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Iceland’s Northern Town – Akureyri

5 May 2015 by Raul 1 Comment

Akureyri is the largest town in northern Iceland and it sits pretty deep in the Eyjafjörður fjord. It is exactly at 12 o’clock if the island of Iceland were a clock (which it is not – in case you are wondering). The town sits tight against the mountains behind it, almost being on the verge of being thrown into the water.

Where we stayed in Akureryi… or across from it

Through airbnb we found a phenomenal house sitting on a hillside directly across the fjord from the town so we got to look at it at night. Er, in the evening hours in the daylight, since we were down there, er, up there, at the peak of summer when the sun did set, but not deep enough where it got dark (see the last two pictures in the sequence below).

Akureyri, Iceland, fjord, mountains, beauty, nature, travel, photo, Olympus

The main “window” of the house we stayed at!

Looking from inside the “main window” across the fjord towards Akureyri – who cleans this window?

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“Front” of the house I stayed at – and our nice rental vehicle

Our house looking towards the end of the fjord; see the bridge to town on the right

Late night in Akureyri in late June

My friends’ young girls loved running on the deck of the house and the field around it while we enjoyed sitting out there, soaking the view, with a beverage in hand (perhaps…).

In any case, I digress. The town is small and is quite charming but is large enough to have a small airport for those who do not want to drive there from Reykjavik – which would be a crime if you skip the drive on the ring road!

Akureyri was a site for Allied forces in WW II which seems quite interesting given it is still a town of under 20,000 yet one that was first settled in the ninth century! Something must have been right about it to be picked by the Allies during WW II given how far it is from Reykjavík. You’d think they would have picked somewhere easier to get to. In fact, Keflavík, where the modern Reykjavík international airport is located, was a U.S. air force base in WW II.

But I digress. One night, we were wanting to be sure to have a good bottle of wine to have at the house so we rushed into town after we looked online where to buy some. We knew we were tight on time as we had learned that liquor sales ended soon that day (I think maybe it was at 7PM but can’t recall) so we rushed out with a map on the phone marking where we needed to go (thanks wifi!). The drive over was nothing short of spectacular, rushing downhill, crossing the end of the fjord via the short bridge and then driving into town trying to find our way to the store (without wifi or GPS!). We made it on time, like 10 minutes before it closed. My friend ran in to get the wine while I stayed in the car – no time to find parking. I sat there and watched people literally running into the store to make sure they could get their alcohol before liquor sales ended for the day. People are people no matter what country you are in!!!

So what does Akureyri look like up close?

Alright, here are some images of this very northern town to close up this post…

Akureyri, Iceland, fjord, mountains, beauty, nature, travel, photo, Canon EOS Rebel

Hof Cultural and Conference Center by the waterfront

Akureyrarkirkja (church)

Akureyri Junior College

The town from the house I stayed at

“Downtown”

Sculpture in the image of a ship

Of pylsur, ice cream and pastries…

And of course, a post here cannot leave out a mention of something food… Icelanders love their hot dogs or “pylsur”. They are everywhere.

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They love their hot dogs (“pylsur”)in Iceland!

And, when in Iceland, well, have ice cream! Brynja is one of the national brands. We indulged.

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After the liquor store, we found the ice cream store. Priorities.

And, when everything else fails, go pastries!

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Pastries at a local bakery

Akureyri is definitely a place far away but, having spent three days staying there, it is like any other place on earth: food and drinks matter and, where there are good views and you are in good company, it is all perfect! Even if my family is only with me on a photo 🙂

My family always travels with me…

——– More on Iceland ——–

My itinerary for my week visit to Iceland

A stroll around Reykjavik

Hallgrímskirkja Church in Reykjavik

Þingvellir: Where History and Nature Meet in Iceland!

The Blue Lagoon

Goðafoss: The Waterfalls of the Gods

Whale Watching in Iceland

Iceland’s South Shore: The Dyrhólaey Peninsula and Vik

Postcards from Iceland: Dalvík

Filed Under: Europe, Iceland, Travel Journal Tagged With: Akureyri, fjord, food, Iceland, Keflavik, northern town, photo, pylsur, Rekjavik, travel

Perito Moreno Glacier: A Most Fortunate Re-Visit

22 April 2015 by Raul 1 Comment

The day after our memorable hike around Fitz Roy, we got to visit the famous Perito Moreno glacier an hour plus from the town of El Calafate, Argentina. I got to visit Perito Moreno back in December 2010 and never expected to ever come back, except this Trekking for Kids trek brought me there!

