Travel Talk- Sometimes I dislike traveling!

Surprised huh? Well, I love traveling more than anything in my life and I cannot imagine my life without traveling. Still, sometimes I dislike traveling when it comes to ...

National Parks- Biscayne, The Underwater National Park!

Biscayne Bay underwater National Park, is another gem in southern Florida. One of the popular scuba diving locations in USA, it preserves the barrier reefs and some of the unique marine wildlife. 95% of the park is underwater! Like other national parks of USA there is an entry fee of $10.

Colorful Skies- Moonset at Suthro Baths, San Francisco

One more from Suthro Baths, San Francisco. I had posted a picture of moonset earlier. This one is also from the same night few hours earlier to moonset from a different location. What interests me is the reflection! Looks like a mummy!

Travel Talk- Most stupid packing mistakes!

Last weekend I went on a day hike around Bangalore. Bangalore rain was on-and-off all the time. During lunch break we had extra time for fun chat which ended up in pulling each other's leg. This is what happened ... One of the guys was carrying a large daypack which was full. One gracious lady- fellow trekker, asked him what was inside. He first laughed out loudly and then said softly ...

National Parks- Dry Tortugas, In the middle of nowhere!

Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida is a small archipelago which is a remarkable place in the middle of Gulf of Mexico. 70 miles from Key West, comprised of 7 small islands and 100 square miles of ocean is accessible only by boat or seaplanes. These tiny islands are farthest, westernmost and most isolated of Florida Keys. It seems these are closer to Cuba than American mainland! One tiny and remote place rich in history and marine wildlife.

Colorful Skies- Blue at Loggerhead Key Lighthouse

Southern Florida is where you see white sand, blue skies and BLUE ocean! The boat rides over the ocean water are fabulous and the patches of land rising above the ocean make the scene outer-worldly. And when you find a man-made structure on these remote islands you wonder ... I was not the first one to reach here! Well, I was on the way to Dry Tortugas National Park passing Loggerhead Key. The Lighthouse looked alluring.

Birds- Lone Great Blue Heron in mangroves of Everglades

My earlier post talks so much about Everglades National Park, Florida. There is so much of wildlife in this park, I don't think I will ever run out of pictures! I have seen these herons and egrets in many poses and this one was on single leg watching sunset :) 

Cities- Key West, Home of the Sunset!

Key West, FL is the southernmost key among the Florida Keys, it is also southernmost city of Continental USA just 90-miles away from Cuba! Original Spanish name of this beautiful place is Cayo Hueso which means Island of bones! Interesting huh? It seems the island was used as a burial ground by the Native Americans, bones were seen scattered around then! Now, it is a beautiful city with high density of tourists where you pay big amount for parking!

Colorful Skies- Colorful sunrise at Key West

Key West, FL is southernmost city in continental USA. I was there early in the morning to witness the sunrise though the concrete buoy displayed it was Home of the sunset. I will have a detailed post on Key West soon, till then enjoy the colorful morning!

Call of the Wild- Everglades National Park, An Alligator Alley

Compared to the west I haven't explored east coast of USA much. I have reached south-east as far as Florida, the southern tip of continental USA. I went on a road trip to Southern Florida covering Miami, all the three national parks and Florida Keys. One of my friends was pulling my leg ... Are you going hunting pythons? or wrestling with alligators? or riding a Florida panther? ... Ha ha ... I wasn't sure! I would have been lucky to sight a Florida Panther or a giant python! But, I did see a Black tipped shark and also a Florida Manatee :) Only thing I was worried about was the hot-and-humid weather!! But, the trip was worth every penny I spent.

Colorful Skies- Stormy north California coast

California Coast is always cold. The vast Pacific ocean brings unexpected fog, strong winds and wind chill. I was there at Redwood National Park last September and the weather was so bad. Rain, wind and fog, all together. I hiked a part of California Coastal Trail in the park. 

