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Angkor Thom’s Main Temple: Bayon

7 January 2017 by Raul Leave a Comment

While Angkor Wat is the better known of all the temple complexes in Cambodia, there are others that are a must. Bayon is one of those. It is imposing and a veritable maze, making it fun to explore. Bayon (built in the 12th-13th century period) sits in the middle of Angkor Thom which was the capital of the Khmer Empire back when (it is said between 80-150K people lived there at its peak back then). Bayon was at the center of that capital city as its most important temple. If you look at a map, the moat around Angkor Thom is much larger than the one around Angkor Wat. (All these sites got “lost” in the early 1600s for a few centuries.) Movies like Lara Croft: Tomb Raider have had scenes shot at Angkor Thom.

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Bayon (Angkor Thom is the larger square around it) in relation to Angkor Wat

We approached Angkor Thom and had a great view of the wall around Angkor Thom and a bridge (or causeway) decorated on either side with sitting statues. One drives through a gate that towers at the end of the bridge with each side of the tower carved with the face of a divinity. I believe we went through the south gate.

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Causeway entering Angkor Thom from the south

View across the causeway of the south gate

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Statues on the causeway

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The south gate

In any case, one approaches the main temple at Angkor Thom, Bayon, among a green field with palm trees. Having first seen Angkor Wat with its dramatic towers and monumentality, Bayon felt a little less imposing yet so different it looked magnificent.

Approaching Bayon – majestic!

From then we walked around different former hallways and around many towers and carvings. It is said Bayon is more baroque while Angkor Wat is more classical Khmer style. I am not an expert but certainly can tell that Bayon was much more loaded with carvings and more elaborate. Bayon is certainly striking due to the many towers carved on four sides with faces of deities or other figures but it lacked the big open spaces within it that Angkor Wat had.

Imposing

The explorers look diminutive as our guide tried to capture it all

Interesting things no matter where you look

As in many places, it is fun to watch other tourists engage with the site – and take their photo while they do so 🙂

Strike a pose!

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One of the many tourists 🙂 (thanks, Phil I. for snapping this winner!)

While Angkor Wat is overall more imposing, Bayon is definitely different enough to warrant the time to explore it – hope you get to do so!

Filed Under: Asia, Cambodia, Travel Journal Tagged With: adventure, Angkor Thom, Bayon, Cambodge, Cambodia, Camboya, carvings, explore, Khmer, photo, Samsung Galaxy, temple, tourism, travel

Visiting Temples in Bangkok – Wat Pho?

26 December 2016 by Raul Leave a Comment

One of the neatest things for me about visiting Bangkok was seeing Buddhist temples everywhere. I am no student of their faith and much less of all the specifics of the architecture of these temples but they are impressive and that’s why I am glad I made the time for a stop -however brief- in Bangkok as I traveled between Bali and Cambodia. Time was short so we had to keep it only to the main temples in Bangkok (plus the one we visited during our bike tour of the countryside).

Once we finished our bike ride outside of Bangkok after lunch that day, we headed into the heart of Bangkok to visit Wat Arun and Wat Pho. (Be careful with this latter one as asking about it may lead your fellow traveler to think you are messing with him and almost earn you a fist to your face! Remember “Who is on first?“, etc. Yea, that.)

I will not try to tell you the story of these two places as there are plenty of resources out there for that. These temples are very colorful thanks to what seem to be porcelain tiles and mosaics everywhere. It is great to admire from a distance but getting up close allows one to see the details of the decorated exteriors. Also, know that these are the very abbreviated names for these temples (which are really each a temple complex on its own) – names there can be quite long!

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Ferry on the Chao Phraya River

Wat Arun – Temple of the Dawn

Wat Arun dates from the 17th century but the main towers one sees are much more recent. We started our temple visits by arriving here but crossing it quickly to get to the ferry to first visit Wat Pho on the other side of the river. Once we finished with Wat Pho, where we spent most of our time, we crossed the river back to check out Wat Arun.

Wat Arun temple complex

Greeted at the entrance by some warrior

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Sitting Buddhas

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Mosaic details

Around Wat Arun

The highlight for me happened rather unexpectedly. We walked into one of the temples. There was a monk sitting near a box where one could drop a coin and he would pray over you. Not certain how this all worked, I walked away to a donation box not close to him. As I walked back to the back of the temple, the monk called me over to him and signaled for me to sit on the floor. He proceeded to give me a blessing. Unbeknownst to me, my friend Phil started video’ing the whole thing and I ended up with a neat ‘souvenir’ from this random event!