There were some key differences in this visit which made it certainly worthwhile to return. Starting with the fact I was about four years older and that my cell phone camera was much more advanced too…

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The side facing the bigger arm of the Lago Argentino

Furthermore and more significantly, this time, I got on a boat to see the glacier from another perspective: from the south side of the Peninsula Magallanes. It was neat to get to the glacier from one of its sides and from water level where the height of the glacier is much more impressive than from the visitor center viewing platforms. As pure good luck, the skies cooperated with creating a nice backdrop for some of the pictures as you can see.

The dark skies and the mountains were the perfect backdrop

The shades of ice blue were stunning

The obligatory portrait of the artist…

The Perito Moreno glacier is known for its progression crossing the full length of the body of water at its feet to “kiss” the other side of the lake. Eventually, the water creates a tunnel under the “front” of the glacier and, eventually, the bridge that forms over that tunnel collapses, a moment worth watching except that it takes years for that to happen and it is not really predictable as it can vary on how long (years) it takes. In any case, when I visited in 2010, I saw the bridge/tunnel and, now, in 2015, I saw the post-bridge scenario. Pretty cool.

2010 – The bridge

2015 – No bridge!

Visiting Perito Moreno requires the drive over to the visitor center. Once you get there, there are facilities (coffee shop, clean bathrooms, and -of course- a gift shop). But the main attraction is right in front of you. I was impressed in 2010 and continued to be in 2015 with the great job done in building viewing platforms to appreciate the glacier in front of you from different angles and from different heights via a network of sidewalks, staircases (“pasarelas“) and viewing platforms.

The start of the platforms

There is an elevator shaft (appropriately designed to mimic one of the “icicles” of the glacier) that can take those with limitations a little bit further than they may be able to go on their own; additionally, to get to that spot, there are ramps (as opposed to stairs).

The tower is the elevator shaft

Of course, there is great signage explaining the various routes to take along the staircase network and offering advice/warnings as well as naming all the mountains behind the glacier.

Indeed – keep your ears open for falling ice – pretty cool!

No worries, I did plenty of that!

No matter how far you get to go and explore, this glacier is truly a marvel of nature worth the drive to see firsthand. Fortunately, I got to do that twice!

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OK, I had to play with the Samsung…

Filed Under: Argentina, Travel Journal Tagged With: argentina, glacier, nature, Olympus, Patagonia, Perito Moreno, photo, South America, travel, wonder

Goðafoss: The Waterfalls of the Gods and Water Art

15 April 2015 by Raul 4 Comments

Goðafoss, (“Godafoss” for ease of my typing!), or “Waterfall of the Gods“, is one of the must-see waterfalls in Iceland. The Godafoss waterfalls are about 36 ft high (12 m) and are located at the Skjálfandafljót River. It is located somewhere between the northern towns of Akureyri and Husavik. More precisely, it is on the ring road going east from Akureryi, right after the road to Husavik branches off (route 85). The story goes that a key Icelandic chieftain in the year 1,000 AD was trying to decide whether Icelanders would adopt Christianity. After deciding in the affirmative, he returned home and threw his images of the pre-Christianity pagan gods into the waterfall and, hence, the name for the waterfalls.

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The waterfall from the highway

The water was gushing generously, as one would expect a proper waterfall would do. Perhaps this time in June was still a time of heavy melt?

Fast-flowing!

Yours truly

Looking from the waterfall back towards the road along one of the trails

Majestic!

The main part of the waterfall

Not only was the waterfall impressive but the flow over the one closest to me drew my eye as the following pictures attest… I need to figure out how to turn some of these into neat art pieces for my home!

Filed Under: Europe, Iceland, Travel Journal Tagged With: art, Canon EOS Rebel, flow, Godafoss, Iceland, Olympus, photo, travel, water, waterfall

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!

