Not much help to cool down, but I tried to get a few aerial impressions of the hilly surroundings of Baden Wurttemberg and Basel Landschaft on my way home from Frankfurt.
Burgruine Homburg, Luftaufnahme, Läufelfingen, Basel-Landschaft, Schweiz
Burgruine Homburg, Luftaufnahme, Läufelfingen, Basel-Landschaft, Schweiz
Erentrudiskapelle auf dem Tuniberg, Munzingen, Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg, Deutschland
On a trip through Thurgau and Zurich Oberland I came across small pass roads and artificial drumlin hills with one tree atop.
Pass road at Hulftegg, Thurgau/Zurich, Switzerland
Pass road at Hulftegg, Thurgau/Zurich, Switzerland
Artificial drumlin hill near Sternenberg, Zurich, Switzerland
A hop on the fast ferry from the pier in downtown Playa del Carmen brought us in no time to the dock of Cozumel. Many dive boats just tie up on a smaller pier to the side and we barely hop off and hop on again – and we are on our way to Santa Rosa wall and Paradise Reef. Great drift dives (all dives off this side of Cozumel are drift dives), great underwater life but unfortunately still challenges with my one flash, which makes it hard to get an exposure at all.
Invasiver Feuerfisch (Pterois volitans), Cozumel, Mexico
Fächerkoralle, Cozumel, Mexico
Cozumel splendid toadfish (Sanopus splendidus), endemic species of toadfish found only in Cozumel, Mexico
Yellowline arrow crab (Stenorhynchus seticornis) with iridescent blue claws, living inside purple sponge, Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Unidentified yellow filefish, Cozumel, Mexico
The second day of diving with Phantom Divers from Playa del Carmen brought a change of environment – it was time for Cenote diving about 45 minutes south of Playa in Cenote Tajma Ha. While it was quite busy for the entry and exit, we did find a few excellent spots with light reflections from the steep angle of the sun shining through the roof of the caves.
Lichteinfall von der Höhlendecke, Cenote Tajma Ha, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico
Fossilien in der Cenote Tajma Ha, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico
Stalagmiten in der Cenote Tajma Ha, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico
Lichteinfall von der Höhlendecke, Cenote Tajma Ha, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico
Lichteinfall von der Höhlendecke, Cenote Tajma Ha, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico
On a longer trip to Mexico I was able to detour with a friend of mine to dive the Riviera Maya and a variety of divespots near Playa del Carmen. This is off the beach right in front of downtown Playa with Phantom Divers – not even a 5 minute boat ride from the shore, and such plenty macro marine life!
Flamingo tongue snail (Cyphoma gibbosum), Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Banded coral shrimp (Stenopus hispidus), Playa del Carmen, Mexico
French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) and yellowtail snapper (ocyurus chrysurus) hiding underneath a reef, Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Squat shrimp (Thor amboinensis) hiding in an anemone, Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Pederson’s cleaner shrimp (anemone shrimp, Ancylomenes pedersoni, Periclimenes anthophilus), Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Flamingo tongue snail (Cyphoma gibbosum), Playa del Carmen, Mexico
The Zurich Foundation invited us to a very nice Chicago river cruise – we were briefly rained upon, but the cleared up atmosphere later on was then all the more special. And the food was delicious, too. Thanks for a nice evening out among some spectacular city scapes and architecture!
Chicago skyline as seen from the river cruise, Illinois, USA
Bridge at the Chicago river, Illinois, USA
Bridge at the Chicago river, Illinois, USA
Nighttime cityscape, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Weekend tour through the Fox River valley, not too far from the Chicago suburbs I was staying at for a Zurich Foundation conference in Schaumburg. Unfortunately the water level was too high for kayaking, but at least I (re)discovered Batavia…
Batavia, Fox River Valley, Illinois, USA
Depot Museum, Batavia, Fox River Valley, Illinois, USA
St. Charles im Fox River Valley, Illinois, USA
Fox River Valley, Illinois Staatsstrasse 31, USA
Managed to get in a downhill mountainbiking weekend in Beaver Creek. The e- was definitely missing, but thankfully there was a chairlift. And a mountainbike race was on, in which I suddenly and accidentally found myself, and gosh were these people shoving slower ones off the trail and literally over the cliff (not me!). Apparently this had something to do with the x-thousand dollar price waiting for the winner.
Bike Trail, Beaver Creek Mountain, Colorado, USA
downhill bike, Beaver Creek, Colorado, USA
downhill bike, Beaver Creek, Colorado, USA
Managed a “quick trip” out of Houston (the metropolis is so massive, it is hard to actually get out of the city and it is never easy) with a brand new 2018 Mustang south to Brazos Bend State Park. Signs about ‘gators everywhere, but luckily no ‘gator in sight! Nice evening out, though.
2018 Mustang at Brazos Bend State Park, Texas, USA
Brazos Bend State Park, Texas, USA
Brazos Bend State Park, Texas, USA
Lake view at sunset, Brazos Bend State Park, Texas, USA
Just off the Interstate and thus a welcome break from the long drive back from Cedar Rapids IA to Chicago O’Hare airport, I briefly explored Herbert Hoover’s birth place, today a very well taken care of National Park site (https://www.nps.gov/heho/index.htm). Who would suspect such a presidential history at a place called West Branch, Iowa?!
Herbert Hoover National Park Site, West Branch IA, USA
Herbert Hoover National Park Site, West Branch IA, USA
Herbert Hoover Library and Museum at the National Park Site, West Branch IA, USA
Herbert Hoover’s birth place, West Branch IA, USA