Dreaming of Rio. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Gorgeous beaches, fantastic music, great food and some incredible scenery make “Cidade Maravilhosa” (The Marvelous City) a wonderful vacation destination. Just recently I had the opportunity to travel to the city I have always dreamed of visiting – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The experience was incredible! I had attended the World Cup match on Maracana Stadium; rested on Copacabana beach; …

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Park Guell, Antoni Gaudi. Barcelona, Spain

The desire to see in person the Masterpieces of Antoni Gaudi, a Spanish Catalan architect, was one of the reasons to visit Barcelona, Spain this year. I admire Gaudi’s work since my childhood and call him the Architect of the Wonderland. During the EuroTrip 2014 I visited the Park Güell, Sagrada Família, Casa Batlló (my all time favorite building), Casa …

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Barcelona Street Photography

Barcelona, Spain is one of the most pedestrian-friendly cities in Europe. It is famous for having about 130 hectares (equals to 260 football fields) dedicated to “pedestrian-only” streets/zones. Before the 1992 Olympic Games, there were no beaches in the city and the seaside was owned by the local industries. But, when Barcelona decided to host the Games, the city was …

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Palma de Majorca: From Modern Beach to Roman Town

I spent most of my Majorcan travel time on Cala Major beach, one of the beaches located near Palma de Majorca, in local Catalan language (Catalonia): Palma de Mallorca, the major city and capital of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands in Spain. Palma is a modern European city with amazing history. Originally, it was founded as a Roman …

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Antoni Gaudí - The Architect of the Wonderland (Park Güell)

The 200th post of Nona Hora project. It felt so good to be back home to Mother Europe, especially, to be in a “happy place”, surrounded by the bright sun, breezy sea air, and warm salty water… [joyful smile] My this year’s EuroTrip has taken me to two capitals of Spanish provinces- Balearic Islands and Catalonia. The Balearic Islands are …

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Portraits of Strangers: Brasileiros and Cariocas

In addition to a post containing photos of Selecao Fans (Brazilian football fans), today I publish a new set of street portrait photography taken on Capacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro. The local residents of Rio de Janeiro are referred to as Cariocas. Last month, during my ‘Dreaming of Rio’ trip, I met so many happy people, made so many …

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Copacabana Beach Photo Chronicles

This is my second post of street (beach) photography from the people-watching theater called Copacabana. A sparkling confluence of land and sea, the 4 kilometers long beach of Copacabana always has a flurry of activity stretching its length: excited kids playing in soapy waves, cariocas and tourists lining up for Brahma and caipirinhas at beach cafes, favela boys showing off …

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The End of Brazil Mania. Thank you, Fans!

It’s incredible to see the passion, the focus and determination. Something supernatural happens. It’s wonderful to see a global event with so many people invested emotionally. It’s a beautiful thing to see people sharing and unity. We want unity and harmony in this beautiful game, and a lot of happiness. [Santana] The 20th FIFA World Cup is over. Congratulations to …

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Street and Beach Portraits of Football Fans

It is a truly special experience to see football fans from all over the world joining together to celebrate world football’s most exciting event. I continue my ‘All In One Rhythm’ photo series and share more photos of football fans taken at Maracana stadium, FIFA Fan Fest, Copacabana Beach, and on the streets of Rio de Janeiro. Click on image …

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All In One Rhythm: Fans of the World Cup Brazil

Dedicated to the Fans of Football. The football fanatics from all over the world have come to Brazil to support their national teams and enjoy the 20th FIFA World Cup. Some of them are attending World Cup matches, some watching games on TV in sport bars and restaurants, and some visit FIFA Fan Fests. Rio’s FIFA Fan Fest Copacabana has …

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Brazilian Fans. The Team Neymar #10

Good luck, Brazil! Today is the first match day of the 20th FIFA World Cup Quarter-finals and huge party time in Brazil. I can’t imagine how crazy FIFA Fan Fest Copacabana will be tonight. I was lucky to join the Copacabana beach crowd during a group-stage match of Seleção – Cameroon v Brazil (1:4) on June 23rd. The experience was …

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Rio de Janeiro: Copacabana Beach

Copacabana is a neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil known for its world-famous bright sand beach and promenade lined with shops, bars, restaurants and hotels. The district got its name after the construction of a chapel holding a replica of the Virgen de Copacabana, the patron saint of Bolivia. Designed by Roberto Burle Marx, the Copacabana promenade is a 4 …

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