Joshua & Kay
· · ·

Joshua & Kay

A Honeymoon in Five Acts

April 20 — May 3, 2026
Scroll · The Story Begins
· · ·

"Fourteen days. Five countries. One love story —
told in cathedrals, on alpine lakes, across lagoons at sunset, and beneath the water lilies of Giverny."

Joshua with his Fujifilm
· The Gear ·

Shot on Fujifilm

Every photo on this site was shot on one of two Fujifilm cameras carried through fourteen days and five countries. No drones, no tripods most of the time — just two bodies, a few primes, and whatever light the day offered.

The X100VI lived in a jacket pocket for street moments, cafés, and tight interiors. The X-T5 came out for the landscapes, the golden hours, and anything that needed reach.

  • PrimaryFujifilm X-T5
  • CompactFujifilm X100VI
  • FormatAPS-C · 40.2 MP
  • Film SimClassic Chrome · Astia · Eterna
  • Photos taken3,200+
Act I

The Thames in Mist

London, England · April 21 – 22

One magnificent day in London. From the statues of Westminster Abbey to the gilded Palm Court of The Ritz.

Houses of ParliamentJoshua in London
Westminster Abbey interiorJoshua at Westminster AbbeyAbbey fan vault ceiling
Changing of the GuardKay in St. James's Park
Together at The Ritz
April 21 · 5:30 PM

High Tea at The Ritz

The Palm Court. Chandeliers, finger sandwiches, and a surprise anniversary cake with a candle. The trip had barely begun and it already felt like a dream.

They brought out a cake with "Happy Anniversary" written across the top and a single candle. Kay's face lit up. This was only Day 1.

Kay at The RitzFloral Street at duskKay with Van Gogh Sunflowers
Kay with Parliament behindLondon Underground
· If You Go · London
Getting Around

The Tube is fast and iconic. Get an Oyster card or use contactless. Walk between Westminster, St. James's, and Covent Garden — it's all close.

The Ritz

Book High Tea 6–8 weeks in advance. Smart elegant dress code is enforced — no jeans, no trainers. Worth every penny.

Westminster Abbey

Book timed entry online. Allow 90+ minutes. The Lady Chapel fan vault is the highlight.

Best Time

April–May for spring blooms and long evenings. September is also lovely. Expect rain regardless.

An afternoon flight to Ljubljana. A pink church. A river at blue hour. Then — the mountains.

Kay in LjubljanaLjubljana riverfrontLjubljana at night
Act II

Mirrors of the Alps

Lake Bled & the Julian Alps · April 22 – 25

Three days in the Julian Alps. A fairy-tale lake, the wishing bell, 50 hairpin turns, and the emerald Soča Valley.

Lake Bled — the castle on the cliff, the island church, the Alps
Lake Bled dock Kay on the dock Lake from water level Pletna boat with castle Swans on Lake Bled Kay on pletna boat Kay with ice cream Together at the lake
Joshua ringing the wishing bellKay ringing the wishing bell

"No wishes made — just wishes fulfilled by adventuring together."

Kay on the castle throne View from the castle Kay on castle balcony Sunset from Bled Castle Bled Island at dusk
Bled Castle dinner
April 23 · 7:30 PM

Dinner at Bled Castle

Perched above the lake as the sun set behind the mountains. The food was shockingly amazing — one of the best meals of the entire trip. Not what you expect from a cliff-top castle in a country you'd only just arrived in.

The Mountain Day

Vršič Pass & the Soča Valley

Fifty hairpin turns. A turquoise river. Waterfalls, gorges, and the silence of the Alps.

Lake JasnaTogether at Lake Jasna
Kranjska Gora photo frame Dock at Lake Jasna Julian Alps peak Feet over emerald water Relaxing at the lake Russian Chapel Kay with a snowball Together at the summit
Turquoise waterfallVirje WaterfallStone arch bridge
Soča River gorge Footbridge over gorge Slot gorge Deep gorge from above Kay on bridge over river Together on river boulder Sheep in the Alps Mirror selfie on mountain road
Mountain ridges at golden hourPink sunset over valley
Sunset over the Soča Valley — April 24
· If You Go · Slovenia
Lake Bled

Stay lakeside at Hotel Park. Row a pletna to the island, ring the wishing bell, and eat the original Bled cream cake. Book Bled Castle dinner in advance.

Vršič Pass

50 hairpin turns, open May–October. Start early, stop at Lake Jasna and the Russian Chapel. The source of the Soča is a short hike from the pass.

Soča Valley

The emerald river is unreal in person. Visit the Tolmin or Velika Korita gorges. Virje Waterfall is a short walk from a roadside pulloff.

Getting There

Fly to Ljubljana, rent a car. Lake Bled is 45 minutes from the airport. You need a car for the valley — public transit doesn't reach most of the stops.

