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From cobblestoned Portuguese alleys navigated one-handed with a stroller to reef dives in Fiji, this is where the trips live. Told through words and whatever camera happened to be with me.

I shoot film and digital and travel with family in tow. These posts are part travel journal, part photography log, and part love letter to the places that made an impression. I hope they make you want to go see them for yourself.

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The Road to Hana — Beyond the Turn (Part II)
The Road to Hana — Beyond the Turn (Part II)

The Road to Hana and beyond — narrow roads, raw coastline, and the question every traveler faces: turn back, or keep going?

West Maui in Monochrome — Kaanapali, Napili & Kapalua (Part 1)
West Maui in Monochrome — Kaanapali, Napili & Kapalua (Part 1)

When I booked a week away to the Island of Maui, a project dawned on me to abandon the temptation to capture the vivid colours of the island and seek instead to document it as I first saw it through the monochrome images shared by explorers and tourists generations before me.

Portugal - Sintra
Portugal - Sintra

The last leg of our trip was here in Lisbon. We had several days to explore the city and the idea was to do so on foot, rambling the narrow and hilly cobbled streets with one hand on the stroller and the other with the camera. No plan of action here, so let’s see what the city decides to show us!

Portugal - Lisbon
Portugal - Lisbon

The last leg of our trip was here in Lisbon. We had several days to explore the city and the idea was to do so on foot, rambling the narrow and hilly cobbled streets with one hand on the stroller and the other with the camera. No plan of action here, so let’s see what the city decides to show us!

Portugal - Nazare
Portugal - Nazare

Nazare sits on a steeply sloping hillside terminating at a broad crescent beach adjacent the ocean. The beach you see in front of the bulk of the town is not in fact where the world-famous big-wave surfing takes place. That area rather, is on the opposite side of a steep rocky outcrop that extends 500m or so into the sea on the north end of town. But for starters we thought we’d tour the city and see what it has to offer.

Portugal - Comporta
Portugal - Comporta

It's a bit of a tricky beach. And what I mean by that is, on the first day one could wade out through the surf quite some distance before it got above thigh height. The waves were of a decent size and surf-board rentals and lessons are available here which certainly suits the character and conditions of the waters. On the second day, I tried the same wade into the ocean and got a bit of a surprise…

Portugal - Cabanas do Lago
Portugal - Cabanas do Lago

As we approach the area the dam becomes visible towering over a small valley. The road soon changes from paved to dirt, but nothing most cars can’t handle. We snake along it’s winding path and turn off onto a steep sided valley that surrounds one of the hundreds of coves around the perimeter of the lake. At the end of the road we see the large main house appear through the trees and are immediately greeted by one of the smiling hosts, Filipa, as we arrive.

Portugal - Lagos
Portugal - Lagos

The Algarve seemed the logical choice for starting our trip to Portugal. It was well recommended by friends, and since we were arriving in early September, the timing gave us the best chance of experiencing some beach-worthy weather to kick off the relaxation.

Mallorca - Palma
Mallorca - Palma

The sun came out for us in Palma and we got a taste of the heat that makes Mallorca such a popular destination for travellers. It’s here we’d get a bit of real beach-time, plenty of walking, cold drinks and al fresco dining.

Mallorca - Cala St. Vincenc
Mallorca - Cala St. Vincenc

It didn’t seem right to do a trip to Mallorca without staying at a beachside resort of some kind, so we decided to take advantage of shoulder-season rates to stay at the Grupotel Molins, located along one of the crystal blue bays of the resort town of Cala St. Vincenc.

Mallorca - Fornalutx
Mallorca - Fornalutx

The views from town are magnificent, especially looking back across the valley at the various and ancient terraced orchards and olive groves. There are a number of hikes up and down available to explore, but with the stroller in tow we decided to stick to the cobble stones streets which were a steep enough challenge on their own.

Mallorca - Soller
Mallorca - Soller

Soller was buzzing with activity when we were there. While there were plenty of tourists, it’s clear that there is a large local community here and the buzz of them going about their day creates a great vibe in the town center. While bigger than Deia, Soller is by no means large, and exploring it on foot is the best way to go for the most part, especially with the aforementioned narrow lanes.

Mallorca - First Taste of Spain
Mallorca - First Taste of Spain

It was a last minute idea. From intention, to booking, to flight in less than two weeks. It’s not often one makes a significant career change, and this one warranted a few weeks abroad to rest and reset. Mallorca was not an obvious destination for us, coming from Vancouver where Hawaii or Mexico might be the more frequented, and frankly closer, destinations.

