Flying Low Over Cairo, Egypt

We were fortunate to have clear skies during our approach to Cairo International Airport. It gave us some kick-ass views of the mega-city and allowed us to fully appreciate how massive it really is.

We also caught a glimpse of the Great Pyramids of Giza, which was probably the most incredible sight to witness from the passenger window of an airplane. The photo below is not the best quality because of the hazy smog and sandy air, but you get the idea!

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What is the coolest thing you’ve seen from window seat of an airplane?
Share your experience in the comments section below and feel free to share a link to a photo if you have one!

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Photo of the Week: Flying Low Over Cairo, Egypt is a post from: Traveling Canucks

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Traveling Canucks

Mayan Pyramids above the Jungle Canopy of Tikal National Park, Guatemala

If you ever find yourself in Tikal National Park exploring the ancient ruined cities of the Maya civilization, make sure you visit the legendary Temple IV at either sunrise or sunset.

Visiting Tikal was high on our travel wish list and it was one of the main reasons we decided to travel around Central America last summer. You might recognize this view from the popular Star Wars Episode IV movie, the scene when the Millennium Falcon lands on planet Yavin (okay, so I Googled that little tidbit).

We teamed up with an American couple that was staying at the jungle lodge and hiked with them to Temple IV, arriving just in time to witness the sun set over the endless jungle panorama.

Time seemed to stand still as we sat on the ancient stones of Temple IV. As the sun slowly disappeared, we gazed at the remarkable temple pyramids and listened to the calming sounds of the animated jungle – birds chirped, monkeys leaped from tree to tree, leaves crackled in the wind. In a word – tranquility.

There were only seven people watching the sunset with us that evening, meaning we had the entire Mayan city to ourselves. It was a special moment that we will not soon forget.

See more photos from Tikal National Park and video of playful howler monkeys.

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Have you visited Tikal National Park before?
Feel free to share your experience and/or travel tips in the comments section below

Photo of the Week: Pyramids above the Jungle Canopy is a post from: Traveling Canucks

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Traveling Canucks

A lone Joshua Tree in Joshua Tree National Park, California

Located in southeastern California, east of Palm Springs, lies the fabled Joshua Tree National Park.

Within the National Park, visitors are treated to thousands of Joshua Trees scattered across the dry desert grasslands. The Joshua Tree is a distinct plant species native to the region and found primarily in the Mojave Desert. It was the first time we had ever seen the cactus-like tree.

We visited the park mid-day, which is the worst time of day to capture proper light, especially in the desert. Most of the photos were turning out white washed, so I decided to switch things up and hit the sun directly. It turned out to be one of my favourite pictures from the afternoon.

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Have you visited Joshua Tree National Park before?
Feel free to share your tips and advice for exploring this treasured park in the comments section below

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Photo of the Week: Joshua Tree National Park, California is a post from: Traveling Canucks

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Views of Kathmandu Valley from Swayambhunath Stupa, Nepal

Some of the best views of the congested Kathmandu Valley are captured from Swayambhunath Stupa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site also known as the Monkey Temple.

Surrounded by the lush foothills of the Himalayas, the sea of colourful multi-level buildings consumes the ancient valley once inhabited by the great civilizations of Asia.

Though mostly chaotic urban sprawl, Kathmandu is more than a quick stopover for travelers en-route to the Himalayas. At least one day of exploring its legendary temples must be included to any Nepal itinerary.

Here are some previous weekly photos for you to check out:

• Is this the World’s Coolest Cemetery?
• The World’s Busiest Street Crossing
• Is this the World’s Most Impressive Skyline?
• Is this the World’s Most Unusual City?
• Canada’s Most Picturesque Lake
• Original Olympic Stadium in Athens, Greece

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Have you visited Kathmandu? What were some of your highlights?
Share your experience in the comments section below, we’d love to hear about it!

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Photo of the Week: Congested Kathmandu Valley in Nepal is a post from: Traveling Canucks

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Traveling Canucks

Rooftop Panorama of La Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires, Argentina

This week’s photo comes from a rooftop hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

La Recoleta Cemetery is located in the stylish Recoleta neighbourhood of Buenos Aires, the capital and largest city of Argentina. The massive necropolis is the final resting place to Argentina’s elite, famous and wealthy, ironically making it the most expensive and sought after real estate in Buenos Aires.

We don’t usually include cemeteries on our sightseeing itinerary, but La Recoleta Cemetery is something special. Our curiousity lead us through a seemingly never-ending maze of stunning architecture, intricate statues, haunting tombs and marble mausoleums. See more photos of La Recoleta Cemetery here.

As this photo illustrates, the graveyard is like a walled city within the city, complete with its own streets and intersections. To get a sense of scale, look at the people wearing red jackets in the bottom right.

Have you checked out these photos yet?

• The World’s Busiest Street Crossing
• The World’s Most Impressive Skyline
• The World’s Most Unusual City
• Canada’s Most Picturesque Lake

Where is the coolest cemetery you’ve visited?
Share your story in the comments section below, we’d love to hear about it!

