Four days in Catalonia, taking in Gaudí’s Barcelona from Casa Batlló and Park Güell to the Sagrada Família, a morning among the jagged peaks of Montserrat, and a day out to Girona’s old town and the coves of Tossa de Mar on the Costa Brava.

The Sagrada Família Casa Batlló The peaks of Montserrat Girona Cathedral A cove at Tossa de Mar Park Güell, looking out to the sea

A weekend in the French Alps during my research visit to Naver Labs Europe in Grenoble. Canals winding through the old town, the twelfth-century Palais de l’Isle, and the turquoise water of Lake Annecy.

The Thiou canal through the old town Palais de l’Isle Boats on the Canal du Vassé Lake Annecy Basilique de la Visitation

Home during my research visit to Naver Labs Europe. Grenoble sits where three mountain ranges meet, with wide views from the Bastille over the Isère and a spring walk to the waterfalls and caves of the Cuves de Sassenage.

The Isère from the Bastille Cuves de Sassenage Falls on the Furon Spring light on the Furon A spring afternoon in Sassenage Grenoble and the Belledonne range

Two days in Paris, with the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower on the first, then Île de la Cité, from the stained glass of Sainte-Chapelle to the restored Notre-Dame, and on to the Arc de Triomphe.

The Eiffel Tower in the evening Sainte-Chapelle The Mona Lisa at the Louvre Notre-Dame de Paris Arc de Triomphe The Louvre Pyramid

A weekend based in Geneva, with the Jet d’Eau on the lakefront, a day up at Glacier 3000 crossing the Peak Walk (a suspension bridge strung between two summits), and an afternoon by the lake in Montreux.

The Jet d’Eau on Lake Geneva Peak Walk at Glacier 3000 Lake Geneva at Montreux The Alps from Glacier 3000 Our group on the Peak Walk viewing deck

The last leg of the trip took in the Blue Mosque at dusk, a day out to the ruins of Troy and the wooden horse at Çanakkale, New Year’s Eve in Taksim, and New Year’s Day in the Basilica Cistern and at Topkapı Palace, dusted with snow.

The Basilica Cistern Inside the Blue Mosque The Blue Mosque at dusk Snow at Topkapı Palace The Trojan Horse at Çanakkale The walls of ancient Troy

On from Cappadocia to the southwest, first to the white travertine terraces of Pamukkale and the ruins of ancient Hierapolis above them, then to Antalya, with Hadrian’s Gate lit up at night, the Düden Waterfalls, and sunrise over the sea.

The travertines of Pamukkale The theatre at Hierapolis Among the ruins of Hierapolis Hadrian’s Gate by night Düden Waterfalls The terraces cascading towards the valley Sunrise over the sea in Antalya

Christmas in Cappadocia, with hundreds of hot-air balloons rising over the valleys at dawn, an afternoon among the fairy chimneys and the rock castle of Uçhisar, and fresh snow on the last morning.

Balloons at dawn Sunrise over the valleys Fairy chimneys near Göreme Winter sun at Uçhisar Snow on the last morning Drifting over the valleys

Five days in Scotland, starting at the cloisters of the University of Glasgow. Two days out in the Highlands took me through Glencoe, past Loch Ness and to Glenfinnan as the steam train crossed the viaduct, and in Edinburgh’s Old Town I found the Thistle Chapel in St Giles’ and the colours of Victoria Street.

The cloisters, University of Glasgow The Thistle Chapel, St Giles’ Victoria Street, Edinburgh A hairy coo, near Callander Loch Shiel, Glenfinnan The Hogwarts Express (Jacobite steam train) crossing the Glenfinnan Viaduct The Three Sisters, Glencoe

Places closer to home, including the Jurassic Coast in Dorset from Durdle Door to Lulworth Cove, Bath Abbey, the Radcliffe Camera in Oxford, a summer day in London, and Hogwarts in the snow at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour.

Durdle Door, Dorset Big Ben, London Bath Abbey The Radcliffe Camera, Oxford The London Eye Lulworth Cove, Dorset Hogwarts in the snow, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London

Six days in northern Vietnam, taking in Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi by night, a day on Ha Long Bay with the climb up Ti Top Island and the caverns of Sung Sot, and a rowing-boat ride through the karst landscape of Tam Coc in Ninh Binh, from bright afternoon into evening haze.

Evening light in Tam Coc, Ninh Binh Ha Long Bay Sung Sot Cave, Ha Long Bay Rowing through Tam Coc Ngoc Son Temple, Hanoi Ha Long Bay from Ti Top Island

Home for four years while I worked at Hitachi in Tokyo, from Tokyo Tower and the Skytree to Bentendo Hall on Shinobazu Pond and the city in cherry-blossom season. I also climbed Mt Fuji to watch dawn break above the clouds, and took a trip to Himeji Castle.

Tokyo Skytree and carp streamers Tokyo Tower at night Bentendo Hall, Shinobazu Pond Cherry blossom season in Tokyo Dawn from the slopes of Mt Fuji The summit crater of Mt Fuji Himeji Castle at dusk

In Seoul for ICCV 2019 at COEX, with the Gangnam Style statue outside, the towering shelves of the Starfield Library inside, and Halloween in full swing on the streets at night.

Making a friend on a Seoul street at night Halloween in Seoul Starfield Library, COEX The Gangnam Style statue, COEX