ANDREA STEIN PHOTOGRAPHY: Blog https://www.andreasteinphotography.com/blog en-us (C) ANDREA STEIN PHOTOGRAPHY (ANDREA STEIN PHOTOGRAPHY) Mon, 20 Jan 2025 19:32:00 GMT Mon, 20 Jan 2025 19:32:00 GMT https://www.andreasteinphotography.com/img/s/v-12/u178084712-o433751384-50.jpg ANDREA STEIN PHOTOGRAPHY: Blog https://www.andreasteinphotography.com/blog 80 120 Belize: Renew, Refresh...and Return https://www.andreasteinphotography.com/blog/2024/7/belize Beaches and boats were not my first priorities for a vacation but that changed after my visit to Belize. I tagged along with a friend on a last minute trip, maybe I invited myself, but she seemed happy to have company.  We spent about half the time on the island of Caye Caulker and the remainder in Hopkins, snorkeling, swimming, eating all kinds of fresh seafood, and relaxing. At our stay in Caye Caulker we were greeted by a large iguana and crabs scuttling across the lawn, flooded from the morning rain. We drove the Hummingbird Highway, a 50-mile scenic route from Belize City to the coast, through mountains and jungle, explored the Mayan ruins of Altun Ha and then suited up for cave tubing. I'd hiked through caves and enjoyed river tubing, but never combined the two - and it was pretty awesome.  We went our separate ways at times, my friend going scuba diving and me taking the one-hour flight over the Great Blue Hole, a huge marine sinkhole and a major diving destination. It was a wonderful vacation, lots of fun activities, but mostly I remember sleeping late, strolling into town for breakfast, and slouching in a deckchair by the ocean. I arrived home rested, refreshed, and completely out of sunblock. I could get used to this.  View from airplane, view from airplane with blue sky and ocean and cloudsFlying to Belize The Mayan ruins of Altun Ha, large square grassy flat area surrounded by hills and forest. Mayan temple on one side of the flat open area with with smaller structures of stone steps and walls.Altun Ha, Maya ruins in Belize Marine sinkhole, Great Blue Hole, view from airplane of marine sinkhole, dark blue with ocean and reefs around it. Boat in the sinkhole shows scale. Great Blue Hole, BelizeThe Great Blue Hole, a marine sinkhole in Belize. About 1,000 feet across and 400 feet deep. Popular diving destination. View from the back of two deck chairs looking at a beautiful blue ocean. Palm tree on each side of the chairs. A beautiful peaceful scene. Belize beach

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(ANDREA STEIN PHOTOGRAPHY) beach vacation Belize Belize vacation travel photographer travel photography tropical vacation https://www.andreasteinphotography.com/blog/2024/7/belize Sun, 21 Jul 2024 03:17:02 GMT
Washington DC staycation https://www.andreasteinphotography.com/blog/2023/9/3-days-in-washington-dc I wanted to shoot some new travel and interiors photos and decided to stay local.  My plan was to find a cool DC hotel and only visit places within walking distance, including Planet Word and Franklin Park.  I chose the EatonDC, located at 12th and K NW. Their website showed artfully decorated guest rooms, an inviting coworking space, yoga studio and cool art; perfect for a few shots of beautifully designed interiors. 

The hotel also hosts events, including a cacao ceremony with the inspirational Christina Kim (secretcacaogarden.com).  During my three days in the city I managed to check off most of the places I wanted to visit, with Planet Word being one of the standouts and conveniently located a block from EatonDC. The museum is surprisingly fun, using interactive experiences like karaoke and humor to ". . . inspire and renew a love of words, language, and reading. . ." . It's also free, like my next language-related stop, the MLK Jr. Memorial Library, near Ninth and G NW. The library re-opened in 2020 after a three-year renovation and now includes a rooftop terrace, exhibit spaces, a slide in the children's section, a cafe, and other amenities. The library was not on my original list but I happened to stop in and ended up spending an hour photographing this insanely beautiful staircase.  