Interlude

The Scenic Route

Lake Bled → Venice · April 25

A day-long drive through four landscapes — from the Alps through underground caves, along the Adriatic coast, and into the Venetian lagoon at sunset.

Heart sculpture at BledPredjama Castle
Piran main square Seafood on the waterfront Kay on the Piran shore Kay overlooking the Adriatic Sailboat on the Adriatic
Venice water taxiArriving in Venice at dusk
Act III

Reflections in Rose & Gold

Venice, Italy · April 25 – 28

Three days in the floating city. Shopping for photoshoot outfits in the backstreets, golden mosaics, the Bridge of Sighs, and the colours of Burano.

The Grand Canal from the Rialto Bridge
Kay at St. Mark's Gondola and Salute dome St. Mark's golden mosaics Kay inside St. Mark's Venice canal Kay in a Venice alley Kay by a canal Kay with gelato Doge's Palace ceiling Kay in the Doge's Palace Bridge of Sighs passage Bridge of Sighs from canal Gondola bow at evening Kay by a canal at evening Kay at Caffe Florian
April 26 · 8:00 PM

Venice Dinner Cruise

A four-course Venetian dinner aboard a galleon, drifting past illuminated palazzi as the sky went pink over the lagoon. Venice from the water at golden hour is something you carry with you.

Dinner cruise at sunset

A day trip to Burano — the island of leaning towers and houses painted in every colour imaginable.

Burano street Burano canal Burano leaning tower Kay on a Burano bridge Kay with pizza on Burano
· If You Go · Venice
Stay on Giudecca

The Hilton Molino Stucky is quieter and more affordable than San Marco hotels, with a rooftop pool and the lagoon view Monet painted.

Gondola Photoshoot

Book a local photographer for 60–90 minutes at sunrise. The canals are empty, the light is soft, and you'll get images you'll frame forever.

Burano

Take the vaporetto from Fondamente Nove. Half-day trip. The colours are real — by city ordinance. Try the risotto di go.

Dinner Cruise

Book a lagoon dinner cruise for sunset. Seeing Venice from the water at golden hour is unforgettable.

Act III · The Photoshoot

A Gondola at Dawn

Ninety minutes with Enzo, a Venetian photographer who knew every hidden canal. Exploring new corners of the city together, laughing through the fog, and watching Venice wake up from a gondola.

scroll →
By the gondola pole Canal doorway Laughing on the dock Walking along a canal Laughing by a canal Bridge of Sighs On bridge steps Salute dome behind San Giorgio dock Under an archway Gondola under bridge In the gondola Laughing in the gondola Close together A kiss in Venice Gondola ride
Act IV

The City of Eternal Light

Paris, France · April 28 – May 2

Paris in full. The great Impressionist museums, a hop-on hop-off tour through the neighborhoods, the palace of Versailles, and a Bach concert inside Sainte-Chapelle under that impossible stained glass.

Eiffel TowerMusée d'Orsay clock
Kay next to Monet at d'Orsay Kay at d'Orsay upper level Monet's Water Lilies Kay with Water Lilies Mona Lisa Kay in the Louvre Louvre pyramid Napoleon III apartments Notre-Dame Joshua at a Paris café Kay on a Paris boulevard Kay at a Seine bookstall Les Invalides Grand hotel atrium
Bach under the stained glass — an unexpected concert at Sainte-Chapelle, May 1
We stumbled into a Bach concert being performed inside Sainte-Chapelle at night, surrounded by 600 square metres of 13th-century stained glass glowing from the inside. It was the most unexpected, most transcendent evening of the entire trip.May 1 · Paris
Her Choice

Château de Versailles

She chose the Sun King — and she chose it very quickly. The Hall of Mirrors, the Gallery of Battles, and a golf cart through the impossibly vast gardens.

Together at Versailles
Château de Versailles — April 30
Versailles courtyard Hall of Mirrors Mirror selfie in the Hall Royal Chapel Kay in Gallery of Battles Kay by a statue Kay on the train Grand Trianon Trianon mirror selfie
Apollo FountainVersailles from the gardens
Golf cart through the gardensJoshua in the gardens
The grand axisGrand canal view
· If You Go · Paris
Hotel Le Walt

Boutique hotel on Ave. de la Motte-Picquet. Rooms designed around Louvre paintings, views of the Eiffel Tower from the top floors.

Musée d'Orsay

The best Impressionist collection in the world. Go to the 5th floor first for Monet, Renoir, and the clock window.

Sainte-Chapelle

Check for evening concerts — Bach or Vivaldi performed under the stained glass. An unexpected, transcendent experience.

Versailles

Take the RER C. Rent a golf cart for the gardens (€40/hr) — they're impossibly vast. Musical Fountains run on weekends April–October.

Brasserie Bofinger

Art Nouveau landmark near Bastille, since 1864. Look up — the stained glass dome is stunning. Classic Alsatian brasserie fare.

