169 Search Results for "landscape"

• Our Budget Travel Trip to Irel

  • From: CliffK
  • Description:

     

    

    This trip actually began last June, when I was notified by email that I had won the Budget Travel Photo Contest with a photo I had taken in Costa Rica. My wife didn't even know I had submitted an entry, and she was in a meeting all afternoon, so I could not call her. We were meeting friends for dinner and had all of five minutes in the car together for me to inform her, "Um, honey, I have some news for you..." She screamed and quickly responded, "Well, I guess we know how we're going to use our furlough days this year!"

    After doing our research, we settled on a region (southwest Ireland) and a time frame (October, after the high season but before it gets too cold). I worked with Una at Sceptre Tours to iron out the details, and before we knew it we were on our way.

    We flew directly into Shannon, arriving at 7:00 a.m. on a Friday morning with a full day ahead of us. A friend had told us how beautiful it was to fly into Shannon where you could see all the green as you were landing. Well, at 7:00 a.m. on an October morning, the sun had yet to rise and it was still pitch black. Not to mind, we got our rental car and hit the ground running (that is, with a little adjustment for getting used to driving on the left side of the road). First stop: Galway. Although it was raining, we weren't going to let a little rain deter us from having fun. After stopping at the TI, we walked through Eyre Square (aka John F. Kennedy Park) and explored the old town center. We stepped inside the Collegiate Church of St. Nicholas, where I was impressed with the testament to the Widow Jane Eyre's generosity, commemorated on a plaque. We then walked, struggling to keep our umbrellas open against the wind and the rain, to the much more modern Galway Cathedral. This is a cathedral you want to visit during the day so you can better see and appreciate a more modern approach to stained glass artwork. Keep an eye out for the Irish Holy Family, where Mary is knitting and Jesus is offering tea to Joseph. Also look for the mosaic (hidden the day we were there behind a curtain, but that did not stop us) of John F. Kennedy.  Needing some lunch, we found our way to Busker Brownes, where my wife had Aubergine and Sweet Potato Gratin and I had delicious Irish Seafood Chowder, accompanied by tasty brown soda bread. We did not want to sit too long and let our jet lag overcome us, so we got back to our car and pushed on, driving northwest toward Letterfrack and the Kylemore Abbey. One of the best ways to combat jet lag is to spend time outdoors, and so our first activity at Kylemore was to tour the walled garden. Still nice in October, this must be even more beautiful in the middle of summer. The Abbey itself is lovely, though only a few rooms are open to tour. Also on the grounds is a small Neo-Gothic church, which is also worth a visit. Finishing at the Abbey, we still had a relatively short drive to Clifden and our first night accommodations at the Abbeyglen Castle Hotel. We checked in, dropped our bags in our room, and then walked about a mile into town to find a light supper. Back at the hotel, we headed downstairs to a common room where we thought we could sit by a fire and write in our journals. Ha! The combination of the warmth of the fire and the full day of touring, on top of our jet lag, and we were both dozing after writing only a sentence or two. However, it was also very effective: we got to bed early, got a full night's sleep, and when we woke up in the morning, we were both effectively over our jet lag.

    Saturday morning we woke up to the first of our full Irish breakfasts: a lavish buffet spread of cereals, yogurt, fresh fruit, rolls, eggs, bacon, sausage, and the traditional Irish accompaniments of grilled tomatoes and black and white pudding. Although we had another full day ahead of us, we decided we did not have to be held hostage to our agenda and allowed ourselves to backtrack a bit, driving back towards Letterfrack and the Connemara National Park. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day to hike, so we took the trail to the top of Diamond Hill. This wasn't the Ireland I was expecting: instead of the lush greens one hears about, this area was still beautiful but much more in shades of brown. Partly this was due to the season, but also the geography, as the terrain is very wet and boggy. We made it to the top of the hill, and were rewarded with wonderful views both of the harbor and of Kylemore Abbey from above. Once back in the car, already past noon, we headed out towards our next destination: back past Galway and on to the Burren. The Burren is a region of massive outcroppings of rock that have been scoured by glaciers, rich in archaeological sites, the most famous of which is the Poulnabrone Dolmen. One look at this landscape and it is no wonder why there are so many stone fences and stone buildings in this country. It was getting late, and we had one more goal for this day: to get to the Cliffs of Moher. I had hoped we'd have a beautiful sunset looking out over the Atlantic from the cliffs, but although the sunset itself was obscured by fog, it was still light when we arrived and we enjoyed the day dwindling away to twilight while there. After another full day, we recognized the wisdom of our chioce to go in October: pleasant weather for hiking and no crowds to contend with. Saturday was the night of our castle stay, so we drove (now in the dark) back to Dromoland. We were pleasantly surprised to discover that they had upgraded us from a standard to a deluxe room. This is not your drafty medieval castle: the room was quite spacious and luxurious. Sunday morning I went for a run on the castle grounds, through a wooded area where I came upon (and frightened) many pheasant.