The main temple

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Being blessed by a monk

Wat Pho – Where the Reclining Buddha is

The Reclining Buddha may be what makes this temple complex most famous but it is quite an impressive site. But first, the Reclining Buddha is not just napping – he has reached the ideal state and the posture signifies that (vs. a sitting Buddha or a standing Buddha). The Reclining Buddha is very long (46 m; 150 ft) and based on how it is housed within a building, one can’t just stand in front of it and capture it head to toes in a nice, clean photo. Which is kind of cool, come to think of it. This unique piece was built close to 200 years ago and it impresses.

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No easy way to photograph

Rather large feet

Good angle from the headrest down

But Wat Pho is much more than its famous resident statue. Pagodas (towers) built by different kings which house their own Buddhas and other parts related to the monastic complex are worth exploring (there are well laid out signs to explain to the visitor the complex and its contents). The ceramic tile-work on the roofs are different depending on the king or period in which the structures were built.

What to know

You can go way more off-the-beaten path than what we got to see. But these two are a must!
You can use ferries/boats up and down the river in Bangkok to move between the temples. No need to just suffer city traffic. Plus, at some point or another, you WILL need to cross the river!
Temples do close earlier than a tourist may expect. Know the times or use a local guide. We went for the latter as we didn’t have to think about anything plus he knew a few other things (like best photo spot at a given temple, etc.).
Temples are about someone’s faith. They ask that you do not wear shorts or sleeveless shirts. It was sad to see how many people showed either ignorance or disrespect. One doesn’t have to subscribe to the beliefs of the locals, but one should respect them. Yes, it is hot and humid. Wear a wicking t-shirt and some hiking pants that convert to shorts and one will be alright in that weather!

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Filed Under: Asia, Thailand, Travel Journal Tagged With: architecture, Bangkok, Buddha, Buddhist monk, colorful, photo, S7, Samsung Galaxy, temple, Thailand, Wat Arun, Wat Pho

Trekking the W Circuit at the Torres del Paine: Day 5

20 July 2015 by Raul Leave a Comment

After the fun of day 4 with all the wind and beautiful views of the lakes and the Torres del Paine, the big day finally arrived: no, not because it was the last day of hiking but because it was the day we were trekking up to the lagoon to see the peaks close and personal. But it would all depend on the weather as there could be rain or cloud coverage over the iconic conical (alliteration!) peaks. The morning light showed everything looked good – and majestic!

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View of the top of the range

About an hour later, the light had changed and a rainbow appeared.

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Rainbow nicely framing the massif

The Refugio Chileno

Trekking from the Refugio Chileno, where we had stayed overnight, back to our exit point at Hotel Las Torres would be about 9 kms. But before starting on that, we would go up to the Mirador Las Torres, about 4 kms away and mostly going up about 380 m to reach the lagoon at around 875 m above sea level. So, in total, this day would be 17 kms worth of distance covered.

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The main lodge at the refugio (nearest to us, the dining room)

The refugio also offers space for camping, if that’s your thing!

I have not mentioned how the refugios work. They usually have rooms with several bunk beds (stacks of 2 or 3), shared bathroom facilities (with private showers), and communal dining (usually scheduled as not everyone fits at once). I am not saying they are super clean but they were generally better than expected. The meals were acceptable if not good and wine and beer were always available. I gained weight in this 5-day hike!

Getting to the Mirador Las Torres

Alright, back to the hike. The route up was not always a nice path, there were a couple of spots with makeshift wooden bridges to cross small streams. But that all added to the fun of the climb.

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Rickety bridge…

Another bridge

Enjoyed all these bridges!

Of course, going up was more fun due to the expectation of arriving to the top mirador (viewing point), of getting as close to the Torres as possible. Returning to the Refugio Chileno, by comparison, was slightly less exciting but probably more tranquil.

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Peaceful trails

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Roaring waters

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A very unique tree

So, while the weather had been iffy in the morning, it improved as the climb up happened. Sadly, we did have some cloud coverage at the top of the towers as you can see in the photos. We heard that they cleared up later – just the nature of the weather down in Patagonia: you never know! Though mildly disappointed, it was still a great feeling to make it up there.

