Approaching Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci was born less than two miles from this little town in the Tuscan hills. A must-see is the Leonardo Museum, which contains working models of many of his designs.

Thanks to Shadowhouse Creations for the added texture.

Along the Dijver

Dijver is the name of both the street and the canal in the scene above. The Church of Our Lady rises in the background. At 367 feet, it is the tallest structure in Bruges and the second tallest brickwork tower in the world according to Wikipedia.

I've added textures by Emma Cox and les brumes on Flickr.

Empty Headed

This giant head sculpture by Igor Mitoraj in Boboli Gardens, Florence is titled Tindaro Screpolato which means Tyndareus shattered. Tyndareus was a Spartan king.

I've added a gold texture by batabidd.

Statue of Pan

This statue is located in the Luxembourg Gardens in central Paris. The dome you see in the background belongs to the Pantheon. I've added a texture from Kerstin Frank Art.

Circus Days

This bit of nostalgia was part of a fascinating exhibit at the Ringling Circus Museum in Sarasota, Florida. Textures from Shadowhouse Creations and playing with brushes have been added.

Sorrento Harbor

The harbor of Sorrento with its rocky coast and the Lattari Mountains forming a backdrop. I've added a texture by Shadowhouse Creations.

Celebrating the Dawn

This photo was taken at Celebration just after dawn. I had flown to Florida in order to visit my cousin and I was curious about this master planned community.

I've added a texture from Tim in Ohio, posted on the Flickr free texture site.

Girl with Iguana

This photo was taken at Lovers Point in Pacific Grove, California. Walking along the coastal path, I peered over a rock ledge and was surprised to see this young woman reading while her pet iguana sunned on the rock.

I've added a postcard texture from joes sistah and another texture from Shadowhouse Creations.

Gravensteen Castle

Travel Partner and I visited Ghent on a very inclement spring day. Somehow the weather suited this castle, built in 1180 and modeled on the castles of the Crusaders. It was the seat of the Counts of Flanders for several centuries until it was used for other purposes until its restoration around 1885.

I've added textures from Shadowhouse Creations,  smith fine art, and brian nolan79.

Campanile, Venice

This view of the well-known bell tower was taken from the Giardini Ex Reali (Royal Gardens) adjacent to Piazza San Marco. A musical texture from Shadowhouse Creations was added.

Lunch in the Peristyle

The ruins of Diocletian's grand palace in Split contain a monumental court called the Peristyle which is a popular place for both tourists and locals to hang out. Comprising the center of the old town, these ruins are the most complete remains of a Roman palace found anywhere.

I've added two textures from Shadowhouse Creations.

Sacre Coeur from Montmartre

The Basilica of Sacre Coeur sits atop the highest hill in Paris and has amazing views of the City of Light.  A texture from Shadowhouse Creations was added.

Lone Fisherman

This photo of a lone fisherman on Monterey Bay was taken early in the morning. I've added textures from pareeerica and ruby blossom.

Pink and Blue

This photo was taken at Monterosso-al-Mare, the Cinque Terre town with the nicest beach. The pink ice plant was a colorful contrast to the azure waters. I've added textures from pareeerica.

Chapel of St. Nicholas

Originally dedicated to St. Nicholas in the 12th century, this chapel is located between the second and third arch of the famous Saint Benezet bridge on the river Rhone in Avignon. The bridge was the origin of a popular children's song. It suffered many collapses due to flooding and by the 17th century was deemed beyond repair.

Textures from les brumes and Shadowhouse Creations have been added.

Oberammergau

Oberammergau is touristy, no doubt about it. We visited the Bavarian town on an excursion and we had precious little time to walk around and see the beautiful murals on the facades of the buildings. However, the town has an undeniably beautiful setting and I tried my best to venture away from all the stores selling interesting but similar merchandise so that I could see parts of the town that felt more residential and authentic.

I've added textures from Shadowhouse Creations and pareeerica.

Door, Avignon

This door with its distinctive panels and hardware was located in a quiet courtyard near our hotel in Avignon.
Textures from Shadowhouse Creations and pareeerica were added.

Menton

Located on the Mediterranean, Menton is nicknamed "The Pearl of France." More relaxed and unassuming than other towns on the French Riviera, perhaps reflecting its close proximity to Italy, Menton seems very livable and friendly.

A texture from Shadowhouse Creations was added to my original photo.

Hernnbrunnen, Rothenburg ob der Tauber

This historic fountain is located near the Plonlein in Rothenburg. I wish I could find more information about the  fountain and what it represents, but several Internet searches have been unsuccessful.

I've added textures by joes sistah and Shadowhouse Creations.

Number 12

There are few places I can think of that are more fun to explore than the streets of Taormina on the island of Sicily. The mixture of terracotta, carved wood and stone and pots of succulents is a combination that is hard to beat.

I've added a texture from Shadowhouse Creations.

Mainz

Travel Partner and I began a trip of Germany with an overnight in Mainz. The city, situated near the confluence of the Main and Rhine rivers, was a good jumping off point for our trip through Bavaria and on to Dresden and Berlin.

I've added textures from les brumes and lisabee73.

Monteriggioni

This is a view of the walled medieval town taken from a walking path through the Val d'Elsa in Tuscany. There are fourteen towers built into the wall and you can walk along portions of it for wonderful views of the surrounding countryside. The town itself is very pleasant to wander.

I've added textures from Shadowhouse Creations and an old Italian postcard.

Taormina Postcard

With the addition of a texture from Shadowhouse Creations, my photo of Taormina, Sicily has changed into a vintage postcard. This beautiful town does indeed seem somehow time. Mt. Etna is visible in the background.

Maui in Layers

My original photo was taken on the beach at Wailea on the island of Maui. I added a bold graphic texture from Yuna.

Fishing Boats in Riomaggiore

These fishing boats were taken in Riomaggiore during a whirlwind visit to the Cinque Terre last spring. As you may or may not be aware, several of the Cinque Terre villages suffered devastating floods this past October.  Riomaggiore was left relatively unscathed compared to Monterosso and Vernazza, which will probably need a lot of work and aid to recover.

I've added textures from irfan and cleanzor from the Flickr textures4layers group.

Dreams of Olympia

These columns are remains of the vast complex at ancient Olympia in Greece, site of the first Olympic games. Textures from Shadowhouse Creations and Kerstin Frank have been added.

Sailing Near Toulon

This petite lighthouse sits at the end of a pier just off Saint-Mandrier-sur-Mer, a village in southern France near Toulon. Textures from cathair studios and Shadowhouse Creations have been added for effect.

Bruges Belfry

Bruge's medieval bell tower was first erected on the main market square of the town in 1290, but fires and multiple modifications over the years have resulted in the current tower. You can climb 366 steps to the top for a fine view over the town and countryside.

Textures by Shadowhouse Creations and ruby blossom were added.