The white nights is something I had never experienced and I wanted to see what it was like for the sun to never set. So off we went to Alaska during the last week of June. About a week into our trip we made our way toward Denali National Park. Stopping off at Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge, we were hoping to see a great view of Denali from the back patio of the hotel. Well, the view was stunning, but the cloud cover made it impossible to see the mountain. But happily we continued to enjoy the scenery. Slowly the cloud cover was starting to break and we waited to see if we could catch a glimpse of the great mountain nearby. Afterall, we had traveled a long way for this sight. But while we had traveled a long way, our travels weren't exactly strenuous. So I couldn't figure out why I was so tired. Eventually I started heading back to my room and snapped a couple photos on the way. When I looked at the captured photos on my camera display, the time stamp displayed. This photo was taken shortly after 2:30am. And that is the beauty of the white nights in Alaska.
labels: alaska, denali location: talkeetna, ak 99676, usa
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There are things that I love finding when out exploring. Wild flowers are included at the top of the list. These flowers were found in northeast Arizona, near the four corners area. There's something to be said for something beautiful in an area that isn't classically pretty when examined at a micro level. I love the color of these flowers... such a vibrant coral color. But wild horses are the best! These horses are the first wild horses I had ever photographed. There is something so beautiful about the horses roaming the country side, completely free. This was a small group, less than 6, that would stick together often. The rangers at a nearby National Park knew of the horses and would tell stories about them, but each horse was described by color or gender. They had no names defining them. Label: Colorado
Seward, Alaska is just a few hours from Anchorage, Alaska and is a common end point for cruise ships, trains and cars. So given the inaccessibility of many places in Alaska, this one has many transportation options. Another claim to fame for this town is the use of the site to rescue and rehabilitate the animals after the Exxon Valdez oil spill. So the harbor was someplace that I really wanted to visit. And I'm glad we did. Off in the distance we could see this family of otters floating on their backs and playing in the harbor water.
I'm feeling very "springy" and thinking of flowers. This is a great example of the Hawaiian State Flower, the Yellow Hibiscus. The hibiscus loves the weather in Hawaii and grows all over the islands. This one grows along the street near Waikiki Beach and earned a quick snap.
It's only after I had the film developed that I saw the little lizard to the left of the blossom. He didn't hang out long. He had disappeared in my next photo just seconds later. The Cathedral in Seville, Spain is the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world and the third largest Church in the world. Construction took just over 100 years starting in the 15th century (after the Reconquista) and was built on the site of a mosque that was damaged 50 years earlier in an earthquake. It was built in the shape of a cross when viewed aerially. The detail of the church is amazing. The photo above shows the ceiling just above the alter area. The ceiling in this area is over 40 meters high (nearly 140 feet) and fully carved throughout.
This last weekend was the first part of Coachella in the US. Spring often seems to be the start of music festivals and Chile is no different. This amphitheater is the home to the largest music festival in Chile; some say it is the most important music festival in the Americas.
The facility holds 20,000 people and is located in the middle of the the Quinta Vergara Park in Vina del Mar, a town just north of Valparaiso, Chile. The "ceiling" is filled with pipes to aid in the acoustics of the venue. I was told that during the era of Pinochet, this was the only way a Chilean could hear foreign music in the country. I wish I had taken a photo of this walking street anytime after 7:00 in the morning. Because it was always packed with people. I mentioned previously that while in Shanghai I was suffering from jet lag and up earlier than normal. So around 5:00 we got up and went for a walk. This photo was taken while returning to the hotel... around 6:00 or so. I love that every 20 feet or so was a new group practicing their tai chi in the early morning hours. I love the way the morning light wakes up the buildings in the city. I love that this chaotic city of 23 million (the largest city in China) arouses slowly with a calmness.
labels: china, shanghai location: shanghai, china In 1929, the World's Fair was held in Seville, Spain. The fair was held in Maria Louisa Park and the majority of the exhibits were built to be permanent, functioning buildings after the event was over. For example, this is Plaza de Espana which showed the Spanish exhibit and is now government offices. This was the largest exhibit during the fair. In the middle of the plaza is a large fountain (to the left, out of frame). You might be able to see that there are bridges going over a canal in front of the building. One of my favorite parts is those bridges. Spain is known for their ceramic work. The handrail and spindles are hand painted ceramic pieces. While some bridges need repair today, this one was in perfect shape forming another one of my favorite Spanish photos. posted by she likes to travel at 4/09/2012 10:36:00 am no comments: labels: garden, seville, spain Once I was invited to a wedding in Bangor, Northern Ireland. I had met and worked with a group of people from Belfast and Bangor was just a short distance away.
While on the way we passed Belfast Harbor where Harland and Wolff built the Titanic and the sister ships. One hundred years ago today, the Titanic was pushed out to sea to prove her sea worthiness. Twelve hours later, the paperwork was signed and Titanic took off for South Hampton awaiting the arrival of her first passengers. The rest is history. My friends and I carried on the remaining 10 miles or so to Bangor, a resort town that is easily within commuting distance to Belfast. We stayed at a beautiful hotel on this square in town. Immediately to the right of this picture is the Bangor Marina which lead out to Bangor Bay and ultimately Irish Sea. We spent a beautiful weekend enjoying the wedding festivities and exploring the area. Recently I celebrated a big birthday. To celebrate I wanted to do something grand. I hadn't been to South America yet, and I started looking at options. I didn't want to be on a 15 day tour, where I was with the same people every day and a schedule planned months in advance. Instead I found an awesome travel group who allowed me to pick and choose a number of options (and fill the rest of my time with my own adventures).
I knew Chile was my destination but was hesitant about adding on a trip to Easter Island (or Rapa Nui) onto this trip. It was expensive, and took two days of travel to get there and back. But wow! Was it worth it! This is a photo of one of the resurrected sites on the island. Thanks to Japan for donating the money and a crane to assist in the effort. What I love about this picture is the view of the people wandering just to the right of the status. I think this photo gives an idea of the scale of these moai. The history of the island is amazing. While sometimes you look back at a trip and think it was special, I knew this one was magical from the very start. |
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December 2012
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