AND THE WINNER IS…

Josie from Housesitting Travel

I loved the greenery and bright colors surrounding this charming door. I’d love to spend the evening in a little B&B like this!

It was a tough decision to make – we had a lot of great entries!

And our runner-up

We loved this bright, vibrant, shot from Erin and Josh with Travel with Bender.

It was a very close second, but we felt the photo focused a little more on their beautiful daughter than on the door.

Last week, Tom of Travel Past 50 hosted the 109th round of the competition with the theme “Home”. Below is our winning photograph of my childhood home on the Canadian prairies.

The Contest

Every few weeks, a contest open to travelers from all over the world, participate in what is called Travel Photo Roulette. It’s an ongoing contest that allows travellers to feature their best photos in a wide range of categories. We’ve entered the contest a number of times, and have finally won! Winning the contest means you get to host the next round. That’s why you’re seeing this post on The Barefoot Nomad. Even if you aren’t planning to enter, feel free to stop back here in the next few weeks to see all the great entries.

Round #110: Doorways

Now for this week’s competition: Doorways around the world.

Wherever we go, we’re fascinated by doorways. You never know who’s on the other side, or what secrets are just past the entrance. Some doors are incredibly ornate, some have been weathered with age however what they all have in common is that they are gateways into another person’s private world and an areas culture.

Be sure to enter your doorway photo in this weeks #TravelRoulette! It doesn’t matter whether you’re a newbie to photography or a vet, everyone stands the same chance.

Good luck! Let’s see those photos!

Here are a few of our doorway photos for inspiration.

About Travel Photo Roulette:

Travel Photo Roulette is a competition started by Jeremy at Living the Dream way back in November 2010 as away for travel writers to connect and share their photos.

The Contest

The contest is pretty straightforward. The winner of the previous round chooses a new theme and hosts the competition on their blog, inviting others to share their photos over the course of a week or two. As the end of the contest period, the host selects a winner and the process repeats itself.

The Rules

1. One submission per blog please, so sites that have 2+ authors only get one entry.
2. You will need a personal blog or website to participate (so you can host if you win!)
3. Post processing, cropping, correcting for red eyes and other flaws is fine.
4. Abstract submissions are welcome. But if you want to win, it’s probably best that the judge understands your interpretation
5. Hosts should keep themes general so all travellers can participate. Avoid specifics like ‘Eiffel Tower’; instead choose a more open theme, like ‘monuments’ or ‘monuments at night’
6. Abstract themes can be fun, as long as everyone can understand. ‘Overlooking creation’ is good, ‘Kafkaesque’ is not
7. No obscene photos or themes allowed. Suggestive themes and photography might be accepted, but be careful. Remember, the host is all-powerful
8. Themes may be reused after a period of time; however new photos must be submitted. Keep it fresh!
9. You do not have to take the photo within the week of the contest period to submit it.
10. Most important: ALL PHOTOS MUST BE YOUR OWN.
11. Please spread the word about Travel Photo Roulette via Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and any other means you can think of and use the hashtag #PhotoRoulette
12. It’s a game, so have fun with it.

How to Enter

To enter, simply leave a comment below with a link to your photo and it will be added to the post. (You can also send us an email using the “Contact” link above.) A brief description of the picture is always welcome to provide some background and context. Also, please don’t forget to include your name, a link to your blog, and any pertinent social media information so everyone can come see what you’re all about (and so we can contact the winner!).
The contest will run until Friday, August 31, 2015 at midnight EST, after which time we will select the winner. We’ll share the results right in this post.

Spread the Word

Tweet about this contest using the hashtag #PhotoRoulette and feel free to share this page with your friends on social media – the more the merrier! We love seeing your comments so please don’t be bashful about sharing your opinions.

Previous Winners

Finally, here are the past winners of the contest – as you can see, it’s been running for a while! Click on the link to take you to some great travel blogs and wonderful themed photos.

The winners and themes in 2015. Click the link to go directly to that entry to see some fab photographs.

