Travel Lightbulb

I love today's travel photo - it comes from Phil Gurney, who captured a fantastic shot of his 6 year old son, Tom. It was taken near Harlaw Reservoir in the Pentland Hills, to the South-West of Edinburgh. He's clearly a budding explorer, as if you look closely, he's wearing his bike helmet! Phil, it's a fantastic photo and thanks for the contribution! I wish Tom all the best on future explorations! If you'd like to contribute a photo, I'd love to hear from you - get in touch through the email address on my contact page. Thanks in advance!

Today's blog post is just a little mini one, as I'm currently on holiday discovering new places to feature on Travel Lightbulb! I'm in the Caribbean for some much needed winter sunshine, and I'll be posting about my trip when I return. I'm hoping to find some hidden gems for you all! My next post will be on the 29th of March (you guessed it, a Travel Photo Friday post!) but in the meantime, if you'd like to contribute your own photo, please get in touch through the address on my contact page. I only need a travel photo, and couple of sentences about where the photo was taken. Thanks in advance for any contributions - I'll be back posting more travel delights before you know it!

Today's photo is a real stunner. It comes from Eric Wessman, and here is the story behind the photo... The photo is called Balloons Over Bagan 3, and was taken in Bagan, Burma (Myanmar). We awoke and left the hotel in total darkness at 6am, and drover to Nyein Gon Paya. I had calculated that from that vantage point I would have views of many other temples with the run rising behind them. I was not disappointed. There was some fog or haze to add atmosphere. I got some excellent photos and did some panoramas as well. It really was an amazing view with stupas all around and receding into the distance. When the balloons flew in, it really added to that other-worldly feeling.  Eric, it's absolutely stunning! If you want to see more of Eric's work, you can visit his blog:  www.ericwessman.com/blog If you have a photo you'd like to contribute, then please get in touch via the email address on my contact page. Thanks in advance for your photos!

I have found a beautiful lodge in Argentina that is not only a great place to stay, but the activities on offer are second to none. El Pedral Lodge is located at the end of Punta Ninfas, which is about 100km from the airport of Trelew (in Argentine Patagonia). Although you'd think this area was all about exploration, you can actually do incredible things just a few metres away from the main house. When you check into the Lodge, you're informed of the scheduled activities during your stay, and you don't have to go far to do them. In fact, you can whale watching from the shore! El Pedral beach is more than 9km long and 900m wide. Depending on the time of year (August and September are the best months), you can whale watch right from the beach - because the coastline is so deep, they're able to swim really close to the shore. If you want to enjoy the scenery, you can take a trip by truck, or bike towards the high cliffs which dominate Punta Ninfas. The lighthouse...

Today's travel photo comes from Abs from San Diego, and was taken on the island of Capri, Italy. It's called 'La Grotta Verde', or green cave, and you can take a boat trip to see it - something I've done myself. It's hard to put into words how stunning the colours are, and it's thought that the green colour comes from the blue of the water being reflected in the yellowish roof of the cave.  Thanks so much for the contribution, and if you're ever in Capri I can highly recommend a trip here. If you'd like to contribute a travel photo of your own, then please get in touch via the email address on my contact page. Thanks!

Mexican food is a real love of mine, and on a trip to New York a friend recommended I try Rosa Mexicano (which means Mexican pink). There are several of these restaurants in New York alone, and others throughout the USA, and the branch I visited (on 1st Ave) was beautiful. The first Rosa Mexicano opened in New York in 1984, and was applauded by New York Magazine for introducing New Yorkers to an "unfamiliar, elevated version of Mexican cuisine".  It's always a good sign when you hear Spanish being spoken in a Mexican restaurant, and I have to say this is the most authentic Mexican food I've ever tasted - it really is exceptional. The fajitas were simply stunning, but the highlight of my lunch was the guacamole, which is a speciality - and when you've tasted it, you'll know why! The lovely thing is that they prepare it by the table, and you can decide exactly how you want it to taste as they're making it.   I've been trying to replica...

For me, today's photo sums up the beautiful island of Majorca. That blue sky that never seems to leave this island in the Mediterranean; villages that seem to topple down the steep hill-sides, and a bit of culture in the church that this photo was taken from. It's a fabulous island that many overlook. I'm happy with that - it means there's more room for those of us who realise how great it is! If you've got a photo you'd be willing to contribute, then please get in touch via the email address on my contact page - all I need is a photo and a short paragraph about where it was taken. Happy Friday!