Later that afternoon I strolled under the umbrellas at CityCenterDC on my way to Dolcezza Gelato for a Mascarpone & Berries cone. It was so good I went back the next day for another one. Or maybe it was the same day;).

lovely seating area with great design Eaton DC hotel interior The EatonDC has lovely interior design in all areas, including this room near the lobby.

Planet Word Washington DC, cool museum word wall exhibitPlanet Word Washington DCPlanet Word is a wonderful museum to visit when you are in Washington DC. It is located in the restored Franklin School which has beautifully restored architecture and lovely interiors.

 

 

cacao ceremony, travel photos people

staircase, interiorsMartin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library Places to visit in Washington DC

beautiful park with greenery, benches, and walkwaysFranklin Park Washington DCFranklin park, beautiful park, interesting architecture

 

 

CityCenterDCCityCenterDCCityCenterDC, Washington DC shopping area, places to visit in Washington DC

 

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(ANDREA STEIN PHOTOGRAPHY) hotels interiors photographer museums travel photographer Washington DC hotels Washington DC museums https://www.andreasteinphotography.com/blog/2023/9/3-days-in-washington-dc Wed, 13 Sep 2023 03:48:17 GMT
Oman, Dubai, Abu Dhabi https://www.andreasteinphotography.com/blog/2023/8/oman-and-the-uae Oman wasn't supposed to be the destination for my next trip. I was traveling in summer and aimed for a cooler climate. But articles kept popping up in travel blogs and newsletters describing the beauty of Oman and its well-deserved reputation for hospitality. Jagged peaks, lush wadis, deserts, ancient forts, and coffee made with saffron, cardamon, and rosewater made me want to go and see for myself. 

I was able to squeeze in a trip at the end of May which I knew would be hot but manageable. And since it was just an hour flight to Dubai, why not add on a short visit? 

Traveling through Oman was even more incredible than I expected. I hiked into wadis, fed wandering camels, admired the stunning Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, and enjoyed a typical Omani lunch in a private home.  After nine days driving through otherworldly landscapes, I headed to Dubai.

The mountains were replaced by the bright, polished towers of Dubai. Everything seemed to speed up and I felt like I should be in a hurry to get somewhere. So I started moving... Burj Khalifa, Palm Jumeirah, the Dubai Mall.

I rode the Metro to the Gold Souk and then hired an abra to ferry me around the Dubai Creek for an hour, almost losing my hat in the high winds. And I scheduled one long day in Abu Dhabi to visit the Qasr Al Watan Palace, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and other sites.  

Definitely one of my best trips; I hope to return soon and visit the Dhofar region of Oman and more of the Emirates.

 

 

 

 

 

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(ANDREA STEIN PHOTOGRAPHY) Abu Dhabi adventure Burj Khalifa Dubai Emirates. Oman solo travel travel photographer UAE https://www.andreasteinphotography.com/blog/2023/8/oman-and-the-uae Thu, 10 Aug 2023 01:06:31 GMT
A month in Egypt https://www.andreasteinphotography.com/blog/2023/7/a-month-in-egypt I always planned to return to Egypt after my first visit in 2019. Ten days was just enough time to make me realize how much there was to do and see in this amazing country.

In 2022 everything finally aligned for my return. But this time I had an entire month to revisit favorite sites and explore new ones. I hired guides and drivers for a few day trips and my Western Desert adventure but otherwise was on my own. I had time to wander the streets of Cairo, spend hours in museums, and stop to see anything that interested me. I used Uber most of the time but also ventured into the Cairo metro which is a very efficient way to get around the city. I spent a day just walking around the pyramids and hours climbing in and out of tombs in Luxor. I spent an afternoon sailing on a felucca in Aswan and another day visiting a lake in the Nile Delta. And as much as I did on this trip I've already started a list for what to see on my next one - the Siwa Oasis, El Fayoum, and the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum.  

 

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(ANDREA STEIN PHOTOGRAPHY) adventure Egypt Luxor Nile pyramids solo travel travel Western Desert https://www.andreasteinphotography.com/blog/2023/7/a-month-in-egypt Tue, 04 Jul 2023 03:29:33 GMT