93. 93. Jan 2015 Adventures of a GoodMan: WOW!
    94. Jan 2015 ZigZag On Earth: Roads and Tracks
    95. Feb 2015 Where’s The Gos?: Street Art
    96. Mar 2015 Ice Cream and Perma Frost: Frozen
    97. Mar 2015 Journey Jottings: Detail
    98. April 2015 House Sitting Travel: What’s your Angle?
    99. April 2015 JetWayz: Spiritual Beauty
    100. April 2015 The Trading Travelers: Celebrate
    101. May 2015 Street Food World Tour: Epic
    102. May 2015 Next Stop Who Knows: Landscape
    103. May 2015 We Travel Together: Wildlife
    104. May 2015 Vagabond Way: Festival
    105. June 2015 Travel Addicts: Landmarks
    106. June 2015 TravelnLass: Wrinkles
    107. July 2015 Anita’s Feast: Food Markets
    108. July 2015 Dare2Go: Dry
    109. August 2015 Travel Past 50: Home

Enter the contest by adding a comment below or by emailing us using our contact form. Again, be sure to include a link to the image, a link to your blog, and any other information that will allow us to contact you.

Entry 1:

Josie from Housesitting Travel

My cute little door is from Conrad’s and my B&B in Bergen, Norway. We arrived via the night train from Oslo and were so charmed to find our pre-booked lodging just on the outskirts of downtown. We didn’t spend much time here though because it was July and the sun went down at 1 a.m. and came up again at 3:30 a.m.!

Entry 2:

Anne from Let Me Be Free

While I was in Cambodia I captured this image of a monk at one of the temples. It makes me feel very relaxed looking at this picture.

Entry 3

Carole Terwilliger Meyers from Berkley and Beyond

Though this door is painted such a dark blue that it almost looks black, it is the entrance to the exceptional Blue Door Inn in Mendocino, California. Situated within an immaculately updated 1883 Victorian house, it is tastefully furnished in contemporary English style and housebaked cookies are always available.

Entry 4

Brent Huntley from Brent’s Favorite Photos.

I loved the double level set of doors at Chang Deok Gung in Seoul, South Korea.

Entry 5

Noel Morata from Travel Photo Discovery

I’m submitting this green door – it is from a small hamlet in Northern Italy.

Entry 6

Juergen | dare2go.com

I love this hand carved door which we noticed in Villa de Leyva in Colombia. It depicts perfectly the rural life in this region. The bottom right panes shows fossils which the area is famous for. #door #handcarved #VillaDeLeyva #Colombia

Entry 7

Blanca Pauliukevicius

I am also fascinated by doors, especially old ones. This is one of the oldest in the US. I shot this during my honeymoon in St. Augustine, Florida in December 2008.

Entry 8

Rebecca Hall (Bex) of Life Beyond Borders.

This one is a ‘doorway’ of a different sort. The canvas glamping tent amongst the woods in Moran State Park, Orcas Island, San Juan Islands chain in the Pacific Northwest, just off the coast of Seattle.

Entry 9

Suzanne Fluhr of Boomeresque

My photo is of the door to Nelson Mandela’s cell in the infamous Robben Island prison off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa, where he spent 17 years of his 27 years of imprisonment by the apartheid government. Nelson Mandela’s life is a testament to the fact that prison cell doors can keep people in, but not ideas.

Entry 10

Erin and Josh with Travel with Bender

Antigua Guatemala. History. Antique. Old. And the perfect backdrop for laughing children.

Before we even set foot in the city, to us Seville evoked orange blossoms, flamenco and amazing architecture. And while we did find some amazing, traditional flamenco in Seville, and the architecture of the Plaza de Espana wowed us, what we loved most about the city just can’t be found in any guidebook.

For us, the pleasures of Seville were in the little things; Sevillanos enjoying a book by their local fountain, sidewalk cafes on every other street corner, parks with leafy trees, the buzz of people going about their regular lives, and the amazing little places to eat and enjoy tapas and wine throughout the city.

Seville is truly a walker’s city. Seville’s major sights (the Plaza de Espana, the Seville Cathedral and the Alcázar) are all within walking distance of downtown, and many streets in the center are so narrow that cars can barely squeeze in between the buildings.

This is a city for living; not just for existing. Take a walk with us through some of our favorite memories of Seville.

Morocco is one of those rare places that lives up to its extraordinary reputation. The streets of Marrakech were teeming and busy, with Moroccan mint tea and the comfort of our quiet riad for respite (though getting to our riad was quite a challenge!). There seemed to be photo opportunities at every turn in the sprawling city.

During our two day excursion through the Atlas Mountains and into the Sahara, we also took more than our fair share of pics. Many of those were just quick snaps to record the moment, and share on Instagram, but we were so happy with how they turned out that we wanted to share them here too!

But maybe we’ll just let the photos tell you… All of these photos were taken on an iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4S.

Do you use your phone camera way too much? Love sharing those impromptu shots while on the road? If you’re on Instagram, you can join the fun by following us here.

