Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Bodie State Historic Park

"Goodbye God, I'm going to Bodie" - apparently that's a quote from a diary of a little girl whose family moved from San Francisco to Bodie during California Gold Rush.

By 1880 Bodie was a booming town, inhabited by some 10'000 miners, shop-owners, prostitutes, and gun-fighters.

It still amazes me that it was only 130 years ago (!), yet it feels like ancient history. California has come a long way since then.


Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Bison

Mighty Bison at Yellowstone National Park.


Sunday, April 27, 2014

Maasai Kids

When our car broke down on Massai land at the footsteps of Kilimanjaro in Kenya, we stopped at the nearest village and–using our best non-verbal communication skills–we asked the village chief for permission to spend the night outside his village.

The permission was granted and what followed was a memorable evening of cultural exchange between the "Westerners" and the Massais. They were as interested in our way of life, as we were interested in them.


Friday, April 25, 2014

Dolphins

Synchronized swimming near Channel Islands National Park in California.


Thursday, April 24, 2014

Desert Horn Lizard

Spotted sunbathing in Joshua Tree National Park.


Monday, April 21, 2014

Pinnacle Balanced Rock

It almost seems that the subtlest gust of wind should tip this rock over, yet it persists to stand tall dominating over its environment.


Pinnacle Balanced Rock in Chiricahua Wilderness in New Mexico.

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Saturday, April 19, 2014

Friday, April 18, 2014

Thursday, April 17, 2014

At Angkor Wat the Devil is in the Detail

Beautiful detail on the walls of Angkor Wat in Cambodia.


Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Potsdamer Platz

After the fall of the Berlin Wall Potsdamer Platz became the major development site in Europe.


Tuesday, April 15, 2014

The Pitcher

Juan Marichal pitching in front of Giants' Stadium in San Francisco.


Monday, April 14, 2014

Baby and Mama Monkey

Spotted at Tadoba Andhari Reserve in India.



Friday, April 11, 2014

Machu Picchu in Morning Glory

Our reward at the end of four-day trek along Inca Trek was this spectacular view of Machu Picchu in early morning hours of New Year AD 2011.


Thursday, April 10, 2014

Double Arch

Double Arch in Arches National Park stands 104 feet (32 m) tall and the larger of its two openings has a span of 148 feet (45 m)!


Wednesday, April 9, 2014

High-heels Yoga

San Francisco is getting weirder by the minute.

Today in my yoga class there was a girl in high-heel shoes, parading–click, clack, click, clack–in high-heel shoes. I heard about hiking in high heels, but yoga?

Anyhow, a good reminder that we shouldn't let the behavior of others destroy our inner peace.



Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Summer in Grand Teton

Summer in full bloom at Grand Teton National Park.

Monday, April 7, 2014

Crazy Deer

In Capitol Reef National Parks visitors are welcome to pick ripe fruits from the park's orchards, an opportunity we couldn't have passed up.

While picking apples, we got surrounded by a group of deer demanding–sometimes aggressively–their "share" of the pick. That's wild deer for you!


Friday, April 4, 2014

Aztec Ruins

On a sunny and windless winter day, Aztec Ruins in New Mexico–a UNESCO World Heritage Site, look almost ready to be inhabited again. The name of the ruins is a misnomer, as they were built in 11th century by the Anasazi, not the Aztecs.


Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Cannon Balls

These unusual rock formations are jointly named "Cannon Balls." They can be found in Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota. The park was named after Theodore Roosevelt in recognition of his conservation efforts in rapidly developing America of the early 20th century.

We have fallen heirs to the most glorious heritage a people ever received, and each one must do his part if we wish to show that the nation is worthy of its good fortune. (T. Roosevelt)


Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Hoover Wilderness

A lesser known neighbor of Yosemite National Park: Hoover Wilderness.