All posts tagged: travel
Yukon Foliage
The bald face of this mountain and the brilliant foliage in the foreground are both the product of the same destructive force.
Evening at the Only Palace in America
The only photo I took during an evening visit to the Iolani palace, the former home of Hawaii’s last monarchs. At the time, it was merely the building that appeared in the opening credits of Hawaii 5-0. It wasn’t until much later that I would understand the historical and cultural significance it has to native Hawaiians.
Eastern State Penitentiary
I absolutely love exploring historical sites, and out of all of the ones I’ve visited, Eastern State Penitentiary is one of my favorites. It’s a massive prison on the edge of Philadelphia, well known for famous prisoners, brazen escape attempts, and ghost stories. It’s a fascinating place to visit, maintained as a “preserved ruin” that has been left largely in the same state as when it was closed and abandoned, with a few cells restored to their original state. Eastern State was the first penitentiary in the world, holding each prisoner in solitary confinement in order to inspire penitence, or strong regret. It opened in 1829, and featured an imposing exterior designed to inspire a foreboding fear. The inside of the prison was quite different, with running water, flushing toilets, and architecture that resembles a church. As time went on, the prison began to function as a more traditional prison, housing inmates together until it was closed in 1971 It was reopened to the public for historical tours in 1994 after being discovered by Steve Buscemi. …
Guilford Courthouse National Military Park
Growing up in Massachusetts, what I learned in school about the Revolutionary War largely centered around events in my home state.
Sailing Disenchantment Bay
Oftentimes, locations are named by the person who first discovered them. They may make sense at first, but as time passes, some of the names bestowed on lands and landmarks lose their meaning and no longer make sense. This is definitely the case for Alaska’s Disenchantment Bay. It was originally named by Italian explorer Alessandro Malaspina in 1792, after he traversed the entire length and discovered that it was not the entrance to the northwest passage. For me, sailing past the snow capped mountains lining Alaska bay before turning into the greenery on either side of Disenchantment Bay was fairytale like. And finding the awe inspiring Hubbard Glacier at the end of the journey was a perfect ending, not disappointing at all.
5 New Traditions to Start This Summer
Here in Charlotte the stay at home order has been lifted, but there are still many things that I used to enjoy each summer that either haven’t reopened, or I’m just not comfortable doing yet. So instead of wallowing, I’ve come up with a new list of traditions to look forward too. This summer may be different than last year, but there are still ways to enjoy it. 1. Visit specialty stores and try a new food I’m using the phrase speciality store loosely. Farms, bakeries, ice cream shops, a Korean grocery store, any small business selling food. Make a habit of visiting (or ordering online from) a few you’ve never been inside before, and try something new. You might discover a new favorite food, and if your a writer, unexpected inspiration from owners and other patrons. Given the recent events in the news, now is an especially good time to search out and support black owned businesses in your community. The first new place my husband and I are testing out is a dairy …
Rainy Days
It has been raining relentlessly in the Carolinas. At one point the meteorologist on the morning news declared that we had received a months worth of rain in three days. It’s definitely put my evening walks on hold, and washed out most of the long weekend. I may have been stuck inside, but I passed the expanding my photo editing skills. I tested a few apps used for adding motion to photos, and once I picked one, I was adding special effects to all my old vacation photos. The one above is from a rainy gondola ride in Juneau, Alaska.
Rooms With a View
Like many people my summer vacation plans have drastically changed. I’m taking a nostalgic look back at this vacation post from last year while I brainstorm some new ways to enjoy the warm weather in 2020. *************** If some of my recent posts haven’t tipped you off, I’ve been on vacation this week. I spent part of this past week at Myrtle Beach with my husband and some family, and it was a fantastic, relaxing beach vacation. One pleasant surprise on this trip was discovering upon arrival at the hotel that although we didn’t have an ocean view room, we had wound up with a balcony on a side of the hotel that had a partial view. A small bonus, but I did really enjoy sitting out there in the morning to write before heading out to the beach, and star gazing before going bed. So this week I decided to dig out other pictures I have of hotel views from past vacations. Some are more glamorous than others, but all of them hold special …
Off the Coast of Bermuda
The sun is long gone and the stars are being outshined by the brightest moon of the year The air is cool but the spray from the waves is warmer then I expected The boat speeds us out to the edge of a mystical realm Known for mirth and mayhem We peer through the glass bottom, looking for coral, sea creatures And the bones of ships Sunk long ago **** Written in response to Dverse’s Take Me With You prompt. Drop by to visit even more exotic places!