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For those who may need coordinates…

The beautiful lagoon and cloud-covered peaks of the Torres del Paines

My roommate Dave and I – ’til the next trek!

And then leaving the Torres del Paine National Park…

Once we returned to the refugio, we did the usual (pit stop, eat something, etc.) and then picked up our stuff and started to make our way out of the park and our phenomenal 5-day hike of the W circuit of the Torres del Paine. The vistas continued to be breathtaking all the way until the end of the hike, pretty much.

Looking along the creek/gorge near the Refugio Chileno

Just beautiful!

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Leaving the gorge area

One final bridge and it is over… 🙁

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Looking back before the final short stretch…

I was on the front group and I ran into the Hotel Las Torres, where the bus was picking us up, to make a pit stop when I spotted the bar. And that’s when I remembered how, upon finishing descent from Mt. Kilimanjaro, one of my fellow trekkers, Len Stanmore, and I grabbed a beer (I wish I could have added “cold” as an adjective but it wasn’t…) to celebrate. So I ordered a beer for me and fellow trekker Paula who was there with me and we celebrated completing the W circuit in proper form!

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Done and cheers!

With this, I end the series of the hike in the Torres del Paine National Park. It is as beautiful a landscape as there exists in this planet: the Chilean Patagonia. I have been blessed with seeing it once as more of a tourist (in 2010) and again, fulfilling a wish I had since 2010, of returning to trek the W circuit so I could see everything further up close than in 2010. I am lucky guy indeed.

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A happy trekker

Go back to day 4 of this Patagonia trek!

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Filed Under: Chile, Hiking, Patagonia, South America, Travel Journal Tagged With: Chile, hiking, MIrador Las Torres, Olympus, Patagonia, photo, Refugio Chileno, Samsung Galaxy, torres del paine, travel, trekking, W circuit

Trekking the W Circuit at the Torres del Paine: Day 4

9 July 2015 by Raul 4 Comments

A windy night at Refugio Los Cuernos

I woke up around 7 AM on day 4 after a night thinking the place we were staying at was going to blow away at any moment. On top of that, something right outside our window kept hitting the window on and off throughout the night (we discovered in the morning that the window was perfectly shut and it was making the noise). I am told the gusts we experienced overnight were between 80-100 km/hr! I wanted to go outside to look at the lake as the wind was howling to perhaps take video or a photo – I did but ran back inside! A little later, the skies cleared a little and we were rewarded with a view of the cuernos (towers) of the Torres del Paine graced by a rainbow!

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Rainbow over los cuernos

It was still very windy…

The wind along Lake Nordenskjold howled

But, it wasn’t just the refugio! We started our hike and it was windy for a good bit of the first half of the hike along Lake Nordenskjold! We could see white top waves on the surface of the lake.

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The white tops of the lake’s waves

The wind created some beautiful sights

And with a rainbow to boot!

Until we turned a corner around a small peninsula. Then that part of the lake was flat as it could be!

On the top and right of the lake in this photo, you see the wind’s effect. The rest is flat!

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From then on, nice and flat!

The winds and gusts along the way were so strong that they would throw you off balance. We learned to crouch quickly at the first hint of a gust (or after it hit others first!). I believe one of our guys was lifted up an inch even with his backpack! It was surreal.

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Not even the wind can stop my friend Bridgit!

Maybe a tiny bit scary but, actually, more thrilling than scary (except when it threw me sideways once…). Don’t believe me?

Check out this one minute video I took at the refugio and along the way! (turn down the volume as it is noisy but don’t mute your speakers!)

Despite the winds (constant at around 40-50 km/hr with gusts exceeding that), hiking along the lake was quite a neat experience. It was just beautiful! Lunch was shredded chicken sandwich on bread that was actually “stamped” with the name of the refugio we had left, “Los Cuernos“!

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An authentic “Los Cuernos” sandwich!

Past the wind and on to the Campamento Chileno!

The hike (about 15km / 9mi) took us about six hours counting our stops and towards the end got away from the lake and went through some private lands.

Two of my fellow Morocco/Camino trekkers: Always good to see friends!

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I guess we have to be careful, Mick Jagger may be around!

