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Turkey: Inspiration

We’re going to Turkey in just over a week!  I promise to put the finishing touches on the Spain entries and get those finished up before we head out, but for now, take a peek at some of the sites we’ll see.  (Thanks to Leonardo Dalessandri for the video!)

In prep I’ve done over 800 Turkish lessons and have discovered that I’m much better at reading and writing Turkish than I am speaking or hearing.  So, basically if someone writes me a sentence I’ll be golden, but if they talk to me, not so much.  Ha!  At least a legitimate language attempt has been made not to be an ignorant tourist.

I’ve also been reading.  Some good, some not so good.  The good–the cats of Istanbul.  The Hagia Sofia Cat is going to be my buddy.  And, this one Why Istanbul Should be Called Catstantinople.

And this article about Gaziantep, a city close to the Syrian border…not so good.  Or this happening at the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul last week.  Also not so good.

Judging by mainstream news, the security situation isn’t the best.  Travel advisories have affected where we were planning to travel.

Turkey Travel Advice Map
Turkey Travel Advice Map

Just over a month ago, a tour that we had planned to take through Gaziantep and Sanliurfa was cancelled, so we had to quickly rework 5 days of the trip.  Everything worked out though, and the trip will be amazing.

My worry is that my heart will break from the Syrian refugee crisis.  There is no logical reason for children and families who have lived normal lives to be displaced by acts of war.  Imagine living, just as you do now, and suddenly being completely uprooted from your home with no security or safety guaranteed–not to mention food, shelter, or basic sanitation supplies.

So, my search for charitable opportunities in Istanbul and other parts of Turkey we’ll be visiting continues. Any small thing that can brighten someone’s day is worthwhile.

“Just because it isn’t happening here doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.”
~j

Benvinguts a Barcelona

Not sounding like a carbon copy becomes difficult when writing about a European destination.  Everything has been said a million times.    But here goes…

Our hotel, just off of Passeig de Gracia, was close to metro stations with simple connections to other stations in the city.   When selecting accommodation there are three rules – location, location, location!  Besides, who doesn’t love a great metro system?

from: www.tmb.cat/img/genplano.pdf
from: www.tmb.cat/img/genplano.pdf

Even better than metro convenience, we were within walking distance of a lot of fanciful buildings.  Barcelona has some of the most spectacular architecture!

Passeig de Gracia is home to the “Illa de la Discordia“, a city block with some of Barcelona’s most famous Modernista houses built side by side.   We walked past Gaudí’s Casa Batlló on the Block of Discord everyday.

Josep Puig i Cadafalch's Casa Amatller beside Gaudí's Casa Batlló
Josep Puig i Cadafalch’s Casa Amatller beside Gaudí’s Casa Batlló

After we checked-in to the hotel, we made our way to the Arc de Triomf, and the Parc de la Cuitadella.  The Parc has a fountain by Josep Fontserè which was designed after the Trevi Fountain in Rome.  Seems a bit of a stretch; Fontserè’s fountain is not as impressive.

Our first night was also our first experience with just how many people we would be dealing with while trying to navigate the sights.  One of the greatest things about Barcelona is that there is ALWAYS a ton of street traffic–people walking around, eating tapas or even dinner well into the late hours. (10pm is o.k. for dinner here.) And then, those late hours turn into the wee hours of bar revelers.

People are out and about LATE.  It’s fantastic!  However, zillions of tourists were taking in the “Magic Fountain” show.  We happened upon the show by chance, watching it was fine, but missing it wouldn’t have bothered me one bit.

I won’t even pretend to know the intricacies of the architectural style of modernism aka Art nouveau.  Do you own research if you need to know!  There are several architectural giants on the scene in Barcelona.  Two whose work I admired  most were Antoni Gaudí, and Lluís Domènech i Montaner.

Avinguda de GaudíTwo monumental works, Gaudí’s Sagrada Familila and Domènech i Montaner’s Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, bookend the quiet pedestrian street of Avinguda de Gaudí.

Gaudí

Gaudí used mixed media with his gorgeous creations of glass, wood, stone, brick, tile, wrought iron and bits of rubble.  His nature inspired designs make the materials work together.