Photo of the Week: The World’s Coolest Cemetery is a post from: Traveling Canucks

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Traveling Canucks

Religious Statue in Old Town Prague, Czech Republic

Morning sun or a sign from the Big Guy upstairs?

We captured this dazzling photo while exploring the cobblestone streets beneath Prague Castle. It was late morning, so we managed to catch the bright sun just as it reflected off the shiny cross. It was perfect timing and really made the photo come alive.

There is no shortage of stunning religious statues in the historical part of central Prague. A stroll from Prague Castle across Charles Bridge and into the Old Town Square reveals hundreds of sacred statues, each with there own story and purpose. It’s one of the things we like most about the Czech Republic’s stylish capital city.

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Have you visited Prague? What did you like most about the city?
Share your experience in the comments section below!

Planning to travel to Europe soon? Though unlikely, accidents do happen while traveling. Protect yourself by finding the right international travel health insurance plan that fits your needs. 

Photo of the Week: Perfect Timing in Prague is a post from: Traveling Canucks

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Traveling Canucks

City Palace in Udaipur, Rajasthan, India

The stunning City Palace of Udaipur is one of the finest and largest structures in India’s desert state of Rajasthan. The extravagant detail and architecture is a blend of both Rasjasthani and Mughal styles. The palace complex rests on the shores of Lake Pichola, offering endless views of the city and its surprisingly lush, mountainous surroundings.

Our hotel was located to the left of the City Palace, so we had no idea how remarkable the building was until we crossed the lake to get a better view. Needless to say, we were left speechless.

If you had the ability to move this photo to the right, you would be able to see the famous floating lake palace, Udaipur’s other star attraction.

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Have you visited Rajasthan? What were some of your highlights?
Share your experience in the comments section below, we’d love to hear about it!

Photo of the Week: Reflections in Udaipur, Rajasthan is a post from: Traveling Canucks

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Traveling Canucks

The Moai Statues at Ahu Tongariki, Easter Island

This week’s travel photo comes from a famous World Heritage Site located in the middle of the South Pacific.

Ahu Tongariki is located on the south coast of Easter Island in the Rapa Nui National Park, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With 15 massive statues, it is the largest ahu (stone platform) on the remote Polynesian island and arguably the most impressive collection of moai statues.

The legendary ahu was restored in the 1990s because a tsunami, caused by an earthquake off the coast of Chile, swept the original ahu inland and destroyed. We captured this photo of the mysterious moai statues from the side of Rano Raraku, a volcanic crater and quarry that supplied 95% of Easter Island’s known statues.

The colourful dots in front of the statues are actually people, giving you a great sense of scale.

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Have you visited Easter Island? What did you think?
Share your experience in the comments section below, we’d love to hear about it!

Photo of the Week: Moai Statues at Ahu Tongariki, Easter Island is a post from: Traveling Canucks

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Bull Riding in the Temples of Angkor, Cambodia

No trip to Cambodia is complete without a visit to the legendary Angkor Temple Complex, located just outside the bustling town of Siem Reap.

Often considered to be the Eighth Wonder of the World, the magnificent Temples of Angkor are arguably the most impressive temples in the world. What many people don’t know (ourselves included) is that the temple complex actually stretches over 75 square kilometres and includes hundreds of archaeological sites, abandoned cities and temple ruins.

After climbing hundreds of stairs to reach the top of Pre Rup Temple, we were greeted by endless jungle in every direction. It reminded us of the Mayan temples and pyramids in Guatemala’s Tikal National Park.

As we soaked up our surroundings, we heard the playful calls of a young boy. Curious about who was shouting at us, we walked to the edge of the temple and looked down, where we saw this young Cambodian boy proudly riding his bull through the empty temple grounds.

It made for a truly original capture, amplified by some tilt-shift photo editing. If you like this style of “miniature” photography, check out these amazing miniature photos from around the world.

Photo of the Week: Bull Riding in the Temples of Angkor, Cambodia is a post from: Traveling Canucks

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Traveling Canucks

Shibuya Street Crossing in Tokyo, Japan

This week’s photo comes from the insanely busy streets of Shibuya in Tokyo.

The famous Shibuya pedestrian scramble, also known as an “X” Crossing or diagonal crossing, is located in front of the bustling Shibuya Station Hachikō exit and stops vehicles in all directions, allowing hundreds (if not thousands) of people to flood into the intersection.

It’s quite the sight, best viewed from the upstairs of the world’s busiest Starbucks that overlooks the heavily populated intersection. We put together a short video from our trip to Japan that does a great job showcasing the world’s busiest intersection (click here to view the video).

Read our other popular posts from Japan:

• 17 Weird and Interesting Photos from Japan
• City Spolight on Kyoto, Japan
• Travels in Japan: Our Japanese Experience

Where is the busiest street crossing you’ve experienced?
Share your story in the comments section below, we’d love to hear about it!

This post is made possible with the generosity of Expedia, an industry leading travel search engine that allows you to select from 1,000′s of hotel deals worldwide

Photo of the Week: The World’s Busiest Street Crossing is a post from: Traveling Canucks

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