Reymon de Real PhotographyTWILIGHT AT THE END OF THE WORLD
The city of Ushuaia in Argentina, famously known as the southernmost city in the world, is also referred to as the End of the World. Last December of 2018, I embarked on a cruise that took me to the very tip of South America with a stop at this remote yet thriving city. Ushuaia is a major tourist destination and also serves as the…
RUSTY BEAUTY ON THE TIGRE
Cruising the Tigre River in Buenos Aires, Argentina is a fascinating experience and during my visit I had a great time with my camera capturing everything from humble homes with their rickety docks to huge mansions with manicured lawns and fancy boats. I learned during the cruise that the Tigre Delta is one of the largest in the world and it does not empty…
LADY AT SEA
I just finished a two-week cruise in South America sailing from Buenos Aires, Argentina to ports in Uruguay and Chile. This was the longest cruise I’ve ever sailed…so long that when I left it was summer, made it halfway by winter and got back around summer again. I know it sounds insane so allow myself to clarify…when my ship sailed off Buenos Aires summer…
ANOTHER KEY WEST SUNSET
The other weekend I drove down to Key West, Florida after my work shifted to a 4-days-a-week schedule. I thought it was a good opportunity to enjoy my long weekend so I packed my bags, hopped into my car and off to the southernmost point of continental USA I went. When in Key West I always stay at the Pier House Resort and Spa…
MIKRI VENETIA (Little Venice)
In the Greek island of Mykonos, a row of houses line up the waterfront with their balconies extending out to sea. These houses used to be the homes of the rich inhabitants of the island before they were converted into the shops, bars and restaurants that they are today. This part of the island is also known as Mikri Venetia or Little Venice due…
THE GOLDEN EMPIRE
New York City is truly the microcosm of the world as this diverse metropolis hosts almost every possible ethnicity and culture that our planet holds. At one point in history, this city was even referred to as the “Capital of the World” and the “Seat of the Empire”. Today NYC is more commonly known as the “City that Never Sleeps” or “The Big Apple”,…
THE WINDMILLS OF MYKONOS
Aside from being known as Greece’s party island, Mykonos is also famous for its windmills which has become the iconic symbol of the island. When I visited Mykonos a few years ago, I hiked my way across town just so I can photograph these quintessential features of the island. The walk was a delightful experience passing through narrow alleys between whitewashed cubic stone homes…
THE AWAKENING OF HESPERIDES
If sunsets in Greece are always this beautiful, I am not surprised why Greeks wrote the most inspired, prolific and passionate pieces of literature ever written. Their curiosity and thirst for knowledge also resulted to contributions to science, mathematics, medicine, philosophy, law, art, mythology and theater to name a few. Greece is such a beautiful country with a rich heritage and a culture that…
ISLAND SPEED
Don’t you wish you were on that boat speeding across the brilliant sapphire water and heading to a remote tropical island with your special someone? That sure is possible if you were in the Caribbean and have lots of dough but for humble commoners like a majority of us, a cruise ship is a cheaper alternative to enjoy the high seas and to explore…
PASTEL PARADISE
I was on a cruise to the Western Caribbean last week and our first port of call was the southernmost point of continental USA…Key West, Florida. I’ve been to this island multiple times and for me the best part about visiting Key West is the scenic drive through multiple keys (islands) and seeing the beautiful blue waters on both sides of the highway. Since…
STARRY STARRY NIGHT
One of these days I’d like to gather enough courage to drive somewhere far from the city and photograph the Milky Way in the darkness. In my case, the Florida Everglades would be the best place to escape the city lights. I am currently on a cruise somewhere in the Caribbean Sea and last night I attempted to capture some heavenly bodies from my…
EMERALD FOREST
Green is supposedly the most relaxing and calming color as it is the color of nature and it evokes a sense of comfort and peace helping reduce stress and anxiety. During my cruise in Alaska last summer, the ship sailed through straits and inlets flanked by islands of lush forest of pines so it was a glorious feast of green for my eyes. It…
BEYOND THE MIST
As we traverse this journey we call life, let us all remember that nothing is definite and as always surprises awaits us in every turn. Just like this new year we are about to ring in, all we can hope for are wonderful things to come our way although road bumps are quite inevitable. These bumps are there to remind us to slow down…
RAYS OF LIGHT