Seven Gaudí buildings share a UNESCO designation–Casa Vicens, the Nativity Façade, the Crypt of the Sagrada Familia, Casa Batlló, Casa Milà, Park Güell, Palacio Güell and the crypt in Colonia Güell. (I will save the Sagrada Familia for another entry entirely as that cathedral alone justly deserves.)

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Noticing all of the thoughtful, intricate details of Gaudí’s masterpieces would not be possible even with a lifetime of study.  For the few hours we had to experience Gaudí’s work, his creativity was awe inspiring.  Everything was as much about form as function, with beauty and industry combined into a liveable works of art.

Domènech i Montaner

Domènech i Montaner, who was once a professor to Gaudí, worked to create an iconic Catalan style of architecture.  His designs feature curved lines, exposed brick work, mixed materials, mosaics, stained glass and ornate façades.

Two Domènech i Montaner buildings, the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau and Palau de la Música Catalana share a UNESCO designation.  We were able to visit quite a couple of his impressive buildings on our ramblings through the city.

Hospital de la Santa Creu i de Sant Pau
Lluis Domènech I Montaner’s Hospital de la Santa Creu i de Sant Pau

Domènech i Montaner designed the hospital with the belief that patients would fare better with fresh air and nature.  Corridors and service areas were hidden underground, and courtyards were filled with gardens to aid in recovery.

Lluís Domènech i Montaner's Casa Fuster
Lluís Domènech i Montaner’s Casa Fuster

Unfortunately, we weren’t able to visit the Palau de la Música.  Even if we had, there would be no pictures to share as that building is a camera free zone.   We did see Casa Fuster, which is now a functioning as a hotel.

The banners hanging from the building are for La Diada , or National Day of Catalonia.  September 11, 2014 was a particularly important celebration, and referendum vote.

La Rambla
Walking on Miro
Walking on Miro!  Joan Miro’s “Pla de l’Os”.

No trip to Barcelona would be complete without a stroll or two on La Rambla.  The famous pedestrian-only street is a 1.2km feast for the senses.

People. Watching. Paradise.

An utter ZOO of tourists, and hoards of locals on La Diada  were there for our viewing pleasure.  Eliminate the gents selling annoying little “bird” noise makers, and you’d be golden!

Interesting cafés, boutiques, florists, a fun market, and crazy street performers and artists flank the boulevard.   One of my favorite things was the mosaic by Joan Miró.

We weren’t out on La Rambla late, but have heard that it can get a little dark and twisty, with scams and prostitution problems.   As with any area rife with tourists, the scams are there en force, and La Rambla is no exception to that rule.

Columbus Monument
Columbus Monument at Port Vell

We made our way from Plaça Cataluyna at the top, to the Columbus Monument at the lower end near the old port.

The top viewing “area” of Mirador de Colón  = claustrophobic’s nightmare!   Warning: DO NOT attempt if you can’t handle small spaces.  We don’t, and it was a little ick feeling up there without the added phobia.

View of Port Vell from Mirador de Colon
View of Port Vell from Mirador de Colon

Photos and view of the city from the tower, weren’t so spectacular, but the entrance fee was fairly cheap, maybe 4€?    I’d say, “Not really worth it. Save your money for tapas instead!”

Happy Travels,
~j

2014: Travel Retrospective

Wow, 2014 was a year of travel near and far. A year that was busy and fulfilling, was also a year of change for the site, though the migration to self-hosting is still not complete!  Maintaining a writing focus, while working full-time (sometimes more than full-time), and managing a household is a struggle of a balancing act.  Sometimes, it’s more about living the experience, than writing it all down for y’all.  Sorry, but it’s true.

Looking back on all of the mini-trips, visitors and experiences we had over the year, I thought I’d put together a recap of sorts.  So here it is folks, your 2014 Travel Retrospective.

WINTER

January was a month of lingering cough and cold that felt like it was never, ever going away!  Finally, we were well enough to travel, and made it to Mexico to visit Andrew.  The Mayan Riviera, though not normally my go to vacation scene, was a great little getaway. (You can read about it HERE.)

February was a quiet month for travel because we had visitors here for a sporting event.  There was plenty of time for card games, snacking and catching up between their beloved curling games.  (FYI:  You couldn’t pay me to watch curling. It’s BORING!)

