Some of my favourite travel moments have been dominated by the colour blue.
I still dream of the endless blue of Kailua Bay on the west coast of Oahu
How Hawaii does blue
and the turquoise blue crystal waters of Lake Atitlán surrounded by misty volcanoes will live in my soul forever.
No better blue than Lago de Atitlán in Guatemala
In London, I remember the electric blue of the Christmas lights
A blue Christmas in London
and the pale blue waters of the fountain at Trafalgar Square
Illuminated blue waters in Trafalgar Square
and in Scotland, the steely blue street performer on the steep inclines of Edinburgh’s old town.
Steel blue performance art at the Edinburgh Festival
My heart skips a beat when I glimpse the impossible skies over Ireland.
Blue and gold streaked skies over the Sugarloaf Mountain
Then there is the exclusive cerulean of the rich and fabulous in the Hamptons
Rich and fabulous blue Hampton-style. Wait, is that Carrie Bradshaw?
and the rich and famous azure of the pools at Hearst Castle.
I’ve got a case of the ‘I want to live here’ blues
While there are many, many more blues in my travel history, I’ll leave you with one final image – a hummingbird silhouetted against the blue skies of California.
Hummingbird in the blue skies of California
I had a ridiculous amount of fun with our unofficial photo challenge this weekend. A huge, huge thanks to everyone who took part. I wonder if there’s room for two photo challenges…
Where's my backpack? 
Wow you really take your audience to the location, great job!
Thanks Lagos, enjoyed your photos of the city centre 🙂
Thank you!
This is the most fun post I’ve seen so far about this week’s photo challenge! And Hearst Castle is so cool, the water is such an incredible color.
Thanks so much, Jessica, I had a lot of fun searching through my many, many travel photos looking for blues. Hearst Castle is pretty impressive, there’s an indoor pool decorated with pure gold – all those old time Hollywood stars knew how to party!
Many, many fabulous shades of blue 🙂
Thanks Vlad, it is one of my favourite colours – along with green. 🙂
I hope sometimes in the future i can visit those places. It’s too amazing.
Maybe I like the pool photo the mos but i want to visit the hawaii the most.
Hawaii is stunning, Albadr, I hope you get to see it for yourself soon. You’ll never want to leave! xx
Seriously blue. Super post. 🙂
Thanks, firstandfabulous, what a great blue planet we live on! Loved your shot of Caesar’s Palace. xxx
Everything blue. 🙂 love it.
Thanks Melissa, and thanks for transporting me to the South China Sea in your photo 🙂
Wow! This was my first time with the photo challenge, and I am SO glad I participated. I have seen the most amazing photographs. Beautiful “blue theme” photos!
Thanks Lola Jane, and welcome to the photo challenge, it gets terribly addictive and it’s a wonderful way to make new WordPress friends – look at us, sharing photos and the mutual love of blue and green! Adored your little surfer guys! xxx Ailsa
All wonderful! Love the arches, the street performer, and the hummingbird especially!
Thanks, London really takes Christmas seriously, those blue arches were just the tip of the iceberg, at Christmas the whole town lights up. And Edinburgh during the Festival is an unmissable experience. xx
Such variety in response to this week’s theme. I love the Christmas arches, and the street performer in Edinburgh. I’ve probably past her in the street on my trips to the Scottish capital.
Thanks for these.
Kate
http://myphotoyear2012.wordpress.com
She was really striking, and terribly elegant in her blue-grey finery – I couldn’t stop watching her. 🙂
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Impressive collection. Amazing photo of the Irish sky.
Thanks, Gobetween, I do believe that Ireland has the most amazing skies anywhere. But then I’m biased 😉
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as I was scrolling through I was thinking i can’t pick a favourite…then you zapped me with the last one…wow
Saving the best for last, Jo 😉 Glad you enjoyed my blue journey around the world. xxx
Awesome photos. I like the second and last photos best. That water is so beautiful. And the hummingbird has always amazed me with its high speed flapping. 🙂
Thanks Claudia, Atitlán is truly breathtaking, such a magical place. And I was very happy with that last photo, those little guys are so quick and zippy it’s hard to catch them staying still long enough to get a shot 🙂
great photos… very blue
Thanks Muhammed, glad you enjoyed them! xx
Steely blue performer ..awsome ! 🙂 Great pictures 🙂
Thanks Vandy, loved your scary blue photos too. Yes, that street performer rocked, she was crazy cool. xxx
Beautiful photos!! They all look so restful and inviting!!
