David Gabis Photography Blog

Medieval Carcassonne is a fortified town rather than a castle - and perhaps the most impressive fortified medieval town to be found. Which is ironic, because in the middle of the 19th century it was in such bad repair that it became scheduled for demolition, to be saved by the efforts of the local mayor, who called in the new 'historic monuments' department to take a look. The main entrance of the fortified city The city was saved, the well known architect Eugene Viollet-le-Duc took the renovation project in hand, and the rest, as they say, is history. Panoramic view of the castle inside the fortified city Due to its position on historical routes across France the location has been occupied for more than 5,000 years, and was an important centre from 2,500 years ago onwards. It was first fortified by the Romans, and given the name Carcaso. After the Romans were driven out Carcassonne fell in the hands of various of the invading tribes, and became more fortif...

Firing of the cannon in front of Burj Khalifa, Dubai A loud boom signals the start of Ramadan across Dubai. The Ramadan cannons heard in Dubai throughout Ramadan keep the tradition alive. The firing of the cannon is an old tradition that is believed to have originated in Egypt to announce IFTAR and the end of the day’s fast. Since then the practice has spread to most Arab countries. "Two shots will be fired to mark the beginning of the holy month. A single shot will be fired throughout the month to announce Iftar time".  During the holy month of Ramadan, cannons are placed all over the emirate and fired everyday signifying the daily time for Iftar. Cannon ready to fire to announce the Iftar time in front of Dubai Opera

Enjoy clear turquoise water of the Mediterranean sea, Cassis, France Cassis bay and Cap Canaille (background). The picturesque port of Cassis - well worth a visit in its own right - is a perfect starting point to visit the calanques of Port Miou, Port Pin and En Vau. It is a popular tourist destination, famous for its cliffs and the sheltered inlets called calanques. The wines of Cassis are white and rosé, and not to be confused with crème de cassis, a specialty of Burgundy which takes its name from blackcurrants (cassis), not the commune. Bay of Cassis, France Woman trekking in the calque of Cassis People enjoying kayaking between cliffs

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is located in the capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi.  This is the third biggest worldwide after the ones in Mecca and Medina in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.  It is named after the founder and first President of the UAE, the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al  NAHYAN (his last resting place). He chose the location and influence the design and architecture of the building. He wanted it visible from all directions and for this the mosque was built with the rise of 9,5 meters above the street level and 11 meters above sea level. The complex cover an area of 22,412 square meters, the Four Minarets rise about 107 meters, the courtyard measures about 17,000 square meters and it is considered to be the largest example of marble mosaic in the world. The mosque was finished wit a decoration of Greek and Italian white marble, which is considered to be among the purest of the world. Major internation...

The golden sphere on top of the Bayterek Tower (also observation desk) BAYTEREK is a monument located in Astana, the capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan. It is an observation tower and a popular attraction for all tourists (locals and foreigners). The Kazakh word "bayterek" translates literally to mean "toll poplar" as in the tree. The construction started in October 1996 and was completed in August 2002, 14 years later.  The building is 105 meters tall with a gold -mirrored of 22 meters diameter sphere. The design meant to embody a folktale a mythical tree of life and a magic bird of happiness. The bird (called Samruk) had laid its egg in the sacred tree of life. An observation deck is located a the top of the tower where you can also place your hand in a print of President NAZARBAEV's palm, the first president following the independence from the Soviet Union in December 1991. The Hand print of President NAZABAEV's palm ...

The Clock Tower of Cape town in Yellow The three-storeyed Clock Tower (originally red) with its pointed Gothic windows is a landmark in Cape tow. It was the first port Captain's office, o nce completed in 1882. The clock was imported from Edinburgh. It was painted in yellow for the Cape Town Design Capital in 2014. A tidal gauge mechanism was located in the ground floor and was indicating the exact height of the tide at any given time for the benefit of the ships entering or leaving the docks. The Port Captain had an overview of harbor activities at the top floor as it was lined with mirrors. The restoration took two years (from 1997 to 98) and was a focal point in the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront's urban renewal. Over the years the building has begun to lean slightly about 50mm. A set of brass pins has been inserted in the brickwork to ensure that any movement can be spotted.