Bombardier Dash 8-300 prop
The Bombardier Dash 8-300 purrs like a kitten

March gave me the opportunity to go to Edmonton to visit Jessie.  We spent a few days chatting, shopping, and touring some of the most hideous Dream Lottery homes ever built.   Driving to Edmonton is always a laborious task, but well worth the scenery.  However, for this trip, I hopped the 1 hour flight.  SO. MUCH. BETTER.  On the flight home, I connected with my sister-in-law and nephew in Calgary, and we were all able to fly home together.  Little Ben flew like a champ. (His mom did too;  anyone who can fly with a toddler deserves a prize!)

SPRING

April and May kept us closer to home.   We had a couple of day trips to Vancouver & Kelowna.  Vancouver is always a nice getaway even during spring showers.  For a change we chose not to drive through the city, and take the Sky Train instead.

Vancouver SkyTrain Map
Thanks for the SkyTrain map Wikimedia commons!

I’ve LOVED the SkyTrain since Expo ’86.  And, traveling like a tourist in your own backyard is kind of fun once in a while.   We spent the day shopping with my Aunt; I purchased a fab little backpack that has been one of my favorite gear purchases this year.

Then, the most shocking event in the history of our friendship with Andrew occurred in June.  HE. GOT. MARRIED!  This from the guy who has been an opponent to marriage and monogamy for as long as I can remember, not that he’s for being single, unfaithful or promiscuous either, he’s just never been pepped up about marriage.  Well, Andrew met his match in his wife, and we couldn’t be happier for them.  We travelled to Golden for the festivities.  Catching up with old  friends and laughing until our sides hurt made for a super fun weekend.

SUMMER

Moose Crossing SignOddly, I visited the Columbia River Valley twice in less than 30 days.  Once for the aforementioned impromptu wedding, and once for a “camping” trip with Jessie and her family for the first week of July.  (Q: Is it still technically classified as camping if you’re sleeping in a double bed, have air conditioning and a DVD player?)

Fort Steele
Fort Steele, BC

We “camped” near Radium Hot Springs, at Redstreak Provincial Campground. One of the days we drove through to Cranbrook and Kimberly.  Along the way we stopped at Fort Steele, a heritage town with a sweet little steam engine train.

Seven Parks in the  Canadian Rockies share a UNESCO designation.  Driving through the beauty of Rogers Pass to the Burgess Shale, it’s easy to understand why.

My friend  Stacey came home from Alberta in August, and it was nice to catch up with her for a quick visit.    Jon and I stayed pretty close to home for the most part.  We made a few trips to the Lake.

Seymour
Seymour. She’s a beauty when she doesn’t smell like wet dog.

Lake days are always filled with long hours at the beach, way too many snacks, and pseudo-competitive card games–mix that up with some sun screen, and a couple of wet dogs, and you’ve got the full package.  We brought our niece with us for one of the trips.  She’s quite the car dancer.  The kid has moves even while buckled into a car seat.

FALL

Our new little nephew was born the first week of September…while we were waiting for a flight in Toronto.  Yep, we missed his arrival because we were traveling to Spain.   Jon and I spent two weeks touring through Spain visiting some gorgeous historic sites.  More on that adventure to come.  Trust me, I’ll be very busy writing over the next couple months.

October was ridiculously busy month for me work wise.  A co-worker was diagnosed with cancer, so we lost an integral member of the team while she left to focus on getting herself well.   I missed our annual tradition of visiting the pumpkin patch.  Jon was able to go, and had a great time with the kids.  Later in the month, we were able to sneak away for an afternoon to visit the Adam’s River Salmon Run.  Our niece and nephew were so excited to see all of the fish.  We’ll have to make it an annual tradition too.

Salmon Run
Adam’s River Salmon Run, BC

In November, Fazh decided to go to Denmark.  He asked me to plan the trip about a week before he decided he was leaving.   For so many reasons the task was nearly impossible!  Through some divine intervention, I was able to find his Danish friend on the internet, and he ended up having a once in a lifetime trip.    And now, Fazh too must focus on getting himself well.

December, while frazzling, has updated/reinforced my outlook that the “small stuff” shouldn’t even be a blip on the radar.  There are so many more important ways to spend time than focusing on trivial matters.