Thanks! They’re the exact opposite of where I am at the moment, New York City, big, loud, brassy – fun but exhausting. I’m sensing a more serene setting is due in the near future 🙂
There’s a time and a place for everything, so enjoy!! 🙂
Lovely places…Nice capture too!!! And, Blue is my fav. color…thanx for sharing 😉
You’re so welcome, golappen, I’m happy you enjoyed looking at them as much as I enjoyed taking them! 🙂
Its my pleasure….and thanks for following me in twitter also @Golappan_GV its me 😉
I guessed, good to see you on Twitter too – looking forward to reading your tweets 😉
Thanks a ton!!!! 😉
A wonderful mixture of super-blues!
Thanks Jude. Just read your Day of the truffle – made me laugh out loud 🙂
Beautiful collection of blue photo’s. great take on theme.. thank you.. 😉
Thanks Gerry, really enjoyed yours too. xxx
WOW! Very nice entry! 🙂
Thanks Inge, I seem to have had a lot of blue moments on my travels 🙂
Absolutely stunning! Blue is the colour associated with happy thoughts and things for me – not the other! Just lovely!
BTW I loved the unofficial challenge – well done!
Thanks so much, Charlene, and wasn’t the unofficial challenge fun? so glad you joined in! just saw your entry for Blue, dear sweet Hayley. Love. xx
The bird one is fantastic … motion in blue
Thanks Reem, he stayed still long enough for me to get a decent shot, thankfully. Loved your cell at St Charbel hermitage. xxx
I believe there’s always room for more photo challenges. I am in AWE of your beautiful ‘blue’ photos here coming from all over. Too bad I didn’t have the time to join your unofficial photo challenge, perhaps a next time? 🙂
Grin, I am hatching an idea as we speak. I couldn’t see where to follow your gatheringbooks blog – can you follow this blog or are you on a different host? xxx
Those skies over Ireland are breath taking!
Oh LuckyPorcupine, that was just the tip of the iceberg – I was hiking over Howth Head and the sky went from turquoise to gold to metallic rose within the space of an hour. Simply stunning. xxx
The things I would do to see that!
If you ever have a chance to visit, jump at the opportunity. It’s so lovely. Here’s a link to the post I wrote about my hike, there are more photos of the skies that day, so you’ll see what I’m talking about. Breathtaking! xxx https://wheresmybackpack.com/2011/12/22/hiking-howth-head/
What a lovely pictorial tribute to blue. Your poetic narrative swept me along on the journey;o)
Thanks Sahbinah, so glad you could join in the journey with me 🙂 xxx Ailsa
beautiful images!
Thanks Marina, I’ve been lucky enough to have seen some incredible places so far, hoping I’ll get to see some more soon! xxx
really great shots
Thanks Polly, really enjoyed your Victoria crowned pigeon and the peacock! xxx
Blue Christmas in London, hem… awesome. 😛
Christmas in London rocks! So pretty 🙂 Loved your swan and that field of blue flowers, heavenly!
Great photos Ailsa. I really love the Sugarloaf sky.
Thanks Anette, Irish skies blow me away every time. Loved your textured blue! xxx
all great shots in different shades of blue
Thanks, so many different blues, all wonderful. Enjoyed your heron!
So many beautifull blue pictures here, but the hummingbird is definitly my favorite.
Thanks for your visits and comments on my blog =)
Thanks Dauw, I do love the hummingbird one, the little bit of flutter in the wings and the legs getting ready to unfold. Gorgeous entry this week, great macro! xxx
I love the blue sky over Sugarloaf Mountain. All of your pictures are beautiful.
Thanks Connie, it was a stunning day out hiking in the north of Dublin, and the skies were incredible. Enjoyed your entry, your ‘hair-shaped’ cloud made me laugh out loud! xxx Ailsa
Beautiful images, Ailsa. Your photo of the Kailua Bay just brings back wonderful memories.
Thanks Gracie, it is as close to paradise as I think I’ll ever get! Just popped over to your blog and after all this blue, your pink post was fabulous!!! xxx Ailsa
Incredible!! Lovely shots.
I’ve never imaged London in that Blue!
These blue images are so refreshing!
Thanks Janet, it was taken on New Bond Street and the whole place glowed electric blue, brought out my inner child like you wouldn’t believe. Loved your blue sundial. Still, I think it’s a bit optimistic to try to use a sundial in the UK. A raindial, maybe… 🙂
Please stop it, Ailsa! I’m about to pack my backpack to see the wonderful places you’ve been to. Especially Ireland.