It was a beautiful sunny afternoon and we were sailing out of Vancouver, Canada towards Ketchikan, Alaska for a week of cruising in “America’s Last Frontier” when suddenly the skies transformed from bright blue to gloomy gray. We were aware of the weather forecast expecting rain throughout the cruise but didn’t expect the change to happen two hours after we left the port. So…
FLIGHT OF THE ALBATROSS
I always envy how birds can just soar freely into the horizon and visit exciting destinations without worrying about pricey plane tickets, uncomfortable seats, lost luggages or nasty flight attendants. I on the other hand had to work around my limited vacation days at work and patiently await for dollar-saving deals before I can start packing my bags. How I wish I was a…
BEAUTIFULLY RUGGED
Having lived my entire life in a tropical climate, the Alaskan wilderness was quite a significant change of scenery for me, add to that a major change in temperature as well. From tree lined rocky shores and rugged mountain ranges to snow capped peaks and majestic glaciers, it felt like I was in another planet…an enchanting and magical planet. The Alaskan terrain also drew…
PLACID
It was a calm afternoon at sea and my cruise ship was sailing steadily towards our first port of call…Ketchikan, Alaska. The air was a bit chilly but that didn’t deter me from stepping out to my stateroom’s balcony to check the view. It was foggy earlier in the day so I was excited to see the fog finally lifted and the islands visibly…
BC PLACE, VANCOUVER
Yesterday I found myself in the heart of Vancouver, Canada while trying to escape the insane humidity of the Florida summer. I’m here for a layover to catch my cruise to Alaska later today in a last minute attempt to freeze my sweaty ass for a week. It is my first time in Vancouver and true to its reputation, this city is one vibrant kaleidoscope…
PEGGY’S WINDOW
During my trip to Venice a few months ago, I visited the Peggy Guggenheim Collection to view her vast treasury of artwork ranging from Picasso and Metzinger to Dali and Brâncusi. The museum is a famous destination in Venice with its main entrance accessible through the Grand Canal. Peggy bought the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, which is an 18th-century castle, in 1949 and started…
SILENCE
I enjoy taking photographs of empty spaces because I love the stillness and silence it projects…It may also be a reflection of my pensive and introvert personality…I had such a moment when I visited this empty bullfight arena in Palma de Mallorca, Spain…I was on a photography high shooting different sections of the building minus the noisy crowds filling the hallways during fight days…I enjoyed…
FADED BEAUTY
The Procuratie are three ancient buildings surrounding St. Mark’s Square in Venice and currently housing offices, souvenir and retail shops as well as restaurants including one of the oldest coffee shops in the world, the Florian. I took this photograph in one of the passageways of the Procuratie Vecchie, which is the oldest of the three buildings dating back to the 12th century. These…
GONDOLA SURPRISE
When in Venice, a gondola ride is quite inevitable…so during my trip to this floating city last October, I found myself sailing in one along this ancient city’s narrow canals. The sailing was smooth despite it being a tiny boat and was filled with pleasant surprises at every turn. Imagine my shock when in the middle of the tour the gondola glided out into…
TORO LAND
One thing I dislike about guided tours is when they take you to these little factories for product demos followed by desperate sales pitches. In Kusadasi we were taken to a rug factory, in Pompeii to a trinket shop and in Tuscany to a winery. Oftentimes, you are trapped with no choice but to patiently listen to the entire demo. Fortunately, my tour in…
GONDOLAS AND THE GRAND CANAL
The Grand Canal in Venice is rarely this deserted so when I noticed the absence of motorized boats with only two gondolas on the water, I immediately grabbed my phone and snapped this photo. This majestic waterway, seen here from the Rialto bridge, is usually busy with motorboats sailing in all directions while transporting locals and tourists to different sections of the city. On…
CASTELL DE BELLVER
This Gothic style castle on top of a hill in Palma de Mallorca, Spain is one of the few circular castles in the world and was built for King James II of Majorca during the 14th century. From the 18th to mid-20th century, the castle was turned into a political prison before it was eventually turned into a museum in 1932. The castle was…
THE SIREN
This photograph reminded me of sirens in Greek mythology known to lure poor sailors to their doom using their enchanting voices. In the case of this siren, she was too busy taking selfies for her Facebook profile thereby saving the souls of a few lonely sailors. I took this photograph in Mykonos, Greece at the section of the town referred to as Little Venice….