Argentina, Patagonia, El Chaltén, Senda Fitz Roy, trekking, hiking, Olympus, photo

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

Essaouira: A Surprise on the Atlantic Coast of Morocco

20 January 2015 by Raul Leave a Comment

When I decided to go to Morocco, my images of the country were more of what I encountered when I got to Marrakesh (though Marrakesh was so pretty that I didn’t expect every town in the country to look like that). But, after an overnight in Marrakesh, we left the next morning to the coastal town of Essaouira (once known as Mogador a long time ago and pronounced something like “Ah swear” as the final vowel sounds silent to English speakers). I had signed up to do my third trek with Trekking for Kids to help improve the lives of orphaned or at-risk children around the world and the center where we were going to work was located in this seaside town. (Check out the work done at Bayti Centre here.)

The town of Essaouira – not the Morocco I expected

Upon arriving in Essaouira, it felt different. That was likely due to it being a coastal town with nice beaches and the accompanying tourism infrastructure (I suspect the main source of tourists is domestic followed perhaps by those from neighboring Arab or European countries). It looked clean and was not too crowded. The town, currently with about 70,000 inhabitants, was a fort originally established by the Portuguese centuries ago and was coveted by all major European powers. The town proper was begun to be built in the 18th century by Mohammed III. I learned after leaving that scenes of the movie “Othello” by Orson Wells were filmed in the streets of the city.

Essaouira, Morocco, beach, palm tree, Star Wars, travel, photo

No, those are not Star Wars characters but palm trees held while they grow so they don’t blow away

We got to our hotel, the Riad Zahra Morgador, and I was very pleased. It was beautiful and the staff very friendly. I enjoyed our stay there in every way, except the wifi only really worked in the lobby.

fruits, watermelon, grapes, photo, Morocco, Riad Zahra Morgador, hotel

A welcome treat!

Riad Zahra Morgador, Essaouira, Morocco, room, hotel, travel, photo

The room I stayed at, spacious and comfortable

The staircase at the Riad

Did I mention the pool guest?

Among the many surprises was the climate. Of course, I expected being on the coast meant sea breezes and slightly cooler temperatures than Marrakesh (which had hovered round 100 F when I was there). But they were much cooler, like in the low 70s for THE HIGH! A strong sea breeze contributed to actually feeling a little cold even before the sun set as we walked along the beaches one day. And on the beaches for the visitors, there are camels… for the ride. Some of my fellow trekkers decided to try their hand at riding a camel but first… one must successfully get on one!

Essaouira’s Old Medina

Another big surprise was the general personality, if you will, of the town. People were not all over you like in Marrakesh. They were more relaxed, I’d say. Even in the market (or “souk”), I didn’t feel hounded. People would certainly invite you to look at their wares, etc. but once you stepped way or said no, they were very respectful. Given my temperament, this was more conducive for me to actually engage in more meaningful dialogue with store clerks than I would otherwise be inclined to be. It led to a more enjoyable experience for sure. It also led to me buying more as I normally shy away from aggressive sales tactics (which I understand are normal in some places).

Old Medina, Hats, souk, Essaouira, Morocco, market, goods, colorful, travel, photo, Olympus

Colorful wares!

Old Medina, pottery, earthenware,, souk, Essaouira, Morocco, market, goods, colorful, travel, photo, Olympus

And more color and patterns

I found it fascinating to see guys pushing these massive carts loaded with fruit through the throngs of people – masters of their craft! I enjoyed walking around the Old Medina where I felt very safe so I could admire the details of the architecture around.

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Pharmacy near the land-side gate into the Old Medina

A sweet tooth is always one in the U.S. or in Morocco!

However, all is not architecture and fruit carts. A stop at a local patisserie on the edge of the Old Medina towards the beach (Pátisserie Driss) delivers delicious sweets and coffee!

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Ahhhh!!!

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Mmm…

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Double mmm…!

Essaouira’s old walls

On my first day, we explored the North Bastion with its old Portuguese cannons and the sea walls. On another day, we got to spend time along the South Bastion next to Bab Marrakesh (the gate to Marrakesh from the walled Old Medina) where I took some of the sunset pictures shown later in this post.

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The Old Medina sea wall (ramparts) are now the perfect setting for shops

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Cannons along the sea wall

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The group of Trekking for Kids trekkers at the North Bastion

And the sunset photos…

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Approaching the Old Medina at dusk

Old Medina, city walls, sunset, Essaouira, Morocco, market, goods, colorful, travel, photo, Olympus

City walls and the Old Medina as seen at sunset from the South Bastion

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Sunset over the Old Medina from the South Bastion

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Sunset along the beach – and me

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Photobombing my sunset picture…

So, all around, Essaouira was a pleasant surprise; different than the Morocco I expected. Here is to good surprises!!!