We took many of these photos during our two day, one night  tour with Sahara Desert Kingdom tours. You can contact Sahara Desert Kingdom through their webpage, on Facebook, and read reviews on TripAdvisor here.

Lonely Planet Morocco

Grandmas tottering by in the morning, paper bags overfilled with their daily groceries clutched tight under their arms as they navigated the twisty, cobblestone streets. At night, party-goers filled the lanes by our little apartment in the Bairro Alto district; drunken, mostly happy and full of life. The city is a completely different place depending on what time of day it is.

Lisbon is also the largest city in Portugal, with a hair over half a million inhabitants. Lisboa (as the Portuguese call it) is drenched in history, and yet hopping with so many things to do that you could spend a month in the city and not see every monument, church and site worth mentioning. Here are 10 of our personal favorite things to do in Lisbon.

Look down once in a while

Many of Lisbon’s streets are paved with small tiles arranged in complex shapes. You’ll see swirls, waves, tall ships and a dizzying variety of geometric patterns, all covering the roadways of the center of the city.

Cost: Free

Stroll the city’s streets

For us, Libson’s greatest charm wasn’t in its (many) gorgeous churches or castles, or even in its lovely coastline. Instead, the twisting inner city streets, covered in cobblestones and pulsing with daily life were the city’s biggest draws. Even better, I’m quite sure that the unassuming city, which is so busy going about it’s daily grind, has absolutely no idea how cool it really is.

Cost: Free

Visit the Lisbon Oceanarium

We’re huge fans of any chance to get closer and connect with the natural world around us. That said, we couldn’t miss the chance to see the Lisbon Oceanarium, which is the largest indoor aquarium in Europe. We’d also heard this was one of the most impressive aquariums in the world, and I’d be hard pressed to argue. We were blown away by the large central aquarium, where you can watch sharks swim and see the tides ebb and flow, and the sizable, clean enclosures for penguins and otters.

Cost: 16 Euros for adults.

Try pastéis de nata at the Pasteis De Belem

Tucked a short drive outside of central Lisbon and close to Belem Tower, the Pasteis De Belem pastry shop is world renowned for their custard tarts (pastéis de nata). The tarts are made from a recipe that dates back from the nearby Jerónimos Monastery, and are reported to be made with the same (closely guarded) recipe since 1837.

We’re not lovers of custard tarts, but it’s not an exaggeration to say these little delights were a revelation. The crust is flaky, light, and not too sweet, and the inside is light and fluffy, with a hint of caramel.

Cost: About 2 Euro for three tarts

Check out the Belem Tower

Also called the Tower of St Vincent, the Belem Tower sits along the entrance to Lisbon harbor. It’s one of the remaining vestiges of the city’s old defense system and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s particularly pretty at sunset.

Cost: Free to look, and 5 Euros an adult to go inside.

Sip some Ginjinha

Perfect to cut the chill of a spring evening, ginjinha is made by infusing sour cherry (ginja) berries with alcohol. It’s a typical Lisbon drink, often served in a chocolate cup, and darn delicious. Ours was served with a marinated cherry at the bottom of the cup.

Cost: 1 Euro per cup (including chocolate)

Take a ride on the tram

As they have for decades, electric trams still run up and down Lisbon’s twisty streets, with cars dodging in and around them in a chaotic blur. The iconic tram #28 runs through the Baixa, Bairro Alto and Alfama districts, clunking past small neighborhood grocers and cafes.

Cost: Just over a Euro on board.

Grab a loaf

Without exception, every bakery we tried in Lisbon (and we tried many) made fragrant breads fresh every morning. We’d often make a simple lunch of a fresh baguette, fruit and some cheese. Delicious!

You really can’t go wrong in Lisbon, as there’s a good bakery on virtually every corner, but Padaria Portuguesa is a small chain of bakeries that offer up fresh breads and simple breakfast items and fresh juices to go.

Cost: Less than a Euro for a simple baguette.

Gelato at Santinis

With a crisp red and white decor, Santini’s is said to make the best gelato in Lisbon. After giving them a try, we’d be hard pressed to argue.

Our favorites? Try the doce leite (milk caramel) and the manga (mango).

Cost: About 2 Euro per cone

Look down over the rooftops

One of the great advantages of navigating Lisbon’s steep, twisty streets is the view that greets you at the top. Some of the best views are on the hills near the Castle of S. Jorge, looking out on the Tagus River.

Have you been to Lisbon? What were your favorite sights?

