Not too far away, on the same pull out as that of Crowfoot Mountain and Bow Lake is a sign pointing to Bridal Veil Falls.
A popular name for waterfalls from Australia to Zimbabwe, I found out. But this one is just a hop away from where we were and all you need is a telephoto lens to take this shot.
There is a trail south of the sign leading to different views of the falls. To learn more, click here.
Credits: Papers- Jessica Sprague’s Blue Dot and Blue Mega Flower papers, JCrowley Solid 3; Stickers – Jessica Sprague’s Blue flower and Orange flower stickers; Elements- Katie Pertiet Eyelet Twill Natural; Brush- Connect Dots brushes by onethirtytwo
To know more about Crowfoot Mountain click here, Bow Lake here.
“You can do it!! I’ll be right beside you.” A convinces me as we walk towards the lift that would take us 2,088 meters above sea level. So there I was on an open chair about 5 meters above ground, my feet resting only on a bar. Although safely buckled, I was still intimidated and any movement sends me to stiffness. A tries to calm me, “Here, let me hold your hand” and I let him.
We were cruising for 14 minutes, which felt more like 30 to me. But those 30 er 14 minutes were just full of glorious sceneries and as I started snapping away, a sense of calm came over me and I am all right.
From the top, the spectacular landscape is there to be explored. We however didn’t have the time to go trekking up the summit of Mt. Whitehorse so we soaked in the beauty of Lake Louise against the grand Victoria Glacier at the deck.
It was just a speck against the mountains that surrounds it but amazing how even that small, the blueness of the lake just stood out managing to draw your eyes to it. Imagine it up close.
Lake Louise Mountain Resort and the surrounding village are part of several important wildlife conservation in Banff National Park. It is supposedly home to some of Canada’s most renowned wildlife including Black Bears, Elk, Bighorn Sheep, Mountain Goats, Wolves and the respected Grizzly Bear. We weren’t lucky enough to see any.
Banff golf course from the top.
By now, I have mustered enough courage to go on another mountaintop experience. The next day, we hopped on the bus and got off at the Banff Gondola.
No Sweat!
The journey to the summit of Sulphur Mountain in a modern, fully enclosed four passenger gondola cabin took only 8 minutes. No sweat! The view becomes more spectacular as we approached the summit at 2,281 meters above sea level with Cascade Mountain providing the backdrop.
Round trip costs about C$30, pretty steep but the amazing view is worth the spend. A definite must see when in Banff. Easily accessible as well, the We Roam bus (I forget what route) will take you all the way to the base.
Cascade Mountain as backdrop and the smaller mountain is Tunnel Mountain.
When we got to Jasper, we obviously couldn’t resist and so therefore found ourselves riding the tramway one afternoon ascending up Whistler Mountain. The adventure begins at the foot of Whistler Mountain in the safety of an enclosed tram cabin that can fit about 30 passengers at a time.
The view from the tram.
The Jasper tramway is the longest and highest guided aerial tramway in Canada and I could feel my ears popping as we ascend. But feeling more like a veteran now, I confidently hopped on the cabin to be hoisted 2 km up to the peak – a beautiful, scenic and enjoyable mid-air ride.
View from the top.
Trekking
At the summit, we stepped out into an alpine tundra with views of six mountain ranges, glacial fed lakes, the Athabasca River and the scenic mountain site of Jasper. An awe-inspiring view that has become my favorite among the lot.
The Canadian Rockies. It has been on our “must go” list since forever and we were finally on our way. The road trip to Banff was an easy 1.5 hours through scenic views varying from the flatness of the prairies and pasturelands to the towering mountains. Just 5 minutes away from the east gate of Banff National Park, we made a quick pit stop in Canmore.
This town, small as it may appear has breathtaking sceneries and an air of wilderness in it. It would have been nice to spend a couple of hours just driving around but we decided to stick to our plans.
Our friend and the designated driver was going back to Calgary the same day and if we want to see as much of Banff, we need to manage our time well.
The plan was for him to come back for us (and this time with his family in tow) and spend the weekend with us in Jasper. A sweet plan, don’t you think? They get to work and we get to explore downtown Banff by foot and by bus.
Wildlife (deer) along the way.
Check in times are often in the late afternoon, giving us enough time to wander around the park without worrying about losing our reservations. The best thing about driving to Banff is that we get to hop in and out as we please. With the multitude of lakes around the park, one will never have enough hours in the day to see them all. Here is what’s on our list that really impressed.
