Condoriri Valley, Bolivia
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Breathless in Bolivia

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart. – Helen Keller

Almost a year ago today I was climbing up high into the Bolivian Andes in Condoriri Valley with my dad. It was an unforgettable trip in many regards. First and foremost, it was only six months after my father completed chemotherapy. To climb two mountains over 16,000 feet in two days is quite a remarkable recovery to say the least. I am so grateful that we were able to go on another amazing hike together. I don’t seem to have any other hiking partner as adventurous and fit as my dad. Second, for me it was proof that I could mentally and physically climb at high altitude. Landing in La Paz at one of the highest international airports in the world and then promptly driving to our base camp at 15,000 feet proved that my body could adjust and handle the thin air. It was the determining factor in my decision to climb Kilimanjaro this past July.

While I don’t have any climbing trips planned at the moment I still enjoy remembering and reflecting on my trips to the mountains. I have recently decided to revamp my Instagram account and slowly add new photos to my gallery. I feel these two pictures from my trip last November to Bolivia are right up there among my personal best. They inspire me to chase my dreams and never give up. I hope to be climbing again soon somewhere in the world.

If you believe in yourself and have dedication and pride – and never quit, you’ll be a winner. The price of victory is high but so are the rewards. – Paul Bryant

Condoriri Valley, Bolivia

This photo was taken as we were leaving our base camp in Condoriri Valley. In high season there can be hundreds of tents and climbers however we were the only ones there. It was quite cold in November dropping down to 15 degrees farenheit at night. But we had the entire place to ourselves. How lucky!

Adventure Travel Bolivia TRAVEL TRAVEL BY REGION Trekking/Hiking
Hike to Karanga Camp Machame Route Kilimanjaro
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My Happy Place

Life is abundant, and life is beautiful. And it’s a good place that we’re all in, you know, on this earth, if we take care of it. – Alice Walker

For those of you who are regular readers of my blog and know me, then you will not be the least bit surprised when I tell you that my happy place is being outside in nature. I prefer being in the mountains, hiking and breathing in the fresh, magical air but of course it isn’t possible that I’m always in this special place. Instead, I find beauty, peace and solitude in being anywhere outdoors and at home I generally find my happy place at my favorite neighborhood lake, Lake Harriet in Southwest Minneapolis. I walk and run around that lake year round, rain or shine, snow or sleet. I watch and marvel at the changing of the seasons  and the cycle of life. I reflect on the migration of the birds who come and go with the changing of the wind. If I’m lucky, I see a pair of bald eagles or a distant loon. I’ve even see a wild turkey and a group of deer which seems crazy given the fact that I live in the heart of a city.

Fall is by far the most beautiful season in Minnesota and I take advantage of being in my happy place as much as possible. The air is so fragrant, the sun so bright and the sky is usually a deep, dark sapphire blue on most days. But best of all, is the magical tapestry of leaves in their deep scarlet reds to pumpkin and burnt orange and golden yellows. It is a time of year that I always feel incredibly vibrant and alive.

“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower”. –Albert Camus

Lake Harriet Walking/Running Trail Minneapolis MN

Lake Harriet Walking/Running Trail

I took this photo just yesterday on my walk around Lake Harriet, one of four urban lakes in Southwest Minneapolis that make up the “chain of lakes”. We are so fortunate to have over 10,000 lakes in this state and many in the city have walking, biking and running paths that are plowed year round. 

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Doors around the World

“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths”. – Walt Disney

Whenever I travel I’m always mesmerized by doors. I often wonder what lies behind those doors. What kind of hidden world lies beyond, unseen to the world. For the curious onlookers like me, I love to ponder about the significance, uniqueness and beauty of doors.

Simply Doors

Paris, France

Antigua, Guatemala

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Hamel's Alley
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The World in Color

The world is a colorful place. Color brings emotions from the fiery reds of a brilliant sky to the moody deep blues of an untouched lake and the gentle yellows of a fresh spring flower. I love to capture color throughout my travels. I seem to gravitate more towards blue and green, my favorite colors that remind me of being outside, surrounded by the beauty of nature.

Red

Relaxing in front of God’s house.
Cubans are quite resourceful
Old American cars from the 50s are the pride and joy of Cubans and a way of life. Many are in various stages of decay and others have been refurbished with new parts.
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Photoblog: Forces of Nature

“On earth there is no heaven, but there are pieces of it” – Jules Renard

I find so much peace and joy in the beauty of nature. I love to be outdoors more than anything and oftentimes I am struck by the sheer force of nature to create such an amazing planet. It frightens me that we aren’t acting faster to stop climate change. I wonder what will remain of this amazing world for the generations to come. For my grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Will there be any glaciers remaining? Will the world be so green and spectacular? Or will it slowly disappear before our greedy eyes despite the fact that we can do something to stop it? It is our call.