For more posts on Portugal and Spain, check out:

• Falling in Love with Porto in Photos
• Climbing the Cold Walls of Avila, Spain
• The Little Things We Love about Spain (And What Drives Us Crazy)
• For the Love of Squares, a Walk Around Centro, Madrid
• Driving Through Spain and Portugal

Here are a few of our favorite photos from our last trip through Mexico, Portugal, Greece and Morocco.

We took these photos with our rugged, waterproof point and shoot Canon D20, with our two little cuties tugging at our heels.

White

We came across the Porto Cathedral (Sé do Porto in Portuguese) when walking the winding streets of Porto, Portugal. As we wandered by, a bride came out and stood at the entrance, looking over the city. I wonder what she was thinking?

Yellow

This was taken from the seat of our horse-drawn carriage (calesa) in the Mexican town of Izamel. Izamel is named the yellow city for the yellow paint on all of it’s public (and many private) places. Under the Mexican sun, the yellow seems to glow and shimmer in the heat.

Red

As we walked through the ancient ruins of Kos, Greece, I was struck with how overgrown and wild they’d become. Wild poppies and other wildflowers sprouted everywhere and honeybees buzzed about. This photo was taken at the Kos Castle.

Green

Morocco is still home to many nomadic tribes that subsist off of the land. We took this photo of Berber blankets lying out to dry in the sun as we drove through the Atlas Mountains on our way back to our riad in Marrakech.

Blue

This is one of my favorite photos, taken as Charles and Jordan walked by the sea below the Temple of Ixchel in Isla Mujeres (the island of women) in Mexico.

We’re hoping to make a trip to Europe happen sometime this year. Europe, of course, brings to mind dozens of the best castles in the world.

I’m finding that Pinterest is a great tool for planning trips, and even getting inspiration for great places to visit.

So, in the spirit of sharing some of the beautiful photos we’ve found, and inspiring everyone to travel more, we’re sharing 10 gorgeous photos of castles from around the world.

What do you think? Would you visit any of these castles? Let us know in the comments.

We’ve taken a few liberties here – some of these photos are technically of churches, rather than castles.

Arolsen Castle, Germany

Cherry Blossoms at Osaka Castle Park, Japan

Duart Castle, Scotland

Dundas Castle or Craig-E-Clare, New York

Eilean Donan Castle, Scotland

San Pietro Church of Portovenere, Italy

Schloss Schwerin Castle, Germany

Blarney Castle, Ireland

Bride on the Steps of Cathedral Se, Porto, Portugal

Those picture perfect travel photos that look like they were ripped straight from the pages of National Geographic.

I’ll bet you something right now.

The photographers who took those stunning photos aren’t traveling with little kids.

Especially not cute little monkeys like ours who’re climbing castle walls, perching precariously on the edges of rickety wooden docks, or threatening to dart into traffic when they’re not tired and looking for a ride on Mommy or Daddy’s back.

Now, I think traveling with kids is mostly a terrific experience. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

But travel with children just doesn’t jive with always getting the perfect photo.

Sure, sometimes we get lucky, and sometimes the kids themselves line up for a lovely photo. However, I can count on one hand how often they’ve sat still long enough to get a shot like the one below!

But most of the time we’re just juggling the balance of getting a decent picture with the day to day demands of raising kids. Adjusting the white balance? Linking up the perfect composition and waiting for the right light? Fat chance on all of those.

If you’re like me, and just trying to take a good photo while juggling little kids (or just short on time or patience), these tips may help. Here are our Tips for taking great photos with kids in tow.

Think like a newspaper photographer

They’re trained to grab photos quickly, on the run. Always have the camera ready, and grab the shot when you can. Don’t wait for the perfect moment – it may never come. Just get the shot, even if you’re taking it with one hand while holding onto your little one with the other.

Take lots of photos

Long, long gone are the days of expensive film and developing. We delete roughly a third of the photos we take while they’re still on the camera. Our cellphones are great for this since we always carry them with us and they take great photos in a pinch.

Use a photo editing software

If you’re on your computer, free online photo editor Pixlr is fast, easy to use, and has many of the editing capabilities that you used to only see in expensive software. Plus, there’s an an autocorrect/redo button that does a decent job if you’re in a hurry.

If you’re looking for something infinitely better than the free options, we love Luminar Neo and Adobe Lightroom.

For your mobile device, I’ve use the free Snapseed for years now. It has so enough options that it can make most photos ready for publication on the app alone.

I use Canva as my favorite easy, online photo editing software. The free version lets you create everything from posters, Instagram stories, media kits, and so much more.

You can check out the free version of Canva here.