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The massif

Plenty of photo opps along the way!

Cool bridge – right before our lunch stop!

The final stretch of the trail heading to the Campamento Chileno was gorgeous, along what I would call a sort of canyon or gorge (but maybe not as narrow as a gorge?) but it had some very steep hills toward the end! I will end this post with photos after we left the shores of the lake and heading inland to our refugio for the night!

Leaving the lake behind

Neat landscape

The canyon or gorge looking towards the Campamento

The canyon or gorge looking towards the lake

—————— More about this trek! ——————

Back to day 3.

And on to the last day: day 5!

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Filed Under: Chile, Hiking, Patagonia, South America Tagged With: Campamento Chileno, Chile, hiking, Lake Nordenskjold, Olympus, Patagonia, photo, Refugio Los Cuernos, Samsung Galaxy, torres del paine, travel, trekking, W circuit

Exploring Old Philadelphia – Liberty and Independence

3 July 2015 by Raul Leave a Comment

This past January I traveled to Philadelphia to visit family. It was BITTERLY cold but that did not stop my uncle from taking me around. It had been a couple of decades since I had last seen Liberty Bell and my uncle told me the whole place had been re-done so off we went, from the Broomall area east towards the city.

Philadelphia grabs a hold of my imagination for two very important reasons:

The history of this country is anchored to this city. Just thinking of all the important conversations and events that happened leading into our independence and afterwards is mind-boggling. The downtown retains some key spots that are just as they were but, of course, progress also has erased some of it.
My family ended up in Philadelphia for a few years after leaving Cuba in the early 1960s. I was born after they left Philly but the city plays a key role in my family’s history so, though I didn’t live there and have only visited a few times, it is close to my heart. Just thinking all that my family must have gone through as recent immigrants moves me to no end.

Liberty Bell

The entire “mall” area around Independence Hall has been re-worked with the construction of a new visitor center and the National Constitution Center.

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Independence Hall and its more modern neighbors

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The National Constitution Center

But the belle of the ball is still Liberty Bell.

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Here she is with Independence Hall behind it

It is housed at the visitor center as opposed to its former home – originally the Pennsylvania State House which is now known as Independence Hall (thanks in no small part to the fact that Philly is no longer the capital of Pennsylvania!). The visitor center is not overwhelming, in fact, it is very well designed and very informative. It is not the type of place you speed through the space to just get to the star of the show (well, maybe some do it…).

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The latest home of Liberty Bell

Well laid out and open space at the center

Many informative displays

The bell, which weighs slightly more than 2,000 pounds, dates from the 1750s and is famous not only for being a key symbol of the United States’ nationhood but also for its crack. It earned it first crack when it first was rung after arriving in Philly… not an auspicious start but goes to show that you can’t go by first impressions! Anyway, the bell was recast to try to fix it but it cracked again in the 1800s and kept cracking over the years. We sure hope that crack is stable by now!

Independence Hall

This building has had quite a life. Built between the 1730s and the 1750s to serve as the colony of Pennsylvania’s legislature, it hosted the Second Continental Congress during which the Declaration of Independence was adopted. Later it is where the constitution was drafted and signed. Both documents were signed in the Assembly Hall which is set up as it was back then. The building certainly has a special place in the history of the United States.

Assembly Hall

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Court Room in Congress Hall

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House of Representatives Chamber at Congress Hall

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Senate Chamber in Congress Hall

Today, a good bit of what is there are reconstructions. The central part of the building is original but the steeple and side wings are not. The wings were last re-built in 1898 – a little disappointing that it is not the original space but inevitable in many ways.

There are many more sites in downtown Philly to review our past and celebrate our nation. Make sure you make the time to explore one this birthplace of the United States’ birth! Happy 4th of July!

Filed Under: Pennsylvania, Travel Journal, US & Canada Tagged With: American history, Constitution Center, Independence Hall, Independence Mall, Liberty Bell, museum, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, photo, Samsung Galaxy, travel, U.S. independence

Trekking the W Circuit at the Torres del Paine: Day 3

29 June 2015 by Raul Leave a Comment

Day 3 started with me looking out the window from my room at Refugio Paine Grande to the tents that some slept in. It is incredibly hard to believe anyone could sleep in those with the high winds experienced. But, some did!