Filed Under: Africa, Morocco, Travel Journal Tagged With: bastion, blue door, camel, Essaouira, market, Morocco, Old Medina, photo, ramparts, riad zahra, souk, sunset, sweets, travel

On the Camino de Santiago: Day 7 from Lavacolla to Santiago!

12 January 2015 by Raul 9 Comments

The big day arrived on Day 7. On this day, we departed on the Camino for the last time as we left lovely Pazo Xan Xordo to enter Santiago de Compostela as many have done over the last 1,000 years on this ancient pilgrimage for the final 2.5 hours of our trek. We were excited but were also on a schedule as we needed to arrive on-time to attend Pilgrim’s Mass at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela at noon. Since this Mass gets packed, we wanted to be there at minimum 30 minutes in advance. We wanted to sit on the nave on the side of the altar in case they used the “botafumeiro.” They did not, to our great disappointment, but if they had, it would have flown right over us!

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Waiting for Pilgrim’s Mass to start

Monte de Gozo

But I get ahead of myself. So we left Lavacolla sharp at 8 AM and made one stop at the impressive Monte de Gozo on the outskirts of town. It was from this vantage point that pilgrims would get their first glimpse of the final destination. “Gozo” means happiness which is exactly what the pilgrims would feel at this point after so many months/years of hiking their way across Europe and Spain. I was more impressed by the monument built here and taking pictures of the sun showing through the top of the monument.

The monument at Monte de Gozo

Each side of the monument commemorates something different

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Loved catching the sun through the glass cross

The great arrival in Santiago de Compostela

At some point in the walk (I think it was on a big downhill), we stopped being “outside” of Santiago and entered the outlying sectors of the city.

Santiago de Compostela, Camino, The Way, pilgrimage, Spain, España, Espagne, travel, photo, Olympus

One of the last villages we passed before entering Santiago proper (after Monte de Gozo)

We crossed a long bridge over a highway and we felt like this was the final stretch. OK, it was a long final stretch and we did stop at a café to make a final pit stop and to get a snack (not sitting down). We knew once we hit Santiago, we were likely not going to get a break until noon Mass ended so this was a smart choice!

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Welcome to Santiago de Compostela!

As we got closer, it seemed the streets got narrower which kept making us more eager to finally get there. I was eager to see the reaction of my fellow trekkers when they first saw the Cathedral (I had been there in 1994 already).

Getting the Compostela and Pilgrim’s Mass

Our plan was to hit town and immediately head to the Pilgrim’s Office (on rua Vilar) to get our “Compostela,” the certificate granted to those who complete the Camino. A nice volunteer from Ireland named (of course) Mary helped English speakers with instructions to be ready to step inside and get the Compostela; a few questions were asked and the credencial (passport) was briefly examined.

Cathedral, Santiago de Compostela, Plaza del Obradoiro, Camino, The Way, pilgrimage, Spain, España, Espagne, travel, trekking, hiking, photo, Olympus

Pilgrims filling out their papers while waiting for their Compostela

It was an exhilarating moment to get the Compostela (after standing in line about 25 minutes) even if I briefly embarrassed myself by telling the lady that she had gotten my first name wrong. She politely told me that they write the first name in Latin not in its regular form… As soon as I got to the hotel later, I took photos of the Compostela just in case something happened to it on the rest of the trip!

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The big moment of getting the Compostela!

We had been told we could not take our backpacks in for Mass so we then proceeded to drop off our backpacks next to the Pilgrim’s Office for 2 euros. We then were free to make our way to the Cathedral but, first, we took quick group and individual photos in the Plaza del Obradoiro in front of the Cathedral.

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Our Trekking for Kids group posing in front of the Cathedral

We then moved in to claim our spots for Mass and we took turns while we waited for the start of Mass to go behind the main altar to see the tomb of Santiago (St. James), after all, all this started because of him!

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Another detail of the interior

St. James’ tomb

Details from inside the Cathedral

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A side altar

During Mass, in the part where they greet the pilgrims, they mention groups by name. I had told them at the Pilgrim’s Office that we were a group, Trekking for Kids, from the U.S. and Canada and it was neat to hear us greeted during Mass.

