My friend Dee came to visit me in Florida and I’d like to share some of the fun we had. Friday started off with a trip to Cape Coral Yacht Club for a “fun in the sun” drink and a bite to eat while watching the sunset! Unfortunately, the weather dropped about 10 degrees shortly before she arrived (68 degrees/48 degrees), so she had her Alpaca sweater and fingerless gloves on for the first evening.
We headed to Fletchers, a local club, for some live music and dancing.
Saturday was a long day, a great day, a fun-filled day! It started with dropping one of my girlfriends off at the airport, followed by a trip to Fort Myers Beach with my remaining friend. We took a walk on the pier and saw men fishing, pelicans resting…
Had to get a close-up…
I think he was thinking, “Look at all of the pretty colors”!
Mullock Creek Marina in Fort Myers, Florida is one of those places only the locals know about. My friend who lives in Fort Myers hooked us up and we had a wonderful afternoon kayaking through an estuary (for those of you who don’t know exactly what that means…”An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea”). It was a steal at $25 for an all day rental. Partly cloudy skies and light winds made for a perfect afternoon.
I took my camera in a large Ziploc bag to protect it. Here are my friends…
Here’s Wayne catching a large Tarpon fishy…
Yesterday, my friends and I headed to Ft. Myers Beach for some fun in the sun. We went farther South this time and picked a spot that was less populated. This pelican was diving for fish…
The ladies taking a nice long walk on the beach…
More birds…
My two girlfriends (who are sisters) and I drove the 16 hours from Ohio to Cape Coral, Florida in two days and arrived on Monday afternoon. Back in the day, we would’ve driven straight through. To take advantage of the remaining sunshine, we changed into our bathing suits and headed to the pool. A friend who is like a relative very generously allows me to stay at her condo which is near Ft. Myers. There is a small stretch of beach with a fun restaurant bar called Cape Coral Yacht Club about five minutes from the condo. After relaxing for a bit at the pool, we headed there for a casual dinner and to watch the sunset.
Tuesday, we couldn’t wait to see the beach…
I’ll be heading to the Fort Myers area of Florida this weekend to spend the month of December and I’m so excited! You may remember when I visited two years ago during my six-week Couchsurfing road trip through the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. I’ll have my Nikon D5100 with me this time, so I hope to capture some amazing sights! Here are some photos from 2012. Most of these are from the Rosemary and Seacrest Beach areas on the Gulf…
This resembles a spine…
There are some destinations and experiences in life that are etched into your memory and looking back at the photographs tends to rekindle the wanderlust that’s burning in your soul! It may have been the exotic aromas wafting through the air, the peaceful and serene feelings evoked, the indescribable beauty of the landscape, or the delightful people; most likely a fusion of these events served to secure their designation as extraordinary for you. These are a few of my amazing experiences.
Okavango Delta, Botswana, Africa
Ears tuned to the varied wildlife within the Okavango Delta, leaning against a pillow in a traditional dugout mokoro canoe, transported through the shallow waters with the lulling sound of poles dipping in and out of the water, I was living in the moment.
Emerging from the mile long narrow “Siq” trail with rocks towering over 250 feet on each side, the stunning “Treasury”, carved into the sandstone cliff face dating back to the 5th century, leaves you breathless!
Sossusvlei Dunes, Namibia, Africa
Ready for some adventure? Try walking the spine of Dune 45 in the Namid Desert at sunrise. It’s only 557 feet tall and you’ll be tromping through sand that is 5 million years old. The views are otherworldly!
Deadvlei Salt Pan, Namibia, Africa
Believed to be about 900 years old, the dead skeleton trees are set off by the contrasting colors of burnt orange sand, biscuit cracked earth, and cobalt blue sky!
Gudvangen Fjord, Norway Continue reading
Hiking to the Rock House at Hocking Hills State Park, these pumpkin colored mushrooms were a delightful surprise!
The weather forecast for Day two of our Hocking Hills hiking adventure predicted rain late in the day, so unlike the previous day, we left our rain coats, umbrellas, and waterproof camera bags back at the cabin, because we started out early. Mistake! While taking in the amazing scenery at Ash Cave it began to pour rain. Fortunately for me, I was lagging behind taking photographs, under the shelter of Ash Cave, while my girlfriends were caught in the deluge. Not a bad place to get stuck for 10 minutes!
We ran into a photographer who was kind enough to take our photograph before the rain. Even Evan (the dog) posed for the camera…
The 1/2 mile trail at Cedar Falls leads to the waterfall….
