“A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people. ”
― Franklin D. Roosevelt
Monsoon clouds over the Arizona forest, much that has sadly burnt down due to wildfires.
Often when I travel, I am drawn to the unexpected surprises of places hidden beneath the non-attentive eye. From the mysterious hutongs of Beijing to the labyrinthine of a souq in Morocco, there is always a surprising hidden place to explore.
Perhaps these hidden places open a window into the unknown about the foreign culture you are visiting. Yet they always seem to leave me questioning, thinking and guessing about what it is really like behind these hidden windows of life.
The secret paths within a souq. Rabat, Morocco.
The whitewashed and baby blue walls in a Moroccan kasbah.
Inside the deep alleyways of the traditional Chinese hutongs. Beijing, China.
Another look at a Chinese Hutong.
Peering deep inside a hutong and wondering who lives there? How many homes are tucked away inside?
A hutong without a name or address.
Inside an ancient Chinese Water Village with numerous mysterious alleyways.
Many Chinese Water villages are threaded in waterways like this one that wind around the village and flow out to sea.
The open-air entryway of a home or cafe in Uruguay.
An open-air room of women making fresh torillas out of a building in Guatemala.
An alleyway in Guatemala where a Mayan women hones her craft.
Peeking inside the reddish brown wooden doors of a teahouse kitchen in rural Nepal.
Looking outside a “hotel” window in Himalayan Nepal at the donkey train passageway where modern day trucking is at its best.
“We were born before the wind
Also younger than the sun
Ere the bonnie boat was won as we sailed into the mystic
Hark, now hear the sailors cry
Smell the sea and feel the sky
Let your soul and spirit fly into the mystic” –Lyrics to one of my favorite Van Morrison songs, “Into the Mystic”
I just couldn’t resist including it with the post…listen along and view my photos into the mystic….
There is no place more mystical than Iceland. Come take a look for yourself and let me know if you agree that there is no place quite like it. The mystical land of fire and ice.
“Green is the prime color of the world, and that from which its loveliness arises.”
-Pedro Calderon de la Barca
It is hard to visit Guatemala and not become completely entranced by her greenery. The color green can be found in every place you look- from the verdant terraced farmlands, to the lush fertile peaks of the volcanoes. After a long, cold colorless winter arriving in Green Guatemala almost hurts your eyes and reminds me of the constant rebirth and cycle of life.
We arrived on our very last day in Savoie to see the town of Pralognan la Vanoise come to life with a glorious outdoor market. Every kind of fromage and saucisson you can imagine was available to sample and buy. If only I wasn’t flying back to the United States the next day, I would have gone hog wild! I am a cheese-aholic and can’t seem to get enough of the fatty, savory food.
Take a walk with me through the lovely market in Pralognan. If only pictures could be transported directly “chez moi” then I’d be in cheese heaven!
Au revoir La France! Until we meet again (which I’ll let you in on a little secret. It won’t be long! A trip is already planned for my mom, sister and I to meet up for a never-before mother-daughters trip to La Belle France this Spring!).
It has taken me awhile to complete my series of posts on hiking in Vanoise National Park, France. Although I’ve been busy writing about other stuff, sometimes it is hard to say goodbye to a lovely travel experience. I only have two posts left on this fantastic trip I took three months ago and only one post in particular in the mountains!
So here are views leaving the magnificent Alps and returning to civilization. When I look back overt all 800+ photos I took during this trip, I realize that my heart still remains in the mountains and I’ll be back….
Au revoir les Alps!
I woke up this morning and something felt different. I felt lighter, airer and when I opened my shades there it was….crisp, light, flaky SNOW!!!!
“I climbed a path and from the top looked up-stream towards Chile. I could see the river, glinting and sliding through the bone-white cliffs with strips of emerald cultivation either side. Away from the cliffs was the desert. There was no sound but the wind, whirring through thorns and whistling through dead grass, and no other sign of life but a hawk, and a black beetle easing over white stones.” – Bruce Chatwin, “In Patagonia”
Getting to the end of the world takes a very long time. After multiple flights starting due north in Minneapolis, I found myself arriving at literally the end of the world in El Calafate, Argentina. From 44.9 degrees north to 49.3 degrees south, it would take another three and a half hour bus ride to reach El Chalten, a tiny Patagonian outpost that marks the setting off point for Los Glaciares National Park.
One of the oldest traditions in the region of Savoie is making cheese. Three alpine cheeses are made in this region of the French Alps: Abondance, Beaufort, and Comte. These cheeses evolved over time due to the unique, isolated community of alpine herders who collectively used their dairy supplies during the summer months to make large cheeses that were easy to transport down the valley into the markets.
This post is a continuation of my series on hiking the Tour de Vanoise in France. This post follows the post “Our Last Night in the Alps at Refuge Peclet-Polset”. To read it, click here.
As I always like to say “All good things come to an end”. Today would be our last hike in Vanoise National Park in the French Alps. It had been a glorious hike with lots of spectacular views and over 800 sensational photos to prove it. Yet, I was really ready to get back to civilization and get a good night’s sleep!
Our last refuge. I should have known it was going to be trouble.
Author’s note: This post is a continuation on my travel series hiking the Tour de la Vanoise. Somehow or another I had started this post and forgot to finish it! How dare it! This post should have occurred the afternoon before we arrived at our last refuge, Refuge Peclet-Polset, and should have been placed after my post titled “Into the Mystic”.
Have you ever been in a place that felt like it was out of a fairytale? A place that brought back memories of being a child lost inside some fictitious fantasy land? Well that is how I felt when I climbed over the low-lying hill and descended upon our picnic place for the afternoon.
As I walked over this hill….
This is what I saw….
One of the most quintessential streets in the entire city of Chicago is Armitage Avenue. Located in the historic heart of trendy, urban Lincoln Park, Armitage is most known for its gorgeous tree-lined streets and classic, colorful Victorian row houses. Upscale boutiques and restaurants pepper the avenue making it a must-see place on any visit to Chicago.
A walk down Armitage Avenue is certain to leave you spellbound. The architecture is striking, the street is bustling and the sound of the passing “L” train (short for elevated train) cannot be missed. A leisurely afternoon stroll through the quaint, picturesque street and surrounding neighborhood is a great way to experience one of Chicago’s premier neighborhoods.