Photo Tours

Crossing America – The First Time

There is nothing like a cross-country road-trip to capture the spirit of being an American. While cliché, there is truth to what they say – the freedom of nothing but you, your car, an open road, and infinite possibilities ahead of you somehow defines us as Americans in a way. Our life, our freedom, and a million ways to go. What do we choose?

In this case, I chose to drive from San Diego, CA to Pittsburgh, PA. The road-trip was a cathartic experience, as I left my life in San Diego – family, friends, loved ones – in order to make the transition to Pittsburgh for a graduate program at Carnegie Mellon. With each new day on the road, I slowly but surely lifted out of the funk that had overtaken my life, working in administration in San Diego for years before I made the big decision to plunge into graduate school on the other side of the United States.  The challenge of the logistics on the road and the surprises that seemed to come with every turn were exactly what I needed.  My dad always gently reminded me that change and new environments bring new ideas. Now I finally see what he’s talking about. I guess if you agree that we are all in a constant state of evolution, this trip definitely sped up my process just a tad.

I hope you’ll have a chance to do one of your own, soon…

To help out your planning process, here’s an interactive map of our route complete with photos mapped along the way, as well as a google map with our exact destinations plotted.

ITINERARY
I revolved many of our stops around friends and major landmarks

Day 1: Las Vegas, NV
Day 2: Zion National Park, UT
Day 3: Best Friends Animal SanctuaryKanab, UT
Day 4: Denver and Boulder, CO
Day 5: Rocky National Park – Estes Park, CO
Day 6: Mount Rushmore – Keystone, SD
Day 7: Iowa City, IA
Day 8: Chicago, IL
Day 9: Chicago, IL
Day 10: Pittsburgh, PA

Favorite Day of the Trip: Our day in Denver and Boulder, CO. Both cities were beautiful and dynamic, full of great things to see and explore, great food, great beer, and a nice vibe. I want to go back.

Most Random Experience: On the way out of South Dakota we ran into the Sturgis Festival. I don’t think I will ever see so many motorcycles in one place again.

Favorite State: Utah. Unbelievably beautiful.

Best Meal: Chicago deep dish pizza with my great friend Tracy, of course.

Biggest Surprise: Iowa! Iowa was a really dynamic state, full of universities and cool people. My friends live in Iowa City where we visited them. The city architecture was interesting, the food was great, and we loved our stroll around town with them.

This photo gallery of my fave pics from the trip can be plotted on an interactive map of our route by clicking here.

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Maui, Hawaii

There is really nothing I feel I can say to do justice to a place like Maui.  Being here is like visiting another world that you have always hoped existed.

Somehow, the moment I stepped off the airplane in Maui, an overwhelming feeling of relaxation overcame me.  I don’t know if it is the climate or the beauty or the energy of the area, but this feeling is unmistakable.  That being said, there are many different experiences that can be had on this island, despite it’s small size.  When I visited, I frequented less touristy areas thanks to some friends I was visiting that worked on the island, and this made a huge difference in my experience.  They took me to beaches that had no more than ten people in sight.  This was a huge shock, as being from southern California, I am used to beaches stuffed with people.  We were everywhere on the island, from the endless beaches as far as you can see, to the mountains in the center of the island.  Literally everywhere you turn you find incredible beauty.

That being said, this vacation has it’s limitations.  As a city girl, as much as I love Maui, a two week vacation is a perfect amount of time for me to be in this fairly isolated environment.  Things are pretty expensive here, as most goods have to be shipped to the island.  And this is not a vacation for a foodie.

But, whoever said anyplace is perfect?  Truly, everyone sometime in their lifetime must experience a day on a Maui beach, more beautiful than words can express, and nearly deserted.  My hike with friends here in the bamboo forest remains one of the most memorable travel experiences of my lifetime.
So, in summary, go to Maui.  As soon as possible.

A gallery of my favorite Maui photographs:

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Best of Maui, a set on Flickr.

A day at the sea: Rimini, Italy

Day 20 in a row of temperatures over 80 degrees and no air-conditioner finally got the best of me, so I did what any good Italian would do – I went to the sea.  We truly intended to take it easy and spend a quiet afternoon on the beach and return to Bologna by 7pm.  By now I should have learned that fun, no matter what, takes over as the highest priority in Italy.  So, as you will see through my photo diary, our best laid plans completely went awry, and the day was by no means a simple afternoon in the sun.


