Februar 2024 – rene bauer photography

Lantern Festival In Taiwan

The celebrations of Chinese New Year held over quite a time in Taiwan. One of the highlight is the famous Lantern festival in the Pingxi area outside of Taipei.

To get there was already an adventure, since the trains were already fully packed all day long. Once there, the crowd is blocking the ways, even the railways, of the tiny village. People are busy everywhere to buy lanterns and write on them their wishes for the New Year of The Dragon, taking pictures with it and let them fly towards the sky. Beside that, food and entertainment are important too. Food stalls along the way making good business today.

The main event takes place a few hundred meters out of the village. A big stage with dancers, singers and performers entertains the crowd. Big screens displays the show to the unlucky ones bogged in the mass outside of this place, means people like me. And then, in waves, dozens of lanterns get released towards sky, floating over the heads of the spectators, dragged away from the wind.

After the first bunch of released lanterns closing to the horizon, dimming their red lights into the dark night, i slowly make my way back too. There’s still much to see and watch while passing happy people bathing in their hope for a good year coming.

Februar 26, 2024 by Rene Bauer Categories: Asia, culture, food, history, reportage, tradition, travelTags: Asia, chinesenewyear, festival, lantern, lanternfestival, people, pingxi, pingxilanternfestival, portrait, renebauerphotography, reportage, shifen, streetphotography, taipei, temple, tradition, Travel, yearofdragon 1 Kommentar

Iceland: Hunt For Polar Lights

More spectacular landscapes on our way trough the south of Iceland. Even some reindeers crossed our path. But still no polar lights until we reached Reykjavik. So, we decided to have a night out with some beer and live music.

To our surprise, we got a notice about sightings of northern lights just outside the city. A few moments later we’ve been on our search for a dark spot with less light pollution, and witnessed a wonderful heavenly light show. A last amazing impression of Iceland before returning home.

Februar 18, 2024Februar 13, 2024 by Rene Bauer Categories: europe, landscape, nature, reportage, roadtrip, travel, urbanlife, wildlifeTags: auroraborealis, coffee, glacier, hotspring, iceland, landscape, mountains, nature, nightsky, northerneurope, northernlights, overland, polarlights, reindeer, renebauerphotography, reykjavik, roadtrip, sky, Travel, winter, winteriniceland Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Iceland: Ice Cave, Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach

From the Vatnajökull Glacier breaks icebergs into the lagoon Jökulsàrlon. That’s also the starting point for tours into ice caves. The weather wasn’t ideal at all due the rain and dark clouds. So i was missing the colors on both, the ice cave experience and on the lagoon itself too. However, there was a nice group i joined and despite i didn’t bring home the pictures i expected, it was worth the experience.

Februar 16, 2024Februar 12, 2024 by Rene Bauer Categories: europe, landscape, nature, travelTags: beach, blue, cave, diamondbeach, glacier, glacierlagoon, ice, icecave, iceland, jökulsarlon, landscape, nature, renebauerphotography, sea, tour, Travel, vatnajökull, waves, winteriniceland Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Iceland: Along The South Coast

We headed East along the south coast on the search of polar lights. But also the short daylight has lots to offer. So did we come across some rivers with icy waterfalls, barren landscape or also the volcano Hekla. Another stop was at the abandoned village of Keldur with its distinctive turf houses.

For our main goal, to see and take pictures from northern lights, we booked a hotel outside of towns. Unfortunately we’ve been unlucky. We haven’t seen any sign of the nature phenomena.

Februar 14, 2024Februar 12, 2024 by Rene Bauer Categories: travel Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Iceland: Golden Circle (part 2/2)

Out of a spontaneous idea, a good friend followed me to Iceland. So i picked him up the other day and went again with him to the area of Golden Circle.

Starting with a nice breakfast at bakery, while the locals roaring with their big trucks into the weekend. Some waterfalls on our way, as well more Iceland horses and of course also geysirs.

End of day we found a nice thermal bath to relax after a day driving.

Februar 11, 2024Februar 10, 2024 by Rene Bauer Categories: animal, culture, europe, nature, reportage, roadtrip, travelTags: 4x4, geysir, goldencircle, gullfoss, horse, hotspring, iceland, icelandhorse, landscape, mountains, nature, Offroad, overland, renebauerphotography, reportage, selfoss, snow, thermal, thermalbath, Travel, volcano, waterfall, winter, winteriniceland Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Iceland: Along the roads (Golden Circle, part1/2)

Just got into my car and drove along the road. It’s a popular circuit route called the ‚Golden Cirlcle‘.