    Friday and Saturday were both extremely full days, but this was our first time in Ireland and we wanted to see everything. Recognizing the need to slow down a bit, we had planned to spend two nights at our next stop: Kinsale. Driving south past Cork on Sunday we got our first taste of the beautiful green countryside that Ireland is so famous for. As the sun breaks through the clouds, the lush green fields just pop out at you. Kinsale very much has a small-town feel, located on a beautiful, well-protected harbor, rich in history. It is one of Ireland's "Tidy Towns," a competition first launched by Bord Failte in an effort to improve the appearance of towns and villages throughout the country for the main tourist season. In addition to just wandering the streets and exploring the shops and restaurants, we took the "Historic Stroll in Old Kinsale." Our guide, Barry, was a wealth of information about the history of Kinsale, from the occupation by the Spanish Armada to thenearby sinking of the Lusitania, including stories as well of the real Robinson Crusoe. Fun side trips included Charles Fort across the harbor and the Cobh Heritage Center, about a 45-minute drive. Our mainstay through most of Ireland was basic pub food, which we enjoyed, but in Kinsale ("the Gourmet Capital of Ireland"), we had to try a nicer restaurant. We couldn't have been happier than with a visit to Jim Edwards, where we had a delicious meal of grilled salmon.

     

     

  • Blog post
  • 1 week ago
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• The Burren

  • From: CliffK
  • Description:

    The rocky landscape, scoured by glaciers, known as the Burren

  • 1 week ago
  • Views: 7
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• Early Morning Arrival

  • From: sfdwnfrnt
  • Description:

    Ship gliding through the calm waters of Elliot Bay in the early morning. Seattle WA

  • 1 week ago
  • Views: 13

• Big Bend Landscape

  • From: Richard Steege
  • Description:

    A landscape scene from Big Bend National Park in Texas.

  • 1 week ago
  • Views: 14
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• Haunted House in Ireland

  • From: joe8211943
  • Description:
  • 1 week ago
  • Views: 48

• Perspectives

  • From: horbinsr
  • Description:

    As you leave Yellowstone NP, via the south entrance, you literally stumble into an entire different landscape from the one you just experienced. You still see the grasses and the lakes and the trees, but it's rather hard to escape the purplish 'matterhorn' style peaks thrusting themselves toward the sky. The craggy and snow covered Grand Teton peaks towering behind an early Mormon homestead puts the relationship of man's attempt to dominate versus the strength of nature in prespective.

    Can you imagine living here with antelope and buffalo roam, not to mention the largest Elk herd in the US during the 'rutting' season. Unfortunately we were there one week too early and couldn't stay for it. Next time!

  • 2 weeks ago
  • Views: 38

• Big Dunes

  • From: Buqo
  • Description:

    Big Dunes in the Amargosa Desert, Nye County Nevada are located off of Highway 95 between Las Vegas and Beatty.  The turnoff from Highway 95 is well marked and there is a high speed (50 mph) gravel road that leads within one-half mile of the dunes.  Soft sand roads lead to the base of the dunes.  My footprints show the trail I traced along the ridge.  Supposedly the Amargosa Big Dunes are one of the few "singing dunes" in the world that emit an audible sound during sandstorms.   While that would be way cool to hear and share with my BT friends, I really don't want to be out there during a sandstorm, thank you.

