UNESCO - Lili on the Loose

8 06, 2016

Under the Sea – World Oceans Day 2016

By Lili|June 8th, 2016|Categories: Nature & Outdoors, Travel|Tags: 2011, 2012, 2013, Bacalar Chico, Bacalar Chico National Park, Bacalar Chico National Park and Marine Reserve, Belize, Caribbean, Caye Caulker, Central America, Coral, Costa Rica, Costa Rica Adventure 2012, Flounder, Isla Tortuga, Mayan Encounter 2013, ocean, Sea Grass, Sea Turtle, Sergeant Major, St. John, St. John 2011, Starfish, Sting Ray, The Little Mermaid, turtle, UNESCO, UNESCO World Heritage Site, USVI, Waterlemon Caye|0 Comments

Today is World Oceans Day. With so many news stories of rising ocean temperatures and bleached corals, now more than ever is it important to protect this important part of our ecosystem. So today I share some of my favorite snorkel photography and hope we can all help protect the oceans. Above is Waterlemon Caye, off of St. John USVI. The large school of fish you can see are Sergeant Major, my favorite fish. Here you can see more Sergeant Majors near Isla Tortuga, Costa Rica. I like this fish as it reminds of me the coloring of Flounder from the

6 06, 2016

Travel Missteps: Desperate for Some Ice Cream

By Lili|June 6th, 2016|Categories: Travel, Travel Missteps|Tags: 2015, Africa, deir el bahri, Dream of Egypt, Egypt, Egypt Explorer, G Adventures, Gadventures, GAP, Hatshepsut, Hatshepsut's Temple, Ice Cream, Luxor, Middle East, UNESCO, UNESCO World Heritage Site|1 Comment

One of my biggest fears of going to Egypt was that it would be horribly hot and I'd get terribly sunburnt. Thankfully, going in late October/early November was a good choice, as while the weather was still warm, it wasn't scorching...except for the one day I was on the West Bank of Luxor touring the tombs at the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut's Temple at Deir el-Bahri. That day I was so full of excitement, and had planned as best as I could. Wearing light clothes and hat, with plenty of water and sunscreen, I set out. And it truly

25 04, 2016

Travel Missteps: Minutes in Pompeii

By Lili|April 25th, 2016|Categories: Photography, Travel, Travel Missteps|Tags: 2006, All in the family Italy 2005/2006, ancient city, ancient civilization, Europe, history, in a rush, Italy, museum, Photo Essay, Pompeii, ruins, rush, tour, Trafalger, UNESCO, UNESCO World Heritage Site|0 Comments

I love ancient history, and have poured over history books and documentaries since I was a child. So when my family planned a trip to Italy, I knew I HAD to see Pompeii. I had been fascinated with this town ever since I saw a carbonized baked bread in a school book. The fact that life changed so suddenly and this town was erased from history in mere hours was shocking. But unfortunately I found out we'd only have a short amount of time at Pompeii, likely less than 30 minutes. Since I had just completed a semester on Italian Art

22 04, 2016

Philae: the Temple on the Water

By Lili|April 22nd, 2016|Categories: Attractions & Sights, Photography, Travel|Tags: 2015, Africa, Agilika Island, Aswan, Dream of Egypt, Egypt, G Adventures, Gadventures, GAP, Hieroglyphics, Middle East, Philae, Philae Temple, Photo Friday, Trajan, Trajan's Kiosk, UNESCO, UNESCO World Heritage Site|0 Comments

Trajan's Kiosk seen on Agilika Island, part of the Philae Temple complex. The original Philae island (below) would frequently be flooded. But once the great dam was built, the island was going to be year-round flooded so a rescue effort to move the complex to nearby Agilika Island was done in the 1960's. Every Friday Lili shares her favorite photography & the stories behind the photos.

7 04, 2016

Gondola Ride in Venice, Italy

By Lili|April 7th, 2016|Categories: Activities, Travel|Tags: 2006, All in the family 2005/2006, All in the family Italy 2005/2006, Christmas, door, Europe, Gondola, Gondola Ride, gondolier, Italy, New Year's Day, New Years Eve, Photo Essay, ride, Travel Thursday, UNESCO, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Venice, Venice Lagoon|1 Comment

On a cold rainy (and a little snowy) New Years Day I found myself in a actual Venetian Gondola. I was being serenaded by a man with an accordion. And while it was rainy, it was also magical. We were the only boats out that morning, and due to the cold the typical "smelly water" was nowhere to be smelled. It was amazing gliding through the side canals, under bridges. The few other tourists we saw took our photos like they were the paparazzi. If you make it to Venice you must take a ride in a gondola, no matter the

