Street performer on Bourbon Street.
The French Quarter is the oldest neighborhood in New Orleans and also the one most frequented by visitors. We called it home for the duration of our stay in Louisiana. The French Quarter is a mix of old and new, existing in perfect harmony. Every corner is filled with art and music all day and night. In addition to the many bars and art galleries, you’ll also see artists spreading out their wares on the street, hoping to catch the eyes of passersby.
Toronto, Canada
Nuit Blanche is a contemporary all-night art festival that happens in many major cities across the world. My visit to Canada for a friend’s wedding happened to coincide with this event, so I was excited to bundle up and wander the cold streets of Toronto checking out the public art installations. I was surprised and overwhelmed by the amount of people that poured into the downtown core area all with the same idea. The streets were alive with light, sound, and people creating a festive atmosphere.
This photo was taken in front of an H&M store on Queen Street whose facade was lit up as part of an art exhibit. The mesmerizing glow drew in people. I decided to try the technique of taking a picture within a picture, using my cellphone. Check back next week for a more posts from Toronto.
Every Monday of each week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home. Most of my photos have little or no post processing. If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.
Cemeteries are spooky; cemeteries are sad; and if you’re superstitious, cemeteries can be bad luck. So when I told my parents that I wanted to visit the cemeteries in New Orleans, they were not thrilled. However, I think cemeteries can be beautiful; they are full of stories waiting to be told and I couldn’t wait to hear them all.
We are New Yorkers; we walk everywhere. Since we don’t have a car, we get a lot of mileage out of our legs. So when we go to a new city, our inclination is to figure out how to explore that city on foot. Touring a city on foot is the easiest and best way to get a feel for a new area and get in some exercise to work off the extra vacation food. When we got to New Orleans, I was excited to walk around and see the historical cemeteries and beautiful garden district. Continue reading
It’s a different world down in Louisiana. Driving outside of the city of New Orleans you notice a different landscape where everything is a bit wetter. There is vast marshland with meandering streams leading deep into the swamps, and dotted along the water are houses built on stilts that are as much a part of the bayou as the wildlife.
Getting out of the airport, we were hit with a wave of hot humid air so thick, you can almost feel it enveloping you like a sticky blanket. We’ve arrived in New Orleans. Instead of getting into a cab and heading to the hotel to freshen up like normal sane people, we decided to rent a car and head out to the plantation. Gotta make the most of our time right?
On the outskirts of New Orleans the road was flat for miles on end, and on either side of the highway, swamp land crept up on the pavement. Driving about an hour west from the airport on the Great River Road towards Baton Rouge, you’ll enter Plantation country. Here, on either side of the Mississippi river, you’ll see magnificent old mansions built by rich plantation owners before the Civil War, a relic of yesteryears. These historical landmarks provide the public with a glimpse into bygone days.
Where do I start? It was our first time in Louisiana and we made the most of it by hitting up local eateries and trying out some authentic Southern fare. It’s safe to say that there is no city quite like New Orleans and it’s food is a reflection of that. The dishes are a mix of traditional Southern style heavily influenced by French and Cajun flavors. Their use of ingredients indigenous to the area really makes eating in New Orleans a unique experience. We ate at upscale and hole-in-the-wall places to get a feel for all the different food that The Big Easy has to offer. Here are the highlights of all the food we tried:
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Last weekend my parents visited me and we made a little trip down to New Orleans. One of the highlights of our trip was visiting the Honey Island swamp; winding through the waterways deep into the bayou where the majestic cypress trees covered in Spanish moss grow over the green velvety water. The sun rays shining through the moss covered branches created a beautiful lazy landscape, reminiscent of the scene from The Notebook.
This is one of the most truly unique places that I’ve ever seen. Stay tune for more posts from our trip down South.
Every Monday of each week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home. Most of my photos have little or no post processing. If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.
Watkins Glen, New York
A few years ago I saw a picture of this place on Pinterest. The cascading waterfalls and the curious rock formations immediately grabbed my attention. This ethereal landscape looks like it came straight out of a fairy tale. I thought for sure it was in New Zealand or some other far flung place; imagine my surprise when I discovered instead that it is located in Watkins Glen State Park, near the Finger Lakes region in upstate New York.
It’s nice to discover beauty right in our back yard, and we wanted to go and see it for ourselves so we rented a car and drove 4 hours upstate. Hiking along the main gorge trail, you’ll be able immerse yourself in Mother Nature’s embrace and appreciate her grandeur.
If you are in the area, this place is definitely worth a trip.
Every Monday of each week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home. Most of my photos have little or no post processing. If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.
Fresh from my success with the Inca Trek, I am now convinced that I am a hiker (cue eye-roll from Fausto). I tried to convince the hubby that it’s better to spend the weekend trekking up the mountain than sitting on our butt watching TV. I am not sure he is entirely convinced about the fresh air and exercise, but nevertheless he was game and off we went.
life after 9to5 