  • 2 weeks ago
  • Views: 59

• Clouds over Riga

  • From: shallowpockets
  • Description:

    A view over Riga, Latvia on a cold autumn day.

  • 2 weeks ago
  • Views: 43
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• Irish Greens

  • From: trvlmurofen
  • Description:

    In Killarney, Ireland.  Think it gets windy here?!  The leprechauns hide out in this magical green forest!

  • 3 weeks ago
  • Views: 40
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• Haleakala crater

  • From: blake31
  • Description:

    the painted landscape, above the clouds in the crater of Mt. Haleakala, Maui

  • 4 weeks ago
  • Views: 53
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• Tuscan Farm

  • From: carolweiler
  • Description:

    The view of a Tuscan farm from a neighboring hill. The passing clouds created a dappled pattern that emphasized the rolling nature of the landscape.

  • 4 weeks ago
  • Views: 90

• Foggy Road Near Cortona

  • From: carolweiler
  • Description:

    My husband and I booked a cottage on a agriturismo near Cortona, Italy in the month of November. The days were heartbreakingly short and the mornings were plagued by dense fog. We were wary of driving through unfamiliar territory in this fog, so we stayed close to our temporary home until near noon. I walked the dirt roads nearby and found sublime beauty in this foggy Tuscan landscape.
    

  • 4 weeks ago
  • Views: 52
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• A View of the French Landscape

  • From: paristulips
  • Description:

    Visiting Chemin des Dames in France

  • 4 weeks ago
  • Views: 55

• African Grasslands

  • From: sfdwnfrnt
  • Description:

    A pair of mated Eland in African grassland staying alert

  • 4 weeks ago
  • Views: 132

• Space Needle

  • From: sfdwnfrnt
  • Description:

    Space Needle from the 1962 World's Fair in Seattle Washington

  • 4 weeks ago
  • Views: 25

• Glenorchy Landscape, South Isl

  • From: javaman100
  • Description:

    Between Glenorchy and Queenstown mountains, stream, lake, and flora collide!

  • 4 weeks ago
  • Views: 62

• Bamboo Road

  • From: trvlmurofen
  • Description:

    Bamboo forest in Central America.

  • 1 month ago
  • Views: 65
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• Chinese Laundry

  • From: davidspiel
  • Description:

    Floating down the Li River in Guilin, China is as memorable an experience as I have ever had. The tour boats cruise past the fisherman in their small bamboo rafts, sometimes capsizing them! I took a “private Yacht” which turned out to be a motor boat moving so fast that I was unable to take pictures. I had the driver slow down at times whereupon I found this Chinese Laundromat. I met some interesting people on my stops until I caught a ride with a bigger boat. Water buffalo stroll along the coast past peasants and rice paddies. Farmers tend to their crops seemingly unfazed by the breathtaking surroundings. The Li River originates in the Mao'er Mountains in Xing'an county and flows through Guilin, Yangshuo and Pingle. The trip through this phantasmagorical landscape was over eighty kilometers (52 miles) long and took the best seven hours of my life. It is a photographer's paradise. If you are visiting the south of China, the Li River is not to be missed.

     

  • 1 month ago
  • Views: 54

• The Li River

  • From: davidspiel
  • Description:

    Floating down the Li River in Guilin, China is as memorable an experience as I have ever had. The mountains take on an other worldly appearance that I attempted to enhance in this photo. The tour boats cruise past the fisherman in their small bamboo rafts, sometimes capsizing them! Water buffalo stroll along the coast past peasants and rice paddies. Farmers tend to their crops seemingly unfazed by the breathtaking surroundings. The Li River originates in the Mao'er Mountains in Xing'an county and flows through Guilin, Yangshuo and Pingle. The trip through this phantasmagorical landscape was over eighty kilometers (52 miles) long and took the best seven hours of my life. It is a photographer's paradise. If you are visiting the south of China, the Li River is not to be missed.

     

  • 1 month ago
  • Views: 57
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• Monte Alban Zapotec Ruins

  • From: trvlmurofen
  • Description:

    Part of the great civilization of the Zapotecs, the capital and one of the first cities in Mesoamerica.  Mexico, Oaxaca

  • 1 month ago
  • Views: 65
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