Hee hee, nice one, Marion. Well, you’ve already got the English blue and Portuguese blue in your post. Grab your backpack and let’s go find Moroccan/Thai/Icelandic blue! So many places to see. 🙂
Could never be blue looking at these! The London pictures are outstanding
Thanks, I love London at Christmas, it turns into a Winter Wonderland! xxx
Thanks for visiting my blog and your blues are simply stunning.
Thanks Patricia, really enjoyed your post too! xxx
All terrific examples for this challenge.
Thanks, loved your Thoughts out of the blue, excellent! xx
All quite blue, all quite nice!
Thanks Sir Jeff xxx
Fabulous blues! This is a gorgeous collection, Ailsapm. 🙂
Thanks, Imelda. Still smiling at your poem! xxx
the vanilla one, I suppose. 😉
Heh heh, how did you know!
It’s the kind that makes people scratch their heads and ask “she did WHAT?” 😀
It most certainly is 🙂
Your blue collection does double duty as a travel log.
Stunning photography! I am mesmerized!
Thanks, Annie, I’m a bit of a nomad – like yourself (just read your about section!) – and have been lucky enough to have seen blues from all around the world. Glad you popped over for a look! xxx
Ailsa – great shots! I appreciate many of them because we’ve been lucky enough to have been there. Your hummingbird is spectacular. Sorry I didn’t get a reflection entry in as we were out of town and without connectivity.
Aha, a kindred traveller, Scott, wonderful, still thinking about your Galapagos shots, so lovely. No worries about reflections entry, there were some seriously wonderful entries, though, don’t know if you had a chance to peek at any of them, but find frizztext’s and ‘a word in your ear’s entries in the comments stream if you haven’t already, just an example of the many wonderful photos in the challenge. xxx
Oh My Gosh…they all are so gorgeous ! Can’t even say which i like better !!! But love the humming bird,the beach one and the steel blue performance art the best !!! What a collection !!!
Wow, thanks SanVar, so glad you enjoyed them, I love them all in different ways because they bring back so many great travel memories, but aesthetically I really love the steel blue performance art, the colours all work so well together and she was captivating. xxx
Yeah there’s this special charm to that picture !!! Must have been mesmerizing watching her perform !
Excellent selection and that last one of the humming bird was amazing. 😉
Thanks Elizabeth, he was very accommodating, hovering just long enough for me to capture that shot. Just having a look through your blog, having fun!
TY and will do same! Lucky you… birds and I have a dicey relationship even though I like them. 😆
I seem to have the most extraordinary luck – particularly with peacocks – they seem to love me for some reason, and the minute I show up they fan open their tails and start showing off. 🙂
My peacock friend was defiant and refused to show his feathers so I took a shot of him staring me down and that worked for the challenge… What a hoot! 😆
Stubborn little fellow. I have to show you this extraordinary peacock I met in a New York churchyard – http://ailsapm.wordpress.com/2012/02/17/not-your-average-peacock/ (the link is to my nature & wildlife blog) I don’t think you’ll find too many peacocks like him around. 🙂
Loved it. He’s a gorgeous albino peacock and hangs out in my old neighborhood. Lovely visit. TY! 🙂
Such a stunning bird (and he knew it too!) Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
LOVE your BLUEs
That bird was cool!
Thanks Witrian, he was a very friendly little hummingbird! 🙂
WOW!!! Each picture left me… Speechless and BLUE!! 😉 I have to get a backpack… and starting clicking…. travel clicking!! Don’t do that too often!! I think it would be fair to suggest… that you put each of your pictures in a different post… will do justice to each of your models 😉 !! (((hugs)))
Haha, thanks Mystiic, if I’ve given you the urge to travel I feel like I’ve done my job. Thanks so much for your compliments. xxx
very impressive range of photos!
I’m fascinated by your avatar as I can’t work out what it is. Please could you enlighten me?
Thanks Pseu, glad you liked my photos. You know, you’re the first person to ask me about my avatar. It’s my shadow, at least a shadow of my legs and part of the skirt I was wearing. The little bit of white at the bottom of the photograph is the hem of my skirt 🙂
aha! Even with the explanation it took me a while to ‘see’ it properly
It’s a bit abstract, that’s for sure 🙂
Beautiful collection of pictures. The second one is my favorite.
Thanks, Arindam, Lake Atitlán is absolutely breathtaking, surrounded by all those volcanoes, hope you get to see it for yourself. I was taking a boat across the lake and shooting photos when the spray from the boat suddenly popped into frame, and created that wonderful spray at the bottom of the picture. xxx