Portland Japanese Gardens
I filmed a recent visit to the Portland Japanese Gardens. These are widely proclaimed to be the best such gardens outside of Japan. And here are some photos from the gardens.
Category: Activity Level
One of the Best Mountain Ranges You’ve Never Heard Of
Right in the back yard of the place where I’m housesitting sits the Wallowa Mountains. Literally. The entrance to a state park is four houses away. I go walking in there almost daily. I have hiked 9,000 feet up into the mountains, ending up well above the snow line. They...
The “Big City” (compared to my tiny 16th century French village)
Just four and a half miles from my tiny little French village sits the closest town that actually has
Living for a Month in a 16th Century French Village
Here I am, sitting next to a roaring fire in a 16th century French farmhouse. Part of my journey has included housesitting. I often get asked what that is and how it works. Basically,
First impressions of Spain
My journey from Quito, Ecuador to Barcelona, Spain was quite a story. It all started with going to the bus terminal in Quito to buy my ticket to Guayaquil. In English, the words “thirteen” and “thirty” sound vaguely similar. In Spanish, they are even more so. (Trese “tray-say” and Trente...
This would NEVER be allowed in the US!
One of Quito, Ecuador’s biggest attractions, both literally and figuratively, is the massive Basilica del Voto Nacional (“Basilica of the National Vow”). The towers are a full
The London Eye… in Ecuador!
Many people are familiar with the London Eye. That giant Ferris wheel that allows tourists a bird’s eye view over the city of London. Well, there is a similar wheel in
In the footsteps of Charles Darwin… exploring the Galápagos Islands
The expense of visiting the Galápagos aside, it really is quite a unique place and the trip of a lifetime. Being as isolated as it is, 600 miles from the nearest mainland shore, means it has unique flora and fauna that is seen nowhere else on earth. It also means...
The Most Touristy Thing I’ve Done
For those who don’t already know, every year I take my daughter on a trip for her birthday rather than buying her stuff that she doesn’t really need. We have gone to some amazing places together. This year, for her 22nd birthday, I took her to the Galápagos Islands. Simply...
Adventure on the cheap in the Galápagos Islands
My daughter and I landed today in the Galápagos Islands. If you didn’t know, every year I take her on a trip for her birthday. Even though her birthday is in December, this year we had to schedule the trip around other commitments we both had. The Galápagos is certainly...