Backpacking | Michael Hoffman Photography

Posted

January 18, 2016

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Architecture, Backpacking, City, eremitage, featured, Metro, Moscow, night, Russia, St. Petersburg, Subway, Travel, urban

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Russia

One vast country, two very different metropoles. Last October, I had the chance to visit St. Petersburg and Moscow. The Russian capital is a sprawling metropolis, seemingly endless in size and grand scope (picture 2), with the medieval Kremlin (picture 7) being in the center, carrying the weight of the old Russian culture. Moscow is also very much a Russian city. Impressive still are the ancient Soviet monuments like the seven sisters (again, picture 7) and the subway system (picture 3). St. Petersburg is different. The city is much younger than Moscow and was erected by the Russian Tsar Peter the Great in 1703. It was conceived as a European city built on a former swamp (pictures 1, 8). Many channels divide the city, making it seem like a northern Venice or Amsterdam (picture 5). As the former capital of the Russian monarchy, it contains many beautiful palaces, such as the Eremitage (picture 4) and Katherine’s Palace (pictures 6, 9). The visit to St. Petersburg and Moscow makes an exciting mix and enables one to get different perspectives on a fascinating country with a multifaceted history and soul.

Posted

December 30, 2015

Category

Portugal

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acores, azores, Backpacking, exploring, featured, green, Island, life, nature, night, portugal, portuguese, saomiguel, Sky, sunset, Travel

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São Miguel

The island of São Miguel is part of the Azores archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. In contrast to other islands situated west of Europe, like Madeira or the Canary Islands, the Azores are not tropical but look much more like Ireland. Cows and green grass everywhere! I had a chance to visit this beautiful piece of land back in early April and already posted some pictures in June. But there are more of them on my drive; some of them show off the beauty of the island quite well – so I thought I would give all of us (well, all of us who live in the Northern Hemisphere) a break from grim winter and put these on the internet. I wish you all a good Sylvester party and a happy New Year! See you again in January.

Posted

December 3, 2015

Category

Austria, Finnland, Portugal

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Austria, Backpacking, finnland, foto, photo, photography, pictures, portugal, streetart, tour, Travel, Travelling, urban

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Details & Observations I

Shot in Portugal, Austria, Finnland.

Posted

October 12, 2015

Category

Portugal

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#decorativeart, #portugal, Architecture, art, Azulejo, Azulejos, Backpacking, Colors, decoration, discover, featured, life, lisboa, lisbon, photography, tiles, Travel

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Azulejos of Lisbon

The capital of Azulejos is, without any doubt, Lisbon. Just to remind you, Azulejos are thin-glazed ceramic tiles covering many historic buildings in Portugal. Last time I presented them to you, I featured Azulejos from all of Portugal. This time, though, I want to lay my focus on the capital of the country. Azulejos come in all sorts of forms and colors, the variety is really remarkable. However, if you look closely, there are differences within the country (I have no scientific proof for my bold hypothesis). The patterns in Northern Portugal tend to be more flowery, and very often, they are composed of earthy and grounded colors, while in Lisboa, there are definitely more bright colors, and the style is more geometric.

Posted

September 3, 2015

Category

Portugal

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atlantic, Backpacking, beach, castle, cliffs, featured, hinterland, mountain, Mountains, nature, ocean, photography, portugal, sea, seagull, Travel

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Of Land and Sea: Nature of Portugal

Most travelers of Portugal know Lisbon, some go to the Algarve in the south. Mainly for classic beach vacations in holiday resorts. Not as well known, though, is the natural part of the country.

Laying open to the grand Atlantic Ocean, the Portuguese coast seems endless, with steep cliffs and beautiful sand beaches. The sea is in the west, and the sunsets are beautiful and vivid. At this time of the day, sailing ships tend to roam the horizon, even enhancing the kitschy scenery. You will probably have the companionship of seagulls around you; they seem to enjoy the sunsets as much as humans.

Even less known is the “hinterland”. The country’s north especially offers a lot to the backpacker, with high mountain ranges and magnificent castles. The weather tends to be a bit cooler in these regions, perfect for a hike in the evening. So what are you waiting for? The adventure awaits!

Posted

June 14, 2015

Category

Portugal

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acores, atlantic, azores, Backpacking, cat, cow, featured, forrest, horse, nature, ocean, photography, portugal, saomiguel, sea, Travel, tree, trees

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On a Farm in the Midst of the Sea

Amid the Atlantic Ocean, between the land masses of North America and Europe, there are some sprinkled islands of volcanic origin called the Azores. If you want to find them on a map, you probably need a pair of glasses. While they seem to disappear in the vast blue surrounding them, the inhabitants have withstood the forces of the ocean for many hundreds of years already, mainly living off agriculture carried out on the island’s rich volcanic soil. Products from the Azores, like milk and cheese, are well known for their quality in mainland Portugal, where the nine islands belong politically. Also, there is some tourism. Since 2015, Ryan Air has been operating flights to the islands from Lisbon and Porto. We seized the opportunity with a friend and took a flight to the main island of São Miguel. We traveled the island primarily by bike and public busses. Cruising through green landscapes, passing by cattle, visiting small villages, and meeting friendly people. Always on the canvas of a vast, endless ocean.