That brings us back to January.  Our newest nephew was born on the 2nd.  Fortunately, we were in the same city for his arrival.   At present we just wait to hear from surgeons, so that they get Fazh fixed up.

We’ve had so many wonderful adventures this year; Thanks to everyone who was a part of them.

Here’s to 2015,

~j

Nazareth: Shawarma & The Basilica of the Annunciation

If you want to know where to find the BEST Shawarma in Israel, look no further than Nazareth.  This historic biblical town may be full of crazy drivers, winding roads, and hoards of Ethiopian pilgrims, but they 100% know a thing or two about perfecting this delicious food!

Let’s begin the story with why were in Nazareth for lunch  in the first place.    Nazareth, “the Arab capital of Israel” is home to The Basilica of the Annunciation.  The basilica was consecrated in 1969.  It was built on top of 4 previous churches at the same site, and over the grotto thought to be the Virgin Mary’s house.  So, at least 5 churches later is the present day basilica in Nazareth.

The walls are adorned with artwork from all over the world that represents the Virgin and Child.  I was loving the variation on a theme.  See for yourself…

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After touring the building and grounds, we wandered on some of the surrounding streets.   Kazanova Kiosk was the perfect spot to grab something to eat quickly before getting back on the road.  There is a great little seating area just to the right of this little gem of a place.  Super quick service, and so, so delicious!   I really wasn’t expecting much for tasty options so close to the Basilica in a touristed area.  (The customer before us paid in US dollars which is usually a sign to run in the other direction.)

Shawarma Map Nazareth
The not so secret location for you!

If you’re in Nazareth, and  you’re looking for some divine shawarma, this is you’re place!  Tell them I said “Hi!”
~j

Madaba: The City of Mosaics

As I mentioned before, we arrived very late to Madaba.  We were awake to hear the first call to prayer (around 5:00am) partially due to jet lag.  Listening to the tune and thinking of all those it means something to is a rather reflective way to start the day.  I love it!  Sing the adhan from the minaret Muezzin.  It’s all good! (Note to self: must find out what they’re saying because it is different wording at different times of the day!)

We stayed at St. George’s Church, the Church of the Map.  This is an unassuming Greek Orthodox Church from the outside, but actually houses the oldest existing map of the Holy Land.  The map features significant biblical places, the Dead Sea and Jerusalem amongst others.  It basically covers the area from Egypt to Lebanon.

The mosaicist conceived and carried out his masterwork with great topographical skill and biblical knowledge. The Madaba Mosaic map is deemed by some scholars to be the best topographic representation ever done before modern cartography.

from: http://www.christusrex.org

For our first day in Jordan, we explored the city, enjoyed some phenomenal food at Haret Jdoudna, and just took in the sights.  Madaba has been called The City of Mosaics.  There is no shortage of shops selling all sorts of hand-made tile pieces.  I was particularly enamoured with the painted Ostrich Eggs, but didn’t know if they’d make it through the rest of the trip in one piece, or be a problem with customs on return.  Some were hideous, some were fantastic.  We ended up buying two small pieces of mosaic in Madaba.  While speaking to the shop keeper, we learned that he had a brother in Canada, living not far from us.  Small world!  Everyone we spoke with was extraordinarily friendly and welcoming.  Jordanians have to be some of the most hospitable people on the planet.

To make our way from Madaba to Wadi Musa, we ended up hiring a driver to take us and another couple along the King’s Highway to do some sight-seeing along the way.  We drove through the Wadi Mujib Nature Reserve for the most part as it covers a lot of the area.  Eventually we stopped at the ruins of al-Kerak castle.  This Crusader castle is one of the largest in the area.  It is preserved really well, and we were able to wander around the site for quite a while.

On our arrival to Wadi Musa, we decided that we wanted to experience Petra at Night prior to our first daylight visit. Word on the street that if you see Petra before the night-time visit it isn’t as impressive.  I’m glad we decided to do the Petra at Night first, as it would be true.

Stay tuned for more from Petra,
~j

Milford Sound

Milford Sound MapTraveling  by bus from Queenstown to Milford Sound and back again made for a long day!  Not having our own transportation , we went with a day tour.  If you’re from a coastal rainforest area, Milford Sound might not be very impressive to you.  I found it worth the visit.  There were plenty of stops along the way that broke up the trip nicely.