There’s also a wonderful Pro version, which you work in teams, gives you free advanced templates, and free stock images.

See the Canva Pro version here.

Pass the camera to your kids

We take most of the underwater photos on this blog with a shockproof, waterproof GoPro Hero 6.

Here’s our review of the GoPro Hero for family video and photos.

Because the camera’s virtually indestructible, we can give it to the kids to use anytime without worry of them breaking it. Passing the camera to the kids keeps them occupied while we grab photos with our iPhone or our other little point and shoot.

Spend a few minutes learning your camera’s features

Even our simplest point and shoot comes with some fun modes like stitch (where it will help you take great panoramic shots), underwater, night mode and miniaturization.

A selfie stick

Yes, yes, I know, the selfie stick has become synonymous with vain, self absorbed travelers. Honestly, though, we struggled trying to get decent family shots before we found this slick little gadget. All four of us just barely fit into the lens for arm’s length photos, and often there isn’t someone else around to take a photo for us.

It’s all about the light

Taking good photos in dim light and at night is difficult, even for professional photographers. If you can take photos in the day, in natural light, your pictures will be much better. If not, use the night or low light mode on your camera, and bring in a tripod if you need to hold the camera rock steady.

Our Gear

We upgraded to the relatively inexpensive Canon RP mirrorless with a kit lens this year. So far, we’re loving how light and versatile it is!

Check out the Canon EOS RP here.

We plan to upgrade the lens eventually, but it’s a great, affordable, entry level full frame mirrorless optoin.

Do you have any photo tips for those of us taking photos on the go?

Not only is there a wealth of history and architecture in Merida but it’s also a stone’s throw from the port and beaches of Progreso and Celestun, the lovely yellow city of Izamal and the Mayan ruins of Dzibilchaltún and Uxmal.

I took these photos on an afternoon walk around Merida Centro’s Santiago neighborhood. On the outside, many of these houses look rundown, but a look inside often reveals renovated interiors and sparkling appliances. In other casas, little has changed in the past 200 hundred years, as walls crumble and paint peels.

Behind every door and window is a story.

Who lives behind these walls?

A grandmother standing in her kitchen, with her extended family crowding the house and children running everywhere? A new expat, carefully choosing paint colors and tiles to match her newest renovation? Maybe one of Merida’s talented artists, whose studio bulges with paints and canvas? A chef who opens his doors a few nights a week to help pay the bills?

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More about Merida

The Essential Guide to Living in Merida 2012

This is a fantastic book, packed with everything from insider’s tips on the best days to visit local parks and markets to info on gardening in Merida’s dry climate.

Yucatán’s Magic – Mérida Side Trips: Treasures of Mayab

This book shines in its focus on off the beaten path side trips throughout the Yucatan. Packed with great ideas, this book is a great guide to the real Yucatan that exists outside of packaged vacations and tourist resorts.

How do I get there? Merida is a major center, with an international airport. Buses come to Merida from Cancun and Playa del Carmen almost every hour on the hour.

Where should I stay? We loved our stay in a colonial home in Merida’s historic center, booked through home rental site Airbnb.

Looking for a great deal on your next Airbnb? Follow our link to get a $35 credit! (And we get a credit, too).

Everything changed.

When I’m asked why we travel, it’s hard to explain in words. I’ll let the colors tell you.

Grey

The Bayon is part of the ancient Angkor Wat complex in Cambodia, hidden from outside eyes for hundreds of years in the lush jungles of Cambodia. The Bayon has stood since the 12th century, and was built to honor the Buddhist King Jayavarman VII.

Red

A railway worker in Australia told us that this was one of the first trains to make the historic 3,000 km first run from Adelaide to Darwin. The train cuts through some of the most inhospitable land in the world on its trip through the Australian Outback.

Orange

Deep in the jungle of Sumatra, Indonesia, the Bohorok Orangutan sanctuary works to rehabilitate and protect some of last wild orangutans on our planet.

Yellow

New Zealand’s Te Whanganui-A-Hei (Cathedral Cove) is beautiful and wild; everything New Zealand is said to be.

Green

We swam with white tipped reef sharks in this bay on Thailand’s Ko Phi Phi Don.  The island was devastated by the Indian Ocean tsunami only a few months after our stay.

Violet

Plucked straight from the amazing cinematography of Lord of the Rings:  New Zealand’s South Island.

 White

Temple bells outside Wat Pharathat Doi Suthep Temple overlooking Chiang Mai, Thailand. Legend says that King Geu Na chose a sacred white elephant to find the site for this temple.

Do you see the world in color?