To say that 2013 was a crazy year for me is an understatement. I travelled the world and worked remotely for the first half of the year and then for the second half I moved to The Netherlands to take up a job offer. During this time abroad and away from my home in Cape Town, South Africa, I collected many crazy travel photographs to document my journey.
What follows are my Top 10 Crazy Travel Photos of 2013 – which one is your favourite?
1. Mediterranean Cruise Craziness (Barcelona, Spain)
My favourite crazy travel photo of 2013 is this one of me on a cruise ship in the mist. Two family members and myself departed Barcelona on a week-long Mediterranean cruise. Sadly, the month of May did not bring as good weather as we had hoped (hence the leather jacket!), but we decided to make a fun time of it nonetheless (even if it meant taking some rather fun-loving photographs of ourselves).
2. Size Matters! (Rome, Italy)
Rome has a way of making you feel really small. Literally. I came across this massive sculpture of a head at Centrale Montemartini, a fantastic museum located in an old power station in Ostiense. There were some other rather large sculptures including a long arm broken off from another ancient Roman sculpture. The sheer scale of these ancient artifacts bowled me over.
3. There was an Old Woman who Lived in a Shoe! (The Hague, Netherlands)
This photo of a gigantic traditional Dutch clog was taken at the Madurodam Park in The Hague, Netherlands. It inverts the Lilliputian scale of Madurodam and the miniature models replicating famous landmarks in The Netherlands. Behind the shoe you can observe the tiny, detailed models. Here are my 5 Good Reasons to Visit Madurodam, Den Haag.
4. Bite Me – Bomarzo Monster Park! (Bomarzo, Italy)
The Parco dei Mostri or Park of Monsters is a little offbeat for a tourist, and a little out of the way too. For me, the Bomarzo Monster Park, situated about an hour and a half from Rome itself, is the height of strangeness yet it is by far one of the most interesting and unusual places I have ever visited. If I think of my three months living in Rome I think of Bomarzo first and foremost. And what is more, you’ll literally get to stand in the mouth of a monster. Sounds like fun, huh? Read more about my experience at the Bomarzo Monster Park – Day Trip from Rome.
5. The Hilarities of a ‘Roman’ Experience
My mother, grandmother and myself had a ball in Rome. I usually steer clear of people trying to sell me stuff but this experience was too funny not to capture. One can only imagine what my mother was telling the man on the right as she grabbed his sword! (Caption wisely now!)
6. Spending 1 Euro in Monaco
A girl has to experience the glamour and opulence of Monaco once in her life! And here I was – a real poser in front of the infamous Casino de Monte Carlo where Casino Royale was filmed. And posing with these roaring babies didn’t cost me a cent. Ok, I lie. It cost me 1 Euro (a bus ticket from Nice to Monte Carlo to be exact…) and it was the The Best 1 Euro I’d Ever Spent while Travelling!
7. On Top of the World in Sigiriya, Sri Lanka
I never thought I would visit Sri Lanka. Ever. And I did. I climbed to the top of Sigiriya – a breathtaking rock formation arising from almost nowhere, as it appears. It was an experience, to say the least. The hot rain that fell down in gushes, the roaming elephants, the lush greenery, the tea plantations, the kamikaze tuktuk drivers – I will remember it all fondly.
8. Confronting the Mouth of Truth (Rome, Italy)
The 3 months I lived in Rome was way too short. I could’ve spent my life there – the people, the old-world charm, the language. Many of us have a romance with Italy. I am no different. In my time there I realized that I wanted to write about my travel experiences; document them for everyone else to read and to be inspired by. La Bocca della Verita (the Mouth of Truth) brought about that truth, that realisation for me. I visited this old fountain with an open heart and mind and I have never looked back.
9. Reaching New Spiritual Heights (Montserrat, Barcelona)
It was sweltering hot and I ventured to the top of Montserrat to experience the monastery and the 12th century black Virgin. I listened to the advice of people who had been there before but I refused to search for the place on Google. I didn’t want to formulate an image of what it would look like in my mind. I merely wanted to live the moment without any expectations. This was the best way to go. Read more about my trip here: Visit Montserrat, Barcelona for a Moving, Spiritual Experience.
10. Grab the Globe and Go! (Schiphol Airport, Netherlands)
This photograph isn’t as wild or as interesting as the others. But it is important to me because it shows the extent of my travelling and where I have ended up! If one looks at the globe one can see that The Netherlands really seems like the opposite end of the earth from South Africa. It demonstrates the physical risk I took by leaving my home all alone, but it also shows the many exciting and interesting opportunities I have obtained along the way. My advice to anyone who wants to travel – do it and take loads of crazy pics!
Elizabeth Joss-Bethlehem
Elizabeth Joss-Bethlehem is the founder and main writer at The Museum Times. She works as a university lecturer by day and is an avid travel blogger and arts and culture enthusiast by night. Elizabeth started The Museum Times out of the need to give smaller, lesser-known museums more exposure.
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