ramblings of a Seattle travel, food and photography hound
Driving on my current roadtrip, I was hard-pressed not to stare at the explosions of color on the southern and central California hillsides. Not only were the hills an uncharacteristic green, but they were carpeted with mostly yellow wildflowers, some of them so densely packed and widespread that the effect was immediately mesmerizing. The recent historic rains... Continue Reading →
It was just to take a quick look at Pismo Beach State Park in California. My wife and I wound up hanging around for almost two hours, enjoying the ride in our Jeep rental onto the sandy beach to watch the pounding surf. Then, we noticed what we first thought were sandpipers but were instead whimbrels. If... Continue Reading →
They were everywhere, the caterpillars of the white-lined Sphinx moth, in a field of wildflowers at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in southern California. I saw one, then noticed more—and more. Some plants had as many as four chomping away at their flowers. What seemed like different species of bug turns out to be the same,... Continue Reading →
It was surprising to me that there is so much exposed salt at Death Valley. Ancient lakes didn't have an escape route to the oceans, so they simply dried up and left behind enormous salt deposits. At the Devil's Golf Course, salt got sculpted into complex, intricate formations from weathering, a phenomenon that prompted the National Park... Continue Reading →
My breath is taken away every time I see Mount Shasta from Interstate 5, just south of the Oregon-California border. Even when skies aren't always clear, its majesty dominates the horizon. Today, spectacular lenticular clouds were hovering over the mountain.
Orcas Island has been one of our favorite local spots to vacation. Our family used to camp regularly in the summers at Moran State Park, memories that our daughters still hold today. Lately, with the kids now grown and having their own families, my wife and I have been going to Orcas during off-seasons to avoid crowds.... Continue Reading →
At almost sea level, my lungs were finally free of high altitude. They sighed welcome relief in Lima after 18 straight days at 7,700ft or higher. I had an extra spring in my step as I deboarded at Jorge Chavez. In our trip planning, my wife and I saw Lima only as a gateway to Puerto Maldonado when we arrived in early... Continue Reading →
I can't recall how many times I heard Pachamama mentioned in my travels through Peru and Bolivia. I read a little about her before the trip, but afterward it was obvious that she is without doubt the most important deity in the Andean pantheon of gods. The veneration of Pachamama is hugely important in the daily lives of Bolivians (and Peruvians), even... Continue Reading →
Nuestra Señora de La Paz. That's a mouthful for a place that sounds more like a title. Most of us know it simply as La Paz. At just under 12,000 feet, it's the highest capital city in the world—in rarefied air. If you saw the movie Our Brand Is Crisis, you would've noticed Sandra Bullock's character taking days... Continue Reading →
Take a boat tour to the Uros Islands out of Puno, and the package will likely include a visit to Isla Taquile (Taquile Island). Where? you ask. That's what I said when I booked it. OK, I thought, as long as I get to see the reed islands. Turns out, if I had done my research, I should also... Continue Reading →
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