The cities of Puerto Varas and Frutillar sit along the shores of Lake Llanquihue, the second largest lake in the country, some 900 km (559 miles) south of Chile’s capital, Santiago. Like the Puerto Montt region, the area was developed by German immigrants in the mid 1800s. Puerto Varas was founded in 1853, and Frutillar in 1856. Of course, the […]
One recent experience I won’t forget for awhile happened on the first leg of our return trip to Northern California from the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas. It was the end of July, and Texas, much like California, had been in a drought for some time. The weather during our stay was relentlessly hot and fairly muggy. So when we […]
I have to admit that until this morning I had no idea there was more than one type of mammoth. When I heard the word ‘mammoth’ I’ve always thought of the wooly mammoth — like the 30,000-year-old specimen discovered this past summer frozen in the Yukon’s permafrost. However, watching this episode of California’s Gold, originally aired in November 2004, I […]
I nearly missed the Historic Life-Saving Station Cemetery even though I was on the alert as I drove along Sir Francis Drake Boulevard in Point Reyes National Seashore. I had seen a signpost on my way south, but traveling northbound the turn was unmarked. When I finally spotted it, the narrow lane took me over a cattle guard and up […]
This week’s collection of images consists solely of postcards, mostly showing the towns of Punta Arenas and Puerto Montt. Punta Arenas, founded in 1848 as a penal colony, happens to be the one of the most southerly ports in the world and a jumping-off point for the Antarctic. Yerba maté, or simply maté, is the national drink of Argentina, Uruguay, […]
I honestly didn’t expect an episode entitled ‘Cotton’ could be all that interesting, but as usual Huell takes what might be a dull subject and makes it informative yet fun. California grows its share of the nation’s cotton, both Upland/Acala and Pima types, and cotton is the main industry of the town of Buttonwillow, which was founded back in 1895. […]
In trying to prepare this post I’ve been learning quite a lot about the breathtakingly beautiful region of Chile, almost 700 square miles, that forms the Torres del Paine National Park. Most of the images here are from postcards; but I’ve found that, while descriptions of the views are provided in both English and Spanish, they don’t always provide the […]
Part of the fun I find in staying in an unfamiliar place is focusing on the small details that add to the atmosphere. Even if you may not notice them, these touches definitely add to the feeling of relaxation and serenity these short escapes provide. In this case, I was only able to stay for one night, and due to […]
Nothing tends to remind us humans of how small we are and how brief our time on this planet like a visit to a place like the Petrified Forest National Park. Walking among the desert environment that once was a lush forest, marveling at the brilliant fragments of rock that were once majestic trees really readjusts your perspective. These geological […]