As we entered the Park, we decided to take the Minnewanke Loop, which (obviously) lead us to Lake Minnewanke, the largest lake in the park and is popular for boating, fishing and sailing.
Most tour companies offer tours around the Lake or one can rent a boat along the shore to go fishing. Not the prettiest lake but striking nonetheless.
The loop continues on to Two Jack Lake, which we almost missed because from the road, the partly hidden lake looked ordinary.
All we saw was a picnic ground with breathtaking pine trees as its backdrop. As we approached the grounds, the aquamarine lake with a cute little island in the middle and a railroad track that meanders along the lakeshore just blew me away.
The protected waters blended perfectly with the backdrop of pine forest and snow capped mountains. A WOW moment indeed.
If you go on further, a road branching out of the loop will lead you to Johnson Lake. With a nice picnic ground, it is obviously a popular spot for picnicking, fishing or swimming.
Ringed with trails, a few hours stroll will take you through natural vistas and a high chance to spot a variety of birds or some small wildlife.
Hike we did not because we (that’s right!) wanted to see more lakes.
After a quick bite in town, we headed off to one of the Rockies’ perhaps most photographed scene.
The almost emerald green lake against the stark backdrop of the towering Victoria glacier is a sight to behold and no wonder a favorite of almost all who visit.
Relaxing on a bench admiring the beauty of the lake are simple pleasures I pine for.
Seeing the little things.
I always save the best for last. Just 10 minutes away from Lake Louise, this lake has become my favorite. If the aquamarine waters of Two Jack blew me away… this left me speechless and breathless. We walked up the rock pile and once on top, this crystal clear cyan blue lake is simply awe-inspiring.
Climbing up the Rock pile.
The other side of the lake.
Often nicknamed “Valley of the Ten Peaks”; ten lofty mountain peaks border this crystal clear turquoise blue lake. Being glacially fed, the lake has not reached its peak yet, in fact smattering of ice were still floating on the lake at the time of our visit. When it is full, it is said to reflect a distinct milky blue-green shade due to the light filtering effect of the rock flour deposited in the lake from the glacial meltdown. The rock flour filters out much of the light spectrum except for blues and greens hence the color. Unimaginable.
Small against the grandness.
The Canadian Rockies. A real feast on sight and smell, the beautiful sceneries coupled with the fresh scent of pine is a definite treat to my well-being!
Credits- Papers: Oscraps Moonrise Paper Dtope 2, Jennilyn 3, Dyoung 3; Embellishments: Oscraps Moonrise Bling 3-awall; Brush: JSprague Stitching
The lakeshores of Lake Nakuru literally turn pink as millions of flamingos feed on its highly alkaline lake, set in a picturesque landscape of acacia woodlands and grasslands next to Nakuru town.
dramatic entrance
A very shallow and strongly alkaline lake, it is world known as feeding grounds of both lesser and greater flamingos and one of my favorite parks in East Africa.
The main reason for establishing this national park was to protect its huge flocks of the lesser flamingos. Despite being the world’s most numerous flamingos, this bird is classified as near threatened due to its lack of suitable breeding site. Depended on rainfalls, the lake keep decreasing since 1997. The ecosystem is threatened by annual drought.
shallow to dry lake
The second most visited park in Kenya, this small park has been dubbed “the greatest bird spectacle on earth” when thousands of flamingos landed into the lake years ago. It has become a favorite destination for not only ornithologists but also bird and wildlife enthusiasts. And the flamingos are definitely the reason to be in Nakuru!
Lake Nakuru National Park is situated approximately 2-hour drive away from Nairobi. A gentle, billowing terrain with open bush and woodlands dominates it. It is also one of the saline lake systems lying in the Great Rift Valley.
enroute to Nakuru
Famous for its abundant birdlife…
Pelicans
Lake Naukuru also has waterbucks, impalas, and hippopotamus.
waterbuck
Game viewing is relatively easy: buffalos, leopard, lions, and the endangered Rothschild’s giraffe…
cape buffalo and the flamingos as its backdrop
not a Rothschild’s giraffe
the bushlands offers eland, steenbok, impala, while the hyrax occupies the cliffs.
hyrax
And speaking of cliffs, the best view of the lake is from Baboon cliff.
view from the top
Lake Nakuru is also home to the Kenya Rhino Conservation Project and therefore an excellent place to see rhinos. The woodland and forest are now home to both black and white rhino. Following the ravages of poaching, in the late 80’s, only 2 black rhinos remained. Creating a rhino sanctuary within the park and reintroducing a breeding herd have recognized the park internationally as an important conservation area.
white rhinos
Lake Nakuru… not to be missed when in Kenya. It was definitely one of the of the highlights of my African adventure!