This is what we have at stake. One of the most amazing places in the universe. Our planet.

“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better”. – Albert Einstein

Somewhere in Iceland…

Iceland landscape thirdeyemom

Clouds in Patagonia…..

Patagonia

Sunset on Lake Harriet near my home in Minneapolis…

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Torrey Pines Reserve San Diego CA
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An afternoon at Torrey Pines

One of the highlights of our family trip to San Diego was our visit to Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve. Located along the rocky coast of the Pacific Ocean between La Jolla and Del Mar lies a treasure: The 2,000- acre Torrey Pines Reserve, one of the wildest stretches of land along the Southern California coast. Named after the nation’s rare pine tree, the Pinus torreyana, this beautiful wilderness area offers several hikes affording spectacular panoramic views of the aquamarine ocean and craggy cliffs leading down to a vast, unspoiled beach. It is also home to several kinds of birds and waterfowl as well as magnificent, colorful wildflowers in the spring.

We headed to the park just as the midday sun was lowering, opting to drive our car up Torrey Pines Park Road to the Visitor Center on top and park there. You can also park your car at the bottom of the reserve near the South Beach entrance and walk up the road to the top of the bluffs- a distance of a little over a mile – but with children it was easier to park on top.

Torrey Pines Reserve San Diego CA

Driving up the paved road to the top of the Coastal Bluffs at Torrey Pines Reserve.

There is a nice visitor center with trail maps near the parking area on top, and on the weekends and holidays the reserve offers guided nature walks as well. Torrey Pines has over 8 miles of trails with many options depending on how far you want to go. You can hike the short half mile Razor Point trail to a gorgeous overlook of a gorge, badlands and wildflowers, or do what we did, simply find your way down to the beach.

Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve San Diego CA

View from atop the high, coastal bluffs.

Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve San Diego CA

The Torrey Pine is one of the rarest native pines in the United States.

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Port-au-Prince Haiti
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Photography in Motion: A drive through the Haitian countryside

“Dèyè mòn gen mòn” (beyond the mountains, more mountains) – Haitian Proverb 

I would be lying if I said I was good at taking photographs in motion. Learning how to operate my camera off the auto feature has been something I’ve just begun learning. In fact, I went to my first ever photography class just this past weekend SLR I where I finally learned the mysteries behind the terms f-stop, shutter speed and ISO. I have yet to play around with these features in real life but I’ve made a promise to myself that I will learn how to operate my camera off the auto setting. Why? Simply because it is the only way I can truly discover the real art of photography while simultaneously making my pictures better.

Learning how to use shutter speed effectively is high on my list because I love to take pictures from a moving car. Whether I am in a big urban city like Delhi or in the countryside of Ethiopia and most recently Haiti, my favorite thing to do is to document the trip on film. Sadly, many of my pictures do not turn out. The ones that do turn out are due to pure luck which is why I’ve decided to invest my time in learning how to correctly use my camera.

A few months ago, I was in Haiti to see the work of Heart of Haiti’s artisans. We spent the first two days in the country’s capital Port-au-Prince, and then headed south to a small seaside town of Jacmel. We rose early since we would most likely have a 3-4 hour drive depending on traffic. Driving in Haiti can be absolutely crazy and even getting around Port-au-Prince can take hours. There are way too many vehicles for the countries’ narrow, over-crowded streets and way too many broken-down vehicles that can stall traffic for hours.

I knew in order to get pictures in motion along the way, I’d have to be seated up front right next to the driver. I also tend to get rather carsick on bumpy roads. Thankfully none of the other ladies cared and I was rewarded the front seat of the van on the way there and back.

I am a huge map person as I like to see the route and know where I’m going. One thing that truly surprised me about our drive to Jacmel was how mountainous it was. In fact, Haiti is a nation of mountains and its name Hayti (the Indian name for the country) means “land of the mountains.” Some of the mountain peaks reach over 8,000 feet (2,400 meters) and sadly many mountainsides have been denuded and deforested which has caused several disastrous mudslides and flooding, killing many. Haiti is also quite prone to hurricanes and earthquakes given its location, making this small nation a highly vulnerable place to natural disasters.

Haiti_topographic_map-fr

Topographic Map of Haiti shows the mountainous drive south to Jacmel. Photo Credit: Wikipedia Free Commons

As we left the hustle and bustle of Port-au-Prince and got out into the countryside, I smiled. For this is the place I love to be!

