One last post, one last day, final images from an amazing adventure.
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Information on when and where to see selected prints will be coming soon. Check back for my thoughts on the last year along with my favorite images.

Thanks for coming along with us!

​Mark & MJ

So we are officially down to 7 days to go. This time next week we will back in Rochester. It's hard to believe that this journey is coming to an end. We have seen so much and met so many interesting people I don't know where to begin! This has surely been a life changing experience for both of us- but we are very ready to be back. I am looking forward to working part-time, volunteering, and continuing to learn the craft of photography. We have a beautiful niece who we have seen grow up through Facebook, friends that have passed away, and have seen major events unfold in both the US and the places we called home for short periods of time. We have fought through illness and bad luck and have become stronger because of it. I feel I have bettered myself in many ways: as a husband, photographer, and person of this world. We feel very fortunate to have been able to do what we have done and plan on continuing to travel after a short hiatus. We barley scratched the surface of many of the places we visited and had to shorten our journey a couple times. Our original plan had us finishing in Morocco, Portugal, and Spain..these places will be there for us to experience down the road. Now it is time to go home.

I have begun the difficult process of outlining a wrap-up post and selecting my favorite images to print for showing. Once we get settled in and have a studio space I will send out information. Keep posted and enjoy this last (?) batch of images. I also have many rolls of film to develop when I return so I have that to look forward to!

Paris has a lot going on in the summer. In our first week here we have been reminded why we chose this city as our final stop of the journey. The weather here started out much as it ended our time in Amsterdam...cool, wet, and windy. Although the forecast looks very promising for the next week and MJs birthday is Friday so we may plan on making our way up to Montmartre for the day.

I have spent much of my time exploring the various arrondissements, or neighborhoods, as each of the 20 have their own unique personality. I am also relishing the opportunity to be able to photograph the city that sparked my love for street photography. Paris was the home to Henri Cartier-Bresson, considered to be the Godfather of modern street photography, and the place is so damn pretty it's hard to take a bad picture.

Just a quick photo update. 

It's our last day in Amsterdam~ heading to Paris tomorrow!

In less than a week we will move to our final destination, Paris. Hard to digest everything that we have experienced since starting this adventure last September. My life has been forever altered...but we will come back to that later. We still have things to do before I write that chapter. The last couple weeks have been a bit gloomy and rainy but we are hoping for a better final week here. We celebrated our 15 year anniversary this week and will be in Paris for MJ's birthday...how's that for planning. Tonight we are going to see the Brooklyn band Woods at Bitterzoet in Central Amsterdam. A couple nights after that Kurt Vile and The Violators are at Paradiso. We are trying to squeeze every little bit out of this city as we can in our final week but we are both ready see what awaits in Paris. 

Met a local street photographer today and shot together for a while. I find it a great way to get a different perspective on photography and to learn a little about the city that may not be in the books or blogs.

The cottage we rented while here was part of a citywide garden tour and we were the hit of the event!  We had thousands come through over three days. Many planned their vacations around the tour with some coming from as far as the US, Australia, and Japan.

​Experienced the brilliance of Helmut Newton at Foam
Gallery Thursday.

I just found myself referring back to my last batch of images to help remember everything that has gone on these past couple weeks. It's been a good run here in Amsterdam and we still have 3 more weeks to enjoy. We started using our museum passes by visiting the Van Gough museum during one of their Friday Night at the Van Gough series. We also took a day to hang out at Nemo, the Amsterdam science center located on the waterfront. It has a killer roof top and is great for looking over the city rooftops, watch ships cruise by, or do a little people watching. Amsterdam has a lock on places to just hang out. Lots of parks and open spaces. One of our favorites is the Museumplein, a park that boarders many of the best museums in the city. It's also a great place to stretch out on the grass and watch jet contrails. On the weekends, the NDSM area comes alive. A waterfront area that is dotted with independent cafes, galleries, ramshackle trailers, and student housing. It's also home to a gigantic building that was converted (or squatted) to artist spaces 10 years ago.  We were also lucky enough to have our host invite us to her cabin in North/East Netherlands for the day. On the way, we crossed the huge dyke system that keeps the country from being under water. Next week we're planning a quick trip to Belgium- It's like driving from Rochester to Buffalo. We have been to catch up on some live music while here. Father John Misty at Tivoli in Utrecht and Andrew Bird at the legendary Paradiso. Next up is James, Woods, and Kurt Vile. Never a dull moment here, at least not never an excuse for one. Check back later for more!

Once again, i am going to leave you with images only as I have been having too much fun exploring this eclectic city to sit inside and write about it!