We had heard that because 2014 was the 800th anniversary of St. Francis doing the Camino, the Church of San Francisco (St. Francis), not far from the Cathedral was issuing another certificate to pilgrims (the “Cotolaya“) so we went later that day to claim it (at this point, we would have taken any certificate issued to pilgrims, I think!).

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Walking towards the Church of San Francisco (St. Francis)

Main altar at the Church of San Francisco

So our week-long trek along this millennial pilgrimage came to a glorious end. It was a unique experience and I loved returning to Santiago de Compostela of which I will write some more in another post. I have some suggestions for those considering the Camino. Keep an eye out for that post!

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On the Camino de Santiago: Day 6 from Salceda to Lavacolla

5 January 2015 by Raul 2 Comments

Day 6 saw our last full day of our walk along the Camino de Santiago as Day 7 would be a short day. Day 6’s walk took about 5 hours (perhaps about 18 km) not including our lunch stop at Amenal. I felt both excited at getting close to the finish line and also a little bit sad that the end was so close. We left the hotel (and our luggage) in Salceda after a good breakfast and walked a few minutes to get back on the Camino. Along the way, I had been collected the needed stamps on my “credenciales” (pilgrim’s passport); these are required to be able to get the “Compostela” certificate upon arrival at the offices in Santiago de Compostela.

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The pilgrim’s “passport” (credenciales) that you must stamp every day

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Proudly showing my stamped “credenciales” (or pilgrim’s passport)

Sights along the Camino

As usual, our way was a mix of fields of flowers, small forests, farms, and churches. And the ever present signs pointing the way. Here are a few of the images from this day in our trek.

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Beautiful field of yellow

Camino de Santiago, flowers, hydrangea,hortensia, Lavacolla, Spain, España, Espagne, trekking, hiking, pilgrimage, travel, photo, outdoors, Canon EOS Rebel

Hydrangeas were popular along the way

Camino de Santiago, Lavacolla, Spain, España, Espagne, trekking, hiking, pilgrimage, travel, photo, outdoors, Olympus

Just keep following the signs…

Church

Cemetery

An amazing place to stay: Pazo Xan Xordo

Once we got to Lavacolla, a stone’s throw from Santiago’s airport actually, we walked a little bit to get to our lodging for the night: Pazo Xan Xordo. We were wowed by this 17th century home and farm with its own chapel and beautiful gardens. This place was a real dream!

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Pazo Xan Xordo and its front patio

Chapel near the front entrance of Pazo Xan Xordo

The inside of the chapel

It also has a small restaurant but it was not open for dinner so our host dropped us off and picked us back up for dinner in town, where we celebrated being so close to finishing with a great dinner and a dessert I had not had, but seen often, yet: ice cream cake!

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The final dinner on the trail (in Lavacolla)!

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The ice cream cake

A perfect ending to another great day along the Camino!

Yours truly

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Trekking for Kids and the Bayti Centre in Essaouira

1 January 2015 by Raul 1 Comment

In the summer of 2014, I decided to do another trek with Trekking for Kids (TFK) with whom I have trekked in Romania in 2012 and climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in 2013. When I learned TFK was going to go to the Camino de Santiago, something I’ve wanted to do since I learned about it, I knew I just had to go as it was the perfect combination of a trek and of service to improve the lives of children, something I am very passionate about. The group of trekkers paid their own way and then raised funds for projects to be done at the center selected by TFK.

Trekking for Kids, TFK, trekking, Morocco, Essaouira

The group of Trekking for Kids trekkers before the first day of work – I was in GREAT company!

The service work was going to take place at a center for street and at-risk children in Essaouira on the Atlantic coast of Morocco – a town that surprised me and of which I am writing separately. TFK decided to work with the Bayti Centre to improve the facilities where they work with the children to protect them against violence, to provide psychosocial rehabilitation, to reintegrate families, and other related activities.

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TFK being welcomed by Bayti Centre staff

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A group shot with tons of kids is hard to pull off…

TFK selected a number of improvement projects like helping the exterior of the building be repaired and painted. Another project was a kitchen renovation that facilitated the two kitchen staff to be able to work side by side in the small kitchen with two sinks, a new fridge, and a new stove as well as more shelving to better use the space. New equipment for instruction (like a flat screen TV) and other items for the children were donated as well. In summary, a series of projects that would enhance the facilities to create a better environment for Bayti to deliver its services and attend to the children of the streets of Essaouira.