I stopped along the way, where the landscape was beautiful, the place had to offer some points of interests or also just for the Iceland horses.

At the Kerid crater, a strong, icy wind reminded me on the country i’m in. It kept this way all day. But maybe it was the reason not seeing many tourists around. Most of them just jumped out of their big, comfortable busses for a quick photo snap. Also at Skalholt Cathedral i was completely on myself.

More highlights are the icy Gullfoss waterfall and the hot geysir, as well the Thingvellir Nationalpark, where two continents drifts apart. Literally.

Februar 9, 2024Februar 9, 2024 by Rene Bauer Categories: europe, history, landscape, nature, reportage, roadtrip, travelTags: church, continentaldrift, crater, geysir, goldencircle, gullfoss, iceland, kerid, keridcrater, landscape, nature, overland, renebauerphotography, reportage, selfoss, skalholt, skalholtvcathedral, snow, thingvellir, Travel, waterfall, winter, winteriniceland Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Iceland: Lava Tunnel and Aurora Borealis

Volcanic activity with lava flows belongs to one of the impressive nature phenomena of Iceland. Despite the recent eruption of a volcanic fissur on the Reykjanes Peninsula, there’s currently no lava flow. The area is closed to public for safety reason anyway. But i heard of that lava tunnel, which is accessible by a tour…

Another natural spectacle are the northern lights. The night i left the capital city for more remote and dark place wasn’t to expect any sightings of Aurora Borealis. But often, when you expect it least, luck crawls into your life.

From my warm, beautiful and cosy place i stepped out into the dark, cold and windy backyard. I noticed the clear sky with shiny stars and decided to give it a go. I learned before, Aurora Borealis not always appears in strong, bright colors, but often starts with a rather dull grey area on the sky, easily mistaken as mist. I pointed my camera by chance to such a fog-like area, and got surprised by a greenish band of light hovering over the city of Selfoss in my back.

After the excitement of this first sight and capture, i changed my location. Outside of town and near a small mountain i observed the sky for more light phenomenas. I didn’t get disappointed. That foggy looking sky turned greenish, got stronger and ghostly lights from strong green to soft reddish was dancing over the sky…

(sorry for the many northern light photos. i was too excited)

Februar 7, 2024Februar 5, 2024 by Rene Bauer Categories: history, nature, reportage, roadtrip, travelTags: aurora, auroraborealis, iceland, landscape, lava, lavatube, lavatunnel, nature, nightphotography, nightsky, northerneurope, northernlights, polarlights, renebauerphotography, selfoss, sky, Travel, volcan, winteriniceland Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Iceland: Winter Is Coming Back

Weather changes quickly in Iceland. No surprise to wake up with roads covered in ice and snow next morning. After another stroll trough the inner city of Reykjavik and a tasty breakfast, it’s time to get out of urban area.

On my way out, i visit the famous Perlan Museum, with its informative displays and an „original“ ice cave. But don’t miss the upper platform for another stunning view back to the city and the surroundings.

Februar 5, 2024Februar 4, 2024 by Rene Bauer Categories: culture, europe, landscape, nature, reportage, roadtrip, travel, urbanlifeTags: city, coffee, ice, icecave, iceland, landscape, mountains, museum, nature, outdoor, polarfox, renebauerphotography, reportage, reykjavik, sea, snow, Travel, urbanlife, view, winteriniceland Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Iceland: Arriving In Reykjavik

The worst was not the temperature of -6°C, but the strong wind. Within minutes out on the car park, searching for my rental car, my fingers got numb. It took me several minutes more to defrost them again and finally got my gloves out of my luggage. Lesson learned, always keep your gloves ready.

Strolling around Reykjavik, enjoying the clear morning air, the long dawn in the morning and of course some bakeries with coffee and sweets. But also visiting some landmarks as the sculpture ’sun voyager‘, the rainbow street or the famous Hallgrims Church. From the bell tower one get a fantastic view over the capital city and the surroundings. It was absolutely worth it.

A worth was also to visit the bar ‚Hus Mals Og Menningar‘ with their daily live music. You can’t end your day better than with a glass of local beer and music from ‚The Bookstore Band‘