Tag Archives: travel

Seattle From Above

When the wind is coming from the south, the approach to Seatac airport between Seattle and Tacoma takes you almost directly over downtown Seattle. We actually could see Everett off in the distance with a lot of large airplanes parked up awaiting delivery but that was too far off to get a usable shot, particularly with the lens I had fitted. However, approaching Elliott Bay, we got a really nice view of the lakes and the downtown area.

Cities always look very different from above. What is large on the ground seems far more insignificant from above and what is a long journey on the surface is passed by in a heartbeat. That is part of the fun of being in the air. Of course, it does mean you have to grab the shot quickly!

SF City Hall

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A meeting in the heart of San Francisco meant a bunch of our team were meeting downtown. A few of us got there a little head of the meeting and, with a couple of minutes available, I wanted to check out the City Hall building since it was only a couple of blocks away. As an old City, San Francisco has some classic architecture and this is no exception. For some reason, despite the numerous times I have been to the city, I have never been to City Hall before.

A group of school kids were playing some orchestral music in the main hall and plenty of family members were there. I wandered around taking a look. Since I didn’t have my normal cameras, the phone had to serve duty. Fortunately, that also allowed me to try another one of the 360 panoramas. I suspect I shall be carrying another camera with me when I am next in the area.

Blowhole

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Further north from Dragon’s Teeth you round the northern tip of the island. Here the coastline is very rocky and dramatic. While there are visitors, it seems that a lot less people come this far around the coast. However, there is something to bring up the visitors and that is a blowhole. You can stand higher up on the cliffs and watch the blowhole do its thing or you can walk further down.

A few people did get closer in but I decided to stay further out. With the violence of the waves crashing up on the shore and the occasional eruption from the blowhole plus the wind buffeting you, the senses were getting plenty to work with. Getting dragged in by the water was not necessary for me to enhance the experience!

Dragon’s Teeth

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Head north from Lahaina on Maui and you come to a headland that is an interesting formation. The way the rock was formed and has since eroded has created some curved shapes that seem to bend over backwards. The area is known as Dragon’s Teeth and the formations certainly do resemble some evil gnashers! The area was supposed to have been redeveloped but discovery of some historic remains resulted in the hotel being moved further back up the hill. A lucky break for those of us that get to visit, even if we do have to walk through a golf course to get there.

Olmsted Point

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One part of Yosemite that I have not previously explored is the Tioga Pass Road. It has either been out of my way or closed for the winter during previous visits but this time I decided to take the drive across to end up at Mono Lake. The route takes you to Olmsted Point. This is only a couple of miles from my starting point in Yosemite Valley but the direct route is not available to cars so an hour’s drive is the alternative.

Olmsted Point itself is a pretty bleak and exposed place. The view across to Yosemite Valley is good (and would probably be a lot better at a different time of day to my visit)and you can see a lot from the parking lot. It is only a short walk to a better spot but most people don’t bother walking down. The rocky outcrop is very bright and on a sunny day the light is quite harsh. However, you do get a view of everything around you which makes it worth doing.

What a Tree!

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The banyan tree is a pretty amazing form of life. The way the branches drop to the ground and form new roots (at least that is what it looks like they do) is pretty amazing. The town of Lahaina has a banyan tree that is amazing, even by banyan tree standards. It seems to have taken over a whole square in the town. We were there while an art fair was on display under its branches. Everyone could be well spread out and still under the tree.

I took a few pictures of it but also took a panorama shot with an app on my phone which I discussed previously here. The resulting pano is below.

The Desert Side of Maui

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While the northeast side of Maui is well traveled by visitors and is quite lush, the opposite side of the island is the polar opposite. Since the prevailing wind brings the moist air from the northeast and the rising land results in that moisture being dumped on the land, once the air continues on across the island it is denuded of water and drops to lower altitudes. Consequently, there is very little rainfall on this side of the island. The landscape is more like a desert and, while very different, is quite striking.

The other aspect of this side of the island is that it is lightly populated and little traversed. There is a discontinuity in the road around the island so it is not a finished road for a few miles. The condition of the road is often made to sound far worse than it is so many tourists get to Hana and then turn back. We were intent on continuing on the full way having heard the road was not a problem and, more importantly, being aware of how twisting the road back from Hana was and that more and more cars would be coming the other way as the day wore on.

The trip around was not terribly difficult and the condition of the road soon improved to be something very good and quite fast. As we rose above the water, the views continued to be stunning. This is a great part of the island and one that more people should experience.

More Maryland

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The trip to Maryland gave us a chance to see some areas of the state we hadn’t visited before. It is a pretty area. While there are lots of people there, the towns are older and have a more period feel to them. Plenty of history in that part of the world. Meanwhile, the weather cooperated providing some really nice skies. Here are a few pictures to give you a sample.

Seven Sacred Pools

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If you continue past Hana south you will come to a national park area. Here there are some trails that can take you into the wilds but the main attraction for most people – let’s face it, not too many people want to walk very far from a parking lot – was the Seven Sacred Pools. This was were one of the rivers ran down to the sea via a series of waterfalls and pools at the head of each.

The waves were crashing up on the shore at the bottom of the pools and the water was flowing well so the falls were all looking pretty impressive. Apparently, there can be quite a deluge through here at times but we were certainly not lacking for water. I suspect many people get as far as Hana and then turn around and head back the way they came. This area was very attractive and certainly worth coming further around. You could still go back but carrying on was another option…

Deer Have No Fear!

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When you are in a place like Yosemite, your are very aware that you are in an environment where nature has the upper hand. However, you do think the wildlife will still be wary of man. That is not true at all though. A few times while I was walking, I came across herds of deer. I always think of deer as skittish creatures – hardly surprising since around here they are considered a target by many – but these guys seemed not only used to humans but bored with us. As long as we didn’t do anything too quickly, they continued on unfazed.

This even extended to Yosemite Valley itself. I was taking some shots of the valley when a small group crossed the street and walked right past me to get to their next snack. I watched them for a while and then headed back to the car. There I saw a buck in the tall shrubs with a buddy not far behind. When he wanted to come in my direction, he did exactly that.