Asia – Travel Notes – Travel Blog

February 22, 2018February 22, 2018

Banned Hashtags on Instagram

Have you ever posted something to Instagram and not received 1,000 likes within a few seconds?

It must be painful to watch the heart pump out its little blood red dot and look to see who all those people are, doing the liking.

A problem many of us probably don’t have.

With a few well chosen #hashtags though, we should at least spark some interest.

Even if we don’t get thousands of likes, we usually expect to get into double digits within a few minutes, before the picture drifts out of visibility.

But nothing. Not one like?

Well, I did get one and I was wondering how the person found me; and even added a follow to the like?

The photo was not showing up anywhere; except on the @TravelNotesPhotos account page and the location page – Hanoi, Vietnam.

I deleted the photo, changed a few hashtags and tried again.

Zilch.

I try not to use anywhere near the (so I’ve heard) 30 #hashtag limit and I certainly don’t post enough to be considered a spammer.

Perhaps I was being penalised for making just 68 posts since August 31, 2016.

I’d heard of banned hashtags, as you do, but didn’t think my Hanoi Street Barber was doing anything wrong.

So I rummaged around, tested tags I commonly use in the search box.

Could #FineArtAmerica be the problem?

No. All clear.

Instagram doesn’t seem to be so flooded with the cross promoting brigade, as there’s no way to get to the art from the photo; unless someone goes to the profile page.

I visit other people’s profiles, but I seldom click on their link; unless it looks like it could be an interesting blog.

I read that if one hashtag is banned, the whole lot wouldn’t work.

Then I hit the jackpot.

List of Banned Instagram Hashtags (2018)
by Alexandra | Jan 15, 2018 | Instagram Tips

Amazing.

My ‘banned hashtag’ was #Asia. One I didn’t think to test.

Thanks for reading, and thanks to Alexandra!

Anyone interested in Instagram should look through these Instagram Tips.

https://thepreviewapp.com/instagram-tips/

If you have any Instagram Tips or questions, just post away.

I’ll be adding more of what I find interesting as we move forward.

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🖼 Artists and Photographers on Instagram.
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📷 Michel
🌎 Instagram.com/TravelNotesPhotos/

November 26, 2016November 26, 2016

2017 Travel Photography Calendar

If you collect our travel photography calendars, the Travel Notes 2017 Travel Photography Calendar is available to buy online; just in time for Christmas.

Individual prints are also available for that special place on your wall.

Bangkok Floating Market graces the cover.

Skiing in Aspen, Colorado.

Tourists in Budapest.

Moscow Kremlin in Winter.

Forbidden City, Beijing.

Guilin Limestone Peaks.

Autumn in Baden Baden.

Kota Bahru Indoor Market.

Sydney Opera House.

Thank-you for your support.

January 26, 2016April 28, 2016

Boy Buddhist In Bodh Gaya

Young novice monk in maroon robe meditates beside candles in the afternoon sun at Mahabodhi Temple, India.

Boy Buddhist in Bodh Gaya

A religious site and place of pilgrimage, Bodh Gaya (in Bihar State) is where Gautama Buddha is said to have obtained enlightenment; after meditating under the Bodhi tree, for 49 days.

For Buddhists, Bodh Gaya is the most important of the main four pilgrimage sites related to the life of Gautama Buddha; something akin to Mecca for Muslims.

India.

January 23, 2016April 28, 2016

Once a traditional way of life on the numerous waterways in and around Bangkok, the floating market is now popular with leisure seekers at weekends; something of a cultural spectacle for Thai tourists and foreigners alike.

Bangkok Floating Market

There are so many floating markets that travel bloggers devote pages to listing their favourites and a number of reasons why you should visit them.

When I was in Thailand’s capital, we didn’t have smart phones and Google Maps, so I asked a ‘tourist policeman’ where the nearest floating market was.

He stopped a young man on a moped, told him where to take me and gestured that I was not to pay him.

Water.

January 21, 2016April 28, 2016

Brunei Mosque

The Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque dominates the skyline of Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of the Sultanate of Brunei.

Brunei Mosque

Built in 1958, the mosque is named after the 28th Sultan of Brunei. If you can’t remember his name though, most people will know what you mean if you say the ‘Brunei Mosque’.

Surrounded by an artificial lagoon the mosque’s most distinguishable feature is its golden dome; which reflects nicely in the pool of water.

Sky.

January 19, 2016April 28, 2016

Tea in Tashkent

A young boy watches an old Uzbek woman, probably his grandmother, put a steaming hot glass of tea to her lips; in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Tea in Tashkent

The youngster holds a pot aloft and offers the woman, with a red woolen scarf over her head, another refill.

It is a sunny April day, in Central Asia, but far from warm.

Uzbekistan.

January 15, 2016April 28, 2016

Kota Bahru Indoor Market, Malaysia

Overview of shoppers and market vendors at the colourful indoor vegetable market in Kota Bahru, Malaysia; some in traditional Malay dress.

Kota Bahru Indoor Market

Muslim woman sell fresh vegetables from a seated position on the floor; while others watch the rituals of Kelanten daily life, from above.

Visiting a food market on our travels is a great way to gain an insight into the local culture and a taste for the main ingredients that go into the regional dishes.

Culture.

January 13, 2016April 28, 2016

Samarkand, Uzbekistan – Old Silk Road

Old man in contemplation by the Domes at the Avenue of Mausoleums (Shah-i-Zinda) in Samarkand, Uzbekistan; one of the oldest inhabited cities in Central Asia, along with Bukhara.

Samarkand, Uzbekistan

An Islamic centre for scholarly study, Samarkand prospered from its position on the Old Silk Road; described in ‘The Travels of Marco Polo’ as ‘a very large and splendid city’.

UNESCO added the city to its World Heritage List, in 2001; as Samarkand – Crossroads of Cultures.

Blue.

January 10, 2016April 28, 2016

Guilin Limestone Peaks – China

Guilin is flat enough to cycle around and then these magnificent limestone peaks rise up in front of you.

Guilin Limestone Peaks

A cruise down the river, from Guilin to Yangshuo, passes through some of China’s most magnificent scenery.

Nature has spent 70 million years perfecting the sculptures around this part of the Li River; revealing a landscape that is truly awesome.

China.

January 6, 2016April 28, 2016

Forbidden City – Beijing, China

The Forbidden City (Imperial Palace) was home to fourteen emperors of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) and ten emperors of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911).

Forbidden City – Beijing, China

Listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site in 1987, the Palace Museum is located in the centre of Beijing, on the northern side of Tiananmen Square.

Blue Sky.