OF LIGHTHOUSE AND SEA OATS
I have always been fascinated by these rice looking grasses growing along the shorelines of South Florida beaches and love how they turn gold during the summer reminding me of rice fields back in the Philippines during the harvest season. I recently learned that this grass is named sea oats and is mostly found in the southeastern United States from Virginia to Florida. I…
SUNSETS ON CRUISES
I never anticipated I would enjoy cruising considering my first experience was quite an unpleasant one. However, despite my nauseating initiation into cruisedom three years ago, I eventually learned to love it and have been on five cruises so far and looking forward to my sixth in a few months. The photo above was taken on the top deck of the Celebrity Reflection during…
NEW YORK TWILIGHT
I’m in New York City for the weekend for some touristy stuff thus my missing a photo post or two for a few days now. Yesterday, I revisited the top of the Rockefeller Center to photograph the NYC sunset. After lining up for ages, walking through a labyrinth of walls and riding the speedy elevator to the 67th floor…I finally made it to the…
THE WALL
The thick walls of the Fort San Cristobal in San Juan, Puerto Rico protected this former Spanish settlement for centuries from foreign invaders. This once military complex is now a museum under the United States National Park Services and is one of the most visited heritage sites in Old San Juan. Last February, the Eastern Caribbean cruise I was on made a brief stop…
VENETIAN CAUSEWAY
I took this photo 5 years ago the day I bought a tripod camera stand and just a few weeks after I bought my first DSLR camera. A friend joined me for a photo walk of our neighborhood to play with our new cameras when we found ourselves on the Venetian Causeway, a bridgeway which connects mainland Miami through the Venetian Isles composed of…
FIRST YEAR ANNIVERSARY/ FONTAINE DE TOURNY
Today, I decided to feature my cover photo on this post to celebrate my page’s first year anniversary. This photo of the Fontaine de Tourny was taken during my trip to Quebec City, Canada in 2013. I love how the statues glisten under the fountain while the water carelessly sprinkles all around them. This has been an amazing twelve months since I launched my…
THE LIGHTHOUSE
While cruising out of Nassau, Bahamas, our ship sailed past Paradise Island before heading out for the Atlantic Ocean towards our final destination. At the tip of the island before the open ocean was a lighthouse standing in solitude as if sadly bidding us goodbye at the same time wishing us a safe sail home. Upon further research, I discovered its name as Paradise…
MORADA BAY
Morada Bay Beach Cafe in Islamorada, Florida was a pitstop during my drive home from a weekend of fun and sun in the island of Key West. This restaurant, which was highly recommended by a coworker, does not only serve delicious meals…it also offers a breathtaking view of the bay from your table. The tables, chairs and umbrellas are painted with bright colors providing…
SUMMER SOLSTICE
Summer has finally arrived and what better way to present it than a beautiful sunset on a tropical island in South Florida. This photograph was taken during the last few minutes of sunset just as the sun was about to take a bow before diving deep into the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. It was also great to capture the golden lights…
KEY WEST
If you are looking for white sandy beaches, colorful coral reefs, breathtaking sunsets, rich culture, top rate dining and laid-back island vibe…then Key West, Florida is a must visit for you. The adventure begins when you drive down from Miami through the Overseas Highway passing through hundreds of islands home to amazing nature reserves. The long and slow drive ends in the island of…
SUNSET WEDDING
A wedding is a beautiful celebration of life and love and is probably one of the most unforgettable moments in every couple’s life. I witnessed one this weekend as the ceremony was right below my room’s balcony, which had a great view of the resort’s beachfront. The wedding was celebrated just as the sun was setting in the horizon providing a spectacular backdrop and…
PIER AT THE REACH
