Adventurons

Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan • November 2017

My husband had been dreaming about it for many years and here we were, boarding a plane for Japan. We traveled from Osaka to Tokyo stopping in Kyoto, Nara, Kanazawa and Yamanouchi. Our favorite part of this trip was the picturesque city of Kanazawa nestled between the Japan Sea and the mountains. One thing that makes this place so special is its people. We met wonderful humans along the way that showed us what Japanese omotenashi (hospitality) is really like. Kana and Shungo hosted us for two nights. Sharing dinner, getting to know them, understanding their culture and feeling at home was amazing. We cannot wait to come back! 

Recommendations: 

Things to do: stroll in the gorgeous Kenroku-en Japanese Garden, enjoy freshly caught fish at the Omi-cho Market, explore the Higashiyama Higashi District 

Food: enjoy dinner at HUNI - the chef Taku is a Zen Buddhism practitioner and sculptor that also has a talent for food. Incredibly inspiring, I cannot recommend this place enough!

Accommodation: Stay with Kana and Shungo in one of their guesthouses. 

Kanazawa is a stunner. Don’t miss out!

Desolation Wilderness, CA • September 2017

Desolation Wilderness lies in El Dorado National Forest a few miles west from gorgeous Lake Tahoe. We had made plans to hike in the Trinity Alps but had to reschedule last minute due to forest fires. You can never go wrong with Desolation Wilderness and we got lucky enough to score a backcountry permit last minute. I had backpacked there before, but never with a bunch of strong women only. 85°F, 35 lbs of gears each and 7 miles to go to get to that secret place. Rockbound Lake charmed us with its beautiful blue glow mirroring the sky.

Zion National Park, UT • March, 2017

Out of all the stunning parks that I am thankful I got to visit, Zion is by far my favorite. There is something about this place that fascinates me. Hiking Observation Point on a cloudy day in March was an amazing experience. As we started our ascension, the rain was light but got heavier. After 3 hours of hiking, it was snow that we could see fall all around us. Time seemed to stop and bliss was on my face. We reached the viewpoint but could hardly look past our noses. We were inside the cloud, and magically, after a few minutes, it all dissipated to give us the view over the canyon and the Virgin River. 

My friend Chris went to Europe last year and witnessed the refugee crisis happening in Greece. This is his first article and it's really worth a read.

He depicts the story of broken lives and hope that push so many to take a chance and make the journey. In the light of current events, it  also raises questions about the recent refugee ban enforced by the Trump administration.

Sipalay City, Negros Occidental, Philippines • August 2016

I traveled for the first time to Asia this summer and landed in the Philippines. Landscapes are dramatic, poverty is striking, but what I will remember and keep in mind is the smile of its people. I was lucky to discover the country with locals, which gave me a deeper understanding of the culture of the islands. This photo was taken of the beach of Sipalay City on the island of Negros Occidental. These school girls first got scared of the camera and spontaneously decided to pose before bursting out laughing and waving at us. It was a memorable moment.

Recommendations: Stop at the Mixed Food Restaurant for the best batchoy in town and some delicious French crepes, made by a Frenchman, s’il vous plait!

Crater Lake, OR • July, 2016

Calm and deep blue, Crater Lake National Park is one of a kind. I was astonished by its bright hue and the cover of snow in early July. We walked around the lake and took a moment to breeze in the cool air. We are celebrating the 100 years of the National Park Service this month and I cannot be thankful enough for the breathtaking beauty that these parks have to offer. 

Sierra City, Sardines Lakes, CA

We celebrated my first quarter of life in the woods, close to Sierra City. The weather was amazing. After spending the night in our tents, we woke up to a stunning summer day and decided to hike the Sardine Lakes Trail. What a surprise awaited us! Upper Sardine Lake is gorgeous and peaceful. We hiked in a little bit further to avoid the crowds and found a whole area where we could easily bathe in the cold water and enjoy the warm sun beams.