4 04, 2016

Museum Monday: Evening at the Nubian Museum

By Lili|April 4th, 2016|Categories: Museums, Photography, Travel|Tags: 2015, Africa, Aswan, Christian, Cross, Dream of Egypt, Egypt, G Adventures, Gadventures, GAP, Lion, Middle East, Mummies, Mummy, Nubian Museum, Photo Essay, Ramses II, Shawabti, Temple, Temple of Gerf Hussein, UNESCO, Ushabti|0 Comments

Ramses II statue from the Temple of Gerf Hussein surveys the main exhibition hall. Traveling in Egypt, you become accustom to expect everything to be rather old and dusty. From the markets to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, things are not well labeled and lighting is almost non existent. So when visiting the Nubian Museum it was a pleasant surprise to find a modern museum! Finished in 1997 with UNESCO's help, it covers the history of Nubia, the area from Aswan and into Sudan, from pre-history all the way up to its more recent Islamic past to the

24 03, 2016

Alfombras during Semana Santa in Antigua, Guatemala

By Lili|March 24th, 2016|Categories: Events, Travel|Tags: 2013, Alfombras, Ancient, Antigua, Antigua Guatemala Cathedral, Catedral de San José, Central America, church, earthquakes, Easter, Guatemala, Holy Week, Mayan, Mayan Encounter 2013, Roman Catholic, ruins, Santiago Cathedral, Semana Santa, Travel Thursday, UNESCO, UNESCO World Heritage Site|0 Comments

Visiting Antigua, Guatemala right before Semana Santa (Easter Holy Week) was great. I got to see the floats being made, as well as the unique tradition of Alfombras, colored sawdust carpets! These are made on the streets and pathways that will be taken when the models of Jesus and the stations of the cross are performed.This one was in the main Antigua Guatemala Cathedral and featured a beautiful fuchsia sawdust Alfombras in front of a statue of Jesus. In addition offerings of mangos, cantaloupe, corn, oranges, and pineapple helped to complete the display. And then fresh flowers lined the walkway. Some will be made

21 03, 2016

Museum Monday: Antinous as Dionysus

By Lili|March 21st, 2016|Categories: Museums, Travel|Tags: 2005, Alexandria, All in the family 2005/2006, All in the family Italy 2005/2006, Antinous, Dionysus, Europe, Hadrian, Italy, Roman Emperor, Rome, The Vatican, UNESCO, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Vatican City, Vatican Museum|0 Comments

Antinous was a lover of the Roman Emperor Hadrian who drowned in Alexandria in October 130 AD. After his death Hadrian commemorated him with many different statues and elevated Antinous to an almost god-like hero/deity. This version shows Antinous as Dionysus an Roman god of wine and ritual madness. It is on display at the Vatican Museum. Museum Monday is an every other week series about museum news, objects, and reviews.

29 02, 2016

Travel Missteps: “It’s a Gift” Scam at Pompeii

By Lili|February 29th, 2016|Categories: Travel, Travel Missteps|Tags: 2006, All in the family Italy 2005/2006, Europe, Italy, Pompeii, scam, UNESCO, UNESCO World Heritage Site|0 Comments

The view of Vesuvius. Pompeii is an incredible site. Covered over by Vesuvius' explosion in 79 AD, it wasn't rediscovered until 1748 and has had ongoing digs since then. I had spent a semester studying ancient Roman architecture and this frozen city is a perfect place to relive the past. But like most amazing tourist sights, the entry/exit is swarmed with souvenir and chotskies sellers. After heading out of the bathroom an old local woman slipped a shell bracelet onto my wrist. She said it was a gift. Immediately I knew this was not the case, and tried to hand it back

25 02, 2016

Antigua, Guatemala: Santa Catalina Arch

By Lili|February 25th, 2016|Categories: Attractions & Sights, Travel|Tags: 2013, Antigua, Arch, Arch of Santa Catalina, Central America, clocktower, convent, Guatemala, La Merced Church, Mayan Encounter 2013, Nuns, Pacaya Volcano, ruins, Santa Catalina Arch, Travel Thursday, UNESCO, UNESCO World Heritage Site, volcano|0 Comments

Santa Catalina Arch One of the most recognizable sights in Antigua, Guatemala is the Arch of Santa Catalina. This yellow-orange clocktower was built in the 17th century and connected the convent of Santa Catalina to a school, allowing nuns to pass from one build to another without leaving the confines of their convent. In the 1830’s the clocktower was added to the arch. You can find it on 5th Avenue North, and is free to see. If you are on your way to/from La Merced Church, you'll pass right underneath the arch. And