The sloped forest hillside afforded beautiful photography opportunities…
Our cabin’s location (only a few miles from Cedar Falls) made it convenient to head back there for lunch before our afternoon hiking at the stunning Rock House, which I’ll save for tomorrow!
A quick two-day mid-week trip to Hocking Hills State Park for hiking followed by soaking in a hot tub with girlfriends was just what the doctor ordered! Located in Southeastern Ohio, 2 1/2 hours from Cincinnati, the rugged cliffs, breathtaking gorges, cascading waterfalls, and flourishing forests of Hocking Hills State Park, afford visitors a pristine outdoor wonderland. Our first hike was to Old Man’s Cave. The well-marked one mile round trip trail, includes both man-made and natural steps. The view from inside the mouth of the wide cave looks down onto a small stream and stone bridge…
Autumn is one of my favorite times of the year to visit this park…
I had originally planned to go to the US National Arboretum, our last day in Washington, D.C., but after a relative told us not to miss the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, I changed our plans. After a leisurely morning at our Airbnb, we hopped on a Capital Bikeshare bicycle to explore the Museum.
But first I have to share a photograph from the Sculpture Garden of the National Gallery of Art. This tree is entitled, “Graft”. My husband waited on a park bench while I wandered through the Garden. At 45 feet high by 45 feet wide and weighing 16,000 pounds, this piece by American sculptor Roxy Paine is marvelous!
According to Earl A. Powell III, director of the National Gallery of Art–“Graft presents two fictive but distinct species of trees—one gnarled, twisting, and irregular, the other smooth, elegant, and rhythmic—joined to the same trunk. Among its rich associations, this sculpture evokes the persistent human desire to alter and recombine elements of nature, as well as the ever-present tension between order and chaos.”
A friendly squirrel, looking for food, stood still long enough for me to snap his portrait…
Having only two days left of our seven day visit to Washington, D.C., we left our Airbnb bright and early and picked up our Capital Bikeshare bicycles for the 3 mile trek to National Mall. We didn’t have time to go inside the Lincoln Memorial the day before because of our scheduled tour of the Capitol, so we returned and checked it out. The view looking towards the Washington Monument was striking…
A stark and compelling truth is conveyed at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial…
Paved sidewalks lined with trees border the Lincoln Reflection pool and after all of the walking, the park benches appeared quite inviting…
I was surprised by the number of statues and water features that comprised the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial. Spread over 7.5 acres, with four outdoor rooms, one for each of FDR’s terms of office, they represent the challenges he faced as our President, beginning in 1933 and ending in 1945, upon his death.
Having seen Arlington National Cemetery, Mount Vernon, Adams Morgan & Georgetown neighborhoods, and a couple of the Smithsonian museums within four days of our week-long visit to Washington D.C., it was time for my husband and I to check out some of the monuments at National Mall. Riding our Capital Bikeshare bicycles over to the National Mall in late morning, the chill long gone, vibrant emerald colors beckoned me for a photo at the Constitution Gardens Pond…
Although there weren’t any reflections in the Reflection Pool looking towards the Lincoln Memorial, the brilliant azure water was spectacular!
Washington D.C. has a diverse population and my husband and I were fortunate to be in the right place at the right time to join the throng of spectators gathering to watch a Hispanic parade. We bicycled to the Smithsonian Institute of Natural History to begin our tours of some of the wonderful and free of charge (kinda…taxpayers pay for it) Museums. As we walked along National Mall, we passed people gathered in groups, putting makeup on and making last minute adjustments to costumes, preparing for the parade along Constitution Avenue. The mood was festive and the costumes colorful!
Washington D.C.’s Adams Morgan neighborhood is colorful, vibrant, funky, and fun! We started our day bicycling from our Airbnb in the Bloomington neighborhood on the East side of D.C. to the quaint neighborhood of Georgetown on the West side and finished in Adams Morgan, having drinks with a former 2 Star Admiral Navy Seal! After docking our bicycles at the Capital Bikeshare station on 18th Street, we walked down the street in search of an outdoor bar for some afternoon refreshments and met Chuck and his dog, Bravo. Having been in the military myself for four years, it was fascinating to listen to Chuck’s amazing lifetime experiences as a former high-ranking officer.
With puffy white clouds, blue sky, and mid-70’s temps, we relaxed for a couple of hours, talking with Chuck and people watching.
Sherry Lachelle Travels 