A quick train ride from Bologna offers many potential destinations by the sea, but on this adventure, we chose one of the most popular destinations reachable by train.  Rimini is medium-sized city on the north-east coast of Italy in the Emilia-Romagna region.  It has a beautiful city center, as well as a robust coastline full of restaurants, shops, and most importantly, beach.  Nearby Riccione is a famous destination for nightlife, and Ravenna, which I talked about in another post, is also nearby.


Despite plentiful options for fun and sightseeing around Rimini, on this day we intended only to engage in some relaxing on the beach.


After some laying out in the (really) hot sun and getting a bit of color, our hunger pains got the best of us and we headed toward the main drag to find some food.  Of course we encountered a detour.  Here, my friends are playing a little competitive game of bocce (otherwise known as bocci ball).


And then, some jumping.  I had no idea my friend was so athletic.  I don’t think he did either. 


Lunch at the local Irish Pub, Rose & Crown, which is an institution in Rimini.  Believe it or not, eating italian food every day does begin to get boring after a while.


As you can see, some of us ate more than others…


While we were waiting for my friend to finish his three-course meal, we noticed the managers of the pub were busy blowing up balloons.  And lots of them.  We wondered why.  They explained that La Notte Rosa happened to be that night, which I have now learned is one of the biggest entertainment nights in the Emilia-Romagna region during the summer.



The managers gave me a balloon and also an idea.  Why not go back to Bologna on a later train so we can enjoy La Notte Rosa?  After all, it only comes along once per year.


While we were digesting this idea, we left the pub to go back to the beach for a bit more sun.  On the way we witnessed the result of the manager’s balloon handiwork.  Balloons flying high over Rimini.


We went back to the beach for some sun.  Apparently we were not destined to get much sun.  The cloud formations became foreboding and dramatic.


And boy did the storm come.  We ran for cover at the nearest bar with more than a thatched roof for cover.  I was drenched.    The storm seemed more akin to a hurricane.  But I must confess, I loved every moment of it, as being a girl from Southern California, I am not accustomed to dramatic weather.  Somehow, it felt like summer, reminding me of running through the rain in New York during summers spend there in my childhood.


Lucky for my friends, I had my favorite travel accessory with me – my iPad – equipped with Fruit Ninja to help them pass the time while we waited for the storm to pass.


But I was much more interested in making friends.  While they were busy with my iPad, I kept myself occupied by meeting everyone who was also taking refuge at the cafe where we hung out during the storm.  Here I am – the drenched version – with my new friends.


When the storm finally cleared, the whole town immediately came alive for La Notte Rosa.  Even the streetlights were partaking in the fun with their pink light.


We loved the street artist that was creating complex images with spray paint on the ground for us all to watch, using bits of newspaper to create texture on a cityscape of New York.


Finally, it was time to get down to business.  Where’s the party?   My friend wanted to find an old co-worker from Bologna, who was now living in Rimini selling trinkets on the street.  He didn’t have his new phone number, so we began asking every street vendor that we met.  Believe me, there are a lot of street vendors.  I will spare you from all the photos.Of course, we finally found him.  It was a happy reunion.  And he gave us some tips for the rest of the night.


Most importantly, he equipped us with pink hats so we could join in the festivities of the La Notte Rosa crowd.  But of course, our hats didn’t compare to these.  I was jealous.


And then, the fireworks came.  And a few hours later, the end of a night.  We lost one of our friends after he disappeared and fell asleep on the beach, but we made it on the late (early?) train with several hundred other people.  The train arrived in Bologna in time for us to see the sunrise.


I never knew a day at the sea could be so successful.  Thanks Rimini…

Ravenna, Italy

Ravenna is a small, unassuming city in the northeast Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, and is a virtual treasure trove of visual delights. Famous for its mosaics and churches, a day in Ravenna is relaxing adventure back in time, with a fabulous Italian dinner waiting for you to top it off.

Portici in Ravenna, Italy
Portici in Ravenna, Italy

A simple train ride from Bologna, I spent a day here last fall. My roommate Seve comes from a small city near Ravenna, and I was always curious about the city. I was not disappointed. The city is beautiful, easy to navigate, affordable, and who can beat 6th century mosaics?

