The longer our wings are clipped, the more compelling virtual travel becomes.  One great online travel option is a website called WindowSwap (see More Info).  WindowSwap invites you to “open a new window somewhere in the world”.  With a simple click, you can enjoy the view through someone else’s window.  It may be a pleasing view of John’s balcony flower garden in Toronto Canada; Sisir’s view of a quiet residential street in The Hague, Netherlands complete with cyclists whizzing by; Shane’s sparkling view of modern skyscrapers in Dubai Marina, United Arab Emirates; a calming view of Sergey and Anna’s backyard in Moscow, Russia; or a city skyline with mountains in the background from Anna’s window in Sao Paulo, Brazil.  It may be sunny, raining or snowing.  It may be day, night, morning or evening.  There may be pets or wildlife such as deer and birds.
WindowSwap Website Main Page Screen Grab   @FanningSparks
The genius of WindowSwap is the surprise—you never know what you’ll see!  The views are randomly displayed—every time you click the button, a different recorded view pops up.  People from all over the world share 10-minute videos of their views.  It’s all voluntary.  The videos are honest and genuine—there are no fancy introductions, no overlays or splashy graphics, no hard sell and no self-promotion.  But be warned: WindowSwap is addictive!
WindowSwap brings to mind the views I’ve seen in my past travels.  We often seek out places to stay with nice views but it’s always a surprise.  Just like opening a new window in WindowSwap, you never know what you’ll see through the hotel room window!  Sometimes it’s just a swimming pool or neighboring buildings.  But other times, the view becomes a highlight of the stay.  I went back through my photo archives and pulled out a few of the more memorable hotel room views from our travels.
Some of the most memorable views have been of famous landmarks.  Once while staying in Paris, we had a terrific view of the Eiffel Tower.  The colorful evening sky and the brilliant crescent moon made this view unforgettable.
Eiffel Tower with Crescent Moon in Paris   @FanningSparksOur hotel was in the Montmartre district close to the beautiful Sacré-Coeur Basilica.
Sacré-Coeur Basilica in Paris   @FanningSparks
The views were beautiful in every direction—even the rooftops were lovely.
Paris Rooftops in Evening Sky   @FanningSparks
A stay in Barcelona was also marked with memorable views of a famous landmark.  My Airbnb apartment was located directly across the street from the Basílica of the Sagrada Família.
Basílica of the Sagrada Família in Barcelona   @FanningSparks
The close proximity brought the astonishing details of the Sagrada Família’s facade to life.
Stone Carved Lizard on Sagrada Família   @FanningSparks
The Sagrada Família was designed by Antoni Gaudí in 1882 and has been under construction ever since.  The main activity, at the time I visited, was on the tower of the Virgin Mary over the Temple apse.
Construction at Sagrada Família in Barcelona @FanningSparks
During a visit to Naples, we found a place to stay directly on the Neapolitan waterfront overlooking the Castel dell’Ovo.
View of Castel dell’Ovo in Naples Italy   @FanningSparks
We had a bird’s-eye view of all the action.  Here a couple of fishermen maneuver their rowboat around the castle walls.
Rowboat at Base of Castel dell’Ovo in Naples Italy   @FanningSparksDespite the cool wintertime temperatures, there were lots of people strolling along the Via Partenope enjoying Naples’ seaport.
Via Partenope in Naples Italy   @FanningSparksThere were many beautiful views on that trip to Italy.  We rented a car and drove along the magnificent Amalfi Coast.  We spent a couple of nights in the small, scenic town of Ravello which is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  The town was magical and the views were spectacular.  This was the view from our hotel room balcony.
Balcony Overlooking Amalfi Coast from Ravello Italy   @FanningSparks
The view was stunning throughout the day and night.  This is the Amalfi Coast at sunrise.
Sunrise on Amalfi Coast Viewed from Ravello Italy   @FanningSparks  Here’s the same view at night.
Nighttime View of Amalfi Coast from Ravello Italy   @FanningSparks
We visited the Lake Como area, in northern Italy, on a different trip.  This is Lake Como from our room in Bellagio, Italy.
View of Lake Como from Bellagio Italy   @FanningSparksView of Ferry on Lake Como from Bellagio Italy   @FanningSparks
There’s no doubt Italy is a beautiful country but it’s not the only place we visited with outstanding natural beauty.  This was the view from our room in Connemara, Ireland.
Window View at Cashel House Hotel in Connemara Ireland   @FanningSparks
Fifty acres of beautiful flower gardens and natural woodlands surround the country house hotel where we stayed.  Cashel Bay can be seen in the distance.
View from Cashel House Hotel in Connemara Ireland   @FanningSparks
Closer to home, we enjoyed a view of the magnificent Blue Ridge Mountains while staying in Blowing Rock, North Carolina.
Blue Ridge Mountains from Blowing Rock NC USA   @FanningSparks
Blue Ridge Mountains from Blowing Rock NC USA   @FanningSparksThat brings me full circle—back home to Georgia and our beautiful views of Lake Oconee.  Sunrise over the lake is always beautiful but some conditions, such as a drastic temperature change, saturate the color and heighten the drama.
Sunrise Over Lake Oconee GA USA   @FanningSparks
Watching the sky change from the dark, moody blue of first light to the golden tones of the morning sky never grows old.  I have captured this beautiful scene in numerous still photos but thought it would be fun to capture it on video as well.  Recently, the unpredictable temperatures of early January provided the perfect opportunity.  I’m excited to be able to share this video with WindowSwap viewers.
Sharing your own window view on WindowSwap couldn’t be simpler.  As instructed: “Record a 10 minute, horizontal HD video of your view with part of your window frame in the shot.”  Then use the “Submit Your Window” option to upload your video.  The WindowSwap folks will notify you when the video is posted.  Here’s how our view of the Lake Oconee sunrise looks in accordance with the WindowSwap instructions.
Framed View of Sunrise Over Lake Oconee  GA  USA   @FanningSparks
If all goes according to plan, my video of the Lake Oconee sunrise will be included in the WindowSwap random rotation and viewers around the world will be able to enjoy this magical view.

More Info

You can find WindowSwap at www.window-swap.com.  Why not give it a try?  WindowSwap is also on Instagram.  I appreciate that WindowSwap doesn’t run advertisements on their site because I can spend all my time enjoying the splendid views and not filtering through annoying ads.  WindowSwap does provide a means for viewers to support the project.  As they point out “…if you love window swap, please help us keep it alive.  Buy us a coffee for one time support.”
The following list, to borrow a phrase from the WindowSwap folks, is for my fellow “travel hungry fools”.  These are the hotels that afforded the beautiful views shared in this post:
Paris: Hotel Rochechouart Boulevard de Rochechouart, Paris (Note: This hotel seems to have undergone significant changes since we stayed there many years ago.)
Barcelona: Airbnb apartment— look for “Sagrada Familia! Elevator! Wi-Fi!” in Barcelona
Naples: Hotel Royal Continental Via Partenope, Naples, Italy
Ravello: Hotel Graal Via della Repubblica, Ravello, Italy
Bellagio: Hotel Metropole Bellagio, Bellagio, Province of Como, Italy
Connemara: Cashel House Hotel in Connemara, Co. Galway, Ireland
Blowing Rock: Chetola Resort in Blowing Rock, North Carolina, USA

Today’s Takeaways

1. Consider travelling virtually as an alternative to physical travel.
2. Online offerings, such as WindowSwap, provide a great way to explore the world.
3. Take a minute to appreciate the view out of your own window.
Peg - FanningSparks Author


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