Frame credit: Oscraps Moonrise frame – awall
Credits: Frame – Akiloune kit so natural cadre
Taking a 4X4 off-road jeep makes trekking Mt. Pinatubo a walk in the park. What used to be a whole day trek requiring overnight camping in 1999 (when we first trekked this beautiful landscape) is now down to 1 hour of 4X4 ride and about 45 minutes hike to the crater lake. A far cry eh?
This was taken 5 years ago when the service of 4X4s already existed but still required a grueling 2 hour trek to the crater and hours of rutty ride to the jump-off. The experience however made the journey exceptionally memorable.
In June 1991, after more than 4 centuries of slumber, this volcano erupted so violently (coupled with an unfortunate tropical storm) that its ashes covered almost the entire island of Luzon and permanently changed the landscape of Pampanga, Tarlac and Olongapo. Hundreds of millions of dollars in prime properties and infrastructure was likewise ruined.
The crater lake as it looked in 2004.
Source: http://park.org/Philippines/pinatubo/ and http://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/pinatubo.htm
This week’s Photo Hunt theme is Four. To join the fun or enjoy more entries, please click here.
After chemo in 2005, I decided to take a short trip to China to cap this chapter of my life. I wanted to start living “my life” again, the way I used to, even if I had to take baby steps to get back into my groove. (I owe this story about me and I WILL post it as soon as I am ready to share.) Anyway… Chose Yangshuo because it was close enough but it was not your typical Chinese town either. It was still quite off the beaten path where backpackers still abound. You get the same, if not better landscape in a vacation town with a plethora of interesting eateries and little shops as opposed to the big city of Guilin. I like Yangshuo because it was small enough to explore, not intimidating at all. Baby steps…
Credits: Alpha: Katescrap Barechip; Papers: Clyle-carnival paper 2, Dmogstad – carnival paper, Hroselli – carnival paper- cream, Pspringmann – carnival paper; Elements: ideacetis – carnival – lace (1), mmartin – carnival – beadswirl; Frame: Joyfulheart Designs – plain jane single frame.
Outside of eating and shopping in town, the countryside and the Li River has a lot more to offer. You can should do the following:
Ride a bike – wander through the countryside and enjoy the dramatic mountain backdrops. The people are generally friendly. Our guide went the extra mile and brought us to her home in the countryside and cooked us lunch. 😀
Cruise around Li River – take it from Xingping where the best limestone formations starts.
Rock Climbing – if you are into that.
Watch Impression of Lui Sanjie – by far the best thing we did in the 4 days we were there. The show runs nightly during peak season. It features a cast of 500 fishermen and a highly impressive light show performed on the Li River with the limestone formation as backdrop. It was awe-inspiring, simply “goosebumps” amazing.
Yangshuo is about an hour away from Guilin.
That’s right! In up north Peñablanca in Cagayan Province, you can kayak downstream in its Pinacanuan River. Depending on the time of year, the rapids provide an adrenalin rush interspersed with calmer water where one can enjoy the beautiful landscape, scenery and occasionally spot kingfishers or herons along the way.
On a hot day, the clear, blue water invites a dip to cool while picnicking by the riverbank. Relaxed or charged, this river surely captivates the heart.
While you’re there, why not visit Callao and Sierra caves? The first cave requires an easy trek on a big-domed cave with skylights. A 206-step flight of stairs will lead you to a little chapel with pews and an altar. Sierra, on the other hand, is a recreational cave with an array of well-preserved and very delicate speleothems (stalactites and stalagmites).
Be sure to stay and watch the phenomenal circadian bats leave their nesting place in droves to look for food just before the sun sets. These are fruit bats so not to worry as they only eat fruits. 😀
If you find your way to this part of the world and would like to try this out, you may contact Anton Carag of AEPI.
Visit more worlds here.
*Edited 02/14/10: The AEPI website is no longer available… you may contact Anton Carag at +63(917) 532-7480.
my adventure odyssey 