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The campsite at Refugio Paine Grande on a wet morning

It was a nice start to the day though it would not remain so for the entire hike that day.

Sun rising…

Looking towards the torres at Refugio Paine Grande

Looking at one wing of the refugio

Headed to the Campamento Italiano and the French Glacier

We left camp around 9:15 AM. Our next meal would happen about 3 hours later…

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Walking along Skottsberg Lake headed to Campamento Italiano

The main attraction for the day would be to see the valley of the Glaciar Francés (French Glacier). To get there, we would detour from the main route taking us from Refugio Paine Grande to our destination for the night: Refugio Los Cuernos. It would imply a very long day of hiking to the Campamento Británico (British Camp) and back out requiring a steep climb. I was not sure I would have the energy for the very long day that would result from the hike (a total of 15 miles in about 10 hrs) but was not going to miss it if the group went (always a good motivator!). But the weather made the decision for us. Visibility was going to be too low for the trek to the valley to be worth it. However, our leads suggested that we hit the “mirador” spot from which one could, at least, see the glacier. After a lunch stop at the Campamento Italiano (Italian Camp), we left for the mirador, despite slight rain, and it was a nice compromise worth the trouble (about an hour roundtrip – not bad!). We also saw the Paine Grande Glacier above the French Glacier.

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Arriving at the Campamento Italiano

Upon arrival at the Campamento Italiano

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The view of the French glacier

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Beautiful smooth rocks

On to Refugio Los Cuernos

The remainder of the hike went smoothly though the weather was not spectacular. It was very muddy at spots and there were a few places were boards had been placed to walk on since it got too muddy. On one of those, I lost my balance as the planks were not quite horizontal and I fell off. Luckily for me, I nailed the landing (2 ft down). Wish there were a video of it! Still we enjoyed the closer views of the torres as we headed to our resting place for the night (and a hot meal!).

And finally… at the Refugio Los Cuernos!

Towards the last part of the hike, we hit Lake Nordenskjold and by 4 PM, we made it to the refugio.

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Welcome to Refugio Los Cuernos!

We enjoyed white fish for dinner, wine and games. I was out like a light before 10:30 PM!

Typical room at the refugio

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Dinner was always a good time to chat!

Outdoors at the refugio – it was very windy!

We were one happy bunch, and not forgetting why we were doing this: for the kids!

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Trekkers and the supporting crew

——– Read more about the trek ———

Day 1 at Torres del Paine

Day 2 at Torres del Paine

On to day 4 at Torres del Paine!

Hiking around Fitz Roy in Argentina

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Filed Under: Chile, Hiking, Patagonia, South America, Travel Journal Tagged With: Chile, hiking, Olympus, Patagonia, photo, Refugio Paine Grande, Samsung Galaxy, torres del paine, travel, trekking, W circuit

Fitz Roy and Glacier National Park: Nature at Its Best

23 March 2015 by Raul 8 Comments

My recent trek with Trekking for Kids in Patagonia, the southern part of the continental Americas, had two components:

A day hike and a glacier visit in the Argentinian side of Patagonia, and
A 5-day hike in the Chilean side of Patagonia, including a glacier hike.

Here, I will cover the day hike in Argentina. A later post will cover the glacier visit to Perito Moreno glacier and further posts will cover the 5-hike along the W circuit in the Torres del Paine Park in Chile.

Hiking in Argentina: Fitz Roy and its siblings

The day hike in Argentina took us to a beautiful setting north of the town of El Calafate in the large southern provide of Santa Cruz: the National Glaciers Park and Reserve (Parque y Reserva Nacional Los Glaciares). After landing in El Calafate from Buenos Aires (about 3 hour+ flight time), we headed to the small town of El Chaltén (established in 1985 mainly to serve as a border town and entry point to the area we were going to hike in). From El Chaltén we would start our day hike anchored on the majestic Fitz Roy peak. What makes this area magnificent is not just Fitz Roy (which used to be called El Chaltén) but the series of peaks that go with it along the glaciers that sit in the spaces in between.

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The peaks and the town of El Chaltén as we approached at the end of a day

Approaching Fitz Roy taking Senda El Pilar

We left our hotel, El Barranco, on a vehicle to take us to the entry point for our hike. It was not the typical entry point as we had to cut through a small hotel (Hostería El Pilar) that sits right by one of the entrances to the park (we had permission to do so!). We reached the trail we were looking for, Senda El Pilar, which we took and followed the Río Blanco facing first Torre Eléctrica and its glacier, then moving on to see the Marconi glacier.

