Nestled within downtown Los Angeles is the natural wonder, the La Brea Tar Pits. For tens of thousands of years, tar has been seeping up in the ground here claiming the lives of poor, unknowing creatures and preserving them in wonderful condition for us to “enjoy” today. These remains were discovered in the early 1900s when the area was mined for asphalt. Oddly enough, “La Brea” actually means “the pitch (or tar)” in Spanish so The La Brea Tar Pits translates into the the tar tar pits.
This past weekend, we spent our days at the glorious Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance in Trumansburg, New York. If I were to imagine what a perfect community would feel like, Grassroots is it. It is friendly to all ages, people are friendly and kind, the music is incredible, and there is room to dance everywhere.
When the plane touched down, my husband and I found ourselves in a Tolkien-esque environment, with jaw dropping cliff faces, blue ocean all around us, and the sun shining bright. It was our first time visiting the Faroe Islands, this gorgeous group of islands in the North Atlantic between Iceland and Scotland. The Faroes are populated with fishermen, captains, the most lovely, down to earth, salty people, and sheep. We had one of the best travel experiences of our lives here.
If you are ever visiting Charleston, South Carolina, I highly recommend taking a short 30 minute detour to visit the formidable Angel Oak Tree. It is a magnificent Live Oak Tree whose limbs sprawl out wide and long reaching every which way. It looks like the Tree of Life with its overarching presence. I’ve mentioned before my love for old, giant trees (see my post about the Kvilleken Oak tree). This tree is one of the most beautiful that I’ve ever seen. It is humbling and awe inspiring to be around.
How does one beat 94 degree weather during summer in New York state? Going for a nice walk under a canopy of trees along a fast-flowing creek works really well! That’s what we did when we recently visited the Wolf Creek Falls Preserve in Knox, New York.
When visiting Iceland, we were excited about the thermal springs everywhere. Everyone has heard of the Blue Lagoon located southwest of Reykjavik for obvious reasons, it is a stunning facility where, as a guest, you are pampered. But not many people have heard of the Hveravellir thermal springs. My husband and I (fiance at the time) were looking for something a little less formal. We wanted to go straight into the ground. No finesse, no spa, just pure thermal springs and us. Hveravellir did not disappoint did not disappoint.
Grafton Lakes State Park is a glorious little destination that is very popular and well-known in its local area for its beach, which is always packed on a hot summer day. However, there is far more to Grafton Park than its beach. We went off the “beaten path” here, onto their small trail that went around Shaver Pond, and had a very private experience.
There are few places that I have been to that evoke the feeling of what Paris in the 1920s must have felt like, with Hemingway and artists of all kinds talking about world issues, philosophy, and history. Café No Sé in Antigua, Guatemala, is one of those places. The crowd is an eclectic mix of musicians, expatriates, vacationers, and those just traveling through with no end destination in mind. This establishment seared itself on my mind, and I always want to return.
Two places very near and dear to my heart are Clermont and Olana; two historic homes and estates located in the Hudson River Valley in upstate New York that are now protected State parks. Both places have contributed greatly to local and national history, and in very different ways. We recently visited and hiked around Clermont and I must say that in June, it may be one of my favorite settings in the world.
Nothing can quite prepare you for the Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood. Located in Saint Petersburg, Russia, this church looks like it came straight out of a fairy tale. Topped with brightly colored domes that are lit up at night, this magnificent architectural beauty exceeds expectations.