urban – rene bauer photography

Palestine – Bethlehem, Banksy and Jesus

There’s quite a controversy about the birthday of Jesus. While some historian beliefs it was actually in Nazaraeth, where he supposed to spend also his youth, other stays with the place written in the Gospels: Bethlehem.

After entering the city trough heavy guarded check-points, we stopped at one of the best known graffiti by the anonymous artist Banksy.

‚The Flower Thrower‘

The main program lead to the spot where, according to the gospels and the belief of christians, Jesus was born in a little shack. Around this place a big church with several units and chapels were build.

This Church Of The Nativity has different section according to different Christians churches, similar like the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Old Jerusalem. And like there, here too they have this agreement of ‚Staus Quo‘.

März 25, 2023 by Rene Bauer Categories: culture, history, HOPE, humansofplanetearth, landscape, reportage, roadtrip, travel, Uncategorized, urbanlifeTags: banksy, believers, bethlehem, birthplace, checkpoint, church, churchofnativity, faith, grafiti, holy, holyplace, israel, middleeast, mosaic, mural, palestine, pilgrimage, pilgrims, renebauerphotography, Travel, urban Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

There’s sunshine in Milano

My local friend felt already pity for me and assured me, it’s unusual having so many misty and rainy days in a row here.

On my last day in Milano it happened: The sun appeared with an unexpected power, to this time of the year, and lifted the mist over the city. Let’s go again to the city centre for a stroll, i told myself.

After a cappuccino i was ready to walk under the blue sky. I was not alone. The entire town seemed to enjoy the sun again too. The place in front of the cathedral was full of people. Amused to watch all the selfie freaks with their duck faces and the shopping addicted in the holy halls of commerce. I got myself lost in the streets of Milano, found another nice, little restaurant with tasty ‚panzerotto‘ and of course coffee, my personal addiction.

Dezember 9, 2022 by Rene Bauer Categories: culture, Fashion, food, gastronomy, humansofplanetearth, reportage, roadtrip, travel, urbanlifeTags: cappuccino, cathedral, coffee, dom, europe, italia, italy, milan, milano, renebauerphotography, Travel, urban Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Milano – a touristic perspective

So many times i passed Milano, the big, fashionable city of the North of Italy, but never stopped by here. Till now. At least getting a glimpse of the city, i thought. But why i come in the cold autumn, i asked myself after a cold night looking into a misty, cold morning.

First comes first. A real cappuccino with marmalade filled croissant in a typically Italian coffee bar. What a delight. Although this has not lifted my mood for a city walk, i have to admit.

But since i’m here anyway, i approached the famous Cathedral of Milano. At its wall i discovered a relief with the scene of the expulsion from paradise. Paradise, as i would define it, a bright, peaceful place with enough space and food for everyone, and warmth. Instead i found myself between huge pillars in a gloomy dark and cold room. People scurry by, whispers floating in the air, swallowed by the flickering candlelight and incredulous prayers are sent to the unreachable dome. Only the beautifully windows brings some bright colors into that dark mystic room and tells some stories of hope and light.

Talking about places of worship, there's this huge 'Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II'. A palace of consumption, excess and decadence. Just next to the catholic cathedral, also equipped with a huge dome, people flock in to get lost in shopping. Those who don't believe in their prayers for luck only, has the change to get some more luck by placing their heels on the balls of a bull figure on the floor and turn themselves three times around.   

My walk lead me to the famous 'Teatro alla Scala'. There i passed the statue of Leonardo, certainly one of the most famous person of all times. Finally i reached 'Castello', but didn't visit it, took some time in the big park behind it, where joggers run between trees and lovers meet up at the bridge, where they hope to lock their love at the rail.

I need a break, i decided, and rattled towards my camp by public transport...

Dezember 4, 2022Dezember 4, 2022 by Rene Bauer Categories: culture, europe, Fashion, history, reportage, roadtrip, travel, urbanlifeTags: cathedral, church, city, citytrip, coffee, europe, italy, Landrover, landroverdefender, mailand, milano, renebauerphotography, roadtrip, shopping, street, Travel, urban, urbanlife, winter Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

The Ngwenya Glass Factory In Eswatini

A pretty building with nice cafe and a small park, I thought when I parked my car. The entrance lead me into a showroom full of glassy souvenirs, but also nice vases and drinking glasses.

Stairs goes up to a door. Behind that I found myself on a balcony overlooking the workshop. Red hot, molten glasses from an oven become nice wine glasses.mIt seems so easy, but certainly needs some skill to produce it all so perfectly.

However, I ended the short tour not with a glass, but a cup of espresso in my hand.

Januar 22, 2022 by Rene Bauer Categories: Africa, culture, Eswatini, portrait, reportage, roadtrip, travel, urbanlifeTags: economy, glass, glassfactory, menatwork, ngwenya, swaziland, urban, vase, workers Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Dusty Streets Of Punta Do Ouro/Mozambique

The heat struck me when i arrived at that small villlage at the beach. After a few rainy and chilly days I was looking for it, but didn’t expected that big change just a few hours after border crossing to Mozambique.

