Pilgirmage to a Black Madonna

Posted on May 21, 2013 by
One of many crosses build all over the mountain side.

Armed with new Spanish friends Santiago and Ana, I find myself in the Salamanca region of western Spain; a mountainous area near the Portuguese boarder. We were driving along scenic roads towards la Peña de Francia (Rock of France), one of stops on the Camino de Santiago. At the time, I was still laden with grief over the passing of my only sibling, and I really wanted to fulfill this religious pilgrimage in the hopes of being granted a miracle by what many call a miracle giving divine – the Black Madonna (Virgin Mary). The story of the Black Madonna … Continue Reading & View Photos

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Cortona, Where the Sunrise

Posted on May 14, 2013 by
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The church bells rings faintly in the distance, as the curtains gently blows with the wind, revealing the still black darkness outside. Its dawn in Cortona, and I needed to get up before the sun wakes this part of the world. Cortona is an ancient fortress town of Italy, built on a high plateau overlooking the surrounding Tuscan valley below. This town has an excellent vantage point as it is so high up that the views are unobstructed. My friends Cindy and Beth, and I planned to take an early morning walk through town to watch the sun rise from … Continue Reading & View Photos

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Whitewater Rafting on the Wenantchee River

Posted on May 5, 2013 by
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The United State’s Pacific Northwest is a lush environment, possible in part because the temperatures here don’t fluctuate drastically. Only mild changes occur with every season, which helps to spawn an ideal environment for it’s abundance of wildlife and vegetation. But what’s more important to help feed this lush environment, (and this area has a lot of it), is water. Rain, and lots of it from the Pacific Ocean is blown daily by prevailing winds into this area. Luckily this rain is trapped mostly in the mountains and then distributed through the rivers and their tributaries. This makes it much … Continue Reading & View Photos

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Alien Life on the Big Island

Posted on April 30, 2013 by
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When you go above the clouds on Mauna Kea (the tallest volcano on Earth when measured from below sea level), you’ll surely feel like you are in another world. It is a desolate land, blanketed by red, volcanic dirt. Large and small lava rocks are scattered throughout the landscape. The quiet in the air is interrupted only by the howling of the wind and the few cars that make it up here. It is a barren place. And yet, even in these conditions, thrives the most unique flora I’ve yet seen anywhere in the world. So outwardly and unique that … Continue Reading & View Photos

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A Victorian Necropolis

Posted on April 29, 2013 by
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I often wander the world, in search of beautiful places to be awed and inspired. I just never thought that one day I’d find cemeteries to be among the serene and beautiful. That is, until my brother died. Where he is buried, for example, is situated inside the mouth of a long-extinct volcano and has some of the best views of southeastern O’ahu, the Pacific ocean, and the famed Diamond Head crater. It’s gardens are well kept and are lined with age-old trees. A truly beautiful place where I often stay for hours, and even have a picnic from time-to-time. … Continue Reading & View Photos

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In the Irish Countryside

Posted on April 24, 2013 by
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The Irish countryside almost seems like a fantasy world, except it’s real. This is a place of lush valleys within the never ending green landscape. Home to the leprechauns dwindling gayly in it’s thick forest. Where the crisp wind gently tousles your hair. Where colorful rainbows blanket the often grey skies. And where the everyday light rain grows new life. A true place of beauty – a kind of place I’m always in search for. But, my experience here in the countryside of N. Ireland, though beautiful, did not live up to this fantasy. Initially I was very happy because … Continue Reading & View Photos

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Alaska’s Race to Cure the Heart

Posted on April 19, 2013 by
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A year ago today, my life changed tremendously. Never even in my wildest dreams did I ever think that I would be burying my younger and only sibling. Today, on his one year death anniversary, as I stood above his grave, preparing myself for the vigil and events I had planned later in the evening, I can’t help but feel an overwhelming sadness in my heart. Only last year, my brother was an alive, young and healthy, U.S. Army BlackHawk (UH-60) helicopter pilot. But at the age of 25, he was killed on a rescue mission, in the southern area … Continue Reading & View Photos

Posted in North America | Tagged , , , | 26 Comments

Skagway Gateway to Gold

Posted on March 7, 2013 by
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On my first ever cruise, aboard an overwhelming but fun ship, I came to this town. We arrived in the area on cold and early morning, just before dawn. Our cruise liner slowly cut through the glass-like water, waiting for the sun to rise before we could dock. I knew only that Skagway, our next port of call, was a gateway town during the Klondike Gold Rush of the 1800s, and that it was reminiscent of the wild west. Looking out of our large port hole window, snow-capped mountains surrounded us while sporadically along the way, colorful buildings began to … Continue Reading & View Photos

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Scenic Drive to Maui’s Winery

Posted on January 30, 2013 by
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Up, down, left, right. Curve around the hill, straight through the tunnel of trees, pass the grazing cows, race with the galloping horses, and marvel at the Hawaiian fauna that surrounds you. This is a typical scene along the roads in Maui’s upcountry on the fertile slopes of Haleakalā. And driving here is an experience you won’t soon forget. We initially came upon these roads, not to purposely drive on them for the views, but because we wanted to go to Maui’s Winery. And luckily the main road to our destination took us through this curvacious and scenic route. Kula … Continue Reading & View Photos

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Blown Away at Maui’s Ho’okipa Beach

Posted on January 18, 2013 by
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Ho’okipa Beach Park is an internationally known beach in the northern part of Maui, where the informed few go not to get in the water but to watch the action. The beach is particularly exciting during the winter months when the waves of Hawaii are relentless. So at the beginning of this winter season, me and my friends Joy and Irish island hopped from O’ahu to Maui and headed straight for this beach: one of the most highly sought-after venue to ride the wind. It’s here where the windsurfers blew our minds at the Makani Classic windsurfing competition. The beach … Continue Reading & View Photos

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