Washington DC is filled with beautiful parks and fountains ~ here are a few of my favorites.
Fountain at the US Capitol building
WWII Memorial
Senate Park Fountain
Posts Tagged ‘Travel’
Washington DC: Beautiful Fountains
Posted in DC, US, Washington DC, tagged Fountains, Senate Park, Travel, US Capitol, Washington DC on Friday, 7 November, 2014| 2 Comments »
Washington DC: Constitution Gardens
Posted in Photography, Travels, US, Washington DC, tagged Congressional Gardens, Photography, Travel, Washington DC on Saturday, 25 October, 2014| 3 Comments »
Constitution Gardens is a lovely garden situated in the West Potomac Park near the intersection of Constitution Avenue and 17th Street NW. It’s along the north side of the National Mall and surprisingly quiet even on a gorgeous sunny Sunday afternoon. Established in 1965, the Gardens are open 24 hours a day and a Park Ranger is available to answer questions about the area. You will find rangers at the nearby Vietnam Veterans Memorial between the hours of 9:30 am and 11:30 pm.
The park area contains a large lake:
There’s a memorial to the 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence with each of the signers signatures such as Benjamin Franklin:
The park includes several walkways and park benches:
From the park you have a great view of the Washington Monument:
We drove to the park because it was Sunday and parking is free but taking the metro is your best bet on other days. For additional information, go to the National Park Service website.
Palau: My Favorite Island Escape
Posted in Islands, Micronesia, Palau, Photography, Travels, tagged Koror, Micronesian, Palau, Photography, Travel on Thursday, 25 September, 2014| 11 Comments »
Palau is my ideal tropical vacation spot. Our 2007 visit was a trip of a lifetime. More than a few times, when I was there, I would pause to savor the moment and commit to memory some of the beauty I couldn’t capture in a photo. Especially the unbelievable night sky with stars so close I felt I could reach out and touch them.
Heading to one of the outer islands
Seems every time it rains, there’s a rainbow
Kayaking
Racing the rain in Palau
The Milky Way lagoon is a natural spa treatment which is supposed to make you look 10 years younger. I’m due to go back soon! The white mud felt great ~ cool and soothing.
Early morning swim
Beautiful arch
Morning at the dock
One of the best kisses ever!
Dolphins
Gorgeous, colorful mural at the community college
Cocktail hour (for me at least)
Sunset in Palau
Another beautiful Palau Sunset
Ah, a great place for a hammock
Palau consists of approximately 340 islands across 400 miles of the North Pacific Ocean. There’s a small population of only 21, 186. In 1994, after three decades being under the U.S., the Republic of Palau became one of the youngest nations in the world. The official language is Palauan but English is spoken everywhere. If you get a chance to go, GO!
Virginia: Great Falls National Park
Posted in DC, Photography, Travels, Virginia, Washington DC, tagged Great Falls, Kayaking, Photography, Rock climbing, Travel, Virginia, Washington DC on Sunday, 21 September, 2014| 4 Comments »
Great Falls National Park is a beautiful 800-acre recreation area located just 15 minutes from Washington, DC. We arrived early enough to avoid the crowds but, as we were leaving, there was a line of cars attempting to come in. There’s lots to do at the park such as hiking, kayaking, rock climbing, picnicking but NO SWIMMING. Sadly, there have been several drownings due to the currents.
Great Falls
Great Falls
Narrowest part of the Potomac ~ Mather Gorge
Kayaking is popular at Great Falls
Rock Climbing in progress
High Water mark at Great Falls ~ water was definitely at a low mark on our visit
Climbing down to the rocks & water
On the rocks
If you decide to go, the park is open daily except for Christmas Day. Entrance fee is $5 per vehicle but there are plenty of free pass opportunities such as Active Duty Military can get a year pass for free. There are picnic tables and grills which are available on a first come, first serve basis. By 11:00 am, most were already taken ~ not surprising since it was a gorgeous Saturday morning. For more info, click here.
Hawaii: When the Lava Flows
Posted in Beach, Big Island, Hawaii, Photography, Travel, US, tagged Beach, Big Island, Hawaii, Lava, Pele, Photography, Travel, Volcano on Tuesday, 16 September, 2014| 15 Comments »
Being from Hawaii, I don’t worry much about natural disasters. Whether it be earthquakes, tsunamis, lava flows or the every few decades hurricane. Lately, it seems every time I call my brother or cousin who live on the Big Island (Hawaii), it’s to ask them about a natural disaster. Last month there were two hurricanes heading their way and now it’s a change in the lava flow which is heading directly for the area of Puna (specifically the town of Pahoa) where my brother’s family lives. Kilauea volcano has been erupting since 1983 so the islanders will no doubt take it in stride and know everything will work out as it should.