More mosaics in Ravenna, Italy
More mosaics in Ravenna

For more info, check out Wiki and Wikitravel.
Here are a few of my favorite pics…
Gallery:

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Best of Ravenna, a set on Flickr.

Dublin, Ireland

Not only does Dublin hold a certain intangible magical quality which makes it pretty irresistible, it happens to be the first city outside of the United States that I visited alone. The city overwhelmed my expectations for not only traveling alone but traveling in general. For this, Dublin will always hold a soft spot in my heart.

Dublin is known as a city of ambiance, where you can be content merely wandering the streets or sitting in a pub and taking it all in. But Dublin has a lot more than that going for it – namely, the people there. As a solo traveler, everywhere I went people graciously helped me with whatever I needed, and I never truly felt alone. From a stranger paying for my internet connection at a hotel when I was out of cash and badly needed to send an email, to the groups of young friends I made every evening in the pubs that then took me under their wing to show me their city, to the restaurant and hotel staff everywhere who always wanted to make sure I was ok and to hear about my life in San Diego. I felt like I had old friend around every corner in this wonderful city.

While I didn’t take many photos and the ones I took were only with my iPhone, I hope they give you a bit of a glimpse into Dublin’s allure. Pieces of my trip included the fabulous collections at the Chester Beatty Library, a glimpse of history in the bullet holes on the side of the General Post Office, a night at the famous Abbey Theatre, learning how to pour the perfect pint and then taking in the 360 degree view of Dublin at the bar at the top of the Guinness Storehouse, and last but certainly not least – enjoying a simple pint in a cozy pub.

And P.S. – the food was amazing.

I can’t wait to go back.

Gallery preview of my favorite Dublin photographs:

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Best of Dublin, a set on Flickr.

Cinque Terre, Italy

Cinque Terre coast
Cinque Terre rose to fame among American tourists with the help of a well-known friend, Rick Steves, and it seems to continue to grow ever-more popular, as its beauty and simplicity are hard to match
Cinque Terre rests on the western coast of Italy, and its name is derived from the five small coastal cities that compose the area – Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso.  One of the signature tourist draws to the region is the hike from the southernmost Riomaggiore to the northernmost Monterosso, as each city is no more than three kilometers from the last. That being said, the more northern you are, the more difficult the walks become, with many steps and hills involved.
I have made the walk twice, and not only is the view one of the most stunning I have experienced since Big Sur, California, there is also quite a reward in Monterosso, as this city has the largest beach for relaxing a bit after your hike, and the focaccia here is not to be missed.  Speaking of food, this area of Italy is known for creating pesto, so definitely leave some room for some homemade pesto dishes while you visit.
As if the beauty of this place (and the pesto!) isn’t enough of a reason to go, there’s more. Each time I go to Cinque Terre I have made friends from the city that I still keep in touch with. The people here are wonderful – they truly appreciate the tourists and make it their own personal mission that you are happy and enjoying your visit to their city.  Seriously, what more could we ask for?
While each city has its own character – my personal favorites are Corniglia and Vernazza, as each of these cities have absolutely charming architecture and tiny yet fantastic little swimming areas.
To help you get a better idea of the true beauty of the area, I have picked out a few of my favorite photos.
Slideshow:

Gallery preview of my favorite Cinque Terre photographs:

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Best of Cinque Terre, a set on Flickr.

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Bologna, Italy


Despite the 15 months that I have already spent in Bologna, I have not yet acclimated to the striking allure of this historic Italian city. The photos in this gallery are snapshots that I have taken over the months at moments when the beauty of the city has truly struck me. Which is often. As you are about to see, Bologna is truly a land of extremes with its signature portici adorning nearly every street in the historic center, and many of the walls behind the portici laden with graffiti. A stroll through its wealthy neighborhoods can feel almost like a walk through a fairy tale, while a stroll down via Zamboni in the heart of the student community is a reminder of the sometimes radical political roots grown in Bologna.
Bologna may be my home away from home, but I dare say that these moments when I drop everything just to take a picture will never stop. I hope you enjoy them even a bit as much as I have…
 
Gallery preview of my favorite Bologna photographs:

Best of Bologna, a set on Flickr.

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