Downtown Dubai at sunset with the water canal and the iconic Burj Khalifa Downtown Dubai - "The center of Now" - is mixed-used mega-development in the city with the famous and the iconic skyscraper Burj Khalifa, The Address Hotel, Dubai Mall, Dubai Opera and Dubai Fountain. You can also found Souq Al Bahar, Emaar Boulevard etc... You will find there commercial, residential, hotels, entertainment, leisure and shopping  It covers an area of 2 square kilometers (0.77 sq miles) at an estimated cost of US$20 billion.

Scenic view of Wadi Bani Khalid and his main pool It is the best-known and most famous wadi of the Sharqiyah region and in Oman. It is part of the Hajar Mountains. Located at 200 kilometers (125 miles) from Muscat, it is really accessible as you have to walk only 5 minutes from the car park. You need to take more time and hire up the gorge to appreciate the area and to swim in-between the steep cliffs. The flow of water is constant throughout the year. You will find several white crystal clear blue pools where you can swim. The river continues to the main village given to the locals people water for their gardens. You will find palm trees, bananas trees etc... The garden with Banana Trees and palm groves

Men swimming in the clear water Wadi As Shab - meaning gorge between the cliffs - is in the Ash Shrqiyah region in Oman, famous for his pools and for trekking. It is less than 2 hours drive from Muscat. It is a very popular outdoor attraction for both locals and expats (it gets very busy during week-ends and public holidays). You will walk along palm groves, rocky cliffs before reaching the main pool and a fter a leisurely 45 minutes you get to a point where you can swim up the wadi to enter a cave... Note that it is forbidden to swim in the lower pools as they are source of drinking water. Hajar mountains receive the majority of Oman’s sparse rainfall and over time the flow of water down them has carved out numerous gorges. A pool in Wadi As Shab

Seascape at Bandar Khairat Bandar Khairan is located 1 hour by road after Muscat in the Sultanate of Oman and 20 minutes by boat. It is a small system of coves and creeks with plenty of fantastic dive sites! Early morning in Bandar Khairan It is a pristine set of fjord-like with turquoise water and with spectacular seascapes, bays and wild beaches, perfect for a picnic. Woman snorkeling in Bandar Khairan You can admire the mangroves area on the way to the coast; Bandar Khairan is an area of outstanding beauty! Fishermen village and the mangrove forest

Entrance of the textile Souq Both are located in Bur Dubai Area, close to the historical places where you will have the palaces of previous Sheikh. All the area had been renovated and many tourists are going there to visit the museum, the souls and the historical buildings. This textile souk is the hub for the Middle Eastern fabrics and people from all around the world make it a point to visit this place when they come to Dubai. Man selling Samosa The Bastakia quarter, or Bastakiya, is an area of Dubai on the Bur Dubai side of the Dubai Creek that dates from the 1890s, where residents originally earned money from pearl diving. Bastakiya is named after the Iranian town of Bastak - many of the original traders in Bastakia were from Iran. you can find Colorful gifts in the souq

Traditional Dhow mooring at Telegraph Island The Musandam peninsula which juts into the Strait of Hormuz, includes is part of the Sultanate of Oman, and exclave separated from the rest of the country by th e United Arab Emirates. There are four provinces with the main well-known one is Khasab where all tourists go to take the traditional wooden boats called Dhows. The tour takes them to the fjord-like between desolated mountainscapes. On the way, they can see dolphins and time to time baby sharks. Dhows stop several times for the tourists to enjoy swimming and snorkeling in a clear sea water. see the video here Arabic Dhows mooring in Musandam with tourist snorkeling