The facade of the Bayti Centre after repairs but before painting

Finishing touches being applied on the repairs prior to the painting

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Painting the exterior – street level

Building a wall garden requires woodworking skills!

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One dirty (and happy) trekker after a day of work at the Centre!

Along with the works, we also got to take the children on outings and threw a party where we all got to enjoy food, games, and music much to the delight of the children.

Getting ready for one of the outings

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Face painting in progress!

A fellow trekker doing the artwork!

Another great face paint job and a happy kid!

The end product of face painting!

One of the outings was to go to a park in the city for fun and games

The girl on the right sure knew the right technique for jump rope!

Precious little girl!

He was having fun at the park – and I was glad to be a part of it

Fun and games at the pool park in one of the outings

More fun and games at the pool

A final word is to thank the amazing staff and volunteers who are the ones who truly made the world a better place for these children. Je vous remercie, mes amis!

TFK trekkers with the staff and volunteers of the Bayti Centre

I look forward to another TFK trek in 2015!

Filed Under: Africa, Morocco Tagged With: Bayti Centre, children, enfants, Essaouira, Morocco, photo, service, street kids, TFK, travel, Trekking for Kids, voluntourism

Iceland’s South Shore: The Dyrhólaey Peninsula and Vik

15 December 2014 by Raul 6 Comments

The south shore of Iceland is a popular route for visitors to the island. One can do a day trek from Reykjavik (though, arguably, a long day) to see the major sights along the ring road on the south (e.g., waterfalls, glaciers, black sandy beaches). The south shore deserves more than one write-up so I will separate into the waterfalls, the Myrdalsjökull glacier, and the Dyrhólaey peninsula – Vik area. Here, I want to share some of the views from the latter, the Dyrhólaey peninsula and Vik, just a short distance east of the peninsula, where our day trip ended before returning to Reykjavik.

Vik

I will start with Vik, since it is a small place to talk about. Vik means “bay” in Icelandic hence why many towns on the island end in “vik” (Reykjavik, Dalvik, Husavik). It is the southernmost town in Iceland. When I read about Vik, it is called a village – it has less than 300 so “village” seems appropriate. Be its size as it may, it is a scenic spot for sure, even if the time of day I visited was not the ideal light for great pictures (I wish I had been there at sunset though that was likely around midnight!). The basalt rock stacks or towers coming out from the ocean (go straight south and you will not hit land until Antarctica!) are quite impressive.

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Church in Vik

Vik, Iceland, village, scenic, landscape, photo, travel, Canon EOS Rebel

Beautiful fields of purple

These recall turf houses even if it is not turf on their roofs; note the layers of rock behind them!

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Isn’t this an incredible sight??!! Basalt rock spires in the water.

The Dyhólaey nature reserve

Dyhólaey was declared a nature reserve in 1978. This covered not only the landscape but the incredible wildlife there, mostly birds I assume. We saw plenty of cliff birds perching right along the edge of the cliff and then flying off. The contrast of the white feathers and the black sands below was pretty neat to see. The black sands are definitely a reminder of the impact of volcanic activity in Iceland, especially in the south of the island.

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These birds are a sight to see as they fly to and from the cliffs.

There is a lighthouse at the top of the peninsula, one of two structures there (the other seems abandoned, maybe a former residence for the lighthouse keeper?). The lighthouse dates from 1910. I am not sure but I suspect no one lives in the property any more.

One can walk down to the beach right at the base of the peninsula where the black sands and smooth small rocks are right at your fingertips.

As you can see the views from the top of the cliff are spectacular and worth admiring – definitely worth the drive over.

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Love this lonely stack of basalt

An arch that reminds me of the 12 Apostles in Australia

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Looking inland to the glaciers and volcanoes

I agree – the vista is worth soaking it!

——– More on Iceland ——–

My itinerary for my week visit to Iceland

A stroll around Reykjavik

Hallgrímskirkja Church in Reykjavik

Þingvellir: Where History and Nature Meet in Iceland!