I am currently in Key West, Florida for the weekend for some sun, surf and munch. I was a little worried that the weather would be horrible as we just had a tropical storm a few days ago. Thankfully, the Sunshine State lived up to it’s name and blasted this island with lots of sunshine and some nasty humidity. Key West is the southernmost…
FIERY SKIES
One of my favorite photography subjects is the sunset as it always bring out a multitude of rich colors creating a kaleidoscopic sky that can inspire the lover, artist, writer, poet and dreamer in each one of us…or in my case, the photographer in me. The beauty of a sunset is further magnified by the presence of cloud formations as they add depth and…
ISLAND OF THE WINDS
The island of Mykonos in Greece is famously referred to as the island of the winds but in Greek mythology, it is also known as the location of the great battle between Zeus and the Titans as well as the site where Hercules killed the giants after luring them out of Mount Olympus. I visited Mykonos two years ago and fell in love with this…
LIVIN’ ON THE EDGE
In the Greek island of Santorini, low-lying and colorful cubical buildings cling on the side of the remnant of a volcanic caldera hundreds of feet above sea level providing an unobstructed view of the Aegean Sea. The island also boasts of its beautiful sunsets and due to the layout of the buildings, you get a front seat view of the sunset anywhere you sit….
LA ISLA BONITA
The island of Boracay in the Philippines is famous for its white sugary and powdery sand and has been awarded by multiple international travel magazines as one of the best beaches in the world. The movie Too Late The Hero starring Michael Caine and Henry Fonda was shot on this island in the 1970’s just as tourism was slowly coming in. I visited this island…
LAZY DAYS
Lazy Days is actually the name of a seaside restaurant on the island of Islamorada, in the Florida Keys, where I took this photo after stopping by for lunch on my way to Key West. The restaurant’s balcony offers panoramic views of the beach and the ocean just like a scene from South Pacific. The Florida Keys is a chain of islands in the southern…
SUNNY MIAMI
The photo above was taken from the top deck of the Celebrity Reflection cruise ship before we sailed out of Miami for the Caribbean. This multicultural and dynamic city is known to the world for its sun, sea and surf lifestyle…although, there is more to Miami than that. This megacity is also recognized as the cruising capital of the world and as the gateway…
ST. THOMAS SKYRIDE
The composition of this photo is very similar to those postcards they sell at souvenir shops that I personally think it looks kinda cheesy.😁 However, I didn’t take a lot of photos while at St. Thomas so you will have to bear with this one. The St. Thomas Skyride is a $20 ride up a mountain on these scary looking cable cars and at…
CARIBBEAN SUNRISE
Midway through my cruise, I decided to wake up early one morning to witness and photograph the sun rising somewhere in the Caribbean Sea. The ship was passing by a group of islands when suddenly a flock of sea birds started flying in front of the ship as if guiding it towards its destination. I moved to the front of the ship for a more…
EL MORRO
The Castillo San Felipe del Morro, commonly known as “El Morro”, is a fort in the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico built in the 1500s to protect Spain’s access to the wealth of the New World. It is a masterpiece of military engineering designed to overwhelm and exhaust the enemy. I took this photo from the top deck of the cruise ship as…
SURFIN’ SEA BIRD
It’s day three of the cruise and we are still in the middle of the ocean, although, the captain promised we will be docking in San Juan, Puerto Rico in three hours. I woke up this morning noticing dozens of sea birds flying alongside the cruise ship but did not see any island from my balcony. I immediately grabbed my camera and started…
SUNSET IN BORACAY
This photo was one of my few earlier attempts on disciplined photography. I took this in 2009 using my iPhone during a trip to the island of Boracay in central Philippines. Boracay is famous for its powdery white sands and is even recognized by established travel magazines like Conde Nast as one of the best beaches in the world. It’s amazing how good the…