Milford Sound, in Fjordland National Park, is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  This unique area receives more than 6.5m of rain annually.  (That’s about 21 feet of rain a year for all of you non-metric folks–more than three times your height unless you play for the NBA!)  Such high rainfall creates a layer of fresh water over the salt water sound.  Stained by tannins washed down from the forest, the fresh water layer restricts light to all but the top 40m.  This creates a rare opportunity for deep water eco-systems to be much closer to the surface than normal.   Milford Sound is a popular area for SCUBA for this reason.

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Though Milford Sound receives up to 180 days of rain annually, we had a beautiful sunny day for a cruise on the water.

Happy Travels,
~j

Cambodia: Two Days at Angkor Wat

During our time in Siem Reap, we allotted two days to explore the temples of The Angkor Complex.  The Angkor Complex and surrounding area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Most people call the entire area Angkor Wat, but in actuality, Angkor Wat is just one of the many incredible temples in the area.

Angkor Temple Map
From: http://www.tourismcambodia.com/

Because we had a lot of ground to cover, we had to decide how to best plan our visit.  There are many options for transportation through the temple grounds–cycling, tuk-tuk, car.   You would be extremely inefficient and ridiculously limited  without transportation.  The complex is gigantic and spread out.

Monkey, Angkor
Monkey’s like Tuk-Tuks!

We decided that day one we would use a car, and day two we would use a tuk-tuk.   Our driver, Dora, was quite possibly the nicest person ever! He gave us so much information about the area, about himself, and about Cambodia in general that we decided to scrap the tuk-tuk day two, and go with him again.  He was awesome!  (FYI:  It really was nice having the air-conditioning.  We were spoiled Day 1, so that was a definite bonus!)

The Temples

The temples were built between the 9th and 15th centuries AD, starting with Preah Ko (AD 875-890), and ending with Bayon (AD 1175-1240).

Of all of the temples in the complex, Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom are the most impressive.  Angkor Wat is the said to be the world’s largest religious structure.  It is definitely the most famous and most ornate.  We started the day at Angkor Thom.

Angkor Thom
One of the many faces of Bayon Temple of Angkor Thom

Angkor Thom is more like a city of temples, (see the map above) including Bayon, Baphuon, Phimeanakas, the Terace of the Leper King and the Terrace of the Elephants.   Our first impression was of the massive causeway and gates.   The Asura statues lining the causeway are all slightly different than each other.

The temples are filled with details, from panels depicting various scenes of day to day life, to bas-reliefs of apsara dancers, to walls and walls of carved writing.  It’s overwhelming, and impossible to see all of it in two days.  Even writing this now, I’m finding it difficult to focus on just one thing.  Let’s let the pictures do the work!

Here are some of the lovelies we saw:

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Reconstruction & Restoration

Angkor was “rediscovered” in the 19th century, having been abandoned for centuries, and was once again lost to the world during the 70’s due to war.  Since the collapse of the Khmer Rouge in the late 90’s, the temples have undergone massive restoration efforts.   Mines (unexploded ordinance) had to be cleared from the area, not to mention an overgrowth of vegetation.

Restoration efforts were prominent, and globally funded.  Given the importance of Angkor archeologically, and to the Cambodians economically, conserving the site is of utmost importance.

There is so much to say about our time at the Angkor Complex.  So much history, so many interesting things and people that the photos will have to do a lot of the work.

If you have the opportunity to visit Cambodia, you won’t be disappointed.  The people were the most gracious hosts, and the small bit of scenery we saw was unbelievably gorgeous.

~j

That’s downhill right?

On one of the days that we’re in Cambodia we’ve planned to visit the Tonle Sap–a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Yes, UNESCO strikes again!

What’s so interesting about this body of water? Despite having over 400 species of fish, and just as many mammals, birds, and reptiles, the most fascinating feature is the direction of the river flow changes depending on the season. True story.

Tonle Sap MapDuring the dry season from November to May the Tonle Sap is a tributary of the Mekong. The River flows towards Phnom Penh. In June, heavy rain fall backs up the Tonle Sap and creates a large lake, and water is actually pushed from the Mekong into the Lake. At the end of the rainy season, the River changes direction again.