The Blue Lagoon

Goðafoss: The Waterfalls of the Gods

A Northern Town: Akureyri

Whale Watching

Postcards from Iceland: Dalvík

Filed Under: Europe, Iceland, Travel Journal Tagged With: Atlantic Ocean, basalt rock, black sand, Canon EOS Rebel, Dyrholaey, Iceland, lava, lava rocks, lighthouse, Olympus, Peninsula, photo, south shore, travel, Vik, volcanic

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

Panther Creek, trail, hiking, Georgia, cascade, waterfall, nature, outdoors, photo, Samsung Galaxy

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

Hallgrímskirkja Church: The Young Icon of Reykjavik

4 December 2014 by Raul 1 Comment

Hallgrímskirkja Church in the heart of Reykjavik is a “young” building. It was completed in 1986 but took close to 40 years to erect. Its design, driving up in a pointed way to the sky with its tower, reflects on the landscape of the island country with its lava flows. The structure is not the tallest structure in Iceland but is the tallest church. Though young, it has become the icon of the city due to its highly visible profile and unique architecture.

Hallgrimskirkja, church, Reykjavik, Iceland, architecture, design, views, Olympus, travel, photo

Approaching the church from the back, on a slightly gray day

Outside, you can admire the structure from up close which allows for any number of neat pictures from different perspectives. Outside you can also admire the statue to Leif Erikson, allegedly, the first European to reach North America (I mean, who knows if another Viking got there before him?!). Interestingly, the statue pre-dates the church as it was given by the U.S. to Iceland in 1930 to commemorate the 1,000th anniversary of the establishment of Iceland’s Parliament at Þingvellir.

The statue of Leif Erikson in front of the facade of the church

Hallgrimskirkja, church, Reykjavik, Iceland, architecture, design, views, Canon EOS Rebel, travel, photo

Close up of Mr. Erikson – and the clock tower

A visitor and Mr. Erikson meet – as seen from the clock tower

The inscription that describes the gift from the U.S. of the statue on 1930

A visitor takes advantage of the statue’s base for a shot of the church

We went inside and, as many Protestant churches, the interior was plain. I assume the more so to help the faithful focus on God. Being a tourist-visited site, of course, removes some of that aura but, at the time I visited, there was an organist playing (or maybe just practicing?) which drew attention to the pipe organ at the back of the church.

My favorite part is the observation deck at the top of the church tower. As usual, when it is available, I always go up to gain a birds-eye view of the places I visit. This deck did not disappoint as it helped frame the city of Reykjavik within its setting, hugged by mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. I leave you with some of the views I enjoyed from up high in Hallgrímskirkja!

Detail of the roof above the altar area

View of the neighborhood by the church

Looking towards the area where our apartment was

Hallgrimskirkja, church, Reykjavik, Iceland, Pearl, architecture, design, views, Canon EOS Rebel, travel, photo

The Pearl Observatory (and restaurant)

View a little further away from the church

Looking now further away from the city center

Looking further away in another direction

And now in another direction!

Filed Under: Europe, Iceland Tagged With: architecture, Canon EOS Rebel, church, design, Hallgrimskirkja, Iceland, Olympus, photo, Reykjavik, travel, views

On the Camino de Santiago: Day 5 from Boente to Salceda

2 December 2014 by Raul Leave a Comment

Day 5 would have us walk about 19 km (12 miles) in around a 4.5 hour period, leaving Boente to head to our next overnight stop in Salceda. The group left together every morning and, generally, stayed in proximity of each other but a few of us would generally spend part of the morning walking on our own or in silence. Oh, we enjoyed each other a great bit but the Camino is an invitation to pray and ponder, much as it is also very social (I mean, here are all these people walking in one direction, with one goal in mind) – or, at least, as social as one decides to make it.

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My shadow also came along; but I ignored it when I was deep in thought

As usual, the variety in the terrain and passing through small towns and rural areas were a rewarding aspect of the walk. But even though we may be in the middle of nowhere at any given moment, we were not far from a potential place for a “rest stop” or getting a bite to eat.

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Even ruins are charming

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Some places to eat are literally right by the Camino

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One of the many water fountains along the way

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Another eatery right along the Camino

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Pilgrims include bicyclists (whose minimum distance to claim the Camino is longer)

Even ruins are charming

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A house, a granary and hydrangeas

In Salceda, we stayed at one of the nicest places we were to stay at the Albergue Turístico Salceda, a little bit of the trail but no more than a 5-10 minute walk away.

At the end of the day’s hike, it is acceptable to celebrate!

It was a nice day and, after showering, we lounged outdoors resting and relaxing – with a nice bottle of Albariño wine. I’d call Day 5 another successful day on the Camino!