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Torre Eléctrica initially blocks full view of Fitz Roy upon starting the hike

There are quite a few spots to stop for great pictures but Fitz Roy and its siblings are ever-present. In no time, we got to a point with a great view of Fitz Roy and the Piedras Blancas (“white rocks”) glacier:

One of the great views from Senda El Pilar

Gotta play with the camera’s features sometime…

Headed to Poincenot camp

Enjoying a break and the view (Fitz Roy is the tallest and Poincenot peak second tallest)

Soon after that, at Poincenot camp, Senda El Pilar would end and we would then turn to take Senda Fitz Roy to return to El Chaltén. Poincenot has camping grounds that have latrines if people prefer using those. From Poincenot, trekkers can go up to Laguna de los Tres but we did not do that portion.

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Markers were strategically placed along the route

We proceed to take Senda Fitz Roy for the second and longer part of our hike. On that trail, we hit the Capri Lake where some enjoyed cooling off their feet – or even a quick dip!

Lake Capri and the peaks behind it

This was one of the last great vantage points for admiring the peaks and glaciers. We entered different terrain as we proceeded to the last part of our hike.

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Along Senda Fitz Roy

Along Senda Fitz Roy: these rocks are much taller than they appear – we saw rock climbers on it

Once we finished the trail, we just walked right into town!

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Senda Fitz Roy leads us back to El Chaltén!

Our hike had been around 15 kms and it took us around 7 hours with a few nice stops along the way. I highly recommend this hike – not strenuous but moderate and with the amazing views I have shown you here (and others I did not!).

Filed Under: Argentina, Hiking, South America Tagged With: argentina, Chaltén, Fitz Roy, glacier national park, hiking, parque nacional glaciares, Patagonia, photo, Samsung Galaxy, travel, trekking

Panther Creek: A Challenging and Rewarding Hike in North Georgia

9 December 2014 by Raul 2 Comments

I was looking for a hike that I could do within 4 hours that was not right on the outskirts of Atlanta. A friend and I were looking for a more challenging hike than the usual so after selecting a few finalists, we settled on Panther Creek, about an hour and a half north of Atlanta. We decided to hike 3.5 hrs in to the larger waterfalls and then back. The entrance to the trail on Panther Creek is on Old Historic 441 in north Georgia, northwest of the town of Ellijay.

Soon after entering the trail, you go under the new 441. After that, you leave hearing highway noise and slowly, but surely, start hearing water running sounds… The trail is more natural (read, not groomed) and that makes it quite a neat trail to hike.

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Towards the start of the Panther Creek trail – love the woods

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Lots of rock outcrops where one can imagine people ages ago taking shelter under them

You go down a narrow path and slowly go downhill. Eventually you are closer to creek level and closer to the creek itself.

Beautiful colors at the time of the year I visited

More beauty

Still waters

There are several low wooden bridges to cross and then one arrives to a first set of cascades with a space that is perfect for camping overnight.

One of the bridges crossing the creek

Love these cascades

A couple of times the markers for the path were not visible and we proceeded trusting that the wild we saw in front of us was just an overgrown trail (and, mercifully, we were right!).

Continuing on from that spot, another 30-45 minutes or so depending on pace, one arrives at the upper waterfalls with a sort-of sandy beach to camp overnight or just recover from the hike in. Right before arriving at this waterfall, the terrain becomes a little more challenging and fun. One has to hug the big rocks holding on to the steel-cable handrails. These handrails are anchored on posts, some of which are sturdy and some of which have come loose and are floating, being kept alive by the two neighboring posts! One does need to proceed with care as falling from this rock outcrop would not be fun.

The steel cable handrail itself is precarious!

Panther Creek was both rewarding and challenging. The raw feel of the trails was a welcome change from some of the other trails I hike in north Atlanta (which are quite nice but well groomed). I highly recommend doing this trail – I sure hope to do it again!

A nice break after 3.5 miles!

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Read about these other great hikes in Georgia:

… and more to come!

