Pacentro (Abruzzo, Italy) by Daniele Tuteri

Spoleto, Italy.

I really like this picture!

Stairway to Paradise!

July 17, 2016

Now, for part two of my wacky adventure in Niagara!

After we saw the beautiful sunrise and admired what nature has to give us at 5:40 AM in the morning, we rushed over to our car and headed towards Niagara, once again. It wasn’t a long drive until we reached there, and our first stop was Tim Hortons, of course. After that, we headed towards Niagara on the Lake, one of Ontario’s oldest towns! We looked beyond lake Ontario to see America on the other side, still nestled in away in their blankets at dusk. 

While enjoying the peace, quiet and friendly towners, we sat and appreciated the restless time by the water. We then decided to explore the town (although this might have been our 100th time). It’s so completely different at this morning hour as all the shops are closed and lights are turned off. We enjoyed the enriching history it has to offer and strolled along the brick roads, so perfectly fit together making it seem like it was always meant to be. 

We didn’t spend too long here, as we have hiking plans for the day as well! We stopped by the Whirlpool for a bit to check it out (also for the 100th time) and then ventured off into the woods, unaware of what we were about to face. It was called Niagara Glen trail, and it was way more beautiful that I could put into words. 

There were millions of stairs, leading to a place I didn’t seem to know exist and so hidden that it’s almost a secret kept among those who can tell no soul. It was enchanting; being surrounded by so much nature and enjoying everything that it has to offer. (besides oxygen, of course), It was a quick walk down, but definitely not one short enough to forget. We landed upon the lower area of thw whirlpool, and wondered how we never came here before! It’s often overlooked, but should be appreciated to its fullest. I kept walking along it’s edge and ended up somewhere called Devils Den, that ACTUALLY looked like a den.....for the devil! It was odd because I always saw people disappearing in and out of this area and it made it wonder, is it really the bed of the devil.

It was a great place to wander off to, and I would recommend the visit for those who are tired of the plain ol’ Niagara Falls. Hide yourself in a place that you can later call your own! 

An abandoned stock exchange building in Belgium 

 Photographed by: Jonk

Photo by Tomasz Furmanek

“The redwoods, once seen, leave a mark or create a vision that stays with you always.” - John Steinbeck

nature | Good Morning Lake Opengo | by yld882008 | http://ift.tt/1jQOxB3

Vøringsfossen, Norway by Rickard Eriksson Follow @travelgurus for the best Tumblr Images

Shipwrecked!

July 17, 2016

So, my family and I were making plans of going back to Niagara for the sunrise, as a typical family would do. Our goal was to make it just in time to sit calmly and watch the sun dance up above the falls, with the water crashing gently on the lake bed. While I was going through the pictures that I took the year before at the same place, I was wondering through the details of the photo to check what time we should arrive there by to see the sunrise at its peak. I noticed that the day we went last year was July 17, 2015! Now, 1 year later, we are at it again! I did not know this at all, and when I found out, I was way more excited to go back!

So, such early adventures call for early departures, and therefore I hit the hay right away for some much-needed sleep. Although I only had a total of an hour of sleep and waking up at 3 was crucial, I decided to stop fussing and get ready for the big day! I do cherish sleep very much, but I rather not sleep away the adventures that I am dreaming about. It’s time to wake up and make then a reality. 

We scurried up, packed very lightly as we have decided to go hiking and loaded up on the water to quench our thirst! We drove through the star black night and waited for the sun to show up and show us their magic. Unfortunately, we ended up leaving a bit too late and couldn't make it in time for the sunrise at the falls. Therefore, we had to make a compromise. We stopped in Hamiltom in a Marina (only for boat launching, but we were okay with a little risk) and pranced upon a ship! It turns out that this ship is actually a replica of the ship traveled by the great explorer, Jacque Cartier in the 16th century! Woah, that was about 500 years ago!

It was an amazing sight, with the sun peaking through the corners of the ship until it began to rise up! It was the coolest thing I have ever seen (well, one of them) and I never wanted it to go away. It was the actual sun, making its way up to the top. It was amazing because your view changed every second, and you could never see that at any other time in the world. It’s a moment that you would let your eyes do all the wandering and keep quiet, embracing what nature has to offer. 

Now, this was only the first part of the day, and as it seems that I have written like a maniac, I will put a break between the two posts! See you in a jiffy!

Ponte dei Sospiri, Venice, Italy (by Maëlick)

Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France (by Wesley & Brandon Rosenblum)

Apple Pies at the Big Apple!

July 16, 2016

For today’s adventure, I headed towards the East for an exciting trip to a lavender farm! It was truly magnificent there, with purple filling my view right and left. It was a wonderful shop to take some photos, and I even noticed many photo shoots occurring during my visit there! I also learned a lot about Bees, an important pollinator, and their special job to produce honey for all the boys and girls! It was interesting learning about the Queen Bee as well and now understand how much of a queen she really is! The tour guide there was very knowledgeable and I truly enjoyed the detailed tour on types of lavender, planting it and all about lavender labyrinths. 

The next stop was to the big apple! Well, not New York, but the actual big apple in Colborne, Ontario. Although I cannot say that the apple looks much like an apple but rather a giant red ball, it was a spectacular sight! You could even climb all the way to the top of the apple, which was nothing more than exciting for me! There were many other attractions to see there, such as a petting zoo, a train to ride, mini golf and so much more! It’s definitely more than just a pit stop!

We had some delicious apple filled food and bought their signature apple buy to go home! I did taste it when I went home, and I have to admit that they're not famous for no reason! You really do get everything for your buck, and you will not regret this purchase. 

These are great places for you to visit and are located only an hour away from the capital of Ontario, Toronto. Although we didn’t have time, make sure to visit the wonderful downtown of port hope and take yourself back into history. If you’re heading this direction, make either of these locations a place to explore!