ramblings of a Seattle travel, food and photography hound
Some of the friendliest people we’ve ever met live on the Big Island. The islanders call it the Aloha Spirit, and maybe this explains it to some degree. I suspect there’s something more, a generosity of spirit, an openness to strangers that one rarely encounters when traveling. Maybe it’s the fact that Big Islanders live in... Continue Reading →
Despite the prominently displayed prohibitory sign at the end of Coconut Island, attached to Queen Lili'uokalani Gardens by a foot bridge, the young-at-heart ignore it and jump into the water from the tower anyway. Seriously, no one is going to prevent people from doing what they've been doing for a long time.
One of nature's breathtaking anomalies happens almost every night at the summit of Mauna Kea, Hawaii's majestic volcanic peak. Because of an inversion layer that pushes the often prodigious cloud cover several thousand feet below the summit, I witnessed just before sunset Mauna Kea's giant triangular shadow being cast over the lid of the clouds to the... Continue Reading →
The ascent to the top of Mauna Kea shouldn’t be taken lightly. At an elevation of 13,796ft (4,205m), it is inadvisable to do it without first stopping at Onizuka Visitor Information Station to acclimate, about 30-45 minutes. The problem, of course, is that there is a paved road to the summit, providing too carefree and... Continue Reading →
With its deep port and proximity to abundant timber, Port Townsend in the nineteenth century was well on its way to becoming the commercial center of Washington State, but the railroads balked. Seattle eventually prevailed. Now, Port Townsend hinges much of its fortune on tourism and boat-building. The preservation of Victorian homes built during the boom years led... Continue Reading →
I expected to see lots of them when we set foot on Australian soil. Kangaroos, kangaroos and more kangaroos. Maybe not in Melbourne, but surely along the Great Ocean Road and other parts of undeveloped Victoria. "Kangaroo crossing" signs along the roadways didn't lessen the expectation. Yet, we never saw a single one. I should... Continue Reading →
Last weekend was likely the best for the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. It was warm and sunny and the flowers were reportedly in full bloom. But weekends invite the most crowds. Though we hadn't gone in years, with the remainder of the week forecast to be rainy, we decided to skip one of America's great... Continue Reading →
It's seems rather odd when walking along Collins Street, Melbourne's swanky avenue lined with boutique shops, restaurants, historic churches, some of Australia's tallest buildings and its banking center. For such a commercial and financial avenue, one wouldn't expect to find the city's best examples of Victorian-era architecture. It seems that the 19th-century captains of finance were in the habit of erecting and working in grand,... Continue Reading →
It isn't a particularly casual drive along the Great Ocean Road, considered one of the great drives of the world. When you're the driver, the curves and hairpin turns are enough to turn your hair gray and prevent you from gazing at the spectacular scenery offshore. The journey is even more suspenseful when you're accustomed to driving on... Continue Reading →
We were getting weary of the “big breakfast,” as Aussies and Kiwis refer to their eggs, bacon, sausage, roasted tomato, sautéed mushrooms and hash browns combination. There’s nothing wrong with it; it's just that we wanted variety. Our hotel offered a buffet; components of the big brekkie were the extent of the savory offerings. We were going... Continue Reading →
zoomeboshi 