Filed Under: Georgia, Hiking, North Georgia, Travel Journal, US & Canada Tagged With: hikes near Atlanta, hiking in Georgia, nature, outdoors, Panther Creek, photo, Samsung Galaxy, trails near Atlanta, waterfalls in Georgia

A Hike in Tallulah Gorge State Park

1 November 2014 by Raul 2 Comments

Tallulah Gorge State Park is located pretty much in the northeast corner of the state of Georgia. The park centers around the Tallulah Gorge around the – guess what- Tallulah River. The river starts in North Carolina and eventually makes its way to the Savannah River and the Atlantic Ocean. It has a series of waterfalls which are collectively called -wait for it- Tallulah Falls! It is supposed to be the most scenic canyon on the eastern seaboard of the U.S. with a depth of about 1,000 ft. A hike in Tallulah Gorge is a must while in the area!

I visited the canyon around mid-October. It was an unusually warm October so the leaves had not begun to change yet for real. Driving to the park from Atlanta takes about 1.5 hrs, slightly less if you live or are staying at in the northern suburbs of the metro Atlanta.

The park has an Interpretive Center with information and exhibits for the young and the not-so-young. These cover the history of the former resort town, local wildlife, and other topics. The staff at the center is quite helpful and knowledgeable about the park and its vicinity.

Going for an easy hike in Tallulah Gorge

For the non-hiker or those who are interested in seeing some of the waterfalls but not climb steep staircases, the park has natural paths along the north and south rims of the gorge that are pretty easy to walk through. These paths offer various vantage points, or overlooks, from which to soak in the view. Walking along the north rim you can see the tower that held the tightrope Karl Wallenda used when he crossed the gorge in 1970!

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The view from the north rim near the Interpretive Center

Checking out the gorge from one of the overlooks on the north rim

The north/south rim hike is about 3 miles long round-trip. Depending on the pace, the hike along the Tallulah Gorge should be doable in a couple of hours. From the first overlook, closest to the start of the trail at the Interpretive Center, there is a great view of the L’Eau d’Or (Ladore) waterfalls where yours truly had his pic taken!

Looking down at L’Eau d’Or waterfalls from the overlook

Going for a deeper hike down the gorge

For those wanting to get closer to the waterfalls, the river and the bottom of the gorge… there are stairs!! Over 1,000 steps!

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Let the stairs begin!

From the first overlook where my picture was taken, you can proceed to the Devil’s Pulpit where you get a great face on view of L’Eau d’Or.

L’Eau d’Or

From this point the large staircase takes the hiker to the suspension bridge that connects the south and north rims of the gorge.

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Crossing the bridge

Once on the south rim, one can access the bottom of the gorge. On some days, it is possible to go further at the bottom of the gorge but only the first 100 people get the needed pass. However, because of the water release schedule for the upriver dam, the bottom of the gorge is not always open. It was not when I went. That was unfortunate because I would have loved to jump into the pool!!

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Pool at the bottom of the gorge

Once you reach the bottom, you can take a look at Hurricane Falls and dream of sliding down those rocks!

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Hurricane Falls from the bottom of the Gorge

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Signs a-plenty – “rattlesnake” weed doesn’t sound good, does it??

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The view you are rewarded with from the rim!

A hike in Tallulah Gorge is very enjoyable and quite doable as day trip from Atlanta or from places in Tennesse and North Carolina. Do not miss this chance to see an amazing setting, whether for an arduous hike or a stroll!

Read about these other great hikes in Georgia:

Sope Creek

Sweetwater Creek

Island Ford

… and more to come!

Filed Under: Georgia, Hiking, North Georgia, US & Canada Tagged With: canyon, Georgia, hikes near Atlanta, hiking in Georgia, hiking trails in Georgia, nature, outdoors, photo, Samsung Galaxy, Tallulah Falls, Tallulah Gorge

Landing in San Juan, Puerto Rico – A Great View!

24 August 2014 by Raul 4 Comments

I moved to the Isla del Encanto, Puerto Rico, when I was two years old and lived there until I finished high school. During my many trips back to the island, I have always enjoyed the landing in San Juan as I get a great view no matter on which side of the airplane I sit on (though the ocean side is more colorful as you can see!).

I thought it may be cool to share the view from my window seat as the plan crosses over land near Cataño, just west of Old San Juan. Enjoy the pictures of this, one of the prettiest landings ever!