Port-au-Prince Haiti

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Jacmel, Haiti
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The Fishing Boats of Jacmel

For some reason, I am absolutely fascinated with old fishing boats. Their peeling paint and worn down appearance make me so curious to learn their history. Who made them? Who owns them? What are they used for? All questions I would love to know but usually don’t find out due to language barriers when traveling.

When I was in Jacmel, on the southern coast of Haiti in February as part of my visit with Heart of Haiti (#Bloggers4Haiti), our hotel was located right on the sea with stunning views of the Caribbean. I noticed a collection of old fishing boats below on the beach and decided to walk down and explore.

The view from above on the verandah was so inviting it was hard to leave our hotel. But curiosity got the best of me. I’m an explorer at heart not one to sit on the beach.

Jacmel, Haiti

Jacmel, Haiti

Jacmel, Haiti

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Cerro Austria Bolivia
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The Grand Finale: Climbing Austria Peak

After a hard night’s sleep at base camp, we rose early for our second and last hike in Condoriri Valley. I was relieved that physical exhaustion had finally gotten the best of me and I was finally able to sleep in my iceberg tent at the foot of the glacier. It wasn’t as bitterly cold as the night before and I had finally acclimatized to our base camp elevation of 15,500 feet.

Cerro Austria, Condoriri Valley, Bolivia

The sun was rising and the only sounds we heard were of the wind and of our cook Eugenia, preparing our morning meal. Today’s hike was going to be a big one. We would climb about three to four hours up to the top of Cerro Austria also known as “Cerro Negro” to an altitude of 17,698 feet/5,396 meters. It would take us another 3 hours or so to descend depending on our speed.

I was a little bit weary of the hike because once again our guide Javier called it an “easy trekking peak that can be reached via moraines and rock slopes with no technical difficulty” in our itinerary. After a day of trekking with Javier, a serious mountaineer, I realized that “easy” for him meant something entirely different for my dad and me. But of course I was determined to make it.

The only concern for the day was the weather. A storm was coming in so we had to leave as soon as possible so we wouldn’t get caught in it. The thought of being caught in an electrical storm made me uneasy but I trusted Javier’s experience and knowledge of the high Andes. He had been climbing for over 30 years. If he didn’t know these mountains, no one did.

Adventure Travel Bolivia TRAVEL TRAVEL BY REGION Trekking/Hiking
Condoriri Vally, Bolivia
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Climbing Mount Jaillaico in Bolivia’s Condoriri Valley

Rising up from the Pacific coast, the Andes mountain range is the longest and the youngest mountain range on the planet. After the Himalayas, it is the second highest range and is still growing. The Condoriri Valley lies within the 100 kilometer-long Cordillera Real mountain range northeast of La Paz, that separates the lowlands of the Amazon River basin to the east from the high plateaus of the Altiplano (highlands) to the west. The Cordillera Real is the most accessible and spectacular mountain range in the entire country and I could hardly wait to experience it on foot.

Our first big climb in Condoriri Valley was to Mount Jaillaico at 16,899 feet (5,152 m). Known as the “Mirador”, our trekking guide called it a relatively “easy” trekking peak that can be reached through grassy hills, glacial moraines and rocky slopes with no technical ability. Basically it is a warm-up climb for those serious mountaineers who are hoping to climb some of the bigger beasts in the area like the mighty Huayna Potosí (at 19,974 feet/6,088 m) or Illimani the highest mountain in the Cordillera Real at 21,122 feet/6,438 meters.

I wasn’t sure what Javier meant by “easy”  but starting out from our base camp at 15,500 feet on only a few hours of restless sleep did not make this a walk in the park. In fact, the first hour into our trek I wasn’t exactly sure that I would be able to make it, I felt so light-headed and fatigued. Every step was an effort and I felt out of breath. But thankfully, as I focused more and more on my breathing I felt better.

Condoriri Vally, Bolivia

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Street Art in New York City
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Finding Street Art along the Walls of New York City

I was on the plane Friday morning heading to New York City when I opened my email to see that the weekly photo challenge was walls. Instantly I knew how I was going to spend my free afternoon in the city. A photo walk.

I did a google search and discovered that New York City has a tremendous wealth of street art along its walls, buildings and store fronts. I love street art and knew that it would be a great way to spend the afternoon exploring some of the back alleys and streets in the heart of Little Italy and NoLlta in search of street art.

I took the subway to Spring Street and got off with a map in hand and a few written notes of where to explore. It was a chilly early spring day yet the sun was shining strong and the city was alive as usual with activity. I could tell it was going to be a great afternoon.

Spring Street Subway stop

Spring Street subway stop offers my first look at urban wall art.

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