Hi Frugalistas! As 2014 comes to a close, like many bloggers I’m reviewing my travels, my blog and my social media for the year. My favourite social media channel is definitely Instagram. I love choosing my favourite shots and sharing them with my ever growing audience. I’m also so interested in what my Instagram followers like – it helps me refine my subject choices for future posts. But I am always surprised at what does well and what doesn’t. This year, I’ve decided to share my top 10 Instagram photos with the readers of frugalfirstclasstravel, so you can see what my Instagram followers have enjoyed, but also tell you the story behind some of the photos.
1. Oranges in the market in Athens
Regular readers will recognise this picture from my Athens food walk talk
This picture will be familiar to readers who enjoyed my Athens food walk post. It was taken in the Athens fruit and vegetable market. Food photos are always popular on Instagram, so the fact this photo did well didn’t surprise me. What did surprise me was how well it went – it was my top Instagram post of 2014!
2. A fabulous pavlova at Christmas
Hhhhmmm, pavlova
My number 2 photo was a real surprise to me. If you follow me on Instagram you’ll know I don’t post pictures of my family, my dinner (unless it’s while I’m travelling) or my pets. I keep my feed exclusively for my travels and for the odd interesting place or thing I see in Sydney that I think might have a broad appeal. When I saw my mother’s pavlova on Christmas Day I knew I had to make an exception. Pavlova is a very traditional celebratory dessert in Australia, and Christmas is no exception. Despite only being posted a few days ago, this photo romped it into second place – again demonstrating just how popular great looking food is on Instagram (oh, and it tasted great too!)
3. Rose garden in Melbourne
Granny’s garden
If number two surprised me, my third most popular photo shocked and delighted me. Taken on Christmas morning, it shows my mother’s garden in Melbourne. My mother has been a very keen gardener since her retirement, and is very, very fond of roses. While she now needs help with the garden, it still looks fabulous at Christmas.
4. Greek coffee served the traditional way in Athens
Traditional Greek coffee in Athens
We head back to Athens, and my Culinary Backstreets walk for photo number 4. This shot was actually a bit tricky to capture. Pouring the coffee with one hand and taking the photo with the other, holding the camera steady, was no mean feat. I love how this shot came out, as it really captures the true experience of enjoying that coffee. Having it served in the little pot, pouring it ourselves and enjoying the aroma was a wonderful experience that I was delighted to be able to share.
5. Marie Antoinette’s Hameau at Versailles
Deep in the depths of the Versailles garden….
Another shot that really surprised me. It’s not even a new photo – it dates from our family trip to France in 2008. I think it did well as it is a part of the gardens at Versailles that many people don’t bother to visit. Marie-Antoinette’s hameau (hamlet) is a peaceful refuge deep in the gardens, far from the tour groups and queues at the main Chateau. We enjoyed a very pleasant time sitting in the sun, watching the ducks on the pond, and exploring her tiny village.
6. The Chateau at Saumur
The Chateau at Saumur
This is another old photo – this time from 2012 when I visited Saumur in the Loire Valley. I had a series of beautiful twilight photos of the river and the town that I really love. I posted them all, and while the twilight photos did well, it was this daylight shot of the Chateau that my followers liked the most. You can visit the Chateau – like many French Chateaux that are open to the public, it is largely empty, but it is a pleasant walk up the hill, and the view of the town and the Loire River really do make it a magical place to stop.
7. Flying over the Aegean Sea
View of the Cycladic Islands
Back to Greece. Flying into Athens in October our flight path took us over the Aegean Sea, and our pilot kindly pointed out the Cycladic Islands as we flew over them. Unfortunately, this view, and a visit to Anofiotika was the closest I got to a Greek Island on this visit, but it was so pretty and so photogenic, I had to have more than one shot!
8. Sunset at the Blue Mosque
Sunset over the Blue Mosque
I was so delighted to have a photo of Istanbul in my top ten photos of 2014. This particular shot was one of a series I took during my first visit to Istanbul in 2013. I was lucky to be treated to this view every day from my hotel window and I was enchanted by its changing hues during the day. I particularly loved it at sunset, when it was bathed in this beautiful light.
9. A faded rose in Anofiotika
Faded glory in Anofiotika still has a charm all of its own
I posted a large series of photos on Istagram of Anofiotika. Readers who saw my post on the blog about this stunning little haven in Athens can see why. Pretty and just so photogenic, I went crazy on all that beautiful Cycladic architecture. My Instagrammers loved them too – but it was this faded “renovator’s delight” that really stole their hearts. Funny thing was, I almost didn’t post it – I thought it might be a bit, well, “plain”………
10. Panda breakfast in Adelaide
Panda breakfast
Animal pics are always popular on Instagram, so it’s no surprise that an animal photo made it into my top ten. I normally post photos of cats and birds (with the occasional dog) I see on my travels and they usually do quite well. But it was this little lady from Adelaide who came out as top dog (well, panda anyway) in the animal stakes. MissG and I visited Adelaide in 2013 and had a special early morning zoo tour, where we got a private meeting with the only pandas in the Southern Hemisphere.
If you would like to follow me on Instagram you can CLICK HERE to link to my account – if you aren’t following me already, I’d love you to join me. I post a lot of photos that don’t make it onto the blog, so there’s always something new to see.
OK blog readers, the Instagram followers have spoken. Now it’s your turn – what were your favourite photos of 2014?
Filed under: Photos, Travel Tagged: Anofiotika, Athens, instagram, Instagram followers, instagram photos, Istanbul, pavlova, roses