next lockdown, I get lost in my to do list. This one is far over due as well as the following days I spend in the Alpes in Switzerland. I’ll be short this one as day 2 and 3 where full of rain and mist. However still wanted to get some hiking done as siting inside in such a surrounding feels a total waste.

After 1,5 year staying in The Netherlands for holiday or just travel and travel photography I finally got to a point where I could plan (with all covid-19 measures in place) and go on a trip. The mountains were calling as I had the urge to see and experience mountains, hiking and views like I did two years ago in the Dolomites. See here in other blog stories. Man, I really liked the Dolomites!

So going through photo’s recently I discovered that I love golden hour, but who doesn’t as a landscape photographer. However I’m not so much a blue-purple hour photographer i.e. the time between golden hour and blue hour. Man - all those hours, by the way a big tip, they’re not actually hours, so be aware.

This was on our wish list for a while now. Travel to Lapland, above the arctic circle, experience the snow and the cold, the wide open space and nature. Also, snowshoeing, dogsledding, going out in the wilderness with snowmobiles had also something to do with wanting to go to Lapland.