First thing; to get on the street and get some local currency and buy some water, And a local SIM card. Along the street are colorful fabrics, towels and clothes displayed. Local dealer show their handicrafts, carved wooden figures and small funny cars made of wood.

Young guys passing me with their roaring quads, raising lots of dust and certainly having fun. For little money, they rent out their vehicles on tourists. But it’s not allowed anymore to drive them on the beach, they warn me. I didn’t suppose to rent anyway, although it comes handy to go for and back with those conveniently. Many tourists from South Africa, just bring their own quad or strand buggy, going for shopping with, or to a near beaches outside town,

In front of the ATM is a queue, waiting patiently to get cashed out their money. Not fancy to wait in the heat, I asked the street seller for changing some cash US Dollars in Meticai, the local currency. Really old fashion, I know, but indeed I found somebody who was happy to get dollars in cash.

Now I was able to buy myself a nice coffee. No better place for that than the ‚Love Café‘ at the end of the street. Friendly staff, strong coffee and street view to entertain myself. As I noticed on the street already, the people are open and friendly, and not too shy to get photographed. In the opposite, some staff from the café was asking me to take pictures of them.

Back on my camp, next to the beach, I was leaning back with a cold local beer, overlooking the beautiful bay of Punta Do Ouro and feeling I’m arrived here.

Januar 14, 2022 by Rene Bauer Categories: Africa, culture, humansofplanetearth, portrait, reportage, roadtrip, travelTags: cafe, coffeebreak, holiday, mozambique, people, peoplephotography, portrait, puntadoouro, streetlife, streetphotography, tourism, urban, Village Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

OST-EUROPA-MOTORRADTOUR #41: Viel Archäologie in Sofia

In der Hauptstadt Bulgariens hielt ich mich nur kurz auf. Trotzdem kann man in Sofia in kurzer Zeit viel entdecken. Wenn man im Stadtzentrum aus der Metro steigt, befindet man sich auch gleich in einer römischen Ausgrabungsstätte. Davor steht eine mittelalterliche, orthodoxe Kirche und dahinter eine Statue aus der kommunistischen Ära, die von modernem Geschäftsgebäude überschattet wird. Einfach rumschlendern, die Stadt und ihre Zeugnisse der Vergangenheit auf sich wirken lassen, hin und wieder ein Kaffe oder abends ein Bier trinken. Sofia hat alles zu bieten.

Oktober 5, 2017 by Rene Bauer Categories: culture, europe, portrait, reportage, roadtrip, travel, Uncategorized, urbanlifeTags: bulgaria, city, easteurope, sightseeing, sofia, Travel, urban Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Arriving Zanzibar

Zanzibar! The island who draws many picturesque fantasies in our mind. For long time i refused to visit that pricey island, but gave in my curiosity. Stone Town, the first steps on the island, got me immediately. The mixture of culture and architecture, narrow alleys and open ocean, sea breeze and spicy scents, sunburned tourists and smiley locals.

Take a look on my first impressions…

Januar 11, 2017 by Rene Bauer Categories: Africa, gastronomy, HOPE, humansofplanetearth, landscape, nature, portrait, reportage, tanzania, tradition, travel, Uncategorized, urbanlife, waterTags: Africa, alley, architecture, beach, boat, cat, city, graffiti, holiday, island, people, port, portraits, sea, ship, stonetown, streetphotography, sunset, tanzania, tourists, Travel, urban, zanzibar Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

The Underground Market

By BRT, the brandnew city bus system, we get to Kariakoo. Ferdinand, my guide, leads me trough many street market to a remarkable building, with funnel type roof. It was built by the Germans as an exhibition and market place, he explains me. The roof was constructed to collect rainwaters and drain it to tanks. While traveling trough Africa, i was wondering so many times, why no one got the idea to collect rainwater, but going long ways to muddy wells or to rivers. And although the Germans brought this idea decades ago, there’s still hard to find areas, where rainwater get collected. Inside and around this building are market as found all around Africa. But there’s a big concrete way leading under the halls. It remains me at entrance for military bunker. Once inside the black hole, the eyes needs time to adapt on the dark. Some torches were lit to show customers the vegetables, fish and other goods sold by women sitting in the darkness. Keep your stuff tight on you, reminds me Ferdinand, while i try to follow his voice. From a few windows light breaks in and lays over the piles of tomatoes. In the darkest corners candles shows the way to the potatoes and fishes. It feels weird and thrilling to wander trough those halls, hearing strange sounds and whispering people. From far comes bright light trough a big gate, the exit. I step into sunlight, heat falls on my head and i’m back into hustling Daressalam.

Januar 4, 2017 by Rene Bauer Categories: Africa, gastronomy, HOPE, humansofplanetearth, portrait, reportage, tanzania, tradition, travel, Uncategorized, urbanlifeTags: Africa, citylife, daressalam, market, people, portraits, streetphotography, tanzania, transport, Travel, underground, urban, urbanlife Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Solita’s Fashion Shooting

We had to talk with the guards, but then they let us to the roof top for a photo shooting. The location was perfect, my model Solita (instagram: @solitacruz) has been once more enthusiastic and the afternoon light just came right.