· A Thread Through the Trip ·

The Monet Thread

A quiet thread ran through this honeymoon. The same painter — Claude Monet — stood in four of the same places we stood. Each act echoed him, and the trip ended in his garden.

i
1899 – 1904
Westminster Bridge
Monet painted the Houses of Parliament 19 times in the London fog.
ii
1908
Giudecca, Venice
The same view we woke to at the Hilton Molino Stucky.
iii
1914 – 1926
Musée de l'Orangerie
The Water Lilies murals — eight panels in two oval rooms.
iv
1883 – 1926
Giverny
The Japanese bridge, the lily pond, the studio. Where the thread came to rest.
My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece.
— Claude Monet
· · ·

"No wishes made at the bell —
just wishes fulfilled by adventuring together."

Encore

Monet's Living Canvas

Giverny, France · May 2

A pilgrimage to the gardens where Monet painted his masterpieces — timed perfectly for spring blooms. A guided tour through the studio, a final evening on the hill of Montmartre, and then — home.

Joshua on a Giverny roadGiverny cottage
Monet's house at Giverny — May 2, 2026
The colour throughout the gardens was just perfect. Great timing for spring blooms. You understand why he never left.May 2 · Giverny
Wisteria vendor stall Kay at a Giverny café Kay smelling roses Kay in the flower garden Kay among irises Dense wildflower garden House through the garden Green trellises and flowers Monet's studio Kay in the yellow dining room Stream in the water garden Japanese bridge over lily pond Kay in the water garden Water lily
Together on the Japanese bridgeTogether with wisteria
Together in a garden windowUnder the garden arch

An evening on the hill of Montmartre. Then the airport. Then home.

Paris from MontmartreSacré-Coeur at dusk
· If You Go · Giverny
Getting There

Train from Gare Saint-Lazare to Vernon (~50 min), then shuttle bus to Giverny. The same station Monet painted in 1877.

Best Time

Late April through May for wisteria on the bridge, irises, and tulips. June for roses and the famous water lilies in full bloom.

Book a Guide

A guided tour through Monet's house and studio adds incredible context. Without one, it's just beautiful — with one, you feel the history.

The Village

Don't rush back to Paris. Have a lemon tart at a garden café, browse the art shops, and wander the quiet lanes. Giverny itself is a painting.

· Where We Stayed ·

The Five Hotels

"An Edwardian grand dame, an alpine lakeside sanctuary, a converted 19th-century flour mill, a Parisian boutique, and one last night beside the runways."

Waldorf Astoria London
Act I
Waldorf Astoria London
Aldwych · Covent Garden
1 Night
Hotel Park Bled
Act II
Hotel Park
Lake Bled · Julian Alps
3 Nights
Hilton Molino Stucky
Act III
Hilton Molino Stucky
Giudecca · Venice
3 Nights
Hotel Le Walt
Act IV
Hotel Le Walt
7th Arr. · Near Eiffel Tower
4 Nights
Hilton CDG
Departure
Hilton Paris CDG
Charles de Gaulle Airport
1 Night
· Where We Ate ·

Memorable Tables

"France was our favourite for food generally, but the food at Bled Castle was shockingly amazing."

Apr 215:30 PM
High Tea at The Ritz
London · Palm Court
Finger sandwiches, scones, and clotted cream under gilded Belle Époque ceilings. Plus a surprise anniversary cake.
Apr 237:30 PM
Bled Castle Restaurant
Lake Bled · Cliff-top Terrace
Dinner 130 metres above the lake with the sun setting behind the island church. Shockingly amazing — one of the best meals of the entire trip.
Apr 268:00 PM
Venice Dinner Cruise
The Lagoon · Aboard a Galleon
A four-course Venetian dinner under the stars, drifting past illuminated palazzi on the Grand Canal at sunset.
Apr 286:30 PM
Brasserie Bofinger
Paris · Bastille
An Art Nouveau landmark since 1864. Classic Alsatian brasserie fare beneath a hand-painted glass dome, before the ballet.
May 1Evening
Bach at Sainte-Chapelle
Paris · Île de la Cité
Not a meal — but the most memorable evening. A classical concert performed inside Sainte-Chapelle, surrounded by 600 square metres of 13th-century stained glass.
· By the Numbers ·

The Journey

14
Days
5
Countries
5
Flights
5
Hotels
1
Gondola
2
Wishing Bells
50
Hairpin Turns
Memories
· · ·

The story doesn't end here.

Fourteen days across five countries. Through fog and mountains and lagoons and lilies. We carried two cameras, ate our weight in French pastry, rang a wishing bell we didn't need, and watched Monet's bridge turn golden in May light.

This was the first chapter of a much longer book.

Joshua & Kay · April 20 – May 3, 2026