Yosemite Valley, CA • June, 2016

The Tunnel to the Valley. A spot visited by millions, rain or shine. I had seen it on a bright sunny day and this time, I stood in front of a gray and green landscape where sky and earth touch. The storm was slowly embracing the Valley and making it even more spectacular. We had spent the day driving under heavy clouds and rain storms, but the reward was priceless. 

Page, AZ • January, 2016

The sunset on Horseshoe Bend this evening was a simple yellow glow in the far west. We had been driving all day long on highways to reach our final destination for the day, Page. This absurd scene just took place in front of our very eyes as we were leaving the canyon. 

Grand Canyon, AZ • January, 2016

I remember my reaction standing in front of the canyon for the very first time: speechless. I could hardly grasp the hugeness of this place. I was looking at it and felt like I was living in a postcard. This was in September 2014. I came back this year in the midst of winter, on a foggy day. The upper part of the canyon was covered in snow and I could clearly see the different layers of rocks with the Colorado river flowing at the very bottom. There was no flow of tourists on this day, just a few photographers patiently waiting for the right light. Once again, I stood in front of the canyon and all I could hear was silence. I had never heard silence before.

Panalu'u Beach, HI • December 2015

The black sands beach of Big Island is located on the south-east side of the island and is the result of millions of years of volcanic rock erosion. We spent the whole afternoon exploring this amazing place, home of the iconic sea turtles and the less commonly known “nenes”. it was overcast at the end of the day while we were strolling on the rocks and looking at the waves crashing on the shore. The color and atmosphere were so similar to what I imagined Hawai’i would be like: dark green mountains with peaks partially hidden by big gray clouds and the sun piercing through nonetheless. We were lucky to witness a traditional taiko ceremony close to the beach while the sun was setting. 

Pahoa, HI • December 2015

We flew to Hawai’i Island on Thanksgiving day for the very first time. We spent five amazing days on the island and stayed in a pretty Lava Rock Hale in Pahoa, on the eastern side of the island. Our home away from home was curled up in the middle of the rainforest, surrounded by trees, exotic plants and birds singing all day and night. Our hosts were the loveliest people and gave us advice on what to do. One of the highlights of our stay in Pahoa was Ahalanui Park. We drove there one rainy morning and soaked ourselves in the warm water of the pool. This thermal pool is heated by the Hawaiian volcano and cooled down by the Pacific Ocean water. We swam and relaxed in the thermal pools the whole morning and enjoyed talking to locals before exploring more of the island.

Recommendations:

- Food: Tin Shack Bakery for the best eggs benedict & Kaleo’s Bar & Grill for a delicious Hawaiian dinner.

For more recommendations, check out my Big Island map.

Mahalo Hawai’i, it was great getting to know you.

Tomales Bay, CA • February 2015

The weather was surprisingly warm for the season on this Saturday morning. We decided to rent kayaks and spend the night on the other side of the bay. We paddled for thirty minutes across Tomales Bay to get to our boat-only camping spot in the stunning Point Reyes National Seashore. The kayaks were loaded with our gears, fire wood and our beautiful selves. The beach was peaceful. We were almost the only ones there and had plenty of space. Rolling hills and sandy beach welcomed us at the campsite and we enjoyed grilled chicken and veggies at sunset.

Canyonlands, UT • January 12, 2016

Waking up at 5 a.m. to see the sunrise from Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park was definitely the best decision we could have taken. The outside temperature was around 13°F and the cold of dawn was piercing our winter clothes. The toe warmers did not seem to work this morning and the thirty minute wait seemed like forever. Sunrise over Mesa Arch is a wonderful experience that I would highly recommend to anyone. It is worth it all. The rocks take the most interesting colors and unveils a huge space full of orange, bright pink and diverse shapes. Nature is beautiful. Let’s try to keep it that way. 

San Francisco, CA • January 1, 2016

We celebrated the first day of 2016 at Fort Funston in San Francisco. The sun setting on the Pacific was beautiful and full of promise for this new year starting ahead of us. Bring us joy and adventures 2016.