Lava River
Not for the faint of heart or health
Lava Flow
Overlapping Lava flows
Lava Crater
Lava Reaching the Ocean
Walking on the Lava
Offerings to the goddess of fire, Pele
Beautiful drive in the Pahoa area ~ hope it’s not affected by the current lava flow
Puako Beach, Big Island, Hawaii
Another gorgeous sunset at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel
Guam: Fadian Cove
Posted in Beach, Guam, Photography, Travel: Guam, tagged Beach, Fadian Cove, Guam, Photography, Travel on Monday, 15 September, 2014| 2 Comments »
Washington DC: Theodore Roosevelt Island
Posted in Islands, Photography, Travels, United States, Virginia, Washington DC, tagged National Parks, Photography, President Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt Island, Travel, Washington DC on Sunday, 31 August, 2014| 12 Comments »
“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.” Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt Island is a living memorial to the 26th President of the United States. It’s a perfect way to honor a man who was a great conservationist and loved being out-of-doors. During his presidency, Theodore Roosevelt’s conservation achievements included adding approximately 200 million acres to the national forests, reserves and wildlife refuges. He also advanced large-scale irrigation projects. President Roosevelt created the U.S. Forest Service and established five National Parks. He was a busy and effective conservationist.
In the 1930s, Mason’s Island was revamped from being overgrown and neglected to what is now the beautiful, forested wilderness called Theodore Roosevelt Island. The island is covered with trees and surrounded by water giving the feeling of being away from it all when in reality the city is very close-by.
The island is a great place to spend a morning or evening with your family, friends or your dog. There are several trails on the island for walking or running. My favorite is the Swamp Trail ~ about 1.3 miles around the island. I’ve visited the park several times and even if the parking lot is full, I haven’t felt crowded. On this visit, I saw two big yellow school buses but the students were all in one area doing exercises.
Fishing off Theodore Roosevelt Island
Walking along the water
Fallen log along the trail
Relaxing along the trail
View of Georgetown from the island
“Youth” statue on the Roosevelt Island
IF YOU GO: Theodore Roosevelt Island is open year-round from 6 am to 10 pm. No fees to enter the island but a permit is required if you plan an event on the island such as a wedding, memorial service, or group activity. The island is a .6 mile walk from Rosslyn Metro Station (Blue, Orange and Silver lines).There are restrooms on the island but they are closed during the winter (usually from October to April) ~ during this time a portable toilet is located near the restrooms. There are no food vendors so bring your own water/food. Occasionally there are ranger lead tours, for more information click here for the schedule.
Hawaii: Kauna’oa Bay, Big Island
Posted in Beach, Big Island, Hawaii, Photography, Travel, tagged Beach, Big Island, Hawaii, Kauna'oa Bay, Photography, Travel on Thursday, 28 August, 2014| 5 Comments »
Washington DC: Jefferson Memorial
Posted in Photography, Travel, Travels, United States, Virginia, Washington DC, tagged DC, Jefferson Memorial, Photography, Travel, US, View From Washington Monument, WashingtonDC on Wednesday, 27 August, 2014| 7 Comments »
A view of The Thomas Jefferson Memorial from the top of the Washington Monument in Washington DC.
The memorial is in the style of the Pantheon of Rome (neoclassical architecture). It’s located at the Tidal Basin and a walk to the monument is a must when the Cherry Blossoms are blooming (usually in early April). The construction of the memorial was approved by an Act of Congress in 1934 but the site and the style caused controversy which delayed the building for several years. Several of the Japanese flowering cherry trees were removed which caused considerable criticism from the public. Additional criticism came from The Commission of Fine Arts who deemed the pantheon design a direct competition to the Lincoln Memorial. President Roosevelt gave the final permission on the pantheon style and he laid the cornerstone of the Memorial on November 15, 1939.
As the third president of the United States, Thomas Jefferson was also a statesman, architect, drafter of the Declaration of Independence, adviser of the Constitution and founder of the University of Virginia. Speaking of UVA, it’s on the list of college visits with my daughter this fall ~ along with what seems like every high school student in Virginia.
The bronze, 19 ft tall statue of Jefferson looks toward the White House. My personal favorite part of the memorial are the five Jefferson quotations on the interior of the building illustrating the principles to which he dedicated his life.
If you visit The Thomas Jefferson Memorial, it is located on the south bank of the Tidal Basin. It’s open daily from 8:00 am until 11:45 pm every day except Christmas Day. No fees for visiting and the closest metro stop is Smithsonian.
London: Open House Weekend 20-21 September
Posted in Travels, tagged London, Open House, Travel, UK on Friday, 15 August, 2014| 6 Comments »
I love London’s Open House weekend! You’ll have access to iconic and historic buildings (some which are usually closed to the public). Tickets for Open House are now available ~ it’s a popular architectural event and as you can imagine the tickets will go quickly. If a building doesn’t have a ticket for entry, the lines will be long!! Have a game plan and start early. For information on specific buildings, click here.
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