Great Hikes- Zion Subway

Zion Subway, not as insanely popular as Angels Landing but, is another popular attraction among the adventure seekers in Zion National Park. This is a magnificent destination as well as a wonderfully beautiful and pleasant hike. This hike actually defined the word 'solo' for me. For the whole of the 9 long miles I didn't see another human being. It was just me and the canyon. The whisper of the wind, music of the water, singing birds, the sound of my own footsteps and smell of the wet mud were my companions. It was like reconnecting with the Earth!

Colorful Skies- Mt Hood and the blue sky

When I visited Columbia River Gorge, I drove a lot on I-84 along the Columbia River. And Was curious to see Mt. Hood. I went driving on Mt Hood Hwy and Mt Hood is one imposing mountain arising high above the surrounding landscape. Awe inspiring scene!

Close up with Nature- Wild Mushrooms

I have found mushrooms to be very interesting subjects to shoot. What attracts me is their irregular shape and delicate structure!

I took this picture at Redwood National Park, California on the Fern Canyon trail. Reaching the Fern Canyon was a tricky drive on rough unpaved road crossing the stream at three places. Really amazing place!
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Great Hikes- Zion Angels Landing

Zion National Park is a peaceful sanctuary and home for very interesting cliffs and canyons. It also offers few most terrific hikes which excite the visitors beyond imagination. All NPS employees talk about it ... Every visitor wonders about it ... many want to hike it ... few complete it ... and the name is Angels Landing (5,790ft) or earlier known as Temple of Aeolus! At a height 1,488ft above the canyon floor the cliff provides spectacular views of Zion Canyon. Insanely popular, most terrific, most gratifying and most scenic hike I have ever completed. Here is  my story of hiking to the top of knife-edge cliff and back ...

Colorful Skies- Clouds over Zion cliffs

Zion National Park in Utah is one of the best in USA. It offers great hikes leading to incredible views. Even a  drive across the park on Zion Park Blvd (Route-9) is fun! With few hairpin bends and looooong tunnels the drive is interesting. The high standing cliffs on either sides and the blue sky with white scattered clouds, the total scene is a delight to the visitor's eyes.

Birds- Wood Stork

Wood Stork is a large American wading bird and is the only stork that breeds in North America. Their dark brown bald head, a dark face and woody looking neck give them the name Wood Stork. Right now it is in the endangered list, there are plans to upgrade it to the threatened. With wingspan of more than six feet they are normally above three feet high.

National Monuments- Wupatki Ruins and Sunset Crater Volcano

Wupatki National Monument has scattered settlement sites of ancient Pueblo tribes. Wupatki means Tall House in Hopi (a Native American tribe) language, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It seems the first  inhabitants migrated to this place after the nearby Sunset Crater volcano erupted. The volcanic ash made this place fertile for agriculture and the volcanic rocks helped in the soil's ability to retain water. The settlements were abandoned completely within 100 years. The ruins in the monument belong to different tribes. The Lomaki and Nalahiku ruins seem to be little smaller and the ruins are reduced to only mud mounds and debris. Only the Wupatki Pueblo is the largest and whatever remains are well preserved. Wupatki ruins have entrance fee of $5.

Colorful Skies- Passage at Bryce National Park

One of the places in USA which made me speechless with its stunning beauty was Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah. The strange towering hoodoos, the passages, the color red, the clear blue skies and beautiful sunsets and sunrises. There is no part of the day one feels bored here.

Scenic Routes- US Route 89A and a stalker!

I have gone on road-trips to Arizona, not much, a little in the northern parts. My journey so far has been part of I-40, on highways 64, 89 and that US-Route-89A from Bitter Springs to Kanab, UT also known as Fredonia-Vermillion Cliffs Scenic Route. It passes the Marble Canyon National Monument, crosses Navajo Bridge, passes Old Cliff Dwellers Lodge, intersects Grand Canyon North Rim Route 67 and it is scenic!