So, what makes this area worth visiting? (Besides being uber-nerdy?!) Well, the wildlife and scenery, the floating villages and stilt houses to name a few things. The sad part is that we’ll only see the region in the dry season, and not the other extreme. The depth of the lake changes from 1m to 10m during the rainy season. Check out the photo at the bottom of the Peace of Angkor page to see both seasons. We’re actually booked in with Peace of Angkor for the day to visit Beng Mealea and Tonle Sap. I hope it is a good one.

48 days and counting!

It seems like we still have so much stuff to do, but the pressure isn’t on, so the procrastination continues. We do have our travel visas, and have booked all flights, accommodation and any additional trips/tours that we know for sure we’re doing. Here’s a rough map of the travel route.
travel map asia

Thankfully Jon’s much more organized than I am. His travel research knows no bounds, and he’s fully addicted to trip advisor–so much so that they’ve asked him to be destination expert for Peru. (Which I don’t think he’ll accept. It is a little hard to be a destination expert if you’re from another continent!)

At least I know this Asian adventure is extremely well planned. Even so, the best laid plans of mice and men…

Stop, Drop, Roll

Naturally Reseeded by Wildfire
Reseeded by Wildfire in 1988

The park covers 8980km² which is about 2.2 million acres. In 1988 almost 800,000 acres burned. Thousands of fire fighters and 380 million litres of fire retardant were used for one of the largest fire fighting efforts ever, and still it was Mother Nature that eventually squelched the fire with fall rain and snow.

Yellowstone, and the National Park Services have a natural burn policy–as long as a fire is caused by nature (ie: lightening) and isn’t threatening human life, park structures, natural resources or areas of cultural importance the fire is allowed to burn. Obviously fire is important to the ecosystems of the park; I can appreciate that. Allowing 36% of the park to burn in 1988 certainly affected the landscape we saw. One can’t help but wonder what the deforested areas would have looked like had there been no mass fire. It isn’t as though we’re strangers to the scorched earth landscape left behind by wild fires–BC is always on fire. Always. On the positive side, the 20 year old trees appear to be thriving and green where they’re growing back.

Dead trees, YellowstoneAnother tree oddity on Cooking Hillside–“Shake then Bake”. From one of the sign posts: “Covered by dense forest until 1978, this hillside changed dramatically after a swarm of earthquakes struck the area. In spite of being jolted again and again, the trees remained standing, but met their demise soon afterward when ground temperatures soared to 200°F or 94°C! Roots sizzled in the super-heated soil and trees toppled over one by one as steam rose eerily between the branches.”

Some more park facts for you:

Yellowstone Lake is one of the largest high altitude lakes in North America at 2557m above Sea Level. (Or, 7733 feet.) Yellowstone Caldera is the largest super volcano in North America. We crossed the continental divide several times while in the park. Most of the park is in Wyoming, but also there’s 3% in Montana and 1% in Idaho. This Map shows the Caldera, the Continental Divide as well as all the roads and other normal map components. It is almost identical to the one given out at the park entrance.

Yellowstone Lake

Moving from flora to fauna, in 1926 Wolves were nearly exterminated in the park. By the 1970’s the Wolf was on the US endangered species list. In 1995, and 1996 there was a successful Wolf reintroduction program. To promote bio-diversity, 32 wolves were imported to Yellowstone from BC and Alberta. Word is that the wolves “were back” when we were in the park. Loads of people with spotting scopes were at pullouts in the Lamar Valley. One couple we ran into (who said we had Canadian accents, and that they aspire to be Canadian because “we’re so civilized”–so funny!) had been successful in their viewing that morning. They have lived near the park all their lives, and were super excited to share information with us.

Once they had been watching a small wolf pack for days (can’t remember the pack name, but they knew exactly who they were), they saw the wolves take down a bull Elk, and then a Grizzly came and stole the carcass. They said they whole thing went on for about 3 days until loads of people showed up with scopes and binoculars to watch. We did not see anything even close to that, but then again, we didn’t have days to sit in one spot in hopes of seeing something with binoculars.

I did manage to spot some things with my eagle eyes, and thanks to my new camera I did get photos. These shots were taken from super far away, but you still get the gist. ps: I love the little goat peeking out from his leafy snack a top a cliff in the middle of nowhere.