 I took this photo of June Lake, but the June Lake loop actually includes the canyon's four lakes: June, Gull, Silver and Grant. Summer recreation in this area is bustling. From the craggy peaks of the High Sierra, across the alpine meadows to the austere high desert. Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy hiking, horseback riding, camping, rock climbing, biking, boating, sailing, kayaking and sunbathing on the sandy beaches there. June Lake's central location allows for perfect access to most all of the Eastern Sierra's attractions. Bodie Ghost Town (Which we also visted), Mono Lake Tufa State Reserve, Tioga Pass and Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite, Devil's Postpile National Monument and Rainbow Falls are just a few of the many nearby sites that can be visited in you are in the area for several days. Another spectaclur sight with incredible beauty. "Take only memories. Leave nothing but footprints." ~ Chief Seattle
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 Touted as one of the most exciting cities in the world, Acapulco is famous for its explosive nightlife,postcard beaches, unlimited water sports, first-class hotels, gourmet restaurants and the breathtaking physical beauty of Acapulco Bay. And while we wanted to just relax, here you will find massive nightclubs that are state-of-the-art temples of sensuality packed with beautiful people partying until sunrise. The fishing in Acapulco is legendary, (while we were here one of our travel friend caught a sail fish). Snorkeling and scuba diving here is first rate and there are few things as exciting as simply jumping on a jet-ski and riding at full throttle across Acapulco Bay! Even though that was not for us. I actually went para-sailing across the bay pulled by a speedboat. Not only was it exhilarating, but also the landing on the beach (and not "IN" the bay) I found quite challenging. I took this shot from on board a "bay tour" boat, it shows some of the beautiful homes along the cliffs of the bay not far from where the world famous "cliff divers" take their lives in their hands several times a day. ~ "Travel not only stirs the blood, it also gives birth to the spirit." ~ Alexandra David-Neal
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 Here is a shot that I took of the beautiful red rock formations that abound within the National Park at Zion. The Virgin River has carved a spectacular gorge in the upper reaches of Zion Canyon: 16 miles long, up to 2000 feet deep, and at times only 20-30 feet wide. The Zion Narrows; walking in the shadow of its soaring walls, sandstone grottos, natural springs, and hanging gardens can be an unforgettable wilderness experience. Zion is an ancient Hebrew word meaning a place of refuge or sanctuary. Protected within the park's 229 square miles is a dramatic landscape of sculptured canyons and soaring cliffs. Zion is located at the junction of the Colorado Plateau, Great Basin and Mojave Desert provinces. This unique geography and the variety of life zones within the park make Zion significant as a place of unusual plant and animal diversity. It was really a very diverse and interesting place to visit. Drivng though a tunnel that goes through one of these mountains to get into the park is also very exciting. The nearest cities of any siginicance are St. George, Cedar City, and Kanab, Utah depending on which direction you enter the park from.
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 This is a shot I took of a waterfall on the "Road To Hana" Maui, Hawaii. Early on the road to Hana, you will see that farming is still an important lifestyle for many people on Maui, from the pineapple fields of Haiku, and a little later on, the taro fields of Keanae. Taro, or kalo as it is called in Hawaiian, is a starchy root vegetable that was a staple food for the ancient Hawaiians, and is used to make poi which you will hopefully get to sample at a luau during your visit. Later along the road, you will encounter lush tropical rain forests with an astounding variety of exotic flora, especially guava, papaya, and bread fruit trees, and bird of paradise, ginger and heliconia blossoms. Watch for the Rainbow Eucalyptus trees. If you enjoy old churches, you may want to drive through Keanae and nearby Wailua to see some of the oldest churches on Maui. You will have seen many beautiful waterfalls by now, both large and small, and fresh water pools that you might want to take a swim in. Just before Hana town, take a short drive down to Wainapanapa State Park. It's just a quick walk in the park to see a wonderful black sand beach, and you can hike through some small caves. Swimming here is only recommended for the strongest of swimmers, as the waves are often very large and the currents very strong. Next stop is Hana town, a very sleepy little town with the charm of old style Hawaii. You will need to travel another 45 minutes or so down the road to reach Oheo Gulch, better known as the "Seven Sacred Pools", but it's worth it. The pools are located in Haleakala National Park, and you can swim in the pools if it's not raining. If you have the time, there is a great rainforest hike to some upper waterfalls, but it takes 2 hours to reach the farthest and biggest one.
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 I took this shot at the Annual Tulip Festival in Pella, Iowa. It is an annual event every spring (usually in May) that the whole city participates in. It seemed appropriate for Easter. Pella is just wonderful at this time of year. The houses in Pella have tulips planted in the park ways. The bulbs are from the previous years bulbs that were planted in the plaza. It is just beautiful to see the pacthwork of the gardens of differnt tulip bulbs. The whole Plaza in the Center of town is covered with gardens like this one. Each done with a differnt variety of tulips. The bulbs are all flown in from Holland each year. The town touts; "Experience A Touch of Holland" - "Experience Historic Pella, Iowa". Whatever your idea of a vacation is, you'll Experience it in Pella. You can immerse yourself in the old-world charm of the Netherlands as you stroll along our brick streets visiting their storybook storefronts, the Molengracht canal, and our authentic 1850's working windmill. And this is just the beginning of your Experience! They have a working glokenspeel that people stand and watch every hour as it does its show. There are lots of Danish Bakeries in the city with their delicious pasteries. Truly a nice experience.
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 Several years ago we went on vacation to Barbados. It was a very beautiful island filled with sugar cane fields (mostly used for making Rum). It was a very quaint island and this beach at Bathsheba was almost empty with the exception of us and one lone surfer. A little history about the Island / Country... The island was uninhabited when first settled by the British in 1627. Slaves worked the sugar plantations established on the island until 1834 when slavery was abolished. The economy remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production through most of the 20th century. The gradual introduction of social and political reforms in the 1940s and 1950s led to complete independence from the UK in 1966. In the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance. It was a beautiful tropical island in the British East Indies in the Eastern Antillies. They had several attractions for tourists like their Barbados Caverns. It was a very tranquil island and I would not mind visiting it again someday. "A JOURNEY IS A PERSON IN ITSELF, NO TWO ARE ALIKE." ~ John Steinbeck
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I took this photo of June Lake, but the June Lake loop actually includes the canyon's four lakes: June, Gull, Silver and Grant. Summer recreation in this area is bustling.