Japan - Epilogue - Travelling with Film Photography
Japan - Epilogue - Travelling with Film Photography

One Camera, one lens, and one film stock. That’s where we started this first photographic sojourn to Japan. A fitting assignment, I think, considering the countries’ own reputation for blending the new with the old. What follows is a few of my learnings for would-be film photography travelers.

Hiroshima - Japan
Hiroshima - Japan

I was at times perhaps too stingy with my shooting, and other times I felt compelled to snap a photo of some okonomiyaki. In time I’d develop a rhythm (and tendency to overpack) to my shooting that freed me to shoot unencumbered by worry of running out out of film.

Koyasan - Japan
Koyasan - Japan

After a long day of travel getting here, we lay on our comfortable mattresses preparing to sleep when the deep hum of a gong reverberated from the forest and filled the room. It was a low tone that you feel more so than hear and one that had the hairs standing on the backs of our necks.

Kanazawa - Japan
Kanazawa - Japan

A guide to Kanazawa, Japan—Kenroku-en gardens, historic districts, incredible seafood, and a slower, more local side of Japan.

First Frames, Tokyo - Japan
First Frames, Tokyo - Japan

Admittedly the first few days of this trip were spent shooting sparingly, driven by the neophyte’s underlying fear of depleting a limited film stockpile.

Japan - Prologue
Japan - Prologue

“Does it work"?” I asked, pulling the metal brick out of a dusty cupboard. “Find a battery for it and find out!” My Dad replied. And like that, sometime in early 2017, my curiosity for film/photography was reborn.

Undersea Fiji - Viwa
Undersea Fiji - Viwa

The first adventure of every Viwa dive excursion is crossing its barrier reef. There’s a small gap forming a channel about a hundred meters off-shore that the boat has to blast through in order to get to the deeper waters beyond.

Little Viwa
Little Viwa

The sandy beach here is amazing and really the star of the show on Viwa. Soft-white and stretching the length of the resort, I could walk end to end all day long…

Undersea Fiji - Rainbow Reef
Undersea Fiji - Rainbow Reef

The first time I dive a new area I find my focus starts out on the big picture - landscapes, colours, and the contours of the seafloor/reef. At the Rainbow Reef, that big picture immediately sends you into sensory overload.

A Glimpse of Village Life
A Glimpse of Village Life

While the villages’ appearance was spartan by Western standards, it’s integration with its environment and the sheer abundance therein is nothing sort of astounding. Everything the Vunikurans need grows all over the village grounds, on the mountain slope behind, or in the sea.

Let's Get Remote
Let's Get Remote

They don’t call it remote for nothing. Located on the far Eastern shore of Vanua Levu, in a bay that was once home to a palm tree plantation, The Remote Resort forms a wonderfully secluded oasis.

Travel Yarko Petriw Travel Yarko Petriw

Kanazawa - Japan

A guide to Kanazawa, Japan—Kenroku-en gardens, historic districts, incredible seafood, and a slower, more local side of Japan.

The Moat surrounding Kanazawa Castle, Praktica LTL, 50mm Meyer-Optik Domiplan Lens, Kodak Portra 400

Gardens and Sake

Read Previous Part 1: First Frames, Tokyo, Japan →

We left the urban expanse of Tokyo by train, headed for the west-coast city of Kanazawa. The train is by far the easiest and most reliable way to travel Japan and in our case, the two-week JR Rail Pass was worth every Yen. I recommend ordering your tickets in advance of your trip and picking them up when you arrive. My Canadian friends can click here to find and book the package that suits your plans best.

So, why Kanazawa? Our friend Kaeko would be in town and was excited to host us in her home city, so we jumped at the chance of a guided visit to a place a little off the typical tourist path. Compared to Tokyo, we would throttle back the pace for these next few days. Our aim, to see where our friend grew-up, enjoy it’s renowned gardens, preserved historical districts and of course, enjoy a local’s tips for where to eat & drink.

The Tea House, Praktica LTL, 50mm Meyer-Optik Domiplan Lens, Kodak Portra 400

Kenroku-en

Considered one of the top three most beautiful landscape gardens in Japan, Kenroku-en was as lovely and peaceful as one might expect. The spring was late in Japan that year, so the sakura which would normally be blossoming were only just budding at the time. This also meant the garden was relatively free of tourists, and thus allowed for largely unfettered exploration. It also meant we were easily able to arrange to take part in a traditional tea ceremony at the tea house which sits perched over Kasumiga-ike pond. I can still smell the tea brewing if I think back to it, a memory that calms my mind as if I were still kneeling at that table.

View from the Tea House, Praktica LTL, 50mm Meyer-Optik Domiplan Lens, Kodak Portra 400

Budding Sakura, Praktica LTL, 50mm Meyer-Optik Domiplan Lens, Kodak Portra 400

Beauty Around the Castle

Surrounding the grounds of the castle and Kenroku’en are a variety of parks, gardens and temples to enjoy. Gyokusen’inmaru is another award winning garden built in the shape of an amphitheater around it’s meandering central pond. There’s a delightful coffee shop on the west side of the garden where one can sit and sip while taking in the view.

Across the street you find the Oyama shrine and the beautiful pond adjacent to it. I particularly enjoyed the bridge across the pond with it’s seemingly eccentric jagged pattern of sudden stops and turns. Evidently the design is strategic, it’s unexpected turns and surprise drops tricking unfriendly spirits into “walking the plank” to their doom. Near the shrine, Kaeko pulled a few strings to get us an up close look inside a one-time samurai-sword making factory that now houses artisans hand crafting some of Kanazawa’s renowned pottery.

Gyokusen’inmaru Park, Praktica LTL, 50mm Meyer-Optik Domiplan Lens, Kodak Portra 400

Bridge at Gyokusen’imaru Park, Praktica LTL, 50mm Meyer-Optik Domiplan Lens, Kodak Portra 400

Pond at Oyama Shrine, Praktica LTL, 50mm Meyer-Optik Domiplan Lens, Kodak Portra 400

One time sword factory, now making pottery. Praktica LTL, 50mm Meyer-Optik Domiplan Lens, Kodak Portra 400

Plenty of museums also surround the area, one of the more stunning of which is the D.T. Suzuki Museum, dedicated to the prominent Buddhist philosopher of the same name. Unfortunately it was closed when we were there, but the grounds alone are worth the visit and some quiet contemplation.

D.T. Suzuki Museum, Praktica LTL, 50mm Meyer-Optik Domiplan Lens, Kodak Portra 400

And Plenty of Normal Life

Of course Kanazawa isn’t all castles and gardens, and while I left the camera at home most nights for fear of sake-induced damage, there’s plenty of enjoyment to be found in the city’s everyday life. Highlights included an all you can drink sake bar (yes, really), the Nagamachi historic samurai neighborhood (visited by moonlight, after the sake) and what must be the tiniest, most delicious and characterful yakitori restaurant I could imagine (I’ve sadly heard it’s no longer open). The Higashi Chaya district blends history and real life and is perhaps your best chance of spotting a real geisha on the way to/from work (or tourists attempting to dress like one). The area is known for it’s ultra-fine gold-leaf based crafting, so we jumped at the chance to make our own real-gold coated chopsticks!

Speaking of chopsticks, the seafood in town is remarkable, we tried a kaiten-zushi style restaurant with a mini-shinkansen delivery system ordered off a tablet menu. Aside from the novel delivery system, I’ve never experienced melt-in-your-mouth sashimi like that before and it’s reason enough for me to day-dream of returning soon.

Light Leaks at the market, Praktica LTL, 50mm Meyer-Optik Domiplan Lens, Kodak Portra 400

Kazuemachi Stroll, Praktica LTL, 50mm Meyer-Optik Domiplan Lens, Kodak Portra 400

Craft Beer, Kanazawa style, Praktica LTL, 50mm Meyer-Optik Domiplan Lens, Kodak Portra 400

Your Own Path

Kanazawa may not be a destination that springs to mind when planning a trip to Japan. But with the Shinkansen ride through beautiful countryside taking only 2.5 hours from Tokyo, and an abundance of culture, atmosphere and food to enjoy, it’s a place worth considering for your itinerary. We covered a lot of ground in a short time during our visit, but never felt rushed or busy about it; a great little reprieve before diving into the rest of our journey.

Continue to Part III: Koyasan - Japan →

Kanazawa Alleys, Praktica LTL, 50mm Meyer-Optik Domiplan Lens, Kodak Portra 400

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